What Kind Of Strength Training Do You Do?

[gollan]

Sure we are all training grip. What about the rest of your routine? "Strong man" (WSM events like tire flips, farmers walks, stone circle, etc). "Body builder" (classic Arnold stuff). "Strength training" (squats, deadlifts, etc)? "Martial arts"? None? Something I missed?

I am curious about what everyone here is doing when they aren't crushing #3s or push-pressing Millenium DBs.

I'm doing "strength training". My priorities are super-strict form and heavy, heavy, heavy for the core exercises. One of the biggest training discoveries I made recently is that even my forearms grow best with heavy weights and low reps (all the mainstream books tell you to use high reps on forearms, calves, and abs).

[Tou]

powerlifting. 575 - 360 - 585 all raw.

[Guest mg6680]

A mix of powerlifting, olympic lifting and dinosaur (sandbags, kegs, etc).

[EricMilfeld]

I compete in deadlift meets, and hope to pull a 639 at 198 in February. Several years ago I trained Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for a year, and really do miss it, but family obligations now take priority.

[Patrik_F]

I just do basic strength training. I have thought about competing in Strongman in the future. My best lifts so far:

Squat: 190 kgs with belt only from the bottom in the power rack

Bench: 135 kgs, raw, no arch

Deadlift: 235 kgs for 8 reps, with a trapbar with no equipment at all

Seated military press: 90 kgs for 5 reps

I dont do armcurls anymore, my elbows hurt from them. But I have begun to do chins and I think they are much better. Last workout I did 8-9 reps with a 5 kg plate hanging from my belt. I weigh about 250 lbs.

[AnimalCage]

I started basic lifting last year. The gym at my work is small. It has a few basic machines, dumbbells up to 50 lbs, and some cardio. We plan to buy a house in May, and I would like enough room to set up a gym at home. Ahhh, wishful thinking!

Alan

[Jonathan McMillan]

I do a basic barbell routine 3 times a week in the heavy, light, medium style. My favourite lift is the powerclean and press. I'll eventually get around to making some dumbells so I can incorperate some of those exercises in my routine as well.

Jon@han

[OldGuy]

Heavy basic lifts such as deadlifts , shrugbar lifts, clean and press, squats. Varous routines from singles to 20 or more reps. Always heavy and often to failiure. Over 40 years training behind me.

[Guest wells]

"...One of the biggest training discoveries I made recently is that even my forearms grow best with heavy weights and low reps (all the mainstream books tell you to use high reps on forearms, calves, and abs)..."

I agree. I too have found that performing heavy weight, low reps sets stimulate more growth and offer a quicker pump for most of my forearm exercises. Maybe it is due to the daily usage of forearms, calves, and like muscle groups in living life. It would the seem logical that a sound endurance & stamina training routine would require one completing sets of 150 reps. Such a routine would probably do more damage than good as it would only ‘compound’ what is being done already all day everyday. Not very complementary. Another important factor would be the need to maintain proper technique and after 70 reps I don't think there would be ‘many’ that could maintain strict form.

Sets of 8-20 seem a little silly for conditioning purposes and a waste of time if one is trying for power, general 'overall' strength training, and/or mass development. I usually perform sets of 5-8 reps with heavier weight and tense my muscles during the movement for additional resistance. I find high rep moderate weight sets beneficial only for hammer leverage bar wrist twists. Heavy weight usage in this awkward exercise is just asking for trouble and painful injuries.

[OldGuy]

With my kind of training whether it is good or bad, I have built 19'' arms 18 calves, 29" thighs and other measurements to match at a weight of up to as much as 280. I guess I must be doing something right.

[bseedot]

Strongman.

BC.

[Sybersnott]

I am doing the big three. With about ten months under my belt - I'm SQing and BPing BW for reps, and my deadlift is over 400 pounds. I am just getting started with odd object lifts, so when something impressive happens... I'll let ya know.

[bencrush]

Sybersnott, what is your bodyweight? The numbers sound good to me regardless of your weight for 10 months training.

Ben Edwards

[Adam Black]

I train 2x a week for strength. My routine is centered around the big 3. I lift as heavy as I can and normally do 1 set to failure. I don't compete except with myself. Currently I am working on attaining my long term goal of a 300, 400, 500.

[3Crusher]

Squats, some form of deadlifting, presses, stone lifting, and steel bending. Simple and effective. For me this has been the way to go.

[Bearcat 74]

I'm like 3Crusher. I did bench until my pec made a strange popping sound, so now it's overhead work, squats, a pathetic attempt at deadlifting, curls, I may start back power cleaning. Pretty basic, now all I have to do is get strong........

[paul valpreda]

Bearcat,

What was the popping sound that your chest made?

Outside of grip training, I am a powerlifter and bodybuilder. My routine consists of the big "3", plus various bodybuilding movements. Even though I bodybuild, I keep my weights heavy and the reps low. This works very well for me.

[austinslater]

I focus on the big 3 and hit all the major stuff. After hurting my shoulder benching 500 Im focusing on overhead strength which doesnt bother my shoulder. I am 5'10 and weigh 215-220.

[Bearcat 74]

I'm assuming it was minor tear. It bruised somewhat. I couldn't do crap for about 2 weeks after words. I dunno what it was, but it sure hurt.......

[supersqueeze]

The only lifts I do really heavy (for me) are partial DL and all lat/back pulling movements.

Mike M.

[Sybersnott]

My bodyweight is 225 pounds.

I just added thick bar benches to my routine. My 60 pound 2" bar was lying around so I put it to good use. From now on, all my lifts are going to be by thick bar. I did a 200# BP on my thick bar for reps... I knew I was on the right track because of the way my wrists felt after benching.

[underdawg]

mostly just general strength training. squats, deads, cleans, snatches, presses, and some sandbag stuff.

[dyoder16]

After about 5 years of training specifically for Martial Arts, I'm back to powerlifting, westside style mostly. My goal is to total class 2, drug-free and raw.

["D"]

I train twice a week concentrating mostly on squats, deads, overheads, dips and chins. Though I'll usually throw in another workout sometime mid-week consisting of miscellaneous exercises like L-flies, neck work, calf raises and grip work.

Unfortunately, I just dislocated my shoulder trying to learn how to snowboard, so my training is on hold for now. Speaking of, if anyone can think of exercises I can do without using my arms I'd be happy to hear them. So far all I can think of is:

one legged squats (pistols)

ab work

neck work

BTW, I don't belong to a commercial gym, so machines aren't readily available. Thanks.

[bseedot]

Hi D- You could get yourself a hipbelt from Ironmind and do hipbelt squats. If you can find access to a hyperextension machine (or they're fairly cheap to buy) you could do back extensions too. You can do side bends with it too. This would get your midsection and legs nice and strong.

BC.