Poll: ***The all new gymrats thread***

[Freefaller]

Things like biceps and calves respond well to volume rather than outright weight. Also exercise variation to activate different heads to a different loading capacities to stimulate growth.

 

[J.T]

You could have a point there, maybe I should try lowering the weights and upping the sets/reps.

The thing with me is I just don’t know what works best for me, I’ve never found something for arms that makes me think “Wow this is a great combo”, I just kind of muddle through and hope for the best, think I need someone like you FF to be standing over my shoulder shouting at me what to do! LOL

 

[Freefaller]

If you live around London I'm happy to provide some guidance

 

[Jonny L]

You could have a point there, maybe I should try lowering the weights and upping the sets/reps.

The thing with me is I just don’t know what works best for me, I’ve never found something for arms that makes me think “Wow this is a great combo”, I just kind of muddle through and hope for the best, think I need someone like you FF to be standing over my shoulder shouting at me what to do! LOL

Same as me.

I currently curl 16kg to 18kg depending on how I'm feeling, I am struggeling by the end of the set of 18kg. I try to get out 10 to 12 reps on 16kg and 8 on the 18kg. I also do db concentration curls and hammer curls.

One area I would also like to work on is the top of my forearms (the bit that's on top if your palms are facing down) .

How would you guys suggest I do this? reverse wrist curls?

 

[Freefaller]

Reverse EZ Bar curls hit the forearms nicely - but then so do big compound weights whilst holding the bar

 

[Jonny L]

Cool, thanks for the advice Freefaller

 

[J.T]

I did loads of Forearm work when I was young which is why I have decent forearms.

I don’t train them on their own now though as FF says you get a good forearm workout from holding heavy weights and reverse curls and stuff.

If you live around London I'm happy to provide some guidance

I do kind of (Worcester Park in Surrey, just down the A3), I couldn’t ask you to inconvenience yourself like that mate, just keep dishing out the advice on here, although give me a couple of months and I may take you up on the offer if I don’t get anywhere! LOL.

J.T

If i was you i would start the diet shake up by eating carbs pre workout, your not eatin anything pre training...?

What would you recommend?

Maybe some pasta or something?

How long before the workout?

 

[dun]

I don't get those stats at all JT. I am the same weight but 6ft and slightly bigger on nearly all the stats (apart from calves).

 

[J.T]

I don't get those stats at all JT. I am the same weight but 6ft and slightly bigger on nearly all the stats (apart from calves).

What do you mean by "Get those stats"?

I know my upper arms are a bit crap but thought the rest of me was pretty good/ok.

You've made me feel like a weirdo now.

 

[dun]

I mean I don't understand how you can be the same weight as me when you are smaller in nearly all your stats (only slightly I'm not knocking you) and a fair bit shorter. I just can't quite grasp how that could happen It might be obvious... I have only had a banana to eat so far today so I might be looking at it the wrong way

 

[J.T]

Oh right I see now.

I don't know but people are always calling me dense and I don’t think they are talking about my brain!, though I could be wrong. LOL

I weigh myself three times a week on two different scales, one at the Gym and one at home and I fluctuate between 13.4 and 13.6 stone which is why I put 13.5, unless I got the calc to KG wrong?

 

[Jonny L]

I mean I don't understand how you can be the same weight as me when you are smaller in nearly all your stats (only slightly I'm not knocking you) and a fair bit shorter. I just can't quite grasp how that could happen It might be obvious... I have only had a banana to eat so far today so I might be looking at it the wrong way

J.T is blatantly better endowed

 

[J.T]

LOL, I wish!

 

[Jonny L]

Sorry for the double post guys, but I was also wondering if I can grab some quick advice on my routine.

At the moment I'm doing each muscle group once a week,

Monday - chest
Tuesday - shoulders
Wednesday - back
Thursday - arms
Friday - legs
Weekend - rest

I have done this for a couple of weeks now, and whilst it feels good and I am definitely getting plenty of recovery time. I almost feel like perhaps I am getting too much time and I could be doing more in the time period.

What do you guys thing? Up the frequency again or just let it be as it is?

I am starting to see some noticeable gains so I don't want to compromise this.


Cheers lads


edit: @J.T only possible explanation, take it and run with it

 

[dun]

Sorry for the double post guys, but I was also wondering if I can grab some quick advice on my routine.

At the moment I'm doing each muscle group once a week,

Monday - chest
Tuesday - shoulders
Wednesday - back
Thursday - arms
Friday - legs
Weekend - rest

I have done this for a couple of weeks now, and whilst it feels good and I am definitely getting plenty of recovery time. I almost feel like perhaps I am getting too much time and I could be doing more in the time period.

What do you guys thing? Up the frequency again or just let it be as it is?

I am starting to see some noticeable gains so I don't want to compromise this.


Cheers lads


edit: @J.T only possible explanation, take it and run with it

Don't be silly, I have a massive w....

Anyway I used to do a similar split to you:

Monday - back
Tuesday - chest
Wednesday - legs
Thursday - shoulders
Friday - arms
Weekend - rest

But now I've switched it up so that its more like this:

Monday - back/ rear delts
Tuesday - chest/ biceps
Wednesday - legs- hamstrings/ calves/ hip abductor stuff
Thursday - shoulders/ tris
Friday - legs- quads
Weekend - rest

I was seeing really good gains on the old routine but like everything you have got to keep it fresh so changed to what I am doing currently. my legs especially seem to be loving it and my upper body is getting more time to rest.

What is your intensity like when training?

 

[Jonny L]

Erm it is pretty good but I wouldn't say that it is amazing. I do usually get a very good burn and am absolutely knackered on finishing. I try and keep to 3 to 4 sets per exercise and in each set between 8 to 12 reps depending n failure.

I would really love some tips on how to up intensity.

Thanks dun.

 

[Bakedgoods]

I'm not a fan of 5 day splits to be fair.

Why not trying an upper/lower split..

Mon - Upper
Tue - Low
Thu - Upper
Fri - Lower

 

[dun]

No need to thank me mate, I enjoy disscussing training and passing on what I've learnt while learning in the process
For me intensity is not so much the weight being used, or the volume (although they help) but more a mental state. If you can feel every rep deep in the muscle, every fibre of it fighting against the weight and that's all you can think about, nothing else exists, then that's an "intense" set for me.

 

[Jonny L]

No need to thank me mate, I enjoy disscussing training and passing on what I've learnt while learning in the process
For me intensity is not so much the weight being used, or the volume (although they help) but more a mental state. If you can feel every rep deep in the muscle, every fibre of it fighting against the weight and that's all you can think about, nothing else exists, then that's an "intense" set for me.

I do get that quite a bit actually , but I think I lose it at the end of sets a bit at the higher weights in isolation exercises like db curls etc, would you suggest lowering the weight and concentrating on perfect form dun?

Also, thanks for the advice Wardie please could you expand on that a bit though? Would you repeat the same exercises or say, do certain groups on certain days still, like calfs on one day and quads on the other?

 

[dun]

I do get that quite a bit actually , but I think I lose it at the end of sets a bit at the higher weights in isolation exercises like db curls etc, would you suggest lowering the weight and concentrating on perfect form dun?

Do what you feel is best mate. If your form has gone and you still have some left in the tank grab a smaller weight and blast it out. While you are worrying (not you specifically) about what rep range to use or if you'll over train if you do a few more reps the guy next to you is still repping em out. At the end of the day who is going to have the edge 9 times out of 10?
I don't have any experience with upper lower splits so I'll leave that for someone else mate.