Squats and deads

[EMPIREMIND]

This week i have changed up my training. I have been being trained by an experienced bodybuilder for over 8 months. He did my diet also. I have had great success with him, but alot of our work is focused on tut and high reps. It works. No question. Arms, upper chest, shoulder and traps have all developed. My back has grown as well. Much wider. Alot of what we do would be precieved as partial reps, and although i was very skeptical, it worked. Very very effective.

Now for the kicker.

He hasnt been able to make it for the past week, so i went back to training some of my favs my own way.

Deads: nearly dedicated a whole day to deadlifts. Double overhand tap and go using straps. Did about 6 sets of 8-12 pyramiding the weight up. My heaviest set was 455x8 that day. Then did about 10 more sets with 225 for 15-20 reps. This was in addition to other back work, just way more emphasis on deads than usual.


Did squats yesterday. I set a goal prior, 10 sets of 20 at 225. I had to really dig to complete this and a few sets in i felt there was no way to finish, but i worked through it.

I say all that to make a statement that we all should already know. Barbell is king. My body has been completely shocked. Theres days where i do 1500 lb leg presses for reps and i dont feel like this at all the next day. Although some machines are great and do work, if you can train with the barbell, do it.

That my two cents. Train hard fellas. Stay up

 

[Vector300]

This week i have changed up my training. I have been being trained by an experienced bodybuilder for over 8 months. He did my diet also. I have had great success with him, but alot of our work is focused on tut and high reps. It works. No question. Arms, upper chest, shoulder and traps have all developed. My back has grown as well. Much wider. Alot of what we do would be precieved as partial reps, and although i was very skeptical, it worked. Very very effective.

Now for the kicker.

He hasnt been able to make it for the past week, so i went back to training some of my favs my own way.

Deads: nearly dedicated a whole day to deadlifts. Double overhand tap and go using straps. Did about 6 sets of 8-12 pyramiding the weight up. My heaviest set was 455x8 that day. Then did about 10 more sets with 225 for 15-20 reps. This was in addition to other back work, just way more emphasis on deads than usual.


Did squats yesterday. I set a goal prior, 10 sets of 20 at 225. I had to really dig to complete this and a few sets in i felt there was no way to finish, but i worked through it.

I say all that to make a statement that we all should already know. Barbell is king. My body has been completely shocked. Theres days where i do 1500 lb leg presses for reps and i dont feel like this at all the next day. Although some machines are great and do work, if you can train with the barbell, do it.

That my two cents. Train hard fellas. Stay up

Hallelujah! Preach it Brotha!

I'm a barbell addict so I love hearing this. A typical "back" day for me is similar to what you did - a lethal amount of sets of deadlifts (usually after some kinda of squat) with chins and rows thrown in until I feel my eyes bleed. All for lowish reps. Oh and then I hit some neck. Gotta get dem neck gainz.

 

[Aleksandar37]

For me it's about switching it up. For example, if I go too long with doing only dumbbell bench I'l increase with dumbbells, but then be hurting when I go back to the bar. And the reverse is true as well, or at least that's how it is for me.

 

[sparks2012]

Needed to see this, my leg training has been subpar (in my mind) lately. I've been too fixated on weight moved and trying to PR. Just can't seem to get back up to 4 plates, and I think it's been mentally destroying my leg days. My squats aren't super consistent either. Some days 315 feels ungodly heavy and others where it's more manageable. Same with deads too. Been stuck between 405 and 425 for over a year. If anyone has any suggestions on leg routine that'll have me limping out of the gym with a mind blowing pump, or any insight on how I can break the deadlift plateau, I'd love to hear it.

 

[EMPIREMIND]

Needed to see this, my leg training has been subpar (in my mind) lately. I've been too fixated on weight moved and trying to PR. Just can't seem to get back up to 4 plates, and I think it's been mentally destroying my leg days. My squats aren't super consistent either. Some days 315 feels ungodly heavy and others where it's more manageable. Same with deads too. Been stuck between 405 and 425 for over a year. If anyone has any suggestions on leg routine that'll have me limping out of the gym with a mind blowing pump, or any insight on how I can break the deadlift plateau, I'd love to hear it.

I think if you are solely focused on strentgh, i would really try to make improvements in form. I personally train for bodybuilding so i train for more reps. Sometimes for me its a matter of dropping the weight and focusing on overall volume.

