Grab my ebooks, while supplies last!!! Book 1: SWEAT (beginners/intermediates) www.verityfit.com/product-page/sweat Book 2: Ring Training For Hypertrophy (ring enthusiasts) www.verityfit.com/product-page/ring-training-for-hypertrophy Book 3: Resurrecting Your Gains (beginners/intermediates) www.verityfit.com/product-page/resurrecting-your-gains-finding-your-muscle-growth-formula Can check the site for full Tables Of Contents of each book. Appreciate the support!
Hey, not really as much of an expert as you are, but maybe you can try planking with your hands extended forwards (not on your elbows) with your chest as close to the ground as possible. Basically just lay flat on the ground with your body stretchedd horizontally as much as possible and push the ground with your hands without bending your elbows. You can also sit on a bench from the side, grip it with both hands and lean back untill your head touches the floor and then straighten up.
Does Book 3 contain the same info as Book 1 but for more advanced lifters? Is it best to get the first book and then the 3rd book? After how long if so?
POV: You're minding your business at the gym, and you turn around only to make eye contact with Geoff as he's reached failure on an isolation movement.
at the beginning i thought you were a meh channel but after two years training i've come to believe you're actually the best channel. Watching your content literally feels like talking to a very experienced lifter in my gym, minus the time constraint. It's amazing.
My thoughts exactly. I think ever since the 1 inch in 1 year video, my opinion of Geoff has changed completely and I think he’s among the best out there
@@MrDick-kz8qc yeah like i watch fitness related videos daily and the gym is pretty much a staple in my life. I watch a lot of them but geoff literally drops this and It's already worth the dozens other videos it's insane i swear.
Those faces you make while you are trying to squeeze out the last couple of reps are legendary. I would pay to watch a compilation of that on repeat 24/7 :'D
Dude I think this every time! Ton of respect tho. G is consistently laying it all on the line in the gym and his face shows it. And I’m not gonna lie, it’s helped me push to the dark side of not giving a f*ck what my face is doing when I’m reaching failure 😛
I messed up my shoulder around november, and what I learned from it is that what messes up the shoulders usually isn’t the movements you’re doing, but the ones you aren’t doing. In that period for some reason I had stopped doing banded facepull and pec stretches, but once I started reintegrating those exercises again in my routine the pain went away
i used to have shoulder pains but once i made back and rear delts the main priority in lifting (hitting it more and often than any other muscle group) i no longer had shoulder issues.
@@MilesNiska I have done push pull legs or upper lower splits the whole time I have lifted. Doing shoulder/arm exercises after heavy pushing and pulling exercises when I’m already fatigued overall. So doing my shoulder/arm isolation work on it’s own day has me hitting huge weight and rep prs on these exercises causing noticeable muscle growth within only a few months. Those are my weakest muscle groups so that’s my top priority at this point.
Upright Rows are an S tier movement. You can do them with a Dumbell or EZ Bar if you're scared of snapping your sh*t up with straight bar. They're great for upper back, traps, side delts and even forearms if you go heavy.
The difference between pull-downs and pull-ups is one is an open chain, the other is a closed chain. Open-chain is where your hands/feet move and your body is generally stationary and Closed-chain is where your body moves and your feet/hands stay stationary. You are using WAY more muscles in closed chain exercises, utilizing proper movement patterns. Open chain are generally better at specific muscle hypertrophy(curls/tri extensions etc) as you secure most of the other muscles with some type of bracing, as opposed to pure contraction of stabilizers. If you're looking for total body or proper movement patterns, closed-chain. If you're looking for just pure hypertrophy, open-chain. Then of course, the best of both worlds if you're looking for functional hypertrophy. When you utilize more muscles, there is more of a transferal of energy to other muscles in that group. Where-as with isolating a muscle or group of muscles from the whole, is selective movement patterns and not training to utilize all the muscles, together.
@@paulhicks6667 That just goes to show how little you know about lifting then. Why is it that someone who can do overhead-press, but then can't do a handstand pushup with equivalent weight? Why is it that someone who can do pulldowns, can't do pull-ups with equivalent weight? Why is it, that when you do it the other way around, you can do the counterpart with equivalent weight? WEIRD how that works. If all you're looking for is aesthetics and don't care how functional it is, then you be you, otherwise, stop being ignorant to how things actually work. You also seemed to missed the part in the video where he actually stated he didn't know what the difference was. Which also means, you didn't bother watching the video in its entirety either. Good on ya for further showing how little you care.
@@ddpwe5269 The difference between the ohp and handstand push up is a skill issue. You've got to learn how to use your fingers and body for balance. The thing with pull ups is youve got it the wrong way around. Its easier to do more on a pull up than on a pull down cause the pull up is less strict. You're still going to be able to do a pull up and carry heavy stuff if you do pull downs and ohp. The only way a handstand is more 'functional' is in a handstand competition. This 'functional' crap is nonsense. You can do all of these movements to make gains and all will be equally 'functional' (whatever functional means). You're just being an ignorant twat and a nerd.
