*** The 2014 Gym Rats Thread ***

Piriformis spasmed horrifically during squats this morning which pretty much ended the session there and then. Frustrating, and that was after doing mobility work and warmups. :(

Doing Stronglifts, I thought I'd make quick gains with the lower body stuff and struggle with the upper body given my previous exercise was purely cycling. Instead, squatting has just highlighted my mobility issues and my hips have really hindered me. By contrast, the upper body stuff is going really well with a couple of small stalls on rows and OHP and bench up to 50kg without too many issues. Benching 50kg feels a hell of a lot better than squatting it at the moment. :o

I was really hoping to get to 70kg (bodyweight) squats by the end of the year but every time I get to 50kg my body breaks down!
 
One More Solo said:
Piriformis spasmed horrifically during squats this morning which pretty much ended the session there and then. Frustrating, and that was after doing mobility work and warmups. :(

Doing Stronglifts, I thought I'd make quick gains with the lower body stuff and struggle with the upper body given my previous exercise was purely cycling. Instead, squatting has just highlighted my mobility issues and my hips have really hindered me. By contrast, the upper body stuff is going really well with a couple of small stalls on rows and OHP and bench up to 50kg without too many issues. Benching 50kg feels a hell of a lot better than squatting it at the moment. :o

I was really hoping to get to 70kg (bodyweight) squats by the end of the year but every time I get to 50kg my body breaks down!
Click to expand...

I'm having similar issues. I only started in June but have moved up to 80kg squats and while I feel I can do a lot more one of my hips is very painful the next few days. So I'm assuming my form is poor and am thinking of reducing weight right back down and trying to get that right first.
 
This isn't anything remarkable, but it's a small victory for manlet DYEL me - as of this week I can full/ATG/Oly squat 100kg fairly comfortably for a single at 65kg-ish bodyweight. No idea what my proper 1RM is since I only aim to squat up to a heavy single without it being a grinder/form-breaking before my work sets, but it's nice because a) when I began training for the first time ever I got to 100kg then realised all I was doing was quarter squatting, so bought my lifting shoes and relearnt how to squat properly starting back at 50kg. I think I got to 80kg then b) in the spring I tore muscles in my neck and one of my traps because I'm stupid, got emo as I couldn't do barbell work for months and didn't do any exercise - got rather weak as when I started off I had as much muscle as a 12 year old girl and only got to 'looks like he might lift' status - then when I got the all clear I had to start over again.

Got 85kg x 5, 5, 10 (AMRAP last set which seemed to take forever!) today, so now I've got over the psychological hurdle of two plates a side on the back, hopefully I can chase dat double bodyweight squat and get my sets up to something respectable. Close to a double bodyweight DL as well, although as ever my pressing is rubbish...

My happiness is dampened by the fact if I go ahead and get my pubertal gyno removed via surgery before Christmas, it will mean no lifting for a few weeks and certainly no benching/pressing for 6. :mad: /justwantstolooklikehelifts /noteddiesjustpecsplz
 
Somnambulist said:
This isn't anything remarkable, but it's a small victory for manlet DYEL me - as of this week I can full/ATG/Oly squat 100kg fairly comfortably for a single at 65kg-ish bodyweight. No idea what my proper 1RM is since I only aim to squat up to a heavy single without it being a grinder/form-breaking before my work sets, but it's nice because a) when I began training for the first time ever I got to 100kg then realised all I was doing was quarter squatting, so bought my lifting shoes and relearnt how to squat properly starting back at 50kg. I think I got to 80kg then b) in the spring I tore muscles in my neck and one of my traps because I'm stupid, got emo as I couldn't do barbell work for months and didn't do any exercise - got rather weak as when I started off I had as much muscle as a 12 year old girl and only got to 'looks like he might lift' status - then when I got the all clear I had to start over again.

Got 85kg x 5, 5, 10 (AMRAP last set which seemed to take forever!) today, so now I've got over the psychological hurdle of two plates a side on the back, hopefully I can chase dat double bodyweight squat and get my sets up to something respectable. Close to a double bodyweight DL as well, although as ever my pressing is rubbish...

My happiness is dampened by the fact if I go ahead and get my pubertal gyno removed via surgery before Christmas, it will mean no lifting for a few weeks and certainly no benching/pressing for 6. :mad: /justwantstolooklikehelifts /noteddiesjustpecsplz
Click to expand...

*fist pump* :cool:

Aside from the last bit. :(
 
I've done a walkout with 120kg just to see what it felt like (heavy), I suppose I'll try and see if I can creep up towards a single at that weight in the near future. The 'over warm-up' / working to a heavy single before my sets has worked pretty well in terms of being able to see how strong I am on a given day and deal with some of the mind games plate combinations can play with you. Makes the work sets feel lighter on your back too!

I want to film some more stuff but I need to get a new mount for my phone as the GorillaPod mount I had is too small for the 6 Plus I have now.

I'd do a Tom Martin and squat 7 days a week if I could lol....


5ft10, somewhere around 90kg, legs totally not made for squatting but disregards and squats anyway. Disgusting.

Yeah the surgery thing is fail, but if I want to look like I lift I need it done as I have it pretty bad. Sorely tempted to get it done in Poland since it's about £1800 for everything (flights, food, hotel etc) v.s. just shy of £5k here and from what I can see the actual quality of surgery isn't any different and after-care wise it's a fairly routine op so even in the UK they only want to see you about 6-8 weeks later.
 
