Azubuike24;1492472 wrote:Pyramid sets on bench is a great way to see it greatly improve.

Mike Rashid, trashing/overtraining chest on YouTube is a great resource. There's a video of him doing a crazy pyramid set starting at the top, going down for 10 sets and then back up for 10 sets, doing 10 reps on every set with little rest.

Give me an example, without me having to take the time to look it up.

ernest_t_bass;1492484 wrote:HOLY SHIT. 405 lbs., I'm assuming?

Yes. For a set of 6. Then I'll do a reverse pyramid (work my way down) to a set of 10-12 with 350+. I like to start with the heaviest weight first, while I'm freshest.

BR1986FB;1492492 wrote:Yes. For a set of 6. Then I'll do a reverse pyramid (work my way down) to a set of 10-12 with 350+. I like to start with the heaviest weight first, while I'm freshest.

BR with a tan

Raw Dawgin' it;1492493 wrote:BR with a tan

Not close. Nowhere near that ripped and he has more hair (j/k).

1 word: Yoga.

Do it atleast 3 times a week and you will notice improvements in strength and stamina as well as ashtetically. I have lifted, ran, and played sports all of my life. Once I started doing yoga 5-7 times a week I reached the best shape of my life.

I hear grown men give yoga alot of shit but I have seen those same grown men cry during their first class.

In addition to this: diet, diet, diet.

Yoga is badass. It helped my flexibility a ton when I did it. Also burns more calories than you'd think.

ernest_t_bass;1492485 wrote:Give me an example, without me having to take the time to look it up.

Start at 80-90% of your max for 5 reps (so if you can usually do 275 for 5, load with 5/10 lb plates on each side up to that weight). Say you're starting at 235 lbs.

235 X 10
225 X 10
215 X 10
205 X 10
195 X 10
185 X 10
175 X 10
165 X 10
155 X 10
145 X 10
135 X 10

Take that all the way back up to 235, shooting for 235 for 10 on your 21st set. 15-30 seconds between each set, and have someone slide 1 plate off each side between sets.

You will typically see it as drop set training, where most programs will do 4-8 sets of just starting heavy and going lighter and lighter. However, drop sets don't go back up to the heavy sets.

I've done this once and it absolutely crushed me the next day. The most sore I've been in a long time, but felt awesome.

Yoga is too damn boring, and I just can't buy into it being a real workout. I should however do it more often for flexibility and recovery. I have noticed I have been a lot stiffer lately, and taking a longer to recover. I guess I am just getting older .

like_that;1492526 wrote:Yoga is too damn boring, and I just can't buy into it being a real workout. I should however do it more often for flexibility and recovery. I have noticed I have been a lot stiffer lately, and taking a longer to recover. I guess I am just getting older .

P90X Yoga is the most boring workout I have ever done. I should do the Gaim (sp?) 25 minute workout that I have, more often... but I don't.

ernest_t_bass;1492527 wrote:P90X Yoga is the most boring workout I have ever done. I should do the Gaim (sp?) 25 minute workout that I have, more often... but I don't.

Yeah, 90 minutes for Yoga is just ridiculous. I guess that is what I am basing my yoga experience off of. Probably not fair to yoga.

ernest_t_bass;1492527 wrote:P90X Yoga is the most boring workout I have ever done. I should do the Gaim (sp?) 25 minute workout that I have, more often... but I don't.

like_that;1492529 wrote:Yeah, 90 minutes for Yoga is just ridiculous. I guess that is what I am basing my yoga experience off of. Probably not fair to yoga.

this

Gotta find a shorter program. I always condensed that P90X yoga workout. 90 minutes is way too long.

Speaking of flexibility, I picked up Kelly Starrett's new book "Becoming a Supple Leopard" (goofy title I know). Some of you who are familiar w/Crossfit may know of him.

It's worth the $60+ for anyone who wants to improve mobility for the gym, sports etc. Also, teaches you how to properly do all the big lifts. Finally anyone dealing with nagging injuries or looking to avoid them. So, basically everyone can benefit from this book one way or another.

I'd highly recommend you drop the cash on it. It's worth it.

Azubuike24;1492514 wrote:Start at 80-90% of your max for 5 reps (so if you can usually do 275 for 5, load with 5/10 lb plates on each side up to that weight). Say you're starting at 235 lbs.

235 X 10
225 X 10
215 X 10
205 X 10
195 X 10
185 X 10
175 X 10
165 X 10
155 X 10
145 X 10
135 X 10

Take that all the way back up to 235, shooting for 235 for 10 on your 21st set. 15-30 seconds between each set, and have someone slide 1 plate off each side between sets.

You will typically see it as drop set training, where most programs will do 4-8 sets of just starting heavy and going lighter and lighter. However, drop sets don't go back up to the heavy sets.

I've done this once and it absolutely crushed me the next day. The most sore I've been in a long time, but felt awesome.

This is also referred to as death. Holy sh*t. 210 reps of benching? That is literally more than I do in 2 and half months of benching, warm up reps included.

Oh, I totally agree. It's a crazy workout. Here's the link. He starts with 245 on the bar. So, probably starting with more of 50-70% of 1RM, although I don't know what Rashid's bench is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47t0NtU5FoQ

That's great. I just think it's stupid and very few would actually benefit from it.

What are good (free weight) chest focusing exercises. Outside of bench, flys, pullovers... I'm running out of options.

Dips are a great chest exercise if you have healthy shoulders and the equipment.

ThePatriot;1492845 wrote:Dips are a great chest exercise if you have healthy shoulders and the equipment.

I do those.

That about covers it. Dips, bench press, and flyes and all their variations.

Or you could throw in some plyometric pushups here and there.

ThePatriot;1492865 wrote:That about covers it. Dips, bench press, and flyes and all their variations.

Or you could throw in some plyometric pushups here and there.

I do many variations of bench. What are different variations of flys?

ernest_t_bass;1492889 wrote:I do many variations of bench. What are different variations of flys?

Dumbbells, cable flys (can do different angles, low neutral or high), and fly machine off the top of my head.

Raw Dawgin' it;1492898 wrote:Dumbbells, cable flys (can do different angles, low neutral or high), and fly machine off the top of my head.

Perhaps you missed where I said free weights. We don't have any machines in our weightroom.

ernest_t_bass;1492889 wrote:I do many variations of bench. What are different variations of flys?

Flat, incline & decline flyes.

BR1986FB;1492913 wrote:Flat, incline & decline flyes.

Good deal. Currently, these are the chest exercises I do, spread out over 3 days.

Dumbbell bench
5-4-3-2-1 Barbell bench
Incline dumbbell bench
Dumbbell flies
Dips
Barbell/Dumbbell pullovers
4-way bench (20 reps, start wide - move into close, 4 hand positions, 5 reps each hand position)