The gym I go to allows you to connect via your phone and change the music which was fun for a while when it accommodated music I like. Now what I used to play has been wiped from the system and I took that personally especially since 99% of people have headphones on.
Only music that induces testicular atrophy is allowed which is easily the worst part of the commercial gym experience for me but I've since turned it into a positive. I dislike it so much it actually gives me a boost on heavy sets so I have to thank them for that.
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Thread: RANT: R.I.P. Tyrbolift
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04-21-2024, 07:30 AM #7081
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04-21-2024, 12:53 PM #7082
I've never heard of such an interactive musical experience at a gym of all places. What a novel idea.
Another thing I like to do every now and then is pay attention to all the exercises I easily brush aside because of some straining anxiety. There's always just this garden variety of stuff I got complacent hammering for too long and can easily dismiss and think of something else that needs to be done. Finding a practical weight to revert to to relearn the exercise is another novel idea I feel, and it can take up a good amount of time throughout the workout.
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04-21-2024, 02:51 PM #7083
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04-23-2024, 09:33 PM #7084
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04-26-2024, 09:05 AM #7085
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04-30-2024, 09:52 PM #7086
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05-05-2024, 01:13 PM #7087
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05-06-2024, 11:50 AM #7088
Anyone here use a proper lifting belt?
Dusted off my old 13mm Inzer from 2006. Doesn't fit anymore but looks and feels like it's never been used.
I found out why they never break in. They glue a strip of "Robus leather" on top of the real leather to make them stiffer. A lot stiffer. Explains why I thought back then anything over 10mm was overkill and could never get on with it for deadlifting. Also explains why they're called a "forever" belt and guaranteed for life. Indestructible.
Recently started using a belt again — 13mm Pioneer lever — and that's how a belt is supposed to feel. Wish someone had told me they all weren't as stiff as Inzer.
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05-06-2024, 11:59 AM #7089
I guess warming up is a personal thing but it shouldn't be complicated. Pyramid the reps down as the weight increases and pick the jumps so you're warming up without inducing too much fatigue. And always log your workouts so you can see what is working.
Tonight's strict BB row workout: warmed up with half a plate side x 10, plate x 8, plate and a half x 6, 2 plates x 5, 2 1/2 plates x 5 then working weight of 3 plates for 10 sets.
The heavier the weights the more time you should spend warming up. Ditto for the older you get.
I always warm up on the exercise I'm doing. For example I wouldn't go from shoulder press to chest and not warm up again. I'd still do warmup sets on chest after shoulders. I wouldn't do as many warmup sets in that case as starting cold but I'd still do a few warmup sets to prime everything for that exercise. That's always been important to me.
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05-06-2024, 12:58 PM #7090
Haven't used a belt in probably a decade. We'll see if I can even find any. What lifts will you use the belt?
Started doing Hatfield squats with the SS Bar. We'll see if quads explode this summer. Also got a V-bar for Landmine Rows. May have to order larger t-shirts soon.DR. 3time
Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks
~Cobra Kai Crew~
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05-06-2024, 03:04 PM #7091
DL and squats. As of last night going heavier on BB rows since maintaining that strict RDL bent over position for higher volume requires bracing and now that I've experienced a good belt I'll be using it more. Night and day difference to how I remember the Inzer which was like a torture device.
I have one of those velcro + neoprene soft belts strongmen use but the velcro belt wasn't cutting it. 13mm lever is great.Last edited by Dominik; 05-07-2024 at 12:54 AM.
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05-07-2024, 01:23 PM #7092
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05-07-2024, 02:47 PM #7093
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05-07-2024, 03:32 PM #7094
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05-10-2024, 09:53 AM #7095
- Join Date: Aug 2006
- Location: Leesburg, Virginia, United States
- Age: 43
- Posts: 13,709
- Rep Power: 74969
I've had my Inzer belt going on 14 years now and it's still as solid as ever. I think it's the 10mm but can't remember what I bought at the time. Couldn't imagine lifting without it on squats and deadlifts.
In other news, hit a 555lb deadlift on my 43rd birthday last week. 10lbs under my all-time PR, but with weighing much less this time resulted in finally reaching a 3xBW dead. Nice to be able to check off a milestone at this point of the journey. Ultimate goal of pulling 6 plates is still on the table.Return of the Mack?
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05-10-2024, 04:36 PM #7096
That's awesome Blunto.
https://strengthlevel.com/
Your Strength Level for Deadlift is Elite
★★★★★
You're stronger than 97% of male lifters your age weighing 185 lb
Your lift is 3 times your bodyweight
re: belts, Inzer is great but being so stiff their 10mm is probably enough support for most lifters. With 13mm I'd want a lever to save energy getting it on and off.
Double suede 13mm for example is like 10mm because there's 1.5mm either side of suede. Inzer adds that strip of "Robus" to make it twice as stiff. Probably great for that extra few lbs at a PL meet but maybe overkill week in week out. I got the PAL V2 lever (also fits Inzer) so I can adjust tightness without a screwdriver.
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05-10-2024, 05:59 PM #7097
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05-14-2024, 06:09 AM #7098
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05-14-2024, 01:44 PM #7099
I think that site I posted a link to is useful for keeping pace with what you've lifted before. At least that's how I'm using it. I'm not competing with anyone.
