The Real Mens thread of testosterone, heavy lifting, towel fights and depilation

[Bildi]

Oh, the competitive, posturing, grunting side of fitness.  To each their own, but I can't stand it.  Sadly, a lot of gyms and fitness junkies are like that, and a lot of people get turned off by it.

But if that's not your thing, there are definitely gyms that are not typified by grunters and tantrum throwers in the weights room and people dressing in tight "gym attire" to make sure their ass looks awesome in the mirror.  Find a gym where people are normal, dress normal, and are there to just get fit and do their own thing.  They exist, but admittedly are in the extreme minority depending on your part of the world.

[T-Short]

Some of the general exercises we do in capoeira class are kind of crossfit related, many of these were brought in by a guy who is a trained PT (who has since quit the group). Also we sometimes do it as kind of a competition, with four teams of five or whatever doing a mixed sequence back and forth across the gym hall we are in, trying to beat the other teams. My general fitness level is about average I guess, but I have way too much body fat. I also go through phases of lesser motivation. But in general, I think it's fun. I probably need to make myself go to four classes a week instead of 2 or 3 though.

Cormacaroni

[cool breeze]

I'm happy that there is a gym in my building that's pretty good.  The only issue that old people are always on the treadmill and there is some crazy lady that talks to herself while, but going at odd hours lets me avoid them.

 

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

My dad was a competing powerlifter so I essentially grew up in the atmosphere of weight lifting, the gym, and all that.  Plus when I went out for football, weight lifting was mandatory.  I just kept going with it after High School.

In fact, if I don't exercise, I get maybe 3-4 hours of sleep at the most.

Awesome that you grew up with heavy weights! I agree with you pretty much on the primacy of the squat and deadlift for strength, maybe not so much the bench. But then I don't have a bench at home so I still have an excuse not to do it at this point. Have you read any of Mark Rippetoe's powerlifting stuff? He gives more weight (har har) to the (strict) press than the bench press.

I'm also learning the Olympic lifts. Pretty decent with the power clean, ok on the clean & jerk. Haven't even started on the snatch.

Bench isn't as crucial as the deadlifts or squats because while those two can affect the whole body, the bench is mostly just limited to the upper body.  Sometimes people get better results from weighted dips.

I didn't read any of Rippetoe's stuff.  I've heard of it and know that quite a few people made a lot of progress with it but I just go with what works for me, which is that split I put up last page (I forgot that Saturday is leg day).  I do those for 6-8 weeks and then rest a week.

[Draft]

I'm a Rippetoe advocate.

Squat, squat, squat, and then do a few other things.

[Cormacaroni]

so what changed your mindset if it was the same as mine?

Like I said, what motivated me probably won't motivate anyone else so I don't see the point in getting into it. It wasn't any one thing. Call it a mid-life crisis, that's probably the closest I'll get to explaining it in public.

[Cormacaroni]

I'm a Rippetoe advocate.

Squat, squat, squat, and then do a few other things.

Draft

if there was a :squat emoticon i would be using it

[Tieno]

Here's my current excercise routine. I do this now to get better used to a half marathon run after doing 12 week program that trained me for one.
Monday: run of 3.5 km
Tuesday: run of 5.7km
Wednesday: run of 7-8km (I think, not sure)
Thursday: no running: rest
Friday: no running: rest
Saturday: week 1 17km, week 2, half a marathon
Sunday: no running: rest

Almost everyday I do 100 pushups. First two sets are 20, the remaining six are 10. I do this in the span of 7min, legs crossed, supported only by my right foot so posture is better and harder to cheat.
When I started it took me an hour cause I had to wait 5min to build enough strength for the next set of 10.

The only equipment I have at home is one of those weightlifting bars (for two hands) and dumbells. Haven't touched them in years. Don't know shit about it.

