Weightlifting for Kiwis - Discussion and support regarding the art of swole

[CharcoalChkn]

Biggest bullshit equipment for you guys?

I have a particular hatred for the erg at my gym, the foot straps come loose every few cycles and unless I want to be flying every where I have to stop every minute or so to readjust. I also hate it because I used to do crew and it just feels so weird compared to the real thing.

 

[CivilianOfTheFandomWars]

Biggest bullshit equipment for you guys?

I have a particular hatred for the erg at my gym, the foot straps come loose every few cycles and unless I want to be flying every where I have to stop every minute or so to readjust. I also hate it because I used to do crew and it just feels so weird compared to the real thing.

I personally don’t like most overhead pressing machines, because I prefer to press on basically a very steep incline but not 90 degrees like most machines.
Side note, I know I’m gonna make it because one, we’re all gonna make it, and two, I was at the store after the gym and some child looked at me and said “look mommy, muscle.”

 

[thejackal]

Recently took three wheels for a solid pause on bench. Close to an all out max effort, but not quite. I figure my touch and go max is in the region of 142.5 - 145kg right now.

What are everyone's favourite bench accessories? I'm big into Larsens, pause Larsens, and no foot bench of any variation. I've heard people say heavy dumbbell bench has food carryover, but I basically never do it. Same with the floor press, but again, I've never done it.

I recall one guy in this thread said he hit 160kg on bench a while back, so I know some of you cunts are moving serious weight.

Drop sets and negatives and having short arms! I'm middle aged and have at various times in my life had a max bench between 300-400lbs. Short arms help but so does proper technique, hard work and blah blah blah.

I do this routine pretty regularly, although as with any lifts it's good to switch it up every once and awhile:

5 sets to failure starting at 205. Sometimes adding 10lbs each set to finish around 255x3. Usually this goes 12,10,7,5,3. I don't care about lifting heavier at my age it's too dangerous and I really cannot afford any sort of serious injury. I've had too many in my life and the extra gains just aren't worth it. Call me a pussy I guess.

Then i will do dumbell flies (usually 75lbs) into negatives on the bench at 135. I love this. It really gets the pump going. After this I will do drop sets on the chest machine if I'm really feeling up to it and keeping the pump going.

_____________

I did legs today, man, middle age kinda stinks. Young bucks next to me just ripping off triple plate reps and I'm sitting here maxing out at 275lbs x 3 on the squat. I ripped up both my knees long ago so again I gotta be careful. Still love that feeling of the T flowing through you on leg day. It keeps you as young as possible imo. I do cold plunges now to keep the inflammation down. It really helps, that and foam rolling and proper warmup. All that shit that didn't matter 10 years ago when I was in my 20s. Fug. Enjoy being under 35 weighlifter kiwis. You really start to notice the increased recovery time and necessity of proper technique and diet and recovery after 30 or so and it just accelerates from there. I feel like I'm doing a decent job arresting it but you really need to pay more attention to everything.

Biggest bullshit equipment for you guys?

I have a particular hatred for the erg at my gym, the foot straps come loose every few cycles and unless I want to be flying every where I have to stop every minute or so to readjust. I also hate it because I used to do crew and it just feels so weird compared to the real thing.

The fucking treadmills (cheap) at my gym. I like to sometimes do an all out 400m on the treadmill and I usually do it at 12-13mph. The other day the fucking emergency stop thing flew off halfway through. Nothing like wasting a fucking 100% all out effort just to get foiled by the thing meant for some fatass waddling at 3.5mph whose heart is about to explode if the belt doesn't stop.

 

[Flavius Claudius Julianus]

Drop sets and negatives and having short arms! I'm middle aged and have at various times in my life had a max bench between 300-400lbs. Short arms help but so does proper technique, hard work and blah blah blah.

I do this routine pretty regularly, although as with any lifts it's good to switch it up every once and awhile:

5 sets to failure starting at 205. Sometimes adding 10lbs each set to finish around 255x3. Usually this goes 12,10,7,5,3. I don't care about lifting heavier at my age it's too dangerous and I really cannot afford any sort of serious injury. I've had too many in my life and the extra gains just aren't worth it. Call me a pussy I guess.

Then i will do dumbell flies (usually 75lbs) into negatives on the bench at 135. I love this. It really gets the pump going. After this I will do drop sets on the chest machine if I'm really feeling up to it and keeping the pump going.

