I'm lucky enough to have a pretty good gym culture where we all support each other in pushing hard. Just today I was deadlifting and a small group came to encourage me on an all time PR. That really helps push you a bit harder
I had to switch gyms because of this, my old gym was all normies who never did anything beyond 4 reps in reserve, I was sometimes straight up killing myself on a variety of exercises, making noises during a set was discouraged, and everyone had to "control the eccentric" of their conventional/sumo/trap bar deadlifts (like why even do standard deadlifts if you have to control the eccentric?)… I am at a new gym where the owner is an IFBB Pro men’s physique competitor and when he (as well as his training partners one of which is another bodybuilder) are at the gym there are plates clanking, there’s yelling, there’s cursing, and they all encourage each other… There are still a lot of normies at my gym who don’t understand this kind of behavior or training hard but at least I no longer get in trouble for wincing in pain and having to let out some noise during a set (i let out a muffled scream today going beyond failure on a set of lying leg curls after having done a couple sets of heavy good mornings cuz I had just been fighting the weight for what felt like forever trying to eek out a rep i just couldn’t complete, there was no talking to for my behavior from anyone), sometimes the trainer’s or owner even come over and encourage you if they see you are fighting for your life… I woke up with new stretch marks this week where my shoulder meets my back and I have only gained 7 lbs in 10 weeks on my current bulk (so it’s not from fat accumulation)… If your gym doesn’t allow you to train like a monkey humping the bar if you wanted (not saying this is necessary or advisable) then you should change gyms immediately because if you start making faces or letting out too many snarls or grunts (or even just one accidental scream) they will eventually kick you out for scaring off customers who will stop going there in 3 months without canceling their memberships at the end of the year/their contract
I’m a personal trainer in my early 30’s and a lot of the guys I work with/know at the gym are 6-10 years younger than me. One thing I consistently notice is they “don’t want people to see them struggle” and they are embarrassed to take sets to actual failure. I’m a huge fan of finding ways to work harder with less weight and I’m always preaching this stuff to them. I think this type of stuff you don’t truly realize until you begin to “mature” as a lifter
I have literally had people come up to me and tell me "you are gonna get injured training like that" and I am like "it’s a spider curl" or something along those lines
I started squatting again last year, and had to start with just the bar. I don't mind because I'm seeing results and frankly girls aren't counting up the weights you push, they just look at the results . 💪
The good thing about consistent progressive overload, trying to add weight to an exercise each time, is that if you’re not doing enough intensity to grow, you eventually will be. Usually it’s within a few months. This is why I have guys start sometimes with just the bar so they can get technique down on a lift as they ramp up to a weight that’s truly hard and stimulates growth. Progressive overload is the closest thing to an ace card that prevents lifters from lifting in vain long term.
@@user-en5vj6vr2u intermediate lifters and advanced lifters need to do progressive overload too, just slower. Usually, no one is 100% beginner, intermediate or advanced. It should be assessed on a lift-by-lift basis. For example your squat might be advanced (very high for your body weight, hard to progress even year to year), but your bench press could be intermediate (progresses weekly using microplates or month to month) and your deadlift could be beginner if you never deadlifted.
One thing I observed is that people are ready to go after 30 secs to 1 min of rest. When the gym is crowded, I alternatively use a piece of equipment with somebody else. Usually, the guy gets 2 or more sets done when I am resting. Another thing would be the guys who superset lat pulldown with cable rows... without changing the weight, and get 10+ reps on the rows easily. Another great one Geoff 🤜🤛
I love that the science is back saying it’s good to go to failure, I push every set that far and enjoy it. I don’t feel like I’ve done my work unless I either miss a last rep in a set or just know there was no more left. I don’t enjoy squatting to failure though do it as I always set up the rack so I know I can just drop out if needed. You gotta push man
"...by anything short of an earthquake" EPIC!!! Starting to get back a bit more seriously into lifting weights again after messing around for decades. Already seeing some nice progress after FINALLY starting to train every body part twice a week...yeah...been influenced a bit too HEAVILY by Dorian Yates/Mike Mentzer...but why not trying some new ways...just great to see people sharing their knowledge in a believable way - pretty sure you are as natty as a new born baby and therefore your tips are WAY more valuable than those of the enhanced boys. Keep on posting, really like your content, also seeing your progress makes me even more motivated - thanks a lot 😊
I completely agree with what you're saying in terms of grinder reps. I agree with more experienced lifters, but when it comes to beginner to intermediate lifters, that can just be snap city. But glad you added in that this is better used on the more stabilised lifts, like machine chest presses.
Holy smokes, this is just what I needed Geoff! I was making gains, but I was kind of wondering how I could lift but get no benefits. Your videos always answer my prayers🙏
Hey Geoff, would you ever consider doing a video on burnout in the gym or periods of easier training/maintenance? I’ve made great gains this year but starting to get unmotivated to train from fatigue build up
It's good to sometimes take a week of deload. Reinassance Periodization has multiple videos on it if you're interested. Muscle loss starts to occur after 2 weeks of no training anyway and many people come back a lot stronger after their week off.
Try 1 week of deload (only 1/2 sets and 3 reps in reserve). If that doesn't help (which it should if you've never done a proper deload) do one week completely off
One of the best things I did for my gains is actually keep a notepad and tracking my workouts. You think your memory is good, but you could be doing the same thing over and over and never progressively overload
Agree on all these, but form is one of the things I see most people doing horrifically wrong at the gym, which can compromise not only the safety of the exercise, but how much they’re actually getting out of it as well. Ego lifting is one of the biggest causes of terrible form in my experience, and I’m admittedly one of those guys who might pop over and try offering some friendly advice if I see someone totally ruining an exercise and wasting their time as a result.
