Give whatever you feel you need to do a try. bodybuilding is a very individual sport and I feel that I'm the same as you in this regard, but I just go for a little more volume for my isolation work.
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Fitness |OT5| Intermittent Farting, Wrist Curls and Hammer Strength Machine Spotters
- Thread starter MjFrancis
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Give whatever you feel you need to do a try. bodybuilding is a very individual sport and I feel that I'm the same as you in this regard, but I just go for a little more volume for my isolation work.
I've been doing them after compound workouts. Once a week and then twice a week the next week. Either Tues and Sat or just Thursday. 21's are pretty brutal but I've done that some and then just some regular barbell curls. If I had dumbbells I'd do that for more isolation. Also do some chin-ups for biceps.
A
A More Normal Bird
Unconfirmed Member
Going to be blunt and say that this looks like a pretty terrible routine. Mostly it's just ineffective, but some things (such as behind the neck press and military press directly after each other) are also dangerous. Depending on your strength level, you'd probably be much better served running a basic linear progression for a few months. Something like the program in the OP is strongly recommended. If for some reason you don't want to do that, at least structure a routine around the basic lifts. Something like (very rough and barebones example):
Even with a routine like that you'd see better results adding squats on Monday (take 1 or 2 of the assistance lifts from Monday and move them to Friday if you do).
BankaiZaraki
Banned
I alternated working out at 6am with no food in my belly on Mondays and Tuesdays and then working out at 2-2:30pm on Wednesday-Friday with possibility of food in belly.
Oh I've been meaning to mention something about my morning routine. There is this guy probably around upper 50's-low 60's and this dude is fucking jacked. Every time I see him, I think he's juicing of something because fucking a..this dude is so swole. He's got biceps bigger than my head!
Okay, guys.
Let's just say, I've increased my squat, deadlift, barbell military press and the number of pullups I can do sizably since last October.
But yet, my Bench simply wont inc- the fuck-rease, what's even up with that? It's not form btw, got that shit checked with a gym instructor and he was like "all good bro".
Let's just say, I've increased my squat, deadlift, barbell military press and the number of pullups I can do sizably since last October.
But yet, my Bench simply wont inc- the fuck-rease, what's even up with that? It's not form btw, got that shit checked with a gym instructor and he was like "all good bro".
For me, what helped my bench the most was weighted dips. Are you doing proper strength training for your triceps?
I don't believe so, no.
Try adding some heavy weight tricep exercises to your regimen. Weighted dips, heavy close grip bench, etc. You could even try one of those bench press machines where you press horizontally so that you can load heavy without fear of failure.
Gotta hit triceps hard to help your bench.
Also, if you are seriously at a bench plateau, take a week off from it and come back. The only times I've hit 225x5 on bench are when I haven't done them the previous week. When I do them consistently every week I always end up at 225x3-4 reps for some reason. Shit's weird man.
Okay cool, I'll do dips again.
Anyone trying to develop the inner chest or just overall chest for that matter, I'd highly suggest the pec deck machine, one of my favorite movements because it allows to really concentrate on squeezing the muscle as tight as you can. Slow heavy controlled reps with a pause and squeeze feel so good. Make sure you don't place the handles too far back though, just enough to get a slight stretch when fully extended.
I definitely attribute this movement in me beginning to get a more "cut" inner chest
I definitely attribute this movement in me beginning to get a more "cut" inner chest
Anyone trying to develop the inner chest or just overall chest for that matter, I'd highly suggest the pec deck machine, one of my favorite movements because it allows to really concentrate on squeezing the muscle as tight as you can. Slow heavy controlled reps with a pause and squeeze feel so good. Make sure you don't place the handles too far back though, just enough to get a slight stretch when fully extended.
I definitely attribute this movement in me beginning to get a more "cut" inner chest
Looking good.
