First Upper and Lower split

[CJ]

I think my form isn’t the best on the machine rows so I’m struggling a bit there. Same with incline bench I just can’t do the reps at a heavier weight. I will try and go heavier but I think some failing will happen. I will do my best.

Give it a shot, see what happens the 1st set. It's a long game, even the tiniest bit of progress is good.

Also, out of curiosity, which type of grip are you using on the Rows, overhand, nuetral, or underhand?

 

[permabulker]

I don’t comment much but I’m following this daily, keep up the good work your doing great

thanks man. Iv never put this kind of effort in before and I am seeing results. I just get frustrated easily.

 

[permabulker]

Give it a shot, see what happens the 1st set. It's a long game, even the tiniest bit of progress is good.

Also, out of curiosity, which type of grip are you using on the Rows, overhand, nuetral, or underhand?

it’s a machine with only one grip. I’ve experimented going higher and lower on the handles. I am struggling with grip at 90kg my hands seems to slip after about 5 reps. I try to go right in the middle. And that way if my hands move a bit it doesn’t matter. By the way the max of that machine is 95kg. So I don’t really know where I’m supposed to go from there.

 

[CJ]

it’s a machine with only one grip. I’ve experimented going higher and lower on the handles. I am struggling with grip at 90kg my hands seems to slip after about 5 reps. I try to go right in the middle. And that way if my hands move a bit it doesn’t matter. By the way the max of that machine is 95kg. So I don’t really know where I’m supposed to go from there.

There are multiple options...

-Same machine, but 1 arm at a time.
-Barbell/Smith Bentover Rows
-DB Rows
-Cable Machine Rows
-Same machine, but hold the hold at the contraction for a full second or two. You'll probably get a couple of less reps, but it's a good stimulus.

But....most, including myself, can simply do the exercise better. Back exercises are notorious for the biceps being involved too much. If you don't feel like your back has been worked by the end of the exercise, that's probably the case.

Best cue I've personally used is to pretend like my hands don't even exist, that they're hooks. And to pull with my ELBOWS and not my hands.

As for your grip failing, on your leg days, on the very last rep on the last set of Trap Bar DL's, just hold the bar at the top for as long as possible. That'll sneak in a little extra grip work. Same for the last set of Rows, just hold the weight for as long as possible in the stretch position.

The muscles being stretched under load is a good growth stimulus in itself, so you're getting a 2 for 1 there, grip work and muscle stimulation.

 

[permabulker]

There are multiple options...

-Same machine, but 1 arm at a time.
-Barbell/Smith Bentover Rows
-DB Rows
-Cable Machine Rows
-Same machine, but hold the hold at the contraction for a full second or two. You'll probably get a couple of less reps, but it's a good stimulus.

But....most, including myself, can simply do the exercise better. Back exercises are notorious for the biceps being involved too much. If you don't feel like your back has been worked by the end of the exercise, that's probably the case.

Best cue I've personally used is to pretend like my hands don't even exist, that they're hooks. And to pull with my ELBOWS and not my hands.

As for your grip failing, on your leg days, on the very last rep on the last set of Trap Bar DL's, just hold the bar at the top for as long as possible. That'll sneak in a little extra grip work. Same for the last set of Rows, just hold the weight for as long as possible in the stretch position.

The muscles being stretched under load is a good growth stimulus in itself, so you're getting a 2 for 1 there, grip work and muscle stimulation.

okay cool got it. I think that’s why I haven’t been aiming for that little bit higher on this machine because I don’t feel like its working out my back and I am using my arms a lot. Which I don’t even think is that much of an issue when I want to thrash arms as well anyway.

i did 32kg on pullover yesterday so I’m doing well with back in other areas. which was an insane weight for me. I kept thinking I was going to drop it and smash my teeth in but I managed it. Never used a dumbbell that heavy before.

