Chest 21's....owww goddamn!

**Gringo Grande** · Posted On: 11/02/2005 11:01am

For those of you who aren't familiar with 21's, they are generally performed with barbell curls. However, I was introduced to them as a chest exercise for the first time yesterday.

Basics of 21's for those who don't know.

First 7 reps are usually from the bottom of your lift to the midpoint, next 7 are from the top to the midpoint, and final 7 are your normal lift...no break...you do 21 in a row.

I had already put up 275 and done several sets of reps at 205 so I figured I'd be safe and just throw 135 on the bench.

I first brought the bar down to my chest and my spotter then put his hands palm-down (not to heal my chi) about 6" above my chest. I performed 7 very controlled reps from my chest to the bottom of his hands and on the 7th rep all the way up. My spotter then flipped his hands over and I performed 7 reps the other way. I then finished up with the normal 7 reps...on the last 2 my arms were shaking and I was hurting and crying like a schoolgirl.

Today my chest hurts worse than it has in a longtime. I'm not a master weightlifter by any means, but I could see where this might be a good exercise to shock your chest from time to time. Oh and you can piss off about the bench not being a practical exercise...I still like it. =P

Gringo Grande

**lawdog** · Posted On: 11/02/2005 11:09am

I'm having highschool flashbacks!

**daGorilla** · Posted On: 11/02/2005 11:49am

Originally Posted by Gringo Grande

Today my chest hurts worse than it has in a longtime. I'm not a master weightlifter by any means, but I could see where this might be a good exercise to shock your chest from time to time. Oh and you can piss off about the bench not being a practical exercise...I still like it. =P

Gringo Grande

Since I'm the one that probably said that... there's nothing "wrong" with the bench press -- even the Crossfit workouts I so frequently espouse have periodic workouts with Bench Press in them. Personally, I used to bench regularly. I considered it a staple of my weight training workouts for many years, and used it at least once a week or more back when my weight/strength training consisted of more body-builder style workouts.

When we're weight training NOOB, that type of workout is what most of us learn -- the whole 4 sets of 12/10/8/6, training to failure with spotters, and working muscle groups in isolation (Legs/Back one day, Arms/Chest other days, etc.) Why? Because that's how most of us learn at first, and how most commercial gyms, even to this day, teach Noobs to work out.

I don't have nearly as much time to work out these days, however, and I've had to learn to train much smarter. For a while, I was somewhat "lost" on how to workout when I didn't have 60-90 minutes to divide between cardio, stretching, and strength training.

Then I discovered Crossfit, promptly ignored it amid a sea of excuses, then went back about four months later. I took a good long look at what Crossfit was all about, and re-evaluated what I considered fitness, strength, and the best program to supplement martial arts. After trying a few of their workouts and eating some serious humble pie, I was a convert.

And just look at the Crossfit Elite (you can see some videos on the Crossfit web site often showcasing some of them). Those guys and gals are fucking machines, and would easily hand a typical body builder his (or her) ass on a platter in a contest of true strength/power.

That's probably why crossfit is so popular with fire fighters, police, martial artists, soldiers, and folks looking for functional fitness and strength to complement their sports/hobbies. It's a whole body, anti-routine, high intensity approach combining olympic lifts, gymnastics exercises, and a variety of unique exercises to make your body fit in every way possible. There is no "chest day" and you never (at least I haven't yet) seen isolated exercises like arm curls or tricep extensions... you get your whole ass worked, and worked hard. Try this Crossfit Workout of the Day on for size some time (called "Murphy"):

For TIME: (i.e. do this in as short a time as possible)

Optional: Wear a 20LB Weight Vest

Run 1 Mile
100 Pull Ups
200 Push ups
300 (Body Weight) Squats
Run 1 Mile

You can partition the pull ups, pushups, squats as needed. Put succinctly: "Just get it done". You can use jumping pull ups, assisted pullups, kipping pull ups (recommended, but kipping takes a while to learn), etc. Again, "just get it done".

BTW, this is a MUCH LONGER workout than your usual Crossfit workout (my first attempt as an hour and forty minutes without a weight vest -- I'm sure I could much better now...) Most Crossfit stuff can be done in under 40 minutes, depending on your fitness level. Many can be done in less than a half hour (and believe, you'll still feel worked!), and some, if you're among the Crossfit Elite, can be knocked in out 15 minutes or less. (It just depends -- every workout is different, and many crossfitters combine or work in additional exercises to the workouts.)

