Generally I recommend pyramid sets.Jebus wrote:
Okay, that I understand, but say I want to get more toned/ripped/whatever (I need a goal anyway) - what would you recommend?
good, you should barely be able to do the last.Jebus wrote:
I just did that pyramid set in my regular triceps exercise, holy shit I barely managed to complete my last set, but I think I did fine. Great tip!
Yes. Try more isolation exercises. and again pyramid sets are king (12,10,8,6) reps or (15,12,10,8) for lighter days. Seated preacher curls with the EZ bar as well as dumbells are good, seated concentration curls, seated dumbell curls, incline iso curls (set bench at 45 degrees with top in your armpit, lower the weight down till your arm is straight down the angle of the bench, curl back up to chest/neck). You need to really push it and lift heavy to make gains with your arms. Its easy to plateau with biceps...Jebus wrote:
I'm making progress too - except on the biceps - the amount I can 'work' has gone up for pretty much all of my muscles - except for biceps, I've been on the same level for about 3 months now - any tips?
This will also improve the size and strength of you lats (upper back).baggs wrote:
What Sonder said, PREACHER CURLS GO GO GO!
Also, good for biceps is chin ups, grab the bar, palms facing towards at shoulder width apart and chin up so your chest goes level with your hands. Make sure to lower yourself down steady, you do just as much work on the negative as what you do on the rep itself.
Last edited by Jebus (2010-01-16 01:32:15)
Yeah, 440lbs too. Thats pretty impresive for his size. I got him beat by 15lbs though. Deadlifts are a great exercise. Shadow you should start now. setting a goal for summer is bad idea, the more you put it off the less likely it will happen!
I actually did this workout myself yesterday, but I added in pushups with barbell flies, and its a pretty damn good workout... my shoulders are feeling beat today.SonderKommando wrote:
Ok. So shoulders can be a long training day indeed, as you have a few muscle groups that you need to work. As a quick generalization you have your traps, delts, and rear delts. Remember, I swear by pyramid setting as this allows for adequate warm up and heavy lifting.
Shoulder Press AKA milirtay press AKA barbell sholder press. Take a slightly wider than shoulder width grip on the barbell and slowly lower it to teh front of your chest (upper chest) then press it straitght up. This is a GREAT exercise which will work your delts and traps mostly. Beginners can do this on teh smith machine. The smith machine is basically a barbell with offsetting glides on it which will balance the bar for you.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … /308_1.jpg
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … /308_2.jpg
Arnold presses are also good to follow up with. Coined by Arnie himself this exercise is great for working your traps, delts, and since you get a full rotation of motion your triceps as well. Start seated with dumbells at chest level, palms facing in towards you. move teh dumbells out towards your shoulders while rotating to a palms out position, then slowly press them straight up.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … m/82_1.jpg
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … m/82_2.jpg
Note, you can also do regular dumbell presses, to do these just hold the dumbells at your shoulders palms out, and press straight up. Remember to bring the weights ALL THE WAY DOWN back your shoulders. This full range of motion and muscle contraction is IMPERITIVE.
Moving on to barbell shoulder shrugs. Pretty simple here, grasp the barbell with a narrower grip than normal, slightly less than shoulder width (overhand). Raise the be bar up with your shoulders and squeeze your shoulders and traps as you raise the barbell. You see alot of guys rotate their shouldres doing this, this is bad form and will tear the fuck out of your rotater cuff. Just raise up and squeeze. THis excercise will work your traps mostly.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … m/97_1.jpg
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … m/97_2.jpg
Upright rows are also a good excersise for your traps and delts. These can be done with dumbells, bands, and the EZ bar and small barbell to name a few. Stand with the weights hanging free griped overhand and rasise them straight up, bending your arms out laterally.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … /368_2.jpg
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … /368_1.jpg
Ok, by now we've hit your traps and a little delts. lets move on to proper delts and rear delts.
Front dumbell lateral raises, alternate movement arm to arm, hold the dumbells palms facing overhand (in) and raise them up to about nose/eye level. KEEP YOUR BACK STRAIGHT, often i lean against a wall to prevent cheating.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … /371_1.jpg
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … /371_2.jpg
power partials are good too, stand gripping dumbells overhand at your side, raise them latterally till parrallel with your shoulders.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … /270_1.jpg
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … /270_2.jpg
These can also be done seated, again try not to use your back as momentum.
Time to hit the rear dealts, generally I only do about two excercises here, tehy are easy to isolate and by now you are proabably exauseted.
Rear delt flies. bend over and touch teh top of your head to a bench at a 45 degree angle, touching your head to the bench will help keep you from using your back as momentum. As long as your forhead is touching the bench you will not be swaying back. so hold the weights overhand as shown, hanging down, and raise them out in a flying motion, think wings of a bird here. you can bend your elbows, but try to keep the at a very mild angle to hit the rear delts.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … m/83_1.jpg
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … m/83_2.jpg
I follow these up with a seated variation of this exercise. same premise here, but its up to you to not sway your back since you dont have the bench as a guide. Also, you will start with your legs slightly out mroe to allow clearence for the weights.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … /377_1.jpg
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/e … /377_2.jpg
Well heres a good shoulder workout for ya. If you need anything else or help with other training days, just ask. Also, remember its also 75% what you eat, if you want help wiht a diet plan I can do that too. GLHF!!
