Gain Size on 12 reps?

[bigman75]

My local gym is on the border of closing. My girlfriend wants me to join her gym which is a big chain "cardio and circuit training" type of gym. The amount of free weights are less than 1/2 of where I am now and the dumbbells stop at 120 where I can go up to 150 now. No room to deadlift, too clean to use chalk, no one I've seen there can bench at my level so spots are out and I'm stuck benching on a smith machine if I want to use a barbell.

What I need to know is, will reducing the weight I train with and reps increasing from 5-8 reps to 10-12 in half of my movements seriously stop my development? I know I'm going to be limited some in strength, but what about mass? I'm trying not to piss her off by not "converting" but I don't see how it's avoidable.

 

[dabuffguy]

My local gym is on the border of closing. My girlfriend wants me to join her gym which is a big chain "cardio and circuit training" type of gym. The amount of free weights are less than 1/2 of where I am now and the dumbbells stop at 120 where I can go up to 150 now. No room to deadlift, too clean to use chalk, no one I've seen there can bench at my level so spots are out and I'm stuck benching on a smith machine if I want to use a barbell.

What I need to know is, will reducing the weight I train with and reps increasing from 5-8 reps to 10-12 in half of my movements seriously stop my development? I know I'm going to be limited some in strength, but what about mass? I'm trying not to piss her off by not "converting" but I don't see how it's avoidable.

If your rep range increases some, you can gain for a while, but ultimately, you need to be adding weight to the bar.

You should be able to bench just fine. Teach your girlfrined how to spot, if you need more help than that, then just do 1 less rep in your sets whee you would need a spot.

 

[RADAR]

Or you could be safe and get 2 girls one for each side of the bar, When you reach you max on the bench press, grab some dumbells and do flys with your arms as straight as possible you will find that you can't do as much but the deep concractions will put a wicked burn in the Pecs!


RADAR

 

[djeclipse]

I would suggest finding a better gym for you and your GF to go to.

 

[dabuffguy]

I would suggest finding a better gym for you and your GF to go to.

lol, that always works.

 

[musketeer]

It wont hurt to train there for up to 2 months. See if you can arrange with the sales guy a deal where you can quit at no extra cost IF you don't like it. Then take a break fro the lower reps and do higher reps for a few months - size is maximized in the 10-12 range so plan a 10 week mass gaining cycle to commence when you change. After that, you can tell your GF that you've tried it and it's OK but not really working out. Then you have a right to ask her to join yours - if you want.

 

[mwm5]

shit bro...u should feel some what lucky, my gym only has up to 100lb db.


on topic though as long as you're adding weight regularly u will be fine gaining size.

 

[SaiBoT]

I'm with the musketeer on this one, do it her way for awhile then play her to join a gym you find more suitable.

 

[Nomak666]

Many gyms are turning away from the old school hardcore type of gym. they want to get more people to join and not many females want to join hardcore gyms with nothing but free weight. my new gym just opened up 2 weeks ago, and the dumbbells only go up to 125. any you know what else? its a GOLDS GYM. my last gym only went up to 100 and the one before that was NYSC and that went up to 120. as long as its not curves or some fruity ladies gym, you get used to it. retro fitness is a new gym franchise thats expanding and it has alot of equiptment as well.

 

[bigman75]

Thanks for the input bros. I might try a no-commitment plan and see what I can do down the road. Hopefully someone buys out my current gym and keeps it hardcore. It just sucks that so many gyms have to have the "mass appeal" of 200 cardio machines with mini tv screens and a pool to take away from us hardcores. But as mentioned, it's a membership sales business so I guess this gonna happen everywhere eventually since the economy sucks. I guess I have to just man up and tell her I'm staying at mine until it closes and go without poon for a few days until she's over it ...

 

[the_alcatraz]

Hypertrophy is usually designated with a rep range of 8-12.

 

[djeclipse]

Thanks for the input bros. I might try a no-commitment plan and see what I can do down the road. Hopefully someone buys out my current gym and keeps it hardcore. It just sucks that so many gyms have to have the "mass appeal" of 200 cardio machines with mini tv screens and a pool to take away from us hardcores. But as mentioned, it's a membership sales business so I guess this gonna happen everywhere eventually since the economy sucks. I guess I have to just man up and tell her I'm staying at mine until it closes and go without poon for a few days until she's over it ...

That is the problem, you want it all. I think now days in order to get a good gym that has a few squat racks, lots of free weight's etc. you have to give up the pool, sauna, etc.

The gyms (clubs) with all the amenities like pool, sauna, hot tub, are more family oriented and true lifting seems to scare families away.

Around here there are a few gyms that have few weight's, don't mind chalk, even encourage deadlifts, squats etc. But they are just simple gyms with weight's, nothing more.

 

[bruce9241]

You can probably snap her in half. You don't need to take her shit. I know you probably love her, but this is your workout you're talking about. Can't compromise here.

 

[bigman75]

You can probably snap her in half. You don't need to take her shit. I know you probably love her, but this is your workout you're talking about. Can't compromise here.

Greatest thing I've read on here yet!