No problem at all, I’ve decided that I’m going to do the sessions I wrote out for a while too.
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Have you thought about changing your frequency so training the body parts I.E chest and arms more frequently?
Without going into specifics of programmes there are some excellent push/pull programmes on T Nation. There’s a fair bit of research on how increased frequency of training each bodypart 2-3 times per week is optimum for natural lifters
Awesome.
I’ve got some rings on the way! Hopefully by next week they’re here.
Hey, thanks for the link.
I’ve looked at a lot of programs in the past and one of the issues is I don’t have a lot of the requisite equipment. If I have to substitute half of the exercises then I have no confidence it will work. Especially with my inability to program well.
You have a versatile piece of equipment. You can safely use the landmine to do several chest exercises.
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Haven’t read everything, but for arms, I think they can handle a lot of frequency. I do them every workout at the end. Of course, you need to build the compound upper body lifts for the best results. Just getting lifts like the bench, overhead press, chin up, and row to be good lifts that you can do with good form, with a good amount of weight will build your upper body well for most people. Then you add in arms to bring them up if needed at the end.
Question…
How long should these workouts take? What kind of rest between sets? 1-2 minutes?
Thanks!
Should be pretty short sessions, around 45min.
Rest as long as needed to feel ready to go again on the first exercise each session, probably 2-4 min.
Rest around 2 minutes on the others.
Have you done any yet?
So 3 weeks ago when I started I was still struggling to get up 135 on bench. I also had troubles with my ring dips breaking them up into almost singles on my first set and then resorting to “jumping dips” on my second.
Today I used 135 for my third and fourth set, completed all of my first set dips and broke my second set into 5-2-1.
My wife said she sees a physical difference, but there are gains either way! Thanks, man. Can’t tell you how much I appreciate your time and advice as it is clearly a step up from what I was doing before.
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Great you are making some progress!
Those ring dips are a real struggle if you havnt done them before, but as you have seen you can progress on them nicely once you can control the wild shaking lol.
Haha. Yeah! I hopped up there the first time and it was laughable at how badly I was shaking. Feeling much stronger and stable on them now.
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Anyone pick up atlas stones to grow their chest? Every time I train with stones I feel it in my chest the next day. And biceps. And back. Highly recommend.
Hey, man. Just want to update on this.
I’ve seen increases either on weights or reps (or both) on various exercises as I push on with this. This week I hit a higher weight on bench for a set of 6 than I had hit since as far back as I remember.
Should I continue with this program until I hit a significant stall? Not trying to move on now, I’m quite happy with my progress and mostly just wanted to say thank you again.
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Nice to hear you are making progress. I know its a short time scale to actual build muscle but any physique changes?
Simplest answer is to keep going if you are still progressing and enjoying it but…its not always that simple. I know I struggle to keep doing the same sessions over and over, so if you need a mental break and do something else for a week or so then thats fine. Or if you want to drop it all and try something new, again I completely get it!
If there are any exercises you don’t feel are working well for you or have stalled and you want to rotate in a similar exercise then go for it.
If you are maxing out your limited weights on exercises and the rep ranges are creeping up too high then feel free to switch the exercise orders around.
Thanks for the update
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Yes, there are definite physique changes. I think that probably has been the biggest motivation. I know, vain and superficial, but it’s true.
My wife has noticed it in my arms and shoulders, I definitely see it in my traps and the way some of my shirts fit.
I’m enjoying it and it is challenging, so I’ll stick with it for a while. Though I do need to figure out a good set for leg day that still. I haven’t done as well on that and that’s probably my favorite workout.
Doing the T-bar rows from a slightly elevated platform (about 3-4 inches), would that help engage my lats/back more or is that just a stupid idea?
It may help in that it will increase the stretch
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Yeah. Like, all of the suggestions in the thread already. Those are a good start.
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Still working out nicely. Hit a new top weight on my last set of bench press today for all six reps and probably could’ve squeezed out another one or two. So that’s a real confidence booster for me.
I’ve noticed that I’m hitting all 12 reps on my dips unbroken for both sets (original plan was 2 sets 8-12 dips). Should I up the rep range, add another set, see if I can add some weight (dumbbell between the feet/thighs kind of thing)?
Thanks!
PS – Also, maybe a pointless question, but I’m just curious. The way my setup is I tend to start with the barbell in the down position for bench, so my first rep is always the most difficult to get up (not including a later rep that I may fail on due to muscle fatigue). Does that sound normal? I know it isn’t the typical starting position, but it’s what I have.