Great vid Geoff. Espc the point about pull-ups. I mean just take a look at any calisthenics athlete and their backs are their best muscle group for good reason. Pullups are S tier fr.
Yeah, as crazy as it may look pain faces just give you that much more focus when doing an exercise imo. Different types of pain faces with different exercises help too.
I started doing cable lateral raises about two months ago and I don't think I can go back to dumbells. They just feel so good and I have a higher ability to grind out the final reps vs with a dumbell.
Man, I'm happy to see you also think pulldowns are inferior to pullups (in general). Over the past couple of years I have actually gotten better back gains when I didn't do lat pulldowns. I genuinely hope somebody will be able to explain the difference at some point lol.
Its probably due to execution, you can "complete" a rep on a pulldown when it gets difficult by changing torso position. Not as easy to do that with a pull up.
Maybe I am wrong, but I think when you put your legs under that cushion on the lat pull down you can use legdrive on it,but it also locks you in a fixed position, so your torso can't move as freely as you would on a pull up. What I am trying to say, when you go up on a pull up,you use a curved path and on the lat pull down that curved path is not as curved as it should be. But maybe I am wrong.
I've had pullups / chinups as my main vertical pull for probably about a year now. I really wish I had started them earlier. They're really fantastic if you take your time with them. I do about 10-15 sets a week, split between weighted and body weight. Some reasons why I think they're slightly better than a pulldown: pullups have a pretty decent barrier to entry. Once you're doing sets of pullups, you're doing quite a bit of work, and fairly intense work (especially if you're heavier). On pullups you can cheat a bit by kipping your legs, which is pretty noticeable and easy to control if you're paying attention. On pulldowns, you can cheat by leaning your torso to pull with a little more body weight at the start, and you can cheat at the end by 'crunching' and rolling your torso forward. I don't feel like either of these are really options on pullups. The other reasons I like pullups / chinups a bit more...you can kinda do them anywhere there's a bar. That's pretty OP for working them consistently. They're also really flexible in how you do them (arched back, hollow body, L-sit, etc). You can absolutely hit your core while you're smashing your back. They're also great for deloading the spine. With that said, there's nothing really stopping you from building a ridiculous back with pulldowns. If you're paying attention to form you can really hit pretty much everything mid back, lats/teres, biceps/brachialis/brachioradialis, rear delts, even a little triceps. I do like that you can alleviate some mobility demands that would come with pullups / chinups by using a different torso angle on a pulldown. In my first several years of lifting I did nothing but pulldowns and could do at least 15 pullups without really practicing them. If you're working up to full range of motion pullups (like sternum to bar), you can work that harder contracted position really easily with pulldowns.
Cable lateral raises were a game changer for my side delts. I only do 3 sets 15-20 reps per set. I pick a weight that I can do 18-20 reps on the first set which ends up being about 15 on my 3rd set. I focus on controlled movement and squeeze at the top, but it's nearly impossible to cheat so with good form the delts are doing the work. Since the machine only goes up like 5 lbs at a time, which IMO is too much of a jump, I stack plates on the pin and go up .5 lbs pretty much every workout. I bought the weights on amazon for like 20 bucks and just brought them to the gym and left them. Since the cable machine has several pulleys, the .5 lbs is actually more like .25 lbs. This has allowed me to work in the rep range that IMO works best for delt isolations and have continually made progress. Yes, that only comes out to 1 lb per month but its side delts were talking about. My delts have always been a lagging body part but not anymore thanks to this one exercise.
I actually do most of the movements on this list. However, the biggest takeaway I have is with regards to those Smith Squats. That 2019-2023 progression is freaky
That was exactly my response. Most of these movements are already staples of my training, but I think I need to give Smith machine squats another try! I've tried them in the past and never got them to feel comfortable. I think I'll have to experiment some more with foot position
im new to ur channel so excuse my ignorance, but my curiosity is getting the best of me. what is this outdoor gym i see you working out in, looks like a courtyard between skyscrapers. what is it? where is it?
I agree with the planks! I had a herniated disc 3 months ago and I definitely think it was due to poor bracing. Also, my surgeon recommended training abs (planks and other exercises) first thing when working out. Thus, you make sure your core is activated for the rest of the session
A big one I've found helpful the past few months is smith machine rows. You can get a really consistent rep and don't have to worry about whether you're using body english or not. It also feels much more natural to bring the bar up a lot higher on your body. Like I never did barbell rows to the chest or rib cage before I started doing these. My cable rows and pendlay rows have shot up since I started doing them as well.
Man you inspired me a lot to como back to the gym. is kind weird that I learn a lot more outside the gym than in the gym. No matter what you're the GOAT. I'm Brazilian by the way
I recently started doing the dumbbell skier exercise you did a video on a while back and I finally feel connected to my rear delts. That's an exercise I wish I did earlier. Thank you for that Sometimes I see a trapbar in your the gym videos, do you use it often? My back gains exploded when I started treating trapbar deadlifts seriously.
