Hey guys! This is an off-shoot of GES' workout blog.
Just to fill everyone in, I am currently 18 years old, and weight around 153. My body fat content as of current is 8.36%.
Vladsimpaler wrote:Quick update: Max Bench is 160, Max Squat is 200. I haven't gone to failure with Deadlifts yet but I figure that it could be in the 130 range. Yes I am still getting used to deadlifts, I have just started to do them. My current weight is 152 which is about 5 more pounds from when I started college which was August 23rd.
My plans? Get ripped. I am already in the best shape that I have ever been in my entire life but I want to get in better shape.
Do I have a long way to go? Hell yeah. But it's been a helluva ride so far and I don't want to give it up. Especially when I get comments in bed like "you have such broad shoulders" and "your arms are so firm" (well that's not the only thing that's firm but this is supposed to be child-friendly ), those are incentives to keep going.
It's tough though, I don't really have a workout partner so I have to do all of this crap on my own. Even today I realized that my form for a lot of exercises has been falling apart as I continue to go for bigger and bigger weights when in reality I should be taking it a lot slower.
Encouragement, advice, etc is awesome.
My current workout plan:
Monday: Legs Tuesday: Upper Body Wednesday: Legs Thursday: Upper Body Friday: Legs Saturday: Upper Body Sunday: Day Off (I may change this day to Upper Body, and Saturday to Day Off. We'll see)
For upper body, I do either push (that is, triceps, shoulders, chest) or pull (which is primarily biceps). I switch off between the two. This means that while one week I will do push-pull-push, the next week I will do pull-push-pull. Just how it works.
Again, encouragement and advice would be fantastic and much appreciated.
-Vlad
P.S. It's always been a little dream of mine to participate in, and win an amateur bodybuilding competition. Preferably without the use of roids! So one day, who knows? You may see some trophies in this thread!
Do lots of crunches! they harden your stomach and a six pack makes a statement on its own. I don't set a mark for my crunches, just do them until its too uncomfortable to do them anymore. Lay on your back, take your feet off the ground, and contract your stomach inwards, if any other part of you is straining your probably not doing them right. I would suggest alternating which direction you crunch in, i do striaght up, crunch left, crunch right, repeat.
Are you trying to bulk up or tone? I ask because two people can do the same exact exercises but how you do them can get very different results.
To bulk up: Do your exercises slowly
To Tone: Do your exercises fast (dont kill yourself)
If your trying to bulk up - You need lots of carbs, you burn 2k calories a day just being alive, working out while eating less or the same as those calories you will lose weight. So try and be over that mark AND workout, it will turn the extra calories to muscle (get lots and lots of protien in your diet).
NeedsMoreDakka wrote:Do lots of crunches! they harden your stomach and a six pack makes a statement on its own.
This is half true. You could do crunch's all day and never get a six pack. Getting your abdominal muscles to show is a function of low body fat, not muscle strength.
NeedsMoreDakka wrote:Really? thats interesting i figured it was just like building up any other muscle
Well that makes diet all the more important OP!
First of all, I want to thank everyone for their support in this thread. Even the littlest things can impact a workout and the mindset that one has when they're going into the gym can make or break how one goes about working out.
As for diet, this is something that I have to work on. Being in college, it is really hard to eat healthy. At least I am doing my best. : )
For abs, I do a lot of planks and exercises with medicine balls. My stomach could certainly lose some fat, but otherwise I feel like I have very strong abs.
Also, I am planning on doing bulk. I have recently started to do my exercises more slowly because I am now choosing to focus more on form, not on weight.
Figured I'd lend my support, since I kinda inspired this thread.
If you want to lose stomach fat, do total body exercises. They engage more muscles, burning more calories then jsut isolationg one muscle group at a time.
Here's my current split workout. I don't claim that it's for everyone but changing things up every now and then and shocking your muscles is good for them.
Before we get into the meat of it I have to respond to something you said in the original post. FORM IS EVERYTHING! Weight is nothing. Good form leads to higher weights w/out hurting yourself in the long run. I really, really, really mean this.
On to the workout routine. If you're not sure what the exercise is, google it, they can vary depending on the country / region you're from. For warm-up sets use about 50-60% of your normal workout weight, just enough to get the blood flowing.
My tip: Pick up a fighting sport. Nothing gets better results than 2 men punching the snot out of each other! I lost around 15 pounds and gained around 10 pounds of muscle from Tae Kwon Do. Mind you, it took 4 years, but maybe some MMA would work faster.
If you really want to have some fun, try some of the workouts in the attached file. My legs are killing me after combing the squat/pullup routine with a two mile run yesterday. The one I'm talking about is on page 8 and starts with 100 squats and 40 pull ups in the first iteration.
Filthy Sanchez wrote:Here's my current split workout. I don't claim that it's for everyone but changing things up every now and then and shocking your muscles is good for them.
Before we get into the meat of it I have to respond to something you said in the original post. FORM IS EVERYTHING! Weight is nothing. Good form leads to higher weights w/out hurting yourself in the long run. I really, really, really mean this.
On to the workout routine. If you're not sure what the exercise is, google it, they can vary depending on the country / region you're from. For warm-up sets use about 50-60% of your normal workout weight, just enough to get the blood flowing.
Thank you very much for this. My dad always stressed form and while I worked out with him my form was good. Now what I am doing is lower weight, focus on form. If my form starts to fall apart I stop the exercise, rest for around 30 seconds, and start it again. I want to get it right. I could certainly see me taking on your current workout regimen. Out of curiosity, if you could PM me a pick of your upper body (or if you could post it here) that would be helpful, so I can see what I am working to.
JohnHwangDD wrote:Yup, focus on form - don't "cheat" the exercise!
Also, that six-pack needs bulking for the actual muscle *and* cutting fat to show it.
Well today I focused on form and went slow.
It was a really tough workout. I am using lower weight so on one hand I am afraid that my muscles are gonna start deteriorating but on the other hand I know that I need to be doing this. I know that in the long run I will be happy that I focused on form, it's just tough getting into the habit!
Well I am running a 5k Sunday. This should be interesting because I can run a mile in about 9:45.
I'm not super fast so since a 5k is about 3.1 miles, I figure the entire race will take me 40-45 minutes to complete. But hey it was only 10 bucks! So no biggie.
Vladsimpaler wrote:Well I am running a 5k Sunday. This should be interesting because I can run a mile in about 9:45.
I'm not super fast so since a 5k is about 3.1 miles, I figure the entire race will take me 40-45 minutes to complete. But hey it was only 10 bucks! So no biggie.
I'm training to run a 5k as well. Post your time after you run it. I plan on training for a year so i can run the Marine Corps. half marathon.
Vladsimpaler wrote:Well I am running a 5k Sunday. This should be interesting because I can run a mile in about 9:45.
I'm not super fast so since a 5k is about 3.1 miles, I figure the entire race will take me 40-45 minutes to complete. But hey it was only 10 bucks! So no biggie.
I'm training to run a 5k as well. Post your time after you run it. I plan on training for a year so i can run the Marine Corps. half marathon.
Ah, very cool! I will be sure to post my time afterward. Hopefully there will be a good amount of people at the 5k because my school is putting it on. But in the end, it's all good. I'm not built as a runner but I would like to do more 5k's so that I can run them with my dad and brother-that's my end goal. : )
You're young. Don't over do it and cause problems for yourself later in life. Don't consider 'roids or other enhancers that will screw your future. Stay natural.
Decide what the goal is. You want to compete in body building? Hooah. Sounds like looks is the goal. Don't run 5ks if you want to be a body builder, running takes different training and eats calories that make building defined mass more difficult. Personally I don't like your goal. Being in good shape is a lot more than looking good in the mirror, but that is just my opinion based on time in the Army and getting an idea of what endurance and being in shape is really about. Stay motivated, you'll have bad days (and weeks) as well as good. Don't forget there is a HUGE mental portion to being tough. Also, on't ever forget that just because someone else is not in as good as shape as you are that they are still a person too. Don't develop an ego that is as big as your pectorals.
