Soul Splint

Probably not the answer you want, but IMO it's very important. I've heard many health lifters (i.e. not powerlifters) say that you should do two pulling motions for every pushing motion. I don't do that many pulls, but I'd say I'm at a 1:1 ratio. It has been very important for me personally to ensure symmetrical development and for arm/grip strength. I can't say how ab training may help or hinder your situation; I would think a lot depends on how you train your core. I cut out ab isolation work because I just didn't have time for it anymore, and it wasn't helping me as much as everything else was. I can say, though, that training my back has helped unexpectedly in some other areas. For example, I guarantee my OHP wouldn't be up to 170 if I hadn't also been training my back heavily. In NO WAY am I trying to knock your boss, but unless you've seen him do it, take it with a grain of salt. Tons of people claim to do high numbers of pullups when they're only doing half a rep at a time and/or the flailing Crossfit method. If he IS doing 30 strict pullups, then that is amazing and you must sit at his feet and learn from him. And to answer your question, I use a belt.

Checked my progress on all of these this week (except for barbell bench press). Lifted the following in attempts to set new three-rep maxes: Dumbbell Bench Press: 110 pounders for 3, 2, 2. Squat: 270 for 3, 3, 2, 2. Pullups: +65 pounds for 3, 3, 2, 2. Deadlift: 350 for 3, 2, fail. (Honestly did not think I would get this one. Upping this goal to 400 by the end of the year). Overhead Press: 170 for 2, 2, 1, 1, 1. (Honestly DID think I would get this one for 3 reps on the first set ). Bodyweight is hovering around 198-199. Moving forward

That's really similar to the guy who's been tweaking my deadlift form, though he's at about 145. So I'd say you've got a good bit of wiggle room for filling out.

Aw yeah. Won't be much longer til you're Down with the Sickness (of training like a freak). Heh, "palatable" is all I shoot for these days. The good news is, the longer you do this, the less you'll care about how something tastes. Food just becomes components to fit your goals. You said you haven't been tracking your weight, but, out of curiosity, what are your general body proportions as far as height and weight go?

This definitely sounds like it's worth a shot. Thanks

Sounds like a great program for people wanting to achieve the kind of results you're looking for. Agreed on the progress being a bit slower than traditional weight training, but the pros sound like they far outweigh the cons for you. Question for my squatters out there: the one part of my form that continues to struggle is my knees trying to cave inward (toward each other) when I approach my max weight (three reps or less). I am hyper-aware of it and have made noticeable improvement over the past 3-4 months, but it continues to be something I have to actively focus on in order to keep decent form. Did any of you struggle with this, or have any tips or tweaks? Turning my toes out toward a 45 degree angle helps a bit, but doesn't eradicate it entirely.

6'3, 198 pounds (as of now, trying to make it over the 200 hump). So yeah, 2660 for maintenance. I typically go to about 2100-2200 when cutting. Don't be green, brah. You got the skwatz Oh, I didn't realize both lines in your comment included that's day's sugar. Yeah, those sugars count, but the natural sources (banana and V8 ) are of course much better than refined sources. Just to clarify, the amount of sugar you took in that day wasn't necessarily bad, I was just concerned that there was that much in so few calories. You may want to look into including some more natural foods into your diet like lean meats, veggies, eggs, etc. (unless of course what you're eating is getting you results and some degree of satiety). Jelly. Super-jelly. I was there in bro-spirit, though.

Well, from your above description that would be 36 grams in a day, which is much better than 67. It will be difficult to change anything within the system as I assume you'll often be eating things created by Nutrisystem, and to have full control over your diet requires being able to eat very specific foods to meet your needs (which is easiest when you are buying your own ingredients to make your own food). Do you know what your typical macro breakdown is in a day?

67 grams of sugar in 1633 calories? That's...not good. 1633 calories is likely way too low for you (especially on a training day), and that's a heck of a lot of sugar to be in something called Nutrisystem, even with several servings of fruit. Eating like this would be a recipe for me feeling tired every single day. For reference, my calories to maintain my weight are 2700. I'm eating at about 3300 a day (on training days) right now to gain. When I cut, I never ever go below 2000, and rarely do I get below 2200. I know everyone is different, and for a small-statured female 1600 would probably be okay, but I think it may do you more harm than good.

