The Bodybuilders Thread!

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InternetSwag said:
first year lifter, come at me

nah but in all srsness hitting a plateau sucks and it's just going to get harder from here on
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Dude I hit a plateau for months, then I decided to up the weight and lower the reps.

That seriously helped me burst through the plateau. When I started I could barely do 4 reps, but I kept at it on the higher weight. Now I'm doing the same amount of reps I was doing when I was on a plateau, but I'm lifting heavier.
 
...so what do you guys do to

A) warmup
B) core muscles

I'm finally felling ok again after lastweek's debacle with my back and that perimifis muscle thing. Seems that I need to work on some of my core ( back / stomach ) before I get back into the "strong man" stuff. I've thought I might start off with just light stuff like yoga befor and after the session or jus that. Lol. Can't say I miss being 18, back then I could just do things without getting hurt...
 
CarsinemiA said:
Dude I hit a plateau for months, then I decided to up the weight and lower the reps.

That seriously helped me burst through the plateau. When I started I could barely do 4 reps, but I kept at it on the higher weight. Now I'm doing the same amount of reps I was doing when I was on a plateau, but I'm lifting heavier.
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I've been doing 5x5 since i started
 
Alrighty, question time!

1. Progression
Progressing in bench press without those 1.25 KG plates. 5 KG weight increases are too unrealistic for me. I currently build up to my working weight and then do 3x5. Would using the same method like AllPro's help with progressing? Essentially you increase the reps up until a certain amount then up the weight (and lower the reps to normal again).

2. Grip
My grip is starting to fail with deadlift. I'm supposed try 2 plate tomorrow (babbyweight I know, but I'm excited :D), but my fingers were holding onto dear life at 95kg's! So how do you improve grip strength? I know you can use alternate grip and use straps, but I thought I'd try and hold out for as long as possible without those.

3. Cardio
What do you guys do for cardio? I'd like to do something that wouldn't interfere too my with squats.
 
Kwerty said:
Alrighty, question time!

1. Progression
Progressing in bench press without those 1.25 KG plates. 5 KG weight increases are too unrealistic for me. I currently build up to my working weight and then do 3x5. Would using the same method like AllPro's help with progressing? Essentially you increase the reps up until a certain amount then up the weight (and lower the reps to normal again).
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That is one way to do it, another program that worked really well for me, was to establish your 1 rep max, then do 5 sets of 1 rep at 90% of your 1 rep max, then 3 sets of 3 reps at 80% and then finally 3 sets of 5-7 at 65%, on the monday, wednesday you do 4 sets of 7 reps at 70% and friday 4 sets of 5 reps at 80%. You also did back and shoulders and arms 3 times a week, for 6 weeks. Every week you increased your 1 rep max by 5-10%, without testing it, so that you can up the numbers you do each work. Works without 1.25kg plates, works better with them. Either way you are going to start to make use of programs that dont focus on max weight all the time.

Kwerty said:
2. Grip
My grip is starting to fail with deadlift. I'm supposed try 2 plate tomorrow (babbyweight I know, but I'm excited :D), but my fingers were holding onto dear life at 95kg's! So how do you improve grip strength? I know you can use alternate grip and use straps, but I thought I'd try and hold out for as long as possible without those.
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Whatever you do, don't use straps, in fact throw them away right now.
You can try and out last it, but you will eventually switch to mixed grip, and then later on use powder too.

Now don't see the mixed grip as a bad thing, use it, you will later see, you can use normal grip up to heavier weights as your deadlift max goes up.

What you do is, when you work your way up to the working weight, use regular straight grip, on all the warmup sets ect., then when you get to your 100kg set/s you use mixed grip. In a months time, when you get to 110kg, you can use regular grip up to 100kg then switch to mixed grip at 105/110kg ect.

ps. Invest in that powder, can be bought from dischem ect. Its cheap, and lasts you really long.


Kwerty said:
3. Cardio
What do you guys do for cardio? I'd like to do something that wouldn't interfere too my with squats.
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I don't do cardio, unless you count my ballroom/latin dancing as cardio, because that sure as hell gets me out of breath still.
 
I completely understand the hate for straps. If you are a powerlifter, then yes throw away your straps. If you are trying to build your best physique then there's nothing wrong with straps. Why lose out on doing more, heavy reps which go that much further to sculpting your body, just to have a slightly stronger grip. Almost all the top IFBB pro bodybuilders use straps.

I walm up without straps until around 150KG, and then with straps I can go heavier and pump put more reps, plus I can push harder on my other back exercises because I haven't tired out my forearms and hands. The point of deadlifts is to work almost your whole body. Not focus primarily on your grip strength. I would advise alternating weeks. One with straps, one without, so that you don't neglect your grip strength but still focus on getting as much out of your deadlifts as possible.
 
I use straps for dumbbell rows and occasionally lat pull downs, but that's it... haven't found it necessary with deadlifts, chalk works good enough.
 
Necuno said:
I'm confused as ****: The Great Myth of the Core Workout

Lol, so where I'm a suppose to start then? Back to Body for life?
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Speaking from personal experience, beginners get confused because we try to follow an advanced bodybuilder's programme. That is just silly. As beginners we should focus on getting the fundamental lifts in order (a la stronglifts.com) and then only worry about sculpting once we are lifting respectable weight in relation to our bodyweight. Elliott- Hulse (StrengthCamp on youtube) laughs at the one dude asking how to grow his upper chest. IIRC he said first get a big chest then worry about sculpting :p
 
I think this is a great article everyone should read that asks on good snacks for bodybuilders:

Power Snacks: How to Stock Your Dorm Room Fridge
Every college student should have a small refrigerator in their dorm room. You certainly should if you plan to avoid the “Freshman 15” and stay on track with your muscle-building goals.
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The last thing you should be doing is relying on the dining hall or neighborhood fast food restaurants for all of your meals and snacks. Dining hall buffet tables are loaded with all of the foods you should limit, such as white potatoes, pasta and breads. They also encourage overeating. The neighborhood fast food and pizza joints should be reserved for special occasions only. If you frequent them on a daily basis, you will go broke fast and get fat even faster.
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Power Snacks That Make the Grade

Here are some of the best power snacks you can make with the ingredients we’ve just talked about. As you can see, there are a lot of options with just a few ingredients.

Banana sliced in half and spread with almond butter.
Pear or apple slices dipped in almond butter.
Vanilla Greek yogurt with blueberries and walnuts.
Vanilla Greek yogurt, fresh berries and coconut milk whipped into a smoothie.
Hot quinoa with almond milk, honey and almonds.
Cooked oats with blueberries, coconut milk and walnuts.
Sliced pear heated with a little butter and some honey, then topped with walnuts.
Celery sticks filled with almond butter and topped with pumpkin seeds.
Quick salad of spinach, strawberries, cooked chicken breast and vinaigrette.
Easy chicken soup with cooked quinoa, chopped chicken breast, spinach and onion.
Quinoa with cooked shrimp, green onion, soy sauce.
Brown rice, black beans, garlic and a few cooked shrimp.
Chicken salad sandwich made with mustard, chopped apple and walnuts.
Parfait made with vanilla Greek yogurt, Ezekiel cereal and fresh berries.
Heated sardines with red pepper sauce, garlic and olive oil.
Microwaved tomato and mozzarella on whole-grain toast.
Tortilla pizza with tomato sauce, cottage cheese, spinach leaves and mozzarella.
These are just a small sampling of the great power snacks and quick meals you can pull together right in your dorm, in just a few minutes and for a fraction of what the dining hall or pizza place would cost you.

You can easily create a week’s worth of meals from these ingredients and then be able to go out and enjoy the occasional pizza or hot wing night. Because you’re eating right 99% of the time and you actually have some money left in your pocket, you can enjoy that evening out guilt free and without having to dip into your gas money to do it.
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I am pretty certain some can benefit from the ideas in that article.
 
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