***The 2021 Gym Rats Thread*** ᕦ( ͠°◞ °)ᕥ
- Thread starter tom_e
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I just use cheap neoprene ones from Amazon, been spot on for the last couple of years and I think they were only £20ish a pair.
Soldato
Your probably right as I had time off before due to shoulder issues whilst benching.
I don't bench with elbows flared out, so maybe I should strengthen shoulders via more shoulder exercises?
Caporegime
Just did 30 mins Yoga with my wife on Apple Fitness+, very slick and well put together experience. Yoga wrecked me, as a super stiff gym bro, it was damn hard.
Sort of.
Check your internal and external shoulder rotation and make sure your glenohumeral joint is like a greasy weasel before benching. Then you are into rotator cuff territory, which is never a bad thing.
The more shoulder range of motion you have, and the more stability you have across that ROM, the better your benching will be. And this assumes your form is good and you're not going weird when you tire or go too heavy...
Also, if you're sore/injured, best thing to do is take a few weeks off.
Didn't read this properly because I was distracted. /srshomo
Very close to having a serious injury tonight. Rack was set too low for seated OHP and after finishing last set I over shot it. Completely threw the weight backwards, felt a pop before I could get the weight under control. Ended up throwing it forward in the end, left a lovely dent in the laminate.
Feels ok at the moment. Only hurts a little when I extend upwards and back so definitely a rotator cuff injury I think. Could have been so much worse.
Feels ok at the moment. Only hurts a little when I extend upwards and back so definitely a rotator cuff injury I think. Could have been so much worse.
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Soldato
Anyone recommend any push exercises which won't put much stress on elbow...
So far chest fly's and weighted bench dips (for triceps) along with kickbacks are some of the few that don't aggravate the elbow.
So far chest fly's and weighted bench dips (for triceps) along with kickbacks are some of the few that don't aggravate the elbow.
Soldato
Remember a muscle only knows tension, it doesn't know what the specific movement is, so as long as you're taking it through it's range of motion and can make progress with it then stick with it as it'll be doing the job. Retest other stuff sporadically and do prehab/mobility work.
'Pushing' will be any push-up or dip variation, any angle of DB or BB press on either a bench or floor. This will be pecs, triceps and anterior deltoids and the more vertically you press, the less chest and more delt is involved.
You can really only isolate the pecs through horizontal shoulder adduction when under load (any fly variation but DBs are a bit rubbish as you lose all tension at the top - cables, or if they're not available then ring flys going from inclined to more and more horizontal are better) and obviously triceps are anything that involves elbow extension under load only. I find kickbacks use too much rear delt unless you use a cable stack. I don't know what kit you have available but if it's DBs then other than the obvious skullcrushers or lying tricep extension you have rolling extensions, Tate press, overhead extensions and stuff like that.
'Pushing' will be any push-up or dip variation, any angle of DB or BB press on either a bench or floor. This will be pecs, triceps and anterior deltoids and the more vertically you press, the less chest and more delt is involved.
You can really only isolate the pecs through horizontal shoulder adduction when under load (any fly variation but DBs are a bit rubbish as you lose all tension at the top - cables, or if they're not available then ring flys going from inclined to more and more horizontal are better) and obviously triceps are anything that involves elbow extension under load only. I find kickbacks use too much rear delt unless you use a cable stack. I don't know what kit you have available but if it's DBs then other than the obvious skullcrushers or lying tricep extension you have rolling extensions, Tate press, overhead extensions and stuff like that.
Soldato
For chest, DB Fly's and incline DB press seems to work the best without causing elbow pain. Light barbell bench press is ok but I need to stay away from it as its way to tempting to go heavy.. same with CGBP..
And triceps weighted bench dips are pretty good, skullcrushers and overhead extension causing too much pain so not doing them.
What all is this has showed me is how important warm-up and stretching is. Plus mobility work.
And triceps weighted bench dips are pretty good, skullcrushers and overhead extension causing too much pain so not doing them.
What all is this has showed me is how important warm-up and stretching is. Plus mobility work.
@PermaChanged How's the plan with Afser going mate?
Soldato
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Well, it was dandy until lockdown hit! Lost 5kg, maintained strength and mass - this week I've done absolutley bugger all and eaten everything 
The plan itself is great however, and I will get back on the horse, I'm disappointed in myself for allowing lockdown to be my downfall!
Edit: Worth mentioning to those not in the know, I'm in Guernsey where we've not had a lockdown or any real restrictions since July of 2020, last Saturday 22nd Jan the island went back in to full complete lockdown with nothing but essential businesses open.
The plan itself is great however, and I will get back on the horse, I'm disappointed in myself for allowing lockdown to be my downfall!
Edit: Worth mentioning to those not in the know, I'm in Guernsey where we've not had a lockdown or any real restrictions since July of 2020, last Saturday 22nd Jan the island went back in to full complete lockdown with nothing but essential businesses open.
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Don't stress about it, I've done exactly the same for the first week of our last two lockdowns.Well, it was dandy until lockdown hit! Lost 5kg, maintained strength and mass - this week I've done absolutley bugger all and eaten everything
The plan itself is great however, and I will get back on the horse, I'm disappointed in myself for allowing lockdown to be my downfall!
