What did you do today?

Arms or shoulders today. hmmmm.

 

Feeling soft from drinking 5-6 beers in the last 2 days so I'm going to run intervals tonight.

Will be hitting Chest/Tris tonight.....

Yes, it did. I am pretty sore today, although I also did traps and some extra bicep work after the 100 pullups. To give you an idea of how I did the 100... I did 3 sets of 10, then 8 sets of 5, then 8 sets of 3, and finally 3 sets of 2. It was brutal.

 

Aaron, what are your stats? (Arms, legs, chest, BF %? )

 

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Getting through a plateau ? I know one is supposed to switch things up but then I have bright guys tell me it is all BS and just stack your weight up high first, then switch sometime later every 2 weeks or so (high rep, low rep for example)

 

Switching it up to break through a plateau is helpful. I am in the process of it right now. I don't seem to grow anymore than what I am now, so I am trying to do what I can. We will see what happens..

 

Will be hitting Chest/Tris tonight.....

 

That's on Monday..=) Ahhh, chest....I can't wait..lol (followed by legs on Tuesday...yuck!)

 

Man I am still weak. Got up to 65lb. dumbells on Flat bench on 4th set. Got through 10 reps, but was struggling on the last 2. Could probably get 80's on 3 sets of 8-3rd set.

 

I miss the days of 120lb dumbells on flat bench.

Man I am still weak. Got up to 65lb. dumbells on Flat bench on 4th set. Got through 10 reps, but was struggling on the last 2. Could probably get 80's on 3 sets of 8-3rd set.

 

I miss the days of 120lb dumbells on flat bench.

 

It will come back fast I am sure, keep at it. I havent done dumbbell presses for a while, just been doing 100% barbell presses. I have 110 pound dumbells, so I hope to be able to use those at some point on flat bench. Last time we did dumbbell flat bench I was using the 100s and did 1 set with 105 for like 4 reps.

Aaron, what are your stats? (Arms, legs, chest, BF %? )

 

Not very impressive.....I am 6'4 190 pounds, 9% bf. I have an extremely small bone structure for my height (6.25 inch wrists, 8.0 inch ankles, 14.5 inch neck)

 

Measurements are current and taken flexed and pumped: Arms 16.5, Legs 23.5, Chest 44.5, Calves 15.5.

It will come back fast I am sure, keep at it. I havent done dumbbell presses for a while, just been doing 100% barbell presses. I have 110 pound dumbells, so I hope to be able to use those at some point on flat bench. Last time we did dumbbell flat bench I was using the 100s and did 1 set with 105 for like 4 reps.

 

What I do to make it more challenging, and really isolate the pecs is I turn my wrists in during every rep to put more focus on the inner part of my chest. I can do dumbells much easier than barbell as I think it is easier on my partially torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder. I also do all my workouts without a spotter, so I rarely go out of my comfort zone as far as weight as I dont want to injure myself or look like an idiot dropping dumbells all over the place.

Man I am still weak. Got up to 65lb. dumbells on Flat bench on 4th set. Got through 10 reps, but was struggling on the last 2. Could probably get 80's on 3 sets of 8-3rd set.

 

I miss the days of 120lb dumbells on flat bench.

 

You are focusing on losing BF though IIRC, right? So don't worry about weight. Worry about form and reps (and cardio, and diet, lol)

 

Not very impressive.....I am 6'4 190 pounds, 9% bf. I have an extremely small bone structure for my height (6.25 inch wrists, 8.0 inch ankles, 14.5 inch neck)

 

Measurements are current and taken flexed and pumped: Arms 16.5, Legs 23.5, Chest 44.5, Calves 15.5.

 

Not bad. You are very lean, so your measurements won't be as big as someone exactly your size and say, 15% BF. And like we have spoken before, believe me, I know all about small jointed frames. I will take measurements tonigh of my ankles, neck, and wrists and I will report back. Keep at it.

 

(and, make sure to switch back and forth between DBs and Flat bench. Don't stick to one form of exercise as your muscles will adapt and not respond. I am sure you already know all that, though)

You are focusing on losing BF though IIRC, right? So don't worry about weight. Worry about form and reps (and cardio, and diet, lol)

 

Thats why I am doing more sets and more reps with less weight. Even still, it is upsetting to be so weak. I shouldn't be struggling with 65lb. dumbells EVER!

Not bad. You are very lean, so your measurements won't be as big as someone exactly your size and say, 15% BF. And like we have spoken before, believe me, I know all about small jointed frames. I will take measurements tonigh of my ankles, neck, and wrists and I will report back. Keep at it.