I know this is generally-accepted public knowledge and that many fitness "experts" still swear it is the case, but it has been disproven. I too was a staunch believer in this myth for many years. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22719910 Conclusion and results below from the study linked above. (LFr = low-frequency diet, RMR = resting metabolic rate). CONCLUSION: The higher rise and subsequently fall of insulin in the LFr diet did not lead to a higher fat oxidation as hypothesized. The LFr diet decreased glucose levels throughout the day (AUC) indicating glycemic improvements. RMR and appetite control increased in the LFr diet, which can be relevant for body weight control on the long term. Glucose and insulin profiles showed greater fluctuations, but a lower AUC of glucose in the LFr diet compared with the HFr diet. No differences between the frequency diets were observed on fat and carbohydrate oxidation. Though, protein oxidation and RMR (in this case SMR + DIT) were significantly increased in the LFr diet compared with the HFr diet. The LFr diet increased satiety and reduced hunger ratings compared with the HFr diet during the day. If eating more meals works better for you personally, then there is no reason not to. But people who specifically eat many small meals a day because they think they are revving up their metabolism are wasting their time.

Yeah, it sucks they are shutting the program down, but perhaps they'll replace it with something better. I can't venture a guess at your questions because I've never played D&D or Chrono Cross, but posting here in case you end up giving them away. I think my coin total isn't very high, so these might enable me to get a decent game download or two before the program closes. Thanks for the offer.

My focus is aesthetics as well (many people have this goal but don't admit it). The guy in the gym was right about not using your back for curls, but there are a couple of things I want to point out for you, particularly because I was on a very similar path a couple of years ago. 1) The number of meals you eat in a day DOES NOT MATTER. The amount of calories does. 2) Please, please don't make 75% of your calories protein. I know it seems like this is the best approach for maximum muscle gains, but it isn't. You will need adequate carbs for energy and adequate fat for hormone production, which is super important. Google how to track your macros (macronutrients: MyFitnessPal is a decent app to help you with this). For muscle gain, you'll want somewhere between 30-50% of your calories to come from carbs, about 30-35% from protein, and the rest from fat. As you adjust to this you can look into slightly more advanced methods such as carb cycling (which I have to do because my body is overly sensitive to carbs). 3) Keep on running if you enjoy it, you can always eat more, as you said. For gains, you'll want to find your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), which will tell you how many calories you burn on average during the day. Then, aim to eat at least 500 calories above that. However, more than 1,000 calories above will be just adding fat; the body can only add so much muscle at once. Try to find the sweet spot between 500-1000 above your TDEE. Yes, milk adds up QUICK. To answer your question though, check out Arnold Presses, or you can just do seated or standing overhead presses with dumbbells. Arnold Presses are awesome though

High knees, burpees, jump rope, heavy bag and swimming are some good alternatives.

Nah, I'm pretty sure anyone would read it that way, I was just making sure, because that's impressive. Well, drained and injured are pretty different. Drained is pretty easy to handle, just put on a couple of songs that get your blood pumping, crank up the volume, take some preworkout (or other caffeine supplement), and visualize WHY you started doing this in the first place. Possibly check out some motivational videos on YouTube, there are tons of them. As far as your wrist goes, when I had a similar injury, a good friend of mine (physical therapist) told me to ice it for 20 minutes at a time at least three times a day, and to start an ibuprofen regimen (800 mg a day, to alleviate inflammation), all of this for 1-2 weeks (while resting the injury). However, if it feels to be on the mend and you need to lift, I'd recommend wrapping/taping it pretty well, especially if you'll be doing presses or any exercises that compress the wrist. I'm having to do the same thing now for a slight strain I received several months ago that is only now starting to flare up.

