2018 Spring/summer Goals and progress thread

[induced_drag]

I have not posted much as I have not been able to get things on track. Every time I think I am finding that focus, things pop up. I am not missing workouts, but it is really the motivation to control my diet that is lacking. I keep saying this summer will be the time I really push to get in shape....and well, I am not sure that is going to happen. I guess there has to be balance in everything.

I was getting focused on deadlifting again, but I hit a 585 tripple the other week and feel like I am losing interest in that for now. I guess it is really a balance of life stresses. I have been so busy with the kids stuff lately, I just am having a hard time getting fired up for the gym. I left early the other day and sat in a grass field and watched my sons soccer practice for an hour. I dont mean to ramble....but I am sure you guys get it. We all have so many things pulling at us. I am trying not to get trapped into slipping off the horse.

SO>>>>>>

Tonight was an accountability night. I have not taken 'real' pics in over a year. I took some tonight just to 'get real'. On a good note, the last few years have really seen progress in my legs especially hamstrings in side shots. And, I cant believe I am saying this, but my calves look pretty good. Being my worst body part, I have hammered them the last 5 years and it actually shows. In the side chest, my calves look almost like a high point which is pretty unreal. I think that by far accounts for the bulk of my largest improvements over the past 3-4 years.

Other than that......I think if I leaned out, I would just look better and things would 'pop' more. I just have to want it bad enough.

So if I am going to post pics....I'm doing it right! Good / bad / indifferent, this is where I am coming off the least productive 1 1/2 since I got back in the gym 8+ years ago. 5'9 204-ish right now

[ectoBgone]

I guess it is really a balance of life stresses. I have been so busy with the kids stuff lately, I just am having a hard time getting fired up for the gym. I left early the other day and sat in a grass field and watched my sons soccer practice for an hour. I dont mean to ramble....but I am sure you guys get it. We all have so many things pulling at us. I am trying not to get trapped into slipping off the horse.

Just pulling out of the other side of that phase, which lasted a solid 6 years or so. The good thing is that the hard work already put in is very patient and ready to meet you on the other side when you're ready. Accountability pics still looking solid so the less than intense workouts should keep you holding it together for a good while. Enjoy the time with the kids since that's an investment that can't be topped.

[ajdahlheimer]

And, I cant believe I am saying this, but my calves look pretty good. Being my worst body part, I have hammered them the last 5 years and it actually shows. In the side chest, my calves look almost like a high point which is pretty unreal. I think that by far accounts for the bulk of my largest improvements over the past 3-4 years.

Looking big, ID. Fwiw, jumping rope the last couple years has done absolute wonders for my calves.

[induced_drag]

Just pulling out of the other side of that phase, which lasted a solid 6 years or so. The good thing is that the hard work already put in is very patient and ready to meet you on the other side when you're ready. Accountability pics still looking solid so the less than intense workouts should keep you holding it together for a good while. Enjoy the time with the kids since that's an investment that can't be topped.

Thanks man. Yes I too am surprised at how easy it is to 'maintain'. Dont get me wrong....when I say this, some people assume I am half a$$ing it. I feel I am, but looking around, my half-a$$ workouts are still more than what others do. I just dont internally push myself as hard. People on the outside probably think I am all hardcorez. Just not lifting with that do or die mentality. Also utilizing a lot of TUT and not using heavy weights (relitively speaking). I have gotten into doing very long sets. One set of straight bar curls for me, a guy working next to me will do three full sets. I have never timed it. I just use very slow movements and try to isolate and pull with the desired muscles. Whatever it is, it is giving me a nice break from feeling beat up...etc. I dont think my strength has suffered either.

The balance is something we all need to find. At one time, this would have NEVER worked for me. But for now I am OK with it. Truth be told at some point we get to a place where it does not matter what we do, improvements are going to be very hard to come by. I have essientially been the same size for 5 years. I stay the same whether I am 100% focused or if I just half a$$ it. "Bulking" no longer nets any positive effect either. My last bulk 3 years ago was just a waste of 8 months. (5 months going up and 3 months back down). All to end up back where I started. So I have taken a more moderate approach.... At some point, this might change....but focusing on other things in life is good too as I sacrificed quite a bit the first 3-4 years into the 'comeback'. AND I know I would never have gotten here like I did had I not. So again....time gives us some good perspectives.

