Planet Rugby Forum

Uppers today. Didn't train on Saturday as I wasn't feeling too good. Basically the same as last Thursday but a wee bit heavier weights. Managed a top set of 46*6 on the incline dumbbell press. Sounds stupid but 46kg dumbbells are bloody heavy

Followed the presses with Seated Machine Rows, Standing Dumbbell Presses, Wide Grip Pulldowns, Bottoms Up Kettlebell Presses, and Rope Facepulls. The latter two exercises are to try and promote better shoulders. I'm also doing various band pull aparts on my days off as well.

46kg DB is impressive!

Were you able to get into the starting position yourself. 35 or 37.5 is about the heaviest that I can do by myself. If I was to try and go heavier, I'd need a couple of guys to hand the DBs to me while already fully extended. I can't get them off my chest to start if they're too heavy, even if I can do a rep. Plus, my shoulder and back posture is all over the shop unless I start from fully extended.

It was fine. Dumbbells on knees and a rock back got them into position. Would be nice to get someone to hand the weights over, but I train alone during a quiet time in the gym so little hope. Seated Overhead pressing on the other hand is a problem. Can't get 36s up for love of money at the moment.

Fair enough. In do that for incline DB bench, but can't get it right for flat bench. Having to rock back that bit further to horizontal, while also getting the weights up throws me off.
I guess it's a strength issue too. You put up more than I do, so horsing a given DB weight up into place will be a bit easier than I find it.

ElementFreak wrote: Yep, if you have read his book he mentions that he puts in a lot of LSD

Careful, you can get banned for throwing around accusations of drug taking.

I actually have bruises on the side of my stomach about level with my belly button which I can only assume is from dumbbell pressing yesterday. Must be from getting up with the weights (I’ve never dropped a dumbbell in my life and I’m too stubborn to start now).

Lowers today. Decided to start doing 5x5 Squats three times a week. Not sure why but want to do more volume for my legs. Started at 60 and will either add 2.5 or 5kgs each session to build into it. Also did some light Romanian Dlifts, Front Loaded Squats and Calves.

Jay Cee Gee wrote:

ElementFreak wrote: Yep, if you have read his book he mentions that he puts in a lot of LSD

Careful, you can get banned for throwing around accusations of drug taking.

I like to live dangerously.

What’s every ones opinion on green powder/ drinks?

Con or useful?

Never heard of it. Is it some sort of dried green plant concentrate as a supplement?

They taste like shit and personally think you'd be better eating a banana. I tried one year's ago and didn't feel any difference only a lighter wallet and different coloured poo!

boringperson12 wrote:They taste like shit and personally think you'd be better eating a banana. I tried one year's ago and didn't feel any difference only a lighter wallet and different coloured poo!

Nols is well versed in eating Tummy bananas that taste of shit

wot?

boringperson12 wrote:They taste like shit and personally think you'd be better eating a banana. I tried one year's ago and didn't feel any difference only a lighter wallet and different coloured poo!

Different colour poo could be a selling point

Testing my maxes tonight

242.5 on squat. Equal PB but 6kg lower bodyweight
162.5 on bench. Was aiming for 170 but failed

Those numbers are insane.

@newportblue great work

Another session today, uppers plus squats. Incline Dumbbell Press, Squats (5*5), Pendlay Rows, Bottoms Up KBell Press, Wide Grip Pulldowns and some lateral raises. 40*6, 44*6 and 48*6 on the incline. First time ever doing Pendlay Rows, just did sets at 60kg.

Lower volume and conditioning for me this morning.
Squat: 100 x8, 4 sets
Box squat: 130 x6, 3 sets
RDL: 110 x8, 3 sets
SL calf raises
Tabata: C2 and Watt bike
Ab/skipping circuit


Changed up my squat posture for a much wider grip than normal. I usually grip it just over shoulder width apart, so my forearms are pretty much perpendicular to the bar. I have trouble going much wider as my right shoulder has awful external ROM. Had a good stretch and worked through with the wide grip this morning as this is my lighter leg day. Felt good, more glute dominant than my usual stance. My shoulders were wrecked afterwards from bracing so hard to keep an even posture.

Cheers bros

Gonna focus on some different lifts for a while now.

Spend the next couple of months working on front squats and over head press I think. With maybe long pause squats and bench as a secondary.

Nol- what’s the reasoning behind widen grip on squats? I thought as near to shoulders as mobility allows is recommended.

