Common mistakes made by advanced lifters

[TrentZor]

Well we have a beginners mistakes thread ill start a advanced one (5 solid years plus of training). This is just what i see from personal experience in the last 15 years.

- Not changing your routine and sitting at the plateau for ages.
- Not taking a break when u need to. I take 2 weeks out of every 6 months to regain and refocus (ive gone 2 years without a break once. man did that screw my system up. I was so burnt out i didnt even know it and kept pushing through. Then i only stopped when i was suffering from insomnia and eating irregularities).
- Trying a new routine and only seeing halfway through before u end up doing your old routine again. (after my 6th year and i had hit the plateau i decided to do bill starrs 5x5. I only got into the 6th week and went back to my old routine as i didnt see any major increase in the size of my arms and ancillory muscles. Stupid really but these are the things most of us old timers do and u can say nah thats not me but are u really being honest with yourself?)
- Pushing through the old war wounds when u know u should rest or go lighter. I have snapped my back twice and also suffer from a sharp pain in the wrist upwards i think due to heavy dips when i was younger. Yet our bodies dont recover the same way at 35 vs 21. I myself have done this and paid the price for it on occasions now. The mind is willing but the body isnt no matter how much u can focus on it.

Well those are the ones i can think of at the moment

 

[Christian]

I am not advanced so i can not comment but i would say becoming set in your ways and not open to new training methods, or at least giving them ago. ( if they are not retarded that is )

 

[Morgan]

I agree Noobs, there is always more to learn.

 

[TrentZor]

I agree Noobs, there is always more to learn.

I would say this would have to be the #1 thing all advanced lifters get into called the "rut". No matter how many years of knowledge and training u have you can still get stuck in it.

I think PTC here has a few clients from his posts who are like that set in their ways and wont change no matter what. U can lead the horse to water but its up to him to drink it
I personally will be looking at overhauling my training when i get back from japan. Keep getting stuck in a rut and finding excuses atm to not change

 

[brendon]

1 and 3 im guilty of. i sometimes get bored with weights and the movements.

 

[NPR]

I would say this would have to be the #1 thing all advanced lifters get into called the "rut". No matter how many years of knowledge and training u have you can still get stuck in it.

I think PTC here has a few clients from his posts who are like that set in their ways and wont change no matter what. U can lead the horse to water but its up to him to drink it
I personally will be looking at overhauling my training when i get back from japan. Keep getting stuck in a rut and finding excuses atm to not change

The people Markos has that are stuck in their ways are not the advanced lifters. They are the lazy/undisciplined ones

Ceffo I dont think any of the problems you have outlined are for advanced lifters only, plenty of them are experienced my novice/int level lifters.

I think if you're truely an advanced lifter you should not be making many if any mistakes with your training. You should know your chosen discipline (Bodybuilding, powerlifting, O lifting, strong mang, highland games, ect) and more importantly know you body and how it reacts to how you train/eat/sleep.

I think an awareness for ones body and how it reacts is the biggest difference between a beginner and an advanced lifter.

I think the main issues for truely advanced lifters are injuries and being lazy/unmotivated.

 

[Zarkov]

I think if you're truely an advanced lifter you should not be making many if any mistakes with your training.

I think that is what makes an advanced lifter.
Time or size doth not the advanced lifter maketh.
As Nick said,it is the awareness.I`m sure there are plenty of people with less than 5 years experience that would fit the advanced tag.And on the flipside,people with 5,10 or even more years that would not even come close to being advanced (I see them everyday!).

 

[Christian]

I would say this would have to be the #1 thing all advanced lifters get into called the "rut". No matter how many years of knowledge and training u have you can still get stuck in it.

I think PTC here has a few clients from his posts who are like that set in their ways and wont change no matter what. U can lead the horse to water but its up to him to drink it
I personally will be looking at overhauling my training when i get back from japan. Keep getting stuck in a rut and finding excuses atm to not change

come over to size matters and watch me battle people in regars to caffeine consumption.. Funny you mention somehting that doesnt fit into people lifestyles and they disregard it and only believe infomation theywant to because its what they want to bleieve.

 

[Zarkov]

come over to size matters and watch me battle people in regars to caffeine consumption.. Funny you mention somehting that doesnt fit into people lifestyles and they disregard it and only believe infomation theywant to because its what they want to bleieve.

Put it into perspective Noobs.You are so passionately against caffeine and alcohol but freely admit to using valium.And you are studying natural therapies.
When I studied natural therapies a lot of the lecturers and students were so dead set against doctors and medical drugs except in life threatening situations that they would have torn you a new one for even thinking of valium.You choose to disregard this and that is your right but it doesn`t automatically make you right and them wrong.

 

[skywalker21]

I have snapped my back twice

That sounds crazy, what exercise and how much were you lifting ?

