Are Weak Men Allowed To Post Routines!?

[superfeemiman]

Congrats on the PR's! The DL reps should be performed as 5 perfect form singles in quick succession. That means each one should rest back on the ground, set your upper body position again (without moving your feet) and pull again. Don't sacrifice form, for reps.

Why thank you. I used only 35lbs today (with 10lb to make 135, and with 25lb to make 165), but when I use the 45 it will be closer to the ground, so the reps I did today should be very close to what you're saying.

Should I streighthen my legs at any point?? Should I re-arrange my grip when the weight touches the floor?

Straighten your legs somewhat, just don't lock your knees.

[lifesnotfair]

All right, I wasn't locking them yesterday. Thanks. What about the grip? Should I let go at all between reps? I mean, when I let the weight touch the floor, should I just drop it in the last few inches, or carefuly place it back on the floor? ..

It's funny, I found that my throat is under stress while doing deadlifts, hehe, maybe because I try to look forward while my back is horizontal and I'm pulling up.

[StalwartSentinel]

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Erecto...BBDeadlift.html

http://www.jackiebarrett.ca/deadlift.htm

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6...&q=deadlift

And what not to do...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=77...&q=deadlift

[lifesnotfair]

Thanks!!

The last video sure was funny!

[ArchRaid]

haha! that last deadlift video looked painful...

[lifesnotfair]

31.10.2006

What a CRAPPY day today, I'm quite angry.

10 mins at 6mph running on the machine for warmup.

Dumbell bench press.

1x5 @ 40lbs

1x5 @ 55lbs

1x5 @ 70lbs - lowering to maybe 90 degrees, need to lower more.

1x5 @ 70lbs - same as above.

1x5 @ 70lbs - this last set I asked for a spotter; he helped me raise them and helped on the reps too, after 2 reps I told him "help me less!", he replied "you're doing it all alone", and I did the remaining 3 reps. Well, the 5 reps felt easier than the 2 sets before, so I don't know if he was really helping that little as he said. On the other hand, he helped me raise them, I lose a lot of energy raising them before the reps as I have to press them from really low, so maybe I had more strength for this 5 reps. Next workout I still gotta work with these 70's.

Another comment on this excercise: I feel like I should've upped the weight already, but then I remember that they only have 1 60lb dumbell and none of the 65's, so this 3 (or so) workouts I've done with the 70's, it should've been with 60 maybe. And maybe 3-4 more weeks with 65, and THEN I would've used the 70's under normal conditions. So now that I think about that, I had to make a jump from 55 to 70 like this, so it's okay if I use the 70's for a few more weeks until I master them. Although I'm dying to advance!

Dips @ BW.

5, 7, 10, 8 (ARGH!), 6-7 (ARGH!!!!) ...

I wanted to get 10 on all 3 workout sets. I just could not! DAMN! I started to get frustrated here.

Pulldown, underhand grip @ shoulder width.

1x5 @ 110lbs

1x5 @ 150lbs

1x2 crappy @ 200lbs - too hard!! not ready.

1x5 @ 190lbs.

1x5 @ 190lbs.

200 felt very hard not only because it's a lot of weight, but it's also hard for me to pull it down and get my knees in possition, as it's more than my own bodyweight by several pounds it seems.

Dumbell rows:

50lbs, 60lbs (used the only 60lb dumbell they have, heh), 80lbs, 80lbs, 80lbs.

It's hard with the 80lbs, but I'll get used to it.

I tried the bent row with the oly bar, but couldn't get a single rep with 135

I felt so weak at this point, that I went and tried another set of dips, and got 8. Rested 2 mins and tried the pulldown again at 190lbs, got 4+1 reps (grip gave in after 4 reps!! Had to get up and re-grip and perform an incredibly hard 5th rep).

Edited October 31, 2006 by lifesnotfair

[lifesnotfair]

31.10.2006 after work.

