[demon]

I'm 38 and have never done a deadlift in my life. I need to change that.

There's no lift more satisfying IMO.

[FallingEdge]

Yeah, it's going to start off relatively easy. Just remember the last working set you're going for that 5/3/1+ more reps. At the end of each cycle you add at most 5lbs for upper body and 10lbs for lower body for your TRAINING max, not your 1rm. No recalculation needed since you're simply adding to your training max, simply figure out your weight needs based on that. Cycles can be any number of weeks depending on template. For instance my cycles last 6 weeks because I only lift twice a week. The only time you would recalculate a 1rm again (or drastically change your training max) is when you stall or change goals.

Is it training max? I thought it was your 1RM because your training max is based off your 1RM.

[MjFrancis]

This post is a little late, but better late than never. You're looking solid, Shogun. You stay on top of things and keep a pretty long-term vision in check at all times. With strength like yours and the definition you're getting you are sure to be the first officer picked to go along on bar checks in whatever department you end up at. I'd put money on it! :P

---

Trained Monday and ran into an old gym buddy. He had a pair of bands that went up to +175lbs of resistance and so I had a go at it after my 5/3/1 sets of squats. I did well but was wholly unprepared for how awesome it ended up being. I only did a couple sets but it's a challenge to keep tension built up while it's sucking you into the hole and then exploding out of a force that puts up more resistance as you complete a rep. I'm not going to buy a pair anytime soon but someday it may end up being another tool I keep handy in a few years.

---

Also, a pound of frozen strawberries is 150 calories. So, I've been eating a pound of frozen strawberries every time I get the urge to eat ice cream. Sure beats the 1,000 calories I'd otherwise consume from a pint of green tea ice cream.

----

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_games

I dare anyone in this thread to watch any given game in person and not leave there wanting to throw something heavy around afterwards. Case in point: caber tossing.

---

Final thought of the day: if I could only train one movement for the rest of my life it would be the deadlift.

[Alienshogun]

Training max. Your 1rm never changes until you retest/re-evaluate.

Edit: Thanks a lot MJ!

Edit: Also, I've been to highland games many times. I've often wanted to participate in shotput. I was really good at it in Highschool, if I remember right I threw a 12lb shotput 50ish feet.

Highland games are a blast, and full of drunken Scotsmen and wannabes.

[Petrie]

24 pounds lost and maintaining my lifts and even adding weight in other lifts leads me to believe I'm not damaging myself.

Please stop equating weight and progress in the gym with overall health and wellness. That's all I ask. You are going to mislead people coming in here looking for overall health and fitness advice.

[Khalifa Jayy]

I'm just gonna say: you guys with huge deadlift gains should really do everything you can to make sure your form is absolutely proper. I'm tall so I round out my back a lot so I've been messing with different stance/technique to make sure I'm lifting properly. But trust me, its easy to lift heavy even with bad form and "feel" like you're getting a good workout. It'll feel good now but your back will be wrecked in twenty years.

[mooooose]

I'm just gonna say: you guys with huge deadlift gains should really do everything you can to make sure your form is absolutely proper. I'm tall so I round out my back a lot so I've been messing with different stance/technique to make sure I'm lifting properly. But trust me, its easy to lift heavy even with bad form and "feel" like you're getting a good workout. It'll feel good now but your back will be wrecked in twenty years.

This sounds incredibly bitter for some reason lol.

[Khalifa Jayy]

This sounds incredibly bitter for some reason lol.

Nah I love hearing success stories from my bros, but I just want all of you to gain properly. Straining your back is the worst thing you can do...and like I said sometimes you'll feel like you're doing it right but if you can, watch yourself on video or in the mirror to make sure you're lifting correctly.

[CrankyJay]

Please stop equating weight and progress in the gym with overall health and wellness. That's all I ask. You are going to mislead people coming in here looking for overall health and fitness advice.

I'm not going to stop using my personal experience, because that's what I know. People are smart enough to know that what works for someone might not work for someone else. Almost 100% of the people in here are asking how to get bigger or lose weight anyway. Now leave me alone.

[Cudder]

I'm just gonna say: you guys with huge deadlift gains should really do everything you can to make sure your form is absolutely proper. I'm tall so I round out my back a lot so I've been messing with different stance/technique to make sure I'm lifting properly. But trust me, its easy to lift heavy even with bad form and "feel" like you're getting a good workout. It'll feel good now but your back will be wrecked in twenty years.

I feel what you're saying. I don't think I have perfect form, but I think I hit all of the important bits. I'm gonna post some videos soon of my bench and deadlifts.

