Gator Country

G8RBrave · 03-10-2011, 11:20 AM

My first week stats are almost identical. No change yet.

Starting stats

H: 5'8"
W: 139
Waist: 32"
Chest: 37"
BF%: 13.5%

Current:

H: 5'8"
W: 139
Waist: 32"
Chest: 37.5"
BF%: 13.6%*

That extra .5 on my chest could just be measurement error. I'm going to stick with my current diet for another week and then up the calories if Im still not seeing gains.

LeafUF · 03-10-2011, 11:25 AM

I usually only do measurements every 4 weeks, hard to see a change in just one.

Dreamliner · 03-10-2011, 11:33 AM

Not a big fan of either calipers or frequent weigh-ins. Even elaborate body compostion tests are known to be off. Instead, rely on the:

(1) Mirror test - how do you look naked ? (I don't need to see a picture. This is your call)

(2) Clothes test - how are your clothes fitting.

(3) Measure waist every couple of weeks or so as this is where men tend to store fat. Remember too that fat typically comes off in reverse order. For most men, it's first on waist and last off waist. So, by the time your abs are beginning to show you've typically lost fat in the face, chest and generally subcutaneously.

orangeblueorangeblue · 03-10-2011, 11:47 AM

I do calipers once a week, on Monday morning.

Weigh myself every day, but don't put much stock into it. I have a spreadsheet with 4 years of weights, 1RMs and caliper readings. It's interesting stuff if not obsessive.

LeafUF · 03-10-2011, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orangeblueorangeblue

I do calipers once a week, on Monday morning.

Weigh myself every day, but don't put much stock into it. I have a spreadsheet with 4 years of weights, 1RMs and caliper readings. It's interesting stuff if not obsessive.

That is some serious dedication. I started tracking on a spreadsheet about a year ago, but its just weekly weigh in, monthly measurements and calipers. Though, as I have mentioned previously I am not that confident in the caliper measurements.

orangeblueorangeblue · 03-10-2011, 01:30 PM

It's not a very big investment. 5 minutes every Monday, 10-15 seconds every morning, grand total of around 6 or 7 minutes.

While day-over-day values are not very valuable, I find them more reliable for trending than week-over-week. As some will point out, weight can fluctuate randomly by day, so for example last Friday I was 205 and the Friday before I was 204. This would appear that I gained a pound, when in reality my weights for that week were:

Monday: 204, Tuesday: 203, Wednesday: 204, Thursday: 203, Friday: 205, Saturday: 202, Sunday: 202

I believe I had too much sodium on Thursday, causing some water retention, but you never know why, really.

Dreamliner · 03-10-2011, 01:33 PM

I putt the 'skinny' in skinny and my weight can fluctuate three or four pounds during the course of the day.

Dreamliner · 03-10-2011, 06:57 PM

Would appreciate some feedback here. As discussed elsewhere I don't have access to a wide enough chinning bar to accomplish a muscle-up, a movement I committed to do for the 12-week challenge. Thus, I need to decide on a worthy substitute.

How's this ? max-strength/max chinups. By that I mean the most weight I can attach to myself and still get a chinup + the most chinups I can do without additional resistance ?

Currently, I'm getting 3 chins with 55 additional pound attached. Also, on a good day, I can do 8 or 9 strict chins, each rep starting from a dead-hang (my muscular endurance could use some work).

I'm proposing one (1) chinup + roughly half my bodyweight or 80 lbs. AND 15 chinups without additional weight.

Thoughts ?

LeafUF · 03-11-2011, 08:38 AM

A week in and more than anything I feel good about being on target. Weighed myself this morning and was just under 180. Making it to all my workouts and eating pretty well. My main reason for a public challenge was to have some external pressure to keep me on track and so far its working. How well it will work when I am Manhattan, KS or living out of boxes while I move will be the big test.

One change I am going to make is to try daily weighing and using the average weight for that week. I am a spreadsheet junkie from my job and if I can make my tracking spreadsheet more comprehensive I will. I am still only measuring once every 4 weeks.

LeafUF · 03-14-2011, 09:21 PM

Took a day off today. Felt great. Back to the gym first thing in the morning. That way there is no chance work will get in the way.

ATL_Gator · 03-17-2011, 02:01 PM

Wasn't listed on my goals here, but I completed a 405 lb deadlift yesterday!

Dreamliner · 03-17-2011, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATL_Gator

Wasn't listed on my goals here, but I completed a 405 lb deadlift yesterday!