My goodness, I'm scared. I rested from the grippers for 3 days, and it seems the little strength I had is COMPLETELY gone.. I'm not talking about just a "bad day for grippers", I'm talking about having to perform a max-effort to close a gripper that I parallel-repped nearly 15 times last week. How is this possible? My only explination is that 5-6 hours before this, I worked out at the gym, and I did 5x5 on pulldowns and dumbell rows, and on both I think I need to use a tight grip.

I did wrist curls with dumbells and reverse wrist curls with the Pegasus. Managed 15lbs on that extension without noticeable cheating, but very very hard. After that I tried the 6kg plate (13.26lbs) and got 3-4 reps, also very very hard or I would've gone for 5, but since it was the sixth set I decided to stop.

IM yellow bands and IM Blue bands. I noticed one of my blue bands is noticeable smaller in circumference than the other, there fore harder to expand. I'm trying to alternate it in my hands, still quite hard. I don't place this band on the very end on my fingers either... and that sucks, as I can do at least 20 good-form reps with the yellow ones at the end of my fingertips. But I'll keep working and trying to move them to the edge of my fingers as time goes by.

I am still absolutely shocked at how my gripper strength is at, like, 30% today. I'm actually thinking of trying again tomorrow.... or maybe not, we'll see how thursday feels, as I wont do any excercises that waste my grip.

[Wes]

REST man. Resting from grippers never hurt anybody.

[lifesnotfair]

02.11.2006

I was talking to Teemu about military press, and mentioned I do them seated, he told me not to. So I tried to do them standing today.

1x5 @ 20lbs

1x5 @ 30lbs

1x2 @ 45lbs - too hard. At this point, a guy who knows me saw me, and tells me "you're gonna injure yourself like that, do them seated!"... I had to explain I had read in books that standing is better. I should buy stuff and workout at home, with nobody bothering me.

1x5 @ 40lbs x3 sets.

1x3 @ 45lbs

I think I arch my back, as in, sticking my chest out too much... I find this excercise to be very hard, wow! .. I can't stabilize those dumbells for the hell of it. I think it's because for the previous 2 months I had been doing this excercise on a machine, and with it's unilateral movement, it didn't help my stabilizer muscles. Anyways, I'll see if I can work up on my form. It's very hard to keep a straight back during this excercise, anyone else feels this?

So, after reading Pavel Tsaoutuline (sp?)'s Power To The People! book, I'm convinced that I have to do some preacher curl work. He says that some people just have shorter tendons and longer biceps, while others have longer tendons and shorter biceps, therefore, when contracting the bicep, it rulls up to your sleeve and leaves a gap above the elbow. I think this happens to me to a certain point. He says that one could excercise the Brachialis, which is the muscle under the bicep, to make this gap look smaller. Excercises for the brachialias are preacher curls and concentration curls, so I'm gonna do preachers for the time being. I wont go TOO heavy, though, as I've heard it could be a dangerous excercise.

1x10 @ 50lbs

1x10 @ 70lbs - this was HARD!

1x8 @ 70lbs - I didn't even try for more...

1x6 @ 70lbs - wow! I tried for a 7th, but couldn't. Obviously in a 5x5 routine I could've used maybe 80lbs, but not if I want to keep this high-rep scheme. I'm gonna work witht he 70lbs till I can get all 30 reps between the 3 sets.

SQUATS!

1x5 @ 45lbs

1x5 @ 95lbs

1x5 @ 115lbs

1x5 @ 155lbs x3 sets - PR! .. laugh all you want, but for me, it was HARD to get up with this weight on me. I even felt I was getting dizzy after those 5th reps... it's progress, slight, but it's progress.

Calves on a "Donkey Calves" machine (you bend over and lift with your lower back):

Did 5x5 with these weights: 200, 260, 320 x2, 340, 360.

It's funny how a muscle like calves feels when worked. You can feel it's getting fatigued, but once you stop, you feel normal, you can walk around with no problem. After the squats sets, I felt TRULY tired. Compound rules!

