Strength Weight Training: Anything and Everything II

Sep 3, 2002
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I ******* hate the Bench Press. Or more accurately that I go nowhere with mine and never have. A slow cut for summer, so my strength in it (which isn't that great to begin has gone down). I barely pushed out 80kg x 3 last week :oops: Yet, my weighted tricep dips are progressing nicely. Almost up to 3x5 at BW (~75kg) + 70kg. So on track to make my goal of BW + BW by the end of the year. I see strength standards say weighted dips you'd expect around 105% of Bench including BW. Which should put my Bench at around 125-130kg. Ha ha ha ha. More chance of a supermodel seducing me then cracking 100kg, let alone 125-130kg on the bench.

Considering I can't do deadlifts (bulging disc starts complaining as soon as I push beyond around 60kg), I'm happy enough with my back (DB rows 50kg x 12, Muscle ups BW x 3 reps, weight pull-ups BW + 15kg etc.). Just the freaking bench press does my head in of upper body work.

On the plus side for the chest, managed to accomplish my first double clap push-ups this morning (back clap, then front clap). I'll take the win there.
 

keyboard_warrior

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The trick is to either always lift the same way (so your body adapts to that) OR vary the way you lift frequently enough that your body adapts to lifting in many different ways.
IMO it’s that middle ground that gets people into trouble
Eg powerlifter maintains a neutral/extended spine up to 85% of their 1rm. 90% and above there is a noticeable change in spinal curvature.
They then begin a program that spends up to 2 months at or below 85%.
Program calls for 90% but said lifter has just spent 2 months effectively detraining what >90% deadlift.
Lifter then gets injured because they’re actually weaker in their >90% deadlift technique.


 

cptkirk

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I ******* hate the Bench Press. Or more accurately that I go nowhere with mine and never have. A slow cut for summer, so my strength in it (which isn't that great to begin has gone down). I barely pushed out 80kg x 3 last week :oops: Yet, my weighted tricep dips are progressing nicely. Almost up to 3x5 at BW (~75kg) + 70kg. So on track to make my goal of BW + BW by the end of the year. I see strength standards say weighted dips you'd expect around 105% of Bench including BW. Which should put my Bench at around 125-130kg. Ha ha ha ha. More chance of a supermodel seducing me then cracking 100kg, let alone 125-130kg on the bench.

Considering I can't do deadlifts (bulging disc starts complaining as soon as I push beyond around 60kg), I'm happy enough with my back (DB rows 50kg x 12, Muscle ups BW x 3 reps, weight pull-ups BW + 15kg etc.). Just the freaking bench press does my head in of upper body work.

On the plus side for the chest, managed to accomplish my first double clap push-ups this morning (back clap, then front clap). I'll take the win there.

Prioritise it
 
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on a journey through time and space
I ******* hate the Bench Press. Or more accurately that I go nowhere with mine and never have. A slow cut for summer, so my strength in it (which isn't that great to begin has gone down). I barely pushed out 80kg x 3 last week :oops: Yet, my weighted tricep dips are progressing nicely. Almost up to 3x5 at BW (~75kg) + 70kg. So on track to make my goal of BW + BW by the end of the year. I see strength standards say weighted dips you'd expect around 105% of Bench including BW. Which should put my Bench at around 125-130kg. Ha ha ha ha. More chance of a supermodel seducing me then cracking 100kg, let alone 125-130kg on the bench.

Considering I can't do deadlifts (bulging disc starts complaining as soon as I push beyond around 60kg), I'm happy enough with my back (DB rows 50kg x 12, Muscle ups BW x 3 reps, weight pull-ups BW + 15kg etc.). Just the freaking bench press does my head in of upper body work.

On the plus side for the chest, managed to accomplish my first double clap push-ups this morning (back clap, then front clap). I'll take the win there.
I'm surprised that there's such a massive gulf between your total dip weight and bench press weight if your dips are completed with a full range of motion, a dip is basically an extremely declined bench press
 
Sep 3, 2002
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I'm surprised that there's such a massive gulf between your total dip weight and bench press weight if your dips are completed with a full range of motion, a dip is basically an extremely declined bench press
My general one for dips progression is once at 3x5 at full range, then add 5kg, then it's 3x5 at not full range, up to 3x8 at not full range, then 3x5 improving range until can get 3x5 full range. Then rinse and repeat. So was getting 3x5 at 65kg full range before onto working through 70kg now. I'm not going to re-jig my program, as outside the bench I'm happy enough with it, but it does annoy/frustrate me. Classic guy 'what can you bench?' I suppose.
 

