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

Absolute trash. Currently working through the Horus Heresy books.
I don't read while lifting (though maybe I should try it out) but I have been reading Neuromancer. I don't know if you call the books trash because their badly written or because their fiction but I think it's commendable and I hope you're enjoying the books.
 
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I've had an issue for years that I've tried fixing in various ways, thought I'd check here if anyone has experienced this same thing and if/how they resolved it.
I have pretty good posture so I don't suffer from any sort of consistent pain day to day, but whenever I do rows, pull-ups - any upper back exercise really - I get a sort of sharp pain in my left rhomboid/scapula for the rest of the day and sometimes the day after. I've tried various things like warming up extensively with low-weight high-rep pull-aparts and facepulls at the start of a workout, and then stretching my back at the end of a workout. Nothing seems to prevent this. I don't feel any pain whatsoever until a couple of hours
after working out, at which point I'll just get this random sharp pain when I lay down or move in a certain way. Can't tell if it's a mobility issue or weakness in my rhomboid that's causing this.

Googling around suggests pretty much to just do the stretches I'm doing or, ironically, to do rows.
 
Does overhead barbell press put specific pressure on elbows? My left elbow is a bit shot and I don't want to do anything that will put it back in recovery. But I wanna do overhead press
 
Today I discovered that if I skip the gym for a couple of days it’s not because it’s cold, dark, and wet of a morning, it’s because my body is fighting something and I’m actually really sick. Currently in bed and hoping I’m better by tomorrow so I can get a leg day in.
 
I've had an issue for years that I've tried fixing in various ways, thought I'd check here if anyone has experienced this same thing and if/how they resolved it.
I have pretty good posture so I don't suffer from any sort of consistent pain day to day, but whenever I do rows, pull-ups - any upper back exercise really - I get a sort of sharp pain in my left rhomboid/scapula for the rest of the day and sometimes the day after. I've tried various things like warming up extensively with low-weight high-rep pull-aparts and facepulls at the start of a workout, and then stretching my back at the end of a workout. Nothing seems to prevent this. I don't feel any pain whatsoever until a couple of hours
after working out, at which point I'll just get this random sharp pain when I lay down or move in a certain way. Can't tell if it's a mobility issue or weakness in my rhomboid that's causing this.

Googling around suggests pretty much to just do the stretches I'm doing or, ironically, to do rows.
I've struggled with rhomboid pain for a very long time and I still don't have it solved but some things I've noticed:
- being very diligent about retracting my scapulae on bench has helped, and not maxing out range of motion so the scapulae stay retracted/shoulders stay packed
- conversely, not packing my shoulders so much on pull ups seems to help as well
- running definitely seems to exacerbate it, the up and down motion of the head and shoulders, etc
- behind the neck ohp seems to be helping (shout-out to whoever recommended that earlier in the thread)
- being VERY diligent about stretching seems to be helping
- it seems to be greatly exacerbated by sitting at a desk for long hours
I suspect, at least in my case, my rhomboids are/were overcompensating for some other weakness or tightness, and a combination of stretching and bnohp are probably maybe correcting that, but I don't know I'm not a fucking doctor, these are just my observations that may or may not be helpful.

Does overhead barbell press put specific pressure on elbows? My left elbow is a bit shot and I don't want to do anything that will put it back in recovery. But I wanna do overhead press
Yes. Take a rest week, it's better than losing weeks to an injury.
 
Does overhead barbell press put specific pressure on elbows? My left elbow is a bit shot and I don't want to do anything that will put it back in recovery. But I wanna do overhead press
You'll feel stimulation on your triceps if you do them properly. You might need to warm up your elbows just in case though. Just do any tricep exercise with super light weight.
 
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You'll feel stimulation on your triceps if you do them properly. You might need to warm up your elbows just in case though. Just do any tricep exercise with super light weight.
I've been doing weighted pushups just fine and I feel no pain, been doing suitcase carries and it's fine, but even leaning on my elbow on a mattress watching a movie and it hurts, Idk wtf's going on, I just wanna be able to do pullups again.
 
