The problem is when someone says "strength training" people will automatically associate it with powerlifting. You should get stronger at everything not just the powerlifts. Want big biceps? Get strong at curls. Want big triceps? Get strong at triceps extensions. Heck even lateral raises numbers should go up if you want wider and rounder shoulders. Get strong at everything including isolation exercises not just the compounds and you will get jacked.
For reals. That's why i hope streetlifting can become more mainstream. Muscle up, pull/chin up, dip, squat. Same thing as powerlifting but more upper body dominant
My favorite thing about Alex is he’s not dogmatic. So many CZcamsrs say things like “only do these kinds of exercises” or “never do this exercise”. He understands that training is very nuanced and what you should do depends on many variables, including your goals, your build, what training level your at etc.
Thank you John, I know a lot of people don't like nuanced answers but there's really so many ways to go about thia lifting game. There's a reason why I embrace being the jack of all trades. Besides enjoyment, refusing to acknowledge various training methods that work is dishonest and I can't roll with it. I'm here to offer options, to leave no stone unturned and make us last. Training is for life and context matters.
When I was in high school around 2002, I was living off 5x5s and getting pretty jacked and strong through sheer effort and the blessing of youth. When my friend wrapped his car around a tree with me in the passenger seat, I sustained several spinal injuries that kept me from exercising till a year and a half ago, when I could finally afford artificial disc replacement surgery. When I came back to exercise, I was overwhelmed with the amount of information out there, and I made the mistake of finding Athlean X’s fear mongering videos before digging deeper. I finally started going under 8 reps a few months ago, and it has been far more enjoyable. Turning 40 in a few months and hope to hit a 225 OHP, 315 bench, and 405 ATG squat at 5’7” 180 before then. Thanks for the inspiration!
The problem is “not caring” about strength is being used as a mask by some for “I’m afraid” of strength. When someone like me says I don’t care about strength, I genuinely mean that. It’s not a good or bad thing, it just is what it is. And through chasing size, I’ve gotten pretty damn good strength: preacher curl 120x5, smith JM 250x7, smith bench 310x9, etc. So if I don’t care about strength, that doesn’t mean I don’t get stronger, it means if I’m big with below average strength, I don’t care! On the other side of the same coin, if I’m big and had to grind it out with brutally hard, heavy lifting? I also don’t care that I had to suffer through that. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. It’s not about avoiding (being afraid, really) strength, it’s about not caring, regardless. Of course it’s a bit more nuanced than that, but this is a comment and not a 25 minute ramble of mine haha Edit: oh and excellent video per usual, nice work articulating the more subtle aspects of this topic
My man, you’re one hell of a critical thinker. I’d never considered the distinction between not caring and being afraid, but you should definitely cover this in a full video. It makes perfect sense. Your training mindset is genuinely stoic (can't say the same for others who makes excuses), considering those impressive AF numbers. I can’t preacher curl or JM press anywhere close, but if I could, I’d definitely care! Also, with the new muscle you’ve built through proper hypertrophy training, a 405lb Smith bench press (or barbell) is easily within reach. You walk the walk, acknowledging your strength and the role of it without getting attached.
@@AlexLeonidas I appreciate the kind words bro! And haha we’re on the same page, I had already noted down to make a video in response to this, you raised some excellent points
My preacher curl is 95lbs 3 sets of 8 with a straight bar. Yet my arms are 16 inch shredded. There isn't that big a difference in terms of strength but you're far more massive. This what volume training does, and bodybuilding style training like lifting slowly.
@JayJayMehdi honestly, that's about what is expected. You're lean as you saud yourself and BB is around 20% bodyfat, so given that you're also a bit weaker, I'm not suprised that your arms are 2 inches smaller.
@@JayJayMehdi95 lbs on a preacher curl vs 120 lbs is a HUGE difference, i wanna know what you're on haha. Also if you have 16 inch arms and are truly shredded, then thats insane. You'll probably have 16.7-17 inch arms at similar bodyfat as Basement Bodybuilding
This is why I enjoy both of you guys’ content. It’s just about lifting and pursuing fitness passionately first and foremost, with the gain of muscle as a natural byproduct.
@@AlexLeonidas Well, thanks to people like you when I started 6 months ago I started right. I went from 131lbs to 148lbs in those 6 months as a beginner. I went from benching 75lbs to 225 for 6 reps in just 6 months and I didn't even know it was possible, but it actually makes total sense. I believe the average beginner lifter is afraid to go beyond 6RPE, doesn't eat right, don't count their calories and they don't do strength sets, so it's not hard to be much better than average and have much better than average results. I started in the gym with two friends and they would always joke that I was ego lifting, even though my form was very good, they didn't even do barbell bench because they heard it's worse than dumbbells in Instagram reels. Guess what's their preferred exercise now that they saw my results?
This is how I treat my exercise, it might technically be powerbuilding, I treat exercises as ways to drive as much stimulus/tension as possible (mostly straight sets) and then get as strong as possible on them
My man, slowly build your collection over time! I got my home gym in 2018, and every year it's evolved. One big piece here and there makes a big difference.
Best decision you will ever make! I’ve been working out for one year and have never been to a commercial gym 😅 started at home, and never going to leave, and it only gets better and better over time as you acquire more pieces.
People talk about calve size being influenced by genetics, but after lifting over 10 years, I can conclude strength is where genetics actually matters. I am pretty big and muscular, but I ain't shit compared to some 18 year olds who have the gift of strength. For many of us focusing too much on one rep maxes will only achieve fucked up joints/injuries and overall mediocre results.
Yes I believe part of it is genetics 🧬 and genetically speaking its mostly white dudes in Strongman ( I love the sport btw I'm a mestizo Salvadorian too) specifically and almost always from Scandinavia,eastern Europe,northwest Europe with a minority in Italy ,Greece ,Portugal and Spain.
Thank you brother, I've also had enough of these disgustingly low standards. We must continue fighting against the black pill, uplifting the community and fulfilling our fitness destiny.
So according to you all 5'5 guys should live in shame and embarrassment? And talking about strength means they have an "insane" confidence? There are many 5'5 and below guys that can do 405 bench natty. As long as a guy is natty, doesn't matter if he's tall or short, the strength potential is about the same. It's basic biomechanics. It's all about moment arms and mechanics. Think levers. If the force is close to you and the lever is shorter, then it's easy to lift that weight. And if the lever is longer making weight you're lifting far away, then it's harder. This is how God keeps the balance. A tall guy will have to put on more muscle to lift the same weight. Also depends on muscle bellies and where the tendon attaches to the bone. The closer it attaches to the joint which is the fulcrum, then harder it is to lift weight as compared to tendon being attached further away. Why I'm explaining all this? Because your lack of knowledge shows, you're such an ignorant, so insecure. Wanna look at your stupid face when you realise most olympic heavyweight lifters are short, with shorter legs and arms.
Just wanted to say your videos been a big help for me I'm 15 and I'm just trying to get as strong as I can but I've been stuck on benching only 135 for 2 reps💀 but thanks for all the great advice
My bench numbers aren’t going to blow anyone away, but I don’t see anyone in my gym overhead pressing more than me. Or maxing out the cable station for reps on pushdowns. A plateau is just a new challenge.
Watched it to the end now. Alex, its such a great thing to have someone like you on my lifting journey. I was always a heavy chubby guy, now im getting stronger at the basics and i can do weighted pullups and dips now, im looking forward to be able to enjoy calisthenics all the more soon. Thank you alex, your a beast :)
I am turning 41 this year, lifting weights for almost 25 years. I can only say that I lifted heavy for pretty my my whole lifting career, with the result that I accumulated a lot of small injuries in my joints. That encouraged me to train lighter, at around the 12 rep range and I feel so much better. My body is literally healing from all the damage that I have done over the years. Not saying you will win bodybuilding show or powerlifting competitions while training like this, but you can be a pretty healthy and buff natty.
