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2015 Fitness and Working Out Thread

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Wish myfitnesspal had an option for "half the bag of chips" .... FAIL!


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kortneyV said:
Wish myfitnesspal had an option for "half the bag of chips" .... FAIL!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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it does, just change the serving size to ".5". I do it all the time.
 
I am hooked on myfitnesspal. My only issue is that it doesn't have my favorite exercises so I end up custom adding them.
 
Volunteered to be part of a warrior bootcamp through work with a couple other guys.. made it about 40 minutes through the training and wanted to throw up... I guess that's progress... I did more in that 40 minutes than probably the last 15 years combined..
 
Been reading and watching a lot of stuff from Rip, and think I'm going to switch from high to low bar squat. He makes a lot of good points about the benefits, and I think my rear chain could use more engagement...
 
Had my yearly physical on Friday and the doc says I should weigh 190 lbs based on the BMI scale. After I stopped laughing, we agreed 20 lbs is a good goal. After getting down below 250 for the first time in a long time this year, I'm back up to around 260. I'm already skeptical of myself because I've done this before, but I'm not getting any younger and I'd like to actually live long enough to be able to play from the senior tees one day.

Found out I have free access to the wellness center at the new job, so time to get in there and do work. I pass it everyday on the way home from work, so I have no excuses.
 
Steady progress in DL, even if it is a 'quarter squat' as I read elsewhere due to being a hex bar. 2 weeks ago 190x3, then 190x5, a week ago 200x4, then last night going for 200x5 I hit x6 easily. Will go for a new PR single late this week, 240-250 is easily in sight.

I do a fair amount of lifting from the floor for other assistance work - picking up heavy loads for shrugs, calf raises, rows, Romanian DLs. I can see where it all contributes to the 'master' lift.

Squats still suck. None of my other heavy lifting seems to contribute at all to squats, though I figure that's just a bad illusion/psychout on my part. I guess 52 years of weak legs doesn't get fixed overnight.
 
keto said:
Steady progress in DL, even if it is a 'quarter squat' as I read elsewhere due to being a hex bar. 2 weeks ago 190x3, then 190x5, a week ago 200x4, then last night going for 200x5 I hit x6 easily. Will go for a new PR single late this week, 240-250 is easily in sight.

I do a fair amount of lifting from the floor for other assistance work - picking up heavy loads for shrugs, calf raises, rows, Romanian DLs. I can see where it all contributes to the 'master' lift.

Squats still suck. None of my other heavy lifting seems to contribute at all to squats, though I figure that's just a bad illusion/psychout on my part. I guess 52 years of weak legs doesn't get fixed overnight.
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I didn't see if you answered before, where do you look when you squat? At the floor or the ceiling?
 
I recently put a mirror on the wall behind my cage, so watching slightly eyes down, not at my toes or anything, but maybe 15-20* down, checking in the mirror that I reach parallel. Generally, right about at parallel is where it gets very tough for me, even very slightly above is orders of magnitude easier to get back up. But I do make myself get 'to depth', it's not flexibility that's the issue - I could ATG fairly easily with the weight on my shoulders - it's lack of power coming back up from that low.

I've also struggled trying to find the right stance width, too wide and my hips really don't like it (*creak!* *ping!*), too narrow is more powerful but I can't get my rear down. The magic 'somewhere inbetween' has been difficult to find consistently.
 
keto said:
I recently put a mirror on the wall behind my cage, so watching slightly eyes down, not at my toes or anything, but maybe 15-20* down, checking in the mirror that I reach parallel. Generally, right about at parallel is where it gets very tough for me, even very slightly above is orders of magnitude easier to get back up. But I do make myself get 'to depth', it's not flexibility that's the issue - I could ATG fairly easily with the weight on my shoulders - it's lack of power coming back up from that low.

I've also struggled trying to find the right stance width, too wide and my hips really don't like it (*creak!* *ping!*), too narrow is more powerful but I can't get my rear down. The magic 'somewhere inbetween' has been difficult to find consistently.
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Can I talk squat mechanics with you? I am happy you're squating, but I feel like we can fix it pretty darn quick right now, over the internet.
 
