A Day In The Life of a Bodybuilder: For the Less Genetically Gifted- AMA

[qbkilla]

All this RIR stuff just complicates the hell out of things IMO.

I was always taught to train to failure every set. Every pro I’ve trained with took every set to failure.

The only way I teach it now is that there is what you “think” is failure, and then there is “actual” failure.

What most people “think” is failure is still 2-3 reps shy of true failure IMO.

Amen. DC Post yesterday mocking rir, that may have been one of the best posts I've ever seen. I feel like looking back I never even needed to be told to train to failure...when I started lifting I just assumed you lifted a weight until you can't. If the reps get so high the set feels stupid, up the weight.

I did do the 5x5 for a while years ago and got strong ...but didn't have the look was just a big fat strong guy.

I have played around with EDT super sets for arms just to try something new...it's intense as your basically super setting bis and Tris for 30 minutes non stop, but Its just something I'm playing around with... failure is the default way to train for me.

 

[3BILLS]

I heard sit-ups are bad for your back though

Only if your back is bad

 

[aHarness]

Well...it's 2024 so failure is demonized and ",reps in reserve" are the holy grail to many so have to ask. But yeah I'd assume most of John's stuff is failure, from what I've seen.

Just stop watching YouTube gurus. No pros are training like pussies

 

[astrosfan123]

Hamstring and Quad Pump Day

Warm Up On Bike For 5-10 Mins

Seated leg curls : Leaning forward into the movement hugging the machine . Dorsi flex the tibia to create tension on the hamstring . Curl the motion with strict form flexing as hard as possible at the bottom till it cramps holding for a count of 2 .The eccentric portion should be a 4 second tempo into a full stretch then repeat the repetition . 3 work sets for 12 reps increasing weight each set

DB Stiff Legged Deadlifts with toes elevated slightly ( canuse 5-10lbs plates ) nothing fancy here just a strict full ROM stretch taking the lower back out as much as possible and pushing the knees out slightly on the eccentric . 3 works sets for 10 reps increasing weight each set

Lying Leg Curls Crazy 8’s … You will perform 3 foot position sets in non stop fashion . Toes pointed all the way out for 8 into toes straight for 8 reps into toes pointed all the way in touching almost for 8 reps .. Weight here is more moderate as you DO NOT NEED HEAVY WEIGHT to smoke your hamstrings on this for max stimulus .. Always flex as hard as you can driving your hips into the pad hard !2 works sets here

FST 7 Leg Press: 30-45 rest. Feet shoulder width apart on platform. Fully load the hips on these and control the weight. Do NOT drop feet and legs from platform between sets.

Adductors: 3 sets 15 (threw these in for good measure today- they hurt like hell after the FST set)

i think people are asking if all to failure because if you do 3 sets of 12 with ascending weights then thats not possible for all 3 of those to be failure sets right?

 

[3BILLS]

i think people are asking if all to failure because if you do 3 sets of 12 with ascending weights then thats not possible for all 3 of those to be failure sets right?

Now that is a fair question

 

[stackdizzy]

When I see RIR I immediately just stop reading..wtf you saving them for? Are you just warming up? How do you know how many RIR you have?

i think people are asking if all to failure because if you do 3 sets of 12 with ascending weights then thats not possible for all 3 of those to be failure sets right?

So lets imagine that your training arms and doing curls so you warm up and stuff and your first working set you normally get 40lbs for 12 max and today you feel like another one is possible..do it so you got 13
Then you pick up the 45s and you push it hard and get 10
Final set you got the 50s and you can only bust out 7

Its foolish to assume on your second and third set if you go up in weight that you are going to 12 reps on all exercises. In no world can you get 40 for 12 reps and go to failure, then add weight and get failure at 12 reps, then add more weight and get 12 to failure again. Now if I got 12 reps on my 2nd set for me its time to start off with the 45s. Does this make sense to you?

 

[stackdizzy]

Oh shit man sorry @bbxtreme this is your ama thread!

 

[bbxtreme]

Oh shit man sorry @bbxtreme this is your ama thread!

Hey man you answered it far more in depth than I would have.

@astrosfan123 you are way over complicating it. The sets I list are my working sets. I pyramid up in weight each of those sets.

