*** The 2010 Gym Rats Thread ***

TommyV said:
Sweet chest workout, lifts are going up incrementally each and every week since starting my bulk, all with what I consider good form...

- DB flat press, 44kg each hand, 8/8/7 unspotted
- DB incline press, 42kg each hand, 8/8/6 unspotted
- BB decline press, 84kg, 8/7/6 spotted
- Cable flys 3x8 (have switched to these from freeweight flys on a flat bench
- Dips w/ 20kg between legs, 8/8/7 unspotted

:D
Click to expand...

Even with the heavy db work prior, that decline bench seems low fella. You should be able to do quite a bit more than that I would have thought!
 
Morba said:
Even with the heavy db work prior, that decline bench seems low fella. You should be able to do quite a bit more than that I would have thought!
Click to expand...

have been doing it a month now, what would 'optimal' be for this lift considering the DB lifts? i've been DB benching for a couple of years, compared to a handful of time combined flat/incline on the BB
 
Generally a BB lift should be more than your DB lift.

However after 6 sets of reasonably heavy DB press I wouldn't be suprised if I struggled to shift the same weight on a decline. But that's just me though. I've always been stronger on incline.

Your tempo, rest period and general endurance/CV state will also come into it.
 
:D
BennyC said:
Generally a BB lift should be more than your DB lift.

However after 6 sets of reasonably heavy DB press I wouldn't be suprised if I struggled to shift the same weight on a decline. But that's just me though. I've always been stronger on incline.

Your tempo, rest period and general endurance/CV state will also come into it.
Click to expand...

Will try a session with Decline at the start, to get a gauge on how much the prior DB work affects the BB sets

Tempo on BB is strictly no bouncing off of the chest, come to a controlled stop an inch or so above hitting my chest, and then pressing upwards again. CV state probably isn't great, I won't lie!!

cheers
 
Last edited:
By tempo I mean how long the eccentric & concentric phase of the lift last for. Good ROM is also essential.

OT/But kind of relevant:

Last night I was watching some videos on youtube of someone leg pressing 22 plates which is just shy of 500KG so quite impressive. 6 nice controlled reps with good ROM and a decent eccentric phase. I noticed another YT user had commented about his '2000lb' press for 2 reps. So I checked his video out to watch his eccentric phase consist of lowering so quickly that the sled bounced off the stops and back halfway up again. SO his 2000lb x 2 reps was effectively just 2 x 3/4 lock outs. :rollseyes:
 
Morba said:
Stronger on an incline? You freak :p
Click to expand...

I've never tested this theory but have always found incline DB press easier & more comfortable than flat.

Decline feels a little strange, possibly due to my shoulder injuries, but most likely because I've never used decline angles as a 'staple' in my routines.
 
In terms of strength, incline should be the weakest, then flat then decline being strongest.
The thing with DB decline bench is its a bitch to drop the DBs.

In theory, decline should be better on the shoulders as ROM is less and also the delt activation should be less in comparison to incline (iirc).
Im sure that more people decline bench with their elbows in (from what i see), which also helps.
 
Yeah, elbows in seems to remove more of the delt.

I think my strongest angle is most likely flat just incline feels better for me and I can still shift only 5KG less per hand on incline than I can on flat which is still 45KG's.

Perhaps it's where my delts assist on the top half of the rep yet I still get a good contraction in my chest.

Been putting in some 1 second static holds at the bottom of each rep recently after reading Steedie's journal. Really loving it. Makes sense not to use the natural elasticity of the muscle to pull the weight back up. So X amount of weight is being pushed each time not X minus a little bit due to bounce/stretch reflex.
 
BennyC said:
Yeah, elbows in seems to remove more of the delt.

I think my strongest angle is most likely flat just incline feels better for me and I can still shift only 5KG less per hand on incline than I can on flat which is still 45KG's.

Perhaps it's where my delts assist on the top half of the rep yet I still get a good contraction in my chest.

Been putting in some 1 second static holds at the bottom of each rep recently after reading Steedie's journal. Really loving it. Makes sense not to use the natural elasticity of the muscle to pull the weight back up. So X amount of weight is being pushed each time not X minus a little bit due to bounce/stretch reflex.
Click to expand...

Is this with Dumbells?

Can I ask...what do you arms / elbows do? Do you keep yor arms 'stiff' as in they don't sift the position they are locked in when doing the movment....or do you bend your arms slightely at the bottom of the rep, then straighten more at the top

Thanks :)
 
Generally for any pressing movement the bottom half of the rep my arms are locked. However as your arms pivot from the shoulder they come in and meet in the middle. Doing this with weight on will put tension onto your triceps (or fall inwards onto your chest) so once the weight is over/inline my shoulder I squeeze my chest to pull my arms up straight. As opposed to straighting my arm with my triceps during the lift.

You can feel when you're pressing with your triceps as tension on them can be felt on the lower half of the movement.

You can't completely remove triceps from the equation as they're an assisting muscle in any pressing movement but you can limit their contribution.
 
Are you talking about flyes or press?

Press my elbows are at 90 degrees.

Flyes is a different kettle of fish. Straight arm, slight bend, 30/40 degree bend all work differently from person to person.

For either exercise if you focus on pulling your arms together across your body with your chest. Especially for press as opposed to just pushing the weight up.
 
Off to the gym for triceps (to make me look good) and legs before going to New York tomorrow.......... figured seeing as I'll spend most the day sat on a plane tomorrow, I may as well save the DOMs for then! :D
 
BennyC said:
Are you talking about flyes or press?

Press my elbows are at 90 degrees.

Flyes is a different kettle of fish. Straight arm, slight bend, 30/40 degree bend all work differently from person to person.

For either exercise if you focus on pulling your arms together across your body with your chest. Especially for press as opposed to just pushing the weight up.
Click to expand...

Well yes...sorry forgot to mention which one specifically I was trying to get you to explain :p My bad...

I was referring to flys, so thanks :)
 
anyone done HST?
I'm about to start it, should I stick to the rather low volume and 3 full body split or bump it to 4 days and make it more interesting?

I've finished AGVT 2 weeks a go so I'm going to start with the 15rep cycle as well, it just seems a bit low volume on paper.

I'm looking at this, 9 sets for chest or leg per week seems a bit low for example I was thinking of adding an extra day...
 
Cristian said:
anyone done HST?
I'm about to start it, should I stick to the rather low volume and 3 full body split or bump it to 4 days and make it more interesting?

I've finished AGVT 2 weeks a go so I'm going to start with the 15rep cycle as well, it just seems a bit low volume on paper.

I'm looking at this, 9 sets for chest or leg per week seems a bit low for example I was thinking of adding an extra day...
Click to expand...

hst is great, dont underestimate how hard the 15 rep sets can be.
whats the full routine you will be doing?
 
Cristian said:
anyone done HST?
I'm about to start it, should I stick to the rather low volume and 3 full body split or bump it to 4 days and make it more interesting?
Click to expand...

Was quite an interesting routine and I did it for ~8 weeks although was in my old gym with lacking equipment (smith machine for squats, no deads etc), deffo wouldn't add an extra day.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom