Arkk's Weight Lifting / Fitness Thread

  • Guest, it's time once again for the hotly contested and exciting FoH Asshat Tournament!



    Go here and fill out your bracket!
    Who's been the biggest Asshat in the last year? Once again, only you can decide!

Gravel

Mr. Poopybutthole
36,050
113,850
I don't do physics. I just know that adding mass, not necessarily muscle, does in fact have a correlation to increasing bench press.

Maybe it's just got to do with cushioning the joints better. Fuck if I know. But I've been lifting for a decade and that's my conclusion.

Why does body weight affect bench press? • r/weightroom

From Tim Henriques: "Talk with any big bencher and they will tell you getting big has helped their bench press. This is something that most “in the know” lifters are aware of but nobody seems to be clear on how it works. Some say it increases your leverage, others say it fills up your cells. None of that is the reason why your bench goes up when you gain weight. The truth is that your joints are very sensitive to their internal stability, we have proprioceptors inside our body that sense and detect things for us. Your body can detect when a joint is stable or not. When it is not stable, the body will inhibit (shut down) some of the muscle force that can act on that joint. You can see this very easily by performing a pull-up and then use one less finger each time to grasp the bar. Most people when they get down to 2-3 fingers are no longer able to do a pull-up. The weight didn’t change (your bodyweight), your lats didn’t change, but the stability did change and now you can’t perform the exercise.

What is the most flexible joint in the body? The shoulder. Because it is so flexible it isn’t very stable, and it relies on muscle and surrounding tissues to derive some of its stability. As you gain weight by adding muscle you will increase that stability. Honestly even adding fat will serve as a wrap which add stability to the shoulder girdle and thus increase the potential force that can cross it. I am not a proponent of them but this is one reason why bench shirts work so well, they surround the shoulder joint and greatly add to the stability which is one reason why they add so dramatically (about 30-50% if you can believe that) to the lift."
 
  • 1Like
  • 1Solidarity
Reactions: 1 users

Tuco

I got Tuco'd!
<Gold Donor>
45,320
73,377
I don't do physics. I just know that adding mass, not necessarily muscle, does in fact have a correlation to increasing bench press.

Maybe it's just got to do with cushioning the joints better. Fuck if I know. But I've been lifting for a decade and that's my conclusion.

Why does body weight affect bench press? • r/weightroom
Thanks, I buy that explanation and have heard the same thing about wraps from a bunch of different sources.
 

Ambiturner

Ssraeszha Raider
16,040
19,498
Most of it comes from the simple fact that it's easier to gain mass and strength when you're in a constant bulk phase and never do a cut/cardio.

I'm not saying none can be attributed to stabilization and shorter ROM, but nowhere near the amount people are saying
 

Bruuce

Blackwing Lair Raider
1,467
2,571
Got down to 150-153 and have been hanging out here for about 2 months. The last couple times I got down to my goal I immediately went into a caloric surplus and my weight shot back up so fast. Thinking maybe my metabolism didnt really adjust to where I was weight wise. Hate blaming metabolism because that sounds like such a cop out but whatever. Still doin that BBB 5-3-1 program, even while I was cutting. Lifts all suck a d now especially squats(also bought some addidas adipros which allowed me to actually get to the proper depth). I think Im going to try to go up to 185 and try not to gain more than 5lbs a month. I also just had breakfast with a pal who just got off a Tren cycle or wtf ever and he looks like a monster, despite the fact that he only uses machines and doesnt put up any impressive numbers at all. He benches 185 but his arms are the size of my legs, fucker. Sometimes I wish I wasnt a pussy and scared to inject questionable things into my butt
 

