*.* 2012 General Fitness Thread *.*

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Simply Red

Silock, out of the gate in 2012, I have two concerns, ok 3 - Pecs, sholders and core, my legs are already extremely muscular and I want no other fitness there, outside of running. Bring the noise, champ.

Thanks

For nice pec development hit the incline press movements and fly type movements. He is right on the military presses for shoulders, you may look into arnold presses and some lat raises (both front and side). It you want those nice traps on the shoulders shrugs and a close grip upright row will do wonders as well.

How's the back?

[Silock]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

For nice pec development hit the incline press movements and fly type movements. He is right on the military presses for shoulders, you may look into arnold presses and some lat raises (both front and side). It you want those nice traps on the shoulders shrugs and a close grip upright row will do wonders as well.

I'd still just concentrate on the basics. It's extremely difficult to be great in all of those lifts and have areas that are "lagging." Concentrate on using good form, and those total body lifts will hit all the development you need.

Edit: That's not to say that I don't think those assistance exercises are a good idea. They are. But, I would do them sparingly, and not put most of my effort in them. I'd only do them after pushing it ****ing HARD in the big ones, because that's where the majority of the gains will come from, in both strength and muscle development.

Don't major in the minors. - Jim Wendler (I shamelessly steal this quote, because it's awesome)

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Silock

I'd still just concentrate on the basics. It's extremely difficult to be great in all of those lifts and have areas that are "lagging." Concentrate on using good form, and those total body lifts will hit all the development you need.

Edit: That's not to say that I don't think those assistance exercises are a good idea. They are. But, I would do them sparingly, and not put most of my effort in them. I'd only do them after pushing it ****ing HARD in the big ones, because that's where the majority of the gains will come from, in both strength and muscle development.

Don't major in the minors. - Jim Wendler (I shamelessly steal this quote, because it's awesome)

For some that's okay, but others like to change it up a little in the gym to make it more interesting. Of course results are fun, but for some doing a few different excercises here or there adds a little to flavor to the routines for us going that aren't in bodybuilding or power lifting competitoins. Then you have guys like me with a bad back from an auto accident that can not do 2 of the big 3 any longer.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

For some that's okay, but others like to change it up a little in the gym to make it more interesting. Of course results are fun, but for some doing a few different excercises here or there adds a little to flavor to the routines for us going that aren't in bodybuilding or power lifting competitoins. Then you have guys like me with a bad back from an auto accident that can not do 2 of the big 3 any longer.

It's fine if you want to "change it up," but that change should be change in the assistance work, and not the big movements. Not doing those is just sabotaging your overall progress.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Silock

It's fine if you want to "change it up," but that change should be change in the assistance work, and not the big movements. Not doing those is just sabotaging your overall progress.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Silock

It's fine if you want to "change it up," but that change should be change in the assistance work, and not the big movements. Not doing those is just sabotaging your overall progress.

I don't think changing to incline bench for flat bench would hinder pectoral development, but probably enhance it which is what I think SR is probably after being the ladies man that he is .

I agree to try to keep compound exercises pretty much your staple while "changing up" the exercises for other muscles. I wasn't suggesting to do leg extensions in place of squats by any means. By maybe sometime you want to to front shoulder presses instead of rear shoulder presses, maybe sometime you want to do arnolds for a bit on shoulder day instead of side lat, maybe you want to switch from DB's to a plate for front row, or use the a cable machine for it. Change from upright row on the smith machine to ropes on the cable machine or use a reg barbell. Change from preacher curl with curl bar to dumbbells on the preacher curl, do curls on that cable, do hammer curls instead of palms in. Try some supersets, try some drop sets which can be done with compound excercises as well. I could go on and on, but my point it keep it fresh, keep it fun, work hard and keep coming back while of course using compound movements supplemented with lifts for the smaller muscle groups.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

I don't think changing to incline bench for flat bench would hinder pectoral development, but probably enhance it which is what I think SR is probably after being the ladies man that he is .

The EMG data shows that decline hits upper pecs better than incline, and flat bench hits overall chest development better than both. I mean, the differences aren't very large, but they are there and statistically significant.

I agree to try to keep compound exercises pretty much your staple while "changing up" the exercises for other muscles. I wasn't suggesting to do leg extensions in place of squats by any means. By maybe sometime you want to to front shoulder presses instead of rear shoulder presses, maybe sometime you want to do arnolds for a bit on shoulder day instead of side lat, maybe you want to switch from DB's to a plate for front row, or use the a cable machine for it. Change from upright row on the smith machine to ropes on the cable machine or use a reg barbell. Change from preacher curl with curl bar to dumbbells on the preacher curl, do curls on that cable, do hammer curls instead of palms in. Try some supersets, try some drop sets which can be done with compound excercises as well. I could go on and on, but my point it keep it fresh, keep it fun, work hard and keep coming back while of course using compound movements supplemented with lifts for the smaller muscle groups.

Agreed!

I guess my overall emphasis is that we do things all the time that we may not necessarily prefer to do when it comes to diet and fitness. I mean, I'd love to eat apple pie every day and 18 fatty steaks, while drinking as much as I want. But I can't. We all make sacrifices in the name of fitness. So, bearing that in mind, it makes more sense, IMO, to do the exercises that are the very best for you, regardless of how boring they may be at times. And I think you agree with that, mostly.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Silock

Agreed!

I guess my overall emphasis is that we do things all the time that we may not necessarily prefer to do when it comes to diet and fitness. I mean, I'd love to eat apple pie every day and 18 fatty steaks, while drinking as much as I want. But I can't. We all make sacrifices in the name of fitness. So, bearing that in mind, it makes more sense, IMO, to do the exercises that are the very best for you, regardless of how boring they may be at times. And I think you agree with that, mostly.

To a point yes, but while it might not make the most sense I do a leg/bicep day instead of the usual leg/ad or leg/core. Like most people I hate doing legs so I added the bi excercises at the end to keep that day fun and me excited to come to the gym. I think it's okay to sacrifice "some" of something that may give you the maxim benefit exhange for unjoyment or keeping it fun at the gym. I'm of course mainly referring to casual gym member and not a competitive athlete.

I've got 2 guys in my gym that are in the their mid 40's. One just won the NPC Mr Missouri overall title and the other one got like 3rd overall in the Masters comp around KC somewhere. Both guys look like freak of natures, but don't train together because they don't like the way the other trains, but they get along fine. Obviously what one is doing may be scientifcally better then the other, I don't know. But they like to do what they do and they probably wouldn't be happy doing it another way even though it works for someone else. Obviously they aren't doing stuff utterly crazy dumb, but they aren't taking it to an extreme that they don't enjoy coming in.