*** The 2014 Gym Rats Thread ***
- Thread starter mrthingyx
- Start date
Man of Honour
And very easy to injure yourself...
Especially when you forget to remove jaw from path of bar right?
Especially when you forget to remove jaw from path of bar right?
Absolutely. That and the rest of one's head.
Soldato
As others have said, avoid the 'fast' lifts unless you have access to proper coaching for them. There are people that have gotten half decent at them without any formal coaching but they're the exception to the rule (not to mention a lot of people that get 'coaching' for them as well still do them terribly because their instructors don't know how to do them properly either)
Picking up where you left off is relatively simple - you do an A and a B workout, do some sets of 5's starting light and ramp up the weight each set till you get to a set of 5 where your form is still dead on but it feels like you had to put a bit of effort in. Next time you do A/B do your 5x5 with that weight and work up from there. It's better to err on the side of caution so you build momentum up and progress rather than restarting at a weight where it's a struggle to complete and you have to start grinding out reps/sets almost immediately.
Associate
- Joined
- 5 Jun 2013
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- 1,531
If you remember your weights from before stronglifts says you can start with 50% of your max if you haven't lifted for a while. Could try starting with that and building from there.
Squatted 70kg tonight, felt good. But why do I have to weigh so much, still another 30kg to go to reach a 1xBW squat.
Squatted 70kg tonight, felt good. But why do I have to weigh so much, still another 30kg to go to reach a 1xBW squat.
Soldato
Could be worse; a bw squat for me is a little over a bar and two plates. Brb manlet, brb tiny, brb x1.5bw squat is still only 95kg-ish.
Associate
I'd be interested to know how you get on with this as my bench is still pretty crap compared to other lifts. Always wanted to try it out but never got around to it. Are you doing the original variation or Phraktures alterations?
Soldato
I like, much prefer it to other 3x5/5x5 routines as the max reps set at the end always pushes you to the limit no matter what stage of the cycle you are (i.e. start of a deload or nearing a new PB).
I've mainly been doing the original program with a bit of extra back, but the Phraks one looks good with the extra back work. However for me personally, I'd avoid doing rows before deadlift (although Yates rows would probably be ok) - although this is probably because I struggle with 5+ reps of deadlift because I've always trained 5 reps and below, and it's always been my first exercise on a training day before I started Greyskull!
I'd deffo give it a try, I'm liking it
.
Soldato
Bench pressing w/barbell - Do you guys lower your elbows below your shoulders or bring them inline with your shoulders?
Whatever it takes to keep the shoulders in the right place (humerus generally at a 45 degree angle from the body) and bring the bar down to the chest.
My elbows go below my shoulders when I bench, not by that much though I think. The amount depends where you're bringing the bar down to. The closer to your neck you press, the lower your elbows will end up. Though benching that high isn't good for you anyway.
I was talking to one guy in the gym a few weeks ago who asked me to spot him on the bench, and he wasn't bringing the bar down to his chest. When I asked about it, he said he'd cained his shoulder from bench pressing and bringing it all the way down was painful.
He was benching so high up, the bar was in line with his clavical, so it no wonder he'd battered his shoulder. I got him to strip the plates back a bit, and bring the bar down to his sternum, which he managed fine touching his chest without any pain or discomfort.
Soldato
I see. I've always lowered the bar to my chest / sternum. Have never considered bringing it down to my neck... Sounds too dangerous lol.
Anyway every now and then I'll get a pain in either my left or right shoulder. Although thinking about it now the pain usually starts when going heavy with dumbbells (40kg+). Not sure my form is correct. May have to have someone take a snap for me.
Thanks
Anyway every now and then I'll get a pain in either my left or right shoulder. Although thinking about it now the pain usually starts when going heavy with dumbbells (40kg+). Not sure my form is correct. May have to have someone take a snap for me.
Thanks
Caporegime
I stopped bothering with dumbell exercises, going heavy on them would put a lot of stress on joints and my rotator cuff. Depends what goals you have but I don't find them necessary.
Pain isn't good, but is normally the result of:
- Poor form;
- Bad shoulder mechanics.
The latter is generally a result of too much benching and not enough back and rotator cuff work, meaning the hsoulder doesn't move properly and puts pressure/stress in the wrong places.
Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Mar 2010
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- 4,084
Why are they any worse than barbell exercises?
Associate
I like, much prefer it to other 3x5/5x5 routines as the max reps set at the end always pushes you to the limit no matter what stage of the cycle you are (i.e. start of a deload or nearing a new PB).
I've mainly been doing the original program with a bit of extra back, but the Phraks one looks good with the extra back work. However for me personally, I'd avoid doing rows before deadlift (although Yates rows would probably be ok) - although this is probably because I struggle with 5+ reps of deadlift because I've always trained 5 reps and below, and it's always been my first exercise on a training day before I started Greyskull!
I'd deffo give it a try, I'm liking it
Thanks. I'm going to give it a go after exams are over. My current PPL routine has helped with my deadlifts immensely, but I think I'd like to go back to a strength routine.
Soldato
Think it might be my form. I really look to have someone take a snap. Shall get it done during my next visit.
Soldato
I guess with the bar its much easier to keep the weight evenly spread.