13Apr10 - Close Grip Bench and Assistance
Weight - 240
Close Grip Bench -
bar x 50
135 x 20
225 x 5
315 x 3
365 x 1
315x10
Incline -
225 x 15
Tit Machine
Pipes
Notes - Super tired again. Haven't been logging it here but cardio is roughly twice a day every day. Just getting the reps in right now, not pushing it. Elbows are pretty tender.
Strength Life Legacy
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
What constitutes strong?
This is something that is debated back and forth all the time by lifters. A long time ago I had a "star system" where I set up lifts for 5 rep maxes and what level it was placed on. Like "weak, average, strong, elite" that kind of thing. It stirred up quite a bit of discussion on the small board I posted on at the time. I thought it was good food for thought.
I go back and forth with this sort of thing all the time with Jim Wendler of elitefts and so I figured what the heck, I'd throw some numbers up that we have been chatting about that would constitute really diesel elite-level lifting for reps.
Bench Press - 315x20
I took notice of this after Eric Lilliebridge sent me his training log. Most all of the 500+ bench pressers I know can hit around 315 for 20-22 reps or so. And even if you couldn't bench 500, if you could do 315x20 you'd be damn big and strong. No getting around that.
Dips - 200x10
Jim says this is ridiculous. I left it at 200x10 for that very reason. I mean we're talking elite level right?
Chins - 100x10
Some skinny guys that are naturally built for chinning might be able to hit this. But we're talking dead-stop chins all the way up. Not that forehead to the bar shit. This is diesel chinning/back strength, especially for guys over 200 pounds.
Squats and Deadlifts - 500x20
Yeah sounds ridiculous doesn't it? That's the point. Using a calculator this would come out to an 800 squat or dead. Mind you, the point here isn't that if you worked up to this you would be hitting an 800 squat or dead, but you'd damn sure have increased your 1 rep max and you'd be a walking Hulk to boot. Second, all of that mass would have increased your 1 rep max ceiling. Meaning you probably would be able to translate those reps into an 800 squat or dead after specializing in some singles for a while. Good stuff all around.
Kaz claimed to have squatted 600x25 pretty regularly. I don't doubt it.
Standing Strict Press - 315x1
No push press crap. Lots of guy can do push press numbers that look good but then fall flat on their face come strict press time. This is the one lift where we never talked about reps but just about putting 3 wheels overhead. I was probably good for this at one time (275x3 strict) but I do my standing press from a clean. I couldn't hang clean 315 so I never got a shot. After August I am going to take a real run at this over the next 12 months.
Barbell Curls - 185 x 10
Again, strict. I don't think we discussed this one too much but it's there (I think).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think it's safe to say if you knew someone that could hit all of these, words like "beastly" and "awesome" would come to mind. Words like "thin" "slight" or "frail" probably would not.
7 lifts to maximize your entire genetic potential for strength and mass (along with PBnJ).
Pretty simple isn't it?
I go back and forth with this sort of thing all the time with Jim Wendler of elitefts and so I figured what the heck, I'd throw some numbers up that we have been chatting about that would constitute really diesel elite-level lifting for reps.
Bench Press - 315x20
I took notice of this after Eric Lilliebridge sent me his training log. Most all of the 500+ bench pressers I know can hit around 315 for 20-22 reps or so. And even if you couldn't bench 500, if you could do 315x20 you'd be damn big and strong. No getting around that.
Dips - 200x10
Jim says this is ridiculous. I left it at 200x10 for that very reason. I mean we're talking elite level right?
Chins - 100x10
Some skinny guys that are naturally built for chinning might be able to hit this. But we're talking dead-stop chins all the way up. Not that forehead to the bar shit. This is diesel chinning/back strength, especially for guys over 200 pounds.
