Stories of Ones Obvious gains

[Xtcme]

While not sure how to Title this thread. What I want to read are stories of certain excercises you have seen Obvious Gains.

Heres mine.

A year ago while just starting on this journey, I used to hang from the wide grip pull up bar to stretch. I then tried to do One pull up. I could barely do one.

Yesterday at gym after my third set of 10 with 30 pound DB between ankles, I remembered when I couldnt do just one (without 30 pound db). WOW, what a truly rewarding hobby this weight lifting has become for me! Am I bigger, naw not really, am I stronger and healthier...OH YEA!

Any other good stories?

[asksmith]

Not really a gain story, but still like to tell due to the "over age 35" thing.

I was with my wife and kids at a car show. We went past a USMC recruiting station that had all kinds of free stuff to give away. I wanted a shirt...

~20 something y/o Marine calls me "Father Time", and tells me if I want a free shirt, I have to 20 pull ups.

I cranked out my 20 pullups, and got my free shirt. Father Time?!?!?! Little Punk!!!

[Fifty+]

Originally Posted by asksmith

Not really a gain story, but still like to tell due to the "over age 35" thing.

I was with my wife and kids at a car show. We went past a USMC recruiting station that had all kinds of free stuff to give away. I wanted a shirt...

~20 something y/o Marine calls me "Father Time", and tells me if I want a free shirt, I have to 20 pull ups.

I cranked out my 20 pullups, and got me free shirt. Father Time?!?!?! Little Punk!!!

Love it!! Unfortunately, the shirt was no longer free. You earned it. Good man..

[Rochq]

I've only been at it for a few months, but this past fall, just before I started, I bought a new suit and last week I needed it and it is way to big for me. Now it just hangs off of me. I need to get a new one and I haven't even worn it once.

This routine is costing me money. Is that a good thing?

[sytennison]

I've only been squatting and deadlifting for about two and a half years. I started out at 95 and 135 respectively. I'm now at 340 and 380 and will soon be at 350 and 400. I'd call those "obvious gains."

[Thunderman]

When I started 4 years ago I could only bench 35's 8 times. Now I can do 85 10 times. I can also curl 45's 8 times. I also get commented on by all my wife's friends :-) I am a very faithful husband though, my body is for my wife only.

[LyingSac]

i'm not getting any super strenghth gains,just slow and steady,all except the dip machine i'm dipping 405 4reps..don't know why but i'll take it.

[Bnk]

Originally Posted by Xtcme

While not sure how to Title this thread. What I want to read are stories of certain excercises you have seen Obvious Gains.

Heres mine.

A year ago while just starting on this journey, I used to hang from the wide grip pull up bar to stretch. I then tried to do One pull up. I could barely do one.

Yesterday at gym after my third set of 10 with 30 pound DB between ankles, I remembered when I couldnt do just one (without 30 pound db). WOW, what a truly rewarding hobby this weight lifting has become for me! Am I bigger, naw not really, am I stronger and healthier...OH YEA!

Any other good stories?

10 + 30lbs is very impressive at your weight. I am top heavy and a lot lighter than you so I have an easier time with pullups.

When I first got back into the gym last year (after a 10 year layoff), I could do 3 pullups and they were not very pretty. I can now do 12 with a 45lb plate and 5 with 90lbs.

I have also made obvious gains with regard to my bench press. When I got back into the gym, I started off struggling to rep 185lbs. I am now doing working sets with 275lbs and closing in on double my body weight for my 1 rep max, which has always been a goal of mine (current 1 rep max is 335)

[John Prophet]

at around 37-38 years of age (early 2005) I decided to work on my bench some since I hadnt benched in years. My best was an old 225x2 which was like in 1997. In the meantime I had tweaked my shoulder so I figured my benching days were long gone.

So I started a caveman simple 3x5 bench program 1x per week. My "long term" goal was to bench 275lbs. Even THAT was sort of stretching it as far as I was concerned. I figured maybe 6-8 months might get me to a 275 max.

long story short, I started at like 3x5 with 185lbs and in 10-12 weeks I was at 3x5 at 245. I then maxed 275 and shortly afterward maxed 290. Needless to say I was shocked.

Then I changed programs but got stuck and couldnt get 300 for love or money.

Then I did a sheiko program where I paused every single rep. Basically I just wanted to break 300. Starting with a 275 beginning max I ended up maxing at 315 paused. It was one of the most surreal experiences of my life even though 315 is no big deal.

That night I first maxed 305 and it wasnt THAT hard. So I loaded up 3 plates per side and it was like the whole gym was in slow motion like a movie. I walked across the gym to stay focused then I walked back and saw the bench there was 3 plates per side and the first thought thru my mind was "I wonder who is benching 3 plates?". Then I realized it was my bar, lol. I got the 315 paused, nice and smooth.

