My time to get fit - stage 1 - The beginning.

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Well last nights session was ok.

The bench press with the new weight was dissapointing but I seem to be seeing a pattern. First session where I raise the weight I do pretty well at but the following session seems to have quite poor results and then subsequent sessions build up from there.

The fly's now with 25lbs did some damage. Feels like I have torn the muscle along the top of my shoulders. Bit uncomfortable but liveable.

I also did my first drop sets. As I was so dissapointed with the bench press I did them at the end of my routine.

60Kg -> fail (7 reps)
50Kg -> fail (8 reps)
40Kg -> fail (10 reps)
30Kg -> fail (12 reps)
20Kg -> fail (15 reps).

The 30 and 20Kg's failed due to pain / burning rather than failure to lift due to arms not working.

Well that really pumped my chest and I can feel it in my arms as well today. I also quite enjoyed it and ended up with doing bench presses with an empty bar :p.

Regards
RB
 
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Thanks Dark Shadow,

I have seen your progress in one or two of the other threads and the difference between the start and current result is stunning. Congrats on the results. Must feel great now looking back on the starting photo.

Yeah it is a bit difficult at the moment and the weight does not seem to be coming off as quick as I would like. Money is tight, as with everyone, so I have just switched gyms to True fitness.

A few injuries are also causing issues. Along with the Achillies tendon which is taking a lot of time to heal and is frustrating as I want to get back to my squats, I have the left hand injury which shows itself with the bars pressure on the pad at the bottom of the thumb (bench press) and now a strain / tear on the shoulder (Supraspinatus I would guess) from the flys although this seems to be healing fine.

On the whole I am happy with the muscle size and strength gains, it is just the fat loss I would like to see more visible results on but ...... it has taken 3 years to put on that much fat so it will take more than 3 months to get rid of it ;).

On a side note, I have found a great site for a visible muscle directory here. I have no experience of any other sections including medical advice so cannot comment.

Cheers
RB
 
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Don;t get too booged down on the weight side of things right now, if you feel fitter, stronger and that you can do more thats great progress in itself. Its something I struggle with, not understanding why weight isnt dropping off me when im eating right and training well. But the fact my clothes are looser and I feel much fitter serves as a reminder.
Did you take a picture at the start of this, i bet if you took one now in the same position you will see a difference :)
 
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just stumbled across this thread, have to say i'm in a worse position than you when you started, lack of motivation is a poor excuse i know , still trying to find someway to kick my arse into gear.

keep up the good work, looks like its going well.

i'll follow along and hopefully realise i need to do myself some good before life turns sour.

and the treats you had on your wifes birthday can easily be overcome with a little extra work, the brusies from the battering you might have got if you'd said "sorry love , i'm trying to watch my weight" will have taken a lot longer to recover from :D.
 
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Thanks Dark Shadow,

I have seen your progress in one or two of the other threads and the difference between the start and current result is stunning. Congrats on the results. Must feel great now looking back on the starting photo.

Yeah it is a bit difficult at the moment and the weight does not seem to be coming off as quick as I would like. Money is tight, as with everyone, so I have just switched gyms to True fitness.

A few injuries are also causing issues. Along with the Achillies tendon which is taking a lot of time to heal and is frustrating as I want to get back to my squats, I have the left hand injury which shows itself with the bars pressure on the pad at the bottom of the thumb (bench press) and now a strain / tear on the shoulder (Supraspinatus I would guess) from the flys although this seems to be healing fine.

On the whole I am happy with the muscle size and strength gains, it is just the fat loss I would like to see more visible results on but ...... it has taken 3 years to put on that much fat so it will take more than 3 months to get rid of it ;).

On a side note, I have found a great site for a visible muscle directory here. I have no experience of any other sections including medical advice so cannot comment.

Cheers
RB
Definitely does, the only downside is spending a lot of money refitting the wardrobe :D

The weight shouldn't be dropping off too quick. Aim for 1lb/2lb a week if you stay static or even a small gain don't despair. Muscle weighs more than fat. I hit what I assumed to be a plateau and started despairing. It was the pictures and measurements that brought me to realisation. In short, the scales should only be used to monitor your weight. For fat loss it's all about measurements/pictures and body fat callipers. More so your mind starts playing games with you in the later stages, just don't be victim :)

Ouch, sounds like you've got a fair bit going on! Be sure to take it easy. Injuries can be permanent and training will only irritate and slow down recovery. Be patient.
 
