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[Chocobro]

Ok, so I'm a complete beginner to working out and looking to start. I have a problem though. I don't have a partner. Because of this I am uncomfortable with doing bench presses or any other lifting that having a partner would be good for. Currently I'm just using my apartment complex's gym, which doesn't have a bench press anyway, but has other free weights and devices I am unfamiliar with.

So, I guess my question is is there a way can I do an effective full body workout without doing bench presses, etc.?

You don't need a partner, in my opinion. I've been lifting solo ever since I started. The others have suggested how to bench press safely by yourself and I think it may be helpful to have a video showing it. You could also ask for another person to spot you but you need to communicate what you are trying to accomplish and when you need help; even then they sometime jump the gun to help you and become a gain thief. The power rack will work 100% of the time. Knowing this and solving your problem, I'm sure most of us will recommend one of the two routines in the OP.

3x225 lbs squat form check: http://youtu.be/0eDV2yn3ZFg

Any advice greatly appreciated. As always, I'm happy to do a full deload if needed to improve my form. This was my last set for my 3s day of 5/3/1.

I don't think I really have much to say except your bar path can be better, or it's due to the constant moving of the camera-person?
I'm curious, what were your numbers before you started 5/3/1?

EDIT: Lots of new faces here!

 

[Spiritreaver]

I would but the spotter is either: not paying the fuck attention or they touch the bar and try to help you

Or they do the lift for you instead of, you know, Spotting you.

Then tell them how you want them to spot you?

Really I don't see the issue. In my near 7 years of lifting I've only come across a few really bad spotters.

 

[SeanR1221]

I would but the spotter is either: not paying the fuck attention or they touch the bar and try to help you

Here's my typical script

"Hey do you mind giving me a spot? I'm going for ____ reps. I don't need a liftoff. Please stand back and don't touch the bar unless I say "I don't got it"

So far I've only met one person who couldn't follow that.

 

[Chocobro]

Then tell them how you want them to spot you?

Really I don't see the issue. In my near 7 years of lifting I've only come across a few really bad spotters.

This. When someone asks me for a spot, I always ask them how many reps they're going for and when they'll need help (Shake head? Say help? Once the weight starts going down? All of the above?). If the spotter doesn't ask, then it's your responsibility to make it clear.

 

[Zoe]

People avoid me like the plague or treat me like I'm invisible, so I only try for new weights when the bf is with me.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

3x225 lbs squat form check: http://youtu.be/0eDV2yn3ZFg

Any advice greatly appreciated. As always, I'm happy to do a full deload if needed to improve my form. This was my last set for my 3s day of 5/3/1.

Those are some very good squats.

Next session I'll be back up to 200 lbs. for the first time since resetting and starting 5x5 stronglifts. I really need to take a video of myself and see my form is OK. Everything feels fine, but it's been a while, and I also switched from squatting in Vibrams to Chuck Taylors.

 

[Cudder]

Here's my typical script

"Hey do you mind giving me a spot? I'm going for ____ reps. I don't need a liftoff. Please stand back and don't touch the bar unless I say "I don't got it"

So far I've only met one person who couldn't follow that.

I love how they ALWAYS say "it was all you bro" as soon as you stand back up. it fucking kills me inside, i honestly want to burst out laughing whenever I hear that.

 

[Cudder]

3x225 lbs squat form check: http://youtu.be/0eDV2yn3ZFg

Any advice greatly appreciated. As always, I'm happy to do a full deload if needed to improve my form. This was my last set for my 3s day of 5/3/1.

These look really good to me. If I HAD to offer the tiniest bit of advice, it would be to bend at the hips first before bending at the knees, which you're doing more. The first motion should be your hips moving back. minor criticism, it's something that I even have to work on day to day.

 

[SeanR1221]

I love how they ALWAYS say "it was all you bro" as soon as you stand back up. it fucking kills me inside, i honestly want to burst out laughing whenever I hear that.

