Intermediate/Advanced Routine

[litljay]

So, for those of you running the program at what point do you go back and count the reps you've made during an exercise? Or, do you keep a running total in your head?

I usually just log the reps and don't worry about it until curiosity gets to me. I find that I'm usually at about rep 30 almost without fail when I start paying attention to where I'm at reps wise.

[syncmaster913n]

So, for those of you running the program at what point do you go back and count the reps you've made during an exercise? Or, do you keep a running total in your head?

I usually just log the reps and don't worry about it until curiosity gets to me. I find that I'm usually at about rep 30 almost without fail when I start paying attention to where I'm at reps wise.

I think most of us at this point are simply using a tally counter (which was suggested by a poster earlier in the thread and was quickly picked up by others): https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/i...8qqeROgQGMBZmc

costs 3-4 bucks.

[Grailer]

This seems strange . When I rep with heavy weight that I can only move slowly my muscles have actually been getting smaller than if I use slightly lighter and use fast explosive reps .

I thought the heavier I lift the bigger I will get ?

[landus123]

You're not going to experience an intense burn because the reps aren't high enough, you'd need to lift a lighter weight for 50-100 reps (to failure) if you want to feel an intense burn.

Don't worry about the burn, it's not important, all that matters is that you're adding reps/weight over time.

Ahhh, you've said this about shoulders as well. Is it because these muscles are predominantly slow twitch therefore it will take more reps to stimulate it to the point of producing lactic acid/causing the burn?

[fabiomoser]

So, for those of you running the program at what point do you go back and count the reps you've made during an exercise? Or, do you keep a running total in your head?

I usually just log the reps and don't worry about it until curiosity gets to me. I find that I'm usually at about rep 30 almost without fail when I start paying attention to where I'm at reps wise.

I just keep a running total in my head. I just count every rep until I'm up to 50 and then I write down my sets.

[davo26]

I just keep a running total in my head. I just count every rep until I'm up to 50 and then I write down my sets.

same. altho i go to 40. and i only log the first set, to see if im ready to move up. logging all those 3's and 2's etc doesnt make sense to me unless youre timing 30 secs strictly, as you only need to be a few seconds longer for some reason, and you get an extra rep in.
some exercises i take longer than 30 secs (mostly leg exercises), some like rear delts i take less. i just judge how long i need to bang another 3 reps in, and count as i go along until i hit 40 or over :-)

[ThatOneLurker]

I log every set and am counting 30 seconds in my head immediately after my sets.



edit: Kelei, how do you feel about the thumbless grip while benching?

[litljay]

I use Gym Buddy on my phone and log every single 2 or 3. As soon as I input a "set" it starts a 30 second counter that starts beeping in my ear at 3 seconds left. Works pretty good for me.

*Edit - just screenshot it:

[klift808]

So, for those of you running the program at what point do you go back and count the reps you've made during an exercise? Or, do you keep a running total in your head?

I usually just log the reps and don't worry about it until curiosity gets to me. I find that I'm usually at about rep 30 almost without fail when I start paying attention to where I'm at reps wise.

You can probably put a small notepad beside you while lifting so that you can write it down every 3 reps until you reach your 50 total

[klift808]

same. altho i go to 40. and i only log the first set, to see if im ready to move up. logging all those 3's and 2's etc doesnt make sense to me unless youre timing 30 secs strictly, as you only need to be a few seconds longer for some reason, and you get an extra rep in.
some exercises i take longer than 30 secs (mostly leg exercises), some like rear delts i take less. i just judge how long i need to bang another 3 reps in, and count as i go along until i hit 40 or over :-)

Do you really wait for 30 seconds before performing the next set? I usually wait for the 'feeling' of readiness of my body so that i dont have to look at my watch, lol. Its roughly 15-30 seconds depending on the exercise.

[litljay]

You can probably put a small notepad beside you while lifting so that you can write it down every 3 reps until you reach your 50 total

See 1 post above yours.

