Ask an Exercise Science major anything

[Fapadrol]

^ ****..Someone's done his homework.

Honestly I would rep you if I could ;you provided solid information which is backed by evidence.

I appreciate the time it took to sort that out; thanks for the interesting read

[BettaPonic]

How good of an exercise is 20,000 steps a day? I am not trying to lose weight.

[BuffRockChick]

Can an average unconditioned person gain strength without working so hard as to cause muscle soreness? My goal is gaining strength with bodyweight exercise 1 - 2 times daily. I'm unconditioned and cannot do a pushup. My goal is 1 pushup! I'm working on elevated pushups on stairs.

[y0lked]

^ ****..Someone's done his homework.

Honestly I would rep you if I could ;you provided solid information which is backed by evidence.

I appreciate the time it took to sort that out; thanks for the interesting read

Mike knows his sh*t! Hes also better with the research quotes than I am haha!

ccentric actions led to possible muscle damage as indicated by elevated serum CK and muscle soreness, and therefore to longer recovery as compared to concentric actions.

Sometimes up to 2 weeks if the volume is high enough (100+ reps of a compound exercise near failure)

How good of an exercise is 20,000 steps a day? I am not trying to lose weight.

Walking is considered low intensity, there are considerable health benefits that come from walking like helping with obesity, reduced heart disease, blood lipids, increase in fat metabolism. Walking 20,000 steps( assuming flat land) will work the type 1 muscle fibers which should adapt fairly quickly and provide you with considerable amount of calories burned from exercise. This may be a problem if you arent trying to lose weight. What are your fitness goals?

Can an average unconditioned person gain strength without working so hard as to cause muscle soreness? My goal is gaining strength with bodyweight exercise 1 - 2 times daily. I'm unconditioned and cannot do a pushup. My goal is 1 pushup! I'm working on elevated pushups on stairs.

You should not be afraid of muscle soreness. Its a great reminder that you've worked hard! Having sore muscles encourages you to eat well knowing you need to refuel and recover! With that said, body weight exercises dont load the muscle as well as free weights therefore muscle soreness should not be as sever once you get to a higher fitness level. Keep on that goal of 1, and then lets go for 5!!! Just remember, anything worth having is worth working for!

[Ethan6x6]

Plz help me with this. I've been doing 100 pullups a night for a while now and my reps have been going down, by half now. I'm pretty light and I do this every night. Not interested in aesthetics, only strength
Thanks

[y0lked]

Plz help me with this. I've been doing 100 pullups a night for a while now and my reps have been going down, by half now. I'm pretty light and I do this every night. Not interested in aesthetics, only strength
Thanks

Something about your nutrition, sleep or other daily habits must be infringing on your recovery. How long have they been going down? Are you doing another workout on top of these pullups? Are you going to failure? Have you gained weight? Are you drinking alcohol?

You wont suddenly start dropping reps unless you cant recover from the exercise. Now the health of your joints from doing 100 pullups every single day is another question. So is "Why didnt you start doing 101? Are you trying to do 100 reps in the shortest amount of sets?"

[FluffyChapstick]

I already asked a similar question on this topic on your other thread.

We'll be tested on every event at school (athletics) to compete against other schools in about 6-7 weeks.

My upper day is

Weighted pushups 3x10
BB rows 3x10
Millitary press 3x8 or 5x5
Pullups 3x10
Facepulls 3x15
Alternate between bicep isolation and tricep for each upper day.

Leg day is a bunch of squats, glute bridges and calves.

So im focusing on muscle size and a bit of strength, since the events wil require explosiveness and speed, do i continue with basic strengthening rep schemes or should i focus on more specific things such a one arm landmine jerk for low reps high sets (shotput) and explosive squats with lower weight?

