OT: Fitness and Nutrition X

[angusyoung]

I used to swim competitively as a kid and then again in highschool. I miss it. Great exercise.

Gave it up? did all the strokes? Yup used to compete myself,but not since a long time ago a side from the occasional competition at some resorts,but can't really call it competitive.

It's an activity that does it all except build bulk, that can be done until the day you drop. Still do some workouts though in the water to help strengthen some muscles. Great for rehabilitation and stretching also.

With what has transpired and the unknown future of things I decided a few weeks back to put in a lap pool when I can so at least I have it handy at all times. While I'm restructuring might put in a tennis court as well.

 

[angusyoung]

any tips for shoulder tendonitis?

It feels like the more stretches im doing the more it makes it worst. Is stretching rly necessary to heal a tendon? What promotes tendon healing? im really struggling with it. Also, level of activity? is 30 minutes, 1 hour daily walk fine? My physio did say walking doesnt make the injury worst unless you walk 3 hours.

Any idea what was the origin of the tendinitis?

Did you receive a cortisone injection? that usually is immediate relief. Acupuncture is also very effective,might need a few treatments though.

 

[Kriss E]

That’s a bit much after a 6 months lay off, no?

I think my first leg day after the gyms reopened, I did 5x5 squats and one calf raise exercise and my legs were done for like a week.

Not really, I kept weights relatively light, but I also wasn't entirely inactive. I bought a barbell and weights in May, I just had no real set program or consistency. I'd train in the driveway so sometimes it was too hot or rainy, and well, it's limited work too, but managed to get some things done.
Im used to high volume anyways.
I am sore today, my core especially, my legs will probably be worst tomorrow as I usually get DOMS for them. But it feels damn good to be back.

Side note...seeing hot chicks workout after this months long lockdown is really...fun.

 

[Kriss E]

Any of you guys been back to the gym? I'd guess everyone's masked, which might be fine for weights but is totally impossible for running on a treadmill.

Where I go to you're allowed to remove mask during sets or cardio, but if you move around you should be wearing the mask.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Any idea what was the origin of the tendinitis?

Did you receive a cortisone injection? that usually is immediate relief. Acupuncture is also very effective,might need a few treatments though.

Cortisone is a good idea. I had that done in my rotator cuff and it provided some good relief. Didn't cure everything but it helped.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

It's not cheating really. There is no such thing as cheating. Can you lift the weight? Well then you did it. Does it help you lift more? Great, the heavier you move the stronger you will become, that's all there is to it.
In the bench press, if you know how to properly do it, you take full advantage of the cushion as you should be driving your upper back into as much as possible to press the bar back up.
Powerlifters are the masters at this, how they arch their back, position their hands, brace and drive their backs into the bench doesn't make them cheaters. It makes them the strongest bench pressers on the planet.

However, if you're arching doing a seated overhead press, well you're messing up your form completely.
Seated OH Press is meant to partially remove your lower body engagement from giving you any support making it more difficult to press the bar up. You're supposed to brace your core making your back straighter as you press the bar up. If you're arching to wear your lower back is completely off the back support, well you're not doing it right.
To make it even more hard, in come the ''Z Press'', which is a floor seated overhead press exercise, this one entirely removes any type of support from your lower body.

In the standing OH press, you get the support from your lower body, you're supposed to be driving your heels down, squeezing your legs and glutes before you start the pressing motion. Too many people just think ''press bar up'' and don't realize there is so much more you're supposed to do.

I was being facetious. I didn’t mean it literally. I just prefer standing. I agree with everything you said.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Thoughts on just doing one set of deadlifts?

Example:

Say you're doing 3x5 and get to 300 lbs. Would you do it this way?

1 set x135 warmup
1 set x225 warmup
1 set x300
Finished? Does this work or should it be the full 3x5 for the 300 as well?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

No opinion on this? I thought you guys knew what you were talking about.

Do you guys even lift?

 

[Kriss E]

Thoughts on just doing one set of deadlifts?

