Stevo985 Posted March 8, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted March 8, 2012 Yeah, serious answer, most of the stuff that works your back (i.e. "pull" exercises) will also work your biceps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packoman Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 But if you want big arms, triceps are just as important as biceps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante_Lockhart Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 So after... 6 sessions this is how my progression has gone. Squats - 20kg to 60kg (5 sets of 5 reps after warm up) Bench Press - 20kg to 50kg (5 sets of 5 reps after warm up) Barbell Row - 20kg to 50kg (5 sets of 5 reps after warm up) Standing Overhead Press - 20kg to 40kg (5 sets of 5 reps after warm up) Deadlift - 30kg to 80kg (1 set of 5 reps after warm up) The standing overheads and barbell rows are beginning to feel like I'm getting to a point where I'll start to struggle towards the end. The bench, squats and deadlift I can do a bit more, but the program paces you so it'll probably be a few more sessions before I hit that point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante_Lockhart Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 I'm also adding either body weight pull ups and dips, or a round of bicep curls to exhaustion at the end just to finish off with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted March 20, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted March 20, 2012 good work! Sounds like you've got a solid routine there. Just remember to keep your form bang on. If the program starts advancing too quickly (sounds like it won't, but just in case) don't sacrifice form to try and keep up with the weight. I've not done weights properly for a while. For 2 reasons. Decided I've got to get my fat percentage down to see some real improvement. It's been hovering around 20% for a while which isn't good enough. Even though I know weights does help that, I'm focusing on lots of cardio to get it down to around 15%. Reckon 12-16 weeks should do it. Secondly, I hate my gym. The only time you can get on any weights is about 9pm, at which point it's very hard to motivate myself to get to the gym. Waiting for my contract to run down a bit more then I'll buy myself out and join a better one where weights are more freely available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante_Lockhart Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 Yeah if I'm struggling on a weight and I think my form will go to pot then I'll keep it at the previous weight but just do an extra rep or 2 per set. e.g. If I go up to 70kg for my bench but I start sacrificing my form then rather trying to do 70kg x 5 reps x 5 sets I'll do 60kg x 7 reps x 5 sets and then try again the session after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDon Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Can't believe I missed this thread when first posted! For once I don't have to write an essay in one of these threads, your doing pretty much the right thing, stronglifts is a variation on starting strength which is what I've been preaching on here for years the difference is, as regular_john said, starting strength is 3 working sets. I personally think 5 working sets is too many, if you can manage the 5th set, then I'd say your weight is too light to be giving yourself optimal gains. Good job on switching to a program with compound lifts though. Isolation exercises are for when you have specific weak points, there's no point anyone but experienced lifters doing isolation exercises because for anyone else their entire body is a weak point. Compound lifts are all 95% of gym goers ever need to do, yet "I've never actually done squats or deadlifts" is probably something most gym goers can also say, which is a shame when they're the two lifts that will give by far the biggest overall gains. For some reason there's a stigma over lifting weights over doing machines. Keep up the good work though Dante. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante_Lockhart Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 Oh don't worry, once I get to a heavy weight I'll be switching up to 5 sets of 3 reps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDon Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Oh don't worry, once I get to a heavy weight I'll be switching up to 5 sets of 3 reps Other way round! 3 sets of 5 reps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante_Lockhart Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 That's what I meant. D'oh! :oops: I'm hoping to hit 100kg squats, 140kg dead lift, 60kg overhead press, 70kg rows and 90kg chest press by May. Might be a bit of a long shot but I've got something to aim for anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante_Lockhart Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 This was todays workout anyway; Barbell Squat: 20 kg x 8 reps 40 kg x 8 reps 70 kg x 5 reps 70 kg x 5 reps 70 kg x 5 reps 70 kg x 5 reps 70 kg x 5 reps 80 kg x 5 reps Barbell Bench Press: 20 kg x 8 reps 30 kg x 8 reps 50 kg x 5 reps 60 kg x 5 reps 60 kg x 5 reps 60 kg x 5 reps 60 kg x 5 reps 60 kg x 5 reps 80 kg x 5 reps Bent Over Barbell Row: 20 kg x 8 reps 40 kg x 8 reps 50 kg x 5 reps 50 kg x 5 reps 50 kg x 5 reps 50 kg x 5 reps 50 kg x 5 reps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wainy316 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I'm a retard. I just cannot get correct form for a Deadlift when I'm raising the bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted March 22, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted March 22, 2012 When I sealift there's a few things I do that remind me to keep good form. Make sure your shoulders are pushed back. If you can't then try a slightly wider grip. Try looking up rather than straight ahead when you're doing it, that should make sure your back stays straight and not hunched. Keep the bar as close to your body as you can. Ie when you start your arse should be stuck out and the bar close to your shins. As you get the bar past your knees that's when you start shoving your arse forward and straightening up. Then reverse on the way down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regular_john Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I'm a retard. I just cannot get correct form for a Deadlift when I'm raising the bar. Check out Mark Rippetoe on YouTube, he's got loads of vids up of him coaching good form on a variety of lifts, Deadlift included. As an aside, been weightlifting properly for a good few weeks now and it is awesome! Never had a workout program before that makes me look forward to going back to the gym and pushing on. All it took was to eliminate cardio (can't stand it) and now I really enjoy my workout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDon Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 As an aside, been weightlifting properly for a good few weeks now and it is awesome! Never had a workout program before that makes me look forward to going back to the gym and pushing on. All it took was to eliminate cardio (can't stand it) and now I really enjoy my workout. This is why I tell everyone to lift weights, there's no better feeling than making gains. The first time you bench your bodyweight feels awesome. Even when you stall and have to lower you weight when you work back up to where you stalled and sail past it it's an amazing feeling. Some people might get the same from running personal best distances or times, but there's just something inherently awesome about picking up heavy stuff repeatedly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante_Lockhart Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 Amen. I'm 10kg off benching my body weight. Bring it on!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regular_john Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Amen. I'm 10kg off benching my body weight. Bring it on!! Nowhere near it yet, only benching 50 kg at the moment so I won't hit my body weight for another couple of months depending on my progression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shillzz Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Just out of interest, if anyone does dumbbell bench presses, what are people working to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante_Lockhart Posted March 23, 2012 Author Share Posted March 23, 2012 I weight 90kg and I did 1 set of 5 reps at 80kg after my session the other day (see above) Could have done more but I was a bit fatigued. Tonight is squats (Going for 80kg), overhead press (probably be stuck on 40kg but might try and do 1 set at 50kg) and deadlift (definitely gonna try 100kg, might even attempt a rep or 2 at 120kg). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante_Lockhart Posted March 23, 2012 Author Share Posted March 23, 2012 Just out of interest, if anyone does dumbbell bench presses, what are people working to? I was using 30kg dumbbells when I was doing the bench press using them. If you have a barbell, use that. It's so much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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