FitnessBore - 2018 edition

[duckman2000]

So did you guys feel about this year in terms of fitness?

I hit some good PRs on all my major lift, except cleans.  I need to see a trainer to fix my form, honestly.  I still want to shed some more fat and improve body composition, so I'm looking to dial in my diet a bit more.

But for the New Year, I want to add some skill based stuff--gymnastics and some kettlebell movements.

What about you guys?

Went from working out "normally" to doing heavy outdoor work (tossing sandbags and shit), and now I get enough of a work out just walking the dog through 3ft of snow. I sometimes miss the more structured stuff, but getting a natural work out kicks ass.

[Groogrux]

So did you guys feel about this year in terms of fitness?

Even though I fell off the wagon for quite a few months, this has been one of the better years for me in terms of staying fit.  I've learned a lot about myself this year and I think the next year is going to be a lot better.  I've realized this year that the goal of losing a rapid amount of weight in a rapid amount of time and hoping to keep it off is not really a functional plan for me anymore.

I'm trying not to look at it as "going on a diet" but more like making a lifestyle change.  I want to be setting up routines for myself that I'm going to be following through on in 30-40 years.  Granted, the changes are a little more strict for the beginning, but they will get easier as time passes.

***

On a side note, my father-in-law took my wife and son out today (I was at home asleep because I just got off third shift) and paid for ALL of us to have a six-month membership at the YMCA.  Granted, the YMCA is a 40 minute drive to the next town for me, but they have indoor pools and child care along with their already impressive exercise equipment.  This means the days of not being able to go to the gym when the wife is working because I don't have child care are over!

[Yoritomo]

5/3/1 is an advanced protocol, I seriously doubt anyone here needs to look into it other than T EXP (if he's still around).

I'd suggest it for anyone who wants to build strength.  Obviously it's not a routine you want to start if you haven't been to the gym in a while.  After a few months of getting your body used to resistance training I'd highly suggest it.  It's efficient, gets results, and is purposefully loose with regards to the weight you choose for yourself.  It's obviously not something to do if you're just wanting to lose weight and also requires a diet that is geared towards muscle growth, but if those are your goals then it's great. 

[Cormacaroni]

5/3/1 is an advanced protocol, I seriously doubt anyone here needs to look into it other than T EXP (if he's still around).

I'd suggest it for anyone who wants to build strength.  Obviously it's not a routine you want to start if you haven't been to the gym in a while.  After a few months of getting your body used to resistance training I'd highly suggest it.  It's efficient, gets results, and is purposefully loose with regards to the weight you choose for yourself.  It's obviously not something to do if you're just wanting to lose weight and also requires a diet that is geared towards muscle growth, but if those are your goals then it's great. 

No disrespect, but you lost me completely with your very first line. Even Jim Wendler himself doesn't recommend it for those purposes. But for whatever reason, everyone now wants to do 5/3/1 because they think they are all badass men of iron like Jim

Why on earth would someone new to resistance training want to do a program as slow as this? Why would a newb need a deloading week 3 weeks in?

As I said, it's an advanced protocol designed for advanced lifters who have exhausted their newbie gains. The sort of people who are happy to spend a year gaining 10-15% on their big lifts, and who don't do much in the way of other training (bodyweight etc). There is absolutely no reason for anybody new to lifting to do this. Having said that, the program itself is solid as a rock, and it certainly won't hurt them if their gym buddy pushes it on them or something - it's just not designed for them. Starting Strength is all anybody here needs - it's all the same lifts, but designed to get newbies strong FAST.

Maybe you are in a different situation, I dunno. But don't recommend it to everybody!

[Smooth Groove]

nah, when we go red robin, i get the lettuce-wrapped chicken "burger" with no mayo and a side salad instead of fries. (geez! even tvc gets a boca burger there.) my diet is solid, with the worst thing being the occasional 100 or so calories of popchips. chicken/tofu for lunches and dinners, by and large, supplemented by protein shakes and fiberful dried fruit/veggie bars.

Why even go to Red Robin then? 

Yesterday, I got a 16 oz Fatburger with cheese, fried egg and bacon + chilli cheese fries.  There's little impact as long as I eat healthy for the next couple of meals and work out intensely at least once before I eat like that again.  If you workout 3 times a week, one bad meal really doesn't make much of a difference. 

[Cormacaroni]

Yeah, one bad meal only means you have to work out 3 times a week! What a tiny little inconvenience!

