also buy slightly stretchy jeans from uniqlo they are the best
I actually take what I said back: the issue is less about the cold weather and more about the rain/snow that I am afraid to slip in/on.
Bodyweight workouts seem like they'd be the easiest, though how are they as good cardio workouts? Also, I don't have tons of room for anything that requires you to lay down. I've moved stuff around so that there's enough room for squats and lunges, though. I've been doing a bunch of squats in the shower. I also bust out that NerdFitness workout regiment when I can, with the barbell rows and curls and lunges and squats.
Also re: Uniqlo, I worked at the 5th Avenue store for about a year a couple years ago. The jeans they offered back then weren't nearly as cool as these stretchy jeans I keep hearing about from people.
Getting back into the swing of things. Starting low, but am ramping the weight up. Watching my form... I'm also trying to follow something of a Weight Watchers program, my biggest issue is portion control.
Also having Wi-Fi in the house is awesome cause now I can just use Spotify on my phone instead of dealing with a very janky, old radio.
also buy slightly stretchy jeans from uniqlo they are the best
I actually take what I said back: the issue is less about the cold weather and more about the rain/snow that I am afraid to slip in/on.
Bodyweight workouts seem like they'd be the easiest, though how are they as good cardio workouts? Also, I don't have tons of room for anything that requires you to lay down. I've moved stuff around so that there's enough room for squats and lunges, though. I've been doing a bunch of squats in the shower. I also bust out that NerdFitness workout regiment when I can, with the barbell rows and curls and lunges and squats.
Also re: Uniqlo, I worked at the 5th Avenue store for about a year a couple years ago. The jeans they offered back then weren't nearly as cool as these stretchy jeans I keep hearing about from people.
Yeah their jean offering has improved
They also sell online now and they are cheap so...
and also i am definitely a lot better about going long periods of time without eating
i am starting my new job soon after 4 months of being unemployed tho, so i'm gonna need to figure out bringing lunch as well
do you make your chicken curry salad or just buy at costco
edit: also lol my regular lunch costs when i was working at my old job were like... 10-12 dollars on average :<
i bought canned chicken from costco, and then a bag of frozen peas. mix that with chopped celery, a bit of mayo and some curry powder.
and also i am definitely a lot better about going long periods of time without eating
i am starting my new job soon after 4 months of being unemployed tho, so i'm gonna need to figure out bringing lunch as well
do you make your chicken curry salad or just buy at costco
edit: also lol my regular lunch costs when i was working at my old job were like... 10-12 dollars on average :<
i bought canned chicken from costco, and then a bag of frozen peas. mix that with chopped celery, a bit of mayo and some curry powder.
thanks bruh, that seems pretty easy to do. i need to expand my easy but protein-ful recipe selection. and relatively low carb recipes, because if i do need carbs it's pretty easy to just add on some apples or other fruit / random snacks.
Been really enjoying Stronglifts 5X5, specially as I add a 30 minute run before hand. The thing I really wasn't ready for was how hungry it would leave me, I been upping my protein since I started.
Falling back into the healthy diets that helped me lose the first big chunk of weight has been harder than expected though. We went climbing this weekend and afterwards we stopped by BJ's Restaurant. So hard not to order a pizza and tell myself I earned it..instead I went with one of their options from the lighter menu.
Beer is still the big issue for me, BUT I found out it's much easier to go to a bar and not drink at all than to try to cut myself at two drinks. Though not sure if I want to do that, as I always believed in moderation and will power.
I've got a serious question to ask, and I'd appreciate anyone who is more experienced with this type of lift to give me any pointers.
I'm concerned about how I do the Bent Over Barbell Row. Many times I have studied the form in videos, read up on how to properly do it... But I'm worried that my body just might not be suited to the movement.
They say to keep your back as parallel to the floor as possible, while I haven't recorded myself doing the movement it FEELS like my back rounds out. I think it's just the upper, but it's hard to tell.
I used heavier weight Monday, because my 25 lb plates are obviously bigger and would allow me to try and do it properly off the floor. Even then I also used two thick rubber plates to set the weight on(half a foot maybe?).
I had to almost squat down to reach it, when they say you should just bend your knees only a little bit to relieve tension on your hamstrings. Pulling the weight up to my chest is nothing, even 68lbs doesn't feel like much. But I DO NOT want to be upping that weight if I'm not positioning my body correctly. I'm just so confused when I see people pulling the weight off the floor in what I assume is the proper position without any issues.
I've got a serious question to ask, and I'd appreciate anyone who is more experienced with this type of lift to give me any pointers.
