Can't do kettlebells swings yet. Haven't fully recovered from my shoulder surgery. A few more weeks I might try it with a really low weight. I always thought they hit more of the hips than abs though. Getups not trying at all. Too risky.

I am having fun using the Perfect Puship and their Ab Wheel.

A few weeks after using it, I was complimented for having broad shoulders.

Felt a bit off yesterday, almost like I had a cold coming on. Scaled back number of sets and dropped weights by 30% to at least get something done without taxing my body. Had some zinc and garlic afterwards and feel alot better today. Maybe there's something to home remedies.

(10-14-2016 08:13 AM)Hannibal Wrote:  I was working a night shift job and was hitting the gym every day for an hour. As it turns out, I wasn't eating enough either (this was before I bothered to count calories). Got down to 8 or 9% bodyfat though.

That kind of training is best when you have really easy access to a gym. At the time I lived about a mile from the gym and it was open 24/7.

As of right now I'm not working, so in order to save $50 a month I'm using equipment at home.

There is a school gym here, but it's not very good. There's like four benches, one squat rack, one deadlift platform, maybe two dozen machines and a rack with dumbbells. Even at 11 at night it's busy as hell.

I might try it out at 6:30 in the morning next week after all these exams to see what it's like then, it's been a while since I've gone to the gym.

"There's no such thing as over-training, only under-eating and under-sleeping."

Between not eating enough and working the night shift (poor sleep quality), I can see why you were "overtrained."

Yeah, I know. It wasn't until six or seven months later did I realize that four eggs and a sweet potato is not a "big breakfast", it's more like 500 calories.

That and I quit the job and decided never to do night shift again.

I don't get chicks who want to bulk up and build mass and lots of strength. It's weird, it's masculine, and those chicks generally tend to be cunty and full of themselves. I get that it's trendy and hip nowadays for girls to want get into strength sports and show up on IG and whatnot, but that whole female power lifter/female body builder fad is just kinda weird and gross.

Just a quick question for the experienced lifters. I noticed lot of talk on the net about SL 5x5 and Starting Strength programs and will they or will they not build mass. Results of these discussions often become heated and I don't wish that here to happen.
Hope you can enlighten me.
I would like to start with SL or SS when I start to go to gym (currently doing slightly modified SS at home).

I'm no guru by any means, but from my observation if your gym sessions are making your muscles burn and fatigue then they will help you build mass. To build size you need to tear town muscle fiber with work, then replenish with food, and repair with rest. Generally you get this effect with higher reps rather than in the 5-8 range, though if you do say 5 sets of 5 with little rest in between you'd likely get a similar effect. SS is more about getting you proficient with technique rather than making serious gains in strength/size.

Basically as long as you are tearing your muscles down and getting a good burn then you can start to build larger muscles (diet and sleep are the more important components)

(10-14-2016 07:37 PM)realologist Wrote:  

(10-14-2016 07:08 PM)Mentavious Wrote:  For the past month I have been stuck on the same weight when doing squats. Any advice on what I can do to get over that plateau?

How often do you squat?
Have you tried a heavier weight and failed?
What does your leg routine look like in general?

Twice a week
For instance, I did 6,4,3 at 325. No joke when I'm dating f that's what I've been doing for a month now. Never thought about going up in weight as six reps isn't exactly killing it. Before I moved up I did 2x10,8 at 315 so I know it was time to move up.

As of now its:
Squat
Front squat or leg press
Deadlift
Leg extension
Leg curls

(10-14-2016 10:09 PM)king bast Wrote:  

(10-14-2016 07:08 PM)Mentavious Wrote:  For the past month I have been stuck on the same weight when doing squats. Any advice on what I can do to get over that plateau?

Depends, which muscle group is holding you back? Squats aren't just a leg exercise, your whole body needs to be engaged to get the lift, and when you're nearing your limits of weight, your weak points get exposed.

If it's a weak spot in your core, try kettlebells and farmers walks.

If its glutes, try kettlebells and deadlifts.

If its quads, add some weighted box jumps.

Hard to say what it is. It could be because I'm at my limit but then again I'm progressing at deadlift and leg press.

I can't comment on these squat questions because I squat 5 times a week and not everyone trains like a weightlifter or agree with the opinion of one

Jamie Lewis (Chaos & Pain) and Paul Carter (Lift, Run, Bang) in their hayday did a podcast called Chaos & Bang. First half of this episode is Paul dropping red pill bombs on everybody about relationships and women:

My bench has kind of stalled out at 185lbs, Trying to do 5x5 but can only really do 5x4 or maybe even 3 reps on the last set or two.

