February Q and A thread
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At least pushups/bench are in the same plane of motion, while pullups and rows are at right angles to each other. I'd say doing rows instead of pullups isn't going to hurt you, but why not do both? If you can't do a true pullup you can always do an assisted pullup or a controlled decline where you use a step to get to the top position and then resist gravity as long as you can.2
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At least pushups/bench are in the same plane of motion, while pullups and rows are at right angles to each other. I'd say doing rows instead of pullups isn't going to hurt you, but why not do both? If you can't do a true pullup you can always do an assisted pullup or a controlled decline where you use a step to get to the top position and then resist gravity as long as you can.
Someone beat me to it. Yeah, seriously, work those pull-up concentrics, and you'll be tugging your body up in no time. I went from not be able to do one last summer, to now easily hitting 5-6 sets of 14-18, depending upon grip used. I'm also 27 pounds heavier than I was then.2 -
I would also like to add, that if you struggle with pull ups, you can do a few variations until you are strong enough to do them. I started with resistance bands. There are also negative pull ups or even assisted.1
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FragileMoonDreamer wrote: »I'd love to hear some opinions on these comments I've read concerning bench press and rows. I read if you can't complete a push up don't bench press- just work on push ups first and if you can't do a complete pull up/ chin up don't bother with rows- achieve pull up/chin up first. The rationale was bench press could be dangerous if you're not strong enough. Also, if you don't have the strength to do a pull up you might not be activating the correct muscles during rows.
I'm doing strong lifts and wondering if I should switch out rows for assisted pull up machine.
Regarding bench press/push-ups. With push-ups, you end up pressing (if able to do from toes, it's a little less from knees) about 2/3 of your body weight. As an example, if you weigh 150 lb, a push-up requires you to press somewhere around 100 lb. With bench press, you can use much less - a standard Olympic barbell weighs ~45 lb. You could also use a non-standard barbell or dumbbells in order to press even less weight. This would allow you to work on your pressing movements at a weight that you can do.
Others have already handled the pulling exercises.2 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »At least pushups/bench are in the same plane of motion, while pullups and rows are at right angles to each other. I'd say doing rows instead of pullups isn't going to hurt you, but why not do both? If you can't do a true pullup you can always do an assisted pullup or a controlled decline where you use a step to get to the top position and then resist gravity as long as you can.
Someone beat me to it. Yeah, seriously, work those pull-up concentrics, and you'll be tugging your body up in no time. I went from not be able to do one last summer, to now easily hitting 5-6 sets of 14-18, depending upon grip used. I'm also 27 pounds heavier than I was then.
Meant to say eccentric, not concentric. My phone is incredibly stupid at times, for being such an intelligent piece of tech.0 -
_benjammin wrote: »Anyone doing low bar that has a jacked up shoulders, like past rotator cuff tear and some impingement problems therefore mobility?
You got me curious to attempt again, been years.
I had rotator cuff and labrum repair surgery. Took about a year of dedicated rehab but I'm back to low bar squatting.
Oh this is my world right now
Transitioning to low bar because of form with the high bar (long femurs, get too much of a lean forward). My shoulders do NOT want to play. Long hx of small shoulder/ rotator cuff issues but recent investigations seem to point to overly tight pecs affecting the shoulder blades and thus muscles of the upper back. But yes, the low bar really does affect my ability to grip the bar in a low bar position. But, I'm working on it. Really hoping that over time this gets better.0 -
A regular pushup has you pushing something like 65% of bodyweight. That can be significant weight for somebody who is just starting to lift. A beginner's lifting program could have you successfully lifting way below that level to start. I definitely wouldn't wait for the pushup.1
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What's your opinion of The Strength Athlete free intermediate program (http://thestrengthathlete.com/freebies/), in the following conditions?
37 yo F, still consider myself a beginner, have been lifting 1.25 years. Not genetically gifted towards gaining muscle but willing to fight the good fight. Not currently interested in competing, but interested in making progress on compound lifts as I find it interesting/motivating/beneficial for health and aesthetics.
Not sure if relevant, but I also like to keep up with cardio 3x/week.
I know I'm probably not the lifter Bryce Lewis thought about when he sat down and designed the program, but there isn't too much written for lousy middle-aged female wannabe powerlifters
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So after 7 weeks, I retested my 1RM (so far only on DL; OHP & bench tomorrow, squat on Friday). But I went from a 1RM of 235 --> 300 lbs (and I feel I could do a bit more, but didn't want to push it on my deload week). Hoping this improves my bro stats.3 -
From my Facebook post, @SideSteel mentioned he'd be curious how long my once-per-week sessions could continue to generate results. Guess we'll not see the final answer as my work schedule has shifted again (geez, yet again) to allow me to hit the gym a little more often (amazing how much easier that is when you're not working 75-hr work weeks). But here's what happened for that month of doing 1/wk:
Five weeks of Wendler 1/wk, order of lifts bench-squat-OHP-DL:
Wk# - Final Rep Goal - Final Rep Results (B/S/O/D)
1 - 5+ - 8/8/11/10
2 - 3+ - 7/10/10/10
3 - 1+ - 4/5/5/5
4 - 5+ - 9/10/9/10
5 - 3+ - 5/10/7/7
At first glance, from week 2 to week 5 my reps dropped significantly, but then I look at the fact the last time I benched 230 I did 4 reps, this time I did 5 and might have done 6 but opted to stop for safety sake, so that's still going up.3 -
So after 7 weeks, I went from a 1RM of 235 --> 300 lbs. Hoping this improves my bro stats.
