26
votes
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My pushups don't increase
Don't worry. The question is perfectly on-topic here.
When I read through your description of your process, I'm on the lookout for one single thing. And unless I'm missing it, I don't see it anywhere ...
- 18k
21
votes
Accepted
If a child scooters everyday, does it make one leg of him/her larger than the other?
Unilateral training does indeed lead to a difference between the size and strength of the muscles on each side. However, most active individuals have discrepancies between their dominant and non-...
- 6,181
17
votes
My pushups don't increase
I actually joined this community because I read your post. I won't say I am the know all guru on this, but from personal experience I will say it is normal to drop. Don't take this as the LAW, as ...
- 171
15
votes
Do high reps build strength?
I think you've heard the right idea, but you're misinterpreting it.
Of course high reps builds some strength, but certainly not a whole lot. It's going to take a lot more effort (in terms of joules ...
- 18k
15
votes
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Doing 110 pull ups in a row non stop
How does [someone] prepare to do 110 pull ups in a row
Start by recognizing this as an extreme goal. I bet the people achieving >75 pull-ups got there by doing gymnastics or bar calisthenics for ...
- 25.3k
13
votes
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Powerlifting vs Strongman
The very quick answer is that Powerlifting is more about standing in one place and moving a heavy weight through a range of motion (be it deadlift, squat or bench press). There is a certain technique ...
- 4,738
11
votes
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Practical applications of the earthquake/bamboo bar
Wow, you're lucky! Kudos to your gym for acquiring one of these. I wish my gym had one too.
What is that?
It's commonly referred to as a "bamboo bar" because of its resemblence. It's actually ...
- 18k
10
votes
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In between sets — what to do?
If you're goal is strength than in between sets you should rest. Catch your breath. Have some water. Nibble on some sort of calories. Load more weight on the bar. Then go again. Not sure why you're ...
- 448
10
votes
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Soy Protein and Protein Requirements
This is not really going to be a definitive answer, as you can find studies that support almost any position, so what I'm looking at for this is the trend of the studies that I've reviewed.
Overall, ...
- 23.1k
9
votes
Is Rich Piana's strength achievable without anabolic steroids?
To get some idea as to the maximum you will be able to lift while being drug tested and maintaining 75kg we can look to the IPF (International Powerlifting Federation) records. They perform checks for ...
- 6,982
8
votes
Is there a biological reason for women to be weaker than men (in the same weight category)?
Greg Nuckols has written a series of articles on this subject (with plenty of references).
In the first part, Sex Differences in Training and Metabolism, they show that it turns out that almost all ...
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7
votes
In between sets — what to do?
Relax. Sit, lie down, listen to music, talk to friends. If you're outside, enjoy the sun. If you really want to do something related to the training, visualize the exercise you are doing.
Where do ...
- 1,997
7
votes
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Exercise for standing from position sitting on the ground?
This is a very common question - so know you are definitely not alone. There are some easy exercises that you can do to get better at it. A lot of people actually just don’t get onto the ground for ...
- 2,817
7
votes
What to do after joining the gym?
In short, following a competent fitness program is the single best thing that you can do.
But let's explore your question more and extrapolate on why that is. First and foremost I want to point out ...
- 4,422
7
votes
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Unable to maintain weights and increase in reps from work out session to session, why?
As has been pointed out, you have been coming up with routines that are of questionable quality, pursuing them for a very short time and then wondering why you are not getting results.
Building ...
- 23.1k
7
votes
Increase bench press 1RM
I bench press once a week
I personally would not expect my bench press 1RM to increase past the absolute novice level if I only bench pressed once a week.
Consider bench pressing three times a week....
- 25.3k
7
votes
How accurate are one repetition maximum calculators?
In my experience they become less accurate the higher rep count you put in. So if you put in your 3RM in to the calculator, it will provide a fairly accurate idea of what your 1RM is. If you put in a ...
- 8,851
7
votes
How accurate are one repetition maximum calculators?
Calculators and tables necessarily contain a margin of uncertainty because they cannot account for our individual differences in genetics and training.
A greater proportion of Type I and Type IIa ...
- 6,181
7
votes
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What exercises to do for posterior chain if I have shin splints?
Shin splints tend only to be affected by impact exercises—running, skipping, and jumping—or exercises that load the tibialis anterior. Squats and deadlifts should neither aggravate your shin splints, ...
- 6,181
7
votes
Why and how does fat also make you stronger?
Fat does not naturally make you stronger by just existing. It's inactive. It just sits there. You can't control it.
I think the misconception that fat inherently makes you stronger is brought on by ...
- 8,851
7
votes
Is there a way for a 300lb man to be stronger than a 500lb man?
Yes. Strength is specific to the measurement being performed, so it's possible that the lighter athlete could just be more trained in the specific movement being performed. For example, a 300lb ...
- 14.7k
7
votes
If you can 50 pusbups in a go, why not make it harder by slowing down the tempo?
There is a meta-analysis by Schoenfeld that discusses the effect on hypertrophy when alterating repetition duration. They found that hypertrophy is similar when training with repetition durations ...
- 163
7
votes
Why my lifts are getting stronger every week
It means you’re new to deadlifting.
It is not at all unusual to see remarkable strength gains in the first few months of regularly training a new lift. My own experience was similar to yours: when I ...
- 4,313
6
votes
Rationale behind Rep Range recommendations - Strength vs Hypertrophy
I did a little digging around, and I found a review article that was published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research in 2010 (So relatively recent), with a full link to the PDF here.
...
- 23.1k
6
votes
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Am I training too much?
Why don't you adjust your training depending on the improvements/regressions that you see ?
In training, it is stupid to have absolute rules based on my experience. You start with educated guess ...
- 1,210
6
votes
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Can Pistol Squats replace Barbell Squats?
They're fundamentally different exercises.
If by "replace" you mean:
Can a person do only weighted pistol squats instead of barbell back
squats and live a long and healthy life?
Than the ...
- 14.8k
6
votes
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Abdominal role in squats
Squats train all of the supporting muscles of the torso -- including the anterior/abdominal muscles -- if you use a Valsalva maneuver.
Consider performing each squat repetition using these steps:
...
- 1,801
6
votes
Accepted
strength and mass
Those seem to be several questions at once.
Physical strength has both a neurological as well as a morpholocical component (1). It is true that resistance training allows you to activate a higher ...
6
votes
My pushups don't increase
Listen to Alec
Alec's advice is best: you need weights to advance fastest. Since you mention doing squats, I assume you have access to free weights. Bench press is definitely going to improve your ...
- 271
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