So You Think You Can Bench?

Bench Meet!

Team 22 will be hosting a bench meet on 14 September 2013 at 10 am, open to all SMU students! Mark that date, and come down to join us! There will be 3 attempts, and we will be following basic IPF rules. After the 3 attempts we will also compete in highest number of reps for bodyweight bench.

Rules of the competition:

1. Butt on the bench
2. Feet flat on the floor
3. Head on the bench throughout the lift
4. "Start" and "rack" commands will be given
5. Wait for command to press before pressing

There will be two winners:

1. Absolute highest bench
2. Highest number of reps for bodyweight bench

Limited to 30 participants only. Register by 10 September 2013!

Prizes: Animal Cage DVD (Special extended version)

Contact us at team.twentytwo.sg@gmail.com if you have any queries. 

What are you waiting for? Register here, and we'll see you on 14 September!

The Weights Area is a Scary Place

Just for a bit of context, I'm a girl, the kind who really likes girly stuff, so never did I think that I would be into the (gasp!) manly pastime of lifting weights. Since then, it's no longer just a pastime, but a passion. Here's my experience in the weights area, and how you, whether you're a girl, or anybody thinking of trying weightlifting, can do just the same. 

The first time I decided that I wanted to lift weights, I was terrified of going to the weights area in the school gym. As far as I was concerned, it was filled with sweaty boys who hissed and grunted a lot while they heaved dumbbells that sometimes seemed too heavy for them. It was more than a little terrifying, because here I was, a total newbie when it came to lifting, and I wanted to try lifting weights, but I didn't know what weight to use or what to do with it. 

My mind was paralysed with fears, mainly to do with embarrassing myself since I didn't know what to do or how heavy a weight I should carry. "What if I drop a dumbbell on my foot/face/hand/head?" "What if the boys just keep staring and wondering why I'm standing in the weights area? It's not a place for girls!" "What if my pants rip when I bend over?" 

Since I've been lifting for over a year, nothing truly embarrassing has really happened to me, and I've come to realize that some guys in the weights area are equally self-conscious, and most don't really notice girls there or care anyway. I've also done the following things in the gym:

• Drop weights/plates on my finger/hand/toe/foot while using them (still happens all the time);

• Trip on my own feet while walking and fell down;

• Jumping awkwardly while attempting to grab the pull up bars, and missing;

• Put a little box in front of the pull up bars so I can grab them, then falling off the box after letting go of the bars;

• Sit in the squat rack, then knocked my head on the barbell when I got up;

• Hit my boobs with a dumbbell while doing rows; and

• Bench pressed with no spotter, got stuck on the last rep, panicked for a while, then rolled the barbell down my chest, stomach and legs with great difficulty and managed to sit up and get the bar off. 

All sorts of embarrassing things can occur, whether you are in the gym or not, and sometimes no one really notices or cares. The point is, none of this should ever stop you from going to the weights area and doing what you want to do. You are your biggest critic. 

Nevertheless, the first time stepping into the weights area can still be scary, so here are some tips. 

1. Go prepared

Go to the gym with a plan in mind. Know what exercises you want to do, and how to perform them. Write it down on a piece of paper, or bring the book you are referring to, and just use a really light weight first. If it's too light, you can always increase the weight. 

2. Go with a friend

Ask one of your guy friends if you can join him, and ask him to show you which weights to use, or how to perform an exercise. You could go with a girlfriend too, but it's more likely that both of you can be equally lost if it's the first time in the weights area for both of you.

Yeah! Curl together! 

3. Go early in the morning or at non-peak hours

Less people to get in your way. Or if you are really worried about embarrassing yourself, then less people to see you embarrass yourself.

The SMU gym is empty in the mornings

4. Ask the gym staff

Ask one of the gym staff to show you around or how to use the equipment. They're more than willing to help you out, and they know their way around.

What guys think

I started in the gym alone, and I've gotten accustomed to just getting in the gym, getting my workout done, then getting out. You don't really need to notice other people there, nor be concerned with what they think. Everyone is simply there to do their own workouts.

