Lifting Support Thread 3

[Proteinpud]

Continuing from @Work2live 's original thread, with the following intro post

"Thought I’d start this thread as a few people thought it’d be a good idea.

"It might be a nice place to support each other and talk about lifting in general, ask for tips and advice on workouts, how to get enough protein etc.

"All levels very much welcome, from complete newbies to those who’ve been weightlifting for years! 💪🏼"

Hello can I join? I've been so slack at the gym for the past 3 weeks! Usually in there at 5am five days a week. Just not been feeling it and I need to get my mojo back!

Of course @thisisajoke22. Welcome! What kind of lifting do you do?

I’ve not much to report as I just do the same all the time. Had some technique improvements on all my lifts which is good. No PBs (that I’ll notice, there might be rep PBs) till British in June I don’t think.

@YellowAsteroidbench is a full body compound movement. Mine had a big boost when I figured out how to use my legs. They can be shaking after a set of bench.

Well done on all the PBs 💪

Welcome @thisisajoke22 Sometimes, we just don't feel it. Getting up at 5am in the winter is no joke.

@RayKray sounds like you've got 5 months of laying in the foundations, grinding, and getting even stronger. I used to find that aspect of strength training difficult as I felt I wasn't progressing, but I've come to learn just how important that long slow grind is for getting the next PBs.

Jumping in as I have found a love for lifting this year. Only started in September doing a beginners class but it’s progressed ok from there. Managed to deadlift 100kg and squat 100kg last week which I was made up with.

Wow that’s amazing @Sirzy - newbie gainz times a hundred!

Wow, amazing numbers. @YellowAsteroid , that's so good about the PBs....your metcon session sounds...well words fail me at the thought of all those burpees 😀.

Looking forward to getting back to my normal routines - first pull ups for a week tomorrow so that won't be fun (and I was a bit under/rushed/busy/cold-y/tired for couple weeks before too). Still, will draw a new baseline and start the grind again....I find pull ups go off the quickest.

I was in a fancy gym before Xmas and did decline bench - felt really strong, but awkward to get into and definitely needed a spotter! I won't get the chance often and it hits the same muscles as chest dips anyway I think, but fun to try something new.

Welcome @Sirzy and @thisisajoke22 .

Finally for my ass back to the gym this morning. I usually go 5-6 times a week but the last month has been abysmal due to everyone being poorly and my toddler deciding to start waking 2-3 times a night 🫠 absolutely destroyed my legs this morning

We have had a similar run of illness in the house @thisisajoke22 and it's not helpful for sleep... I have avoided it so far but at some point my number will come up and I will take to my bed!

I am keeping the training ticking over, it's all moving fairly well at the moment and I have agreed with my coach that I want to test 1 rep maxes in the summer. Exciting!

In the background I also occasionally test how far off being able to do a pull up I am... and the good news is that I can now get upper arms parallel with the floor woop woop. Maybe one day a full pull up!!!

My New Years res last year was to do a pull up. I can now do 3 in a row. I don't religiously do them weekly either, maybe once a month! I think this year I'd like to get my hipthrust over 220kg.

That’s awesome! Can I ask how you built up to it? I tried for a while with reverse/dead hangs but gave up in the end!

@redfacebigdisgrace , sorry jumping in as I train pull ups - I'd recommend negatives, holds (chin over bar and then elbows at 90), and banded pull ups. I'd warm up with scapular pulls, then work out a programme using those three drills, maybe twice a week. You can focus on more explosive movement using the bands, and more endurance with negative and holds. The bands are helpful but more at the bottom than the top, whereas you are likely to need it the other way round, so they on their own don't be enough. You can loop the band over the bar and the top and put your feet in, or lay it across the clip holder thingies if on squat rack and stand on it. Start with a heavy band so you can rep, then work your way down. Also inverted (or Aussie) rows using a barbell or rings or fixed bars are good and lots of variants to increase difficulty.

My max pull up is 9 but I now mainly do weighted (only 5kg, pb is 10 for 1 rep but I then got tendonitis) ones and lower reps.

I did a lot of assisted pull ups and then reduced the amount of weight. Eventually I was only needing 6kg or so, so decided to just go for it

Just thought I'd say hi, I somehow lost my account but managed to resurrect a previous one!

Lifting here has been inconsistent due to consecutive winter viruses, though I try and keep this in perspective over the long term because actually there's only been the odd week where I've done no strength workouts, and most I've done one or two. Which isn't enough for me to make progress but it's enough to maintain, and will make it easier to push myself when I'm feeling better.

I ordered a landmine attachment for my home gym today which I'm excited about, and my current programme has a lot of exercises that I don't train often; today I managed front squats 40kg X6 X3 which was a pb for me. My weight has crept up though and I'm struggling to get that down as I'm so sedentary in my day job yet I still eat like I'm on my feet all day! I'm not focused on a scale number, just don't feel as agile as I'd like (and it has definitely affected my pull ups and dips!) I'm hoping that psychologically doing a different programme will help as I can try and eat a bit less while not thinking about hitting my 'usual' numbers.