In a few hours I intend to do a gripping session, and I'm hoping it's better than the one from 2 days ago. None of these excercises I did should've compromised my grip, although I do grip the dumbells, the EZcurl bar, and the oly bar quite hard, none of them were trying to get off of my hand, like they do on the day I workout my back (pulldowns and rows have this effect!).

[cyclops]

Good stuff.

laugh all you want, but for me, it was HARD to get up with this weight on me. I even felt I was getting dizzy after those 5th reps... it's progress, slight, but it's progress.

Everyone's got to start somewhere. You're doing better than my friend, who's been squatting for a few months now (he's afraid to increase the weight). As long as you're pushing yourself, and lifting heavy for you, you get respect.

[lifesnotfair]

Thank you man, thanks a bunch!

It's just that sometimes I ask myself if this weight truly is HEAVY... I mean, for me, sure as heck feels heavy, as I struggle with all my might to finish those 5 reps... but seeing that 90% of the guys in this forum can squat 400+ lbs is a bit of a disappointment, hehe. I've been squatting for about 1 month, though.

[Scott Styles]

Are you still losing weight?

[lifesnotfair]

Scott Styles: to answer your question: on saturday oct. 14th I stepped in the scale, I set the weight to 180, and the weight didn't move (it's one of those you have to set the weight yourself). I was happy enough to know I was under 180, so I didn't even find out my exact weight. The following day, I went to the USA, coming back the following friday; the day after that, exactly 1 week later, I weighed myself at 183lbs. It seems I ate a lot in the USA... anyways, this last saturday, I again set it to 180 and it showed I was under that weight, but once again I didn't want to find out. Maybe in 2 days, next saturday, I will find out my exact weight. So, the real answer to your question is: yes! I'm still losing weight. I feel I have some fat left in some areas of my body, not very noticeable with clothes on, but I clearly notice it @ home. I'm 5'10" just in case.

02.11.2006 after work.

Grippers first:

LH / RH

BBAx5 / BBAx5

Filed #1 attempt missed, but would've been closed if not filed, didn't gave it 100% also / Filed #1 x1

BBSA straphold 5lbs PR! / BBSA 17.5lb straphold attempt, broke ground for a sec there though!

BBSA straphold 5lbs - maybe half a second of air / Filed #1 x10 reps (about half assisted, keep in mind it's very filed, not "slightly filed").

BBSA straphold 5lbs - about 1.5 secs of air I think / #2 MMS attempt, crushed to 1/4" (ties a PR I think), negative and BFN about 3 times.

Filed #1 attempt - would've been closed on a regular #1 / #2 negative, it opens to 1/8" or 3/16" if I give it all.

BBA x5 / BBSA x3 + 2 assisted (hand was tired by now!)

Strength is good, it seems. LH set a PR, and I think. I might try doing the strapholds with the filed #1 on my LH, should help in conquering the BBSA with that hand. I didn't try the BBSA leftie today, but if I strapheld 5lbs for a good 4 seconds the first attempt, I know I would've gotten it closed or missed by 1mm.

Plate wrist-curls:

I did a lot of variations, using my 2.5lb, 5lb, 6kg plates.

I find it easy to do with the 6kg and 5lb plate together.

After quite a few sets, I decided to try my 20lb plate, which is at least 1.5" bigger than the 6kg plate in diameter. I could do 4 reps RH, and 2 LH ... I'm gonna warmup and go directly to this plate next week.

I also did some reverse plate wrist-curs, but I don't like them at all.

[Scott Styles]

The reason I ask is you may be getting to a point where you just have to choose between losing weight or getting stronger. I spent most of college hovering in the 150-165 range at 5' 7", doing too much cardio and not eating enough to get strong, but lacking enough muscle to really get lean. It sucks to get caught in that spiral.