Squats and Deadlifts - 500x20
Yeah sounds ridiculous doesn't it? That's the point. Using a calculator this would come out to an 800 squat or dead. Mind you, the point here isn't that if you worked up to this you would be hitting an 800 squat or dead, but you'd damn sure have increased your 1 rep max and you'd be a walking Hulk to boot. Second, all of that mass would have increased your 1 rep max ceiling. Meaning you probably would be able to translate those reps into an 800 squat or dead after specializing in some singles for a while. Good stuff all around.
Standing Strict Press - 315x1
No push press crap. Lots of guy can do push press numbers that look good but then fall flat on their face come strict press time. This is the one lift where we never talked about reps but just about putting 3 wheels overhead. I was probably good for this at one time (275x3 strict) but I do my standing press from a clean. I couldn't hang clean 315 so I never got a shot. After August I am going to take a real run at this over the next 12 months.
Barbell Curls - 185 x 10
Again, strict. I don't think we discussed this one too much but it's there (I think).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think it's safe to say if you knew someone that could hit all of these, words like "beastly" and "awesome" would come to mind. Words like "thin" "slight" or "frail" probably would not.
7 lifts to maximize your entire genetic potential for strength and mass (along with PBnJ).
Pretty simple isn't it?
Interview with Konstantin Konstantinovs - Translated
I lifted this from another site, however people are always wondering exactly how he trains so I figured some might find this interesting.
Did you start training as a powerlifter?
At first I did gymnastics (from 6 year old), then judo, then strength training. As a powerlifter I have been training from 16 year old.
As I understand deadlift is your favourite lift?
Deadlift has always been my favourite and best lift. As a 15 year old and at a bodyweight of just slightly over 70 kg, I pulled 215 kg with a horribly rounded back and without a belt. But I like to squat and bench press as well.
How do you train squat?
I squat in every workout. For a long time, I used to do only ATG Oly squat. But now I squat on a box of various heights with bands and I also do a raw powerlifting squat in light knee wraps (I have week knees and I need to spare them). I do a heavy box squat after deadlift: I max out for a single set of 2-3 reps with bands that add 120 kg at the top. Then I take some weight from the bar, and do a set of 7-10 reps. My medium squat is a single set of heavy free squat for 4-6 reps. My light squat is also a single set of free squat.
Your competition bodyweight is at maximum, or still increasing?
I have always had a problem with gaining weight. I am skinny by nature, and gain weight very slowly. But on the other hand, I don’t get fat. In general, I have to fight hard for every kilogram of bodyweight. However, the increase in strength from every additional kilogram is substantial. I need to slowly increase my bodyweight to 135-140 kg. Then I will be really strong. Now my bodyweight is 128 kg, and for my height of 190 cm (6’3), this is too low.
I saw your raw bench press. You have very long arms, but you press with a close grip. Is it a habit? Or pecs injured?
When I was young, I listened to “wise” people who said that grip should be maximally wide – 81 cm. The range is shorter and to press heavier is easier like that. But over time, I understood that this does not work for me. My arms are long, and in the bottom position I was not able to engage muscles of the back. As a result I constantly had injuries of shoulders and pecs. But my close grip bench press has always been good. At 17 years of age, I benched 200 kg with a close grip, but with glutes off the bench. I decided not to think too much about this, and I switched to close grip. After that I had no injuries, no pain and strength has been increasing slowly but constantly. But triceps must be very strong for such benching!
Many say that deadlifting like Konstantinov, with a rounded back, is a straight road to a broken back. How’s your back, any pain?
That I will break my back I heard from as long as I started to deadlift, or for the last 16 years. I have always deadlifted with a rounded back. My legs have always been lagging in development, but results in deadlift have always been increasing. My back is prone to injuries only when I squat with a heavy weight, but when I deadlift, my back remains in the same rounded position throughout the lift, irrespective of whether I can lift the weight or not, and this protects it from injury. But you need very strong abs if you want to deadlift like that.
Could you give an example of your latest training microcycle?
I don’t have a fixed training schedule. All depends on how I feel, and if I feel that I am not recovered that I rest 1-2 days more. If the heavy training did not go as planned, then I do it after 1 day of rest.
