Strength / Weight Training

This is all pretty interesting and raises a few questions. I've only gotten back into the gym in the last 5 weeks or so and given the above I'm clearly not training very efficiently!

Pic attached of my leg day yesterday.

If I'm interpreting the Chris Beardsley content correctly then the leg press and leg extension sets yesterday did far more harm than good? I'm wary of going heavier on the squat at the moment as I've had a lot of back issues in the past, so trying to increase load veeery gradually. I'd say the 65, 70 and couple of sets at 75kg sets were 'working sets', the others were warm up and that last set at 60 'cool down', is cool down even a thing or should I just bin that last set off?!

Guessing I should just focus on maximising those 4 working sets and sack off the leg press and leg extension?

Would including something else like Bulgarian split squats on leg day, which are a bit more glute-focused be ok or would that still be pushing me into diminishing returns/muscular damage territory?

Looking at frequency of every 5 days or so for this.

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Think we're in similar boats - I've found that the myfitnesspal app is an easy way to track calories.

I've historically over-estimated my intake and underestimated my maintenance level (approx. 3000kcal according to various calculators).

Also bought a big bag of myprotein mass gainer to help out.

I quite regularly neck one of those 'for goodness' shakes straight after a session as they're in the tesco meal deal! Chicken triple sando, a shake and a protein bar for £3.50. Don't mind if I do...

On the squat , Back off / cool down sets have a place , and can be useful . Lots of programs use them. You dont need them after three or four heavy sets of 5 though .

On the back problems, I'd be minded to find some specific assistance exercises to address specific weaknesses or imbalances. Not doing this for a long time meant my bench lags behind my other lifts to this day .

I'd see the leg press and extensions as assistance work, and not push too hard weight wise. Stick at mid range or above reps

Do you do another session where hamstrings / glutes / posterior chain get a workout ? I'd not, I'd maybe drop the leg press for something else. Say RDLs for example (back issues allowing )

I definitely agree with you that focus should be on the working sets of your compound lift

Thanks. Yes, I'm doing quite a bit of tedious core work and other physio-mandated exercises to address imbalances, hip range of motion, etc. that are aimed specifically at the back issues.

And yes, on back/pull day I do some sort of deadlift; single leg single kettlebell (opposite hand) deadlifts, this is part of work for back issues and started mixing up with barbell deadlifts a couple of weeks ago.

I chose those posts from CB because I thought they were relevant in this case, he has other examples for different use cases which might help with your question. Im not an expert but my routine I use (for a runner is) I do some plyo warm ups and one warm up set and I do fewer total reps but more of them at your top end eg 3 x 5 @ 70kg

You're likely doing some higher reps there but not achieving as much hypertrophy as you think - you could probably do 3 or 4 x 5 of your top weight and gain more benefit.

Would deffo recommend bulgarian squat as an excellent all round exercise but don't see why you couldn't add it into that session if you just focussed on fewer total reps.

Yikes! 3 hours is a long session. I try to keep mine to a round 1.5hrs.

Definitely true about progress being in the kitchen and bed . Hard to get stronger without them both being generally correct .

2hrs is a looong session. Shorter and intense sounds good as others have said .

Age can come into it with frequency. I couldn't do a 5 day spilt lifting heavy anymore at 40 plus. Would take me too long to recover

All that info from chris beardsley does look good, but if you're newer to strength training it really does pay to just pick a tried and true program and follow it. It's easy to miss the forest for the trees with this stuff sometimes. If you follow a good program and put the work in on it, eat for your goals, get enough sleep, and limit external stressors, you'll progress.

Also yes don't take too much advice on programming from people on gear cause they recover so quickly it's not relevant to non-enhanced lifters haha.

Physio exercises are never fun!

If you're concerned about back issues , a belt may be a good idea if you've not already got one , helps no end with bracing properly

Thanks @Tenderloin , food for thought and I'll make a few tweaks to reduce total number of reps and increase quality.

@chrismanc , yep I'll be getting a belt pretty soon.

I'm looking at the program I was doing last year (mostly 5x5, but not with strict progressions, and with accessory lifts), and there's one exercise call "Weighted Rotational Lifts".

I have no idea what that is - Any ideas? This was on a squats & bench press day.

I'd say cable woodchoppers, landmine rotations or some other ab work designed to promote stability.

In pretty much all ways I'm stoked to have moved out of london, but the ride home from the gym being uphill is an abomination on leg day.

I started squatting again today. Just on a smith machine because my form isn’t great. I was using the leg press in different variations. But nothing really beats a squat

Tomorrow could be fun. Not!

Landmine rotations are the bomb!

Could well be landmine rotations - ta.

Getting up and sitting down was hell today

Somewhat predictable. I’m dreading a restart and stairs! 😁

The toilet is the hardest

Thanks for the reminder. Dread is rising now 😁😁

Deadlift form is returning, utter useless on dips and chins at the moment...

Husband is back training with me, his deadlift form is still there, we will slowly keep plugging away.

Maybe in 6 months we will be roughly back to prepandemic and house renovation strength.

Pre-pandemic is a far off dream for me. Still pandemic related things happening which is not helping fitness. 3 stone of additional weight is a worry!