*** The 2012 Gym Rats Thread ***

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Soldato
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I'd advise against a strength program in the mean time, as I don't think he's particularly worried about strength, more mass right now

Definitely would recommend it once you've built a solid base though

Fair enough, I was going by his current 1RM's tis all, but obviouslly whatever works for him.
 
Caporegime
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Cool.

Will go back to what I was doing (Just knock the weights down a few KG due to the break) then hit it like a mofo.

Will look at how things are doing in a couple of months :)

Thanks all

EDIT: I've been doing my 3x8 program since just before XMas, so been doing this cycle for a little while :) Will continue it for the time being, I just wondered if the break would have been a good opportunity to try a new cycle or something.
 
Man of Honour
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2 months isn't that long, especially considering breaks and changes to the way you're lifting.

To nit-pick slightly (ok, a lot ;)), a training "cycle" normally refers to a fixed block within a training programme or a complete programme of fixed duration (e.g. "I've just started my second cycle of HST").
 
Soldato
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Is this a common side effect of too much caffeine? I'd admit to drinking way too much coffee and I do sweat a lot at the gym.

I only had MP One Blast shot. I think its a combination of the other ingredients and the fact I took it on an empty stomach.

Just interested but are you considering lowering to 3x5 anytime soon? I decided to swap over to Starting Strength (virtually the same), but even SL said to cut down to 3x5 when you feel you're not getting enough rest time.

According to SL, after my 3rd failure, then I will do a deload and after 2-3 deloaded failed attempts (once im back to the weight), then change to 3x5.

I knew I was gonna failure at some point due to being on a calorie deficit at the moment. So, I will just keep working at it; Not giving up so easily :D
 
Soldato
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Devlis,

not sure how long you have been training, but from a relative new comer (only just coming up to 1 year in the gym) i can say that my best gains came when i was eating well and doing SL5x5.

When i first went to the gym i was using gordy's 3 day split workout for beginners .This was great for getting me in to the gym and getting me motivated, and like every newbie i saw gains. I stuck to this for the first 16 weeks roughly of my training.

I stuck to stronglifts 5x5 for 12 weeks and had very good gains from the routine. The only reason i changed from SL5x5 was for a bit of a change.

After SL5x5 i did a 2 day compound lifts focused split, still only going to the gym 3 days a week with a few isolations thrown in for good measure this routine was more focused towards 3x10 so slightly lighter weights and the aim was to encourage growth more then strength. I didnt see great gains on this routine but my problem i think was down to not eating enough as i had dropped my food intake.

At the start of this year i stuck to a 3 day split but dropped the reps down and would play around in the 5-8 rep range for 3 working sets. The reason for this was that i was cutting and so i wanted to encourage strength while being in a calorie deficit, to make the most out of the muscle i was keeping :). During this 2 month period i achived my new 1rm's so quite pleased with that.

Finally and only 2 weeks ago i changed to a 4 day split based around 3x8 working sets of 70% 75% and 80% of my 1rm increasing my 1rm figure by 2.5kg per week, and 5kg per week on DL. The only reason i have moved on to my most recent program is i am now bulking again and i am also going to the gym 4 days a week now.

My plan for the above is to do a 8 weeks of the above and access my 1rm's ( this will be all in hope i can hit my 100kg bench 1rm before my birthday). I will then access how much longer i can add 2.5kg to my 1rm for each week and keep goin from there, i will either keep adding 2.5 per week or move to adding 2.5 every other week and maybe play around between 5-8 reps for the working sets dependant on how my form is holding up etc.

I hope my experiences as a relative newbie are of some help to you, stick with one program for at least 10-12 weeks and see how your doing, change is good, change to often is not.
 
Caporegime
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Hi Syla5

Thanks for your input, it's nice to see what you have done to get where you are.

Since July/August, until about October/November, I was just going in to the gym and slowly working up a 1RM each session while doing a 3 day split...I had no real program so to speak...Which in retrospect was naff.

Come December, I continued with a 3 day split, but stuck to a 3x8 program in the view of wanting to gain some size, I reset every lift back to basics, and slowly upped the weight by 2.5KG each session...

