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

[Harambe]

Not really. I mean sure, I'm not making as much gainz as I could be if I woke up every morning at the same time and in the same city, but Im still making gainz. Im getting stronger, my arms and shoulders are more muscular and Im even getting some visible growth in my chest finally. Progress aint gotta be perfect.

When you're doing it for your health progress is progress. Also, it does make me happy seeing you post here and committing to it as much as you can dude, you're making it.

Next week is my test week in my program, and also the last week of school for me, so it'll be a very holistic finals week. I'm almost there.

Very soon I'm gonna break through 225 on bench. I've been working methodically over the past few months to get my bench from a real PR of 205 to 225. I've hit 405 for a double on deadlift, 315 I can do for 5 on squat, easy, and OHP I can do 135 for a triple, so this stagnation on bench is very annoying. I've been training most of all on this strength block thinking about bench, trying to add in extra volume where practical and push harder on that than the others and getting 3 touches a week on bench. My squat has exploded, and bench I can now confidently do 185 for 3 sets of 5, I've hit singles at 215 with backoff triples at 205. The test week won't be a true single test, just AMRAP at 90% 1RM, so this week I'll work up and give a single at 225 a try. I may eat shit, but that's what spotter arms are for.

 

[Ewan McGregor]

I feel a lot of core activation from kettlebell swings. The hams and glutes act as the gas and the abdominals are the brakes. I was probably in the best shape of my life early pandemic when all I had access to was a couple kettlebells. KB evangelists are cringe and you won't get huge off them and them alone, but like any tool they have their place.

Kettlebells are cringe, yes. But I do concede that they are difficult to master and they can give you a rather good workout. Kettlebells are not really fit for bodybuilding per se, but they're good to work stabilizing and mobility related muscles.

I was reading Shane Duquette's take on abs-building and I think it's an interesting, if unorthodox, view on the issue.

 

[Jarry Seinfelt]

Kettlebells are cringe, yes. But I do concede that they are difficult to master and they can give you a rather good workout. Kettlebells are not really fit for bodybuilding per se, but they're good to work stabilizing and mobility related muscles.

I was reading Shane Duquette's take on abs-building and I think it's an interesting, if unorthodox, view on the issue.

KB evangelists are cringe, but KBs themselves are neat and can fit in most people (everyone? Fuck if I know)'s programming. The kettlebell press is probably my favorite upper body lift, because it feels really natural, but it's tough to progress on compared to barbell, dumbbell, or machine lifts that hit the shoulders, because most places don't have bells heavier than 55lbs or so, and you need to have your form with the KB clean locked in.

I like Andy Bolton's article on how kettlebells have helped his deadlift: link. Can't speak to how true it is, because I'd be lucky if I ever hit a 600lb DL, but I like the article itself.

Do you have a link to Duquette's take?

 

[Ewan McGregor]

Do you have a link to Duquette's take?

https://bonytobeastly.com/the-skinny-on-abs/

Opinions on "Train abs just like other muscles, bulk them just like other muscles?"

 

[Jarry Seinfelt]

https://bonytobeastly.com/the-skinny-on-abs/

Opinions on "Train abs just like other muscles, bulk them just like other muscles?"

None of that sounds controversial for me, but I'm not his target audience (I put up ok numbers on the barbell, but need to drop a few % points of body fat).

His argument that you need to specifically hit abs like you would any other muscle rather than doing 500 crunches a day sounds totally legit to me, like why wouldn't they operate under the same methods of hypertrophy as any other muscle? Farmers carries rule and seem to be one of those things that fall into the "you can never do enough of them" category of resistance training movements.

I feel like I saw similar criticisms of Starting Strength and Stronglifts, where e.g. the Stronglifts guy's insistence on how squats are a full body exercise so they train your forearms too, something that's autistically technically true, but you could probably add 200lbs to your squat and it'd add like 5 pounds to your wrist curl or something.

But I'm just some desk guy who likes lifting weights so I don't become a complete lardbeast, so what the fuck do I know. As long as my numbers are moving in a way I like and I don't injure myself, I'm fine.

 

[Ewan McGregor]

His argument that you need to specifically hit abs like you would any other muscle rather than doing 500 crunches a day

That would be common sense to think, but seemingly the consensus in the fitness world about abs goes from "No, you need to do a gazillion different weird torsions for you to have abs and starve yourself" to "Lol bro dunno, abs are weird"

Starting Strength

Not fond of it, I guess it's good if you want to be a powerlifter, but not very efficient for bodybuilding.

Stronglifts

Unfathomably boring and impractical. It ignores the 'I cannot progress because I'm not strong, and I'm not strong because I can't progress' cycle. One of the lamest programs I've ever gone through.