[ArchRaid]

Hey, I was in the same boat with the doing all the cardio. I am by no means strong, but coming into college I tried to stay skinny and get strong as well. I noticed I have to cycle by doing a bulking cycle during the entire winter with periodization cycles. Those are a good time. You are doing good with your workouts! Keep it up!

Edited November 3, 2006 by Jake

[lifesnotfair]

I see what you mean guys.

When I started to lose all the fat back in February/march, I was ONLY doing cardio. I did 6 days a week of cardio and NO weight training for about 6 months. Then I started with weights, tried to do cardio+weights 6 days week, but it was too much and I didn't know any better. Now I still workout 6 days a week, but 3 days are cardio days, and 3 days are weight training days. In most excercises I DO see some improvement. And as long as the weight keeps going down, I can't say that I'm "stuck" where you were, Scott. However, if I reach that point I will obviously notice.

You know, it's also funny, it shouldn't take too long before I reach the point were I don't wanna lose more fat, or so I assume judging by my weight, I mean, I have no plans of being a 140lbs broomstick!! Hehe. And I say it's funny, because I have no idea what I will do once I get to that point. Maybe I'll just eliminate the cardio days? Or reduce them from 3 to 2? ... I know I will eat more stuff than now, and by more stuff, I don't mean a bigger amount, because I already eat fairly good amounts, I mean I'd introduce more types of food into my eating habits... currently, I'm eating meat+vegetables, and that's basically it. Also eggs, mozarella cheese, turkey ham... but it's pretty low carb, zero sugar... It's kindof phase 1 of the South beach Diet. That diet says that phase is to be done for 2 weeks, then phase 2 until you lose all weight you wish, and phase 3 is for life. I like the whole idea, as one eats very healthy really. I've been doing phase1 for MONTHS, heh. So I imagine once I finally decide to completely pass to phase 2 or even 3, I'll be more than happy with the selection of foods I'll have.

I gotta admit, that while being STRONG is my priority, I'm too scared of getting fat again to start eating like an animal to gain some more muscle right now. Being in shape is soooo much nicer...

[Scott Styles]

You've got a good plan. The cardio is perfectly fine and probably shouldn't be dropped even when you decide to get stronger. I was running 10-20 miles a week on top of walking another couple miles a day. I don't think you are doing anything that extreme.

I only mention it because you seem frustrated when the strength gains don't come every workout. Running a caloric deficit means that's gonna happen.

Also, your BMI is just barely out of the normal range. For someone that is lifting weights, unless you are trying to be super lean, that probably means you are relatively lean. Sometimes your perception of body image can be skewed by what you've been chasing for the last 8 months.

I know at 150lbs I'd still manage to find areas to focus on that could use refinement. The reality was, the areas needed more muscle to spread the body fat out, there really wasn't that much there. You're not that far from a similar BMI. At a certain point, it becomes difficult to drop weight without dropping muscle along with the fat weight.

[lifesnotfair]

I know at 150lbs I'd still manage to find areas to focus on that could use refinement. The reality was, the areas needed more muscle to spread the body fat out, there really wasn't that much there. You're not that far from a similar BMI. At a certain point, it becomes difficult to drop weight without dropping muscle along with the fat weight.

You could be 100% right about that. There are two main areas where I see I have remaining fat, my belly area, and the gluttes. I started doing deadlifts just last week (tomorrow is the second workout with them), and those are supossed to work that area. And the belly, well, I don't think I need to grow bigger abs to spread that fat off, but I could be wrong??? .. not sure.

Your most interesting comment is: "At a certain point, it becomes difficult to drop weight without dropping muscle along with the fat weight." <-- and I assume that's what you mentioned in your other reply, about being "stuck" in that thing. But my muscles aren't that big. And, lets say I lose 24 more pounds (to say a number), and that's 14 of fat and 10 (!!) of muscle. Hell, at that point I'd start eating more calories or reducing the cardio, keep the work with the weights, and start building those lost pounds of muscles back up, but the fat would remain gone, wouldn't it? I sure hope so!!, I wouldn't mind losing a couple of muscle pounds if I will eventually gain them again, heh. But yeah, it is VERY frustrating when one can't put more weight on every workout. I improved my squats yesterday though, and I'm hoping to DL my BW at least tomorrow, in my 2nd session ever. And my grip is doing well too, I was scared on tuesday but I think I was right, my grip was affected by the back work, which involves holding onto weights...

