The Strength Training Thread

[canuckamuck]

I noticed there are a few members here that are into strength training. I thought it would be good to have a place to ask questions or to share information. I don't know if this will be a fast moving thread, but lets see how it goes.

Here is my first question:

Does anybody have any breathing technique for dead lifts? I know I should try to breathe during a lift, but it is quite an effort.

However I am faint after a set of three reps. In fact sometimes less than that.

[robblok]

Its quite normal to be dead after deadlift. Its the most straining exercise there is. I always feel dead after each and every set. I normally breathe in when the plates are on the floor. Tonite doing it again probably at 115kg 5 x 5

My normal routine for a while has been

Mon 100%

4 warmup stets squat

5 x 5 squat

5 x 5 benchpress

5 x 5 deadlifts

Wed 80%

4 warmup stets squat

5 x 5 squat

5 x 5 benchpress

5 x 5 deadlifts

Fri 100%

4 warmup stets squat

5 x 5 squat

5 x 5 benchpress

5 x 5 deadlifts

Each and every week extra weight has to be added to the exercises. There is a whole book about this from Mark Ripptoe and its great taught me a lot. He also wrote a book just about the exercises 60 pages on deadlifts 70 pages on squats.

I must say ever since i am doing heavy deadlifts i have no back problems anymore. Before i could not lie too long on my back without my lower back starting to feel uncomfortable and then hurting. Now.. no problems.

[canuckamuck]

Thanks for that Rob, I do breathe when the weight is on the floor between lifts, but I have been told to try to exhale during the exertion part of lifts. I can do it on some things, but the dead lift just seems to need my whole body. I usually work out alone, so I don't want to pass out with a big weight in my hands. I understand that the exhale reduces blood pressure and this protects against blackouts and brain explosions.

I am currently doing 3 sets at 3 or 4 reps for everything and each muscle group gets hit once during the week.

I was doing 6x6 but I plateaued. Then I read the 4 hour body and I have been following those recommendations for the last while. It is working well. But if I plateau again I will switch again.

my dead lifts today were 116kg x2, then 111x3, 111x3. Because the 116 was just a bit too much.

next week it will be all 116.

I got your PM, I will get back to you.

Edited April 11, 2011 by canuckamuck

[robblok]

I almost always workout alone. Got my own little home gym. I am not worried at all about dropping the weights during deadlifts. I worry more about problems during squat or bench-press (i have a power rack that has saved my but countless of times with bench-press) Having 100kg plus pinned on your chest is not fun.

Once in Holland i had the same thing 100kg on my chest but no spotter bars to roll it to.. I had to scream for help and my ex wife and the bf of my stepdaughter came up and lifted it off. I swore that that would never happen again. Now i got a power-rack and i place the supports in an angle so that i can still tip my chest with the bar but around my belly the spotter bars are higher then and that is where i roll it too if needed.

The book also has something about breathing and dead-lift but i cant really remember. I just do what comes natural to me. Also keeping your breath is not that bad as some people say. (ok you cant do it for a whole set of course)

[canuckamuck]

Yes, I need a power rack or a smith machine.

I have my own weights too, but it gets dangerous when you have no safety features.

Maybe next month I'll order one out of BKK

[robblok]

Yes, I need a power rack or a smith machine.

I have my own weights too, but it gets dangerous when you have no safety features.

Maybe next month I'll order one out of BKK

I would advise you not to buy a power-rack its not ergonomically.

[transam]

Read a story on, l think Yahoo news, of a 91 year old guy starting doing weights, he looks great and feeeeels like a young guy and his aches and pains have gone.

[robblok]

Read a story on, l think Yahoo news, of a 91 year old guy starting doing weights, he looks great and feeeeels like a young guy and his aches and pains have gone.

It cured my lower back problems (wish i had started earlier in my sports career with dead-lifts)

[transam]

Read a story on, l think Yahoo news, of a 91 year old guy starting doing weights, he looks great and feeeeels like a young guy and his aches and pains have gone.

It cured my lower back problems (wish i had started earlier in my sports career with dead-lifts)

Yep, most aches and pains are down to muscle support. I started weights when l was 33, cured loads of stuff. Unfortunately an unrelated illness caused a stop, but have done a bit in the heat of LOS.

[canuckamuck]

The first time I did dead lifts, it was like I had been to a chiropractor, in a good way.

I expected the opposite. YMMV

[robblok]

Last night i felt great and even though i had increased the weights on all exercises they felt light. It must have been the 80% day that i added. Because those exercises do bring down the body and without adequate rest your not going to make much progress (unless your a beginner, or someone starting again after having stopped for a while then you just will go on and on).

I cant stress enough, read the book practical programming for strength training second edition, Rippetoe & Kilgore. This book is 10x better then all those articles written by bodybuilders in the magazines. This explains why the schemes of those bodybuilders work too but not forever. I wish i had read this years earlier. Its written by an academic with years of practical experience bringing both worlds together.

His other book about the exercises is also great reading material.

[robblok]

I used to take caffeine capsules when i wanted an extra hard workout. I have stopped doing that because it inhibited my nights rest. Now however i had to take some of those tables so i could keep up with the ever increasing workload of this month.

So while i was on caffeine i did a workout and its amazing the difference that it makes. I read it also stops pains because i had a minor pain in my lower arm while benchpressing. I did not feel it at all now, i hope it was not the cafeine but that i have recovered from it.

Has any of you ever trained with stimulants like that. I don't mean steroids but cafeine or ephedra's. There used to be ECA's (ephedrine caffeine aspirin) that did wonders for a workout. The only problem was sleeping at night.

[Shurup]

I take caffeine but not in capsules, just regular black coffee. About an hr before the workout. Makes a huge difference comparing to if I don't take it. Normally I have no problems getting my sleep as my workouts are in the evening, but sometimes I do and then I don't take it for a few days.

[robblok]

Today i could finaly check my maximum brench press. I did 147,5 kg.. 150kg might be possible. I am quite happy today as it is as much as i did on my peak when i was younger.

[canuckamuck]

Way to go, your out doing me by quite a lot.

I am climbing back to my peak too, should be soon.

[robblok]

Way to go, your out doing me by quite a lot.

I am climbing back to my peak too, should be soon.

I also am going forward with squat and deadlifts. I am really about the way of training that i follow now.