Can one rely on reverse nordics, Sissy squats, and nordics for leg mass? Or are weights always needed? If so do you have any variations in mind that don't require heavy weights (im training at home and currently can't get more plates)
Alex, you somehow look way bigger since your last cut for that competition like a year ago, this is inspiring and impressive to think that you are still making very much visible gains after training for like what, 10+ years??
This guy is a true fucking influencer. Natty, consistent, trains hard as fuck and inspirational. Started working out when I came accross one of your vids and havent stopped since dude. YOU NEED TO POST MORE. WE NEED IT
Hey Alex. Love your content, you’ve inspired me to embrace some calisthenics. The question I have is: what are your thoughts on how and when to deload? I’ve watch many other RU-vidrs and their takes (Dr. Mike, GVS, Basement Bodybuilding, etc.) and was wondering about yours. Appreciate you.
Regarding the pull ups and dips question. I for one can agree. I been training consistently for 19 years now(I’m 36). Built a good physique overtime over multiple different disciplines. I feel like when I’m more into calisthenics and weighted calisthenics my body looks and feels better then when i do more weight focused periods for bodybuilding style stuff.
are you a runner too? 2 miles 5 days a week will NOT take away any muscle. 3 days a week do 2 miles worth of 400 meters (on the treadmill @ 12 MPH - or top speed). or 2 miles of 200 meters. then the 2 days in between do an easy run on the treadmill for 2 miles at like 7 MPH - if that's easy for you. so the total volume is 10 miles a week - NOT including warm ups for the speed-work.
Hey Alex, thanks to you i have added Vegan foods in my diet. Also I'm wondering, Are we ever gonna see you train like an MMA/UFC fighter or any other combat sport?
I disagree on straps for pullups. My elbow tendonopathy limited my training and straps let me get stronger while giving my tendons time to adapt to the volume.
Have a nice day Alex! In a 3 day upper-monday/lower-wednesday/upper-friday it is better to max effort method on dips or bench or ohp on monday and max effort method weighted chinups on friday for better performance and recovery when cutting and also bulking? I fell like maxing out push and pull on monday lower my prefomance on that day, sorry for long question😂😂
Does getting hella strong at weighted pullups or even lat pulldowns help to increase conventional deadlift weight? I'm sure that getting stronger at bent over rows would help in some capacity due to the spinal erector muscles being worked isometrically, but what about pulling exercises that don't involve the erector spinae to such a large extent?
Do you have experience with nordic curls? Do they have carryover to basic hinge movements? Would you add anything else for hams if you're limited to only a relatively light backpack in terms of equipment?
Hey, we know that wide grip pull up is the best for the lats, but which chin up variation is the best for the Biceps? And should I train side delts or front and rear delts are enough with pull ups and dips?
I’ve never trained abs like I do now and just in 1.5 months the 4 pack is starting to reveal itself. Core strength is higher than its ever been and 2 gym bros saw me working out during an ab session and gave me props. That’s never happened to me. Definitely a confidence booster because they were doing abs too and they told me I was a beast. I am confident that I am one of the most dedicated individuals at my local gym at the novice level. Thanks to Alex,NH, GVS
@@ispgravy4233 First leg day: Rope Crunches 3x10-15 reps - go to failure on every set, abs should be trained heavy Second leg day: Deficit Candle Sticks 3x10-15 (MASSIVE abs doms from this)
@@ispgravy4233Not sure what happened to my comment but I recommend cable crunches, 3 sets of 8-12.. Slow and controlled eccentric after a heavy crunch concentric, feels like the bench press of ab exercises
Hi Alex there is this dumbell exercise called hip huggers for the rear delts. It's pretty simple but the problem is there is not much data about it or big youtubers with the right knowledge talking about it. What is your opinion about this exercise.
Do you treat dumbbell pullovers as a compound or as an isolation exercise? So shorter or longer rest times, programming it at the start or the end of the workout, rep range, etc. Do you think it is a big deal? I personally now treat it as an isolation, doing it more so at the end of a chest and back day, this way I can achieve additional lats volume and get the ribcage expansion effect without sacrificing any horizontal or vertical pull + I find pullovers to not be that fatiguing anyway. Much love from Chile!
Nunca he llegado tan rápido a un vídeo. Soy un novato y se me esta haciendo difícil el camino. Voy a verlo crack, seguro que es muy bueno como acostumbras a hacer. Te admiro!!!
