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[bumpkin]

I'm not gonna lie, it's kind of frustrating to appear as though the ol' love handles have gotten bigger because of, I'd assume, all of the fat elsewhere melting away. I know it'll eventually get there and start to vanish from my waist, it's just taking its sweet ass time.

Although I have no idea what my BMI was when I started, I began my workout routine on May 11th and when I weighed myself around mid-June, I had lost 8 lbs. Although I still have a few more days before I formally weigh myself, I got curious; as of about a week and a half ago, I had lost another 5 lbs.

Something I did at the start of month two was give up drinking soda (Pepsi, Coke, etc.), and now just strictly drink water. I was kind of hoping it'd be the silver bullet and amp up my weight loss. Maybe it's just offset by the addition of muscle mass that I've noticed across my body.

 

[MjFrancis]

It's a nightmare to cancel any fitness-related membership in the United States. Everyone has a year long contract, and you can't go through the people you signed up with to cancel because they all use a third party billing company that specializes in not answering the phone and lying to you about the charges being discontinued.

I'm always extremely hesitant to sign up for any recurring membership program.

If it wasn't for the 2-year certificate I bought at Costco for 24 Hour Fitness I don't know that I ever would have got a gym membership at all. I'll only join a gym in the future if I can avoid giving them my bank account information, so that leaves me with buying another 24 Hour Fitness certificate or joining a Crossfit box that charges at least $100/month with the same equipment I have at home.

For anyone looking for a new gym I highly recommend the 2-year membership certificate at Costco. It's $350 now instead of $300 when I joined but that's still $14.50/month with no other fees attached. Every so often I'm still tempted to buy back in, even with a gym at home and a work. I miss a few people there after all, I saved a bunch of money on showers and shampoo alone, and I miss the pump I got with the leg press.

 

[andycapps]

If it wasn't for the 2-year certificate I bought at Costco for 24 Hour Fitness I don't know that I ever would have got a gym membership at all. I'll only join a gym in the future if I can avoid giving them my bank account information, so that leaves me with buying another 24 Hour Fitness certificate or joining a Crossfit box that charges at least $100/month with the same equipment I have at home.

For anyone looking for a new gym I highly recommend the 2-year membership certificate at Costco. It's $350 now instead of $300 when I joined but that's still $14.50/month with no other fees attached. Every so often I'm still tempted to buy back in, even with a gym at home and a work. I miss a few people there after all, I saved a bunch of money on showers and shampoo alone, and I miss the pump I got with the leg press.

How much money for gas do you spend driving back and forth? And how much time do you spend in the car to and from the gym? Those factors are what made me never want to do an actual gym.. I'd rather add to my gym gradually.

 

[MjFrancis]

I was fortunate that 24 Hour Fitness was within jogging distance from work. Zero gas and mandatory warm-up!

There's pros and cons to working out from home or working out at a gym. Everyone's preference is different in this regard.

I put together this at home over the few years I was training at the gym. Mostly used equipment from craigslist, horse stall mats from the farm supply store, and a few expensive toys sprinkled in the mix. I bought cheap and kept upgrading as I saved up, selling old equipment to go towards the new. I imagine that's what you're doing now.

 

[andycapps]

I was fortunate that 24 Hour Fitness was within jogging distance from work. Zero gas and mandatory warm-up!

There's pros and cons to working out from home or working out at a gym. I put together this at home over the few years I was training at the gym. Mostly used equipment from craigslist, horse stall mats from the farm supply store, and a few expensive toys sprinkled in the mix. I bought cheap and kept upgrading as I saved up, selling old equipment to go towards the new. I imagine that's what you're doing now.

If it were that close to my work, it'd be tempting for me too! My setup is similar to that, though I don't have bumper plates yet. Since you have the horse stall mats like I do, is it safe to drop iron weights? Gym is in my basement so concrete floor. I'm really hesitant about dropping them from any height for that reason.

For me, I'm more motivated with it being in my house and not having to go somewhere else to workout. I know I'm probably in the minority on that.

