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[RumblingRosco]

That reminds me, anyone have some good articles relating to simple/complex carbs? I've yet to spend any good amount of time studying them and I'd like to learn more about them. I imagine most any place online can explain the difference, benefits, and negative effects of each, but if there's anything that you guys specifically recommend, it'd be appreciated.

 

[teh_pwn]

That reminds me, anyone have some good articles relating to simple/complex carbs? I've yet to spend any good amount of time studying them and I'd like to learn more about them. I imagine most any place online can explain the difference, benefits, and negative effects of each, but if there's anything that you guys specifically recommend, it'd be appreciated.

http://johnberardi.com/articles/nutrition/carbroundtable.htm
http://johnberardi.com/articles/nutrition/carbroundtable2.htm

 

[teh_pwn]

I tried to leave the science out of the equation, and I won't argue it with you. Most people don't want to cut carbohydrates from their diet, and they don't have to in order to lose weight.

I'm giving advice to someone who is just starting out with weight loss, in which case I would never recommend the high fat, moderate protein, low carb approach. That requires a harsh lifestyle change that most won't stick with. The most important concept is that you have to eat less than you burn - yes there's more to the equation but in the end that's still the most important aspect.

People don't have to take absolutes. If they did, optimally they should go for nuts, meat, fish, eggs/milk protein, fruits, vegetables. It wouldn't be optimal for health, but it would be much better than the average diet.

I probably made it too complex, but I was basically trying to explain why calorie counting is subjective and how it can severely backfire.

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

Man I hope a lot of you guys accomplish your goals getting into shape, but damn. I never followed a strict workout or diet routine over the past years and i'm in great shape and have a nice physique. I'm still thin, have a small bone structure, and a high metabolism rate, but I guess it's possible to still gain muscle. Would I like to continue getting bigger? Sure, but I'm not embarrassed to take off my shirt. Only problem is my calves. I wish I can get them bigger.

 

[RSTEIN]

I tried to leave the science out of the equation, and I won't argue it with you. Most people don't want to cut carbohydrates from their diet, and they don't have to in order to lose weight.

Absolutely. I've never been a fan of Atkins (I know three people that have lost a ton of weight on it then put it back on). Atkins/low carb has been discussed to death so we all know the pros and cons. I'll say this: when it comes to "getting in shape" carbohydrates (specifically complex carbohydrates) are an essential part of any plan. Why? Because carbs feed your muscles. They are essential for muscle growth.

What people really need to do is eliminate the carbs that aren't doing them any favours: basically anything that is white and contains tons of sugar/sodium. If you get rid of all the white shit in your fridge and throw out all the pop/sugary treats you're going to see an immediate benefit. Switch to whole grain bread, whole grain pitas, whole grain pasta, etc. Get rid of your juice and regular pop. These are sugary carbs that don't do anything for you. The other carbs are essential for any diet and/or serious workout plan.

 

[beelzebozo]

i think if i had to stop eating cereal altogether i'd just go ahead and end myself.

 

[RSTEIN]

i think if i had to stop eating cereal altogether i'd just go ahead and end myself.

My wife has the same problem :lol She's a fitness nut too... she's on the eliptical almost an hour a day. 10:00pm rolls around... cereal time!

 

[teh_pwn]

Absolutely. I've never been a fan of Atkins (I know three people that have lost a ton of weight on it then put it back on). Atkins/low carb has been discussed to death so we all know the pros and cons. I'll say this: when it comes to "getting in shape" carbohydrates (specifically complex carbohydrates) are an essential part of any plan. Why? Because carbs feed your muscles. They are essential for muscle growth.

What people really need to do is eliminate the carbs that aren't doing them any favours: basically anything that is white and contains tons of sugar/sodium. If you get rid of all the white shit in your fridge and throw out all the pop/sugary treats you're going to see an immediate benefit. Switch to whole grain bread, whole grain pitas, whole grain pasta, etc. Get rid of your juice and regular pop. These are sugary carbs that don't do anything for you. The other carbs are essential for any diet and/or serious workout plan.

I wasn't giving a case for Atkins. I was referencing Atkin's macronutrient profile to prove a very important point: All calories are not equal.

If you simply tell someone to reduce what they already eat, they'll fail in the long term. The staple of the American diet is the worst macronutrient case of refined flour and oil. French fries, potato chips, pasta, ice cream, pop corn, etc. Simply reducing the amounts of these foods would put you through a lot of hunger if you're going to be successful. But typically these sorts of diets make you lose weight (fat and muscle) and cause a decrease in metabolism.

