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[Poindexter]

Ok this might be a stupid problem to have but for a while now I've been trying to find the best picture to use for reference when estimating ones bodyfat level. There's too much variation between each set of pictures you find with google..

Can someone tell me which one of these is the most accurate? Or if you have a better one then please share..

None. They're all just examples. Pictures like this aren't accurate because they're not using the same person (obviously) so it's hard to stay consistent with muscle mass, height and body types. Some of those guys at 3--25% have a lot of muscle mass underneath while some of the guys sub 20% barely have any. So the pictures aren't consistent at all.

 

[despire]

None. They're all just examples. Pictures like this aren't accurate because they're not using the same person (obviously) so it's hard to stay consistent with muscle mass, height and body types. Some of those guys at 3--25% have a lot of muscle mass underneath while some of the guys sub 20% barely have any. So the pictures aren't consistent at all.

Kinda what I figured :/

Thanks anyway.

 

[Fourth Storm]

Thanks for posting this. I was doing bench ALL wrong. No traps, leg drive, arch, etc. Just flat back, loose legs and no tension anywhere near my back or lower body.

You're not the only one! Is this the way everyone benches around here? Should I be doing this as a beginner on SS?

Gonna attempt some power cleans at the gym today. I flirted with them a couple years back with light weight. My only concern today is having enough space at the gym I'm using. I wish they didn't just shove the squat rack in the middle of everything else. At least they have one though, and so far not many people seem interested in using it while I'm there.

 

[BumRush]

Had 3 rep PRs last night in squat / DLs (4X3 @ 315 for both) and it felt amazing. Nothing like the rest of FitGAF but @ 173 pounds and on a low carb diet I'm happy.

Also, squats and deadlifts in the same day (with accessory leg work, abs AND HIIT) is literally hell on earth...

 

[FallingEdge]

you gotta compare yourself to your weight, that's what is key. I am rather weak for my size imo.

 

[MjFrancis]

If you ever want to compare yourself to someone for self-motivation:

http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/records/raw/women-world

If 148lbs Julia Zaugolova can deadlift 529lbs, then 185lbs Francis better quit making excuses and move some fucking weight.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Ended last week on a high note, hitting 360x3x5 on squats SOLID...I do think I can get back to my old total of 380x3x5.

Had some setbacks, though, mainly due to a Puerto Rico vacation over the past weekend, which DESTROYED ME, haha.

Which brings me to now:

I was going to go to the gym yesterday and get right back to it when I got a text from my lifting buddy, who told me the gym was closing early to attend a memorial service for a lifter. Young guy who I never met but saw around the gym, worked hard as hell, easily 20 pounds lighter than me (so around 180-170) and deadlifted around 500.

He was killed in a hit-and-run over the weekend.

I didn't get to attend the memorial, but a lot of people from our gym turned out, apparently. Good to have community when shit like this happens. Be safe, everyone!

 

[kevo_huevo]

Had 3 rep PRs last night in squat / DLs (4X3 @ 315 for both) and it felt amazing. Nothing like the rest of FitGAF but @ 173 pounds and on a low carb diet I'm happy.

Also, squats and deadlifts in the same day (with accessory leg work, abs AND HIIT) is literally hell on earth...

Don't be so modest! like FE said, you gotta compare yourself to your weight. I stopped trying to compare my numbers to the rest of fitgaf too since shorter and a little lighter than most here. Great job! It always feels good to set PRs.

Ugh are my lifts are all out of whack, or what?

DL: 365
Bench: 195
Squat: 235
OHP: 135

(5'9, 160)

My squat was pitiful, but I increased it a ton recently. I account some of it due to holiday weight gain (some of that was muscle, cause I just eat more... even if it was dirty). Then all of my lifts went up, including my DL which was like 300ish before.

nah man, that's really good! I'm also around there (5'7", 160ish); are those 5rm? eventually our squat numbers should begin to separate further from bench, but nice OHP!

 

[SeanR1221]

That 30% guy in the last picture is cracking me up.

 

[Cooter]

Can you imagine a gym filled with nothing but people in FitGaf?! This is a strong group. I rarely see anyone OHP 135 and we have people weighing 160 doing it! Keep it up guys!

 

[Deleted member 47027]

That 30% guy in the last picture is cracking me up.

That's a proud 30%

 

[MjFrancis]

Can you imagine a gym filled with nothing but people in FitGaf?! This is a strong group. I rarely see anyone OHP 135 and we have people weighing 160 doing it! Keep it up guys!

I rarely see anyone OHP, much less 135lbs.

