Post: #1

I'm getting back in the gym after a couple months hiatus and I'm feeling good about it but I'm a little lost after so many months of bullshiting and getting fucked up in random european cities. I'll admit maybe this is a bit for inspiration but it's also a place where we can talk about our routines, recent break throughs, platues crushed. more to come on this from me if the tread picks up steam. right now I'm just trying to get my old everyday weights back.

Post: #2

Still on stronglifts. Once the compounds are over I do isolation exercises until muscle fail or time constraints. Had a solid run of adding weight to squats but I'm at a little plateau at 255.

Adding lots of arm work for bigger biceps and triceps. I feel like my core is built like a brick but I'd like more size on my arms. Pendlay rows, Yates rows, upright rows, curls, tricep ext, raises, chinups...

Post: #3

Currently in a second round of Chad Waterbury's Anti-bodybuilding hypertrophy (ABBH). I am mainly cutting through the winter since I slacked off and gained weight this summer. I'm not ripped by any stretch of the imagination but I am seeing great results and am losing weight while my strength consistently goes up. I have done ABBH 2 in the past and also loved it. Also did westside for skinny bastards, but this was also while cutting and I didn't have nearly enough energy to finish my workouts. ABBH is fantastic because you don't waste any time. Some days all I do are weighted dips and pull-ups. Alternate exercises and you are done in 12 minutes.

I have been lifting for a few years, but this is the first time I have really stuck to it for an extended period of time. Actually seeing changes in your body is a powerful motivator.

Post: #4

I've been doing deadlifts every workout consistently for the past couple months. My latest rep/set scheme is Steve Justa's singles program, which has you using 70% of your 1RM (I use 80%, but whatever) for a single with a minute to two minutes between reps.

Day 1 is 3 reps, Day 2 is 5 reps, Day 3 is 7 reps, and so on until you hit Day 7 at 15 reps of singles. Then the next day of the week, you bump the weight up a couple pounds and do it again. At the end of the month, you reevaluate your 1RM and go from there. I have always been a fan of a "baseline" or skeleton program and then I just tack shit on when I feel like it during my workouts. My traps, hamstrings, and lats are growing and my deadlift has been going up consistently with no joint pain or soreness to speak of. When I started, 275 was a challenge, but now 335 is.

My other staple has been pullups and dips. When I started I could barely squeeze out 5 pullups, but now I can do 12 in a set. Dips are a similar story. I've got a couple different programs that I'll rotate between, but for the most part I've been making steady gains all year. Dips have also put at least thirty pounds on my press, I can do 135 for a single in the clean and press.

Post: #5

Post: #6

I've just recently started writing down my workouts. I can't seem to follow routines very well, I just make sure to do one muscle group per day, at most 2, and try to work in the big 3 at least once every week on separate days… squat, deadlift, bench. Although I add a 4th in there, and that's standing dumbbell overhead press.

I was going at it pretty hard these last 3 weeks, but with little rest. Then I took 2 days off w/ just eating right, and made a bit of a jump in squats to 275 x 6, but not quite parallel, I'm afraid. Also made a jump in front squats to 185 x 4, great form there… I'm starting to get a real appreciation for those, you really can't cheat it.

Post: #7

Just so you can all feel better about yourselves, I'll let you know what happens when you let yourself get out of shape in your late 50s.

I got a great-paying job that totally exhausted me for the first two months so I got NO exercise. I gained about 10 lbs ( 180-190 5'9") all around my belly and it looks disgusting, I can assure you.

I finally got started going back to the gym and the first workout with pretty light weights ( 70-80 on a bench press machine) left me sore and really tired for like a week.

I'm on about my 3rd workout and I'm feeling a lot better, but what I've noticed is I can do about 12 sets total, with an stationary bike interval of about 30 seconds being counted as one set.

I think I can work up to 30 sets or so, I pray to any God that will listen by that time I will be rid of my disgusting, bloated jello belly for my lecher trip to Philippines.

I've cut out almost all carbs and am eating good fats lots of whey/casein powder and and am on test HRT.

