Fitness and Nutrition VIII

[Mrb1p]

I'll have to try that out. My regular overhand grip starts failing me at 315.

Dont youre better off working on your grip with farmers and holds.

 

[Fazkovsky]

Any benefits to a foam roller bar? I bought a nike foam roller bar. Since, it’s a bar. How much do i use it? A few passes on the muscle is enough?

 

[Mrb1p]

Any benefits to a foam roller bar? I bought a nike foam roller bar. Since, it’s a bar. How much do i use it? A few passes on the muscle is enough?

No

Well it does feel good

 

[Suiteness]

Anybody tried that Beyond meat stuff? Is it any good?

 

[Mrb1p]

Anybody tried that Beyond meat stuff? Is it any good?

I eat real meat because I am a man.

 

[waffledave]

Anybody tried that Beyond meat stuff? Is it any good?

Tastes good yeah. But health wise it's super high in calories and fan, I guess it's all beans. Not any better for you than eating regular meat IMO.

 

[yianik]

There's a range of information, I'd guess that coffee's effects are negligible.

Be a real man and drink it black ;-)

Dont know about the real man bit lol, but I drink my coffee black. I used to have about 8 to 10 cups a day, but have cut that down to 4 or 5.

 

[Adriatic]

Dont know about the real man bit lol, but I drink my coffee black. I used to have about 8 to 10 cups a day, but have cut that down to 4 or 5.

8-10 cups?? Holy crap that's a lot.

 

[yianik]

8-10 cups?? Holy crap that's a lot.

Lol, I know. Have cut back though.

 

[Eegs]

Anybody else do Beachbody (god I hate typing that word, it feels so vain)?

I don't think i have seen it mentioned in this thread. It's likely not a "cool" workout program, but I know it is relatively popular and it gets me off my ass!

Starting my second round of LIIFT4.

 

[Mrb1p]

Anybody else do Beachbody (god I hate typing that word, it feels so vain)?

I don't think i have seen it mentioned in this thread. It's likely not a "cool" workout program, but I know it is relatively popular and it gets me off my ass!

Starting my second round of LIIFT4.

Get a gym membership, go to the barbell, squat, bench and overhead, learn the clean/hang clean and boom, youll have a much better body, youll feel like a beast on most days and youll be obsess for real. The iron, it feels special, I have never met someone that didn't actually like to train, even the fiercest critics. My GF laughed at me when I said I lifted at least four times a week, she said she'd never to that, and now? f***ing obsessed.

 

[Mrb1p]

I'm coming up with the f***ing flu and I'm bummed I won't be able to lift this week.

Ive missed like six days out of my last three weeks because of St jean/canada day, etc. Can't wait to get back on track.


Ive loaded the infamous 600 on deadlift about everytime I deadlifted in the last two months and I know I can pull it now, its not a matter of if, its a matter of when. One of these days I'll just decide to rip it off the floor but for now I'm feeling conservative.

Also 500 squat is coming really quick, the SBD sleeves are magic.

My bench is still poverty though, but I'm now doing 5's with 300 on the incline, so theres progress there too.

I don't eat enough to get to 230 consistently and thats about it with my journal, its been awhile I haven't updated it.

Also, I'm strongly, strongly debating a test cycle. STRONGLY.

 

[Eegs]

Get a gym membership, go to the barbell, squat, bench and overhead, learn the clean/hang clean and boom, youll have a much better body, youll feel like a beast on most days and youll be obsess for real. The iron, it feels special, I have never met someone that didn't actually like to train, even the fiercest critics. My GF laughed at me when I said I lifted at least four times a week, she said she'd never to that, and now? ****ing obsessed.

Cool, thanks for the advice!

 

[Lshap]

Here's a subject we don't usually discuss in this thread: Blood pressure.

A month ago, I won a home blood-pressure machine at a networking meeting. Finally set it up yesterday and tried it out on myself and was terrified when it read 151 over 74. Low dystolic (the 2nd number) but high systolic (the 1st number). I'm well into my 50s, but I'm slim and a regular runner, so WTF?? Those numbers -- specifically the 151 -- put me in the Stage-1 Hypertension category and would mean I need meds. A quick Google read-through informed me that these readings are extremely variable and to take it a few times for more accuracy. So five minutes later I took the test again and sure enough, it was down to 141 over 78. Still high. Five minutes after that 137 over 80. I felt like I was studying for an exam, trying to relax, trying better posture, inching towards a passing grade.