@@proathlete8153 Form can be overrated at times if you hyper focus on it, but it also still matters a great deal to learn proper form overall before you can do things like using a couple cheat reps at the end of a set to go to or past failure. You have to learn to walk before you can run or you’ll fall flat on your face. 💪
@@proathlete8153 you are correct. Lifting too heavy; Ego Lifting, Being strict on form; another form of Ego Lifting. I think I forgot why I even go to the gym now.
I have a 98% percent functional meniscus on my right leg due to martial arts trauma (Judo) and can’t sustain a complete stagnated flexion with my quads without my meniscus slightly poping out of place. I now normally no longer can fail a quad lift on free weights and various machines like a belt squat which I love, because of potential failure at a stagnated flexion position, so I work around it and stop to where I know for a fact that if I get one more rep down that’s where I’ll be staying lol. The worst work out is the one that gets you injured, you know your limitations, learn to work around them.
The most consistent challenge at the gym for me is making sure I always give it my best. I find myself often asking, "could i have gotten one more rep?". Some days I'm like "nah no way", and others I'm like "hmm, maybe".
I love your videos! You’re such a goofball! Seriously though, you make me thing this is how I’ll be when I’m at my goal being a muscle guru. This stuff may sound simple but it’s so commonly missed among routines. I’m obese but I’ve been weightlifting on and off since I was 12. I lost around 110 lbs in the last few years and have a good 70-80 to go before I’m at a weight that’s best for my body. I miss so many small things in technique all the time. My mind body connection is getting better though and I fully explore my reps more. Thanks for the advice and I’m gonna miss the beard
thanks man, bulking to 250 pounds right now and I want absolutely none of it to be muscle! I love showing up to the gym at 5am every morning and making it as much of my personality as possible, but I was getting a bit too swole. if I’m not careful I could end up squatting a whole plate! this will really help!
I would add a good mentality. Not in the sense of monumental effort but in believing you are capable of strength; that what you did in the past doesn't have to dictate what you do now or in the future. I've seen a lot of newbies back away from "heavy" weights simply because "I can't do that". Even in the middle of a set, I've heard that phrase and the weights come down. Some good encouragement later... they are lifting those weights. It's really important to have a "can do" attitude in the gym--especially when you're lifting alone.
so you're very educated, well trained, natty, and look fantastic. Are there any other guys like you I can follow? I'm tired of watching roided out influencers to whom I have nothing in common.
This takes me back to a gym I went to about 5 years back. There was this guy there all the time. He did the same workout every time, weights, sets, and reps. Granted I think he was just there for general fitness, but dude, you stopped adapting a long time ago.
Progression as an advanced lifter is such a roller-coaster of motivation. It took me four months to go from bench pressing 140kg for 11 reps to 12. You start second guessing everything and wondering if you are able to progress at all. Then when you get it for a couple months you are so happy and motivated to train.
You are always progressing, but not in ways you can track. Like every day you were progressing from 11 reps to 11 reps and 1/8 of a rep and then 2/8 etc. It really is impossible to track.
@@Melowt Of course but you don't notice so it doesn't help much. I just stick to it since I got results after a long grind before I don't see why I wouldn't this time. It's not a very rational fear but it still comes.
Try increasing or decreasing the chest or even delt volume then, we all know that if u hit a body part wayy too often it'll never be fully recovered thus it'll be weaker than it could be if it was fully recovered, so in that case lower the volume, and well i did an experiment with bicep curls, so since my left bicep was way stronger than the right hand i tried to do cut the volume in half for the left one, and only curl with the right so i can get the strength symmetry so i could progress properly on the dumbbell curls, and my right bicep caught up in strength, so just merely doing more volume can make you stronger as well.
I've definitely been seeing far more gains by getting into the flow state, as getting into the zone unleashes potent pain-killing chemicals that allow you to do more reps than you normally could, so I've been noticing that all my sets in the past were more like 5-8 RIR. Yeah, no wonder all of a sudden I've been seeing major muscle growth recently, as I'm now pushing to near failure. What helps is to think of it as "ignoring the pain" rather than "pushing past the pain," because your mind and emotions are connected, which means you can drop the un-comfortableness you feel from pushing to near failure at any moment so that you focus on just moving the weight, rather than getting overwhelmed by how painful it is to push yourself so hard. Getting mentally overwhelmed by the pain was the reason I wasn't pushing my sets hard enough before, as it made me feel like I was pushing harder than I actually was, and thus led me to stopping the sets prematurely.
#5 (fahhhhve) if you put all your chips in one method! Eg: limitless volume or limitless intensity without playing with the other to see how it affects you and possibly adds huge benefits
I don't think you mentioned this because it's such a ridiculous thing to do, but going in to only test 1rms is a great way to keep the same 1rm indefinitely. However it's pretty entertaining to watch 'Da boiz!' do this, and they're having fun working out instead of just sinking piss and smoking darts so that's something positive 😂😅
I would recommend not skipping the very top range of motion, because although the lats disengage, your teres muscles will definitely grow from it as they sort of initiate the pull. Just my 2 cents and it got me great results
I'd put not resting long enough between sets on there. If you can hit your rep range again after less than 30 seconds of rest, your intensity was too low the first time around.
@@Waywardbiscuit exceptions exist to almost every rule, but the initial context here is the kind of mistakes you see people making in typical commercial gyms. People advanced enough to know when this doesn't apply are doing just fine. The vast majority of people I see in a gym are just rushing through some exercises (also making the other four mistakes) and getting poor results.
I agree with everything but #1. This [training to failure] type of training is geared more towards bodybuilding or your average gymbro routine. For powerlifting it is quite common for us to program RPE 5-6 (4-5 reps in reserve) for over 60% of a cycle for fatigue management, weekly volume, injury prevention, and technique control, all of which contribute more to strength and overall muscle mass in the primary mover muscles compared to training to failure on everything.
