OcUK Health Seekers: Post your progress pics

Volcs · 19 Aug 2008 at 23:34

krisboats said:
Heyup guys, first post in here for me.

I'm currently looking to get a bit more muscle to aid with both biketrials riding and a little something for my new lady housemate to look at

I've always been a skinny runt really, tall and thin... you know the type, stick figure kinda guy. I'm 21, 6'5" and weigh 16.5 stone If i sit down hunched over and pinch my stomach you can grab skin/flab... but when standing up its about an inch tops so its nothing too drastic, i certainly don't look overweight ha ha.

I started using my friends gym equipment quite a lot in the last few weeks, and it seems i can put muscle on quite quickly, only now its going all over the place and starting to look a bit out of proportion. My biceps are getting bigger, but my peckers aren't really at all. I've been trying to read my housemates book on bodybuilding but to be honest it seems a bit too much like hard work, i don't watch what i eat, i eat when i'm hungry rather than at specific times and i don't do protein stuff.

I've read through the whole book but it seems a bit contradictory on itself, i seem to have a strong physique according to the book, but it just seem to have been "unlocked" yet for want of a better description. Is the lack of diet holding it back, the book isn't easily clear on this.

The short answer is "yes".

The bit about that worries me most about your post is "it seems a bit too much like hard work" - it is hard work, there's no short cuts (despite what maximuscle ads will have you believe).

edit: if you want some advice I advise posting in the gym rats thread, not this "I feel insecure after looking at FF" thread

....

georges · 19 Aug 2008 at 23:52

I'll make you all secure of your manliness by taking a pic of me tomorrow..

Yabsley · 20 Aug 2008 at 09:06

Do some benchers, flyers or dippers. That should help your peckers.

georges · 20 Aug 2008 at 11:58

I've taken some pics which I'll get off the camera and upload later. I have some from a month or two ago too so I'll even do a comparison so you can see how little mass I've gained. (maybe quarter of a stone tops, as I've gained weight, but lost fat which I didn't know existed..)

I'm not really focussing on bodybuilding, but improving strength, so I'm doing an 8-12 rep range for 2-3 sets of every exercise. The weights chosen let me hit these ranges when I'm fatigued and they're pretty much my last possible reps.

I have two routines, and I go to the gym every other day, so alternate them.
I only just got given this routine by the personal trainer person (we get a program review and also an hour of personal training free each month).

Day1:
DB lunges - I try for two 30kg dumbells, since my legs need that or more, but it's hard to hold

DB bench press - 15kg dumbells
DB arnold press - 12.5kg dumbells
DB flyes - 10kg dbs
Dips - unweighted
wide grip cable row - 70kg - absolutely dominates my forearms for some reaons.
Tricep extensions (cable) - unsure of weight maybe 30-40 kg I think).
Bicep curls (cable) - same as tricep ish.

Day2:
leg press machine - 180kg I seem to have much stronger legs. Obviously I couldn't do this weight as a squat though due to the rest of my body

Lat pull - 60kg. I weigh 75kg and am struggling with pull ups/chin ups, so this is helping me build up to it.
Lat raise - 5kg dumbells. I'm doing it differently. I do a front raise, then rotate it round so I decline them to my sides, then lat raise and rotate round to my front and decline front, to get my shoulders working a bit more.

I've forgotten the rest of this day, as I haven't done it yet (new programme as stated), so I'm not sure what else is there. Should be going later so I'll update this.

I also do plyometric push-ups around the house. ( http://www.exrx.net/Plyometrics/DepthPushUp.html )

How terrible is this routine? Oh yeah, I'm just under 6ft and 74kg.

The PT was a woman, but she said she'd get a guy to help me with squats to start off.

I have an unknown shoulder injury in my right shoulder (rugby) which prevents me from doing barbells, since they push it in ways it doesn't want to go. I had physio before and they didn't help, but she said I really needed to go see another physio, so I have an appointment tomorrow.

Ultra_Extreme · 20 Aug 2008 at 12:30

georges said:
I'm not really focussing on bodybuilding, but improving strength, so I'm doing an 8-12 rep range for 2-3 sets of every exercise. The weights chosen let me hit these ranges when I'm fatigued and they're pretty much my last possible reps.

