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Fitness |OT9|...You looked better before
- Thread starter Chocobro
- Start date
I've been buying the One bars. Better flavors and the price is the same. Quest needs to step it up.
What's your favorite flavor? Link me!
Just finished my first month of Starting Strength. Missed one workout because of a fever and didn't do a progression on the subsequent workout because I still wasn't feeling 100% and wasn't eating too much over those 3 days. Anyways....progress so far:
Squats: 115-->175
Bench: 110-->140
Deadlift: 115-->200
OHP: 65-->85
I'm starting to dread squats though now hahaha, its become something I have psyche myself up for now. I failed twice on it and I just find it a scary/awkward position to fail in, although I'll probably get over that.
I have already noticed changes in my body. Went from 177lbs to around 183-184. That is probably water weight as I have been taking creatine and I have been forcing myself to eat a littttttle more, but overall everything looks a bit bigger. I actually have something when I flex my arms and chest now, and it is becoming a lot more noticeable in my legs.
At the beginning I wasn't able to do 3 chin ups at the end of my session. Now I'm ending each one with 5x3.
One question...those belts people wear when deadlifting/squatting...is there an appropriate weight when they start become useful? Is it always useful to use one? Worthwhile to get?
Edit: I also realize I'm supposed to start including power cleans around this time, but I am really scared of going into them blind, and don't really have anyone to teach them to me. Pendlay Rows a good alternative?
Squats: 115-->175
Bench: 110-->140
Deadlift: 115-->200
OHP: 65-->85
I'm starting to dread squats though now hahaha, its become something I have psyche myself up for now. I failed twice on it and I just find it a scary/awkward position to fail in, although I'll probably get over that.
I have already noticed changes in my body. Went from 177lbs to around 183-184. That is probably water weight as I have been taking creatine and I have been forcing myself to eat a littttttle more, but overall everything looks a bit bigger. I actually have something when I flex my arms and chest now, and it is becoming a lot more noticeable in my legs.
At the beginning I wasn't able to do 3 chin ups at the end of my session. Now I'm ending each one with 5x3.
One question...those belts people wear when deadlifting/squatting...is there an appropriate weight when they start become useful? Is it always useful to use one? Worthwhile to get?
I had a laugh with Fitness GAF taking over that pushup topic
Edit: I also realize I'm supposed to start including power cleans around this time, but I am really scared of going into them blind, and don't really have anyone to teach them to me. Pendlay Rows a good alternative?
I've tried vanilla and chocolate birthday cake, coconut almond and cinnamon roll.
I think coconut almond is the best of those ones
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019J5BA50/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Ooooh, cinnamon roll???? In! Thanks bud
Jacksinthe
Banned
Switched to Combat Crunch. Never looking back. Tastes too good and isn't gummy like Quest.
Let me know what you think
Quest has good competition now and I love it
Combat crunch is good too. I think I had cookies and cream
I've been getting the Costco protein bars. Cookie dough and chocolate brownies are good enough for me. Best bang for your buck protein bars afaik.
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
Agree
daemissary
Member
I looooooove the new oatmeal choc chip quest bars but I may be biased since that is also my favorite type of cookie.
Spiritreaver
Member
I finally switched brands of whey last week. ON is way too overpriced now when it really doesn't matter what you're getting. I can't even remember what I got. Never heard of the brand, lol.
Psychotext
Member
There really isn't an answer to that question. I definitely wouldn't say within the first six months though (unless you already have back issues).
Unrelated, I finally got around to getting my missus help me get a full set of readings with the Skulpt. Couple of readings are surprising / iffy to me, but the overall body fat level I'd say is actually just about right.
Going to do a reading once a month to see how it works out.
I remember reading some people visualize the whole lift or workout from start to finish before they actually do it. I would do that back when I followed a program like SS or GSLP.
mdsfx
Member
Finally! I've been interested in it, but not very optimistic about its accuracy. Curious to hear more.
Interesting. I have been doing visualization of the next rep, maybe this will work even better.
Jacksinthe
Banned
I remember a discussion in BB.com about the quality and content of protein in bars/powders and Costco ranked at the bottom with very little quality protein used.
Protein, in general, isn't cheap. So if you see a super cheap alternative I would red flag the product pretty quick for quality. You get what you pay for.
New deadlift PR (finally):
260 lbs x 5, 290x3, 320x1 (PR)
This was with the trap bar, and I still don't know if that's supposed to be easier or harder. It feels easier to me.
And now I feel a twinge when I fully extend my right arm. I may be programming my chins wrong, since I'm on a deficit. 3x10 last night, 3x9 a few days before.
260 lbs x 5, 290x3, 320x1 (PR)
This was with the trap bar, and I still don't know if that's supposed to be easier or harder. It feels easier to me.
And now I feel a twinge when I fully extend my right arm. I may be programming my chins wrong, since I'm on a deficit. 3x10 last night, 3x9 a few days before.