Workout 1.
1. Light squat for a warm up.
2. Deadlift. I do a different variant every time I train: rack pulls – 7, 11, 15, 20, 23 cm from the knees (higher than that I never pull). I do either a set of 3 reps or 8-10 depending on how I feel.
3. Bench press. I consider bench press as rest between heavy work. I bench either with touch and go with a medium grip, or with a close grip pausing at the bottom. I might do a single set of 10 reps with touch and go, or might max out pausing at the bottom. It all depends on how I feel and my mood.
4. 2nd deadlift. I pull either from a floor or from a deficit (about 9 cm). I do a single set of 2-3 reps pausing at the bottom. Then if I have enough energy, I might do another set of 6-8 reps.
5. Box squat. Heavy box squat as described above.
Workout 2 (in two days).
1. Medium heavy squat as described above.
2. Heavy bench press for a single set of 3 reps. Once in two weeks: negatives – 1-2 set for 1 rep. Then a single set of 8-10 reps with either close or medium grip depending on how I feel.
3. Cardio – 15-20 min.
Workout 3.
1. Light squat.
2. Medium heavy bench press: a single set of 6-8 reps.
3. Speed deadlift with bands: 8x1. Bands increase weight by 130 kg at the top.
4. Pull ups with weight or bands. ONLY explosively. Very important for my deadlift.
5. GHR, hyperextensions, very heavy abs work (6 sets with emphasis on strength).
Workout 4.
The same as workout 2.
After this the microcycle is repeated.
Do you often do sets to failure? How long do you rest between workouts after heavy bench and deadlift work?
Sometimes I max out for 1RM, but normally I try to have something left in reserve. In deadlift, I max out only in competitions or on special occasions. In bench press, I max out more often, and in the past I liked to do this routinely. Now I save myself for competitions. With box squat, I normally do a maximally heavy set of 2-3 reps, but I might also max out (but not often). After bench press, I recover very quickly because I bench with my arms and muscles only. When I used to use a wide grip, I had pain in ligaments and tendons sometimes for 5 days. Now with a close grip, all of the load is on muscles only, and they recover quickly. With deadlift, the situation is of course different. The heavy deadlift workout (together with a heavy box squat) takes about 4 hours, and after such training the body recovers much more slowly. All in all, a heavy deadlift workout is done once in 13-14 days.
For many people, it is hard to have a job and train at the same time. Do you have such a problem?
I work as a body guard, and I have to fly all over the world, which is interesting and educational. But it’s hard to train like this. I often have to train in hotels and fitness centres where nobody heard about powerlifting. Some times, all I can do is just push ups and squats with a friend on my shoulders in order to maintain muscles somehow. I lose 4-5 kg after each travel. One can forget about eating 5 times a day when working. Some times, all I get is just a breakfast and a couple of protein snacks. It takes me 2 weeks to rest after such travels. But all of this is really not essential, the most important is the wish to train, and if you have it, you’ll find time for training.
How do you prepare psychologically to competitions?
Psychological preparation is very important for me. Especially for the dealift. I would say that I am in a state of a controlled rage, and I am thinking only about one thing: SPEED. When my friends support me, they always shout “speed”.
What do you prepare for right now?
I want to rest a little, and then I will start heavy training again, especially in deadlift. I don’t want to use gear, so I will continue training without it. My next goal is 441 kg deadlift RAW. Many ask me when I am going to beat Andy Bolton’s record. I find this funny. I would be happy to meat him in a competition without gear in a bodyweight class of 140 kg. But I don’t think that Andy will agree to this. Some people can get a lot out of gear, but others – not much. It would be much more simple is everybody competed without gear. Many are tired of all these mega records set in gear. The real strength is not in extracting maximum out of gear. This is my opinion about it.
Did you start training as a powerlifter?