My main goal is staying in shape feeling good and and being healthy.

Looking big, ID. Fwiw, jumping rope the last couple years has done absolute wonders for my calves.

That sounds like a lot of work .

I have zero knee issues>>>>unless I start doing higher impact stuff. I dont run for that reason. I would be worried about aggrivating my knees jumping.
I have been hitting calves 2-3 times a week the past 4 years.

Unilateral assistance is what I believe has made the biggest difference. I think it allows much deeper stimulation than I could get otherwise. I dont over-do it though. I generally only do once a week and only 1or2 sets at the end of workout.

[Payton1221]

Good job! I got 5 on a Smith machine the other day so no idea as to how this might translate to a regular bench, but I'm going to give it a go in the not too distant future

I benched on a regular bench today and am very pleased with the 5 reps @ 225 that I got while weighing 173#. Don't laugh at my leg's voluntary tick (near-seizure like ):

[dazlittle]

I've always been a bit shy with regards to squatting any kind of heavy weight (for me), due to past slipped discs. Decided recently I'd like to get up to a 3 plate squat for reps. Had my wife with me yesterday so went for 130Kg's. Managed to crank out 2 with what looks to be decent depth.

[Cantplankwell]

I've always been a bit shy with regards to squatting any kind of heavy weight (for me), due to past slipped discs. Decided recently I'd like to get up to a 3 plate squat for reps. Had my wife with me yesterday so went for 130Kg's. Managed to crank out 2 with what looks to be decent depth.

You made that look real easy!

[ajdahlheimer]

I benched on a regular bench today and am very pleased with the 5 reps @ 225 that I got while weighing 173#. Don't laugh at my leg's voluntary tick (near-seizure like ):

Nice set.

[Plateauplower]

Grats on the PRs Mark and Daz! Always feels good to break some new ground.

I am back sliding a little on big lifts, I am basically to the point where my last warm-up set on squats and deads (315x5 & 405x5 respectively) are work sets. I'm still grinding away though and trying hard to not lose strength. I am down 40 lbs in about 22 weeks so I've been pretty aggressive on my cut. The good thing is I think I am getting pretty close probably within 7 lbs of single digit BF. I weighed 177.0 today which is about my avg last week with some bigger fluctuations from the stomach bug so pretty accurate weight today. Pretty lean everywhere but my lower stomach has a little granular fat left and my inner thighs have a bit. Still have more sub Q in some areas, but other areas are pretty lean. I'm guessing I am in the 10-11% BF range, but its just a guess and is pretty arbitrary anyway. Avi was at 182 and mid section is looking like an anatomy chart. Once my lower waist and inner thighs lean out a touch more I will cautiously begin eating a little more and try to regain some lost muscle while putting on minimal fat.

Its frustrating being so much weaker than I was when I was heavier, but I do like the way I look a LOT more, and I think my days of bulking up to 20% BF are over. I'd like to stay pretty lean year round while still doing very mild surpluses and deficits to try to eek out as much lean mass as I can possible carry on my frame while being truly lean. I'll be where I want by 4th of July for sure. I'll probably have a few cheat meals for B-days etc, so far I have not had a any or even a day at maintenance. TDEE is still humming along and I recently got a fitbit because my wife wanted me to get one so we could do challenges against each other (lol she doesn't stand a chance I walk like the fukin road runner for an hour about everyday at lunch). Surprisingly the fitbit is very accurate in terms of my TDEE as compared to my calculations based on intake and scale loss. I was surprised by that and find it does make me want to move a little more during the day to increase my "steps" count. pretty neat little gadget for $130 IMO.

[Payton1221]

Nice set.

Grats on the PRs Mark and Daz!

Reps on spread gentlemen.

I think my days of bulking up to 20% BF are over. I'd like to stay pretty lean year round . . .

Different strokes for different folks, but ^^THIS^^ is my attitude as well: Get lean and stay lean. I keep my weight in a narrow window. Another thread was talking about counting macros. I did that for ~6 years, and anymore, I just center every meal around protein and just go with it. When my weight gets to the upper end of my narrow window, I track for a short period of time and voila . . . I'm back to where I prefer to stay

[ectoBgone]

I benched on a regular bench today and am very pleased with the 5 reps @ 225 that I got while weighing 173#. Don't laugh at my leg's voluntary tick (near-seizure like ):

Nicely done. As a perpetually weak bencher, I applaud the accomplishment.

