*** The 2010 Gym Rats Thread ***

[Freefaller]

140kg squats ATG today pretty comfortable too

Current AGVT working weights

Bench 120kg
Back Squat (ATG) 140kg (should be higher really - I'll adjust accordingly)
DL 170kg
SLDL 110kg (should be more)
Front squat 100kg
Pull ups/Chins BW+10kg (doesn't sound like a lot, but with 4s negs I can assure you, it ain't easy! , but again a bit more weight should be sensible)
T-Bar 120kg

Those are the main big movements at the moment, all quite "easy". When I say easy, I'm ready to send my insides bursting across the gym floor - but I'm able to complete the reps/sets fully, so quite happy with the progress.

 

[Freefaller]

FF, can you just tell me what you think of my current base (where I should be working most, etc.)?

Please bear in mind, this is my first real foray into heavy lifting.

Weight = 75kg (just shy of 12.5 stone)
Height = 6.1" ish.
Running = 4.0 km on treadmills in 20mins on a good day, 23-25mins on a bad.
Benching = 60kg @ 5x5 via Smith
Back squatting = 60kg @ 5x5, doing the first couple of sets at 40kg.
Deadlifting = 40kg @ 5x5
Leg extension = 40kg through to 60kg @ 5x5
Bicep curls = 20kg per arm @ 5x5
Tricep cable pull-downs (don't know the name) = 4-second negatives, 40-50kg @ 5x5
Chest press (machine) = 35 through to 50kg @ 5x5, repeating last twice.


I could probably do more across the board, but I'm just very worried about injuring myself as I never have a spotter and I'm taking time with what I 'think' should be good form.

It's a good fear to have, too many people try to bite off more than they can chew. What I would say is don't let it stop you from pushing yourself occasionally with a spotter keeping good form.

First impressions are that your legs are letting you down and trailing behind the rest of your lifts. If you can bench 60kg, I'd expect you to be closer to 90kg squats. Leg extensions you should be blasting out 3 figures easily.

I know you may not have access to a regular BB for bench, but I'd try and get into free weight lifting and ditch the smith as soon as you can, certainly when starting out.

The targets I'd be aiming for is at least BW deadlifts and squats.

Clearly it depends what you're after - you're doing a 5x5 routine which is a great way of developing strength, and modest hypertrophy.

By the last set/rep how comfortably are you achieving it? You should just be on the cusp of failing, but not quite. If you feel you can do a couple of extra reps, or another set, then it's probably not heavy enough.

 

[Freefaller]

Anyone comment on Maximuscle Cyclone supplement?

I've bought a tub (very expensive and only 1.2kg), and currently taking 1.5 scoops (60g) 1 hour before my training session, 1 more right after the session, then 1 more an hour before I sleep. I think I'm noticing better results during my sessions (strength) and after them (growth).

You won't extra strength or growth from any supplement, however they can help you to supply more nutrients to muscles/muscle fibres during lifting and/or help improve your energy output during a workout - hence why you probably feel you have more strength. The growth is probably an increased pump or fullness from the creatine and water that has been drawn to your tissue. How did you measure the growth? How did you measure the strength? A lot of it will be pyschological - but if it helps you lift better, it's your money and your training!

 

[Freefaller]

Interesting. I'm sat at 130lbs 3x8 bench (machine) but only 110lbs 3x12 extension? I'm doing more reps on legs as I've so far found it beneficial for weight loss, I figure they're big muscles they use lots of juice .
Anyway, leg extensions.... I don't feel a lot of hamstring activation If I'm honest, and quite often get calf cramp. Could it be my positioning? Guess I'll experiment a bit tonight. Leg Press is 300lbs 3x12. Tips?

Well the way I see it, is your legs are MUCH more powerful than your chest - or at least should be, so it goes without saying that the number for leg exercises should be proportionally higher.

Leg extensions do not hit hams, they are a pure quad exercise. Leg curls are for the hams.

Legs need more volume and more weight than most other movements purely owing to their high resistivity. Remember you use them day in day out for walking, moving standing etc... They require more work to stimulate growth, and development.

Hmm interesting ive always found extensions quite hard.
Im currently benching 150kg (belt and inzer wrist wraps), Squatting 220kg (Belt and inzer knee wraps) and Deadlifting 260kg (belt and Ironworks 3's as my tight hamstrings make it easier for me to DL in IW's) and i only go up to around 160kg on leg extensions for 5 reps, when i do them which isnt often i admit.