Example:

Say you're doing 3x5 and get to 300 lbs. Would you do it this way?

1 set x135 warmup
1 set x225 warmup
1 set x300
Finished? Does this work or should it be the full 3x5 for the 300 as well?

This thread gets bumped down quickly with hockey back in...didn't see this.

All depends on what your objective is, what 300 represents.

This type of structure is good if you're in a low volume phase of your training, or if you're really strong and this is a deload week.

If you're doing this thinking you'll get stronger, then it's probably not enough, unless...you're doing this multiple times per week. Pavel Tsatsouline is a big proponent of doing lower weight but multiple times per week. Instead of doing 3x8 pull ups twice per week, better off just doing 3x5 reps every day.
He's not a fan of tiring the body out to a point where it gets too sore to use the muscles the next day.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

This thread gets bumped down quickly with hockey back in...didn't see this.

All depends on what your objective is, what 300 represents.

This type of structure is good if you're in a low volume phase of your training, or if you're really strong and this is a deload week.

I'd like to continue progressing strength wise.

I can squeeze out two sets of 300lbs but I am absolutely gassed at the end. I'm sure that if I upped the weight say five or even ten pounds the following week, I could lift it for one set of five but I highly doubt I could do a second set.

So the question is, would I be better off doing 280 for 3x5 and do that for a while until I can progress to 3x5 at 300 or am I better off doing more sets at 225 with one set of five at a higher weight?

 

[Kriss E]

I'd like to continue progressing strength wise.

I can squeeze out two sets of 300lbs but I am absolutely gassed at the end. I'm sure that if I upped the weight say five or even ten pounds the following week, I could lift it for one set of five but I highly doubt I could do a second set.

So the question is, would I be better off doing 280 for 3x5 and do that for a while until I can progress to 3x5 at 300 or am I better off doing more sets at 225 with one set of five at a higher weight?

I would first advise you to test your 1 RM. Numbers would be easier to play with after.
The best bang for your buck in strength work is to play around the 70-85% marks.

Also depends how you've structured your week and program. If you do deadlifts twice per week, then personally I'll either play with the format or exercise, as in 8x2 reps at a lower weight, or do RDLs instead of conventionals.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I would first advise you to test your 1 RM. Numbers would be easier to play with after.
The best bang for your buck in strength work is to play around the 70-85% marks.

Also depends how you've structured your week and program. If you do deadlifts twice per week, then personally I'll either play with the format or exercise, as in 8x2 reps at a lower weight, or do RDLs instead of conventionals.

I do about three strength training sessions per week plus one HIIT session on the elyptical. I only have two sessions that I repeat.

Once again, I'm training in a caloric defecit. Over the past two months, I've lost 12 pounds and six inches off my waist. So I've got to think I'm probably getting newbie gains along the way here.

I'd estimate my DL max to be 325. I did 315 a few weeks back. Maybe I'll give it a shot tomorrow before I do my farmers walk.

 

[Kriss E]

I do about three strength training sessions per week plus one HIIT session on the elyptical. I only have two sessions that I repeat.

Once again, I'm training in a caloric defecit. Over the past two months, I've lost 12 pounds and six inches off my waist. So I've got to think I'm probably getting newbie gains along the way here.

I'd estimate my DL max to be 325. I did 315 a few weeks back. Maybe I'll give it a shot tomorrow before I do my farmers walk.

If your goal is caloric deficit, I'd suggest doing 3~5 sets of 2 reps, and add in another 3 sets of lighter load for 8~12 reps.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

If your goal is caloric deficit, I'd suggest doing 3~5 sets of 2 reps, and add in another 3 sets of lighter load for 8~12 reps.

The caloric deficit happens via diet though right? Even if I did zero exercise I'd be in deficit.

Can't I work to improve strength at the same time?

 

[Sorinth]

The caloric deficit happens via diet though right? Even if I did zero exercise I'd be in deficit.

