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[BakedYams]

same day if you can.rest day is for resting.

Hm, I'll see if I can do that cause I lift Mon, Wed and Fri while I do HIIT on Tues and Thurs. If I do HIIT three times a week on Mon, Wed and Fri, do I then rest for Tues and Thurs? I really wanna go 5 times a week so I'm getting proper exercise and leave Saturday and Sunday for my lounge days.

Why not just get a cheap set of measuring spoons?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PZ7I2M/?tag=neogaf0e-20

1 tsp is generally equivalent to 5g

Wow, this is a steal. Macy's is having a good deal on rice cookers too, 20 bucks on Friday. Time to add brown rice to my diet and measure ingredients out properly.

Gone up a clothing size and a lot of good clothes I had which didn't fit now fit me perfectly. Very motivating.

Also just ordered a 5g scoop to measure my creatine correctly. Think I've been heaping the tea spoons too much and the extra creatine has been unsettling my stomache a little bit. Time to measure it out properly.

Hope I can reach that point in a couple of months. Been walking with a better posture now so lets see if we can do something about clothes size!

 

[BakedYams]

get a tighter setup. kinda like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYKScL2sgCs

Wouldn't you also want to do it at an incline if you're aiming to getting work on your pecs? Dips do the same too but make them protrude out a bit more from what I heard.

Edit:

Curses, sorry for the double post.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

That examine article is really informative. It's so hard to do these kinds of studies with so many variables.

It really just shows you how poor nutritional science can be. If everything in that Examine article is true, then the conclusion is really quite a stretch.

 

[CherryWoodFuton]

Unfortunately that was me for a good portion of the one year I started training. In the end I tweaked my squat form enough to how it is now, where the only thing I'm not particularly happy about is my bar path. I still feel decent about my deadlifts, people keep pointing out that my hips aren't low enough I don't think my morphology allows for that without falling back on my heels or bending my knees to a decent degree, since I tried it after CherryWoodFuton (I believe it was him) suggested to do that for (more?) leg drive. I follow Rippetoe's cues because they're more technical and it is easy for me to do; I tried JL Holdsworth's setup and it didn't work for me unfortunately.

Speaking of deadlifts, I saw this article a while ago that was reference in Omar Isuf's sumo or conventional DL video featuring Massthetics. Turns out I have very long arms (~43.33%) and an average torso (~47.41%) and my recommendation DL style is conventional.
-----------------------------------------
On another note, for those who care for this kind of thing, I updated my YouTube Fitness Videos Compilation Evernote note a few days ago.

I don't remember suggesting that so maybe that wasn't me but for my DLs I've been using Rippetoe's (and Alan Thrall's) cues. Alan Thrall's description of imagining that the bar is stationary while the ground can be pushed with your legs really resonated with me.

 

[ACE 1991]

So I started running this routine after being out the gym for a few months: http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/the-muscle-building-workout-routine/ I'm really liking it so far. Would you guys say it would be too much to add some extra arm work during my lower body days? They've always been a big problem area for me and I wonder if the extra volume might help.

Anyone?

 

[CherryWoodFuton]

Anyone?

Seems like your standard bodybuilding routine.

I personally wouldn't do it until I'm good strength wise

 

[agrajag]

Seems like your standard bodybuilding routine.

I personally wouldn't do it until I'm good strength wise

That's what I'm planning to do. Get reasonably strong and then work on doing weight for reps and lots of volume and vanity muscles and all that jazz.

 

[perineumlick]

Cant wait to finally lift again tomorrow after this blood test. Body is feening a good lift.

I hate that my schedule is going to change as I am going to reverse commute leaving me no time for a 2 hour lifting sesh in the A.M. Ill have enough time to easily do a 30 min cardio sesh,but wanted to limit cardio. Might just do it now to wake me up before work. Looks like Ill have to do what I've been trying to avoid doing......peak hours in the gym. My frustration level will be over 9000 when I start going to the gym at 6-7.....I am in NYC too so if you think its bad where you live than you have no idea. Been there at peak once and it was the worst.

