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I will agree with Z ZDL , weights, while seemingly kinda dumb, really do the trick, especially as I've gotten older. Thankfully, my son, who deals with pretty bad depression, was convinced by a guy he plays LoL with to start lifting, and he is coming out of his depression and feeling better.
Todays workout: 25 pound curls, crunches, deadlifts, Arnolds (a sort of overhead lift where you twist your arms) and then 10 pound arm raises at the sides, and then 10/2 oclock. Then 20 minutes on the exercise bike ramping the resistance up every 5 minutes, then repeat everything 3 times.
And then (my weakness): a couple after workout beers :-)
If you really hate yourself (and, incidentally, want to strengthen lats for increased side stability—but chiefly for the self-hatred) do the Pendlay row and the gorilla row (I do the dumbbell version because I don't have access to kettle balls) on alternating back days. When I do the gorillas I go side-to-side (left side, right side) for maximum dynamic shift and core adjustment, but if you're really just focusing on lats doing weak side to exhaustion then the strong side to the same extent is also pretty good.
If you want other deadlift variants, I've found single-handed barbell deadlifts do wonders for legs, lower back, and core (because of the imbalance) and, of all things, for grip training. I'm almost at body-weight single-handed deadlifts (lifting 50kg against a body weight that has been reduced to 57kg), and when I'm broken it's not my legs, ass, back, or core that breaks. It's my hand that gives out. Considering I started these with only 30kg (and after I was doing 60kg deadlifts against my then-body weight of 65kg), that's to me pretty impressive progress.
Maybe someday I'll have forearms again.
I like your attitude!If you really hate yourself (and, incidentally, want to strengthen lats for increased side stability—but chiefly for the self-hatred) do the Pendlay row and the gorilla row (I do the dumbbell version because I don't have access to kettle balls) on alternating back days.
This is as good a time as any to remind everyone that strength does not correlate directly to muscle group measurements and has more to do with neuromuscular conditioning, as does failure (as in “train to failure”).My trainer's gym has dumbbells with as much weight on them as I lift on a lot of barbells. (No, really. He has 40kg dumbbells and I can bench a paltry 40kg @ low reps because my arms are noodle arms.) When I do the Pendlay row I'm at 45kg. (When I do the gorilla rows, I'm doing 15kg when aiming for reps or 20kg when going for intensity.)
As long as you don't do stupid things with barbells, barbells are fine. (Mind, the temptation to do stupid things is powerful. It's why I have a trainer instead of soloing this.)
This is as good a time as any to remind everyone that strength does not correlate directly to muscle group measurements and has more to do with neuromuscular conditioning, as does failure (as in “train to failure”).
(minor nitpick but common misconception)
Knowing why you’re training, what you want out of it, should be the first step IMHO.Coming from a martial arts and combat sport background, training for bigger muscle size has not usually been a goal for me. My goals are more strength and athleticism.
This is as good a time as any to remind everyone that strength does not correlate directly to muscle group measurements and has more to do with neuromuscular conditioning, as does failure (as in “train to failure”).
(minor nitpick but common misconception)
My trainer took great pains to highlight the 'genetic differences' among people who train specifically to make me feel better about the peasant legs vs. the noodle arms. But it's frustrating. We do back day, chest day, back day, chest day, leg day as a cycle (with a favour for whole-body main motions and some constantly-adjusting muscle group targeting motions as roadblocks get hit) and my legs are still developing a whole lot faster than my arms and shoulders. It's … well it's annoying. Still, as I said, the development is happening, just at a crawl. I don't regret starting the process. I just really hate chest and back days.Some people have difficultly developing upper body.
I wasn't talking about the size of them. I was talking about how they're weak, floppy, and useless. There seems to be a dividing line somewhere mid-torso. Anything below that line develops quickly and easily. Everything above it is a major struggle to develop.
Still, I keep working at it because there is improvement, just not as impressive and quick as my sturdy peasant legs.
If it helps, man, I'm with you when it comes to the body above the midriffs (though my arms seem to respond to training decently).My trainer took great pains to highlight the 'genetic differences' among people who train specifically to make me feel better about the peasant legs vs. the noodle arms. But it's frustrating. We do back day, chest day, back day, chest day, leg day as a cycle (with a favour for whole-body main motions and some constantly-adjusting muscle group targeting motions as roadblocks get hit) and my legs are still developing a whole lot faster than my arms and shoulders. It's … well it's annoying. Still, as I said, the development is happening, just at a crawl. I don't regret starting the process. I just really hate chest and back days.
Yeah, and First Son seems to have combined the best from me and his mom. He starts getting visible muscle definition already, sports something like a six-pack...and he's 5yo.Some people have difficultly developing upper body. I'm one of those people. Legs are great, and overall quite strong. Upper body is ok, but I've never been able to gain a lot of muscle mass above the abs, so I know what you mean. My son, on the other hand, takes after my dad apparently: He's lifting, and getting the defined chest, arms and shoulders that I can't do. :-/
BTW, any links as to that one? Because when I hear that line, it tends to be from people who have previously complained to me that they can't gain mass...This is as good a time as any to remind everyone that strength does not correlate directly to muscle group measurements and has more to do with neuromuscular conditioning, as does failure (as in “train to failure”).