60kg bench to 90kg squat sounds about right to me, but then triple figure extensions sounds massive

Different machines etc i guess, my gym uses Hammer strength plated gear, probably different using machines.

...oh and hi btw.. new member but it sounds like we have a bit in common training approach wise..

Welcome to the forums and the thread. Nice to see another big lifter here!

Leg extensions never seemed to be a problem for me, leg curls though ugh hate those buggers!

Have you tried any of those lifts raw? Or do you struggle without them? I have to say I reckon I could add another 5% with wraps and belts on my lifts which would bring me up to a decent total for the big 3 - but I've always been a raw man!

Anyway that aide, give us a bit more info on yourself! Weight, height, training history etc!

Put more weights on Seriously though the main problem is probably you are intimidated by soo many plates on, I know when I sit down under 20 20k plates it looks a little off putting. Next time warm up fully then just put another 2 plates on and force yourself to do it



Hi mate, very impressive numbers. Post up your stats and head over to the pics thread if you feel like it. You are right about the machines to, triple figures on some machines is VERY hard.

Your leg pressing 400kg?! Nice!

Yeah HS machines are brilliant, offer real proper balance and decent pivot points and neutral fulcrum points. None of these annoying sticking points or uneven motions that others seem to give.

 

[Freefaller]

Nice! I seldom do leg press, but I squeeze 7-8 reps out of 400kg + the sled the other day which was nice. I'm aiming for 454kg (1000lbs) as my next target! With my squats being they way they are I should do it fairly simply I'd hope!

 

[Freefaller]

Yeah i often lift raw on the Squat and DL, Squatted Raw tonight, worked up to a 1RM of 160kg on Front Squat then did some triples up to 200kg on my back for fun.. and im ashamed to say to show of to the chavs a bit I tend to belt up for PB attempts but i nearly always use wrist wraps for heavy pressing as i have tendonitis which they help quite a bit.

I trained as a bodybuilder with a few competing amateurs in my early 20s then went off into the forces, got myself nicely injured then came out and couldnt do a lot for quite a few years. Even walking was painful, so i put on a shed load of weight. Was up to 140kg at 1 point. Eventually got back in the gym and found although i was a mess i was still strong so got interested in power lifting.

I was building up to compete a couple of years back and was hitting a gym total of around 680 in what the BWLA classed as raw (basically belt and wrist wraps were fine but no knee wraps, suits, breifs etc) when the tenoditis kicked in and wrecked my bench. It was never great anyway but i went from a 170kg 1rm to 100kg overnight.

Since then my trainings been on and off what with stuff happening in life but im back on it now, arm feels good and id say im powerbuilding, trying to recomp a little but holding on to as much mass and power as poss.

37 now, 6 foot on the nose and weighing in at around 110kg, i think i could comfortably cut down to 100kg if i just tidied my diet up but i loves my grub so that aint gonna happen .. im not a bodybuilder so i dont sweat carry about 20% BF.

Think that about covers it.


..oh forgot to add, im 100% natty and always have been

Everyone on this board is natty though I know of a couple who have dabbled, but the ones that generally post and in particular the bigger guys are all natural.

Thanks for taking the time to write that up - sounds like an epic jounrney in the world of training!

Must be gutting about the injuries, but at least you can carry on despite but getting some re-inforcements through straps and so on to stop your wrecking yourself further. Similar to me it sounds like you like to push yourself hard and as such often your body ends up struggling to catch up. That's why I like to go mad for a period, then cool off for double the period (i.e. currently doing insane high volume training for 6-8 weeks) then cool off by doing some conditioning and fitness for at least 2-3 months, then back onto high volume etc... the intensity is always high in all my sessions, that's often what makes it harder for me.

I never competed or had the want for it, I, like you, have more of an interest in power and strength - but rather for shifting big weight once, I want to shift big weights many times! So powerbuilding is a good combination of both regimes - I like!

Sounds like you've been through a lot - what sort of injury did you get in the forces?

Glad to hear you're getting back into it - look forward to seeing your contributions to the forum.

What made you come to OcUK? As clearly we're not a BB or weightlifting forum!!

