OcUK Health Seekers: Post your progress pics

[BennyC]

I'd probaly say you're higher bodyfat than 12-13%. It's safe to say everybody is higher than they expect. People carry fat in different areas. I'd say nearer to 15-16%. Hard to say with out some back & leg shots.

The gay thing about bodyfat is even though you might have some shape and definition in certain areas a collection of fat on the lower back (love handles) or lower abdominal region pushes the % up. It's usually these places it's the last to go from too.

 

[Freefaller]

I hold my own BF in different places. i.e. my arms and legs, shoulders are lean, but I carry a bit of excess on my back for some reason (although enough muscle mass to still keep decent definition), and on my sides (suprailiac). I'll ask for a friend to give me a proper 10 point check, I reckon it'll bring my average down to around 14-15% now - I've lost about 3-4kg over the past 6 months which I'm really happy with, but not lost any strength.

Kai, you've put on some decent mass - really really obvious - GOOD WORK!

However, you've clearly increased your BF at the same time - however, it's not a biggy, it's easily removed with some decent training and eating (if you want to). I'd say you're mid-teens at best around 14-15% - but it's hard to tell from photos. However, that's still fine IMO, anything sub 20% I'd consider good work, certainly for the amount of mass/strength you've increased.

The most accurate way of doing it is to take a minimum of 6 measurements, but ideally 10 is the best.

 

[georges]

Took some pics now..

~5 11, 12.75 stone.
At the mo I do squats, dips, chin ups, pull ups, arnold presses, some ab/core stability stuff and have just started deadlifts.

Not really changed much since then.. I don't think anyway, been a bit slack recently with revision, exams and drinking, so possibly got a bit of fat on me. Still think my tris and legs are possibly a bit better. Unsure?

new pics in next post

 

[georges]

Stats are simiar to before.. perhaps a little bit more weight I think I'm 12.8 stone now

need to up my game.. think this has given me some inspiration


sorry about the pics being big.. imagehost's decided to have some 'interesting' adverts on the view pages I just noticed

 

[Makunouchi]

Over a month of 4000-5000 cals a day, mostly obtained from sugar, fat and simple carbs, and no training whatsoever:

I know most people will be thinking that still looks fairly ok, but to me it doesn't, and I feel like absolute ****. It's not the worst binge I've been on, but it may have done the most harm, my fitness is down to nothing. I've gone up to 78Kgs, so 8-9Kgs of fat/water weight gained. I wish I could get this eating thing under control, it seems to be either I can go totally without luxury foods or I lose total control and go mental on them...

This is the first time I've been able to 'grab' fat on myself for over 7 months, and I don' like it. So, time to get back down to fighting weight. I reckon I can get my weight back to normal in 3 weeks, the fitness may take a full month.

 

[BennyC]

Easily reversable Makunouchi.

If you weren't fighting I'd say that's quite a nice level of bodyfat. My ideal aim would be to get about 1% less than what you are now. Do you have any rough ideas on your bodyfat?

I know what you mean about feeling a bit 'erghh'. Use it as motivation?

Setting yourself a goal to get the weight shifted by is a good idea as it makes you far more likely to achieve your goal if you have a net to score in a such.

 

[Makunouchi]

Easily reversable Makunouchi.

I know it is mate, I've climbed the hill so many times before, I just wish I didn't have to go back to the bottom quite so often (or so it feels).

 

[BennyC]

I know it is mate, I've climbed the hill so many times before, I just wish I didn't have to go back to the bottom quite so often (or so it feels).

I think it's a bit of a shame not have trained for a month though I can't remember if you wanted to gain any mass or where just looking to maintain what you had achieved before?

If you are after mass (but staying in the same fighting class) it seems a shame to waste all those extra calories.

 

[The IPB]

I know it is mate, I've climbed the hill so many times before, I just wish I didn't have to go back to the bottom quite so often (or so it feels).

I think the difference is Mak you are a fighter and you get down to weight before a fight, which takes a lot of dedication a really strict diet and hard training regime. I'm not saying the weight lifters/body builders don't train hard, they clearly do. But fight training is another level of training you really are pushing yourself to the limit in all aspects of fitness.

After my fight I put on 5kg in a month and a half, same as you pretty much just binging on everything I love to eat. But now I'm fighting again on 28th Feb, been back on the diet for past month and the weight is coming off. I would be fighting weight by now if I hadn't of put the weight on, but we need our down time!

 

[dun]

kai- Really good progress mate. Coming along really nicely and looking a lot fuller and building a solid physique. Imo the bf numbers are not correct but numbers don't mean anything when you look in the mirror at those changes

georges- Keep at it mate, making progress takes time.

Makunouchi- I like that look more for day to day than your super shredded if I'm honest. I definitely know what you mean about feeling like poo though, I was ill just after xmas and have lost a bit of size, but you just have to get back in there and work at it.

 

[kai]

Thanks for the positive feedback - If I am honest I was a little naive to say the least when I started. I tried to lift the heaviest weights and keep up with my training partners who lift some serious weight and have been for years.

1. I was injuring myself
2. There was no control in what I was doing

Let’s say I was told to leave my ego at the door! Best advice I have ever been given to be honest. I now lift allot more controlled, push myself a lot harder and have noticed I am now lifting heavier weight.

Another thing, when I first started I thought in 6 months - I would be the dogs dangles and look like the cover of men's fitness (ego tripping again) - I do plan to get there but now I’m a lot more realistic.

