*** The 2017 Gym Rats Thread ***

[Reeve]

Does anyone know of of any leg exercises I can do without using my arms i.e. not gripping a bb or db?

I've got a niggling elbow/forearm/shoulder/tendon issue that's not going away so I'm going to take a month off training upper body in the hopes that it gets rid of it.

So that means February is leg month Squats causes my elbow issues so I'm thinking machine work, DBSS and walking lunges using a belt and attaching weights to that.

Anything else I could do?

I used to do a front squat variation that i don't see other people do(there might be a reason for this ) where you put your arms out infront of you and lock your hands together almost similar to a praying position. This will require you to keep your upper arms parallel with the floor in order to hold the bar on your shoulders. It really forces you to stay upright as your cant exert any control on the bar with your hands, so you cant stop the bar rolling if it starts to go. You could also just try holding your arms out directly in front of you as a variation of this.

This may still give you issues depending on what shoulder problems you have but its worth a shot as no weight is travelling down your arms, its all just resting on top of your shoulders.

 

[mrthingyx]

Does anyone know of of any leg exercises I can do without using my arms i.e. not gripping a bb or db?

I've got a niggling elbow/forearm/shoulder/tendon issue that's not going away so I'm going to take a month off training upper body in the hopes that it gets rid of it.

So that means February is leg month Squats causes my elbow issues so I'm thinking machine work, DBSS and walking lunges using a belt and attaching weights to that.

Anything else I could do?

Ho, ho, ho! A "what leg work can I do to make gains?" question! Yes!

All of the above are good suggestions; if you don't have a dipping belt, however, or can't assume the zombie front squat position (that would be interesting), then try:

- DBSS with a five second negative and two second pause; weirdly, band resistance also works with these;
- Pistol squats (and if you think you're good, apply the negative-pause premise above);
- Nordic curlz (enjoy);
- Box jumps (and single leg variations);

Having tried out some quad/ham/hack-squat machines, I am not convinced as to their overall merits, but mileage may vary...

 

[tom_e]

I used to do a front squat variation that i don't see other people do(there might be a reason for this ) where you put your arms out infront of you and lock your hands together almost similar to a praying position. This will require you to keep your upper arms parallel with the floor in order to hold the bar on your shoulders. It really forces you to stay upright as your cant exert any control on the bar with your hands, so you cant stop the bar rolling if it starts to go. You could also just try holding your arms out directly in front of you as a variation of this.

This may still give you issues depending on what shoulder problems you have but its worth a shot as no weight is travelling down your arms, its all just resting on top of your shoulders.

Zercher squat?

Edit: Ignore me, talking twaddle. That's what happens when I'm toilet browsing half reading things before work.

 

[reiyushin]

Zombie squats

 

[MoNkeE]

Suicide grrip back squats? Am I the only one that doesn't see the need to grip the bar with all your might if you're working at lower weights? (IE below your 75% 1RM)

 

[mrthingyx]

Suicide grrip back squats? Am I the only one that doesn't see the need to grip the bar with all your might if you're working at lower weights? (IE below your 75% 1RM)

I think everybody is assuming that the OP has gash shoulder mobility and can actually squat sufficiently well that they don't actually need to hold the bar at all...

 

[Illgresi]

If you complete the 5x5 (or whatever setsxreps it is), then yes you progress; it doesn't matter if you failed the previous session. However that does mean that you'll fail completely soon anyway, as you're obviously near your max. I'd reset after two failures to be fair (3 sessions of failure is too much for my liking), and reset by 3 sessions (i.e. If you failed on 60kg, fall back to 52.5kg).

Other than that, excellent work. You'll always plateau with any pressing movements first (shoulders or chest) as they use much smaller muscle groups than squats or deadlifts. The gains made in pressing movements are much smaller, but it's all relative

Cheers for the reply. I had a mixed bag today, first session since I last posted - got on the bevvy at the weekend and missed Friday and Monday. Inevitably that showed itself in my performance. I've managed to keep upping the squat in 5 kg jumps, so I'm up to 140 3x5 now. However I failed to even completed the first set on 57.5 kg of press.

