Modus Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I don't think I can slice apple juice. Put it in a water balloon, or freeze it into the shape of an apple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zykO Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 after a couple weeks doin light work and cardio to get the ol machine de-rusted and oily, i finally feel my body responding to my commands like a good body ought to. so i'm starting my 5/3/1 powerlift routine today and i'm GEEKED!! it begins.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceansAndrew Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 after a couple weeks doin light work and cardio to get the ol machine de-rusted and oily, i finally feel my body responding to my commands like a good body ought to. so i'm starting my 5/3/1 powerlift routine today and i'm GEEKED!! it begins.... Great program, i will be doing that again this winter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zircon Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Awesome job RFB. Nice bench in particular! So, I'm almost three weeks into my first bulk, eating around 2500 cals a day. My weight has been fluctuating a LOT and I know some of the weight gain has strictly been water retention, now that I'm eating carbs again. Still, I can't help but grimace when I see that scale go up. Even though I know I'm not overweight anymore I still feel like I could get fat again at any moment. I worry that eating 2500 is actually too far over TDEE now that I'm not really doing cardio. But due to the weight fluctuation and water factor, it's hard to gauge what my actual weight gain is due to the increased calories. For example, on the day my cut ended (morning, when my pics were taken) I weighed in at 162. A few days ago I weighed in at 166.4, so roughly +4.4 pounds in two weeks @ 2500/day. I guess for that to be mass gains and not water, I would have needed +1100 over TDEE per day. And... I guess it's safe to say that my TDEE is probably not 1400, even with no cardio (I do lifts or bodyweight 5-6x a week). Still, so confusing. And I FEEL like I've put on a lot of weight which I guess is just bloating/water from the extra food... which is depressing... but on the other hand I get to eat real human food now instead of cutting food. Which makes up for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I'm having the opposite "issue". I increased my exercise frequency lately and I went down two pounds, but I feel like I should have lost more. But I know my waist has gotten smaller so I think I'm just putting on some muscle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyril the Wolf Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 My exercise has slagged off. Lost 9 pounds thus far though! Wooo! I've been counting my calories, though my wife screwed up her knee so there's been a lot more takeout lately due to time between taking her to the doctors for eval etc. I did have to walk 3 miles on sunday to get her car. I still ache a little from that. New goal: be able to walk 3 miles with no problem. Then move up to jogging it with no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RealFolkBlues Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Some serious forward movement there, bro. Way to go! Making progress on just about everything it looks like, and the ones that you haven't begun yet are in preparation. Is awesome to see:nicework:. Thanks, Soul Splint and everyone for the kind words! I need 'em, cuz I got squashed on my top lifts in bench AND squat this week. 5's week makes me hate life. :/ Man, becoming a PT (the right way) is not cheap. I'm betting you'll see some good returns, though. Kudos for making the leap! Yeah, thanks man, I'm excited. That's like the kind of gains I need the most. I need to up my max money press, lol. I plan to take a look at my goal progress in about three weeks, because I expect to make another lunge forward in my progress right about that time. Now that the weather is not quite so stupid for you, I'm sure you're about to get back into full-on beast mode, so I'm excited to see this. @Modus; I like your idea. I really feel like they could totally do this on the Food Network or Discovery or something. The first episode would probably be french fries. Or pizza. Oh man, pizza. It's so delicious, and almost always so bad for you. Yeah, zyko! You doing all 4 major lifts? I still need to start up my deadlift on 5/3/1, but I'm doing bench, squat, and push jerk on that program, and feeling good about it. If OA says he's doing it, that's pretty good endorsement, methinks. @zircon: man, that is confusing. I don't envy you, though from what I've seen thus far, I'm fairly certain that yes, that's just water weight. With 5-6x workouts a week, I wouldn't sweat it, so to speak. @kitty: yeah, that can def happen. It's like they say, muscle does weigh more than fat, so two pounds and a visible difference actually says a lot more than it might sound like. Basically, you've gained some muscle and still lost enough fat to have an overall reduction in your weight, which sounds like a big win to me. Slow and steady wins the race. @Cyril: nice work! It's tough to keep real strict on your diet when your better half has good reason to do convenience food, but good goals and progress thus far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modus Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 @Modus; I like your idea. I really feel like they could totally do this on the Food Network or Discovery or something. The first episode would probably be french fries. Or pizza. Oh man, pizza. It's so delicious, and almost always so bad for you. omg. Haven't had pizza in months. o m g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RealFolkBlues Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 omg.Haven't had pizza in months. o m g Good for you. It's so bad for you. Anybody have a recipe for a reasonably healthy facsimile thereof that's actually good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zircon Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 How about chicken pizza? Take