Random Fitness Questions

Transform

D'Agger wrote: »

Just to come back on this - did sets of squats and KB swings with a 24kg yesterday and while I did 3x15 with the swings, only managed 3x12 with the squats though there's more in me

Reckon I'll up the weight to 30KG plus and hit the same numbers next week and work up towards 3x20, 3x25

I reckon my squat form is not good so holding the KB in front seems better for forcing me to squeeze my shoulder blades back when there isn't the force of a bar up on them.

great and make sure you have breathing locked in as i explain here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO9XL5H5agw breathing part at about 1min in - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO9XL5H5agw

Also dont forget to do other leg exercises on other days - lunges, step ups, split squats etc

Transform

Transform wrote: »

theres very little knee bending in deadlifts so i would be surprised you wouldnt be able to do them

I had a client in yesterday with medial ligament damage to right knee - was still deadlifting no issues but obviously reduced loading.

Overall, if its not directly a mobility issue then its more likely due to programming - loading, recovery, intensity etc

Tight quads, some scarring or something on the patellar tendons because the quads are pulling them I think he said. And a small bit of hip misalignment. Nothing major.

Stretches for now and will do physio maybe two times a week for a couple of months. He said deadlifts are fine but I shouldn't do leg press or squats for a while. No pain in day-to-day life.

Transform

Deleted User wrote: »

Tight quads, some scarring or something on the patellar tendons because the quads are pulling them I think he said. And a small bit of hip misalignment. Nothing major.

Stretches for now and will do physio maybe two times a week for a couple of months. He said deadlifts are fine but I shouldn't do leg press or squats for a while. No pain in day-to-day life.

hold up - "physio 2/week for few months" really?

If the physio cant make a significant improvement in 4-5 sessions total then you're going to the wrong person.

Unless youre rehabbing a major surgery then months of physio is most certainly not needed that often

Transform

Transform wrote: »

hold up - "physio 2/week for few months" really?

If the physio cant make a significant improvement in 4-5 sessions total then you're going to the wrong person.

Unless youre rehabbing a major surgery then months of physio is most certainly not needed that often

I figured I'd treat this as an early 30s sort of check up on general body stuff.. I don't mind doing it for a few months if my body is better prepared for later life.

My hips are misaligned. I can feel that even lying down flat on the table. Most weight on the left buttock, right foot hanging out more than the left when told to lie flat.

Do you reckon it's worth doing work now? My brother has issues, and my dad has really bad problems. Just feel like a few months wouldn't be a bad option. It's only 35euro a session

Transform

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I figured I'd treat this as an early 30s sort of check up on general body stuff.. I don't mind doing it for a few months if my body is better prepared for later life.

My hips are misaligned. I can feel that even lying down flat on the table. Most weight on the left buttock, right foot hanging out more than the left when told to lie flat.

Do you reckon it's worth doing work now? My brother has issues, and my dad has really bad problems. Just feel like a few months wouldn't be a bad option. It's only 35euro a session

Where do you live?

vargoo

Transform wrote: »

Where do you live?

OOh, let me test my Boards trivia knowledge.

Thailand! (Over that direction anyway) and a Teacher.

I actually thought it be cheaper over yonder.

D'Agger

Transform wrote: »

great and make sure you have breathing locked in as i explain here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO9XL5H5agw breathing part at about 1min in - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO9XL5H5agw

Also dont forget to do other leg exercises on other days - lunges, step ups, split squats etc

Didn't see this initially, haven't been online in a few days but will check them out.

It's worth mentioning that my right hip flexor has been tight all week, stretching hasn't really helped but I reckon it's running 9k the day after doing KB swings and KB Squats in one session - reckon my squat technique is poor tbh so I'm going to try switch to leg press, KB swings, lunges & split squats like you say and just lay off the squat movement for a bit.

When I do return to squatting, I reckon I'll view it as starting from scratch & look to post a video here for some feedback because I clearly have hip problems, no issues with Deadlift, but the squat movement seems to be a cause of trouble.

Dravokivich

Ok. This is gonna sound a bit stupid

So I got back into a gym recently and I'm noticing their resistance machines have individual limbs that weight can be added onto. So when I'm doing a curl with my right leg, the left leg is down and that weight isnt moving. So when tracking my workout, do I only track the weight per limb, or add both? So if I've 22.5kg in each limb, do I track it as 22.5kg or 45 kg?

