What training are you doing/have you done today? Vol.2

[didelydoo]

chris watton said:

last rep as deep as the first on the 200kg Squats, great stuff!

Thanks Chris, i'll be aiming for 220 x 10.

[SunnyD]

didelydoo said:

SunnyD said:

Anyone got any advice? I'm trying to build my biceps but whenever I curl all I seem to do is work the muscles in my foream.

After several sets (normally on the preacher curl bench, but I get the same response using the cables/dumbbells/EZ curl bar) my foreams are screaming and my biceps don't feel they're doing anything at all, certainly don't feel fatigued. Are there better exercises I can do that focus more on the bicep specifically, or do I just need to ignore my foreams and assume my biceps are doing something?

Use dumbbells rather than a bar, don't go heavy, focus on the bi doing the work. When you get it to do the work, add a bit more weight. You should feel a bicep pump fairly easily.

Standing or on the bench? Or does it not make any difference? I feel like it's more targeted on the PC bench, but still my biceps refuse to do any of the work...

[didelydoo]

SunnyD said:

Standing or on the bench? Or does it not make any difference? I feel like it's more targeted on the PC bench, but still my biceps refuse to do any of the work...

Standing. if you can't feel it on the preacher curl, avoid doing preachers until you've figured it out. Spider curls are also worth a try to force the bi's to get involved.

[chris watton]

I have had a terrible couple of weeks, mentally, due to job worries. No matter how much I tried to put it to one side while training, I simply couldn't, and it did really affect my performance. Today however, everything seems to have sorted itself out, so I am happy, and it made quite a difference!

One thing I did was do two involuntary screams on the last couple of reps of the last set of Leg Presses (lactic acid build up is a killer), I wanted to do 4x12 and a last set of 8 reps, no matter what, and I did. But it was so painful. I felt embarrassed when I let out the screams, even though I was on my own. If I did that in a public gym, I'd die!

On a plus side, I finally got my OH Press from 85-87.5kg (13kg above BW), which I was pleased with.

Anyway, today:

Leg Press - 5x12-8 reps
Bench Press - 3x12-8 reps and then 6x5-3 reps
Power Clean - 9x2 reps
Clean and Press - 6x5 reps plus 3x3-1 with 75/80/87.5kg
Wide grip Pull Up (BW+15kg - neck to bar) - 5x5
BB BOR (reverse grip) - 4x12-10 reps
Seated Pulley Row - 4x12-10 reps

That was more than enough for me for one day...

Edited by chris watton on Friday 17th February 23:12

[TheBALDpuma]

A deadlift 1 and 2 rep PB with 262kg today. Felt comfy too.

Loving DLs at the minute. Think I should be good for high 27xs at the minute.

[mcelliott]

Everyone seems to be going great guns at the moment

So for me, Thursday was an hour and a half on the turbo, mostly just spinning the legs out for an hour, and then a big 20 minute or so effort in a 17.5km time trial. Legs felt awesome, timed my effort to perfection, and placed 2nd overall. Ride below.

https://www.strava.com/activities/868739159

Then today, rest from the bike so I went to the gym, still mostly machine work, could't resist doing a few efforts on the bench press, culminating in 3 tentative reps at 140kg. Yeah my back's going to love me for that.

[ORD]

chris watton said:

I have had a terrible couple of weeks, mentally, due to job worries. No matter how much I tried to put it to one side while training, I simply couldn't, and it did really affect my performance. Today however, everything seems to have sorted itself out, so I am happy, and it made quite a difference!

One think I did was do two involuntary screams on the last couple of reps of the last set of Leg Presses (lactic acid build up is a killer), I wanted to do 4x12 and a last set of 8 reps, no matter what, and I did. But it was so painful. I felt embarrassed when I let out the screams, even though I was on my own. If I did that in a public gym, I'd die!

On a plus side, I finally got my OH Press from 85-87.5kg (13kg above BW), which I was pleased with.