The weight has been going up ever since, but sadly I wasn't eating enough / the right things, so my physique hadn't changed much, so I upped my food intake (fatty foods, through lack of money really, so sausages etc) which I started to gain weight although sadly mostly in fat. So, I carried on lifting, sadly I neglected shoulders as I have a dodgy right shoulder (old injury from previous training efforts) but silly old me tried to super set them with legs...What I ended up with was a stupidly large lower back pump and lower back pains the next day. So I've stopped for this week

Come to about two weeks ago, I've been given a new diet which I am implementing slowly, I say slowly merely because of money last month and trying to get my stomach used to the increased meal times etc. So come the next couple of weeks, I'm going to go back to my 3x8 3 day split, but possibly look at a four day split so I can work on my shoulders properly (and core)...Again, I'm going to hit the weights and up them each session, will see how things go :)

Wooooooo essay
 
Soldato
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Shoulders tonight, who's guna SMASH THE **** OUT OF THEM??!?!?!?!?!?!?!

They are in for something special tonight, poor buggars.


Think I'm guna change up my routine to the following, if anything just for a change;

Day1 - Chest/Quads
Day2 - Back/Hams/calves
Day3 - Rest
Day4 - Shoulders/Quads
Day5 - Rest
Day6 - Repeat from chest/quads

Any thoughts?
 
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Soldato
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All i train with are free weights, love them and wouldn't change free weights for anything else. All i have is a bench, squat rack, olympic barbell bar, standard barbell bar, dumbbell bars and olympic and standard weight discs, and a cross-trainer, does the job for me.
 
Associate
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Do any of you guys work areas individually to try and sort out any imbalances?

I have been doing my job for about 3 years now. I'm a toolmaker, so there is some physical aspect involved. I spend most of the day standing, leaning to the left to reach one of the controls. I am right handed so I always use the mallet in that hand.

Lately I have really started to notice my left leg and left side of my back are considerably more developed. My right shoulder is a lot more packed with muscle than my left.

The difference isn't so great it really stands out. It just bothers me because I can feel an imbalance in my body and an unbalanced tightness.

Stretching helps a little, but only seems temporary. Has anyone experienced similar as the result of an injury or anything?
 
Soldato
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Mind to muscle... I just can't feel or do it.

I'll be doing the rep and I'm thinking to myself, feel the squeeze of the muscle and I just don't feel anything. Is this something that will develop over time?
 
Soldato
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Ok so been working on my DL form heres 115kg x8 from start of feb, shocking to watch!!


and this is 115kg x8 from tonight, still really need to work on my head, and as LiE says getting the weight down faster, but overall happy with the improvement in form.

 
Caporegime
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I know people say it all the time...but damn those hex plates would annoy me! :p

Good progress mate, much more powerful, the whole setup and procedure is just stronger and more straight forward, less back rounding etc etc. :)
 
Man of Honour
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Great improvement Syla5, loads in the tank there too.

Too lazy for a full write up of today's gym, but I ballsed up and was really dehydrated at the start. Didn't have time to get enough fluids in me before I started so squat were a massive grind - might also be due to the lower body stuff I've done in the last couple of days. 195kg went up, but was far too grindy for my liking. Second rep was better as I'd managed to drink loads by that point. Drank even more and the rest went well, deadlift flew and bench was nice. Only had time to do leg press as assistance, but went up to an easy rep of 500kg - if only I'd been hydrated at the beginning!

Onwards!
 
Soldato
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Week 2 done.

Was a funny moment today when leaving work after a 5 hour sales meeting, it was 4pm and I walked into the gym. I thought to myself - I would normally be running for the car desperate to get home on a friday night but instead I'm happy to be in the gym!!! Weird moment!

Anyway -

5 mins warmup on treadmill

3 x 5 reps @ 32.5kg squat
3 x 5 reps @ 25kg overhead press (my form is bad on this - need to watch some videos)
1 x 5 reps @ 50kg deadlift.

10 mins treadmill running for a change tonight

Stretch.
 
Soldato
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A brutal session tonight; heavy bag work, an hour solid of grappling then complexes to finish me off.

Took my sample of mp pulse beforehand and I had all the energy of the sun.

Oh yea, core work and stretches at the end as well.
Time for a well earned dinner :)
 
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