Fitness |OT| A New Era Begins

[Psychotext]

A while back we talked about dexa scan accuracy. I wanted to post the study back then but did not have the time to find it. I think a lot of youtubers, even ones I follow and respect, put the dexa scan on a pedestal. From what I understand, it is more accurate on fatter individuals and less on lean. But then it is used to track changes and this study shows that is clearly not the case. Often described as the gold standard , that is patently false as the MRI has been shown to be 99% accurate when compared to post mortem. The MRI is not something accessible to most people though, so dexa scan has some place still and I think the value there is somewhat weak since it is still expensive (apparently not everywhere, do not bite my head off please) for what you get.

Full study here:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-46428-w

As you can see, the results are pretty bad for DEXA scans accuracy compared to MRI (again, shown 99% accurate compared to the only way we know how to actually measure which is in a cadaver). The top dot, for example, shows the DEXA result as 10% increase in muscle mass but in reality they were only 3% according to the MRI. The highest change in muscle mass shown at the farthest right dot was about 14% increase and yet the Dexa scan showed only like a% 6 or 7% increase. And there was an instance where Dexa showed a loss in muscle mass but MRI reveals they actually gained about 12-13% muscle mass. That is incredulous. This is not showing the within 1-2% error claim I have seen over reddit and youtube.



So I am curious how previous studies based on DXA may be re-examined or returned to.

I think it is relevant to note that DXA scans overestimated about as often as it underestimated, making it difficult to determine which occurs on an individual basis without the MRI to back it up.

Call me a hater of dexa scans, whatever. I do not hate dexa scans. I do think they are overhyped. And I think it is kinda important to know the limitations, like knowing the limitations of BMI is important when using BMI as a tool, same with CICO, calipers, impedance, etc..

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I've never had one, never will. Seems like a bunch of cash to give me a number that doesn't really mean anything / that I can't really do anything with (and apparently a not massively reliable number either).

Edit - Shame that was the last post on the page. I've edited a quote in.

Oh... I've just realised that I might need to have one for bone density, but that's obviously a different story (and I'm not paying for it!).

 

[Oliver James]

So I hit up the gym and was gonna do the deadlift(I finally got to the biggest plates, next week, bodyweight!) when I probably locked eyes with another dude in the gym and he suddenly started speaking. So I removed my headphones and he was asking me if I needed help with lifting what was a little bit below my bodyweight. I was crestfallen.

Then a few moments later this other guy smiled at me so I removed my headphones again and he started talking about deadlifts and that I should buy a belt or else I'll get internal bleeding like he did. He also showed me that I should pull sumo but I told him I didn't know how to, I lifted the thing and he told me my form was good, and also he then proceeded to tell me that I've got good mass from what I was doing so that boosted me up.

Also he told me to buy gloves, I showed him my callouses and he touched them then he removed his gloves and he also wanted me to touch his hands and they were so soft. He told me I should take carw and love myself first before others will love me, something to that effect.

Is the internal bleeding true? Next week, bodyweight! I'm going to deadlift and squat my bodyweight, hurray.

 

[GrapeApes]

Watching that... I definitely wouldn't be doing drop sets with them. That, or I do drop sets far quicker than you're supposed to. lol

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Yeah those probably not optimal if you trying to do anything that requires changing the weight quickly.

Is the internal bleeding true? Next week, bodyweight! I'm going to deadlift and squat my bodyweight, hurray.

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Can't see getting internal bleeding from deadlifting. Sounds like bullshit unless this guy's form was WOAT. Pass on gloves and I think you were being hit on.

 

[lenovox1]

So I hit up the gym and was gonna do the deadlift(I finally got to the biggest plates, next week, bodyweight!) when I probably locked eyes with another dude in the gym and he suddenly started speaking. So I removed my headphones and he was asking me if I needed help with lifting what was a little bit below my bodyweight. I was crestfallen.

Then a few moments later this other guy smiled at me so I removed my headphones again and he started talking about deadlifts and that I should buy a belt or else I'll get internal bleeding like he did. He also showed me that I should pull sumo but I told him I didn't know how to, I lifted the thing and he told me my form was good, and also he then proceeded to tell me that I've got good mass from what I was doing so that boosted me up.

Also he told me to buy gloves, I showed him my callouses and he touched them then he removed his gloves and he also wanted me to touch his hands and they were so soft. He told me I should take carw and love myself first before others will love me, something to that effect.

Is the internal bleeding true? Next week, bodyweight! I'm going to deadlift and squat my bodyweight, hurray.

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The second guy was definitely hitting on you

 

[VenomousCoffee]

Dear Planet Fitness,

I never thought this would happen to me, but there I was on the deadlift platform when .........