Praise Jesus if he will make me slim.

Post: #8

My abdominals/core

I neglected that area for far too long. Started with 100 reps of a different variations of sit-ups/leg raises about two weeks ago, now I'm up to 200. Im going for 250 tomorrow.

Also, i've been taking my time with each rep on every exercise. Making sure technique is up to par. I had to drop my weight a lot but it's for the better.

For instance, i was doing 4x5 chest press with 90 dumbbells and somewhat shitty technique. But now I take my time with each rep and am at 70 pounds at 4x6. Each muscle group has seen similar declines. I used to do 4x5 dumbbell curls with 40s, but now I'm basically torturing myself with 35 pounds with slow controlled movement.

Post: #9

I'm feeling all this lifting love. it's getting me hype. Right now in my "just getting back into it phase" I'm just kind of bsing to the best of my bodies abilities but hope fully here in the next couple of months i can get back those old power lift weights and put back on my swole ass body. Too much partying and women have taken their toll on me. lol

Post: #10

Doing Starting Strength. Up to 205 x 5 deep squat(not quite A2G, but definitely below parallel). I'm sure I could do up to 215-225, but I don't fuck around with increasing weights unless I am 100% positive I can handle it or I have someone to spot.

On month 10 since I made an effort to quite being the skinny kid. Gained about 20 lbs in that time. Need about 5 more than I plan on cutting and then focusing on a slow bulk maintaining the low body fat while adding muscle slowly.

I'll tell you though, I't feels amazing to not be the skinny kid anymore.

Post: #11

Finished Madcow at 355x3 for squats and 225x5 bench. Pulled my hamstring a bit back, took two months off from squatting because of laziness, now at 300 squat. Lost quite a bit of weight due to a diet change, so that had a lot to do with the loss in strength In all my lifts.

Jumping back on Madcow to get that squat back over 350 at 185ish pounds bodyweight. Repped out 205x5x5 bench the other day without too much struggle. Will be pretty happy with a 225x5x5 bench.

Post: #12

About 3 months ago, I was barely able to bench 275 for 3-4 reps as a max. Now, I'm doing 315 for the same number of reps for the max. Did different kinds of sets and reps so I could keep building the strength. Kind of pissed I didn't put on any body weight though.

Like Kickboxer, I started to decrease weight for my squats so I could get better form. Was Front Squatting 325 4x5 but realized my form was crap. Dropped down to 275 3 weeks ago and focused on 3 second negatives for each rep. Moved up to 285 last week for the same workout. Need to move up higher for today. Feel like I am getting a lot more out of the workout with less weight and better form.

Post: #13

(12-17-2013 08:48 AM)RioNomad Wrote:  Finished Madcow at 355x3 for squats and 225x5 bench. Pulled my hamstring a bit back, took two months off from squatting because of laziness, now at 300 squat. Lost quite a bit of weight due to a diet change, so that had a lot to do with the loss in strength In all my lifts.

Jumping back on Madcow to get that squat back over 350 at 185ish pounds bodyweight. Repped out 205x5x5 bench the other day without too much struggle. Will be pretty happy with a 225x5x5 bench.

Those are great numbers Rio. How tall are you and how long you been lifting?

Post: #14

Man my bench is shit and what's worse is I have this pop in my left shoulder that really gets to me when I'm going much over 200. also kills on overhead press over about 180. My squat was a deep 405, and my best dead lift with straps was 455. I was pulling 585 shrugs, 200 clean and jerk, 180 snatches. I was a god damn amimal. I'm hopping to get back to all that in about 3 months. Right now I 'm still on the bitch weight.

Post: #15

I just stopped doing Wendler 5-3-1, too taxing to my lower back. I made good progress on my lifts:

Squat 300
Deadlift 290
Bench 265
Press 170

For a 160 5'6 guy is alright.

I changed to Westlife for skinny bastards v3, so far I like it, is versatile and it has a combination of power and bodybuilding:

http://www.defrancostraining.com/article...part3.html

If any has done it I'm all ears.