I don't know that I've seen ten different people OHP firsthand in my lifetime.

 

[RumblingRosco]

I rarely see anyone OHP, much less 135lbs.

I don't know that I've seen ten different people OHP firsthand in my lifetime.

I was gonna say, I'm just happy to see anyone put the damn bar over their body. Seems like I've seen a slowly increasing number of squats and deadlifts, but OHP still seems highly limited. This actually reminds me, I had a question the other day that no one seemed to respond to. I promise this is the last time I'll ask either way, but anyone have some advice?:

As a part of 5/3/1, I do overhead presses. I find, some days, on my last few reps of the day I occasionally arch my back. I see this is a common problem for strict-form OHPs, but I am wondering if it means I am trying to lift too heavy of a weight or of it is just a problem with my form. Any advice? I am not against deloading, but just not sure how to diagnose if a small arch is acceptable, or if it should truly be as straight of a spine as possible.

 

[Szu]

That 30% guy in the last picture is cracking me up.

IMO, the 30% guy seems to be in better shape than the 25% guy.

 

[Deleted member 47027]

Man, I went into my modest little gym Tuesday and I get in and some woman is lying on the bench talking on the phone. That was the only semi-free bench too. I gave her one hell of a look. Grrr.

 

[Cooter]

That 30% guy in the last picture is cracking me up.

See, the 25% guy is making me chuckle. "Hey, wait a minute... I know I saw my penis a few days ago. Where the hell is it?"

 

[SeanR1221]

I was gonna say, I'm just happy to see anyone put the damn bar over their body. Seems like I've seen a slowly increasing number of squats and deadlifts, but OHP still seems highly limited. This actually reminds me, I had a question the other day that no one seemed to respond to. I promise this is the last time I'll ask either way, but anyone have some advice?:

Probably has to do with ego. Can't lift a plate over your head so why start working on it.

IMO, the 30% guy seems to be in better shape than the 25% guy.

Yeah 25 guy looks pretty rolly polly.

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

Made eggs and rice. 4 eggs and 1/4 cup rice. Threw some olive oil into the rice before adding the eggs "soft scrambled". Eggs finished cooking in the rice and it was surprisingly good.

I can see this being a good breakfast/post workout.

 

[RumblingRosco]

Made eggs and rice. 4 eggs and 1/4 cup rice. Threw some olive oil into the rice before adding the eggs "soft scrambled". Eggs finished cooking in the rice and it was surprisingly good.

I can see this being a good breakfast/post workout.

Throw some black pepper in that and then invite me over next time, k?

 

[Szu]

Man, I went into my modest little gym Tuesday and I get in and some woman is lying on the bench talking on the phone. That was the only semi-free bench too. I gave her one hell of a look. Grrr.

 

[rokkerkory]

I think sweet spot is 10% BF... you still have some size and good definition. I gotta get there!!

 

[kevo_huevo]

Made eggs and rice. 4 eggs and 1/4 cup rice. Threw some olive oil into the rice before adding the eggs "soft scrambled". Eggs finished cooking in the rice and it was surprisingly good.

I can see this being a good breakfast/post workout.

throw some spam in there and you have the traditional filipino-american breakfast.

or, just take day old rice from the fridge, throw it in the pan + olive oil, garlic, s&p and you've got a great garlic fried rice (also a filipino breakfast staple).

 

[SeanR1221]

I think sweet spot is 10% BF... you still have some size and good definition. I gotta get there!!

I'd be happy with 18ish.

 

[rokkerkory]

I'd be happy with 18ish.

but you've already got good size and definition... I am still noob level =/

 

[Splash Wave]

Yet another question about bench form (I'm making sure to do my research before benching again on Friday):

What does everyone think about wrist placement, and how would I go about figuring this out? Should I ask someone to take a picture of me with the bar at my chest?

And the bar should be hitting just around (a little above) the sternum, right? I've been bringing it down too high, I think.

 

[Veezy]

From all the male clients I've worked with, I consistently see them hit abdomanls being exposed between 9% and 11%. Depending on height you can go up to possibly around 13%. However, I've never seen anybody 15% or greater have abs showing, however the stomach was flat, which generally is god enough for vanity's sake.

 

[Omegasquash]

I hate food days like this. Hungry as hell after my lunch, but know that I should hold off for dinner ('bout 6 oz of good steak and a cup of quinoa, a low sodium V8).

I really think I need to invest more time in breakfast...a nonfat chobani with chia seeds and blueberries just doesn't give me the fullness I want prior to hitting the gym (even with a pre-workout snack).