 

[A Strong Latte]

Something about the deadlift that makes people hit on you and talk to you

 

[Tuorom]

So I hit up the gym and was gonna do the deadlift(I finally got to the biggest plates, next week, bodyweight!) when I probably locked eyes with another dude in the gym and he suddenly started speaking. So I removed my headphones and he was asking me if I needed help with lifting what was a little bit below my bodyweight. I was crestfallen.

Then a few moments later this other guy smiled at me so I removed my headphones again and he started talking about deadlifts and that I should buy a belt or else I'll get internal bleeding like he did. He also showed me that I should pull sumo but I told him I didn't know how to, I lifted the thing and he told me my form was good, and also he then proceeded to tell me that I've got good mass from what I was doing so that boosted me up.

Also he told me to buy gloves, I showed him my callouses and he touched them then he removed his gloves and he also wanted me to touch his hands and they were so soft. He told me I should take carw and love myself first before others will love me, something to that effect.

Is the internal bleeding true? Next week, bodyweight! I'm going to deadlift and squat my bodyweight, hurray.

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Take advice from random gym goers with a grain of salt.

You likely will not get internal bleeding. There was probably other factors involved for that guy. Anecdotal, I have never used a weightlifting belt and I don't think it is really necessary until you are hitting very heavy numbers. Make sure your abdominal muscles are strong through isolated work and you are golden. That is one of their jobs after all, stabilization.

Get gloves if you want baby soft hands, otherwise they are unnecessary. The best thing for grip is chalk.

Good work on the progression! Keep it up, that's a great milestone to achieve.

 

[PoppaBK]

A while back we talked about dexa scan accuracy. I wanted to post the study back then but did not have the time to find it. I think a lot of youtubers, even ones I follow and respect, put the dexa scan on a pedestal. From what I understand, it is more accurate on fatter individuals and less on lean. But then it is used to track changes and this study shows that is clearly not the case. Often described as the gold standard , that is patently false as the MRI has been shown to be 99% accurate when compared to post mortem. The MRI is not something accessible to most people though, so dexa scan has some place still and I think the value there is somewhat weak since it is still expensive (apparently not everywhere, do not bite my head off please) for what you get.

Full study here:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-46428-w

As you can see, the results are pretty bad for DEXA scans accuracy compared to MRI (again, shown 99% accurate compared to the only way we know how to actually measure which is in a cadaver). The top dot, for example, shows the DEXA result as 10% increase in muscle mass but in reality they were only 3% according to the MRI. The highest change in muscle mass shown at the farthest right dot was about 14% increase and yet the Dexa scan showed only like a% 6 or 7% increase. And there was an instance where Dexa showed a loss in muscle mass but MRI reveals they actually gained about 12-13% muscle mass. That is incredulous. This is not showing the within 1-2% error claim I have seen over reddit and youtube.



So I am curious how previous studies based on DXA may be re-examined or returned to.

I think it is relevant to note that DXA scans overestimated about as often as it underestimated, making it difficult to determine which occurs on an individual basis without the MRI to back it up.

Call me a hater of dexa scans, whatever. I do not hate dexa scans. I do think they are overhyped. And I think it is kinda important to know the limitations, like knowing the limitations of BMI is important when using BMI as a tool, same with CICO, calipers, impedance, etc..

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Here is the graph anyone cares about. Decent correlation even when looking at a thigh.

This study is purely looking at thigh muscle mass before and after 10 weeks of training. A thigh muscle weighs about 10 pounds - so even a 10% change is a 1lb difference. After 10 weeks of training. No-one but the weirdest narcist is gonna be getting a Dexa scan every two months and really caring if they increased their muscle mass by 1lb.
Factor in that this is muscle mass vs muscle volume and these results seem completely irrelevant to anyone who is using Dexa scan for evaluating their body.
For the record I have never had a Dexa scan, I measure my bodyfat by one of those super inacurate scale thingies and the age old technique of looking in the mirror.

 

[Adventureracing]

So I hit up the gym and was gonna do the deadlift(I finally got to the biggest plates, next week, bodyweight!) when I probably locked eyes with another dude in the gym and he suddenly started speaking. So I removed my headphones and he was asking me if I needed help with lifting what was a little bit below my bodyweight. I was crestfallen.

Then a few moments later this other guy smiled at me so I removed my headphones again and he started talking about deadlifts and that I should buy a belt or else I'll get internal bleeding like he did. He also showed me that I should pull sumo but I told him I didn't know how to, I lifted the thing and he told me my form was good, and also he then proceeded to tell me that I've got good mass from what I was doing so that boosted me up.

Also he told me to buy gloves, I showed him my callouses and he touched them then he removed his gloves and he also wanted me to touch his hands and they were so soft. He told me I should take carw and love myself first before others will love me, something to that effect.

