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[ohhthegore]

If you think that feels good, try using what I use, a Rumble Roller

It works wonders on my back, neck and shoulders.

 

[Sectorseven]

5ft 10.5"
158 lbs
17% body fat

I do about an hours worth of dumbbell exercises, pull ups, crunches and so on, three times a week. I know it's all about the barbells here, but I'm working with what I've got and I feel like I get a pretty good workout.

On a workout day I eat about 2700 calories and the rest of the week I eat about 1700. I always get the necessary amount of protein. In fact my diet is really great imo. It consists almost entirely of lean meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts and milk.

Anyway, the scale has pretty much not moved at all the past month. Weigh myself same time of day and it's always + or - 1 lb. Body fat hasn't really changed either. It's like nothing is happening to my body. I'm not sure where I should go from here.

 

[TheOctodad]

5ft 10.5"
158 lbs
17% body fat

I do about an hours worth of dumbbell exercises, pull ups, crunches and so on, three times a week. I know it's all about the barbells here, but I'm working with what I've got and I feel like I get a pretty good workout.

On a workout day I eat about 2700 calories and the rest of the week I eat about 1700. I always get the necessary amount of protein. In fact my diet is really great imo. It consists almost entirely of lean meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts and milk.

Anyway, the scale has pretty much not moved at all the past month. Weigh myself same time of day and it's always + or - 1 lb. Body fat hasn't really changed either. It's like nothing is happening to my body. I'm not sure where I should go from here.

Eat more or cut more depending on what your goals are. That's really all you can do.

 

[Cooter]

Feeling it tonight.

190 OHP for 6 and a 275 CGBP for 5. I sure hope my shoulder stays this way.

 

[rage1973]

5ft 10.5"
158 lbs
17% body fat

I do about an hours worth of dumbbell exercises, pull ups, crunches and so on, three times a week. I know it's all about the barbells here, but I'm working with what I've got and I feel like I get a pretty good workout.

On a workout day I eat about 2700 calories and the rest of the week I eat about 1700. I always get the necessary amount of protein. In fact my diet is really great imo. It consists almost entirely of lean meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts and milk.

Anyway, the scale has pretty much not moved at all the past month. Weigh myself same time of day and it's always + or - 1 lb. Body fat hasn't really changed either. It's like nothing is happening to my body. I'm not sure where I should go from here.

You need to stop half assing your training and start on an established training method.
If you want to gain muscle and get stronger, just doing some random exercises 3 times a week isn't going to do it.

 

[Cudder]

5ft 10.5"
158 lbs
17% body fat

I do about an hours worth of dumbbell exercises, pull ups, crunches and so on, three times a week. I know it's all about the barbells here, but I'm working with what I've got and I feel like I get a pretty good workout.

On a workout day I eat about 2700 calories and the rest of the week I eat about 1700. I always get the necessary amount of protein. In fact my diet is really great imo. It consists almost entirely of lean meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts and milk.

Anyway, the scale has pretty much not moved at all the past month. Weigh myself same time of day and it's always + or - 1 lb. Body fat hasn't really changed either. It's like nothing is happening to my body. I'm not sure where I should go from here.

Do starting strength. Do you have access to barbells?

 

[ILoveBish]

For those of you who do use a preworkout, what do you take and why? (If you don't take one, don't tell me.)

I occasionally use ACG3 from NDS because it hits me hard and I don't crash off it. Nor do I get a headache. It just tapers off. Everything else just feels gross in my system.

I used to take BRX or whatever but hated it. I just drink a BPC now, and it gets me through my routine easily. Im also fully keto adapted if that makes a difference.

 

[Sectorseven]

Do starting strength. Do you have access to barbells?

I read the book. Only thing holding me back from that is none of the people in the book seem to look very good aesthetically, at least to me.

I have an old bench and bar. It's like a five foot bar I think. I tried practicing the motions of the exercises with the empty bar. I don't know if it's the size of the bar, but some of them feel a little awkward to me. Like for the dead lift to be comfortable I have to have my hands real far out almost next to where the plates would be. Does that sound right?

 

[A More Normal Bird]

I read the book. Only thing holding me back from that is none of the people in the book seem to look very good aesthetically, at least to me.

