Not true, you can do one-handed push ups.

You can work up to a really really good strength level with just BW exercises alone - many of which are harder than weights.

Just to clarify, I lift weights because I like it. But I also climb with several hardcore climbers and they beat me pound for pound strengthwise.

Pull ups, BTN Pull up, muscle up, one-handed pull up, flags, pistol squats - all are not easy at all.

But you probably won't get ripped from em unless you have really great genes.

Yeah I forgot - handstand pushups too are a killer......

This post has been edited by DJJD: Apr 27 2012, 01:40 PM

Agree with you on hypertrophy. Weights are always gonna be more efficient and have trackable progress.

But for someone who doesn't want to pay for a gym, assuming they are disciplined enough can build a reasonable amount of muscle with no weights. Check out the "ghetto workouts" video on youtube.

Assume handstand pushup for someone at 70kgs. assuming you do one, that is more or less a 160lb military press - which is a lot of weight! While progressive overload can be done by increasing reps not just weight.

There is a limit though I agree.

Please go for checkup immediately. For your long-term health.

This is one of the symptoms of hernia. Especially around lower lumbar area.

I'm serious.

It depends on your form.

Good form, good growth. Bad form, you're in for trouble.

Personally for me, I barely do the classic deadlift anymore and sometimes I throw in a few (light) sets of straight leg deads on leg day

Tweaked my back really really badly a few months a go with admittedly poor form while warming up on 2 plates a side (only ard 200-220 give or take).

Took me 2 1/2 weeks to feel "normal" again and thank god no hernia.

Scary knowing slightly sloppy form on such light weights can put you in a world of pain (my max lift was around 320lbs + bar) and I couldn't lie on my back for 3 days. Was so shit scared I'd need surgery on a hernia.

Now I just use the ***** back extension machine.

I train at J33 too and I think your form was either off or it "looked" off because people were staring at you. Don't worry keep training and those people and PTs will respect you.

I front squat with heavier weights and the PTs leave me alone hehe.

Don't use plates of different sizes if possible. Although the weights are "technically" the same, the distribution is all wrong. As you progress through to heavier weights, the heavier the weights with wrong distribution the worse the impact on your body. You'd probably end up favoring one side, and overtraining it or pull something.

If you keep doing that, its a hernia waiting to happen.

And trust me, you DON'T want a hernia.

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Added on July 2, 2012, 4:21 pmIf you are a sadist, you can do zerchers.

They are "safe" but try not to write anything until your arms get used to it...........

Alternatively, db split squats.

This post has been edited by DJJD: Jul 2 2012, 04:21 PM

Sorry but that's bro-science.

There's no doubt squat is an effective muscle builder but there's no scientific evidence to suggest it is THE most effective muscle/strength builder.

It depends on ones goals and how the body responds. I've stopped doing back squats for 1 year and replaced with front squats + lunges. I find without heavy back squats I can do two serious exercises instead of one serious and one half-assed and thus, more growth.

Not suggesting everyone is like me - just that, different people different needs. Not everything Rippetoe says is the gospel.

I'm sorry but I have to disagree.

Firstly, back squats activates many different muscles I agree but all to different extents. You can't seriously suggest you get a good core workout just by doing squats. You'd still need to do ab and core work separately.

Secondly, there are many different styles of back squats - bar and leg placement can change emphasis on different muscle groups. There is "BB style" where you hold the bar high on our back behind shoulders. There is olympic style where the stance is wide, and then there is powerlifting style where the bar sits lower on the upper back.

Even then it still depends on someones individual biomechanics. Powerlifting style in strict form tries to leverage on glute muscles but trades off on quads, while standard back squat BB style is not an effective glute builder.

Last but not least, I doubt anyone goes to the gym just to do one exercise. Since squat as you say activates many muscle groups going hard and heavy on back squats may leave one too drained to do anything other than accessory exercises. For me, I find, if I do front squats + lunges I still retain enough in the tank for heavier lunges after front squats since I save my glutes for the lunges. YMMV - thats the beauty of lifting, its individual.

No, but you can train them through lunges which can be as good as squats.

I don't wanna argue on this topic, but from my experience (which may relate to me only, YMMV), squat is overrated as a "total muscle builder" and I learned it the hard way by being overly focused on back squats and not focused enough on the accessory training.

