Arkk's Weight Lifting / Fitness Thread

I mimic Dan Green with my bench press.

: Benching with the BOSS, Dan Green - YouTube

Looking for a bit of advice before I shell out on a S&C coach. I've been lifting 4 times a week for almost a year now and I'm pretty confident with my program at the moment and goals. For about 2-3 months (possibly longer) ive had pain in my lower back - specifically the lower right side about an inch or so away from the spine. My step-sister is a physio and whilst she didn't have a proper look she did say this weekend it sounds like a ligament strain. To help ease the recovery I'm doing mobility work daily and I'm now training core properly instead of just as an add on to one session a week.

I'm pretty confident it's my barbell back squat technique that's causing me grief. My deadlift form is fine and while I'm not pulling huge weight (150kg for 3) the pain doesn't seem to originate from there. I always get the pain after leg day and it's slowly got worse each week until last week when anything slightly involving my back made it feel like it was going to give way. I've rested it for a full week whilst doing mobility stuff and I'm just back into the gym but I'm only going to do pull up / pull down stuff for back and I'm avoiding legs for another week. Has anyone got any experience of this pain from squats? I've videod my technique and it looks good, I corrected my tendency to finish with an awkward good-morning style section a little while back. I've recently switched to a program where I use less weight (under 100kg) and do higher reps to really feel the burn in my quads (sets of 20,15,12,10 and 8) and I'm wondering if the high rep work might be causing more pain? I'm looking for advice on how to move past this - whether I need to switch to safety bar squats or any advice going from anyone whose got any experience with it. I switched to land mine squats for the last few weeks but it got to a stage where even that was hurting a lot. I've also heard leg press can be bad for your lower back?

Of course leg press is bad for your lower back.

Post a video of your squat and I'll tell you what's happening.

Need a side-profile video to see if any of the obvious issues are visible. I suspect your high-rep plan is fatiguing you and your form begins to fall apart, leading to extra lb stress towards the end of your workout.

Adding HIIT cardio has made all the difference. I do find that I have to do it every other day, it's just too taxing on my system. But my scale weight keeps moving down, while my weights keep going up (in weights or reps) at the same time.

When I started, I was 260 (without creatine). My weight is 251.2 today, and if you factor in my normal weight gain from creatine loading (we started on day one) of the diet, the loss is more like 15 pounds in seven weeks. When I creatine load, it's five pounds on average water gain. All of my lifts are up in reps and weight since I started. I don't think I've lost muscle, it is hard to tell when you are carb depleted.

You're significantly overweight, I wouldn't expect your weight to drop in the way someone cutting from 210 to 190 at 14% bf down to sub 10% would. As for HIIT, even every other day is pretty aggressive, but if it's working keep going. I'd recommend 2-3 times a week.

Itlan_sl said:

You're significantly overweight.

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No. I've posted pics of me in this thread before, and I'm in better shape than I was last year.

Lyrical lives in the south, FYI. His idea of overweight is not going to be the same as yours, Itlan. And he'll probably dispute BMI.

edit: Just to confirm.Arkk's Weight Lifting / Fitness Thread - Page 51

5'10 234lbs 33.6 BMI. I'm sure you've improved since then, but I'm guessing 190lbs (28 BMI) is your upper cap on playing the "It's not fat, its muscle" card. But who cares, all that really matters is what you think when you look in the mirror (and what your doc thinks about visceral fat).

Eidal_sl said:

Lyrical lives in the south, FYI. His idea of overweight is not going to be the same as yours, Itlan. And he'll probably dispute BMI.

edit: Just to confirm.Arkk's Weight Lifting / Fitness Thread - Page 51

5'10 234lbs 33.6 BMI. I'm sure you've improved since then, but I'm guessing 190lbs (28 BMI) is your upper cap on playing the "It's not fat, its muscle" card. But who cares, all that really matters is what you think when you look in the mirror (and what your doc thinks about visceral fat).