Powerlifting is skill training and fatigue undermines the skill portion. Failure is good for general muscle training, but not skill training. You wouldn’t be able to effectively practice guitar or a golf swing, or even shoot a basketball when overly fatigued. Same with powerlifting and Olympic lifting form. Frequency is also higher for competitive lifting skill practice so they have to go lighter or they couldn’t recover in time for the next practice session.
When you start your lift...aiming 8/10 or 12 reps and going as heavy as possible. Should your reps feel heavy right at the first rep? Sometimes when I go for 10 or 12ish reps I feel like i feel the muscle after hitting 8 reps. Making the first 8 reps easy and movement going slow (because im tired) at the last 2\3 reps. Is this ok?
I'd like to think that you're among the top level / master class of Bodybuilding coaches. You, Mr Coach are really really an excellent one, in the realm of Bodybuilding as well as the Fitness Promoting World. I especially agree with your arguments, where those mistakes are very common, obvious, but often & "normally" neglected by most gym goers! Thank you so much for reminding us!
One of the owners of the gym told me today that i'm probably the person who trains with most intensity there not the biggest weights, but intensity lets go 10kg DB on incline curls go wooo
Talking squats, just a 2-3 second pause at top can give you enough rest for yet another rep. Basically you are at RPE 11 and still can smash out quite a bit more. I wonder how that works with failure proximity, if I go from that's it to bring it on in a matter of seconds. Is it not training beyond failure without ever being close to it, if you just pace your self?
I've been stagnating on my lifts lately, but I'm at the end of a cut(not extra lean, going down to 15%), if I don't progress once the cut is over I'll figure something out.
@GVS do you listen to music as you work out? I haven't been listening to music recently because I don't have headphones, and I don't know if its impacting my efforts in the gym
13:04 Watching someone using their phone while doing leg extensions, or doing sets of 20+ reps while keeping a straight face, just to rest 10 seconds and doing it again as if it was nothing, is something that induces violent thoughts in me, especially if I was using the same equipmnent.
Most of the research suggests one to three RIR is sufficient. When ONE study comes along that is "perceived" to be different, its interesting, but the point is that we need more research to be definitive. Its the body of research that's important not one study.
I've always thought "going to failure" is very subjective. Do I reach failure if on the next rep I can't get full range of motion so I'm on my last proper rep? Or do I reach failure when I cannot move the limb(s) anymore? Look at Tom Platz doing leg extensions with a spotter, is THIS failure or did he fail x reps ago and is now way above failure (junk volume?!?!?!)? If I get a 3 rep max on squat I could get another 3 half reps in. Would that mean I'm 3 reps shy of failure when I do 3 proper reps and can't get the 4th one? Or might it even mean that this is not a 3 rep max at all?! This is my big issue with this whole failure talk. The perfect exercise for this question, for me personally, are seated rows. I get to the point where I can't get full range of motion but can still easily get 5 reps on non full ROM but am I even training lats/traps at this point or am I just pulling with my biceps and therefore it's entirely pointless to go on? That's why I've begun to dislike seated rows because I don't face this problem nearly as much with something like a dumbbell or EZ-bar incline bench row Progressive overload is another one. You cannot tell me you're progressively overloading on lateral raises every week. Who lateral raises 35 KG with strict form? Even without? You can apply this to a lot of isolation movements. The training log was one of the best decisions I've made, I can't believe it every time when I see how few people log their sessions in my gym.
When did this "reps in reserve" thing actually start? In the gym I joined in 1988 when I turned 18, everyone always went to at least technical failure. "Do as many reps as you can (with acceptable form)" was pretty much the first thing trainers told you when you started training🤔
It came from from the powerlifting world when they realized that failure training for very strong people was very taxing/injurious/unsustainable. Later on bodybuilders adapted it when they found out it let them squeeze in more productive volume in certain cases (and for advanced lifters who were pretty strong themselves). Then studies showed beginners don't need to train to failure so people ran with it. People have pushed it too far (mostly because hard training is... hard) but it makes sense for intermediates on to modulate how often they push to failure.
I think #5 would not being consistent enough when it comes to a program. Just going to the gym and doing whatever without some long term consistency. Compound that with your other points (especially technique and proximity to failure) and it's no wonder why they're not getting results. But yeah if anyone ever asked for my advice on a lift it's almost always techique (and usually eccentric control). Just cleaning that up can be game changing. 😎
I wonder if this guy ever sees me on a recovery set and judges me for it not knowing I went all to failure the previous day / earlier in the morning / and that I'm just going easy and lazy now to keep blood flowing and shorten recovery time.
I’ve only been lifting for about 6 months and I’m not going up on weight every week. Ive already increased my dumbbell press from around 35 to 60 lbs dumbbells in each hand. Should I really be going up to 65 next week and 70 the following week? Seems excessive and also seems that I’d run out of weight eventually.
If you're still failing within a good hypertrophy zone (10-12 reps) with those weights then no don't go up. Only go up when you start hitting more reps than that
I think I am not controlling the eccentric well with my dumbbell bench press, now that you mention it. I am doing the other 3 right, I think at least. Thanks for bring it up, because people often do not talk about controlling the eccentric. Thanks.
Not following a plan. So many people I speak to literally just go to the gym and do whatever they feel like doing (based on zero information) or just see what equipment is free
To me, failing to progressive overload is sometimes a result, not just a cause. As someone with 1-2 years of proper training, I'm plateauing in multiple lifts (loads and reps) for ~3 months despite training to failure, being 100% focus during lifts, and experimenting with autoregulated volume adjustment. Any advice to break through? e.g. incline dumbbell curl for 12kg was my ~10-12reps max 3 months ago, with proper form. Now 12kg is like my 5-10 rep max. I do this exercise twice a week, 3 sets per session. I tried deload, trying different rep range, adjusting volumn. I am progressing ok in some other lifts but hard stuck in this one.
