What Are Your Secret Weapons?

[CaptainCrush]

Usually 2 cups of coffee, 1 Red Bull, a set of 20 rep squats and some Killswitch Engage's When Darkness Falls

sometimes punching myself in the chin also...

[climber511]

The most important pre workout ritual this time of year is to go to the garage and turn on the heat - go back in the house and wait long enough for the garage to warm up a little.

[maximus1]

I'm not trying to be funny, but my routine seems to consist of not having one. Spontaneity is fun and can be effective on a psychological level. Some of my best garage performances came after watching you guys do something impossible here on the board and being unable to resist the call of the gripperphernalia.

My psych up routine is scary to behold. I stand, shut my eyes for a moment, and approach the task at hand like a sleepy librarian.

im with Eric,coffee and im good to go!

[matthcarl]

One thing I forgot that really fires me up is watching a few bending videos on youtube. Especially that underage clown Derek (He can't be stronger than me!)

[odin]

The original product contained Ephedrine. You can still get that in the USA. The main issue with U.O. was that the Ephedrine has a higher molecular weight than the rest of the powder it was mixed with. This meant a serving might blow your head off one time and be as weak as piss the next. Hence medical issues and its withdrawal.

That is great information Mobster, thanks a lot. I hadn't heard the problem described that well before.

I remember taking pills containing Ephedrine (Ma Huang?) from the health food store when I felt like taking a break from my asthma inhalers about 20 years ago or so and finding it helpful-don't remember why I stopped doing that. I think I took a little valerian root along with it because I didn't like the stimulation much, guess I was doing a minor form of "speedballing" and didn't know it . It was promoted as a relatively benign supplement at that time; now it looks like the regulatory agencies may have overreacted based on a few anecdotal incidents and perhaps poor quality control/difficulty controlling the individual dosages.

My psych up routine is scary to behold. I stand, shut my eyes for a moment, and approach the task at hand like a sleepy librarian.

Hey Eric, that's one of my techniques as well.

Edited February 13, 2008 by odin

[CoC#3]

My grip is stronger when my hands are warmer (it makes a lot of difference on grippers). So a good warmup of a few squats and the like gets the blood flowing and gives you a good warmup. I don't find the squats makes as big a difference in the summer as it does in winter.

I also always have some caffeine before training, and more if i am going for a big PR with the grippers. I find it hard to focus without it.

[mobsterone]

The original product contained Ephedrine. You can still get that in the USA. The main issue with U.O. was that the Ephedrine has a higher molecular weight than the rest of the powder it was mixed with. This meant a serving might blow your head off one time and be as weak as piss the next. Hence medical issues and its withdrawal.

That is great information Mobster, thanks a lot. I hadn't heard the problem described that well before.

I remember taking pills containing Ephedrine (Ma Huang?) from the health food store when I felt like taking a break from my asthma inhalers about 20 years ago or so and finding it helpful-don't remember why I stopped doing that. I think I took a little valerian root along with it because I didn't like the stimulation much, guess I was doing a minor form of "speedballing" and didn't know it . It was promoted as a relatively benign supplement at that time; now it looks like the regulatory agencies may have overreacted based on a few anecdotal incidents and perhaps poor quality control/difficulty controlling the individual dosages.

There are many issues with both the FDA and our food safety people here regarding withdrawal or limited use of some products. It has been stated again and again that the 'dangers' of Ephedrine are nothing compared to the deaths and medical issues of more commonly used products from both tobacco and alcohol to both OTC and doctor prescribed medication. The same applies to anabolic steroids. The incidents of issues with many of the products sold as supplements are tiny compared to those which are seen as mainstream.

Issues with Ephedrine and similar products have, for the most part, been people ignoring dosage recommendations. Often said products will state that one should check with a doc before using (so no reaction or blood pressure issues) yet some very overweight (fat bastard) person in some kind of hurry doubles the dose and then wonders why they feel ill. In a few like cases they have not seeked medical attention in time. Yet if they'd followed the advice nil problems. FDA et al, instead of giving the idiot an ass-kicking by way of reminding them not to be so stupid withdraws the product.

As an example of the scaremongering - a few years ago 2 or three US based school wrestlers were found dead or very ill in a sauna. Much was made of the fact that 2 had creatine in their kit bags. Nothing of the fat burners nor them wearing sweat suits or the even bigger issue of many 1000's of such wrestlers making weight in the same way for many years in spite of the risks. Papers went mad and blamed Creatine. Of course the Creatine was not to blame but no such article appeared rescinding their previous comments.