I thought you might incline slant board squats. I really appreciate your recommending them. Finally I can really hit my quads during squatting instead of letting the hips do all the heavy lifting. And, yes, thanks to the artist formerly known as Alphadestiny for inviting me to sit down, lean back and press up!
Mr. Meadows had made a great Delt video showing the heavy, partial side lat. raise. When combined with cable side lat. raises, for that stretch, it’s a money combo
That grind face in the tricep pushdown is probably the most insane I’ve ever seen. Never actually seen anyone train with that intensity live, as a matter of fact
8:33 something that allowed me to break past the AX fear mongering surrounding some exercises is this: if our bodies can move in that space without load, then it most definitely can be trained progressively to allow it to move in that space with more weight. everyone can squat, it's just that we collectively don't generally, everyone can pick shit up from the ground, but our lifestyles overemphasise the muscles that work against that motion. sissy squats, upright rows, face pulls (the way AX doesn't want you to do) are all possible if you use an intelligent progression m
I actually used pull downs to build strength for pull ups. These can be used as back off sets as well as high rep finishers. Main difference I personally notice in pull downs from pull ups is that back/lats don't feel fully engaged, at least for me. Maybe because entire body is in almost fixed position and can't move in its natural groove as is possible with pull ups due to its freestanding nature. However, one edge that pull downs have over pull ups is that you can easily adjust your back angle or backward lean to prioritize certain muscles over others. It is often really challenging in case of pull ups. For example, I can lean back pretty much like a sternum pull up while using pull downs.
AD press being Alpha Destiny felt so good to hear. Ever since he made his name change to Alex Leonidas tho I think it's more fitting that it's the Alex Leonidas Delt Press
Hey Geof, I feel like a microphone and better audio would really improve the quality of your content. Even just a cheap one. P.S. - Thanks for not being a sellout :)
Upright rows are a great exercise, and I always would include them in my workout routines. However, I stopped doing them because of all the bad press it was getting. Maybe I'll throw a few sets in again from time to time.
Great list As a physio i think upright rows are fantastic but it almost exactly replicates the provocation test we use for subacromial pain. Notice I don't say impingement but it's all word semantics. The tendon might not be getting pinched hence researchers ditched the term to a more vague one. But regardless if your subacromial structures are irritable upright rows will let you know
100% agree with the ab exercises. Glad you included those! I always like to side and regular planks at the end of my workout because I ended up noticing that a lot of my limitations in compound movements like squats & deadlifts were as much down to my support structure (being able to stabilize and for deadlifts keep a strong grip on the bar) as it was the primary targeted muscles. Better core strength has done wonders for me (TBF I was never the strongest most athletic person) and has a ton of health benefits even if it's not the most direct contributor to gains.
8:20 - It's called the "nocebo effect". You see it a lot in clinical trials for medications; people who are aware of potential side-effects before going on the medication report higher rates of side-effects than those who aren't aware of them.
1.sissy squads 2. Lateral raises ( maybe on an incline or the lying on the side on the incline for better strenght curve) 3.high inc press (ad press) 4. Dumbell bench 5.paused frontsquads 6.rdl 7.incline curl 8.reverse db flys lying on the ground for maximum stretch and better strenght curve 9.jm press smith 10.calve raises
I had experienced pain with the barbell upright row, but a good way to toss the hesitation of the movement itself, as well as help learn your prefered grip-width, would be to start with dumbbells. Absolutely amazing movement.
I agree on the cable lateral raise I dont have cables at home I use bands and doing them even with bands so much tension my side deltoids was feeling it
Incline DB Bench Press is so very good! It's been a staple for me and my friends. I rarely use squat machines or AD press but by your recommendation I think I'll try them in earnest.
Completely agree on the cable laterals. Imo far superior to Dumbells. Especially if you really control the eccentric portion and pause for a 1 count at the top.
Upright rows with dumbbells will put less stress on your wrists, but tbh, keep doing what you're doing, your results over the last 1-2 years have been crazy!
At exactly 5:30 my app skipped half a minute because it assumed you are placing an ad. My app tends to scan for ads in videos and auto skips that junk. What did I miss ? I'm not able to access that part.
I have to kneel to do the long rope pulldowns but man the range of motion and the way they hit my triceps....I should have done them sooner. Funny, I added the barbell shoulder pulls recently too, use the the bent bars for less stress on the wrist at the top of the movement.
I like when NH reviewed your program and he got to incline curls and just laughed. His debates on that movement are a meme at this point. FWIW I love NH but you and BB both love that exercise and both have massive arms, so....
I've been doing RDLs for about a month and a half now and noticed the tendons around my right knees never feel sore anymore. I have a feeling it's increasing my knee stability.
Geoff, I remember you doing a video on ring work but I can’t seem to find it anywhere on RUclips. It’s gonna be all I’ve got this summer so I’d love some extra Hypertrophy advice.