 

[CJ]

okay cool got it. I think that’s why I haven’t been aiming for that little bit higher on this machine because I don’t feel like its working out my back and I am using my arms a lot. Which I don’t even think is that much of an issue when I want to thrash arms as well anyway.

i did 32kg on pullover yesterday so I’m doing well with back in other areas. which was an insane weight for me. I kept thinking I was going to drop it and smash my teeth in but I managed it. Never used a dumbbell that heavy before.

I'm jealous, I just can't seem to get a connection to my back on pullovers.

I keep hearing people rave about them, but I can't not make it a tricep exercise.

 

[permabulker]

I'm jealous, I just can't seem to get a connection to my back on pullovers.

I keep hearing people rave about them, but I can't not make it a tricep exercise.

I know what you mean. To be honest after a few months I might go back to machine pull down or cable lats because that’s what gave me the best back connection. For now I’m liking that I can lift heavier than ever with pullover. There’s a connection but it’s not 100%

also don’t you avoid it being a tricep exercise by keeping your arms and back completely straight? I never feel anything in my triceps. Maybe chest a little. Also I feel like if you go heavy enough it would be impossible to lift with your triceps? At least for me anyway.

 

[CJ]

also don’t you avoid it being a tricep exercise by keeping your arms and back completely straight? I never feel anything in my triceps. Maybe chest a little. Also I feel like if you go heavy enough it would be impossible to lift with your triceps? At least for me anyway.

Long head of the tricep also crosses the shoulder joint, so it has a small role in bringing your arms downward from above. Not a huge role, but I can't seem to not get them involved, so they end up burning and fail well before my back ever does.

Tangent Time!!!.....

With the tricep crossing both the elbow and shoulder joints, it's beneficial to train them from both at your sides, and overhead, that way you get complete training from that muscle group. It's similar to biceps, that's why we do preacher or concentration curls in addition to a regular by our sides curl variation. And hamstrings, with a DL variation and leg curls. And quads, a squat pattern paired with a leg leg extension or sissy squat.

 

[DEADlifter]

Tangent Time!!!.....

With the tricep crossing both the elbow and shoulder joints, it's beneficial to train them from both at your sides, and overhead, that way you get complete training from that muscle group. It's similar to biceps, that's why we do preacher or concentration curls in addition to a regular by our sides curl variation. And hamstrings, with a DL variation and leg curls. And quads, a squat pattern paired with a leg leg extension or sissy squat.

Good points CJ. I have gotten away from overhead ropes. They're coming back.

 

[Trump]

Overhead ropes are so good on your elbows literally feel no stress

 

[permabulker]

Long head of the tricep also crosses the shoulder joint, so it has a small role in bringing your arms downward from above. Not a huge role, but I can't seem to not get them involved, so they end up burning and fail well before my back ever does.

Tangent Time!!!.....

With the tricep crossing both the elbow and shoulder joints, it's beneficial to train them from both at your sides, and overhead, that way you get complete training from that muscle group. It's similar to biceps, that's why we do preacher or concentration curls in addition to a regular by our sides curl variation. And hamstrings, with a DL variation and leg curls. And quads, a squat pattern paired with a leg leg extension or sissy squat.

so much information but I understand the idea. I think pairing close grip bench press with overhead cables is a good combination then? Overhead cables seemed to really help me burn.

 

[permabulker]

Overhead ropes are so good on your elbows literally feel no stress

yeah I felt like I couldn’t pull with any other part of my body. And you only need to go light at the end to really wreck them.

 

[CJ]

so much information but I understand the idea. I think pairing close grip bench press with overhead cables is a good combination then? Overhead cables seemed to really help me burn.

Absolutely!!!

Use the CG BP as your exercise to progressively overload, and use the OH Tri Exts as a higher rep pump/burn exercise.

Something along the lines of 3x(8-10) on the CGBP, then go nuts on whatever you feel like doing on the cables to destroy the triceps....straight sets, drop sets, rest-pause sets, different angles, whatever!!!