Is the internal bleeding true? Next week, bodyweight! I'm going to deadlift and squat my bodyweight, hurray.

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How would you get internal bleeding from deadlifts? A hernia maybe.

 

[Psychotext]

Could have torn something they'd previously injured I guess.

Clearly flirting though, so I wouldn't pay much attention. :D

 

[EssBeeVee]

i haven't really been working out for months now. all i do is eat. its not even bulking at this point lol.

How would you get internal bleeding from deadlifts? A hernia maybe.

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could be a pulled groin. may have some bruising around the area. ive seen pictures of people i follow on IG. maybe it was from squatting.

 

[mjc]

You ever consider Ironmaster? Tend to trust this guys reviews.

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Yeah I was looking at them too, although they're pricier than Powerblock or Bowflex. The durability is a nice function for them, compared to those two.

I'd like to be able to expand past 50/75lbs too if need be. Not sure if Ironmaster has a decently priced expansion option for that price.

Edit: I also have concerns about the speed of changing weights compared to the other guys, although that's not the end of the world.

 

[jvalioli]

So I hit up the gym and was gonna do the deadlift(I finally got to the biggest plates, next week, bodyweight!) when I probably locked eyes with another dude in the gym and he suddenly started speaking. So I removed my headphones and he was asking me if I needed help with lifting what was a little bit below my bodyweight. I was crestfallen.

Then a few moments later this other guy smiled at me so I removed my headphones again and he started talking about deadlifts and that I should buy a belt or else I'll get internal bleeding like he did. He also showed me that I should pull sumo but I told him I didn't know how to, I lifted the thing and he told me my form was good, and also he then proceeded to tell me that I've got good mass from what I was doing so that boosted me up.

Also he told me to buy gloves, I showed him my callouses and he touched them then he removed his gloves and he also wanted me to touch his hands and they were so soft. He told me I should take carw and love myself first before others will love me, something to that effect.

Is the internal bleeding true? Next week, bodyweight! I'm going to deadlift and squat my bodyweight, hurray.

Click to shrink...

This guy doesn't know what he is talking about and is probably just trying to hit on you.

Gloves are bad for deadlifting. If you care about the raw deadlift, use chalk during and lotion after. If you don't care, then just use straps. I deadlift heavy once a week and for volume once a week and my hands are pretty soft.

Belts are useful but not necessary. I only wear mine for my top set. No internal bleeding yet as far as I know.

I dropped weight to 179 and did 177.5x2 for OHP this week so I'm going to prematurely call victory on a bodyweight OHP.

 

[joeblackisback]

I feel like gloves would probably be detrimental to your grip on deadlifts, but I've never tried it myself. And you were definitely getting hit on, so take that little confidence bump and stick it in your pocket. :D

On a side note, is anyone else hyper sensitive about noticing their weight/shape changes? I've got kids, so lifting has to fit around that and sometimes it falls off the board. Likewise for food, sometimes I've got to just make do. So when I'm off a week at the gym or if I've eaten like shit for a couple days, I always notice in my body. A little extra pudge, a softer bicep, whatever. My wife says I'm crazy but there are definitely small changes that happen after only a short stint of binging or the like. I can't be the only one this happens to, right?

 

[lenovox1]

I feel like gloves would probably be detrimental to your grip on deadlifts, but I've never tried it myself. And you were definitely getting hit on, so take that little confidence bump and stick it in your pocket. :D

On a side note, is anyone else hyper sensitive about noticing their weight/shape changes? I've got kids, so lifting has to fit around that and sometimes it falls off the board. Likewise for food, sometimes I've got to just make do. So when I'm off a week at the gym or if I've eaten like shit for a couple days, I always notice in my body. A little extra pudge, a softer bicep, whatever. My wife says I'm crazy but there are definitely small changes that happen after only a short stint of binging or the like. I can't be the only one this happens to, right?

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What you're probably noticing is fluctuating water weight.

 

[viciouskillersquirrel]

I feel like gloves would probably be detrimental to your grip on deadlifts, but I've never tried it myself. And you were definitely getting hit on, so take that little confidence bump and stick it in your pocket. :D

On a side note, is anyone else hyper sensitive about noticing their weight/shape changes? I've got kids, so lifting has to fit around that and sometimes it falls off the board. Likewise for food, sometimes I've got to just make do. So when I'm off a week at the gym or if I've eaten like shit for a couple days, I always notice in my body. A little extra pudge, a softer bicep, whatever. My wife says I'm crazy but there are definitely small changes that happen after only a short stint of binging or the like. I can't be the only one this happens to, right?

