Bodily Vitality
#1
This shall be the amarna forum lifting and exercise thread. Post your lifting routines, preferred cardio, and optimal diets.

To begin, I'm experimenting with an ECA stack. So far, it's incredibly effective for cutting with very little side effects. Maybe more energy, which is hardly a bad thing.

Lifting wise, I'm doing a lot of front squats, which is great for the upper back. Highly recommend.
#2
I found the results of creatine to be underwhelming. A cup of coffee before a workout provides much more energy, and you don't gain 5lbs of water weight when you do it.

Heil, do you have a harder time gaining weight or losing it?
#3
(04-03-2022, 09:27 PM)oecolampadius Wrote: To begin, I'm experimenting with an ECA stack. So far, it's incredibly effective for cutting with very little side effects. Maybe more energy, which is hardly a bad thing.

Where do you get the Ephedrine? taking asthma pills daily seems like perhaps not the best idea.
#4
It works fine. I asked the local pharmacy if they had Bronk-Aid. No real side effects, it actually seems to enhance the effects of caffeine for me. Makes me less jittery, more alert.
#5
I stick to more bodybuilding routines for lifting. I lift at home so I am more limited on exercises. I don’t compete and have no plans to. I often use Vince Gironda, Christian Thibadeau and Paul Carter as guides for lifting. I think Vince Gironda’s quote where he says bodybuilding is “85% nutrition and 15% exercise” is important.

When I began getting more serious, I started with these program by Christian Thibadeau:

https://www.t-nation.com/training/the-be...l-lifters/

https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/the-be...rs-part-2/

I found 6 days a week to be too much at least at the time and don’t think I was fully recovering. The techniques he talks about in those programs are good imo and I still often use them now. I also think what he says about volume and cortisol is important. I still do 3 days a week for biceps because I found that worked better for me. That’s one of the important things imo is you can follow somebodies program to a t, but you need to listen to what your body responds to rep/set wise, which exercises and how often per week.

Current routine:

Monday/Thursday

Chest: 2x8 for each exercise 92% of 1 rep max

-Incline Db Chest Press
-Neck Press
-Decline bench

Back: 2x8 92% 1 rep max

Weighted pull ups

Db seal row

Db Chest supported row (bench around 30 degrees)

Deltoids: 2x8 92% of 1 rep max

Scott Press

Seated Lateral Raise

90 degree posterior raise

Triceps:

Narrow grip bench press or dips or skullcrushers 4x8 92% 1 rep max

Biceps

(Monday) Db curl: 3x8+ heavy method talked about by ct

(Friday): vg body drag curl 3x8+ heavy method

Forearms: barbell wrist roller

Wednesday

Biceps: incline db curls using mtor strategy that thibadeau talks about

Forearms: wrist roller

Tuesday/Friday

Quads:

sissy squat (the three phase vg one as demonstrated here https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JuFxNj2jlc4) 3x5

Hamstrings: hamstring curl 4x8

Calfs:

Seated calf raise: 2x20

Donkey calf raise w/ weighted belt: 2x20

I’ll talk about nutrition in another post.
#6
https://www.t-nation.com/training/the-ne...0-5-method

THE EFFECTS OF TIME UNDER TENSION
There are exceptions, but you can generally think of TUT like this:

Less than a 10-second set = Highest strength gains relative to muscle growth
10-20 second set = High strength gains with moderate muscle growth
20-30 second set = Fairly equal ratio of strength and size gains
30-40 second set = High muscle growth with moderate strength gains
40-70 second set = Highest muscle growth relative to strength gains
More than a 70 second set = Moderate muscle growth and minimal strength gains

THE 40-30-5 METHOD
A great approach is the 40-30-5 method. It's simple. Use an interval timer – you can find them for free in the app store – and program a work duration (set length) of 40 seconds, a rest time of 30 seconds, and 5 intervals (sets).

Pick a weight around 60-65% of your maximum and do 5 work sets of 40 seconds with 30 seconds of rest.

At first you might be able to get to 40 seconds using only controlled reps. But because of the short rest intervals you'll quickly have to resort to using holds, partials, and fast reps to get to the end.

The result? At the end of 5 sets you'll have the biggest pump in the history of mankind, a huge lactate accumulation, and growth factor release. It's a great way to stimulate growth if you can tolerate the pain.

