The Bodybuilders Thread!

[JerryMungo]

Orihalcon, so you avoid all forms of sugar? Fruit too? And how do u handle sugar cravings?

I've been off sugar for years - it takes a couple of days to go back to cravings, but a couple of days without and you're cravings are sorted. Seriously - try it. You just need to make sure you eat healthy to regulate your carbs. Low GI stuff like oats for breakfast, avoid most peanut butters (black cat do a sugar and salt free one)... and reward yourself with biltong as an alternative.

No point in cutting fruit out. Natural sugars aren't the enemy! Besides, they come with lots of other good stuff.

Did u gain strength or just maintaining on this current regime?

I'd say what I am lacking, is the cardio. Not doing any cardio currently, so I should look to incorporate that into my 3 days a week SL 5x5.

Try Mike Chang's functional days in between your SL days - brilliant workouts. PM me if you need more info.

 

[Tinuva]

Hey, i see it's on par with US $ pricing at R425 for 180 tabs at SupplementWorld. I wonder why we get a good price on that but not other ON products

You don't take Opti-Men regularly? How come?

I actually do take them, but lately with the more healthier eating I got lazy and kinda skipped on them. When I do take them however, you can really feel the difference. Ofc I am back on since I been sick and want to ensure I have a good recovery and will probably stay on at least for the duration of winter.

 

[nivek]

bought some nutritech whey... the choc mint flavour, and all i can say is

as long as the whey itself is quality - but as soon as this 3kg tub is done im going back to evox for my budget whey

 

[Mr Feesh]

Started gyming towards the half way through feb. I was 5ft7 and 62kgs at begining i now 67kgs, I increased my calories quite alot(eating the right foods) went on to 1 shake of dymAtize massbuilder split twice a day with a casein shake at night.
have always been pretty lean, took a body fat% half way through when I was 65kgs and it came up as 8%. I have increased in size, muscles still look lean but just bigger which is what I want.

Any ways, the personal trainer at the gym suggested I should try a product called cell mass.
So thinking of changing to a whey protein shake with cell mass during the day and a casein shake at night.
My question, any recommendations of this product? I want to put on another 3kgs, should I just stay with the dymatize massbuilder or go onto to a whey protein shake if I am going to try the cell mass. I don't want to bulk up a alot, just increase shoulder size and get more ripped.

 

[RogueTr00per]

Right, so I tested my one rep max tonight on deadlifts. The warm up preparations could have been more scientific (like this T Nation article) but I made do trying to use some common sense and doing a few warmup sets first. I wore gloves so that failing grip would not be a factor.

(As a 62kg ectomorph) I got to 105kg when i realised that any more and my lower back would have given out . Already at 100kg i felt a slight twinge. Should have stopped at 100kg, stupid I know Lucky nothing bad happened.

Dropped down to 70kg to get about 4 sets in to finish the workout. Tried sumo deadlifts during the warm up and also in the last working set. Stopped when i felt a twinge again in my lower back doing the sumo deadlifts :erm:

Started deadlifts last December so it's still early days in terms of weight I am pulling. Will test one rep max again in a few weeks.

I've been off sugar for years - it takes a couple of days to go back to cravings, but a couple of days without and you're cravings are sorted. Seriously - try it. You just need to make sure you eat healthy to regulate your carbs. Low GI stuff like oats for breakfast, avoid most peanut butters (black cat do a sugar and salt free one)... and reward yourself with biltong as an alternative.

No point in cutting fruit out. Natural sugars aren't the enemy! Besides, they come with lots of other good stuff.

Try Mike Chang's functional days in between your SL days - brilliant workouts. PM me if you need more info.

OK thanks, will keep those points in mind on the sugar. Might just PM you then

 

[Orihalcon]

While I do agree that fruits do contain lotsa goodness (and fiber) they are also high in fructose - i.e sugar. They are unique in the sense that they are also low GI for the most part while being high in sugar content. Getting to a low double digit bf% or single digits requires strict and controlled eating - you can fit the fruit in your eating plan, but just make sure it fits in your makro's.

For me personally I don't have any sugar currently in my eating plan. My fats come from flax seed oil and peanut butter (yellow cap - salt and sugar free), carbs from oats, sweet potato, mixed veg (mostly for fiber) and 100% rye bread (2 slices a day) and protein from whey / isolate, chicken, chicken, chicken and then some more chicken and billtong (70g a day as a snack.)

 

[prod]

While I do agree that fruits do contain lotsa goodness (and fiber) they are also high in fructose - i.e sugar. They are unique in the sense that they are also low GI for the most part while being high in sugar content. Getting to a low double digit bf% or single digits requires strict and controlled eating - you can fit the fruit in your eating plan, but just make sure it fits in your makro's.

For me personally I don't have any sugar currently in my eating plan. My fats come from flax seed oil and peanut butter (yellow cap - salt and sugar free), carbs from oats, sweet potato, mixed veg (mostly for fiber) and 100% rye bread (2 slices a day) and protein from whey / isolate, chicken, chicken, chicken and then some more chicken and billtong (70g a day as a snack.)