Last edited:
One More Solo said:
Piriformis spasmed horrifically during squats this morning which pretty much ended the session there and then. Frustrating, and that was after doing mobility work and warmups. :(

Doing Stronglifts, I thought I'd make quick gains with the lower body stuff and struggle with the upper body given my previous exercise was purely cycling. Instead, squatting has just highlighted my mobility issues and my hips have really hindered me. By contrast, the upper body stuff is going really well with a couple of small stalls on rows and OHP and bench up to 50kg without too many issues. Benching 50kg feels a hell of a lot better than squatting it at the moment. :o

I was really hoping to get to 70kg (bodyweight) squats by the end of the year but every time I get to 50kg my body breaks down!
Click to expand...

*Checks to see I didn't write that post earlier and forgot about it*

Cyclist who thought he'd be better at squats checking in :D
 
One More Solo said:
Total pseudo-science but I feel like my upper body is a bit of a blank slate and is quick to adapt, whereas my legs are like "what the hell, this isn't cycling?!"
Click to expand...

I'm fairly sure my bench form is just much better than my squat form. I feel like there are so many things to try and concentrate on when squatting, where my weight is, what my back is doing, spreading the floor, firing the glutes - I'm often surprised I remember to lift the weight back up!
 
^
That's probably true too.

On an unrelated note, I've been getting some shoulder pain around my AC joint. Once I hockey ball my chest the pain disappears completely for a good few hours. I'm not sure if I've injured something or if it's just caused by tightness - thoughts?
 
I cut 2 stone leading up to July. From 11st where I was genuinely fat as **** to 9st, at 5ft5 and looked reasonably shredded with a fair amount of size. I've been bulking since September and currently 9st 8 and Abs are starting to dissappear is 8lbs in 6 weeks too much and when should I stop really? I Don't want to get fat and have to cut for another 6 months to get where I want to be id rather keep it controlled and make cutting easier but at the same time want to gain more muscle.

Suggestions?? I've never been on a bulk before, either gone all out getting fat not caring or I've been cutting and counting my macros.
 
One More Solo said:
^
That's probably true too.

On an unrelated note, I've been getting some shoulder pain around my AC joint. Once I hockey ball my chest the pain disappears completely for a good few hours. I'm not sure if I've injured something or if it's just caused by tightness - thoughts?
Click to expand...

You have tight pecs and/or weak rotator cuff muscles. :) Visit the mobility thread (see OP of this thread) for gainz.

Quinnaay said:
I cut 2 stone leading up to July. From 11st where I was genuinely fat as **** to 9st, at 5ft5 and looked reasonably shredded with a fair amount of size. I've been bulking since September and currently 9st 8 and Abs are starting to dissappear is 8lbs in 6 weeks too much and when should I stop really? I Don't want to get fat and have to cut for another 6 months to get where I want to be id rather keep it controlled and make cutting easier but at the same time want to gain more muscle.

Suggestions?? I've never been on a bulk before, either gone all out getting fat not caring or I've been cutting and counting my macros.
Click to expand...

If you've lost your abs already, what are your strength gains looking like? Six weeks is pretty fast flabbification unless you're getting massive gainz somewhere...
 
mrthingyx said:
You have tight pecs and/or weak rotator cuff muscles. :) Visit the mobility thread (see OP of this thread) for gainz.



If you've lost your abs already, what are your strength gains looking like? Six weeks is pretty fast flabbification unless you're getting massive gainz somewhere...
Click to expand...
double post
 
mrthingyx said:
You have tight pecs and/or weak rotator cuff muscles. :) Visit the mobility thread (see OP of this thread) for gainz.



If you've lost your abs already, what are your strength gains looking like? Six weeks is pretty fast flabbification unless you're getting massive gainz somewhere...
Click to expand...

There not completely gone but only see the outlines pretty much lost the middle definition of them. I started a new programme about 3 weeks ago and Im increasing the weights on my lifts on a every two week basis and so far so good!
 
Last edited:
Quinnaay said:
I cut 2 stone leading up to July. From 11st where I was genuinely fat as **** to 9st, at 5ft5 and looked reasonably shredded with a fair amount of size. I've been bulking since September and currently 9st 8 and Abs are starting to dissappear is 8lbs in 6 weeks too much and when should I stop really? I Don't want to get fat and have to cut for another 6 months to get where I want to be id rather keep it controlled and make cutting easier but at the same time want to gain more muscle.

Suggestions?? I've never been on a bulk before, either gone all out getting fat not caring or I've been cutting and counting my macros.
Click to expand...

8lbs in 6 weeks is a fair amount of weight to pack on although if you'd just come from quite a restrictive cut a good few lbs will probably be water and glycogen.
I'd aim to slow it down a bit from now on but to be fair if you're still progressing with strength then you're putting on lean mass as well.
 
Its no big numbers but whatever, I'm finally telling 70kg on bench press, which for me considering I could barely press the bar without shoulder pain just over a year ago I'm exastatic about :) now I just need to sort my squats out! Hopefully on the way to improving my push press and potentially have a 190kg deadlift come year end.
 
One More Solo said:
^
That's probably true too.

On an unrelated note, I've been getting some shoulder pain around my AC joint. Once I hockey ball my chest the pain disappears completely for a good few hours. I'm not sure if I've injured something or if it's just caused by tightness - thoughts?
Click to expand...

As said, stretch the buggery out of your chest, a lot. Otherwise youll knacker your ac.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom