Weightlifting/exercise thread

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Stevens
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Stevens »

Really solid week after two partial weeks due to me feeling like I needed a break. The first partial week I did my first day and a half (pull ups, hspu, and hori/aussie pull ups) and the following week I skipped those and did everything else.

Moving towards 1 arm pull ups. I believe my next step (moving on from close grip pull ups) to be using a towel on the off hand and over the coming months/year to very slowly move my hand down the towel allowing the bar arm to acclimate itself to lifting a greater % of my weight. My guess is at one day of work per week I will be able to move my hand comfortable down the towel at say a fist size per every two to three months. Once a season or so, nice and slow - give my tendons time to really get strong.

Decline archers - feet 20 inches off the floor - 7 per side. I can't believe regular archer push ups are now a thing I use to warm up: )

I had a go at a 1 arm push up for the first time in a few months. I know in a recent post I had mentioned some weakness along my chain but I am reallllllllly happy to report that I am getting stronger. I tried on both sides and was able to perform about 25% of the concentric motion and was able to get back up. Not much, but it means my strength is increasing. I will try again after I reach 12 - 15 decline archers @ 20 inches.

No progress on the press flag, but I feel my press strength growing there too. All in all a fantastic week.

Hey here is a great video from Al Kavadlo. I love the part around 1:00 in when he talks about his flag training. Nice to see him struggling with it like we all do. People see people do incredible things but often forget the work that goes into it.

Stay strong farm.
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DDDP
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by DDDP »

Good work on all your progressions @Stevens! The feeling of using previous "hard" exercises as a warmup for your current level is incomparable. When I move into a new form that I couldn't previously hit, or if I churn out exercises for volume when I could only do 1 or 2 before... yeah, feels amazing.

I nabbed a "slant board" to help stretch my calves. For a cheap $20.00 adjustable board, it's worth it for the sole reason that it very effectively loosens/unwinds my legs after a full day of jogging, lunging, and hopping around. Not like I got a ton of cramps at night anyway, but I expect this could be use to alleviate cramps in the hamstrings/quads after a big day. Can also be used for incline/decline squats, lunges, and some other things but I'm only using it for standing on and stretching right now.

Second full week of cold training complete, puttin' in several hours of cold training per day in the 40F-50F range, whether it's in the unheated garage doing wfh or doing jogs outdoors. My wife is doing her kettlebell walks / jogging with me outdoors too. I'm rapidly dropping weight and losing skin even though I kinda ate like crap during this time period, so that's a good sign. Fasting over the next week plus the cold training will be a 1-2 punch :lol:

[overt segue] I feel like I am finally rounding a corner in boxing club, not in terms of skill (I am still a beginner) but in terms of conditioning and stamina. I regularly pass / lap others when we job our miles, I outperform others in the calisthenics, I go harder than others in the drills... when just a few months ago I was getting worn out. The conditioning I'm doing outside of class is an equal part, to be fair. Anyway, not getting tired out makes it easier to... y know... box, to play, to actually move around, practice footwork, hit the bag/opponent, dodge, and so forth. I am pleased that I started going to the class. I don't think this is unique to boxing, either. Generally, adding a sport to the routine seems to sharpen the mind and clarify fitness goals, even if you don't have an aim to "master" the sport itself.
Randorama
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Randorama »

@DDDP: progression yes, in the slow and steady department.

A report (Monday to Thursday, top to bottom. Just to sort out ideas):

Dips: Korean dips, I find them easier than normal ones as they place greater emphasis on the back (4 x 20).
Walks on parallel bars, on balance matters I am doing good (4 walks, 10 mts=26 movements).
Plyometrics-like dips ("hopping" on the bars), easy and the "hops" are getting higher (4 x 15, good).
"Classic dips", exasperatingly slow and precise, in a good place (4 x 20, I feel these ones).

Push-ups:
Archer, movement is slowly getting excellent (2 x 2 (both sides) x20, easy, technique dips on the last ones).
Diamond push-ups with scorpion feet (i.e. adjacent hands, one foot on top of the other; 4x30, though!).
Decline push-ups, "classic" pose (90 cmts, 4 x 20 but I am having a breakthrough; 25 would be easy).
Archer again: work on technique, though I try 2 x 2 anyway (I need this repeat also to rest a bit).

Pull- and Chin-ups:
Towel push- and chin-ups, towel hand at the chest level, 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 but I do a small jump to start.
Fake one arm, mid-forearm grip, 2 (pull- then chin-up, same above) x 2 (sides) x 2 (sets) x 3 (reps).
Archer (funny exercise!), as above but 4-5 reps are OK/easy.
"Classic" stuff: (wide grip chin- and pull-ups+close grip) x 15 reps (easy, I may increase to 20).

Isometrics:
V-sits (20 d.) on a bench (extend legs, open legs at 45 degrees, close again, lower legs, 10 seconds each).
leg raises (legs up to the wrists' level, 4x10).
front lever training (3 secs for the pose, then 8-10 secs only one leg, legs to chest, x4).
dead hangs (4x70 secs).

...Monday is intense, Tuesday the same, Wednesday is OK, Thursday is on the easy side. Friday, the cardio stuff, which I also do Monday-Thursday but in lower amounts (but I am now cycling, and legs get a good hammering).

I do something similar work-wise.

So, my Mondays and Tuesdays are very protestant/Calvinist/Jesuit/Cistercian affairs (I am atheist, but you should get the idea?). Work, Work out, rest, get 95% of the week work/work-out done.

All goes according to the schedule, of course, because the Schedule and the Rule are sacred, and free friday afternoons are a bliss. This is really a Jesuit/Cistercian thing; I *did* have Jesuit teachers in military school.

Fridays, in fact, I am done by 3 pm (max) and the training session is honestly a breeze.

Progression goals...perfect technique on every exercise, maybe increase to 20-25 reps on the medium intensity stuff, 5 reps on the high intensity ones. Recover cycling training, I guess?
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Randorama
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Randorama »

+1 week.

Getting there, but tomorrow is gym time: it is cool enough that wind can give me neck pains or even worse problems, if I get distracted.
I do need to figure out how to replicate plyo exercises at the bars: the gym lacks proper parallel bars, and only has "simple" dips stations.
Chomsky, Buckminster Fuller, Yunus and Glass would have played Battle Garegga, for sure.
DDDP
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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Had a more restful week, focusing on stretching, isometrics, jump rope, and cold training.

Now it's time to get at it again. Hope everyone is staying injury-free and making their gains!
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Eaglet »

Got back to the gym about a month ago after a 2 year hiatus caused by primarily Covid, but also workload and becoming a dad.
Went out too hard in the beginning of course and ended up almost getting injured, but learned quickly and have started going back up to what is not so for away from my previous form! I'm guessing it's the dad stuff that's kept me in somewhat maintained shape.
However, I've switched all regular deadlifts to trap bar deadlifts. Much, much lower risk of lower back blowout and especially good for a person with my build (like a monkey; short torso, long arms and legs). Also only do dumbbell benchpresses, so I can control the shoulder rotation much better and not risk impingement or other rotator cuff issues.

It feels good to be back.
moozooh wrote:I think that approach won't get you far in Garegga.
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Stevens
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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Hello people and welcome eaglet. Congrats on becoming a dad. It's more important than ever you find the time to take care of yourself.

Haven't posted, but training is going well. Gains are predictably about an extra rep every week to two.

