Arkk's Weight Lifting / Fitness Thread

I wasn't saying to lie to him about it. I just meant I'd probably just talk to him and let him know that while I appreciate his services, you're not training for a competition and in this situation he's going overboard.

I get that he has a brand to maintain, but does he not have any normal clients? If you're his only non-competing client, then it makes sense but it also means this is a strange deal you've got going on.

Elurin_sl said:

If you're his only non-competing client, then it makes sense but it also means this is a strange deal you've got going on.

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I believe that my wife and I are his only non-competing clients, he only gets people wanting to compete. He's trying to convince me to compete, but I have no desire to get on stage in a thong. He forgets this sometimes.

Lyrical_sl said:

Based on what my trainer has said, and my research, I was way too high on carbs. I ate what my BMR should have been, but overate on carbs. He's actually upped my calories by 10% a day, but my macros have changed to be higher in fats (I was eating probably 5% fats a day, it's now 40%). And it's worked. I'm getting slightly stronger every week, while my weight drops.

I love the guy, but he's kind of being a prick about Easter. He won't let me have dessert, I'm OK with that. But as long as my macros are in line, and calorie count is fine, leave me be. He's not wanting me to change the same five meals I've eaten every day for the last month, even on Easter. Sorry, but on Easter, I don't plan on eating those same bland foods.

We hired him to get us in good shape. We are different than his average client. He's got to get people contest ready in 16 weeks. He's acting like I'm trying to step on stage for a bodybuilding show, because that's who he deals with. I just want to be in better shape, I'm not trying to get down to 3% bf like the rest of his clients.

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You're eating the same 5 meals everyday? I'd be interesting in hearing what they are if it doesn't put you out in anyway with your trainer.

Anyone ever dislocate a biceps tendon before? Curious, because I have and am wondering what to do to prevent it again, and if your bicep was the same after.

Convo_sl said:

You're eating the same 5 meals everyday? I'd be interesting in hearing what they are if it doesn't put you out in anyway with your trainer.

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I don't know the exact weight, my wife does.

Meal 1: a whole grapefruit, tilapia and a fiber one bar
2: oatmeal, peanut butter and egg whites
3: chicken or fish with coconut oil, a sweet potato and a crapload of asparagus
4: a protein shake (50 grams of protein with a half a cup of blueberries)
5: chicken or fish with coconut oil OR red meat, and a crapload of asparagus and an entire avocado

a banana post workout

Surprisingly, I had two fiber one bars at meal 4 that were deleted, and when an avocado was added in meal 5, along with HIIT cardio is when my weight started dropping. My strength is fine, just benched 315x8 today. I'm getting stronger, as my weight drops. That's never happened. If I were doing this on my own, my bench would be down to 225x8 already.

I've dropped 13 pounds in the first month under him (gained back about five from creatine loading though). I don't feel hungry at all, and my energy is up from when I was eating more calories. Appetite wise, I'm so stuffed from the mass of food (and two gallons of water a day) it's not funny. My first week, I was depressed at being stuffed all the time until I go to bed.

Thanks. That's a lot of food. I lifted today and Im starving. I've already had my calorie max for the day too. So being full isn't such a bad thing.

I think HIIT makes the biggest difference. I'm really going to focus on that.

Did he say why so much asparagus? I read once that it helps with weight loss but there was no science behind it. Basically someone just blogging about thier journey and noticed the difference.

It's probably just a macro thing for the plan he gave them. You could probably switch the asparagus with broccoli and it would work pretty much the same.

Vegetoee_sl said:

Anyone ever dislocate a biceps tendon before? Curious, because I have and am wondering what to do to prevent it again, and if your bicep was the same after.

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Ouch how you do that?. I never have but the bud I lift with did. He ripped a pec and a bicep. Both after 10 years have slight discoloration, and he definately is weaker in that left arm.

Convo_sl said:

Did he say why so much asparagus? I read once that it helps with weight loss but there was no science behind it. Basically someone just blogging about thier journey and noticed the difference.

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you could sub for any green veg - spinach, kale, broccoli

Convo_sl said:

Did he say why so much asparagus? I read once that it helps with weight loss but there was no science behind it. Basically someone just blogging about thier journey and noticed the difference.

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He's told me it's to control my appetite. On the days when I'm doing HIIT cardio, I do get hunger pangs, but then it's usually time for more asparagus. After you eat a pound of it, it's pretty hard to be hungry. It feels like I eat two pounds of asparagus a day. It could be for the high nutrient density, and that there is a mild diuretic in it also.

Lyrical_sl said:

He gets results, we know who he has gotten contest ready, and they are perfectly chiseled. That being said, those same people are the ones that deviated from what he said and lied about it. One person drank alcohol like a fish on weekends. We know, we were drinking there with her. Another took steroids and didn't tell him. I'm going to be a man and not hide it like they did. He adjusts everything every week anyway, why not be honest and upfront? Sometimes, he couldn't figure out what was going on with some people, and it's because they did things not on plan. You have to adjust for that.

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I think it's more likely that the man knew exactly what was going on with his clients, but decided it was prudent tonotcall his clients liars to their face and instead act like their bodies are some magic mystery device in which the laws of thermodynamics only work sometimes (and not around major holidays or sporting events).

