*** The 2010 Gym Rats Thread ***

My opinion of why a lot of peoples deads are not that much greater than their squat is actually to do with the prevalence of partial squatting (or at least lack of proper depth) in most gyms.

It's a lot easier to add weight to a squat at the sufferance of depth whereas deadlifts are a lot more honest about how much you can lift.

If you think you're limited by grip strength then use double-overhand for warmup sets and mixed for your working sets. Also buy a ton of chalk and smother yourself in it (focusing on the hands! :p). Don't deadlift with gloves even if it does mean your hands look like a gnarled tree's bark. If you're still struggling buy some straps. Finally, if you still can't lift anymore with solid form then you should probably take a look towards your squat form and see if you're actually doing them properly.

But that's only based on my experiences in my gym where most people 'squat' (and I use the term with hesitation) 20-30kg more than they can deadlift.
 
I can vouch for a weak greap effecting the whole lift. It steals your focus away.

I can hold 150KG raw, but the lift feels very laboured. As soon as I strap up the whole lift sees improvements. I can see +50KG to my raw deadlift with straps. Whilst I want functional strength I also want mass so don't have a problem using straps if I need to. Not because I'm being lazy and can't be arsed to grip it properly.

I always warm up without straps and will lift for as long as possible without them.

I saw somebody strap up for 70KG the other day :rolleyes: he's a big chap and capable of some decent lifts as I've seen him bang out pull ups with 40KG's attatched. Peoples obsessions with gym gear such as gloves, straps & wraps when they're not necesary baffles me.
 
$loth said:
I hate blisters :(

*runs*
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Fair enough.

I'd rather tape the specific area that was blistering up than wear gloves.

In my first year I got through a few pairs of gloves. They always fell apart and stank like something else despite regular washing. Something I grew out of.
 
Grip strength = overall lifting ability. It's synergistic. Grip strength does improve, heck, I used to struggle to deadlift 180kg without mixed grip and straps, but now can rep it out with double overhand grip and no straps... similarly to my 230kg no straps, it comes with time. Grip strength improves, and needs to be worked on. I can understand the need for using straps to focus on the muscle group for high reps, but even then I'm still of the view that if you can't hold it confidently you need to get to a level where you can. :)
 
Some of the bars and dumbells at our gym are vicious so i wear gloves sometimes, it's the only real reason i wear them. My max DL was without gloves though :)
 
Robbie G said:
Are you dropping it? Then it's grip strength, train your grip. If you're not dropping it but your deadlift is low, you just have to work harder on the deadlift. My squat is 50% of my deadlift (50Kg and 100Kg for 4 x 8 respectively) :(.
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Yeah I can def feel myself focusing on holding the bar, the forearms and hands. However at a lower weight I can feel myself focusing my back, shoulders and glutes.

Guess I should just persist!
 
I've got my Personal Trainer Modules all booked :)

Level 3 starts this weekend for the next 2 weekends (6th,7th, 13th,14th). Heading home on the 25th of March for Easter. I've got 'Core Stability' on the 27th of March, and then a Kettlbell Instructors course on the 28th of March. Level 3 Practical assesment some time at the end of April.

I'll be heading home on the 1st of June having finished my 3rd and final year of Uni. With PT modules starting on the 4th of June and finishing on July 31st. I'll be in London EVERY weekend until then apart from the weekend in June of the 19/20th. Hopefully working full time too somewhere.

Going to be a busy boy!:eek:
 
BennyC said:
I've got my Personal Trainer Modules all booked :)

Going to be a busy boy!:eek:
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Does all that + training not get in the way of your degree/dissertation :eek:?

Got a few pictures of me the other day, getting leaner and a very wide back :). Still carrying a fair bit of fat on lower abs/hips (Prob. from alcohol?)
 
The Craig said:
Does all that + training not get in the way of your degree/dissertation :eek:?
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I find I'm able to manage. Doing my Level 2 in November/December was a bit tricky juggling a few bits of my Uni work. However all my academic units are now done, dissertation is in and a business & marketing module is complete. Just practical units now until our exhibition until May.