I'm concerned about how I do the Bent Over Barbell Row. Many times I have studied the form in videos, read up on how to properly do it... But I'm worried that my body just might not be suited to the movement.
They say to keep your back as parallel to the floor as possible, while I haven't recorded myself doing the movement it FEELS like my back rounds out. I think it's just the upper, but it's hard to tell.
I used heavier weight Monday, because my 25 lb plates are obviously bigger and would allow me to try and do it properly off the floor. Even then I also used two thick rubber plates to set the weight on(half a foot maybe?).
I had to almost squat down to reach it, when they say you should just bend your knees only a little bit to relieve tension on your hamstrings. Pulling the weight up to my chest is nothing, even 68lbs doesn't feel like much. But I DO NOT want to be upping that weight if I'm not positioning my body correctly. I'm just so confused when I see people pulling the weight off the floor in what I assume is the proper position without any issues.
I follow the StrongLifts directions for barbell rows.
EDIT: I had a problem rounding my upper back during squats. The strength thread pointed out that I was looking down at the ground and that keeping my head in a more neutral position (looking at a spot a few feet in front of me) would help. And it really did. Next time you row, pay attention to where you're looking. If you think you're rounding, try keeping your head a little higher.
I appreciate it @Peen but I've seen several, including Alan's. Really good videos he's got, and honestly him hammering in "Everyone's body is different, form won't be the exact same" made me question how I was doing them.
Think I'll grab my buddy tomorrow and have him watch, using my 50lb plates won't make much of a difference as they'd be just as high as the 25's+platform.
I appreciate it @Peen but I've seen several, including Alan's. Really good videos he's got, and honestly him hammering in "Everyone's body is different, form won't be the exact same" made me question how I was doing them.
Think I'll grab my buddy tomorrow and have him watch, using my 50lb plates won't make much of a difference as they'd be just as high as the 25's+platform.
when in doubt film it and ask the internet to assess
I appreciate it @Peen but I've seen several, including Alan's. Really good videos he's got, and honestly him hammering in "Everyone's body is different, form won't be the exact same" made me question how I was doing them.
Think I'll grab my buddy tomorrow and have him watch, using my 50lb plates won't make much of a difference as they'd be just as high as the 25's+platform.
when in doubt film it and ask the internet to assess
Or look at your back position in the mirror
Especially if you have tight hamstrings you can be involuntarily rounding your lower back
I actually just had my buddy check the form a little bit. He said it isn't exactly parallel, I was arching my back more strongly like that Stronglifts link suggested. Just judging it on my own, even using my shadow to follow along I think I'm just not arching my upper back enough during the movement. I'll try to focus more on it tomorrow.
I'd sure hope my hamstrings aren't tight after squatting, or in Mondays case squatting and THEN deadlifting.
I appreciate it Peen but I've seen several, including Alan's. Really good videos he's got, and honestly him hammering in "Everyone's body is different, form won't be the exact same" made me question how I was doing them.
Think I'll grab my buddy tomorrow and have him watch, using my 50lb plates won't make much of a difference as they'd be just as high as the 25's+platform.
I'm not trying to be dismissive at all because proper form is important and your back is super important and you don't want to hurt it.
But.
This might be an instance where you've just got to do it and see how it goes. You're probably not going to load the bar with 300 lbs, jerk hard on it, and make your spine explode, right? You're going to gradually load and sensibly listen to your body and if the way you're doing the rows consistently makes you bad sore then you'll find a way to do it that doesn't, like anything else.
Figure out what your goal is (which muscles you want to focus on, what you want from the rows) and then figure out how to make that happen (back angle, grip width, reset after reps or no, etc). And if you never figure it out to your liking, do something else. Use dumbbells, stick your barbell in a corner and do t-bar or meadows rows, there are many ways to skin the iron cat. Don't stress yourself to death about this one.
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
I appreciate it Peen but I've seen several, including Alan's. Really good videos he's got, and honestly him hammering in "Everyone's body is different, form won't be the exact same" made me question how I was doing them.
Think I'll grab my buddy tomorrow and have him watch, using my 50lb plates won't make much of a difference as they'd be just as high as the 25's+platform.
I'm not trying to be dismissive at all because proper form is important and your back is super important and you don't want to hurt it.
But.
This might be an instance where you've just got to do it and see how it goes. You're probably not going to load the bar with 300 lbs, jerk hard on it, and make your spine explode, right? You're going to gradually load and sensibly listen to your body and if the way you're doing the rows consistently makes you bad sore then you'll find a way to do it that doesn't, like anything else.
