2021 Better You Fitness Thread

[DFitz364]

5 of 295?! wow
anybody like deadlifting? or rows?

I absolutely love deadlifts.

Tied a PR a few weeks back, hoping to get a big jump in my 1RM before the end of my lifting cycle. On week 11 of 16 currently. After week 16 hoping to turn those strength gains in to speed gains. Current PRs of:

Bench - 315 lbs
Squat - 405 lbs
DL - 500 lbs

I have a few form things I know I need to work on, but always happy to hear input!!

View attachment joined-video-2bcc9751a1ff4c68a0af48bbc97716bd.mov

 

[armidwestgolf]

I absolutely love deadlifts.

Tied a PR a few weeks back, hoping to get a big jump in my 1RM before the end of my lifting cycle. On week 11 of 16 currently. After week 16 hoping to turn those strength gains in to speed gains. Current PRs of:

Bench - 315 lbs
Squat - 405 lbs
DL - 500 lbs

I have a few form things I know I need to work on, but always happy to hear input!!

View attachment 8990556

Looks good, but what is the point of doing 1 deadlift? Is it just for PR or does it build strength?Also, i would rarely squat, i focused on leg press. I would repping aroud 500 lbs. I would squat sometimes. I thouhgt squatting was too difficult to do good form. It is a similar movement. but i made sure the back support was as flat as possible to focus on the legs not the lower back.

 

[DFitz364]

Looks good, but what is the point of doing 1 deadlift? Is it just for PR or does it build strength?Also, i would rarely squat, i focused on leg press. I would repping aroud 500 lbs. I would squat sometimes. I thouhgt squatting was too difficult to do good form. It is a similar movement. but i made sure the back support was as flat as possible to focus on the legs not the lower back.

1RM is more of a test, per se. I use it because my lifting routine is based on percentages of my 1RM. For example, today, I am set to do 7 x 3 squat @ 85% of my 1RM. I am not a trainer, but I believe there are neurological positives to exerting maximum force when strength training, like you do with a 1RM as well. For my purposes, when it comes to long drive competitions, being able to exert myself at a maximum capacity is a must. Both physically, and neurologically.

Also, leg press is fine, but you set yourself up for deficiencies when it comes to overall core strength. Isolating movements on machines are great at strengthening specific things, but compound movements are equally as important when it comes to building overall strength/core strength/etc. Squats could be difficult due to lacking strength in other areas, flexibility, just improper fundamentals, etc.

Again, YMMV. I am absolutely not a trainer, and would not be a good source of fitness knowledge. I just show up and throw whatever heavy stuff my regimen tells me I should!!

 

[captaincaution]

Looks good, but what is the point of doing 1 deadlift? Is it just for PR or does it build strength? Also, i would rarely squat, i focused on leg press. I would repping aroud 500 lbs. I would squat sometimes. I thouhgt squatting was too difficult to do good form. It is a similar movement. but i made sure the back support was as flat as possible to focus on the legs not the lower back.

You've got to get stronger to increase your 1 rep max.

One problem with leg press is it requires exactly zero balance to execute. Squats with good form work the entire body, including the mysterious "core," and they require balance to perform. Keeping your trunk rigid while squatting works your back, which is a good thing.

 

[Mmaynard11]

About to eclipse my goal of hitting 80 miles in the month of Jan. Few more days left in the month & could potentially have me eclipsing 100 miles.

 

[blugold]

I sprained my wrist last Friday going for an ill-advised unprogrammed snatch PR. I got the lift but it wasn't pretty and hurt. I finally got back into the gym tonight. Safety Squat Bar 425x1; 350x5x3. Then some lighter bench presses, 235x5x2. Felt good.

 

[blugold]

I absolutely love deadlifts.

Tied a PR a few weeks back, hoping to get a big jump in my 1RM before the end of my lifting cycle. On week 11 of 16 currently. After week 16 hoping to turn those strength gains in to speed gains. Current PRs of:

Bench - 315 lbs
Squat - 405 lbs
DL - 500 lbs

I have a few form things I know I need to work on, but always happy to hear input!!

View attachment 8990556

That's awesome work man. Really good stuff. Keep getting stronger!

Deadlifts are a good time.

