I feel kinda bad you wasted your time with a serious reply to that. That being said, everyone has their preference for solo traing or with others.
Fitness |OT8| Dad Bods, Bulge Swelfies, and Wait...Do you even lift bro?
- Thread starter Chocobro
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One of my clients (I'm a personal trainer) bought me this one for Christmas. Saves me from having to drive to/from the gym and home just for a decent meal or having to rely on nutrition bars, shakes, and the like. I like it.
Arrowgigantic
Member
Amazing
I can feel all the lost gains from here lol.
Jacksinthe
Banned
Also: My secret for calculating my rep max for squats and bench.
Wulfric
Member
Lol, when I hear 5k I think of big events. >.<
That's cool though. I used to run a lot before I switched over to weightlifting. Towards the end of a 10K you're running on pure willpower, it's honestly an awesome feeling.
Omg, I've never seen people try this in real life, but now I kinda do. I guess that movement is good for... something?
Sutton Dagger
Member
So I kind of want to post a progress pic, as a means of keeping me motivated/accountable for my progress.
My story is that I've kind of always liked the gym, but I've gone up and down over the last two years, sometimes training hard (or what I thought was hard) and then completely falling off (and suffering from depression).
So back in August I decided to swallow my pride and start being serious. I read heaps of stuff in this thread and decided to do Starting Strength. I can tell you now it's a humbling experience.... My numbers were incredibly low, and still aren't where I want them to be but I guess the main thing is I'm improving.
This is my shot and numbers from August 2015
Squat: 45kg
Deadlifts: 60kg
Bench: 60kg
Overhead Press: 20kg
I realise my Bench shouldn't be the same as my other lifts but that I've always had crappy legs, dislocated my patella multiple times (if I'm being truthful I've always been scared to do leg work since those times).
So I took my progress numbers and shot in December, which was pretty much 4 months to the day.
Squat: 90kg
Deadlifts 140kg
Bench 90kg
Overhead Press 45kg
So I've made some gains obviously, still lagging behind on legs but I now enjoy leg day and have a love/hate relationship with squats
I plan to do my next progress report around April.
Thanks so much for all the advice.
My story is that I've kind of always liked the gym, but I've gone up and down over the last two years, sometimes training hard (or what I thought was hard) and then completely falling off (and suffering from depression).
So back in August I decided to swallow my pride and start being serious. I read heaps of stuff in this thread and decided to do Starting Strength. I can tell you now it's a humbling experience.... My numbers were incredibly low, and still aren't where I want them to be but I guess the main thing is I'm improving.
This is my shot and numbers from August 2015
Squat: 45kg
Deadlifts: 60kg
Bench: 60kg
Overhead Press: 20kg
I realise my Bench shouldn't be the same as my other lifts but that I've always had crappy legs, dislocated my patella multiple times (if I'm being truthful I've always been scared to do leg work since those times).
So I took my progress numbers and shot in December, which was pretty much 4 months to the day.
Squat: 90kg
Deadlifts 140kg
Bench 90kg
Overhead Press 45kg
So I've made some gains obviously, still lagging behind on legs but I now enjoy leg day and have a love/hate relationship with squats
I plan to do my next progress report around April.
Thanks so much for all the advice.
Sutton Dagger
Member
Cheers guys. I'm hoping my chicken legs see some gains 
I'm seeing improvement in my quads but my damn lower leg looks like a drumstick.
Anyone else have trouble seeing growth in the lower legs, guess I just have to eat more. Include calf work to my Starting strength program?
I'm seeing improvement in my quads but my damn lower leg looks like a drumstick.
Anyone else have trouble seeing growth in the lower legs, guess I just have to eat more. Include calf work to my Starting strength program?
I gave up on my calves after 8 months of extensive work. They did get stronger but there was no size increase. I don't really care much. As long as they get me up from a heavy squat I'm good.Cheers guys. I'm hoping my chicken legs see some gains
I'm seeing improvement in my quads but my damn lower leg looks like a drumstick.
Anyone else have trouble seeing growth in the lower legs, guess I just have to eat more. Include calf work to my Starting strength program?
Spiritreaver
Member
If you want calves, get fat for a year. Or get a DVT, my calves swelled to 21" when I had mine.
In all seriousness though... nothing really hits my calves except high rep calf raises. I usually do them on the edge of something. Like a stool or a pullup/dip machine. Anything where i can keep myself balanced, but have my calves/ankles are literally doing everything.
Never been a fan of normal calf raises, or leg press calf work.
Genetics do help a lot though.
In all seriousness though... nothing really hits my calves except high rep calf raises. I usually do them on the edge of something. Like a stool or a pullup/dip machine. Anything where i can keep myself balanced, but have my calves/ankles are literally doing everything.
