*** The 2014 Gym Rats Thread ***

[Biz.Kid09]

As I said I am not really following their program only using what exercises they recommend as the structure of my workout.

I could start a fresh and follow what they outline with regards to adding 5lb/10lb but the weights I have got on that spreadsheet are pretty much the max that I can do so I just couldn't see myself being able to add weights every time I did it. Hence why I stayed at the same weight for two weeks simply because I just couldn't do anymore with it still being the correct and proper form.

 

[FrenchTart]

When is it time to move on from stronglifts 5x5? I'm still going up but I've reached the point with most things where it takes a good few sessions before an increase. OHP (surprise) being the worst but everything is a minimum of 4 sessions..up to maybe 8 in the worst case scenario.

edit: I can't imagine another routine drastically speeding things up but still, may as well ask

 

[Somnambulist]

Usually the advice is to stick with the program but drop to 3 sets of 5 and eventually 1x5 for you working set(s) in order to eek out every last drop of strength gains. Of course if you're lifting respectable amounts for your bodyweight there's no reason why you can't move onto something else assuming it's also a well-programmed routine.

 

[mrthingyx]

As I said I am not really following their program only using what exercises they recommend as the structure of my workout.

I could start a fresh and follow what they outline with regards to adding 5lb/10lb but the weights I have got on that spreadsheet are pretty much the max that I can do so I just couldn't see myself being able to add weights every time I did it. Hence why I stayed at the same weight for two weeks simply because I just couldn't do anymore with it still being the correct and proper form.

Stronglifts is structured in a given manner to help new starters make both kinds of gains very effectively: looking at your spreadsheet, you started heavier than I would have expected for a newcomer which mean you may be missing that (ahem) stable base that drilling the lifting pattern helps, as well as the resulting numerous weeks of lifting sub-maximally before coming close to your actual max.

Secondly, your diet and sleeping patterns could be hindering you, too: not enough of either will slow your progress quite effectively.

What I am saying is: do Stronglifts properly if you're going to do it as it works a treat.

When is it time to move on from stronglifts 5x5? I'm still going up but I've reached the point with most things where it takes a good few sessions before an increase. OHP (surprise) being the worst but everything is a minimum of 4 sessions..up to maybe 8 in the worst case scenario.

edit: I can't imagine another routine drastically speeding things up but still, may as well ask

I think the only real answer I can give from personal experience is when boredom sets in. I say this with a pang of irritation because - for squats at least - even though switching away from 5*5 a good, long while ago, I have noticed the most amusing squat gains from using Stronglifts principles when my squat stalls at a given weight (normally using 4/5*3 or whatever)... Drop back to 5*5 at 80% for two weeks and BOOM! Squat PB. admittedly, I squat (or did prior to my current routine) at least three times a week, which probably also helps, but...

In other words, change when you feel like it. As you say, there won't be anything significant about other routines, but you can then choose to focus on something else (I.e. Hypertrophy (e.g. Dogg Crapp), strength (e.g. 531)) or chuck everything out and do Crossfit.

Usually the advice is to stick with the program but drop to 3 sets of 5 and eventually 1x5 for you working set(s) in order to eek out every last drop of strength gains. Of course if you're lifting respectable amounts for your bodyweight there's no reason why you can't move onto something else assuming it's also a well-programmed routine.

Indeed, although I have always thought dropping the number of sets was an odd way to progress... But that doesn't mean anything other than I am easily confused.

 

[FrenchTart]

Usually the advice is to stick with the program but drop to 3 sets of 5 and eventually 1x5 for you working set(s) in order to eek out every last drop of strength gains. Of course if you're lifting respectable amounts for your bodyweight there's no reason why you can't move onto something else assuming it's also a well-programmed routine.

Yeah, I may drop some of the sets down in a few months. At the moment I feel that I'm still making progress but I can tell that I've massively slowed down from when I started....which I guess isn't at all shocking now I think about it...

I think the only real answer I can give from personal experience is when boredom sets in. I say this with a pang of irritation because - for squats at least - even though switching away from 5*5 a good, long while ago, I have noticed the most amusing squat gains from using Stronglifts principles when my squat stalls at a given weight (normally using 4/5*3 or whatever)... Drop back to 5*5 at 80% for two weeks and BOOM! Squat PB. admittedly, I squat (or did prior to my current routine) at least three times a week, which probably also helps, but...

In other words, change when you feel like it. As you say, there won't be anything significant about other routines, but you can then choose to focus on something else (I.e. Hypertrophy (e.g. Dogg Crapp), strength (e.g. 531)) or chuck everything out and do Crossfit.

