Post: #11

(02-07-2018 9:03 AM)MacCauley Wrote:  Yeah, it depends on what you're going for. If you want to become a pro bodybuilder it's best to do lots of isolation exercises. They only care about mass and not functionality and agility. I've seen some bodybuilders walk into various boxing gyms and it's amusing how their oversized lats and stiff shoulders prevents them from throwing a proper punch. And you're right, most bodybuilders aren't symmetrical. It's a shame what happened to the sport. Gear is one thing, but insulin, synthol and HGH is begging for trouble.

You can build a great physique with bodyweight programs alone. There are few things that could be modified in my opinion. I get a better range of motion by doing overhead press instead of handstand pushups. There aren't any real alternative to deadlifts. Heavy deads is the best exercise for core strength and testosterone spikes.

But pullups have a greater range of motion than pulldowns. Pushups works the chest more than benchpress, though I like benchpress too. Pistol squats has much better range of motion than weighted squats while reducing the risk of injury. Leg raises are better than any machine. Full bridges are great for posture and back support. Dips are great no doubt.

I'm not against using weights, not even isolation. But I agree bodyweight exercises are better with very few exceptions. You can also increase the resistance by adding things like weight vests while doing pullups for example.

I've also read Convict Conditioning 2 and implemented some of that stuff into my workouts. That shit is on another level.

Thanks, great insight.I just saw this.I've added ring exercises the last few weeks.Everything is MUCH more difficult, pull ups, push ups, dips, surface tricep extension.Best 35 euros I've spend in equipment.

Post: #12

(05-09-2018 3:58 AM)stefdude Wrote:  Thanks, great insight.I just saw this.I've added ring exercises the last few weeks.Everything is MUCH more difficult, pull ups, push ups, dips, surface tricep extension.Best 35 euros I've spend in equipment.

The rings are great. A must have in my opinion. Dips are really hard when I use them, same with muscle ups. I think pullups are slightly easier.

Ive changed my mind on overhead press. I bought those pushup handles and put them on top of a cinder block on each side. Doing handstand pushups on them. Use a weight vest to increase resistance and its better than overhead press. If you go all the way down its borderline tigerbend.

Honestly I think deadlift is the only essential weight lifting exercise.

The pushup handles cost me $12. Great investment. I also use them to practice the front lever and decline pushups.

Post: #13

(06-23-2018 6:03 AM)MacCauley Wrote:  The rings are great. A must have in my opinion. Dips are really hard when I use them, same with muscle ups. I think pullups are slightly easier.

Ive changed my mind on overhead press. I bought those pushup handles and put them on top of a cinder block on each side. Doing handstand pushups on them. Use a weight vest to increase resistance and its better than overhead press. If you go all the way down its borderline tigerbend.

Honestly I think deadlift is the only essential weight lifting exercise.

The pushup handles cost me $12. Great investment. I also use them to practice the front lever and decline pushups.

Nice tip.Do you think it's the same if I use that pull up bar?

I don't think it's different.You are right about deadlifts, I can't find a way to avoid getting a bar and weights for that.Perhaps kettlebells although for that range of motion they could be the same as plain dumbbells.

Another thing I'm testing lately.I've started combining chest with biceps and back with triceps.The reason is that if I train chest first then a part of the tricep gets tired, the rest hasn't been worked up enough and I feel I can't properly train them, so I do biceps instead and train them fully.The same applies after the back exercises.So now I train 1.5 times the biceps and 1.5 times the triceps.Seems to be working well.

Also, take a look at the page Bayesian Bodybuilding at facebook.Very up to date regarding new and very interesting studies.

Post: #14

Someone mentioned the hormonal response to Deadlifting, and the same thing is true of the other compound Barbell exercises as well.

Best illustration of this was in a study comparing the hormonal response of an 8RM Squat versus an 8RM Leg press. The set of squats generated literally twice as much GH release as the leg press, even though both were limit sets.

Takeaway.. use free weights! Pretty much all i do is barbell work, i.e. squatting, deadlifting, bench, OHP, pull ups, cleans. Some extra stuff for refinement at the end tho like laterals.

Post: #15

(06-25-2018 5:57 AM)stefdude Wrote:  Nice tip.Do you think it's the same if I use that pull up bar?

I don't think it's different.You are right about deadlifts, I can't find a way to avoid getting a bar and weights for that.Perhaps kettlebells although for that range of motion they could be the same as plain dumbbells.

Another thing I'm testing lately.I've started combining chest with biceps and back with triceps.The reason is that if I train chest first then a part of the tricep gets tired, the rest hasn't been worked up enough and I feel I can't properly train them, so I do biceps instead and train them fully.The same applies after the back exercises.So now I train 1.5 times the biceps and 1.5 times the triceps.Seems to be working well.

Also, take a look at the page Bayesian Bodybuilding at facebook.Very up to date regarding new and very interesting studies.

Sure, I think the pullup bar will work just fine. Maybe find a way to elevate it. Downside is you cant adjust the space between your arms.

I used your strategy back in the day when I went hard with weights. It works. Its easy to max out the triceps when you work the chest. I remember french press was much easier on back days. In these days I dont really care. I dont use any specific biceps exercises anymore as they had a tendency to overgrow.