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I often feel like a fat disgusting pig when I look at myself in the mirror first thing in the morning. Thing is by the time I've eaten something, finished my workout, had a shower and gotten dressed, I feel much better and the image in the mirror looks like a million bucks.

Body dysmorphia is real.

 

[Nelo Ice]

So started 5/3/1 BBB again and I must have set my DL 1 rep max too low lol. On the 2nd week and I did 8x195 on my AMRAP set. Then did 2 jokers and probably could have done more.

 

[Mobius and Pet Octopus]

Despite knowing about creatine for the past 15-20 years, I never actually tried supplementing it. I also never realized how cheap it is, so I figured why not try it now. So that should arrive tomorrow.

I am not sure how long I am going to bulk for. I seem to have gained more weight than I guessed I would have, but it I suspect a lot of it is water weight and my weight has actually gone down over the past couple days and so has my stress levels about it. I actually chose to not weigh myself for over a week, which for me is a long time. But now I am weighing myself every day again and feel better about it lol.

Well, I am not trying to be super bulky anyway. I rather be cut and lean than bulky. But I do want to commit to this bulk for at least 2 months, if not 3. And I am about 2-3 weeks in depending on whether you would count the first 2 weeks of maintenance intake as part of that. At the end of my bulk I may do a carb refeed then jump into a cut period to get back down to what I consider my ideal weight which is I think between 150-165lbs.

Also, I definitely relate to that lenovox1 viciouskillersquirrel about body dysmorphia stuff. I think it is fairly common. I also think everyone has different focal points on their body they obsess over and different angles they do not like, but a lot of it I suspect is just bias and nonsense. Lately, I try to focus more on how I feel and try to reflect on that than I do with the mirror, the scale, or any other single metric.

 

[jvalioli]

So started 5/3/1 BBB again and I must have set my DL 1 rep max too low lol. On the 2nd week and I did 8x195 on my AMRAP set. Then did 2 jokers and probably could have done more.

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This isn't too abnormal. Iirc the first month should be pretty easy.

 

[Mobius and Pet Octopus]

Everything feels off for me today. I woke up half an hour early with a leg cramp (I have not had leg cramps in 6+ months). I was tired, despite getting a solid 7 hours of sleep. My legs were heavy, which may just be because of carrying extra weight this past week or two. Was even hungry, which for me is a very rare occurrence on a day that I fast til noon (and I ate plenty of food yesterday as a part of my bulk). I go to gym regardless, still fasted but not hungry and also feeling much better. But then my arms are like... disobedient and do not want to do pull ups. I did 2 sets of 5 with 3 negatives each and then 1 set of negatives only. When it came to dips I just left the weights off, but still had a rough time. After that I did my core exercises but skipped deadlifts, squats, skipped chest press+pull and did like... some leg curls. Oh well, better than nothing.

I am planning on changing my routine, largely from 3 days to 5 or 6 days. But before that I think I may do a couple deloading sessions, give my fatigue a chance to dissipate better.

 

[jvalioli]

Everything feels off for me today. I woke up half an hour early with a leg cramp (I have not had leg cramps in 6+ months). I was tired, despite getting a solid 7 hours of sleep. My legs were heavy, which may just be because of carrying extra weight this past week or two. Was even hungry, which for me is a very rare occurrence on a day that I fast til noon (and I ate plenty of food yesterday as a part of my bulk). I go to gym regardless, still fasted but not hungry and also feeling much better. But then my arms are like... disobedient and do not want to do pull ups. I did 2 sets of 5 with 3 negatives each and then 1 set of negatives only. When it came to dips I just left the weights off, but still had a rough time. After that I did my core exercises but skipped deadlifts, squats, skipped chest press+pull and did like... some leg curls. Oh well, better than nothing.

I am planning on changing my routine, largely from 3 days to 5 or 6 days. But before that I think I may do a couple deloading sessions, give my fatigue a chance to dissipate better.

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Why are you moving from 3 to 5-6 days? If you are accumulating a lot of fatigue on a 3 day program then a 5 day program is going to kill you(r gains).

 

[Mobius and Pet Octopus]

Why are you moving from 3 to 5-6 days? If you are accumulating a lot of fatigue on a 3 day program then a 5 day program is going to kill you(r gains).

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I do not think 1 off day is very significant. I probably just did not sleep as well as normal.

Plus I think when it comes to switching from 3 to 5, my goal is to largely have more intensity with the same volume. Plus a shorter session. Largely the same fatigue, just spread out different. It should both improve recovery and intensity.

 

[Tuorom]

I do not think 1 off day is very significant. I probably just did not sleep as well as normal.

Plus I think when it comes to switching from 3 to 5, my goal is to largely have more intensity with the same volume. Plus a shorter session. Largely the same fatigue, just spread out different. It should both improve recovery and intensity.

