Project: Beefcake

[darksky34]

Hmmm, well I'm all for mixing things up eventually but would like to stick to the same plan for at least a little while. Two different exercises plus adding weight to sit ups as Birds says gives a bit of diversity.

yes, i think that would also have been my main point to my suggestions, to give you some alternatives to situps alone. that is all.

[JEPPE]

Cool well I checked out that vid. If I switch workout routines in a month or so I'll use it for sure.

[TTT]

regarding crunches...

While reading about shoulder issues I can across this...

Shoulder Saver #10: Limiting Traditional Trunk Flexion Work

Let it be known, the era of the 800 daily crunches is over. And, this isn't just because we're concerned about hip and lower back health; would you believe that you can actually screw up your shoulders with inappropriate core training? Here's what happens...

The rectus abdominus runs from your rib cage down to your pelvis; when it shortens, it pulls the rib cage down toward your feet. So, as you can imagine, if the rectus abdominus is tight, it can pull the whole rib cage too far down — making you look more like Quasimoto than someone who actually trains hard.

Beyond just the fact that poor posture isn't all that aesthetically appealing and actually makes you appear smaller, excessive kyphotic postures have biomechanical implications at the shoulder girdle. When your thoracic spine gets too kyphotic, the scapulae abduct (protract) so that they slide outward on the rib cage (toward your arms). This repositions the aforementioned acromion process, as the entire scapula becomes anteriorly tilted. An anteriorly tilted scapula dramatically increases the risk of impingement on those rotator cuff tendons.

How do we counteract this problem? As Mike Robertson discussed in detail in Core Training for Smart Folks, we need to prioritize exercises for the posterior fibers of the external obliques, as these exercises will posteriorly tilt out pelvis without pulling the rib cage downward.

And, by increasing the strength of these muscles, we'll take some of the burden off the rectus abdominus and shift things back into balance. When I see this problem, I drop all traditional trunk flexion movements (pulldown abs, crunches — and people should know to not do sit-ups by now) and replace them with pure stabilization movements (prone and side bridge) and "lower ab" exercises, most notably the reverse crunch.

[Birds]

Interesting article. I'll file it under the same section as "behind-neck pulldown and behind-neck military press are bad for the shoulders/neck/spine". 10 years later and I haven't dug them up, even with unrelated shoulder injuries.

FWIW I occasionally swap out situps for other exercises to mix it up and compare: seated crunches...leg raises...ab pulldowns...none of them have really produced results on par with situps, for me...particularly with the convenience of the exercise. 6 sets of 20 is pretty friendly on the hips / back, which I would say are only at risk if you're cheating / swinging your body and not pulling with your abs properly.

[JEPPE]

18/12/12

Sick with a cold

DB Press

10x2@5kg

10x2@6kg

10x2@9kg

Seated Row

10x2@60lbs

10x2@70lbs

10x2@80lbs

DB Lunges

10 each leg x1 @ 9kg

10 each leg x1 @ 12.5

3 each leg x1 @ 15kg - cut short due to wrist pain

Squats [email protected] to make up for it

Dead lift

10x1@20kg

10x1@30kg

10x1@35kg

Bicep bar curl

10x5@10kg

21x1@10kg

Lat pull down wide grip

10x2@40lbs

10x2@60lbs

10x2@70lbs

[Trozzle]

I've actually felt as though my core has received the most beating when using the ab crunch MACHINE. The only you sit in, adjust resistance weight, hold handles (usually above shoulders), and crunch. I've felt as though it wasn't so much targeting my abs when doing it with "too much" resistance - ie if I can set resistance to 40 and get 10 reps to feel burn in my abs, I'd set resistance to 55 and push for 8 reps. Reps done with too much resistance seem to lift your ass off the seat lol....

