Strength Weight Training: Anything and Everything II

[JR Kiraly]

Love squatting at the moment.

I'm an over 40 yo (just) office jockey...I smith machine squatted when I started lifting again 5 years ago. I then progressed to free weight BB squatting, and in the past couple of years, I've goblet squatted when I've either felt sore or if I'm travelling and in a gym without a BB.

I've not always looked forward to squatting (not like chest or back compound exercises), but in the last month I've gone back to a full body x 3 a week routine, with BB squatting every session, and I'm loving it.

My latest thinking is that it's simply related to;
- my own form. I believe the goblet has helped significantly - previously getting depth with good form has been a problem (I'm tall-ish/long-limbed, which I've heard is correlated - it could though just be the building of up of my own strength).
- fitness. Both physical (no injuries/soreness), and mental (I'm going in psyched up, with a long-term goal in mind, so really want to smash them out).

Definitely different squatting as a manlet (like me) than it is as a taller bloke. Tib-Fib length and femur length change the width the feet need to be in order to squat.
I use a little pad under my heels in order to help me achieve depth, especially when going heavy. I have super tight calves.

I'm currently doing 4 x Full body per week. I alternate Back Squat/Leg Press/Back Squat/Front Squat across those 4 sessions. I'm currently training for strength in footy pre-season Monday and Friday start with 10x3 Squats

 

[JG22]

Get around prone dumbbell rows

 

[cptkirk]

[QUOTE I'm currently doing 4 x Full body per week. I alternate Back Squat/Leg Press/Back Squat/Front Squat across those 4 sessions. I'm currently training for strength in footy pre-season Monday and Friday start with 10x3 Squats [/QUOTE]

A bit excessive or not?

 

[Aeglos]

[QUOTE I'm currently doing 4 x Full body per week. I alternate Back Squat/Leg Press/Back Squat/Front Squat across those 4 sessions. I'm currently training for strength in footy pre-season Monday and Friday start with 10x3 Squats

A bit excessive or not?[/QUOTE]

Only one way to find out lol.
We’ll know it was excessive if we hear in a couple of months that he’s got patellta tendinopathy, can’t sleep and has completely lost his appetite.

 

[cptkirk]

If he's doing it for footy then it definitely is excessive as I've never seen anyone tear down the wing with a barbell on their back in my 31yrs of playing footy

 

[Aeglos]

If he's doing it for footy then it definitely is excessive as I've never seen anyone tear down the wing with a barbell on their back in my 31yrs of playing footy

By that argument I've also not seen anyone do the following on a football field:
- run 2km straight
- run 20m through timing gates
- use a vertec to measure their vertical jump
- bench press
- do a Nordic hamstring curl
- perform a box jump
- do ACL rehab exercises
- get a massage
- lie on their back and thrust their hips into the air

Hardly an argument to suggest they don't have a place off of the field for a footballer.
I'm also pretty sure the 4 sessions are split over a fortnight (though may have misread his original post)

 

[showdownhero]

squats would be my least favourite lift by far

I hate them because I'm not genetically predisposed to being good at them.

However I'm determined to make lemonade out of my genetic lemons.

 

[cptkirk]

By that argument I've also not seen anyone do the following on a football field:
- run 2km straight
- run 20m through timing gates
- use a vertec to measure their vertical jump
- bench press
- do a Nordic hamstring curl
- perform a box jump
- do ACL rehab exercises
- get a massage
- lie on their back and thrust their hips into the air

Not really the point i was making at all

That volume is nifty for Sep/Oct and maybe Nov but certainty not Jan if your footy training 2/week...especially if 10 x 3 are being done at a proper 10 x 3 type intensity and if you;re not tracking speed/jumps while your doing then then why are you doing it then

And I read that he's doing that all in 1 week over just 5 days

 

[cptkirk]

I hate them because I'm not genetically predisposed to being good at them.

I'd say everyone is predisposed to be good at anything, but maybe not excellent

If you reckon you literally can't squat then you haven't experimented enough and probably need to get out of your had that being able to squat doesn't have to mean a powerlifting competition

 

[showdownhero]

I'd say everyone is predisposed to be good at anything, but maybe not excellent

If you reckon you literally can't squat then you haven't experimented enough and probably need to get out of your had that being able to squat doesn't have to mean a powerlifting competition

I can squat, I've just hit a massive plateau since hitting 1.5 x bodyweight for reps

Moved to low bar and widened my stance a bit which I think could start moving things in the right direction

 

[mcgarnacle]

By that argument I've also not seen anyone do the following on a football field:
- run 2km straight
- run 20m through timing gates
- use a vertec to measure their vertical jump
- bench press
- do a Nordic hamstring curl
- perform a box jump
- do ACL rehab exercises
- get a massage
- lie on their back and thrust their hips into the air

Hardly an argument to suggest they don't have a place off of the field for a footballer.
I'm also pretty sure the 4 sessions are split over a fortnight (though may have misread his original post)

4x full body per week alternating over the 4 sessions

Question needs to be asked, Is he Squatting as a sport or to improve his Sport?

