The Official Stupid Question Thread: PART 3

[CWGame]

Do you think cutting 15 more pounds will be enough right?

Yeah, I would just cut until you think you look decent, don't have to necessarily set an arbitrary number since your goal is losing fat. I wouldn't cut too low or you will probably start to look "skinny fat" since your foundation probably isn't built up.

[CWGame]

The required amount is 50.

Do you think cutting 15 more pounds will be enough to reach 8% fat?

Ifyou currently think you are fat, then theres no way 15lbs will drop you to 8%, that's pretty lean.

[CWGame]

Questions:

1) What do you think the most accurate calorie formula is? (The options are below)

- mifflin-St Jeor
- Katch-McArdie (you enter your body fat%)
- Harris-Benedict

2) The free dieting calculator is giving me a choice to choose my activity level. There is an option for 5 days a week of working out (which I do), and there is also another option where it's 5 days a week but intense. My question here is, what is considered intense? For me, I weight train pretty hard for 30-45 minutes, but when I get home, I literally do nothing but watch TV. What do you think I should put? 5 days a week or 5 days a week intense? Thank you

3) Right now I'm doing a tipical bro split routine. I did this program while bulking and now I'm cutting. If I were to change this program into stronglifts 5x5, will my body still be able to maintain the muscle I gained from my bulk/my bro split routine? Or will my body not get used to the new routine and end up losing muscle? Thank you

Sorry for the long questions

I would go with the first one, I'm not a fan of anything that uses BMR. All of those calculators will be relatively inaccurate. Once you get the base number for whatever you are doing (bulking, cutting, maintaining) then adjust it weekly. For example if it says if you eat 2k cals a day to cut and you are losing nothing then drop it 500cals to 1500. If then you are losing a lb a week (or whatever your goal is it will be more accurate).

If you are just weight lifting I would use the moderate one, intense would be playing sports that require a good amount of cardio throughout the week.

You will retain most of the muscle, but with cutting you will always lose some.

No problem.

[mKernie]

When you DL and Pendlay row, are you meant to be sore in the lowerback after?

I've recently tried and my lowerback is always sore for a good 30minutes after training

[brenthopkins]

When you DL and Pendlay row, are you meant to be sore in the lowerback after?

I've recently tried and my lowerback is always sore for a good 30minutes after training

If you mean this muscle:



Then it's normal for the pendlay row. [1]

Not sure about deadlifts. Is your back straight while doing them?

[1] https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercis...me/pendlay-row

[CWGame]

When you DL and Pendlay row, are you meant to be sore in the lowerback after?

I've recently tried and my lowerback is always sore for a good 30minutes after training

That's fine as long as your spine is neutral, and isn't being put in a position that could injure it easily.

[mKernie]

If you mean this muscle:



Then it's normal for the pendlay row. [1]

Not sure about deadlifts. Is your back straight while doing them?

[1] https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercis...me/pendlay-row

yea in that area, also slightly lower than that aswell, when i dl i try to keep my back relatively straight, thought is ometimes have some upper back rounding

[mKernie]

That's fine as long as your spine is neutral, and isn't being put in a position that could injure it easily.

by being in a position that could injure it easily, what do u mean? and i try to keep my back neutral when i DL

[CWGame]

by being in a position that could injure it easily, what do u mean? and i try to keep my back neutral when i DL

If your back is hyper extended, rounded or not tight.

[mKernie]

If your back is hyper extended, rounded or not tight.

my back normally isnt any of them, what do u mean by tight? how do i tighten my back?

[CWGame]

my back normally isnt any of them, what do u mean by tight? how do i tighten my back?

Flexing and keeping your muscles contracted so they are "tight"

[mKernie]

Flexing and keeping your muscles contracted so they are "tight"

aight cheers man, one more question

What is mind muscle connection? How do i develop it?

[CWGame]

aight cheers man, one more question

What is mind muscle connection? How do i develop it?

Basically its being able to get the best contraction you can get. When you get better as a lifter and more experience with the lifts you will be able to get a better contraction by concentration on it, and really trying to squeeze at the part of contraction for the lift. Overtime you develop it by getting a better feel for the lift and getting your motor pattern down.

[fabiusx]

Need my bulking diet looked at. As for calories, I estimated the calories to the best of my ability. I'm currently skinny, and have gained 8-9 pounds in the past 2 months now. I exercise 3-4 times a week, with a day of rest in-between. I use to eat chicken breasts everyday for 1.5 months straight, and I got absolutely sick of it. I replaced it with the calorie shake instead.

My main worry is about fruits and vegetables. I have a lot of protein foods in the list mainly.

