For the gym rats

[Chong Warrior]

Because for a lot of people they hit the traps real well...

Oh and they aren't great on the shoulder, injury waiting to happen!

It's not great for your rotator cuff / shoulder- in general

Why do people always feel the need to brand certain exercises bad for everyone? We're all built differently. You certainly have a point but you're bordering on scaremongering and there's so much of that on internet forums.

I could post quotes like you have about pretty much any exercise. Aren't squats the devil spawn for causing knee injuries? Skull crushers will obliterate everyone's elbows who dares do them?

All exercises can potentially cause injury if performed with bad form, with too much weight or just generally incorrectly. Even an exercise as innocent as the simple shrug can really mess you up, do you perform these? Then have a read of this thread over on MP Shrug Science how many people do you see in the gym doing forward and backward rolling shrugs, etc?

Upright rows will hit the traps (and possibly cause most damage to shoulders) with a very narrow grip and hands almost touching. The higher the bar is brought up the higher the risk, the lower the elbows are kept, the higher the risk.

Yet performed with strict enough form, with a wider grip, elbows kept high enough and not lifted too high they can be an excellent delt builder Too much overhead pressing could kill your shoulders too. Personally I alternate between both each workout along with rotator cuff strengthening exercises.

 

[Styles]

Why do people always feel the need to brand certain exercises bad for everyone? We're all built differently. You certainly have a point but you're bordering on scaremongering and there's so much of that on internet forums.

I could post quotes like you have about pretty much any exercise. Aren't squats the devil spawn for causing knee injuries? Skull crushers will obliterate everyone's elbows who dares do them?

All exercises can potentially cause injury if performed with bad form, with too much weight or just generally incorrectly. Even an exercise as innocent as the simple shrug can really mess you up, do you perform these? Then have a read of this thread over on MP Shrug Science how many people do you see in the gym doing forward and backward rolling shrugs, etc?

Upright rows will hit the traps (and possibly cause most damage to shoulders) with a very narrow grip and hands almost touching. The higher the bar is brought up the higher the risk, the lower the elbows are kept, the higher the risk.

Yet performed with strict enough form, with a wider grip, elbows kept high enough and not lifted too high they can be an excellent delt builder Too much overhead pressing could kill your shoulders too. Personally I alternate between both each workout along with rotator cuff strengthening exercises.

Nice post, interesting article over on the MP forums too. Personally, I use upright rows every other week.

 

[Heaven Can Wait]

Didn't read it, but i hope it says that shrugging backwards/forwards is a bad thing.
I think people think that its similar with a deadlift, but instead of pushing chest through, throw the shoulders back.

 

[rayer]

I have read that when doing shrugs, just go straight up and down, never do a circular motion as this is dangerous.

 

[Morba]

agreed fully, all i do is straight up

 

[^TANK^]

agreed fully, all i do is straight up

I'll second that also i do it as slow as i can this tends to do the job for me.

 

[rayer]

Stupidly heavy weight and doing it slowly will result in not needing a pillow at night as your head will just rest on your traps

 

[Fusion]

Back to stating current maxes and targets:

Current:

Bench: 70kg
Squat: 120kg
Deadlift: 130kg

Targets (hopefully to be realised within next six months):

Bench: 80kg
Squat: 140kg
Deadlift: 150kg

Deadlifts tomorrow, going to push for a max.

 

[Styles]

Deadlifts tomorrow, going to push for a max.

It's good that you've given yourself targets, just be careful tomorrow with your max dead, form can easily slip out of the window here so keep focused. Good luck.

 

[abruzz1]

Stupidly heavy weight and doing it slowly will result in not needing a pillow at night as your head will just rest on your traps

lol

 

[^TANK^]

Stupidly heavy weight and doing it slowly will result in not needing a pillow at night as your head will just rest on your traps

 

[NitrogenY3K]

Currently into my 3rd week of bulk, and things are going well, expecialy deadlift and bench, Im well on target to reaching where I want to be.

 

[Fusion]

Currently into my 3rd week of bulk, and things are going well, expecialy deadlift and bench, Im well on target to reaching where I want to be.

What's your current and target bodyweight mate? Any pics?

 

[NitrogenY3K]

Current weight is around 15st 8 i think, not entirely sure. I would like to be a good 17st+ by december but try and keep the same bodyfat as I have now, well ideally would like to be a couple of % less.

 

[FeFiDoh]

Any chance you could post your diet m8? Im attempting to bulk im just missing some bits like EFA's and o6/9s

 

[NitrogenY3K]

Any chance you could post your diet m8? Im attempting to bulk im just missing some bits like EFA's and o6/9s

Have a look on page 8 mate

 

[rayer]

On the main 3 I am currently

Squat 130 Kgs x 8 reps
Incline Dumbells 46KGs x 6 reps
Deadlift 160 Kgs x 6 reps

 

[Morba]

not any targets as such yet, but by the end of the year i would like:

200kg deadlift
180kg squat
140kg flat bench
110kg incline bench
100kg shoulder press (this will be the hardest to get i think)
pull ups for reps (can rep 90/95kg on lat pulldown)

most are achievable as im repping quite well, i would imagine that my 1rm would be reasonably close to these, putting them within reach.

 

[Styles]

not any targets as such yet, but by the end of the year i would like:

200kg deadlift
180kg squat
140kg flat bench
110kg incline bench
100kg shoulder press (this will be the hardest to get i think)
pull ups for reps (can rep 90/95kg on lat pulldown)

most are achievable as im repping quite well, i would imagine that my 1rm would be reasonably close to these, putting them within reach.

Impressive lifts there mate, best of luck hitting the targets I'm aiming for pretty much the same maybe a little less 180-190K on the deads as I'm having a little trouble with these right now.

 

[rayer]

For some reason i am really cr@p on shoulder press, when on the machine, i can press a good amount of weight, stick some dumbells on me for shoulders, and i am rubbish.
And chins, these are an exercise straight from hell. First set, i can do 10, then the following sets the reps drop dramatically.