Mellor

Dravokivich wrote: »

Ok. This is gonna sound a bit stupid

So I got back into a gym recently and I'm noticing their resistance machines have individual limbs that weight can be added onto. So when I'm doing a curl with my right leg, the left leg is down and that weight isnt moving. So when tracking my workout, do I only track the weight per limb, or add both? So if I've 22.5kg in each limb, do I track it as 22.5kg or 45 kg?

Both options are fine. Whatever works for you.

For example, I track my dumbbell presses as 27.5kg, the weight per hand. I’m looking to move to 30kg. But I could just as easy call that 55kg looking to move to 60kg. Same effect either way.

Dravokivich

Cheers man. I think I'll go per limb so.

Alf Veedersane

Dravokivich wrote: »

Ok. This is gonna sound a bit stupid

So I got back into a gym recently and I'm noticing their resistance machines have individual limbs that weight can be added onto. So when I'm doing a curl with my right leg, the left leg is down and that weight isnt moving. So when tracking my workout, do I only track the weight per limb, or add both? So if I've 22.5kg in each limb, do I track it as 22.5kg or 45 kg?

Once you know that the weight is per side or total then it doesn't matter. I just log the weight f the DB in each hand for example but it's a reference for yourself so just pick one and stick with it.

DuckSlice

Can someone explain the difference to me in simple terms, whats the difference between strength training and Hypertrophy training, or are they the same thing?

Mr. CooL ICE

They're pretty similar and most of the principals are interchangeable between strength and hypertrophy training. Typically, strength training would involve lower reps and higher weight and vice versa for hypertrophy. But that's a very simplistic way of looking at it.

Strength is a relative term though. If person A can lift 100kg for 10 reps and person B can lift 110kg for 5 reps, who is stronger?

Alf Veedersane

The simplistic explanation that Chad Wesley Smith has used is that the point of hypertrophy training is to build muscle and strength training makes that muscle stronger.

DuckSlice

Thanks for the replies. My program(which I’ve done myself) consists of mainly excericse with 4 sets of 8/10, 60 seconds rest. I aim to hit failure on the 4th set. I guess that’s low reps so it’s mainly strength training? I’m not too bothered about getting bigger just stronger, and my main reason for excericse is weight control so I throw in some cardio at the end too.

Mr. CooL ICE

Depending on what you're doing 8-10 reps can be either high or low reps. Deadlifts? 10 reps is pretty damn high. Facepulls, bicep curls or anything isolation-ey? 10 reps is on the lower end.

Alf Veedersane

etxp wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. My program(which I’ve done myself) consists of mainly excericse with 4 sets of 8/10, 60 seconds rest. I aim to hit failure on the 4th set. I guess that’s low reps so it’s mainly strength training? I’m not too bothered about getting bigger just stronger, and my main reason for excericse is weight control so I throw in some cardio at the end too.

8-10 isn't necessarily low reps.

Once you're looking to increase the weight you're lifting for those 4 sets, you're looking to get stronger. That doesn't mean you won't also build some muscle.

Brian?

etxp wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. My program(which I’ve done myself) consists of mainly excericse with 4 sets of 8/10, 60 seconds rest. I aim to hit failure on the 4th set. I guess that’s low reps so it’s mainly strength training? I’m not too bothered about getting bigger just stronger, and my main reason for excericse is weight control so I throw in some cardio at the end too.

In general terms, I stress there many exceptions to this, these are the common definitions:

1-5 reps: strength
6-9 reps: a mix of both
10-15 reps: hypertrophy

Having said this, 12 reps will make you stronger and 3 reps will kick off some hypertrophy.

Are you doing 4x10 for everything? If so, why? Also, going to failure on ever movement isn’t a great idea.

Throw up your whole program.

DuckSlice

Brian? wrote: »

In general terms, I stress there many exceptions to this, these are the common definitions:

1-5 reps: strength
6-9 reps: a mix of both
10-15 reps: hypertrophy

Having said this, 12 reps will make you stronger and 3 reps will kick off some hypertrophy.