[patrickula]

I'm no fitness nut, but I have no fear of getting fat either, so this is what I've been doing lately to buff up a little:
I walk at least 30 minutes a day on my commute, and try to walk a long distance at least once on the weekend as well or it's harder to fall asleep.  Every couple of days I alternate a  push-ups and crunches/ab exercises while I watch/listen to Colbert on Hulu or whatever else I can watch on my computer.  Probably end up doing around four or five hundred ab exercises and one hundred push-ups overall, though the numbers are slowly rising as time goes on.  Then I do some arm/chest exercises with a heavy briefcase full of papers that I have lying around.  It's nothing special but I've put on a few pounds of upper body muscle mass doing it and look more muscular now than I ever did in the past.  I'm not aiming to get big or anything.

Looks like I should try squats.  I also need to make my schedule more regular as I'll often go a couple days saying "I need to remember to work out tomorrow" and not getting to it.  It's also probably I should get some small weights so I don't have to use a briefcase for that stuff, but I kind of like not using any "real" equipment.

[Tristam]

Crossfit doesn't really fit with my goals -- not that I can really talk about lifting goals, since they've recently been superseded by schoolwork. Next semester I'll be less busy though and I'll finally hit the gym again with Rippetoe's program. I can stand to bulk up 20 lbs.; the added speed and power will be a nice bonus.

Cool - have you done Starting Strength before? I'm basically trying to do at least one, sometimes 2, SS-esque days per week. I'm definitely not doing the program but i'm looking into it. The SS book is great if you haven't read it.

Well, I started doing Rip's program this semester and then was forced to stop. I used to go to the gym a lot my freshman year and I did gain ~10 lbs. doing 4-day splits and drinking 2k calorie shakes. As good as I looked and as many gains on the bench I had, I don't think I really improved my athletic performance much (since I neglected a few important lifts: namely, squat, squat, and squat).

I do have the SS book, and it is indeed great. I never really perfected my form for any of the lifts. I mean, bench is easy to execute, but to execute it according to Rip's preferences? That guy is a stickler for form. And with Rip's program you start out only with a handful of core lifts and eventually work in more "targeted" lifts, which is something I never got around to.

I tried posting some lifting videos at that big bodybuilding forum because some of the posters offered to critique my form and offer pointers. I wish I just had a trainer or at least a workout buddy who I trusted to give me a proper critique, 'cuz doing all that is even more onerous than the lifting itself imo -- which I do enjoy, but going back and forth between the campus gym takes up a lot of my time.

[duckman2000]

I'm happy that there is a gym in my building that's pretty good.  The only issue that old people are always on the treadmill and there is some crazy lady that talks to herself while, but going at odd hours lets me avoid them.

 

We have a gym in the clubhouse, which is conveniently located a decent running distance from here. Good thing I'm getting that exercise, as the actual gym is typically filled with yuppies and private fitness instructors using association property to make a buck.

You can usually tell when the place is full by how many cars there are parked outside. Gotta save that energy for the treadmill, I guess.

My biggest issue right now is coffee, and I plain refuse to cut out coffee, or replace it with tea. In the past 5 years, I've dropped amphetamines, pot, cigarettes, soda, and generally crap food. I'm not dropping this one too, even if I can tell that my caffeine dependence is having an impact on my ability to effectively work out.

[cool breeze]

My favorite are when old women get private fitness instructors.  This one woman has a fitness instructor that just stands on the treadmill next to her and presses the buttons for her to switch from snail slow to regular slow, and I've seen this woman walking faster in the hallway before without problems.  I'm convinced that it's more for sexual excitement than needing help since all the instructors are buff men wearing short-shorts and tang-tops.

[tiesto]

I'm 5'10" and 162lbs. I go 3 times a week to the local gym and do (this is mostly on machines, except lower abdomen I hoister myself up and kick my legs out):

Pulldowns/upper back - 3 sets, 10 reps @ 130lbs
Shoulders - 3 sets, 12 reps @ 75lbs
Biceps - 3 sets, 10 reps @ 45lbs
Triceps - 3 sets, 10 reps @ 60lbs
Chest - 3 sets, 10 reps @ 105lbs
Leg press - 3 sets, 10 reps @ 200lbs
Abs - 3 sets, 30 reps @ 50lbs
Lower back - 3 sets, 10 reps @ 100lbs
Lower abs - 3 sets, 12 reps

No cardio, since I'm a bit too lazy and I have aortic stenosis (a heart condition). Though I do mountainbiking from time to time for fun. I just started earlier in the year, looking to gain a bit of muscle and tone, and trim down my gut a bit. I was always thin person, with a good metabolism + decent diet (although I'll go a bit heavy on the meat and carbs from time to time). But, after going, I feel great and working out has done wonders for my confidence. Not to mention, I've been getting some more looks from women ever since I started going, which in turn inspires me to go more.

