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GMATT73
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Billy's Boot Camp 30 May 2007, 02:01
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dipeshc4
The program i speak of, its a linear progression scheme and you dont train to failure. Here is a link for the writeup on it:

https://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow1/5 ... ar_5x5.htm

As for machines, you really cheat yourself by using them. Your stabilizers never get used on them.
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Depends upon the machine. Any true lifter will always stand by plate loaded Hammer Strength.
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Billy's Boot Camp 30 May 2007, 05:17
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dipeshc4
The program i speak of, its a linear progression scheme and you dont train to failure. Here is a link for the writeup on it:

https://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow1/5 ... ar_5x5.htm

As for machines, you really cheat yourself by using them. Your stabilizers never get used on them.

Depends upon the machine. Any true lifter will always stand by plate loaded Hammer Strength.
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I agree fully, that is one of the few machines that I have found to really work well. Although, I'll take dumbbells any day.
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dipeshc4
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Billy's Boot Camp 30 May 2007, 09:17
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The only hammer strength machine i think that is worth anyting is the HIGH ROW.

Other than that i will always use free weights.

Nothing better that bruising up my traps with a day of heavy squatting :)
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GMATT73
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Billy's Boot Camp 30 May 2007, 10:07
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dipeshc4
The only hammer strength machine i think that is worth anyting is the HIGH ROW.

Other than that i will always use free weights.

Nothing better that bruising up my traps with a day of heavy squatting :)
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With the adjustable grips for both positions. I use the exact machine at least once a month. Hammer has to be the authority when it comes to plate loaded equiptment.

I agree that squats are tremendously effective, but what do you do to train your quads, calves, etc. Aside from pushing off your toes, I have found a good isolation machine to be very effective, particularly when I do resistance (eccentric) sets.

Hammer has quite a line up nowadays ---> https://us.commercial.lifefitness.com/co ... lateloaded
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Billy's Boot Camp 30 May 2007, 11:29
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dipeshc4
The only hammer strength machine i think that is worth anyting is the HIGH ROW.

Other than that i will always use free weights.

Nothing better that bruising up my traps with a day of heavy squatting :)

With the adjustable grips for both positions. I use the exact machine at least once a month. Hammer has to be the authority when it comes to plate loaded equiptment.

I agree that squats are tremendously effective, but what do you do to train your quads, calves, etc. Aside from pushing off your toes, I have found a good isolation machine to be very effective, particularly when I do resistance (eccentric) sets.

Hammer has quite a line up nowadays ---> https://us.commercial.lifefitness.com/co ... lateloaded
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Well quads are trained in squats. If you want a more quad-centric lift, try front squats.

As for calves, you can use a bar as if back squatting and get up on a step bench. I do admit to use the seated calf raises.

If you want to train calves as well, you can do Farmers Walk on your toes with your heels elevated.
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Billy's Boot Camp 30 May 2007, 22:31
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Front squats do stimulate the quads, however the only drawback is that most lifters simply can't load up the bar and control the weight while balancing it on their front delts up tight against the neck/chin. More importantly, the spine can easily become contorted if your form isn't perfect.

If adjusted properly, a hammer strength leg curl machine takes all the pressure off the lower back and isolates the target muscle group, essentially removing the maximum weight limit you can normally use because of the strain it may cause your back, neck, lumbar... Then again, I am an eccentric lifter and aiming for complete muscle failure. Our goals are probably different.

For calves, another solid exercise is to load up a linear leg press machine and place your toes on the bottom edge of the sled surface. You can also adjust the positioning of your calves; v-angle, straight, pigeon, narrow, wide, etc.

Obviously you are a regular lifter so you most likely know what I am talking about.

The point being that even though free weights are undisputably an essential part of a good routine, variety seems to produce the greatest results.
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Billy's Boot Camp 03 Jun 2007, 21:42
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so in honor of you, i used hammer strength for bench and incline bench for my depletion workouts (think 15-20 reps, 1 minute TUT each set, 3 sets) today instead of free weights.
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Billy's Boot Camp 04 Jun 2007, 07:00
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Your chest will probably thank you for it tomorrow morning. A key advantage to Hammer presses is that thay start wide and finish narrow, utilizing another latent part of the pectorialis major. Some people find it beneficial to substitute in these machines every three weeks or so. Just curious, do you integrate drop sets into your depletion training?

I'm going to give your front squats another try later this week after my legs heal from Saturday's brutality.
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Billy's Boot Camp 05 Jun 2007, 15:31
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Right now I am running a program called Ultimate Diet 2.0 by Lyle McDonald.

The depletion workouts are done at 50% of 1RM and not to failure. You train the entire body and over 2 days you want to ensure you get 12 sets of leg presses, hamstring curls, 6 sets of flat bench, 6 sets of incline bench, 6 sets of row, 6 sets of pulldown, 8 sets of shoulder raises, 8 sets of bicep curls, 8 sets of tricep pulldowns. Each set done with time under tension of 1 minute.

Day 3 and 4, cardio only. Day 5, a low volume, 6-12 rep range full body workout followed by a carb load for 30 hours. Day 7, a low rep, low volume HEAVY workout. Day 8 rest.

Its a great program to lean out. Basically its a cyclical ketogenic diet with diet specific training.
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Billy's Boot Camp 16 Jun 2007, 22:51
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I used to do the standard five day a week lifter schedule for too many years to count. Free weights, machines - plate loaded or not - cables, gravity, and isometrics. I even tried varying techniches, incorporating burns, x-reps, and drop sets, but eventually I would always plateau and reach a point of diminshing returns. That was until I replaced Arnold's bible for Vince's wisdom. Even a seasoned weightlifter (or BBer) will make their greatest gains following the tried and tested 60% 1RM * 10 *10 German Volume routine.

I only use free weights for primary (antagonistic) compound exercises under this routine: squats, deadlifts, bench, rows, overhead press and (weighted) dips and pullups.

Select machines, such as the previously mentioned Hammer Strength, Strive and Cybex can be incorporated for secondary, or rather auxilary training exercises: hack squats, linear leg press, ham curls, high rows, seated calf raises, and of course every variety of cable extension.

Whereas GVT will almost always add lean mass while burning fat, we also need to be reminded that change must be constant to yield the greatest overall results.

For more on GVT, Charles Poliquin offers a good introduction. https://www.strengthcats.com/CP-GVT.html

Happy training 8-)
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Billy's Boot Camp 01 Jul 2007, 03:32
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Johnny, do you train with versa grips?
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