People Skipping The Big 3 Lifts at The Gym

Cheapascents on 26/09/2018 - 23:20
Last edited 27/09/2018 - 09:50 by 1 other user

So ive seen a lot of people at the gym skip leg day, skip cardio, and i understand and comprehend why, actually i dont, skipping leg day is a big NO NO for me.

But the BIG 3 lifts, why would you ever skip those compounds movements?

THE DEADLIFT, BENCH PRESS AND SQUATS, literally the kings of gym lifts, that builds strength and size effectively.

I'm wondering about why people skip these 3 exercises, they're are so effective and efficient in building strength and size, its also nice to see noticeable strength increase, you feel yourself getting stronger every week, every month.

However with that being said, i see people skipping those compounds movements and go straight to isolation exercises, dumbbells, cables and machines.

I see people on leg day, skip the squats and go straight to leg press, doing 300kg half @ss reps thinking their top dog with a smirk on their face, like NO, heavy leg presses arent anything to be proud of, its so easy to do them.

Are they scared that they will fall on their asses while doing squats, are they scared of the barbell dropping on them when they bench press? are they scared their back will go out when they deadlift?

Maybe people dont know how to do the proper technique for those lifts and skip them altogether?

I left a poll below, asking if you do these 3 compounds lifts or not.

Also i would like to hear your training programs, like routine, regime and lifts, shout out your diets as well if you want, im keen to read.
Mine is push, pull and leg.

Poll Options

  • 6
    Only 2 of the compounds movements.
  • 9
    Only 1 of the compounds movements.
  • 29
    I DO ALL, Deadlifts, Bench press and squats. I'm A BOSS
  • 49
    None, I dont do any at all.
Sports & Outdoors

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 26/09/2018 - 23:25
    +4

    People avoid the big lifts because of the following reasons.

    1. Ego - a self perceived seasoned lifter may feel inferior if they aren't lifting the heaviest in the room.

    2. Form - many injuries with those lifts because of poor form.

    3. Effort - it's not an exercise you can bail as and when.

    I've seen friends avoid those lifts for even stupider reasons. One refused to use barbells unless someone can help him rack plates.

    Ps. Even doing those lifts I feel lazy. Olympic lifters are doing much more.

    • Cheapascents on 26/09/2018 - 23:32
      +1

      i totally agree with what you said, i rarely see olympic lifts at all, sometimes i think the olympic lifts should be called powerlifting, and the powerlifting should be called weightlifting. There is so much more power needed, for the snatch, jerk and clean.

      • [Deactivated] on 26/09/2018 - 23:38

        I wouldn't advise doing Oly lifts at an average gym. Most gyms have cheap barbells with broken bushings. This is much worse than a standard barbell that doesn't have a rotating sleeve. Assymetrical rotation of the sleeve can do some serious damage.

        Also, most gyms use coated handled plates and not bumpers. Dropping an incorrectly loaded bar with those plates without a platform is disastrous for the equipment.

    • Diji1 on 26/09/2018 - 23:54
      +3

      You forgot option 4. the one for the people not rigidly following an ideology when they go to the gym.

      • [Deactivated] on 26/09/2018 - 23:58
        +1

        I sorta had a 4. I think the reason you mentioned is called half-arsing. It's the same people who take 5 minute breaks between sets to go flex in front of the mirror.

    • djsweet on 27/09/2018 - 09:17

      I agree with the points, but I reckon its mostly 2. Most people just don't know how to do them properly.
      Also, some gyms aren't set up with the best equipment. Ideally you'd want a good quality barbell with bumpers in case you have to bail and drop the weights. More of a problem for oly lifting obviously, but I think also for squats particularly out of the lifts mentioned.

  • [Deactivated] on 27/09/2018 - 00:33

    Why bother, you wear jeans going out and a tight top. Upper body matters 1st unless you have time.

    • owli on 27/09/2018 - 09:05

      Also, those jeans won't fit you after doing the big three with any consistency.

    • Gronk on 27/09/2018 - 10:02
      +3

      Cluck cluck!!

  • GangGang on 27/09/2018 - 00:53
    +5

    Beginners aren't trained on how to do the excersie (squats, deadlift). It's not a simple machinery that you just push/pull up and down to workout. Doing the exercise properly by going all the way down with an empty bar is difficult enough.

