just because you can't have a back that "looks too tight" doesn't mean it's a good idea to overdevelop some muscles wrt their antagonists.
and it is pretty difficult to end up with tight pecs if you, surprise, use a balanced routine with roughly equal volume of pulling and pushing.
This has been coming up a lot lately; I think it's a reaction to the bros who bench 4 ways every work out but never pull at all, so they end up hunched forward and slightly weird looking. I don't think anyone sensible would have this problem but I guess it exists?
I dunno actually, I've read a lot of things about dudes who only train the "mirror muscles" but I don't think I actually know any.
Oh, I've seen it. I think I posted this on the last thread: during my brief and unhappy stint as a personal trainer, I had one guy come to me who was so tight that he physically could not stand up straight. I mean, during my initial assessment I asked him to stand up straight, and he sort of grimaced and twitched a bit, and I said, "can you get any straighter?", and he grimaced and twitched a bit more, but he was still pulled way forward. Turns out, his routine was something like bench, incline bench, decline bench, cable crossover, dips, with no pulling to speak of. And I've seen the problem to a lesser degree simply with sedentary people working desk jobs: most people tend to hunch at their computers.
Thing is, it only takes a couple weeks of emphasizing back movements and deemphasizing chest movements, and some basic stretching, to correct that, and after that a balanced routine tends to take care of the rest.
So, I got my whine out at the end of last thread on the weight loss brick wall I've hit.
I spent some time looking in a mirror and my belly is disproportionately huge compared to the rest of my body.
It's just gobs of fat, and I'm afraid if I get heavy into exercising, I'll just end up with a huge fat belly over top of any muscle tone I build.
Anything I can do to concentrate on just that until I'm more in proportion?
I work for a public school system and one of the high school coaches offered me a copy of P90X to try. Reading through the material it looks like I have to actually get in shape before I can use it to get in shape. WTF!?
Also are there ANY fitness/weightloss/etc. programs/books/videos out there that aren't complete bullshit designed to take my money?
Also, also, does anyone have advice on dealing with a spouse when it comes to things like this? She has MS and recently had her thyroid removed. She's slowly gained weight for several years and the doctor feels it was due to her thyroid being out of whack. Her MS affects her balance and makes practically any kind of exercise impossible. So as I lose, she continues to gain. It's causing me stress because I feel guilty about it, and while she hasn't said anything of the sort, I'm sure she has negative feelings about it as well.
It's just gobs of fat, and I'm afraid if I get heavy into exercising, I'll just end up with a huge fat belly over top of any muscle tone I build.
Anything I can do to concentrate on just that until I'm more in proportion?
fork putdowns
Also are there ANY fitness/weightloss/etc. programs/books/videos out there that aren't complete bullshit designed to take my money?
look in the OP
Also, also, does anyone have advice on dealing with a spouse when it comes to things like this? She has MS and recently had her thyroid removed. She's slowly gained weight for several years and the doctor feels it was due to her thyroid being out of whack. Her MS affects her balance and makes practically any kind of exercise impossible. So as I lose, she continues to gain. It's causing me stress because I feel guilty about it, and while she hasn't said anything of the sort, I'm sure she has negative feelings about it as well.
Honestly, that's probably something better handled by a good couples counselor (or at least H/A).
Halfway through my third week of SS and enjoying it quite a bit. Question about deadlifts though. My grip strength seems to be quite lacking, and I normally have to readjust my grip 2-4 times for the set. Is this normal? Should I take the time to reset before each rep of this, or should I go one after the other like the other exercises?
Should I just keep increasing my deadlift until I can't physically hold it, while doing grip exercises on other days, or should I drop down to a weight that's not threatening to rip my fingers from my hands?
No need to stop. When you get to a weight where you can't hold onto the bar anymore, switch from an overhand grip to a mixed grip (one hand with palm facing away from you, one hand with palm facing toward you). It makes things much, much easier.