So I think simply telling someone to focus on calorie counting could give them very, very bad advice.

I agree mostly with you on carbs. Although I think ideally one should only get them from whole fruit, vegetables, and a bit of whole grains. But masses of whole grain sandwiches, wraps, etc is not something I agree with. Again, ideally. I consume more than I think would be ideal.

Simple sugars should be used around workout time and just after, but that's it.

 

[RSTEIN]

I agree mostly with you on carbs. Although I think ideally one should only get them from whole fruit, vegetables, and a bit of whole grains. But masses of whole grain sandwiches, wraps, etc is not something I agree with.

Simple sugars should be used around workout time and just after, but that's it.

Yeah, of course. I wasn't advocating people stuff their face with whole grain stuff all day. I was just saying by simply replacing all the white stuff with whole grain stuff it makes a big dent.

And you brought up an incredibly important point: eating carbs around your weight training - very, very key.

 

[Captain Glanton]

i think if i had to stop eating cereal altogether i'd just go ahead and end myself.

Did you ever stop compulsively eating cereal in the middle of the night?

 

[Barrage]

GymGAF Inquiry:

So over the last few months i've noticed a definite improvement in my physique (Although I did do the absolutely idiotic " lose weight, then gain muscle" strategy that was stressed in this topic as something to avoid. Now I have to build my Squat/Bench/ everything strength-wise back up. So there's that. C'est la Vie.)

My abs are certainly looking a lot better (in that they are now even slightly visible). However, my chest isn't coming along as well-I mean to turn these man-boobles into pecs. Is there any particular exercise that can help me tighten up, or should I just continue to work out and hope to improve gradually?

 

[beelzebozo]

:lol

i still wake up every now and then and can't stay out of the peanut butter crunch. it's okay though--it's not nearly as frequent, and i think i was needlessly stressing about it being potentially pernicious to my health/weight when that's not something that i need to worry about at the moment. just being over-vigilant and regimented with my diet, i think.

 

[Chichikov]

GymGAF Inquiry:

So over the last few months i've noticed a definite improvement in my physique (Although I did do the absolutely idiotic " lose weight, then gain muscle" strategy that was stressed in this topic as something to avoid. Now I have to build my Squat/Bench/ everything strength-wise back up. So there's that. C'est la Vie.)

My abs are certainly looking a lot better (in that they are now even slightly visible). However, my chest isn't coming along as well-I mean to turn these man-boobles into pecs. Is there any particular exercise that can help me tighten up, or should I just continue to work out and hope to improve gradually?

short answer:
Just keep it up.
At what I'm guessing is your level, you really don't need anything more than the bench press.

Slightly longer answer:
If your issue is with the aesthetic of your chest, don't worry about it, different people develop different part in different pace.
If your problem is that you feel that you're chest strength has plateaued, list your routine and maybe we can help.

 

[Anton Sugar]

GymGAF Inquiry:

So over the last few months i've noticed a definite improvement in my physique (Although I did do the absolutely idiotic " lose weight, then gain muscle" strategy that was stressed in this topic as something to avoid. Now I have to build my Squat/Bench/ everything strength-wise back up. So there's that. C'est la Vie.)

My abs are certainly looking a lot better (in that they are now even slightly visible). However, my chest isn't coming along as well-I mean to turn these man-boobles into pecs. Is there any particular exercise that can help me tighten up, or should I just continue to work out and hope to improve gradually?

What's your diet look like?

I'd say, just eat more and continue flat benching. How much do you weigh and how tall are you?

 

[RSTEIN]

GymGAF Inquiry:

So over the last few months i've noticed a definite improvement in my physique (Although I did do the absolutely idiotic " lose weight, then gain muscle" strategy that was stressed in this topic as something to avoid. Now I have to build my Squat/Bench/ everything strength-wise back up. So there's that. C'est la Vie.)

My abs are certainly looking a lot better (in that they are now even slightly visible). However, my chest isn't coming along as well-I mean to turn these man-boobles into pecs. Is there any particular exercise that can help me tighten up, or should I just continue to work out and hope to improve gradually?

From my experience, I've found developing well defined pecs is much more difficult than, say, developing biceps, triceps and shoulders. I think partly it's because it is hard to focus on the muscle when doing the exercise. It's easy to clench your bicep and hold it while doing a curl. I find it's more difficult to visualize tensing your pectoral muscles and holding them through the movement.

