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Fitness |OT6| Defying gravity, Quest madness, and Muscle Shaming
- Thread starter SquiddyCracker
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Ohhh I see. Maybe you can go ahead and make a video showing all your stretches instead of describing themAnyway, this is a video my friend sent to me some time ago for leg flexibility. Unfortunately I stopped doing them after a few weeks because I was always short on time every morning due to lab research. I'll probably go ahead and do the stretch you told me and the ones in the video before bed or something. Thanks sphinx! And I shall wait for Szu.
OK, I'm here. Before I start, Merry Xmas and Happy Holidays from NYC. too.
I do most of the same stretches that are in the video. The only advice I mention is try not to just focus on the hamstrings. Ultimately, those muscles and the groin muscles are the ones that allow us to pull off the splits. The other areas of the legs are equally important. One stretch that I think is overlooked is the hips. There are a bunch of variations but I like to do these two.
http://youtu.be/8p6FtlqpAYg
http://youtu.be/MN9u0UK-VKI
In addition, I agree with sphinx's suggestion. The only added tip I'll mention is that as you trying to touch your nose to you knee, you need to maintain good posture. If your back bends a bit, that's fine, but don't force it. I also agree with sphinx about the careful part.
Hope this helps.
Great King Bowser
Property of Kaz Harai
wow, then it's really an investment. I assume it's just for barbell exercises, right?
I checked german amazon and they are quite expensiive but the liquid chalk analogy is an eye opener, I must say.
besides, if I only use them in the gym and inside the power rack, they will surely last a decade, right?
yeah, some guys use them in my gym and I think oohthegore here in the thread has shown pics using them.
but I'd rather have something like this, I'd like to keep using black if possible
they are called adidas powerlift 2, not the same shoes of Great King Bower's review though. I wonder if they are as good.
Yep, lifting shoes are just for lifting I'm afraid! The heels would make them a bad idea to run in. I looked at the Powerlift 2 and almost went for them as well. Would be interested in how you find them if you buy a pair!
wow, then it's really an investment. I assume it's just for barbell exercises, right?
I checked german amazon and they are quite expensiive but the liquid chalk analogy is an eye opener, I must say.
besides, if I only use them in the gym and inside the power rack, they will surely last a decade, right?
yeah, some guys use them in my gym and I think oohthegore here in the thread has shown pics using them.
but I'd rather have something like this, I'd like to keep using black if possible
they are called adidas powerlift 2, not the same shoes of Great King Bower's review though. I wonder if they are as good.
Definitely an investment in your hobby
I wouldn't use them with deadlifts or pendlay rows, but definitely squats, front squats, power cleans and other Olympic movements.
D
Deleted member 10571
Unconfirmed Member
So GAF. I wasn't really fat, but my beer belly sure was annoying in summer and I'm pretty sure I was on the road to actually being fat.
I started going from drinking only (!) softdrinks at home for over 30 years to only drinking water around 4-5 months ago. I also changed a huge part of my food, with very little fast food and instant crap only on very lazy days, usually I go for salad, soup, fresh food now. Also I added regular pushups and crunches for every/every second day.
Absolutely nothing to really brag about, doing about 100 crunches and 20-30 pushups now regulary and am somewhat eager to start running n shit, just need the shoes.
I'm absolutely aware most part of it is due to the lack of coke (I don't really like it anymore even now), but as I noticed during christmas shopping, I managed to get rid of four (european) trouser sizes now and from (also euro) XL to M/L when it comes to shirts/pullovers.
Still, I want to lose a bit of that belly, and I want to get a bit more built, but I feel totally great about it and I just wanted to share that ^^
I started going from drinking only (!) softdrinks at home for over 30 years to only drinking water around 4-5 months ago. I also changed a huge part of my food, with very little fast food and instant crap only on very lazy days, usually I go for salad, soup, fresh food now. Also I added regular pushups and crunches for every/every second day.
Absolutely nothing to really brag about, doing about 100 crunches and 20-30 pushups now regulary and am somewhat eager to start running n shit, just need the shoes.
I'm absolutely aware most part of it is due to the lack of coke (I don't really like it anymore even now), but as I noticed during christmas shopping, I managed to get rid of four (european) trouser sizes now and from (also euro) XL to M/L when it comes to shirts/pullovers.
