jokerk's worklog

[cwong]

Squats
---------
- For safety reasons, when squatting with barbells, try doing it in a power rack with safety pins aligned at correct height. Even if u know u can manage the weight, sometimes sh1t happens. Dumping the bar at the bottom position takes some practice to avoid hitting yourself and i don't think gyms allow u to practice dumping the bar.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top lockout position (i.e. squeeze your butt cheeks). A dormant glute will give u problems later especially if u r a desk bound office work.
- Flat sole shoes highly recommended e.g. Vans, Converse etc. I saw Cotton On sell some real cheap ones at $20+.


Barbell rows
---------------
- When u pick up the weight for barbell row, u did it with rounded back. When u put down the weight u did it again. Take care of your back. Use your legs.
- U look like u r using momentum to row. Put the barbell on floor and pick it up again. -> Pendlay row.
The use of momentum looks like it is causing the bar to move away from your legs

 

[jokerk]

Squats
---------
- For safety reasons, when squatting with barbells, try doing it in a power rack with safety pins aligned at correct height. Even if u know u can manage the weight, sometimes sh1t happens. Dumping the bar at the bottom position takes some practice to avoid hitting yourself and i don't think gyms allow u to practice dumping the bar.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top lockout position (i.e. squeeze your butt cheeks). A dormant glute will give u problems later especially if u r a desk bound office work.
- Flat sole shoes highly recommended e.g. Vans, Converse etc. I saw Cotton On sell some real cheap ones at $20+.


Barbell rows
---------------
- When u pick up the weight for barbell row, u did it with rounded back. When u put down the weight u did it again. Take care of your back. Use your legs.
- U look like u r using momentum to row. Put the barbell on floor and pick it up again. -> Pendlay row.
The use of momentum looks like it is causing the bar to move away from your legs

The gym unfortunately doesn't have a "power rack". We used the weights rack as a power rack (it's in front of me in the video if you can see it) If anything happens i'll just be ready to go forward and drop it there. Good advice on the shoes. I tend to rock sometimes.

Found a video on pendlay row done by a lady

Will attempt this in the future. Thanks again.

 

[jokerk]

Just got a few items today.

Market opposite Fu Lu Shou Complex

1kg Cashew nuts -$13
1kg Almonds - $10

Bake before eating right?

The Supplement Warehouse

Accu-Measure Fitness 3000 aka calipers

I was baffled at how something that looks so simple could cost $35. Wonder if there's any difference if I used a school's vernier calipers. Anyway, according to it, it measures within 1.1% of gold standard underwater weighing results (whatever that means).

Followed the instructions and found my BF% to be 20%. Took the readings 3 times for accuracy.

 

[galapogos]

The accumeasure was <10bucks when I bought it online half a decade ago...you got scammed.

 

[jokerk]

The accumeasure was <10bucks when I bought it online half a decade ago...you got scammed.

I asked around before buying.

Calipers are cheap: less than 70 bucks, IIRC

Anyway, nutrifirst selling it at a more imba price.

NutriFirst - (Accu Measure) Fat Test Caliper (1 Package)

 

[galapogos]

accu measure | eBay

If you've asked around, know the price beforehand, and still bought it, then no need to complain that it's expensive mah.

 

[jokerk]

accu measure | eBay

If you've asked around, know the price beforehand, and still bought it, then no need to complain that it's expensive mah.

Roger roger. Just was looking at the product and thought it looked really simple that's all.

It's probably Made in China,so should have gotten it from the ebay link.

 

[gkhchay]

The gym unfortunately doesn't have a "power rack". We used the weights rack as a power rack (it's in front of me in the video if you can see it) If anything happens i'll just be ready to go forward and drop it there. Good advice on the shoes. I tend to rock sometimes.

Found a video on pendlay row done by a lady

Will attempt this in the future. Thanks again.

I wouldn't recommend you to do the Pendlay row: at a near 90 degree angle, you're putting your lower back under tremendous strain which could lead to injuries. Also by dropping the bar onto the floor, your lats, biceps & all the other upper back muscles aren't under continuous tension, which is imperative for hypertrophy.

Instead stick with the proven barbell row where your body is bent at around 45 degrees or just slightly lower:

Bent Over Barbell Row Exercise Guide and Video

I've been there & done that in over 30+ yrs of lifting - I've seen exercises that are potentially more prone to injury than others & the Pendlay row is 1 of them... please stay clear from it.

 

[eyz]

Just got a few items today.

Market opposite Fu Lu Shou Complex

1kg Cashew nuts -$13
1kg Almonds - $10

Bake before eating right?

[

what's the nutrition reading for these nuts? can it be eaten as it is? i would also like to carry these with me and eat while I'm at work.

 

[Mr Enigma]

The gym unfortunately doesn't have a "power rack". We used the weights rack as a power rack (it's in front of me in the video if you can see it) If anything happens i'll just be ready to go forward and drop it there. Good advice on the shoes. I tend to rock sometimes.

Found a video on pendlay row done by a lady

Will attempt this in the future. Thanks again.

you can see that this lady is using some momentum; not ideal. no matter pendlay row, normal row or whatever row, most of the time you want to keep it strict; zero or minimal trunk movement. that's when you can really hit the back muscles; rhomboids. no point doing too heavy and turning into a thrusting movement. well, maybe you can do so after doing the strict form for awhile. 80-90% of the time keep it strict.