At first I did gymnastics (from 6 year old), then judo, then strength training. As a powerlifter I have been training from 16 year old.
As I understand deadlift is your favourite lift?
Deadlift has always been my favourite and best lift. As a 15 year old and at a bodyweight of just slightly over 70 kg, I pulled 215 kg with a horribly rounded back and without a belt. But I like to squat and bench press as well.
How do you train squat?
I squat in every workout. For a long time, I used to do only ATG Oly squat. But now I squat on a box of various heights with bands and I also do a raw powerlifting squat in light knee wraps (I have week knees and I need to spare them). I do a heavy box squat after deadlift: I max out for a single set of 2-3 reps with bands that add 120 kg at the top. Then I take some weight from the bar, and do a set of 7-10 reps. My medium squat is a single set of heavy free squat for 4-6 reps. My light squat is also a single set of free squat.
Your competition bodyweight is at maximum, or still increasing?
I have always had a problem with gaining weight. I am skinny by nature, and gain weight very slowly. But on the other hand, I don’t get fat. In general, I have to fight hard for every kilogram of bodyweight. However, the increase in strength from every additional kilogram is substantial. I need to slowly increase my bodyweight to 135-140 kg. Then I will be really strong. Now my bodyweight is 128 kg, and for my height of 190 cm (6’3), this is too low.
I saw your raw bench press. You have very long arms, but you press with a close grip. Is it a habit? Or pecs injured?
When I was young, I listened to “wise” people who said that grip should be maximally wide – 81 cm. The range is shorter and to press heavier is easier like that. But over time, I understood that this does not work for me. My arms are long, and in the bottom position I was not able to engage muscles of the back. As a result I constantly had injuries of shoulders and pecs. But my close grip bench press has always been good. At 17 years of age, I benched 200 kg with a close grip, but with glutes off the bench. I decided not to think too much about this, and I switched to close grip. After that I had no injuries, no pain and strength has been increasing slowly but constantly. But triceps must be very strong for such benching!
Many say that deadlifting like Konstantinov, with a rounded back, is a straight road to a broken back. How’s your back, any pain?
That I will break my back I heard from as long as I started to deadlift, or for the last 16 years. I have always deadlifted with a rounded back. My legs have always been lagging in development, but results in deadlift have always been increasing. My back is prone to injuries only when I squat with a heavy weight, but when I deadlift, my back remains in the same rounded position throughout the lift, irrespective of whether I can lift the weight or not, and this protects it from injury. But you need very strong abs if you want to deadlift like that.
Could you give an example of your latest training microcycle?
I don’t have a fixed training schedule. All depends on how I feel, and if I feel that I am not recovered that I rest 1-2 days more. If the heavy training did not go as planned, then I do it after 1 day of rest.
Workout 1.
1. Light squat for a warm up.
2. Deadlift. I do a different variant every time I train: rack pulls – 7, 11, 15, 20, 23 cm from the knees (higher than that I never pull). I do either a set of 3 reps or 8-10 depending on how I feel.
3. Bench press. I consider bench press as rest between heavy work. I bench either with touch and go with a medium grip, or with a close grip pausing at the bottom. I might do a single set of 10 reps with touch and go, or might max out pausing at the bottom. It all depends on how I feel and my mood.
4. 2nd deadlift. I pull either from a floor or from a deficit (about 9 cm). I do a single set of 2-3 reps pausing at the bottom. Then if I have enough energy, I might do another set of 6-8 reps.
5. Box squat. Heavy box squat as described above.
Workout 2 (in two days).
1. Medium heavy squat as described above.
2. Heavy bench press for a single set of 3 reps. Once in two weeks: negatives – 1-2 set for 1 rep. Then a single set of 8-10 reps with either close or medium grip depending on how I feel.
3. Cardio – 15-20 min.
Workout 3.
