* The 2011 Gym Rats Thread *

icecold · 7 Dec 2011 at 13:29

Delvis said:
I'll look at the mobility thread, I did those stretches you mentioned the other day, not sure if they helped or not.

One thing to note, I do SLDL's before squats...Would this 'tighten' my hamstrings due to them being used and 'pumped'?...

Those were to help with knee positioning, keep doing them. Do the glute stretches from the mobility thread too.

SLDLs shouldn't be shortening your hams, the opposite really (depending on how you do them), but you could try swapping them around. I would always squat before everything else though (apart from glute activation and warm up stuff), it's counter-productive to weaken your hams before you squat.

Good point...Is this where my lower back kind of gives in at the bottom? I feel thiss once I go past a certain point, it's purely so I go lower, so something isn't right.

I'll have to look up posterior chain tightness then, which sucks. If you know of any videos off the top of your head then link them and ill look today

Yes, at the bottom of your reps your bum tucks under slightly. Your posterior chain is just the muscles on the rear of your body. In your case, your hamstrings and glutes seem to be limiting you.

LiE pointed out about my lack of Glute use, so i'm defo going to be air humping next session.

Again, i'll have to look at the other things you mentioned...Should I be doing these on off days or? If I do all of this on the training day i'm going to end up being in there longer than I already am!

Such is the nature of training

What does the rest of your leg day look like?

Why not have something like this:
Walking spiderman
Glute bridge
Squat
SLDL
Walking/reverse lunge
Pull throughs

Aye, air-hump it is

Thanks, makes sense now. I try to brace my core, but I think it's lacking due to me thinking about everything else that i'm supposed to be doing ...

Air-hump, push knees out, brace core, keep back tight, go deep. My lil brain can't keep up

Yeah, they were better this time, but definitely room to improve

Thank you for the lengthy post, it's highly appreciated...I think I have all these issues as they've never been pointed out before, due to me training on my own (I've never actually been to a gym)

I swear other people don't have this many issues

Everyone is different. Your proprioception isn't the best, but it's nothing a little focus and determination can't fix.

Do you play any sports?

GarethSouthgate · 7 Dec 2011 at 13:34

Delvis said:
How are you struggling may I ask? Can you only do a few reps or?

It may be worth doing some negs for a little while, then slowly build up the pull-up motion.

If that makes sense

I am doing slow negs every 'back' session, so pretty much every other time I go to the gym. Slow negs are definitely improving though and I beasted through the lat pull downs afterwards which would normally be a bit of a struggle. :cool:

I'm not even trying to do pull-ups at the mo, I tried to do one half way through a set of negs today and it was a big no-no.

Not overly fussed about it but it does get a bit disheartening when you see people doing pull-ups as part of their warm up routine.

Deception · 7 Dec 2011 at 13:45

I'm using my cheap door pull up bar from Argos for both pull ups and push ups. Fits nicely on my door and dont have to worry about it falling off mid-lift!

Dark_Angel · 7 Dec 2011 at 13:45

Started using a lot more dumb bell chest recently, rather than barbell. Finding it's really helping to give the "push" I need with my chest. I was starting to notice my left pec was lagging slightly behind the right, but now the balance is starting to come in.

Of course, being off for 3 weeks because I managed to get sinitus + flu really didn't help :'(

Delvis · 7 Dec 2011 at 13:55

icecold said:
Those were to help with knee positioning, keep doing them. Do the glute stretches from the mobility thread too.

SLDLs shouldn't be shortening your hams, the opposite really (depending on how you do them), but you could try swapping them around. I would always squat before everything else though (apart from glute activation and warm up stuff), it's counter-productive to weaken your hams before you squat.

Yes, at the bottom of your reps your bum tucks under slightly. Your posterior chain is just the muscles on the rear of your body. In your case, your hamstrings and glutes seem to be limiting you.

Such is the nature of training

What does the rest of your leg day look like?

Why not have something like this:
Walking spiderman
Glute bridge
Squat
SLDL
Walking/reverse lunge
Pull throughs
Everyone is different. Your proprioception isn't the best, but it's nothing a little focus and determination can't fix.