I like the AD Presses, but I still do Standing OHP more often for the Upper Back and Shoulder Stability gains. Seems to be more efficient when considering overall weekly volume, when applied correctly or not prioritizing shoulders
For a extra spicy upright row try doing dumbbell lateral raises and super set that with upright dumbbell rows. Really show your shoulders who the boss is.
bro I do one set of lu raises, superset it with one set of EZ bar upright rows and then do another superset of cable lateral raises lol after two circuits of these my delts are like "aight imma head out"
Wouldn't be that exciting, not eating much right now! But I'll do a more general "diet when cutting video". I don't really like vlog-like vids and try to make things more generally applicable.
@@GVS Hey man, I think it would be cool if you made part of that diet video about what you specifically ate rather than just general thoughts and recommendations. Like I'd love to see you say I ate this many meals at the beginning of my cut they mostly looked like this *insert a pic of the meal maybe* and near the end I was eating like this *insert shit you were eating at the end*.
pull-ups are the ultimate compound back builder. also, people forget how much abs activation is needed for a good form pull-up, which most beginners lack. for me personally, forearms are the biggest limiting factor in this particular exercise.
On most gyms u are limited to 60kg (135lbs) dumbbells, which is just no enough if you have a decent strength level unless you want to do crazy high reps.
This is my first block with AD Presses, bout 2 weeks in and I'm moving 50lbs more with it, less back and ab fatigue makes it perfect for someone who wants to vert press but also frequently trains back on top of squats+deadlifts. Crossbody front raises with dumbbells are also the truth
I recently added upright rows after watching RP's targeting the muscle vid on them, and I now love 'em. It's just you said, gotta get over the stigma of them to appreciate it. Of course it won't work for everyone; some people will have issues, but I think most can do them just fine. I personally am sticking with higher reps (~14) at first.
Grab my ebooks, while supplies last!!!
Book 1: SWEAT (beginners/intermediates)
www.verityfit.com/product-page/sweat
Book 2: Ring Training For Hypertrophy (ring enthusiasts)
www.verityfit.com/product-page/ring-training-for-hypertrophy
Book 3: Resurrecting Your Gains (beginners/intermediates)
www.verityfit.com/product-page/resurrecting-your-gains-finding-your-muscle-growth-formula
Can check the site for full Tables Of Contents of each book. Appreciate the support!
@@soonahero it's a joke, ebooks can't run out.
@@GVS 😂
Hey, not really as much of an expert as you are, but maybe you can try planking with your hands extended forwards (not on your elbows) with your chest as close to the ground as possible. Basically just lay flat on the ground with your body stretchedd horizontally as much as possible and push the ground with your hands without bending your elbows.
You can also sit on a bench from the side, grip it with both hands and lean back untill your head touches the floor and then straighten up.
@@SA-bq3uy That makes it thougher, but not necessarily a better core exercise.
Shoulders might be the limiting factor.
Does Book 3 contain the same info as Book 1 but for more advanced lifters? Is it best to get the first book and then the 3rd book? After how long if so?
POV: You're minding your business at the gym, and you turn around only to make eye contact with Geoff as he's reached failure on an isolation movement.
Pov is at 7:31
@@sulffojus1227😂😂
11:42
😂
12:19
at the beginning i thought you were a meh channel but after two years training i've come to believe you're actually the best channel. Watching your content literally feels like talking to a very experienced lifter in my gym, minus the time constraint. It's amazing.
My thoughts exactly. I think ever since the 1 inch in 1 year video, my opinion of Geoff has changed completely and I think he’s among the best out there
Same 'from meh to whoah' journey for me as well
It’s possible his presentation, research, and editing improved over time too.
@@MrDick-kz8qc yeah like i watch fitness related videos daily and the gym is pretty much a staple in my life. I watch a lot of them but geoff literally drops this and It's already worth the dozens other videos it's insane i swear.
His content improves with time just like his body with proper training. Perfectly balanced. Lol
1. Anterior Delt Press
2. Pullups
3. Smith Machine / Machine Squats
4. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
5. Incline Dumbell Curls
6. RDLs
7. Long Rope Pushdown
8. Upright Rows
9. Weighted Planks
10. Cable Lateral Raise
CABLE upright rows is my favourite exercise omygah they're almost like orgasming
Or you could just let people watch the full video to support Geoff further...
@C I watched the video, then came back to see if anyone typed them out for quick reference. I'm glad our guy put this comment.
Holy shit this guy can can make a list.
@@MotorcycleMan79Geof gave a heart to the comment, so I think it’s fine lol
I like the seated AD press because of less likelihood to tweak out my lower back from over arching.
Yep another benefit, for sure.
keep those glutes tight and you won't be rounding your lower back as much
Those faces you make while you are trying to squeeze out the last couple of reps are legendary. I would pay to watch a compilation of that on repeat 24/7 :'D
Dude I think this every time! Ton of respect tho. G is consistently laying it all on the line in the gym and his face shows it.
