First few weeks of weightlifting have been a struggle - advice appreciated

mrthingyx said:
Triceps hurting in a dumbell row? Interesting.

The only thing I can think of without being in a gym is that you're going funny at your elbow at the top of the row by trying to keep the dumbell in a certain position.

Post videos ftw.
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Could just be muscle imbalance and extreme weakness. The tricep will get a little work during the eccentric part of the movement, as you're lowering the weight down.

I had a similar thing the first time I tried benchpressing. For ages I wouldn't feel anything in my chest, because my triceps and wrists were so weak in comparison. They'd be knackered before my chest had even had a chance to work.

After a while my arms got stronger, and I was able to move onto heavier weights which actually gave my chest a decent workout.

Post videos so people can check your form, but it could just be a matter of patience, until the assistant muscles get strong enough to allow you to work the target muscles properly.
 
TC, nice one posting vids :)

Squats - Time to get under a bar with the squats fella, don't be scared of it :)
Also, get a bar in front of you and start doing deadlifts. Your db squats are essentially db deadlifts anyway

The bench - use a heavier weight and I wouldn't lower the weight so far myself

BOR - what we've all been waiting to see :D
Try and get your ass down so your shoulders are higher than your hips, if the bench inclines put it up a notch and try that.
Start each rep with no tension in the arms, the weight needs to hang. What it looks like is you stop before it hangs which is creating tension possibly in the tris.
Loosen your grip a little, imagine hands being hooks.
 
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Morba said:
TC, nice one posting vids :)

Squats - Time to get under a bar with the squats fella, don't be scared of it :)
Also, get a bar in front of you and start doing deadlifts. Your db squats are essentially db deadlifts anyway

The bench - use a heavier weight and I wouldn't lower the weight so far myself

BOR - what we've all been waiting to see :D
Try and get your ass down so your shoulders are higher than your hips, if the bench inclines put it up a notch and try that.
Start each rep with no tension in the arms, the weight needs to hang. What it looks like is you stop before it hangs which is creating tension possibly in the tris.
Loosen your grip a little, imagine hands being hooks.
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Thanks mate. Is my squat technique good enough to start using barbells then?

sigma said:
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/PectoralSternal/DBBenchPress.html

See how his elbows are in line with shoulders when he lowers the DB?

I never really got on with single arm rows, I prefer this type of row:

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/BackGeneral/BBBentOverRow.html
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Cheers bud, are my elbows not correct when benching?
 
TheCenturion said:
Thanks mate. Is my squat technique good enough to start using barbells.
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your squat looks more like a dead lift, anyway, so doing man-size dead lifts will only help.

Regarding your squat, I would encourage you to ditch the two Dumbells and switch yo a goblet squat. For my liking, there Looks to be too much quad and not enough glute.

Ah, yes - just rewatched, and your core is flopping about: you appear to lose your bracing almost as soon as you start the movement. As a result, your bum doesn't seem to go back far enough, and pushes your knees over your toes. This could be also be compounded by bad ankle mobility, tight hamstrings and stiff hips. Had over to icecold's mobility thread for help with these joints.

Edit: just looked again, and am wondering whether your knees are in line with your toes?

As such. I'd personally concentrate on getting a goblet squat right, with load, enforce heading to the barbell. You really need to get your bum stuck out and sit down into the gap between your heels, whilst keeping your core braced. Before starting the squat, find the bony protrusion of your pelvis at the front, walk in an inch and pinch. The reflex contraction (feels like rotating your pelvis round, forward and up) is what you're looking to consciously hold when squatting, whilst keeping your chin up. If you want to try the same with a barbell, it might help to get your form right, believe it or not, but each to their own - whatever works, IMHO.

Freefaller has nailed what's wrong with the BOR, so it's just a question of learning to relax and "let it dangle." As such.

Good stuff on the videos, however, so thank you. And increase the weight on the BOR, chest press and - once you get the goblet squat right - the other stuff: you look like you're having for too easy a time of it. ;)
 
Just worked out again. Benched 18kg with 9 kg dumbbells.Best I've ever felt about my benching.

With the BOR, I tried your advice morba. The dumbbell was almost falling out of my hand. It didn't stress my tricep when lifting with my right hand, but when I lifted with my left,my tricep still started to ache. Next time I'll try what sigma says and use a barbell instead.

