Post: #3351

(05-12-2017 12:23 PM)Corollary Wrote:  

(05-12-2017 12:09 PM)Mjölnir Wrote:  

(05-11-2017 09:07 PM)redonion Wrote:  

(05-11-2017 01:35 PM)General Stalin Wrote:  Also the "homoerotic spooning" you speak of is actually how you spot a squatter. You get right behind them and basically straddle their back side so if they get stuck or start to fail the lift you can scoop under their arms and help them up to rack the weight.

I always found this utterly retarded. Just dump the weight.

Not directed at you GS.

What if you're squatting 405 ? If you're not in the right kind of gym to dump the weight, that will do some damage, not only to the floor but possibly to yourself if that bar rolls foward when it hits the ground/rack.

Start training at a real gym with bumper plates.

The bar will never roll forward if you dump it behind you.

I don't know how it is in the US, but where I live is pretty hard to find a gym that has a space just for the free weights and bumper plates. I actually found one but I'm Young and broke, so I can't pay what they charge and taking a bus to go to the gym is not my piece of cake.

Not that I use a spotter while squatting anyway.

But I got out of my last gym because I couldn't deadlift mere 330 pounds without someone busting my ass because I was going to break the floor

Fuck using steps.

Post: #3352

(05-11-2017 02:15 PM)Rawmeo Wrote:  Just started my Stronglifts 5x5 program today. This made me realize how weak my legs are. I have no problem doing bench presses - I could do a hundred of them, but my upper thighs hurt after a few squats. Hopefully it'll get better with time.

The more you do them the more your body and legs especially will get used to the work. Building up muscular endurance is the key. Your quads are some of the largest muscles in your body so it expends a lot of energy when you engage all those fibers and make them really work. It's also a huge range of motion, especially if you are tall, coupled with having weight sitting on your back and keeping your upper body rigid and holding onto a big breath of air. It is a lot of work for sure.

I don't know about anyone else, but I find squats to be the most exhausting of all movements. Even just a set of 10 reps of 135 has me huffing and puffing.

(05-11-2017 09:07 PM)redonion Wrote:  

(05-11-2017 01:35 PM)General Stalin Wrote:  Also the "homoerotic spooning" you speak of is actually how you spot a squatter. You get right behind them and basically straddle their back side so if they get stuck or start to fail the lift you can scoop under their arms and help them up to rack the weight.

I always found this utterly retarded. Just dump the weight.

Not directed at you GS.

I get that but having a spotter during squat has more benefits than just helping you up if you fail a rep. A spotter can also help you force reps which can be really key in certain training cycles to help break through plateaus and move forward. No different than a spotter helping you squeeze out a couple extra reps on the bench.

Also I can't speak for everyone but for me it's always nicer to have someone at your back watching you while your perform the lift for mental reasons. I feel more confident and at the same time feel more motivated to not look like a bitch which this dude spots me.

Happened last night actually. I was very low energy and squats were really tiring me out. My last couple of sets were moving slow so I asked a buddy of mine to spot my last set. Once he got behind me I hit deeper depth than all my other sets and weight moved smoother, and this is after 4 previous sets. Having him behind me helped motivate me to try a little harder.

And dumping the weight is always a little scary, especially if it's a pretty stacked bar.

Post: #3353

(05-12-2017 03:10 PM)General Stalin Wrote:  I don't know about anyone else, but I find squats to be the most exhausting of all movements. Even just a set of 10 reps of 135 has me huffing and puffing.

You sound like a candidate for a good ole fashioned 20 rep squat program.

You'd make some very quick and not easy gains on that in six weeks.

Post: #3354

@Hannibal how's your lifting going?

Still only eating rice and doing pull-ups?

Post: #3355

My next squat set is scheduled for tonight but my thighs are still sore from my workout from 2 days ago, since it was my first workout after a long absence. Shall I attempt the squat anyway or postpone?

Post: #3356

Warm up thoroughly and do it!

Post: #3357

(05-12-2017 09:36 PM)Hannibal Wrote:  

(05-12-2017 03:10 PM)General Stalin Wrote:  I don't know about anyone else, but I find squats to be the most exhausting of all movements. Even just a set of 10 reps of 135 has me huffing and puffing.

