Strength Weight Training: Anything and Everything II

[GROTTO]

I've been switching up front squats, goblet squats and Bulgarian split squats during the week (2 leg days - Monday and Thursday)

Long femurs so back squats are also good mornings and there seems to be little leg in it

I would love to do front squats and goblet squats as I do miss them, only started squatting this year. They are taxing on your elbow joints, well for me they were.

With your back squats, do you break parallel? Arse to grass? Given your long femurs. Generally speaking I will break parallel and go as low as I can before I am close to buttwink.

 

[GROTTO]

Update. Without a doubt, this is one of the least functional pieces of equipment I've used. A complete waste of 6 weeks.

I started out at 72KG bodyweight doing 8.5 pullups, 68X10 on this machine.
Worked my way up to 90KG X 10 on the machine.

Tonight, pullups at 79KG bodyweight 5 reps, (Put on a lot of weight in the legs with consistent leg workouts) felt weak at the exercise, no strength. 50X10 on single bar lat pulldown (after three sets of pullups) weak.a.f 64X8 on the cable row, 123KG sled pulls single arm.
FWIW the 1rm calculator shows no improvement.

I have not made any gains on any back exercises at all

Something I never realized years ago was no single machine is ever a real substitute for pullups. You definitely need a combination of exercises to mimic a pullup.

That machine your referencing looks to me more just another version of a lat exercise with arguably more bicep involvement?

 

[raskolnikov]

Can someone tell me what the advantage of doing American kettlebell swings as opposed to doing Russian kettlebell swings would be?

 

[GROTTO]

not enjoying crossfit lately & my work schedule has been up the s**t. thinking about a home garage set up so i can train how/when i want

anyone got recs for brands to check for a low to mid priced rack/cage whatever they're called?

You need to speak to go you pups for all the advice of setting up your own gym.

 

[Mofra]

I would love to do front squats and goblet squats as I do miss them, only started squatting this year. They are taxing on your elbow joints, well for me they were.

With your back squats, do you break parallel? Arse to grass? Given your long femurs. Generally speaking I will break parallel and go as low as I can before I am close to buttwink.

I can get just below parallel before I butt-wink with back squats.
Can get lower again with front squats (I have to pop a finger and stretch the lats pretty well just to keep my elbows up, a few warm up sets).
Did Goblet squats this morning, I can get really deep with them now. For all the supporting muscles they really work. I did pre-exhaust the legs on the leg press first and superset the goblets with dumbell SLDLs. No shoulder issues at all, and I am still rehabbing my tight rotator cuffs too.

I tend to go legs, upper, rest, legs, upper, (weekend) as a routine and generally go heavier on my first two days and higher reps on my second two days.
Often jump from front squats straight into deadlifts on Mondays, can be a bit brutal.

 

[Mofra]

Can someone tell me what the advantage of doing American kettlebell swings as opposed to doing Russian kettlebell swings would be?

Freedom

 

[raskolnikov]

Freedom

Yeah I guess Russians are pretty free compared to Americans.

 

[RU_]

You obviously have multiple 25kg plates on there as it does look like just one big one though, I know its not, lol. Thats a impressive lift.

Do you mind if I ask, if you are doing RDL, up to how much weight could you lift just a ballpark idea, without doing an alternate grip? Im asking as I would rather lift less, but not take a risk with a biceps tear.

Thanks mate.

I actually don’t RDL very heavy. I could probably RDL 210 for a single before my form breaks down, but typically my RDL sets lately look like 3 x 6 @ 120. Just focussing on hamstring tension building.

Have a listen to the ZeroW podcast, episode 65. Thomas talks about bicep tears and it’s typically from SHW lifters who can’t keep their arms relaxed.

 

[Kram]

I never gone down that path of doing lunges with barbell, been using dumbbells only in order to protect my lower back. I have been thinking about making the transition, definitely would spend a few weeks with barbell only, no weight to master my technique.

After doing some pendulum lunges I did the forwards with dumbbells today, I actually find it harder with heavier weight compared to the barbell. I'm pretty ordinary at reverse but that's I guess because I very rarely do them.

