Plateau breakers

[RippedMass]

This thread is just to share some of my recent tips I have learned on my own...

1. Dont keep trying every week to gain a rep if you just cant, instead, add some weight and do less reps. Your body wont be used to the new weight, and the next week you will finally be stronger.

2. Sleep more. 8-9 hours is not much. 10.5 seems to be perfect for me, and I progress waaaaaay faster. (2 reps per week, and heavier weights) Sleep is actually #1 in bodybuilding. If your not sleeping enough, dont bother eating enough, and dont waste your time in the gym. Try sleeping more and watch the numbers rise.

3. Some muscles need to be trained with less volume, but more days per week. Depends on the fibers in each muscle. Genetics.

4. Cardio seems to help add reps to your sets.

5. If another muscle fails (tricep)before the one you are trying to work (chest), you are doing the exercise wrong. Dont know why it took me so long to figure that out.

6. Creatine, whey, carb powder and glucosamine blends are supps that actually work for me.

7. If you dont feel like training one day, dont. It doesnt matter if you have not trained in a week. Go when you feel 100%strong again, and motivated. It really pays off when you dont force your body. Work with your body, dont force it.

8. Last but not least, take a shit b4 squatting, or you will be sorry.

Please share some of your tips with us, so we can all learn the easy way. Thats what this board is for.

Later.

 

[jcp2]

I don't know how old you are but 10.5 or even 8 hours sleep at times is not possible if i want to actually work out.

 

[RippedMass]

I don't know how old you are but 10.5 or even 8 hours sleep at times is not possible if i want to actually work out.

What do you mean? Sleep 8 to 8.5 hrs of the night b4 work. You may need to go to bed early and not go out. Then after work, sleep for another 2 hours b4 training. Works for me.

Im old enough to have my sleeping pattern figured out. Only go out on your off days. Once or twice per week is enough for me. Only go out when you can sleep in the next day. Also, sleep extra on your off days. Sleep in, and take a nap. Living in a small city like me makes this easy, because it takes me 5 mins to get to work, and 10 minutes to get to the gym.

 

[RippedMass]

When you turn pro, and able to quit your job, then you will have more free time.

That would be the life.

 

[pullinbig]

so i aint gonna grow and get strong if i dont sleep 10 hours a day? i aint ever slept 10 hours a day.

i did however enjoy the tip on taking a dump before squatting best tip you gave.

gee if my tris fail before my chest i am benching wrong. hmmm... i thought that meant my tris were a bit lacking and i needed to do some top end work. what if my chest failed before i could get to lockout? for those guys they all must be doing those wrong too.

dont go to the gym if i am not motivated that day, hmmmm...... . two words for that tip. bull shit. i can see me calling the guys i train with and saying "um....my motivation is not up to snuff today, i wont be there" or " i dont feel 100% today i must be coming down with something (laziness) count me out fellas. get some one else to help spot and hold boards". or "i only got 9 hours of sleep i cant train today".

cmon bro get real.

 

[RippedMass]

so i aint gonna grow and get strong if i dont sleep 10 hours a day? i aint ever slept 10 hours a day.

i did however enjoy the tip on taking a dump before squatting best tip you gave.

gee if my tris fail before my chest i am benching wrong. hmmm... i thought that meant my tris were a bit lacking and i needed to do some top end work. what if my chest failed before i could get to lockout? for those guys they all must be doing those wrong too.

dont go to the gym if i am not motivated that day, hmmmm...... . two words for that tip. bull shit. i can see me calling the guys i train with and saying "um....my motivation is not up to snuff today, i wont be there" or " i dont feel 100% today i must be coming down with something (laziness) count me out fellas. get some one else to help spot and hold boards". or "i only got 9 hours of sleep i cant train today".

cmon bro get real.

Dont worry, im not trying to teach you. These are things I have found out about myself recently, that have really improved things 4 me. They might help others out, because they sure helped me.

My point is, if everyone puts in a few of there best tips, maybe we could all learn something new, even if it is something small. No harm in trying bud.

Take it easy man, no need to call everying I say useless because it is not useless to me, and thats why I shared it. Just trying to help and learn.

 

[gottabadrash]

dont jack off b4 you go to the gym... it kills your drive....

and thats the only tip i got

 

[pullinbig]

Dont worry, im not trying to teach you. These are things I have found out about myself recently, that have really improved things 4 me. They might help others out, because they sure helped me.

My point is, if everyone puts in a few of there best tips, maybe we could all learn something new, even if it is something small. No harm in trying bud.

