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[Petrie]

BruceLeeRoy, take a week completely off. You could be overtrained and if you're not making any gains anyway, it's not going to hurt anything. Also training for strength isn't going to make your chest smaller, I think that's all in your head. Probably because when doing low reps you don't get the "pump" that makes it look artificially bigger for a little bit after your workout. I didn't work out at all for 8-9 years and only lost maybe 10-15 lbs of muscle (and that's on a tall 6'6" frame). 2 months while you're still working hard isn't going to do anything.

This. Follow the sciene Bruce.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

The real problem is that you have conflicting goals. You want to gain strength, but keep the six pack and V taper. You do lots of running and lots of volume and play basketball. And your bench hasn't increased in 10 years. Might I ask what your other lifts (squat, press, deadlift) are at?

If you want strength, I would train for strength while factoring in other stuff you want to keep. A good example of putting this into play would be Justin Lascke's S&C program or running a variant of 5/3/1 with some mid to high rep accessory work that you like so much and some cardio.



And this...this...well, if someone has worked for a certain body image, more power to them. However, this sounds really silly. There's looking good (I hear you coming, Timedog) and there's worrying that your training is going to ruin your action figure-like physique.

I like the sound of the CrossFit Wichita program. There are some overall good principles he talks about there that I could improve upon.

I haven't maxed my deadlift in a while but I have no problem doing 225lbs.

Body image is really important to me for better or worse. Specifically getting to this body type has forced me to have a much more active lifestyle than I otherwise wouldn't normally have. Seeing really really strong guys in the gym with a great physique is a rare sight where I live. In fact if I see a guy putting up 3 plates that doesn't look generally completely out of shape in ever other part of his body I am really awed by them. Mostly because I know that they are applying a point of precision into their life that I probably can't even fathom.

Just read some 5/3/1. That sounds right up my alley. Thanks man

 

[kylej]

Just read some 5/3/1. That sounds right up my alley. Thanks man

If you think you're going to get anywhere on 5/3/1, you're going to need to lose that ripped look. 5/3/1 + BBB will destroy you if you're not eating enough to keep up with it.

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

If you think you're going to get anywhere on 5/3/1, you're going to need to lose that ripped look. 5/3/1 + BBB will destroy you if you're not eating enough to keep up with it.

I would say 5/3/1 with any template would destroy him if he's not eating enough, but yeah BBB is especially for bulking/putting on size.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

BruceLeeRoy, take a week completely off. You could be overtrained and if you're not making any gains anyway, it's not going to hurt anything. Also training for strength isn't going to make your chest smaller, I think that's all in your head. Probably because when doing low reps you don't get the "pump" that makes it look artificially bigger for a little bit after your workout. I didn't work out at all for 8-9 years and only lost maybe 10-15 lbs of muscle (and that's on a tall 6'6" frame). 2 months while you're still working hard isn't going to do anything.

Thats good advice I haven't taken some time off in a while.

I would say 5/3/1 with any template would destroy him if he's not eating enough, but yeah BBB is especially for bulking/putting on size.

I can handle upping my diet intake no problem. Vitamix baby! I like how the program sounds which is difficult. I'm thinking I will employee it this fall-winter and then add some of my old principles to get cut up in the spring and balancing my diet to cater to those changes. I should be able to keep most of my strength right?

Thanks for all the info guys. I really appreciate it.

 

[Mr.City]

I like the sound of the CrossFit Wichita program. There are some overall good principles he talks about there that I could improve upon.

I haven't maxed my deadlift in a while but I have no problem doing 225lbs.

Body image is really important to me for better or worse. Specifically getting to this body type has forced me to have a much more active lifestyle than I otherwise wouldn't normally have. Seeing really really strong guys in the gym with a great physique is a rare sight where I live. In fact if I see a guy putting up 3 plates that doesn't look generally completely out of shape in ever other part of his body I am really awed by them. Mostly because I know that they are applying a point of precision into their life that I probably can't even fathom.

