GRFit | Fitness | Weightifting | Martial Arts | Join the club! Or do it next week.

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ITSMILNER
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PostRe: GRFit | Fitness | Weightifting | Martial Arts | Join the club! Or do it next week.
by ITSMILNER » Fri Nov 05, 2021 5:19 pm

Grumpy David wrote:
ITSMILNER wrote:
Grumpy David wrote:
ITSMILNER wrote:
Grumpy David wrote:
ITSMILNER wrote:Looking for some advice, i've currently hit a bit of a wall with how much I can lift and i'm struggling to get an increase in weight on chest press.

I'm currently doing a 5x5 routine but dropping the weight by 5kg for each set. I've hit a point where the heaviest I can do is 82.5kg which is roughly around my body weight. I got covid earlier this year and since then I have had issues with fatigue, prior to this the heaviest I got to was 97.5kg but I can't get anywhere near that now :cry:

Any advice on what I can do now i'm hitting a celling? Should I drop the weights and do a new routine? I am taking a pre-workout now as well but it's not really helping give me an extra push.


Sorry to hear that! Seems like the lingering effects of Covid is certainly to blame. Is your cardio also similarly reduced?

Does your pre work contain creatine?

I always found creatine with longer rests between sets allowed heavier lifts to be achieved.

I find to progress on bench press I need to do it as the first exercise in the gym and to do it 3x a week, anything less than making it priority number 1 means I struggle to improve. I tend to do 5x5 or 4x6 too. When I feel like I've hit a plateau then I quite like to do dumbbell bench press instead of dropping the barbell weight down.


I never really did much running or anything but 25 minutes on a cross trainer knackers me out now :shifty:

The pre workout I am using is this one https://www.dolphinfitness.co.uk/en/betancourt-bullnox-35-servings/45527 I used it before a few years back and I remember it did seem to help me get past limits I had (Could be a Placebo effect though)

Do you tend to stick to the same weight for all the sets or drop the weight per set?


25 minutes of any cardio is probably 20 more than the average adult can manage so I wouldn't be too embarrassed by that!

That pre work out does have creatine which is easily the most useful and beneficial supplement and isn't placebo, it definitely works.

Work sets for me are always the same weight, I've never even heard of 5x5 with 5kg drops each set. 5x5 is meant to be for a weight that you're able to do 5x5 without needing to reduce the weight. I'd only drop the weight if I wasn't confident with the next set (no spotter = extra cautious to not push it, want to avoid the roll of shame).


It was a guy at the gym, I explained to him that I was struggling and he suggested keeping a 5x5 routine but dropset style, trying to increase the weight by 2.5kg every 10-14 days. Not really working out that way for me though :lol:

So would you recommend I stick with 5x5 but maybe at this point drop the weight to something I can do 5x5 of and go from there? How often are you looking at increasing your weight or do you not set any targets to up the weight within a certain timeframe?


Yeah I'd start my work set all at the same weight so that might be 70kg if you're doing 1x5 at 82.5kg.

We're actually similar bodyweight and pre lockdown strength too. Pre lockdown 1 I was doing 102.5kg 5x5 pretty easily (didn't feel like I needed a spotter etc).

So going back to those sorts of lifts is a lot easier compared to having never previously lifted that amount. I tend to add 2.5kg each session but I'm not arsed about chasing particular weights so quite often I'll do the same weight on the next session and do weekly increases instead. I always find my motivation goes out the window round this time of year too, the cold dark nights and increased alcohol related socialising makes for great excuses.


Cool beans, cheers for the tips, I’ll re-arrange my workout Monday and see how I get on

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Harry Bizzle
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PostRe: GRFit | Fitness | Weightifting | Martial Arts | Join the club! Or do it next week.
by Harry Bizzle » Sun Nov 07, 2021 7:16 pm

That reducing 5x5 thing is awful advice.

I would do a standard 5x5, making sure you're taking enough rest between sets to get the work done. If that means about 3 mins rest between your last couple of sets, then so be it.

I'd maybe look at getting some fractional plates too, if the smallest jump you can currently make is 2.5kg.

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BTB
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PostRe: GRFit | Fitness | Weightifting | Martial Arts | Join the club! Or do it next week.
by BTB » Mon Jan 24, 2022 1:00 pm

Not a lot of love for the GRFit, where are all the 'New year, new me' gang :cry:

Been doing a SS 3x5 style workout since the gyms reopened, and thinking of switching to a more hypertrophy/3x12 workout now. Only think is realistically I'll go to the gym 3 times a week (4 if lucky) alongside running/swimming, but would want to avoid doing body part splits as then I'd only hit legs once a week for example. Thinking of going for a push/pull routine, ideally doable in 45-50mins. Any reasons why this could be a bad idea?

