Awesome, I pushed myself to the limit and beyond trying to lean out as much as possible. Reached ketosis and endure many a depleted workout. When the mirror dictated and my mind was ready I took the leap. I got down to a lean 206lbs and bulked way the fuck back up to 242. I’m currently revolving around 225-230 due to the loss of my beloved bloat.
My tendonitis in my elbow/tricep came back with full blast. Then when I took care of that the best I could a mild case of sciatica popped its ugly face. Just as I was getting stronger, I was forced out of the gym for a week. Icing it and stretching helped out and I was back in the field. I’m hoping to keep on gaining but making slow but high quality gains.
Its alright being over 240 but when you are mainly made up of water and fat, it just aint Justin Timberlake SexyBack. All in all its been a great year and I hope to make next my flagship.
Let’s say my training year started at the end of August. =)
The last four months have gone swimmingly. Up 18 lbs. Waist is only up an inch, which I’m happy about considering I’m gaining a lb per week. I definitely want to keep that in check this year, but I know my body much better this time around. At 205 I’m bigger than I was at 220.
[quote]PRCalDude wrote:
Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
PRCalDude wrote:
Up 25-30 lbs. I’ve unlearned a lot of the ridiculous groupthink I’ve picked up on this site and now my progress is accelerating. I think I’m going to reach my current weight goal of 230 this year. Or die trying.
Mind elaborating on what you had to unlearn ?
Total body training is good. Machines are bad. Bodypart splits are bad and are only for steroid users. You can put on significant muscle while maintaining “hawt abz.” Squatting is all you need for legs.
Everyone with significant hypetrophy is juicing. Significant hypertrophy happens quickly. Overtraining is a significant concern for untrained newbies who don’t lift any significant weights.
I read through a lot of Rippetoe’s stuff and Dante’s stuff and things were clarified quickly. [/quote]
I’m so confused about TBT. Programs like Bill Starr 5x5, starting strength etc…are all respected. But many here say TBT sucks.
Is the hatred of TBT relegated to experienced bodybuilders alone or what?
[quote]PRCalDude wrote:
Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
PRCalDude wrote:
Up 25-30 lbs. I’ve unlearned a lot of the ridiculous groupthink I’ve picked up on this site and now my progress is accelerating. I think I’m going to reach my current weight goal of 230 this year. Or die trying.
Mind elaborating on what you had to unlearn ?
Total body training is good. Machines are bad. Bodypart splits are bad and are only for steroid users. You can put on significant muscle while maintaining “hawt abz.” Squatting is all you need for legs.
Everyone with significant hypetrophy is juicing. Significant hypertrophy happens quickly. Overtraining is a significant concern for untrained newbies who don’t lift any significant weights.
I read through a lot of Rippetoe’s stuff and Dante’s stuff and things were clarified quickly. [/quote]
[quote]LiftSmart wrote:
PRCalDude wrote:
Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
PRCalDude wrote:
Up 25-30 lbs. I’ve unlearned a lot of the ridiculous groupthink I’ve picked up on this site and now my progress is accelerating. I think I’m going to reach my current weight goal of 230 this year. Or die trying.
Mind elaborating on what you had to unlearn ?
Total body training is good. Machines are bad. Bodypart splits are bad and are only for steroid users. You can put on significant muscle while maintaining “hawt abz.” Squatting is all you need for legs.
Everyone with significant hypetrophy is juicing. Significant hypertrophy happens quickly. Overtraining is a significant concern for untrained newbies who don’t lift any significant weights.
I read through a lot of Rippetoe’s stuff and Dante’s stuff and things were clarified quickly.
I’m so confused about TBT. Programs like Bill Starr 5x5, starting strength etc…are all respected. But many here say TBT sucks.
[/quote]
No, those are great. They work for about 3-9 months for beginners, which is who they’re designed for. Once strength gains plateau on those programs, it’s time to switch to something else.
The problem with a lot of the “TBT” articles we’ve been seeing is that the audience is never mentioned, which leads intermediate trainers down the wrong path or leads them to believe they should always train that way, despite lifting poundages that don’t allow for recovery as easily as in the novice/beginning stage of training.
[quote]PRCalDude wrote:
No, those are great. They work for about 3-9 months for beginners, which is who they’re designed for. Once strength gains plateau on those programs, it’s time to switch to something else.
The problem with a lot of the “TBT” articles we’ve been seeing is that the audience is never mentioned, which leads intermediate trainers down the wrong path or leads them to believe they should always train that way, despite lifting poundages that don’t allow for recovery as easily as in the novice/beginning stage of training. [/quote]
So obviously intermediate poundages vary by person but are the strength standards on exrx.net pretty accurate?
“Pretty good” ? That is wicked gains in a year, nice work!! Especially since you got leaner as well.
[/quote]
Being a total beginner help those weights go up real fast, i rarely stalled (except bench, i also started with very solid info and got really into the whole working out thing, i had a decent diet, plus i am 17 so all those things i guess were responsible for the strength gains. I do hope that by December of next year im walking at 230+.
[quote]LiftSmart wrote:
PRCalDude wrote:
No, those are great. They work for about 3-9 months for beginners, which is who they’re designed for. Once strength gains plateau on those programs, it’s time to switch to something else.
The problem with a lot of the “TBT” articles we’ve been seeing is that the audience is never mentioned, which leads intermediate trainers down the wrong path or leads them to believe they should always train that way, despite lifting poundages that don’t allow for recovery as easily as in the novice/beginning stage of training.
So obviously intermediate poundages vary by person but are the strength standards on exrx.net pretty accurate?
[/quote]
I don’t know. I use the ones in “Practical Programming” (p. 265 and up), which I would trust more since Rip was/is actually a powerlifter.
[quote]PRCalDude wrote:
I don’t know. I use the ones in “Practical Programming” (p. 265 and up), which I would trust more since Rip was/is actually a powerlifter. [/quote]
I believe the exrx tables are from the same source.