Complete Physique

[donjuanjovi]

Do you guys really think once you've got yourself a 500lb bench, a 500lb squat and 500lb deadlift that your physique isn't gonna be complete? These kinda posts border on overthinking, which in time will result in you guys adding in more exercises to your program and making it go balls-up.. concentrate on the basics. Powerlifters concentrate on getting stronger on the three main lifts and when they diet down, there's no glaring gaps in their musculature.

This post reminded me of Eric Cressey's last article. It's a good read. (It's not gay porn)

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1535867

 

[Warboss Alex]

Kwello,

You can have a smaller, but still complete, physique with a 300lb bench/squat/deadlift. You missed the point, which was that doing the basic compound exercises will fill out EVERY part of your physique without a need for isolating stuff like rear delts, traps, neck etc.

If you have a strong bench, are you JUST gonna have a strong/big chest? No, you'll have big shoulders, big triceps, big lats, big traps - all of these are involved in benching and progressive

And you're saying that the adductors/abductors don't get worked if you squat? What do you think keeps the knees from coming in?

Same with traps/rear delts. Look at the strongest deadlifters in the world, do they have small traps or necks?

Concentrate on getting the basic lifts to a point which equals the size you want. Having a 300/400/500 may not be big enough for you, and you'd need to get to 400/500/600. Or maybe just getting 200/300/400 is enough for you, it doesn't matter. You can do as much isolation work as you want but your progress will always be proportionate to your total.

Maybe some guys will need extra isolation work to work on a weak point BUT unless you already have a significant strength and muscular base (different for every person), your whole BODY is a weak point - you can't tell me for example that a 150lb guy needs extra work on his rear delts or 'upper inner outer chest'.

 

[Drum&Bass]

Kwello do you go to savannah college of art and design ????

 

[Kwello]

No, I'm at Sheridan.

 

[Quiksilver]

Sheridan...

As in Sheridan College?

As in Sheridan College in Canada?

 

[Kwello]

Yep that's the one.

 

[spesmilitis]

For complete physique I think compound lifts are good enough.

For injury prevention, im not an expert, but I learned a few things:
stretch post workout, warm up correctly preworkout
Shoulders: arm circles, internal rotations, external rotations.
Low back: to prevent injuries to spine: dead/squats (duh), weighted hyper extensions
knee: Doing squats where you go as low as possible with knee still behind toes. Take your knee through your full range of motion when stretching.
Neck: Hise shrugs. http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?t=338174 http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?t=352967
Elbow:? Maybe delevop triceps?

 

[Warboss Alex]

Elbow:? Maybe delevop triceps?

high reps on your curls and tricep extension movements (skullcrushers, pushdowns, db extensions). best way to wreck your elbows is low reps and heavy weight with arm work

 

[spesmilitis]

high reps on your curls and tricep extension movements (skullcrushers, pushdowns, db extensions). best way to wreck your elbows is low reps and heavy weight with arm work

I see how developing the tricep will decrease impact to the eblows if the elbows get hit (like landing on your eblow after a throw in wrestling or judo). More of the impact will be spread along the tricep muscles. But how do curls help. Maybe the bicep helps stabilize the joint? In that case, are pullups/chins/deadlifts/BOR's good enough?

 

[Warboss Alex]

Yes, curls stabilise the elbow joint. The only reason powerlifters do curls is to stabilise the joint during squatting and benching (unless they wanna have bodybuilder arms of course ).

Whether you need additional bicep work will depend on the weights you're lifting. After a point you will need direct work if only to protect your joints - but worry about getting to that point first.

(in other words, the compounds will be enough for now)

 

[spesmilitis]

whoa, so curls are actually good for something. Now I'm going to feel like a fruit when I join bench'n'curl guys who swarm the free weight areas. Sorta like being the only guy in a aerobic class.

 

[DarthJuan]

What about the elbow/inner elbow (don't know what it's called) area?
I've added some decent size (well compared to how skinny I use to be) to my forearms and tris/biceps...but I still have skinny elbows.

After a workout, that area is all pumped up, but otherwise it's rather skinny.