[Yoritomo]

No disrespect, but you lost me completely with your very first line. Even Jim Wendler himself doesn't recommend it for those purposes. But for whatever reason, everyone now wants to do 5/3/1 because they think they are all badass men of iron like Jim

Why on earth would someone new to resistance training want to do a program as slow as this? Why would a newb need a deloading week 3 weeks in?

As I said, it's an advanced protocol designed for advanced lifters who have exhausted their newbie gains. The sort of people who are happy to spend a year gaining 10-15% on their big lifts, and who don't do much in the way of other training (bodyweight etc). There is absolutely no reason for anybody new to lifting to do this. Having said that, the program itself is solid as a rock, and it certainly won't hurt them if their gym buddy pushes it on them or something - it's just not designed for them. Starting Strength is all anybody here needs - it's all the same lifts, but designed to get newbies strong FAST.

Maybe you are in a different situation, I dunno. But don't recommend it to everybody!

Sorry I'm a little new so I didn't have a good grasp of the thread before posting.    I've read more of the thread and have a better gauge.  Yeah I agree with you completely.  I'd still suggest the same focus on lifts (Squat, Dead, Bench, Military), throw some pullups in there and call it a week.  I had trained consistently for 6 years or so when I was younger, then got fat and soft after landing a nice office job.  Been back at it after a 5 year hiatus and an extra 50 pounds of fat.  After a year of training 25 pounds are off and my lifts are back to where they were.  I did 5/3/1 for about 4 months and it felt great.  However I came off to my regular routine before the holidays and will be trying to lose the remaining 25 pounds so 5/3/1 isn't going to work.  (can't really increase strength and lose weight unless you're just starting out.)

Just looked up starting strength and you're absolutely right.

[Cormacaroni]

no problem, i like a man who can admit they're wrong once in a while

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tbh, i just like a man once in a while 

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[Mupepe]

has anyone here ever used a strike bag?  i used to own a heavy bag, but i don't really have the room for one in my current home.  but a strike bag seems like it could work.  There aren't any at the fitness stores around me to check.  But I don't want to be swinging every which way, i want some resistance.  i know it has springs, to hold it in place but i don't know how well they work as a heavy bag substitute. 

[Groogrux]

They've got one at my gym.  I won't pretend I know anything about properly using one, but I do like to just womp on the thing sometimes late at night when I'm there.  It's good for the nerves.

The only complaint I have about it when comparing it to a heavy bag (and I assume you're talking about the strike bags that are on a stand) is that it may not swing around, but it does rock back if you hit it right, and it doesn't feel as natural to hit it.

See if you can't find one at some place like a Dick's Sporting Goods or something.  I recall seeing one in there the last time I went.

[Mupepe]

Never heard of Dick's Sporting Goods.  But I checked all the places I know around here with no luck.  the sway you're talking about it is what I want to avoid.  i might just bite the bullet and go for a heavy bag and remove it everytime and put it in the closet.  it's a bitch to hook it back up again but I think I can do it.

[Groogrux]

What about buying one and rigging it on a pulley system?

[Mupepe]

that sounds like a lot of work. 

[Groogrux]

Really?  I would think it would be easier than having to hoist the thing above your head and then hook it into place every time...

[Mupepe]

it's not too bad really.  i used to do it with an 80lb bag a couple of years ago in my old apartment.  i'm just thinking a pulley system would stick out more in my place than just a hook on the ceiling. 

[Van Cruncheon]

nah, when we go red robin, i get the lettuce-wrapped chicken "burger" with no mayo and a side salad instead of fries. (geez! even tvc gets a boca burger there.) my diet is solid, with the worst thing being the occasional 100 or so calories of popchips. chicken/tofu for lunches and dinners, by and large, supplemented by protein shakes and fiberful dried fruit/veggie bars.

Why even go to Red Robin then? 

Yesterday, I got a 16 oz Fatburger with cheese, fried egg and bacon + chilli cheese fries.  There's little impact as long as I eat healthy for the next couple of meals and work out intensely at least once before I eat like that again.  If you workout 3 times a week, one bad meal really doesn't make much of a difference. 

i don't choose the lunch venues, dude!

[Mupepe]

you should.  aren't you the oldest? oooooh, sick burn daddio

[Yoritomo]

Replaced deadlift day with helping my brother-in-law move 3 tons of movable type from Austin to College Station.  I'm just as sore the day after as I normally am after deadlift day.   

[Groogrux]

Soooo... should we change the title of this thread or does somebody want to volunteer and make a new one?  Cause this is a good thread.

[brawndolicious]

The topic starter can edit the title also.

[Rman]

Yeah, Archie is still around.  I'm sure he can edit it.  He just needs to remove the year and call it a day.