Hey @Proteinpudding , well done on getting back in and hope you are feeling better - a pb suggests it 😀.That's so exciting about your landmine attachment - I've only used one a couple of times but would love to develop a whole workout using it.

I've been running a bit more - including sometimes a very short pre-breakfast one or just to get to the shops - I am a very slow runner so sometimes it is only 2k or so. However, I do feel fitter for it and did lose a bit of weight over Xmas when I was doing it more - even a tiny bit sure helps with dips and pull ups.....

Changed one of my pull up sessions this week too - instead of weighted, I did a few sets of bodyweight fast, not worrying about height too much, and then a few heavy weighted negatives. Back to weighted today and they were stronger.....

Ooh that's impressive to start running in winter @MsMartini ! I had ideas about doing so a few weeks back and then the snow and ice hit and it put me off. I am keen to try again once I get rid of this cough though, I do find it makes a difference for weight loss and I also just like spending a bit of time outdoors in daylight (well, where work hours allow for that!) I'm glad you've found it works for you.

Yes I've not used a landmine before, the next phase of my programme includes lots of exercises to help athletic performance, so lots of landmine movements, weighted lunges all directions, movements with rotation etc. And pull ups! Excited to have something novel!

I have been doing a little bit of low pressure running too, max once a week, and I have been enjoying it although I am very wary of ice/slippery wet pavements!

Now that I have mastered the bottom half of a pull up my coach has got me doing 1/2 + 1 negatives so I jump up top the top, lower to 90°, pull back up and then lower all the way to a dead hang. At the moment it's HARD and I fatigue so quickly but I will keep at it!

Squats are moving really well at the moment too!!

That’s a great drill @everycowandagain .

pull ups are really hard!! I’ve made more progress since I accepted that - I have long rests (5 mins atm between sets for weighted, less for the fast and weighted negs) and don’t do much else for back (a horizontal session sometimes - cable row/front lever drills/rows but usually quite short, and sometimes after pull ups to allow more recovery before the next pull ups session ).

Hi everyone, i would like to join.
ive recently joined a gym (for the social aspect), before that i was doing hot yoga/pilate once a week, one bootcamp in park and one home session (just body weight, no weights)
i would like to gain muscles (so i get better at yoga!!) but also because i am 50yo… weight wise, if i lost 5kg my BMI would be “normal” and not overweight but i am happy with my shape though. I could do with toning up.
i have been working towards proper push ups (i can do a few but only half way) so i am trying to focus on negative push up and semi vertical push ups. I am also working towards a head stand but i need core muscles for that!!
the gym i joined gave me a little program with the machines but it feels a bit underwhelming…. It is hard but not sureif it is enough. Also how long ate you supoosed to wait in between sets? 1 minutes?

Welcome @Placestogo a minute of rest is fine, but you should be using enough weight to feel like you need it. If your program is underwhelming then you might want to add some weight or think about some free weight/bar exercises. Lots of people will do barbell compound lifts to start and then use dumbells or machines for 'accessory' exercises afterwards.

Push ups sound awesome, keep at it!!

My rests are up to 5 mins (weighted pull ups). Rarely less than two unless warm ups/finishers/core.

@Placestogo welcome and sounds like you are doing well! If the programme feels underwhelming then yes increase or change programme. Have a read back through these threads and look at some of the links and recommendations maybe?

@Placestogo i like the Ladder app - £15 pm it gives you programmes and videos based on your goals. You can record your weights. There’s a forum too.

Thanks a lot - will have a look

My plans were scuppered by a flu like virus, did my first workout in weeks today! Very gently, I don't feel well enough to go to a class yet, but home gym means I can try a little bit.

I started my new programme and it had a lot of lunges and squats so it felt almost like cardio. I was resting between sets but the weight is lower and the volume is higher (10-15 rep range) It feels very different to what I'm used to, but I'm going to trust the process, I think it'll do me good to do something for a few months that is different to usual - I ordinarily stick to 3-6 rep ranges.

How is everyone else doing?

I’m not too bad. I was ill too and had a week off which is very unusual. My programming has a real mix of rep ranges depending on how far I am out of comp. It’s less at the moment but I imagine it’ll go back up when comp prep starts next month.

Hope you're feeling better now @RayKray It hadn't occurred to me that power lifting programming would include a lot of rep variety, though I suppose you can't always push the low rep heavy weight.

This programme is designed to support sports (generic) so there's more single leg/single arm work and rotation. So for example today included lunges where you step in different directions, or hold a plate and twist as you go down into the lunge. I'm trying to lose a bit of weight at the moment so I'm glad I'm not doing my 'regular' barbell lifts as then I won't stress about hitting my usual numbers if my calories are a bit low. The flu has killed my appetite anyway so it's good timing!

How long until your next comp?