* The 2011 Gym Rats Thread *

Freefaller · 6 Jan 2011 at 10:40

Not able to do squats at the moment as my lower back is a little sore (not gym related fortunately) and I just want to let it recover before caning it - though front squats are actually probably ok.

The leg press machine is a bit different in my gym, the movement is more of a hack squat movement so it's quite nice, and not like a 45 degree sled movement. However 996lbs isn't that challenging - 4 sets of 10 is achieveable with a bit of effort it must be honest.

I'm going back to a more traditional split at the moment - though it's hard to have a schedule at the moment as work is quite sporadic - just need to put up or shut up really.

Freefaller · 6 Jan 2011 at 11:07

Steedie · 6 Jan 2011 at 11:15

Great post Freefaller, look forward to going home and having a proper read of the rest of it

Morba · 6 Jan 2011 at 11:18

Awesome list, no doubt some of those will be dead links though.

Its well worth people having a flick through routines that they dont initially seem interested in there, you will learn a lot of why its good to train certain ways.
Also, in a lot of those links will be other links, sometimes to simple things like 'kcals burned during different exercises' etc.

Muzy · 6 Jan 2011 at 11:32

-Ad- said:
Exactly, why even bother with abs, hit the big compounds hard much more effective. Get some big sqauts in, then some leg press, leg extensions, calf raise supersets.

I literally fell with style down the stairs last time I did legs and walked like a muppet all evening!

Unless the body parts you have been working a flappy and completely screwed then you must try harder. Come on people, think of those summer days when you are bigger/ripped etc

My legs are weak. I can bench 120Kg @ 6 reps, and bicep with bar @ 65Kg @ 8 reps but can't lift 80Kg legs @ 4 reps. It just feels burning.... maybe since I work in office and sit all day ?

whats your advise to get stronger more ripped leg ?, my upper body is strong/

Morba · 6 Jan 2011 at 11:36

sitting in an office has nothing to do with it. shying away from doing legs is the problem.

stop being a pussy and get on with squatting

Steedie · 6 Jan 2011 at 11:38

SQUATS AND OATS!

Freefaller · 6 Jan 2011 at 11:40

Do high volume squatting twice a week. Or high volume one day, and heavy another day.

Front squats
Back squats
Hack squats
SLDLs
DLs
Lunges
Step ups

Do all of the above and in 6 months you'll be doing some proper weights with your legs

Muzy · 6 Jan 2011 at 11:41

Morba said:
sitting in an office has nothing to do with it. shying away from doing legs is the problem.

stop being a pussy and get on with squatting

nada, I am not shy or something,

I can do this @ 150KG x 6 reps

But my squats with bar is killing my legs after second set. The muscles gets tired quickly. Maybe too much lactic acid in blood or lack of energy. sometimes I feel dizzy and out of breath in middle of workout.

Morba · 6 Jan 2011 at 11:43

Muzy said:
nada, I am not shy or something,

I can do this @ 150KG x 6 reps

But my squats with bar is killing my legs after second set. The muscles gets tired quickly. Maybe too much lactic acid in blood or lack of energy. sometimes I feel dizzy and out of breath in middle of workout.

The reason you can do that is because 150kg is light on equipment like that tbh.
Push push and push some more, with squats etc, not that leg press!

Muzy · 6 Jan 2011 at 11:51

Morba said:
The reason you can do that is because 150kg is light on equipment like that tbh.
Push push and push some more, with squats etc, not that leg press!

today my workout is Chest and back (Drop sets) for both and tomorrow Arms (Bicep and Tricep).

I will report my progress again for legs on Sunday. I must build my legs. I heard if you don't hit the leg part, you won't generate enough testosterone to build up the upper body.

and for the dude who mentioned OATS; i never had oats before, since this been recommended by many advance players i ll start eating oats in the morning.

thx for input, will report back this Sunday/

Steedie · 6 Jan 2011 at 11:52

I used to be a pussy with squats, I hated them and always made excuses why I shouldn't do them or tried to justify in my head why doing more of other exercises was better

But then a year or so ago I started from scratch with squats. Did very light weight and worked on my form, and since then I've grown to love them, especially front squats. Nothing beats the feeling of tired legs after a few sets of heavy squats.