Am I on the right track, or are there any other suggestions you guys have?

[Draft]

I'm 5'10" and 162lbs. I go 3 times a week to the local gym and do (this is mostly on machines, except lower abdomen I hoister myself up and kick my legs out):

Pulldowns/upper back - 3 sets, 10 reps @ 130lbs
Shoulders - 3 sets, 12 reps @ 75lbs
Biceps - 3 sets, 10 reps @ 45lbs
Triceps - 3 sets, 10 reps @ 60lbs
Chest - 3 sets, 10 reps @ 105lbs
Leg press - 3 sets, 10 reps @ 200lbs
Abs - 3 sets, 30 reps @ 50lbs
Lower back - 3 sets, 10 reps @ 100lbs
Lower abs - 3 sets, 12 reps

No cardio, since I'm a bit too lazy and I have aortic stenosis (a heart condition). Though I do mountainbiking from time to time for fun. I just started earlier in the year, looking to gain a bit of muscle and tone, and trim down my gut a bit. I was always thin person, with a good metabolism + decent diet (although I'll go a bit heavy on the meat and carbs from time to time). But, after going, I feel great and working out has done wonders for my confidence. Not to mention, I've been getting some more looks from women ever since I started going, which in turn inspires me to go more.

Am I on the right track, or are there any other suggestions you guys have?

I don't want to completely shit on anyone's routine.

Exercise talk tends to degenerate like the console wars. People have opinions, and they present those opinions as facts. People get mad, talk gets heated, you know the score.

That being said.

I think that routine is garbage. Machines are garbage. Anything you can do 10 reps of is garbage. Lifting the same weight week after week is garbage.

Switch to free weights. Concentrate on big compound lifts. Try to put 10 lbs on your leg and back lifts every week, 5lbs on your chest and shoulder lefts.

[tiesto]

I don't want to completely shit on anyone's routine.

Exercise talk tends to degenerate like the console wars. People have opinions, and they present those opinions as facts. People get mad, talk gets heated, you know the score.

That being said.

I think that routine is garbage. Machines are garbage. Anything you can do 10 reps of is garbage. Lifting the same weight week after week is garbage.

Switch to free weights. Concentrate on big compound lifts. Try to put 10 lbs on your leg and back lifts every week, 5lbs on your chest and shoulder lefts.

Well, I don't know too much about exercising, as I'm still fairly new at this... So I'm open to different opinions at this point. But what do you think are the disadvantages of using machines? I prefer machines to free weights as of now, because I'm not terribly coordinated and have trouble maintaining form, not to mention nobody to spot when I want to do bench pressing. Do you think I should be doing more weight with lower reps? Also, do you have some suggested compound lifts? And my final question for you, why is doing the same routine bad, since I've heard quite the opposite from people.

Keep in mind, I want to look healthy and toned, not look like a juiced-up guido.

[duckman2000]

Adding a completely amateurish opinion to it, I'd argue that it's all in the resistance. If it becomes a routine, meaning no sense of resistance or gains, it can't be that effective. Maybe it's effective in maintaining a level platform, but I'd imagine slipping from that type of routine would have bigger negative consequences than slipping from constant progress.

Then again, I think I just hate the idea of routine anything, really.

But what do you think are the disadvantages of using machines? I prefer machines to free weights as of now, because I'm not terribly coordinated and have trouble maintaining form

That right there, in my admittedly uneducated opinion. Life is pretty uncoordinated, and machines seem to offer unrealistic balance and precision. It all comes down to the purpose of exercising, I guess.

