Yeah Im still making gains on the lower body. Im not going to abandon 5-3-1, I'm just sort of topping out and it may be decision time for me. Do I want to continue to try to slash body fat, or do I want to put on muscle and get stronger?
Yeah Im still making gains on the lower body. Im not going to abandon 5-3-1, I'm just sort of topping out and it may be decision time for me. Do I want to continue to try to slash body fat, or do I want to put on muscle and get stronger?
It's the never ending conundrum for me.
If your lower body is still playing catch-up then future gains there might positively impact your body composition. In any case, I'd almost wager that, at 137, you don't have a lot of bodyfat but where you carry it, specifically, leads to frustration. Perhaps this is where realism comes in. It used to be the case that a merely 'flat stomach' was the hallmark of fitness.
Bodybuilders go to RIDICULOUS extremes to get 'shrink-wrapped' and even then don't maintain that low level of bodyfat for more than a handful of weeks out of the year.
My wife knew a woman who competes once or twice a year. When she was "cutting" for a competition.. she was basically anorexic for about a month to 1.5 months. Eat basically nothing, what is eaten is primarily protein, then go do cardio. She said that she felt like crap, her hair would get very brittle, and she would often get sick, and her mood would change (for the bad). Very extreme. Obviously, that weight/look/bfp was not the norm.
Location: Wherever I am I doing fine. I am here for a good not a long time.
Posts: 12,565
Quote:
Originally Posted by G8RBrave
Yeah Im still making gains on the lower body. Im not going to abandon 5-3-1, I'm just sort of topping out and it may be decision time for me. Do I want to continue to try to slash body fat, or do I want to put on muscle and get stronger?
It's the never ending conundrum for me.
I recommend muscle. The bigger your shoulders and chest are the smaller your waist will look.
3x3 Bench, actually got all 3 sets after stalling last week (on the lighter template now)
5x6 Bench at 65% 1 RM
3x8 One arm rows
3x6 Dumbbell Bench
There you go. The lighter template may have given you new life.
BTW, the young woman I begin training tomorrow is bound-and-determined to do a pullup. Not a chinup. A pullup. She's got one of those apparatuses that attach to the doorway. And when I told her that I had zero concerns about the integrity of the apparatus, nonetheless, I couldn't promise that it wouldn't damage the door frame, whereupon she informed me that she didn't care if she damaged every door frame in the house as long as it took to get her pullup!
Location: Wherever I am I doing fine. I am here for a good not a long time.
Posts: 12,565
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreamliner
There you go. The lighter template may have given you new life.
BTW, the young woman I begin training tomorrow is bound-and-determined to do a pullup. Not a chinup. A pullup. She's got one of those apparatuses that attach to the doorway. And when I told her that I had zero concerns about the integrity of the apparatus, nonetheless, I couldn't promise that it wouldn't damage the door frame, whereupon she informed me that she didn't care if she damaged every door frame in the house as long as it took to get her pullup!
Just dont let her video tape it or she might end up like this
LOL, I watched that last night while researching home pullup bars. Fortunately, she's got the 'Iron Gym' version that hangs over the door frame.
I personally i have the p90x pullup bar, got it off craigslist for 20$. Which beats paying 70 or 80$ for it. It's very sturdy and has never falling off ever. I pretty much do every varition of pullups. Only thing i really don't do is hang upside down to do my ab work like i do at the gym. I recommend it to someone looking to do pullups at home.
Iron gym makes one similar to it called iron gym xtreme. Not sure about the quality though because i've seen them in Ross stores for 10$ or 20$, i can't remember.
I personally i have the p90x pullup bar, got it off craigslist for 20$. Which beats paying 70 or 80$ for it. It's very sturdy and has never falling off ever. I pretty much do every varition of pullups. Only thing i really don't do is hang upside down to do my ab work like i do at the gym. I recommend it to someone looking to do pullups at home.
Iron gym makes one similar to it called iron gym xtreme. Not sure about the quality though because i've seen them in Ross stores for 10$ or 20$, i can't remember.