Are you doing 4x10 for everything? If so, why? Also, going to failure on ever movement isn’t a great idea.

Throw up your whole program.

I don’t have the full thing here it’s only on my work phone but the arms and shoulders workout is attached hopefully.
I probably don’t go to failure on all workouts but the bigger lifts I aim to go to failure or close to.

There’s actually no 4 x 10 in this workout
This is a workout I got online and I like it. Legs and chest/back I wrote out myself, will put it up Monday.

Brian?

etxp wrote: »

I don’t have the full thing here it’s only on my work phone but the arms and shoulders workout is attached hopefully.
I probably don’t go to failure on all workouts but the bigger lifts I aim to go to failure or close to.

There’s actually no 4 x 10 in this workout

Hmmm, it seems overly complicated.

DuckSlice

Brian? wrote: »

Hmmm, it seems overly complicated.

Maybe I’m trying to do too much, I only want to train 3 times a week. I could go back to my old program which is 3/4 excericse and some HIIT at the end.

Alf Veedersane

etxp wrote: »

Brian? wrote: »

Hmmm, it seems overly complicated.

Maybe I’m trying to do too much, I only want to train 3 times a week. I could go back to my old program which is 3/4 excericse and some HIIT at the end.

It's not necessarily that it's too much but it just reads like throwing a load of exercises at it and for a single session in a three session week, you're not going to get much bang for your buck.

DuckSlice

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

It's not necessarily that it's too much but it just reads like throwing a load of exercises at it and for a single session in a three session week, you're not going to get much bang for your buck.

Maybe I should just leave the programming to the pros! The issues I had with my other program was you could go a couple of weeks without hitting biceps or chest, legs get hit everyday! But the overall goal was to lose weight and it worked. If it’s not broke don’t fix it maybe?

Brian?

etxp wrote: »

Maybe I’m trying to do too much, I only want to train 3 times a week. I could go back to my old program which is 3/4 excericse and some HIIT at the end.

You’d be much better off doing 3x full body workouts a week than a split.

Day 1: squat, bench, row, pull up
Day 2: deadlift, militarily press, row, pull up


Repeat. Not that exactly, but something like that. Add in one tricep and bicep movement at the end. Gun show.

DuckSlice

Brian? wrote: »

You’d be much better off doing 3x full body workouts a week than a split.

Day 1: squat, bench, row, pull up
Day 2: deadlift, militarily press, row, pull up


Repeat. Not that exactly, but something like that. Add in one tricep and bicep movement at the end. Gun show.

Maybe that might be the best approach! Thanks for all your replies lads. I’ll send on the rest of the program to you on Monday just as a FYI.

Alf Veedersane

etxp wrote: »

Maybe I should just leave the programming to the pros! The issues I had with my other program was you could go a couple of weeks without hitting biceps or chest, legs get hit everyday! But the overall goal was to lose weight and it worked. If it’s not broke don’t fix it maybe?

There were 9 exercises: 5 for shoulders/delts and the other 4 were biceps and triceps. There's no structure to it and a lot of work on small elements of your shoulder muscles

Exercise choices should complement each other and should a bit more rounded. Even something like bench, dips, overhead press, facepulls/reverse flye, curls

funkey_monkey

Is there any need to train differently when you reach your 40's?

Also, any 'good' recommendations for a 4 day split muscle building routine?

the baby bull elephant

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Is there any need to train differently when you reach your 40's?

Also, any 'good' recommendations for a 4 day split muscle building routine?

No major differences other than being a bit more proactive in terms of recovery and not overreaching as much in terms of progression.

https://jimwendler.com/blogs/jimwendler-com/101077382-boring-but-big
The above programme has been quite successful for a lot of people but lives up to its name.

funkey_monkey

When squatting, at what weight level do knee sleeves become useful?

silverharp

Any rule of thumb for frequency doing your max weight rep? Lets say you have 3 main exercises over a week , is it ok to be hitting a max even if only one rep every week? Or is there anything simple to follow like alternate week for a particular exercise? Pick a week every 2 months say to not lift anything near max? or is this only an issue for lifters doing stuff over a certain multiple of their body weight?

