My training thread, progress, advice etc

[ryanman]

Well a quick update. I'm still training hard, or as hard as I am able.

I bought an Iron Gym door frame pull up bar from Amazon last week. It's so hard!

I can't do one single full pull up, and barely 5 chin ups.

I'm guessing the wide grip pull ups must be the hardest bodyweight exercise of all.

Needless to say I'm going to try and remedy this pathetic effort.

Apparently pull ups are the single best exercise for building a rock solid back and getting the much coveted V-shape taper. I had no idea. I guess bent over rows and lat pull downs was what people did but pull ups are the daddy so I'm told.

So pull ups, chin ups, push ups are going to become a staple once I've finished my current weight training cycle.

I want to be able to do 35 push ups, 5 pull ups and 10 chin ups by Christmas.

How you getting on Bilbo? Still sticking with it? Close to 5 pull ups/10 chin-ups yet?

[Kev]

Hey Ryanman thanks for asking.

I'm still training 4/5 times a week. I'm not really seeing any gains any more which is disappointing, I think once Christmas is out the way I will need to revamp my program and change it up a bit.

I do sets of 8 chin ups and pull ups now, although what I class as pull ups is when I grip these handles on the bar with wrists facing inwards towards the body.

Actual widegrip pulls are still really hard. I can do 3 raising to just above eye level with the bar but I don't seem able to lift up to chin level with them, although I'm not sure if you are supposed to anyway.

Chin ups and regular pull ups are to chin level though.

Wish I was ripped and shreeded by now, but I guess that is mainly for the young and the elite.

As long as I continue to get a little bit better and keep heading in the right direction I am happy. The best news is I have been completely healthy for a year now, not even a cold and my thyroid function and testosterone levels have noticabley increased.

Hoping to start some volunteer work in January, feeling positive about everything for the first time in several years. Even started seeing a new girl.

[ono]

Hey Ryanman thanks for asking.

I'm still training 4/5 times a week. I'm not really seeing any gains any more which is disappointing, I think once Christmas is out the way I will need to revamp my program and change it up a bit.

I do sets of 8 chin ups and pull ups now, although what I class as pull ups is when I grip these handles on the bar with wrists facing inwards towards the body.

Actual widegrip pulls are still really hard. I can do 3 raising to just above eye level with the bar but I don't seem able to lift up to chin level with them, although I'm not sure if you are supposed to anyway.

Chin ups and regular pull ups are to chin level though.

Wish I was ripped and shreeded by now, but I guess that is mainly for the young and the elite.

As long as I continue to get a little bit better and keep heading in the right direction I am happy. The best news is I have been completely healthy for a year now, not even a cold and my thyroid function and testosterone levels have noticabley increased.

Hoping to start some volunteer work in January, feeling positive about everything for the first time in several years. Even started seeing a new girl.

What's your diet like?

[Kev]

Hey Ryanman thanks for asking.

I'm still training 4/5 times a week. I'm not really seeing any gains any more which is disappointing, I think once Christmas is out the way I will need to revamp my program and change it up a bit.

I do sets of 8 chin ups and pull ups now, although what I class as pull ups is when I grip these handles on the bar with wrists facing inwards towards the body.

Actual widegrip pulls are still really hard. I can do 3 raising to just above eye level with the bar but I don't seem able to lift up to chin level with them, although I'm not sure if you are supposed to anyway.

Chin ups and regular pull ups are to chin level though.

Wish I was ripped and shreeded by now, but I guess that is mainly for the young and the elite.

As long as I continue to get a little bit better and keep heading in the right direction I am happy. The best news is I have been completely healthy for a year now, not even a cold and my thyroid function and testosterone levels have noticabley increased.

Hoping to start some volunteer work in January, feeling positive about everything for the first time in several years. Even started seeing a new girl.

What's your diet like?

Generally pretty good, I eat fairly well, several small meals a day, no crap, well usually no crap.

I think I probably need to change my program up a bit. I've been doing the same whole body routine twice a week since March now.

