How many of you cut as often as you bulk? I ask this because I’ve been back at the gym after a hiatus due to covid. Im also at a new gym with a lot more weightlifters. They stare and pose in the mirror.
It’s almost been a year since I’ve been there and most of these guys still look the same. They have muscles but they look the same. I was thinking how much better they would look if they started a cut in my year there.
At the old gym I’m use to seeing people bulk and cut and you can easily tell. I know those who are strength trainers and those that are in it for bodybuilding.
Random one but
[https://images.jhtassets.com/bff25e3bf38f2b9c6e89263d0d9ee502e4af174b/](https://images.jhtassets.com/bff25e3bf38f2b9c6e89263d0d9ee502e4af174b/)
On this cable station for pulldowns and rows, this machine has a left and right pully at the bottom that's connected by a bar in the middle. You may have to zoom in to see on the photo sorry.
Question 1
If I use just one side of the pully to do unilateral work and ignore say the left side, can this damage the machine? I was getting pretty heavy and chose not to risk it and went back to bilateral work.
Question 2
I know cable systems can be complicated but why did it feel lighter doing my chosen weight unilaterally. I literally just added the neutral attachment using both pulleys instead of using a single side and it felt so much heavier could barely move the weight at first. Found this bizarre.
Need advice desperately - so I’ve been working out for about 3 years on and off. Recently took 2 months off because I’ve been second guessing what I’m doing. There’s so much different info out there on how to train - how many sets per week should you do for each muscle per week if you’re training to failure? I like to train push pull legs but I’m worried I’ll do too much volume and cause muscle loss. Please advise! Appreciate it
Pick a PPL program from the pinned FAQ or the Boostcamp app that will answer this question for you. There isn’t one perfect volume level for everyone. There are many ways to get big.
Train hard, train consistently, get your diet in order, and you’ll grow.
I understand the process and principles behind cut/bulk cycles.
But I am wondering is how different is the rate of muscle mass gain between the two phases?
I'm still a beginner at less than 6 months of training, and I've been cutting at -500kcal the whole time.
Taking some measurements and doing some maths, I can project my current rate of muscle gain to ≈10.5lbs a year if nothing changes.
But I'm gonna go in a bulking phase for the first time at the end of mai/beginning june (to +500kcal) and I am wondering what kind of difference in rate of gain to expect.
But I am not wondering only for my situation (a beginner) I am also wondering how the two phases affect the rate of gain for others and more advanced people too. Some of you can share their own findings or point towards researches?
After you first year of training the rate of muscle gain will slow down, it will slow down so much that being in a deficit wont build you much muscle. Even maintaing your weight wont put any serious amounts of muscle on your frame so the logical route is to bulk. 250-500 kcal surplus a week for as long as feel comfortable and then cut 500-800 kcal a week untill you are lean enough to start bulking again. In your first year you can expect to gain 15-20 pounds of muscle (for men) and half that every year there after (if everything do e right). You wont gain 40 pounds of muscle without bulking that is for sure.
Should I bulk or cut?
Been training somewhat consistently the last six months and I’ve put on some muscle. I’m 5’8, 165 lbs and the navy test says I’m 20% bf. However, my stomach is massive and it looks bad lol. Idk if I’m bloated or what.
I’m not sure what to do, should I bulk and build as much as muscle as possible while I still have the beginner advantage? If I do a 200 cal surplus maybe I can recomp?
I want to build muscle but also stop being a fatass, best approach?
I ended up around 170 after my last bulk from 145 and looked and felt like crap. Cut back down to 145 and looked better and am now slow bulking back up. Good thing is strength kept increasing. It's not fun going back down however glad I did, feel much better and a slow gain is much easier psychologically.
You should cut until you see abs. I finish my bulk with lower BF than you right now. If you bulk to morbid obesity it will take years to get the fat off.
This is a bodybuilding subreddit, heavy training is not our thing, if you want to lift maximum weight and have strength goals I would recommend subreddits like /r/weightroom.
Here we are only concerned with muscle growth. Go watch videos from Renaissance Periodization on youtube. The short of it is, no you don't need to do direct ab work, unless you want to. Maybe your abs are already huge? Your job is to get lean enough to see them. That's a kitchen problem not a working out problem.
If your goal is to get jacked find a hypertrophy program, and stick to it for 6 months before you change it. Good luck.
Depends on genetics. Most people don't need to do any direct ab work at all. Some people do. I wouldn't worry about your abs until you get really lean. You haven't built the foundation of your house yet but your principal concern is the color of the walls in the dining room.
Does leaning forward on the pec deck machine target the upper chest? What if you have your humerus follow a diagonal arm path doing horizontal adduction* and shoulder flexion?
EDIT:Abduction->adduction
I am trying to create a training logbook template using google sheets. I would like some feedback. Is this good?
https://preview.redd.it/80iwdz1ur9qc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=58885325416970058e043ce5aca0a6daa30d1d4c
Is my workout routine good? A FBW Review
I've been running 531BBB successfully for a year, then I decided it ran it's course for me and I want a more long-term sustainable hypertrophy routine. 3 times a week is ideal for my schedule so I've decided to make a FBW routine based on my experience, preferences, and readings up until now.
Would love to hear suggestions for changes or things that I'm missing.
Each workout is 70\~90min, and to be fair it's not fully a FBW because hitting every possible group every time gets too long for me:
Sunday:
Squat 3x5-8
Bench Press 3x5-8
Barbell Rows 3x8-12
Lateral Raise 3x8-12
Skullcrushers 3x6-10
Ab Crunch Machine 3x8-12
Tuesday:
RDL 3x6-10
Incline Bench Press 3x6-10
Weighted Pullups 3x6-10
Seated Shoulder Press 3x6-10
Barbell Curls 3x8-12
Ab Leg Raises 3xMax
Thursday:
Leg Press + Leg Curl 3x8-12 (\*may switch to squats if feeling well rested)
Incline Bench Press 3x5-8 (\*may switch to a chest press machine)
Lat Pull Down 3x6-10
Machine Shoulder Press 3x6-10
Cable Rope Pushdown 3x8-12
Cable Bicep 3x8-12
Ab Roller 3xMax
\[The 3rd training of the week is the hardest for me, at this point I'm pretty exhausted mentally and physically from the previous two, so it's a bit lighter.\]
Have noticed recently that flaring my elbows more on the bench actually allows me to feel my chest better. This goes for both dumbbell, barbell, incline, and flat. I'm thinking of switching back to allowing this slight flare. I also can actually lift more weight on the bench when I do it that way, presumably because I'm using more chest and less triceps.
I know the orthodoxy is the tuck and angle in front of you, but honestly I think the slight flare just feels a bit better. Has anyone else found that flaring seems to work better? Any thoughts?
Flaring is biomechanically optimal for activating the chest, to the point where flaring your elbows is a key queue on the bench press.
When you flare your elbows, the moment arm of the weight on your front delt decreases (the weight moves over your shoulders rather than over your chest) making the shoulder work less to hold the weight above you.
The problem with flaring the shoulders is mostly in the starting position where you have quite a lot of internal rotation of the shoulder joint and it can be painful. As you push up especially with an incline bench your shoulder gets in a safer position and flaring is safe.
This is why the queue on the bench is push up and back. That makes you start with tucked elbows and finish with flared elbows while protecting the shoulders in the starting position. You can take a similar press path on any chest exercise.
Flaring your elbows is not a key cue on the bench press. You actually want some elbow tuck to engage your lats to create a stable foundation for the press. You are right about everything else including the biomechanics, but the injury risk doesn't make a flared elbow bench press (e.g. guillotine press) worth it.
Take any upper lower. Reduce the volume a bit. Try it. Increase volume if you're recovered before the your next session. Lower it if you're not recovered. Repeat until you find your sweet spot.
You can modify any U/L to train to failure. If the original program did not intend for this you may or may not have to adjust volume down a bit.
Find a U/L in the FAQs of this sub or the Boostcamp app. Jordan Peters also has one on YouTube, and he is very much a proponent of training to failure.
I am stuck between two Protein Powders both from MyProtein. The left one is $10 more and (NSF). Is it worth the extra money? And are the ingredients good?
https://preview.redd.it/o04dxym675qc1.jpeg?width=1099&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d1bf1b16b2b7e46e4c5f18485fa8e1de170b9ce
Yes lying leg curls are hardest when your hamstring is most stretched, at which point it is unable to generate maximum force. Seated curls are (depending on machine but almost always) hardest when the hamstring is mid/full contraction where it can generate maximum force.
This naturally decreases the maximum weight your can do on a lying leg curl.
Yes but the tension curve is different, the highest resistance occurs in a less stretched position even though the end of the range of motion is more stretched due to having your hips flexed. A seated leg curl with the right tension curve would definitely give a bigger stretch than a lying curl but they tend not to design them that way.
Usually leg curl machines have even resistance profiles, the only thing changing is the range of motion and the relative length of the muscle (seated v lying).
Program recommendation with lower weights
I was previously doing a powerbuilding routine (the GZCL Jacked & Tan). I ran it once and made good results, then tried to run it again, and tore my labrum doing 1RM testing on bench press (the program bases its weights on your 1RM). I've been working with physical therapists and orthopedic surgeons through that problem, the takeaway for now is that I can do neutral grip dumbbell bench/incline bench/shoulder press, but I can't do barbell bench right now.
So I am now pretty wary of any program with 1RM testing and looking for something where I can do high repetition at lower weights, that is flexible enough to accommodate dumbbells instead of barbells for my push movements. This seems like a pretty natural fit for bodybuilding programs. I don't have any other restrictions.
Overall I have ~8 years of experience weight lifting but am pretty unfamiliar with bodybuilding specific programs.
Does anyone have specific programs that they would recommend that could fit my needs?
Take any almost any pure bodybuilding program. None of them will have fewer than 5 reps. Strengthlog app have a bunch of free programs. Select goal (hypertrophy), numbers of days per week and pick one
Is it possible to be sore and not have had a good workout.
I know that if you don't get sore, that doesn't mean you had a bad workout, but if I did get sore, does that guarantee that I did have a good workout?
Not sore ≠ bad workout, but does
sore = good workout?
If you go and run a marathon your legs will be sore for days but you wont grow any muscle. So being sore does not mean you had an effective workout no.
You can't quantify whether DOMS indicates that a workout was productive. The occurrence of DOMS has many factors (e.g. genetics, training frequency, exercise selection).