Just trying it out, more than anything. There's a much more pronounced ledge on my traps with the wider grip and the bar sits a shade lower, so it's more rear chain dominant than my usual.

I'll stick with my more regular grip on heavy loads for the moment.

TBH, part of it is to force the shoulders to open a bit. I'm fairly jealous of people with properly functioning shoulders. Mine are generally a mess. My right one won't open much without a lot of stretching beforehand, and the scap on my left wings a lot. When I struggle on pretty much any lift, I lose whatever brace I have and can feel my left scap lifting a shade. Just trying to open things up and pin everything in a tight posture.

Check out the squat I posted up the page. As I struggle, I lose my form as I grind through the sticking point. My left shoulder hunched more than my right, but getting my hand back behind my neck line to grab the bar is more difficult on my right side.
That particular rep was a bit manky cuz I hadn't done that weight in a couple of months, so I was slightly out of practice with keeping everything together through a tough rep.

Nolanator wrote:Just trying it out, more than anything. There's a much more pronounced ledge on my traps with the wider grip and the bar sits a shade lower, so it's more rear chain dominant than my usual.

I'll stick with my more regular grip on heavy loads for the moment.

TBH, part of it is to force the shoulders to open a bit. I'm fairly jealous of people with properly functioning shoulders. Mine are generally a mess. My right one won't open much without a lot of stretching beforehand, and the scap on my left wings a lot. When I struggle on pretty much any lift, I lose whatever brace I have and can feel my left scap lifting a shade. Just trying to open things up and pin everything in a tight posture.

Check out the squat I posted up the page. As I struggle, I lose my form as I grind through the sticking point. My left shoulder hunched more than my right, but getting my hand back behind my neck line to grab the bar is more difficult on my right side.
That particular rep was a bit manky cuz I hadn't done that weight in a couple of months, so I was slightly out of practice with keeping everything together through a tough rep.

Fair enough. I’ve only started warming my shoulder up to squat in the last few weeks. Still feels like death to begin with.

Tested my maxes on OHP and front squats yesterday.

105x1 on OHP
175x1 on front squats

Pretty happy with that, both 5kg down on my best but I haven’t Done OHP since May and haven’t front squatted for a month.

Some of you may know I chucked in my old career as a civil engineer to start a adult apprenticeship in plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying. This week was spent digging mud and rock, barrowing said mud and rock up a flight of stairs into a low sided skip bin, barrowing drainage metal down the stairs repeat ad nauseam. We had a staff BBQ breakfast and the other 19 year old apprentice that had helped on Wednesday and Thursday was complaining about being "very sore". I was tired after each day but not at all sore. Felt proper tough and wondered if I have the beginnings of "old man strength"

Been on an amended gym schedule as I got another lower back spasm last week after rugby training

I think It's down to my core not being strong enough. Have neglected core specific exercises with the attitude that my compounds will look after it but it's clearly not the case

Going to start introducing it into my routine day to day

newportblue wrote:Tested my maxes on OHP and front squats yesterday.

105x1 on OHP
175x1 on front squats

Pretty happy with that, both 5kg down on my best but I haven’t Done OHP since May and haven’t front squatted for a month.

Those are big numbers Well done.

105 is my max Push Press, I couldnt imagine strict pressing it

fishooks15 wrote:Been on an amended gym schedule as I got another lower back spasm last week after rugby training

I think It's down to my core not being strong enough. Have neglected core specific exercises with the attitude that my compounds will look after it but it's clearly not the case

Going to start introducing it into my routine day to day

Stretch the bejaysus out of your hips too. Glutes, hip flexors, etc. I find that when they're tight and I start running, my back is prone to seizing up.

Another full body session today.

Squats (5x5), Romanian Deadlifts, Log Press, Pendley Rows, Machine Shrugs, Tricep Pressdowns, and Hammer Curls. Reasonable session, took it easy for the most part.

Uppers today after a weekend of feeling ropey.

Incline Dbells 40*6, 46*6, 50*6. Followed this with Seated Machine Rows (top set had 42.5 on each side) Standing Dbell Press 22.5*10, 25*8, 27.5*4, and Wide Grip Pulldowns. Triceps were bucked on the last set of standing presses so didn't push it.

I think like Newportblue that I will concentrate on Overhead Press for a while. I'd like to push press 3 figures again and ultimately strict press 100 but will put some work into pressing the log the gym has first, as it actually felt quite good the other day.

Does anybody listen to any fitness related podcasts?

I tried the Rich Froning one today but there is just too much generic American podcast humour which is a shame as I imagine he knows his stuff.