I feel you on the peak hours thing. I'm in the NY/NJ area, and at those times it's a madhouse. I'm currently working nights, so I've been going after work at 5:30-6am, and it's pretty empty. Flip side is, I don't have the same energy to train after working all night (I have a physically taxing job). If I can go with my training partner it helps tremendously to up the intensity, but alone it's a real slog at times.

 

[grumble]

If you want to be vey strict about it, I would recommend getting a kitchen scale.

You really don't have to be though. It's a waste of your time. Just use a heaping teaspoon, if it's 5 or 7 grams it doesn't really matter.

 

[grumble]

That's what I'm planning to do. Get reasonably strong and then work on doing weight for reps and lots of volume and vanity muscles and all that jazz.

To be honest the different between a power lifter and a bodybuilder isn't as big as some think. You can build a lot of muscle mass just getting to a 500 pound deadlift and equivalent other compounds. The bodybuilding stuff is really more about fine tubing than creating the mass, though it still works if you keep pounding away at it.

 

[Chocobro]

I don't remember suggesting that so maybe that wasn't me but for my DLs I've been using Rippetoe's (and Alan Thrall's) cues. Alan Thrall's description of imagining that the bar is stationary while the ground can be pushed with your legs really resonated with me.

Great high bar squat form. For the deadlifts I suggest lowering the hips a little bit more which will help when you do heavier weight to load with the hips more.

I had to make sure I had the right person. Looks like I phrased it wrong and thought leg drive instead. My bad CherryWoodFuton!

 

[Bowser]

Welp, hit my first stall during this cut. Couldn't put up OHP 3x5 at 110 lbs (@ 5'6" ~138 lbs). Ended up with 4, 3, 3. Feels bad man. At least all my other lifts have progressed as expected. Gonna give it another go Monday and see if I need to deload.

On the other hand, after about ~10 weeks of fairly consistent low carb (<75g for except 1 week when I was on vacation), I think I'm going to up my carbs again...workouts are starting to get really taxing and hopefully I'll feel better with some more carbs. Nothing crazy, but think I'll bump up to around 125g and see how I feel with that.

 

[CherryWoodFuton]

Welp, hit my first stall during this cut. Couldn't put up OHP 3x5 at 110 lbs (@ 5'6" ~138 lbs). Ended up with 4, 3, 3. Feels bad man. At least all my other lifts have progressed as expected. Gonna give it another go Monday and see if I need to deload.

On the other hand, after about ~10 weeks of fairly consistent low carb (<75g for except 1 week when I was on vacation), I think I'm going to up my carbs again...workouts are starting to get really taxing and hopefully I'll feel better with some more carbs. Nothing crazy, but think I'll bump up to around 125g and see how I feel with that.

Just 125g???? Shiet
I'm stuck at 135 on OHP and I've been eating close to 200g of carbs on lifting days

 

[Bowser]

Just 125g???? Shiet
I'm stuck at 135 on OHP and I've been eating close to 200g of carbs on lifting days

Haha yeah I realize it's still not that much (only 500 cal), but it will be more than I've had for on most days for the better part of 2 months. For example, today I had probably 50-60g of carbs. Although now with football starting, I'm gonna let NFL Sundays be my "fuck it" day and have one cheat meal with carbs galore (including delicious beer which I've pretty much avoided). Maybe it'll translate well into the gym the next morning (since I lift M/W/F in the mornings generally - this week I've had to switch to evenings tho).

My lifts from 10 weeks ago to now (all 3x5 except DL which is 1x5):

Squat - 135 -> 195
Bench - 140 -> 170
Barbell Rows - 115 -> 150
Deadlift - 185 -> 215
OHP - 75 -> 105 (went up ok, surprised 110 was so hard)

 

[Oblivion]

So I'm not in a particularly great situation right now. My gym membership to L.A. fitness expired two weeks ago and since I've gone back to school, I was planning on using the gym there. Unfortunately, because of my specific class schedule and the fact that I'm working a full time shift, I don't seem to have too much time to go to work out. At this point, I'd only be free for one day during the week and Saturday and Sunday.