Stay strong.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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Did 10 days in Mexico. This was between cycles so was meant to be an off week at least, but went over a bit. Also had a shit load of tacos and mezcals. Have had two days back in the gym... a bit painful but nothing I can't handle. Definitely feeling softer. Hoping it only takes 2 weeks max to feel like I did before I left.
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DDDP
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by DDDP »

7lbs down since last thread check-in. Some of that skin, some of that fat. Keep up the good work, erryone.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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Well done! Too scared to weight in. :) I was travelling for most of the last 7 weeks or so. The five weeks I was lucky enough to go to gyms without a membership. Zero cardio though. Then came home for a week and hit the gym, then a proper holiday with basically no exercise and loads of alcohol. This week has been good but I passed out at 9:30 last night. Not sure if that's b/c I'm getting back into my routine or I'm just fucking old.
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Randorama
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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+2 weeks.

Reps are going up at a steady pace, and I am generally feeling OK even after the most taxing sessions.
I am recovering some cycling training fitness (well, on a lame spinning cyclette...), and in fact legs are also gaining mass.
The gym bought a rowing machine, so I am doing calisthenics+rowing+cycling, but all indoors.
The view is still beautiful, though I feel happier outdoors.

EDIT: since the gym lacks parallel bars (fair enough, they take up space), I swapped the walks on the bars with weighed dips. I tried to lift my own body weight +45 kgs, and I completed one rep without struggling (well, without feeling half dead). A second one would have been too much, but still not a bad result. I can also complete one pull- and chin-up with one hand loosely grabbing the pulling forearm, now.

I see some progress, I guess?
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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+1 week.

On fake one-arm pull-ups and chin-ups, I can now stably grab the base of the forearm, which feels like the closest to a proper 1-arm movement (5% work for the grabbing arm).
Progress is steady, and ligaments seem to absorb the progress nicely.

...on a different note, I keep feeling like my waist is getting thicker. waistline size is stable, but when I walk and sit, I sometimes feel the abs and lateral muscles at the navel's height to tense quite a bit. Arms are getting thicker, in particular triceps. Weight is stable, so I guess that my general tension levels are increasing?
Chomsky, Buckminster Fuller, Yunus and Glass would have played Battle Garegga, for sure.
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Stevens
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Stevens »

Great to hear Rando! Yeah I just had to give away a pair of jeans cause they don't fit around my legs/waist anymore: )

Another week in the books. Progress is slow, but I'll take what I can get at this point. A rep here and there is par for the course.

I was talking about strength with my students and commented that the first three to six months a person trains the gains are incredible and then as you get stronger they take longer to achieve. One of my students asked if it was like leveling up in a video game. I thought about it for a moment and said it is exactly like that. It was a great analogy.

Towel pull ups are fun. Just four each side cause I'm still at the point where my off arm is doing a fair bit of the work. Will increase sets when my hand is a bit further down the towel.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by GaijinPunch »

I know Joe Rogan is cool to take a shit on. Whether you like him or not, he does have some pretty amazing guests. I've not listened to the whole episode (only dude on the planet w/o Spotify... I know) but this snippet w/ Peter Attia should be up everyone's alley here. I will probably grab some of his podcasts and give them a whirl.
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Stevens
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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Love Attia's work, been following him for a while.

One smart dude.

He's got some great short videos here too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAU_0o8 ... ctB7vlQPct
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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Cheers! Will check them out!
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Randorama
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Randorama »

Yes, my external obliques are getting thicker again. It is a feeling I forgot about, as in the last few years I did not do sports that work these muscles a lot.
I did not notice it, but my upper chest is also getting back to rugby/swimming size, too, in particular traps, rotor cuff mucles, dorsals.

It is meaningful that I my L-sits have become V-sits, 1 degree angle at a time.
I was however expecting a more consistent increase in weight, but I am apparently "stuck" at 72 kgs, though I am possibly slowly losing even more body fat.
My neck is also getting slowly but clearly thicker and more veiny.

Anyway yes, towel pull-ups are fun: they force you to have a far better understanding of how balance and grip control are components of "strength".
No proper grip (=firm, stable connection to the surface on which you apply force), no balanced movement.