Yeah, I love the pec deck fly machine. Maxing it out feelsgoodman.jpeg
I know the feeling man but I've settled with worrying about the scale; I'm happy where I'm at. It's just so much easier not to prioritize your day around meals like you have to on all these fancy diets.
FallingEdge
Member
Great gains. It has been fantastic, imo. Arms should just be at 17 inches at the end of this program. Started around 16.5 inches. Maybe a bit of a "fatcep" but there still is progress. I've gotten comments from co-workers and other lifters saying that my chest looks a lot more full and have gained more in the upper pec which has been a weak point for me. Arms are bigger in the tris, more defined and I look wider.
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/4_weeks_to_a_bigger_chest
Someone in this thread suggested to substitute decline in for flat and I love it. I really think that made a difference. I'm currently in week 3 with the final week being next week. The hardest thing to get over for me was not working out the other body parts. Feel like I am slacking but in reality, I know they are not. Once I got over that hump mentally and really started to push for the gains in the chest/tris/delts, I felt a lot better.
Give it a shot!
For inner chest I use dumbbells on a flat bench, a neutral grip with my palms facing one another and make sure the weights are touching. I bring them down to my stomach and back up again, you get a great pump and you can feel it working.
Edit - Just make sure you use the hex dumbbells, you could end up smashing your face with round ones.
Edit - Just make sure you use the hex dumbbells, you could end up smashing your face with round ones.
MrOogieBoogie
BioShock Infinite is like playing some homeless guy's vivid imagination
Hey, I had a question for everyone here: What are one or two immediate fitness goals you've set for yourself, and how close are you to achieving them?
Right now I'm looking to do 20 dead-hang pull-ups. I've plateaued at 15-17 for many months now, but I've begun doing only weighted pull-ups very recently, so hopefully once I've been doing those for a few weeks I'll have increased my reps for bodyweight pull-ups. I really, really want to hit that 20-rep milestone.
Right now I'm looking to do 20 dead-hang pull-ups. I've plateaued at 15-17 for many months now, but I've begun doing only weighted pull-ups very recently, so hopefully once I've been doing those for a few weeks I'll have increased my reps for bodyweight pull-ups. I really, really want to hit that 20-rep milestone.
I've tried, tried and tried to get dumbell flys to work for me as i have a set of Powerblocks at home with an adjustable bench, I've done light weight, moderate weight, different kinds of grips, different bench angles and still don't feel like I'm doing them right..nowhere near as strong of a contraction that I feel while on the pec deck
exactly my problem, bench is SO SLOW to progress. I'll try the dips as well.
What kind of pec deck do you use? The ones with the handles or the ones with the big pads? My current gym only has one with the handles. Which I don't care for at all (but will use when all the flat benches are occupied). My old gym had an old deck with the big pads. I felt like I got a better squeeze on that machine.
I don't do flys, my shoulder is still healing so I avoid them like the plague, this is what I do instead -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIWLObLugOM
I can't bench 225 like all those cool high school kids, that's my short term fitness goal.
Today I had to drop back down to 165 from 195 only because I couldn't do it. Now I'm"fixing my form", and my shoulders aren't sore as shit for the first time today because of that, but I still feel like I'm not going anywhere. Flying fuck, maybe I'll just stick to 175 forever and work on form as apparently the bench cannot be rushed.
Today I had to drop back down to 165 from 195 only because I couldn't do it. Now I'm"fixing my form", and my shoulders aren't sore as shit for the first time today because of that, but I still feel like I'm not going anywhere. Flying fuck, maybe I'll just stick to 175 forever and work on form as apparently the bench cannot be rushed.
Try using dumbbells for bench, and work your way up to 100lbs dumbbells, if you can bench 100lbers you will be able to bench 225-245lbs with the barbell.
FallingEdge
Member
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
My goal is to continue to be fucking awesome until I can get my own home gym, then redefine awesome.
It can be pretty challenging getting those dumbbells into position. Especially, such heavy ones.