Go ahead by all means. I've watched lots of vids and read lots of, uhh, conversations/forum posts etc., so I have a good general idea of what I should be doing. Weight over mid foot. Elbows slightly back, hands are about as close to my shoulders as I can get them and NO thumb wrap-around (like a 'suicide grip'). Back flat/slightly arched (ie., butt out) as I would for a DL. Tight core, breathe in to fill lower back rather than stomach out. Knees track over feet, which are pointed slightly out - I mostly don't have any trouble with that but when REALLY tired my knees want to come in slightly. High bar squatting by the way, I'll try LBS maybe some day but staying high for now.
 
Noticed last night that my squat, deads, and bar bench are all basically the same weight, is that bad? Lol only thing I could think of was perhaps my legs we weak or something if my bench was the same. I can comfortably do 3x5 at 135lbs for all of them, not sure if that's weird or perfectly fine for my progression.
 
Evok said:
Noticed last night that my squat, deads, and bar bench are all basically the same weight, is that bad? Lol only thing I could think of was perhaps my legs we weak or something if my bench was the same. I can comfortably do 3x5 at 135lbs for all of them, not sure if that's weird or perfectly fine for my progression.
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I'm not blu, so take with a grain of salt, but with squats and deads, you're also supporting body weight, so the bar might have the same weight, but the muscles are lifting different amounts. Also, from what I've read you should be able to increase deads fastest, squats pretty fast, and press slower because the size of the muscles doing the lifting, at least initially. I would think eventually deads will take a lead followed by squats and your press will fall behind relatively speaking.
 
keto said:
Go ahead by all means. I've watched lots of vids and read lots of, uhh, conversations/forum posts etc., so I have a good general idea of what I should be doing. Weight over mid foot. Elbows slightly back, hands are about as close to my shoulders as I can get them and NO thumb wrap-around (like a 'suicide grip'). Back flat/slightly arched (ie., butt out) as I would for a DL. Tight core, breathe in to fill lower back rather than stomach out. Knees track over feet, which are pointed slightly out - I mostly don't have any trouble with that but when REALLY tired my knees want to come in slightly. High bar squatting by the way, I'll try LBS maybe some day but staying high for now.
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First, don't look up. Get the feeling that a tennis ball is under your chin. NEVER LOOK UP. Also, don't look in a mirror. The mirror is lying to you. Your perspective is wrong. You have to feel the depth. Feet are to be shoulder width a part. Toes out at about 30°, from each other, not from center. Now, your knees have to go in front of your toes. They should be in place about half way down. The best trick for this is a TUBOW (terribly useful block of wood). A foam roller will also work fine. Put that foam roller about an inch or 2 in front of one of your toes. On the decent, get your knees to that foam roller or TUBOW as quickly as possible without knocking it over. When you hit depth, hit depth EVERY TIME, driver your hips UP! Keep your knees on that foam roller as long as possible. DO NOT LIFT YOUR EYES OR YOUR CHEST, LIFT YOUR HIPS!

High bar is fine, it's better than nothing. Low bar will make you stronger and I believe it is much more comfortable.
 
Evok said:
Noticed last night that my squat, deads, and bar bench are all basically the same weight, is that bad? Lol only thing I could think of was perhaps my legs we weak or something if my bench was the same. I can comfortably do 3x5 at 135lbs for all of them, not sure if that's weird or perfectly fine for my progression.
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Nebgolfer said:
I'm not blu, so take with a grain of salt, but with squats and deads, you're also supporting body weight, so the bar might have the same weight, but the muscles are lifting different amounts. Also, from what I've read you should be able to increase deads fastest, squats pretty fast, and press slower because the size of the muscles doing the lifting, at least initially. I would think eventually deads will take a lead followed by squats and your press will fall behind relatively speaking.
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For most of us, at this level of ability and strength, the dead lift should be the heaviest. Then squats, then bench, then press. I do not know of anybody that I would consider strong who benches more than they squat. Load up the bar for your deads. It's going to be hard. It's going to make you dizzy. It won't kill you. It will make you stronger.
 
