GOT Fitness LOG

[tasslehoff]

How are you finding it mate?

I was looking at that 5x5 strong lifts programme. But the one i looked at said start with an empty barbell, which put me off really.

I wanted to go straight for Hypertrophy (getting big but not strong) but from what I read the only way to get uber huge is to start on a strength program then flip to hypertrophy once your linear gains tail off.

Dead-lifts and Bench (for me anyway) we easy enough to get my technique down. Struggling with Squats though, they are tough to do right.

99% of people in the gym do them wrong (half or even quarter squats) and I am trying to get them spot on by going parallel.

Happy with my progression so far, it feels like a short workout to what I used to do (Body part splits) with only 3 lifts per day, but if you are at your correct weight to push yourself you are destroyed by the end.

Empty bar is key really, because they free weight lifts, unless you learn the form you really can injure yourself. You add every time you go the gym so it wont be long before your up to your working weight

 

[Baines' left foot]

Good stuff mate. I go to total fitness in Prenton, i live in Bebington so the closest one really. Its 40 a month though which is a pain.

I used to go there when I was about 17, I hardly went like but it was good. This gym in Liverpool is handy as it's free off peak entry but I've upgraded mine to anytime use for £7 a month.

£40 a month is a little pricey. The one in Heswall by mine does student rates now at £20 a month, so I can be a full time member of 2 gyms for £27 a month. Pretty good that really. Means I've got absolutely NO excuses now though!

 

[somuchfun]

If you'd only eat fitness bars, what kind of logs would one excrete?

 

[Maxwell]

Recently switched to warrior training after doing 5x5 for about 2 months, and each session i am absoloutly ****ed. love it.

 

[steken1]

I used to go there when I was about 17, I hardly went like but it was good. This gym in Liverpool is handy as it's free off peak entry but I've upgraded mine to anytime use for £7 a month.

£40 a month is a little pricey. The one in Heswall by mine does student rates now at £20 a month, so I can be a full time member of 2 gyms for £27 a month. Pretty good that really. Means I've got absolutely NO excuses now though!

My old gym that lid. used to run it. Millennium?

 

[Baines' left foot]

My old gym that lid. used to run it. Millennium?

Aye that's the one. It's good but it's a far cry from my other gym. I'm used to meat heads, arl' free weights and not a female in sight. In this one there's one or two fitties and poser students everywhere!

 

[maddison]

Cheers mate, I'll look in to things with regards to my back. I did some light squats on a smith machine last night and my back was fine actually. I feel a bit more confident on the smith as you've got that kind of safety net.

I've had a very good week of the gym so far, I've pretty much covered every body area without overdoing it, today will be my 5th session of the week.

The only thing the smith machine is good for is hanging your belt off. You should avoid it, especially if you do have a disk problem. Stick with front squats. Seriously smith machines should be banned from every gym, it's not your fault its there, but it's a dangerous piece of equipment, more so if people are engaged in contact sports.

Try doing some planks, avoid sit ups totally, and some side planks until you can get to a physio. It will help strengthen and stabilise your core.

 

[maddison]

How are you finding it mate?

I was looking at that 5x5 strong lifts programme. But the one i looked at said start with an empty barbell, which put me off really.

I've come across this empty bar approach before and it's just dumb. You're supposed to use a weight you find quite light, so that you can increase the bar weight gradually over an extended period. but the weight doesn't have to be as light as the bar. This type of load progression used to be quite common. Another adaption used to be that you would lift a given weight for a month, and then increase it by 2.5-5kg, depending on the lift (2.5 for bench and 5 for squat and dead). After approx two years the lifts should stall, and the lifter would then switch to a periodisation routine. This isn't very common anymore, although the best powerlifter of all time trained that way.

 

[maddison]

I wanted to go straight for Hypertrophy (getting big but not strong) but from what I read the only way to get uber huge is to start on a strength program then flip to hypertrophy once your linear gains tail off.

Dead-lifts and Bench (for me anyway) we easy enough to get my technique down. Struggling with Squats though, they are tough to do right.

99% of people in the gym do them wrong (half or even quarter squats) and I am trying to get them spot on by going parallel.

