Go Back   Bodybuilding.net - Bodybuilding Forum > Members Section > Personal Journals


Ross' Strength Journal



Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #381  
Old 07-01-2008, 10:28 AM
Andrew.cook Andrew.cook is offline
Banned
Rank: Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Lancaster, Ohio
Posts: 353
Default

My thoughts on glute ham raises...

Well, between GHR and leg curls, I don't think there is a close comparison. Oh, and before we go further, I'm STILL working on completing an unnassisted GHR. They are a serious ball buster, but imagine the strength that your posterior chain has to exert to pull your body upright in such a fashion!

As for using a push-up assist, my thoughts would be that the push off should be just enough to get you through the motion. It is not hamstring assisted pushups If I was a wise man, and I can be from time to time, I would maybe look into using stretch bands to provide the assistance rather than your legs. I'll bet that if you hung them in reverse from a power rack that you would get a good assist off of the floor or bench that you were using (my training group tends to do these off the floor by hooking heels under a loaded barbell. I do them off of a bench that has a detachable pad that you are supposed to brace your legs on). I also have a good friend that does his "ghetto glute ham raises" by hooking his legs under the knee pad of a lat pulldown machine, and using a swiss ball to catch him at the bottom as well of providing something to push off of.

Alternatively I would perhaps look into using stiff legged deads or romanian deads as an alternative to leg curls. I suppose that at the end of the day leg curls/extensions are just not the most economical lifts. Not that they are evil or crap... but just aren't giving you the most bang for the buck is all.
Reply With Quote
  #382  
Old 07-01-2008, 02:10 PM
Pitysister's Avatar
Pitysister Pitysister is offline
Rank: Light Heavyweight
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,221
Default

good endurance stuff rossco i also vote for ditching the leg curls for rdl's...or something else
Reply With Quote
  #383  
Old 07-01-2008, 06:27 PM
Ross86's Avatar
Ross86 Ross86 is offline
Rank: Light Heavyweight
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NC
Posts: 3,268
Send a message via AIM to Ross86
Default

Haha I vote for ditching them too. I talked with the guy that recently started training me. Leg curls was sort of a compromise. I plan on rotating a few exercises in the next 3-5 weeks. The big issue for me is that I can only handle so much with my lower back. The ruptured disc and chronic shit that goes along with it is a bummer. Obviously, the answer is to strengthen that region. And I am. On my leg day, between squats, leg press, and narrow stance squats, my lower back is extremely sore, even with great form. On back day, my lower back is what hurts the most from doing pendley rows. It's a very manageable pain and it's not the type that means that I'm going to reinjure my back. Being in the correct position and doing p rows with just the bar made my back sore during my warmup.

Right now, I can only handle squatting or deadlifting about once a week. I'm going to have to learn to manage the back along with everything else with this new program. The other issue is that with the high volume, my form turns to shit towards the end of a set. So my biggest question is at what point I need to end the set if I'm supposed to be training to failure or near failure. It depends on the exercise, how I feel, how bad my form is, etc. It's definitely something I'll have to learn to judge myself.

When I deadlift, I always keep it to triples or less just because this is one exercise where I can't let form get sloppy for obvious reasons. This is why he didn't prescribe RDLs, I think. GHRs are great, but stability in the lower back is still an issue. Pushing off should make it manageable. It's just difficult to add exercises for this because at the end of a workout, I have practically no lower back strength.

I have a list of exercises that I really, really want to do in a few weeks. (deadlifts, standing military, incline bb bench, one leg movements for squats, etc.) And there are a few that I can't wait to get rid of (leg press, flat bench press, etc.) Oh, I almost forgot; I severely strained my back again a few months ago & I'm still not back to where I was before that happened.

