The Bodybuilders Thread!

[Orihalcon]

Moderate intensity first thing in the morning for 45min fasted.

I know the benefits of HIIT training and the evidence of afterburner effect etc...but when you calorie restricted HIIT is counter productive - at least to my body. Hitting cardio first thing in the morning means my glycogen levels are low and zero carbs for energy - keeping cardio moderate lets the body burn fats instead of catobolising muscle.

 

[marine1]

keeping cardio moderate lets the body burn fats instead of catobolising muscle.

Yes have heard this before

 

[prod]

Im doing heavy weights and a good diet at the moment, its going very slow.
The best i experienced was a good diet with heavy cardio, problem is i HATE cardio, i wil rather sit in the gym and do weights for 3 hours than jogging or spinning for 30 minutes.

BTW, i’m not on clen or yohimbe, to damn expensive
What i do however use is L-Carnatine, Glutamine, Creatine, BCAA’s + DMAA and lots of water, i have completely dropped whey/proteïen as it lets me pick up weight.
I was scared i was going to lose lots of muscle due to the lack of proteïen in my diet, my biceps are up from 46cm to 53cm, and i have lost 8kg the last 5 months

Great progress! My comment was more in a general direction though, I don't know much about Clen et all. so I probably should not be commenting on it . I've been on a leangains style 'cut' (not really strict) and I've lost almost 5kgs in 2 months. I went from 90.4 -> 86.2. The problems I'm facing is the apparent lost in strength I experienced, BUT this is because I'm half arsing my leangains diet, which is a really bad idea. Starting May I'll be adding creatine and making a bigger effort to meet daily macros. But instead of cut I'm going bulk for the winter, thinking of a -10/+20 on rest/training days. Starting September I'll go a cut, probably something like -20/0 on maintenance. Not sure yet!

 

[Hemps]

Front Dumbbell raises 3 sets 8-11 reps
Side Dumbbell raises 3 sets 8-11 reps
Military Press 3 sets 8-12 reps

I would add some rear delts exercises in there to avoid mirror muscles.

I have found that with bent over laterals using my palms facing forward and elbows in forward position best targets upper back and especially rear laterals.
If I do bent over laterals with palms facing sideways like in most of the videos I just don't get that feeling in my rear delts even tough my back in parallel tot the floor.

My rear delts also get a workout from wide grip pullups, I was surprised at how much they have grown since starting pullups again.

 

[Orihalcon]

Agree with you Hemps.

Throw in some bent over dumbell flyes or even better... high reverse cable flyes - these things KILL.

 

[modern10]

The most powerful weight loss combo is a good diet and heavy weights. IMO.

+1000

 

[RogueTr00per]

Sorry for the late reply. Its been quite hectic at work. Anyway..

I am 1.72 and weigh 57kg *hides*

I've struggled to gain weight for as long as i can remember:erm:

Started this isolation workout this week:

Monday: Chest and Triceps

Bench Press 4 sets 7-10 reps

Incline Dumbbell Press 3 sets 7-11 reps
Flat Dumbbell Flyes 3 sets 7-10 reps
Dips weighted 4 sets 9-12 reps
Cable Pushdowns 4 sets 10-12 reps


Wednesday: Shoulders and Legs

Barbell Squats 4 sets 10-12 reps
Leg Extensions 4 sets 12-15 reps
Front Dumbbell raises 3 sets 8-11 reps
Side Dumbbell raises 3 sets 8-11 reps
Military Press 3 sets 8-12 reps

Friday: Back and Biceps

Wide Pull-ups 4 sets 10-12 reps
Bent over Barbell rows 4 sets 10-12reps
Lat pull down 4 sets 10-12reps
Preacher Curls 4 sets 10-12 reps
Standing Barbell curls 3 sets 10-12reps
Concentration Curls 2 sets 10-12 reps

I actually workout 4 times a week so will just adjust the program accordingly.

I got this work out from the net, but I'm not 100% convinced that its right for me and will need to tweak it a bit. If you guys can help in that regard that'll be awesome.

I have a mild case of the skinny-fat syndrome but im not sure if that can be avoided when in the bulk up phase... Can it?

Btw, I've checked that GOMAD program. Seems do-able, and no Im not lactose intolerant. Have any of you tried it though?

As a stronglifts convert, I would say you would be better off doing stronglifts5x5 and adding in over and above that what you feel it is missing. Your programme is an isolation one as you put it. Not enough compound movements in it from what little I know. If you are skinny fat, that is the last thing u need, a body builder type programme (i.e. isolation).

