Weightlifting & Fitness - Everything old is new again!

[jetsfan4life51]

4 hours ago, smetana34 said:

Excellent. Thank you very much!

 

Any suggestions at all on a program? The one thing that i love about Strong Lifts is how it takes the guess work out of everything with its day to day schedule, its tracker, and built in alarm. It made it very easy to focus on just lifting and not worrying about anything else. I think that's why I've been able to stay committed these past four months. In the past i would lose track of time during rest periods, or would add weight/progress slower than i probably should've, and it lead to a mixed bag of results

I write all of my own programs and do things a lot differently. I don't follow programs like those anymore so I can't say which is best.  

If you do follow something linear and finish in more of a "strength rep range" I love wave loading.

3/2/1 Wave Loading: The Ultimate Guide! – Revolutionary Program Design

Thibarmy

Christian Thibadeau has good programs.

Edited December 29, 2021 by jetsfan4life51

[kingseanjohn]

8 hours ago, ET80 said:

So I'm open to any suggestions on what post 5x5 in 2022 looks like.

If you're looking to gain size/strength, join me in the Winter Solider workout that I posted HERE.

I got a delayed start so I'm on week 7 now and plan to continue through February. I had to make a few modifications since my gym doesn't have a trap bar and for injury reasons. I enjoy it for the most part and I've definitely made progress.

[ET80]

32 minutes ago, kingseanjohn said:

If you're looking to gain size/strength, join me in the Winter Solider workout that I posted HERE.

I'm on Dr. orders to not do any jumps for a while, so box jumps and jump squats are off the table - but I'll keep this in mind, I sincerely like the look of this across a 3-4 month period.

I might be able to modify jumps with something like sissy squats or leg presses.

Stay tuned, I like this idea.

[kingseanjohn]

21 minutes ago, ET80 said:

I'm on Dr. orders to not do any jumps for a while, so box jumps and jump squats are off the table - but I'll keep this in mind, I sincerely like the look of this across a 3-4 month period.

I might be able to modify jumps with something like sissy squats or leg presses.

Stay tuned, I like this idea.

Same. I have foot/ankle issues so I had to take the jumps out. I do the leg extension machine and goblet squats instead. 

[ET80]

17 minutes ago, kingseanjohn said:

Same. I have foot/ankle issues so I had to take the jumps out. I do the leg extension machine and goblet squats instead. 

I was thinking sissy squats and lunges/reverse lunges, but coolio - I like this.

[jetsfan4life51]

4 hours ago, kingseanjohn said:

If you're looking to gain size/strength, join me in the Winter Solider workout that I posted HERE.

I got a delayed start so I'm on week 7 now and plan to continue through February. I had to make a few modifications since my gym doesn't have a trap bar and for injury reasons. I enjoy it for the most part and I've definitely made progress.

Do you really do the same workouts for 2-3 months straight?? I'd go mad and after 4 weeks you'll barely be making progress if any.  Or is that month one and you move onto a new workout month two?

[kingseanjohn]

11 minutes ago, jetsfan4life51 said:

Do you really do the same workouts for 2-3 months straight?? I'd go mad and after 4 weeks you'll barely be making progress if any.  Or is that month one and you move onto a new workout month two?

I'm on week 7 and my weights are still going up 5-10lbs per week where applicable. I'm doing this same workout for 16 weeks unless I hit a plateau. I get a little variety when I do a few alternate lifts. I have a list of 2-3 extra lifts for each day in case what I need is being used and I don't want to wait. As we've got closer to the new year the gym has gotten busier, so I've had to start doing 1-2 alt lifts each day...

Goal is to take a week off after that and then switch to a cut.

[AkronsWitness]

So new years is here again...which means shedding that winter weight.

Does anybody have any suggestion for a supplement to aid weight loss when combined with diet/exercise?

I have historically takes these GNC mens vitapaks that have water weight pill, vitamins, energy booster, ect but Im looking for maybe something a little different.

Basically something that I can take and instead of losing 20lbs in 3 months, maybe lose 25-30lbs because I took the supplement. 

Something that basically speeds up the fat burning process and helps lose weight quicker with diet/exercise.

[Dr LBC]

On 12/29/2021 at 2:58 PM, kingseanjohn said:

Same. I have foot/ankle issues so I had to take the jumps out. I do the leg extension machine and goblet squats instead. 

I didn't look at the program in full, but consider hack squats too.  If your gym has the correct machines (most major chain gyms do at this point), you can set the pin in such a way that you don't have to use huge plate-age for resistance, but you're still able to get deep enough on the squat that you engage all the upper leg muscles and calves that you would in jumps.  Plus, if you're working from the curved platform you're able to eliminate the stressors on your ankles - and this is coming from someone who has had multiple ankle surgeries.

[Dr LBC]

17 minutes ago, AkronsWitness said:

So new years is here again...which means shedding that winter weight.

Does anybody have any suggestion for a supplement to aid weight loss when combined with diet/exercise?

I have historically takes these GNC mens vitapaks that have water weight pill, vitamins, energy booster, ect but Im looking for maybe something a little different.

Basically something that I can take and instead of losing 20lbs in 3 months, maybe lose 25-30lbs because I took the supplement. 

Something that basically speeds up the fat burning process and helps lose weight quicker with diet/exercise.