("Oh, wow, Mr Smith. You say you didn't deviate from my plan whatsoever yet spontaneously gained 4lbs over Superbowl Weekend. That's weird! Good thing I've seen this before, lets just 'adjust' this a little bit...")

That being said, a big wtflol at paying someone to help you then denying him the specific data he needs to help you.

Eidal_sl said:

I think it's more likely that the man knew exactly what was going on with his clients, but decided it was prudent tonotcall his clients liars to their face and instead act like their bodies are some magic mystery device in which the laws of thermodynamics only work sometimes (and not around major holidays or sporting events).

("Oh, wow, Mr Smith. You say you didn't deviate from my plan whatsoever yet spontaneously gained 4lbs over Superbowl Weekend. That's weird! Good thing I've seen this before, lets just 'adjust' this a little bit...")

That being said, a big wtflol at paying someone to help you then denying him the specific data he needs to help you.

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He said he knew the person who was roiding was doing it, because they were holding a little too much water weight. This person was a month or so out from competing, and he couldn't figure out why they were holding water at first. They kept vehemently denying it, until they finally admitted it. He told them, if you are going to do that stuff, at least tell me about it, so we can adjust for it.

No one wants to admit they take anabolics to him, as he claims to be a nattie. But the reality is (and he knows it), is that pretty much all fitness to figure to bodybuilders are taking something illegal, even in the drug tested leagues. Don't believe me? Go visit t-nation and read about guys asking for tips on how to beat the drug and polygraph tests.

Brahma_sl said:

Ouch how you do that?. I never have but the bud I lift with did. He ripped a pec and a bicep. Both after 10 years have slight discoloration, and he definately is weaker in that left arm.

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I woke up with my arm in a weird position, twisted all above me all the way around. I think that's what did it. The entire arm is over compensating for an inactive lat, my physical therapist is saying, so I need to train my body to use my right lat again. Weirdest thing. Hoping I can still fight at the end of the month.

Lyrical_sl said:

He said he knew the person who was roiding was doing it, because they were holding a little too much water weight. This person was a month or so out from competing, and he couldn't figure out why they were holding water at first. They kept vehemently denying it, until they finally admitted it. He told them, if you are going to do that stuff, at least tell me about it, so we can adjust for it.

No one wants to admit they take anabolics to him, as he claims to be a nattie. But the reality is (and he knows it), is that pretty much all fitness to figure to bodybuilders are taking something illegal, even in the drug tested leagues. Don't believe me? Go visit t-nation and read about guys asking for tips on how to beat the drug and polygraph tests.

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You can safely assume almost anyone who's making a living from it is on something. All those YouTube Fitness channels? Yeah, they're all using.

In fact, the best way to judge for yourself is to google Sandow (the guy on the Olympia trophy). He's probably the epitome of what can be accomplished naturally. Bigger than him? They're either the .001% genetics wise, or on something. You can decide for yourself.

Elurin_sl said:

You can safely assume almost anyone who's making a living from it is on something. All those YouTube Fitness channels? Yeah, they're all using.

In fact, the best way to judge for yourself is to google Sandow (the guy on the Olympia trophy). He's probably the epitome of what can be accomplished naturally. Bigger than him? They're either the .001% genetics wise, or on something. You can decide for yourself.

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Are you talking about size? Because he's not that big for a nattie.

He's not talking about your trainer; he's talking about people who give lifting advice in general in video form. Put frankly, anyone whose job is to look like the ideal you need to aim for, is most likely not natural or even close. They are getting paid to present a persona and a physique. How they got there doesn't matter, it just matters how often you click and subscribe and what not because a ripped dude is giving you advice. Even if said advice doesn't work for the vast majority of people watching their videos.

So right now I am in my mid 30's, 6'4", weigh 220, and according to my high speed scale I have 21% body fat. Is it realistic to set a goal to get down to 10% body fat and if so, will working out 3 (sometimes 4) days a week 1 hour at a time with no trainer be sufficient enough? How hard is it to get down to that percentage and keep it off? Thanks.

The first 5-8% won't be terrible as you would just be getting into "fit" shape for the most part. Once you hit about 14% bodyfat you start getting into the point where you need to keep a much more structured eye on what you are eating and how you are working out. This has to do with riding the line between losing muscle mass or maintaining weight, as you start to get to the point where you are definitely going to have issues getting enough protein and nutrients in the limited scope of your diet. You're a very tall dude, so depending on how your body is structured (if you are stocky or skinny naturally, not your current weight look) you might have an easier or harder time getting to that %. Diet is going to be major for anything, but especially so for under 15%.

You can definitely do it, but be prepared to hit a major plateau sub 15% bodyfat compared to prior. That's what will really test your resolve. Below 10% and you are looking at a part time/full time job to stay in that shape since it apparently doesn't come naturally already.

Wuyley_sl said:

So right now I am in my mid 30's, 6'4", weigh 220, and according to my high speed scale I have 21% body fat. Is it realistic to set a goal to get down to 10% body fat and if so, will working out 3 (sometimes 4) days a week 1 hour at a time with no trainer be sufficient enough? How hard is it to get down to that percentage and keep it off? Thanks.

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If you are using a weight scale to somehow predict your BF%, stop now. Those scales can't tell the difference between muscle or fat. Gain ten pounds of pure muscle and the scale will tell you your BF% went up.