Start with 40kg, don't worry about feeling stupid, or getting looks from the guy who is doing 200kg and only just moving his bum when squatting. I did 40kg, then do slow and steady making sure your form is perfect, then increase that by 10/20kg per week and you'll quickly make progress

Now my pb is 140kg, which is still fairly light compared to some on here but compared to where I was before it's amazing.

Remember for big legs it's all about volume, and again, nothing beats the feeling of knowing you've shifted serious tonnage during a workout

Morba · 6 Jan 2011 at 11:53

Yay, he's gonna do the oats and squats! first convert of the year

Honestly though, the best way is to just get on and do it. Many many people shy away from leg work because of the burn, because of the feeling it gives when it tires you. But that feeling is good, it should be embraced, bottled and sniffed every night before bed so that you dream about squatting

Freefaller · 6 Jan 2011 at 12:02

IT's such an important exercise IMO. Like DLs critical to development.

Guys at my gym were stopped watching me squat, I was only doing 140kg (for about 10 reps) but they were deep, not quite ATG but way below parallel. After I had finished and was ready to pass out, they were going on to me "man that's deep!" and "do you always go so deep?" etc... I told them there's no other way of doing it!

There's something to be said about doing some partial squats to get a feel for the weight - but going deep works the muscle so much more as you get a full ROM.

You know when you've done a big leg session when you've pushed more than 20 tonnes! :cool:

'Wes · 6 Jan 2011 at 12:15

I know when i've done a good Squat session, you get the feeling in the last rep that you can't lift it but you urge yourself to just push that little bit further and it's so rewarding when you've accomplished that set.

Another killer for me is Straight Back Deadlifts, they are awesome.

BennyC · 6 Jan 2011 at 12:20

Morba said:
sitting in an office has nothing to do with it. shying away from doing legs is the problem.

stop being a pussy and get on with squatting

This. I remember when I first began training legs, my new friend and later to be TP chucked me in at the deep end. We started pressing. Sets of 20, not a plate loaded a stack machine, come 3 sets at 70KG I'd had enough. 2 months later I was doing 2 sets of 20 reps at 70,80,90,100,110,120KG then doing some iso's and coming back for more to finish off with a few shorter sets at 140/150KG. Plate loaded the most I've had was around 300KG x 8 after pre fatiguing with squats at 150KG.

Get Mark Rippetoe's dvd and learn how to squat from that. Guarentee that in 20 minutes you'll have near perfect squat form. Such simple coaching points.

Steedie said:
SQUATS AND OATS!

Yes!

OT: My gym brought a decline bench yesterday :confused:

No ******* idea why. We don't even have a rack so the only thing it can be used with is the smith or DB's. Even then there's no room for it! Idiots should have brought a cage instead. Just goes to show how few of them actually train. It is bloody nice though but a bit pointless.

'Wes · 6 Jan 2011 at 12:28

Tbh, if you don't do Deadlifts or Squats, then you shouldn't really bother training, they're without a doubt the two best exercises of all time imo and the benefits from performing those two exercises are brilliant.

Morba · 6 Jan 2011 at 12:49

I've got a tub of 350g 'global fruit and nut selection' next to me and i'm hungry!
Not good!

Gamefreak501 · 6 Jan 2011 at 12:55

Morba said:
I've got a tub of 350g 'global fruit and nut selection' next to me and i'm hungry!
Not good!

I have a few apricots, cashews, brazil, hazlenuts all mixed up if I feel like I need to have a snack on my desk

Dj_Jestar · 6 Jan 2011 at 13:11

I know when I've had a good leg session - when I fall up/down the stairs after.

*** The 2011 Gym Rats Thread ***

* The 2011 Gym Rats Thread *