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

[CoalBreaker]

My upper back muscles are way bigger and stronger than my lower back and I'm struggling on DL because of it. Should I do some isolation exercises to accelerate the strength growth in my lower back? I prefer both dumbbell and calisthenics exercises for this.

 

[Johnny Salami]

I've been doing strongman lifting recently since I'm worming out at a decent gym but have to make due. Been incorporating Zercher squats (thank Grizzly for that one), log presses, Axl bar deadlifts, Sled Pulls, pushes, drags, and sandbag carries (have to make due)

By body is definitely more sore than traditional lifting

I can squat two plates below parallel like Sam Hyde wanted and be fine the next day but when I do body squats, my legs are jello the same day and glass the next
The fuck gives?

high rep shit is tiring for a longer period of time for the most part

 

[ColinQuinnsStent]

My upper back muscles are way bigger and stronger than my lower back and I'm struggling on DL because of it. Should I do some isolation exercises to accelerate the strength growth in my lower back? I prefer both dumbbell and calisthenics exercises for this.

Hyperextensions/reverse hyperextensions are a great addition and can be humbling. Try both.

 

[Majestic12]

I'm 6 months into the gym— does training each muscle group each day really effective?
For eg:-
Mondays- chest
Tue-shoulders
wed-back
thu- Biceps & triceps
fri- legs
sat- abs and cardio.

 

[Hyperbolic Steroids]

I'm 6 months into the gym— does training each muscle group each day really effective?
For eg:-
Mondays- chest
Tue-shoulders
wed-back
thu- Biceps & triceps
fri- legs
sat- abs and cardio.

The "bro split" seems to work well enough for people, myself included. Although you probably want to look into what else is being worked on some days (like your shoulders and arms being involved on chest days for example) and try to split the muscle groups a bit more. To me the bro split just helps get more days in the gym vs a total rest day if you do all the groups in one go. Also you can probably get away with a shorter session since you focus on say your arms for example for one session vs trying to get the same focus on them out of a session with arms and legs. Just remember that recovery is just as important as putting in the work at the gym.

 

[VeteranOfTheRetardWars]

I got myself a pair of heavy clubs, and they are a great workout. Tons of fun, you can just flow from one thing to another and the way you hold a club just feels great.
The niggas at BJJ and Judo are already wary of my grips and my strength, so adding clubs for unilateral work to compliment my gada swinging is going to take that up to eleven. I’ve thrown guys from turtle and other odd positions because of my rotational power, in no small part because of my mace swinging, and these clubs are just amazing for that.

I'm 6 months into the gym— does training each muscle group each day really effective?
For eg:-
Mondays- chest
Tue-shoulders
wed-back
thu- Biceps & triceps
fri- legs
sat- abs and cardio.

I would recommend a split that is more synergistic. Like the classic Chest/Back, Shoulders/Arms, Legs. Or a Chest/Shoulders, Back/Legs, Arms. Or PPL, Torso/Limbs, Upper/Lowers, etc etc.
Basically, if you work multiple muscle groups a day you can be more effective in training because it doesn’t take a whole week for a muscle to recover from lifting. So in general it’s recommended to do a split that allows the muscles to be hit multiple times a week.

 

[Iron Jaguar]

I've really been sticking to a low carb, calorie-conscious, high protein, high fat diet for the last....IDK...7 months or so. I'm down to 81kg.

I've been doing fasting between roughly 5pm and 7 or 8 am the next day, and the weight has fallen off. My visceral fat has melted away in my sleep. I had to get rid of all of my work pants and shorts because nothing fits anymore.
I was horrified to compare the size of shorts I was wearing to what I fit now.

I have continued with my weight training, three or four times a week, but I do absolutely zero cardio exercise.
This weight loss from fasting and conscious dietary change has been so, so easy. Absolutely anyone with just a tiny bit of discipline could do it. Unfortunately, many people do not have even a tiny bit of discipline.

My wife is delighted. In her words, "You can really get up there now, like when you were in your twenties!"

 

[Bassomatic]

So waiting of my knee surgery (my dumb ass still skiing and hiking) been lax on training, talked with a buddy in my garage (where my weights etc are) "yeah we fall off so fast now older"

BAM 25 PULL UPS.

just wanted to see how I was doing and ripped 25. I'm really proud of myself. Been losing both good and bad weight currently. Hyper motivated now

 

[Lord of the Large Pants]

What would be a good real world test of general fitness? Like, I don't know, picking up small boulders or rock climbing something. Not that, but something like that. I've been exercising semi-consistently for about a year and a half now, and I'm using much heavier weight than when I started, but I'm curious to see how it holds up in real life.