I've always been a bit shy with regards to squatting any kind of heavy weight (for me), due to past slipped discs. Decided recently I'd like to get up to a 3 plate squat for reps. Had my wife with me yesterday so went for 130Kg's. Managed to crank out 2 with what looks to be decent depth.

Looked good to me, grats!

Its frustrating being so much weaker than I was when I was heavier, but I do like the way I look a LOT more, and I think my days of bulking up to 20% BF are over.

When you return to a slight surplus, do you plant to stay on keto or are you going to introduce carbs again? Either way, that strength should come back quickly. You've been on this for a long time without a break, plus a stomach virus on top of it lately. All in all, it looks like it has been a model cut so congrats on the rewards of self-discipline and hard work!

[MrNismo]

It's tough to see everyone getting so lean in here and I'm going the opposite direction haha. I said I would not worry about getting a little fat as long as my squat kept going up and nothing hurt too bad. I want 315 this year.

Hit 285 on Friday:

[Cantplankwell]

I benched on a regular bench today and am very pleased with the 5 reps @ 225 that I got while weighing 173#. Don't laugh at my leg's voluntary tick (near-seizure like ):

Missed this earlier, good work!

[Plateauplower]

When you return to a slight surplus, do you plant to stay on keto or are you going to introduce carbs again? Either way, that strength should come back quickly. You've been on this for a long time without a break, plus a stomach virus on top of it lately. All in all, it looks like it has been a model cut so congrats on the rewards of self-discipline and hard work!

I'm not sure yet. I feel so much better the way I have been eating, but at the same time I don't want to leave anything on the table in terms of strength and muscle fullness. I will likely do some experimenting with a TKD type diet where I maybe have some carbs post WO and in the evening. I will likely remain on a primarily keto type diet though because when I include carbs at even moderate levels my hunger exceeds my TDEE and I end up unintentionally bulking. I will be more relaxed with it though and have the occasional non keto meal at other times though, maybe even a small slice a birthday cake and some ice-cream at the end of the month...

[induced_drag]

I benched on a regular bench today and am very pleased with the 5 reps @ 225 that I got while weighing 173#. Don't laugh at my leg's voluntary tick (near-seizure like ):

Nice work. One comment on leg. If you are really pushing for most performance out of your bench, you probably want to be 'tighter'. If your legs are loose enough to move like that, you are not driving enough. I learned this when I really started to focus on increasing my bench. (I used to have loose legs as well). This is by no means necessary, but a proper leg drive will add performance to your bench. I have actually strained my knee driving during a bench pushing hard. If you are looking to increase your bench, experiment with setup a little. A "good" set up, is downright uncomfortable and not something you want to hold for too long. Dave Tate has a good youtube series called "so you think you can bench". Check it out if you are interested.

I've always been a bit shy with regards to squatting any kind of heavy weight (for me), due to past slipped discs. Decided recently I'd like to get up to a 3 plate squat for reps. Had my wife with me yesterday so went for 130Kg's. Managed to crank out 2 with what looks to be decent depth.

Had to convert to lbs Nice work man. I have never suffered a back injury so I can imagine one would not want to repeat. Squat depth looked GREAT to me. Dont sell yourself short there. You have a Looooong range of motion to go anyway

[QUOTE=Plateauplower;1551548481 has a little granular fat left and my inner thighs have a bit. Still have more sub Q in some areas, but other areas are pretty lean. ...

Its frustrating being so much weaker than I was when I was heavier, .[/QUOTE]

The granular stage means that fat is actually starting go. Stay the course, it is worth it. Dont worry about strength. MUCH of it is just glycogen loading. At least for me, I would lose 10% off my bench after 6 weeks of dieting. 5% of squats and about 3-4% of deads. It almost all would come back after bringing carbs back in. After a point, I realized that being leaner did affect strenght more. Losing that intermuscualr fat will mean you do not get as strong. Funny I was 'stronger' when I was fatter and at the same weight. Eg....me at 200lbs and 15% was stronger than me at 200lbs and 10% even though I have more muscle now. But overall, I'm ok with that.

It's tough to see everyone getting so lean in here and I'm going the opposite direction haha. I said I would not worry about getting a little fat as long as my squat kept going up and nothing hurt too bad. I want 315 this year.