The above is part of the reason, but there are another couple. I developed a rather painful upper forearm during my squats. I think I may have a grip issue (perhaps too narrow), and possibly a right sided dominant effect meaning more of the weight was being thrown over to my left forearm. I widened my grip for the last set of squats and it didn't get noticeably worse. It was already bad enough to totally throw me for the press though.

Also, I was on the cusp of losing the very last squat, but dug so deep to complete it that I had the most incredible adrenaline rush after; I was literally shaking. Started to feel really cold by the time I got the press set up. So there was definitely a multitude of factors affecting it. If I fail again next Wed I'll reset to 50 kg, and refocus on form as well!

Thoughts anyone?

 

[mrthingyx]

Cheers for the reply. I had a mixed bag today, first session since I last posted - got on the bevvy at the weekend and missed Friday and Monday. Inevitably that showed itself in my performance. I've managed to keep upping the squat in 5 kg jumps, so I'm up to 140 3x5 now. However I failed to even completed the first set on 57.5 kg of press.

The above is part of the reason, but there are another couple. I developed a rather painful upper forearm during my squats. I think I may have a grip issue (perhaps too narrow), and possibly a right sided dominant effect meaning more of the weight was being thrown over to my left forearm. I widened my grip for the last set of squats and it didn't get noticeably worse. It was already bad enough to totally throw me for the press though.

Also, I was on the cusp of losing the very last squat, but dug so deep to complete it that I had the most incredible adrenaline rush after; I was literally shaking. Started to feel really cold by the time I got the press set up. So there was definitely a multitude of factors affecting it. If I fail again next Wed I'll reset to 50 kg, and refocus on form as well!

Thoughts anyone?

You have shoulder and back mobility problems... And possibly problems with your glutes activation.

Mobility WOD on YouTube for your back and shoulders, and Bulgarian Split Squats for your leg imbalances. You might also have to do lady exercises (clamshells), depending.

This could all be conjecture, of course, but just look at what you reported...

 

[Illgresi]

You have shoulder and back mobility problems... And possibly problems with your glutes activation.

Mobility WOD on YouTube for your back and shoulders, and Bulgarian Split Squats for your leg imbalances. You might also have to do lady exercises (clamshells), depending.

This could all be conjecture, of course, but just look at what you reported...

I'm absolutely sure I have shoulder mobility problems; I can't even get my elbows above 90° when I clean. Thanks for the video suggestion, I'll get right in about that.

Interesting you talk about glutes, as I've also developed a right butt cheek pain. It's not in the glute though, it's deeper. I'm thinking it's perhaps the piriformis. If I lie flat on my back, cross my ankles with the right leg on top, and push my right leg out (locked knees), the pain is right between my tail bone and hip. Perhaps ties in wth your suggestion of hip mobility as well?


On somewhat of a tangent; I've progressed on squat from 90 kg, to 140 kg in 5kg steps, in 3 and a bit weeks. The working weight is also my pb now...I've never squatted more than 140 kg, and I'm doing 145 kg on Monday. I must admit, I'm beginning to struggle psychologically. Despite the epic feat of pushing up that lest rep today/yesterday, I'm almost scared of taking the next step. Should I man up?

I think part of it, is that I've never failed a rep before. I've watched videos of how to ditch a squat, but it seems a big deal, and something I've never had to deal with.

 

[Kris_90]

Belt squats can be a very useful exercise if you have the equipment to do them properly. Max Aita at JTS has a lot of his weightlifters and powerlifters (both national level, see clip here, 2nd exercise) do them to bring up quad strength without creating more volume for the low back and swears by them. I've tried them myself but found the belt pinched my hips a lot and didn't feel comfortable. Free weights tend to get a bit akward (if you use the big ones you need tall boxes otherwise they hit the floor, and if you use small ones you end up having to adopt a wider stance which isn't ideal.

To solve this you can use the landmine attachment if one is available although like the belt squat it seems like a DIY solution for more WL/PL'ing gyms which don't have leg machines.

A decent hack squat machine does more or less the same thing too though.

BSS/DBSS is always a solid choice!

My gym doesn't have a landmine attachment or a hack squat machine but I think I'll be able to do the belt squats - cheers.