I'm going to talk over all of this with him tomorrow. I think hyper extensions might be a good choice in the short term.
__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #384  
Old 07-01-2008, 06:31 PM
Pitysister's Avatar
Pitysister Pitysister is offline
Rank: Light Heavyweight
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,221
Default

and planks....lots of planks
Reply With Quote
  #385  
Old 07-01-2008, 06:35 PM
Ross86's Avatar
Ross86 Ross86 is offline
Rank: Light Heavyweight
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NC
Posts: 3,268
Send a message via AIM to Ross86
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pitysister View Post
and planks....lots of planks
Good call. I don't know if I mentioned this in my journal anywhere, but on my off days I have been doing this circuit w/ no rest in between each set:

3 or 4 sets
3 min jump rope
30 BW calve raises
planks...lots of planks
Reply With Quote
  #386  
Old 07-01-2008, 06:38 PM
Pitysister's Avatar
Pitysister Pitysister is offline
Rank: Light Heavyweight
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,221
Default

good stuff.
Reply With Quote
  #387  
Old 07-02-2008, 07:59 AM
Andrew.cook Andrew.cook is offline
Banned
Rank: Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Lancaster, Ohio
Posts: 353
Default

Lower back stuff is a pain. I've been dealing with a chronic pain for several years now. Of course, it is not a joint problem, just muscular.

I would think that things like good mornings and RDLs would be ideal as the primary movement is across the hip joint, with little flexion of the back. You know, as soon as you are in position your back stays locked. I would imagine that hyperextentions would be more troublesome since that would have you flexing your back.

Ever try reverse hypers? I have ideas about how you could probably accomplish these even without a reverse hyper machine (which is the one machine that I would buy for my gym, without a doubt. Even though there is a lot of spine flexion in a reverse hyper it seems to also work as traction, and allows the spine to decompress.
Reply With Quote
  #388  
Old 07-02-2008, 08:51 AM
Ross86's Avatar
Ross86 Ross86 is offline
Rank: Light Heavyweight
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NC
Posts: 3,268
Send a message via AIM to Ross86
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew.cook View Post
You know, as soon as you are in position your back stays locked.
It should stay locked. I have been able to keep it locked so far, but it's weak. I have to concentrate to keep it that way. As I'm becoming more acclimated to this program, it's becoming stronger. I'm very not used to the energy/focus required for this training style. I think I'll add in the RDLs when I rotate exercises. I really appreciate the help Andrew. Thanks for reading
Reply With Quote
  #389  
Old 07-02-2008, 09:03 AM
Ross86's Avatar
Ross86 Ross86 is offline
Rank: Light Heavyweight
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NC
Posts: 3,268
Send a message via AIM to Ross86
Default

Bench press - 15, 10, 8 @ 155
Incline DB press - 8, 4, 8 @ 60, 55, 50
Dips - 15, 10, 12 @ BW
OH tri ext/press - 17/10, 13/6, 10/6 @ 45

TIRED. I'm going to train again tomorrow and then take Friday off since the gym is closed anyway. It will be a stretch, but I think it's best. I think I'll take Sunday off also...we'll see.

Whenever I get very strict with my diet (eat very clean) and have very intense workouts (I lift in the morning), I don't sleep well at night. Last night I slept from 11-1 & then 6-8:30. I was wired...hopefully I'll sleep well tonight. I didn't sleep well the night before either, so last night I took a sleep aid (tryptophan, valerian root, melatonin, etc.) I had no caffeine after noon and didn't eat within 2 hours of going to bed. Maybe I'm growing so much that I can't sleep. Does anyone else have trouble sleeping?
Reply With Quote
  #390  
Old 07-02-2008, 09:23 AM
TALO's Avatar
TALO TALO is offline
Rank: Light Heavyweight
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Alberta , Canada
Posts: 3,077
Default

The last few nights I have had a hard time sleeping also. The heat plays a part in that and shift work kinda sucks. I get use to nights then go on days.

I'm taking Fri/Sat/Sun off also - enjoy the nice long break and come back well rested, Ross.
__________________
Cheap and good bulk supplements from Canada Protein
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  Bodybuilding.net - Bodybuilding Forum > Members Section > Personal Journals


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 3 (0 members and 3 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes



 



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 10:14 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.