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[twofold]

Arnold is just as iconic a figure for bodybuilders as Bruce Lee is for fighters. But, the sad fact is that no bodybuilder today trains the way Arnold did, and I kind of expect that fighters don't follow Bruce Lee word for word anymore, either. Progress has been made.

I just used those two as extreme (and well known to practically everyone) examples of two different disciplines -- training for strength and bodybuilding. As you said, they're both iconic and symbolise two very different schools on thought on "fitness", hence why I used them.

All I'll say is that my example of the athletes with the best conditioning are MMA fighters. They do enormous amounts of conditioning work without extra resistance--ab work, pushups, pullups--but they are also doing things like squatting heavy. Squatting 2.5 times your bodyweight is a standard for being 'strong' for elite MMA fighters, I think, and that's not something that you're going to get without squatting in a real gym. No one here thinks that weights are the only thing that get you 'fit'; but, many of us would say that getting extremely lean but unable to deadlift, say, twice your bodyweight doesn't mean 'fit' either. Similarly, while those 400lb powerlifters are extremely strong, I wouldn't exactly call them 'fit'. Weights are one part of the picture, but they are an important one. It's up to each person to decide if he or she wants to have it all or just have one side of it.

I think the debate about whether bodyweight is enough should be left to people with degrees and a great deal more knowledge than us. I think we'd both agree that the best exercise plan takes the best exercises for your goals and uses them without predjudice.

Now, this tangent started because someone said that you have to join a gym to get results, which is certainly something I take issue with. Anyone can get brilliant results training at home by putting the time in.

 

[Slo]

Now, this tangent started because someone said that you have to join a gym to get results, which is certainly something I take issue with. Anyone can get brilliant results training at home by putting the time in.

That someone was me. I don't want to argue any more because we're not going to agree, but I never said you couldn't get results with bodyweight training. In fact I recommended that the guy should go buy a pullup bar and look for bodyweight routines.

I think our main difference of opinion is in the definition of "brilliant results." Being 5'10", 155 pounds with a sixer isn't exactly shooting for the stars.

 

[Anton Sugar]

If your goals are to look like Arnold and have huge, bulging muscles, then yeah, bodyweight training probably isn't the best way to go about it. But if your goal is for all round functional fitness for rock climbing, hiking, cycling, boxing and the like, then bodyweight is arguably better.

I can understand where you're coming from, but power production is best utilized through free weights. Through specific free weight exercises (usually the olympic lifts for power), you can match the sort of ATP synthesis, hypertrophy demands, and neurological input required for sports that require power (boxing, sprinting, rock climbing in some instances, etc.).

I think that weight training is essential to most sports, but it doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. Weight training and bodyweight can be combined for the best results, depending on the goal.

The goal is what's important. Once you begin training for a sport, you're no longer training to be "healthy". Your goal is what you train for, and sport specific training is rarely healthy.

 

[Anton Sugar]

That's fine. I just concentrate more on the number ~25 rather than the reps in each set. (8x3, 4x6, 5x5, etc)

As long as the focus is on safety and form, and not on piling on the weight.

Agreed, I've always like the "25" rule.

 

[Captain Glanton]

I'm going to write a book about how to get fit doing calf raises and eating raisins. I'll call it the "raise up" plan. Hmm, I'll need to invent a new pseudo-science term to support my claims, maybe something like "thetans" but less cult-y. "Methos"? They'll be the electro-chemical nodes that transfer energy along the axes of the body--doing calf raises with resistance at the shoulders/traps area stimulates the entire longitudinal methos axis, leading to fat loss. To raise up the body, you have to raise up the methos!

It beats work.

 

[lil smoke]

Anyone can get brilliant results training at home by putting the time in.

If you can get over the mental disadvantage, sure. I can't get my mind focused at home, the way I can outside, or at the gym, etc. State of mind is important.

 

[Naked Snake]

I think I'm about to officially give up on trying to do deadlifts. I can't seem to get the form right and I always feel on the edge of injuring myself... I can do perfect squats with relative ease, but deadlifts are an enigma for me.

