Beginners (noobs) Questions - V.4

[SuperLuigi]

It seems like you’re simply training too heavy. You can’t do your 5 rep max for several sets, otherwise it wouldn’t be a max. But if you’re creeping into a territory where you don’t even have 1 or 2 reps in reserve, and you’re doing that for several sets across, it seems like your muscles might start failing on the next sets. Also, 10 minutes seems a bit impractical as a rest period. At some point you will need to accumulate volume to improve, and you can’t do that if you’re working so close to failure that you can’t even do the work.

What’s your program like? It seems to me like you simply need to work in a more productive zone percentage wise that allows you to complete the necessary volume in a sensible amount of time. Conditioning and work capacity will improve with time as well, but if you’re working so close to failure, it will be difficult to develop them, as you will simply be too exhausted to complete the session.

I bench once every 4 days, and I squat once every 4-6 days. Those are the only two exercises I find fun enough to do consistently. For squat I have always just tried to get a few sets of 5, at which point I increase the weight. Its worked really well so far, but perhaps as the weight increases this becomes less viable.

 

[Err]

I'm going to start back to lifting a bit after a long hiatus. Have some back/disc issues from an old injury, so would like to avoid overhead presses/squats/deadlifts/etc. Not trying to do anything crazy. I just want to get a little stronger and look a little better.

Would like to do maybe 3 nights a week, 30-45 min a night, with some cardio / stairs on the off days. Only have a bench and dumbbells (up to 50lbs) right now. Please critique and give thoughts if you have any. I just threw this together tonight so maybe sucks.

Day 1:
Chest Press
Dumbbell Pullover
Overhead Tricep Extensions
Chest Flyes
Tricep Kickbacks

Day 2:
Dumbbell Renegade Rows
Bicep Curls
Dumbbell Reverse Flies
Hammer Curls
Single-arm Dumbbell Bench Row

Day 3 (core stuff, some lower body):
Front Plank / bird dog
Glute Bridges
Side Plank
Dead Bug
Heel Raises / hamstring curl / something?

I have no idea what the specifics/mechanics of your back injury are but try not to completely write off pressing overhead or even squats. I’ve been struggling with a pretty aggressive lower back injury for years and find that OHP gives me zero issues. I’ve also found that hack squats do very little to aggravate it as well. You could also try Bulgarian split squats for your legs which completely takes your back out of the equation.

 

[SandisLL]

L

*CAN SOME OF THE EXPERIENCED GUYS PLEASE CRITIQUE MY PROGRAM*

34 years old. 190 pounds. Diet about 2200 calories/day. Eat fairly clean with approx 190g Protein/140g Carb/75g Fat each day. Just want some advice about training program. NOTE, that I have pars defect at L4/5 with spondy and annular disc tear at same level with disc bulge so don't don't flame too hard for no squat/deadlift.
My goals are obviously rehab back injury as well as add strength/muscle. Apart from below program I also do Pilates twice a week to try and build core strength.

Monday.
Goblet squats 5 x 10
Barbell curl 5 x 10
Split Squats 4 x 10
Hamstring Curls 4 x 10

Tuesday.
Chest Press 5 x 5
Incline Chest Press 5 x 10
Machine Fly's 4 x 10
Close Grip Bench 4 x 10

Thursday
Weighted Pull Ups 5 x 5
Bent over rows 5 x 10
Preacher Curl 5 x 10
Wide-grip Chin Ups 5 x 5

Friday
Shoulder Press 5 x 5
Dips 5 x 8
Machine Shoulder Press 4 x 10
Lunges 4 x 10

Any advice greatly appreciated, thanks guys..

2200 ccal IMHO is damn too low if you train something or are doind physical work. In best case it is anyway too low for office worker..... not alone for athlete.

It is old post, I know , still this is very low supply even for inactive office worker. IMHO....

 

[SuperLuigi]

Hey guys, what do you think are the upper strength limits for someone who is natty, gets shitty sleep, and only eats 2200-2600 calories per day? I want to become as strong as I can be but I think these factors may be quite limiting. For example could someone possibly get to benching 4 plates like this? Squatting 5 plates?