Figure out what your goal is (which muscles you want to focus on, what you want from the rows) and then figure out how to make that happen (back angle, grip width, reset after reps or no, etc). And if you never figure it out to your liking, do something else. Use dumbbells, stick your barbell in a corner and do t-bar or meadows rows, there are many ways to skin the iron cat. Don't stress yourself to death about this one.
Thanks for the advice @Peen , you're probably right. The weight is... almost nothing at all. I was pulling 280 with my deadlift before I hurt myself, seated pressing 135 and benching up to 180. It's probably just an issue of my shoulder/back muscles going "Is... is this all you're giving us?"
However I tried my best to get into the same position I would when barbell rowing while near a mirror, just to see what might be causing the problem. I do notice my back isn't really all that parallel to the floor, but I sure as hell am bending forward with a strong lower back so there is no bending at the lower back.
I took a wide stance, wider than I have been, and even then I noticed something pretty obvious. My VERY large gut basically gets stuck against my thighs. Alan's video is maybe the best thing to compare what I saw to. This is all without any weight in my hand though, so I'm thinking what might be happening is that because there's nowhere for my hands to be anchored to I don't end up reaching a more parallel back angle. It's closer to a 90 degree angle.
KakodaimonosCode fondlerHelping the 1% get richerRegistered Userregular
A slight to moderate angle is OK. You want a "neutral" back/spine not a flat back. The back has a bit of natural curve to it and you just don't want to be bending your back. And depending on your hamstring and hip flexibility going to a fully parallel position may not be easy. As long you keep your back locked in and don't bend the upper back down to add momentum to bring the weight up you should be fine.
Tried something a little different for breakfast today.
Took a scoop of my chocolate whey protein, one tablespoon of peanut butter, 1/2 cup of dry oatmeal and 4 oz of milk. Got the oatmeal all ready, mixed the peanut butter in then added the milk and finally the protein powder.
I might have used too much water, a bit watery but it tasted fine. 485 calories, 44g carbs, 18g fat, 43g protein.
Something different, but I think three eggs+turkey sausage and just a protein shake with 4 oz of milk ends up being a better choice. Funnily enough this is like a much smaller version of a homemade protein bar recipe I've used, sans letting it get solid in the freezer.
Let myself go a bit over the holidays, need to lose 25lbs. Never had to lose this nuch weight before (going from just under 200lbs to 175lbs). Obviously diet is the main thing here but should I keep doing bench/squat/deadlift or focus on high rep free weight exercises mixed with cardio?
Let myself go a bit over the holidays, need to lose 25lbs. Never had to lose this nuch weight before (going from just under 200lbs to 175lbs). Obviously diet is the main thing here but should I keep doing bench/squat/deadlift or focus on high rep free weight exercises mixed with cardio?
If you're interested in maintaining the strength you've gained benching/squatting/pulling then you should continue to bench/squat/deadlift heavy weights.
Circuit training is fun but it's often best to keep strength and conditioning independent.
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Lost Salientblink twiceif you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered Userregular
I signed up for a fitness challenge at work and I did a kettlebell class
my thighs
my thiiiiighs
"Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
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HawkstoneDon't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things. Somewhere outside of BarstowRegistered Userregular
Tried something a little different for breakfast today.
Took a scoop of my chocolate whey protein, one tablespoon of peanut butter, 1/2 cup of dry oatmeal and 4 oz of milk. Got the oatmeal all ready, mixed the peanut butter in then added the milk and finally the protein powder.
I might have used too much water, a bit watery but it tasted fine. 485 calories, 44g carbs, 18g fat, 43g protein.
Something different, but I think three eggs+turkey sausage and just a protein shake with 4 oz of milk ends up being a better choice. Funnily enough this is like a much smaller version of a homemade protein bar recipe I've used, sans letting it get solid in the freezer.
I do this a lot, yeah back off the water a bit or add a half Banana in place of the peanut butter...it is way better tasting and more filling if you shoot for pudding consistency.
I did something like that once with an old jar of peanut butter. I saw an article about "overnight oats" on HuffPo and gave it a shot. It wasn't nearly as awesome as I would have hoped but it was fine.
Also this pedometer I have on my belt is pretty crappy. It was a hand me down from my sister, who I believe got it for free, but it seems to wildly overcount steps. At the end of the day, I have to divide the number it gives me by half to get a more realistic number. It's better than nothing, I guess, but I should probably keep looking at "wearables"
Yeah while I had it for breakfast, I could see having the oats+protein+4oz milk and half a nanner act like the perfect midnight snack. That seems to be the hour upon where my weaknesses really show their head.