    I think it comes down to training & difficulty of the exercises.

  • ronnknee on 27/09/2018 - 01:22
    +22

    Why do you care how people exercise? Let them do whatever they want.

  • EightImmortals on 27/09/2018 - 06:30
    +2

    I have a dodgy back so squats and deadlifts are right out for me. My form was good though as I had it checked be several people along the way. My physio reckons some backs just can't do squats. Strangely I have no problem with seated squats…?

  • Nugs on 27/09/2018 - 06:32
    +2

    what's a gym.

  • knobbs on 27/09/2018 - 06:56

    Tore my miniscus 5 years ago and has been gradually getting worse. Doctor and physio told me to stop squatting as that is what was tearing it up and causing me pain. Two months off squats and I'm back to it, although I can't/shouldn't even get to parallel now because of my injury.

    Deadlift I used to do but have had so many injuries and now told to stop dling by physio. It would be good up so for strength but I'm not too concerned about strength anymore.

    Anyone at world gym in Brisbane? Keen for another lifting buddy

  • iforgotmysocks on 27/09/2018 - 07:47
    +2

    Only do the big 3 #yeahbuddy #lightweight

  • pegaxs on 27/09/2018 - 08:39

    Brah, do you even lift, squat or press?

  • owli on 27/09/2018 - 09:07
    +1

    I pretty much only do the big three as I don't have time for anything else.

  • waterbottled on 27/09/2018 - 09:16

    I don't deadlift but I do the other two. Honestly it's because I'm lazy and I don't know what it does for you visually.

    • [Deactivated] on 27/09/2018 - 10:00
      +2

      Benchpress, when done correctly, works your abs, arms, chest, front shoulder, and upper back. Many people end up hurting their shoulders here because they compensate by squaring their shoulders.

      Squats is like the first golden gate. It works all the postural muscles from your upper back down to your heels, and it triggers growth response (which affects the whole body) of the biggest muscle group in the body, the quads. Doing some biceps and some quads would have better results on the biceps than working biceps all day long.

      Deadlifts are the most poorly executed exercise. When done correctly, it is works the postural muscles where the squat may have not fully worked.

      Any of these lifts will compliment the rest of your workout because you will stand more atheletically.

      • HighAndDry on 27/09/2018 - 10:22
        +1

        Honestly of the three, I honestly thin deadlift is actually the best for general strength and posture. Unfortunately that's because it works out everything including the back - and that's also what makes it (imo) the most dangerous and risky one.

      • iforgotmysocks on 27/09/2018 - 14:52

        you will stand more aesthetically

        Fixed that for you

        • [Deactivated] on 27/09/2018 - 15:30

          Actually, I did mean athletically.

          Shoulders pulled back, hip in line with spine, toes forward…

  • KBZ on 27/09/2018 - 09:21

    This way to Ausbb or BB.com.

  • neil on 27/09/2018 - 09:25
    +4

    I'm wondering how many people clicked into this thread thinking it was about avoiding using lifts in the big accounting firms. 🤔

    • Youfah Mizzum on 27/09/2018 - 09:50
      +2

      Exactly what I thought when I read the title. Big 3 lifts? I was wondering what determines a big lift? The tradies lift that goes to the basement? Quite confused until I clicked into it.

      I'm allergic to exercise, so I don't deadlift, livelift, but sometimes I give lifts if I'm going that way too.
      I do squat though - gotta get those number 2's out somehow.

  • [Deactivated] on 27/09/2018 - 09:27

    I skip deadlifts often because I have a hiatus hernia (caused by deadlifts), so even when I do do deadlifts, I only use light weights. Doing them just makes my hernia worse.

  • HighAndDry on 27/09/2018 - 10:21

    are they scared their back will go out when they deadlift?

    Pretty much this, but also with squats. I gym by myself. I'm pretty confident in my form for both deadlifts and squats, and did have them as part of my routine before, but I gym to stay healthy, not to get particularly big. The risk of actually putting out my back while gymming? That'd absolutely and completely defeat the purpose, not to mention then I wouldn't be able to gym for a week or more.

    The risk isn't worth it - so I stick to machines and more controlled exercises.

  • Member 0230 on 27/09/2018 - 10:33
    +2

    From personal experience, an excellent starting place for beginners to the Big Lifts - and maybe also regular gym goers - is Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe.

    Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition
    ★★★★★ 1,432 Amazon Reviews

    Website: Starting Strength is worth a visit too.

    As an absolute beginner in Feb last year, I was able to safely increase my lifting weights in 12 months — below as a ratio to bodyweight (BW):

    • Squats: from 0.43 BW (4 sets of 10) pre-SS → 1.33 BW (3 sets of 6)
    • Bench: from 0.43 BW (4 sets of 8) pre-SS → 0.72 BW (3 sets of 4)
    • Deadlifts: from 0.52 BW (2 sets of 10) pre-SS → 1.53 BW (1 set of 5)

    As more experienced lifters who follow any half-decent program would know, early gains come quick, and then slow after 2-6 months. SS shows how to do lifts with proper form (i.e., safely and effectively) and provides a sustainable progression in intensity (good programming for beginners).

    • Strahany on 29/09/2018 - 08:44

      SS + GOMAD = All aboard the gainz train

  • BertieBrown on 27/09/2018 - 11:48
    +2

    One of the other useful areas for leg and back exercises is that these are big muscle groups, so they use up a lot of energy, which can be helpful with metabolism, how much energy your body is using up to keep going. Plus, these are also very functional exercises. A lot of the time people associate big biceps, triceps, forearms or shoulders with strength, but this is not really the case. Have a look at Olympic weight-lifters and gymnasts, who whilst have large muscle groups in these areas, also have extreme functional strength. A bit like a Gorilla, or a chimp, which don't really have hugely defined arms of shoulders but are incredibly strong.

    • [Deactivated] on 27/09/2018 - 12:24
      +1

      Compared to the Oly lifter that trains beside me, he lifts much more (double?) But his arms are smaller. His waist is wider (not beer belly) and generally wider torso.

  • bargainhunter87 on 27/09/2018 - 11:55
    -1

    F45.

  • Beanvee on 27/09/2018 - 14:25
    +1

    I do bench but not the others, mostly over form concerns. I'm not good at keeping my back straight, I've tried to practice but I can feel it's stressing where it's not meant to.
    But you have machines that effectively do the same thing and force you into a position you can't get wrong, so I just do those instead.

  • Noragrets on 27/09/2018 - 14:56

    I do all three. I am female so squats is a big must! But deadlifts I only started doing probably 2 months ago and it was because I was unsure on proper form. I now do it all the time though. Those are actually the 3 excersises I do most along with the isolation excersises. I dont actually see many others doing them though.

    • [Deactivated] on 27/09/2018 - 15:32
      -2

      For females, your main exercise should be lunges, deadlifts and squats, in that order of priority.

      It's the booty trio.

      • Noragrets on 27/09/2018 - 18:39

        I do a lot of lunges but they're not my favorite excersise. Usually do split squats more than lunges

  • BertieBrown on 27/09/2018 - 22:27

    An interesting video displaying some of the physiques (men) of Olympic championship weight-lifters, who are lifting incredible weights. If you watch Dean's second lift, you can see the amount of weight he's lifting really well demonstrated by how the steel bar is just wobbling up and down. Also, you watch after Andrey Chemerkin completes his second lift successfully and he just bounces up into the air. Incredible stuff. Thought some of the folks who are focusing on dead-lifts, squats and lunges might find this interesting or inspirational. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDVu_q1rcHE

  • Tasmaniac on 28/09/2018 - 00:50

    I run 5 x 5 almost all year round and all my workouts start with a compound. That being said I can't go heavy squat and heavy dead with the same program, my back just can't handle it. Anyways most people I think just don't have any idea what they're doing. Something I notice often these days also is most of the advanced guys are also doing less conventional lifts.

  • tighttighttight1 on 28/09/2018 - 23:32

    It's can almost be equated to the evolutionary habit of survival. We do not need to place our muscles under so much stress especially after a long day at work which is bringing in the dough. Our mind and body will attempt to urge us to rest, rather than exert extra energy for what could be perceived as a waste of energy.
    Same concept applies for dieting. Evolutionary speaking, we humans ate to literally survive varying periods of time where the next meal could not be easily accessed by approaching a fridge, but rather required superior hunting/gathering skills. When there was a greater abundance of food, we ate more to build up our energy supplies. Knowing that, its easy to understand why so many diets fail.

    In saying all this, I am an avid gym goer because I enjoy it.

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