[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Went ahead and had decent workout. Slightly sore muscles are fine in my opinion just not joints or tendons. Hard for me not to have that going on also. Did 3x10 at 275 on squat.

I took today off. Tomorrow starts my whole new schedule of programming....so I figured I would take a break and get some food cooked up.

[1MOREMOD]

I'm so used to low rep strength building stuff I really shit the bed when i try to go 10 reps and up.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

I'm so used to low rep strength building stuff I really shit the bed when i try to go 10 reps and up.

Same here. But my routine has me doing it for 1-2 weeks every 8 weeks as a kind of active recovery.

It does help mentally as it's a change, but hard to just switch up when I'm used to the other.

[King Rudi]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

I think you are doing everything correctly. Now this is just my opinion, but most people shouldn't even think about bulking until they get 15% and below....and have held it for awhile.

Once below 15%, your body partitions calories more efficiently. You tend to store any excess as muscle vs. fat. When really lean, almost all surplus calories go towards muscle if your training hard enough to stimulate growth.

Since vacation, I've gained roughly 16lbs and slightly over 1/2" on my arms. And my waist has stayed pretty much the same.

When you have time, look into reverse dieting. With your calories being where they are at, once you are ready to increase them I think you would like that principle.

I have a pretty fast metabolism, but it didn't happen quickly. It took years of getting to a certain intake and weight....holding it so it becomes the body's new setpoint....then adding more and doing it again.

Good things come to those who are patient. You are laying a foundation that won't just fade away if you have to stop training for a little while such as limited time, injury (hopefully none), etc.

It's much easier to regain muscle you already had then it is to build in the first place. Just to put things in perspective, I use to weigh close to 225lbs with my and still slightly visable.

Now that was 10 years ago, but my body remembers. I probably won't get to that level again, but I think being a fairly lean 200lbs at my height is good enough for my age!

My main reason for bulking back in August was it seemed like no matter what I did, I couldn't drop past 19% body fat. Considering percentages are based off of two numbers, I thought I would eat more, add some muscle then cut again to offset the numbers. Now that I've finally dropped the fat I gained, it worked....a little. My goal for the next few months was to continue to cut hard and try my damnedest to get to 10%. After cutting for 6 weeks now, I've decided that might be a bit too extreme. I'm going to get to around 14-15% (should happen in the next 6 weeks according to my math). Then I'll add 200 calories/day for a month, in order to try and add 2 pounds of lean muscle, then I'll cut again to try to get down to 13-12%. I'll keep doing this until I get to where I want to be.

Incorporated some creatine to my preworkout on Friday and trained hard Friday and Saturday. I ate really good & clean all last week while offsetting what little bit of calories I went over with cardio after my weight resistance to keep everything at 1350/day. Woke up this morning and couldn't believe my eyes at how my shoulders (front, mid and rear delts), chest and bi-ceps have filled out in a matter of days. Really starting to get excited about the results I'm seeing.

The people at the gym and a handful of friends that I discuss my regimen to, try to tell me I'm doing it backwards; that I should bulk and add as much muscle as I can. They tell me that it's easier to drop body fat when you're bigger. I keep trying to explain that everyone has different goals and that in order to get where I want, it's like rebuliding a home damaged in a fire; I can't just build on top of the damage that was left behind. I have clear everything down to the foundation and rebuild it from there.

Originally Posted by Rmtt

Plus.....you started at one extreme and pulled yourself out of it. That's a feat that is few and far between.

You've done what 95% of the population couldn't, so I know you have no issues with dedication and being patient.

I appreciate that and the advice you've given me. I'm actually one the most impatient people on the planet, but this entire process is teaching me a lot. Forcing me to learn patience and being even more meticulous when it comes to what I eat, which is in turn teaching me more self control. Crazy experience all the way around. When I started I just wanted to lose some weight, I wasn't expecting to get quite so submerged into all this. I've learned you can't half-ass do it though, it's all or nothing.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by Now_Rudi

My main reason for bulking back in August was it seemed like no matter what I did, I couldn't drop past 19% body fat. Considering percentages are based off of two numbers, I thought I would eat more, add some muscle then cut again to offset the numbers. Now that I've finally dropped the fat I gained, it worked....a little. My goal for the next few months was to continue to cut hard and try my damnedest to get to 10%. After cutting for 6 weeks now, I've decided that might be a bit too extreme. I'm going to get to around 14-15% (should happen in the next 6 weeks according to my math). Then I'll add 200 calories/day for a month, in order to try and add 2 pounds of lean muscle, then I'll cut again to try to get down to 13-12%. I'll keep doing this until I get to where I want to be.

Incorporated some creatine to my preworkout on Friday and trained hard Friday and Saturday. I ate really good & clean all last week while offsetting what little bit of calories I went over with cardio after my weight resistance to keep everything at 1350/day. Woke up this morning and couldn't believe my eyes at how my shoulders (front, mid and rear delts), chest and bi-ceps have filled out in a matter of days. Really starting to get excited about the results I'm seeing.