I know it is said that you can't really replace deadlifts with other exercises, but can someone please recommend what else I should be doing to "roughly substitute" for deadlifts with other easier and safer exercises?

 

[Anton Sugar]

What problems are you having?

 

[demon]

I can understand where you're coming from, but power production is best utilized through free weights. Through specific free weight exercises (usually the olympic lifts for power), you can match the sort of ATP synthesis, hypertrophy demands, and neurological input required for sports that require power (boxing, sprinting, rock climbing in some instances, etc.).

I think that weight training is essential to most sports, but it doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. Weight training and bodyweight can be combined for the best results, depending on the goal.

The goal is what's important. Once you begin training for a sport, you're no longer training to be "healthy". Your goal is what you train for, and sport specific training is rarely healthy.

http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=512003

http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/229

bodyweight trainers- who do it right- are insanely strong.

 

[Naked Snake]

I can't seem to keep my back straight/arched, and the whole movement feels awkward for some reason. I first started doing them like this and I seemed to be doing fine. But then an instructor at the gym saw me doing squats and he commented that I'm doing them the "old school" way, I asked "And what's the other way?" and he showed me, and I found it much better than how I was doing them (I was bending my knees forward instead of pushing my hip backward), so then I asked him to show me how to do deadlifts and he suggested that I shouldn't lower the bar all the way to the floor and instead lower it to just below the knees. He said it's safer this way and lowering it all the way down is only necessary for advanced people. And for some reason I've been unable to do them properly since then.

 

[Slo]

Most personal trainers don't know their head from their ass. If you want to learn how to deadlift, go ask the guy with the thick neck and the big forearms to show you.

You may also want to try sumo style deadlifts. They are much more comfortable to me than conventional deads.

 

[Captain Glanton]

I can't seem to keep my back straight/arched, and the whole movement feels awkward for some reason. I first started doing them like this and I seemed to be doing fine. But then an instructor at the gym saw me doing squats and he commented that I'm doing them the "old school" way, I asked "And what's the other way?" and he showed me, and I found it much better than how I was doing them (I was bending my knees forward instead of pushing my hip backward), so then I asked him to show me how to do deadlifts and he suggested that I shouldn't lower the bar all the way to the floor and instead lower it to just below the knees. He said it's safer this way and lowering it all the way down is only necessary for advanced people. And for some reason I've been unable to do them properly since then.

Your instructor was right about the squats but wrong about the deadlift. I suspect that you're having trouble handling the momentum. I deadlift with similar form to my squat--hips back, back arched and pretty close to upright, chin up. Get that leg drive going. Keep the bar as close to your shins and thighs as possible. I actually wear volleyball kneepads on my shins because I always hit the bar against them.

I would also recommend trying something the opposite of your instructor's suggestion. Actually set the bar completely down between each rep and reset your grip before pulling again. This will keep that back arched properly and keep the momentum from taking over the movement.

Also, congrats on actually deadlifting.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Agreed, glad you're at least trying deadlifts and I think you should stick with it.

You SHOULD touch the ground, but don't do touch and go deadlifts. Let the weight deload onto the floor at the bottom of every rep (you don't have to let go of the bar completely, just be sure the weight is "dead" at the bottom). His advice about going to the knee being better is flat out wrong and a completely different type of deadlift.

Check out this forum: http://www.strengthmill.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=36

Mark Rippetoe takes time to answer questions and will even evaluate your form based on a video you post. Just don't look like an idiot; he doesn't tolerate bullshit.

An AMAZING analysis of the deadlift by Rippetoe.

What sort of a build do you have? Short/long torso/legs/arms?

 

[Captain Glanton]

You SHOULD touch the ground, but don't do touch and go deadlifts. Let the weight deload onto the floor at the bottom of every rep (you don't have to let go of the bar completely, just be sure the weight is "dead" at the bottom). His advice about going to the knee being better is flat out wrong and a completely different type of deadlift.

I like to 'flex' my fingers and re-grip between each rep. It helps keep me under control and keeps the grip tight. Keeping a good grip on deadlift is a special skill that you have to just learn from doing. Also, buy lifting chalk online and use it.