 

[Christian]

Put it into perspective Noobs.You are so passionately against caffeine and alcohol but freely admit to using valium.And you are studying natural therapies.
When I studied natural therapies a lot of the lecturers and students were so dead set against doctors and medical drugs except in life threatening situations that they would have torn you a new one for even thinking of valium.You choose to disregard this and that is your right but it doesn`t automatically make you right and them wrong.

I totally understand what you are saying,
i know but there is a difference between lets say "hey i take valium because it makes me feel good"

or hey "i take valium because i suffer panic disorder and havnt slept for 2 days" and not slepeing for 2 days is probably more deteremental ( i cant spell) to your health..

They are 2 very different things.

Believe me the last thing i was is pharmacuticals in my body its bad enough that i have to take SNRI's dialy and now arimidex and TRT.

Shit i even spoke to a homeopath today because i am willing to try anything for help.

 

[Zarkov]

I respect you mate.If you feel you really need valium then you do.I`ve suffered from depression,sleep disorders and anxiety attacks myself.
But a militant anti pharmaceutical pinko hippy will see you as nothing but hypocritical.Or a coffee/caffeine freak for that matter.

 

[Christian]

I respect you mate.If you feel you really need valium then you do.I`ve suffered from depression,sleep disorders and anxiety attacks myself.
But a militant anti pharmaceutical pinko hippy will see you as nothing but hypocritical.Or a coffee/caffeine freak for that matter.

Thats ok i dont mind, those militant anti pharmaceutical pinko hippy are not well educated people in the first place. They get a little infomation and run with it...

Yes pharmacutical are a business but then again so is natural medicine... But that is another debate for another day.

If my heart stops do i want adrenaline and to be at the hospital or do i want some homeopathic rescue remedy?

Fact is allopathic medicine is good for emergency situations. However for chronic conditions it is well terrible...

Not all crazy militant anti pharmaceutical pinko hippys are actuall against all dr's and medicine in general..

I spent an hour today after class talking to a lecturer who is a homeopath with 30 years experience ( i thought and possibly still do think its all magic water and pixie dust). He didnt say to me stop your medicaiton its evil i will give you special water to heal you.. No he said ok keep tkaing your medication and ill see what i can do for you... Please note he spent and hour of his time spekaing with me about my problems and then prescirbed me treatment at no charge to myself. I was shocked. I have never had a conventional dr speak to me and talk to me about my problems without being labled as "anxiety disorder" "panic disorder" (conventional medicine still doesnt even know what causes panic disorder so how can you treat something when you dont know what it is?) Allopathic mediicne treats symptoms... Natural medicine tries to find and treat the cause.. it also treats the whole person not just xyw symptoms..

So basically what i am saying is a proper natural therapist will understand conditions and the importance of certian pharmacuticals in regards to those conditions...

So taking valium occasionaly so i can make a needed flight is not ideal i know but then again either is trying to open the plane door while at 30000 feet because you are having a panic attack.. Im sure you can relate with this if you have suffered this condition..



Sorry for the thread hijack guys.

 

[TrentZor]

The people Markos has that are stuck in their ways are not the advanced lifters. They are the lazy/undisciplined ones

Kewl my bad just read some of his newsletters and mentioned something long those lines.

I think an awareness for ones body and how it reacts is the biggest difference between a beginner and an advanced lifter.

That i believe is spot on a very big difference. Hence the 5 years (some people learn this earlier but 5 was just a benchmark. I have seen some guys less than 3 years in know their bodies inside out and some after 10 years still working out what their bodies are telling em.

 

[TrentZor]

That sounds crazy, what exercise and how much were you lifting ?

I was doing squats both times and prob only doing 140kgs or so (this was my 1st working set).

I had a stressful day at work and on the way down managed to twist my torso to the right and like a twig breaking heard a snap. Then next thing was on the floor staring at the gym ceiling with my gym buddies standing over me laughing (****ing jerks ) Yeah so was in a wheelchair for a week while the ruptured lower back disc healed.

They say once u snap your back its never the same again esp in this sport we do (thats what the physio said). Its never been the same since that day and now on heavy lifts i get a sharp pain shooting up the spine.

 

[Oli]

I'm not that advanced but as I basically have a 180 squat and 220 deadlift I think I can hold my own.

1. Expecting too much: in your noob days you could add a disc to your squat and put 5kg on the scale in a couple of months, but by the intermediate stage thats no longer possible. For anything past the first year a 20-40kg gain a lift and 5kg bodyweight gain is AWESOME - too small? if after your first year of lifting you're squatting 180 at 20kg a year you'd almost have a world record within 5. Is that likely to happen? no, but you will still get ****ing strong.

For those into bodybuilding - go buy 10kg of rump steak from the butchers and lay it out on a kitchen bench. Thats a lot to expect of your body within a year.