Hey Alex, love the content! What do you think about a weekly split of Pull, Push, Legs, Pull, Push? I want to focus more on upper body as my legs are a bit overdeveloped but am debating whether to do Upper on Thursdays followed by a limb day as you mentioned in the video to prevent spider physique. Look forward to your answer!
Hey man i want to share my opinion with you u might not believe this or might find it weird but i believe that some muscle groups have a limited ROM where they are activated for example the chest when the elbow goes beyond the shoulders won't be the musle activating but the front delts THAT is why tall lifters lift less bc the movement is limited by their front delt strengh plus the MMC is much better ( i would never feel my chest nor feel sorness) another example is the lats in fact there is a study done on this and it found that the lats had no activation in basically when they all goes above the shoulder so beyond the 90° angle that is probably in my opinion the reason why you found chin up so good because if you focus on the angle when performing them you can see the elbow doesn't pass the shoulders very much another example is quadriceps and many other muscle groups I hope you see this message and I would love to see your opinion on this thank you very much.
in my first months i strained my left wrist, right bicep tendon (couldnt curl for 6 weeks), left hams (could barely walk in home for 10 days) and si joint (was dl and squatting 2x a week in same lower body days) that i had to cut sq and dl for long time. after workout i was getting dead tired instead of hungry. my entire body had tiredness (not doms) in rest days.. even 8h sleep was not cutting it you can be novice and still have recovery issues. intensity matters
i was like "dont be a bitch. look how others do squat/dl with hundreds of kg with 0 issue and you complain at such low weight?". but it backfired so badly
I do think we're conflating some mechanisms here. As a beginner, your muscle adaptations will be near instant, within a week you'll start seeing structural change in muscle mass. However, this isn't the case with tendons, to see structural change there, (in studies) these adaptations seem to happen as slow as 2 months in. They happen, and the base they build is more than enough to support weight training. But it is a fairly typical mechanism with by, beginners (ESPECIALLY sedentary ones) snap their shit.
Hi Alex! I don't usually comment much, but I've been binging your content lately, and I wanted to thank you for your recent advice and help! I've watched your videos on the upper chest, bicep, shoulders, and especially tricep training. It's made me think a lot about how I was training before. Previously, I was all about the "optimal crowd" and doing variations such as single arm tricep, machine preachers, and machine chest press due to the added stability and overload potential. Only for myself to realize after 2 months that I was letting my ego get in the way and using weights that I could move but for some sloppy, jerky reps. It wasn't until watching more of your content that I incorporated movement patterns that felt good. I've recently switched to a Smith machine for my incline pressing, and having that be my only chest movement done twice weekly to master the technique. I've hit new PRS while controlling the negative, letting the bar sink into my chest slightly and pushing up, no momentum, no cheating, and man, does it feel amazing. According to one of your older videos, I've recently hit 165 for 6 today at 0 RIR; instead of jumping immediately to 167.5 or 170, imma milking this weight to where I can get 165 for 7 or 6 at 1 RIR before moving up. You've taught me a lot about putting my ego in check, and I feel so good hitting my chest, knowing my technique and execution are pure. Finally, I have to give credit for the triceps as well. I've watched all your tricep videos, and it's a muscle group I struggled with, or should I say my ego struggled with the most. As per your "get more out of your V bar pushdowns short" I've tried V bar for the first time last week, and altho its not the "optimal" movement I feel so good doing it. As you mentioned, my form is strict and controlled, with no jerking at the top and complete control over the negative. I also weighed myself down today with a dip belt, and man, does it change the game! My force output is so much greater that I hit 72.5 for 7 at 0 RIR. Soon, I was on my way to full stacking the machine, which maxes out at 95. I've finally found a stable tricep movement that gives great force output, and I feel good knowing I am in control of the weights, not allowing my shoulders to slide forward and jerk that weight down as I've done in the past. Training has never felt better, and I have to give you a massive thank you for always putting out clear, concise information, with the knowledge and experimentation to back it up! I know I have a long road ahead of me, but I'm excited knowing that I have staple movements that I will continue to progressively overload for years to come, and I'm excited to see where this journey takes me! Thank you once again, Alex, for all that you do!
You mentioned several times that the chest expander will grow the yoke/traps, does that include the upper part? I am a calisthenic home gym guy and I own the robert baraban expander, would the pullapart alone get me some thick upper traps as I get stronger with it over time?
For me i took your 2 set approach and ran with it making it into a fullbody 5 day + 1 bro day and rotate exercices when stale. Its PR galore. Granted im not the most advanced im the gym by any means but holy shit this hits different.
could you go more in detail with your program ? i am interested. do you do Fullbody as in you train one upper body part and one lower body part each session or every muslce every session?