 

[Szu]

Fasting today

someone fucking kill me

I've just noticed that fasting can feel like a slow death.

Interesting.

 

[despire]

Tried a new trick with the bench press that I read about some time ago. I placed a wide elastic resistance band on top of the bench length-wise. The band is made of rubber so it has a lot of friction and sticks well to the bench.

The idea of this whole set up is to "glue" your upper back to the bench. With the elastic band between your back and the bench, your back isn't moving anywhere during the set. This is great because I sometimes have problem with my back sliding around even though how hard I try to stay tight.

I wasn't sure how this would work when I first tried it. First working set of five was pretty rough and the last rep was a grind. During the set I pushed with my legs like I normally do so it was pretty standard form wise. But things changed during the second set. With my upper back "glued" to the bench, I pushed with my legs harder than I have ever been able before. I really felt it in my legs like never before as the lower part of my body took part in the exercise with never before seen vigor. My butt stayed firmly on the bench and my upper back didn't move an inch. My legs were pushing with all their strength and it was unlike any other bench press set I have ever done.

First six reps were easy. I had already passed the amount of reps I was able to grind on the previous set. The seventh rep was starting to get a bit harder. Eight rep was already a grind and I decide to end it there. Needles to say that I was pretty satisfied with how much more strength I was able to produce when I didn't have to worry about my back sliding away. Probably going to use the elastic band from now on.

 

[haunted_taco]

anybody own any of those fancy adjustable dumbells?

I'm looking into getting some for my home gym but they are expensive so I would hate to find out they were pieces of garbage.

 

[MjFrancis]

If it were that close to my work, it'd be tempting for me too! My setup is similar to that, though I don't have bumper plates yet. Since you have the horse stall mats like I do, is it safe to drop iron weights? Gym is in my basement so concrete floor. I'm really hesitant about dropping them from any height for that reason.

I wouldn't worry about it too much, even not knowing how thick your horse stall mats are or how brittle your weights may be. I'd drop deadlifts, but that's about as high as I would go. I got the bumper plates for A) piece of mind for dropping them anywhere and B) less metal to rust and chip.

For me, I'm more motivated with it being in my house and not having to go somewhere else to workout. I know I'm probably in the minority on that.

My case for building a home gym includes:

• Picking my own soundtrack.
• Convenient location.
• Personalized equipment selection.
• Training in my underwear.

The last one is very important when it's 100 degrees out and the garage would make a better sauna than training room. Cons for that one are that you generally don't do that with a training buddy and you're going to have to accept that on a long enough timeline your wife will open the garage door when she gets home. Probably during squats, too.

 

[Future PhaZe]

For anyone looking for a new gym I highly recommend the 2-year membership certificate at Costco. It's $350 now instead of $300 when I joined but that's still $14.50/month with no other fees attached. Every so often I'm still tempted to buy back in, even with a gym at home and a work. I miss a few people there after all, I saved a bunch of money on showers and shampoo alone, and I miss the pump I got with the leg press.

costco has gyms now?

is it a bunch of smith machines or mostly free weights?

 

[despire]

costco has gyms now?

is it a bunch of smith machines or mostly free weights?

Nope:

If it wasn't for the 2-year certificate I bought at Costco for 24 Hour Fitness I don't know that I ever would have got a gym membership at all.

 

[MjFrancis]

Any gym set up in the vicinity of a food court that sells $1.50 hot dogs and soda would have to be a powerlifting gym or the newest competitor for Planet Fitness. No middle ground!

 

[Hypereides]

40 kg/88 lbs OHP 3x5 later today. It's gonna get bloody!

Now I need to eat me some more energy!

 

[Chittagong]

40 kg/88 lbs OHP 3x5 later today. It's gonna get bloody!

Now I need to eat me some more energy!

OHP is so damn hard. I'm shooting for 45kg today, the 42.5kg barrier has proven much tougher than I thought it would be.

 

[Deleted member 47027]

40 kg/88 lbs OHP 3x5 later today. It's gonna get bloody!

Now I need to eat me some more energy!

Preparation! You'll get it.