 

[Shoho]

Okay guys, I need some help. I am making some progress on my weight loss. even though im not sure if its just air/bloatedness/water and other liquids or if its actual fat.


Here is what I do: I eat two eggs, some chicken and some veggies in the morning, and for lunch I have two apples. Its not much, for a big dude like me who is around 2 Meters tall!

My thing is that I like to eat at night while watching a tv show. It usually ends with me buying junk food. The junk food I eat is often a Shawarma Durum. Its a tortilia bread with shawarma meat, tomatos, salad and onions with garlic and chillie dressing.
I also sometimes eat chicken sandwhiches which seems to be based on chicken, salad, hot veggies, curry sauce that comes in a ciabatta bread.

My third and favorite junk food, is Bagels. The bread is probably the bad one here. I get them with creme cheese, chicken, tons of veggies, curry sauce and cheese.

I love all three, and I usually have two.(two bagels, two shawarmas, or two chicken sandwhiches).

I dont know if these are bad, or too bad. Sometimes I get spikes on my weight, since I weight myself everyday, but im also confused because sometimes I drink alot of water and low-fat chocolate milk and I heard that bread makes the body "hold on" to liquid.???



My question is if, these foods are unreasonably on a daily basis. Im still around 30 pounds weightloss for my first realistic goals, but I bike 2x 30 minutes a day(two and off work) and I sometimes run for a bit.


My problem is this... I still cave snacks at night. I usually get a bit of low fat youghurt which helps in the drinking department, but I need something sweet/sour/salty while watching tv or using the computer.

my favorites are mixed nuts, full of cashewnuts, peanuts, almonds, raisins, dried banana slices and other stuff. these taste great, but they have an incredible high fat % and even though its healthy fat, its no good if you eat like... allot. And by alot, I mean that I could easily eat 1 KG of nuts after dinner. Its just yummy, and crunchy.

I dont eat other stuff during the day. I never take cake, soda, ice scream, candy and real sweets, pie, potatos, or rice.



What the hell can I eat for a healthy snack? I saw someone suggest rice cakes with flavors! They got a high carb intake, and I usually eat this stuff before going to bed, after my workout!


Another thing I love is müsli. Breakfest cerial, is just something I love during the night. these are often loaded with chocolate, nuts and or/raisins, and they taste wonderfully. they are loaded with sugar though.


I dont know what else to take. All snacks you can buy at stores seems to be unhealthy... popcorn, chips, tortillias with salsa, animal crackers... I love biscuits and animal crackers.

I thought about just eating like 30 protein bars a day with chocolate and banana taste, but thats not a good idea... the protein would go to waste and there are some fat and carbs in all of them.


sometimes in the past I have just taken some fruits, like sliced apple pieces, with some splenda sweetner, a bit of lemon and just eaten it... its pretty good for a while but i grow weary of that crap.

I need some yummy I can eat alot of after dinner. pudding, chocolate mouses.. its all off limits, and even I allowed myself to take the light versions of all these foods I would probably die or get cancer for all the substituded shit they contain.


im awesome and strict and keep a strict diet during the day. no cake at work me, no thank you! but at night, I like to feast while watching a good tv show or browsing GAF or something.


for god sakes, help me... before I completely fall into the pitts of hell. im to crappy to make and make and do shakes myself.. I need to just to be able to go down to a goddam store and just pay for it, take it home and then eat it... yummy crunchy crunky.

 

[Slo]

*confusion*

Your #1 problem is that you have no idea what you're eating. Your post comes across as "I try to eat pretty well between 8:00 - noon, but after that I shovel in a bunch of garbage and lose track"

Open an account at www.fitday.com and start recording everything that you put into your mouth. After you see your patterns, you'll be able to correct them.

If you're trying to lose weight, you need to do basically the opposite of what you're doing now. Keep eating your big breakfast, but have a few more protein rich meals during the day too. Stop eating so much bread. Stop eating late at night. Drink more water. Eat more vegetables.

As far as snacks go, a piece of fruit or well measured portion of almonds are good to stave off hunger. So is a stomach full of water or green tea. Chew gum to help with oral cravings.