I've lost 20 kilo's in the last 7 months using a mixture of cardio (cross trainer, walking) and due to limited resources at the time used 1 dumbbell and then free exercises, push ups, plank, dips, sit ups on fit ball, you know the usual stuff, in the begining I was only working out 15-30 min a day due to my work hours but now i've upped the ante and try and do 1hr a session, i've cut my cardio down to 4 times a week as i'm not trying to lose more weight just maintain what i've lost, and i've started to focus more on definition and shape, I could bulk up quite well but this time i'm looking to give myself more of a lean look with overall fitness the goal although as with most men i'm focussing on my upper body :-) but i'm getting there slowly, i'm 30 years old and work a full time shift work job so I can get tired quite easily but the more results I see the better I feel, and now i'm trying Isometric training, first done by Charles atlas, it's just something else to keep your body guessing, if you change your routine your body works harder at building the muscles as it doesn't want to be caught out again so to speak, but make sure you have a clear goal how you want to look, as this will determine the workouts you do the length you do them and of course your diet, but if you are just starting out go protein all the way, i use a Musashi product called Hybrid 92 and it's the highest protein powder I could find with the least calories, and before i workout I am using a fairly new version of creatine which is effervescent and you don't need to 'load' with, at least i now have someone else to talk gym stuff with on here! good luck vlad and keep me posted man.
CptJake wrote:You're young. Don't over do it and cause problems for yourself later in life. Don't consider 'roids or other enhancers that will screw your future. Stay natural.
Haha, thank you very much. Yeah I'm never planning to do steroids or anything of the sort.
Decide what the goal is. You want to compete in body building? Hooah. Sounds like looks is the goal. Don't run 5ks if you want to be a body builder, running takes different training and eats calories that make building defined mass more difficult.
Looks are definitely the goal but I want to get it to a point where I am fit and I look good. I don't want to restrict my movement. And yeah I am planning on jogging the 5k. Defo not running it.
Personally I don't like your goal. Being in good shape is a lot more than looking good in the mirror, but that is just my opinion based on time in the Army and getting an idea of what endurance and being in shape is really about. Stay motivated, you'll have bad days (and weeks) as well as good. Don't forget there is a HUGE mental portion to being tough. Also, on't ever forget that just because someone else is not in as good as shape as you are that they are still a person too. Don't develop an ego that is as big as your pectorals.
That's fine if you don't like it but you seem to be assuming that I'm -just- in it for looks which, though 90% true, isn't all I am looking for. I love the feeling of the post workout high. I love the increased energy I feel. I work out because I want to look awesome and because I want to FEEL awesome. And yes there is definitely a mental portion. Again, knowing is half the battle! Shoutout to nerdfest09 for the awesome PM about the isometric training which I am going to start tomorrow. : )
And it's funny that you mention the ego, I have started to slightly begin to not show as much respect to people who aren't in good shape. I noticed this today as I was in rehearsal, I was looking at one of the guys and noticing how thin his arms are. So this is definitely good advice, thank you.
Good luck. Sounds/looks like you are off to a good start. Stay hard.
Jake
Thank you for the advice, the essay, and also for your service for our country! : )
@ Nerdfest09-
Again, thanks a huge ton for the PM about isometrics. Also, when I finish my tub of Cytogainer I will defo be trying out the Musashi Hybrid 92. The only thing is that it looks a lot more expensive than what I get.
I am lucky because I am still in college and my college's gym is literally 5 minutes walking distance from my dorm. So I go there nearly every day. It's fething fantastic. : )
And yeah, a big part of it is keeping my muscles guessing as to what the heck is going on! Will definitely post how the workout goes tomorrow. I may also be getting a workout partner tomorrow so that will be cool! He has never gone to the gym so I will be helping him out. This should be pretty sweet.
Just thought I'd add my two centss here as well . Alot of people can offer you advice on "their" workouts. What I mean by that is I weigh in at 230lbs. with between 13-14% bodyfat. My workout, cardio and eating will be vastly different then what you want to focus on. That another thing, figure out what you want to focus on, you did say "ripped" now is that a 153lbs. ripped or would you like to be a solid 180lbs. ripped(which will take some seriousedication)??? Once you've decided what you goal is I seriously recommend going to bodybuilding.com they have alot of people with before and after type programs, I'd find a guy that's around your weight with the same sort of goals and do what he they did it noramlly has what they ate, what their workouts were, and what, if any, supplements they were taking. Tweaking it here and there to see what's best for "YOU". And remember bodybuilding is 25% gym 35% food and 40% sleep. Good Luck to you because there sure is a lot of weight in the gym but some people don't want to lift it.
UbiSwanky2 wrote:Just thought I'd add my two centss here as well . Alot of people can offer you advice on "their" workouts. What I mean by that is I weigh in at 230lbs. with between 13-14% bodyfat. My workout, cardio and eating will be vastly different then what you want to focus on. That another thing, figure out what you want to focus on, you did say "ripped" now is that a 153lbs. ripped or would you like to be a solid 180lbs. ripped(which will take some seriousedication)??? Once you've decided what you goal is I seriously recommend going to bodybuilding.com they have alot of people with before and after type programs, I'd find a guy that's around your weight with the same sort of goals and do what he they did it noramlly has what they ate, what their workouts were, and what, if any, supplements they were taking. Tweaking it here and there to see what's best for "YOU". And remember bodybuilding is 25% gym 35% food and 40% sleep. Good Luck to you because there sure is a lot of weight in the gym but some people don't want to lift it.
Haha, ain't that the truth! I've not been sleeping too well this week so this week has been tough for me.
Quick update though, started doing isometrics to-day. HOLY CRAP! That is some intense stuff. After sets, my muscles were like "FFFFFUUUUUUUU". But it was a good burn. One thing that I really, really liked about the isometrics is that I didn't feel the sort of strength loss that I normally do towards the end of the workouts. I still included some dynamic exercises. In short, I am going to continue doing isometric stuff. It's freaking amazing and a good change from my normal workouts!
Again, shoutout to nerdfest09 for the suggestion. : )
Getting to 180 pounds from where I am at will take serious dedication. The thing is, I know I can get there. It's going to be tough and it's just going to get tougher but I've just been getting bigger and bigger since I got to college and plus I have been feeling great lately. I have a confidence about me that I didn't originally have. The best thing though? I'm only 18. I know that given enough time I can get to it. Perhaps even 200! Maybe not that much. But still. I'm just gonna play it day by day.
It started at 8:30 AM. So what was I doing the night before? Partying until 3 AM and eating Whataburger 20 minutes before I went to bed, that's what. ; )
That being said, it took me about 39-40 minutes to run the 5k. This is coming from someone who pretty much never runs. It really wasn't all that bad, but of course I was pushed on by a generous helping of Iron Maiden and Bolt Thrower from my iPod. : )
Vladsimpaler wrote:That being said, it took me about 39-40 minutes to run the 5k. This is coming from someone who pretty much never runs. It really wasn't all that bad, but of course I was pushed on by a generous helping of Iron Maiden and Bolt Thrower from my iPod. : )
Just to let you know, I'm aiming to beat your time now. Not by much, just five minutes or so.
Vladsimpaler wrote:That being said, it took me about 39-40 minutes to run the 5k. This is coming from someone who pretty much never runs. It really wasn't all that bad, but of course I was pushed on by a generous helping of Iron Maiden and Bolt Thrower from my iPod. : )
Just to let you know, I'm aiming to beat your time now. Not by much, just five minutes or so.
Sounds good dude. Let me know how your 5k goes.
For better or worse this is gonna be my last 5k for a while, as I'm focusing more on being bulky than being skinny.