Thanks for reading my log, I thought noone did so

[Scott Styles]

No, developing your abs and glutes more probably won't address fat on those areas. It's possible you still have some weight to drop, just be aware you are approaching the line where it isn't enough to drop weight. You need to drop the right weight. Monitoring your body fat % with calipers can help making sure you are doing that.

This article on t-nation kind of addresses where it sounds like you are at now:

http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=05-118-diet

[lifesnotfair]

I'm @ home having lunch now, but read about 3-4 parragraphs, sounds like an awesome article and I'll read it when I get back to work, coz I gotta run now. LOL, I've just learned I am an FBB, and will be forever!

That thing mentioned in there sure is right, and I figured it out by myself: a guy like me can't use the same methods and rules as a guy who naturally is the same weight as I am now. Yeah, it sucks, but hopefully I'll learn to overcome this. I also scrolled down and saw a pic of a "loose skin case", wow, disgusting. I've lost a bit over 70lbs since Feb., but I don't have much loose skin, some in the two areas I mentioned in my previous post, but nothing so ugly. I'll get back here after reading that article, it sure sounds interesting, and I sure hope I wont need 15 years like the author did, to get in shape!!

[lifesnotfair]

Well I'll be darned, this article is the first of it's kind that I've ever read, thank you very much for leading me to it, and thanks to the author for writing it!!!

He says the Formerly-Fat Boy (FFB) should never quit on the cardio. Yeah, and I keep listening to people in the gym saying how they wont do cardio coz it'll also burn their muscles away, HAH! ..

He also mentions Walks after the weight training days.. well, before my weight training, I do 10 mins of cardio (like running at 6mph or eliptical at hard levels, always pretty tough, nothing too easy like walking or slowly riding a stationary bike!), so that should be enough. I do somewhere between 30 to 45 mins of cardio on the 3 days I have assigned to cardio. I don't do much on the 7th day, as a matter of fact, on that day I also tend to "break" my diet, and eat stuff I usually don't eat, like hamburguers, or sushi, or chowfan or whatever. I've done this for the past months and still works for me, hell, 1 day out of 7 can't totally screw me up! Specially if I eat properly AND excercise the other 6 days.

I complain about my "loose skin", but after reading the facts he stated, I think I have very little of it for the huge amount of weight I've lost (70+). I wouldn't consider surgery for this, no way.

I think I gotta change my breakfasts. I always have something like 2 eggs... today I had 2 eggs with half a pita integral bread. I'm glad he suggest some carbs in the morning, I'll include some pita integral bread in some mornings, because eggs can surely be tiring. And I never eat in the last 2-3 hours before bed, so I'm good there too.

Overall it's an AWESOME article. As he says himself, everyone's different and you gotta experiment and see what works. As I was mentioning in my previous post, I absolutely LOVE the South Beach Diet because even in phase 1, I can eat a lot of different stuff, and many delicious (or at least very tasty!) recipies can be made in this phase. Hell, I could stay on this phase for life!!! So I'm very happy that I am losing weight on this phase, because this means that on phase 2 or phase 3 I would probably "maintain" myself, and I've read the book and on phase 2 I can eat a whole lot more stuff... and if I just said I could stay on phase 1 for life, heck, imagine me on phase 2 for life, I'd be as happy as one could get. And I doubt I would GAIN when on it, maybe I would if phase 1 were just "maintaining" me right now, but as it's trimming the fat away, I'll continue with it for the moment.