OHP is up on my list thursday. Shooting for a new PR...

 

[FallingEdge]

im back baby

not really though. still enjoying this week off then hit it hard next week! ate so much food, im bloated 24/7

 

[Deleted member 47027]

im back baby

not really though. still enjoying this week off then hit it hard next week! ate so much food, im bloated 24/7

Hope you're ready, you're starting a 6-month to 1 year bulk right?

 

[andycapps]

I wouldn't worry about it too much, even not knowing how thick your horse stall mats are or how brittle your weights may be. I'd drop deadlifts, but that's about as high as I would go. I got the bumper plates for A) piece of mind for dropping them anywhere and B) less metal to rust and chip.

Cool, that's pretty much what I do. I'll get bumper plates in the next year or two.

My case for building a home gym includes:

• Picking my own soundtrack.
• Convenient location.
• Personalized equipment selection.
• Training in my underwear.

The last one is very important when it's 100 degrees out and the garage would make a better sauna than training room. Cons for that one are that you generally don't do that with a training buddy and you're going to have to accept that on a long enough timeline your wife will open the garage door when she gets home. Probably during squats, too.

This is true. I listen to whatever I want as loud as I want. It's convenient, I'm not waiting for anybody ever, I can make a mess if I want, re-rack or not re-rack, and it's cool as it's in my basement. I suppose I could train in my underwear. I'll keep you posted on that.

 

[Cooter]

After getting a 45lb muscle yesterday I'm thinking about another goal to set. I think my focus will move to a 2x bw bench and a 2.5x bw squat. The 2x bw bench will take some work. Right now that means somewhere between 360-370. Ouch! The squat is around 460 and I think I might be able to do that now.

I will attempt the 45lb muscle up again in the near future and have my wife snap a quick video to go along with the 25lb and 35lb ones.

 

[FallingEdge]

Hope you're ready, you're starting a 6-month to 1 year bulk right?

yeah, I'm shooting from August to April with prolly 2-3 months on a focus of just size/looks with the rest of the time being strength. I want to hit my arms hard. They just look like logs. No real definition or peak. It is something that has always bothered me.

 

[Teggy]

anybody own any of those fancy adjustable dumbells?

I'm looking into getting some for my home gym but they are expensive so I would hate to find out they were pieces of garbage.

I have the SelectTech dumbbells and I love them. If you treat them right they will last just fine. Great for simple workouts. Unfortunately my new house doesn't have the right space for exercise stuff so I don't use them anymore, but I got a gym membership instead.

 

[MjFrancis]

Cool, that's pretty much what I do. I'll get bumper plates in the next year or two.

This is true. I listen to whatever I want as loud as I want. It's convenient, I'm not waiting for anybody ever, I can make a mess if I want, re-rack or not re-rack, and it's cool as it's in my basement. I suppose I could train in my underwear. I'll keep you posted on that.

Can you OHP in your basement? I'd rather be posted on that and your pull-up progress, lol.

 

[KibblesBits]

So today while changing in the lockerroom at my gym I noticed a used syringe that was capped and just casually left in the back of my locker.

I was like, "Oh, ok then." And put it on a bench in clear view of everything then went to work on my arms.

 

[Mully]

My favorite Steve Pulcinella video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=krob8lgFwEI

 

[Imm0rt4l]

but isn't the spotter the one who fails? The guy failed his rep, exactly that happened to me some days ago but I didn't have a spotter, so plates had to fall.

why are you guys saying the guy on the bench should be embarassed?

He doesn't respect the weight. Never lifted before but I'm just gonna load up 3 plates cuz you only lift once. The fail was on both their parts.

 

[blackflag]

When I see overweight people at the gym, I do a soul-fistbump to them. I'm glad they're there and doing something about it. Especially as an ex-fatty, my soul says "Hell yeah brah" and hopes to see them do well in the future.

I don't think anyone aside from certified dickholes (regardless of their weight) look down at anyone trying to better themselves.