And I’m not gonna lie, it’s helped me push to the dark side of not giving a f*ck what my face is doing when I’m reaching failure 😛
@@Arouth249Spot on
I messed up my shoulder around november, and what I learned from it is that what messes up the shoulders usually isn’t the movements you’re doing, but the ones you aren’t doing. In that period for some reason I had stopped doing banded facepull and pec stretches, but once I started reintegrating those exercises again in my routine the pain went away
SAME HERE,WTF? No face pulls=pain, restarted face pulls=No pain
i used to have shoulder pains but once i made back and rear delts the main priority in lifting (hitting it more and often than any other muscle group) i no longer had shoulder issues.
Where was the pain at in your shoulder? Having similar issues
Yep, a lot of times pain is due to imbalances.
facts
Can’t thank you enough for your Arnold split you posted recently. Progressing my arms/delts very quickly even after 12+ years of lifting
Awesome to hear!!!
Which video was that one...? 👀👀
Can you describe that in words for us?
@@keithseymour9316 “revealing my muscle growth training plan”
@@MilesNiska I have done push pull legs or upper lower splits the whole time I have lifted. Doing shoulder/arm exercises after heavy pushing and pulling exercises when I’m already fatigued overall. So doing my shoulder/arm isolation work on it’s own day has me hitting huge weight and rep prs on these exercises causing noticeable muscle growth within only a few months. Those are my weakest muscle groups so that’s my top priority at this point.
Definitely got some crossover with your list. Might have to revisit this topic!
I relate heavily with those faces you made on cable lateral raises, it takes a lot of willpower to resist letting the cable fall back down
Why the f did this not appear on my feed!! Watching now, looking extremely epic my man. Very inspiring, Geoff!
Best facial expressions on RUclips. Love your video's as someone who recently started getting back in the gym after a 6 year lay off due to injury.
Thank you for your facial expressions on the Cable Lateral Raise, it made my day !
Uploaded 3 sec ago? Yes please
Channels I wish I found earlier:
#1 GVS!
Thanks for all the knowledge sharing bro!
Upright Rows are an S tier movement. You can do them with a Dumbell or EZ Bar if you're scared of snapping your sh*t up with straight bar. They're great for upper back, traps, side delts and even forearms if you go heavy.
I like them the most with cables.
The difference between pull-downs and pull-ups is one is an open chain, the other is a closed chain. Open-chain is where your hands/feet move and your body is generally stationary and Closed-chain is where your body moves and your feet/hands stay stationary. You are using WAY more muscles in closed chain exercises, utilizing proper movement patterns. Open chain are generally better at specific muscle hypertrophy(curls/tri extensions etc) as you secure most of the other muscles with some type of bracing, as opposed to pure contraction of stabilizers. If you're looking for total body or proper movement patterns, closed-chain. If you're looking for just pure hypertrophy, open-chain. Then of course, the best of both worlds if you're looking for functional hypertrophy.
When you utilize more muscles, there is more of a transferal of energy to other muscles in that group. Where-as with isolating a muscle or group of muscles from the whole, is selective movement patterns and not training to utilize all the muscles, together.
@@paulhicks6667 That just goes to show how little you know about lifting then. Why is it that someone who can do overhead-press, but then can't do a handstand pushup with equivalent weight? Why is it that someone who can do pulldowns, can't do pull-ups with equivalent weight? Why is it, that when you do it the other way around, you can do the counterpart with equivalent weight? WEIRD how that works.
If all you're looking for is aesthetics and don't care how functional it is, then you be you, otherwise, stop being ignorant to how things actually work.
You also seemed to missed the part in the video where he actually stated he didn't know what the difference was. Which also means, you didn't bother watching the video in its entirety either. Good on ya for further showing how little you care.
@@ddpwe5269 The difference between the ohp and handstand push up is a skill issue. You've got to learn how to use your fingers and body for balance. The thing with pull ups is youve got it the wrong way around. Its easier to do more on a pull up than on a pull down cause the pull up is less strict. You're still going to be able to do a pull up and carry heavy stuff if you do pull downs and ohp. The only way a handstand is more 'functional' is in a handstand competition. This 'functional' crap is nonsense. You can do all of these movements to make gains and all will be equally 'functional' (whatever functional means). You're just being an ignorant twat and a nerd.
Hey Geoffrey just wanted to say I'm enjoying your book "SWEAT!"
As a 17 year old noob it's helped me a lot so far
Glad it could help and I appreciate the support!
We both training w Geoffrey’s lifting wisdom at 17, we gonna be jacked af 🙏
@@JO-eg2ex Me too bruh.
Machine overhead press is my new favorite for delts. Actually makes my delts sore for once and get a huge pump unlike barbell or dumbells
Getting better and better , each video
Great vid Geoff. Espc the point about pull-ups. I mean just take a look at any calisthenics athlete and their backs are their best muscle group for good reason. Pullups are S tier fr.
And they don't do em weighted just bodyweight for volume
Some awesome classic GVS pain face on those lateral raises hahaha 😂
Yeah, as crazy as it may look pain faces just give you that much more focus when doing an exercise imo.
Different types of pain faces with different exercises help too.
The only two channels I’ve ever spent my actual money on: GVS and AD.
