Well I have been doing Rippetoe for about three weeks now and I brought my friend along for the ride. We’re using DB’s – crappy school gym that I only have to use for a few more weeks – and just following the program using rows instead of power cleans.
I’ve made some good progress so far, though I am aching to get under a barbell soon. My friend on the other hand is convinced he’s making no progress, well, because he isn’t. He skips days at the gym, he eats like shit, hardly drinks water, and just doesn’t want it bad enough. To top it all off, I walk into the gym today and find him doing curls and lateral raises because he doesn’t feel worn out after Rippetoe. I tell him he isn’t lifting enough weight then he complains how the weights hurt his hands.
On one hand, I tell him he’s a little bitch, lift harder, but on the other hand I almost feel the same way. We don’t have enough weight for the rows, deadlifts, and squats really so I’m left doing them with 50lb DB’s. It’s the right weight for the squat but definitely not enough for the deadlift and row. When I get out of the gym, it just feels like I haven’t fully exerted myself.
Any ideas? Am I wasting my time with the DB’s for the next few weeks?
You say you only have a couple more weeks in the crappy gym… where will you workout afterwards?
Use this time to PERFECT your form. Get your body used to all the movements you can. Perhaps even double-up on the accessories (Pull-ups, situps, dips, hypers) for the time being.
What’s the limit on the DBs? Only up to 50#? That is a pretty crappy gym, even for a school.
Your friend sounds like he’s not serious about lifting. Don’t train with him, because he’ll likely end up dragging you down. Find a more motivated lifting partner.
Maybe someone more knowledgeable than I can suggest an alternate program to use, given your circumstances.
As much as I like the 5x5, if you can’t use the right weights for it, then you’re just understimulated. Check this out.
The one dumbbell workout
http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=459205
And ditch the friend. You don’t need that headache.
After I graduate I’ll be joining a Gold’s for the summer then I’ll be off to college with a sick varsity athletics weight room.
And yes, the limit is 50 lbs, very crappy indeed.
I’m a little hesitant to just give up the Rippetoe’s because I want to continue with the program through the summer. Are there any exercises to replace deadlifts and rows for the next few weeks that are a bit harder and require less weight?
single arm db rows, db cleans; I only suggest this because you said previously that 50 lbs was the right weight for the squat
it hurts his hands? thats pretty wussy. i wonder what he’ll do when you do heavy deadliftts and his callouses start to break up.
oh btw they hurt less when you get callouses and if you have chalk. also make sure your elbow is locked out during deadlifts and your grip is as tight as possible
hey im starting rippetoe’s too. how have your size gains been?
Size gains have been okay, feel better and look a little better in the mirror but not sure how much mass I have gained.
Do you guys have any recommendations for off day training? I love going to the gym too much to only go 3 days a week no matter how sore I am.
[quote]masters2010 wrote:
Do you guys have any recommendations for off day training? I love going to the gym too much to only go 3 days a week no matter how sore I am.[/quote]
Play tennis. Seriously. Or roller hockey, basketball, some sort of physical activity that isn’t too taxing. Maybe not roller hockey. Quick paced walking would be good for you as well. If you hit it hard enough on your training days, you really shouldn’t be looking for more to do on off days. Your body needs to recover.
[quote]masters2010 wrote:
Do you guys have any recommendations for off day training? I love going to the gym too much to only go 3 days a week no matter how sore I am.[/quote]
I do a 15 minute HIIT session on Tuesday and Thursday. If you want to throw some extra cardio in there, go for it, just don’t lift on those off days.
I’m definitely getting some good size gains but also noticing some extra jiggling around the stomach area. I know I’ll gain some fat while bulking but it’s just not exactly what I want right now.