*.* 2014 General Fitness Thread *.*
 

Welcome to 2014! Now get your ass in top physical condition!

No one else started it so here it is!

**From the 2013 Thread**

If you want to get back into lifting, or need a new lifting routine, START HERE:

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wi...inner_Programs

If you have questions about the SS programs, look here:

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ

Keep in mind that you're a novice lifter for a longer period of time than you think you are. Novice lifting can last anywhere from a few months to a year or two, depending on how hard you hit the weights and where you started.

Once you've reached the point where you don't make regular progress on the SS program, you are ready to move on to the intermediate stage, which can last you for a good number of years. Find it HERE:

http://madcow.hostzi.com/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm

If you're a very advanced lifter (many, many years of CONSISTENT weight training), then there are lot of programs out there, and which one you pick is simply a matter of preference. If you're really that advanced, you should know what works for you and what doesn't by this point.

DEJA VU, MAN. DEJA VU!

+10 lbs on my lifts this morning.

Leveling up.

I have to do something.

Funny thing... with my wife's illness and surgery (doing pretty well, thanks), she's down to where she was when we got married 18 years ago.

It's a good kind of weird lying in bed next to her and putting my arms around a much smaller woman.

It is always good to get endorphies going as well

Eat less, move more.

I should participate moar

My hamstring injury is still lingering.....

Used to lift in "the Hell" when I was younger. I was back to the place to lift a bit today.

WTF is that? I am going to have nightmares now.

Starting keto Monday. Must not look at scale.

I hope to get back to the gym on monday. Been sick twice in the last two weeks and the week before that was a planned off week. :(

cold ass prison with weights

The G unit

Why are you doing this? Competition?

Do your lifts suffer without carbs or do you work in refeed days?

I just want to give it a shot and see what happens for now. I've never really done it before. I've heard both ways on the lifts. There is a great thread on pro hormone forum by one of Patrick Arnold's reps that has a ton of info. I'll link it later.

My lifts were good low carb, I do sleep a ton though.

The guy was setting pr's on keto.

Well I do think it matters if you're "assisted" with being able to extend the low carbs and keep lifts up without refeeds or needing less of them.

Well it does matter how advanced a lifter you are. Newer lifter are able to keto longer and keep lifts up much easier than advanced lifters who are scrapping for 5-10lb strength gains over 4-8 week periods.

Lol. Yeah I'm sure it does. I'll post up how it's going every few weeks. Maybe some pics just for you ;)

Well, when the reps are lower, you also don't need carbs as much (or at all, really).

I'm deloading this week. Shoulder is a bit ****ed up right now, so I want to give it a break. I set some PRs last week, anyway. Right knee MCL is still strained, so I bought a brace. We'll see if it helps when I play tomorrow night. If not, I may be looking at some extended time off.

Low Carb =/= keto. I did keto once, never again. Lost some strength and just looked flat as hell overall. Now I just take in carbs pre & post workout only. I have heard that keto works well if you just after purely strength and are working in the 80-90% 1rm rep range. Not sure why anyone who is serious about building muscle would try to avoid insulin though, you need it.

How long did you run it for? I read the muscle fullness eventually returns.

Finally broke the 10 minute per mile mark on a 4 mile run @ 9.53 per mile pace. Keep chopping away!

About 8 months. I ran a 'cleaner' version of the Anabolic Diet (basically a CKD). The fullness returned on the weekends, when I was allowed a carb-refeed day. If you not taking in carbs, you will burn through your muscles glycogen stores, hence the flat look. It will not replenish it fully without eating some carbs, which is why I think targeted keto diet or just low(er) carbs is a better option. There's a lot of good read out there on carb back-loading, or just eating them around workouts. The basis is that while insulin is low, glucagon is high, which means your burning fat for energy. Then you up the insulin around workout times via carbs. Doesn't have to be a lot, 50g pre & post is more than enough for most lifters with a day desk job.

There are a lot of good lower carb options out there.
Targeted Keto Diet - carbs around workout only
Cyclical keto diet - carb refeed day once a week (usually a weekend day)
Carb back-load - carbs only AFTER workout

Ketosis is not really needed on any of these, keeping control of insulin is what is important.

Where is the hole where you keep the girl and the bottle of lotion?

Protein will spike insulin, too. Especially whey. You won't be able to stay in ketosis all day, anyway. But protein will not keep you out of it for as long as other foods would.

Yeah whey will, but obviously not as much as a high carb meal. The bulk of calories on keto need to come from fat anyway, so whey shouldn't even be on the menu. Fatty steaks with blue cheese crumbles FTW.

Been lazy in the latter half of 2013 (averaging maybe 2 days a week in the gym). Going to do like all the other New Year dorks and recommit.

Mmmmm bacon!

Been getting some pretty insane upper body pumps after workouts lately. I'd pay to keep that shit year round.

.. Speaking of, does anyone hear ever get a lower body pump?

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The gym was a total nightmare. It was crawling with new faces and all them doing weird ass exercises they probably saw in a magazine.

Pick up a barbell!

Why isn't this called the weightlifting thread?

Because there's a weirdo in here that likes to do Crossfit.

I really don't know what else would be discussed besides weights? Anyone can get on a treadmill or bike...their isn't much skill and teaching in that.

If you ain't lifting weights you ain't doing it right.

How do I lose 20 lbs? It was only 12 before the holidays. I plan on quitting drinking and trying to poop more.

Wash some exlax down with Miralax three times daily after eating a tapeworm?

There has been a good deal of running talk and nutrition talk.