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Thanks all,

I think maybe it is that I am putting on muscle quicker than I am loosing fat and TBH the best way of eccelerating the fat loss is to get back doing the cardio more as I have been slacking a bit there owing to the fact that I find it very boring :(. Weights I enjoy on the whole but on the cross trainer for 40+ minutes is just mind numbing even with tv there. Maybe I will see if I can sort out some setup with my eepc or something and some episodes of CSI or whatever.

Running or the like outside is particularly difficult for me with this tropical climate and this chesty cough is just making the cardio even more difficult.

I will find a way around it though. Just need to get my thinking cap on.

blairw said:
Don;t get too booged down on the weight side of things right now, if you feel fitter, stronger and that you can do more thats great progress in itself. Its something I struggle with, not understanding why weight isnt dropping off me when im eating right and training well. But the fact my clothes are looser and I feel much fitter serves as a reminder.
Did you take a picture at the start of this, i bet if you took one now in the same position you will see a difference :)

I feel prouder if that counts :D. More confidence, walk down the street with head high and shoulders back. Due to my height and loosing some fat the rest is pretty well hidden when clothed.

My trousers have more space around the waist but most of that was gained in the initial stages of the training and now the gains are harder to notice. My shirts are tighter due to my chest filling out. That is a nice feeling.

I have the initial pre-exercise shots in this thread along with a couple from a few weeks in. I am going to do some more in a week or two as a progress report. Until I do them it is going to be hard to tell how much more I have gained / lost. Think I really need to see them side by side :D.

Although I do post quite a bit about my weight on the scales, I am not concerned about it and the fluctuating for many reasons already posted all over the forums. The inch measurements are not changing very much though around the waist. Gotta kick my butt more to get the cardio done rather than missing or doing short sessions.

mp260767 said:
just stumbled across this thread, have to say i'm in a worse position than you when you started, lack of motivation is a poor excuse i know , still trying to find someway to kick my arse into gear.

Take a series of pictures in your speedos. Provided the motivation for me to get my butt in gear when I did that for myself ;).

mp260767 said:
keep up the good work, looks like its going well.

Thanks, despite the perceived slow fat loss I would rather be here than back where I was around 3 months ago.

mp260767 said:
i'll follow along and hopefully realise i need to do myself some good before life turns sour.

Earlier you start, the easier it is. Does not matter how old you are, you are only going to get older and it will get harder so start now :D.

mp260767 said:
and the treats you had on your wifes birthday can easily be overcome with a little extra work, the brusies from the battering you might have got if you'd said "sorry love , i'm trying to watch my weight" will have taken a lot longer to recover from :D.

I don't mind too much but she was very sneeky with the cheese cake and she can eat more or less what she likes without gaining weight. I think she feels I am missing out and so tries to push for me to enjoy the good food every now and then. We are also both very impulsive so it can be hard to resist.

dark_shadow said:
Ouch, sounds like you've got a fair bit going on! Be sure to take it easy. Injuries can be permanent and training will only irritate and slow down recovery. Be patient.

I am trying to be patient at the moment and have not hit the weights since Tuesday in the hope that I will get all the damage repaired. My shoulder is feeling pretty good, just a slight twinge, my hand is feeling better but it is only with the weight on it that I can really feel it and the Achilles tendon is feeling a bit better again so hopefully that is on the mend. I will keep with the cardio only for this week and hit the weights again coming Monday.

[URL="http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/member.php?u=55381" said:
8igdave[/URL]]Just thought id post to say your doing a real good job by the look of those pictures. Keep it up
smile.gif
. Bet the wife is proud.

My wife being chinese prefers the skinny guys like the ones from the Japanise / Taiwanese / Korean soap opera's. She will be out of luck but as I am only aiming for something like Dark_Shadows build she will not be too displeased. My ex would be proud ;).

I am undecided on whether to continue with the routine I am using or to move to the stronglifts or riptoe routines. My strength has improved which is fairly obvious by my results but I feel my endurance is still pretty weak. I am hoping that one of those two programs will help to change that.

I have also now cancelled my Fitness First membership and signed with True fitness. They offered 3 months free and 25% cheaper than Fitness first. Downside that I have to bring my own workout clothes, Fintess First provided workout attire. New gym, new routine maybe.

Due to the shoulder injury which felt like a tear in the muscle rather than a ligament issue, I have been upping the protein intake. Tofu (300g) with my lunch salad and Parma ham (100g), lots of eggs and two shakes before bed to fuel the repair. All I can say, 300g tofu in one go is too much ;) and the protein shakes with milk are superlicious :D. Must stay with water for the shakes though to help keep the calories down.

