The Bodybuilders Thread!

[Tinuva]

Well he wants to feel his pecs burn?

 

[StrontiumDog]

In all fairness, the weights mentioned above would be relative to the person in question's bodyweight? Didn't catch m.s.d.'s bodyweight, apologies if it was mentioned

 

[Tinuva]

Agreed. I however am what, 70Kg, and I could get to 100Kg in my late 20s.

Also, picard just needs some time in the gym, after a few years if he does well, he will also get past 100Kg on benchpress.

In fact, I know there are some schools in the US, where the school gyms have a board of how many guys finished their journey to 100Kg (just in pounds). They expect every boy to be able to do that. Also its easier to get to 100Kg while young (mid to late teens), but still very doable when older.

 

[Salt]

I am weighing 83kg now. But keep in mind I am 32 and haven't been in a gym or did any sport for about 10 years before March this year. Before that I was very active.

I do squats - but with the machine on legs day and should maybe include dead lifts as well to help with strength.

Will try he wider grip flat bench and incline bench with higher weights and less reps later this week - should I do barbel with both?

I will then do the chest isolation ones with higher reps - but won't this cause definition rather than build? For the isolation ones I can do the peck deck and bottom cable flyes?

 

[APoc184]

but won't this cause definition rather than build

My understanding is that you will have better definition when the muscles are bigger.

And definition basically comes down to low bodyfat percentage, not a certain rep range. So your diet and more cardio will give you better definition.

I hope I phrased that right.

 

[Joka69]

I'd just like to find out, i have been go to the gym 4 times a week (religiously) for about 5 months now, i have also been eating a lot better for the past 5 months, but have completely cut Cool Drink out and only drinking water for the past 2 months. I have also cut Fast foods out, and eating fruits etc.

Before i was eating twice a day, in the morning (a bowl of oats) and at night (whatever dinner was prepared).

Now i eat:

A bowl of oats in the Morning at about 6:30am
As soon as i get to work, a Plain low fat yoghurt at about 8ish.
At about 10am, i will have an apple
Lunch at 12, mostly its food of the night before or a tuna or peanut butter sandwich (on brown bread or rye)
Just before gym ill have a banana at 3pm, start gym at at 3:15 till 4:15
and then again at about 6pm, which is whatever is prepared.

My Gym routine is:

Mondays: Chest and Abs (and about 10 Mins cardio)
Tuesday: Back and Calves (20 Minutes Cardio - Treadmill)
Wednesday: Shoulders and Legs (Maybe about 5 mins Cardio to warm up)
Thursday: Arms and Abs (Again 5 minutes cardio to warm up)

So my question is, in the past 5 months, with this gym routine and eating healthy, i've instead been gaining weight or staying at the same weight, never dropped weight at all, i am 1.8m and weigh 87Kg's now.

When i started, i weighed 83Kg's and couldn't go up a set of 10 stairs without feeling like i want to die.

Now, i can feel my fitness is a bit better, (just yesterday i walked uphill a few hundred meters to the shop with my 2 year old girl on my neck all the way and back, and i didnt even break a sweat) but, this brings me to my question.

How is it that i am gaining weight, yet i don't feel like im gaining weight, not like im getting fatter or bigger, im just gaining weight according to the scale.

I'm also not seeing results really, what am i doing wrong?

 

[RanzB]

So my question is, in the past 5 minutes

Protip: Don't weigh yourself every 5 minutes

My guess is that you're in calorie surplus. Track exactly what you eat.

 

[Tinuva]

@Joka69, easy. Muscles are more dense than fat for the same amount of weight. So if you are losing fat and gaining muscle, its easy to gain total weight while losing size around the belt. Which is why weight is not the only measure you should use to know how healthy your body is. Combination of fat % and weight and length is closer to accurate.

 

[RanzB]

@Joka69, easy. Muscles are more dense than fat for the same amount of weight. So if you are losing fat and gaining muscle, its easy to gain total weight while losing size around the belt. Which is why weight is not the only measure you should use to know how healthy your body is. Combination of fat % and weight and length is closer to accurate.

I thought it's not possible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time? As in muscle growth needs a calorie surplus and fat loss requires a calorie deficit?

 

[Joka69]

Protip: Don't weigh yourself every 5 minutes

My guess is that you're in calorie surplus. Track exactly what you eat.

Haha, edited to Months.

But, like im saying, im not noticing the increase in weight, if anything, i feel like im losing weight, but clearly according to my body weight, that's not it.

Previously, before i started gyming and eating healthy, when i was eating, i was proper eating, like i could smash an entire pizza with a litre coke at a time, and still have a waffle for dessert. And when i was doing this i could feel im picking up weight, but now, im staying hungry all the time, but i would have like nuts or fruit like an apple or banana, or even some dried fruit as a snack, instead of like a chocolate and a packet of chips, but im picking up weight quicker than i was before, and i mean before i was at that weight for almost 3 years, picking up 1 or 2 kilos here and there, and then losing it again.

