For the gym rats

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AmDaMan said:
Am I a fool for doing reps of 8? Ie 3x8 as opposed for 3x6 etc?
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There is no 'right' amount of reps.

My PERSONAL OPINION is that early on in training you should keep the reps up 8 or more because your mind-muscle connections are not sufficient to exert force correctly on heavy lifts leaving either to poor form or incorrect weight selection. So for 6 months to one year at the start of training keep to this rule. Then for a year or 2 (progress/goals depending) after this, start to cycle intensity/volume, so say

2 months 12 reps,
2 months 8 reps
1 month 5 reps
2 months 12,8,5 pyramid

From this point on say by year 2 or 3 of CONSISTENT AND DEDICATED TRAINING, you should have some instinct for your optimal training intensity. Powerlifters may cycle 5,3,1 programs or 5x5 while bodybuilders could use anything from 5x5 to 10x10 for growth stimulus.

But to begin with nail the mind muscle connection!
 
As a m8 told me... isolate the muscle in your mind and think of nothing else whilst performing that lift.
This is particularly difficult when you're just starting out as you can't 'feel' it at first.
 
daztrouk said:
today's workout:

leg press : 6x140kg, 6x145kg, 6x150kg
bench press: 6x105kg, 6x110kg, 6x115kg
dumbell flyes: 6x34kg each arm, 6x36kg each arm, 6x38kg each arm
seated military press: 6x60kg, 6x65kg, 6x70kg
shrugs: 6x40kg each arm, 6x45kg each arm, 6x50kg each arm
upper chest press: 6x85kg, 6x90kg, 6x95kg
chest press inner: 6x84kg, 6x91kg, 6x98kg
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for someone who does some rather nice benching and shoulder pressing, your leg press seems very very weak.

whats chest press inner?
 
Freefaller said:
Lots of people don't train legs properly it seems :(
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ya but the fundementals of bodybuilding suggest that without proper dedication and knowledge he wouldnt be benching those weights, i mean, thats better than me by a fair way. Any dedicated and knowledgeable BB'er would train legs properly. Sounds like he's equated leg press to squats, looked around at roughly what people in the middle levels can lift and pitched those numbers.... but perhaps hes got bad knees who knows
 
38kg dumbell flyes would rip most peoplws arms off, i mean jesus christ ive never met anyone who can do 30's with good form. Ive seen cutler do 40's and coleman 50's and 60's but theres no doubt its a lot of weight. Its another case of...

Pictures please :D
 
^TANK^ said:
Bloody hell Lol I hope I live up to all the hype, I'm big but no mr universe!

I'm really nervous/paranoid now I think you guys may be in for a shock:(.
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m8, those of us whose opinion matters, ie the ones who know about training and dont think you become Mr Universe (or even Mr Mens Health) overnight, understand that looking like cutler, coleman, jackson or heath is not about lifting superhuman weight, heck ill bet some of your lifts are actually bigger than some of theirs. Their composition is a fantastic balance of genetics, hard work, good nutrition and hormone manipulation.

Whether your a natty or not (id venture not based on your lifts, but thats not for me to say) no one (as in no one who knows the game) would expect you to be a Mr Universe type unless YOU WANTED TO BE! So if you are a powerlifter then i personally dont expect you to look any anything other than broad and thick set. I certainly would be able to tell the difference between someone pitching your numbers and someone of 'average' size and strength!
 
I've been training off and on for over 10 years (im 28). I use to do squats, but i broke my leg and ankle pretty badly last year. My ankle hasn't got the range of movement anymore, and to be honest i don't have complete trust in it, especially when squatting with weights, so i prefer the leg press machine now. I'm getting back into gym again after being off for 2 months, started up again 2 weeks ago. I agree, my leg press is weak, my last set a week ago was 6x130kg, but i thought i'd try 6x150kg yesterday, and done it with ease, so the next time i go i'll be adding more weight as i'm obviously not pushing myself enough.

With the leg press, for my first set i had 70kg on each side, therefore 140kg total.

Chest press inner is similar to bench press apart from seated.

Pics? no problem, will post them when i get home.

great thread btw
 
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Ouch how did you break your legs? You poor bugger :(

You'll be back on 300kg+ on leg press soon I'm sure, especially if you're strong enough to do 38kg flies!

I quite like the leg press at times, but you literally have to put every single weight in the gym on to get a decent pump! :D
 
Morba said:
for someone who does some rather nice benching and shoulder pressing, your leg press seems very very weak.

whats chest press inner?
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As pointed out by many, leg pressing is relatively easier compared to squats hence why I do it!:(:D, but your lower body strength should be an awful lot more stronger than your upper body strength surely. I was getting between 650- 720 kilos when I had a leg press available to me. As Freefaller says people are not properly pounding there legs which is just weird to me:confused:. I do the bare minimum for my legs but I get results so its all good.:)

Ultra_Extreme said:
m8, those of us whose opinion matters, ie the ones who know about training and dont think you become Mr Universe (or even Mr Mens Health) overnight, understand that looking like cutler, coleman, jackson or heath is not about lifting superhuman weight, heck ill bet some of your lifts are actually bigger than some of theirs. Their composition is a fantastic balance of genetics, hard work, good nutrition and hormone manipulation.

Whether your a natty or not (id venture not based on your lifts, but thats not for me to say) no one (as in no one who knows the game) would expect you to be a Mr Universe type unless YOU WANTED TO BE! So if you are a powerlifter then i personally dont expect you to look any anything other than broad and thick set. I certainly would be able to tell the difference between someone pitching your numbers and someone of 'average' size and strength!
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Thank god for that, Your reassurance is very much appreciated:cool:.
 
Well its true really, just look at the strongest people (like andy bolton and that bench freak kennedy), they will never be a Mr Olympia contender and the Mr Olympia's will never be some of the strongest in the world.
 
Freefaller said:
Ouch how did you break your legs? You poor bugger :(

You'll be back on 300kg+ on leg press soon I'm sure, especially if you're strong enough to do 38kg flies!

I quite like the leg press at times, but you literally have to put every single weight in the gym on to get a decent pump! :D
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I edited my post as it made it seem i broke both legs, when i only broke my left leg and ankle playing football. I use to enjoy squats as it was a thorough leg workout, could barely walk properly afterwards.
 
Did some light front squats yesterday with the aim of forcing my wrists to accept the clean grip. Was much easier to squat because the bar was far more secure but my wrists are in agony today. Will keep at it and hope they adapt because I struggle to keep the bar balanced with a cross armed grip once the weight gets heavy.
 
Does anyone else find that some days different excercises are stronger or weaker? Today i couldnt do my last rep on deadlift but was able to do 3 more wide grip chins than i did last week?

I had upped the weight on the bar by 2.5k but i still feel i should have finished the set, feel a bit disappointed that i didnt :( lol
 
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