Are you serious? It's an educational tool, not a fitness model's portfolio.

 

[Sectorseven]

Are you serious? It's an educational tool, not a fitness model's portfolio.

So you're saying I won't look like that?

 

[FallingEdge]

So you're saying I won't look like that?

What's your end game? Pics if possible.

 

[Sectorseven]

What's your end game? Pics if possible.

Maybe something like this

 

[A More Normal Bird]

So you're saying I won't look like that?

Well, the last time I read the book there were only two people in it, one was the overweight middle-aged Texan who wrote it and the other was a young fit dude.

Look, all you can really do to change how your body looks is make your muscles bigger or smaller and lose or gain fat. The rest is all determined by your frame, your muscle/tendon insertions etc... Don't worry about what random models used to demonstrate lifts or training routines look like, worry about whether you're getting results or not.

 

[Chocobro]

Personally I wouldn't roll my back. I'd use something like a lacrosse ball and a Thera cane. Rolling your back is potentially dangerous for your spine apparently according to McGill.

Look up Brian Carroll and his injury and how MCGill is putting him back together.

Thanks for bringing that up. When I was reworking my pre-workout routine my friend suggested to remove foam rolling the back (which I did). So it looks like it's a good change.

 

[moocow]

Maybe something like this

This subsection is very powerlifting centered, so If strength is not at all a goal of yours then there are probably other better routines. But if you do care about strength then i would suggest starting strength for a few months and then maybe branching off into an Olympic lifting or bodybuilding routine.

 

[fredrancour]

5ft 10.5"
158 lbs
17% body fat

I do about an hours worth of dumbbell exercises, pull ups, crunches and so on, three times a week. I know it's all about the barbells here, but I'm working with what I've got and I feel like I get a pretty good workout.

On a workout day I eat about 2700 calories and the rest of the week I eat about 1700. I always get the necessary amount of protein. In fact my diet is really great imo. It consists almost entirely of lean meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts and milk.

Anyway, the scale has pretty much not moved at all the past month. Weigh myself same time of day and it's always + or - 1 lb. Body fat hasn't really changed either. It's like nothing is happening to my body. I'm not sure where I should go from here.

Weight gain or loss is pretty much all on your diet.

If you're trying to add strength or size but not budging even with diet, at least read ss to see the principles like progressively loading more weight and using exercises that complement each other.

Remember that while people are advocating starting strength, its not a program meant to be done forever. Consider doing it for a month or two to get stronger before finding a specialized program. This is pretty much what its intended for. Bodybuilding programs generally depend on having some strength already- doing a ton of reps of a relatively low weight of, say, rows or dumbbell bench won't do all that much to make you bigger, and building strength while doing high-rep routines can be hard.

 

[Sectorseven]

This subsection is very powerlifting centered, so If strength is not at all a goal of yours then there are probably other better routines. But if you do care about strength then i would suggest starting strength for a few months and then maybe branching off into an Olympic lifting or bodybuilding routine.

In terms of how much I want to be able to lift I haven't really given it much thought. More would be nice of course, but I don't have a whole lot of practical need for lots and lots.

I figured I would get more from noob gains regardless of what I tried.

 

[Sectorseven]

Weight gain or loss is pretty much all on your diet.

If you're trying to add strength or size but not budging even with diet, at least read ss to see the principles like progressively loading more weight and using exercises that complement each other.

Remember that while people are advocating starting strength, its not a program meant to be done forever. Consider doing it for a month or two to get stronger before finding a specialized program. This is pretty much what its intended for. Bodybuilding programs generally depend on having some strength already- doing a ton of reps of a relatively low weight of, say, rows or dumbbell bench won't do all that much to make you bigger, and building strength while doing high-rep routines can be hard.

Since I'm basically starting out more or less, do you think I'm at a point where I don't need to eat extra calories on the workout days? Like maybe I'm gaining muscle regardless, and those extra calories are just padding the fat?

 

[SeanR1221]

I read the book. Only thing holding me back from that is none of the people in the book seem to look very good aesthetically, at least to me

Lol

 

[moocow]

In terms of how much I want to be able to lift I haven't really given it much thought. More would be nice of course, but I don't have a whole lot of practical need for lots and lots.