Looks good, but what is the point of doing 1 deadlift? Is it just for PR or does it build strength?Also, i would rarely squat, i focused on leg press. I would repping aroud 500 lbs. I would squat sometimes. I thouhgt squatting was too difficult to do good form. It is a similar movement. but i made sure the back support was as flat as possible to focus on the legs not the lower back.

Yeah, 1rm anything aren't great for training purposes. 1rm are great for determining if training as been successful though. While I prefer squats, I'm fairly good at teaching them, doing leg press instead is better than not training.

 

[e1iterate]

I’m at 11 weeks in a row!

 

[thewilderside]

Started a new program called Vshred on Monday. My wife got into it and said why don't you give it a shot. The meal plan is pretty tough so far for me to figure out. For about 10 years when I'm eating clean I've been a paleo/primal follower and it worked well. This program does carb cycling but tends to be low fat which is different from what I'm used to. One of the biggest reasons I signed up was they have an entire at home routine, and I can say thus far it's pretty killer. Thankfully today was a rest day because every part of my body hurts.

 

[Mark_UK]

I’m not sure how much of a barometer it is, but it’s quiet at work, so I had a little look at some stats on my fitness tracker. I’m on a 10 week streak with my fitness program. I’ve noticed my resting heart rate slowly falling. From an average weekly number of the low 70’s to this current week where the average is 58. I hope that’s a sign of some sort of increased fitness. Clothes are starting to feel a little looser, although I’m still a lard arse! The initial weight loss has stopped and my body fat percentage hasn’t changed yet. I guess that reinforces if you are doing this for weight loss alone, you need to watch what you eat (and I’m a pretty poor eater).

 

[armidwestgolf]

I’m not sure how much of a barometer it is, but it’s quiet at work, so I had a little look at some stats on my fitness tracker. I’m on a 10 week streak with my fitness program. I’ve noticed my resting heart rate slowly falling. From an average weekly number of the low 70’s to this current week where the average is 58. I hope that’s a sign of some sort of increased fitness. Clothes are starting to feel a little looser, although I’m still a lard arse! The initial weight loss has stopped and my body fat percentage hasn’t changed yet. I guess that reinforces if you are doing this for weight loss alone, you need to watch what you eat (and I’m a pretty poor eater).

58? great. its a great stat. I had mine down to low 60s i think , but alcohol and cigarettes and over eating doesnt help

 

[armidwestgolf]

I think it is a huge sign of fitness. I dont think its the whole thing, but i think its a good sign. You can have a low resting heart rate but still struggle in excercising but it probably means you have a low body fat percentage, and that you can do most activities well. I dont think it means you are good at cardio, necessarily.

 

[Duffer Seamus]

I’ve noticed my resting heart rate slowly falling. From an average weekly number of the low 70’s to this current week where the average is 58. I hope that’s a sign of some sort of increased fitness.

Improved cardiovascular condition, more muscle and less fat, and perhaps stress reduction?

Mine's down from the mid-to-low 60's to the mid-50's. Once I get really in shape It'll be down to low 50's. BP's running ±125/±75. Blood oxy is up a tick: From 95 to 96. (I'm an ex-smoker.)

Clothes are starting to feel a little looser, although I’m still a lard arse!

That's really a better measure of fat loss than anything else.

The initial weight loss has stopped ...

That's normal. This is also where a lot of people get discouraged and give up. I didn't get that initial weight loss this time because I launched straight into weight training w/o significantly modifying my diet. I'm losing some fat, but I'm gaining muscle. So the weight's not moving much. I can see the results, though. As I tighten-down my diet the weight will start to come off. I aim for 1/2 to 1 lb./week.

and my body fat percentage hasn’t changed yet.

How are you measuring it?

I guess that reinforces if you are doing this for weight loss alone, you need to watch what you eat (and I’m a pretty poor eater).

You cannot out-exercise a bad diet. The example I like to use is a standard McDonald's meal: Big Mac, small fry, small coke: Nearly 1,000 kcals. When I'm at the top of my HIIT cardio game I burn 700 kcals/hour. When I hand-shoveled snow Wednesday I burned about the same over 90 minutes or so. Do the math

Had a pretty decent week this week. I'm not in "full good diet" mode, but I was pretty good at controlling snacking. No sweets. No alcohol. Chest, triceps, and core Monday; house cleaning Tuesday, snow-shoveling by hand Wednesday; legs Thursday; shoulders, back, and biceps Friday. Bumped the intensity each weight-training day. I'm sore from neck to ankles

 

[armidwestgolf]

heavy lifting is ok for that.
But what i wanted to say was that what is a low resting heart rate indicating? because i know I can have a low heart rate even while my diet is bad. Or at least, not very good. I mean fast food once in a while, sandwhiches, stuff like that.

