Your subjective training tips

amazingemmet

So in this thread I'd like people to post their subjective training tips. What I mean by this is things you've done that you've noticed really kicked in the gains or performance in some way but you can't explain. Or just things you do differently from others that works for you.

What I don't envisage happening is too much debate on the various merits of each tip as the tips being subjective what works for one might not work for the other. Hopefully people won't discount these things but go try them out if they work they work if not its not a big deal.

If you do try something out please report back how it went.

So with the rules set here's one of mine:

Hand release chins:

When doing a set of chin up or pull ups between every rep put your feet down and let your hands go limp to your side then regrip the bar. I've found with these I can get another 1-5 reps for a given weight. Its either the complete relax of the arms and lats in between reps or the reduction in grip requirements but what ever it is I find them a very useful tool.

MrPain

Using a thumbless grip while doing any pulling motion seems to increase lat involvement/decrease biceps involvement.

Da Za

Get someone who knows their sh$t to do your training and learn from it.

JJayoo

Tonnes of high rep upper back work has improved all my push work.

Hanley

Heavier Thruster 1rm = stronger everything.

Alf Veedersane

Licking my tears of pain as they run past the corner of my mouth gets an extra couple of reps on the last set to failure. It gets you an extra 2-3 reps

deadlybuzzman

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Licking my tears of pain as they run past the corner of my mouth gets an extra couple of reps on the last set to failure. It gets you an extra 2-3 reps

After the extra 2-3 reps I lick those of whoevers nearby and I'm good for another 3 reps

siochain

Taking wheat and most processed foods out diet had a profound positive impact on training, recovery and general health markers.

PingO_O

I just joined a gym there awhile ago and I see a lot of guys doing dumbell curls by using a swinging motion rather than isolating the muscle, if that makes sense.

A good way I was taught is to bring them up and down slow, do the negative part of the motion as well as the lifting part, that was a a tip I didn't know before I started so for any beginner who wants to try it!

Frank Bullitt

Using bodyweight movements more often, adding them to a weight routine, amazing results.

COH

If you are bad at something, and hate doing it... then you almost certainly need to be doing more of it

Zamboni

Partitioning is the most important tool in body composition.

JJayoo

COH wrote: »

If you are bad at something, and hate doing it... then you almost certainly need to be doing more of it

Pretty sure you have that backwards.

Brian?

JJayoo wrote: »

Pretty sure you have that backwards.

Nope. I agree with him

JJayoo

Brian? wrote: »

Nope. I agree with him

You're getting mixed up, if something seems hard it's important to give up straight away. It's simple evolution survival of the fattest.

SRFC

When Im finding it hard and wanting to lower weight on an exercise feeling sorry for myself I increase the weight as punishment for even thinking of lifting lighter :pac:

deadlybuzzman

Whatever my top deadlift was in a session I'd add 20-30kg and shrug it for 10-20 reps for sets.
All of a sudden I felt much much more solid and stable at the top of OHP and more solid during deadlifts

BrianD3

I've done a lot of things which might seem pointless, stupid or dangerous but seem to have helped me and haven't resulted in injury. Eg I've done short cycles of shovel deadlifts which have coincided with several PRs in the deadlift, bench and overhead press.

Something else that I've done for many years but seems to be uncommon is doing heavy partial pullups and one arm pullups with short ROM starting from the bottom. I call these "twitches". My logic is that there is a bad sticking point and poor leverage at the top of a pullup but there is great potential for developing strength lower down. Hammering the lower part using twitches with heavy weight may result in hitting the sticking point with more speed/momentum when you switch back to full ROM.

kevpants

Things I've noticed in my shed...

I wrote a list but realised it all boiled down to one thing. Make things harder.

Do high bar squats even if you prefer low bar. Do front squats. Pause everything (squats, benches, chinups). When you do a curl keep you hand in a permanent "wrist curl" position. Make shoulder presses a full body movement by tensing abs, quads, glutes and lats. Leave the belt off more often than not.

If it's harder to do, it will make you stronger.

On the debate with regard to whether you should do direct ab work or if squats and deadlifts are enough. They aren't enough, do direct ab work.

kevpants

BrianD3 wrote: »

I've done a lot of things which might seem pointless, stupid or dangerous but seem to have helped me and haven't resulted in injury. Eg I've done short cycles of shovel deadlifts which have coincided with several PRs in the deadlift, bench and overhead press.

Something else that I've done for many years but seems to be uncommon is doing heavy partial pullups and one arm pullups with short ROM starting from the bottom. I call these "twitches". My logic is that there is a bad sticking point and poor leverage at the top of a pullup but there is great potential for developing strength lower down. Hammering the lower part using twitches with heavy weight may result in hitting the sticking point with more speed/momentum when you switch back to full ROM.

That's a proper weird one. Awesome.

amazingemmet

@BrianD3 that's the kind of sh!t I'm talking about

Hatfry

For anyone who "hates" pullups, I also hated them at one stage but only because I could hardly manage 2 of them. I'm pretty sure thats why the average joe dont like them.