Never been a fan of normal calf raises, or leg press calf work.
Genetics do help a lot though.
Psychotext
Member
Incredible progress since August Dagger. Your numbers have rocketed up, I'm quite jealous.
WRT to calves... I can't speak for if they add size (I've got pretty good calves from cycling), but if you want to make them suffer, try grabbing the heaviest dumbbells you can lift, and carrying them up and down stairs (sort of like a farmers walk, with added agony).
I do it from time to time as a challenge and the next day I can always feel a significant amount of soreness in my calves. It's pretty much the only thing that's ever felt like it's worked them (I can do fairly ridiculous numbers for calf raises with no effect).
WRT to calves... I can't speak for if they add size (I've got pretty good calves from cycling), but if you want to make them suffer, try grabbing the heaviest dumbbells you can lift, and carrying them up and down stairs (sort of like a farmers walk, with added agony).
I do it from time to time as a challenge and the next day I can always feel a significant amount of soreness in my calves. It's pretty much the only thing that's ever felt like it's worked them (I can do fairly ridiculous numbers for calf raises with no effect).
Psychotext
Member
Ugh god, I should not have had two weeks off greasing the groove. Just did my usual set of pullups and they felt horrible.
Sutton Dagger
Member
Cheers man. My progress is deceiving though as it's not just from 4 months, it's from getting back to where I've been at various points and just fixing form.
I've set a goal over the next 4 months. Get an extra 5kg on Overhead Press, 10kg on Bench/Squat, 15kg on Deadlifts. I think they are achievable, everyone keeps saying it helps to set goals so there it is.
I'll give your calf workout a try.
Spiritreaver
Member
Jesus, spirit. Looking great bud. Also, dagger, take this man's calf advice as well.
Psychotext
Member
Having had a DVT I can definitely confirm that it adds significant calf size... lol
Sain Drevia
Member
Buying jeans must be a nightmare for you. I normally end my squat sets with 315x10 but don't have nearly the leg size you do. Looking swole though, sir!
mdsfx
Member
I've noticed some growth in the 20-30 rep range doing both standing and seated calf raises, always with my toe on an elevated surface. This is coming from a guy who's had chicken legs for life (still sort of do!).
Edit: Jesus christ, Spirit.
Dusk Soldier
Member
I'm going to the gym today (Monday) to do Bench around 4pm. I'm pretty sure I'm going to strangle someone.
I can already see the large groups of college students hogging the bench press station for forty minutes at a time.
Psychotext
Member
Anyone have any suggestions for tennis elbow? I can't seem to stretch it effectively, and I sort of hoped it would go away, but it really hasn't.
Jacksinthe
Banned
Stretch your forearms all the time - watching TV, driving, etc. Get in the habit of stretching them. Tennis elbow's #1 culprit is loss of elasticity in forearms due to gripping shit all the time.
Palm up, arm out and straight, point down with your fingers. Inside stretch.
Palm up, make a fist mimic a curl and curl your wrist inwards trying to touch your anterior delt. Outside stretch.
Take a screwdriver, press its length against your forearm (perpendicular, like a cross) and drag it across your arm. Do not roll. Apply deep pressure as you do so you stretch the skin and muscle underneath like you are getting a deep tissue massage. Knead your forearms.
Anything you can do to start breaking up scar tissue. This will improve elasticity in the forearm and remove stress from your connective tissue in the elbow.
Mine still flare up occasionally but they are just about gone if I keep up with stretching/kneading my forearms.
Future PhaZe
Member
Can anyone tell me an exact name or maybe an amazon link for these sort of straps?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1eOVrJIQpQ
My wrists really struggle with the front squat and this looks like an amazing answer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1eOVrJIQpQ
My wrists really struggle with the front squat and this looks like an amazing answer.
Future PhaZe
Member
ahhhh I see it now, where the wrist typically goes he just knotted it through apparently, thanks!
Spiritreaver
Member
Haha, no worries. Just joking, but thanks.
Right?! I swear I didn't get questions about my calves until I had my DVT. Then it was an almost daily occurrence at the gym.
Thanks, I've always had big legs. Don't really train them especially hard. But yeah, it's a bitch to buy jeans. They never last more than a few months either.
Yeah! I used to do heavy calf raises all the time, but never felt it in my calves. Switching to a higher rep/burnout routine after a heavy leg day really made them burn.
Psychotext
Member
Cheers. Will give those a try..
SilentSoldier
Member
Haven't done much working out since my injury. I miss my squats and my deadlifts and I already feel fat. I don't know how much longer I can take not going to the gym. I tried doing isolation stuff at my parent's dinky home gym but it wasn't the same. 