 

[permabulker]

02/03

I slept horribly last night. I have asthma (since I was a kid), a nostril which doesn’t work properly. And probably sleep apnea. (I will get it fixed but the European health system is a disaster right now some people aren’t getting heart surgery so they don’t care if a big guy can’t sleep) So some days I just sleep like shit. I woke up super late.

Kept telling myself I wasn’t going to the gym cause what’s the point when I’m so tired. But then I get so frustrated with myself for not going so I went anyway.
yeah it’s not a complete workout. But I added 10kg to both my main lifts. also I’m including the weight of the hex bar now. It’s 20ish kg so I’m lifting far heavier than I’m saying I am.

02/03
Day 2


Leg press 3x10
160kg (10 reps), 160kg (10 reps), 160kg (8 reps)


Deadlift trap. 3x10 (+21kg bar)
Warm up bar, 70kg (8 reps), 70kg (9 reps), 70kg (10 reps)


Leg extensions 3x10-15
50kg (12 reps), 50kg (11 reps) 50kg (11 reps) (felt like my legs were going to tear off on those extra reps)


Leg curls 3x6-10
50kg (8 reps), 50kg (8 reps), 50kg (8 reps)


Calf machine 3x10-20 (position 5)
Busy.


Tricep extension machine




Cross trainer Intensity 4




110.2Kg

 

[permabulker]

04/03

So many new things today. The gym has had a complete overhaul and now all the machines that were falling apart and I was complaining about (I pay 60 a month it’s not cheap) are all shiny with screens to count reps and even whether you are going fast or slow enough each rep. Some machines are more restrictive which will help my form a lot but I might lift slightly lower in places until I learn to do that. Hard work out went crazy on the arms. Had the best pump though.

04/03
Incline bench press 3x8/10
Warm up bar, 65kg (8 reps) 65kg (6 reps) 65kg (5 reps)


Machine rows 3x8 to fail
90kg (8 reps) 95kg (9 reps) 95kg (8 reps)


dumbbell pullover
30kg (10 reps) 30kg (10 reps) 30kg(10 reps)


Machine chest press 3x8
75kg (8 reps) 75kg (6 reps) 75kg (5 reps)


Machine shoulder press 3x8/12
42.5kg (8 reps), 42.5kg (7 reps) 42.5kg (6 reps)


Peck deck 3x8
35kg (12 reps) 40kg (10 reps) 40kg (8 reps)


Close grip bench
15kg (12 reps) 25kg (12 reps), 35kg (8 reps), 35kg (6 reps)


Cable hammer curls 3x10/15
50kg (15 reps), 50kg (8 reps), 30kg (13 reps) 30kg (10 reps)


Overhead triceps cable
15kg (15 reps) 10kg (20 reps) 5kg 25 reps)


Concentration curls dumbbell




Cardio intensity 4
5 minutes.


111.1kg

 

[permabulker]

Also took some goofy body shots, I think I look good so I guess that’s what matters. It’s definitely not all fat.

https://ibb.co/jznsSbq
https://ibb.co/s9QzqmX
https://ibb.co/mF9k7Dq

 

[Jin]

Also took some goofy body shots, I think I look good so I guess that’s what matters. It’s definitely not all fat.

https://ibb.co/jznsSbq
https://ibb.co/s9QzqmX
https://ibb.co/mF9k7Dq

Much improved man. And you’ve really just begun. You’ll look like your avatar in no time.

Arms looking big. Great work and always fun to watch your progress.

 

[permabulker]

Much improved man. And you’ve really just begun. You’ll look like your avatar in no time.

Arms looking big. Great work and always fun to watch your progress.

I’m never gunna look like Eddie hall hes like 00.1% but I’m determined to try.
thanks man I really appreciate your support.

 

[CohibaRobusto]

Looking good man, keep up the hard work!

 

[permabulker]

I have spent the morning doing gardening and house renovations (we have bought a house on the edge of town that was a wreck and it’s huge physical labor) so I’m skipping the gym today. I will start Monday instead of my normal Tuesday.