I'm generally quite good about doing 3 sessions a week (which as I'm sure you know with stronglifts is 3 lots of squatting). I think I'd be quite a bit higher on that if I hadn't had a few injuries from bad form in the past. In fact, I've only just caught up to where I was before my last injury :/

I wouldn't mind doing a bit of hypertrophy stuff just for a bit of a change really - I still have noodley looking arms so it'd be nice to change that I need to look into routines a bit to find something that won't neglect core strength too much whilst getting all bro'd up.

Crossfit is a good shout too - need to lose those gains

 

[elmarko]

(Edit - Moved from old thread).

So.. new year I thought I'd try a new routine for a bit of variety to keep me interested.

It was my first GVT leg day Friday so understandably I couldn't walk for toffee crap the day afterwards - but I did feel like a good workout.

I did 10x10 back squats, 10x10 leg curls, 3x20 calf raises & 3x20 weighted crunches.

Anybody else have much experience of the GVT 10x10?, the below routine I got on-line - the only thing is that I'd like to stick dead-lifts in here somewhere but not sure where would be optimal.

Day 1 – Chest and Upper Back.
Bench-press 10x10
BB row 10x10
Dumbbell Flyes 3x20
Seated Rows 3x20

Day 2 – Legs and Abs.
Back squat 10x10
Leg curl 10x10
Calf Raises 3x20
Weighted Sit Ups 3x20

Day 3 – Off

Day 4 – Shoulders and Lats.
Overhead press 10x10
Pull ups 10x10
Bent Over Reverse Flyes 3x20
Straight Arm Lat Pull Downs 3x20

Day 5 – Biceps and Triceps.
Dips 10x10
Dumbbell Curls 10x10
Tricep Extensions 3x20
Preacher Curls 3x20

Day 6 – Off

Day 7 – Off

 

[grudas]

walking like a penguin after my leg day on saturday :| killer DOMs.. need to man up

thanks mrthingyx <3

 

[elmarko]

walking like a penguin after my leg day on saturday :| killer DOMs.. need to man up

thanks mrthingyx <3

I'm still walking funny from Friday's leg day, I always get DOMs unless I train legs every single week (had a break over xmas).

 

[grudas]

I'm still walking funny from Friday's leg day, I always get DOMs unless I train legs every single week (had a break over xmas).

same here! had no choice gym was closed.. Bulgarian deficit squats looked easy... how wrong was I

 

[mrthingyx]

I'm generally quite good about doing 3 sessions a week (which as I'm sure you know with stronglifts is 3 lots of squatting). I think I'd be quite a bit higher on that if I hadn't had a few injuries from bad form in the past. In fact, I've only just caught up to where I was before my last injury :/

I wouldn't mind doing a bit of hypertrophy stuff just for a bit of a change really - I still have noodley looking arms so it'd be nice to change that I need to look into routines a bit to find something that won't neglect core strength too much whilst getting all bro'd up.

Crossfit is a good shout too - need to lose those gains

Regarding arms, if you feel like you're missing out, then just add some 10-12 rep sets of chins/pull downs/broceps onto your routine, or use them as your rest period between squats.

 

[spoffle]

walking like a penguin after my leg day on saturday :| killer DOMs.. need to man up

thanks mrthingyx <3

The first time I did squats again after a long break of doing nothing, I fell down the stairs because my legs had jellied out so much...

Lucky it was only the last 3 or 4 steps, and I landed on my knees, so no damage.

Also, I will start my log in about a month or so, and I'm sticking firm with that.

I'm not embarassed about my lifts or anything, I just have some personal goals to meet first.

 

[mrthingyx]

Anybody else have much experience of the GVT 10x10?, the below routine I got on-line - the only thing is that I'd like to stick dead-lifts in here somewhere but not sure where would be optimal.

I think Muzza has some experience of GVT, and FreeFaller has some with Advanced (?) GVT, so they might be able to help?

walking like a penguin after my leg day on saturday :| killer DOMs.. need to man up

thanks mrthingyx <3

In a distinct, non-homo way, I was thinking about your routine yesterday, wondering how it went...

Nice to hear you enjoyed it.

 

[FrenchTart]

Regarding arms, if you feel like you're missing out, then just add some 10-12 rep sets of chins/pull downs/broceps onto your routine, or use them as your rest period between squats.

That's actually what we just did quite recently. I feel like the pullups are helping but I'm still so bad at them that it's extremely painful

 

[mrthingyx]

That's actually what we just did quite recently. I feel like the pullups are helping but I'm still so bad at them that it's extremely painful

Just brocepz curlz and tricep extensions, then.

Have you tried negative pull-ups (i.e. jumping to the fully-flexed "top" position and then slowly lowering yourself)?

