*** The 2012 Gym Rats Thread ***

[dod]

back for me

10X60 Deads
10X80
3X10X90 Haven't done deads for a few weeks due to my back but apart from grip on the first set of 90's they felt good.

BOR's
3X10X60

T-Bar rows
3X10X50(plus bar)

3X10X59 Lat pull downs
2X10X59 seated rows (pull down machine)

 

[Gamefreak501]

Workout didn't feel brilliant. Had the pump, but not really the mental attitude.

Only got 3 hours of sleep last night (had a couple of coffees too late, my fault).

Back/Biceps Workout went like this:

Oly Deadlifts: 90kgx8, 100kgx8, 110kgx8.
BW Narrow-grip Chin Ups: +5kgx8, +5kgx8, +5kgx8.
Oly Bent over rows: 30kgx8, 40kgx8, 40kgx8.
Seated Lever Machine Rows: 30kgx8, 40kgx8, 40kgx8.
EZ Bar Preacher curls (assuming 6.5kg): 26.5kgx8, 29kgx8, 36.5kgx8.

Form on the last set of my Bent over rows, wasn't brilliant because I made the mistake of going to a mirror to double check my form and was completely put off. I really don't like this exercise at the moment!

I did the lever machine work to make up for the **** last set on BORs. I have a video of my form with an empty oly bar, but I'm thinking I might just leave the bent over rows out and do the seated rows, as my form seems to be always perfect with those.

Belly fat seems to just keep getting worse, so that hasn't helped my mood either. Almost at rock bottom in that respect, and almost walked out the gym today with no work done. That and the assymetric back is really affecting my body image at the moment.

I'm thinking I might need to cut a load more calories and do a long 2 hour CV session on Sunday to trim down, and repeat and rinse twice a week until I'm happy, desperate times.

I'll do shoulder work tomorrow morning before going into London to look at a new acoustic & digital pianos with a friend, which may or may not help my mood!

Kind regards,

David

 

[GarethSouthgate]

I thought you were lowering weights and going back to basics David?

 

[b3mor]

Hi guys,

First time poster in here so go easy on me!

Some of the posts on here regarding technique have been very useful for me so thanks to those who share their knowledge and post technique videos. Certainly helped my squats…

I’m now happy with my technique on most exercises except for OHP. I find that as I get tired my lower back begins to bend forward giving a bad arch to my back; does anyone have any core stability exercises I could do to work on this or any changes I should make to my technique? Cue requests for a video…

I’d also like to check the exercises I’m doing are working all major muscle groups and that I’m not missing anything crucial. I do a FB workout each session (3 days per week, 4 x 5 reps) with cardio on two of the other days. I mix up which exercises I do each session but always do bench press, bench pull and one of either back squat or deadlift plus probably 3-5 other exercises picked at random (I know, I know...):

Bench press
Dumbell fly
Dips
Bench pull (my gym has what looks like an ironing board you lie on and pull the barbell from the floor to the bench)
Back squat
Deadlift
Powerclean
Leg press
Cable hamstring curl
Overhead cable pulldown
Chinups
Overhead press
Dumbell bent over row
Dorsal raises
Situps

Thanks!

 

[Disco Boy]

Draw up a proper 3 way split. Something like this:

Chest/tris
bicep/back
legs/shoulders

 

[MoNkeE]

I thought you were lowering weights and going back to basics David?

Just for his chest exercises I think, and even then probably just flyes!

 

[icecold]

M-M-M-MULTIQUOTE

Smolov day 5, Week 2:

Squats:
60x5
80x4
100x2
110x1
122.5x9
122.5x9
122.5x9
122.5x9


fml

you know you're doing it right when you're only on the second week and you're looking forward to the deload.

Wow what a fantastic ass that guy spotting has .

Gym in about half an hour although getting there is going to be a little irritating .

At least you don't have to balance on a pencil thin bench

Fantastic volume and squatting there ice - can't really see as there's this n00b in the way... oh wait!

You and LiE both had a couple of reps left in the tank there, man up!

I most certainly did not!

Check the second set of that weight out on the youtube channel, some swearies involved

Awesome sesh today
SNIP

FRIIIIED! Usual no belt, gloves straps rubbish - just carved hands!