Nice fusion, glad to see your taking the initiative and i hope you're ok. Seriously, lifting the last two years, the changes my body has seen, the pure visceral strength i have now... it has completely changed my life. Its an amazing feeling. I feel like this is what a man I supposed to feel like, powerful, confident, dare I say...beastlyWhite-Fusion wrote:
Used to workout a fair bit, but about a year ago I think I did something to my chest. Whenever I sit down, or lie down or something for a while and then get up. The middle of my chest right down the middle on the bone cracks like a knuckle. And then afterwards hurts.
Anyway I had bad visions of me benching and my chest just giving in or something and being fucked for life. So decided to go to the doctors before doing any more working out. Never ended up getting my ass in gear and making the appointment. But today this thread inspired me into going and registering at a new doctors and I have a checkup in about 2 hours.
Cheers man!SonderKommando wrote:
Nice fusion, glad to see your taking the initiative and i hope you're ok. Seriously, lifting the last two years, the changes my body has seen, the pure visceral strength i have now... it has completely changed my life. Its an amazing feeling. I feel like this is what a man I supposed to feel like, powerful, confident, dare I say...beastlyWhite-Fusion wrote:
Used to workout a fair bit, but about a year ago I think I did something to my chest. Whenever I sit down, or lie down or something for a while and then get up. The middle of my chest right down the middle on the bone cracks like a knuckle. And then afterwards hurts.
Anyway I had bad visions of me benching and my chest just giving in or something and being fucked for life. So decided to go to the doctors before doing any more working out. Never ended up getting my ass in gear and making the appointment. But today this thread inspired me into going and registering at a new doctors and I have a checkup in about 2 hours.
Sweet man, let me know if you need help w/ anything.White-Fusion wrote:
Cheers man!SonderKommando wrote:
Nice fusion, glad to see your taking the initiative and i hope you're ok. Seriously, lifting the last two years, the changes my body has seen, the pure visceral strength i have now... it has completely changed my life. Its an amazing feeling. I feel like this is what a man I supposed to feel like, powerful, confident, dare I say...beastlyWhite-Fusion wrote:
Used to workout a fair bit, but about a year ago I think I did something to my chest. Whenever I sit down, or lie down or something for a while and then get up. The middle of my chest right down the middle on the bone cracks like a knuckle. And then afterwards hurts.
Anyway I had bad visions of me benching and my chest just giving in or something and being fucked for life. So decided to go to the doctors before doing any more working out. Never ended up getting my ass in gear and making the appointment. But today this thread inspired me into going and registering at a new doctors and I have a checkup in about 2 hours.
It has been the main thing on my mind for months and months, I was confused by certain fees etc that I thought were there at the doctors. But it's all good now!
I am about 145 pounds right now. And I measured my self with a measuring tape not long ago and worked it out I was about 14% bodyfat, but maybe I can get a more accurate measurement today!
Joining the gym this friday if the doctor clears it as ok!
^That's for the pullup which targets the biceps. Thanks in advanceJebus wrote:
...
just so I'm getting this right, should the inside of my hands/palms face away from/towards me?..
Palms facing in, Take a narrow grip, shoulder width or slightly less. Remember to lower yourself down untill your arms are straight, pull up till the top of your chest touches the bar. Over hand (palms out) should be done with a wide grip (wider than shoulder width) and are AWESOME for building your lats and shoulders. However, they are MUCH harder than underhand pullups. Oh, and about the last guy in the picture for the shoulder workout, his calves are small, but that doesnt mean his legs are weak. Calf size is largely dependent on genetics. For example, I weigh 198.6lbs 8.6% body fat but I squat 350lbs which is alot for my body weight, yet i have skinny calves.. I work them almost excessively but they dont get much bigger, just more defined, stronger, and vascular... lol I actually hate my calves...Jebus wrote:
Man SonderKommando, you're like the workout guru of this thread :p. If you don't mind me repeating, I asked a question about the biceps thing a few post back... I'll quote it^That's for the pullup which targets the biceps. Thanks in advanceJebus wrote:
...
just so I'm getting this right, should the inside of my hands/palms face away from/towards me?..
Almonds or other nuts, fruits (bananas especially), oatmeal is good too, these items come right off the top of my head, I'll think of some more for ya.Jebus wrote:
Well, if I'm not asking too much... You're like a fountain of information for me right now :p
I was wondering, what are some snacks that I probably have lying around the house that are a great pre- or post-work out?
Last edited by SonderKommando (2010-01-18 08:40:18)