Do you play any sports?

Will keep doing the knee stretches

And the glute ones

I believe i'm doing them romanian style, as I find it uses the right muscles more for me...But i'll try swapping them after Squats, see what happens.

My leg day consists of:

SLDL's
Squats
Leg extensions*
Leg raises*
Calve raises

*The above two are using an attachment on the end of a bench like this:

Works well for me at the moment.

I've tried lunges prior using a barbell, nearly went through the window

I'll have to look up some of the other exercises, never even heard of them

And no, don't play any sports. Oly thing I used to do on a daily basis was Skateboard, but that seems to have just screwed my knees up among other things (which is a different story

)

Your proprioception isn't the best

I'm not even sure what this word means, but it's scary

GarethSouthgate · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:00

Why not do lunges with DB? Suppose it works the core less so.

Could always do lunges with just the bar?

Delvis · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:03

True.

I just found it more affecting if I work my hams etc more directly

Steedie · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:17

Do you have access to a cable machine Delvis?

Delvis · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:19

Steedie said:
Do you have access to a cable machine Delvis?

Afraid not.

Free-weights (DB and BB)
Squat-thing
Bench thing with leg attachment as pictured ^

LiE · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:20

DW is calling you Delvis

Delvis · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:26

LiE said:
DW is calling you Delvis

Haha! Pretty much man.

It may be a possibility for next year, as i'm going to be moving out of my current house as we can't afford it any more. So I will hopefully have some spare money by that point as my current salary is just terrible.

Long as you can teach me

LiE · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:33

I can show you the ways

My friend who has joined DW 8 months ago is squatting 110kg for reps and deadlifting 120kg for reps

I showed him the way.

Delvis · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:35

LiE said:
I can show you the ways
My friend who has joined DW 8 months ago is squatting 110kg for reps and deadlifting 120kg for reps I showed him the way.

Nice one

I've done 110kg on DL for reps, but i've dropped it and working on form / reps more for the time being...Seeing how things go...Sadly my squat sucks

I want hulk body now

GarethSouthgate · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:40

Delvis said:
I want hulk body now

Join the club.

Annoyingly I remember when Kai first posted in here because I was starting at the same time except I stopped.

Fffffuuuuuuuu!

Can't wait for a year to pass by! :cool:

Dj_Jestar · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:44

The bigger you get, the smaller you'll feel. Deal with it tbh

Anyway, **** size, it's all about strength

Delvis · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:49

Dj_Jestar said:
The bigger you get, the smaller you'll feel. Deal with it tbh

Anyway, **** size, it's all about strength

True, but i'd like a decent body for once, i've always looked 'normal'.

So when I get to a nice stage i'll concentrate on strength more probably, who knows...I just enjoy doing it

GarethSouthgate · 7 Dec 2011 at 14:59

Dj_Jestar said:
The bigger you get, the smaller you'll feel. Deal with it tbh

Anyway, **** size, it's all about strength

Clearly you're not a 10 stone rake.

Skillmister · 7 Dec 2011 at 15:12

Dj_Jestar said:
The bigger you get, the smaller you'll feel. Deal with it tbh

Anyway, **** size, it's all about strength

So much this. Up 40lbs - feel smaller and more self concious than when i started

:cool:

DevilsAdvocate · 7 Dec 2011 at 15:26

Skillmister said:
So much this. Up 40lbs - feel smaller and more self concious than when i started

I'm SO glad this isn't just me. I know for a fact I've gotten bigger, but every time I look I think 'Why am I bothering, i'm just getting smaller if anything!'

I like trying on older clothes to see how much tighter they've gotten to make myself feel better :cool:

Delvis · 7 Dec 2011 at 15:30

Really? See, i'm self conscious anyway. So if I get any major changes I'll know about it.

I'm bigger than I was 2 years ago, so i'm not moaning, I just wish to reduce bodyfat and look awesome

*** The 2011 Gym Rats Thread ***

* The 2011 Gym Rats Thread *