* The 2011 Gym Rats Thread *

GarethSouthgate · 17 Aug 2011 at 15:15

Ah, I did them the other way around.

Slow negs to start off with for 3 sets then 2 sets of chins on the assisted machine.

Randomly stumbles across some recipes here: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/lee-labradas-lean-body-friendly-recipes.html

MoNkeE · 17 Aug 2011 at 15:23

I always do negatives towards the end of my sets, same way that you wouldn't start your bench press with negatives

GarethSouthgate · 17 Aug 2011 at 15:24

I see! I assumed that non-assisted first would be better as it'd give a better workout than assisted.

Will try switching them around.

Dj_Jestar · 17 Aug 2011 at 15:27

MoNkeE said:
I always do negatives towards the end of my sets, same way that you wouldn't start your bench press with negatives

Things can be different if you can't do a pull-up at all though. Doing assisted/pulldowns are (imo) isometric, whilst negatives are not.

I try not to do any isometric before compounds

GarethSouthgate · 17 Aug 2011 at 15:28

Dj_Jestar said:
Things can be different if you can't do a pull-up at all though.

I think I can probably do 1.

MoNkeE · 17 Aug 2011 at 15:47

Oh no, by all means do assisted pull ups first - I'd just recommend doing normal pull ups (assisted or not) before doing negatives. I'd say doing 3 sets of 5 reps on the assisted machine will be better than doing only a couple of reps.

Normally when doing my back, I do deadlifts first, then pull ups, then BORs, then some shrugs to hit the traps in isolation. I class pull ups as being a good compound exercise personally, as it'll hit the lats, biceps and traps I'd have thought?

Delvis · 17 Aug 2011 at 16:08

MoNkeE said:
What're you doing for chest? Any sort of pressing movement will obviously cain the tris as well, so I tend to do:
Bench press (pecs/tris)
Flyes (pecs/bis)
Cable Crossovers (pecs/bis)

Then triceps:
Dips (Tris/pecs)
lots of cable work after that.

That routine has four exercises hitting the pecs, but only two of them recruit the tris as well, should stop your tris holding you back

Don't have any cable machines sadly, otherwise I would.

I do bench press, flys. And sometimes dumbell pullovers if I need to do anything on top due to my tri's dying. Sadly I don't have a specific dips area in the gym I use...

Also, the Marcy bench we have at the gym for bench pressing, is a bit odd...It's hard to set it up for incline for some reason, even though it has incline markers...Maybe I'm being dense

EDIT: Also, you'll find your tri's are used on flys, just not as much...

MoNkeE · 17 Aug 2011 at 16:10

Nothing you can do for dips at all?

They're probably my favourite exercise, I think they're the cause for my chest growing

Delvis · 17 Aug 2011 at 16:25

MoNkeE said:
Nothing you can do for dips at all? They're probably my favourite exercise, I think they're the cause for my chest growing

Not really no...Nothing high enough...I can't even put two benches together I don't think...

I 'might' be able to bodge something with two cycling machines that don't work

...Although it wouldn't be safe, and they are due for removal...Infact they were on about re-doing the whole lot, in which case I'll take the squat rack and bench rack, both are fine!

GarethSouthgate · 17 Aug 2011 at 17:22

Surely you can just do them off one bench?

Ultra_Extreme · 17 Aug 2011 at 17:47

Delvis said:
EDIT: Also, you'll find your tri's are used on flys, just not as much...

not really, i mean only in so far as your legs are used in overhead pressing, sure there is some tension in them as your arms need to hold position but they are not a working muscle. Triceps get worn out prematurely as most people bench with too narrow a grip. i have never once seen someone in a gym use a good wide grip. Always ego monkeys benching using semi close grip.

In my opinion, for what its worth, you should bench with the widest grip you can that does not cause shoulder discomfort. For me this is right out against the hooks. You will need to reduce weight for a while but when you build the weight back up you will find your chest is hit much harder and theres plenty left in the triceps for isolation or further pressing.

Delvis · 17 Aug 2011 at 17:55

Ultra_Extreme said:
not really, i mean only in so far as your legs are used in overhead pressing, sure there is some tension in them as your arms need to hold position but they are not a working muscle. Triceps get worn out prematurely as most people bench with too narrow a grip. i have never once seen someone in a gym use a good wide grip. Always ego monkeys benching using semi close grip.