Post: #16

(12-17-2013 11:43 AM)thedude3737 Wrote:  

(12-17-2013 08:48 AM)RioNomad Wrote:  Finished Madcow at 355x3 for squats and 225x5 bench. Pulled my hamstring a bit back, took two months off from squatting because of laziness, now at 300 squat. Lost quite a bit of weight due to a diet change, so that had a lot to do with the loss in strength In all my lifts.

Jumping back on Madcow to get that squat back over 350 at 185ish pounds bodyweight. Repped out 205x5x5 bench the other day without too much struggle. Will be pretty happy with a 225x5x5 bench.

Those are great numbers Rio. How tall are you and how long you been lifting?

I'm 5 10 and been lifting pretty consistently for 9 months. Did a fee months here and there over the course of five years, but always with a year or two break in between. Just recently started to really enjoy going to the gym, so see myself sticking with it for a long time. Before I liked the gym, but now I can't fathom going back to the shape I was in before. I always got attention from girls, but a bit of muscle added goes a long way. They love that shit.

Post: #17

Over head squats. Dips. Planks. Hand stand push-ups. Pull ups. Presses. Snatch grip dead lifts. Ketel bel swings. Clean and jerks. Toes to bar. Push ups. Going for hour walks everyday.

Post: #18

i've been cutting since september so i'm not making any strength gains. i'm trying to minimize strength loss. i will continue this until the end of january and then go on a year long slow bulk.

i've been lifting for a little over a year and overall my progress has fallen short of my expectations. i did a lot of research beforehand and saved myself from a lot of broscience misinformation, but it still wasn't enough. my mistakes:

- diet: i over-bulked hard. i overestimated my metabolism and ate at an excessive caloric surplus. i gained a lot of fat and became obese (25% bf) by the summertime. i am currently undoing this.

- consistency in lifts:
-- i started out using rippetoe's low-bar back squat. it caused me knee pain and it is an unnatural lift meant only for powerlifters & athletes. i should have used the high-bar squat all along. because of this i have a weak squat.
-- i did the barbell bench press but my spotter friend was unreliable in showing up to the gym. i should have used dumbbells from the start. because of this i have a weak bench.

- consistency in environment: the commercial gyms in my city are overcrowded or have some other failing (inadequate equipment, bad parking arrangement, etc.). they're all imperfect. because of this i'd often miss or have to do out of order certain exercises (squat & bench). it also made me spend a lot of time scoping out the different branches of the gym chain that i'm a member of. i believe that this constant moving around/unfamiliarity hinders strength gains on a psychological level. i should have just bought my own home equipment.


so over a year i went from a skinny fat very weak fuck to a fat sort of weak fuck. oh well, every day is an education. conclusions:

- your daily caloric surplus on a bulk should be 250-500 calories, no more.
- run a consistent routine at the absolute best gym you can find. inadequate and/or overcrowded equipment, gym space, facilities, etc. will throw off your rhythm.
- starting strength, which is highly touted around these parts, is a bad routine for aesthetically motivated casual lifters (which is basically everybody). unless you are a tall skinny teenager who runs track, the nutritional advice (3500-6000 calories/day) will turn you into a tub a lard. it also lacks sufficient arm, upper back, and ab work. an ideal routine would be starting strength with the following modifications: high-bar instead of low-bar back squat, bent-over rows instead of power cleans, a few more upper body compounds (dips, chin-ups, incline bench), and upper body isos (curls, lateral raises, shrugs, skullcrushers, crunches).

Post: #19

(12-17-2013 12:10 PM)RioNomad Wrote:  

(12-17-2013 11:43 AM)thedude3737 Wrote:  

(12-17-2013 08:48 AM)RioNomad Wrote:  Finished Madcow at 355x3 for squats and 225x5 bench. Pulled my hamstring a bit back, took two months off from squatting because of laziness, now at 300 squat. Lost quite a bit of weight due to a diet change, so that had a lot to do with the loss in strength In all my lifts.