[archie4208]

That I can.  My Y membership ran out last week and I'm going to renew it tomorrow. 

[Groogrux]

My Y membership that was bought for me ended up falling through.  The women that sold the plan to my father-in-law told him and my wife that I could be on the plan with them.  They said that all I needed to do was go in and get my card.  When I went up there, a different lady told me that wasn't possible and that I'd have to pay for my own account.   

It's okay though; I've still got my membership at my local gym which doesn't take 35 minutes to get to.  It has everything I need and it's open 365 days a year, 24/7!

[cool breeze]

So, I've had trouble breathing these past couple years that I've been exercising more frequently (well really my entire life).  I always assumed I was out of shape but at a point it can't be that.  I found it out I have asthma a little while ago and now I'm shocked at how much easier/better things are.  Apparently breathing is important 

[Mupepe]

 

You didn't know?  Good you got it diagnosed and taken care of though.

I bought some glutamine and whey protein.  Gonna see how I do on this for a while.  I changed up my routine.  I'll be lifting heavy, but only 3 days a week followed by a short run (M,W,F).  Tu and TH I'm going to for hardcore cardio.  I know what you're going to say, Cormac.  And I know you're right but I know i can lose the fat through cardio because well... I don't have the will power to clean up my diet completely.  I'll let you guys know how it goes after my first week.

[Groogrux]

Don't worry Mups.  I feel Cormac's smugness every time I step on a treadmill then eat a chicken sandwich later that day. 

[Mupepe]

  No matter how hard I try, I can't say bye to my carbs so I figure I'll just burn them off.

[Cormacaroni]

You all remind me of the dude on my Facebook who was bitching about the Wendy's he always goes to after the gym being closed for New Years!

But by all means, continue to try to ice skate uphill. I'll see you at the top

[Smooth Groove]

My fatass can still jump higher than most of you fitness freaks. 

[Cormacaroni]

*looks around for another fitness freak*

[Mupepe]

You all remind me of the dude on my Facebook who was bitching about the Wendy's he always goes to after the gym being closed for New Years!

But by all means, continue to try to ice skate uphill. I'll see you at the top

hey!  I don't eat fast food anymore!  Haven't in like 2 months.

And I'm not saying I don't know where my problem.  I completely know where it is and what I'm doing wrong and accept it.  But there are certain concessions I can't reasonably live with without crashing my entire system so I have to take a longer route.

[Cormacaroni]

crashing your entire system

You'll realize how ridiculous all this sounds one day, Mups. Believe me, I spent a few years in denial too.

[Mupepe]

It does though.  I become unhappy and pissed that I'm working out instead of excited to do so.  I love lifting weights and when I'm on a diet that I don't like, it turn doesn't make me happy to be lifting either.  Maybe that will pass and realize that it's easier (I'm sure it is in the long run) but I love my tortillas and beans and occasional bread too much right now and I'd rather spend time running that give them up

[Cormacaroni]

Yeah, it would totally take away all your motivation to work out - by making you NOT FAT!

Don't kid yourself that you are balancing the scales in terms of health just because you are err, balancing the scales. Running to burn calories just to get back to square one is just a terrible cycle to be stuck in. Get off the hamster wheel and get off the crack! It's easy!

- bacon and eggs for breakfast
- meat and veggies for dinner

If hunger is a concern, just eat double for the first few days until you realize that you don't need the same amount of food if your hormones aren't broken and sending you fucked-up messages all the time. Take control of your body and make it work for you, not the other way around.

I will continue to monitor you closely Mups. There is no escape.

[Mupepe]

I know you will.  And I'm not giving up on your way.  I lost weight with it, but it's too easy for me to fall off the wagon that way.  Like I said earlier, I'm going for small changes that I can incorporate into my life, not just a diet.  We have stopped buying bread for a while now.  Last night I ate eggs, sausage and bacon and beans.  That's the holy grail for a beaner if you have tortillas.  I fought myself and went against it.  Did it with no tortillas.  It's just hard to do, especially since both my wife and I were raised to eat like a hispanic.  I'm gonna fix it slowly but surely, but for now it's baby steps and running because I can't trust myself to stay on the other wagon right now.

[Cormacaroni]

Excellent. Really, it all starts with the willingness to explore different foods, and learning to cook a bit. I built up a repertoire of meals I liked and could cook easily, and gradually cooked those more and more often until I was comfortable that I wouldn't starve. Then I went cold turkey. Doing it slowly, it's harder to notice the positive effects, I guess. If you rely on your partner to cook your meals, you'll never get there. Most people I know who eat Paleo etc do it in spite of their family eating crap. You can't let other people drag you down.

