Ok, let's see your stats!
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Thanks Jimmmer and all advice is welcomed! I just went and had a quick look and I like the sound of the liquid chalk rather than the powder, so I'll order some as I need some more protein powder and the site I get it from has just started to sell liquid chalk, so I'll shall let yous know how I get on with it.0
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Thank you!
I felt happy with the weights and my form was good (or at least I think), I think I could easily lift more for the deads but my grip seemed to slip when I did my 10 rep max test last week, so I'm going to get some gloves for training!
I have looked at my next two days and had a few dilemmas with not being able to get them bang on, the squats was the main one, it's meant to be 18kg on Friday (80%) I have either 15(DB) or 20(BB) and because 20kg is Wednesday's weight, I've decided not to let my ego get in the way so will just go with the 15kg and work on form.
I would like to apologize right now, for my many, many, many newbie questions that yous are going to get from me along with maybe a few wobblers along the way :flowerforyou:
If you want my advice (and I'm going to give it anyway), you'll get some chalk for your grip issues rather than gloves. Gloves can actually "ruck up" under load and can cause more grip issues than they solve.
If your facility doesn't allow chalk (a lot don't) buy some liquid chalk instead. You'll be amazed at the edge it'll give you. Once you've got a few cycles under your belt, your grip should improve naturally anyway.
When I first started lifting, I too found my grip to be limiting. I looked into gloves, but like jimmmer says, I found the most common advice was that they may cause more problems than they solve. I just recently started using liquid chalk, and prior to that I did things to improve my grip like farmers walks and just holding the bar a few extra seconds at the end of each work set.0 -
^^ thank, I've been looking at things to strengthening my grip after reading your post, to be honest I never actually looked into it just though grip sucked get gloves, so glad I actually mentioned it here before I give myself problems.0
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^^ thank, I've been looking at things to strengthening my grip after reading your post, to be honest I never actually looked into it just though grip sucked get gloves, so glad I actually mentioned it here before I give myself problems.
Just to follow up on this, BOR will improve your grip to some extent and, of course SLDL/RDL themselves will also work on grip.
I would be leary of doing a tonne of extra exercises for grip-work at the outset to address weaknesses, since these things often solve themselves synergistically as you get better at the various compound lifts. However, if you still feel your grip is an issue after the first 3 cycles, then you can look to add in assistance exercises specifically for grip strength. Or, alternatively, you could look to other gripping methods such as the hook grip, mixed grip or even straps.
For now though, I would advise liquid chalk and some time with the regular grip and the bar. Give yourself a month or two and reassess where you are.0 -
^^ I was just going to hold the bar a few seconds longer, nothing crazy ... I promise
Liquid chalk is ordered but won't be here until next week. 0 -
^^ I was just going to hold the bar a few seconds longer, nothing crazy ... I promise Liquid chalk is ordered but won't be here until next week.
Yeah, nothing wrong with a small isometric hold. Just didn't want you to go crazy and start adding loads of accessory exercises that will mess up your progression on the main lifts...0 -
Just a quick thank you, I used my liquid chalk this morning on my 100% week 3 day and worked like a charm, kept my hands totally dry and didn't feel any slipping doing the SLDL!
I was actually worried going into today because even though I made all the reps last week I felt like I struggled with the last rep of the last set for the 100% day for the bench & OHP but did the 10 reps no problem today, which felt strange but also felt bloody awesome! The bench press even felt light (like it was 90% or something) I had to go check after the first working set that I racked the correct weight, it was. So yeah for strength gains!!!!0 -
Complete beginner! I just started this program. I'm on week 2 of my first cycle.
Squat: 15kg (33lbs) Not my max. I'm using a lower weight so I can focus on my form.
Bench Press: 20kg (44lbs)
Bent-over Rows: 20kg (44lbs)
Overhead Press: 10kg (22lbs)
SLDL: 30kg (66lbs)
Curls: 10kg (22lbs)
Calf raises: 12.5 kg (27.5lbs)0 -
Welcome to the group, I'm also new first cycle week 3 for me. I think it's great that you are working on form, that's what I'm trying to do, I think I will end up going up on most if not all the lifts after the cycle but I'm fine if I don't as I want good form, over weight.