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

Well it's happened. I'm back to full day meal planning. So if it's not on the plan it doesn't go in my face. Bike also arrived, but I'm not gonna put it together till Sunday.

throw some spam in there and you have the traditional filipino-american breakfast.

or, just take day old rice from the fridge, throw it in the pan + olive oil, garlic, s&p and you've got a great garlic fried rice (also a filipino breakfast staple).

Made this to be more healthy. Spam is out of the question. Lol

Throw some black pepper in that and then invite me over next time, k?

Hot sauce.

 

[demon]

Man, I went into my modest little gym Tuesday and I get in and some woman is lying on the bench talking on the phone. That was the only semi-free bench too. I gave her one hell of a look. Grrr.

I'm a very non-confrontational person. But this is one thing I don't mess with, and I've given a few people a passive-aggressive "So you done with that?" with an impatient stare when they're clearly not using it. I pay to be here and I have limited time. Use the fucking bench or get off it.

Related mini-rant: was at the gym last week when it was fairly busy and one of the two squat racks was being used by a trainer/employee with a client, and he was having her do push-ups on the bar. I just stood there with a "what the fuck" look on my face.

 

[Omegasquash]

I'm a very non-confrontational person. But this is one thing I don't mess with, and I've given a few people a passive-aggressive "So you done with that?" with an impatient stare when they're clearly not using it. I pay to be here and I have limited time. Use the fucking bench or get off it.

My favorite is when folks leave a towel and dumbbells at a bench, then go off to do a few other exercises. Clean your shit up and move on, or don't look agitated when someone moves your stuff to do their thing.

 

[Pete Rock]

As an ex-smoker, nothing fucks with me more than someone who smells like they just smoked half a pack in their car on the way down to the gym. Particularly when they bring in their coat and all their other accessories that are completely saturated with these off-gassing poisons. Walked down to bench last night and this dude on the corner bench has his cowboy hat and phone sitting on the empty middle bench. I ask if he's using it and he says "no, you are bro" and gives me a finger-pistol motion. I should add he is wearing sunglasses and all black everything, including jeans. Inside. I'm just like wtf shaking my head, this can't be real, whatever just focus.

Five seconds into my first set I take a huge breath and immediately get a light headache in my forehead and I just wanted to kill this dude. This exact headache happens every time I am driving behind someone or standing next to someone on the sidewalk who is lighting up, and it is also accompanied by the feeling that I am going to spontaneously purge all of my stomach contents. This fucking psycho hillbilly had literally an 8 foot radius of chemical stench enveloping his person at all times. Ughhhhh

Benched 190 x 9 instead of 10 and I blame the last rep on him, all day everyday

 

[FallingEdge]

12% is the best.

 

[rokkerkory]

My favorite is when folks leave a towel and dumbbells at a bench, then go off to do a few other exercises. Clean your shit up and move on, or don't look agitated when someone moves your stuff to do their thing.

This irritates the hell out of me almost as much as not re-racking weights.

 

[FallingEdge]

my shampoo im using for max gainz

 

[Cooter]

My favorite is when folks leave a towel and dumbbells at a bench, then go off to do a few other exercises. Clean your shit up and move on, or don't look agitated when someone moves your stuff to do their thing.

I superset 2 muscles at once so I'll do this. I'm usually only gone for a minute or so but yeah, guilty. I'd be standing there resting for my next set anyway and people can always work in.

 

[DUFFMCWALIN]

you gotta compare yourself to your weight, that's what is key. I am rather weak for my size imo.

Same here. I got 3x440 for my last set on deadlifts today. Breaking through always feels good. Was stuck on that.

 

[Szu]

my shampoo im using for max gainz

So that's the secret for the glorious mane.

 

[Petrie]

As an ex-smoker, nothing fucks with me more than someone who smells like they just smoked half a pack in their car on the way down to the gym. Particularly when they bring in their coat and all their other accessories that are completely saturated with these off-gassing poisons. Walked down to bench last night and this dude on the corner bench has his cowboy hat and phone sitting on the empty middle bench. I ask if he's using it and he says "no, you are bro" and gives me a finger-pistol motion. I should add he is wearing sunglasses and all black everything, including jeans. Inside. I'm just like wtf shaking my head, this can't be real, whatever just focus.

