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Fitness |OT7| #Swelfies, Trap Lords, and Quadzilla
- Thread starter FallingEdge
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Your link is broken.
Do you mean my elbows should be 45 degrees from where my hands are? Sounds painful, but I admit that I'm not 100% on what my grip width should be.
Thanks for the feedback. I was surprised my knees weren't buckling in on squats, warm up sets are helping I guess.
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
45 degrees from your torso. 90 degrees would put a lot of the load on your shoulder joints, below 45 degrees would hit more of the triceps.
Absolutely. Great way to bulk for me. Sounds delicious Crank.
O.v.e.rlord
Banned
Oh man I had nothing left. Then Push It by Static-X came on. I was like "fuck it" and did it anyway.
Had my first kickboxing class, the other day. 1st hour was pure cardio, second hr was all technique. I was told to use open hand for the punching bag since I didn't yet have gloves, unfortunately halfway through I forgot and started using my fists. Pink/ring finger knuckles are sore as hell now.. Anyways for anyone solely doing a cut I recommend a class like this, beats the shit out of you.
Haha. I've had similar situations when a certain song unlocked beast mode. It's amazing the impact muusic can have on us.
I've started something insanely sadistic on leg day.
I start of with a quick 1 mile jog to get the blood flowing.
Then, 4 sets of squats (warm-up and 3 heavy).
THEN, I do 3 sets of calf raises, stiff leg DL and leg raises, except in between exercises I do 5 minutes of HIGH resistance bike.
Jelly is way to solid to describe what my legs feel like afterwards...
I start of with a quick 1 mile jog to get the blood flowing.
Then, 4 sets of squats (warm-up and 3 heavy).
THEN, I do 3 sets of calf raises, stiff leg DL and leg raises, except in between exercises I do 5 minutes of HIGH resistance bike.
Jelly is way to solid to describe what my legs feel like afterwards...
Hypereides
Member
Guys, I need your input to ease my conscience.
I've been struck with some sort of throat inflammation (most likely bronchitis) - go to the gym? y/n
NB: I'm infrequently coughing up alot of phlegm.
My dilemma is that I want to go, but don't want to risk infecting other gymgoers and I worry I won't be capable of performing the exercises with maximum effort.
I've been struck with some sort of throat inflammation (most likely bronchitis) - go to the gym? y/n
NB: I'm infrequently coughing up alot of phlegm.
My dilemma is that I want to go, but don't want to risk infecting other gymgoers and I worry I won't be capable of performing the exercises with maximum effort.
Stay home and go when you're not contagious.
Hypereides
Member
Thanks for the response Cooter. Will do and I'll bombard that illness with remedies.
I know it was implied, but it eased my conscience getting a confirmation.
Rule of thumb: If you're VISIBLY sick (e.g. spitting up phlegm), stay home every time. You're doing the right thing.
Soulscribe
Member
Can I get some advice?
I just hit my 6th month of bulking and now I want to start toning/cutting for 6 or so months so that I can lose the body fat I've gained. I want to maintain the muscle mass I already have so I know that I should be keeping up the weight lifting but I don't need to be progressing, i.e. just keep to the same final weight so that my strength stays the same. I
I'm mostly confused about the cardio and dietary stuff. Like I know to lose body fat I need to be at a calorie deficit, but I also need to eat a lot of protein to maintain the muscle I've built. During the bulking phase I was consuming 1g of proten per pound of body weight, so with a calorie deficit I'm not sure how much protein I'm supposed to have. Or maybe I can just keep consuming the same amount of protein but just get rid of bad carbs and sugars?
Additionally, I'm constantly told that excessive running (and other high intensity cardio) burns through your muscle as well as fat, which is what I don't want. So what kind of cardio should I be focusing on? I want to shed the layer of fat around my midsection, ass and thighs.
