[quote]Professor X wrote:
One is clearly someone using an exercise for other than its intended purpose…and doing so poorly at that. [/quote]
What’s more is that everybody knows that using something in a way other than its intended purpose VOIDS THE WARRANTY!!! Duh!
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]Think tank fish wrote:
Agreed. Although I doubt he ‘needs’ isolation work on his legs/chest/back yet. My legs grow like weeds from squats and deads. Benching works my chest like crazy. Rows build my back easily. But they are all target muscles of those movements. [/quote]
Why do you think someone needs to work up to working a muscle in isolation? Yet?
I don’t see huge people saying crap like this. I only see it coming from people with no pictures posted or their profiles set to private.
No offense.
[/quote]
Oh no I dont at all think that. Bottom line you just need to work the damn muscle. If Benching isn’t working your pecs enough, add some flyes. But if the OP feels he is getting enough pec stimulation from benching then its not needed…yet.
[quote]BobbinWithApes wrote:
…
If it seemed like I was being resistant to the advice, that wasn’t my intent. I’m here to learn, but learning does mean questioning and taking the right advice. Like your suggestions to start back building a strong base. It seems to me that I’ve already made a good amount of progress on strength and need to start focusing on building muscle.
As for questioning if I’m using the correct form and not cheat lifting, I can understand some questioning of that. I also see that stuff at the gym by the majority of guys. I do use correct form.
I do appreciate the advice.[/quote]
I would agree if your numbers are real…
I see a lot of guys at the gym with a “300 lb.” bench.
Their partner unracks the weight, ok still honest.
Their arms bow.
Partner re-racks weight…
Total ROM maybe 3".
That’s not a 300 lb bench.
Static hold maybe.
So if your numbers are for honest lifts, then hell yes, power per pound is excellent.
But if the numbers you posted are like most new to the game, then find out what they really are.
Ego numbers will not do you any good.
These guys know how to build size, defined lean healthy size… And they show others how to do it.
So I’m not busting on you and show my shame
As for me: my honest numbers suck for my size (an old fat f@ck of 270):
Free weights:
Dead 550
Hammer Strength (not including machine weight)
V-squat 650 (90 degree not A2G, strapped plates on)
decline bench 450
MP 335 (injured delts doing this one)
flat bench 300
pull down 450
row 450
pullover 540 (strapped plates on)
So Squat and dead, barely acceptable relative to body weight.
Upper body, well truly pathetic.
When I try volume, I just fall off the cliff. The working set weights are so low they’re funny.
[quote]kaisermetal wrote:
[quote]flipcollar wrote:
The target muscle on bench press is whatever muscle you want it to be.
[/quote]
yup, my calves got huge from all that benching.[/quote]
I’m sorry kaisermetal, I just assumed people had enough common sense to know what I meant. I could have added “within reason,” to the end of that sentence, but I didn’t think someone would mention their calves just to point out my post was technically incorrect. So, no you can’t target your calves with bench. It’s also not a trap-oriented lift. Nor is it for your left knee. I could go on. Thanks asshole.
Okay, it’s been a while since my last post but I wanted to at least show that I’ve taken your advice to heart. Not sure if the progress I’ve made is the best in the time-frame, but I’ve still made progress.
Wanted to thank you guys for your feedback and info! Btw, when you guys give arm numbers I know you measure them cold, but do you give flexed or unflexed?
Weight: Prior: 185
Now: 218
Arms prior: 14.5" unflexed
15" flexed
Arms now: 16" unflexed
17" flexed
OP for the first 2 years of my lifting, I only did powerlifting with no direct arm work. My lower body was enormous compared to my upper body and I looked ugly and stupid as hell. I upped the volume for upper body drastically while significantly reducing my lower body volume and balanced pretty evenly. But I’d advise going for the pump and feeling your arms rather than chugging the weight around like a gorilla.
The latter approach got me bigger. It also shattered my powerlifting dreams.
Solid progress btw.
Great progress! You can really see the difference with that first pic.
So how did you do your routine? Changes in strength? Diet?
Give John Meadows’ Mountain Dog arm training a go (articles on this site)
[quote]Brett620 wrote:
Great progress! You can really see the difference with that first pic.
So how did you do your routine? Changes in strength? Diet?[/quote]
Thanks. I focused on the 8-12 rep range and stopped being so concerned with my 1 rm numbers. I’ve actually been following Kingbeef’s advice on how he sets up his workouts and it’s working. The only thing that had me stalled was when I tried to hit each body part two times a week. I guess I just couldn’t recover. Oh, and I ate until I felt sick. Overfeeding sucks! It’s amazing how much healthy foods you have to eat to gain weight!
I wanted to keep gaining, but didn’t want to have to buy all new pants! Had to stop cut back the cals when I couldn’t get my legs in my jeans!
[quote]Grumpig Hunt wrote:
Give John Meadows’ Mountain Dog arm training a go (articles on this site)[/quote]
Thanks GH. I actually tried that one a few weeks ago, but felt like I was loosing muscle and strength quickly on a cal deficit diet. I’m guessing that would be a better routine when I keep my cals at maintenance or higher?