Me too seriously. I know they think people are judging but all but probably the teenage "bros" are giving mental fistbumps

 

[blackflag]

Down from 256 to 238 in 4 weeks. Hells yeah.

I can still bench 345 and I only lost 1 rep off 315. That's probably due to TRT keeping my levels stable when cutting but whatever I'll take it.

Still got 2 more months paid working with this guy. My goal was 225 or 10% bf. I may be able to surpass that but I have no real interest in going to single digit BF...we'll see.

 

[SeanR1221]

Down from 246 to 238 in 4 weeks. Hells yeah.

I can still bench 345 and I only lost 1 rep off 315. That's probably due to TRT keeping my levels stable when cutting but whatever I'll take it.

Still got 2 more months paid working with this guy. My goal was 225 or 10% bf. I may be able to surpass that but I have no real interest in going to single digit BF...we'll see.

Damn man youre a monster now, I can't imagine what you'd look like at 10%.

 

[FallingEdge]

I was on my cut for too long. 14 weeks at around 2-2.2k really fucked with me. At least, that is how I feel. Hormones out of wack. Now that I'm just eating whatever, I feel more... lively.

and horny.

awww yiss.

 

[Hypereides]

Set foot in a gym for the first time. Barbells are heavy. Like, just the bar. My face was burning from being so self-conscious. This is going to be so embarrassing and difficult.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH0nP4NzS9M

 

[SquiddyCracker]

You guys got any decent protein pancake recipes?

I was thinking something along the lines of 120g of whey, 100g of flour, 1 egg, some milk, and a tablespoon of baking powder.

 

[agrajag]

how much do the barbell collars weigh?

 

[blackflag]

Damn man youre a monster now, I can't imagine what you'd look like at 10%.

Yeah it was actually 256. not 246. Gonna provide picture updates.

 

[BronzeWolf]

All right, today is lift day:

Squat 305# 3x5
OHP 135# 3x5
Power Cleans 155# 5x3
Dips Bodyweight (194#) 3x15

Excited to hit the first full disc in the OHP, it's been 2 years since I did that, and I did it only once!

how much do the barbell collars weigh?

Less than 1#

 

[SeanR1221]

Yeah it was actually 256. not 246. Gonna provide picture updates.

Definitely, and it seems like you finally found something that works for you. Haven't you had trouble losing weight before?

 

[sphinx]

The spotter fails too, but the guy had no warmups (unless he completely unloaded the bar before shooting which would be odd) so it looks like he jumped right into 315 which is dumb.

He doesn't respect the weight. Never lifted before but I'm just gonna load up 3 plates cuz you only lift once. The fail was on both their parts.

oh, o.k I missed that part. failure on both parts indeed.

 

[Mix]

Okay, first day at the gym and I was too nervous to do anything besides cardio. I ran for like 45 minutes straight and went to go work out with some weights and there was like 4 ripped guys standing there laughing with each other and I decided to leave. I need a solid work out routine.

 

[SnakeXs]

What's the word on l-carnitine, Fit-Age?

 

[SeanR1221]

Okay, first day at the gym and I was too nervous to do anything besides cardio. I ran for like 45 minutes straight and went to go work out with some weights and there was like 4 ripped guys standing there laughing with each other and I decided to leave. I need a solid work out routine.

Read the OP.

 

[Deleted member 47027]

Okay, first day at the gym and I was too nervous to do anything besides cardio. I ran for like 45 minutes straight and went to go work out with some weights and there was like 4 ripped guys standing there laughing with each other and I decided to leave. I need a solid work out routine.

The OP has it. Starting Strength.

Don't even bat an eye at the dudes already there. You gotta get your work in. Good on you for taking those first steps. Last night I had a shitty entire FAMILY come in, their 12 year old smelled of milk, their 10 year old ran for an hour staring off into space, and a 7 year old walked on the treadmill while watching static on the TV in front of him. Blegh

 

[Incognito]

Doing legs today and I saw three brosephs try to run up the score by doing quarter squats. It was embarrassing. Granted, that's how I was awhile ago before I read this thread and watched some videos on proper squat technique (at which point I had to tremendously deload...) but these guys were plainly athletic yet still performing the squat all wrong. All three loaded up the bar with between 2-3 45lb plates on each side and just went to town.