Things that killed my chances at an 8am run this morning
- drinking last night
- going to bed late
- my own inherent laziness
- getting a 3am wakeup call from that fucker @FAQ about some irish bullshit
I'm still running, but now its back down to once a week because university has started again and there's no time. I'm not timing my 5ks, I'm just making sure on each run that I keep a steady pace and don't stop, that way its more enjoyable and I'm pretty sure I'm still doing it in half an hour which is my aim for the race in June.
My sister and I got our team stuff in the post the other day, its a novelty to me to have a number for the first time and have a Team Leader badge. Official name Team Loontablets go go go.
+3
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Things that killed my chances at an 8am run this morning
- drinking last night
- going to bed late
- my own inherent laziness
- getting a 3am wakeup call from that fucker @FAQ about some irish bullshit
It's Australia Day tomorrow so you are duty-bound to get plastered drunk. Don't forget!
Posts
I actually take what I said back: the issue is less about the cold weather and more about the rain/snow that I am afraid to slip in/on.
Bodyweight workouts seem like they'd be the easiest, though how are they as good cardio workouts? Also, I don't have tons of room for anything that requires you to lay down. I've moved stuff around so that there's enough room for squats and lunges, though. I've been doing a bunch of squats in the shower. I also bust out that NerdFitness workout regiment when I can, with the barbell rows and curls and lunges and squats.
Also re: Uniqlo, I worked at the 5th Avenue store for about a year a couple years ago. The jeans they offered back then weren't nearly as cool as these stretchy jeans I keep hearing about from people.
3DS Friend Code: 2165-6448-8348 www.Twitch.TV/cooljammer00
Battle.Net: JohnDarc#1203 Origin/UPlay: CoolJammer00
Also having Wi-Fi in the house is awesome cause now I can just use Spotify on my phone instead of dealing with a very janky, old radio.
Yeah their jean offering has improved
They also sell online now and they are cheap so...
Something like this would definitely give you a lot of cardio / conditioning:
Source:http://romanfitnesssystems.com/blog/bodyweight-redux/
i bought canned chicken from costco, and then a bag of frozen peas. mix that with chopped celery, a bit of mayo and some curry powder.
PARKER, YOU'RE FIRED! <-- My comic book podcast! Satan look here!
thanks bruh, that seems pretty easy to do. i need to expand my easy but protein-ful recipe selection. and relatively low carb recipes, because if i do need carbs it's pretty easy to just add on some apples or other fruit / random snacks.
Falling back into the healthy diets that helped me lose the first big chunk of weight has been harder than expected though. We went climbing this weekend and afterwards we stopped by BJ's Restaurant. So hard not to order a pizza and tell myself I earned it..instead I went with one of their options from the lighter menu.
Beer is still the big issue for me, BUT I found out it's much easier to go to a bar and not drink at all than to try to cut myself at two drinks. Though not sure if I want to do that, as I always believed in moderation and will power.
I'm concerned about how I do the Bent Over Barbell Row. Many times I have studied the form in videos, read up on how to properly do it... But I'm worried that my body just might not be suited to the movement.
They say to keep your back as parallel to the floor as possible, while I haven't recorded myself doing the movement it FEELS like my back rounds out. I think it's just the upper, but it's hard to tell.
I used heavier weight Monday, because my 25 lb plates are obviously bigger and would allow me to try and do it properly off the floor. Even then I also used two thick rubber plates to set the weight on(half a foot maybe?).
I had to almost squat down to reach it, when they say you should just bend your knees only a little bit to relieve tension on your hamstrings. Pulling the weight up to my chest is nothing, even 68lbs doesn't feel like much. But I DO NOT want to be upping that weight if I'm not positioning my body correctly. I'm just so confused when I see people pulling the weight off the floor in what I assume is the proper position without any issues.
I follow the StrongLifts directions for barbell rows.
http://stronglifts.com/how-to-master-barbell-row-technique/
EDIT: I had a problem rounding my upper back during squats. The strength thread pointed out that I was looking down at the ground and that keeping my head in a more neutral position (looking at a spot a few feet in front of me) would help. And it really did. Next time you row, pay attention to where you're looking. If you think you're rounding, try keeping your head a little higher.
