*** The 2012 Gym Rats Thread ***
- Thread starter Psymonkee
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That's bang on advice 
Concentrate you efforts on the big compound sets (bench, squat and dead lift) - i.e. do them first - and if you have anything left in the tank after completing them, supplement with other exercises.
5x5 requires you to REALLY push for each rep, so you shouldn't have much energy left over by the end of it. If you are easily completing the 5 reps you aren't lifting heavy enough. Hence why people are commenting that it could be too much.
P.S: I don't mean to bench, squat and dead lifts all in one session!
Concentrate you efforts on the big compound sets (bench, squat and dead lift) - i.e. do them first - and if you have anything left in the tank after completing them, supplement with other exercises.
5x5 requires you to REALLY push for each rep, so you shouldn't have much energy left over by the end of it. If you are easily completing the 5 reps you aren't lifting heavy enough. Hence why people are commenting that it could be too much.
P.S: I don't mean to bench, squat and dead lifts all in one session!
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You suffer from Patellofemoral Pain? Pain in and around the knee cap when bending the knee?
If so it's because the bones rubbing below or agains ths knee cap. Nasty stuff, if you're dead set on the leg press do be careful for your knees and stay away from leg extensions, they're terrible for it.
Also for pure mass building 5-8 is very low. 8 is the minimum really and when it comes to the leg press you want at least 12-15 reps per set.
Personally I do 12-15 for legs for 5 sets and for upperbody I work at 10-12 reps.
For good strength gains 5-6 reps are very good, in sets of 3.
Workout A
5x5 squat
10 x lunges
5x5 bench press
5x5 chin ups
5x5 bent over row
Workout B
5x5 deadlift
10 x power cleans
5x5 overhead press
5x8 tricep dips / overhead extensions
2x20 dumbell rows (fast, make yourself sweat).
5x5 squat
10 x lunges
5x5 bench press
5x5 chin ups
5x5 bent over row
Workout B
5x5 deadlift
10 x power cleans
5x5 overhead press
5x8 tricep dips / overhead extensions
2x20 dumbell rows (fast, make yourself sweat).
Soldato
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Yea, I damaged the cartiledge on my tibia, so the knee cap is rubbing against it....
As I only do the Leg Press I need to get the most out of it. Have been thinking for a while that 3x10 isnt a good rep range for the leg press.
You suggest 12-15 x 5? Doew sound like a hell of a lot!
As for 5 reps being low, you might be right, I have now idea, but I think the point is, if Im getting stronger, thats all that matters at this stage.
Take a read of this and see what you think.
Quote: "f you had to pick a single rep range to work at to optimize the growth response, it would 5-8 reps per set."
(Your find it towards the end)
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You use your legs day in day out. Walking, getting up from a chair, up stairs blah blah. If you want to stimulate the legs then you gotta work them more than normal.
That is why people dont like leg days, they don't like the work that is needed, the intensity, or the DOMs that come from it lol
I don't have knee problems but I suffered a pretty nasty injury to my back and needed spinal surgery.
For me the Leg press is great, although for legs given how powerful they are and use to moving you daily 10 reps for 3 sets just won't cut it for muscle recruitment to the degree you want. Yes you'll make progress, but it'll be rather slow.
The arcticle makes sense sure, especially for the maximum work loads. Although don't underestimate yourself either. You want to work each set to failure, as in you can't make it past that last rep without digging deep ( whille keeping form of course ).
Slowly increase the amount of reps you do on the leg press weekly. If you did 10 reps this week. Make it 11 next week, then 12.
After you reach a rep count that makes you work hard but doesn't strain you or your knee slowly increase the weight weekly. NO need to rush at all, that would just make things worse.
The leg press is no squat though, and not as affective. I would aim for a minimum of 12 reps on legs, making sure you work to failure.
After getting to that stage try adding more sets. I didn't just jump in at a max rep count of 140 on the leg press a day. You build it up and yourself.
You legs need a lot of stimlulation though, just as Morba says.
Lol Delvis! More goblet squats for you then
Speaking of pain, I slept like an eeejit Monday night and Last night. I've got the nastiest sting in my neck.
I also work up on my stomach this moring.. hello tender Lumber and I somehow aggrivated that little muscle and tendon pain in my sternum.
I think I need to be strapped down on my back like in hostpital so I can't wreck myself sleeping
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I think I need to be strapped down on my back like in hostpital so I can't wreck myself sleeping
It could be worse, waking up to a dislocated shoulder is a very real and painful reality for me
Soldato
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It even mentions 12-15 reps for legs in this article!!!!
So how about I go from 3x10 on the legg press to 4x12?
Is that better??
The writer is Lyle McDonald, if anything I would imagine someone may have taken it and tried to pass it off as being written by someone else as he's quite well respected and I can't imagine he'd go nicking other peoples work to stick on his site without saying so.
Soldato
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I stink today! 
Didnt put on any deoderant...
Didnt put on any deoderant...
It could be worse, waking up to a dislocated shoulder is a very real and painful reality for me
Blimey! Glad that hasn't happened to me, although knowing my luck I might wake up with a broken spine haha
This knock in my neck and upper trap is annoying though, I lift right arm and I can feel it. I need a good deep muscle massage.
That's much better. Do take it slowly with your knee though and do remember to use your full range of motion when possible.
Soldato
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Blimey! Glad that hasn't happened to me, although knowing my luck I might wake up with a broken spine haha
This knock in my neck and upper trap is annoying though, I lift right arm and I can feel it. I need a good deep muscle massage.
That's much better. Do take it slowly with your knee though and do remember to use your full range of motion when possible.
I do use full range of motion, mate told me to put the chair all the way down to the bottom so you get the full range. (Good thing I have short legs then
)Also he was talking to me a few days back about coming to a complete dead stop on the legg press each rep, so as to not use any elastic bounce for the next rep.
I do use full range of motion, mate told me to put the chair all the way down to the bottom so you get the full range. (Good thing I have short legs then
Also he was talking to me a few days back about coming to a complete dead stop on the legg press each rep, so as to not use any elastic bounce for the next rep.
Very good advice, also try and get them knees as close to your chest as possible. It really just make you work when you do all that.
There's nothing as wrong as people getting on a leg press and barely moving those legs and then claiming to press heavy.
What days you doing currently on Wendler? Im doing the typical Mon/Tue/Thur/Fri.
Ended up at Physio today due to spinal issues and it just looks like a very stiff spine at my lower half (spent 10 minutes with him pressing on my spine until there was some give in it as it wouldnt move). Also got some more mobility exercises to add to my neverending list
Anyway, Deadlifts tomorrow! got a 5+ set of 140kg for my first week in cycle 3
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