The UK typically follows US trends within 12 months but so far (wait until the Olympics mind) we have not had the furore here over athletes use of steroids or stimulants. The most vocal politicians and government representatives have, for the most part, been so far up their own asses and wrong as to be unreal yet night after night TV news shows and daily papers report these statements as factual. In only rare cases has any actually got it right. It was such BS that saw Ephedrine taken off the shelves. Since then there have been several challenges to the change and withdrawal and so, in some states at least, it has been quietly put back.

[jad]

The more is better attitude is the death of some good supplements/drugs. I counsel several pts that are on HGH or steroids and it's not like they're dropping off like flies or even coming in with GH bellies or acne. They have a medical need and are managed by a doctor and they do just fine. Makes me wonder how much these pro athletes/bodybuilders are taking to get like that.

Edited February 13, 2008 by jad

[pawel r]

I like cooking

[twig]

yet some very overweight (fat bastard) person in some kind of hurry doubles the dose and then wonders why they feel ill.

oo are you callin a fat barsteward, you anorexic git???

Hold on! I don't use! As you were!

Quick fix=quick death. If you don't want to put the work in, don't expect the results.

[Chris Mathison]

I haven't used it in years, but the original Ultimate Orange was hand's down the most effective pre-workout supplement I've ever used. If I could ever find it again I'd probably buy it in bulk. I remember I would just leave the gym because I knew I had other stuff to do but when I was on that stuff I never felt worn out at the gym. I'd feel almost as fresh at the end of a workout as I would at the beginning. Obviously I would reach failure during my sets but mentally I felt like I could lift all day. However, when it would wear off, I'd be totally exhausted. The trick was to time it right so you'd crash at your normal bedtime.

YEP! that about sums up ephedrine. which can is still legal and can be bought. Just not as a stimulant. although it obviously still acts like one.

[stew2]

The most important pre workout ritual this time of year is to go to the garage and turn on the heat - go back in the house and wait long enough for the garage to warm up a little.

I like this one instant results well almost about 20mins or so .

What ever happened to meat and potatoes?

[unseenbeat]

Secret weapon?

I watch a Miller High Life commercial.

Or the constant threat of Man-Bear-Pig.

MAN-BEAR-PIG

[Pancake Sprawl]

my secret weapon: huge amounts of anger and rage coupled with a life and death situation.

explanation? i just look at whatever i'm about to do: rip a phone book in half, crush a gripper, pinching plates etc., as if i can't do it i will die, and my family will die. i understand it's a little extreme but using this thought process has made get some extreme gains in a short amount of time. like if i'm crushing a gripper i will look at it like a man who kidnapped my family and i have him by his next or arm and i'm just squeezing the hell out of it.

[superfeemiman]

I just look at my 5x7 poster of Chuck Norris... then I know what to do.

[mt-tom]

Zipfizz

[antarath]

being spontaneus =)

[Rockhead]

Too funny...the comments on Ultimate Orange... "Back in the day", we'd drink that stuff and lift until we dropped. We called it "Agent Orange" and didn't care what was in it...it just plain worked. Period. The last place I saw the original was in a .99 Cent store about 6 or 7 years ago. I bought them out- 8 or 10 containers. Now it's gone...bummer. The new stuff absolutely cannot be as effective as the original due to the lack of Ephedra.

Speaking of which- the Ephedra ban was a politically driven, knee- jerk reaction by our wonderful- save us from ourselves- politicians. Nothing more.

They can't do anything important, but can remove one of the very few effective supplements out there and spend our tax dollars.

Music?: Megaherz, Ramstein, Eisbrecher- can't understand a word of it, but it will pump you up...

Drinks?: Chase 2 No-Doze with a Double-Espresso

Mind-Set?: Think of the Feds banning ephedra and wasting your tax dollars studying butterfly flatulence and it's relationship to "global warming"

Secret weapon?: snatching sets of 25 reps each arm with a 24 kg kettlebell. If you lose your grip, you lose a wall or worse...

[climber511]

Secret Weapons - During workouts, I listen to classical or something soft like Enya played as background music, not loud, maybe just the radio with easy listeniong. All that heavy stuff you guys listen to gives me a headache and distracts me from my purpose. If someone has very loud music on, I simply leave.

During normal workouts I never train on nerve, after 5 decades in the weight room, my body knows what we're here for, and we just do it as best we can that day.

PR attempts are only attempted on the good days during normal training - you know the ones - the days when things are just right. Get togethers etc are a bit like comps and I'll use more CNS excitation to try and do well.

Competitions - I just do my best to focus and relax - I focus much better than I relax and I usually have my CNS pretty fried by the end of one. People tell me I have a way of doing some kind of "funny" breathing at times, especially on hold for time type events - but I never remember doing it - it just happens sometimes. When It does, I seem to do better. Wish I knew how to turn it on at will. Before a lift, my ritual seems to be a couple deep breaths and trying to concentrate on what I need to do. I drink plain water and lots of it - I rather have to go to the bathroom a few extra times than get dehydrated and risk injury or a poor performance. I also always take food with me - carbohydrate gel packs, grapes, carrots etc - many grip contests run 6-7 hours and I need to eat during that time period.

