From strength training to bodybuilding.

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Replies

  • recodeexistance
    recodeexistance Posts: 51 Member
    Wow this thread really blew up. Sorry for the delayed response folks, i've been away from home for a couple of days.

    There's a LOT of good and informative info here, and I want to do the time you've all taken justice, so i've just finished work (10.30pm uk here), and i'll write up some responses tomorrow :)

    On a related note, my training is going to have to stop for a couple weeks, possibly more! I've hurt my rib (not sure how yet, going to see a doctor, i'm leaning towards subfluxiated rib though), and i've had SEVERE back pain all day (two seperate pains lol, yey me.) to the point that i was barely even able to reach down to pull my socks on this morning.
  • mutantspicy
    mutantspicy Posts: 624 Member
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    billkansas wrote: »
    My experience with bodybuilding programs over the past twenty years is that I pretty much failed all I tried. I finally figured out: I hate bodybuilding.

    However, I love strength training. It's simple, takes minimal time, and frankly a big thrill to attempt a heavy squat, deadlift, bench press, or overhead press. I see all these bodybuilder guys at my gym: there every day, using lots of dumbbells, cables, crazy new exercises, etc... and think to myself: "going to squat or deadlift with me today.... No? I didn't think so".

    Many of the champion bodybuilders were solid powerlifters before bodybuilding. Think Arnold, Franco Columbo, Ronnie Coleman, etc.

    You're not going to look like a bodybuilder IMO, unless you have a good bit of powerlifting movements in your program.

    ^This. You need to have strength to get the most out of a BB routine. If you are trying to optimize size BB is the general rule, but you will plateau based on your strength. I've just recently cycled back to SL to up my maxes, so I can have a stronger base to run a slight bulk up cycle over the winter. I like mix routines like PHUL and PHAT because you can keep hitting big main lifts while getting some volume days in there, but honestly I have always gained the most beauty muscle doing strictly the volume dumbell thingys. Its just nowadays I feel like I need to have more functional strength in my life, I think its good to cycle it a bit. But really BB is primarily for the mirror, which can be good for confidence.
  • recodeexistance
    recodeexistance Posts: 51 Member
    steveko89 wrote: »
    I've also been running PHUL (modified for equipment availability, prefer to go HPUL as an order but that acronym doesn't make sense) for a while and have been very happy with my choice. For you, I think it all depends where you are on your strength progression. My $0.02: Go to SymmetricStrength.com, create a profile to track your lift numbers and where you fall on their progression scale. If you're short of "intermediate" you still have some opportunity on an LP program, which would also fit with 3 days/week as you mentioned was a preference. There are some similar-yet-different programs for continuing to build up your strength base in the wiki on r/fitness (linked below) that you could try if you're wanting to go away from Stronglifts. I get where you're coming from wanting to get bigger in a hurry but you've got to trust the process don't short change yourself on the up-front strength gains; I think you'll ultimately be happier over the long run.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/wiki/recommended_routines

    RE; symettric strength. Very interesting site. How accurate is it considered?
    For my lifts (mainly all compounds atm, I'm considered untrained in all except bent-over row ((pendlay row?)), which i'm novice in. So chances are I can still make a lot of progress with a beginner LP ?

  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member

    RE; symettric strength. Very interesting site. How accurate is it considered?
    For my lifts (mainly all compounds atm, I'm considered untrained in all except bent-over row ((pendlay row?)), which i'm novice in. So chances are I can still make a lot of progress with a beginner LP ?

    If you're curious about the accuracy factors, look into the "about" page on Symmetric's site. They list references and get into details on how things are calculated; all looked good to me and it's user-friendly to update and track your lifts without making your own spreadsheet.

    A pendlay row is a specific row variation that's to be done from the floor, probably explains the discrepancy if you're doing standard rows. Probably not a huge deal though, they both work your back just know the numbers are apples-to-apples.

    Given that you've only been training for "several" months, "novice" per symmetric strength has your right on target for strength standards and that you've still got progress to make on an LP program.