[duckman2000]

Double post

[tiesto]

I should clarify that I attempt to increase the weights (in small increments of course) after I feel comfortable at a certain weight. What I posted above is more than double what I started at, at the beginning of the year.

[Draft]

Same routine is fine, you just need to add weight. You can't keep pressing 100 lbs week after week, it's just spinning gears.

Free weights are better than machines for two big reasons:
1. Full range of motion. Most machines will not allow you to engage the full ROM on whatever lift you are doing. The worst offender is the smith machine for doing squats. However, smith machine while doing the bench is OK. Not the best, but OK if you can't get a spotter.
2. Free weights force stabilizer muscles to activate so you can hold the proper form. Machines allow those muscles to slack off because you're just sliding a weight along a preset path. It's noticeably easier to use machines. Like, for example, you say chest 105x10.. I'm assuming this is a bench, on a smith machine. Try to put up 105 with free weights. I'm betting you will not be able to complete 3x10x105.

Like I said, I'm a Rippetoe advocate. Rippetoe's beginner program is as follows:

Day A:
Squat 3x5
Press 3x5
Power Clean 5x3

Day B:
Squat 3x5
Bench 3x5
Deadlift 1x5

You alternate, 3 days a week, MWF, or TTS, or whatever. And you EAT. And you SLEEP.

Those 5 lifts are the big, huge, mass and strength building compound lifts. They hit every major muscle group, and hard. You only do sets of 5 because the goal is to just slap mad weight on every time you hit the gym.

It's a common misconception that a routine like this, one built around big lifts and mass/strength gains, is going to turn you into some roided out monster. You wish. Getting that big is incredibly hard. You have to be putting away many thousands of calories a day and lifting like a Goddamn monster.

[BamYouHaveAids]

Personally if I can't get a spotter on bench and other presses I just use the dumbell so I can dump the weight.

My routine is

Monday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench
3x3 Deadlift

Wensday
3x5 Front Squat
3x3 Power Clean
3x5 Miltary Press

Thursday:
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench
3x3 Snatches

I do 3 sets of 10-15 pullups at the end and maybe some ab work if I have time. If you can get the form of the lifts down a free weight routine will be best, whether you are lifting for aesthetic purposes or to gain strength. I started my froend on this routine and within a month he lost his gut doubled his strength and gained definition, although we did run at the end of our sesions. I would say you should try to add 5 pounds each week and once you can no longer do that do it bi-weekly.

[Draft]

I just switched up my routine a little bit to get more squats. I'm basically doing SS, but with pull ups at the end of each session, and then I run a mile.

[Cormacaroni]

Rip is certainly in favor of pull-ups; not so sure about the running. But I guess you're trying for a more balanced approach at this point.

A lot of Crossfitters are doing routines with a greater strength bias these days, combining heavy lifting sessions with short (sub 10 mins), heavy Crossfit WODs. And of course, Crossfit itself is programming more and more heavy days too, especially since Rip came on board. The debates rage back and forth between those who want strength most, those who want conditioning most, and those in between (like myself) who don't have anything yet and thus want it all At the moment, I only lift heavy once or twice a week and I'm pretty happy with my progress, strength-wise. Bear in mind that I'm still using some fairly heavy weights for the Crossfit WODs.

So Draft, what kind of gains are you seeing on SS so far, if you don't mind me asking? Are you doing GOMAD? Feel free to PM if you're shy; i'll keep it under my hat!

[Draft]

Hell no I'm not doing any of that GOMAD stuff.

Maybe one day, but right now, weight lifting is something I do for fun and to look better. I can't really make that kind of dedication to it. I do make sure I get 3 squares, and I usually do put back a couple glasses of milk a day, as well as a pretty big helping of meat or peanut butter for dinner (depending on my wallet and my level of cooking dedication.)

I only just switched back to a pure SS. Before this I was doing a routine I made up myself, that was 4 days a week, and had most of the SS lifts (sans cleans) and then some other stuff, but I felt like I was stalling out. So I decided fuck it, I'm going to balls to the wall SS for at least 6 weeks, see where it gets me.