Think I'll grab my buddy tomorrow and have him watch, using my 50lb plates won't make much of a difference as they'd be just as high as the 25's+platform.
the goal is to make it as cramped as possible
My technique was actually pretty decent right off the start for that reason.
when in doubt film it and ask the internet to assess
PSN: Robo_Wizard1
Or look at your back position in the mirror
Especially if you have tight hamstrings you can be involuntarily rounding your lower back
I'd sure hope my hamstrings aren't tight after squatting, or in Mondays case squatting and THEN deadlifting.
Thanks for the help though guys.
... and of course I wear it around my ankle most of the day. Good job getting a watch, nic.
I'm not trying to be dismissive at all because proper form is important and your back is super important and you don't want to hurt it.
But.
This might be an instance where you've just got to do it and see how it goes. You're probably not going to load the bar with 300 lbs, jerk hard on it, and make your spine explode, right? You're going to gradually load and sensibly listen to your body and if the way you're doing the rows consistently makes you bad sore then you'll find a way to do it that doesn't, like anything else.
Figure out what your goal is (which muscles you want to focus on, what you want from the rows) and then figure out how to make that happen (back angle, grip width, reset after reps or no, etc). And if you never figure it out to your liking, do something else. Use dumbbells, stick your barbell in a corner and do t-bar or meadows rows, there are many ways to skin the iron cat. Don't stress yourself to death about this one.
Amy got one of those Fitbit things, and it's actually a really nifty little bit of technology.
Thanks for the advice @Peen , you're probably right. The weight is... almost nothing at all. I was pulling 280 with my deadlift before I hurt myself, seated pressing 135 and benching up to 180. It's probably just an issue of my shoulder/back muscles going "Is... is this all you're giving us?"
However I tried my best to get into the same position I would when barbell rowing while near a mirror, just to see what might be causing the problem. I do notice my back isn't really all that parallel to the floor, but I sure as hell am bending forward with a strong lower back so there is no bending at the lower back.
I took a wide stance, wider than I have been, and even then I noticed something pretty obvious. My VERY large gut basically gets stuck against my thighs. Alan's video is maybe the best thing to compare what I saw to. This is all without any weight in my hand though, so I'm thinking what might be happening is that because there's nowhere for my hands to be anchored to I don't end up reaching a more parallel back angle. It's closer to a 90 degree angle.
Took a scoop of my chocolate whey protein, one tablespoon of peanut butter, 1/2 cup of dry oatmeal and 4 oz of milk. Got the oatmeal all ready, mixed the peanut butter in then added the milk and finally the protein powder.
I might have used too much water, a bit watery but it tasted fine. 485 calories, 44g carbs, 18g fat, 43g protein.
Something different, but I think three eggs+turkey sausage and just a protein shake with 4 oz of milk ends up being a better choice. Funnily enough this is like a much smaller version of a homemade protein bar recipe I've used, sans letting it get solid in the freezer.
If you're interested in maintaining the strength you've gained benching/squatting/pulling then you should continue to bench/squat/deadlift heavy weights.
Circuit training is fun but it's often best to keep strength and conditioning independent.
my thighs
my thiiiiighs
"Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
I do this a lot, yeah back off the water a bit or add a half Banana in place of the peanut butter...it is way better tasting and more filling if you shoot for pudding consistency.
3DS Friend Code: 2165-6448-8348 www.Twitch.TV/cooljammer00
Battle.Net: JohnDarc#1203 Origin/UPlay: CoolJammer00
3DS Friend Code: 2165-6448-8348 www.Twitch.TV/cooljammer00
Battle.Net: JohnDarc#1203 Origin/UPlay: CoolJammer00
- drinking last night
- going to bed late
- my own inherent laziness
- getting a 3am wakeup call from that fucker @FAQ about some irish bullshit
I'm still running, but now its back down to once a week because university has started again and there's no time. I'm not timing my 5ks, I'm just making sure on each run that I keep a steady pace and don't stop, that way its more enjoyable and I'm pretty sure I'm still doing it in half an hour which is my aim for the race in June.
My sister and I got our team stuff in the post the other day, its a novelty to me to have a number for the first time and have a Team Leader badge. Official name Team Loontablets go go go.
It's Australia Day tomorrow so you are duty-bound to get plastered drunk. Don't forget!
guess i'll just have to drink under the desk at work
Strut in with a carton of your favourite Aussie beer on each shoulder!
"Party time, nerds!"
it's cute that you think I can get hold of decent aussie beer down here.
... though Tesco inexplicably sell Fosters.
That's new to me. I'm fond of the terms Vomit Bringer and Venereal Beer