Anyway, today:

Leg Press - 5x12-8 reps
Bench Press - 3x12-8 reps and then 6x5-3 reps
Power Clean - 9x2 reps
Clean and Press - 6x5 reps plus 3x3-1 with 75/80/87.5kg
Wide grip Pull Up (BW+15kg - neck to bar) - 5x5
BB BOR (reverse grip) - 4x12-10 reps
Seated Pulley Row - 4x12-10 reps

That was more than enough for me for one day...

Fantastic work on the OHP!

[Halb]

mcelliott said:

Then today, rest from the bike so I went to the gym, still mostly machine work, could't resist doing a few efforts on the bench press, culminating in 3 tentative reps at 140kg. Yeah my back's going to love me for that.

Atta boy old timer.
How often do you bench?

today
Cable Pulldowns
Cable Row
Reverse Fly
Bridge
Inverse Crunch

[chris watton]

ORD said:

Fantastic work on the OHP!

Thank you ORD!

Am thinking of changing my routine to legs, chest and back (3-4 exercises for chest area, 5-6 for back and a couple for legs Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and perhaps power cleans, presses and deadlifts on the weekend). Progress is now quite slow, and I feel that doing just one exercise per body part isn't reaping the rewards it once did, physically, although lifts are improving..

What do the pro's think, is it better to go with multiple exercises per muscle group, I will have been training consistently for three years this May?

[ORD]

Deadlifts and OHP press today.
DL: 3 x 100,120,130kg and then a PR of 4 reps at 140kg.
OHP: 5 x 5 @ 50kg

I had an extra rep easily in tank on the deadlift, and 5 reps would give me a projected 1RM of 2 x bodyweight.

After staying pretty much still for months, switching to 5/3/1 (programme 1.2) and eating lots has seen me add kilos every week on all lifts for a month or so.

Also did some prowler pushes (sled + 40kg + my wife!) and rope climbing (without using legs - not as hard as I expected).

[mondeoman]

Thursday was a 40 min intgervals row, 10 mins easy then 2 mins on, 2 mins off x 5, then 10 mins easy. Timed out at 35 mins and 8k due to late start and dinner date
Friday rinse and repeat, but 30 mins only, managed 7k
Nothing on Saturday
8.5m easy run this morning
1.8m easy run this evening.

Legs are stiffening up nicely....

[mcelliott]

Halb said:

How often do you bench?

As often as possible. Anything that involves lying or sitting down

So yesterday 120km on the bike, and then to the gym in the evening. Light and pumpy, nothing too ghey though. Then this morning, 2 hour recovery ride on the road, all my turbo work is definitely paying dividends on the road, even though I haven't put a full bore effort on the road though. Feeling super strong.

Back to the gym tonight, nothing major to report.

[ORD]

Sorry for the off topic question, but what do you all think about barbell benchpressing? I read so many articles in which people suggest that it's catastrophic for your shoulders, but I've never had the slightest problem from it. Do you guys rotate between barbell and dumbells to keep volume down?

[chris watton]

ORD said:

Sorry for the off topic question, but what do you all think about barbell benchpressing? I read so many articles in which people suggest that it's catastrophic for your shoulders, but I've never had the slightest problem from it. Do you guys rotate between barbell and dumbells to keep volume down?

AFAIAC, BB Bench is one of the main compounds that should always be included in a routine, as it is a good upper body exercise and you can use more weight than any other (I think, for the upper body). I have been doing them since day 1 and never had any problems with my shoulders. Even when I damaged my RC, I could still Bench with little difficulty, even when O/H Press was strictly off the menu..

[TheBALDpuma]

chris watton said:

ORD said:

Sorry for the off topic question, but what do you all think about barbell benchpressing? I read so many articles in which people suggest that it's catastrophic for your shoulders, but I've never had the slightest problem from it. Do you guys rotate between barbell and dumbells to keep volume down?

AFAIAC, BB Bench is one of the main compounds that should always be included in a routine, as it is a good upper body exercise and you can use more weight than any other (I think, for the upper body). I have been doing them since day 1 and never had any problems with my shoulders. Even when I damaged my RC, I could still Bench with little difficulty, even when O/H Press was strictly off the menu..