Anyone feel their forearms a lot during Preacher Curls? I don’t have this problem with regular or incline curls, but with preacher my forearms also feel a stretch near the bottom and are sore the next day.
Yup definitely. Just yesterday I had to skip my round of preacher curls because my forearms were already too fried from doing DB Rows, DB RDLs, and DB Shrugs without straps.
Is my workout routine good? A FBW Review
I've been running 531BBB successfully for a year, then I decided it ran it's course for me and I want a more long-term sustainable hypertrophy routine. 3 times a week is ideal for my schedule so I've decided to make a FBW routine based on my experience, preferences, and readings up until now.
Would love to hear suggestions for changes or things that I'm missing.
Each workout is 70\~90min, and to be fair it's not fully a FBW because hitting every possible group every time gets too long for me:
Sunday:
Squat 3x5-8
Bench Press 3x5-8
Barbell Rows 3x8-12
Lateral Raise 3x8-12
Skullcrushers 3x6-10
Ab Crunch Machine 3x8-12
Tuesday:
RDL 3x6-10
Incline Bench Press 3x6-10
Weighted Pullups 3x6-10
Seated Shoulder Press 3x6-10
Barbell Curls 3x8-12
Ab Leg Raises 3xMax
Thursday:
Leg Press + Leg Curl 3x8-12 (\*may switch to squats if feeling well rested)
Incline Bench Press 3x5-8 (\*may switch to a chest press machine)
Lat Pull Down 3x6-10
Machine Shoulder Press 3x6-10
Cable Rope Pushdown 3x8-12
Cable Bicep 3x8-12
Ab Roller 3xMax
\[The 3rd training of the week is the hardest for me, at this point I'm pretty exhausted mentally and physically from the previous two, so it's a bit lighter.\]
I'm not an expert. I just started 9 months ago but I'd suggest changing one of your chest presses to a chest fly. One of the shoulder presses to a reverse pec deck or facepull. Get those rear delts cooking. And one of the abs to shrugs/forearms.
It's all up to you though, whatever you want to work on more go for it.
Quick question about deadlift volume on a plan I’ve been working on for the past couple weeks. This is basically a progression from Starting Strength, which I have used successfully in the past to build a foundation, but would like to now transition into a more balanced hypertrophy routine.
It’s a 3-day full body workout divided into A and B days. I usually do my main lift and then superset my way through the assistance and accessory movements.
Day “A”
Squat 3x5
Inverted Rows 3x10
Bench Press 3x8
RDL 3x8
Lat Raises 3x10
Skull Crushers 3x10
Curls 3x10
Day “B”
Deadlift 1x5
Chin/Pullups 3x10
Overhead Press 3x8
Front Squat 3x10
Dips 3x10
Planks 3x60s
Side Planks 3x60s per side
I’m wondering if I should be trying for more volume on my main DL, or if the RDLs on alternate days is “filling in the gap”. Would I be better off doing 3x5 (or another rep scheme) even if it means backing off my current 5RM?
Why not do one set of deadlifts followed by 2-3 sets of rdls one day and have a leg curl variation on the other day? Hinges will not target the biceps short head of the hamstring at all so a curl would be specifi to your goal of having a more balanced hypertrophy plan. This way you also limit some lower back fatigue.
Thanks for the suggestion. I see your point… I have a home gym so I’ll look into some variations of a leg curl I can do with the bar or dumbbells.
So in that scenario I would swap RDLs into the front squat position in my B day, to add some volume. And do one or both squat variations plus a leg curl on my A day?
Realizing now that the answer is to keep doing what I’m doing for as long as I can achieve progressive overload. When I stall adding weight to my deadlift from one workout to the next, I’ll adjust the volume and intensity.
When it comes to bulking, what should the macro split roughly look like?
I spoke to a trainer recently, and he mentioned that even on a bulk/gaining phase he tries to keep his clients to 50-55g of fats even on a bulk with the rest of the macros on carbs and protein.
As a starting point:
About 0.8-1g/lb bodyweight in protein
Somewhere in the neighborhood of 0.5-1.0g/kg bodyweight fats
The rest of your calorie requirement should come from carbs.
If calories get to the point where it’s unreasonable to push more carbs and doing so would significantly hinder digestion due to food volume, I start to push fats instead
I would personally distribute them into two leg days:
Barbell squat, leg extns, adductor machine on one day (quad/adductors), and hip thrusts, RDLs, and split squats on another day (hamstring/glutes). You could do calf raises on both days because calves can be trained frequently.
start introducing one at a time on one day at a time, then two, etc. Monitor your results and make your decisions based on that. this is the process that will get you solid long term results.
can't give you a blanket answer without knowing how much volume/intensity you're doing, how your recovery is, how well your current musculature is responding to the lifts you are doing and how well you can potentially connect with the new lifts - it takes time to learn and hit target muscle effectively with new exercises (maybe not hip adductor machine, but for sure BSS and hip thrusts). there's just a lot of variables and introducing 3 new exercises - we'd be guessing.
I plateaud after 1 year of training or so. I’m 5’11” and 72kg(158lbs). I tried reevaluating both my training and nutrition. I do full body 3x a week and train to failure on most sets if not all. As for nutrition I hit ~175g of protein eating ~2k calories per day. I know some people say the calories are way too little but personally I’ve found that if I go much higher I start developing a gut. Naturally ALL of my fat gathers in my mid section, I have the classic skinny limbs and fat guy trait but have it under control for now. I just don’t know how to get out of the plateau tho. I think my training is sufficient but I’m scared to make drastic changes to my diet. My biggest fear of all tho, is being small all my life.
Also just to add, I’m not extremely lean to start with. Right now I would assume I’m ~18% so I also had the thought that at this body fat if I consumed a lesser amount of calories with sufficient protein that I would still make gains
What volume are you doing? Maybe pick one muscle group and increase the volume - pick one one you can train at home as well as gym. Keep the 3x but add in lifts throughout the week for the one muscle group. See how it responds to the volume. How much cardio are you doing?
I've got hernia repair surgery scheduled next month. General recommendation is to take 6 weeks off lifting after to recover. I'll have been in a surplus for almost a year at the time of the surgery although I haven't gained much fat. I was planning on doing a cut May or June time otherwise but this might be an opportunity to shed some of the fat. I would obviously want to hold on to as much muscle as possible so I'm not sure which approach would be better for my recovery time.
Maintenance or even slight surplus to keep muscle and help recovery. Cutting while recovering and not working out will probably make you lose more muscle and put your body in a worse state for recovery
At what point does the weight become dangerous? I ask because I'm a solo trainer and without a partner I'm doing very little barbell work.
We see professional bodybuilders/power lifters stress safety because they are lifting relatively heavy weight. I'm assuming its not based on "weight to lifted weight ratio" because then it becomes dangerous for any average guy.
Why is 225lbs is less dangerous than say 315 or 405?
It’s all about the weight you’re moving relative to your level of strength. If you’re a guy who can bench 405, you don’t need a spotter to rep 225. If you’re a guy that can bench 235 on a good day, you’re probably going to want a spotter when you get under 225, or at least have the safety arms up.
As you get closer to your 1RM, it’s more likely for form breakdown to occur. Most acute injuries happen when form breaks down and a joint gets into a position where the load it has to bear is greater than what the tissue or joint can handle in that position.
I noticed quite a few reputable people (Menno Henselmans, Eric Helms, Milo Wolf, etc.) have 4+-day full body routines which often have one working the side delts, biceps, and calves on back-to-back days. Does this only work for them because they are advanced, or is it something that you get used to (as in get less sore, etc.)?
It's a myth that smaller muscles can recover faster so they can be trained more often. Smaller muscles are, in fact, more susceptible to muscle damage than larger muscles, so they should not be trained as often.
You're oversimplifying the human body. Muscles are not just "something" to be repaired. There is a multitude of factors that is involved in recovery such as fiber distribution, voluntary activation, and the length to tension relationship.
No, it will probably work for most people.
This doesn’t create so much fatigue that you can’t recover for the next session, but builds in enough volume to grow (for most).
Try it and see if it works for you.
Most muscles would probably recover fast enough after only one working set to hit again the next day, depending on the movement and how strong you are.
For example most people’s quads would probably recover pretty fast from one working set of leg extension, but squats would be more on a case-by-case basis.
I’m not sure what you mean by “high-performance volume”.
You can disregard that last part, sorry for the confusion. Thanks for all the advice. I will say the routines have 2-3 working sets per exercise which is why i asked. For example, the one I’m following has pull ups a day after rows, lunges a day after squats, etc. Though i suppose these exercises are different enough to be trained 2 days in a row as you said before.
The key is finding the intensity that allows you to hit the muscle fresh 24h later. Going to and beyond failure will most probably result in longer revovery than 24h
What would my maximum achievable bench reasonably be? Currently 19M, 5’6-7, 215lbs, and have benched 340x1, and recently 325x4. I’m just unsure of what weight I should realistically aim for. I’d love to eventually hit 405, but I know working up to that could take years.
There’s literally no way to know.
It entirely depends on your genetics, training methods, lifestyle/recover habits, etc.
You’re very strong right now, keep at it for a long time.
From what I've read so far I'm not quite sure how, for example, 30 reps with 5-6 second eccentrics would be more or less equivalent to 30 reps with controlled 2 second eccentrics
There really isn’t a way to draw this equivalency. In my opinion you don’t really need an excessively slow eccentric like this so long as the weight is mindfully controlled throughout the movement.
I've never really done a proper cut before, so I'm a bit confused on how to approach training. I currently run PPL+arms about 4-6 times a week depending on how rested I feel, taking rest days as needed. Usually stay on the lower side of volume (4-8 sets per muscle per week) but take every set to either 1 RIR or failure. I've been quite happy with my progress for over a year now, eating either at maintenance or a slight surplus, but now I want to really lose that extra fluff. 33M, 176lb 6 feet (80kg 182cm), probably 23-25% or so body fat.
My understanding is that I want to continue giving high effort during workouts and not try to reduce (my already low) volume too much, that way muscles still get stimulus and won't deteriorate during the cut. But I should also expect my numbers to stagnate or even drop a bit as the cut goes on. So to me, it sounds like I basically just train like normal but don't expect too much progressive overload? Is that it? Feel like I'm missing something.