Five seconds into my first set I take a huge breath and immediately get a light headache in my forehead and I just wanted to kill this dude. This exact headache happens every time I am driving behind someone or standing next to someone on the sidewalk who is lighting up, and it is also accompanied by the feeling that I am going to spontaneously purge all of my stomach contents. This fucking psycho hillbilly had literally an 8 foot radius of chemical stench enveloping his person at all times. Ughhhhh

Benched 190 x 9 instead of 10 and I blame the last rep on him, all day everyday

I know that sucks but this guy sounds awesome. Finger pistols and all.

 

[sphinx]

my last bench press experience was really weird.

I had been stuck at (67.5 kg) 148 x 5 forever...many weeks..., it was a disaster. Form may have been bad, or maybe I was just afraid of dying cause I hate spotters and don't have one.

Anyway, my plan was to do 5 sets instead of 3 and go adding reps in some sort of pyramid form, like 5-5-4-4-3, (for example) and go from there to 6-6-5-4-3 or something like that. The plan was to get to the next increment when I reached 6-6-6-6-6 and then start from 3-3-3-3-3 on that weight. 6x5 happened one week ago, I was THRILLED, out of nowhere, all of a sudden, my body decided it wanted to do those reps.

yesterday I went for the next increment, (70 kgs) 154 and I was sure I was going to do 3 reps at most, maybe even 1 or 2 reps, the mental shit I had to get over because of a new increment on bench was a big deal.

to summarize...I did 5x3 @ 154 with not much effort actually.. I thought I would have to stay there for at least a month to do a single set of 5 reps.

Something definitely changed, I am breathing better and I am coming to terms with the motion. I will stay one more week there just to make sure it wasn't just "luck" or an expecionally good day and also to improve on form but if that goes well too, it's 72.5 the week after that.

after being stuck sooo long on 148, it's crazy that I am gonna increment from 154 to 160 in half a month....crazy.

the body works in mysterious ways.

 

[Chocobro]

You're not the only one! Is this the way everyone benches around here? Should I be doing this as a beginner on SS?

I would assume a few benches like that. I'm a beginner roughly 7 months into SS and I'm looking to fix my bench set up right now. However after discussing it with my friends, we're a bit skeptical with some of those sources' end result bench form; looks like an "extreme PLing BP" according to my friends. So does this mean Jonnie Candito, Stan Efferding, or Bryce Lewis , for examples, are benching with bad form or have a bad setup? But what do I know, I'm just making observations and still doing research; I'm quite curious about what Brolic (and the others) thinks.

My "ideal" bench set up: heels flat on the ground to follow USAPL rules (according to Jonnie Candito) in case I want to participate in meets for fun; heels further back as I can't go further back at the moment without having hip pain so I'll have to continue working on hip mobility; have my glutes on the bench; have traps/upper back tighter; use lats to unrack the bar. Similar to Candito's or Bryce's set up.

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

I would assume a few benches like that. I'm a beginner roughly 7 months into SS and I'm looking to fix my bench set up right now. However after discussing it with my friends, we're a bit skeptical with some of those sources' end result bench form; looks like an "extreme PLing BP" according to my friends. So does this mean Jonnie Candito, Stan Efferding, or Bryce Lewis , for examples, are benching with bad form or have a bad setup? But what do I know, I'm just making observations and still doing research; I'm quite curious about what Brolic (and the others) thinks.

My "ideal" bench set up: heels flat on the ground to follow USAPL rules (according to Jonnie Candito) in case I want to participate in meets for fun; heels further back as I can't go further back at the moment without having hip pain so I'll have to continue working on hip mobility; have my glutes on the bench; have traps/upper back tighter; use lats to unrack the bar. Similar to Candito's or Bryce's set up.

You're letting your friends tell you videos from legit sources aren't "correct" and you don't want a PL style yet you want to bench following Pl fed rules. What videos are you talking about? The ones I told you to look at?

What? Am I reading this wrong? If you're gonna double check with your friends about advice I give you or forward you to, just ask them from now on. I'd rather not waste my time.
If I read this wrong. I apologize, and again refer you to the videos I told you to watch.

If I don't reply to a response to this it's not because I'm ignoring. It's because I'm headed to work.

 

[Mumei]

Hello, FitGAF.

I don't know how interested you guys are in reading about fitness history (as opposed to... you know... achieving fitness goals), but if you are, this was pretty interesting. I got a bit bored with it towards the end because I was hoping for something about more analytical, but as a straightforward history about the major personalities and figures it was interesting:

 

[Szu]

Hello, FitGAF.

I don't know how interested you guys are in reading about fitness history (as opposed to... you know... achieving fitness goals), but if you are, this was pretty interesting. I got a bit bored with it towards the end because I was hoping for something about more analytical, but as a straightforward history about the major personalities and figures it was interesting:

Sound interesting. Also, the woman in the middle of the right column actually impresses me the most.

