ive been having slightly very mildly dodgy back + knees recently, i noticed, it was a little worrying
i realised i must have been having my feet too far apart in squat a few sessions, which would have caused it for me. i was having tiny twinges of pain and it didnt happen when i made my feet closer.
as for the back, i hit heavy deadlifts at last (100kg) and done 5-6-5. afterwards my back has felt a bit dodgy. when i tried squat today my back felt realllly dodgy and i stopped after first set. i will switch to just 1 set of deadlifts from now on, hopefully this is just a sign that the previous volume is too much for me now and that i need to recover a bit more
lastly, my flexibility has decreased to nothingness again and i have written up and printed out the stuff on this link (tnx to OP) , adding in my 3rd world squat stretches. i pinned it on my wall. i am going to take it super seriously from now on, i realised that since i am not making/saving any money whilst working 6 days a week (minimum wage..) , the only other thing in my life that should be progressing is this, and i should not be wasting any time with "pleasure" activities (sitting on computer) whatsoever. absolutely nothing in my life is progressing otherwise -_-
usual weekly story of trying to increase my resolve gym session was shit, struggled with 40kg press so quit early , tho realised my elbows should be pointing at the wall so thats a plus
On March 18 2012 05:30 FFGenerations wrote: i hope that was a joke. a) dumping after failure or any other time is potentially going to injure yourself...or someone else b) you'll get kicked out of your gym c) you need to be spotted on bench press because the energy expended to lift-off from the rack by yourself severely rapes your pressing ability d) people suggest that you should never or infrequently go to failure because it fucks your nervous system/recovery
Dumping after failure isn't a big deal, but it's not something you want to be forced into often. Rule of thumb is if you're not positive you'll get the set, just ask for a spot - it's probably going to help you in the long run, anyway because you're not going to stop on a rep you potentially could have had. And if you get kicked out of your gym for dumping a weight that's crushing you, you're at a pretty crappy gym anyway. Going to failure (and doing it often) can really wear you out, or lead to injuries that's true - but having a spotter doesn't necessarily change how often you're doing that.
Just don't bench too often - you should be doing back exercises at LEAST as often as you do bench, and preferably more often, especially if you're already lagging behind on back.
Well I'm still relatively new at heavy lifting so I think I have a buffer in recovery compared to the advanced lifter. I don't gp to failure every time, maybe once a week, and I bench three times a week. Doing big three though, which means I also squat and deadlift three times a week. So far it's working out. I usually get more exhausted from the squats than the bench.
I work out early in the morning, so spotters aren't really readily available (obviously I'm also not risking injury to anyone else because nobody else is around). And asking a complete stranger to pause what he's doing to help me isn't really in my world. As for the unracking, I've found simply lying further in on the bench solves this pretty well, don't see why you should unrack the bar to more than a couple centimeters from the rack.
People also suggest you should give your first set 100%. Maybe not all the time, but doing less should be the exception. I really don't think I could be hurting my CNS at my level anyway.
Oh, and obviously I'm not doing another rep if I don't feel strong, if I don't feel like I can do it. When I go to failure I usually just barely miss it. And at the moment, with only 75kg on the bar, it's not hard to lean the bar sideways to dump.
You bench three times a week? How often do you row, clean, or do chinups/pullups? It's not about whether it's taking a lot out of you to bench 3x/week, it's about the imbalance in your muscles and the tight chest that you're creating, which is likely going to lead to shoulder problems in the future. The shoulder is very delicate, and you need to keep it balanced if lifting is something you're planning to do long term.
Everyone who hangs around the gym long enough is going to get asked for a spot, it takes almost no time (hell, it's usually done during the rest between sets anyway) and it's a mutual courtesy - you're not putting anyone out to do it, but if someone comes up to you while you're resting you should probably help them out as well. It's just one of the nice advantages to not working out at a home gym. As far as unracking - Gotunk said it. It takes a lot of energy, it stresses your shoulders, and because it's a completely different motion from the actual bench press itself, it can ruin your set up on the bench (shoulder blades slipping out, losing back arch, elbow flare, etc. etc.) It takes more work than it's worth to unrack the weight yourself, especially if it's heavy enough that we're talking about failure.