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I would think a 3 day would be higher intensity than a 5 day which would be lower intensity but higher volume or frequency.

 

[Mobius and Pet Octopus]

I would think a 3 day would be higher intensity than a 5 day which would be lower intensity but higher volume or frequency.

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My goal is not an increase in overall volume. I am going to be doing less per day. It will be a 2 week period. So week 1 will be 3 days of upper and 2 days of lower. Week 2 will be 3 lowers and 2 uppers. By going more frequently I can be fresher for each set than if I compiled the 2 days on a single day. If I get an actual increase in volume it will likely be core exercises, which are smaller muscles and recover faster. But intensity is something I think I can increase when I know I do not have another 60 minutes to go through after my first two sets.

I like the full body workout but I think I will like going more often for shorter durations even more tbh.

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

What are your guys opinions on how many sets per body part you should do to gain muscle/strength? Are you guys in the realm of 10-20 sets per body part per week?

 

[VenomousCoffee]

My entire strength training is this:

Friday
Squat 5 sets
OHP 5 sets
WPU 5 sets

Repeat on Monday.

That's it. Two weeks of 5 rep sets, one week of 3 rep sets, progressive loading similar to 5/3/1.

 

[Mobius and Pet Octopus]

What are your guys opinions on how many sets per body part you should do to gain muscle/strength? Are you guys in the realm of 10-20 sets per body part per week?

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This is my understanding based on watching Jeff Nippard videos. Lower sets for more intense compound movements and higher sets for less intense or isolated movements. Past a certain amount and it is just wasted effort since you will not get any gains.

I think you also want to ensure you do a pull movement for every push, which helps ensure you do not get muscle imbalance. So like if you do bench press, you want to do the opposite which would be a row.

 

[joeblackisback]

I often feel like a fat disgusting pig when I look at myself in the mirror first thing in the morning. Thing is by the time I've eaten something, finished my workout, had a shower and gotten dressed, I feel much better and the image in the mirror looks like a million bucks.

Body dysmorphia is real.

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It's wild, it never bothered me until the last few years. Probably because I'm getting older (turned 40 this year) and I'm afraid of falling apart. Add another quirk to the list, I guess lol

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

What are your guys opinions on how many sets per body part you should do to gain muscle/strength? Are you guys in the realm of 10-20 sets per body part per week?

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If you're new to lifting it doesn't matter, pretty much anything will work. After that i've had to follow a strength program to increase my main lifts, where we'd do reps of 12 then the weight would increase from there, eventually getting down to the 1-4 range after about 6 weeks.

Bodybuilding programs are generally higher in reps and volume, but some hypertrophy can help in a strength program, and some strength training can help in a body building program. Basically low reps/high intensity is good, and high reps/lower intensity is good too. It just depends on what your goals are.

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

Yeah. Currently my routine is upper heavy, lower heavy, off, hypertrophy back/bis, chest/shoulders/tris, legs.

My heavy compound lifts I've followed a 5/3/1 for the past month.

my goal is to just build muscle and look good. But I guess you need to build strength in order to build muscle.

I could vary the reps on certain weeks while continuing to progressively overload.

 

[Psychotext]

My entire strength training is this:

Friday
Squat 5 sets
OHP 5 sets
WPU 5 sets

Repeat on Monday.

That's it. Two weeks of 5 rep sets, one week of 3 rep sets, progressive loading similar to 5/3/1.

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Literally just that? Because if so you're asking for injuries / strength imbalances eventually. Don't get me wrong, compounds are great, but you do definitely want to be doing accessory lifts to cover the smaller muscles / stabilisers.

 

[VenomousCoffee]

Literally just that? Because if so you're asking for injuries / strength imbalances eventually. Don't get me wrong, compounds are great, but you do definitely want to be doing accessory lifts to cover the smaller muscles / stabilisers.

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Just that for max strength training, yes. 4 days a week I do conditioning (rucking, jogging, burpees, sprints, etc.). I use a S&C program for military and LE. I've been doing this for about 20 months and I feel far better than I did when I was doing what you're referencing.

 

[The Fabled Englishman]

Just that for max strength training, yes. 4 days a week I do conditioning (rucking, jogging, burpees, sprints, etc.). I use a S&C program for military and LE. I've been doing this for about 20 months and I feel far better than I did when I was doing what you're referencing.

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That doesn't seem like a particularly useful or effective strength program, but you do you. I dunno why you wouldn't just do starting strength or FB 3 days a week (depending on experience) if you want free days for conditioning. At least incorporate a proper chest exercise.

 

[VenomousCoffee]

That doesn't seem like a particularly useful or effective strength program, but you do you. I dunno why you wouldn't just do starting strength or FB 3 days a week (depending on experience) if you want free days for conditioning. At least incorporate a proper chest exercise.

