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***Weightlifting Thread***

146,481 Views | 1650 Replies | Last: 1 mo ago by jtraggie99
Farmer1906
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AG
I saw awesome gains doing StrongLifts a few years back. But the workouts got to be too long for me that I wasn't able to make them work in my previously planned workout windows.
texag06ish
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AG
Pissed at myself today. Last chest day I 1 rep maxed a PR of 185.

Today I could not get up 180.
ttha_aggie_09
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AG
I can imagine. My rest intervals for my working sets of squats are already about 4-5 mins. Factor in all of my warm up sets (4, at least) and then 2 drop sets, we're talking about an hour 15 minutes easy just on squats.

Never done the stronglifts program and not sure I really want to as of right now. If I don't hit my goals here in the next two months or so on Squat and Bench, I may have to consider a more traditional strength based program though. I still like all of my bodybuilding/hypertrophy exercises though and despise dead lifting (sorry Beau - don't hate me)
Beau Holder
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AG
It's America, you can be wrong and dumb.
Beau Holder
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Think our programming is pretty similar otherwise though. Only difference is I do "squat" twice a week, but the second day is a lighter (relative to back squat) variation as my secondary lift on deadlift day. Which as you know this block is Zerchers.

I do RDLs or stiff-legs after heavy back squatting on Monday, otherwise I only seriously deadlift on Fridays.
CC09LawAg
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You are likely too advanced at this point to make significant gains on Stronglifts.

I tried Madcow and it was OK but I didn't see a lot of progress. I am getting a lot out of 5/3/1 and it's more of a base framework than it is a program, so you can easily mold it to fit a more bodybuilding type split with a lot of accessory work.
ttha_aggie_09
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AG
Beau Holder said:

It's America, you can be wrong and dumb.
So true
ttha_aggie_09
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AG
Yeah we have similar approach.

Leg day 1 - squat and quad focused
Leg day 2 - hamstring focused with heavy RDLs and heavy leg press (only real quad exercise that day, less maybe volume single leg extensions and/or Bulgarians)

And forgot about your Zercher squats. I'm going to try those soon since my wrists have rendered me unable to perform traditional front squats
Beau Holder
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AG
Today I also added unbalanced overhead lunges at the end of the leg day after pendulum squats.

This is a cry for help. Somebody stop me please.
Farmer1906
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AG
You lost me there. Feels like something someone did on Instagram for views.
Beau Holder
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AG
I spend half of all my accessories all week on core strength and stabilization, even when they're not the main focus of the exercise. It's just another outgrowth of that while also getting some isolation legs (and shoulders a bit too) in.
ttha_aggie_09
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AG
That sounds like some crazy stuff I would do! Love it!

I'm just ready for my new gym to open with Pendulum Squat machine and a decent hack squat. I have neither at current gym but love both exercises
CC09LawAg
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Anybody have any thoughts on how much creatine you should take?

I've just been taking 5g per day the past couple of years and only recently found some stuff that saying if you're 200+ pounds you might need more. I am also easily eating a pound of meat a day, a lot of that being beef.

Is this junk science with people just trying to sell additional supplement or is there anything to it?
bam02
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I want to say huberman addressed this. I don't remember how much he takes, but it was more than the standard 5g. It was either him or guest saying that 5g is not enough for bigger guys.
aggiegolfer03
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AG
I'm 5'10" 215, and I personally take 7.5-10g when I take it. If my body wants to use more it will, otherwise I'll just piss it out. Not the end of the world if some is "wasted".
CC09LawAg
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Thanks. I am thinking I will give it a try when I start my new training block and see if I notice a difference. If I can even get a tiny boost in my recovery I'll be thrilled. I'm usually waddling around for 3 days after my lower body workouts.
ttha_aggie_09
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AG
I usually walk around between 245-250 and have never taken more than 5g at a time. I understand the science behind the loading phase but have never done it.

While it is not this simple, my understanding with creatine is that it is similar to water soluble vitamins, albeit potentially more taxing on kidneys. Your body can only absorb a certain amount and the rest is just wasted.

For the record, creatine is the only supplement that I would advocate for just about anyone that works out to take. It's not a miracle supplement but it is proven to work and has virtually no ill effects on the body.
Beau Holder
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All of this.

Layne Norton, who I trust way more than Huberman on these matters as it's actually within his scientific expertise, has never wavered as far as I'm aware from "5g monohydrate every day." That's what I've done for years with only short breaks. (I'm 6'0 and go anywhere between 210 and 220.)
Tex117
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ttha_aggie_09 said:

I want nothing to do with squatting even 2x a week. My best strength gains have been from squatting 1x a week and I am nuked for 3 days after heavy squats. I get you're tweaking numbers and probably staying in ranges of 85% or less of 1RM, but it that just seems like a lot to recover from.

Maybe I'm just giant va-jay-jay though…
This is where I am. I'm not a good squatter. Going heavy once a week is about all I can take. I just can't recover from it.

Right now I do a top set of real heavy (not quite a one rep max, but close), then a back off 3x3 of 90% of that. Then on a medium day, 4 days later, I do 3x5 of that 90%. It seems to be working right now.
CC09LawAg
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Been knocked out sick for a week and counting. Haven't gotten off track like this since I started my groove in September.

