Hi, I’ve been lifting weights for a couple of years, but I’ve hit a big plateu and I really want to increase numbers in my Bench, Deadlift, and Squats. Are there any good gyms with serious trainers that can help me accomplish this in the LA area?
(im tired of LA Fitness and 24 Hour with trainers that dont even lift or know what theyre doing, let alone will help me with workouts that aren’t based around doing 120 reps of curls while standing on a balance ball).
Thanks in advance.
do you mean ‘are there any powerlifting gyms in the LA region?’ i’m sure there are. why a personal trainer??? find a non-stupid program for powerlifters (of which there are many) and get to work! i wouldn’t be looking for a personal trainer (one who instructs and doesn’t necessarily practice) so much as people who are training (just like you) who are making progress on those goals. Best thing of all… If you have motivation from within then those later people will often help you for free.
I don’t workout at this gym, but it’s known for strength coaching and strongman. If I were looking for a strength coach in Orange County, I’d contact Scott Brengel there. I know there are people on here who drive down from as far as Santa Barbara to go to his weekend training sessions. When I talked to him about groups, he had a group of women he was training on Wednesday evenings.
[quote]alexus wrote:
do you mean ‘are there any powerlifting gyms in the LA region?’ i’m sure there are. why a personal trainer??? find a non-stupid program for powerlifters (of which there are many) and get to work! i wouldn’t be looking for a personal trainer (one who instructs and doesn’t necessarily practice) so much as people who are training (just like you) who are making progress on those goals. Best thing of all… If you have motivation from within then those later people will often help you for free.[/quote]
Yeah I guess that’s what I meant and thanks for your input.
I do have motivation, but I need a trainer or someone who’s more experienced than myself not for motivation, but to help me break through plateus, help me work around injuries (should any arise, hopefully not), and just ensure that my numbers increase. I’ve been stuck for a few months.
[quote]Powerpuff wrote:
I don’t workout at this gym, but it’s known for strength coaching and strongman. If I were looking for a strength coach in Orange County, I’d contact Scott Brengel there. I know there are people on here who drive down from as far as Santa Barbara to go to his weekend training sessions. When I talked to him about groups, he had a group of women he was training on Wednesday evenings.
http://www.eastweststrength.com/[/quote]
Thanks for the link, this place looks insane haha. Definitely not LA Fitness.
ehhh LAF is fairly well equipped for a commercial gym. I train at one.
you mention plateaus. what’s your diet like?
[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:
ehhh LAF is fairly well equipped for a commercial gym. I train at one.
you mention plateaus. what’s your diet like?[/quote]
LA Fitness/24HR/Gold’s are all very well equipped gyms with tons of machines and things to use no doubt about that, but their personal training is absolutely terrible. Those trainers don’t train you to squat 600, they train you to lose weight as if you were a 500 lb. fatman.
My diet is good, it’s like 40/40/20. I eat a lot.
What’s your gameplan in the gym? Are you on a specific program?
Another reason why I’d like a trainer is because it’s a good idea to have a spotter with you when you work out with heavy weights, and I work out alone.
I’m sure you have some big guys that train there. why don’t you just chat one up and ask for his help? my gym has a few guys who are around 220-240 at 5’8" to 6" that look jacked as all hell. then there’s this ginormous fucker named George who is aiming for a 1900 raw total. I’ve seen him squat 5pps like he was warming up. he wore a belt and knee wraps and did six or so of the easiest looking reps I’ve ever seen.
I plan on getting as big as possible by February, and to do that I’m following a basic split and eating until I can’t breathe anymore. LAF will be more than enough for my needs unless I need db’s heavier than 125 lb.
as for the spotter bit, I don’t think I’ve asked the same person for a spot yet. but 1) you should be crystal clear with how/when/where you want your spot and 2) you should be able to handle the weight you’re using.
as for your diet, I appreciate that you posted ratios but a total caloric intake would be more helpful.
