[lsturbointeg]

Yes! Had an awesome back/bi workout just now! Felt good and strong and totally focused! Drinking some protein and ready to demolish some chicken and rice! I've come to realize morning workouts just don't do it for me. Early evening workouts just do it for me especially when I eat all day and than I'm ready to tear shit up once I put my game face on!

[Rmtt]

This is the last week for me. Daughter gets married Saturday, and then I get to start my diet and peel away some of this fat I'm carrying.

Hopefully I got some decent gains over the off-season and don't have to drop too much!

But I'm excited. Starting a diet makes me feel like I'm firing on all cylinders and I get way more focused in the gym!

And I plan to not let it turn into a numbers game this time.....and go by the mirror instead of my bodyweight.

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

Nasty dry cough, head is killing me from coughing, might be feverish but we don't have a thermometer: still go?

I took JP10 advice and didn't get the whole gym sick. I'm barely recovering now, after going to urgent care last Thursday and they gave me cough suppressant pills and 10-day amoxicillin.

The good news is I've lost about 7 lbs during the time. The bad news is it was probably all muscle since I haven't done anything other than cough and sleep.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

I took JP10 advice and didn't get the whole gym sick. I'm barely recovering now, after going to urgent care last Thursday and they gave me cough suppressant pills and 10-day amoxicillin.

The good news is I've lost about 7 lbs during the time. The bad news is it was probably all muscle since I haven't done anything other than cough and sleep.

That sucks. Hope you to get to feeling better soon!

[Rmtt]

So I got through all of the festivities this weekend, and started my diet Monday. Nothing drastic, just a small calorie deficit to test the waters and see where I am at. That will allow me to start dialing things in as my diet progresses. Weight was slightly over 208lbs, so I'm almost 10lbs heavier this year at the start than I was last year.

Dropped my intake down to 3000 calories a day in a 40/40/20 split with carbs/protein/fat. That typically works well to get down to about 8% bf. After that if I want to go lower, I start manipulating carbs and carb timing.

But I plan to let the mirror dictate how things go, and not rely so much on the scale. Last year I went a little too extreme. I got lean as hell, but had everyone questioning me if I was sick or something as my face had started to take on that "sunken" look.

But I am excited as I had to wait much longer this year to get started. About 3-4 weeks in is when I start seeing decent physical changes, and eventually get to a point where you see something different every morning you get up!

Plus since I'm an "all in" type of guy, my workouts really ramp up in intensity when dieting. Plus being a little on the OCD side, I'm glad to be back on my program 100%.

[roastbeef]

hit ten reps at 315 on bench the other day. most i've ever done.

[1MOREMOD]

Wtf you a damn beast, I need 2 strong spotters for that

[roastbeef]

just do it without a spotter. the fear of instant death will make you slightly stronger.

i was just laying down on the bench and getting in the right mindset and getting my grip set and this dude walked up (unsolicited) to spot me. i was takin it easy and just going to bang out my four sets of six reps and not add weight- but i figured if he was there, i might as well burnout.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

just do it without a spotter. the fear of instant death will make you slightly stronger.

i was just laying down on the bench and getting in the right mindset and getting my grip set and this dude walked up (unsolicited) to spot me. i was takin it easy and just going to bang out my four sets of six reps and not add weight- but i figured if he was there, i might as well burnout.

Nice!

It's amazing what having someone around you can do for your confidence. It's the same with me, I used to train by myself so a lot of times I would be subconsciously sabotaging myself.

[lsturbointeg]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

just do it without a spotter. the fear of instant death will make you slightly stronger.

I did that once and ended up doing the roll of shame

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

Nice!

It's amazing what having someone around you can do for your confidence. It's the same with me, I used to train by myself so a lot of times I would be subconsciously sabotaging myself.

i have found that half of lifting is mental. i did two reps at 405 last week. i'm not a big guy or a bodybuilder.
once i discovered how to focus on the lift, things got easier. be relaxed, think about form. think about the squeeze. if you have any doubt in your mind, you failed the lift before you touch the bar.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

i have found that half of lifting is mental. i did two reps at 405 last week. i'm not a big guy or a bodybuilder.
once i discovered how to focus on the lift, things got easier. be relaxed, think about form. think about the squeeze. if you have any doubt in your mind, you failed the lift before you touch the bar.

