I agree with this but I also think this movement puts a lot of strain on the elbow tendons.
I know for me, if I am doing those three movements with any intensity, then I don’t need any isolation type movements. I find the isolation movements are great for getting a pump and that does make me feel good…… but building muscle na probably not.
My Arms have grown the most when I trained them directly. I don’t believe at all that only heavy base movements are optimal. I’m not saying they won’t grow, I’m saying it’s not optimal. At least my body does. And I really love isolated arm work, especially Triceps.
By the way, Dorian first does the Push-Down and then the Barbell Extensions from a supine position. He claims that this is how he warms up his elbows and avoids pain and injuries.
You might be right - it might just be that the pump makes me feel great but it’s not actually achieving anything useful!
100% my experience too!
More info is needed.
How long have you been doing the rope overhead extensions? How much weight reps are you using, how often, what other moves are you doing?
Maybe you’re not warming up your tris before you stretch them out, causing pain. Maybe you’re over-working your long head while you neglect the other 2 parts of your tricep, causing weird twisting and torqueing on your elbows. It’s possible you’re using the wrong weights, like you’re going too heavy and using too few reps on a Peak Contraction exercise. Maybe the cable is played out and you should switch to any of the other overhead tricep moves. Maybe you’re doing the move too often, so your elbows can’t recover. Technique could be off, like you’re pushing with your shoulders instead of extending your arms…
Thanks Flats, I think it’s more likely a really simple broscience explanation like: old guy doing too much volume.
But all your suggestions are likely valid possibilities too! My plan is to just go slow with the direct tricep work (REAL slow) and when something starts hurting, change the exercise or drop the weight.
I hate this picture, so I’m posting it to keep myself accountable!
Status is still very much: you look like you’re riding a chicken. I can’t squat or leg-press without real discomfort in the artificial hips, so I’ve been half-assing hack squats and leg extensions etc. And ending up with scrawny legs as a result.
I’m unclear as to how to bring my legs back up into proportion, but I’m going to find a way.
Currently I’m thinking of adding some sled pushes onto leg day, but all artificial-hip friendly suggestions welcome…
How about prowler pushes and pulls?
How are you in regards to climbing stairs?
Get started by working your glutes and low abs. Train them to take some of the stress off your quads and hip flexors. And to build up the size of your back side.
Then hamstrings. For the same reasons, taking some of the load off your quads and hips to make your joints work better. And for the mass.
Sled pushes and pulls are cool, you don’t need to go into super deep hip flexion to work your hips, glutes and legs. But if you don’t focus on the glutes and hams, its likely that your quads and hip flexors will keep taking most of the load.
Stairs are fine - good for calves I assume?
Hip thrusts for this do you think?
good for calves I assume?
An interesting assumption: good for legs.
You could replicate something similar with a weighted vest or a safety squat bar. Or you can always carry a load too, but most likely you’ll fatigue your carrying muscles before your legs.
Hip thrust can be good.
But if they hurt the front of your hips, or if you feel them in your back more than your glutes you’ll need something easier to start off with.
Its just a matter of doing the exercises that fit where you are now.
If your glutes really suck, and you can’t voluntarily contract them you might just need to sit in a chair and do butt squeezes.
Or level 2 clamshells
Or level 3 glute exercises with sliders
Or Level 4 glute bridges on floor
The sled can also work if you just get a slight forward lean, moderate strides and deliberate glute focus.
Thanks @FlatsFarmer and @T3hPwnisher !
If leg extensions don’t impact the hip, maybe there is a way to prioritize them or focus on them and get better results. Rep goal or weight goal or reps for weight goal. Pauses at peak contraction, giant strip sets, heavy partials at the bottom stretch position ?
I agree with Simo. Your quads are poppin’ , you must be hitting them fairly well. Messing with sets/reps/tempo to keep things fresh and exciting may Feel less half assed.
These seem to result in good definition but not much size. It’s the old “majoring in the minors” concept: no matter how hard you go at the isolation exercises, without the big compounds you’re always going to struggle.
(Except for seated calf raises, those are the GOAT)
This is also a function of diet and lets be honest hormones. If we aren’t 20 anymore then adding size to our legs is not going to be easy.
