To work your upper chest?..
Are you a crossfit guy or something?
negative
inclines are not necessary for beginners
in fact, i think its detrimental.
I agree with Zeus.
Stick to flat bench press.
"To work your upper chest?.. "
Are you insinuating flat press does not work the upper chest?
When your big enough to have an “upper” chest, re-evaluate your strategy.
Small muscles are nonexistent muscles? I did what you guys are saying when starting training and now I have to focus on my upper chest a lot more to bring it out and fix the imbalance.
Flat and incline bench work different parts of the chest.
[quote]yasser wrote:
I agree with Zeus.
Stick to flat bench press.
"To work your upper chest?.. "
Are you insinuating flat press does not work the upper chest?
When your big enough to have an “upper” chest, re-evaluate your strategy.[/quote]
So you think it’s a good idea to stick with the bench press for months/years, then do inclines?
Why not cycle them both?
[quote]imhungry wrote:
yasser wrote:
I agree with Zeus.
Stick to flat bench press.
"To work your upper chest?.. "
Are you insinuating flat press does not work the upper chest?
When your big enough to have an “upper” chest, re-evaluate your strategy.
So you think it’s a good idea to stick with the bench press for months/years, then do inclines?
Why not cycle them both?[/quote]
or if you’re a beginner do them on different days. Pressing as heavy of weights as you can as frequently as you can = growth
“Why not cycle them both?”
Fine with me. I was not arguing the merits of Incline Press, just that a beginner should focus on the big lifts, and I have yet to see a list with Incline Press as part of the big lifts. My main point, which is strictly my view, is incline/flat/decline in the same day is redundant and overkill.
“So you think it’s a good idea to stick with the bench press for months/years, then do inclines?”
My point was, unless you have enough of a chest to worry about upper/lower/sideways/nipple dimensions don’t major in the minors.
i personally dont see the importance of doing inclines unless you r a bodybuilder. of course certain ppl might have a flat upper chest… if its image you are concerned with, go ahead and work that angle. however, a beginner? doing inclines? get your bench to 2x bw then see where u stand.
i will also mention that i am biased towards the incline. many ppl i know with agonizing shoulder problems got it from heavy inclining.
and i personally hate how it feels. but thats just me.
and my bench is terrible so maybe u shouldnt listen to me 
[quote]yasser wrote:
“Why not cycle them both?”
Fine with me. I was not arguing the merits of Incline Press, just that a beginner should focus on the big lifts, and I have yet to see a list with Incline Press as part of the big lifts. My main point, which is strictly my view, is incline/flat/decline in the same day is redundant and overkill.
“So you think it’s a good idea to stick with the bench press for months/years, then do inclines?”
My point was, unless you have enough of a chest to worry about upper/lower/sideways/nipple dimensions don’t major in the minors.[/quote]
The reason I say to include them, is due to the fact that limiting yourself to just benching you’re opening yourself to staleness, and injury. He’s training at home with limited resourses, so if he’s able to do inclines, then why not? Getting stronger on the incline will help with his bench, also.
I think people get caught up in benching so much, and that they HAVE do it if they want a big chest. Plus, i’ve seen a ton of guys screw up from benching, because they’re too paranoid to try other exercises. Over-use injuries are common to people who train at home due, to lack of variety.
Big lift or not, it’s a compound exercise, and that’s the important thing in my opinion. In this case I think the flys are pointless for the reasons you stated regarding the incline press.
craigs list, cheap lifting stuff and more weights/power rack
Sorry for the long wait, was fighting strep throat for a bit there, and then the holidays. But I’m still lifting and eating right. I denied myself desserts on thanksgiving for the most part, and got right back into my Oatmeal and Whey protein. Gotta love nutrition. Progress pics will be up once I can get a camera.
[quote]Monday: Back day- Hang from bar, and do back stretches after completion.
3 sets of palms away pullups, going until failure. Dead hang, 2-3inches farther then shoulder width. 2 minutes between each set. [/quote]
First week; 5x5x4
2nd week; 6x5x4
3 minute break period.
First week; 4x4x3 + 1/2
2nd week; 4x3x4 <-Not sure how but I squeezed out one more in the last set
3 minute break period.
Pyramid stack for bent over barbell rows-
Starting weight- 14 reps 2 minute rest period between all sets 60lb
Add weight, 12 reps
65lb
Add weight, 10 reps
70lb
Add weight, 8 reps
75lb
Add weight, 8 reps
75lb
Add weight, failure.
80lb x 9 reps
Tuesday: Chest day- stretch using doorway stretch
Pyramid stack for Flat benchpress- 2 minute restperiod between all sets
Starting weight- 14 reps
1WK- 90 2WK- 100
Add weight, 12 reps
1Wk- 95 2WK- 110
Add weight, 10 reps
1Wk- 100 2WK- 110 <-I jumped to high to fast
Add weight, 8 reps
1WK- 105 2WK- 110
Add weight, 8 reps
1WK- 105 2WK- 115
Add weight, failure.
1WK- 110 x 10rep 2WK- 115 x 9rep
3 minute rest- change bench for incline
Pyramid stack for Incline benchpress- 2 minute rest between sets
Starting weight- 14 reps~90
Add weight, 12 reps~90
Add weight, 10 reps~90
Add weight, 8 reps~90
Add weight, 8 reps~Stopped
Add weight, failure.~Stopped
3 minute rest
Dips- 2 minute rest between sets
1WK- 6, 5, 3, 4
2WK- 3, 2, 2
4 sets of dips, going until failure.