After Christmas I will split it in half and workout 4 times a week, and add some different exercises.

I might also use my stationary bike as well as a break from rowing and to get my body adapted to some other form of cardio.

[erics44]

alright man, first time ive seen your training log so first time ive posted

what was the radiotherapy for? i havent read all the thread so soz if ive missed something

from your first post it seems you are trying to add muscle(weight) and lose fat at the same time

id say unless you are very young and/or a freak of nature thats probably gonna be difficult

most people do it in cycles (bulk then cut) so say you are 130lbs and 25%bf and you want to be 140lbs and 14%bf, the best thing to do would be to bulk (eat lots and lift lots of weights) for 6months say

reaching 160lbs and 35% bf maybe

then cut (lots of cadio, low cal diet)

dropping then to nearer to your target

its pretty impossible to do it all at the same time

[Kev]

alright man, first time ive seen your training log so first time ive posted

what was the radiotherapy for? i havent read all the thread so soz if ive missed something

from your first post it seems you are trying to add muscle(weight) and lose fat at the same time

id say unless you are very young and/or a freak of nature thats probably gonna be difficult

most people do it in cycles (bulk then cut) so say you are 130lbs and 25%bf and you want to be 140lbs and 14%bf, the best thing to do would be to bulk (eat lots and lift lots of weights) for 6months say

reaching 160lbs and 35% bf maybe

then cut (lots of cadio, low cal diet)

dropping then to nearer to your target

its pretty impossible to do it all at the same time

I don't really buy into this cutting/bulking talk. I think that's true for serious athletes, not people just starting working out.

Somebody who is inactive will both lose fat and gain muscle initially as their body is out of shape and muscle underdeveloped.

Obviously if you are already in shape then it wouldn't be possible as youe muscle mass is already developed and your bodyfat already at a healthy level.

An overweight, undermuscled average guy however will start building muscle from working out and losing weight also, providing they eat properly, at least until they are in shape.

As an example, Manny Pacquiao obviously couldnt build muscle and lose fat simultaneously, but Eddie Izzard clearly did when he did his marathon challenge. He lost a lot of fat from his daily marathon regime, he also built up some decent muscle mass in his legs.

Ricky Gervais clearly lost a lot of weight and packed on some muscle when training for his celebrity boxing challenge a few years ago.

[erics44]

alright man, first time ive seen your training log so first time ive posted

what was the radiotherapy for? i havent read all the thread so soz if ive missed something

from your first post it seems you are trying to add muscle(weight) and lose fat at the same time

id say unless you are very young and/or a freak of nature thats probably gonna be difficult

most people do it in cycles (bulk then cut) so say you are 130lbs and 25%bf and you want to be 140lbs and 14%bf, the best thing to do would be to bulk (eat lots and lift lots of weights) for 6months say

reaching 160lbs and 35% bf maybe

then cut (lots of cadio, low cal diet)

dropping then to nearer to your target

its pretty impossible to do it all at the same time

I don't really buy into this cutting/bulking talk. I think that's true for serious athletes, not people just starting working out.

Somebody who is inactive will both lose fat and gain muscle initially as their body is out of shape and muscle underdeveloped.

Obviously if you are already in shape then it wouldn't be possible as youe muscle mass is already developed and your bodyfat already at a healthy level.

An overweight, undermuscled average guy however will start building muscle from working out and losing weight also, providing they eat properly, at least until they are in shape.

As an example, Manny Pacquiao obviously couldnt build muscle and lose fat simultaneously, but Eddie Izzard clearly did when he did his marathon challenge. He lost a lot of fat from his daily marathon regime, he also built up some decent muscle mass in his legs.