Cheers. :)

-daGorilla

**VikingPower** · Posted On: 11/02/2005 11:57am

Nothing wrong with the bench, I just don't train it like a fanatic like all the regular douchebags do. I'm actually mostly doing weighted dips and bent-arm pullover and presses right now more than actual benching.

**Equipoise** · Posted On: 11/02/2005 12:00pm

Here's a question, why? What physiological advantage are you trying to gain through this?

**VikingPower** · Posted On: 11/02/2005 12:04pm

21's are basically partials at every point in the lift. Doing partials let you use more weight, which gets you used to the load and eventually transfers over to the point where you can lift more. The first 14 strengthen various areas of the lift, and the last 7 you just do the lift.

**Ronin** · Posted On: 11/02/2005 12:14pm

Originally Posted by daGorilla

Since I'm the one that probably said that... there's nothing "wrong" with the bench press -- even the Crossfit workouts I so frequently espouse have periodic workouts with Bench Press in them. Personally, I used to bench regularly. I considered it a staple of my weight training workouts for many years, and used it at least once a week or more back when my weight/strength training consisted of more body-builder style workouts.

When we're weight training NOOB, that type of workout is what most of us learn -- the whole 4 sets of 12/10/8/6, training to failure with spotters, and working muscle groups in isolation (Legs/Back one day, Arms/Chest other days, etc.) Why? Because that's how most of us learn at first, and how most commercial gyms, even to this day, teach Noobs to work out.

I don't have nearly as much time to work out these days, however, and I've had to learn to train much smarter. For a while, I was somewhat "lost" on how to workout when I didn't have 60-90 minutes to divide between cardio, stretching, and strength training.

Then I discovered Crossfit, promptly ignored it amid a sea of excuses, then went back about four months later. I took a good long look at what Crossfit was all about, and re-evaluated what I considered fitness, strength, and the best program to supplement martial arts. After trying a few of their workouts and eating some serious humble pie, I was a convert.

And just look at the Crossfit Elite (you can see some videos on the Crossfit web site often showcasing some of them). Those guys and gals are fucking machines, and would easily hand a typical body builder his (or her) ass on a platter in a contest of true strength/power.

That's probably why crossfit is so popular with fire fighters, police, martial artists, soldiers, and folks looking for functional fitness and strength to complement their sports/hobbies. It's a whole body, anti-routine, high intensity approach combining olympic lifts, gymnastics exercises, and a variety of unique exercises to make your body fit in every way possible. There is no "chest day" and you never (at least I haven't yet) seen isolated exercises like arm curls or tricep extensions... you get your whole ass worked, and worked hard. Try this Crossfit Workout of the Day on for size some time (called "Murphy"):

For TIME: (i.e. do this in as short a time as possible)

Optional: Wear a 20LB Weight Vest

Run 1 Mile
100 Pull Ups
200 Push ups
300 (Body Weight) Squats
Run 1 Mile

You can partition the pull ups, pushups, squats as needed. Put succinctly: "Just get it done". You can use jumping pull ups, assisted pullups, kipping pull ups (recommended, but kipping takes a while to learn), etc. Again, "just get it done".

BTW, this is a MUCH LONGER workout than your usual Crossfit workout (my first attempt as an hour and forty minutes without a weight vest -- I'm sure I could much better now...) Most Crossfit stuff can be done in under 40 minutes, depending on your fitness level. Many can be done in less than a half hour (and believe, you'll still feel worked!), and some, if you're among the Crossfit Elite, can be knocked in out 15 minutes or less. (It just depends -- every workout is different, and many crossfitters combine or work in additional exercises to the workouts.)

Cheers. :)

-daGorilla

I have seen nutriders in my time, but **** dude, you make a commission from them ??

**Nid** · Posted On: 11/02/2005 12:16pm

To everyone but Ronin and Akira,

If you understood some really basic principles, you could reason your way through why these "21s" would, or would not impart some novel stimulus.

I'm not saying this protocol does not impart a novel stimulus, it's just that your current reasoning behind WHY is wrong.

As usual??????? :new_gmorn :5sigh:

Same goes for crossfit guy.

I'm gonna go dove hunting, and tote around a shotgun all day. Man is my biceps is gonna hurt afterwards. I suppose the shotgun biceps blast workout is worth talking about because my biceps FUCKING KILLS????