Cheers
RB
 
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I did cardio like a nutter at the start of last year. It's extremely tough and demoralising. I left the cardio and started weight training in August last year. Believe it or not I never did cardio when I started the weights last year. I'd may be go for the odd run in the summer. If you find cardio boring/difficult to stick to. Then a good weights regime with a good diet is all you need. I'm living proof of that.

Throughout my cutting period I stuck with water for shakes. Milk is tasty but also contains calories that you don't really need at this stage.

Stick with a free weights routine for a while then switch to strong lifts. Strong lifts is immense! I did it for 7 weeks and it's immense. I hope to pick it up again within a few months.

You could also start experimenting with a keto diet. I started one 4 weeks ago and I lost 10lb combined with fasting. It's a lot quicker than I expected but I hope it will be less dramatic when I finish fasting.
 
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Thanks again Dark_Shadow,

Interesting advice as usual.

Well something is against me and cardio :D. I went to buy some shorts at lunch time so I could do a cardio sessing before back to work and nowhere had western sizes....... Nike / addidas only had asian sizes which means XXXL is skin tight on me if I can get them on..... Royal sporting house (chain of sports stores) didn't have any staff to ask about sizes and the shorts so not indicate asian or western sizing.

Oh well there is a big sale on from one of the major department stores and so I will go there and get something much cheaper over the weekend.

Out of interest, what measure would you use to indicate that stronglifts is within reach, or how long to wait before trying it ?.

I like milk and yes the shake with milk was great but it is the first time in the last 3 months I have had it with milk. I will be sticking to water for the very reasons you mention for now ;).

Ok, after a little looking into the cyclic Keto diet (CKD) I get;

Lean body weight in lbs = protein grams intake (*4 = calories)
Total body weight *15 = Maintenance calorific requirement
Maintenance calorific requirement - protein calories = fat calories required (/9 = fat grams)

So 225lbs (168lbs lean)
168g protein = 168 * 4 = 672 calories from protein
224lbs * 15 = 3360calories for maintenance.
500 Calorie defecit / day = 2860 calories required per day
2860 calories - 672 protein calories = 1428 calories required from fats
1428 calories = 159g fat per day.

So;
For Sunday -> Friday lunch
168g of protein / day
159g of fat / day

For Friday afternoon -> Saturday midnight
Protein stays the same
Fat must be under lean body weight in Kg (76.3)
10-12g carbs / Kg of lean body weight (168 / 2.2 = 76.3)
76.3 * 11g = 839.3g carbs / day.

So;
168g of protein
< 76.3g of fat
839.3g of carbs

Friday afternoon before the last workout eat some fruit to get the body ready for the carb loading process.

Does this sound about right.

If so I just have to find out which foods I can eat for the Sunday -> Friday lunch period as most foods I have seen tend to have some carbs in them.

Also I understand that upto 30g carbs is safe / day although best avoided if possible. Any comments on that.

Many thanks
RB
 
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I don't have time to read all the posts but I'll chip in from what i read in the first few posts.

I agree with Morba in his second post. Sometimes the size just comes with genetics. I go gym very regularly, I lift amongst the heaviest in the place, 40kg dumbell a side on bench press (an I only weigh 60kg). i train the same way and with the bigger guys there however I'm just soooo much smaller than them, I just can't put on size.

However if you naturally grow I'd recommend balancing heavy lifting with endurance training.
 
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I don't have time to read all the posts but I'll chip in from what i read in the first few posts.

I agree with Morba in his second post. Sometimes the size just comes with genetics. I go gym very regularly, I lift amongst the heaviest in the place, 40kg dumbell a side on bench press (an I only weigh 60kg). i train the same way and with the bigger guys there however I'm just soooo much smaller than them, I just can't put on size.

However if you naturally grow I'd recommend balancing heavy lifting with endurance training.

Smaller maybe but it must be nice to pull out the bigger weights amoung the newbies and see the looks of disbelief on their faces ;).

Thanks for the post psy-blade. Have a scan through the rest of the thread if you have time as there has been a lot of 'water under the bridge' since the first few posts and some great advice given by people here. Sure, a lot of the posts may, possibly, be me rambling a bit but hopefully they are not too boring :D.

Well if I am going to try the CKD diet I really should get some more photos up and get prepared by stocking up on the right food.

