Random Fitness Questions

Patsy167

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118225523#Comment_118225523

That's helpful. My main aim was to pick exercises that I would enjoy so I cobbled together the above exercises purely based on enjoyment. I don't enjoy any Push exercises and only like doing single leg exercises. I know that this approach is not sustainable in the long run but my thinking is that it will allow me to build up some strength and a momentum in the gym over a few months. Once I've an acceptable level of strength built up i'll look at a more balanced programme focused on strength.

Cill94

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118226438#Comment_118226438

Well if you enjoy it then go for it. 💪🏻

Black Sheep

Patsy,

I get where you're coming from.

Any chest press or shoulder press machines in the gym? Since you seem to like machines they would be an easy option for some pushing work.

If not that then can’t really beat DB bench, DB seated shoulder press, push ups.

For quads if they had a leg extension and / or hack squat it would be a no brainer to complement all the hamstring work.

The other thing you could consider that would probably be of general benefit to you is going to something like 3x10 for everything except the pull ups.

If you do all of that it’s a lot in one session, you have the makings of two alternating workouts there.

Alf Veedersane

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118226438#Comment_118226438

"Once I've an acceptable level of strength built up i'll look at a more balanced programme focused on strength."

This seems like a strange logic, to be honest. You'll do a set of exercises you cobbled together to get stronger and then you'll move to a balanced programme to get stronger?

Why not just do a balanced programme to get stronger now?

Patsy167

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118239738#Comment_118239738

Appreciate the feedback. The logic I've been using is that my gym attendance has been flakey at best recently as I wasn't really enjoying it. To get some momentum going I was going to focus on just doing whatever I enjoy and hoping it will snowball from there.

I took the feedback from here on-board and tried to adjust so this mornings workout was:

• Trap Bar Deadlift - 5x3
• Hamstring Curl - 5x3
• Seated Leg Curl - 3x5
• V-Bar Pulldown - 3x5
• Seated Row - 3x5
• Chest Dips - 5x3

My plan is to count that as a full body workout and do it 3 times per week. I'm sure more volume is needed so I'll focus on sorting this in the coming weeks.

VW 1

Looking for an opinion on what to do...

Had a decent strength building programme for the compound lifts, working from higher volume down to close to max doubles over a 12 week period.

Did a deload week to prepare for one rep max testing. Woke up a day or two after my last deload session with a lot of lower back pain, but muscular. So stretched lower body, back and hips for two weeks to the point the back is feeling good.

Is it a good idea to jump back back in this evening and continue as planned on the one rep max tests for the week?

Or is it a better idea to ease back in and use estimated numbers to plan my next training cycle?

I feel the correct answer is the latter, but I was more than likely going to see an all time PR on squat, and probably come close with DL.

TIA!

Black Sheep

That's a great question.

I've done 12 week programming followed by a deload week and then 1RM testing on a number of occasions, and you seem to have been particularly unlucky here.

I would not now go ahead with 1RM tests for two reasons:-

1) You ended up taking what is effectively a 3 week deload, if I read your post right, because of the back. Unfortunately that's long enough some detraining will have occurred and there's a risk that you won't hit your target 1RMs now.

2) If your back feels totally normal then re-injury might not be a large risk, but you may not want to chance it.

I think if you are confident in your estimations, going with estimated 1RMs is the smart move. You could keep it conservative - 2.5kg to 5kg per lift. You should actually know whether you were going to get your target 1RMs based on how the doubles felt and what the bar speed was like. If you felt like the doubles could have been trebles or even quadruples, and/or the bar speed was reasonably fast, you know your 1RM has moved.

VW 1

That's the sensible approach I guess, and it's the advice I would give to someone else.

Impatience to test might lead to injury again, which I definitely don't want off the back of a really good training cycle.

Onwards and upwards!

Cill94

The work and adaptations you built up won't have just vanished because you took a few weeks off. I would start back at heaviest you can comfortably, and then over weeks build back to a position where you could hit a new 1RM.

