Blonde will make you STRONG

[EvilPie]

All seems pretty good, would definitely recommend DL'-ing on a straight bar at the very least. Start slow with the Olympic one and get used to it. There isn't a rush.

Nice one thank you. I will convert over and try 50kg on the bar to start for the deadlift. Would the bigger bar be about 20kg itself? So 70kg total?

I can't see a huge problem with the EZ bar but definitely better to use the mans bar if you have access to one. If you don't then move to a mans gym.

If it's a proper Olympic bar it should be 20kg. 50kg plus the bar seems a good place to start and I'd really try to build slowly from there. an extra 5kg per week will get you to some good numbers really quickly.

Regarding your bench press I think your 5kg weekly jumps there are hugely excessive. Unless you're finding it way too easy at the moment you're going to be failing in a few weeks and you don't want to fail. If it really is that easy then why haven't you already added a few lots of 5kg?

This was always my problem with bench pressing. I'd want to increase but I'd try to add too much and I just couldn't do it. I got in to a mind set that 100kg for 4 sets of 10 was my thing and even sticking an extra couple of 5kg plates on would destroy me. See the problem here? I was adding too much. 10% added to your normal weight is a lot and that's why I couldn't do it. If I stuck a couple of 1.25kg discs on then I probably wouldn't have noticed.

If you're adding 5kg per session to a current 40kg then it won't be long before you can't do it.

Unless you're testing your 1RM then try to make sure you don't fail. Adjust your reps or weight accordingly but give each variation a chance. You could add 5kg one day and fail but it's nothing to with the weight but rather you're just having a bad day. Make the changes slowly so you know what's what.

[Ant040689]

I think i was so robust with that 5kg every session because back in the day i was lifting i believe 80kg but that may have been a mistake and regardless it was probably too optimistic as that was a long time ago as well. Also even though the prediction of 5kg moving up each session was wrong, I normally do really well in making sure i stop short of causing niggles and strains. Rarely do i go to failure, unless it feels like a comfortable failure if that makes any sense lol. As in yeh you are failing but nothing feels like its being overtly strained, you are just getting tired. Regardless, i go at about 80% max mostly, but sometimes the back end of a set creeps up on me and i start to fail.

I lifted a 35kg barbell today 1x15 1x10 1x8 1x5 and that was quite tough. I would have gone 40kg but the bar was being used. Also i was thinking when i get to 50kg+ I have got to be using a rack to help me out. At the moment i am using a bench alone.

My gym has two racks and too many people, so its going to be a ballache to even get the chance to do them moving forward.

[iRaise]

All seems pretty good, would definitely recommend DL'-ing on a straight bar at the very least. Start slow with the Olympic one and get used to it. There isn't a rush.

Nice one thank you. I will convert over and try 50kg on the bar to start for the deadlift. Would the bigger bar be about 20kg itself? So 70kg total?

I can't see a huge problem with the EZ bar but definitely better to use the mans bar if you have access to one. If you don't then move to a mans gym.

If it's a proper Olympic bar it should be 20kg. 50kg plus the bar seems a good place to start and I'd really try to build slowly from there. an extra 5kg per week will get you to some good numbers really quickly.

Regarding your bench press I think your 5kg weekly jumps there are hugely excessive. Unless you're finding it way too easy at the moment you're going to be failing in a few weeks and you don't want to fail. If it really is that easy then why haven't you already added a few lots of 5kg?

This was always my problem with bench pressing. I'd want to increase but I'd try to add too much and I just couldn't do it. I got in to a mind set that 100kg for 4 sets of 10 was my thing and even sticking an extra couple of 5kg plates on would destroy me. See the problem here? I was adding too much. 10% added to your normal weight is a lot and that's why I couldn't do it. If I stuck a couple of 1.25kg discs on then I probably wouldn't have noticed.

If you're adding 5kg per session to a current 40kg then it won't be long before you can't do it.