These noble Natty channels are an absolute goldmine of info. 💪
Appreciate the support, it means a lot!
Bless your heart, Mr. Schofield. I happily speak on behalf of the majority-you are a treasure to all of us.
Love this guy. Loving this channel. I'm more about balancing cardio and strength but like listening to these natural, relatable, mass building fellas.
I started doing cable lateral raises about two months ago and I don't think I can go back to dumbells. They just feel so good and I have a higher ability to grind out the final reps vs with a dumbell.
Man, I'm happy to see you also think pulldowns are inferior to pullups (in general). Over the past couple of years I have actually gotten better back gains when I didn't do lat pulldowns. I genuinely hope somebody will be able to explain the difference at some point lol.
I wish I knew man. But yea...definitely a noticeable difference.
The gigabrain solution: do BOTH. That's what I do and my back is getting thick!
Its probably due to execution, you can "complete" a rep on a pulldown when it gets difficult by changing torso position. Not as easy to do that with a pull up.
Maybe I am wrong, but I think when you put your legs under that cushion on the lat pull down you can use legdrive on it,but it also locks you in a fixed position, so your torso can't move as freely as you would on a pull up.
What I am trying to say, when you go up on a pull up,you use a curved path and on the lat pull down that curved path is not as curved as it should be.
But maybe I am wrong.
I've had pullups / chinups as my main vertical pull for probably about a year now. I really wish I had started them earlier. They're really fantastic if you take your time with them. I do about 10-15 sets a week, split between weighted and body weight.
Some reasons why I think they're slightly better than a pulldown: pullups have a pretty decent barrier to entry. Once you're doing sets of pullups, you're doing quite a bit of work, and fairly intense work (especially if you're heavier). On pullups you can cheat a bit by kipping your legs, which is pretty noticeable and easy to control if you're paying attention. On pulldowns, you can cheat by leaning your torso to pull with a little more body weight at the start, and you can cheat at the end by 'crunching' and rolling your torso forward. I don't feel like either of these are really options on pullups. The other reasons I like pullups / chinups a bit more...you can kinda do them anywhere there's a bar. That's pretty OP for working them consistently. They're also really flexible in how you do them (arched back, hollow body, L-sit, etc). You can absolutely hit your core while you're smashing your back. They're also great for deloading the spine.
With that said, there's nothing really stopping you from building a ridiculous back with pulldowns. If you're paying attention to form you can really hit pretty much everything mid back, lats/teres, biceps/brachialis/brachioradialis, rear delts, even a little triceps. I do like that you can alleviate some mobility demands that would come with pullups / chinups by using a different torso angle on a pulldown. In my first several years of lifting I did nothing but pulldowns and could do at least 15 pullups without really practicing them. If you're working up to full range of motion pullups (like sternum to bar), you can work that harder contracted position really easily with pulldowns.
Cable lateral raises were a game changer for my side delts. I only do 3 sets 15-20 reps per set. I pick a weight that I can do 18-20 reps on the first set which ends up being about 15 on my 3rd set. I focus on controlled movement and squeeze at the top, but it's nearly impossible to cheat so with good form the delts are doing the work. Since the machine only goes up like 5 lbs at a time, which IMO is too much of a jump, I stack plates on the pin and go up .5 lbs pretty much every workout. I bought the weights on amazon for like 20 bucks and just brought them to the gym and left them. Since the cable machine has several pulleys, the .5 lbs is actually more like .25 lbs. This has allowed me to work in the rep range that IMO works best for delt isolations and have continually made progress. Yes, that only comes out to 1 lb per month but its side delts were talking about. My delts have always been a lagging body part but not anymore thanks to this one exercise.
I actually do most of the movements on this list. However, the biggest takeaway I have is with regards to those Smith Squats. That 2019-2023 progression is freaky
That was exactly my response. Most of these movements are already staples of my training, but I think I need to give Smith machine squats another try! I've tried them in the past and never got them to feel comfortable. I think I'll have to experiment some more with foot position
Thanks Geoffrey! May God bless you. 🤠
im new to ur channel so excuse my ignorance, but my curiosity is getting the best of me. what is this outdoor gym i see you working out in, looks like a courtyard between skyscrapers. what is it? where is it?
I agree with the planks! I had a herniated disc 3 months ago and I definitely think it was due to poor bracing. Also, my surgeon recommended training abs (planks and other exercises) first thing when working out. Thus, you make sure your core is activated for the rest of the session
A big one I've found helpful the past few months is smith machine rows. You can get a really consistent rep and don't have to worry about whether you're using body english or not. It also feels much more natural to bring the bar up a lot higher on your body. Like I never did barbell rows to the chest or rib cage before I started doing these. My cable rows and pendlay rows have shot up since I started doing them as well.
A great list right there. Nothing too fancy, exercises that work the body really well.
Your face during sets kills me every time 🤣🤣🤣
Bro always uploads in the middle of my sessions (I'm busy injuring myself on rdl's again)
It's all about them G'z bro. Nice portfolio!