I reset a bit from some of my personal records to start out. Got back from the gym just now. Squatted out 215, pulled 245 from the floor, 175 on the bench. Squat felt good, bench felt good, will definitely be upping them next time. Pull was a little sloppy. I might do one more at 245 just to make sure my form is straight. Didn't feel totally out of wack, didn't hurt my back or anything, but feel like it could be a little more mechanical.

A year ago I could not squat 135 pounds, at least not with anything resembling proper form. I was not a high school athlete or anything close.

I run just to cool down. Feels good. It's only a mile, so it's basically spinning gears. I don't run fast enough to get any sort of HIIT going on, and I don't run far enough to burn any appreciable calories. But I'm a moderate smoker, so I feel like I owe it to myself.   :'(

[Draft]

I am probably going to have to start eating more though.

Do you understand that, people? That is the best part of lifting weights. It's the one exercise program that actively encourages you to stuff your face. It requires you to stuff your face. How can you not be down with that?

[Cormacaroni]

Sounds like you're doing it right, for sure.

I guess people gravitate to increasingly extreme stuff. It sounds insane to me right now to do GOMAD and so on, but at some point, it'll probably seem like a reasonable progression. What I'm doing on a daily basis right now would certainly have seemed crazy to me a year ago.

Deadlifts and cleans are the two lifts I feel most comfortable with, right now. I can only squat at home, where I don't have a spotter, so using the big weights genuinely scares the crap out of me. I do it, but not often, and I'm very cautious. I stop a set as soon as I struggle bigtime with a rep, even when I think i could *probably* finish it. I guess I'll get more comfortable with it over time. Deadlifts and cleans however, just don't scare me. They're fun! Tomorrow I'm going for 300lbs for 5; last time I did it for 3. I'm experimenting with scheme where you start with a set of 5, add 10% to it and do it for 3 next time, then add another 10% and do it for 1. Then you take that weight and do it for 3, then 5. It apparently works very well for most newbs on the heavy lifts.

We'll see how it goes. Would go today but i'm too damn hungover so going out for pizza with two Crossfit buddies to talk about working out instead

[Cormacaroni]

I am probably going to have to start eating more though.

Do you understand that, people? That is the best part of lifting weights. It's the one exercise program that actively encourages you to stuff your face. It requires you to stuff your face. How can you not be down with that?

No shit! I had two dinners in a row the other night. A bowl of pasta, then a huge chicken breast in tomato sauce with garlic bread, and some pizza toast as well. It was very unhealthy by my standards but sometimes you just gotta feed the beast. And I'm actually losing weight right now.

[Draft]

I wouldn't call it extreme, it just requires a lot of dedication. Like, if I wanted to down a gallon of milk a day, I'd need to keep 5 gallons at work, and just chug it all day long. Craziness.

But Rippetoe creates monsters. His program, when it works 100%, puts like 30-40 pounds on a guy in about a year. That's just obscene.

I could see myself switching to a crossfit style program in maybe 6 months. I'd like to put another 10 pounds on first, at least.

edit: If you have a cage, I don't think you need a spotter. I don't sweat a spot when I squat. If you gotta dump it, just drop to your knees or to your butt. All you'll do is make a lot of noise.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

I like having a spotter there for the feeling of security

[Cormacaroni]

I loved his response to the guy who said 'I'm lactose intolerant; can I subsititute yoghurt for milk?'

Rip - 'Gallon of yoghurt'

[Cormacaroni]

I wouldn't call it extreme, it just requires a lot of dedication. Like, if I wanted to down a gallon of milk a day, I'd need to keep 5 gallons at work, and just chug it all day long. Craziness.

But Rippetoe creates monsters. His program, when it works 100%, puts like 30-40 pounds on a guy in about a year. That's just obscene.

I could see myself switching to a crossfit style program in maybe 6 months. I'd like to put another 10 pounds on first, at least.

edit: If you have a cage, I don't think you need a spotter. I don't sweat a spot when I squat. If you gotta dump it, just drop to your knees or to your butt. All you'll do is make a lot of noise.

just saw the edit. I don't have a cage, just 2 free standing squat racks. It does have the spotter handle things but haven't tried dumping the weight on them yet. I guess I should practice doing so with just the bar until I get comfortable with it.

