OcUK Health Seekers: Post your progress pics

[Banzai_Joe]

Yeah the striations in his delts show even with the bad photography.
Shifty do you favour shoulder exercises over chest for some reason?
What's your current chest and shoulder workout like?

 

[shifty_uk]

Thanks Benny!

Jacko: I don't do any shoulder work. I didn't like how they dominated my entire body therefore I cut them out. Other than rear delts to keep things balanced, of course.

I believe this may be where the chest problem lies. Through what I can only assume was bad form when I began lifting, the front delts have taken the majority of weight from any pressing exercises and ended up far bigger than my chest.

 

[BennyC]

I watched a video of tips on youtube. It's very easy for people to end up 'arming it' for pulling and pushing exercises. Placing more emphasis on the biceps, triceps and shoulders.

Next time you're pressing trying sticking your chest out a little. Don't arch your back but just stick your chest out a bit. You'll find you get a bigger contraction in your chest Also focusing on conracting the working muscles will help too. Something I've learned recently it's not about moving the weights in the correct planes of motion but doing it with the right muscles.

 

[shifty_uk]

Yeah, arching my back helped massively just wish I'd done more research and considered it when I started a couple of years ago.

 

[Banzai_Joe]

You could try pre-exhausting and isolating your chest. If i felt my triceps were tiring before my chest on my bench press, i'd pre-exhaust on the pec dec, then when hitting the bench, my chest would be half fried and would fail before my tri's.
Also as benny said, on bench if you push your chest out a little, but keep your back straight AND pull your shoulders back. See if that feels different.
Flat flyes would help too.
As for your rear delts, exactly what exercise do you do for them?

 

[BennyC]

Aye, I know what you mean. Just little things that you didn't do over the years that make quite a big difference. Just seems like it's almost wasted training! That's the difference between an experienced lifter and a novice. Types of grip, feet positioning etc etc

Edit: K.Jacko - I've found 'cable facepulls' to be very effective for activiating the rear delts you also get a bit of trap involvement too. Minimal setting up for me they work better than reverse flyes.

 

[Banzai_Joe]

Lol, thanks for sharing benny, sorry mate, i was asking shifty as he may well be doing exercises that also involve the anterior and/or lateral heads of his delts, hence the overdevelopment compared to his chest.

Saying that, can you explain the cable facepulls please? I probably know it as something else.

 

[BennyC]

Saying that, can you explain the cable facepulls please? I probably know it as something else.

I say things so that other people who might read this in a few weeks/months time might see it too

Basically get hold of a cable station and attatch the tricep ropes. Sit/stand/kneel whatever you find easiest. Set the pully about a foot and a half maybe 2 foot higher than your head. Grip the ropes so that your thumbs point towards eachother. Keep your elbows up and pull towards your forehead. You might find cable stacks don't go high enough. Ours top out at around 45KG and I've done comfortable sets at around 41KG. Alternatively you could do them one handed to eliminate this.

But without all the hardman attitude. Slower with better form too obviously.

 

[Banzai_Joe]

hmmm.....i do reverse standing cable crossovers and find them very good. However, i think i'll give those babies a whirl...........when i eventually grace the gym with my presence. Cheers.

 

[Freefaller]

I wouldn't call myself a bodybuilder, but a weightlifter/trainer. My focus is improving my strength, size and ability. Which I'm guessing is similar to everyone to a certain extent, however I'm not overly bothered of the actual shape of the muscle, and being extremely low BF which a BB is (typically) more focused on.

 

[dun]

I wouldn't call myself a bodybuilder, but a weightlifter/trainer. My focus is improving my strength, size and ability. Which I'm guessing is similar to everyone to a certain extent, however I'm not overly bothered of the actual shape of the muscle, and being extremely low BF which a BB is (typically) more focused on.

A bodybuilder that competes focuses on those things yes. But you are still a bodybuilder

 

[Freefaller]

I don't do it for aesthetic reasons really though and don't strive for nice peaks. I strive for being stronger and bigger and ultimately more powerful. Ok, I guess I am "building" my body... but I'm not a stereotypical bodybuilder "per se" in my opinion.

 

[neon.uk]

EDIT: oops put that in the wrong thread..

Anyway on the point of why I lift, I started mainly for aesthetics, and yes that is still my main motivation, but getting stronger is also awesome

 

[kai]

Im nearing the 6 month mark shortly, wow never thought i would have kept at this long, but i do generally love training, and feel bad if i miss a training session.

When i started i thought it would be nice for me to take weekly photo's and do some measurements along the way to see if anything was actually changing.

I started with the following.

5'10 and 64kg
Waist = 31.5inch
Chest = 36inch
bicep 12.6
Body fat - 15.4%

I decided i was going to have a massive change in my lifestyle, cut out all crap and fatty takeaways, and no coke cola ( i used to drink 5+ cans per day)

I track everything i eat on dailyburn, and tend to be reasonably happy with what i have eaten on a daily basis.

So here we have it 6 months in and here are the new measurements.

5'10 and 72kg = 8kg change
Waist - 33inch = 1.5 inch change
Chest = 38.4inch = 2inch change
bicep - 14.3 inch = 1.7inch change - is that significant?
Body fat 11.1% = 4.3% change

And finally a photo ( Ive come to learn it will take me a lot long than expected to get the shape i want to achieve.) but everyone must start somewhere.

*taken on iphone not the best picture quality.

 

[Rosbif]

That looks like good progress to me Kai. You've obviously gained a lot on your arms and your shoulders by the looks of it. Cant really judge your chest because of the lighting. Nice one!

 

[BennyC]

Photo's speak for themselves mate! Excellent progress.

Hard to judge your chest due to lighing but can see some back taper from the front which is good. Nice chape to your delts.

Back shots? (can see half in the mirror) Leg Shots?

Edit: Also how are you measuring your bodyfat? Calipers? Professionally?

 

[kai]

Photo's speak for themselves mate! Excellent progress.

Hard to judge your chest due to lighing but can see some back taper from the front which is good. Nice chape to your delts.

Back shots? (can see half in the mirror) Leg Shots?

Edit: Also how are you measuring your bodyfat? Calipers? Professionally?

Im measuring my bodyfat on the machine they have at the gym! measure height, weight, bmi and bodyfat

 

[Participant]

No way is that 11.1% bodyfat. Good progress though.

 

[BennyC]

No way is that 11.1% bodyfat. Good progress though.

This is why I was asking.

Those machines aren't accurate. I'd say you've dropped 1-2% perhaps but that could be down to lighting, you might have dropped none at all.

FF had his done professionally I think and came in at around 17-18%.

Have a google for images of people at 'x' amount of bodyfat.

If getting to a certain amount of BF is a particular goal of yours I'd have it measured professionally by someone with calipers who knows what they are doing.

Good progress keep it up

 

[kai]

No way is that 11.1% bodyfat. Good progress though.

100% agree, i have used the machine thats in JJB since the start, and a few reading i have had - have been - this was the latest. From my own experience i would say i am around 12.5 -13ish mark + I would like one done with the pinch clip things i have seen