Deficit Bugulrian split squats has been the exercise I wish I added earlier. The stretch is insaneeee
Is it the front leg of which you elevate ?
Excellent video! Really helpful and informative. Great work. 💪🙏👍
Geoffrey my man dropping bombs as always
Man you inspired me a lot to como back to the gym.
is kind weird that I learn a lot more outside the gym than in the gym.
No matter what you're the GOAT.
I'm Brazilian by the way
I recently started doing the dumbbell skier exercise you did a video on a while back and I finally feel connected to my rear delts. That's an exercise I wish I did earlier. Thank you for that
Sometimes I see a trapbar in your the gym videos, do you use it often? My back gains exploded when I started treating trapbar deadlifts seriously.
Maybe my old gym? New one doesn't have it
I thought you might incline slant board squats. I really appreciate your recommending them. Finally I can really hit my quads during squatting instead of letting the hips do all the heavy lifting. And, yes, thanks to the artist formerly known as Alphadestiny for inviting me to sit down, lean back and press up!
Front squats and dumbell pullovers were game changers for me.
Dude those seated AD presses are insane. MUCH better than ohp or even regular seated shoulder press. Thank you
The faces this man be making 😂
Great video as always
I absolutely love cable upright rows and they are 100% helping blow up my delts
Hey man, your vidz are pretty stellar. You should feel good about yourself and thank you for spreading the great natty word.
All Great Exercises!💪🏽have them in my Routine!
Great channel bro!
Mr. Meadows had made a great Delt video showing the heavy, partial side lat. raise. When combined with cable side lat. raises, for that stretch, it’s a money combo
Respect to you for going against the fear with upright rows. Together we can defeat nocebo!!
That grind face in the tricep pushdown is probably the most insane I’ve ever seen. Never actually seen anyone train with that intensity live, as a matter of fact
8:33 something that allowed me to break past the AX fear mongering surrounding some exercises is this:
if our bodies can move in that space without load, then it most definitely can be trained progressively to allow it to move in that space with more weight.
everyone can squat, it's just that we collectively don't generally, everyone can pick shit up from the ground, but our lifestyles overemphasise the muscles that work against that motion.
sissy squats, upright rows, face pulls (the way AX doesn't want you to do) are all possible if you use an intelligent progression m
I actually used pull downs to build strength for pull ups. These can be used as back off sets as well as high rep finishers.
Main difference I personally notice in pull downs from pull ups is that back/lats don't feel fully engaged, at least for me. Maybe because entire body is in almost fixed position and can't move in its natural groove as is possible with pull ups due to its freestanding nature.
However, one edge that pull downs have over pull ups is that you can easily adjust your back angle or backward lean to prioritize certain muscles over others. It is often really challenging in case of pull ups. For example, I can lean back pretty much like a sternum pull up while using pull downs.
AD press being Alpha Destiny felt so good to hear. Ever since he made his name change to Alex Leonidas tho I think it's more fitting that it's the Alex Leonidas Delt Press
Hey Geof, I feel like a microphone and better audio would really improve the quality of your content. Even just a cheap one. P.S. - Thanks for not being a sellout :)
This is gold.
Good stuff !
Upright rows are a great exercise, and I always would include them in my workout routines. However, I stopped doing them because of all the bad press it was getting. Maybe I'll throw a few sets in again from time to time.
Same here..i used to love them until RUclipsrs killed it
Same here..i used to love them until RUclipsrs killed it
wide grip is best on these imo
i do these with dumbbells and fat grips. 0 wrist or shoulder impingement issues that way.
Great list
As a physio i think upright rows are fantastic but it almost exactly replicates the provocation test we use for subacromial pain. Notice I don't say impingement but it's all word semantics. The tendon might not be getting pinched hence researchers ditched the term to a more vague one. But regardless if your subacromial structures are irritable upright rows will let you know
Awesome content! I've been doing Meadows rows as of late, been loving those over other rows.
100% agree with the ab exercises. Glad you included those! I always like to side and regular planks at the end of my workout because I ended up noticing that a lot of my limitations in compound movements like squats & deadlifts were as much down to my support structure (being able to stabilize and for deadlifts keep a strong grip on the bar) as it was the primary targeted muscles.
Better core strength has done wonders for me (TBF I was never the strongest most athletic person) and has a ton of health benefits even if it's not the most direct contributor to gains.
Is RUclips banned in China? How are you able to upload?
8:20 - It's called the "nocebo effect". You see it a lot in clinical trials for medications; people who are aware of potential side-effects before going on the medication report higher rates of side-effects than those who aren't aware of them.
yep. And it's much, much stronger than the placebo effect.
1.sissy squads
2. Lateral raises ( maybe on an incline or the lying on the side on the incline for better strenght curve)
3.high inc press (ad press)
4. Dumbell bench
5.paused frontsquads
6.rdl
7.incline curl
8.reverse db flys lying on the ground for maximum stretch and better strenght curve
9.jm press smith
10.calve raises
Great video thank you
Cheers bro!✌🏻🇬🇧💪🏼
I had experienced pain with the barbell upright row, but a good way to toss the hesitation of the movement itself, as well as help learn your prefered grip-width, would be to start with dumbbells. Absolutely amazing movement.
