ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ ||| The 2023/2024 Gym Rats Thread ||| ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ

Mason- said:
Did 135kg 5x5 squat on Monday.

And did 137.5kg 5x5 squat today. As well as 142.5kg 1x5 deadlift.

3 plates on Friday. Feel like I’m gonna fail soon though. 137.5 was really tough.
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Don't talk yourself out of it! 3 plates is an achievement on Stronglifts not that many people get to, based on colloquial experience, so go in with it being just another day.

Well done!
 
5x5 140kg squats done.

The reps were ok, but I rested more than 3 mins between sets. And I have pain from my left elbow up to my shoulder. I’ve had it before squatting. Must be some shoulder mobility or my arm is getting loaded at some point.

Gonna change the routine after this. I don’t want to squat this heavy 3 times a week while losing weight. I got to 3 plates 5x5. Looking at my old logs on this forum from 2013, 140kg was my 1rm at 95kg bodyweight. Doing 5x5 140kg squat at 103.5kg on a deficit I’m proud of that.

Think I’ll give madcow a go. Or one of the routines where you’re deadlifting 5x5 one of the days and squats the other.
 
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mrthingyx said:
Disappointed no curls on C, but there we go. Bro gets to 140kg on 5*5 but still won't go full bro.
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I can add some ;).

Just doing what the app suggests for assistance.

The idea of me doing 12 pull ups is laughable I doubt i can even do 1. Will have to take weight off.
 
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3 plate squat is great! Good job.

Your numbers though are a bit out of proportion. Your Squat is super strong compared to your bench and even deadlift.

I would probably try to do more upper body focused workouts. Your bench should be almost 100kg. Triceps and shoulders need some work.

I also would try a much heavier deadlift, like 180kg. You can squat your deadlift! I am sure there is more in the tank for deadlift. Unless your squat form is full ROM, then its a different story.
 
xiphrex said:
3 plate squat is great! Good job.

Your numbers though are a bit out of proportion. Your Squat is super strong compared to your bench and even deadlift.

I would probably try to do more upper body focused workouts. Your bench should be almost 100kg. Triceps and shoulders need some work.

I also would try a much heavier deadlift, like 180kg. You can squat your deadlift! I am sure there is more in the tank for deadlift. Unless your squat form is full ROM, then its a different story.
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I am definitely stronger in the lower body always have been. I want to work on my upper now for sure.

Most I’ve done on bench is 72.5kg 5x5.

And for sure I’ve got plenty in the tank on deadlift.
 
Started week 7 of my tried and trusted 5x5 routine this week, comfortable 130x3 bench and 165 3x3 squat today, 200 3x3 deads on Tuesday and 175x3 squat on Thursday.

Still a mile off my PBs but I'm also 10-15 years older and 5 stone lighter so I'll take it.
 
Mason- said:
I am definitely stronger in the lower body always have been. I want to work on my upper now for sure.

Most I’ve done on bench is 72.5kg 5x5.

And for sure I’ve got plenty in the tank on deadlift.
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You might laugh at this but when I was doing 5x5 and gradually getting stronger, at one session I accidentally put the wrong weight on (was meant to lift 120kg but instead it was 140kg) for deadlift - it went up! Was not sure about the form, but just then a puregym trainer came up to me and complimented the form with words of encouragement. Thats when I realised I should probably lift more weight for deadlift.

Miss those pre-covid puregym days when I was younger!
 

This video seems very enlightening and I suspect highlights where I'm going wrong that leads to the arm pain. I suspect the bar is too low, causing it to slip, putting more stress on my arms. I have noticed this because racking the weight after my set is harder than getting it off - presumably because the bar has slipped because I am starting from a too low position. As well my grip is very wide, and my wrists are bent. So will need to work on that, I already don't put my thumb under but I don't have the bar on my palms so will look at that. However I suspect shoulder mobility will be a limiting factor here, I found some good stretches online so will try those.
 
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Age just isn’t fun. I miss the 8-9 training days in a row I could do with the aggression I used to have in the gym, including big days like deadlifting followed by another day of big lifts. These days I’m lucky if I can do 1-2 without it impacting subsequent workouts. Can’t deadlift anymore, can’t do standing rows. Numbers still decent for my age on the things I can do, but plateaued on most things. Arms of all things are one of the few muscle groups that keep gaining despite the odds :p. Shoulders also not too bad!