~ means approximation. fyi: Yes, I approximated using calorie label/info. I'm also 17 years of age even though my profile says 47.

calorie shake (peanut butter, oats, banana, protein whey) ~1,000 calories
almonds ~170 calories
2 salmon fillets and potato salad. ~640 calories
macaroni ~220 calories
banana, 3 slices of bread, protein bar, and a peach ~510 calories
protein shake - 300 calories

Total Calories ~ 2,849

Water: 3-4 liters a day.

Edit: grammar, info

[UnnamedPerson]

Hi, I'm new to this and I don't really know where to start. I'm looking to gain muscle but not bulky ones you would see in people like body builders. So to put it simply, just fit and slightly muscular I guess. I don't have much muscle and I consist of mainly body fat, I weigh 145 pounds, 14 years old and 5'11. I'm looking for some starting advice please, thank you.

Edit: Did some more research and I think i consist of 20-25% body fat

[BinceVince]

So I'm currently cutting and I was wondering if it's safe to increase weights during a calorie deficit. I heard that youre suppose to maintain what you lift at the end of your bulk. What do you think. Should I still progress or maintain during my cutting phase

[CWGame]

Need my bulking diet looked at. As for calories, I estimated the calories to the best of my ability. I'm currently skinny, and have gained 8-9 pounds in the past 2 months now. I exercise 3-4 times a week, with a day of rest in-between. I use to eat chicken breasts everyday for 1.5 months straight, and I got absolutely sick of it. I replaced it with the calorie shake instead.

My main worry is about fruits and vegetables. I have a lot of protein foods in the list mainly.

~ means approximation. fyi: Yes, I approximated using calorie label/info. I'm also 17 years of age even though my profile says 47.

calorie shake (peanut butter, oats, banana, protein whey) ~1,000 calories
almonds ~170 calories
2 salmon fillets and potato salad. ~640 calories
macaroni ~220 calories
banana, 3 slices of bread, protein bar, and a peach ~510 calories
protein shake - 300 calories

Total Calories ~ 2,849

Water: 3-4 liters a day.

Edit: grammar, info

Whats your question, are you having an issue hitting micros? If so add more of the micros you are missing then. Your weight gain is good so as long as you are consistently gaining weight your macros seem fine.

[CWGame]

Hi, I'm new to this and I don't really know where to start. I'm looking to gain muscle but not bulky ones you would see in people like body builders. So to put it simply, just fit and slightly muscular I guess. I don't have much muscle and I consist of mainly body fat, I weigh 145 pounds, 14 years old and 5'11. I'm looking for some starting advice please, thank you.

Edit: Did some more research and I think i consist of 20-25% body fat

Go read the stickied post in the teen section like "why beginner routines are necessary", and the basic advise for beginners. Once you read over the stickied posts come back and ask any further questions.

[CWGame]

So I'm currently cutting and I was wondering if it's safe to increase weights during a calorie deficit. I heard that youre suppose to maintain what you lift at the end of your bulk. What do you think. Should I still progress or maintain during my cutting phase

If you can gain strength and progress go for it. Recovery and gaining strength will be harder though.

[BlacThunder]

If you can gain strength and progress go for it. Recovery and gaining strength will be harder though.

Hey Ninja!

So i'm still cutting and trying to enter ketosis. But everthing has a billion carbs.

Whats your opinion?

[fokum8]

I'm 5'10" and 157lbs and only started training three weeks ago. Training is going well but all the questions in my mind are concerning diet. If a caloric deficiency is bad for you, then why would you do it? Is there no healthy middle-ground between a bulking and cutting diet that allows you to gain muscle and keep your body fat low?

[CWGame]

Hey Ninja!

So i'm still cutting and trying to enter ketosis. But everthing has a billion carbs.

Whats your opinion?

Carbs aren't bad, I'm of the mindset of you don't need to follow a certain diet, if you count calories and track macros while being in a caloric deficit you should be fine. There are also many many foods out there high in protein and low in carbs, just have to find them.

[CWGame]

I'm 5'10" and 157lbs and only started training three weeks ago. Training is going well but all the questions in my mind are concerning diet. If a caloric deficiency is bad for you, then why would you do it? Is there no healthy middle-ground between a bulking and cutting diet that allows you to gain muscle and keep your body fat low?

Caloric deficits aren't bad that just means you are going to be losing weight which could be healthy if you are overweight. If you want to gain weight while keeping BF low lean bulk for awhile then cut.

[brenthopkins]

I'm 5'10" and 157lbs and only started training three weeks ago. Training is going well but all the questions in my mind are concerning diet. If a caloric deficiency is bad for you, then why would you do it? Is there no healthy middle-ground between a bulking and cutting diet that allows you to gain muscle and keep your body fat low?