 

[go you pups]

You obviously have multiple 25kg plates on there as it does look like just one big one though, I know its not, lol. Thats a impressive lift.

Do you mind if I ask, if you are doing RDL, up to how much weight could you lift just a ballpark idea, without doing an alternate grip? Im asking as I would rather lift less, but not take a risk with a biceps tear.

I RDL about half of what I normally Sumo per week

If you want more ROM then go a bit lighter, apparently 30-50% of your regular deadlift is an acceptable range for RDLs

Some weeks I don't bother and just kettlebell swing or do 1 arm kettlebell deadlifts for higher reps

 

[go you pups]

not enjoying crossfit lately & my work schedule has been up the s**t. thinking about a home garage set up so i can train how/when i want

anyone got recs for brands to check for a low to mid priced rack/cage whatever they're called?

I have a flat foot rack that I got from Best Fitness in Adelaide called Rugged which is part of the Body-Solid stable of equipment.



It's 2x3 11 gauge steel with M16 (American 5-8ths) hardware and is as good a rack I'll ever need, has westside spacing too, it's about 89-90 inches tall, so 227cm at its highest point I think, has a few attachments but not a huge amount (dip bar, barbell holders, plate horns, safety spotter arms)

The rack and high low cable tower attachment at the back cost me $1200

If you're going to do kipping chins then you might need a 3x3 6 post behemoth though if you're not going to weigh it/bolt it down and that'll set you back quite a bit more

 

[GROTTO]

I have a flat foot rack that I got from Best Fitness in Adelaide called Rugged which is part of the Body-Solid stable of equipment.

View attachment 1548566

It's 2x3 11 gauge steel with M16 (American 5-8ths) hardware and is as good a rack I'll ever need, has westside spacing too, it's about 89-90 inches tall, so 227cm at its highest point I think, has a few attachments but not a huge amount (dip bar, barbell holders, plate horns, safety spotter arms)

The rack and high low cable tower attachment at the back cost me $1200

If you're going to do kipping chins then you might need a 3x3 6 post behemoth though if you're not going to weigh it/bolt it down and that'll set you back quite a bit more

I should just flown from Adelaide to your place during the pandemic.

I could have just slept in there and I would have brought my own protein for 6months too.

You would have been posting frequently in the "Things that shit me" thread - Grotto living in my gym, the campaigner acts like he owns my place.

 

[GROTTO]

Did another 9 days straight of Push/Pull/Legs again.

I always aim to sleep for 7hours sleep each night, however last night I slept for 9.5hrs which interestingly only happens occurs if I go through back to back cycles of push/pull/legs.

While I could technically go in today, I will achieve more and better results through resting (and eating properly).

I generally dont program in a rest day, for me it occurs naturally. Usually after very 3-4 days I feel like I need to have a break, sometimes I am totally fine and body feels and moves well and I will continue and complete two cycles consecutively.

 

[estibador]

I have a flat foot rack that I got from Best Fitness in Adelaide called Rugged which is part of the Body-Solid stable of equipment.

View attachment 1548566

It's 2x3 11 gauge steel with M16 (American 5-8ths) hardware and is as good a rack I'll ever need, has westside spacing too, it's about 89-90 inches tall, so 227cm at its highest point I think, has a few attachments but not a huge amount (dip bar, barbell holders, plate horns, safety spotter arms)

The rack and high low cable tower attachment at the back cost me $1200

If you're going to do kipping chins then you might need a 3x3 6 post behemoth though if you're not going to weigh it/bolt it down and that'll set you back quite a bit more

Lol I remember you talking me out of wanting a DB set and convincing me to get Ironmasters instead, then you go and betray me by selling yours and buying a full DB set!

 

[RU_]

Got a 255kg deadlift today. Let’s make it move like an empty bar!

 

[Kram]

Did another 9 days straight of Push/Pull/Legs again.