Unless you're testing your 1RM then try to make sure you don't fail. Adjust your reps or weight accordingly but give each variation a chance. You could add 5kg one day and fail but it's nothing to with the weight but rather you're just having a bad day. Make the changes slowly so you know what's what.

EZ bar will be less stable I would have though? Maybe a mini straight bar would be better if you don't want to go longer.

There is an argument for with a beginner slap the weight on as fast as possible to rinse those gains. But then its ridiculously high risk. You cant go too far wrong with slow and steady progress. 5kg seems fine, you just aren't gonna be able to go up 5kg for the next 6 months. Unless you want to start prodding yourself with some needles.

[iRaise]

I think i was so robust with that 5kg every session because back in the day i was lifting i believe 80kg but that may have been a mistake and regardless it was probably too optimistic as that was a long time ago as well. Also even though the prediction of 5kg moving up each session was wrong, I normally do really well in making sure i stop short of causing niggles and strains. Rarely do i go to failure, unless it feels like a comfortable failure if that makes any sense lol. As in yeh you are failing but nothing feels like its being overtly strained, you are just getting tired. Regardless, i go at about 80% max mostly, but sometimes the back end of a set creeps up on me and i start to fail.

I lifted a 35kg barbell today 1x15 1x10 1x8 1x5 and that was quite tough. I would have gone 40kg but the bar was being used. Also i was thinking when i get to 50kg+ I have got to be using a rack to help me out. At the moment i am using a bench alone.

My gym has two racks and too many people, so its going to be a ballache to even get the chance to do them moving forward.

Not sure what those numbers are for in terms of which lift. But DL-ing anything less than 60 is always awkward because of the bar height. You are basically doing deficit DLs. I also feel if you weigh more than 60kg, DL-ing 60 seems legit. Anything less and I worry peoples form/concentration/technique just about everything breaks down because its so light. There has to be some stimulus the other side.

[EvilPie]

I think i was so robust with that 5kg every session because back in the day i was lifting i believe 80kg but that may have been a mistake and regardless it was probably too optimistic as that was a long time ago as well. Also even though the prediction of 5kg moving up each session was wrong, I normally do really well in making sure i stop short of causing niggles and strains. Rarely do i go to failure, unless it feels like a comfortable failure if that makes any sense lol. As in yeh you are failing but nothing feels like its being overtly strained, you are just getting tired. Regardless, i go at about 80% max mostly, but sometimes the back end of a set creeps up on me and i start to fail.

I lifted a 35kg barbell today 1x15 1x10 1x8 1x5 and that was quite tough. I would have gone 40kg but the bar was being used. Also i was thinking when i get to 50kg+ I have got to be using a rack to help me out. At the moment i am using a bench alone.

My gym has two racks and too many people, so its going to be a ballache to even get the chance to do them moving forward.

Sounds like you need to start looking for a new gym if you want to take your lifting seriously.

From what you've just said you're using fixed weight barbells rather than a bar with plates added. They're presumably quite short which means you can't get a proper width grip for benching and also of course they don't fit on a rack. I imagine you're standing up with a bar then sitting with it on the bench and getting it in to position before pressing. You're never going to do 100kg like that or at least you shouldn't be!! Those bars are for curls, front lat raises, upright rows, basically general accessory movements. You can possibly add OHP and bent over row when you're starting out but that's about it.

Get on the Olympic bar asap if you ever want to lift big. If you don't want to lift big then no problem at all, crack on, but you'll never get anywhere long term with the kit you're using at the moment. Also bear in mind that the long bar has very different leverages to a short bar. The weights are a lot further away from your hands so any weakness in either side will be quickly exposed because the bar will be all over the place. This is good. Just stay light until your weak side develops and then you can move on to bigger and better things.

If your gym can't provide the kit you need then get a new gym. Pure, xercise4less and no doubt a host of others are all super cheap and have loads of kit. They don't have the extras like sauna and steam room but that's not what you need to lift big weights, you need big weights and not having to queue to get to them.

