(01-21-2017 09:51 PM)redbeard Wrote:  1. I'm looking to start doing a 20-minute American Psycho-style warmup in the morning to get my body moving. I'm thinking:

-Rice bucket to warm up the hands
-Bridge and downward facing dog to combat sitting
-Situps for abs volume
-Bodyweight calf raises for volume

In addition to some overall stretching and mobility work. Anyone else do this? Share your routine.

I lifted this directly from the Primal Blueprint.

The guy recommends hanging/stretching from a pullup bar and then sitting in a squat stance every morning to stay limber.

The only thing I've been doing lately is experimenting with "Wim Hof" breaths and cold showers in the morning. Depending on how that goes (I've seen some helpful effects from these) I might go ahead and buy the 200 dollar course.

(01-21-2017 09:51 PM)redbeard Wrote:  2. I want to quit my Chipotle addiction. I know a few of you meal prep expert make burrito bowls. The ingredients are rice, black beans, chicken, and salsa. My question is, do you put the ingredients together? Any flavor tips?

Back when I made imitation Chipotle, I followed the recipe here (it's a series of videos):





The key to the flavor seemed to be marinating the chicken in the chipotle sauce. I'm terrible at cooking, but I was able to make something that wasn't too far off from the real thing.

I eventually stopped making it though when I realized it wasn't worth the effort because I didn't even save money.

(01-23-2017 04:48 AM)Corollary Wrote:  I eventually stopped making it though when I realized it wasn't worth the effort because I didn't even save money.

Why not?

Rice, chicken, black beans, onions, peppers, salsa, for $9.43? I should be able to beat that price.

(01-23-2017 08:15 AM)redbeard Wrote:  

(01-23-2017 04:48 AM)Corollary Wrote:  I eventually stopped making it though when I realized it wasn't worth the effort because I didn't even save money.

Why not?

Rice, chicken, black beans, onions, peppers, salsa, for $9.43? I should be able to beat that price.

Fewer ingredients may be able to beat out the Chipotle price, but in addition to what you listed, I had corn, sour cream, and cheese. I wasn't too motivated to save money though, so maybe it could have been done.

What are your guys go to sites/brands for fitness clothing? I've run through all my old gear and am sick of wearing white t's to the gym. Heard good things about gymshark/alphalete/machine fitness.

(01-23-2017 08:02 PM)Balkan Wrote:  What are your guys go to sites/brands for fitness clothing? I've run through all my old gear and am sick of wearing white t's to the gym. Heard good things about gymshark/alphalete/machine fitness.

-Nike compression shorts
-Hanes sweatpants
-Nike Socks
-New Balance Shoes
-Thrift Store T-shirt

Everyday.

This shit is gay:

tl;dr: hardgainer tries to bulk, changes diet, sees gains.

Gone from around 143 pounds to 155 pounds from last November to now, pretty much all muscle gained. It's recommended to "hardgainers" to eat more. That is what has been working out for me.

I remember I even had McDonalds like 3 times in a week, in order to catch a quick meal (that would make me a "heavy user" according to McD's marketing, by the by) after work. I felt disgusted with myself (who wants to eat at those places all the time) but I wasn't getting fat. Don't plan on patronizing that place that often, but calories are calories.

Boiled eggs and milk are wonderful.

I don't have this weightlifting + dieting thing down 100% but if this were a class, I got a solid B to B+ over the past month. I got bigger. I hope another "hard gainer" reads this and gets a little more motivation to pig out too.

(01-21-2017 09:51 PM)redbeard Wrote:  2. I want to quit my Chipotle addiction. I know a few of you meal prep expert make burrito bowls. The ingredients are rice, black beans, chicken, and salsa. My question is, do you put the ingredients together? Any flavor tips?

E Z Salsa

You will need olive oil, canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, hot pepper & cilantro

You will make the salsa by heating oil. then adding onions to brown, then adding garlic & hot peppers to soften, and then adding canned tomatoes to reduce, and then finally adding cilantro.

E Z Salas has a fraction of salt than store bought salsa has. Enjoy.

When all's said and done, Bryce Lane's 50/20 is one of my favourite training programs. 20 minutes training per day, 3 days on, one day off. It's inspired by Charles Staley's EDT.

Day 1: C&P
Day 2: Sandbag shoulder & squat
Day 3: Weighted chins and pushup variations
Day 4: Off

There are a few programs like this that really deliver, like Dan John's 1 lift/day program.

It works well for me as I have a gym beneath my offices, so I don't have to factor in travel time to make it worth while. I can get in, hit 50 hard reps on a big lift, and get out again in 25 minutes or so all told. It's a very effective way of getting strong and building your work capacity.

I have a dilemma about the order of big lifts, so I would like an input.



