The official gym & weightlifting thread! rep #2

[i_got_a_mohawk]

For example, I am no longer doing a linear program on the Press - I have failed enough times, so I am pursuing a "linear conjugate method" - training other assistance exercises for a period of 4 weeks or so, and then returning to the press. My deadlift, squat, and power cleans have yet to fail. Depending on how rigorously you follow it, it could be a few months or a year. A good rule of thumb is if you have to reset the weights twice or more, without additional linear progress.

I got 315 for 3 sets of 5 on the squat today (belt only)! What a great day to be alive.

I found that my tri's were becoming my main problem for the press. So do some extra tricep work at the end of my main lifts.

Ever considered micro-plates? The trouble with the press, is being a lighter lift, the smaller plates in a gym are a larger percentage increase.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

There are other programs out there - Wendler's 5/3/1 is pretty popular for strength training. Of course, there are always bodybuilding splits, which will get you stronger as well, but focus mostly on muscle growth and isolation of muscle groups.

5/3/1 is a good split too, but not as good for beginners IMO. Certainly the next approach I'm going to take

I've used pyramids in the past, but a larger rep range 10/8/8/6/4 (first few work more as warm ups)

 

[jp58]

Awww I wanna do something besides SS!

/harumphs

In all seriousness, how long did you guys do SS before switching? I've heard anywhere from 3 months to a year.

I've been on it for between 2.5 and 3 months. Pretty much everything that was said in defense of the program is true as it is pretty much weight room 101. Plus, because it is compound exercise based (Deadlift/Squat/Bench), it does a bunch of secondary things in your body to help out a younger or beginning lifter.

5/3/1 is a good split too, but not as good for beginners IMO. Certainly the next approach I'm going to take

I've used pyramids in the past, but a larger rep range 10/8/8/6/4 (first few work more as warm ups)

Pyramids? Looks like I'm off to google.

I had an okay day in the weight room.

2 x 5 Squats @ 185
3 x 5 Bench @ 225
2 x 5 Deadlifts (I forgot what I had on the bar, whoops)

Another good bit about SS is that it is a relatively quick program. You and your buddy can just put the weight on, swap spots a few times, then rotate to the next exercise.

 

[Fassa Albrecht]

Quick question for the thread: I've been lifting weights and hitting the gym for some time now (a good 10mnth or so) and yet I'm having a huge problem tightening up around the stomach and belly area. Has anyone got any suggestions for anything I could try to get rid of it?

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Quick question for the thread: I've been lifting weights and hitting the gym for some time now (a good 10mnth or so) and yet I'm having a huge problem tightening up around the stomach and belly area. Has anyone got any suggestions for anything I could try to get rid of it?

Change your diet. If the problem is loose skin, you may need cosmetic surgery.

 

[iamlowsound]

Quick question for the thread: I've been lifting weights and hitting the gym for some time now (a good 10mnth or so) and yet I'm having a huge problem tightening up around the stomach and belly area. Has anyone got any suggestions for anything I could try to get rid of it?

More time in the cardio room and less in the weight room. Make every calorie count.

lowsound

 

[bassman03]

5/3/1 is a good split too, but not as good for beginners IMO. Certainly the next approach I'm going to take

I've used pyramids in the past, but a larger rep range 10/8/8/6/4 (first few work more as warm ups)

The winter and summer before football my senior year we used that pyramid scheme for bench, squat and maybe cleans. Started at 12/10/10/8 (with a 20 set of body weight squat or pushups first) and throughout the summer worked down to 6/4/4/2. I've never made as good of gains in a given time period as those 7 or 8 months.

 

[Chebass88]

Change your diet. If the problem is loose skin, you may need cosmetic surgery.

+1. Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Quick question for the thread: I've been lifting weights and hitting the gym for some time now (a good 10mnth or so) and yet I'm having a huge problem tightening up around the stomach and belly area. Has anyone got any suggestions for anything I could try to get rid of it?

You'll be wanting a bf% of 10-15% (for women IIRC) to have a flat stomach/starting to show definition. As everyone else has pointed out, it's a problem of diet more than anything else.

 

[CrispyDelicious]

What do you not like about SS? You could always mix it up a bit.

But, you did say on the last page that you were wanting to make gains. You'll struggle to find any other programs that'll get you bigger gains as quickly as SS (or similar 3x5 or 5x5, squat based programs).

What are your stats looking like these days? Height/Weight/Age/Squads/Deads/Bench/Press?

Heh, well my only complaint about SS is that I only get to lift 3 days a week. I'm seriously addicted to it. I just want a reason to lift 4-5 times a week. I'm sure most of this is due to my frustration with my progress (since I've been cutting since I started lifting in April, so no gains, just fat loss so far). But still, I just want a reason to go and lift weights and increase my lifts more often.

My stats are LOLtastic - I clearly have a long way to go before leaving SS.