Jacksinthe
Banned
Wooo
First chest day of 2016 and i am now up to 200x12 for my first set. Aiming for 300 1rm this year which i think is good for my 74" wingspan XD
First chest day of 2016 and i am now up to 200x12 for my first set. Aiming for 300 1rm this year which i think is good for my 74" wingspan XD
God Dayumm
Banned
Most of those guys have more muscular asses than mine, so I guess a 4-plate quarter squat is more effective than a 2 plate strict
Jealous of those tree trunks man. Keep it up
Jacksinthe
Banned
I picture him kicking down bamboo trees in his spare time due to boredom.
FallingEdge
Member
I've decided that my fitness goal for 2016 is to be a ripped samurai for Halloween.
After a couple months of doing a full-body dumbbell routine to get me back in the weight room (after a decade-long hiatus), I started doing StrongLifts 5x5 yesterday. It felt like such a weak workout. I finished up feeling like I barely hit the weights at all. I'm still in that phase where I am gauging my starting weights, so I know that is to be expected, but I'm hoping the intensity level starts ramping up again relatively quickly.
Okay, last night was my first night back on the wagon. I was on vacation for 1.5 weeks, and the week before Christmas was a nightmare. No gym. But I did make it out for regular trail runs, so that's good.
However, diet went to shit, but mostly intentionally. Wife and I decided to feed our inner fat kids. Got on the scale at the gym last night, 211. Jeans fit tight.
Back to Chicken, Kale, Yogurt, Quinoa, and Sweet Potatoes for awhile. Going to do the Cooter Routine® to save time at the gym, so I can mix in 30 minutes of cardio in addition to my mid day run.
However, diet went to shit, but mostly intentionally. Wife and I decided to feed our inner fat kids. Got on the scale at the gym last night, 211. Jeans fit tight.
Back to Chicken, Kale, Yogurt, Quinoa, and Sweet Potatoes for awhile. Going to do the Cooter Routine® to save time at the gym, so I can mix in 30 minutes of cardio in addition to my mid day run.
You better go all out. You know how women take a regular costume, and then make it sexy? You need to do that too.
Yeah, just wait until you really start pushing it on Deadlifts and Squats. You won't have the muscle burn like you get from high rep dumbell stuff, but you get more gains and an exhausted body.
mdsfx
Member
What is this exactly? Cardio between sets or something else?
Also, a question: what are the disadvantages of cutting to much too quickly? I feel like I'm going ok eating 1650cal per day. My workouts right now only burn about 300 at most (lifting for an hour, then running 2 miles). My estimated maintenance intake is 1900-2000cal with no exercise.
I've been out of it for so long, guys. For the last 5 months or so I've been dealing with some personal stuff that has affected me so much physically and mentally to the point where I can probably count on 2 hands the amount of times I've been to the gym. Coming off my best year ever in regards to lifts (315 bench, 425 squat, 215 OHP), it absolutely sucks when things take up so much of your mental mind space that you literally cannot focus on anything else. I tried to force myself to go to the gym, and every time I did, I would just have the worst workout ever. I'm down 45lbs in weight over the last 6 months as well, not by choice, just from a lack of eating from always being anxious. And while people have been telling me I look better now than I did at 245, it's personally VERY disappointing that I let something affect me to the point that I literally could not do the one thing I love doing. My size is gone, my strength is sure as hell gone.
Today, I go back to the gym, once again starting 5x5 with a measly plate for each lift. Back on the road to hopefully get to or even surpass where I was before...it's gonna be a while though.
The program works wonders. You're gonna feel like the workouts are easy at the start, you're supposed to. Don't be tempted to tack on more work in your workouts. Trust the process.
Today, I go back to the gym, once again starting 5x5 with a measly plate for each lift. Back on the road to hopefully get to or even surpass where I was before...it's gonna be a while though.
The program works wonders. You're gonna feel like the workouts are easy at the start, you're supposed to. Don't be tempted to tack on more work in your workouts. Trust the process.
One compound per day, minimal accessories. Hit the compound super hard. Rather than spending 1.5-2 hours on weights, you cut it down to more frequent visits for less time each session. That'll give me the extra time to be able to fit in cardio.
My plan for the next few weeks, though accessories may change.
Mon: Squat, Kickbacks, Barbell Step Ups (Curls)
Tue: Bench, Pull ups, Chest Flys (Curls)
Thu: Deadlift, Lat Pulldown, Dips (Curls)
Fri: Press, Tricep Pushdown/Extensions, (forget the name of the lift, but set the bar on high back, super wide grip on the edge of the bar, and then press)
Then start it again. Maybe a day with rows.
No wonder you're such a beast!
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