*** The 2010 Gym Rats Thread ***

My (somewhat humble) session today:

Legs and Shoulders

Squat:
barx10
40x5
60x5
60x5
60x5
60x5
60x5

Calf Raise (Smith):
60x10
80x10
80x10
80x10

BB shoulder press (standing):
30x5
30x5
41x5
41x5
41x5
50x1 (PB! :D)

Upright rows (cable machine):
45x8
45x8
45x8

Side lat. raises:
8x4
8x4

I've only been training since March properly but I am disappointed how my squat and DL are going. My PB's are only 70kg and 90kg respectively - bench is coming along OK (PB 67.5kg) Still, onwards and upwards! - my missus thinks I'm becoming obsessed with weight lifting. :p
 
Saw this somewhere and thought you might find it interesting:

how_to_suat_1.jpg


Basically it shows that the bar placement affects your body position for squatting. The lower the bar the more forward lean you have. :)
 
Cheers for that. Had obviously managed to squat fine for a good 6-7 months after going free weight from the smith with no problems.

Think the combination of my bar positioning being too low, pushing my hips too far back and poor glute activation was just destroying the lift for me. God knows why but I became concerned with my knees going over my toes ( as with a lunge).

Diagrams are very helpful cheers. Can't explain completely forgetting how to do the lift though!

Looking forward to actually having a productive squat session! Going to be bloody cold in the passage way which is like being outside just without any wind!
 
My ankles aren't very flexible and I find it practically impossible to go even parallel without moving onto the balls of my feet. I've been trying to find things to do to increase the flexibility of my calves/Achilles tendon. Any suggestions?
 
Oh, and last nights back session was absolutely appalling.

Underhand Pull downs:

5x5@84kg (mostly fine..)

Deadlifts:
5x140kg (felt fine)
3x140kg (was going for five..)

VERY nearly puked, so had to abort. Went very light headed so immediately sat on the nearest bench and started panting very heavily like the air I was breathing had little oxygen in it :( Had a cold sweat, which smelt sickly sweet too. Really had me worried that something is quite seriously wrong with me tbh. Not felt like that ever before. Feeling okay this morning, though do feel like I've had an awful night of sleep despite getting my head down early and sleeping through for 8 hours.
 
Dj_Jestar said:
My ankles aren't very flexible and I find it practically impossible to go even parallel without moving onto the balls of my feet. I've been trying to find things to do to increase the flexibility of my calves/Achilles tendon. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Sounds more like your soleus might be the cause which is responsible for plantar flexion when the knee is flexed. Though it could be glutes, hamstrings or even quads.

A good stretch is to push against a wall and then bend the knee of the leg with the calf you wish to stretch. Keeping your foot flat on the floor try and bend your knee further. It's a hard muscle to stretch.

Standing on your stairs with your legs straight allowing your ankle to dorsi flex will help to stretch the gastrocnemius. Bending your knees and doing this will then stretch the soleus. No idea how the soleus stretch using the stairs works as I've never tried it. If you need more weight then just stretch one leg at a time lifting your other off the floor.
 
A quick beginner question: So I gather that changing your routine on a regular basis is a good thing (more weight less reps, less weight more reps and all that), but what interval do you recommend?
Does Every 3 weeks sound sensible?
 
Supercow said:
A quick beginner question: So I gather that changing your routine on a regular basis is a good thing (more weight less reps, less weight more reps and all that), but what interval do you recommend?
Does Every 3 weeks sound sensible?
Click to expand...

Depends I guess...if you're just starting out / getting serious...I'd personally do a good months worth...if not more before mixing it up

But im sre FF or Benny etc will be able to help more
 
Cheers fellas, ill stick to the same for another 3 weeks then, possibly doing extra excersise here and there if I have enough gas in the tank at the end of my normal routine.
 
Depends on how frequently you're training but 6-8 weeks is usually good. Also tends to be the point of boredom for most people.

If you're pyramiding you can change the amount of reps or load every few weeks too to keep things interesting.
 
Regards to that squat picture, on the last one you don't lean your head forward like that. It is always important to fix your eyes on something above eye level and then focus on that one point throughout the squat, this will prevent you leaning forward as this poor chap has done :D
Same goes for bench, look at a point on the ceiling NOT the bar :)
 
N19h7m4r3 said:
Isn't a push press and press the same? You lean up the bar, and push it up. :confused:

But sure come on down to my neck of the snow, I'll press you alright! Press you into the ground :p;)

Haha yeah I haven't done shoulders in a long time, last week I hit them so hard I wasn't able to anything propperly. Even my lats were in bits from the amount I did. :D
Click to expand...
Yeah, what Benny said. Haha, I've actually got a picture of me pressing someone above my head somehwere!

You have to arrange to come down for the next meet dude.

I can't wait to get started on shoulder work again, really do miss OHP's! Noticed a big drop in strength. Tried cleaning 70KG and it wasn't as easy as it used to be. Sucks.

Clipsey said:
Regards to that squat picture, on the last one you don't lean your head forward like that. It is always important to fix your eyes on something above eye level and then focus on that one point throughout the squat, this will prevent you leaning forward as this poor chap has done :D
Same goes for bench, look at a point on the ceiling NOT the bar :)
Click to expand...
Precisely. For anyone that hasn't read starting strength, do so. Superb book! A worthy investment for your health.
 
I had a fun session yesterday but I messed up my weights for bench so on my second set I only got 10 instead of 15, I think I must have put my weight for the ten rep weeks in the HST spreadsheet by mistake :).

Also some girls came into the powerlifting room :eek:. Two girls and a guy walked in and the pl room at my gym is tiny, really cramped always full and we all know each other and so are always loud and a little intimidating. But anyway they all started doing squats with terrible form ( rocking onto their toes and the inside of their feet with bent back) so we politely offered them some help. It was really nice to find some people who accepted advice. I find too much that people don't like being given advice espcially from me cause I'm obviously only young. It was very refreshing :D
 
Yep it's good to know you've helped someone.

Have had several people approach me regarding form for certain exercises. Nice to know people are actually clued up about how they should be training as opposed to the ignorant and arrogant ones more concerned with pilling on plates and in their mind 'showing off'.
 
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