No multi ply and no monolifts. Proof that the IPF is far and away the most legit fed in the world. All of the gear whores in the other federations should be forced to sit and watch this on loop until they put that shit away.
So what are some good web resources on lifting and fitness? It seems bodybuilding.com, askmen, and mensfitness have google on lock. Ive gotten into a rut with Mikes Beginners program and want to switch up styles for a change. I feel like switching goals might help. Ive mainly just used strength goals to keep focused which MBP is great for. Looking at routines that are for "adding mass" you see a lot of high rep isolation exercises like skull crushers and tricep pulldowns. Id like to add mass but not spend 3 hours in the gym doing this with a hundred different exercises. Im sure MBP might be good at what Im looking for but Ive gotten it so repetitive that Im burning out on the rep/set pattern.
Check out LBEB (though a lot of their stuff came from Marshall). My girl took overall female unequipped at the meet, and set all state records in her lifts, then three national records - squat, deadlift, and total. It's NASA sports, if anyone's interested. She's still working on getting her stuff formalized. We've started squat medley training and fucking hell. I'd rather go back to the 20 reps. At least that shit was over and done with.
Adding mass is going to be affected more by what/how much your eating rather than the specific program you choose. What about MBP is stale to you? The rep scheme? The actual lifts in the program? I would say that compound movements are basis of any good program for strength or mass gains. I'm partial to Wendler's 5-3-1 in general. I've found T-nation forums to be a good resource for a high variety of programs for what you may want to do.
Yeah you hit one both issues Im having. I do prefer compound movements over isolation shit but I am sort of burnt out on the same 4 or 5 lifts. The rep scheme is also stagnated in my mind. Ive thrown in an extra couple of lifts each day the past few weeks to get a change up, usually 3 sets of 12. Like bench days I add 3 sets to failure of push ups or the back day adding a few to failure sets of chin ups and 3x 12 upright rows. No real goal in them just doing something extra.
I don't remember MBP, but I hope when you say the same 4-5 lifts you mean the accessories and not squat/bench/deadlift/press. I don't see why you can't change the accessories you do. Like instead of tricep pushdowns do close-grip bench or skullcrushers or instead of db curls do preacher curls or hammer curls, etc. Keep the big 4, change out the rest. I like Wendler 5/3/1 also, but I change out the accessory work all the time. Adding to aotke, besides your diet are you doing a bunch of cardio? I've seen people sabotage themselves trying to gain some weight by doing a shitload of cardio AND watching their diet. Obviously you don't want to pound McDonalds every meal but if you're looking to gain you need a calorie surplus. Another site is elitefts.com but they're powerlifting oriented.
So over the last 8 months I have let work stress and work travel just turn everything to shit. I am going to get everything picked back up here heading into December (starting with getting my eating all cleaned up again), but I am considering getting into a group exercise and lifting program like CrossFit or FitWit this time around for a couple of reasons: 1) Regular class schedule that is flexible around what I do for work 2) Seeing the people into these program the results are real (I have some questions below though) 3) I think the group support will be good for keeping me focused 4) If I drop the fucking money then I am going to be motivated to go I am leaning more towards CrossFit than FitWit, because at least in Atlanta it looks like FitWit is pretty much outdoors only and I can see it being very easy to talk myself out of that in the winter. My struggle with CrossFit really only hinges on two movements that I keep seeing that I am not a fan of at all: 1) American Kettlebell Swings vs. Russian Swings - one of my best friends is an RKC Team Leader and now a StrongFirst instructor so I learned under her. We both think the American Swing is way more risk than reward and the snatch is the movement to get a kettlebell over your head. 2) Sumo deadlift high pull - this one I have a real problem with for all of the reasons that Dallas Hartwig lists right here <a class="postlink" href="http://www.whole9life.com/2010/09/i-heart-my-supraspinatus/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.whole9life.com/2010/09/i-hea ... aspinatus/</a> I might just be making a mountain out of a molehill here, because most of my experience with CrossFitters (beyond Shimmered who we all know is awesome) has been comment sections on message boards where it gets almost Scientological if you dare to question anything CrossFit HQ. I just need to know if it will be a huge deal if I prefer to do altered versions of those movements for the sake of my shoulders. Post Thanksgiving I will try out some gyms regardless and if I am comfortable just go with it, but I wanted to hear what folks in here (both pro and anti-crossfit) think and your reasoning.
As far as what their protocol is I don't know, although as you mentioned some boxes tend to be "cult" like so if you go in for a group WOD they might frown on doing something differently since (to them) it might mean you think you know more than the instructor. It's probably simply up to the personal preference of the instructor so I'd just ask. You're actually touching on a part of why I don't like Crossfit. Many of their instructors that I've met couldn't "instruct" their way out of a paper bag, and have nothing past their Crossfit Level 1 Certifitcation. For what it's worth I completely agree with you on the kettlebell swing point. The kb swing should be strong, compact and explosive, emphasizing hip drive. Swinging the kb overhead does nothing (IMO) to benefit you other than maybe showing off your thorassic flexibility. It puts your shoulders in a compromised position, and it's harder to stay braced. If you have enough power to swing the kb overhead, then you should go heavier. I've think I did a sumo deadlift high pull once during one of my forays at a local box. Never again. Honestly, it's one of those thing that I think they do simply because it's "hard". As you mentioned in your post (although about the kb swings) it has a very poor risk/reward ratio. There are better ways to help my explosiveness off the floor, like high pulls from a conventional stance, or high pulls off blocks.
Yes I mean the big four. I don't really do any accessory lifts at all until very recently. Just doing the same four-five core lifts has just become kind of stale to me. I do like what Im reading about the 5/3/1. I think Ill give that a try. If you've seen my pics in the TIBer thread you can tell my diet and, I'd probably say, lack of intensity while lifting, hasn't produced amazing results. But for my back issues Im down to little to none which is one of my biggest goals.
Sounds to me like you hit the rut everyone does when it comes to training for no purpose other than "health". My advice? Compete. Find a small local powerlifting/strongman competition, optimally 3/4 months out and enter it. Don't worry about your totals, or whether you'll look stupid or whatever. Every meet I've gone to has been amazingly supportive, and training with a singular purpose gives you much more focus than going to the gym because it's squat day or whatever.
Crossfit: SDHP is stupid. "Interview" boxes and find out what they program. See if they program it because - you're right...they program it because it's hard. It doesn't lead to anything. It doesn't do anything. It's a foundational movement of NOTHING. Kettle bells - same thing. Strongman - I love the strongman community as a whole. They're some of the best people in sports.
Thanks guys! I think the biggest thing I was hoping for was that somebody that owns a CrossFit gym would tell me they don't do them. I think because I knew the Whole30 folks had been asked not to continue as a CrossFit gym that I was just over-reacting.
I do KB swings overhead, but that's only when I have a keg toss in an upcoming competition and I do them with an 36kg bell. It helps to emphasize hip extension and follow through. Other than that, I agree that there isn't really much use for them.
I'm back in the gym for the first time since breaking my tailbone and I've lost arch support in my feet from it. I've been told by the physiotherapist to do calve lifts and stretches. Can I get some good set recommendations? I'm going light to start because since the accident I can't walk the first ten minutes after I wake up-- the bottom halves of my legs feel like a petrified cactus. Don't shatter your coccyx kids, it is hell on earth.
There was an exercise we gave to people with flat feet... take shoes off stand with feet solidly pressed into the ground try to raise middle of foot without raising heel or toes. Fucking awful. Especially for those with flat feet/fallen arches.