I agree man. Ive been off the pullups for a month for pulldowns and they aint the same thats for shaw
A lot of good ones here, I would only ad the t bar rows
the seated AD press without back support i.e. on flat bench, is a killer variation for more upper back/core challenge
I agree on the cable lateral raise I dont have cables at home I use bands and doing them even with bands so much tension my side deltoids was feeling it
Once you try cable LR you never go back! Great channel man
Nice tips subscribed!
Incline DB Bench Press is so very good! It's been a staple for me and my friends.
I rarely use squat machines or AD press but by your recommendation I think I'll try them in earnest.
Completely agree on the cable laterals. Imo far superior to Dumbells. Especially if you really control the eccentric portion and pause for a 1 count at the top.
Those faces you made on the cable lateral raises will haunt me at night 😂
Upright rows with dumbbells will put less stress on your wrists, but tbh, keep doing what you're doing, your results over the last 1-2 years have been crazy!
At exactly 5:30 my app skipped half a minute because it assumed you are placing an ad.
My app tends to scan for ads in videos and auto skips that junk.
What did I miss ? I'm not able to access that part.
Boostcamp sponsorship
@@GVS thank you
How are you bro?
I started using the rope on cables or EZ curl bar as alternatives to barbell upright rows. Much less painful and more natural ROM.
Hack squats for me, DEFINITELY. They grew my quads heaps more than regular bb squats
I have to kneel to do the long rope pulldowns but man the range of motion and the way they hit my triceps....I should have done them sooner. Funny, I added the barbell shoulder pulls recently too, use the the bent bars for less stress on the wrist at the top of the movement.
I like when NH reviewed your program and he got to incline curls and just laughed. His debates on that movement are a meme at this point.
FWIW I love NH but you and BB both love that exercise and both have massive arms, so....
I've been doing RDLs for about a month and a half now and noticed the tendons around my right knees never feel sore anymore. I have a feeling it's increasing my knee stability.
Nice dude. Would recommend rdls for anyone who doesn’t want to standard DL
Geoff, I remember you doing a video on ring work but I can’t seem to find it anywhere on RUclips. It’s gonna be all I’ve got this summer so I’d love some extra Hypertrophy advice.
Maybe you're referring to my ring book? It has a full workout video for people that bought it.
I like the AD Presses, but I still do Standing OHP more often for the Upper Back and Shoulder Stability gains. Seems to be more efficient when considering overall weekly volume, when applied correctly or not prioritizing shoulders
For a extra spicy upright row try doing dumbbell lateral raises and super set that with upright dumbbell rows. Really show your shoulders who the boss is.
bro I do one set of lu raises, superset it with one set of EZ bar upright rows and then do another superset of cable lateral raises lol
after two circuits of these my delts are like "aight imma head out"
IDK how you feel about kettlebells but hand to hand swings is my fave ab destroyer.
Defo need the video on abs exercises that don’t suck
The incline dumbbell press is an absolute winner 🙌 🏆
#1 for me is an old school hammer strength lat pullover plate loaded machine. I was never able to feel my last before using that machine
In my opinion, from the feeling and sensations on doing them, pulldowns are more internally while pull up is more external.
The faces he makes when he starts to strain fn crack me up.
Reminds me of Ryan Reynolds
Love your videos. Maybe a full day of eating on a cut?
Wouldn't be that exciting, not eating much right now!
But I'll do a more general "diet when cutting video". I don't really like vlog-like vids and try to make things more generally applicable.
@@GVS Hey man, I think it would be cool if you made part of that diet video about what you specifically ate rather than just general thoughts and recommendations. Like I'd love to see you say I ate this many meals at the beginning of my cut they mostly looked like this *insert a pic of the meal maybe* and near the end I was eating like this *insert shit you were eating at the end*.
pull-ups are the ultimate compound back builder. also, people forget how much abs activation is needed for a good form pull-up, which most beginners lack. for me personally, forearms are the biggest limiting factor in this particular exercise.
Hey Geoff, maybe try DB RDLs as a variation. I find them easier on the joints and grip, kind of like barbell vs dumbbell pressing
On most gyms u are limited to 60kg (135lbs) dumbbells, which is just no enough if you have a decent strength level unless you want to do crazy high reps.
@@jakobwing9660 true
oh shit he mentioned incline dumbbell curls, shots fired.
This is my first block with AD Presses, bout 2 weeks in and I'm moving 50lbs more with it, less back and ab fatigue makes it perfect for someone who wants to vert press but also frequently trains back on top of squats+deadlifts.
Crossbody front raises with dumbbells are also the truth
I recently added upright rows after watching RP's targeting the muscle vid on them, and I now love 'em. It's just you said, gotta get over the stigma of them to appreciate it. Of course it won't work for everyone; some people will have issues, but I think most can do them just fine. I personally am sticking with higher reps (~14) at first.