If you're feeling confident and brave, have a look at BennyC's log as a well-documented and hideous version of Dogg Crapp.

 

[Freefaller]

(Edit - Moved from old thread).

So.. new year I thought I'd try a new routine for a bit of variety to keep me interested.

It was my first GVT leg day Friday so understandably I couldn't walk for toffee crap the day afterwards - but I did feel like a good workout.

I did 10x10 back squats, 10x10 leg curls, 3x20 calf raises & 3x20 weighted crunches.

Anybody else have much experience of the GVT 10x10?, the below routine I got on-line - the only thing is that I'd like to stick dead-lifts in here somewhere but not sure where would be optimal.

Day 1 – Chest and Upper Back.
Bench-press 10x10
BB row 10x10 Can mix this with T-Bar rows
Dumbbell Flyes 3x20
Seated Rows 3x20 I'd do pull ups here instead

Day 2 – Legs and Abs.
Back squat 10x10
Leg curl 10x10
Calf Raises 3x20 Do DBSS or just split squats
Weighted Sit Ups 3x20 GHRs here instead or some RDLs

Day 3 – Off

Day 4 – Shoulders and Lats.
Overhead press 10x10
Pull ups 10x10
Bent Over Reverse Flyes 3x20 No need for those really with all the rowing movements
Straight Arm Lat Pull Downs 3x20

Day 5 – Biceps and Triceps.
Dips 10x10
Dumbbell Curls 10x10
Tricep Extensions 3x20
Preacher Curls 3x20

Day 6 – Off

Day 7 – Off

I found 10x10 too brutal, and I love volume. GVT is better suited for those on special "assistance", in my opinion.

Hence why I favour AGVT over it. It's 10x5 (10 sets of 5 reps).

The key to (A)GVT is time under the bar, so the negative reps are crucial to do slowly.

I also don't bother with arms, but each to their own

I also wouldn't bother with "abs" specific workouts. There really isn't much need for it. Do more leg work instead.

 

[grudas]

In a distinct, non-homo way, I was thinking about your routine yesterday, wondering how it went...

Nice to hear you enjoyed it.

It was interesting! was keeping the weight down on split squats because I wanted to learn the proper movement first, even without dumbbells keeping my balance was hard

I do like the routine! my quads, my hammies, my calves, my glutes everything hurts so it's a nice all-around routine for legs!

 

[FrenchTart]

Just brocepz curlz and tricep extensions, then.

Have you tried negative pull-ups (i.e. jumping to the fully-flexed "top" position and then slowly lowering yourself)?

If you're feeling confident and brave, have a look at BennyC's log as a well-documented and hideous version of Dogg Crapp.

Cheers. I'll check that out. DoggCrapp looks pretty hideous though from the small amount of reading I've done

I do negative pull-ups once I start to fail at them...which with anything other than the narrowest grip pull-ups is depressingly quickly

 

[elmarko]

I found 10x10 too brutal, and I love volume. GVT is better suited for those on special "assistance", in my opinion.

Hence why I favour AGVT over it. It's 10x5 (10 sets of 5 reps).

The key to (A)GVT is time under the bar, so the negative reps are crucial to do slowly.

I also don't bother with arms, but each to their own

I also wouldn't bother with "abs" specific workouts. There really isn't much need for it. Do more leg work instead.

Cheers for the pointers, I'll see how I get on with 10x10 then if it's too much (judging by how my legs are after doing a trial leg-day) then I think you may be right & I'll see how it feels with 10x5. As I'm restarting a new routine I've got a chance to trial a few things first before settling on one.

Yeah, I'm not keen on specific abs workouts either - would like to slap dead-lifts in somewhere also, the GHR's sound interesting (not done those before) so will give those a bash as I wanted to switch that one out.

I've got pull-ups on shoulder/upper back day already so don't think I'll be able to do it twice in a week at that volume .

 

[mrthingyx]

Cheers for the pointers, I'll see how I get on with 10x10 then if it's too much (judging by how my legs are after doing a trial leg-day) then I think you may be right & I'll see how it feels with 10x5. As I'm restarting a new routine I've got a chance to trial a few things first before settling on one.

Yeah, I'm not keen on specific abs workouts either - would like to slap dead-lifts in somewhere also, the GHR's sound interesting (not done those before) so will give those a bash as I wanted to switch that one out.

I've got pull-ups on shoulder/upper back day already so don't think I'll be able to do it twice in a week at that volume .

Never tried GHRs? This will be interesting...

 

[elmarko]

Never tried GHRs? This will be interesting...

I'll be doing it on something soft for the first few haha.