Barbell bench pressing is fine. "Articles" like "5 exercises you should never do in a gym" or, "10 reasons why you should do dumbbell rather than barbell bench press" are just nonsense.

I'm a powerlifter so spend a lot of time with a lot of people who bench a lot. I honestly can't think of any of them complaining on shoulder pain from benching. Elbow pain is more common, but is usually there because of low bar squatting.

[chris watton]

TheBALDpuma said:

Barbell bench pressing is fine. "Articles" like "5 exercises you should never do in a gym" or, "10 reasons why you should do dumbbell rather than barbell bench press" are just nonsense.

I'm a powerlifter so spend a lot of time with a lot of people who bench a lot. I honestly can't think of any of them complaining on shoulder pain from benching. Elbow pain is more common, but is usually there because of low bar squatting.

I would have thought that DB bench would be more precarious once you start shifting heavier weight due to the manoeuvring involved when getting into position and putting them down when finished?

[ORD]

Thanks. That's reassuring. I agree re dumbells. I really don't like getting in position with anything I cannot press for 10 or more reps, which makes it pointless as a strength exercise.

[didelydoo]

Over the weekend>

Bench: up to 160kg paused
Dips: 22x +40kg

Quick session to gauge where I'm at as I've not benched for months. Pleasantly surprised, easy and felt really good! Did some sprints later in the day.

This morning>

Deadlift: 200kg x 10
Chins: 7x +30kg
Inverted rows: BW reps
Hammer curls: 20's

Good session. Deads felt great, and that never happens. Will add 5kg a week and aim for 10, like wise for squats, and see where that takes me. (vids here: www.instagram.com/suprbot )

I'd like bench 200, squat 300+ and dead 300+ this year, and get 160kg OH. Will be running a 3 day split for the foreseeable.

[chris watton]

didelydoo said:

Over the weekend>

Bench: up to 160kg paused
Dips: 22x +40kg

Quick session to gauge where I'm at as I've not benched for months. Pleasantly surprised, easy and felt really good! Did some sprints later in the day.

This morning>

Deadlift: 200kg x 10
Chins: 7x +30kg
Inverted rows: BW reps
Hammer curls: 20's

Good session. Deads felt great, and that never happens. Will add 5kg a week and aim for 10, like wise for squats, and see where that takes me. (vids here: www.instagram.com/suprbot )

I'd like bench 200, squat 300+ and dead 300+ this year, and get 160kg OH. Will be running a 3 day split for the foreseeable.

Fantastic work as always.

Do you think that a twice weekly three day split is the best for a proper volume full body workout? I note that a lot of 2 day splits usually sacrifice a few leg and other lower body exercises in favour of the upper body. But a three day split allows for two full workouts per week for legs/lower body.

[didelydoo]

chris watton said:

Fantastic work as always.

Do you think that a twice weekly three day split is the best for a proper volume full body workout? I note that a lot of 2 day splits usually sacrifice a few leg and other lower body exercises in favour of the upper body. But a three day split allows for two full workouts per week for legs/lower body.

It's very subjective, I like volume, because I like training- but it's not always the best.


Now I'll not be doing much volume and doing mon pull/wed push/Fri legs split.

Monday will be deads, rows, chins, curls- 1 working set of each
Wed will be Bench, dips, Push press- 1 working set each
Friday will be Squat, Pause squat & GHR, Ab rollouts- 1 working set of each.

High intensity, low volume, low frequency. Lots of recovery time to grow, so i'll se how it goes. Looking back over my training, I've noticed my strength & size has gone up best when I've gone all out on 1 set, once a week, on things like squats, deads and pressing. So that's what I plan on doing.

I'll do sprints twice a week too as I want to get fitter- i'm leanish at 103kg right now, but want to be a bit more conditioned/explosive.

I've never really gone as low as a 3 day split before, so it'll be interesting to see how it pans out.