You sound like a candidate for a good ole fashioned 20 rep squat program.

You'd make some very quick and not easy gains on that in six weeks.

Go on...

I'd love to get my squat endurance up. I know I just need to do it more, but if you can link me to something I'd like to have a look.

(05-12-2017 11:49 PM)Rawmeo Wrote:  My next squat set is scheduled for tonight but my thighs are still sore from my workout from 2 days ago, since it was my first workout after a long absence. Shall I attempt the squat anyway or postpone?

Go squat. You may find the soreness doesn't have a dramatic affect on your actual performance. From my personal experoence, DOMS usually don't hinder my training much. Hell, I had a really sore back and shoulders tonight from this week's traning and was able to OHP stronger than I have in months.

Post: #3358

(05-12-2017 03:10 PM)General Stalin Wrote:  I get that but having a spotter during squat has more benefits than just helping you up if you fail a rep. A spotter can also help you force reps which can be really key in certain training cycles to help break through plateaus and move forward. No different than a spotter helping you squeeze out a couple extra reps on the bench.

Also I can't speak for everyone but for me it's always nicer to have someone at your back watching you while your perform the lift for mental reasons. I feel more confident and at the same time feel more motivated to not look like a bitch which this dude spots me.

Happened last night actually. I was very low energy and squats were really tiring me out. My last couple of sets were moving slow so I asked a buddy of mine to spot my last set. Once he got behind me I hit deeper depth than all my other sets and weight moved smoother, and this is after 4 previous sets. Having him behind me helped motivate me to try a little harder.

And dumping the weight is always a little scary, especially if it's a pretty stacked bar.

Your story is pretty interesting. It reminds me of a study I read a few years back. Basically, the study concluded that when humans are doing any activity (lifting, painting, speaking, etc), they tend to perform better when they know they are being watched. There is some psychological response to being on the public stage that brings out the best in us.

I've noticed that to be true myself. I tend to lift better when the gym is crowded compared to when it's empty. What's funny is I bet the people don't give a shit about what I'm doing.

Post: #3359

(05-13-2017 06:29 AM)redonion Wrote:  

(05-12-2017 03:10 PM)General Stalin Wrote:  I get that but having a spotter during squat has more benefits than just helping you up if you fail a rep. A spotter can also help you force reps which can be really key in certain training cycles to help break through plateaus and move forward. No different than a spotter helping you squeeze out a couple extra reps on the bench.

Also I can't speak for everyone but for me it's always nicer to have someone at your back watching you while your perform the lift for mental reasons. I feel more confident and at the same time feel more motivated to not look like a bitch which this dude spots me.

Happened last night actually. I was very low energy and squats were really tiring me out. My last couple of sets were moving slow so I asked a buddy of mine to spot my last set. Once he got behind me I hit deeper depth than all my other sets and weight moved smoother, and this is after 4 previous sets. Having him behind me helped motivate me to try a little harder.

And dumping the weight is always a little scary, especially if it's a pretty stacked bar.

Your story is pretty interesting. It reminds me of a study I read a few years back. Basically, the study concluded that when humans are doing any activity (lifting, painting, speaking, etc), they tend to perform better when they know they are being watched. There is some psychological response to being on the public stage that brings out the best in us.

I've noticed that to be true myself. I tend to lift better when the gym is crowded compared to when it's empty. What's funny is I bet the people don't give a shit about what I'm doing.

I workout at home but I do all of my squats and bench presses in a power rack - a failed rep will never hurt me.

Post: #3360

(05-12-2017 11:46 PM)redbeard Wrote:  @Hannibal how's your lifting going?

Still only eating rice and doing pull-ups?

Lol, still hitting the dips and chins pretty hard and yeah my diet has been complete shit the last couple months. I'll be getting a squat rack sometime soon because the weighted one legged squats just aren't going anywhere.

Progress has been steady but very slow as I can only handle twice a week training now. The job I currently have kicks my ass into next week.
How about you?

(05-13-2017 01:53 AM)General Stalin Wrote:  Go on...