...and I am "working" on recovering at least 70% of the leg size and power of when I was doing track cycling, so I feel that trousers are getting too lose at the waist, and too tense at the legs, eh!
Chomsky, Buckminster Fuller, Yunus and Glass would have played Battle Garegga, for sure.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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I put on 10lbs between when I left for my "trip" at the end of September and now. I've weighed in twice so it wasn't some weird water weight thing. I guess it makes sense. I lifted regularly. Not quite as much as here, but close enough. Basically zero cardio. Then vacation for 10 days with only a couple of rather week exercise days. Plenty of walking, but also plenty of mezcal and tacos. So, that 10lbs most definitely ain't all muscle. :)
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DDDP
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by DDDP »

Encouraging to see folks in the thread are still keepin at it!

Cold training is going great. I can handle the high/mid 30s without issue, but this morning is in the 20s and it bites. I haven't been walking / jogging outside as much but I've hit a jumprope goal of (consistently!) going for two minutes without stopping. I'd like to settle into a loop of 3 minutes jumprope, 30 seconds break, 3 minutes jumprope, etc but my ankles/calves aren't quiiiite there yet.

@Randorama good work on improving your L sits into V sits. i'm also doing those on the daily and I noticed my other ab exercises are rapidly improving.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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DDDP: I have switched to a bench as a support for L-/V-sits from parallettes so I had to "re-learn" the movement, but it's nice to recover V-sits as a general-purpose exercise, so to speak.
GP: you just recover cardio and eat a bit less for a while; if you gained a few pounds slowly, you should lose them slowly too.

The week is looking fine: I have started feeling increased recovery rates every day (=less tired), which should mean that my body is absorbing the workloads steadily.
Last edited by Randorama on Sat Nov 27, 2021 1:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
Chomsky, Buckminster Fuller, Yunus and Glass would have played Battle Garegga, for sure.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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+1, and I plan on not increasing reps but just soaking up the workloads until I feel easy with them.
Thursday, I had a perfectly fine session after the third shot of the vaxx.
Legs are tired, but I am also slowly recovering a decent level of bicycle fitness.
This is shaping to be a productive, balanced semester of training.
Chomsky, Buckminster Fuller, Yunus and Glass would have played Battle Garegga, for sure.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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Light week. Towel pull ups, HSPU's, pistols, hori pull ups and a solid set of dips +16.

Leg days been switched up the last few weeks. Had a bit of discomfort around my left knee. So leg day has been 2 pistols on each side to maintain the strength and then 50 regular squats (slowwwwwwwwwwwww) to get the blood flowing. While not a huge fan of supplements (I take vitamins twice a week or so) I've been using some collagen powder while rehabbing the knee.

It seems to be doing the trick. Back to business Monday. Won't lie - I eat everything in sight over these few days. I consider a feeding period: )

Stay strong gents.
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Randorama
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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Winter is coming, so I am also eating a lot and conceding myself a chocolate bonbon (sugar-free, though) and a bikkie for tea.
I guess that the 20 extra calories or so are fine - probably I should get more of them :wink:

Steve, you may try chicken feet - the perfect collagen booster in Chinese cuisine.
I am totally serious: they are like collagen bombs, if you can stomach them...
I don't, but in all seriousness there's a few dishes that can be swapped for collagen supplements.
Chomsky, Buckminster Fuller, Yunus and Glass would have played Battle Garegga, for sure.
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Stevens
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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Randorama wrote:Winter is coming, so I am also eating a lot and conceding myself a chocolate bonbon (sugar-free, though) and a bikkie for tea.
I guess that the 20 extra calories or so are fine - probably I should get more of them :wink:

Steve, you may try chicken feet - the perfect collagen booster in Chinese cuisine.
I am totally serious: they are like collagen bombs, if you can stomach them...
I don't, but in all seriousness there's a few dishes that can be swapped for collagen supplements.
Yes! Interestingly enough I live on the border of Brooklyn's China Town (which honestly is fucking huge) and teach in the middle of it. Fair amount of authentic food to go around (you know, when you're the only white guy in the place) that is really good. Chicken feet are so much work to eat! I'll have to give them another try.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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I was recently in Oaxaca with some friends. We were in a market, and I was trying to meet another friend. It was, as you can imagine, mayhem. I was like, "we're back in this corner" to which I was replied, "well I'm in the same corner and I'm surrounded by chicken feet... I'm getting the fuck out of here."