1. Light squat.
2. Medium heavy bench press: a single set of 6-8 reps.
3. Speed deadlift with bands: 8x1. Bands increase weight by 130 kg at the top.
4. Pull ups with weight or bands. ONLY explosively. Very important for my deadlift.
5. GHR, hyperextensions, very heavy abs work (6 sets with emphasis on strength).
Workout 4.
The same as workout 2.
After this the microcycle is repeated.
Do you often do sets to failure? How long do you rest between workouts after heavy bench and deadlift work?
Sometimes I max out for 1RM, but normally I try to have something left in reserve. In deadlift, I max out only in competitions or on special occasions. In bench press, I max out more often, and in the past I liked to do this routinely. Now I save myself for competitions. With box squat, I normally do a maximally heavy set of 2-3 reps, but I might also max out (but not often). After bench press, I recover very quickly because I bench with my arms and muscles only. When I used to use a wide grip, I had pain in ligaments and tendons sometimes for 5 days. Now with a close grip, all of the load is on muscles only, and they recover quickly. With deadlift, the situation is of course different. The heavy deadlift workout (together with a heavy box squat) takes about 4 hours, and after such training the body recovers much more slowly. All in all, a heavy deadlift workout is done once in 13-14 days.
For many people, it is hard to have a job and train at the same time. Do you have such a problem?
I work as a body guard, and I have to fly all over the world, which is interesting and educational. But it’s hard to train like this. I often have to train in hotels and fitness centres where nobody heard about powerlifting. Some times, all I can do is just push ups and squats with a friend on my shoulders in order to maintain muscles somehow. I lose 4-5 kg after each travel. One can forget about eating 5 times a day when working. Some times, all I get is just a breakfast and a couple of protein snacks. It takes me 2 weeks to rest after such travels. But all of this is really not essential, the most important is the wish to train, and if you have it, you’ll find time for training.
How do you prepare psychologically to competitions?
Psychological preparation is very important for me. Especially for the dealift. I would say that I am in a state of a controlled rage, and I am thinking only about one thing: SPEED. When my friends support me, they always shout “speed”.
What do you prepare for right now?
I want to rest a little, and then I will start heavy training again, especially in deadlift. I don’t want to use gear, so I will continue training without it. My next goal is 441 kg deadlift RAW. Many ask me when I am going to beat Andy Bolton’s record. I find this funny. I would be happy to meat him in a competition without gear in a bodyweight class of 140 kg. But I don’t think that Andy will agree to this. Some people can get a lot out of gear, but others – not much. It would be much more simple is everybody competed without gear. Many are tired of all these mega records set in gear. The real strength is not in extracting maximum out of gear. This is my opinion about it.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Training
11Apr10 - Deadlifts
Bodyweight - 242
Warm up - walking and then lunges
Deadlifts at mid-shin (I HATE THIS HEIGHT!!!)
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 3
500 x 1
555 x 3
500 x 3
405 x 5
Shrugs - 405 x 15
Chins - 6 sets
Abs - 2 sets
Felt like complete crap.
Bodyweight - 242
Warm up - walking and then lunges
Deadlifts at mid-shin (I HATE THIS HEIGHT!!!)
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 3
500 x 1
555 x 3
500 x 3
405 x 5
Shrugs - 405 x 15
Chins - 6 sets
Abs - 2 sets
Felt like complete crap.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Movie Post of the week - Inglorious Basterds
Wow. That's the first word that comes to mind. Not in a "wow" like I just saw Kate Beckinsale in those leather pants again wow. More like a "wow" I just spent too much time at that people of wal-mart site.
What a complete waste of movie time. Tarantino...what is wrong with you? I was calling the movie "shots" before they happened. There is really no suspense in the scenes where he tries to build it because you already know everyone is going to die. He's never done that before!
:::rolls friggin eyes:::
"Yeah that's what makes it cool!" says the dumb guy.
No idiot, that's what makes it predictable. And predictable is boring.
