Answers to Common Questions

[K5Mathews]

Do I have to change my workout routine every 4-8 months or is it just another myth?

Your body adapts quickly so it is good to change your exercises, reps and sets on a regular basis. I personally change my workout and rep range every 4-6 weeks.

[MFAmoiukh]

Nice post man. Just Keep it up.

[zac1010]

Thanks for the advice. It's definitely clarified some things! Just starting to get more into my training and researching Snatch Lifting. I've attempted it a couple of times, though I'm not getting enough power and stability in my 'pull phase'. Tried a few different things that have been suggested, though I think I need to go right back to basics. What are your thoughts on this article - go to Step Up Physical Therapies Blog and view article 'SNATCH TRAINING: WHY KETTLEBELL SWINGS WILL IMPROVE YOUR SNATCH' (I can't post the link as I don't have enough posts under my belt). It focuses on the hip thrust, which I have no doubt I need to improve. Any other suggestions that might help me? I should just bite the bullet and see a PT. Just wanting to do my own research first.
Cheers!

[CoriSilberstein]

Above mentioned questions and answers are very helpful...
Mantra of fitness is daily exercise which makes every one fit.
Thanks For Posting such a informational post.

[Aashish01]

good and i like this post and it helps me..

[HeMB]

It is nescessary for deadlifts to get into setup position exactly as written in starting strength? I mean first grabbing bar with straigth legs, and then bend knees. But this way my back rounds on setup position. What if I get into setup just squatting and grabbing bar on the same time? this way I can maintain my back flat. I know that everywhere on internet is written that you shouldn't squat into deadlift position but I think that everyone has different body composition/structure/anatomy so that's the point I could setup by my way..

[RaidersFan21222]

Would it be okay to isolate my front delts in my chest routine?

I am looking to develop my front delts more and thought I can incorporate them with my chest routine?

I noticed Charles Glass isolates his clients delts in his back routine.

Well I would imagine that if you already incorporate an incline press and incline flys in your chest workout that you would be fine. I actually used to do chest and shoulders on the same day but my endurance wasn't where I needed it to be for a workout with so many heavy presses.

[RaidersFan21222]

It is nescessary for deadlifts to get into setup position exactly as written in starting strength? I mean first grabbing bar with straigth legs, and then bend knees. But this way my back rounds on setup position. What if I get into setup just squatting and grabbing bar on the same time? this way I can maintain my back flat. I know that everywhere on internet is written that you shouldn't squat into deadlift position but I think that everyone has different body composition/structure/anatomy so that's the point I could setup by my way..

I have the same problem sometimes. When I start my deadlifts I grab the bar and slightly lower my hips since I'm taller. I tend to round my back if I don't lower my hips a little.

[TheQuiet]

Thanks. This is a lot of good info here.

[HeMB]

I have the same problem sometimes. When I start my deadlifts I grab the bar and slightly lower my hips since I'm taller. I tend to round my back if I don't lower my hips a little.

yes, i am tall too, 190 cm/6.2 foot

[SindreLaupstad]

A lot of nice advices, repped!

[ecto185]

Quick one.

I have incorporated lateral raises into my routine.

Do you guys just let the shoulder do its job or do you actively contract other muscles. I ask because I can do it with no focus and I feel it more in my delts or I can actively contract the back (around the scapula) and feel it through the back, doing this feels like it takes pressure off the shoulder and relies more on the back.

Is there a preferred method?

[SkinnyTina]

Just read through this entire thread and it was SO HELPFUL! Thank you!

[chnobel3]

Good write up. Much appreciated. But what about when enough is enough during a workout.

I recently got back into lifting (14 month break) but there is something nagging which I've never been overly happy with, and that is why do my arm (bi and tri) workouts feel like I have earnt something but my back, chest, leg and shoulder workouts never feel complete. I try to work the zone to exhaustion. Doing progressively heavier lifts as a warm up then 6~8 reps of heaviest weight with good form but 1 min after I feel okay. No burning. No 'that's it, that's the good stuff' like I get when I work arms. I even end up lowering the weight and working the muscel to true exhaustion. Eg. After working shoulders and back with different exercises I will blast barbell raises to bring it home, bit hours later I don't have the same exhaustive feeling.