Any advice?

 

[CherryWoodFuton]

So I'm not in a particularly great situation right now. My gym membership to L.A. fitness expired two weeks ago and since I've gone back to school, I was planning on using the gym there. Unfortunately, because of my specific class schedule and the fact that I'm working a full time shift, I don't seem to have too much time to go to work out. At this point, I'd only be free for one day during the week and Saturday and Sunday.

Any advice?

Get it in while you can. I dont know what kind of program you are in right now but most of them have a 3xs a week workout schedule

 

[Oblivion]

Get it in while you can. I dont know what kind of program you are in right now but most of them have a 3xs a week workout schedule

I've been doing Starting Strength. I know it and most routines are 3 days, but you need a rest day in between each, which would be a problem for the weekend.

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

Red alert! Priority alarm! We all need to help him fix this.

My two cents: All of the examples in your video seem to be relatively ideal for a conventional setup. In my mind, the only variables I would suggest modifying would be sitting back into it more and compressing your hips into a lower start position, a little closer to the bar.

I know it is generally recommended to keep your ass high so it doesn't turn into a squat motion, but this never has worked for me. My hips want to explode and my low back feels terrible. A few inches above parallel, at the point most people want to quit on a squat, that seems to be the best starting position for me.

I transitioned to sumo style with a pretty low pelvic orientation and it has helped me gain muscle in my low back without constantly breaking myself.

This picture was the only one I could find that seemed relevant, as I can literally see nothing wrong with the rest of your setup from the ass up.

This probably isn't the answer you want to hear, but maybe you're overthinking it?

Steve P has this section in the iron sport method book where he talks about sometimes you need to just grip it and lift the weights. That if you just get bogged down in every little bit of form checks you're holding yourself back.

Having said that, I really don't think these look bad at all. But I guess like you said they don't feel good. Nothing glaringly obvious sticks out to me. Maybe when you pull yourself into the bar, keep pulling until you FEEL the hamstring tension and then pull.

Thanks for the input, guys! Yeah, I very well may be over-thinking it, but I got injured so I can't help it. :/

Keep the wise words coming, FitGAF!

 

[agrajag]

guys, can I get a form check on my deadlifts please?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U0BskWquX4&feature=youtu.be

I don't know. I tried to make sure I take the slack out of the bar and pull myself into it. It still seems like my ass starts coming up slightly before the bar starts moving. Also, maybe very slight lower back rounding, which I need to work on. Back feels great though, nothing is sore. I think I'll continue adding weight to the bar very cautiously, while continuing to work on improving my form.

 

[CherryWoodFuton]

guys, can I get a form check on my deadlifts please?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U0BskWquX4&feature=youtu.be

I don't know. I tried to make sure I take the slack out of the bar and pull myself into it. It still seems like my ass starts coming up slightly before the bar starts moving. Also, maybe very slight lower back rounding, which I need to work on. Back feels great though, nothing is sore. I think I'll continue adding weight to the bar very cautiously, while continuing to work on improving my form.

Keeping you chest up helps with producing a neutral spine I think. As far as your ass coming up, try thinking that the bar is the one that is not moving but the ground is. That makes you drive your legs (and your ass) down

 

[Bleepey]

I hope you're trolling.

I;m serious as cancer. They didn't say go zero carbs but certainly cut down on them. They consistently said leave out bread.

 

[yogloo]

I'm always confused by calories in vs out.

Makes sense- but if you eat 2000 cals of straight sugar- are you really not gonna fatten up? How does cals in/out fit in w all the talk about insulin spikes.

Asking seriously. Sources would be cool thanks.

Twinkie diet.

Twinkie diet helps nutrition professor lose 27 pounds

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/

 

[keezy]

I;m serious as cancer. They didn't say go zero carbs but certainly cut down on them. They consistently said leave out bread.

So there's a difference between "reduce" and "cut out". That's a large generalization to say "bread". From what it sounds like you need to go talk to different people for nutrition advice. Have you ever heard of Ezekiel bread? That's an excellent carb source that's "bread".