Whoa! Eight plates! Good going!

orangeblueorangeblue · 03-17-2011, 03:14 PM

Good job, ATL. First time I did 400 I hurt my back and couldn't deadlift for a few months.

ATL_Gator · 03-17-2011, 04:40 PM

Thanks,

Back felt really good during the lift. Was definitely tired after, and could feel it starting to tighten up, but I was able too get it nice and stretched out. A little help from my son (~30 lb) sitting on my upper back while I was in a stretch (kneeling on the ground with arms on floor straight out infront of me).

I was all weird about the lift too. 8 plates looks a lot bigger than I had anticipated. Arms were shaking from nerves. I had actually addressed the bar 2 times and then stepped away because something felt "off".

LeafUF · 03-17-2011, 06:14 PM

Thats big time ATL.

LeafUF · 03-20-2011, 05:45 PM

I am going back to 5/3/1 starting Tuesday after a month away. If I stick with it and dont hurt myself I may only be 18-24 months away from a 400 lb. deadlift.

Right now I am just trying to stay on track while living out of suitcases. And it is not that easy.

Dreamliner · 03-20-2011, 07:08 PM

It's only a secondary goal of mine, but I'll be happy with a double-bodyweight deadlift. Not going to push it, but I'd like to get it by summer.

G8RBrave · 03-20-2011, 08:34 PM

I just finished Wendler's book, and I've made a few adjustments to my gameplan:

1) I'm going to start doing front squats instead of back squats. Going to take some getting used to but it should help me prevent more back problems.

2) I'm going to follow the "boring but big" template with maybe one extra accessory exercise thrown on top. I've said it before but I think my accessory exercises have taken too much focus from me, and I need to focus on the big lifts. This is 100% against my nature, and frankly Im a little worried about it, but I'm going to try it.

I'm thinking:

Bench Day

5/3/1 Bench
5X10 Bench @ 50% 1RM
Dumbell Rows
Dumbbell Bench

Deadlift Day

5/3/1 Deadlifts
5X10 Deadlifts @ 50% 1RM
Good Mornings
Chins

Military Press Day

5/3/1 Military Press
5x10 Military Press @ 50% 1RM
Upright Rows
Weighted Dips

Squat Day

5/3/1 Squats
5x10 Squats @ 50% 1RM
Leg Extensions
Hack Squats

This is basically taking a complete re-wiring of who I am. I am certainly not a "less is more" type, so this will be my biggest challenge yet.

No real changes on my goals though, but I doubt I'm going to be able to get up to 147 like I had hoped.

Dreamliner · 03-20-2011, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G8RBrave

I just finished Wendler's book, and I've made a few adjustments to my gameplan:

1) I'm going to start doing front squats instead of back squats. Going to take some getting used to but it should help me prevent more back problems.

2) I'm going to follow the "boring but big" template with maybe one extra accessory exercise thrown on top. I've said it before but I think my accessory exercises have taken too much focus from me, and I need to focus on the big lifts. This is 100% against my nature, and frankly Im a little worried about it, but I'm going to try it.

I'm thinking:

Bench Day

5/3/1 Bench
5X10 Bench @ 50% 1RM
Dumbell Rows
Dumbbell Bench

Deadlift Day

5/3/1 Deadlifts
5X10 Deadlifts @ 50% 1RM
Good Mornings
Chins

Military Press Day

5/3/1 Military Press
5x10 Military Press @ 50% 1RM
Upright Rows
Weighted Dips

Squat Day

5/3/1 Squats
5x10 Squats @ 50% 1RM
Leg Extensions
Hack Squats

This is basically taking a complete re-wiring of who I am. I am certainly not a "less is more" type, so this will be my biggest challenge yet.

No real changes on my goals though, but I doubt I'm going to be able to get up to 147 like I had hoped.

Brave, if you can stick it out I don't think you'll regret the more basic approach. Unless you're a seasoned veteran, you don't really need to do a lot of extra stuff. You'll get better at the lifts by practicing the lifts.

Also, keep us posted on the front squat. Some say it spares their backs. Others say it hurts their backs.

ATL_Gator · 03-21-2011, 07:07 AM

Thanks Leaf.

Brave, do keep us posted on the front squats. I am also following the BBB template, and I am incorporating front squats for my assistance work, but not my primary lift.

For me, I do get "pain" in my back, but it is a fatigue type pain in my upper back from holding the weight up for long enough to get 10 reps. I am really weak there, and is by far my weak link.

Oh yeah, my favorite template... "I'm not doing jack sh*t" template. Ha-ha. I have done this multiple times, specifically the last time I deadlifted.

I try not to do it too often, as I find it begins to make me lazy.