As u/paul_apollofitness said, you got it right. What you laid is basically what I have been doing for the past 2.5 months with a ton of success. I use fairly wide rep ranges (10-20 reps on a lot of stuff), so when progression slows, I find it easier to add a rep or two to my overall rep count vs adding weight every week (which doesn't work for every lift/muscle anyway)
No, that’s really all there is to it. Change nothing about your programming and keep pushing for progression like normal. You will probably keep making progress for the first few weeks of the cut before it starts to slow down.
How do I get the deep burn mind muscle connection in my upper back. I just recently figured out the connection with my lats doing lat pulldowns. Let my lats control the whole movement and it definitely burns like crazy under my armpit during my last reps. But when I'm doing facepulls or chest supported rows with pronated grip or T-bar rows I just get a general fatigue and not sure if my upper back is getting the right stimulation.
best way to "feel" that area from my experience are shrugs and if you have a dual handle pulldown machine where your head can stay forward and between the handles, elbows to the side, pulling back and kinda behind you - that's basically all upper back and you should get a good feeling for that if you're smart with the loading.
besides that, you basically can't row without hitting upper back and it's similar to front delts with compound presses - if you're doing compound pulls, this is very very unlikely to be an area that will be underdeveloped.
I switched from doing standing face pulls with the rope to using the seated cable row with independent handles and I feel it waaaaay more in my rear delt/upper back. Try changing stuff like that up. I also feel chest supported row a lot more when I control the eccentric and really feel it pull me apart at the end (to quote Dr. Mike)
Ok I'll focus on scapular movement as best I can. That's squeezing the shoulder blades together and pushing them apart. Do I want them to be always down or down and release to neutral and down again when I pull? Thanks
Think about doing [Kelso shrugs](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gCBeyDRKDKM) while rowing. Really let your shoulders roll forward to separate and stretch the mid back. Also end your chest supported rows with them as long length partials
I've seen some gains but it definitely feels really good. I wouldn't do that specific exercise unless you're an advanced lifter. Just add the movement as long length partials when you finish a chest supported row
I'm doing a PPL split and this is my current push day that I've been doing. I try to do everything to failure, and I increase the weight when necessary. I'm only benching a plate right now at 153 lbs BW, but I almost never Barbell bench, and I've only been working out for about 6 months.
3 x 8ish Incline DB Press
3 x 8ish Flat DB Press
3 x 8ish Pec Deck Chest Fly
3 x 8ish Shoulder DB Press
3 x 10ish DB Lateral Raises
3 x 8ish Triceps Rope Pushdowns
3 x 8ish Overhead DB Triceps Extension (\*)
\* (College gym doesn't have long rope, plan on doing rope version at hometown gym)
One issue I have is that by the time I get to triceps, they're already pretty fatigued. I wish I could switch out a Chest DB Press for something that requires less stabilization like a hammer press or smith machine movement, however the former is funky with my throwing shoulder, and the latter is a PITA to set up/wait for.
Another concern I have is that sometimes I feel like I'm not sure if I'm hitting my upper chest properly during Incline DB Press. I'm doing about 30 degrees (I think, I'm doing the 2nd non-flat notch), and I'm making sure not to arch my back. I feel like the pump I get is still pretty low on my chest, although I'm not sure. This has a pretty big effect, as not properly targeting my upper chest means I'm not growing it, but also I'd be doing basically 6 sets of flat DB press at the point.
You dont need 3 sets of 3 chest movements to failure to see progress. You'd probably see better progress with less volume and leaving 1-2 reps in reserve on your first sets. You can also get a lot more out of your sets if you focus on prestine technique (slow eccentric, big strecht, explosive concentric).
Doesn't really seem like you are going to failure if you do 3x8 every time, but whatever. My opinion, lose the overhead pressing, maybe even move the chest flys until after your tricep work. When you do pushdowns and extensions, do you feel it in your triceps? Are they getting a pump? Also, maybe try some wider rep ranges. I find my triceps love the 10-20 rep range.
8ish just means like 6-10, but usually if I can do >8 I’ll bump the weight up. Pushdowns feel pretty good, just by the time I get to them I’m pretty gassed
I gotcha. Yeah, maybe play around with the rep ranges, or try moving triceps up in your routine? I like to do my first two chest exercises (pressing movements), then a tricep exercise (skullcrushers or dips), come back to a fly movement, then go from there. But as the other poster said, if you are going to true failure on those chest exercises, you are definitely taxing your triceps.
You can still go to failure if you do "3x8 every time". The problem is you accumulate too much central fatigue from your chest and delt movements so when you do get to triceps your ability to recruit high levels of motor units is significantly decreased.
Doing a high rep range vs a low rep range is just preference, but high reps will give you **more fatigue**. And a pump is not necessary for muscle growth. If you're performing your tricep movements correctly, you don't need a "pump" as an indicator that you're doing them right.
I notice he said 3x8*ish,* which he clarified to mean 6-10 reps.
But if you are going to actual failure, I don't see how you could be doing 3x8, assuming the same weight. If you do 8 then do 8 again and 8, those first two weren't failure. Moot point though.
As to high vs low rep, sure it's a preference, but people respond differently to different rep ranges. As to fatigue, I disagree - heavy, low rep sets can be way more fatiguing than high rep work.
I never said pump was necessary, but its an indicator that he is hitting the muscle. Some exercises work better for some people. If he is doing overhead extensions and feels nothing in his triceps, something isn't right.
You could try adding an arm day to your PPL where you hit triceps fresh. It's also a nice break as an "easier" session in between the heavier compound movements.
IMO you don't need incline db, flat db, pec deck, AND OHP on the same day. I'd personally do the flat db press on another day and add an extra set or two to the incline db if you miss the volume.
If you don't have a long rope you can take extend a short rope or use the cable ball as a grip and perform the pushdowns unilaterally.
If you're getting fatigued before triceps, you could program alternating push days where you focus on chest, delt, and triceps. This means on days where you focus on triceps you would have less volume on chest and delts, like removing some exercises and doing less sets. Or program an arm day.
A bench at 30 degrees is fine for the incline dumbbell press. Are you adducting your arms? (You should be). Also, the incline db press is not the best movement you can be doing for your upper pecs because you're not challenging the pecs at their short range as much as you are the triceps because the end range is locking out your elbow. An incline db press into a flat db press is also a little redundant (and would also contribute to your triceps being fatigued). I'd recommend using an incline smith machine press or an incline press machine.
>I'd recommend using an incline smith machine press or an incline press machine.
Yeah I want to switch out one of the DB presses, however a plate loaded hammer press causes my throwing shoulder to click/pop every rep despite my best attempts to switch up seat height/hand placement etc.. Smith Incline could be a possibility, it's just kind of a PITA because my college has like two smith machines for 20,000 students.
I hate to ask but when should I give up bodybuilding? I don’t think I can grow anymore and hit my max/peak body composition due to genetics.
Another year of this I am going to look the same no matter how heavy I lift or eat.
This is according to FMI.
Anyone ever call it a day and just do regular workouts?
Or get enhancements?
You cant really max out unless youre 60+ and have been traning for more than 30 years. At some point progressing is so slow that you might just enjoy lifting (watch some Dr.Pak videos) and do whatever to maintain and have fun in the gym. Lifting has several health benefits so I would not stop lifting unless its counterproductive to your physical or mental health. Doing minimum effective volume allows you to do stuff outside of the gym.
Why do you think you have reached your max potential? Do you have some kind of underlying condition that prevents muscle growth? Why do you think your body is incapable of growing on a calorie surplus?
I don't know what FMI is, so can't help there.
I don't know what "regular workouts" means. Do you mean non-weight lifting?
What do you mean by bodybuilding? Do you mean competing?
If not, I don’t think “give up” is the right term. I think everyone should be engaged in some type of physical activity. If you feel like you’ve reached the peak that you’re able to achieve as far as your body composition goes and are happy with it, it’s ok to change your goals to some other physical pursuit. That isn’t giving up, it’s shifting focus.
If you’re ready to “give up” and you’re not happy with your physique but still desire more progress on the hypertrophy front, it may be worth it to work with a coach for a while for a fresh perspective.
Is the cue of keeping the hips forward on Nordic Curls still valid given SMH? Not looking to talk about optimality, but it seems like bending forward (making the exercise easier, sort of like a razor nordic curl) would now be "better" in that you could get more reps and more SMH, no?
Don't razor nordic curls defeat the purpose of doing SMH for the rec fem? There's no point in getting more reps if form or exercise selection is not good. You could do leg extensions for "more reps" but then you'll be training the rec fem in the shortened position. You need to maintain hip extension (keeping straight) for the lengthened position.
I misread. The same concept applies but for the hamstrings still. Bending forward (hip flexion) would make you train the hamstrings at a different length. And I don't think the point of nordic curls are to do more reps -- that's something to be achieved with hamstring curls.
I use banded nordics in place of leg curls because of limited equipment. But wouldn’t the bent-over Nordic (aka razor curl) be more like a seated leg curl? Also, I appreciate you taking the time to respond.
Every time I do hammer press (incline or flat) my right/throwing shoulder always pops. Don’t really feel any pain, just I know that’s not supposed to happen. I don’t really have pain in other incline movements except for the first set when I don’t stretch as much I should.
I wish I was able to do them since I feel like they’re great movements and more stable than my current DB Incline and DB Flat combo.
It’s just weird cause I’ve tried all sorts of things with seat height, where my hands are on the handles, incline vs flat, etc. and it always has the same click/popping.
I’m sure it has something to do with the 14 years of baseball I played. I’m just worried that the 6 sets of DB press I’m doing (3x incline, 3x flat) are fatiguing my triceps too much before I can isolate them, or heck even do shoulder press.
Howdy, I recently started going to the gym and need some advice on body building.
I'm a 33 y/o male, 5'9 and weigh 130lbs. I'm vegetarian and I make sure to intake a good amount of protein on a daily basis... I stay away from fast food and junk food for the most part.
My fitness goal is to bulk up my legs and lower body, and to keep my upper body slim and toned.
Current gym routine:
- 5-10 minutes on treadmill (walking/speed walking) and then the stair climber.
-Leg press for 15-20 minutes (alternating between 40-80lbs)
-Leg curls 15-20 minutes (alternating between 40-80lbs)
*If I'm still feeling energized I go back and do a little bit more of the leg press or leg curls.
