* The 2011 Gym Rats Thread *

Delvis · 5 Dec 2011 at 13:26

Thanks Ice, I presume doing this then doing SLDL's will be okay? Squats after?

icecold · 5 Dec 2011 at 14:53

You could try that, I'd be a little concerned that you're pre-exhausting your hamstrings with SLDLs though. An alternative would be to do the stretches asap and then do some glute activation exercises and then warm up for squats as normal.

It's not that you'll injure yourself, but those stretches are savage and the targeted muscles will have reduced power for ~20 mins.

Did similar stuff on my flatmate and he hated it

Be ready for some pain, but you honestly won't injure yourself (I would warm up with a little cardio first). Try it with a 20kg plate on each knee and rock back, keep your abs and glutes engaged so you don't arch your lower back.

Skillmister · 5 Dec 2011 at 15:02

back still isnt feeling great :mad:

it's kind of like weak doms now, not painful just doesn't feel right. no dls and squats again i guess

Delvis · 5 Dec 2011 at 15:17

icecold said:
You could try that, I'd be a little concerned that you're pre-exhausting your hamstrings with SLDLs though. An alternative would be to do the stretches asap and then do some glute activation exercises and then warm up for squats as normal.

It's not that you'll injure yourself, but those stretches are savage and the targeted muscles will have reduced power for ~20 mins.

Did similar stuff on my flatmate and he hated it Be ready for some pain, but you honestly won't injure yourself (I would warm up with a little cardio first). Try it with a 20kg plate on each knee and rock back, keep your abs and glutes engaged so you don't arch your lower back.

Cool, cheers buddy.

Still not sure if i'm doing stretches then SLDL though

...I normally stretch the inside of my leg, so i'll give these a go and see if they make a difference.

Delvis · 5 Dec 2011 at 16:17

Hi Guys

Just drafted this up, before I was pretty much doing these exercises, but randomly changing reps around and the weights...I'm going to do this for a week and see how things go, then adjust the weight ranges from there.

should I 'work up' to the desired weight range? Or do warmups on those lifts then go straight in? Main issues i'm worried about are things like fatiguing myself on deadlifts or squats...

Many thanks

Pigeon_Killer · 5 Dec 2011 at 16:21

icecold said:
Pigeon_Killer, if you're looking for some big numbers the week after next I'd be doing speed work if I'd been ill.

Cheers icecold. What sort of weight would you use, 50-60% of 1RM?

Steedie · 5 Dec 2011 at 16:39

Anyone know the nutritional value of duck? Been looking online and it's all conflicting, can't even find a rough figure as it's all so different

Been given a whole roasted duck so want to know what I'm eating

Dj_Jestar · 5 Dec 2011 at 16:44

http://www.duckhealth.com/foodvalu.html

Pretty comprehensive info there

Steedie · 5 Dec 2011 at 16:46

Haha, how did I miss an entire site based on duck!

Cheers mate

icecold · 5 Dec 2011 at 17:28

Pigeon_Killer said:
Cheers icecold. What sort of weight would you use, 50-60% of 1RM?

I'd say 60-70% absolute maximum for triples, and stop when you start to slow down (5 sets maybe). As I'm sure you know, rule of thumb is to leave feeling stronger.

Brumboy · 5 Dec 2011 at 18:03

This might be a stupid question and have an obvious answer but if I'm gaining some fat does that mean I'm eating more than enough calories to build muscle? So gaining a bit of fat is a good sign you're eating enough? I have more than enough protein and fats and my carbs are at a good amount on training and resting days so I'm hoping I'm eating enough food!

Steedie · 5 Dec 2011 at 18:06

If you're gaining fat then you're eating above maintenance so will be eating enough to gain muscle mass

Brumboy · 5 Dec 2011 at 18:14

That's good to know! I thought I was, but there was something at the back of my mind telling me I'm not eating enough. I guess I'm getting used to eating a bit more than usual.

I've also stopped eating so much sugar. I didn't realise how much I was having, I used to have like 2 tablespoons with my breakfast and 2 with my coffee at work..but that's completely stopped as I've got addicted to green tea

. I enjoy it a lot and it's more refreshing than anything else I drink apart from water.

By the way, double crunches + weighted sit ups = major ab pain next day!!!

Skillmister · 5 Dec 2011 at 18:20

Blehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

MoNkeE · 5 Dec 2011 at 18:26

Bad training sesh, SM?

Puffed out 5x5 with 60kg Bench Press tonight, quite chuffed

Skillmister · 5 Dec 2011 at 18:33

****ing back is a mess. Gave up after 15 mins because i couldnt do anything without feeling like i was making it worse. The worst thing is i cant even sit comfortably, which has always been a slight problem for me due to **** posture but this is making it hell. The only thing that is even remotely comfortable is lying on the floor but that isn't exactly productive towards the rest of my life.