How should my muscels feel straight after, a few hours after and then in bed? Now they're a little sluggish and tired but that's it.

Thank you in advance.

[braxtondylon]

Thanks for sharing these daily exercise plan. I was collecting the information about the diet plans from many years
---------------------------------
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[MuadDib80]

Great post. Very well thought out.

[ready777]

Good answers

The key behind great abs is your DIET! If you do not lose the fat that covers your muscles you will never be able to show off your six pack. Great Abs is 90% what you eat and 10% exercise. So start burning fat calories and you’ll see your tight abs in no time!

[Vipulcoolrule]

It's feels good to see a sticky post from a person who already has got it figured out.

Your physique is amazing and you are huge at the same time.

This article answered my 4 o 5 questions that I always had. Thank you sir.

[awlareau]

Way too much "bro-science" out there in which this is not. Any workout program can work for anyone you just have to do something that you can maintain and enjoy and also gets you results, which is why I love the post because it states there's no one size fits all in fitness, which is completely true. One thing I'd like to add: In the case of abs, it is impossible to spot treat an area, but once you get down to the proper body fat percent to see abs you still need to do ab work to get larger more prominent abs; however, if you do work abs a lot when you still have fat to lose then it will appear as if you are gaining fat because if your abs grow they will push your fat out further. Abs mainly come down to nutrition in the end. Also your abs are a muscle so work them like other muscles. Adding resistance with extra weight instead of just body weight exercises will help if getting larger abs is what you are trying to do. Overall an excellent post that anybody can use especially beginners because it debunks a lot of the myths out there surrounding training regimens that may be especially detrimental to beginners.

[vietanhvu]

I have a question about all the exercises in one day trainning that i haven't seen anywhere :
for example exercise A = bench press , B = lat pulldown , C = squat . I saw most of the trainning programs do A - rest - repeat A- then B - rest - repeat B - then - C - rest repeat C.
Should i do like this A-B-C-A-B-C- ... etc without a rest with some of the exercises work in different muscle ?

[GG249]

helpful sticky. Thanks

[kartsaa]

It is very rare that someones abs doesnt grow.. Often it is just because you think you havent got big enough abs but in reality your fat percentage is just too high. It is also much about geneticks when it comes to abs, some people got nice six piece of abs and some doesnt have so observable abs even thought those would be trained well.

But if we talk about how abs should be trained, I think it is waste of time to train them more than two times a week. Abs get train in moves like squats or dead lift, so there is no point in training abs more than two times a week. 3-4 is good amount of sets. Good movements are for example ab-wheel or basic sit-ups with extra weight and leg raises.

[carolmonthero]

As always, Great post Vox. I like this helpful post. Appreciate it for posting .

[Showpiece425]

Q: How do I get visible abs?
A: You have to drop your body fat to see your abs. Forget about mindless repetitions of crunches. You can't spot reduce fat, you have to drop your overall fat level through proper nutrition.

Quick question. I've dropped from 179 lbs to 165.5 lbs over 4 1/2 months but I don't have the ab definition that I want yet. How far in weight should I keep shredding before bulking up? I'm a little worried that if I start bulking I won't get the 6-pack definition.

[carolmonthero]

Great post Vox. Very helpful, especially for the beginners.

[Meirax09x]

I know this sound stupid but do you count the bar when your squatting or deadlifting?

[VoxExMachina]

I know this sound stupid but do you count the bar when your squatting or deadlifting?

Of course.

[Meirax09x]

Of course.

but someone told me not to count the bar?

[GraySpec]

I have a 'click' sound around my tail bone whenever I train my abs, especially lower abs such as hanging knee raise. Whenever I raise my knee, this "click" came.
Did I do it wrong?

and 2nd question why I always injured my spine whenever I do bent over barbell row? It feel like my right lat muscle get tense and the other wasn't and it hurt.

Thanks

[PrinceDunn]

I have been training for 9 weeks straight 5 days a week. I feel fine and still have plenty of energy to hit the gym. Do you suggest a deload week or can I just keep going?

Hey buddy its fine for you to keep training as long as you aren't feeling any discomfort in your body. Keep a good couple of rest days and keep it going