I always aim to sleep for 7hours sleep each night, however last night I slept for 9.5hrs which interestingly only happens occurs if I go through back to back cycles of push/pull/legs.

While I could technically go in today, I will achieve more and better results through resting (and eating properly).

I generally dont program in a rest day, for me it occurs naturally. Usually after very 3-4 days I feel like I need to have a break, sometimes I am totally fine and body feels and moves well and I will continue and complete two cycles consecutively.

That's what I've been doing trying to get a lot done in a month, sometimes may swap positions with a leg for a pull if they are feeling fresher. Still had about 1 day off a week, you can tell when you need one.

 

[GROTTO]

That's what I've been doing trying to get a lot done in a month, sometimes may swap positions with a leg for a pull if they are feeling fresher. Still had about 1 day off a week, you can tell when you need one.

Could I have easily gone in today and done a medium to lighter session easily, but I think the mental break from the gym is not be underestimated. Its why I didnt go in, where I could have just done a bit of cardio and stretching.

 

[RU_]

Not as nice as last week but 255kg.
2 weeks out.

Spoiler: Deadlift

 

[go you pups]

Lol I remember you talking me out of wanting a DB set and convincing me to get Ironmasters instead, then you go and betray me by selling yours and buying a full DB set!

Lol, yeah I had them for 2 years bro, sold my lot for about $1900 and put the cash back into hex dumbbells and plates/storage, the end goal will be a full free weight setup, need 9s, 30s, 35s, 42.5s and 45s for dumbbells, a few more pairs of bumpers, 20kg trigrips and a few specialty bars and I'll be done.

I seriously considered a pair of Nuobells or MX55s for accessory work/drop sets etc and Ironmasters for my heavy work, but went the whole hog in the end as I had the room for it. I don't regret anything though, the Ironmasters were the best bet at the time I bought them, got many a good workout from them.

I've sold/flipped a few things, flipped my squat rack and plates into a better cage and better plates, sold my echo bike as I wasn't using it enough also.

 

[estibador]

I don't regret anything though, the Ironmasters were the best bet at the time I bought them, got many a good workout from them.

Yeah all kidding aside they're perfect for the size of my home gym, a full set of hex's would be nice but then I'd have no room left to work out.

And they'll last several lifetimes too, I'm not sure any of those quick adjustable sets would.

 

[go you pups]

Yeah all kidding aside they're perfect for the size of my home gym, a full set of hex's would be nice but then I'd have no room left to work out.

And they'll last several lifetimes too, I'm not sure any of those quick adjustable sets would.

Yeah that's why I went to build the full hex set in the end, if a hex dumbbell rubber snaps I can either glue it back on or buy another one to replace it and it won't set me back too much

I was interested in some body-building type machines too, but I felt I didn't really have the room, so felt a full free weight set-up was the way to go. If I was able to squeeze in some body-building type machines then I probably keep the Ironmasters. I actually would've preferred a half rack with plate storage instead of my cage as that would've given me an extra foot or 2 of room also, but the only ones I liked were too tall and would've hit the rafters, others like the Rogue HR2 would've been expensive and the hole spacings would've been too short for squats and stuff as they bolted the back on right in my squat/OHP zone seeing I'm probably the tallest lifter in this thread, so that played a part in my free weight decision too.

 

[RU_]

Programmed for 260kg on Saturday. Final deadlift of the prep, let’s go!

 

[Coolangatta]

Anyone know where I can get some good adjustable dumbbells that go up to 45kg+ each?

 

[go you pups]

Anyone know where I can get some good adjustable dumbbells that go up to 45kg+ each?

Ironmasters

As estibador and myself were discussing earlier

 

[go you pups]

Also smashed out 2 easy sets of 5 at 60kg on my OHPs (was mainly just training at 50kg), I think going hard on the triceps twice a week lately is paying dividends on my pressing, might test my bench out again before Xmas, still want a 150kg bench eventually.

4 sets of 5 tonight at 60kg for OHPs

3rd set my stance was too narrow and I lost a little form and had to grind it out, but I went wider stance last set and it went up and down much better