The last paragraph is what I'm talking about though with spotters helping you in the long run. They're that confidence boost you might need to break through a plateau, to get the fifth rep on a set that's been bugging you for a while. You'll give yourself a fairer estimation rather than being conservative with your strength because you don't want to get crushed by the bar.
On March 19 2012 01:16 Sneakyz wrote: Aww yeah fuck you Coan/Phillipi! Week 8 complete, 2x190kg deadlift and all the other circuit shizzle.
200kg gonna be ezpznpnp.
Grats! What max did you start out with? I want to give Coan/Phillipi a try sometime, but I'll save it for after my summer cut .
I had pulled 2x180kg about 1.5 months before I started but I don't think I deadlifted once inbetween so it was probably quite a bit lower when I actually started. I programmed for a 180kg max and a 200kg goal, so I would have a pretty good chance to actually finish the program . I've heard some guys increase it by up to 50kg though.
Will probably run it again in a few months, along with some bench program. Alternating between Layne Norton style bodybuilding stuff and powerlifting stuff every few months is my plan for now .
On March 18 2012 05:30 FFGenerations wrote: i hope that was a joke. a) dumping after failure or any other time is potentially going to injure yourself...or someone else b) you'll get kicked out of your gym c) you need to be spotted on bench press because the energy expended to lift-off from the rack by yourself severely rapes your pressing ability d) people suggest that you should never or infrequently go to failure because it fucks your nervous system/recovery
Dumping after failure isn't a big deal, but it's not something you want to be forced into often. Rule of thumb is if you're not positive you'll get the set, just ask for a spot - it's probably going to help you in the long run, anyway because you're not going to stop on a rep you potentially could have had. And if you get kicked out of your gym for dumping a weight that's crushing you, you're at a pretty crappy gym anyway. Going to failure (and doing it often) can really wear you out, or lead to injuries that's true - but having a spotter doesn't necessarily change how often you're doing that.
Just don't bench too often - you should be doing back exercises at LEAST as often as you do bench, and preferably more often, especially if you're already lagging behind on back.
Well I'm still relatively new at heavy lifting so I think I have a buffer in recovery compared to the advanced lifter. I don't gp to failure every time, maybe once a week, and I bench three times a week. Doing big three though, which means I also squat and deadlift three times a week. So far it's working out. I usually get more exhausted from the squats than the bench.
I work out early in the morning, so spotters aren't really readily available (obviously I'm also not risking injury to anyone else because nobody else is around). And asking a complete stranger to pause what he's doing to help me isn't really in my world. As for the unracking, I've found simply lying further in on the bench solves this pretty well, don't see why you should unrack the bar to more than a couple centimeters from the rack.
People also suggest you should give your first set 100%. Maybe not all the time, but doing less should be the exception. I really don't think I could be hurting my CNS at my level anyway.
Oh, and obviously I'm not doing another rep if I don't feel strong, if I don't feel like I can do it. When I go to failure I usually just barely miss it. And at the moment, with only 75kg on the bar, it's not hard to lean the bar sideways to dump.
You bench three times a week? How often do you row, clean, or do chinups/pullups? It's not about whether it's taking a lot out of you to bench 3x/week, it's about the imbalance in your muscles and the tight chest that you're creating, which is likely going to lead to shoulder problems in the future. The shoulder is very delicate, and you need to keep it balanced if lifting is something you're planning to do long term.
Everyone who hangs around the gym long enough is going to get asked for a spot, it takes almost no time (hell, it's usually done during the rest between sets anyway) and it's a mutual courtesy - you're not putting anyone out to do it, but if someone comes up to you while you're resting you should probably help them out as well. It's just one of the nice advantages to not working out at a home gym. As far as unracking - Gotunk said it. It takes a lot of energy, it stresses your shoulders, and because it's a completely different motion from the actual bench press itself, it can ruin your set up on the bench (shoulder blades slipping out, losing back arch, elbow flare, etc. etc.) It takes more work than it's worth to unrack the weight yourself, especially if it's heavy enough that we're talking about failure.
The last paragraph is what I'm talking about though with spotters helping you in the long run. They're that confidence boost you might need to break through a plateau, to get the fifth rep on a set that's been bugging you for a while. You'll give yourself a fairer estimation rather than being conservative with your strength because you don't want to get crushed by the bar.
