General Workout Routines and Questions

[Omnis]

It's not the pushup part of the burpee, but the pullover.

 

[Pako]

I have been rehabbing my shoulder for almost 3 years now. The last 6 weeks, my shoulder is finally about 90% pain free. Last couple decided to start benching again. It's been a few years that I have just not benched because of my shoulder. Today I hit the bench (in lbs) at 135 for 15, 225 for 10, 275 for 12, and finished with 315 for 4 reps, all slow and controlled.

It's amazing how much strength is sucked out of you due to injuries, impingements, or some other orthopedic strain. I didn't feel any pain until the 3 rep at 315.

To keep it out of my shoulder as much as possible, I have narrowed up my grip and I bring the bar down to my sternum. With elbows tucked, the initial press is a lot of tricep and some back.

We'll see how this goes, but hopeful I can start benching again. I've been missing it.

 

[Omnis]

Edit: never mind.

I wish I had like 1% body fat so I could see how ripped my serrates were from all this coughing. Illness sucks

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Any rowers on here? I've been trying to incorporate rowing into my workouts and in some ways I really enjoy it (it's a hell of a workout, and I feel like I can use it to help maintain/build both cardio and strength) and in some ways I find it very frustrating. Looking online, I see that a novice 15 year old is supposedly capable of turning in a 8:15 2000m. I am a pretty avid cyclist with an FTP somewhere around 3.1-3.3w/kg on the bike (not earth shattering, but I would say decent) and can do over 1100w in a sprint, and I've done 5 hour races - all of which is to say is that my cardio is pretty solid. On the ERG, I have a very hard time getting my 500m splits under 2:00 - I've seen splits of 1:45 but it felt like the end of the world. I did a 2000m row the other day in 8:45 - this wasn't an all out pace, but probably 85% effort. The weird thing is that I can manage a 2:20 pace barely trying, and I can do 5,000 or 6,000m pieces at around 2:30/500m pace without too much difficulty. I just have a really hard time going fast. Any ideas? Technique? Lack of core strength? I'm weak? Maybe all of the above, but how can a 10 year old possibly be faster?

edit:

Found a few pieces of advice that, conceptually, make sense to me:

An EXCELLENT exercise to learn leg drive is to put the damper to 1 or zero, whatever is the easiest. Then try to row your best split at 20 spm you can. To produce any power at all, like a 2:00 split, you have to absolutely explode from a good starting position then accelerate that handle all the way. It feels weird. But 1 min or 500 m of that a couple of times, then back to your regular damper setting works wonders on form.

Wish I could find the video of one of the concept II founders doing some low damper setting work, pulling 1:45's at 20 spm at zero damper, but youtube has been saturated by a ton of redundant row crap now by a couple of people monetizing erg videos.

Rowing at 18 SPM. Improved connection and power. Sequencing stroke drive 1 sec recovery 2-3. Faster times are also higher SPM. My best I’d be doing 34.

It seems prudent to try to improve my pace at slow stroke rate (which naturally would mean better form) before trying to increase the stroke rate. I'm gonna give both of these a try.

 

[Omnis]

Here's the video:



My gym has concept 2 machines. I've been meaning to try it out. I saw something a few months ago about doing a 2k as some kind of reference.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Ok when he went down to 1:36/500 @ 27spm, that told me a lot. It's ALL in the legs, nearly. I'm gonna give this a shot in my next attempt.

 

[Omnis]

Ok when he went down to 1:36/500 @ 27spm, that told me a lot. It's ALL in the legs, nearly. I'm gonna give this a shot in my next attempt.

Have you ever rowed a real boat? All the propulsion comes on the first half of the stroke as the oars square up against the water, so it makes a lot of sense.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Have you ever rowed a real boat? All the propulsion comes on the first half of the stroke as the oars square up against the water, so it makes a lot of sense.

I have...well...I've canoed.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Gave it a shot at 1 resistance and turned on that graph. It definitely helped, and I'm not definitely not as strong as the guy in that video. Even with focusing on maximum explosiveness from my legs, I could not get the initial force to be as sharp as he demonstrated in that video. Cycling legs =/ rowing legs.

I was able to get down around 1:40 at about 30spm, but I could not sustain that for more than maybe a minute. Still, it seems like progress and maintaining 2:10 pace is a lot easier. This 55 year old (I'm guessing) woman sat down on the rower next to me and just absolutely smashed that machine. I got up to do some other stuff, and she was still there like 30+ mins later. Absolute unit.