Just read some 5/3/1. That sounds right up my alley. Thanks man

I hope you have no problems deadlifting over 225 after a decade of training. I just don't get it; everyone (general sense of the world) wants that dat look, but acting like 225 (2 plate) and 315 (3 plate) are these incredible numbers is really strange. They're landmarks in your training, yes, however, they can be achieved in a year or less.

On a side note about training and appearance, I just finished a 10 week cycle of the Rapid Fat loss Diet by Lyle McDonald. I lost about 20 lbs of fat, reducing my body fat from 31% to 26%. Granted, that's still a pretty high number, but I feel incredible and have lost almost no strength. In fact, my deadlift has gone up for some reason. I have a long way to go, but after dicking around for almost year of dieting (I was around 285 lbs and 40ish% bf in September 2011) I still maintained a bench of 230x5x2 and a squat of somewhere around 315x5. Those numbers are no great shakes, but they're a lot better than guys who do this weird circuit training/ get ripped type of routine.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

I hope you have no problems deadlifting over 225 after a decade of training. I just don't get it; everyone (general sense of the world) wants that dat look, but acting like 225 (2 plate) and 315 (3 plate) are these incredible numbers is really strange. They're landmarks in your training, yes, however, they can be achieved in a year or less.

On a side note about training and appearance, I just finished a 10 week cycle of the Rapid Fat loss Diet by Lyle McDonald. I lost about 20 lbs of fat, reducing my body fat from 31% to 26%. Granted, that's still a pretty high number, but I feel incredible and have lost almost no strength. In fact, my deadlift has gone up for some reason. I have a long way to go, but after dicking around for almost year of dieting (I was around 285 lbs and 40ish% bf in September 2011) I still maintained a bench of 230x5x2 and a squat of somewhere around 315x5. Those numbers are no great shakes, but they're a lot better than guys who do this weird circuit training/ get ripped type of routine.

Hmmm...You seem to have some odd aversion to ripped dudes Mr City am I sensing some animosity here?

Seriously though don't lump me in with the P90x or CrossFit group. Who think they are on some cutting edge of training philosophy that only they just discovered. I owned Arnolds book starting my Junior year in high school and it was my bible and got me through football and basketball seasons with stellar results. That book is my bible. I think that book is all you ever need for a lot of things. I'm not just some ripped little dude though I weigh 195 right now and I have been as big as 210 all keeping a really toned look to my body. After all this time I can control how big I want to be and what body percentage I want to be at really easily. However, strength alluded me and for a long time I didn't care but now I am thinking I do. Though I don't have a lot of lifting strength I do have a lot of core strength which has served me in everything I do in my actual life.

 

[Mr.City]

Hmmm...You seem to have some odd aversion to ripped dudes Mr City am I sensing some animosity here?

Seriously though don't lump me in with the P90x or CrossFit generation. I owned Arnolds book starting my Junior year in high school and it was my bible and got me through football and basketball seasons with stellar results. That book is my bible. I think that book is all you ever need for a lot of things. I'm not just some ripped little dude though I weigh 195 right now and I have been as big as 210 all keeping a really toned look to my body. After all this time I can control how big I want to be and what body percentage I want to be at really easily. However, strength alluded me and for a long time I didn't care but now I am thinking I do. Though I don't have a lot of lifting strength I do have a lot of core strength which has served me in everything I do in my actual life.

No animousity, I just wonder why some people prefer to be all show and no go. You can get strong without becoming a fat fuck; just ask any weight class powerlifter. The reason that strength alludes you is due to the fact that you are afraid of losing size/mass/ whatever you want to call it. For example, you have given us all the details of v-taper and all that, but you haven't set any strength goals for yourself. Outside of the bench, you don't really know what your maxes are on the big lifts. Will there be some trade off training for strength? Maybe.

