*** The 2012 Gym Rats Thread ***

[LiE]

Yea socks are only OK if the floor has some grip. A smooth floor and socks wouldn't be good.

 

[Syla5]

Your feet are angled out quite a lot, you lose torque at the bottom of the motion, imagine a clock and your feet shouldn't be further out then 11 and 1 respectively. Also as SMed said a 5 rep set would be nice.

Your grip is quite narrow with low bar you can use a wider grip that is more comfortable. Also if you can, switch to shorts as its much easier for you to keep an eye on what your legs are doing.

Lastly camera angle isn't great and it could be making things look worse. Try and ask someone just for one set, you may get a weird look but just say its so you can check form and I doubt anyone would say no.

 

[Steedie]

Wasn't feeling at all strong tonight so went for some crazy super sets to start to get "da pump", followed by some volume

Leg Extension - 30kg x50 (body weight squats x30), 50kg x30 (body weight squats x30), 70kg x10 (body weight squats x30)
Single Leg Leg Press - 70kg x15x 110kg x10, 130kg x10, 140kg x10
Squat - 60kg x15, 80kg x12, 100kg x12, 110kg x8, 120kg x6
Lunges - BWx20, BW x20, BW x20, BW x20, BW x20
Seated Calf Raises on Leg Press - 100kg x15 (supersetted with BW x30 standing calf raises) x5

 

[richjs]

SMed - its a pity I didn't get the others on footage because they were a lot less awful (and I still had some in the tank for them). I wouldn't have gone up to 115 if Id've found 110x3 difficult but I guess by this point I was far too tired.
Thought I'd get the video up anyway despite it being shocking just to get some feedback to see if it showed anything different.

Will try and pick up some converse though.

LiE - Since being told to let my knees come further forward after the last video, I have been able to keep upright slightly more (although I suppose this video doesn't highlight that) but I still have some serious balance issues. I cant for example squat my bodyweight without falling over backwards, or sit in the squat position without going over backwards, even with a wide stance and my knees pushed right forward far past my toes and out.

Syla5. Yeh I'll get one of my housemates to get a film at some point but he's been away for a couple of weeks.

 

[LiE]

Sitting in the squat position without a bar is difficult, I struggle to do it too.
It's not really about your knees coming forward, they shouldn't really go past your toes on a low bar squat. The knees being out creates tightness and stability at the bottom which I think is where you are having problems. The funny thing is, people don't really spend a lot of time in the bottom position of the squat so it's usually the place problems occur.

I like to do some squatting from time to time where by I sit at the bottom and get a feel for things, see what my knees are doing and where I'm loose/tight.

This video shows some mobility stuff you can do to work on the bottom of the squat, the first part is especially good as it allows you to be in the bottom position with a neutral back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfHFkG9fjz4&feature=player_embedded

 

[icecold]

Right, following the request for more weight to show the big ol' flaws in my squat.

Worked up slowly from 60 but only videod the last few and I managed to catch most of them at the wrong angle.
80x5
100x3
110x3

and finally the video
115kgx1

My own thinkings: weak ankle mobility, see the roll at the end of the movement and lose my back/knees during the movement up (was probably too tired after the volume by this point). Going to hit the ankle mobility over the next few weeks and make sure.

Ankle mobility isn't the cause of what you're seeing, but it might still be a problem.

Tight adductors and hams - dragging your heals in at the bottom and sponging up your torque/transferring load to your back
Tight pecs - making it harder for you to keep your chest up
Poor awareness of back position/spine alignment

I wouldn't always advise this coaching point, but I think you might benefit from forcing an arch in your back while you sit back. Also, while you are right to choose not to squat in trainers, you do need grip. You need to be spreading the floor with your feet, which you obviously can't do if you're skating around in socks on that wooden platform.


Today: MORE BENCH
95x6x6 easy enough, but I'm knackered

 

[LiE]

You'll get a reputation for being a bench press money if you carry on

 

[icecold]

Bench only comps here I come!!!