[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:
I’m sure you have some big guys that train there. why don’t you just chat one up and ask for his help? my gym has a few guys who are around 220-240 at 5’8" to 6" that look jacked as all hell. then there’s this ginormous fucker named George who is aiming for a 1900 raw total. I’ve seen him squat 5pps like he was warming up. he wore a belt and knee wraps and did six or so of the easiest looking reps I’ve ever seen.
I plan on getting as big as possible by February, and to do that I’m following a basic split and eating until I can’t breathe anymore. LAF will be more than enough for my needs unless I need db’s heavier than 125 lb.
as for the spotter bit, I don’t think I’ve asked the same person for a spot yet. but 1) you should be crystal clear with how/when/where you want your spot and 2) you should be able to handle the weight you’re using.
as for your diet, I appreciate that you posted ratios but a total caloric intake would be more helpful.[/quote]
I’ve talked to some of the big guys in the gym and they give very generic answers, (i.e. eat a lot, lift big). I need someone who’s going to walk me through this almost, who can critique the way I lift and tell me when I should move up the weight, or when I should de-load, etc. The big guys are normal gym guys, not trainers and I don’t want to be bothersome and distract them from their own workouts.
I’m 5’9" 175 with about 15-16% BF, I eat around 2500 cals.
I guess for right now for some guidance I’m going to begin the 5/3/1 Boring But Big program. I’m just looking to get as strong as possible.
[quote]GluteStrength wrote:
[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:
I’m sure you have some big guys that train there. why don’t you just chat one up and ask for his help? my gym has a few guys who are around 220-240 at 5’8" to 6" that look jacked as all hell. then there’s this ginormous fucker named George who is aiming for a 1900 raw total. I’ve seen him squat 5pps like he was warming up. he wore a belt and knee wraps and did six or so of the easiest looking reps I’ve ever seen.
I plan on getting as big as possible by February, and to do that I’m following a basic split and eating until I can’t breathe anymore. LAF will be more than enough for my needs unless I need db’s heavier than 125 lb.
as for the spotter bit, I don’t think I’ve asked the same person for a spot yet. but 1) you should be crystal clear with how/when/where you want your spot and 2) you should be able to handle the weight you’re using.
as for your diet, I appreciate that you posted ratios but a total caloric intake would be more helpful.[/quote]
I’ve talked to some of the big guys in the gym and they give very generic answers, (i.e. eat a lot, lift big). I need someone who’s going to walk me through this almost, who can critique the way I lift and tell me when I should move up the weight, or when I should de-load, etc. The big guys are normal gym guys, not trainers and I don’t want to be bothersome and distract them from their own workouts.
I’m 5’9" 175 with about 15-16% BF, I eat around 2500 cals.
I guess for right now for some guidance I’m going to begin the 5/3/1 Boring But Big program. I’m just looking to get as strong as possible.[/quote]
you can get critique by takings vids of your lifts and posting them on here. I’ve gotten plenty of tips on where/how to fix my squat and deadlift from more experienced lifters on this site. you can also watch the squat, deadlift and bench series from elitefts, rippetoe et al.
5/3/1 or any good program will tell you when to go up in weight or deload.
I’m also 5’9" but between 200-205, no idea of my body fat level. but I can tell you that I’m getting more than 2500kcal from p/c alone. try increasing your total kcal and see if that helps.
[quote]GluteStrength wrote:
I’m 5’9" 175 with about 15-16% BF, I eat around 2500 cals.
[/quote]
2500 cals? That might be a huge hint right there.
What are you lifting on the lifts you’ve plateaued on?
[quote]Just_Matt wrote:
[quote]GluteStrength wrote:
I’m 5’9" 175 with about 15-16% BF, I eat around 2500 cals.
[/quote]
2500 cals? That might be a huge hint right there.
What are you lifting on the lifts you’ve plateaued on? [/quote]
I guess I should’ve been more clear in my original post (my fault) but…
I don’t want to actually train on a full-blown powerlifting routine (since I’m not looking to excel in the sport of powerlifting), however, I want to train somewhat similar to that to gain an extraordinary amount of strength to supplement my other training (and sport of wrestling). Trainers at the aforementioned gyms have no clue on strength training it seems, or at best they just discourage and avoid it.