Plenty of guys remain strong and lean, like Justin Lascek of 70s big. The guy has squatted around 500x3 and remains around 10% ish body fat year round.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

No animousity, I just wonder why some people prefer to be all show and no go. You can get strong without becoming a fat fuck; just ask any weight class powerlifter. The reason that strength alludes you is due to the fact that you are afraid of losing size/mass/ whatever you want to call it. For example, you have given us all the details of v-taper and all that, but you haven't set any strength goals for yourself. Outside of the bench, you don't really know what your maxes are on the big lifts. Will there be some trade off training for strength? Maybe.

Plenty of guys remain strong and lean, like Justin Lascek of 70s big. The guy has squatted around 500x3 and remains around 10% ish body fat year round.

I guess its whatever is more important to you. I wakeboard, snowboard, love sports and am in general just really active. I can have a training program that can give me a competitive edge and make me look great...SOLD. Again though all that is important to me. The training isn't the sport for me its a means to a end. I love my time in the gym but my breakthroughs don't happen there they happen later because of what I did there.

I think lean really strong guys are amazing. I really do. I remember clearly 2 years ago these two twin brothers that were in unbelievable shape and were throwing around 4 plates on the squat rack no problem and warming up with 315 lbs. I marveled over that and it left a strong impression because its rare in my area. Plus these guys were all natural(according to them) which was even more incredible.

 

[Draft]

IMO 5/3/1 is the program most compatible with retaining low bf. You can push yourself really hard or you can just coast along doing little more than the necessary reps.

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

IMO 5/3/1 is the program most compatible with retaining low bf. You can push yourself really hard or you can just coast along doing little more than the necessary reps.

Yeah, you just have to select the proper assistance template.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

Yeah, you just have to select the proper assistance template.

It looks like a excellent system. I skimmed past it a while ago in the OT cause all I saw was intermediate. My loss. Thanks for suggesting it.

 

[IGotBillySoSpooked]

Tried to do low bar squats, as advised in Starting Strength, and I found them near impossible to do. I feel as if I am holding the entire weight up with my wrists/arms, which has to be the wrong way to do it.

If I don't use my wrists/arms heavily, then the weight just slides right down my back.

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

Tried to do low bar squats, as advised in Starting Strength, and I found them near impossible to do. I feel as if I am holding the entire weight up with my wrists/arms, which has to be the wrong way to do it.

If I don't use my wrists/arms heavily, then the weight just slides right down my back.

You're doing them wrong. You might want to get the book or stick to highbar squats. I personally prefer highbar squats for comfort.

 

[IGotBillySoSpooked]

You're doing them wrong. You might want to get the book or stick to highbar squats. I personally prefer highbar squats for comfort.

Yeah, I have the book. I even watched some Rippetoe videos on YouTube.

I'm sticking with highbar squats from now on, unless I find that I am completely overlooking something. Even if I am just using the bar by itself, I feel like I am holding the weight with my arms unless I bend forward awkwardly.

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

Yeah, I have the book. I even watched some Rippetoe videos on YouTube.

I'm sticking with highbar squats from now on, unless I find that I am completely overlooking something. Even if I am just using the bar by itself, I feel like I am holding the weight with my arms unless I bend forward awkwardly.

You might just not be "big enough" to have that shelf on your shoulders/traps yet.

As for bending forward, that's going to happen with lowbar squats moreso than highbar anyway.

 

[IGotBillySoSpooked]

Now that I consult my book again, I may have been going too low on my back. Probably explains a lot...

I'll give them another shot next time, but I still may just end up sticking with high bars.

 

[fredrancour]

Now that I consult my book again, I may have been going too low on my back. Probably explains a lot...

I'll give them another shot next time, but I still may just end up sticking with high bars.

They go between the rear delt and the upper traps. Can't remember if that's how it's described in teh book but there's a video of rippetoe teaching floating around that illustrates it well.

 

[despire]

Speaking of high bar squats, do you need to do some extra work for your hamstrings if you are doing them instead of low bar squats? Romanian deadlifts for example?

I've been doing low bar squats for a half a year now and my quads have gotten pretty big in comparison to the rest of my musculature. In the meantime my hamstrings ain't that big and an osteopath told me that they are quite tight also which might be the reason for my pelvic/lower back pain recently. So now I'm a bid scared of the squat since my back pain sometime manifests itself after doing them. Decided to drop them for atleast a week or so to let things heal. Been stretching them and foam rolling more often. Hopefully it helps.

