Blonde will make you STRONG

[iRaise]

Do you train with him every time? Do you have long term aims, or just go in week by week and do what you can? (that snot a trick question by the way, both feel a really good plan)

[iRaise]

4x4 this week.

Squats to start the week. 110 for 4's. Really liking my depth right now, although it is making progress so much harder. Obviously, would much prefer it like this though. Just have to fall in love with the old 1.25kgs.

Tried T bar RDLS today. Really like them. Lower back gets a bit of a reset and can go up with the reps.

T Bar rows are up tomorrow.

[Marky147]

Do you train with him every time? Do you have long term aims, or just go in week by week and do what you can? (that snot a trick question by the way, both feel a really good plan)

Yeah, every session with him.  Handy, because I wouldn't be able to do lots of the stuff on my own.

After xmas I'll probably drop back to 2x a week with him, as my brother said he's going to start again, now he has finished building his extension.

Nothing rigid longterm, beyond getting stronger, and losing more excess timber.

I'd like to get strong enough to jump back into some squatting, and see how close I can get to 80kg, which was what I was doing in 2011.

[EvilPie]

Bit of a struggle for me the last week or so with a niggling shoulder pull but seems to be about fixed now.

I managed 5 x 4 chins today with absolutely no forearm pain which was amazing. I didn't push too hard hence stopping at 4 reps but to be able to do these pain free for the first time in ages was so satisfying. Would love to be able to do these properly again at some point and this is the first step so I'm really pleased.

Everything else is going great. Feeling strong, training hard, eating well, generally all good

[iRaise]

Do you train with him every time? Do you have long term aims, or just go in week by week and do what you can? (that snot a trick question by the way, both feel a really good plan)

Yeah, every session with him.  Handy, because I wouldn't be able to do lots of the stuff on my own.

After xmas I'll probably drop back to 2x a week with him, as my brother said he's going to start again, now he has finished building his extension.

Nothing rigid longterm, beyond getting stronger, and losing more excess timber.

I'd like to get strong enough to jump back into some squatting, and see how close I can get to 80kg, which was what I was doing in 2011.

Think they are pretty solid aims all round. I was thinking that, how much can you do unassisted? I had a spot for the last two sets yesterday, and they just give me so much more confidence.

[iRaise]

Bit of a struggle for me the last week or so with a niggling shoulder pull but seems to be about fixed now.

I managed 5 x 4 chins today with absolutely no forearm pain which was amazing. I didn't push too hard hence stopping at 4 reps but to be able to do these pain free for the first time in ages was so satisfying. Would love to be able to do these properly again at some point and this is the first step so I'm really pleased.

Everything else is going great. Feeling strong, training hard, eating well, generally all good

Haven't done chins for ages cos of my shoulder. I do want to chuck them back in.

How are legs going? I have struggled squatting a bit through not being able to have my hands narrow enough on the bar because of shoulder pain. Along with general stability in RDL's etc keeping my shoulder back.

[EvilPie]

Bit of a struggle for me the last week or so with a niggling shoulder pull but seems to be about fixed now.

I managed 5 x 4 chins today with absolutely no forearm pain which was amazing. I didn't push too hard hence stopping at 4 reps but to be able to do these pain free for the first time in ages was so satisfying. Would love to be able to do these properly again at some point and this is the first step so I'm really pleased.

Everything else is going great. Feeling strong, training hard, eating well, generally all good

Haven't done chins for ages cos of my shoulder. I do want to chuck them back in.

How are legs going? I have struggled squatting a bit through not being able to have my hands narrow enough on the bar because of shoulder pain. Along with general stability in RDL's etc keeping my shoulder back.

I've not actually trained legs for nearly three weeks because of injury one week and then just being knackered the day after physio last week.

I'm not overly fussed about legs at the moment so they're my default 'skip' session if I need to miss one. My main focus is on trying to develop the tiny back muscles that are so often neglected as I think they've been causing me quite a few of my shoulder issues. Problem with these muscles is they're so tiny you can't do much for them so it's a real patience game but hopefully it will pay off. Certainly seems good so far and I think it's contributed to my getting back on the chin up bar.

I'll be doing legs on Thursday so I'll report back but I expect to be squatting up to about 80kg then probably some light RDLs, a few leg curls, perhaps some hack squats and then finish with calves. Won't be pushing any limits that's for sure.