Ricky Gervais clearly lost a lot of weight and packed on some muscle when training for his celebrity boxing challenge a few years ago.

you look more musular when you lose weight, less fat and you can see whats underneath, your body also changes shape when you do vigurous excersize

ricky gervais and eddie izzard were fat potatos, they started doing some excersize and they began to lose weight so the muscles showed through more, their backs began to straighten a bit, shoulders less hunched so they definately will have looked better

its very unlikely they will have added muscle tho

adding lean muscle is very difficult

UK-Muscle Body Building Community - Bodybuilding Forum is a good site for advice on this stuff

[ono]

alright man, first time ive seen your training log so first time ive posted

what was the radiotherapy for? i havent read all the thread so soz if ive missed something

from your first post it seems you are trying to add muscle(weight) and lose fat at the same time

id say unless you are very young and/or a freak of nature thats probably gonna be difficult

most people do it in cycles (bulk then cut) so say you are 130lbs and 25%bf and you want to be 140lbs and 14%bf, the best thing to do would be to bulk (eat lots and lift lots of weights) for 6months say

reaching 160lbs and 35% bf maybe

then cut (lots of cadio, low cal diet)

dropping then to nearer to your target

its pretty impossible to do it all at the same time

I don't really buy into this cutting/bulking talk. I think that's true for serious athletes, not people just starting working out.

Somebody who is inactive will both lose fat and gain muscle initially as their body is out of shape and muscle underdeveloped.

Obviously if you are already in shape then it wouldn't be possible as youe muscle mass is already developed and your bodyfat already at a healthy level.

An overweight, undermuscled average guy however will start building muscle from working out and losing weight also, providing they eat properly, at least until they are in shape.

As an example, Manny Pacquiao obviously couldnt build muscle and lose fat simultaneously, but Eddie Izzard clearly did when he did his marathon challenge. He lost a lot of fat from his daily marathon regime, he also built up some decent muscle mass in his legs.

Ricky Gervais clearly lost a lot of weight and packed on some muscle when training for his celebrity boxing challenge a few years ago.

It's more the result of losing fat to reveal muscle tone, than genuinely losing fat and gaining muscle.

[ono]

Hey Ryanman thanks for asking.

I'm still training 4/5 times a week. I'm not really seeing any gains any more which is disappointing, I think once Christmas is out the way I will need to revamp my program and change it up a bit.

I do sets of 8 chin ups and pull ups now, although what I class as pull ups is when I grip these handles on the bar with wrists facing inwards towards the body.

Actual widegrip pulls are still really hard. I can do 3 raising to just above eye level with the bar but I don't seem able to lift up to chin level with them, although I'm not sure if you are supposed to anyway.

Chin ups and regular pull ups are to chin level though.

Wish I was ripped and shreeded by now, but I guess that is mainly for the young and the elite.

As long as I continue to get a little bit better and keep heading in the right direction I am happy. The best news is I have been completely healthy for a year now, not even a cold and my thyroid function and testosterone levels have noticabley increased.

Hoping to start some volunteer work in January, feeling positive about everything for the first time in several years. Even started seeing a new girl.

What's your diet like?

Generally pretty good, I eat fairly well, several small meals a day, no crap, well usually no crap.

I think I probably need to change my program up a bit. I've been doing the same whole body routine twice a week since March now.

After Christmas I will split it in half and workout 4 times a week, and add some different exercises.

I might also use my stationary bike as well as a break from rowing and to get my body adapted to some other form of cardio.

How many grams of carbs/protein/fats per day?

[Kev]

Hey Ryanman thanks for asking.

I'm still training 4/5 times a week. I'm not really seeing any gains any more which is disappointing, I think once Christmas is out the way I will need to revamp my program and change it up a bit.

I do sets of 8 chin ups and pull ups now, although what I class as pull ups is when I grip these handles on the bar with wrists facing inwards towards the body.

Actual widegrip pulls are still really hard. I can do 3 raising to just above eye level with the bar but I don't seem able to lift up to chin level with them, although I'm not sure if you are supposed to anyway.

Chin ups and regular pull ups are to chin level though.

Wish I was ripped and shreeded by now, but I guess that is mainly for the young and the elite.

As long as I continue to get a little bit better and keep heading in the right direction I am happy. The best news is I have been completely healthy for a year now, not even a cold and my thyroid function and testosterone levels have noticabley increased.

Hoping to start some volunteer work in January, feeling positive about everything for the first time in several years. Even started seeing a new girl.