I'd love to get my squat endurance up. I know I just need to do it more, but if you can link me to something I'd like to have a look.

Super Squats by Randall Strossen is a good resource, but most of his book is just "drink milk and get fucking huge in six weeks". A session where you replace your regular squat routine with a set of 20 rep squats would work too, maybe do it once a week. The way the book describes it is that you take your 12 rep squat weight, bang out ten or twelve squats and then, while keeping the weight on your back (don't rerack it, this is the critical part), grind out another eight or ten reps while breathing between reps. The combination of a decent squat weight plus all that time you spent with the bar on your back drives some quick gains. If you don't want nearly as much chance of injury take a light weight (like 135) and do a set of 20 until it gets "easy" then bump up the weight.

Legs tend to grow from higher reps so it's a good idea to mix them in. Give them a shot and you'll know why they're called widowmakers.

Post: #3361

(05-15-2017 03:16 AM)Hannibal Wrote:  

(05-12-2017 11:46 PM)redbeard Wrote:  @Hannibal how's your lifting going?

Still only eating rice and doing pull-ups?

Lol, still hitting the dips and chins pretty hard and yeah my diet has been complete shit the last couple months. I'll be getting a squat rack sometime soon because the weighted one legged squats just aren't going anywhere.

Progress has been steady but very slow as I can only handle twice a week training now. The job I currently have kicks my ass into next week.
How about you?

I've been traveling a lot, but lifting consistently. Strength is...slowly going up, physique is staying good.

I've been doing a "lean bulk" for about a year now where I just float around 210-215 (I'm 6'2"), eat a shit ton of protein, and lift as much as fucking possible. It's a grind but every once in a while I'll notice muscle where it wasn't before.

For example I finally started doing PULL-UPS. Yes. I avoided them like the plague because my shit grip/wrist strength limited reps, and I *thought* I could get a lat pump doing the chin-ups. Wrong! A friend of mine suggested doing them with thumb over the bar and holy shit this opened it up to me. I don't understand physiologically what's different, but it feels infinitely more comfortable. Maybe it's that the wrist can turn outward more? And my lanky arms need that? I don't know.

So for "upper" day I've been doing:

1. A fuckton of pullups, counting number of pullups instead of sets. I can max about..six? So right now I'm doing sets of 4 until the fourth is shit form (usually around 50 reps) then I'll do sets of 3 until I'm around 75 or 100 or I'm bored.

2. 4-5 sets of OHP....reps from 3-8

3. 3x12 bent over rows. I could never get these to FEEL good until I started exhausting my lats with pullups and now these feel great. Yuge pump.

4. Accessory nonsense if I have time

I'm also doing LUNGES for the first time in forever. I removed them to focus on squat, but now I'm somewhere without a squat rack, so I have to make due. They hurt like hell but...the glute gains are loyal.

Whenever I feel like bitching out of lunges I think of this video of King Ronnie doing lunges with 185 in the fucking Texas heat:

(starts at 2:39)

Quote:

(05-13-2017 01:53 AM)General Stalin Wrote:  Go on...

I'd love to get my squat endurance up. I know I just need to do it more, but if you can link me to something I'd like to have a look.

Super Squats by Randall Strossen is a good resource, but most of his book is just "drink milk and get fucking huge in six weeks". A session where you replace your regular squat routine with a set of 20 rep squats would work too, maybe do it once a week. The way the book describes it is that you take your 12 rep squat weight, bang out ten or twelve squats and then, while keeping the weight on your back (don't rerack it, this is the critical part), grind out another eight or ten reps while breathing between reps. The combination of a decent squat weight plus all that time you spent with the bar on your back drives some quick gains. If you don't want nearly as much chance of injury take a light weight (like 135) and do a set of 20 until it gets "easy" then bump up the weight.

Legs tend to grow from higher reps so it's a good idea to mix them in. Give them a shot and you'll know why they're called widowmakers.

I did a variation of this for a while. Yall know my squat is poverty levels but I'd take 135 and do two warmup sets, then AMRAP. Depending on the day it was 15-20. Then I'd breathe for five minutes and do two backoff sets to like 10 reps to grease the groove.