2. Too much volume: Yeah Wendler and your favourite bodybuilders can train 4 days a week and do 5x10 good mornings after deadlifting, but Wendler is a world class powerlifter and former NFL player. Your body is far more precious about what works for it in the intermediate/advanced stage and thus you need to be more conservative.

3. Program hopping: This is brought about by 1. Yeah 5/3/1, Sheiko, Smolov and other templates work, but they take time. You need to stick with things, because jumping from one to another every month will get you nowhere.

4. Realistic goals: this goes for everyone. How many of us have looked up to guys like arnold or zane and thought we could get there? or even more conservatively your favourite boxer or that guy in Mens Fitness? hate to tell you but these guys are genetic elite - its the equivalent of expecting to play rugby for the Wallabies. No matter how hard you work most people simply dont have 'what it takes'.

This isn't to say you can't get far but you need more realistic expectations. Youtube '220kg squat raw' and see how many results you can find that:
a) dont use gear (besides a belt)
b) use proper form (no half squats or ultra wide stance monolift squats)
c) arn't done by a pro, a steroid user (this will be obvious) or some guy who basically weighs as much as he squats.

Such lifts will make you bigger and stronger than about 95% of people who lift weights.

To quote ironaddict - for those with average genetics what I'd do is this - put some mass on and get lean - 8-10% - and whilst you won't be huge by a bodybuilding standard most people will think you look AWESOME, women will want to **** you and you'll look/feel great.

 

[TrentZor]

To quote ironaddict - for those with average genetics what I'd do is this - put some mass on and get lean - 8-10% - and whilst you won't be huge by a bodybuilding standard most people will think you look AWESOME, women will want to **** you and you'll look/feel great.

5 STARS!!!!

Myself personally i train to look/feel great and of that means staying at 9-11% year round then so be it. People seem to WANT to be around you and instantly take a liking to you like a beacon at parties. No not arrogance just reality.

 

[Ben]

Do you reckon that's a function of how you look?

Maybe you just put out good vibe when you know you look good.

 

[TrentZor]

Maybe you just put out good vibe when you know you look good.

This i believe to be true.

 

[NPR]

I'm not that advanced but as I basically have a 180 squat and 220 deadlift I think I can hold my own.

1. Expecting too much: in your noob days you could add a disc to your squat and put 5kg on the scale in a couple of months, but by the intermediate stage thats no longer possible. For anything past the first year a 20-40kg gain a lift and 5kg bodyweight gain is AWESOME - too small? if after your first year of lifting you're squatting 180 at 20kg a year you'd almost have a world record within 5. Is that likely to happen? no, but you will still get ****ing strong.

For those into bodybuilding - go buy 10kg of rump steak from the butchers and lay it out on a kitchen bench. Thats a lot to expect of your body within a year.

2. Too much volume: Yeah Wendler and your favourite bodybuilders can train 4 days a week and do 5x10 good mornings after deadlifting, but Wendler is a world class powerlifter and former NFL player. Your body is far more precious about what works for it in the intermediate/advanced stage and thus you need to be more conservative.

3. Program hopping: This is brought about by 1. Yeah 5/3/1, Sheiko, Smolov and other templates work, but they take time. You need to stick with things, because jumping from one to another every month will get you nowhere.

4. Realistic goals: this goes for everyone. How many of us have looked up to guys like arnold or zane and thought we could get there? or even more conservatively your favourite boxer or that guy in Mens Fitness? hate to tell you but these guys are genetic elite - its the equivalent of expecting to play rugby for the Wallabies. No matter how hard you work most people simply dont have 'what it takes'.

This isn't to say you can't get far but you need more realistic expectations. Youtube '220kg squat raw' and see how many results you can find that:
a) dont use gear (besides a belt)
b) use proper form (no half squats or ultra wide stance monolift squats)
c) arn't done by a pro, a steroid user (this will be obvious) or some guy who basically weighs as much as he squats.

Such lifts will make you bigger and stronger than about 95% of people who lift weights.

To quote ironaddict - for those with average genetics what I'd do is this - put some mass on and get lean - 8-10% - and whilst you won't be huge by a bodybuilding standard most people will think you look AWESOME, women will want to **** you and you'll look/feel great.

Good post but I disagree with the last point about expecting too much. I think people expect too little. And most people are allergic to extreme effort over an extended period of time.

A few examples.

Noobs deadlifting 200kg with the testosterone level of a 10yo girl
Max squatting 175kg @ 75kg, 17yo
Kelly benching 161kg and deadlifting 247.5 @ 83kg

These are all normal people, not genetic freaks. They just know what hard work can do.

I know a genetic freak. His name is greg, he is 18yo, he benched 180kg at 17yo with a single ply shirt. Unofficial world record. He benched 90kg @ 13 and 110kg @ 14.

He is now around 95kg and on monday squatted 260kg for triples with a belt and light wraps, he does 3's on around 250 in the dead with just a belt. FREAK


Dont sell yourself short.