[Tieno]

Draft, you suggested to get a 'bar' for pullups after you can do 100 pushups. Are there bars that don't damage the house? There's no place here I can put it into the wall and the door frames are made of wood so I don't want to damage that either.

[BobbyRobby]

Draft, you suggested to get a 'bar' for pullups after you can do 100 pushups. Are there bars that don't damage the house? There's no place here I can put it into the wall and the door frames are made of wood so I don't want to damage that either.

in one sitting?  i think you can move on before that.

they make bars that you don't have to screw into the molding.  I had one with rubber on each end that you can expand until it's really tight, and the pressure held it in.

there's also ones like this,
http://www.seriusfitness.com/Chin-Up-Bars/105/

[Draft]

Those things make me nervous.

Most pull up bars are built to be screwed into door frames.

[Tristam]

I am probably going to have to start eating more though.

Do you understand that, people? That is the best part of lifting weights. It's the one exercise program that actively encourages you to stuff your face. It requires you to stuff your face. How can you not be down with that?

I ain't down with it, but I still need to eat a ridiculous amount to gain weight. I ain't down with it 'cuz it's expensive, since I try to eat clean, and it's time-consuming. Still, ya gotta do what ya gotta do, so I do it anyway.

[Cormacaroni]

Eating right and being active has always worked out fine for me, but I'm the type of person to wear v-necks and clubbing sunglasses.

Don't you play rugby? One would have thought that some sort of training regimen was in order, given that your strength and speed is the only thing standing between you and freeform dental surgery.

[Rman]

Same routine is fine, you just need to add weight. You can't keep pressing 100 lbs week after week, it's just spinning gears.

Free weights are better than machines for two big reasons:
1. Full range of motion. Most machines will not allow you to engage the full ROM on whatever lift you are doing. The worst offender is the smith machine for doing squats. However, smith machine while doing the bench is OK. Not the best, but OK if you can't get a spotter.
2. Free weights force stabilizer muscles to activate so you can hold the proper form. Machines allow those muscles to slack off because you're just sliding a weight along a preset path. It's noticeably easier to use machines. Like, for example, you say chest 105x10.. I'm assuming this is a bench, on a smith machine. Try to put up 105 with free weights. I'm betting you will not be able to complete 3x10x105.

Like I said, I'm a Rippetoe advocate. Rippetoe's beginner program is as follows:

Day A:
Squat 3x5
Press 3x5
Power Clean 5x3

Day B:
Squat 3x5
Bench 3x5
Deadlift 1x5

You alternate, 3 days a week, MWF, or TTS, or whatever. And you EAT. And you SLEEP.

Those 5 lifts are the big, huge, mass and strength building compound lifts. They hit every major muscle group, and hard. You only do sets of 5 because the goal is to just slap mad weight on every time you hit the gym.

It's a common misconception that a routine like this, one built around big lifts and mass/strength gains, is going to turn you into some roided out monster. You wish. Getting that big is incredibly hard. You have to be putting away many thousands of calories a day and lifting like a Goddamn monster.

Any warm up sets?

[Cormacaroni]

RMan -
The Starting Strength wiki is a great, free resource. You should also try to read the book, but there is a ton of great info just in the wiki.

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

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ#How_do_I_warm_up_properly_for_my_training_sessions.3F

[Kestastrophe]

I've been thinking about buying an Iron Gym screwless pull-up bar. Anybody have any experience with this?

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=16159433

[Cormacaroni]

bumping this thread 'cause I PR'ed in the deadlift today and someone needs to know about it!

1 rep at 151kg (333lbs) at bodyweight of 71kg (156lbs). This was after another PR at 148.5kg too.

me

[Cormacaroni]

bah, you don't count DC 

oh thanks anyway 

thing is, next week i have to do that THREE TIMES IN A ROW. Then 5 times the week after. So i'd better enjoy this fleeting triumph right now.