Good luck, and report back.

 

[Shoho]

Your #1 problem is that you have no idea what you're eating. Your post comes across as "I try to eat pretty well between 8:00 - noon, but after that I shovel in a bunch of garbage and lose track"

Open an account at www.fitday.com and start recording everything that you put into your mouth. After you see your patterns, you'll be able to correct them.

If you're trying to lose weight, you need to do basically the opposite of what you're doing now. Keep eating your big breakfast, but have a few more protein rich meals during the day too. Stop eating so much bread. Stop eating late at night. Drink more water. Eat more vegetables.

As far as snacks go, a piece of fruit or well measured portion of almonds are good to stave off hunger. So is a stomach full of water or green tea. Chew gum to help with oral cravings.

Good luck, and report back.

sugar free gum with fruit taste.. is this okay? i mean.. is it okay i eat or chew these all day? the juice from the gum wont turn into calories in my body?

because if I could chew gum it would help alot...

 

[Captain Glanton]

Shoho:

You should follow up and do the things that Slo has told you. He's right. But also, you need to recognize that the reason you get those cravings to eat bad food at night is that you've been doing it for so long. Eating bad foods--especially those with too much sugar, white bread, and fats--will make your body even hungrier for bad foods. Eating more just leads to more eating. If you can fight through the cravings, they will lessen over the weeks and eventually you won't want that crap any more. And finally, you have to learn the hard way, as I did, that crap food is hurting you and that you don't "really" want it the way that you think that you do.

Edit: By eating while using the tv and computer you have learned to associate doing those things with food. Food is for meals to keep your body going. If you're eating just to eat while watching tv or on GAF, you're turning food into entertainment. You have to get away from that mindset.

 

[Joe]

what should my calorie breakdown be if i'm trying to lower my body fat % and build muscle?

after using fitday for nearly a week i'm averaging about 1800-2200 calories a day (too little? my bmr is 2000 and i do a lot of cardio and do moderate weight training 3 times a week).

average breakdown right now is:
45% fat
25% carb
30% protein (124g)

i've tried doing research on this but i'm having a hard time finding anything on this but i'm also not sure where to look.



pic for further breakdown:

anything i should be worried about there? fat breakdown?

sorry for so many questions but i'm trying to learn!

edit: the 1600 avg calories listed is skewed because of accidently not entering data

 

[NZer]

I think our main difference of opinion is in the definition of "brilliant results." Being 5'10", 155 pounds with a sixer isn't exactly shooting for the stars.

I wasn't even in this argument, but I'm sure alot of people would call that a brilliant result....

that would make you in better shape than 99% of people, and being in the top 1% is certainly nothing to sniff at.

 

[Wraith]

what should my calorie breakdown be if i'm trying to lower my body fat % and build muscle?

after using fitday for nearly a week i'm averaging about 1800-2200 calories a day (too little? my bmr is 2000 and i do a lot of cardio and do moderate weight training 3 times a week).

average breakdown right now is:
45% fat
25% carb
30% protein (124g)

i've tried doing research on this but i'm having a hard time finding anything on this but i'm also not sure where to look.

anything i should be worried about there? fat breakdown?

sorry for so many questions but i'm trying to learn!

edit: the 1600 avg calories listed is skewed because of accidently not entering data

I would recommend cutting down your fats a bit and increasing your protein/carb intake, but I'm no expert and without your weight it's difficult to determine exactly how much protein you need. Try shooting for 33%/33%/33% or 40/30/30 Protein/Carbs/Fats. You could also try something like 35/50/15 if you wanted to try the low-fat/Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle route. Also, your saturated fat intake is a bit disturbing, IMO - I would cut that down first. Trying to get a slightly better balance of mono/polyunsaturated fats wouldn't hurt either, although studies(a study?) have shown that 25g of monounsaturated fat per day can help weight loss.

Of course, we can't see exactly what you're eating - Before you worry about macronutrient ratios, I would make sure you're eating veggies/whole wheat carbs, lean protein(turkey, chicken)/96% lean ground beef and healthy fats. Eating clean is arguably more important than adjusting your macro ratios.