[aali1221]

hello,

So i've had this painful pop at the back of my right knee, usually happens when ive not been active for a while and do a squatiing motion. The pain is there before and during the pop and after I pop it pressure in the back of the knee is released. It may sound silly but has been bothering me for 2 years. It occurs at the back of the knee possibly the lower hamstring attachment, i really dont know. I went a doctor they said to see a PT. i saw a PT they said it was a shortened ligament. However, I have noticed in the time i've had this injury that my right leg is weaker when it come to leg extensions and leg curls and my right leg used to be my strong and explosive leg 3-4 years ago. I think this has paved the way for me to develop problems such as patella tendonitis and another unknown injury that i think is menicus discoid on the inner part of the knee.

[MikeWines]

^ ****..Someone's done his homework.

Honestly I would rep you if I could ;you provided solid information which is backed by evidence.

I appreciate the time it took to sort that out; thanks for the interesting read

How good of an exercise is 20,000 steps a day? I am not trying to lose weight.

Walking is a movement with the highest ROI relative to fitness in general. It takes zero practice, no warmup, very little motivation to complete, low injury risk, environmentally adaptable, and everyone is moderately proficient at it. I think if you're walking that much trying to gain weight you'll have a pretty tough time of it but if you enjoy walking as a means to destress/think or your work requires that much mileage then have at it.

Can an average unconditioned person gain strength without working so hard as to cause muscle soreness? My goal is gaining strength with bodyweight exercise 1 - 2 times daily. I'm unconditioned and cannot do a pushup. My goal is 1 pushup! I'm working on elevated pushups on stairs.

Muscle soreness is not entirely necessary but is not completely unavoidable either. As you lift more, you will become adapted to the stimulus and both the intensity and duration of soreness will lessen - ala the repeated bout effect.

Unfamiliar, predominantly eccentric exercise, frequently results in muscle damage. A repeated bout of similar eccentric exercise results in less damage and is referred to as the 'repeated bout effect'.

It is possible that the repeated bout effect occurs through the interaction of various neural, connective tissue and cellular factors that are dependent on the particulars of the eccentric exercise bout and the specific muscle groups involved.

Exercise-induced muscle damage and potential mechanisms for the repeated bout effect.

In terms of how to get your first pushup, here's a excellent place to start:



Fair warning, eccentric accentuated movements will generate a decent level of soreness but will help to improve neuromuscular control within set ranges of motion much more quickly than other methods.

Plz help me with this. I've been doing 100 pullups a night for a while now and my reps have been going down, by half now. I'm pretty light and I do this every night. Not interested in aesthetics, only strength
Thanks

Give yourself more time for recovery and recognize that differing stimuli drive adaptation. I wrote about this concept in more depth here: 10 More Creative Gym Hacks & Tips You Need to Know

2. PROGRESSION REQUIRES TREMENDOUSLY MORE EFFORT THAN MAINTENANCE

Don’t believe me? Just ask the guy who’s still squatting 135 after 10 years of “hardcore” training.

Training and the process of adaptation (aka “gainz”) revolve around the idea of homeostatic disruptions. Your body’s main goal at a cellular level is to keep you in a constant state of equilibrium. Disrupt the status quo and your body will adapt as a means of survival. If you didn’t adapt, your physiology would become overwhelmed and you wouldn’t be able to function.

If the stressor isn’t removed and you allow ample time for adaptation, you will reach a new level of homeostasis. However, if the stressor is excessive and you don’t give yourself the means to recover then you will enter into functional overreaching and eventually overtraining.

As such, your main goal is to understand and implement the minimally effective dose (MED) of training related stress that will drive adaptation in the long run. Without stress there is zero impetus to drive change. However, with too much stress there is a risk for maladaptation as you can overwhelm the system.

I already asked a similar question on this topic on your other thread.

We'll be tested on every event at school (athletics) to compete against other schools in about 6-7 weeks.

My upper day is

Weighted pushups 3x10
BB rows 3x10
Millitary press 3x8 or 5x5
Pullups 3x10
Facepulls 3x15
Alternate between bicep isolation and tricep for each upper day.

Leg day is a bunch of squats, glute bridges and calves.

So im focusing on muscle size and a bit of strength, since the events wil require explosiveness and speed, do i continue with basic strengthening rep schemes or should i focus on more specific things such a one arm landmine jerk for low reps high sets (shotput) and explosive squats with lower weight?