Maybe I will do a weights session tomorrow and then take the photos after :p.

Cheers
RB
 
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If you find cardio boring/difficult to stick to. Then a good weights regime with a good diet is all you need. I'm living proof of that.

That right there is the approach I took after seeing Dark Shadows progress

I do walk home from work which is 3 miles and do one day cardio day in the gym, so I dont JUST do weights. I do believe though, that its the diet and the weights regime that has been the biggest factor in the weight lose.

Speaking of which, the side of my abs are coming through now....so im hoping that it shouldnt be too long till Im ready to put up an update shot :)
Lost 45lbs since March and just feeling very anxious and excited about moving onto the lean bulk and concentrating on getting my lifts up.

Anyway...
Keep up the good work and keep the updates coming.
 
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ok, end of week 11

Some more progress pics of a still fairly poor standard.

Non-pumped. Have not been lifting weights for 3 days.

progress317-09-09.jpg


progress217-09-09.jpg


progress117-09-09.jpg


Just took them after getting in from work so a bit puffed.

Regards
RB
 
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Uh huh. What kind of sets / reps do you do with those?

lol I'm not asking anyone here to believe me, I do it because it makes me feel good not to show off, my point was, size is genetic.

My chest workout usually goes something like.

Warmup: 16kg - just enough reps to feel warm
Warmup: As above
Light: 32kg a side, 8 reps
Heavy: 40kg a side, 8 reps
Heavy: 40kg a side, 8 reps
Medium: 36/34 a side, 8 reps.

I switched to this a while ago, and I really love the short time it takes to, and spending a good percentage at my max, it took me up from 32's to 40kg in about 2 or 3 months.

edit: RimBlock, I will certainly read through the thread sometime. I'm off out now, maybe tomorrow while I'm recovering :D
 
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lol I'm not asking anyone here to believe me, I do it because it makes me feel good not to show off, my point was, size is genetic.

My chest workout usually goes something like.

Warmup: 16kg - just enough reps to feel warm
Warmup: As above
Light: 32kg a side, 8 reps
Heavy: 40kg a side, 8 reps
Heavy: 40kg a side, 8 reps
Medium: 36/34 a side, 8 reps.

I switched to this a while ago, and I really love the short time it takes to, and spending a good percentage at my max, it took me up from 32's to 40kg in about 2 or 3 months.

edit: RimBlock, I will certainly read through the thread sometime. I'm off out now, maybe tomorrow while I'm recovering :D

Hi mate, I don't mean to be patronising or tell you what you already know, but is your diet in check? Because all of the reading around I have done would lead me to think that at that rep range and weight you should be larger than 60kg.

Edit: I'd also like to say thanks to you Rimblock for some very interesting and informative posts, and wish you luck with your training :)
 
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Well, another day, another gym......

First time at True Fitness. I guess it is what you are used too but I was a little disapointed.

They only have one bench press bench (one incline bench press and 3 smith machines, one also as a power cage but with no olympic bar). All weights are in lbs so I have to convert all barbell weights too the nearest lbs available. I also didn't have my weights sheet and felt pretty run down before starting......

All in all not the best experience. A little ajustment and I am sure things will work out.

On the plus side I had another go with the chin / pullups / dips. I am stronger on the dips with just a 36Kg assist (2*8), the others were around 45Kg assist and only 2*5. The machine is a cytec (I think) branded machine and works with weight 'stages' so the weight offset does not have the amount of weight but a 'stage' written on it. ou then have too look up the stage to find the weight offset. Stupid system :p. I just want to know the weight.

Oh they do have an incline situp bench so I will start to use that a bit as well.

They have lots of cable and fixed movement machines although I am trying to stay away for the moment.

I also am looking for some ideas for low catches for the bench press bench. The bench has two pegs which fit in the holes in the bench uprites to catch the bar. There is only one set of pegs and the bottom holes are quite high meaning that I am unlikely to push to the limit as failure would mean not being able to reach the pegs. So, a solution may be to buy a couple of pegs with a metal strip coming down and ending in a hook. Anyone know if these already exist or if I need to have them custom made ?

Cheers
RB
 
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I agree with Morba in his second post. Sometimes the size just comes with genetics. I go gym very regularly, I lift amongst the heaviest in the place, 40kg dumbell a side on bench press (an I only weigh 60kg). i train the same way and with the bigger guys there however I'm just soooo much smaller than them, I just can't put on size.

Those are some good lifts, eat more and you'll inevitably put on size ;).
 
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