Few things to try : - Exercise is maybe getting very stale. Try another curl variation and come back to this one in half a year. - Volume might be too small. If it's your only biceps exercise, 6 sets a week is not a lot. You might need more stimulation, closer to 10 sets a week. Adding a few sets and seeing if the pump gets better is a possibility. - If you bring every set to failure (0 RIR, actual failure) then maybe you are just a poor responder to high intensity training. Most people are like that, actually, the good responders to HIT are usualy pretty rare. You can lower load, increase volume and work in the 1 to 3 rir regime. If you're two years into proper training, then congrats, you're not a beginner anymore and need to look into more advanced periodization methods.
Just make sure ur nutrition is in check first of all , being in a small surplus 200-300 calories above maintanance should do it if bulking is ur goal. If not then expect a slight plateau or slow gains while cutting. regarding training , check ur volume and recovery if ur doing too much (maybe too little) , check ur joints maybe u need a deload if u have been pushing it for a while . maybe try new variations of exercises . That should do it, if not then i would say get urself a good coach who listens well and he will probably solve ur problems 👍👍.
Im in the same boat for lat pulldowns I'm just stuck. My program says to reach 3 sets of 12 reps and then increase weight but for 1 month I've been able to do only 2 sets for 12 reps and the 3rd set I always fail at the 10th rep
As a 5th, not sticking with the same exercises long enough to see quality progression or not picking particularly difficult exercises. I see this in the gym all the time with people doing machines all the time that don't work all the muscles of the body. You really should build your base off heavy, compound movements that work a lot of muscle before using pumpy machine exercises targeting specific muscles that require little neural adaptation and have an easy or restricted strength curve. I mostly see this with people who just want big arms with no real strength. There are gut wrenching exercises when you first start lifting that really show you what building your body is all about like the big 3, the overhead press, leg press, barbell rows, and other hard exercises that work multiple large muscles requiring dedication and a gut check to get strong on and develop muscle and overall body strength. You don't get that picking preacher curls, pulldowns, and a bench machine.
#5 your balls getting caught during your working set and having to stop at rpe 4 happened to me today while doing standing calve raise on the smith machine
What's your pick for a 5th way to make zero progress?
Not edging
doing to much of other types of exercise
Stopping your heart from beating.
Zero gains means zero muscles moving.
Not eating enough
Hi can you please make a video regarding myths of testosterone and natural lifters
If people dont look at you weird in commercial gyms when you look like you're fighting for your life on every set you're doing something wrong
I'm lucky enough to have a pretty good gym culture where we all support each other in pushing hard. Just today I was deadlifting and a small group came to encourage me on an all time PR. That really helps push you a bit harder
If someone actually looks at you weird for that then I'd just feel bad for them that they'll never know what real training is lol
glad that i'm my gym the owner encourages training hard
he saw me deadlifting big weights and he said "thats good"
letsgo
I had to switch gyms because of this, my old gym was all normies who never did anything beyond 4 reps in reserve, I was sometimes straight up killing myself on a variety of exercises, making noises during a set was discouraged, and everyone had to "control the eccentric" of their conventional/sumo/trap bar deadlifts (like why even do standard deadlifts if you have to control the eccentric?)… I am at a new gym where the owner is an IFBB Pro men’s physique competitor and when he (as well as his training partners one of which is another bodybuilder) are at the gym there are plates clanking, there’s yelling, there’s cursing, and they all encourage each other… There are still a lot of normies at my gym who don’t understand this kind of behavior or training hard but at least I no longer get in trouble for wincing in pain and having to let out some noise during a set (i let out a muffled scream today going beyond failure on a set of lying leg curls after having done a couple sets of heavy good mornings cuz I had just been fighting the weight for what felt like forever trying to eek out a rep i just couldn’t complete, there was no talking to for my behavior from anyone), sometimes the trainer’s or owner even come over and encourage you if they see you are fighting for your life… I woke up with new stretch marks this week where my shoulder meets my back and I have only gained 7 lbs in 10 weeks on my current bulk (so it’s not from fat accumulation)… If your gym doesn’t allow you to train like a monkey humping the bar if you wanted (not saying this is necessary or advisable) then you should change gyms immediately because if you start making faces or letting out too many snarls or grunts (or even just one accidental scream) they will eventually kick you out for scaring off customers who will stop going there in 3 months without canceling their memberships at the end of the year/their contract
Good comment. This is basically what it comes down to.
4 steps is just a failed set of FAHVE!
Alan your content has been so disappointing recently
Alan, I've been enjoying your content recently.
@@proathlete8153No it hasn't, it's been informative and interesting. The problem is on your end
The duality of man exemplified in these replies
@@proathlete8153his content has been so awesome lately. 😏
I’m a personal trainer in my early 30’s and a lot of the guys I work with/know at the gym are 6-10 years younger than me. One thing I consistently notice is they “don’t want people to see them struggle” and they are embarrassed to take sets to actual failure. I’m a huge fan of finding ways to work harder with less weight and I’m always preaching this stuff to them. I think this type of stuff you don’t truly realize until you begin to “mature” as a lifter
I always grunt on My last few reps, I do feel
Embarrass at times. But for gains, fuk it.
Once I shat myself on Leg Press and while walking to the bathroom it slipped onto the floor
I love it when people watch me with disdain as I fight for a rep, free motivation
I have literally had people come up to me and tell me "you are gonna get injured training like that" and I am like "it’s a spider curl" or something along those lines
I started squatting again last year, and had to start with just the bar. I don't mind because I'm seeing results and frankly girls aren't counting up the weights you push, they just look at the results . 💪
Thanks for these great tips! I can now finally start minimizing my gains. 💪
Hell yes, it's so hard to fit through doors with all this insane muscle.