Oh wait, I still have a **** bench

 

[GarethSouthgate]

I've put up a chin up bar in my door frame so gonna bust out chin ups whenever I see fit. Well, I say chin ups but they're going to be 1/4 or 1/2 ups

I thought about doing it daily but my wrist feel to be in an odd position when using it and also I read an article that stated if you are going to do chins quite often then it's best to use rings?

 

[Disco Boy]

Core/ shoulder day earlier:

Deadlifts 8 * 60 8 * 80 8 * 80 5 * 90 8 * 90
Military Press 8 * 25 8 * 25 8 * 25
Lying leg hip raise 10 10 10
DB Lateral Raise 8 * 5s 6 * 7.5s 11 * 5s 14 * 5s
DB Concentration Curl 8 * 7.5 8 * 7.5 4 * 10 7 * 7.5

I feel I've more to give on the deadlifts, so roll on 100kgs next time

 

[Delvis]

Knowthatfeel.

My back ****ed up last night while simply bending down to pick up some dumbells. Didn't even grab hold of them before i felt it go. Instant bit of pain and a massive ache that lasted until i went to bed. Feels better today but it's tender in the general area.

How nice that weeks and weeks of mobility work to fix my posture/APT has ended up in me getting injured. **** it

Ah man, not good What are you doing with regards to back training? I know you aren't deadlifting at the moment (I think anyway) but are you doing anything else?

And how about core work?

Yeah buddy! You are going to be in pain tomorrow .

Damn they hurt man! In a good way, same way as lunges.

Only did some light weight otherwise i'll be wobbling all over the place...Would you recommend doing it in trainers as opposed to bare foot?

Basically did the following today:

Bulgarian Split Squats
Glute Bridges
Calve raises
Then a glute ham raise thing

Feels good man, Chest tomorrow...This will be fun considering it was weak before let alone now!

 

[Djdom56]

That looks like a pretty good day there Delvis. I do everything in vibrams anyway but I think barefoot is best.


I'm now officially knackered , gym with my 6x6 smolov which went fine because it's only 75kg but then I had gymnastics so now I'm pooped . And I have to bench tomorrow .

I'll be fine once I have eaten the enormous steak and ale pie I have waiting for me .

 

[Begbie]

Went to a local council gym today - never again!

What are peoples opinions on putting the locking pins in when doing bench? I have always been told never to have the pins in as its quite dangerous especially on your own.

I got told off for not having them in.

Some guy with his (massivily overweight) personal trainer were doing arms the whole time, some guy doing squats with the saftey bars not far off chest height. My mate spent the whole time on machines. Some guy was spitting in the sauna. It was just awful.

 

[Freefaller]

Speed day

Usual mobility upper and lower body.

Squats:

130x1 x10

Deads:

160x1 x10

Bench

100x1 x10

Plate pinches:

3x5kg plates, 30 second holds x5 sets

Reverse flies

12kg x12 x5 reps


Great day. The speed was good, powerful, snappy. Form was tight. Felt so light and easy. Love it.

 

[Begbie]

Love plate pinches

 

[Djdom56]

I might have to get on them tomorrow after deadlifts .

 

[Freefaller]

So so hard after all the work. 3x5kg plates is quite thick and a decent bit of grip work challenge.

 

[Begbie]

So so hard after all the work. 3x5kg plates is quite thick and a decent bit of grip work challenge.

Very thick, I do it with 2x5kgs for 45seconds and my forearms are wrecking after.

 

[currantloaf]

What are peoples opinions on putting the locking pins in when doing bench? I have always been told never to have the pins in as its quite dangerous especially on your own.

If im training on my own and think the weight is quite heavy i dont put them on. I can understand both sides of the argument but if i have no spotter then im not risking it.


Had a back day today was quite good. Need to do more planks to pick up my core a bit. Tomorrow squaaaaats

 

[Djdom56]

I've done them in that past with some bumper 25kg and it has worked ok. I had one in each hand and I would see how far I could walk down the corridor with them .