I wanted to start the new phase this Monday so if anyone can help I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
I just hit my 6th month of bulking and now I want to start toning/cutting for 6 or so months so that I can lose the body fat I've gained. I want to maintain the muscle mass I already have so I know that I should be keeping up the weight lifting but I don't need to be progressing, i.e. just keep to the same final weight so that my strength stays the same. I
I'm mostly confused about the cardio and dietary stuff. Like I know to lose body fat I need to be at a calorie deficit, but I also need to eat a lot of protein to maintain the muscle I've built. During the bulking phase I was consuming 1g of proten per pound of body weight, so with a calorie deficit I'm not sure how much protein I'm supposed to have. Or maybe I can just keep consuming the same amount of protein but just get rid of bad carbs and sugars?
Additionally, I'm constantly told that excessive running (and other high intensity cardio) burns through your muscle as well as fat, which is what I don't want. So what kind of cardio should I be focusing on? I want to shed the layer of fat around my midsection, ass and thighs.
I wanted to start the new phase this Monday so if anyone can help I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
Psychotext
Member
Short answer that most people seem to agree on (this isn't an exact science) is:
1: Maintain your weight lifting numbers as long as you can (some people still get some increases on a cut).
2: Drop your calories (not insanely) and eat as much protein as you did on a bulk, or more. This means cutting down on carbs / fat obviously... and generally mostly carbs.
3: Do HIIT, don't spend ages doing steady state cardio on a cut, it's a waste of time and energy. Exception here of course is if you're also training endurance... but I think only about three of us here do.
1: Maintain your weight lifting numbers as long as you can (some people still get some increases on a cut).
2: Drop your calories (not insanely) and eat as much protein as you did on a bulk, or more. This means cutting down on carbs / fat obviously... and generally mostly carbs.
3: Do HIIT, don't spend ages doing steady state cardio on a cut, it's a waste of time and energy. Exception here of course is if you're also training endurance... but I think only about three of us here do.
Soulscribe, as Psycho mentioned, increase your protein and decrease your fats and carbs (more protein from eggs, chicken, lean beef, etc, less from fast food, cheeses, whole milk). Also, HIIT should be your best friend, as should mixing in super sets and drop sets to your workout instead of just going heavy on everything with long pauses in between.
When I cut, I don't decrease calories at all, just switch my macros, eat a bit cleaner and up the intensity (HIIT, super sets, etc.) of my workouts.
When I cut, I don't decrease calories at all, just switch my macros, eat a bit cleaner and up the intensity (HIIT, super sets, etc.) of my workouts.
Psychotext
Member
Just worked out how the next 9 days is going to work for me with the Tour of Sufferlandria. Looking at about 19 hours of training (on and off the bike) and I reckon I'm going to need something in the order of 15,000 extra calories.
Time to go shopping I think!
Time to go shopping I think!
Absolutely, if you do it right, a solid cut should take 8-12 weeks.
Cheese...right there....my weak spot.
Last time I cut 30 pounds I basically cut out all cheese and it made a huge difference.
Soulscribe
Member
Short answer that most people seem to agree on (this isn't an exact science) is:
1: Maintain your weight lifting numbers as long as you can (some people still get some increases on a cut).
2: Drop your calories (not insanely) and eat as much protein as you did on a bulk, or more. This means cutting down on carbs / fat obviously... and generally mostly carbs.
3: Do HIIT, don't spend ages doing steady state cardio on a cut, it's a waste of time and energy. Exception here of course is if you're also training endurance... but I think only about three of us here do.
Thanks!
I suppose the drop in calories should just account for carbs and fats, so that makes sense. I use whole milk with my protein shakes but I can switch that out to fat-free.
So as far as creating a workout program, what would you recommend? As I said I've been focusing almost entirely on heavy weight training so high intensity cardio is a foreign thing for me.
I'm trying to create a consistent program so I can make super sets/drop sets an official thing, coz I've never really worked out that way. As I said above, if you have a program that you'd like to pitch I'm all ears.
I was considering it, but I'm just not really that happy with my body right now. I'm really happy with the muscle I've gained but I want them to pop, so I'm fine with putting muscle gaining on hold and just trimming everything else. And yeah I've been told that cutting mostly doesn't take as long (assuming you're just trying to make your abs visible, for example) as long as you keep up with diet and your program. I just want my body to look more proportional, and then I can go back to bulking again. I just know that if I burn this little saturn ring off then I'll look a lot better.