_____________

I did legs today, man, middle age kinda stinks. Young bucks next to me just ripping off triple plate reps and I'm sitting here maxing out at 275lbs x 3 on the squat. I ripped up both my knees long ago so again I gotta be careful. Still love that feeling of the T flowing through you on leg day. It keeps you as young as possible imo. I do cold plunges now to keep the inflammation down. It really helps, that and foam rolling and proper warmup. All that shit that didn't matter 10 years ago when I was in my 20s. Fug. Enjoy being under 35 weighlifter kiwis. You really start to notice the increased recovery time and necessity of proper technique and diet and recovery after 30 or so and it just accelerates from there. I feel like I'm doing a decent job arresting it but you really need to pay more attention to everything.


The fucking treadmills (cheap) at my gym. I like to sometimes do an all out 400m on the treadmill and I usually do it at 12-13mph. The other day the fucking emergency stop thing flew off halfway through. Nothing like wasting a fucking 100% all out effort just to get foiled by the thing meant for some fatass waddling at 3.5mph whose heart is about to explode if the belt doesn't stop.

A 400lb bench is no joke brother, massive respect there. I assume you are/were natural? Regardless, I hope to be moving that kinda weight in the next two years.

Plus one on leg day. Actually, squat is my favourite lift. Call it the Clarence Kennedy video inspiration or my early WL training, but heavy ass squats, highbar, ATG, are the way. I'm 2.5kg away from 5 plates, and I want it before September or so.

Many thanks for the pointers man. I'm 32 now, so your post was both a blessing and a warning! What age would you say you started seeing a slow down? Everything is still going up for me, though I realise I'm working against the clock. If I can get a 220kg backsquat and a body weight strict press, that'll be my major goals fulfilled. My body could shit itself then, I'd be content with reaching those heights.

 

[thejackal]

A 400lb bench is no joke brother, massive respect there. I assume you are/were natural? Regardless, I hope to be moving that kinda weight in the next two years.

Plus one on leg day. Actually, squat is my favourite lift. Call it the Clarence Kennedy video inspiration or my early WL training, but heavy ass squats, highbar, ATG, are the way. I'm 2.5kg away from 5 plates, and I want it before September or so.

Many thanks for the pointers man. I'm 32 now, so your post was both a blessing and a warning! What age would you say you started seeing a slow down? Everything is still going up for me, though I realise I'm working against the clock. If I can get a 220kg backsquat and a body weight strict press, that'll be my major goals fulfilled. My body could shit itself then, I'd be content with reaching those heights.

Age 32-37 for sure so where I'm at now. The DOMS man are so bad now sometimes. If I go hard legs I'm on the shelf for 3-4 days. Drinking as I do doesn't help but it certainly didn't take that long at 28. That said, it's nothing a person can't overcome.

I was lucky enough to start lifting in HS for football as a youngster. We did the classic lifts: bench, squat, deadlift, military (overhead) and lat (row, pulldown). Classic 5x5. I still do the basics of a 5x5 workout plus a lot of dynamic movement stuff that (google kinetic chain) really keeps you younger and light on your feet.

I just take creatine on days I lift and caffeine no gear or anything. I see guys on gear (it's easy to tell) at my gym maybe once every few sessions sometimes a bit jealous but eh, not for me.

If you take creatine, work hard and build confidence (under rating part of lifting imo) you will get to 300 easily. Try and do 250x3 with a spotter. If you can do that you're only a month's work of hard work away from a 300lb bench and probably you already have it, but build confidence first imo.

 

[CharcoalChkn]

Many thanks for the pointers man. I'm 32 now, so your post was both a blessing and a warning! What age would you say you started seeing a slow down?

I am 30. Nothing crazy in terms of DOMs yet but recently starting to notice soreness in my knees/joints after leg days which is new.

 

[Flavius Claudius Julianus]

Age 32-37 for sure so where I'm at now. The DOMS man are so bad now sometimes. If I go hard legs I'm on the shelf for 3-4 days. Drinking as I do doesn't help but it certainly didn't take that long at 28. That said, it's nothing a person can't overcome.

I was lucky enough to start lifting in HS for football as a youngster. We did the classic lifts: bench, squat, deadlift, military (overhead) and lat (row, pulldown). Classic 5x5. I still do the basics of a 5x5 workout plus a lot of dynamic movement stuff that (google kinetic chain) really keeps you younger and light on your feet.