However, over time I've gotten to know some guys in the gym and it's been nice to learn that despite the prima facie scary grunting, they are nice people when they're not grunting. Some of these people are now my training buddies, I've asked them to weigh in on what they think about seeing girls in the weights area:

"I feel that every girl out there shouldn’t be intimidated by the weights that the guys are carrying. Be confident of yourself when lifting those weights and the only way to build that confidence is to keep repeating those actions until it becomes a habit. As time goes on, you will realize that this confidence will have a major carryover in your daily life because it reflects how strong you become not only physically, but mentally as well.  Also, do not be afraid to ask or seek opinions about your technique. Practice makes permanence." – Daniel Ong

"Strength is not gender based. As long as he or she is looking to improve, we welcome them equally. For every douche giving a girl a weird look or a hard time (behaving like a girl shouldn't belong there in the weights section) is a guy who is there to help correct her form and pass on the correct knowledge. Yes the gym can be intimidating at times but everyone starts somewhere. Same goes for guys. Everyone is there to get their workout in and if you are there to get yours done, don't be affected by what others do." – Max

"There is no such thing as gender in the weight room. Besides dumb jocks and douches, one thing that encompasses the weight room is respect. It doesn't matter if you're male or female, what colour your skin is, whether you're bulking or cutting, you will always get a spot if you need one, some friendly advice if ever your form seems off. This may seem to contradict my first sentence, but i have even more respect for girls who lift (as compared to guys). If you're willing to venture into the unknown, ignore the judging (or pervy) glances from douchebags, and lift, then you enter a universal fraternity of men AND women who have decided to take control of their physical condition. And that commands respect, even from the curling douchebags. 

You know the saying; "if you've got it, flaunt it"? In the weight room, that only applies to your strength, not your assets, no matter how ample. Dressing like a hooker in the gym only serves to allow guys to objectify you and judge you as such. Also, you do NOT stand around and talk chit chat. It's distracting, annoying, and can wait for after the training session. With the don'ts out the way, DO ask for training advice or a spot if you need to. Guys might look physically intimidating, but you must understand that in the weight room, even the most aggressive, bad tempered person has a channel for release: the weights. So no, just because the atmosphere is testosterone charged does not mean the guys are aggressive or unapproachable." - Abel

"There are so many myths being perpetuated about women lifting weights in this day and age that most females relegate themselves to the confines of the treadmill and stairmaster. This is a gross injustice to themselves, as many of the myths are not only false, but logically unsound. Although many of the guys at the weights area may seem intimidating, it's nothing more than a gruff facade, as many of us would actually be more than happy to oblige any woman that comes to us for advice regarding lifting." – Twain

"I think that it is great to see girls breaking out of the norm- cardio, and start lifting some weights because it takes a lot of courage for them to do so, venturing into unknown territory, and they deserve respect for that. One tip I would give is to practice good form with lighter weights first, ask the gym staff for help if you're unsure or you can check with Youtube, there is tons of information out there. Do not be afraid to ask for demonstration of good form!" – Sam

"Girls who lift weights kick ass because they are showing us guys that they can train just as hard in the gym! That is a huge inspiration for guys to train harder! Don't worry about other people looking at you and judging you in the gym. If they do that, they are either curious or just wasting their own time. Don't sweat over other people's opinions, the only thing you should be sweating over is your own workout!" – Tim

"Girls who lift tend to develop a sense of independence and tenacity, both qualities I have much respect for. I think guys understand how much effort it takes just to step into the weights area, so don't be afraid to ask if you need help with anything." – Bryan

As you can see, guys are really not that scary nor mean, and they can be very helpful if you ask. So don't let the guys in the weights area scare you off from trying to lift weights, because life is too short for you to refrain from trying something you want to do because you fear what others think of you.

10 Reasons Why Girls Should Lift Heavy

1. Lose fat.

Weightlifting offers higher resistance training than cardio, and lifting weights taxes your body more, thereby requiring more energy to heal. A girl who lifts heavy weights will expend more calories in the post exercise period than a cardio bunny girl, ensuring that she will calories even after the workout is done.

Muscle also needs more energy to be maintained than fat, and hence having muscle increases your metabolism.



2. “Toned” muscles.

Weightlifting does not make you bulky. Testosterone helps to build muscle. Guys get "bulky" because they have much higher levels of testosterone, but girls have much lower levels of testosterone so we don't get bulky. Would you call her bulky?


Jamie Eason

Also, muscle takes up less space than fat
: 

5 lbs of muscle vs 5 lbs of fat

You will not look like a female bodybuilder unless you take anabolic steroids or testosterone. Ever since I started lifting, I’ve lost body fat while still indulging in my favourite desserts, and I’ve gained muscle definition in my arms, abs, butt, and legs that I never got in my years of dancing, or doing any other sort of cardio. I’ve also noticed a dramatic reduction in my cellulite with heavy squats and deadlifts.

3. Functional Strength.

You can't lift weights without getting stronger and better at it. I can now lift that bag of rice in the supermarket, carry gallons of milk myself to the car, and change the water dispenser in the office. Nope, no guys needed. Girl power FTW!
(Which leads to the next point…)

She's so strong she can carry groceries WHILE eating them!