 

[Captain Glanton]

Joe

How much do you weigh? Because that's not much protein at all--and not enough calories, either, at 1800-2200 unless you're just a small person. It takes calories to support regular intense exercise. And if you left off some food off, that can throw the whole chart off, right? But based on what you've posted, I would say you have too much fat and not enough protein in your diet. Maybe you should check that your meat is lean enough.

I wasn't even in this argument, but I'm sure alot of people would call that a brilliant result....

that would make you in better shape than 99% of people, and being in the top 1% is certainly nothing to sniff at.

5'10 and 155 might seem like a great accomplishment in a country like the US, where many people struggle to walk without gassing. And if your only goal is to be a certain weight, then it's a good result. But for many of us, being at a certain weight isn't a goal at all, which is probably where the argument comes from. If you're 5'10 155 and can't do, for example, 15 pullups, then I would not consider that brilliant at all; I'm 5'9 215, and I can easily do more than that. If you can do 25, for another random number, then I would consider that brilliant no matter how you got there.

 

[Slo]

I wasn't even in this argument, but I'm sure alot of people would call that a brilliant result....

that would make you in better shape than 99% of people, and being in the top 1% is certainly nothing to sniff at.

Fair enough. Set your goals according to your own expectations.

"Nobody exceeds beyond his wildest expectations without first having some wild expectations"

 

[Mr.City]

I can't even do one pullup. Is there an alternative exercise that would strengthen those muscles enough so that I would be able to work my way up to being able to do pullups?

 

[Captain Glanton]

I can't even do one pullup. Is there an alternative exercise that would strengthen those muscles enough so that I would be able to work my way up to being able to do pullups?

Pullups. Start at the bottom and pull upwards as high as you can get for 10 seconds. Even if you're sinking back down to the bottom [i.e., arms fully extended], keeping trying for the whole ten seconds. This will strengthen you as fast as anything.

 

[haunts]

I had been going to the gym for 2 months 5x a week and this past week I havent gone for four days. Is it OK to take a rest like this? I was feeling exhausted.

 

[beelzebozo]

i think it's absolutely fine, but don't stay away too long--fitness is lost much swifter than they it's gained. go back with the thought that you'll do as much as you can, but that you may not be used to your full workout. nine times out of ten when i go in with that attitude, i do as much if not more than what i usually did before my break.

 

[Slo]

I had been going to the gym for 2 months 5x a week and this past week I havent gone for four days. Is it OK to take a rest like this? I was feeling exhausted.

Yes. Rest your body, you were probably over training.

In the future, plan your rest weeks in advance. Scheduled rest periods will keep you from being tempted to skip workouts, and it will help remove any guilt you have about not going to the gym when you're genuinely exhausted.

 

[Chiggs]

I had been going to the gym for 2 months 5x a week and this past week I havent gone for four days. Is it OK to take a rest like this? I was feeling exhausted.

Christ, yes! Taking a week off every two or three months is perfectly acceptable. I've been doing heavy lifting for the last four years, and I'm now on month TWO of my vacation. Why? Because weightlifting takes its toll on you, period. I don't care how good your form is or how much glucosamine you take, lifting heavy weights is going to catch up with you at some point.

Take a break and your body will thank you for it. Just make sure you go back to it. And two months is an extreme example, so don't take that much time off. I'm doing it for other reasons (strained ab muscle, sore knee).

 

[Naked Snake]

Your instructor was right about the squats but wrong about the deadlift. I suspect that you're having trouble handling the momentum. I deadlift with similar form to my squat--hips back, back arched and pretty close to upright, chin up. Get that leg drive going. Keep the bar as close to your shins and thighs as possible. I actually wear volleyball kneepads on my shins because I always hit the bar against them.

I would also recommend trying something the opposite of your instructor's suggestion. Actually set the bar completely down between each rep and reset your grip before pulling again. This will keep that back arched properly and keep the momentum from taking over the movement.

Also, congrats on actually deadlifting.

Agreed, glad you're at least trying deadlifts and I think you should stick with it.