Yeah I pretty much try to avoid going under 3 reps. I’m in my early 20s so I can still lift heavy for a good amount, but when I get to my early 30s I’m gonna take it easy.
I am totally agreeing with you. Many guys at the gym are winning about the fact they eat enough then I ask “are you stronger weakly or monthly”…. They all answer “not really” 😂😂
Yesssss. I’m looking forward to being way lighter and getting all the strength back. I’ve been fat for wayyy too long but pretty happy with how much strength I’m maintaining as I cut. Love the passion. I get it!
Social media has everyone confused about everything today. It took me a few years to figure out just WTH am I even lifting for after the head-spin I've been in for the last several years. *All I currently do are very extreme loaded carries for football field length laps in the sand and go as hard as I can to complete whatever goal I set that day.* I realized all I currently care about is my body is being worked hard, I can feel and see results and as long as I workout this hard 2-4 times a week each and every single week for the indefinite future, I'm 46 and don't need more fitness goals ATM. I want to do weighted dips with 150 lbs from the waist like I did a few years ago and hit a 500 lb deadlift on farmer's bars, but they're childish goals. *I have far more important things to put that level of dedication and focus on.* The only thing I need from the gym is to feel healthy and satisfied.
Kind of a weird conversation, if you want to get bigger muscles, you’ll have to get stronger at the movements you’re doing for those muscles, otherwise you’ll literally make no gains. It’s like saying progress overload is non existent when it comes to hypertrophy😂😂
Sometimes that's all you need, just to keep your passion high! Like I didn't care for a new bench PR up until recently, took years but I'm ready for some change.
@@AlexLeonidas People underrate the importance of ENJOYING training and how that plays into overall arousal from session to session. One could have the most "optimized" workout, but if they're bored and dread performing it, they won't get NEARLY as great of results as something "unoptimized", but they love it workout to workout.
Every man should aim to be strong and then pass down this info and knowledge to his kids. Strength differentiates you from the masses and turns you into a more capable and useful person. Strength training sure did help me become a more confident man who is less neurotic and afraid of speaking out his mind.
@@undagroundmane9117 Yeah and the truth is most 15 rep sets are so brutal on the joints with compounds because of sheer workload/volume. 15 rep sets can be used for sure, but I feel like most people think it's just most efficient for your time and instead do poor sets of junk weight. For isolations though 15 reps is great, everything has it's place.
Personally as a long armed gentleman, I’ve had the best results from focusing on building my arms first and letting everything else follow. And since they were my weakpoint I dropped the ego and literally did 5lb cable tricep extensions and cable curls for 6 months. Then 10lbs for 6 months and so. Now 3 years later I’m strict curling 40lb dumbbells with ease. And cheat curling 120lbs and soon I’ll be cheat curling 140lbs with reverse grip. I also started wrist curling 2lb dumbbells... 1lb in reverse. Now my most recent PR 3 years later... drumroll please... 70lb dumbbell wrist curl. With a giant coke can sized fat grip. Not once... not twice... but for 8 sets of 1-4 reps. That’s almost half my body weight! In another 3 years I want to wrist curl 120-150lb dumbbells. I’m confident I can do it, all by Gods grace. God exalts the humble boys.
I hope that streetlifting can become more mainstream as a strength sport. I hate that when people say strength training its immediately assumed that its powerlifting. There are other types of strength sports. And to be honest, I'd rather look like a streetlifter than a powerlifter. Streetlifting physiques even as a strength sport produce some really awesome physiques. Wide back, massive chest and shoulders and still decent legs since they still have to squat in competition.
As a MALE, being BUFF without having STRENGTH to back it up is a really, really DANGEROUS position to be in. Mess up and go to jail, them dudes Goin look at you like pound cake lol. Also, outside of this niche they got going on, throughout basically all of human history up till this day, being big= strong so people are going to perceive and judge you based on the strength your "big muscles" can put out. Imagine having to tell your grandma you can't help her move something because you don't focus on strength, can't pick up your girlfriend, and swing her around because "it's not optimal" or be of basic use to society as a whole because you only care about size.... that's how you quickly get labeled "big for nothing" behind your back.
Yeah man this is some great information that really gives light behind the idea of powerbuilding. The big 3 lifts are mainly tests of strength and a way to get your total body stronger. The core strength you gain I think is unmatched from squats and deadlifts. On the other hand, your body tops out at a certain point, this is where isolations come in. Tendon strengthening from high rep band work, doing compromised ranges of motion, half of these things can help bulletproof your joints. Stretching also helps you grow as well, so when you start to combine all these things together you really have something. It's interesting hearing NFL athletes that do yoga, but honestly I do similar stuff also for stretching because more flexibility helps things like your lower back from getting into bad positions. I greatly underestimated the value of stretching and flexibility in keeping you from getting injured, it just makes your joints tolerate everything so much better.
Please reach your maximum potential Alex. Your videos and accomplishments have been a huge wake up call to naturals everywhere and it shows in your growing following. Reach your pinnacle and keep inspiring us to do the same. And to anyone else reading this, I wish all of you a lifetime of gains and improvement. I hope all of you become the best you can possibly be.
Crazy how my favourite Minecraft CZcamsr PopularMMos recomended you when i was 13 for lifting advice (iam now almost 20 with a decent physique and numbers)
If you "only" use machines with "perfect" stability and strength curves, the "only" thing you're gonna get is injured, when real life hits you in the stabilisers.
that’s not true at all. strength is strength. look at someone like tnf, who only uses machines yet he benches 385 despite never running a strength block
A lot of these guys have never had to pick up a heavy box. No smith machine to stabilize you and the center of gravity of the box will make 60Lbs feel a lot heavier than it is.
@@jahimuddin2306 that’s not how that works. when i lift weights i pretty much only do machines. i also do manual labor and im literally the strongest one there. stop listening to weak functional bros and step outside
@@AlexLeonidas When I get it I will comment again. It's ok if you don't remember me though, but you'll still get merry knowing some guy was inspired to the OAC by you :)
Only just getting started through this video but can already tell this mimics my exact thinking about all this which has been culminating over the last few weeks. Strength is VERY important. But when we threw the powerlifting-style programming bath water out the window (which was totally the right move), we also threw the baby of strength out as well.
Alex. I’ve been lifting for about a year and a half and I discovered you 4 months ago. At the 14 month mark I’d hit 315 lb deadlift. With just 4 more months of lessons I learned from you, I hit 405. 495 here we come! Thanks for your quality content always telling it like it is!
I feel like this video is talking to me. I’ve had pretty bad joint problems from day 1 and getting stronger has always been a huge struggle. I’ve put on 20-25 pounds of lean tissue in 3 years but I am still extremely weak. Have never benched 225 due to nerve damage in rotator cuff. I’ve recently began to realize that if I want to get any bigger, I have no choice but to address my strength problems from the ground up.
Hi Alex. Neither strength nor hypertrophy is, strictly speaking, my exercise goal. I view both as supplementary to my martial arts training, so I have to balance both with cardio and flexibility. And actually, I also agree with this video. Because even if right now I can't bench 200kg AND throw a good jab, it'd be real nice to be able to someday.
Your videos are inspiring. I’ve been stuck with novice numbers for years doing “minimalist” work, falling into the powerbuilding hole, and avoiding a lot of solid exercises because of you know who. It’s time for me to change my approach and mentality. Now i need to balance running somehow since I love that too. 😂
Even if big barbell movements aren’t quite optimal, the joy I get from training them and getting stronger makes them wayyyy more productive for me. The journey from 315 to a 405 deadlift was extremely gratifying. The current journey I’m on for 440 and then 500 is equally motivating. Heck, even chasing bigger loads on the more “optimal” RDL is fun.
