I noticed a discussion on hamstrings earlier, maybe this will help:

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article...t_of_hamstrings

I wouldn't call myself a bodybuilder, but i play the guitar

As iamyuanwu said, in FF there is a bar that is similar to the olympic bar, but it is half in length, it weighs 10kg by itself.

If you're gonna do one handed lifts you might want to start with that, it allows you use higher weights because there is less demand on your core to stabilise it.

But holy s*** 100kg+ single handed deadlift.

Not hating or anything, but did you keep your back in a proper position? Just saying, always make sure your back is in proper position and don't round your back, otherwise it could cause trouble. Again, congratulations!

You will most likely be able to do MORE than 50kg.

Dumbbell Bench Press requires equal force exerted from both hands, but if one hand is stronger than another (and usually it is), you will be able to lift more when using Barbells.

Also, dumbbells place more stress on the core in order to balance the weight, thus reducing the weight you can use.

Most likely, you will be able to use more with a barbell.

I think the best thing for you would be to get on the Rippetoes program, it is perfect for beginners who want to maximise their newbie gains. Hell I used it after 1.5 years of lifting, and I got the best gains of my life, putting on 10kg in 3 months.

How's your diet like

Diet seems fine, though you should add in protein to your mid morning snack. I'm a university student as well, I usually pack some chicken steak. It's actually pre-cooked, and you can get it from carrefour, so in the morning just heat it up in the microwave and eat later. It still tastes decent even when I eat it around 5pm.

Just curious, where do you workout at?

Heavy shrugging is the way to go to build traps.

You should mix it up between using dumbbells and barbells.

With dumbbells - the range of motion for your traps is larger, you can even do one side at a time. But you will be using less weight.

With barbells, this is when it's time to go heavy. The best exercise would be shrugging while holding the barbell behind your back.

All the best.

I think the problem with powerlifting is that it's difficult.

It's relatively easy to bulk up and put on muscle. It's also relatively easier to drop bodyfat.

But it's much more difficult to put on 10kgs on your bench press if you're past the beginner stage. You have to first analyse your body type, which grip width will be more suitable etc. Then you have to analyse your lift, where do you fail? I've read an article by Dave Tate where he said he had a lifter constantly failing to lock out, so that means tricep strength issues. Do you immediately add in tricep work? Do you cut down the volume of benching and replace it with board presses? In that article, he had his lifter cut out normal bench presses and replaced them with heavier tricep work instead.

This is only a very small part of powerlifting, and I think that's what turns people off. Most people are not willing to work hard for it. How else do you explain people using the same weights for an exercise throughout the entire year?

It's not a sport for everyone I guess, it's for those who have the willingness and dedication to be the best that they can be. And unfortunately, very few are like that.

I think you misunderstood what he was saying.

I don't know the exact article the guy is talking about, but I know Chad Waterbury from T-Nation was a big proportion of this system - Don't focus on how many sets of how many reps, instead get a total number of reps (25) and do as many sets as you need with a certain weight to achieve 25 reps and you will definitely grow. For example, you pick 50kg to bench press and your sets might go like this:

Set 1: 5 reps
Set 2: 4 reps
Set 3: 4 reps
Set 4: 2 reps
Set 5: 2 reps
Set 6: 2 reps
Set 7: 1 rep
Set 8: 2 reps
Set 9: 3 reps

Just saying this might be what was referred to.

Also on a side note, not a personal attack at you, but training until you're "friggin sore 3 times a week" is not the most optimum way to increase strength on the bench press, or most compound exercises for that matter.

But all that aside, I have to agree with you, while slightly elaborating. Pick a program, stick with it for 12 weeks, don't miss a workout, work your a$$ off, eat properly and sleep well. The results you'll see in 12 weeks will be astonishing.

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Added on October 28, 2009, 10:41 pmFor breakfast:

Eat 1 slice of bread, no butter

For lunch:

Skip

For dinner:

Repeat breakfast or lunch, up to you

As for workout routine, go to gym, spend 15 minutes on stairclimber while watching Ellen Degeneres, walk to free weights area, do 3 sets of 10 bicep curls, then go to the elliptical machine for another 15 minutes. Staring at cardio bunnies is optional.

You're welcome.

*Sorry you should have picked a better role model. Zac Efron? Come on man.*

This post has been edited by Desvaro: Oct 28 2009, 10:41 PM

First of all, my mistake. I didn't realise that he was a beginner, which was why I went into such detail. My apologies.

