I generally find when I do Olympic lifts and bar work I get really locked up and tight across legs, shoulders, arms and chest. Given how muscles are impacted from weight training I imagine it could be restricting your flexibility. My routine for stretching is nothing too over the top or complex, use a foam roller for back and sides, rumble roller on legs, thera-tube for stretching out shoulders, etc. I am naturally very inflexible and I find this helps quite a bit.
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Lifestyle physical health/fitness thread
- Thread starter Ninahaza
- Start date
Despite failure on the overhead press it seems like you're doing a good job! I've been GOing halfMAD for the best month or so and making noticeable improvements. The overhead press is definitely the hardest thing for me to do as well.
I don't know what you're supposed to do when you hit failure, but when I can't do another rep I just take 5 lbs on and finish the workout at that weight. Then remember where you failed last time and push to beat that mark.
As far as being skinny at the gym goes, I just see it like "at least I'm skinny and will start showing muscles soon instead of having to burn off weight like the fatties." Everyone at the gym started either skinny or fat so if anyone judges, they're just a hypocritical douchebag.
Official hit the 1000 pound club today :) Was in and out of the gym/practice for four hours so I figured I might as well max some things. Did 245 on Bench and it went pretty smoothly so I think I could probably add 10 pounds on to that. Squat was 5x5 at 345 so it could definitely be much higher, but I didn't feel like maxing after that. Deadlift was 410 at the very end of my workout. I'm thinking if i did that fresh I could easily add more to it. Pretty happy right now, now for 1200 :)
Noob gains are pretty cool
Noob gains are pretty cool
Sorry for the double post but 405 squat :) Sorry for the shitty quality, took it on my friends phone and he texted it to me. And I need to work on my depth a bit.
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It's been exactly two months since I first walked into the gym, so I weighed myself again today.
I'm the exact same weight I was a month ago!
Some contributors could be that I was really hungry when weighing in and definitely dehydrated from skating in warm weather for a couple hours. Also my strength is increasing and the mirror shows me noticeable results.
Starting tomorrow I'll start tracking my calories again. I guess I just got too cocky and assumed I was hitting my calorie goal every day but I guess I wasn't.
I'm the exact same weight I was a month ago!
Some contributors could be that I was really hungry when weighing in and definitely dehydrated from skating in warm weather for a couple hours. Also my strength is increasing and the mirror shows me noticeable results.
Starting tomorrow I'll start tracking my calories again. I guess I just got too cocky and assumed I was hitting my calorie goal every day but I guess I wasn't.
Projectbetteryourself
Banned deucer.
Update time (somalia). Very recently i got a back injury of which I dont know how severe yet. I'm going to hopefully get an MRI scan today to see if any discs are herniated in my back because when i deadlifted few days ago I kinda felt something snap. I'm sharing this with you guys so that you wont make the same mistakes i did. Being very light (58kg atm 11% bf) and deadlifting 135kg, I felt really good especially after getting alot of attention in the gym and being praised by alot of people there. This made my ego get bigger and thus I never used a belt and only tried to keep lifting heavier and heavier without getting more fat / more mass on me to protect my joints and bone structure. Eventually at 140kg my body almost lifting 3 times its weight couldnt keep good form and my back looked more rounded than a fricking protactor. It was too late and the damage has been done anyways. I ignored the pain like an idiot and squatted heavy the next day only to make the pain worse. It's gotten to the point where I can't sleep properly anymore nor can i bend down lol.
I've been unable to make any progress weight-wise sadly. This is my pictures for now:
CPrime I feel you lol, I use to always do that assumeyoueatenuff but it never happens. Just track your macros, it can be a chore at first but its worth it man.
idiotfrommars Animal, we already talked but damn son you killing it lol in such a short amount of time, keep it up man.
Stallion Impressive as fuck bro, i also got weak shoulders so this is real inspiration for me lol
Stratos when are we getting an update pic lool, i wanna see how effective gomad is man
Lee I still check ur quad pic bro from time to time and compare it with my poor excuse of quads, one day ima hit that level..one day!
Stathakis Good to see Hercules back in action ;)
keep on thuggin everyone, its motivating reading this thread everyday lol, im banned and all but had to make this account (plz dont ban me :( ) to share this and just give some input ;) #thuglyfe #brothersiniron #teamneverquit
I've been unable to make any progress weight-wise sadly. This is my pictures for now:
CPrime I feel you lol, I use to always do that assumeyoueatenuff but it never happens. Just track your macros, it can be a chore at first but its worth it man.
idiotfrommars Animal, we already talked but damn son you killing it lol in such a short amount of time, keep it up man.