But yeah, doing this method really hammered core muscles more than abs...I know it's not a traditional or even logical way of doing it, but I can assure for myself at least, it works. Makes me feel like I'm going to shit my pants on the last few reps LOL

[Birds]

I used to use that machine and got amazing thickness to my abdominal wall. It really is awesome. Problem is (and this is going to sound retarded), I became too strong at it. I was eventually doing the whole stack of weight on the machine for 15-20 reps (friends couldn't even get one rep out of it)...with what felt like good form (you're braced in, so short of lifting yourself off the seat as you described, it's hard to cheat). It felt great for the abs/core, but after a while of doing it this heavy, I developed a "clicking" sound in my lower back that was a bit concerning. No pain, just a feeling not unlike knees cracking during first squat, but I thought f**k that! Been doing situps ever since, cause frankly, back clicks/injuries scare the shit out of me.

[JEPPE]

Seem to be on the exiting end of my cold which is good, yesterday was the worst. So glad I'm still able to work out even though I'm feeling a little ill. Exhausted though, about to have a nap!

DB bench press - flat

10x2@8kg

10x2@10kg

[email protected]

[email protected]

Lat pull down - Close grip

10x2@60lbs

10x2@80lbs

8x2@90lbs

6x2@90lbs

DB bench press - inclined

10x2@6kg

10x2@9kg

8x1@10kg

6x1@10kg

Tricep push down - straight bar

10x2@20lbs (9kg)

10x2@20lbs+3kg DB (12kg)

10x2@30lbs (13kg)

Sit ups

20x6 + 15 leg raises

Tomorrow will be my second full completed week, loving it

Edited December 20, 2012 by JEPPE

[darksky34]

I used to use that machine and got amazing thickness to my abdominal wall. It really is awesome. Problem is (and this is going to sound retarded), I became too strong at it. I was eventually doing the whole stack of weight on the machine for 15-20 reps (friends couldn't even get one rep out of it)...with what felt like good form (you're braced in, so short of lifting yourself off the seat as you described, it's hard to cheat). It felt great for the abs/core, but after a while of doing it this heavy, I developed a "clicking" sound in my lower back that was a bit concerning. No pain, just a feeling not unlike knees cracking during first squat, but I thought f**k that! Been doing situps ever since, cause frankly, back clicks/injuries scare the shit out of me.

i have a back click too, it goes away the night after i squat and or deadlift, but the next day returns - most obvious when i do situps. very strange. no pain when it clicks EXCEPT if i'm standing and lean to one side, feels like a nerve is pinched.

[JEPPE]

You guys should definitely not get an x-ray. That is free. Because your taxes pay for it. Definitely avoid that option. Or any medical advice.

[TTT]

i have a back click too, it goes away the night after i squat and or deadlift..

Well... squat and deadlift every day then.. problem solved..

jesus.. do I have to do all the thinking here?

[JEPPE]

Hooray, another week fully completed! Yay! Don't worry this will soon end and change to months. And this week I was even sick with a cold, gold star for me for effort.

Upped the dead lifting quite a bit tonight, awesome fun

DB shoulder press

10x2@4kg

10x2@6kg

[email protected]

8x1@10kg

Seated row

10x2@60lbs

10x2@70lbs

6x2@80lbs

Lat pull down wide grip

10x2@40lbs

10x2@60lbs

10x2@80lbs

5x1@90lbs

Squats

10x1@20kg

10x1@30kg

[email protected]

Dead lift

10x1@30kg

10x1@40kg

5x1@60kg

Concentration bicep curls

10x2@4kg

10x2@6kg

3x2@8kg

[JEPPE]

24/12/12 - Nitro. Felt like tripe was feeling terribly sick and nauseous.

Bench Press - inclined

10x2@15kg db

10x2@20kg

10x1@25kg

6x1@30kg

5x1@30kg

Lat pull down - close grip

10x2@60lbs

10x2@80lbs

5x1@100lbs then 3x1@90

9x1@90lbs

Bench Press

10x2@20kg

10x2@25

5x2@30

Tricep push down

[email protected]

[email protected]

10x1@34

9x1@34

Leg raises

6x15

25/12/12 - Xplode

Did heaps better on dead lift today. Last time could only get 5 reps out of the max set, went back three times to try again and literally couldn't get it even an inch off the ground. Today got it to 15 reps and could have kept going but was getting faint. Was awesome improvement only since Friday. Will increase weight next time and see what I can do

DB press

10x2@4kg

10x2@6kg

10x2@10kg

Seated row

10x2@50lbs

10x2@70

10x1@80

6x1@90

Squats

10x1@20kg

10x1@30

[email protected]

Dead lift

10x1@30kg

10x1@40

15x1@60

Bicep bar curls

10x4@10kg

7x1@15

6x1@15

Gah. Forgot to do wide grip on lat pull down. OCD is making this difficult to accept.