[Tieno]

So I'm still doing the hundredpushup program thingy Draft recommended me. It's a 6 week program, but I got stuck on week 4 for a long time, especially the first day. Had to do that day for almost two weeks before I could do it within 60s intervals. Now I just finished day 3: 29, 33, 29, 29, max (min of 40). With 120s interval. Very hard. This morning waited 3mins before the last set, this afternoon did it after 2min.

I'm liking the challenge, it's pushing me harder and advancing me much faster than my own old schedule.
Now on to week 5! http://www.hundredpushups.com/week5.html

[Cormacaroni]

For similar money (i paid $60), you can buy a set of rings. Couple of advantages:

• you can do lots more moves, like dips and muscle-ups
• they're portable - you can hang them up all over the place, take them with you on trips...
• rings make everything harder

The big downside to the doorway pull-up bars is that you can't kip on them. If you just want to do deadhang pull-ups in solitude, by all means go for it. But look into rings as well.

[ch1nchilla]

I run around 3.25 miles every day I can, and I like to think I stay pretty slim. And I like running a lot-- I'm going to start stepping up the distance pretty soon here. I think I could get thinner if I cut down on the drinking, but that's totally unrealistic right now.

Also might start lifting every day with my roommate, who goes nearly every day. But uh, I have the worst rationale for not lifting / getting big ever...

spoiler (click to show/hide)

I am afraid of getting too big and having to buy a whole new wardrobe, because my clothes are kind of... expensive / fitted.

[close]

[Cormacaroni]

As Draft said upthread, yeah, you wish you could get big that fast!

I've been lifting heavy for over a year, and overall i've gotten smaller. I may look bigger because I've got less fat covering up the muscle but I've gone down a few shirt sizes. Which is the kind of wardrobe problem you want to have.

[ch1nchilla]

As Draft said upthread, yeah, you wish you could get big that fast!

I've been lifting heavy for over a year, and overall i've gotten smaller. I may look bigger because I've got less fat covering up the muscle but I've gone down a few shirt sizes. Which is the kind of wardrobe problem you want to have.

Hmm... You're probably right, especially if I keep running. BUT, I do have a buddy who had a fleet of Burberry polos become too tight in about 4 months. I also don't know if I even really want to lift, as I feel pretty in shape where I'm at and I'm pretty satisfied with the way I look.

[Cormacaroni]

As Draft said upthread, yeah, you wish you could get big that fast!

I've been lifting heavy for over a year, and overall i've gotten smaller. I may look bigger because I've got less fat covering up the muscle but I've gone down a few shirt sizes. Which is the kind of wardrobe problem you want to have.

This really depends on the body type you're starting from.

No shit, Sherlock.

Luckily, ch1nchilla and I have met IRL so we both know what we're talking about.

[Cormacaroni]

Don't let lifting weights turn you into a dick 

yes, perhaps that was unnecessarily caustic.

in general i react badly to being lectured on the blindingly obvious tho, it's a character fault i'm not going to shed any time soon.

[Draft]

Getting big is so hard.

I've given up on doing it via food alone and ordered $50 of protein mix 

[Cormacaroni]

What are you lifting now, Draft?

I'm seeing some good progress recently. I deadlifted 344lbs the other day for a 1RM (at b/w of 156lbs or so), and got my first muscle-up the day before. Linear gains baby.

[Kestastrophe]

Is there a set of rings that you recommend then? I never did end up getting the Iron Gym simply because it looked pretty cheap.

[Cormacaroni]

Is there a set of rings that you recommend then? I never did end up getting the Iron Gym simply because it looked pretty cheap.

These were what were recommended to me. Many many Crossfitters swear by them. I haven't tried any other kinds but I have no complaints - can't see how they can be improved really.

http://www.ringtraining.com/

Amazon has them as well if you don't want to order directly from the site (although i did - the guy is very professional).

Here's me using 'em!
http://www.vimeo.com/3221533

Be gentle you bastards 

[Cormacaroni]

yeah, it probably looks easy...but trust me, your average dude has no shot at doing this without training.

i've tried these on and off for at least 6 months with no success though. Many thousands of pull-ups went into the making of this one muscle-up. The biggest problem is the grip you have to use.

[Kestastrophe]

damn that's hardcore