***The 2021 Gym Rats Thread*** ᕦ( ͠°◞ °)ᕥ

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tom_e

tom_e

tom_e

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We've been slacking a bit this year so here's this years thread. Only a few days late :o
 
First things first for you lucky lot.

This is me as of last night getting my unknown at the time last session in before lockdown 3.0 sitting at 236.8lbs
My goal for the end of this lockdown is to come out leaner with minimal muscle loss using nothing but walking for my cardio and resistance bands for my workouts. Anything is better than the state I came out of lockdown 1.0 in though :o

ACtC-3deEBhczyF-BV92rKxZLuHz0gHcvDpVKWFlm1SlfFAOa7-gHeNBDrogRBztfjk9jdIQvUTSddcL7uWG-XbYkCM0S_VpJK3cGQr8UtsglklkNzfqgO5hzlWB-L2-tZG0o8IVZmQM73JXHuB6XtPqTBrQsw=w667-h743-no
 
That beard must easily add 20kg to your lifts.
Goals for this year is to eat more cleaner and prey the gym opens up at some point this year. Ill have to force myself out for walks as i rely on the gym for keeping fit. I can honestly say in the 8 years i have been going to the gym i have never missed a session because i couldnt be bothered, but now that its closed my motivation to find other avenues to keep fit dont interest me unless i have a Barbell in my hands.
 
2021, going to keep being consistent and make sure I eat enough. Just finished a chest/triceps session and smashed out 100x10 on the bench press. Could have been the vegan Krispy Kreme I had delivered this morning that I had as a pre-workout :D
 
Strong v-taper.

I now have some DBs (Mira Fit short Oly DB handles) and plates (Pro-Plates 2cm steel plates) at home but I still can't stand training where I live, although it's better than nothing and I prefer it to doing bodyweight only.

Currently doing a PPL split although I still haven't settled on rep ranges (usually 3-4 sets of the first two movements, then 1-2 of the second). Exercise selection not that anybody asked but what else can I do with my day but kill time typing stuff...

Lower 1:
Deficit Bulgarian Split Squats (DBs + quad-focus)
Wall-assisted single leg RDLs (DBs)
Sissy squats (hold plate w/one hand, other holding onto something for stability)
Nordic Curls (band-assisted)
Toes to bar (bodyweight)
Jefferson Curls (hold plates, stand on yoga blocks)

Push 1:
Weighted Push-Ups (EZ Vest - feet elevated and w/push-up handles to restore full ROM)
Single-arm seated OHP (DB, other hand on wall for stability)
Lateral Raises (DBs)
Lying Tricep Extensions (DBs, do by stairs so can take weight behind head further)

Pull 1:
Inverted ring rows (EZ Vest, feet on stair bannisters)
Ring 'rack' chins (EZ Vest - use stair bannisters instead of a bench to put feet up)
Seated rear delt fly (DBs, bent over)
Standing Curls (DB, do single arm crunched over to the side slightly otherwise DBs hit my sides...)

Lower 2:
Step-Ups (DBs - was doing these outside but weather means might swap for supported pistol squats on a small step w/the EZ Vest)
Single-Leg Hip Thrust (DB)
Superset of Natural Leg Extensions (band-assisted) + Somersault Squats (DB) to hit quad across full ROM (former only hits bottom 1/2, latter top 1/2)
Gliding single leg curls (EZ Vest + rings, feet on bannister)
Weighted hollow-body crunches (hold plate)
Round Back Extensions (plate, sort of like a seated good morning but allowing for spinal flexion)

Push 2:
Ring Dips (EZ Vest)
Floor Press (DBs + yoga blocks and a gardener's knee rest as a 'bench' give some extra ROM but elbows still touch floor)
Upright Row (DBs)
Ring Tricep Extensions (EZ Vest)

Pull 2:
Ring Pull-Ups (EZ Vest)
Bent Over Rows (DBs)
Concentration Curls (DB)
Superset Face-Pulls (DB) + band pull-apart
 
Getting error messages when I click the links in the op, tried beginners guide and macros with no luck.