Brahma

Obi-Bro Kenobi-X
11,812
41,169
Got down to 150-153 and have been hanging out here for about 2 months. The last couple times I got down to my goal I immediately went into a caloric surplus and my weight shot back up so fast. Thinking maybe my metabolism didnt really adjust to where I was weight wise. Hate blaming metabolism because that sounds like such a cop out but whatever. Still doin that BBB 5-3-1 program, even while I was cutting. Lifts all suck a d now especially squats(also bought some addidas adipros which allowed me to actually get to the proper depth). I think Im going to try to go up to 185 and try not to gain more than 5lbs a month. I also just had breakfast with a pal who just got off a Tren cycle or wtf ever and he looks like a monster, despite the fact that he only uses machines and doesnt put up any impressive numbers at all. He benches 185 but his arms are the size of my legs, fucker. Sometimes I wish I wasnt a pussy and scared to inject questionable things into my butt

There is this Asian dude at my gym. Dude is built like a truck after less than one year on tren. No way an Asian guy should be this big/ripped. His back is as wide as mine, and shoulders look like bowling balls under his shirt. I want to break 500 lbs on bench, but clearly age is kicking in, and I doubt it will happen now. I considered it a few times, but like you...I just can't put anything but steak and cheeses in my body.
 

Tuco

I got Tuco'd!
<Gold Donor>
45,320
73,377
Ossoi Ossoi got my sous vide, cooked a chicken breast on it. I cooked it at 145F for 2 hours. Was pretty good. I've been able to get similarly juicy chicken breast via a slow cook on a grill and in the oven, but not nearly as consistently cooked (edges over, inside OK) and only with great effort.

I've got a big ole 5lbs Chuck Eye roast ready for it, and a 15lbs Turkey. I've also got a tenderloin roast that I purchased a few days ago that I'm making tomorrow that I'm considering using the sous vide on, but not sure. I cooked the other part of the tenderloin via sear + bake yesterday and it turned out magnificently.
 

Ossoi

Tranny Chaser
15,402
7,665
Ossoi Ossoi got my sous vide, cooked a chicken breast on it. I cooked it at 145F for 2 hours. Was pretty good. I've been able to get similarly juicy chicken breast via a slow cook on a grill and in the oven, but not nearly as consistently cooked (edges over, inside OK) and only with great effort.

I've got a big ole 5lbs Chuck Eye roast ready for it, and a 15lbs Turkey. I've also got a tenderloin roast that I purchased a few days ago that I'm making tomorrow that I'm considering using the sous vide on, but not sure. I cooked the other part of the tenderloin via sear + bake yesterday and it turned out magnificently.

You've taken your first steps in a much larger universe.

Sv shines on cheap tough cuts of meat that come out tender after a long cook, e.g. Chuck roast.

I dropped 1lb overnight, from 72.2kg to 71.8kg, never been under 72kg before, that's despite 3 days of 2500 calories and 250+ carbs

Whilst I did do 9k steps yesterday due to errands as well as an 80min gym session, figured I'd at least put on some water weight by going from 40-50g carbs to 250+
 

Tuco

I got Tuco'd!
<Gold Donor>
45,320
73,377
Sooooo.... I'm pretty sure Ossoi Ossoi was right about my 3kcal diet being too high.

I've been tracking my caloric intake, calculated 1rep max ( Calculate Your One-Rep Max (1RM) ) lifts on the big three (bench, deadlift, squat) and my weight (every morning). The result is that I've gained some 3lbs in ten days.
upload_2017-10-24_13-40-44.png


I was planning on going two weeks before changing my target calories, and even two weeks is a short window to measure change in weight, especially since I recently changed my diet, but I feel it's a conclusive enough piece of evidence to drop my target to 2800 and evaluate further.

Thoughts?
 

Gravel

Mr. Poopybutthole
36,050
113,850
Holy shit, you increased your 3 lift total close to 100 pounds in 10 days?

Man, to be a noob lifter again...
 
  • 1Worf
Reactions: 1 user

ZyyzYzzy

RIP USA
<Banned>
25,295
48,789
Holy shit, you increased your 3 lift total close to 100 pounds in 10 days?

Man, to be a noob lifter again...
Heh. I stopped working out right before my daughter was born and was swamped at work during Ebola until 6 weeks ago, so about 5 years off of like no physical activity.

All 3 lifts together are up about 300lbs since I started again, but still at about 70% of where I was at 5 years ago.
 