@@AlexLeonidasexcited to see your journey back up to 405 on bench. I’ve been lazy with pressing strength for awhile now and seeing your pressing explode might be the motivation I need!
I just hit 225 for 3x3 on the RDL after years of high rep work that rarely saw me go past 170Lbs. My glutes have also finally started getting bigger as well, but that can be attributed to hitting heavy hip thrusts.
@@jahimuddin2306 good to hear! I’ve been taking deadlift training as my number one priority recently and it’s really paid off. Went from 370 to 405 in about 6 weeks and now it’s been another ~2 months and I think 440 is going to be there soon. I’m also using 260 on RDLs for 3 sets of 6-10 which is crazy weight compared to what I used to do.
@@jahimuddin2306 RDL's probably did a lot more for your glutes than hip thrusts. I got to 44 inch glute measurement taking my RDL from 275x5 to 335x10. Hip thrusts. Have never done a hip thrust in my life
Don’t get why people don’t care about strength. If you have a higher one rep max, than you can lift more volume at a higher weight making you bigger in return. That being said, it’s better to build strength than to chase it.
Alex just keeps the epics rants! Your one sassy little rascal! Self proclaimed noble natty is wild! As an anabolic aristocrat myself, I approve this message! 🤩
So important to get stronger on isolations. I've stronger chin ups, db rows, bb rows and weighted pushups than ever before and my arms has actually gotten smaller since especially my tricep isolation movements has gotten weaker, because i've neglected them due to joint problems. Now i'm gaining skullcrusher strength back and shirt is already getting a bit tighter
The fun part about those guys saying "calisthenics is not good for hypertrophy because of core engagement" is that they have no idea how used we calisthenics athletes are to use the abs for every single movement. We don't even "feel" the core in basic movements or even hard skills. It's surprising to me seeing a lot of people thinking the front lever must be a "really hard abs exercise", when no one with experience would ever say that. Heck, we are so used to core engagement that I was surprised when I saw that my beginner friends weren't able to do ring triceps extension because of core weakness and not because of triceps muscular failure.
I can do the same amount of L sit chin ups as I can do normal chin ups. There is no reason for me not to do L sit chin ups, because it's free extra ab stimulation. Besides, ab hypertrophy is also hypertrophy, and you can't isolate the abs, so just use them in compounds. The core is never a limiting factor in any compound move that uses it, unless you have very weak core, in which case you can just keep doing it until your core catches up. That's what I did when I started doing all vertical pulling in L sit. While you're waiting for your core to catch up, you can just do as many L sit chins as you can, then lower your legs when you core gives out and finish the set with straight legs.
@@freehatespeech6804 Yeah, I completely agree with you. While I like doing L raises and knee raises and that's how I got the full dragon flag press (3 reps for now) after only 3 months of training for it, a friend of mine who *never* isolates core got it just because of compounds in calisthenics. That's proof enough of your point. Funnily enough, outside of calisthenics that movement is seen as a very advanced movement. We get a ton of shit from those "optimal" gurus because our training is unstable and blah blah blah, but the thing is we just feel those movements stable because our core (and any other muscle that stabilize our body during the movement) are used to it. When we go back from rings to parallel bars, we feel very light because of that. Btw, that L-sit to regular pull up is one of the things I do. It really helps to get that extra abs hypertrophy and lower lats, and you always still have some reps to just do regularly. It's amazing.
@@maximofernandez196 When I said you can't isolate core, I didn't mean to say that you can't focus on it. You can, of course, for example by training dragon flag or standing wheel rollouts. I mean to say that even the moves that use the abs the most, also use other muscles to significant extents, like hip flexors or lats. And I was a little over the top saying there's no reason to not do L sit pulling. There are, of course, other useful variations that bias different muscles more or less, like arching your back. Pull ups are optimal btw. Pencil necks will whine, I will horsecock weight.
Love the nuances in this. I wish that this form of content got more love than the 50 trillion set, 8 billion exercises with plates instead of dumbells, etc that i see scrolling on youtube As someone developing a home gym and has had to move quite a bit, ive had to make do with less weights and less than ideal equipments from time to time. Starting out ive made errors like messy form (like using my chest on a jm press) and over did it in terms of volume, which did grow me but made my joints hurt a ton and i did not grow much in terms of strength per microcycle. I learned to get more out of less weight from people like you and that helped me greatly with very limited weights and bad recovery. For example, i would do 315 ish full on horsing the weight deadlift with pillows underneath, to switching entirely to snatch grip for 125 with a much slower eccentric, but that went up and up to 215, then id widen the grip more and more and more. I still saw a decent slowdown which made me believe i was genuinely intermediate, Then i got ill, got massive strength boosts and ive gotten hooked on that genuine strength gain. Currently, my micro cycle is 10 days instead of 7 but where before i would have 1 rep or a half rep per session, i consistently get 2-3+, all with good form and making the most out of what i have and though hard to tell at times, i believe im seeing the rewards. My defecit deadlift has gotten to my old horsing deadlift numbers, so i went to the next variation, where im still stronger than the last time when i did snatch grip deadlifts Part of me does still wonder how far i should lean here or there, if i over do the long ranges of motion or technique, if i should sacrifice some more form for more weight but i feel im getting there eventually, and i do end up still getting stronger on older positions. I do wish that strength was discussed more since i see influencers do as you say. Strength with good enough form and tempos are good for tracking potential hypertrophy, a big muscle has to have big strength at its pure function at least. Certain times, you can benefit from a little more horsing of weights, like a heavy squat that builds overall mass and strength in the quads, glutes, core, spinal erectors, etc, vs ONLY opting for 7 second eccentric pendulum squats. A little cyborgery helps with objectivity, one shouldnt be at the total expense of the other, but whats all the good form and the 40 second eccentrics if it can take away from our ability to see objective strength gains? (Through extra metabolic fatigue, mental fatigue doing century long movements for 26 reps, changing movements much for the "optimal" choice that you relearn and relearn and potentially push less stimulus into other muscles) I am sleepy so this is a huge ramble but yea
I started hitting almost everything in the 3-8 rep range with heavy weight and I love it. My main goal is strength, but I have been getting bigger. My arms have seen the biggest difference as I was hitting higher rep, lower weights in the past.
Man ive been saying this for so long, its like everyone either trains only for hypertrophy and only care about whats ”optimal” or only care about their pl total, thats why you never see people doing barbell ohp or weighted calisthenics at the gym. Its sad.
I like to 1RM and set strength goals, then once I hit them I like to work back and hit new 3,5,8,10 rep maxes to increase the total working weight I use on my hypertrophic volume sets 💪😎👌
Natural Hypertrophy has talked at length about power coping, and I think that he is spot on in his assessment. But I also believe there is such a thing as hypertrophy coping, and you called it out great in this video.
Great video. Lost sight of my numbers and now im going back to chasing numbers in all lifts, i realise how much ive regressed. Too much adhd program hopping going on. Get stronger in everything, simple advice
I’m really glad there’s people setting a high standard for everyone while being natty. It’s very motivating to know natties can go far through hard work!!
For your _"Strength is strength"_ argument, you chose to illustrate with your weighted dip and bench. Guess what? If you add your bodyweight to the dip weight... You get 405 :]
I am curious how good the carry over is, I have only bench pressed once in my life, felt shaky af much more unstable than dips tbh, but I do over 100kgs for one rep on the dip, wonder how well it would go after some technique training....