Went back to the same market at couple of times... chicken feet corner was always dodged.
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Randorama
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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Oh dear, collagen has no real taste and feels like some semi-solid gelatine...
If you guys want to try something really different, it's OK but please don't tell that I didn't warn you :wink:
There are various dishes that are rich on collagen (i.e. they involve meat with tendons etc.), so you can just ask around, though.

...aand one more week is about to start. I am beginning to feel really fresh after the week-end, very good sign.
Chomsky, Buckminster Fuller, Yunus and Glass would have played Battle Garegga, for sure.
DDDP
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by DDDP »

Unflavored beef bone gelatin in your morning drink or go home

Gelatin is excellent for bodybuilding and athletics, tho. I mix it with raw cacao for a complete protein profile, plus Vit C plus ashwaganda. That has been my brew for about 3 years. Also gelatin is a useful ingredient when braising meat / making soups.

I am now over the holiday feasting week. Back on the fasting. Cold training was a good calorie burn to offset all those butters and fats and oils and carbs and proteins. I put on a bit of water weight by the looks of it but otherwise... no damage done. Getting stronger in my triceps and chest, since the shoulder is healing more and I'm matching with an increase of pushups / dips / etc to keep the pressure on.

Not being able to press above my head with stability means my handstand progressions have completely stalled / fallen backward over the last ~6 weeks. Frustrating, but not impossible to overcome once the shoulder has more STR. On the other hand, I've gotten a lot stronger on pelican curls, ring rows, and ring turn outs (RTOs) so it balances out.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Randorama »

Ah! I actually use gelatine for soups, indeed. Just went off my mind entirely, so +1 on this.

+1, train-wise. Due to Spring Festival being a lunar calendar holiday my after-semester rest period will come earlier this year.
The country basically closes up except for restaurants (who make a killing...people spend fortunes eating outside every day).
The gym will have a final party/opening day and then a 2-week break (weeks 6-7), and I will take the chance to let ligaments rest some.

I was able to complete one pull-up with my right hand simply pushing against my right arm (and vice versa), so I suspect that I am making some progress.
I almost completed one dip rep with 50 kgs, too, so the suspicion might have some actual basis.
Chomsky, Buckminster Fuller, Yunus and Glass would have played Battle Garegga, for sure.
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Stevens
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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I was able to complete one pull-up with my right hand simply pushing against my right arm (and vice versa), so I suspect that I am making some progress.

Explain a bit more please. Where on your right arm are you pushing? Wrist? Impressive regardless.

Wacky week. Mrs. had to have emergency surgery Tuesday, all's well, but was only able to get an abridged week in and didn't feel normal till Friday. Thursday was a quick mash up of pull ups and archers and yesterday was a normal Friday. Next few weeks should yield some minimal gains.

Stay strong.
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Randorama
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Randorama »

Steve:

Have one arm grab the bar, ready to pull. Put the other hand on the pulling forearm (near the elbow, i.e. at the thickest point) and grab it first.
After that, open the hand and switch to a pushing position: the grabbing hand is now only stabilising the movement with palm pressure, but not exerting any effort through the fingers.
Far from a well-studied, precise technique, but I tried out this movement to further reduce the effort of the grabbing arm and it seems to work.

I went through Convict conditioning again and observed that what I call "fake one arm" is called "uneven one arm" pull-/chin-ups, in the book (step 7).
I could go through 1/2 one-arm pull-ups (step 8), though I am also practicing assisted pull-ups (step 9).

...I need to correct my archer pull-/chin-ups, though. I was not placing my rotor cuff on the bar :oops:
Chomsky, Buckminster Fuller, Yunus and Glass would have played Battle Garegga, for sure.
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