OcUK Health Seekers: Post your progress pics

Zefan, progress measured from "Just the bar to 110kg on squats" doesn't mean strength has increased, he may have just finally reached what he was capable of doing but started rather low.
 
MoNkeE said:
Zefan, progress measured from "Just the bar to 110kg on squats" doesn't mean strength has increased, he may have just finally reached what he was capable of doing but started rather low.
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Not really. If progress felt slow (which he indicated in his last post) then he should have upped weight 5kg each workout instead of 2.5. Even without this, going by SL 5x5's linear progression he should have reached the level he states in 3-4 months, not the 10 months he has quoted. Progress can only be slower than the set program if you stall, assuming he hasn't taken any real breaks then he must've been stalling = not strong enough.
 
Zefan said:
Not really. If progress felt slow (which he indicated in his last post) then he should have upped weight 5kg each workout instead of 2.5. Even without this, going by SL 5x5's linear progression he should have reached the level he states in 3-4 months, not the 10 months he has quoted. Progress can only be slower than the set program if you stall, assuming he hasn't taken any real breaks then he must've been stalling = not strong enough.
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Yup, I stalled on a few of those lifts & felt low on energy/weak/tired at times - also had to take a couple of short breaks (a couple of weeks) here & there due to work/travel commitments.

I want to give the 5x5 a real go on a surplus in the new year - see how I do is my plan then go from there.

Some good advice on here (which has helped quite a bit on the lifts/diet etc) - been a bit of a sports arena lurker for some time.

MoNkeE said:
Zefan, progress measured from "Just the bar to 110kg on squats" doesn't mean strength has increased, he may have just finally reached what he was capable of doing but started rather low.
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It's definitely increased, but a large chunk of that progress will be natural ability (as you say) - I've never known what my 1RM is for any lifts (as I do my workouts in the garage alone, so my max lifts are all rep based) - it also meant I never really tested to see when I started - I just followed the progression advised by the 5x5 routine by starting low.

iamtheoneneo said:
I started doing overhead presses yesterday and im dire at them , I can barely lift anything :(

my worst exercise by far. anyone else find this?
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It's my weakest lift & the one I stalled on first - so I feel you!.
 
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Deception said:
I was the same, but I've finally found a new setup prior to lifting and its working great so far.

What's your stance; Wide or Narrow?
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generally wide i would say, else il just fall over (pretty tall) , admittedly it was my first attempt and i did try it after doing benches, squats, inclines, pulldowns and rows - so i was pretty out of it by then.
 
Zefan what I was getting at is progress isn't measured on what weight he starts on > what weight he finished on.

Progress should be measured on what his old peak strength was > what his new peak strength was.

If you're on a cut, the chances of you increasing strength or muscle mass is pretty damn slim. Especially if you're cutting for 10 months - and I'd wager to say the further in to that cut you are, the less likely it is.

If the last time he peaked on the SL routine he was doing 100kg for his squats, and this time it was 110kg, that would show you a measure of improvement. But if the only figures you have to quote are "I started with just the bar then got up to 110kg" that really a measurable increase, as you have no beginning reference point.

Essentially I'm saying, he may have been about to squat 110kg before his cut, and having started with just the bar then adding on weight, 10 months later he's just confirmed he can still squat 110kg.

Which let's face it would still be a good thing, as not losing strength over a 10 month cut is still amazing. But it's difficult to quantify any strength increases in these circumstances.
 
MoNkeE said:
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I understood exactly what you were saying before, but you're missing the point that he stalled during the program - the entire point of my post... you haven't really addressed that.

If he stalled at 30kg, 35kg and 40kg on OHP during the last 10 months (for example), but can now do over 50KG does that not indicate an increase in strength to you?
 
Oh I see, sorry :D

Stalling can be down to anything really. When you're bordering on the limits of what you can lift anyway so many factors can come in to play;
* Any heavy lifting you might have done at work could weaken you
* Eating food at different times in the day
* Not getting as much sleep as usual
* Not getting enough water

So stalling one week and not beating it the next won't necessarily be a show of strength increase, but rather a combination of factors working for or against you.

I'm firmly in the camp of cutting = no strength/mass increase.
 
MoNkeE said:
I'm firmly in the camp of cutting = no strength/mass increase.
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Which is very true for advanced lifters that had very good diets/training regimes.

But for someone who just started going to the gym? Mass + losing weight can certainly happen.
I've experienced it myself and have seen it quite a few lifters who were on the heavy side. The more out of shape you are, the better it works. If we're talking about someone in his teens with tons of hormones still available naturally than it is even more obvious.

And it was nothing to do about technique, I am talking about basic machine/press/pull stuff. While neuro muscular connection does indeed improve, when the measuring tape says +1 inch on arms and -4 on waist I think it's very obvious.

that's why in your first year of going to the gym progress can be amazing if you do it properly.
Someone whose been lifting for 5 years - things slow down A LOT.
 
Cristian said:
Which is very true for advanced lifters that had very good diets/training regimes.

But for someone who just started going to the gym? Mass + losing weight can certainly happen.
I've experienced it myself and have seen it quite a few lifters who were on the heavy side. The more out of shape you are, the better it works. If we're talking about someone in his teens with tons of hormones still available naturally than it is even more obvious.

And it was nothing to do about technique, I am talking about basic machine/press/pull stuff. While neuro muscular connection does indeed improve, when the measuring tape says +1 inch on arms and -4 on waist I think it's very obvious.
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Probably because you use Pulse, mate














:D
 
I'm 18 and here's my 2 Months progress. I haven't done bodybuilding before this is my first time.
I should have taken some pictures when i first started, I was pretty chubby but i have cut most of that off now.
Sorry if the pics are bad I wasn't sure how to pose :D

outpjm.jpg

xd7bc.jpg

6696h3.jpg

2h53bz9.jpg


:)
 
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