Because it is all you bro! You gotta believe.

Only 3 more golds in 150cc Mario Kart 7! Then it's time to work through Mario Kart 8!!!....god I need to get back in the gym.

 

[Cudder]

Because it is all you bro! You gotta believe.

Only 3 more golds in 150cc Mario Kart 7! Then it's time to work through Mario Kart 8!!!....god I need to get back in the gym.

I'm not gonna lie, maybe it WAS all me and they literally only had two fingers on the bar as it went up. I don't expect everyone to understand that if you put a finger on the bar, I don't count the rep.

 

[Spiritreaver]

Haha, that's pretty much how I spot unless told otherwise. I make it look like my fingers are touching the bar, but I never do. I will only grab the bar if someone's actually about to hurt themselves.

 

[Cudder]

is it weird that when people ask me to spot them, I actually do give a little boost during the end of their set on their reps because that's what I think THEY want me to do, even though it's not really spotting?

 

[Deleted member 47027]

is it weird that when people ask me to spot them, I actually do give a little boost during the end of their set on their reps because that's what I think THEY want me to do, even though it's not really spotting?

you WHAT

 

[Cudder]

you WHAT

lol I'm serious. i'm not talking big help, but I do keep my hands with the bar (sometimes they do ask for that). even when I started I thought "spotting" meant "help me get a few more reps at the end of my set". i just assume that's what most people think.

 

[Deleted member 47027]

lol I'm serious. i'm not talking big help, but I do keep my hands with the bar (sometimes they do ask for that). even when I started I thought "spotting" meant "help me get a few more reps at the end of my set". i just assume that's what most people think.

make em learn the truth the hard way
motherfuckers gonna learn today

 

[DoktorEvil]

make em learn the truth the hard way
motherfuckers gonna learn today

 

[ILoveBish]

Cooked food for the next 10 days, still need to eat 900 calories, need to hit the gym, and long day at work tomorrow. Lets do this.

 

[paradise_circus]

You're not going to lose any weight only running for 30 minutes. You either need to go longer or go shorter with HIIT.

It depends on the intensity not so much on time or intervals.

 

[despire]

It depends on the intensity not so much on time or intervals.

Yeah but he wants to lose 40lbs. Running around for half an hour won't do jack shit unless he also gets his diet in check.

 

[Sadetar]

Also, since I am new to Fitness-Gaf (and GAF in general), thought I would throw up some progress pics of 1 year difference.

January 2013, 335 lb: http://i.imgur.com/d5Wwp1E.png
January 2014, 195 lb: http://imgur.com/rpQGmHk

I do not have any pictures of me currently at 205. I didn't take many progress pics, and after 195 I just kind of stopped. Maybe I will take one in January of 2015.

Ooooooohhhh.

You are very warmly welcome to here...

Absolutely splendid progress! You should be extremely proud of yourself!

 

[Koriandrr]

Pastryyyyyyy. Omnom. But no. ;_;

For a sugar substitute, I use stevia. I really like it, normal sugar is kind of bleh to me now in tea. There's even a baking substitute of stevia.

Also, here: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2014/01/03/almond-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Have some no flour cookies

Got my 50 minute strength work out in today. My arms and butt hurt ._.

Also:


Kitty...pls. I want my mat

KITTY... PLS. Mine does the same
I'll definitely look into stevia, thanks a lot! I just made some flour-less muffins the other day actually... thanks for the cookie recipe!

Oooh yeah, best work out in ages. I was so out of breath and sweaty, but yet so damn satisfied in the end. Hot stretching for 30 mins was like a cherry on top of it all. When I went there I was exhausted from work and sleeping too little, but it was glorious.

Also my back feels much better than it used to be. Tomorrow I will be seeing a physiotherapist and he will hopefully give me some extra core training programm I could do. Feels good. ^_^


Awesome work this far for losing 7 kilos!

What comes to the sweet tooth, I have the same kind of problem.