What are the events? Training should revolve around the concept of specificity. Without prior knowledge as to the end goal (whether that be competition or individual related), it is impossible to make recommendations.

What you have up there^ may very well be an excellent right now at this point in time but without context, it's tough to know exactly.

hello,

So i've had this painful pop at the back of my right knee, usually happens when ive not been active for a while and do a squatiing motion. The pain is there before and during the pop and after I pop it pressure in the back of the knee is released. It may sound silly but has been bothering me for 2 years. It occurs at the back of the knee possibly the lower hamstring attachment, i really dont know. I went a doctor they said to see a PT. i saw a PT they said it was a shortened ligament. However, I have noticed in the time i've had this injury that my right leg is weaker when it come to leg extensions and leg curls and my right leg used to be my strong and explosive leg 3-4 years ago. I think this has paved the way for me to develop problems such as patella tendonitis and another unknown injury that i think is menicus discoid on the inner part of the knee.

Could be the distal hamstring attachment. Try a little flossing:



Also, consider addressing the adductors since many attach near the posterior aspect of the knee:



Additionally, sometimes you just need a little more stability, this can help:



I would say your best bet is to start progressing through single leg work. Improve quad and hamstring strength (both relatively speaking but also from a ratio perspective as well) Did you see the progression I posted for single leg work a little while back? If not, here it is again:

Lunge
- Step Up
- Split Squat > Front foot elevated
- Reverse Lunge > Front foot elevated
- Single Leg Squat to Bench
- Lateral Lunge
- Bulgarian/Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat (RFESS)
- Single Leg Squat From Bench
- Walking Lunge
- Forward Lunge
- Single Leg Skater Squat
- Pistol Squat

Start with split squats and work with those for 8-10 weeks. Get REALLY strong with them while simultaneously improving hip and ankle mobility.

This will help:



Report back in a few weeks as things progress or you have more questions.

[Ethan6x6]

I get plenty of sleep usually, have pretty good nutrition,o do push ups, run and lift on various days, but push ups and pull ups every day. I do not drink and I go to failure on my sets. Theyve been going down for about a month or more now, from 16 dead hangs to barely 8.im trying to be able to do as many as I can per set so I can climb stuff better. I don't feel sore from doing it every night, and I'm only 120+/- 2lbs
Thanks again

[aali1221]

Could be the distal hamstring attachment. Try a little flossing:



Also, consider addressing the adductors since many attach near the posterior aspect of the knee:



Additionally, sometimes you just need a little more stability, this can help:



I would say your best bet is to start progressing through single leg work. Improve quad and hamstring strength (both relatively speaking but also from a ratio perspective as well) Did you see the progression I posted for single leg work a little while back? If not, here it is again:



Start with split squats and work with those for 8-10 weeks. Get REALLY strong with them while simultaneously improving hip and ankle mobility.

This will help:



Report back in a few weeks as things progress or you have more questions.

So, i am currently doing 5/3/1 big but boring and plan on repeating it for 3 months, with this setup:
Upper 1
Military press xx
Bench 5x10
Pullups 5x10
Bicep curls and dips 3x10
Facepull 3x10

Lower 1
Deadlift xx
Squat 5x10
Ab circuit 1-4x10-15

Rest

Upper 2
Bench press xx
Military press 5x10
Row 5x10
Bicep curls and dips 3x10
Facepull 3x10

Lower 2
Squat xx
Deadlift 5x10
Ab circuit 1-4x10-15

I will substitute the accessory squats with the single leg work and try the stretches you've mentioned. Also would voodoo flossing help any how since i will use it for my patellla tendonitis and left ankle range of motion? I just ordered one on amazon. Also i forgot to mention i rarely get pains when working out, just some Range of motion problems and i stretch. It mostly bothers me in the morning when i wake up or sitting at a desk for a while. And my other injuries i cope with by stretching and using good form, wearing shoes with good impact protection when i play sports etc.

[markgeorgeevans]

Ask away. This thread will be nice for any basic or advanced questions as well as help me develop my knowledge and proficiency in my field.

background in:
biomechanics
kinesiology
exercise physiology
athletic injuries
all kinds of workout programming as well as advanced courses in nutrition

go!

edit: also, anything I feel is interesting i might throw in this thread.