I just take creatine on days I lift and caffeine no gear or anything. I see guys on gear (it's easy to tell) at my gym maybe once every few sessions sometimes a bit jealous but eh, not for me.

If you take creatine, work hard and build confidence (under rating part of lifting imo) you will get to 300 easily. Try and do 250x3 with a spotter. If you can do that you're only a month's work of hard work away from a 300lb bench and probably you already have it, but build confidence first imo.

Apprehension intensifies.

Definitely the same on the obvious gear users in the gym. Not often, but they're noted.

I'm already above 300, but I had to suffer for it. Not quite at the 'US' standard of 3 plates (isn't that 143kg in pound plates?) But I reckon I have it in me right now. 140 is like 309 I think, and I had to right for that.

Most impressive bench I've seen in real life was 170kg, or about 375lbs, from a veteran lifter of ~8 years, weighing around 108kg. Done in elbow sleeves, touch and go. The few benches I've seen above that have been from enhanced lifters, no question.

How heavy are you my friend? I took the 'bulk to 242' meme seriously, and am hovering at around 109kg right now. Upper body lifts continue to increase, pulls, not so much.

Appreciate the advice. Keep on grinding, till the wheels fall off.

 

[CivilianOfTheFandomWars]

I’ve worked up to a three plate bench to see if I could, but I view it from a slightly different lens if size and shape is what you’re after.
If we think about this logically, how does one train to lift heavy weights? You lift heavy weights. How does one train to run far? You run far. But, how to you train to get big? This is were it gets a bit strange.
There's many different mechanisms for growth, and yes lifting heavier weights over time is one of them, but we also have things like the pump, which is a bunch of metabolites and acids and blood and all that good stuff being trapped in the muscle, we have tension, we have endurance aspects, there's a lot going on.
I'm not interested in powerlifting, though it's a great thing to do if you love it, so if I want to get big I would logically want to get all of those different growth vectors working in my favor. This is why I structure my training a bit like the Mountain Dog system where I put strength work focused on compounds movements first, then focus on getting just a disgusting pump with loads of intensity techniques, the really fun part for me, and then focus on really stretching the muscle fibers under load. This should, in theory and in my experience, get you great mass gains while reducing risk of injury that's common for people who chase raw numbers.
For example, if today was arms, I would start with straight sets of Dumbbell Curls and Pushdowns, then after those heavier Barbell Curls and Weighted Dips followed by a dropset, then Hammer Curls and more Pushdowns where we just go apeshit with whatever intensity techniques I want, just getting a horrific pump, then we get even more pumped with Zottman Curls and Skullcrushers to Close Grip Benches, and finish with straight sets of Preacher Curls and some type of Overhead Extension movement to just stretch it all out.
I sounds like it might be complex, but it's really not if you think about it. I've been lifting with some friends and they have actually noticed how much better they feel and how much more consistent their results have been with this type of system, because like me they are less interested in their total and more interested in muscularity.
I guess the TLDR is that you have to train for what you want, and I find it strange that many people bring a powerlifting mindset to a bodybuilding workout.

 

[Helvítis Túristi]

I’ve worked up to a three plate bench to see if I could, but I view it from a slightly different lens if size and shape is what you’re after.
If we think about this logically, how does one train to lift heavy weights? You lift heavy weights. How does one train to run far? You run far. But, how to you train to get big? This is were it gets a bit strange.
There's many different mechanisms for growth, and yes lifting heavier weights over time is one of them, but we also have things like the pump, which is a bunch of metabolites and acids and blood and all that good stuff being trapped in the muscle, we have tension, we have endurance aspects, there's a lot going on.
I'm not interested in powerlifting, though it's a great thing to do if you love it, so if I want to get big I would logically want to get all of those different growth vectors working in my favor. This is why I structure my training a bit like the Mountain Dog system where I put strength work focused on compounds movements first, then focus on getting just a disgusting pump with loads of intensity techniques, the really fun part for me, and then focus on really stretching the muscle fibers under load. This should, in theory and in my experience, get you great mass gains while reducing risk of injury that's common for people who chase raw numbers.
For example, if today was arms, I would start with straight sets of Dumbbell Curls and Pushdowns, then after those heavier Barbell Curls and Weighted Dips followed by a dropset, then Hammer Curls and more Pushdowns where we just go apeshit with whatever intensity techniques I want, just getting a horrific pump, then we get even more pumped with Zottman Curls and Skullcrushers to Close Grip Benches, and finish with straight sets of Preacher Curls and some type of Overhead Extension movement to just stretch it all out.
I sounds like it might be complex, but it's really not if you think about it. I've been lifting with some friends and they have actually noticed how much better they feel and how much more consistent their results have been with this type of system, because like me they are less interested in their total and more interested in muscularity.
I guess the TLDR is that you have to train for what you want, and I find it strange that many people bring a powerlifting mindset to a bodybuilding workout.