@@foxarium1577 what i do is i hammer the legs on the morning because of time constraints during the lunch break. Meaning ill warm up to 2-3 sets of squat performed before heading to work or some bulgarian split squats or whatever you like for legs that you feel effective and then during lunch break i do either one row or a vertical pull, one push (dip or bb press or db press) something for the shoulders either an OHP or an isolation, then something for the bis and finish with something for the tris such as a dumbbell extension overhead. 2 sets each translates to about 30-40 min workout. You can include the RDLs and hinges in this session or you can alternate hinges and squatting patterns on the morning session. The bro day is full arms and shoulders on saturday so something like spider curl followed by hammer curl followed by pullovers (yes i still include lats here) followed by facepulls then side laterals then triceps pushdown. Thats what my split looks like. Its a bit schizophrenic but It works for me
Hey Alex. I took the dip pill after listening to your podcast with Fitness FAQs. I noticed a weird pain type sensation in what seems to be my right upper bicep/ shoulder area. What is this? Am I going too deep too soon?
hey alex, i'm currently trying out my own upper/lower program as a late novice/early intermediate and i've defaulted to doing all my back and bicep work on lower days. i've found this working very well given the synergistic approach, but i'd like to know if there are any potential downsides to doing so in the long run. much love, keep up the content!
Should be fine as a novice/early intermediate, but when difficulty naturally rises due to increasing loads/volume as you progress it's gonna be hard to have enough in the tank to optimally stimulate on bicep isolation and vertical/horizontal pulls. At least that was my experience after doing heavy leg compounds.
What is in your opinion the best way to run an asynchronous split? I’ve been thinking of using Bald Omni Man’s Bald Swordsman as a template but would like your take on it.
Alex! Amazing content as always, congrats on 400k subs! Would love to know, us subs know that you have been a big proponent of x2 fullbody, using an intensity and a volume day, do you still preach this type of x2 full body? have you changed your stance around anything about it? would love to see a twice a week version of the beginner program!
Btw, what is your take on Alpha 3d Team current philosphy? He thinks for example, that getting stronger does not make you bigger and progressive overload is not the #1 driver for hypertrofy. Greetings and thanks
Hey Alex :) I recently implemented some advice from DarwinianFitness, particularly enganging the jaw and neck during lifting. I found that I have better technique, I'm stronger, and I can target those muscles without the need of isolation. What do you think of his takes? I've practicing the breathing he recommends for rib cage expansion, too
When you say "novice", do you also mean young ? Working with elderly, beginners/ novice at 50+ recovery is very different from 70+ which of course very different from young adults 16 to 29 yrs old.
@@saiko-no-kami thanks. Yes everyone has videos talking about beginner or novice lifters but don't clarify AGE. Makes a huge difference. Saw a video yesterday say a beginner lifter should be able to hit a 135 lb. Bench for reps after one year of lifting. Well I have some 60 yr old females that took a year to be able to do 3 strict, correct form push-up, some obese still can't do 1. Thanks again.
@@DrAJ_LatinAmerica Np bro, and yea, beginner lifter almost always means young beginner lifters. And don't worry about what a beginner "should" be able to lift, even many young beginners guys aren't able do these so called "should be able to lift so and so lbs/kg".
@@str1ker_eureka yeah but that's more of a bro staring at bro thing. I want a evidence/science based video or at least something with some concrete programming suggestions
Hey Alex, great video as always! I was wondering what are your thoughts on the hybrid push/pull split for calisthenics enthusiasts? Generally you'd do Mon/Tue-Thu/Fri and divide the legs between all days, for example I'm doing pull + squat on Mondays, and push + hinge on Tuesdays I find this split allows good recovery and I can hit everything without excessive leg focus (only 1 leg move per day), and the whole weekend off for extra recovery
Hey Alex! Really love the videos! Could you make a video on “How to Grow Your Stubborn Calves (Simple Fix!)”? 😂. It would help alot of us!! Thanks for the whole series so far!
Hey Alex, I’ve got the Bells of Steel Commercial Power Rack 5.1. And while it includes multiple pull up grips, it doesn’t have that wide grip angle. Do you have a work around for doing super wide grip pull ups without risking injury on a straight bar?