Hi, I've been working out for about 4 months now and I'm starting to plateau. How do I change my workout routine to start with? I have no idea what to do or when I should advance to more exercises per muscle group.

This is my workout:

3 sets of 12, 10, 8

Monday:
Dumbbell rows
Dumbbell curls
calf raises

Tuesday:
Squats
incline bench
Tricep press down
shoulder press
abs

Wednesday off

Thursday:
pull ups
standing barbell curl
calf raises

Friday:
Dead lifts
flat bench
Tricep extension
abs

Saturday/Sunday off

[y0lked]

Hi, I've been working out for about 4 months now and I'm starting to plateau. How do I change my workout routine to start with? I have no idea what to do or when I should advance to more exercises per muscle group.

This is my workout:

3 sets of 12, 10, 8

Monday:
Dumbbell rows
Dumbbell curls
calf raises

Tuesday:
Squats
incline bench
Tricep press down
shoulder press
abs

Wednesday off

Thursday:
pull ups
standing barbell curl
calf raises

Friday:
Dead lifts
flat bench
Tricep extension
abs

Saturday/Sunday off

I love plateau questions. Simply do 4 sets instead of 3. Also schedule a deload. If youre constantly sore and you havent had a week of lower volume in a while then do the deload first, if you feel really good but just cant break the numbers then add in the extra set for all exercises and then do the deload after 4, 6 or 8 weeks.

I get plenty of sleep usually, have pretty good nutrition,o do push ups, run and lift on various days, but push ups and pull ups every day. I do not drink and I go to failure on my sets. Theyve been going down for about a month or more now, from 16 dead hangs to barely 8.im trying to be able to do as many as I can per set so I can climb stuff better. I don't feel sore from doing it every night, and I'm only 120+/- 2lbs
Thanks again

Try a different rep scheme instead of going to failure every set. I like this one:
1 Pullup 10 second rest
2 pullups 20 second rest
3 pullups 30 seconds rest

etc. obviously going up as high as you can with 10 seconds rest for each pullup until you get to failure and then drop 5 reps and try to get to 100 with that (ie you failed at 15 reps, do the next sets with 10 pullups 100 seconds rest till you get to 100 pullups) . Try that for a month and then go back to your original amrap pullup schedule but this time do it like this:
Mon Wed and Fridays do 100 reps on week 1, 105 reps week 2, 110 reps week 3, 90 reps week 4
Tue Thurs Sat Sun only do 90 reps.

This will help you periodize your training so you get the most out of your recovery and you arent doing the same thing every day. Come back after week 4 if this improves your numbers from this last month and ill give you the rep scheme for month 2.

[FluffyChapstick]

What are the events? Training should revolve around the concept of specificity. Without prior knowledge as to the end goal (whether that be competition or individual related), it is impossible to make recommendations.

What you have up there^ may very well be an excellent right now at this point in time but without context, it's tough to know exactly.







All of them. But all I care about is the sprints , long jump and shotput. End goal is to be better at that.

[y0lked]

What are the events? Training should revolve around the concept of specificity. Without prior knowledge as to the end goal (whether that be competition or individual related), it is impossible to make recommendations.

What you have up there^ may very well be an excellent right now at this point in time but without context, it's tough to know exactly.







All of them. But all I care about is the sprints , long jump and shotput. End goal is to be better at that.

Those events require power, high force in short ammount of time. Powerlifting/Bodybuilding is strength based, absolute amount of weight moved regardless of time. Slow eccentric contractions coupled with fast concentric actions (also known as speed work and dynamic work) is important for building power. More importantly sprints, long jump and shot put are all events where full body power is needed. This is why snatches, power cleans and jerks are prioritized. I suggest you work on those movements and emphasize moving weight fast, along with squats and deadlifts where strength is the goal.

The specific training will come from actually jumping and actually throwing stuff. Jump high, jump long, throw high, throw long.