Can't I work to improve strength at the same time?

You'd probably have to check out intermittent fasting if you want to build muscle and lose weight. Doing your workout in a fasted state where your body basically has to burn fat for energy and only after working out getting you desired calorie/protein intake for muscle building is probably the best way to cut fat and build muscle at the same time. But also keep in mind as you build muscle your daily calorie intake is rising so if you keep your diet steady as you build muscle you'll naturally fall into a calorie deficit.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

You'd probably have to check out intermittent fasting if you want to build muscle and lose weight. Doing your workout in a fasted state where your body basically has to burn fat for energy and only after working out getting you desired calorie/protein intake for muscle building is probably the best way to cut fat and build muscle at the same time. But also keep in mind as you build muscle your daily calorie intake is rising so if you keep your diet steady as you build muscle you'll naturally fall into a calorie deficit.

Already doing fasting. I stop eating at 8pm and eat again at noon. I workout in the evening.

I'm pretty sure I'm already gaining muscle. Dropping six inches off my waist would suggest more weight loss than just the 12 pounds off the scale. Some of that weight stayed on my body and I'd guess a lot of it was muscle.

 

[Sorinth]

Already doing fasting. I stop eating at 8pm and eat again at noon. I workout in the evening.

I'm pretty sure I'm already gaining muscle. Dropping six inches off my waist would suggest more weight loss than just the 12 pounds off the scale. Some of that weight stayed on my body and I'd guess a lot of it was muscle.

Is your evening workout before or after you stop eating?

Generally working out while fasted is best for cutting fat, so having your workout just before you break your fast for lunch might be better then the evening. Though at the end of the day a routine that works for your lifestyle and allows consistency is the most important thing.

Anyways you seem to be on a good track so it's just a matter of keeping it up.

 

[Kriss E]

The caloric deficit happens via diet though right? Even if I did zero exercise I'd be in deficit.

Can't I work to improve strength at the same time?

Calorie in is controlled by diet...the training will impact calories out. But yes, diet is a key factor.
Most people don't usually do a strength program with a weight loss objective. Its all about maximizing results and training efficiency.
Depends where you come from, an overweight inactive person will get stronger as they lose weight, but at some point you'll want to maintain your calories or increase to maximize strength gains.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Is your evening workout before or after you stop eating?

Generally working out while fasted is best for cutting fat, so having your workout just before you break your fast for lunch might be better then the evening. Though at the end of the day a routine that works for your lifestyle and allows consistency is the most important thing.

Anyways you seem to be on a good track so it's just a matter of keeping it up.

The fat loss seems to be coming pretty well. I've dropped over 20 lbs since I began and 12 in the past two months. The inches on the beltline really tell the story though. I think I've lost significantly more than what's showing up on the scale.

I'd like to concentrate on strength training at the same time. Generally speaking, I drink a postworkout shake after my workout. It's almond milk, egg white, banana/berries and a scoop of protein powder. Also using creatine as my supplement.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Calorie in is controlled by diet...the training will impact calories out. But yes, diet is a key factor.
Most people don't usually do a strength program with a weight loss objective. Its all about maximizing results and training efficiency.
Depends where you come from, an overweight inactive person will get stronger as they lose weight, but at some point you'll want to maintain your calories or increase to maximize strength gains.

I'm coming from 'skinny fat.'

Was never a big guy, did some training when I was younger and on and off through the years but never beyond a novice level. So I think the muscle gain is a lot easier for me than it would be for somebody who was already strong.

Essentially, I'm at a 5oo cal deficit on non-training days and 300 on training days. On non-training days I'll do either dips or chins throughout the day and I'll try to do a 4k walk. Also throwing in a HIIT workout once a week. I don't change the intake if I take a walk or do anything else so any exercise done is just extra calories lost.

I'm definitely getting stronger though slowly but surely. Just find that I'm starting to hit a wall with the squats (I'm going to dial those back a little weight wise and concentrate on doing more reps) and deadlifts.