You SHOULD touch the ground, but don't do touch and go deadlifts. Let the weight deload onto the floor at the bottom of every rep (you don't have to let go of the bar completely, just be sure the weight is "dead" at the bottom). His advice about going to the knee being better is flat out wrong and a completely different type of deadlift.

Check out this forum: http://www.strengthmill.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=36

Mark Rippetoe takes time to answer questions and will even evaluate your form based on a video you post. Just don't look like an idiot; he doesn't tolerate bullshit.

An AMAZING analysis of the deadlift by Rippetoe.

Thanks, I'll try doing that and I'll check those links.

But nobody is giving me any "alternatives" to deadlifts, I wont give up on them just yet but I'd still like to know which other exercises cover the same muscles.

What sort of a build do you have? Short/long torso/legs/arms?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and I wouldn't do a good job of describing my build either, so here's a Picture (beware, only wearing briefs). The picture is several months old, when I used to go to a different gym and my workout was a lot more basic, mainly used machines back then. I go to a better gym now, mostly use free weights and I'm taking more protein, but I don't think my body has changed much since then. I'm 5.7 feet (174cm) by the way.

 

[h_a_t]

Question about doing an ab routine after a session of boxing, grappling, etc...is it better to do different ab excercises individually in their own sets, or do 4 or 5 ab excercises as a single set, and then repeat?
i.e.

Option 1:

crunches - 3x25
situps - 3x25
leg raises - 3x25
etc...



Option 2:

crunches - 1x25
situps - 1x25
leg raises - 1x25
etc...

repeat all excercises and their sets twice more.

 

[-viper-]

Question about doing an ab routine after a session of boxing, grappling, etc...is it better to do different ab excercises individually in their own sets, or do 4 or 5 ab excercises as a single set, and then repeat?
i.e.

Option 1:

crunches - 3x25
situps - 3x25
leg raises - 3x25
etc...



Option 2:

crunches - 1x25
situps - 1x25
leg raises - 1x25
etc...

repeat all excercises and their sets twice more.

Personally I'd do option 2 (less boring) but nit-picking over something like this will make no difference.

 

[Anton Sugar]

I wasn't even in this argument, but I'm sure alot of people would call that a brilliant result....

that would make you in better shape than 99% of people, and being in the top 1% is certainly nothing to sniff at.

Whoa whoa whoa...top %1? Sorry buddy...there are very few 5'10" 155 people you can consider elite. Most would still be considered novices. There are some amazing climbers, gymnasts, fighters, etc., with that build, but the top 1% of the population is shooting extremely high.

 

[Slo]

But nobody is giving me any "alternatives" to deadlifts, I wont give up on them just yet but I'd still like to know which other exercises cover the same muscles.

.

The muscles involved in a deadlift are the hamstrings, glutes, spinal erectors, traps, and forearms. You could target each of these individually, but there's not really a direct replacement. Deep squatting would probably be your best bet.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Thanks, I'll try doing that and I'll check those links.

But nobody is giving me any "alternatives" to deadlifts, I wont give up on them just yet but I'd still like to know which other exercises cover the same muscles.



They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and I wouldn't do a good job of describing my build either, so here's a Picture (beware, only wearing briefs). The picture is several months old, when I used to go to a different gym and my workout was a lot more basic, mainly used machines back then. I go to a better gym now, mostly use free weights and I'm taking more protein, but I don't think my body has changed much since then. I'm 5.7 feet (174cm) by the way.

Have you bought Basic Barbell Training? I'd recommend it. One of the suggestions he has is cutting the deadlift in two: doing pulls from the floor to your knees, and doing pulls from your knees to extension. Basically, the deadlift broken up into two different exercises, but because of the limited range of motion, you can use much higher weight. He only recommended doing 1 work set, given the high weight you can use in relation to your 1RM.

But the reason why we're not giving you any alternatives is because nothing produces the same effect as the deadlift.

From the picture, it SEEMS like you have a similar build to mine (I have longer arms and a longer torso, relative to my legs). This makes deadlifts easier in the sense that we don't have to get down as far as people with longer legs and shorter arms.

