Gym Talk! Daily gym related talk

[NorCalAthlete]

Originally Posted by JP10

^

Exactly. I see way too many people try to jump on the all or nothing style though and cut everything 100% or stick to "cheat days" or something. Cheat day turns into a cheat week turns into "well guess I might as well skip the gym today since I already cheated on a meal..." and before you know it you fell off completely again.

FWIW I think if a burger is made and cooked correctly, all it should need is bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion and it should be perfectly juicy without being "plain". No ketchup, mayo (especially mayo, bleh!), mustard, etc necessary. I'm at the point now where I flat out don't have any dressings except some light italian on my salads and ketchup for the fries, and that's it. I skip everything else. You just have to do it for like a month to kill the gut bacteria that crave it and create the urges, and then your tastebuds follow and enhance the other flavors and textures that were getting overpowered before.

[UncleWede]

The 2 things I repeated the most last night:
1) Everything in moderation
2) We will support you whatever you need

If I could change one person's understanding in the household, it would be the wife. I still can't get her to understand the basics of macros, 20+ years of her living with me as a diabetic. The 2 things I have made a difference in are 1) olive oil and 2) tacos de papas CON carne. At least there is a bit of protein in there.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by floridaorange

Honestly that's more along the lines of what I should be aiming for. I only really started to get serious about squats and deadlifts in my late 30's.

1MOREMOD may I ask how tall you are?

For some reason I've recently started naturally gripping the bar much wider (so much easier on my elbows) during squats, which has been nice.

I'm 6 foot maybe 6'1". I never was very good at squat or dead, heavy anyway until later in my life. I probably did my first deadlift ever in mid to late 30s. Almoat 50 now and hit those numbers in the just the last year or so.

[floridaorange]

That's awesome! That's my goal to stay in great shape as I get older! At 50 are you having to supplement your test levels or not yet? I've read so much about the benefits and evidently no negative side effects so long as you're over 45 or something?

[JP10]

Originally Posted by floridaorange

That's awesome! That's my goal to stay in great shape as I get older! At 50 are you having to supplement your test levels or not yet? I've read so much about the benefits and evidently no negative side effects so long as you're over 45 or something?

Well there are always side effects, but if done properly they can all be managed. The major side effects is infertility. If you are past that stage of your life then there are only minimal effects (ball shrinkage, gyno, etc.). Although the minimal side effects are more pertinent to high dosage cycles. You're avg TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) is minimal dosage test just to keep your levels optimal. When you start increasing your test more dramatically (like all body builders) then your estrogen levels follow suit (moobs). Estrogen spikage can be countered through use of other drugs (nolvadex - same drug that is used when a patient is trying to get off test to start having kids actually as it restarts your test production). Also at high dosage is where you'll see the ball shrinkage as your body realizes it no longer needs to produce testosterone since you are getting it through alternative methods. There's another drug you can use to counter that us well, forgetting the name off the top of my head.

Long story short, find a good doctor who knows what he is doing. Like with any profession, you can run into someone who has no idea what they're doing. If they start over dosing you then you can encounter some of the topics I mentioned above. There are also other negatives like alcohol consumption can spike estrogen levels more drastically, messing with your hormones is no joke. There needs to be more information because unfortunately young and impatient people will start dosing before they understand the negatives. I only know what I know because of extensive research maybe 3-4 yrs ago, never dipped my toes because I realized what could follow and I still want kids.

[rebekahb]

Originally Posted by JP10

Well there are always side effects, but if done properly they can all be managed. The major side effects is infertility. If you are past that stage of your life then there are only minimal effects (ball shrinkage, gyno, etc.). Although the minimal side effects are more pertinent to high dosage cycles. You're avg TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) is minimal dosage test just to keep your levels optimal.[COLOR="DarkSlateBlue"][/COLOR] When you start increasing your test more dramatically (like all body builders) then your estrogen levels follow suit (moobs). Estrogen spikage can be countered through use of other drugs (nolvadex - same drug that is used when a patient is trying to get off test to start having kids actually as it restarts your test production). Also at high dosage is where you'll see the ball shrinkage as your body realizes it no longer needs to produce testosterone since you are getting it through alternative methods. There's another drug you can use to counter that us well, forgetting the name off the top of my head.

Long story short, [COLOR="DarkSlateBlue"]find a good doctor who knows what he is doing. Like with any profession, you can run into someone who has no idea what they're doing.[/COLOR] If they start over dosing you then you can encounter some of the topics I mentioned above. There are also other negatives like alcohol consumption can spike estrogen levels more drastically, messing with your hormones is no joke. There needs to be more information because unfortunately young and impatient people will start dosing before they understand the negatives. I only know what I know because of extensive research maybe 3-4 yrs ago, never dipped my toes because I realized what could follow and I still want kids.

This. Hormones are very interesting to deal with and not so cut and dry. For instance, commercially available testosterone replacement is far higher than a healthy male at his peak endogenous testosterone level. I was just discussing this with a physician who has a male patient on pellets and wanting to switch him to a topical form of testosterone. This is not my area of expertise but was interesting to learn more about it this week.

[JP10]

Originally Posted by rebekahb

This. Hormones are very interesting to deal with and not so cut and dry. For instance, commercially available testosterone replacement is far higher than a healthy male at his peak endogenous testosterone level. I was just discussing this with a physician who has a male patient on pellets and wanting to switch him to a topical form of testosterone. This is not my area of expertise but was interesting to learn more about it this week.

