dave4d Member

I like 5/3/1 because the progression isn't as intense as it is with Stronglifts or Starting Strength. I like to keep some accessory work for injury prevention, and mobility; but just follow a template that focuses more on conditioning than hypertrophy.

I don't understand why people think they are dangerous. The hardest part of the lift is getting the weight from the waist to the shoulders. If you fail to get enough momentum to get to where you can do that, the weight goes back down to your waist. The most dangerous part of the lift is getting the barbell back on the…

If I remember right, Jim says you can use a variation like push press instead of the overhead press. If nothing else a few extra sets of push presses may help get your shoulders used to a little more weight. The problem with dumbbells is that it is even harder to make increases in the weight, because 5 lbs on a dumbbell…

Except losing muscle is very unhealthy and wreaks havoc on one's metabolism. By losing muscle it will be that much harder for her to lose fat, and that much easier to put the fat back on.

From what I understand, there is nothing wrong with letting a kid lift weights. Just make sure you watch them closely. Kids have a huge tendency to ego lift rather than using good form. As far as MFP goes, I don't think counting calories is a good idea for a kid that age. You may want to read Starting Strength, or have him…

I don't do it very often because my current gym has a limited number of squat racks, but I've used a program that I read on T-nation a few times. It went something like this: Push press 8 to 10 reps Barbell rows 8 to 10 reps Squats 8 to 10 reps Pull-ups 8 to 10 reps Rest 60 seconds and repeat circuit for 4 sets.…

Are you using your true max based on your 5×5 numbers or are you using 90% of that as Jim recommends? There is nothing wrong with resets. I have heard someone claim that Jim recommends 3 cycles forward and 2 back to keep you from getting too heavy and injuring yourself. (plus it makes more room for Jokers that may be up to…

Try this. It has helped me with my mobility. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSSDLDhbacc

It's not showing up. Try warming up with DeFranco's Agile 8 or Limber 11. You can find it on Youtube. It should help with flexibility and tightness.

I don't worry about it. I try and eat a little extra on lifting days to fuel my workouts. On non-lifting days, I eat at a deficit.

I used to go ATG, but I could never do a lot of weight because I would lose my balance. It turns out my form was way off, and my knees started getting really sore. I had a physical therapist help me with my knee problem and he also helped me work out my issue with my form. I just can't seem to go to where my hamstrings hit…

There was one time I was Squatting in the Squat rack and I hit the safety bars as I was going down. It threw off my concentration. I had to remove some of the plates, re-rack the bar, and start over. You're right, it is no big deal, but it is an ego thing. I started using the power rack after that so I could put the safety…

As far as depth goes, I can speak from personal experience, it is fear (no one wants to fail at a rep), and ego (I can hit depth really well in my warmup sets and the first work set or two, but as the weight gets real heavy on my back, lack of confidence or that fear I mentioned earlier kicks in and I find myself wanting…

What type of exercise are you looking to do?

I can agree with you, there. I would never recommend using a Smith Machine for back squats. They work okay for some things, but anything in a Smith Machine is not the same lift, nor does it provide the same benefits as the barbell counterpart.

I've read several articles about how an upright posture is actually better for squatting. For that reason, many people recommend front squats, and goblet squats. The quad development and core development are much better with a front squat than a back squat. If one also deadlifts, they hit most of the same muscles with the…

I work 4 on 4 off. When I was following the Starting Strength program, I lifted Monday, Wednesday and Friday whether I was off or not. If I worked a day shift, I would get up an hour early and workout before work. If I did nights, I would do the same. I would sleep about 6 hours, get up, then do my workout and then go to…

I like to use the Smith Machine for single leg work. Due to balance issues, I prefer the smith machine when I put my back leg on a bench for single leg squats.

When I had my Wii, I would put the remote in my pocket and use the Wiifit running in place program while I ran on the treadmill. It worked pretty good, but didn't change anything on your running speed on the game if you adjusted the speed on the treadmill. When I had my Sega Genesis, I would play Road Rash as I walked on…

I use Jefit to log my strength training workouts, but it doesn't sych with MFP. The only reason to log a workout to MFP is to determine caloric burn. To do that, just log the length of your workout as strength training under the cardio section.

I think it all depends on the Planet Fitness. The one near my place never had any problems with people pushing themselves, and I saw plenty of people there that were fit. I never heard the lunk alarm once. They had a personal trainer there that would write up workouts for people and show them how to use the equipment. (…

I use Jefit to log my weights. I follow 5/3/1 when I lift. On my third work set, I will look up how many reps I need to do for a new PR. If I don't hit them, it is no big deal, but it is nice to see a new PR every once in a while.

Overhead presses are fine in the squat rack. Just don't hog the rack for too long. What gets me upset is at my gym, most people will use the squat or power rack for their deadlifts. I really get irate when I see people doing barbell curls, rows, or shrugs in the squat rack.

The squat rack is the best place to do the overhead press, but it can be done anywhere if you clean the bar from the floor. My gym has one squat rack and one power rack. If they are in use, I will steal a barbell from one of the ten benches, (Usually only 3 or 4 will be in use.) clear a spot on the floor and do my lighter…

It all depends on the lift. You should be able to use a lot more weight on an overhead press than you can on a lateral raise. Don't worry about what others do, just focus on what you can do. Like others have said, If you get to your final set, and you can do more than the reps that you've set a goal to do, you need to…

When I used Gold's, at the one I used, very few people used proper gym etiquette. Weights were never re-racked, and they left a maze of the heavier dumbbells on the floor in front of the dumbbell racks. It's one reason I switched gyms.

For most people, until you are able to use the bigger 45lb plates, the bar will be too low to pick up without rounding the back. Setting it at the same height you would get with 45 lb plates will save your back. A deadlift starts from the floor. A Romanian deadlift starts at the top. Double overhand is the best way to go…

Gaining muscle mass is very hard to do, even at a caloric surplus. It is nearly impossible to do at a caloric deficit. Muscles need time to recover. The more you exhaust them, the longer they take to recover. Give yourself at least one day of recovery for your muscles. If you want to lift everyday, rotate either push/pull…

It's all up to you. From what I've read, beginners benefit the most with a full body routine like Starting Strength or Stronglifts: Focusing on the big lifts like squats, deadlifts, overhead press, bench, and rows or pull-ups for the back. Personally I like 5/3/1 for the progression. It can be adjusted for any level, but…

Mfp sets the proteins and fats low. Depending on the type of diet you are on, you will need to adjust your macros to allow for more proteins and fats, and less carbs. Some things are a minimum goal to reach. Proteins, vitamins, iron and fiber are all good to go in the red on.