Supplements vary somewhat through out the year but I usually do creatine for a few weeks or so before a competition but not at other times. Fish - flax - olive etc oils are a staple, the benefits are many but crack free skin on my hands and feet are high on the list. I'm a firm believer in my juicer after using it for about a year now - it allows more fruit and vegetables than I could possibly eat and I can afford the calories when using it as an addition to my regular diet instead of in place of. It doesn't have any immediate noticeable benefits but I think it should have a good long term heath factor to it. I have an entire cabinet full of all kinds of stuff but good solid eating habits and a few extra vitamins at times seem to be what I have settled on over the years. Well with the addition of a little (haha) extra peanut butter on the side.

I tried things like Ultimate Orange etc but they gave me the jitters, I use Ginseng now and then and it seems to work for me without the shakes. I drink coffee in the morning but no headaches or anything if I don't which is nice.

So there ya have it - all my secrets

[matthcarl]

I like Enya.

[pdfk20]

For any kind of session, I either need to have a strong coffee or 2/3 pepsi max cans. I listen to something heavy always while training, and pick something particularly heavy for when im going for PR or max closes/lifts. Last couple of weeks i've been listening to the band Blood Simple, theyre track "blood in blood out" is perfect for thos PR attempts.

[StalwartSentinel]

I like Enya.

Yes, Enya really brings on the rage!

[t-wehner]

Secret Weapons - During workouts, I listen to classical or something soft like Enya played as background music, not loud, maybe just the radio with easy listeniong. All that heavy stuff you guys listen to gives me a headache and distracts me from my purpose. If someone has very loud music on, I simply leave.

During normal workouts I never train on nerve, after 5 decades in the weight room, my body knows what we're here for, and we just do it as best we can that day.

PR attempts are only attempted on the good days during normal training - you know the ones - the days when things are just right. Get togethers etc are a bit like comps and I'll use more CNS excitation to try and do well.

Competitions - I just do my best to focus and relax - I focus much better than I relax and I usually have my CNS pretty fried by the end of one. People tell me I have a way of doing some kind of "funny" breathing at times, especially on hold for time type events - but I never remember doing it - it just happens sometimes. When It does, I seem to do better. Wish I knew how to turn it on at will. Before a lift, my ritual seems to be a couple deep breaths and trying to concentrate on what I need to do. I drink plain water and lots of it - I rather have to go to the bathroom a few extra times than get dehydrated and risk injury or a poor performance. I also always take food with me - carbohydrate gel packs, grapes, carrots etc - many grip contests run 6-7 hours and I need to eat during that time period.

Supplements vary somewhat through out the year but I usually do creatine for a few weeks or so before a competition but not at other times. Fish - flax - olive etc oils are a staple, the benefits are many but crack free skin on my hands and feet are high on the list. I'm a firm believer in my juicer after using it for about a year now - it allows more fruit and vegetables than I could possibly eat and I can afford the calories when using it as an addition to my regular diet instead of in place of. It doesn't have any immediate noticeable benefits but I think it should have a good long term heath factor to it. I have an entire cabinet full of all kinds of stuff but good solid eating habits and a few extra vitamins at times seem to be what I have settled on over the years. Well with the addition of a little (haha) extra peanut butter on the side.

I tried things like Ultimate Orange etc but they gave me the jitters, I use Ginseng now and then and it seems to work for me without the shakes. I drink coffee in the morning but no headaches or anything if I don't which is nice.

So there ya have it - all my secrets

i like listening to country or oldies, john lee hooker, and some social distortion or something, but usually stay away from making the music anymore than background sound. i believe that if i can do the lifts in a relaxed state of mind, then i will be much stronger when my adreniline kicks in. glad to hear others try lifting without interference as well. what climber511, said about get togethers is about right for me too, as i only workout with a buddy on occasion, but i always seem to hit some bigger weights when he's theere, but i also feel agitated as well.

don't have any competition experience yet, but hopefuly soon.

other than that coffee, protein, and multivitamin and thats bout it.

Edited February 17, 2008 by T-Dog

[ewokhugo]

coffee its like putting some fire inside me! i usually shake a little and my mind become more agressive..

when i am doing some bodybuilding type of training i like creatine from Prolab(cheap and works great!)

i like manowar and iron maiden the most!

most important : the desire to break plateau!

[acorn]

hehe, sometimes I train to the man in black's greatest hits (Johnny Cash) never to enya though, may have to try that.

- Aaron