The Bodybuilders Thread: Circuit II

[HDS]

Hi All
Can anyone suggest some tips for proper bench press form.
I am struggling to activate my chest with the bench press, I only really feel it in my arms and shoulders, nothing in the chest. I've tried a wider grip but still nothing.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

How far down are you taking the bar?

 

[Necropolis]

Thanks
What I'm struggling with is the shoulder blade tuck, they naturally untuck as I raise the bar.

Either get a spotter to help you unrack the bar - or try putting the bar on lower pegs (if they are available on the bench you are using...)

Heard Mark Bell mention this in a youtube video.

 

[Tinuva]

@Newbie23,

If your shoulder blades untuck by themselves, you need to activate your back muscles to keep them tucked in. If this is not possible for you, you need to focus on strengthening your back muscles to keep up with your chest muscles.

Basically, thats why they say you need to also improve back muscles to improve chest muscles.

 

[Newbie23]

@Newbie23,

If your shoulder blades untuck by themselves, you need to activate your back muscles to keep them tucked in. If this is not possible for you, you need to focus on strengthening your back muscles to keep up with your chest muscles.

Basically, thats why they say you need to also improve back muscles to improve chest muscles.

Thanks all

I've been keeping my shoulder blades tucked by using my shoulders, and that's probably why I've been struggling to keep the blades in place.
I'll try again this evening using my back to keep my shoulder blades in place.

I'll practice with low weight for now to get the form right and then start increasing from there.

 

[APoc184]

So with this unbearable heat I was forced to use straps for the first time. Barely completed my first set when the bar slipped from my sweaty hands.

It kinda feels like cheating. I was amazed at how much easier it was to lift the weight just because you had such a good grip and no chance of letting the bar drop.

I even added 10kg to my last set because set 2 and 3 was so easy.

I'm in two minds now. Continue with the straps and much heavier weight. Or ditch the straps when it eventually cools down a bit and focus on doing it with natural grip strength.

 

[Necropolis]

The problem with only using straps is that you grip strength will suffer.

Maybe use straps for some super heavy sets once in a while and for the rest don't?

 

[Orihalcon]

Get chalk

 

[APoc184]

Get chalk

I've used super fine saw dust on a previous occasion which worked wonders.

But with the amount of sweat going on in the last few days it will become a messy affair.

Might look into the chalk.

 

[Necropolis]

Or get an aircon in your garage

(you do train @ home if my memory is working correctly...)

 

[APoc184]

Or get an aircon in your garage

(you do train @ home if my memory is working correctly...)

I do yes.

I'll rather use the R60 straps, thanks

If aircon is going to be installed it will be for the bedroom for sure.

 

[StrontiumDog]

@Apoc, iirc one would use straps only for the later sets when your grip starts failing. Are we talking deadlifts here?

 

[APoc184]

@Apoc, iirc one would use straps only for the later sets when your grip starts failing. Are we talking deadlifts here?

Yes deadlifts.

Sorry, I thought I mentioned it in the post but see I somehow omitted it.

I finished my Pendlay rows, barbell curls and concentration curls without the straps. Just with the weight of the deadlifts and sweaty (read drenched) palms that I was forced to use the straps.

 

[Necropolis]

Do your deadlifts first

 

[APoc184]

Do your deadlifts first

I do them second. After the rows I do deadlifts, then pull ups and chin ups and then switch to isolation bicep exercises.

 

[Orihalcon]

Right folks. Need some advice on changing things up a little.

Current program

[B]Back and rear delts[/B]
Deadlifts
Overhand Pendlay Rows (upper back focus)
Underhand Pendlay Rows (lat focused)
Pull ups / Pull downs - depending on what is available and how I'm feeling

Bent over fly's
Shrugs
Rear delt machine fly's / cable fly's

[B]Chest and Biceps[/B]
Bench Press
Incline Dumbbell Press
Weighted dips (45+ degree lean forward for lower chest focus)
Cable fly's

EZ-bar curls
EZ-bar reverse curls
Incline bench dual arm curl
Hammer curls (depends on how I'm feeling at this point. Biceps not a big focus area for me and volume already high)

[B]Triceps and Shoulders[/B]
Overhead Press
Front delt raises
Side lateral raises
Arnold overhead press

Skull crushers
Upright weighted dips
Rope pull downs
Behind the head dumbbell extension (depends on how I'm feeling at this point...)

