Weightlifting people, here! Ongoing chat thread...

[MaidOfStars]

We are a bit cut off in the designated forum so here's a shiny new thread to populate.

Hello to anyone that hasn't ventured over to The Weights Room but is lifting/resistance training.

Good advice from Just. We all go through periods of being 'stuck' - especially as you improve, getting stronger isn't a linear, constant process. What I try to do is change things up when things are stagnant - do higher reps of a lower weight one day, then fewer reps of a higher weight the next, for example.

Squats have always been my weakest lift and it has taken me absolutely ages - I think two years! to get to where I am now. I had the same problem as you with form too.

I think you could try reducing the reps next session as Just suggests and going slightly higher. Maybe work in the 4-6 rep range at 32.5kg and see how that feels. Then try to gradually add reps. I'm always reading that you need to challenge the muscles to force them to adapt - which means changing the stimulus. If you're always providing the same stimulus (the same weight and reps), they don't have to adapt and you can stall.

Closet, that seems like a lot of reps to me too (less experienced than the others). I do 1540, 8-1250 and if I have someone there, 5-8*60 for squats. Not sure I will ever get beyond 60 but am pleased with that and am learning new other stuff.

Thanks all - you've confirmed my own inklings after writing my last post - to drop down to a lower rep range. When I was making better progress in the summer I was working in the 6-8 rep range, so I think I'll go back to that...

Finally got out of my post-Christmas funk- just got totally out of my routine as we were away for 2 weeks (and all got Australian flu) and then had a week of hellish jetlag when I got back. I'm also fat, which is SO unfair given I barely drank or ate anything (apart from Benylin)over Christmas due to feeling so ill.

On the bunion front, I got my casts off yesterday after 16w so i feel like there's progress even if I'm still months away from being able to bear heavy loads for squat work etc. But.... a few little "squeal" successes today with my PT -

• I benched 50kg for a 1 rep max and 45kg for 3 reps (close grip)
• I managed 2 pronated pull ups from a 30 second dead hang- normally the hang kills the pull up off

So, top tip, if you want to improve your upper body, just get someone to break both your feet- ha ha!!

True Johnny. When I pulled a hamstring this time last year my upper body strength improved no end! Alas, now I have this persistent, niggly shoulder issue I feel like I've pretty much lost all those gains. Swings and roundabouts and all that.

Nooooooo! Dont say that- it's all that's keeping me going

Quick session this morning

• 4x 10 DB bench press with 30lb DB

-3 sets of: 6 x dips to below parallel alternating 10 x front shoulder raise 5kg

• 3 sets of: 3 neutral pull ups alternating with 30 second dead hang with knee raise.

Sorry to hear you're still struggling with your shoulder, Closet. If you're anything like me you've probably googled exhaustively (and confusingly) to find upper body exercises you can do without aggravating it - any luck? Have you had it looked at by a physio (I can't remember)

Great work on bench and pull ups Johnny! I can barely manage one pull up - and not from a dead hang either. Still working my way down the weights on the assisted pull up machine, doing reps of 6 at 9kg now (69kg body weight). I sometimes use a resistance band on the pull up bar as well - think I should probably do that more rather than use the machine.

Got my 80kg x 3 squats yesterday - managed five sets. One of those times I'd have liked a training partner for celebratory purposes - had to be contented with a mad grin at myself in the mirror instead.

Well done, findo!

I'm doing a full-body compound barbell workout 3x a week. It's just squat, overhead press, and barbell row with either deadlift or bench press to finish. I have been following some kind of undulating something or other (not exactly linear). It is not like the bodybuilding splits I've always done. Doing things differently is the plan for the year but I can't help but worry about losing certain aesthetic points from glute and shoulder accessories.

Another thing I wanted to ask about:

I can't be the only one here who struggles with the jumps of 2.5kg. When you're looking for things like going from 75% to 80% of a 1RM that's only 55kg, the distinctions can be rather fine.

I've tried to get some microloading bits and bobs. I've got wrist/ankle weights at 1kg and 1.5 kg. That helps. Coming in the post are .5kg wraps as well as 4 fractional plates of a half kilogram each.

The wrist wraps feel a bit awkward but they do make it possible to ohp 11kg with dumbbells. The can also be put around the barbell.

Anyone else tried to microload?

I'm lucky in that my gym has plates of 0.5kg and above, so I can go up in tiny increments. They also have a few lb DB which are "between" the 10kg and 12.5kg and 15kg DB.