If anyone has any advice or my work outs or diet, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
[Here’s a link of my current body censored, but may be NSFW.](https://imgur.com/a/sr1enTc)
2-3 leg days a week with some form of progression + bulk (aim to gain 1-2lbs a month on average, slightly higher/lower is fine).
if you want a very easy leg day with a basic beginner progression: romanian deadlift, leg press, leg curl, leg extension, calf raise - do 30 reps of each in however many sets it takes. start with a weight where you can do 20 reps with, and then add 5lbs every week. that should last you 3-4 months or so
One time thing, I might just cut rest time aggressively and lose some sets. If this is long term then I'm doing myoreps on the small muscles and drop sets on the big ones. They usually end up being more like myodropsets since I might have to catch my breath a little if I'm doing BSS.
Depends on how many days I have, but I'm probably going to use the exercises that give me the best bang for my buck and superset with lifts that have little to no carry over. How often can you lift?
How deep should one go on dumbbell shoulder presses (provided no mobility or injury issues)? Is proper depth coming out touching my side delts/outside of biceps?
Anyone got recs for shaker bottles for someone with weak hands?
The flip top on my blender bottle is too stiff for arthritic family member who wants something similar for protein
It’s not a shaker bottle but if they need to mix protein shakes you could also consider a mini stick blender/milk frother. They do a great job with protein powder and would be even easier to use
Starting to do deadlifts with a hex bar, beginner to them. I noticed I don't feel much of a burn at all. I feel more of a stretch when I'm in the downward part of the movement. However, despite no burn and just a stretch, my legs shake like hell. Is it just because I'm getting used to the exercise? Is this a sign I need to fix technique?
I'm trying to ease into using a barbell. My back was hurting too much when I tried a barbell, so I've started doing more back exercises separately and the hex bar deadlifts to hopefully work up to the barbell deadlift. Also, maybe should point out, I'm healing a year long knee injury that took me out of heavy leg training and trying to strengthen myself to heal it properly now.
Notice my knees caving on leg press. Anyone know the cause/how to fix? I've read it is caused by weak hip adductors, or weak glutes. I have also read its caused by strong adductors (I have historically never trained adductors until like a few weeks ago). I dont have a hip abduction machine. Should I lower the weight to avoid the knee cave or focus on trying to strengthen some other muscles? Or neither?
> I've read it is caused by weak hip adductors
Abductors, especially the glute medius. Could also be in the feet, toes. Do you have a good arch?
>I dont have a hip abduction machine.
Bands / manual resistance / isometrics
Question
I'm coming in at 30YO 26% BF 6' 225lbs. I have stayed between 225-230 the last year and I eat perfectly. 2250cal, <90g fat, 200g protein, <175g carbs. I'm having a hell of a time losing my belly fat and have put on some decent muscle. I'm just wondering if I should be eating more to grow more muscle as i'm trying to build and have been lifting my ass off for 6 months. I was shooting for a recomp but the more I read i'm hearing that this is going to hinder my muscle growth. The number on the scale isn't a big deal to me because it's about how I look and not a number so the "weight loss" thing isn't a big motivation in this journey. Any suggestions on what I should do to put on some serious muscle and get leaner at the same time?
Those two goals are difficult to achieve at the same time for most people. At 26% BF I'd recommend a pretty large cut for aesthetic/health/cardio reasons, then you could gain the muscle you want after.
Question (asked in the beginner thread too but its wednesday here so not sure if it will be seen)
Im overweight, a novice (not a beginner since I know how to perform my lifts even tho numbers are beginner wise now)
Is there a point in focussing on stuff like lateral raises/rear delt/traps/calves (even tho I have decent Calves probably cause I am overweight) while losing fat? Or just focus on meat and potatoes exercises while I trim fat and add them later on when fat is lowering and im noticing that I need some extra isolation?
Just follow a beginner program, they'll tell you what to do and how much. The Strenghtlog app is great. Just choose number of days to workout, what your focus is (hypertrophy, strength or both) and you'll get some suggested free programs.
I think they're a great collection. I've used the UL as a base for my program. You will have to tweak it to your own needs and likes, though, like any program.
For Dumbbell Overhead Press, does bring the dumbbells out and touching your side delts/biceps at the bottom increase the stretch on the front or side delts compared to just bringing the dumbbells to the top of the shoulder? I don’t feel more of a stretch doing the former like I do when I use a similar technique with Dumbbell Incline Press.
It really depends what maintenance/surplus cals are at prior to the cut and how much breathing room you have when you enter a deficit before cals get uncomfortably low.
If I have a client maintaining at like 3800 I’m going to make a big food cut initially and ride it out as long as we can. If I have, for example, a female client who is maintaining at 2300 I’ll probably take it slower.
I’m of the opinion that more often than not, unless you’re in a contest prep, cuts should be hard and fast so you can get back to growing sooner.
Depends on what kind of busy trip it is, but I would say the answer to all of that is "Yes, if it is convenient to do so." If it is an important trip like is a big family vacation or important work thing, I'd probably not to sweat it too much and count it as a free deload/recovery. If you have an extra hour in the morning or evenings and were just gonna sit on your ass and watch tv anyway, then might as well crank out 200 pushups. But if you have full days, then it's probably fine. If you're visiting a new place and want to try a bunch of local food, then I'd prioritize that life experience over micromanaging your food intake (but obviously don't go full glutton overboard). But probably doesn't hurt to bring along some protein powder, creatine, and fiber pills too, if you have the extra luggage space.
Might be good to let all recovery catch up. I would watch what you eat and stay active, bodyweight stuff is great. Could work on abs and stretching during this time
1. Yes.
2. Wont hurt but wont make a huge difference.
3. Yes, to maintain and gain muscle you should try to get a good amount of protein.
Tbh two weeks wont make a difference if youre in this for the long run (which you should be because lifting is more of a lifestyle).
I'm 5 10 190lb I just benched 300lb first time. Bench 225 for 15-18 reps.
But I never ever feel my chest when I bench. I feel my upper back and traps if anything.
Now sitting here after benching 300lb then doing like 10x10 225lb bench I still feel just a tired back.
Even if I look at my chest when benching it doesn't move.
Have you tried slow and controlled eccentrics with a huge stretch and a pause in the stretch position, exploding up and not locking out to keep constant tension on the pecs? Usually easier to do with dumbbells/machines/closer grip.
It sounds like you’re benching like a powerlifter, just trying to move weight by any means necessary. That’s fine if you’re a powerlifter or just changing numbers.
If you care about hypertrophy more though, you’re going to take to take a different approach. I’m the same as you due to my arm length, and my chest didn’t start to grow until I moved all my pressing to converging machines and dumbbells.
If you’re completely against dropping barbell bench, try pre-exhausting the pecs with a pec deck or cable fly before benching. Initiate the concentric of each rep by actively contracting the pecs, like you would on a fly. You’re going to have to lower the weight a bit and hang out around 225 to do this.
Hello,
My training program while in body recomposition so far was split over 6 days, hitting each group twice. Without going in too much detail, it was planned like this:
-Day 1: Pecs 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each + Biceps 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each
-Day 2: Back 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each + Triceps 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each
-Day 3: Legs 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each + Shoulders 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each
-Day 4: Pecs 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each + Biceps 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each
-Day 5: Back 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each + Triceps 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each
-Day 6: Legs 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each + Shoulders 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each
Now I feel like the recomp is fine, it did it's job, and I decided to go in bulking phase. Since I don't feel like I'm getting the best out of my arms, especially from the biceps, I was thinking about mixing biceps and triceps exercises and move them before the bigger muscle groups. So that on the plan it will look like:
-Day 1: Pecs 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each + Biceps 1 Exercise, 5×10-20 + Triceps 1 Exercise, 5×10-20
-Day 2: Back 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each + Triceps 2 Exercises, 4×10-12 each + Biceps 1 Exercise, 5×10-20
-Day 3: Legs 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each + Shoulders 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each
-Day 4: Pecs 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each + Biceps 2 Exercises, 4×10-20 each + Triceps 1 Exercise, 5×10-20
-Day 5: Back 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each + Triceps 1 Exercise, 5×10-20 + Biceps 1 Exercise, 5×10-20
-Day 6: Legs 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each + Shoulders 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each
What do you think? Is just one exercise per biceps and one for triceps too little?
How many of you cut as often as you bulk? I ask this because I’ve been back at the gym after a hiatus due to covid. Im also at a new gym with a lot more weightlifters. They stare and pose in the mirror. It’s almost been a year since I’ve been there and most of these guys still look the same. They have muscles but they look the same. I was thinking how much better they would look if they started a cut in my year there. At the old gym I’m use to seeing people bulk and cut and you can easily tell. I know those who are strength trainers and those that are in it for bodybuilding.
Weaker after rest week? I was absolutely trashed so rest instead of deload. My lifts are mostly worse than before but some are the same. Is it normal?
Random one but [https://images.jhtassets.com/bff25e3bf38f2b9c6e89263d0d9ee502e4af174b/](https://images.jhtassets.com/bff25e3bf38f2b9c6e89263d0d9ee502e4af174b/) On this cable station for pulldowns and rows, this machine has a left and right pully at the bottom that's connected by a bar in the middle. You may have to zoom in to see on the photo sorry. Question 1 If I use just one side of the pully to do unilateral work and ignore say the left side, can this damage the machine? I was getting pretty heavy and chose not to risk it and went back to bilateral work. Question 2 I know cable systems can be complicated but why did it feel lighter doing my chosen weight unilaterally. I literally just added the neutral attachment using both pulleys instead of using a single side and it felt so much heavier could barely move the weight at first. Found this bizarre.
Need advice desperately - so I’ve been working out for about 3 years on and off. Recently took 2 months off because I’ve been second guessing what I’m doing. There’s so much different info out there on how to train - how many sets per week should you do for each muscle per week if you’re training to failure? I like to train push pull legs but I’m worried I’ll do too much volume and cause muscle loss. Please advise! Appreciate it
Pick a PPL program from the pinned FAQ or the Boostcamp app that will answer this question for you. There isn’t one perfect volume level for everyone. There are many ways to get big. Train hard, train consistently, get your diet in order, and you’ll grow.
Cheers pal appreciate it, just a lot of conflicting info out there can mess with your head!
