[[[The 2022 Gym Rats Thread]]] ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ

[Chuk_Chuk]

Honest and brutal advise, sort the diet out first before setting exercise goals for the end of the year. A free standing hand stand is going to be much easier to achieve at a lower body weight for sure. Work out your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and track what you eat using an app or write it all down, for at least a week, everything, so you actually know what you are taking in, then you will know where you need to be to get in to a deficit.

I will look into tracking for at least a week. It would be interesting to get a baseline.

Build up from there by adding in daily walking if you can, or some other exercise, so that you can increase that deficit, and hold yourself accountable. Take pictures, and weigh in regularly, even if things dont move as quickly as you want, or slow down or stop, if you are tracking on multiple levels you will see where/why you might plateau and change something to push on.

In terms of gym gear, honestly get on to FB market place or ebay and just see whats out there first, after that try mirafit. Reasonable pricing for gear thats going to be more then sufficient for your needs.

I probably should have mentioned, I've reguarly lifted (At least 3 times a week) and doing exercise since 2016 and I was doing some stuff irregularly before then. Regarding my goals only the front lever will be from "scratch".
I can already do a sloppy L-sit while sitting on the floor and I do, do leg raises (and holds) on the dip bars at the gym. I lack the shoulder strength to stop my torso pivoting when holding for long periods of time. I don't practise handstands as often as I should but i currently need a wall to help find the balance points. So they are more improvements on what I can already do, rather than brand new goals. I am aware that my should strength is seriously lacking, so I'm going to start working on that more.

I do agree that the less I weigh the easier this will be, especially the front lever, and long term there are quite a few things I want to do in calisthenics that are simply impossible with too much excess weight.

I will take a look at those places for the stuff i need.

 

[Syla5]

For me this first half of the year was all focus on losing weight and lifting regularly. Now the second half of the year is where I want to progress weight wise.

That doesn’t mean I didn’t progress in the first half of the year, 4 weight sessions per week without skipping anything and so I’m back to more reasonable numbers for a short manlet, but I weigh 65kg instead of 78kg and I’m more like 10-12% bf then 23-25% bf.

All my lifts have increased significantly from the start of the year but that was after 2 years almost no lifting and I was much more mentally prepared to not add weight to the bar if I felt like I couldn’t. As soon as I hit the magic calorie surplus point though, I want the focus to be on lifts progressing solidly! Got some important targets I would like to hit in my lifting life still, and times always ticking.

 

[MikeTheNative]

Big PB for me today.....
ROM increase for deadlifts from using the 20s as platforms down to the 10s.

 

[SixTwoSix]

I'm feeling quite inspired by the stories of people weight loss Journeys. Due to all my driving I've been eating a lot of crap I get while filling up at a petrol stations, so I'm now up to 125Kg. On the plus side it works as progressive overload for my pullups .

Not much to add apart from quite impressive to be doing pull ups at a weight of 125KG, know folks 30Kg lighter who can't do it.

 

[Omega_]

where can i get my bloods done i wanna see hormone levels and things like liver kidney function with cholesterol levels

 

[shifty_uk]

Don't quote me but try MediChecks, they offer various tests. You may need a larger sample of blood for things like kidney function, for that I'm not sure.

Edit: something like this? https://medichecks.com/products/essential-blood-test

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Unless I can get going early enough Monday/Tuesday might need to be aborted training days!

 

[Omega_]

Don't quote me but try MediChecks, they offer various tests. You may need a larger sample of blood for things like kidney function, for that I'm not sure.

Edit: something like this? https://medichecks.com/products/essential-blood-test

cheers ill look into it appreciate it
-luke

 

[tom_e]

where can i get my bloods done i wanna see hormone levels and things like liver kidney function with cholesterol levels

Medichecks as shifty said or I've also used Youth revisited and optimale. They all tend to use the same lab to actually analyse your samples. Optimale is generally the best priced especially with this code for 15% off OPT15

 

[Syla5]

Unless I can get going early enough Monday/Tuesday might need to be aborted training days!

tis going to be fun!

 

[tom_e]

tis going to be fun!

Some members in my place have a complete lack of understanding about how air con works so keep opening the windows, if they do that when it's 30+ degrees I'm going to put them through it to fill the gap

 

[Syla5]

Some members in my place have a complete lack of understanding about how air con works so keep opening the windows, if they do that when it's 30+ degrees I'm going to put them through it to fill the gap

wooooooow thats like nah, really? how can people be that lacking in common sense

 

[Omega_]

Medichecks as shifty said or I've also used Youth revisited and optimale. They all tend to use the same lab to actually analyse your samples. Optimale is generally the best priced especially with this code for 15% off OPT15

perfect cheers mate. ill post the results when i receive them

 

[Syla5]

Medichecks as shifty said or I've also used Youth revisited and optimale. They all tend to use the same lab to actually analyse your samples. Optimale is generally the best priced especially with this code for 15% off OPT15

which one do you go with the I assume its the optiman blood test for all the info? Im surprised they can get all the info just from finger pricks.

 

[tom_e]

which one do you go with the I assume its the optiman blood test for all the info? Im surprised they can get all the info just from finger pricks.

I'm on TRT so I use usually use those specific ones but yeah the optiman is a good all round choice. Personally for one with lots of biomarkers tested like that I'd opt to pay a little extra and have the blood drawn from a vein.

 

[Syla5]

I'm on TRT so I use usually use those specific ones but yeah the optiman is a good all round choice. Personally for one with lots of biomarkers tested like that I'd opt to pay a little extra and have the blood drawn from a vein.

That’s kind of my point, can they really offer a clear result from just finger pricks because they offer that test in that format as well as venus drawn. Cost is no issue my mum can do the blood draw

 

[Freefaller]

Mine is venous draw. Worth it. Costs around £90 or so.

That optiman one looks better value for money with that 15% discount however!

 

[tom_e]

That’s kind of my point, can they really offer a clear result from just finger pricks because they offer that test in that format as well as venus drawn. Cost is no issue my mum can do the blood draw

The research says they can but to be honest if you want the bigger tests then they send two tubes to fill and my finger tips just about manage one so it's a pain in the backside for me anyway

 

[B&W]

Lost 0.7kg since 7th July. The 2700 calories and 8000 steps has made a difference. Just takes time I guess.
Not impacted my lifts negatively either.

 

[tom_e]

Really happy with where things are at at the minute. Down to around 212lbs from 260lbs last August.

Everything feels easier, much more energy to actually do stuff, much happier in my skin and really enjoying training again.

Strength is nowhere near my past peaks but neither is it terrible especially considering the amount of weight lost and the fact 90% of my workouts are machine based these days. More importantly I also don't feel absolutely ruined in terms of creaking joints and picking up little niggles all the time.

I've trained properly on and off for about 13 years I think and I think as I quickly approach my 34th birthday I'm in the best shape and overall health that I've ever been.