 

(and, make sure to switch back and forth between DBs and Flat bench. Don't stick to one form of exercise as your muscles will adapt and not respond. I am sure you already know all that, though)

 

Last year around this time (Jan) I was 193 and 16% bf. I cut down to around 4-5% bf and I have been on a gain phase since mid July. March 1st I will start a cut phase, and this time I am only cutting down to 6-7%. Last cut I lost a lot of muscle mass the last couple of months pushing for those last few % points. It was good to do once in my life, but I actually looked better at 6-7% because I was lean enough to see great defintion, but still had muscle mass.

 

Heres a couple pic from the end of my last cut. One pic is 100% completely relaxed, the other is flexed (not that I know how to flex).

 

Thats why I am doing more sets and more reps with less weight. Even still, it is upsetting to be so weak. I shouldn't be struggling with 65lb. dumbells EVER!

 

I can understand that, but all will tie in together with time and dedication, and eventually, you will be stronger and looking better. Just keep up the dedication and consistency. After all, you do have all the Latinas to impress down there while all I have up here are a bunch of overweight woman with beer bellies hanging to their knee caps..

 

Last year around this time (Jan) I was 193 and 16% bf. I cut down to around 4-5% bf and I have been on a gain phase since mid July. March 1st I will start a cut phase, and this time I am only cutting down to 6-7%. Last cut I lost a lot of muscle mass the last couple of months pushing for those last few % points. It was good to do once in my life, but I actually looked better at 6-7% because I was lean enough to see great defintion, but still had muscle mass.

 

Heres a couple pic from the end of my last cut. One pic is 100% completely relaxed, the other is flexed (not that I know how to flex).

 

Ya, that is LEAN. Like you said, I do think you would look better at a little higher BF percentage with a little more muscle mass. What are your goals for this year as far as weight/BF ?

This is for yesterday, since I'm finally getting my fat ass back in the gym. I should have never let myself get in this bad of shape.

 

* Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps 2-3 minutes rest

* Bent-Over Barbell Row: 3 sets of 10-12 reps 2-3 minutes rest

* Squat: 3 sets of 10-12 reps 2-3 minutes rest

* Barbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps 2-3 minutes rest

* Triceps Pressdown: 3 sets of 10-12 reps 2-3 minutes rest

* Barbell Curl: 3 sets of 10-12 reps 2-3 minutes rest

* Standing Calf Raise: 3 sets of 12-15 reps 1-2 minutes rest

* Crunches: 3 sets to failure 1-2 minutes rest

 

20 minutes on the treadmill

 

I can understand that, but all will tie in together with time and dedication, and eventually, you will be stronger and looking better. Just keep up the dedication and consistency. After all, you do have all the Latinas to impress down there while all I have up here are a bunch of overweight woman with beer bellies hanging to their knee caps..

 

Thats the problem. Its like people NEVER work down here, and have time to be in the gym 8 hours a day. They all must be part of the lucky child of wealthy parents club. I have to struggle to get to the gym 3-5 days a week!

 

I know guys who go to the gym in the morning, play a few games of pickup basketball. Then go to lunch, then come back and do weights for 2 hours. Go get dinner, then come back and do cardio for an hour.

 

I could be RIPPED too, if I had all the time in the world to work out.

Ya, that is LEAN. Like you said, I do think you would look better at a little higher BF percentage with a little more muscle mass. What are your goals for this year as far as weight/BF ?

 

Well I am starting a cut March 1st, and I want to lose it pretty slowly to keep as much of the muscle mass I have gained. I figure I only have 10 to 15 pounds max to lose to get down lean enough, as I havent gained a ton of body fat during my bulk. If I could walk around at 180 pounds and be 6-7% bf for the summer, I would be happy with that. Then in August I will start the gain phase all over again.

 

How about you?

Well I am starting a cut March 1st, and I want to lose it pretty slowly to keep as much of the muscle mass I have gained. I figure I only have 10 to 15 pounds max to lose to get down lean enough, as I havent gained a ton of body fat during my bulk. If I could walk around at 180 pounds and be 6-7% bf for the summer, I would be happy with that. Then in August I will start the gain phase all over again.

 

How about you?

 

I am 5'8 (5'9 on a good day.. ) and right around 180 lbs. Probably sitting around 11% BF. I try to maintain this BF% all year round, and slowly add muscle mass, but I have been "stuck" for a while at this stage and I am not sure how much bigger my body will allow me to get without the use of steroids (which I am not one to knock, but just not one to use them).

 

Stats cold, flexed:

Arms: 18"

Legs: 25.5"

Chest: 48" (this one I am going off by memory)

 

When people look at my pics they guess 200 lbs, but again, being the extremely small jointed fella that I am, it doesn't take a lot of muscle mass to look big. Here is a recent pic (cold)

 

 

My strong points are quads and tris, my weak points and calvs/hams/back/abs (but abs are a result of a clean diet, which mine is not clean, so I am not sure if that should be considered a weak point)

 

My ultimate goal is 190 lbs and same BF. But I am just not sure if I can do that naturally or not. We will see what happens comes December of this year, and I will also post pics then.