So relatable.@@espenstoro
myostatin proficiency
@@espenstoro Yes, now I finally won't have to edge sideways through doors! Thanks Geoffrey!
Keep it down brother. Light work is not gonna pay off💪🏻😤
The good thing about consistent progressive overload, trying to add weight to an exercise each time, is that if you’re not doing enough intensity to grow, you eventually will be. Usually it’s within a few months. This is why I have guys start sometimes with just the bar so they can get technique down on a lift as they ramp up to a weight that’s truly hard and stimulates growth. Progressive overload is the closest thing to an ace card that prevents lifters from lifting in vain long term.
Underrated comment here
Correcto mundo. Very soon will the logbook reveal if they are indeed fucking around. Best way. Otherwise its feeling and its subjective
This can be taken too far. I tried progressing like a beginner when I was actually an intermediate and you can guess how that went
@@user-en5vj6vr2u intermediate lifters and advanced lifters need to do progressive overload too, just slower. Usually, no one is 100% beginner, intermediate or advanced. It should be assessed on a lift-by-lift basis. For example your squat might be advanced (very high for your body weight, hard to progress even year to year), but your bench press could be intermediate (progresses weekly using microplates or month to month) and your deadlift could be beginner if you never deadlifted.
@@user-en5vj6vr2u how? Cause i am pretty advanced and still progress
Thanks that's just what I needed, I was getting nonzero gains.
One thing I observed is that people are ready to go after 30 secs to 1 min of rest.
When the gym is crowded, I alternatively use a piece of equipment with somebody else. Usually, the guy gets 2 or more sets done when I am resting.
Another thing would be the guys who superset lat pulldown with cable rows... without changing the weight, and get 10+ reps on the rows easily.
Another great one Geoff 🤜🤛
Or seeing people go from squats to leg presses to lunges to leg extensions over the span of like 30 minutes. Yeah you didn’t do shit.
I love that the science is back saying it’s good to go to failure, I push every set that far and enjoy it. I don’t feel like I’ve done my work unless I either miss a last rep in a set or just know there was no more left. I don’t enjoy squatting to failure though do it as I always set up the rack so I know I can just drop out if needed. You gotta push man
"...by anything short of an earthquake" EPIC!!! Starting to get back a bit more seriously into lifting weights again after messing around for decades. Already seeing some nice progress after FINALLY starting to train every body part twice a week...yeah...been influenced a bit too HEAVILY by Dorian Yates/Mike Mentzer...but why not trying some new ways...just great to see people sharing their knowledge in a believable way - pretty sure you are as natty as a new born baby and therefore your tips are WAY more valuable than those of the enhanced boys. Keep on posting, really like your content, also seeing your progress makes me even more motivated - thanks a lot 😊
5th is probably consistency. Doing good just once a week and letting life too often distract you from getting back to the gym, will halt your growth.
I completely agree with what you're saying in terms of grinder reps. I agree with more experienced lifters, but when it comes to beginner to intermediate lifters, that can just be snap city. But glad you added in that this is better used on the more stabilised lifts, like machine chest presses.
Well done GVS! Genuine natural hypertrophy channel! Keep up the good work.
Holy smokes, this is just what I needed Geoff! I was making gains, but I was kind of wondering how I could lift but get no benefits. Your videos always answer my prayers🙏
Instant like for holy grail clips!!!!!!! You are now my favourite youtuber. Yours sincerely, an English man!
I need this video as a checklist that i keep in my gym bag and read before every workout
Hey Geoff, would you ever consider doing a video on burnout in the gym or periods of easier training/maintenance? I’ve made great gains this year but starting to get unmotivated to train from fatigue build up
GVS doesn’t believe in gym burnout, I think. Lol. He’d tell you you’re doing something wrong if you need off periods
It's good to sometimes take a week of deload. Reinassance Periodization has multiple videos on it if you're interested. Muscle loss starts to occur after 2 weeks of no training anyway and many people come back a lot stronger after their week off.
Try 1 week of deload (only 1/2 sets and 3 reps in reserve). If that doesn't help (which it should if you've never done a proper deload) do one week completely off
I so enjoy the Holy Grail scenes! I have to rewatch that again at some point.
followed this tut and it works great. Been lifting without any gains for a year now. 10/10 would recommend.
One of the best things I did for my gains is actually keep a notepad and tracking my workouts. You think your memory is good, but you could be doing the same thing over and over and never progressively overload
Correcte mundo. Logbook is king and always will be
You good sir, are my favorite fitness youtuber because you keep it real, relatable and funny.
Agree on all these, but form is one of the things I see most people doing horrifically wrong at the gym, which can compromise not only the safety of the exercise, but how much they’re actually getting out of it as well. Ego lifting is one of the biggest causes of terrible form in my experience, and I’m admittedly one of those guys who might pop over and try offering some friendly advice if I see someone totally ruining an exercise and wasting their time as a result.
Ah yes, the old FitLabb pickup line: "You're doing those good mornings wrong. Let me show you how"
A bit creepy, my guy!
Ps: Why did Geoffrey 'heart' your post? He had made videos where he literally says for is "over-rated".
@@proathlete8153 Form can be overrated at times if you hyper focus on it, but it also still matters a great deal to learn proper form overall before you can do things like using a couple cheat reps at the end of a set to go to or past failure. You have to learn to walk before you can run or you’ll fall flat on your face. 💪
@@proathlete8153 you are correct. Lifting too heavy; Ego Lifting, Being strict on form; another form of Ego Lifting. I think I forgot why I even go to the gym now.