 

[Duffer Seamus]

But what i wanted to say was that what is a low resting heart rate indicating?

Cadiovascular health and low stress.

 

[Smiter]

I absolutely love deadlifts.

Tied a PR a few weeks back, hoping to get a big jump in my 1RM before the end of my lifting cycle. On week 11 of 16 currently. After week 16 hoping to turn those strength gains in to speed gains. Current PRs of:

Bench - 315 lbs
Squat - 405 lbs
DL - 500 lbs

I have a few form things I know I need to work on, but always happy to hear input!!

View attachment 8990556

In HS school we had three lifts. We had an 800 club and a 1000 club.

At my best I squatted 660 (thanks dad for making me carry a 70# bundle of shingles on each shoulder up a 25ft ladder). Benched 325 the morning I broke my collarbone (have never go there again? But pretty confidant in benching 5x3x3 at 250 or usually with no spotter, lol. Not taking any chances. .

 

[captaincaution]

In HS school we had three lifts. We had an 800 club and a 1000 club.

At my best I squatted 660 (thanks dad for making me carry a 70# bundle of shingles on each shoulder up a 25ft ladder). Benched 325 the morning I broke my collarbone (have never go there again? But pretty confidant in benching 5x3x3 at 250 or usually with no spotter, lol. Not taking any chances. .

So strength does translate to speed, huh?

 

[Grins]

But what i wanted to say was that what is a low resting heart rate indicating? because i know I can have a low heart rate even while my diet is bad. Or at least, not very good. I mean fast food once in a while, sandwhiches, stuff like that.

Cadiovascular health and low stress.

Don't forget genetics. My dad was a heavy smoker & overweight most of his adult life; had a heart attack, 2 heart bypass surgeries & 1 carotid artery bypass surgery. And he always had a resting HR right around 60. Sometimes low HR is in the genes - but generally it does indicate cardiovascular health - especially if it's a change or lowering of resting HR

 

[Smiter]

So strength does translate to speed, huh?

Not sure, it did for me.

The right kind of strength though. I think I can say at this point, upper body may help a SMALL amount but lower body and specificallyhip strength and ability to “pop” them with violence will absolutely translate to CHS.

With no real training I hit 144 CHS back when I was 19-20. I don’t know how accurate the measuring device but I hit 386 yards in competition (maybe more?) for sure. Winner was 391 and he came in third at the World LD (I think, that’s what my memory is telling anyways, lol).

So from my perspective strength is helpful. The ability to rotate your hips and shoulders well above normal is MUCH MORE helpful.

The first thing I tell every kid the I teach that wants to hit it long is to hammer the ball of your right foot into the ground at transition. The only thing I know this to do for sure is to improve the AOA. Huge difference in distant hitting 2* down with driver and hitting 5* up.

Huge.

 

[Grins]

I've been doing intermittent fasting for the past 2 weeks, along with rowing (usually 5 km per session) & just started some lifting (dumbbells).

So far I've lost 7 lb, but better yet - a notch on the belt. AND I've given up diet soda (which I've been addicted to for at least 40 years). Surprisingly, it has been pretty easy & painless to switch to this eating plan.

I was gearing up to try an extended fast to jump-start my effort, when I stumbled across some recent youtube podcasts with Dave Asprey being interviewed. I decided to get his book Fast This Way. I like his ideas - he recommends not going crazy & uses several hacks to avoid the Keto Flu & pain associated with intermittent fasting. So far, so good!

And I'd recommend the book to anyone looking to try this way of eating. His methods seem more moderate than other stuff out there.

 

[Smiter]

New best on weight, down to 216. Still large but down 82# total, 62# since 04/01/20.

Not quite where I want to be, but thinking 200# is a good weight for me. I’m a big dude with big shoulders, a broad chest, and big legs. My long term goal was to get to 225#. Now it’s to be happy looking in the mirror. Still some guy to go.

And since I’m classy, here’s where I was summer 2019 (280ish) with Mr Couples and today, taken in works restroom. Told you I was classy. Lol.

