Miscellaneous Weightlifting Questions

[Boyd]

1) For a while now, I've been doing shrugs for my traps. Unfortunately, the weight of how much I shrug is now a lot higher than the weight I can actually keep a good grip on, and I need a similar replacement exercise. Any suggestions?

2) Besides flyes, are there any other good freeweight exercises that isolate the pecs? My chest is really pathetic.

3) Ditto for the back. I only know of three back exercises TOTAL that don't involve machines: dumbell/barbell rows and pull-ups, none of which really tickle my fancy to any degree.

4)At what point would you say that the number of reps in your set has become so low that you're being counterproductive? In some exercises, I've developed the bad habit of moving on to higher weight before I'm ready, resulting in sets that go 5,4,3 and so on. This may be part of my lack-of-definition problem, but I'm still calling in your collective expert opinions.

"Honestly, I think you are GAY!!! I think you probably look hot (all women think gay men is hot) but I think your dick is too wide that it won't fit in any hole! That is probably why you are sex frustated!"
--Fatality Dragon

[Phoenix]

Okay, here goes....

1.) Traps...hmmm...keep doing shrugs. Maybe increase the weight. If you find that the weight is a little too much to grip, use those silly wrist wraps. They'll aid in lifting much heavier weights, as they take some of the stress off your wrists. You should also try upright rows. Those work good too.

2.) Bench presses are awesome for pecs. Do them at different inclines - they work different areas of the pectorals. Also, do some dips too. If you find them easy, add weight.

3.) I find that pullover exercises (either with a dumbell or a barbell) work awesome for the back...especially the lats. Try those.

4.) Boyd, it really depends on the type of body you want to train for. You know that less weight and more sets means a leaner body, and less sets and more weight means you can pack on more muscle mass. As for sets....try pyramid training. Try 3,4,5,4,3...or something like that. I find that works great.

Hope this helps ya, buddy.

"I ain't through with you by a damn sight..I'ma get medieval on your ass" - Marcellus Wallace (Pulp Fiction)

Edited by - Rising Phoenix on July 22 2003 01:11:31

[PizDoff]

1.) what weight would that be?
are you training your grip strength (with hand grippers i mean)

--
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Posted July 17,2003

[MrYoya]

1) Work your grip specifically. If you decide to use wrist wraps you might find that your grip won't get stronger and you'll be dependant on them.

2) Bench presses, but only come up halfway. Also wide grip benches. Some people swear by dumbell pullovers, but I haven't found them particularly stimulating. They're supposed to expand your ribcage, esp if you're under 20.

3) Deadlifts will also work your back.



Edited by - MrYoya on July 22 2003 02:55:19

[MrMcFu]

I do exercises just for my grip. I throw two towels over a pullup bar, one for each hand, and then grab them and pull myself up.

----------------------------

http://www.zanshin-dojo.de

Don't forget to Kimura yourself after every meal.

[FingerorMoon?]

1)
Never ever use wrist straps. A weak grip will always let you down when grappling. Wrist straps are only for people who are training for asthetic reasons only - ie the pure bodybuilder.

Some grip exercises:
The Farmers Walk:
Get two heavy dumbells, keep good posture and walk along a straight line, until you can no longer carry them (if you don't have enough room, walk back and forth) Try to hold onto them for 1 to 2 minutes. You should be actively holding to - crushing the bar if you want to make it real hard!
This builds some real good grip strength, directly applicable to heavy weight work like shrugs.

Static hold:
Um, same as the farmers walk but don't move. See how long you can hold the heavy weights for. Try going for 3-4 minutes - again actively holding the bars.

Grippers:
Grippers are good, but you need to find ones that you can only do 5-8 reps on. Standard store grippers don't do ****.

www.ironmind.com make great grippers.

I love grip exercises. The Farmers Walk especially. Rock climbing is great also.

2)
Weighted dips have actually been known to work the pecs well. Let your arms go wider, instead of keeping them strictly behind you. Dip slightly below parallel. Weighted dips are easier to perform for the lanky type (I'm in that category)

Warm up with push ups, and a set of dips with no weight first.

I've read a lot about pec flies. Other than the fact you are putting your shoulder in an unnatural position, its a bizarre movement for your body to do.

I've said this before, but squats and or deadlifts can probably help you.

Unless you have real good genetics, your body will find it difficult to put muscle on a certain area.

Doing exercises that work the entire body can help people develop all over.

3)

Back exercises aren't supposed to tickle your fancy. :)

Weighted pullups are hard. Stick with them.

4)
Its actually a myth that certain reps are necessary for muscle gain. Its different for everyone. A good idea though is to stick within the 6-8 reps range.

Its a good idea to stay away from low reps like 1-4. Your working near your maximum here, and huge stress is being placed on your joints.

You could try microloading.
This is the process of adding small amounts 1-2lbs on the bar each time you work out.

Start off 10-15% below what you are working on now and each week put on another 1-2lbs. This allows your body to slowly compensate for the weight.

You stick with exercises for long periods (say 3-6 months) and by the end you are lifting far heavier weight.

1lbs more each week equals 50lbs more in 1 year.
Obviously you can't do that forever, but you may be suprised how long you can do it for.

[noodles]

1. Upright rows. I could never understand why people would do shrugs when they could do a similar exercise with a fuller range of motion.

2. Dumbell bench press, concentrate on working your pecs as you go through a full range of motion (there's that range again -- you also get the usual benefits of doing a compound exercise and balancing the weight yourself).

3. What FoM said.

4. It depends on why you're training. I don't lift heavy anymore, but I used to do a lot in the 3-5 rep range. If you want definition, while what FoM said is true about individual differences, I would start with higher reps and see if it works for you (assuming you haven't already). If you don't get what you want, move on.

[Boyd]

FoM: What day would you advise training grip on? Assuming I'm working supporting muscle groups the same day (i.e. back, biceps, forearms| chest, triceps, shoulders| legs and lower back), when should I train it? My guess would be the same day I do my forearms.

You could try microloading.
This is the process of adding small amounts 1-2lbs on the bar each time you work out.

Start off 10-15% below what you are working on now and each week put on another 1-2lbs. This allows your body to slowly compensate for the weight.

That's what I've been doing, and it's served me pretty well so far. It's how I manage to squat almost twice my body weight without pissing my pants in fear as I load the bar.


Pizdoff: I'm shrugging about 220 now.


"Honestly, I think you are GAY!!! I think you probably look hot (all women think gay men is hot) but I think your dick is too wide that it won't fit in any hole! That is probably why you are sex frustated!"
--Fatality Dragon

[FingerorMoon?]

Training grip on the same day you do forearms is a good idea. It might also be good to set your program:

1) chest, triceps, shoulders
2) back, biceps, forearms, grip
3) legs and lower back

This'll allow you to kill your forearms and grip and not have to worry about being able to grip until next weeks chest/tricep/shoulder day

Nice job squatting twice your bodyweight.