Frustrating since it keeps me from getting stronger with squats and I'm trying to finish things of with SS so that I could start 5/3/1 sometime during the summer.

 

[Timedog]

Did 235 x 3sets x 5reps tonight on bench.

Went from repping 210 to 235 in a month.

 

[mrbagdt]

had my first ripping-off-a-callus experience yesterday. there really is a reason people sand those down, i wish i had worn gloves! a learning experience none the less. i had a friend who works at a hospital that got some dermabond for me, its sorta like rubber cement for your skin. hopefully it heals up in a week or two.

long story short, sand down your calluses!

 

[MjFrancis]

Given the sheer volume of callus ripping incidents, a repost may be necessary:

Beast Skills - Removing Calluses
http://www.beastskills.com/tutorials/tutorials/50

I've had several people ask me about removing calluses from the hands. If you're doing a lot of gymnastics, weightlifting, grip training, or hand balancing (my 4 favorite hobbies) then calluses are an inevitability. They raise up and start to get pinched and can eventually rip off. This is a bit painful and a pain to deal with during training. Let me show you what to do to take care of things before you're leaving quarter size chunks of skin on the gym floor.

[...]

The supplies are simple, grab yourself something to scrap the calluses off. I use a butter knife (or other dull knife) that does NOT go back in the silverware drawer (ewww) as well as a small pumice stone. The stone is not essential, but it helps. I also have a bucket of warm water in which to soak my hands. And of course, keep a towel nearby to dry your hands off.

After you've soaked your hands for a minute or two, take them out and lightly towel dry them. You'll notice that your calluses are raised a bit and have turned white - indicating dead skin. I included a blurry picture of what I mean.

The rest of the article, including pictures, are available at the link. Take care of these and they won't rip and tear on you. Some people may be experiencing calluses for the first time in their life so they're ignorant on the subject. Clean them up and continue training like you mean it.

 

[ianp622]

Now that I consult my book again, I may have been going too low on my back. Probably explains a lot...

I'll give them another shot next time, but I still may just end up sticking with high bars.

This video is more in-depth about the position than the Youtube videos:

http://vimeo.com/30763907

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

Given the sheer volume of callus ripping incidents, a repost may be necessary:

Beast Skills - Removing Calluses
http://www.beastskills.com/tutorials/tutorials/50

The rest of the article, including pictures, are available at the link. Take care of these and they won't rip and tear on you. Some people may be experiencing calluses for the first time in their life so they're ignorant on the subject. Clean them up and continue training like you mean it.

Thanks buddy! This is better than what I usually do, pick at them all day.

 

[demon]

Did 230lbs on my deadlift last night. Can't do 5 straight reps. My weakest link in the deadlift chain is my grip, only thing keeping my from doing 5 straight reps I think. Suggestions?

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

Did 230lbs on my deadlift last night. Can't do 5 straight reps. My weakest link in the deadlift chain is my grip, only thing keeping my from doing 5 straight reps I think. Suggestions?

High rep deadlifts, heavy shrugs, heavy dumbbell rows, farmer walks, heavy barbell holds, etc.

Anything that has you holding heavy shit.

 

[demon]

High rep deadlifts, heavy shrugs, heavy dumbbell rows, farmer walks, heavy barbell holds, etc.

Anything that has you holding heavy shit.

Yeah. Thing is I'm doing Stronglifts and I don't want to throw in a bunch of volume-heavy supplementary exercises. I was thinking more grip-only exercises.

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

Yeah. Thing is I'm doing Stronglifts and I don't want to throw in a bunch of volume-heavy supplementary exercises. I was thinking more grip-only exercises.

The last two things I mentioned are exactly that.

 

[Mr.City]

Speaking of high bar squats, do you need to do some extra work for your hamstrings if you are doing them instead of low bar squats? Romanian deadlifts for example?