 

[sparks2012]

I think if you are solely focused on strentgh, i would really try to make improvements in form. I personally train for bodybuilding so i train for more reps. Sometimes for me its a matter of dropping the weight and focusing on overall volume.

I primarily train for bodybuilding as well, but as of late I've been fixated on weight and it has caused my routine to go stagnant. I don't think that form is the issue, as it's something that I've had to work on keeping tight after sustaining a lower back injury a few years ago. I think a new routine, exercise order, etc. is needed to get my leg sessions up to par again.

 

[puccah8808]

I stopped deadlifting and squatting for almost 2 months, and before that only did light lifting for almost a year.

I just got tired of it and didn't want to deal with it anymore. My strength dropped like crazy.

Getting under the bar scares me because I feel like I don't know my own strength anymore. :/

 

[EMPIREMIND]

I stopped deadlifting and squatting for almost 2 months, and before that only did light lifting for almost a year.

I just got tired of it and didn't want to deal with it anymore. My strength dropped like crazy.

Getting under the bar scares me because I feel like I don't know my own strength anymore. :/

I understand that feeling. i hadnt done barbell squats or bench for over 6 months, but this past week i decided to get back, took it slow. Was kinda shocked i gained on my lifts. I havent been this sore in a lonnnggg time lol.

 

[sparks2012]

EMPIREMIND

I'm interested in the methods used that the bodybuilder you're training under had you use in place of traditional squats/benching. If you don't mind divulging that info anyway. I'm sure he wasn't training you for free, so if there's some "secrets" I completely understand if you don't wanna share those lol

 

[EMPIREMIND]

EMPIREMIND

I'm interested in the methods used that the bodybuilder you're training under had you use in place of traditional squats/benching. If you don't mind divulging that info anyway. I'm sure he wasn't training you for free, so if there's some "secrets" I completely understand if you don't wanna share those lol

The only time we really use barbells are with back(deads t bars and bentover rows) and with stiff leg deads from hamstrings.

Other than that most of the work was done on the smith. Squats with no lockout and leg presses. Leg extensions and lying leg presses with slow negatives.

The overall technique is time under tension and keeping the load off the joints. Alot of what he does is partial reps, but it works. Very well. Its decieving because it goes against alot of what people will tell you, but this dude is massive and chiseled year round. I trust him because anyone who stays consistenly in that shape for 25 years and is 50 knows whaT they are doing.

In little under a year of training with him i went from 215 tto 268 and back down to currently 235 and dropping. The difference is in my back shoulders chest and arms.

 

[sparks2012]

Interesting. I've had huge success in using partials as far as my shoulders go, but I started doing full ROM again to change it up. As far as partials for legs, not something you hear of often unless it's used as an intensity technique for iso moves like extensions or curls. Were your lying leg presses done on a smith? I've tried that before, and I liked it but unfortunately the gym I use most of the the time has a smith where one side glides more freely than the other therefore weight distribution is off. But yeah man, anyone in that shape at that age clearly knows a thing or two. Guess it's time to back off the weight and keep TUT high for a bit. Thanks for the info.

 

[EMPIREMIND]

Interesting. I've had huge success in using partials as far as my shoulders go, but I started doing full ROM again to change it up. As far as partials for legs, not something you hear of often unless it's used as an intensity technique for iso moves like extensions or curls. Were your lying leg presses done on a smith? I've tried that before, and I liked it but unfortunately the gym I use most of the the time has a smith where one side glides more freely than the other therefore weight distribution is off. But yeah man, anyone in that shape at that age clearly knows a thing or two. Guess it's time to back off the weight and keep TUT high for a bit. Thanks for the info.

The leg presses were done on a standard plate loaded leg press machine. Pretty standard reps, not really partials, but no lock out and alot of reps. He would have me do drop sets of over 200 cumulative reps. I couldnt stand after that. The tut for legs was mostly done on the squats on the smith. I wish i could tell more but he was very very instinctual. Like i would do ten reps of squats and on my last rep he made me stay in a range of motion that was slightly above me being parallel and do mini reps until failure.... Brutal. I wouldnt know what was going to happen next lol which is why it probly worked. For example one day on the incline bench he would put me on the smith and say do 50 reps (45 on each side). I did the 50, then. He put two more 45's on each side and told me that my set was about to start lol.

