[Blackwell]

What's up, in the post I'm going to detail a variety of exercises, equipment and little tips and tricks to help you get the most of your workouts this summer and on.

These could be exercises variations that you may have heard of but you tend to stick to the same 5-10 exercises per body part and you could be missing out.

The Rear Delt Row

Everybody wants their rear delts to pop, it helps round the shoulder to give you that boulder look and strong rear delts help prevent shoulder impingment and rotator cuff issues.

Most people tend to stick to variations of the rear delt fly, maybe some cable face pulls and thats about it. Sure, these are good exercises but if you really want to pack some mass onto those rear delts then you need to build around the exercise that allows you to utilise the maximum load that the body part can handle safely.

The move sets up like a standard single arm row on a bench, except you rotate your palm outward in order to place emphasis on the rear delt, you grow and you get the contraction and you slower down again. You can perform this exercise anywhere in the 6-12 range, using heavy weight (i.e 80 percent of what you would use for a standard dumbell row) and really taxing the rear delts. This will help get you that baseball look and complete the look of your shoulder.

Use the rear delt fly and face pull in alongside this exercise through dropsets and supersets.

This is pro bodybuilder Jim Cordova training shoulders. Watch the video and he will explain and illustrate the rear delt row.


Fat Gripz

Fat Gripz are an incredible tool for increasing both your grip strength and your forearm size. This is a well made quality product that is worth the price.

You can use them to add thickness to any exercise. I began adding in for my bicep and forearm routine, progessed to using it for pull ups and rows and you can just go from there. If you add the Fat Gripz it makes any exercise harder, forcing your forearms to adapt and grow. Using them for pressing exercises can also reduce shoulder pain over time.

I started using them from the recommendation of MikeCF over at his blog danger and play.

If you haven't checked it out, I urge you to do so.

Link to his blog and to his write up on the Fat Gripz:

http://www.dangerandplay.com/

http://www.dangerandplay.com/2012/10/08/...z-extreme/

Purchase them here:

http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Gripz-Ultimate...=fat+gripz

Barbell corner shoulder press

If you are suffering at all from shoulder instability, I have your savior right here.

If you struggle to go truly heavy on shoulder presses for whatever reason, some of you will have shoulder impingment issues, rotator cuffs issues or its just an exercise that your body struggles to make it through without cracking and popping, then this could be your answer.

I personally love this exercise, it allows you to go heavy without putting your shoulders at any risk. I would advise using it in place of military press sometimes just to switch it up and protect your shoulders long term, even if you don't have any issues currently.

Here is it being performed:

Here is the guy from Athlean X, showing you some additional exercises that are easier on the shoulder joints and explaining why the barbell corner press is so good.

It can be performed one handed or two handed.

Shrug form

Some people struggle the make the gains they had hoped to with the shrug. This is often due to a propensity to strong up and forward bringing heavy tension into the neck and failing to activate the whole traps, which runs down your back through the center. I recommend heavy kettlebell shrugs if you gym has them.

Try shrugging up and back in order to get the most out of this exercise. Use the kettlebell in order to master the movement, much easier to start.

Example here, good form first and bad second:

Vegetables

Vegetables should be a regular part of your diet. High quality dense greens such as broccoli, spinach, kale, collard greens etc are an incredible source of micronutrients.

Add a daily juice or smoother which is 75 percent vegetables and watch your eyes whiten, skin glow, pumps grow and endurance increase.

Dips

I struggle to dips as much as I would like because it makes my shoulders pop and crack every often but if your able to do dips, you really should. They aren't for everyone but if you can do them to you can get some serious results.

Most of the strongest most jacked dudes I've known do dips, it builds serious size and power in the chest, shoulders and front delts depending on how you angle your body. You can add weight to the belt in order to increase the difficulty.

If you could do it and aren't, change that. Dips are an incredible tool for carving out a great physique.

Lateral Raises

I have found that nothing matches the lateral raise when it comes to growing the medial deltoid. Utilise dropsets, supersets and burnout stuff with a variety of weight range 7-20 and really seek that burn. Do them before your presses sometimes and after other times. Switch it up and feel the burn.

Don't sleep on the lateral raise.

Weighted ab crunches and ab wheel rollouts

In my opinion, these are your top two non body weight abdominal exercises. I spoke earlier in the rear delt section about basing around the exercise that allows for maximum safe load. This is that exercise.

