*** The 2013 Gym Rats Thread ***

First day of new routine, legs on fire... (leg day).

Back squats (main exercise) - 5x5

Front squats (assistance). 3x10
Walking lunges with dumbbells (assistance). 3x10
Good mornings (assistance). 3x10

Shattered, but feels pretty good - will be odd not squatting 3 days a week mind.
 
Nice, although I personally wouldn't bother with front squat reps above 5/6 as if you're doing them properly, your back will fatigue before your legs.?. Kind of missing the point.

So up the weight and drop the reps. :)

And be ready for a whole new world of pain. :cool:
 
mrthingyx said:
Nice, although I personally wouldn't bother with front squat reps above 5/6 as if you're doing them properly, your back will fatigue before your legs.?. Kind of missing the point.

So up the weight and drop the reps. :)

And be ready for a whole new world of pain. :cool:
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At the moment the weight on the front-squats is much lower than that of the main exercise of the day (75% of back), but I did think 10 seemed pretty high on the reps (I would have aimed for 8 personally, but following a routine) - I just assumed for assistance it's always a set percentage lower than the main lift for the same body-groups (as I should be a little fatigued from my back squats).

I'll try upping the weight a bit next time to see how it goes, first time I've had that nice ache in my legs for a while of doing SL5x5, so might be working.
 
Lads

Squats: Following on from my injury the other week I'm back in the gym and would be really grateful if you could look at my form. Either my form needs work (or just awful) or I just tried to lift too much the other week and ended up rounding my lower back.

http://youtu.be/WgHbr5InYiA

I have also started doing deadlifts. Below is a video of my first ever attempt at deads in the gym, obviously I've put next to no weight on as I wanted to check with you guys I'm not making any major mistakes before lifting heavier. I'd be grateful for any feedback on this too:

http://youtu.be/AbBHeWhvGic

I'm not looking to execute these movements with perfect form - that comes over time - I just want to be able to perform decent working sets without risking injury, particularly to my lower back. Many thanks and don't be afraid to tell me my form is awful if that's what I need to hear!
 
Anyway I can hit chest better without burning out triceps and shoulder's first?Chest day yesterday, triceps and shoulder doms but chest is fine.Been doing chest flyes before benching etc but still no luck.
 
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scott212 said:
Lads

Squats: Following on from my injury the other week I'm back in the gym and would be really grateful if you could look at my form. Either my form needs work (or just awful) or I just tried to lift too much the other week and ended up rounding my lower back.

http://youtu.be/WgHbr5InYiA

I have also started doing deadlifts. Below is a video of my first ever attempt at deads in the gym, obviously I've put next to no weight on as I wanted to check with you guys I'm not making any major mistakes before lifting heavier. I'd be grateful for any feedback on this too:

http://youtu.be/AbBHeWhvGic

I'm not looking to execute these movements with perfect form - that comes over time - I just want to be able to perform decent working sets without risking injury, particularly to my lower back. Many thanks and don't be afraid to tell me my form is awful if that's what I need to hear!
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Squats - LOWER!

DL - See how the top of your back is arching over slightly. Try keeping your head up looking at the same point on the wall ahead, that could rectify it. Also, do you see how your arms are coming out in front of you on the way up? This makes your lift inefficient. The bar needs to literally slide up your leg. Try wearing track bottoms if you want to protect your shins.
 
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Thanks for the feedback.

Now you mention it I'm not going very low at all, perviously I had been squatting much lower but yesterday when we did those videos I was so worried my back would just go again. Will correct this next time.

Deads - thanks for the feedback. Tomorrow I'll get some heavier weight on and try to address those issues. As I'm sure you'll appreciate sometimes when you're using barely any weight it actually becomes harder to get the form right because certain instinctive movements become forced.
 
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Squats: it looks like your back is extended instead of straight (look at the line between the top of your bum and upper back). Clench your abs a bit harder and lock your spine in neutral.

Depth is not great but pffft, but it would be interesting to see what happens to your form as you get close to and beyond parallel. More mobility required!

Also, I can't quite see, but I'm not completely convinced your glutes and hamstrings are taking the load as they should.

Take a video from the back and we can see what your knees are doing, too.


I'm not a real deadlifter, so I'll echo the Captain's comments about your back and head. Also, your squat looks more like (apologies, ice - I loved your idea) a funny leg press than it does a deadlift. If you imagine your hips are there to push the bar up, by using your glutes and hamstrings to push them through, you will keep this a lot more efficient.
 
The main problem with that squat is that I can tell that as soon as you add weight it's going to look very different.

You shouldn't have a problem with deadlifts once you know how to move.

Read the OP of the form thread and post new videos (side and back for squats) when you've learned a few movement pointers. Take your trainers off too.


One last thing, and I'm just going to be blunt, but know that I love you.

Saying that perfect form is not something to worry about when you're starting out is stupid. This is exactly how people end up with terrible injuries, because their substandard movements have battered vulnerable tissues to the point of snapping. Not only that, but because you have spend 1000s of reps practising, it's now really hard to correct these movement patterns.
 