Deano7788

silverharp wrote: »

Any rule of thumb for frequency doing your max weight rep? Lets say you have 3 main exercises over a week , is it ok to be hitting a max even if only one rep every week? Or is there anything simple to follow like alternate week for a particular exercise? Pick a week every 2 months say to not lift anything near max? or is this only an issue for lifters doing stuff over a certain multiple of their body weight?

What way is your training structured at the moment?

Personally I would only ever properly max out at comp, so every few months. With most of my training it's structured to leave something in reserve most of the time.

Especially with a 1 rep max, it's not really going to get you stronger, it's pretty much just testing very frequently. Overall volume would be much, much more important.

silverharp

Deano7788 wrote: »

What way is your training structured at the moment?

Personally I would only ever properly max out at comp, so every few months. With most of my training it's structured to leave something in reserve most of the time.

Especially with a 1 rep max, it's not really going to get you stronger, it's pretty much just testing very frequently. Overall volume would be much, much more important.

I tended to be doing a 5X5 , so the 5th or final set would be at my current max, switching now to more dropset oriented 1,3,5..13 , so it’s a max within that context

Mellor

silverharp wrote: »

I tended to be doing a 5X5 , so the 5th or final set would be at my current max, switching now to more dropset oriented 1,3,5..13 , so it’s a max within that context

“Max weight rep” sounded like you meant a 1RM.

1RM every few months.
5RM once a week if you progressing

silverharp

Mellor wrote: »

“Max weight rep” sounded like you meant a 1RM.

1RM every few months.
5RM once a week if you progressing

So doing something like DL drop style sets , the first rep , you should able to do 5 at that weight even if you are only doing 1 then reducing the weight?

How about farmers walk? Aim has been to do it once a week 5 laps of about 15 mtrs each way , at the moment have a weight that I can do one way but would have to reduce a little bit to get it back and then reduce for each subsequent lap. Is it safer to start from a lower weight

Brian?

silverharp wrote: »

So doing something like DL drop style sets , the first rep , you should able to do 5 at that weight even if you are only doing 1 then reducing the weight?

How about farmers walk? Aim has been to do it once a week 5 laps of about 15 mtrs each way , at the moment have a weight that I can do one way but would have to reduce a little bit to get it back and then reduce for each subsequent lap. Is it safer to start from a lower weight

Why are you doing drop sets?

Alf Veedersane

There doesn't appear to be a whole lot of structure to what you're doing.

5x5 with 5 being the max you could do on the 5th set means the weight isn't your 5RM weight. It won't tax your CNS as much so like has been said. Once a week is fine.

Drop sets are just a way to get additional volume after working set(s).

whippet

funkey_monkey wrote: »

When squatting, at what weight level do knee sleeves become useful?

for me it is as soon as I get in to the gym … years of abuse of my knees as a goal keeper mean that sleeves keep them warm.

Depending on the sleeves you use you might not get any benefit from them .. I have a couple of pairs - cheap $10 ones I got in a gym in florida which I use for warming up and for sets that would be circa 80%. I have SBDs which I use for anything above 80%.

I have invested in a new set of SlingShot Extreme 'X' Sleeves and haven't tried them out yet - but they do seem really stiff.

I generally don't think I get any massive gain in terms of weight from sleeves - the difference between my bare knee and sleeved squat is about 20kg … while the difference between my sleeved and wrapped squat is about 45kg !

Alf Veedersane

There was a discussion in the IrishPF Facebook group once upon a time about how much people got from sleeves.

I often think there is a mental benefit as much as a mechanical.

I'd say I'd get somewhere around 5-7.5 out of them. Not sure....it's been a while since I went to see how far Id go without sleeves.

silverharp

Brian? wrote: »

Why are you doing drop sets?

Basically just as a way to increase volume and for the variation. Its dead reckoning on my part, plan was to do it on one exercise each session so typically spider row, squat, hex dead lift. Also including paused and slow reps in this. I’d see this as a way of increasing intensity.

Brian?

silverharp wrote: »

Basically just as a way to increase volume and for the variation. Its dead reckoning on my part, plan was to do it on one exercise each session so typically spider row, squat, hex dead lift. Also including paused and slow reps in this. I’d see this as a way of increasing intensity.