Why is it i can screw my back up on reasonably light DLs with decent form, yet the morons in the gym lifting 3x what they should be with a back shaped like a C get away with it

semi-pro waster · 5 Dec 2011 at 19:37

Skillmister said:
Why is it i can screw my back up on reasonably light DLs with decent form, yet the morons in the gym lifting 3x what they should be with a back shaped like a C get away with it

Maybe they're just lucky not to have had problems yet but you can always console yourself with the thought that they're probably just storing up the problems for later on in life. Ultimately good form should see you able to lift for longer without issues and if you start right you won't have to re-learn the techniques to get round bad habits that may cause you to plateau - whether you find that or not is perhaps moot but I tell myself that anyway.

The gym was stupidly busy today, apparently it's just a Monday thing though and as I normally go on other days I hadn't noticed it before.

Brumboy · 5 Dec 2011 at 19:39

I've read these two guides from BB.com, ones a 5x5 workout and ones a beginner workout:

5x5:

and

A Simple beginner's Routine
You will do 3 work outs per week on non consecutive days. The first work out is your heavy work out. The second work out is your medium work out, use 10% less weight for your work sets. The final work out for the week is your lite work out, use 20% less weight.

Do a lite warm up with 1/4 of your work sets weight. Do a medium warm up with 1/2 of your work sets weight. Do 2 work sets with the same weight. Choose a starting weight and start light.

These are the seven exercises you will be starting with.

Squats
Bench Presses
Bent-Over Rows
Overhead Barbell Presses
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
Barbell Curls
Calf Raises

You will be running this program on a five week cycle as follows:
The first week do all 4 sets for 8 reps.
The second week do all 4 sets for 9 reps.
The third week do all 4 sets for 10 reps.
The fourth week do all 4 sets for 11 reps.
The fifth week do all 4 sets for 12 reps.
If you got all of the required reps on the fifth week then increase the weight by 10% and

repeat the cycle. If you didn't get all of the reps on the fifth week then repeat the cycle with the same weight. You shouldn't need more than one minute rest between the warm up sets and you shouldn't need more than one minute thirty seconds between the work sets.
Do some cardio and abs work on non weight training days.

I think I'm going to ditch the routine I've already got and try one of these out. Have any of you done a similiar routine to one of those two and what do you think of it? is it ideal for me a beginner like me?

I'm leaning towards the second routine as it looks simplier and more appealing.

dod · 5 Dec 2011 at 20:21

Skillmister said:
****ing back is a mess. Gave up after 15 mins because i couldnt do anything without feeling like i was making it worse. The worst thing is i cant even sit comfortably, which has always been a slight problem for me due to **** posture but this is making it hell. The only thing that is even remotely comfortable is lying on the floor but that isn't exactly productive towards the rest of my life.

Why is it i can screw my back up on reasonably light DLs with decent form, yet the morons in the gym lifting 3x what they should be with a back shaped like a C get away with it

I know how you feel. I tweaked mine again a couple of weeks ago pushing myself on squats. Could hardly move for a couple of days but managed to get back into deadlifts tonight and next week I'll hopefully get squatting again.

Back session tonight

1X10X60 DL
2X10X80 DL
2X10X90 DL

3X10X60 T-Bar row
2X10X55 BOR
3X10X25 Single arm row
3X10X90 Sitting down pull/row thing

Stronger but lost weight. Been hovering on/around the 13 stone for a couple of weeks which is just over a stone I've lost. Would like to see that down about another half a stone.

icecold · 5 Dec 2011 at 20:24

Skillmister said:
****ing back is a mess. Gave up after 15 mins because i couldnt do anything without feeling like i was making it worse. The worst thing is i cant even sit comfortably, which has always been a slight problem for me due to **** posture but this is making it hell. The only thing that is even remotely comfortable is lying on the floor but that isn't exactly productive towards the rest of my life.

Why is it i can screw my back up on reasonably light DLs with decent form, yet the morons in the gym lifting 3x what they should be with a back shaped like a C get away with it

Stretch your glutes and anterior hip/quads and see how that feels.

Leave your lower back alone for a few days and just have a couple of beach days in the gym (no lower body, not even machines), and stretch/foam roll/lacrosse ball the bits I mentioned for a few minutes every day. Also, search youtube for "walking spiderman" you might need to add "stretch" or "mobilisation" in there too to get relevant results.

*** The 2011 Gym Rats Thread ***

* The 2011 Gym Rats Thread *