36
Stop Making Excuses
"I have six [to] eight years of trial-and-error evidence to show that I am incapable of building strength to any measurable degree from any form of exercise."
Either you have a serious medical issue or I call bullshit. I bet the reason you're not getting results is that you "have [never] been satisfied with results from ...
25
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 in your process.
You gotta add some resistance!
Every attempt you make at "switching it up" is fine. But at the end of the day, if you can do 30+ repetitions ...
20
The lycopene in tomato juice provides antioxidant protection during exercise, repairs damaged muscles, and also reduces risk of heart disease.
Tomato juice can be better than energy drinks at helping the body recover from exercise, a new research has found (https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/science/Tomato-juice-best-post-workout-drink-Study/...
16
There are several methods of increasing grip strength, and some of the principles that work the best you should already be familiar with due to the bodybuilding background.
First, let's look at what causes grip to fail:
Sweat. The sweatier your hands, the more the bar wants to slip out of them.
Effective bar thickness. The thicker your bar, the tougher it ...
16
Being able to touch the toes depends mainly on two things:
hamstring flexibility
body proportions (relative length of legs, torso, and arms)
It is not possible to change body proportions, so, to reach the toes, someone with longer legs and shorter torso/arms will need to have more flexibility in the hamstrings. It is possible for anyone to reach that level ...
16
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 others experiences may vary, and we all know the Army isn't the best reputable source as there's many injuries, but we still do our best.
Basic Combat Training (...
15
Your problem
A passive way of working out sounds like a paradox.
If you want to become stronger, you need to exert your muscles. And exertion of the muscles is an "activity", which is an antonym to "passivity".
If you want to get in shape by lying in your bed, you'll be disappointed.
In the end, the problem isn't that you're lazy. Most of us are. But we ...
15
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 spent) to increase your 5RM by doing 15-rep sets, than it would to increase it by actually doing 5-rep sets.
Don't think of it as "it does, or it doesn't". Most ...
14
Most people have misconceptions what 'tone', what it is, and how to achieve it. Being toned is a combination of two things - having muscle mass, and having a low enough amount of body fat to show the definition between the aforementioned muscles. A six pack is simply satisfying these conditions in a specific area - the stomach.
Lifting
If you're 6'1 152, ...
13
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 element to these lifts that can yield large jumps in weight (i.e. arching your back more on a bench press so the range of motion / distance you move the bar ...
11
How to know
Well, since our friends looking at the problem in a very "sports science way" I will rephrase and add more details (which may not be as practical as you think. Please refer to an expirienced trainer to be the judge of the symptoms below (Self judgments can be too soft and over sensitive sometimes))
"Overtraining" might be to blame if your ...
11
Don't Confuse Size with Genetics and Training
My former coach won the genetic lottery as someone who can just naturally get beastly strong. An example of that genetic pool, he took his mother to the weight room and she squatted over 300 lbs on her first day with no prior training. I'm pretty sure she was sore after that.
There are several power lifters ...
11
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 years. Coming even close to this number of pull-ups in one set is such a rare skill that you shouldn't ask anyone who hasn't done it. (Elite training is so ...
10
Question 1: Does hypertrophy training assist for a greater eventual neural output?
Hypertrophy training probably does not help to increase neural drive. That is because of the anatomical properties of the muscles.
Muscle fibers are innervated in groups, called motor units, by a single motor neuron (above figure shows a single motor unit).
By doing ...
10
Forward head posture (called gravity induced kyphosis) is pretty common nowadays. The first thing you should do is begin stretching your neck with an exercise called neck retraction:
You'll be amazed at how great this exercise feels. If you've been stuck in forward head posture for a long time, you'll feel as though your entire upper spine is waking up.
...
10
Stop Making Excuses
Don't tell me that fat doesn't make people stronger because it does.
Of course many fat people are strong. Of course people get stronger faster if they aren't trying to stay under a certain weight while training. But there's that key phrase: 'while training'. The examples you cite fight sumo and lift weights. There's no magic here: ...
10
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 waiting 3 to 5 minutes between sets as a beginner unless its training with partner / partners that are going in that time. In which case help them load their ...
10
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 plastic, as I'm sure you've surmised if you've tried it out.
Eric Spoto (one of the best bench pressers in the world) is a strong advocate for incorporating the ...
9
I see three options:
Magnets or Washers
You could glue together some washers or magnets in 1.25 pound (or half-pound, or whatever) increments. This could change your jumps from five pounds per dumbbell to two and a half pounds per dumbbell (or even less). This is the best method to directly replicate barbells.
Adjustable Dumbbells
Some dumbbells are like ...
9
Jim Bathurst, known for his web site Beast Skills, says in his human flag tutorial:
If you can do several full range handstand pushups against the wall, then you’re well on your way to getting the flag.
Overcoming Gravity, a popular book on gymnastic training for adults, has a chart comparing the difficulty of various skills. In the chart, a full human ...
9
Do slow negatives, start at the top and lower yourself slowly, this is the way most people get strong enough to do their first, clean pull/chin-ups. If you have a rubber band to attach to the bar, that can work too.,
9
I would recommend a balanced and proven strength training program. The typical office job tends to provide numerous posture issues and strains from being in awkward positions for hours at a time.
Good strength training will simultaneously strengthen and provide flexibility across all your major muscle groups, including your shoulders, neck, and upper back. ...
9
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 the main anabolics but I suspect they aren't a rigorous as the International Olympic Committee.
There are a few records of interest, you are looking for ...
9
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, I am finding that there are more studies that show soy protein does not have a detrimental effect on free testosterone, especially when connected to a ...
8
For support grip and crush grip you use two different muscles (both are used, but in either movement, there is a different main muscle).
For the support grip, you flex the distant part of your phalanges (fingers) by the action of the flexor digitorum profundus.
For the crush grip, you flex the proximal part of your phalanges by the action of the flexor ...
8
This is sort of a complicated question from a physiological point of view.
Muscle is made of myocytes (muscle cells), which are made of a few things of interest in relation to your question.
Let's look at a diagram:
The myofibril (called out above) are the packs of fibers in the muscle, which are responsible for contraction of the tissue. They're ...
8
I cant diagnose you but a doctor might be able to identify if you have any of the following:
I think you may have Thoracic Kyphosis/Forward Head ("Computer Guy" Hunchback): Upper cross syndrome is another posture issue caused by sitting while hunching forward (at a computer, over books, etc). The pectorals and the upper back/next tend to be tight, while ...
8
Assuming you have no physical limitations, your problem seems to be a lack of motivation. Rather than doing things you don’t like, you should find an activity that can keep your interest for a minimum of twenty minutes or more. Setting achievable goals may help with improving motivation. Ask yourself, “What do I want out of exercise?”. Once you’ve ...
8
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 two observations.
First, people don't just gain fat. They gain muscle as well. Even untrained people will gain muscle in addition to fat. People with more muscle ...
Only top voted, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible