Gym Routine

[Stevo985]

Cheers mate, I'll check it out.

I'd probably stump for the flavoured anyway to be honest as I like to put a scoop in some oats, but would still be cheaper than what I'm paying now.

And all this backs up my point about protein powder being significantly cheaper than food

That would be a genuine concern at that weight alright. I did lol in the office reading that.

I farted last week at 112.5kg so I'm on red alert.

[Stevo985]

I bottled the gym on Saturday.

First session I've missed in 6 months.

I was so hungover I just couldn't face it. Even if I'd gone I was in no state to hit the lifts I'd have been aiming for.

[BOF]

Probably for the best. If you injured yourself you'd be well pissed off.

[Stevo985]

Exactly.

Back on it this week

[markavfc40]

Had a really odd session yesterday, just completely lost a whole lot of strength from absolutely nowhere.

I don't normally have too much trouble benching 26kg dumbbells, but yesterday I couldn't even get them up. I really struggled to get the 24s up, but forced them up out of sheer doggidness.

Was quite odd, and a little disoncerting.

Just like you shouldn't become obsessed with doing a certain amount of reps, as some people do, you shouldn't become obsessed with feeling you have to lift a certain amount.

The first thing to go with doing that will be good form which is way more important than either how many reps/how much weight. I've been training since my mid teens so the best part of 22 years and been very consistent with it for the last 11 years and its probably only in the last 3 or 4 years that the penny dropped.

Now all I do is give my best in every training session be that weights or cardio. I set targets obviously and have a program I follow but how much weight/how many reps/ distance or time is not the bottom line as I know regardless of that at the end of the session if I have given my all.

Feeling sluggish some days could be down to a number of factors - poor diet, over training or just simply one of them things and being a little run down. At the end of the day you still trained so could do no more.

[Stevo985]

Whilst I do agree with you, I think you have to set yourself goals in terms of the weight that you'll lift.

Progress is so important and just "giving your all" in each session is dangerous because you might not push yourself to lift more, even though you've felt like you've given all you can.

You are right, but making sure you've given it your all in every session can be tough.

[markavfc40]

At the end of the day if you've done your best in every session then progress is terms of the weight you are lifting will run alongside that and come naturally. However that can't be the bottom line though. I know what I am capable of lifting but at the end of the day if it just doesn't feel right at that weight on a given day and I'm doing my best but I know that the form is suffering then I don't struggle on regardless I just drop the weight and ensure the good form. You'll get far more out of a session doing the exercise right with a weight you can manage than carrying on regardless with a weight that you may have lifted the week before but are struggling with now.

Thats where the not basing your session simply on how much you are lifting comes in. We have all seen people in the gym struggling with a weight that is clearly too heavy for them. They'll come out thinking they have lifted so and so but at the end of the day due to poor form they may as well have not bothered. In fact I've been that guy.

[Stevo985]

Yeah, gotcha. Definitely agree with all of that. You shouldn't just progress with weight for the hell of it. If you can't lift it with good form then it doesn't count.

What i meant was you could do it the other way where you hit the gym, lift everything you lifted the week before, FEEL like you've given it your all when in reality you could have added a couple of kg to a few lifts and still pushed out the reps.

It's a balancing act I guess.

(PS cheers for the protein website tip. 5kg of protein ordered for less than twice what I usually pay for 1kg )

[markavfc40]

Yeah, gotcha. Definitely agree with all of that. You shouldn't just progress with weight for the hell of it. If you can't lift it with good form then it doesn't count.

What i meant was you could do it the other way where you hit the gym, lift everything you lifted the week before, FEEL like you've given it your all when in reality you could have added a couple of kg to a few lifts and still pushed out the reps.

It's a balancing act I guess.

(PS cheers for the protein website tip. 5kg of protein ordered for less than twice what I usually pay for 1kg )

Yes I agree. It is a balancing act and you have to be wary of getting into the comfort zone of lifting the same weight and becoming lazy/kidding yourself that it was all you could do. Its a bit trial and error I guess and don't be afraid to attempt more weight and conversely don't let your pride get into the way of dropping a few kg's to ensure good form.

Also no problem on the tip with the protein website. I was genuinely shocked when I read how much you were paying Not sure if you have received it yet but they are very good with delivery and often come next day and definitely with in a couple of days.

[Stevo985]

Only just ordered it so won't get it for a couple of days.

I knew what I was paying was a bit steep, but didn't realise quite how much.

Plus H&B more or less always have a "buy one get one free" or "buy one get one half price" offer on so it doesn't work out quite as much.

Still not as cheap as that website though!

[BOF]

Injury/tweak discussion!

What to look out for?

So I've been doing SL5x5 now since August 15th and obviously as I'm relatively new to it I'm concerned that I risk (even inadvertently) doing long term damage to things like joints. I note that regular_john mentioned bad wrists a few pages back. Is this something that happened through lifting or was it something else (wanking teehee). I actually skipped yesterday's workout because of a sore right wrist. I think I know how it's happening. Too narrow a grip on the overhead press making the lift heavier and changing the angle of hand on bar). It's better now (not perfect) and I'll be back on Wednesday.