Do you really wait for 30 seconds before performing the next set? I usually wait for the 'feeling' of readiness of my body so that i dont have to look at my watch, lol. Its roughly 15-30 seconds depending on the exercise.

How do you know if you're not watching a clock.

[klift808]

See 1 post above yours.



How do you know if you're not watching a clock.

For more than a year my rest periods were always 30 seconds or less so i tend to notice when im almost reaching the 30 second mark

[klift808]

I use Gym Buddy on my phone and log every single 2 or 3. As soon as I input a "set" it starts a 30 second counter that starts beeping in my ear at 3 seconds left. Works pretty good for me.

*Edit - just screenshot it:

Looks like a good iphone app especially for this routine. Just a question, i saw your screenshot and from what i understand, you increase weight after the first set of 10 reps? And continuously increase after every set? If yes, why?

[loukiss]

any1 with before/after/recent pics while on this routine yet?

[fabiomoser]

same. altho i go to 40. and i only log the first set, to see if im ready to move up. logging all those 3's and 2's etc doesnt make sense to me unless youre timing 30 secs strictly, as you only need to be a few seconds longer for some reason, and you get an extra rep in.
some exercises i take longer than 30 secs (mostly leg exercises), some like rear delts i take less. i just judge how long i need to bang another 3 reps in, and count as i go along until i hit 40 or over :-)

I totally agree with you =) with write down my set I meant the first set of all the exercises. for some exercises I only have to rest 15 secs for some longer. after a while you get a pretty good feeling when you can get 3 more reps in.

[litljay]

Looks like a good iphone app especially for this routine. Just a question, i saw your screenshot and from what i understand, you increase weight after the first set of 10 reps? And continuously increase after every set? If yes, why?

No actually. The First 2 sets you see in the screenshots are only warmup sets. The only reason I log them is so the app kicks the 30 second timer on. I then start my work at 245lbs for 10, then 2's the whole way through to 50. I get nervous without a spotter that my tri's will die pushing much more on the 2nd and 3rd sets. By the end though, I'm exhausted.

[klift808]

No actually. The First 2 sets you see in the screenshots are only warmup sets. The only reason I log them is so the app kicks the 30 second timer on. I then start my work at 245lbs for 10, then 2's the whole way through to 50. I get nervous without a spotter that my tri's will die pushing much more on the 2nd and 3rd sets. By the end though, I'm exhausted.

Ohh, alright! Good app for the 30 second timer, but costs $2.99 on iTunes! Maybe there is a timer that alarms every 30 seconds, but that would be annoying if my rest becomes less, or more than 30. lol

[klift808]

Quick question for ab rollers, for you guys who do them, do you feel a strain on your shoulders once you pass lets say 10 reps? I feel my shoulders aching when I stretch and go near the floor. I also dont feel the tension on my abs, so not sure if this would work on me. I tried doing cable rope crunches but didn't work that much. What other ab routines do you guys do with this program?

[ThatOneLurker]

that feel when lower back is no longer the weak link in RDL's and doesn't fatigue first anymore


does anyone know my feel?


feels good brahs

[fabiomoser]

that feel when lower back is no longer the weak link in RDL's and doesn't fatigue first anymore


does anyone know my feel?


feels good brahs

that's exactly what happened on my last leg day =) feels amazing! hope it will be the same tomorrow.

[TeenMisc]

Is it even possible to do the bench and incline without a spot/ it seems like you can just fizzle out at any point..

[klift808]

Is it even possible to do the bench and incline without a spot/ it seems like you can just fizzle out at any point..

I agree. I work out at home and use a smith machine that can do supported and no support bench press. One workout when doing inclines, on the last rep I couldnt push anymore and the bar fell on my chest (very near my throat) around 155lbs of weight which is not probably heavy for most of you but for me it is. lol. I keep on forgetting that I have those emergency stoppers incase it falls but just too lazy to keep switching between exercises. :|

[litljay]

Is it even possible to do the bench and incline without a spot/ it seems like you can just fizzle out at any point..

