Get BACK to basics...

[6-heads lewis]

spes, have you tried putting a barbell plate into a backpack? that worked well for me. for comfort reasons, i never used a plate bigger than 25, though i suppose you could use 2 25's


my gym recently bought a station with parallel bar handles, whereby you pull up with your palms facing each other at about shoulder width. its been an awesome addition, surprisingly widening my shoulders after much disappointment with shoulder presses.

thats my favourite grip, slightly wide with palms away 2nd.

[danno1]

would you guys recommend 5x5 for pull ups?

[danno1]

do traps help in pullups? i used to be able to get to 4 max and BARELY and today I just did 5x5 easily with bodyweight. I havent even done any pullups in the last month while focusing on behind the back shrugs and close grip front ones

[blinkwatt]

Good stuff Espi!

I would like to add that doing weighted rows of form,close-grip,wide-grip w/ just about any type of bar will really increase the definition in your back.

[Warboss Alex]

Originally Posted by blinkwatt

Good stuff Espi!

I would like to add that doing weighted rows of form,close-grip,wide-grip w/ just about any type of bar will really increase the definition in your back.

no, it will increase the muscle in your back, which will show better at a low bodyfat.. hence 'definition'. exercises don't define you, your bf% does.

[blinkwatt]

Originally Posted by Warboss Alex

no, it will increase the muscle in your back, which will show better at a low bodyfat.. hence 'definition'. exercises don't define you, your bf% does.

That's none-sense.

If that's the case then doing sets or 12-reps compared to 4-reps would yield the same results if the total amount of weights lifted was the same. It doesn't work like that.

[Warboss Alex]

Originally Posted by blinkwatt

That's none-sense.

If that's the case then doing sets or 12-reps compared to 4-reps would yield the same results if the total amount of weights lifted was the same. It doesn't work like that.

Weight training does not define you - your bf level does. Weight training can pump you up to give a better showcase of your definition (bigger muscles on a low bf frame look very defined) but it is not done for fat loss.

[int3l]

im probably the last person you'd wan't any form of advice from but when you're dowing pull-ups and the you have the strength to add more weight, shouldn't you be making the effort to remain in control of the added weight? so even with a normal chain you shouldn't be moving around so much that you're control of the pull up is jerking the chain around. Nice slow movement? just my 2 cents is all.

[speakeasy]

How much do you guys deadlift? I'm adding about 5lbs a week to my deadlifts doing one warmup set and then 2 sets of 5 reps with as much weight as I can stand. Which now is about 140lbs.

[Quagmire911]

Originally Posted by speakeasy

How much do you guys deadlift? I'm adding about 5lbs a week to my deadlifts doing one warmup set and then 2 sets of 5 reps with as much weight as I can stand. Which now is about 140lbs.

Deadlifting 140, you should warm up with a few more warm up sets. As you progress and the weight gets higher, you need to add in more warm up sets. Try something like:

Barx10
75x6
105x3
125x1
2x5 @ 140

Doesn't need to be exact. You can also do 5 minutes light walking/cycling before the weights which can help, or sled pulling if that is your forte.

Here is a very good post by IA:

http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3404

As for frequency is varies. Some people get away with twice a week, some once a week, once every two weeks. Or it can be rotated with other exercises weekly, lots of options. Depends on level of advancement, recovery time etc. If you are on a conventional 3 day split, then once a week would be the norm. I've even seen stronglifts log of 6 times a week, but that is odd indeed and I will have to ask him what he is playing at :-).

Good luck.

[speakeasy]

Originally Posted by Quagmire911

Barx10
75x6
105x3
125x1
2x5 @ 140

Doesn't need to be exact. You can also do 5 minutes light walking/cycling before the weights which can help, or sled pulling if that is your forte.

Sounds good. I'll give that a try. Btw, should I do that with all excercises? Do incremental warmup set until I reach my desired weight?

[Warboss Alex]

Originally Posted by speakeasy

Sounds good. I'll give that a try. Btw, should I do that with all excercises? Do incremental warmup set until I reach my desired weight?

with your heavy ones, yeah. like you would warm up thoroughly for deadlifts but if you were doing rows afterwards I might just done one warmup or even not at all (usually I just do rows as I strip the bar from deadlifts).