I took two full days off from the gym, usually I've been going 6 days a week for the last few months so it could be over training. I felt better today with the extra day of rest but only did 5x5 with 175lbs.

My technique could get a bit better and I think I'll probably drop the weight for a bit and do higher reps. I've only been benching for a few months but I hope to be able to do 2 plates 5x5 before the end of the year.

Sidney, would you then recommend SL for beginner like me, how long have you been doing it and how are you gains?

(10-15-2016 06:35 PM)General Stalin Wrote:  I'm no guru by any means, but from my observation if your gym sessions are making your muscles burn and fatigue then they will help you build mass. To build size you need to tear town muscle fiber with work, then replenish with food, and repair with rest. Generally you get this effect with higher reps rather than in the 5-8 range, though if you do say 5 sets of 5 with little rest in between you'd likely get a similar effect. SS is more about getting you proficient with technique rather than making serious gains in strength/size.

Basically as long as you are tearing your muscles down and getting a good burn then you can start to build larger muscles (diet and sleep are the more important components)

By higher reps, you mean something in 10 - 12 range, 3 sets for example? Hm.. it seems 5x5 would produce that effect when I think about it.
What I want from program is big compound exercises which build whole body, but I want also mass. 5x5 seems like combining best of both worlds (mass and strength).

(10-15-2016 09:31 AM)redbeard Wrote:  

(10-14-2016 08:13 AM)Hannibal Wrote:  I was working a night shift job and was hitting the gym every day for an hour. As it turns out, I wasn't eating enough either (this was before I bothered to count calories). Got down to 8 or 9% bodyfat though.

That kind of training is best when you have really easy access to a gym. At the time I lived about a mile from the gym and it was open 24/7.

As of right now I'm not working, so in order to save $50 a month I'm using equipment at home.

There is a school gym here, but it's not very good. There's like four benches, one squat rack, one deadlift platform, maybe two dozen machines and a rack with dumbbells. Even at 11 at night it's busy as hell.

I might try it out at 6:30 in the morning next week after all these exams to see what it's like then, it's been a while since I've gone to the gym.

"There's no such thing as over-training, only under-eating and under-sleeping."

Between not eating enough and working the night shift (poor sleep quality), I can see why you were "overtrained."

This one I have to remember. The older I get the more I realize the importance of a sound sleeping schedule.

Had a fucked up one for a long time due to med school. Now I'm being adamant about going to be at 10 PM to wake up at 4.30 AM.

(10-15-2016 09:25 PM)Mentavious Wrote:  

(10-14-2016 07:37 PM)realologist Wrote:  

(10-14-2016 07:08 PM)Mentavious Wrote:  For the past month I have been stuck on the same weight when doing squats. Any advice on what I can do to get over that plateau?

How often do you squat?
Have you tried a heavier weight and failed?
What does your leg routine look like in general?

Twice a week
For instance, I did 6,4,3 at 325. No joke when I'm dating f that's what I've been doing for a month now. Never thought about going up in weight as six reps isn't exactly killing it. Before I moved up I did 2x10,8 at 315 so I know it was time to move up.

As of now its:
Squat
Front squat or leg press
Deadlift
Leg extension
Leg curls

(10-14-2016 10:09 PM)king bast Wrote:  

(10-14-2016 07:08 PM)Mentavious Wrote:  For the past month I have been stuck on the same weight when doing squats. Any advice on what I can do to get over that plateau?

Depends, which muscle group is holding you back? Squats aren't just a leg exercise, your whole body needs to be engaged to get the lift, and when you're nearing your limits of weight, your weak points get exposed.

If it's a weak spot in your core, try kettlebells and farmers walks.

If its glutes, try kettlebells and deadlifts.

If its quads, add some weighted box jumps.

Hard to say what it is. It could be because I'm at my limit but then again I'm progressing at deadlift and leg press.

There's a lot of options. You can add an additional light squat workout to one of your upper body ones. On the light day drop the weight to 275 and do 5,5,max. It'll give you another solid leg workout but won't burn you out.

You could also keep your current workout but start 315 and do for 5 reps, bump up to 325 and shoot for 4-5, then back down to 315 for 4, 3. Then continue the workout from there.