I use smoothies like mentioned (I usually mix frozen quark with berries, fat free milk and liquid stevia), quark with dried berry powders, nuts, liquid stevia, chia seeds and crunched linen seeds or sometimes I also make a very low carb microwave "cake". (If someone wants I can give the exact recipe as well, delicious as hell). Also I once in a while do my own low carb "candy bars" as well.

I know I could lose weight faster, but this far I would say it is around a pound / half a kilo per week.

First of all... love your avatar! Pug life~

Thanks for the encouraging words! 7kg was actually my goal. I am currently 55kg/168cm and I think that's ideal, but I'd like to get toned now. That tummy still has fats.

I have a confession to make - I don't have a blender and right now I'm in a really tough situation trying to choose between blender or juicer. I know both work quite well for vitamin intake and all sorts of fruits/veggie mixes. What's your take on that guys?

I'm really more of a juice>smoothie type of person, but reasoning and facts behind either may change my mind.

 

[ILoveBish]

Got my 3s week of chest done. Just have squats left and then it's 1s week. I feel pretty confident I'll hit at least a few new highs.

For sweetener, I use liquid stevia. You can find it at sprouts, trader joes and amazon. It's just plant extract put into liquid. Has no chemicals and 0 calories. It's a different type of sweet flavor then sugar. I love it. Have it in every coffee I make and when I make low carb sweet goodies.

 

[MarkMclovin]

You're not going to lose any weight only running for 30 minutes. You either need to go longer or go shorter with HIIT.

Why not? It worked for me when I was overweight and I lost 4 stone doing it.

The last half a stone was hard even though I was running over 8 or 9 miles with hills.

 

[toddhunter]

Why not? It worked for me when I was overweight and I lost 4 stone doing it.

It depends what point you are starting from because...

The last half a stone was hard even though I was running over 8 or 9 miles with hills.

Sooner rather than later this will happen.

 

[Koriandrr]

Why not? It worked for me when I was overweight and I lost 4 stone doing it.

The last half a stone was hard even though I was running over 8 or 9 miles with hills.

Because when you lose weight running you will instantly gain it back the moment you stop running. That happened to me and I just gave up on running. Not my type of cardio. I generally dislike any type of cardio though, so that's me.

 

[Matugi]

Man, the DOMS are so much worse after switching back to high bar. For me, that extended ROM just makes a huge difference.

 

[Irobot82]

I have a confession to make - I don't have a blender and right now I'm in a really tough situation trying to choose between blender or juicer. I know both work quite well for vitamin intake and all sorts of fruits/veggie mixes. What's your take on that guys?

I'm really more of a juice>smoothie type of person, but reasoning and facts behind either may change my mind.

I went with the blender myself. I was going to juice but I decided that I wanted all that fiber and whatever other stuff is in veggies and fruit.

 

[Faiz]

I have a confession to make - I don't have a blender and right now I'm in a really tough situation trying to choose between blender or juicer. I know both work quite well for vitamin intake and all sorts of fruits/veggie mixes. What's your take on that guys?

I'm really more of a juice>smoothie type of person, but reasoning and facts behind either may change my mind.

If your primary concern is health, forego the juicer. You lose too much in separating the fibrous pulp, and in effect concentrate the sugary juices into a more quickly absorbed less satiating form.

The blender is a much more versatile tool, as well.

 

[Zoe]

Why not? It worked for me when I was overweight and I lost 4 stone doing it.

The last half a stone was hard even though I was running over 8 or 9 miles with hills.

You were running 8 or 9 miles with hills in 30 minutes?

Steady state cardio has to be done for longer than 30 minutes for you to actually tap into your fat reserves rather than just your immediate energy stores. That's why I said to go longer or to do HIIT.

 

[Deleted member 47027]

Roommate bought a $2k treadmill. I guess I could do HIIT again...fucking hate cardio.