I'm taking to-day off as to-day is normally a lower body day but since I ran yesterday there's no point in to-day. Plus I need a day off from working out. Tomorrow: Biceps! I am genuinely looking forward to going to the gym now which is a good thing. Especially since I've started doing isometrics. Gonna be some crazy stuff!
I have found a workout partner. He hasn't really done gym stuff before so I helped him out and showed him the isometric exercises I was doing. It's just nice to go with someone who's not a girl to the gym for once.
Ever since I started doing the isometric exercises I have noticed that my biceps have gotten a little bigger-I like that, I like that a lot. I will be posting progress pictures on Saturday. I imagine that there will be a small albeit noticeable difference! : )
I have found that flexing during the exercises makes them a lot more intense-which I really liked. I'm starting to notice a hint of veins in my biceps. Suh-weeet :3
My biggest worry is when I go back home. I have a lot more access to food in college and most of the time I eat a lot better. Plus I will not have weight room at home. In short, I feel like all of my gains are going to be for naught. Any suggestions?
Got any connections (players or coaches) for your highschool football or wrestling teams? If so ask to use thier gym/weights while home.
Do your folks have a fireplace? Get your dad to have a couple of cords of wood delivered and offer to split it and stack it for him. That will keep you in shape.
Do your folks live near a fire station? Go visit them, explain what you are doing and ask if you can use thier weights, maybe in turn for volunteering to help clean up around the station a little.
As for eating, explain to your folks what is up, offer to do the grocery shopping and meal cooking for a few meals a week and ensure you load up on what you want/need.
CptJake wrote:Got any connections (players or coaches) for your highschool football or wrestling teams? If so ask to use thier gym/weights while home.
This is one thing I considered; going to my school's gym. Only thing is that it's 15 minutes away or so. Otherwise it'd be perfect.
Do your folks have a fireplace? Get your dad to have a couple of cords of wood delivered and offer to split it and stack it for him. That will keep you in shape.
Do your folks live near a fire station? Go visit them, explain what you are doing and ask if you can use thier weights, maybe in turn for volunteering to help clean up around the station a little.
We do have a fireplace and that's a good idea. Also we live sort of near a fire station and that is another good idea.
As for eating, explain to your folks what is up, offer to do the grocery shopping and meal cooking for a few meals a week and ensure you load up on what you want/need.
Jake
Awesome, thanks dude. You've been a really good help and I'd like to thank you for all of the suggestions. I know that they're going to serve me well for the 30+ days that I'm going to be back home! (My winter break is December 10-January 17!)
It's funny that you ask that; I've gained at least 16 pounds since I've started college! Not all of it is muscle, some of it is fat sadly enough.
Breakfast:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday I have oatmeal and occasionally a bagel if the oatmeal doesn't fill me up.
Tuesday and Thursday I have breakfast tacos. Eggs and potatoes.
Saturday and Sunday I have eggs, potatoes, and most of the time I have pancakes or a biscuit.
For my upper body workout days, which are Tues-Thurs-Sat, I have eggs and potatoes for breakfast, steak quesadillas or tacos for lunch, and then a turkey burger for dinner.
For Mon-Weds-Fri-Sun, I will have something random for lunch (most of the time something with beef, turkey, or chicken) and then the same thing for dinner. As long as it has a protein-rich meat in it, I'm good. My school cafeteria has pretty healthy food most of the time so that's a plus.
Every day, about 3 hours after dinner I'll have a protein bar.
Hope that helps! (At the same time, if anyone has suggestions for what to change, please let me know)
It's funny that you ask that; I've gained at least 16 pounds since I've started college! Not all of it is muscle, some of it is fat sadly enough.
Breakfast:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday I have oatmeal and occasionally a bagel if the oatmeal doesn't fill me up.
Tuesday and Thursday I have breakfast tacos. Eggs and potatoes.
Saturday and Sunday I have eggs, potatoes, and most of the time I have pancakes or a biscuit.
For my upper body workout days, which are Tues-Thurs-Sat, I have eggs and potatoes for breakfast, steak quesadillas or tacos for lunch, and then a turkey burger for dinner.
For Mon-Weds-Fri-Sun, I will have something random for lunch (most of the time something with beef, turkey, or chicken) and then the same thing for dinner. As long as it has a protein-rich meat in it, I'm good. My school cafeteria has pretty healthy food most of the time so that's a plus.
Every day, about 3 hours after dinner I'll have a protein bar.
Hope that helps! (At the same time, if anyone has suggestions for what to change, please let me know)
After seeing that you have a protein bar so late, I would suggest having that bar right after you work out. 30 minutes after any strenuous exercise is the body's optimum time to process protein. Any later and it's a butt load of complex sugars and carbs for your body to breakdown while your juices aren't flowing.
Are you seeking to add mass, raw strength or looking for definition? This will have a determinaing factor on a lot of things.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Please tell me you played "Lonliness Of The Long Distance Runner" while you were on your 5k.
After seeing that you have a protein bar so late, I would suggest having that bar right after you work out. 30 minutes after any strenuous exercise is the body's optimum time to process protein. Any later and it's a butt load of complex sugars and carbs for your body to breakdown while your juices aren't flowing.
Ok, cause I just figured that it would be good to have something for when I get hungry after dinner. (Which I do)
Are you seeking to add mass, raw strength or looking for definition? This will have a determinaing factor on a lot of things.
I want to add mass currently. Later I figure I will want to go for definition. Currently I'm not gaining a ton of mass so I'm not too sure where to go from here.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Please tell me you played "Lonliness Of The Long Distance Runner" while you were on your 5k.
Hahahaha nooo, I didn't. I haven't even heard of this song before.
Well it's a classic tune from Maiden's "Somewhere In Time" Album
Mass will come with copious amounts of food, preferably lean steak. Pasta is also good for the 24hr ATP boost to your muscles.
As for hunger after dinner, I would not to eat something sugary after about 7-8pm, your body doesn't metabloize it while you are sleeping, so it becomes fat. I am trying to think of something fairly "neutral" to have as a stomach filler later at night without the bad sugars. Hmmm
Stormrider wrote:Well it's a classic tune from Maiden's "Somewhere In Time" Album
Mass will come with copious amounts of food, preferably lean steak. Pasta is also good for the 24hr ATP boost to your muscles.
To be fair I have gained like 16 pounds since I've gone off to college and I'm not fat so I've been doing SOMETHING right!
As for hunger after dinner, I would not to eat something sugary after about 7-8pm, your body doesn't metabloize it while you are sleeping, so it becomes fat. I am trying to think of something fairly "neutral" to have as a stomach filler later at night without the bad sugars. Hmmm
Probably some fruit would work well. The reason for protein bars was that they had another source of a lot of protein so I jumped on those! Of course that being said I feel like my stomach has been getting a little flabby lately so that's certainly something to consider.
Congrats on the effort man. Looks like you have a good start, body weight exercises and weights. Diet is not bad, try more fish (tuna from a can even), taken within an hour after working out. To help build muscle you should be eating daily about 1 gram of protein for every 2 pounds you weigh (roughly, everyone is different). Protein bars are ok, however they work better if your diet is already optimized. If trying to gain mass and strength, calories are your friend, do not worry about body fat. You need excess calories when building muscle, you cannot do this on a deficit. When you bulk then cut you inevitably lose some muscle and strength, it is better to stay within a range than to constantly do that to your body. You seem thin at 8%, healthy men are usually between 8 and 12% body fat anyways. And I am sure you have heard, do not use BMI for a measuring stick, when I was firefighting I was 5'10" 190, running 1-3miles at 6-8 minutes each, and my BMI said 27 (overweight). Bottom line, set goals that are not weight oriented (unless it is to lift a certain weight!).
Thanks for the support and advice J-Roc77, everything you've suggested I will do my best to put into practice! : )
And I must say, woah, my arms are SORE!
I changed up my upper body "pull" exercises yesterday. I still plan to continue doing isometrics however it was suggested to me by a friend that I ditch the machines for a while and go do free-weights, which was a great idea because dang, I woke up to-day and my arms were actually pretty sore. That's good, I haven't had a really sore feeling in my arms for a while.