Big intensity

Productive night tonight

Shoulders and so I went for an OHP rm check

Really strong mate, but you're right about your back and core.

Try the usual:
plank
reverse crunch
ab wheel roll outs
leg raises

Also, those squats were from september (part of an HST cycle), just before my ankle stopped co-operating. I was building nicely towards a 230+kg squat, just about getting back there again. Frustrating!

Managed 180kg deads tonight. Well chuffed given I'm dieting and lowered my carbs this week. Also makes it 2.2x bw

Currently on the step mill with a very nice view MoNkEe will back me up

Stop getting stronger please, you're meant to be a bodybuilder

Oly Deadlifts: 90kgx8, 100kgx8, 110kgx8.
BW Narrow-grip Chin Ups: +5kgx8, +5kgx8, +5kgx8.
Oly Bent over rows: 30kgx8, 40kgx8, 40kgx8.
Seated Lever Machine Rows: 30kgx8, 40kgx8, 40kgx8.
EZ Bar Preacher curls (assuming 6.5kg): 26.5kgx8, 29kgx8, 36.5kgx8.

That looks like a good workout to me, especially considering the three hours sleep.

Don't worry too much about your body shape, it's all really easy to take care of. The asymmetry could be gone in as little as a month if you focus on it, and stripping some fat is easy.

DON'T do a long cardio session though. Look at some high intensity interval training (google some protocols, don't guess ).

snip!

What are your goals?

Don't do situps



Smolov jr bench AGAIN
8x4x105kg

Was ok, but a lot slower because of having to deal with a much narrower bench. Not even close to failing a rep, despite hitting a pin on the stupid rack.

Legs/adductors are still a little sore. I'm going to try some light stuff tomorrow to test whether or not a fresh smolov run on monday would be a good idea.

 

[Gamefreak501]

Cheers for your replies Sigma, MoNkeE and icecold,

I need to do something about the body shape issues I have on my back...but I stubbornly decided to only drop the weights when my form was lagging....

It's strange, no issues with form or anything on my back exercises apart from the bent over rows. I felt really pathetic doing my 8 reps with 2x 5kg plates on the oly bar (30kg) although the form was good. I had to put it up to 40kg, but I still probably looked pathetic doing them. I would much rather do the Seated rows though. Maybe they could get my symetry back. As an exercise, the BOR does seem quite alien to me, does that even make sense?

I have another week to change my ways though. Trying to look forward to the shoulder and CV work though.

I should stop worrying though about the shape issues and just get some work done (and get some sleep!). I would like to be sorted in a month if possible.

edit: Actually, perhaps some HIIT tomorrow with my Shoulders is a good plan and a little more on Sunday. I *really* need to muster the discipline to do 1 hour of HIIT a week though.

I never did tell anyone this. Once upon a time, when I was studying at University, and was playing with the idea of the Royal Navy, I was in the gym every single day doing my lifts and CV. Except I had no real diet, no real routine and I was amazed I kept that going constantly for 2 years. I kind of threw it all away though, when I got a bit merry on the night before a medical. I must have been very fit then..if only I could touch on that discipline and consistency even now.

Kind regards,

David

 

[Skillmister]

As an exercise, the BOR does seem quite alien to me, does that even make sense?

I know what you mean, I don't like them at all

 

[icecold]

I *really* need to muster the discipline to do 1 hour of HIIT a week though.

I wasn't kidding about doing your research on HIIT! You clearly haven't!

Step 1 to discipline: Be more honest with yourself. If you know you don't know about something, read about it or ask questions!

 

[Skillmister]

1 hour of HIIT would be exciting

 

[Gamefreak501]

Without mullering my previous post with even more edits, I am going to investigate this HIIT stuff. Then I am going to bed for at least 8 hours, as soon as I post this!

http://www.fitsense.co.uk/pages/cv-endurance-fat-burning-hiit.html

The last time I did some serious CV work, last week in fact, it involved a 1minute sprint @19km/h and 4 minute jog at 9km/h. It was tiring and I repeated this until my 25 minutes was up.