BEFORE doing d®eadlifts, is it advisable to do a standing press (to warm up the upper back muscles), once you are previously done with squats (which are a must before deadlift, I know...)?


Or is better to do them AFTER, in order not to spend too much energy, which may affect performance of the deadlifts?




Both theories make sense to me, to be honest.


I am doing a variant of 5x5 (similar to Blahas').

(01-28-2017 05:53 PM)Irenicus Wrote:  I have a dilemma about the order of big lifts, so I would like an input.



BEFORE doing d®eadlifts, is it advisable to do a standing press (to warm up the upper back muscles), once you are previously done with squats (which are a must before deadlift, I know...)?


Or is better to do them AFTER, in order not to spend too much energy, which may affect performance of the deadlifts?




Both theories make sense to me, to be honest.


I am doing a variant of 5x5 (similar to Blahas').

I've never found OHP effects my deadlift, but the other way around sure does. Then again, I don't really have a big OHP. Try both ways and see how it feels, my pick is press first.

I found my ab wheel a few days ago, did about 30 reps from the knee and I'm still stiff. Going to have to incorporate it more I reckon.

(01-28-2017 05:53 PM)Irenicus Wrote:  I have a dilemma about the order of big lifts, so I would like an input.



BEFORE doing d®eadlifts, is it advisable to do a standing press (to warm up the upper back muscles), once you are previously done with squats (which are a must before deadlift, I know...)?


Or is better to do them AFTER, in order not to spend too much energy, which may affect performance of the deadlifts?




Both theories make sense to me, to be honest.


I am doing a variant of 5x5 (similar to Blahas').

I like to put all the heaviest/hardest movements first so my workout gets easier toward the end. But when I advise other people, I tell them do an exercise between to give them a break before they go hard again.

In terms of energy, there are two ways to think about it: by having deadlifts follow squats, you'll have more gas in the tank when you do them. But if you do the presses before the deadlifts, you'll be giving your lower body a chance to recover (if you are extremely proficient at the press this isn't necessarily true).

Best thing to do is to try both and see what feels better to you.

(01-23-2017 08:02 PM)Balkan Wrote:  What are your guys go to sites/brands for fitness clothing? I've run through all my old gear and am sick of wearing white t's to the gym. Heard good things about gymshark/alphalete/machine fitness.

Personally I don't invest in gear for the gym.

I have a pair of nike gym shorts and wear cut off old tshirts I have and a few trucker hats.

Shoes are Vans Authentic or Chuck Taylor 2.0

I would never do squats and deadlifts together, simply because I'm cooked after either one, and both lifts would suffer.

A warm up is just that - a workout leaves you fatigued, not warmed-up and ready for heavy lifts.

TRUENUTRITION.com

If you aren't using this website you should be. True Nutrition allows you to make custom protein blends of whatever the f*** you want to put in. For example:

1. Protein Blend - 40% whey isolate 40% casein 20% egg protein. Unflavored. All killer no filler, you can mix this with anything, eat it as a snack, or use it for PSMF.

2. Pumpkin Spice Snack - I got this from Hannibal's boyfriend Paul Carter (http://www.lift-run-bang.com). 60% casein, 40% sweet potato powder, Pumpkin Spice TruFlavor (sweetened with stevia). I got this in the mail today and WOW it's delicious. Two scoops, a few spoons of gelatin, a spoon of cinnamon. This shit is delicious.

The prices are going to be more than standard whey but a few dollars a pound is definitely worth it. Use discount code pcarter for 10% off your first order.

Took a piece off my thumb with a cheesegrater. Luckily no deadlifts tomorrow.

New PR on my snatch 165, and C&J 200, at 180 pounds. Sticking points are front squats for the C&J.

I surprised myself yesterday and got 205 up 3 times on my final Bench set. I had a spotter but he did not need to assist. A friend and I maxxed out our bench late last summer (he did 225 and I was about to get 215 up). So I've been working on my goal of hitting 225 by the end of this summer. He had about 40 pounds on me as well (I weighed about 153 at the time and he was around 190).

(01-31-2017 11:35 AM)graffix13 Wrote:  I surprised myself yesterday and got 205 up 3 times on my final Bench set. I had a spotter but he did not need to assist. A friend and I maxxed out our bench late last summer (he did 225 and I was about to get 215 up). So I've been working on my goal of hitting 225 by the end of this summer. He had about 40 pounds on me as well (I weighed about 153 at the time and he was around 190).

If you can do 205 for a triple, then 225 isn't too far away. I bet you could do it now if you tried harder while doing the lift.

Getting to 225 in seven months is too conservative. What do you think would happen if you made 225 your goal for February, or even next week?