Post: #3362

Post: #3363

How many of you are doing lean bulking? Is it easy for you? I have been reading articles like:

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/top-10-...lking.html
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/nutritio...-meal-plan

Would any of you mind sharing results? (I saw redbeard's comments above - thanks for sharing)

If it is just eating a shit load of protein, that may be manageable but I have never been good with adding up calories, etc.

RFL is easy because it has just a few rules.

But once I get to the BF I want, I think I want to avoid the problems in the past of my diet when trying to add muscle.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

Post: #3364

(05-15-2017 08:16 AM)samsamsam Wrote:  How many of you are doing lean bulking? Is it easy for you? I have been reading articles like:

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/top-10-...lking.html
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/nutritio...-meal-plan

Would any of you mind sharing results? (I saw redbeard's comments above - thanks for sharing)

If it is just eating a shit load of protein, that may be manageable but I have never been good with adding up calories, etc.

RFL is easy because it has just a few rules.

But once I get to the BF I want, I think I want to avoid the problems in the past of my diet when trying to add muscle.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

I Always bulked by eating the most i could and with the most frequency i could (not leading by hunger but, how much food I can stuff myself with). And that Always worked pretty fine, but i usually would get up to 15 % bf levels and by my standards thats fat.

Now i'm eating clean and measuring my surplus every day. Lot's of greens and vegetables and i only eat gluten (bread and oats) on one or maximum of two meals a day.

In one month i'm up 5 kg (11~ pounds) and my bf it's pretty much the same if not lower, i just hold more water because of the increase in carbohydrates, but that's expected.

Mind you that my testosterone levels are around the fourteen hundreds.

If you really can't calorie count (which is something if you get used to it will take you 4 minutes or less out of your day), just try to eat a lot of vegetables, rice, potatoes, and lean beef/chicken breast and fish¹ with good frequency, 4-6 meals a day, keep track of your weight as you go by your lean bulk, when you stall increase the ammount of food you're eating a little bit. Fruits are welcome too.

Lean bulking as far as I can see it, it's just eating healthy and maintaining a small calorie surplus. If you're Always giving your body good fuel, the fuel that it doesn't get used is going to be stored as muscle.

¹If you can pay for it, fish is good, but if you can't afford it like I do, try to take some fish oil supps.

Post: #3365

(05-15-2017 08:16 AM)samsamsam Wrote:  How many of you are doing lean bulking? Is it easy for you?
...
Would any of you mind sharing results?

Last Spring I cut from [email protected]# to [email protected]#, then lean-bulked to [email protected]# over the Summer. Maintenance mode until 2 weeks ago; cutting now.

(05-15-2017 08:16 AM)samsamsam Wrote:  If it is just eating a shit load of protein, that may be manageable but I have never been good with adding up calories, etc.

RFL is easy because it has just a few rules.

Frankly, I think it is harder to lean bulk in a disciplined manner than it is to cut, especially on a hardcore cut like RFL. Lean bulking requires more discipline, better tracking of diet and progress, and a more nuanced understanding of your own physiology.

(05-15-2017 08:16 AM)samsamsam Wrote:  But once I get to the BF I want, I think I want to avoid the problems in the past of my diet when trying to add muscle.

That said, the effort is worth it. Cuttin's a bitch and merely sets the stage for what we really want - looking great naked. I say put in the work and learn those next level diet/lifting skills.

(05-15-2017 08:16 AM)samsamsam Wrote:  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I used leangains to drop 50# of body fat and to subsequently lean bulk. Same lifting program, meal timing and carb/Kcal cycling, different total KCals and macros. Strongly recommend. Not quite as simple a RFL, but pretty straightforward, time efficient, and produces results. Its easy to get started and avoid fuckarounditis with the beginner barbell program.

I have extensive experience with diet set-up, lift set-up, and performance tracking, and additional resources for diet set-up/tracking. Feel free to PM me.

Post: #3366

Quick redaction: I did 8 pullups today. New PR.

@samsamsam I miss you

oh and Lean Bulking...I call it that because I'm not trying to push the scale either way. 210 is a good weight for me.