 

[phillgt2002]

I’ve been taking time away from other lifts to focus on my deadlifting and I finally managed to push myself to a set of 365lb deadlifts with clean form.

It’s definitely shifted from one of my most feared lifts to being on of my favorites. I love the power that can be sent through with them, I can only say a nice squat can compete with the feeling.

 

[Pako]

I’ve been taking time away from other lifts to focus on my deadlifting and I finally managed to push myself to a set of 365lb deadlifts with clean form.

It’s definitely shifted from one of my most feared lifts to being on of my favorites. I love the power that can be sent through with them, I can only say a nice squat can compete with the feeling.

Nice lift man, feels good pulling some weight! 🦾

 

[Michael88]

First deadlift over 200kg in 3 months. Had to take it easy on deadlifts because of stress at work and nagging lower back pain from having to sleep on my sides all the time (I snore & choke too much when laying on my back. SUPER annoying)

215kg / 473 DL on my stiff bar from a slight deficit, no belt. (there are two 10kg plates on the end of the 20's on each side.) Could have gone 20kg heavier, maybe 25kg but I don't want to push it right now. I'm just happy I can do 200+ pain free right now.

 

[Pako]

First deadlift over 200kg in 3 months. Had to take it easy on deadlifts because of stress at work and nagging lower back pain from having to sleep on my sides all the time (I snore & choke too much when laying on my back. SUPER annoying)

215kg / 473 DL on my stiff bar from a slight deficit, no belt. (there are two 10kg plates on the end of the 20's on each side.) Could have gone 20kg heavier, maybe 25kg but I don't want to push it right now. I'm just happy I can do 200+ pain free right now.

Nice pull man, made it look easy! No deads for me just yet...

Update from my detached lower bicep repair. 2 months post surgery, and finally got the brace off and was cleared for 2lb dumbell curls with a 1-2# increase per week for 4 weeks then 5# increase per week for another 4 weeks. At 4 months post op, I'll be cleared to resume activities as normal.

This week I've finally been getting some upper body blood moving. Monday was quads which I have been hitting twice a week. Tuesday hit some light cable flys with some light push movements followed up with some decent tricep work. Today I hit back with straps behind my elbows, I was able to do some pull downs, low rows and bent over rows and finished with some hammer strength lat pull overs. All of those movements I was able to isolate the bicep out of the movement. Finished up with some curls, just 5 lbs on the right arm, but felt good to get some blood in the bicep.

Over all super excited to be as far along as I am, even with restrictions and pain, I'm thankful for being able to do what I can.

 

[Omnis]

Here's the video:



My gym has concept 2 machines. I've been meaning to try it out. I saw something a few months ago about doing a 2k as some kind of reference.

So they’re actually Nordic machines and they don’t give you any power curves. Sucks. I did 500m in 1:59 but I think the damper was all the way off. The chain wasn’t picking up any tension until my legs were all the way done driving. Weird. When I plugged my time into the rowing standards website, it was like "Congratulations, you are better than 1% of all rowers." 😂😂😂 Talk about being humbled…

 

[phillgt2002]

Cleared a 400lbs deadlift at 1x3. I think it was really good. Form was great, breathwork was great as well. It's amazing how strength conditioning works, I'm always surprised when I start dialing things in. When I first started doing deadlifts about a year go, I was only doing half of that.

Additionally, I finally got into Muay Thai/Kickboxing classes, they're damn expensive. They had me working on a lot of calisthenics, core and stability-based exercises in their group conditioning, and despite being able to do a bit, I realized just how un-conditioned my body is even with all of the compound lifts I've been doing. I'm so damn stiff , but my striking form isn't too bad for someone who is pretty much a noob and is out of shape for my weight and height.

First deadlift over 200kg in 3 months. Had to take it easy on deadlifts because of stress at work and nagging lower back pain from having to sleep on my sides all the time (I snore & choke too much when laying on my back. SUPER annoying)

215kg / 473 DL on my stiff bar from a slight deficit, no belt. (there are two 10kg plates on the end of the 20's on each side.) Could have gone 20kg heavier, maybe 25kg but I don't want to push it right now. I'm just happy I can do 200+ pain free right now.

Hey, question. How much does the over/under grip help you?

 

[Michael88]

Hey, question. How much does the over/under grip help you?

A lot. With normal overhand grip I can do 200 kilos (440) one repetition and I'm starting to slip when putting the weight down (my bar has almost no knurling left). With mixed grip I can do 200 kilos for 6 reps and my fingers don't even get tired. I did 235 once with mixed and it was easy. I think I could hold 300kg / 660+ with mixed grip but the rest of my body can't lift that. Maybe a rack pull?

