Gladiatorial Training : Hollywood Hype?

[CelticMuscle]

I've got a friend in Germany who keeps me informed of his progress every now and again and his recent progress has been very impressive indeed. He's 50, weighs about 176lbs and has 16 biceps and a 46 chest and can manage the following bench routine:

10 reps of 80kg (176 lbs)
8 reps of 90kg (198 lbs)
6 reps of 100kg (220 lbs)
4 reps of 110kg (242 lbs)
2 reps of 120kg (264 lbs)
and 1 rep of 130kg (286lbs)

and has said that with his training partner (about the same age and size) he wants to attempt a 240kg (528 lbs) bench press.

When I asked what inspired him to train, he said "Gladiator!" and explained that after he saw the movie, he ditched every training book in the house and adopted the following routine

30 mins cardio
2 hours training
30 mins posing

And then he added something I thought a bit off. He said that he always trained in the nude and wanted to be "punished" during his training and went onto explain that he often uses EMS pads on his quads when doing bench presses and on his pecs when doing bicep curls, so that he does a series of exercises and has two sensations of (what he called) "muscle pain" instead of just the one and then added that he liked to starve himself prior to a workout and would often after a workout, climax and then jump into a cold bath (just like the Roman gladiators).

So my question is? Is this guy mad (or might he have actually stumbled upon something that actually works)?

[hulkmuscle]

Originally Posted by CelticMuscle

30 mins cardio
2 hours training
30 mins posing

...And then he added something I thought a bit off. He said that he always trained in the nude and wanted to be "punished" during his training and went onto explain that he often uses EMS pads on his quads when doing bench presses and on his pecs when doing bicep curls, so that he does a series of exercises and has two sensations of (what he called) "muscle pain" instead of just the one and then added that he liked to starve himself prior to a workout and would often after a workout, climax and then jump into a cold bath (just like the Roman gladiators).

So my question is? Is this guy mad (or might he have actually stumbled upon something that actually works)?

A BIT off?!? Ummm, yeah.

The EMS pads cinched it for me.

This guy sounds like a character from an Ed Wood movie.

[ethernet_jock]

mas?och?ism

1. The deriving of sexual gratification, or the tendency to derive sexual gratification, from being physically or emotionally abused.
2. The deriving of pleasure, or the tendency to derive pleasure, from being humiliated or mistreated, either by another or by oneself.
3. A willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences.


[After Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (1836-1895), Austrian novelist.]masoch?ist n.
masoch?istic adj.
masoch?isti?cal?ly adv.

[Minotaur]

He forgot to add eating like a gladiator. Gladiators were well cared-for and well-fed. They were, after all, the sports figures of their day. The truly talented ones were trained and cared for to be kept alive. It served no purpose for the owner to keep having his boys killed off in the arena.

Anyway, there is a book called The Gladiator Diet, written by an MD, Larrian Gillespie. In it she says that the typical diet of a gladiator was pretty much 40/35/25, protein, low gi carbs, fat, respectively. This is to optimize a man's hormone levels and energy. It's actually a very good and common sense diet.

Anyway, back to the workout, I see nothing wrong with working your butt off in training and then getting some sexual r&r, especially with some other sweaty muscled guys. Though I draw the line at the idea of torture or punishment, no matter how benign.

[hulkmuscle]

Originally Posted by ethernet_jock

mas?och?ism

3. A willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences.

Does that include having to deal with George W.?

Sorry all you Republicans. (ARE there any Republicans here?)

*Slaps own hand*

[ethernet_jock]

welll.... I didn't vote for the bastard so I expect that it isn't really "willingness"...

What's the one where you like to inflict pain on OTHER people for sexual pleasure? Is that just plain.... sociopath-ology?

[Minotaur]

Sadism.

Main Entry: sa?dism http://www.m-w.com/../indexes/images/audio.gif
Pronunciation: 'sA-"di-z&m, 'sa-
Function: noun
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary, from Marquis de Sade
1 : a sexual perversion in which gratification is obtained by the infliction of physical or mental pain on others (as on a love object) -- compare [color=#0000ff]MASOCHISM[/color]
2 a : delight in cruelty b : excessive cruelty
- sa?dist http://www.m-w.com/../indexes/images/audio.gif /'sA-dist, 'sa-/ noun
- sa?dis?tic http://www.m-w.com/../indexes/images/audio.gif /s&-'dis-tik also sA- or sa-/ adjective
- sa?dis?ti?cal?ly http://www.m-w.com/../indexes/images/audio.gif /-ti-k(&-)lE/ adverb

[CelticMuscle]

Cleverbox (noun)

Minotaur!

You do seem to know all the definitions of these words, so here's one to stump you.

Antidisestablishmentarism! (off topic I know, but I like a challenge!)

[Minotaur]

In grammar school our teachers threw that word at us.

The people one who are against the people who are against the establishment. So, it would be people who were against the radical groups of the 60s, i.e. the ordinary people.

[glammaman2000]

This person could be BOTH:a)someone who has found an effective workout routine,&b)crazy as a loon.They're not mutually exclusive.

[Mdlftr]

....and he's probably on Big Muscle!

....Do they have a category to sort on "festish"?

[Mdlftr]

...sort on fetish!