Zero-Cal cardio.  It's a pain, but it works.  You don't have to do anything intense - low-to-moderate pace does just fine - the trick is to do it on an empty stomach though, because it forces your body - lacking calories to burn for energy - to delve into fat stores for that energy.  When I was shedding I was doing a 3-5 mile loop jogging (legit, you're not trying to sweat as much as stay moving, so no need to crank the pace) around my neighborhood each morning before breakfast.

Might not hurt, if your metabolism has taken a bit of a holiday funk and you're looking to shed belly-fat, to add some concentrated garlic to your supp regimen - it should help combat fatty liver.

But honestly, diet and hitting your macros are the biggest thing for weight loss, along with getting enough sleep.

Edited January 27, 2022 by Dr LBC

[AkronsWitness]

2 minutes ago, Dr LBC said:

Zero-Cal cardio.  It's a pain, but it works.  You don't have to do anything intense - low-to-moderate pace does just fine - the trick is to do it on an empty stomach though, because it forces your body - lacking calories to burn for energy - to delve into fat stores for that energy.  When I was shedding I was doing a 3-5 mile loop jogging (legit, you're not trying to sweat as much as stay moving, so no need to crank the pace) around my neighborhood each morning before breakfast.

Might not hurt, if your metabolism has taken a bit of a holiday funk and you're looking to shed belly-fat, to add some concentrated garlic to your supp regimen - it should help combat fatty liver.

But honestly, diet and hitting your macros are the biggest thing for weight loss, along with getting enough sleep.

Thank you. I asked the guy at GNC and he basically looked at me like I was a alien. Im like dude Im not asking for a magic pill to burn 30lbs by sitting on the couch--im just looking for something that accelerates the fat burning process with regular diet/exercise. 

The best I got out of him was this

[Dr LBC]

Just now, AkronsWitness said:

Thank you. I asked the guy at GNC and he basically looked at me like I was a alien. Im like dude Im not asking for a magic pill to burn 30lbs by sitting on the couch--im just looking for something that accelerates the fat burning process with regular diet/exercise. 

The best I got out of him was this

Most commercial supplement blends are gimmicky unless you're looking to bulk, at least in my experience.  They get you to pay a premium for them to assemble a blend of stuff you could just as easily buy individually and partition out yourself - if you know what helps for what, but even then a lot depends on the individuals respective body.

The only real essentials are a multi-vitamin, 1 oz of water per 2lbs of bodyweight per day, and a higher proportion (2:1.5:1; at least as a starting point, I sit a bit closer to 2.75:1.5:1) of protein to fat to carbs - with an emphasis on good fats and good carbs (i.e. few starches, if at all).  If something is firing correctly - or sometimes to shake things up a bit for a tweak - you can focus on "supplementing" (I stress this as being a bit different than taking a supplement, because you can often go straight to the source with minimal caloric - or macro - differential) a particular body organ to help it work more efficiently/effectively (e.g. stomach, kidneys, liver).  For instance, I'm cheating a bit now out of convenience and because my wife also takes them so it's cost-effective to just buy the damn gummies, but I've been taken Apple Cider Vinegar additive for a while for gut health.  Before I was taking the gummies though, I would either dilute a 1 tbs spot of the real stuff with water and drink it down or made pickled vegetables with apple cider vinegar for snack purposes.

Biggest thing that ever was passed along to me though was by one of my friends who is just finishing his first year on the bodybuilding circuit which was to not fixate on a number.  If you like what you see when you look in the mirror, that should be just fine - because you're always going to be your harshest critic.  That and there is not such things as cheat days.  You want to eat something unhealthy or have that night/weekend of drinking with the guys?  Do it.  Just take account of how many calories that is, take accountability for them, and hold yourself responsible to adjusting in additional caloric burn over the next week (break it down, don't do it all in 1-2 days) to compensate for it.

[Matts4313]

3 hours ago, AkronsWitness said:

Thank you. I asked the guy at GNC and he basically looked at me like I was a alien. Im like dude Im not asking for a magic pill to burn 30lbs by sitting on the couch--im just looking for something that accelerates the fat burning process with regular diet/exercise. 

The best I got out of him was this

You can still get ephedra if you lie to the walgreens clerk behind the counter. Just dont be that idiot who takes 25 bronkaids. 

[biggie.]

Basically taking Stronglifts 5x5 and narrowing things down to two workouts: Workout A is bench press/situps and Workout B is squat/pushups.

Once I can no longer progress on either, I'm switching to Madcow for just those two. Once that's exhausted, it's off to the dreaded Smolov Squats and Smolov Jr. Bench.

Edited January 28, 2022 by biggie.

[Dr LBC]

On 12/14/2021 at 4:44 PM, JonStark said:

What whey isolate protein does everyone use? I've finally come to terms with admitting that my delicious tasting protein is crap.

I don't use WPI.  I've found I was already supplementing enough food protein that I wasn't going to risk the kidney issues that can come with a major protein imbalance in diet.  Granted, my kidneys were also pretty screwed for a while, so I keep some Nitrotech in the pantry if I hit a spell (usually ahead of vacations) where I want to cut.  I use a fully plant-based (pea) protein powder - vanilla when mixed with water tastes like a cinnamon roll and I'm cool with that.  Because it's not an isolate it's higher in the carbs, but they're literally like the only complex carbs in my diet for the most part, so my body does fine processing them.

I've also gotten big into the Oikos Triple Zero yogurts - no fat, no sugar, simple carbs (so if you have it ahead of a workout you easily account for them even in just a 30-minute lift), and 15g of protein.