Unwanted training advice

[Shak]

I'm currently doing 5X5 and loving it.

Yesterday, I was in the gym doing squats. This rather muscular guy approached me and asked me what my goals were. I told him I'm trying to put on size and explained that I was doing 5X5.

He ignored what I said and told me that to put on size I should vary my exercises. According to him, the best way for me to put on size is to do lunges before my squats and do jump squats. He said I'd be amazed by how fast my legs would grow and I wouldn't have to use as much weight.

He said he was ISSA certified and was opening his own gym soon.

Any thoughts on his suggestions?

 

[Smurfy]

Shak, he may have a point...but....i would suggest you stick to your current program then maybe give it a switch in a few weeks or months whatever. dont ditch your 5x5 simply b/c a stranger told you to do something different.
maybe when youre done or hit a plateau with 5x5 you could try his suggestions.

 

[from zero]

Keep doing what you're doing.

 

[onerepmaximum]

He was probably trying to mack. I can see someone doing something that is a waste of time or completely wrong, but I won's say anything unless they ask, or if it is dangerous.

 

[spatts]

For MY BODY variety + recovery = growth.

...however, it's easier to figure out what's working and what isn't if you only change up one thing at a time.

 

[Exodus]

well jump squats are good for oly lifting, strongman, and basketball athletes. i've heard of any joe blow trainer recommending them, so thats odd.

but lunges are good, but never before squats.

if it aint broke dont fix it. what works "best" for him, may not do didley squat (no pun intended) for you.

X

 

[Shak]

thanks for the advice everyone -

i just started 5X5 and i have every intention of sticking with it for awhile. last winter i had a lot of variety in my routine and i did see some good results. but, i wanted to try a different method to see if it worked better for me.

i'm only 5'2", so i'm sure he wasn't recommending jump squats because he thought i was a basketball player - even though he did tell me it would help me jump higher. i thought it was strange because i could really care less how high i can jump.

 

[PolishHammer1977]

well jump squats are good for oly lifting, strongman, and basketball athletes. i've heard of any joe blow trainer recommending them, so thats odd.

I never used these?............

I had 2 professional strength coaches in college. One worked in the NFL the other in the NBA. We NEVER performed "jump squats". I played on the pro level and had professional strength coaches again and guess what? No "jump squats". I don't buy into "jump squats" for a second. Hard to the core doesn't change. Stick tothe basics. Here is a combo of what I had to do.

What we did do was a combo of;

Squats
Parachute sprinting
Harness Jumping
Plyometrics drills
Speed & Acceleration drills

My results speak for themselves and I would be more than happy to share anything else you may need. PM me for resources.

 

[BigWh1tey]

stick with what works for you and if your going to try something , try it long enough to see how it work for you (6 weeks+) .
I do think the general rule for hypertrophy would indicate a higher number of reps with a lower % of max. When I was BBing ( i PL now), i was doing about 6 movements on leg day(3 quad, 3 Hams) with a rep range of about 10-15, i was mainly concerned with reaching true muscle failure as an indicator of proper stimulation .

 

[spatts]

The things that PH listed are the things I did as a sprinter for many years (not the harness jumping, but everything else) and my legs grew like mad from it.

 

[Becoming]

Also- I think it depends on your level of development (I don't know your background)... I don't think just anyone - especially those who are not more experienced should be doing squat jumps at all....

Even a lot of plyometrics beyond the low intensity stuff can be bad with not enough background training... I could totally see some idiot trainer putting someone on more advanced plyos and screwing them up royally....

I think the harness jumps, Speed & Acceleration drills,and Parachute sprinting hammer mention would be much safer for more applications.... and could be used more safely for a variety of levels

What ever you do, make sure it fits with your goals and experience level...

 

[spatts]

Parachute sprints rock...total body workout. Stuff like this can be incorporated into your 5 x 5 though. As long as you're recovering completely, it should be ok.

 

[Shak]

thanks everyone!

 

[Exodus]

yeah PH, not everyone does them, but a good bit do. i never liked them.

hell, it hurts my knees to just jump up and land flat footed, much less with weight on my back.

now Iron Lion posted a very good exercise (in my opinion for increasing your explosive bench and squat)

start with the barbell in the bottom of a push press postition. squat down like an oly front squat, then explode up and keep going untill your off the ground, then when your in the air, explode the weight up by pressing it and letting it go at the top.

the only problem is having a place to do them.....lol

X

 

[Citruscide]

Well, if you want to get bigger legs... you have to work them... Squats are definately a part of the ingrediant... ISSA is a great certification as well... but I don't like the attitude of people that come up and tell you that you are wrong without really knowing what you have done or are doing... how does he know you don't run up stairs at the local football stadium for an hour a day? -- point is, he should ask your current routine before throwing out something like that.