4. It is empowering!




Being able to lift heavy makes me feel incredibly powerful- it has increased my faith in my own abilities to do something that I set my mind to. There is this rush of euphoria each time I see an improvement and I experience this exhilaration every time I set a PR. 

Lifting heavy makes me feel strong and capable of taking care of myself. I love lifting weights because I know that if I set my mind on the goal, and I work towards it, I will be able to accomplish what I set out to do.

5. Helped me to love myself for what I can do and not what I look like.

Nothing wrong with loving yourself for what you look like, but face it, our physical looks are temporal. Who doesn't love that sexy flat stomach when you wake up but hate it when it bloats up after breakfast?

Lifting weights has helped me to enjoy what I do and to accept that looks aren't everything. It helped me to love my body for what it is capable of, be it pull ups, squats, or simply being able to move pain free.


We come in different shapes and sizes but we are all beautiful.
Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. 

 6. Because cardio and crunches don't work.

If cardio and crunches worked, then why isn't everyone around you a size 2? We have all been down that path of endless hours on the elliptical/bike/treadmill and we all follow the routines in magazines like this:


Lifting heavy helps you to build the body you want.

7. Stress relief.

Nothing more liberating than going to the gym and deadlifting all your troubles away. When particularly frustrated with exasperating group mates or colleagues, or with relationship problems, deadlifting and wall balls really help me release my irritation and annoyance with every clang of the barbell against the floor.



Wall balls

8. Helps build patience and perseverance in achieving long term goals.

Rome wasn't built in a day. Neither can you squat your body weight the first time you step into a squat rack.

Setting long term goals and working towards them weekly taught me the value of perseverance and diligence. It translated into other qualities which I could use outside the gym- like setting long term goals, short term goals, planning to achieve these goals, discipline in executing my plan, and a doggedness not to let anything stop me from giving my 110%. Weightlifting is perfect for building this way of thinking because it offers am objective way of measuring progress. Either you lift it, or you don't.



9. Health benefits.

Weightlifting is a form of resistance training, which helps to increase bone density, thereby staving off osteoporosis in old age. Turning 50 is a couple of decades away, but what you do now in your 20s can affect you when you’re much older. My mum got osteo-arthritis in her hands when she was 40+, and that made me all the more sure that I want to keep myself strong and fit so I can take care of myself when I’m older.

I still want to be deadlifting like this awesome grandma when I'm 75 years old. 

10. Because you have nothing to lose.

If you’ve tried doing 100 crunches a day, or an hour running, and you don’t see results, then why not trying weightlifting? It’s scary, but it’s awesomely fun when you get to know it. You have nothing to lose but everything to gain by trying something new!

Vince's 5 principles of training

Was reading some of Vince's original works and came across him laying out the 5 basic principles of his training philosophy. Pretty interesting and very applicable to any discipline, not just bodybuilding or sports in general.

1. Philosophy

Dwelling on the subject of training all day causes endocrine tension, which can upset the chemical balance of your nervous system. This form of tension can be absolutely destructive to the muscle building process and hinder formation of new tissue. For the growth process to function to its optimum level, all of your glandular processes must operate with maximum efficiency. Worry and anxiety over constantly dwelling on your workouts can prevent the free flow of endocrine secretions which is necessary for the rebuilding of nervous energy force. Remember, nerve force is essential for rebuilding tissue. When you begin your workout you are to concentrate on your training, the minute you finish your workout the training session is over, “turn it off.” Over-enthusiasm is one of the bodybuilder’s worst enemies. Tranquility is the first rule of good health. You cannot fail to make gains if you see yourself as you wish to be. There are only one or two good exercises for each muscle. The rest of the exercises are only variations. Any interruptions during a training session can ruin a workout by dissipating nervous energy. All great champions have the ability of complete concentration which allows them to use their nerve energy force to its maximum.

2. Tranquility.

The brain at rest uses 60% of the body’s energy. Thus, anything less than tranquility is disastrous to the bodybuilder. Overnight muscle loss takes place when a mental problem is encountered which upsets ones normal outlook. Excess concern regarding your workouts, diet, and conditions in your life can also place a drain on your tranquility. Such thoughts, given too much of your energy, are sure to result in less or no physical gains. Stop worrying. Choose a course of action and follow through. Champions turn it off when they leave the gym. They are also not worriers and have a positive outlook.