I just took took some measurements...

 

Wrists: 6.75"

Ankles: 6"

Neck: 15.5"

 

And I wonder why everytime I do squats I feel like I am going to break in 3 pieces...

I just took took some measurements...

 

Wrists: 6.75"

Ankles: 6"

Neck: 15.5"

 

And I wonder why everytime I do squats I feel like I am going to break in 3 pieces...

 

Nice physique, good amount of mass. Are you sure you measured your ankles and wrists right? Its odd that your ankles are smaller than your wrists....

 

It should give you an idea of how proportionately small boned I am, being 8 inches taller than you.

 

Heres a couple more pictures from the end of my cut. I have put on a good 25 pounds since all these pictures and still stayed fairly lean at 9% My biggest gains have been in my chest and lats as well as my traps during this recent bulk.

Nice physique, good amount of mass. Are you sure you measured your ankles and wrists right? Its odd that your ankles are smaller than your wrists....

 

It should give you an idea of how proportionately small boned I am, being 8 inches taller than you.

 

Heres a couple more pictures from the end of my cut. I have put on a good 25 pounds since all these pictures and still stayed fairly lean at 9% My biggest gains have been in my chest and lats as well as my traps during this recent bulk.

 

I am such a dummy. I was looking at the measuring tape from above and the 9 looked like a 6..

 

Yes, 9" for ankles.

 

You were VERY lean, but I would think you look better now with the additional 25 lbs gained while staying lean. Any recent pics?

I am such a dummy. I was looking at the measuring tape from above and the 9 looked like a 6..

 

Yes, 9" for ankles.

 

You were VERY lean, but I would think you look better now with the additional 25 lbs gained while staying lean. Any recent pics?

 

Haha, 9 makes more sense. Your bone structure is smaller than avg for your height, but I wouldnt consider it ultra crazy small (like mine is for my height). No recent pics, I am white and hairy currently. I will try to take some before March 1st though (which is when I start my cut).

 

You are right, my wife also says I look way better now. I didnt really go that lean to look good, I wanted to see where and how I could push my body. I think the trick is balancing low body fat with keeping the majority of your muscle mass. Go too low BF and you lose too much mass, stay too high BF and you dont have enough muscle definition. As you know, its all about illusions. Unfortunately for me, I gain fat first in my midsection, so in order to have a 6 pack, I have to stay pretty lean, 10-12% wont do it for me like a lot of guys. Luckily for me, I can lose body fat easily even while keeping carbs high since I am an ectomorph.

Damn Fadi, you have to come down to visit. You need a freaking tan brother. Haha.

 

Tanner you are, the bigger you look, and it also shows definition very well when you are tan.

Vbox you are super lean in those pics man - I can see what you mean about being that lean at the expense of muscle. I'll bet you're looking great now with 25lbs extra on that frame and under 10%. I have small joints too - I'll have to measure tonight.

 

Just did back tonight. Skipped the deadlifts since last week's workout tweaked something. Did a ton of varied grip pullups, t-bar row, lawnmower pulls, and seated rows. Good workout. Got the 110s on lawnmower pulls for 6 on my last set. Ran intervals for 20 minutes - I'm not an ectomorph like SOME people. lol

wrist - 7.25"

ankle - 9.25"

neck - 17"

 

I'm 6'5" and was 225lbs on the gym scale tonight. probably 12% bf or so. I'd like to be 225 or so at 10% - lowest ever was 11.4% on the Dexa scan. I was heavier (bigger and stronger) in college but didn't have any movement (read - athleticism) - I was just big and strong. Got up to 275 or so at one point. Fun to push the heavy weight but a real bummer to get winded walking to the mailbox.

Damn Fadi, you have to come down to visit. You need a freaking tan brother. Haha.

 

Tanner you are, the bigger you look, and it also shows definition very well when you are tan.

 

That is what happens when you live in MI and encounter the sun a dozen times a year only..LOL

 

I don't do the fake 'n bake stuff so if I don't get sun, I turn into a snowflake..

wrist - 7.25"

ankle - 9.25"

neck - 17"

 

I'm 6'5" and was 225lbs on the gym scale tonight. probably 12% bf or so. I'd like to be 225 or so at 10% - lowest ever was 11.4% on the Dexa scan. I was heavier (bigger and stronger) in college but didn't have any movement (read - athleticism) - I was just big and strong. Got up to 275 or so at one point. Fun to push the heavy weight but a real bummer to get winded walking to the mailbox.

 

Good overall size. I am sure you are very strong. Bone structure seems on the lower side of medium for your height