You need to do some deadlifts and squats stronglifts5x5 style dude, IMHO

 

[Mr Feesh]

any one read engineering the alpha ?

 

[Orihalcon]

Nope, not yet. That is on my list of books to read though. Been getting some great write ups and a lot of talk on fitness sites.

EDIT: Book was just published this month. Anyone know if Exlcusive will pick this up anytime soon? Otherwise it's Kalahari order and wait for ship from states.

 

[Joe505]

I would add some rear delts exercises in there to avoid mirror muscles.

I have found that with bent over laterals using my palms facing forward and elbows in forward position best targets upper back and especially rear laterals.
If I do bent over laterals with palms facing sideways like in most of the videos I just don't get that feeling in my rear delts even tough my back in parallel tot the floor.

My rear delts also get a workout from wide grip pullups, I was surprised at how much they have grown since starting pullups again.

Agree with you Hemps.

Throw in some bent over dumbell flyes or even better... high reverse cable flyes - these things KILL.

Thanks for the advice guys I will take note of that.

As a stronglifts convert, I would say you would be better off doing stronglifts5x5 and adding in over and above that what you feel it is missing. Your programme is an isolation one as you put it. Not enough compound movements in it from what little I know. If you are skinny fat, that is the last thing u need, a body builder type programme (i.e. isolation).

You need to do some deadlifts and squats stronglifts5x5 style dude, IMHO

See thats just the thing dude, how do you know just how much additional workouts to add to an already prescribed workout?

I know one needs to add as one sees fit and necessary, but i am a real noob when it comes to this so thus dont exactly know what to do.

I was following this dude Alain Gonazalez and his book Bony to Brawny for the past 4 months. Definitely saw results but not as much as i thought i would. For the first two workout programs (spread over two 2 month periods) he prescribed a lot of compound exercises (like the ones you mentioned) - which i did, now for the 3rd workout program he prescribes an isolation program, so i am contemplating starting that...

I know what you guys are thinking, he sounds really confused... and truth is I AM. Like alot

 

[CrazYmonkeY159]

Thanks for the advice guys I will take note of that.



See thats just the thing dude, how do you know just how much additional workouts to add to an already prescribed workout?

I know one needs to add as one sees fit and necessary, but i am a real noob when it comes to this so thus dont exactly know what to do.

I was following this dude Alain Gonazalez and his book Bony to Brawny for the past 4 months. Definitely saw results but not as much as i thought i would. For the first two workout programs (spread over two 2 month periods) he prescribed a lot of compound exercises (like the ones you mentioned) - which i did, now for the 3rd workout program he prescribes an isolation program, so i am contemplating starting that...

I know what you guys are thinking, he sounds really confused... and truth is I AM. Like alot

In your first 6 months of lifting, your strength gain rate will seem quite high (thats because it is)

Your muscle gains wont be astronomical but you will see a good improvement

If you leave the gym with a lot of additional energy then you know that you can put some additional sets into your workout. I leave the gym with just enough energy to drive myself home . listen to your body

 

[marine1]

Guys can someone explain to me what is T3?

 

[killadoob]

Guys can someone explain to me what is T3?

it's illegal marine, it is used for cutting and it is a thyroid hormone as far as i know. You hate drugs, this is something you won't take. Well it isn't illegal for everyone if you have a thyroid issue and your doctor gives you a script it's fine.

 

[marine1]

it's illegal marine, it is used for cutting and it is a thyroid hormone as far as i know. You hate drugs, this is something you won't take. Well it isn't illegal for everyone if you have a thyroid issue and your doctor gives you a script it's fine.

Ahhh ok thanks, I heard these thyroid meds are dangerous. Once you stop, your thyroid never comes back to "normal"

 

[InternetSwag]

How many normal pullups are you doing?

Anyway, you could buy some 1m lengths of heavy chain, or 1m lengths of varying heaviness chain for progression, and use them as weight belts (get some carabiners or cheap padlocks to use as fasteners). Or even a coupla metres of a single length of chain and wrap yourself up

I do 5 sets of 8. Being only 65 kg's I can do them easily. I need to progressive overload though and need to add weight.

 

[Joe505]

In your first 6 months of lifting, your strength gain rate will seem quite high (thats because it is)

Your muscle gains wont be astronomical but you will see a good improvement

If you leave the gym with a lot of additional energy then you know that you can put some additional sets into your workout. I leave the gym with just enough energy to drive myself home . listen to your body

Haha thanks for that.

Now just to figure out which program i am going to follow...