Nice starting stats :flowerforyou:0 -
I've pretty much finished my current cycle (I have my light day to do tomorrow but that's it). Test day on Monday went really well! This cycle I switched from DBs to BB and LOVE IT. I've now been doing AP for about a year. I'm still making good progress so I don't see any need switch it up. It's amazing to me that I'm still not bored with it. I love that every workout presents a new challenge (more reps or more weight). Seeing these gradual but steady improvements has been so very rewarding, and I love what it's been doing for my strength and physique.
Here's where I've come in the past year:
Squats - 40 -> 100 lbs (I deloaded in November so not as far along as I'd like, but the improvement in my form and strength were worth it! Plus, I'm FINALLY through the 100lb plateau!)
Bench Presses - 30 -> 80 lbs
Bent-Over Rows - 40 -> 80 lbs
Overhead Presses 30 -> 50 lbs (womp womp)
Deadlifts - 50 -> 160 lbs :bigsmile: (That's 1.2x "normal" bw - I'm bulking)
Barbell Curls - 30 -> 50 (womp)
(Single Leg) Calf Raises - 15 -> 65 lbs
So I'll start with these new weights on Monday. That day also coincides with the first day of my cut :sad: ; hopefully it doesn't affect my strength too badly!!!0 -
Complete beginner! I just started this program. I'm on week 2 of my first cycle.
Squat: 15kg (33lbs) Not my max. I'm using a lower weight so I can focus on my form.
Bench Press: 20kg (44lbs)
Bent-over Rows: 20kg (44lbs)
Overhead Press: 10kg (22lbs)
SLDL: 30kg (66lbs)
Curls: 10kg (22lbs)
Calf raises: 12.5 kg (27.5lbs)
Welcome to the group!0 -
I've pretty much finished my current cycle (I have my light day to do tomorrow but that's it). Test day on Monday went really well! This cycle I switched from DBs to BB and LOVE IT. I've now been doing AP for about a year. I'm still making good progress so I don't see any need switch it up. It's amazing to me that I'm still not bored with it. I love that every workout presents a new challenge (more reps or more weight). Seeing these gradual but steady improvements has been so very rewarding, and I love what it's been doing for my strength and physique.
Here's where I've come in the past year:
Squats - 40 -> 100 lbs (I deloaded in November so not as far along as I'd like, but the improvement in my form and strength were worth it! Plus, I'm FINALLY through the 100lb plateau!)
Bench Presses - 30 -> 80 lbs
Bent-Over Rows - 40 -> 80 lbs
Overhead Presses 30 -> 50 lbs (womp womp)
Deadlifts - 50 -> 160 lbs :bigsmile: (That's 1.2x "normal" bw - I'm bulking)
Barbell Curls - 30 -> 50 (womp)
(Single Leg) Calf Raises - 15 -> 65 lbs
So I'll start with these new weights on Monday. That day also coincides with the first day of my cut :sad: ; hopefully it doesn't affect my strength too badly!!!
Such great progress, nicely done! How fun that you were able to switch to BB, and that you are still enjoying the program.0 -
Here are my stats for cycle 5
Cycle 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5(current)
Squats 70->80->92->95.5->111lbs
Bench press 52->57->64->70->76lbs
Bent over rows 52->57->64->70->76lbs
Overhead press 30->36->37->40->40lbs :ohwell:
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts 60->70->80->90->100lbs
Barbell Curls 40->42->47->40->40lbs :explode:
Single-leg calf raise: 0->20->25->30->35lbs0 -
Here are my stats for cycle 5
Cycle 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5(current)
Squats 70->80->92->95.5->111lbs
Bench press 52->57->64->70->76lbs
Bent over rows 52->57->64->70->76lbs
Overhead press 30->36->37->40->40lbs :ohwell:
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts 60->70->80->90->100lbs
Barbell Curls 40->42->47->40->40lbs :explode:
Single-leg calf raise: 0->20->25->30->35lbs
Nice progress on the squats and SLDL there!
OHP is a slow lift to progress, so don't worry about it, you've gone forwards and that's progress. As long as you keep progressing, what's not to love?
You'll find upper body lifts are slower to progress in general. So with that being said, that's some great work on continually putting up Bench and BOR.