Truth is… if you do stuff like this… especially controlling the eccentric the form improves by default.
I have a 98% percent functional meniscus on my right leg due to martial arts trauma (Judo) and can’t sustain a complete stagnated flexion with my quads without my meniscus slightly poping out of place. I now normally no longer can fail a quad lift on free weights and various machines like a belt squat which I love, because of potential failure at a stagnated flexion position, so I work around it and stop to where I know for a fact that if I get one more rep down that’s where I’ll be staying lol. The worst work out is the one that gets you injured, you know your limitations, learn to work around them.
You lost me at 98% functional meniscus! 😂😂
That s a cool story bro can you tell it again
@@shelfcloud487 😂
The most consistent challenge at the gym for me is making sure I always give it my best. I find myself often asking, "could i have gotten one more rep?". Some days I'm like "nah no way", and others I'm like "hmm, maybe".
This was such a great video! Nailed it 100%
I love your videos! You’re such a goofball!
Seriously though, you make me thing this is how I’ll be when I’m at my goal being a muscle guru. This stuff may sound simple but it’s so commonly missed among routines.
I’m obese but I’ve been weightlifting on and off since I was 12. I lost around 110 lbs in the last few years and have a good 70-80 to go before I’m at a weight that’s best for my body.
I miss so many small things in technique all the time. My mind body connection is getting better though and I fully explore my reps more.
Thanks for the advice and I’m gonna miss the beard
Thanks for that rippetoe montage 😂
As a newbie it's good to know I'm doing the basics right :)
thanks man, bulking to 250 pounds right now and I want absolutely none of it to be muscle! I love showing up to the gym at 5am every morning and making it as much of my personality as possible, but I was getting a bit too swole. if I’m not careful I could end up squatting a whole plate! this will really help!
Thanks for always uploading the same great level of content man! Highly appreciate the humor aspects as well lol
great no bs video
I just finished squat of Compendium 2 and already loving the book. Good writing with some humour too!
Agree on all your points. However is injury imminent if I continue to push to failure?
I would add a good mentality. Not in the sense of monumental effort but in believing you are capable of strength; that what you did in the past doesn't have to dictate what you do now or in the future.
I've seen a lot of newbies back away from "heavy" weights simply because "I can't do that". Even in the middle of a set, I've heard that phrase and the weights come down. Some good encouragement later... they are lifting those weights. It's really important to have a "can do" attitude in the gym--especially when you're lifting alone.
so you're very educated, well trained, natty, and look fantastic. Are there any other guys like you I can follow? I'm tired of watching roided out influencers to whom I have nothing in common.
Natural Hypertrophy
Bald Omniman
Alex Leonidas
Basement Bodybuilding
And of course Geoff whom you're already watching are the TOP 5 I would say.
This takes me back to a gym I went to about 5 years back. There was this guy there all the time. He did the same workout every time, weights, sets, and reps. Granted I think he was just there for general fitness, but dude, you stopped adapting a long time ago.
Great video.
5. Not showing up at the gym consistently
Being consistent at actually training hard not just being consistent of going
Very useful video for those of us who are just way too good.
for men especially: repeatedly doing the same muscle groups without sufficient sleep/rest between training them.
Progression as an advanced lifter is such a roller-coaster of motivation. It took me four months to go from bench pressing 140kg for 11 reps to 12. You start second guessing everything and wondering if you are able to progress at all. Then when you get it for a couple months you are so happy and motivated to train.
You are always progressing, but not in ways you can track. Like every day you were progressing from 11 reps to 11 reps and 1/8 of a rep and then 2/8 etc. It really is impossible to track.
@@Melowt Of course but you don't notice so it doesn't help much. I just stick to it since I got results after a long grind before I don't see why I wouldn't this time. It's not a very rational fear but it still comes.
Try increasing or decreasing the chest or even delt volume then, we all know that if u hit a body part wayy too often it'll never be fully recovered thus it'll be weaker than it could be if it was fully recovered, so in that case lower the volume, and well i did an experiment with bicep curls, so since my left bicep was way stronger than the right hand i tried to do cut the volume in half for the left one, and only curl with the right so i can get the strength symmetry so i could progress properly on the dumbbell curls, and my right bicep caught up in strength, so just merely doing more volume can make you stronger as well.
@@loganwolv3393 I think it just takes a long time any way you try it when you are advanced.
damn I am afraid of reaching this point. I improve every 2 weeks or so, but gainz have slowed down for sure
I totally fucking lost it at the Rippetoe repeatedly saying five bit. Jesus Christ. I am crying.
I've definitely been seeing far more gains by getting into the flow state, as getting into the zone unleashes potent pain-killing chemicals that allow you to do more reps than you normally could, so I've been noticing that all my sets in the past were more like 5-8 RIR. Yeah, no wonder all of a sudden I've been seeing major muscle growth recently, as I'm now pushing to near failure.
What helps is to think of it as "ignoring the pain" rather than "pushing past the pain," because your mind and emotions are connected, which means you can drop the un-comfortableness you feel from pushing to near failure at any moment so that you focus on just moving the weight, rather than getting overwhelmed by how painful it is to push yourself so hard. Getting mentally overwhelmed by the pain was the reason I wasn't pushing my sets hard enough before, as it made me feel like I was pushing harder than I actually was, and thus led me to stopping the sets prematurely.
#5 (fahhhhve) if you put all your chips in one method! Eg: limitless volume or limitless intensity without playing with the other to see how it affects you and possibly adds huge benefits
Can you put a video on the wear and tear of joints over a. Period of time due to heavy lifting?