 

[Volador]

Hey guys, what do you think are the upper strength limits for someone who is natty, gets shitty sleep, and only eats 2200-2600 calories per day? I want to become as strong as I can be but I think these factors may be quite limiting. For example could someone possibly get to benching 4 plates like this? Squatting 5 plates?

There's no answer to this, because it depends on your genetics, programming, etc. A lot of people never get to bench 4 plates, even with perfect programming, sleep, and nutrition. I personally wouldn't worry about these questions.

 

[SuperLuigi]

There's no answer to this, because it depends on your genetics, programming, etc. A lot of people never get to bench 4 plates, even with perfect programming, sleep, and nutrition. I personally wouldn't worry about these questions.

I guess my follow up question would be, of the people who can lift those big numbers, how many of them are eating like a normal person and how many are eating 4000+ calories?

My genetics probably arent top athlete level but they are good enough to bring me to my goals at least. Worst case scenario I will force myself to sleep better with some kind of meditation, but I think I can probably get away with just making myself eat more.

 

[ChangeIsComing]

Q: Bro Split (AM) + Muay Thai (PM) without negative impact?

I am 40, training Muay Thai 5 days a week for approx 60-90 minutes in the evenings for the last few years and have been struggling to find a decent program for lifting that compliments and does not hinder the progress I make when training in the evening. I was doing a push/pull split + 1 day of legs but found that caused me to be stiff af when training.

I have also been doing a 5x5 strength focus recently but losing muscle pretty fast doing this (not huge but dont want to get skinny again). What are the thoughts behind training one muscle group a day in the AM workout time around 30-40 mins, going to work, then training in the evening? Can this be done with positive results for both muscle gain/maintenance and Muay Thai?

 

[vision1]

Q: Bro Split (AM) + Muay Thai (PM) without negative impact?

I am 40, training Muay Thai 5 days a week for approx 60-90 minutes in the evenings for the last few years and have been struggling to find a decent program for lifting that compliments and does not hinder the progress I make when training in the evening. I was doing a push/pull split + 1 day of legs but found that caused me to be stiff af when training.

I have also been doing a 5x5 strength focus recently but losing muscle pretty fast doing this (not huge but dont want to get skinny again). What are the thoughts behind training one muscle group a day in the AM workout time around 30-40 mins, going to work, then training in the evening? Can this be done with positive results for both muscle gain/maintenance and Muay Thai?

I think you need to decide what your priority is.
I don't think a bro split is the solution. Gotta reduce volume and intensity somewhere.

 

[NoSmilez]

Q: Bro Split (AM) + Muay Thai (PM) without negative impact?

I am 40, training Muay Thai 5 days a week for approx 60-90 minutes in the evenings for the last few years and have been struggling to find a decent program for lifting that compliments and does not hinder the progress I make when training in the evening. I was doing a push/pull split + 1 day of legs but found that caused me to be stiff af when training.

I have also been doing a 5x5 strength focus recently but losing muscle pretty fast doing this (not huge but dont want to get skinny again). What are the thoughts behind training one muscle group a day in the AM workout time around 30-40 mins, going to work, then training in the evening? Can this be done with positive results for both muscle gain/maintenance and Muay Thai?

Post your PPL program?

 

[NoSmilez]

Oh this is for the sherbros. This is the cheapest creatine I found. It's about 1kg for 24 dollars. Just search for this on Amazon.

Horbäach Creatine Monohydrate Powder | 2.2lbs (35.2 oz) | HPLC Purity Tested | Vegetarian, Non-GMO, & Gluten Free Supplement​

 

[ChangeIsComing]

Post your PPL program?