I've got test dialed in, my routine is pretty good, and my diet is pretty good. I'm at the point where TIME is the limiting factor. I need years under the bar to build the muscle I need.

So...instead of worrying about counting calories, or doing a dirty bulk + cut cycle....I just eat a lot of protein, lift, and worry about the rest of my life.

Post: #3367

Post: #3368

...
SQUAT PR MATCH TONIGHT @ 8 X 265#

Like a bitch, I left one in the tank. Just couldn't really believe that I was getting it. On a cut no less. Last back squat day, I missed at 1 X 265. Lost my ankle in the hole and was lucky to walk it back in. Was pretty certain I was headed for a de-load. Apparently not. Guess that's the upside of my illicit unplanned weekend re-feed!

Post: #3369

(05-15-2017 06:15 AM)redbeard Wrote:  I've been traveling a lot, but lifting consistently. Strength is...slowly going up, physique is staying good.

I've been doing a "lean bulk" for about a year now where I just float around 210-215 (I'm 6'2"), eat a shit ton of protein, and lift as much as fucking possible. It's a grind but every once in a while I'll notice muscle where it wasn't before.

For example I finally started doing PULL-UPS. Yes. I avoided them like the plague because my shit grip/wrist strength limited reps, and I *thought* I could get a lat pump doing the chin-ups. Wrong! A friend of mine suggested doing them with thumb over the bar and holy shit this opened it up to me. I don't understand physiologically what's different, but it feels infinitely more comfortable. Maybe it's that the wrist can turn outward more? And my lanky arms need that? I don't know.

So for "upper" day I've been doing:

1. A fuckton of pullups, counting number of pullups instead of sets. I can max about..six? So right now I'm doing sets of 4 until the fourth is shit form (usually around 50 reps) then I'll do sets of 3 until I'm around 75 or 100 or I'm bored.

2. 4-5 sets of OHP....reps from 3-8

3. 3x12 bent over rows. I could never get these to FEEL good until I started exhausting my lats with pullups and now these feel great. Yuge pump.

4. Accessory nonsense if I have time

I'm also doing LUNGES for the first time in forever. I removed them to focus on squat, but now I'm somewhere without a squat rack, so I have to make due. They hurt like hell but...the glute gains are loyal.

Might not be a dumb idea to get some wrist straps for chins in order to get more work in doing chins. That is a fuckload of chins though. I do 18 but they're weighted. With my current job if I get elbow tendonitis it's game over so I keep the volume pretty low.

With a straight bar I don't do chinups (palms facing you) with a hammerfist grip. I only use my thumb and the first two fingers so I can sort of angle the chinup closer to a neutral grip.

Post: #3370

Haven't posted in a while . Figured I give an update to me bitching about my back pain ,it's gotten better since I've learned how to do them correctly.

Deadlift is still at 230lbs only because I have no more plates to slap on. Slacked off on arms and chest lately but I plan to get back to it heavy tomorrow.

Squat form is getting better also.


Happy lifting folks.

Post: #3371

(05-15-2017 10:20 PM)Hannibal Wrote:  

(05-15-2017 06:15 AM)redbeard Wrote:  I've been traveling a lot, but lifting consistently. Strength is...slowly going up, physique is staying good.

I've been doing a "lean bulk" for about a year now where I just float around 210-215 (I'm 6'2"), eat a shit ton of protein, and lift as much as fucking possible. It's a grind but every once in a while I'll notice muscle where it wasn't before.

For example I finally started doing PULL-UPS. Yes. I avoided them like the plague because my shit grip/wrist strength limited reps, and I *thought* I could get a lat pump doing the chin-ups. Wrong! A friend of mine suggested doing them with thumb over the bar and holy shit this opened it up to me. I don't understand physiologically what's different, but it feels infinitely more comfortable. Maybe it's that the wrist can turn outward more? And my lanky arms need that? I don't know.

So for "upper" day I've been doing:

1. A fuckton of pullups, counting number of pullups instead of sets. I can max about..six? So right now I'm doing sets of 4 until the fourth is shit form (usually around 50 reps) then I'll do sets of 3 until I'm around 75 or 100 or I'm bored.