Haha, that is EXACTLY why I used to get confused, because palms inward seems like much more of a "pull" in my mind. Pull-ups (palms away) are by far my favorite now, though. I realized a while back that the reason I used to prefer chin-ups is because they were easier for me (because of over-developed arms and under-developed back, which is criminal in the lifting world). Ugh. More power to you, I'm pretty sure this would kill me. Nice job, getting some good compound work done! Prepare to get hooked Do you mean you're doing two sets of 80 followed by two sets of 70, or this a program facet/terminology I'm unaware of?

Who is considering updating to a New 3DS (most awful name ever)? I'm really on the fence. Gamestop's offer of trading in your old 3DS XL for a $100 credit toward a New 3DS XL is very tempting, I just find myself wondering how many games Nintendo will release that make good use of the new features (such as the c-stick nub) and how many games that will be exclusive to the new console (such as Xenoblade Chronicles). I wouldn't bother upgrading if I knew for sure it would only be a handful of titles. The other new features don't really matter to me, as it seems to boil down to a bit faster processing and more stable 3D (I haven't turned my 3D on in about half a year).

That is funny, because I used to think the same thing. However, it seems the general population disagrees with us: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chin-up As for certifications, it really boils down to looking at what kind of money you're willing to spend (on certification and re-certification), how often you're willing to recertify, how rigorous you want the testing to be, and how many hours of continuing education you're willing to put into the certification to maintain it. When I was considering it, I remember that ACE was pretty easily my first choice (not least of which because it's also one of the most widely-recognized), with NASM being second. This page gives a pretty good breakdown between some top choices: http://www.becomingatrainer.com/best-personal-trainer-certification/.

Alpha? Me? Maybe someday...but yeah, these are on pull-ups (palms away). Funnily enough, I used to hate pull-ups and sort of tolerated chin-ups. Now I tolerate chin-ups and LOVE pull-ups. Knocked out 6 reps yesterday on my first set with a plate attached to me, so I think two plates should be doable by the end of the year. EDIT: Now that I really think about it, this goal might be a little low. I'll adjust it later if I need to (which would be AWESOME). Are you looking for all exercises, or exercises for particular muscle groups, here? HIIT/Tabata is KING for conditioning while actually stimulating muscle growth, whereas steady-state/long-term cardio can hamper muscle growth. Make sure you adjust your calories to keep burning/adding and then tear up some interval training. I'll be getting back into HIIT sprints myself once it warms up a bit.

Solid goals, zirc and RFB. Let's keep the thread updated with significant progress toward these goals and especially when we hit them. @Mocking, I've heard great things about Convict Conditioning but have never tried the program. RFB speaks the truth when he says you don't need a gym to get lean and mean. Keep us posted on the program if you try it! @Halt, the closest thing to leg curls would probably be what RFB suggested in using a cable machine. If that's not an option, good mornings are great for hamstring work. And if you want a very challenging option that works more than just the hamstrings (though it definitely hammers the hammies hard) give hack squats a shot.

Yup. http://www.fitocracy.com/yearly-performance/2014/SoulSplint 3.6 million pounds lifted (9 blue whales, according to Fito), 6 badges, 11 quests, and exactly 100 personal records broken Also submitted my goals for 2015, which are as follows: I want to be able to perform low reps (1-3 reps) on these exercises for these weights: Bench Press: 280 pounds Squat: 320 pounds Pullups: bodyweight + 90 pounds Deadlift: 370 pounds Overhead Press: 190 pounds And I also want to weigh at least 210 pounds (currently 195) with a bodyfat of 15% or less by the end of the year. Aiming high on a couple of these goals, but I still think they are achievable.

Truth. With power cleans, either make sure your form is perfect, or go ahead and pick out what color body cast you want. Push jerks seem like a good alternative. I'd say with something like that going on, you're probably right to avoid compound exercises that can put you in potentially dangerous situations. Can't say I've ever experience a feeling you're describing, though (not counting normal fatigue due to lifting). Sounds like something a knowledgable physical therapist might be able to help with. A resounding YES. Size and strength gains occur while the muscle repairs. For light-moderate lifting, I'd give myself a minimum of one day off for those muscles trained (i.e. train Monday, skip Tuesday, train Wednesday). For heavy lifting, a minimum of two days off. I stagger my sessions during the week so that I train different muscle groups, because I hate skipping days during the week. Then the weekend is for complete rest, no training.