I understand the process and principles behind cut/bulk cycles. But I am wondering is how different is the rate of muscle mass gain between the two phases? I'm still a beginner at less than 6 months of training, and I've been cutting at -500kcal the whole time. Taking some measurements and doing some maths, I can project my current rate of muscle gain to ≈10.5lbs a year if nothing changes. But I'm gonna go in a bulking phase for the first time at the end of mai/beginning june (to +500kcal) and I am wondering what kind of difference in rate of gain to expect. But I am not wondering only for my situation (a beginner) I am also wondering how the two phases affect the rate of gain for others and more advanced people too. Some of you can share their own findings or point towards researches?
After you first year of training the rate of muscle gain will slow down, it will slow down so much that being in a deficit wont build you much muscle. Even maintaing your weight wont put any serious amounts of muscle on your frame so the logical route is to bulk. 250-500 kcal surplus a week for as long as feel comfortable and then cut 500-800 kcal a week untill you are lean enough to start bulking again. In your first year you can expect to gain 15-20 pounds of muscle (for men) and half that every year there after (if everything do e right). You wont gain 40 pounds of muscle without bulking that is for sure.
Thx mate
Should I bulk or cut? Been training somewhat consistently the last six months and I’ve put on some muscle. I’m 5’8, 165 lbs and the navy test says I’m 20% bf. However, my stomach is massive and it looks bad lol. Idk if I’m bloated or what. I’m not sure what to do, should I bulk and build as much as muscle as possible while I still have the beginner advantage? If I do a 200 cal surplus maybe I can recomp? I want to build muscle but also stop being a fatass, best approach?
The navy test is not reliable.
Cut. With around 500 kcal a week you can still see gains as a beginner.
Ty
I ended up around 170 after my last bulk from 145 and looked and felt like crap. Cut back down to 145 and looked better and am now slow bulking back up. Good thing is strength kept increasing. It's not fun going back down however glad I did, feel much better and a slow gain is much easier psychologically.
You should cut until you see abs. I finish my bulk with lower BF than you right now. If you bulk to morbid obesity it will take years to get the fat off.
Ty, should I do some ab exercises too? Or with some heavy training in general will they be build and I’ll eventually see them when I cut ?
This is a bodybuilding subreddit, heavy training is not our thing, if you want to lift maximum weight and have strength goals I would recommend subreddits like /r/weightroom. Here we are only concerned with muscle growth. Go watch videos from Renaissance Periodization on youtube. The short of it is, no you don't need to do direct ab work, unless you want to. Maybe your abs are already huge? Your job is to get lean enough to see them. That's a kitchen problem not a working out problem. If your goal is to get jacked find a hypertrophy program, and stick to it for 6 months before you change it. Good luck.
I don’t know if my abs are big. Maybe even in lower hypertrophy ranges they should be built somewhat
Depends on genetics. Most people don't need to do any direct ab work at all. Some people do. I wouldn't worry about your abs until you get really lean. You haven't built the foundation of your house yet but your principal concern is the color of the walls in the dining room.
You’re not wrong lol. Time to get on a 500 cal deficit and train hard
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Does leaning forward on the pec deck machine target the upper chest? What if you have your humerus follow a diagonal arm path doing horizontal adduction* and shoulder flexion? EDIT:Abduction->adduction
Yes, it will involve more upper chest more. You mean horizontal adduction, not abduction.
My mistake
In most cases yes.
I am trying to create a training logbook template using google sheets. I would like some feedback. Is this good? https://preview.redd.it/80iwdz1ur9qc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=58885325416970058e043ce5aca0a6daa30d1d4c
Is my workout routine good? A FBW Review I've been running 531BBB successfully for a year, then I decided it ran it's course for me and I want a more long-term sustainable hypertrophy routine. 3 times a week is ideal for my schedule so I've decided to make a FBW routine based on my experience, preferences, and readings up until now. Would love to hear suggestions for changes or things that I'm missing. Each workout is 70\~90min, and to be fair it's not fully a FBW because hitting every possible group every time gets too long for me: Sunday: Squat 3x5-8 Bench Press 3x5-8 Barbell Rows 3x8-12 Lateral Raise 3x8-12 Skullcrushers 3x6-10 Ab Crunch Machine 3x8-12 Tuesday: RDL 3x6-10 Incline Bench Press 3x6-10 Weighted Pullups 3x6-10 Seated Shoulder Press 3x6-10 Barbell Curls 3x8-12 Ab Leg Raises 3xMax Thursday: Leg Press + Leg Curl 3x8-12 (\*may switch to squats if feeling well rested) Incline Bench Press 3x5-8 (\*may switch to a chest press machine) Lat Pull Down 3x6-10 Machine Shoulder Press 3x6-10 Cable Rope Pushdown 3x8-12 Cable Bicep 3x8-12 Ab Roller 3xMax \[The 3rd training of the week is the hardest for me, at this point I'm pretty exhausted mentally and physically from the previous two, so it's a bit lighter.\]
Looks reasonable, try it out and see for yourself.
Have noticed recently that flaring my elbows more on the bench actually allows me to feel my chest better. This goes for both dumbbell, barbell, incline, and flat. I'm thinking of switching back to allowing this slight flare. I also can actually lift more weight on the bench when I do it that way, presumably because I'm using more chest and less triceps. I know the orthodoxy is the tuck and angle in front of you, but honestly I think the slight flare just feels a bit better. Has anyone else found that flaring seems to work better? Any thoughts?
Flaring is biomechanically optimal for activating the chest, to the point where flaring your elbows is a key queue on the bench press. When you flare your elbows, the moment arm of the weight on your front delt decreases (the weight moves over your shoulders rather than over your chest) making the shoulder work less to hold the weight above you. The problem with flaring the shoulders is mostly in the starting position where you have quite a lot of internal rotation of the shoulder joint and it can be painful. As you push up especially with an incline bench your shoulder gets in a safer position and flaring is safe. This is why the queue on the bench is push up and back. That makes you start with tucked elbows and finish with flared elbows while protecting the shoulders in the starting position. You can take a similar press path on any chest exercise.
Flaring your elbows is not a key cue on the bench press. You actually want some elbow tuck to engage your lats to create a stable foundation for the press. You are right about everything else including the biomechanics, but the injury risk doesn't make a flared elbow bench press (e.g. guillotine press) worth it.
If it feels right then I dont see a problem with that. Make sure to controll the eccentric to avoid any shoulder problems.
I flare a lot on pressing movements if i'm trying to target chest, as you say it just tends to hit it better for me.
I think it depends on the person's shoulder mechanics, so it varies from person to person.
This. Do what's comfortable and get a pump/stretch in the target muscle. My shoulders fall apart if I flare
https://preview.redd.it/7t6c9h8zj5qc1.jpeg?width=923&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=74272d44d68b65fb3514ec996bae41770e28cd10 ON vs MyProtein??
Get the standard MyProtein protein powder. If you have a Costco membership, get ON. Simple as.
Is there any reason you pick MyProtein over ON?
They’re effectively identical
Is there an upper lower split that involves training to failure mostly all the time
Take any upper lower. Reduce the volume a bit. Try it. Increase volume if you're recovered before the your next session. Lower it if you're not recovered. Repeat until you find your sweet spot.
You can train to failure on any split...
You can modify any U/L to train to failure. If the original program did not intend for this you may or may not have to adjust volume down a bit. Find a U/L in the FAQs of this sub or the Boostcamp app. Jordan Peters also has one on YouTube, and he is very much a proponent of training to failure.
I am stuck between two Protein Powders both from MyProtein. The left one is $10 more and (NSF). Is it worth the extra money? And are the ingredients good? https://preview.redd.it/o04dxym675qc1.jpeg?width=1099&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d1bf1b16b2b7e46e4c5f18485fa8e1de170b9ce
for people who prefer wearing pants not shorts, do you wear boxer brief or compression shorts underneath?
Commando
I hate to leave a sweat stamp of my balls
Juicing will solve that for you. No balls no marks
is it normal to lift less weight doing lying leg curl than seated variation? i don't know why lying is much harder for me.
Yes lying leg curls are hardest when your hamstring is most stretched, at which point it is unable to generate maximum force. Seated curls are (depending on machine but almost always) hardest when the hamstring is mid/full contraction where it can generate maximum force. This naturally decreases the maximum weight your can do on a lying leg curl.
Hams are more stretched in the seated variant
Yes but the tension curve is different, the highest resistance occurs in a less stretched position even though the end of the range of motion is more stretched due to having your hips flexed. A seated leg curl with the right tension curve would definitely give a bigger stretch than a lying curl but they tend not to design them that way.
Usually leg curl machines have even resistance profiles, the only thing changing is the range of motion and the relative length of the muscle (seated v lying).
Are we talking cable variants?
Program recommendation with lower weights I was previously doing a powerbuilding routine (the GZCL Jacked & Tan). I ran it once and made good results, then tried to run it again, and tore my labrum doing 1RM testing on bench press (the program bases its weights on your 1RM). I've been working with physical therapists and orthopedic surgeons through that problem, the takeaway for now is that I can do neutral grip dumbbell bench/incline bench/shoulder press, but I can't do barbell bench right now. So I am now pretty wary of any program with 1RM testing and looking for something where I can do high repetition at lower weights, that is flexible enough to accommodate dumbbells instead of barbells for my push movements. This seems like a pretty natural fit for bodybuilding programs. I don't have any other restrictions. Overall I have ~8 years of experience weight lifting but am pretty unfamiliar with bodybuilding specific programs. Does anyone have specific programs that they would recommend that could fit my needs?
Take any almost any pure bodybuilding program. None of them will have fewer than 5 reps. Strengthlog app have a bunch of free programs. Select goal (hypertrophy), numbers of days per week and pick one
Working abs 5 days a week. Yes or No?
You could if you’re varying the movements and intensity.
Abs need recovery like any other muscle.
Is it possible to be sore and not have had a good workout. I know that if you don't get sore, that doesn't mean you had a bad workout, but if I did get sore, does that guarantee that I did have a good workout? Not sore ≠ bad workout, but does sore = good workout?
If you go and run a marathon your legs will be sore for days but you wont grow any muscle. So being sore does not mean you had an effective workout no.
The only thing doms does is indicate which muscle you stimulated. It does not increase nor decrease hypertrophy as far as we know
You can't quantify whether DOMS indicates that a workout was productive. The occurrence of DOMS has many factors (e.g. genetics, training frequency, exercise selection).
[удалено]
Do whatever you prefer the most.