Take it easy man, no need to call everying I say useless because it is not useless to me, and thats why I shared it. Just trying to help and learn.

i agreed with one of your tips.

you not helping by telling peple they benching wrong if they miss a lift because of tri weakness.

you not helping by telling people not to go the gym on days they dont feel motivated either.

if skipping workouts makes you stronger then you may be overtraining.

perhaps there is a better way for you to train.

i am open for suggestions but i have 0 tolreance for complete bullshit. and i know it when i see it. I been in the gym since i was 5 years old in one aspect or another. thats 41 years. i seen it all, heard it all, know what works and what dont work. my numbers and stats speak for themselves as do those of the people i train and train with.

no disrespect meant, i just call them like i see them. and i seen them all.

 

[gottabadrash]

listen to him... pullin has the best advice ever

 

[jackcity10]

What do you mean? Sleep 8 to 8.5 hrs of the night b4 work. You may need to go to bed early and not go out. Then after work, sleep for another 2 hours b4 training. Works for me.

Well, in effect, thats similar getting 8 hours of sleep/day. after sleeping for approximatley three hours, your body goes into REM (rapid eye movement) rest. During this REM period, your body grows a hell of a lot faster then during the first three hours. So taking a two hour power nap may get rid of those circles under your eyes, but it does little for your growth. Thats what a personal trainer at my gym told me a while back.

 

[Mudge]

Everyone requires different amounts of sleep. I prefer more time in bed, because it takes me a longer while to fall asleep than most people, and I probably do not have the same level of restfull sleep as some who sleep 5 hours do (Arnold for instance flys out of bed after 4-5 hours according to him).

 

[RippedMass]

.

i agreed with one of your tips.

you not helping by telling peple they benching wrong if they miss a lift because of tri weakness.

I mean, if your tris fail b4 your pecs while bench pressing all the time, that means your tris are not letting you your chest to be hit hard enough. Making my grip wider fixed this problem. My pecs finally fail first in bench press. They were not able to get to that point before, because my tris would tire b4 they had a chance.

you not helping by telling people not to go the gym on days they dont feel motivated either.

If by chance a person is a bit overtrained, dont bother going to the gym, because getting that extra rep, or going up in weight on a lift is unlikely. Wait an extra day to heal, recover, rest and eat. If you wait this extra day or 2, it will pay off big, and you will definitly get a couple extra reps, and be alot stronger because of taking off a couple days that you needed. Too many people are too stubborn to take a day or two off when they need too. Overtraining causes a loss of motivation. So when you feel like this, take a rest day. It will pay off.

if skipping workouts makes you stronger then you may be overtraining.

Thats exactly what I meant.

perhaps there is a better way for you to train.

Exactly, these are things I have learnd about myself, that may apply to others like myself that are having probs progressing.

i am open for suggestions but i have 0 tolreance for complete bullshit. and i know it when i see it. I been in the gym since i was 5 years old in one aspect or another. thats 41 years. i seen it all, heard it all, know what works and what dont work. my numbers and stats speak for themselves as do those of the people i train and train with.


no disrespect meant, i just call them like i see them. and i seen them all.

 

[RippedMass]

Well, in effect, thats similar getting 8 hours of sleep/day. after sleeping for approximatley three hours, your body goes into REM (rapid eye movement) rest. During this REM period, your body grows a hell of a lot faster then during the first three hours. So taking a two hour power nap may get rid of those circles under your eyes, but it does little for your growth. Thats what a personal trainer at my gym told me a while back.

Thats a load of crap. I have heard of that too. They say you dont start dreaming until hour 5 when your in REM sleep. Its funny because I dream everyday during my 2 hour sleep. I also feel great and progress in the gym alot faster with the extra sleep. Everyone is different man. A sleep in the daytime does a body good. Real good.

I probably do need more sleep than others. 8 hours per night holds me back in the gym.

 

[NoRemorse]

What do you mean? Sleep 8 to 8.5 hrs of the night b4 work. You may need to go to bed early and not go out. Then after work, sleep for another 2 hours b4 training. Works for me.

Im old enough to have my sleeping pattern figured out. Only go out on your off days. Once or twice per week is enough for me. Only go out when you can sleep in the next day. Also, sleep extra on your off days. Sleep in, and take a nap. Living in a small city like me makes this easy, because it takes me 5 mins to get to work, and 10 minutes to get to the gym.

9-10 hours of sleep and come home and take a 2 hour nap before training?
I quess that would work if i did not have a family and a life.

 

[RippedMass]

9-10 hours of sleep and come home and take a 2 hour nap before training?
I quess that would work if i did not have a family and a life.

Right. Cant have everything unless your rich.

 

[pullinbig]

.

OK we on the same page. wanna hug?

 

[RippedMass]

OK we on the same page. wanna hug?

haha.

 

[pullinbig]

haha.

welcome aboard bro. looks like you fit right in.

 

[RippedMass]

welcome aboard bro. looks like you fit right in.

I dont know bout that...... haha. Kiddin.

 

[pullinbig]

i take it you a competetive BBer.