Stallion Impressive as fuck bro, i also got weak shoulders so this is real inspiration for me lol
Stratos when are we getting an update pic lool, i wanna see how effective gomad is man
Lee I still check ur quad pic bro from time to time and compare it with my poor excuse of quads, one day ima hit that level..one day!
Stathakis Good to see Hercules back in action ;)
keep on thuggin everyone, its motivating reading this thread everyday lol, im banned and all but had to make this account (plz dont ban me :( ) to share this and just give some input ;) #thuglyfe #brothersiniron #teamneverquit
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Updated leg picture to honour our fallen comrade
keep at it dude, and yeah...always keep an eye on that form. it's all too easy to be blinded by ego but we're supposed to be in this for the long haul. I'll usually assess my form and reflect 'if I did this lift every week for the next ten years what condition am I going to be in?' If the answer is anything other than 'inarguably and universally better condition than I am currently in' then you need to go back to the drawing board.
Stick in there bud -- I find there is always a lag effect between exercise and benefit. I mean after a heavy set of squats, deadlifts, chin-ups, etc. I'll wake up the next morning and be like damn, starting to look really good. But sustaining the gains and improving is a long-term goal that will take time to realise. Weight can also be subjective, currently, i've been lazy the past month and really stepped things back up to lik 10/10 frequency and effort over the past week. My weight is higher than what it should be, i'm naturally quite heavy even when i'm very and for me 90 is the magic number for the <15% body fat. Last sunday I weighed 96.6, today I was 95.2. Doesn't really mean much.
I find measurements are a lot better and the ones I do are:
Weekly; waist, hips, neck (as these are generally the ones you want to see go DOWN. Hips is a little subjective as heavy weights that use your glutes will affect this to a degree.
Monthly; arms, quads, chest, calves (as these are generally the ones you want to see INCREASE).
In addition to that, there is always how you feel and all. It is important, like a finance budget, to be aware of what comes in and what goes out (energy...get your mind out of the gutter :P) so things like My Fitness pal are good but don't be fooled by just calories/kilojoules -- pay attention to your macro's. Also -- just make sure you're eating good fats, carbs for fuel not as an every day thing (i've gone from about 40% of my daily intake being carbs, to about 15-20 and i feel great!). The same as coffee -- i've gone from having like a cap/latte with 2 sugars to a long-black and putting a little TCM oil in it.
My only advice re: daily intake. Don't starve yourself and don't always focus on "I-have-to-eat-an-additional-X-calories" listen to your body, learn how exercise impacts it and treat it accordingly. I.e. if i eat heavier the day of doing a big session or PT in the evening i just feel bloated and meh. However, i know the next morning come 10AM I'll be rampantly hungry so to pre-empt that, i'll have some grass-fed steak and 2 eggs for breakfast, etc.
Always put your bodies needs before what you think it's needs are and you'll get there!!
Stratos
Banned deucer.
i said when i started: progress pic on the last day of finals. dont expect much though, its impossible for me to do more than ~1500 calories (total ballpark but im basically eating 1 solid meal a day and then some extra around breakfast/midnight), im in a place where i cant cook, my choices are shitty diner food and shitty prepackaged food and when im not being forced to eat by hunger it is extremely difficult to find this stuff even remotely appetizing, the only things i ever want these days are salads. I'm trying but its hard fam.
I have put on /some/ weight though, i dont have a scale so my only way of telling is that i had to loosen my watch's wristband but its somethin, if i had to guess id say between 5 and 10 pounds which is kind of disappointing for a month of GOMAD but like i said im kind of fucking it up
So the past couple times I've done deadlifts my back has been sore the next day. How do you tell if it's muscle soreness or back injury type of soreness? I've done some Googling and there's too much conflicting info out there. I need to go to the gym with someone who knows proper form I guess. I stay conscious of my back during the entire lift but I can't see to check if I'm rounding or anything.
Chances are if you're asking this question it's probably general soreness
Similar to what stallion said -- generally, whenever i've had back issues from
When i'm doing dead's I always take a little time to focus/set-up to ensure i'm doing it properly. Find a spot on the wall thats the right height to keep your head up. I generally have a routine I remind myself of...
Feet position > hands (one hand over, one hand under) > squat down/position yourself > breathe out > activate core > head position
Basically, focus on my feet and all the way up -- also, make sure to bring your hips forward and squeeze when you come forward. As far as your back goes, just focus on keeping your chest forward and a slight arch, as opposed to rounding it over. If you find that it's hitting you too early and you're having too much difficulty, drop the weight. Form > weight. (within context, obviously this doesn't mean don't not push yourself) but in general, if you're forms slipping, refocus or adjust the weight.