Still, I want to lose a bit of that belly, and I want to get a bit more built, but I feel totally great about it and I just wanted to share that ^^
RumblingRosco
Member
That's awesome stuff, so congrats. You're probably right that most of that just came from your changes in your food intake rather than the pushups/crunches, but those are still solid things to add to your lifestyle. Good luck with the running; it'll probably be painful and super exhausting at first, but if you take it day-by-day and keep up with it, it'll certainly get easier and more fun.
sphinx, based on reviews I read when researching for weightlifting shoes, I don't think you should go for the Powerlifts 2.0. Just like the original Powerlift 1.0, it suffers from compression when you go to heavy weights (including your body weight). A solid heel without compression is important in lifting (or squatting) shoes which is why the Chuck Taylors are pretty popular. I'm personally still waiting to get a Wei Rui Warrior for roughly $70 not including S/H. They said their shipment was delayed and should get them in the later half of December but as you can see, it's almost the end of the month.
Great share! Like Soka said, running will be exhausting but if you stick with it, it'll definitely be worth it. I don't know how creditable this infograph is because I haven't tried it myself yet. Keep at it and do keep us updated! Maybe you can start lifting with us too
D
Deleted member 10571
Unconfirmed Member
Keep at it and do keep us updated! Maybe you can start lifting with us too
I'll try
Also I've been looking through Amazon regarding some affordable beginner lifting equipment to use at home, not a huge fan of Fitness studios, but I tried lifting for a few months in a private fitness room and it's fun as hell. There are quite some not-that-expensive lifting benches on Amazon, so if you have any word on what's usable and what I should avoid like the plague, feel free to share! Same with doorframe pullup bars.cuevas. PhD.
Member
Gonna have to take about a week and a half off anything legs relates....no cardio or squats or deadlifts. My legs are killing me. Want them to be fresh next time I lift heavy.
also gonna talk to a couple people I know about fixing up my hamstring and ankle. My hamstring has a huge knot in it, and my ankle needs extensive work to get rid of the scar tissue. I feel as though it's hampering my squat and to a lesser extent, my dead lift.
also gonna talk to a couple people I know about fixing up my hamstring and ankle. My hamstring has a huge knot in it, and my ankle needs extensive work to get rid of the scar tissue. I feel as though it's hampering my squat and to a lesser extent, my dead lift.
Thanks everyone for your comments on lifting shoes.
Sad to see the model I want isn't worth it's price. I need to write down all the names of these models and then ask in sport stores, I don't think I'll buy anything like that on the internet. I don't want to pay over 100 euro just to realize they don't fit perfectly.
and this is silly, I know... but I care for color and I want black... or at least red :/ I hate white sport shoes with a passion and If I'll go and spend that money, I want to be completely satisfied.
you remind me of me 15 months ago.... first getting rid of the coke, then doing crunches, pushups, jogging, wanting to get rid of some residual flab.
you can brag about it, it's already more than what most people are able to accomplish.
I think that the best thing I've ever done since I started caring for fitness was building a solid base to then be able to lift. When I set foot for the first time in my current gym, I was already doing interesting calisthenics and bodyweight exercises so keeping up with a wieghtlifting program and sticking to it wasn't as hard as for someone who has a new year resolution and tries hard a week and then gives up due to extreme doms, laziness and just a lack of mental and physical adaption to doing a physical activity.
Your current exercises with your push-ups, crunches (try adding situps and pullups!) will prove to be a very valuable preparation for the time you decide to upgrade and try a more complete program. so keep it up!
when you start jogging and bring down your bodyfat to a % around 14, you will be in the best position to start a weightlifting program like the ones suggested in the OP and you will be very happy with your the gains.
Sad to see the model I want isn't worth it's price. I need to write down all the names of these models and then ask in sport stores, I don't think I'll buy anything like that on the internet. I don't want to pay over 100 euro just to realize they don't fit perfectly.
and this is silly, I know... but I care for color and I want black... or at least red :/ I hate white sport shoes with a passion and If I'll go and spend that money, I want to be completely satisfied.
you remind me of me 15 months ago.... first getting rid of the coke, then doing crunches, pushups, jogging, wanting to get rid of some residual flab.
you can brag about it, it's already more than what most people are able to accomplish.
I think that the best thing I've ever done since I started caring for fitness was building a solid base to then be able to lift. When I set foot for the first time in my current gym, I was already doing interesting calisthenics and bodyweight exercises so keeping up with a wieghtlifting program and sticking to it wasn't as hard as for someone who has a new year resolution and tries hard a week and then gives up due to extreme doms, laziness and just a lack of mental and physical adaption to doing a physical activity.
Your current exercises with your push-ups, crunches (try adding situps and pullups!) will prove to be a very valuable preparation for the time you decide to upgrade and try a more complete program. so keep it up!
when you start jogging and bring down your bodyfat to a % around 14, you will be in the best position to start a weightlifting program like the ones suggested in the OP and you will be very happy with your the gains.
