Arkk's Weight Lifting / Fitness Thread

awesome

Do we have many folks who are Lifetime Fitness members?

Question for peeps. Still on 5x5 -workout 1 squat, bench, barbell rows -workout 2 squat, standing military press, deadlift.

For some reason outta the blue this week on bench, after warming up, unrack and literally as soon as I unlocked elbows, I almost dropped the weight because massive pain in my shoulder. I ended up doing the one set but I was hurting so bad I wanted to quit right there. Was sore unti this morning and had to bench again. Had to drop about 50 lbs to be able to complete as well as adjust my position to bar under my nipple or lower down my chest when all the way down.

I did it but once again it felt like my shoulder sockets we're going to explode.
Any ideas? I'm gonna restart rotator exercise but this doesn't feel like that at all, the pain isn't somewheremi can touch, it's inside the middle of shoulder.

Thanks guys

I would stop bench pressing if it felt like my shoulders were going to explode.

Yeah, after the first press where you feel massive pain? Stop lifting shit that aggravates that spot. You could be turning a minor tear that will heal into something that is going to need surgery/might be permanent. As to what it could be? I would still say it is most likely your rotator cuff, since it was involved with benching, and the rotator cuff is directly responsible for stability and shit with a weight coming straight out from the chest/shoulder area.

I worked past the pain once in highschool through a rotator cuff injury, and it took almost 4 months to heal up because I decided I was too manly to set shit down when it was clearly injured. And the doctors told me I got off lucky, as that could have done serious permanent damage.

bench is notorious for fucking up shoulders if not done correctly

Watch a few videos and get the basics nailed, drop the weight if necessary to focus on form and technique

On bench presses, the bar should never touch your chest. Your arms should never go passed parallel of your shoulders. Once that bar dips passed that point, you are putting crazy stress on your shoulders. You should be working shoulders on a separate day to build up that muscle group to make sure you can take that stress on flat and inclines.

Can't believe this thread still has this dumb name. I'm such a legend.

arkktheseaotter_sl said:

Can't believe this thread still has this dumb name. I'm such a legend.

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I agree. Name it "Brahma's how to lift your fuckin house at the gym!"

Took the advice, no bench work for a few weeks and healed up! Anyhow one year back now. Went 140lbs to 162, pure muscle, obviously

Pretty impressed overall. Body fat has stayed at 10% but I woulda been fine going to 15 since I've always been a skinny punk.

Lifts
Bench day 1 135 (barely) - Friday 205 for 1, spotter didn't touch the bar, 175 for sets of 8
Deadlift- 150 x 3 - Monday 315 for 5 (might have had 2 more but 5 was my goal and almost barfed since lunch wasn't digested)
Squat - 135 for 8 - Wednesday 290 for 6, just below parallel

Last year the goal was gain 20 lbs - done and bench 2 plates (I actually meant this year)

This years goal - gain another 20 of pure muscle (fk newb gains I'm a newb for life)
Do a powerlifting show with my brother in law for fun (it'll be tougher to get the balls to go do it than actually lifting)

Things I've learned. I quit all sups except creatine, pre workout and a protein shake right after working out.
I fuckin hate sweet potatoes
Drinking hard one weekend can make it feel like you wasted 2 weeks of working out

Good form seems to beat heavy weight every time.

So whats the trick to getting bigger chest? I went like 1 full year without doing bench, then I was out of the gym for about 4 months with an injury, when i came back i decided to start doing bench, im seeing zero gain in size and strength it seems. Ive never been a huge fan of bench but i swear im the only guy in the gym who cant get chest size.

No trick. Once a week. Do the following:

1st week.Bench Press. Flat/Incline/Decline (in that order) 3 sets of 10. Cable Flys. High/Mid/Low. 3 sets of 10. Do not go past parallel on your benches (don't touch chest). Especially incline. YOU WILL RIP YOUR SHOULDER. Fuck what people say about reps. ALWAYS go heavy...get a spotter. Your spotter makes sure your form is correct. That is what he is there for.

2nd week. Iso Machines. Flat/Incline/Decline 3 sets of 10. Go heavy as possible. You should NOT be able to get last few reps out without help from spotter. No secondary exercise that week. You should have little strength left after ISO machines.

3rd week. See week one. No cables. Use dumbbells instead. You may need to improvise on a decline bench. Do what you are comfortable with on the dumbbells. Get a spotter if you feel like going a little heavier.