Not looking forward to dropping the weight to complete 10-12 reps :(

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rinks
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PostRe: GRFit | Fitness | Weightifting | Martial Arts | Join the club! Or do it next week.
by rinks » Mon Jan 24, 2022 1:04 pm

BTB wrote:Thinking of going for a push/pull routine, ideally doable in 45-50mins. Any reasons why this could be a bad idea?

It worked OK for The Chuckle Brothers.

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Oblomov Boblomov
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PostRe: GRFit | Fitness | Weightifting | Martial Arts | Join the club! Or do it next week.
by Oblomov Boblomov » Mon Jan 24, 2022 1:11 pm

I've found a 'Dads v Dads' football thing that is held every Thursday on the Town team's pitch. Only went for the first time last week but loved it so will be hoping to make it a regular fixture in my struggling fitness calendar.

Can generally get away with one gym session a week top of that and a 20-30 minute run at some other time.

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GrinWithoutaKat
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PostRe: GRFit | Fitness | Weightifting | Martial Arts | Join the club! Or do it next week.
by GrinWithoutaKat » Mon Jan 24, 2022 3:51 pm

I'm doing my classic January fitness thing. Every year I started off with 3 months of losing weight, and at the end of every year I end up about where I started, or even a bit more. On January 1st this year I was a stone and a half heavier than I was in March 2020, and I remember thinking in March 2020 I could do with losing a couple of stone.

Been doing a 20 minute session on the exercise bike in the morning, 60 minute walk at lunch, and then anywhere between 20 to 40 minutes in the evenings doing some kind of 'fitness gaming'. Got Ring Fit Adventure which has not been used a whole lot yet, then PowerBeats VR and Thrill of the Fight on Oculus Quest. I have Beat Saber too, but I don't think that really counts as exercise, doesn't get the heart racing like the other two do. Thrill of the Fight is really tiring at least.

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Winckle
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PostRe: GRFit | Fitness | Weightifting | Martial Arts | Join the club! Or do it next week.
by Winckle » Wed Feb 02, 2022 10:37 am

Since the new year I have been doing strength training Mon/Wed/Fri and couch to 5k Tue/Thu/Sat.

I'm starting to notice a difference, but there's some steep jumps in this week of c25k, week 5. Particularly on Saturday, the idea of running continously for 20 minutes sounds very daunting.

We should migrate GRcade to Flarum. :toot:
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Rocsteady
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PostRe: GRFit | Fitness | Weightifting | Martial Arts | Join the club! Or do it next week.
by Rocsteady » Wed Feb 02, 2022 11:03 am

IIRC week 5 is the nightmare week. Take a couple of weeks to beat that one by improving just a little each time if needed I'd say. From there it's relatively smooth sailing.

I've been knocked back by a really bad cold the last couple of weeks but until then I'd been doing similar; lifting 3/4 times a week and hitting 6 or 7km runs once or twice a week. Was loving it.

This week is a very, very slow ramp up of weights and no running. Still got bad shortness of breath.

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Winckle
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PostRe: GRFit | Fitness | Weightifting | Martial Arts | Join the club! Or do it next week.
by Winckle » Wed Feb 02, 2022 12:05 pm

I've put back on about 15KG over my best weight last March. I'd like to get as fit as possible in time for October.

I gained so much weight during a week's holiday in Scotland. Eating rich foods and drinking beer for a week made me balloon right up.

We should migrate GRcade to Flarum. :toot:
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by gaminglegend » Sun Feb 06, 2022 3:20 pm

I absolutely need some leg workout motivation. Pretty much don’t do them, used to squat years ago now I might half arsed do a few every now and then.

Just doesn’t feel fun to workout legs :shifty:

I remember reading Arnie’s book a few years ago and something along the lines of he wore shorts so he could see how tiny his legs were to Motivate himself or something to that effect. Generally night do that

Check out the GRCADE Beer Money Thread - Free shares & Bank Switch Offers £££! :msgreen:
https://grcade.co.uk/t:the-making-beer-money-thread
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Winckle
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by Winckle » Mon Feb 07, 2022 11:09 am

I completed week 5 of Couch to 5k, and I'm one squat day away from 60KG, which has that nice psychological feeling of seeing the 20KG plates on either side of the bar.

We should migrate GRcade to Flarum. :toot:
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Rocsteady
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by Rocsteady » Mon Feb 07, 2022 12:13 pm

Good work winckle.

Gl, you gotta do leg day man. It boosts your test and is by far the most effective full body workout (assuming you're doing squats and deadlifts). I would say that's enough as well, no need to strawberry float about with calf raises and gooseberry fool.

Trying to get my mrs into it all now, started with just bar squat, ohp, bench and some heavily assisted chins at the weekend.