Interested in this flax seed oil, since I need more fat and less carbs on my rest days. Currently, if I'm not having ground beef on that day, I'll skip my other carb sources and eat 100g of cashews for fats. Can you recommend a good brand?

 

[Orihalcon]

Dischem Flaxseed oil - 500ml bottle @ R90 High in Omega 3's.

@Ryan - I generally don't get sugar cravings actually. When I do it's always at the grocerie store standing in the checkout line with all the sweets surrounding me...feels like I'm being ambushed

@Nivek - So you say the chocmint flavour is gaga hmmm...I've had the vanilla and strawberry from them and all I can say is YUMYUM. Taste is great. But will avoid Chocmint. Thanks for the tip

 

[JerryMungo]

Hehehe... I think I have a new name for 'mother monster' now... just apply good old South African accent.

 

[Hemps]

I know creatine has been discussed pages back, I'm almost done on Evox 100% bottle, wondering if I should spend cash on this as I dont think it has helped much then again I only take 5g pre-workout and 5g after workout.

Can someone recommend a brand that has worked for them?

 

[Tinuva]

I know creatine has been discussed pages back, I'm almost done on Evox 100% bottle, wondering if I should spend cash on this as I dont think it has helped much then again I only take 5g pre-workout and 5g after workout.

Can someone recommend a brand that has worked for them?

The thing about creatine is, it isn't necessarily going to work for you. Some people's body's generate enough natural creatine that when you use it, you see no difference at all.

So you could try again, see if it works.

I personally decided I haven't seen enough of an impact from creatine, that I even gave my last batch I bought to my brother in law.

 

[prod]

The thing about creatine is, it isn't necessarily going to work for you. Some people's body's generate enough natural creatine that when you use it, you see no difference at all.

So you could try again, see if it works.

I personally decided I haven't seen enough of an impact from creatine, that I even gave my last batch I bought to my brother in law.

Creatine is the most researched supplement proved to actually work. As for your other point it seems to be rare, and not fully known/researched at this time:

Some people report being "non-responders" to creatine supplementation. Although caffeine co-ingestion can explain some of this effect, there seems to be some literature suggesting that non-responders may exist independently of caffeine. The mechanism is not known.

 

[xrapidx]

My back is giving me to many problems, I think the varying exercises and hi-reps isn't helping. I couldn't get down with a 45kg squat today. So I've switched to hack squats and was comfortable with 120kg for 10, I'l ldo them for the remainer of the program.

10x10x60kg, 3x10x120kg, 1x[max]x60kg. on hack squats twice a week

 

[JerryMungo]

The thing about creatine is, it isn't necessarily going to work for you. Some people's body's generate enough natural creatine that when you use it, you see no difference at all.

So you could try again, see if it works.

I personally decided I haven't seen enough of an impact from creatine, that I even gave my last batch I bought to my brother in law.

If anything, 5gm a day should be sufficient - post/pre means nothing with Creatine. Try without it for a month and make up your own mind. Any saving on supps can go to healthy food.

 

[JerryMungo]

My back is giving me to many problems, I think the varying exercises and hi-reps isn't helping. I couldn't get down with a 45kg squat today. So I've switched to hack squats and was comfortable with 120kg for 10, I'l ldo them for the remainer of the program.

10x10x60kg, 3x10x120kg, 1x[max]x60kg. on hack squats twice a week

I was noticing pain in my lower back too recently - on the last movement of the squat. It's possible the high reps coupled with heavier body weight are putting a strain on your ligaments or nerves. Just do what you're doing (hack squats) and keep at it, it should sort itself out IMO.

 

[JerryMungo]

 

[xrapidx]

I was noticing pain in my lower back too recently - on the last movement of the squat. It's possible the high reps coupled with heavier body weight are putting a strain on your ligaments or nerves. Just do what you're doing (hack squats) and keep at it, it should sort itself out IMO.

Its because I stuffed up my back 6 weeks ago messing around with a heavy loaded deadlift.

 

[JerryMungo]

Its because I stuffed up my back 6 weeks ago messing around with a heavy loaded deadlift.

In that case you'd be doing yourself a favour with hack squats for now. Injuries with heavy weight sometimes take ages to heal properly. Keep at the high reps till you've reached your weight goal. I'm dieting officially from today... hungry already lol... going to eat some boiled eggs.

 

[xrapidx]

In that case you'd be doing yourself a favour with hack squats for now. Injuries with heavy weight sometimes take ages to heal properly. Keep at the high reps till you've reached your weight goal. I'm dieting officially from today... hungry already lol... going to eat some boiled eggs.

Fortunately my diet is high in calories, so not feeling hungry, relying mostly on HIIT style training to stimulate weight loss.

 

[JerryMungo]

Fortunately my diet is high in calories, so not feeling hungry, relying mostly on HIIT style training to stimulate weight loss.

Mine is too, just low in carbs.