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It's building maximum strength for legs, upper body pressing, and upper body back, using the most effective exercise for each. Why isn't that useful or effective?

I'm curious as to what a "proper chest exercise" is and why it should be included.

 

[Mobius and Pet Octopus]

I have always been lead to understand you want a balanced routine. A pull for every push, for example, so you are stimulating every muscle and not focusing too much on a single type of movement. All three of those exercises are push exercises, they certainly leave muscles out of the equation. For example with squats, they do not really put any tension on your hamstring. But deadlifts, which are lower body pull movement, do hit the hamstring. Push ups alone might hit your chest, while rows would hit the back. I am assuming the opposing movement for OHP would be something like a pull up or lateral pulldown.

That said, I think it depends on what your goals are. I could see why someone might emphasize a single movement type, but for a long period? Seems like it leads to imbalance, would be my conclusion.

 

[The Fabled Englishman]

It's building maximum strength for legs, upper body pressing, and upper body back, using the most effective exercise for each. Why isn't that useful or effective?

I'm curious as to what a "proper chest exercise" is and why it should be included.

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Speaking personally, I would not be replacing a flat bench with OHP by itself - but then, I wouldn't be replacing deadlifts with WPUs either. To me, OHP is primarily an exercise for delts. If I were to attempt to replace bench (flat, incline, dumbell, barbell or otherwise) with something else, I'd probably try to combine OHP with weighted dips or similar.

 

[VenomousCoffee]

Speaking personally, I would not be replacing a flat bench with OHP by itself - but then, I wouldn't be replacing deadlifts with WPUs either. To me, OHP is primarily an exercise for delts. If I were to attempt to replace bench (flat, incline, dumbell, barbell or otherwise) with something else, I'd probably try to combine OHP with weighted dips or similar.

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Okay, you would do that, but why is it a better choice? I've already posted that over Xmas I benched 315 x 4 despite not doing any benching (flat or incline) at all for over a year, so you can't possibly think it's a strength issue. And I've already posted that my joints feel better using OHP instead of BP; I don't know anyone who thinks that BP is joint-friendly. And BP isn't very good at building your pecs (which I don't want anyway). So again, please explain why I should be using it.

And I can make a similar argument for DL. You can build a strong DL without DLing regularly, but the same is not true for squats. The only way to build strong legs is to squat, so that's why I use it. And even though I haven't DLed in over a year, I'd be surprised if my DL 1RM is under 495. So again, I can't really imagine it's a strength issue.

I could see a problem with overuse and lack of variety if those two days were all I was doing. But as I said, I'm doing workouts like "2 hour jog" and "do burpees for half an hour," so I don't see much of an issue there either.

 

[EssBeeVee]

so i got my tax moniez and put it away so i don't spend it so im saving up until end of year sales. can't wait to buy my equipment and just have it sitting there unassembled for a couple of years lol

 

[Psychotext]

Just that for max strength training, yes. 4 days a week I do conditioning (rucking, jogging, burpees, sprints, etc.). I use a S&C program for military and LE. I've been doing this for about 20 months and I feel far better than I did when I was doing what you're referencing.

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That's fine, you made it seem like that was literally all you did. The conditioning would cover the rest.

 

[jvalioli]

The muscle imbalance thing doesn't have anything to do with strength or joints. It can cause you to develop nonspecific pain, typically for lifters in the lower back or shoulders. Basically the opposing muscles are so weak that the stronger muscle contracts even when you don't intend to.

Its possible that you can be imbalanced and never experience pain from it, in which case, does it really matter? Or it might be that you will get pain later in life. Who knows?

 

[Mobius and Pet Octopus]

So I figured out my issue on Wednesday where everything felt off. I had run out of my potassium salt a week or two ago and overtime became potassium deficient even though I was eating avocado and some chicken, just not enough. Yesterday added potassium salt to food and drinks and today had no cramps, woke up well, got to the gym super early and put up even stronger numbers than my last strong day. Moral of lesson, tracking all my foods helped me spot this problem and correct it.

 

[NTGYK]

I think I need some help crafting a proper routine, right now I feel like I'm doing a smattering of random things.

• Age: 30
• Height: 5' 10"
• Weight: 230
• Goal: 180
• Current Training Schedule: Hot Yoga Twice A Week. Strong Lifts 5 x 5 once or twice a week. Some circuit training
• Current Training Equipment Available: Squat Rack, Heavy Bag
• Comments:

So in the past, I've lost over 100 lbs, from 315 to 204, but in the last few months, a lot of life stuff has gotten in the way of my workouts and proper eating and now I've gone back to my bad diet habits and my workout schedule is pretty trash. I want to lose 40-50 lbs this year and get to a healthy weight/look.