I used to do a front squat variation that i don't see other people do(there might be a reason for this ) where you put your arms out infront of you and lock your hands together almost similar to a praying position. This will require you to keep your upper arms parallel with the floor in order to hold the bar on your shoulders. It really forces you to stay upright as your cant exert any control on the bar with your hands, so you cant stop the bar rolling if it starts to go. You could also just try holding your arms out directly in front of you as a variation of this.

This may still give you issues depending on what shoulder problems you have but its worth a shot as no weight is travelling down your arms, its all just resting on top of your shoulders.

Zombie squats

I'll give both of these a try

Ho, ho, ho! A "what leg work can I do to make gains?" question! Yes!

All of the above are good suggestions; if you don't have a dipping belt, however, or can't assume the zombie front squat position (that would be interesting), then try:

- DBSS with a five second negative and two second pause; weirdly, band resistance also works with these;
- Pistol squats (and if you think you're good, apply the negative-pause premise above);
- Nordic curlz (enjoy);
- Box jumps (and single leg variations);

Having tried out some quad/ham/hack-squat machines, I am not convinced as to their overall merits, but mileage may vary...

I'll alternate these, although I'm sure it'll take me a while to progress to a full pistol squat

Suicide grrip back squats? Am I the only one that doesn't see the need to grip the bar with all your might if you're working at lower weights? (IE below your 75% 1RM)

I don't think I'm gripping the bar too hard, it's the angle of my elbow that I believe is causing pain during squats. I'll try a very wide suicide grip and see how that goes.

Thanks all for the help.

 

[Somnambulist]

Re: belt squats, typically they're done with an eye of keeping the knees forward, torso upright and really maintaining tension in the legs - you'd be surprised how little weight can roast your quads with these!

They can be done with a counter-weight held out in front too if you find it hard to keep the weight distributed evenly through the foot and not end up sitting back too much:

Of course as you can see in both instances, you need to be able to stand on something to get enough depth but not have the weights clunk into the floor.

 

[reiyushin]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQaS3pqjiex/

A 220kg squat from this morning.
The toughest thing was the pressure. I belted up at 80kg and almost passed out from the pressure.

Recovery still moving forwards

 

[CaptainRAVE]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQaS3pqjiex/

A 220kg squat from this morning.
The toughest thing was the pressure. I belted up at 80kg and almost passed out from the pressure.

Recovery still moving forwards

Great stuff - still using all your programs and gaining every 4 weeks. Had a squat and chest day today since I might not be able to get to the gym tomorrow. My fitness is going up, I never would have been able to do that after a deadlift day before. Hitting every single rep now too. I do wonder at what point I should start wearing a belt.

 

[mrthingyx]

Great stuff - still using all your programs and gaining every 4 weeks. Had a squat and chest day today since I might not be able to get to the gym tomorrow. My fitness is going up, I never would have been able to do that after a deadlift day before. Hitting every single rep now too. I do wonder at what point I should start wearing a belt.

You never HAVE to wear a belt... people do it for two reasons:

1) other people do it, so they figure they should, too;
2) rather than let sliding form (due to fatigue) end your squat session, belt up and prop yourself up for a few more sets.

I have never used a belt and don't intend to; but that is my choice and it works for me.

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

3) It'll provide more core stability due to the lifters ability to brace against the belt which increases internal pressure and in turn performance.

 

[reiyushin]

Unless you're a vertical squatter then a belt is always going to be beneficial and even then the pressure difference can lead to better power transfer.

Using a belt effectively is a skill on its own, I'd recommend trying one

And for the record, a belt is a belt. My £25 one from strengthshop gives me the exact same support is my £160 one from Titan. Same goes for the SBD belt although it has a nice mechanism for the lever

 

[MoNkeE]

I have a rustic All Saints belt, will that work?

 

[mrthingyx]

3) It'll provide more core stability due to the lifters ability to brace against the belt which increases internal pressure and in turn performance.

I.e. where the core slides because it cannot maintain bracing by itself.

 

[Psymonkee]

Tried the floor seated OHP and worked a treat with the space I have!

 

[KiNgPiN83]

What are peoples opinions on lifting shoes? I don't believe i need to go full Adipower or anything. (Plus they are pretty expensive..) Although I'm not adverse to paying for something if it will genuinely help me out.

So other than that, how do you guys roll? Flat converse style 'skate' shoes? Bare foot?