I figured I would get more from noob gains regardless of what I tried.

Regardless of what you tried is not true. I know people who go to the gym fairly frequently, and you would never tell. That's because they are just dicking around.

The whole purpose of starting strength is to maximize your noob gains. That is really what that routine is designed for, so while you will make good gains on most decent routines, starting strength is one of the better ones. But once again, this is more powerlifting focused and most of your strength and size gains will be in your back and lower body. Seeing as the picture you showed was just a guy with some chest and arm size and low body fat, I do not know if that is what you want.

I would still advise you to do starting strength because it will give you a decent base.

If you are trying to gain muscle size and you aren't like 60 pounds over where you want to weigh, I would suggest eating a calorie surplus when on a routine like starting strength.

 

[God Dayumm]

Maybe doing a starting strength routine but with more reps (8-10) will stimulate hypertrophy for a more aesthetic look at the expense of huge strength gains? Does this sound legit?

 

[Cooter]

Maybe something like this

Learn more about nutrition if this is your end goal. The weight lifting isn't all that important truthfully.

 

[fredrancour]

Since I'm basically starting out more or less, do you think I'm at a point where I don't need to eat extra calories on the workout days? Like maybe I'm gaining muscle regardless, and those extra calories are just padding the fat?

If your weight is not budging, then whatever you're eating is exactly the amount you need to hold your current weight. Even if you're an absolute beginner, undereating will still drastically reduce the amount of muscle you build. This is true regardless of what your program's goal is.

"Noob gains" just means that your body is capable of building muscle way faster because you have so much room for improvement. It's not actually some magical hormonal transformation. If you start lifting without changing your diet then your body will be able to do very, very little before plateauing. It's better to save yourself the trouble and get the diet problem sorted out right away.

 

[Sectorseven]

If your weight is not budging, then whatever you're eating is exactly the amount you need to hold your current weight. Even if you're an absolute beginner, undereating will still drastically reduce the amount of muscle you build. This is true regardless of what your program's goal is.

"Noob gains" just means that your body is capable of building muscle way faster because you have so much room for improvement. It's not actually some magical hormonal transformation. If you start lifting without changing your diet then your body will be able to do very, very little before plateauing. It's better to save yourself the trouble and get the diet problem sorted out right away.

Does the time of day I eat make a big difference? I save all my carbs for after the workout.

My eating schedule is like this:

2:30 Protein + Vegetables

6:30 Protein + Vegetables

7:30 Exercise

9:30- 10:30 Protein, all carbs and whatever I need to fill the macros. (milk, fruit, etc.)

I usually stop eating at 10:30

 

[TheOctodad]

If your weight is not budging, then whatever you're eating is exactly the amount you need to hold your current weight. Even if you're an absolute beginner, undereating will still drastically reduce the amount of muscle you build. This is true regardless of what your program's goal is.

"Noob gains" just means that your body is capable of building muscle way faster because you have so much room for improvement. It's not actually some magical hormonal transformation. If you start lifting without changing your diet then your body will be able to do very, very little before plateauing. It's better to save yourself the trouble and get the diet problem sorted out right away.

A lot of noob gains is also just CNS adaptation to the movements.

 

[Cooter]

Does the time of day I eat make a big difference? I save all my carbs for after the workout.

My eating schedule is like this:

2:30 Protein + Vegetables

6:30 Protein + Vegetables

7:30 Exercise

9:30- 10:30 Protein, all carbs and whatever I need to fill the macros. (milk, fruit, etc.)

I usually stop eating at 10:30

No it does not. If you want that body I would listen to what we have to tell you. No other community in GAF can come close to the transformations that take place here.

 

[fredrancour]

Does the time of day I eat make a big difference? I save all my carbs for after the workout.

My eating schedule is like this:

2:30 Protein + Vegetables

6:30 Protein + Vegetables

7:30 Exercise

9:30- 10:30 Protein, all carbs and whatever I need to fill the macros. (milk, fruit, etc.)

I usually stop eating at 10:30

As cooter said, timing doesn't matter. Just get what your body needs in total.