I thought being strong was just my own little thing that I could be proud of. Was never bothered about looks but it's improved my grappling x10 and protected me in my old job where I had to restrain grown people with minimum harm but also protect myself. The grappling made the strength useful and the strength gave me new avenues in grappling
Awesome video. Taking some time with those lower weights and being hyper-focussed on technique actually helped me a lot in going from decent enough form (probably won't get injured, but that's about it) to pristine. However, that was indeed just a phase. At the end of the day, I now use my experience and muscle memory from said phase to lift heavier weights with clean technique. One of the most important things, in my opinion, is keeping an open mind regarding this stuff. The two extremes you mention simply don't happen to people who are just as interested in learning about training and the human body as they are in the actual activity. For beginners and even intermediates, I believe it can actually be very useful to have "phases" where they are overly focussed on a certain aspect or way of training, because you'll learn a lot about the pros and cons, and personal experience is invaluable when it comes to training. However, this can only be a good thing if they are also continuously looking into new types of content, watching and reading different creators/authors, and thus being confronted with new information - all the while, over the years, they are slowly but surely building a balanced approach to chasing their personal goals in lifting.
I am so glad I figured out lifting before the science wave. There is a generation of guys who think it's just about stretching the muscle more. They can't row a plate, but they sure as hell can pause at the bottom and get that deep stretch. They'll be huge anytime now.
I've been training very seriously for over 1 year now. I'm trying my absolute best to follow a good bodybuilding program. I've been doing everything right, tracking my calories, eating 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, eating nutrient dense foods exclusively, 12-24 sets per day, 5 days a week, I take 1/3rd of my sets to complete muscular failure, ECT. I Bulked at a steady pace, and I gained about 32 pounds. I don't know if I'm gaining muscle at a good rate, or even gaining muscle at all. I am planning on cutting eventually, and I hope I actually made significant progress for bulking for over 500 days. (no mini cuts or plateaus when it comes to weight gain) I don't know how much my bench press will suffer when I cut back down to 135 pounds or so. At January 1st 2024 my 1RM was 155 pounds paused @ 137 BW. I hit a PR on August 2nd 2024 of 185 pounds paused @ a BW of 156. (all my body weights are morning fasted) I never go under 8 reps for any exercise, and never go over 16 reps. What I wanted to know is this normal progress or is it slow?
Depends really if you do bench every week or only do it to test your PR to see where you stand. if its the former id argue yeah pretty slow rate you are a noobie and bulked so weight should be going up pretty frequently until like 200-225( starts to slow down). If the latter then pretty decent/good you are not specializing in bench press but your muscles are getting stronger as a unit.
@@davidperez6040 I bench press 2 times a week, and I also incorporate incline dumbbell press, and machine flies. I only test my PRs to try to make sure that I'm actually putting on some muscle and make sure that I'm moving in the right direction. I was told that the way to make sure that you're making progress is not to look in the mirror but to look at your workout log book.
@@yelezi7950 You remind me of myself in the sense i felt the more I do the more results ill get. I use to bench press, incline and decline press 2x week and flys. In my opinion you are doing too much volume and its making your muscles fatigue because your body cant recover in time for the next workouts. If you cant recover then you cant perform 100% even if you go to failure, you are going to failure at your 80% not your 100%. I started to see results when i did bench one day and a variation of bench (incline) another day. I also started doing 3x5 so i knew i was going all out.
@@davidperez6040 Do you think I should lower the amount of sets I do, because I still want to do the same sort of exercises. By the way, when you changed from high volume to low volume what changed, and how did you know for sure you were not getting overtrained?
@@yelezi7950 you can either lower the amount of sets per day or lower the amount of days you go from 5 to 4 or 3 and keep the volume. I personally do 2x days now but im maintaining after 6 years i have achieved my ideal physique and do other things now. But im still getting stronger on exercises that i care about (ohp and lateral rises).
The problem is when someone says "strength training" people will automatically associate it with powerlifting. You should get stronger at everything not just the powerlifts. Want big biceps? Get strong at curls. Want big triceps? Get strong at triceps extensions. Heck even lateral raises numbers should go up if you want wider and rounder shoulders. Get strong at everything including isolation exercises not just the compounds and you will get jacked.
Well said, and this is exactly the problem!!!
Time to reclaim strength training and make it synonymous with bodybuilding.
For reals. That's why i hope streetlifting can become more mainstream. Muscle up, pull/chin up, dip, squat. Same thing as powerlifting but more upper body dominant
I agree, but instead of curls and tricep extensions I'd choose weighted chins and close grip bench press in a Reverse Pyramid Training fashion.
@@scalevolvable323 Do both.
Mfw Alex progressively overloads the length of his videos (In 4 months, we'll get a 7-hour Essay)
Haha going full NH mode! These videos take longer to create, but I'm super proud to release them. Always relevant.
@@AlexLeonidas they're entertaining and worth watching for sure as well!
@@bluehippotech 100%
This is the kind of video I prefer. This video will give value for years.
Then he’ll transition to shorts only as a deload.
My favorite thing about Alex is he’s not dogmatic. So many CZcamsrs say things like “only do these kinds of exercises” or “never do this exercise”. He understands that training is very nuanced and what you should do depends on many variables, including your goals, your build, what training level your at etc.
Thank you John, I know a lot of people don't like nuanced answers but there's really so many ways to go about thia lifting game. There's a reason why I embrace being the jack of all trades. Besides enjoyment, refusing to acknowledge various training methods that work is dishonest and I can't roll with it. I'm here to offer options, to leave no stone unturned and make us last. Training is for life and context matters.
When I was in high school around 2002, I was living off 5x5s and getting pretty jacked and strong through sheer effort and the blessing of youth. When my friend wrapped his car around a tree with me in the passenger seat, I sustained several spinal injuries that kept me from exercising till a year and a half ago, when I could finally afford artificial disc replacement surgery.
When I came back to exercise, I was overwhelmed with the amount of information out there, and I made the mistake of finding Athlean X’s fear mongering videos before digging deeper. I finally started going under 8 reps a few months ago, and it has been far more enjoyable. Turning 40 in a few months and hope to hit a 225 OHP, 315 bench, and 405 ATG squat at 5’7” 180 before then. Thanks for the inspiration!
The problem is “not caring” about strength is being used as a mask by some for “I’m afraid” of strength. When someone like me says I don’t care about strength, I genuinely mean that. It’s not a good or bad thing, it just is what it is. And through chasing size, I’ve gotten pretty damn good strength: preacher curl 120x5, smith JM 250x7, smith bench 310x9, etc.
So if I don’t care about strength, that doesn’t mean I don’t get stronger, it means if I’m big with below average strength, I don’t care! On the other side of the same coin, if I’m big and had to grind it out with brutally hard, heavy lifting? I also don’t care that I had to suffer through that. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. It’s not about avoiding (being afraid, really) strength, it’s about not caring, regardless.
Of course it’s a bit more nuanced than that, but this is a comment and not a 25 minute ramble of mine haha
Edit: oh and excellent video per usual, nice work articulating the more subtle aspects of this topic
My man, you’re one hell of a critical thinker. I’d never considered the distinction between not caring and being afraid, but you should definitely cover this in a full video. It makes perfect sense. Your training mindset is genuinely stoic (can't say the same for others who makes excuses), considering those impressive AF numbers. I can’t preacher curl or JM press anywhere close, but if I could, I’d definitely care! Also, with the new muscle you’ve built through proper hypertrophy training, a 405lb Smith bench press (or barbell) is easily within reach. You walk the walk, acknowledging your strength and the role of it without getting attached.
@@AlexLeonidas I appreciate the kind words bro! And haha we’re on the same page, I had already noted down to make a video in response to this, you raised some excellent points
My preacher curl is 95lbs 3 sets of 8 with a straight bar. Yet my arms are 16 inch shredded. There isn't that big a difference in terms of strength but you're far more massive. This what volume training does, and bodybuilding style training like lifting slowly.
