[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:
do pulldowns with a close grip. wide grip hits the smaller muscles like the rhomboids more, close grip actually hits your lats. get a full stretch at the top and squeeze your lats at the bottom, and try to keep your biceps out of it.[/quote]
Thanks! I needed that advice, I thought doing a wide grip works the lat more. turns out not everything is the way it seems. [/quote]
Correct me someone if im wrong, but its believed that the wide grip pulldown/up works the lats better because the muscles fibres of the lats run diagonally and your arms are diagonal when you use a wide grip. However If i recall correctly, chinups actually recruit the most muscle fibres in the lats, even more than pullups.[/quote]
there was a thread a month or so ago in BB where Stu and other guys who have lats I can only dream of having all said close grip pulldown is the one ring that rules them all for lat development.
i’ve tried it for rows too and lat recruitment is MUCH better CG than wide, I can keep my biceps out of the movement better and I can go heavier. win win for back/lat development.[/quote]
I’ve noticed the same thing, I always do my pullups, and seated rows with a CG and I feel it in my lats much better than a wide grip, a wide grip kind of bothers my shoulders to be honest.
Just putting in another vote for close grip. Possibly it’s related to the better stretch you get?
Pull through your elbows is a great cue. Also, supposedly if you grip the bar more towards your fourth and pinky finger it can help. (Though that’s never done much for me.)
I’m pretty sure the close grip is better because the better stretch, and yes I’ve heard that aswell, if you put more of the weight on your pinky and ring finger and pull with your elbows then it’ll help you use your lats and not your biceps
putting more of the weight closer to your thumb can cue more elbow flexion, at least that’s what I feel in the gym. so your bis end up doing more of the work.
@XArena, used to. Anywayz, was gonna go to the ymca cuz school weightroom doesn’t have heavy enuf dumbbells. But then on the bus I suddenly realized I don’t have a lock so no gym for me today, def going tomorow though.
Dynamic Effort Lower Body:
Squat: 145x8x3
Dropped the weight. Doesn’t feel a difference.
RDL: 195x3x8
Last time I actually did 190 but typed it wrong. So a PR here. Grip is improving.
Chinups: 3x10
Pretty hard.
Lat Pulldown: 120x3x10
Close grip like ppl suggested and tried to pull with my fourth and pinky finger. PR
I went to the weightroom instead of the gym. Was planing to do one arm dumbbell rows with 80lb dumbbells and T-Bar rows, but I guess chin ups and lat pulldown works too.
Max Effort Upper Body:
Bench Press: 95, 105, 115, 135, 155, 165, 170x0
Surprise? almost gonna be 2 months on this routine and no gain AT ALL with my bench press. fml
Kroc Rows: 80lbs each handx3x8
First time doing this, pretty good i guess.
Skull crushers: 55lbsx3x8
Wasn’t the best form but learning.
XArena got to my level at squatting but he should enjoy it while it last til tomorrow when I squat 285. Also, XArena should really stop stopping me from completing my workout just becuz the man himself is hungary or bored cuz hes slacking.
[quote]hastalles wrote:
In two days? Nah. You probably just look soft from retaining water. Likely cause of all the sodium.[/quote]
those things aren’t just a myth? oh lolol me sounding like a dumbass over here.
A good conclusion to my squat cycle. Moving on to some sort of deadlift next week.
Max Effort Lower Body:
Squat: 135, 185, 205, 225x2, 260, 275, 285
Surpised I PRed again. 275 was a grind, got stuck for at least 1 second 2 inches off my butt. Then with some riduculous new gain strength, i just exploded up. Thought I couldn’t do 285, but turned out it was fairly normal.
Hyperextension: 45lbsx3x12
Basically I do the exercise hugging the 45lb plate. This feels much better than doing RDL, just gonna interchange them now.
T-Bar Row: 80lbs on the stick x3x8
A 10lbs increase. Never sure if im doing it correctly or doing it with a full ROM.
Pullups: 27
Whew.
Contemplating about when and what to do for triceps and back. On to dynamic upper!
It happens to me all the time. Milk and junk food usually do it to me. Cut them out for a day or two and I look as lean as ever. I sometimes go from full sixpack to barely visible and back again. Not really anything to worry about (though obviously you shouldn’t be eating utter junk).
Lots of good triceps exercises but for bench assistance you might like one of these. (Warning: my bench absolutely sucks so…)
JM presses:
Tate presses (read the description for this video. It goes into more detail):