I took my very first ice bath the other day. Dayum. That was more helpful than I anticipated. Do any of you guys ever do that?

Russian shower is where you dump ice on your head. People say it works, but I haven't seen science back it up.

I was in for 15 minutes. Just the waist down. I would think dumping ice on myself whilst in the shower would be something completely different.

I went out to eat yesterday and had chicken and two servings of broccoli. It wasn't very fun, but it filled me up. I am willing to sacrifice short term yum for long term munching on pussy yum...ammIright?

I'm pretty bad at fitness.

Today marks day 4 of Keto and it's starting to feel a little easier today, but damn if yesterday wasn't a bitch to get through. I'm going to go pick up some keto strips tonight and see if I can't make those bad boys change color.

Side note. Anybody ever try Provigil? I have an online supplement retail company and Blackstone Labs just game out with a product with a precursor(Adranafil) to Provigil in it. So it will convert to Provigil. It sounds very interesting. Like your brain on steroids. I've thought about sending bottles to a few posters here that appear to need that :)

Here is an interesting ABC news article on it. My stock comes in tomorrow and I figure I'll give it a test run for kicks. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/provigi...ry?id=16788001

Planet Fitness isn't the most hardcore but it is by far the cheapest. $100 for a year. The location we go to is only open 24 hours during the week though.

I hate gyms that aren't 24/7 365/

I wouldn't even waste money on the ketostix. You can be in ketosis and not even register 'trace' amounts in your urine. You body will be burning them for energy, which is what you want anyway. You will notice things like the way your sweat & urine smells, anyway. Keep an eyeball on your strength levels, if its dropping thats not a good sign. You should lose some endurance, but shouldnt lose much strength unless your protein % is too high. I think 60/40 is the safe maco split for fat to protein calories.

The only gym I hate is planet fitness. What kind of gym outlaws the squat rack because it is 'intimidating'? Its a ****ing gym!

Let me know how teh Adranafil works!

Pretty easy to get a pump in your quads. If you are not, then you probably need to do more reps (in each set, not necessarily more sets). Or you can try drop sets; or you can try supersets; or you can try flexing the muscle for 60 seconds immediately after each set.

What are your goals and what are you doing currently?

Put 135 on the bar and get in 100 reps in as few sets as possible. Parallel or lower or the rep doesn't count.

except for the bitter cold i have been working out thou what a good cure for legs tightening i have to move around at my job and need something to help me move got anything

Your legs are cramping at work?

I was just curious because I've never gotten a noticeable pump in my quads or calves after a workout. I didn't know if there was some kind of anatomical difference between leg muscles and your chest/arms or if I'm just not working hard enough..

Anyway, I've been low-calorie ing it up for the last few days. I had tried to bulk up the "wrong" way and just didn't like the amount of fat I developed on my belly. So the plan is to shave off the few pounds I stored up in that region and start over doing it with lean meats and veggies and things.

I want to be bigger but I'd rather be lean and healthy.

Dude I don't fight this gore my health and bath salt I'll give that a try

Stretch before you go to bed. Eat bananas. Drink lots of water.

Are you looking for alternatives to sit-ups or what?

Hi Silock,


I have to know - do you still have days you eat a whole bag of oranges? can you explain the benefits of that?

Ab rollouts on a wheel.

You're better off doing complex movements, though. I haven't done ab specific exercises in nearly a decade.

Yes.

No benefits other than I like oranges, and it fits my macros and gives me energy. I don't consume a ton of oranges and then consume a ton of other sugar or carbs on top of that, though. If I eat that many oranges, that's basically my carb intake for the day.

They also take up a lot of room in your stomach, being mostly water and fiber, so they really fill you up and keep you full for a while.

If your trying to put size on, your going to put a bit of fat on, no matter which way you cut it. Maybe start with a lower surplus, like +250 cals over mtce and work your way up from there. Your body doesn't exactly work in '24hr cycles', so make sure your still eating a good amount on 'off days'.

It's probably the latter. What does your leg day look like? Leg press & Hack squat machine with your feet closer together, as well as walking lunges or bulgarian split squats should pump the shit out of your quads.

For a lot of people legs tend to benefit more from high reps. I feel much more from a day of high rep sets with less weight over doing high weight and low reps.

Yes, there is a difference between your legs and the muscles of the upper body- your legs are much larger, much stronger and can handle a larger volume of work. Try upping your rep range on legs to 12-20 reps.

Starting day 5 of Keto today. Today I feel pretty good.. almost a euphoric type feeling. Awake, alert, and my body feels light. I feel like I'm getting a much deeper sleep at night as well. Granted I'd let my diet and training slip quite a bit lately.

I had mentioned it earlier in this thread, but I basically tried to bulk by eating as much shit as humanly possible. Literally, just eating non-stop all ****ing day; and I'm not talking lean meats and veggies, I'm talking entire pizzas and adding four slices of butter bread to every dinner type stuff. Another thing I tried was drinking chocolate milk every day. I'd down a quart each day and that was roughly 800 calories by itself. I've never been one to count calories or anything but I'd imagine I was easily taking in over 3,000 every single day.

So I ended up gaining around 10 pounds in roughly a month and added another 5 pounds by the end of the next month. I've read that optimal muscle synthesis can only realistically reach around 2 pounds per month so I'm guessing about 90% of that weight was fat, and it really showed on my stomach.

Now, I want to get rid of this fat and start over the right way. I'll try and up the intensity on my leg workouts as well but that shit ****ing sucks, man. I hate leg days. Love the feeling of accomplishment when it's over, but really can't stand it.

You realize you can still eat one of those and lose weight in a day, right?