 

[Aeglos]

4x full body per week alternating over the 4 sessions

Question needs to be asked, Is he Squatting as a sport or to improve his Sport?

Right you are; got confused when he threw in Monday and Friday but presumably that’s when he trains for footy.

Whilst I agree that it’s (probably) not optimal for improving sports performance, no one has really considered that he just enjoys squatting, or that any improved physical performance for footy is secondary to other goals.
I run a 4 day Westside split, play footy and bike ride/skate 30+ minutes a day. None of them are optimal for improving another but I enjoy doing them all so I do them.
I’m actually yet to meet a local footballer who goes to the gym to improve their footy either, all the ones I’ve met and spoken to just seem interesting in looking better and do cliched body building splits and workouts.

 

[saj_21]

Right you are; got confused when he threw in Monday and Friday but presumably that’s when he trains for footy.

Whilst I agree that it’s (probably) not optimal for improving sports performance, no one has really considered that he just enjoys squatting, or that any improved physical performance for footy is secondary to other goals.
I run a 4 day Westside split, play footy and bike ride/skate 30+ minutes a day. None of them are optimal for improving another but I enjoy doing them all so I do them.
I’m actually yet to meet a local footballer who goes to the gym to improve their footy either, all the ones I’ve met and spoken to just seem interesting in looking better and do cliched body building splits and workouts.

You could probably count on one hand a local footy player who would actually know what exercises to do and how to program them correctly in order to improve performance over aesthetics

 

[benneth]

I'd say everyone is predisposed to be good at anything, but maybe not excellent

If you reckon you literally can't squat then you haven't experimented enough and probably need to get out of your had that being able to squat doesn't have to mean a powerlifting competition

Define literally?

 

[mcgarnacle]

Right you are; got confused when he threw in Monday and Friday but presumably that’s when he trains for footy.

Whilst I agree that it’s (probably) not optimal for improving sports performance, no one has really considered that he just enjoys squatting, or that any improved physical performance for footy is secondary to other goals.
I run a 4 day Westside split, play footy and bike ride/skate 30+ minutes a day. None of them are optimal for improving another but I enjoy doing them all so I do them.
I’m actually yet to meet a local footballer who goes to the gym to improve their footy either, all the ones I’ve met and spoken to just seem interesting in looking better and do cliched body building splits and workouts.

the OP said he was training for footy strength. the comments made by cptkirk and myself are questioning the excessive amount of heavy leg work and little recovery. a comment was also made about heel lifts and tight calves. he hasn't responded so he hasn't elaborated on additional goals.

what the other district sport athletes do is up to them. i haven't read their post in this public forum stating their squat program and prep for footy. when they do, or ask me in person what they should be doing in their lifting program if they're playing sport, I do the same. they can go away and use that info as they please. at least they have the knowledge to not only train in a way that may help their sporting pursuits, but give them a better chance to prevent avoidable fatigue and injury down the track as well.

 

[JR Kiraly]

[QUOTE I'm currently doing 4 x Full body per week. I alternate Back Squat/Leg Press/Back Squat/Front Squat across those 4 sessions. I'm currently training for strength in footy pre-season Monday and Friday start with 10x3 Squats

A bit excessive or not?[/QUOTE]

Not at all. Across the week there is 1-2 high intensity sessions across a week with the others being Medium/Light sessions.

The breakdown of the week is 4 full body sessions Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Sunday. Lower Body wise is 10x3 squats Monday and Friday, Leg Press 5x5 Wednesday and Front Squats Sunday.

As I said the intensity varies from session to session and there is a programmed deload every 4 weeks.

I would also argue that 2 sessions worth of running per week is not going to overtrain me in any sense.

If he's doing it for footy then it definitely is excessive as I've never seen anyone tear down the wing with a barbell on their back in my 31yrs of playing footy

Specificity in running is built on the field, not in the gym. There is no reason to not build bilateral strength in the gym to 1. Improve acceleration, top speed etc. and 2. Running economy. There is much evidence in relation to Squat strength and acceleration, sprint speed and running economy.

the OP said he was training for footy strength. the comments made by cptkirk and myself are questioning the excessive amount of heavy leg work and little recovery. a comment was also made about heel lifts and tight calves. he hasn't responded so he hasn't elaborated on additional goals.

what the other district sport athletes do is up to them. i haven't read their post in this public forum stating their squat program and prep for footy. when they do, or ask me in person what they should be doing in their lifting program if they're playing sport, I do the same. they can go away and use that info as they please. at least they have the knowledge to not only train in a way that may help their sporting pursuits, but give them a better chance to prevent avoidable fatigue and injury down the track as well.