If you find you're having difficulty maybe try a 5-5 routine. Up your weight to where you can only do 5 reps. When you hit #5 you should barely be able to do a proper movement. This will develop a good pump by the 5th set. Really try to visualize your pecs controlling the whole movement - whether it be a press or a flyer. During a dumbel flyer, try to imagine your arms being totally limp as you hold them above your body and drop them to your sides. Your pecs should be controlling the speed of the movement down and really be the driving mechanism on the way up.

 

[Captain Glanton]

A friend of mine tore his pec a month ago while flat benching. I have some thoughts about chest and pressing movements that I'll try to post this afternoon.

 

[beelzebozo]

you bastards have me lifting weights after i run now. granted, i'm not the double-helping of beefcake that seems to be the standard goal around here (read this as: i am not that strong), but you've convinced me i need to build up more muscle mass if i want to be really healthy. you win (read this begrudging admission as: thanks)

 

[speedpop]

Any guesses as to whether something like green tea will affect your exercise routines?

I know that it is in essence a stimulant in terms of alertness and so forth. Just wondering if drinking a teapot or two of the stuff (proper leaves in boiled water) before/after exercising will do something.

 

[Captain Glanton]

you bastards have me lifting weights after i run now. granted, i'm not the double-helping of beefcake that seems to be the standard goal around here (read this as: i am not that strong), but you've convinced me i need to build up more muscle mass if i want to be really healthy. you win (read this begrudging admission as: thanks)

You should go for the beefcake. While waiting for the bus this morning, I caught two different women driving past who turned their heads to get a good look.

 

[beelzebozo]

that would really require drastically changing the way i eat, and at this point that's not something i'm willing to budge on. i totally understand it's a desirable look for some, but i'll stick to "svelte" as a primary goal for the time being.

 

[RSTEIN]

Any guesses as to whether something like green tea will affect your exercise routines?

I know that it is in essence a stimulant in terms of alertness and so forth. Just wondering if drinking a teapot or two of the stuff (proper leaves in boiled water) before/after exercising will do something.

Any caffeine (tea or otherwise) will give you an energy boost before working out. Some supplement guides recommend a hit of caffeine before a workout. This may translate into having the energy to do one or two more reps or whatever. The whole point of each weight training session is to achieve a pump in your desired region. I'd rather eat some complex carbs or creatine that will feed the muscle, dialate vessels, or increase the surface area of the layer under the skin that the muscle will expand into.

 

[Shoho]

Some of you talk about simple sugars being "okay"/"good" in moderation, but then exactly why is 100% natural Orange Juice bad? I love Orange Juice. Its 100% natural, is very sweat, is pretty much just mashed fruit... Then why is it bad?





Metabolism: Raising my metabolism will make me burn fat/calories much faster, yes? To raise my metabolism I need a good mix of protein/carbs(the good carbs)/fat(the good fat) and exercise, yes?
Cardio and bigger muscles will increase metabolism as well yes? Any other ways?


I know people who can eat insane amounts of sweats, pop and other crap, and not gain any weight. its freaking scary, and most of these people dont work out at all. They can sit on their chair all day and eat.. litterly insane amounts of sugary foods and still be thin as hell.
Is there a way that I can find, out what my metabolism is currently?

 

[GHG]

On the pec issue:

I've personally found that doing pectorial flys with dumbells on a flat bench as the most effective way of increasing my chest size and pec definition. I just find that benching doesn't stimulate growth as much (though I still do both).

 

[Mr.City]

Some of you talk about simple sugars being "okay"/"good" in moderation, but then exactly why is 100% natural Orange Juice bad? I love Orange Juice. Its 100% natural, is very sweat, is pretty much just mashed fruit... Then why is it bad?

Ditch the juice, Bruce. Drinking a fruit robs off that fiber goodness of eating an actual fruit.

 

[BigGreenMat]

Some of you talk about simple sugars being "okay"/"good" in moderation, but then exactly why is 100% natural Orange Juice bad? I love Orange Juice. Its 100% natural, is very sweat, is pretty much just mashed fruit... Then why is it bad?


Metabolism: Raising my metabolism will make me burn fat/calories much faster, yes? To raise my metabolism I need a good mix of protein/carbs(the good carbs)/fat(the good fat) and exercise, yes?
Cardio and bigger muscles will increase metabolism as well yes? Any other ways?