But what I've had for a while now is a muscular pain at the part of the forearm muscle that joins the outer part of the elbow. So the top of the forearm. Anyone else experience this? It is worst when I'm doing bicep curls. Ironically it doesn't affect me at all doing any of the 5 big compound lifts. But it does affect my every day stuff. Even straightening my arm to lift a cup gives an albeit bearable amount of pain that I'd rather not have. I guess I'll just (not for the first time) have to look for another bicep isolation that goes easy on the forearm until it at least recovers.

The other thing that I found was happening; which I've consciously tried to stop; was that I was tensing up so much particularly during the pendlay row and on the lifting element of the

that I was cricking my neck and making it 'clicky' after I was done. I can't think of anything else other than the time I decided I'd make up my own exercise and promptly pulled a neck muscle with my first rep making me stand up like the elephant man.

[Stevo985]

Not sure what to suggest for your forearm thing, BOF.

But sounds like you know what exercise aggravates it so maybe,as you say, find a replacement exercise. Or maybe deload for a couple of weeks and make sure you're getting your form right?

I have 2 injuries that I'm nursing, one is permanent one is temporary.

Permanent one is just a bad back, think it's a touch of sciatica. As long as I lift with good form, it doesn't effect me. But I'm vulnerable to pulling it if I cock up my form (or, for that matter, do any awkward bending in every day life)

So it doesn't effect my lifts unless I pull it, then it puts me out of action for a day or two.

Second one is a groin injury. This is more recent. My own fault, I kept playing football despite tweaking it, then really pulled it during one game.

Luckily, the groin seems to be one of the few leg muscles that doesn't get used (very much) in a squat, so again it doesn't effect my lifts. But it's stopped me doing any cardio from the time being

[regular_john]

So I've been doing SL5x5 now since August 15th and obviously as I'm relatively new to it I'm concerned that I risk (even inadvertently) doing long term damage to things like joints. I note that regular_john mentioned bad wrists a few pages back. Is this something that happened through lifting or was it something else (wanking teehee). I actually skipped yesterday's workout because of a sore right wrist. I think I know how it's happening. Too narrow a grip on the overhead press making the lift heavier and changing the angle of hand on bar). It's better now (not perfect) and I'll be back on Wednesday.

But what I've had for a while now is a muscular pain at the part of the forearm muscle that joins the outer part of the elbow. So the top of the forearm. Anyone else experience this? It is worst when I'm doing bicep curls. Ironically it doesn't affect me at all doing any of the 5 big compound lifts. But it does affect my every day stuff. Even straightening my arm to lift a cup gives an albeit bearable amount of pain that I'd rather not have. I guess I'll just (not for the first time) have to look for another bicep isolation that goes easy on the forearm until it at least recovers.

Wrists - mine are through years of skateboarding, being rubbish at it, and hence falling on my hands a lot. As far as your forearms go, any exercise that isolates the bicep will put pressure on the forearms, you're best off just leaving your arms alone for a week or two until it heals properly.

[BOF]

Will do. I remember Dante saying that you don't really need isolation when you're doing SL5x5 anyway. So I won't feel like I'm slacking too much.

Oh and bye the bye, I now know I'll piss 50kg on the overhead. The narrow grip was making it far harder. I copped what I was doing wrong when Rippetoe mentioned that you push from the platform of your chest and my arms were too narrow for the bar to ever be able to rest on my chest. Sorted.

[BOF]

Carry on ...

[Stevo985]

Moarrrrr!

[BOF]

Managed 25x110kg squat yesterday but I must say it took a lot out of me. Definitely getting near my current limit now. Was surprisingly light-headed at the end. Still worried about this wrist too.

[tommybringsgiants]

If your forearms and wrists are hurting, have ou ever considered using straps?

I have got bad wrists from years of skating, and I find using straps helps so much! They are dead cheap, here is an example: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004K1WMYM/ref=asc_df_B004K1WMYM10487449?smid=A3R93BZTZIK0F7&tag=hydra0b-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22242&creativeASIN=B004K1WMYM&hvpos=1o5&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2216177101169137680&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=">straps</a>

I find these especially useful when doing shrugs, deadlifts etc..

Also, recently switched pre workout supplement to Muscletech Neurocore. Not usually a fan of Muscletech products but after reading good reviews I thought I'd give it a chance: Feeling pretty positive about it so far, really good 'pumps' (hate this phrase) and good concentration.

[BOF]

They do

certainly for deadlifts and the like. My main problem is on the overhead though, with the bar resting pre-lift as the wrist bends backwards to support it. So I'm not sure the strap would help that so much. I'll probably pick up a pair off Santy though. I imagine this year's bounty will be gym-centric Thanks for the suggestion. Every day's a school day.

[Stevo985]

Straps are good, considering getting a pair myself.

I wouldn't use them until you need them though, or you might get over reliant.

5 sets of 5 reps of 110kg on your squat is impressive. I don't think I could do that. My top set on Monday was 5 x 117.5kg and I nearly **** passed out!