*** The 2011 Gym Rats Thread ***
- Thread starter Morba
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Soldato
Going to do Chest & Triceps today so I don't nacker my biceps for saturday.
Bench Press
Incline DB press
Dips
Dumb-bell fly
Close-grip press
Rope Pushdown
Kickbacks
30 mins Row Machine
Saturday will be Back/Biceps
Deadlift
Wide-grip pullups
Seated Rows
Bent over rows
I'm wondering if it's worth doing a Lat Pull Down as well.
Preacher Curl
Dumb-bell Curl
Going to stick with 8x3 for my Upper Body work for the next few months.
Bench Press
Incline DB press
Dips
Dumb-bell fly
Close-grip press
Rope Pushdown
Kickbacks
30 mins Row Machine
Saturday will be Back/Biceps
Deadlift
Wide-grip pullups
Seated Rows
Bent over rows
I'm wondering if it's worth doing a Lat Pull Down as well.
Preacher Curl
Dumb-bell Curl
Going to stick with 8x3 for my Upper Body work for the next few months.
Soldato
Oh dear lord!
My first time doing Free weight squats in over a year. The college only ever had a Smith's.
My stabalizers were working over time hahah!
I was usually able to do 130kg x5, 140kgx5 and 130kgx5 on the smiths.
Just did my stretches at this point and finished.
I usually do leg extensions, calf raises and ab work as well. Although today it took me 1 hour and 5 mins just to do the above.
I'd say my leg I injured still isn't at 100%, specially since today was the first time all the support muscles had there first time being worked hard, or I'm simply not use to it.
Got a massive pump in my lower back as well. It was sorted quickly with stretching though, and I must say I miss the foam rollers the college had.
Feel the burn, burn the feeling!
My first time doing Free weight squats in over a year. The college only ever had a Smith's.
My stabalizers were working over time hahah!
I was usually able to do 130kg x5, 140kgx5 and 130kgx5 on the smiths.
At this point I felt very tired compared to usual.
Just did my stretches at this point and finished.
I usually do leg extensions, calf raises and ab work as well. Although today it took me 1 hour and 5 mins just to do the above.
I'd say my leg I injured still isn't at 100%, specially since today was the first time all the support muscles had there first time being worked hard, or I'm simply not use to it.
Got a massive pump in my lower back as well. It was sorted quickly with stretching though, and I must say I miss the foam rollers the college had.
Feel the burn, burn the feeling!
Little update, I used my new belt a bit on the last 3 sets now I've some lovely reminders of it.
Since I was going ATG on the squats, the belt pinched me awefully badly on my hips. I got some lovely lines of burst blood vessels and skin.
Looks pretty nasty, although it's probably because I went down so far and since the belt is still so stiff.
I also got some new stretch marks on my left thigh, about an inch below the blood lines.
Oh well, lathered it all in 100% Aloe Vera.
Since I was going ATG on the squats, the belt pinched me awefully badly on my hips. I got some lovely lines of burst blood vessels and skin.
Looks pretty nasty, although it's probably because I went down so far and since the belt is still so stiff.
I also got some new stretch marks on my left thigh, about an inch below the blood lines.
Oh well, lathered it all in 100% Aloe Vera.
Caporegime
Yes but did it help you push weights at maximum attack? 
Oh yes. My lordosis even though it's been greatly improved in the last year still causes some little trouble when I get close to 2xbw on squats.
My hamstrings are still very stiff from that pulled tendon as well, which is causing some rounding of my lowerback and a powerful pump in it.
I feel I need to use the belt a bit more in order to break it in. I can deal with burst skin and blood vessels easily enough, they don't hurt and Aloe vera and vitamin E should help.
Despite some very wobly legs near the end on that last set at 130kg it was amazing!
My only real complaint is the rack they have.
I'm in between two rack hooks in height( the things are also really hooks, they curve up quite a bit) , so I need to use the lower one. As a result when I unrack the bar it kinda bangs against the above one and I need to step back and push up a bit more to actually get out of the blasted thing.
Nothing I can't deal with.
I have 4 more weeks of using this gym until the summer so I'm going to take as much advantage of a real squat rack and benchpress as I can before I'm stuck using a smith's again in my hometown.
#Edit: Also sorry for all these walls of text lads.
My hamstrings are still very stiff from that pulled tendon as well, which is causing some rounding of my lowerback and a powerful pump in it.
I feel I need to use the belt a bit more in order to break it in. I can deal with burst skin and blood vessels easily enough, they don't hurt and Aloe vera and vitamin E should help.
Despite some very wobly legs near the end on that last set at 130kg it was amazing!
My only real complaint is the rack they have.
I'm in between two rack hooks in height( the things are also really hooks, they curve up quite a bit) , so I need to use the lower one. As a result when I unrack the bar it kinda bangs against the above one and I need to step back and push up a bit more to actually get out of the blasted thing.
Nothing I can't deal with.
I have 4 more weeks of using this gym until the summer so I'm going to take as much advantage of a real squat rack and benchpress as I can before I'm stuck using a smith's again in my hometown.
#Edit: Also sorry for all these walls of text lads.
