December Q and A thread
Replies
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For overload work you'd use it to extend past your max levels. For example this week I plan on working up to a 335 bench, then 350 and 365 with the slingshot (weights I cannot do without).
Continuing my devil's advocate line of questions, this seems almost like a form of cheating, as the equipment appears to be lifting a portion of the weight, like claiming you benched x when the spotter had to help get the weight up by lifting the last 25#.
I genuinely don't know, this has been a very insightful conversation.
Of course, you wouldn't claim a raw 1RM when you used a slingshot. It's used for training, not for setting records. Overload training has a place in strength training and can be quite effective. Similar to bands/reverse bands or chain setups where you get assistance (or reduced resistance) at parts of the movement.0 -
My favorite recommendation is this series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHx1gYTA-Rw
Also Mark Bell has a lot of good stuff on benching as well.
^ Agreed, Dave Tate's series is solid.0 -
Sorry if this is a stupid question.
I am seriously considering knee sleeves for their compression and keeping knee joints 'warm'. I've had knee issues all my life (I wore knee braces on both knees for a couple of years when I was a kid due to issues being born 3 months premmie) and now my knees feel stiff, dry, uncomfortable, hurt (more like a sting) and pop/crack whenever I squat, despite warming up. Would knee sleeves be a good option for me? I still have weight to lose, but I really love to squat, but it is 3x weekly on stronglifts. Other than my weight loss and strength goals, I would love to be able to squat heavy.0 -
I have early stage arthritis, knees pop like crazy when bent past 90 degrees. I've found squatting sumo is far, far easier on my knees than standard squats. Considering I worked up to almost a 500# squat, it worked for me.
Can't speak to knee sleeves, never used 'em. I do take a daily flaxseed oil capsule 3x daily, available OTC at Wal-Mart, and it's been an absolute miracle in terms of DTD knee pain. Far, far more effective than glucosamine ever was for me.0 -
cerise_noir wrote: »Sorry if this is a stupid question.
I am seriously considering knee sleeves for their compression and keeping knee joints 'warm'. I've had knee issues all my life (I wore knee braces on both knees for a couple of years when I was a kid due to issues being born 3 months premmie) and now my knees feel stiff, dry, uncomfortable, hurt (more like a sting) and pop/crack whenever I squat, despite warming up. Would knee sleeves be a good option for me? I still have weight to lose, but I really love to squat, but it is 3x weekly on stronglifts. Other than my weight loss and strength goals, I would love to be able to squat heavy.
Certainly not a bad idea I don't think. At the most you'll be out a little bit of money. Worth trying. I wear them too.0 -
cerise_noir wrote: »Sorry if this is a stupid question.
I am seriously considering knee sleeves for their compression and keeping knee joints 'warm'. I've had knee issues all my life (I wore knee braces on both knees for a couple of years when I was a kid due to issues being born 3 months premmie) and now my knees feel stiff, dry, uncomfortable, hurt (more like a sting) and pop/crack whenever I squat, despite warming up. Would knee sleeves be a good option for me? I still have weight to lose, but I really love to squat, but it is 3x weekly on stronglifts. Other than my weight loss and strength goals, I would love to be able to squat heavy.
Certainly not a bad idea I don't think. At the most you'll be out a little bit of money. Worth trying. I wear them too.
^ Agreed ^0 -
cerise_noir wrote: »Sorry if this is a stupid question.
I am seriously considering knee sleeves for their compression and keeping knee joints 'warm'. I've had knee issues all my life (I wore knee braces on both knees for a couple of years when I was a kid due to issues being born 3 months premmie) and now my knees feel stiff, dry, uncomfortable, hurt (more like a sting) and pop/crack whenever I squat, despite warming up. Would knee sleeves be a good option for me? I still have weight to lose, but I really love to squat, but it is 3x weekly on stronglifts. Other than my weight loss and strength goals, I would love to be able to squat heavy.
Certainly not a bad idea I don't think. At the most you'll be out a little bit of money. Worth trying. I wear them too.
^ Agreed ^
My 43 year old knees love them, and I squat wide, pull sumo.0 -
Question re: Standing OHP
I've read with bench press you should try to pull your hands outward, as if pretending you're Hulk Hogan ripping your shirt in half. Should you follow a similar philosophy for OHP?
(I've been doing seated OHP for a while, thought I had decently strong shoulders. The other day did the standing version instead, and talk about humbling! Had to cut the weight more than in HALF before I stopped leaning back. Ugly, ugly.)0 -
Just wanted to stop by and say thanks for Dope and Sidesteel and everyone else for the help on the benching issue. Definitely took the tension off the shoulders.