All the stuff about the way you were raised etc earns you no sympathy. I'm Irish, and I quit potatoes and bread, you can live without fucking tortillas I hear that crap all the time from Japanese people. Eating rice is the heart of our 'food culture', we can't give it up! Bullshit. It's an accident of geography that makes rice about the only damn thing that grows well over here (very little land suitable for grazing, too hilly so not much livestock). You may have been eating it for 2,000 years as a people but that's an eyeblink in evolutionary terms. A Japanese person is no more genetically suited to eating rice than you or I. I have no special ability to digest potatoes.

[Groogrux]

I'm Irish, and I quit potatoes and bread, you can live without fucking tortillas

 

I'm from Kentucky.  Does this mean I should give up chicken?

[Cormacaroni]

Give up KFC anyway!

[Smooth Groove]

No offense, but judging from Irish cuisine, your people obviously didn't care much for food.  It's much easier to give up what you've never had. 

[Groogrux]

Give up KFC anyway!

I don't eat the stuff more than once every 6 months anyway.  It's not that I don't like it, but there are better things in life.  When you've worked at the first KFC, it's not as appealing anymore.

[Cormacaroni]

No offense, but judging from Irish cuisine, your people obviously didn't care much for food.  It's much easier to give up what you've never had. 

ah, but I've lived the latter half of my life in the city with the most Michelin starred restaurants in the world. And I can out-cook every man jack of you!

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except for Genghis. Genghis is a bit scary

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[Smooth Groove]

Genghis is skinnier than young Kate Moss.  You and him just prove that good chefs don't necessarily care about eating good food. 

[Cormacaroni]

Not to be point of being fat, no. Been there, done that.

[Smooth Groove]

Not to be point of being fat, no. Been there, done that.

Once a man is past 30, a little padding is dignified and shows that he's making good money.   

I'm also a fairly serious runner.

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And I do yoga 

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I had no idea you really were a supermodel when I made that Kate Moss comment. 

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[Cormacaroni]

Not to be point of being fat, no. Been there, done that.

Once a man is past 30, a little padding is dignified and shows that he's making good money.  

I'm also a fairly serious runner.

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And I do yoga 

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I had no idea you really were a supermodel when I made that Kate Moss comment. 

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bitch, don't make me slap you with my wallet

[Mupepe]

I got a heavy bag Saturday.  Hanging that mf'er in my living room for now

Cormac, I got my wife on board the paleo diet.  So we are set to go, man.  Wednesday we are going grocery shopping and it's all going to be to paleo standards.  I'm changing up my routine in the meantime too.

Monday - Bench press, standing shoulder press, pullups/bicep barbell curls and dips
Tuesday - Heavy bag routine
Wednesday - Same as Monday but replacing dips with pushups
Thursday - Heavy bag routine
Friday - Same as Monday.

Saturday and Sunday will be my rest.  I'm also taking glutamine and creatine and making protein shakes.

Edit: I'm using Routine 1 from here...
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson111.htm

[Smooth Groove]

3 days of the same routine in 5 days seem like a lot of work for very little gain.  I'd maybe take Wednesday off and then add a short workout on Saturday morning so that it's still almost 2 days of rest on the Weekend. 

Also, based on your recent pic, you might be focusing on the chest too much.  More emphasis on the shoulders and back would diminish the man-boobs look and make you look bigger.  A big chest doesn't do much for looks anyway when the shirt is on and it's actually detrimental to most sports.  If you're looking to get back into basketball, shoulders and core strength should definitely be prioritized after chest. 

[Mupepe]

Shit, I hadn't put much thought into it, but I want my squats and deadlift in there somewhere too. 

And yeah, I've been laying off the chest recently.  and trying to focus more on my back and shoulders.  my traps have gotten huge since I started doing standing shoulder press.  I want to change to wide grip pullups too but that will be after I lose some weight since they're harder and I can't rely on my biceps while my back is substantially less developed. 

I'm trying to focus more on cardio and diet so I won't be lifting that heavy.  I mostly want to maintain my gains.  Last time I backed off too much, I lost a lot of gains so I'm not looking for huge gains but for better conditioning, cardio health and weight loss while keeping my current gains. 

I've always done my routine monday through Friday so that doesn't bother me much.  I've tried adjusting to having a day off in the week and taking a weekend day, but I'm too stubborn in my routine and it generally falls apart by the 2nd week resulting in me not doing anything.  But like I said, I've gotten used to it and it keeps me feeling good during my work week and helps me to enjoy the shit out of my weekend.

I would split it up a bit and make M, W and F a little different but I know I won't have the energy to do shit after 50 minutes with the heavy bag on Tuesday and Thursday. 