 

[Fagissimo]

how the fuck do you build a routine ? I'm trying to get my life together and get into weight lifting but lately i've been skimping on workout sessions like a fat piece of shit.

update:
I've been getting way more consistent in my workout routine.
lowered it from a retarded 6 workout a week thing to a good 3day week program, with cardio on every other days.
going well outside of when i had to stop due to an injury

 

[CowPox]

What would be a good real world test of general fitness? Like, I don't know, picking up small boulders or rock climbing something. Not that, but something like that. I've been exercising semi-consistently for about a year and a half now, and I'm using much heavier weight than when I started, but I'm curious to see how it holds up in real life.

Grappling.

 

[CharcoalChkn]

What would be a good real world test of general fitness? Like, I don't know, picking up small boulders or rock climbing something. Not that, but something like that. I've been exercising semi-consistently for about a year and a half now, and I'm using much heavier weight than when I started, but I'm curious to see how it holds up in real life.

I suppose it depends on what you mean by general fitness?

For my own definition, I think bouldering/rock climbing (even though you said not that, it requires a bit of strength and decent cardio) would be a good baseline to test it out see how long it takes you to get gassed.

In a practical sense, farm work or landscaping.

 

[Hollywood Hulk Hogan]

I'm 6 months into the gym— does training each muscle group each day really effective?
For eg:-
Mondays- chest
Tue-shoulders
wed-back
thu- Biceps & triceps
fri- legs
sat- abs and cardio.

Probably better to combine muscle groups into days where one is the secondary movement of the other.

For example, most lat exercises also work biceps, so best to combine. Most chest exercises also work triceps, so combine them. I'd also add in more cardio for general health.
So you could do:
Monday: Chest/tricep
Tuesday: Cardio + abs
Wednesday: Shoulder
Thursday: Back/Biceps
Friday: Legs
Saturday: Cardio + abs

And like @Hyperbolic Steroids said, recovery is as important, if not more so, than time in the gym. Keep it simple and don't do junk sets.

 

[Majestic12]

Probably better to combine muscle groups into days where one is the secondary movement of the other.

For example, most lat exercises also work biceps, so best to combine. Most chest exercises also work triceps, so combine them. I'd also add in more cardio for general health.
So you could do:
Monday: Chest/tricep
Tuesday: Cardio + abs
Wednesday: Shoulder
Thursday: Back/Biceps
Friday: Legs
Saturday: Cardio + abs

And like @Hyperbolic Steroids said, recovery is as important, if not more so, than time in the gym. Keep it simple and don't do junk sets.

Thank you, this looks like a practical schedule to combine.

 

[Lemmingwiser]

What would be a good real world test of general fitness? Like, I don't know, picking up small boulders or rock climbing something. Not that, but something like that. I've been exercising semi-consistently for about a year and a half now, and I'm using much heavier weight than when I started, but I'm curious to see how it holds up in real life.

You could compare it to one of the military/law enforcement tests from around the world. These usually have a benchmark fitness test consisting of doing things like burpees, pullups, runs.

---

Also, I've got two fitness goals for the next year. Anyone know what exercises help to jump higher and any exercises that help me reach a horizontal planche lean full planche in 18 months would be welcome.

I'm currently doing 5 days of hiit in the morning, 2 martial arts trainings and 2 gym trainings where I mainly lift.
The hiit is 14 minutes of planking variations, planche lean, burpees.
The fitness is 40 minutes of lifting, but I'm fairly new to it and it's a pretty chaotic mix of benchpress, squat, military press, kettlebell swing & clean, chest flys, shoulder flys.

Anyone know what exercises to add for higher jumping and full planche?

 

[Iron Jaguar]

Anyone know what exercises to add for higher jumping

See the Knees Over Toes guy on Instagram

 

[Lemmingwiser]

See the Knees Over Toes guy on Instagram

I've come across good things from him, and I hate instagram with a passion, but I'll try to overcome it. Is that the best avenue for his content?

 

[Iron Jaguar]

I've come across good things from him, and I hate instagram with a passion, but I'll try to overcome it. Is that the best avenue for his content?

IDK. I don't look anywhere else.

 

[Johnny Salami]

What would be a good real world test of general fitness? Like, I don't know, picking up small boulders or rock climbing something. Not that, but something like that. I've been exercising semi-consistently for about a year and a half now, and I'm using much heavier weight than when I started, but I'm curious to see how it holds up in real life.

Look at strongman and try to apply that
Can you push a truck stuck in traffic by yourself? (I can and the little old lady told me I'm so strong and made my day)
Can you carry something kind of heavy over your shoulders?
Can you lift things that aren't dumbells, barbells, or kettlebells?
how long can you do it for?

 

[Mr Snrub]

What would be a good real world test of general fitness? Like, I don't know, picking up small boulders or rock climbing something. Not that, but something like that. I've been exercising semi-consistently for about a year and a half now, and I'm using much heavier weight than when I started, but I'm curious to see how it holds up in real life.

How many bags of shopping/groceries can you carry in at one time?