Misc. progress thread

[Reincarnate]

Originally Posted by Reach

I recommend you give box squats a try.

I've trained a lot of people at this point, and I've gotten them all to squat properly except one. Honestly, I don't think she can. I've measured her and her leg to torso ratio is...ridiculous. She has really long femurs. It makes squatting hilariously awkward for her and I feel like what you're complaining about is what she went through. We tried pretty much everything for over a year and ...I still couldn't get her to squat properly.

I introduced box squats and now she loves squatting.

Yeah I had been wondering if it was something like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av3LO2GwpAk&t=3m

But I took a pic of my leg / measured the distances, and my femur is pretty much the same length as my tibia.

I also tried another pic:

http://i.imgur.com/Dn1XRLL.png

Torso (23 in) to leg (39 in) seems OK I think (my measurements are really wishy-washy here). There may be some standardized way to measure but I didn't bother to Google for it yet bc things seemed fine in the pic anyway.

And yet I don't think I have any serious mobility problem either (but maybe I am sorely mistaken here), so it's like, wtf mate.

Originally Posted by Reach

Set the box at a good height, around parallel, and enjoy. You can sit back into your squats and keep your back upright without ever losing your balance. It makes keeping perfect form extremely easy, and because of the nice pause at the bottom, it actually smashes your quads, hammies and glutes REALLY well (IMO maybe better than regular squats).

The biggest disadvantage is simply...it won't transition linearly to regular squat gains, which is only relevant if you plan to powerlift. Hip flexors are not very relevant when box squatting (which is also nice if you ever injure them), and you won't train your myotatic reflex.

Also, don't come down on the box too hard, can hurt you back. Slowly come onto the box.

Just need to find an appropriate box to try out, but I'll give these a shot.

[ShadowDueler97]

Originally Posted by Reach

Generally speaking though, it's a form problem, not that the 'muscle doesn't want to grow'. That's not really a thing. Muscles don't have minds of their own, you're just not activating them properly when you workout.

A legitimate problem would be a narrow frame and or bad pec insertions, which would make your chest appear to be small even if it was big. Not much you can do about bad insertions.

I had chest growth problems in my first year that are long gone now.

Tips:

Paused pressing motions. Paused bench. Paused everything, even your accessories. By pausing at the bottom of your pressing movements, you're forcing your body to activate the pecs. You'll find you're weak as hell on paused movements until your chest gets stronger.

Use wider grips for pressing motions. For flyes, use a larger ROM.

Push your chest out! I see a lot of guys doing cable flyes and other pressing motions with no chest, and their shoulders are rounded forward and chests caved in. First of all, that's bad posture, and second, your chest won't grow that way. Learn to keep your shoulders back, back straight, chest out. Good posture during all exercises.

Thanks for the advice! I'm pretty limited when it comes to weights and equipment. I have a total gym but I don't know if any of you like it. I don't have a weight bench but I'm sure I can find something to substitute. I also only have one dumbbell, but I do have a barbell.

[Arch0wl]

if you can't feel the tension your delts will stay in one dimension

[Reach]

Originally Posted by Reincarnate

Yeah I had been wondering if it was something like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av3LO2GwpAk&t=3m

But I took a pic of my leg / measured the distances, and my femur is pretty much the same length as my tibia.

I also tried another pic:

http://i.imgur.com/Dn1XRLL.png

Torso (23 in) to leg (39 in) seems OK I think (my measurements are really wishy-washy here). There may be some standardized way to measure but I didn't bother to Google for it yet bc things seemed fine in the pic anyway.

And yet I don't think I have any serious mobility problem either (but maybe I am sorely mistaken here), so it's like, wtf mate.



Just need to find an appropriate box to try out, but I'll give these a shot.

Well, your legs don't look that long in that picture. Not even close to as long as the lady I'm referencing. I know you're tall though, so that probably factors into it slightly.

There are probably some mobility issues then. That might not be apparent, but if you're anything like I was you probably grew up spending lots of time on the computer with bad posture and this leads to bad ankle and hip flexor mobility.

As such, I would still try box squats, with light sets of deep squats here and there to continue to work on mobility.

You'll probably find box squats infinitely easier and more comfortable regardless.

I like that guys video too by the way. I love it when people with hilariously good leverages for ATG squats tell me it's my lack of mobility preventing me from having a strong ATG squat.

[Arch0wl]

Been making slight tweaks to my workout here and there.

I call it BOP SQUEDLIFT AND FRIENDS because this is the only name I've been able to come up with that describes it concisely. (bench + overhead press + squat + deadlift + accessories)

The gist is that one day is bench/ohp and every accessory under the sun related to those, then another day is squat and deadlift and every accessory under the sun related to those, then rest for two days. Maybe three if it really kicks your ass, but two should be enough.

I started adding more accessories around these lifts when I got really sick of most of my work coming from a single lift, GVT-style. Doing a lot of a single exercise is suboptimal for improvement because on a given lift most of the resistance will be against whatever your weaker muscles are for that lift, so if you have a strong muscle it will not develop as quickly until the weaker muscles improve. You might as well just develop every fucking muscle related to the lift and reap the benefits.