But I don't do tons of repetitions with mixed grip since it can lead to muscular imbalances and there is always the risk of tearing the biceps tendon, I only do it every now and then and when testing PR's. I use lifting straps for heavy deadlifts.-

Tried hook grip once - man that hurts. Not for me.

 

[Omnis]

Hook grip is for people who hate their thumbs more than they hate missing a lift.

 

[phillgt2002]

I just cleared a 405lb deadlift and I’m starting to think my max can be much higher because I didn’t struggle much.

Felt good!

 

[Pako]

I just cleared a 405lb deadlift and I’m starting to think my max can be much higher because I didn’t struggle much.

Felt good!

Heck yeah man, nice pull!

 

[Omnis]

I started doing the Reddit PPL routine at my gym using Boostcamp on my phone.

I'm through day 2 with the pull and push days out of the way. Tomorrow is legs. I feel sore but not incredibly sore, though I usually have the worst time by the 2nd day after activity with my pattern of DOMS. Honestly, if it weren't for DOMS I would be so ripped and in the gym all the time.

Over the past week or so I've been having a lot of PVCs or extrasystoles or something. Heart is palpitating quite frequently. I don't have any real changes to caffeine intake or anything, though I used to cycle (spinning indoors or on the bike) quite often and I haven't done so in a while. Guess I should book an appointment with a doctor for once in my life.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Started doing weight training consistently for the first time...ever...back in September, focusing mostly on upper body (since I cycle a lot, I feel like I don't need to do weight training). I've been trying to go to the gym 3 or 4 days a week and alternating between Bicep/Back, Tricep/Chest, and Shoulder days. I typically keep volume pretty low - something like 3 sets of 8 reps per movement, and doing 3-4 movements per day with a focus on intensity. I don't really have specific goals and I'm probably not doing everything super effectively, but the weights I'm able to 1-rep max on has gone up pretty good - try to keep in mind "cyclist physique" when considering the weight below

Back in october I was able to do 2 reps on bar curl @ 85lbs. Last week, on the same machine I did 4 reps @ 130lbs. (NOTE: this machine is...generous...when I try to curl and actual barbell, I am still at around 80lbs, but the noted gains were at least consistent to the machine)
Lat pulldown (underhand) I maxed at 115lbs, and yesterday I did 12 reps at 140lbs. On the overhand machine I was able to hit 180.

So the arms are getting better, but my chest movements haven't got much better. Weights have gone up, but not as much.

 

[Michael88]

Something weird is happening and I don't know what to make of it - I've been doing the same bench press routine with the same weights for 5 weeks now (3 bench press sessions week, progressively getting heavier to the end of the week) and now I am getting a sore chest for the first time in months-.

I did the the light press session on Monday, felt already sore on Tuesday (from the light session!), today I had to do the intermediate session and I feel it a LOT in my chest now. I even did a careful warmup today but I'm sore as heck and I expect to feel a lot more soreness tomorrow - and especially on Friday when I should be doing the heavy session.

Is this a sign of overuse of certain muscle groups? I don't remember ever getting sudden soreness from my regular training with weights I am used to. Usually this only happens after a long pause or when I go harder than last time.

 

[Pako]

In looking at recovery, how’s protein and carb intake, sleep, water or other stressors? Any changes that could be effecting your recovery? Might have to adjust some of those things.

 

[Omnis]

Today I did low bar squats for the first time. They felt really good on my spine, but it was a little weird balancing. Warmed up with 135x5, 185x5, then did working sets of 225x5, 265x5, 295x3, 315x1. 225 was flying off my shoulders, 265 felt like failure at 8-10, 295 was ok for the first two and on the third I kind of paused at the bottom, but when I did that the bar touched my safety rails, so I shot up kind of awkwardly. With 315, I got stuck on the way up but pushed through it. There was a little more upper back extension that I was comfortable with, but it's probably because I sagged/rounded while getting stuck. At the top I felt my abs firing to keep the weight from going backwards-- bit of a balancing act for sure.

Finished my workout with romanian deadlifts 3x10@155, then stacked the leg press machine (360?) for 3 sets of 10, then seated hamstring curls at 1x10@160 and then 2x10@200. I kept slipping out of the machine since I think I'm too big for it or something. I only used huge weight here because the hamstring stretch at the top was ridiculous after the rest of the workout. Felt like God was flossing with my nerves. I've been off the bike and sedentary for so long that my hams were crazy tight again. Finished the workout with seated calf raises with 150lbs for 4x10 or so. Was having a hard time standing up to shower afterwards lol.