The easiest way I can explain it with working sets is- whenever I rack my weights I never think “damn I could have done 2 more reps.”

In order to get another rep I would have had to break form or use momentum to achieve it.

Now a top set is your heaviest set of the working sets. So it’s the heaviest weight, lowest rep, but same concept as above.

If you find yourself doing the same reps and weight each week on the same movements, odds are you are not training to failure.

KISS- move the weight until you can no longer move it without perfect form or momentum.

So to answer your question, yes.

 

[SABAGOY]

i think people are asking if all to failure because if you do 3 sets of 12 with ascending weights then thats not possible for all 3 of those to be failure sets right?

Agree this creates a lot of confusion.

Examples of 3 sets of 12 at an ascending weight might be: 100x12, 110x12 and then 120x12. On paper really only the last set could be looked at as close to failure. Not to mention each set would be harder just from some fatigue, really making the first 2 far from failure.

I feel if you’re really pushing close to failure the only way to do 3x12 would be descending weight. Example: 120x12, 110x12 and then 100x12 because each set towards failure will cause fatigue and impact the output of the following set.

 

[bbxtreme]

Agree this creates a lot of confusion.

Examples of 3 sets of 12 at an ascending weight might be: 100x12, 110x12 and then 120x12. On paper really only the last set could be looked at as close to failure. Not to mention he set would be harder just from some fatigue.

I feel if you’re really pushing close to failure the only way to do 3x12 would be descending weight. Example: 120x12, 110x12 and then 100x12 because each set towards failure will cause fatigue and impact the output of the following set.

You guys are complicating the hell out of this.

Just lift until you can’t do anymore and then stop, rest, and once the muscle is ready do your next set.

 

[SABAGOY]

That’s why I just adjust the weight accordingly similar to what bbextreme said where I do a set and ask myself how it felt then adjust accordingly

 

[vizzorz]

Hey bro,

What are your daily meals like lately? Do you also track the calories with an app?

 

[Hyperemia]

Do you also track the calories with an app?

You can’t be serious.

 

[vizzorz]

You can’t be serious.

I know some guys will just follow the plan but others will also track with apps for some extra accountability. Keen to hear what works well for others

 

[3BILLS]

I know some guys will just follow the plan but others will also track with apps for some extra accountability. Keen to hear what works well for others

Can I refer you to page 1, post 1 ?

 

[stackdizzy]

Wrong post

 

[bbxtreme]

Hey bro,

What are your daily meals like lately? Do you also track the calories with an app?

I have listed every meal of every day of the week I am eating currently and your question is:

“hey bro, what are your daily meals lately”

 

[Yousef12O2]

Did you try the very high protein diets (400+ grams daily) and if so what was your experience? Ronnie Coleman said he ate 600 grams a day, Jay said he was drinking 140 eggwhites along with 4 pounds of meat a day. I think Nick Walker once said he eats 50g per meal so on the lower side for a guy his size. What are your thoughts?

 

[bbxtreme]

Did you try the very high protein diets (400+ grams daily) and if so what was your experience? Ronnie Coleman said he ate 600 grams a day, Jay said he was drinking 140 eggwhites along with 4 pounds of meat a day. I think Nick Walker once said he eats 50g per meal so on the lower side for a guy his size. What are your thoughts?

So I am a huge fan of high protein diets. I would argue that some of my best looks and gains were always had using high protein. It’s what I was taught and worked.

However, during all those years I didn’t use insulin. When using carbs and insulin to be protein sparing I think you can get away with less protein. As well, it will allow for a bit better digestion and gastric emptying on those high days.

But I always tell anyone to shoot for 2g of protein per pound of bodyweight on protein.

Currently we still eat high protein, especially on off days so trusting the process right now with AJ and it’s obviously working well.

Personally though, I do not agree with this low protein fad going around lately. Especially for guys not using insulin. Just my opinion and experience.

 

[Cerberus777]

Bumping a great thread, and question. So at 49 I feel it's not wise to go over a gram total. But...if blood work is good what's everyone's opinion? It's my body and I reap the consequences of my choices in the end. But on 350 test 350 primo 250 Mast blood work looks good.