In my opinion, for what its worth, you should bench with the widest grip you can that does not cause shoulder discomfort. For me this is right out against the hooks. You will need to reduce weight for a while but when you build the weight back up you will find your chest is hit much harder and theres plenty left in the triceps for isolation or further pressing.

Of course it's worth something

I'll have to read up on flys, as they don't use the biceps either, no more than triceps to be honest...They work my chest more, just my tri's die

My bench stance cannot get any wider, it is as wide as it can possible go on the equipment...It's a Marcy Monster I believe, and my hands are placed on the 'smooth' ring on the bar, right next to the catch

Delvis · 17 Aug 2011 at 17:56

sigma said:
Surely you can just do them off one bench?

well ish...but it won't get as much chest activation...Somethings better than nothing I guess though

Volcs · 17 Aug 2011 at 18:00

Ultra - Like your sig, but can you correct the spelling please before my OCD spirals out of control?

GarethSouthgate · 17 Aug 2011 at 18:03

Delvis said:
well ish...but it won't get as much chest activation...Somethings better than nothing I guess though

You're at the same stage as me though aren't you? Just starting out?

Just lift big and heavy!

All I do for chest is DB chest press, it's heavy enough that it's a struggle to get the last few reps out.

I wouldn't worry about hitting specific muscles, we're not at that stage yet.

It'll be interesting to see how we both progress at the same time. I'm just sticking to compounds as much as possible.

Today all I did was:

Lunges
Slow neg chins
Assisted chins
Good mornings

Dj_Jestar · 17 Aug 2011 at 18:09

Ultra_Extreme said:
not really, i mean only in so far as your legs are used in overhead pressing, sure there is some tension in them as your arms need to hold position but they are not a working muscle. Triceps get worn out prematurely as most people bench with too narrow a grip. i have never once seen someone in a gym use a good wide grip. Always ego monkeys benching using semi close grip.

In my opinion, for what its worth, you should bench with the widest grip you can that does not cause shoulder discomfort. For me this is right out against the hooks. You will need to reduce weight for a while but when you build the weight back up you will find your chest is hit much harder and theres plenty left in the triceps for isolation or further pressing.

There is such a thing as too wide.

Mark Ripptoe says it best, so I'll just post his video:

DevilsAdvocate · 17 Aug 2011 at 18:11

Trained legs alone today and figured i'd just stay within my comfort zone. Didn't really last too long. Managed to knock out a PB of 70KG on my squats for 3 sets, my first goal really as thats me able to squat my own body weight

Well chuffed. Next target...100KG.

Dj_Jestar · 17 Aug 2011 at 18:12

Nice one

ganesh · 17 Aug 2011 at 18:21

How much worse is muscle/strength gain going to be if i can only do bench pressing and squats on a smith type machine? Annoyingly my gym doesn't have any cages, so i'm forced to use the machine. It's one of these generic crappy gyms with loooads of cardio machines and only a small weights area.

toxic · 17 Aug 2011 at 18:29

Ultra_Extreme said:
not really, i mean only in so far as your legs are used in overhead pressing, sure there is some tension in them as your arms need to hold position but they are not a working muscle. Triceps get worn out prematurely as most people bench with too narrow a grip. i have never once seen someone in a gym use a good wide grip. Always ego monkeys benching using semi close grip.

In my opinion, for what its worth, you should bench with the widest grip you can that does not cause shoulder discomfort. For me this is right out against the hooks. You will need to reduce weight for a while but when you build the weight back up you will find your chest is hit much harder and theres plenty left in the triceps for isolation or further pressing.

That to me is the biggest load of pooop. The chest is stongest when grip is fairly narrow..with hands usually just wider than shoulder width. This also puts most of the load on the chest and takes less strain of the shoulders. Wider grips put far more load on the shoulders and is usually pretty much the most common injury issue associated with lifting. Usually only bodybuilders use really wide grip...but if you look at the most powerful ones..they will bech with grip i descibed and it puts most load on chest for development of pecs amd gives less potentail injury issues.

*** The 2011 Gym Rats Thread ***

* The 2011 Gym Rats Thread *