Lifting Thread;training for the tattooed warrior.

[hogg]

I agree with what @RoryQ said, @eisen777. One thing to keep in mind with 5/3/1: start lighter than you think you should. Things worth attaining take time, and it's no different in the gym. Add 5 lbs. to your working max (not your 1RM) each cycle for bench and OH press, and 10 lbs. to your squat and deadlift. Slow and steady progress is what 5/3/1 is all about. If you stall on a lift, which most people will after 5 to 8 cycles, drop the weight on your training max and build it back up. And keep logs of everything. I use Google Drive spreadsheets, which I access from my phone in the gym. It's a great way to track your progress, and you'll be amazed at how much stronger you get over the course of a year.

One more note: if you're still losing weight, don't be surprised if your strength doesn't increase. If you can maintain your strength while losing weight, you are winning on both fronts. Keep at it!

[eisen777]

I was trying to lose weight but im taking time off from that. Im eating "clean" but in surplus to try to gain. Ill probably be doing this untill about mid spring when Ill still lift but ill also be running a fair amount (and doing interval work) to burn some fat then go back to building strength/muscle. My lifts have had good progress. I always add 5lbs or 10lbs unless I think my form suffers on something like squats or DL and if thats the case I repeat a lift for 2 workouts then move up. Its actually helped a lot. I basicly follow the rules SL/starting strength lay out. For me I feel like a mix of the two would be best. I added resistence band pullups and chinups (i can only do 1 pull up band helps me work up to body weight sets) and thats helped. Got my dip bars as well. Ill keep those as my long term goals but will still set short term goals to get to. What I like about 5/3/1 is that its slower progess and you focus on a major lift each workout but add assistence lifts as well. I just want to get some good progress before I change it up. Thanks guys.

[eisen777]

@hogg @RoryQ What do you guys thinking about lifting during tattoo healing. Im getting work done on my back and it will probably be all over the back and certainly will be pretty brutal. Should I take a day off and come back the next time full force or just change things up? Ive been doing great not skipping any workouts but at this point maybe missing a workout wont be the end of the world. Let me know what you guys do

[Diehardonvhs]

Give squats a miss if it's up on your upper back! I am in the same situation, healing my back while trying to maintain lifting progress - I haven't found any major problems after sessions on my back above the beltline (aside from squats), its when I'm healing the ass and back of thighs that I feel almost crippled - it cuts out a huge amount of exercises! This might not be the best advice, but I just hold off heavy lifting completely for five or six days, go for a couple of runs, then get back to it when I am healed up, maybe drop the weight a bit and carry on as normal!

[RoryQ]

@hogg @RoryQ What do you guys thinking about lifting during tattoo healing. Im getting work done on my back and it will probably be all over the back and certainly will be pretty brutal. Should I take a day off and come back the next time full force or just change things up? Ive been doing great not skipping any workouts but at this point maybe missing a workout wont be the end of the world. Let me know what you guys do

Well, if the sessions on your back end up being brutal and you feel like you've been beaten up then I would just take a couple of days off and come back to it when the initial healing phase has started.

If you're prepared to be flexible with your exercise selection then you can work around most things. Avoid elbow flexion when you've had your ditch tattooed... Avoid knee flexion when you've had your kneecap done... Common sense I guess.

I can't really remember what I did when I was getting sessions done on my back, but I'm pretty sure I just took a few days off and then maybe made some small exercise substitutions. If you didn't want to lie on your back and bench you could shoulder press... If you didn't want to back squat you could front squat etc.

I'm still healing that little navajo piece from a fortnight ago right now. The only thing I needed to do for that was wear pants to the gym in lieu of my usual shorts... Pretty handy compared to a newly healing backpiece!

--

As way of a general training update, I'm still doing Westside for skinny bastards (I'm on my fifth week of it now). Lower body day was today. I'm doing three days of lifting only and I'm going to add in a fourth day of conditioning only (prowler, farmer's walks, maybe some KB or DB metabolic conditioning).

[Diehardonvhs]

If you didn't want to back squat you could front squat etc.

That is GENIUS! Seriously, I am embarrassed I didn't think of that...I am still very much a beginner!

