Strength training

It could if you were skinny fat and became ripped, same size but more lean muscle replacing the fat.

I’m definitely getting stronger. Though nowhere to bench press today as they were all occupied. I did a dumbell press instead wow, it’s so much harder starting with the weight down and then pressing up as opposed to starting at the top. I significantly reduced the weight and got the work done. 20kg dumbells where I was just over 50kg on bench press.

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Yeah but @jgav isn’t that, he’s an athlete :muscle:t3:

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Aren’t we all :see_no_evil:

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Who looks like he’s eaten another athlete :pig:

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Can add @jgav to @fruitthiefs list of carnivores

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You need to know roughly what your daily calories expenditure is to stay the same weight and then add a few hundred extra on. Add to much and it will be stored as fat. High protein is important. Then when training you need to promote the right muscle response. 3-4 sets. 8 to 10 reps, moderately heavy.

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Switched to seated dumbbell overhead press. Dropped the weight from 35kg which I did last time to 2x16kg weights. Felt much more controlled but still working hard, especially on keeping the weights stable.

Anyway, progressed to the point that my deadlift warmup sets are now heavier than the main set when I started. Deadlift 85kg today.

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This is what I love about the 5x5 programme, you see really good progression. I started from scratch at start of year on an empty bar and by summer I was DL 115kg and squatting 92.

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Next B session will be 72.5 squat and 90 deadlift. Getting close to that 100 mark.

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At company away day and had time from end of agenda to evening Xmas party so went to the gym with a friend.

He’s a regular gym goer and suggested I pushed myself as it looked too easy. Anyway added 10kg to the squat to make 80 total. Made it through 5x5, just…

Onto deadlift. I’m up to 85 I think. Went to 100kg and was ok. Went to 110kg and could only manage 2 and not great form. But shows current potential.

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I think this is where the danger lie is it not?

I’m by no means and expert here but I was told early on to ignore the 1 rep max gang, as that one rep inverably has poor form and is therefore A) not representative, and B) higher risk of injury.

ā€œForm is everythingā€ is the key, I guess.

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I don’t think there’s anything wrong with giving a bigger a weight a go now and again. Just like extending your long bike, run or swim every now and again to something longer than is sustainable as a regular session is unlikely to be harmful. Anything is possible isn’t it? :wink:

The gradual increase is the secret sauce in this protocol, rushing to heavier weights is counter productive imo.

Of course. Was just a little experiment to see what I could do. Plan to go back to the planned progression.

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I think its good to have a little try once in a while of a little extra. Obviously if youre DL 40kg then trying 100 is not a good idea but slapping a little bit more on is ok.

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Creating a protocol to follow today, thoughts?

3x8 Squat 25kg
3x10 Crunches
3x8 Bench 25kg
3x10 Lunges
3x8 Deadlift 35kg release at top
3x10 Hanging knee raises

Not really sure what mobility and energy system development is.

EDIT

I’m in build phase on the SBR and missed earlier lifting phases so far.

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Opinions vary but I think crunches are rubbish. Prefer a plank me.

I do ~1 min each of front plank, left side plank, right side plank, front plank again

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No rest in between ? Impressive ! Mmcrunches are easy unless your doing 200 of them with no rest!

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Planks too easy ;). In unrelated news, my pain cave floor is disgusting.

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