Overclockers UK Forums - Error
The requested page could not be found.

:(
 
SixTwoSix said:
Getting error messages when I click the links in the op, tried beginners guide and macros with no luck.

Overclockers UK Forums - Error
The requested page could not be found.

:(
Click to expand...
Looks like things may have moved since last years thread as I just copied the links over. I'll see if I can hunt all the new links down in a bit.
 
This will be the first year that gyms wont be flooded with the new year resolution army on the first week (before they realise what DOMS are :D )

Also means I need to get some motivation to do bits at home.. I do have a rower and some free weights lying around, just not much room to drag out the bench or squat rack :( May have to do something like complexes, cleans, BSS.. Trying to hit all the muscle groups.
 
Happy new year my gym bros!

From the second lockdown I decided to cut as gyms were closed and trying to bulk seemed fruitless without proper weights. When they opened again, I thought I'd keep it going till Christmas... until gyms closed again. Unfortunately I only have a pic at the 5 week mark after about 6kg fat loss (which is a lot on my semi-lean 63kg frame). Everytime i cut, I attack it with a new focus -on things like macros and meal timings, low intensity cardio, recovery and rest - I end up learning so much and i know it'll be way easier the next time round.

Here is what I managed to get to after 5 weeks from the start of November. No pump, minimal flexing but decent lighting :p. I took it all the way to christmas and got a fair bit leaner but i took no pic and my body has since been ruined by festive sin. No before pic either as I stupidly didn't think a month of cutting would be pic worthy.

IMG-20201207-140401-455.jpg



This time round I lost absolutely no strength, felt better and was eating at 2050kCal daily. A lot of attention to detail on what macros I was eating and when, to fuel lifting and general body functions but throwing in a ton of liss cardio evening and morning to create a substantial deficit. I could have turned the LISS down and reduced calories to achieve almost as much fat loss while putting in way less cardio but I doubt I could stomach a lower calorie diet with all the exercise at this time of year.
.
 
I've been going to the gym consistently since I was 20.. Given that I'm 53 next month, and with so much time out of the gy, I am now very concerned I'll never be able to get back to where I was this time last year.

I've always regarded the gym as an essential part of my lifestyle, like eating, breathing, sleeping, and so forth. it's not a "fad" for me, it's really like having a part of me taken away.
 
Admiral Huddy said:
I've been going to the gym consistently since I was 20.. Given that I'm 53 next month, and with so much time out of the gy, I am now very concerned I'll never be able to get back to where I was this time last year.

I've always regarded the gym as an essential part of my lifestyle, like eating, breathing, sleeping, and so forth. it's not a "fad" for me, it's really like having a part of me taken away.
Click to expand...

Pick up a small amount of kit and keep on training at home. A few dumbbells and some running will keep you in shape until gyms reopen.
 
PermaChanged said:
The lack of hairdressers in lock down is really concerning :(

Jokes aside, looking good buddy! Nice and lean and if that's pump and flex free you're in really decent shape
Click to expand...

Haircut free since first lockdown :o

Thanks my dude. Pic is without pump and with only a touch of ab flex but some very generous lighting there to assist (which goes further than any amount of flexing :p)

Its been a hell of a road and this month marks the 3 year point since picking up a weight and fumbling around with fitness. I can proudly say that I am in better shape in my 30s than not just when I was 20 but better than I thought I could even achieve!
 
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Well I’m happy with my first deadlift pull of 2021 of 242.5kg at 89kg. It’s easy to forget sometimes that it’s a hefty weight.

Although deadlift progress has slower, everything else is progressing well. Just desperate to get a new squat rack now, mainly for safety, but I’m so so thankful for what I have. This lockdown would have driven me crazy by now.
 
Have developed some sort of elbow injury now lol. Really hurting when benching, oh lord why do you keep punishing my bench gains in this way?

Yeah, am glad I bought the bench and squat rack. I really need to adjust the height of arms tho. It needs to be higher, will do it monday hopefully.
 
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