Also, also, does anyone have advice on dealing with a spouse when it comes to things like this? She has MS and recently had her thyroid removed. She's slowly gained weight for several years and the doctor feels it was due to her thyroid being out of whack. Her MS affects her balance and makes practically any kind of exercise impossible. So as I lose, she continues to gain. It's causing me stress because I feel guilty about it, and while she hasn't said anything of the sort, I'm sure she has negative feelings about it as well.
She should talk to her doctor, a nutritionist and a physical therapist to find out what she can and should do.
So, I got my whine out at the end of last thread on the weight loss brick wall I've hit.
I spent some time looking in a mirror and my belly is disproportionately huge compared to the rest of my body.
It's just gobs of fat, and I'm afraid if I get heavy into exercising, I'll just end up with a huge fat belly over top of any muscle tone I build.
Anything I can do to concentrate on just that until I'm more in proportion?
I work for a public school system and one of the high school coaches offered me a copy of P90X to try. Reading through the material it looks like I have to actually get in shape before I can use it to get in shape. WTF!?
Also are there ANY fitness/weightloss/etc. programs/books/videos out there that aren't complete bullshit designed to take my money?
Also, also, does anyone have advice on dealing with a spouse when it comes to things like this? She has MS and recently had her thyroid removed. She's slowly gained weight for several years and the doctor feels it was due to her thyroid being out of whack. Her MS affects her balance and makes practically any kind of exercise impossible. So as I lose, she continues to gain. It's causing me stress because I feel guilty about it, and while she hasn't said anything of the sort, I'm sure she has negative feelings about it as well.
Take the salt off the table, no pop, no fast food, keep drinking lots of water, cardio will help lose the weight but any muscle you put on is also going to make it that much easier to burn it off. Your wife's situation sounds rough, there's some floor routines that would help a bit, crunches, supermans, an excercise bike might be good since it's fixed and balance isnt much of an issue, but that's a tough situation and Im sure a doctor or phys rehab place would have better ideas for that one then I do.
Chessboxing909 on
"I will f**kin' beat you into the ground in front of your whole life that I don't get to have." -Nick Diaz
Ditto on the emphasis (even slight over-emphasis) on back work / pulling relative to pushing. Even SS is more push-centric for the upper-body (bench + press and their accessories, namely), unless I'm mistaken.
It's also nice getting your upper back to have that nice bumpy-road look even when you're relaxed, from doing so many YTWLs and face-pulls. :P
Ditto on the emphasis (even slight over-emphasis) on back work / pulling relative to pushing. Even SS is more push-centric for the upper-body (bench + press and their accessories, namely), unless I'm mistaken.
Deadlifts, power cleans, pull-ups in similar volume to bench, press and dips (novice program from SS).
Ditto on the emphasis (even slight over-emphasis) on back work / pulling relative to pushing. Even SS is more push-centric for the upper-body (bench + press and their accessories, namely), unless I'm mistaken.
Deadlifts, power cleans, pull-ups in similar volume to bench, press and dips (novice program from SS).
Ditto on the emphasis (even slight over-emphasis) on back work / pulling relative to pushing. Even SS is more push-centric for the upper-body (bench + press and their accessories, namely), unless I'm mistaken.
Deadlifts, power cleans, pull-ups in similar volume to bench, press and dips (novice program from SS).
Pretty sure press and dips are push.
Right. He's saying pulls to pushes are about 1:1, in SS.
Ditto on the emphasis (even slight over-emphasis) on back work / pulling relative to pushing. Even SS is more push-centric for the upper-body (bench + press and their accessories, namely), unless I'm mistaken.
Deadlifts, power cleans, pull-ups in similar volume to bench, press and dips (novice program from SS).
Pretty sure press and dips are push.
Right. He's saying pulls to pushes are about 1:1, in SS.
So I was wrong. ;-)
Sorry.
I instinctively gloss over what you post, for some reason.