    Sorry to hear about your injury. While your healing up give this article a read on natural muscle gain rate, provides some backing to why you should make sure you're maximizing your beginner strength gains. https://bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/muscle-gain-math.html/
  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,216 Member
    steveko89 wrote: »
    I've also been running PHUL (modified for equipment availability, prefer to go HPUL as an order but that acronym doesn't make sense) for a while and have been very happy with my choice. For you, I think it all depends where you are on your strength progression. My $0.02: Go to SymmetricStrength.com, create a profile to track your lift numbers and where you fall on their progression scale. If you're short of "intermediate" you still have some opportunity on an LP program, which would also fit with 3 days/week as you mentioned was a preference. There are some similar-yet-different programs for continuing to build up your strength base in the wiki on r/fitness (linked below) that you could try if you're wanting to go away from Stronglifts. I get where you're coming from wanting to get bigger in a hurry but you've got to trust the process don't short change yourself on the up-front strength gains; I think you'll ultimately be happier over the long run.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/wiki/recommended_routines

    RE; symmetric strength. Very interesting site. How accurate is it considered?
    For my lifts (mainly all compounds atm, I'm considered untrained in all except bent-over row ((pendlay row?)), which i'm novice in. So chances are I can still make a lot of progress with a beginner LP ?

    Symmetric Strength gives me a rating of "exceptional" and a 101.8% score combined, advanced in most lifts and exceptional in some, elite on a couple. I don't consider myself "exceptionally" strong as most of my workout buddies at the gym are significantly stronger. My bench is -19% , only "proficient" as at 200 lbs body weight I've yet to break a 3 plate bench.

    However, https://strengthlevel.com/ puts me solidly in the upper end of intermediate for most most lifts and only advanced on a couple. Which jives more with what I think I lift. I'd like to think of myself as "exceptional" but I'm fully aware that I'm just about average. ;)
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    @jseaman3414, the discrepancy it gives you is interesting. Overall I get "proficient" on SymmetricStrength and "advanced" on strengthlevel with overall scores of 81.9 and 81% respectively at 175lbs.
  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,216 Member
    edited October 2018
    steveko89 wrote: »
    @jseaman3414, the discrepancy it gives you is interesting. Overall I get "proficient" on SymmetricStrength and "advanced" on strengthlevel with overall scores of 81.9 and 81% respectively at 175lbs.

    Hmmm. at 200lbs body weight, my weakest lift - a bench of 245 for 8 reps 4 sets - Symmetric Strength gives me an "Advanced" rating of 96.3 (and a 1 rep max of 315, yeah.. I wish).

    Strength Level gives me a 3 star rating, 78% stronger than other male lifters in my age group weighing 200, and solidly in "intermediate"... as "advanced" doesn't hit until a bench of 310. The other lifts are comparable in their discrepancies.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    jseams1234 wrote: »
    steveko89 wrote: »
    @jseaman3414, the discrepancy it gives you is interesting. Overall I get "proficient" on SymmetricStrength and "advanced" on strengthlevel with overall scores of 81.9 and 81% respectively at 175lbs.

    Hmmm. at 200lbs body weight, my weakest lift - a bench of 245 for 8 reps 4 sets - Symmetric Strength gives me an "Advanced" rating of 96.3 (and a 1 rep max of 315, yeah.. I wish).

    Strength Level gives me a 3 star rating, 78% stronger than other male lifters in my age group weighing 200, and solidly in "intermediate"... as "advanced" doesn't hit until a bench of 310. The other lifts are comparable in their discrepancies.

    Strictly talking Bench, Strength Level also gives me 3 stars, 81% stronger than other lifters in my age group weighing 175 and a single pound shy of "advanced" at 275 lbs 1RM. Symmetric Strength has been in the meat of "proficient" (249-290) with an 82.9 rating. For context I'm 29.
  • recodeexistance
    recodeexistance Posts: 51 Member
    hmm, posted this earlier from my phone but not appeared. ah well.

    Got the result from physio this morning. No long term injury, i have seriously strained the muscles of my lower back, which is shooting round and affecting my rib cage. 4 to 6 weeks of light stretching and I should have recovered enough to be back in the gym working it out :)

    Of course, when i'm back i'm going to deload a bit, and for now i'll be on maintenance calories.

    4 - 6 weeks to fine tune my program choices and plan things out i guess, silver lining.