And we got it QT, everything comes full circle...and those people die anyway. Your plot is predictable, the pace is slow, there is no meaning to anything. When he can't figure out how to finish a scene.......let's just shoot everyone. QT has tried to duplicate Pulp Fiction too much. The only surprise movie was from dusk till dawn. And it was only a surprise because it had vampires in the end. And I don't care if you haven't seen it. There's nothing worse than someone who cries like a baby because you told a spoiler. Well, there is something worse. Spending more than 2 hours on another QT film.
73 thumbs down.
What a complete waste of movie time. Tarantino...what is wrong with you? I was calling the movie "shots" before they happened. There is really no suspense in the scenes where he tries to build it because you already know everyone is going to die. He's never done that before!
:::rolls friggin eyes:::
"Yeah that's what makes it cool!" says the dumb guy.
No idiot, that's what makes it predictable. And predictable is boring.
And we got it QT, everything comes full circle...and those people die anyway. Your plot is predictable, the pace is slow, there is no meaning to anything. When he can't figure out how to finish a scene.......let's just shoot everyone. QT has tried to duplicate Pulp Fiction too much. The only surprise movie was from dusk till dawn. And it was only a surprise because it had vampires in the end. And I don't care if you haven't seen it. There's nothing worse than someone who cries like a baby because you told a spoiler. Well, there is something worse. Spending more than 2 hours on another QT film.
73 thumbs down.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Master of none
So I'm in the gym the other night getting ready to start benching. I guess there was a spillover of benchers who didn't make it in for the usual Monday bench press session (which goes on in every gym in America) because all the benches were being used. I politely asked a guy if I could work in with him and told me it was no problem. My elbows were hurting pretty badly that night so I cut it short at and did a couple of light back off sets. The fellow that allowed me to work in with him then proceeded to tell me that he was going to participate in a local corporate challenge, and part of it was the bench press contest.
Here was our conversation -
"So what do I need to get my bench up?"
"Just bench."
He looked at me as if I had just solicited him for man on man sex time in the bathroom.
"How is that?"
"How is what?"
"How am I supposed to build my bench just benching."
Now I found myself looking at him like he had solicited me for man on man sex time in the bathroom.
"Well isn't the bench the thing you're trying to get good at?"
"Well yeah."
"Then do that."
"What about triceps?"
"Just do some close grips."
"......................................................."
"That's not enough?"
"Well it just seems like I need to do more."
"Ok do some wide grips after that then."
"......................................................"
"What's the problem?"
"Well you're saying just do some bench, then some close grips, then some wide grips and that will build my bench."
"Yeah. Gain some weight if you really want it to shoot up."
"Ok I see what you're saying. You're saying if I want to build up my bench, do the bench then."
".............................................yes."
"Ok thanks."
If Burt asks me about benching one more time.......
I can't count the number of times I've had this kind of conversation.
I think powerlifting and the strength training world has been overrun by retarded training methods. I think people want to use gimmicky bullshit to sell ideas or toys or methodologies when the truth is, nothing has changed in the strength training world in 60+ years. There are no secrets and the only tried and true short cuts are anabolics.
This is fact.
If you want to get REALLY good at a lift, do that lift. If you need an assistance exercise, do a variation of that lift. Or don't! The lift will actually build itself. I understand for people this may be hard to believe but decades of massive poundage being hoisted in the since the 60's and 70's are proof.
I find it funny when other lifters tell me that the reason the really strong guys like Coan, Furnas, Kuc, Karwoski could use basic programs is because anything would have worked for them. And yet anything could work, but they rose to the top using basics. So because the rest of us are not super human we must resort to other methods because basics alone will not work?
Uh.........WHAT?!?!
I'm not saying your staple of basics has to be limited to three exercises, but should ask yourself how much you really need?
Squats
Deadlifts
Stiff Legs
Front Squats
If you maximized these four lifts, your lower body would be as developed as it's ever going to be.
Bench Press
Standing Press
Dips
Chins
Barbell and Db Rows
Barbell and Db Curls
If you maximized all of these lifts, your upperbody would be as developed as it is ever going to be.
