*** The 2012 Gym Rats Thread ***

[Morba]

I can't do curls. So weak

 

[Morba]

UE - there's a novice strongman comp in a few weeks in Bristol if you are interested.

 

[mrthingyx]

Recently signed up to the gym (last Friday) and have been in everyday since to do a combo of cardio and light weightwork to get in shape a bit more.

I hugely struggle to lift DB weights over 10KG (3 sets of 10 reps) but have no problem doing 8/10 pull/chin ups in a row.

Guessing I just need to keep at the weights until I get comfortable/strong enough to lift more.

Combination of the two. What are you trying to do with the weights? I'm guessing gun-work? Chin/pull-ups will be all you need for that, plus they also work your back and shoulders. If they get too easy, start adding weight, too.

Unless you have a specific need for big biceps and brachialis, then my personal take is not to do curlz.

If you're trying to do something else (i.e. rowing), then it's just a question of practice.

This stuff isn't meant to not tire you out, either. If you're fatiguing before the end of your set, simply take a 10/20 second break between reps and continue.

As Ultra_Extreme suggested, get a programme sorted against which you can measure progress, otherwise you'll be spinning your proverbials and gaining nothing.

 

[wozza2k]

ok well thats good, 85kg isnt light so pretty strange you having trouble with 10kgs or are you talking about curls? Because 10kg is totally reasonable as a curl for a beginner. Ive got 17.5in arms and for repping id be kicking off on 15's and maybe going around 20's to 25's max with any form. Not that i do bro curls of course

10kg for curls, drop down to 6/8kg for tricep work. My friend seems to think its because I am used to doing pull/chin ups at home but not used to lifting actual weights so I am struggling.

It's early days yet, so I'll keep at it and try and up the weights in the coming weeks.

 

[mrthingyx]

10kg for curls, drop down to 6/8kg for tricep work. My friend seems to think its because I am used to doing pull/chin ups at home but not used to lifting actual weights so I am struggling.

It's early days yet, so I'll keep at it and try and up the weights in the coming weeks.

How many sets of 8/10 chin/pullups do you do? If it's just the one, then that answers your question.

Another thing to bear in mind is that bro curlz and chin/pullups are different exercises and so ability to do one doesn't have a perfect correlation with the ability to do the other.

Just don't bother with bicep curls and the problem goes away.

 

[tom_e]

10kg for curls, drop down to 6/8kg for tricep work. My friend seems to think its because I am used to doing pull/chin ups at home but not used to lifting actual weights so I am struggling.

It's early days yet, so I'll keep at it and try and up the weights in the coming weeks.

I can't curl for toffee I max out around a 25kg barbell for 3x8, but all my compounds are decent which is what counts.
In short it doesn't really matter what you can curl, so don't worry about it.

 

[stiv121]

Looking foward to the last strongman training day before the competition. A guy called mark Lennox is going to give us some tips and advice think he has his pro card or whatever you call it. He is also going to be a ref on the day.

 

[duvet77]

I can't curl for toffee I max out around a 25kg barbell for 3x8, but all my compounds are decent which is what counts.
In short it doesn't really matter what you can curl, so don't worry about it.

It doesn't matter what your compound lifts are either unless you're entering a competition.

I can't dead, squat or bench I must be worthless!

Yes I am being a little facetious but also trying to make the point that your goals define what 'counts' and what doesn't.

PS curls rule!

 

[tom_e]

It doesn't matter what your compound lifts are either unless you're entering a competition.

I can't dead, squat or bench I must be worthless!

Yes I am being a little facetious but also trying to make the point that your goals define what 'counts' and what doesn't.

PS curls rule!

When I randomly end up pushing an ambulance up a muddy hill so that the kid with a broken back can get to hospital my compound lifts become much more important
But I see your point.

 

[Ultra_Extreme]

It doesn't matter what your compound lifts are either unless you're entering a competition.

I can't dead, squat or bench I must be worthless!

Yes I am being a little facetious but also trying to make the point that your goals define what 'counts' and what doesn't.

PS curls rule!

Altho i know your joking its also not exactly true, compound lifts help in every single aspect of sports and strength. Your body is a chain and is only as strong as its weakest link. This is why machine training can be so dangerous in the long term, as there will be many weak links. There is almost no exercise (i cant name one) where the isolation will lead to better real world function than compound.

You must remember that bench squat and dead are specific compounds working specific chains of muscles. Im not saying any are especially good for a rower but low rows and pull downs are not isolation exercises and also require and recruit many muscles involved in other lifts to a degree that would make them weak if untrained. Essentially if i put a quality deadlifter with a rounded program in a competition with anyone who specifically trained say the low row, assuming equal genetics diet and time trained id put my house on the deadlifter.

