OT: Strength Training / Exercise

[Unsustainable]

Also, I will be 35 in a couple of months, so my testosterone levels and metabolism is dropping. So I am combating that also.

 

[Unsustainable]

Also a note about lifting heavy weights.

You get a cardio work out from lifting, the burn last for 2 days usually. I'm still feeling yesterday's work out.

Squats are very importing to building mass. It releases HGH and Testosterone. That promotes muscle building.

The dips and chin ups are auxiliary work outs and not required. But everything is focused on multiple muscle group exercises. No Machines!

 

[raynman]

I need to start a fitness routine and get my diet under control. I've been using MyFitnessPal off and on lately. It's a pretty decent tool. Going from sitting behind a computer at school all day to walking all day at work has definitely helped though, that's for damn sure.

 

[Unsustainable]

I need to start a fitness routine and get my diet under control. I've been using MyFitnessPal off and on lately. It's a pretty decent tool. Going from sitting behind a computer at school all day to walking all day at work has definitely helped though, that's for damn sure.

I'm stuck in a van most of the day.

 

[tomdundo]

^Down by the river?

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

^Down by the river?

Where the watermelons grow.

 

[nobuddy]

where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank

 

[Unsustainable]

^Down by the river?

Don't do drugs, it will derail your life.

 

[tomdundo]

So NOW you tell me?

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I feel like I'm at the point in my life where I need to start working out on a regular basis to not die. I just know it's going to hurt and I'm not looking forward to that. Sigh. This is going to suck. I don't even know how to work out anymore.

It doesn't have to hurt though. Ok, it's going to hurt some the first time you do heavier weights, but you can start slow and build into it. That's what I did a number of years back. I've always been pretty active and played hockey a couple times a week (but followed that with post hockey beer drinking), but a few years back, I had gotten to a point where I was at my highest weight ever, had terrible cholesterol and frankly, wasn't in very good shape even though I wasn't fat. I started out by just walking ~3mi. at a pace that elevated my heart rate, but not so fast that I couldn't carry on a conversation. I did that 3 days / week followed up with ~15 min. of stretching...so about an 1hour total. After a while, I increased both the distance and pace and added body weight exercise the 2 other days a week. Eventually, I changed out the body weight exercises with some weight/circuit training.

I've now been at the point for a few years where I do some sort of more intensive cardio 3 days a week (45min - 1 hour) and then do weight/strength training 3 days a week and take 1 day off. Since I started this, I've lost ~20 lbs over the years and have kept it off. I combined it with using MyFitnessPal for my nutrition/caloric intake as well which I love. It also helps that my wife (who used to be a personal trainer) is a fitness nut.

I will say though, and this gets worse as you age, if something comes up and I can't do strength training, I'll hurt when I get back to it. Most things (back, chest, etc..) are fine, but Squats absolutely kill me if I miss time. Nothing, running, skating, eliptical, running stairs, etc..stops that.

 

[weasel66]

this gets worse as you age, if something comes up and I can't do strength training, I'll hurt when I get back to it. Most things (back, chest, etc..) are fine, but Squats absolutely kill me if I miss time. Nothing, running, skating, eliptical, running stairs, etc..stops that.

This is the dirty truth...
I refuse to miss leg day I will reschedule and drop some other body part because if I miss a legs I walk around like Fred Sanford for next 2-3 days.

 

[Unsustainable]

Anyone ever cycle P6 Black / Red?
4 weeks Black, 4 weeks Red, 4 weeks clean?

 

[raynman]

I'm stuck in a van most of the day.

I've been getting in about 8,000-10,000 steps a day, just during my 8 hour shift.

 

[What the Faulk]

Anyone ever cycle P6 Black / Red?
4 weeks Black, 4 weeks Red, 4 weeks clean?

I don't even know what that is. To be honest, you use a lot of supplements that I think are unnecessary for almost everyone. Especially if your main goal is just getting into/staying in shape. To each their own, though. If you like them and can afford them, go nuts. I don't think there's any harm except possibly to your wallet. But I would double check everything on examine.com (you don't need to sign up for anything).

 

[nobuddy]

I started GNC's 30 day Ripped Vitapak a few days ago and I'm a huge fan so far.

Definitely already noticing a huge difference in my workouts. Excited to see the results by the time I'm done.

 

[Unsustainable]

I don't even know what that is. To be honest, you use a lot of supplements that I think are unnecessary for almost everyone. Especially if your main goal is just getting into/staying in shape. To each their own, though. If you like them and can afford them, go nuts. I don't think there's any harm except possibly to your wallet. But I would double check everything on examine.com (you don't need to sign up for anything).

I work out with a few who take a lot, and I had asked around what they take.

With my goals, I'm on track with my gains so far. I added a pre work out which has seemed to help. The BCAA I could drop. 40 bucks over 30 work outs on my pre work out isn't bad considering. That's 10 weeks for me doing 3 work outs a week.

CLA I'm using to help cut fat. I've dropped about 11% body fat since working out, and it speeded up after I added that.