@JayJayMehdi honestly, that's about what is expected. You're lean as you saud yourself and BB is around 20% bodyfat, so given that you're also a bit weaker, I'm not suprised that your arms are 2 inches smaller.
@@JayJayMehdi95 lbs on a preacher curl vs 120 lbs is a HUGE difference, i wanna know what you're on haha. Also if you have 16 inch arms and are truly shredded, then thats insane. You'll probably have 16.7-17 inch arms at similar bodyfat as Basement Bodybuilding
"this will save a lot of time for the future generation of lifters"
They're gonna be HUUUUUUGE!
They're honestly soooo lucky!!!! Imagine if we had this information sooner 👌
This is why I enjoy both of you guys’ content. It’s just about lifting and pursuing fitness passionately first and foremost, with the gain of muscle as a natural byproduct.
@@AlexLeonidas Well, thanks to people like you when I started 6 months ago I started right. I went from 131lbs to 148lbs in those 6 months as a beginner. I went from benching 75lbs to 225 for 6 reps in just 6 months and I didn't even know it was possible, but it actually makes total sense. I believe the average beginner lifter is afraid to go beyond 6RPE, doesn't eat right, don't count their calories and they don't do strength sets, so it's not hard to be much better than average and have much better than average results. I started in the gym with two friends and they would always joke that I was ego lifting, even though my form was very good, they didn't even do barbell bench because they heard it's worse than dumbbells in Instagram reels. Guess what's their preferred exercise now that they saw my results?
@@lucashiroshins225 for 6 reps after 6 months of lifting is freaky. Took me 7 years to do the same.
405 bench is beast
quick correction, his name is natural obesity now
Natural stress-induced blood pressure
holy shit i freaked for a second i thought this was my other account talking. sweet pfp man, i've had it for a few years too
Natural Hypertension
More strength = more tension = more hypertrophy = more muscle = more strength
Just don’t ignore your isolations
This is how I treat my exercise, it might technically be powerbuilding, I treat exercises as ways to drive as much stimulus/tension as possible (mostly straight sets) and then get as strong as possible on them
If you master mind muscle connection. You can make 135 feels 315
Powerlifting strength with bodybuilding physique is the goal. Never stop getting stronger
I'm trying to get strongman strength with off-season bodybuilder physique
@@paavoilves5416now thats the real goal
bodybuildiing physique is unnatural and weird
I hit 315 as a 20 year old at 160lbs, I dont have crazy genetics and still made it, yall gotta higher your naty strength expectations.
Tell em bro, and well done that's actually quite freaky!
Perhaps not crazy genetics but very good genetics for sure mate and a good work ethic no doubt.
Are we just taking your word for it? Or you got a clip?
@@itsviibes5854 right, lol.
Well said.
Yeahhhh we at the buffet right now
Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Buffet = Roid-like strength gains (aka Bloatmaxxing lol)
@@AlexLeonidas How much protein: FULL
Yeahhhhh
My dream is to build a home gym like this
My man, slowly build your collection over time! I got my home gym in 2018, and every year it's evolved. One big piece here and there makes a big difference.
Best decision you will ever make! I’ve been working out for one year and have never been to a commercial gym 😅 started at home, and never going to leave, and it only gets better and better over time as you acquire more pieces.
Mine too!!!
People talk about calve size being influenced by genetics, but after lifting over 10 years, I can conclude strength is where genetics actually matters. I am pretty big and muscular, but I ain't shit compared to some 18 year olds who have the gift of strength. For many of us focusing too much on one rep maxes will only achieve fucked up joints/injuries and overall mediocre results.
Yes I believe part of it is genetics 🧬 and genetically speaking its mostly white dudes in Strongman ( I love the sport btw I'm a mestizo Salvadorian too) specifically and almost always from Scandinavia,eastern Europe,northwest Europe with a minority in Italy ,Greece ,Portugal and Spain.
That being said there's Mark Felix and Iron Biby who are big and strong ASF .
Hey he's clean shaven, nice look for late summer. Looks to be an inspiring video too. Always stronger!
A fresh look for many big surprises coming soon, stay tuned and thank you! We must always raise the bar, never settling.
Well I can't take a man without a beard seriously...
One of the best creators on fitness youtube, tired of the blackpill narrative that sets the bar for nattys so low.
Thank you brother, I've also had enough of these disgustingly low standards. We must continue fighting against the black pill, uplifting the community and fulfilling our fitness destiny.
Bro most of black pillers are low iq insecure teenagers, which should convince you it's a bunch of BS
bro what does the blackpill have to do with this lmao I don't think you know what it is
I have progressed on weighted calisthenics thanks to you Alex
Love to hear it :)
Weighted Calisthenics is the truth, and guarantees aesthetics + high general strength.
One minute in and I can tell this'll be a great message. Back's looking even crazier than ever!
I always loved the synergy between hypertrophy and strength in certain movements, nothing balloons me up like making progress on weighted pull ups
Dude your pure passion for improvement is crazy. Every time i feel like it's not worth the grind, you change my mind.
That's basically the reverse NH video about *Power-Coppers* telling them they cared about *Physique* all along , now it's the other way around .
How a 5'5 person can talk about strength
That's a insane level confidence
Insecure?😂😂
@@JUSTAMAN012 more than insecure
Live or die situation
So according to you all 5'5 guys should live in shame and embarrassment? And talking about strength means they have an "insane" confidence? There are many 5'5 and below guys that can do 405 bench natty. As long as a guy is natty, doesn't matter if he's tall or short, the strength potential is about the same. It's basic biomechanics. It's all about moment arms and mechanics. Think levers. If the force is close to you and the lever is shorter, then it's easy to lift that weight. And if the lever is longer making weight you're lifting far away, then it's harder. This is how God keeps the balance. A tall guy will have to put on more muscle to lift the same weight. Also depends on muscle bellies and where the tendon attaches to the bone. The closer it attaches to the joint which is the fulcrum, then harder it is to lift weight as compared to tendon being attached further away.
Why I'm explaining all this? Because your lack of knowledge shows, you're such an ignorant, so insecure.
Wanna look at your stupid face when you realise most olympic heavyweight lifters are short, with shorter legs and arms.
We're all gonna make it brahs👍
Absolutely 💯
Alex's rants have such good energy, they make me wanna get off my ass and train 💪
I love that they make you feel that way! Let's get these hardcore gains 💪
Just wanted to say your videos been a big help for me I'm 15 and I'm just trying to get as strong as I can but I've been stuck on benching only 135 for 2 reps💀 but thanks for all the great advice
Good stuff young King, at 15 you probably just need to eat more to blast through that bench plateau. Keep grinding!
Christ the first 36 seconds of this are all I think about when I'm in the gym watching others. What a start to the video
I don't care much for the big 3, but I do care about getting stronger
This
As a fellow short arm guy, you’ve just inspired me to max out on the bench press 🫡
doing hypertrophy work to break through plateaus on my strength exercises helped me a lot
Progressive overload with good form is everything period
My bench numbers aren’t going to blow anyone away, but I don’t see anyone in my gym overhead pressing more than me. Or maxing out the cable station for reps on pushdowns. A plateau is just a new challenge.
Hypertrophy training is just strength training with more variety of lifts.
Honestly, yeah.
Watched it to the end now. Alex, its such a great thing to have someone like you on my lifting journey. I was always a heavy chubby guy, now im getting stronger at the basics and i can do weighted pullups and dips now, im looking forward to be able to enjoy calisthenics all the more soon. Thank you alex, your a beast :)
I am turning 41 this year, lifting weights for almost 25 years.
I can only say that I lifted heavy for pretty my my whole lifting career, with the result that I accumulated a lot of small injuries in my joints.
