The Winter Bulk of a Newbie Lifter

Aspiring

Would a narrower grip not also lead to chest being worked less?

Alf Veedersane

Aspiring wrote: »

Would a narrower grip not also lead to chest being worked less?

Take bench and close grip bench as two separate exercises and think of the close grip as a supplementary lift for the benching.

Chest isn't primary focus of close grip - triceps are - but the chest is still worked

Aspiring

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Take bench and close grip bench as two separate exercises and think of the close grip as a supplementary lift for the benching.

Chest isn't primary focus of close grip - triceps are - but the chest is still worked

I'm doing a bit of reading up on both close grip bench and weighted dips, and the general consensus seems to be that the dips would be slightly better.

Does it really matter which I choose?

Alf Veedersane

Aspiring wrote: »

I'm doing a bit of reading up on both close grip bench and weighted dips, and the general consensus seems to be that the dips would be slightly better.

Does it really matter which I choose?

Dips will hit the triceps more completely but there is probably a slightly better carry over to bench from close grip.

Answer: switch from time to time

Aspiring

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Dips will hit the triceps more completely but there is probably a slightly better carry over to bench from close grip.

Answer: switch from time to time

Good plan. Not really focusing on increasing bench stats but rather looking to find what's best for overall strength

generic2012

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

True. You'd said it was too narrow so just wanted to check if was just a typo.

It was a typo! Changed! That's like writing yes when you meant no...

Alf Veedersane

generic2012 wrote: »

It was a typo! Changed! That's like writing yes when you meant no...

I'd thought as much. Mostly because of my vast experience of doing just that

Alf Veedersane

Aspiring wrote: »

Good plan. Not really focusing on increasing bench stats but rather looking to find what's best for overall strength

I would work in both. Skullcrushers as well.

Aspiring

Current weight: 68.1 kg (+0.7kg)

Aspiring

Bench:
3x5x67.5kg

Squat:
3x5x75kg

Pull ups:
3x5 w/10kg

Dumbbell bent over rows:
3x5x37.5kg each side

Dumbbell shoulder press:
1x8x15kg each arm
2x5x17.5kg each arm

Deadlift:
1x5x95kg

Aspiring

Today wasn't great, felt fatigued going in and had a lot going on in my mind other than the gym. Also didn't eat enough this week. I think these reasons are why I missed some targets.

Bench:
1x5x70kg
2x8x60kg

Squat:
3x5x80kg

Pull ups:
3x5 w/15kg

DB Shoulder press:
2x5x17.5kg each side
1x5x15kg each side

DB bent over rows:
3x5x37.5kg

Deadlift:
1x5x80kg

I tried 100kg for the deadlift but my whole body just felt so fatigued my legs felt like they were about to give out. First time I've felt like this. Progressed in the squat and pull up but that's about it.

Hopefully Monday I'll be back to usual. I have a slight feeling today's poor performance is mostly because of not eating enough over the last few days, which may also mean I won't put on much weight this week, only time will tell.

Aspiring

Current weight: 69kg (+0.9kg)

Made gains even though it wasn't the greatest week, quite motivational tbh. I suppose it's true what they say about newbies, once we lift and eat we'll grow

Starting to notice areas where I have put on muscle, mainly my legs and entire back. Body fat appears to still be roughly the same, which I'm really happy with.

Only real concern is slow shoulder progress. Think I need to start doing one day a week where I do shoulders before chest.

Aspiring

Well I've come down with a flu unfortunately. No strength or appetite, constant fatigue, etc. Nothing much I can do. Going to miss two workouts this week and probably lose some weight too.

Hopefully the damage done isn't too severe

Aspiring

Back in the gym today. Not 100% back to normal if I'm honest. Still a decent workout.

Went with shoulders first today.

Dumbbell Overhead Press:
3x5x17.5kg.
Cleanest reps I've ever done in my life, shoulders before chest makes a huge difference.

Squat:
2x3x85kg
Just felt extremely fatigued and muscles/CNS just weren't up to it.

Pullups:
3x5 with 17.5kg

Bench:
1x1x70kg
3x8x60kg
It seems I forgot I had done shoulders, so I went to try 70. Not a good idea.

Dumbbell Bent Over Rows:
3x8x35kg each side

Dips:
3x5 with 12.5kg

No deadlifts. Honestly just wasn't up to it today.

Aspiring

Decided I'm gonna try different rep ranges for bench and squat. I'm seeing strength results but no size really. I'll try it out for the next few weeks to see how it goes. Ive decided on doing 9,10,11,12 reps for bench and 6,8,10,12 reps for squat. I've looked at various repmax calculators all using different algorithms (still don't trust them), and keeping the weight the same but increasing the reps as shown equates to roughly the same weight added each workout as currently. I'm not sure if that makes sense. Basically I hope this will allow me to keep linear strength gains while also improving size more. I'm also doing this because when progressing through weighted pull ups a long time ago, I found adding reps then add weight, repeat, gave me much better progression and size gains. I know a lot of guys would say "just stick to the 3x5 it's tried and tested", but I just have a kind of mental block towards some parts of it at the moment. I'm sure I'll go back to 3x5 in a few weeks but I just want to try this and see how it goes.

