Random Fitness Questions

Alf Veedersane · 30-08-2019 02:37PM

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 · 30-08-2019 02:59PM

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 · 30-08-2019 03:03PM

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 · 30-08-2019 03:06PM

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? · 30-08-2019 06:17PM

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 · 30-08-2019 06:31PM

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? · 30-08-2019 06:34PM

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 · 30-08-2019 06:44PM

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 · 30-08-2019 06:46PM

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 · 30-08-2019 06:52PM

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? · 30-08-2019 06:55PM

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 · 30-08-2019 07:13PM

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 · 30-08-2019 07:43PM

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

the baby bull elephant · 30-08-2019 10:16PM

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.

silverharp · 04-09-2019 09:51AM

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 · 04-09-2019 10:36AM

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 · 04-09-2019 10:57AM

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 · 04-09-2019 02:26PM

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 · 04-09-2019 04:34PM

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? · 04-09-2019 06:09PM

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 · 04-09-2019 06:38PM

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 · 05-09-2019 12:46PM

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 · 05-09-2019 03:30PM

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 · 05-09-2019 05:00PM

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? · 05-09-2019 05:24PM

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.

Alf Veedersane · 05-09-2019 06:42PM

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.

caviardreams · 05-09-2019 08:00PM

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 · 05-09-2019 08:57PM

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 · 06-09-2019 02:52PM

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? · 06-09-2019 03:25PM

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.

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