Lifter problems
-
Planks are great, FLR does more for your upper back, so I usually have people do those.
Remember - it’s not working until you start shaking!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
@TrickHell As a lifter who is well past his prime and as I make my slow decline into the "old man zone" (53 yrs old now) I can appreciate your enthusiasm for lifting and it makes for enjoyable reading. keep us in the loop
-
Chris Dickerson won Mr Olympia in 1982, at the age of 43, so you've still got time @TrickHell!
-
It all falls apart at age 49…
-
I've been having trouble with my back for a while, and had an X-ray before Christmas. It turns out that the problem is scoliosis, there's a slight bend in my spine.
Anyway, I went to see a physio today, and he doesn't think that there's anything seriously wrong. A few exercises, a bit of stretching, and maybe correcting the form should fix it. That's good, and should allow me to lift heavier again.
-
@TrickHell:
Doing my last week of 5/3/1 before starting the 10,000 Kettlebell Swing Challenge. I've definitely gotten big and spent the last three months going super balls out on assistance, spending 2-3 hours at the gym every day. I have a solid base to work from and I know my weak points: upper chest and arms. My deadlift continues to be my weakest lift. My vanity projects for 2018 are mid / lower traps / rhombs and forearms. Streamlined my workout my picking on sticking points / weak spots and using supersets.
I'll try to remember to get some final numbers for you guys after I finish up on the 31st.
@TrickHell how are you approaching the 10k swing challenge? I did this last year, think I failed in changing the swing progression by the week. Some weeks were heavy single bell, some were lighter single arms. Good luck on it, takes a lot to stick with it.
im catching up in this thread, so maybe the answer is down the line…
edit
Other challenge you should check out after the 10k is working towards the simple/sinister. No idea what your baseline is, but for me its a long play, and similar to the 10k challenge in terms of sticking with it. -
We need to buy belts from Pioneer.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuHmLacgaDV/
Swipe right and watch the video.
-
I just read {glanced, really} through this entire thread, and I'm surprised there's no mention of shirts.
I'm not a "big" guy by any means 5'-11", 185+/- lbs. I have a harder time fitting shirts than jeans. I prefer a more fitted, tailored fit for my clothes, even for denim-wear (which is all I ever wear). I really don't like boxy, baggy, over-sized clothes anymore. Work shirts are usually too boxy in the mid-section and waist, and why I prefer westerns for the slimmer body.
What I never see mentioned in any discussions of shirts of any type (tees or L/S button front) is the proportion of shoulder-to-chest measurements. I find that most shirts' shoulders at the top of the sleeve seam are too narrow compared to the chest width at the arm pit. Extra shoulder width would do a lot for comfort and ease of motion without changing the body width.
The best fitting shirts I have are The Flat Head westerns, in XL/44. The are cut like they are tailored specifically for me. Wide in the shoulders and chest, narrow in the waist, perfect length body and sleeves. If anything, the arms are a bit tight. It seems they don't work for most western guys though. Kyle, on SuFu, used to work for TFH in Japan some years ago, and he said Masa-san develops patterns cut for his own body, which even for a small Japanese man he has a large shoulder-to-waist ratio. Then the pattern is scaled up and down for other sizes. (Correct me if I'm wrong). However TFH does it, it works for me.
The other shirts I've found that fit me well are Wranglers Retro and Western Cowboy Work cut. They're super cheap - in price and quality - but they fit me well. A L gives me more room in the shoulders and chest, but are too long in the body, so I wear a M.
I wear an XL in IH westerns, and they are not ideal for me. I LOVE the styling, fabrics, details, etc. The chest and shoulders are tight, too wide in waist width, the body sometimes too long. Not including the collar button, the top 2 snaps pull outwards and the fabric looks distorted. Dean DelRay mention this too in his podcast interview w/ Giles. I need an XXL in the chest and shoulders, and a L everywhere else. I don't have an IH Work shirt, because the measurements look too wide in the waist and opening for me.
First world problems, I know, LOL!
-
I have a similar problem but not exactly. I have a big chest measurement compared to my shoulders so if the shirts were made like you suggest I’d have extra material at the shoulders. Now I ALSO think that the body is too big relative to the chest, but if the shoulders went up as well it’d create a different issue for me.
I only wear workshirts because the front yoke looks silly on my shoulders. My chest has plenty of topography/visual interest so breaking it up with an additional piece of fabric makes everything too busy. I think they look awesome on guys that have a very flat chest to shoulder transition for the very reason that they give the area some visual interest.
-
We're all built differently. There's no ONE perfect cut of jeans or shirts that'll work for all of us.
I much prefer half-westerns, without front shoulder yokes. Full westerns can come off as too costume-y, regardless of brand. Unless your true vide is the cowboy aesthetic. Mine isn't, and I still wear mainly full westerns… :o
-
I got a new Pioneer belt today. It's the orange alligator one, the US flag belongs to a friend who goes to the gym.
The belt is 13mm, about half an inch, thick. That's the cutoff for powerlifting competitions. However I went for a 3" rather than 4" width because I'm very short waisted, so it fits into the tight gap between my ribs and hips. Besides, Rippetoe reckons 4" is too wide for most people to deadlift properly, and I think that I made the right choice.
-
I was recommended to get a lever belt. They're easier to pull tight, but they're a struggle to adjust as they need a screwdriver or coin to do this! There are a pair of screws holding the buckle assembly on, and they have to be removed first.
SBD sell a reassuringly expensive lever belt that can be adjusted without a screwdriver. They look pretty good.
-
Going to phoenix this thread as I am back in the gym after a two year (:o) absence. Covid, injuries and life all got in the way.
Having been advised by some "helpful" people that at my age and with my injuries I probably should just do yoga, I was a little unsure how to start. My previous programmes have been quite intensive with 4 sessions a week, using the push/pull/leg model, and mixing the big moves with isolation work. I blame the latter for irritating my shoulder injury.
Given that, my need for a quick start, and the fact that I'm basically back to beginner strength levels, I'm going for StrongLifts 5x5. Starting with 30kg (squat/back row/deadlift) and 20kg (bench/ohp) It is ridiculously and insanely light, but I'm going to stay loyal to the programme. The adding of weight each session is fun, but I still feel like I could bump everything a lot and do fine.
Any thoughts or experiences on 5x5?
-
Welcome back to the gym, R!
I used 5x5 for at least a year. It's been a while but the issue I had, in hindsight, was the lack of accessory lifts and 5x5 deadlifts. Heavy 5x5 deadlifts is a horrible idea. That's how I screwed up my back. 5x5 deadlifts is fine if it's light, but I learned the hard way, that you should not do high reps of heavy deadlifts. Your lower back just won't take it.
I eventually found a good trainer online who sends me a routine and answers questions. Wish I would've done it sooner. Been using him for about 2 years now.