Sure, typical week for me before trying the strength 5x5 focus:

M - Muay Thai
T - Push
W - Muay Thai
T - Pull
F - Muay Thai
S - Legs or Muay Thai
S - Legs if previous day Muay Thai or stretch/rest

Push:
4 sets (15, 12, 8, 8) Dumbbell Bench Press
4 sets (15, 12, 8, 8) Incline Dumbbell flies
Progressive set (15, 12, 8, 8, 12 15) Incline Dumbell Press
3 sets (12, 10, 8) Closed Grip Dumbell Press
4 sets (15, 12, 8, 8) Overhead tricep extensions
4 sets (15, 12, 8, 8) Skull Crushers
3 x Super set (15, 12, 8) Tricep kickbacks + Tricep push ups

If I am feeling good that day I occasionally close it off with some dips to failure.

Pull:
4 sets (15, 12, 8, 8) Deadlifts
3 x Super set - Pull overs + Pull ups - 15/10, 12/10, 8/10
3 sets (15, 12, 8) One arm rows
3 sets (15, 12, 8) Reverse grip bent over rows
3 sets (15, 12, 8) Standing straight curls
3 sets (15, 12, 8) Standing easy bar curls
Progressive Set (15, 12, 8, 8, 12 15) Seated alternating hammer curls
3 sets (8-10 each) seated one arm cross body curls

Legs:
3 sets (15, 12, 8) Alternating forward lunges
4 sets (15, 12, 8, 8) Squats
4 sets (15, 12, 8, 8) Bulgarian Squats
3 sets (15, 12, 8) Straight leg deadlifts
3x Super Set (50/25) Standing one leg calf raises + seated calf

 

[NoSmilez]

Sure, typical week for me before trying the strength 5x5 focus:

M - Muay Thai
T - Push
W - Muay Thai
T - Pull
F - Muay Thai
S - Legs or Muay Thai
S - Legs if previous day Muay Thai or stretch/rest

Push:
4 sets (15, 12, 8, 8) Dumbbell Bench Press
4 sets (15, 12, 8, 8) Incline Dumbbell flies
Progressive set (15, 12, 8, 8, 12 15) Incline Dumbell Press
3 sets (12, 10, 8) Closed Grip Dumbell Press
4 sets (15, 12, 8, 8) Overhead tricep extensions
4 sets (15, 12, 8, 8) Skull Crushers
3 x Super set (15, 12, 8) Tricep kickbacks + Tricep push ups

If I am feeling good that day I occasionally close it off with some dips to failure.

Pull:
4 sets (15, 12, 8, 8) Deadlifts
3 x Super set - Pull overs + Pull ups - 15/10, 12/10, 8/10
3 sets (15, 12, 8) One arm rows
3 sets (15, 12, 8) Reverse grip bent over rows
3 sets (15, 12, 8) Standing straight curls
3 sets (15, 12, 8) Standing easy bar curls
Progressive Set (15, 12, 8, 8, 12 15) Seated alternating hammer curls
3 sets (8-10 each) seated one arm cross body curls

Legs:
3 sets (15, 12, 8) Alternating forward lunges
4 sets (15, 12, 8, 8) Squats
4 sets (15, 12, 8, 8) Bulgarian Squats
3 sets (15, 12, 8) Straight leg deadlifts
3x Super Set (50/25) Standing one leg calf raises + seated calf

I think you have too much volume and exercises for a session. How long does it take you to finish one workout? I am looking at your training and I am assuming it's a standard bodybuilding split for hypertrophy purposes. You probably have to trim down some of the exercises. The program is fine if someone wants to train 3x a week and just has to squeeze in their 10-20 sets per body part within a week in 3 days. The issue is that you are doing 5x MT on top of that.

You might be better off trying to trying to trim some of the excess exercises and try to spread them out by doing full body instead. There is a bit of junk volume going on as well. Mixing your exercises and doing full body might let you recover better since you aren't hammering only your chest or legs or back to death then going to train MT in the evening. It is even better if you can add one more day of weights so you can spread out your exercises even more. You are still doing the same amount of work per week but you aren't drilling the same muscle over and over again in one session.

Your PPL is 3x a week. It's pretty much a bro split already except you are doing arms on your chest/back day. You are only hitting each body part once a week. You are doing one week's worth of exercise per body in a single day.