Thinking about hiring a personal trainer

[Hannibal]

Why don't we all go fucking take your advice and listen to Arnold Shwarzenegger instead of Mel Siff. Arnold sure as hell was a lot bigger.

Uh...am I missing something here? I can't speak for anyone else, but where do you think most of WSB Techniques came from.....Siff's writings were a major influence. Yes Science is important...but so is actually training and seeing what works for you. Not many professors can bench there bodyweight.

Book Smarts are invaluable...but Field Research is just as important if not more so

 

[gymtime]

If I had known that asking whether or not to hire a trainer would spark this kind of debate, I'd have done it months ago. This has been the best read on the Training board in many months.....it's good to see discussion on something other than "How do I peak my biceps?" now and then. Kudos to all participants.....even you btrue!!

For what it's worth, I'll throw in my .02 on the lat/tri/bench thing. I'm 34 yo, 6'1", 215-220, natural, lifting for eight years. Every lifter has muscle groups that grow and strengthen faster than others...mine are tris and lats. These particular muscle groups are proportionately larger and stronger than any other. I do unusually heavy excercises (for me anyway) for both these muscle groups. The thing is, I couldn't bench my way out of a paper bag. My max is about 275 bar, 100 db.

As for scientific knowledge vs experience. I look at it completely differently than most here. My knowledge is base primarily on my experience in the gym. So, I feel that makes me an expert on one thing only; that is what works for ME! If my time permitted, I would LOVE to have the scientific knowledge of a bignate or some of the other folks on this board. It's beyond me how some of you could think that kind of education is somehow detirmental.

 

[spatts]

It's one thing to have strong muscles, and yet another to RECRUIT them. My bench is only about 75 pounds lower than yours and I have WEAK tris/lats/shoulders.

I agree. Good thread.

 

[gymtime]

It's one thing to have strong muscles, and yet another to RECRUIT them. My bench is only about 75 pounds lower than yours and I have WEAK tris/lats/shoulders.

I agree. Good thread.

Well yeah, but someone back there said that to strengthen your back and tris will up your bench. Well, that hasn't been the case in my experience. Does that make the idea universally untrue? Hardly. There are too few absolutes in weight training.

 

[spatts]

...okay, strengthen AND RECRUIT.

 

[gymtime]

...okay, strengthen AND RECRUIT.

Sorry....I must be in a "splitting hairs" kind of mood today.

 

[bignate73]

did someone say pizza?

oh my bad, i must be in a hypoglycemic hallucination.

sorry.

hehe.

 

[spatts]

I had some mandatory pre-speed squat pizza.

...it's Friday!

 

[Hannibal]

still practicing a PL style bench. tried it out this morning at work. feels awkward and low on my torso. not overly involving the front delts so i must be keeping the bar tracking pretty neutral. big arch in my back though to keep my shoulder blades pinched and to allow for the bar travel to upper abs.

You don't really need a big arch to keep your shoulder blades together. Most of the BIG BENCHERS lie flat as a pancake. Leg Drive is more important that an arch. When you watch a true Bench Specialist like George [email protected] motion is a "controlled shove" transfering power from his entire body into propelling the bar. It is so hard to "read" how to do it and translate that into how it "feels". Even with someone coaching you it still takes a while for it to CLICK.

But you have shown that you are willing to open your mind, and try other things...the sign of a good coach.

 

[bignate73]

controlled shove, that make sense as a visual. ill tinker with it again tonight. gotta go back for cardio and posing, ill do some light presses as a mild pump. hehe.

no more talk of pizza. i have 15 days until i can have some.