I promise that every other dude in here who posts regularly is both stronger and better-looking than I am, btw. Take their advice seriously.

 

[Cooter]

I moved my belt up higher yesterday for squats and today for my last set of OHP because the squat video posted a few days ago with that ginormous dude. I put it slightly above my belly button and it really does make a difference for me. I can push against my belt much better. So again, thank you FitGaf.

 

[MjFrancis]

Learn more about nutrition if this is your end goal. The weight lifting isn't all that important truthfully.

I wish I had the time or present inclination to address this subject at length, but I'd have to say resistance training is still extremely important. Many people who want to be slim with defined musculature start out skinny-fat. They might not even be overweight, but they've been sedentary their whole lives, soft as mud with little to show once they cut the fat. They end up frustrated and disappointed because no matter how far they cut they still aren't happy with their abs. They are so small that it's such a gargantuan task to define them - a lot of work for little reward. Bigger guys or more athletic guys may have abs hidden under a layer of fat, but there's a subset of males who didn't grow up with calluses on their hands, didn't play sports and have never tested themselves physically.

Being GAF, that's a lot of us - I've been there before. And for a cat that's 5'10" & 158lbs that's unhappy with his physical appearance, that's him too.

 

[Cooter]

I wish I had the time or present inclination to address this subject at length, but I'd have to say resistance training is still extremely important. Many people who want to be slim with defined musculature start out skinny-fat. They might not even be overweight, but they've been sedentary their whole lives, soft as mud with little to show once they cut the fat. They end up frustrated and disappointed because no matter how far they cut they still aren't happy with their abs. They are so small that it's such a gargantuan task to define them - a lot of work for little reward. Bigger guys or more athletic guys may have abs hidden under a layer of fat, but there's a subset of males who didn't grow up with calluses on their hands, didn't play sports and have never tested themselves physically.

Being GAF, that's a lot of us - I've been there before. And for a cat that's 5'10" & 158lbs that's unhappy with his physical appearance, that's him too.

Good points. I wasn't trying to imply that he doesn't need weight training only that whatever program he decides to choose will probably be just fine if that is his goal. To look like that you need nutritional wisdom and you need to be consistent with your weight training. Exactly what program you choose isn't terribly important IMO.

 

[Sectorseven]

Well it seems like the general consensus is SS and then a more specific regimen that I will have to research more on.

Until I get set up with the SS program, am I wasting my time with dumbbells, or is something better than nothing?

Also, for that type of physique in the photo, what body weight and fat % should I be striving for?

 

[Cooter]

Well it seems like the general consensus is SS and then a more specific regimen that I will have to research more on.

Until I get set up with the SS program, am I wasting my time with dumbbells, or is something better than nothing?

Also, for that type of physique in the photo, what body weight and fat % should I be striving for?

Something is better than nothing. At your height I would say 175 and about 10% would get you there.

 

[TheOctodad]

Well it seems like the general consensus is SS and then a more specific regimen that I will have to research more on.

Until I get set up with the SS program, am I wasting my time with dumbbells, or is something better than nothing?

Also, for that type of physique in the photo, what body weight and fat % should I be striving for?

Starting Strength is definitely where you should start.

Dumbbells and even bodyweight exercises aren't a "waste" of time. You can do just fine with them for awhile. But you need to be very intentional with what muscles you're working and the progress you're trying to work. Starting strength gives you an excellent base that will be a great foundation for years to come. It's also one of the most efficient and effective programs you can do, which is why everyone is suggesting it.

Getting a certain body has a lot of factors. I encourage people to stop trying to look like someone else and worry about looking like the best "you." Genetics, height, diet, and lifting styles are all going to effect what you look like. That said, that guy is probably around 8-10% body fat (correct me if I'm wrong here guys).

 

[Sectorseven]

Starting Strength is definitely where you should start.

Dumbbells and even bodyweight exercises aren't a "waste" of time. You can do just fine with them for awhile. But you need to be very intentional with what muscles you're working and the progress you're trying to work.

For what it's worth, it's not completely random. I try to hit all the major muscle groups with three sets of ten reps. I took a lot of it from what I remember from P90x When I did it years ago. Then I also do some bodyweight exercises like push ups and pull ups. I feel pretty good afterwards.