Current issue is bending my wrists at the bottom on my last few reps which is what was causing my wrist pain. I've taken the weight down to work on it but at some point its probably going to happen again.0 -
Just wanted to stop by and say thanks for Dope and Sidesteel and everyone else for the help on the benching issue. Definitely took the tension off the shoulders.
Current issue is bending my wrists at the bottom on my last few reps which is what was causing my wrist pain. I've taken the weight down to work on it but at some point its probably going to happen again.
See here just in case this is accurate/relevant. Also worth noting that improper grip can not only cause wrist pain but it's also likely to reduce force transfer if this is what's going on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uuqAgGl6qU&feature=youtu.be 2 -
Just wanted to stop by and say thanks for Dope and Sidesteel and everyone else for the help on the benching issue. Definitely took the tension off the shoulders.
Current issue is bending my wrists at the bottom on my last few reps which is what was causing my wrist pain. I've taken the weight down to work on it but at some point its probably going to happen again.
See here just in case this is accurate/relevant. Also worth noting that improper grip can not only cause wrist pain but it's also likely to reduce force transfer if this is what's going on.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uuqAgGl6qU&feature=youtu.be
Awesome. I definitely grab it how you describe at the beginning (winky face). I will try holding it closer to my crotch next time and see if that helps.
Thanks again.0 -
Question re: protein powder shakes. I've tried using powders to make shakes, but have had usually mixed (read: unfavorable) results, specifically with the powder not getting completely mixed into the water/milk. Lumpy protein shakes are virtually undrinkable.
For the record, I got a replacement shaker cup, one which has fixed bars in the top to break up clumps rather than the wire ball from my previous shaker. Instant fix! Even my old powder worked perfectly with the new shaker, until I realized my old powder was so old it was actually past its expiration date, lol. So I bought new, and it's been great.1 -
Other than one involves stepping forward and the other doesn't, what, if any, difference is there between a lunge and a split squat? I'm talking a normal split squat with both feet on the floor, nothing elevated.
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Question re: protein powder shakes. I've tried using powders to make shakes, but have had usually mixed (read: unfavorable) results, specifically with the powder not getting completely mixed into the water/milk. Lumpy protein shakes are virtually undrinkable.
For the record, I got a replacement shaker cup, one which has fixed bars in the top to break up clumps rather than the wire ball from my previous shaker. Instant fix! Even my old powder worked perfectly with the new shaker, until I realized my old powder was so old it was actually past its expiration date, lol. So I bought new, and it's been great.
I still have an old mixer that is that design - hadn't look closely at near ones except to notice that ball in them.
Is the fixed mesh really that rare?
Oh, and even with that better design, I've screwed it up by shaking too soon when the powder hadn't dropped some into the milk, and too big a clump stayed a stuck on mess on underside of lid above the mesh.0 -
Other than one involves stepping forward and the other doesn't, what, if any, difference is there between a lunge and a split squat? I'm talking a normal split squat with both feet on the floor, nothing elevated.
I don't know how others do split squats, but in my experience you step out as if to do a lunge, but keep the feet planted where they are until you do all your reps on one leg, then step back and step out for the other leg. With lunges you step back between each rep, regardless if you do all the reps on one leg or if you alternate.0 -
I've always done split squats with the rear foot elevated...... pretty high so that it makes it almost a single leg squat.0
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As mentioned, split squat like this:
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBSplitSquat.html
Or as commented:
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BWSingleLegSquatLegBack.html
As opposed to:
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBLunge.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BWLunge.html
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Thanks! I mostly was asking about muscles being used. It's the same across the board, right? So if I am picking an assistance exercise I could pick either or switch between the two.
I do both feet on the floor due to balance issues, which are a work in progress for me.0 -
Thanks! I mostly was asking about muscles being used. It's the same across the board, right? So if I am picking an assistance exercise I could pick either or switch between the two.
I do both feet on the floor due to balance issues, which are a work in progress for me.
Yes, as far as muscles being worked you can basically swap between the two although there are some subtle differences which your question is causing me to read up on.
Given the goal of general fitness, hypertrophy, etc I would choose whichever one is the most comfortable. I get pretty sharp anterior knee pain with forward lunges and your question is now making me want to try reverse to see if it's better
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/split-squat-technique.html/
https://drjohnrusin.com/pain-free-lunging-the-forward-vs-reverse-lunge/0
