Blonde will make you STRONG

[EvilPie]

Pull-up challenge just maximal reps for 1 set by year end?

When do you wanna do BW challenge?

Like the sound of that for the chin ups. Perhaps all congregate at the same gym on the day?

BW challenge could be an issue with me until I'm fully recovered. Bench won't be a problem, squats seem okay at the moment but I'd be amazed if I can even get to BW on deadlifts by the end of this year.

My back's fully recovered but the nerve takes months to recover. It's getting better every day but I can't push too hard until it's sorted.

[EvilPie]

The other option is of course to just do it and if I can't lift BW then tough, I just lose.....

One to run by you guys:

Ongoing - 50kg dumbbells, first to make 3 reps

End of November - BW challenge, max reps

End of December - Chin up challenge, max reps

End of January - 50kg dumbbell challenge, max reps

Could potentially repeat the cycle or throw in a different exercise but always with 3 months notice.
 

[zerofive]

The other option is of course to just do it and if I can't lift BW then tough, I just lose.....

One to run by you guys:

Ongoing - 50kg dumbbells, first to make 3 reps

End of November - BW challenge, max reps

End of December - Chin up challenge, max reps

End of January - 50kg dumbbell challenge, max reps

Could potentially repeat the cycle or throw in a different exercise but always with 3 months notice.
 

Yeh this sounds like a plan. To be honest - and not to sound cliche - but it really isn't about winning/losing, it's about finding a way to push yourself to be better. If by "losing" you're allowing yourself to recover from an injury, then that's a win right?

Happy to get together somewhere, maybe when there's something on at Dusk and we're all roughly in the same area. Otherwise it'd be quite a trek for someone, no matter where we did it.

[EvilPie]

The other option is of course to just do it and if I can't lift BW then tough, I just lose.....

One to run by you guys:

Ongoing - 50kg dumbbells, first to make 3 reps

End of November - BW challenge, max reps

End of December - Chin up challenge, max reps

End of January - 50kg dumbbell challenge, max reps

Could potentially repeat the cycle or throw in a different exercise but always with 3 months notice.
 

Yeh this sounds like a plan. To be honest - and not to sound cliche - but it really isn't about winning/losing, it's about finding a way to push yourself to be better. If by "losing" you're allowing yourself to recover from an injury, then that's a win right?

Happy to get together somewhere, maybe when there's something on at Dusk and we're all roughly in the same area. Otherwise it'd be quite a trek for someone, no matter where we did it.

Agree 100%

It wouldn't bother me "losing" at all but it'll give me a target to aim for and be fun to see if I can at least narrow the gap to you two over the next few months.

What I didn't want to do was just pick challenges that suited me. I think I'm a slight favourite on the DB as I've done it before fairly recently. Chin ups is anybody's game in my opinion and comes down to who wants it the most. BW challenge I haven't got a chance at the moment but maybe I can catch up......

Deadlift is always going to be where I struggle the most. I've never liked them and I've always been paranoid of injury. I know though that if it's just up to BW that I should be fine as long as I maintain form. I like to think that if I have a reason to keep doing squats and deadlifts that it'll help me to focus and look forward to every session.

Love this thread

[iRaise]

The other option is of course to just do it and if I can't lift BW then tough, I just lose.....

One to run by you guys:

Ongoing - 50kg dumbbells, first to make 3 reps

End of November - BW challenge, max reps

End of December - Chin up challenge, max reps

End of January - 50kg dumbbell challenge, max reps

Could potentially repeat the cycle or throw in a different exercise but always with 3 months notice.
 

All over that. 3 months seems perfect too.

As Sean said, will try my ass to make sure I don't consistently come last. But there are no prizes for gettin injured. So as long as we all progress we win, unless I win

If it is just us three (WHICH I HOPE IT WON'T BE), I have no problem in coming over to notts at a weekend and all train together. Would be good to all meet up too. Never trained with Sean as of yet, so something I am keen to do.

I think the challenges are almost endless if we stay injury free.

And going along with Matt's sentiment, definitely found an extra gear in training today.

4x8 Front squats at 80kg, 2 months ago 80kg was my 3rep max, and I mean max, i was fallin over. These felt really comfortable.

So really looking forward to the next few month.

[iRaise]

And everyone who reads this, please set up some challenges. They don't have to be anything like we are doing. Someone is gonna be alot stronger than us, others not quite as strong yet.

But would be awesome to get as many as we could on.

Even if you are learning, watch Matt's progress with the squat. He is on the bar now, see where he will end up in 3 months. We ALL start somewhere.

So anyone on the fence get involved.

@muckthenuts, fully expect you to be involved with the BW stuff, and probably expect you to do pretty well.

[iRaise]

Training update:

finally a decent deadlift session

4x4 160/165/170/175 (3 reps on the last one)

The exercise on show, the DB press, a comfortable 4x6 at 40kg.

Can't remember if we specified, are we allowed help to position them? Or do we have to literally get them from the floor, to knees to flat by ourselves?

[EvilPie]

Training update:

finally a decent deadlift session

4x4 160/165/170/175 (3 reps on the last one)

The exercise on show, the DB press, a comfortable 4x6 at 40kg.

Can't remember if we specified, are we allowed help to position them? Or do we have to literally get them from the floor, to knees to flat by ourselves?

Awesome work on the deadlifts there!!

Personally think no assistance whatsoever but I guess that's biased because that's how I do them. I guess that if you're doing 3 or 4 then clearly you can lift the weight through the specified movement.

How much help are we talking about? A little stabilising touch on the elbows or as much as getting in to position and having someone lift them for you one at a time?

Maybe we could say 3 reps if you're completely unassisted or an extra one if you get help?

[iRaise]

Training update:

finally a decent deadlift session

4x4 160/165/170/175 (3 reps on the last one)

The exercise on show, the DB press, a comfortable 4x6 at 40kg.