That encouraged me to train lighter, at around the 12 rep range and I feel so much better. My body is literally healing from all the damage that I have done over the years.
Not saying you will win bodybuilding show or powerlifting competitions while training like this, but you can be a pretty healthy and buff natty.
Yeah I pretty much try to avoid going under 3 reps. I’m in my early 20s so I can still lift heavy for a good amount, but when I get to my early 30s I’m gonna take it easy.
I am totally agreeing with you.
Many guys at the gym are winning about the fact they eat enough then I ask “are you stronger weakly or monthly”…. They all answer “not really”
😂😂
“Absolute strength and maximizing size potential” say less bro. 💪🏾💥
Yesssss. I’m looking forward to being way lighter and getting all the strength back. I’ve been fat for wayyy too long but pretty happy with how much strength I’m maintaining as I cut. Love the passion. I get it!
Social media has everyone confused about everything today. It took me a few years to figure out just WTH am I even lifting for after the head-spin I've been in for the last several years. *All I currently do are very extreme loaded carries for football field length laps in the sand and go as hard as I can to complete whatever goal I set that day.*
I realized all I currently care about is my body is being worked hard, I can feel and see results and as long as I workout this hard 2-4 times a week each and every single week for the indefinite future, I'm 46 and don't need more fitness goals ATM.
I want to do weighted dips with 150 lbs from the waist like I did a few years ago and hit a 500 lb deadlift on farmer's bars, but they're childish goals.
*I have far more important things to put that level of dedication and focus on.* The only thing I need from the gym is to feel healthy and satisfied.
Bro I swear the amount of confidence and hope your vids give me is amazing!
So glad I'm early to a video by alex, glad to see you hit 400k! I really appreciate your advice man thanks for all the help!
Kind of a weird conversation, if you want to get bigger muscles, you’ll have to get stronger at the movements you’re doing for those muscles, otherwise you’ll literally make no gains. It’s like saying progress overload is non existent when it comes to hypertrophy😂😂
As if easiest way to get stronger isn't getting bigger. That strength vs size needs to finally go.
Good to switch your goals around
Sometimes that's all you need, just to keep your passion high!
Like I didn't care for a new bench PR up until recently, took years but I'm ready for some change.
@@AlexLeonidas People underrate the importance of ENJOYING training and how that plays into overall arousal from session to session. One could have the most "optimized" workout, but if they're bored and dread performing it, they won't get NEARLY as great of results as something "unoptimized", but they love it workout to workout.
Every man should aim to be strong and then pass down this info and knowledge to his kids. Strength differentiates you from the masses and turns you into a more capable and useful person.
Strength training sure did help me become a more confident man who is less neurotic and afraid of speaking out his mind.
Mark Rippetoe happily snorting rn
Funny enough, he was right about sets of 5 being good for hypertrophy!
@@AlexLeonidasmakes sense no time wasted every rep is pretty challenging
@@AlexLeonidas its almost like everything works🤔 dont tell the optimal bros🤫
@@undagroundmane9117 Yeah and the truth is most 15 rep sets are so brutal on the joints with compounds because of sheer workload/volume. 15 rep sets can be used for sure, but I feel like most people think it's just most efficient for your time and instead do poor sets of junk weight. For isolations though 15 reps is great, everything has it's place.
@@AlexLeonidas
Multiple sets of low reps ??
Personally as a long armed gentleman, I’ve had the best results from focusing on building my arms first and letting everything else follow.
And since they were my weakpoint I dropped the ego and literally did 5lb cable tricep extensions and cable curls for 6 months. Then 10lbs for 6 months and so.
Now 3 years later I’m strict curling 40lb dumbbells with ease. And cheat curling 120lbs and soon I’ll be cheat curling 140lbs with reverse grip.
I also started wrist curling 2lb dumbbells... 1lb in reverse. Now my most recent PR 3 years later... drumroll please... 70lb dumbbell wrist curl. With a giant coke can sized fat grip. Not once... not twice... but for 8 sets of 1-4 reps.
That’s almost half my body weight!
In another 3 years I want to wrist curl 120-150lb dumbbells. I’m confident I can do it, all by Gods grace.
God exalts the humble boys.
Mfs will claim they dont care about strenght only muscle, my dude, what do you think you have muscles for
Many people measure strength by their one rep max.
I for one don't do any weight I don't think I can rep for 10.
I hope that streetlifting can become more mainstream as a strength sport. I hate that when people say strength training its immediately assumed that its powerlifting. There are other types of strength sports. And to be honest, I'd rather look like a streetlifter than a powerlifter. Streetlifting physiques even as a strength sport produce some really awesome physiques. Wide back, massive chest and shoulders and still decent legs since they still have to squat in competition.
As a MALE, being BUFF without having STRENGTH to back it up is a really, really DANGEROUS position to be in. Mess up and go to jail, them dudes Goin look at you like pound cake lol. Also, outside of this niche they got going on, throughout basically all of human history up till this day, being big= strong so people are going to perceive and judge you based on the strength your "big muscles" can put out. Imagine having to tell your grandma you can't help her move something because you don't focus on strength, can't pick up your girlfriend, and swing her around because "it's not optimal" or be of basic use to society as a whole because you only care about size.... that's how you quickly get labeled "big for nothing" behind your back.
I know damn well that I am an intermediate lifter, and I'm happy with that (for now) knowing that I still have so much more potential to unlock.
Forearms looking ꜰʀᴇᴀᴋʏ man. Keep up the great work!
Thank you Ricky, I'm isolating them now!
This brother has been my motivation for ages. Alex man, thank you dawg for everything u contribute to and stand for ❤
Yeah man this is some great information that really gives light behind the idea of powerbuilding. The big 3 lifts are mainly tests of strength and a way to get your total body stronger. The core strength you gain I think is unmatched from squats and deadlifts. On the other hand, your body tops out at a certain point, this is where isolations come in. Tendon strengthening from high rep band work, doing compromised ranges of motion, half of these things can help bulletproof your joints. Stretching also helps you grow as well, so when you start to combine all these things together you really have something. It's interesting hearing NFL athletes that do yoga, but honestly I do similar stuff also for stretching because more flexibility helps things like your lower back from getting into bad positions. I greatly underestimated the value of stretching and flexibility in keeping you from getting injured, it just makes your joints tolerate everything so much better.
Please reach your maximum potential Alex. Your videos and accomplishments have been a huge wake up call to naturals everywhere and it shows in your growing following. Reach your pinnacle and keep inspiring us to do the same. And to anyone else reading this, I wish all of you a lifetime of gains and improvement. I hope all of you become the best you can possibly be.
Basement Bodybuilding is gonna have a heart attack if he sees this video Alex!!! 😂
Crazy how my favourite Minecraft CZcamsr PopularMMos recomended you when i was 13 for lifting advice (iam now almost 20 with a decent physique and numbers)
actually? wtf
PopularMMOs is an Alex Leonidas fan? Wtf
Wow really? I did not know that
If you "only" use machines with "perfect" stability and strength curves, the "only" thing you're gonna get is injured, when real life hits you in the stabilisers.
that’s not true at all. strength is strength. look at someone like tnf, who only uses machines yet he benches 385 despite never running a strength block
A lot of these guys have never had to pick up a heavy box. No smith machine to stabilize you and the center of gravity of the box will make 60Lbs feel a lot heavier than it is.
@@kevinhsu3102 There is a real life outside the gym, my man.
@@Shadow_de_Kronos are you dumb? you think someone who incline presses 7 plates on a machine doesn’t have functional strength?
@@jahimuddin2306 that’s not how that works. when i lift weights i pretty much only do machines. i also do manual labor and im literally the strongest one there. stop listening to weak functional bros and step outside
You got me training for the one arm chin. Thanks mate.