3. Workout Tempo.

Two people using the same routine, the same number of sets and reps, same weights, and only one of them is great. Which one? The one with workout tempo! Workout tempo is; the time wise evenly spacing of sets, without distractions and complete concentration on when to pick up the next weight and do the next set. Champions instinctively use this tempo when working out; while others are walking around the gym between sets, gossip with their buddies, or look at a magazine, or just sit down and rest. Distraction to a champion is disastrous. It results in a loss of energy and pump. If you are distracted during your workout you might as well stop and rest an hour or so and then take up where you left off. Complete singleness of purpose is the key to concentration. Each workout is progressively different than the last one, and this simply means that more muscle tension is used and tighter contractions are employed. This results in greater satisfaction with each workout. When you reach this level of accomplishment in training, you may confuse this elated state of feeling with the need to do more work. Beware! This is where you could make your biggest mistake by taking on more work and over-working.

4. Concentration.

Year ago Vince predicted bodybuilders of the future would exercise less than back in his time. Why, mainly due to bodybuilders advancement in the field of concentration. Every top bodybuilder uses concentration to the point they are oblivious to the activity around them. In conjunction with knowing how and where the muscle is attached and its function and what exercise involves the part of the muscle you wish to develop forms a foundation for training success. Every muscle has a low-middle lateral and high aspect. You must choose either the difficult or weak area to work on. The slow growing areas call for maximum concentration, while the faster growing areas call for considerable less concentration.

5. Visualization.

Champions obviously possess something others do not. Even though they may do the same routine set for set, rep for rep, they do not obtain the benefits of champions. Vince often stated that he had observed champions train in a manner he did not approve, but they received results that were phenomenal. What is it that they possess? What do they do different? They are using mental suggestion, mind control! You can actually produce the desired condition by picturing in your mind what you wish to manifest. Picture in your mind a clear image of the muscle or area of the body you wish to develop and hold the image throughout the performance of the set. The technique of mental suggestion is what all physical culture writers are trying to explain when they throw the term, “concentration” out to you. The subconscious believes any thought you perceive and stores it. It accepts everything that is spoken by you or someone else if you accept it as truth. But it must be repeated again and again until the subconscious accepts it as truth. Then it will produce the condition pictured in your mind. Whether or not a champion is aware of it, this is why they are champions, they have this ability. They are convinced of a successful outcome. This awareness is more important than any steroid, drug, diet plan, supplement, or exercise routine ever conceived.

To Squat or Not To Squat?

Myth #1: Squats are bad for the knees

You've probably heard this one a thousand times, but not only are squats not bad for the knees, virtually every legitimate research study on this subject has shown that squats help improve knee stability. This dramatically reduces the risk of injuries. Provided you don't relax or bounce in the bottom position of the squat, you have nothing to worry about! What happens when you relax is that the knee joint opens up slightly and exposes the connective tissues to stress levels higher than their inherent tensile strength. This doesn't mean that you can't pause in the bottom position, but that you have to ensure you keep the muscles under tension when doing so. In other words, just don't relax at the bottom of the squat and allow your connective tissue to over-stretch like a rubber band!

Myth #2: Squats widen the hips

The origin of this myth comes from old-time bodybuilding guru Vince Gironda. Despite his many contributions and insights into weight training, there has been no scientific or empirical evidence that the squats do widen the hips. If this were true, olympic lifters, who can devote as much as a third of training volume to squats, would have the widest hips of all (and we know that to be untrue!). One of the prime movers in the squat movement is the gluteus maximus, and when it develops, it grows backwards, not to out to the sides, because the insertions nor origins of the attachments at at the hips. So ladies, take not, if you want to firm up your butt, deep squats are the perfect exercise for it!

               

Myth #3. There's only one way to squat

As the saying goes, 'there's more than one way to skin a cat'. Regardless of whether you decide to do front squats, back squats or squats with various different bar positions, you will still force adaptation and growth.

A good example of changing up the way you squat for various different benefits can be illustrated by how bodybuilders and powerlifters squat. Many bodybuilders like to squat while keeping their backs as straight as possible and gives rise to an increased forward movement of the knees. Powerlifters like to squat by bending more from the waist, so there's minimal forward movement. Also, powerlifters often don't squat as deep as bodybuilders (but still past parallel), in an effort to handle as much weight as possible. From the standpoint of human biomechanics and neurophysiology, the depth of squatting, degree of forward lean and knee movement patterns can affect the muscle recruitment patterns.

What this means is that you can take a page out of these different athlete's books. By squatting like powerlifters, you would tap into new motor-units and learn to develop the posterior side of the legs, which are often proportionally weaker due to under-training; and by squatting deep like bodybuilders and getting a good range of motion, you would help to increase the development of the VMO (vastus medialis oblique) muscle and hamstring muscles which will greatly increase knee stability, bullet-proofing you against knee pain!