Jacksinthe
Banned
In 64 weeks I have gained and lost a combined 56.4 lbs. The cut is still going well and I have a few more lbs to go or so. Currently 0.4lbs lighter than when I started 64 weeks ago but much leaner.
Glad I got back into lifting. I'll probably settle around 195 even though I feel that's pretty thin. When I started lifting years back before I dropped it (and the weight I gained) I was in the low 170s. I did lose quite a bit of muscle in my years off but I'll get it back. Another few weeks and I'll be on maintenance.
Glad I got back into lifting. I'll probably settle around 195 even though I feel that's pretty thin. When I started lifting years back before I dropped it (and the weight I gained) I was in the low 170s. I did lose quite a bit of muscle in my years off but I'll get it back. Another few weeks and I'll be on maintenance.
Nice, dude. Grats! Using a trap bar or farmer's bars will adjust the center of gravity, for sure. I don't personally know if any is more difficult than the next but I do switch up the bars on my deads from time to time and always use the same weight. Feels just as heavy to me but I do notice the shift in center of gravity. I personally feel it's good to mix it up.
I believe you can make due with the free one if you don't want anything fancy like individual log per exercise, 1RM progression charts, cardio charts and progression, and some other features. Pro version is obviously ad-free too. I bought the Pro version after using JEFIT for a few months.
Progression also gets the job done too.
So final cutting progress pic coming soon?
Jacksinthe
Banned
Yup! The wife isn't looking forward to me having 80 abs like Mikey so when she says cut the shit I'll stop XD I agree with her since them infusion needles are starting to hurt going in since they are perpendicular to skin. They've been getting placed lower and lower as I lose the last few. Need to keep some on since I have an aversion to feeling them touch the underlying muscle on injection. Once in the plastic tube is fine but the insertion needle is about twice as long. Hurts like hell going in hahaha! Here's an older vid showing the fucker: https://www.instagram.com/p/BGFwKoRRYDj/
poppabk
Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
195 is thin? Are you 7 feet tall?
Jacksinthe
Banned
6'3"
Eh as long as they work. With my current budget they're great so I guess I'll try quest or another alternative again if the quality of the protein becomes an issue.
Through some research I just did, I think that you're right. Regular deadlifts seem to emphasize the posterior chain more, and grip is definitely easier.
As I do power cleans and snatches, and I don't compete, I'm happy enough to save my grip for pull-ups and chins.
Jacksinthe
Banned
This was a few years ago and they have switched manufacturers. Just do some research.
Even reputable companies cheap out on the protein be it with filler or just flat out not putting in as much as it says.
'tis why I treat most protein supps as treats and don't rely much on them. I still use them but for the price, chicken and pork is far cheaper and is only minutes to prepare.
Psychotext
Member
I think the forearm measurement for me is pretty suspect, as I carry fairly little fat there... but it could just be that it wasn't positioned very well. Needless to say, it reckons my legs are totes amazeballs, and it also recognises that I have no ass.
The only supp I use are those bars which I eat once a day lol. Otherwise vast majority of my protein is from whole food like fish and chicken.
ArkhamFantasy
Member
What do you guys think about Hip Abduction workouts? Is it something i should try to put effort into or is it not necessary?
Need some advice here please. Haven't squatted in a quite a few months now as I always ended up getting back pain. I believe it is from my form:
http://pasteboard.co/2KGAgtY4s.jpgI lean I really far forward. Obviously I dont do it on purpose, just my flexibility/mobility is terrible. I'm trying to fix this now.
I am looking at the stretching guides on http://stretchtherapy.net/ to use, but then I hear sometimes that stretching is bullshit? So now I 'm thinking to foam roll but Charles Poliquin came on Tim Ferriss' podcast and claimed foam rolling is a waste of time and only creates more scar tissue (http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/07/21/charles-poliquin/).
What should I do to get my mobility to start squatting? A mixture of both?
Cheers
http://pasteboard.co/2KGAgtY4s.jpgI lean I really far forward. Obviously I dont do it on purpose, just my flexibility/mobility is terrible. I'm trying to fix this now.
I am looking at the stretching guides on http://stretchtherapy.net/ to use, but then I hear sometimes that stretching is bullshit? So now I 'm thinking to foam roll but Charles Poliquin came on Tim Ferriss' podcast and claimed foam rolling is a waste of time and only creates more scar tissue (http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/07/21/charles-poliquin/).
What should I do to get my mobility to start squatting? A mixture of both?
Cheers
Jason's Ultimatum
Member
Gonna try brosplit for a few months. Sorry, fitgaf.
But the majority of my lifts will be compound movements, and since I can only workout four days a week, I'm going add OHP on chest days, and add rear and side delts at the end of back days.
I'll have to increase the volume since I'm lowering the frequency. It's going to feel weird hitting each body part once a week.