I know people who can eat insane amounts of sweats, pop and other crap, and not gain any weight. its freaking scary, and most of these people dont work out at all. They can sit on their chair all day and eat.. litterly insane amounts of sugary foods and still be thin as hell.
Is there a way that I can find, out what my metabolism is currently?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Orange Juice or other Juices. They are great for you. However, most people are retarded and will chug a ton of it when a small 6 oz glass will suffice. If you aren't some fatty who has to lose a lot of weight, don't worry about it.

Cardio doesn't necessarily raise metabolism too much. High Intensity, failure inducing, workouts will be far more effective. Also while doing this you absolutely need to eat and keep eating. Avoid lots of heavy oils, but not fats altogether, and eat plenty of carbs. Eat protein at whatever rate you feel is necessary. Really all you have to do is eat sensibly, nothing special.

An easy way to find out what your metabolism is currently is if you have been in weight homeostasis for a while (haven't retained more than a lb or 2 for the past few months) then just weigh and measure out what you eat in say a 3 days span and then average it out. That should give you a good approximation.

 

[BigGreenMat]

On the pec issue:

I've personally found that doing pectorial flys with dumbells on a flat bench as the most effective way of increasing my chest size and pec definition. I just find that benching doesn't stimulate growth as much (though I still do both).

Even better, when doing a complex movement like pec flys, which has a huge variation in range of motion and angle of attack, is a consistent resistance source like weighted cables. I don't use cables for much, but they are great for the various fly movements for very consistent resistance.

 

[RSTEIN]

On the pec issue:

I've personally found that doing pectorial flys with dumbells on a flat bench as the most effective way of increasing my chest size and pec definition. I just find that benching doesn't stimulate growth as much (though I still do both).

Yup, I definitely agree here. With flyers I find I can really isolate my pecs moreso than any other move. Make sure to do inclines and declines to hit the top and bottom.

 

[Slo]

On the pec issue:

I've personally found that doing pectorial flys with dumbells on a flat bench as the most effective way of increasing my chest size and pec definition. I just find that benching doesn't stimulate growth as much (though I still do both).

I'm not a fan of flies, but swapping barbells for dumbells is worth a try. I've just started doing dumbell presses instead of the flat bench, because I've been stuck in a serious rut with my bench numbers for the last 6 months or so. I find that the ammount of weight I can handle with dumbells is an embarrasingly low percentage of my barbell numbers, and I feel it in my pecs a LOT more than when I use a barbell.

I'm hoping a couple weeks of this will help me bust out.

 

[SuperAndroid17]

Is there a certain exercise to get you " cut "?

Any recomendations on this? Whats the best/effective way? Certain restrictions on weight as well?

 

[Slo]

Is there a certain exercise to get you " cut "?

Any recomendations on this? Whats the best/effective way? Certain restrictions on weight as well?

What do you mean by "cut?"

1) You can get leaner.
2) You can get fatter.
3) Muscle can grow.
4) Muscle can shrink.

That's really all there is, despite what you may have heard on late night infomercials. You can't spot reduce. Fat does not get converted to muscle. Hungarian Glute Retractions don't make you "toned." Cold fusion doesn't exist. These things are all myths.

Define your goals based on that list.

 

[SuperAndroid17]

What do you mean by "cut?"

1) You can get leaner.
2) You can get fatter.
3) Muscle can grow.
4) Muscle can shrink.

That's really all there is, despite what you may have heard on late night infomercials. You can't spot reduce. Fat does not get converted to muscle. Hungarian Glute Retractions don't make you "toned." Cold fusion doesn't exist. These things are all myths.

Define your goals based on that list.

if thats the case then , Muscle growth. What does creotine/protein exactly do? I hear those are 2 main ones people take while working out.

 

[Shoho]

okay.. so if juice is so bad, then what about diet soda? no sugar(only aspertam), sodium and no calories(or almost none)... cant i drink that in spades if I want to too? I know water is still better but anyway... the complete diet soda has like, no carbs, no fat, no protein.. just empty liquids...


besides being unhealthy, will it temper with my weight loss progress?

I mean if we are talking about drinking a half gallon in day or something.. not everyday but just some day!?

 

[Slo]

if thats the case then , Muscle growth. What does creotine/protein exactly do? I hear those are 2 main ones people take while working out.

