Strength / Weight Training

when I move to sheffield at the end of july I want to start strongman training, since the gym I'm going to go to has all of the gear and I've thought it looked fun since I was a kid watching WSM. Eddie Hall has just launched a strongman program with hybrid performance method, I was going to go with a private coach but now I'm really torn, was thinking of Laurence Shahlaei. Anyone had experience with a private coach vs. programming and have suggestions either way? the private coaching is about 4 times as much money which is definitely a factor.

My wife has pt sessions with a bodybuilder at least twice a week. Her progress has been nothing short of astonishing. He pushes her way beyond what she thinks she can do. So I’d say it’s worth the cash.

Even initially until you know what level of effort and intensity is required.

some anecdata

I took part in a study about 8 years ago at a Glaxo lab/gym - they were making a sports drink and needed some stats, so some people got the drink, others got flavoured water.
Anyway - super plush gym, PT setting the plan, proper warm up, making sure we rest between sets etc, 3 times a week, pretty much just squatting.

Anyway, took a few months and I got from never having squatted consistently to squatting 2.5x bodyweight. By all accounts they were good numbers, certainly for a newbie.
These days, I'll mix up 5x5 with triathlon and I'll be lucky to get over 1.5x. (caveat: I run more and don't need to be aiming for big weights)

Having someone to tell you what to do and what you can do helps.

both useful thoughts, ty. I think the thing pushing me towards specific coach as well is customisability. I'm thinking of joining a casual rugby team, and starting training for a 6/12 hour MTB race at some point in the future too alongside strongman, and custom programming will be helpful for that.

Plenty of big guys in the gym pushing big weights who don't have PTs. PTs also can't come round your house and make sure you're eating right etc. Depends on where you think you need the most help.

Can't hurt to try though. I'm hopefully going to get a PT next month.

I've used a PT before and currently have a running coach. I think professional coaching is one of the most under rated 'life hacks' it is and probably seems expensive but I think its 100% worth it.

Yeah I dunno why they haven't made a proper feature for that, just seems weird that its a pre-set option but almost entirely not useful.

Ye, one of the things I'm definitely doing is starting working with a nutritionist, so that will help with some diet stuff. Wanna lose some flab, and when I was trying to do it on my own I felt my energy dipping a bit too much.

absolutely. No personal run coach, but have been running with runners properly for the last 6 months now (rather than making it up / following random internet plans) and having prescribed sets, running consistently, having properly quick people to chase has played no small part in knocking my 5k from ~19mins to a low 17
(runners thread >>>>>>>, but the principle I think is the same)

How’s that mock meet prep going?

Got thrown off a bit by illness annoyingly, and now a house move. It was meant to be this friday just gone but that's off. Going to run the meet thing coming week, I am pretty confident I'll hit PRs on all 3 lifts, been doing RPE based training and based on the RPE and numbers I've been doing I think it's pretty likely to PR, just a question of by how much. I've also never pushed my 1rm in all 3 lifts in one day before.

Been a fun process doing a more focussed prepping program, but after this it's on to strongman training. Gonna start with this 5/3/1 based strongman template and go from there. Kind of dreading amrap front squats + amrap cleans.

Glad you’ve been able to adapt. And that template lots fun as fuck, enjoy!

So… protein powder made from crickets. Has anyone on here had it?

I know we spoken about this loads but hope you guys have advice.

Is there a tracker all that's free, tracks exercise, sets, reps and can be retro added (so I can add my log book with the correct dates), searchable and works large font? Maybe have a countdown timer for between sets.

But also transferrable. I fear if I start using an app, getting used to it, only to find that I can't store my stuff on my pc or move it to a new phone.

Progression android looks good but you have to subscribe or buy outright (for £100!!!!) if you want to search, export or sync.

Does anyone have any advice for someone tall with spaghetti calves?

I’ve been doing heavy sets with my feet pointing in, out and straight. Progress is extremely slow.

I'm all ears to this. I have been recommended a lower leg day:

Standing calf raises (gastrocnemius)
Donkey calf raises (gastrocnemius)
Seated calf raises (soleus)
Reverse calf raises (tibialis anterior)

.....which by the way seems mad. And I haven't tried it.

Only thing that comes to mind is google sheets - I know it's not as nice as a more dedicated app, but I think it fulfils everything you're asking. I know it kinda sucks on a phone though.

If you're looking for an increase in size, any amount of volume, intensity, or optimal programming will not compensate for the fact you need to be in a calorie surplus to put on muscle mass. If you're already doing that, I unfortunately have no particular advice as I've never trained calves directly.

Really missing training at an air conditioned gym at the moment. The lil ceiling fans at my current gym don't do much...

Calves are incredibly genetic and generally very slow to progress in general. Dennis Wolf is a great example of a guy who just could not grow them. The best you can do (from what I understand) is massive, massive volume.

I do a mix of standing and seated calf raises. Also tried tip toe farmers walks but felt like a bit of a dick doing them in the gym.

I try and do 10x10. My legs are generally shaking when I’ve finished.

Growing muscle takes a long time

Just getting back into strength stuff again, but with different goals for winter and into next year. Cycling and all the volume that entails is out, and running is the plan.

Plan is to gingerly start building up running volume and trying not to get injured. But at the same time work on increasing leg volume. Not quite sure where to start - my usual winter training is some 5x5 variant. I guess the mass building bit comes after the strength bit (or am I way off the mark?)..

I’ve been reps of 10-12 on a lower weight than I would 5 reps. So building stamina as well as strength. This should be beneficial for running

When you say increasing leg volume, do you mean the amount of overall training you are doing on your legs (reps, sets, etc) or increasing their actual volume - as in size? (I ask this due to your Q about building mass).

mass building and strength can be interconnected if you want them to be, they can be a bit more separate. As long as you're doing some kind of strength training to stimulate hypertrophy (muscle growth), mass building will come more from your diet than the style of training you're doing.