Hit 285 on Friday:

Nice job. You cant be afraid to get a little chubby in the process. Enjoy the strength run and push when you have the cals to fuel you.

[daawhitty]

You made that look real easy!

definitely looked like you could get 5 pal.

[daawhitty]

I benched on a regular bench today and am very pleased with the 5 reps @ 225 that I got while weighing 173#. Don't laugh at my leg's voluntary tick (near-seizure like ):

CNS recruitment and firing.. Nice set.

[Bando]

Been having hip problems since my meet

Finally gave in and made a PT appt. though I feel like I've been doing rehab stuff they would recommend.

[polishedball]

Late to the party and well this is going to be an aggressive goal, but I just got back to lifting in March after 7 months off rehabbing a RC tear. The goal is to drop 12 pounds in 6 weeks, in the past I only have dropped 3/4~1 a week. The kicker is I want to maintain some size and be back to lifting my previous weights.

[sy2502]

I'm half way through my competition prep, 7 weeks down, 7 more to go. Was a breeze for a while, but now the scale doesn't want to budge. Let's hope for the best.

[daawhitty]

I've been on novice LP since Feb 18 - lifts going up nicely on Bench and OHP. But Squats and Deads have been on hold due to a popliteus tear in my right leg - slowly rebuilding up.

Weight goals have been set for Summer Cut.

Start 182 lb - Goal 170 lb - cutting from 18% down to 12% so far have lost 7lb in 4 weeks.
Averaging around 1/1.5lb a week -> Hols in 7 weeks so its going to be tight to achieve my goal. After my hols it will be back to maintenance then slow bulk 0.5lb to 1lb a week up to 18% again.

[Cantplankwell]

"Happy scale" says the moving average is 178.6lbs, so down all most 10 lbs since early April. I dont see much difference in the mirror, maybe a little in the upper back and the vein in my bicep is more defined and always visible now. Still have a bit of that grinch belly. Also starting to get tired of eating mostly the items every day. Not sure where the weight will be when I am satisfied with my appearance...165lbs? who knows.

[gipper53]

Monthly checkin. Officially down 30lbs as of weigh in this morning. 205lbs. Well ahead of schedule to hit my first goal of 200 lbs by July 4th.

As a reward for my efforts, my new Rogue barbell and Titan T3 rack are arriving this week!

[blue9steel]

Monthly checkin. Officially down 30lbs as of weigh in this morning. 205lbs. Well ahead of schedule to hit my first goal of 200 lbs by July 4th.

As a reward for my efforts, my new Rogue barbell and Titan T3 rack are arriving this week!

Great progress and congrats on the new equipment!

[Plateauplower]

This is a picture of my leg. I have two of them.

No vascularity yet, but starting to see a little more definition. Still sitting at 177, probably due for a scale drop soon, looked watery today at 177 so that's usually before a drop...

[dazlittle]

getting dressed this morning, my wife told me I look "hench", not really sure what it means but I'll take it. This was pre insertion of contact lenses though!!

LOL Happy Friday everyone.

[blue9steel]

Nice milestone today, I moved down a notch on my lifting belt.

[gipper53]

Nice milestone today, I moved down a notch on my lifting belt.

Nice, always a good feeling! Thanks for the comment on the progress! I will say, my initial goal in January was to lose 50lbs (drop to 185) then start a lean bulk. But what I'm seeing in the mirror now, I don't think 50lbs is gonna do it. May have to adjust that goal to 60-65lbs before I'm content to start pushing the scale the other way. Unless I'm lucky and this next 20lbs comes purely off the midsection.

[blue9steel]

I will say, my initial goal in January was to lose 50lbs (drop to 185) then start a lean bulk. But what I'm seeing in the mirror now, I don't think 50lbs is gonna do it. May have to adjust that goal to 60-65lbs before I'm content to start pushing the scale the other way. Unless I'm lucky and this next 20lbs comes purely off the midsection.

I'm always shocked after I've lost a bunch of weight and I'm like "but I'm still not done apparently".

[daawhitty]

I'm always shocked after I've lost a bunch of weight and I'm like "but I'm still not done apparently".

I know what you mean. I went from 210lb to 161lb I really could have gone down another 10lb but I was way too skinny. So I rebulked from there. Now that I’ve got a lot more lean muscle I can carry another 12/14 lbs and be leaner.