The way I learned to deadlift was focusing on keeping my shins as close to vertical as possible. Total verticality is virtually impossible, but it's great for visualizing. I would practice, not even looking at the bar when I grabbed it (using lighter weight), so I could keep my head straight and not risk looking down and bending my back.

 

[h_a_t]

Personally I'd do option 2 (less boring) but nit-picking over something like this will make no difference.

I agree, when I have tried both options it seems Option 2 makes the time go by quicker and I concentrate on going through the motions of the exercise properly as I'm switching to something different after 20 - 30 reps.

 

[Captain Glanton]

4 degrees outside, driving snow. Time to go run some sprints.

 

[beelzebozo]

ran ~20 miles today and burned ~2100 calories. swish

 

[Slo]

4 degrees outside, driving snow. Time to go run some sprints.

:lol :lol :lol

Throw an extra plate on the sled!

 

[Mr.City]

I've been noticing that that my ankles are usually stiff and sore after jogging. Does anyone suffer from this same problem or know what exactly is causing it? I suspect that it could have something to do with my form or maybe from the fact that one foot is flat while the other is arched.

 

[beelzebozo]

could just be the impact. on what kind of surface are you running? things like asphalt can be really strenuous to joints and your lower back.

 

[Mr.City]

I actually run on a treadmill at the gym.

 

[Joe]

I would recommend cutting down your fats a bit and increasing your protein/carb intake, but I'm no expert and without your weight it's difficult to determine exactly how much protein you need. Try shooting for 33%/33%/33% or 40/30/30 Protein/Carbs/Fats. You could also try something like 35/50/15 if you wanted to try the low-fat/Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle route. Also, your saturated fat intake is a bit disturbing, IMO - I would cut that down first. Trying to get a slightly better balance of mono/polyunsaturated fats wouldn't hurt either, although studies(a study?) have shown that 25g of monounsaturated fat per day can help weight loss.

Of course, we can't see exactly what you're eating - Before you worry about macronutrient ratios, I would make sure you're eating veggies/whole wheat carbs, lean protein(turkey, chicken)/96% lean ground beef and healthy fats. Eating clean is arguably more important than adjusting your macro ratios.

Joe

How much do you weigh? Because that's not much protein at all--and not enough calories, either, at 1800-2200 unless you're just a small person. It takes calories to support regular intense exercise. And if you left off some food off, that can throw the whole chart off, right? But based on what you've posted, I would say you have too much fat and not enough protein in your diet. Maybe you should check that your meat is lean enough.

i weigh 180lbs, i need 180g of protein right? going by the numbers i am definitely not getting enough calories but i'm just not as hungry as i used to be when i would eat junk food all the time. 75% of my protein is chicken/turkey, the rest is mostly red meat.

is drinking whey protein 2 times a day good if i only weight train 3 or 4 days a week? what about drinking whey on rest days?

thanks for the help guys, really.

 

[Wraith]

i weigh 180lbs, i need 180g of protein right? going by the numbers i am definitely not getting enough calories but i'm just not as hungry as i used to be when i would eat junk food all the time. 75% of my protein is chicken/turkey, the rest is mostly red meat.

You need .8-1g/lb of lean body weight. So if you're at 20%ish bodyfat then you only need 144g of protein per day. If you're at 15 you would need 153g, and so on. Getting the extra certainly wont hurt you, though. Just know that if you're going nuts because of your protein intake, you can probably lose a bit and still be fine.

Regarding whey, whole foods are always better from a feeling full/thermogenic point of view, with the exception being directly after(and before, perhaps?) your workout. Whey is very quickly processed by your system. I do use 2-3 scoops of whey daily, though, simply because it's far cheaper than eating the equivalent amount of meat and because it's so damn convenient. Eating it on non-workout days isn't going to hurt anything.

 

[haunts]

whew, thanks guys. i dont feel so guilty anymore.

Yes. Rest your body, you were probably over training.

In the future, plan your rest weeks in advance. Scheduled rest periods will keep you from being tempted to skip workouts, and it will help remove any guilt you have about not going to the gym when you're genuinely exhausted.