Happy with my progression so far, it feels like a short workout to what I used to do (Body part splits) with only 3 lifts per day, but if you are at your correct weight to push yourself you are destroyed by the end.

Empty bar is key really, because they free weight lifts, unless you learn the form you really can injure yourself. You add every time you go the gym so it wont be long before your up to your working weight

Squatting is one of the easiest lifts to learn and perform. And break parallel, if you're squatting to parallel you'll be squatting high for sure.

Without a bar, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Play around with your stance mind, it will be dictated by height and limb length in relation to your trunk (torso). Don't worry about how you squat down, just drop to a full squat and lean forward to maintain balance. Clasp your hands together and push your knees apart with your elbows. Try and stay in that position for 20-30 seconds. then stand up. Do this a few times to open up your hips and give your self some idea of what the bottom position should feel like. As you play around with your squat stance, you'll find that as you bring your feet in closer you'll get a full squat easier, move them out until you find that you can't hit depth. You'll mostly, naturally, find a stance that you like

Once you've played around with hitting depth, the rest has a lot to do with pulling your shoulder blades together and holding them there through the lift and making sure the bar isn't resting on your neck, you'll have a natural groove to place it in just above your rear delts. Squeeze the bar hard with your hands at all times, and remember to take a deep breath and brace your abs when you unrack the bar.

Step back, look straight ahead, not up, deep breath and lift your torso and shift your hips back a few inches as you start to drop into the squat. After about six inches of starting the lift you should be able to just go down in almost a straight line with your torso going between your legs, remember to push your knees out hard. once you break parallel, maintain that forward start and push up and backwards through the bar, it will keep the bar over your centre of gravity. You should feel like you're lifting your chest as you ascend. Presto, you've done a full squat. There are plenty of good instructional videos on youtube, try and look for weightlifters coaching the lift. Bodybuilders will squat high and won't typically keep a tight back, powerlifters might screw you over because if they lift in 'gear' (supportive equipment), it will alter the way they squat. They'll sit back a lot more instead of going down.

 

[tasslehoff]

Squatting is one of the easiest lifts to learn and perform. And break parallel, if you're squatting to parallel you'll be squatting high for sure.

Without a bar, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Play around with your stance mind, it will be dictated by height and limb length in relation to your trunk (torso). Don't worry about how you squat down, just drop to a full squat and lean forward to maintain balance. Clasp your hands together and push your knees apart with your elbows. Try and stay in that position for 20-30 seconds. then stand up. Do this a few times to open up your hips and give your self some idea of what the bottom position should feel like. As you play around with your squat stance, you'll find that as you bring your feet in closer you'll get a full squat easier, move them out until you find that you can't hit depth. You'll mostly, naturally, find a stance that you like

Once you've played around with hitting depth, the rest has a lot to do with pulling your shoulder blades together and holding them there through the lift and making sure the bar isn't resting on your neck, you'll have a natural groove to place it in just above your rear delts. Squeeze the bar hard with your hands at all times, and remember to take a deep breath and brace your abs when you unrack the bar.

Step back, look straight ahead, not up, deep breath and lift your torso and shift your hips back a few inches as you start to drop into the squat. After about six inches of starting the lift you should be able to just go down in almost a straight line with your torso going between your legs, remember to push your knees out hard. once you break parallel, maintain that forward start and push up and backwards through the bar, it will keep the bar over your centre of gravity. You should feel like you're lifting your chest as you ascend. Presto, you've done a full squat. There are plenty of good instructional videos on youtube, try and look for weightlifters coaching the lift. Bodybuilders will squat high and won't typically keep a tight back, powerlifters might screw you over because if they lift in 'gear' (supportive equipment), it will alter the way they squat. They'll sit back a lot more instead of going down.

Top top advice. Thanks, been doing squats for a couple of months so some of the stuff you mention I am doing. It's just depth I am struggling with.

I was going to try squating to a box to gauge depth. What's your thoughts on that?

 

[maddison]

Top top advice. Thanks, been doing squats for a couple of months so some of the stuff you mention I am doing. It's just depth I am struggling with.

I was going to try squating to a box to gauge depth. What's your thoughts on that?