Aeglos

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My general one for dips progression is once at 3x5 at full range, then add 5kg, then it's 3x5 at not full range, up to 3x8 at not full range, then 3x5 improving range until can get 3x5 full range. Then rinse and repeat. So was getting 3x5 at 65kg full range before onto working through 70kg now. I'm not going to re-jig my program, as outside the bench I'm happy enough with it, but it does annoy/frustrate me. Classic guy 'what can you bench?' I suppose.

What can you overhead and incline?
 
Sep 3, 2002
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What can you overhead and incline?
I don’t do overhead presses anymore, the load through my discs plays havoc with my back. I do handstands, slowing working towards handstand push ups, by improving range (still only about half way down yet for reps). I don’t do incline presses.
 

Aeglos

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I don’t do overhead presses anymore, the load through my discs plays havoc with my back. I do handstands, slowing working towards handstand push ups, by improving range (still only about half way down yet for reps). I don’t do incline presses.

I’d imagine you use a lot of lat and lower pec (even pec minor as well) when you do dips which might explain why you’re not getting carryover to a more pec/shoulder dominant flat bench.
 

Aeglos

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Don't have quite as much time committed to lifting atm so I'm giving DUP (daily undulating periodization) a crack for the first time.
In layman's terms it's a full body program where you have separate hypertrophy, power and strength days within a single week (compared to a traditional western program which might have 3-4 week blocks of each).
Of the basic forms of periodization that have been studied it stacks up pretty well against the other forms of periodization.
I found a template online which I've modified a fair bit as (I'll post the template at the bottom of my post)
1) I get bored easily and definitely wouldn't do the same exercise for 6 weeks in a row lol
2) as I rarely squat or bench press for reps over 3 I've dropped the % on the hypertrophy day to build up to the extra reps I'll be required to do
3) my power day will be focused more on plyometrics, jumps, throws etc for footy/skating rather than the barbell lifts (and technically speaking you get higher power production at sub-30% of 1rm rather than the 80%+ in the program I found)

Original template.
The % are of 1 rep max and apply to bench, squat and deadlift which you do 3 times per week (though iirc the original only had them doing deads on the strength day which was a bit odd)
View attachment 563365

My template.
Power day I'll just make up as I go (basically it'll be 20-25 reps of a plyometric based exercise) and the strength day I'll stick to my traditional Westside Barbell max effort (so a 1rm each week).
I'm not doing any deadlifts for the time being either as my finger is still pretty cactus.
% are higher for the upper body exercise as I can do more reps than lower body exercises.
Will throw in some upper back and hamstrings for accessories.View attachment 563374

Bit of an ammendment due to a change in circumstances (work).
Switched from 3x full body training days to 3x upper and 3x lower (so 6 days a week).
Essentially doing the same weekly volume but I can get my sessions done in around an hour, and I feel as though the last couple of exercises aren’t suffering as much due to fatigue (definitely eking out an extra rep or two).
Been enjoyable so far and I think I’m slowly getting used to doing more than 3 reps on compound movements lol
eg this morning’s workout was upper body speed/power
Warm up circuit - bent knee calf raises, ring push ups and chest supported shoulder Y raises for 2 sets each
Bench press - 45kg + bands (~20kg) 9 sets of 3
Skull crushers - 40kg 5 sets of 8
Barbell row (off floor) - 60kg 4 sets of 12
Then I’d seen someone doing that flossing dance with weight plates so I spent 10-15 minutes giving it a crack. Think I got to about 20 seconds using 20kg bumper plates
 

chargers 09

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I ******* hate the Bench Press. Or more accurately that I go nowhere with mine and never have. A slow cut for summer, so my strength in it (which isn't that great to begin has gone down). I barely pushed out 80kg x 3 last week :oops: Yet, my weighted tricep dips are progressing nicely. Almost up to 3x5 at BW (~75kg) + 70kg. So on track to make my goal of BW + BW by the end of the year. I see strength standards say weighted dips you'd expect around 105% of Bench including BW. Which should put my Bench at around 125-130kg. Ha ha ha ha. More chance of a supermodel seducing me then cracking 100kg, let alone 125-130kg on the bench.

Considering I can't do deadlifts (bulging disc starts complaining as soon as I push beyond around 60kg), I'm happy enough with my back (DB rows 50kg x 12, Muscle ups BW x 3 reps, weight pull-ups BW + 15kg etc.). Just the freaking bench press does my head in of upper body work.

On the plus side for the chest, managed to accomplish my first double clap push-ups this morning (back clap, then front clap). I'll take the win there.

I do incline DB press instead of Bench.

Feels much less taxing on the shoulders.


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Been going pretty consecutively myself for a while now and with a couple of mates getting into powerlifting decided * it, let’s do it. Saw a coach today who’s also a nutritionist, nutrition plan comes Sunday and first session (squat day) next Friday! Aiming for a 450-500 total in the 105ish kg range by March.
 