KakodaimonosCode fondlerHelping the 1% get richerRegistered Userregular
edited July 2010
Seriously, it doesn't matter as long as you aren't being a total choad and just doing bench, bench, bench, bench, more bench, flies, bench for your routine.
And it's not just pressing vs. pulling. You get quite a bit of upper back activation on a standing press. You get lat activation on a bench press.
Some programs are based around the antagonist/agonist model, but there's never been any research showing that there's any benefit to that beyond regular weightlifting programs.
Beltaine,
P90X is actually the second program out the set. It is a more advanced program and I wouldn't recommend someone to start that cold. But weight loss is mostly diet. The trick is to really watch your intake, because starting to exercise will usually up your appetite also.
For your wife, she should really talk to a doctor, because thyroid issues really mess up a persons metabolism. If she gets that under control, she may have an easier time. After that, look for things that don't require standing, like rowing, stationary cycling or an upper body erg.
Slow day, couldn't seem to get my boxing in, my hands just felt a bit sore and off so went real light at it for my cardio, got some alright lifting for leg day, squatted 250 lbs x7 which I was pretty proud of, but aside from squats wasn't too happy with the rest of the days work out. Hopefully can pick up the pace tomorrow.
Chessboxing909 on
"I will f**kin' beat you into the ground in front of your whole life that I don't get to have." -Nick Diaz
my shoulders a rounded slightly more forward than I would like when relaxed
I've done pretty much 1:1 push pulls the past two years
my bench has always just progressed better
didn't even do it six months of last year
an equal number of exercises does not necessary result in an equal amount of development
Yeah my shoulders rounded a little farther forward then I would have liked too, I'm trying switching my chest heavy day to right after my rest days, will see how it works out to even it up.
Chessboxing909 on
"I will f**kin' beat you into the ground in front of your whole life that I don't get to have." -Nick Diaz
So, did I mention to anyone (seriously can't remember) that I've got 6 months of free supplements? I won a contest for $200 a month for 6 months, so thats pretty fucking bad ass.
Man that's amazing, 200 a month in supplements would rock. Don't hold us in suspense here, what all did you order? If I won that I'd be able to buy my supplements AND have a life, it would be amazing.
Chessboxing909 on
"I will f**kin' beat you into the ground in front of your whole life that I don't get to have." -Nick Diaz
man, I think I need a spotter for sleeping. I've got too many sleep related injuries.
stupid shoulder, stupid side sleeping
Preaching to the choir here brother. I have a suspicion that most, if not all of my mental problems can be linked back to the anger and distrust I have for my own subconscious, who seems determined to fuck up my shoulder as best possible.
man, I think I need a spotter for sleeping. I've got too many sleep related injuries.
stupid shoulder, stupid side sleeping
Preaching to the choir here brother. I have a suspicion that most, if not all of my mental problems can be linked back to the anger and distrust I have for my own subconscious, who seems determined to fuck up my shoulder as best possible.
Hahaha. I sleep on my shoulder too. While I don't think it's caused me too many problems besides some weird sorenessyet, I definitely think to myself that yet is an integral thing here.
Also, I think I forewent all the gains I had in the last two days hard training when on the following day I woke early and was required to pull a ridiculous 18-hour work day. You get stronger through recovery, right? Well damn, I didn't get no recovery. Sedentary office job with kitchen in close proximity 99% of the time, weird-arse out-of-office out-of-business hours shenanigans other times. But I digress.
I said to the Bigman thread that I would come back with my progress on the 5/3/1 program, since this is the week where I've started to outstrip my old 1RMs. I've just finished my third cycle, so that means I've been going twelve weeks. Previous bests were:
Squat 110kg, 1RM
Deadlift 142.5kg, 1RM
Bench 80kg, I think I'd actually done this for a triple but can't be bothered checking.
Press 57kg, 3RM.
That progress is underwhelming for twelve weeks really, especially in the press. I haven't gained any weight though (I'm reasonably happy sticking around 80-85kg, having to eat more than I already do doesn't much appeal to me). Still, I do feel like I can get more progress out of this program, since up to now I suppose I've been building a base and from now on it's just pushing upwards through my old maxes every week.
