TheDarkStark
Member
SMH.
Increased energy, focus, BCAA's and Creatine are bad for weightlifting now? Oh, good to know.
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Fitness |OT4| Squat Booty, Summer Cuts, and Super Swoletrophy
- Thread starter Mr.City
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Increased energy, focus, BCAA's and Creatine are bad for weightlifting now? Oh, good to know.
MrOogieBoogie
BioShock Infinite is like playing some homeless guy's vivid imagination
lolwat
I wish. Goddamn, that's a sexy motherfucker, that Jon Hamm. I say that as a heterosexual man, too.
This picture reminds me of the time I climbed Algonquin Peak in the Adirondacks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algonquin_Peak
I was completely unprepared for it. This is how my friend wanted to spend his bachelor party and he called it a hike. Fuck that. That was a mountain climb. I mean I was literally climbing vertically up wet rocks etc. Took about 4+ hours to get up and 4 to get down safely.
I thought I was in decent shape from lifting weights etc at the time, but no amount of lifting prepared me for every other muscle that was put to use during that climb. Near the peak I was stopping every 20 minutes because my heart was racing. Was completely worth it when I made it up there.
Another friend of ours made it up as well but didn't have enough left in his tank for the trip down, and he had really bad knees. He still wasn't down from the mountain at 9pm so we contacted the Rangers and they went up looking for him. He didn't make it down until 11 that night and basically ruined our bachelor party plans to go into Lake Placid that evening and go bar hopping.
I was sore for a week+ after that climb. I hate how I felt at the time but have really fond memories of it...but it was very dangerous I felt. I almost fell backwards off of a rock face...I would have fallen about 15-20 feet onto rocks below and probably break my neck or spine. Scares me shitless to think about that.
You've gained 10 pounds of muscle a month? That's awesome for you and depressing for me.
MrOogieBoogie
BioShock Infinite is like playing some homeless guy's vivid imagination
Sounds intense. Yeah, hiking/mountain climbing can be very taxing if you're not used to using and moving around your bodyweight.
Going to Colorado in a couple days to train/vacation, so I'm super excited. I know for a fact that New York's hiking trails have nothing on Colorado's.
What do you mean? Doing that is great.
seattle6418
Member
Yes, so far i haevn´t had any of the miraculous results some of my friends had and i´m 90% sure it´s just placebo and they changed their diets radically in order to get ripped.
Diet is my biggest villain, a co worker is a nutricionist and i´m following some notes, like writting it down everything i eat during the day.
Yesterday was like:
Woke up at 10:30
11:00 Lunch - pasta with ground beef, about 300 grams of it
15:00 Snack - sandwich with whole bread, a slice of turkey ham and one of cheese (mozarela)
19:00 Dinner - on this day, the same pasta with ground beef, about 350 grams of it.
23:30 whey protein shake after gym
01:30 another sandwich like the one i described
03:00 went to sleep
Lots of water during the day, no sodas during the week, which for me it´s already a great start. I know some things are bad, but i´m trying to change.
Takes me a while to post the workout because i have to translate all the names from portuguese to english. I know some excercises you guys called differently, so i have to make sure i´m talking about the same stuff. Some exercises i don´t know how it´s called so i´ll just describe.
Yesterday workout was like this: (given to me by the gym trainer, i just chose the weights)
10 minutes of stationary bike
inclined abs 3 x 15
bench press 4 x 10 with 100 lbs
inclined bench press 4 x 10 with 100 lbs
shoulder fly. 3 x 10 with 10 lbs dumbells
calf press 3 x 15 with 300 lbs
leg press 45 degrees 4 x 10 with 450 lbs
leg curl 3 x 12 with 170 lbs
triceps machine (you sit on a chair and press down with your arms 4 x 10 with 150 lbs
triceps pulley 4 x 12 with 120lbs (saw that this is named pushdown on wikipedia, so...)
abs on a machine that you sit and pull togheter your arms and legs, 3 x15
18 minutes of treadmill, changing the speed from 4 to 6 miles each two minutes, gives me about 1.3 mile in the end.
I do have a lot more strengh in the lower body, so that explains some high weights on some exercises.
I can notice some improvements, but getting ripped and cutting down belly fat are still challenges.
If you're trying to cut I wouldn't recommend eating all those carbs. Pastas and breads will hamper your progress.
Obviously it's not all muscle. Some fat in there too, that's unavoidable.