For the weighted crunch, use a rope pulley, knee down and perform the crunch.

It is shown here using a bar:

If you can get your hands on an ab wheel then do. This great for building core strength. It is essentially an advanced version of the plank.

Here is a link as I have reached the limit for embedded videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwqJTPsI6i0


Single leg dumbell squats

This is an incredible exercise all round, but especially useful if you struggle with heavy back squats or are recovering from and injury. These have been instrumental in helping me regain my strength after suffering a broken foot.

Extend your lead foot in order to increase glute activation, bring it in to increase quad. These are great for knee rehab also as they take a lot of stress away. You can go heavy by holding large dumbells in either hand once you reach that level of strength. This really hits your VMO, the muscle just inside of your knee and adds stability.

These are great in order to increase your balance, stability and jumping ability.

Try them out. Here is a link again as I have reached the embedded video limit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiTzgL2wPn8


Body pull ups

Try this variation of the underhand pull up. Use your core to tilt your body so that it is more horizontal and pull towards your solar plexus. It essentially works like a row whilst your in mid air, increasing the activation of all the back muscles and reducing the biceps involvement.

It is basically an inverted row with your feet off the floor. I couldn't find a link to explain it unfortunately. This is a great variation to increase core stability and hit the back at the same time.

Peanut Butter and Bananas

Bring these foods into your diet. Bananas are cheap, full of enzymes and you can buy them in bulk. Same as peanut butter, get the largest tubs you can find and use them to add calories, fats, proteins, carbs, fibre, and digestive enzymes to your weight gain/protein shakes.


Wrap Up

These are just a few things I've come across that may help you out, stuff I have tried and tested and has produced excellent results for myself.

These are just the ones that popped into my head now, if it's well received then I may continue to update it with little things here and there to help you guys keep and fresh and fix any lagging parts, injuries or imbalances you have.

If you have a specific body part that you have injured that you would like to know a variation for that can you help you train it safely, ask and I will probably have something.

Hopefully these will help to freshen up your workouts and give you some new things to experiment with this summer if your not already.

Peace.

[Nascimento]

Fantastic post!

[Blackwell]

Thanks for the rep and the kind words Nascimento.

I will update this as regular as I can.

We have to remember that we aren't all the same height, width and we don't all have the same joint and skeletal structure. I am constantly switching up my workings and trying to chase something that works better for me and my own personal biomechanics.

This is what I'm trying to offer here. You consume so much information that you can't try everything, you forget and you stick to what you know. It's important to try new things as you may find that they suit much better than what you were doing before.

[samsamsam]

Why are there only 2 likes for this post? It has been read 100 times. If Blackwell is wrong or you have a different opinion please share. Not saying you are wrong Blackwell. I am not an expert at weightlifting or anything. But if BW is right, show him love.

That was some effort to make that contribution Blackwell, I appreciate it. Just need some time to digest it. The timing is good since I was thinking about getting on a 3 month plan.

On a side note, lifting my hand in and out of a bag of potato chips is not considered a workout, right? Every now then, need a cheat.

[Blackwell]

I appreciate that samsamsam.

Anybody else feel free to chime in with your own little tips and tricks, exercise variations or just anything you've come across that someone here could read and go 'Yeah, I'll give that a go' and then hopefully get some benefit out of it.

I've got about 20 thread ideas that I've got stored up that I will be posting across all the categories over the next month or so.

I'm quite young (21 in September) so my time on the forum thus far as been spent mostly accumulating knowledge but I know feel as if I've got enough experience in enough areas to really try and give back to the community that has given me so much.

Hahaha and no I don't think that counts. If your going to cheat get a Taco Bell or a Chipotle or KFC or at least something with a little protein and enough calories for your body to utilise. Potato chips are a poor choice.

[samsamsam]

(05-30-2015 02:10 PM)Blackwell Wrote:  

Potato chips are a poor choice.

Was at the 99 cent store for something and just saw bags and bags. Got 3 large ones, tasted them and just dumped them all in the trash. Once in a while, just need to scratch the itch.

[RexImperator]

Not sure about the title. Aren't some of these these more "bodybuilding" than strength training? I mean, making "shoulders pop", etc. Not hating, though.

[Blackwell]

@RexImperator

You're right. These are more geared towards bodybuilding. Is it too late to re title?

[Checkmat]

Fat Gripz are the shit. I use them for otherwise "vanity" movements like dumbbell curls, so they add in some more strength elements. Helps for jiu-jitsu too.