 

[VeteranOfTheRetardWars]

Kettlebells are fucking based and a really versatile tool for training. Obviously if you want to build work capacity and full body power and such, they can’t be beat. There’s a very good reason why wrestlers and other insanely powerful athletes train with them so much, they work so well. Swinging things are phenomenal for those athletes, it involves literally all the muscles that need to be strong to generate power. and the kettlebell has so many ways to swing them around it’s not even close.
Bodybuilding is a different matter, and the use of kettlebells becomes more specific. If you are someone who gets super into trying different exercise variations, they are great for certain things. I like doing Skullcrushers, Drag Curls, Rows, and Pullovers with them. I’m also a fan of including more traditional styles of kettlebell training for bodybuilding because it really does even you out and correct imbalances that may be slowing you down, but that comes with just really basic movements with the kettlebell.

 

[Jarry Seinfelt]

Doing skulls with KBs sounds neat. I may well try that at some point.

 

[VeteranOfTheRetardWars]

Doing skulls with KBs sounds neat. I may well try that at some point.

I find I get a larger range of motion and it personally feels good on my joints. I put them at the end of the workout and really stretch the triceps. It’s an exercise I learned watching John Meadows and I really like it.

 

[anustart76]

Good news today, I finally maxed out my dumbbells on the chest press! The max weight I can make my dumbbells is 90 lbs each, and I managed to do 3 sets of 6-8 reps. Feels good man

 

[No Batty Boys in Jamaica]

I start to think the whole whey protein is one huge (((scam))). Due to the insane price of whey nowadays, I decided to stop buying it in early 2022.

Still steady gains, and zero nuclear braps.

Any thoughts, my fellow kiwis?

Casein is better than whey. It’s also cheaper. I never got into whey because casein is better. Whatever extra gains you get from whey are outweighed by the high price and the fact that it makes a normal person fart like they’re lactose intolerant. I know whey isn’t lactose and lactose intolerant people can actually consume whey but I’m just talking about farts. It causes nasty, bathroom clearing shits as well.

Casein is better.

 

[I AM RETARDED!]

Sorry to derail thread a bit but I do have a question about best workout routine for 2 days a week? My goal is to build aesthetic muscles more so then body building, any advice would be appreciated.

 

[DSP's Tax Lawyer]

Sorry to derail thread a bit but I do have a question about best workout routine for 2 days a week? My goal is to build aesthetic muscles more so then body building, any advice would be appreciated.

If its not back to back, then look into full body workouts. If they are back to back, then look to get a push and pull day with some legs involved on one or both days

 

[I AM RETARDED!]

If its not back to back, then look into full body workouts. If they are back to back, then look to get a push and pull day with some legs involved on one or both days

Any recommendations on full body workouts routines?

 

[DSP's Tax Lawyer]

Any recommendations on full body workouts routines?

(Not a perfect workout plan since I put this together just kind of right now but it can give an idea and you can experiment with it)

Flat Bench
Incline Bench
Lat Pull down
Row
Lateral raises
Squat
Hamstring Curl


Sets, reps, and weights would depend on you

 

[I AM RETARDED!]

(Not a perfect workout plan since I put this together just kind of right now but it can give an idea and you can experiment with it)

Flat Bench
Incline Bench
Lat Pull down
Row
Lateral raises
Squat
Hamstring Curl


Sets, reps, and weights would depend on you

I appreciate it, I'll give it a shot, any YouTube channels you recommend for examples on how to do these? especially with Hamstring Curl, and lateral raises?

 

[Sad Chad]

I appreciate it, I'll give it a shot, any YouTube channels you recommend for examples on how to do these? especially with Hamstring Curl, and lateral raises?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dY7BmNR7RJk

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b_LEX4n9lOs

Focus on prioritizing excersies with large compound movements.

Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Press, Shoulder Press, Lat Pull-down (or pull-ups if you can), and a Lat Row will give you the most benefit in the smallest amount of exercises. However, I wouldn't perform all these in a one day full body routine. Instead I would break it into a split based on the muscle groups the exercises work. Common splits are upper body/lower body or a push, pull, and leg day split.

Good luck in your exercise friend, it has tremendous benefits in both physical health, mood and outlook!

 

[Ewan McGregor]

Casein is better than whey. It’s also cheaper. I never got into whey because casein is better. Whatever extra gains you get from whey are outweighed by the high price and the fact that it makes a normal person fart like they’re lactose intolerant. I know whey isn’t lactose and lactose intolerant people can actually consume whey but I’m just talking about farts. It causes nasty, bathroom clearing shits as well.

Casein is better.

I second this.

But I thought it was protein in general that gave you the infamous 'bodybuilder fart'

 

[Bassomatic]

Something is terrible wrong with my knee and I'm worried. Few days till I can get to PT to check it out.

It's under the cap not bone, no bruising swelling etc. I've been on aspirin but yesterday I struggled to walk to get the mail today is better. A friend who should know better said"arthritis" i have that no, this is like blinding pain and I'm no sissy


I haven't bumped it etc.

 

[DeutscheKatze]

my wish for christmas is to see big meaty swole kiwi users muscles, i, oop...

always keep going