Anyone here bench, lift weights, etc?

[soliloquy]

be careful on the arnold forms though.
he may have been MASSIVE, and was lifting far more than what normally people are lifting these days, but if you look at some of his old pictures, you'd see the weirdest forms ever.
when lifting on his biceps using a barbell, he would arch his back completely, for example.

however, reading up on it, you'd see reviewers saying that 'if you lifted that much, then you were forgiven'.

so you may take arnolds workouts as a guide, but dont take his form.

 

[TheBigGroove]

be careful on the arnold forms though.
he may have been MASSIVE, and was lifting far more than what normally people are lifting these days, but if you look at some of his old pictures, you'd see the weirdest forms ever.
when lifting on his biceps using a barbell, he would arch his back completely, for example.

While you do have a very good point for 'normal' folks, when you're a body builder lifting huge amounts of weight (tears into the muscle more and thus makes it bigger) during your bulking phase, you can cheat on the way up and really work the negative. I see this a LOT with biceps for body builders. They get the bar going with their body weight on the way up then let it down slowly. As I said in an earlier post, you really only tear into the muscle fibers on the negative (when you're letting the bar back down). So he is arching his back just to get the weight up there so he can let it down and do the more essential part of the workout in terms of body building and getting huge biceps. HOWEVER! if you're not a body builder who has a good amount of experience lifting and a good amount of muscle in your back, core, legs and everything else to keep yourself from getting hurt, you wouldn't really ever want to do this...it would just hurt you before it did any bit of good. Hope that made some kind of sense.

 

[SomeGuy97]

Something that I didn't see yet (although I may be blind ) is a warm up; I believe that warming up is as important, if not more so, than exercising in the first place.

Take a rubber band, brand new; if you try and stretch it far, it'll snap. Why? Because it's tight. Take a rubber band that has been worn in a bit, and you'll be able to stretch it a lot further because it is looser.

That rubber band is your muscle; when it's "cold", it's like a brand new rubber band. After a warm up, your muscles are more like that good, dependable, worn-in rubber band, full of elasticity.

Do a simple warm up so that your muscles are straining as much, even if that warm up simply involves moving your arms and legs around for a couple minutes, or doing a light weight set.

Thanks professor. Since you're wrong about this too, you can choose to ignore it as well.

For those not quite up to date with the advances in our knowledge of stretching, here's the short version.

• Stretching, regardless of form, does not reduce muscle soreness.
• Static stretching, whether before or after exercise, does not prevent and, in excess, may even cause performance injuries.
• Static stretching of a muscle before exercise decreases its subsequent performance.
• Static stretching does not increase strength or muscle gains from resistance training.

To understand why, first look at what happens when you stretch a muscle. Broadly speaking, there are three mechanisms by which range of motion, passive or active, can be increased:
Viscoelasticity increases. Simply put, the more elastic a muscle, the more it can be stretched out. However, viscoelasticity isn't the same as elasticity, and for this reason muscles are not at all like rubber bands, as often stated.
"Like solid materials, they demonstrate elasticity by resuming their original length once tensile force is removed. Yet, like liquids, they also behave viscously because their response to tensile force is rate and time dependent" (Weppler & Magnusson, 2010).
Neural stretch tolerance increases. The more permissive the nervous system, the greater the ROM it allows the muscle-tendon structures to reach. There are several neural mechanisms, like agonist reflex activation, that contribute to the increased extensibility, but let's use neural stretch tolerance as a catch-all term for all neural processes here.
Muscle length increases. The longer a muscle, the longer its ROM. As such, increases in ROM can be due to any of these factors. The assumption of most stretching programs is that muscle length increases. However, this is based on outdated and methodologically flawed research with improper use of terminology.
The following is what really happens to the above properties when you stretch a muscle:
Viscoelasticity may increase after hard stretching, as in over two minutes, but this is only temporary.
Depending on the amount of stretching, viscoelasticity returns to baseline within about 10 minutes after two minutes of stretching; or 20 minutes after 4-8 minutes of stretching; or an hour after some seriously hardcore yoga.
Stretch tolerance increases.
As this is neural learning, like memorizing words, this is a more permanent adaptation. However, the increased stretch tolerance is lost over time and can be reinforced by repetition, much like words are gradually lost from memory and reinforced by repetition.
Muscle (and tendon) length stay exactly the same.

When you stretch a muscle, no permanent structural adaptations take place. All you do with most stretching programs is teach the nervous system that it's okay to relax the muscle a bit more when stretched.
Most of the neural adaptation actually is an increase in pain tolerance. Any increases in range of motion still present the day after the stretching are due to purely neural adaptations.
Let me emphasize for effect: You can't increase a muscle's length by stretching it.
This, of course, has far reaching implications for the use of stretching in flexibility training, warming up, and postural correction.


Based on the findings listed in the introduction, static stretching before your training sessions is a very bad idea. Dynamic stretching is also unnecessary, though some of the most effective warm-up drills are dynamic stretches.
According to the specificity principle, you should remember what it is you're preparing your body for during the warm-up. Activate the muscles that need activating, do a few compound dynamic stretching drills, and start on your main movement. Sometimes it's enough to just do the warm-up sets of the movement you're preparing for.
Whatever you do, you should normally be done with it in less than five minutes. Warm-ups are overrated, and the empirical evidence that extensive warm-ups enhance performance or decrease injuries is weak. Furthermore, evolutionarily speaking, it just wouldn't make sense if humans needed long warm-ups.