Last edited:
Caporegime
ergh, smith machine, practically cheating 
You'll no doubt start feeling more fatigued after free weight squats, just due to having to balance yourself more with other muscles which just don't get used properly while on a smith
You'll no doubt start feeling more fatigued after free weight squats, just due to having to balance yourself more with other muscles which just don't get used properly while on a smith
ergh, smith machine, practically cheating
You'll no doubt start feeling more fatigued after free weight squats, just due to having to balance yourself more with other muscles which just don't get used properly while on a smith
actually a load of tosh...i use both (as I have to some times due to lack of free sqt racks) and I find the smith machine harder. Yes ..less balance...but its harder to push when you get heavy (also doesnt feel very good for back), but its not cheeting. Would alwasy use free if the chance was there..but if thats what you got then use the smiths.
Caporegime
Learn to read the wink smiley
It's not cheating no, but if you lift 150kg free weights, then 150kg on the smith, tell me which one is 'easier'
Learn to read the wink smiley
It's not cheating no, but if you lift 150kg free weights, then 150kg on the smith, tell me which one is 'easier'
I know your was being cheaky
I find the free lift easier..for definite.
The smith's is easier to some extent yes. It's done me nothing but well in the past year I've used it.
I do love these free squats though, they feel like they hit everything in my legs. Even my calves had a lot of activation.
I'm certainly going to feel it the next few days.
I do love these free squats though, they feel like they hit everything in my legs. Even my calves had a lot of activation.
I'm certainly going to feel it the next few days.
N19h7m4r3 just a little tip with your belt if your run along the length of it squeezing it as if you are rolling it up it will loosen up a lot quicker and get a lot more comfortable. After a week of having mine, rolling it when I was at the gym (monday, wednesday, friday) it was much more supple and it doesn't cause me any discomfort now. Also with the pinching try fiddling around with the angle of it and the height on your stomach, so maybe lower on your back but higher on stomach if that makes sense.
YAH got another PB today, this is my 3rd of the week 
!!
Managed to squat my own body weight, it's only 70kg but its my own bodyweight!!
It was for 2 reps as well.
So now thats now:
60KG Bench
70KG Squat
80kg Deadlift
It's annoying because even though my PB's are going up and therefore my strength going up....i haven't noticed any chance in my body or muscle size
!!Managed to squat my own body weight, it's only 70kg but its my own bodyweight!!
It was for 2 reps as well.
So now thats now:
60KG Bench
70KG Squat
80kg Deadlift
It's annoying because even though my PB's are going up and therefore my strength going up....i haven't noticed any chance in my body or muscle size
Thanks mate I'll try that.
It's annoying because even though my PB's are going up and therefore my strength going up....i haven't noticed any chance in my body or muscle size
You gain size slower usually with strength training, but you'll grow.
Once you get to your own body weight I find things get easier.
I actually find smith harder as I don't like the angle that it travels
Wouldn't want to smith squat for long, it's not cheating though
Feet in front a few feet and it will target the quads nicely!
Wouldn't want to smith squat for long, it's not cheating though
Feet in front a few feet and it will target the quads nicely!
We have what i believe is known as a 3d smiths machine at our gym. You can move forwards and backwards freely.
EDIT: one of these in fact http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djgpiByeKKQ
EDIT: one of these in fact http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djgpiByeKKQ
Soldato
Had an atrocious workout today...I was totally embarrassed, especially when someone went in with me who was a hell of a lot stronger and bigger
I managed 8 reps on 50kg, then around 3x6 on 60kg on the Benchpress Not good at all, really weak. I can normally do 3x8 on 60kg.
Then I went to do BW dips, which ended up being 8 then 3 then 4. I used to be able to do 3x6 reps.
I went on to do Incline Bench Press (I was planning on dumb-bell incline presses but decided against it) which was 1 set of 8 @ 40kg. I can normally easily do 60kg. I gave up on these after the one set as I just felt really crap about it.
After this 8x3 on the Rope Pushdown @ 11.25kg (laughable really).
Then I did Close Grip Bench Press which ended up being 8x30kg 8x35kg and 7x50kg (I decided blow it, I'll force 7 at a higher weight).
I ended up spending 10 mins or so on the Rowing Machine whilst I thought about my awful workout before spending 10 mins in the Steam Room and having a shower.
I hope that my next workout is far, far better.
I managed 8 reps on 50kg, then around 3x6 on 60kg on the Benchpress
Not good at all, really weak. I can normally do 3x8 on 60kg.Then I went to do BW dips, which ended up being 8 then 3 then 4. I used to be able to do 3x6 reps.
I went on to do Incline Bench Press (I was planning on dumb-bell incline presses but decided against it) which was 1 set of 8 @ 40kg. I can normally easily do 60kg. I gave up on these after the one set as I just felt really crap about it.
After this 8x3 on the Rope Pushdown @ 11.25kg (laughable really).
Then I did Close Grip Bench Press which ended up being 8x30kg 8x35kg and 7x50kg (I decided blow it, I'll force 7 at a higher weight).
I ended up spending 10 mins or so on the Rowing Machine whilst I thought about my awful workout before spending 10 mins in the Steam Room and having a shower.
I hope that my next workout is far, far better.
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