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This is not 34% bodyfat, where did you get that from? First pic is me, the second pic is a guy at 34% BF. See much difference? This pic was at 250 last year. This year, I'm the same weight, but my composition is tighter.

BMI isn't BF%.

I'd estimate you at 25+% bodyfat but what the fuck do I know. Your BMI is 35.9 which is in the obese category; unless you are muscled beyond belief this is a red flag. You can claim that you're actually not even overweight and its just enormous muscle mass, but that doesn't jive with anything I've seen. Aesthetically, you are fat. I, too, live in the South and I agree that you look pretty normal compared to the general population down here. But normal/overweight/obese are medical terms, not "well my neighbors are fatter than me so I can't be overweight."

Health? Why debate with strangers on the internet; go ask your doctor and he'll tell you the same thing. I'm not trying to call you out or troll you; just politely disagreeing with you stating you aren't overweight.

Lyrical_sl said:

This is not 34% bodyfat, where did you get that from? First pic is me, the second pic is a guy at 34% BF. See much difference? This pic was at 250 last year. This year, I'm the same weight, but my composition is tighter.

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You know the cool thing about HIIT is that is works for weeks after you do it. What HIIT training do you do? Also, every other day rest is needed. Don't be like me and go back to back to back to back. I was doing 5-6 days of HIIT with cardio, weights, fighting. Stupid move....

Eidal_sl said:

but what the fuck do I know

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Exactly. When my cycle is over, if I can find a decently priced hydrostatic test, I'll post the results here. Not for your sake, but because I want to know for myself.

Eidal_sl said:

Health? Why debate with strangers on the internet; go ask your doctor and he'll tell you the same thing.

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I've had two Doctors in the last three years, and they don't agree with you.

Vegetoee_sl said:

You know the cool thing about HIIT is that is works for weeks after you do it. What HIIT training do you do? Also, every other day rest is needed. Don't be like me and go back to back to back to back. I was doing 5-6 days of HIIT with cardio, weights, fighting. Stupid move....

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I can literally only handle three sessions, every other day. Between weights, HIIT and MMA sessions, I'm wore out and in bed by 9 every night now.

Lyrical_sl said:

Exactly. When my cycle is over, if I can find a decently priced hydrostatic test, I'll post the results here.

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Fair enough -- and all the bodybuilders on reddit think the DEXAscan (?) is the best. College campuses usually offer them for $30-$100.

gives you something like this:

I bought a health check deal off groupon - cholesterol, dexa scan and loads of other stuff. Got the appointment booked for May 21st so am hoping to be 10% or below by then.

Lyrical_sl said:

This is not 34% bodyfat, where did you get that from? First pic is me, the second pic is a guy at 34% BF. See much difference? This pic was at 250 last year. This year, I'm the same weight, but my composition is tighter.

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Not saying you are or are not the weight you think you are but this vid is relevant

Lyrical_sl said:

This is not 34% bodyfat, where did you get that from? First pic is me, the second pic is a guy at 34% BF. See much difference? This pic was at 250 last year. This year, I'm the same weight, but my composition is tighter.

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I do not think you actually understand what body fat is. The guy below could be much shorter than you for all you know. You're 5'10 and over 220. Yes you look muscular, but you also look fat. You know, I actually never understood why people don't do side pictures as you can get a better understanding of what the body type is like.

edit: You also come across as incredibly arrogant, for instance you mentioned earlier that someone could not possibly shear the quadriceps from the bone unless they were juicing. What the fuck? What kind of kinesiology or physiology have you taken? lol

Lyrical_sl said:

I can literally only handle three sessions, every other day. Between weights, HIIT and MMA sessions, I'm wore out and in bed by 9 every night now.

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Tell me about it. I'm only 30 and I feel the same. Make sure you get enough water and vitamins man, and ICE after every MMA session.

Make sure you follow RICE -- rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Your legs will thank you, especially the elevation. Promote that venous return.

I was hoping Kuriin would show up =P