*** The 2018 Gym Rats Thread ***

Speaking of equipment, does anyone here wear knee sleeves? I wear a belt and a pair of Adidas Powerlift shoes when squatting, but up until now I haven't bothered with knee sleeves. I've not got any knee pain at the moment, but after football I do occasionally get a bit and I was wondering if it might be a decent idea to get a pair to protect against any knee issues.

Any recommendations for a particular brand? I've found some Bear Grip knee sleeves on Amazon for £20, then there's a pair of Rocktape Assassins sleeves that are well reviewed for £40, or I could just go for a pair of SBDs, which I know are very popular in the lifting community, but are £60.
 
Only time I wear anything around my knees is in winter and my gym is around 3°C... trying to warm up DOMS-heavy tendons is just horrid without something warm.

But I just use tubigrip.
 
Belts and knee sleeves are always an interesting topical conversation. As most of us are nowhere near the limits and points of needing them.

I have both, but I only sleeve/belt up when at 95% of 1RM or going for a new 1RM in certain lifts. I cannot remember the last time I used my knee sleeves and I don't wear lifters, as I genuinely don't think I am close enough to my peak to need them.
 
Oly lifting shoes are great. I've been wearing mine for three or four months now when doing squats and I wouldn't go back to regular flat soled shoes. I feel way more stable and locked in with oly shoes and the heel definitely helps with my posture and form.
 
Wearing lifters isn't about performance, it's about enabling a better bottom position if you high bar squat to depth. Only a tiny amount of people can achieve a good deep squat in flat shoes, since it's not a natural position for your body to be in (having a heavy bar on your back whilst still keeping a vertical torso is not the same thing as hanging out at the bottom of a '3rd world squat' where there's no spinal loading). If you're only squatting to parallel and/or low bar squatting, it tends to come down to proportions, and there are now more options for hard-soled shoes for lifting other than the Olympic ones with the large heel lift (Metcons, Nanos etc).
 
strained my neck when doing squats today - so didnt do the rest of my workout....

It hurts only when I bend neck forward - anything I can do to help? any idea how long it will take to heal?
 
Anyone else get annoyed when people seem to have no idea what it takes to workout etc?

I'm not a big guy, but for the last few years I've really focussed on going to the gym regularly, diet and all that.
And every now and then people who've never worked out in their lives will do the classic
"Oh I don't go to a gym because I don't want to end up all muscly"
Or think that having one protein shake a day's what gave me my muscles....

Maybe I'm just irritated because I'm trying to lose some weight, but they're getting on my nerves haha
 
had a 16 month lazy timeout from the gym which does not feel nice at all, I have maybe been once a month at most this year. But that just ends up being harder than it needs to be as it is always like a super sweaty first time in the gym where you feel faint after.
that said I have managed 3 times in the last week midnight sessions are quite nice. :) its just I think I need a new routine to make things interesting. currently working with the below (log from the last session I skipped calves) any pointer or help would be good I am absolutely awful when it comes to choosing a routine.

Barbell Full Squat
Set 1 : 100x10
Set 2 : 110x10
Set 3 : 110x10
Set 4 : 110x10


Barbell Wide Grip Bench Press
Set 1 : 90x10
Set 2 : 90x10
Set 3 : 90x10


Barbell Shrug
Set 1 : 90x10
Set 2 : 90x10
Set 3 : 90x10


Chin Up
Set 1 : 8x10 (8kg help bench help thingy)
Set 2 : 8x10
never have been able to do these ever

Sit Up
Set 1 : 20 Lap/Rep
Set 2 : 18 Lap/Rep
Set 3 : 18 Lap/Rep
Set 4 : 18 Lap/Rep


Barbell Curl or dumbells in which case i would split the weight
Set 1 : 50x10
Set 2 : 50x8
Set 3 : 50x9


Barbell Standing Press Behind The Neck
Set 1 : 45x10
Set 2 : 45x10
Set 3 : 45x8
Set 4 : 45x10


Dumbbell Fly

Set 1 : 20x10
Set 2 : 20x10
Set 3 : 20x10


Machine Fly
Set 1 : 91x10
Set 2 : 91x10
Set 3 : 91x10
 
Electroshadow said:
had a 16 month lazy timeout from the gym which does not feel nice at all, I have maybe been once a month at most this year. But that just ends up being harder than it needs to be as it is always like a super sweaty first time in the gym where you feel faint after.
that said I have managed 3 times in the last week midnight sessions are quite nice. :) its just I think I need a new routine to make things interesting. currently working with the below (log from the last session I skipped calves) any pointer or help would be good I am absolutely awful when it comes to choosing a routine.

Barbell Full Squat
Set 1 : 100x10
Set 2 : 110x10
Set 3 : 110x10
Set 4 : 110x10


Barbell Wide Grip Bench Press
Set 1 : 90x10
Set 2 : 90x10
Set 3 : 90x10


Barbell Shrug
Set 1 : 90x10
Set 2 : 90x10
Set 3 : 90x10


Chin Up
Set 1 : 8x10 (8kg help bench help thingy)
Set 2 : 8x10
never have been able to do these ever

Sit Up
Set 1 : 20 Lap/Rep
Set 2 : 18 Lap/Rep
Set 3 : 18 Lap/Rep
Set 4 : 18 Lap/Rep


Barbell Curl or dumbells in which case i would split the weight
Set 1 : 50x10
Set 2 : 50x8
Set 3 : 50x9


Barbell Standing Press Behind The Neck
Set 1 : 45x10
Set 2 : 45x10
Set 3 : 45x8
Set 4 : 45x10


Dumbbell Fly

Set 1 : 20x10
Set 2 : 20x10
Set 3 : 20x10


Machine Fly
Set 1 : 91x10
Set 2 : 91x10
Set 3 : 91x10
Click to expand...

Ditch the shrugs and replace them with deadlifts. Then replace the behind-the-neck press with proper overhesd/strict standing press.
 
I really dont know ive never hurt my neck before - maybe was my head position? I also tried having bar lower on my back recently....
 
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