I'd recommend reading these threads. They contain more information than can be contained in the peanut that I call my brain.

http://www.t-nation.com/tmagnum/readTopic.do?id=640350
http://www.t-nation.com/tmagnum/readTopic.do?id=487126

 

[Mr.City]

okay.. so if juice is so bad, then what about diet soda? no sugar(only aspertam), sodium and no calories(or almost none)... cant i drink that in spades if I want to too? I know water is still better but anyway... the complete diet soda has like, no carbs, no fat, no protein.. just empty liquids...


besides being unhealthy, will it temper with my weight loss progress?

I mean if we are talking about drinking a half gallon in day or something.. not everyday but just some day!?

Care to finish that thought, son? If you know water is better for you, go for it. If you consider that shit that you're guzzling empty liquids, then why drink it?

 

[beelzebozo]

it's funny, there was a time when i was one of those folks who insisted that water just wasn't enough or a proper beverage with some meals. the more accustomed to drinking tons of water i became, however, the less unusual it seemed to just have an ice water with my food. i actually think it helps enjoy the food more, even if that's just a psychosomatic response: i feel like i'm not assaulting my taste buds with diet coke, but that i can really taste the food when i'm drinking water, which is of course as close to a "neutral" flavor as i can imagine.

 

[RumblingRosco]

if thats the case then , Muscle growth. What does creotine/protein exactly do? I hear those are 2 main ones people take while working out.

Protein: To keep it very simple and short, protein is essential in building muscle. The average diet consists of around 50g/day of protein; people in this thread, that are on a set routine and are looking to bulk up, are eating between 120-160g/day. I get about 130g or so, and it seems to work for me. It will partially depend on your body size too, smaller people won't need quite as much, larger people will need more.

Creatine: Again, short and simple, creatine helps largely with the recovery of muscles. I wouldn't worry about creatine, personally, until you've started some sort of a regular workout routine. It'd be a waste of money if you end up not sticking to your plan.

Others can give more in-depth answers, just trying to cover a few basics before I head off to class. Hope it helps.

EDIT: beelze, water is also better for your teeth. Just one more small, tiny added bonus of drinking water over sugar/sweetener-loaded drinks.

 

[RSTEIN]

okay.. so if juice is so bad, then what about diet soda? no sugar(only aspertam)

Yes, if you're not drinking water diet pop isn't a bad treat at all. It's not giving your body anything but if you're worried about carbs/sugar it's better than most (if not all) juices.

if thats the case then , Muscle growth. What does creotine/protein exactly do? I hear those are 2 main ones people take while working out.

Here's a guide to creatine: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/gastelu8.htm
Here's a guide to protein: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=Protein

 

[Shoho]

Care to finish that thought, son? If you know water is better for you, go for it. If you consider that shit that you're guzzling empty liquids, then why drink it?

I have hardcore witdrawls.

water sucks. It taste like hospital floor. sterile and stupid. I like carboniated(sp?) water.. you know water with bubbles and stuff, but I heard it was bad aswell...


I dont know. I used to drink two gallons diet coke a day. then I stopped.


maybe I shouldnt do it... but the reason why I want something other than water is because I think water taste of nothing. it makes me depressed.


I cant drink alcohol. I cant drink chocolate milk. I cant drink juice. its just water water water...

I enjoy filling myself with sweet tasting liquids.


I just dont understand why diet-sodas with no calories, no fat, no carbs, no protein, no sugar.. no nothing besides some drugs that are unhealthy, but ultimately dont look like they could hinder weight loss...

but oh so many people tell me that they make you more hungry, screw up your metabolism, gives you cancer, makes you sterile and all kinds of other stuff.

Most people I know who are slim dont drink it though.. but most fat people I know do...
that does make me think.


I just dont understand why, mates. Im so sick of water. I hate it. it taste of nothing. it taste of dullness.


I tried mixing water with fresh lemons, splenda, ice cubs and some other stuff.. and sugar-free chocolate milk powder... but dammit. I just cant make myself enjoy it.

I always become thirsty when I am playing video games, or reading the internet or watching a movie... I can easily gush a couple of gallons dont in an empty swoop.



I think it was glanton, who said a few pages back... that it was dangerous to intake liquid/food while being occupied by looking at a monitor or tv screen, but still...


I HATE WATER.
if It at least tasted of something. piss taste of something. water taste of the sink. it taste of... pills. if you could drink the color grey, it would taste like water. HATE HATE HATE.