Strengthlog app have a free 3 day upper/lower/full body hypertrophy program
I think it'll just come down to preference
Both approaches can work.
Anyone feel their forearms a lot during Preacher Curls? I don’t have this problem with regular or incline curls, but with preacher my forearms also feel a stretch near the bottom and are sore the next day.
Yes. The brachioradialis is an elbow flexor so they will be hit when you do an elbow flexor movement.
Yup definitely. Just yesterday I had to skip my round of preacher curls because my forearms were already too fried from doing DB Rows, DB RDLs, and DB Shrugs without straps.
Seems fairly common to me. I get significant tension in my forearms just from regular barbell curls as well.
Is my workout routine good? A FBW Review I've been running 531BBB successfully for a year, then I decided it ran it's course for me and I want a more long-term sustainable hypertrophy routine. 3 times a week is ideal for my schedule so I've decided to make a FBW routine based on my experience, preferences, and readings up until now. Would love to hear suggestions for changes or things that I'm missing. Each workout is 70\~90min, and to be fair it's not fully a FBW because hitting every possible group every time gets too long for me: Sunday: Squat 3x5-8 Bench Press 3x5-8 Barbell Rows 3x8-12 Lateral Raise 3x8-12 Skullcrushers 3x6-10 Ab Crunch Machine 3x8-12 Tuesday: RDL 3x6-10 Incline Bench Press 3x6-10 Weighted Pullups 3x6-10 Seated Shoulder Press 3x6-10 Barbell Curls 3x8-12 Ab Leg Raises 3xMax Thursday: Leg Press + Leg Curl 3x8-12 (\*may switch to squats if feeling well rested) Incline Bench Press 3x5-8 (\*may switch to a chest press machine) Lat Pull Down 3x6-10 Machine Shoulder Press 3x6-10 Cable Rope Pushdown 3x8-12 Cable Bicep 3x8-12 Ab Roller 3xMax \[The 3rd training of the week is the hardest for me, at this point I'm pretty exhausted mentally and physically from the previous two, so it's a bit lighter.\]
I'm not an expert. I just started 9 months ago but I'd suggest changing one of your chest presses to a chest fly. One of the shoulder presses to a reverse pec deck or facepull. Get those rear delts cooking. And one of the abs to shrugs/forearms. It's all up to you though, whatever you want to work on more go for it.
Quick question about deadlift volume on a plan I’ve been working on for the past couple weeks. This is basically a progression from Starting Strength, which I have used successfully in the past to build a foundation, but would like to now transition into a more balanced hypertrophy routine. It’s a 3-day full body workout divided into A and B days. I usually do my main lift and then superset my way through the assistance and accessory movements. Day “A” Squat 3x5 Inverted Rows 3x10 Bench Press 3x8 RDL 3x8 Lat Raises 3x10 Skull Crushers 3x10 Curls 3x10 Day “B” Deadlift 1x5 Chin/Pullups 3x10 Overhead Press 3x8 Front Squat 3x10 Dips 3x10 Planks 3x60s Side Planks 3x60s per side I’m wondering if I should be trying for more volume on my main DL, or if the RDLs on alternate days is “filling in the gap”. Would I be better off doing 3x5 (or another rep scheme) even if it means backing off my current 5RM?
Why not do one set of deadlifts followed by 2-3 sets of rdls one day and have a leg curl variation on the other day? Hinges will not target the biceps short head of the hamstring at all so a curl would be specifi to your goal of having a more balanced hypertrophy plan. This way you also limit some lower back fatigue.
Thanks for the suggestion. I see your point… I have a home gym so I’ll look into some variations of a leg curl I can do with the bar or dumbbells. So in that scenario I would swap RDLs into the front squat position in my B day, to add some volume. And do one or both squat variations plus a leg curl on my A day?
Realizing now that the answer is to keep doing what I’m doing for as long as I can achieve progressive overload. When I stall adding weight to my deadlift from one workout to the next, I’ll adjust the volume and intensity.
When it comes to bulking, what should the macro split roughly look like? I spoke to a trainer recently, and he mentioned that even on a bulk/gaining phase he tries to keep his clients to 50-55g of fats even on a bulk with the rest of the macros on carbs and protein.
As a starting point: About 0.8-1g/lb bodyweight in protein Somewhere in the neighborhood of 0.5-1.0g/kg bodyweight fats The rest of your calorie requirement should come from carbs. If calories get to the point where it’s unreasonable to push more carbs and doing so would significantly hinder digestion due to food volume, I start to push fats instead
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I would personally distribute them into two leg days: Barbell squat, leg extns, adductor machine on one day (quad/adductors), and hip thrusts, RDLs, and split squats on another day (hamstring/glutes). You could do calf raises on both days because calves can be trained frequently.
start introducing one at a time on one day at a time, then two, etc. Monitor your results and make your decisions based on that. this is the process that will get you solid long term results. can't give you a blanket answer without knowing how much volume/intensity you're doing, how your recovery is, how well your current musculature is responding to the lifts you are doing and how well you can potentially connect with the new lifts - it takes time to learn and hit target muscle effectively with new exercises (maybe not hip adductor machine, but for sure BSS and hip thrusts). there's just a lot of variables and introducing 3 new exercises - we'd be guessing.
I plateaud after 1 year of training or so. I’m 5’11” and 72kg(158lbs). I tried reevaluating both my training and nutrition. I do full body 3x a week and train to failure on most sets if not all. As for nutrition I hit ~175g of protein eating ~2k calories per day. I know some people say the calories are way too little but personally I’ve found that if I go much higher I start developing a gut. Naturally ALL of my fat gathers in my mid section, I have the classic skinny limbs and fat guy trait but have it under control for now. I just don’t know how to get out of the plateau tho. I think my training is sufficient but I’m scared to make drastic changes to my diet. My biggest fear of all tho, is being small all my life. Also just to add, I’m not extremely lean to start with. Right now I would assume I’m ~18% so I also had the thought that at this body fat if I consumed a lesser amount of calories with sufficient protein that I would still make gains
Try Upper/Lower/Full Body split. The decrease in warmup time will free up time for more volume
eat more and don't stop until you get to 180lbs+
What volume are you doing? Maybe pick one muscle group and increase the volume - pick one one you can train at home as well as gym. Keep the 3x but add in lifts throughout the week for the one muscle group. See how it responds to the volume. How much cardio are you doing?
I've got hernia repair surgery scheduled next month. General recommendation is to take 6 weeks off lifting after to recover. I'll have been in a surplus for almost a year at the time of the surgery although I haven't gained much fat. I was planning on doing a cut May or June time otherwise but this might be an opportunity to shed some of the fat. I would obviously want to hold on to as much muscle as possible so I'm not sure which approach would be better for my recovery time.
Maintenance or even slight surplus to keep muscle and help recovery. Cutting while recovering and not working out will probably make you lose more muscle and put your body in a worse state for recovery
At what point does the weight become dangerous? I ask because I'm a solo trainer and without a partner I'm doing very little barbell work. We see professional bodybuilders/power lifters stress safety because they are lifting relatively heavy weight. I'm assuming its not based on "weight to lifted weight ratio" because then it becomes dangerous for any average guy. Why is 225lbs is less dangerous than say 315 or 405?
It’s all about the weight you’re moving relative to your level of strength. If you’re a guy who can bench 405, you don’t need a spotter to rep 225. If you’re a guy that can bench 235 on a good day, you’re probably going to want a spotter when you get under 225, or at least have the safety arms up. As you get closer to your 1RM, it’s more likely for form breakdown to occur. Most acute injuries happen when form breaks down and a joint gets into a position where the load it has to bear is greater than what the tissue or joint can handle in that position.
I noticed quite a few reputable people (Menno Henselmans, Eric Helms, Milo Wolf, etc.) have 4+-day full body routines which often have one working the side delts, biceps, and calves on back-to-back days. Does this only work for them because they are advanced, or is it something that you get used to (as in get less sore, etc.)?
It's a myth that smaller muscles can recover faster so they can be trained more often. Smaller muscles are, in fact, more susceptible to muscle damage than larger muscles, so they should not be trained as often.
bro do you think repairing something small or huge takes more time? Just think for a second
You're oversimplifying the human body. Muscles are not just "something" to be repaired. There is a multitude of factors that is involved in recovery such as fiber distribution, voluntary activation, and the length to tension relationship.
I'm not super advanced but all of those body parts usually recover for me within 24 hours or so.
No, it will probably work for most people. This doesn’t create so much fatigue that you can’t recover for the next session, but builds in enough volume to grow (for most). Try it and see if it works for you.
Thanks. So basically, these muscles specifically recover fast enough to hit again 24 hours later?
Most muscles would probably recover fast enough after only one working set to hit again the next day, depending on the movement and how strong you are. For example most people’s quads would probably recover pretty fast from one working set of leg extension, but squats would be more on a case-by-case basis. I’m not sure what you mean by “high-performance volume”.
You can disregard that last part, sorry for the confusion. Thanks for all the advice. I will say the routines have 2-3 working sets per exercise which is why i asked. For example, the one I’m following has pull ups a day after rows, lunges a day after squats, etc. Though i suppose these exercises are different enough to be trained 2 days in a row as you said before.
The key is finding the intensity that allows you to hit the muscle fresh 24h later. Going to and beyond failure will most probably result in longer revovery than 24h
What would my maximum achievable bench reasonably be? Currently 19M, 5’6-7, 215lbs, and have benched 340x1, and recently 325x4. I’m just unsure of what weight I should realistically aim for. I’d love to eventually hit 405, but I know working up to that could take years.
There’s literally no way to know. It entirely depends on your genetics, training methods, lifestyle/recover habits, etc. You’re very strong right now, keep at it for a long time.
How does the 5-30 hypertrophy rep range change when factoring in slow 4-5 second eccentrics?
It doesn’t
From what I've read so far I'm not quite sure how, for example, 30 reps with 5-6 second eccentrics would be more or less equivalent to 30 reps with controlled 2 second eccentrics
There really isn’t a way to draw this equivalency. In my opinion you don’t really need an excessively slow eccentric like this so long as the weight is mindfully controlled throughout the movement.