I didn't quantify anything in my original post, so can definitely see the confusion. Definitely not doing heavy leg work on all 4 of those days. So, my apologies for that.

 

[cptkirk]

I’m actually yet to meet a local footballer who goes to the gym to improve their footy either, all the ones I’ve met and spoken to just seem interesting in looking better and do cliched body building splits and workouts.

all my training is for footy

 

[cptkirk]

I just think it's far from optimal, especially at this point of the season and you're mixing training goals

Praccy games are 6 weeks away so I'd argue that more then 2 running sessions is required right now

Bilateral strength "might" improve acc, it won't really improve mv and maybe economy as well but you know what scientifically trumps that by 100 times? sprinting and running

Go with it if you want to no probs but it won't prepare you footy more then actual running and something has to give either strength, fitness or hopefully not, injury in the short or long term

 

[Taylor]

It's a way off for me but since we are discussing it, is there any benefit to starting a gym week with higher reps, lower weight squatting and finishing with high weight low rep squats?

Two different progressions but I feel the friday session would set you up to have your Monday session with the higher reps go longer and heavier.

Like when I was running I'd do faster run intervals that seemed to speed up my long distance a session a week

Ie.

Monday 80kg x 10 x 5
Friday 100kg x 5 x 5

 

[TRAWP]

I just had a quick read through the last few pages, noticed a bit of noise about heavy leg work. All my workouts are with heavy weights and I always stick to 5x5, everything besides calves which take a century for me to build any size and I always stick to 20x5.

Anyone on here has any tips for me though, for squats, I haven't been able to squat for years. Lots of arthritis through my joints and being 6'5" getting to the point of squatting correctly is amiss, so I avoid it and just work on leg presses etc. Any trainer I've used over the years for tips hasn't helped, anyone on here been in the same predicament?

It's a way off for me but since we are discussing it, is there any benefit to starting a gym week with higher reps, lower weight squatting and finishing with high weight low rep squats?

Two different progressions but I feel the friday session would set you up to have your Monday session with the higher reps go longer and heavier.

Like when I was running I'd do faster run intervals that seemed to speed up my long distance a session a week

Depends on your workout schedule, I have been a firm believer for over a year of the 5x5 session with heavy weights. Especially now I'm in my later 20's! My recovery is quicker and my gains have been ramped up as well. Though the flip side with legs is I'm a believer is you need to train them in quantity, as they're used all day every day. Though the recovery is always longer than body, arms, and back.

 

[WeetBixKid]

I just had a quick read through the last few pages, noticed a bit of noise about heavy leg work. All my workouts are with heavy weights and I always stick to 5x5, everything besides calves which take a century for me to build any size and I always stick to 20x5.

Anyone on here has any tips for me though, for squats, I haven't been able to squat for years. Lots of arthritis through my joints and being 6'5" getting to the point of squatting correctly is amiss, so I avoid it and just work on leg presses etc. Any trainer I've used over the years for tips hasn't helped, anyone on here been in the same predicament?



Depends on your workout schedule, I have been a firm believer for over a year of the 5x5 session with heavy weights. Especially now I'm in my later 20's! My recovery is quicker and my gains have been ramped up as well. Though the flip side with legs is I'm a believer is you need to train them in quantity, as they're used all day every day. Though the recovery is always longer than body, arms, and back.

Have you tried box squats before? I'd give them a go. Lots of tall athletes find them much easier to do safely. Same goes for split squats. I'm not sure how your arthritis would handle it, but worth a shot.

 

[cptkirk]

It's a way off for me but since we are discussing it, is there any benefit to starting a gym week with higher reps, lower weight squatting and finishing with high weight low rep squats?

Two different progressions but I feel the friday session would set you up to have your Monday session with the higher reps go longer and heavier.

Like when I was running I'd do faster run intervals that seemed to speed up my long distance a session a week

Ie.

Monday 80kg x 10 x 5
Friday 100kg x 5 x 5

could make a case for both of them but I;d still go heavy up front when you're at your freshest..after 5 days of work and possibly not enough sleep, you won't be able to go as heavy all things being equal

 

[TRAWP]

Have you tried box squats before? I'd give them a go. Lots of tall athletes find them much easier to do safely. Same goes for split squats. I'm not sure how your arthritis would handle it, but worth a shot.

I found box squats work a lot better for me, still limited with knees but it atleast activates my chain. Have attempted split squats many of times, my knees dont want any part of those sadly.

 

[2006_Eagles]

Biggest muscle imbalance I have is that the triceps long head on my left arm is virtually non existent, whereas I'm getting a decent horseshoe on my dominant right arm.

Any tips on how to fix this?

 

[saj_21]

Biggest muscle imbalance I have is that the triceps long head on my left arm is virtually non existent, whereas I'm getting a decent horseshoe on my dominant right arm.

Any tips on how to fix this?

Use your left hand.....