I imagine it's DOMS - people tend to confuse deadlift-associated DOMS with 'bad pain' at first because lower back DOMS feels very different to the DOMS you might experience in your chest, deltoids or quads for instance. Best way to tell is to give it a few days rest and see if the pain fades away. If it's still hurting you next week then you've probably tweaked it.
But yeah, those people who go on about how painful squat-DOMS is don't know shit. Deadlift DOMS turn me into a fragile, immobile old man where, if I drop something on the floor, I either a) make a mental note of it's position and agree that I will come back for it tomorrow or b) consider it lost forever.
But yeah, those people who go on about how painful squat-DOMS is don't know shit. Deadlift DOMS turn me into a fragile, immobile old man where, if I drop something on the floor, I either a) make a mental note of it's position and agree that I will come back for it tomorrow or b) consider it lost forever.
Just don't undervalue stretching,makes a world of difference. You don't really need to buy anything but if your interested... Rumble rollers are amazing. They make tears run down my face on day 2 after leg stuff as it's quite painful but really hits the spot. Sometimes if my shoulders or back gets a bit funny I'll pre empt it and either do extra stretching and use deep heat
Stratos
Banned deucer.
ok so I have made literally no progress on my shoulder press between days, as in: on Friday i was able to do 5-5-5-4-3 reps with 65 lb, and on wednesday i was able to do 5-5-5-3-3 reps. Obviously this is not, how you say, GAINS, and im not really happy with the fact that i have no clue what i can do to actually improve once i hit my limit. Do i just keep lifting it till it finally works?
If you get stuck twice, try dropping some weight and working back up to it. Normally that works for me to move past the weight by the time I get back up to it.
I started getting back to the gym in mid-March after my spring break when my classes loosened up a little bit. Almost back up to the strongest I've been and it feels great, plus its encouraging to know that since there will be a gym at my work this summer it won't be as easy for me to get sidetracked. Currently still doing starting strength, big lifts are currently at 130 bench, 200 squat, 195 deadlift, and 95 overhead press which I'm really happy with for ~6 weeks work. Just need to hit 230 squat, 135 bench, and 245 deadlift to be back to pushing uncharted territory haha.
I started getting back to the gym in mid-March after my spring break when my classes loosened up a little bit. Almost back up to the strongest I've been and it feels great, plus its encouraging to know that since there will be a gym at my work this summer it won't be as easy for me to get sidetracked. Currently still doing starting strength, big lifts are currently at 130 bench, 200 squat, 195 deadlift, and 95 overhead press which I'm really happy with for ~6 weeks work. Just need to hit 230 squat, 135 bench, and 245 deadlift to be back to pushing uncharted territory haha.
If I'm not getting the full 5x5 a couple weeks in a row I'll usually deload by 2.5 to 5kg and focus on moving the bar as fast as possible for 5x5. Afterwards, I'll throw in a few doubles and singles at a weight slightly higher than the weight that I've plateau'd at. OHP-specifically, push presses are a great exercise for plateau busting. Just load up the bar, make some grunting noises, headbutt the wall a few times and just use your full body to push that bar into the air. Then focus on the eccentric phase by lowering it back down as slowly as possible. For a sense of numbers, I'm currently OHP'ing 170lbs at 5x5 but I push press for singles or doubles at 225lbs. It's a great finisher.
Sounds like a great idea! I wish I read that before I went to the gym, haha.
I just got back and the OHP destroyed me today. I did 2x8 at 75 lbs which is a new PR but after that my shoulders were fried. I had to deload OHP and bench press to finish my workout but that's fine with me since it let me work on form a little more. I'll definitely try some push presses on my next overhead press day.
I feel like such a gym noob asking random questions all the time, but what would you guys recommend for uneven arms? I had shoulder surgery two years ago and it feels healthier than it ever has, but the strength difference is still there. When benching/OHPing there's a noticeable difference in which side of the bar goes up first. Some exercises feel easier for one arm and some feel easier for the other so it's pretty confusing for me.
I just got back and the OHP destroyed me today. I did 2x8 at 75 lbs which is a new PR but after that my shoulders were fried. I had to deload OHP and bench press to finish my workout but that's fine with me since it let me work on form a little more. I'll definitely try some push presses on my next overhead press day.
I feel like such a gym noob asking random questions all the time, but what would you guys recommend for uneven arms? I had shoulder surgery two years ago and it feels healthier than it ever has, but the strength difference is still there. When benching/OHPing there's a noticeable difference in which side of the bar goes up first. Some exercises feel easier for one arm and some feel easier for the other so it's pretty confusing for me.