Also this is just an aside, but it's my personal belief that taking a deload before testing a 1RM is not a good idea for a significant amount of people. It doesn't work well for me and many people I've coached. It also just doesn't make sense to go light and detrain your body right before you need it to be at its strongest. Some people can taper down and get a peaking effect, but it's easy to **** up and is probably only necessary for more advanced lifters.

Mr321

What's the best way to break yourself in at running after an absence from knee injury?

Injury fully heeled and strengthened.

Thanks

Cill94

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118293754#Comment_118293754

Something as simple as slow, short runs, even with some walking rests if needed. Slowly increase pace and distance. 👍️

Mr321

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118299090#Comment_118299090

Thank you!

Brid Hegarty

I just said I'd ask about the fact that I didn't sweat during one or two jogs I did recently. I pushed as hard as I usually do, but still barely sweated anything. It doesn't feel good when this happens during a jog. It feels a lot better when I sweat. The weather has been cold so maybe that has something to do with it. I normally don't sweat during the first mile anyway. But after 2 miles with no sweat, that shouldn't be the case. I think maybe I could have eaten a bit more before these jogs if that might have anything to do with it.

Also, breathing in the cold air when you're breathless is also a horrible feeling.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118446363#Comment_118446363

Simple answer is that it’s cold. You swear to cool down, if you’re already cold then there is no need.

I wouldn't use sweat as a quality gauge.

Brid Hegarty

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118084817#Comment_118084817

Speaking of flat stomachs, Michelle Keegan has a lovely one.

carrollsno1

Just a quick one folks, started back running recently any tips on how to avoid ire or chub rub as some people call it? TIA

VW 1

Under armour shorts or similar. As a big legged man, I suffer the same and can't run without them. If you don't have and want to run, vaseline will help but isn't as effective.

Edit, I actually picked up a few pairs the other week in decathlon for 5 euro a pair

chases0102

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone has any advice here.

From doing Squats, I feel my Range of Motion (particularly I think in my IT band??) has deteriorated. Love doing the exercise, and the benefits are obvious - but just wondering can anyone recommend particular stretches, when to do them, etc. if this is indeed a thing.

c.p.w.g.w

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118575505#Comment_118575505

I had a similar problems many years ago...found that crosshack squats and frog rocks, both primarily work the groin inner quads but I my mobility from the hip vastly improved and I stopped having issues with the ITB

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118575505#Comment_118575505

What warm up are you doing? Outside of your warmup what mobility work are you doing?

The whole western world's IT bands are in a jock right now I'd say from sitting too much during the pandemic. So be patient with yourself.

chases0102

Being honest, too little warm up mobility I think - few basic stretches. What stretches/warm up routine would be good to avoid such poor Range of Motion and overall mobility with these muscles?

Black Sheep

I don't really have any great insight into mobility and its relationship to training, but I noticed you linked your problem to squatting.

If you're squatting below parallel and with decent form then really squats should be contributing to good mobility in the hips, knees and ankles, not negatively impacting.

In your warm-ups if you spend some time at the bottom of a body weight squat and move around a little, that might be beneficial. Then with the bar and your warm-up weights you could consider seeing how you get on with some pauses at the bottom. Make sure you are breaking parallel with your work sets, and nothing to say they couldn't be paused at the bottom as well.

There's a whole world of dedicated "mobility work" out there involving various exercises, tools and beliefs about what is required in this area but to be honest... Only bother if you enjoy it, I have never found it that worthwhile in the long term ... and I've drank the kool aid of a great many approaches over the years.

Mr. CooL ICE

Agree with lots of above. I had knee problems from squatting years ago and a physio prescribed a good bit of IT band work. He also questioned my squat form after looking at a bodyweight squat in the clinic. I thought "nah, my squat is fine. I'll foam roll my IT band". All the foam rolling and mobility did little for me knee but low and behold, fixing my squat did wonders.