 

[sverrejk]

Yes I'm lifting weights! My record is 90kg in bench press.. not that much I think but I always progress so i'm going to try to reach one time at 100kg before this semester is over!

High-intensity training is recommended if you've been lifting for half a year, you will need a spotter though but it helped me out A LOT. I went from 5 rep on 75kg on a GOOD DAY benching. To 8 reps on 80kg, when I followed a 3 week HIT(high intensity training) program!

I think it's called mayo-reps(don't know what its called in English really )

But the main concept is;
Pick a weight you can barely do 12 or 15 repetitions on
20 second break, then you lift 3 times(this is heavy as hell though)
20 seconds break, lift 3 times
20 seconds break, lift 3 times
20 seconds break, lift 3 times

You need a spotter because it should be impossible to do the last 2 sets without help. What this type of exercise does, is that you activate almost all the muscle fibers compared to "normal" exercise where you take 6-10reps on each set with a minute+\- break.

I did this for 3 weeks, and now I'm exercising "normally" for 3 weeks before I start with the HIT for 3 weeks, so I go in a 3week cycle with this until I'm happy with my muscles! If that day ever comes I guess I'll exercise around 2 times a week just to keep in shape!

 

[USMarine75]

^ that's phenomenal! Wait, what's this kg you speak of?

Start lifting pounds then we can talk.

 

[TheBigGroove]

I think it's called mayo-reps(don't know what its called in English really )

But the main concept is;
Pick a weight you can barely do 12 or 15 repetitions on
20 second break, then you lift 3 times(this is heavy as hell though)
20 seconds break, lift 3 times
20 seconds break, lift 3 times
20 seconds break, lift 3 times

This is a solid workout....but for maximum strength/bulk gains you would, IMO need more rest between sets and try a different approach like this:

BENCH
-set 1 = warmup at about 15-20 reps at roughly 60% max
-set 2 = first workout set at 8 repetitions (the 8th rep needing assistance or a forced repetition)
-set 3 = add a 5 lb plate to each side and do 6 reps
-set 4 = add a 5 lb plate to each side and do 4 reps
-set 5 = add a 5 lb plate to each side and do 2-3 reps with the last one really working the negative.

after this i usally go back down to my first workout weight and try to get 8 reps again, but this really is more for the cutting factor. With this workout on flat bench I'm using 60lb dumbells for my warmup, 90's for first set, 95's for second, 100's for third and sometimes 110's for the last heavy set depending on how I'm feeling.

AGAIN, I'm no expert....this is all stuff I found on the net from guys that are way sronger and muscular than I'll ever be.

 

[sverrejk]

^ that's phenomenal! Wait, what's this kg you speak of?

Start lifting pounds then we can talk.

according to google:
90 kilograms = 198.416036 pounds, but I can only endure one repetition on 90kg, I managed to take 5 today on 85kg today though!(85 kilograms = 187.392923 pounds)
edit: must be wrong? Lol..
ninjaedit: guess not, wikipedia(<3)

AGAIN, I'm no expert....this is all stuff I found on the net from guys that are way sronger and muscular than I'll ever bee.

me too, I have no education at this, but from personal experience this has helped me the most

 

[SenorDingDong]

Thanks professor. Since you're wrong about this too, you can choose to ignore it as well.

For those not quite up to date with the advances in our knowledge of stretching, here's the short version.

• Stretching, regardless of form, does not reduce muscle soreness.
• Static stretching, whether before or after exercise, does not prevent and, in excess, may even cause performance injuries.
• Static stretching of a muscle before exercise decreases its subsequent performance.
• Static stretching does not increase strength or muscle gains from resistance training.

Based on the findings listed in the introduction, static stretching before your training sessions is a very bad idea. Dynamic stretching is also unnecessary, though some of the most effective warm-up drills are dynamic stretches.
According to the specificity principle, you should remember what it is you're preparing your body for during the warm-up. Activate the muscles that need activating, do a few compound dynamic stretching drills, and start on your main movement. Sometimes it's enough to just do the warm-up sets of the movement you're preparing for.
Whatever you do, you should normally be done with it in less than five minutes. Warm-ups are overrated, and the empirical evidence that extensive warm-ups enhance performance or decrease injuries is weak. Furthermore, evolutionarily speaking, it just wouldn't make sense if humans needed long warm-ups.

Where did I say "stretch before you work out"?

I said warm up, then talked about moving around or doing a light set.


Since my post apparently wasn't clear enough, the comparison between the rubber band and your muscle was made to show that, before a warm up, your muscles are tight and at more risk for an injury when stretched.

 

[TheBigGroove]

according to google:
90 kilograms = 198.416036 pounds, but I can only endure one repetition on 90kg, I managed to take 5 today on 85kg today though!(85 kilograms = 187.392923 pounds)

Depending on your build and how long you've been lifting, this is a very respectable weight. I've been lifting for about a year now and can get 90kg 11 times. I'm 6'4, 205-210 lbs and lift for about 5-6 hours a week upper body, and 4 hours a month legs (my weekend job makes having sore legs unbearable).

