Strength Weight Training: Anything and Everything II

[evo]

no chalk. good idea.

 

[ThePezDispenser]

Gym will crack it if you use chalk.

Straps are the go!

 

[mcgarnacle]

why's that?

 

[Shaxx Attaxx]

Gyms don't like chalk because of the mess. Use gloves or those little bags that you slap on your hands and they put a bit of powder on you. Straps are good if you don't care about increasing grip strength. I'm really not a fan.

 

[Paul Kersey]

Using straps on deadlifts is a big no no in my view. Get your grip stronger or if it's slipping due to perspiration, put a thin towel over the bar. I used to do that in a prior gym, though my current gym is very chalk friendly. I'm a 270kg deadlifter.

 

[mcuzzy]

just be very discreet about your chalk use if you need it. use small amounts and clean up after you're done and it should be sweet

 

[estibador]

I'm assuming all the guys who don't use straps use a mixed grip?

I switched back to a double overhand grip after a bit of reading on bicep tears resulting from mixed grip. From what I can gather it's a pretty unique weight lifting injury in the sense it isn't something that builds up over time with warning signs you can spot, and it isn't caused by bad form or anything like that. It sounds like one minute you're fine, the next minute it's gone.

Obviously double overhand is a lot harder on your grip so I use straps. Doubt I'd need them for my current modest deadlift if I still used a mixed grip.

Sounds paranoid I know and I realise 99% of lifters will never have an issue, including me probably, but I don't really care. Better safe than sorry and the last thing I want is a major injury that will keep me out of the gym for 6 months. I still do all my warm up sets up to about 95% of my work weight with no straps, and that's more than enough grip strength for everyday life.

 

[mcuzzy]

i only do romanians or stiff legs with a weight i can do higher reps with, but i do double overhand

 

[Madison]

The best gyms let you use chalk.

Commercial shit gyms (of which I am currently a member) don't like it. But they also don't have much in the way of squat racks (only two at mine) and no deadlifting area.

I've never heard of bicep tears from using mixed grip, where did you read about this? And how does it happen? I would have thought it's extremely rare if you aren't trying to curl the bar.

 

[estibador]

I've never heard of bicep tears from using mixed grip, where did you read about this? And how does it happen? I would have thought it's extremely rare if you aren't trying to curl the bar.

There's quite a few guys on BB.com who've done it, though as usual there's no consensus on the cause. Some say bad form (curling the bar like you say) others say it's impossible to lift that much weight with anything but a perfectly straight arm anyway, so they dismiss the curl theory. One thing they all agree on is the underhand arm is the one that is at risk.

Even if it is caused by bad form at least that can be eliminated that by switching to double overhand. There's enough form issues to worry about in heavy deadlifts without adding that in, I'd rather keep my focus on the form of my back, since that's one area I really don't want to risk.

Grip strength isn't a goal of mine with deadlifts anyway, so I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything with this compromise.

 

[The_Answer3]

I've never heard of bicep tears from using mixed grip, where did you read about this? And how does it happen? I would have thought it's extremely rare if you aren't trying to curl the bar.

Wouldn't it be caused by hyperextention of the bicep? More stretch with a fully extended or hyperextended arm?

 

[Paul Kersey]

I use mixed grip. I saw one person suffer a bicep tear pulling around 300kg and said person now uses the overhand/thumb method. In saying so, I've been involved in powerlifting for around 6 years and that's the only time I've seen this injury.

One issue from mixed grip is the different (albeit unnoticable) make up of my traps!

 

[FavoriteSun]

Chances are if you're tearing muscles like that you're doing a bit more then just lifting weights.

 

[rocker_oz33]

Did anyone go to muscle tech or what ever it called on the weekend?

 

[TheDyerLegacy]

anyone training at a snap fitness gym? if so what do they think....

 

[showdownhero]

anyone training at a snap fitness gym? if so what do they think....

One of my mates trains at the Snap fitness on the corner of Bourke and Queen. Loves it

 

[ioppolo]

I've been making decent enough gains everywhere but legs lately. What's everyone's leg routine look like?

Mine is:

Squats 3x10
Leg Press 3x8
Leg Curl 3x10
That one where you sit one the machine and raise a bar with your leg, working your quads 3x10
Standing calf raises 4x12
Seated raises 4x12

 

[The_Answer3]

Where aren't you seeing gains?

 

[ThePezDispenser]

I'd personally lower reps on the squat with a minimum of 4-5 sets with heavier weight and then up the reps on the leg press 12-15 always worked well for me on the leg press, which I found to all mental. You should find you can press the same weight you're doing over 8 for 12 plus.

 

[ioppolo]

Quads and Hammys more then anything (I haven't changed weight for my calves in ages but they are looking more firm).

 

[The_Answer3]

Do you do deads on back day? Get dem straight leg deads going.

Cycle high rep and high weight. Try 10-15 rep squats and deads and then the next leg session do 3-6, but make sure your maxed at those reps.

 

[ioppolo]

I'd personally lower reps on the squat with a minimum of 4-5 sets with heavier weight and then up the reps on the leg press 12-15 always worked well for me on the leg press, which I found to all mental. You should find you can press the same weight you're doing over 8 for 12 plus.

Interesting, will be this a shot.

Do you do deads on back day? Get dem straight leg deads going.

Cycle high rep and high weight. Try 10-15 rep squats and deads and then the next leg session do 3-6, but make sure your maxed at those reps.

I don't deadlift atm as by back isn't great and I don't wanna ruin it with bad deadlift form, I will pay for a few sessions with a PT though and get him to get my deads form right.

 

[ThePezDispenser]

Do you do deads on back day? Get dem straight leg deads going.

Cycle high rep and high weight. Try 10-15 rep squats and deads and then the next leg session do 3-6, but make sure your maxed at those reps.

10-15 reps on deads? Jesus Christ!

Interesting, will be this a shot.

I don't deadlift atm as by back isn't great and I don't wanna ruin it with bad deadlift form, I will pay for a few sessions with a PT though and get him to get my deads form right.

Stiff Legged Deads really should put little to no strain on the back if done properly. The people who cop major problems from deads are those who arch their back at the end of the lift instead of pushing their hips through the bar and really getting those glutes into it.

 

[showdownhero]

I'm thinking of including a German Volume Training set once a week for one body part on a rotating basis. So given my 3 day split it would look something like this.

Week 1
Back and Biceps (GVT on Cable Rows)
Legs and Delts
Pecs and Tris

Week 2
Back and Biceps
Legs and Delts (GVT on Dead Lifts)
Pecs and Tris

Week 3
Back and Biceps
Legs and Delts
Pecs and Tris (GVT on Bench)

Would be going at 60% of 1RM with 60 second breaks between sets

Any advice? My biggest concern is that performing it once every three weeks might be pointless.

 

[ThePezDispenser]

Any advice? My biggest concern is that performing it once every three weeks might be pointless.

You can achieve a greater percentage of 1RM when doing FST-7 training over GVT.

I'll be getting back into FST-7 in the next few weeks. It worked best for me during the football season when I am at my fittest allowing for a greater effort.