I've been training my dad for the last few weeks and just doing light and easy stuff for him. But I haven't done a leg day in forever. Felt good to finally get one in. I've been doing to Push and Pull days of my PPL and the soreness has been abating reasonably well. Hopefully the legs get in that groove too.

 

[the_boy]

5X5s of 290 paused (not the last set, **** was getting so heavy) not taking any risks without a spot, not bad for my weight. 405 is within reach, I just need better sleep.

 

[phillgt2002]

That's seriously impressive.

I just pushed through a 450lb deadlift. I want to make my max goal 500lbs at some point.

 

[Michael88]

Life has been very stressful and sad lately so I have been doing more body building exercises instead of powerlifting to reduce stress on the CNS. Side effect of that is that I'm bigger now than I have ever been as a non enhanced lifter at 35 y/o.

 

[Michael88]

I have been rehabbing my shoulder for almost 3 years now. The last 6 weeks, my shoulder is finally about 90% pain free. Last couple decided to start benching again. It's been a few years that I have just not benched because of my shoulder. Today I hit the bench (in lbs) at 135 for 15, 225 for 10, 275 for 12, and finished with 315 for 4 reps, all slow and controlled.

It's amazing how much strength is sucked out of you due to injuries, impingements, or some other orthopedic strain. I didn't feel any pain until the 3 rep at 315.

To keep it out of my shoulder as much as possible, I have narrowed up my grip and I bring the bar down to my sternum. With elbows tucked, the initial press is a lot of tricep and some back.

We'll see how this goes, but hopeful I can start benching again. I've been missing it.

I'm in the same boat now, injured my right shoulder. Though I have to say Its been along time coming, its been hurting for the past 3 months now and wise man as I am, ignored it and kept pushing hard.

Just got an ultra sonic and x-ray, its an impingement syndrome - inflammation of the soft tissue where the tendons move around. I can still bench heavy with minimal pain but when I do one armed dumbbell overhead presses it starts to hurt at 50lbs, it hurts a lot at 66lbs and 77 is impossible. I used to rep 77's for 10's. Anything bench pressing is completely pain free if I do it very tucked in elbows but I probably should not do it.

And I even know what caused it - squats. I squat low-bar and when I hold the bar my shoulder is rotated back to the absolute max, no matter the grip width. I don't really like using the safety bar anymore because I tend to impinge a back nerve every time I go heavy on it and front squats dont really engage my quads-.

I'm going to ask my doc to give me a shot of anti-inflammatory (cortisone) shot into my shoulder joint, supposedly that helps a lot with getting rid of the inflammation.

 

[the_boy]

I'm in the same boat now, injured my right shoulder. Though I have to say Its been along time coming, its been hurting for the past 3 months now and wise man as I am, ignored it and kept pushing hard.

Just got an ultra sonic and x-ray, its an impingement syndrome - inflammation of the soft tissue where the tendons move around. I can still bench heavy with minimal pain but when I do one armed dumbbell overhead presses it starts to hurt at 50lbs, it hurts a lot at 66lbs and 77 is impossible. I used to rep 77's for 10's. Anything bench pressing is completely pain free if I do it very tucked in elbows but I probably should not do it.

And I even know what caused it - squats. I squat low-bar and when I hold the bar my shoulder is rotated back to the absolute max, no matter the grip width. I don't really like using the safety bar anymore because I tend to impinge a back nerve every time I go heavy on it and front squats dont really engage my quads-.

I'm going to ask my doc to give me a shot of anti-inflammatory (cortisone) shot into my shoulder joint, supposedly that helps a lot with getting rid of the inflammation.

Impingement sucks, my sockets are irregular, pull-ups seemed to cause my impingement and heavy deep squats revealed my FAI. I avoid those shots as much as possible, I had one last year and it didn’t do much

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Since we're on impingement, I also have found some issues. I have never worked side delts, but I wanted to target them now. I saw some videos on full ROM side laterals. Then I discovered that even before I raise my hands above my hands above my shoulder line I already hear popping somewhere between 45 and 90 degrees. I'm not sure if that's an issue, but I don't think I want to find out. I tried some modifications and it was still there. The machine seems to be the best option.

Other than that, I found some new motivation to hit the gym more regularly. I hit some mini short term PRs (3x5x205 front squat, 3x5x125 overhead press among others). I'm rotating in low bar squats, but starting at a low weight since I haven't done them in a while. Thinking of ways to keep progress on the front squats. I may need a deload or switch to a top set followed by back off sets to see if that works.