 

[DoktorEvil]

Does anyone know of any flavorless whey powder I can buy retail?

I'm kind of sick of the ice cream flavors. I'd like to simply drop in whey into Gatorade.

 

[Psychotext]

The best reason to cut out bread is that almost everyone underestimates how many calories are in it. I've made lunch then calculated my calories and realised I'd eaten 400kcal of bread (filling excluded)... and that was the supposedly healthy stuff.

Edit - Goddamn it, 400kcal. Not 700kcal. I just looked it up and it's actually slightly higher than I thought. 137kcal a slice, so more like 550kcal.

http://www.warburtons.co.uk/products/bread/seeded/seeded-batch-800g

 

[CrankyJay]

The best reason to cut out bread is that almost everyone underestimates how many calories are in it. I've made lunch then calculated my calories and realised I'd eaten 700kcal of bread (filling excluded)... and that was the supposedly healthy stuff.

That's like 7-10 slices of bread...

 

[Dany]

Why kinda of bread are you buying thats 350kcal per slice!?

 

[Psychotext]

That's like 7-10 slices of bread...

It was four slices of bread.

 

[MarkMclovin]

I've been dieting (on and off, but mainly on) for around 3 years or so now and next week is the start of my first bulk. To be honest I'm scared as fuck about putting on the weight I've spent so long getting off, but I'm definately losing strength so it has to start now.

I'm currently around 14% bf which I know may be a little high to start a bulk on, but I've been here for some time now and can't see myself getting much lower anytime soon. I plan on doing an increase in the calories from 1800 to 2800 (which is my BRM + TEE + 15%), but how to do transfer over? Do you increase 200 calories per day, or per week?

Also, I'm a bit sceptical about the increase in calorie formula I got from BB.com as I put weight on so easily, but I suppose I won't know if it's right until I've been using it for a while.

 

[CrankyJay]

It was four slices of bread.

What brand is this? Those must be some dense slices of bread.

 

[Bowser]

What brand is this? Those must be some dense slices of bread.

lol yeah, the most dense sandwich bread I've seen is like 100 cal per slice, tops.

 

[CrankyJay]

oh god, my boss just linked me to one of those SYNTHOL videos on youtube

 

[Mik2121]

The Gold's Gym in Umeda?

Sorry for the incredibly late reply. Nope, not the one in Umeda, but the one in Nakanoshima. The one in Umeda is a bit smaller from what I've heard.

 

[Irobot82]

I've been having some knee pain lately. Both what feels like my knee socket and the back of my knee around those tendons. Do you guys think a compression sleeve will help to alleviate some of my pain?

 

[Chocobro]

Anyone with 12+ size feet and is looking for weightlifting shoes, you can get the red adiPower from the adidas website for $140. If you sign up for their email list, you get an additional 15% off making it $119. Another steal.

 

[FallingEdge]

Anyone with 12+ size feet and is looking for weightlifting shoes, you can get the red adiPower from the adidas website for $140. If you sign up for their email list, you get an additional 15% off making it $119. Another steal.

definitely not missing this one, signed up but no email yet. Hopefully I can scoop these when the email comes.

 

[CrankyJay]

Anyone with 12+ size feet and is looking for weightlifting shoes, you can get the red adiPower from the adidas website for $140. If you sign up for their email list, you get an additional 15% off making it $119. Another steal.

every time a deal like this comes around i feel compelled to buy, but i recognize i am still a novice lifter...and that i should at least chain together an entire year of lifting (with normal breaks) before I can treat myself to something like this. Otherwise I would just feel like a poser.

 

[FallingEdge]

mmmm yes

ordered. I wonder if I shoulda sized down but they didn't have 12.5.

13 should be good.

 

[ThLunarian]

Random chick at the gym today complimented me on my squats. Feels good.

FORM CHECKS!