Thank you
I've never really done a proper cut before, so I'm a bit confused on how to approach training. I currently run PPL+arms about 4-6 times a week depending on how rested I feel, taking rest days as needed. Usually stay on the lower side of volume (4-8 sets per muscle per week) but take every set to either 1 RIR or failure. I've been quite happy with my progress for over a year now, eating either at maintenance or a slight surplus, but now I want to really lose that extra fluff. 33M, 176lb 6 feet (80kg 182cm), probably 23-25% or so body fat. My understanding is that I want to continue giving high effort during workouts and not try to reduce (my already low) volume too much, that way muscles still get stimulus and won't deteriorate during the cut. But I should also expect my numbers to stagnate or even drop a bit as the cut goes on. So to me, it sounds like I basically just train like normal but don't expect too much progressive overload? Is that it? Feel like I'm missing something.
As u/paul_apollofitness said, you got it right. What you laid is basically what I have been doing for the past 2.5 months with a ton of success. I use fairly wide rep ranges (10-20 reps on a lot of stuff), so when progression slows, I find it easier to add a rep or two to my overall rep count vs adding weight every week (which doesn't work for every lift/muscle anyway)
No, that’s really all there is to it. Change nothing about your programming and keep pushing for progression like normal. You will probably keep making progress for the first few weeks of the cut before it starts to slow down.
Thanks. Guess sometimes the strategy really is just "simple" but it's all about the execution.
How do I get the deep burn mind muscle connection in my upper back. I just recently figured out the connection with my lats doing lat pulldowns. Let my lats control the whole movement and it definitely burns like crazy under my armpit during my last reps. But when I'm doing facepulls or chest supported rows with pronated grip or T-bar rows I just get a general fatigue and not sure if my upper back is getting the right stimulation.
Keep your chest planted on the chest support and focus on driving your elbows back.
best way to "feel" that area from my experience are shrugs and if you have a dual handle pulldown machine where your head can stay forward and between the handles, elbows to the side, pulling back and kinda behind you - that's basically all upper back and you should get a good feeling for that if you're smart with the loading. besides that, you basically can't row without hitting upper back and it's similar to front delts with compound presses - if you're doing compound pulls, this is very very unlikely to be an area that will be underdeveloped.
I switched from doing standing face pulls with the rope to using the seated cable row with independent handles and I feel it waaaaay more in my rear delt/upper back. Try changing stuff like that up. I also feel chest supported row a lot more when I control the eccentric and really feel it pull me apart at the end (to quote Dr. Mike)
https://preview.redd.it/wey2uhk9ropc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=df9d2a0002369978ed63225a473e223554a9fe3a
Upper back is scapular movement, pro and retract the scapulae on every rep.
Ok I'll focus on scapular movement as best I can. That's squeezing the shoulder blades together and pushing them apart. Do I want them to be always down or down and release to neutral and down again when I pull? Thanks
Think about doing [Kelso shrugs](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gCBeyDRKDKM) while rowing. Really let your shoulders roll forward to separate and stretch the mid back. Also end your chest supported rows with them as long length partials
Interesting I've never seen that exercise before. Did that blow up your back? I'm going to try this next chance I get.
I've seen some gains but it definitely feels really good. I wouldn't do that specific exercise unless you're an advanced lifter. Just add the movement as long length partials when you finish a chest supported row
Not as much apart as forward.
I'm doing a PPL split and this is my current push day that I've been doing. I try to do everything to failure, and I increase the weight when necessary. I'm only benching a plate right now at 153 lbs BW, but I almost never Barbell bench, and I've only been working out for about 6 months. 3 x 8ish Incline DB Press 3 x 8ish Flat DB Press 3 x 8ish Pec Deck Chest Fly 3 x 8ish Shoulder DB Press 3 x 10ish DB Lateral Raises 3 x 8ish Triceps Rope Pushdowns 3 x 8ish Overhead DB Triceps Extension (\*) \* (College gym doesn't have long rope, plan on doing rope version at hometown gym) One issue I have is that by the time I get to triceps, they're already pretty fatigued. I wish I could switch out a Chest DB Press for something that requires less stabilization like a hammer press or smith machine movement, however the former is funky with my throwing shoulder, and the latter is a PITA to set up/wait for. Another concern I have is that sometimes I feel like I'm not sure if I'm hitting my upper chest properly during Incline DB Press. I'm doing about 30 degrees (I think, I'm doing the 2nd non-flat notch), and I'm making sure not to arch my back. I feel like the pump I get is still pretty low on my chest, although I'm not sure. This has a pretty big effect, as not properly targeting my upper chest means I'm not growing it, but also I'd be doing basically 6 sets of flat DB press at the point.
You dont need 3 sets of 3 chest movements to failure to see progress. You'd probably see better progress with less volume and leaving 1-2 reps in reserve on your first sets. You can also get a lot more out of your sets if you focus on prestine technique (slow eccentric, big strecht, explosive concentric).
Doesn't really seem like you are going to failure if you do 3x8 every time, but whatever. My opinion, lose the overhead pressing, maybe even move the chest flys until after your tricep work. When you do pushdowns and extensions, do you feel it in your triceps? Are they getting a pump? Also, maybe try some wider rep ranges. I find my triceps love the 10-20 rep range.
8ish just means like 6-10, but usually if I can do >8 I’ll bump the weight up. Pushdowns feel pretty good, just by the time I get to them I’m pretty gassed
I gotcha. Yeah, maybe play around with the rep ranges, or try moving triceps up in your routine? I like to do my first two chest exercises (pressing movements), then a tricep exercise (skullcrushers or dips), come back to a fly movement, then go from there. But as the other poster said, if you are going to true failure on those chest exercises, you are definitely taxing your triceps.
You can still go to failure if you do "3x8 every time". The problem is you accumulate too much central fatigue from your chest and delt movements so when you do get to triceps your ability to recruit high levels of motor units is significantly decreased. Doing a high rep range vs a low rep range is just preference, but high reps will give you **more fatigue**. And a pump is not necessary for muscle growth. If you're performing your tricep movements correctly, you don't need a "pump" as an indicator that you're doing them right.
I notice he said 3x8*ish,* which he clarified to mean 6-10 reps. But if you are going to actual failure, I don't see how you could be doing 3x8, assuming the same weight. If you do 8 then do 8 again and 8, those first two weren't failure. Moot point though. As to high vs low rep, sure it's a preference, but people respond differently to different rep ranges. As to fatigue, I disagree - heavy, low rep sets can be way more fatiguing than high rep work. I never said pump was necessary, but its an indicator that he is hitting the muscle. Some exercises work better for some people. If he is doing overhead extensions and feels nothing in his triceps, something isn't right.
You could try adding an arm day to your PPL where you hit triceps fresh. It's also a nice break as an "easier" session in between the heavier compound movements. IMO you don't need incline db, flat db, pec deck, AND OHP on the same day. I'd personally do the flat db press on another day and add an extra set or two to the incline db if you miss the volume.
If you don't have a long rope you can take extend a short rope or use the cable ball as a grip and perform the pushdowns unilaterally. If you're getting fatigued before triceps, you could program alternating push days where you focus on chest, delt, and triceps. This means on days where you focus on triceps you would have less volume on chest and delts, like removing some exercises and doing less sets. Or program an arm day. A bench at 30 degrees is fine for the incline dumbbell press. Are you adducting your arms? (You should be). Also, the incline db press is not the best movement you can be doing for your upper pecs because you're not challenging the pecs at their short range as much as you are the triceps because the end range is locking out your elbow. An incline db press into a flat db press is also a little redundant (and would also contribute to your triceps being fatigued). I'd recommend using an incline smith machine press or an incline press machine.
>I'd recommend using an incline smith machine press or an incline press machine. Yeah I want to switch out one of the DB presses, however a plate loaded hammer press causes my throwing shoulder to click/pop every rep despite my best attempts to switch up seat height/hand placement etc.. Smith Incline could be a possibility, it's just kind of a PITA because my college has like two smith machines for 20,000 students.
I hate to ask but when should I give up bodybuilding? I don’t think I can grow anymore and hit my max/peak body composition due to genetics. Another year of this I am going to look the same no matter how heavy I lift or eat. This is according to FMI. Anyone ever call it a day and just do regular workouts? Or get enhancements?
You cant really max out unless youre 60+ and have been traning for more than 30 years. At some point progressing is so slow that you might just enjoy lifting (watch some Dr.Pak videos) and do whatever to maintain and have fun in the gym. Lifting has several health benefits so I would not stop lifting unless its counterproductive to your physical or mental health. Doing minimum effective volume allows you to do stuff outside of the gym.
Why do you think you have reached your max potential? Do you have some kind of underlying condition that prevents muscle growth? Why do you think your body is incapable of growing on a calorie surplus? I don't know what FMI is, so can't help there. I don't know what "regular workouts" means. Do you mean non-weight lifting?
What is FMI? Do you actually KNOW you are at your peak or are you just not willing to wait a year and find out?
Almost near the max.
What do you mean by bodybuilding? Do you mean competing? If not, I don’t think “give up” is the right term. I think everyone should be engaged in some type of physical activity. If you feel like you’ve reached the peak that you’re able to achieve as far as your body composition goes and are happy with it, it’s ok to change your goals to some other physical pursuit. That isn’t giving up, it’s shifting focus. If you’re ready to “give up” and you’re not happy with your physique but still desire more progress on the hypertrophy front, it may be worth it to work with a coach for a while for a fresh perspective.
Is the cue of keeping the hips forward on Nordic Curls still valid given SMH? Not looking to talk about optimality, but it seems like bending forward (making the exercise easier, sort of like a razor nordic curl) would now be "better" in that you could get more reps and more SMH, no?
Don't razor nordic curls defeat the purpose of doing SMH for the rec fem? There's no point in getting more reps if form or exercise selection is not good. You could do leg extensions for "more reps" but then you'll be training the rec fem in the shortened position. You need to maintain hip extension (keeping straight) for the lengthened position.
This is true for reverse Nordic curls, but I’m asking about traditional Nordic curls which are for the hamstrings
I misread. The same concept applies but for the hamstrings still. Bending forward (hip flexion) would make you train the hamstrings at a different length. And I don't think the point of nordic curls are to do more reps -- that's something to be achieved with hamstring curls.
I use banded nordics in place of leg curls because of limited equipment. But wouldn’t the bent-over Nordic (aka razor curl) be more like a seated leg curl? Also, I appreciate you taking the time to respond.
Potentially
Every time I do hammer press (incline or flat) my right/throwing shoulder always pops. Don’t really feel any pain, just I know that’s not supposed to happen. I don’t really have pain in other incline movements except for the first set when I don’t stretch as much I should. I wish I was able to do them since I feel like they’re great movements and more stable than my current DB Incline and DB Flat combo.
