ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ ||| The 2023/2024 Gym Rats Thread ||| ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ

First weights session in 3 weeks this morning after a holiday and surgery. The break has definitely done me some good, everything feels a little less broken and weights have increased on a few movements.
Looking a bit leaner as well, there was obviously a decent build up of fatigue going on.
 
Educated me a bit on strength focused routines and 'muscle mass'.

Simple question will I gain 'muscle mass'' on Phraks GSLP doing sets in the 5 rep range?

Same question but more verbose....

I am thinking of running this again but instead of 3 x 5 changing it to more hypertrophy 3 x 6-8 as I don't want to just focus on strength gains but more muscle mass.

Also as I cant squat more than once a week as it hurts my back I will just do legs twice a week. But the upper stays the same as the base Phraks GSLP just done in the 3 x 6-8 rep range instead.

What do you think?

So it would look like this:

Monday
Bench Press / Overhead Press: 3 x 6-8
Pull-Ups / Barbell Row: 3 x 6-8
Squat: 3 x 6-8
Hamstring Curl 3 x 10-12
Leg Ext 3 x 10-12

Wednesday
Bench Press / Overhead Press: 3 x 6-8
Pull-Ups / Barbell Row: 3 x 6-8

Friday
Bench Press / Overhead Press: 3 x 6-8
Pull-Ups / Barbell Row: 3 x 6-8
Deadlift: 3 x 6-8
Hamstring Curl 3 x 10-12
Leg Ext 3 x 10-12

Might even drop barbell rows for db rows as my form is rubbish and I will get more out of db rows than barbel rows.

What do you think?

Stick with 3 x 5 or switch to 3 x 6-8?

---

I have decided to stick with 3 x 5.
 
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So I am back to the same issue again. That is I cannot do things that put pressure on the back such as squats or deadlifts twice a week. It's too much for my back.

I thought I could cope with squats one day and deadlifts on the other. But essentially I just go in to my squats session with a sore back and as the weight ramps up my back will eventually say "ok, buddy that's as far as we are gonna go" as the back is just sore. (90 squat)

It means I have to drop maybe the deadlift and do a leg press or hack squat instead.

I am nearly 42 but surely it can't be my age?

I've seen other routines that have a heavy lower day where both squats and dead are done on the same day and the rest of the week there is no more lower back fatiguing exercises.
 
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opethdisciple said:
So I am back to the same issue again. That is I cannot do things that put pressure on the back such as squats or deadlifts twice a week. It's too much for my back.

I thought I could cope with squats one day and deadlifts on the other. But essentially I just go in to my squats session with a sore back and as the weight ramps up my back will eventually say "ok, buddy that's as far as we are gonna go" as the back is just sore. (90 squat)

It means I have to drop maybe the deadlift and do a leg press or hack squat instead.

I am nearly 42 but surely it can't be my age?

I've seen other routines that have a heavy lower day where both squats and dead are done on the same day and the rest of the week there is no more lower back fatiguing exercises.
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I can't remember your previoous posts about your back so maybe there is some context I am missing. Do you potentially have a weak core and/or glutes? That could put pressure on your back during the movements you've mentioned.
 
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opethdisciple said:
Most likely weak core for sure.
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Have you tried doing exercises to build up your core stability such as the Mcgill big 3 core exercises? There are other core stability exercises if that is too easy

squatuniversity.com

The McGill Big 3 For Core Stability

For the last few weeks, we have been discussing the topic of low back pain. In our most recent article, I unveiled a simple step-by-step protocol screening your back along with a few ways to start …
squatuniversity.com squatuniversity.com

An exercises that I like to do (no idea what it is called so I will try my best to describe it)

You need a fairly light weight, the purpose of this exercise is to use your core to maintain stability while moving this weight around.

Get on your hands and knees, keep your back straight. In this position transition so that you are on your toes. Knees should be off the ground and shins should be parallel to the ground. Back should remain straight, try to keep your core tight and squeeze your glutes.
The weight should be inbetween your arms and legs (below your stomach) on one side of your body (inline with your left or right shoulder)

Lets say you start with the weight on the left. Take your right hand pick up the weight and move it to the right and put the weight down. Now take your left hand grab the weight and move it back to the left side. I repeat till I can no longer maintain the stability of my core.
 
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Deads and squats on the same day is just compromising which ever one is being done second. You wont be putting the same intensity in to it.