Solvent on
I don't know where he got the scorpions, or how he got them into my mattress.
Right now I have Ghenerate and I-gh-1 on the way along with a 5lb tub of chocolate peanutbutter protein and a bcaa+glutamine combo.
Ghenerate and I-gh-1 is a stack that is supposed to raise growth hormone levels naturally and there has been enough research on the main ingredients that I'm willing to give it a shot. A lot of the logs I've read on it as well have reported amazing sleep on it, which is a side effect of higher levels of GH so we'll see what happens.
Since I already have a fairly large cache of beta alanine and creatine, so after the protein and bcaas I figured I'd give something new a shot thats also WADA legal. Even if it doesn't work, I didn't pay for it.
Jyardana, you've probably been asked this before, but I'm curious about your diet since you probably burn so many damn calories a day. Do you have to eat super dirty to make what I'm guessing is a pretty high caloric target? I can't imagine eating 5000 calories just through chicken breasts and the like.
Posts
Oh, I've seen it. I think I posted this on the last thread: during my brief and unhappy stint as a personal trainer, I had one guy come to me who was so tight that he physically could not stand up straight. I mean, during my initial assessment I asked him to stand up straight, and he sort of grimaced and twitched a bit, and I said, "can you get any straighter?", and he grimaced and twitched a bit more, but he was still pulled way forward. Turns out, his routine was something like bench, incline bench, decline bench, cable crossover, dips, with no pulling to speak of. And I've seen the problem to a lesser degree simply with sedentary people working desk jobs: most people tend to hunch at their computers.
Thing is, it only takes a couple weeks of emphasizing back movements and deemphasizing chest movements, and some basic stretching, to correct that, and after that a balanced routine tends to take care of the rest.
I spent some time looking in a mirror and my belly is disproportionately huge compared to the rest of my body.
It's just gobs of fat, and I'm afraid if I get heavy into exercising, I'll just end up with a huge fat belly over top of any muscle tone I build.
Anything I can do to concentrate on just that until I'm more in proportion?
I work for a public school system and one of the high school coaches offered me a copy of P90X to try. Reading through the material it looks like I have to actually get in shape before I can use it to get in shape. WTF!?
Also are there ANY fitness/weightloss/etc. programs/books/videos out there that aren't complete bullshit designed to take my money?
Also, also, does anyone have advice on dealing with a spouse when it comes to things like this? She has MS and recently had her thyroid removed. She's slowly gained weight for several years and the doctor feels it was due to her thyroid being out of whack. Her MS affects her balance and makes practically any kind of exercise impossible. So as I lose, she continues to gain. It's causing me stress because I feel guilty about it, and while she hasn't said anything of the sort, I'm sure she has negative feelings about it as well.
PSN: Beltaine-77 | Steam: beltane77 | Battle.net BadHaggis#1433
fork putdowns
look in the OP
Honestly, that's probably something better handled by a good couples counselor (or at least H/A).
You could also use a hook grip, if you prefer.
She should talk to her doctor, a nutritionist and a physical therapist to find out what she can and should do.
Take the salt off the table, no pop, no fast food, keep drinking lots of water, cardio will help lose the weight but any muscle you put on is also going to make it that much easier to burn it off. Your wife's situation sounds rough, there's some floor routines that would help a bit, crunches, supermans, an excercise bike might be good since it's fixed and balance isnt much of an issue, but that's a tough situation and Im sure a doctor or phys rehab place would have better ideas for that one then I do.
I love south american ground karate
It's also nice getting your upper back to have that nice bumpy-road look even when you're relaxed, from doing so many YTWLs and face-pulls. :P
Deadlifts, power cleans, pull-ups in similar volume to bench, press and dips (novice program from SS).
Pretty sure press and dips are push.
Right. He's saying pulls to pushes are about 1:1, in SS.
So I was wrong. ;-)
good job, little buddy!
high five!