The downside, which I don't really think is a downside, is that the workouts take forever. 1.5-2hrs for BOP and 2-2.5hrs for SQUEDLIFT. I like it this way though, because for me going to the gym is actually far more annoying than being in the gym. (I fucking hate driving; it's an elongated period of hundreds of people being in my way.)

I'm adding minor tweaks as I find certain muscles need more or less volume to grow. Also the suppversity series has brought a few exercises to my attention worth doing, both for increased mobility/comfort and better big 3 lifts. Namely:

- adductor machine (for squat mobility)
- db kickbacks on incline bench (for long head of tricep)
- lying db rotations (for rotator cuff / bench mobility)
- paused squats, fuck it I just need to do these more in general

I've been getting pretty great results so far and will post the whole thing once I've perfected it. I'm pretty far from doing that though.

[Cold Kitten]

so i did plates for straight leg dead lifts today 8) I'm pretty happy with it. definitely was one of my goals lifting-wise

[Reincarnate]

186 lbs this morning. Feels like progress is stalling a bit but progress is progress I guess.

[kmay]

you're still losing weight? thats insane.

[Arch0wl]

hit 16" on bicep and 13" on forearm

[SCWolf]

Deciding to take things a little more serious with my lifting.

Things I will be buying:

1. Weightlifting shoes

Looking into squatting more seriously. I've been putting it off a lot due to lower back pain as well as numerous other things but with the right equipment and form practice I can fix it, I'm sure of it.

2. Knee sleeves

Will aid in squatting later on when I'm squatting higher numbers like I was a year ago.

3. Belt

My back. This will help my back with squats. If all goes well, I may start attempting deadlifts as well.

4. Slingshot

This isn't necessarily for strength progression, but more technique and learning. Slingshots force your form basically. I have an issue with form breakdown on a final set (usually my heaviest). The slingshot will help with maintaining this form, and I'll use it essentially for heavier back-off work.

Also going to be incorporating just more rep work. NorthStrong has been doing just that, and his overall progress with it is outstanding. It shows a lot in his form, which I'd argue is damn near perfect.

5. Maybe wrist wraps

Not 100% sure about the wrist wraps, as they're kind of just there to help your wrists do the job they should be doing on their own (within the realm of reason). They do have benefits, but for the weight I'm lifting, they're not necessary.

This is going to be a year where I really push myself, I think. I understand nutrition more, what numbers my body requires to grow and how to get there. My training is something I plan to approach in a more simplistic fashion, focusing heavily again on bench and squat. I plan on eliminating superfluous assistance work and mainly just target what needs to be targeted. If I don't end up actually removing exercises, my rep/set numbers will decrease while I plan to increase the weight I work with instead. Basically moving more weight for less sets.

Just going to talk it over with Sam and probably sit down with him before I make the order.

[Wayward Vagabond]

Gains galore. Pretty much everything has improved. I have a problem with reps though. My trainers pushing me to do higher reps which is the opposite of what I've done every time I've done weight training.

[Reach]

Damn Chris, getting serious.

I might order squat shoes. That's about it though.

Weight down to 185. Cut going well again (finally) and I'm committed this time. Going to keep going for the rest of the summer.

[Shouka]

Nice job on the cut Reach! I almost weigh as much as you now =(

[Reincarnate]

Also 185... very different fat/muscle tradeoff though. :p

[Arch0wl]

cutting for a week or so, got down to 192 from... 207, rofl

water weight can go fuck itself

[Shouka]

You guys are making me feel heavy, especially considering that I'm shorter than all of you.

[Reach]

Originally Posted by Reincarnate

Also 185... very different fat/muscle tradeoff though. :p

Hah, you'll get there.

My stomach is being a bastard this cut.

Leg striations coming in, caliper reading on quads / inside of thigh 5 and 7%. Legs almost peeled.

Arms, back, chest all also coming in.

But I have nearly 20% around bellybutton. Fucking spare tire that is making bringing in my abs look really awkward. It's starting to go now, thankfully, but god damn.

Wish I had Chris's fat distribution genetics so I wouldn't have to cut so much. I'm going to have to drop another 10 to get the abs I want.

[kmay]

lol i think we all do reach =] he's like perfect.


i'm not sure what i want to do weight wise. i hate my belly but i want to see more results when i cut... this sucks

[NorthStrong]

Originally Posted by SCWolf

NorthStrong has been doing just that, and his overall progress with it is outstanding. It shows a lot in his form, which I'd argue is damn near perfect.

thx hunny

meet this weekend. will be my 4th meet in a year, gonna be interesting to see how it goes. training has gone well, and I think I am set up for a nice squat PR. I'll post the results up when I get footage etc.

[kommisar]

started consistently doing workouts about 2 weeks ago (was on and off beforehand about once a week average for the past like 3 years). Started out at 198lbs. Blood pressure for the past 7 years was always like 145/85 which is not optimal I guess.


yesterday was 193lbs, 127/78 blood pressure.

feels gooooooooooooooooooooooooood






wait is northstrong fuckin ricki