Tomorrow is "push" day, so that's chest, triceps and shoulders and a little bit of biceps. Which is good 'cause I don't know if my biceps are still gonna be sore tomorrow!
As for a late-night snack, I've transitioned to trail mix. It's pretty good and though not as filling it's a lot more healthy. Alternatively I go for some beef jerky or perhaps a peanut butter sandwich.
I'm still getting things figured out and I'm loving the process. It's a little dizzying at first; changing up all the exercises but it's a sign that I was too comfortable with what I was formerly doing. Anyway, I'm gonna peace out. It's almost midnight here and I have class at 9:30. Gotta be well-rested for my workout tomorrow! : )
As per always, this weekend I will be posting progress pictures. Hopefully this time I'll have a haircut.
Take it easy guys.
P.S. Some good news, looks like I'll be getting a quick 1 month gym membership as a Christmas present. Probably the best present I've ever received! : ) Use some Christmas money to pick up some Cytogainer and I'll be good!
Salutations everyone, we are now in December! Very exciting. : )
Especially since I am going back home in 4 days. Yep, 4 days. I started school on August 23rd and man has time flown.
Once again, my arms are sore from doing "negatives", which is where you let the weight down very slowly and it's a weight that is a bit heavier than you normally use. Wowie, it was good. My abs are pretty sore as well from doing a pretty intense ab workout. These current set of pictures show that my 6 pack is coming in slowly but surely, even after Thanksgiving. : )
OK Vlad, I can't have you beating me up on the table AND in real life! Next semester we are getting ripped out of our minds! The gym at college where I live is DOWNSTAIRS and I have seriously been neglecting it. Email me your workout so I can check it out Also, because I am more of a 'get in shape by doing things' kinda guy, I think I will be looking around Boston for a new MMA gym that isn't going to break my wallet... which is hard bc cities are expensive! It sucks to see that my four years of high school wrestling have pretty much been erased in a few months of summer and school. So here we go, back to the gym... sigh... all my wrestling injuries groan when I work out lol. Gonna have to take it slow.
Also, because I am a film nerd I may start to try the 300 workout. It's in Men's Health and it looks fast and BRUTAL. We will start off slow.
What I try and do at school thus far was just maintain my weight as best I can. So i'd run 2 miles (in about 16 mins) strectch like crazy, do 60-100 suit case crunches or situps and then do roughly 50 pushups. Also, if I didn't have anything better to do (HW, projects etc) I'd shadow box in the mirrors there. I'd get all sorts of funny looks form people but w/e. What are they gonna do? Fight me? LOL.
Yknow... let's turn this into a contest... whoever has a better body wins of course you have a huge head start haha. I'll arm wrestle you for first turn or something next time we play haha
VardenV2 wrote:OK Vlad, I can't have you beating me up on the table AND in real life! Next semester we are getting ripped out of our minds! The gym at college where I live is DOWNSTAIRS and I have seriously been neglecting it. Email me your workout so I can check it out Also, because I am more of a 'get in shape by doing things' kinda guy, I think I will be looking around Boston for a new MMA gym that isn't going to break my wallet... which is hard bc cities are expensive! It sucks to see that my four years of high school wrestling have pretty much been erased in a few months of summer and school. So here we go, back to the gym... sigh... all my wrestling injuries groan when I work out lol. Gonna have to take it slow.
Well I will email you the isometric stuff I did. It's better than dynamic workouts for people who have injuries, cause you're just placing the strain on one part.
Also, because I am a film nerd I may start to try the 300 workout. It's in Men's Health and it looks fast and BRUTAL. We will start off slow.
What I try and do at school thus far was just maintain my weight as best I can. So i'd run 2 miles (in about 16 mins) strectch like crazy, do 60-100 suit case crunches or situps and then do roughly 50 pushups. Also, if I didn't have anything better to do (HW, projects etc) I'd shadow box in the mirrors there. I'd get all sorts of funny looks form people but w/e. What are they gonna do? Fight me? LOL.
Yknow... let's turn this into a contest... whoever has a better body wins of course you have a huge head start haha. I'll arm wrestle you for first turn or something next time we play haha
-VardenV2
Fo sho about the arm wrestling, that sounds like a good idea.
How about better body by the end of June? I'd put like 25 bucks on the line to beat you. Winner take all? Could probably put Alex in on this too so that the winner walks away with a cool $75.
By the way: I've changed my workout a bunch again. Mostly dynamic with some isometric. I go to a 24 hour fitness that's like a 5 minute drive so that's nice. Was a birthday present from my mom. : ) That and 3 sessions of a personal trainer. Talk about a sweet Christmas present! I love it so far. Much better than the weights in my house, haha!
Will be getting pictures up soon. : ) I've been eating really well considering that my family doesn't eat all that healthy. I've gone down to 155 though. So we'll see.
It started at 8:30 AM. So what was I doing the night before? Partying until 3 AM and eating Whataburger 20 minutes before I went to bed, that's what. ; )
That being said, it took me about 39-40 minutes to run the 5k. This is coming from someone who pretty much never runs. It really wasn't all that bad, but of course I was pushed on by a generous helping of Iron Maiden and Bolt Thrower from my iPod.....................
-Vlad
That's pretty good,i'm 14 120 lbs and it takes me 35 minutes to run a 5k.
but the 5k i do is a marine race through rivers and thick mud...
Check your PMs mate, although you may want to share the tip here for all budding builders .
5ks not bad, but start running on a treadmill if possible, it helps you gain a constant rhythm. Then progress. I wasn't (and still aren't) much of a runner, but before the Christmas hols (since them I've done no cardio, with icy/snowy roads and the gym all the way in town, requiring buses, which are delayed/infrequent) I started running as my cardio, rather than cycling on a stationary bike as before. I generally run about half an hour, and have upped the speed or gradient to taste. Did run a quarter marathon on treadmill one weekend for the hell of it (10.4 kilometres) and that was in about 52 mins, so if you push yourself (although treadmill is easier than running outdoors), its not too hard to make. Usual routine is half an hour, 6.5k for me.
Not being a runner you've got to build it up in small increments, working on gait, timing yourself, and so on. Decent shoes are a must, to prevent injury. Check out the stuff about on the website I linked you though, it's got good tips.
At the moment I'm up s*** creek though, eating badly, no cardio, no weights. I need to sort it out, but it's hard sorting out a support network to maintain motivation. Grr. When I get back to school there's a gym there so it'll be easier.
I've also started to ease into running via Ultimate Frisbee, which I am also getting better at! Scored a touchdown today. : )
Anyway, I wanted to post my goals for this year:
1. Reach 180 pounds as healthily as I can 2. Body Fat content of 8% or less
Those are my two goals for the end of this year. I know I can do it because I am already around 160 and my body fat content is pretty low as well. : )
SO! Those are my two goals. Any thoughts? Oh yeah, I am gonna be totally cut and ripped at the end of this year, but I'm working towards July, where I am going to Comic-Con and I'm going to be Captain Planet. So I'm gonna have to bare a good amount of skin ( ) and I want to look good while doing so. Plus there's lots of hot girls there, soooo you can see where I'm going with this.
Take it easy guys.
-Sean
P.S. Thanks again for the advice YoungJohn, it's been helping a lot.
P.P.S. I've started to take fish oil and a fat burner. So far, so good!
P.P.P.S. I'm possibly going to join ROTC. If anyone could give me the pros and cons of doing so, please let me know of your experience. I want to do something military, like my grandfather did (though he was Air Force) and this seems like a great opportunity.
egor71 wrote:Eat dude, eat!
You need the right diet.
This especially. Lots of good home cooked meals. Vegetables and red meat.
Oh, for tone I'd say do Cross-fit. A lot of the guys in my unit like this workout plan because it works mainly the core (Core is mainly abs and lower back). Pretty fun workout too. Look up some cross-fit routines.