I did a 315lbs pin squat yesterday after not squatting over 275lbs in months

Dougie-Drew wrote:Does anybody listen to any fitness related podcasts?

I tried the Rich Froning one today but there is just too much generic American podcast humour which is a shame as I imagine he knows his stuff.

The shrugged collective has some interesting ones, although can be quite “hippiey”. I used to like the power cast but that’s no longer running but could be go to go back over some the older one.

Ben coomber radio is good but more based around nutrition

Stevus55 wrote:I did a 315lbs pin squat yesterday after not squatting over 275lbs in months

I really like pin squats.

I’ve programmed myself pause squats for first time in probably a year tomorrow. Pretty only do squats, front squats and safety bar squats as my variants

newportblue wrote:

Stevus55 wrote:I did a 315lbs pin squat yesterday after not squatting over 275lbs in months

I really like pin squats.

I’ve programmed myself pause squats for first time in probably a year tomorrow. Pretty only do squats, front squats and safety bar squats as my variants

I only started doing them recently, love them.

Lowers today. Squats 5x5, Romanian Deadlifts 3x8 and Slidey Reverse Lunge things 3x5. Have built the Squats to a massive 65kgs. Just working on technique and trying to build up to squatting three times a week without walking round like John Wayne. The nice thing is it feels like I’m lifting nothing, my mobility and range of motion is improving and I’m still getting some work in even though I feel pretty icky at the moment.

Enjoyed my session tonight. Makes a change from 2.5 your sessions with 10 sets of bench and squat or whatever.

OHP
72x5 sets

2 count paused squats
132x3 6 sets
Did these in flat shoes for the first time in years. Felt good.

Barbell row
100x6 4 sets

50 kettlebell swings with 20kg

Ez bar curls
20x10 5 sets

Did a nice little complex yesterday as I was short on time:

Quick warmup, then start the clock for 20 mins by a squat rack doing as many rounds of possible of the following complex:

6 Shoulder Press
7 Front Squat
8 Bent Over Row
9 Deadlifts
10 Back Squats

Got 8 and a bit rounds done with 40KG on the bar (thought I'd get at least 10!!)

I had to sit down for a few minutes afterwards as well.

I had trained the day before so probably wasn't fully fresh, but I'm definitely going to add this one in once a week as one of my tough ones!

Beast of a run interval session yesterday performed at above 5k race pace with my Tri club - got into a bit of a competition with a clubmate as we kept each other honest

800m, 1minute rest, 400m, 1 minute rest, 200m, 2 minute rest. Repeat 3 times

On the third round I wanted to vomit on the 800m, wished I could vomit on the 400m, and then utterly died on the final 200m praying that I didn't vomit or crap myself (or both simultaenously)

my poor calf muscles are in ribbons today

I have just spent a week in the south of France, I am now officially fat.

Did a 3 x 20min erg the other night and nearly died

Dude how much actual fat weight is it even possible to put on in one single week? That's some shit girls always go on about. "I went out to dinner and now I'm fat". I guess in one week you might be able to put on kilo of actual pure fat weight or something if you really super over-indulged?

He may have been exaggerating for comedic effect. You can certainly get a bit out of shape in a week if you're not watching what you eat and boozing a bit, but nothing that a couple of decent blow-outs won't clear out.

Has anyone read "Natural Born Heroes" by Christopher Macdougall? Same guy that started the barefoot running fad...

This one is a very good read about the British SOE/Cretan Resistance kidnap of General Kreipe in WW2. As part of this he covers some theories about the "Natural Method" of training which is more functional fitness and in passing parkour, tough mudder and cross fit (or what cross fit should be - rather than the posing fest it seems to be). He makes an argument that lifting weights is unnatural and rather than making you strong as a system actually makes you weaker. Uses some parkour type examples to explain this.

Also goes into a lot of the "fat as fuel" for endurance stuff which even Professor Noakes is now acknowledging is more effective (and healthier) than the traditional carbohydrate fuel system that he created. In fact noakes goes as far as saying he was 'brainwashed' by industry into carbo fuelling.

The book is definitely worth reading for the history part alone even if you don't buy into the theories and it is a very well written book - I didn't buy into barefoot running and don't necessarily buy into every conclusion he makes here either.

The most confusing bit for me is he starts with some stuff about the bodies fascia being an interconnected system that works to make you strong and springy but then doesn't really explain how you would/could utilise it

Love to know if anyone here has read this book and if they made any changes or took another look at how they train based on it.