Hmm well if it's that important I might have to look into getting myself a new gym. Current one is typical yuppie-tv-shop deal, I doubt anyone even knows what it means to spot. It's worked for me so far... But I want to improve. I've taken an interest. Might even check out the powerlifting championship that's happening here in Stockholm this summer.
Like I've said, I'm currently doing Big Three, just trying to get my technique and my gains progressing as well as I can in the three main lifts. Squats and deadlifts should counteract the chest-focus of bench. Mostly.
I'm also on a cut for aesthetic reasons, so it's mostly just technique. I'll bulk in the fall. I want to do oly lifts, but current gym is simply not equipped for it. Gonna go back to my split in the fall so that I can start doing chins/rows etc again as well. Looking forward to it.
Cant wait to squat 200+ this saturday. I'm gonna try 187.5, 202.5 and 210. I also wanna cut after that (3-5kg) and work on my deadlift. Later I can do smolov again .
I'm torn between doing ed coan or power to the people. Prolly the latter.
I'm sad uni parties are over Edit: Yesterday was fucking awesome. I will upload few pics/cliffs when I get them :p. I'd say among the best days I've ever had
Me, I had a pretty shitty session today. Woke up with backpains so I decided to just work on form. Did a few squats at 80%, got pissed off at how inable I was to keep a straight back without shoving my knees forward. Also got really, really tired. Did some benching, decided my back just wasn't up for deadlifts and left.
Question is, how do you tell the difference between when your body needs a break vs when you're just being a pussy?
On March 19 2012 21:05 Osmoses wrote: Nice job Zafrumi!
Me, I had a pretty shitty session today. Woke up with backpains so I decided to just work on form. Did a few squats at 80%, got pissed off at how inable I was to keep a straight back without shoving my knees forward. Also got really, really tired. Did some benching, decided my back just wasn't up for deadlifts and left.
Question is, how do you tell the difference between when your body needs a break vs when you're just being a pussy?
In general, I believe every training that you decide to cancel because you "just don't feel good" is being a pussy. There is no benefit in my mind for missing workouts, you can always do lighter work, less volume or whatever. But when these bad days are getting more frequent, (i.e. every third workout or so is shitty), then probably your body is trying to tell you something. So in case enough food and enough rest is present, maybe then it is time to change something or take a break. But on a day to day basis, not going is simply lazyness. You can very well have good sessions when you feel horrible, it doesn't happen often, but it happens. Your body is very capable of lying to you.
On March 19 2012 21:05 Osmoses wrote: Nice job Zafrumi!
Me, I had a pretty shitty session today. Woke up with backpains so I decided to just work on form. Did a few squats at 80%, got pissed off at how inable I was to keep a straight back without shoving my knees forward. Also got really, really tired. Did some benching, decided my back just wasn't up for deadlifts and left.
Question is, how do you tell the difference between when your body needs a break vs when you're just being a pussy?
In general, I believe every training that you decide to cancel because you "just don't feel good" is being a pussy. There is no benefit in my mind for missing workouts, you can always do lighter work, less volume or whatever. But when these bad days are getting more frequent, (i.e. every third workout or so is shitty), then probably your body is trying to tell you something. So in case enough food and enough rest is present, maybe then it is time to change something or take a break. But on a day to day basis, not going is simply lazyness. You can very well have good sessions when you feel horrible, it doesn't happen often, but it happens. Your body is very capable of lying to you.
On March 19 2012 20:59 Malinor wrote: Really awesome Zafrumi! At what bodyweight?
thanks weighed in at 87kg this morning
On March 19 2012 21:01 Sneakyz wrote: Aww yee ezpz congrats man! Not too grindy either^^. Are you gonna shoot for 210 week 11 or end on 200?
cheers! I think i'm gonna go for 205 and then maybe 210 next monday. when is your 200kg attempt?
On March 19 2012 21:05 Osmoses wrote: Nice job Zafrumi!
Me, I had a pretty shitty session today. Woke up with backpains so I decided to just work on form. Did a few squats at 80%, got pissed off at how inable I was to keep a straight back without shoving my knees forward. Also got really, really tired. Did some benching, decided my back just wasn't up for deadlifts and left.