What's your diet like?

Generally pretty good, I eat fairly well, several small meals a day, no crap, well usually no crap.

I think I probably need to change my program up a bit. I've been doing the same whole body routine twice a week since March now.

After Christmas I will split it in half and workout 4 times a week, and add some different exercises.

I might also use my stationary bike as well as a break from rowing and to get my body adapted to some other form of cardio.

How many grams of carbs/protein/fats per day?

I don't weigh it out, but I eat sensibly.

For example so far today I've eaten the following.

2 slices brown bread with crunchy peanut butter with an apple
4 ryvitas with philadelphia light spread, ham and mustard

In a bit I'm going to have a can of tuna with broccoli.

I've drank one glass of water and 3 cups of green tea so far.

Dinner tonight will be chicken, brown rice, a fried diced red onion and a Patak balti sauce.

I'll also have one chocolate whey protein shake with two scoops of raw oats after my workout.

This is a typical day and to be honest I'm not in the slightest bit interested in making it more complicated than this. I don't want to be weighing food as it's just not sustainable for me in the long term. It has to be easy otherwise it becomes a chore and I'm less likely to stick with it.

[Kev]

My bodyweight is now 140lbs, up from 135 when I was just rowing. So I've gained about 5 lbs of muscle (well weight at least) in the last 5 months, although the last couple months it's remained the same.

I'm thinking maybe this is just my ideal natural weight?

I'm not looking to add size or bulk. Ideally I'd love to start to resemble a boxer's body, muscular but lean. I guess training 3 hours a week probably isn't going to produce that, but if I could look in shape, so I at least look like I work out, that would be great.

I don't think I llok like that yet, but I look much much better than I did at the start of the year.

[ono]

Hey Ryanman thanks for asking.

I'm still training 4/5 times a week. I'm not really seeing any gains any more which is disappointing, I think once Christmas is out the way I will need to revamp my program and change it up a bit.

I do sets of 8 chin ups and pull ups now, although what I class as pull ups is when I grip these handles on the bar with wrists facing inwards towards the body.

Actual widegrip pulls are still really hard. I can do 3 raising to just above eye level with the bar but I don't seem able to lift up to chin level with them, although I'm not sure if you are supposed to anyway.

Chin ups and regular pull ups are to chin level though.

Wish I was ripped and shreeded by now, but I guess that is mainly for the young and the elite.

As long as I continue to get a little bit better and keep heading in the right direction I am happy. The best news is I have been completely healthy for a year now, not even a cold and my thyroid function and testosterone levels have noticabley increased.

Hoping to start some volunteer work in January, feeling positive about everything for the first time in several years. Even started seeing a new girl.

What's your diet like?

Generally pretty good, I eat fairly well, several small meals a day, no crap, well usually no crap.

I think I probably need to change my program up a bit. I've been doing the same whole body routine twice a week since March now.

After Christmas I will split it in half and workout 4 times a week, and add some different exercises.

I might also use my stationary bike as well as a break from rowing and to get my body adapted to some other form of cardio.

How many grams of carbs/protein/fats per day?

I don't weigh it out, but I eat sensibly.

For example so far today I've eaten the following.

2 slices brown bread with crunchy peanut butter with an apple
4 ryvitas with philadelphia light spread, ham and mustard

In a bit I'm going to have a can of tuna with broccoli.

I've drank one glass of water and 3 cups of green tea so far.

Dinner tonight will be chicken, brown rice, a fried diced red onion and a Patak balti sauce.

I'll also have one chocolate whey protein shake with two scoops of raw oats after my workout.

This is a typical day and to be honest I'm not in the slightest bit interested in making it more complicated than this. I don't want to be weighing food as it's just not sustainable for me in the long term. It has to be easy otherwise it becomes a chore and I'm less likely to stick with it.

To add any significant amount of muscle, you could probably do with doubling your carbohydrate intake. You're taking in around 260g per day with that layout. Your protein intake is a little better but you could do with adding in another shake to bring it closer to 150g per day.