Tag: strength training

Welding Exercise: Strength Training Machine Weight Stack Pin

Strength training weight stack pin with an additional ring, photo 1 by Don Tai

This is a strength training machine weight stack pin from a city gym that needed some alterations. I enlarged the hole on the handle to add a ring. The steel of the ring was from a garage door spring, so is high strength steel. I then bent the ring to allow the pin head to be threaded, bent the ring back into alignment, and then welded it shut. I used SMAW 6013 at 40 amps, but should have used 70amps.

The ring is 1/4″ 6mm thick and is not easily bent. I cut the garage door spring lengthwise, resulting in many rings, but they are slightly twisted. These then need to be bent into alignment. My welding is a work in progress, meaning I need a lot of improvement. Welding rings is interesting because you cannot get an angle grinder into the middle of the ring.

This is a preview of Welding Exercise: Strength Training Machine Weight Stack Pin. Read the full post (256 words, 4 images, estimated 1:01 mins reading time)

Strength Training Lifting Straps: Caution

It is apparently very common for people who do strength training using lifting straps, to have wrist pain if not done properly. The wrist is not designed to carry your body weight. The tendons in your wrist and within your carpal tunnel can become inflamed causing tenderness and pain. I experienced this for 2 days and had a significant loss of hand strength. Thankfully with rest this has subsided.

This is a preview of Strength Training Lifting Straps: Caution. Read the full post (171 words, 0 images, estimated 41 secs reading time)

How to Build Muscle In Strength Training, In one sentence

“Do 5-30 good technique reps that take 2-9 seconds in mulitiple sets, taking those sets close to failure where the target muscle is the limiting factor, and repeat this approach as often as you are recovered enough to do so”

Dr Mike Israetel

So much knowledge is wrapped up in this one sentence. While it is not perfect, follow this, to the letter when you can, and you will go far in gaining strength and muscle. There is more “embellishment” required to be complete, so watch the video and then think about it.

This is a preview of How to Build Muscle In Strength Training, In one sentence. Read the full post (136 words, 0 images, estimated 33 secs reading time)

Exercise Handles for Weight Training Cable Machines and Resistance Bands: DIY

Commercial exercise handles for strength training cable machines or exercise bands are quite easy to make yourself.

If you strength train using a cable machine, or use resistance bands, you will probably need exercise handles. These plastic and nylon webbing handle attachments clip to the cable with a carabiner, allowing you to more comfortably pull as well as allowing your wrist and arm to rotate in a more natural position. This rotation is much easier on your joints and greatly adds to your comfort. Conversely straight and rigid attachments such as a lat pulldown bar usually offer no flexibility of wrist angle, which is harder on your joints. A neutral grip for rowing is easier on the wrists, and therefore better for long-term use.

This is a preview of Exercise Handles for Weight Training Cable Machines and Resistance Bands: DIY. Read the full post (992 words, 6 images, estimated 3:58 mins reading time)

Lat Pulldown Rope: Design and DIY Build

Lat pulldown rope, or triceps rope, for use on a cable strength training machine, home made, 39″ long. Photo by Don Tai

There’s really not much to the lat pulldown rope, sometimes called a triceps rope. A lat pulldown rope attaches to a strength training cable machine, high up, so you can pull downward and exercise your latissimus dorsi, or lower back muscles. Common exercises include the lat pulldown and face pulls. It is just a rope with an attachment point in the middle. Here’s how I made mine.

This is a preview of Lat Pulldown Rope: Design and DIY Build. Read the full post (982 words, 10 images, estimated 3:56 mins reading time)

City of Toronto Gym Opening: L’Amoreaux Community Center

It has been 5 months since I was able to work out at my community center gym. Today 2020 Aug 17 the Toronto public gyms reopened, but with significant changes. Overall I felt that the City of Toronto did a really good job in infection control and cleanliness, considering pandemic circumstances.

Though I have been strength training at home, I don’t have the weights required to get a good pump and build strength, so it has only been maintenance. Working out at home, which will continue (I will explain) is a bit boring and at times very difficult for motivation. Still, when you have no other options a home workout must do.

This is a preview of City of Toronto Gym Opening: L’Amoreaux Community Center. Read the full post (873 words, 0 images, estimated 3:30 mins reading time)

What Can Fitness Change, Go Do Fitness, Wechat: Translation

Weixin photo from Jianshen Qu Ba, unknown origin, complete article

China is a separate world and becoming even more distant. This is especially true with the internet. Wechat 微信 is part of China’s social media and a very good example. Their information ecosystem, heavily monitored and censored by the government, is often smartphone ecosystem, and not web site based. I occasionally monitor Chinese social media and often read some of their articles.

While the content can be very good, for fitness articles they almost always use white models. I find this very strange. There are more than enough jacked Chinese guys and beautiful Chinese women in Asia. The photos also have no sources.

This is a preview of What Can Fitness Change, Go Do Fitness, Wechat: Translation. Read the full post (1635 words, 4 images, estimated 6:32 mins reading time)

Why You Should Lift Weights at the Gym: Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia, a decline in skeletal muscle with age, is inevitable. I have experienced symptoms of this and have then taken measures, which includes weight lifting. It has helped a lot.

Preventing Muscle Loss Among the Elderly

2010 Aug 31 Doctors Seek Way to Treat Muscle Loss

Causes of the loss of muscle mass or strength might include hormonal changes, sedentary lifestyles, oxidative damage, infiltration of fat into muscles, inflammation and resistance to insulin. Some problems stem from the brain and nervous system, which activate the muscles.

Experts say the best approach to restoring or maintaining muscle mass and strength is exercise, particularly resistance training.

This is a preview of Why You Should Lift Weights at the Gym: Sarcopenia. Read the full post (2344 words, 0 images, estimated 9:23 mins reading time)