Post: #3426

As an 18 year old your recovery will be amazing.
The regularity/timing of exercise won't matter so much provided you lift heavy and progressively overload.

I'll suggest farmers walks in addition to a structured program

Post: #3427

(06-08-2017 11:33 AM)Northern Wastes Wrote:  Hey Guys, hope this is the right place to ask this.

I'm am 18 year old back at my parents place for the summer and hoping to cash in on all the free food I can eat to start bulking. I work a tour based on-call job that can give me pretty wacky work days that start from 8am-9:30pm; so I have a hard time getting a solid routine going.

The only place in town that has any real type of weightlifting equipment is my MMA Gym that I go to when I can.
I have permission to use the Gym during the day sometimes to sneak a workout in if I can but I never get a good routine going.

I'd be happy training at home, and am not opposed to doing body workouts, I just struggle with the motivation. Also my cardio is pretty awful right now.

I'm 6'3 and approximately 200lbs

Any advice appreciated. And any diet advice would be great too, I eat pretty healthy but there is always room for improvement.

Can you get to that MMA gym 3 times a week? You didn't mention your gym experience, but guessing based on your age, either running stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength is probably best for you. Each workout should take about an hour.

If you want to bulk, the best way to do that in my experience is by adding one heavy meal to your diet that you eat once a day, consistently. I personally do this by blending a smoothie (milk, pb, oats, protein, etc) to get an easy 600-800 calories. Of course, this only works if the rest of your diet is fairly consistent day to day. Weigh yourself and keep track of it to determine if you need to be eating more. Gaining 0.5-1lb per week is good.

With your current height/weight you have potential to make some solid gains. Good luck.

Post: #3428

Thanks you to everyone who replied. I could probably get to the Gym 3 times a week, weather it be class or on my own time.
I was thinking a combo of running to improve my cardio and 5x5 strong lifts would probably be my best best.
I looked at the dieting suggestions, good stuff.

I hope to make some solid gains before the fall time.

Post: #3429

Quote:The more generic approach is to take your bodyweight x 15 (this is maintenance for most folks) in calories. Eat this way for two weeks and weigh yourself before and after. If you put on a pound, great, keep doing what you're doing. If not, add 200 calories a day in the form of carbs.

Your macronutrient breakdown will look like 20% fat, at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight (you can go higher if you like), and the rest carbs. This is the sort of advice you'd get from bodybuilders and it does work, but again it's a pain in the ass to count every calorie.

Hannibal was kind enough to share some info with me in PMs. I figure maybe it could help someone else. I am about to get back on a normal diet. Was doing RFL. I like the 15 calories per body weight calc. Some of the internet calculators were giving me a wide range of figures.

How critical is it to hit 20% fat?

I am thinking of just premaking chicken and pasta/other carb and just stick them in tupperware. Throw hot sauce on it for flavor.

My research tells me measure caloric values of meat before cooking and the same with pasta/carbs. Some guys were asking about weighing after cooking but the consensus is that the weight loss of the meat is generally water, so just use all pre cook weights to determine calories.

Wish me luck on this next phase.

Post: #3430

Deadlifted 5x125kg tonight and it felt really good, so smashed out 5x130kg too.

I haven't been able to visit the gym for two days because I have late night classes but the rest has done me good.
It's a good reminder that the progress is made in between gym sessions.

Post: #3431

How do you guys stay consistent with your ab training? For some reason I hate doing abs. Last time I had a back injury I was told it was due to a lack of proper warmup and a weak core.

I've been back at it for about 3 months now and still always find some excuse to skip any type of ab/core training.

Post: #3432

(06-14-2017 12:38 PM)Oz. Wrote:  How do you guys stay consistent with your ab training? For some reason I hate doing abs. Last time I had a back injury I was told it was due to a lack of proper warmup and a weak core.

I've been back at it for about 3 months now and still always find some excuse to skip any type of ab/core training.

It's easy to skip it when you try to tack it on at the end of the workout or something, so I would recommend supersetting it within other movements. For example lets say you are doing bench press. If you are doing 3-5 sets of bench, during your rest period in between each set hit the ab roller for like 15 reps.

Post: #3433

(06-14-2017 12:38 PM)Oz. Wrote:  How do you guys stay consistent with your ab training? For some reason I hate doing abs. Last time I had a back injury I was told it was due to a lack of proper warmup and a weak core.

I've been back at it for about 3 months now and still always find some excuse to skip any type of ab/core training.

You stay consistent by doing it literally every day. Stalin is on point with super setting an ab exercise with whatever you're focusing on that day. I'd shy away from super setting during leg day since your abs keep your form steady for squats, deadlifts, etc.

Post: #3434

(06-14-2017 12:38 PM)Oz. Wrote:  How do you guys stay consistent with your ab training? For some reason I hate doing abs. Last time I had a back injury I was told it was due to a lack of proper warmup and a weak core.

I've been back at it for about 3 months now and still always find some excuse to skip any type of ab/core training.

I have made abs part of my warm-up which has help me engage the abs while doing compound lifts.

Post: #3435

(06-14-2017 01:18 PM)General Stalin Wrote:  

(06-14-2017 12:38 PM)Oz. Wrote:  How do you guys stay consistent with your ab training? For some reason I hate doing abs. Last time I had a back injury I was told it was due to a lack of proper warmup and a weak core.