Pre workouts, specifically, are a completely unnecessary expenditure. They can be useful, but black coffee for the caffeine is almost as good and way less expensive.
seattle6418
Member
Yeah, that´s the biggest challenge, but the pasta was done after some days of eating rice. What? I know, still carbs, but i don´t know what to eat in a real meal (lunch or dinner) without either one. I might cook some vegetables, some meat or chicken, but i got to have one of those bascis to complement. I don´t know what could i use it to replace.
The breads are a way to make sure i´m not eating sugar instead. I will replace the sandwich on the evening for a fruit (apple i think) and to me that kind of revolutionary, since i don´t really like fruits.
Not drinking Coca Cola everyday was already a huge plus, but i still drink it in the weekends and i know i have to say goodbye to that too.
Getting in great shape is SO hard. I´m not pleased with being juust average, passable or decent, so i know i´m up for a big task. I would like to replace straighten my diet for 20% or 30% more exercises, but i know it doesn´t work like that
muntersaur
Member
This is an effective technique for hypertrophy known as dropsets.
I love hiking and one of my favourite experiences was a two week trek in Nepal and laying eyes on Everest in person. Another great experience for me was cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats (South West of England to North East of Scotland). This year I'd been planning to do the GR20 in Corsica (hardest trek in Europe) but unfortunately I'll have to do it next year instead. Nothing is better than the sense of accomplishment and the memories you acquire through completing something like this.
They are called breakdowns. You go to failure and then drop to a lower weight, go to failure again, and repeat.
Anybody know how to take care of a torn callus? I dropped the wrist straps, got chalk, and tore off most of a callus doing dead lifts.
Honestly? Band aid until it heals and try not to aggravate it. In the future, make sure you file them down.
Not much else you can do. It's a slab of torn skin.
Yeah, that´s the biggest challenge, but the pasta was done after some days of eating rice. What? I know, still carbs, but i don´t know what to eat in a real meal (lunch or dinner) without either one. I might cook some vegetables, some meat or chicken, but i got to have one of those bascis to complement. I don´t know what could i use it to replace.
The breads are a way to make sure i´m not eating sugar instead. I will replace the sandwich on the evening for a fruit (apple i think) and to me that kind of revolutionary, since i don´t really like fruits.
Not drinking Coca Cola everyday was already a huge plus, but i still drink it in the weekends and i know i have to say goodbye to that too.
Getting in great shape is SO hard. I´m not pleased with being juust average, passable or decent, so i know i´m up for a big task. I would like to replace straighten my diet for 20% or 30% more exercises, but i know it doesn´t work like that
Just cut down your carb portions a little at a time. It's easier to slowly ween yourself off of them and use them for an occasional side dish. Even rice is better than white enriched bread or pasta. And sadly, most "wheat" breads aren't as healthy as companies like to make them sound.
I think if you just cut out a little by little you'll have a better chance at succeeding than trying to quit cold turkey. Believe me, I loved Coke and Mt. Dew...but it's been so long since I've had either, I imagine they taste disgustingly sweet to me now.
file them down? ouch
This. BCAAs are all but useless unless you are fasting, and everything else can be had from a cheap cup of coffee and some cheap as he'll creatine powder. If you want to throw your money away on an unnecessary cocktail, be my guest. It won't hurt your gym progress I suppose, but I'm a fan of putting that money into more useful things.
Poindexter
Member
It makes me weaker. I am very sensitive to stimulants so when I tried some caffeine before a work out I was way too jittery and nervous and I didn't perform nearly as well. It's basically just a YMMV thing.
@nerdy1 There are a ton of tutorials out there, but basically you need to daily, after you wash the chalk off your hand, use some skin balm to keep your hand moisturized and discourage cracking. Weekly or so, soak your hands in warm water till they get soft. Then, take a butter knife or a metal nail file to rub the calluses down a bit. Not all the way, but just so their closer to real skin than to hunks of rock. Doesn't hurt at all.
@CrankyJay For most, Caffeine helps to prevent fatigue. In addition, it increases your heart rate to assist in being more focused at the gym. As in, it helps your blood flow quicker in order to assist your metabolism in keeping consistent from the start of your work out. Helps with muscular endurance, but not really with strength. In most pre-workouts, it's the best ingredient in terms of your body being able to adjust to it.
@CrankyJay For most, Caffeine helps to prevent fatigue. In addition, it increases your heart rate to assist in being more focused at the gym. As in, it helps your blood flow quicker in order to assist your metabolism in keeping consistent from the start of your work out. Helps with muscular endurance, but not really with strength. In most pre-workouts, it's the best ingredient in terms of your body being able to adjust to it.