Also what do you guys use for lifting shoes? Going to get myself a pair of Converse Chuck Taylors that I’ll be giving a whirl tomorrow.
I lift in vivo barefoots, used to lift on cons
 

Bobby P

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Loaded 95 on the bar instead of 85 by mistake and pumped out 5 bench reps without too much stuggle. Was fairly happy with that when I realised. I've only been able to lift twice a week for a few months due to other commitments so good to see I'm not losing strength. Probably should move my weight up next week.
 
I lift in vivo barefoots, used to lift on cons
Ended up with a pair of ‘old skool’ Vans. Found them not as squishy in the sole and due to a medical condition I haven’t quite stopped growing at 22 and I’m now into a size 14 shoe, the Cons were just way too tight around my toes and the Vans are a bit wider imo and I’m not a fan of the rubber part on the toe section of the Cons. Pretty keen to give them a whirl later for some deadlifts.
 

cptkirk

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Here's what I'm doing at the moment with a purely sports performance focus which will differ greatly from most of ya'll are doing

SESSION 1 - LOWER STRENGTH
- Sq x Triphasic Training (3 sessions x eccentric/concentric @ 80 - 92% in a cluster with 3 step acceleration/med ball throw 3 step acc/band assisted jump squat
- 1 rep of those 4 exercises each x 3 rounds with 10 - 20secs btw them
- lateral jump progression (squats through to heidens) + hams progression (isometric trained at length)

SESSION 2 - UPPER HYPERTROPHY
- Seated Military Press rest/pause + glute band fillers

SESSION 3 - LOWER STRENGTH
- same set up as session 1

SESSION 4 - UPPER HYPERTROPHY
- Bench Press / Pull Up rest/pause + glute band fillers

SESSION 5 - UPPER HYPETROPHY
- Shrug rest/pause + glute band fillers

SESSION 6 - SPRINTS
- 10/20/30m for sprinter and standing starts for each

Schedule moves around a bit depending on outside stuff...session 5 is a filler session really in case the previous squat session is hanging around (low back/knee etc)...i had a yr off sq last off-season and was the first year i didn't have a lower back blow out for some time so no need to be a hero at this point in life and push through something i don't have to so if i need an extra day before sq again then no stress

MOVING FORWARD
- lower body will shift to a supramaximal eccentric/isometric block for 2 weeks or so than shifting to an overspeed eccentric block than a sled sprinting block up to around xmas time
- upper body will shift to a rest/pause strength block for about 4 weeks than dunno after that, probably some accommodating/band stuff

Training 6 times a week for the most part but could be more again depending on other s**t going on, i have some easy days in there deliberately so i only need rest from the sq days really and 2 upper days usually does the trick
 

Aeglos

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Also what do you guys use for lifting shoes? Going to get myself a pair of Converse Chuck Taylors that I’ll be giving a whirl tomorrow.

Currently I squat in a pair of these being held together by glue and tape (they’re also my skate shoes)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MSAOC74/ref=cts_sh_1_fbt?ie=UTF8&pi=SL110&dpPl=1&dpID=41CCvyrRxrL

Bench and deadlift is Asics mattflex
https://www.asics.com/au/en-au/matflex-5/p/0010248140.2301

If I’m feeling particularly lazy I have a pair of the Reebok powerlifting shoes that I can slip on or even just my Globe CTs (in other words I just have a few pairs of shoes I rotate through depending on how I feel lol)

I used to squat in the wrestling shoes as well but because of my stance always felt I was about to roll my ankle (I also wore Chuck hi tops exclusively for 2-3 years but found I had the same problem as the wrestling shoes)
Skate shoes tend to have a wider base so it feels less sketchy
 
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Gave them a whirl for deadlifting. Still finding deadlift form really hard compared to Bench and Squat. Can get the starting position and up just fine, it’s just clicking in to reverse and coming back down while not bending my back, need to keep my shoulders locked back for the whole movement. Guess that’s what I’m seeing a coach for now though!
 

Aeglos

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Gave them a whirl for deadlifting. Still finding deadlift form really hard compared to Bench and Squat. Can get the starting position and up just fine, it’s just clicking in to reverse and coming back down while not bending my back, need to keep my shoulders locked back for the whole movement. Guess that’s what I’m seeing a coach for now though!

The trick is learning how to generate your own tension (as opposed to squat/bench where the weight essentially generates it for you).
I’d imagine reps two and beyond look and feel better?
 
The trick is learning how to generate your own tension (as opposed to squat/bench where the weight essentially generates it for you).
I’d imagine reps two and beyond look and feel better?
Nah the opposite, first 2-3 are fine and then for whatever reason I start bending at the knees rather than the hips as such, still have plenty lift in me for another 3-4 reps but I start bending at the knees and back.
 
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