Are you working the same muscle group twice a week? You're doing 5 exercises for biceps and 5 for triceps. When I asked about increasing the types of exercises I do in a day I was told I was overworking my muscles. I switched from doing bro splits to doing push/pull/leg twice a week. What I'm doing right now I think is working. I almost have the muscle definition that I want and would just have to increase the muscle mass I have, but I just want to double check if maybe there's a better way to go about it.

 

[Marissa Moira]

I have to ask are weightlifting gloves any good at keeping the pressure off your hands so the bar doesn't pinch you? I've been dead lifting around 330 and the biggest issue I have is that it just really starts to hurt my grip. I've built up some decent callouses but every time I go over 300 that's when I just start to feel the pain from holding the bar for too long. I'm able to pull off around 24 reps..

For Bench Squats I'm able to go much heavier than 330, so I know my legs can handle it.

 

[CivilianOfTheFandomWars]

Are you working the same muscle group twice a week? You're doing 5 exercises for biceps and 5 for triceps. When I asked about increasing the types of exercises I do in a day I was told I was overworking my muscles. I switched from doing bro splits to doing push/pull/leg twice a week. What I'm doing right now I think is working. I almost have the muscle definition that I want and would just have to increase the muscle mass I have, but I just want to double check if maybe there's a better way to go about it.

I do less sets than usual, but my split is chest/shoulders, back, arms, legs, rest, repeat.

 

[grasshoppermustard]

Pretty happy today.. I last hit 190kg for a 1RM DL 3 weeks ago, and went into the gym this morning to try 200kg, ending up doing it twice as the first deadlift felt so good. I think I could've done 205kg for one but I'll try for that in another 2-3 weeks. This is double overhand, chalk, no straps, and my all time 1RM for this is 215kg. Covid lockdowns fucked me up badly and I didn't lift for a year during that bullshit, but went back to the gym in Dec last year so feels good to be getting close to my all high after being back at it for 6-7 months.

 

[ConspicuousArdiunoDue]

I've been going through a huge shift recently. I started going seriously back to the Gym in April and had basically no program other than just fuck around on machines because that was what my friends were doing, then I did bro split for a month, then I did PPL (found out my friend was feeding me an Athlean-X PPL split and passing it off as his own lol). Shit was nasty, way too many workouts. Now I'm on PPL that's not synchronist with the week and has a lot less workouts in it. I've found something that seems to be working, I'm adding 5-15lbs on every major lift every time I do it. Also I tried giving really shitty fitness advice and feel nothing but cringe looking at it now lol.

 

[CivilianOfTheFandomWars]

I'm adding 5-15lbs on every major lift every time I do it. Also I tried giving really shitty fitness advice and feel nothing but cringe looking at it now lol.

That’s actually the perfect way to start.
What I’ve found works very well for rank beginners is that we work you up to a weight you can get for a solid 5 or so reps on the last set, and you go to positive failure with perfect form, then each week we add reps and once you get 10-12 solid reps we increase the weight. You find that each workout you will be getting those extra reps because of the hallowed noob gains, and I’ve had some of my guys double their weights on certain lifts pretty quickly all things considered.
Obviously if you start with a base of strength, manual labor jobs and such, it’s different, but for someone who doesn’t lift anything in general we can go from benching the bar to benching 100lbs without much issue.

 

[ConspicuousArdiunoDue]

That’s actually the perfect way to start.
What I’ve found works very well for rank beginners is that we work you up to a weight you can get for a solid 5 or so reps on the last set, and you go to positive failure with perfect form, then each week we add reps and once you get 10-12 solid reps we increase the weight. You find that each workout you will be getting those extra reps because of the hallowed noob gains, and I’ve had some of my guys double their weights on certain lifts pretty quickly all things considered.
Obviously if you start with a base of strength, manual labor jobs and such, it’s different, but for someone who doesn’t lift anything in general we can go from benching the bar to benching 100lbs without much issue.