[hogg]

I think that RoryQ's advice is solid. I'll just add that if you do find yourself working out at a gym (as opposed to at home), keep your healing tattoo covered. Staph is on everything in commercial gyms, and I've been unlucky (and dumb) enough to have a healing tattoo get infected at just such a gym.

[hogg]

That is GENIUS! Seriously, I am embarrassed I didn't think of that...I am still very much a beginner!

You might also try goblet squats, as front squats are difficult for some beginners. Also, I hate front squats. :)

[9Years]

You might also try goblet squats, as front squats are difficult for some beginners. Also, I hate front squats. :)

Awww, come on now...Don't hate, appreciate! Front Squats rule! (...so do goblet squats)

[RoryQ]

Zercher squats or trap bar deadlifts would be another option.

I once tried barbell hack squats a few times but never got the technique down, I was doing something weird with the bar path (even weirder than usual).

[tatB]

i've only been workingout/lifting for ~3months and I prefer front squats over back squats... does that make me weird? PR'ed my front squat at 145lbs for 4 reps yesterday.

also crossfit hasn't injured me yet. good mix of normal people and athletes at my gym (i refuse to call it a box) and the coaches provide great guidance on form/technique.

[Diehardonvhs]

Great suggestions thanks, I definitely need to vary my routines a bit sometimes, although I guess it's not bad to stick with the same exercises and get the form as good as I can, especially since I'm just really getting into it.

[eisen777]

So Ive been thinking when I was able to run a 5k I got a paraohs horses tattooed on me to celebrate...i figure it motivates me since I have goals and am going to get tattooed anyway. I think after I make my first set of lift goals Im going to get a tattoo...I didnt know what to get but I think A gorilla head would be perfect since those things are strong! Basicly looking for ideas. Still planning my goal. Prob 225 squat, 300 DL, 150ish BP...who knows.

[hogg]

Still planning my goal. Prob 225 squat, 300 DL, 150ish BP...who knows.

Since I can lift those numbers, can I get tattooed? I'll send you my PayPal address. Thanks in advance.

Seriously, though. Whatever it takes to motivate you, man. I'm a fan of lifting and tattoos, so I fully support this.

[Scott R]

Still planning my goal. Prob 225 squat, 300 DL, 150ish BP...who knows.

I love that you have DL as your highest goal lift. Deadlift beat out my next best lift by over 100lbs. disclaimer i could not squat for shit. and sadly my close grip bench max was on par with my squat :(

[eisen777]

@hogg haha you can get tattooed anytime....its silly I know but its a nice thing to work for. I mean I always get tattooed for no reason and thats fine but its also nice to earn something. Im trying to come up with a goal that I need to work on but isnt so far away since ultimately Ill be making new goals and I want to get tattooed haha.

Maybe BP more like 185-205. Currently Im taking a few days off and then deloading 20% on current lifts and comming back strong with 10 pound increases for the first few workouts. Also cleaning up my diet again as I was getting out of hand with how hungry I was getting and wanting to hit 3500-4000 cal a day. I would start eating well and then id get like a wild beast looking to throw anything with cal into my body. I need to work on eating alot and keeping it clean esp with my carn intake.

[RoryQ]

Cold. Wet. Felt like puking. Bah...!

[9Years]

Cold. Wet. Felt like puking. Bah...!

[ATTACH]10410[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]10411[/ATTACH]

Looks like a great day. For realz.

Pushing a sled rules. And sucks. Mostly rules though.

[tatB]

The sunshine and warm spring time temperatures have me very motivated to lift and be active. Right now my schedule is Sunday and Wednesday Olympic lifting program. Right now this involves doing 5x5 of a overhead press, a squat, and a deadlift. The goal is to build strength through these movements then "graduate" into doing cleans, snatches, etc. Monday and Friday are crossfit days. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday are either rest or light running. So far it feels great being more active than I have been in the past 5-6 years.

[kylegrey]

Does anybody else have a copy of " Becoming a Supple Leopard " ? For me the stretching and mobility sections are outstanding .

[RoryQ]

Does anybody else have a copy of " Becoming a Supple Leopard " ? For me the stretching and mobility sections are outstanding .

I have it Kyle, a great resource. I'm more likely to crack open the book than watch a whole video by him.