But from my experience the fact that you can get 85 kg for 5 reps would realistically mean you can get 90kg more like 2-3 times....but this can have a lot to do with teaching your body how to efficiently recruit more muscle fibers than you can now. I was lucky enough to grow up doing a lot of physical labor (from wayyyyy out in the country) which is why I feel I've gotten such quick results. However, I still haven't been able to reach my goal of 315 on the bench

 

[soliloquy]

This is a solid workout....but for maximum strength/bulk gains you would, IMO need more rest between sets and try a different approach like this:

BENCH
-set 1 = warmup at about 15-20 reps at roughly 60% max
-set 2 = first workout set at 8 repetitions (the 8th rep needing assistance or a forced repetition)
-set 3 = add a 5 lb plate to each side and do 6 reps
-set 4 = add a 5 lb plate to each side and do 4 reps
-set 5 = add a 5 lb plate to each side and do 2-3 reps with the last one really working the negative.

after this i usally go back down to my first workout weight and try to get 8 reps again, but this really is more for the cutting factor. With this workout on flat bench I'm using 60lb dumbells for my warmup, 90's for first set, 95's for second, 100's for third and sometimes 110's for the last heavy set depending on how I'm feeling.

AGAIN, I'm no expert....this is all stuff I found on the net from guys that are way sronger and muscular than I'll ever be.

why not try a reverse pyramid?
as in, start off with a heavy weight that you can do 4-6 reps on, drop the weight by 5-10 lbs and try it with 5-7 reps. and keep dropping the weight till you hit 10 or however you feel?

 

[TheBigGroove]

@soliloquoy - I'll have to try it...this was just the way I learned how to maximize strength gains...it seems pro athletes either use the pyramid style workout that I described OR do AMRAP stuff with 50% of their max.

 

[Infamous Impact]

This will keep you busy for a while, written by the authority on novice strength training. I'm still on this program after 4 months.

 

[Harry]

Good time to mention that you can't exchange fat for muscle as is common belief. You can't build muscle while in a caloric deficit (i.e. losing fat) - the best you can do is maintain it.*

Sorry man, but that's just not accurate at all. That's an old bro myth.

It's entirely possible to build muscle mass using a caloric cyclical diet where one would be in a net caloric deficit over time. Periods of refeeding used to increase muscle mass despite the caloric deficit.
Bulk and cut phases are cool for guys that are on 'enhancements' or for natty guys that need to lean down to get into contest condition and are able to afford to lose a little bit of muscle.
For someone not planning to compete or not 'enhanced', a caloric cyclical diet is easily the best way to go.

 

[ihunda]

I did, for a few years, doing a 3x3 program from T-nation.com, then my wife got pregnant, I put on a lot of weight as a result and now I am trying to motivate myself to go back !

 

[Captain Shoggoth]

Sorry man, but that's just not accurate at all. That's an old bro myth.

It's entirely possible to build muscle mass using a caloric cyclical diet where one would be in a net caloric deficit over time. Periods of refeeding used to increase muscle mass despite the caloric deficit.
Bulk and cut phases are cool for guys that are on 'enhancements' or for natty guys that need to lean down to get into contest condition and are able to afford to lose a little bit of muscle.
For someone not planning to compete or not 'enhanced', a caloric cyclical diet is easily the best way to go.

This. I am simultaneously the most muscular and most lean I've ever been, I've sure as hell never done any dirty bulking, and I'm part way through a very moderate cut, but still gaining strength and muscle.

 

[Murmel]

Man, today I realized how much I fucking hate working chest. Might be becuase I have a very hard time progressing strength wise in that area (really, it takes ages compared to everything else). And my left shoulder doesn't really allow me to bench, I can barely get by with DB presses. For some reason my DB bench was super weak today.
Despite all of that, one thing I truly admire is a nice chest, so I'm just gonna stick to it.

My DL and squat on the other hand are increasing pretty good the last few weeks.

 

[fassaction]

Also get a trainer to check your form

This....and start SLOW! I always see new people in the gym. They get in there and just try to lift up the whole stack on the first set. then you never see them again.

Start with light weights until you get the motions down and feel comfortable with the lifts.

 

[Aevolve]

Might be slightly off-topic, but close-grip dumbbell bench (the one for triceps where you keep your elbows close to your body) seems to be kind-of tough on my wrists. Anyone know any tricks to help?

 

[Trypios]

Might be slightly off-topic, but close-grip dumbbell bench (the one for triceps where you keep your elbows close to your body) seems to be kind-of tough on my wrists. Anyone know any tricks to help?

Don't bend your wrist, or try other exercises like skullcrashers or cable extensions

OP: Weight lifting standards

 

[Aevolve]

Don't bend your wrist, or try other exercises like skullcrashers or cable extensions

OP: Weight lifting standards

Well in order to have the bar at my mid-chest where it needs to be, my wrists bend slightly out of necessity. My arms don't go back that far.