like 250g of shredded chicken, mix in some polenta and an egg. Add spices like garlic and onion, italian seasoning. Mush it together, spread it out in a pan. Add sauce as usual, and a little bit of lowfat cheese or whatever you prefer. Bake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceansAndrew Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 How about chicken pizza? Take like 250g of shredded chicken, mix in some polenta and an egg. Add spices like garlic and onion, italian seasoning. Mush it together, spread it out in a pan. Add sauce as usual, and a little bit of lowfat cheese or whatever you prefer. Bake. i'd eat it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bejack Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Hi, i'm looking forward to building myself a dips rack (station). I have seen a few models and was wondering if any of you guys and girls here built one, what materials you used and how you built it. I would also like to know how long a pull up/chin up bar should be. I know that for pull ups the grip is wider than chin ups. I would like to set one in the ceiling of my future gym room. My first idea is to have 2 metal rods with rings at the end coming down from the ceiling and slide another bar through those rings. What i do not want is to work with a door/door frame. If you have a simpler/easier way to do this or any tips in general i'd appreciate it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soul Splint Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Good for you. It's so bad for you. Anybody have a recipe for a reasonably healthy facsimile thereof that's actually good? Funny enough I just made one last night. The crust is one head of cauliflower (processed), one egg, one cup of shredded mozzarella, and a tbsp of melted butter. Knead it all together then spread out on parchment paper in a pizza pan, bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes (crust should be golden brown), then flip it and bake for another 5-10 until that side looks the same. Add toppings, bake for another 5-10, DONE. You can add stuff like seasonings, ground chicken/turkey, more cheese, or whatever else you like to the crust to change its consistency. I would also like to know how long a pull up/chin up bar should be. I know that for pull ups the grip is wider than chin ups. I would like to set one in the ceiling of my future gym room. My first idea is to have 2 metal rods with rings at the end coming down from the ceiling and slide another bar through those rings. What i do not want is to work with a door/door frame. If you have a simpler/easier way to do this or any tips in general i'd appreciate it I don't know what kind of ceiling you have to work with, but my previous pull-up bar was constructed thusly: mount two 2x4 boards vertically from the ceiling, with holes slightly larger than your pull-up bar drilled through the lower ends. I used a piece of metal pipe for my bar. I then drilled a small hole through the pipe at both ends, so that the small holes in the pipe are aligned with the holes in the boards. This way, once you've inserted the pipe, you can drive a nail through the boards, through the holes in the pipe, so that the pipe doesn't rotate when you're using it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zykO Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Yeah, zyko! You doing all 4 major lifts? I still need to start up my deadlift on 5/3/1, but I'm doing bench, squat, and push jerk on that program, and feeling good about it. If OA says he's doing it, that's pretty good endorsement, methinks. All four! It's a great way to get back into the straight deadlifts program I'd like to eventually get back to after a couple mesocycles of the 5/3/1. so far so good! Funny enough I just made one last night. The crust is one head of cauliflower (processed), one egg, one cup of shredded mozzarella, and a tbsp of melted butter. Knead it all together then spread out on parchment paper in a pizza pan, bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes (crust should be golden brown), then flip it and bake for another 5-10 until that side looks the same. Add toppings, bake for another 5-10, DONE. You can add stuff like seasonings, ground chicken/turkey, more cheese, or whatever else you like to the crust to change its consistency. that fucking sounds delicious lol i had also temporarily given up pizza (much to the chagrin of the many fans of my pizzamaking skillz) but i'm gonna give this recipe a twirl - good shit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bejack Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 I don't know what kind of ceiling you have to work with, but my previous pull-up bar was constructed thusly: mount two 2x4 boards vertically from the ceiling, with holes slightly larger than your pull-up bar drilled through the lower ends. I used a piece of metal pipe for my bar. I then drilled a small hole through the pipe at both ends, so that the small holes in the pipe are aligned with the holes in the boards. This way, once you've inserted the pipe, you can drive a nail through the boards, through the holes in the pipe, so that the pipe doesn't rotate when you're using it. Thanks for the idea. It's going to be a suspended ceiling so i was thinking using metal rods or something slimmer than 2x4 boards so i can make smaller holes in the ceiling panels. But i'll check for other possibilities. Could you tell me what diameter pipe you are/were using? I'm thinking of buying 60" long galvanized steel pipe with a 1" diameter. I don't know if its good enough for a solid yet comfortable grip or if 3/4" is good enough. I'll check that at the store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soul Splint Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Thanks for the idea. It's going to be a suspended ceiling so i was thinking using metal rods or something slimmer than 2x4 boards so i can make smaller holes in the ceiling panels. But i'll check for other possibilities. Could you tell me what diameter pipe you are/were using? I'm thinking of buying 60" long galvanized steel pipe with