Great King Bowser
Property of Kaz Harai
Managed to deadlift 185kgx5 at 65kg bodyweight today, new personal best. Whoo!
Damn, light weigh guys putting up big weight is always damn impressive. Nice job.
Getting pretty close to 3x your body weight.
ive gotta pull 515 5 times to get on your level. Gimme a few months. New goal lol.
FallingEdge
Member
It blows my mind that I'm able to do sets of 100+ lbs on flat db bench. So crazy to me.
It shouldn't! You're Fing strong!! Get used to it.
Khalifa Jayy
Banned
Quest bars being sued for false intimation on nutrition labels. Ruh-roh.
rokkerkory
Member
that's incredible man, congrats
Great King Bowser
Property of Kaz Harai
Thanks guys!
So what's everyone's aims for 2014?
Mine is to get my deadlift to 200kg (currently 185kgx5), squat to 160kg (currently 145kgx5), bench to 95kg (currently at 85kgx5) and OHP to 65kg (currently at 55kgx5).
You'll hit them
For me? Probably to exhaust the gains from Starting Strength by the end of 2014. I don't know what numbers people typically have before transitioning to another program.
However I do have smaller goals until then. Squat 135/160/215lb (currently at 3x5x130); DL 135/165/225lb (currently 5x130), 5 BW pull-ups (currently at 2-3), 10 BW chin-ups (currently at 6-7), OHP 95lb (failed 3x5x80), and probably BP 135lb (failed at 3x5x95).
Khalifa Jayy
Banned
Deadlift 315x5 (Currently unknown. I was at 245x5 but pulled my back a while back and have been doing lightweight deadlifting since.)
Squat 225x10 (I have big legs but weak squat for some reason)
Bench 245x10 (Currently at 225x5 on a good day)
OHP 140x8 (Currently at 125x8)
Rough numbers, anyway. I need to get a program outlined in the next week and get real strict with it come January.
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
Definitely an investment in your hobby
I wouldn't use them with deadlifts or pendlay rows, but definitely squats, front squats, power cleans and other Olympic movements.
I actually use adipowers which are the better versions I do believe. I use them for damn near everything even benching. I only don't use them on deadlift day. They were 200 dollars and worth every penny.
425lb bench (currently 385)
650lb dead (currently 600)
315 lb overhead press currently 270lbs.
500lb squat currently completely in th gutter.
3/4/5 bench/squat/dead.
currently at 240/320/405.
a secret-boss
Banned
1 month ago my Deadlift PR was 205.
out of the whim I just wanna try out all the plates in the condo gym
I'm 144lbs right now and just DL 2 sets of 1 245lbs.
out of the whim I just wanna try out all the plates in the condo gym
I'm 144lbs right now and just DL 2 sets of 1 245lbs.
ohhthegore
Member
well gym kicked my ass today. Tried going for 215 on bench but was only able to pull out 3/3/1
as for goals for the end of next year
Bench 250 (currently at 210)
OHP 185 (currently at 145)
Squat 315 (currently at 225)
Dead lift 405 (currently at 315)
as for goals for the end of next year
Bench 250 (currently at 210)
OHP 185 (currently at 145)
Squat 315 (currently at 225)
Dead lift 405 (currently at 315)
Hypereides
Member
Got a little late Christmas PR gift yesterday. My power cleans finally made it to the 60 kg mark.
Updates. Currently at 163, trying to get up to 175 before I cut to play club football.
Not really concerned about my waist right now since my only goal is to put on as much mass as possible, I know fat gain is inevitable and I'll be doing a hard cut as I try to add explosiveness during the spring. I've been doing WSSB but I'm gonna switch to P.H.A.T. because it's a better hypertrophy routine.
Current stats:
Bench: 265x4 (haven't maxed in awhile but I'm gonna guess 295-300)
Squat: 365
Deadlift: Did 375 after doing working sets and failed halfway through 385 so I think it's far to say I'm at 385
Also, quick question: chest fat or gyno? I'm guessing the former but I'm not entirely sure.
Not really concerned about my waist right now since my only goal is to put on as much mass as possible, I know fat gain is inevitable and I'll be doing a hard cut as I try to add explosiveness during the spring. I've been doing WSSB but I'm gonna switch to P.H.A.T. because it's a better hypertrophy routine.