 

[mint]

3 liters a day sup

 

[beelzebozo]

that was the most convincing anti-water rant i've ever read

 

[Mr.City]

I have hardcore witdrawls.

water sucks. It taste like hospital floor. sterile and stupid. I like carboniated(sp?) water.. you know water with bubbles and stuff, but I heard it was bad aswell...


I dont know. I used to drink two gallons diet coke a day. then I stopped.


maybe I shouldnt do it... but the reason why I want something other than water is because I think water taste of nothing. it makes me depressed.


I cant drink alcohol. I cant drink chocolate milk. I cant drink juice. its just water water water...

I enjoy filling myself with sweet tasting liquids.


I just dont understand why diet-sodas with no calories, no fat, no carbs, no protein, no sugar.. no nothing besides some drugs that are unhealthy, but ultimately dont look like they could hinder weight loss...

but oh so many people tell me that they make you more hungry, screw up your metabolism, gives you cancer, makes you sterile and all kinds of other stuff.

Most people I know who are slim dont drink it though.. but most fat people I know do...
that does make me think.


I just dont understand why, mates. Im so sick of water. I hate it. it taste of nothing. it taste of dullness.


I tried mixing water with fresh lemons, splenda, ice cubs and some other stuff.. and sugar-free chocolate milk powder... but dammit. I just cant make myself enjoy it.

I always become thirsty when I am playing video games, or reading the internet or watching a movie... I can easily gush a couple of gallons dont in an empty swoop.



I think it was glanton, who said a few pages back... that it was dangerous to intake liquid/food while being occupied by looking at a monitor or tv screen, but still...


I HATE WATER.
if It at least tasted of something. piss taste of something. water taste of the sink. it taste of... pills. if you could drink the color grey, it would taste like water. HATE HATE HATE.

What about filtered water? I hardly ever drink non-filtered tap myself.

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

On the pec issue:

I've personally found that doing pectorial flys with dumbells on a flat bench as the most effective way of increasing my chest size and pec definition. I just find that benching doesn't stimulate growth as much (though I still do both).

Last time I heard, doing flies doesn't make your chest grow.

If you want a nice chest, do dumbell presses. A lot better for overall growth than bench because it requires your core strength and stabalization. Your chest will get stronger too.

You can also have fun and do push ups with medicine balls and a balance ball. Get into push up position, place your feet on the balance ball, hands on the medicine balls and start doing push ups. Great way to build up your core strength.

You can also do the Rocky push ups with a medicine ball. Get into push up position, place one hand on the ball, perform a push, quickly push yourself up switching sides and and hand position, repeat.

 

[Barrett2]

Is there a certain exercise to get you " cut "?

Any recomendations on this? Whats the best/effective way? Certain restrictions on weight as well?

Generally, to get the 'cut' look, you want to do high-rep weightlifting exercises. So on the bench press, bicep curls, etc., only lift 40% (rough guess) of your max, but do as many reps as you can. Plus you wan to run, since losing body fat will make your muscles look more defined.

Mostly when it comes to lifting weights, though, the main thing is just to be consistent. As long as you have a balanced weightlifting routine, and actually stick with it and push yourself, you will get bigger & more cut. There's not too much mystery, eat healthy and keep going to the gym.

The most 'cut' I have looked is when I used to do my 100-rep bench press routine. I would do 100 reps of 135lbs. (a single 45lb plate on each side). I would do 35 reps, then 25, then 10, 10, 10, 10. It was a bitch to do, but worked quite well. Nowadays I mostly do the 'vain' thing and go for high-weight, lower rep exercises; which have gotten me bulky, but not as cut as I used to be.

 

[Captain Glanton]

water sucks.

Whoa. It's just water. You can have diet soda, in moderation. Having a Diet Coke with dinner each night won't hurt you; guzzling them all day is a bad idea, though. Why do something that's a bad idea? This is what I've stressed in my responses to your posts: It sounds like you're expecting the food you eat and drink to give you something besides health. That's not a good way to think about it. Food is fuel for your body, and that's it.

Your body needs water to keep itself running properly. It's just water. It's good for you. Drink it. End of story.

Likewise, the world won't end if you watch tv while you eat. However, if you eat for the sake of eating, that's always unhealthy. That is a much easier trap to fall into if you're doing it in front of a tv or computer screen.

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

Drinking coke everyday, be it only once a day, is still bad. I don't know how people can drink it everyday. I drink it once a week and that's it.

 

[Shoho]

goddam you all and your logic....