At that point I was stressing out over the damn thing and decided, screw this, I'm going for a run. I'm not being held hostage by fear. Ran about 3 miles outdoors, worked up a good sweat and, most important, didn't keel over with a heart attack. Cleaned up and relaxed for an hour, then took the stupid test again. 125 over 81. Normal range, and actually lower than average for my age (blood pressure typically creeps up with age).

Lessons learned: Blood pressure shifts radically with body position, time of day, diet, and of course state of mind. Spikes are normal throughout the day. What's important is the average over a few readings. Lower is better, and in fact the yardstick for optimal BP has been lowered to anything below 120/80. So my 125/81 would still be considered "Prehypertension", although many doctors are disputing the value of attaching that label to numbers that were considered fine until recently.

My other lesson is that while a certain level of denial is okay, running/exercising isn't a panacea. Earlier yesterday, before going nuts with the BP machine, I'd had home fries and had snacked on chips. Have to be a bit more aware of diet, despite my presumed good health. Most of you in this thread are a lot younger than me, but don't assume you can exercise your way past a lousy diet or genetics. Heart disease is often a cumulative effect of years of bad choices.

 

[Mrb1p]

Here's a subject we don't usually discuss in this thread: Blood pressure.

A month ago, I won a home blood-pressure machine at a networking meeting. Finally set it up yesterday and tried it out on myself and was terrified when it read 151 over 74. Low dystolic (the 2nd number) but high systolic (the 1st number). I'm well into my 50s, but I'm slim and a regular runner, so WTF?? Those numbers -- specifically the 151 -- put me in the Stage-1 Hypertension category and would mean I need meds. A quick Google read-through informed me that these readings are extremely variable and to take it a few times for more accuracy. So five minutes later I took the test again and sure enough, it was down to 141 over 78. Still high. Five minutes after that 137 over 80. I felt like I was studying for an exam, trying to relax, trying better posture, inching towards a passing grade.

At that point I was stressing out over the damn thing and decided, screw this, I'm going for a run. I'm not being held hostage by fear. Ran about 3 miles outdoors, worked up a good sweat and, most important, didn't keel over with a heart attack. Cleaned up and relaxed for an hour, then took the stupid test again. 125 over 81. Normal range, and actually lower than average for my age (blood pressure typically creeps up with age).

Lessons learned: Blood pressure shifts radically with body position, time of day, diet, and of course state of mind. Spikes are normal throughout the day. What's important is the average over a few readings. Lower is better, and in fact the yardstick for optimal BP has been lowered to anything below 120/80. So my 125/81 would still be considered "Prehypertension", although many doctors are disputing the value of attaching that label to numbers that were considered fine until recently.

My other lesson is that while a certain level of denial is okay, running/exercising isn't a panacea. Earlier yesterday, before going nuts with the BP machine, I'd had home fries and had snacked on chips. Have to be a bit more aware of diet, despite my presumed good health. Most of you in this thread are a lot younger than me, but don't assume you can exercise your way past a lousy diet or genetics. Heart disease is often a cumulative effect of years of bad choices.

I go a few times a month to the Jean Coutu on my street corner just to take my BP and I always read in the 110, 100, even 90s. Really surprised it never went up even with my recent bulk in weight. I dont feel healthy at all and I weeze at the first sight of cardiovascular effort.

My GF who plays soccer as a D once a week and trains 4 times a week hits highs of 160 sometimes, like how does that stuff really work

 

[DAChampion]

As part of a test, I had my blood pressure taken while doing cardio. I think that it went to 200/80 or something which was really cool.

Mine is typically 120/80 but I don't get it tested that often.

I kind of regret the fact that I didn't get all of my biomarkers tested when I was at my fattest and least healthy, back in early 2015. I don't know what my BP or blood work was at that point. I do know that my waist size for pants was ~40. I was big lol.

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

Got injured on a max effort lower body day a couple of months ago attempting 2 x 420 pounds on the deadlift on 6 inches blocks. I heard two cracks on my lower back and the bottom of my spine felt f***ed up.

In the end it was a small muscle strain and 4 appointments with the chiropractor got it fixed. I was lucky.

I learned three things in this process;

1. Never try a max effort when you're tired. That day, I got 405 done easily. People at my gyms told me it looked easy, that my form was great (and it felt great) and that it looked like I had room. Instead of listening to my body, which was telling me that that 405 should have been my max set, as I spent a lot of energy doing it and it was already my 6th set, I listened to people who told me I had some more room. On another day I might have had. In fact my first rep at 420 felt all right, but my tank was empty at this point. I want for the second anyway and... *crack* *crack*.