 

[ROCKET LAUNCHER]

i've benched more than you but you have bigger triceps then i do.

itsintehgenes

 

[jokerk]

i've benched more than you but you have bigger triceps then i do.

itsintehgenes

hey thanks. It could be due to the weighted dips exercises I did prior to SL5x5.

2nd recorded training log. I think i'll just record myself until i'm confident of my own form.
jokerk's 3rd August SL5x5 Training log

Squats
Warmup set
25kg 2 x 12 reps
27.5kg 1 x 10 reps
Actual 5x5
Squats - 87.5kg

*beware irritating music

Using flat sole shoes (converse) as recommended by cwong and frostbyte88. Felt more stable to lift. Attempted to squat a little below parallel than usual.

O/H Press
Warmup set
20kg 2 x 12 reps
25kg 1 x 10 reps
Actual 5x5
O/H - 42.5kg (5, 5, 5, 3, 3)

Didn't manage to complete. 3rd time trying this weight,going to reduce to 40kg in next training session.

Deadlifts
Warmup set
30kg 2 x 12 reps
35kg 1 x 10 reps
Actual 1x5
D/L - 90kg

Just did 1 set of this as recommended(since already did squats in the beginning). After viewing the video, not particularly happy with my form. I have no backaches or anything after that but hope to get more input.

 

[Bear943]

Dude your deadlifts are off. You are bending over way too much. Hips shoot up way too fast and your back is almost parallel to the floor. You should be able to see your upper chest in the mirror when you initiate the pull.

 

[jokerk]

Dude your deadlifts are off. You are bending over way too much. Hips shoot up way too fast and your back is almost parallel to the floor. You should be able to see your upper chest in the mirror when you initiate the pull.

i'm just trying to emulate this guy, got to know of him from the stickies.

I'd have to agree on my back being almost parallel to the floor. I did not notice that only after.

But i'm not sure whether i'm supposed to look in the mirrow when i'm in the position. If i'm not wrong, my sight is supposed to be parallel with my chest. I did the hip thrust intentionally actually. Okay i'd have to review it again.

 

[ketua]

OHP
Push your body and head forward at top position, such that your upper arm is beside your ears.

Likewise, when you're grinding to get the bar up, try get your body under the bar.


Deadlift
Your starting position is already hip too high. You're almost like doing RDL.
Lower your hip, use leg-drive to lift the bar off, then transit to hip thrust as the bar passes your knees.

 

[eyz]

try squating down first, then slowly lift yourself up into position. your hands should tighten the slack of the barbell. you should be leaning backward, as thou you are falling backward and your hands acts like a hook hooking to the barbell, that prevent you from falling.

once properly set up, focus on standing and thrusting your hip forward, instead of thinking to straighten your body to lift the barbell.

check this thread by vurtomatic on some great tips for DL.

http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/h...s-dominate-deadlift-3819563.html#post68536122

learnt a lot from it.

anwway, you should up more weights for your DL. it's looks a little light.

i'm just trying to emulate this guy, got to know of him from the stickies.

I'd have to agree on my back being almost parallel to the floor. I did not notice that only after.

But i'm not sure whether i'm supposed to look in the mirrow when i'm in the position. If i'm not wrong, my sight is supposed to be parallel with my chest. I did the hip thrust intentionally actually. Okay i'd have to review it again.

 

[cwong]

anwway, you should up more weights for your DL. it's looks a little light.

SL program up 2.5kg per session.
In 1 months time if he keep progressing will be +30kg.
no joke wor.
It's also good to correct form while weights are still low.

 

[eyz]

yeah bro. i just thought a a heavier load would help in getting his setup correct, but increment still remain 2.5 kg. however i did read somewhere 5 kg increment for DL is also recommended, while the rest of the exercise remain 2.5 kg.

 

[ketua]

yeah bro. i just thought a a heavier load would help in getting his setup correct, but increment still remain 2.5 kg. however i did read somewhere 5 kg increment for DL is also recommended, while the rest of the exercise remain 2.5 kg.

Of cos it depends. 5kg jump from a 40kg OHP is not the same as a 5kg jump from a 100kg deadlift.

 

[jokerk]

3rd recorded training log

jokerk's 6th August training log

Squats

Warmup set
25kg 2 x 12 reps
27.5kg 1 x 10 reps
Actual 5x5
Squats - 90kg

Almost squatting my BW. Thought I couldn't make it in the end but I did. Still squatting slightly below parallel. Confident of my form so far.

Barbell Row

Warmup set
20kg 2 x 12reps
25kg 1 x 10reps
Actual 5x5
Barbell Rows - 35kg

Form check

I carried lighter than usual as I wanted to correct my form. Initial faults on previous barbell workout highlighted by cwong were

Barbell rows
---------------
- When u pick up the weight for barbell row, u did it with rounded back. When u put down the weight u did it again. Take care of your back. Use your legs.
- U look like u r using momentum to row. Put the barbell on floor and pick it up again. -> Pendlay row.
The use of momentum looks like it is causing the bar to move away from your legs

I decided to follow gkhchay and use the Bent over Barbell Row instead of the Pendlay. Hope you guys can help me check whether I did it correctly.

Benchpress

Warmup set
30kg 2 x 12reps
35kg 1 x 10 reps
Actual 5x5
Bench - 72.5kg

No issues with benchpress so far. I dropped by 2.5kg because I miscalculated what I was supposed to do the previous benchpress exercise. Any good android apps to help me document my load?