Strength Weight Training: Anything and Everything II

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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

I’ve done high reps - low reps session to session in the same week. Sometimes I did it when I’d chuck a secondary leg work out with say a back session.

But could you push the 100kg up, the weight is only increasing slightly and you are halving the reps. Or are you purposely holding back a fraction on the secondary session?
 
I’ve done high reps - low reps session to session in the same week. Sometimes I did it when I’d chuck a secondary leg work out with say a back session.

But could you push the 100kg up, the weight is only increasing slightly and you are halving the reps. Or are you purposely holding back a fraction on the secondary session?
It was just a guestimate, I haven't been able to squat for half a year
 
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.

From my experience low reps with heavy weight is great for building strength but I find moderate weight for 12-18 reps far better for my leg development.
 

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It was just a guestimate, I haven't been able to squat for half a year

Maybe as you get back into things, you will get a feel for the weight to use. But I’d suggest if you want to do a high and low squat session - maybe do a 15-20 rep set and then the heavy sessions 5 reps
 
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


Iirc studies show doing something similar is more effective for both strength and hypertrophy in beginner and intermediate level lifters (there’s hardly ever studies done with advanced lifters) than using the same sets x reps throughout the week.

My week is set up kinda similar in that I have a heavy day (always a max single) and then a day where I focus on bar speed, technique and volume where Im using 70-80% of my 1rm and the total reps for the workout is around 25 (never more than 5 reps a set and rest periods are short so including warm ups squatting takes 15-20 minutes tops).
Eg on Saturday I worked up to 200kg on the safety squat bar, then on Wednesday with a competition squat bar I did 8 sets of 3 at 130kg + roughly 50kg in accomodating resistance (choked monster mini band and 2 pairs of 16mm chains)
 
Any opinions/experiences with Pendlay rows vs standard barbell rows for building back mass?

Apparently pendlays are more of a 'power' move? But I'm not sure how that translates as far as building mass goes.

I get a pretty sore lower back from standard rows but can do Pendlays all day no problems and I do enjoy doing them a lot more and can go heavier with them.
 
I rarely do either but people have built mass with both so doubtful one is “better” than the other.
 
Try prone bench dumbbell rows

I actually really like these and I was doing them and standard BB rows but then recently switched out standard rows for Pendlays. Found I hit I plateau on chest supported rows as well so have been focusing more on BB rows for the time being.
 
I rarely do either but people have built mass with both so doubtful one is “better” than the other.

Agreed, there is no one exercise is better than the other, if you want to build some
Muscles get in the gym, lift some weights and do it consistently
 
I rarely do either but people have built mass with both so doubtful one is “better” than the other.

Fair enough, my line of thinking was that the row might edge out the Pendlay due to the eccentric and being under tension the full set. But I'm happy to go with there being no significant differences and continue on.

What do you do for back?
 
Fair enough, my line of thinking was that the row might edge out the Pendlay due to the eccentric and being under tension the full set. But I'm happy to go with there being no significant differences and continue on.

What do you do for back?

In the long run you’re likely to spend significant time doing both anyway, and the movement variability is good for you as well (joints like it, your muscles will respond more to different stimulus and performing a range of exercises enhances your ability to learn new ones).

I have a plethora of exercises I rotate through, but normally do 3-4 sets up to 3 times a week (just for mid/upper - low back specifically gets trained twice a week on days I squat or deadlift).
Monday will be more horizontally focussed, Thursday more trap/rear delt based and Saturday either a shrugging or pulldown movement.
Then obviously with squats, deads and some ab exercises (leg raises, rollouts etc) the back gets worked to a degree.
I won’t list everything I do as I could probably go a year or more without repeating an exact variation even changing exercises every week, but normally I do each exercise for 3-4 weeks at a time to switch to another one. Don’t really have a set number of reps I hit; after a warm up set or 2 I just pick a weight and do as many reps as I can at that. Next week I’ll just pick another weight (normally higher) and go again.
Eg over 4 weeks my Saturday exercise might be seated barbell shrugs
Week 1 - 60kg for 4 sets
Week 2 - 60kg for 1 set, 70kg for 3 sets
Week 3 - 60kg for 1 set, 80kg for 3 sets
Week 4 - 60kg for 1 set, 90kg for 3 sets
Week 5 I’d change something (eg from barbell to kettlebell, seated to standing, normal grip to wide grip) and repeat the cycle.
I’ll do this for a full training cycle (16-20 weeks) then pick something else for the next cycle eg pull downs instead of shrugs
 
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Big squats session this morning

3x5 @ 110kg (90% 1RM)
10x5 @ 60kg (boring but big 50% 1RM)

I was utterly ruined after that. It will be the starting point of my linear progression program, hoping to add 2.5kg every 2 weeks.

Full program looks like this

Day 1: 3x5 @ 90% 1RM plus 10x5 @ 50% 1RM
Day 2: 9x3 @ 60% 1RM
Day 3: 6x4 @ 70% 1RM

Doing the same thing with Barbell Press which I've mentioned in this thread before. Think I've got the opportunity to up my numbers on both lifts in the next few months.
 
Good luck

I decided to spend three hours in the garden today instead of the gym. Being on a decent hill hill makes pushing the mower it's own workout.

Add in the line trimmer and attacking the blackberry that needs to be destroyed and it was a pretty good workout.
 
Big squats session this morning

3x5 @ 110kg (90% 1RM)
10x5 @ 60kg (boring but big 50% 1RM)

I was utterly ruined after that. It will be the starting point of my linear progression program, hoping to add 2.5kg every 2 weeks.

Full program looks like this

Day 1: 3x5 @ 90% 1RM plus 10x5 @ 50% 1RM
Day 2: 9x3 @ 60% 1RM
Day 3: 6x4 @ 70% 1RM

Doing the same thing with Barbell Press which I've mentioned in this thread before. Think I've got the opportunity to up my numbers on both lifts in the next few months.

what's that day 1 session all about? was this a 4 day program you've crammed into 3?
 
Just getting back into weights after a reasonable lay off.

It’s quite demotivating how far back I am.
its a good chance to really reset and focus on your form

I'm only lifting about half what I was before I hurt myself and stopped going for ages but the progress is there and I'm just focusing on the progress not where I am compared to where I was because I know I will get back there if I put in the time and work
 
its a good chance to really reset and focus on your form

I'm only lifting about half what I was before I hurt myself and stopped going for ages but the progress is there and I'm just focusing on the progress not where I am compared to where I was because I know I will get back there if I put in the time and work

So true.

I still have a personality type that enjoys success but for a variety of reasons I have to change the focus from outcomes to the journey.

Your suggestion of making technique and form is an excellent idea.
 
So for those of you who do weights in the morning - what do you eat beforehand?

I now start work at 8 instead of 7:30 so I'll be changing my weights sessions to before work rather than after. I'll be waking up at 5:45 and in the gym by 6:15 so not a lot of time to digest whatever I take in. Last time I did morning workouts I just had a latte (Nescafe powder in a sachet) beforehand but I'm sure i can do better. Any tips appreciated!
 
I start work at 7 and I'm at the gym at 5:45. Wake up at 5:20, have everything packed the night before and I shower at night.

I eat nothing (I know Its bad) but I struggle to keep food down that early, I have a protein powder and 2 pieces of fruit after the session.

Sent from my CPH1607 using Tapatalk
 
Usually have some coffee and creatine beforehand. Maybe something light like a banana.
 

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Strength Weight Training: Anything and Everything II

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