I've been doing low bar squats for a half a year now and my quads have gotten pretty big in comparison to the rest of my musculature. In the meantime my hamstrings ain't that big and an osteopath told me that they are quite tight also which might be the reason for my pelvic/lower back pain recently. So now I'm a bid scared of the squat since my back pain sometime manifests itself after doing them. Decided to drop them for atleast a week or so to let things heal. Been stretching them and foam rolling more often. Hopefully it helps.

Frustrating since it keeps me from getting stronger with squats and I'm trying to finish things of with SS so that I could start 5/3/1 sometime during the summer.

A lot of what happens with lower back pain the squat is the inability to keep a tight back at the bottom/ strong arch. If you relax your back at the bottom, it will get pulled into a funky position. The question is whether you can keep tight in the squat or not. No amount of rest or foam rolling will fix that.

Did 230lbs on my deadlift last night. Can't do 5 straight reps. My weakest link in the deadlift chain is my grip, only thing keeping my from doing 5 straight reps I think. Suggestions?

Are you using a mixed grip? Do you have access to chalk?

Did 235 x 3sets x 5reps tonight on bench.

Went from repping 210 to 235 in a month.

Nice job. How's the squat?

 

[demon]

I am using a mixed grip, and I don't think my gym allows chalk.

I used to do farmers walks, quit when I started SL. Maybe I'll start doing them again.

 

[mrbagdt]

Given the sheer volume of callus ripping incidents, a repost may be necessary:

Beast Skills - Removing Calluses
http://www.beastskills.com/tutorials/tutorials/50

The rest of the article, including pictures, are available at the link. Take care of these and they won't rip and tear on you. Some people may be experiencing calluses for the first time in their life so they're ignorant on the subject. Clean them up and continue training like you mean it.

thanks, thats what i needed to read!

 

[Mr.City]

I am using a mixed grip, and I don't think my gym allows chalk.

I used to do farmers walks, quit when I started SL. Maybe I'll start doing them again.

You're doing deadlifts for a set of 5, right? And be careful with the grip training. It's easy to bomb the shit out of your grip and not make things any better.

Also, eco chalk

 

[FallingEdge]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAYbP8kghmY


Then this for calves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6aiK6C1HXs

Thx.

In other news, I am super exhausted. I think it has just been a lack of sleep but I will most definitely get me lots of rests this weekend. I know a few of you in this thread are doing carb cycling and I have a question for you. On the days you eat low carb, how do you look in the mirror? I've been doing my best to ignore it and just check once a week but I feel and look "deflated". I know that once I eat a fair amount of carbs, I will look more full but am just curious to see how others feel about this. Is there any way to avoid this besides the carb up? Just eat a bit more carbs a day? Or just roll with it?

 

[despire]

A lot of what happens with lower back pain the squat is the inability to keep a tight back at the bottom/ strong arch. If you relax your back at the bottom, it will get pulled into a funky position. The question is whether you can keep tight in the squat or not. No amount of rest or foam rolling will fix that.

I think its mostly a flexibility issue that's causing problems. Osteopath said that tight hamstrings might cause problems with the back when squatting since if the hamstrings don't stretch going down, then the back will.

Regardless, I'm going to get massaged tomorrow morning. Let's see what he says..

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

Does this lion even lift, bro?


Thought you guys might appreciate this natural showcase of power and strength. This motherfucker has veins on its TAIL. Look at its shoulders, triceps, and forearms. Easily the most swoll lion I have ever seen documented. Beautiful and healthy mane, too, but the point is: DEM MUSCLES.

 

[Carbonox]

What's the recommend returning point in terms of weights after a long period out due to injury?

For example, if I was on 120kg on Squats a few months ago prior, then returned now. How much of a drop is required? Is there a percentage that can be applied to every exercise or is it on a case by case basis?

Hip flexor and ankle injuries (latter from football) have been a pain in the ass but I'm good to go now.

