Old School
I never want to be perceived as being old fashioned or "not up with the times". I don’t reject the latest music thinking "it’s not like the music from the old days". I don’t reject modern technology, and I find it important to stay current in the latest research in whatever subject there is out there whether it’s medicine (especially diabetes) or exercise.
But, there is something about old school bodybuilding that really appeals to me. I love the basics like squats, pushups, pullups, using DB’s, etc. because it’s more about what your body is made of. Those are the things that really require strength and stability of your muscles to get through them.
Plus, they’re more interesting to do because you’re always thinking about your technique and paying attention to form and stabilizing your body to make sure the part you’re working is getting worked properly.
When Rocky was training to fight Ivan Drago, I was a lot more fascinated by Rocky’s training…like doing walking lunges with a log over his shoulders…than I was by Drago’s beebopboop machines and cardiovascular monitors.
Machines definitely have their place in a workout, but I like it better when I’m using the old school equipment. I feel more grrrrrr while doing my workout.
Here is an old school song I heard on the radio yesterday that I plan to load onto my iPod (Look! It even has an old school stick man in the vid):
STRANGLEHOLD - TED NUGENTBreakfast: 1 whole egg, 4 egg whites
oatmeal w/ raisins
milk
Lunch: Tuna
green beans
brown rice
Pregym: protein shake
Postgym: protein shake
banana
May 29, 2009 at 7:01 am
I only use the machines to burn out at the end of my work out. Free weights rule!!!
May 29, 2009 at 7:01 am
Haha Shan, I’m already ‘behind the times’ and I’m only 26. I often catch myself saying things like "kids these days have NO respect!" and "you call this music?" Le sigh.
Love the little stick man!! his guitar is hugemongous!
May 29, 2009 at 7:04 am
There just isn’t anything better than a good old fashioned squat. I have found that when I didn’t do squats for a couple of weeks, the rest of my lifts suffered. I lost strength. As soon as I went back to the squats, everything went back up. Those basics have stayed the same for a reason. there just isn’t anything better. Great post. Thanks for sharing.
May 29, 2009 at 7:06 am
Old school music..and you have a great on there with the Great Gonzo..Ted Nugent. That track there brings back lots of memories (and some I can’t even remember)
And free weights, they are great, however, I find myself using both sometimes. But good point on having to have more control and form with free weights. Seems to work you more.
May 29, 2009 at 7:13 am
Nothing (in the gym) beats the feel of a rough barbell or dumbbell in my hands. Old School is me. Old school rocks.
Another old school favorite of mine is dips, chins, pull ups. Body weight exercises.
Women that don’t like metro sexuals, cars that sound like cars and not pissed off bumble bee’s, the rumble of a big Harley V twin…….now I’m off the reservation again.
May 29, 2009 at 7:17 am
Nothin wrong with being old school. I’d rather listen to Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, AC/DC before I listen to anything else. Rather wear jeans at my waist with a plain T than wear the latest Armani, or American Eagle. I drive an old 1989 Ford Van. And I certainly have my ways around with the barbells and dumbells before I hit the machines.
Except for leg extensions and leg curls. Those are nice…
May 29, 2009 at 7:33 am
Ted Nugent rocks. Ditto with jwcf150 & Crab…..brings lots of good memories. We old school dudes (and dudettes) can still get up our get up & go. And ain’t nothing wrong with KISS in the gym. KISS as in Keep It Simple S……, not the band. They were huge in high school., but Gene Simmons should keep that makeup on……..LOL.
May 29, 2009 at 8:24 am
she do the wango tango
May 29, 2009 at 8:24 am
I like the meat and patadas kind of workouts too. My song list pretty much sticks to that format too. ACDC
May 29, 2009 at 9:23 am
Squats and dumbells and barbells are your meal. Machines and fancy equipment are just dessert. Dessert is nice but too many sweets just don’t get the job done like a meal of "old school" iron.
May 29, 2009 at 10:19 am
Old school workouts and old school music. I am going to be busy this weekend loading somemore tunes onto my phone.
Yeah Al, Ted still has it. I still love KISS, my all time fav, but I agree, eventhough he is richer than God, he needs to leave the makeup ON.
Ditto with Acmeman on AC/DC (touch too much just palin ROCKS)
I am going to have one great workout this evening now, back/bi’s and mostly free weights and body weight!!
May 29, 2009 at 10:23 am
I already told you guys about my 80s rock playlist
May 29, 2009 at 10:30 am
Hmmm, I’ve got a lot of manual farm work you can do that will rival Rocky’s work outs wait a minute I don’t look like Sly at all .
May 29, 2009 at 12:31 pm
I was at Dillard’s the other day and they had some song playing in the girls jr. dept…something about "lets make love in the mirror so I can watch you" or something like that..anyways…I was appalled…and I didn’t think that was even possible until age 60 or over!! lol
May 30, 2009 at 7:46 am
See, this is SO the problem with not being able to access the blogs at work anymore… I’m always WAAAAAY down the list on posting! By the time we reach this far down on the damn list everyone else has already said what I would have. On the plus side, the song is about the right length to listen to… by the time I read through the responses the song was almost over!
Okay, now that I’ve pouted, I will say that free weights and body weight exercises are my all time favorites! One of the things I LOVE about the P90X program is that all you need are dumbbells and a pull up bar. All of the exercises are Old School. Lots and lots of compound moves and a few isolation moves thrown in every once in a while.
When I go to the gym, I still mostly use the free weights. With the exception of some of the leg moves. I still haven’t managed to graduate up from the Smith Machine for squats
. And I use the leg extension machine. 
June 1, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Free weights rock!! I will have to pull that song up later!!!
June 1, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Free weights rock!! I will have to pull that song up later!!! Totally blocked at work.