Don't squat to a box. Box squatting is an actual exercise where your technique needs to be different. I used to squat to a low box to help my deadlift for example.

Stop searching for depth, just sink it. If you need to drop weight off the bar. Pretty much anyone can learn how to hit depth within five to ten minutes, if the person showing you how to squat can't help you achieve that, then they don't know how to coach the squat. It really is that simple.

Try what I said, just squat down and push your knees out with your elbows. If you have a friend about, get them to put their hands on your shoulders whilst standing behind you and simply let your body sink as far as it can go. If you need to start off with a fairly close stance.

the only other thing I'd recommend is getting a pair of oly lifting shoes, you won't regret it and they should last you a long time. just don't wear them anywhere except the gym, not even the car park, or they'll start to wear on the soles

 

[Brownie]

I've come across this empty bar approach before and it's just dumb. You're supposed to use a weight you find quite light, so that you can increase the bar weight gradually over an extended period. but the weight doesn't have to be as light as the bar. This type of load progression used to be quite common. Another adaption used to be that you would lift a given weight for a month, and then increase it by 2.5-5kg, depending on the lift (2.5 for bench and 5 for squat and dead). After approx two years the lifts should stall, and the lifter would then switch to a periodisation routine. This isn't very common anymore, although the best powerlifter of all time trained that way.

What's a periodisation routine bruv?

 

[tasslehoff]

Don't squat to a box. Box squatting is an actual exercise where your technique needs to be different. I used to squat to a low box to help my deadlift for example.

Stop searching for depth, just sink it. If you need to drop weight off the bar. Pretty much anyone can learn how to hit depth within five to ten minutes, if the person showing you how to squat can't help you achieve that, then they don't know how to coach the squat. It really is that simple.

Try what I said, just squat down and push your knees out with your elbows. If you have a friend about, get them to put their hands on your shoulders whilst standing behind you and simply let your body sink as far as it can go. If you need to start off with a fairly close stance.

the only other thing I'd recommend is getting a pair of oly lifting shoes, you won't regret it and they should last you a long time. just don't wear them anywhere except the gym, not even the car park, or they'll start to wear on the soles

So basically do a 3rd world squat and that's the depth I am aiming for? Wow, that feels like it would be too low. I always thought paralell was the aim

I have a feeling I will need to come down by about 10-15kg to even try that

I use Chucks, they seem to work well would oly shoes be a massive improment over that?

 

[maddison]

What's a periodisation routine bruv?

A standard periodisation routine simply involves planning out a linear cycle of lifts over a period of 8-16 weeks. A longer cycle is typically used for advanced lifters who are trying to edge their lifts up slightly. Beginners gain strength more quickly hence the shorter cycles.

The lifter would start by doing sets in the 8-12 range at the start of the routine, then drop to 5's, and finally 3's and 2's at the end. The weight would increase every week.

So basically do a 3rd world squat and that's the depth I am aiming for? Wow, that feels like it would be too low. I always thought paralell was the aim

I have a feeling I will need to come down by about 10-15kg to even try that

I use Chucks, they seem to work well would oly shoes be a massive improment over that?

Too deep? wtf? *shakes head*

All joking aside, if you move your feet out slightly you simply won't be able to get third world squat depth. I've seen bodybuilders have to drop 40kg plus off the bar to get close to depth.

Chucks are popular because of a gym in the states called Westside. They use lifting equipment, which requires you to sit back in the squat, and that means a flatter shoe is better. If you're going to lift without equipment, and without adopting a 'power squat' technique, use oly shoes. There are very few lifters who don't use oly shoes who lift 'raw' (without equipment).

 

[Brownie]

A standard periodisation routine simply involves planning out a linear cycle of lifts over a period of 8-16 weeks. A longer cycle is typically used for advanced lifters who are trying to edge their lifts up slightly. Beginners gain strength more quickly hence the shorter cycles.

The lifter would start by doing sets in the 8-12 range at the start of the routine, then drop to 5's, and finally 3's and 2's at the end. The weight would increase every week.

So say you stalled at 40kg 4x4, drop to like 30kg 4x8, work back up and then try go over?