Big goal, means you got a strong mindset. Let's get it!
@@AlexLeonidas When I get it I will comment again. It's ok if you don't remember me though, but you'll still get merry knowing some guy was inspired to the OAC by you :)
Only just getting started through this video but can already tell this mimics my exact thinking about all this which has been culminating over the last few weeks. Strength is VERY important. But when we threw the powerlifting-style programming bath water out the window (which was totally the right move), we also threw the baby of strength out as well.
Alex. I’ve been lifting for about a year and a half and I discovered you 4 months ago. At the 14 month mark I’d hit 315 lb deadlift. With just 4 more months of lessons I learned from you, I hit 405. 495 here we come! Thanks for your quality content always telling it like it is!
checked for a new vid and was not disappointed haha
Haha you came back for a monster of a video!
I feel like this video is talking to me. I’ve had pretty bad joint problems from day 1 and getting stronger has always been a huge struggle. I’ve put on 20-25 pounds of lean tissue in 3 years but I am still extremely weak. Have never benched 225 due to nerve damage in rotator cuff. I’ve recently began to realize that if I want to get any bigger, I have no choice but to address my strength problems from the ground up.
Winter is coming fellas
bear mode Season 😏
Perfect time to bulk and get STRONG!
@@AlexLeonidas 🔥🔥🔥🔥
@@AlexLeonidas hey Phil Whatu got on ur plate over there
Bro its august 💀
I am on a journey currently, my max bench is 175 lbs my goal is to increase it atleast to 225 this video really helps and motivates me.
Hi Alex. Neither strength nor hypertrophy is, strictly speaking, my exercise goal. I view both as supplementary to my martial arts training, so I have to balance both with cardio and flexibility. And actually, I also agree with this video. Because even if right now I can't bench 200kg AND throw a good jab, it'd be real nice to be able to someday.
Your videos are inspiring. I’ve been stuck with novice numbers for years doing “minimalist” work, falling into the powerbuilding hole, and avoiding a lot of solid exercises because of you know who.
It’s time for me to change my approach and mentality. Now i need to balance running somehow since I love that too. 😂
Even if big barbell movements aren’t quite optimal, the joy I get from training them and getting stronger makes them wayyyy more productive for me. The journey from 315 to a 405 deadlift was extremely gratifying. The current journey I’m on for 440 and then 500 is equally motivating. Heck, even chasing bigger loads on the more “optimal” RDL is fun.
This!!!!!! Crucial to last in this Iron game.
@@AlexLeonidasexcited to see your journey back up to 405 on bench. I’ve been lazy with pressing strength for awhile now and seeing your pressing explode might be the motivation I need!
I just hit 225 for 3x3 on the RDL after years of high rep work that rarely saw me go past 170Lbs. My glutes have also finally started getting bigger as well, but that can be attributed to hitting heavy hip thrusts.
@@jahimuddin2306 good to hear! I’ve been taking deadlift training as my number one priority recently and it’s really paid off. Went from 370 to 405 in about 6 weeks and now it’s been another ~2 months and I think 440 is going to be there soon. I’m also using 260 on RDLs for 3 sets of 6-10 which is crazy weight compared to what I used to do.
@@jahimuddin2306 RDL's probably did a lot more for your glutes than hip thrusts. I got to 44 inch glute measurement taking my RDL from 275x5 to 335x10. Hip thrusts. Have never done a hip thrust in my life
Mark bell said it best strength is never a weakness, weakness is never a strength
Many of us look for any excuses to not work hard.
man I love your content so much😭 I get called out so much, but thats the good part, you keep us accountable
Don’t get why people don’t care about strength. If you have a higher one rep max, than you can lift more volume at a higher weight making you bigger in return. That being said, it’s better to build strength than to chase it.
I'm on my 1yr and 8-month hypotrophy work and I have to agree with you...
Alex just keeps the epics rants! Your one sassy little rascal! Self proclaimed noble natty is wild! As an anabolic aristocrat myself, I approve this message! 🤩
Was just watching your AD press vids. So freaking stable man
Game changer when all you've done prior is OHP, eh? Enjoy!
So important to get stronger on isolations. I've stronger chin ups, db rows, bb rows and weighted pushups than ever before and my arms has actually gotten smaller since especially my tricep isolation movements has gotten weaker, because i've neglected them due to joint problems. Now i'm gaining skullcrusher strength back and shirt is already getting a bit tighter
The fun part about those guys saying "calisthenics is not good for hypertrophy because of core engagement" is that they have no idea how used we calisthenics athletes are to use the abs for every single movement. We don't even "feel" the core in basic movements or even hard skills. It's surprising to me seeing a lot of people thinking the front lever must be a "really hard abs exercise", when no one with experience would ever say that. Heck, we are so used to core engagement that I was surprised when I saw that my beginner friends weren't able to do ring triceps extension because of core weakness and not because of triceps muscular failure.
I can do the same amount of L sit chin ups as I can do normal chin ups. There is no reason for me not to do L sit chin ups, because it's free extra ab stimulation.
Besides, ab hypertrophy is also hypertrophy, and you can't isolate the abs, so just use them in compounds.
The core is never a limiting factor in any compound move that uses it, unless you have very weak core, in which case you can just keep doing it until your core catches up. That's what I did when I started doing all vertical pulling in L sit. While you're waiting for your core to catch up, you can just do as many L sit chins as you can, then lower your legs when you core gives out and finish the set with straight legs.
@@freehatespeech6804 Yeah, I completely agree with you. While I like doing L raises and knee raises and that's how I got the full dragon flag press (3 reps for now) after only 3 months of training for it, a friend of mine who *never* isolates core got it just because of compounds in calisthenics. That's proof enough of your point. Funnily enough, outside of calisthenics that movement is seen as a very advanced movement.
We get a ton of shit from those "optimal" gurus because our training is unstable and blah blah blah, but the thing is we just feel those movements stable because our core (and any other muscle that stabilize our body during the movement) are used to it. When we go back from rings to parallel bars, we feel very light because of that.
Btw, that L-sit to regular pull up is one of the things I do. It really helps to get that extra abs hypertrophy and lower lats, and you always still have some reps to just do regularly. It's amazing.
@@maximofernandez196 When I said you can't isolate core, I didn't mean to say that you can't focus on it. You can, of course, for example by training dragon flag or standing wheel rollouts.
I mean to say that even the moves that use the abs the most, also use other muscles to significant extents, like hip flexors or lats.
And I was a little over the top saying there's no reason to not do L sit pulling. There are, of course, other useful variations that bias different muscles more or less, like arching your back.
Pull ups are optimal btw. Pencil necks will whine, I will horsecock weight.
Love the nuances in this. I wish that this form of content got more love than the 50 trillion set, 8 billion exercises with plates instead of dumbells, etc that i see scrolling on youtube
As someone developing a home gym and has had to move quite a bit, ive had to make do with less weights and less than ideal equipments from time to time. Starting out ive made errors like messy form (like using my chest on a jm press) and over did it in terms of volume, which did grow me but made my joints hurt a ton and i did not grow much in terms of strength per microcycle. I learned to get more out of less weight from people like you and that helped me greatly with very limited weights and bad recovery. For example, i would do 315 ish full on horsing the weight deadlift with pillows underneath, to switching entirely to snatch grip for 125 with a much slower eccentric, but that went up and up to 215, then id widen the grip more and more and more. I still saw a decent slowdown which made me believe i was genuinely intermediate, Then i got ill, got massive strength boosts and ive gotten hooked on that genuine strength gain. Currently, my micro cycle is 10 days instead of 7 but where before i would have 1 rep or a half rep per session, i consistently get 2-3+, all with good form and making the most out of what i have and though hard to tell at times, i believe im seeing the rewards. My defecit deadlift has gotten to my old horsing deadlift numbers, so i went to the next variation, where im still stronger than the last time when i did snatch grip deadlifts
Part of me does still wonder how far i should lean here or there, if i over do the long ranges of motion or technique, if i should sacrifice some more form for more weight but i feel im getting there eventually, and i do end up still getting stronger on older positions.