Going to start throwing in some short jogs on non weight training days I think.

Still holding a reasonable max of 170kg or so on bench and 250kg or so on squats. I always wanted 200 on bench, but it wasn’t meant to be. Happy to have exceeded 200 on squats that I never thought was in reach when I started. A few more years on my side and 300 was nearly in reach.

I still have a weird pain after squats a week or so ago, although it may be unrelated. Hoping it just goes.
 
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CaptainRAVE said:
Age just isn’t fun. I miss the 8-9 training days in a row I could do with the aggression I used to have in the gym, including big days like deadlifting followed by another day of big lifts. These days I’m lucky if I can do 1-2 without it impacting subsequent workouts. Can’t deadlift anymore, can’t do standing rows. Numbers still decent for my age on the things I can do, but plateaued on most things. Arms of all things are one of the few muscle groups that keep gaining despite the odds :p. Shoulders also not too bad!

Going to start throwing in some short jogs on non weight training days I think.

Still holding a reasonable max of 170kg or so on bench and 250kg or so on squats. I always wanted 200 on bench, but it wasn’t meant to be. Happy to have exceeded 200 on squats that I never thought was in reach when I started. A few more years on my side and 300 was nearly in reach.

I still have a weird pain after squats a week or so ago, although it may be unrelated. Hoping it just goes.
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How old are you for reference?

I'm turning 44 this Nov.
 
I'm struggling with various injuries.

All four of my limbs have some sort of issue that I've had for years now.

Left knee: ACL reconstruction in 2004. Went for a run in 2020 and now have laxity in knee that has improved a lot in the last 5 years.

Left Shoulder: Suffered a shoulder dislocation in 2014 whilst heavy dumbbell chest pressing. Took 7 years to get to the point I could press with no pain. Have laxity in shoulder but can use barbells no problem. Avoid DBs.

Right knee: Patella femoral arthritis. Limits what I can do to train my legs. Any squat movement pattern is an issue. Squats, Smith, Hack, Bulgarian etc etc will all eventually lead to inflammation and pain. Leg press seems to be the kindest on my right knee.

Right shoulder: What I can only describe as shoulder impingement. Sucks to be me. Can flat press and incline but OHP causes irritation.

At the moment I've been persevering with squats on my trail of Big but boring 531. But even now after just one week (light weights too) my right knee feels inflamed so I'm thinking to drop squats and replace with trap bar deadlift. At least it's compound and activates the quads.

Also my squat form is absolute garbage anyway because I have to modify my stance to be so wide (almost like a sumo stance) so I don't irritate my right knee.
 
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Mason- said:

This video seems very enlightening and I suspect highlights where I'm going wrong that leads to the arm pain. I suspect the bar is too low, causing it to slip, putting more stress on my arms. I have noticed this because racking the weight after my set is harder than getting it off - presumably because the bar has slipped because I am starting from a too low position. As well my grip is very wide, and my wrists are bent. So will need to work on that, I already don't put my thumb under but I don't have the bar on my palms so will look at that. However I suspect shoulder mobility will be a limiting factor here, I found some good stretches online so will try those.
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Ok. This was incredible. Did first workout of the new routine.

Squats were:
5x135, 4x5x122.5.

0 elbow/arm/shoulder pain. Held the bar with a narrower grip, straighter wrists, bar slightly higher.

It was easier to keep my chest up, and when I racked the weights at the end of the set the bar was in the same place as when I started.
 
Weird. I know it was 10 years ago. But this part of the forum was absolutely buzzing when I was at uni (2011-2013), and the gym rats Facebook group was… great fun.

I guess I was young and most of the people here were the age I am now. I expected this part to still be active, powerlifting totals thread seems to be dead now.
 
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Mason- said:
Weird. I know it was 10 years ago. But this part of the forum was absolutely buzzing when I was at uni (2011-2013), and the gym rats Facebook group was… great fun.

I guess I was young and most of the people here were the age I am now. I expected this part to still be active, powerlifting totals thread seems to be dead now.
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I think about this too, brother.
 
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