A few months later I got 322.5 So basically I added around 100 lbs to my bench in about 11 months.

early in 2005, if someone would have suggested I could EVER get to 315 I would have laughed. I couldnt even conceive of 315 and even 275 felt sort of like "pie in the sky". Just goes to show how we limit ourselves way 2 much

old story, been told many times by now. Its probably about time for me to get a new story

[StressMonkey]

Originally Posted by asksmith

~20 something y/o Marine calls me "Father Time", and tells me if I want a free shirt, I have to 20 pull ups.

I cranked out my 20 pullups, and got my free shirt. Father Time?!?!?! Little Punk!!!

20? Damn. They must not give away many shirts. How many average joes at a car show could do that many? How many could do one? Then again I guess they're not looking for average Joes!

What did he say to you when you did them?

[asksmith]

Originally Posted by StressMonkey

20? Damn. They must not give away many shirts. How many average joes at a car show could do that many? How many could do one? Then again I guess they're not looking for average Joes!

What did he say to you when you did them?

I guess I should've mentioned I was prior USMC. When I went to ask about the "giveaway", I had to fill out a card, prior to doing any pullups. I'm sure the recruiter loved seeing a card for a 35 y/o dude, married with kids.

When I hit 10 they started giving me "sh!t", 15 reps they started getting quiet. I hit 20, got off the bar, and asked for my shirt. Then I mentioned I was a former Marine, and got some Semper Fi's!!!

[Thunderman]

Dude, you look AWESOME!! You are an ectomorph I see. I think we might have the exact same build (me minus the extreme rippedness that you have) how long did it take for you to get to where you are?

Originally Posted by Bnk

10 + 30lbs is very impressive at your weight. I am top heavy and a lot lighter than you so I have an easier time with pullups.

When I first got back into the gym last year (after a 10 year layoff), I could do 3 pullups and they were not very pretty. I can now do 12 with a 45lb plate and 5 with 90lbs.

I have also made obvious gains with regard to my bench press. When I got back into the gym, I started off struggling to rep 185lbs. I am now doing working sets with 275lbs and closing in on double my body weight for my 1 rep max, which has always been a goal of mine (current 1 rep max is 335)

[Xtcme]

Excellent Inspiring stories so far...keep em coming!!

[DeathtoToasters]

The other day I wanted to see my max leg press and ended up doing 380..I started in September at 110.

Also I used to (in September) have a hard time just bench pressing the bar plus 10 on each side. Now I can can do a 45 plate on each side 6 times.

That is a good confidence builder for me!

[Xtcme]

Originally Posted by DeathtoToasters

The other day I wanted to see my max leg press and ended up doing 380..I started in September at 110.

Also I used to (in September) have a hard time just bench pressing the bar plus 10 on each side. Now I can can do a 45 plate on each side 6 times.

That is a good confidence builder for me!

Yea AWESOME!!!! congrats

[DeathtoToasters]

Originally Posted by Xtcme

Yea AWESOME!!!! congrats

Thanks....but my thighs are STILL killing me and that was Monday!!!

[gympunk]

I've told my story- but I started @ 137 LBS,skinny & non-athletic, I gained 15 LBS, 10 LBS, 7 LBS & 7LBS by the 5th year & hit 180 LBS. I never told my (punk rock musician) friends that I joined a gym, so after maybe 4 months people started saying "Marc, are you working out!". Last winter I met a friend of my wifes who knew me 15 years ago, he told his wife "This guy was SKINNY back then, man I've got to start working out!" Now people say "YOU were 137 LBS??!!"

[gbg]

The best condition I was in was a couple of years after I started lifting, I started kick boxing 3 days a week, that leaned me out and my legs were the best I ever saw them, the punching bag also helped with upper body development.
Was training with weights about 2-3 days a week, had a BF of 10%.

Now it's hard to find a good instructor and all the gyms have are those dam spin classes!!! definitely recommend it for leaning out and overall conditioning and if you have a good instructor it will assist in building LBM.

When I started working out max bench was 110lbs. I set a goal to one day bench 315. I almost had it in college 4 years later but missed it. Wife and 3 kids later I woke up one morning I was 30 years old and was down from 190lbs in college to 170lbs and had not seriously worked out in years. Before I turned 31 I benched 315 for reps. By the time I was 32 I was 205lbs and 8% BF a level I have not been at since. I am getting close now. At my last weigh in I was 201.4lbs and 10.5% BF. Its not easy for me since I have an inflamation disease and it can annihilate me at a moments notice.

[wulf88]

I do not worry about the weights as prgogress, but I do know that I have to replace all my uniforms now. Talk about a huge expense, LOL.

[sytennison]

Originally Posted by gympunk

Now people say "YOU were 137 LBS??!!"

YOU were 137 lbs? Day-um!

[Be_Blunt]

I started doing rack pulls with a maximum weight of 275 lbs about 4-5 months ago.

Yesterday I pulled 315 twice!

[jeb1124]

I picked up my training last October and have been hitting it hard since. All my weights have went up at a decent pace, but my sister, I think, paid me the ultimate compliment. I was at her place visiting one day and out of the blue with a straight face she asks me if I was on the juice because she has never seen me bulked up like this before! She said that she was worried and she asked me over and over because she did not believe me when I said I wasn't. That alone told me that I must be doing something right!