What's the worst that can happen? I don't see the results I like? I'll just go back to my current routine.
But the majority of my lifts will be compound movements, and since I can only workout four days a week, I'm going add OHP on chest days, and add rear and side delts at the end of back days.
I'll have to increase the volume since I'm lowering the frequency. It's going to feel weird hitting each body part once a week.
What's the worst that can happen? I don't see the results I like? I'll just go back to my current routine.
I am really interested about these. What flavour do you prefer?
I totally love oatmeal cookies too and I am crying a bit inside since I haven't been able to get my hands on them yet.
I was going to ask the comparison photos as well, but it seems they will be coming out relatively soon! ^_^
And ouch, I watched that instagram video and felt really bad for you
(and for me, since I am quite much afraid of needles)
Jacksinthe
Banned
I tried and liked Birthday Cake, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Brownie, Cinnamon Twist, Chocolate Chip Dough. All of them are awesome.
I do have 1 comparison pic on that IG acct of week 1-50 this go around. I can dig for some when I was younger. I have an aversion to pictures so not much exists of me aside from baby photos.
not going to lie, doing different variations of pushups/pullups over the summer 2 years ago had me looking like bane.
but thanks to weights I was able to get wayy bigger
Psychotext
Member
Haven't listened to the episode... not sure I want to give them my time either, given some of what's in the links section.
Did he actually reference any science on the foam rolling, or was that just his opinion?
I would really appreciate if you would be able to find some younger ones and from that to now! ^_^
Thank you! I might need to find a way to get some of those Combat Crunch bars now! I love crunchy textures.
Good work! I must admit I really enjoy looking your back.
SilentSoldier
Member
I decided to try the same lift after doing my HIIT and yep, it was much harder. Guess I've been training in hard mode all this time. Might need to switch it up, i might progress faster by doing so.
I wouldn't do a whole workout dedicated to the abductors. You can do some of the exercises as rehab if you need it for something like the squat. ie. where your knees keep collapsing together and you need to strengthen the glutes and abductors.
My initial guess will be lack of ankle mobility, work on that. Stretching isn't really bullshit, I think it's helpful for vast majority of people if they want to participate in physical activity of some kind because they've been sedentary for majority of their life. Your body is messed up from sitting all day and building up bad habits. You need to stretch and do mobility work to get your body back to how it's supposed to be. And see below for my remaining opinion.
I respect Charles Poliquin and I can see where he is coming from, but how else do you do MR? We're not in a Olympic weightlifting training facility where there are people that massage you after training. I can't comment on whether or not it'll create more scar tissue, I want to say that may not be true; I don't know.
Psychotext
Member
I do both (admittedly, the massages just once a week)... and at least for me, both work. But yeah, I really can't say one way or another about scar tissue, just wanted to know if he'd referenced any studies.
But yeah, I can't imaging in reality foam rolling being anywhere near as good as a pro... but that's not really the point.
But yeah, I can't imaging in reality foam rolling being anywhere near as good as a pro... but that's not really the point.
Yup. I'd NEVER do heavy lifting after HIIT
I would really appreciate if you would be able to find some younger ones and from that to now! ^_^
Thank you! I might need to find a way to get some of those Combat Crunch bars now! I love crunchy textures.
Good work! I must admit I really enjoy looking your back.
haha oh no man this is from 2 years ago when all I did was pushups/pullups. but ty
Spiritreaver
Member
Yeah, I always try and keep HIIT sessions pretty far apart from my other workouts, or right after lifting.
Dusk Soldier
Member
I personally do hip adduction exercises.
The last couple years I've found after squatting especially, but sometimes after playing sports as well, that my groin area would get sore.
I would do foam rolling and stretching, and that would mostly alleviate the discomfort, but it would typically come back the next workout.
I started adding hip adduction exercises after every squatting session, and after a month or so I stopped having groin issues.
I think hip adduction, and hip abduction exercises can be helpful with rehabilitation, but I don't think they're necessary for everyone.
If you actually like doing them they won't harm your workout. But your not going to be missing much if you exclude them from your routine.
Starting Strength forums seem to be going a bit nutty over a new study showing benefits to vertical jump and sprinting speed of quarter squats. I don't know how I could do those in public, even if they do transfer better for speed.
I'll need a home gym for that.
I'll need a home gym for that.
ShadowgeistX
Member
Just wanted to chime in and say the Musclepharm products are pretty tasty. All the Combat stuff is actually really good. I also liked this one:
http://ca.bodybuilding.com/store/arnold-schwarzenegger-series/muscle-bar.html
Tastes amazing. I stocked up when most stores put it on clearance..but it's more of a bulking tool than a cutting one so it won't be seeing much use till a bit later lol. It's a shame Arnold terminated his contract with them, won't be able to get these delicious bars anymore after this batch.
Psychotext
Member
Why is that news? They've been called sprinters squats for as long as I've known because of having that effect.