I'd just check a few things with your squat, namely how the weight is distributed across your foot. Squat slowly and if at any point during it, you notice that your weight is falling onto your front foot foot or inside foot, then you could have the cause.

Hell, even if it is your IT band, trying to do a third world squat every day for as long as you can manage should help somewhat.

silverharp

I had seen that directly trying to lenghten the IT band is a waste of time as its not very flexible in and of itself and its better to focus on developing the muscles directly rather than doing foam rolling. Pick a glute , hamstring and hip flexor exercise for example and add them in, and as above, i try to start most session in the gym with an Asian squat, if you cant sit unassisted in an Asian squat for a minute or two comfortably its one for the list.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118576568#Comment_118576568

a simple thing is to squat every day. Sit back into a body weight squat and hold it for time. Aim to get up to 2 mins.

I like to arm up for squats with foam rolling my IT Bands and doing some glute activation

Mellor

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118579723#Comment_118579723

Yup. IT band is fibrous tissue, sort of like a long tendon, only even less give. (tendons don’t have much give to begin with). You simply aren’t going to make it longer.

But the muscles connected to it can be loosened. Targeting the TFL helped me previously.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118575549#Comment_118575549

Not sure what you mean by inner quads. But quads don’t really affect the hip.

I like Cossacks as a hip stretch. But on the straight leg. For the squatting, I think thE body weight squat hold above is ideal. But aiming for more than 2 mins.

The White Feather

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118575505#Comment_118575505

A couple of years ago, I was getting a pain on the side of my knee and no matter what I did the pain kept coming back even after rest. It was my IT band and I started stretching it. Did this for a few days and the pain disappeared. I still do the stretches now before or after working out so it doesn't come back.

What I did was find a surface around waist high. Too low and its not enough but too high and you won't hit the right spot. I used the kitchen table! Then put the leg that has the pain on it but turn your foot so that the outside of your knee is on the surface and your baby toe is closest to the surface. So like a hamstring stretch except you are turning your leg. Leave a bend in your knee though. Now bring your upper body down and hold. You are aiming to go down over the outside to target the band on the outside. So you are over your knee to the side.You will feel the outside stretch when you do it right. The usual thing for stretches, a few secs as first then gradually go longer. This is what got rid of my pain.

If that's too awkward, try it on your couch or bed. Sit on the edge and put leg up on the couch or bed as above. Leave other on floor and stretch over the knee to the outside.

Nowadays I do the same stretch on the ground if I am at a gym or outside and no high surface. Both knees will be at 90 degrees. Think as if you are going down on one knee and you rear knee was in line with your front heel , and then you dropped to one side. So if i was stretching my left IT band, Left leg is bent at 90 degrees with outside of knee on ground and left baby toe closest to ground, right leg is bent at 90 degrees also so that inside of my knee and my right big toe are closer to the ground. Now i would stretch down to my left over the knee again.

Now i have progressed to turning my knees over to the right so i am doing the same on the other side, stretching and going back and forth, then not using my hands for base so it is a great mobility drill while stretching. Hope this helps. Its hard to describe stretches but hope I have made it clear.

Cill94

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118575505#Comment_118575505

I’m not sure if you’re saying that you feel like squats have made your IT band tighter or that your IT band is tight and it’s limiting your ability to squat?

In either case, your IT band is meant to be tight and can’t have its length changed to any meaningful degree.

If you’re struggling with squat flexibility - simply practice it more. Holding on to some kind of pillar can help you stretch out in that bottom position.

chases0102

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118598175#Comment_118598175

Great, thanks for that advice.

I guess the feeling I'm having is of a tightness, restricted movements, not even sure if the IT Band is the correct source to be honest! I feel like I am not doing enough preparation in the form of stretches, or mobility warm ups, etc.

As an example, trying to sit cross legged on the floor with my kids, or whenever I am in a kayak, I find very uncomfortable