[Bonnappe]

How deep should one go and what should the ankle and the knee angle be on a single leg leg press for maximal quad hypertrophy?

What are your opinions on piston reps vs. reps with a slight pause at the top in terms of muscle hypertrophy?

[y0lked]

How deep should one go and what should the ankle and the knee angle be on a single leg leg press for maximal quad hypertrophy?

What are your opinions on piston reps vs. reps with a slight pause at the top in terms of muscle hypertrophy?

The more bent the knee is and flexed the hip is the more the quads will be worked. Ankle flexibility is not necissary for quad development unless it limits the ability of the knee to flex without the heel coming off the ground.

Not sure what piston reps are, can you elaborate?

[Patkaa]

Very long question so I'm just going to post my thread : http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=173427481

I'd appreciate any kind of help, kind sir.

[DandyLion1]

Hey Just looking for advice or reassurance really!

I'm on week 3 of allpro's beginner workout so I really am a beginner. Female, 24 yrs, 145lbs not sure if relevant to this.
My right shoulder rolls forward more than the left from having carried a heavy bag on one side at school (if only I'd listened to my mother). It's always bugged me just from not being symmetrical but never had any pain from it. Have had a couple of twinges in the shoulder blade but dunno if that's related.

On my most recent heavy workout I've started noticing that my shoulders are pushing slightly asymmetrically on my overhead press. Trying to correct while looking in the mirror but as I'm such a beginner I guess I might as well start looking after myself properly early on. Is there anything I should be doing differently or watching out for? Or will it just correct itself as my muscles gain strength?

Thanks!

[Ethan6x6]

I love plateau questions. Simply do 4 sets instead of 3. Also schedule a deload. If youre constantly sore and you havent had a week of lower volume in a while then do the deload first, if you feel really good but just cant break the numbers then add in the extra set for all exercises and then do the deload after 4, 6 or 8 weeks.


Try a different rep scheme instead of going to failure every set. I like this one:
1 Pullup 10 second rest
2 pullups 20 second rest
3 pullups 30 seconds rest

etc. obviously going up as high as you can with 10 seconds rest for each pullup until you get to failure and then drop 5 reps and try to get to 100 with that (ie you failed at 15 reps, do the next sets with 10 pullups 100 seconds rest till you get to 100 pullups) . Try that for a month and then go back to your original amrap pullup schedule but this time do it like this:
Mon Wed and Fridays do 100 reps on week 1, 105 reps week 2, 110 reps week 3, 90 reps week 4
Tue Thurs Sat Sun only do 90 reps.

This will help you periodize your training so you get the most out of your recovery and you arent doing the same thing every day. Come back after week 4 if this improves your numbers from this last month and ill give you the rep scheme for month 2.

Hey sorry for newbing out here, but this gonna be last question if can be helped. I keep seeing this "grease the groove" thing online as some sort of strength program, can you explain to me the theory behind this?

[y0lked]

Very long question so I'm just going to post my thread : http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=173427481

I'd appreciate any kind of help, kind sir.

Looks like right drop shoulder or right hip hike to me, Mike and I are not PTs you should go seek medical help.

Hey Just looking for advice or reassurance really!

I'm on week 3 of allpro's beginner workout so I really am a beginner. Female, 24 yrs, 145lbs not sure if relevant to this.
My right shoulder rolls forward more than the left from having carried a heavy bag on one side at school (if only I'd listened to my mother). It's always bugged me just from not being symmetrical but never had any pain from it. Have had a couple of twinges in the shoulder blade but dunno if that's related.

On my most recent heavy workout I've started noticing that my shoulders are pushing slightly asymmetrically on my overhead press. Trying to correct while looking in the mirror but as I'm such a beginner I guess I might as well start looking after myself properly early on. Is there anything I should be doing differently or watching out for? Or will it just correct itself as my muscles gain strength?

Thanks!

You should work on your shoulder mobility and practice good lifting technique. Take a lighter weight and close your eyes, do the movement and see if you can feel your body position. Once you feel like youre in the right plane open your eyes and look in the mirror. More than likely your proprioception wont lie to you as much as your eyes will. Esp looking at a mirror some distance away.

