I never stop reading, and I never stop wanting to learn new stuff - particularly how I can better my workouts. (I mean, who doesn’t want to workout less, and still get more bang for their buck?)
Currently, I’m doing a hybrid routine which is based on Rippetoe (A popular beginners’ Strength Training program, ideal for bodybuilding beginners, and designed by Mark Rippetoe, an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, former powerlifter of 10 years, USA Weightlifting Senior Coach, CrossFit Coach and USA Track and Field Level 1 Coach.) So the guy’s got some credentials, put it that way…
Now, I say I’m doing a hybrid, because that’s what it is. I have to. I do most of the core compound exercises, including the squat, bench press, dead lift, and bent over rows. But I am also adding others, and out of necessity - be it lack of equipment and safety measures, or space and experience to execute some of the exercises - I’ve had to substitute some exercises for others. But so far so good, things are coming along nicely.
The biggest issue I currently have is my squats setup. I’ve been improvising by using my fold-out bench backwards; by turning the pins around, sitting at the back of the bench and unracking that way. To re-rack, it’s nearly impossible to do a reverse movement, so I’ve been resting my knees on the bench, leaning forward slightly and letting the pins catch the bar. It’s not adviseable, but with light weights I felt perfectly safe. Not anymore…
On the 14th, with a 75 kg bar, I attempted to re-rack the bar after completing my last set of squats, and perhaps my knee position wasn’t forward enough, causing my shoulders to not be high enough to rack the barbell. The result was, I fell short, and the momentum of the bar now leaning forward pushed me into my fold up bench - which sort of folded - and ended up scraping and bashing my knees and shins pretty good, adding a few cuts for good measure. In a panic, I dropped the bar off my shoulders, and by the grace of God, never broke my legs. But it made one loud crash…
Lesson learned: When your working heavy, you can’t afford to risk safety at all. It only takes one mistake and you could end up crippled or dead. Find safe alternatives…
And that’s what I have to do. Luckily, there is the hack squat. It works slightly different muscles, and may not be as effective (although, that’s highly debatable), but it should serve me well enough and at least keep me safe and out of trouble until I can sort something else out.
So that’s the first change I’m making, substituting regular squats for hack squats. Not to mention implementing a new technique I’ve recently discovered which is supposed to force muscle growth into hyper-drive. (Yes, they all claim that… and no, it doesn’t involve a pin, pill, or anything like that - it’s just a technique to use during the workout.)
Also, as per my original intention, I hope to have a set of photos, along with proper measurements and progress reports written up sometime at the end of the month. It’s a shame that I didn’t get any photos, except a bicep one I have lurking someplace, before I started in January. But if the truth be told, I think the difference wouldnt’ve been substantial anyway… my legs are a bit bigger, my arms are, my chest is, and my stomach is (thanks to my lax dietary control during January) so I’m still far from ‘transformed.’
Still, I’m getting wiser, so to quote New Labor, ‘things can only get better…’