That edit of Ripptoe saying FIVE 😂
For the algorithm
I don't think you mentioned this because it's such a ridiculous thing to do, but going in to only test 1rms is a great way to keep the same 1rm indefinitely. However it's pretty entertaining to watch 'Da boiz!' do this, and they're having fun working out instead of just sinking piss and smoking darts so that's something positive 😂😅
The name of the time slots got me😂
#5 cutting the range of motion to just doing the shortened partial
Yeah that should be 100%
Thanks for the ongoing informative videos.
Is skipping the very top of a vertical pull as good for lats as a diagonal pull?
I would recommend not skipping the very top range of motion, because although the lats disengage, your teres muscles will definitely grow from it as they sort of initiate the pull. Just my 2 cents and it got me great results
I'd put not resting long enough between sets on there. If you can hit your rep range again after less than 30 seconds of rest, your intensity was too low the first time around.
this is bull and can be very individually based. You dont know the person, their workout history and so on to make this blanket statement
@@Waywardbiscuit exceptions exist to almost every rule, but the initial context here is the kind of mistakes you see people making in typical commercial gyms. People advanced enough to know when this doesn't apply are doing just fine. The vast majority of people I see in a gym are just rushing through some exercises (also making the other four mistakes) and getting poor results.
good point and true I see it all the time especially it should be more considered on compound movements
bromley liked that title
lets fuckin go bebe!
I agree with everything but #1. This [training to failure] type of training is geared more towards bodybuilding or your average gymbro routine. For powerlifting it is quite common for us to program RPE 5-6 (4-5 reps in reserve) for over 60% of a cycle for fatigue management, weekly volume, injury prevention, and technique control, all of which contribute more to strength and overall muscle mass in the primary mover muscles compared to training to failure on everything.
Powerlifting is skill training and fatigue undermines the skill portion. Failure is good for general muscle training, but not skill training. You wouldn’t be able to effectively practice guitar or a golf swing, or even shoot a basketball when overly fatigued. Same with powerlifting and Olympic lifting form.
Frequency is also higher for competitive lifting skill practice so they have to go lighter or they couldn’t recover in time for the next practice session.
nyg using 45 tambout “no overload”😂
5. Consistency
I think not being consistent is the biggest killer of gains
What about pausing in the stretched position for 1-3 seconds on every rep? Not a big deal?
When you start your lift...aiming 8/10 or 12 reps and going as heavy as possible. Should your reps feel heavy right at the first rep? Sometimes when I go for 10 or 12ish reps I feel like i feel the muscle after hitting 8 reps. Making the first 8 reps easy and movement going slow (because im tired) at the last 2\3 reps.
Is this ok?
I'd like to think that you're among the top level / master class of Bodybuilding coaches. You, Mr Coach are really really an excellent one, in the realm of Bodybuilding as well as the Fitness Promoting World.
I especially agree with your arguments, where those mistakes are very common, obvious, but often & "normally" neglected by most gym goers!
Thank you so much for reminding us!
One of the owners of the gym told me today that i'm probably the person who trains with most intensity there
not the biggest weights, but intensity
lets go 10kg DB on incline curls go wooo
Caught me off guard with the Holy Grail clip 😅
Talking squats, just a 2-3 second pause at top can give you enough rest for yet another rep. Basically you are at RPE 11 and still can smash out quite a bit more. I wonder how that works with failure proximity, if I go from that's it to bring it on in a matter of seconds. Is it not training beyond failure without ever being close to it, if you just pace your self?
I've been making some crazy gains this year, but I gotta slow it down because I've noticed girls are afraid of me now, so this video is perfect for me
I've been stagnating on my lifts lately, but I'm at the end of a cut(not extra lean, going down to 15%), if I don't progress once the cut is over I'll figure something out.
I almost can’t recognize you without the beard 😂
@GVS do you listen to music as you work out? I haven't been listening to music recently because I don't have headphones, and I don't know if its impacting my efforts in the gym
Omg!!!! I am so distracted by ur arms that i am not able to follow what you are saying😂😂😂😂
13:04 Watching someone using their phone while doing leg extensions, or doing sets of 20+ reps while keeping a straight face, just to rest 10 seconds and doing it again as if it was nothing, is something that induces violent thoughts in me, especially if I was using the same equipmnent.
Consistency..
5:07 me when I see a new Geoffrey video
Does the last rep, that you're fighting for, have to be the original rep weight or is fighting on a drop set sufficient
I think that as long as you are fighting, its fine
Most of the research suggests one to three RIR is sufficient. When ONE study comes along that is "perceived" to be different, its interesting, but the point is that we need more research to be definitive. Its the body of research that's important not one study.
I've always thought "going to failure" is very subjective. Do I reach failure if on the next rep I can't get full range of motion so I'm on my last proper rep? Or do I reach failure when I cannot move the limb(s) anymore? Look at Tom Platz doing leg extensions with a spotter, is THIS failure or did he fail x reps ago and is now way above failure (junk volume?!?!?!)? If I get a 3 rep max on squat I could get another 3 half reps in. Would that mean I'm 3 reps shy of failure when I do 3 proper reps and can't get the 4th one? Or might it even mean that this is not a 3 rep max at all?! This is my big issue with this whole failure talk.
The perfect exercise for this question, for me personally, are seated rows. I get to the point where I can't get full range of motion but can still easily get 5 reps on non full ROM but am I even training lats/traps at this point or am I just pulling with my biceps and therefore it's entirely pointless to go on? That's why I've begun to dislike seated rows because I don't face this problem nearly as much with something like a dumbbell or EZ-bar incline bench row
Progressive overload is another one. You cannot tell me you're progressively overloading on lateral raises every week. Who lateral raises 35 KG with strict form? Even without? You can apply this to a lot of isolation movements.
The training log was one of the best decisions I've made, I can't believe it every time when I see how few people log their sessions in my gym.