He mentions size 32 jeans, which is funny, heh. I still don't wear size 32 jeans, but 34. But hey, I wore 42 in February, so I'm more than happy. It kinda sucks that he says one must stay on "diet" and "excercise" for life, but it's not so hard really. And I have one HUGE advantage: I'm NOT into bodybuilding.. I mean, I sure would like to gain some more mass and "look" strong, but I'm more interested in strength, so as long as strength comes, I don't need to look like Arnold to be happy, I don't need a 6-pack either... so, the muscle that I will probably gain will be the one produced by strength-training, but I'm not interested into "mass gaining" per se, so maybe I wont see myself in that huge problem that FFBs who want to get huge have.

[lifesnotfair]

04.11.2006

Dips:

BW minus 50lbs of support x5

BW x5, x10, x10, x10 - YEAH! PR! .. then I tried holding a 15lb dumbell with my feet, it was hard to hold the dumbell, but I kinda did 3 reps. Then I did another set at BW and only got 9 this time. I think I have to start slowly adding weight. I'm sure I could do the 5 reps with just 10lbs hanging from me, but I couldn't find anything to hang weight from. Need to buy a belt or something.

EZ Curls:

60lb x5 (I thought it was the 50, didn't feel too easy and I got scared, luckily I noticed I had grabbed the 60lb)

60lb x5 again.

80lb x5

82.5lb x5, x2 sets.

85lb x2. I found a strap with velcro and I hung a 2.5lb disc from the middle of the bar. Then a 5lb dumbell instead to reach 85.

Deadlifts:

Did 5x5 with these weights: 90 (not on oly bar, but after this yes), 135, 185, 195 x2, 205! PR!

Just like with Squats, I feel very exhausted after performing this. It tires ALL of your body and not just a few muscles. Loved it. My workout sets will start with 205 next session for sure. I could swear I have NEVER seen anyone doing deadlifts in this gym, heh.

Hammer curls:

5x5 on these: 20lb, 30lb, 40lb x3 sets. The form with the 40lbs was not too strict, which was disappointing to me.

Got home and did some TTK:

5x5 with these weights: 13.26lb, 17.5lb, 22.5lb x2, 23.5lb (I added the "nut" that screwes to the ends of the detachable dumbells, which must weight over 1lb at least, but I'll count it as 1lb to make sure). Actually went for a 6th rep on that last set (although I re-gripped for it) and got it. I'm thinking of trying with 25 next time. Feels good to improve with this too. Did a bit of yellow bands, and a bit of blue bands.

Oh, and I ran 15 mins at 6mph before all of this, just thought I'd mention it...

EDIT: By the way, I seem to recall training static pinch 2 days ago, I think I forgot to mention it, I did it after the grippers I think. I'm using 4 5lb plates with the loading pin in the middle, and adding weight on both sides of the loading pin. The plates measure about 3" in total, and I could lift 42.5 or 45lbs with both hands for a few seconds. I'm gonna work with this unique setup (heh) for a while and once I get past 50lbs I will go to a gym with "pinchable" plates (my gym has plates covered in rubber) and try the 2-25's, I'm sure I'll get it!!

Edited November 4, 2006 by lifesnotfair

[StalwartSentinel]

04.11.2006

Dips:

BW minus 50lbs of support x5

BW x5, x10, x10, x10 - YEAH! PR! .. then I tried holding a 15lb dumbell with my feet, it was hard to hold the dumbell, but I kinda did 3 reps. Then I did another set at BW and only got 9 this time. I think I have to start slowly adding weight. I'm sure I could do the 5 reps with just 10lbs hanging from me, but I couldn't find anything to hang weight from. Need to buy a belt or something.

EZ Curls:

60lb x5 (I thought it was the 50, didn't feel too easy and I got scared, luckily I noticed I had grabbed the 60lb)

60lb x5 again.

80lb x5

82.5lb x5, x2 sets.

