Extremely dissapointed in myself... :(

[user87745477315471972481]

hello all, I have to tell you this...

For the last 2 months or so, I have been extremely screwing up my back workouts..

I have been going way too slow, not full enough range of motion, cheating a little bit, and pausing in the middle of a set for like 5 seconds and then continueing...... and doing way too many drop sets.

Because of this, my inner-upper back is now screwed up since i wasn't doing the last part of the motion properly and I have been having absolutely zero soreness..

I've definitely been screwing up my back...

I haven't done seated rows in about a month now.. I used to be able to do 130 pounds for 8 reps with full range of motion, now (although I'll admit , it was the last exercise on the list) I only managed to hardly do many with 90 pounds. And the thing is, even though I had to destroy my ego and go down to 90 pounds for the seated rows, since I was able to do a complete full range of motion (and squeeze my back HARD once the handle touches my torso) I felt my shoulder blades squeezing and contracting really tight , and also while I was doing the eccentric portion slowly lowering it, it was like a new sensation. and by this I realized that I was not doing it as such in my previous back wokrouts.

Everything is screwed up , and I've been resting wayyy too long between sets.

The reason I've been resting too long is I cannot keep up with the cardio demand of lifting, as I USED TO BE ABLE TO. I used to do plenty of cardio and this allowed me to go very hard and rest shortly in sets, now that I've completely kicked out cardio I've become too unathletic to do a hard brief and intense set, as well as rest time between sets...

I am going to start doing cardio now because I will be unable to workout at hte intensity I want if I don't have the cardiovascular ability.


I've also experimented with mayn different back routines for the last 2 months, and none have come to my liking(except for the one which popped in my head after today's workout, which was "so-so" but I think it could have been better... ).

I've tried many..

My oldest routine I've ever done (which was very high volume) was

3 sets pullups
3 sets pulldowns
5 sets deadlifts
3 sets seated rows
3 sets t-bar rows

and I would change the order of THICKENING, WIDENING and specific exercises every week.

I realize it was insane.. I then lowered it 13 sets later and did the same except the second exercise would have only 2 sets and the deadlifts would be lowered to 3 sets..

then even THAT was too much so I started doing this new low-volume program(which is what ive been doing basically for the last month), it has gone pretty ****ty ...

I've been doing something along the lines of 2 sets deadlifts, 2 sets wide-grip pull ups, 2 sets DB rows, 2 sets T-bar Rows.... 3 thumbs down, ****iest workout I could imagine as it is for me right now..

I don't like DB rows because I don't really feel my full back working, only a specific area, and I don't like T-bar rows anymore either.....

Now I have come up with an excellent plan(for me atleast), and I will be doing it EXTREMELY well starting next week, NO MORE bull****, NO FREAKIN MORE fukin up back workouts, I've had it, Im gonna go FUKIN PSYCHO!!! on my back workouts...

The routine will be as following:

1 set wide-grip pullups
2 sets deadlifts
2 sets regular pullups(moreso closer grip then wide)
3 sets angled-bench Barbell row(I did this for the FIRST TIME today and I loved it , even tho I didnt do it flawlessly since it was my first time, this one definitely has some great potential for me)
2 sets hammer-grip pullups
2 sets hammer-grip close-grip seated rows

Total sets: 12

Any critique or comments on my new and refined back workout for the future???

Also I believe most of my workouts have been suffering due to my low cardiovascular ability.. THATS IT, ive had it im doing cardio , and I have no choice, unless I want to keep doing ****ty pointless workouts.... honestly I used to be able to crank out 17 sets in an hour no problem, now im having trouble doing NINE sets in that amount of time...and now ill atleast be able to go through the whole set without having to stop in between due to lack of breath...

As an upside however, I have discovered that my biceps respond extremely well to low sets (Im talking 2-4 sets) and they've been growing a lot lately, so I am glad atleast about that...

Also, in the past my back used to be my best feature(along with my triceps), and now it seems my back is starting to go down to the bottom of the pile, this is extremely strange to me because how can that happen??? Your best bodypart starts to disolve into the worst....

Anyways any comments or anything???

Gmav

P.S. Sorry for the long-winded post, but this is a great concern for me.

[Tyler]

wow that must have taken a long time to write.....does anyone care....NOOOOOOOO.......

[hooty mcboobs]

Stick to one plan for 8-12 weeks and then gauge the results after the alotted time-frame. Changing your routine every week isn't giving it a fair chance to show you its possible results. Once you choose a routine, stick with it until you don't make anymore gains off of it.