Exactly, hormones are difficult to predict and no two people are the same.

Surprised they are using orals & topicals. The issue with orals is that they strain the hell of out your liver. You can try to keep it healthy with milk thistle, but still. Topical seems like a waste to me, rate of absorption isn't great. Plus I remember when I was reading about all this that guys were afraid to touch their kids or spouse after applying, which makes sense lmao.

Best absorption rate & least amount of damage to your organs is injection, but some are afraid of needles which I get.

[NorCalAthlete]

Good back day today.

6x8 High row
5x10 ab machine
3x8 lat pulldown (wide grip)
3x8 lat pulldown (close grip)
3x8 seated rows (wide grip)
3x8 seated rows (close grip)
5x8 reverse flys
3x10 barbell curls
3x10 weighted back extensions

[NorCalAthlete]

Forgot to post, did back day yesterday.

5x8 iso high row
5x8 seated close grip row
5x8 Reverse fly
5x8 preacher curls
5x30 decline sit-ups
5x8 low row

Btw I give myself 90 seconds rest between sets and target about an hour long workout.

Also did chest day on the 28th:

5x6 flat bench
5x8 flys (Machine)
5x6 incline bench
5x6 decline supersetted with 30 sit-ups per set
3x8 dumbbell chest press
3x8 overhead pulls
5x8 tricep extensions

[JP10]

Havent been updating much either. Trying to remember what I have lifted, Sunday was an off day. Monday I hit chest/abs, Tuesday was arms, yesterday was Shoulders/abs, and today was legs. Currently debating what I want to do with my diet. I've been eating everything in site recently, haven't noticed any negative weight gain though. So I might just continue down that road until it is a problem then dial things back in. I like being in solid shape for the holidays so maybe in 3 weeks I'll start cutting again. Who knows, feel like I flip flop every week lol.

[NorCalAthlete]

Probably going to do shoulders tonight but my triceps are still kinda sore so might do legs instead. Thing is I'm golfing both Saturday and Sunday this weekend so I'm not sure I want to kill my legs either today. Ugh. Choices, choices...

[ga9213]

Switched our routine up this week...been about a year since our last change up. This is our lighter routine but it never ceases to amaze me how relatively minor changes in exercises while working the same muscle groups can cause you to feel like you just started lifting for the first time all over again.

[NorCalAthlete]

Originally Posted by ga9213

Switched our routine up this week...been about a year since our last change up. This is our lighter routine but it never ceases to amaze me how relatively minor changes in exercises while working the same muscle groups can cause you to feel like you just started lifting for the first time all over again.

I rotate weight + reps even while doing the same exercises. So for example on one back day I might do 5x10 reps @ 100 lbs per side for iso-pulldowns, but then the next back day I do 5x6 reps @ 135 lbs per side.

Higher reps / higher speed / lower weight

vs

Lower reps / slow and steady movements / higher weight

[ga9213]

Originally Posted by NorCalAthlete

I rotate weight + reps even while doing the same exercises. So for example on one back day I might do 5x10 reps @ 100 lbs per side for iso-pulldowns, but then the next back day I do 5x6 reps @ 135 lbs per side.

Higher reps / higher speed / lower weight

vs

Lower reps / slow and steady movements / higher weight

We do the same...high rep days, low rep days, varying weights and reps per set.

It's the minor changes in exercise like moving to dumbell skull crushers vs. barbell, or a substituting a machine curl one day instead of preacher curl...that's what's killing me right now.

[NorCalAthlete]

Ah gotcha yeah. Try just rotating your grip 90 degrees for curls or tricep extensions - that'll fuck you up right quick too

[ga9213]

Yeah, been there done that! Got the 6 months of tennis elbow to prove it!

[ramman434]

Originally Posted by ga9213

Yeah, been there done that! Got the 6 months of tennis elbow to prove it!

Sadly, I'm in the same boat.. it sucks. Sometimes I can barely do light weight, because the pain shoots out of nowhere

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by ga9213

Yeah, been there done that! Got the 6 months of tennis elbow to prove it!

Mine if from hammering, but right arm is keeping me out right now. Last night I tried to pick up a 2L bottle of soda at the store and almost dropped and started whimpering. It's been 4 weeks since I swung said hammer.

Last night I had a nightmare that I looked as shrunken as my nephew who has suddenly gone vegan/elliptical. I can run only so many days a week

[JP10]

Back/triceps this morning, solid day, body seems to be efficient right now. Eating a ton and haven't noticed any negative weight gain. Starting to get a little sick, fiance went and got tested for covid, luckily negative. But I think she might have strep, hence I might be getting strep. My typical stance for whenever I get sick is to eat a lot, drink a lot of fluid, and do a lot of cardio. Usually works well for me!

[JP10]

Big weekend of eating and sleeping. Body feels 110%. Might be playing in a golf tournament towards the end of next week, so I'll probably reduce calorie intake a little bit to lean out. Play better that way.

Lifted shoulders/biceps on Saturday, legs/cardio/abs yesterday, and chest this morning. Starting running more frequently, going pretty well. Usually pretty comfortable at a 7:30/mile pace for 3 miles.

Highlight of the weekend, fiance said my muscles looked big yesterday lmao.

[1MOREMOD]

Did a decent amount of pullover and stiff arm pull down for lats and feel pretty smoked.

[floridaorange]

Is it possible I weighed 188 this morning and 196.8 at 6pm? Because that happened. Did back & bi's today - it got hot out and very humid again after some mild weather - so it was a pain but glad I went!