 

[sparks2012]

The leg presses were done on a standard plate loaded leg press machine. Pretty standard reps, not really partials, but no lock out and alot of reps. He would have me do drop sets of over 200 cumulative reps. I couldnt stand after that. The tut for legs was mostly done on the squats on the smith. I wish i could tell more but he was very very instinctual. Like i would do ten reps of squats and on my last rep he made me stay in a range of motion that was slightly above me being parallel and do mini reps until failure.... Brutal. I wouldnt know what was going to happen next lol which is why it probly worked. For example one day on the incline bench he would put me on the smith and say do 50 reps (45 on each side). I did the 50, then. He put two more 45's on each side and told me that my set was about to start lol.

Jesus dude that's brutal. I dig instinctual training, but you gotta be careful otherwise you can get yourself in a rut. Clearly not the case for you though, you had someone pushing you constantly. I, however, train by myself so it's easy to cross that line between instinctual and being in a comfort zone. That is crazy though, good on you for sticking it out. I'm sure the results speak for themselves.

 

[EMPIREMIND]

Jesus dude that's brutal. I dig instinctual training, but you gotta be careful otherwise you can get yourself in a rut. Clearly not the case for you though, you had someone pushing you constantly. I, however, train by myself so it's easy to cross that line between instinctual and being in a comfort zone. That is crazy though, good on you for sticking it out. I'm sure the results speak for themselves.

Yea once he started to learn my limits he began to really push me and we started doing stuff like that. It took time and chemistry though. I love volume training so this was perfect for me. Im lucky to be friend with him.

On another note i would look into dc training if you havent already. One of the best things ive come across. I take pieces of it but havent ran the whole program yet. If you train alone i think it could really help.

 

[sparks2012]

Yea once he started to learn my limits he began to really push me and we started doing stuff like that. It took time and chemistry though. I love volume training so this was perfect for me. Im lucky to be friend with him.

On another note i would look into dc training if you havent already. One of the best things ive come across. I take pieces of it but havent ran the whole program yet. If you train alone i think it could really help.

I haven't really looked into DC training. Back when I first started in 2011-2012 I was reading through some forums on BB.com about it. Since I've joined this site, I've seen it mentioned on forum after forum, which means it must work. On a side note, I took the TUT method to a new level when I did legs two nights ago. After my first working set my hams and glutes were pumped TF up. I did BB squats but didn't lockout and kept constant tension except for when I got to my later working sets, I just paused at the top to rest so I could squeeze out a few more. It's definitely an ego check when you're doing that. Same with leg press, constant tension and slow negs. I'll be sticking with a focus on TUT for a while, I think something as simple as that is what I needed to get refocused.

 

[EMPIREMIND]

I haven't really looked into DC training. Back when I first started in 2011-2012 I was reading through some forums on BB.com about it. Since I've joined this site, I've seen it mentioned on forum after forum, which means it must work. On a side note, I took the TUT method to a new level when I did legs two nights ago. After my first working set my hams and glutes were pumped TF up. I did BB squats but didn't lockout and kept constant tension except for when I got to my later working sets, I just paused at the top to rest so I could squeeze out a few more. It's definitely an ego check when you're doing that. Same with leg press, constant tension and slow negs. I'll be sticking with a focus on TUT for a while, I think something as simple as that is what I needed to get refocused.

Yea i found it very effective for me and is alot easier on the joints. Sometimes that change up gets you in the right groove to make progress again when things slow up.

 

[ryox82]

Nothing beats the barbell, but I have to say after not deadlifting for a long time the only thing that preserved my strength in that arena was heavy kettlebell swings. It's something that can be used to warm you up or easy you back into movements that require the hip hinge. There will be imbalances though unless you are doing other quad work. There is a large gap between my squat and dead now because of that.

 

[kisaj]

On another note i would look into dc training if you havent already. One of the best things ive come across. I take pieces of it but havent ran the whole program yet. If you train alone i think it could really help.

IMO, there is nothing that will put on mass and strength like DC/RP training.

 

[EMPIREMIND]

IMO, there is nothing that will put on mass and strength like DC/RP training.

I really need to run that program this winter. It looks incredible

 

[Vector300]

IMO, there is nothing that will put on mass and strength like DC/RP training.

That's what I'm currently running. Really liking it but it's definitely unlike anything I've done before. I too am taking pieces here and there. Mostly because I train alone and I'm a basement gym with access to barbell/bodyweight only.

How are you setting up your training DC/RP method?