Tuco

I got Tuco'd!
<Gold Donor>
45,320
73,377
Holy shit, you increased your 3 lift total close to 100 pounds in 10 days?

Man, to be a noob lifter again...
I'm taking it easy, but n00b gains are 4 real.

This is all noob talk, but I feel like I was pushing myself an appropriate amount when I was doing 60lbs 3x5 on Sept 19th (when I got my dumbbells), but last night I did 100lbs 3x10. And now when I lift a 60lbs dumbbell it feels so light.

The one movement I feel like I hit my peak on before I got my dumbbells was unweighted pullups where I was doing 5x8. Now I'm doing 3x8. I kind of expected to make steady gains on that instead of stagnating, but I guess I don't really care since everything else is progressing.

As an aside, when deadlifting 100lbs dumbbells my grip was barely hanging on by the 10th repetition, which is the first time I've had that happen. I don't know if that was a freak occurrence I won't see again next week, but I'm adding farmer's walks to my morning lifting routine (my main workout is at night).
 
Last edited:

ZyyzYzzy

RIP USA
<Banned>
25,295
48,789
I'm taking it easy, but n00b gains are 4 real.

This is all noob talk, but I feel like I was pushing myself an appropriate amount when I was doing 60lbs 3x5 on Sept 19th (when I got my dumbbells), but last night I did 100lbs 3x10. And now when I lift a 60lbs dumbbell it feels so light.

The one movement I feel like I hit my peak on before I got my dumbbells was unweighted pullups where I was doing 5x8. Now I'm doing 3x8. I kind of expected to make steady gains on that instead of stagnating, but I guess I don't really care since everything else is progressing.

As an aside, when deadlifting 100lbs dumbbells by grip was barely hanging on by the 10th repetition, which is the first time I've had that happen. I don't know if that's a coincidence, but I'm adding farmer's walks to my morning lifting routine (my main workout is at night).
Do weighted pullups, also "stagnation" may just be that you are more physically tired from doing heavier deads/whatever before pullups now.
 

Tuco

I got Tuco'd!
<Gold Donor>
45,320
73,377
Do weighted pullups, also "stagnation" may just be that you are more physically tired from doing heavier deads/whatever before pullups now.
Could be. I do my pullups after my deadlifts each time.

I have a theory that my lats aren't activating properly. My attempt to get them to fire is to finish my pull-day with wide-grip pullups where I do a few and then do negatives. By that point I'm thoroughly exhausted, especially my biceps and I'm hoping that trains my CNS somehow.

My goal was to get to 3x12 pullups before I buy a dip-belt and start doing weighted pullups.
 
Last edited:

Kiroy

Marine Biologist
<Bronze Donator>
34,563
99,749
Welp fml. After a two week road trip i got back into the gym last week for a few light workouts before getting back to my weights from before two weeks off. Day after deadlift day i bend over to do flys and completely throw out my back. Worst ive ever done it. Cant even barely walk. Hit up the doctor this morn for muscle relaxers but this is going to mean a complete reset in deads to 135 once i get back in the gym.

I blame all the driving on the road trip which didnt feel great on the back. Probably atrophied my core stabilizers. Fuck. Cant even sit in my computer chair im laid out on couch or in bed.
 

Gravel

Mr. Poopybutthole
36,050
113,850
As an aside, when deadlifting 100lbs dumbbells my grip was barely hanging on by the 10th repetition, which is the first time I've had that happen. I don't know if that was a freak occurrence I won't see again next week, but I'm adding farmer's walks to my morning lifting routine (my main workout is at night).
I've never been a fan of doing more than 5 rep sets on deadlift. It's too taxing on your entire system, which means your form breaks down the higher reps you do (which is a big reason I think Crossfitters doing deadlifts is the stupidest fucking thing you could do).

That said, I don't even do deadlifts anymore. Got to 2.5x BW and basically stopped doing them completely. Not really worth the risk of fucking up my back. There are much better exercises for back development; deadlifts probably being the single "best" you could do, but the safety issue makes them not worth it to me (no need to limit yourself to doing the one best exercise when you can do 2 or 3 and not snap your back in half).