And now, in the past 5 months i picked up 7 kilos straight, not losing here and there, just gaining. Thats not right.

 

[Joka69]

@Joka69, easy. Muscles are more dense than fat for the same amount of weight. So if you are losing fat and gaining muscle, its easy to gain total weight while losing size around the belt. Which is why weight is not the only measure you should use to know how healthy your body is. Combination of fat % and weight and length is closer to accurate.

And i get that, because, i have also noticed i've dropped a belt size, and 1 of my work pants which used to just just fit around my waist, i can now pull 5cm's away from my waistline (if im making sense in explanation)

How would i measure "Combination of fat % and weight and length is closer to accurate." that?

Im not sure how to measure my body fat, and keep track of that somehow?

 

[RanzB]

And now, in the past 5 months i picked up 7 kilos straight, not losing here and there, just gaining. Thats not right.

Which isn't a problem, if you're picking up muscle and not fat.

Im not sure how to measure my body fat, and keep track of that somehow?

Calipers?

 

[Joka69]

Which isn't a problem, if you're picking up muscle and not fat.



Calipers?

Which is why i need to measure.

What is calipers? and where can i get it? Or can i just go somewhere and have it measured?

I also thought of checking my waistline and chest with a measuring tape, and comparing.

 

[RanzB]

What is calipers? and where can i get it? Or can i just go somewhere and have it measured?
.

Disclaimer: I've never used them.

http://za.bodybuilding.com/store/calipers.html?&_requestid=158824

 

[Joka69]

Oh, yeah, thats what i thought you were referring to. Im going to give the tape measure a try and check if i notice a difference.

 

[Forza]

I thought it's not possible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time? As in muscle growth needs a calorie surplus and fat loss requires a calorie deficit?

It is possible but you need to have a good idea on your diet and how to plan and manipulate it to gain lean muscle and lose fat. To gain muscle and lose fat you not working on a calorie deficit or surplus. You'll be eating the correct amount of calories for your desired bodyweight.

Remember some bodies react better to a mix or carbs and proteins to ensure muscle is not lost. Others need to cycle between high carb and high protein days to get it right. So you gonna have to manipulate your diet for Eg. 2 days of the week have High Carb Days and other 3 High Protein and 2 days a week a good portion of carbs to protein to fat. Lets say for Eg your lean muscle weight calories is 2500. Your ratios should then be something like this carbsrotein:ratio; High Carb Day 60:30:10 High Protein Day 60:30:10 Good portion of carbs to protein 40:50:10

So it's a hard thing to do where people only master over yeeeeeaaarrrs of training and diet to learn how there body reacts to different diets.

 

[Joker]

I'd say to start off before getting too technical, just list out what you're eating - it may surprise you.

Register on this site, its for weight loss but has a great database of local SA foods. Add all the things you're eating every day (including sauces and snacks and drinks) and see how many calories you're coming out at.

Then go here to get how many calories you should be on a day:
http://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html

Your very first step should be sticking within that calorie limit, after you're comfortable with that then start aiming for spliting those calories up correctly with protein:carbs:fats ratios.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calpro.htm
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calcarbs.htm
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/fats_calculator.htm

 

[APoc184]

For the guys working out in their garage/home like I do.

How do you load up on weight for calf raises?

I do standing single-leg weighted calf raises. I hold a 22kg dumbbell in one hand to add that extra weight but it is uncomfortable. Also tried hanging the weight on a thick rope and hang it from my shoulder. But that is even more uncomfortable as the rope "cuts" into the shoulder and leaves nasty marks.

I haven't found a nice way to do seated yet. Not with enough weight anyway.

 

[thestaggy]

Agreed. I however am what, 70Kg, and I could get to 100Kg in my late 20s.

Also, picard just needs some time in the gym, after a few years if he does well, he will also get past 100Kg on benchpress.

In fact, I know there are some schools in the US, where the school gyms have a board of how many guys finished their journey to 100Kg (just in pounds). They expect every boy to be able to do that. Also its easier to get to 100Kg while young (mid to late teens), but still very doable when older.

I'm 28 now, but I am stronger - or at least feel stronger - than I did in my late teens. I don't know if it is because I take it a little more seriously now.

Don't serious power lifters start reaching big-boy territory in their 30s?

 

[thestaggy]

For the guys working out in their garage/home like I do.

How do you load up on weight for calf raises?

I do standing single-leg weighted calf raises. I hold a 22kg dumbbell in one hand to add that extra weight but it is uncomfortable. Also tried hanging the weight on a thick rope and hang it from my shoulder. But that is even more uncomfortable as the rope "cuts" into the shoulder and leaves nasty marks.

I haven't found a nice way to do seated yet. Not with enough weight anyway.

Best I can come up with at home is holding dumbbells. Was thinking about maybe taking the bar like you do when you squat and trying that as well.