If any of these lifts cause you joint pain, drop it. I don't even think you need to add anything in. If you need to specialize in something like the fellow in the story above, do that lift and a variation of it.
When you can close grip 400x10 do you think that your triceps are going to be weak? What is adding in pushdowns going to do for you at that point? Take your bench from 500 to 600 because of pushdowns? Ok.
Reg Park was big on awesomeness...thus he did the basics.
If you can stiff leg deadlift 500x20 are your hamstrings really a weakness? Then why are we trying to reinvent the wheel when great options are already in place?
Need to get bigger? Focus on the eccentric portion of the exercise and up your reps. The medium and high rep range build mass (think 9-20). Then be explosive on the positive. There is more growth potential in the negative portion of the rep than the positive. Be slow on the negatives, then explosive on the positive portion. Yes, your lifts will take a hit at first. Don't fret, they will come back and you'll have more muscle mass with them to boot. Sounds pretty good doesn't it? Yeah, I thought so. Eat a little more food then eat a little more after that. Now you're a bigger, stronger you. Wow, that was pretty simple. Why did I need to do something complicated again?
Need a bigger squat? Squat! Do some heavy singles. Need an assistance exercise? How about front squats, or pause squats. Hell, how about doing a back off set of 20-30 reps of squats for that? Works good. That works good for all the lifts actually. Do some solid singles, then a back off set with smooth form. Simple progression and leaving a couple of reps in the tank is tried and true.
Need a bigger deadlift? Deadlift from the floor or off blocks below the knees and get your mid-back and lats strong with chins and rows. Use stiff legs to get your hamstrings up to par. I'm not sure what isn't covered for pulling big now?
Throw in some work to keep you injury free like lunges and cuff work. These can be done at the beginning (in the case of lunges) as part of a warm up, or at the end as part of your cool down (like cuff work).
If you think technique is an issue, find someone who can help you with that. Even advanced top level guys miss lifts because of technique issues sometimes.
What else is there? Substitute dumbbell variations of the lifts if you get bored, but stay focused on adding more reps and more weight to the bar on these basics. Lifting is really THAT simple yet people constantly take good programs and bastardize them because they think they know better. I promise you there isn't anything new under the sun.
I'm also not saying that once a good foundation is built that you can't do pushdowns or leg extensions or those things to supplement your big movements. But if you're squatting 155 and deadlifting 180 do you really need cable laterals and sissy squats??? I think you know the answer.
Get stronger from top to bottom and limit what you are doing so that way you can get really good at those things. Jack of all trades or master of none applies just as well to lifting weights as anything in life.
This guy needs more PBnJ and weighted dips and fewer 1-arm cable side laterals and concentration curls...
Now with all that said, I bet when I see that guy getting ready for the corporate challenge he's doing tricep pushdowns....
Here was our conversation -
"So what do I need to get my bench up?"
"Just bench."
He looked at me as if I had just solicited him for man on man sex time in the bathroom.
"How is that?"
"How is what?"
"How am I supposed to build my bench just benching."
Now I found myself looking at him like he had solicited me for man on man sex time in the bathroom.
"Well isn't the bench the thing you're trying to get good at?"
"Well yeah."
"Then do that."
"What about triceps?"
"Just do some close grips."
"......................................................."
"That's not enough?"
"Well it just seems like I need to do more."
"Ok do some wide grips after that then."
"......................................................"
"What's the problem?"
"Well you're saying just do some bench, then some close grips, then some wide grips and that will build my bench."
"Yeah. Gain some weight if you really want it to shoot up."
"Ok I see what you're saying. You're saying if I want to build up my bench, do the bench then."
".............................................yes."
"Ok thanks."
If Burt asks me about benching one more time.......
I can't count the number of times I've had this kind of conversation.