I've been usually going for 5-8 reps on my working sets and then moving up, but I think I'll start trying to get up to that 10-12 rep range before moving up now.
I also really need to work on my grip, I'm starting to fail lifts (particularly deadlifts) in the 290-310lbs range because my grip degrades (or my callouses rip). Idk if I need to isolate my grip with isolation exercises (I don't think so) but instead I just need to get working on my compound lifts in higher rep ranges.

 

[CivilianOfTheFandomWars]

I've been usually going for 5-8 reps on my working sets and then moving up, but I think I'll start trying to get up to that 10-12 rep range before moving up now.
I also really need to work on my grip, I'm starting to fail lifts (particularly deadlifts) in the 290-310lbs range because my grip degrades (or my callouses rip). Idk if I need to isolate my grip with isolation exercises (I don't think so) but instead I just need to get working on my compound lifts in higher rep ranges.

Hammer curls and not using straps on back work is pretty good for grip.

 

[True Boss of this Gym]

Fuck, man. It feels so good to be back in the gym. That's all I wanted to say, I just feel optimistic as fuck, brah.

 

[PFM]

Anyone have experience with adjustable dumbbells like the Bowflex ones? I hate going to gyms and am trying to make the best of of a 3rd floor home gym.

In my early twenties I had a gym membership and made pretty incredible gains but shit happened and I had to stop. The gym I used to go to had no sauna or pool or any of that shit so it was just free weights and bicycles. No social club bs. Unfortunately that gym is no longer...

Anyway, I'm considering just using a bench, dumbbells, and a pull up/dip station until I'm in a better position.

 

[CivilianOfTheFandomWars]

Anyone have experience with adjustable dumbbells like the Bowflex ones? I hate going to gyms and am trying to make the best of of a 3rd floor home gym.

In my early twenties I had a gym membership and made pretty incredible gains but shit happened and I had to stop. The gym I used to go to had no sauna or pool or any of that shit so it was just free weights and bicycles. No social club bs. Unfortunately that gym is no longer...

Anyway, I'm considering just using a bench, dumbbells, and a pull up/dip station until I'm in a better position.

I would recommend those spin lock ones you put plates on, because from what I’ve seen most of the new adjustable dumbbell kits don’t go heavy enough for back or leg work.
Plus, you can always find plates for cheap secondhand or whatever.

 

[grasshoppermustard]

Age 32-37 for sure so where I'm at now. The DOMS man are so bad now sometimes. If I go hard legs I'm on the shelf for 3-4 days. Drinking as I do doesn't help but it certainly didn't take that long at 28. That said, it's nothing a person can't overcome.

Yeah, I'm not so sure about this going by my own personal experience as I've only experienced DOMS when I first started lifting, and when I returned to lifting after having had a year off during the covid lockdown bullshit. It was actually helpful the second time around as I had much more experience in the gym so I knew I was hitting certain muscles from certain exercises as the DOMS was insane.

I think it's probably more to do with drinking than the lifting in your case. Personally, I can't drink and lift, so I quit drinking a few months prior to going back to the gym end of last year. At first I was sore as fuck, and 1-2 months into it I was still getting a little sore, but past the 6 month point now I don't have issues, and I work considerably hard, I really think it's just getting conditioned and looking after yourself.

If I was to have a big drinking session though, it would take me 2-3 days to fully recover yet when I was 20 I could go out drinking all night, and go for a jog the next morning. Drinking, and bad living in general just seems to really take a toll on you the older you get. I'm imminently 40, but I don't suffer from lack of energy, or sore joints, and now I'm back training I don't feel old and unhealthy like I did during the fucking lockdowns here in Australia. So, I guess my advice is you don't have to fear that much about getting older, you just have to make a few changes as my experience is that you become super sensitive to the things that aren't good for you like binge drinking and eating processed shit.

At this point, I don't think I'll ever drink again. Oh, and I never used peds nor ever will, and talking to a few of the older guys at the gym (60's and 70's), they claim they're full natty brah for life and their friends that used peds in the decades they've been training are either dead or quit training altogether.