At that point (1 year back) I figured heav back squats was all that was needed (besides RDL for hammies and glute-ham raises) and long story short I suffered a nasty ITB pull due to muscle imbalances that left me hobbling for more than 1 month. All because my hip flexors and adductors were nastily undertrained compared to my quads.

I now train adductors once a fortnight.

Haha I have love-hate relationship with lunges.
Love cos it is such a useful and versatile exercise, can improve all your lower body muscles depending on which way you do it.
Hate cos it is painful and hard to do!

But if u wanna improve your stamina which is important for football, try doing walking lunge with light weight or even body weight. Like lunging 200m around the gym w body weight, sounds easy but it is not if you maintain strict form!

As a bonus, do it after heavy hack squats, let us know if you feel like dying haha.

Yep definitely get peanut butter.
Get eggs too - lots of eggs. You can eat it raw (if you dare) or just pop into boiling water for few minutes.
Instant oats is damn good too - let me give you my recipe, 1 part instant oats, 1 part hot boiling water (1:1 ratio or if you like it less water) then 1-2 scoops chunky Peanut Butter + 1-2 tbspoon honey. Damn amazing breakfast. You can add 1-2 scoop fullcream milk powder and it will taste even more awesome (before you add boiling water).
Nuts - peanut, cashews, almonds
Fish oil

Consider it a good thing bro!

The less people look awesome, the more unique you look, and thus the more you standout.

This post has been edited by DJJD: Jul 8 2012, 09:49 PM

I do my OHP seated, with dumbbells.

I did try standing OHP (military presses) but heavier weights doesn't agree with me, causing major stress on my lower back (dunno if imbalance?) no matter how hard I try to keep upright.

One thing to note about Smith Machine OHP is to watch for your wrists, I screwed up my wrists quite badly doing high-volume work on the smith for OHPs. It may be just my individual biomechanics, but I find when I go a little lower than ideal on the smith (unavoidable when fatigued) it puts major pressure on my wrists.

How many times are you doing chest shoulders and triceps? 3x a week?? Not only is it excessive its counterproductive.

Do legs, then take a break tmr.

Working out without sufficient recovery time is a recipe for a sub-par workout.......you may as well take a rest or work another part and hit it with a vengeance when fresh.

This post has been edited by DJJD: Jul 11 2012, 11:03 AM

Nope I only train one-two bodyparts a day but I train 5-6 days a week (cos I got no life yo!)

Chest (+ 1 set triceps)
Back (+ 1 set forearms/biceps)
Legs (Quads + Hams)
Shoulders (+ calves)
Arms (bi+tri)
Plus One (this is a special day in which I keep as a "spare" to work on what I wanna focus on. For example, I may do back twice a week if I feel some areas are lagging, or chest. Sometimes I do high freq low weight work, sometimes just BW workouts and sometimes if I'm tired just a little core work + cardio). Help keeps it interesting and spices it up a little.

Rest day (cardio at home, or swimming).

All in all usually 1 hour max at the gym, but never less than 45 mins.

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Added on July 11, 2012, 11:33 amIf its only 2x a week make sure there's adequate rest period in between.

There shouldn't be any reason why you are only resting 24-48 hours between heavy chest/tri work......

Space it out more, but hit the weight room harder.

This post has been edited by DJJD: Jul 11 2012, 11:33 AM

Hard to say, everyone is different.

From my experience it will definitely mess with your performance - but thats just me.

The better question is, why would you feel so concerned about doing chest tri n shoulders again when you havent done legs? Don't have chicken legs bro.

The iron game is measured in years not days weeks or even months.

Dont worry about one missed workout too much, especially if youre still sore. Instead hit another part with a vengeance.

Good genetics.

Arm size unfortunately is highly dependent on genetics + overall size.

If you have good genes you can have disproportionately large arms. If not, and you have average/lousy genes, then you will need to be "big" before you get big arms.

Most people can't be popeye sadly.

Leg day yesterday and I tried out a new routine: Death By Squats!

First, low rep heavy back squats till I reached by 3 rep max for 3x.

Then, switch the bar over to front squats, high rep (relatively) low weight.

Felt like dying, and walking up stairs is hell today, but whaddya know I still think it was worth it!!

Dude's gotta have problems finding pants that fit!!!