I've been back at it for about 3 months now and still always find some excuse to skip any type of ab/core training.

It's easy to skip it when you try to tack it on at the end of the workout or something, so I would recommend supersetting it within other movements. For example lets say you are doing bench press. If you are doing 3-5 sets of bench, during your rest period in between each set hit the ab roller for like 15 reps.

(06-14-2017 01:33 PM)Remington Wrote:  

(06-14-2017 12:38 PM)Oz. Wrote:  How do you guys stay consistent with your ab training? For some reason I hate doing abs. Last time I had a back injury I was told it was due to a lack of proper warmup and a weak core.

I've been back at it for about 3 months now and still always find some excuse to skip any type of ab/core training.

You stay consistent by doing it literally every day. Stalin is on point with super setting an ab exercise with whatever you're focusing on that day. I'd shy away from super setting during leg day since your abs keep your form steady for squats, deadlifts, etc.

(06-14-2017 01:45 PM)Swell Wrote:  

(06-14-2017 12:38 PM)Oz. Wrote:  How do you guys stay consistent with your ab training? For some reason I hate doing abs. Last time I had a back injury I was told it was due to a lack of proper warmup and a weak core.

I've been back at it for about 3 months now and still always find some excuse to skip any type of ab/core training.

I have made abs part of my warm-up which has help me engage the abs while doing compound lifts.

Thats the problem, I'm an olympic weightlifter. It would be too taxing for me to do anything in between my working sets. The only times I find myself being consistent is on days with relative low volume and that's at most 2-3 times a week. The only times I am able to properly train ab/core is before or after my training.

If I do it before I have to be careful not to overdo it and after i'm usually too taxed to do anything. Maybe I should stop being a little bitch?

Post: #3436

stimulate not annihilate.

Post: #3437

Well, I am getting back into the gym again. Before I was doing walks outside, but it got too hot now. The plan is to run about 5 times a week while keeping my calories at about 1800. I have a little bit of pudge around my belly, so the goal is to drop about 20 pounds (hopefully all fat) then to start hitting the weights in order to build up muscle.

Post: #3438

(06-15-2017 10:17 AM)All or Nothing Wrote:  Well, I am getting back into the gym again. Before I was doing walks outside, but it got too hot now. The plan is to run about 5 times a week while keeping my calories at about 1800. I have a little bit of pudge around my belly, so the goal is to drop about 20 pounds (hopefully all fat) then to start hitting the weights in order to build up muscle.

You will shred body fat if you get into the gym now. Start lifting heavy, eat clean, and you will shred fat while putting on muscle.

I took a year off lifting due to injury, I had a gut and felt weak as hell. But, after being back in the gym for 4 months and lifting 4x a week, my six pack is back (not as defined as it was in the past, but getting there), my gains have been ridiculous, almost to the point of catching up to past PRs, and my bodyweight has increased, filling out my 6'6 frame.

You can do it man. It takes a whole lot of drive and willpower to have a steady routine and diet, but it is worth the effort.

Post: #3439

Gained 30 lbs of fat during my recently ended LTR. Dropped 10 pretty fast but have since stalled out over the last 2 weeks. Doing a low carb diet that's worked in the past but I'm now in my mid 30s and my body doesn't seem to respond as fast.

My basic meal plan:
Breakfast: coffee + banana on gym days
Lunch: salad of mixed vegetables + ac vinegar and olive oil, one chicken breast
Post work out snack (on lifting days): Greek yogurt/kale shake + protein powder
Dinner: some kind of vegetable + steak or chicken

I eat simple carbs one day a week but try to avoid sugar.

I've cut out beer and am now drinking dry wine or soda water when I go out.

The weight will come off, just frustrating to see the slow start.

Post: #3440

(06-15-2017 06:33 PM)Ensam Wrote:  Gained 30 lbs of fat during my recently ended LTR. Dropped 10 pretty fast but have since stalled out over the last 2 weeks. Doing a low carb diet that's worked in the past but I'm now in my mid 30s and my body doesn't seem to respond as fast.

My basic meal plan:
Breakfast: coffee + banana on gym days
Lunch: salad of mixed vegetables + ac vinegar and olive oil, one chicken breast
Post work out snack (on lifting days): Greek yogurt/kale shake + protein powder
Dinner: some kind of vegetable + steak or chicken

I eat simple carbs one day a week but try to avoid sugar.

I've cut out beer and am now drinking dry wine or soda water when I go out.

The weight will come off, just frustrating to see the slow start.

Sounds like you're on the right path. One of my body builder buddies who I work out with every once and a while told me to take a 15 minute fast paced walk every morning as soon as I wake up. After the walk, eat your breakfast and continue your normal routine. You will apparently start to drop fat like crazy.

Just started doing it a couple days ago. I believe the dude considering he has an 8 pack and completely shredded.

Post: #3441

The fasted morning cardio you mentioned above works great. Works even better if you cut carbs out 4 hours prior to going to bed, and if you take a good fat burning supp 45 mins before starting your cardio.

Post: #3442

^^ I'm finally getting into this scene as well. ^^

Post: #3443

I'm a big fan of fasted cardio. I do 3-5 mile walks fasted every morning. That said, you can't out run (or walk) a bad diet - even if it's fasted.