Are you kidding me?!? More than 25% increase in just 7 weeks??? Consider me blown away, amigo! You know how long I've been working to increase my DL by a measly 10#, let alone over a hundred (which would be 25%)?
*Hint: more than 7 weeks*0 -
So after 7 weeks, I went from a 1RM of 235 --> 300 lbs. Hoping this improves my bro stats.
Are you kidding me?!? More than 25% increase in just 7 weeks??? Consider me blown away, amigo! You know how long I've been working to increase my DL by a measly 10#, let alone over a hundred (which would be 25%)?
*Hint: more than 7 weeks*
Thanks. I suspect it's because you have been lifting a lot longer than I have. I am still getting a lot of noob gains. And I suspect similar results on Squat/Bench. OHP is going to be rather lower. I mean holy *kitten* i do not get along with OHP. I suspect there might be some form issues though.0 -
@psuLemon that's huge progress!
BTW, I want to say thanks to @DopeItUp . Every *kitten* time I go to deadlift now, all I can think of is: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10445660/deadlift-question-for-men-only/p1
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I've been doing PHUL for a while now. I've developed nagging pain in my right shoulder. I've had x-rays & it's not a fracture or anything degenerative. So, a soft tissue problem that I have an appt to look into. I'm guessing I'm doing too much volume without adequate rest. Because I can only lift when my kid is at school I lift Monday-Thursday & do a day of Glutes. I do about 30 minutes of FitStar cardio/body weight routine 5x week and sometimes some extra walking-2 miles, usually.
I'm 47 (nearly 48), 5'2" @ 119-121 lbs. I'm recomping, eat about 1700 calories a day.
Do you think switching to a 3 day routine-Mon/Wed/Fri with cardio on Tuesday/Thursday would be better for recovery? I certainly could see that it should be but I have loved what PHUL has done for me physique-wise. But, I'm not getting stronger and I am feeling a bit worn out.0 -
Stronger quads than hams probably also explains why my squat and deadlift numbers are nearly identical.
It could. It could also simply be your propensity toward one and not the other (via limb length relationships, mental stuff, etc.). It is very typical for one's deadlift to be notably higher than one's squat but it isn't a hard and fast rule. I have a couple of clients whose number are in close proximity (one whose DL is lighter than her squat) and they are exactly the body types I for whom I would predict this.
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StephieWillcox wrote: »I guess I'm feeling quite unbalanced. I barely ever feel my glutes/hams working whereas my quads are pretty much permanently feeling worked.
I feel like that is ultimately affecting how much I can squat, and getting some other muscles involved would help me out!
However, as sardelsa mentions, I'm probably looking at this the wrong way. I should be switching my accessories to work on glutes/hams, and letting my squat be what it is
Along with the aforementioned potential LACK of need for "correction" as well as a likely worthwhile addition of certain "posterior chain focused" accessory exercises, a simple cue to yourself with each repetition to "feel" your hamstrings squeeze on the decent and actively squeeze your butt on the way up might help with feeling "connected" to those working muscles better.
I recall my own experience of, after several years of serious lifting, being cued for the first time to "actively" squeeze my butt and hams and being blown away by how different it felt for me.
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MattBrouse wrote: »StephieWillcox wrote: »I guess I'm feeling quite unbalanced. I barely ever feel my glutes/hams working whereas my quads are pretty much permanently feeling worked.
I feel like that is ultimately affecting how much I can squat, and getting some other muscles involved would help me out!
However, as sardelsa mentions, I'm probably looking at this the wrong way. I should be switching my accessories to work on glutes/hams, and letting my squat be what it is
Along with the aforementioned potential LACK of need for "correction" as well as a likely worthwhile addition of certain "posterior chain focused" accessory exercises, a simple cue to yourself with each repetition to "feel" your hamstrings squeeze on the decent and actively squeeze your butt on the way up might help with feeling "connected" to those working muscles better.
I recall my own experience of, after several years of serious lifting, being cued for the first time to "actively" squeeze my butt and hams and being blown away by how different it felt for me.
So I did this on Monday (as well as switching the bar to a lower position on my back) and my bum has been KILLING me the past 2 days. Need to work on the hamstrings, but @Dopeitup gave me some good advice on the form thread and I think a slower decent will help here. As well as keeping tight at the bottom of pause squats (I have a tendency to relax in the hole).1 -
So after 7 weeks, I retested my 1RM (so far only on DL; OHP & bench tomorrow, squat on Friday). But I went from a 1RM of 235 --> 300 lbs (and I feel I could do a bit more, but didn't want to push it on my deload week). Hoping this improves my bro stats.
Correction, just looked at my numbers, I went from 225 to 300 on DL
Bench 175 to 195 (I went for 205 and almost died, thank you spotter)
OHP 135 to 145 (I hate press).
I did learn a valuable lesson, going for 2 PR's in one day is not a smart thing. High Bar Squat test is tomorrow. Started at 245. Hoping to get over 300.
I do think I need to work on my form for both upper body moves.4
