*** The 2017 Gym Rats Thread ***

[mrthingyx]

Hi guys

Looking to get into shape, currently 113kg and 6ft 4 and got a gut . So first goal is to get a flat belly and no man boobs. Started eating right on Monday and is going well. Is it best to do cardio and weights at the same time?

Weights are better, but there is nothing wrong with doing both if you want to lose weight.

 

[mrthingyx]

Cool thanks Any supplements worth getting or not bother at this stage?

Scratch the itch if you want, but there is little practical benefit.

Useful ones are Vitamin D3 in high concentration (if you live in this country, everybody should take it) - those 10k UI tabs... And maybe creatine if you are prepared to take it religiously.

And that is pretty much it if your diet is good.

 

[mrthingyx]

Out of the best for losing weight then cardio is better than weights. But just do a mix of both, either weights then a bit of carido after or a day for cardio and a day for weights. As for sups, I wouldn't really bother most are more a placebo then anything.

Orly...?

 

[mrthingyx]

Box squats - should I be using a heavier weight than I use for back squats?

What are you doing them for?

 

[mrthingyx]

As an accessory to back squats. I thought they might help develop more strength on the ascent.

Do paused squats. Much better for you.

 

[mrthingyx]

I find the best way to know how long to pause is to say in your head "whose stupid idea was this anyway, that mrthingyx is always to blame for this sort of thing". Works for me anyway!

I like the thought of you screaming my name...

 

[mrthingyx]

Done! Shocker lol

In 2° gym with next to no warm up and being fat and unfit

Only 29 reps?

DNF like me... takes a lame suvvern fairy to spot another.

 

[mrthingyx]

After some help, please (not sure if I belong here, but the thread seems full of decent knowledge).

Injured my shoulder 5 years ago (Crossfit WOD against the clock featuring fairly heavy cleans - so dumb in hindsight - I should have said, "No") and" fell out" of fitness (read, "got demoralised and lazy").

Started trying to get back in some kind of shape a week ago but the shoulder is still an issue.

Lateral cable raises and overhead presses sometimes hurt, sometimes are fine, and sometimes the shoulder is strong but often it just won't work/is weak/collapses.

5 years ago I got a pretty vague diagnosis of a torn rotator cuff, and a referral to a NHS physio who gave me some band work but it made no difference, we moved house, and I let it slide.

Has anyone got any tips on how I get this properly diagnosed and treated...I've got private healthcare cover through work if that opens up more options.

Thanks a lot for any help.

Your original physio was probably correct but not helpful enough to tell you HOW to do band exercises.

Go and see a sports physio and sort your rehab (because you now have to undo 5 years of derp).

Someone posting about injuries caused by crossfit in this thread of all places...this is going to be golden

Whilst sorely tempting, he has hopefully realised the error of his ways... But then, it is Crossfit, so I should probably suggest he gets psychotherapy, too.

 

[mrthingyx]

You're in the perfect place, plenty of bros from around there and IIRC there's a man known as "The Wizard" who will break you and rebuild you.

I'm sure someone will be along with proper details soon.

Technically, he isn't a physio (an osteopath, IIRC), but he knows lifting... and he is near Oxford, too...

Most musculoskeletal physios will have a brain, but look for ones attached to sports clubs.

 

[mrthingyx]

So I am on the chest press watching a guy in the smith machine. Basically deadlifting (if you could call it that) 70kg with straps, plus chalk plus a belt along with mixed grip - fair enough if this is a heavy weight for you, but it looked well within his capability. Then I thought that he may be working with an injury, but to be fair it looked worse for mobility in the smith machine!

This would make sense if you were benching... but you were on the chest press.

Shame.

 

[mrthingyx]

I meant benching

 

[mrthingyx]

I seem to have developed a worrying click in my knee when doing squats some time before now and 5 months ago when i did them last. Doesn't hurt but worrying seeing how I'm only doing very light 70kg sets for now (2000 calories a day) and it's in the knee that already had two surgeries on. Doesn't happen when I'm doing bodyweight or goblet squats so I'll work on these for now to see if that makes a difference in the next few weeks.

It is the weight doing it, but not what you think.

You will squat differently with light weights, so you might have to think about how your are squatting... Is there a weight at which it starts?

 

[mrthingyx]

He calls it my "width" personally I think that's just a way for him to feel more accepting of the fact he wants to stroke my cockerel.

Yeah, this just got full on /homo.

Yessir...

 

[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...

 

[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...

 

[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...

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[mrthingyx]

Cool, thanks guys. I am pretty tall at 6'2 although i think i have a long body as opposed to long legs. Even so i high bar and can struggle to hit as much depth as i'd like although saying that i think that's a flexibility issue more than anything... I'll see if i can get something at a reasonable price. I'll check out the metcons too as i need to change what I'm using now regardless of anything else as my current trainers are more of a casual trainer.

Crossfire has worked wonders to bring weightlifting footwear to the masses... there are a lot of different pairs out there today as a result, and you don't have to spend three figures (or even high two figures) to get some.

StrengthShop shoes are meant to be very good, even if their design isn't Box-ready, but so what?

Properly old-school weightlifters used to lift in formal shoes, too, because of the stiffness and heel...

Edit: lolcrossfire... should have been Crossfit.

 

[mrthingyx]

I just go barefoot (with socks on) for deadlifts and squats, if can hit depth with no shoes so don't really see the point. Unlike a belt which is £20, £100+ for shoes are harder to justify.

Depends how you squat. And depends on whether or not "hitting depth" equates to "hitting depth without dumping your pelvis." Because if not, then you will be using your back to shift a lot of the load...

Shoes will potentially help your technique; a belt can potentially mask bad technique.