6', 197lbs - lifting about 7 weeks

Deadlift - 245lbs 1x5
Squat - 150 3x5
Bench - 110 3x5
Press - 75?(forget at the moment) 3x5

I also do a few other exercises - rows, chins, weighted hypers and decline situps, and dips.

I figure once my cut ends (which will be years from now it feels like) I'll bulk and aim to get all those lift up at least another 70lbs or so before I will start looking at switching to a routine aimed more at hypertrophy. I like strength training, but I wont deny I got into it to look good.

I can't believe I had my head in the sand about sedentary living for so long. Desk job + video games = weak and fat D:

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Don't diss your own lifts dude, it just takes time, patience and sticking to it!

How much of a cut are you on, as 197lbs doesn't seem too bad for 6 foot? (my lean weight is about 200lbs, but im over 70lbs heavier than you! (that is sedentary living!).

I know what you mean about wanting to hit the gym more often, but that can actually cause more damage than good. Your body needs time to recover and rebuild muscle.

 

[CrispyDelicious]

I'm actually pretty satisfied with the way I look, except that I have a few inches of belly fat that are very, very.... very! slowly disappearing. I figure I have a good 10-15 pounds of fat left to drop. I'm not fond of the super-ripped look, so I don't see myself aiming for less than 12 or 13% bodyfat anyway. I'm cutting at about 1500 cals/day which has me dropping just over a pound per week. I'd like to cut more but I would lose my mind if I ate less.

Oh pizza and pints, how I miss thee

/brb steaming more broccoli

 

[TJ55]

Heh, well my only complaint about SS is that I only get to lift 3 days a week. I'm seriously addicted to it. I just want a reason to lift 4-5 times a week. I'm sure most of this is due to my frustration with my progress (since I've been cutting since I started lifting in April, so no gains, just fat loss so far). But still, I just want a reason to go and lift weights and increase my lifts more often.

My stats are LOLtastic - I clearly have a long way to go before leaving SS.

6', 197lbs - lifting about 7 weeks

Deadlift - 245lbs 1x5
Squat - 150 3x5
Bench - 110 3x5
Press - 75?(forget at the moment) 3x5

I also do a few other exercises - rows, chins, weighted hypers and decline situps, and dips.

I figure once my cut ends (which will be years from now it feels like) I'll bulk and aim to get all those lift up at least another 70lbs or so before I will start looking at switching to a routine aimed more at hypertrophy. I like strength training, but I wont deny I got into it to look good.

I can't believe I had my head in the sand about sedentary living for so long. Desk job + video games = weak and fat D:

If you're trying to drop fat you're obviously eating at a deficit which makes it VERY hard to make big jumps in strength. Not to worry, that's just the way it is. If you get caught up in two opposing goals (adding strength & cutting fat) you'll drive yourself crazy getting nowhere fast.

Concentrate on maintaining the strength you have and if you want to hit the gym more than 3 times a week mix in some cardion work whenever you want. Low intensity Steady State, High Intensity Intervals, whatever you want to do to get in the number of workouts you want.

SS is obviously a strength based program but you CAN cut with it as long as you know what expect. Lift for strength and eat for goals.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

+1

I've done SS on a cut before, just means keeping the lifts the same for a few weeks/months.

Have you considered any sports? I play rugby union, off season now, but training was tuesday and thursdays, games on saturdays. That, with SS (mon/wed/fri), really hammered me (seeing Union is lots of cardio, strength and power!).

 

[Lucky Strike]

Can anyone explain why taking nitric oxide makes you dump like a truck in minutes?

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Couldn't tell you, never tried it.

Was meant to hit the gym on Wednesday, but work has been pretty mental (8 til 8). And while I think the tendon in my groin/quads has settled down, my hip is still killing me. I can barely walk in the mornings. Think I really need to get that checked (pre-season rugby training starts at the end of the month too, don't want to miss that!)

 

[boynamedsuse]

Can anyone explain why taking nitric oxide makes you dump like a truck in minutes?

Brand? Taking it as recommended on the label?

For the record, I use N.O.-XPLODE (BSN) and have had zero issues (that I can discern).

 

[TJ55]

I just picked up The New Rules of Lifting for Abs. (I can't believe they went w/ that lame ass title) The other NROL books have been good so I am betting this one is pretty solid too. Anybody have any experience with it?

 

[Lucky Strike]

Brand? Taking it as recommended on the label?

Its a new one called Noxipro. I used to use Super Pump 250 which I now refer to as Super Dump 250. Because that bad boy made me dump too. I have tried NO Explode once and cant really remember how it did. But from what I have heard from others, NO Explode also goes by the name Anal-Explode!

Anyway, of all the people I have talked to that use Nitric Oxide supplements, they all claim to have pretty similar experiences with the potty-like experiences. Must be something to do with the blood vessel dilation from the arginine?

 

[macaroni tony]

Lucky Strike, does your username have anything to do with the bowling alley?