 

[Prologue]

So I tried doing deadlifts for the first time yesterday at 135. Lower back was pumped,stiff afterwards. This morning its some what sore. My hamstrings and the rest of my back is fine though. Maybe I'm not using my legs enough? Is that typically the case?

 

[JB1981]

I am using a mixed grip, and I don't think my gym allows chalk.

I used to do farmers walks, quit when I started SL. Maybe I'll start doing them again.

My gym doesn't "allow" chalk either but i use it anyway and no ones seems to care. Give it a try and see what happens. Put it in a small ziplock bag, put your hands in the bag (don't take bag out of gym bag) and go to work. If you want to be nice about it, you can clean off the bar after you're done.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

My gym doesn't "allow" chalk either but i use it anyway and no ones seems to care. Give it a try and see what happens. Put it in a small ziplock bag, put your hands in the bag (don't take bag out of gym bag) and go to work. If you want to be nice about it, you can clean off the bar after you're done.

Yeah if you can get away with it chalk will save your mits. My gym doesn't technically allow it either but trying to do the man-ups was tearing them to shreads so I just started putting it in a plastic bag in my ghetto gym bag.

 

[Petrie]

My gym doesnt allow chalk, but also doesnt allow gym bags on the weight floor. Nobody seems to care though.

 

[MjFrancis]

Thanks buddy! This is better than what I usually do, pick at them all day.

thanks, thats what i needed to read!

You're welcome. I've been doing this every other week or so for quite a while now.

---

Since strength, bodyweight movements and bodybuilding are given plenty of attention in this thread, I'd like to expand things a little bit and ask everyone what they do for conditioning. Or cardio. Or whatever you want to call it.

My primary conditioning of late includes sprinting stadium steps 3x/week.

I'll do a 1 1/2 mile run once a week for additional conditioning if I'm not hiking that weekend. The hike isn't really formal conditioning (it's not timed or measured consistently) but it adds to my overall physical exertion so there's always that to consider. They have ranged from 3 miles to 15 miles, it just depends on the trail. My pace can vary wildly, as does the grade of the hike (some are short and steep, some long and flat, others all over the place). Basically, I make it a point to go a little distance every now and again.

There's also splitting wood and yard work but that just character-building.

 

[Carbonox]

Hmm, seems a 50% reduction of what you were working at is recommended after some time out of weight-lifting due to injury. Makes sense.

 

[MrToughPants]

Given the sheer volume of callus ripping incidents, a repost may be necessary:

Beast Skills - Removing Calluses
http://www.beastskills.com/tutorials/tutorials/50

I've always cut them off with razor blades.

 

[Mr.City]

So I tried doing deadlifts for the first time yesterday at 135. Lower back was pumped,stiff afterwards. This morning its some what sore. My hamstrings and the rest of my back is fine though. Maybe I'm not using my legs enough? Is that typically the case?

Relax, reread whatever material you've used to learn the deadlift.

What's the recommend returning point in terms of weights after a long period out due to injury?

For example, if I was on 120kg on Squats a few months ago prior, then returned now. How much of a drop is required? Is there a percentage that can be applied to every exercise or is it on a case by case basis?

Hip flexor and ankle injuries (latter from football) have been a pain in the ass but I'm good to go now.

2 months is quite a layoff, so I would warm up and base your work sets on how difficult the warm ups feel. Make sure to err on the side of caution.

 

[entremet]

You're welcome. I've been doing this every other week or so for quite a while now.

---

Since strength, bodyweight movements and bodybuilding are given plenty of attention in this thread, I'd like to expand things a little bit and ask everyone what they do for conditioning. Or cardio. Or whatever you want to call it.

My primary conditioning of late includes sprinting stadium steps 3x/week.

I'll do a 1 1/2 mile run once a week for additional conditioning if I'm not hiking that weekend. The hike isn't really formal conditioning (it's not timed or measured consistently) but it adds to my overall physical exertion so there's always that to consider. They have ranged from 3 miles to 15 miles, it just depends on the trail. My pace can vary wildly, as does the grade of the hike (some are short and steep, some long and flat, others all over the place). Basically, I make it a point to go a little distance every now and again.