Weighted Jump squats very dangerous IMO -- you shouldn't do them. Coming from my athletic background as a track and feild athlete... I would never do those. -- however, we did many varieties of plyo exercises I would be happy to go into.

Point is, if you are showing growth, you are showing growth... keep doing what you are doing until you need to switch it up... I try to do so every now and then... at least my rep pace.

Speed drills are really great for you legs... not only are they great for your speed and overall athletic ability, but you can also increase your vertical leap by doing so... thereby getting even closer to absolute athleticism.

C-ditty

 

[Shak]

i thought jump squats sounded a bit dangerous. i've never had any problems with my knees and i want to keep it that way.

thanks again for all the advice. it's much appreciated.

 

[spatts]

I Agree with you C-ditty. Unfortunately it happens a lot.

I was warming up for a deadlift at my comp last February, and some pencil neck comes up to me and asked me what my best dead was. At the time it was 405, so that's what I told him. He laughed and said, I could have you doing 450 in a couple months. He assumed I had no idea how to train and was on a less than effective program than anything he could devise. That day I pulled an easy 435. He never thought to ask me before my pull what I was planning to do. He assumed I was going to add 5 or 10 to my total and that I needed help. He also didn't ask how long I'd been powerlifting. 1 year before that meet, I could barely do 285 for clean reps. To his credit, telling me that I might be able to do in a couple months what I had planned to do that day probably fueled the fire in some way.

For the record I don't think jump squats are dangerous. I think, like any move, if you use the right weight and rep range and proper form, the danger level decreases dramatically.

 

[Citruscide]

Yeah... when I go up to ask people to "give them advice" I usually take a little time to figure out what they are doing and what they want. Sometimes I just say "ok" and walk away... because, any advice I'm going to give isn't likely to be greatly enlightening to them.

On Jump squats.. you are probably right Spatts. I'm thinking in terms of athletics... there is no way I'd want a weight on my neck (bar) and be jumping in the air and squatting... lol -- I could just see any number of things going wrong. -- however, if we are talking about jump squats in a plyometric sense... I think they are excellent.

c-ditty

 

[spatts]

there is no way I'd want a weight on my neck (bar) and be jumping in the air and squatting... lol -- I could just see any number of things going wrong. -- however, if we are talking about jump squats in a plyometric sense... I think they are excellent.

This kind of goes along with the other topic, I guess - I don't carry the bar on my neck, so it doesn't bother me. When I do them, I do REALLY light weight though. I'm talking about 65 pounds and I really go for height. I think CCJ does them heavier, but he's also very conditioned for it.

 

[d3track]

Polish hammer & c-ditty

couldn't harness jumps be considered a replacement for jump squats?
as long as i am thinking of the ones i did as the same as you are talking about(basically bungee cords bolted to the ground and a harness across the shoulders)

please correct me if i am wrong

 

[PolishHammer1977]

Polish hammer & c-ditty

couldn't harness jumps be considered a replacement for jump squats?
as long as i am thinking of the ones i did as the same as you are talking about(basically bungee cords bolted to the ground and a harness across the shoulders)

please correct me if i am wrong

The harness I used is diff't than the one you are describing. Regardless of the design the idea is similar. I do condone and recommend the usage of the jumping harness. I loved it. My stomach however did not.

I do NOT condone "jump squats".

 

[Citruscide]

The harness I used is diff't than the one you are describing. Regardless of the design the idea is similar. I do condone and recommend the usage of the jumping harness. I loved it. My stomach however did not.

I do NOT condone "jump squats".

I know you did frog jumps... not the leap frogs... but frog jumps... squatting down low and springing up as high as possible... man, those hurt...

C-ditty

 

[PolishHammer1977]

I know you did frog jumps... not the leap frogs... but frog jumps... squatting down low and springing up as high as possible... man, those hurt...

I didn't want to give ALL my secrets away.

muhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah

there's a lot more where that came from. What's listed here is more than enough to get ANYONE going.

 

[d3track]

awsome

along the lines of the chute sprints,
ever do sprints with a bungee?

two runners are attached with bungee, first takes off in full sprint, getting resistance, then second runner goes, getting pulled faster than would usually be able to run

 

[PolishHammer1977]

I never liked the bungee races. It was too hard on my lower back.

I broke my L4-L5 Lumbar spine in 97'. You could say that I had to be selective about my exercises after that.

I vote for the chute on sand brutha.

 

[d3track]

ouch

i see your point