OcUK Health Seekers: Post your progress pics

this wasn't meant to be a bulk, I just started cutting unnecessary carbs out from my diet while trying maintain as much as possible muscle mass and shedding some of that flab off, now that i'm back to my usual routine I noticed that my strength has gone up as well.

What's weird is that I actually look bigger when I look at myself in the mirror, guess it's just an ego increase.

Definately try AGVT sometime in the future on a "bulkier" diet.

When you lean out you look bigger. So good work! Good news about the strength too. It's more important what you feel like when you look in the mirror. I feel I look skinny as hell, despite being naturally quite broad, I just can't see it Good work matey - keep it up!

well I'm a bit taller than you and missing quite a bit of mass so I look skinny as hell, especially in pictures, but probably because of the extra definition I gained I noticed some "improvement", yet still a long way to go.

thank you Freefaller, nice to hear from someone who knows what he's talking about that I'm on the right path.

Makunouchi said:

With Pull-ups try arching your back and focusing on pushing down with your elbows (instead of pulling up) and bring the bar to your chest, if you still can't feel it then you're not human

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BennyC said:

For the lats to contract the back needs to be arched. Pull from your elbows and squeeze your shoulder blades together.

A friend of mine I spotted 'arming it' on pull down at 82KG. I showed him the proper technique and he could barely shift 65

I found a false grip helps significantly in reducing bicep recruitment.

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Any good vids online that demonstrate good form?

No homo

7 months. Lifts: deadlifts improving every week, chest and legs are totally stagnant, still trying to strip the bodyfat.



My diet is simply not sufficient for putting on muscle, I know I'm not eating correctly for that. Still no six pack either! So I feel like I'm stuck in the middle and that I should start eating for bulk, now. Opinions?

I'd definately consider bulking tbh, you have quite a lean base atm so would be a good option.

Looking good Robbie!

Big improvement before/after. Much more taper and deffinatley a lot leaner. Love handles are almost gone, ab definition (appolos belt) is coming through.

Put on some nice shoulder mass too! Very evident from the front double bicep pic.

Clean the diet up and then spend 2-3 weeks more cutting but a intense effort. Then adjust the clean diet and voila, you've got a lean bulk going on

If your chest & legs are stagnent: make sure you're not benching with your shoulders, arch your back slightly sticking your chest out and you'll feel it more. For squats try a narrower stance, or a very narrow @ 6" I find this quite comfortable for hips. If you can front squat like this you'll give your quads a smashing! Might also see some strength gains wen you go to a regular stance having worked legs from a different angle.

Good progress Robbie, are you doing any running or anything like that? I think you may have mentioned HIIT? Just add a bit more of it, ensure you're diet hasnt got that stray donut here and there etc, you'll lose the fat over your abs in no time. If you do some hard sprinting you should see some improvement on your legs as well as the BURN!

BennyC said:

Looking good DS

How have you found training less frequently? I can imagine you come in completey fresh for the session which must be a nice feeling.

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I've found it extremely beneficial, I seem to have a lot of steam build up when I go training, so I seem to be breaking records regularly. I'm ready to break my 160KG squat record soon - just need a decent spot!

The guns are looking pumped

dun said:

Thanks mate but there isn't much in it Have you been focusing on middle back thickness as it seems to be a lot more developed than I remember the last pics?

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In all honesty, I haven't. Just been sticking to big compound movements with good form!

Im a lean machine, got back from the gym today and while i was there i asked to find out my bodyfat percentage.

They stuck these tags on my feet and hands and ran a current through my body.

10% bodyfat woo! definatly dont want to drop anymore beyond that.

TaKeN said:

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Comparison pic

Good progress mate for about 18 months. Whats the size difference?

Robbie G said:

7 months. Lifts: deadlifts improving every week, chest and legs are totally stagnant, still trying to strip the bodyfat.

http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/5604/comparisontemplate11031.jpg

My diet is simply not sufficient for putting on muscle, I know I'm not eating correctly for that. Still no six pack either! So I feel like I'm stuck in the middle and that I should start eating for bulk, now. Opinions?

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Inspirational

You even look younger now. Keep up the fantastic work.

exhashdotdot said:

Inspirational

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Lol.

ben90 said:

I'd definately consider bulking tbh, you have quite a lean base atm so would be a good option.

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I'm going to go for a final push to strip the last bit of fat I think. I can't seem to eat chicken egg etc. in the quantities required to bulk cleanly, so I anticipate putting on a fair amount of bodyfat whilst bulking.

BennyC said:

Looking good Robbie!

Big improvement before/after. Much more taper and deffinatley a lot leaner. Love handles are almost gone, ab definition (appolos belt) is coming through.

Put on some nice shoulder mass too! Very evident from the front double bicep pic.

Clean the diet up and then spend 2-3 weeks more cutting but a intense effort. Then adjust the clean diet and voila, you've got a lean bulk going on

If your chest & legs are stagnent: make sure you're not benching with your shoulders, arch your back slightly sticking your chest out and you'll feel it more. For squats try a narrower stance, or a very narrow @ 6" I find this quite comfortable for hips. If you can front squat like this you'll give your quads a smashing! Might also see some strength gains wen you go to a regular stance having worked legs from a different angle.

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Cheers Benny for the advice about progressing with my chest and legs. I definitely feel the chest working my shoulders and forearms more than my chest, not good! I'm going down this route I think, i.e. strip the last bit of fat then start eating lots of decent food to try and progress my lifts. I suppose the fact that I'm not getting any weaker is a good thing, despite losing the bodyfat.

Kappa said:

Good progress Robbie, are you doing any running or anything like that? I think you may have mentioned HIIT? Just add a bit more of it, ensure you're diet hasnt got that stray donut here and there etc, you'll lose the fat over your abs in no time. If you do some hard sprinting you should see some improvement on your legs as well as the BURN!

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Thanks Kappa. I'm doing 3 sets of 20 minute HIIT on the rower every week. I may add one steady state cardio session per week also, problem is it bores me to tears like it does many people.

exhashdotdot said:

Inspirational

You even look younger now. Keep up the fantastic work.

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Is that sarcasm? If not, thanks for the encouragement. If so, well, thanks for the feedback.

Robbie G said:

.

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To be honest i think you underestimate just how big of a change you have made to yourself All the hard work has really paid off and you do actually look a few years younger!

I could do with dropping about 20lb (ashamed) so i keep my eyes open for more of your post as and when they come.

Even buddy christ gives you a thumbs up! :: http://solehiphop.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/l_e57c6166392d149390bd17905ee986a9.jpg

"EDIT"
Oops made the img clickable

Lol, thanks for the comments. I didn't read exhashdotdot's comments as sarcasm until I saw Tom|Nbk's "lol", which got me wondering.

By the way, posting that picture was a bannable offence last I knew...whether or not the fact that it's not in General Chat and has been altered somewhat (who's face is that?!) will save you, who knows....

The 'guys weight' thread in GD made me think back to when I was first starting out nearly 3 years ago, just tickling 10 stone. I dug out some pics which I think you might get a kick out of

Haha Dun!

That was me 6-7 months ago

Although you must be taller than me, because I never looked "that" skinny at 10 stone.

Oh wow