When did this "reps in reserve" thing actually start? In the gym I joined in 1988 when I turned 18, everyone always went to at least technical failure. "Do as many reps as you can (with acceptable form)" was pretty much the first thing trainers told you when you started training🤔
It came from from the powerlifting world when they realized that failure training for very strong people was very taxing/injurious/unsustainable. Later on bodybuilders adapted it when they found out it let them squeeze in more productive volume in certain cases (and for advanced lifters who were pretty strong themselves). Then studies showed beginners don't need to train to failure so people ran with it. People have pushed it too far (mostly because hard training is... hard) but it makes sense for intermediates on to modulate how often they push to failure.
How big are your arms?
I've always enjoyed your content, but the inclusion of Monty Python has raised you to a whole new level. Well done.
10:39 Mario Rios
Thanks, Geoff! I'll add these to the ol' memory vault.
Literally lol’d @ “five” “five” “five” “five” “five” “five” “five” “five” 😂😂😂😂😂😂
My 5th would be not eating enough calories & protein during the other 23 hours in the day!
I think #5 would not being consistent enough when it comes to a program. Just going to the gym and doing whatever without some long term consistency.
Compound that with your other points (especially technique and proximity to failure) and it's no wonder why they're not getting results.
But yeah if anyone ever asked for my advice on a lift it's almost always techique (and usually eccentric control). Just cleaning that up can be game changing. 😎
FINALLY. A video that I’m following 100%
I wonder if this guy ever sees me on a recovery set and judges me for it not knowing I went all to failure the previous day / earlier in the morning / and that I'm just going easy and lazy now to keep blood flowing and shorten recovery time.
I’ve only been lifting for about 6 months and I’m not going up on weight every week. Ive already increased my dumbbell press from around 35 to 60 lbs dumbbells in each hand. Should I really be going up to 65 next week and 70 the following week? Seems excessive and also seems that I’d run out of weight eventually.
If you're still failing within a good hypertrophy zone (10-12 reps) with those weights then no don't go up. Only go up when you start hitting more reps than that
1:27 if I'm understanding the graph correctly, the person at the bottom lost muscle with 5 rir?
That's gotta suck
5th is underconsumption of calories
The 5th is to scream at every set “yeah buddy light weight!”
I think grunting is crucial for hypertrophy.
I think I am not controlling the eccentric well with my dumbbell bench press, now that you mention it. I am doing the other 3 right, I think at least. Thanks for bring it up, because people often do not talk about controlling the eccentric. Thanks.
Not following a plan. So many people I speak to literally just go to the gym and do whatever they feel like doing (based on zero information) or just see what equipment is free
Branch Warrening 😂
hey, can you do a video on this channel genetic beast?
To me, failing to progressive overload is sometimes a result, not just a cause.
As someone with 1-2 years of proper training, I'm plateauing in multiple lifts (loads and reps) for ~3 months despite training to failure, being 100% focus during lifts, and experimenting with autoregulated volume adjustment. Any advice to break through?
e.g. incline dumbbell curl for 12kg was my ~10-12reps max 3 months ago, with proper form. Now 12kg is like my 5-10 rep max. I do this exercise twice a week, 3 sets per session. I tried deload, trying different rep range, adjusting volumn. I am progressing ok in some other lifts but hard stuck in this one.
Just change exercise tbh
When you say you changed the rep range and volume what exactly did you change and for how long?
Few things to try :
- Exercise is maybe getting very stale. Try another curl variation and come back to this one in half a year.
- Volume might be too small. If it's your only biceps exercise, 6 sets a week is not a lot. You might need more stimulation, closer to 10 sets a week. Adding a few sets and seeing if the pump gets better is a possibility.
- If you bring every set to failure (0 RIR, actual failure) then maybe you are just a poor responder to high intensity training. Most people are like that, actually, the good responders to HIT are usualy pretty rare. You can lower load, increase volume and work in the 1 to 3 rir regime.
If you're two years into proper training, then congrats, you're not a beginner anymore and need to look into more advanced periodization methods.
Just make sure ur nutrition is in check first of all , being in a small surplus 200-300 calories above maintanance should do it if bulking is ur goal. If not then expect a slight plateau or slow gains while cutting. regarding training , check ur volume and recovery if ur doing too much (maybe too little) , check ur joints maybe u need a deload if u have been pushing it for a while .
maybe try new variations of exercises . That should do it, if not then i would say get urself a good coach who listens well and he will probably solve ur problems 👍👍.
Im in the same boat for lat pulldowns I'm just stuck. My program says to reach 3 sets of 12 reps and then increase weight but for 1 month I've been able to do only 2 sets for 12 reps and the 3rd set I always fail at the 10th rep
As a 5th, not sticking with the same exercises long enough to see quality progression or not picking particularly difficult exercises. I see this in the gym all the time with people doing machines all the time that don't work all the muscles of the body. You really should build your base off heavy, compound movements that work a lot of muscle before using pumpy machine exercises targeting specific muscles that require little neural adaptation and have an easy or restricted strength curve. I mostly see this with people who just want big arms with no real strength. There are gut wrenching exercises when you first start lifting that really show you what building your body is all about like the big 3, the overhead press, leg press, barbell rows, and other hard exercises that work multiple large muscles requiring dedication and a gut check to get strong on and develop muscle and overall body strength. You don't get that picking preacher curls, pulldowns, and a bench machine.
#5 your balls getting caught during your working set and having to stop at rpe 4
happened to me today while doing standing calve raise on the smith machine
Wear two pairs of compression shorts and "sack up" literally.
happened to me last week on the abductor machine
4:33 release the program geoff
Been delayed for boostcamp 2.0 unfortunately, so will have to be pushed back to mid November. Glad you're excited!