The people at the gym and a handful of friends that I discuss my regimen to, try to tell me I'm doing it backwards; that I should bulk and add as much muscle as I can. They tell me that it's easier to drop body fat when you're bigger. I keep trying to explain that everyone has different goals and that in order to get where I want, it's like rebuliding a home damaged in a fire; I can't just build on top of the damage that was left behind. I have clear everything down to the foundation and rebuild it from there.



I appreciate that and the advice you've given me. I'm actually one the most impatient people on the planet, but this entire process is teaching me a lot. Forcing me to learn patience and being even more meticulous when it comes to what I eat, which is in turn teaching me more self control. Crazy experience all the way around. When I started I just wanted to lose some weight, I wasn't expecting to get quite so submerged into all this. I've learned you can't half-ass do it though, it's all or nothing.

It's a little more complex than they are making it out to be. Sure...carrying more muscle means that you burn more calories, but if you bulk at a high BF percentage, you aren't setting yourself up properly. At that point your body is used to excess calories...and it will store them as fat as that is far easier than creating new muscle tissue.

When you go to cut, you want your body to be as sensitive to insulin as possible. This is what controls the partitioning effect. When sensitivity is high, you tend to partition extra calories into the muscle and glycogen. But this only goes on for so long. But that's the process for both cutting and bulking.

When you cut for so long...you will eventually hit a wall. Your thyroid output is low, leptin levels drop, and ghrelin levels raise. At that point, you will start losing muscle almost as fast as you can lose body-fat cause your body needs fuel.

Now in the past when I have hit that point...but still wanted to continue cutting, that is where I would start adding strategic re-feeds. It only takes 3-4 days of a small surplus to bring those hormones back into range. In fact...it's a theory you can test for yourself.

I have told people in the past who wanted to get really lean...monitor your body temperature. Take it in the morning at the same time to establish a base temp. As you diet, you will eventually hit that wall...and you will see a drop in your average body temp. That is your metabolism slowing down. Once you see you aren't making progress, add food back in and you will see your base body temp come back up over the course of a few days. Continue eating like that for another 2-3 days, then go back to your cut. 98% of the time...that would be all that was needed for progress to resume.

Or that is where you stop and do what you are planning. You go back to bulking and take advantage of the "rebound" which just means your body is primed for growth. You ride that out until your body goes back to more of a fat storing protocol as it finally sees it's getting an excess of calories...then you go back to cutting and start all over again.

Doing it like that allows you to slowly build muscle, and over time...each phase you go through returns better and better results as the added muscle you put on allows you to diet on less of a calorie deficit...thus delaying the diminished hormone processes I described above.

Eventually you will see both sides of the spectrum expanding. You will find yourself able to bulk longer without what I call "spill-over", but you also find that you don't have to cut as long as you did in the past as your body is carrying more muscle and helps speed this up. This is what they are talking about.

Than you can set a certain goal for yourself. Like with me, I may bulk until I see 12%-13%...then cut until I am at 8%-9%. And I just go back and forth. You may think you aren't making fast enough progress, but I can promise you that even 5lbs-7lbs gained over the course of a year if it is lean muscle will make a huge impact in how you look!

I think you are doing great. The most important thing is that you are learning how your body works....most people never get that far.

[King Rudi]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

It's a little more complex than they are making it out to be. Sure...carrying more muscle means that you burn more calories, but if you bulk at a high BF percentage, you aren't setting yourself up properly. At that point your body is used to excess calories...and it will store them as fat as that is far easier than creating new muscle tissue.

When you go to cut, you want your body to be as sensitive to insulin as possible. This is what controls the partitioning effect. When sensitivity is high, you tend to partition extra calories into the muscle and glycogen. But this only goes on for so long. But that's the process for both cutting and bulking.

When you cut for so long...you will eventually hit a wall. Your thyroid output is low, leptin levels drop, and ghrelin levels raise. At that point, you will start losing muscle almost as fast as you can lose body-fat cause your body needs fuel.

Now in the past when I have hit that point...but still wanted to continue cutting, that is where I would start adding strategic re-feeds. It only takes 3-4 days of a small surplus to bring those hormones back into range. In fact...it's a theory you can test for yourself.

I have told people in the past who wanted to get really lean...monitor your body temperature. Take it in the morning at the same time to establish a base temp. As you diet, you will eventually hit that wall...and you will see a drop in your average body temp. That is your metabolism slowing down. Once you see you aren't making progress, add food back in and you will see your base body temp come back up over the course of a few days. Continue eating like that for another 2-3 days, then go back to your cut. 98% of the time...that would be all that was needed for progress to resume.

Or that is where you stop and do what you are planning. You go back to bulking and take advantage of the "rebound" which just means your body is primed for growth. You ride that out until your body goes back to more of a fat storing protocol as it finally sees it's getting an excess of calories...then you go back to cutting and start all over again.

Doing it like that allows you to slowly build muscle, and over time...each phase you go through returns better and better results as the added muscle you put on allows you to diet on less of a calorie deficit...thus delaying the diminished hormone processes I described above.

Eventually you will see both sides of the spectrum expanding. You will find yourself able to bulk longer without what I call "spill-over", but you also find that you don't have to cut as long as you did in the past as your body is carrying more muscle and helps speed this up. This is what they are talking about.