People often ask me how I am able to run so fast at such a heavy weight. The answer is 'by fucking killing myself.'
Still 80kg at just under 5 foot 7 in this one...good old fashioned grit went a long way towards making up for my humiliating inefficiency but still nowhere near good enough...
Still 80kg at just under 5 foot 7 in this one...good old fashioned grit went a long way towards making up for my humiliating inefficiency but still nowhere near good enough...
I would be happy at 70kg but most would still say that's too heavy. Mo Farah, olympic 10k champion, is significantly taller than me and weighs 58kg. Perhaps the best of all time, Haille Gebreselassie, ran at 50~kg. But everybody is different and I don't think that's a realistic goal for me. To quote Bruce Lee; 'do not seek out a successful personality and attempt to duplicate him...always be yourself, express yourself and have faith in yourself.' I think I would not be honestly expressing myself athletically at 50~kg.
lee you should try some shorter events and see how you do in them, like 400-800-1500. I've heard that 400 hurdlers, decathletes, and 800m runners are the best overall athletes out of all sports players and you probably have the right mix of strength/explosiveness and endurance to do really well in these events
Stratos
Banned deucer.
Update again:
SICK :(((((( fell ill monday night (fortunately after I had gone to the gym), spent all of Tuesday in bed and ate a grand total of two pop tarts and three chicken fingers. Wednesday / today did a half GOMAD, its mostly gone now so im hoping to be back in the saddle tomorrow. Went to the gym today cuz i was too weak wednesday. i would appreciate if yall could pray to broseidon for my gains
Super excited for Saturday, gonna be a milestone day, its the day i graduate to 45 plates both for the squat and the deadlift. Finally no more having to take off the 45 plates, prop up the plates, and all that hassle for one set of deadlift :D. I can definitely tell that I am getting stronger, I have started doing a warmup set for the squat with the empty bar and though it wasn't hard for me when i started or anything i now find myself wondering if these could truly be olympic bars at the gym (they are) because it literally feels like im not holding any weight at all. However, despite knowing that I am stronger, I don't feel like ive put on much weight :( just filled in around the gut area but my arms/pecs/shoulders are skinny as ever.
CPrime are u me bro? I have a really noticeable slump right shoulder (probably from wearing my backpack over one arm all through highschool like a dumbass) and it really fucks up my OHP and bench. I'm hoping when I put on weight it'll become less noticeable but I'm wondering if there's a way to fix the structural damage (probably not)
That being said, I saw a really cool motivational video the other day which I think would be a great thing to think during races. "A man can only be defeated in one of two ways: If he gives up, or if he dies. But that's too long of a sentence for me to repeat when I'm under stress. So I shortened it down to this: "NOT DEAD, CAN'T QUIT.""
SICK :(((((( fell ill monday night (fortunately after I had gone to the gym), spent all of Tuesday in bed and ate a grand total of two pop tarts and three chicken fingers. Wednesday / today did a half GOMAD, its mostly gone now so im hoping to be back in the saddle tomorrow. Went to the gym today cuz i was too weak wednesday. i would appreciate if yall could pray to broseidon for my gains
Super excited for Saturday, gonna be a milestone day, its the day i graduate to 45 plates both for the squat and the deadlift. Finally no more having to take off the 45 plates, prop up the plates, and all that hassle for one set of deadlift :D. I can definitely tell that I am getting stronger, I have started doing a warmup set for the squat with the empty bar and though it wasn't hard for me when i started or anything i now find myself wondering if these could truly be olympic bars at the gym (they are) because it literally feels like im not holding any weight at all. However, despite knowing that I am stronger, I don't feel like ive put on much weight :( just filled in around the gut area but my arms/pecs/shoulders are skinny as ever.
CPrime are u me bro? I have a really noticeable slump right shoulder (probably from wearing my backpack over one arm all through highschool like a dumbass) and it really fucks up my OHP and bench. I'm hoping when I put on weight it'll become less noticeable but I'm wondering if there's a way to fix the structural damage (probably not)
the fact that you continue to competitively run solo is honestly so impressive to me; i loved to run a lot of the time but i do not believe i ever loved to race; I may have had 1 race a season where I felt like "yes this is good" while i was racing and it wasnt even that i felt good it was that i knew i was in huge pain then but i was doing really well. Most of the time i just felt sluggish and like shit.
That being said, I saw a really cool motivational video the other day which I think would be a great thing to think during races. "A man can only be defeated in one of two ways: If he gives up, or if he dies. But that's too long of a sentence for me to repeat when I'm under stress. So I shortened it down to this: "NOT DEAD, CAN'T QUIT.""
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