I would suggest Seal- Fit, but some of the exercise days require body armor, and I don't know too many civilians who own body armor...
CptJake wrote:I've been through Army ROTC, been and Army ROTC instructor at UTEP, and one of my sons is on an Army ROTC scholarship.
PM or email me with what you want to know and I'll either get you answers or point you to someone who can.
Hooah.
Jake
Hey Jake, after putting some thought into it I've chosen not to go with ROTC. The big problem is the way my classes are (they're all really early and I wouldn't be able to do ROTC and classes) , and I don't have transportation to the campus where it is at.
Anyway, tomorrow is gonna be sweet. And you may ask, "Why Sean, is tomorrow gonna be sweet?" I'll tell you why. I'm starting a new workout program. It's a 12 week program, and a guy that I know who was on it gained like 14-15 pounds of muscle on it. It's called Tri-Phase. A link to it here: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/beast48.htm
This is perfect, because my goal at the end of the year is to weigh 190 (yes, I upped it from 180), and as I weigh around 160 right now, I'll be at least halfway on my goal. I predict that I'll gain around 18-20 pounds just on this program as I plan on eating a ton more this semester. : )
That's that. Thanks a ton for everyone who's been reading and for all the suggestions, which have all been really great.
My abs and my chest and my triceps are all much more defined which is fantastic. I love working on my triceps, they're just a sweet muscle group.
Working points: My back, my abs, and my legs as a whole.
Most people hate working legs, I am no exception. I need to do this though. I'm going to be Captain Planet for Comic Con so I need to be ripped as feth. Luckily, my legs are already showing a good amount of improvement! So I'm happy. I'm taking the stairs a lot. Except not now cause my legs are so sore hehe
My lower back sucks so I'm working on that with deadlifts. Back is getting a lot stronger though.
Abs. I already have the six pack (it's becoming more obvious every day due to the less fat) but I need to work on them more.
2nd week in, and I'm already realizing my trouble spots. That being, my chest and shoulders. For some reason they're really lagging behind. My deadlifts and my squats are pretty sweet, my benchpress is slowly getting better but at the moment is pretty paltry.
My stabilizer muscles are super weak. This is definitely gonna be a process.
Amaya wrote:Are you doing flys or one handed dumbbell presses?
No, but my chest+shoulder workout is:
Bench Press DB Press Incline DB Press Dips Military Press (This also has a habit of kicking my ass) DB Side Lateral
It's pretty comprehensive. It's not that I'm not making any gains, it's just that my gains seem to be a lot slower. But it's also cause a Bench Press uses so many more muscles.
Hey man, you are looking really good. WAAAAAAY better than I am. I think I'm in this for the motivation to do it and not so much for the actual win at the end (although you did get a semester advantage). The 300 workout has been killing me in some areas and cake in others. for the most part, all the arm exercises kick my butt and all the leg exercises are cake. This has always been my problem. My abs are somewhere in the middle. I'd post pics, but nobody wants to see those... so, goal has changed a little bit. Basically i want to get back into wrestling shape/weight. So roughly 165-170 lbs and lose my belly. I know you are going for weight, but I will be going for practicality I guess. I SHOULD be about 170 at top weight for wrestling and/or MMA. So, i realize that when this is all said and done, you may actually be bigger than me... that's a very weird thought.
Monday: Legs
Tuesday: Upper Body
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Upper Body
Friday: Legs
Saturday: Upper Body
Sunday: Day Off (I may change this day to Upper Body, and Saturday to Day Off. We'll see)
Well I think you are on the right path, but it looks like you are overworking a few muscle groups. Six days a week is fine, but you need to bust it up into more individual groups. You are not giving your muscles enough time to recover. Something like this is going to be more beneficial because you are giving your muscle groups a better recovery time.
Monday: Arms
Tuesday: Back
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Shoulders
Friday: Chest
Saturday: Legs
Sunday: Day Off
Also if you want to build strength I can give you a few tips, but you will need a spotter since you are lifting a lot of weight with this.
First keep your reps between 4-6 and do 3 sets for each exercise. Now that doesn't sound like a lot but the key is this: If you can do more than 6 then the weight isn't heavy enough. If you do less than 4 the weight is too heavy. This kind of weightlifting mirrors what a lot of first time weightlifters are: Stupid.
You don't know what you can or can't do when you first start weightlifting right? Remember all those gains you got when you first started? That was because you were trying your very best to get the high weight rep. This works very similar because you are maximizing the weight that you move.
Other tips:
At least a 1.2 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Don't consume more than 20-25 grams of protein at a time, because even though your body can absorb and digest the protein. The problem is our muscles can only do so much with protein...the muscle growth process is RARELY, if ever limited by the amount of protein we consume. Almost all of us can easily get enough protein for maximum muscle growth without the need for eating 50g of protein 6 times per day.
Creatine: More than enough research shows nothing but pros for this supplement.
Lord Scythican wrote: Well I think you are on the right path, but it looks like you are overworking a few muscle groups. Six days a week is fine, but you need to bust it up into more individual groups. You are not giving your muscles enough time to recover. Something like this is going to be more beneficial because you are giving your muscle groups a better recovery time.
-snip- Lots of good advice here -snip-
Hey man. Yeah I totally agree with you that I was overworking my muscle groups a lot. Of course, the new workout program I am doing is totally different.
It goes as follows: Tuesday: Back Thursday: Chest and Shoulders Saturday: Legs (more like upper legs) Sunday: Arms and Calves
Of course, next week it's gonna change. I posted on this page the pdf of the new workout program that I'm using, I recommend you check it out! It's really good.
This is literally the most intense I've ever worked out in my entire life. The day after pretty much every workout, I'm sore. My legs hurt when I walk down the stairs from a class! haha It's totally worth it though. I will definitely take into account your advice, it's really great! You are really knowledgeable.
@Varden/Spencer- Thanks for the support bro, I really appreciate it. Honestly working out is a process. You're not gonna get from where you currently are to a ripped beast in a year. That being said, your goal is good because 1. it gives you something to work towards to, and 2. it's realistic. You can do it man. As Jimi Hendrix said, "With the power of soul, anything is possible." P.S. I look forward to being bigger than you! haha lol jk but it is gonna be pretty funny
@ GazzyG- Hey man, I've looked at Beta Alanine a little. I am in the process of ordering some Jack3d, which is a pre-workout supplement with Beta Alanine. Jack3d is supposed to be some insane stuff, which is good considering that my workouts are only gonna be getting tougher in the following weeks!
Thanks again everyone for the support! I will be uploading some pictures later tonight.
Some very knowledgeable and experienced people on that forum who have helped me a great deal.
Also, they have their own supplement company, AtLargeNutrition - all of their products get brilliant reviews. If I lived Stateside of the pond I'd order from them myself.
I am glad you found my advice helpful. I was pretty big into weightlifting about 5 years ago. Then I started teaching a special education class and it all went downhilll from there. I went from a 135 bench press to 315 in less than a year without roids. My brother in law who thinks he knows everything took roids and only went to 345 in the same amount of time. I am slowly getting back into it, because my schedule is better. I used to work 7:00 Am to 7:00 Pm because I did bus duty and homebound for one student. Now I get out around 3:00 so I have more time to get back into exercising.
As for your new workout routine, it looks much better. The only thing I would do different is move the shoulders from Thursday to either Wednesday by their self or Tuesday with the back. The chest needs its own day due to number of exercises and the back has less and could fit more shoulder exercises with it. On your chest days you want to focus on it mostly.
In addition when you do your back days there will be exercises that require you to hold the barbell on your shoulders. The weight is going to make those muscles sore anyways, so you might as well throw the shoulder rountine into the mix.
