Weightlifting for Kiwis - Discussion and support regarding the art of swole

[Lords Greatsword]

Any of you guys have any takes on front squats vs. back squats? I know the obvious stuff: front squats use way more quad and way less hamstring, but they're limited by your wrist mobility, etc. I'm finding I can go way, way, way deeper on front squats and feel more core activation, but I can load up far more weight on back squats + heavy back squats are way more satisfying. I'm only repping 245 on back squat rn though. Sometimes when I'm short on time I like doing a short but intense leg day of something like power cleans, front squats, and deadlifts. If I've got plenty of time I usually do back squats instead, move DL to back day and do leg extensions for more quad work instead.

I'm not training for anything in particular, I'm just a white collar desk job fag trying to stay fit.

That's basically where I'm at right now squat-wise, from what I've been told you're best off focusing more on back squatting until your progression there begins to seriously stall, in which case introducing a variant like front squats might help

But I'm also a bit guilty of fucking around and trying other movements for curiosity's sake even if I should be keeping my focus on the plain main lifts; I'd say so long as it doesn't interfere with how well you back squat then you should be good

you MUST do the Starting Strength 5x5 2x1 Push pull Greyskull LP reverse brosplit Joe rogan kettlebell ayahuasca conditioning Nuckols stronger by science Pfizermaxxing fin+min super-periodization GOWOD bluetooth squatplug MyProtein+hexedrone+dbol+DNP Nucleus Overload cold plunge superset calisthentic Crossfit deadhangs on the scapular plane to failure or the Bogdabots in your bloodstream will prevent the mind muscle connection

Fact checked statement

 

[VeteranOfTheRetardWars]

I like Front Squats, they are very interesting.
They build horse quads, are actually really good for the core and bracing, and transfer so well to many other lifts it’s crazy.
I would recommend doing both, mainly focusing on the regular Squat with Front Squats as an accessory lift. That would look a bit like one day out of the week (depending on your split) doing some type of Front Squat with back Squats twice a week or more.

 

[Harambe]

you MUST do the Starting Strength 5x5 2x1 Push pull Greyskull LP reverse brosplit Joe rogan kettlebell ayahuasca conditioning Nuckols stronger by science Pfizermaxxing fin+min super-periodization GOWOD bluetooth squatplug MyProtein+hexedrone+dbol+DNP Nucleus Overload cold plunge superset calisthentic Crossfit deadhangs on the scapular plane to failure or the Bogdabots in your bloodstream will prevent the mind muscle connection

Yes

 

[dick brain]

View attachment 6296741


That's basically where I'm at right now squat-wise, from what I've been told you're best off focusing more on back squatting until your progression there begins to seriously stall, in which case introducing a variant like front squats might help

But I'm also a bit guilty of fucking around and trying other movements for curiosity's sake even if I should be keeping my focus on the plain main lifts; I'd say so long as it doesn't interfere with how well you back squat then you should be good


Fact checked statement
View attachment 6296737

>bloating to progressive overload calisthenics

kek.

If you know what routine you're doing before you step in the gym, you're missing out on muscle confusion gains.

 

[JoseRaulChupacabra]

Regarding front squats - make sure you work on your front rack. It can get quite uncomfortable.

 

[⚞⛇⚟]

I'm interested in starting to work out, but I am honestly struggling to find good resources on creating a work out schedule. Do any of you all know of good resources that can help me start?
I'm also part of my colleges cross country program, and I'm not sure how that will affect my ability to gain muscles. I'm prioritizing running over working out the rest of the body.

 

[AlmightyMagichan]

I'm getting too old for all this heavy lifting. All of my workouts are turning into low-weight Tai Chi sessions, and I'm fucking loving it.

 

[overweight]

do you have weird work out rituals?
i do the last rep 3 times in each set
while working out my mind is completely somewhere else so i do the last rep in each set 3 times in case i skipped a rep somewhere in between

 

[Bassomatic]

I'm getting too old for all this heavy lifting. All of my workouts are turning into low-weight Tai Chi sessions, and I'm fucking loving it.

You're still at it, so good for you. At times esp healing up, I think I'll never pick up anything heavy again. Maybe nothing like I used to, tbh I've not picked up anything 400+ since my mid 20s and def at this age won't again lol.

Sometime just a good hike, jumping rope a bit or time on my punching bag and feel nice. But at times a big heavy lift still draws me back.