I have to ask though: what happened to curls?! Up and up, then back down again!!0 -
Looking good! I wonder about those curls as well though....Here are my stats for cycle 5
Cycle 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5(current)
Squats 70->80->92->95.5->111lbs
Bench press 52->57->64->70->76lbs
Bent over rows 52->57->64->70->76lbs
Overhead press 30->36->37->40->40lbs :ohwell:
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts 60->70->80->90->100lbs
Barbell Curls 40->42->47->40->40lbs :explode:
Single-leg calf raise: 0->20->25->30->35lbs
I expect to join you in this thread again some time in the future: come Monday my bulk is done and I will be starting some more cycle's of the SBR :happy:0 -
I have to ask though: what happened to curls?! Up and up, then back down again!!
At 47lbs my form was off so went down to 40 last cycle. And now I have no idea what is going on... I couldn't do 12 reps with good form on test day0 -
I have to ask though: what happened to curls?! Up and up, then back down again!!
At 47lbs my form was off so went down to 40 last cycle. And now I have no idea what is going on... I couldn't do 12 reps with good form on test day
Those are some nice gains. I wouldn't worry too much about the curls. Your rows are going to hit your biceps also and rows trump curls. Also the SLDL's will hit them a little bit too but statically.
You might even want to drop curls to 35 on the next cycle and try to push through the wall.
Many times when i hit a wall i have to drop the weight by 2 or 3 cycles to get through them.0 -
I have to ask though: what happened to curls?! Up and up, then back down again!!
At 47lbs my form was off so went down to 40 last cycle. And now I have no idea what is going on... I couldn't do 12 reps with good form on test day
We all have that lift that fries our noodle - don't worry about it! In fact, often the harder a lift is to get to grips with will lead you to getting really good at it (possibly because you have to focus so much on getting it right in the first place)
For me it was RDL - now, form-wise, it's my most beautiful lift (seems strange to describe it that way!) but I thought I'd never do it right and almost gave them up in frustration many times. My hamstrings thank me that I didn't though...0 -
Ok, here are my stats up until now:
Cycle 1 → Cycle 2 → Cycle 3 → Cycle 4 → Cycle 5 → Cycle 6 → Cycle 7
Squats: 23 → 23 → 25 → 28 → 24 → 30 → 45 kg
BP: 13 → 15 → 17 → 19 → 19 → 20 → 30 kg
BOR: 17 → 20 → 22 → 24 → 22 → 25 → 30 kg
OHP: 12 → 14 → 15 → 17 → 14 → 16 → 20 kg
SLDL: 30 → 35 → 38 → 42 → 42 → 50 → 60 kg
Curls: 13 → 15 → 15 → 17 → 14 → 15 kg
Cycle 7 I'm starting this Saturday and will be ditching the curls and adding in
Lat pull downs 34.3 kg
Bulgarian split squats 16 kg
Between Cycle 6 and 7 I've done 2 cycles of API 1 and 2 as well of API 2. My PR on SLDL is higher then 60 kg, but I'm taking it a bit easy because something hasn't been sitting quite right in my glute / hamstrings.
All in all I've gone up a good bit in weight the last couple of months: thank you bulking!0 -
Ok, here are my stats up until now:
Cycle 1 → Cycle 2 → Cycle 3 → Cycle 4 → Cycle 5 → Cycle 6 → Cycle 7
Squats: 23 → 23 → 25 → 28 → 24 → 30 → 45 kg
BP: 13 → 15 → 17 → 19 → 19 → 20 → 30 kg
BOR: 17 → 20 → 22 → 24 → 22 → 25 → 30 kg
OHP: 12 → 14 → 15 → 17 → 14 → 16 → 20 kg
SLDL: 30 → 35 → 38 → 42 → 42 → 50 → 60 kg
Curls: 13 → 15 → 15 → 17 → 14 → 15 kg
Cycle 7 I'm starting this Saturday and will be ditching the curls and adding in
Lat pull downs 34.3 kg
Bulgarian split squats 16 kg
Between Cycle 6 and 7 I've done 2 cycles of API 1 and 2 as well of API 2. My PR on SLDL is higher then 60 kg, but I'm taking it a bit easy because something hasn't been sitting quite right in my glute / hamstrings.
All in all I've gone up a good bit in weight the last couple of months: thank you bulking!
Squats 30 to 45kg.. wow, that's impressive0