I do it, but it can get shaky. I can pretty much keep the deuces without a problem, but past that is where it gets scary for me. Same with inclines. Pushing past 2 reps can get hairy as my Tri's go numb.

[JealousFist]

Is it even possible to do the bench and incline without a spot/ it seems like you can just fizzle out at any point..

I agree. I work out at home and use a smith machine that can do supported and no support bench press. One workout when doing inclines, on the last rep I couldnt push anymore and the bar fell on my chest (very near my throat) around 155lbs of weight which is not probably heavy for most of you but for me it is. lol. I keep on forgetting that I have those emergency stoppers incase it falls but just too lazy to keep switching between exercises. :|

I work out at home and do reg bench and incline with a BB and no spot, I'm only 10lbs lower than you on bench and weight like 13 lbs less. It can be done, just don't do weight that's too heavy to do it unless you use cheater machines ~ If you use those assistance machines and you then went to doing free weight you'd find that you're nowhere near as strong as you thought you were.

[PumpingPounds]

The reason you might be feeling it too much in your triceps is because you start to raise the dumbbells with a relatively large bend in the elbows, and then slowly "reduce" that bend (straighten the arms) as you raise the weight. this turns the exercise into a combo of delt flyes and triceps kickbacks/extensions/whatever. I had this same problem at the beginning and corrected it by simply making sure that I keep the same slight bend in the elbows throughout the entire movement.

If you can't do it like that (while keeping a constant, unchanged bend in the elbows), I would reduce the weight to below 5kg - otherwise you are sort of cheating the weight up by incorporating the triceps more than you need to, which is not what you want obviously.

Cool thanks man it fixed my problem!!! Much appreciated

[davo26]

Quick question for ab rollers, for you guys who do them, do you feel a strain on your shoulders once you pass lets say 10 reps? I feel my shoulders aching when I stretch and go near the floor. I also dont feel the tension on my abs, so not sure if this would work on me. I tried doing cable rope crunches but didn't work that much. What other ab routines do you guys do with this program?

yeah, i defo feel them on my shoulders towards the end. its probably shoulders that stop me from doing more. i feel it in my lower back too, altho i try and keep abs clenched to isolate them.

kelei recommends leg raises too, on a soft surface, bed or something. legs raised til lower back lifts off the surface, then 10 seconds to lower.

[klift808]

yeah, i defo feel them on my shoulders towards the end. its probably shoulders that stop me from doing more. i feel it in my lower back too, altho i try and keep abs clenched to isolate them.

kelei recommends leg raises too, on a soft surface, bed or something. legs raised til lower back lifts off the surface, then 10 seconds to lower.

Did he mention how many reps to do for the leg raises? Any weights added? Or just body/leg weight?

[klift808]

I work out at home and do reg bench and incline with a BB and no spot, I'm only 10lbs lower than you on bench and weight like 13 lbs less. It can be done, just don't do weight that's too heavy to do it unless you use cheater machines ~ If you use those assistance machines and you then went to doing free weight you'd find that you're nowhere near as strong as you thought you were.

I dont use the smitch machine for bench, i use the barbell. Its just that the smith machine is sort or a 2-in-1 combo where u can do assisted and non-assist.

[davo26]

any1 with before/after/recent pics while on this routine yet?

i have in my BS, but its more maintaining muscle whilst cutting, rather than gains......

Did he mention how many reps to do for the leg raises? Any weights added? Or just body/leg weight?

no, i dont think he mentioned numbers, just as many as you can. obviously if you can do loads mebbes think about adding weight.

[Keathlim78]

I am into week 3 but i dont think i need to deload. Not feeling tired after week 1.
Went from 153 to157. Same bf%.
Going to try out my max bench tommorow, goal is to lift 265. I was unable to do it 3 weeks ago.