OK good idea. Im going on vacation mid-march where i wont be doing much if any working out so ill get back in there on Monday and wile out until then.

 

[demon]

I'm trying to lose weight and I've been following the food pyramid I grew up with. Looked at this thread and now I feel stupid.

Sigh. Sometimes I think I'll never be skinny and fit ever again.

Fit is better than skinny and fit. No reason why you still can't, though. Just cut a lot of the carb crap out of your diet, eat right, do some exercise, and VIOLA, skinny and fit.

 

[Captain Glanton]

i weigh 180lbs, i need 180g of protein right? going by the numbers i am definitely not getting enough calories but i'm just not as hungry as i used to be when i would eat junk food all the time. 75% of my protein is chicken/turkey, the rest is mostly red meat.

is drinking whey protein 2 times a day good if i only weight train 3 or 4 days a week? what about drinking whey on rest days?

thanks for the help guys, really.

Eating a ton of calories from clean food is hard work. It's not like chowing down on some pizza and shit at all. You have to just get in a pattern on the amount of food that you eat and stick to it to make sure you're getting all that you need. Also, and everyone reading the thread who consider themselves beginners needs to read this, eating junk food actually makes you hungrier, not fuller. That's part of the reason junk food is so dangerous.

Some people will say that you need to eat the protein for the body that you want. So, if to use the example above, if you have 144 lbs of lean body mass now, but your goal for exercising is to gain 15 or 20 lbs of lean mass [over the long term, of course], then you need to eat for 160 lbs [or 160 grams] not 144. It's not a big deal for one day, but over time the difference adds up.

Everyone has to balance their supplement usage against their budget. But keep in mind too that your body is growing when it recovers, not at the gym, so what you eat on your off days definitely 'counts.'

:lol :lol :lol

Throw an extra plate on the sled!

Actually, I've been trying to get my friend Layne to buy a sled so that I can "borrow" it whenever I want. So far, no luck.

 

[slayn]

How do all of you keep track of your body fat % anyway? Everything I hear makes it sound like every measure for bodyfat% is really unreliable. And yet everyone just seems to *know* their bf%.

I'm 5'8, 150lbs, and my bf% is "uhh... a lot?"

This makes it especially frustrating when all the formulas and whatnot are calculated with lean body mass rather than weight. My lbm could be 130, it could be 110, hell it could be 90. Fuck if I know.

 

[Slo]

How do all of you keep track of your body fat % anyway? Everything I hear makes it sound like every measure for bodyfat% is really unreliable. And yet everyone just seems to *know* their bf%.

I'm 5'8, 150lbs, and my bf% is "uhh... a lot?"

This makes it especially frustrating when all the formulas and whatnot are calculated with lean body mass rather than weight. My lbm could be 130, it could be 110, hell it could be 90. Fuck if I know.

Most people don't know. I don't know mine. Usually people just take a wild guess based off the preconception that ~10% gives you a nice looking six pack. And of course internet warriors love to judge themselves more favorably than is reality. Regardless , if you're 5'8, 150 lbs and consider yourself fat, you're probably wrong. Your problem is that you don't have much muscle, your body fat % is probably lower than you'd expect.

 

[slayn]

Most people don't know. I don't know mine. Usually people just take a wild guess based off the preconception that ~10% gives you a nice looking six pack. And of course internet warriors love to judge themselves more favorably than is reality. Regardless , if you're 5'8, 150 lbs and consider yourself fat, you're probably wrong. Your problem is that you don't have much muscle, your body fat % is probably lower than you'd expect.

I was always 'the fat kid' or near to it. Long ago in highschool gym class I was nicknamed pudgemaster 2000

That was back when I was 140 too. Now I'm 150, can squat 175, deadlift 245, and still have a huge gut, manboobs, and stretch/crease marks where the fat folds in on itself. So I have no idea how to even make a guess at bf%. 25%?

Is there like a website or something with pictures that at least shows 'here is a picture of an average man with 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, etc so that one may compare themselves? Any bodyfat comparisons I've seen tend to showcase extreme bodybuilders/models. Not 'the average guy.'

edit:
google images leads me to believe I am 20-25%bf