 

[Freefaller]

had an interesting back session today, decided to go for an ego massage and attempted a 1rm on my deadlift.

did 200kg with no straps or belt, nice to see the bar bending

Felt like I was going to collapse a few seconds after it, but was well chuffed.

It's a nice feeling isn't it?

Congrats!

Can I ask what happened to Ultra Extreme? He doesn't seem to post anymore. I seem to remember he was doing something... was kind of interested in how that turned out. I could be way off the mark though, my memory is pretty bad.

I did email him a while back to find out how he was/is - haven't heard back. He did dabble, but had a bad time and then he disappeared. :dunno:

If he reads still it'd be great to hear back from him.

 

[Freefaller]

I love gaming and PC gaming as much as i do lifting

My 3 big passions are Lifting, PC gaming and Cars.. came here for PC stuff but it seems to have it all

Awesome - not so much into pc gaming or gaming in general. But love cars and motorbikes, and of course the Iron!

OcUK does have it all - I look forward to seeing you post more on the forums.

 

[Freefaller]

Yup. It's all about the dips - dips are one of the best chest exercises around.

 

[Freefaller]

Your body can turn protein into glucose anyway.

 

[Freefaller]

Just wanting some advice from all you gym rats in here!

I'm a big bloke, 6ft4 and weigh a shade over 21st. I'm naturally strong due to my build but for the life of me can't bench press. I struggle hitting 10 reps of 30kg, is this normal for someone just starting to bench press? I also read the longer your arms the harder it is to bench due to the greater range of motion, is this true or is this just an excuse for weaklings?

It's an excuse people use. Sure having longer arms can and will cause you a bigger ROM, but it shouldn't stop you from developing strength over all. There are plenty of people taller than you who bench 200+kg

 

[Freefaller]

Nothing wrong with planks. Better than doing 100 sit ups IMO.

 

[Freefaller]

You think sit ups build big abs? Non, non mon ami. Big compound movements which utilise core movements builds muscle, 100s of sit up does lead to a little strength but not significant amounts.

 

[Freefaller]

Ah it's so good to have you here Mark! At least my whinges won't be alone!

 

[Freefaller]

Lol were these aimed at me because I doubted the power of the plank?

Not at all - just general comments.

 

[Freefaller]

What would you recommend as a good abs based exercise - one that can be done on its own or as part of a routine? Thanks!

Rich

I'm not FF however he would & I also recommend DB pull ins.

DB windmills are also something I really like to give your sides a smashing.

As Benny says, DB pull ins are awesome.

Then I'd hit heavy compounds too.

Weighted planks are good too, knee raises, leg raises work well as a final burn out.

 

[Freefaller]

I'm dead.

10 sets of 100kg front squats
10 sets of 185kg deadlifts
4 sets for 350kg leg press

And some benching thrown in as some friends were doing some bench.

110x8
130x5
140x4
150x1
160x1
170x1 (spotted)

Happy days!

 

[Freefaller]

5 I'm going to be in paaaaiiiiiin.

 

[Freefaller]

Dude!!! That's just insane


Hahaha

I felt like such a badass dipping with a 20KG dumbbell!

Weighted pull ups and stupidly difficult!!! I think I might hit weighted chins for a while then revert back to wide grips.

I know - I love it!

20kg at your bodyweight is insane! Nice work! I can just about do 6-8 reps with 40kg so that's pretty damn good going!

Wow FF, that really is insane.

You're going to feel like you're wading through hummus tomorrow.

Yup -

Ouch!ust ouch, I've never done any front squats, but since we only have the evil smiths it might be easy.

I'll give them a try sometime, but don't they neglect your hamstrings a bit?



Haha I use to do pullups with a dumbbell aswell, really hard to hold them with your legs.

But since I do Both wide pullups and normal chinups I can't wait to blast my back and biceps

Dips tommorrow after chest will be fun

Deep squats will hit your hamstrings, but you have to go allll the way down. Dont' do it on a smith, you'll hurt yourself.


For weighted pull ups and chins use a dipping belt, much easier.

My aim is to do 80kg dips and 40kg chins and pull ups!

 

[Freefaller]

I wouldn't try front squatting on a smith mate, one of the exercises that is best done free weight or not at all. Smith squats place more emphasis on quads as it is and reduce glute recruitment.

Squatting in general shouldn't hit your hamstrings anywhooo.

Deeps squats should hit your hamstrings.