Edited December 25, 2012 by JEPPE

[JEPPE]

Yay, today increased my max Tricep push down by 3kg which could mean anything really because the pulley is f**ked. Either way at this particular gym I stay on the same machine for this so it's consistent. Especially since last time I did triceps I had just increased it by 1kg which was huge after not even being able to do one rep at that weight about 6 sessions before that.

Bench press

10x2@20kg

10x2@25kg

6x1@30kg

5x1@30kg

Lat pull down - close grip

10x2@60lbs

10x2@80lbs

6x1@90lbs - felt like machine was jamming

10x1@90lbs

Bench press - inclined

10x2@20kg

5x3@25kg

1x4@25kg

Tricep push down - flat bar

10x2@9kg

10x2@12kg (9+3)

10x1@16kg (13+3)

5x1@16kg

Sit ups

20x6

[JEPPE]

28/12/12

DB press

10x2@4kg

10x1@6

[email protected]

10x2@10

Seated row

10x2@50lbs

10x2@70

7x1@90

6x1@90

Lat pull downs, wide grip

10x2@40lbs

10x2@60

10x2@80 slight swing

Squats

10x2@20kg (accidentally did 2)

10x1@30

10x1@40

Dead lift

10x1@30kg

10x1@40

10x1@70

Bicep bar curls

10x3@10kg

10x1@15

[JEPPE]

Reps and sets are 10x2 unless otherwise stated

31/12/12

Not failing enough! Bench was a bit out of it because changed to DB and underestimated weight. Triceps improved a bit and added on some sit ups just to be cruel.

Bench press DB

7.5kg

10

12.5

Lat pull down - close grip

60lbs

80

90

Inclined bench press DB

6kg

7.5

10

Tricep push down

9kg

13

16 (13+3DB) 10x1

6x1

Leg raises

6x15

60 sit ups

Oh, also tried wearing earbuds listening to music to see if it made any difference but unfortunately still got three approaches. This one made me laugh:

Dude: 'Hey!'

Me: *Takes out earbud* 'Eh?'

Dude: 'You're working pretty hard, that's great'

Me: 'Thanks'

Dude: 'What are you up to tonight?'

Me: 'Going out with my boyfriend'

***end of communication***

Srsly these 'polite' tees aren't going to work

[TTT]

Consider it a complement and carry on.

[L33SH]

That must be so annoying to get approached at the gym!

I have never been approached at the gym. Not. Even. Once.

Hmmm don't know if this is a good or bad thing actually lol

[JEPPE]

Yah TTT, for work problems hey?

Haha, don't worry Leesh, apparently the gym I go to is particularly bad for this.

Didn't gym yesterday, skipped due to hang over and went today - ironically feeling worse. Felt weird and did my OCD in not doing my appropriate days but oh well. No nye for another 12 months.

2/1/13 xplode

10x2 unless otherwise stated

DB press standing

4kg

6

7x1@10

6x1@10

Seated row

50lbs

70

7x1@90

8x1@90

Concentration curls

5kg

6

[email protected]

[email protected]

Lat pull down - wide

40

60

80 slight swing on final set

Tried 90lbs but form went out the window. Will add a 3kg DB into 80lbs next time.

Squats

20kg

30

42.5

Dead lift

30

40

70

Tried 80 and couldn't even get it off the ground, then underestimated and kept it at 70 when I should have increase at least a little. Was a bit dissapointed that I couldnt at least get one out at 80 but my grip was much more secure this time so at least some improvement was present.

And gloves are good but still don't save me from callouses around my middle knuckles. Or on my palms actually. Need bunny felt on the insides :3

[darksky34]

my experience with gloves/callouses: when i first started without gloves, i got mad callouses - when i got gloves (harbingers, if you know them) I got even more callouses - but then they stopped after i got used to the gloves (near 2 months though). Now i'm almost callous-free.