This makes me happy. I can definitely go textbook and discipline myself, so if it takes a shorter time to meet my goal than I thought then let's do the damn thang.
I know that feeling all too well. The point when you begin to feel uncomfortable in your own skin and when clothes you used to like don't look how you want them to look on you. I get it.
Here's cutting for dummies:
-Lift heavy
-2000 calories
-Eat .8-1 gram of protein per lb of body weight
-Lift heavy
-Under 75 gs of carbs
-Lift heavy
-Drink lots of water
-Sleep well
The fat will melt away. Good luck!
Psychotext
Member
I forgot these, and they're important. Sleep especially so if you want to reduce muscle loss.
Arrowgigantic
Member
Sounds like a good recipe for overtraining
Soulscribe, here was a rough sketch of my last cut workout (do each day 1X per week...focus on taking less rest than normal for every exercise, except compound lifts). In addition to the below, I did ab work every day. I'll probably do something similar starting in March.
Day 1: Chest -
Day 2: Back -
Day 3: Shoulders -
Day 4: Legs -
Day 5: Arms -
This was the "1 year progress" from when I started working out to when I finished cut:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=100462676&postcount=12226
Day 1: Chest -
- Warmup steady state jog
- Bench Press - 4 Sets
- Incline Press - 5 Sets, 30 second rest
- Cable Hi-Lo Fly super-set - 3 Sets x 3 Sets
- Decline Bench / Weighted dips super-set - 3 sets for decline and as many sets as it takes to get to X number of weighted dips (usually 5 or 6 sets, with little rest)
- HIIT
Day 2: Back -
- Warmup steady state jog
- Deadlift - 4 Sets
- Bent-over row / Ladders - 3 Sets
- Lat pull-down super-set - 3 sets wide-grip palms facing out, 3 sets close-grip palms facing in
- Back Fly / Face Pull super-set - 3 sets each
- X amount of pull-ups in as many sets as needed (usually 5-6 sets, with little rest)
- HIIT
Day 3: Shoulders -
- Warmup steady state jog
- OHP - 4 Sets
- Shrug drop set - 4 sets, each set drop weight 4 times
- Upright Row / Arnold Press super-set - 3 sets
- Front raise / lateral raise super-set - 3 Sets
- HIIT
Day 4: Legs -
- *No cardio*
- Squats - 5 sets
- Stiff legged DL - 3 sets
- Calf raises - 5 sets
- Leg raise / Leg press superset - 3 sets
- HIIT bike
Day 5: Arms -
- HIIT
- Triceps overhead extension / cable kick-backs super-set - 3 sets
- Biceps curls drop-set - 4 sets, dropping weight 4 times each set
- Close-grip bench / barbell biceps curls - 3 sets bench, 3 sets (to failure) with bar only
- Rope pulldowns / biceps cable curls super-set - 3 sets
- HIIT
This was the "1 year progress" from when I started working out to when I finished cut:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=100462676&postcount=12226
Been doing bench press for about 2 1/2 months now, gotten used to it but with the influx of new people there is sometimes a queue forming, seen people pull over a table and use the smith machine, is it the same thing really? One hears conflicting views that its not nearly as good as free bench pressing.
Domino Theory
Crystal Dynamics
Hey gang, hope any one here can help me out with where to take my diet and training next. I know the wall of text is absurd but I just feel compelled to give detail on what I've been experiencing so you guys can hopefully help me out.
I was obese for most of my life up until a few years ago so when I started a training program, I was in a calorie deficit and have been for most of my lifting career to date. There's been one or two small phases of bulking (wrong bulking) but otherwise I've been eating to lose.
I'm at a point where every part of my body except for my torso (front and back) and upper legs have plenty of fat on them to lose but the rest of my body is lean. When I wear clothes, people always tell me I'm lean and should be eating more to gain muscle but they don't see what I have underneath. I think this is what most call skinny fat.
I want to say fuck it to having this left over fat and just start reverse dieting to get my metabolism back up to speed then do a very conservative bulk (1-200 calories above maintenance a day at the most). This means I'd keep the fat and potentially add to it but also, hopefully, build a solid foundation of muscle underneath over time and incorporate mini cuts here and there instead of prolonged ones like the one I've been on.