a 1" diameter. I don't know if its good enough for a solid yet comfortable grip or if 3/4" is good enough. I'll check that at the store. Yeah, if you are using a suspended ceiling I don't suppose you would want to poke 2x4s through it . I was working with rafters in an unfinished basement, so I had an unfair advantage. I honestly don't remember what size my pipe was, but it was bigger than 1". It may have even been a 2" (certainly no larger), but I prefer larger grips anyway. (Cue incoming penis jokes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soul Splint Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Level 40 today! Leveling up on back day calls for back progress shots. I've lost some definition over the winter months, but have definitely gotten bigger and stronger. Especially digging the changes in my lats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zykO Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Level 40 today! Leveling up on back day calls for back progress shots. I've lost some definition over the winter months, but have definitely gotten bigger and stronger. Especially digging the changes in my lats. nice mass gain in five months and yes your wings look to have gained the most ! good shit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RealFolkBlues Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Level 40 today! Leveling up on back day calls for back progress shots. I've lost some definition over the winter months, but have definitely gotten bigger and stronger. Especially digging the changes in my lats. Good job, man! Looking beast mode. Thanks to you and zirocn for the pizza alternatives! They sound pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argle Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 What did you do to bulk up your lats? I can do pull ups and stuff pretty good but my lats seem timid and hesitant to grow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modus Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Awesome, Soul! Meanwhile... I'm at the stage beyond frustrated that I can't cut my ab fat. That stage where you just kind of have this defeated look in your eyes... and you stare ahead at nothing. My gut is telling to take up cardio again, sprinting 2 miles every two or three days, full intensity. Everyone says NO CARDIO, NO CARDIO, but my intuition is telling me to do it. Meanwhile I am steadily scaling up on weights, so yay for that. Also my diet is immaculate. I want a documentary about the holiness of my diet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soul Splint Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 What did you do to bulk up your lats? I can do pull ups and stuff pretty good but my lats seem timid and hesitant to grow. I've been doing weighted pullups at least once a week for about half a year now, steadily progressing in weight. I do them with a wide grip a little over half the time, because I find this targets more of the muscles I am looking for, lats included. I also throw chin-ups in there, as they are also really good for lat activation. Another good tip I find useful is to use a false or overhand grip (where your thumb is not locked around the bar, but on top of the bar with the rest of your fingers) when doing rows or lat pulldowns. This really removes a lot of the arm activation that comes with pull movements and helps you to really focus on the back and lats. Also, deadlifts! They really do help all over, including the back. Meanwhile...I'm at the stage beyond frustrated that I can't cut my ab fat. That stage where you just kind of have this defeated look in your eyes... and you stare ahead at nothing. My gut is telling to take up cardio again, sprinting 2 miles every two or three days, full intensity. Everyone says NO CARDIO, NO CARDIO, but my intuition is telling me to do it. Meanwhile I am steadily scaling up on weights, so yay for that. Also my diet is immaculate. I want a documentary about the holiness of my diet. This stage is heartbreaking, and I know it well. How much of a calorie deficit are you currently maintaining? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argle Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I've been doing weighted pullups at least once a week for about half a year now, steadily progressing in weight. I do them with a wide grip a little over half the time, because I find this targets more of the muscles I am looking for, lats included. I also throw chin-ups in there, as they are also really good for lat activation. Another good tip I find useful is to use a false or overhand grip (where your thumb is not locked around the bar, but on top of the bar with the rest of your fingers) when doing rows or lat pulldowns. This really removes a lot of the arm activation that comes with pull movements and helps you to really focus on the back and lats.Also, deadlifts! They really do help all over, including the back. Ok. I'm getting back into deadlifts and pullups after getting bored with my current routine. I'm definitely down with the weighted pullups. It's putting the focus on the lats that's always tricky for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zircon Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Nothing wrong with cardio for cutting. It's really really hard to get your calories below a certain point, in my experience, so cardio can help make the deficit bigger. I was doing 30 mins of pretty intense cardio 3-4 days a week, on top of lifting, when I was cutting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soul Splint Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Ok. I'm getting back into deadlifts and pullups after getting bored with my current routine. I'm definitely down with the weighted pullups. It's putting the focus on the lats that's always tricky for me. Not to imply you aren't already doing this, but make SURE you are going down to a complete dead-hang at the end of each rep. Those first few inches of the pull really help, especially on wide grip variations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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