On your chest days, make sure you do incline presses and decline presses along with your normal bench presses. If you do this you will target your upper and lower pecs more than with standard bench presses. If you have access to the right equipment or a gym membership you can do these exercises a lot easier. Usually I take a incline seat (mostly used for dumbbells) and move it under the bar of a smith machine. For the declines you can take a situp bench and slide it under the same smith machine. Just keep track of your weight that you are lifting. A smith machine bar is roughly 15 pounds, where and "official" Olympic bench bar is at least 45 pounds. In addition when you are using the smith machine the bar will slide and press against the rack more taking some of the weight off. You will find that you may be able to bench 225 on a o; Olympic bench and 240 on the smith machine because of the bar sliding against the rack as you are benching it.
The incline and decline bench presses are essential though. If you use them, standard bench press and the butterfly presses with the dumbbells you are going to get some good results.
Also I am sort of just trying to ramble everything I have learned over the years as opposed to copying and pasting crap from the web.
GazzyG wrote:Oly bars are 20kg, which is 45lbs for you Stateside types.
The better ones. I guess I should have noted that. Some olympic looking bars are not as heavy, but if you get a professional bench or a gym membership then you should be dealing with 45 pound bars like GazzyG said. Those cheap wal-mart jobs are not Olympic.
Lord Scythican wrote:
As for your new workout routine, it looks much better. The only thing I would do different is move the shoulders from Thursday to either Wednesday by their self or Tuesday with the back. The chest needs its own day due to number of exercises and the back has less and could fit more shoulder exercises with it. On your chest days you want to focus on it mostly.
In addition when you do your back days there will be exercises that require you to hold the barbell on your shoulders. The weight is going to make those muscles sore anyways, so you might as well throw the shoulder rountine into the mix.
On your chest days, make sure you do incline presses and decline presses along with your normal bench presses. If you do this you will target your upper and lower pecs more than with standard bench presses. If you have access to the right equipment or a gym membership you can do these exercises a lot easier. Usually I take a incline seat (mostly used for dumbbells) and move it under the bar of a smith machine. For the declines you can take a situp bench and slide it under the same smith machine. Just keep track of your weight that you are lifting. A smith machine bar is roughly 15 pounds, where and "official" Olympic bench bar is at least 45 pounds. In addition when you are using the smith machine the bar will slide and press against the rack more taking some of the weight off. You will find that you may be able to bench 225 on a o; Olympic bench and 240 on the smith machine because of the bar sliding against the rack as you are benching it.
The incline and decline bench presses are essential though. If you use them, standard bench press and the butterfly presses with the dumbbells you are going to get some good results.
Also I am sort of just trying to ramble everything I have learned over the years as opposed to copying and pasting crap from the web.
All duly noted. : )
The workout notes that you should do it "as is" for the first time you go through it. Then the second time, you can go around changing stuff. I will certainly keep your advice in mind for that! For example, next time I do this workout (and I will because it rules)
The phase 1 is going to be:
Tuesday: Back/Shoulders
Thursday: Chest
Saturday: Legs/Calves
Sunday: Arms
For the chest workout, it has me doing benchpress and incline db press. I have done decline press in the past and it's really good, so I'm going to add that in there as well next time.
I certainly appreciate that you're actually giving real advice, not just random theory crap from the internet. Thanks again!
@GazzyG- I have checked out the website, and it's loaded with info. Thank you for the website suggestion!
Btw I didn't post any pics, so I will post some next Monday.
Just did my heaviest deadlift yesterday, 170 pounds for 6 reps. It was insanely difficult but super rewarding. My back is super sore too. Also did 5 sets of pull ups. 3 sets of 10, 1 set of 8, and one set of 6. I may have to test out the Spartan challenge sometime to see if I can do 25- I'm sure I could do that. : )
Well, I'm sick so I had to skip to-days workout which is really, really disappointing. But I'm confident that i made the right choice. Sure I coulda downed some jack3d but I want to do this at my full potential.
Damned cough.
Anyway, besides the fact that I haven't eaten a ton today, I'm feeling better already. Gonna get loads of sleep later. Finish up a paper on Vladimir Putin and then go directly to sleep. I may end up skipping class tomorrow so I can sleep in. Then go workout.
Hey kids!
Slogged out the end of week 3 yesterday. Perhaps one of my most grueling workouts of all time. Was arms/calves. Coupled with the cough and the feeling sick and not having eaten, it was tougher than a 3 dollar steak.
However I persevered and got through it.
Tomorrow is the beginning of the second phase of the Triphase program, which has me doing much higher weight with much lower reps. Wish me luck!
Today I unveil the results of Week 5 of 9 here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/54848130@N07/sets/72157626176854572/ The pics are from yesterday. The biggest improvement I've seen has been in my lats, which has made for a really nice V taper. P.S. you mirin my mullet?
It's hard to believe how much I've changed from the beginning of the program to now. It's even more hard to believe that I'm more than halfway done!
Today I started Week 6. Did a 190 bench (which is insane for me!) and also a 160 close bench. Used a spotter of course, and only did 2 reps for each, but did 3 sets of both. I've been gaining a good amount of weight and in short, I'm really proud of my accomplishments. Of course, the journey is the beautiful part, not the destination. I've learned so much over these past weeks that it's kinda mind-boggling!
Of course, the ultimate goal is to be a badass like Frank Zane here. Yes, I will be replete with an alpha beard like his, as well. I figure give or take 5 years, I will get there. I'm only 18 right now, so being right there by age 23 is my ultimate goal.
That's your inspirational picture for the day. Btw, if you have a chance, purchase some Jack3d for your workouts. That gak is insane. I love it.
As always, take it easy. Eat big, lift big, and take a multi
I don't know if your interested in this kind of thing, but if you really want a true test of your overall fitness, try running adventure races like the spartan race and such. I'm going to be running the super spartan in may, and it looks like it should be challenging and crazy fun!
rubiksnoob wrote:I don't know if your interested in this kind of thing, but if you really want a true test of your overall fitness, try running adventure races like the spartan race and such. I'm going to be running the super spartan in may, and it looks like it should be challenging and crazy fun!
That sounds interesting and I'd love to do it, but running isn't really my thing and cardio doesn't work when I'm bulking. : )
frgsinwntr wrote:Is that a Mullet?
Yes, yes it is. : ) By the way, I'm really glad that you were the 69th post haha
Well, congratulations so far on your progress. It's nice that you're committed to improving your health; just be sure and have a long-term plan for keeping yourself in shape or you'll keep gaining when you don't want to.
Also, I bulked a lot before I started boxing, only to discover that I was out of condition thanks to not enough cardio. Give a run a chance! You'll get bigger quads after all.
Vladsimpaler wrote:Just did my heaviest deadlift yesterday, 170 pounds for 6 reps. It was insanely difficult but super rewarding. My back is super sore too. Also did 5 sets of pull ups. 3 sets of 10, 1 set of 8, and one set of 6. I may have to test out the Spartan challenge sometime to see if I can do 25- I'm sure I could do that. : )
Excellent mate, good to see you're getting deads in there. 90% of people who turn up to my gym never go near a deadlift. They're one of my favourite lifts.
If you get them in your routine, along with squat, bench and standing press, then you're well on your way to building a massive body! Just don't forget to eat, hehe....
Vladsimpaler wrote:Just did my heaviest deadlift yesterday, 170 pounds for 6 reps. It was insanely difficult but super rewarding. My back is super sore too. Also did 5 sets of pull ups. 3 sets of 10, 1 set of 8, and one set of 6. I may have to test out the Spartan challenge sometime to see if I can do 25- I'm sure I could do that. : )
Excellent mate, good to see you're getting deads in there. 90% of people who turn up to my gym never go near a deadlift. They're one of my favourite lifts.
If you get them in your routine, along with squat, bench and standing press, then you're well on your way to building a massive body! Just don't forget to eat, hehe....
Funnily enough, I've only ever seen two other people do deadlifts the entire time I've been working out at my gym. I too love deadlifts, they're one of the best exercises and my back has gotten way stronger since I started doing them!
