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General weights discussion thread

Snoochies

First Grade
Messages
5,593
Stronglifts Vs Rippletoe (Starting Strength)

Are they much of a muchness or really personal preference. The exercises are pretty much the same. Looking through a few forums and it seems Rippletoe seems to be the favourite.

Stronglifts = 5X5

Rippletoe = 3X5
 

Pete Cash

Post Whore
Messages
61,938
They are about the same. Just keep in mind once you are squatting like 150 plus its going to get harder and harder to squat three times a week without steroid use.
 

Pete Cash

Post Whore
Messages
61,938
As far as the discussion on technique goes there are times where you do lose it. Maybe pushing for a 1rm on a deadlift or something. Being gigantic tall means I do on occasions round my back at the top end which is naughty of me but I've only ever had the odd injury. I keep my technique largely pretty good mind just on the odd occasion.
 

Snoochies

First Grade
Messages
5,593
They are about the same. Just keep in mind once you are squatting like 150 plus its going to get harder and harder to squat three times a week without steroid use.

Yeah I was doing the Stronglifts at the start of the year and got upto 155 and stalled from there so starting out again now.
 

Pete Cash

Post Whore
Messages
61,938
It's more efficient to do a west side program when you get to the higher weights. Obviously ymmv but elite power lifters aren't doing strong lifts.

It's a great program for beginners but I hate this mantra thing that surrounds it. No reason why a beginner can't do a modified Westside or weindler.
 

Snoochies

First Grade
Messages
5,593
Just had a brief look at westside. So the general theory on that program is one body part per day over a 4 day split and each week there is a new 'wave' for each exercise over a 4-5 week period. Do you then repeat this series again?

When would it be appropriate to start a program like this, maybe when I max out on a Stronglift or Rippletoe?? Is the Westside similar to Madcow?

Sorry for the questions, at the start of the year I was a fat bloke who loved beer too much, now I am falling in love with this health and fitness stuff and am planning for my long term future of being strong and healthy :)
 

Pete Cash

Post Whore
Messages
61,938
I'll paste a basic west side routine when I get home from work. In fact I may have already posted one. Beginner ones focus on heavy days and light days. So you would start at 80 % of your 1rm and build over 8 weeks aiming to put weight on weekly for heavy days and on the other days its much lower like 40 % of thestarting 1rm.

Because they are primarily designed for power lifters they tend to be done over 8 week cycles.
 

Pete Cash

Post Whore
Messages
61,938
I had a long post wrote out and I closed it like a spastic.

to me the biggest flaw with something like stronglifts is eventually its going to be too difficult to recover squatting that much a week without the aid of steroids. Now your squat isn't bad for your bodyweight it is smack on what is considered a novice lift which is about where 6 months of training would get you.

http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/SquatStandardsKg.html (for reference)

So thats nothing to be ashamed of. Considering how strong your bench is (you are getting towards the intermediate class with that one) I would guess your issue is technique with your squat. In general stalling is caused by lack of muscle recovery (are you eating enough food are you getting enough sleep) or technique. That said with all success beginner programmes there is a risk that stronglifts and the like become a bit of a mantra. What I would possibly suggest is that you switch it up and attempt a short term goal orientated routine like westside.

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/modified-westside-barbell-strength-workout.html

You could just be in a funk from doing 6 months of the same routine. Westside is designed to go over 8 weeks with the goal to increase your 1rm. After the 8 weeks you can switch it back to strong lifts, try Wendler or if you want to you can train something designed more for muscle hypertrophy than strength.


The second link is what you are after.
 

Snoochies

First Grade
Messages
5,593
Anyone use a home gym?

We have a gym here at work but people are taking it for granted and I'm getting frustrated coming in after the lunch crew and acting like a cleaner picking up everyones weights and towels etc.

Anyway, was thinking of setting up my own at home as I have a bar room that I never use so thought about clearing out the bar and pool table and coverting it to a gym.

Have looked around and the Muscle Motion Powerack seems to be one of the most popular choices.
http://www.gymdirect.com.au/item/1-...pic-bar-+-145kg-Olympic-weights-$1450/528.htm

What do people here use if you use a home gym?
 

Joker's Wild

Coach
Messages
17,894
Yep, I have a home gym

I have an old Smith machine I use as a squat rack (removed the rails and added moveable bar platforms), a bench, 2 bars, 4 sets of dumbells and various plates.

My best advise to you would be to get some sort of rubber or foam mats. This will let you drop weights if needed without damaging the floor
 

Snoochies

First Grade
Messages
5,593
Yeah I was thinking of getting some of the proper gym matting as I have tiles in the room. Would look pretty neat to.
 
Messages
17,035
He is wearing the wrong shoes for squats. You need flat bottoms or just go barefoot like me. Runners generally slope down making it more difficult to push off your heals. Just sayin..
 

abpanther

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
20,786
So how does everyone do their lunges?

I started off doing them with dumbells, then moved to using a bar in the squat rack.

At the moment that's what I'm doing at the moment, for each set I do 12 reps onf one leg, then swap do 12 on the other. Also, when I do each leg I go down into the lunge position and then just go up and down 12 times without going back each time between reps and having my feet together. Is that a problem or all good?
 

Shorty

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
15,555
He is wearing the wrong shoes for squats. You need flat bottoms or just go barefoot like me. Runners generally slope down making it more difficult to push off your heals. Just sayin..

Does that guy look like he has supportive arches?
 

Cliffhanger

Coach
Messages
15,228
I was reading a 2010 study where they compared squatting barefoot, to squatting with shods and weight lifting shoes.

Long story short, shods won.
 
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