 

[Heysoos]

Man I fee like crap. I ate so much yesterday. :/ Breakfast was normal but for lunch I ate two breast pieces of KFC original, two biscuits, and some mash potatoes. Then for dinner I ate an order of bistek tacos(6). I really didn't even realize how much I had eaten until this morning. I need to start using MFP and be more strict with myself.


Anyways, I finally broke through on bench. For the past two bench workouts I kept failing my last 2 sets of 5 at 185. Got it today though. Struggled quite a bit at the end, but felt good to finish it off.

 

[RoeBear]

I love how they ALWAYS say "it was all you bro" as soon as you stand back up. it fucking kills me inside, i honestly want to burst out laughing whenever I hear that.

I feel this is the same dialogue as asking how someones day is going, only response people want is "good".

make em learn the truth the hard way
motherfuckers gonna learn today

Most anyone I see doing weight that they can't do, won't ask for a spot in the first place.

I'm not gonna lie, maybe it WAS all me and they literally only had two fingers on the bar as it went up. I don't expect everyone to understand that if you put a finger on the bar, I don't count the rep.

I've seen a lot of people have this mentality, I think I remember Cooter saying it messes up his workout mindset or something. I just don't understand it though. Do you guys have like a workout journal and cross out the numbers and write in "finger was on the bar didn't count"? As long as my spotter isn't trying to make me laugh, they can do whatever they like. I always focus on the motion and getting contraction out of the muscle. Numbers mean absolutely nothing to me when I'm working out as long as I feel I did everything I could.

 

[FallingEdge]

Calories in, and calories out.

However, muscle weighs more than fat, so you might not see your weight going down. You might see your waistline shrinking faster!

Muscle does not weigh more than fat. 10 lbs if muscle = 10 lbs of fat. However muscle is more dense than fat.

And for the next two weeks diet is prolly on hold. BBQ today. BBQ Friday. Vegas next week.

 

[Faiz]

Muscle does not weigh more than fat. 10 lbs if muscle = 10 lbs of fat. However muscle is more dense than fat.

And for the next two weeks diet is prolly on hold. BBQ today. BBQ Friday. Vegas next week.

It's a fair thing to say, I think. Yes, obviously, if the comparative measurement is weight, then any two things weight the same. Ten pounds of lint weighs the same as ten pounds of titanium.

If the comparative measurement is, instead, volume, then saying muscle weighs more than fat is perfectly legitimate, because as you say, it's more dense.

 

[TheRagnCajun]

lol I'm serious. i'm not talking big help, but I do keep my hands with the bar (sometimes they do ask for that). even when I started I thought "spotting" meant "help me get a few more reps at the end of my set". i just assume that's what most people think.

If you didn't do the rep unassisted, then it doesn't count. I don't ever touch the bar, unless its going down when it should be going up.

 

[MarkMclovin]

You were running 8 or 9 miles with hills in 30 minutes?

Steady state cardio has to be done for longer than 30 minutes for you to actually tap into your fat reserves rather than just your immediate energy stores. That's why I said to go longer or to do HIIT.

No, I was doing around 3 mile runs in 30 minutes. As the miles increased, my speed still stayed roughly the same but it became harder to lose weight towards the end of my 4 stone loss. As I said, even running 8, 9 or 10 miles, didn't make a difference to my weight loss. Actually, dramatically changing my diet at the end did it.

And I stopped running before Christmas and didn't put it back on however I did change to more of a weight training program over running.

 

[Cooter]

I've seen a lot of people have this mentality, I think I remember Cooter saying it messes up his workout mindset or something. I just don't understand it though. Do you guys have like a workout journal and cross out the numbers and write in "finger was on the bar didn't count"? As long as my spotter isn't trying to make me laugh, they can do whatever they like. I always focus on the motion and getting contraction out of the muscle. Numbers mean absolutely nothing to me when I'm working out as long as I feel I did everything I could.