My squat and my bench have also increased a lot which is fantastic. And yep, I've been eating a ton. At least 3000 calories a day. mmm dirty bulking haha
@ NashVentress- First of all, thanks for the compliments. : )
I'm definitely in this for the long haul (hell, Frank Zane still works out today, and he won Mr. Olympias in the late 70's!) and I have a pretty good program running.
When I start to cut in around April/early May, I will do some cardio. For right now though, all Cardio is going to do for me is make my metabolism higher and make me lose hard-earned weight, which I don't want to do.
Time before last when I did a set of 5 heavy-ish deadlifts (107.5kg I think) in the gym, there were two big blokes watching. One said to his mate, "He's going to drop that." I didn't.
I highly recommend Rippetoe's _Starting Strength_. Brilliant guide to weightlifting for strength:
Time before last when I did a set of 5 heavy-ish deadlifts (107.5kg I think) in the gym, there were two big blokes watching. One said to his mate, "He's going to drop that." I didn't.
I highly recommend Rippetoe's _Starting Strength_. Brilliant guide to weightlifting for strength:
Cot damn, 107.5 KG is like 225 pounds. Good stuff dude. If you could PM me a picture or two of your physique (no homo) that'd be cool.
Funny that you mention Rippetoe's, I'm actually planning on doing that after this current week. I'm just de-loading right now so that my body has a chance to recover over these last few weeks!
By the way, good news, as of today I'm 166.6 pounds. Crazy number, considering that at the start of my last semester I was around 145 pounds! I will post some pictures tomorrow, I don't have the time right now plus it's a bit darker out.
Deadlift PB at that point was 152.5kg for one rep. Not sure how much I could lift for one rep now, but exrx.net's online calculator reckons 127kg, which sounds about right.
These days I look similar to that but with a slightly rounder belly! Determined to get stronger and fitter than ever though (hence the Rippetoe style routine).
Ian Sturrock wrote:My physique is not all that impressive right now, and I've no pics -- this set is from 3 years back, though, when I was probably at my fittest:
Deadlift PB at that point was 152.5kg for one rep. Not sure how much I could lift for one rep now, but exrx.net's online calculator reckons 127kg, which sounds about right.
These days I look similar to that but with a slightly rounder belly! Determined to get stronger and fitter than ever though (hence the Rippetoe style routine).
Dayum-mirin the legs and tats and deadlift 1RM PB.
My weakest part of my physique is my fething wrists-they're small as feth cuz. My forearms are pretty small too, so I've been focusing on them a lot more recently.
My legs are getting a lot better, they used to suck but after these 9 weeks they've been a lot better.
For funsies:
Here was me at the start of last semester:
Photo 3 by Vladsimpaler, on Flickr
Here was me at the beginning of the Triphase program:
Photo 28 by Vladsimpaler, on Flickr
Here is me at the end! (Note the lighting isn't as good, I have more definition than this)
Photo 51 by Vladsimpaler, on Flickr
Amaya wrote:Arms are starting to get to a decent size (relative to you), but your chest is kind of small.
Yeah I forgot to touch on that. My chest is pretty small compared to the rest of me, so I'm gonna be working on that a lot more. Lots of dumbbell presses and whatnot. Rippetoe's SS will get me on the right track for that. : )
If you do the GOMAD part of Starting Strength (Gallon Of Milk A Day), and keep piling on the weight plates on your squats, you should get that big chest in no time.
Ian Sturrock wrote:If you do the GOMAD part of Starting Strength (Gallon Of Milk A Day), and keep piling on the weight plates on your squats, you should get that big chest in no time.
Hahaha, I don't have the money to do a gallon of milk a day but I do my best to consume at least 2 pints of whole milk a day. It's funny, most of my pants have been getting really thick around my thighs after I did squats.
Foofus wrote:Take up rugby... Speed, strength and stamina!
I would love to do rugby, the club team at our school are undefeated State champions this past season so that'd be sweet. I just don't feel like doing 5 mile team runs on Tuesdays. I'm going for size and aesthetics, not exactly for speed haha
I do parkour and I jump off buildings and do flips off them, does that mean I am fit?
Because I train 3 times a day. And thats been going on for the past 4-6 months.
I then assembled a team to do parkour with so, if you want to get exercise go to a gym and train! Military style!
Asherian Command wrote:I do parkour and I jump off buildings and do flips off them, does that mean I am fit? Because I train 3 times a day. And thats been going on for the past 4-6 months.
I then assembled a team to do parkour with so, if you want to get exercise go to a gym and train! Military style!
not sure if srs
loljk
Haha I would say that you're a lot more "fit" than I am, I seriously doubt I could do that!
I find that working out with other people slows me down, funnily enough. Everyone's talking about their own routines. Hell, yesterday it took me an hour to do half of a workout that I should have been completely done with in 45 minutes.
Amaya wrote:Arms are starting to get to a decent size (relative to you), but your chest is kind of small.
Yeah I forgot to touch on that. My chest is pretty small compared to the rest of me, so I'm gonna be working on that a lot more. Lots of dumbbell presses and whatnot. Rippetoe's SS will get me on the right track for that. : )
I think its partly body type. I'm convinced I have small arms, but I have a relatively big chest and back and it's not like I lift a lot. 4x4 220 lbs flat bench at 195 isn't much.
Asherian Command wrote:I do parkour and I jump off buildings and do flips off them, does that mean I am fit?
Because I train 3 times a day. And thats been going on for the past 4-6 months.
I then assembled a team to do parkour with so, if you want to get exercise go to a gym and train! Military style!
not sure if srs
loljk
Haha I would say that you're a lot more "fit" than I am, I seriously doubt I could do that!
I find that working out with other people slows me down, funnily enough. Everyone's talking about their own routines. Hell, yesterday it took me an hour to do half of a workout that I should have been completely done with in 45 minutes.
I am serious, but its for a sport. And I have endurance and I am a Martial Artist.
Amaya wrote:Arms are starting to get to a decent size (relative to you), but your chest is kind of small.
Yeah I forgot to touch on that. My chest is pretty small compared to the rest of me, so I'm gonna be working on that a lot more. Lots of dumbbell presses and whatnot. Rippetoe's SS will get me on the right track for that. : )
I think its partly body type. I'm convinced I have small arms, but I have a relatively big chest and back and it's not like I lift a lot. 4x4 220 lbs flat bench at 195 isn't much.
Yeah, that's true. I have a meso/ecto body type, so I'm pretty good about gaining weight but even though I eat a lot I still look pretty good. 220 at 195 isn't much but it's still pretty good.
@ Asherian- I'm messin with ya brah, that's good. Endurance is really good for martial arts and parkour. Of course I'm not doing those so y'know.
Of course, again my main goal is to have aesthetics and a decent amount of strength. So while I'm sure you could beat me in a fight, I'd look good going down.
Greetings. If you're looking to supplement your workouts with something other than the boring 'ol gym machines, then I'd recommend this website: http://www.bodyrock.tv/ That woman is a flat out beast. She does it all through good diet and one home workout a day 5-6 days a week. She doesn't take supplements except for a bit of protein powder on occassions.
I use to go to the gym 60-90 minutes a day during the week. I saw results, sure, but it was a pain in the ass to get to the gym and spend as much time as I did there, not to mention being surrounded by sweaty guys that fart everywhere. Now I do whatever workout Zuzana (the woman on the website) posts up from day to day. I've seen much better results by following her workouts and dieting tips. Not only am I seeing better results, but I'm spending far less time getting to and spending at the gym. I understand you're looking more for bulking up, but doing one of her workouts a few times a week can only help you. Don't think for a second her workouts are just for women either. I recommend starting out doing her workouts alone so you don't embarrass yourself in company. If you put forth your full effort, they really are that difficult.
Lt. Coldfire wrote:Greetings. If you're looking to supplement your workouts with something other than the boring 'ol gym machines, then I'd recommend this website: http://www.bodyrock.tv/ That woman is a flat out beast. She does it all through good diet and one home workout a day 5-6 days a week. She doesn't take supplements except for a bit of protein powder on occassions.