Get yourself a doorway pullup bar and stick it up in the frame of the door in your home with the most traffic. Do one every time you walk through that door.

You'll be doing decent sets and loving it in no time.

Hatfry

Shítloads of brown rice will beef you up. Don't know why just does

Mellor

amazingemmet wrote: »

@BrianD3 that's the kind of sh!t I'm talking about

+1
That's what I expected to get, unconventional training, not just weird **** people do in gyms.

cgmd1

Visualising yourself completing a max lift successfully with perfect form just before attempting it. I do this alot. It really makes a difference.

Alf Veedersane

Hanging out of pull-up bars between heavier deadlift and squat sets has worked for me lately.

amazingemmet

Here's another

Paused Bulgarian split squats done in the 4 x6-8 range have done wonders for my squats. strict two second pauses and progressing the weight when I can do 4 x 8. But here's the kicker its not every time I program them in I get a carry over some training cycles I won't train squat for 3-4 weeks but do bulgarians instead and then come back and have a 5-10kg increase or a decent increase in reps for a given weight but its not every time.

Alf Veedersane

amazingemmet wrote: »

Here's another

Paused Bulgarian split squats done in the 4 x6-8 range have done wonders for my squats. strict two second pauses and progressing the weight when I can do 4 x 8. But here's the kicker its not every time I program them in I get a carry over some training cycles I won't train squat for 3-4 weeks but do bulgarians instead and then come back and have a 5-10kg increase or a decent increase in reps for a given weight but its not every time.

I'll take that kicker into account but I'd better get a 5-10kg increase in my squat if I do this or you lose all my respect. And I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want that!

Sea The Starz

imho watching porn is the cheapest, healthiest and most effective pre wourkout supplement.

Hatfry

Sea The Starz wrote: »

imho watching porn is the cheapest, healthiest and most effective pre wourkout supplement.

Post-workout IMO haha

CM24

Hand release chins:

When doing a set of chin up or pull ups between every rep put your feet down and let your hands go limp to your side then regrip the bar. I've found with these I can get another 1-5 reps for a given weight. Its either the complete relax of the arms and lats in between reps or the reduction in grip requirements but what ever it is I find them a very useful tool.

My current goal is to increase strength and size. I do weighted chin ups. 3 sets of about 6-8 reps. Would doing them this way make any difference in term of hypertrophy? Less time under tension, like? I find it pretty hard to make consistent progress with pull ups so I might try your way. Don't want my guns to shrink tho.

amazingemmet

You'll still have roughly the same time under tension if you keep your rep count the same the only changes there'll be less constant tension in the hands so you'll be less likely to lose drive because your grip is weakening rather then your back. Also if you get a few more reps then you normally would then its an improvement.

amazingemmet

To get the ball rolling again.

Porridge for breakfast for myself has never made it easier to stay lean or get lean or anything. Other times of the day its fine. The meat and nut breakfast seems to be the best choice.

The fastest way to improve on any lift or skill is to train it everyday in my experience the only thing to watch out for is pattern overload when you see the signs back of for 3-5 days then return and you'll have leveled up.

amazingemmet

Here's an outlandish one which let me hit a triple with a previous max deadlift after doing a super high volume leg work out and then to prove a point I done 140kg x 20. Also on the same day as trying it one of my friends added 30kg to his BTN push press. Coincidence who knows, subjective yes, source esoteric.

So according to old yoga texts the right nostril is the masculine one and the left is the femine one, you can see where I'm going, So by breathing through the right nostril only we can encourage the masculine traits in the body. The text I read stated that someone who practiced this for some time would be capable of feats of strength far beyond what their body could do.

Alf Veedersane

amazingemmet wrote: »

So according to old yoga texts the right nostril is the masculine one and the left is the femine one, you can see where I'm going, So by breathing through the right nostril only we can encourage the masculine traits in the body. The text I read stated that someone who practiced this for some time would be capable of feats of strength far beyond what their body could do.

I'll doing my workout with a big chunk of cotton wool up my left nostril later.

I'm expecting all kinds of gainz.

amazingemmet

I was just covering my nostril with my finger.

Alf Veedersane

Another thing that helps me, especially at weekends when I do longer workouts, is to put my water bottle in the freezer for half an hour before I leave. The cool bottle is great for keeping you relatively cool between sets by cooling your hands. If I don't have time I'll just rinse my hands under a cold tap. It keeps me feeling a bit fresher.

Theresalwaysone

amazingemmet wrote: »

Here's an outlandish one which let me hit a triple with a previous max deadlift after doing a super high volume leg work out and then to prove a point I done 140kg x 20. Also on the same day as trying it one of my friends added 30kg to his BTN push press. Coincidence who knows, subjective yes, source esoteric.

So according to old yoga texts the right nostril is the masculine one and the left is the femine one, you can see where I'm going, So by breathing through the right nostril only we can encourage the masculine traits in the body. The text I read stated that someone who practiced this for some time would be capable of feats of strength far beyond what their body could do.

I wasnt going to mention this but this works great for my pull ups.

The more monkey like I become the stronger my relative arm strength seems to be. I find that if J dont shave for weeks, eat a diet rich is green leaves, have a banana before and during my workout and actively imagine being an ape I can get extra pull ups in during a workout.