Hey Alex! I have tried to listen to your advice of 2 sets per workout. But every time I end up doing more. Even when I go to failure I still don't feel like I did a proper workout until I do alot of sets. This is very time consuming as my college just started and my schedule is getting busier
Hey Alex, thanks for the amazing content as always! Two questions: 1. Based on what you said in this video, do you not recommend training triceps on pull days and biceps on push days on a PPL split? I like that this allows for easier supersetting and I generally don't find my arms to be the limiting factor for chest/back compounds, plus my arms are my biggest weak point 2. Have you ever tried fly wheel training? Worth it or just a gimmick? Considering getting one to complement my tiny home gym, helps that they take up very little space and I already have the basics here (barbell, DBs, cable pulleys, rack)
Pull ups are such a great exercise to hit lengthened partials. Doing sternum pull ups, then chin over, and then even finishing with partials up to about a 90 degree arm bend is great IMO. The muscles that limit ROM are different throughout the movement, so by hitting them at sternum height you hit a bunch of upper back, then chin over hits a bit of everything, and then the partials target more of just the lats getting them a lot closer to failure. I generally do these as full sets, not as a straight set with all of them, so that I'm getting good volume in each range of motion. My lats in particular have grown noticeably more since implementing the partials.
I'm training full body three days a week in a gym but I also want to master handstand push ups so i practice them on one of my rest days along with a lot of bodyweight shoulder volume. Is it a smart approach ? Note that on the gym surrounding my HSPU day, I don't do any direct front delt work, just inclined press and close grip bench on a moderate weight (8-12 rep range, 1 to 2 rep in reserve). Thanks.
No, and I've been training boxing for 8 years now. Added bodyweight might get you theoretically slower, but the more muscle you have, the more explosive and powerfull you are, so one thing pretty much denies the other in this case. Also I'm very flexible so stifness is a myth, and actually your agility and mobility will massively improve with weight training. There is a huge physical difference between the guys that I train with and me, and if the ones that might be better than me are those who train all week and compete regularly on a national level, while I train only once per week as a secondary activity.
Hey Alex, I listened to your discussion of full body routines with Kenny from Longevity Muscle (great interview!). Could you elaborate on how you would structure a 2 or 3 day full body routine? Would you still do basic double progression with 2 sets per exercise? How many sets per week would be reasonable? Thanks!
In another video you said that intermediate strength standards vary based on leverages and bodyweight. Will a 5'9, 17 year old at 130lbs (bulking to 155) be able to hit your intermediate strength standards in 5-15 months as you say in the program? Started it 2 weeks ago with a 115x5 paused bench, 150x5 box squat, and 185x5 deadlift
Ive not been following his program but intermediate strength standards are not too difficult to achieve. just train consistently, avoid injuries and eat and sleep well and you should be able to get them in 1-2 years. As alex himself has said its just a time game for us natties. just be patient and trust the process.
Do you think one curl and one triceps extension per upper session done twice a week is enough to maximize hypertrophy when volume is high enough to progress? Or would distributing the volume to 4 exercises per week instead of 2 be beneficial? Basically, is 4 sets with barbell curls equal for hypertrophy to 2 sets of hammer curls and 2 sets of barbell curls in a session?
Thank you for promoting chest expanders Alex! Ive had a 7 spring expander for the last couple of months and horizontal pull aparts are one of my favourite exercises ever! Recently though ive had lingering pain in my left elbow/forearm doing it. Its now led to pain in other exercises like Overhead extensions. Any advice on how to overcome this?
Hello alex, thoughts on training the lower back directly 2-4 times a week with 90 degree back Extensions, basically treating them like abs (not any random ab workout, but with weighted sit ups). Thank you alex!
I'm an intermediate lifter with a bench around 305lbs, squat 440 and deadlift around 505, but I need to have surgery on my elbows (cubital tunnel syndrome) for a nerve injury sustained due to my job that will keep me out of the gym for all upper body lifts for minimum 3 months. I will still be able to do some basic lower body exercises like sissy squats, leg extensions/curls and the occasional leg press as long as they don't require grip. When I am cleared to come back to upper body lifting would you recommend following something like a novice program for a while until I get my strength back?
Uncle Alex how can I grow my arms if they are long, I am torso dominant, I feel that my tricep is very small compared to my bicep, what split do you recommend, how many sets and repetitions, day only arm maybe? Thank you for replying 🤝💪🔥
Hey Alex, In your opinion, would you recommend placing bent over rows or BTN rack pulls as the main movement for developing a bigger back? Love the content. Please never stop!!
