General Gym/Lifting thread
- Thread starter Chrit
- Start date
I'm not gay, so I don't have the need to "bodybuild" to attract homosexual men.
Sheesh.
Sheesh.
I buy pickles, they come in jars.
My grip is much stronger than a bunch of by friends that lift hebby on a regular basis. I think it's because of my thin weener, I have to really latch onto it in order to feel anything.
In
I got a lifting question. What do people think of five sets of five? Is it a good program or waste of time.
I've kind of plateaued on my bench and would like to continue to go up a little.
There is a goal I'd like to hit. Will five by five help, or are there better ways to increase?
I've kind of plateaued on my bench and would like to continue to go up a little.
There is a goal I'd like to hit. Will five by five help, or are there better ways to increase?
Five sets of five is good, but periodization is better.
Awesome - thanks man! Glad you dug 'em!
re 5x5 vs periodization & more:
**FRAT warning**
First, it depends on how you're doing 5x5, as there's a million ways to do it. Some consider the first two sets as warmup/buildup, and then 3x5 with "working" weight. Some do all 5x5 with working weight. Some add weight every set, intending to hit a (near) 5RM on your last set.
So there's that.
It also is gonna depend on your progression - are you trying to add 5lbs a week a la Rippetoe's Starting Strength or?
That's then gonna lead into your training history. SS is great for noobs, and they tend to make a lot of gains...for about 6-8 months. Then they stall because you can't add 5lbs a week forever. Nobody can. That's when you have to alter your programming.
How your entire program looks matters, too.
e.g. - a SS-style 5x5 is gonna look *way* different than say an old school Bill Starr Heavy-Light-Medium 5x5
So there's all that.
As far as it vs "periodization" - too broad of a statement / question, as it'd gonna depend on the type of periodization. Long-term linear periodization is obviously effective, but there are better options for your "regular guy" (unless you wanna put good money on the fact that your "regular guy" is gonna faithfully and consistenly stick with his program for the next year for an entire linear periodization model to play out...which about 99% of guys don't & won't do).
Then there's conjugate periodization & concurrent periodization, either (both) of which can be a better fit for your "regular guy".
All that said, it's not (or at least) shouldn't 5x5 -or- periodization (no matter the style), as 5x5 can very easily be worked *into* and as a part of your periodized scheme.
Ultimately, it depends on your goal, where you are in relation to your goal, training history, your size, what kinda shape you're in, other associated factors (age, recovery, diet, stress levels, etc, etc, & so on).
**FRAT warning**
First, it depends on how you're doing 5x5, as there's a million ways to do it. Some consider the first two sets as warmup/buildup, and then 3x5 with "working" weight. Some do all 5x5 with working weight. Some add weight every set, intending to hit a (near) 5RM on your last set.
So there's that.
It also is gonna depend on your progression - are you trying to add 5lbs a week a la Rippetoe's Starting Strength or?
That's then gonna lead into your training history. SS is great for noobs, and they tend to make a lot of gains...for about 6-8 months. Then they stall because you can't add 5lbs a week forever. Nobody can. That's when you have to alter your programming.
How your entire program looks matters, too.
e.g. - a SS-style 5x5 is gonna look *way* different than say an old school Bill Starr Heavy-Light-Medium 5x5
So there's all that.
As far as it vs "periodization" - too broad of a statement / question, as it'd gonna depend on the type of periodization. Long-term linear periodization is obviously effective, but there are better options for your "regular guy" (unless you wanna put good money on the fact that your "regular guy" is gonna faithfully and consistenly stick with his program for the next year for an entire linear periodization model to play out...which about 99% of guys don't & won't do).
Then there's conjugate periodization & concurrent periodization, either (both) of which can be a better fit for your "regular guy".
All that said, it's not (or at least) shouldn't 5x5 -or- periodization (no matter the style), as 5x5 can very easily be worked *into* and as a part of your periodized scheme.
Ultimately, it depends on your goal, where you are in relation to your goal, training history, your size, what kinda shape you're in, other associated factors (age, recovery, diet, stress levels, etc, etc, & so on).
Sounds like good info
I've never been a workout specialist. In fact I guess I don't know what I'm doing. I just go in and wing it. I'm old and fat with a history of injuries. I'd like to bench four plates just to say I did it. And I'm right there close to it. Just need to get over the hump.
I've never been a workout specialist. In fact I guess I don't know what I'm doing. I just go in and wing it. I'm old and fat with a history of injuries. I'd like to bench four plates just to say I did it. And I'm right there close to it. Just need to get over the hump.
