I will have a drink, occasionally at a conference with dinner. I always ask for a Bloody Mary. I usually get looks. One evening the waitress laughed and said, “That is old fashioned.” A generation thing I guess.
1 Like
You know what you like! 
Have you ever tried a Michelada? It reminds me of a Bloody Mary but with some heat… so instead of tomato juice it’s Tabasco sauce. Here’s a recipe in case you’re curious. Super salty, kinda hot. Not recommended if you’re trying to look your best the next day.
1 Like
I will look it up.
1 Like
Mexican drinks are awesome and highly underrated. Not just alcoholic things like micheladas, mezcal and margaritas. Also non-alcoholic ones like refreshing aguas de frutas, horchata and hot chocolate made with real chocolate and cinnamon. ¡Muy sabroso, guey!
2 Likes
Absolutely. You’re speaking my language right now.
Of course, I’m a beverage goblin so I kinda love it all. I have a fizzy water and a MAG-10 heading into class right now. 
2 Likes
I’m pretty sure I have never seen the phrase “beverage goblin”, but I am also pretty sure I’m gonna be stealing that. 
• What are you drinking?
• (Scowls at bright sun). Rubble rubble.
• Did you just say “Red Bull, Red Bull?”
• Shut up, Siri.
2 Likes
Today’s Workout
Hip Thrust
Leg Press
Seated Row
Bentover Lateral Raise
Abs
Working around some minor irritations and an unpredictable pec, but this was a pretty decent workout regardless. I was thinking about muscle stimulation this morning.
It takes fewer reps to get a great mind-muscle connection than it did when I was a beginner or during the times when I had comeback after a long hiatus (like post-surgery, etc.). So my theory is, the more adept a person becomes at gaining a mind-muscle connection, the less volume that person needs in order to build or maintain muscle.
That’s not too wild an idea, and I probably stole it from someone else.
But sometimes I start feeling guilty about not doing as much as other people. And at the same time, I have to remember that I fatigued what I wanted and practiced restraint where it was needed. That last part is important because not doing so will turn an irritation into an injury.
So yeah, I can get a more effective workout with less stuff and in less time than the old me who needed exercise after exercise in order to stimulate the same musculature. And to outsiders my workouts look hodgepodge but luckily they’re not the ones telling me what to do. Thank goodness.
Other Stuff
All memes, but especially dog related ones, are encouraged here.
Like this.
And this.
5 Likes
You probably already said this somewhere. But which ab stuff do you find most effective?
1 Like
I prefer bodyweight stuff over external loads. So I’ll take a basic exercise, like a dead bug, V-up, or hollow hold, and make adjustments until it’s challenging enough to create a burning searing pain in the abs.
What do you like to do for abs? I love hearing other people’s approaches.
I alternate between ab wheel, leg raises and weighted crunch machines. Kroc rows and Pelvic thrust machines also give me some solid core. Toes-to-bar works best, maybe, but I don’t do these enough. I try (and sometimes remember) to end heavy bench presses by holding the weight at full extension, which works the abs somewhat. I never really figured out if vacuums help or not.
1 Like
They never did anything productive for mine, but it’s still kinda fun to do. Your routine sounds impressive!
I stick to a maximum of 1-2 ab exercises after any session, but vary them. I have a flat stomach, love to eat and cook, have never had more than a two pack and am fine with that. I have good mesomorphic genes, not great ab ones.
2 Likes
I can’t just ignore this. Sorry @Dani_Shugart
Body types are stupid.
3 years ago id be considered endomorph because fat.
Now people automatically assume mesomorph because abs and lots of muscle.
I never trained abs while i obtained my abs.
Its not your body type.
Its not your ab training.
Its not your genes.
It’s the layer of fat over your abs.
Body types are stupid and really just excuses people lean on when not reaching their goals.
I said what I said.
1 Like
No need to apologize! Love it when people are passionate about these kinds of things, and you make a good point.
Like you, I’ve gone from what could be described as endomorph to what could be described as mesomorph. And for a couple of years (a long time ago) I was what could be described as gross ectomorph, because I have a larger frame but was clearly underweight. Though I will say that part of my life was more of a disorder than a health journey.
So I’m with you in that people can alter their “body type” dramatically and that these categories can be used as excuses.
But on the other hand, how do you explain the differences between those who struggle to put on weight — even when seemingly eating in a surplus — and stay kinda skinny for life, versus those who build and keep muscle pretty easily?
The differences were pretty apparent between my two grandpas: my dad’s dad was a blocky linebacker-looking guy; huge but not fat. My mom’s dad was a lanky, fine-boned kind of guy. Neither lifted weights both were over 6 ft tall.
So there’s got to be something genetic about those body structures. And when @DoesTheHeavyLifting said that he’s a mesomorph, I just assumed that his structure leans a little more toward something like my dad’s dad: broad shoulders, large frame, bigger joints and hands.
1 Like
Relatable!
I agree body types aren’t very useful for lifters, but said that because it is concise and people understand what I meant. The terms are rough stereotypes, but to the extent it has any use, it’s not like it is something that can’t change.
Some people have great ab development even at 14% fat, though, but some would need to drop much, much lower (like me, methinks). You can hypertrophy abs through exercise, and lose belly fat through dietary discipline. Competitors might go further with diuretics and such.
But I never considered the Muscle & Fitness look optimally healthy, which is my major goal. There is little doubt visceral fat (around the organs) is unhealthy, because of more recently discovered metabolic actions. But the metabolic actions of superficial fat seem to be much healthier. Maybe I could get a six pack by working and dieting hard enough. But as a very active and skinny youth I didn’t have one. I have other priorities now. I am perfectly happy with a flat stomach.
In fact I was a skinny kid with small bones and joints. Years of lifting has made me muscular and shoulders might be my best feature. By mesomorph I meant with lifting I put on weight and muscle quickly (anti-hard gaining), or if I eat more than I want to I can turn the bulk into brawn. I hit my goal of having a BMI larger than the waist size of my favourite jeans. But I don’t want to get as big as I could, since when I did I found this was hard on my joints.
2 Likes
Thanks for this. This is wisdom that I need to hear and have pounded into my head over and over.
4 Likes
I find doing more exercise gives moderate benefits. But that doesn’t make it smart. Like so many things in life, there is probably a Pareto effect where 80% of the benefit comes from 20% of the work. I would guess this is true for lifting - that doing one intelligent set benefits, and that each subsequent set has lower marginal benefit. At some point this could become negative.
That also doesn’t mean that doing more work is wasted. This depends on your goals. I don’t think one set is optimal… Are you happy to be average or does a small to medium increase over that matter or motivate? Annihilate, don’t stimulate. Don’t hate upon the weighted plate, conflating third-rate bantamweight with consummate inflated bodyweight… (whatever, mate).
3 Likes
Ah so glad to hear it!
1 Like
Today’s Workout…
was just filling in the gaps from yesterday’s workout. It’s all kind of a blur because we’re getting back into the swing of things after a week of long distance driving and visiting my parents.
Hip Thrust
Leg Press
Arnold Press
T-Bar Row
Lateral Raise
EZ Bar Curl
I’m actually blanking on what else I did in the gym over the last two days, but it doesn’t really matter. Yesterday we signed up at a new gym so I’ll be finding new favorite exercises and machines. But it felt great to pump some blood into the muscles after being sedentary in a car.
These floofers were so lucky they got to come.
There is no one more presumptuous than a dog who remembers someone’s home and feels entitled to sniffing every square inch of every room.
7 Likes