 

[RogueTr00per]

I do 5 sets of 8. Being only 65 kg's I can do them easily. I need to progressive overload though and need to add weight.

I suck at pullups and i weigh less than you so obviously my back is weak or i am not incorporating back muscles and using biceps/arms too much. Not doing them currently... What did u find helped you improve pullups? I assume u were bad at them in the beginning too?

Haha thanks for that.

Now just to figure out which program i am going to follow...

Did u gain muscle or lose fat? Were u not eating enough? How old are u?


<edit>Today at the gym there was a dude next to me, over 6 foot tall, maybe 6' 2". He was as thin as a beanpole. Early twenties or maybe even just under twenty. He was doing deadlifts at 70kg and was using straps to attach himself to the bar. I just had to sigh mentally. I asked him about the straps but he thought I didn't know what they were for and started explaining their function, but I was really just trying to coax him to not rely on them and improve his grip strength Shame I was doing more weight than him and doing them easier as him being so tall, those 20kg plates looked like 10kg plates would be for me, like really awkwardly low for his height Looked really weird and unnatural! </edit>

 

[InternetSwag]

I suck at pullups and i weigh less than you so obviously my back is weak or i am not incorporating back muscles and using biceps/arms too much. Not doing them currently... What did u find helped you improve pullups? I assume u were bad at them in the beginning too?

Well these are underhand pull ups, I can do wide grip as well, I tend to do wide grip overhand at home if I don't feel like going to gym. (I have one of those R200 pull up bars that hook into your doorway) Because the one at gym is too wide, it's like all I can do there is hang :\

^this could actually be an interesting discussion guys, how far apart are your hands supposed to be on the bar for overhand wide grip? Mine at home is the length of a doorway (just checked) At gym it's far wide like maybe even 1.5m.

I think the difference might be bf%, if I am at 10% I guess I have a bit more muscle to help the contractions(since it is a compound movement) and less fatty tissue to pull up.

I've also been doing them since I started @ 59kg's. So it might be that I've just gotten used to doing them.

 

[InternetSwag]

That being said, first proper day back in the gym today since I got sick. Changed my workout as well, want to focus more on my chest which is lagging.

Did the following; chest & triceps

5x5 incline bench (maxed at 55kg's)
5x5 flat bench (maxed at 65kg's)
8x3 cable crossovers (maxed at 15 kg's each hand) - struggled with this, hurt my wrist :\ felt unnatural, will have to work on form
5x5 close grip bench (maxed at 45kg's)
8x3 skullcrushers (maxed at 15kg's - Excluding bar weight, I have no idea what a EZ curl bar weighs.)
8x3 Rope Pushdowns (maxed at 15kg's, usually able to do 20, I guess I was tired by then)


Wanted to do decline bench but the damn bench is broken.

 

[Tinuva]

Well these are underhand pull ups, I can do wide grip as well, I tend to do wide grip overhand at home if I don't feel like going to gym. (I have one of those R200 pull up bars that hook into your doorway) Because the one at gym is too wide, it's like all I can do there is hang :\

^this could actually be an interesting discussion guys, how far apart are your hands supposed to be on the bar for overhand wide grip? Mine at home is the length of a doorway (just checked) At gym it's far wide like maybe even 1.5m.

I think the difference might be bf%, if I am at 10% I guess I have a bit more muscle to help the contractions(since it is a compound movement) and less fatty tissue to pull up.

I've also been doing them since I started @ 59kg's. So it might be that I've just gotten used to doing them.

1. If you do under-hand grip, it is called chins or chin-ups. This works the biceps a bit more than a pull-up does. It also work different muscles than pull-ups. You should alternate between chin-ups and pull-ups on a weekly basis.

2. Pull-ups, when done overhand, should be done with different grip-widths, again because it work different muscles.
Wide-grip-width would be when hands are far wider than your shoulders, it is also the most difficult.
normal-grip-width is when the hands are just just outside shoulder width.
close-grip-width is when the hands are very close together, small than shoulder-width at least.
You should alternate between grip widths too, maybe not on a weekly basis, but from time to time at the very least. Or work all 3 after each other if you can...

3. While less bf% may help to make it easier, strength will help a lot more. When I started 2 years ago, I couldn't do a single pull-up and almost a chin-up. Now I can easily do 3 sets of 8-10 reps, more if I really try, but these are usually at the end of my workout, so by then I am usually tired out already.

Did I practice to be able to do them? Nope, all I did was try to go heavy on pendlay/barbell rows, and 6 months later I was able to do 2-3 pull-ups. Will this work for everyone? Probably not.