I've had my pair for like 6 or 7 years. They're very well-built and fuck, what a great business idea. It can't cost them more than $5 to make a pair and they retail for like $30.

[Kieran]

Interesting post.

Are there any benefits of fat grips other than forearm hypertrophy?

Also does anyone do roll outs using the EZ bar? Is it still beneficial? My gym doesn't have an ab wheel. I don't do any kind of crunching movements anymore due to back pain, and hanging leg raises hurt my shoulder, so the only movement I train for core is the L-seat from the floor. I'm pretty tired of doing them all the time so would like some variation.

[Saweeep]

I don't mean to be rude but what is the basis you have for setting yourself up as a bodybuilding (?) coach here?

[Blackwell]

@CrashBangWallop

I'm not trying to set myself up as a 'bodybuilding coach'.

But I understand what you are getting at, I will put up some details about myself for transparency.

I am currently 6'3, 215 at about 12 percent body fat.

Bodybuilding isn't my main area of expertise, that would be basketball, I have played all my life and I have a scholarship offer to play next year at a UK University. I'm more of an athlete who is able to try at his hand at many different things. I grew up playing soccer for Chelsea's academy before falling out of love with it and moving to basketball.

I startd lifting when I was 14-15 years old, I saved up my pocket money and I bought a bench with a bunch of weights and a pull up bar and started there. I would just go online and read and read and read until my understanding increased. When I joined a public gym I would observe how the guys in the best shape would go about their workouts, the speed, the intensity as well as the technique and continue to learn.

At this time I was just lifting to gain a little size and strength but knew very little about diet. I moved to Mauritius for 6 months, came back in the middle of the basketball season and so was ineligible to play.

I took up Muay Thai (My uncle is a coach), Boxing and Judo in order to try and build an MMA base and try my hand at that. I learned a lot through this experience but MMA wasn't for me, I am too injury prone and the training really gives your body a beating.

However what I learned here was the true value of having strength and size. I wanted to go back to basketball and apply that.

I was always a skilled player but I felt as if though work my height if I was able to add significant size and athleticism to my frame I could go a lot further.

Anyway, I spent the next few years on and off the injury table. Rotator cuff tear, more ankle sprains than I can count, MCL sprain, broken foot, torn pectoral.

This actually meant that I spent more time in the gym than on the court. I was able to gain mass and learn about my body.

A lot of my good pals now are either pro or aspiring bodybuilders, fitness models or powerlitters.

I'm around these kinds of people all the time, I have over 5 years of training under my belt. I have spent years working hard in the gym, rehabbing major injuries and finding how what works for my body and finding ways to get around nagging injuries. I would be a bean pole if it wasn't for my commitment to bodybuilding training and a high quality calorie surplus diet.

There are guys here with a lot more knowledge than me. I just wanted to share something to give back and if people haven't tried one of the exercises before, they can try and maybe it will work well for them.

[Saweeep]

I get that you want to give back to the community; you're obviously a sporty guy and want to share your experience.

But you're 21 with a small amount of personal experience.


If your thread had been titled "some different things I do at the gym you guys might like" I wouldn't have taken issue.


But "game changing", "strength (when not one "tip" was about strength)", "fixing imbalances and injuries etc" set off my alarm bells.


The tone was a mixture between authoritative and sales copy...I thought there was going to be an ebook link at the bottom

[Hades]

OP what are your lifts in the big three?

[Blackwell]

(05-31-2015 05:53 AM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  

I get that you want to give back to the community; you're obviously a sporty guy and want to share your experience.

But you're 21 with a small amount of personal experience.


If your thread had been titled "some different things I do at the gym you guys might like" I wouldn't have taken issue.


But "game changing", "strength (when not one "tip" was about strength)", "fixing imbalances and injuries etc" set off my alarm bells.


The tone was a mixture between authoritative and sales copy...I thought there was going to be an ebook link at the bottom

I disagree that I have a 'small amount' of personal experience. I have been around a multitude of sports since I was tiny and I have been lifting weights for nearly 6 years. Do I have as much as experience as you or some of the other more prominent fitness dudes? No. But I don't believe you need 10+ years of experience in order to offer some take it or leave it advice. I'm just trying to contribute. Is there anything I said that you dispute as incorrect?