However, my faith in squatting was redeemed when I saw this overweight fella performing squats by initially just using the bar to perfect to his form, then slowly and surely adding weight after each set until he reached his max. Good stuff. I wonder if he was a Gaffer.

 

[BronzeWolf]

Okay, first day at the gym and I was too nervous to do anything besides cardio. I ran for like 45 minutes straight and went to go work out with some weights and there was like 4 ripped guys standing there laughing with each other and I decided to leave. I need a solid work out routine.

why are you running 45 minutes before hitting the weights?

Do Starting Strenght. It's in the OP

 

[abuC]

Okay, first day at the gym and I was too nervous to do anything besides cardio. I ran for like 45 minutes straight and went to go work out with some weights and there was like 4 ripped guys standing there laughing with each other and I decided to leave. I need a solid work out routine.

Those 4 dudes would probably help you if you asked, people in the gym are a lot more helpful than you'd think. Everyone knows starting out is tough, only a straight up asshole would make fun of a new person.

 

[agrajag]

Got damn, after seeing increases in bench in the last few sessions, I got weaker all of a sudden. Must be diet related, at least I hope.

 

[Deleted member 47027]

Got damn, after seeing increases in bench in the last few sessions, I got weaker all of a sudden. Must be diet related, at least I hope.

Sometimes that's how it goes. I was stalling at my max for a few weeks - this week I broke through with ease. Sometimes that's just how it is, don't let it get you down. And it MIGHT be diet related.

 

[BronzeWolf]

Didn't even know there was a 3rd edition of Starting Strength. Must get delicious squat tips now

 

[agrajag]

Sometimes that's how it goes. I was stalling at my max for a few weeks - this week I broke through with ease. Sometimes that's just how it is, don't let it get you down. And it MIGHT be diet related.

I didn't take any protein supplement or creatine yesterday (non-workout day), but I doubt just one day would make a big difference, would it? Also, my elbow tendinitis has crept its way back into both elbows and it hurts to press and I feel like a giant pussy. I think that's affecting my lifts too, the mental factor.

 

[Deleted member 47027]

I didn't take any protein supplement or creatine yesterday (non-workout day), but I doubt just one day would make a big difference, would it? Also, my elbow tendinitis has crept its way back into both elbows and it hurts to press and I feel like a giant pussy. I think that's affecting my lifts too, the mental factor.

Take a small amount of time off from bench. Eat well. Get rested. Then attack!

I don't take creatine but I should.

 

[chrisisawesome]

Doing legs today and I saw three brosephs try to run up the score by doing quarter squats. It was embarrassing. Granted, that's how I was awhile ago before I read this thread and watched some videos on proper squat technique (at which point I had to tremendously deload...) but these guys were plainly athletic yet still performing the squat all wrong. All three loaded up the bar with between 2-3 45lb plates on each side and just went to town.

However, my faith in squatting was redeemed when I saw this overweight fella performing squats by initially just using the bar to perfect to his form, then slowly and surely adding weight after each set until he reached his max. Good stuff. I wonder if he was a Gaffer.

Same here! I was actually doing some squats yesterday and unknowingly messed up pretty bad.
I always start off using the bar to get the proper form, and because of my random lower back problem, I have trouble going all the way down.
So I added my 1 plate to begin my sets...My friend whose a trainer there comes to me after my set and tells me I'm not going low enough at all. Shows me the proper technique and helps me get it right.
Holy crap now that I know the awesome feeling of doing proper squats, I dont think I can make that 1/4 squat mistake again. I just did a bunch of sets of 5-6 reps at 135lbs and could barely walk! Time to work my way up from the bottom.

 

[abuC]

Got damn, after seeing increases in bench in the last few sessions, I got weaker all of a sudden. Must be diet related, at least I hope.

That's how it is, I've had times where I feel like a monster then come back a week later and can barely move that same weight I pushed the week before.