All of these are at about half the normal weight I use for the 3 sets of 5.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd7hJF20-LU& Bench Press

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNiqg75P3YY& Power Cleans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-swR1raL14& Deadlift

I have others but I'll wait for commentary on this batch first. Thanks in advance!

 

[Pete Rock]

Thanks for the input, guys! Yeah, I very well may be over-thinking it, but I got injured so I can't help it. :/

Keep the wise words coming, FitGAF!

So I was thinking, maybe you are also setting up with an overly aggressive or "exagerrated" anterior pelvic tilt? From what I understand posterior tilt is superior for lifting above the waist or overhead, which is why squeezing the glutes together is such a great cue on OHP. Anterior pelvic tilt is superior for squats and lifting loads off the ground but you can also over-do it to a certain extent.

I have been focusing on this when I setup for my DL's and I notice if I roll my pelvis forward just slightly while engaging my psoas before I break at the hips, it helps me feel my hamstrings pull as I descend to the bar. If I just break at the hips and keep my pelvis rotated backwards I never feel tightness in my hamstrings and it always feels like the load is focused on that curve in my low spine. Similarly when I focus on not rotating my pelvis back so extremely, it also feels like a stronger motion overall and the arch in my low back doesn't feel like the only point bearing the weight.

Might be something to look into that could be complimentary with the slightly adjusted starting position cues. Whatever makes you feel better and avoid injury is worth giving a shot anyways.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd7hJF20-LU& Bench Press

More arch, more leg drive. Alan Thralls video that Chocobro linked in the past has been the most helpful for me in terms of establishing a proper setup to facilitate this arrangement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-swR1raL14& Deadlift

I think your feet are too far apart and angled out a little too much for a conventional stance. You are like 40% to a sumo setup there with your legs and arms splayed out. I would suggest focusing on one or the other and dialing in from there once you determine which is most comfortable.

 

[Chocobro]

Random chick at the gym today complimented me on my squats. Feels good.

FORM CHECKS!

All of these are at about half the normal weight I use for the 3 sets of 5.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd7hJF20-LU& Bench Press

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNiqg75P3YY& Power Cleans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-swR1raL14& Deadlift

I have others but I'll wait for commentary on this batch first. Thanks in advance!

It doesn't look like you're completely locking out in the deadlifts, I may be wrong. Something I noticed is that your stance look a bit wide for conventional, it could be the camera angle; are your knees caved in during the setup? Again, could be camera angle, but it looks like the bar is a bit in front of the middle of the foot.

Your power cleans is mostly arms and not enough transfer of power from triple extension. Your rack position needs to have your elbows up like in the Olympic grip front squat, not the OHP rack position. The arm (from the shoulder to the elbows) is supposed to be parallel to the ground. You need to break your wrists (loosen your grip so you transition into the Olympic grip while you catch the barbell with your body). I don't link Elliott Hulse's videos often but the guy's, asking for help, power clean is almost like yours: link. Be more explosive.

EDIT: Feel free to dig around my Evernote note for YouTube videos.

 

[Psychotext]

What brand is this? Those must be some dense slices of bread.

I had the wrong value originally (hit wrong key on keypad), but it wasn't exactly far off anyway:

The best reason to cut out bread is that almost everyone underestimates how many calories are in it. I've made lunch then calculated my calories and realised I'd eaten 400kcal of bread (filling excluded)... and that was the supposedly healthy stuff.

Edit - Goddamn it, 400kcal. Not 700kcal. I just looked it up and it's actually slightly higher than I thought. 137kcal a slice, so more like 550kcal.

http://www.warburtons.co.uk/products/bread/seeded/seeded-batch-800g

 

[ThLunarian]

Yeah I have tried multiple times, but I don't even feel like I can hold the bar in front-squat position, let alone catching it like that. I either end up choking myself or dropping it. Not sure how to fix that.

As for the deadlift stance, how far apart are your feet supposed to be?

 

[Chocobro]

Yeah I have tried multiple times, but I don't even feel like I can hold the bar in front-squat position, let alone catching it like that. I either end up choking myself or dropping it. Not sure how to fix that.