In this case, I can't agree with you more, shut up and lift consistently. The beginner period is when you're supposed to maximise your 'newbie gains'. You can literally put a new plate on the bar every workout when you're still in a beginner level, or at the very least, add weight to the bar every week.

p.s. I'm a daily reader of T-Nation, but I never really realised that what Chad Waterburry does, people like Dave Tate or Joe Defranco do not. Can you please expand on that if you don't mind? Cause that is really interesting.

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Added on October 28, 2009, 11:24 pmThe problem with you is that you're doing what some people would say 'majoring in the minors'. You're too focused on the small things. You appear to be a beginner, yet you keep focusing on small little details.

I still remember when I was a beginner. I logged on to bb.com, somehow read through the AnimalPak series of workouts. I was a pure beginner that time, and here I was doing 'advanced' bodybuilding routines. The difference was, I poured my heart and soul into the routine, and yes I made decent progress. Could I have made better progress? Hell Yes. But I made progress because I worked my a$$ off. There were times when I could barely put on my school uniform after chest training the day before.

If you can do 4x12 with 20kgs, then what are you waiting for? Increase the weight. See you're too focused on 4 SETS OF 12 REPS. Throw that out of the window. The keyword for you is PROGRESS. To be more specific, progressive overload.

In every workout, you must have done something BETTER than the previous workout. Say now you go to 25kg. You get 4x8. Next workout, aim higher, 4x10 perhaps. See where I'm getting at. FOCUS ON PUTTING YOUR EFFORT INTO MAKING PROGRESS.

You don't want to be a skinny freak, but you want to start at 10% bodyfat? Dude just get your protein in, and the rest will take care of itself. Unless you are already very fat to begin with.

And by the way, slimming down is not about fatburners and cardio till die. If it was so easy, everyone would have 8 pack abs. Including Sean Kingston

This post has been edited by Desvaro: Oct 28 2009, 11:24 PM

Wow you actually messaged them and they replied! To me that would be the equivalent of an 11 year old girl getting a letter from the Backstreet Boys!!

Well Waterbury does train MMA fighters also, this was mentioned in his most recent article on T-Nation. Yes the T-Nation authors do have different 'expertise', but many have said (including myself) that if you look closely, you'll find more similarities than differences.

But what you said is true, especially the last point. Everyone looks at Arnold, or Ronnie Coleman, or Jay Cutler and go HEY IF I DO HIS PROGRAM THEN I WILL BE JUST LIKE HIM.

One great lesson I have learned is that at the end of the day, while it is good (and even informative) to read articles written by different people on different methods, you must ultimately pick the one that is most suitable to yourself.

When you're a true beginner, just starting out, do something established such as Rippetoes. When you stall on that, then it's time to branch out. You have to know your body, and this takes time. Most people love to jump straight onto a bodybuilding routine of 3x8-12 reps with bodypart splits. I'm not saying it doesn't work, but it might not be optimal for you.

I myself found that I respond best to lower rep workouts, such as 5x5 5/3/1 and things like that. I found that when I focused on strength, size came along as well.

I guess at the end of the day, the focus is on being the best you can be.

And well these days, everyone wants everything fast. They think that by lifting weights for 2 weeks BOOM they'll be the next Arnold. If only it were that simple.

Oh well.

This post has been edited by Desvaro: Oct 28 2009, 11:53 PM

I thought you were checking out some guy's butt initially, his shorts seem a little tight though.

Oh yeah nice calves. Uphill work usually puts a lot of strain on the calf.

It's not homo if you don't fap, just saying...

Thank you for posting this up.

That website is a wealth of information!

Good job man! Keep it up!

Do you mind sharing your before and after stats (weight and bf%)?

Despite the fact that you lost 40lbs, you look like you are muscular at 175lbs than at 215lbs.

Once again good job, keep it up.

What are your next goals?

Fitness First does not have anything like that.

However, I personally use a tennis ball instead. It hurts much more, but the good kind of hurt. Although it does help to think of naked women while foam rolling really tight areas, just to take your mind off what's going on.

To those of you who are doing or want to do carb cycling, read this please:

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article...to_carb_cycling

He's doing stronglifts which is a 5x5 program, how exactly does 'more rep will help'

Wah so cwever!

Hey guys, I wrote an article and I would appreciate if you guys can give some constructive feedback here:

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?act=ST&f...0#entry30389757

Thank you