WHAT? Thats so wrong. 1-4 reps is strength your training in the mass/bodybuilding/hypertrophic range

georges · 20 Aug 2008 at 12:40

Oh. Well I'll do that instead. The woman lied! :/

Ultra_Extreme · 20 Aug 2008 at 13:14

georges said:
Oh. Well I'll do that instead. The woman lied! :/

lots of people will tell you crap in this game. My advice would be start with 6-10 reps to get used to exercises and bring your overall ability up. Then after about 6 months drop the reps and increase the load. Main reason being that the big strength builders - deadlifts and squats - require a decent base to prevent injury. Large loads will be placed on the lower back and this cannot be done safely until your back has been developed to cope.

georges · 20 Aug 2008 at 13:21

Ok

I've been going for 3 months so far, with only half of that using free weights (DBs only), which I'm finding work much better for my body, than machines which are supposedly "the best" and "highly ergonomic", but with things like shoulder press, they make your hands sit unnaturally far forwards, and are generally uncomfortable.

The Leg press machine is a bit of a mixed bag. I've progressed really far (gone up 80kgs in 3months, for two sets of ~10 to failure), but because of this, I can't do free weights well for legs, since the rest of me can't hold enough weight

My thighs aren't massive, but I'd say they're reasonable.

As far as my exercises go, are there any that should be skipped/added other than squats?

I'm going to bath uni this september, and apparently there's a choice between an amazing gym for £300/year (I saw the English Rugby team training there), or for £100 there's a free-weights centred gym, which is the old one. I reckon I'll just go for that, so free-weights is gonna be me for the next 4 years

Born_2_Kill_83 · 20 Aug 2008 at 13:33

Some help from the more experienced if I can.
A month ago I decided I wanted increased strength and maxium bulk in my neck, shoulders, arms, chest and back.
So I bought myself some Dumbells a Barbell some wights and a York 1001 multigym.
So far its been going well, I can see a small increase in my neck muscles, back and wrist to elbow (whatever this is called) is solid.
I have been eating high protein foods which seems to have shortened the rebuilding time of the ripped muscles down to a couple of days max.
So far I feel so much better in myself, I have 5 times more energy than I used to and I feel a lot stronger within myself already.

I cant seem to set myself a good routine. At first I was doing 2 sets of everything, free weights and using my york gym workout lasted around 45mins this would leave me feeling like **** afterwards, totally overworked.

I have since cut it down to 35mins and 2 seperate routines but 3 sets of each workout. Free weights one night, rest night the next and using my gym on the 3rd night.
Does this looks reasonable?

My main problem is my size though. I am 25 years of age and 5`10". I work in an office and got very little excersise out of work before my purchases. I weigh just over 20 stone with a chest size of 48" and weist of 38" ( Yes I'm a big boy always have been)

My main aim is increased muscle, BF and weight dont concern me, my beer belly will have to stay for now as its to large for it to dissapear in the next 6/12 months(I am doing situps though), however I have lost 4 pounds in the last 4 weeks, I would imagen I have lost more fat due to building muscle at the same time? I would also like to be fitter than I am so am planning on buying a rowing machine next and plenty of bike rides to increase this (I'm not the running type).

Like I said my weight doesnt concerned me as such and I do quite like my belly but I want less fat and more muscle, but what does concern me is I have to much fat upper body for the muscle to show through, espacially around my man boobs area

so these needs to go and I want to loose them lovehandles.

What tips can you guys give me for workouts or increase in muscle and where am I going wrong.

branddaly · 20 Aug 2008 at 13:40

Loowi_ashley said:
Like I said my weight doesnt concerned me as such and I do quite like my belly but I want less fat and more muscle, but what does concern me is I have to much fat upper body for the muscle to show through, espacially around my man boobs area so these needs to go and I want to loose them lovehandles.

What tips can you guys give me for workouts or increase in muscle and where am I going wrong.

Tip No 1. this thread;
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17401146

Tip No 2. Your muscle is only going to show though by shedding the fat. Again see the thread above.

georges · 20 Aug 2008 at 13:43

Ok pics. Don't think I've improved much physically, or it doesn't look it in the photos, although according to my gf I have. (might have been massaging my ego

). Friends have said I was ripped, which made me laugh.. they are a bit emo though ;-)

Left is 13th jun (1month gym) right is 20th augh (nearly 3months)

^I think I was pulling my shoulders back in the older pic so my pecs look bigger :/

^not directly comparable I guess

georges · 20 Aug 2008 at 13:44

And a free ticket to the gun show

How bad has my progress been then?

excuse the mess, it's my brothers camera I nabbed, so I took them in his room.

