Do you even lift, bro?

Eric

Eric

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Sep 11, 2013
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I feel like this is the only title for a thread to talk about fitness and working out.

Anyway, I am sure some of you are avid gym goers.

I recently decided to go back in January. After having the flu, I slipped to 176 pounds. I am 6 foot 2, by the way, so 176 looked frail. This is what motivated me to get in shape.

So, January 13th, I joined the gym. I could only bench press 135lbs 4 times and squat 135lbs for just a few reps.

April 4, I am up to 196 pounds and I have increased my max bench to 245 pounds and my max squat to 275 pounds. I really attribute my gains to my diet. I completely reworked it, relying on simple carbs and protein. I also eat every two hours. I reduced fatty foods and cut alcohol out for the most part. As far as supplements go, I only consume Forza Pro Protein. No pre workout or any other type of supplement.

My goal is to hit 215 lbs by July and hit 275lbs on bench around then.

I know it's not about the numbers, it's about working the muscles, but I am proud of my progress and I look forward to seeing how much farther I can push my body.

I hope this thread turns into a tracking one for everyone, to see progress and motivate each other.
 
I've been "into" powerlifting since about a year and a half ago. I put that in quotes because I actually haven't done any competitions and not sure if I even want to, but I stick to a powerlifting program. I mainly just do the "core lifts": Squat, Bench, Deadlift, Overhead Press, and Rows.

About a year and a half ago when I started I was pretty similar weight to you, right around 175. I'm about 6'1" so I was actually around the same size as you. I didn't really consider that looking frail though, but I was athletically built having done track for the past 10 years of my life in school/college. Currently I range from around 202-207 depending on what time of the day it is.

I also eat about every 2 hours. On lifting days (which is 3 times a week currently) I have 9 "meals". Not full blown meals, but I just call any time I eat having a meal. I get a good mix of protein, carbs, and fat. Throughout this winter I ate a lot of red meat, but have taken that out of my diet the past month or so. Can't keep the red meat every day up for that long.

I haven't gone for any true maxes in like forever, but these are my numbers I've actually lifted recently, like in the past month.
Squat: 385 x 3 (I'm going to try for 400 next week)
Bench: 270 x 3
Deadlift: 425 x 3
Press: 170 x 3
Row: Recently I've just been doing sets of 10 reps with this, but a while back I did 225 for like 3 I think

Might start up a 4 times a week plan here pretty soon, but for now I'm just enjoying 3 times a week. It's quite relaxing, even if the weight is super heavy and I'm dying by the time I'm done.
 
Damn, those are impressive numbers.


That's a crazy Deadlift number and Squat.

I guess frail wasn't the right word. I have a natural athletic build too, playing baseball all of high school, but I just looked too skinny for my age, is what I should have said.

Every hear of newbie gains? I feel like that's what I am experiencing now.
 
Oh yeah for sure, newbie gains definitely happen. Both in weight gain and weights lifted. What's your program/routine look like?
 
Dr D Wayne Love said:
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I only lift beer.
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I approve of this message
 
Z A C K said:
Oh yeah for sure, newbie gains definitely happen. Both in weight gain and weights lifted. What's your program/routine look like?
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Right now I am doing chest 2x a week, back and biceps one day, shoulder and triceps the other. I usually go for about 1.5 hrs 5 days a week. I am in a program where I double up for 6 weeks. Next will probably be legs, which will be horrible.
 
Erics said:
Right now I am doing chest 2x a week, back and biceps one day, shoulder and triceps the other. I usually go for about 1.5 hrs 5 days a week. I am in a program where I double up for 6 weeks. Next will probably be legs, which will be horrible.
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Sounds pretty hard.

I'm doing a full body routine, it's actually 5/3/1 Full Body Training if you Google it. It only includes the core lifts I mentioned before, but Squatting is every day and in the 2nd and 3rd phase of it the squatting gets heavy even on the day that isn't considered the "squatting day".
 
In terms of working out, I usually work out with 35 lb dummy bells. I'm currently on a night shift for target, where heavy lifting is the usual. The heaviest is a big cardboard bundle and sometimes I have to really rely on my own strength to pull it to a spot that's out of the way because the wheels on our jacks don't always work right or the actual bundle is too heavy. Not jacked by any means, but overall, I'd consider myself somewhat strong.
 
Got a barely used boflex top 3 purchases of my life. Right behind my dyson and a Doritos taco.
 
I wouldn't consider myself jacked at all either. I can lift heavy for my weight, but honestly, IMO at least, if you look at me you wouldn't think I can lift as much as I can. I'm a bigger guy for sure being over 200 lbs people will notice that, but I don't really have the definition or anything that most people associate with people who go to the gym a lot. It's weird because I see guys at my gym who look jacked as hell but I'm 98% sure I could out lift them any day.
 
Z A C K said:
I wouldn't consider myself jacked at all either. I can lift heavy for my weight, but honestly, IMO at least, if you look at me you wouldn't think I can lift as much as I can. I'm a bigger guy for sure being over 200 lbs people will notice that, but I don't really have the definition or anything that most people associate with people who go to the gym a lot. It's weird because I see guys at my gym who look jacked as hell but I'm 98% sure I could out lift them any day.
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Well, keep in mind that those guys are in there to sculpt their bodies so to speak. Just look at some professional weight lifters. Some are actually fat, but they're freaky strong. Mark Henry is a good reference. Extremely strong guy, but he's always had big ol' gut to go with his big arms. Butterbean (the boxer) always struck as similar as well.
 
If you mean forks and spoons and hand held food to my mouth then yes I lift a great deal.
 
Back and Bi day suck with allergies, damn.
 
Squatted 400lbs for my first time ever today. Only did 1 rep, but think I probably could have done 2. This was after doing warm up sets and then 315x5 and 360x3. Also, the random guy I had spot me I had never seen in the gym before and he only weighed probably a buck sixty, so I decided not to lift with my ego.
 
400lbs is a lot, wow. Your quads will be aching tomorrow. I am still sick, so I did chest instead of legs. Nothing crazy. Bench, decline flys, incline dumbbell press, flat dumbbell press, and cable crosses.
 
Actually, the 400 was hard but I doubt I'l be sore tomorrow. The days where I do a set of 5, a set of 3, and a set of 1 is way better than days when I do 3 sets of 5 or 3 sets of 3 with about 90% of my 1 on 5/3/1 days.

But yeah, I won't lie, 400 was hard.
 
I just do the circuits and some free weights. More reps, lighter weight. 3-4 days a week. I don't want to bulk up, just stay "uninjured" . intervals at the track 2 days a week and slow jog 10 miler with one day rest.
love my beer and who ever said losing weight is 90% diet is right on. I cant seem to lose the 20 lbs I need to lose because I love my beer.
 
Well, Summer is right around the corner for most of us, so it's obviously time for a fitness thread! Curious to see how everyone is doing, what's working/not working for you from a diet and/or training standpoint.

I also just watched 'Generation Iron', and while it's no 'Pumping Iron', it's still worth a watch. They're all steroid freaks, but I have a new-found respect for Kai Greene (even though he might be nuts):

 
Been weight training for a few years. I'm out of action currently with a prolapsed disc but pb on bench press is 150kg, Russian deadlift 200kg. Can't wait to get back into it.
 
I do need to work out a little more for my tummy. Its not pretty at the moment.
 
Shoulders and Biceps to close my week. New routine starts Monday.
 
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