Strength / Weight Training

Literally just go over to the pullup bar the second you finish a set and crank a few easy ones out then walk back to your main exercise. No need for an extra rest period or anything.

This took me from a max of 8->12 @95kg in a couple of months. I'd rarely do a set of more than 5 or 6 in that timeframe.

You're right- I just need to be less lazy

That's a little ungenerous to yourself. It's just a weird mindset shift from "I need to be focused, rested and prepared for this set" to "just finished a max set of squats, better walk over and get some pull-ups in quick before the fatigue hits me"

Its a good point. But I definitely have become lazy in the gym! I don't push muy like I used to, partly due to injury , partly lack of gym mojo

You’re looking to bend the bar on a pull up. It helped me to frame the movement as the scapula retraction it is at first rather than anything really to do with your arms.

Or similar when running where you’re pushing the ground away from you rather than lifting your feet off it. You’re pulling the sides of the bars down rather than pulling yourself up

Chris Beardlsey also posted the other day that using social media before sets lead to worse performance. so pullups between sets > screen time

I did, at one point, just work on sets of scapula retractions.

At some point, though, it just comes down to me being lazy.

I mean, I have a pullup bar literally above my head all day, and I hang off it about once a week.

Put my money (lats?) where my mouth is and superset a bunch of my exercises with low rep pull ups today. 5 sets of 2 and 5 sets of 1. 15 reps total which is a lot more than the none I was doing before. Blew my back up.

Nice!

Where are you folks heading for structured workout plans?

liftvault

boostcamp

reddit fitness recommended routines

🙏

Anyone have experience with these newer adjustable dumbbells like the nuobell and its clones, and the Trulap dumbbells and its clones?

Interested in getting a set.

A friend of mine just returned a set as they were no good. I think they may have been Lonsdale.
On the other side of the coin, I think Dammit had a set and said they were great - he had a different make.
Maybe it's a case of you get what you pay for.

Hi all - quelle surprise - I need a bit of advice on restructuring my training again... was going pretty well for a while but since adding a few midweek rides back into the mix i'm struggling a bit.

Can only make the gym twice per week, currenly either Monday/Tuesday & Thursdays - not ideal for getting hench AF but i'm 45 so neither is that. Sticking to the big barbell stuff & trying to do full body(ish) both days but varying weight / reps a bit to accomodate.

Currently doing 3x5 Bench (90kg), Squat (125kg), Press (60kg), Row (80kg) - i'm ~78kg for reference so reasonably happy where I am at present, been adding a kilo every week or two for the last couple of months but starting to struggle a bit having started cycling again - probably not getting a proper recovery as i'm doing something pretty much every day, the rides are fairly easy 20 milers but it all adds up to more fatigue.

Do I struggle on until I get used to the extra load, but concentrate on maintaining the current weights for now - or do I drop to 3x4 / 3x3 and try to keep adding a kilo or so every other week, more weight but less reps = less volume?

I know my situation is far from ideal & there's always going to be a compromise but I don't want to go backwards - what would you do? I probably want to prioritise bench as i've made decent progress with that & want to get a 1rm at 100kg (just beacuse) but my squats will probably need to drop a bit to accomodate the cycling - shoulder press & row are never going to be optimal due to the bench press on the same day, so happy to mix those up

Science-based mode: activated.

Minimum training dose to hold onto your gains is basically 2-3 very hard set per week.

Minimum dose to make progress is a handful of sets at 1-5 reps that are pretty hard per week.

For time-crunched, sets of 5 are quicker because you don't need as many warm-up sets and, like you said, the overall volume is gonna be higher.

I'd do one day squat + lighter bench, one day heavy bench + other upper body stuff.

Also, you can definitely already bench 100kg if you're repping 90.

Final thought: from a size perspective, you could superset the chest press and cable row for 4 sets, going to basically failure each time, to get a TON of volume in around 10mins at the end of a barbell session. And because it's machines you don't need to load plates or even a warmup really, more time-saving!

Currently doing 3x5 Bench (90kg), Squat (125kg), Press (60kg), Row (80kg) - i'm ~78kg

Decent number there chap

want to get a 1rm at 100kg (just beacuse)

Just because is good enough... But surely with 5 reps of 90 you've got 1 of 100?

Also, without sounding like a dad... Or sounding like one, I'd stay away from 1rms... Nasty things them. They lead to injuries that'll set you back.

Also, you can definitely already bench 100kg if you're repping 90.

Agreed. You got this!

Have you adjusted your nutrition since picking cycling back up? That will play a role in your ability to recover, particularly if you’ve increased your general physical activity.

That's a great link - loads of info!

I vaguely remember reading about training while slightly fatigued in relation to RPE, main jist was how your muscles don't know what is on the bar, so if you're regularly training to 9-9.5 percieved exertion then it's still good for progress regardless if you need to lower the weight a bit.

On that basis I might drop to 3x3 & keep adding weight on the heavy day (maybe add in pull ups), then drop 10% or so the next session & increase the reps. Good shout about the cable row - haven't done those in a while & used to quite like them.

@ChainBreaker Cheers! When I first started weights again I couldn't have imagined 100kg squats, never mind bench, but 1kg at a time adds up eventually - i'll try a couple of weeks of 3x3 @ 92/94/96kg then see how I feel, it's been nice & steady up 'till now & the last thing I need is an injury.

Onward & upwards!

Good point - Hobnob intake has increased slightly, other than that i'm probably eating enough (and healthy enough) to cover it - partial to the odd chocolate protein shake (with milk) for breakfast a few days per week for convenience too so should be getting enough protein. I used to commute a lot more up until the last year or two so hopefully my legs will bounce back a bit once the shock wears off.

Anyone ever feel like vomiting after. a workout?
I had a great session this morning, felt great going into the change room, bent over to take off my shoes and bam!

Not vomiting but I'm definitely developing an issue with feeling faint/light headedness even at relatively low exertion. I really need to go to the doctor before I totally black out but that would eat into my gym time, bro.

Do people have a go to low sugar protein bar recipe? Or any other home made protein snack recipes?
I’m going to try this, as buying grenade bars is a bit spenny at £1.50 each at their cheapest.
https://sugarfreelondoner.com/low-carb-peanut-butter-protein-bars/

Never had it after! Have vommed or nearly vommed mid workout multiple times in the past but this sounds like an odd one!