85lb x2. I found a strap with velcro and I hung a 2.5lb disc from the middle of the bar. Then a 5lb dumbell instead to reach 85.

Deadlifts:

Did 5x5 with these weights: 90 (not on oly bar, but after this yes), 135, 185, 195 x2, 205! PR!

Just like with Squats, I feel very exhausted after performing this. It tires ALL of your body and not just a few muscles. Loved it. My workout sets will start with 205 next session for sure. I could swear I have NEVER seen anyone doing deadlifts in this gym, heh.

Hammer curls:

5x5 on these: 20lb, 30lb, 40lb x3 sets. The form with the 40lbs was not too strict, which was disappointing to me.

Got home and did some TTK:

5x5 with these weights: 13.26lb, 17.5lb, 22.5lb x2, 23.5lb (I added the "nut" that screwes to the ends of the detachable dumbells, which must weight over 1lb at least, but I'll count it as 1lb to make sure). Actually went for a 6th rep on that last set (although I re-gripped for it) and got it. I'm thinking of trying with 25 next time. Feels good to improve with this too. Did a bit of yellow bands, and a bit of blue bands.

Oh, and I ran 15 mins at 6mph before all of this, just thought I'd mention it...

EDIT: By the way, I seem to recall training static pinch 2 days ago, I think I forgot to mention it, I did it after the grippers I think. I'm using 4 5lb plates with the loading pin in the middle, and adding weight on both sides of the loading pin. The plates measure about 3" in total, and I could lift 42.5 or 45lbs with both hands for a few seconds. I'm gonna work with this unique setup (heh) for a while and once I get past 50lbs I will go to a gym with "pinchable" plates (my gym has plates covered in rubber) and try the 2-25's, I'm sure I'll get it!!

Congrats on the PR's!

[lifesnotfair]

05.11.2006

I was not gonna train, but couldn't resist.

Attempts with the #2 RH, I got it to 1/4" on the first try. Forced in and it opened to 1/8" or maybe a tad more. I wanna be able to hold this sucker shut!!

I think I got the BBSA at least once left handed, and all other attempts got to 1mm. Maybe 4-5 attempts total each hand. Short workout, but felt strong.

I am also quite disappointed. Listen to this:

I had my friend come over yesterday, the one with the strong handshake. We measured his hands, they're 8". Mine are 7-1/4". We then got severely drunk after 2 bottle of rum and I ended up puking all night. Ok, that's not what's important right now. This guy is about 5'9" and 190lbs, he's never really lifted weights or anything, and is a bit chubby right now. But as I said, his hands are strong, I've always known because of his handshake. He can beat all of us (group of friends) shaking hands, specially left handed as he seems to have equal strength!

I tried to teach him how to set a gripper, and gave him the BBSA... he closed it left handed. And yesterday I was happy because I think I closed it in my first attempt. That got me mad. I gave him my #2 and told him to try it right handed, and he got it to about 1/4" without a good set (doesn't know how!). That got me even more angry.

So I prepared the setup I use for static pinch, which is 4 5lb plates on the loading pin, with weights on the side, and I used a total of 56lbs and he lifted it with both hands, I can't lift that yet, I'm at least 10lbs away.

And I repeat, this guy never weight trained. He used to practise some judo, maybe all the grabbing the opponents toughened his hands a bit. But he can match me or out perform me in everything I've been training, that's laughable! Damn. I'm willing to bet this guy would mash a #2 within a month of training if he were to get some grippers, and the #3 would not take long. Could also be a good pincher if he trained. I tried to get him into this, but doesn't seem interested... man, why wasn't I born with hands like that? ARGH! I hate my weak little hands!!

[Scott Styles]

Genetics are tough, it's best not to think about them.

Deadlift workouts looks good. They are definitely a rude awakening the first time, especially the day after.

Don't feel like you have to rush into max weight on them though. Take the time to learn to deadlift safely. Many backs have been injured doing max weight deadlfits with poor form.