No - thank you for being blunt, sometimes in life you have to be harsh to people for their own benefit. Point taken, I will keep the weight light and focus on form for now. ;)

Very grateful for the feedback. I'm going to have a look through the form thread later and I'll get some side/back videos for the Squats up soon. I'm going to forget deadlifts for now and concentrate on squats. Shouldn't be a problem as I'm cutting and can keep squats/bench as my main compounds for now.
 
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Quickie - I am right in saying I should keep my abs tense, look straight ahead, and also shoulder blades back and chest stuck out to try and keep my back straight?

I did this yesterday so going to do something similar and really focus on technique during the WU sets.


WU {20x10, 40x8, 50x7, 60x4, 70x2}
80 x 8
80 x 6
70 x 8
60 x 12
 
scott212 said:
No - thank you for being blunt, sometimes in life you have to be harsh to people for their own benefit. Point taken, I will keep the weight light and focus on form for now. ;)

Very grateful for the feedback. I'm going to have a look through the form thread later and I'll get some side/back videos for the Squats up soon. I'm going to forget deadlifts for now and concentrate on squats. Shouldn't be a problem as I'm cutting and can keep squats/bench as my main compounds for now.
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What the hell just happened here?? Where is the usual arguing then out right ignorance of the advice that most people display? Are you a bot? Get out!

scott212 said:
Quickie - I am right in saying I should keep my abs tense, look straight ahead, and also shoulder blades back and chest stuck out to try and keep my back straight?
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Yes shoulders back but some people interpret that in a way that puts their back in the wrong position relative to the bar. Scapula's should be over the top of the bar. Good luck :)
 
That made me laugh. I'm still young and new to the weight lifting scene so I'm not going to pretend I know it all like so many early twenty somethings do. Icecold makes a very important point, it would be disastrous if in 5 years time someone pointed out I was still squatting incorrectly and I had caused myself long term injury.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow, can't wait to get back in the gym :D
 
elmarko said:
At the moment the weight on the front-squats is much lower than that of the main exercise of the day (75% of back), but I did think 10 seemed pretty high on the reps (I would have aimed for 8 personally, but following a routine) - I just assumed for assistance it's always a set percentage lower than the main lift for the same body-groups (as I should be a little fatigued from my back squats).

I'll try upping the weight a bit next time to see how it goes, first time I've had that nice ache in my legs for a while of doing SL5x5, so might be working.
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If you want pain, try both at 4/5*5 and at 85% 1RM in the same session. ;)

I have never hurt so much, nor felt so good. :cool:

Regarding specific assistance exercises, try deficit Bulgarian split squats or lunges of some description. :)
 
so my routine is slowly changing as i progress..

started off with SS 5x5

now i stopped increasing the weight as often, focus more on deadlifts and added a couple of exercises.

how does it look ?!

Day A

squats - 5x5@90kg currently
deads - 5x3@115
Shoulder press [email protected](normal 5x5 routine)
lat pulldown - 5x5@59kg
chinups - 5x4(slow and all the way up so really tires my muscles)

day B

squats as above
bent over 5x5@65kg with a pause at the "top"
bench press 5x5 normal 5x5 routine(weak point far from happy with it)
lats as above
and chinups as above

bad/good/ok?

:)
 
Thought I would start abs again once a week, not bothered with them for over 6 months as I was getting a very sharp muscle spasm in my left abs. I have actually had a ultra scan (non related) and while there he scanned my abs which showed nothing.

Anyway I thought I would try doing some ab wheels last week and on my 8th one sure enough spasm starts and the pain is so sharp I have to stand up massage and take deep breaths and it passes after around 10 seconds. Does anyone else get this? I have tried stretching, warming up, massaging and other ab exercises but nothing helps.
 
mrthingyx said:
If you want pain, try both at 4/5*5 and at 85% 1RM in the same session. ;)

I have never hurt so much, nor felt so good. :cool:

Regarding specific assistance exercises, try deficit Bulgarian split squats or lunges of some description. :)
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Cheers sounds good.

I've already got DB lunges so got a bit of assistance, but I'll try upping the weights on the assistance maybe

The routine I'm on now is kinda like the Wendler program (5/3/1).

With the main (M) being the key lift & as many of the assistance moves as I can do.

This is tailored for my work gym, as I don't have an amazing amount of gear (Which is why I've got a couple of odd choices) - on a side note, would it be worth adding anything specifically for the arms? - not the biggest fan of bro-curls but doesn't seem to be hitting em that much.

Day 1 - Legs

Back squats (M)
Walking lunges with DB (A)
Front squats (A)
Leg press (A)
Fitball drag (A)

Day 2 - Shoulders

Shoulder press (M)
Single arm DB press (A)
Behind the neck press (A)
Pull ups (A)

Day 3 - Rest

Day 4 - Core

Deadlift (M)
Good morning (A)
Weighted sit-ups (A)
Back extensions (A)
Hollow rock (A)

Day 5 - Chest

Bench Press (M)
Weighted dips (A)
Incline DB press (A)
Press-ups (with boxes & explosive push between the two heights jumping thing) (A)
Lying Med Ball Throw (A)

It looks ok from what I've read & seems to be keeping the core lifts I'm keen on (while adding a bit of variety as I got bored of SL 5x5) - criticism more than welcome (as far more experienced people here than I)
 
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