*** The 2019 Gym Rats Thread ***

Somnambulist said:
The faster the weight loss, the less likely you'll be able to make appreciable strength gains, although higher body fat = more easily available energy which can counter this for a time, and of course maintaining weights whilst losing weight is an improvement in your strength to bodyweight ratio. So if you were losing 0.5% of your bw a week it's more likely you'll be able to have better training outcomes than if you were losing 1.5%... however the issue with this is that you're going to have to spend a lot longer dieting, when you'd make far more progress not being in a diet.

Past the noob-gains stage you can progress in lifts by making technical adjustments and getting more efficient at the movement through practice, but realistically getting a lot stronger is going to require growth, which isn't going to happen meaningfully in a hypocaloric (deficit) state. It's more productive to just focus on keeping what you have and getting the fat loss out of the way first, then being able to train hard for a long period of time fueled by sufficient food.
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Hmm well thank you for the advice. I’ll do some more reading on the subject, but I think you’re right in that I really need to lose the weight and then focus on the muscle gains. I’d like to to get it out of the way. I think, though, that I’ll just keep up with my routine and eating 1850 cals and see what happens. It’s the only type of exercise that I really enjoy so it’s all positive.
 
dirtychinchilla said:
Hmm well thank you for the advice. I’ll do some more reading on the subject, but I think you’re right in that I really need to lose the weight and then focus on the muscle gains. I’d like to to get it out of the way. I think, though, that I’ll just keep up with my routine and eating 1850 cals and see what happens. It’s the only type of exercise that I really enjoy so it’s all positive.
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Maintaining your lifts on a diet is a great outcome (you might lose a rep here and there but that's no big deal), since it's indicative that it's unlikely you've lost any skeletal muscle tissue along the way. Doing this for 8 weeks say whilst in a moderate deficit isn't too depressing when you consider you could spend the next 12 months afterwards in a small surplus, with perhaps the odd mini-diet halfway through if you got a bit carried away.Also remember with something like bench, for instance, as you lose weight and cm on your frame, the bar has to travel slightly further when using a full range of motion, which can make the same weight harder.

You don't recover as well when dieting so it can be counter-productive to really push for progressive overload since you can dig yourself into a hole, pick up a niggle or something and then you can't train as well the next session and end up not being able to do what you were doing, losing strength and potentially some muscle too. There's certainly scenarios when one can build muscle at the same time, but they're quite specific and for most people results can be seen much quicker when you're not trying to run in two directions at once.

Of course if you're relatively new to lifting and not that lean, then chances are you can still make progress while dieting - enjoy that while it lasts!
 
So on my search for a decent strength gym I visited A1 Iron works in Birmingham on Saturday. Literally perfect! Just a big **** off warehouse sheltering a sea of contorted iron contraptions (most of which I looked at perplexed, wondering which way you where meant to sit/lie on them). They had more benches then all the gyms I've been to yet combined.

Tis a little out of my way and will require me tweaking my routine a bit, but damn it feels good to have a gym where I'll finally be able to walk in and get a piece of equipment straight away!
 
dirtychinchilla said:
I could also do with some advice on eating. I’m 181 cm, maybe 87 kg (probably a bit more after he holiday I’ve just been on) and therefore fairly plump. I want to lose some of the fat but still get stronger at the same time. I’m a bit conflicted as to how much I should eat...I’m aiming for 1850 cal every day.

Does that sounds right? It’s enough for weight loss but I don’t want it to hinder me getting stronger. My aim fitness-wise at the moment is to get a bit (a lot) stronger and then focus a bit more on size once I know I can hit my target lifts.
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You're pretty much in the same spot I was last June. Just starting out, carrying a little extra puppy fat and just wanting to hit BW/strength targets.

The only real of advise I can give you is too abandon snacking between meals, do intermittent fasting until late in the morning and ABSOLUTELY meal prep in advance if you don't have the time during the work week. Seek out a meal plan that will balance out your Protein, fats and carbs. Not for any 'Gainz' as such, more to keep you full between meals. You should also focus more on the basic compound movements then any real isolation work (something I wish I'd have done a lot sooner). It's easier to track the progress and a focus on just 4 or 5 distinct movements familiarises you some of the more important muscles required for general growth exercises.

Also, DO NOT punish yourself for any dietary relapses. It's tough at first and you're going to say '**** it' occasionally, that's alright. But always work to getting yourself back on track as soon as you divert. You have to make piece with the fact that this isn't a 'diet' (which always suggests you're going to be coming off it at some point), this is a lifestyle change. Having said that, allow yourself a cheat day or AT LEAST a cheat meal once per week. Don't make training your singular focus, you have to appreciate life in all its carby, sugary, fatty goodness once in a while :P
 
TBH what works in dieting changes so much depending on the person.

The best nutritional plans are the ones you can stick to. I could never get on with intermittent fasting and I essentially snack and have small meals throughout the day even when i was on 1500-1600 kCals. I don't really believe that fasting makes significant differences outside of controlling the total amount of food you eat. I can see how intermittent fasting can work better for those with a busy lifestyle, long commutes and also those that cannot prepare meals and snacks in advance but for me it encourages me to gorge when i can eat and small meals and snacking with everything recorded allows me to strictly stick to routine without much effort.

Whatever you decide to do i think certainly recording everything on something like MyFitnessPal is a great way to cut out the extra few hundred calories from the odd passing biscuit taken from the office tin or packets of crisps and peanuts in the pub.