4th week you skip chest day. You have gone heavy 3 weeks straight. You must rest.

Do this for 3 months. There is no reason to deviate from this until you see no gains. None. You have hit every part of your chest. You will see gains. Just stick with it.

Needless to say. You will always be adding weight the next set. Warm up should be a few pushups or whatever floats your goat's boat.

Also, do a separate arm day. None of that triceps after chest bullshit.

Brahma_sl said:

You will see gains. Just stick with it.

Needless to say. You will always be adding weight the next set. Warm up should be a few pushups or whatever floats your goat's boat.

Also, do a separate arm day. None of that triceps after chest bullshit.

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I'm pretty happy with my chest and shoulder and arm progress just alternating overhead dumbell press one day with chest flys and bench press on alternating days. With occasional sets of pushups until failure (currently around 55). Been working out consistently since july at least 4 days a week (and fucked around a little bit inconsistently before that). I do 4 sets of as many reps as I can, and then increase the weight by 5 (10 total) when I can do 4 sets of 15. Currently at 45lb dumbbells, started at 25.

Granted, Brahma benches more than me, but I'm not sure what he's talking about with bench fucking up your shoulders. That just sounds like bad form. Keep your elbows at a 45 degree angle and stop trying to bench so high on your chest and they'll be fine.

I've been complimented on my chest before, and I do flat bench, incline bench (have switched between dumbbells, machine, and barbell over the years), and cable chest press. There was also a long run of doing speed dumbbell press (light-ish dumbbell flat bench, as fast as you can, for up to 20 reps); started at 30 pounds with these and worked my way up to 70.

I also do close grip bench on shoulder/tricep day, but the chest involved in that is minimal.

Don't think he's saying just benching will fuck up your shoulders. Benching past 90 degrees will fuck up your rotator cuff because of the extra strain it begins to place past that.

Elurin_sl said:

Granted, Brahma benches more than me, but I'm not sure what he's talking about with bench fucking up your shoulders. That just sounds like bad form. Keep your elbows at a 45 degree angle and stop trying to bench so high on your chest and they'll be fine.

I've been complimented on my chest before, and I do flat bench, incline bench (have switched between dumbbells, machine, and barbell over the years), and cable chest press. There was also a long run of doing speed dumbbell press (light-ish dumbbell flat bench, as fast as you can, for up to 20 reps); started at 30 pounds with these and worked my way up to 70.

I also do close grip bench on shoulder/tricep day, but the chest involved in that is minimal.

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It's very easy to say "don't have bad form" but not as easy in practice because even with a good elbow angle you can lower the weight to far down towards your chest which engages your shoulders rather than your chest for the initial lift and there is nothing you can do about it at that point unless you want to drop it on yourself. Very easy to use your shoulders rather than your chest when doing flat bench and your shoulders just can't handle the kind of weight you're probably trying to bench.

EDIT: Basically what Daly said.

I just want to chime in and say that Brahma gave you a routine with the implication that diet is under control. For bigger anything, you need to eat at a surplus. I see the same stick-figure men in my gym for whom their goals are clear (not look like a 14 yr old) but they're very clearly not eating enough and either their trainers aren't telling them or they're ignoring them.

That drives me crazy. I don't know how they do it. I've seen the same people who have essentially plateaued in weight and size for at least a year+. I feel like if that were me, I'd start seriously reevaluating what I'm doing.

If I don't see progress on something after at most 2 months, I generally change it.

Daly_sl said:

Don't think he's saying just benching will fuck up your shoulders. Benching past 90 degrees will fuck up your rotator cuff because of the extra strain it begins to place past that.

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What Daly said. LOL. (It was like 2am when I responded). On your bench, if your elbows dip past your shoulders too much, you will fuck your rotator cuff eventually. (This is where a rock solid shoulder workout comes into play). I know it looks gay. Make sure you do your rotator cuff exercises also. Takes five extra minutes on shoulder day.

Trust me on that routine. It's solid, easy to follow and to remember your progress. I have most of the dudes in my circle doing it with zero complaints. You will hit a wall fast though, once there breaking that wall is pretty simple since the foundation is there.

As for size. You absolutely must eat. If you want to look cute, that's a different matter. If you want size and strength, ya gotta eat...But don't eat like me. I go to the gym so I can go to Five Guys, have my steak and cheese subs, and not look like a slob. Oh, and grape soda. Gotta have grape soda with steak and cheese. (I am fully aware of the stereo...fuck yoll)