I’m with you on that one, although my squat is a bit stronger than that, similarly after nearly 10 years training, my squat mechanics suck, i can keep my deadlift strong without deadlifting but I lose my groove in my squat if I miss a week. Takes a lot of effort to squat sort of parallel with reasonable form
3 mins for accessories is way too far. As the cycles get heavier, 3 mins on the main lift is reasonable on Triumvirate. On accessories, again, they are mostly pretty big movements on Triumvirate, so a 1.5-2 mins may be needed especially as you get to set 3,4 and 5
I see nothing wrong with training for appearance, but as far as modeling behavior goes: Mrs and I both run races and got the kiddo participating in that, along with other sports activities. They’ve watched me do strongman comps too. Being active is just a part of their live and something they see as a normal thing. I think it’s when we make exercise seem like a big deal that it becomes one.
Modeling good eating habits is huge too. This also includes not being obsessive with food, not having “good food vs bad food”, not stressing about adding a little extra fat, etc etc.
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Finished this book and highly recommend it. The authors cover a ton of ground. You’ll realize just how prevalent body image issues are among men, and how much they can erode quality of life. I mean, some guys’ lives are completely wrecked by their preoccupation with their physique.
There are a bunch of forces at play, so it’s a nuanced issue, but the biggest culprit is modern marketing. Starting at birth, boys today are saturated with images of unrealistic men’s bodies. Crazy how the shape of, say, GI Joe has changed over the decades.
Even the ancient Greeks, carving their idea of a god, didn’t envision someone like a modern bodybuilder.
The differences between men’s and women’s ideas of the “ideal male body” are also striking. Men dramatically overestimate the amount of muscle most women prefer.
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Assuming most guys focused on appearance are primarily thinking of how they look through the eyes of women, that’s probably where the OP should be looking. Interesting to me that it’s older guys who are less obsessive - is that a function of age/wisdom, or also of generally being married and no longer so driven by attracting mates?
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It might be. We’ve all seen the threads of dudes in their early 20’s who are like “How can people be so suck! If you aren’t like me you deserve to die! Argh, I’m so hardcore!”.
Then a couple of people with a little more life experience say "Wait till you get (wife, kids, job/jobs, cars, mortgages, etc.) and another 15 years under your belt.
And the kid says Never! I am a human tren factory!
And then we all just laugh.
For me, at least, it’s knowing what is required to accomplish the aesthetic, what other obligations and limitations one has and finding the middle of a polyhedron instead of half way between one thing vs. another.
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Yeah also when you’re older, most likely you don’t have any more progress to make or almost, so giving 100% and getting 1% better or doing 80% of the job and maintaining… well… When you don’t have time and all…
I’ll know if I have a wife and kids someday
In the 1970’s this was a known truth. Most women were not attracted to extreme muscular develop and made it known quickly.
I never sought to attain extreme muscular development for a woman. It was a personal goal. I did it for me. If a woman I was attracted to liked my physique, fine. If not, that was also fine.
I can’t think of a single relationship that I had where the woman didn’t say, “You don’t need to get any bigger.”
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It’s so true, brother. My wife even says this all the time – “you’re so jacked.”
I’m 6’2", 180. Far from the internet bro’s definition of “so jacked.” But I honestly think if I had another 20 lbs on LBM on me – which would be the ideal in my mind – she probably wouldn’t even like it. She’d think I was too big.
This is also a reflection of the way men have been marketed to over the years. Guys who grew up in previous generations weren’t immersed with unrealistic images the way guys are today. I mean, if you’re a teen today, you see unbelievable physiques everywhere on the internet. It creates the perception that that’s “normal.”
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This made me laugh out loud
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I think it’s definitely both of these, and the different ways the generations have been socialized
Reviving this thread…
The baby is on the way in the next week or two.
What fitness/nutrition advice would y’all have for a new dad?
What I’ve been telling myself: don’t plan on any long or regimented workouts. Just accept every 15, 20, 30 minute chunk you get, and figure something out. Any movement is better than none. Don’t expect to make any progress during the first few months; just stay in shape. And don’t expect your diet to be perfectly dialed or meal times to be normal at all, but look for healthy options whenever possible.
That seem fair?
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Pretty much what you said. You will have less time to do anything. You have to be more disciplined with the time you will have. I would recommend planning a shopping list and meal prep. Working out at home vs somewhere else. Don’t end up in a situation where your SO thinks you are not doing your part.
Restful sleep is going to be your immediate challenge.
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Burn these words into your skull lads
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If you have an opportunity to help with middle of the night feedings, they’re an excellent opportunity to squeeze in a workout when it’s all done. You’ll already be awake at that point: may as well get it done.
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Echoed again.
It’s well worth discussing with your SO beforehand what your plans are for training during this time and what your criteria are for when you train and when you don’t. And that if they are making some form of sacrifice for you to get your training in (spoiler alert: they are), that you are fully prepared to reciprocate in kind.
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I have achieved nearly every single fitness/strength personal record after the age of 35. In my teens and twenties, I played sports and “lifted”, but wasn’t systematic about it and never worried about being dialed in because I didn’t have to be. Sure, I can’t play baseball or soccer like I could 20 years ago, but by being smart about training and learning how to progress, I can do things now that I never could before.
Things I did for the first time after 35: (I’m 47 now and 175 lbs now)
Run a sub 20-minute 5K (at 40)
Rep out muscle ups (at about age 37, and can still do them)
Bench 225x10 reps (age 45, still can do it)
Do pistol squats for reps (about age 37)
DL 400 lbs (at age 47 for the first time)
Half Marathon in sub 1:40 (age 45)
OHP 90% of my bodyweight (age 46)
Do standing ab wheel roll outs (age 46)
IMO, it’s been easier to accomplish these as I’ve aged because I’ve learned how to train. At your age, I would screw around and get off course all the time, because I didn’t have to be consistent.
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This probably sounds like a dumb ‘clearly that guy has never been a parent’ thing, but how do you find the energy? You’re talking training at like 2, 3 am? Do you fall back asleep after?