(minor nitpick but common misconception)
Where do I know this feeling from......I couldn't raise my arms over my shoulder height to put on my street clothes after my stretch and shower.
Very easy to find material on it by googling e.g. “strength vs. hypertrophy” — I found this one fairly detailed. If you want references to peer-reviewed work, I can look into it, but it’ll take me some more time.BTW, any links as to that one? Because when I hear that line, it tends to be from people who have previously complained to me that they can't gain mass...
Maybe it's just some selection bias with my sources (because people who gain mass easily wouldn't often bother looking for such sources).
Peer-reviewed would probably be better*, but there's no hurry. I'm in this for the long game!Very easy to find material on it by googling e.g. “strength vs. hypertrophy” — I found this one fairly detailed. If you want references to peer-reviewed work, I can look into it, but it’ll take me some more time.
Amusingly, maybe he just likes you and has a professionally-deformed way of showing it?Whatever it is I did to offend my trainer, I apologize!
Yeah, I'm like that after a heavy BJJ roll.Anyway, it was a hot and humid day so literally every scrap of clothing: undies top and bottom, shorts, and tee, was so drenched in sweat I was dripping wherever I stood. When I showered, I could lightly squeeze each article of clothing and get water pouring out of it like I'd pulled it mid-cycle from a washing machine.
I drank almost 2.5l of water over the course of four motions + HIIT and still felt thirsty at the end!
He's a former student. This is probably his revenge for all the low marks I gave him when he screwed up grammar.Amusingly, maybe he just likes you and has a professionally-deformed way of showing it?
BJJ? Dare I ask?Yeah, I'm like that after a heavy BJJ roll.
OK, I see why you apologized, now...He's a former student. This is probably his revenge for all the low marks I gave him when he screwed up grammar.
Why wouldn't you dare? Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, it is usually shortened this way.BJJ? Dare I ask?
Ayup.OK, I see why you apologized, now...
Because sometimes training regimens scare the living daylights out of me. What I'm doing is mild by comparison to some and I'm in pain after each session.Why wouldn't you dare? Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, it is usually shortened this way.
Oh no, it's not a particularly demanding regimen. But I'm in the over 100kgs weight range, so people that gravitate towards training with me tend to be in the 80-105 kgs range (I don't think I've seen a heavier guy). Which becomes quite tiring during free rolling...where you sometimes need to move his whole bodyweight, with speed and precision - or you might end up in worse position, or having to do it over and over again.Ayup.
Because sometimes training regimens scare the living daylights out of me. What I'm doing is mild by comparison to some and I'm in pain after each session.
My trainer took great pains to highlight the 'genetic differences' among people who train specifically to make me feel better about the peasant legs vs. the noodle arms. But it's frustrating. We do back day, chest day, back day, chest day, leg day as a cycle (with a favour for whole-body main motions and some constantly-adjusting muscle group targeting motions as roadblocks get hit) and my legs are still developing a whole lot faster than my arms and shoulders. It's … well it's annoying. Still, as I said, the development is happening, just at a crawl. I don't regret starting the process. I just really hate chest and back days.
No kidding. The slipperiness of a sweaty opponent is 90% of the fun of no-gi.Oh no, it's not a particularly demanding regimen. But I'm in the over 100kgs weight range, so people that gravitate towards training with me tend to be in the 80-105 kgs range (I don't think I've seen a heavier guy). Which becomes quite tiring during free rolling...where you sometimes need to move his whole bodyweight, with speed and precision - or you might end up in worse position, or having to do it over and over again.
I did basically benchpress an 80kgs guy away from me to get him off my chest...I was quite surprised at being able to, BTW!
But basically, imagine this and now you know why it's not really surprising if the whole floor (that we're rolling over, it's padded) shines wetly near the end of the training. And you basically can't get a good grip because your hands are also sweaty, and trying to grab a slippery guy, so you need to exert even more strength. A sauna doesn't even come close!
I agree with everything, except it seemed to me that BJJ gets less aerobic and more isometric the further I progressed, and looking at some people, it seems like it gets both less aerobic and less isometric...though I admit my current understanding might very well change with time. I just know what it felt like less than a year ago.No kidding. The slipperiness of a sweaty opponent is 90% of the fun of no-gi.
BJJ is funny in that it probably gets more aerobic and less isometric the further you progress in rank and technique. (Doesn’t mean that the black belts back at my gym didn’t have crazy old man strength. There was this one guy who grabbed my arm and dragged my 96kg ass and I’d go “huh, so that’s what a black hole feels like”).
Good, I see the apologies are taken seriously!HIIT to round it all out, then we went out to a local microbrewery and I stuck him for the most expensive beer there (a lovely cloudy wheat).
No kidding. The slipperiness of a sweaty opponent is 90% of the fun of no-gi.
A wood floor on a striking competition is irresponsible to say the least!
(Though we might have sparred on wood floors when I was even younger).