Now, does the P90X apparatus hang over the door frame ? I've tried the Iron Gym and its solid. You can't use a lot of momentum or you'll jar it loose, which is a good thing if you're wanting to emphasize solid form. Keeps you honest.
Yeah, Ive got the P90x one and it hangs over the frame on brackets. Its solid, and it wont fall off the wall unless you weigh WAY more than you should.
Deadlift Day
3x3 Deadlifts, got 7 on the last set
5x6 Deadlifts @ 65% 1RM
Pullups Set of 18, 12, 8 (Alternated between chins, standard grip pullups, and wide grip pullups)
3x10 Bent over rows
Yeah, Ive got the P90x one and it hangs over the frame on brackets. Its solid, and it wont fall off the wall unless you weigh WAY more than you should.
Deadlift Day
3x3 Deadlifts, got 7 on the last set
5x6 Deadlifts @ 65% 1RM
Pullups Set of 18, 12, 8 (Alternated between chins, standard grip pullups, and wide grip pullups)
3x10 Bent over rows
Your pullups are off the chart. I'm going to give my girl a choice today between chins, neutral grip and pullups ... and I have a feeling she's going to go right for the Big Boy. I imagine we'll find out pretty quickly whether we need to start with flexed-bar hangs or whether we can proceed straight to negatives then, over weeks, transition to assisted pullups, where I'd push lightly on her upper back as opposed to lifting her feet, which can affect spinal alignment.
I'm also doing deadlifts today, it's my back day. Probably one of my longest routines, well not really my routine. Worked out with a bodybuilder friend a couple times and stole it from him.
Your pullup routine looks like the p90x version. If you go to the gym, it's always fun to mix it up with your lats. I still throw in pullups every now and then but i like to mix it up. They have a v-bar that alot of people use for lat pulldowns and ect. Well find one of those but hang it from the pullup bar. THere you have a nice close grip variation of pullups.
Another thing to do is if you have towels or wrist straps, attach those to the pullup bar and do pullups with those. DOing those are very hard and do alot. Work your grip strength, lats and everything else you would be working while doing a pullup.
But i must say, my most favorite exercise on back day is doing t-bar rows. Get a barbell, throw it in a corner and load up 4 or 5 45lb plates on there and go to work.
Do you do bent over rows with DBs or BBs? I've been using the smith machine doing them and but i think i'll change it up and go straight barbell today.
Edit : Forgot to mention these pullups. I'm sure everyone does them. 2 different variations. V-pullup = body in v formation which is easier than legs extended straight out, another one is legs extended straight out and do pullups. That pretty much works everything.
The bent over rows are barbell. Im doing 70 lbs sets of 10. I do one arm dumbbell rows on another day, but they are the knee on the bench variety.
Yeah, I did p90x for a while and liked the way they rotated between the alternating grip/width pullups so I put it in my back day. My best so far is 21 reps. I hope to hit 30 one day. I always cross my feet doing pullups but it mainly seems to stabilize my lower body and keep me from "swinging" and cheating.
I LOVE pullups/chins. I think that is one of the best compound exercises one can do.
That's cool, yeah with my bent over rows i did bb tonight. I did 145 lb with drop sets. I can get in that extra weight because i use my versa grips. Love those things. Helped me add in an extra 80+ lbs to my deadlifts, rack pulls and shrugs. Well about 40 lbs to my shrugs.
Not sure if you go to a gym or not but usually gyms have a belt with a chain attachment where you can strap it around your waist and hook on weight plates.
This is how i broke my pullup goals. I do was stuck around the 20 mark for awhile then i started to add in weights. I would do around 6-10 reps with 45 lb plate and work my way up. Variations of lat pulldowns also help.
That would be my suggestion if you are looking to increase your pullup numbers. It worked for me. I can do around 33 chinups and 29 pullups on a good day.
Love those things. Helped me add in an extra 80+ lbs to my deadlifts, rack pulls and shrugs. Well about 40 lbs to my shrugs. 
Linear Mode