Findo - yes, seeing v good Physio. It’s not anything serious and I’m working on activating my lats more and then stretching to release the stiffness in my upper back. It seems to be getting better. Slowly.

I did shoulder and bench presses for the first time in about 6 weeks today. Much lower weight than before, but it felt ok on my shoulder. It’s a bummer to have lost a lot of the strength I built up in the 2nd half of last year, but I know it’ll come back...

Another quick session in home gym

3 x 10 one arm shoulder press @10kg
3 x 10 tricep dips off the bench focusing on not letting elbows flare out
3x 10 leg extensions 50lb (haven't done lower body in ages)
3x 30 second dead hang with knee raise (torture)
2 x 60 rep oblique alternate heel touch thing (abs)

HI all, I’m joining in, hope you don’t mind!

I started seeing a PT the day after Boxing Day and have been having 2 sessions per week. They have been joint PT sessions with a friend and seems to be working out ok. We both want to work hard so well matched except I’m currently stronger as friend has done no exercise for a year. I don’t think that matters too much in terms of training partner though does it?

Last night we tested our 1 rep max deadlifts and I got up to 70kg, which is my weight. Squats last week were 50kg 1RM. My goals for this year are 70kg squat, 105kg deadlift and 1 pull up. Does that sound doable? I don’t want to over aim.

I also need to drop a bit of body fat but I’ve decided to prioritise my strength and fitness over the way I look for now and make sure it becomes habitual. I will start tweaking diet and calorie intake in a few months.

In addition to the 2 x PT I do a HIIT-type bootcamp once per week and I’m going to re-do the c25k after a year off running due to planter fasciitis. Take it nice and slow to try not to aggravate it too much. Going to do 2 runs per week which will give me 2 complete rest days each week.

Welcome basinhaircut!

Your plan of action sounds great. I have no idea if your goals are realistic, but I guess there's only one way to find out!

You are doing great, basin! Sounds to me like your goals are more than achievable - especially considering how far you've come since you started seeing your PT.

Thanks guys!

I really excited about making some progress. I’m taking it all in 3 month chunks. So Jan-March as above, then April - June I will probably drop to 1 PT a week and do 2 solo gym sessions in addition. Once I’m up to 5k runs keep the distance there and just improve time (as I’m prone to running injury at anything over 10k!). At that point I might try to add in some yoga too as I know I need more flexibility in the longer term.

Hi Basin! I squatted 70 kg (slightly less than my weight) last week (5 reps) for the first time - I learned how to use the squat rack this summer and don't practise heavy that often as I like someone with me. I do lots of other stuff (some HIIT, functional training, bodyweight, core) and that all seems to help the squats. It is such a satisfying feeling!

Hi all... A post above has made me think - What’s the best way to test 1RM? I’m curious to know what mine are on the squat and DL...

I don’t know closet but I’m only doing it when I’m with my trainer. He just added weight incrementally until I could only manage 1 with good form.

martini that’s awesome. I’ve only used the rack once on my own!

Basin, I use it on my own up to 50, trying to concentrate on good form. That seems to have helped. I don't feel safe on my own above that (absent-minded and inexperienced .).

I've just started thinking about pull-ups too - started negative ones (have they got a name?) last week.

I like the squat racks at my gym because of the safety bars - they're just below the lowest point of my squat. If I fail a rep all I have to do is get right down and do a small backwards shrug and there's nothing hurt except my pride.

The bench press bench on the other hand has no safety bars. So I only really get nervous benching heavy on my own. With squats I like the fact that no-one's watching: I get ludicrous performance anxiety to the extent that I get nervous even videoing myself!

Yes I have adjustable safety bars....my slight anxiety isn’t really rational though I do sometimes struggle to get the bar back in the rack. But I am pleased with progress so it doesn’t really matter I guess and I will get more confident as I go. I like your plan, Basin, three months seems a good length of time to not get bored in too?

Findo, 2 of our squat racks have safety bars, i prefer them for the reason you've said

The way to get your 1rm is to look for the weight you can only do 3-5 times, and then use a calculation to get the 1rm. There are online calculators for this.

Justgetting so do I just do a couple of reps at a weight and then keep on increasing the weight until I think it's the weight I could do 3-5 of? So, say now I can do 3 x 10 reps of 45kg deadlifts. Would I do a session where I just do a few reps at this weight and then keep on adding? Or do I do a warm up at a lower weight and then go straight into higher weight low rep so that I don't tire out my muscles trying to find the right weight??