*** The 2010 Gym Rats Thread ***

[BennyC]

Chest isn't hit by grip width AFAIK but more the positioning of the body.

To activate more chest lean foward into them. To focus on triceps keep your body as upright as possible.

 

[NotAGolf]

Chest isn't hit by grip width AFAIK but more the positioning of the body.

To activate more chest lean foward into them. To focus on triceps keep your body as upright as possible.

Yea I do lean quite far forward....I have to or I hit my head on the top of the power cage! I do have my legs going vertical at the waist though, but surely that doesn't effect it much?

They're vertical as I hold a dumbell between my legs and it's quite difficult to keep my legs in line with my upper body when doing this!

 

[Makunouchi]

In my last couple of workouts I've been getting some bad pain in my left shoulder while doing dips, and I can't work out why. No amount of different position, grip or leaning seems to alleviate it, and it doesn't seem to happen with any type of shoulder workout so I really have no idea how it's happening. I decided to simply drop them and focus on DB BP and flies for a few weeks instead.

 

[Freefaller]

Going too deep is often the problem, about the only exercise where going too deep isn't good.

 

[Cristian]

I've noticed that any sort of wider grip dips instantly kills my right shoulder, since then I just get ot the assisted one in the gym which is narrower, jam the leg support down and do my thing.

 

[Zip]

Good leg session today. Took squats upto 160KG for a single. Heaviest I've squatted freeweight, including boosting from the oly bench & a 2 meter walk backwards!

How long has has it taken you to build up to be able to do 160kg+ on the squat benny?

Also whats your weight and hight if you dont mind me asking

 

[p4radox]

Squatted 110kg for 5x5 today. Felt fantastic afterwards, especially as I'm now lifting properly more than BW.

 

[BennyC]

How long has has it taken you to build up to be able to do 160kg+ on the squat benny?

Also whats your weight and hight if you dont mind me asking

Been squatting properly for about a year I think. Though did give it a go a bit before but hated it due to incorect form. Had always been on a smith too due to lack of a squat rack/power cage. It was better than nothing, but not ideal! I've had a 170KG parralell squat on the smith, but debateable as to whether it actually equalled 180KG because of the resistance from the runners. OHP the oly bar and the smith bar and it feels exactly the same...

Used to find sets of 8 @ 60 KG quite tough. Did a lot of high volume leg pressing before I went anywhere near squats as thats what my training partner at the time preferred.

Height is 5'10" and weight is around 91KG. Though coming off creatine-mono for a week or so so will drop a bit of water. Thighs weren't far off 26" which means all the size I lost during my cut is back

Takes time to progess and core strength is the limiting factor in squats, no doubt, so get deadlifting & standing OHP'ing too! I used to deadlift pritty much 95% of my 1RM most weekends as I just wanted to push that lift as hard as I could. Not the best approach but heavy deadlifts get the thumbs up for core strength.

Funny as FF mentioned in the pic thread that most of the size comes in the first two years and like him I'm now a good 10KG heavier than when I started 2 years ago. Dropped 9KG/4%BF during my cut so hopefully what's gone back on is muscle, apart from the water retention!

 

[neon.uk]

New bench PB yesterday . Hit 110kg easily so I thought I may aswell attempt 115 - I failed that but it didn't feel very far away. Either way very pleased to be making strength progress as my progress on the scales has levelled somewhat (still at 82kg).

 

[Skillmister]

Can honestly say I'm done with the benchpress. Not even going to bother with it anymore.
Every single bloody time I try I get that same stabbing pain through my right elbow on the ligament.
Attempted to get you guys a vid so you can check my form. But even through the warming up process on the bench that same pain hit again.
Going to stick with my dumbbells and cable flyes again, never had a problem with those.

I get a funny sharp pain in my right shoulder on bench press sometimes. Only get it if i go right to the bottom, if i cut out the last 10% or so of movement its fine.

 

[BennyC]

Just had the phone call telling me I passed my Level 3 theory paper which now means I'm a qualified Level 2 Instructor (from December) and now qualified Level 3 Advanced Instructor

Time to send some CV's out this weekend!

 

[semi-pro waster]

Congratulations Benny, that's great news. Good luck on the job front.

First time back in the gym for a couple of weeks last night, I didn't have to drop the weights much but I'm definitely feeling it in my legs today more than usual.

 

[lemonkettaz]

Congrats Benny.

I've always been weakest in my chest and after being back at the gym for 4weeks I can now bench 65Kg 3 sets of 8 with correct form, even though I'm blowing shapes for the last few...

I started again on 42Kg.

That is the most I've benched, will be looking to hit 70Kg next week.

Triceps still naff.

 

[^TANK^]

New bench PB yesterday . Hit 110kg easily so I thought I may aswell attempt 115 - I failed that but it didn't feel very far away. Either way very pleased to be making strength progress as my progress on the scales has levelled somewhat (still at 82kg).

Good man keep em coming, how often do you up the weight?

 

[^TANK^]

Tank, have you tried Aloe Vera? I used bio-oil and aloe vera together and it worked well.

Waste of time only regular exfoliating made any noticeable differences!

 

[Boscher]

I have visible abs when tensed but not when relaxed yet.

Would continuously tensing during the day help at all?

 

[Morgoth]

After getting a bit bored with stronglifts I decided to supplement the work with something more interesting. I made some parallettes using 1.5" PVC and looked up some gymnastics exercises, I've been trying to do tuck planche -> handstand -> handstand pushup -> tuck planche for the past 4 days, I think I'm broken.

 

[BennyC]

I have visible abs when tensed but not when relaxed yet.

Would continuously tensing during the day help at all?

No.

Lower your bodyfat if you want continuously visible abs.

 

[Freefaller]

Just had the phone call telling me I passed my Level 3 theory paper which now means I'm a qualified Level 2 Instructor (from December) and now qualified Level 3 Advanced Instructor

Time to send some CV's out this weekend!

Nice one mate! 1st round will be on me when you come down to London!

Congratulations Benny, that's great news. Good luck on the job front.

First time back in the gym for a couple of weeks last night, I didn't have to drop the weights much but I'm definitely feeling it in my legs today more than usual.

You need to increase your volume I reckon - you've got all the good movements now, your form is good... up the volume - you need to do moooooooooooooooooooooooooooore!

 

[BennyC]

Nice one mate! 1st round will be on me when you come down to London!

Cheers mate

You need to increase your volume I reckon - you've got all the good movements now, your form is good... up the volume - you need to do moooooooooooooooooooooooooooore!

Volume is where it is at! Easiest way to pack on volume is by tricking your CNS. Bang out your heavy sets and then drop the weight by 20-30KG and rep out Dropping 60KG makes it feel like feathers. Dropping a further 30KG makes it feel like your floating Pushing your lactate threshold isn't pritty though!