 

[Banzai_Joe]

Let’s say I was told to leave my ego at the door! Best advice I have ever been given to be honest. I now lift allot more controlled, push myself a lot harder and have noticed I am now lifting heavier weight.

Another thing, when I first started I thought in 6 months - I would be the dogs dangles and look like the cover of men's fitness (ego tripping again) - I do plan to get there but now I’m a lot more realistic.

It certainly IS the best advice you can be given! We all need that reality check on occasion.

Personally, i'm at that time of my life when i feel that i need to start all over again, so will humble myself and ask anyone for advice (don't always take it, but will certainly listen). A lot of the youngsters who simply haven't been alive long enough to try half the stuff i've tried in the gym are chiming in.....and it's all good.
Being humble but confident are two of the best tennets to have when you enter the gym. And i think you'll reap the benefits much quicker.

 

[BennyC]

A good attitude to have. It's about how you lift, not what you lift. If you can't feel it working then there's no point.

If you want to seriously dent your ego and learn to respect the weight in another 6 months time look into GVT/AGVT.

Progression is a slow progress. I've been training properly for about 2 years and haven't ever really done a proper cut, im not doing a full on cut right now but am trimming a bit and I'm starting to see all my hard work coming through and it really is very rewarding

Right now all I'm thinking about is tonights shoulder session. I've been up since 9 and have a seminar at 1 of which I should have been doing work for but all I can think about is how I can't wait to get in there tonight and lift like a man possesed!

 

[davetrace1]

kai where u from in south wales m8? im from cardiff

 

[BennyC]

Benny mate. You weren't lying about the DOMS from the slow negative. Jesus I trained my back on Saturday, I still feel soreness in my lats now. I was probably doing 3 second negatives on the same weight as normal, felt completely different.

I've got my best mates wedding in Egypt july time so I obviously want to look my best, some hard training in time for Summer it seems!

Haha it's a whole new world of pain!

Also quite intensive for the forearms to be gripping for so long. I was using a regular grip though I now use a false grip where ever possible.

Gets you sweating too! Found my composition changed and a dropped a slight (minimal) amount of bodyfat from all the reps involved with GVT.

 

[kai]

kai where u from in south wales m8? im from cardiff

About 20 minutes away from Cardiff : Nr Merthyr Tydfil

 

[Freefaller]

I've got a good 6 weeks to go till AGVT! I can't wait!

 

[BennyC]

I'm not on GVT at the moment as I'm currently trimming and doing some strength training.

Will be over the summer most likely once I've graduated and have enough time to focus and bulk for it properly.

Some good articles on T-Nation about it. Both GVT and Advanced GVT (AGVT)

 

[Freefaller]

You sound excited that you're going to put your body thru a lot of pain, I like!

FF would you mind posting up a sample GVT that you've tried? I am looking on the net but it would be good to see if yours and if you have made any tweaks?

I am still putting on size but I feel the need to change it up a bit, I've not changed my routine for 6 months nearly...

I love love love AGVT - my body responds really well to it, always pack on a lot of weight, and gain a lot of strength but it's soul destroying, it's hard, and almost made me puke a couple of time! Researching it intensively it doesn't over train you as you only do it for 60 days, and you give your body decent rests so you don't fry your CNS. Furthermore, you do go to failure.

You're hitting your legs, back, chest, arms twice in a 10 day period. It focuses mainly of large compound exercises.

The regimen I followed is like this:

Day 1	Exercise	SxR    	Tempo
	BB Press	10x5   40x0
	Chins (WG)	10x5   40x0
	Dips	        3x6-8  	40x0
	DB Rows	3x6-8 	40x0
			
Day 2	Back Squats	10x5	40x0
	SLDL	10x5	40x0
	DB Lunges	3x6-8	30x0
	Step Ups	3x6-8	40x0
			
Day 3	Off		
			
Day 4	Incline DB Curls	10x5	30x0
	CGBP	                10x5	30x0
	Thick BB Reverse Curl	3x6-8	30x0
	Seated EZ French Press	3x6-8	30x0
			
Day 5	Off		
			
Day 6	30 Incline BB Press	10x5	40x0
	BORs                    	10x5	40x0
	Flat DB Press	       3x6-8	40x0
        Hammer Grip Chins        3x6-8	40x0
			
Day 7 	Heels Elevated Front squat	10x5	40x0
	DLs	                        10x5	30x0
	Split Squats	        3x6-8	40x0
	Calf Raises	                3x6-8	40x0
			
Day 8	Day off		
			
Day 9	Seated Zottman Curls	10x5	30x0
	Close grip weighted push up 10x5	30x0
	Preacher reverse curl	3x6-8	30x0
	Cable tricep extension 	3x6-8	30x0
			
Day 10	Off

I'm not on GVT at the moment as I'm currently trimming and doing some strength training.

Will be over the summer most likely once I've graduated and have enough time to focus and bulk for it properly.

Some good articles on T-Nation about it. Both GVT and Advanced GVT (AGVT)

That's what I've been doing over the past 3 months. Dropped down to 96kg, lost a good inch on my waist, but lost nothing on my chest and even gained some on my thighs and calves - but my strength hasn't gone. e.g. I did 3x8 of deep 150kg squats today.

I gained over 12lbs last time I did AGVT, sure not all of it was muscle, in fact probably only 4lbs of it was, the rest was water weight and some fat. However, I'm likely to bloat out a little owing to the super stack i'm going for - but it'll be worth it, I suspect it'll help me develop the strength to achieve my 600kg!

 

[^TANK^]

**** me Freefaller I don't fancy your AGVT workout, maybe a few years ago before the deterioration of all my joints lol.