My training has mostly been strength rep range based (1-5; doing 531) and kept strictly on compound movements so I'm guessing on that front I need to diversify my rep ranges and add more volume?
Here's what a typical week of lifting looks like for me:
Bench 531
Squats 3x5
Bent Over Rows 3x5
Deadlift 531
Front Squats 3x5
Incline DB Press 3x5-10
Squats 531
Overhead Press 531
One Arm DB Row 3x5
I've never really experienced newbie gains to the extent that it's portrayed. I hear phrases like "when you first start a training program you'll reach a 300 pound deadlift in the first year then bla bla bla" and for me, it took me 3+ years before I could deadlift 300 pounds for one rep. And I can't do that now because I've gotten weaker being on my six month long cut.
I defer to all of your judgments as I'm certain most of you are way stronger than I am and know way more as well.
I was obese for most of my life up until a few years ago so when I started a training program, I was in a calorie deficit and have been for most of my lifting career to date. There's been one or two small phases of bulking (wrong bulking) but otherwise I've been eating to lose.
I'm at a point where every part of my body except for my torso (front and back) and upper legs have plenty of fat on them to lose but the rest of my body is lean. When I wear clothes, people always tell me I'm lean and should be eating more to gain muscle but they don't see what I have underneath. I think this is what most call skinny fat.
I want to say fuck it to having this left over fat and just start reverse dieting to get my metabolism back up to speed then do a very conservative bulk (1-200 calories above maintenance a day at the most). This means I'd keep the fat and potentially add to it but also, hopefully, build a solid foundation of muscle underneath over time and incorporate mini cuts here and there instead of prolonged ones like the one I've been on.
My training has mostly been strength rep range based (1-5; doing 531) and kept strictly on compound movements so I'm guessing on that front I need to diversify my rep ranges and add more volume?
Here's what a typical week of lifting looks like for me:
Bench 531
Squats 3x5
Bent Over Rows 3x5
Deadlift 531
Front Squats 3x5
Incline DB Press 3x5-10
Squats 531
Overhead Press 531
One Arm DB Row 3x5
I've never really experienced newbie gains to the extent that it's portrayed. I hear phrases like "when you first start a training program you'll reach a 300 pound deadlift in the first year then bla bla bla" and for me, it took me 3+ years before I could deadlift 300 pounds for one rep. And I can't do that now because I've gotten weaker being on my six month long cut.
I defer to all of your judgments as I'm certain most of you are way stronger than I am and know way more as well.
DUFFMCWALIN
Member
Honestly, I would never ever use the smith machine if I were you. I never use it.
God Dayumm
Banned
It is specially bad for bench press because the bar should not follow a perfect vertical path but have some slant. Your shoulders can hurt. Some big guys at my gym use it but I've never seen them load more weight than what they lift on the regular bench
ShadowgeistX
Member
The biggest con of the smith machine is the set bar path. Since everything there is practically set for you then you lack any stability work that you would have had on a free bar. This applies to deads, squats, bench...it'll feel a lot lighter because you're definitely not using all the muscles you would have used to stabilize the bar normally. The set bar path can also introduce bad form in your lifts (depending on which one you do).
I think those are all the reasons you need not to use the smith machine. People usually ignore me even if I tell them all this, even though they're the ones who asked in the first place. =\
re Domino Theory,
I just added more Volume to my 5/3/1 program, so I might save you some time there.
The way to do it is to basically follow what Wendler wrote in his followup, BEYOND 5/3/1,
So you add Joker sets (meaning the same lift with a higher % of the weight)
And "first set last", meaning you do your first set of the big lift at the end (after the joker sets) again for as many reps as you can. And that up to three times.
THEN you go and to your assistance work.
In my case, because I'm following BoringButBig.. I go and do 5x10 at 65% of another big lift.
Then one assistance lift depending on the day (leg curl, croc row etc)
Some HIIT and GOOD NIGHT!
This calculator and the book of course make it pretty easy:
http://blackironbeast.com/5/3/1/calculator
If you play around with the options and then look what they change, it gets clear very fast.