Edit: Worth mentioning to those not in the know, I'm in Guernsey where we've not had a lockdown or any real restrictions since July of 2020, last Saturday 22nd Jan the island went back in to full complete lockdown with nothing but essential businesses open.
It completely throws me off but after a week I manage to pull my head out my backside and get back to my walking and eating on plan again.
Soldato
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I'll be interested to see his reaction to my check in tomorrow 
Man of Honour
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Anyone got a good deadlift program? I’ve stalled at the moment.
Soldato
I love you floor press! Finally something that is almost a normal BP that causes no elbow issues.
Also loaded my triceps directly with overhead extension with a medium kinda load, there was pain (3-4/10) but really needed to work them out again.
Maybe the direct load will help the tendon heal?
Also loaded my triceps directly with overhead extension with a medium kinda load, there was pain (3-4/10) but really needed to work them out again.
Maybe the direct load will help the tendon heal?
Man of Honour
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Finally broke through the 125kg 5x5 bench wall that’s been bugging me for weeks. Amazing what an extra 1600 calories from MaccyDs will do 
What kind of pain? Likely either elbow, shoulder, stretched tricep or you bumped your head. I’ve had 3 of those 4 (most importantly I have big, strong triceps as a result). I’ve finally broken through a 55kg extension for reps. Absolutely destroys my triceps. I do love it as an arm movement on arm day. I literally just do an hour of overhead extensions now followed by an hour of barbell curls. My arms have never been so big.
What kind of pain? Likely either elbow, shoulder, stretched tricep or you bumped your head. I’ve had 3 of those 4
(most importantly I have big, strong triceps as a result). I’ve finally broken through a 55kg extension for reps. Absolutely destroys my triceps. I do love it as an arm movement on arm day. I literally just do an hour of overhead extensions now followed by an hour of barbell curls. My arms have never been so big.
Soldato
Finally broke through the 125kg 5x5 bench wall that’s been bugging me for weeks. Amazing what an extra 1600 calories from MaccyDs will do
What kind of pain? Likely either elbow, shoulder, stretched tricep or you bumped your head. I’ve had 3 of those 4
Sometimes I feel like just stuffing myself so I can have a new PR every week or two lol.
Elbow pain on pushing movements, slowly getting better....
Before at 60kg BP it was painful now I can barely feel the pain at 70KG BP.
Are you talking about standing overhead tricep extensions? I love these, they are my favourite along with CGBP. Weighted dips are decent too.
Before the elbow injury and when gyms were open I could do 38KG for 6 or 40 for 2. I think they are the best for triceps.
Man of Honour
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Lying (on the bench) extensions.
Soldato
B&W - re your elbow... I would personally always keep isolation stuff, particularly for things like arms well away from <5 reps - you’re making much bigger demands of your connective tissue with low rep work and unlike a compound lift where the load is distributed you’re putting all the force in one place and actively avoiding the recruitment of other muscles (i.e. turning a curl into some swing-y thing where you use your front delts to get through the sticking point). Easier to keep form strict and avoid a flare up of ‘elbowla’ with single joint movements with moderate to high reps... with the exception being if you’re doing stuff like Myo-Reps or other rest-pause techniques where the short breaks make 5 rep mini sets feel like the last few of a 15 rep set (i.e. lactate building up, the pump/burn).
I tend to use this for reference as a rough guide (phone pic off an eBook I’ve got):
Okay that’s huge. Sorry! Reverse is true for compounds, especially big free weight ones - doing something like a true 20RM max squat set (or high rep snatches as we used to poke fun at CrossFit) is a losing proposition for most because your co-ordination starts to suffer as fatigue sets in, and typically things like your back will start to give out before your legs. Hence note the RPEs get higher the smaller/safer the exercise are; it’s harder to judge how close you are to failure the further you are from a 1RM, so it’s better to know you’ve run out of gas on something like a 20 rep curl than think you have and then find you could have done 6 more reps if shouted at.
I tend to use this for reference as a rough guide (phone pic off an eBook I’ve got):
Okay that’s huge. Sorry! Reverse is true for compounds, especially big free weight ones - doing something like a true 20RM max squat set (or high rep snatches as we used to poke fun at CrossFit) is a losing proposition for most because your co-ordination starts to suffer as fatigue sets in, and typically things like your back will start to give out before your legs. Hence note the RPEs get higher the smaller/safer the exercise are; it’s harder to judge how close you are to failure the further you are from a 1RM, so it’s better to know you’ve run out of gas on something like a 20 rep curl than think you have and then find you could have done 6 more reps if shouted at.
Soldato
I've finally managed to accumulate the necessary equipment to start the stronglifts program. Before that I've been doing my own thing.
Now, my only problem is having room for doing OHP safely. My garage has an angled roof where my rack is on the low side which will have to stay there and so once I progress in weight, I don't fancy lifting the bar off the rack and pacing back to any area where I can do the OHP in case of failure (which I'm currently doing).
So my question to all you Greek Adonis, would I be better doing seated OHP with a bar or standing using dumbbells?
Now, my only problem is having room for doing OHP safely. My garage has an angled roof where my rack is on the low side which will have to stay there and so once I progress in weight, I don't fancy lifting the bar off the rack and pacing back to any area where I can do the OHP in case of failure (which I'm currently doing).
So my question to all you Greek Adonis, would I be better doing seated OHP with a bar or standing using dumbbells?
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