*** The 2012 Gym Rats Thread ***

[Dj_Jestar]

No, that is not correct. You do not go that low when deadlifting - the deadlift is not a squat with the bar in your hands.

Starting position should look a little like this, but can vary slightly depending on your proportions. But under no circumstances would you be anywhere near as deep as a squat:

http://www.realfitnessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/deadlift-234x300.gif

Taller folk will struggle with that though. My thighs are closer to parallel than in that pic (6'2"). I don't mean right next to parallel, I just mean not at the 45 degrees as per the pic

Mark Rippetoe's DL vids are well worth a mention here

 

[Freefaller]

I'll say it like I always do, Rippetoe is brilliant, but get a varied amount of advice if you can. Or even better make friends with a strength coach - having more than 1 opinion is vital.

 

[Disco Boy]

A guy in my gym yesterday was doing the most painful looking exercise. DEad lifts with the bar behind his legs. It was painful to watch.

Anyway, chest yesterday... I think I hit my flat bench a bit too hard, because i didn't make my numbers on the incline after it. My tris were just finished!

DB bench press 8x15 7x17.5 4x17.5
BB incline bench 8x25 5x27.5 8x25 7x25
DB fly 8x7.5 8x7.5 8x7.5

Usually I do 10kg DBS for fly, but I don't like them and struggle with form. So this time I went lighter and really concentrated on form and squeezing my chest together. I think it went well. I might stick with lighter and go for more reps.

 

[Freefaller]

They're called hack squats Disco Boy Though it could have been that his form was awful!

 

[TommyV]

Good work. Legs will catch up really quickly. The muscles on your legs are the most used muscles on the entire (able) body, thus they qre the quickest to recover and grow.

If you've got a routine set out, then don't change it, but if you haven't or are still er.. finding your legs.. every now and then some mass volume work is great for (re)kickstarting leg muscle growth. A 2min set at ~50% of 1RM to really fatigue the legs. Just don't expect to walk out of the gym easily

Cheers dude.

Am training them 1/2 times a week, missus has commented on them getting bigger, can see the seperation from 3 bits of quad too which is cool, never had it before.

I wear 34" trousers, and the legs are too small on them, feel ridiculous walking around in work and my legs aren't even big! What size do they expect peoples legs to be?!

Same with work shirts, Mediums are too small and I looked ridiculous, have had to buy larges, but the sizes vary so much between shops that in one size it's 'fitted', and a large from another shop is baggy, argh!

Miss the days of wearing polo shirts to work ;(

 

[Dj_Jestar]

I'll say it like I always do, Rippetoe is brilliant, but get a varied amount of advice if you can. Or even better make friends with a strength coach - having more than 1 opinion is vital.

Always do, and that was exactly why I mentioned his videos in this discussion!

 

[Freefaller]

 

[Freefaller]

Cheers dude.

Am training them 1/2 times a week, missus has commented on them getting bigger, can see the seperation from 3 bits of quad too which is cool, never had it before.

I wear 34" trousers, and the legs are too small on them, feel ridiculous walking around in work and my legs aren't even big! What size do they expect peoples legs to be?!

Same with work shirts, Mediums are too small and I looked ridiculous, have had to buy larges, but the sizes vary so much between shops that in one size it's 'fitted', and a large from another shop is baggy, argh!

Miss the days of wearing polo shirts to work ;(

Problem is you have to buy bigger waists to fit the legs, but then you can almost fit another person in the gap between your waist and the trouser's waistband

Shirts are a pain, either too baggy, or can't do the neck button up.

I'm not particularly big anymore either, just much more shape - it sucks.

 

[Disco Boy]

They're called hack squats Disco Boy Though it could have been that his form was awful!

Ah, I thought I'd read about that movement before, but couldn't remember the name... Yeah His form wasn't great. He was a fairly big guy with a bit too much weight I think.

Problem is you have to buy bigger waists to fit the legs, but then you can almost fit another person in the gap between your waist and the trouser's waistband

Shirts are a pain, either too baggy, or can't do the neck button up.

I'm not particularly big anymore either, just much more shape - it sucks.

I used to have a problem getting jeans when I was cycling. It was really irritating having to search for ages for jeans... My legs were only 22"!

 

[Dj_Jestar]

It's even worse when you give up smoking and pile on 3 stone.

e: that's a reply to the "clothes don't fit" discussion

 

[LiE]

127.5Kg x 8 bench press is the goal tonight

 

[TommyV]

Shirts are a pain, either too baggy, or can't do the neck button up.

I'm not particularly big anymore either, just much more shape - it sucks.

I hear ya, I've not been able to do up the buttons at the neck for as long as I can remember, makes wearing a tie for interviews a real problem.

As for shape, agreed, tight around the upper back/chest, and looks silly around the waist with loads of baggy material!

 

[Freefaller]

127.5Kg x 8 bench press is the goal tonight

Good luck! Bench monster!

 

[LiE]

Thanks. My bench strength has been increasing nicely on 531. I think 160 is doable now.

 

[RobSmith]

Guys. My 1RM on bench at the moment is 70KG but 60KG for reps. Is 100kg reps by the end of the year an achieveable target do you think?

 

[Dj_Jestar]

Hell yes. That could be done by the end of summer.

 

[opethdisciple]

No, that is not correct. You do not go that low when deadlifting - the deadlift is not a squat with the bar in your hands.

Starting position should look a little like this, but can vary slightly depending on your proportions. But under no circumstances would you be anywhere near as deep as a squat:

My butt was much deeper than that.... guess I need to ask some one else to show me how to do it.

 

[LiE]

It may be deeper, but you might not be lifting until you butt comes up a bit.

 

[TommyV]

Thanks. My bench strength has been increasing nicely on 531. I think 160 is doable now.

Nicely done man, keep us updated, really need to try out this 531 myself, training for strength is so much more fun!!!

Guys. My 1RM on bench at the moment is 70KG but 60KG for reps. Is 100kg reps by the end of the year an achieveable target do you think?

Yes! How many reps at 60kg, out of interest if your 1RM is 70kg?

 

[LiE]

Nicely done man, keep us updated, really need to try out this 531 myself, training for strength is so much more fun!!!

531 is good, but it's a long term program, not something you do for 5-6 weeks. To give you an idea of how slow, my bench press I did 127.5 x 7 on 3rd Feb, and tonight I'm hoping to increase that by 1 rep.