As for the deadlift stance, how far apart are your feet supposed to be?

You'll have to increase your wrist flexibility. Get comfortable with the rack position and practice catching the bar into that position. I really like CaliforniaStrength's way of teaching the clean, minus the squat portion.

Conventional deadlift stance is about shoulder (or hip? Someone correct me here please). I believe Alan Thrall said it's the stance you would take to do a vertical jump. You wouldn't do a vertical jump with your feet relatively wide apart.

 

[Faiz]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNiqg75P3YY& Power Cleans

I'll comment on the cleans, mainly because I think there are people here better able to comment on bench and deadlift than me.

The two biggest problems here are:

1) you are using your arms to bring the bar up. It's clear that this is happening especially in the first two reps, as the bar begins to raise faster than your hips before you've completed the triple extension. You are early in the "jump" and the bar is already zooming up. The third rep is better but still looks off. You can tell you are getting more leg drive in it though, as the bar is moving faster and goes higher.

Also, you have a tendency to stop he lift when you approach the jump position and do a bounce into the jump. This should be eliminated making the lift one constant motion on every rep.

2) you aren't racking the bar onto your shoulders, instead you are stoping the bar on your hands. Catch the bar on your shoulders with the elbows forward, hands only touching the the bar to keep it stabilized on the shoulders. No weight should be on your arms at the top.

Some other notes:
Looks like your stance and grip may be a little wide (which incidentally looks like it's probably the same on your deadlift). Arms should be basically straight down. This might be the angle of the video, but I don't think it is.

When dropping the bar you kinda heft it up, throw your elbows and shoulders over top of it, presumably to slow the descent and soften it. This is going to take a toll on your shoulders pretty quickly, and it wouldn't surprise me if you pull a shoulder out of its socket with a little bit of weight on the bar. Does your gym have bumper plates? It's really best to be able to drop the bar to the floor without any sort of effort from you to slow the descent. You can catch it on your thighs (for now) but that's a whole discussion on form itself to keep from injuring yourself too. Bumper plates are really needed to learn the clean IMO.

Overall you look very loose in your lifts in general. Focus on developing tightness. It's harder to display with lighter weights but it's essential to develop. Focus on tightness and get the valsalva maneuver down.

 

[Syphon Filter]

It was four slices of bread.

Dam i get so full with 2 slices, can't imagine 4.

 

[FallingEdge]

Dam i get so full with 2 slices, can't imagine 4.

2 slices? How big are these slices?

 

[Syphon Filter]

I've been dieting (on and off, but mainly on) for around 3 years or so now and next week is the start of my first bulk. To be honest I'm scared as fuck about putting on the weight I've spent so long getting off, but I'm definately losing strength so it has to start now.

I'm currently around 14% bf which I know may be a little high to start a bulk on, but I've been here for some time now and can't see myself getting much lower anytime soon. I plan on doing an increase in the calories from 1800 to 2800 (which is my BRM + TEE + 15%), but how to do transfer over? Do you increase 200 calories per day, or per week?

Also, I'm a bit sceptical about the increase in calorie formula I got from BB.com as I put weight on so easily, but I suppose I won't know if it's right until I've been using it for a while.

You can do what some call micro bulk and cut. Since you are bulking, you bulk until you notice your abs are starting to leave and then you cut again. Then you repeat.

 

[CrankyJay]

anyone have any recommendations for BCAA that i can order from amazon?

 

[Pete Rock]

Conventional deadlift stance is about shoulder (or hip? Someone correct me here please). I believe Alan Thrall said it's the stance you would take to do a vertical jump. You wouldn't do a vertical jump with your feet relatively wide apart.

From what I understand in conventional setup your heels should be directly underneath your hip socket so your legs are straight up and down, which for me ends up being about 1.5 foot width of space.

Kind of like how on OHP setup, your forearms should be at 90' to the bar. If they are angled in or out you need to adjust to get them straight. Depending on how fat your quads/hamstrings are you need to adjust for the visual taper effect and imagine the line of your skeletal structure running under all that meat.