 

[Cudder]

I signed up for Audible last month and have been listening to a couple books, one about fitness/muscle building. It's pretty cool, I'll usually listen to it on my commute to work.

I think I may start a cut beginning in April. 230lbs is the heaviest I've ever been, and I haven't been doing a lot of BW exercises like dips or pull ups recently because it's super hard to get my weight up. I got down to 200 last time I cut, we'll see if we can take it there or further. Also I just look kinda pudgy.

 

[Chocobro]

You're letting your friends tell you videos from legit sources aren't "correct" and you don't want a PL style yet you want to bench following Pl fed rules. What videos are you talking about? The ones I told you to look at?

What? Am I reading this wrong? If you're gonna double check with your friends about advice I give you or forward you to, just ask them from now on. I'd rather not waste my time.
If I read this wrong. I apologize, and again refer you to the videos I told you to watch.

If I don't reply to a response to this it's not because I'm ignoring. It's because I'm headed to work.

Not at all Brolic, I'm just comparing advice and discussions to videos I've watched in addition to looking more into the sources you referred me to.

What I noticed in the "so you think you can bench" series is that in the end, the guy is on his toes when benching. AFAIK the being on your toes is against USAPL rules like I mentioned before, that's what they were referring to as the "extreme PLing BP" (due to the foot positioning), the "end result bench form" I mentioned in the previous post, so in that sense it is "wrong" for us. But everything else in the series was great and informative. I also watched JL Holdsworth's bench set up video, which was helpful for the two set ups that had heels flat on the ground.

I asked for your opinion if Candito's or Bryce's set up is bad since they found it to be similar to mine.

I didn't invalidate or dismiss your advice or the information you forwarded me. Overall it is pointing me in the right direction to fix up my bench set up and I intend to do what you suggested me.

 

[Omegasquash]

I superset 2 muscles at once so I'll do this. I'm usually only gone for a minute or so but yeah, guilty. I'd be standing there resting for my next set anyway and people can always work in.

That's totally OK...part and parcel. Hit it and hop. It's the folks that will like...do a circuit of 5 exercises and leave their shit all over the bench, towel, water bottle, bells...I've even seen a phone.

This irritates the hell out of me almost as much as not re-racking weights.

Every. Time. I hit a gym in Lynnfield on the weekend and there's always a pair of 80's on the floor next to a bench that never get touched. Drives me insane that someone's that lazy. I try to play it off in my head like "lol they probably bit off more than they could chew and walked away all ashamed," but that's likely not it.

 

[Cooter]

That's totally OK...part and parcel. Hit it and hop. It's the folks that will like...do a circuit of 5 exercises and leave their shit all over the bench, towel, water bottle, bells...I've even seen a phone.

Ok, good. I was starting to wonder how many people I've pissed off over the years.

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

Not at all Brolic, I'm just comparing advice and discussions to videos I've watched in addition to looking more into the sources you referred me to.

What I noticed in the "so you think you can bench" series is that in the end, the guy is on his toes when benching. AFAIK the being on your toes is against USAPL rules like I mentioned before, that's what they were referring to as the "extreme PLing BP" (due to the foot positioning), the "end result bench form" I mentioned in the previous post, so in that sense it is "wrong" for us. But everything else in the series was great and informative. I also watched JL Holdsworth's bench set up video, which was helpful for the two set ups that had heels flat on the ground.

I asked for your opinion if Candito's or Bryce's set up is bad since they found it to be similar to mine.

I didn't invalidate or dismiss your advice or the information you forwarded me. Overall it is pointing me in the right direction to fix up my bench set up and I intend to do what you suggested me.

I also said following those videos isn't 100% necessary and use them as a guide. They will send you in the right direction. How do I know? Because they are what I used.

Coming back to me after your friends told you the sources I sent you were suspect and questioning the validity of the advice doesn't sit well with me.

 

[Chocobro]

I also said following those videos isn't 100% necessary and use them as a guide. They will send you in the right direction. How do I know? Because they are what I used.

Coming back to me after your friends told you the sources I sent you were suspect and questioning the validity of the advice doesn't sit well with me.

I apologize for that Brolic. I overlooked your disclaimer, it's my fault.

 

[rokkerkory]

It's heavy back day and light shoulder day (part 2)!

Woot... pull-ups and ohp here I come

On another note, anyone going to see 300 this weekend? It's the movie that inspired my lazy ass to get in shape. =D