One of your legs may be doing work than the other one. Can do some Bulgarian split squats to see if one leg is lagging behind.if it is you can catch it up and your squat should go up.

(10-16-2016 01:09 AM)Sidney Crosby Wrote:  My bench has kind of stalled out at 185lbs, Trying to do 5x5 but can only really do 5x4 or maybe even 3 reps on the last set or two.

I took two full days off from the gym, usually I've been going 6 days a week for the last few months so it could be over training. I felt better today with the extra day of rest but only did 5x5 with 175lbs.

My technique could get a bit better and I think I'll probably drop the weight for a bit and do higher reps. I've only been benching for a few months but I hope to be able to do 2 plates 5x5 before the end of the year.

You are right to concentrate on technique, particularly with the bench, which can fuck you up if you spend a long time getting it wrong.

That said, I would personally advocate doing fewer reps with a heavier weight. In your shoes, I'd probably do 10-15 singles with good form at 190lbs. Once each rep starts to feel quite easy, I'd add 5-10lbs and do the same thing again for a couple of weeks. I've always found this a foolproof way of getting stronger, or indeed better at anything. Take something that's hard, and do it repeatedly until you find it easy.

Different people respond very differently to different stimuli though, so you may be someone who responds better to more reps and lower weight. It took me too long to realise I wasn't that sort of person.

I've posted about this in lounge before, here is a more detailed explanation.

Daily ab training has improved my squat form.

(10-08-2016 05:48 PM)realologist Wrote:  

(10-08-2016 05:29 PM)Lagavulin Wrote:  Hey guys is anyone aware of any methods to get over a strain that won't seem to go away other than rest?

I've had a strain in the crook of my arm just below my lower bicep for several months. I haven't trained my biceps for over 3 months, and I recently took a month off lifting to focus on rehabbing a back injury. However I started again today and the strain in my arm is still there. Other than forget about training biceps for quite some time I'm not sure what I can do.

Any suggestions?

Do bicep exercises but start very light. Slowly rebuild the strength you had in it.

Gave this a go and it's definitely not an option.

(10-08-2016 07:33 PM)Repo Wrote:  Don't isolate your biceps for at least a few months. Do things like pullups and rows which work your biceps, but don't isolate them. Stay with low weights and give yourself recovery time between workouts which work your biceps. I've had the same thing and this worked for me. Bicep isolation movements are overrated anyway.

This is what I'm doing, doesn't look like I've got another option.

Good advice, thanks.

(10-07-2016 01:18 PM)kaotic Wrote:  Did another heavier warm up with 185, then 205.

Jumped and did a 4x4 at 225 took my time.

It was honestly a bit rough bit poor form towards the end tho.

Set up for a new PR at 275 with a 2x2. The last 2 reps I almost lost it, but conquered.

I noticed my lower back was TIGHT, like a ball being squeezed kind of tight.

Did a 6x6 with 205 (I didn't want to push it too hard) then 1x4 on 225 then 1 max rep at 275.[/quote]

Went back to 135 this week and did a wider stance squat on 10x10's.[/quote]

Your boy is in the 300 club, fucking finally.

Walked it up

2 x 10 135 (warm up)
1 X 6 185
1 X 6 205
1 X 6 225
2 X 4 275
2 X 2 295
2 X 1 300

I started experimenting with an "A" week and a "B" week, where I do the same movements but vary the order, weight and rep/set frequencies. Week A is heavy, low reps, and Week B is high reps. Going to see how that works out.

So far it's shocking the hell out of my body. I could barely lift my arms to take my shirt off two hours after my workout today.

I'll check my progress after we MAGA and post results.

^ I do a similar thing but stick to compound movements for the heavy days and more isolation stuff on the high rep days. So far results have been good, I've been doing it for about a month and I'm up 8 lbs with no visible increase in bodyfat. Granted I'm a novice so it'll probably be a while before I'm up another 8 lbs.

Also my lifts have increased, I've added 20 lbs to both my deadlift and my bench press 1RMs. Squat has stayed the same but I've been mostly working on form

(10-14-2016 06:59 PM)kbell Wrote:  Any of you exercise your abs? I want to strenghthen them to counter out a anterior pelvic tilt. Which exercises would you recommend? Hopefully not the crunch, hated that one.

Other ab exercises I use besides the crunch include: hip raises, planks, russian twists, hanging knee/leg raises.

I don't think you should fret too much about posture. If you have a full workout routine, I think that problems with posture tend to eliminate themselves.