Glad to have you back posting. Looking forward to seeing how you develop but just remember to take your time. Sorry if this gets boring and repetitive but I'm going to keep saying it.

[iRaise]

I think i was so robust with that 5kg every session because back in the day i was lifting i believe 80kg but that may have been a mistake and regardless it was probably too optimistic as that was a long time ago as well. Also even though the prediction of 5kg moving up each session was wrong, I normally do really well in making sure i stop short of causing niggles and strains. Rarely do i go to failure, unless it feels like a comfortable failure if that makes any sense lol. As in yeh you are failing but nothing feels like its being overtly strained, you are just getting tired. Regardless, i go at about 80% max mostly, but sometimes the back end of a set creeps up on me and i start to fail.

I lifted a 35kg barbell today 1x15 1x10 1x8 1x5 and that was quite tough. I would have gone 40kg but the bar was being used. Also i was thinking when i get to 50kg+ I have got to be using a rack to help me out. At the moment i am using a bench alone.

My gym has two racks and too many people, so its going to be a ballache to even get the chance to do them moving forward.

Sounds like you need to start looking for a new gym if you want to take your lifting seriously.

From what you've just said you're using fixed weight barbells rather than a bar with plates added. They're presumably quite short which means you can't get a proper width grip for benching and also of course they don't fit on a rack. I imagine you're standing up with a bar then sitting with it on the bench and getting it in to position before pressing. You're never going to do 100kg like that or at least you shouldn't be!! Those bars are for curls, front lat raises, upright rows, basically general accessory movements. You can possibly add OHP and bent over row when you're starting out but that's about it.

Get on the Olympic bar asap if you ever want to lift big. If you don't want to lift big then no problem at all, crack on, but you'll never get anywhere long term with the kit you're using at the moment. Also bear in mind that the long bar has very different leverages to a short bar. The weights are a lot further away from your hands so any weakness in either side will be quickly exposed because the bar will be all over the place. This is good. Just stay light until your weak side develops and then you can move on to bigger and better things.

If your gym can't provide the kit you need then get a new gym. Pure, xercise4less and no doubt a host of others are all super cheap and have loads of kit. They don't have the extras like sauna and steam room but that's not what you need to lift big weights, you need big weights and not having to queue to get to them.

Glad to have you back posting. Looking forward to seeing how you develop but just remember to take your time. Sorry if this gets boring and repetitive but I'm going to keep saying it.

Echo this in terms of gyms. Pure etc are pretty cheap and have everything you will ever need. Sure at some point you may want to go to a specialised gym, but you won't need that for years, if ever.

Also echo the take your time. We play the long game here.

[EvilPie]

Pretty decent week at the gym for me. Can't remember what I did on the bench Monday but it was just maintenance ready for my next shot at a 6 week programme leading to a 1RM test at the end of April.

Tuesday I did a really light lower day, Wednesday a decent upper accessory day and then a good deadlift session today.

I'm really struggling to find something that I can stick to at the moment. Bench is easy, I love it and I have a programme that I like. The problem is fitting everything else in. My deadlift has been improving nicely but I now want to work on my squat after the positive session I had with Harvey. I need to practice what I recently preach and maintain patience but it's so difficult.

I did 5 x 5 today for deadlift at 100kg. Felt really good and I know I had the weight about right. I wasn't maxed out but it wasn't easy by any means. Technique felt spot on and bar speed was good so I can see some really good progress has been made. There's literally zero chance I'd have hit these numbers at the start of the year before I started doing 5 x 10 really light for about 6 weeks. I really feel like the form is spot on now so I should steadily increase over the next few months so that has really paid off for me. It wasn't nice deadlifting 60kg but now it's paying dividends.