Jumping back on Madcow to get that squat back over 350 at 185ish pounds bodyweight. Repped out 205x5x5 bench the other day without too much struggle. Will be pretty happy with a 225x5x5 bench.

Those are great numbers Rio. How tall are you and how long you been lifting?

I'm 5 10 and been lifting pretty consistently for 9 months. Did a fee months here and there over the course of five years, but always with a year or two break in between. Just recently started to really enjoy going to the gym, so see myself sticking with it for a long time. Before I liked the gym, but now I can't fathom going back to the shape I was in before. I always got attention from girls, but a bit of muscle added goes a long way. They love that shit.

Right there with you Rio. Back in college, I lifted like a crazy person but never had any body weight gains. I was around 200lbs at 6'6 a couple years ago. I was cut but didn't look anything special when I had a shirt on. Now, I'm right between 235-240 and get eye fucked all the time. It was a complete 180 from the attention I used to receive. Great feeling to have girls stare at you. Like you said, I cannot imagine slacking off and going back to where I was.

Post: #20

simple but deadly leg workout recently:

squat 12 reps (appropriate weight)
12 bodyweight squat jumps
1 min rest
repeat 2 more times

clean and press 12 reps (appropriate weight)
12 burpees
1 minute rest
repeat 2 more times


Legs were sore for 4 days

Post: #21

IKE since when are you on TRT?

As far as diet, really all you need to do to lose weight is to roughly cut all your portions by 50%. Otherwise you can eat anything you want. Low carb etc is fine but you don't need to be super strict about that. Just cut all your portions roughly by half.

Keep on weightlifting and one day you'll forget to chicken out of fucking one of those young Latinas...

(12-17-2013 12:00 AM)iknowexactly Wrote:  Just so you can all feel better about yourselves, I'll let you know what happens when you let yourself get out of shape in your late 50s.

I got a great-paying job that totally exhausted me for the first two months so I got NO exercise. I gained about 10 lbs ( 180-190 5'9") all around my belly and it looks disgusting, I can assure you.

I finally got started going back to the gym and the first workout with pretty light weights ( 70-80 on a bench press machine) left me sore and really tired for like a week.

I'm on about my 3rd workout and I'm feeling a lot better, but what I've noticed is I can do about 12 sets total, with an stationary bike interval of about 30 seconds being counted as one set.

I think I can work up to 30 sets or so, I pray to any God that will listen by that time I will be rid of my disgusting, bloated jello belly for my lecher trip to Philippines.

I've cut out almost all carbs and am eating good fats lots of whey/casein powder and and am on test HRT.

Praise Jesus if he will make me slim.

Post: #22

Did three sets of 225 at ten per clip. Proud of myself.
Also the same for squat (275) and DL (275). I even got my weight below 220 for basketball season.

I'm playing in a solid adult league at the forward position dominating on drives and postups. This newfound strength allows me better explosion and I'm stronger on my drives and finishes.

I'm looking like a young jacked Jim Jackson out there.

Post: #23

How many reps per set does everyone do?

I do 3 sets of 5 for compounds lifts at 75%, 85%, and 95% of my 1RM.

I get satisfaction from breaking personal records on lifts, but aesthetically my goal is to bulk. Would I be better served by lowering the weight and doing 3 sets of 8-10 reps?

Post: #24

30 mins stairclimber warm up before every workout, helped reduce annoying stomach fat.
Non stop workout, 5 sets of each exercise. 4 to 5 exercises per body part.
My routines are more for leaning out and cutting.

Bodmon - you have made great gains bro, keep lifting and adding size.

Post: #25

After 20 weeks of going to the gym very diligently I'm feeling rather burnt out on Starting Strength. In fact in the last month I've had many symptoms of low T. I think I need to go on a cutting program but I'm not sure what to do. I do look better than when I started even though I've gained some fat, because my shoulders are now bigger, but I just don't want anymore belly fat. The only thing that saves me is that my chest sticks out further than my gut, so I look OK wearing clothing.