Can't remember if we specified, are we allowed help to position them? Or do we have to literally get them from the floor, to knees to flat by ourselves?

Awesome work on the deadlifts there!!

Personally think no assistance whatsoever but I guess that's biased because that's how I do them. I guess that if you're doing 3 or 4 then clearly you can lift the weight through the specified movement.

How much help are we talking about? A little stabilising touch on the elbows or as much as getting in to position and having someone lift them for you one at a time?

Maybe we could say 3 reps if you're completely unassisted or an extra one if you get help?

Really want that 200kg, so pushing hard.

DB wise, I think I like your 3 completely unassisted reps. So if its just three reps then great, if it is four because the first one was assisted then so be it. I just have no idea if I will have the strength to get them out the hole on the first one, and be in a strong position to lower them.

I think three completely un assisted is totally fair if Sean is ok with that?

[muckthenuts]

Damn, sick work on the deadlifts iRaise. Well done.

[zerofive]

I'm always sore after leg day as I'm always able to push myself harder and proper mash myself up. If the way the rest of my body aches after doing this, I've no doubt that some serious John Wayne-esque walking will be the outcome.

Anyone seen or heard from Mohican after his controlled negative leg day?

[EvilPie]

DB wise, I think I like your 3 completely unassisted reps. So if its just three reps then great, if it is four because the first one was assisted then so be it. I just have no idea if I will have the strength to get them out the hole on the first one, and be in a strong position to lower them.

I think three completely un assisted is totally fair if Sean is ok with that?

I used to be exactly the same so trust me when I tell you that this is purely in the mind.

I've been through lifting one on my own and having someone else pass the other one up. I've tried having the first push completely assisted so that you start from the top position. There's nothing quite as satisfying (in DB press terms) as when you realise you can actually start from the lowered position and do the whole thing yourself so I'd highly recommend that you strive for that.

Your problem might just be technique especially as you have those long levers. Getting in to position and then dismounting the bench without putting any awkward strain on the shoulders can be difficult so that probably puts you in a bad mindset before you've even started.

Picking them up should be easy for you if you're deadlifting 175. Sitting on the edge of the bench shouldn't be an issue. The next bit is the tough bit that most people struggle with. You've really got to focus on keeping the weight close to your chest as you drop back in to position. You have to kind of drop your chest to the weights and then use your core to stabilise as you kick them up with your knees. If you focus on staying close to the chest then they just fall naturally in to the lowered position ready to start. You then just have to blast them up like a boss and away you go!!

Might be worth practising with lighter weights. The temptation when you have light weights is to sacrifice form and let other muscles do the work to get the weight in to position. Unfortunately that all goes to pieces when you get a bit heavier so you start having to get a spotter to do half the work for you...... 

[zerofive]

Update

Went for 180kg deadlift today, which is a new PR. Got it first try. I needed chalk, but it absolutely flew up. I honestly think I only needed the chalk because I did a shitload of pull-ups yesterday, so I'm not too bothered about it. Super happy to get a 4 plate deadlift on what is basically the second time I've ever racked that much weight. 200kg by 2016 looking good I think.

Also, more brags. Got asked if I was a rugby player earlier, by a massive powerlifter, because I'm "built like one." Boom.

[GreekStein]

Update

Went for 180kg deadlift today, which is a new PR. Got it first try. I needed chalk, but it absolutely flew up. I honestly think I only needed the chalk because I did a shitload of pull-ups yesterday, so I'm not too bothered about it. Super happy to get a 4 plate deadlift on what is basically the second time I've ever racked that much weight. 200kg by 2016 looking good I think.

Also, more brags. Got asked if I was a rugby player earlier, by a massive powerlifter, because I'm "built like one." Boom.

Could just be his way of saying your face looks like it's taken some knocks

grats on the deadlift

[iRaise]

DB wise, I think I like your 3 completely unassisted reps. So if its just three reps then great, if it is four because the first one was assisted then so be it. I just have no idea if I will have the strength to get them out the hole on the first one, and be in a strong position to lower them.

I think three completely un assisted is totally fair if Sean is ok with that?

I used to be exactly the same so trust me when I tell you that this is purely in the mind.

I've been through lifting one on my own and having someone else pass the other one up. I've tried having the first push completely assisted so that you start from the top position. There's nothing quite as satisfying (in DB press terms) as when you realise you can actually start from the lowered position and do the whole thing yourself so I'd highly recommend that you strive for that.

Your problem might just be technique especially as you have those long levers. Getting in to position and then dismounting the bench without putting any awkward strain on the shoulders can be difficult so that probably puts you in a bad mindset before you've even started.

Picking them up should be easy for you if you're deadlifting 175. Sitting on the edge of the bench shouldn't be an issue. The next bit is the tough bit that most people struggle with. You've really got to focus on keeping the weight close to your chest as you drop back in to position. You have to kind of drop your chest to the weights and then use your core to stabilise as you kick them up with your knees. If you focus on staying close to the chest then they just fall naturally in to the lowered position ready to start. You then just have to blast them up like a boss and away you go!!

Might be worth practising with lighter weights. The temptation when you have light weights is to sacrifice form and let other muscles do the work to get the weight in to position. Unfortunately that all goes to pieces when you get a bit heavier so you start having to get a spotter to do half the work for you...... 

Yeah agree with that, really agree with the point how important getting into position is. I one arm row both DBs on the bench and take them off there, i find it so much easier/energy conserving.

Saw some guy rep out the 50s yesterday which gave me some faith, even though he is about half the size.

I am going to give a Yx3 go next week. Y being however many I can get, start at 44 and just keep going.

I am very comfortable im getting 40 unassisted. All my reps and 40 post shoulder have been unassisted.