It doesn't mess my mindset up but it does make it impossible to gauge what exactly I accomplished that day. The only time it really bothers me is if I specifically ask them not to touch the bar until I stall. Otherwise I can usually feel just how much they help. For all you spotters out there, hands off. Just trust me on this.

 

[Spiritreaver]

I see a lot of anecdotal misinformation on the last page about cardio and weight loss.

You can lose weight walking 30 minutes a day.
You can lose weight running 15 minutes a day.
You can lose weight cycling for 6 hours a day.
You can lose weight not doing any fucking cardio a day.

Cardio in regards to weight loss is likened to a protein shake for nutrition. It's there to help you create that calorie deficit to burn fat. How much you're eating every day vs your maintanence determines how you're gonna lose fat.

Yes there is better cardio than others when it comes to efficiency and cardiovascular health, but if you're just trying to lose fat it doesn't really mean that much.

CHECK YOUR DIETS FIRST before you start doing some silly amount of cardio.

I am now late for class, thanks.

 

[Pizoxuat]

Nothing gets my day off to a better start than a great-feeling set of deadlifts in the morning. I swear my outlook is 50% better for the rest of the day if everything feels right when I do them.

 

[Arrowgigantic]

Nothing gets my day off to a better start than a great-feeling set of deadlifts in the morning. I swear my outlook is 50% better for the rest of the day if everything feels right when I do them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWUcHKAj_tc

As always

 

[Dark Phoenix]

Took some 6 month progress shots for doing the SS routine in the OP and I'm mixed with emotion about them. I wasn't in the gym every day that I was supposed to—once I was in the gym once in a single month—and so that negated as much progress as I wanted. I do notice some difference is muscle mass, but I also see something else, I'm fatter than I was.

I really need to get my diet in check (I've already been cutting most (if all) sugar) and do some conditioning to get rid of it. I really want to start the 5/3/1 program, but I need to get in the gym more frequently before that.

Just venting a bit about wasted potential and in other cases, reversal of expectations, so yeah.

 

[Sadetar]

Absolutely spendid meeting with the work physiotherapist today! He was very nice and extremely professional, he also lifts so he understood my concerns about free weights and what not. He said I can most likely start to do them later on on autumn. He also checked my squatting form, went through my whole gym programm, showed me what stretches I need to do daily, said me to skip some things I have been doing that are bad for my back and just generally was über awesome. Yay! ^_^

First of all... love your avatar! Pug life~

Thanks for the encouraging words! 7kg was actually my goal. I am currently 55kg/168cm and I think that's ideal, but I'd like to get toned now. That tummy still has fats.

I have a confession to make - I don't have a blender and right now I'm in a really tough situation trying to choose between blender or juicer. I know both work quite well for vitamin intake and all sorts of fruits/veggie mixes. What's your take on that guys?

I'm really more of a juice>smoothie type of person, but reasoning and facts behind either may change my mind.

Awwww, thanks sweetie!

Also, like said, go for smoothies so you are not missing the good parts of the fruit and just drinking the sweet juice. Blender is the way to go.

I am exactly as tall as you are and I am actually trying to end up to your starting weight. Still a loooooong way to go. But hey, I am getting there.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Took some 6 month progress shots for doing the SS routine in the OP and I'm mixed with emotion about them. I wasn't in the gym every day that I was supposed to—once I was in the gym once in a single month—and so that negated as much progress as I wanted. I do notice some difference is muscle mass, but I also see something else, I'm fatter than I was.

I really need to get my diet in check (I've already been cutting most (if all) sugar) and do some conditioning to get rid of it. I really want to start the 5/3/1 program, but I need to get in the gym more frequently before that.

Just venting a bit about wasted potential and in other cases, reversal of expectations, so yeah.

Look on the bright side. You have more muscle mass than before. As long as you get the diet in check, you'll look and feel better once you get your body fat % down than before you gained that muscle.

 

[grumble]

I see a lot of anecdotal misinformation on the last page about cardio and weight loss.

