Current Bodybuilding Training Thread 2.0

Training
727

Do you keep a journal of your specific sets/reps/weights used per exercise? It sounds like you go more by how you feel on any given day, and autoregulate weight to fit a rep bracket for a particular exercise. Is that right?

I have kept a journal for probably almost the last 10 years, and find it hard to give it up…despite feeling like maybe I would do better if I quit logging. I tend to get obsessed with beating the book and end up being careless. At the same time I see most people, particularly the more physically advanced, don’t record their training down to set/rep/weight.

Thanks

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728

Not a bodybuilder but I couldn’t count the number of times I had a tough set at 5-10kgs below what I did the last time and only did another set because my log said I could do more. Often, the next set feels so much better and I can hit another after that.

Full disclosure: I’ve also conpletely botched the next set many, many… many, many times haha

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729

Hahaha, yep been there too.

I fully recognizing that I will have days where the training is off due to lack of sleep/work/whatever, and that my training should be flexible enough to allow for that. However the book makes me feel compelled to beat the last sessions numbers in some way, despite bad days…which probably ends up doing more harm than good.

730

@dnh36 I did same, logged every set and rep for almost 10 years. Never went to the gym without my book. Then, like you, realized that 95% of the guys in the gym that looked good, didn’t log anything. I haven’t used one for almost a year. I like not pressuring myself to beat numbers and focusing more on feel. Although sometimes I do miss the accountability the log provided. Perhaps the log is more appropriate for powerlifting in which case numbers matter more.

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731

@dnh36 - I don’t keep a journal anymore, although I used to. During my first few years of training, I ALWAYS had a journal or spreadsheet on a clipboard and wrote down everything. I believe it can be a very useful tool for someone who is starting out and getting used to learning their capabilities, practicing consistency, etc. Over time, however, I noticed the same things that you do, that I based every session off the numbers from the previous one, and if I couldn’t match my previous numbers, I’d become frustrated and feel like I was stepping back.

After I got more into bodybuilding, rather than overall weight lifting, my top priority became a solid MMC, and lifting as heavy as possible within the given rep range of the exercise. I began to view each weight as a tool, and not a number. I also began to realize, after years of consistent training, that the body is not a machine, and it’s not reasonable to assume that every week you’ll have the same strength as the week before. Hypothetically, if we were always able to increase, we’d add 100lbs to every lift a year and I should be able to bench 300lb dumbbells by now.

So, now I auto regulate every day. I know my PR’s and abilities on each lift, and do plenty of warm up/activation sets to make sure I start my first set with a weight as heavy as I can lift for the rep range I’m going for. Some days I feel good, but the strength isn’t the same as it was the week before, so I’m not going to force the issue. If I do, then that means I’m not using the desired muscle optimally to move the weight. Some days strength is way up for some reason, so I’ll take advantage of it on those days and maybe do some heavier sets than originally planned. Ultimately, my primary #1 objective as a bodybuilder is to grow my muscles as big as possible, so I need to train towards that goal. That means getting enough time under tension in the working muscle, which can’t be done if I’m more concerned with what weight I’m lifting, rather than if the muscle is working optimally or not.

I like to use the analogy of a carpenter. If you’re an experienced carpenter, you may get a call for a job, hear a description, and assume you need a certain tool. So, you get to the job, and upon analyzing, you realize the tool you thought you needed isn’t optimal, and to get the job done properly, you should use a different one. A skilled and experienced carpenter wouldn’t say, “well, I THOUGHT I needed this wrench, and even though I realize now the job would be done better with a different wrench, I’m still gonna use the one I originally thought because that’s what I always do and what I planned on doing.” Of course they wouldn’t, they’d use the best tool for the job.