Six quick tips to always remember:
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/6_lessons_learned_from_the_master_blaster
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/6_lessons_learned_from_the_master_blaster
Good stuff. What's a good time period to stick to a routine before changing it up for muscle confusion-sake? A month?
Why you got to have pasta or rice withe every meal? If you want it bad enough then you won't. You're on a cut and eating pasta twice a day?! The best is really to slowly bring your carbs down. If you feel you can cut carbs by a drastic amount immediately then why not? but some people understandably can't do that.
isn't muscle confusion bullshit?
isn't muscle confusion bullshit?
FallingEdge
Member
dope! Where in Colorado are you going?
FallingEdge
Member
That's me! Upside down bowling pins and tiny calves.
FUCK LEGS. GOING HARD ON CALVES FRIDAY. LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
It doesn't mean that p90x bullshit.
AKA Vary your movements by trying to stimulate muscles from as many appropriate angles as you can.
Why would you think it's bullshit?
I'm so blessed to have incredible calf genetics, never done a single calf exercise.
Not even noob gains would give you 10 lbs of muscle a month.
I'm making some noob gains(muscle memory I suppose) after having been on a lengthy lay off due to other priorities.
yeah doubt it's all muscle, but I've been eating pretty healthy (the occasional pizza here and there) and lifting hard, so the changes have definitely been positive. I didn't think I had the genetics to put on weight easily (my dad's entire family is basically anorexic--most not by choice), but I guess all I had to do was eat a lot.
muntersaur
Member
I have well developed outer calves but poorly developed inner calves by comparison - looks shit :/ Gonna have to really target my inner calves hard.
4-6 weeks I believe.
FallingEdge
Member
I'm so blessed to have incredible calf genetics, never done a single calf exercise.
=(
Calves and prolly chest are my two biggest weak points. At least I'm targeting the chest with bench, db bench, incline, etc. But for calves, I've never done shit. So now, I'm just doing bw raises, seated calf raises and standing calf raises. Twice a week as well. Gotta start somewhere =/
For calves, you need to do high intensity, high volume. I'd argue they're the most stubborn muscles on the entire body.
muntersaur
Member
That and traps. I lucked out in the trap department but failed in the calves department. My calves have improved dramatically this year but it is still annoying seeing men (and women!) who don't train who have better calves than me.
Escape Goat
Member
I think highly developed calf muscles are disgusting. I dont want to see all the separations in the musculature. lol
just do some heavy ass squats
TheDarkStark
Member
No way man, fingers. No matter how much I train I just can't get the hot dog fingers of my dreams
FallingEdge
Member
No way man, fingers. No matter how much I train I just can't get the hot dog fingers of my dreams
LOL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZqo4OZ0Pqs
No way man, fingers. No matter how much I train I just can't get the hot dog fingers of my dreams
one arm rows
No way man, fingers. No matter how much I train I just can't get the hot dog fingers of my dreams
Get fat, or start climbing mountains, with no ropes and gear like that Alex Honnold guy.
nothing aesthetic about sausage fingers imo.
I'm an expert
Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
I'd be interested in pics of the weight gain. Guessing you started really skinny so wanna see how it distributed.
TheDarkStark
Member
I'm won't argue about price, because they ARE overpriced. But you want to know the absolute last thing I want before a workout?
A fucking cup of Coffee. First of all, who wants anything hot before lifting? And if you're drinking it cold well then you're going to have it with sugar and cream.... ugh. Then theres all the work involved: setting the machine waiting for it to brew, cleaning the machine, putting the coffee in the fridge (if you take it cold).
And the worse part? Coffee is a bowel movement waiting to happen. Yup, exactly what I want in the middle of my workout a 10 minute break to go drop a huge log.
Also it's just convenient to take 1 scoop throw it in a bottle of water and go. I use Muscle Pharm Assualt and I love it, and will continue to use it. Along with protein, a multi-vitamin, and fish oil that's all I take, and it's all I ever need.
lol I knew at least a couple of people would take it (semi)seriously.
I'm an expert
Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
Er.. you don't actually drink coffee before your workout (well I guess you could), you take a pill or any other type of caffeine supplement. It's honestly the best "fat-burner" there is. i'm not against pre-workout stuff, though I personally sip something sugary during the actual workout (like a Powerade) so that's getting burned instead of muscle for energy. Also creatine after a workout has always been better in my experience. But honestly who gives a shit, if it was an exact science we'd all do the same thing and this thread would just be all of us posting pics of our gigantic calves.
I'm an expert
Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
Your forearms get used pretty much any time you do an exercise that uses your arms. There's no real reason to give them too much special attention.
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