Than you can set a certain goal for yourself. Like with me, I may bulk until I see 12%-13%...then cut until I am at 8%-9%. And I just go back and forth. You may think you aren't making fast enough progress, but I can promise you that even 5lbs-7lbs gained over the course of a year if it is lean muscle will make a huge impact in how you look!

I think you are doing great. The most important thing is that you are learning how your body works....most people never get that far.

Again, much appreciation to the insight! I continue to train as if I am bulking and continue to add weight, even though I'm not in caloric surplus. I tend to do really well eating-wise, throughout the week, but on the weekends the girlfriend tends to want to feed me more than I normally eat. I still keep it relatively low but I can only attribute that the muscle gains are due to this. i suppose this has been an unintentional means of accomplishing what you have described above, albeit completely inadvertent. Ether way, it's working. I've also noticed that after the couple of small meals that I eat on the weekends that I typically do not eat throughout the week, then going back to watching every single calorie and my macros, that I'll drop 2-3 pounds by Wednesday - Thursday. When I started all this, I just wanted to not be fat anymore. I had no idea the process would consist of cycles, gaining/losing, etc. It's been a crazy little self experiment.

[UncleWede]

You know it was a good workout when you wake up, stand out of the bed and your legs just want to STRETCH and flex before you even walk out back to take a leak!! Soccer is doing that right now, Friday night game and I'm still feeling it this morning.

Why do sago palms weigh so much more than any other plant??? That was my dead-lifts for the weekend, carrying around big pots, filling them with dirt, then putting those damn sagos into place. Also dug out a deep hole (not quite long enough to put the wife in without bending her knees) to prep a new spot for a new avocado tree. They won't grow down if you need a pick-axe to bust up the soil.

[lsturbointeg]

had a good breakfast this morning. eating lunch here now and getting prepared to hit back when I go to the gym this evening. feeling good, feeling strong! love this JYM testosterone support!

[1MOREMOD]

Did some volume leg work this am. Mondays just try to pump them up some in between my other 2 leg workouts.

[JP10]

Tried a new gym today, it was awful. Small, half the equipment broken, and they still wanted $40 a month... didn't even have a locker room. 2/10 rating. Will report back after the next gym attempt (O2 fitness for those who want to know)

Regardless got a solid workout in, just was frustrating working around all the narps

[Rmtt]

At last......officially broke 210lbs. Weighed 210.3 at this morning's weigh in! My appetite is through the roof. I'm going to keep going as long as my pants will fit although they are getting uncomfortable in the legs, but loose enough in the waist to still require a belt.

Check out those 16" guns!! Lol

[lsturbointeg]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

At last......officially broke 210lbs. Weighed 210.3 at this morning's weigh in! My appetite is through the roof. I'm going to keep going as long as my pants will fit although they are getting uncomfortable in the legs, but loose enough in the waist to still require a belt.

veiny penis...that's all I see

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by lsturbointeg

veiny penis...that's all I see

Quit projecting your desires on the rest of us

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by lsturbointeg

veiny penis...that's all I see

Lol.....

Imagine if there were weight training exercises for they body part! Wonder how much more veins you could develop.

[1MOREMOD]

That aint 16? Mine measure 18.5 hot and look smaller

[lsturbointeg]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

Lol.....

Imagine if there were weight training exercises for they body part! Wonder how much more veins you could develop.

who would use those equipments knowing some dude's sweaty veiny junk was all over it lol! you know what comes to mind are those neck supports guys use to build a bigger neck

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by lsturbointeg

who would use those equipments knowing some dude's sweaty veiny junk was all over it lol! you know what comes to mind are those neck supports guys use to build a bigger neck

Definitely something for your personal home gym!

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

That aint 16? Mine measure 18.5 hot and look smaller

I've got a smaller body frame than you!!

Honestly though, the last time I measured they were about 1/8" shy of 18". I figure with my current weight gain.... I should be at or around the 18" mark.

Your bicep is probably twice the length of mine, so you have more room to fill up than I do. Shorter arms can look more impressive than they really are!

[1MOREMOD]

So I need 22s is what you're telling me

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

So I need 22s is what you're telling me

Not at all. To me....muscle is nothing more than illusion. Cut back on shoulder work, your arms look bigger. Some definition in the side delt tie-in, your arms will look bigger.

It's all about perspective. Now granted you are a big guy, so it means you have to gain more weight than I would for it to be noticble.

But you could emphasize certain areas of the biceps to make them appear bigger.

But from pics I've seen, I think a lot is in your perception of yourself. You see yourself everyday. Others who don't would look at you and think differently...like damn....that dude has some guns.

To me....anything 17" and up are big. Especially when your average untrained person is typically in the 11"-14" range. Most people that train have issues gettin to 18".

I wouldn't worry about it. You look like a bodybuilder and that's all that matters!

[1MOREMOD]

Heres me looking slightly bigger these days

[lsturbointeg]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Heres me looking slightly bigger these days

Yup! The dog looks pretty big looking big brother! Getting ready to hit the gym for a pretty good shoulder workout!