Also, I'm deloading my deadlift to 80 or so. I let my ego make me lift weights that put my back in danger for a while there, no point in that. 80/85/90 feels quite comfortable and I'm happy to work up from there, especially now that I know how to deadlift properly (finally feel it in hams)

You'd know my triceps haven't been working much lately, those few sets of weighted dips have them with serious DOMS the last two days. Hopefully there's some carry over there to bench. Might try close grip bench as suggested here tomorrow.

Also upping calories to 4k. Currently at 3.6k. The joys of the metabolism I have been gifted :pac:

generic2012

What you're talking about is a type of 'double progression' eg. Start at 8 of 50kg, once you can hit 12 reps up it to 55k or whatever, tried and tested so you should be grand. If your looking for a tricep exercises that carries over to bench press do close grip bench press.

Aspiring

I dunno what the story is, couldn't bench today what I could Monday! Here's what I did:

Bench:
1x5x60kg
1x10x50kg
1x8x55kg
1x5x60kg

Close grip bench:
1x10x40kg
1x5x50kg

Pull ups:
2x5 w/ 20kg
2x10

DB overhead press:
3x5x15kg each side

Lateral raises:
2x8x7.5kg each side

Squat:
1x8x72.5kg
1x9x72.5kg
1x12x72.5kg

DB bent over rows:
1x10x32.5kg each side
2x8x32.5kg

I was very happy with the squats, looks like it could work out well, feels like I'm working more too. I was surprised how much I could CG bench, maybe I'm already tricep dominant during bench or something. Hopefully once I eat more and rest up over the weekend bench will sort itself out. I had a slight pain in my right lat during bench. No idea why, no pain during rows or pull ups or anything. If anybody could suggest what it could be I'm all ears.

Aspiring

Best workout in a while.

Bench:
1x5x65kg
3x10x60kg

Squat:
3x12x72.5kg

Dumbbell overhead press:
2x5x17.5kg each side
1x6x17.5kg each side

Pull ups:
1x8x10kg
2x5x17.5kg
1x8x17.5kg
1x8

DB bent over rows:
3x5x40kg each side

The lack of deadlifts over the last few weeks is because I have recently started back a sport tournament and find the deadlifts too taxing. This ends up leaving me less than fully recovered for games. I hope to find a way to fit them back in soon.

I'd just like to mention here how different squats are when you do more reps. Doing the 12 rep sets I did today, I can honestly say after 5 or 6 my body was saying its time to give up. I've no idea why this happens, but when you go beyond this all the way to whatever number of reps you want, you really feel it a lot more than a five rep set. Just my experience after a few workouts. Not sure whether to add weight now or go for 15 reps.

Aspiring

Current weight as of this morning: 68.2kg

Back up to where I was before I got the flu, hopefully can hit 70kg by the new year.

Aspiring

Bench:
2x11x60kg
1x8x60kg
Dunno what happened there.

DB overhead press:
1x5x17.5kg
1x7x17.5kg
1x5x17.5kg

Squat:
2x8x82.5kg
1x12x82.5kg

Pull ups:
1x8
3x8x12.5kg
1x8

DB bent over rows:
3x10x25kg each side

Only went with 25s for the rows because I'm getting a bit of twitching in my left forearm, and I think its from using the heavy dumbbells on rows which is causing the muscle to be overtrained or something. Very happy with squat, decided for the last set to just go all out to see what I could do, can definitely feel strength gains. CNS took a big hit tho, as the exercises after show.Bench was a bit disappointing, I'll go for 3x12 on Thursday then up the weight.

Aspiring

I've been looking into trap/hex bar deadlifts and they seem to be a good option for sports people to avoid injuries which are possible with convential deadlift. Might give them a go Thursday.

Aspiring

Finished up in college, so as of today I'll be using a different gym. Its a GAA club gym so its a bit smaller, but it has most of what you'd need which is perfect.

Today was my first workout there:

Bench:
2x10x60kg
3x5x65kg
1x5x60kg (close grip)
2x10x20kg dumbbells
2x8x25kg dumbbells

The reason for all the volume is I couldn't for life of me get any burn at all in my chest, I think it was just because I was being overly cautious on the bench press.

Squat:
1x10x82.5kg
1x12x82.5kg
1x15x82.5kg


Dumbbell overhead press:
1x5x17.5kg
1x5x17.5kg
1x6x17.5kg
I cut the rest time to try increase the intensity a bit, wanted to try 20kg dumbbells but there were none.

Pullups:
1x8
1x5x12.5kg
1x8
1x5x12.5kg
1x5
1x5x12.5kg
1x5

Dumbbell bent over rows.
1x5x25kg
1x10x25kg
1x15x25kg
(Heaviest dumbbells available, think I'll try barbell next time to counter this)

Hex bar deadlift:
1x5x60kg
1x5x70kg
1x5x80kg
1x5x90kg

Felt great to do deadlifts again, can feel lower back getting hit well for the first time in while. Quads were quite fatigued but didn't seem to interfere with the lift. The strangest thing about this gym is the bench seems a bit different. The rack (think that's what its called) seems a lot higher. So when I'm doing an intense workout it seems a lot more difficult to put the bar up at the end, making me cautious about how heavy I lift / reps I do. Once I get used to it it should be grand though.