2. 4-5 sets of OHP....reps from 3-8

3. 3x12 bent over rows. I could never get these to FEEL good until I started exhausting my lats with pullups and now these feel great. Yuge pump.

4. Accessory nonsense if I have time

I'm also doing LUNGES for the first time in forever. I removed them to focus on squat, but now I'm somewhere without a squat rack, so I have to make due. They hurt like hell but...the glute gains are loyal.

Might not be a dumb idea to get some wrist straps for chins in order to get more work in doing chins. That is a fuckload of chins though. I do 18 but they're weighted. With my current job if I get elbow tendonitis it's game over so I keep the volume pretty low.

With a straight bar I don't do chinups (palms facing you) with a hammerfist grip. I only use my thumb and the first two fingers so I can sort of angle the chinup closer to a neutral grip.

It's a fuckload of pullups but you'll notice I'm not doing much other "wrist intensive" work. I rotate upper-arms-lower, where arms is light hypertrophy 12-15 range...nothing crazy...really active rest. Lower has no heavy deadlifts...so it's no problem.

My wrists actually feel amazing. I don't know if you remember, November 2014 I sprained (possibly broke) my right wrist. It was painful coming back but I found doing regular grip work (especially extensors) fixes everything, even if I spend hours on the keyboard.

I'm pretty anti-wrist wrap. Look around the gym....how many 20 year olds are wearing wrist wraps? How many 50 year olds? I think my generation (I'm 25) didn't develop any grip strength due to sedentary lifestyle...so we end up with wrist pain. My hypothesis.

I DO know that since doing more pull-ups my basketball "flick" has gotten so much stronger, so I'm going to keep doing it. My range is awesome right now.

Post: #3372

On the topic of grip strength and forearm hypertrophy, I've been doing gymnastics for the past 6 months and working consistently on my false grip.

It's really uncomfortable at first but my forearms and wrists feel so strong and powerful now. Plus the pump after sets of pullups, rows or ring curls is unbelievable.

Post: #3373

Bust out your routine!

Post: #3374

(05-16-2017 10:05 AM)redbeard Wrote:  Bust out your routine!

3x/week, ABA/BAB, always attempting to increase reps or sets in the first two exercises. The rest is just accessory work and changes.

Last two workouts:

A
5x3 ring row to dip (progressing to full muscle up)
3x3 ring assisted one arm chin up (progressing to one arm chin up)
3x12 ring bicep curls
3x20s ring support

B
5x7 pseudo planche pushups
5x10 australian rows with elevated feet
3x12 tricep push ups
Neck curls (40+ in each direction)

Not doing any direct ab or leg work because of some lower back discomfort. (Still getting a lot of it in because of BJJ, yoga, cycling.)

The muscle up progression, assisted chins, bicep curls and australian rows are all done with a false grip.

Post: #3375

I find that squats are horribly exhausting if your lift out technique isn't good.

make sure that you check your body as you're setting up to pop the weight out of the rack. I even rerack the weight if i'm not satisfied with my lift out technique.

I've been rebuilding my squat by focusing on technique and dropping the weight down by like 40%. I now feel it way more in my quads and glutes and less in my back and abs. It's still in my back and abs but recruiting the quads and glutes takes a tremendous load off of the lower back which makes for a more comfortable and safe experience.

I also co-sign steelex on the belt. The belt isn't there to take weight off of your body and deny you "gainz" it's there to remind you (and help you) properly load your core.

I recently picked up a belt and I'm kicking myself for not doing it sooner.

I don't use it every time that I squat, but every time that I do use my belt I think, "Shit, why don't I do this more often?"

I treat it like I do any other tool in my arsenal (lifting shoes, chalk, straps). Not using them is fine but they are rarely a hindrance I find and often help me break through plateaus.

Speaking of gym shoes, I recently picked up a pair of Reebok lifting shoes and I'm really happy with them. I feel wayyy more stable on my deadlift, squats, rows and other compound movements. I wish I had gotten a pair when I first got into lifting.