So I have evenings and weekends completely free. I say evening from around 8PM onwards, after having trained. I've got Easter to get my head down for the Level 3 as I won't be working, just training/being a lazy student :p

I could have done one of the modules at the end of April but it would have been a real squeeze. Travelling back home to London from Lincoln twice and then into London four times would also be expensive. Luckily YMCA run a fresh batch of modules starting every few months. So I'm doing 4 modules from a batch running April to July and 1 from a batch running July to December. This way I'll be able to entirely focus on the PT modules. I'll have done the Level 3 which should be the hardest one already. Other than work & training they'll be the only other thing happening for me at that time. Summers going to wizz past!
 
Robbie G said:
What I would say though is that your chest fly and bicep curl weights are massive compared to your bench press. Are you sure you're doing them properly :p?
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Sorry if that's misleading. That was a catch-all for when I'm using some bicep machines which use both arms. I'm more comfortable around 25-30kgs for individual arm curls, etc.
 
South East London, but it's relatively easy for me to get into town - obviously give me a bit of notice so that I can make sure I'm around. You've got my email address.
 
Can someone take a look at my diet please. I seem to be putting on a bit of weight around the mid section and I'm not sure why. My diet is pretty clean and low carb, and I've been doing a lot more cardio as now the weather is better I'm cycling everywhere.

This is a typical working day (Mon-Fri), weekends vary but not majorly:

06-0630 - 30-40g whey in water
08-0830 - 3-5 poached eggs, 1 slice granary bread, 1 tomatoe, coffee
10-30ish - tin tuna/makeral and vegetables OR 30-40g whey in water*
12 - lunch - 250-350g mince in chilli OR chicken/turkey/steak and vegetables - On a training day I might have 150g brown rice OR seeded bagel
3ish - chicken OR tuna/makeral and vegetables OR 30-40g whey in water*
430ish - pre workout something or other (atm V Max Pump)
train
6ish - pwo shake 40g whey 50g oats
7ish - dinner, same as lunch, including cup of carrot juice and maybe more vegetables if the GF has made some
930ish - cottage cheese or if im out of it whey in milk

fruit constantly snacked on through
3-4 cups of green tea a day and probably 3litres of water

*The 1030 and 3ish food are (nearly) always proper food BUT recently I've been very busy with work and stuck in meeting rooms with vendors so I've had to use whey as a substitute, so thought it important to include it.

I've also been a bit bored of my training schedule recently which hasn't helped, going back to Westside for Skinny ******** next week so that side of things should pick up again.

I wondering if I'm eating too much in the morning? Maybe I should have a bigger breakfast shake and have the eggs around 9ish, skipping the 10-1030ish snack? Thoughts?
 
No expert at all with the nutrition but if it were me I would try a few carbs with breakfast or a few more with your 2nd meal give you a bit of a kickstart. But mainly mix up the training, if you are bored of your split you won't be motivated to push as hard which will obviously be impacted your physique and nutritional needs.
 
Ta for advice.

Aye going back to WSB on Monday mate. But main lower body compound will be deadlift. Haven't really shook things up majorly for a long time (because it was working) :)
 
Big breakfast is good. Not sure why you'd be putting on fat, that diet looks pretty good. Maybe do some HIIT. Maybe change your training a bit? Maybe you're not pushing yourself as much or hitting enough exercise for the cals you're taking in?
 
The only thing I can think is that before I was doing cross trainer a couple of times per week (steady state). I've replaced that with cycling BUT I'm doing more cycling than I was cross trainer (if that makes sense?!).

Maybe I'll add 2 HIIT sessions on the cross trainer a week in.
 
Right now i've moved onto mainly weights and with help of an app called "iFitness" (very useful for a beginner for different exercises) and this is what i've come up with for my week.

My aims are: Toned arms, with additional strength, overall stamina and work on my back muscles as they are very weak and ache if i've done something strenuous on them.

Monday/Wends/Friday:
Cross-trainer: 15 mins warm up.
Rowing: 1km
Dumbell Biceps Curl: 2x15
French Press: 2x12
Standing Concentration Curl: 2x10
Hammer Curl: 2x10
Barbell Bench Press: 2x8
Machine Biceps Curl: 2x15
Machine Chest Press: 2x15
Cross-trainer: 15 mins cool down.


Tues/Thursday/Sat/Sun:
Cross-trainer: 20 mins
Cycling Machine: 20 mins
Treadmill: 20 mins
- Whats a good lower back exercise here?


Any opinions on the above?


I must sound like a right beginner but i'd like to get into a routine because when im all over the shop I just loose commitment!!!

Thanks!
 
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