Hey sorry for newbing out here, but this gonna be last question if can be helped. I keep seeing this "grease the groove" thing online as some sort of strength program, can you explain to me the theory behind this?

Yup this isnt anything new, the principals are tried and true methods just applied to the specific goal (iron maiden i guess?). Thats what every good trainer should do, take proven principals and apply them specifically to a population for a specific outcome. However lets be clear, theres a huge difference between doing body weight pullups to failure and doing heavy squats to failure. Pullups fail due to muscle fillament fatigue and heavy squats fatigue due to the cns.

[markgeorgeevans]

Ask away. This thread will be nice for any basic or advanced questions as well as help me develop my knowledge and proficiency in my field.

background in:
biomechanics
kinesiology
exercise physiology
athletic injuries
all kinds of workout programming as well as advanced courses in nutrition

go!

edit: also, anything I feel is interesting i might throw in this thread.

How many sets, reps and how many days a week to build big calves?

Two days a week I do 5 sets on the Smith machine doing donkey calf raises. One day doing 15 reps, and the other doing 25-30 reps. I also do seated calf raises straight after (no rest) doing about 25 reps. I would also like to know when would I know when to increase my sets and frequency? I'm a beginner and only been training for 4 months.

Thanks

[y0lked]

How many sets, reps and how many days a week to build big calves?

Two days a week I do 5 sets on the Smith machine doing donkey calf raises. One day doing 15 reps, and the other doing 25-30 reps. I also do seated calf raises straight after (no rest) doing about 25 reps. I would also like to know when would I know when to increase my sets and frequency? I'm a beginner and only been training for 4 months.

Thanks

Those rep ranges look great! You could drop the 15 reps down to about 8 or so and really stack on the weight to get those type II fibers activated. You should focus on adding weight instead of adding more sets and frequency. Just like adding weight to a squat or bench press. More weight= more total work done = gains.

[Bonnappe]

I have issues in my right leg, whenever I do a variation of squat (leg press, back squat, front squat, single leg leg press etc.) I can keep the tension just fine on my left quad. However I always seem to lose the tension/MMC on my right quad in the descending phase and this seriously makes me depressed. I can do whatever I want and I have the strongest tension/MMC on my left quad but somehow on my right quad the tension/MMC ''pops'' into my ass as soon as I descend to a certain depth and I can feel the pop in my glute/ass if I keep my hand there whilst doing single leg press.

Any idea how can I fix the issue and make the tension/MMC in my right quad normal as in my left one?

[Chrislrl]

Hello, I'm 16 years old and have been training in calisthenics for a little over a year now, but just recently have I been training in proper intensity and have seen actual progress... Thing is, while getting spotted for squats, the person spotting me noticed that my back was uneven.... Not my lats, but the area that connects my lower back to my lower lats... My right side, is more defined than my left, yet my left side has more bulk to it but is less defined... I will be posting pictures soon to get some feedback... But in the meantime, I would like to know what are some workouts I can do to correct this, I am open to weights as I have recently began to implement them in my training... I just have been worried and haven't found a reason to this uneven development, apart from a thought I had that it may occur due to laying leg lifts... but a certain variation I started doing about 2 months ago... Which I thought was quite odd at first but went with it anyway, I guess you can describe it as flutter kicks but going all the way up and down with about a second hold at the top and bottom of that makes any sense it does blast lower back quite a bit, and I was wondering if this might be a reason... I'm going to cut it from my ab warmup anyways until I figure it out... I'm sorry if i said anything that is purely common sense, as I said I'm fairly new to the whole physique training area, I'd appreciate any help I can get, thank you!

[y0lked]

I have issues in my right leg, whenever I do a variation of squat (leg press, back squat, front squat, single leg leg press etc.) I can keep the tension just fine on my left quad. However I always seem to lose the tension/MMC on my right quad in the descending phase and this seriously makes me depressed. I can do whatever I want and I have the strongest tension/MMC on my left quad but somehow on my right quad the tension/MMC ''pops'' into my ass as soon as I descend to a certain depth and I can feel the pop in my glute/ass if I keep my hand there whilst doing single leg press.