Tried goblet squatting with a 17 kg dumbbell but this put massive pressure in my arms and after a couple I felt massive pressure in my lower back. So I stopped and did normal DB squats with two 9kg dumbbells instead.
 
If you're getting big pressure in your lower back when goblet squatting with 17kgs, it basically means you're not holding your core form and your back is bending. Unless you have slipped discs and dodgy musculature down there.

Pressure on your arms from 17kgs? Fair enough - drop the weight. I would really encourage you to get your form right(er) and squat properly, than to head straight over to the barbell (which weighs 20kgs) and you strain your back because you can't hold your core.

Leave your ego at the door and drop the weight? I've had to come down from 95kgs four months ago to 80kgs last session because I wasn't getting the depth and knees were all over the shop. I'd never demand perfection before hitting the barbell, but at least protect your back and knees.

BORs? A barbell row will be murder on your back if you can't goblet squat properly, and won't work the intended muscles. This might sound really odd, try 17kg Dumbells or whatever is closest in your gym. The extra weight may force you to stop gripping the Dumbell and align our shoulder properly. Just be careful when lifting it off the rak and when setting up.
 
mrthingyx said:
If you're getting big pressure in your lower back when goblet squatting with 17kgs, it basically means you're not holding your core form and your back is bending. Unless you have slipped discs and dodgy musculature down there.

Pressure on your arms from 17kgs? Fair enough - drop the weight. I would really encourage you to get your form right(er) and squat properly, than to head straight over to the barbell (which weighs 20kgs) and you strain your back because you can't hold your core.

Leave your ego at the door and drop the weight? I've had to come down from 95kgs four months ago to 80kgs last session because I wasn't getting the depth and knees were all over the shop. I'd never demand perfection before hitting the barbell, but at least protect your back and knees.

BORs? A barbell row will be murder on your back if you can't goblet squat properly, and won't work the intended muscles. This might sound really odd, try 17kg Dumbells or whatever is closest in your gym. The extra weight may force you to stop gripping the Dumbell and align our shoulder properly. Just be careful when lifting it off the rak and when setting up.
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Thanks for the advice. I'll drop the weight and try some goblets next time. I don't have any problems with squats when using two DBs, but when I tried goblet squatting today I just struggled.

With regards to the BORs, I struggled to lift a 17kg DB with two hands, how will I do it with one? :p

I think with benching I'm ready to hit the barbells.
 
TheCenturion said:
Thanks for the advice. I'll drop the weight and try some goblets next time. I don't have any problems with squats when using two DBs, but when I tried goblet squatting today I just struggled.

With regards to the BORs, I struggled to lift a 17kg DB with two hands, how will I do it with one? :p

I think with benching I'm ready to hit the barbells.
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Your Dumbell squats in the videos feel easier because they aren't squats but closer to dead lifts.

If 17kg is too much, up the weight from 9kgs at least. The tricep ache may be an artefact from chest press, but I'm still sure you're gripping too tight and not pulling with your shoulders.

Regarding chest press, barbells aren't scary, but you need to remember the movementis slightly different to Dumbell press. And that the bar will weight 20kgs. My personal take would be to get to max out the Dumbells before hitting the rack, but if you're dead set on it, then it's your enjoyment that will keep you going.

Do not hit the barbell or 'bro' or 'image' points as you'll hurt yourself. :)

Edit: can you hold a plank position? How long for? How about controlled 'hip pops?'
 
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mrthingyx said:
If 17kg is too much, up the weight from 9kgs at least. The tricep ache may be an artefact from chest press, but I'm still sure you're gripping too tight and not pulling with your shoulders.
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It was dangling from my hand honestly :p I was trying my hardest to not hold grip the dumbbell, to the point where it felt like it would just fall out of my hand.

mrthingyx said:
Do not hit the barbell or 'bro' or 'image' points as you'll hurt yourself. :)
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I don't understand what this sentence means :o


mrthingyx said:
Edit: can you hold a plank position? How long for? How about controlled 'hip pops?'
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Last time I did a plank, I could hold it for several minutes. But from what I've read on here, if you can hold it for more than a minute you're doing it wrong.

What are hip pops? Googling it, it seems to be some sort of snapping of the hip. Doesn't sound like something I could do.
 