What do you think has caused your shoulder problem? I've always found that training my back has helped with any shoulder issues I've had in the past as it stretches them out quite nicely.

[iRaise]

Bit of a struggle for me the last week or so with a niggling shoulder pull but seems to be about fixed now.

I managed 5 x 4 chins today with absolutely no forearm pain which was amazing. I didn't push too hard hence stopping at 4 reps but to be able to do these pain free for the first time in ages was so satisfying. Would love to be able to do these properly again at some point and this is the first step so I'm really pleased.

Everything else is going great. Feeling strong, training hard, eating well, generally all good

Haven't done chins for ages cos of my shoulder. I do want to chuck them back in.

How are legs going? I have struggled squatting a bit through not being able to have my hands narrow enough on the bar because of shoulder pain. Along with general stability in RDL's etc keeping my shoulder back.

I've not actually trained legs for nearly three weeks because of injury one week and then just being knackered the day after physio last week.

I'm not overly fussed about legs at the moment so they're my default 'skip' session if I need to miss one. My main focus is on trying to develop the tiny back muscles that are so often neglected as I think they've been causing me quite a few of my shoulder issues. Problem with these muscles is they're so tiny you can't do much for them so it's a real patience game but hopefully it will pay off. Certainly seems good so far and I think it's contributed to my getting back on the chin up bar.

I'll be doing legs on Thursday so I'll report back but I expect to be squatting up to about 80kg then probably some light RDLs, a few leg curls, perhaps some hack squats and then finish with calves. Won't be pushing any limits that's for sure.

What do you think has caused your shoulder problem? I've always found that training my back has helped with any shoulder issues I've had in the past as it stretches them out quite nicely.

I was seated pressing with the BB only 60 and it just kinda popped. Really acute sharp pain, and lost all strength in it. Really weird. I assume its cos of all the work I have done with flexibility meant the bar path was better, but I don't have the strength in that curve so it just went. I think with mobility just you pick up a few niggle because of having an extra range and possibly going with the weight we use before hand. Its much better now, probably around 80%. I used to have rotator cuff problems when I was clueless cos just trained chest and arms. Now I do way more back than chest. Well hardly do chest other than flies.

From experience, nearly every single person I have seen with shoulder issues is due to poor mobility and poor posterior strength. So either not training at all, or training really badly.

I have been doing loads of bend/straight arm rotations with the 1.25/2.5kg plates. Doing the banded dislocates too have really helped. My shoulders are still really tight and not incredibly flexible. So i'm not out the water yet in terms of potential injuries. But I hope in 6-12 months I will be in a much better place in terms of injury prevention.

[Marky147]

Do you train with him every time? Do you have long term aims, or just go in week by week and do what you can? (that snot a trick question by the way, both feel a really good plan)

Yeah, every session with him.  Handy, because I wouldn't be able to do lots of the stuff on my own.

After xmas I'll probably drop back to 2x a week with him, as my brother said he's going to start again, now he has finished building his extension.

Nothing rigid longterm, beyond getting stronger, and losing more excess timber.

I'd like to get strong enough to jump back into some squatting, and see how close I can get to 80kg, which was what I was doing in 2011.

Think they are pretty solid aims all round. I was thinking that, how much can you do unassisted? I had a spot for the last two sets yesterday, and they just give me so much more confidence.

When I was training 5yrs back, the guy I had been training with got a new mrs, and was very unreliable. I started training alone then, and just did DB for all pressing, rather than bar, and used to just do an extra set after failure.

Ideally I'd be able to do that again, but with my mobility so much worse, I  just wouldn't be able to move the weights/bars around inside the gym.

[muckthenuts]

Had a small question regarding leaning up a bit. I hate running so that is out of the question lol but I want to throw in hour long sessions on the exercise bikes on a variable resistance level.

Shall i do this straight after an hours weight session?

Or would it more optimal to go home after my weights session, consume some calories, then hit the bike for an hour in the evening?

[iRaise]

Had a small question regarding leaning up a bit. I hate running so that is out of the question lol but I want to throw in hour long sessions on the exercise bikes on a variable resistance level.

Shall i do this straight after an hours weight session?