Ultra_Extreme · 20 Aug 2008 at 14:42

crikey you are a young un! How old are you? Youve not got any width to your upper body yet my advice would be lots of swimming and chin ups. These will ensure good development of your upper body as you age. Your lean which is good you can eat lots and work out and gain well, but you MUST eat! Every second of every day when you arent eating you will be losing the muscle you worked so hard for. Eat all the time, eat more and more (good high protein food) tiill you start to see fat gain. Then cut it back to find a happy medium. Good luck!

georges · 20 Aug 2008 at 14:43

18

I'll start eating more I guess then!

Yeah I really should start swimming more, given I get it free with my gym membership. At the mo I do that routine 3 times a week, and squash for an hour twice a week.

Also, I just compared my pic to freefallers..

I feel like a girl

A2Z · 20 Aug 2008 at 14:48

georges, forget that routine...this is what you want to be doing

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ#Is_This_Program_Right_For_You.3F

georges · 20 Aug 2008 at 14:54

Do I not need a partner to do all those barbell exercises though? None of my friends are gym-inclined

I'm not really aiming to get bigger, if it happens as a side effect I won't be upset, but I don't really have the dedication to eat all these protein shakes and things. Milk gives me terrible skin also, so I stay away from it.

Anyway, I'm just off to the gym, so I'll try get one of the people to help me start squatting. Might go swimming after it if I can still move.

A2Z · 20 Aug 2008 at 15:04

georges said:
Do I not need a partner to do all those barbell exercises though? None of my friends are gym-inclined

Nice excuse.

I'm not really aiming to get bigger, if it happens as a side effect I won't be upset,

Yea im sure it will just happen randomly.

but I don't really have the dedication to eat all these protein shakes and things.

No-one needs to take protein shakes, maybe you should do a bit more research into diets. And as for dedication, if you want to get anywhere, thats 1 thing you're gonna need..

Milk gives me terrible skin also, so I stay away from it.

And? Since when is drinking milk compulsory?

Anyway, I'm just off to the gym, so I'll try get one of the people to help me start squatting.

That sounds more like it..a ray of hope..

Yabsley · 20 Aug 2008 at 15:12

Ultra_Extreme said:
Your lean which is good you can eat lots and work out and gain well, but you MUST eat! Every second of every day when you arent eating you will be losing the muscle you worked so hard for. Eat all the time, eat more and more (good high protein food) tiill you start to see fat gain. Then cut it back to find a happy medium. Good luck!

Does it not depend on if he wants to stay lean or not? Seems a bit silly to suggest eating all the time, unless he isn't bothered about putting on fat.

Freefaller · 20 Aug 2008 at 15:15

Loowi:

You state you want to stay "big" and it's likely you are with that attitude, but if you want to gain fitness and look "bigger" and stronger you'll have to lose fat, yet you say want to lose fat anyway, this will reduce your belly. You can't have your cake and eat it. You have to concentrate on one thing. Building muscle will make you burn more calories yes, but it won't make you look like a big mofo - 20st is a big weight if you're 20st with no definition you'll probably look like a blob, 20st with a good structure (like Morba - sorry mate!

) will look awesome. However you're never going to be rippling with muscle and shredded to bits until you address your BF.

Things you need to address is diet and the type of exercise you want. If you want to stay "large" that's fine, but don't expect to look large and built if you still have lots of fat.

Georges: you have added some definiton and a bit of muscle mass, but you really need to eat shed loads more and train a lot harder to start seeing bigger results. 3 months isn't going to reveal much really. How old are you? How tall are you? You do have a slight frame it might take you a lot ot bulk up but you do need to eat shed loads more. However you do seem to have tightened up in the 3 months which is good.

Born_2_Kill_83 · 20 Aug 2008 at 16:23

Freefaller said:
Loowi:

You state you want to stay "big" and it's likely you are with that attitude, but if you want to gain fitness and look "bigger" and stronger you'll have to lose fat, yet you say want to lose fat anyway, this will reduce your belly. You can't have your cake and eat it. You have to concentrate on one thing. Building muscle will make you burn more calories yes, but it won't make you look like a big mofo - 20st is a big weight if you're 20st with no definition you'll probably look like a blob, 20st with a good structure (like Morba - sorry mate! ) will look awesome. However you're never going to be rippling with muscle and shredded to bits until you address your BF.

Things you need to address is diet and the type of exercise you want. If you want to stay "large" that's fine, but don't expect to look large and built if you still have lots of fat.

I carry the weight quite well considering, I have board shoulders and muscular legs but theres not gettin away from the fact I am quite fatty. To look at me you would say I weigh in the region on 16 stone.
How can I loose body fat at the same time as gaining maxium muscle on a high cal/protein diet?

Another question: what effects does drinking every evening have on building muscle, in terms of drink I mean around 5 units per night.