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Winckle
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PostRe: GRFit | Fitness | Weightifting | Martial Arts | Join the club! Or do it next week.
by Winckle » Fri Mar 04, 2022 8:42 am

Hey put me down in the heavily assisted chins camp Rocsteady. :lol: One day I'll grow out of the resistance bands...

I finished week 9 day 2 of couch to 5k yesterday, and managed 5.07KM. :D

We should migrate GRcade to Flarum. :toot:
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Saint of Killers
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by Saint of Killers » Sun Mar 13, 2022 5:30 pm

How dumb is this for me to do: I wanna bump my hex dumbbell weights up. I DON'T want to fork out ££s on new weights which are only 10kg heavier in total. SO! I'm thinking of buying small cast iron plates and... duct taping them onto the ends of my existing weights thus giving me the weight increase at a fraction of the cost. Genius or will it all end in tears and broken toes?

The smart thing would have been to buy adjustable dumbbells, but the thing is that I HATE how they spin on the bar and the racket they make in general.

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by Rocsteady » Sun Mar 13, 2022 6:09 pm

Saint of Killers wrote:How dumb is this for me to do: I wanna bump my hex dumbbell weights up. I DON'T want to fork out ££s on new weights which are only 10kg heavier in total. SO! I'm thinking of buying small cast iron plates and... duct taping them onto the ends of my existing weights thus giving me the weight increase at a fraction of the cost. Genius or will it all end in tears and broken toes?

The smart thing would have been to buy adjustable dumbbells, but the thing is that I HATE how they spin on the bar and the racket they make in general.

You'll probably be alright if you absolutely duct tape the gooseberry fool out of them - how much will each of the additional weights be? 5kg or 2.5? Being honest I wouldn't do it but you should be ok if you multiple wrap them and keep them really tight...

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PostRe: GRFit | Fitness | Weightifting | Martial Arts | Join the club! Or do it next week.
by Saint of Killers » Sun Mar 13, 2022 7:17 pm

Rocsteady wrote:
Saint of Killers wrote:How dumb is this for me to do: I wanna bump my hex dumbbell weights up. I DON'T want to fork out ££s on new weights which are only 10kg heavier in total. SO! I'm thinking of buying small cast iron plates and... duct taping them onto the ends of my existing weights thus giving me the weight increase at a fraction of the cost. Genius or will it all end in tears and broken toes?

The smart thing would have been to buy adjustable dumbbells, but the thing is that I HATE how they spin on the bar and the racket they make in general.

You'll probably be alright if you absolutely duct tape the gooseberry fool out of them - how much will each of the additional weights be? 5kg or 2.5? Being honest I wouldn't do it but you should be ok if you multiple wrap them and keep them really tight...


Appreciate your thoughts on it. Ta.

2.5s fit perfect. I wanted 5s but they're just too large and so would def be harder to strap down in place. (+5kg x 4 would also have been asking for trouble from a capability aspect as well :lol:)

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by Saint of Killers » Fri Mar 25, 2022 10:36 am

Mountain climbers (as in the workout routine and not mountain climbers as in *mountain climbers*) can get strawberry floated. But I've found the best way yet to do them: power through them sans breaks. (Though I still take a short break when my form starts to suffer, and then I complete the final 30.) It's so much easier than taking 3 lots of 15s breaks in-between!

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by abcd » Fri Mar 25, 2022 12:06 pm

Hi everyone.

Haven't posted in a while, but keeping on top of my fitness.

After having tonnes of mental setbacks over the last two years, I've managed to maintain gym activity and would be lost without it.

I go for strength at the gym and not so much hypertrophy. Although visible gains are noticeable.

I tend to do 3 sets with 4-6 reps for each heavy load. I'm currently hitting;

185kg deadlift
140kg squat
55kg shoulder press
105kg bench press

I'm pleased with how it's going and I've not had any injuries from weight lifting in quite a while now.

This is my deadlift;



This is picture of my progress so far;

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I'm 41 years old and used to be fairly overweight. But I turned it around. I had to make a difference to my physical and mental health because I was putting too much pressure on my body. I've got a good programme at the gym and I don't go crazy with bad food. You know what isn't and is healthy.

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Poncho
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PostRe: GRFit | Fitness | Weightifting | Martial Arts | Join the club! Or do it next week.
by Poncho » Fri Mar 25, 2022 12:26 pm

Looking real good, dude, but I must admit my back hurt watching that deadlift. :dread:

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Grumpy David
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PostRe: GRFit | Fitness | Weightifting | Martial Arts | Join the club! Or do it next week.
by Grumpy David » Fri Mar 25, 2022 1:40 pm

In better shape than most men 10 years younger ABCD! Bloody well done!

RIP your spine if you keep doing deadlifts like that. :dread:


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