I use to go to the gym 60-90 minutes a day during the week. I saw results, sure, but it was a pain in the ass to get to the gym and spend as much time as I did there, not to mention being surrounded by sweaty guys that fart everywhere. Now I do whatever workout Zuzana (the woman on the website) posts up from day to day. I've seen much better results by following her workouts and dieting tips. Not only am I seeing better results, but I'm spending far less time getting to and spending at the gym. I understand you're looking more for bulking up, but doing one of her workouts a few times a week can only help you. Don't think for a second her workouts are just for women either. I recommend starting out doing her workouts alone so you don't embarrass yourself in company. If you put forth your full effort, they really are that difficult.
Thanks for the suggestions brah, when I start cutting (I'm going to be cutting all of June and July) I could certainly see supplementing some of my gym stuff with this.
Also gym machines get boring fast; that's why I do free weights.
But yeah, I liked some of her stuff on diet. Always important. Plus she's pretty hot so that's always another plus!
Not really. You only need 100, perhaps 150 grams of carbs daily depending on your body type. I've been staying under a 100 day and I easily have enough energy to work out 5-6 times a week, play basketball, and work 40+ hours a week.
Without Carbs, you will feel very tired at first. However your body will adapt and burn fat (and a lot at that). I don't think no carbs is a good idea, but less is better. Stay away from the dirty carbs found in soft drinks etc.
BTW, I started my fitness workout today. I will take pictures, but they are going to look bad. I am not showing them until I have some better pics.
Anyone using the online fitness log (onlinefitnesslog.com)? It is a pretty good tool for keeping track of everything.
IMO a better approach to diet for fat loss is carb cycling. Diets that are low in carbs do help you burn fat, but they aren't sustainable long term. Eventually, your body goes into a state where carbs are more likely to be stored as fat.; this is a physiological responce to starvation.
Carb cycling involves having days when you vary the proportion of carbs in your diet each day. Some days are "high carb", some "moderate carb" some "low carb", some are carb free. By cycling the carbs you can burn fat and control insulin, but you don't enter the carb hoarding state where any carbs turn to fat..
Son_Of _Deddog wrote:IMO a better approach to diet for fat loss is carb cycling. Diets that are low in carbs do help you burn fat, but they aren't sustainable long term. Eventually, your body goes into a state where carbs are more likely to be stored as fat.; this is a physiological responce to starvation.
Carb cycling involves having days when you vary the proportion of carbs in your diet each day. Some days are "high carb", some "moderate carb" some "low carb", some are carb free. By cycling the carbs you can burn fat and control insulin, but you don't enter the carb hoarding state where any carbs turn to fat..
Google it.
This man is very smart. Listen to what he says.
Since I'm bulking, I'm consuming everything in sight. Feels fat man, but at the same time I've gained a gak ton of mass this semester. You can see the difference after two months, hahaha
@ Lord Scythican- post pics anyway. That will make your final goal look even better. Hell, right now I'm going to show a picture from before I even really started lifting.
Embarrassing? A little. Of course I'm way more tan in that picture than I am now; I want to get that tan again during the summer! (Also note the distinct lack of mullet )
It's all a process dude. Don't expect to be rivaling Arnold after working out for a month. : )
Cycling Carbs is helping me drop weight for Rugby League. It's not dramatic, but it's sustainable for me. Also, you avoid any cravings as you're not going without. Obviously don't go crazy and eat a loaf of bread-even on high carb days-but it's just more manageable than full on no carbs...
Son_Of _Deddog wrote:Cycling Carbs is helping me drop weight for Rugby League. It's not dramatic, but it's sustainable for me. Also, you avoid any cravings as you're not going without. Obviously don't go crazy and eat a loaf of bread-even on high carb days-but it's just more manageable than full on no carbs...
Awesome to hear that you're doing rugby, if I was going to play any sport it would be Rugby.
And of course I'm not gonna go overboard on high carb days, I definitely know what you mean there. : )
Asherian Command wrote:I don't do carb cycling, I have vegemite.... And I work out three times a day.
Vegemite...food of Champions!!
@Vladsimpaler- I play rugby union in the winter, but the seasons getting over, so it's time for league. The sports are similar, but with different demands. League needs a lot more speed,power and core. So it's a lot more kettlebells , dumbell snatch and power cleans for me....
Vegemite is the only food that I have run low on. It is the apocalypse! Australians with a low amount of Vegemite might self destruct or worse! Become an American! I say to everyone I shall never ever eat peanut butter sandwiches for it is fating and I don't like the texture!
Mate a half gallon of milk? damn mate thats alot of milk good luck with it!
Asherian Command wrote:Vegemite is the only food that I have run low on. It is the apocalypse! Australians with a low amount of Vegemite might self destruct or worse! Become an American! I say to everyone I shall never ever eat peanut butter sandwiches for it is fating and I don't like the texture!
Hahahaha I've never had vegemite. People are pretty divided, either they like it a lot or they hate it.
Mate a half gallon of milk? damn mate thats alot of milk good luck with it!
Every day. : )
Whole milk too. Good stuff man, I've been putting on a lot of good weight with it.
Ive gotta say the difference in your physique is pretty impressive. You looked rather gangly in your first pic. Now you can definitely see muscle building up on ya. Keep it up man.
I've got some enforced time off... on the upside, at least I have a chest infection and a strained back *at the same time*, as either of them would stop me doing anything more strenuous than a bit of light yoga or tai chi!
KingCracker wrote:Ive gotta say the difference in your physique is pretty impressive. You looked rather gangly in your first pic. Now you can definitely see muscle building up on ya. Keep it up man.
Thanks brah, part of it is newbie gains but at the same time I've been working pretty hard to maximize them so it's all good.
The people who thought I was "huge" when I returned from my fall semester are gonna gak brix when I return this semester. I project that by mid-April I should break 170 pounds, which is crazy. I'm starting to develop a little bit of a gut, but I ain't even mad though. I've been really good about gaining weight, but for some reason my genetics have it so that I look like I'm a lot smaller than I really am. I mean, I'm like 168 right now and I don't look super big, but you don't really start to look huge until you get into the 180 realm so I'm not worrying
@Micromegas- Yeah dude, start hitting up the gym man. If you friends go, there's even more motivation. Plus the ladies love it, and you feel way more confident. Win win in my opinion.
I've reached critical mass. 170 freakin' pounds. I feel big but at the same time I'm not fitting into any of my clothes anymore so I'm going to start cutting.
Here's the most recent batch of photos, taken yesterday:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54848130@N07/sets/72157626460472115/
I'd like to cut down to around 164-165. Personally I just want to see abs showing. I may take this slowly so that I don't lose all of my hard-earned muscle mass! I feel great though. Getting lots of compliments on how big I am now so that's sick.
), those are incentives to keep going.
So one day, who knows? You may see some trophies in this thread!
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. Alot of people can offer you advice on "their" workouts. What I mean by that is I weigh in at 230lbs. with between 13-14% bodyfat. My workout, cardio and eating will be vastly different then what you want to focus on. That another thing, figure out what you want to focus on, you did say "ripped" now is that a 153lbs. ripped or would you like to be a solid 180lbs. ripped(which will take some seriousedication)??? Once you've decided what you goal is I seriously recommend going to bodybuilding.com they have alot of people with before and after type programs, I'd find a guy that's around your weight with the same sort of goals and do what he they did it noramlly has what they ate, what their workouts were, and what, if any, supplements they were taking. Tweaking it here and there to see what's best for "YOU". And remember bodybuilding is 25% gym 35% food and 40% sleep. Good Luck to you because there sure is a lot of weight in the gym but some people don't want to lift it.
.
) and I want to look good while doing so. Plus there's lots of hot girls there, soooo you can see where I'm going with this. 