Or would it more optimal to go home after my weights session, consume some calories, then hit the bike for an hour in the evening?

Probably not gonna matter, but dieting is about food. You are never gonna burn enough in an hour to make any major difference (in isolation, obviously many hours is different). I just walk to the gym, and lower KCALs when I diet. Keep everything else the same.

If you wanted to do something to tick the psychological box, I would do it after or it would be a ball ache. But depends on what you want to do, no major reason for either.

[EvilPie]

Had a small question regarding leaning up a bit. I hate running so that is out of the question lol but I want to throw in hour long sessions on the exercise bikes on a variable resistance level.

Shall i do this straight after an hours weight session?

Or would it more optimal to go home after my weights session, consume some calories, then hit the bike for an hour in the evening?

Far easier to just consume fewer calories and watch a bit of TV in the evening instead.

[iRaise]

Front Squats today

4x4 90kg

Felt ok, reckon I am good for a few more KG over the coming weeks. Then loads of single leg work.

Rack pulls tomorrow.

[EvilPie]

I was seated pressing with the BB only 60 and it just kinda popped. Really acute sharp pain, and lost all strength in it. Really weird. I assume its cos of all the work I have done with flexibility meant the bar path was better, but I don't have the strength in that curve so it just went. I think with mobility just you pick up a few niggle because of having an extra range and possibly going with the weight we use before hand. Its much better now, probably around 80%. I used to have rotator cuff problems when I was clueless cos just trained chest and arms. Now I do way more back than chest. Well hardly do chest other than flies.

From experience, nearly every single person I have seen with shoulder issues is due to poor mobility and poor posterior strength. So either not training at all, or training really badly.

I have been doing loads of bend/straight arm rotations with the 1.25/2.5kg plates. Doing the banded dislocates too have really helped. My shoulders are still really tight and not incredibly flexible. So i'm not out the water yet in terms of potential injuries. But I hope in 6-12 months I will be in a much better place in terms of injury prevention.

This seems to me like you've maybe swung too far the other way with your back/chest work.

You developed an imbalance before through too much chest training and lack of back training but surely imbalance works both ways?

I'd skip the flyes and get back on the bench. Flyes aren't great for your shoulders anyway so you'd be much better off with some top form bench pressing.

Have you watched any of the Jeff Cavaliere "athleanx" stuff on youtube? I think you could some great tips from his videos that would help your shoulder issues. Certainly working for me so far.

[iRaise]

I was seated pressing with the BB only 60 and it just kinda popped. Really acute sharp pain, and lost all strength in it. Really weird. I assume its cos of all the work I have done with flexibility meant the bar path was better, but I don't have the strength in that curve so it just went. I think with mobility just you pick up a few niggle because of having an extra range and possibly going with the weight we use before hand. Its much better now, probably around 80%. I used to have rotator cuff problems when I was clueless cos just trained chest and arms. Now I do way more back than chest. Well hardly do chest other than flies.

From experience, nearly every single person I have seen with shoulder issues is due to poor mobility and poor posterior strength. So either not training at all, or training really badly.

I have been doing loads of bend/straight arm rotations with the 1.25/2.5kg plates. Doing the banded dislocates too have really helped. My shoulders are still really tight and not incredibly flexible. So i'm not out the water yet in terms of potential injuries. But I hope in 6-12 months I will be in a much better place in terms of injury prevention.

This seems to me like you've maybe swung too far the other way with your back/chest work.

You developed an imbalance before through too much chest training and lack of back training but surely imbalance works both ways?

I'd skip the flyes and get back on the bench. Flyes aren't great for your shoulders anyway so you'd be much better off with some top form bench pressing.

Have you watched any of the Jeff Cavaliere "athleanx" stuff on youtube? I think you could some great tips from his videos that would help your shoulder issues. Certainly working for me so far.

That is certainly true, but I think a common ratio for back to from is 2:1 if that makes sense. Both legs and upper body.

Will definitely be bringing the bench back in once the shoulder is up to strength. I am pretty sure this happened because I get get much straight with my pressing now, and it is something I had never been able to do.

Strength is coming back there too. I still need to work on pinning my shoulders back more in general, but steady progress.

I have seen some of the stuff, it was a while back if I am thinking of the right one.