 

[Thrillbilly Jim]

Down another 1.5 lbs this week. 10 for the month. Not bad for just monitoring what I eat with no exercising!

 

[Smiter]

Down another 1.5 lbs this week. 10 for the month. Not bad for just monitoring what I eat with no exercising!

Nuclear medicine and a lot of pot were my diet plans the past year. Generally worked well. I’m sure I was hungry. I just didn’t care, .

I have a broken rib that pokes my lung so anything more than walking is out for exercise with 50% lung capacity.

Biggest things for me. Eat whatever I want. Limit the amount. Lots of times if I give it 30 minutes I’m no longer hungry even if I only had 1/4 of what I would have before. If I’m still hungry in 30 minutes, eat more.

Get out of the mindset that there are three meals a day. Eat only when you are hungry. Don’t just eat because it’s “blank” mealtime.

You’re gonna F up. Get over it. It takes 3500 calories to gain a pound. So what if you eat 1200 above what you want on a one day deal. Make it up. I had a day this week that I had over 3k calories (I burn about 4K in a working day, about 2800 avg when I’m not). The next day I wasn’t hungry until bed, I made it through on 180 calories that day. So the day before I gained a 1/4# (by calories) the next day I lost a full pound + (by calories). My weight varies a lot as I drink a TON of water. If I’m retaining it, I’ll see a 10# swing some days. But once I hit a level, I might go up some but it’ll be a 5# jump.

Best eating advice
-don’t drink calories other than alcohol-and then know each drink is about 80 calories and that’s just the alcohol in it. Depending on what it is it may contain a lot more. Consume wisely. I’m down to just having a BBA IS or IS a couple times a week. Often that’s my dinner that night.

-give up sweets. It sucks for about 6 weeks. After that you won’t like them much. I had half of a chocolate chip muffin this morning, it wasn’t that sweet but it was for me.

-try to avoid bread. It’s basically empty calories. A filler. I make a ham sammich with a slice of Swiss as my two pieces of bread. Avoid mayo or miracle whip. “Would you like some pure fat slathered on your fatty sammich?” Mustard is very low calorie and provides flavor.

And don’t give up when you F up. I can’t say that enough. That was my problem for years. I’d drop ten pounds and screw up for a couple days and just give in. I’m not doing that this time.

Nope. I’ve been fat for far too long. And I’m not calling you or anyone other than me fat. I’ve had some health issues that have helped with the weight loss. But it’s still an everyday battle and probably will be the rest of my life.

The good news is I burn about 3800 calories a day on average. Once I get to my weight that I’m happy at, Ill have free range. At least it’ll feel like it and staying in that 3500 range will be eating 3x what I have most days this year. Even my screw up days rarely go above 4000 calories.

Stay strong. It’s easy to quit. Don’t. When you screw up, own it and make up for it. And stop eating just because it’s mealtime. I usually have one or two a day. Sometimes 3 sometimes 0. If I’m not hungry I don’t eat.

My goal is always under 2k, but I know that I’m going to have days when I F up the plan. And that’s why dieting never worked for me. I’d want a greasy burger and that was the end of it. It’s more of a way to Live mindset versus a live to eat one. I love food. But I also love beer. Both can wreck your life if you let them. Both in moderation will enhance it (well, if you like good beer, ).

 

[Smiter]

New best on weight, down to 216. Still large but down 82# total, 62# since 04/01/20.

Not quite where I want to be, but thinking 200# is a good weight for me. I’m a big dude with big shoulders, a broad chest, and big legs. My long term goal was to get to 225#. Now it’s to be happy looking in the mirror. Still some guy to go.

And since I’m classy, here’s where I was summer 2019 (280ish) with Mr Couples and today, taken in works restroom. Told you I was classy. Lol.

View attachment 8991114View attachment 8991115

Only an a-hole quotes themself, but I’m going to be looking very much forward to Budget golf and their summer clearance. I’ve lost 6+” on my waist and I’m swimming in my shirts, lol.

I no longer look like I’m having twins either so that helps, .

 

[G-Man]

Only an a-hole quotes themself, but I’m going to be looking very much forward to Budget golf and their summer clearance. I’ve lost 6+” on my waist and I’m swimming in my shirts, lol.

I no longer look like I’m having twins either so that helps, .

Great work! Hard work paying off since Bridgestone!