The Concept of Discipline

As an avid practitioner of the iron game, I train with weights virtually everyday. In fact, rarely a day goes by where I am not in the gym. As a result, I often get comments from friends, and even strangers, that I must be very disciplined to lead the lifestyle that I do. Often I would thank the person for the compliment and not give it much thought beyond that.  

Recently, however, one of my colleagues mentioned to me that they felt so guilty for skipping a few days worth of workouts because they were ill disciplined (basically they felt lazy that day and decided to indulge themselves). This incident got me questioning the whole concept of discipline - is there even such a thing?  

One of the most common questions that I get from people who have just started a training program is 'How can I ensure that I am disciplined and motivated enough to continue my workouts?' I usually pose this question in response, 'How much do you love yourself?'   You see, discipline is a lie - there is no such thing. There is only love. Love is virtually THE most powerful creative force in the universe. Think about it, you are a result of what you love the most. You either love washboard abs more than that dessert, or you don't. You either love being the fittest and most healthy version of yourself, or you don't. Do not beat yourself up thinking that you have no discipline, or that further downing another slice of cake in an effort to drown your sorrows out of guilt will help alleviate this pain. Just admit that you love crappy food more than your health or strength, and that's all right, provided you could live with it.  

A person's self-esteem is a reflection of their self-judgement. As a result, one of the best ways to raise your self-esteem is to make truly loving choices that lead an increased strength of your body and mind. To continue using training and diet as an analogy, if you truly love yourself in the gym, you would choose doing full squats over leg extensions. If you truly love yourself in a food court, you would choose clear fish soup and plain rice over fried hokkien mee and carrot cake.  When faced with a difficult choice, it would be helpful to ask yourself, 'What would a knowledgeable expert with your best interests in mind recommend?' For example, if you wanted to train chest, would an expert recommend cable crossovers or full range dumbbell presses? If you wanted dessert, would an expert recommend a sugar-rich slice of double chocolate fudge cake, or a bowl of greek yoghurt with berries?  Of course, I am not suggesting you immediately start preparing meals of chicken breast and brown rice with broccoli and start training every single day. In fact, this idea extends beyond training and dieting, to encompass a more holistic idea of self-fulfillment. In anything you do, you either love yourself enough to make the smart choices, develop a plan to reach your goals and incorporate it such that it is a part of your lifestyle, or you love being a subpar, mediocre version of yourself.  

Every successful person who reached their success did so by doing what they needed to do every single day; no matter how negligible it may have seemed or how painful it might have been at that time. They did so because they believed in the end product, and they loved the future successful version of themselves so much that they would do what was necessary to get there. They understood that the fulfillment of reaching their eventual goal was worth way more than any form of instant gratification.  Knowing all this, how then do we free ourselves from this archaic concept of discipline? 

Here are a couple of things you can start doing to liberate yourself.  Firstly, accept that whatever choices you make are a reflection of what you truly love, and choose to love yourself more than external things. Treating yourself well will accelerate the growth of your self-esteem and your self-judgement will improve exponentially. When you achieve results as you progress, and people compliment you by saying you have a lot of discipline, tell them you just love making the right choices for yourself. Reinforcing your own positivity will help it manifest in strength.  Also remember that what you appreciate appreciates, so whenever you make a truly loving choice in yourself, reward yourself positively. For example, when you meet a certain goal, reward yourself with a vacation or a new piece of equipment. The more you believe in yourself, the more objectively you will be able to take criticism from others, because your self-esteem is already strongly reinforced.  

There is an old Hindu saying 'The World is as we are.' If you are tired of the condition of the world around you, then change it. Start by taking control and changing yourself, and BE the change you want to see in the world. We are what we attract in life, so be that which you want the most. Being loving towards yourself and making the right choices towards that end will ensure you lead the most fun, enjoyable and productive life possible.

Introduction

We are Team 22 and we love iron. That is to say, we love lifting heavy shit. 

We first met in the gym while studying at SMU and NUS. As we bonded over a common passion for lifting, the idea of Team 22 grew from a desire to build a community that encourages and inspires, both inside and outside the gym.

Our vision is to foster a community through which we can share our knowledge and experience with  people who are interested in lifting - whether you are a guy or girl; weak or strong, looking to better yourself in your sport, or simply look better. Having been there ourselves, we know that everyone begins somewhere, and it is our genuine hope to help you better yourself.

This blog was created so we could document our thoughts and personal experiences on lifting, training, and leading a healthy, active lifestyle. Simultaneously, we recognize that everyone has their own unique journey and we welcome everyone visiting this blog to share their thoughts with us by commenting.

So…. welcome to the Team!