2. Don't max beltless. It was stupid. No matter how strong your core is, it won't get stronger to the same rhythm as your bigger back/glutes/legs muscles.

3. Gauge the risk factor. For a guy like me chasing hypertrophy and aesthetics, getting stronger is necessary, but doing max efforts on a weekly basis is not necessary. I think sets of 5 work pretty good for your main lift if you're chasing hypertrophy.

All in all, lessons learned. Not anything irreversible. I was and I feel blessed to have a second chance. Many who get an herniated disk or a spondy don't have my luck.

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

Oh. And got my blood lipids/cholesterol tested a month or so ago . Been eating 3 eggs a day for a few years so I was curious about it. Turns out everything is A-ok. I guess my artheries haven't turned into rock as some others warned they would in this thread...

 

[Mrb1p]

As part of a test, I had my blood pressure taken while doing cardio. I think that it went to 200/80 or something which was really cool.

Mine is typically 120/80 but I don't get it tested that often.

I kind of regret the fact that I didn't get all of my biomarkers tested when I was at my fattest and least healthy, back in early 2015. I don't know what my BP or blood work was at that point. I do know that my waist size for pants was ~40. I was big lol.

Damn. Where are you at now? 34? I remember you said you were sub 200s.

 

[Mrb1p]

Got injured on a max effort lower body day a couple of months ago attempting 2 x 420 pounds on the deadlift on 6 inches blocks. I heard two cracks on my lower back and the bottom of my spine felt ****ed up.

In the end it was a small muscle strain and 4 appointments with the chiropractor got it fixed. I was lucky.

I learned three things in this process;

1. Never try a max effort when you're tired. That day, I got 405 done easily. People at my gyms told me it looked easy, that my form was great (and it felt great) and that it looked like I had room. Instead of listening to my body, which was telling me that that 405 should have been my max set, as I spent a lot of energy doing it and it was already my 6th set, I listened to people who told me I had some more room. On another day I might have had. In fact my first rep at 420 felt all right, but my tank was empty at this point. I want for the second anyway and... *crack* *crack*.

2. Don't max beltless. It was stupid. No matter how strong your core is, it won't get stronger to the same rhythm as your bigger back/glutes/legs muscles.

3. Gauge the risk factor. For a guy like me chasing hypertrophy and aesthetics, getting stronger is necessary, but doing max efforts on a weekly basis is not necessary. I think sets of 5 work pretty good for your main lift if you're chasing hypertrophy.

All in all, lessons learned. Not anything irreversible. I was and I feel blessed to have a second chance. Many who get an herniated disk or a spondy don't have my luck.

Honestly if your goal is solely aestetic I wouldnt even touch a deadlift.

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

Honestly if your goal is solely aestetic I wouldnt even touch a deadlift.

I read quite a bit about it and Brad Schoenfeld, probably the world's most knowledgable scientist on hypertrophy, says he doesn't even program deadlifts on hypertrophy programs.

I might do some romanian deadlift for high-ish reps (8-12) as an accessory though.

 

[Mrb1p]

I read quite a bit about it and Brad Schoenfeld, probably the world's most knowledgable scientist on hypertrophy, says he doesn't even program deadlifts on hypertrophy programs.

I might do some romanian deadlift for high-ish reps (8-12) as an accessory though.

I agree with him TBH. Love my deadlift like any other but I realize its a lot of drawbacks. Plus it doesnt really make sense to rep it out on deadlifts either.

Even for performance Im not sure its the best movement.

Theres also the fact that its easily replaced, compared to squat or presses

 

[DAChampion]

Damn. Where are you at now? 34? I remember you said you were sub 200s.

Yeah about 34, I'd like to get back down to 32.

 

[Mrb1p]

Yeah about 34, I'd like to get back down to 32.

Be glad all you have to worry about is your waist size now, it's hell for me. I basically wear a 36-38 for leg size/calf size and a 32/33 for waist. I basically have to take too big at the waist and use a belt. So annoying.

 

[DAChampion]

Be glad all you have to worry about is your waist size now, it's hell for me. I basically wear a 36-38 for leg size/calf size and a 32/33 for waist. I basically have to take too big at the waist and use a belt. So annoying.

I noticed that in Italy as the clothes there are better tailored. Pants could be loose at the waist and tight at the thighs, which one he never seen in North American men's clothing.