You can lose weight walking 30 minutes a day.
You can lose weight running 15 minutes a day.
You can lose weight cycling for 6 hours a day.
You can lose weight not doing any fucking cardio a day.

Cardio in regards to weight loss is likened to a protein shake for nutrition. It's there to help you create that calorie deficit to burn fat. How much you're eating every day vs your maintanence determines how you're gonna lose fat.

Yes there is better cardio than others when it comes to efficiency and cardiovascular health, but if you're just trying to lose fat it doesn't really mean that much.

CHECK YOUR DIETS FIRST before you start doing some silly amount of cardio.

I am now late for class, thanks.

I have found that adding in a small amount of cardio does make a real impact layered over a weight training regimen. Even 20 minutes of hiit twice a week helps noticeably with managing fat.

That being said it impacts your recovery so may slow strength gains in the gym. Balancing act for me!

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

Strain in my left arm stemming from my bicep. Its a really really minor pain but has put me off from doing my deadlift workout this week.

Fuck my weaker arm

 

[Carnby]

I see a lot of anecdotal misinformation on the last page about cardio and weight loss.

You can lose weight walking 30 minutes a day.
You can lose weight running 15 minutes a day.
You can lose weight cycling for 6 hours a day.
You can lose weight not doing any fucking cardio a day.

Cardio in regards to weight loss is likened to a protein shake for nutrition. It's there to help you create that calorie deficit to burn fat. How much you're eating every day vs your maintanence determines how you're gonna lose fat.

Yes there is better cardio than others when it comes to efficiency and cardiovascular health, but if you're just trying to lose fat it doesn't really mean that much.

CHECK YOUR DIETS FIRST before you start doing some silly amount of cardio.

I am now late for class, thanks.

This guy knows what's up. Thanks.

And thank you to everyone else for your input.

 

[RumblingRosco]

Looking good but just a small tip, it's recommended that you just take one step back with each foot when squatting heavy. Other than that, it looks great, as far as I can tell.

I don't think I really have much to say except your bar path can be better, or it's due to the constant moving of the camera-person?
I'm curious, what were your numbers before you started 5/3/1?

Those are some very good squats.

These look really good to me. If I HAD to offer the tiniest bit of advice, it would be to bend at the hips first before bending at the knees, which you're doing more. The first motion should be your hips moving back. minor criticism, it's something that I even have to work on day to day.

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. I'll examine my bar path, foot movement, and hip-/knee-bending. And, Chocobro, when I started 5/3/1 late last year my 1RM for squat was 245 lbs, OHP was 100 lbs, DL was 300 lbs, and BP was just shy of 200 lbs... but those were calculated 1RMs, and my squats were not all the way to parallel (I realized this basically my first week of starting 5/3/1 and corrected it quickly). I did a reset on squats just a few weeks ago, but my 1RMs on all of my lifts are between 20 lbs (OHP) and 40 lbs (deadlift) higher as actual 1RMs than my previously mentioned calculated 1RMs, so I feel like those are solid gains overall. To add to that, my form has improved a lot on all of my lifts, although my deadlift form still has a lot of room for improvement.

 

[msdstc]

ughh developed chostocondritis some how, all started around when I released my pectoralis minor. Anybody ever dealth with this :-/

 

[Psychotext]

I see a lot of talk of people here munching on almonds. Is it better to get them blanched or unblanched? I'm guessing the latter, but it doesn't hurt to check.

 

[Petrie]

Boy is it tough to keep up with workouts and diet when life gets thrown into turmoil. With me and my girl breaking up this last month after 5 years, I've been attempting to still make it to the gym, eat right, and get myself packed up and moved all while dealing with the stress. Didn't fall off the wagon entirely as I still made it to the gym 3 days a week instead of 4, but my diet sure went to shit from stress eating.

Guess I should be happy my lifts are still increasing on 5/3/1 though, but with the surplus I've been downing they damn well should be!