Whats the rest of your workouts looking like, because squats and deads wont be the only thing hitting your lower back.

Also, what are your goals, do you even need to be squatting or deadlifting?
 
Slowly ramping up the peak phase, doing 3 week mini blocks of triples then doubles then singles with the AMRAPS at the end. This week is week 2 of doubles. Things are moving nicely, so far this week ive hit squats and bench.

Squats AMRAP 7x147.5kg - although i really felt out of sync with my squats this week, this is a PB.
Bench AMRAP 6x95kg

From the last week of my 3's week I also have
Deadlift AMRAP 7x162.5kg
OHP AMRAP 8x57.5kg

For reference sake my last tested PB's are:
Squat - 165
Bench - 105
Deadlift - 170
OHP - 60

This was late 2022 i last tested these and Ive been mainly bulking from July 22 until now, with a 10 week cut at the end of May 23 so lets see where this goes.
 
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Last nights deadlift AMRAP, 8x162.5kg, i thought i only hit 7 and when i had i spent ages holding the bar thinking should i push an 8th, played it safe even though 1 more rep would have been comfortable, watched the set back, and had already done 8!!

Next weeks working weight is 172kg! and i have to get this for a minimum of 2 reps per the plan, and to be on target with my current AMRAPs the calculator says 5-6 reps! Thats right 5-6 reps of a weight that is 2kg above my current 1 rep max :eek:
 
spluff said:
Hoping someone could have a look at my new workout plan:-

I am 50 yrs old and been doing 5x5 on and off for years and been training on and off since I was 20. This session after 2 years break I have been training for 7 months.

I have changed my workout from 5x5 to something similar 3 weeks ago to target hypertrophy and some strength:-

Day 1
Flat Bench Barbell 4 x 8 (75%1RM)
Incline Bench Barbell 3 x 7
Bent Over Row 4 x 8 (75%1RM)
Seated Cable Row 3 x 8
Triceps Rope Pulldowns (3 x 8)

Rest

Day 2
Squat 4 x 8 (75%1RM)
Barbell OHP 4 x 8 (75%1RM)
Dumbbell Side Raises 3 x 8
Deadlift 1 x 5
Chin-ups weighted 3 x 8
Seated Incline Dumbbell Curls 3 x 8

Rest

So I am training every other day some weeks its Mon Wed Fri Sun / Other weeks its Tue Thu Sat

I was thinking of only increasing weight when I can do 4 x 10 on an exercise - does this sound okay?

Is this enough volume/too little/too much?

I was thinking of alternating Incline Barbell with Incline Dumbbells for chest.... would there be any other alternates worth doing (home squat rack gym)

Any other tips?

Thank you
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Only time for a quick reply and you might already have had pointers but alas I suggest increasing the weight before you can do 4x10. Perhaps 4x8 or 3x9.

Why only 1 set of deadlifts? I generally do a light set as a warm up and several working sets.

I tended to find seated incline dumbbell curls gave me all kinds of little injuries. Nowt wrong with standard dumbbell curls.
 
Syla5 said:
Well my program is in week 6 of its peaking phase, and yesterday was deadlifts, based on how my AMRAPs have been going my working weight was set to 172.5kg. My all time Deadlift rep max until now was 170kg.

Here is my effort from yesterday:
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Nice work!

I've been upping my cross trainer, I started on resistance 4 and then have been doing slightly faster at level 6. Now i'm alternating between level 6 (2 minutes) and level 12 (3 minutes) taking me from a burn rate of slightly over 100 calories for 10 minutes to over 150 now.

Been starting on the stairs too, did about 500 steps in 10 mins.
 
Syla5 said:
Well my program is in week 6 of its peaking phase, and yesterday was deadlifts, based on how my AMRAPs have been going my working weight was set to 172.5kg. My all time Deadlift rep max until now was 170kg.

Here is my effort from yesterday:
Click to expand...
This is amazing. Great job!

Hoping to get some PRs in a couple of months. I'll be lucky with 175 for 1 though I think.
 
I never get sick but my 3 year old niece gave me her projectile vomiting bug and it‘s rekt me bros. Spend last Thursday throwing up for 12 hours, unable to keep even water down until I was hollow inside and had ab cramps. Fast forward a week and my strength is still in the bin! RIP.
 
Had James Hollingshead squatting 8 plates a side for 10 or something on Monday in the rack next to me like a hydraulic press. Absolute unit. Obnoxiously strong.
 
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