5 x 5 seems like it should work for a while. It's a beginners programme but I have to remember that as far as deadlift is concerned I definitely AM a beginner. I feel like I'm switching my plan quite often and that's not what I recommend to others but I guess with my 15+ years gym experience behind me I have much better knowledge of how my body works than someone who's only been there a couple of years.

So Ant and MTN..... It may seem like I don't practice what I preach but that's because I've already gone through that stage years ago. Get the basics sorted with a simple programme that you stick to and then develop it yourself as you gain more knowledge.
 

[muckthenuts]

My gym is the same with 2 racks, cheap, basically crap and has  way too many people. I've benefited from it being 5 mins walk away rather than a drive though, no doubt my consistency would suffer otherwise. Generally I find the  "how many sets you got left mate" question tends to mean I'm using the bar within 10-15 minutes, presumably because there's more recreational lifters there. No serious lifter would go to a gym with 2 racks as Matt says, so a noob like me can benefit from that

[Marky147]

4 sessions this week, and did the lighter weights for more sets again. No pain other than DOMs in the following days, which is another bonus.

Tried going really deep on the leg press, and I was walking even more bowlegged than I do anways for the rest of the week

Same again for next couple weeks before 'Rife, in with the therapist when I get back, and then see where my strength is.

[Ant040689]

Pretty decent week at the gym for me. Can't remember what I did on the bench Monday but it was just maintenance ready for my next shot at a 6 week programme leading to a 1RM test at the end of April.

Tuesday I did a really light lower day, Wednesday a decent upper accessory day and then a good deadlift session today.

I'm really struggling to find something that I can stick to at the moment. Bench is easy, I love it and I have a programme that I like. The problem is fitting everything else in. My deadlift has been improving nicely but I now want to work on my squat after the positive session I had with Harvey. I need to practice what I recently preach and maintain patience but it's so difficult.

I did 5 x 5 today for deadlift at 100kg. Felt really good and I know I had the weight about right. I wasn't maxed out but it wasn't easy by any means. Technique felt spot on and bar speed was good so I can see some really good progress has been made. There's literally zero chance I'd have hit these numbers at the start of the year before I started doing 5 x 10 really light for about 6 weeks. I really feel like the form is spot on now so I should steadily increase over the next few months so that has really paid off for me. It wasn't nice deadlifting 60kg but now it's paying dividends.

5 x 5 seems like it should work for a while. It's a beginners programme but I have to remember that as far as deadlift is concerned I definitely AM a beginner. I feel like I'm switching my plan quite often and that's not what I recommend to others but I guess with my 15+ years gym experience behind me I have much better knowledge of how my body works than someone who's only been there a couple of years.

So Ant and MTN..... It may seem like I don't practice what I preach but that's because I've already gone through that stage years ago. Get the basics sorted with a simple programme that you stick to and then develop it yourself as you gain more knowledge.
 

Glad to hear you are progressing well.

From your advice, I guess I have too many moving parts to feel comfortable or stick to a program. I have stopped goalkeeping and probably have done for good, so now do i become an all out strength athlete? Try and maintain a balance? Just train and let it all take care of itself, or would perhaps endurance training eat into any muscle mass gains? That is why I have leaned towards more sprint training for cardio as i hear that is better than longer slower runs. Generally, I don't know what I want long term. And I think that is fine. I'm working it out. The long game as was mentioned before.

Also there is enough to concentrate on in the short term. Mainly my hip, groin, lower back mobility. And that means starting low with the squats and deadlifts, getting the form right, and progressing slowly which i am doing and seeing great results in terms of feeling looser. This is where i should take a step back and study yoga type poses, stretches and body weight routines and maybe circuits similar to freeletics, to really ramp home the needed mobility gains i need. As I find lifting heavy is great to build muscle but it's a limited movement generally. I should probably do more to follow a more emphatic program taking on board better flexibility and a more vast range of movement. The whole process of incorporating all of that baffles me and i stick to the old routine (which is pretty solid tbf, but can always be improved). Mainly the problem of fitting it all in and what exactly to do to extract most value and keeping it all tight time wise, is the issue.