So many technical factors above individual muscle strength affect an individuals ability to perform a physical task, most notably the CNS (central nervous system) ability to recruit what fibres and in what order. This far exceeds the value of muscle mass or the strength on any individual muscle or even muscle group. There is no better way to condition the CNS than by doing big compound movements. Thus whatever the goal, compounds will always be king.

 

[Delvis]

Stop spending hours watching TV - be active!

Was that aimed at me? =/

As it came after my post that's all

This very well could be your problem. Protein just before bed is a very bad idea. There have been several studies showing that having high protein lunch will keep you more awake, more alert and less sleepy than having a low-protein high carb lunch. Carbs on their own make you sleepy, but adding protein neutralises that effect. A quick google will throw up some of these studies, but if you're having trouble I'll see if I can find a good one for you.

Stop having eggs and peanut butter before bed. If you must eat something, have something that is mostly carbs, and low in protein.

So, how does Casein protein work in that case exactly? Just asking really

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

Good leg session tonight. Only felt pain in my hip on my last two sets of squats and on the leg press, knee and thigh felt fine throughout. Hopefully get back to where I was by Christmas.

Squats
100 x 5
115 x 5
130 x 5
145 x 5
160 x 6

GHR
BW x 5 x 10

Leg Press
260 x 5 x 10

Calf Raises
190 x 5 x 10

 

[mrthingyx]

Dayamn... My squats suck compared to you guys.

I'm sitting ugly at 91kgs yet can just about front squat 85kg for reps...

Hit the trap bar today, and was able to shift 160kg for reps, but still got a loooooong way to go before I can come close to you guys! 8O

 

[Ultra_Extreme]

Last day of 531 today, benched 127.5 x 8 im seriously pleased! Alleged max was 145 to start. That gives me a 158 theoretical 1rm loving it

 

[Morba]

Dayamn... My squats suck compared to you guys.

I'm sitting ugly at 91kgs yet can just about front squat 85kg for reps...

Hit the trap bar today, and was able to shift 160kg for reps, but still got a loooooong way to go before I can come close to you guys! 8O

Trap bar for deads?

 

[SMed]

So, how does Casein protein work in that case exactly? Just asking really

Not sure what you're asking here...?

 

[LiE]

Last day of 531 today, benched 127.5 x 8 im seriously pleased! Alleged max was 145 to start. That gives me a 158 theoretical 1rm loving it

Good work, very similar strength to me. When you testing your RM?

 

[Ultra_Extreme]

Good work, very similar strength to me. When you testing your RM?

Yeah but i cheat

probs wont do a real RM test till ive done another cycle of 531. Im enjoying strength but ultimately im a bodybuilder, id like to tickle 200kg to say ive done it but that will be all for me, when cutler has working sets 130-170 why risk a tear.

Plus bench is never in strongman and thats only thing i wanna compete in

 

[mrthingyx]

Trap bar for deads?

Yeah - coach has me working on a new strength routine and wants me "getting under some serious weight." Bar steward.

Trap bar was to maximise the loading on the deadlift with the aim of swapping back to the barbell in a number of weeks.

He also has me returning the back squat on day 3, which will be interesting...

 

[icecold]

Mainly for my grip and to help with my climbing.

Climbing mainly focuses on fingers/wrists/forearms/shoulders strength. If you go too mad though; there is a risk of damaging your tendons.

Pull-ups and plate shrugs make for some good grip and strength exercises and it's helped me enormously to incorporate those in to my workout.

But I'm still learning.

On an aside, I would really like some gymnastic rings, but I have nowhere to put them.

Cheers,

David

By combing plate pinches with shrugs you are not providing a decent training stimulus for either.

Don't just make up exercises.

Good session today.


Deadlift:
60x5
100x4
140x3
160x2
170x1
185x5 (PB)
202.5x1 (PB)
210x1 (PB)
212.5x1 (PB)

Bench:
50x5 (elbow still hurting)
60x5
70x1 (stopped from elbow pain)

Pushdowns:
60x15x3

Curls:
30x15x3



Was only going to go for 185x5 for deadlift, but they were really easy. Had another 2 or 3 reps there maybe. So thought, **** it, while I'm feeling good let's see what I've got today. 202.5 flew up, 210 flew up. 212.5 was finally getting a little slow. 215 was possibly there, but I left it. Next week I'll try for 220. Really happy with that.

BOOM

That is a tasty cascade of PBs.