I've had injuries in recent years that have finally recovered so Covid (while terrible) has come at a good time for me from that perspective.

 

[DAChampion]

I was depressed for most of June and fell into terrible habits. I'm slowly working my way back up, though now I have a slight cough so I should probably stay indoors for a bit.

- The yoga studio reopened, so I was going twice a week but that's on hold as I night have Covid.
- Eating twice a day. Typically at 1200pm and 600pm. These are definitely not the healthiest meals, so I'm probably at approximately caloric equilibrium.
- I'm trying to use my elliptical in the mornings while watching Netflix, right after waking up. I do it one day in two, I'd hope to work out to longer durations.
- I just bought a calf stretcher off of Amazon.
- I'm trying to take cold showers in the morning but that's hard to get used to.

I started prozac 20 mg and my libido cratered into oblivion. Right now it's roughly 50% recovered after about 6 weeks.

 

[Kriss E]

I'm coming from 'skinny fat.'

Was never a big guy, did some training when I was younger and on and off through the years but never beyond a novice level. So I think the muscle gain is a lot easier for me than it would be for somebody who was already strong.

Essentially, I'm at a 5oo cal deficit on non-training days and 300 on training days. On non-training days I'll do either dips or chins throughout the day and I'll try to do a 4k walk. Also throwing in a HIIT workout once a week. I don't change the intake if I take a walk or do anything else so any exercise done is just extra calories lost.

I'm definitely getting stronger though slowly but surely. Just find that I'm starting to hit a wall with the squats (I'm going to dial those back a little weight wise and concentrate on doing more reps) and deadlifts.

I've had injuries in recent years that have finally recovered so Covid (while terrible) has come at a good time for me from that perspective.

You could also try clustering them which I find to be a great way to break through walls.
Instead of doing sets of 5 at 200lbs let's say, you do 2 reps - rest 10 sec - do another 2 reps - rest 10 sec - do 1 rep, and that allows you to use a bit more weight.
You can cluster the reps in however way you want, the little pauses of rest in between allows you to lift heavier than if you do your usual straight reps.

I would focus my program around 2 compound exercises per day for strength work, then increase the reps/lower weight.
If you can do 2/day, then I'd advise you to do fasted cardio in the morning as well, do your strength work in the evening.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I was depressed for most of June and fell into terrible habits. I'm slowly working my way back up, though now I have a slight cough so I should probably stay indoors for a bit.

- The yoga studio reopened, so I was going twice a week but that's on hold as I night have Covid.
- Eating twice a day. Typically at 1200pm and 600pm. These are definitely not the healthiest meals, so I'm probably at approximately caloric equilibrium.
- I'm trying to use my elliptical in the mornings while watching Netflix, right after waking up. I do it one day in two, I'd hope to work out to longer durations.
- I just bought a calf stretcher off of Amazon.
- I'm trying to take cold showers in the morning but that's hard to get used to.

Get tested man! I got a negative test last week after coming down with illness over a couple of days.

Good luck!

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

You could also try clustering them which I find to be a great way to break through walls.
Instead of doing sets of 5 at 200lbs let's say, you do 2 reps - rest 10 sec - do another 2 reps - rest 10 sec - do 1 rep, and that allows you to use a bit more weight.
You can cluster the reps in however way you want, the little pauses of rest in between allows you to lift heavier than if you do your usual straight reps.

I would focus my program around 2 compound exercises per day for strength work, then increase the reps/lower weight.
If you can do 2/day, then I'd advise you to do fasted cardio in the morning as well, do your strength work in the evening.

Mornings are difficult. Kids, work... hell, I don't even have time to post here anymore.

Clustering is interesting. Do you still do three sets?

 

[Kriss E]

Mornings are difficult. Kids, work... hell, I don't even have time to post here anymore.

Clustering is interesting. Do you still do three sets?

If I just focus on 2 compound exercises then I'll do 4-6 sets.

I also do tempo work that works pretty well for me.