Flex could fill in the exact numbers but let's say at 52, 280, he pulled 615. Elite. Puts him in Top 5%. Then at 57, 250, he pulls 585. Still Elite only he's now Top 1% because most men his age struggle to pick up a heavy suitcase let alone 6 plates a side.
I hit a decent DL milestone for reps recently which is Elite on that calculator and while I'm always pushing for more without getting hurt I took a moment to reflect on that for my age. Training partner nearly a decade younger and ranked Novice on the calculator kind of dismissed it and said "yeah but you've done it before." I said "what does doing it 15 years ago mean at this age? Nothing is guaranteed. It takes a lot of work to stay at this level." Anyway those who know, know. I respect what you gentlemen are doing.
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05-14-2024, 04:12 PM #7100
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05-14-2024, 11:03 PM #7101
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05-15-2024, 05:50 AM #7102
- Join Date: Aug 2006
- Location: Leesburg, Virginia, United States
- Age: 43
- Posts: 13,709
- Rep Power: 74969
That's funny. My gym buddy is 30 years old, a bit bigger/stronger than me but he's constantly blown away with what I'm accomplishing at my age and is my biggest supporter (likewise, I am the same for him and I can't wait to see what he accomplishes over the next decade if he can stay serious and avoid injury). He gets that gains are finite and Father Time is undefeated for a reason. Always gives me a chuckle when you see the young guns (college/HS age) thinking they'll keep getting stronger forever.
Return of the Mack?
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05-15-2024, 09:50 AM #7103
Very impressive. Shows how it's not about chasing your peak level but rather maintaining a level commensurate with your age/weight/etc. That's how I look at it.
No concept of Father Time, diminishing returns, staying healthy, etc. I've come to really appreciate the longevity aspect of this because I genuinely love training and don't see it as work. I mean if you said to me pharmaceutically enhanced taking significant risks I could have had a much higher peak 10-15 years ago and have achieved some level of fame in the strength world but be a spent force today I wouldn't take it.
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05-18-2024, 08:59 PM #7104
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05-21-2024, 05:21 AM #7105
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05-21-2024, 06:13 PM #7106
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05-21-2024, 07:15 PM #7107
Part of my motivation when getting back into it around 3 years ago was to test different things. Different organizational splits, volumes, rep ranges, BP frequency, exercises etc.
When I was younger, the old timers would say things like the best program is the one you stick to herp derp! I now go by that philosophy. It's too hard to tell which actually works the best, but easy to tell what I stick to.
Nothing seems to come close to keeping the consistency and motivation for me quite like what taab called the good ole fashioned 5 day split. The only real downside is leg day can be a monster, but it's assigned to Sat so there's plenty of sleep and farm breakfast.
Do you guys have a set training schedule or go by feel?DR. 3time
Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks
~Cobra Kai Crew~
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05-22-2024, 12:33 AM #7108
You're spot on about consistency. Just turning up 3-4 times a week month after month puts you ahead of most. My brother will hit the gym doing all his best lifts and declare he's not far away from decent numbers but then fizzles out after a few months. I always say "do what you're doing for a year and then see where you're at." It took me about 18 months to feel like I was back after a 3 year break and then of course the goal posts continue moving as you age. I could show you some things that have specifically worked for me but I'd still milk the simplest approach you can get away with for as long as it's working. Stick with plain ol' progressive overload, adding weight, reps, and reps x sets, until it slows right down. And even then don't be afraid of using microplates when 5-10lbs a side feels like too much.
Even though I have a plan I'll often wait until I'm driving to the gym or warming up to decide on what I'll actually do. It might be a night for deadlifts but I feel barbell rows or shrugs would be a better use of the available resources. Last workout I'd already trained shoulders 2 nights earlier but decided to do shoulder press again with half a plate less and a wider grip. Completely random but felt right.
I can't emphasize this enough — log your training. Being able to look back a week, a month, a year and establish a trend for what's working and isn't working is really important. Take progress photos and weigh yourself. You might be scrolling and see a photo where your physique stands out and you can repeat whatever you did in the gym for the month or two leading up to it maybe with a bit more weight or an extra couple of sets. I used to train with a guy who was copying my way of doing it until he got a new phone and didn't bother backing it up and didn't bother starting a new one. He stopped making progress.
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05-22-2024, 07:52 AM #7109
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05-22-2024, 09:59 AM #7110
- Join Date: Aug 2006
- Location: Leesburg, Virginia, United States
- Age: 43
- Posts: 13,709
- Rep Power: 74969
I've been doing an Lower Upper split on Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri for years now. Consistency is the key; I like knowing exactly what I have to look forward to each workout.
Only thing I do slightly different these days is having the second lower day on Friday (instead of Thursday) and bumping the second upper workout up a day. So it looks like: Monday-Lower (squat dominant)/ Tuesday-Upper (back/chest)/ Thursday-Upper (delts/arms)/ Friday-Lower (deadlift dominant). Reason being is that on Wednesdays I usually run 3-5 miles and trying to tackle deadlifts the very next day wasn't productive. Also because I am long retired from training for strength on pressing exercises due to injury, it doesn't hurt tackling delts only 48 hours after chest - if I was still chasing a big bench/OH press I would do things a bit different.Return of the Mack?
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