TheCenturion said:
It was dangling from my hand honestly :p I was trying my hardest to not hold grip the dumbbell, to the point where it felt like it would just fall out of my hand.
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Is your forearm dangling from your elbow? Having a non-vertical forearm is where tricep or bicep will be coming in.

The thing is, if you use more weight this stuff will just fall into place. There is no way you could tricep kick back a weight you could row.
 
yep, some times too little weight is as bad as too much. You need to use enough to help you stay in good form :)
 
TheCenturion said:
I don't understand what this sentence means :o
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If only I could claim English was not my first language...

Essentially, don't rush to the rack and barbell for your squats because "that's how the massive guys do it" or whatever. Get your form right (or more correct), get some real load in there, and THEN go under the barbell.


TheCenturion said:
Last time I did a plank, I could hold it for several minutes. But from what I've read on here, if you can hold it for more than a minute you're doing it wrong.

What are hip pops? Googling it, it seems to be some sort of snapping of the hip. Doesn't sound like something I could do.
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There's planking and there's planking. Not having seen you do it, this could mean anything. Having watched your core shift in the squat videos you posted, I personally wouldn't suggest you go for the barbell, particularly if you find goblet squatting with 17kgs too hard on your back.

As icecold suggested, the easy way to work around this is to do dumbell lunges (or reverse lunges/whatever), and get the bracing right without too much potential for compromise (he says) of your back and knees.
 
When I bent over today I felt a really sharp pain in my lower and middle back. Could this have been caused when attempting that goblet squat?

icecold said:
Is your forearm dangling from your elbow? Having a non-vertical forearm is where tricep or bicep will be coming in.

The thing is, if you use more weight this stuff will just fall into place. There is no way you could tricep kick back a weight you could row.
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I don't think so. Should I be emphasizing the shoulder movement more in the row? Also I'll try a higher weight when rowing.

mrthingyx said:
If only I could claim English was not my first language...

Essentially, don't rush to the rack and barbell for your squats because "that's how the massive guys do it" or whatever. Get your form right (or more correct), get some real load in there, and THEN go under the barbell.
Click to expand...

Oh I understand now, you missed out an 'f' in your previous post :p


mrthingyx said:
There's planking and there's planking. Not having seen you do it, this could mean anything. Having watched your core shift in the squat videos you posted, I personally wouldn't suggest you go for the barbell, particularly if you find goblet squatting with 17kgs too hard on your back.

As icecold suggested, the easy way to work around this is to do dumbell lunges (or reverse lunges/whatever), and get the bracing right without too much potential for compromise (he says) of your back and knees.
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I'll choose a lighter weight next gym session and goblet squat that, maybe 12.5 kg or so and record it and post it up here. Alternatively, I think my gym actually has smaller, 10kg barbell. I could squat that and record my lift?
 
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Any sharp pain in your lower back is a serious warning sign you're doing things wrong, and could be risking a serious injury. How does your back feel now? Was the pain only for a short while or did it last after your workout?

Best thing would probably be to drop the weight entirely, and go back to basics with just bodyweight squats, to ensure you get your technique correct.

Looking at your squat video, it looks like flexibility is your main issue. I can see your pelvis tucking under a little at the bottom of the squat..... which is bad news for your lower back.

You always hear people saying "squat as low as you can" but this isn't always good advice. You can only squat within the limits of your own flexibility. The goblet squat position is only any good if you've already got a fair amount of flexibility. If you lack hamstring and hip flexability, chances are you're tucking your pelvis a lot to achieve the position, which is probably what caused the pain.

During a correct squat there's essentially a fight between the core muscles and the hamstrings over which gets to control the pelvis. If you've got short (inflexible) hamstrings, and you don't consciously activate your core to hold onto your pelvis, when you reach the bottom of your squat they pull your arse down causing the tuck-under which can cause injury.

Here are a couple of articles you should read which should help you understand the relationship between the core, hamstring, pelvis and lower back during the squat, and it also has some exercises which will help your flexibility.

http://www.tonygentilcore.com/blog/q-a-fixing-the-tuck-under-when-squatting-part-i/

http://www.tonygentilcore.com/blog/q-a-fixing-the-tuck-under-when-squatting-part-ii/
 
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