OH, and I FOUND my "Before" pics I took last year when I started lifting weights, I'll post them whenever I take some new "After" pics.

[worldrevolution]

Please stop equating weight and progress in the gym with overall health and wellness. That's all I ask. You are going to mislead people coming in here looking for overall health and fitness advice.

You keep saying this, but it's too big of a blanket statement to just push protein bars into the unhealthy category while saying something else is perfectly fine. Can I ask, do you eat all organic and natural foods every day? Drink completely filtered spring water and take supplements without any chemicals or unnatural additives? Do you put nothing into your body that isn't "healthy"? I have a feeling I eat much "healthier" than most of the posters here simply because I make most of my own food and only use organic ingredients from produce to meat, but even I enjoy supplementing with protein bars or eating a scoop of Haagen Dasz every now and then. That doesn't make me unhealthy.

Yes, yes, you were saying eating a protein bar EVERY day is as bad as eating a snickers EVERY day. You can try to duck and weave however you like with how you phrase your defense, but in the end, we all put shit in our body that does nothing good for us. I don't care if you're bulking, cutting, fucking, sucking - eating a protein bar is healthier than eating a snickers bar. I'll stand next to that opinion (dare I say fact) all day err day. Now whether a protein bar fits in someone's specific diet or what frequency they eat them is a completely different topic.

But for my OVERALL health and wellness, I'ma slap that Builder in my mouth before I ever pick up a Buttefinger. And that's not just because it has a big, bold sign for PROTEIN on it.

Feel free to disagree, but spare me the "spreading misinformation" shit like you have to police all the horrible things people might say in this thread about a protein bar. That we some how might mislead a little new lamb reading this thread and they'll think protein bars are the messiah of fitness foods.. actually they might think bacon is now.

[Srsly]

Candy bar / gatorade / cliff builder whatever the fuck carb source isn't going to hurt you if you're working out intensely with weights.

[Tashi]

There's no lift more satisfying IMO.

Gotta agree here. Did dead lifts today and I felt awesome.

[CrankyJay]

It looks like we are at an impasse. Let's just move on.

[Srsly]

Lots of bodybuilders/power lifters consume pure dextrose while working out. Why? It will replenish glycogen stores quickly, which is something that is needed when going through an intense workout. So what's going to happen to this dextrose? It's going to replenish glycogen, which is then going to be converted to lactic acid once the muscles reach their lactic threshold. Big deal. The extra glucose, fructose, whatever is not going to make you fat or have any long-term health consequences if it's being oxidized during intense activity.

[worldrevolution]

Again, he'll argue that that's not what he's saying, that he's saying on an overall, standard, basic, every day, general, blahblah level of healthiness that we all strive to attain - protein bars are the equivalent of a candy bar when it comes to the shit that goes into your body when you eat either. I politely disagree. That's all.

[twofold]

I'm just gonna say: you guys with huge deadlift gains should really do everything you can to make sure your form is absolutely proper. I'm tall so I round out my back a lot so I've been messing with different stance/technique to make sure I'm lifting properly. But trust me, its easy to lift heavy even with bad form and "feel" like you're getting a good workout. It'll feel good now but your back will be wrecked in twenty years.

As a tall person (6ft3), Sumo Deadlifts kick ass. I ditched regular Deadlifts two months back and there's no way I'm going back. Definitely recommended for the taller folks out there. ^

Also, if your back is rounding while lifting, incorporate some supermans (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/.../Superman.html) into your warmup. I was having some back rounding issues while squatting/deadlifting but supermans fixed the problem right away.

[blackflag]

it is fine to round upper back on deadlift, just don't round your lower back.

[abuC]

Alright, here it is gents. 218 today, down from 246 in January 28 lbs total. Most of that since May. Here are then January shirtless pics. Here are the now pictures. Quads are 26 inches Waist is 34 inches Calves and biceps are 16 inches (had wife measure all.) Not exactly where I wanted to be, but it's at least an improvement. I'm still pulling 500+, benching upper 300s (370+), squatting around 400ish (really took a hit) and still military pressing 230. And one last pic with me with a god damned shirt on.

Great work.

[themadhatter444]

As a tall person (6ft3), Sumo Deadlifts kick ass. I ditched regular Deadlifts two months back and there's no way I'm going back. Definitely recommended for the taller folks out there. ^ Also, if your back is rounding while lifting, incorporate some supermans (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/.../Superman.html) into your warmup. I was having some back rounding issues while squatting/deadlifting but supermans fixed the problem right away.

Money. I love sumo DLs or goblet squats with my kettlebell.

