Lately I've been more interested in gaining strength and using the bigger exercises (when I first started out, it was the exact opposite. I'd isolate every single muscle.. I think I once isolated my serratus :eek: ). I switched my routine up abit and added conventional deads in place of romanian's, I just did them for the very first time today.. Yesterday I took a very light load and worked on form, I had about 95 pounds, including the bar. I got the technique down and today.. I attempted them with heavier weight.

Sets:

215x9
245x9

The second set was abit tougher than the first but.. my god.. I love deadlifts. I felt like I could pull off 20 reps at the 245 weight but I stayed in my rep range to avoid anything dangerous, I'm going to increase weight my next workout (friday) and hopefully I'll be putting up some serious weight in short time.

I was made for these! :D

isolated the serratus... LOL! :)

Glad to hear you are enjoying the deads. That's pretty darn good weight for someone who has never done them before! :tucool:

isolated the serratus... LOL! :)

Glad to hear you are enjoying the deads. That's pretty darn good weight for someone who has never done them before! :tucool:

Serratus? Sounds like either punching or scapular protraction pushups.

Those are good weights, but given his age, he will probably be lifting a lot more in only a few months.

I isolated the serratus when I first started -- http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/SerratusAnterior/DBInclineShoulderRaise.html

Then my shoulder gave out (it was after a whole chest workout) and the dumbbell crashed down and I sprained my shoulder. I never tried that again. :tu:

I isolated the serratus when I first started -- http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/SerratusAnterior/DBInclineShoulderRaise.html

Then my shoulder gave out (it was after a whole chest workout) and the dumbbell crashed down and I sprained my shoulder. I never tried that again. :tu:

See if you did the scapular protraction pushup version all that would have happened is that you would have broken your nose on a faceplant.

I ought to do more conscientious shoulder work, but I am lazy.

I ought to do more conscientious shoulder work, but I am lazy.

Says the man doing 60+ reps of squats at 225...

Says the man doing 60+ reps of squats at 225...

Yah but that's fun. Shoulder work usually hurts.

Yah but that's fun. Shoulder work usually hurts.


My problem is core work. I know I need to do more of it. I just don't. That's what isn't fun to me.

I guess in the back of my mind, I just hope the deads, squats, overhead pressing, etc do the work. I think due to my surgery, though, I need to do some extra work there to catch up. I procrastinate.

I guess in the back of my mind, I just hope the deads, squats, overhead pressing, etc do the work. I think due to my surgery, though, I need to do some extra work there to catch up. I procrastinate.

The single leg deads and squats, definitely work core. So do lots of the lunge variations.

The overhead pressing is not bad. But overhead squats and lunges are really good for core (and other stuff).

Sounds like your core complains like my shoulders.

The single leg deads and squats, definitely work core. So do lots of the lunge variations.

The overhead pressing is not bad. But overhead squats and lunges are really good for core (and other stuff).

Sounds like your core complains like my shoulders.

Another excellent core exercise that isn't a core exercise specifically is one armed DB snatches. I love these, and they hit the obliques pretty good (which I didn't really think about until I started doing them).

I've been meaning to work in DB swings, too. That looks to be good core work without laying around on the floor.

Didn't mean to take this thread off topic :)

Another excellent core exercise that isn't a core exercise specifically is one armed DB snatches. I love these, and they hit the obliques pretty good (which I didn't really think about until I started doing them).

I've been meaning to work in DB swings, too. That looks to be good core work without laying around on the floor.

Didn't mean to take this thread off topic :)

You are right about the one arm dumbell snatches. I've not done them, but those have to be good.

The dumbell swing that I like the best is this one:

Diagonal raise a dumbell, shift it over your head to the other side and lower it on the other diagonal and lunge forward. Raise it back up that diagonal as you recover the lunge, shift it over the head to the other side, and lunge and lower on that side, etc.

And if you lunge with a dumbell straight in front of you, then twist competely to the side and back, then recover the lunge, that is another good core exercise.

Thanks guys :)

And chic, that's exactly the exercise I used but I used a barbell instead.