Another related book I found good lately was Neupert & Anderson's "Original Strength". Tough to sum up, but it's on floor work type movements that are intended to be practiced several times daily.

It Involves segmental rolling, rocking movements, neck mobility, crawling movements and diaphragmatic breathing.

I've tried a lot of that type of health / mobility stuff before and it hasn't clicked with me but for some reason I really think this OS is good. Doing the segmental rolling on a hard floor is like whole body self myofascial release, it's replaced the foam roller for me.

I'm doing Pavel Taatsouline's "grease the groove" protocol at the moment because I can't get to the gym. I've picked the pull-up and push-up as movements and basically I'm just doing sets randomly through the day, accumulating volume. No sets to failure. Yesterday I did 55 pull-ups and 92 push-ups. Mostly sets of 5-7 and 10-14 respectively. The only issue is in not sure when 'enough is enough' per day? I've been at it a week so far, still adding reps daily.

[kylegrey]

I've tried a lot of that type of health / mobility stuff before and it hasn't clicked with me but for some reason I really think this OS is good. Doing the segmental rolling on a hard floor is like whole body self myofascial release, it's replaced the foam roller for me.

@RoryQ Whats popular with a lot of the powerlifting fraternity at the moment is using a car buffer / polisher to break up heavy scar tissue , sounds nuts but many swear by it .

[RoryQ]

Sounds bonkers but I guess if it works...

Homer Simpson's "miracle spine o cylinder" always struck me as just being a giant PVC roller.

[eisen777]

I just got to

205 3x3 squats (small goal, want to hit 3x5 soon)

140 bench (3x5)

90 press (3x5) needs lots of work...

215 deadlift (1x5 bummed on my lack of progress, but the wood harvesting/stacking work has been smoking my back)

100 power clean (3x5).

Im at a point that im going add a day with squats,bench or press, then back extentions or GHR or hip thrusts and chin ups or pull ups which is good because id like some change. My wife too really wants to start with hip thrusts because I guess they are like miracle gro for your butt and im all in favor of this.

I gotta hand it to your guys all of you kinda helped put me on the right path and even tho i havent burned off a bunch of my fat I can see big muscle improvements and im getting stronger. Im going to take some time off in may to run/hike and burn of some fat without eating all my gains but we will see how that goes.

[Cork]

The sunshine and warm spring time temperatures have me very motivated to lift and be active. Right now my schedule is Sunday and Wednesday Olympic lifting program. Right now this involves doing 5x5 of a overhead press, a squat, and a deadlift. The goal is to build strength through these movements then "graduate" into doing cleans, snatches, etc. Monday and Friday are crossfit days. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday are either rest or light running. So far it feels great being more active than I have been in the past 5-6 years.

The nice weather is always a good motivator. I find myself getting out and trying to play more leisurely sports like beach volleyball and tennis. Weightlifting is still a priority but it's fun to get outside.

Those crossfit days will probably really help your oly movements provided you have good coaches. Have fun with that.

Does anybody else have a copy of " Becoming a Supple Leopard " ? For me the stretching and mobility sections are outstanding .

I've heard that this book is really poorly put together? I was thinking about buying it, but I am hesitant after hearing that.

I'm doing Pavel Taatsouline's "grease the groove" protocol at the moment because I can't get to the gym. I've picked the pull-up and push-up as movements and basically I'm just doing sets randomly through the day, accumulating volume. No sets to failure. Yesterday I did 55 pull-ups and 92 push-ups. Mostly sets of 5-7 and 10-14 respectively. The only issue is in not sure when 'enough is enough' per day? I've been at it a week so far, still adding reps daily.

I did something like this for a while too with pull ups. I enjoy a lot of Pavel's writing and the way he explains certain things. I would say 55 pull ups in a day is pretty good. You figure if you were doing them in a normal workout, average would probably be 3 sets of 10-12?

Anyone else having stretching issues, I highly recommend the Limber 11 by Defranco. It may have been mentioned in this thread already, but I figure it's always good to get a reminder. I really like this routine for hip flexibility. He has one similar for shoulder mobility, but I don't think it is nearly as effective as the Limber 11 is for hips. I prefer Starret's shoulder mobility exercises from what I've seen and used on myself.