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
It's not supposed to be easy!
Just do SS.
Wolfe
Member
I do curls before deadlifts (I end the night with deads) and I haven't had any problems so far. I'm fairly tall as well and feel like doing curls has helped a lot keep my arms up with everything else and I don't feel as though it's affected my deadlifting at all.
Go_Ly_Dow
Member
Thanks guys. Going to read in to all of your advice, gain some further insight and re-work my routine.
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
That feeling when you see a "big" dude in one of the "side" mirrors in the gym, and you realize it's you.
ipitydatfu
Member
what works for me is to imagine as if im bear hugging someone
Whaat...how am I going to advance 4kg per time with dumbbells if I'm at a standstill with increasing 2.5 kg per session with a barbell?
Alright...
Last week I said I wanted to attempt 225 on the bench.
I wasn't really feeling it this morning...and I got mental while doing them, overthinking things such as the cut on my finger, is the song I'm listening to pumping me up enough, was that drop light from the ceiling always there, WTF is this old guy standing around me for?
I got up 1 rep at 225
Unhappy, I decided to go for another set...
1 rep up at 225...felt good, went for a second...get it to chest and push back up, sharp pain in my back, start struggling about half way through the motion so I decided to bail before full extension.
So...2 sets of 1 at 225. I'll take it. Didn't want to be careless about this shit.
Last week I said I wanted to attempt 225 on the bench.
I wasn't really feeling it this morning...and I got mental while doing them, overthinking things such as the cut on my finger, is the song I'm listening to pumping me up enough, was that drop light from the ceiling always there, WTF is this old guy standing around me for?
I got up 1 rep at 225
Unhappy, I decided to go for another set...
1 rep up at 225...felt good, went for a second...get it to chest and push back up, sharp pain in my back, start struggling about half way through the motion so I decided to bail before full extension.
So...2 sets of 1 at 225. I'll take it. Didn't want to be careless about this shit.
I've addressed this in the previous thread.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=47618364#post47618364
Yeah, it's a big issue. What most people do is vary rep range. You could do it like this:
Current weight is 70lbs * 8 reps
Do those Monday, then do 65lbs * 10 reps Wednesday, then 75lbs * 6 reps. Something like that, you wiggle around the weights a bit until you can drive the top end up.
Personally I view dumbbell benching as an assistance movement (as do quite a number of heavy benchers), because it kills microloading and isn't as big of a mover as the bench. Others have had good results.
#teamdecline. Especially if you're doing a bunch of incline work, swapping decline in for flat helps reduced the stress load on your shoulder joints + that shoulder/upper pec area.
After a year of decline work and no injury, and then inflammation on my shoulder/collarbone area after a month of flat bench, fuck flat bench.
Besides, for me, I think decline is far superior if constricted to a smith machine setup (though loading big weight onto a smith machine creates an illusion given you're putting on extra plates to compensate for the initial resistance being less than a standard 45... but hey, you can convince yourself you're a boss because of it!)
MrToughPants
Brian Burke punched my mom
Nice! 2 plate club
Poindexter
Member
I always heard from people that my biceps should grow from just doing other compounds like deadlifts, pullups, rows, etc. But they just didn't. So now I add them in on my back day and they've finally grown. I also do my pullups before deadlift because I never feel like it affects deadlift. However, doing deadlift first most definitely affects how well I do on pullups.
Okay FitGAF I need help. My brother is coming at me with protein shakes and amino acids destroying my liver and causing me to become ill. Apparently two shakes a day (one in the morning and one at night) is excessive.
Does anyone have any science/articles I can read or show to him to refute claims? I'm having a hard time doing proper research myself.
Does anyone have any science/articles I can read or show to him to refute claims? I'm having a hard time doing proper research myself.
I'm having a hard time understanding your post.
He's forcing you to drink two protein shakes a day or telling you that drinking two shakes a day is dangerous?
Tell him to go back to middle school biology.
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