In saying that, I accept that it was a poor choice of title. I wrote it in the style I did because I wanted it to be concise. Although yeah I can see your point where it can get a little sales esque. That wasn't my intention although I have worked in sales before so I guess that leaked in a bit haha. I get what your saying about the tone. This is my first proper thread starting post so some tweaks are expected.

I will message Tuth and ask to have the title changed.

I appreciate the feedback though brother, thank you.

@Hades

Bench 300, Squat 340, Deadlift 450.

I haven't tested my max bench in some time. I use dumbells and do dips for most of my chest/tricep work.

The squat has always been a struggle for me. It took a lot of work to get it up above 300. I base most of my leg work around single leg squats, plyometics and sprinting being a basketball player. I don't squat heavy regularly, its not an exercise I enjoy.

I deadlift regularly. I have long arms and a strong back so this a pretty comfortable lift me bio-mechanically. I could pull a little more than 450 but I tend to stop short of my 'max' max in order to avoid injury risk.

I don't 1RM often. I don't really care about it that much. I'm more interested in aesthetics and performance stuff that carries over to basketball.

Note: I converted all my lifts from KG to Pounds in order to make it easier for all the dudes from the states. I weigh myself in pounds anyway and I actually prefer using them to KG.

[Blackwell]

(05-30-2015 06:22 PM)Kieran Wrote:  

Interesting post.

Are there any benefits of fat grips other than forearm hypertrophy?

Also does anyone do roll outs using the EZ bar? Is it still beneficial? My gym doesn't have an ab wheel. I don't do any kind of crunching movements anymore due to back pain, and hanging leg raises hurt my shoulder, so the only movement I train for core is the L-seat from the floor. I'm pretty tired of doing them all the time so would like some variation.

Yes. Fat Gripz increase your grip strength which carries over to all your lifts.

E.g If your grip is the first thing that fails on a deadlift than get some fat gripz to increase your grip strength and allow you to pull more. Iron grip strength is invaluable.

You can do it with a set weight barbell or ez bar. Ab wheel is ideal but you make do with you got.

I would suggest adding the weighted crunch as explained above.

[Kieran]

Cheers. My grip has never been a problem, forearms while not amazing or anything seem pretty balanced with the rest of my body, so I guess I'll leave them.

[Hades]

(05-31-2015 05:53 AM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  

I get that you want to give back to the community; you're obviously a sporty guy and want to share your experience.

But you're 21 with a small amount of personal experience.

I respect your lifts and if they're all true they're pretty badass, especially the 1.5x bodyweight overhead press. Speaking of which, you should drop some kind of data sheet on pressing since that's a world class lift.

In OP's defense, if a guy had to train for like fifteen years to write a post on an internet forum that itself demands no credentials whatsoever then that would eliminate something like 95% of all weightlifters, especially since people are married to the idea that they burn out once they hit 30 or 40 and have to quit using free weights.

That also being said, his self reported numbers (300 bench, 340 squat, 450 deadlift) are not bad for a 21 year old so he's clearly doing something right. Most lifters take a few years to get there, especially a 300# bench press.

I have had conversations with people (mostly coworkers and really chatty gym strangers) who have been "lifting for fifteen years" or "been busting ass in this gym for twenty years" and they still struggle to bench two plates for more than one rep or have "outgrown squatting" and/or "fucked up my back several times trying to finally deadlift 315#". Since they weren't plagued with cancer their entire lifting careers and were not, in fact, women, their advice is worthless to anybody sensible unless their goal is to be talked down to by somebody who lacks the self awareness to know how much they truly suck, then proceed to fuck off in a gym with grandma's dumbbells for decades and not get any stronger. I didn't say that to their faces because nobody can be that direct and honest about something and not get jumped in the parking lot afterwards but I would be a damned fool to take the advice seriously that they invariably heaped upon my brow.

This is why I don't automatically consider training years to be valuable, something of value has to be demonstrated as a result of it.

The jury is still out on OP's lifts since he has not posted a video but supposing his lifts are accurate he's probably not a novice lifter and might have a future in powerlifting if he sticks with it, considering he's only 21.

[Blackwell]

@Hades

I didn't mention overhead press. I have never 1rm on that.

I used to bench way too much when I was younger. So I'm guessing thats why its been strong. Gave my some rotator cuff issues if I'm honest but they are managable.

The deadlift isn't raw either I used straps. I gave myself a small hernia getting up the 340 squat.