Current stats:
Bench: 265x4 (haven't maxed in awhile but I'm gonna guess 295-300)
Squat: 365
Deadlift: Did 375 after doing working sets and failed halfway through 385 so I think it's far to say I'm at 385
Also, quick question: chest fat or gyno? I'm guessing the former but I'm not entirely sure.
Khalifa Jayy
Banned
Everything sounds attainable, but that OHP is pushing it, most likely. I'd like to see you prove me wrong, though! Best of luck!
RumblingRosco
Member
If that's gyno, then I have a severe case of gyno compared to you. I'd say that's just a chest though. Gynecomastia is often characterized by enlarged/puffy nipples and areolas which I don't think you have.
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
It's just chest fat. You should see my glorious moobs.
Me too, man! Hitting that triple digit DB on flat bench was a big thing to me. I remember looking at guys doing over 100lb dumbbell bench the first time I walked in a gym and thinking "I'll never be able to do that."
MrOogieBoogie
BioShock Infinite is like playing some homeless guy's vivid imagination
Hey Sean, I recorded my new 1-rep PR tonight and tried incorporating some of your advice (I forgot a couple things admittedly, like the book on chest visual), but let me know if it looks any better: My hips might still be too high, I dunno. :/
Video
Oh yeah, I made a promise to myself that I'd pull 300 pounds before the end of the year, and I made it!
My short term goal is to bench 315 to maybe 330 so that I can be benching 2x my bodyweight.
Other than that I guess It would be nice to go from 410 dead to 500 dead.
Squats I want to be able to rep out 315 and just be more comfortable with it. Maybe shoot for 350.
Otherwise, I want to get disgusting and bulk up to 192 pounds, which would put me at a bmi of over 30. No one I know is supportive of that goal, hahaha.
Other than that I guess It would be nice to go from 410 dead to 500 dead.
Squats I want to be able to rep out 315 and just be more comfortable with it. Maybe shoot for 350.
Otherwise, I want to get disgusting and bulk up to 192 pounds, which would put me at a bmi of over 30. No one I know is supportive of that goal, hahaha.
A friend got me a BB.com gift card, and I need some more creatine. I'm thinking of trying something other than monohydrate (I know, I know. Mono is the "best", but I'd at least like some experience with other kinds of creatine so I can form my own opinion about em.) I've been taking mono for almost a year straight now. So I can directly compare something else to it if I get it.
Anyone use anything other than a monohydrate and get decent results?
Anyone use anything other than a monohydrate and get decent results?
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
Pull yourself into position and take the slack out of the bar. Your hips are rising before he bar ever comes off the floor.
my left moob is bigger than my right one :´(
what now? I do single-arm exercises?
MrOogieBoogie
BioShock Infinite is like playing some homeless guy's vivid imagination
What exactly do you mean by this? Having a hard time visualizing.
A
A More Normal Bird
Unconfirmed Member
Your hips are fairly high, and start to move up before you actually begin to pull the bar. This shows that there is slack, in yourself, the bar, or both. You can also see that your lower back begins to round a bit as a result.
Basically, you should be as tight as possible before the pull starts. Your upper back should be pulling the slack out of the bar, as if you're going to row it. It might help to think a bit more about pulling the bar back and dragging it up your body, as opposed to pulling it straight up. The deadlift is knows as a "hip-hinge" movement: if your hips are moving up without moving the bar, as opposed to pushing forward and bringing the bar up, that's a lot of lost force.
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
MrOogieBoogie
BioShock Infinite is like playing some homeless guy's vivid imagination
Great, thanks guys!
Guess I'll continue ironing out these kinks. I'll get it in due time.
Guess I'll continue ironing out these kinks. I'll get it in due time.
BlueScrote
Member
Not necessarily year-long goals, but my next milestones I'm aiming for:
Bench: 1RM 225 (1-repped 205 last week)
Press: rep 135 (3x4 125 yesterday)
Squat: 3x5 275 (3x3 270 last week)
Deadlift: 3x5 315 (3x5 270 last week, 1-repped 315 yesterday)
one muscleup.
I continue to have issues with my deadlift (hence the pitiful numbers) and general lower back tightness, so I'm going to hunker down my on technique. I'd also like to focus on flexibility too.
Bench: 1RM 225 (1-repped 205 last week)
Press: rep 135 (3x4 125 yesterday)
Squat: 3x5 275 (3x3 270 last week)
Deadlift: 3x5 315 (3x5 270 last week, 1-repped 315 yesterday)
one muscleup.
I continue to have issues with my deadlift (hence the pitiful numbers) and general lower back tightness, so I'm going to hunker down my on technique. I'd also like to focus on flexibility too.
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