Gamechanger: Gain 30, Pull 500.

Also, deadlifts work the entire lower body maximally. The only thing they lack is quadriceps stretch and calves. Hence combing deads with leg extensions and calf raises covers the entire lower body .
 
Sci said:
Also, deadlifts work the entire lower body maximally. The only thing they lack is quadriceps stretch and calves. Hence combing deads with leg extensions and calf raises covers the entire lower body .
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So then the question is, why do squats bother your knees and leg extensions don't?
 
Bulldog said:
So then the question is, why do squats bother your knees and leg extensions don't?
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they don't bother my knees, but they do feel quite stressful on the knees with heavy loads.

Anyway, the reasoning for me is try high-frequency deads, and squats are too similar with too much overlap. I can't do both properly in one session.
 
Obviously the more conventional method would be to alternate squats and deads, which I may end up doing.
 
Sci said:
they don't bother my knees, but they do feel quite stressful on the knees with heavy loads.

Anyway, the reasoning for me is try high-frequency deads, and squats are too similar with too much overlap. I can't do both properly in one session.
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Actually, I think you could easily manage both for your 'light' and 'medium' sessions. It's not really any different to a cookie cutter HST routine that runs both, in that sense.
 
AlexAustralia said:
Actually, I think you could easily manage both for your 'light' and 'medium' sessions. It's not really any different to a cookie cutter HST routine that runs both, in that sense.
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I may try that too. Fullbody daily Trainjng is proving to be a bit too much. This week, I tried an upper/lower 6 day split and it's much more manageable time wise, and recovery wise.
 
Upper-lower is definitely easier to manage from a fatigue point of view.

I'm trying 3-on, 1-off at the moment. If I can't handle the third day I'll drop to 2-on and then pick up again after the day off. I've found that the first week or so is the hardest. It's almost like there's an accommodation period or something that your body needs to get used to the additional burden but once it's gone through that period, then you're good-to-go so long as you don't try and be superman.

I'm also incorporating pilates (& it's stretching) into my routine now (doing it separately though). Having my g/f take me through the motions. The ab work is paying off pretty quickly, and none of it is weighted (not going for hypertrophied belly obviously), but the strength and control improvements are noticeable to me after a week in. The general stretching is to help w/hips, hamstrings and glutes specifically and two weeks is in is definitely having an impact. My glutes are a lot more involved in my deadlifts than they have been. Perhaps most helpful is that the stretching in the evening seems to alleviate connective tissues soreness/discomfort.

Anyway, food for thought.
 
Stretching is very important. I have tight hips, strong hamstrings. and have to stretch them regularly to protect my lower back.

I do like frequent lifting, so I am going to keep lifting as often as my hectic life will allow it. As a plumber, I often overdo it at work, which interferes with by recovery and cuts into my lifting time. Today, I deadlifted a water heater that was still mostly full. Don't know how much it weighed exact, but it was similar to doing a 400+pound rack pull. Low back is feeling it tonight.
 
Retesting my 5RM. I switched to a conventional stance Deadlift, so I am working my way back up with this stance, but I managed to get very close to my previous PR.
Bench and military press were both PRs! I suspect because I have fixed my right shoulder with lots of upper back work and rotator cuff strengthening, so I can finally push hard for bench and press. Bodyweight is still around 202 carb-depleted, around 205 carb-loaded.

DeadLift: 335x5
Decline Bench: 235x5 PR
Hammer Row: 320x4
BB Press: 150x5 PR
UH Pulldown: 220x5 (close to PR)
Lawnmower Pull: 50x5 (new exercise for rear deltoid and rotator cuff)
Leg Extension: 240x5 PR
Calf Press: 320x5


Very happy with my lifts.
 
My arm flexors are overtrained lately, for the past two weeks brachioradialis is inflamed and biceps tendons sometimes in pain. Hammer rows and Pulldowns work essentially the same muscles and the combination of both is wrecking my elbows. I think the main culprit is heavy rows on the hammer-strength machine, I love how it works my entire back, but my brachioradialis is practically ripping off the bone rowing over 300 pounds on this machine!
Plus regular deadlifting is putting a lot of strain on my back and arms as is. I think I'm just gonna do neutral grip Pulldowns and lean back at the finish to emulate a rowing finish to the movement.
 
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Try dropping the pulldowns. They work that muscle-tendon more than rows, IMO. Just let the inflammation go down.
 
AlexAustralia said:
Try dropping the pulldowns. They work that muscle-tendon more than rows, IMO. Just let the inflammation go down.
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You might be right. I really like the hammer-strength machine for my back. I'll have to experiment and see which one is bothering me.
 
The stretch across the muscles in the arms is a lot greater for pulldowns (or any variation of the chin/pull movement) compared to rows. Doing rows in the horizontal position (compared to BB, DB or T-bar variants) also provides a greater stretch.
 
I examined the problem more closely, and it's definitely the brachioradialis on both arms. The hammer strength plate-loaded lever machine forces the forearms in a position where the brachioradialis is the main arm flexor, so I am sure that this is the culprit.

The Pulldowns use mainly biceps, with the semi-supinated grip I am using, so my options are to simply drop the hammer rows and keep the Pulldowns, or I could try something like a supinated dumbell row so the biceps will be the main arm flexor. I just have to avoid heavy pronated grip rows and such for awhile.
 
DB or BB is probably going to be superior to anything a machine can be designed to mimic.

Supinated free-weight rows can be v.stressful on the tendon as well.
 
AlexAustralia said:
DB or BB is probably going to be superior to anything a machine can be designed to mimic. Supinated free-weight rows can be v.stressful on the tendon as well.
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Yes, but as long as I keep a supinated grip, the biceps will take over, and give the brachioradialis a break. The brachioradialis is mainly used with a pronated grip. It's not my biceps tendon after all.
 
I'm inclined to say BB is the superior choice, putting all other considerations aside, as you won't have to control/stabilise the bar itself (rotation of axis). Incorporating other considerations, it's a pretty awesome exercise.
 
I decided to go with the old standby: supinated Pulldowns, and Cable Rows. Both movements emphasize biceps over brachioradialis, since they use a supinated or semi-supinated grip. Feeling much better already! Traditional Barbell rows are out, (pronated grip), and as awesome as the hammer-strength rows are, it doesn't have a supinated grip option and was hurting my brachs too much. I use my brachioradialis at work daily, so they tend to get inflamed, plus the biceps are much larger muscles and thus better equipped for back compounds.
 
Been trying the old daily undulating version of HST. It's VERY similar to the classic Bill Starr program. One day medium, one day light, one day heavy... 10s, 15s, 5s.
Today finished the "10s". Basically warmup/ pyramid up to roughly my 10 rm, and do one top set at my max.
DeadLift: 295x10
Decline Bench: 200x10
BB Press: 125x10
Pulldown: 185x10
Cable Row: 160x10
Leg Extension: 200x10
Calf Press: 280x10

Next workout "15s" then repeat the "5s" workout ob Saturday, and go for new PRs possibly.
 
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