[RetiredMod]

Well first of all you proved to me you aren't 200lbs if your back is one of your strongest parts and you are only doing 130 for seated rows, since I'm 50lbs lighter and I do 125 for 8 reps with perfect form and you said you were cheating. Anyways that aside, if I would do the following for a back routine if you want 12 sets
Deadlifts 4 sets
Wide Grip Pullups 4 sets
Cable Row (close grip) 4 sets
I like to stick to the basics, I dislike the hammer grip pullups I think they are useless. Think of why you are doing each exercise, and if that goal can be achieved better in another fashion. I like sticking to 4 sets per exercise as it really allows me to get into the exercise, I hate doing only like 1 or 2 sets per exercise. Also in those 4 sets that doesn't include a warm-up set. I like doing the 4 sets also because I usually do like 12-10-8-6 for reps. Allows you to stimulate more muscle fibers by lifting different weights to really tear that muscle to shreds. I don't always go as low as 6 though, I hate low rep stuff, I like really being in control of the weight and with 6 I don't have the control I like.

[RetiredMod]

Originally posted by hooty mcboobs
Stick to one plan for 8-12 weeks and then gauge the results after the alotted time-frame. Changing your routine every week isn't giving it a fair chance to show you its possible results. Once you choose a routine, stick with it until you don't make anymore gains off of it.

Yes I agree, give it at least 3 weeks.

[user87745477315471972481]

Mcbain, I said it USED to be my best bodypart like 4 months ago... now it's pretty much my worst.

I used to be able to do 130 8-10x.

And screw you Tyler, this is a serious post I don't need your BS , not on this thread atleast.

[hooty mcboobs]

I'm a shade over 200 (around 205-207) and I do 130 lbs on the seated row for 8 reps. Size does not always equal strength. Some of the younger guys on here dumbell press more than me, but I'd bet I'm a bit bigger.

[user87745477315471972481]

Originally posted by hooty mcboobs
I'm a shade over 200 (around 205-207) and I do 130 lbs on the seated row for 8 reps. Size does not always equal strength. Some of the younger guys on here dumbell press more than me, but I'd bet I'm a bit bigger.

Extra huge bump on that one, Hooty. Well said. Besides, muscle mass is only responsible for about 8% of how much you can lift.

[damnJeff]

You've been a bad girl Gmav. I think you should go get Ryu to help you out. Maybe he can dragon punch the lunch ladies.

[digital_one]

maybe chun li or ken or maybe even blanka will join in!!!

[BigGunns]

Why don't they build Gmavs with OFF buttons?

[damnJeff]

Ken was the fukking man, although I do admit taking a liking to Zangief after I mastered the spinning piledriver, however that was years ago. I still own w/Ken though. We have a SF II Turbo machine in our student center. It's fukking money.

[user87745477315471972481]

any other suggestions?

[bubbaT]

Originally posted by Gmav
hello all, I have to tell you this...

For the last 2 months or so, I have been extremely screwing up my back workouts..

I have been going way too slow, not full enough range of motion, cheating a little bit, and pausing in the middle of a set for like 5 seconds and then continueing...... and doing way too many drop sets.

Because of this, my inner-upper back is now screwed up since i wasn't doing the last part of the motion properly and I have been having absolutely zero soreness..

I've definitely been screwing up my back...

I haven't done seated rows in about a month now.. I used to be able to do 130 pounds for 8 reps with full range of motion, now (although I'll admit , it was the last exercise on the list) I only managed to hardly do many with 90 pounds. And the thing is, even though I had to destroy my ego and go down to 90 pounds for the seated rows, since I was able to do a complete full range of motion (and squeeze my back HARD once the handle touches my torso) I felt my shoulder blades squeezing and contracting really tight , and also while I was doing the eccentric portion slowly lowering it, it was like a new sensation. and by this I realized that I was not doing it as such in my previous back wokrouts.

Everything is screwed up , and I've been resting wayyy too long between sets.

The reason I've been resting too long is I cannot keep up with the cardio demand of lifting, as I USED TO BE ABLE TO. I used to do plenty of cardio and this allowed me to go very hard and rest shortly in sets, now that I've completely kicked out cardio I've become too unathletic to do a hard brief and intense set, as well as rest time between sets...

I am going to start doing cardio now because I will be unable to workout at hte intensity I want if I don't have the cardiovascular ability.


I've also experimented with mayn different back routines for the last 2 months, and none have come to my liking(except for the one which popped in my head after today's workout, which was "so-so" but I think it could have been better... ).

I've tried many..

My oldest routine I've ever done (which was very high volume) was

3 sets pullups
3 sets pulldowns
5 sets deadlifts
3 sets seated rows
3 sets t-bar rows

and I would change the order of THICKENING, WIDENING and specific exercises every week.