Totally agree. Proper setup is 90% of the lift. You can tell immediately when unracking the bar if you got it right. Everything just "flows".

It's been a couple of years since I've done 4 plates. I had been backing off as I got older, but the other lift thread lit a fire under me and I knew I was using age as a crutch to really just slack off.

So I'm back into it and slowly building back up. I hit 365 for 5 the other day, and in the past just had been content with 3 plates for sets at the end.

But I did forgot just how hard it is to progress once you get into that weight range as even just adding 20lbs to the bar feels like an extra 50.

Nice lifts man!

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by lsturbointeg

I did that once and ended up doing the roll of shame

Lol......I have done that quite a few times!

Now I have a training partner that reps 405 on the bench, so I don't have to worry about the roll of shame although he will let the bar pin me if I don't make my weight!

The bastard!

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

Totally agree. Proper setup is 90% of the lift. You can tell immediately when unracking the bar if you got it right. Everything just "flows".

It's been a couple of years since I've done 4 plates. I had been backing off as I got older, but the other lift thread lit a fire under me and I knew I was using age as a crutch to really just slack off.

So I'm back into it and slowly building back up. I hit 365 for 5 the other day, and in the past just had been content with 3 plates for sets at the end.

But I did forgot just how hard it is to progress once you get into that weight range as even just adding 20lbs to the bar feels like an extra 50.

Nice lifts man!

thanks. whats weird is- i'm 32 and this is the first time i've done four plates. i already feel the effects of being "older," but somehow, i'm still able to lift the way i want.
i befriended a 63 year old man at the gym, fit as can be. super nice guy. it inspired me to see his dedication.

[1MOREMOD]

Myprotein has 40 percent off everything with code bday. I'm already stocked up but probably getting more.

[Germanauto]

Can't gain weight to save my life. Visiting home and my boys are calling me small. Lifts haven't gone up in weeks.

[lsturbointeg]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Myprotein has 40 percent off everything with code bday. I'm already stocked up but probably getting more.

It's always good to have an over stock of supplements.

I've been on a fat burner and I'm down 5lbs just wanna get down a little bit more. Enough to where you can see separation

[1MOREMOD]

I got 2.2lbs bcaa(cold brew coffee), 11 lbs of strawberry whey, and 5.5 lbs of slow release casein cookie and cream and got free protein popcorn, shake and birthday cake protein.

[TrevorM3]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

Can't gain weight to save my life. Visiting home and my boys are calling me small. Lifts haven't gone up in weeks.

same here, i'd like to add 10lbs. pretty tough being active 7 days a week for work.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by TrevorM3

same here, i'd like to add 10lbs. pretty tough being active 7 days a week for work.

It's slow. I feel like I have to seriously overeat and barely move. Its exponential I'm alreadu trying to support more than my body seems to want to.

[Germanauto]

Originally Posted by TrevorM3

same here, i'd like to add 10lbs. pretty tough being active 7 days a week for work.

It's super hard to gain weight by eating clean. Without processed junk and frequently eating out it's impossible for me.

Even after making time for meal prep it's just not possible to eat it all. I don't have a desk job so having my food right next to me all day is not an option.

[UncleWede]

I'm FINALLY feeling back to my OLD self again after 3 weeks of that cough, plus a scratched cornea.

Friday night I played soccer, we only had 9 players so no subs. I blame the 2 missed goals on the new turf shoes.

Yesterday I got up about 8, had some breakfast while watching Barca, then took a nap until noon when I had leftover fish/chips, then another nap before we went to have dinner and watch GoT. Back in bed by 9:30, but I was up at 4:21 thinking aobut the run I'm going to do tonight. Two weeks to Special Olympics Torch run!