Damnit. I need to stop reading this thread while I'm sick. Tempted to go to the gym anyway. 1RM on only 3-4 lifts shouldn't be too bad, I would think. Hmmm...

[tapedeck]

I have a question for anyone that knows a thing or two about workout related injury. About 3 weeks ago I started noticing pain on the anterior side of my left wrist (Ulna side). The pain isnt in the bone, it feels more like its just below the skin. There was some heavy swelling but that has gone down. Now it just hurts when lifting, it feels kinda like a partial tendon tear or maybe a light sprain? The pain is only when Im lifting heavier weights but it is very distracting and I cant help but think Im making it worse by not stopping my training. Thing is I dont want to waste money going to a doctor if they are just gonna tell me to stop working out but Im also worried it could be more serious. Has anyone ever experienced this? As I said before the pain only occurs when Im lifting heavier weights. I know Im playing with fire but I cant stand the thought of taking a break from the gym cause Im on a roll right now.

[Petrie]

Again, he'll argue that that's not what he's saying, that he's saying on an overall, standard, basic, every day, general, blahblah level of healthiness that we all strive to attain - protein bars are the equivalent of a candy bar when it comes to the shit that goes into your body when you eat either. I politely disagree. That's all.

Because that's what the discussion being referenced was about. It wasn't about bulking up, or cutting, or any of this. It was about how healthy a given diet was. From that standpoint, you shouldn't eat them any more often than you would a candy bar.

Context.


Someone was asking about their diet and what could be improved. That was the item that stood out. Oh well.


Anyways, being away from my gym this week is driving me damn crazy. Rollerblading/kickboxing/running/bodyweight stuff is great, and I got a lame workout in at Planet Fitness, but I miss my big barbell lifts.

[Carbonox_Ratchet]

Tempted to post my progress since I last posted a pic about a month and a half/two months ago, especially due to Shogun's great and inspirational pics...

[Petrie]

Tempted to post my progress since I last posted a pic about a month and a half/two months ago, especially due to Shogun's great and inspirational pics...

Shogun is always such a beast. Makes me feel so inadequate about my own genes and paltry progress, but so motivational all at the same time. He truly is an inspiration.


Seeing the points he logs on Fitocracy sometimes just makes me cringe.

[Alienshogun]

You guys are making me fucking blush over here.

Just remember not to benchmark based off of someone else's work. I know we say this over and over, but it always bares repeating; progress/gains are important to be viewed in context. So long as your progressing that's what matters. Strength is relative.

I'm glad I have a positive influence on people here, it humbles me since I'm just like everyone else here, constantly trying to make myself better. That's all we can hope for in ourselves and our community. Best to perpetuate that.

Great work.

Thanks bud.

[SeanR1221]

Petrie and shogun let's be friends on fitocracy. SeanR1221

[Tashi]

As a tall person (6ft3), Sumo Deadlifts kick ass. I ditched regular Deadlifts two months back and there's no way I'm going back. Definitely recommended for the taller folks out there. ^ Also, if your back is rounding while lifting, incorporate some supermans (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/.../Superman.html) into your warmup. I was having some back rounding issues while squatting/deadlifting but supermans fixed the problem right away.

Gonna check those out. I'm 6'4'' but I have no problem with regular dead lifts.

[Petrie]

Petrie and shogun let's be friends on fitocracy. SeanR1221

Added. Well, followed. Can't find the "friend" thing on mobile. I'm PetriesLastWord though.

[TheDarkStark]

Lots of bodybuilders/power lifters consume pure dextrose while working out. Why? It will replenish glycogen stores quickly, which is something that is needed when going through an intense workout. So what's going to happen to this dextrose? It's going to replenish glycogen, which is then going to be converted to lactic acid once the muscles reach their lactic threshold. Big deal. The extra glucose, fructose, whatever is not going to make you fat or have any long-term health consequences if it's being oxidized during intense activity.

I add 2 tbsp of Dextrose to my post-workout protein shakes, it replaces the glycogen, it also helps carry the creatine into my muscles.

I do this even when cutting, and I see great results.

[SeanR1221]

Followed you guys back. Aliens workouts are nuts. When I grow up, I want to be just like him.

[Petrie]

Followed you guys back. Aliens workouts are nuts. When I grow up, I want to be just like him.

Yep. Its fucking intimidating as fuck.

[rando14]

PIZZA NIGHT, FUCK EVERYTHING.

Jk, it's the best part of bulking :-)

[Cudder]

What do you guys usually get on subs if you get one?

[rando14]

What do you guys usually get on subs if you get one?

Huh? What are subs?