There is no gym nearby and I dont have space in my house for weights and a bench. Are resistance bands ok to use or are they too faggy?
Gimme an idea of what your workout program looks like, the injuries you're dealing with, etc.
I'll see if I can't point you in the right direction.
Bands can be awesome - I use them for some of my stuff. Depends how they're being used, the resistances, etc...you can get some pretty stout bands.
I have an online client I've been training for roughly 1.5 years that had never exercised in his life and has been getting great results with bands & calisthenics.
You just have to design programs a bit differently with them is all.
I've lifted fairly heavy for my size most of my life, starting at about 15yo and I'm in my mid 40s today.
Recently started seeing a pt at the request of both my orthopedic surgeon friend, and the spine doc in our group.
Years of overhead pressing, benching, and heavy back squats have helped compress my spine to the point that I may need surgery(which I'm avoiding at all costs)
Instead of those exercises, today I now do landmine type lifts for my shoulders and chest, one side at a time.
My spine has decompressed a bit and the pain and numbness has dissipated a bit.
I can roll and train pretty much at a decent pace again but I had to change my whole bjj game. When word got out that I now will tap to chokes(I'm known for being almost impossible to choke out even by some high level black belt world champs) or cranks everyone and their grandma wanted to tap the old man black belt with what he couldn't be tapped with.
My game is actually getting much better now that I'm avoiding certain situations and positions
Recently started seeing a pt at the request of both my orthopedic surgeon friend, and the spine doc in our group.
Years of overhead pressing, benching, and heavy back squats have helped compress my spine to the point that I may need surgery(which I'm avoiding at all costs)
Instead of those exercises, today I now do landmine type lifts for my shoulders and chest, one side at a time.
My spine has decompressed a bit and the pain and numbness has dissipated a bit.
I can roll and train pretty much at a decent pace again but I had to change my whole bjj game. When word got out that I now will tap to chokes(I'm known for being almost impossible to choke out even by some high level black belt world champs) or cranks everyone and their grandma wanted to tap the old man black belt with what he couldn't be tapped with.
My game is actually getting much better now that I'm avoiding certain situations and positions
I really only do two workout days. First is chest and triceps. Second is back and biceps. I'm going to add a leg day since I just bought a safety squat bar. I can't reach my right arm back to use a regular squat bar unfortunately. I'm old, so I'm sore for a few days after these workouts. As soon as the soreness is gone I'm back in there.
I'm 48 and about 265 lbs. I've had multiple injuries from a car accident that almost killed me about a decade ago. No terrible lingering injuries. Left ankle and foot always hurt and limit my running. I just tough through it. Somewhat limited movement in my right shoulder. I had nerve damage there with severe limited movement, but it's pretty much better now. I should stretch more to see if I can get it to where I can use a regular squat bar, but I cheated and bought the safety bar. Hopefully that will help with my legs because they feel like garbage. Like they have been at about 60% since the accident. We don't have any leg equipment except the squat rack at my work's gym, which is where I work out.
If you want to know what my old man workouts are, here they are:
Chest and triceps day
Bench-
135lbs x 10 to get the creaks and pops out
225 x 10
275 x 10
295 x 10
315 x 7 or 8
335 x 4 or 5
365 x 1 or 2 on a good day
Then I do these three exercises, three set of each, one after the other-
Incline dumbbells 90 x 10
Skull crushers I think 70 x 10
10 body weight dips
Incline 95 x 10
Skull crushers 80 x 10
10 body weight dips
Incline 100 x 10
Skull crushers 90 x 10
Body weight dips to exhaustion. Probably 15 to 20
That's chest and triceps day. I'm old and tired by then. I should do some more things I know. But I usually workout after work and it's getting pretty late by then
Chest and triceps day
Bench-
135lbs x 10 to get the creaks and pops out
225 x 10
275 x 10
295 x 10
315 x 7 or 8
335 x 4 or 5
365 x 1 or 2 on a good day
Then I do these three exercises, three set of each, one after the other-
Incline dumbbells 90 x 10
Skull crushers I think 70 x 10
10 body weight dips
Incline 95 x 10
Skull crushers 80 x 10
10 body weight dips
Incline 100 x 10
Skull crushers 90 x 10
Body weight dips to exhaustion. Probably 15 to 20
That's chest and triceps day. I'm old and tired by then. I should do some more things I know. But I usually workout after work and it's getting pretty late by then