Ask if something is still muddy and good luck!
I just added more Volume to my 5/3/1 program, so I might save you some time there.
The way to do it is to basically follow what Wendler wrote in his followup, BEYOND 5/3/1,
So you add Joker sets (meaning the same lift with a higher % of the weight)
And "first set last", meaning you do your first set of the big lift at the end (after the joker sets) again for as many reps as you can. And that up to three times.
THEN you go and to your assistance work.
In my case, because I'm following BoringButBig.. I go and do 5x10 at 65% of another big lift.
Then one assistance lift depending on the day (leg curl, croc row etc)
Some HIIT and GOOD NIGHT!
This calculator and the book of course make it pretty easy:
http://blackironbeast.com/5/3/1/calculator
If you play around with the options and then look what they change, it gets clear very fast.
Ask if something is still muddy and good luck!
Pancakes
hot, steaming, as melted butter slips into the cracks, drizzled with sticky sweet syrup OH GOD
Don't use the smith machine for anything to be honest. The straight up and down movement leaves out a lot of muscle groups.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHBLxCPmnVc
I beg to differ. I love the smith machine. I always switch things up on bench... dumbell presses, barbell bench, and smith machine variation(usually reverse banded).
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most.../why_i_love_the_smith_machine
Edit: If you're listening to the broscience guy for actual advice. You're doing it wrong.
DUFFMCWALIN
Member
No I listen to powerlifters and people in this thread, 95% who will say the smith machine is garbage or you should really limit your usage of it.
Bodybuilders are a whole different beast my man. To each their own. I'm with you though. Most useless piece of equipment in the gym for me personally.
DUFFMCWALIN
Member
And I think thats the disconnect here. If a trained individual wants to use a smith machine, do what you want to do. If someone is going to ask me for advice or want me to teach them a few things, I'm going to steer them away from the machine.
I didn't intend to say you were listening to that broscience guy. The link above me was one of his videos about the smith machine lol.
Just my .02. The smith machine is a useful tool and I wouldn't necessarily discount it from your arsenal of equipment.
God Dayumm
Banned
It is legit for calf raises!
I agree. The cookies in cream is way better.
ohhthegore
Member
Got one yesterday, I think it may be up there with Cookie Dough for me
I think S'mores are hit and miss with people. I'll eat them but they are pretty far down on my list. C&C and Cookie Dough on the other hand were made with some type of sorcery!
Gotta agree. I really liked it.
DUFFMCWALIN
Member
No hard feelings
.Physiotherapist meeting was today, got some good and some bad news: still no deadlifts (according to her, maybe never, that remains to be seem), I can try to add more weight to squats though (yay!), I need to continue to do planks and stretches daily and also she basicly told me to fuck bmi and lose max 10 kilos / 22 pounds more (she said that 5 kilos / 11 pounds would be good enough and that bmi don't count the muscles at all).
...I need to say I was surprised about that weight recommendation, since I still think that I am totally huge. I seriously weight like a ton and look horrid naked. People generally imagine I would weight less than I do, but... I don't know. I think I will drop that and see how I feel about myself after.
I haven't had any progress in the last couple months (I admit I have hade awful diet, for 3 weeks I was unable to go to gym and lately back has been annoying) so I am a bit jelly.
...I need to say I was surprised about that weight recommendation, since I still think that I am totally huge. I seriously weight like a ton and look horrid naked. People generally imagine I would weight less than I do, but... I don't know. I think I will drop that and see how I feel about myself after.
Poor babe. I know that feeling. Also add pain and pressure on lower back and legs and it is a miracle I am generally sleeping at all.
Can we have some solid pics of this...
Congratulations. Have you been following SS?
I haven't had any progress in the last couple months (I admit I have hade awful diet, for 3 weeks I was unable to go to gym and lately back has been annoying) so I am a bit jelly.
I have said this once and I will say it again: give them time! First time I was like meh, second time it was ok and now when I have destroyed nearly a whole package I am thinking I definitely need to order more of them. So S'mored and Cookie Dough are now my favourites. <3
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