Overall very happy with how the work out in the temporary gym arrangements went. Love the hex bar for deadlifts, think I might continue to use it even when I'm back in college.

Aspiring

Bench:
3x5x70kg
3x8x65kg
1x10x17.5kg dumbbells
1x8x20kg dumbbells
1x5x22.5kg dumbbells

Squat:
1x8x90kg
1x10x90kg
1x8x92.5kg

Pull ups:
1x5
1x5x17.5kg
1x6
1x5x17.5kg
1x5

Barbell rows:
3x5x50kg

Hex bar deadlift:
1x5x110kg

Aspiring

Weigh in: 69.1kg (+0.9kg)

Aspiring

Won't get to lift until the end of the week unfortunately.

I've made a draft of a new schedule for 2015. The biggest difference is 4 workouts per week rather than 2. This means no more full body workouts. Instead I will dedicate one workout each week to legs, back, chest, shoulders. Within each of those days there will be movements working out smaller muscles such as biceps on back day, triceps on chest day, etc. Also, I will be doing squats every workout, in line with the starting strength program. Deadlifts will be performed only once a week to allow for cardio sessions throughout the week.

I'm also going to start doing plyometrics once a week (on deadlift day). This will involve depth jumps, depth drops, jump squats, etc. The plan here is to improve sprint speed and explosiveness. I am already quite fast but with the increased leg strength I now have and continue to gain, I think I can be faster. Hope to get squat to 1.5 times bodyweight by the end of January, and deadlift close to 2x. This would be a great strength base going into the new GAA season.

I think its time to assess the success/failure of my decision to do high reps on bench and squat. Squat has been a huge success, my legs have grown a lot and my strength also. Bench not so much. I think its time to go back to a starting strength style approach to bench. I will try 72.5kg for 5 reps and see how it goes. If I could get my bench to 80kg I would be delighted, but it won't be an easy task.

I'll post up the program I made a draft of as soon as I can, it seems fairly comprehensive, a lot more so than what I have been doing.

Aspiring

Set a few new personal bests today.

Bench:
3x5x72.5kg

Squat:
3x5x95kg

Dumbbell overhead press:
3x5x20kg each side

Pull ups:
1x5
2x5x20kg

Didn't get a chance to finish my workout unfortunately, I'll make up for it later in the week.

Aspiring

Here's what I'm thinking about doing for the early stages of 2015:

Sunday:

Plyometrics:
-Vertical Jumps
-Long Jumps
-Box Jumps
-Vertical Depth Jumps
-Long Depth Jumps
-Platform depth jumps
-Kneeling squat jumps
-Box march
-Split jumps
-Hex bar jump squats

Weights:
-Bench
-Close Grip Bench
-DB Bench
-Weighted dips
-Skullcrushers
-Back extensions

Monday:
-Squats
-DB Shoulder work (various presses and raises)
-Pullups
-Rows
-Shrugs
-Core work

Wednesday:
-Sprints (HIIT type stuff)
-Vertical & Long jumps
-Squat
-Bench
-Close grip bench
-DB bench
-Weighted Dips


Friday:
-Sprints (Same as Wed)
-Box squats
-Elevated hex bar deadlift
-Back extensions
-Rows
-Power cleans
-DB shoulder work

It's very different to what I've been doing up to now. No more full body workouts . My college timetable suiting this semester, and access to a second gym means I can put this schedule into place. It's very thorough as far as I can see, but if anybody has any suggestions/advice please post here

Aspiring

Lots of new maxes.

Squat:
3x5x100kg

Bench:
3x5x75kg

Pull ups:
2x5
2x5x22kg

DB bent over rows:
3x5x22kg each side
1x10x22kg each side
1x15x22kg each side
(No rest between sets)

DB overhead press:
3x5x20kg

Just realised I haven't taken creatine in weeks. I should probably go back on it, feeling noticeably less powerful. Could just be placebo tho

Aspiring

Think I may have done something to my lower back. Bit of pain on the right side when running or when bending down. Hopefully its resolved within a day or two.

Aspiring

Well unfortunately my back isn't back fully right. I'm able to run again thankfully. I tried a light deadlift and it was fairly sore. Squats seem fine until I get below parallel, then it begins to hurt. I gave barbell squats a miss today and just did a set of split squats because they didn't seem to hurt my back.

Bench:
3x5x77.5kg
1x10x70kg
1x5x70kg (close grip)

Split squat:
1x5x45kg each leg

Pull ups:
1x5
1x15
1x5 w/ 22kg

Dumbbell bent over rows:
3x10x22kg each side

Dumbbell overhead press:
3x6x20kg each side

Dips:
2x5x12.5kg