Your muscles don’t know the weight that’s in your hands, they just know if they’re working or not. So, unless you’re a power lifter who is chasing a specific weight for a meet, I think it’s important to always strive to get stronger, but be smart about the approach. Additionally, if some days the strength isn’t what it usually is and you try to force the issue, the door opens up for possible injury. I don’t want surgery in 10 years for something that easily could have been prevented with smarter training, so again, I always make sure top priority is max intensity within a given rep range, whatever weight that may be for the day. Generally I like to match my weights or move up, but if it doesn’t happen, I will select the proper weight and not give it a second thought, other than being satisfied that I know I’m training optimally.

I have definitely gotten significantly stronger since I became more focused on training by feel, some folks might have a misconception that if you’re not training crazy heavy every day, or moving up in weight every week, you’re not getting stronger. As long as the overall program is designed to keep getting bigger and stronger, and you’re living the lifestyle and training consistently with max intensity, you’ll definitely keep getting stronger.

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732

Wow, thank you for taking the time to post such a well thought out and generous response.

When considering rep ranges I assume you go a bit lower for the big compound lifts, higher on the isolation (baring outliers like high rep squat etc…)?

When do you choose to change the rep ranges for your exercises, if you do that. What makes you decide to change or keep plugging away?

Thanks

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733

Thoughts on Push Press as a hypertrophy exercise.

734

I used to use it as a finishing exercise. After strict shoulder work, I’d rely on the push-press’s leg drive to get a heavy BB overhead so I could focus on getting some extra eccentric work in with a weight that I wouldn’t Typically do concentrics with.

S

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735

what do you think about bench dips to add some meat to the triceps?
i started doing them at the end for high reps and the pump is insane.

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736

Definitely a good finisher, no doubt. Personally, they’re a little rough on my shoulders and I stay away from them, but that’s just me. For a finisher I prefer overhead extensions, or decline bench DB extensions.

I’ve added solid tricep mass with close grip benching twice a week, one session is heavier 5-6 reps, and the second session is 8-12 reps.

737

@dnh36 you’re very welcome! I’m sorry for the delay in my response, here’s some more info!

Pretty much, but not always. With the compound movements, sometimes I’ll stick with 8-10 as I will in other exercise, sometimes 5x5, sometimes 5-6. Typically I’ll go 5-8 for things like incline DB presses, T-Bar rows, sometimes barbell bicep curls, etc., but again it varies. Isolation movements are always at least 8-10.

I do vary rep ranges sometimes. As usual 8-10 is my money zone, but sometimes it’ll be as much as 12-15 reps. For certain movements like, let’s say, leaning DB laterals, there’s only so heavy you can go to really isolate the delt, so certain movements like that will tend to be higher rep ranges.

If I have a movement that’s typically 8-10 reps, sometimes I might go 10-12 if I’m feeling a little more beat up that day, or want to back off for the week. I will still lift as intensely as possible, but the weight will be lowered slightly. Or, if I’m having trouble feeling a pump, I’ll do my first working set or two with higher reps and really focus on MMC, then the next sets I’ll move up in weight and down in reps.

This might not be as detailed or methodical as you were looking for, but honestly after very consistent, never-missing bodybuilding style training for 4-5 years, I’ve learned to listen to my body and do what feels right.

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738

Thanks again for taking the time.

I have been trying to change my training lately and have been using a greater range of reps and consequently volume. An example is for 8-10 in my main compound move, 10-12 in the second exercise, 12-15 in the third and fourth if there is one.

I stopped using my journal in the last few workouts as well and can say for certain I was more sore, and overall felt less obsessive avout the training. I was able to go lighter or pick another exercise if there was pain without feeling like I was somehow messing up my “data”.

After years of spinning my wheels, I am hoping this change will be a positive one.

Thanks!

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739

How much time do you all allow yourself between reps on movements like squats? Is it good until you rack it?

740

For pure body building purpose, I’d say you should be “piston like” for most of the sets, and maybe on the last you could pause a few seconds between the last reps. Same for something like a leg press

Unless you are doing a challenge set or something (20 rep widow maker)

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741

Agreed, constant time under tension is what you want. The exception for me is sometimes when I’ve done heavier sets in squatting, I’ll have a slight pause at the top between reps, just enough time to take a big belly breath and start the next one.

