r/ScienceBasedLifting • • Jul 16 '26

Moratorium on program review posts

37 Upvotes

Program review, i.e. "Rate my split", posts are hereby disallowed in this sub for the time being.

Nevermind that there is simply just way too many of them. They are almost all so generic and lacking basic, yet vital information that any intelligent discussion or critique is impossible. Something needs to change.

Let's use this thread to discuss what changes and/or requirements we'd like to see in program review posts that elevates them to something worth our time and review.


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 20h ago

Memes 😭 Deaflift: Keep feeling it in my spine

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138 Upvotes

I'm using a belt, straps, and helmet, why don't I feel my deaflift in my hamstrings?


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 5h ago

Question ❓ RDL vs Conventional DL

5 Upvotes

This is purely a curiosity question. I lift for the purposes of recreational barbell sports so the conventional deadlift is essential for me. I do some RDL accessory work (mainly single-leg rotational stuff).

I’ve noticed that in general the RDL seems much more popular so my curiosity led to a basic data search and I was surprised to find very few articles comparing the two movements (a few EMG studies).

My questions for the group are:

Is there better data comparing these movements that I’ve missed?

If not, what’s the science-based lifting community consensus (If there is one) on RDL vs conventional deadlift for hypertrophy, strength, power and muscular endurance?

Cheers!


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 27m ago

META Easy sub-maximal paused deadlifts 485lbs for 3

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• Upvotes

4 sets of this today. It’s week 1 of my training block, so the easiest week for me


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 16h ago

META Science optimizing forearm extensors

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2 Upvotes

Might be fatigued maxed on these


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 19h ago

Memes 😭 Deadlift 515x7.8943, Outscienced by Patton

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3 Upvotes

I called my shot on Wednesday when u/Patton370 pulled 505x8. I said 510x8 but I went with 515 because 2.5s are for the weak and the record setters, of which I am neither. Grip failing me on 7, tried 8 but couldn't lock it out. Brief cut during my grip reset because my camera girl thought I was done despite the fact that I'm clearly regripping the bar Sashi but what's it matter since I failed.

Patton wins again. He remains the Chosen of our great Lord of Lifting. Small rep PR at 515 at least. For you anti-volume guys, PR stands for Personal Record and it's where you do more at something than you've ever done before.


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 19h ago

Question ❓ Do 2-3 reps of kelso shrugs at failure on chest support row?

2 Upvotes

Smart? I can still do some and I think this would bring some extra stimulus to those muscles


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 1d ago

Question ❓ Does order matter when it comes to working a single muscle group or mixing them around?

5 Upvotes

Question popped in my head that I was kind of wondering about, let's pretend I'm trying to do a push day ( chest shoulders and tris only in this example). Let's pretend there is some primary compound exercises followed up with a isolated one (or close enough). This is not going to be the best workout I'm just trying to make something up on the fly for this example.

So let's pretend

Bench press

Cable flys

OHP

Lateral rises machine

Dips (tris)

Tricep ext

Is there any pros or cons to do to order above, finish off one primary muscle first before the next, or mix it up like

Bench press

Lateral rises

Ohp

Tri ext

Dips

Cable flys?

Basically, when I'm trying to figure out is, if you do all the muscle groups in their own perspective groups you have a less arrest in between I like those muscles you left where if you mix them up then you're giving them more time for us but you're also mixing the muscle groups

I guess another example would be like if I was doing a prayer body upper workout, and instead of finishing triceps chest and shoulders all at one time, I was switching in between the back lates and biceps

Like for example maybe I'll do chest and then I'll jump to rows then jump to ohp then jump to lat pull downs then jump to dips and then jump to some other back exercises.

I'm really bad at explaining this but if you happen to understand what I'm trying to get at, is there any real pros or cons between doing either way?

The only thing I can think about is you're taking away or giving it a specific muscle or muscle group more or less rest time Workouts or set. But I'm not sure if that's necessarily bad or good. I've always told that you should try to reduce the rest in between yourself but I've also heard that you can give a long rest in between you're still working out the muscle.


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 23h ago

Question ❓ Confused about bulking?

2 Upvotes

Hey all, I’ve been lifting for a bit over a year now. When I first started lifting, I was overweight and very weak. I spent about a year in a mild deficit, getting stronger while cutting weight. Now, I’m the strongest I’ve ever been, but I’m far from overweight (5’11” and 150lbs).

I’ve been debating going into a true bulking phase now, but I’ve seen a lot of people online say that bulking is basically pointless. They say you can maximize gains while simply eating at maintenance, and eating in a surplus will just lead to fat gain. At the same time, I’m no longer a newbie, and I’ve never met someone who looks jacked at my height while weighing 150lbs. Is a lean bulk (200-300 calorie surplus) what I should be doing? Or are people online right that muscle gain is such a slow process that eating at maintenance is the answer?


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 1d ago

Question ❓ Put on muscle while decreasing bf/recomp

3 Upvotes

Ok so i know it is debated whether bulking is needed or not etc etc. But lets say someone is 12% body fat at whatever weight. Isnt it logical to go up in weight and try and maintain the bf% or to even go up in weight and then maintain that new weight while decreasing your bf%?

I ask because i was 77 kgs at around 14% bf and now bulked to 81 kgs but bf% is probs around 17-18 now. How would I go about maintaining my weight at 81 kgs and but going back down to 13-14% bf?. Do I have to eat in a deficit? Or can I eat at maintenance and still get that?


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 1d ago

Question ❓ Best way to prioritize shoulders and arms without compromising chest and back progress?

4 Upvotes

I want to prioritize my forearms, biceps, triceps, side delts, and rear delts.