Any idea how can I fix the issue and make the tension/MMC in my right quad normal as in my left one?

Theres tons you can do, here are some ideas.
Switch to box squats
prefatigue the glutes so that the quads are forced to work
Try trap bar deadlifts with an extremely vertical torso
Pre fatigue the left quad then see if you get more activation in the right

Are you squatting in raised heel shoes? Can you get a video up? preferably with a side view and a directly behind view.

[y0lked]

Hello, I'm 16 years old and have been training in calisthenics for a little over a year now, but just recently have I been training in proper intensity and have seen actual progress... Thing is, while getting spotted for squats, the person spotting me noticed that my back was uneven.... Not my lats, but the area that connects my lower back to my lower lats... My right side, is more defined than my left, yet my left side has more bulk to it but is less defined... I will be posting pictures soon to get some feedback... But in the meantime, I would like to know what are some workouts I can do to correct this, I am open to weights as I have recently began to implement them in my training... I just have been worried and haven't found a reason to this uneven development, apart from a thought I had that it may occur due to laying leg lifts... but a certain variation I started doing about 2 months ago... Which I thought was quite odd at first but went with it anyway, I guess you can describe it as flutter kicks but going all the way up and down with about a second hold at the top and bottom of that makes any sense it does blast lower back quite a bit, and I was wondering if this might be a reason... I'm going to cut it from my ab warmup anyways until I figure it out... I'm sorry if i said anything that is purely common sense, as I said I'm fairly new to the whole physique training area, I'd appreciate any help I can get, thank you!

its pretty common to see unbalances in beginners. When i first started training my left bicep was tiny and now its bigger than my right lol

get some pics up so we can see if its a postural imbalance.

[MikeWines]

I have issues in my right leg, whenever I do a variation of squat (leg press, back squat, front squat, single leg leg press etc.) I can keep the tension just fine on my left quad. However I always seem to lose the tension/MMC on my right quad in the descending phase and this seriously makes me depressed. I can do whatever I want and I have the strongest tension/MMC on my left quad but somehow on my right quad the tension/MMC ''pops'' into my ass as soon as I descend to a certain depth and I can feel the pop in my glute/ass if I keep my hand there whilst doing single leg press.

Any idea how can I fix the issue and make the tension/MMC in my right quad normal as in my left one?

Consider ankle mechanics (loss of medial longitudinal arch) or even hip flexor strength. If the hip flexor can't stabilize the hip while going into flexion then you may find the glute takes over as the femur glides posteriorly in the hip capsule.

Try weighted hanging/captain's chair knee raises.

Also, post a video of your squat. Actual footage will say alot more than anything you can put into words.

[MikeWines]

Very long question so I'm just going to post my thread : http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=173427481

I'd appreciate any kind of help, kind sir.

Want to really delve DEEP down the rabbit hole and get this sorted out?

Find a good PRI practitioner who understands how to treat left AIC patterning

[Bonnappe]

Theres tons you can do, here are some ideas.
Switch to box squats
prefatigue the glutes so that the quads are forced to work
Try trap bar deadlifts with an extremely vertical torso
Pre fatigue the left quad then see if you get more activation in the right

Are you squatting in raised heel shoes? Can you get a video up? preferably with a side view and a directly behind view.

I don't do back squats at all at the moment, only leg press and yes I do use oly shoes but I've tried in both, my oly shoes and converse, and the issue still stands

Consider ankle mechanics (loss of medial longitudinal arch) or even hip flexor strength. If the hip flexor can't stabilize the hip while going into flexion then you may find the glute takes over as the femur glides posteriorly in the hip capsule.

Try weighted hanging/captain's chair knee raises.

Also, post a video of your squat. Actual footage will say alot more than anything you can put into words.

Ankle mechanics could potentially be an issue since my right ankle (right quad is having the MMC issue) is much more tighter than my left one. How would one work on hip strength? I mainly do leg press

Oh and forgot to mention that it looks like my right quad and left quad look different, not identical at all if that helps at, thank you both!