On the topic of finding a better lifting gym. Yes you are right. But for deadlifts the one I have is fine as it has a big open area and a lot of bars and a lot of free weights available to hit up to 150kg+ if i ever got around to it, but for bench press it is lacking, but  could sneak a rack if i am clever about it. Anyway using the fixed barbells that you correctly assumed is what i am doing, and as they max out at 45kg, I guess until I am comfortable with that, then i can consider moving gym, ha. I can cancel any time i want, and I have another gym lined up that looks to fit the bill as a more lifter friendly gym. All in good time I guess.

For now I am going to stick with the alternate days, of what i listed before, with a solid warm up and down, stay niggle free if i can, and keep it pretty casual and enjoyable to keep on going back. Taking a more relaxed approach I think oddly has improved my performance if anything rather than going in too excitable.

Chest gains have been immense recently from lifting so low which is comical, but must be to do with how a beginner will get the biggest gains at the start in an underdeveloped area, which is happening with me. Long may it continue  .

I am walking around now and take notice i have chest muscles. I haven't gone as far as to have an over-elaborate arms out wide walk to show everyone how much of a brick shit house geezer i am, but i'm sure the only logical next step will soon be Danny Dyer strutting

[EvilPie]

Can't beat that feeling when you first notice you have a set of pecs

I'd highly recommend that you slip in 100 press ups each session if you really want to see some fast gains in your chest development. End of each just get down and get 100 done as part of your warm down. Doesn't matter if it's 10 x 10, 5 x 20, 4 x 25 etc. just get them done.

If you really don't know what you want then there's no problem with winging it until you figure out something that you want to stick to. Getting to the gym is the most important thing and you're doing that so I say just keep it up.

I found that RDLs really helped with my deadlift development when I was in rehab following injury. They really helped strengthen my lower back, hips, glutes and hamstrings all of which were really weak. The video below explains the technique perfectly in my opinion and was without doubt the catalyst that got me in to working on strength training rather than body building.

[iRaise]

Switched it up a little bit, probably 3-4 weeks then will go back to some volume work.

4x3 Squats 130
4x8 RDL
3x5 Hack 50kg (still find this one so tough)

[Marky147]

Legs today, and was enjoyable, albeit frustrating.

Did 2x 10 inverted hack squats, but clonus got too bad in 3rd set and had to stop after 4.

Thought I'd try some normal hack squats, but where I'm so weak I can't drop below parallel. Did a couple sets of 6, and then went onto leg press.

Plates per side

1 x 10
1.5 x 10
2 x 4r
1 x 10
 
Empty x 12

Going as slowly as possible, and much deeper on this one is much harder, but I think will be more beneficial long term.

[iRaise]

Legs today, and was enjoyable, albeit frustrating.

Did 2x 10 inverted hack squats, but clonus got too bad in 3rd set and had to stop after 4.

Thought I'd try some normal hack squats, but where I'm so weak I can't drop below parallel. Did a couple sets of 6, and then went onto leg press.

Plates per side

1 x 10
1.5 x 10
2 x 4r
1 x 10
 
Empty x 12

Going as slowly as possible, and much deeper on this one is much harder, but I think will be more beneficial long term.

If you can, rarely a bad plan trying to get a full range.

[EvilPie]

Must be universal legs day....

Leg press 4 x 10 warm up.
Squats 4 x 5 up to 80kg. Felt really easy
RDL 4 x 8 to 80kg
DL 3 x 5 to 100kg

Not looking to set any records but I'm learning that taking it light doesn't mean I'm not getting stronger. Would be nice to see some steady squat progress so that I can get somewhere near Harvey on the next test day. The main thing for me with these and deadlifts is confidence and that's coming along nicely now.

This routine seems to work quite nicely for me. It's not something I could go heavy at mid week as I don't have sufficient time to fit breaks in but I still feel like it's really working.