There's also splitting wood and yard work but that just character-building.

How many sprints do you for the stadium steps?

 

[TheFightingFish]

Since strength, bodyweight movements and bodybuilding are given plenty of attention in this thread, I'd like to expand things a little bit and ask everyone what they do for conditioning. Or cardio. Or whatever you want to call it.

My primary conditioning of late includes sprinting stadium steps 3x/week.

Most folks are in here with a focus on improving strength as the main thing. I'm actually from a slightly different direction. I do a pretty heavy amount of cardio, and that performance is my main thing. I'm just trying to do the best I can with strength training and bodyweight movements to not just end up totally scrawny due to my cardio.

Currently I run about 30 - 45 miles a week of trail running, plenty of speed and elevations changes within that mileage. And it can be really hard to keep up muscle mass with that amount of running. Dropped down to a low of around 152 lbs at one point (I'm 5'7") but now I've been able to bring it back up nearer to 160 with some diet changes and an increase in bodyweight training.

 

[Robot_Rave]

I am thinking of doing weights at the gym down the road from me to gain some weight. I am about 180cm tall, and only weigh about 60kg, so I am quite skinny.

I would like to gain at least 10kg. I have a couple of questions:

How often do you have to go to the gym to achieve this?
How long does it take until you start noticing results?
Is all of the hard work and dedication to gaining weight worth it in the end? Does it improve certain areas of your life much?

I'm just trying to work out just how dedicated I have to be to achieving this.

 

[kylej]

Does this lion even lift, bro?


Thought you guys might appreciate this natural showcase of power and strength. This motherfucker has veins on its TAIL. Look at its shoulders, triceps, and forearms. Easily the most swoll lion I have ever seen documented. Beautiful and healthy mane, too, but the point is: DEM MUSCLES.

 

[fredrancour]

I am thinking of doing weights at the gym down the road from me to gain some weight. I am about 180cm tall, and only weigh about 60kg, so I am quite skinny.

I would like to gain at least 10kg. I have a couple of questions:

How often do you have to go to the gym to achieve this?
How long does it take until you start noticing results?
Is all of the hard work and dedication to gaining weight worth it in the end? Does it improve certain areas of your life much?

I'm just trying to work out just how dedicated I have to be to achieving this.

Weight gain is also about diet. I don't know specifics about how fast one can gain weight, but you need to eat more at the same time. This does not directly answer any of your questions but tons of thin guys who want to gain weight don't realize they have to change their diets.

 

[MjFrancis]

And skinny guys tend to eat less than they think they are, just as fat guys eat more than they think they are. The common trait is that broad, general assumptions are being made about what one eats without actually measuring it. The skinny guy believes they are a hardgainer eating shittons of food when they are really barely pushing over 2,000 calories while the fat guy "forgets" to include the 1,200 calories of Mountain Dew in their daily total.

Happens almost every time.

How many sprints do you for the stadium steps?

It's a small stadium of 52 steps that I run a dozen times. I've only been doing it a month so far. The overall quality of each run has been steadily improving while I slowly work my way up to twenty sprints. It's short enough that it's not a tall order for 3x/week. It's enough to maintain my conditioning in case of the zombie apocalypse or a North Korean invasion of the mainland United States. Or something like that.

Also, you keep changing your avatar. It baffles me.

Currently I run about 30 - 45 miles a week of trail running, plenty of speed and elevations changes within that mileage. And it can be really hard to keep up muscle mass with that amount of running. Dropped down to a low of around 152 lbs at one point (I'm 5'7") but now I've been able to bring it back up nearer to 160 with some diet changes and an increase in bodyweight training.

Any particular goal or do you just like running?

I used to run more, but not 30 - 45 miles/week. Probably closer to 20 miles/week. I do enjoy running barefoot or in Vibram Fivefingers when I'm on a trail or a hike, though, but anything on a treadmill is downright awful. I enjoy the scenery and ambiance most of all, and a treadmill strips me of that privilege.