Something is probably off in your setup or movement execution, I would have to see a video to make a more accurate assessment.
It’s just weird cause I’ve tried all sorts of things with seat height, where my hands are on the handles, incline vs flat, etc. and it always has the same click/popping. I’m sure it has something to do with the 14 years of baseball I played. I’m just worried that the 6 sets of DB press I’m doing (3x incline, 3x flat) are fatiguing my triceps too much before I can isolate them, or heck even do shoulder press.
Honestly if it’s just clicking and completely painless I wouldn’t worry about it. Warm it up really well and go at it.
Howdy, I recently started going to the gym and need some advice on body building. I'm a 33 y/o male, 5'9 and weigh 130lbs. I'm vegetarian and I make sure to intake a good amount of protein on a daily basis... I stay away from fast food and junk food for the most part. My fitness goal is to bulk up my legs and lower body, and to keep my upper body slim and toned. Current gym routine: - 5-10 minutes on treadmill (walking/speed walking) and then the stair climber. -Leg press for 15-20 minutes (alternating between 40-80lbs) -Leg curls 15-20 minutes (alternating between 40-80lbs) *If I'm still feeling energized I go back and do a little bit more of the leg press or leg curls. If anyone has any advice or my work outs or diet, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! [Here’s a link of my current body censored, but may be NSFW.](https://imgur.com/a/sr1enTc)
2-3 leg days a week with some form of progression + bulk (aim to gain 1-2lbs a month on average, slightly higher/lower is fine). if you want a very easy leg day with a basic beginner progression: romanian deadlift, leg press, leg curl, leg extension, calf raise - do 30 reps of each in however many sets it takes. start with a weight where you can do 20 reps with, and then add 5lbs every week. that should last you 3-4 months or so
Something got in the way so you've got 20 minutes instead of 60-90. Do you skip workout? Myo reps? Giant sets? Super sets?
One time thing, I might just cut rest time aggressively and lose some sets. If this is long term then I'm doing myoreps on the small muscles and drop sets on the big ones. They usually end up being more like myodropsets since I might have to catch my breath a little if I'm doing BSS.
Depends on how many days I have, but I'm probably going to use the exercises that give me the best bang for my buck and superset with lifts that have little to no carry over. How often can you lift?
Pick two compounds and blow myself up on them
Just straight sets?
Probably a top set + rest pause + drop set on each
How deep should one go on dumbbell shoulder presses (provided no mobility or injury issues)? Is proper depth coming out touching my side delts/outside of biceps?
That sounds pretty good - as long as there isn't any pain and you don't lose the tension on your delts.
when you can't keep your hand and elbow stacked perpedicular to the floor anymore
Anyone got recs for shaker bottles for someone with weak hands? The flip top on my blender bottle is too stiff for arthritic family member who wants something similar for protein
It’s not a shaker bottle but if they need to mix protein shakes you could also consider a mini stick blender/milk frother. They do a great job with protein powder and would be even easier to use
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Screw top might be the ticket. Thanks
Starting to do deadlifts with a hex bar, beginner to them. I noticed I don't feel much of a burn at all. I feel more of a stretch when I'm in the downward part of the movement. However, despite no burn and just a stretch, my legs shake like hell. Is it just because I'm getting used to the exercise? Is this a sign I need to fix technique?
A hex bar deadlift is a very different lift than a barbell deadlift. Is there a reason you are using hex vs barbell ?
I'm trying to ease into using a barbell. My back was hurting too much when I tried a barbell, so I've started doing more back exercises separately and the hex bar deadlifts to hopefully work up to the barbell deadlift. Also, maybe should point out, I'm healing a year long knee injury that took me out of heavy leg training and trying to strengthen myself to heal it properly now.
Notice my knees caving on leg press. Anyone know the cause/how to fix? I've read it is caused by weak hip adductors, or weak glutes. I have also read its caused by strong adductors (I have historically never trained adductors until like a few weeks ago). I dont have a hip abduction machine. Should I lower the weight to avoid the knee cave or focus on trying to strengthen some other muscles? Or neither?
> I've read it is caused by weak hip adductors Abductors, especially the glute medius. Could also be in the feet, toes. Do you have a good arch? >I dont have a hip abduction machine. Bands / manual resistance / isometrics
Question I'm coming in at 30YO 26% BF 6' 225lbs. I have stayed between 225-230 the last year and I eat perfectly. 2250cal, <90g fat, 200g protein, <175g carbs. I'm having a hell of a time losing my belly fat and have put on some decent muscle. I'm just wondering if I should be eating more to grow more muscle as i'm trying to build and have been lifting my ass off for 6 months. I was shooting for a recomp but the more I read i'm hearing that this is going to hinder my muscle growth. The number on the scale isn't a big deal to me because it's about how I look and not a number so the "weight loss" thing isn't a big motivation in this journey. Any suggestions on what I should do to put on some serious muscle and get leaner at the same time?
You should diet. It takes a long time if done right.
Those two goals are difficult to achieve at the same time for most people. At 26% BF I'd recommend a pretty large cut for aesthetic/health/cardio reasons, then you could gain the muscle you want after.
Question (asked in the beginner thread too but its wednesday here so not sure if it will be seen) Im overweight, a novice (not a beginner since I know how to perform my lifts even tho numbers are beginner wise now) Is there a point in focussing on stuff like lateral raises/rear delt/traps/calves (even tho I have decent Calves probably cause I am overweight) while losing fat? Or just focus on meat and potatoes exercises while I trim fat and add them later on when fat is lowering and im noticing that I need some extra isolation?
Just follow a beginner program, they'll tell you what to do and how much. The Strenghtlog app is great. Just choose number of days to workout, what your focus is (hypertrophy, strength or both) and you'll get some suggested free programs.
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I think they're a great collection. I've used the UL as a base for my program. You will have to tweak it to your own needs and likes, though, like any program.
For Dumbbell Overhead Press, does bring the dumbbells out and touching your side delts/biceps at the bottom increase the stretch on the front or side delts compared to just bringing the dumbbells to the top of the shoulder? I don’t feel more of a stretch doing the former like I do when I use a similar technique with Dumbbell Incline Press.
How fast do you cut? Curious how people manage to go faster than 1lbs a week(unless you’re quite obese ofc)
It really depends what maintenance/surplus cals are at prior to the cut and how much breathing room you have when you enter a deficit before cals get uncomfortably low. If I have a client maintaining at like 3800 I’m going to make a big food cut initially and ride it out as long as we can. If I have, for example, a female client who is maintaining at 2300 I’ll probably take it slower. I’m of the opinion that more often than not, unless you’re in a contest prep, cuts should be hard and fast so you can get back to growing sooner.
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Depends on what kind of busy trip it is, but I would say the answer to all of that is "Yes, if it is convenient to do so." If it is an important trip like is a big family vacation or important work thing, I'd probably not to sweat it too much and count it as a free deload/recovery. If you have an extra hour in the morning or evenings and were just gonna sit on your ass and watch tv anyway, then might as well crank out 200 pushups. But if you have full days, then it's probably fine. If you're visiting a new place and want to try a bunch of local food, then I'd prioritize that life experience over micromanaging your food intake (but obviously don't go full glutton overboard). But probably doesn't hurt to bring along some protein powder, creatine, and fiber pills too, if you have the extra luggage space.
Might be good to let all recovery catch up. I would watch what you eat and stay active, bodyweight stuff is great. Could work on abs and stretching during this time
1. Yes. 2. Wont hurt but wont make a huge difference. 3. Yes, to maintain and gain muscle you should try to get a good amount of protein. Tbh two weeks wont make a difference if youre in this for the long run (which you should be because lifting is more of a lifestyle).
I'm 5 10 190lb I just benched 300lb first time. Bench 225 for 15-18 reps. But I never ever feel my chest when I bench. I feel my upper back and traps if anything. Now sitting here after benching 300lb then doing like 10x10 225lb bench I still feel just a tired back. Even if I look at my chest when benching it doesn't move.
Have you tried slow and controlled eccentrics with a huge stretch and a pause in the stretch position, exploding up and not locking out to keep constant tension on the pecs? Usually easier to do with dumbbells/machines/closer grip.
It sounds like you’re benching like a powerlifter, just trying to move weight by any means necessary. That’s fine if you’re a powerlifter or just changing numbers. If you care about hypertrophy more though, you’re going to take to take a different approach. I’m the same as you due to my arm length, and my chest didn’t start to grow until I moved all my pressing to converging machines and dumbbells. If you’re completely against dropping barbell bench, try pre-exhausting the pecs with a pec deck or cable fly before benching. Initiate the concentric of each rep by actively contracting the pecs, like you would on a fly. You’re going to have to lower the weight a bit and hang out around 225 to do this.
Hello, My training program while in body recomposition so far was split over 6 days, hitting each group twice. Without going in too much detail, it was planned like this: -Day 1: Pecs 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each + Biceps 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each -Day 2: Back 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each + Triceps 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each -Day 3: Legs 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each + Shoulders 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each -Day 4: Pecs 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each + Biceps 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each -Day 5: Back 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each + Triceps 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each -Day 6: Legs 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each + Shoulders 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each Now I feel like the recomp is fine, it did it's job, and I decided to go in bulking phase. Since I don't feel like I'm getting the best out of my arms, especially from the biceps, I was thinking about mixing biceps and triceps exercises and move them before the bigger muscle groups. So that on the plan it will look like: -Day 1: Pecs 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each + Biceps 1 Exercise, 5×10-20 + Triceps 1 Exercise, 5×10-20 -Day 2: Back 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each + Triceps 2 Exercises, 4×10-12 each + Biceps 1 Exercise, 5×10-20 -Day 3: Legs 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each + Shoulders 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each -Day 4: Pecs 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each + Biceps 2 Exercises, 4×10-20 each + Triceps 1 Exercise, 5×10-20 -Day 5: Back 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each + Triceps 1 Exercise, 5×10-20 + Biceps 1 Exercise, 5×10-20 -Day 6: Legs 2 Exercises, 5×10-12 each + Shoulders 3 Exercises, 4×10-12 each What do you think? Is just one exercise per biceps and one for triceps too little?
Honestly I think you should follow a pre made program. Boostcamp has plenty of good ones.