Don't do this; we don't wanna become one of those threads, where people feel like they can't venture to post without risk of being ridiculed.
As someone who's suffered a lot of (fair) ridicule in this thread, I would know how it feels.
Sorry.
I instinctively gloss over what you post, for some reason.
And it's not just pressing vs. pulling. You get quite a bit of upper back activation on a standing press. You get lat activation on a bench press.
Some programs are based around the antagonist/agonist model, but there's never been any research showing that there's any benefit to that beyond regular weightlifting programs.
Beltaine,
P90X is actually the second program out the set. It is a more advanced program and I wouldn't recommend someone to start that cold. But weight loss is mostly diet. The trick is to really watch your intake, because starting to exercise will usually up your appetite also.
For your wife, she should really talk to a doctor, because thyroid issues really mess up a persons metabolism. If she gets that under control, she may have an easier time. After that, look for things that don't require standing, like rowing, stationary cycling or an upper body erg.
I've done pretty much 1:1 push pulls the past two years
my bench has always just progressed better
didn't even do it six months of last year
an equal number of exercises does not necessary result in an equal amount of development
I love south american ground karate
Yeah my shoulders rounded a little farther forward then I would have liked too, I'm trying switching my chest heavy day to right after my rest days, will see how it works out to even it up.
I love south american ground karate
No more breaking the bank for this guy.
But I already own my own fruit juicer. They'll pay me to be healthy?
I love south american ground karate
chipped my tooth during press yesterday! Hit my chin on the way up because i was talking to my friend.
but it did prompt me to check/fix my form. So silver linings and such.
stupid shoulder, stupid side sleeping
Follow me on Twitter??
Preaching to the choir here brother. I have a suspicion that most, if not all of my mental problems can be linked back to the anger and distrust I have for my own subconscious, who seems determined to fuck up my shoulder as best possible.
humping my mattress
like a man
and then being too terrified to move for 10 minutes
Hahaha. I sleep on my shoulder too. While I don't think it's caused me too many problems besides some weird sorenessyet, I definitely think to myself that yet is an integral thing here.
Also, I think I forewent all the gains I had in the last two days hard training when on the following day I woke early and was required to pull a ridiculous 18-hour work day. You get stronger through recovery, right? Well damn, I didn't get no recovery. Sedentary office job with kitchen in close proximity 99% of the time, weird-arse out-of-office out-of-business hours shenanigans other times. But I digress.
I said to the Bigman thread that I would come back with my progress on the 5/3/1 program, since this is the week where I've started to outstrip my old 1RMs. I've just finished my third cycle, so that means I've been going twelve weeks. Previous bests were:
Squat 110kg, 1RM
Deadlift 142.5kg, 1RM
Bench 80kg, I think I'd actually done this for a triple but can't be bothered checking.
Press 57kg, 3RM.
Last week:
Squat 110kg, 4 reps
Deadlift 143.5kg, 3 reps
Bench 83.5kg, 4 reps
Press 57.5kg, 3 reps.
That progress is underwhelming for twelve weeks really, especially in the press. I haven't gained any weight though (I'm reasonably happy sticking around 80-85kg, having to eat more than I already do doesn't much appeal to me). Still, I do feel like I can get more progress out of this program, since up to now I suppose I've been building a base and from now on it's just pushing upwards through my old maxes every week.
http://newnations.bandcamp.com
dropping bench (for reals this time) switching press day and *gasp* actually adding cardio!
buying even shorter shorts in celebration
Ghenerate and I-gh-1 is a stack that is supposed to raise growth hormone levels naturally and there has been enough research on the main ingredients that I'm willing to give it a shot. A lot of the logs I've read on it as well have reported amazing sleep on it, which is a side effect of higher levels of GH so we'll see what happens.
Since I already have a fairly large cache of beta alanine and creatine, so after the protein and bcaas I figured I'd give something new a shot thats also WADA legal. Even if it doesn't work, I didn't pay for it.