I've been doing weighted pushups just fine and I feel no pain, been doing suitcase carries and it's fine, but even leaning on my elbow on a mattress watching a movie and it hurts, Idk wtf's going on, I just wanna be able to do pullups again.
You should be able to do OHP just fine then. Have you had any past injuries to your elbow that come to mind?
 
So I have posted it before no matter what I've had t rex arms.

Friend who knows his stuff said you have nothing to lose try working the other set of twitch muscles.

This sounds crazy but as I said what can go wrong? I'm going to try for high rep low weight ...for growth.

Fuck it why not? I'll report back in a few weeks.

For anyone unaware, this is counter the norm but some people have weird things and it won't hurt to try.
 
being very diligent about retracting my scapulae on bench has helped, and not maxing out range of motion so the scapulae stay retracted/shoulders stay packed

Definitely not bench related, used to do a PPL and I'd only ever have this issue directly following a pull day.

You could be onto something about the pull-ups, and in general it's almost certain that my rhomboid is overcompensating for something or I'm getting an impingement somewhere from lack of flexibility. I'm right handed so it's fairly telling that the issue falls on my left side.


I did find some interesting stretches on the [P]rehab channel by changing my wording around a bit when googling - this seems convincing. I'm phoneposting and it won't let me embed but here's the video.

 
I'm approaching my first cut (read: 3 months from now) and I'm a 205lbs fat fucking retard. I anticipate that I would have an easy time cutting once I stop drinking soda and half a handle of vodka every weekend I would like to try and gain muscle on a cut as I just started weightlifting 3 months ago and my tadpole oodle gains are coming in and I wanna keep going, regardless of how miniscule they might be.

It seems that, according to the internet, I'd need to eat 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight, which would come to 200g of protein. Not sure on the numbers but I think my base metabolic rate is 1936 calories a day, so I'd like to have a deficit of 500 calories at 1436.

So my question is how the fuck do you get 200g of protein a day on a 1400 calorie budget? My protein shake w/ 48oz of milk is about 1000 calories and only about 97g of protein. Do I just eat 1936 calories of shit to get to 200g, then workout so my deficit is back to normal? I use the stock gnc protein powder, should I look into more refined ones that provide more protein and less carbs/fat in each scoop?
 
I'm approaching my first cut (read: 3 months from now) and I'm a 205lbs fat fucking retard. I anticipate that I would have an easy time cutting once I stop drinking soda and half a handle of vodka every weekend I would like to try and gain muscle on a cut as I just started weightlifting 3 months ago and my tadpole oodle gains are coming in and I wanna keep going, regardless of how miniscule they might be.

It seems that, according to the internet, I'd need to eat 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight, which would come to 200g of protein. Not sure on the numbers but I think my base metabolic rate is 1936 calories a day, so I'd like to have a deficit of 500 calories at 1436.

So my question is how the fuck do you get 200g of protein a day on a 1400 calorie budget? My protein shake w/ 48oz of milk is about 1000 calories and only about 97g of protein. Do I just eat 1936 calories of shit to get to 200g, then workout so my deficit is back to normal? I use the stock gnc protein powder, should I look into more refined ones that provide more protein and less carbs/fat in each scoop?
Honestly, that protein measurement is kind of bullshit. It’s also about lean bodymass, not just plain weight.
What matters more is quality of food. Protein is important, but what’s more important is greens, fruits, healthy fats like oily fish and rendered animal fats, fiber, and yes protein but if you just make an effort to eat some source of protein every meal that’s covered fine.
Like think logically here. What’s probably better for building or maintaining muscle all macros being equal, oats and a protein shake or a veggie stir fry with pork and shrimp? Scrambled egg whites and hot sauce or banh trang nuong with spinach and peppers?
In short, a protein shake a day after workouts and making an effort to eat a varied and colorful diet while counting calories is in my opinion the way to go. Don’t worry too much about macros so long as you get a good mix of things on your plate.
 
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