When I got to the last jog/sprint, I had to really, really will myself to carry on and not throw in the towel.

But I don't think this is quite what HIIT is about though and I will do some more reading for my Sunday session. I do have a love hate relationship with CV, as you can probably tell.

This page goes into more detail as well:

http://kcossaboon.hubpages.com/hub/HIITandFatLoss

Clearly, I have much work to do, but I think I better go to bed and then look at this with a clearer head.

Kind regards,

David

 

[Djdom56]

Fantastic volume and squatting there ice - can't really see as there's this n00b in the way... oh wait!

Oh snap!!

I hate you . . .





On another note, good sesh today squats are feeling good and bench is very easy .

In fact the squats got easier as the sets went on. Shows how out of condition I am .

 

[Syla5]

David check this out for hiit

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ultimate-8-week-hiit-for-fat-burning-program.html

Gives a good idea of what to build up to over a few weeks but it doesn't advise how often to do it, so that part would be a bit of trial and error

 

[Freefaller]

Big intensity

Would you expect anything else from me?

8x4x105kg

Was ok, but a lot slower because of having to deal with a much narrower bench. Not even close to failing a rep, despite hitting a pin on the stupid rack.

Legs/adductors are still a little sore. I'm going to try some light stuff tomorrow to test whether or not a fresh smolov run on monday would be a good idea.

Good benching! How are you finding smolov?

 

[b3mor]

Draw up a proper 3 way split. Something like this:

Chest/tris
bicep/back
legs/shoulders

So is training each muscle group once a week enough in your experience?

What are your goals?

Don't do situps

To gain lean mass, and to do that I know I'm going to have to make some significant diet changes. If it is of any relevance I'm 5' 8" and about 67kg atm.

I used to be a lightweight rower so have done weights before but never gained significant mass due to the volume of cardio we were doing. I don't want to lose fitness so I usually do one 6 mile run and 1 erg a week as maintenance training. Is that likely to significantly hold back any muscle gains I make?

What is wrong with situps? Are crunches a decent alternative?

Thanks.

 

[Syla5]

Diet will be one of the main factors holding back your mass development, if your not eating more cals then your using then you will not be providing the body with sufficient building materials to grow.

Example, if your body needs a minimum of 1500 cals per day just to stay the same without doing anything ( known as your base metabolic rate ), you then need to compensate for exercise, say a multiple of 1.5 given that you do 3 workouts per week + cardio that takes you to 2250 just to maintain body weight. If your looking to add mass it is advised to go 500 cals over your required amount.

For the details on diet and calculations check out this thread put together by our very own steedis

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18299646

 

[Disco Boy]

So is training each muscle group once a week enough in your experience?



To gain lean mass, and to do that I know I'm going to have to make some significant diet changes. If it is of any relevance I'm 5' 8" and about 67kg atm.

I used to be a lightweight rower so have done weights before but never gained significant mass due to the volume of cardio we were doing. I don't want to lose fitness so I usually do one 6 mile run and 1 erg a week as maintenance training. Is that likely to significantly hold back any muscle gains I make?

What is wrong with situps? Are crunches a decent alternative?

Thanks.

I'm just a beginner, but doing a split is the way that 99% of people do. I don't think that any of the guys you see posting here will be doing a full body routine multiple times per week.

 

[Freefaller]

No need for crunches ever IMO.

 

[GarethSouthgate]

Cheers for your replies Sigma, MoNkeE and icecold,


It's strange, no issues with form or anything on my back exercises apart from the bent over rows. I felt really pathetic doing my 8 reps with 2x 5kg plates on the oly bar (30kg) although the form was good. I had to put it up to 40kg, but I still probably looked pathetic doing them.

Who cares what other people think man!

I've easily been the skinniest guy in any of the gyms I've even worked out in. If I cared much about what other people are thinking then I'd probably never be able to go in to the gym.

From my point of view (and probably most people on here) people are more likely to be impressed with good form than they are with big weights being shifted with poor form.

I'm so paranoid with potential injuries (had one a couple of years ago that took 9 months to heal!) that I've only been deadlifting 30kg to perfect my form. It appears to be in check now so I can start upping weight