On leg press there’s no pause up top. Push until just shy of lockout so the tension is always kept in the legs, then start a controlled negative seamlessly.

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742

Any recommendations for bands? I need them specifically for leg curls. I train at home and need a more isolation type exercise.

743

I havent found a way to get a great leg-curl-effect with just bands… They always slide up my leg or just dont provide enough resistance. Here is what I have done in my garage setting

Ben Bruno wrote a couple of articles detailing how to do leg curls with “val slides” (basically furniture sliders): Leg curls 2.0 and Hamstring Hell. These can be found for $10-20 on Amazon, and if you do them on carpet will last forever. As he mentions in the articles… They can be brutal even at just the basic version, so these are nothing to sneeze at.

If you can find a way to set it up, theres also the “nordic curl” (a GHR variation). EliteFTS also has an at-home GHR that cool, but its still pricey for a single, specialized piece of equipment.

Between that, stiff leg deads (DB, banded DB, and BB), and just the regular work of squatting deep and dead lifting, the hamstrings should get covered.

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744

My opinion. Hit arms heavy trough compounds so when you do train them directly you focus on quality of contraction and more of a pump routine. Do not train arms heavy with isolation exercises as that may cause chronic tendinitis.

Best include exercises that enfasize the flex and some others that enfasize the stretch

745

Man I have been looking for a good way to hit hammies in the home gym. Thanks for posting

1 Like
746

I’m not exactly sure where I should be asking this, but I’ll just ask here.

Asking @BrickHead, and @robstein.

Have a few questions for you, considering you’re freaking amazing at what you do,

I’ll give a bit of detail, and I mainly want to know if I should keep at it, or switch up something a bit.

I’ve been powerlifting for round about under 3 years, I’ve been recovered for 2 years from eating issues of 14 years.

I’m 5 feet and a half, and I weigh 197.

I’m currently holding off pictures for the 2018 challenge, and also because I’m extremely shy, but I’ll provide some measurements:

IMG_2792
IMG_27921242×2208 475 KB

Right now, due to an injury, I’ve been prescribed to lose 20-25lbs, I’ve lost 13-14 of them Last month, and I’m kind of stagnating now into my second month.

I’m fairly well versed with nutrition, how to do it right, and how to do it completely wrong lol. During my first year of weight training I ate very clean, and enough to go from 143lbs to 160-165lbs while still being reasonably lean for a woman.

Upon reaching heavier PR goals in the last year, I was still eating clean, but I was eating probably waaaay to much, and overshooting fats and proteins, and saw the heavier side of 210-212.

My training is set up with 60-70% for working sets concerning my squat and deadlift, with assistance work in the high-moderate range. 40-50% for working sets concerning deadlift, assistance is the same. Working sets are 3x5, or 5x5 give or take.I had just finished a second wave of 5/3/1 powerlifting for off-season, before switching to 3-5, or 5x5 scheme. Training is 3-4 days out of the week. Strength has pretty much been the same, give or take slight loss.

I keep active recovery such as walking, swimming, or biking to 2-3 times a week, and either HIIT or conditioning(sled pulls, tire flips, carries,etc), to one time a week in 10-20 mins sessions).

Calories were slowly lowered by 100-200 or so from 2,900-3,000 to right around 2,000-2,100 currently. I’ll carb up maybe once every two weeks or so. And I’ll have 1-2 solid meals a day, and the rest come in liquid from protein shakes. I keep protein at 180, carbs at 150-200 although I’m usually at the lower end, and fats I cap off at 80-90.

I’ve been getting leaner, my lower body is lagging behind compared to my upper body, but it’s getting there. I do have bits of cellulite on my lower body, but when I was leaner it wasn’t there, so I just chalk it up to needing to lose more weight.

Should I just keep pushing forward, or is there something that needs to be adjusted or changed? My training and goals doesn’t call for me to be extremely shredded or anything, but for reasons stated above I would like to be lean enough to perform more efficiently and to look good obviously lol.

Thanks.

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