I've started Strong Lifts 5 x 5 so as to at least have some kind of structure but to be honest, I feel like I'm spinning my wheels. What I'd like to do is have a schedule like this:

• 2 days a week of lifting
• 2 days a week of boxing/HIIT
• 2 days a week of hot yoga

I kind of have to take yoga due a car accident injury from a few years ago and I finally broke down and took my doctor's advice. I think I've got what I'd like my schedule to be, but I don't know exactly what I should do. I've got access to a boxing gym and I enjoy hitting the bag, so I'd like to incorporate boxing for cardio work, lifting to get some muscle, and yoga to deal with my injuries and get some active rehab, with one day of rest. Is this a decent schedule? What exercises or drills should I be doing?

 

[Tuorom]

• 2 days a week of lifting
• 2 days a week of boxing/HIIT
• 2 days a week of hot yoga

I kind of have to take yoga due a car accident injury from a few years ago and I finally broke down and took my doctor's advice. I think I've got what I'd like my schedule to be, but I don't know exactly what I should do. I've got access to a boxing gym and I enjoy hitting the bag, so I'd like to incorporate boxing for cardio work, lifting to get some muscle, and yoga to deal with my injuries and get some active rehab, with one day of rest. Is this a decent schedule? What exercises or drills should I be doing?

Click to shrink...

Yea that's fine.

What exercises do you do right now with 5x5?

Trying to hit every muscle movement would be best for you since you are only doing it twice a week. So that would be like:
- A horizontal push movement like dips, push ups
- Vertical push like overhead press, handstand
- horizontal pulls like rows, band pull aparts, face pulls
- vert. pull like pull ups, cable pull down
- hinge movement like deadlift, squat, bulgarian split squat
- abdominal rigidity with hollow body, leg raises, wheel roll, etc. This helps greatly with energy transfer through the body and thus will improve everything.

Do the same thing every time because you want the frequency, while progressively making the exercises harder to create a stimulus needed for muscle growth. Give yourself 2-3 days between workouts for recovery. Something like workout, yoga, boxing, repeat would be fine.

 

[Mobius and Pet Octopus]

I think I need some help crafting a proper routine, right now I feel like I'm doing a smattering of random things.

• Age: 30
• Height: 5' 10"
• Weight: 230
• Goal: 180
• Current Training Schedule: Hot Yoga Twice A Week. Strong Lifts 5 x 5 once or twice a week. Some circuit training
• Current Training Equipment Available: Squat Rack, Heavy Bag
• Comments:

So in the past, I've lost over 100 lbs, from 315 to 204, but in the last few months, a lot of life stuff has gotten in the way of my workouts and proper eating and now I've gone back to my bad diet habits and my workout schedule is pretty trash. I want to lose 40-50 lbs this year and get to a healthy weight/look.

I've started Strong Lifts 5 x 5 so as to at least have some kind of structure but to be honest, I feel like I'm spinning my wheels. What I'd like to do is have a schedule like this:

• 2 days a week of lifting
• 2 days a week of boxing/HIIT
• 2 days a week of hot yoga

I kind of have to take yoga due a car accident injury from a few years ago and I finally broke down and took my doctor's advice. I think I've got what I'd like my schedule to be, but I don't know exactly what I should do. I've got access to a boxing gym and I enjoy hitting the bag, so I'd like to incorporate boxing for cardio work, lifting to get some muscle, and yoga to deal with my injuries and get some active rehab, with one day of rest. Is this a decent schedule? What exercises or drills should I be doing?

Click to shrink...

The activity that is going to move the dial the most is your diet. I suggest looking into intermittent fasting to help with a caloric restriction, or keto which is in my experience and opinion extremely effective (both are).

 

[NTGYK]

Yea that's fine.

What exercises do you do right now with 5x5?

Trying to hit every muscle movement would be best for you since you are only doing it twice a week. So that would be like:
- A horizontal push movement like dips, push ups
- Vertical push like overhead press, handstand
- horizontal pulls like rows, band pull aparts, face pulls
- vert. pull like pull ups, cable pull down
- hinge movement like deadlift, squat, bulgarian split squat
- abdominal rigidity with hollow body, leg raises, wheel roll, etc. This helps greatly with energy transfer through the body and thus will improve everything.

Do the same thing every time because you want the frequency, while progressively making the exercises harder to create a stimulus needed for muscle growth. Give yourself 2-3 days between workouts for recovery. Something like workout, yoga, boxing, repeat would be fine.

Click to shrink...

I do the main lifts, Squat, Overhead Press, Deadlift, Bench Press, Barbell Row. I also do a bit of skipping, and some bag work, but I know I'm totally unfocused.