Alex, what about lower/upper/arms/lower/upper, from Monday to Friday, doing no arms during the upper days or doing just 1-2 sets during the upper days? I find that doing arms after upper days always takes some strength from them to make progress, whereas I think progress is better if I focus one day of the week on arms.
Hey alex, I've recently started my max effort method journey thanks to you. I'm a couple weeks in, and I've realised that my paused close, wide, and normal grips on bench press are all the same in regards to 1rm(110kg/242lbs). On top of that, my paused larsen press is also the same, with very similar bar speed. Is this "balance" good, or should I address it in some way? If so, how?
Alex, honestly I love training the bro splits... (I am a beginner, 1 year of on and off training)... since 2 months, I am following 4 day splits (1. Chest / Shoulders, 2. Back / Rear delts, 3. Arms, 4. Legs, repeat... only sunday off)... I have seen decent muscle growth. But I just don't enjoy it as much as bro splits. Will I get an aesthetic physique with following bro split for years ahead (like at least 5 years of consistent training)..?
Hey Alex, looking to gain muscle but really mentally struggle with the face fat gain. In a position where I’m slightly de-trained, what’s my best course of action?
Will you do a full video on how to go from 140kg bench to 180kg bench? I am unsure about how to add another plate to my bench after hitting 140kg for 5 reps. I have used basic double progression to get this point.
Hey Alex, I hope you're doing alright. Sorry if you have already answered this question in a previous QnA, but are barbell back squats and leg extensions enough to grow the quads/front part of the legs? Afterall, BB squats target majority of the quads including the hip flexors (if I'm not mistaken), while the leg extension will fill in what they don't target, which is the rectus femoris. Or would a third quad movement, like a split squat or lunge or any unilateral based quad movement be still recommended for optimal quad development? Cheers!
Hey Alex, I'm running your novice system after embarking on my first bulk. The thing is, close grip benching hurts my elbows and, for some reason, my triceps aren't the limiting factor. Is it ok if I sub it out for regular bench and 3 x 6-10 triceps pushdowns?
Hi Alex! How can I improve sternum pull ups? I can do 8 now at 227 lbs/103 kg bodyweight. My goal is to do 15 to 20 reps at this variation. What would your be your advice?
I am 47 years old and usually I can do with good technique 8 or 10 pull ups , around 10 or 11 dips and 22 pushups (0 rpr but Dr mike style technique). Do I need a weighted vest of 5 or 10 kilos ? For dips and pullups a bag with books is OK. But for pushups do you think than a vest is better than a bag of books ? Or my reps are not enough yet for vest or book bag ? I train usually in home or in the park and I can use a public free gym only once or twice a week. I am Greek. Could you reply to my question.
Strangely, I get the same issue when deadlifting that you described RE using straps for pull-ups; I find they just make the lift hard than double-overhand. Also, because I have to squeeze the bar that much harder, the irradiation seems to make me maintain tightness better. Grip has never been an issue for me personally.
Hey Alex, I’m in school and most days I’m busy and sometimes can only work out at night. On late nights would it be better to work out at night and sacrifice 1.5-2 hours of sleep or to skip the workout for the day and have something like an asynchronous split?
Hey Alex what do you think about my left shoulder being slightly higher than my right? It's not that noticable but I do notice in some of my lifts one arm is higher than the other. Have you had an imbalance like that? and if yes did you do anything about it? Love the vids congrats on 400k you definitely deserve it!
Do you have an opinion on upright rows? Which muscles are they good for and how do they compare to other shoulder movements like OHP and lateral raises? They're another lift that fearmongering influencers claimed is dangerous, which makes it difficult to find information on the lift itself because all I find is warnings
nice vid. just had to comment on your physique when youre lay down benching. your whole ribcage/torse area looks absolutely huge. youve come a long way over the years. nice to see youre still going and looking better than ever. ps.....do you think you'll ever do a big bulk again where you go higher bodyfat than you might be comfortable with. if not why not? and do you think it was worth it all them years ago? cheers mate
How to fix buff fat(like skinny fat)? I’ve been stuck in this state for a long time. But I want to be bear mode as soon as possible with abs, any advice?
Can anyone have any idea for people with scoliosis can progress further? I used to do pullups, dips, squats e.t.c but due to scoliosis there is an unevenness in my body. And i cannot find many unilateral exercises.
i want pls to ask you and this question is so so important for me…there is surgery for clavicle shoulder to make it wide …pls can you tell me its normal to do it or its dangerous..by the way i do bodybuilding ? Pls doctors i hope you answer alot of people we dont have other way to fixe that genetics problems ❤
