*** The 2012 Gym Rats Thread ***

[Chris1712]

Don't do it, it will only make you realise how much further you have to go . I did a similar forevercut from 133kg - 74kg (5'9") and I thought I'd be 'done' at 90.
Even at 74 I was a long way off low bf% and didn't feel great anyway. I walk around about 80 now and just realise I need to spend a solid year or more concentrating just on mass, but it's bloody hard when your body seems naturally predisposed to storing fat as it's highest priority!

 

[Maxeh]

Yeah I guess, its funny because I thought at 16 st I would look ok, how wrong I was!

 

[mrthingyx]

I wouldnt 'class oyu as a 'fatty' - I'm 5'11/6'0 and weigh in at 91kgs.

I don't think there's any point changing your routine at the moment, particulary given your spectactular results thus far (well done by the way!).

Periodised routines are very popular at the moment (just look at the number of people on the 531 regime), but training routines are like diets: some work for some, others work for others, and the only consistent thing about them is none of them work for everybody.

If you want to improve your definition, you're going to have to drop body fat. Depending on your current regime, you may have to slightly up your calorie content with a view to improving the protein profile (max out at 100/120g given your current weight). Then look at eating more 'good' fat (carbs always come last from my perspective).

If you're at 1500 calories at the moment, go for a bump of at least 500 calories (2000 total) which is still low for your current body mass and workout regime, but is easy to change (i.e. eat more) should you find you're not getting the results you want. It shoudl slow your weight loss rate and prevent further loss of muscle.

 

[Chris1712]

Yes definitely up your cals, even when I was down to 74kg I was still losing on 1600-1800. I suspect you'll continue to cut or at least recomp at 2000-2200.

 

[FeFiDoh]

Could I get a form check on my deads please. I feel my form is pretty good, back isn't arched, keeping my back straight and head level. Driving with my legs because I can sure as hell feel it in my legs!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/g59w6i5opjtilqx/2012-10-15 13.59.20.mp4

Does that work? Hopefully it does. I wouldn't usually wear straps but my grip was beasted from chins/wide grip pulldowns before hand.

 

[radicalry00]

Good chest and biceps session tonight!

Chest and biceps

Incline DB Bench: 12x20kgs, 12x30kgs, 12x40, 8x50kgs
Hammer strength bench press: 12x40kg, 12x60kg 9x75kgs
Incline DB flyes: 14x12.5kgs, 14x17.5kgs, 10x27.5kgs
Cables crossovers: 12x4stack, 14x6stack, 16x6stack
Incline DB curls: 12x12.5kgs, 12x15kg,8x20kgs
EZ curls: 12x30kgs, 12x50kgs+2 forced.
Machine curls, 12x2stack, 12x3stack
Crunches: 3x20
Reverse crunches: 3x12-15

 

[willems]

maybe its the angle but the first rep or so your hips look too low

 

[mrthingyx]

Could I get a form check on my deads please. I feel my form is pretty good, back isn't arched, keeping my back straight and head level. Driving with my legs because I can sure as hell feel it in my legs!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/g59w6i5opjtilqx/2012-10-15 13.59.20.mp4

Does that work? Hopefully it does. I wouldn't usually wear straps but my grip was beasted from chins/wide grip pulldowns before hand.

Bum looks too low, meaning you'll be cranking most from your thighs.

Lift your bum a bit and engage HIP DRAHVE!

I'd also pull your shoulders back more (chest up and out).

 

[FeFiDoh]

Ok that is easily fixed, other than that at least my back is straight and it felt ok doing it. Think that was 110kg. Probably be a bit easier if my ass isn't quite so low? I stand with the bar around level with my shoe laces, grasp the bar and bend knees until they touch the bar. That is meant to be the starting position?

 

[stiv121]

Could I get a form check on my deads please. I feel my form is pretty good, back isn't arched, keeping my back straight and head level. Driving with my legs because I can sure as hell feel it in my legs!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/g59w6i5opjtilqx/2012-10-15 13.59.20.mp4

Does that work? Hopefully it does. I wouldn't usually wear straps but my grip was beasted from chins/wide grip pulldowns before hand.

Hips are a little to low as above. You need to hinge at the hip more but your form may suffer if you have tight hamstrings. It looks like your doing two motions when bringing the weight down. Also try to pinch your shoulder blades together and stick your chest out

 

[Delvis]

You been lifting long Fefi?

 

[SMed]

Squats:
60x5
100x5
130x3
150x1
167.5x3x2 (PB)

Bench:
60x5
70x3
80x1
92.5x3x2 (PB?)

Rack Holds: mixed grip
200x10s
220x10s
240x10s

Squats were tough, bench was too. The rack holds were more painful than hook-grip! The 240 for 10 seconds was my absolute limit, hanging by nails at the end. My friend pulls 200 but was able to hold 280 for 10 seconds! ffs Time to fix my grip.

 

[Delvis]

Legs tonight:

From blog:

-Mobility
-Squats:
WU: 10xbar, 4x40kg, 3x60kg
WS: 3x8x77.5kg (PB!)
-Front Squats:
55kg: 10, 10, 1+9 (tried gripping with hands over bar on rep 1, just no)
-BB Calve raise:
70KG:
11+9 - BB on my back, wrists were caining, so stopped)
30, 30, 30 - doh grip instead pulled from rack
-RDL:
3x10x50kg

RAWR! Amazed by the squats, nearly failed on some of the reps, but pushed through, considering last week I did 72.5kg, the jump up to 77.5kg was awesome. They are also a PB for me, this also matches my current 1RM.

My wrists just do not like front squats, I managed to put up with it during front squats, but trying to do calve raises with the bar on my back just did not work, couldn't hold the bar properly at all.

RDL's felt good, no lumbar pain which I'm pleased about, roll on legs next week.

P.S: John Wayne would be proud

There is a vid of the 77.5kg for who can be bothered, if you went back six months or so, there was a few reps I would have bailed on normally, glad I pushed through. I decided to smack the rack as well on set two rep 10 of the front squats on the way up, that was off putting.

 

[FeFiDoh]

Hips are a little to low as above. You need to hinge at the hip more but your form may suffer if you have tight hamstrings. It looks like your doing two motions when bringing the weight down. Also try to pinch your shoulder blades together and stick your chest out

Thanks. The two motion thing, I was worried before when I use to do deads and not letting it down smoothly so now I seem to over cautious with it. I do suffer with incredibly tight hamstrings as well, been an issue for ages, poor mobility in my hips also.

You been lifting long Fefi?

That depends. On and off for a ages. Started maybe 5 years ago for about 6-9 months, stopped, started, stopped, did a lot of running, started but then I concentrated on other training methods for my fitness (army fitness training, I wasn't joining the army but I liked the look of the program). Then I kind of went back to lifting weights again. I don't really train for size though as I still do some running and some kick boxing so really just because I enjoy it.

My lifts today felt ok though and I felt pretty good
Bench
75kg for 10/10/8
db incline
27.5kg for 10/10/10 (first time I had done dbs for ages, bench was all used up)
Pull overs
30kg for 12/12/12
Cable flyes which I don't usually do
20kg 2x12

I then do well attempt 50 wide grip chins, got to 25 and then moved to wide grip pull downs. This routine is part of some hefty book I have. Says to keep simple compound movements and after doing chest to use the muscles in reverse to hit chins so been doing that.

Finish off with deads
100kg x 10, 110 x 5, 120x4

 

[SMed]

 

[Col_M]

I learnt my first lesson the hard way today, I skipped breakfast and had nothing but a coffee and a couple oreos before going to the gym at lunch, my glycogen stores must have been really low as I struggled with everything, I could barely do dumbbell presses with 14kg which I usually warm up with such an idiot!

 

[Somnambulist]

I learnt my first lesson the hard way today, I skipped breakfast and had nothing but a coffee and a couple oreos before going to the gym at lunch, my glycogen stores must have been really low as I struggled with everything, I could barely do dumbbell presses with 14kg which I usually warm up with such an idiot!

I went to the gym today having fasted for 18 hours and felt better than most of the times I go when I have eaten.

 

[Djdom56]

Legs tonight:

There is a vid of the 77.5kg for who can be bothered, if you went back six months or so, there was a few reps I would have bailed on normally, glad I pushed through. I decided to smack the rack as well on set two rep 10 of the front squats on the way up, that was off putting.

Squats are looking nice man just need an extra inch or two of depth but that is a massive improvement!

Try and control the negative a little more, that doesn't mean go slow it just means don't rush. On your last set you weren't bringing your glutes in enough but that is easy to correct.

Also you may want to think about sitting back a little more to get a little more posterior chain involvement but that isn't a huge deal.

Sorry just realised I may have been a little negative. It wasn't meant at all you have made huge progress there and I'm looking forward to seeing your deadlifts .

 

[Morba]

Legs tonight:



There is a vid of the 77.5kg for who can be bothered,

where?

 

[Djdom56]

Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdwEpc-x0_0&feature=youtu.be