Question is, how do you tell the difference between when your body needs a break vs when you're just being a pussy?
thanks man ^^ imo if your mind is not in the right place then it might be best to just call it a day.
On March 19 2012 21:31 Deadeight wrote: Hadn't realised my speaker were high and got a massive BOOM! at the end. Only made it more impressive though. Well done Zafrumi.
On March 19 2012 21:05 Osmoses wrote: Nice job Zafrumi!
Me, I had a pretty shitty session today. Woke up with backpains so I decided to just work on form. Did a few squats at 80%, got pissed off at how inable I was to keep a straight back without shoving my knees forward. Also got really, really tired. Did some benching, decided my back just wasn't up for deadlifts and left.
Question is, how do you tell the difference between when your body needs a break vs when you're just being a pussy?
In general, I believe every training that you decide to cancel because you "just don't feel good" is being a pussy. There is no benefit in my mind for missing workouts, you can always do lighter work, less volume or whatever. But when these bad days are getting more frequent, (i.e. every third workout or so is shitty), then probably your body is trying to tell you something. So in case enough food and enough rest is present, maybe then it is time to change something or take a break. But on a day to day basis, not going is simply lazyness. You can very well have good sessions when you feel horrible, it doesn't happen often, but it happens. Your body is very capable of lying to you.
good post, tho i think if you can say that the reason is a lack of recovery (less sleep less food or less food quality or over-exertion in a prior workout/week) - which you usssually can if you think abt it - then it might be better to go home early, catch up on recovery, and come back the next day, rather than go thru a low-weight workout and continue to fuck yourself
either way ur still a pussy for fucking up somehow so dont worry about that!
edit: i think 10 hours sleep a day is not enough anyway
On March 19 2012 21:05 Osmoses wrote: Nice job Zafrumi!
Me, I had a pretty shitty session today. Woke up with backpains so I decided to just work on form. Did a few squats at 80%, got pissed off at how inable I was to keep a straight back without shoving my knees forward. Also got really, really tired. Did some benching, decided my back just wasn't up for deadlifts and left.
Question is, how do you tell the difference between when your body needs a break vs when you're just being a pussy?
In general, I believe every training that you decide to cancel because you "just don't feel good" is being a pussy. There is no benefit in my mind for missing workouts, you can always do lighter work, less volume or whatever. But when these bad days are getting more frequent, (i.e. every third workout or so is shitty), then probably your body is trying to tell you something. So in case enough food and enough rest is present, maybe then it is time to change something or take a break. But on a day to day basis, not going is simply lazyness. You can very well have good sessions when you feel horrible, it doesn't happen often, but it happens. Your body is very capable of lying to you.
What if enough food is not present?
Then you simply cannot know. If you have several variables which could be a factor, you just cannot tell. Welcome in my world -.- I am eating at least 1000kcal below maintenance every day since 9 months, I am getting weaker every month, and really don't know how effective my strength programming is. I have basically abandoned every serious strength goal until I can eat normally again, especially recovery is always a nightmare. But what you gonna do, train only 2x a week? I guess that works when you have to force yourself to working out, but for me it is basically a lifestyle decision, and if I don't train I get depressed to no end and start stuffing myself with crap. What often is proposed from various forums and coaches is cut volume but keep intensity high while you are cutting weight. I just take my motivation in Chin-Up and Dips-progression, learning all those bad ass Jump Rope skills, and only needing less than 40minutes for a distance I needed 49minutes half a year ago. Needless to say, having fun running makes squats and deadlifts even worse, a downward spiral, really. As long as weight goes down, at least for me it is worth it though.
Well, that was a bit of a rant, but long story short, not eating enough and strength training are two things that really do not go well together at all and if you are in doubt about several variables of your training, you can never know why you feel like crap/ don't make progress. Only change one thing at a time and see what happens is the smartest thing to do, but takes a lot of patience
So frustrating, squats is the only movement still giving me trouble. Stance wide, feet out, look down, elbows back, chest up, ass out, hip drive, squeeze core, it's really difficult to remember to do it all at once. I don't want to be the guy who's ego breaks him, but lowering the weight until I get proper form... hurts my ego.
EPT
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