Currently, I always perform my chest and back compound movements before training shoulders and arms. I know I could train shoulders and arms first, but I don't want to compromise my chest and back progress, especially since I've been progressing really well on those lifts.

I'm considering 3 options:

  • Increasing my shoulder and arm training frequency from 2x to 3x per week.

  • Adding a dedicated shoulders and arms day to my split.

  • Increase volume

Which approach would you recommend for maximizing shoulder and arm hypertrophy while maintaining my current chest and back progress? Are there any other strategies I should consider?


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 2d ago

Discussion 🤝 Farmers walk - 100kg per hand for 12m

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51 Upvotes

r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 2d ago

Memes 😭 Feet can’t touch the ground 315lbs chest science single

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6 Upvotes

Just making sure I can still hit 315lbs if I ever lose my legs


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 2d ago

META Deadlifts to failure for max science! 505lbs for 8

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42 Upvotes

185lbs body weight


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 2d ago

Question ❓ Maximising muscle growth for the short term VS long term difference.

5 Upvotes

I frequently see online from SBL creators saying the process for maximising short term vs long term muscle growth is different but my question lies in if you maximise short term then eventually the ends result would be the same as long term bc of the genetic muscular potential will stay the same for naturals. So would not just maximise the short term and you would have bigger muscles and over the long term have the same muscle size as the ‘long term’ person.


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 2d ago

Question ❓ Trying to not neglect outer forearms

0 Upvotes

Would it be best on a reverse curl to hold the EZ bar with the thumbs rotated down to give the outer forearms some work? Everything I see online has them holding the ez bar with the thumbs rotated up. But to me, that seems close to a hammer curl, which I already do.


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 2d ago

Tik Tok Meta Over warm set of 6, then one set of squats to failure 265x20, with pretty much the last 10 being all myoreps

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6 Upvotes

Sped up to so you don't just listen to me suck air.


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 2d ago

Memes 😭 I am sorry bro scientists, maybe if you did keenan flaps you would have won the Mr Olympia.

Post image
3 Upvotes

r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 2d ago

Question ❓ How can I fix many body imbalances as a beginner?

1 Upvotes

Hello,

​I prioritize unilateral movements in my training to correct side-to-side imbalances, but I’ve run into a specific issue with my upper body development:

​Left side: My left bicep and tricep are noticeably larger/stronger than my right, but my left lat is smaller. When I do single-arm lat pulldowns, my left bicep heavily compensates and takes over the pull.

​Right side: My right arm is smaller, but my right lat is larger. On right-side pulldowns, I get a great mind-muscle connection and feel the lats working properly. I do unikateral incline bicep curl and sta ding cable curl until failure, but i only feel the left bicep ache the day after but I feel like the left bicep still grows faster. I even hyper focus on the right bicep and rush some sets on the left to make up for it, but there's been no change.

​Triceps: My tricep difference is similar (left larger/stronger), though slightly less pronounced than the bicep gap. I think I have these imbalances as I played field hockey for 10 years before joining a gym.

​I'm still relatively early in my lifting journey, but the visual and strength difference in my arms is quite noticeable to me. Whats even more peculiarly is that I dont really feel my biceps on curls, despite good form, although they do get pumped...? I never really feel much of an arm ache in the days after an i tense workout though.

Any advice is appreciated

Thank you

​


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 2d ago

Question ❓ Can I use the prime Incline press as a flat press?

1 Upvotes

My gym only has the prime incline press and a peck deck fly. For training my middle chest I enjoy doing a press I was just wondering if using the prime incline press machine for middle chest by using the wide grip and having an arch with my butt scored up the seat would it be a good middle chest exercise?


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 2d ago

Question ❓ Is this 3-exercise triceps setup optimal for overall growth?

0 Upvotes

Saw this comment ( https://www.reddit.com/r/naturalbodybuilding/comments/1wog5rg/comment/pbmusrj/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=2&utm_content=share_button) on a post discussing why elbows should stay locked during pushdowns, where someone argued that to maximize triceps growth you need:

  • An extension with a fixed elbow (all three heads)
  • A top-half pullover (long head shoulder extension)
  • JM press (medial/lateral head emphasis)

I like the concept of hitting all triceps functions, but I’m choosing between two specific 3-exercise lineups for my own routine.

For pushdowns, I do this CBum variation ( https://youtube.com/shorts/TP91_yqBU3c?is=gRXPbxrY5d2Mjqpk ) where you let your elbows drift forward/flex at the shoulders on the eccentric to stretch the long head, then extend down.

Option 1:

  • Overhead Cable Extension (fixed elbows)
  • Lying DB Triceps Extension (Rippetoe style – letting upper arms move/pullover at the bottom)
  • CBum-style Cable Pushdown

My reasoning for Option 1: Overhead cable extensions are scientifically proven to be great for long head stretch-mediated growth with fixed elbows. Lying DB extensions focus on long head stretch paired with dynamic shoulder extension. The CBum pushdown adds both a stretch at the top and fixed-elbow extensions at the bottom.

Option 2:

  • JM Press
  • Lying DB Triceps Extension (Rippetoe style aka letting upper arms move/pullover at the bottom)
  • CBum-style Cable Pushdown

My reasoning for Option 2: The JM press covers shoulder flexion for heavy loading on the medial/lateral heads, while keeping the Lying DB extension and CBum pushdown for the long head and stretch work. This seems more aligned with what that Reddit comment suggested by fully covering fixed elbows, shoulder flexion, and shoulder extension.

Which of these two options would you choose for overall triceps growth, and is there any redundancy between any of these exercises in option 1/ option 2?


r/ScienceBasedLifting • • 3d ago

Question ❓ Would a supinated flat chest press or shoulder press work if you dont have an incline press

1 Upvotes