It's funny how we tend to land around the area where we set our goals. We either end up falling a little short, just making it, or barely exceeding the goal. So set bigger goals. You don't have to go crazy unrealistic like some, but having more aggressive goals won't hurt.

I need to follow my own advice in the gym and other areas of my life.

Should be able to go back to my Canadian gym for the first time in a couple months instead of my 3rd world gym, should be nice and refreshing but I hope all the new years resolution people are already gone.

(12-18-2016 03:47 AM)Benoit Wrote:  

(12-18-2016 12:46 AM)kiwi12 Wrote:  As i understand it's very damaging to your shoulders.

Doing Klokov presses really helped my shoulders. The wider grip gives a good stretch and I can feel tight spots releasing during my warmup sets.

I'm always a bit suspicious when some shirtless youtuber says you should never do an exercise that people have been performing for many years. Shoulder geometry is so individual that there's no one-size approach.

Jeff Cavaliere might be a shirtless youtuber but he has a lot of experience with professional baseball players so I would expect him to be knowledgeable about shoulder injuries. I think most professional trainers and physical therapists suggest avoiding both behind-the-neck pressing and pulling. I've heard it many times.

I had a shoulder injury which was the result of imbalances in my shoulders which was the result of being a throwing athlete so I know how bad these injuries can suck. They take a long time to heal and you may never get back to a complete range of motion. I don't do behind-the-neck pressing or pulling and I don't encourage others to do it.

However, if you are going to do it then be smart about it. This is the difference between olympic lifters doing klokov presses and gym bros contorting their bodies to do behind-the-neck lat pull downs. Olympic lifters do extensive 20+ minute warm-ups while gym bros might do a few warm-up sets or nothing at all. Olympic lifters do a lot of mobility work and already have a lot of mobility in their shoulders while gym bros usually have thoracic kyphosis from too much pressing without enough pulling as well as too much sitting and using computers and cell phones.

You need to be flexible and get rid of thoracic kyphosis before doing behind-the-neck exercises. Shoulder dislocations with a broomstick are excellent as well as other stretches for the shoulder and pec minor.

In the last few years a lot of trainers to pro athletes have been instructing their clients to do a lot of volume for upper back to improve shoulder health (mostly rows and flyes and band pull aparts, not as much pull-ups and chin-ups). I think Joe Defranco was the guy that made this popular. I've heard guys using a 3 to 1 ratio of rows to presses but I think Defranco goes far beyond that with massive amounts of volume with band pull aparts.

Let me know if you guys are interested in more information on posture and mobility and I'll write more about it.

(01-31-2017 02:40 PM)birthday cat Wrote:  In the last few years a lot of trainers to pro athletes have been instructing their clients to do a lot of volume for upper back to improve shoulder health (mostly rows and flyes and band pull aparts, not as much pull-ups and chin-ups). I think Joe Defranco was the guy that made this popular. I've heard guys using a 3 to 1 ratio of rows to presses but I think Defranco goes far beyond that with massive amounts of volume with band pull aparts.

Let me know if you guys are interested in more information on posture and mobility and I'll write more about it.

I am not on any real program right now, but I keep my shoulders flexible with a pronated grip(palms facing away) pullups, almost every day. I do several sets of 10+. I do a lot of shoulder stretches and windmills to warm up as well. I find thats all I need to keep my shoulders, upper and mid back conditioned. The only real pushing exercise I do now is body weight dips, down below parallel. It also gives my shoulders a nice stretch when I go deep. My goal this year for both is sets of over 20. Just getting back to training now. You used to see a lot of behind the neck pressing, pullups, pull downs back in the day. I think there was a lot of pseudo science from the 50's-60's as well, which said the behind the neck press was the "proper Military Press."

I purchased a pair of Gorilla Gripz on the advice of A.J.A. Cortes, who said that they were good for people with wrist and forearm problems. (Cortes is great, by the way, and if you don't mind getting a bunch of emails I highly recommend signing up for his email list. He's got tons of good information.)

The grips simulate a thicker bar and let you use more of your hand when holding the weight. This distributes the weight better, and supposedly helps train your forarms too. I'm not 100% sure about the theory behind it, but I do know that using them helped immediately with wrist pain that had been dogging me for months. I am EXTREMELY happy with the ones I bought, and I doubt I'll ever go to the gym without them again. I don't know if they're a must for everybody, but for anyone here who suffers wrist and forearm pain when lifting, I promise you won't regret trying these out.

Cosign. There are many fat grip adapters on Amazon that can be bought for cheeeap.

I fucking hate being ill. I want so much to go and chuck some weights around, but I know I'll just struggle to pick up half my normal weight and then have to put them straight down again to wipe the snot from my nose. Eww.