You generally shouldn't cut while a teen because:

1) You can't grow in a calorie deficient (or as much)
2) Teenagers can be irresponsible and eat 1,000 calories a day or less. This can fk up hormones forever and you have to take medicine for the rest of your life.
3) The average teen doesn't know their TDEE & what macros they need.
4) A lot of teens who start working out want to do it in a deficit. You can gain far more muscle in a surplus.

You shouldn't cut unless obese. Adults who have stopped growing (18-24) can cut since their bodies are already developed and are likely not as ignorant as a teenager.

You can lean bulk if you want to minimize fat gain. Find your TDEE and eat 100-200 calories more than that.

[FifflarN]

Hi! I'm 18 and I work out 7 days a week. I've been reading a lot and people advice from doing this since it overworks the muscles. But I'm doing a 5-day-split and simply training core and neck on the two other days since I don't specifically train core on any other days and I have a small neck. Is this fine? What's the cons of doing this?

I also feel like I could lift a lot more on shoulder and arm days but my weak wrists are stopping me. I'm gonna start training wrists 3 days a week after some workouts, will this help? I'll probably have more stupid questions in the future since I'm relatively new to lifting free weights. Thanks for answers!

[CWGame]

Hi! I'm 18 and I work out 7 days a week. I've been reading a lot and people advice from doing this since it overworks the muscles. But I'm doing a 5-day-split and simply training core and neck on the two other days since I don't specifically train core on any other days and I have a small neck. Is this fine? What's the cons of doing this?

I also feel like I could lift a lot more on shoulder and arm days but my weak wrists are stopping me. I'm gonna start training wrists 3 days a week after some workouts, will this help? I'll probably have more stupid questions in the future since I'm relatively new to lifting free weights. Thanks for answers!

The issue with working out 7 days a week is that your body can only handle so much of a work load, and going over that will produce bad results, often times taking you backwards. That's why beginners are often told to follow a set routine since they have no idea how to program correctly. I would honestly recommend a preset routine, and not sure why you are training odd groups so frequently.

Lay out your weekly workouts for me and I can give you a better idea.

[FifflarN]

I train my neck because it is very thin, for my height atleast, and makes me look smaller then I am. And my wrists/forearms I train because they're quite weak, like I wrote earlier I feel like I could force through more weight and reps for shoulder and arm day if my wrists/forearms were stronger. I guess those are the two you mean with odd groups? I never train groups close to eachother (48 hours) and so I figured it was fine to work out 7 days a week as long as the same muscles don't get overworked.

I train Chest on Mondays, Back on Tuesdays along with some wrist and forearm training afterwards, Legs on wednesdays, neck and abs on thursdays, shoulders on fridays, arms on saturdays along with some wrist and forearm training afterwards and on sundays I train neck and abs.

M: Chest
T: Back w/wrist
W: Legs
T: Neck and abs
F: Shoulders
S: Arms w/wrist
S: Neck and abs

Also, neck and abs I only train for about 30 min on those days, not very long. Thanks for the help CWGame

[CWGame]

I train my neck because it is very thin, for my height atleast, and makes me look smaller then I am. And my wrists/forearms I train because they're quite weak, like I wrote earlier I feel like I could force through more weight and reps for shoulder and arm day if my wrists/forearms were stronger. I guess those are the two you mean with odd groups? I never train groups close to eachother (48 hours) and so I figured it was fine to work out 7 days a week as long as the same muscles don't get overworked.

I train Chest on Mondays, Back on Tuesdays along with some wrist and forearm training afterwards, Legs on wednesdays, neck and abs on thursdays, shoulders on fridays, arms on saturdays along with some wrist and forearm training afterwards and on sundays I train neck and abs.

M: Chest
T: Back w/wrist
W: Legs
T: Neck and abs
F: Shoulders
S: Arms w/wrist
S: Neck and abs

Also, neck and abs I only train for about 30 min on those days, not very long. Thanks for the help CWGame

That's your split, layout your daily workout (exercises).

Also seems a little weird that you have a day dedicated to purely neck and abs

[coopernorman]

I've been working out for like 2 1/2 months now, and all my lifts have been progressing really well, except for hammer curls. On my pull days I do 4 sets of 10 ez-bar curls and 4 sets of 10 hammer curls. The ez-bar curls have gone up, but my hammer curl has gone from like 5 to 8 reps. My face pull weight and reps also haven't increased at all. Reading my own question out loud I think that I should alternate them each session, but I'm not sure.

[brenthopkins]

I've been working out for like 2 1/2 months now, and all my lifts have been progressing really well, except for hammer curls. On my pull days I do 4 sets of 10 ez-bar curls and 4 sets of 10 hammer curls. The ez-bar curls have gone up, but my hammer curl has gone from like 5 to 8 reps. My face pull weight and reps also haven't increased at all. Reading my own question out loud I think that I should alternate them each session, but I'm not sure.

5 reps -> 8 reps

youve gotten stronger