I'm not really interested in powerlifting. I've just always been a guy that can try his hand at many things and reach a decent level.

Out at the moment but I'll put up some more info later on.

[Blackwell]

I'm all about transparency and understand your concerns but care too much about the community than to bullshit them.

Perhaps when I'm fully healthy I will set up a YouTube channel or something if that helps people.

[Saweeep]

(05-31-2015 12:43 PM)Hades Wrote:  

(05-31-2015 05:53 AM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  

I get that you want to give back to the community; you're obviously a sporty guy and want to share your experience.

But you're 21 with a small amount of personal experience.

I respect your lifts and if they're all true they're pretty badass, especially the 1.5x bodyweight overhead press. Speaking of which, you should drop some kind of data sheet on pressing since that's a world class lift.

In OP's defense, if a guy had to train for like fifteen years to write a post on an internet forum that itself demands no credentials whatsoever then that would eliminate something like 95% of all weightlifters, especially since people are married to the idea that they burn out once they hit 30 or 40 and have to quit using free weights.

That also being said, his self reported numbers (300 bench, 340 squat, 450 deadlift) are not bad for a 21 year old so he's clearly doing something right. Most lifters take a few years to get there, especially a 300# bench press.

I have had conversations with people (mostly coworkers and really chatty gym strangers) who have been "lifting for fifteen years" or "been busting ass in this gym for twenty years" and they still struggle to bench two plates for more than one rep or have "outgrown squatting" and/or "fucked up my back several times trying to finally deadlift 315#". Since they weren't plagued with cancer their entire lifting careers and were not, in fact, women, their advice is worthless to anybody sensible unless their goal is to be talked down to by somebody who lacks the self awareness to know how much they truly suck, then proceed to fuck off in a gym with grandma's dumbbells for decades and not get any stronger. I didn't say that to their faces because nobody can be that direct and honest about something and not get jumped in the parking lot afterwards but I would be a damned fool to take the advice seriously that they invariably heaped upon my brow.

This is why I don't automatically consider training years to be valuable, something of value has to be demonstrated as a result of it.

The jury is still out on OP's lifts since he has not posted a video but supposing his lifts are accurate he's probably not a novice lifter and might have a future in powerlifting if he sticks with it, considering he's only 21.

I get what you're saying, I just prefer people to begin their opinions with, "in my opinion" rather than speak in absolutes. There are just so many variables its impossible to speak in absolutes...in my opinion


I'm no even sure a data sheet on my seated press would be of any use to anyone. It was a long time ago, nearly a decade now, and I had a coach who literally made every decision; I can't really remember exactly what we did to hit my PB. He knew what he was doing and left me to do nothing but lift and lie on the floor for five minutes between sets

Plus, I have freakishly strong shoulders...it is pure genetic luck, 100%.

[Saweeep]

(05-31-2015 02:01 PM)Blackwell Wrote:  

I'm all about transparency and understand your concerns but care too much about the community than to bullshit them.

Here is a current picture I took just now at home.

I have lost weight and strength due my broken foot suffered in January. My physio only cleared me to start lifting legs a week ago.

Perhaps when I'm fully healthy I will set up a YouTube channel or something if that helps people.

Edit: I gotta work on my V-Taper. That's my goal for the summer. Gotta add some width.

I wasn't suggesting you were attempting to bullshit anyone, not in the slightest.

Just at 21 I thought I knew everything too

[Blackwell]

@CrashBangWallop

I know you didn't but you forced me to defend my credentials which is fine.

I've taken on board what you said about speaking in absolutes, I just wanted it to be concise.

I've got quite a few fitness related posts that I want to do so I will work on my writing and my style of delivery in those.

Haha come on man I never said I knew everything. I'm just trying to contribute.

I know you said it tounge in cheek.

Again, I appreciate the feedback.

[LeeEnfield303]

Thanks for the info on the BB shoulder press. Both my shoulders have been cut on in the past (rotator cuff/impingement), so OHP has always been an issue for me. I will try the BB shoulder press and see if it helps.

[Blackwell]

(05-31-2015 02:51 PM)LeeEnfield303 Wrote:  

Thanks for the info on the BB shoulder press. Both my shoulders have been cut on in the past (rotator cuff/impingement), so OHP has always been an issue for me. I will try the BB shoulder press and see if it helps.

Let me know how you get on with it. I have yet to come across anybody who cannot do this exercise pain free using both hands. Some have trouble with the single arm variation.