Spoiler

thanks. With your guys help I have been able to say "no" much more than before. And your responds to my post make me think rational about life. I read this thread and your advice just after I wake up in the morning and just before I go to bed

 

[GHG]

Last time I heard, doing flies doesn't make your chest grow.

If you want a nice chest, do dumbell presses. A lot better for overall growth than bench because it requires your core strength and stabalization. Your chest will get stronger too.

You can also have fun and do push ups with medicine balls and a balance ball. Get into push up position, place your feet on the balance ball, hands on the medicine balls and start doing push ups. Great way to build up your core strength.

You can also do the Rocky push ups with a medicine ball. Get into push up position, place one hand on the ball, perform a push, quickly push yourself up switching sides and and hand position, repeat.

To increase chest size I do cable pullovers. Its an absolute killer excersice, would recommend it to everyone. In terms of chest excersices I see it this way:

Strength: Bench press
Size: Cable pullovers
Definition: Pec flys

Of course there's some crossover between all of them, but it wasn't until I added them to my workouts (in that order) that I saw the results stated.

 

[Shoho]

What about filtered water? I hardly ever drink non-filtered tap myself.

you mean water on a bottle? thats really expenssive mate.

its crazy... soda is much cheaper than buying water on bottle where I live. the world is seriously going to hell.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Generally, to get the 'cut' look, you want to do high-rep weightlifting exercises. So on the bench press, bicep curls, etc., only lift 40% (rough guess) of your max, but do as many reps as you can. Plus you wan to run, since losing body fat will make your muscles look more defined.

Mostly when it comes to lifting weights, though, the main thing is just to be consistent. As long as you have a balanced weightlifting routine, and actually stick with it and push yourself, you will get bigger & more cut. There's not too much mystery, eat healthy and keep going to the gym.

The most 'cut' I have looked is when I used to do my 100-rep bench press routine. I would do 100 reps of 135lbs. (a single 45lb plate on each side). I would do 35 reps, then 25, then 10, 10, 10, 10. It was a bitch to do, but worked quite well. Nowadays I mostly do the 'vain' thing and go for high-weight, lower rep exercises; which have gotten me bulky, but not as cut as I used to be.

No, no, no, no, no.

Cut is a result of low body fat and only low body fat--your training routine will not determine how cut you are UNLESS it is developed with fat-loss in mind. It looks BETTER when you have significant muscular development.

As I just said a bit ago...lifting heavy weights makes your muscles denser, harder. Powerlifters aren't hulks of fat. Most are DENSE motherfuckers, and have very hard musculature. This mainly has to do with the TYPE of hypertrophy their training induces.

Higher repetitions in weight training tends to lead to more significant sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, which contributes to size the most (but not always strength). This rep range is from 10-20, give or take. The fibers responsible for absolute strength respond better to low rep ranges, 1-3 at the extreme. This is why the 5x5 routine is so good for beginners--it develops mass AND strength.

Glenn Pendlay wrote about this on a forum:

Heavy vs. Light this is a common observation... but the intensity you use while training doesnt change the muscle "shape", however, people who do heavy, multijoint exercises like deadlifts, squats, rows, etc, build the muscles that make you seem thick, like the abdominal muscles, the spinal erectors and the middle and upper back, the glutes, hamstrings, etc. people who do mostly isolation exercises and dont go heavy enough to really challenge the bodies core or the stabilizer muscles usually have bigger arms, chest, quads, but lack the development in the other muscles in the body.

in my mind, the way to tell if a guy has trained hard is to look at their spinal erectors. its impossible to do the "big" exercises for years without developing big, strong erectors. i know this may be a little different than most people, but i think guys who have big pecs and arms, but have NO spinal erectors, no abdominal hypertrophy, big quads but flat hamstrings, wide shoulders but no tarps, etc, just look stupid. i just plain dont like that look. a big pair of legs ought to have a lot of adductor mass, big hamstrings, etc. a wide back ought to have big tarps and big erectors. it just doesnt look right if you dont have complete development.

A lot of people here are asking for help, but don't really know what they're asking for. Someone who wants to get strong is going to train different from someone who wants to get "cut" as most people consider it.

 

[BlueTsunami]

A interesting observation but going into the gym each week I'm now noticing that multitudes of people stick in the Freeweight room, Machine Weights room and Cardio area but barely touch the Leg Room (Squats, Leg Presses, Leg Extensions etc) and Abdominal area.