I think powerlifting and the strength training world has been overrun by retarded training methods. I think people want to use gimmicky bullshit to sell ideas or toys or methodologies when the truth is, nothing has changed in the strength training world in 60+ years. There are no secrets and the only tried and true short cuts are anabolics.
This is fact.
If you want to get REALLY good at a lift, do that lift. If you need an assistance exercise, do a variation of that lift. Or don't! The lift will actually build itself. I understand for people this may be hard to believe but decades of massive poundage being hoisted in the since the 60's and 70's are proof.
I find it funny when other lifters tell me that the reason the really strong guys like Coan, Furnas, Kuc, Karwoski could use basic programs is because anything would have worked for them. And yet anything could work, but they rose to the top using basics. So because the rest of us are not super human we must resort to other methods because basics alone will not work?
Uh.........WHAT?!?!
I'm not saying your staple of basics has to be limited to three exercises, but should ask yourself how much you really need?
Squats
Deadlifts
Stiff Legs
Front Squats
If you maximized these four lifts, your lower body would be as developed as it's ever going to be.
Bench Press
Standing Press
Dips
Chins
Barbell and Db Rows
Barbell and Db Curls
If you maximized all of these lifts, your upperbody would be as developed as it is ever going to be.
If any of these lifts cause you joint pain, drop it. I don't even think you need to add anything in. If you need to specialize in something like the fellow in the story above, do that lift and a variation of it.
When you can close grip 400x10 do you think that your triceps are going to be weak? What is adding in pushdowns going to do for you at that point? Take your bench from 500 to 600 because of pushdowns? Ok.
Reg Park was big on awesomeness...thus he did the basics.
If you can stiff leg deadlift 500x20 are your hamstrings really a weakness? Then why are we trying to reinvent the wheel when great options are already in place?
Need to get bigger? Focus on the eccentric portion of the exercise and up your reps. The medium and high rep range build mass (think 9-20). Then be explosive on the positive. There is more growth potential in the negative portion of the rep than the positive. Be slow on the negatives, then explosive on the positive portion. Yes, your lifts will take a hit at first. Don't fret, they will come back and you'll have more muscle mass with them to boot. Sounds pretty good doesn't it? Yeah, I thought so. Eat a little more food then eat a little more after that. Now you're a bigger, stronger you. Wow, that was pretty simple. Why did I need to do something complicated again?
Need a bigger squat? Squat! Do some heavy singles. Need an assistance exercise? How about front squats, or pause squats. Hell, how about doing a back off set of 20-30 reps of squats for that? Works good. That works good for all the lifts actually. Do some solid singles, then a back off set with smooth form. Simple progression and leaving a couple of reps in the tank is tried and true.
Need a bigger deadlift? Deadlift from the floor or off blocks below the knees and get your mid-back and lats strong with chins and rows. Use stiff legs to get your hamstrings up to par. I'm not sure what isn't covered for pulling big now?
Throw in some work to keep you injury free like lunges and cuff work. These can be done at the beginning (in the case of lunges) as part of a warm up, or at the end as part of your cool down (like cuff work).
If you think technique is an issue, find someone who can help you with that. Even advanced top level guys miss lifts because of technique issues sometimes.
What else is there? Substitute dumbbell variations of the lifts if you get bored, but stay focused on adding more reps and more weight to the bar on these basics. Lifting is really THAT simple yet people constantly take good programs and bastardize them because they think they know better. I promise you there isn't anything new under the sun.
I'm also not saying that once a good foundation is built that you can't do pushdowns or leg extensions or those things to supplement your big movements. But if you're squatting 155 and deadlifting 180 do you really need cable laterals and sissy squats??? I think you know the answer.
Get stronger from top to bottom and limit what you are doing so that way you can get really good at those things. Jack of all trades or master of none applies just as well to lifting weights as anything in life.
This guy needs more PBnJ and weighted dips and fewer 1-arm cable side laterals and concentration curls...
Now with all that said, I bet when I see that guy getting ready for the corporate challenge he's doing tricep pushdowns....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)