This is a golden attitude to have. Many people, when starting or re-starting, have an all-or-nothing mentality. Props to you for recognizing the healthy way to get back into the swing of things.

Eh, I'm not worried about it for me. I'm worried about the newbie who benches 135 for three cleans reps and feels good and motivated about himself, then sees something like this that totally deflates and discourages him. But you're right, it is thankfully pretty rare on Fito.

I wouldn't even buy it then. After doing all that benching, which in of itself would be a very good chest workout for the day (and I still maintain he couldn't do that weight for those reps if at all, ESPECIALLY on close-grip), he did: 1500 pushups (including 500 diamond pushups. Just...no. Not happening). 245 chest dips 400 tricep dips (note the order: he did a set of 100, then 75, then 50, then 75, then 100? Wat?) 500 reps of prayer presses with the thickest standard industry band And a crap-ton of HEAVY accessory work. Just not buying it, no matter the circumstances. Pretty sure Arnold would look at this and laugh.

Man, this kind of stuff makes me so angry. Not because this guy is claiming to have done this stuff or because of the 12k point workout, but because there are undoubtedly people very new to lifting who see this and believe it, and think to themselves, "Geez, I'll never be able to achieve that. What's the point of trying?" I came across this guy's feed and he is of very average-looking build. I would be very impressed if he were able to legitimately bench 275 for three correct reps, given his size appearance. But look at what he claims he did in one training session: Barbell Bench Press 135 lb x 25 reps 225 lb x 15 reps 275 lb x 10 reps 325 lb x 5 reps 225 lb x 10 reps Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press 135 lb x 25 reps 225 lb x 15 reps 275 lb x 10 reps 325 lb x 5 reps 225 lb x 10 reps Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press 135 lb x 25 reps 225 lb x 15 reps 275 lb x 10 reps 325 lb x 5 reps 225 lb x 10 reps Push-Up 100 reps 100 reps 100 reps 100 reps 100 reps Wide Arm Push-Up 100 reps 100 reps 100 reps 100 reps 100 reps Diamond Push-Up 100 reps 100 reps 100 reps 100 reps 100 reps Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover 75 lb x 13 reps 75 lb x 11 reps 75 lb x 9 reps 75 lb x 11 reps 75 lb x 13 reps Lying Barbell Triceps Extension 75 lb x 11 reps 75 lb x 9 reps 85 lb x 7 reps 95 lb x 5 reps 105 lb x 3 reps Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension 35 lb x 11 reps 35 lb x 9 reps 35 lb x 7 reps 35 lb x 5 reps 50 lb x 3 reps Dips - Chest Version 50 reps 45 reps 40 reps 35 reps 30 reps 25 reps 20 reps Dips - Triceps Version 100 reps 75 reps 50 reps 75 reps 100 reps Weighted Russian Twist 10 lb x 25 reps 10 lb x 25 reps 10 lb x 25 reps 10 lb x 25 reps 10 lb x 25 reps Band-Resisted Prayer Press 100 reps | 1 and 3/4-inch band 100 reps | 1 and 3/4-inch band 100 reps | 1 and 3/4-inch band 100 reps | 1 and 3/4-inch band 100 reps | 1 and 3/4-inch band Weighted Decline Sit-Up 25 lb x 35 reps 25 lb x 35 reps 35 lb x 25 reps 35 lb x 25 reps 45 lb x 15 reps Triceps Pushdown - Rope Attachment 100 lb x 15 reps 100 lb x 15 reps 100 lb x 15 reps 100 lb x 15 reps 100 lb x 15 reps Tricep Dumbbell Kickback 35 lb x 13 reps 35 lb x 11 reps 35 lb x 9 reps 50 lb x 7 reps 50 lb x 5 reps Incline Dumbbell Flyes 50 lb x 13 reps 50 lb x 13 reps 50 lb x 13 reps 50 lb x 13 reps 50 lb x 13 reps I'm not going to waste time pointing out the dozen or so ways this is not possible…but it just burns me up knowing how disheartening it must be to the novices who see stuff like this and believe it. Sorry, rant over.