What would you suggest?

I want to keep my bench mainly because it's my favorite exercise.  I also want to make my traps bigger, keep my biceps big like they are and develop my back more.  Should I start focusing on making bigger gains in squats?  I've just been pretty much maintaining at 250 with squats because it keeps my ass, thighs and back feeling good for other exercises.  I'll admit I haven't been doing deadlifts as much as I should 

[Mupepe]

bleh, searching I'm finding most people recommending isolation exercises to go with a heavy bag routine.  I'm not really a fan of isolation.  I'm a compound guy. 

I think I'm gonna try this for 2 weeks and see how I feel.

Monday - Bench press, standing shoulder press, pullups/bicep barbell curls and squats
Tuesday - Heavy bag routine
Wednesday - Same as Monday but replacing squats with deadlifts
Thursday - Heavy bag routine
Friday - Same as Monday.

I think that should target a good amount of everything.  I'm pretty much compacting my usual weight routine and getting rid of some exercises to fit it in 3 days.  Tuesdays and Thursdays were usually my leg and back day.

[Smooth Groove]

You should do deadlifts right after squats.  If you're doing them right, you shouldn't have much energy for anything else.  Deadlift/squat is a crazy fat burning\muscle building combo.  The only con is that your neuro system might be too buzzed to get good sleep. 

[Mupepe]

right after?  will do then.  Yeah, after I do either I don't have much energy for anything else.  I usually do them last.

[Cormacaroni]

I typically only do one lift a session for that reason (not one rep, one type of lift).  But then I am old and infirm. And I don't believe in routine. You just end up getting down on yourself if you can't keep it up for whatever reason, plus it's really tough to design a routine that gives enough variety without totally grinding you into powder. But I've said all this before.

Congats on going 'cold turkey' (hopefully literally!). Let me know if you need any meal tips. Once you get 10 or so basic meal menus that you like, it's very easy to keep it up. You may need to get your ass in the kitchen to keep your wife on board! Make it easy for her to stick with it and you'll save yourself a world of hurt later. My life would be sooo much easier if my wife and child ate Paleo or anything close to it. Instead they're the dread 'vegetarians who don't eat vegetables'.

[Groogrux]

In your opinion, which is better: the elliptical or the treadmill? 

I know that treadmills are better for somebody looking to do marathon training and they're better for bone strengthening.  And ellipticals offer low impact cardio and a fuller body workout.  Calories seem to be burnt in half the time on the elliptical that they are on the treadmill.

So what's best? 

[Smooth Groove]

I'd take the elliptical because it works more muscles. 

[Cormacaroni]

Faced with the choice I suppose I'd opt for the eliptical but I used the things for a year and made no progress whatsoever. They just made me tired and hungry. YMMV I suppose.

[Smooth Groove]

Sorry most of us are fatties that can't even run 5K cross country. 

[drew]

Both are soul crushingly boring to use.

that why god created an iphone app for sirius satellite, if you cant find something to entertain yourself for at least an hour then you are probably a douche

[Groogrux]

Tell me about the Paleo diet.  From what I've read about it, some consider it worth-while, some consider it genius, while others think it's a fraud or a fad.  From what I've seen being recommended to Mups, it looks great, but I want to know some more ins and outs.

[brawndolicious]

The theory is that if ancient man evolved in an environment with little carbs then there would not be a good system for restricting overconsumption of them.  That's the theory, that you'll feel hungrier than you should when eating carbs.  There's examples of several socities on very "paleo" and very anti-paleo diets where they all have generally very good health so the idea is pretty hard for me to swallow, that we're so narrowly focused in our diets.

As a weight loss diet, the main problem is that there aren't really any large scale controlled experiments to show whether it's more effective at that goal compared to mixed low-calorie diets.  Generally, I've heard from paleo supporters that the diet is supposed to be better at controlling your appetite, due to the different digestive processes involved in digesting fats relative to carbs.  I don't know how legitimate that is with regards to the appetite of people who are overeating.  I personally would not do it as a staying-at-a-good-weight diet mainly because it would use fat as an energy source rather than glycogen.  I guess if you want to see if it can help you lose weight hen you could try it and see if it has any effect on you but you have to try it for several weeks to see meaningful results (not water loss).

[Cormacaroni]

Tell me about the Paleo diet.  From what I've read about it, some consider it worth-while, some consider it genius, while others think it's a fraud or a fad.  From what I've seen being recommended to Mups, it looks great, but I want to know some more ins and outs.

Until such time as you can get vegetables, you may as well forget about it.