Some observations I have made watching people at my gym->

[machman]

Just my 2 cents but I feel they are one of the most useless exercises ever invented, you could have so many steroids in your system that you have oil for blood and still never gain an ounce of muscle from that exercise

I disagree needsize. After I've done my 5X5 Flat Bench, and 5X5 Incline (what a wicked system) I do 3 sets of HEAVY cable cross. Of course "heavy" is a relative term, but in my case it's 5 reps of 100lbs - 120lbs in good form. I really feel that it finishes off the inside of my chest, which barbell exercises just can't hit due to the lack of range.

 

[Lumberg]

Bashing down on the 140 pounders eh? I'm only 137! Not nice Was only 130 about 5 weeks ago so i'm working my way up I just recently started incorporating squats into my leg day on Wednesdays. My GOD, my ham's and butt were totally shot for about the next 2-3 days (only now just starting to get over it). I assume this is somewhat normal when just starting them. No back pain or anything, I believe I do it with pretty good form, done quite a bit of reading up on them...keep your feet flat, butt stuck out before bending knees, try to go down to parallel etc...

I saw this one guy last week drop the entire squat from shoulder height (made the most LOUD slam I've ever heard in a gym, now THAT was just dumb..shouldn't be lifting something you can't set down).

Maybe it's just a sign that he is going to failure. It's better to risk breaking equipment and raising eyebrows than risking injury. I'd make no apologies if I dumped a bar once every few months.

Now if this is an every-workout event, the guy's a dumbass.

JC

 

[Phase3Lifter]

Why is it funny for a guy to be training if he only weighs around 140? That attitude is not right, if he is trying to get in shape, what better place for him to be? What do you think a guy at 220, with your same outlook on things, would would say about you being smaller than him. Sorry but i just dont think that attitude is right, I put down nobody at the gym unless they ask for it, big or small. Now if he is doing it all wrong, then there is a reason to be criticle.

 

[louden_swain]

I disagree needsize. After I've done my 5X5 Flat Bench, and 5X5 Incline (what a wicked system) I do 3 sets of HEAVY cable cross. Of course "heavy" is a relative term, but in my case it's 5 reps of 100lbs - 120lbs in good form. I really feel that it finishes off the inside of my chest, which barbell exercises just can't hit due to the lack of range.

Cables will never build anything. All they are good for is for pumping up the muscle. You are better off working with dumbbell flyes or dips.

 

[BigRedCat]

Yup, in fact I was just reading an article by Lee Labrada that said he finds cable crossovers to be completely useless- as does Dorian Yates. They might now what they are talking about, what do you think?

On the subject of the 140 pound guy- you would have had to see how he was dressed- it's not that he was 140 it was that he was wearing dress shorts and a tucked in dress shirt. Just as funny as the 260 pound BB's wearing shinny stretch pants and goofy tank tops. If you dont think that is kinda funny then oh well. Some people just cant dress themselves.

That story about the guy coming in and doing super fast reps is funny as hell. Gotta make sure your hair looks good while lifting right! Haha.

 

[Nutri-Wrestler]

I have tossed in cable cross overs in my routine cause i had never done them and i always saw oter people doig them. So, i was just curious as of why. So i just incorporated them for a little bit. Im goin back to incline flys tomorrow.

Whats better, incline, or flat flys?

 

[BigRedCat]

Both are good, mix it up. Hit it from differant angles. I dont really do flye's much. 2 sets at the end of chest sets. I like incline DB press the best for chest.

 

[needsize]

I disagree needsize. After I've done my 5X5 Flat Bench, and 5X5 Incline (what a wicked system) I do 3 sets of HEAVY cable cross. Of course "heavy" is a relative term, but in my case it's 5 reps of 100lbs - 120lbs in good form. I really feel that it finishes off the inside of my chest, which barbell exercises just can't hit due to the lack of range.

At least there you are doing heavy compound exercises to build mass first, so finishing with a machine can work. I just prefer to use free weight pretty much all the way through, I'm really "old school" that way. That being said, I do love to finish up with the hammer strength press

 

[BigRedCat]

I love Hammer Strength machines. I wish my current gym had more. They only have one- for shrugs. My old gym had tons of them. Someday I will build a home gym with free weights and Hammer Strength.

 

[needsize]

I love Hammer Strength machines. I wish my current gym had more. They only have one- for shrugs. My old gym had tons of them. Someday I will build a home gym with free weights and Hammer Strength.

My gym is a brand new yuppie gym with more hammer strength equipment that I can count, I would guess between 20-30 different ones, lots that I dont even know what they are for. It's a shame I almost never use machines