The activity that is going to move the dial the most is your diet. I suggest looking into intermittent fasting to help with a caloric restriction, or keto which is in my experience and opinion extremely effective (both are).

Click to shrink...

I've done IF before and I had some success with it, but I haven't been able to stick to it for the last few months and I'm not sure why I don't have the willpower I did before.

 

[Ragnar]

Here is the graph anyone cares about. Decent correlation even when looking at a thigh.

This study is purely looking at thigh muscle mass before and after 10 weeks of training. A thigh muscle weighs about 10 pounds - so even a 10% change is a 1lb difference. After 10 weeks of training. No-one but the weirdest narcist is gonna be getting a Dexa scan every two months and really caring if they increased their muscle mass by 1lb.
Factor in that this is muscle mass vs muscle volume and these results seem completely irrelevant to anyone who is using Dexa scan for evaluating their body.
For the record I have never had a Dexa scan, I measure my bodyfat by one of those super inacurate scale thingies and the age old technique of looking in the mirror.

Click to shrink...

When I look at this I'm reminded that the threshold for what constitutes a good correlation varies wildly depending on your field of study. As a biologist, an r -value of 0.89 would be very rare and an incredibly strong correlation to me. But that's because there are so many confounding biological and ecological factors which play into it. Anything above 0.5 is respectable, and looking at a correlation this strong makes me happy.
An engineer on the other hand would probably scoff at anything below 0.9.

 

[Tuorom]

I do the main lifts, Squat, Overhead Press, Deadlift, Bench Press, Barbell Row. I also do a bit of skipping, and some bag work, but I know I'm totally unfocused.

Click to shrink...

I would just save the skipping and bag work for your boxing day, and focus on the strength exercises for your work out day. It doesn't sound as unfocused as you are thinking.

Warm up with a barbell complex ie. empty bar and do 10 deads, 10 rows, 10 power cleans, 10 overhead presses, 10 front squats
Continue onto your workout of squat, OHP, dead, bench, row

I would recommend a dumbbell bench over a barbell bench because it is better for shoulder health and activates more pec, if benching is your comfort zone. Otherwise dips are great and it is easy to progress with a weight belt.
Also in addition to rows I would add pull ups because pull ups are king.
If squating and deadlifting in one session is too depleting you can try doing one on either day and see how that feels, ie. one squat day, one dead day. Or you can do hex bar deads which are kinda in-between a squat and dead movement, and do that both days. And I would also recommend farmer carries with a hex bar because they are fantastic.

Write down what you do (so it is easy to see progression) and be consistent and you should be good.

 

[Bing-Bong]

So, after sometime thinking about it, i finally joined a gym. I'll start next Monday and, well, i have some doubts about where should i start considering i have back pains...

• Age: 21
• Height: 1'64 m
• Weight: 68kg
• Goal: 55kg (and feel better with myself)
• Current Training Schedule: ---
• Current Training Equipment Available: Whatever they have on the gym, is pretty big. I even have access to a pool, but I'm awful at swimming.
• Comments:
  • I have frequent back pains and i recently had to go to the hospital because of it. This back pains appeared when i started gaining weight last year. I'm scared of them or to get them worse by exercising the wrong way, but i want to do something to feel better. I know i can't lift, but i would like to know if there's any other kind of exercise i should avoid, or maybe if there's a good way to exercise my back to stop the pains.

Any help or advice would be really helpful, thanks.

 

[Tuorom]

So, after sometime thinking about it, i finally joined a gym. I'll start next Monday and, well, i have some doubts about where should i start considering i have back pains...

• Age: 21
• Height: 1'64 m
• Weight: 68kg
• Goal: 55kg (and feel better with myself)
• Current Training Schedule: ---
• Current Training Equipment Available: Whatever they have on the gym, is pretty big. I even have access to a pool, but I'm awful at swimming.
• Comments:
  • I have frequent back pains and i recently had to go to the hospital because of it. This back pains appeared when i started gaining weight last year. I'm scared of them or to get them worse by exercising the wrong way, but i want to do something to feel better. I know i can't lift, but i would like to know if there's any other kind of exercise i should avoid, or maybe if there's a good way to exercise my back to stop the pains.

Any help or advice would be really helpful, thanks.

Click to shrink...

How is your posture?

Have you worked out before or played sports or anything?

 

[Bing-Bong]

How is your posture?

Click to shrink...

I'll use this pic as a reference. I force myself to keep as the leftmost figure using some tricks the doctors gave to me, but right now my natural posture is like the rightmost one.

Have you worked out before or played sports or anything?

Click to shrink...

I used to power walk last year before starting my career, but maybe that doesn't really count.