 

[Must of been the wind]

ive been doing mostly light weights and resistance bands, its great cus it means i can do them more often and more consistently

 

[Lords Greatsword]

do you have weird work out rituals?
i do the last rep 3 times in each set
while working out my mind is completely somewhere else so i do the last rep in each set 3 times in case i skipped a rep somewhere in between

Don't really have any, but the closest thing to a ritual I did was, during my jump rope sessions at home, bring a lantern down and have the garage light on before I began;
The garage light would stay on for 5 minutes before automatically going off, and for 5 more minutes I would continue jump roping with only the lantern still on.
Distinct fucking feeling I had when I'd be midway through and everything goes dark like that

 

[Corvo]

I just realised I'm retarded and and all my new gyms weights are in kg not pounds. I've been super bummed out at not progressing as fast as I thought when in reality I've been smashing it. I think I really needed that lmfao retards win again

 

[Just Hamsters]

Distinct fucking feeling I had when I'd be midway through and everything goes dark like that

That sounds dope af. I need to figure out a way to gamify my routines like that.

 

[Irish Turtle]

What is better for your pecs doing a dumbell fly or using a chest press machine?

 

[Just Hamsters]

What is better for your pecs doing a dumbell fly or using a chest press machine?

In my experience it varies person to person (due to varying muscle insertions, posture, arm length, etc.). The pectoralis major fans out to wide insertions at your sternum, so really whatever you do, you should be doing it at different angles for well rounded training.

A mix of flat, incline, and decline exercises (flies or press) will do more for you than a single type. Do whatever you feel gives a better stretch and contraction at the pec.

 

[ducktales4gameboy]

Flies imo, but that's regardless if they're on the machine or not. I'd recommend the dumbbell version for most exercises unless you have a specific need for the safety offered by the fixed motion (e.g. recovering from an injury and working out imbalance issues or benching large numbers in the smith machine when there's nobody around to spot) but I'm biased because the long arms problem is real.

do you have weird work out rituals?

Someone ages ago sold me on it being a good idea to do some short ~60 second exercise like a set of pushups/pullups after meals, supposedly because getting your heart rate up a bit pushes up your metabolism. I have no idea if that's true or not but I'll vouch for it anyways just because getting up and doing something makes me much more likely to keep doing active things instead of just being lazy and dicking around on the computer.

 

[overweight]

has your work out ever have a big effect on your real life?
had a job in a major tools/lumber/cement shop(idk what its called in english) for a couple of weeks
week 1 i ended up being the guy doing all the heavy lifting
reorganized our entire lumber storage so it doesnt look like a neighbours backyard, and nobody even told me to do it
spent 2 weeks putting in 15-20kg sacks of cement by hand into the displays and reorganizing the entire heavy building shit to make it look good even tho my back is fucked
the way they treated customers is the thing that made me quit tho
fat ugly bitches that do 1/10 of the work literally refuse to help old people with technical help
the biggest problem i ran into was literally i organized heavy shit so fast i didnt even know where to put it because the women responsible for putting down the price tags/producs numbers were lagging behind

 

[RandomTwitterGuy]

I am in a dilemma.

So, I found a new gym that is part of the local community. It is never too packed, has plenty of machines, and is within walking distance of my home. However, it does not have real free weights other than hand weights and a Smith machine.

It makes me sad that it is almost perfect, but there is no room for proper lifts.

My old gym was 30 minutes by car and about three times as expensive, but it had an amazing room for lifting. It is sad, but I guess I will survive. However, I miss my dead lifts.

 

[DeutscheKatze]

I am in a dilemma.

So, I found a new gym that is part of the local community. It is never too packed, has plenty of machines, and is within walking distance of my home. However, it does not have real free weights other than hand weights and a Smith machine.

It makes me sad that it is almost perfect, but there is no room for proper lifts.

My old gym was 30 minutes by car and about three times as expensive, but it had an amazing room for lifting. It is sad, but I guess I will survive. However, I miss my dead lifts.

within walking distance sounds like a dream

maybe get friendly with staff? id try to idk suggest them free weights? maybe they have a reason for it

or maybe they are cool peeps n take it as an idea

otherwise sounds really nice

 

[FierceBrosnan]

do you have weird work out rituals?
i do the last rep 3 times in each set
while working out my mind is completely somewhere else so i do the last rep in each set 3 times in case i skipped a rep somewhere in between

I have to crack my toes before each deadlift set. Since I can workout barefoot ( home gym aw yeah) I'll bop them against the floor a few times to pop and then I'm in my groove.