I eat 2500 calories because I’m trying to stay within my weight division and I gain weight very easily.
My lifts are:
Bench: 350
Deadlift: 315
Squat: 375
I at least want to bring all of those numbers into the 400’s.
hm. well, having to stay within your weight class complicates things. you’ll have to get advice from more experienced members on this topic.
i think my other comments are still valid though. listening to critique from experienced members (read: those with numbers higher than yours) will help a LOT. i posted in the powerlifting forum for my deadlift and got a lot of help.
also, look in the training logs for 165StateChamp (or something like that). iirc he also has to stay within a weight class for powerlifting, and wrestled in high school (or college? can’t remember). his numbers are no joke.
[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:
hm. well, having to stay within your weight class complicates things. you’ll have to get advice from more experienced members on this topic.
i think my other comments are still valid though. listening to critique from experienced members (read: those with numbers higher than yours) will help a LOT. i posted in the powerlifting forum for my deadlift and got a lot of help.
also, look in the training logs for 165StateChamp (or something like that). iirc he also has to stay within a weight class for powerlifting, and wrestled in high school (or college? can’t remember). his numbers are no joke.[/quote]
Thanks for the replies, I appreciate it.
[quote]GluteStrength wrote:
[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:
hm. well, having to stay within your weight class complicates things. you’ll have to get advice from more experienced members on this topic.
i think my other comments are still valid though. listening to critique from experienced members (read: those with numbers higher than yours) will help a LOT. i posted in the powerlifting forum for my deadlift and got a lot of help.
also, look in the training logs for 165StateChamp (or something like that). iirc he also has to stay within a weight class for powerlifting, and wrestled in high school (or college? can’t remember). his numbers are no joke.[/quote]
Thanks for the replies, I appreciate it.
[/quote]
yw. also, your numbers are pretty damn good imo. not earth shattering by any means but, hell, if i tried to push 3 pps on bench or squat now i’d probably get pinned.
i hope you progress well after getting some help here and push those numbers up to 4 pps!
[quote]GluteStrength wrote:
[quote]Just_Matt wrote:
[quote]GluteStrength wrote:
I’m 5’9" 175 with about 15-16% BF, I eat around 2500 cals.
[/quote]
2500 cals? That might be a huge hint right there.
What are you lifting on the lifts you’ve plateaued on? [/quote]
I guess I should’ve been more clear in my original post (my fault) but…
I don’t want to actually train on a full-blown powerlifting routine (since I’m not looking to excel in the sport of powerlifting), however, I want to train somewhat similar to that to gain an extraordinary amount of strength to supplement my other training (and sport of wrestling). Trainers at the aforementioned gyms have no clue on strength training it seems, or at best they just discourage and avoid it.
I eat 2500 calories because I’m trying to stay within my weight division and I gain weight very easily.
My lifts are:
Bench: 350
Deadlift: 315
Squat: 375
I at least want to bring all of those numbers into the 400’s.[/quote]
Wow, your lift numbers are very…unusual. Have you spent a lot more time benching than anything else? Being an athlete I think you would really benefit by concentrating on the muscles involved in the squat and deadlift. If you are benching 350 and deadlifting 315, I’m pretty sure you most likely have some major muscle imbalances.
It is not a bad idea at all to look for some guidance. But refine your search a bit, and look more for Performance Coaches who have a personal background in the strength game. I am sure in a city as big as LA that there are some that fit the bill. If you are looking for letters after someone’s name (not a fool-proof method) but a place to start… look for NSCA-CSCS, or USAW Sports Performance Coach. As a strength coach who works with strength athletes and competes, I can tell you we are out there. But a typical Personal Trainer will have no idea how to get you were you want to be. Not all trainers are bad, but in all honesty… many are morons. It pays to have set of eyes on you that knows what to look for and can give you the proper cues to correct your form on the spot, as well as programming based on weaknesses and imbalances. It is unlikely you will find this type of coach in a big-box gym, but you never know.