Fitness and Exercise

[Archangel]

How tall are you and what's your bf%? Is there any particular method you prefer?

For the record I'm 1.72m, 14% and am not currently following any particular method.

[XanBcoo]

6'0'' and roughly 20% bodyfat. I've been bulking for about 2 years, from 140 lbs to 200 currently.

I've done about 4 different routines, all of which are light on cardio until I start cutting.

Edit: These are some of the routines I've done:
http://newbie-fitness.blogspot.com/2...kout-take.html

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Bill_Starr_5x5

Edit 2: I also have a degenerative muscle disease in my legs so my squat numbers are much lower than they should be. I've done pretty well, considering.

[Archangel]

Managed 10 squat reps of 100 Kgs today, feels good

[XanBcoo]

That's really good. Took me a long time to get up that high. How is your squat form?

Watching Rippetoe's coaching sessions and understanding the basic concept of hip movement, and the idea that you should "move the bar in a vertical line" really helped me:

[Archangel]

I use a smith bar, my gym doesn't really have a squat bar besides that one. I don't go quite as low as Rippetoe would have wanted, people keep telling me it's a surefire way to bust out your knees at an early age.

[XanBcoo]

The idea that it's unsafe to squat below parallel is actually a myth!

Doing full (below parallel/ASS TO GRASS) squats are better for your knees because they remove tension from your kneecaps and distribute the weight across your butt, hamstrings, calves, and hip abductors. You get a fuller Range of Motion and increased flexibility and strength gains. It's actually the more "natural" movement: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=128243861

Obviously you should do what feels comfortable and safe, but moving into a full squat position is far more beneficial and demonstrably safer. Especially on a Smith machine (I even do ass to grass squats on free weights, and I have a slight handicap against me).

The only issue is you have to worry about keeping your lower back straight and concentrate on the hip drive movement. That just comes with experience.

Edit: Thinking of rebooting this thread with a new OP, link to this thread, and links to helpful sites/videos/dicussions/etc. The OP in this thread is awful and not helpful whatsoever.

[Archangel]

If anything this should be left as it is and our discussion should have its own thread, cardio bunnies could sort their shit around here while us real men discussed our business elsewhere.

[Archangel]

New PR for my bench press, 6 reps of 94kg

Getting dangerously close to my squatting PR... don't want to become one of those asshole that can bench more than he can squat

[XanBcoo]

Really good. Is that free weight or machine?

I actually did close to that today during my chest day. 4 reps of 205.

[Archangel]

Free Weight, not really a fan of machines or even the smith bar for benching

[XanBcoo]

I really need to find some consistent partners to work out with. I'm stagnating over here.

[Archangel]

I actually find partners distracting, while over half the gym is talking soccer I'm doing twice their workout and breaking PRs every other week. I just ask around for the occasional spotter when the weight on top of me might actually kill me or disable me for life with a wrong move.

You might want to try energy drinks though, a banana followed by one of those guarantees that I'm at 100% throughout the whole workout.

[XanBcoo]

I actually find partners distracting, while over half the gym is talking soccer I'm doing twice their workout and breaking PRs every other week. I just ask around for the occasional spotter when the weight on top of me might actually kill me or disable me for life with a wrong move.

You might want to try energy drinks though, a banana followed by one of those guarantees that I'm at 100% throughout the whole workout.

I take a folic acid tablet for vitamin B and my Vertigo medicine before I work out. My body is in shambles.

Also I used to prefer working out alone until I read about the importance of support systems for fitness. I also found that when I had a partner to work out with it removed some mental blocks for me. I was no longer worried about crushing myself squatting and actually got much stronger much faster. It's also good to work out with someone stronger and experienced than you for reasons I'm sure you have witnessed in many Shounen series. It's a huge benefit if you are all focused.

I also hate asking people for a spot because everyone has their own way of spotting. I hate it when some guy comes up and grabs the bar off me when I'm clearly just struggling a little bit. Thanks for ruining my set bro.

[Archangel]

So what sort of supplements do you take? I'm currently on multivitamin every morning, omega-3 at lunch and sometimes at diner when i don't have tuna or salmon, whey protein at breakfast and post-workout and creatine pre-workout.

My diet is already pretty balanced as it is but i take the vitamins and omega-3 anyway because they're so damn cheap to come by and are clearly good additions to it.

[Archangel]

New squatting PR, 12 reps of 110kg

[Archangel]

New benching PR, 4 reps 100kg. Couldn't fucking move my whole torso the next day but it was totally worth it :P

I also started a new supplement recently



Plain caffeine tablets, recommended by a friend. They really keep you in your toes and allow be to get the best out of each workout.

[enkoujin]

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/now/gtea.htm

Just ordered 400 capsules of these from the above link so I can boost my nutrients, metabolism and improve the effectiveness of weight loss training.

I also have 5 pounds of protein that's going to be used somewhere within the next three or four months now that school's started again.

[XanBcoo]

Screwed up my rotator cuff so I've had a horrible 2 weeks. Haven't been able to do a push exercise properly in a while.

Today I substituted box squats for squats because my lower back has been straining a bit too much. Box squats are a good way to train the hip flexors and build the hamstring strength necessary to squat properly. Looking forward to improving:

Box squats coached by Dave Tate:

[Archangel]

With your back history i don't know if any squats at all are a good idea.

Why don't you use leg curls for your hamstrings and leg press for your quads? Yes, you won't progress like you would with squats but the likelihood of injury ( which you seem to be prone to ) is minimum.

You could also add leg extensions assuming you don't have bad knees as well

[XanBcoo]

I actually do leg presses, curls, and extensions in the routine I'm currently on.

Program 4 here

But you're right. I might try eventually phasing squats out, or at least taking them a little more slowly in the future. Maybe replace them with Smith machine squats.

The box squats felt good yesterday, though. Having to sit up from a stool forced my hips to take most of the weight and kept my lower back straight. Usually I have the tendency to shift the weight onto my quads or even lift with my back if the weight is so heavy. Gonna try these for a while.