[simba_]

while we are on the subject...

what do you guys prefer to do for your rows?

currently i'm on a popular 5x5 program (and loving it) where I row twice a week (mon/fri). i don't mind doing dynamic rows.. but after doing deads on wednesday it takes a toll on my lower back. I switched over to the incline row (chest supported) and am working on my explosion.. but i don't like it as much.. what would you guys substitute for dynamic rows? just plain ol' bb rows?

[Espi]

Originally Posted by blinkwatt

Good stuff Espi!

I would like to add that doing weighted rows of form,close-grip,wide-grip w/ just about any type of bar will really increase the definition in your back.

Thanks, Blink. I think I'm not the only one on this board who is interested in reading your philosophy on diet, fitness discipline, etc.

[mrRuckus]

Originally Posted by simba_

while we are on the subject...

what do you guys prefer to do for your rows?

currently i'm on a popular 5x5 program (and loving it) where I row twice a week (mon/fri). i don't mind doing dynamic rows.. but after doing deads on wednesday it takes a toll on my lower back. I switched over to the incline row (chest supported) and am working on my explosion.. but i don't like it as much.. what would you guys substitute for dynamic rows? just plain ol' bb rows?

Which 5x5 program has you doing dynamic rows? The ones I see have just bent over rows or pendlay rows. They don't say "use your lower back and hips and legs." There's a reason why those program are written like they are and being anal and trying to make them better after they've already been written by experts is most likely to make the program worse... such as beating the hell out of your lower back 3 days a week.

For example, I know on Madcow's 5x5 page he goes out of his way to say DON'T FVCK WITH THE LIFTS. I think about the only option he gives you is whether to do the press or incline bench... and MAYBE which tricep and bicep exercises to use as supplemental lifts once a week. Paying attention to this stuff is extra important on the higher frequency programs.

[Drum&Bass]

I want to do my pullups explosivly, same way pride heavy weight campion fedor emelianko does em, if you saw that documentary. He does the whole range of motion and everything. I'm a grappler, so I want explosive strength like that.

explosive pull ups (Kipping Pull Ups) are not as effective as legs fully extended regular pull ups, kipping is good rarely (and alot of fun when you learn how to do them)...but shouldn't replace normal pulls up.

explosive strength comes from explosive/ specialized training, pull ups alone don't improve athletic/explosive ability.

But I still would like a way to put some extra weight on which won't jerk

your trying to compensate for the weight being to heavy by doing it faster and using momentum to help you out..bottom line..the weight is to heavy and your not strong enough

[KarmaSutra]

To save my life I cannot do a fvcking pull-up. I'm too fat in the ass. I'll stick to deadlifts and rows.

I agree though, 75% of the guys at Golds I see working out only do chest and arms and legs. Very little back work. They don't realize ho much they're minimizing the gains.

[simba_]

Originally Posted by mrRuckus

Which 5x5 program has you doing dynamic rows? The ones I see have just bent over rows or pendlay rows. They don't say "use your lower back and hips and legs." There's a reason why those program are written like they are and being anal and trying to make them better after they've already been written by experts is most likely to make the program worse... such as beating the hell out of your lower back 3 days a week.

For example, I know on Madcow's 5x5 page he goes out of his way to say DON'T FVCK WITH THE LIFTS. I think about the only option he gives you is whether to do the press or incline bench... and MAYBE which tricep and bicep exercises to use as supplemental lifts once a week. Paying attention to this stuff is extra important on the higher frequency programs.

you're right. i was actually using something based off of bill star's that I found here: http://www.eclipsegym.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=57 after reading the forums over at sherdog. i am no expert at it; it was something new it me.

i think i'll do the bent over rows. .

[Kerpal]

You guys ever try pull ups and dips on gymnast rings? I tried them for the first time tonight, it's a LOT harder. I was already pretty tired from doing pull ups the day before though. I can do about 20 pull ups on a regular bar, on the rings I think I could only do about 15.

When I started doing more pull ups of different variations (towel pull ups, weighted pull ups, explosive pulls ups, etc.) I noticed a BIG difference in the size of my upper back.

[kickureface]

eespi, i remember your killer back. you think that pullups helped your back mass more than rows did?