I’m not sure I get the reason to be honest. If you want to increase volume, fire away. But you should do it in a logical fashion.

A drop set deadlift sounds like a terrible idea. As long as we’re talking about the same thing. A drop set is dropping the weight and repping out with a minimal pause.

funkey_monkey

whippet wrote: »

for me it is as soon as I get in to the gym … years of abuse of my knees as a goal keeper mean that sleeves keep them warm.

Depending on the sleeves you use you might not get any benefit from them .. I have a couple of pairs - cheap $10 ones I got in a gym in florida which I use for warming up and for sets that would be circa 80%. I have SBDs which I use for anything above 80%.

I have invested in a new set of SlingShot Extreme 'X' Sleeves and haven't tried them out yet - but they do seem really stiff.

I generally don't think I get any massive gain in terms of weight from sleeves - the difference between my bare knee and sleeved squat is about 20kg … while the difference between my sleeved and wrapped squat is about 45kg !

There was a discussion in the IrishPF Facebook group once upon a time about how much people got from sleeves.

I often think there is a mental benefit as much as a mechanical.

I'd say I'd get somewhere around 5-7.5 out of them. Not sure....it's been a while since I went to see how far Id go without sleeves.

Do they not gather behind then knee when in the squat?
I'm not looking to make gains in terms of weight squatted, but solely interested in joint protection.

Alf Veedersane

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Do they not gather behind then knee when in the squat?
I'm not looking to make gains in terms of weight squatted, but solely interested in joint protection.

Just get ordinary neoprene supports.

funkey_monkey

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Just get ordinary neoprene supports.

Any recommended brands or suchlike? SBD seems to be the popular choice but they are quite expensive.

caviardreams

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Any recommended brands or suchlike? SBD seems to be the popular choice but they are quite expensive.

Bulk powders knee sleeves are good for the price imo

Alf Veedersane

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Any recommended brands or suchlike? SBD seems to be the popular choice but they are quite expensive.

Most neoprene supports are much the same. You can get them in any sports shop. Knee sleeves are not really for support so would be no point in getting expensive knee sleeves. You're not looking to get from knee sleeves what people get knee sleeves for.

Bulkpowders, cheaper strengthshop ones or just any knee supports

silverharp

Brian? wrote: »

I’m not sure I get the reason to be honest. If you want to increase volume, fire away. But you should do it in a logical fashion.

A drop set deadlift sounds like a terrible idea. As long as we’re talking about the same thing. A drop set is dropping the weight and repping out with a minimal pause.

then im using the term incorrectly , just referring to the number 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 and dropping the weight, not rushed, with the squat Ill mostly do 5 5 5 7... as I'd be more conservative with the weight on that one compared to the Hex, though tend to do some box squats to check out a heavier weight

Brian?

silverharp wrote: »

then im using the term incorrectly , just referring to the number 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 and dropping the weight, not rushed, with the squat Ill mostly do 5 5 5 7... as I'd be more conservative with the weight on that one compared to the Hex, though tend to do some box squats to check out a heavier weight

You’re doing a reverse pyramid so.

I still wouldn’t do it on big movements like squat or deadlift. I don’t like to do high rep work on those. But that’s a personal thing.

Alf Veedersane

Brian? wrote: »

You’re doing a reverse pyramid so.

I still wouldn’t do it on big movements like squat or deadlift. I don’t like to do high rep work on those. But that’s a personal thing.

I know on Leangains you'd kick off with S/B/D but after working up to the top set there's only 2 drop sets.

funkey_monkey

the baby bull elephant wrote: »

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Is there any need to train differently when you reach your 40's?

Also, any 'good' recommendations for a 4 day split muscle building routine?

No major differences other than being a bit more proactive in terms of recovery and not overreaching as much in terms of progression.

https://jimwendler.com/blogs/jimwendler-com/101077382-boring-but-big
The above programme has been quite successful for a lot of people but lives up to its name.

Is that a muscle building routine or a strength routine? It looks like the latter.

Brian?

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Is that a muscle building routine or a strength routine? It looks like the latter.

Build muscle through strength and eating.

Most hypertrophy routines I see aren't suited to natural lifters, never mind beginners. Get strong and eat a load and you'll get big.