My fitness goals is around 10% body fat, 225 bench, 250 squat, 275 deadlift for the main lifts, 205 military press also. My weight doesn't matter, I'm at 220 right now, and it hasn't changed since I started working out. I take in a good amount of lean protein from chicken mainly. Juice in the morning with breakfast. Cut out soft drinks.

When I started in February, I was 235ish. I cut the soft drinks and went to paleo once I hit 220 I hit the gym. My chest is 2"s bigger than my waist now, my waist was 4" bigger... So, I've been looking for an edge to help me build more.

 

[What the Faulk]

Well, for example, here's what Examine has to say about CLA:

CLA appears to be a good research molecule, since there is a lot of evidence after human ingestion and it was one of the first of its mechanisms (PPARa / PPARy modulator) to be used.

A pretty poor fat burner, and even more unreliable than it is bad at burning fat. It might make you lose enough fat to compensate for that cookie you had once.

It has no astounding other affects on health or anything, it just seems to be quite an overhyped and uneventful molecule(s)

That's the gist of it, but there are pages and pages of sciencey based stuff along with countless referenced studies. If that doesn't deter you, that's totally fine and I get that. I'm just personally not a fan of stuffing my body with so many substances. Not because they're bad for you, just because many of them don't really work as advertised.

Also, those goals are kind of strange how they're all clumped so close together when the workouts are very different. At ~220, that bench is intermediate, the deadlift and squat are novice, and the OHP is advanced. These charts aren't "official" by any means, but they're a decent indicator. Do you have issues that your deadlift and squat goals are relatively low? The "ratios" I've always heard repeated are 0.75BW for OHP, 1BW for bench, 1.5BW for squat, and 2BW for deadlift.

 

[Unsustainable]

Well, for example, here's what Examine has to say about CLA:



That's the gist of it, but there are pages and pages of sciencey based stuff along with countless referenced studies. If that doesn't deter you, that's totally fine and I get that. I'm just personally not a fan of stuffing my body with so many substances. Not because they're bad for you, just because many of them don't really work as advertised.

Also, those goals are kind of strange how they're all clumped so close together when the workouts are very different. At ~220, that bench is intermediate, the deadlift and squat are novice, and the OHP is advanced. These charts aren't "official" by any means, but they're a decent indicator. Do you have issues that your deadlift and squat goals are relatively low? The "ratios" I've always heard repeated are 0.75BW for OHP, 1BW for bench, 1.5BW for squat, and 2BW for deadlift.

I was going around 1bw, 1.3, 1.6, and under for ohp, I weigh 220. That is for 3sets 5reps, not 1rep max.

I need to read more up on what I am taking. Sometimes free advise is bad advise? Lol. I'm in a gym with a lot of guys who have probably done a fair share of medical grade stuff. Only a handful like me that don't.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

My fitness goals is around 10% body fat, 225 bench, 250 squat, 275 deadlift for the main lifts, 205 military press also.

LOL -- so weird seeing different goals for different folks.

It would be, like, a serious miracle if I could bench 225 or mp 205 -- I struggle at 135 for bench and 105 for mp -- but my skinny-fat ass could squat 275 and DL 315 when I was lifting regularly. Makes me wonder if you're just being conservative, tbh, or if you're just built completely differently.

I've moved on to tabata now, because I just don't have regular enough access to a gym because I travel so much. I miss lifting.

 

[Unsustainable]

LOL -- so weird seeing different goals for different folks.

It would be, like, a serious miracle if I could bench 225 or mp 205 -- I struggle at 135 for bench and 105 for mp -- but my skinny-fat ass could squat 275 and DL 315 when I was lifting regularly. Makes me wonder if you're just being conservative, tbh, or if you're just built completely differently.

I've moved on to tabata now, because I just don't have regular enough access to a gym because I travel so much. I miss lifting.

I'm using a linear progression. I add 5lbs per upper body lift and 10lbs per lower body lift each time. Till I can't achieve the lift, then I unload 10% and start back over.

I was trying to figure the best ratios for my body weight and frame.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

I'm using a linear progression. I add 5lbs per upper body lift and 10lbs per lower body lift each time. Till I can't achieve the lift, then I unload 10% and start back over.

I was trying to figure the best ratios for my body weight and frame.

I suspect you'll end up going way further than you think in lower body. Upper body I can't say because I'm built like a bird.

 

[What the Faulk]

Still...those are some strange goals. If you're capable of hitting 205 on the OHP, you should probably be able to pull damn near 350-400 on the deadlift, assuming your training is similar, and that you don't have an injury preventing you from getting up that high. It's similar with squats.

I guess my point is, if your setting the bar that high for OHP, why is your deadlift/squat goal so low?

 

[Unsustainable]

Still...those are some strange goals. If you're capable of hitting 205 on the OHP, you should probably be able to pull damn near 350-400 on the deadlift, assuming your training is similar, and that you don't have an injury preventing you from getting up that high. It's similar with squats.

I guess my point is, if your setting the bar that high for OHP, why is your deadlift/squat goal so low?

Over estimated OHP ratio vs the others.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

The nice thing about progressions is that your body will tell you what your real goals are soon enough.

 

[Unsustainable]

Yeah, the unload and work back up also.

I've done 1 unload so far.