Bodybuilding/Workout/Diet thread

[FastFreddie]

That's pretty cool.  I need to look into that, because I farging hate exercise for the sake of exercise.

I love competitive stuff, like racquetball and squash, but I suck at both because I don't work out.  Kind of an endless spiral.

[rjs246]

I just finished reading The 4 Hour Work Week and, in addition to being fairly inspirational for those of us who are 9-5 cube-jockeys, the author talks several times about his experiments in muscle gain and weight loss (the dude has tons of time on his hands and frequently does these types of 'what can I make my body do' types of experiments).

The site that he maintains in conjunction with the book has these three posts about weight loss and muscle gain. Fascinating stuff:

Science.
 
Losing fat.
 
Gaining muscle.

So I'm gonna try the gaining muscle shtein above.

The idea is simple:
- Instead of working out constantly work out your entire body twice a week (as Zanshin has pointed out, working out the entire body produces more growth hormones), making sure that you are doing full-range-of-motion exercises and that doing all of your sets to muscle failure. Take breaks between sets.
- Eat a shteinload of protein.

It also suggests cuting carbs WAY down, but that is unlikely since I enjoy an alcoholic beverage or seven.

We'll see how it goes...

[rjs246]

So far so good. After three workouts I'm seeing a lot more definition which is pretty impressive considering the slow slog that is my usual path to progress. Also, I've added TONS of calories to my diet in the form of increased protein intake without cutting anywhere else and I've still managed to lose a pound since I started. The hard part is without a doubt getting your mind OK with actually pushing each set to muscle failure. Very different than what I've been used to doing.

I still think that lifting with your legs is for the gays, but here I am, lifting with my legs. So there you have it.

[Zanshin]

Todd Herremans always suspected you were gay, anyway.

[SD]

I might give the fat burning one a try. I've been slacking lately, I'm happy with the muscle I've gained but would still like to shed a few.

[SD]

I have a cold so I haven't been motivated to go to the gym all week. Went out drinking with the boys lastnight and got the workout itch this morning. So instead of focusing on one body part I did a little of everything:
Flat bench: 160-185 3 sets 8-10 reps
Shoulder dumbell press 50-55 3 sets  8-10 reps
Wide grip lat pulldown: 130 3 sets 8-10 reps
Dips: To exhaustion, which is like 10-15 3 sets
Concentration curls: 35 8-10 reps 3 sets
Upper body press machine 150 8-10 reps 3 sets

First time I ever hit that many different body parts in one day. I cut cardio out of the mix but worked up a ridiculous sweat because I set the pace so high. I'm already sore, tomorrow is going to suck the big one.

[charlie]

So far so good. After three workouts I'm seeing a lot more definition which is pretty impressive considering the slow slog that is my usual path to progress. Also, I've added TONS of calories to my diet in the form of increased protein intake without cutting anywhere else and I've still managed to lose a pound since I started. The hard part is without a doubt getting your mind OK with actually pushing each set to muscle failure. Very different than what I've been used to doing.

I still think that lifting with your legs is for the gays, but here I am, lifting with my legs. So there you have it.

I am going to assume that after your 4th workout that you're totally ripped.

[FastFreddie]

So far so good. After three workouts I'm seeing a lot more definition which is pretty impressive considering the slow slog that is my usual path to progress. Also, I've added TONS of calories to my diet in the form of increased protein intake without cutting anywhere else and I've still managed to lose a pound since I started. The hard part is without a doubt getting your mind OK with actually pushing each set to muscle failure. Very different than what I've been used to doing.

I still think that lifting with your legs is for the gays, but here I am, lifting with my legs. So there you have it.

How do you feel the next day?  Like a hundred dollars?

[rjs246]

Actually, with the huge quantities of protein that I'm eating my muscles haven't gotten as sore as I would have expected. Let's not kid ourselves, I did't have tons of muscle mass on me to begin with. I've spent the last 4-5 years of my life obsessively keeping my weight down at the expense of muscle mass and in the face of raging alcoholism, so i'm not going to be scaring off any linebackers just yet, but definition is all I'm looking for and this is building muscle quickly. Sort of fascinating that its actually working.

But yes, now that I've done four workouts (fifth one this afternoon) I am farging shredded.

[FastFreddie]

If it really works, you must post the details of which exercises you do.  Also, I'm interested in the concept of muscle "failure" - doesn't that just mean doing a set until you're too tired to continue?  Then you basically work different muscles the same way 3 minutes later?

[rjs246]

Also, I'm interested in the concept of muscle "failure" - doesn't that just mean doing a set until you're too tired to continue?  Then you basically work different muscles the same way 3 minutes later?

That's exactly right. And is why this workout is designed specifically for nautilus machines and not freeweights.

[smeags]

Actually, with the huge quantities of protein that I'm eating

[rjs246]

Oh hey I get it! Gaywad Blowjobs!

[Seabiscuit36]

Blowjobs!

[smeags]

no wonder you like true blood so much.