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

Benched 360 for a very easy 3 today but called it there. And did the supplement and accessory work.

405 is gonna go up no problem next month. I'm positive of it.

 

[Mark1]

do you have any before pics to compare to?

I'm not sure if I have good ones, but I know for a fact my pecs and quads feel bigger

 

[ILoveBish]

OHP day for my 1's week, did 175lbsx2. Damn it felt INCREDIBLE. Going to hit 4 plates on deadlift easy tomorrow, i can feel it. And this is on a calorie deficit. Keto 4 lyfe.

 

[SeanR1221]

Weigh in is tomorrow. If I'm not 209 I'll have to start...*gulp*...doing....cardio...

 

[Visceir]

Got my Amino1 BCAA-s -- tastes sooooo good. Guess I'll have to see if I actually feel the difference with them but I'm actually considering just using it as a juice/soft drink replacement even if I don't. Now I kinda want to taste the other flavors too.

 

[otake]

Well I've improved.

I went from 155-158 lbs to 165lbs, no waist gain!

I went from benching 160's to 185 lbs now.

Still stuck on 25 lbs sometimes 30lbs for curls.

I finally started deadlifting and squatting. I squatted 100'lbs and deadlifted 70lbs.

My legs have been killing me for 2 days now.

 

[ohhthegore]

Got my Amino1 BCAA-s -- tastes sooooo good. Guess I'll have to see if I actually feel the difference with them but I'm actually considering just using it as a juice/soft drink replacement even if I don't. Now I kinda want to taste the other flavors too.

which ones you get?

 

[Visceir]

which ones you get?

Amino1 orange/mango flavor. I've only heard good things about the other flavors too.

 

[RoeBear]

Man, had the best arm workout in a while. It was so pumped I could barely move em.

 

[otake]

Man, had the best arm workout in a while. It was so pumped I could barely move em.

What did you do?

 

[RumblingRosco]

Hit 2x250 for my last set of squats on my 1s day of 5/3/1. This is the first time I've hit 250 in over a year, and honestly, I never had nearly the depth I have now. I remember I used to "squat" ~275 for a few reps, but I know now that the depth was maybe a 1/2 to 3/4th squat at best. It's humbling to have to look back years later and realized I was never as strong as I thought I was, but it feels good to be on the right track finally.

 

[RoeBear]

What did you do?

Just did three exercises for bis and tris, but did high reps.

 

[SeanR1221]

Hit 2x250 for my last set of squats on my 1s day of 5/3/1. This is the first time I've hit 250 in over a year, and honestly, I never had nearly the depth I have now. I remember I used to "squat" ~275 for a few reps, but I know now that the depth was maybe a 1/2 to 3/4th squat at best. It's humbling to have to look back years later and realized I was never as strong as I thought I was, but it feels good to be on the right track finally.

This is what I was talking about earlier. I almost wish I could delete my old PRs from memory.

Form is really dialed in now.

 

[HisshouBuraiKen]

Maybe something like this
Generic abs guy

LAME. I demand that from here on out all goal physique pictures be Punch-Out characters.

Maybe something like this

Isn't that better?

Weigh in is tomorrow. If I'm not 209 I'll have to start...*gulp*...doing....cardio...

You should be doing it anyways! 30' of LISS a couple times a week isn't gonna make your gains evaporate and it's good for the ticker. Just put an episode of south park on your phone or something.

 

[MjFrancis]

Good points. I wasn't trying to imply that he doesn't need weight training only that whatever program he decides to choose will probably be just fine if that is his goal. To look like that you need nutritional wisdom and you need to be consistent with your weight training. Exactly what program you choose isn't terribly important IMO.

I like the phrase nutritional wisdom. I'm going to steal that one for everyday use.

Sectorseven, as everyone has stated, do what you can until you can get a starting strength program running. Persistent consistency over time will prove fruitful. That's the commonality among every successful person here, no matter what they do.

 

[moocow]

I have a shitty habit of overarching my back when I struggle with OHP. I keep tweaking the area around my right shoulder blade cause of it. Lame.