I havent progressed to throwing my faeces at fellow gym members but I can see myself going there. All for the gains yo.

cgmd1

amazingemmet wrote: »

Here's an outlandish one which let me hit a triple with a previous max deadlift after doing a super high volume leg work out and then to prove a point I done 140kg x 20. Also on the same day as trying it one of my friends added 30kg to his BTN push press. Coincidence who knows, subjective yes, source esoteric.

So according to old yoga texts the right nostril is the masculine one and the left is the femine one, you can see where I'm going, So by breathing through the right nostril only we can encourage the masculine traits in the body. The text I read stated that someone who practiced this for some time would be capable of feats of strength far beyond what their body could do.

This is really interesting, can you elaborate a little on it? When did you actually do the single nostril breathing? Just before the lifts, between sets? Or is this something you do at a different time daily or something?

SteelyDanJalapeno

This obviously cant be done if I've a blocked nose lads?

Hanley

Actually explains a lot. I've a polyp in my left nostril that has it about 80% blocked so no air in that way.

I'm also pretty much blind out of my right eye.

...and I like long walks on the beach.

amazingemmet

cgmd1 wrote: »

This is really interesting, can you elaborate a little on it? When did you actually do the single nostril breathing? Just before the lifts, between sets? Or is this something you do at a different time daily or something?

On the day I hit the deadlifts, I was bored and decided to try it so while I was dealing with my morning clients I was doing it on/off for about 3 hrs, then I done the leg workout then when I was finishing and about to go get changed some of the guys I worked with were having a deadlift off on the platform so I joined in.

I've tried it between lifts and the only benefit I've noticed was it got my heart rate back to normal quicker after a set.

The guy who hit the BTN push press was doing it while he was foam rolling at the start of his session and during sets.

Hanley

amazingemmet wrote: »

On the day I hit the deadlifts, I was bored and decided to try it so while I was dealing with my morning clients I was doing it on/off for about 3 hrs, then I done the leg workout then when I was finishing and about to go get changed some of the guys I worked with were having a deadlift off on the platform so I joined in.

I've tried it between lifts and the only benefit I've noticed was it got my heart rate back to normal quicker after a set.

The guy who hit the BTN push press was doing it while he was foam rolling at the start of his session and during sets.

..but it was your nostril that got it right?

amazingemmet

They were no challenge, they both had 10-12kg on me and bowed out at 145kg I kept going to 180kg x 3 and then done the 140kg x 20 to embarrass them. As the thread states this is purely subjective. One of the CF girls got her first bar muscle up while doing it too but I don't count that as she could do kipped ring for singles before hand. #misinterpretingdatadaily

cgmd1

amazingemmet wrote: »

On the day I hit the deadlifts, I was bored and decided to try it so while I was dealing with my morning clients I was doing it on/off for about 3 hrs, then I done the leg workout then when I was finishing and about to go get changed some of the guys I worked with were having a deadlift off on the platform so I joined in.

I've tried it between lifts and the only benefit I've noticed was it got my heart rate back to normal quicker after a set.

The guy who hit the BTN push press was doing it while he was foam rolling at the start of his session and during sets.

Thanks for that. I'll give this a try in the name of science!

googled eyes

I'm learning how to tap into my aggression from a two year old.

runawaybishop

Hanley wrote: »

Actually explains a lot. I've a polyp in my left nostril that has it about 80% blocked so no air in that way.

I'm also pretty much blind out of my right eye.

...and I like long walks on the beach.

When breathing through the right nostril you should be better at visual and spatial tasks. When breathing through the left you should be better at verbal things. Sportspeople often use tape to open up both their nostrils to breathe better. However, another study says that blocking the right nostril makes you more emotionally negative.

^^ qi

amazingemmet

From COH: When in doubt max out,

done this today hit an easy 180kg on the deadlift went for 190kg got it off the floor but my shoulders were ahead of the bar so lost it. Not bad for a bit of ****ing around after doing some sets at 90% back squat.

Hanley

runawaybishop wrote: »

When breathing through the right nostril you should be better at visual and spatial tasks. When breathing through the left you should be better at verbal things. Sportspeople often use tape to open up both their nostrils to breathe better. However, another study says that blocking the right nostril makes you more emotionally negative.

^^ qi

Definitely not. Good verbal **** spatial for me.

Alf Veedersane

runawaybishop wrote: »

However, another study says that blocking the right nostril makes you more emotionally negative

Due to a head cold, my right nostril was blocked yesterday.


I was in a glass case of emotion.




QED.

WHIP IT!

Sorry for going off topic lads but I thought this might be an appropriate place to ask this... a (big huge muscly) chap told me yesterday that it is 'wrong' to lock out your arms on every rep when pressing (I was doing inclined DB presses)... his argument was it takes the strain off the muscles on every rep and isn't quite as good a workout. He also mentioned it was better for the elbows, long term (ie, less wear and tear)...

Is this correct? I've heard people say this before but just thought it was two different ways of doing it with neither necessarily being better than the other...