blugold said:
For most of us, at this level of ability and strength, the dead lift should be the heaviest. Then squats, then bench, then press. I do not know of anybody that I would consider strong who benches more than they squat. Load up the bar for your deads. It's going to be hard. It's going to make you dizzy. It won't kill you. It will make you stronger.
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Right on, thanks fellas! Makes sense as through the course of me starting this routine, my deadlifts have increased the most, followed by squats and bench like you guys mentioned. I know my back and legs were crazy weak so I think perhaps they are just catching up now, at an awesome rate I must say haha. Ive added weight to my deads and squats each week but my bench has stayed where it is for a little bit. Its so damn weird with the bench for me lol I said recently I wasn't feeling it but my last two bar bench days have left me really sore. What a funny thing, I'd like to think my form is just continuing to improve.
 
Evok said:
Noticed last night that my squat, deads, and bar bench are all basically the same weight, is that bad? Lol only thing I could think of was perhaps my legs we weak or something if my bench was the same. I can comfortably do 3x5 at 135lbs for all of them, not sure if that's weird or perfectly fine for my progression.
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When I start lifting after a long break, I'll normally do the same amount of weight in squat and dead until I feel ready to make bigger jumps in weight on deadlifts. I've always been weak on bench, so it's usually a slow start there.
 
Evok said:
Right on, thanks fellas! Makes sense as through the course of me starting this routine, my deadlifts have increased the most, followed by squats and bench like you guys mentioned. I know my back and legs were crazy weak so I think perhaps they are just catching up now, at an awesome rate I must say haha. Ive added weight to my deads and squats each week but my bench has stayed where it is for a little bit. Its so damn weird with the bench for me lol I said recently I wasn't feeling it but my last two bar bench days have left me really sore. What a funny thing, I'd like to think my form is just continuing to improve.
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Did my form cues help any with the bench?
 
blugold said:
Did my form cues help any with the bench?
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They must of because like I mentioned, the last two times have left my chest damn sore haha. I still think my elbows get a little wonky at times but overall it seems like a much better workout.
 
Evok said:
They must of because like I mentioned, the last two times have left my chest damn sore haha. I still think my elbows get a little wonky at times but overall it seems like a much better workout.
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Wonky how?
 
blugold said:
Wonky how?
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Like they don't stay under the bar. Now that could just be the way I'm interpreting it and not the reality haha. I may be over thinking it and pressing just fine idk.
 
Evok said:
Like they don't stay under the bar. Now that could just be the way I'm interpreting it and not the reality haha. I may be over thinking it and pressing just fine idk.
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They may be traveling a little. I'm not worried. Those sort of things work themselves out once the weight gets heavy
 
blugold said:
They may be traveling a little. I'm not worried. Those sort of things work themselves out once the weight gets heavy
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No doubt. My goal as of now is to be able to bench my body weight. Its something I've never ever been anywhere close to doing so I'm narrowing in on that and getting damn excited!
 
I want to lift weights every day!!! Squats, presses, and dead lifts tonight. Switched to low bar squats tonight and that felt pretty good, so I think I'll stick to it. Presses continue to feel like the hardest workout and the hardest to keep proper form, maybe I'm just doing it wrong and making them harder than needed. I added 25 to dead lifts from last time and it finally feels like I'm working, and damn that's fun. Every time I leave the gym I just want to go back the next day and lift more heavy ****. Why do my muscles need to rest?! Stupid lazy muscles.
 
Nebgolfer said:
I want to lift weights every day!!! Squats, presses, and dead lifts tonight. Switched to low bar squats tonight and that felt pretty good, so I think I'll stick to it. Presses continue to feel like the hardest workout and the hardest to keep proper form, maybe I'm just doing it wrong and making them harder than needed. I added 25 to dead lifts from last time and it finally feels like I'm working, and damn that's fun. Every time I leave the gym I just want to go back the next day and lift more heavy ****. Why do my muscles need to rest?! Stupid lazy muscles.
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Haha. I know how you feel. But stick to the program. That's how you get injured. Trust me, I know.

Also, congratulations, you have been bit by the bug.

Presses are hard.

In regards to the 25# jump on deads, being right is kind of awesome.
 
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