[B]Legs[/B]
Squats
Romanian deadlift
Hack squat / leg press
Lunges
Hamstring curls
Calve raises - seated
Calve raises - standing

Now I am fan of this particular split in terms of muscle groups as it gives them all enough downtime before hitting the accessory muscles. I.e Do back and two days later do biceps etc.


However I want to switch things up a bit and incorporate front squats on say shoulder days as a finisher or do chest on leg day as a finisher to get some lighter weight higher rep work done. Once a week on a muscle group is simply not adequate for a natural I've come to realise from my own experience.

So any ideas on program changes would be most welcome!

 

[Thor]

German volume training

 

[HDS]

Right folks. Need some advice on changing things up a little.

Current program

[B]Back and rear delts[/B]
Deadlifts
Overhand Pendlay Rows (upper back focus)
Underhand Pendlay Rows (lat focused)
Pull ups / Pull downs - depending on what is available and how I'm feeling

Bent over fly's
Shrugs
Rear delt machine fly's / cable fly's

[B]Chest and Biceps[/B]
Bench Press
Incline Dumbbell Press
Weighted dips (45+ degree lean forward for lower chest focus)
Cable fly's

EZ-bar curls
EZ-bar reverse curls
Incline bench dual arm curl
Hammer curls (depends on how I'm feeling at this point. Biceps not a big focus area for me and volume already high)

[B]Triceps and Shoulders[/B]
Overhead Press
Front delt raises
Side lateral raises
Arnold overhead press

Skull crushers
Upright weighted dips
Rope pull downs
Behind the head dumbbell extension (depends on how I'm feeling at this point...)

[B]Legs[/B]
Squats
Romanian deadlift
Hack squat / leg press
Lunges
Hamstring curls
Calve raises - seated
Calve raises - standing

Now I am fan of this particular split in terms of muscle groups as it gives them all enough downtime before hitting the accessory muscles. I.e Do back and two days later do biceps etc.


However I want to switch things up a bit and incorporate front squats on say shoulder days as a finisher or do chest on leg day as a finisher to get some lighter weight higher rep work done. Once a week on a muscle group is simply not adequate for a natural I've come to realise from my own experience.

So any ideas on program changes would be most welcome!

Try this one.

Maandag
Chest, Calves & Posterior Deltoids
Pull ups & dips + Overhead barbell rotation for warm ups
Bench Press 15-3x6 ss seated calf raise 100kg
Incline dumbell Press 3x3-5 ss Bent over reverse Lateral Raise 30&10kg
Incline reverse Lateral dumbell flyes ss barbell throat pulls 15-20x4 5&35kg
Dumbbell Pull overs 30kg cs Hanging dips 15x3

Dinsdag
Quads & calves
Leg extensions ss standing calf raise 15x3
Barbell Squats with a 2-3 sec pause at bottom 5x5 85kg
Leg press 2x50 160kg
Leg extensions ss standing calf raise 100 reps van elk opgebreek in 3stelle

Woensdag
Back & Biceps
Wide-Grip Pull ups 60 reps
Reverse grip Pull downs 8x3 76.5kg
1arm dumbell row 12-15x3 38kg
Bent over barbell row 6-8x2 50kg
Preacher curls 30kg 10x4
Incline dumbell curls 14kg 10x3
High cable hammer Unilateral curls 3x12

Donderdag
Anterior deltoids & triceps
Smith seated shoulder press 50kg 15-5x5
Seated dumbell press 20 cs Underhand ez bar front raises 12 3x12
Elbow warm ups x4
Overhead dumbell extension 25x3 25kg
Skull crush 12x3 40kg
Rope press downs fst 7x12

Vrydag
Deadlifts, hammies & Lateral deltoids
Deadlifts warm up to 5rm 5x5 ss seated calf raise
Good mornings 10x3 ss standing calf raise
Barbell with resistance band Semi stiff leg Deadlifts 12x3 ss standing calf raise
Shoulder width Upright barbell row cs Side dumbell raises 12x3
Dumbbell narrow concentric, wide eccentric 12x3

Got this recently from a pt buddy of mine back in SA. It's a very good variation to try. The weight values are his, not mine.

I adapted it to fit my weak chest&big legs. Tuesday is cycled between quads and hammies, and friday is second chest day.

Btw how many days a week can you train?

 

[HDS]

German volume training

Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer.

 

[Orihalcon]

I can train every day thankfully.

Really nice setup that. Lots of supersets and good volume work incorporation.

I'll steal some of that and cook up something new this weekend.

Thank you for the detailed plan!

 

[Thor]

Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer.

Lel