I do wish that strength was discussed more since i see influencers do as you say. Strength with good enough form and tempos are good for tracking potential hypertrophy, a big muscle has to have big strength at its pure function at least. Certain times, you can benefit from a little more horsing of weights, like a heavy squat that builds overall mass and strength in the quads, glutes, core, spinal erectors, etc, vs ONLY opting for 7 second eccentric pendulum squats. A little cyborgery helps with objectivity, one shouldnt be at the total expense of the other, but whats all the good form and the 40 second eccentrics if it can take away from our ability to see objective strength gains? (Through extra metabolic fatigue, mental fatigue doing century long movements for 26 reps, changing movements much for the "optimal" choice that you relearn and relearn and potentially push less stimulus into other muscles)
I am sleepy so this is a huge ramble but yea
Strength is the measure of how much you can exert yourself into the world
I started hitting almost everything in the 3-8 rep range with heavy weight and I love it. My main goal is strength, but I have been getting bigger. My arms have seen the biggest difference as I was hitting higher rep, lower weights in the past.
Man ive been saying this for so long, its like everyone either trains only for hypertrophy and only care about whats ”optimal” or only care about their pl total, thats why you never see people doing barbell ohp or weighted calisthenics at the gym. Its sad.
I like to 1RM and set strength goals, then once I hit them I like to work back and hit new 3,5,8,10 rep maxes to increase the total working weight I use on my hypertrophic volume sets 💪😎👌
Bench is my weakest but im curling 65 db 😂 natty
Aye OG we all got our strong points, like I can't dumbbell curl what you do! 65lbs is crazy impressive.
Natural Hypertrophy has talked at length about power coping, and I think that he is spot on in his assessment. But I also believe there is such a thing as hypertrophy coping, and you called it out great in this video.
That's the word, hypertrophy coping. Damn right, there's always an opposite to extremes.
I have not understood a single word of this video. But I watched it to completion
Let’s add behind the neck press as a powerlifting lift
Id like to see a weighted pullup added.
Adding those two would be great for powerlifting
I'm 45 and still want to look good AND be strong! Great vid, big dawg!
Any tips for a 21 year old trying to look like you when I’m 45?
@@jonathancontreras633 Eat healthy, do your cardio and train.
My guy just dropped the most useful video for weightlifting on earth and thought we wouldn't notice
Great video. Lost sight of my numbers and now im going back to chasing numbers in all lifts, i realise how much ive regressed. Too much adhd program hopping going on. Get stronger in everything, simple advice
400k is here. Congrats Alex!
DAMN...... 36 min and 22 sec of REAL TALK !!!!!! 💯 OFFICIAL Bro
Hey Alex, ever consider making a movie on hard training? With your lighting, camera setup and physique it'd look amazing AF
I’m really glad there’s people setting a high standard for everyone while being natty. It’s very motivating to know natties can go far through hard work!!
For your _"Strength is strength"_ argument, you chose to illustrate with your weighted dip and bench. Guess what? If you add your bodyweight to the dip weight... You get 405 :]
I am curious how good the carry over is, I have only bench pressed once in my life, felt shaky af much more unstable than dips tbh, but I do over 100kgs for one rep on the dip, wonder how well it would go after some technique training....
@@balintkereszturi538carryover is insane, it literally works the same muscles, once you get form down you should be super strong
Total dip weight should be higher than bench
I thought being strong was just my own little thing that I could be proud of. Was never bothered about looks but it's improved my grappling x10 and protected me in my old job where I had to restrain grown people with minimum harm but also protect myself. The grappling made the strength useful and the strength gave me new avenues in grappling
Strength lives matters
Coplantis XD
This channel is underrated for analogies.
God damn strength mini film
Awesome video.
Taking some time with those lower weights and being hyper-focussed on technique actually helped me a lot in going from decent enough form (probably won't get injured, but that's about it) to pristine. However, that was indeed just a phase. At the end of the day, I now use my experience and muscle memory from said phase to lift heavier weights with clean technique. One of the most important things, in my opinion, is keeping an open mind regarding this stuff. The two extremes you mention simply don't happen to people who are just as interested in learning about training and the human body as they are in the actual activity. For beginners and even intermediates, I believe it can actually be very useful to have "phases" where they are overly focussed on a certain aspect or way of training, because you'll learn a lot about the pros and cons, and personal experience is invaluable when it comes to training. However, this can only be a good thing if they are also continuously looking into new types of content, watching and reading different creators/authors, and thus being confronted with new information - all the while, over the years, they are slowly but surely building a balanced approach to chasing their personal goals in lifting.
I am so glad I figured out lifting before the science wave. There is a generation of guys who think it's just about stretching the muscle more. They can't row a plate, but they sure as hell can pause at the bottom and get that deep stretch. They'll be huge anytime now.
Pencilnecked sciencebros vs heavy horsecockers
Thank you for saving me years Alex ❤
Sipping a cool glass of lemonade and watching intently
I've been training very seriously for over 1 year now. I'm trying my absolute best to follow a good bodybuilding program. I've been doing everything right, tracking my calories, eating 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, eating nutrient dense foods exclusively, 12-24 sets per day, 5 days a week, I take 1/3rd of my sets to complete muscular failure, ECT. I Bulked at a steady pace, and I gained about 32 pounds. I don't know if I'm gaining muscle at a good rate, or even gaining muscle at all. I am planning on cutting eventually, and I hope I actually made significant progress for bulking for over 500 days. (no mini cuts or plateaus when it comes to weight gain) I don't know how much my bench press will suffer when I cut back down to 135 pounds or so. At January 1st 2024 my 1RM was 155 pounds paused @ 137 BW. I hit a PR on August 2nd 2024 of 185 pounds paused @ a BW of 156. (all my body weights are morning fasted) I never go under 8 reps for any exercise, and never go over 16 reps. What I wanted to know is this normal progress or is it slow?
Depends really if you do bench every week or only do it to test your PR to see where you stand. if its the former id argue yeah pretty slow rate you are a noobie and bulked so weight should be going up pretty frequently until like 200-225( starts to slow down). If the latter then pretty decent/good you are not specializing in bench press but your muscles are getting stronger as a unit.
@@davidperez6040 I bench press 2 times a week, and I also incorporate incline dumbbell press, and machine flies. I only test my PRs to try to make sure that I'm actually putting on some muscle and make sure that I'm moving in the right direction. I was told that the way to make sure that you're making progress is not to look in the mirror but to look at your workout log book.
@@yelezi7950 You remind me of myself in the sense i felt the more I do the more results ill get. I use to bench press, incline and decline press 2x week and flys. In my opinion you are doing too much volume and its making your muscles fatigue because your body cant recover in time for the next workouts. If you cant recover then you cant perform 100% even if you go to failure, you are going to failure at your 80% not your 100%. I started to see results when i did bench one day and a variation of bench (incline) another day. I also started doing 3x5 so i knew i was going all out.
@@davidperez6040 Do you think I should lower the amount of sets I do, because I still want to do the same sort of exercises. By the way, when you changed from high volume to low volume what changed, and how did you know for sure you were not getting overtrained?
@@yelezi7950 you can either lower the amount of sets per day or lower the amount of days you go from 5 to 4 or 3 and keep the volume. I personally do 2x days now but im maintaining after 6 years i have achieved my ideal physique and do other things now. But im still getting stronger on exercises that i care about (ohp and lateral rises).