JediSi

Basically I'm struggling with what I assume is shoulder flexibility, but again unsure if I have mobility problems or I'm just built large across the shoulders. Whenever I try to get my arms back to grip the bar in LB position, I can't seem to get it and I feel a pinch in the middle of my back, I don't have this problem placing the bar higher on my traps/back in a HB position. Doesn't seem to be stopping me squatting to parallel or below with HB position just hear/read alot of folks saying to squat LBBS not HBBS I apologise for the vast amount of hair that follows but is the best pic I could get to show what is happening at my back when I feel the "pinch" [ATTACH]5700[/ATTACH]

If it helps, I'll back both programs, been doing Stronglifts for about 7 weeks now and i'm finding it great, constantly gaining in strength, also picked up a copy of starting strength as well to help with my form as i'm flying solo on this and it seems like a really good read, very accessible for newbs like us i would say

I've also been wondering this (and have been lifting about the same length of time too) Been thinking about dropping about 20% weight and going back to finesse my form, work out a few kinks (though I have plateaued my shoulder press). Again enjoying adding weight every week, but just thinking dropping a little and working form might lead to a later plateau, just debating the wisdom

cheers for the feedback, been for my squats tonight, concentrated in getting my heels down, my hip flexors definitley feel like they got a workout! I'm wondering if mobility issues are giving me problems in my warm up? when i'm doing body squats or just with the bar, i always feel like i'm gonna fall on my ass when i'm going for deep squats, soon as the bar is upto 40KG that issue seems to dissapear, can seem to keep my heels down better. meanwhile i'll try for another vid showing the knee/toe angle

For form check, this is a few weeks in, looks like i'm lifting/rolling my ankle and i'm not sure if i'm sitting back into things enough? weight is 75kgs/165lbs should have done this before/during my work out but meh, it was quieter and easier to get the vid after the fact. Squat

Probably give Starting Strength a look then, for the now i've gone with Stronglifts 5x5 as it's free and gets me in the game. Done a couple of session so far, seems good, having done some lifting before i found that the first session with an empty bar was waaaaay too light so second session i've added a little weight to the exercises. Also hoping to get a couple of videos of form up soon, figure best to identify any problems early. as stands: height 175cm Body Weight 100Kg Squat 55Kg Deadlift 50Kg Shoulder Press 30Kg Barbell Row 45Kg Bench Press 40Kg

Hail to the warriors I've decided that to give myself some focus to my workouts I want to become a warrior, I want to lift and lift big, to be lean and strong. I've tried having a read though some of the resources on the forums/site and to be honest I'm a little overwhelmed. having been to the gym before I never got on with the weight machines and always found the free weights sections far more appealing, i've done some lifting before and have been shown good form ( my instructor was adamant about getting my form right before she let me loose with weights which always seemed to make sense to me) I love bench presses and squats and in my fitter days have been able to do 2-3 squats with and 18st man across my shoulders, I apparently have freak legs and would love to get back to lifting that kind of weight again. I've been alright with managing the gym around 3x8 weight sets but not really sure where that lies on a strength programme ( i hear alot about 5x5?) Consider me a Heavy lifting newb, having never specifically trained for strength before (only fitness generally) I lay myself on the alter (or weight bench if you prefer) of heavy lifting, gratefull for your knowledge (also forgive me if I lapse a little into conan-esque character now and then, i love RPing!!)

I know where you're coming from, If i'd had a particularly bad day at work i used to end up skipping the work out or worse just flat out falling asleep at home exhausted, after a while i just stopped working out, I got lucky and a collegue asked me what happened to my workouts and invited me to a trial day at the gym near my new home, loved it found there was loads of different things to do, classes weights, indoor track, pool (heaven). I started to turn my gym sessions into a reward/wind down from a bad day that energised me, also i've found having someone to go with or share ideas with has helped me develop a really good ethic towards the gym. I suspect that if you try to go too hard in an effort to make up, you could end up doing more harm than good, ending up sore and having to slow down/take a day or two off to recover. If it were me I'd pick myself up, re-fix on my long goal and carry on and harden my resolve, but we're all different so hopefully you'll find your own way forward. Maybe a gym partner might help if you don't have one? I know i'm hoping to start a blog/thread/something so that i have somewhere to post everyday (even rest days) so I have a goal to aim for meaning i have to do my workout before i can write about it, also i'm hoping it'll give me a nice record of my journey. I just agreed with my cardiologist that when I see her again in a year I will be down to sub 18%, she said she'd like me to be sub 90kg as well, i told her that depends on how much lifting i do lol But anyways, crack on and good luck

Awesome, well done for donating, probably one of the best things you can ever give.

Hi All, I'd been a long time lurker here till i signed up 15 months ago having had a new valve in my heart, things were going well and i was active for a couple of months had been doing well with my rehab, knocked my diet into shape, got some exercise on the go.....then suffered some bad complications that knocked me for 6. I've been struggling on ever since mainly with the mental aspects of it all. It's been an exhausting year or so however I've picked myself up and gotten back into things, signed in at my local gym now i've moved home, i'm independant again, been loving it for the last couple of months, indoor pool, free weights galore, running track and all the classes i could want to take, keeps it all fresh and interesting. so in summary, i'm back, i'm fired up, I'M BATMAN!! oh wait....

Fairly self explanatory really, but I'm returning to work a week today having been all cleared by a whole host of Docs, Surgeons and Occupational Health Therapists. which means, back to establishing a sensible routine and back to earning full wage again. the only suck is that my Implanted cardiac monitor seems to be scratching/scraping the inside of my chest and may need to be removed which is gonna cost me about a week of sick

Bit of a late update this time round, been a hectic couple of weeks with appointments all over the place, nicely disrupting my usual routine. Not really had the chance this week or last to take route measurements and the like, what i do know is i've been walking a min of 35 mins a day, I've done a couple more 3.5 mile routes when i've had the chance (so close to that 4 mile marker!!) However i've also been doing alot of walking to and from appoinments and around town to do the shopping etc etc so I've probably unknowingly hit 4 miles already, But I also want to do it in a measured way to be dead on sure. Also been adding skipping into my routine as well which has clearly been doing it's job well, within a week i'm already doing 1 minute spurts rater than just 30secs. Last weigh in was 95.3kg which is cool as that week i had three kinda bad/big days with the calories. I'm not gonna beat myself up about it, you've gotta allow a break now and then, besides the easy way round that is simply go do 5 mins skipping lol. Appointments with the surgeons have gone well, they are very happy with the healing of my sternum, still another month or so before i can start on weights again and start swimming (which I'm really looking forward to) also turns out that this niggling ache i've had in my left hand side is my 7/8/9th ribs which are broken, apparently it's a common thing to happen in surgery when they open your chest and given i've probably fractured them at some point before through sports i'm not entirely surprised...but at least i know why it's painful to sleep on that side!!

Can't say as i've ever heard cricket chants...more along the lines of "I say chap, well played" and "Good shot sir! Care for another?" these kinda apply right?.........right??

Awesome! whatever your doing obviously works really well for you!! great job

Whilst not a movie in the feature film sense, this is one I always find inspiring