I have also realized that since upping my calories by 700 after my cut, that i was punishing myself the last few months and could have probably eaten more while melting away some fat - so long as i continued to work hard in the gym. I expecting some fat to return making my adjustment but it looks like i am still losing as i am building calories up to an amount for a lean bulk.
 
I know how to diet, I've had it very much under control at certain times. Last year, for example, I lost 16 kg in about 4 months. Using MyFitnessPal, being honest and consistent, and planning everything is the way I think it should be done. As far as intermittent fasting goes, it's a good way to do things if you either don't have time for breakfast or are bothered by having smaller meals. I could do either, but I really enjoy the breakfast that I'm having on the current diet (rye bread, with a spring onion and oregano omelette, and a turkey steak) too much so I don't want to stop eating that. The decision is really whether to eat more to bulk or eat less to lose weight, and then bulk.

I've come to the conclusion that until I've hit my weight goal, I'll just stick with eating at a deficit.

Good luck @Avenged7Fold.
 
I just like doing intermittent fasting because it allows me to extend the days meals out a bit longer. Brekkie at 11, lunch at 2 and dinner at 7/8ish. I've sort of had to do it that way because I don't usually hit the gym till 6 and I need a little something still hanging around in my gut to be able to do ****** all.
 
Eugh, being ill sucks (generally, but also specifically related to the gym). I was in a really good groove, sticking to my workout and nutrition plans and generally felt like I was making some solid gains, but then I got a nasty cold last week and have been doing some brutal hours at work, so as a result I just haven't had the energy to go to the gym. I tried going on Wednesday and felt so weak, I had to drop 20kg off my regular bench press and only ended up working out for half an hour. Hopefully this week I can get back on it, I don't like feeling weak and I swear I look smaller even though I've only missed three workouts.
 
I had my worst work out since starting stronglifts today. Had a call I couldn't not take after my squat during warmup for bench press. Lasted about 25 minutes (home gym so I wasn't that person in the gym shouting down the phone) and then went back to where I left off and was weak as a new born puppy. Failed my bench from second set and used the spotter bars for the first time ever on the 3rd set. By then I was late for work so packed it in for a bad job :(
 
Bad days will always happen, you still made more progress than doing nothing. No matter your pace; forwards is forwards :)


My prep for worlds starts today, I learnt a lot from the last training cycle and whilst I still can't bench I'm feeling confident for making some solid progress over the next few months :D

If anyone wants to listen to my nationals breakdown you can check it out on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rhynopowerlifting/videos/624949084619014/
 
Had my first proper session at Ironworks last night. Just so good!!!

Having trained mostly at cardio gyms with a few token free weights and strength machines for the last 6 months, going to an actual full on strength gym was exactly what I needed. It was like being a kid in a sweet shop, equipment I'd only ever seen on the net scattered everywhere and whole rooms dedicated to specific body parts. The whole session I never once had to look for plates, wait for a machine or bench to be free or awkwardly ask someone how many sets they had left.

Has totally reinvigorated my love for training :)
 
DrToffnar said:
Had my first proper session at Ironworks last night. Just so good!!!

Having trained mostly at cardio gyms with a few token free weights and strength machines for the last 6 months, going to an actual full on strength gym was exactly what I needed. It was like being a kid in a sweet shop, equipment I'd only ever seen on the net scattered everywhere and whole rooms dedicated to specific body parts. The whole session I never once had to look for plates, wait for a machine or bench to be free or awkwardly ask someone how many sets they had left.

Has totally reinvigorated my love for training :)
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You're spoiled for choice for decent old school type gyms around Brum, there's a couple of good ones for strongman kit as well.
 
tom_e said:
You're spoiled for choice for decent old school type gyms around Brum, there's a couple of good ones for strongman kit as well.
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Aye man, it's a shame I don't drive. Does limit my choices a bit having to fit everything around public transport.

Also, that arms looks brutal man. Hope it clears up relatively quickly for you!
 
dirtychinchilla said:
I know how to diet, I've had it very much under control at certain times. Last year, for example, I lost 16 kg in about 4 months. Using MyFitnessPal, being honest and consistent, and planning everything is the way I think it should be done. As far as intermittent fasting goes, it's a good way to do things if you either don't have time for breakfast or are bothered by having smaller meals. I could do either, but I really enjoy the breakfast that I'm having on the current diet (rye bread, with a spring onion and oregano omelette, and a turkey steak) too much so I don't want to stop eating that. The decision is really whether to eat more to bulk or eat less to lose weight, and then bulk.

I've come to the conclusion that until I've hit my weight goal, I'll just stick with eating at a deficit.

Good luck @Avenged7Fold.
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Honestly having flip-flopped for years, Im no longer gonna bother bulking aggresively. It just becomes to much effort to then lose weight in the run up to summer. Id rather be less Hulk and more Wolverine any day.
My favourite way to cut will be fasting in the morning and just very simple wraps in the evening. But most of it is mental attitude so you avoid snacking or going for the sugar. I find having a good reference point really helps.

This guy is really inspiring as he realistically went from a beast to bodybuilding competition worthy in like a year, which when he first started thought he was being unrealistic, but he ended up winning a few competitions lol. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWmXtPjPs113VCAmT2WcwL4vueelpUvoa
 
Just took my reading in the gym first time since before Christmas expecting my bodyfat percent to have increased....I was wrong...8.1%! Lowest I've ever been. Almost shredded !

Looks like i put on muscle but no fat which is how it dropped!
 
Congrats, although it's likely somewhat higher than that in reality, since if you were 8% you'd already be shredded (8-10% is about as low as you can maintain without health consequences):

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Still, if you're using the same scales consistently the trend is all that matters. :)
 
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