EDIT: wait you mean sub sandwiches? lol

[Petrie]

What do you guys usually get on subs if you get one?

A wrap instead.

Nah, personally I'm a meatball fan if I'm cheating, otherwise turkey and lots of veggies.

[Lamel]

What do you guys usually get on subs if you get one?

Chicken, cheese, veggies. Why?

[TheDarkStark]

What do you guys usually get on subs if you get one?

I try not to eat them, too much bread. But when I do I'll get it on whole wheat with provolone cheese and lettuce. And I'll either get roast beef, buffalo chicken, or Teriyaki chicken.

[MrToughPants]

196.6lbs pre-shit-pwo, had 2/3cup of almonds and a glass of milk with a mountain dew and a glass of water (1010cal) before lifting and fuck those extra calories helped since I was tired as shit and didn't want to lift. But squats failed big time which pissed me off, probably doing them too often...might just do twice a week with Bsquat and Fsquat + RDL.

Then destroyed my back (in a good way) doing pendlay rows, did a continuous drop set of 276x5>265x5>220x15 then took 5min break and did 198x19 I think... Followed it up with high clean pulls (neck height), new experiment for me, up to 308x5 supersetted with 120 DB shrugs, pulls felt really good on my hip/pelvis area I think I'll do them again next week.

[PantherLotus]

Hovering right at 167-169 daily now. That's 14-15 lbs of my 20lb goal. Trying to squeeze out another 5lbs for an fairly lean look (5-11 here). I think I can get down there in a couple more weeks.

I need to get a bench for home use. Any suggestions?

Any tips for doing deadlifts with dumbells until I get a bar and some plates?

[FallingEdge]

face pulls.

fuck youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.

Do you guys lean back when you do them or stand straight up?

[Man]

I have exercised 26 out of the last 30 days (60-90min sessions). Try to do every other day cardio/strength. Also try to give each muscle group at least two days of rest.
img - One year ago (bmi 35.8)
img - February (bmi 25.3)
img - Last week
I'm planning to cut in September and I actually believe I will get a six pack showing. At the age of 28, I have never had that in my life (though I was slim in my teens).

[rando14]

face pulls. fuck youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu. Do you guys lean back when you do them or stand straight up?

Lean back.

[PantherLotus]

I have exercised 26 out of the last 30 days (60-90min sessions). Try to do every other day cardio/strength. Also try to give each muscle group at least two days of rest. img - One year ago (bmi 35.8) img - February (bmi 25.3) img - Last week I'm planning to cut in September and I actually believe I will get a six pack showing. At the age of 28, I have never had that in my life (though I was slim in my teens).

Freaking fantastic progress! You should cut now.

[Man]

I'm two-three weeks away from managing to bench 100kg/220lbs. Getting to three digits (metric/kg) is a big psychological win for me.
I clearly remember thinking about that a couple of years back that I wouldn't experience it in my lifetime but now I'm so close. I'm afraid that if I start cutting now then I will delay that progress.

[Ashhong]

Here's a dumb question, when you guys take pictures to keep track of your progress, what "pose" do you do? Do you keep arms to the side, non flexed? Raise 1 arm up and flex?

Does it not matter as long as you stay consistent?

Also, eating cottage cheese with pineapple from Staters Bro for the first time, pretty tasty, and 22g of protein per cup. Not bad.

[BeautifulMemory]

What's a more "valid" picture for before/after? In the morning without anything in the stomach, or after workout? I'm asking because my belly gets kind of bloated once I put food in there

[PantherLotus]

Guys guys guys -- do whatever makes you look best and feel the baddest ass. My personal favorite right now is grabbing the back of my neck while twisting around in the morning light, so my now-showing abs and still-too-small chest cast some sweet fuckin shadows.

[Ashhong]

Thanks Professional Schmuck

[PantherLotus]

Thanks Professional Schmuck

Sure thing. You might avoid the half-boner underwear poses I see a lot in here, though. Unsettling.

[DarthWufei]

You guys are making me fucking blush over here. Just remember not to benchmark based off of someone else's work. I know we say this over and over, but it always bares repeating; progress/gains are important to be viewed in context. So long as your progressing that's what matters. Strength is relative. I'm glad I have a positive influence on people here, it humbles me since I'm just like everyone else here, constantly trying to make myself better. That's all we can hope for in ourselves and our community. Best to perpetuate that. Thanks bud.

A+++++ post, would read again. :) Really great work man, keep at it! Reading about your latest gym endeavors always keeps me motivated to keep going.

Man, I saw a guy at my gym doing power cleans today. How important are these in a strength training program? I've never done them, usually just stick to conventional strength lifts.