I'm thinking I may try to do a full body day where I hit the main lifts just to get the initial soreness out of the way then get back on track. The timing is OK because I was actually coming up on a deload week, so I'm debating just doing that and skipping the last 2 workouts from my prior cycle. That would put me right back on schedule.

Still feel pretty weak though. If it hangs around any longer I'll probably have to reevaluate.
Tex117
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CC09LawAg said:

Been knocked out sick for a week and counting. Haven't gotten off track like this since I started my groove in September.

I'm thinking I may try to do a full body day where I hit the main lifts just to get the initial soreness out of the way then get back on track. The timing is OK because I was actually coming up on a deload week, so I'm debating just doing that and skipping the last 2 workouts from my prior cycle. That would put me right back on schedule.

Still feel pretty weak though. If it hangs around any longer I'll probably have to reevaluate.
Woof, curious to see how far your lifts drop back. I got sick for like a week and set me back a month to 6 weeks.
CC09LawAg
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Man I hope it isn't that severe. I've dropped a couple of pounds, and my energy level is crap. But I'm going to try to get back under the bar tonight.
bigtruckguy3500
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Anyone have good luck with a deload? Did you do one week or two? Just cut the volume or also weights?

I've been going pretty hard and I feel pretty tired. Haven't regressed at all, but wondering if my body just needs a little more rest.
Beau Holder
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I deload regularly, usually every fourth week. That cadence just works for me but without them entirely you eventually break down if you're going hard enough.

My deloads are usually same exercises, 65-70% of the weight for the same rep ranges.
CC09LawAg
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I was doing every fourth week as well for awhile. Plan this time was to try to go every 7th week, but obviously with being sick that threw me off.

I definitely notice a difference in my energy level and my mood when I do it. Similar to Beau, do the same movements, just at a lesser weight.

I don't think it really takes much away from the trajectory of your overall progress to do it.
bigtruckguy3500
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So less weight, same exercises. What about number of sets?

Also, do you deload, and then jump right back up to where you were? Or build back up to where you were over a another 1-2 weeks?
ttha_aggie_09
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AG
I dropped 11lbs in 3 days from a nasty stomach flu the whole family had in November. It took me about 3-4 weeks to get back to 100%
Beau Holder
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bigtruckguy3500 said:

So less weight, same exercises. What about number of sets?

Also, do you deload, and then jump right back up to where you were? Or build back up to where you were over a another 1-2 weeks?

Same everything, just less weight. Same weight but less volume can work but past a certain weight, your body is taking the same "damage" from lifting and stabilizing it even if you're not working the muscle for as many reps imo.

I jump right back into it and in fact, some of my most breakthrough workouts and PRs often come the week after a deload.
ttha_aggie_09
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AG
Beau knows!

I did a 3 week deload on bench by basically staying away from barbell except one day and just did tempo with maybe 70% of 1RM, incline barbell with same weight, and then dumbbell press variations. When I came back I hit a PR on bench and still feel really good. I'm actually looking forward to my next 3 weeks off, probably in the next 3-4 weeks.

I think the main people that benefit from this are the ones really pushing themselves in their workouts and are doing working sets that are close to or very close to failure. It's just not sustainable, in my opinion and experience, to keep doing this every week. Your body needs the recovery every once in a while and the older I get, the more frequent I need it.
Beau Holder
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Bingo. I go to near-failure on everything and try religiously to progressively overload week after week. So every fourth or fifth week I just need a break for the sake of physical injury, recovery, or just burnout. Some people have success deloading when it "feels" necessary, and it does depend largely on programming, so I'm not advocating strictly once a month for everyone. But I am advocating doing it.
bigtruckguy3500
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Thanks. I think I'll take the next 2 days off, maybe just do some light evening walks, and then resume things.

Also gonna try doing a better job hitting minimum daily calories. Sometimes it's hard with work and also trying not to eat crap.
CC09LawAg
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Happy to report I'm right back on track.

Knocked out a set of 15 at 267.5 on squats - if I can get through that the rest of the lifts will be a breeze. Still on track for 495 squat/deadlift this year.
CC09LawAg
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I've been dealing with cramping in my triceps, and tinges of it in my chest last night - weird thing was triceps were cramping the day after an upper body day while I was doing accessory stuff for squats. Triceps and chest started up again last night after my chest workout.

The only other time something similar has happened has been my quads trying to cramp during my sleep but that would usually be after my more intense squat sessions.

Not sure if it's illness recovery related. I'm also sweating WAY more in the garage lately because of the weather, so I'm sure I'm losing more fluids than normal.

Any solution? Should I just start increasing my salt intake pre-workout? Maybe take Liquid IV or something?
ttha_aggie_09
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AG
This is the time of year that hydrating during garage workouts is difficult. I'd absolutely add a liquid IV or pedialyte or something with electrolytes to help.

As someone that historically struggles with cramps, especially dehydration cramps, I cannot emphasize the importance of staying hydrated even before your workout begins. You're probably needing to add something like 25% more water a day than you were drinking before, along with electrolytes.

Just remember that most of the time dehydration starts the day before… try and stay hydrated all the time and especially before your workouts.
ttha_aggie_09
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AG
Very impressive! When do you think you'll go for the 5 wheel squat?
 
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