3 minute rest
Dumbbell flys on incline bench- 2 minute rest periods
4 sets of 20
3 sets until failure
Wednesday: Leg day-
Pyramid stack for front squats-
Warm up set- Very light weight, 20 reps
1WK- 60
2WK- 80
Starting weight- 14 reps
1WK- 65
2WK- 80
Add weight, 12 reps
1WK- 75
2WK- 90
Add weight, 10 reps
1WK- 75
2WK- 100
Add weight, 8 reps
1WK- 80
2WK- 105
Add weight, 8 reps
1WK- 80
2WK- 105
Add weight, failure.
1WK- 110 x 5rep
Pyramid stack for deadlifts-
Warm up set- Very light weight, 6 reps perfect form.
5 sets of 5 reps.
90
110
130
130
130
One leg calf raises on a platform-
10 on each leg
4 sets of until failure reps, bodyweight.
Holding for 2-3 seconds at the bottom portion of the rep, and 2-3 seconds on the top portion.
20 second breaks to catch breath in between sets.
Alternate between legs, 4 sets on each leg.
Thursday: Shoulders-
Standing military press-
50
Starting weight- 14 reps
68
Add weight, 12 reps
80 x 9 rep
Add weight, 10 reps
70 ← I couldn’t handle the 80
Add weight, 8 reps
70
Add weight, 8 reps
70
Add weight, until safe failure
75 x 7 reps
Side front and rear raises-
4 sets of until failure.
20 lb weight
Done.
And for the comments about me being able to post pics in other threads, I get them all off sites, so it take’s less then 3 minutes to postem. I have to go through my journal in order to get my numbers out.
Let’s hear it though, do you guy’s think Im using enough weight? I feel weak in the legs after most workouts, never really feel like I’m not pushing myself (besides in the past few days where I skipped some workouts >.<)
There’s no way to tell you if your weights are ‘enough’ or not. It’s all about if you feel like you’re pushing yourself. If you do, it’s enough weight for where you currently are.
Anyway, I don’t think you should be worrying about numbers at this point, worry about consistency, and food. The numbers will come.
[quote]pch2 wrote:
There’s no way to tell you if your weights are ‘enough’ or not. It’s all about if you feel like you’re pushing yourself. If you do, it’s enough weight for where you currently are.
Anyway, I don’t think you should be worrying about numbers at this point, worry about consistency, and food. The numbers will come. [/quote]
I’m already starting to see more definition in my back and a bit more solid in the chest, so results are coming too.
I see your last set of failure is usually at around 9 reps. You should try to add a bit more weight so that you’re doing something like 6 reps. Your reps are all in the high spectrum. I don’t know what works for you, but I like to do my last sets with lower reps and higher weight.
Also, you said you denied deserts. Dude, if you are truly lifting intensely, not missing a workout, and are not fat right now, then fuck it dude eat everything you want.
[quote]Artem wrote:
Also, you said you denied deserts. Dude, if you are truly lifting intensely, not missing a workout, and are not fat right now, then fuck it dude eat everything you want.[/quote]
exactly, I would still be playing with some small ass weights if I avoided junk food.
I’m still not where I want to be bf wise, I think that if I try to keep it clean I’ll be able to put on beginners mass and still lose a bit.
[quote]RebornTN wrote:
I’m still not where I want to be bf wise, I think that if I try to keep it clean I’ll be able to put on beginners mass and still lose a bit.[/quote]
I think you’ve got the right idea. A lot of it is building a foundation of good habits, though I guess it’s hard at home. To my mom there’s no way any food she makes could be bad for you, even if it’s deep fried sugar. Also, you have to eat a lot of clean food to get the same number of calories as a little bit of crap.
If you’re still on the diet you posted earlier, add some nuts like Artem suggested. It’s a shit load of calories and very little volume. They’re also easy to eat between classes. I’m a big string cheese fan too.
Hard boiled eggs are also cheap, fast to eat and easy to transport. You need to be eating more. Are you not eating at all between 7am and 12am? What about after 6pm?
[quote]pch2 wrote:
I think you’ve got the right idea. A lot of it is building a foundation of good habits, though I guess it’s hard at home. To my mom there’s no way any food she makes could be bad for you, even if it’s deep fried sugar.
Also, you have to eat a lot of clean food to get the same number of calories as a little bit of crap.
If you’re still on the diet you posted earlier, add some nuts like Artem suggested. It’s a shit load of calories and very little volume. They’re also easy to eat between classes. I’m a big string cheese fan too.
Hard boiled eggs are also cheap, fast to eat and easy to transport. You need to be eating more. Are you not eating at all between 7am and 12am? What about after 6pm? [/quote]
Yea, my mom is the same way lol. She is also staunchly against supplements, but that isn’t a huge issue as long as I can get them to buy me some proper food.
No, I have not been eating between 7am and 12am, after 6pm I get my 69g of protein and 9g carbs from my protein shake after I workout.
BUT, since you reminded me, I may be able to weasel myself into our shopping trip this weekend, and I can try to grab some string cheese and throw it in the cart.
If you guy’s can respond before tommorrow, what kind of nuts should I get? What brand? What should I look for when I’m at the store, anything in particular?
Thank’s again for the advice everyone.