I realize it was insane.. I then lowered it 13 sets later and did the same except the second exercise would have only 2 sets and the deadlifts would be lowered to 3 sets..

then even THAT was too much so I started doing this new low-volume program(which is what ive been doing basically for the last month), it has gone pretty ****ty ...

I've been doing something along the lines of 2 sets deadlifts, 2 sets wide-grip pull ups, 2 sets DB rows, 2 sets T-bar Rows.... 3 thumbs down, ****iest workout I could imagine as it is for me right now..

I don't like DB rows because I don't really feel my full back working, only a specific area, and I don't like T-bar rows anymore either.....

Now I have come up with an excellent plan(for me atleast), and I will be doing it EXTREMELY well starting next week, NO MORE bull****, NO FREAKIN MORE fukin up back workouts, I've had it, Im gonna go FUKIN PSYCHO!!! on my back workouts...

The routine will be as following:

1 set wide-grip pullups
2 sets deadlifts
2 sets regular pullups(moreso closer grip then wide)
3 sets angled-bench Barbell row(I did this for the FIRST TIME today and I loved it , even tho I didnt do it flawlessly since it was my first time, this one definitely has some great potential for me)
2 sets hammer-grip pullups
2 sets hammer-grip close-grip seated rows

Total sets: 12

Any critique or comments on my new and refined back workout for the future???

Also I believe most of my workouts have been suffering due to my low cardiovascular ability.. THATS IT, ive had it im doing cardio , and I have no choice, unless I want to keep doing ****ty pointless workouts.... honestly I used to be able to crank out 17 sets in an hour no problem, now im having trouble doing NINE sets in that amount of time...and now ill atleast be able to go through the whole set without having to stop in between due to lack of breath...

As an upside however, I have discovered that my biceps respond extremely well to low sets (Im talking 2-4 sets) and they've been growing a lot lately, so I am glad atleast about that...

Also, in the past my back used to be my best feature(along with my triceps), and now it seems my back is starting to go down to the bottom of the pile, this is extremely strange to me because how can that happen??? Your best bodypart starts to disolve into the worst....

Anyways any comments or anything???

Gmav

P.S. Sorry for the long-winded post, but this is a great concern for me.

nobody cares about your workouts or you pathetic little personal life gmav so stop clogging up the boards with useless crap like this!!!!

[CyberGod]

Originally posted by damnJeff
Ken was the fukking man, although I do admit taking a liking to Zangief after I mastered the spinning piledriver, however that was years ago. I still own w/Ken though. We have a SF II Turbo machine in our student center. It's fukking money.

I bet I'll **** you up with Ryu easily. And after I win, I'll give you anothe quarter and win 2 consecutive flawless rounds.

[bubbaT]

I'll **** you all up with dhalsim and his stretchy punch

[CyberGod]

Ok now to help you out Gmav

I don't know where you heard that 16 sets was VERY VERY high volume. Hell, all my workout days are around 15 sets.
My backworkout consists of 16 sets and it takes me less than 45 mins, and after that, i hit my abs.
Like McBain, i hate doing a lot of exercises and small sets. I chose free weights exercises, and do 3-4 sets each. Sometimes, I'll even do a 5th final set with a 90% of my max to completely explode my fibers. Then, and only then, I call it a good workout.

Now, I suggest you find the purposes of each exercises you chose and don't shy away from 15-18 sets for back. It took me awhile to find what exercises make me feel my back working. Try some 1-arm DB rows to get a great stretch, try some T-Bar rows.
My next back workout will look like that :

30 reps of pullups (all the sets i need to rep out 30 reps)
4 sets of heavy DeadLifts (5-8 reps)
4 sets of Barbell row/or 4 sets of 1-arm DB row
4 sets of Pulldowns (12-15 reps, feel the burn)
and if I feel like it, 2-3 sets of TBar rows.

[damnJeff]

Originally posted by CyberGod


I bet I'll **** you up with Ryu easily. And after I win, I'll give you anothe quarter and win 2 consecutive flawless rounds.

Ryu has ZERO advantages over Ken in turbo edition. The only thing I can think of is that his Hurricane kick has a one hit knockdown. Ken can dragon punch w/a greater range.

Nobody fukks w/Ken, and that's the bottom line.

[digital_one]

i'll beat you all with that fat sumo guy!!!!

[Big Tony]

Originally posted by Tyler
wow that must have taken a long time to write.....does anyone care....NOOOOOOOO.......

No offense tyler, but I don't think Gmav deserves to be flamed when he makes posts relavent to BBing.

[dnoel]

bump on that tony