The goal is probably to make the muscle bigger. So why is everyone draining their CNS with heavy lifts that are ineffective for hypertrophy except with methodical training and dedication? It makes no sense. You can do 40/30/5 on the leg press machine and get big gains and do nothing else below the waist. (maybe do the same on a calf machine if you need to). For upper body, curls, db press, db bench, db row. Bada bada boom, done. Lightning fast, effective hypertrophy workouts that important muscle groups can tolerate 2x/week.

Don't think about reps, think about time. Don't lift without an interval timer on your phone.
#7
Good article, thanks. I wonder why only the 30 seconds rest. I’ve tried to go only 15 seconds of rest like Vince Gironda between sets in the past, but it was very uncomfortable and I don’t think I got the gains as resting more, but I was doing higher % of max that that article, might have to give that one a try.
#8
My lifting scheme is quite minimalist: front squats, power cleans, and overhead press, done one a day for 5x5 every day. I just rotate out which one I do so I get at least two workouts with each lift a week. This is a new program after a short hiatus away from lifting. I'll let you guys know how it's going in a few weeks.

I chose these three lifts because I think they each represent not a complete stimulus of the muscle groups of the body, but sufficient training of the most important vectors of force in the body: a forward push with the legs, a fast lift with the legs and back, and a vertical push with the arms. They're also all lifts that encourage upright posture with no time spent with the torso in a horizontal position, which is much more pleasant and natural-feeling than all the different orientations you have to get into when doing bench, deadlift, and squat.

I'm also supplementing with cardio in the form of long hikes three times a week, and the occasional kayaking trip when the weather warms up.
#9
I'll chime in, my routine always changes but I'm enjoying a high frequency semi- upper lower split.

AaxBaxAbxBbxRest

Aa: Push (upperbody focus)
3x5 OHP (x10, x8, x5)
3x10-12 Tbar row
3x8 Db bench flat/incl/bb (alternate based on feeling/fatigue)
3x8 Hack squat
3x12-20 Hamstring curl
3xfail Smith machine calf raises

Ba: Pull (Posterior focus)
4x8-12 DB dl romanian/ bb (alternate based on feeling/fatigue)
3x12-20 seated cable incline fly
4x20 machine rear delt fly
4x12-16 db medial fly/cable fly (alternate based on feeling/fatigue)
4x20-30 kettlebell lunges
3xfail Close grip weighted pullup
4x12-16 single arm tricep cable pushdown

Ab: Push (Lowerbody focus)
4x8 Squat (x12, x8, x5 ,x20)
3x45s-1min Hamstring holds
3x8 Db bench flat/incl/bb (alternate based on feeling/fatigue)
4x12 Seated row (high grip, rear delt focus)
4x12-16 db medial cable fly (alternate based on feeling/fatigue)
4x12-20 Db curl
4x12-16 DB skullcrusher
3xfail Smith machine calf raises

Bb: Pull (Upperbody focus)
5x10-12 Weighted Pullup
4x20 DB rear delt fly
4x12-16-20 Weighted Dips
4x12 cable rope curl
4x12-16 single arm cable tricep pushdown
3x12-20 Seated Hamstring curl
4x12 OHP (Light weight, wider grip)

Rest: Fasted ab training, low intensity incline walking or walking to the creek and swimming+ ropeswing

Not a pure Push/pull but I get the most stimulation from high freq on isolation spread out and having the main focus of the day centered around 1-2 compound movements with emphasis on weight and good form. Spend 10-15 minutes warming up with a mobility routine before working out, important if you're lean and want to life heavy. Diet is peaty/high protein and train for longevity + low stress as possible. Bulking past 3600 calories for me is a waste of time, I prefer to keep a safe medium of bf% and then redline for 2-3 weeks at a time to lose weight, prime metabolism and increase insulin sensitivity. I feel healthiest at the start of a cut (2-3 weeks) before stress hormones kick in, ease off and kind of stay at maintenance every now and then with diet breaks. When I redline my metabolism is so peaked after every starchy meal I have a bowel movement within 20 minutes or immediately upon eating. 

I am a 5'9 Manlet (176cm) around 180-175 lbs that fluctuates depending on stress, diet, travel and life




My diet is clean and I eat a LOT of fruit, don't really have fatigue or hunger
#10
Looking good!
#11
(04-07-2022, 04:32 PM)FruitVendor Wrote: I prefer to keep a safe medium of bf% and then redline for 2-3 weeks at a time to lose weight, prime metabolism and increase insulin sensitivity. I feel healthiest at the start of a cut (2-3 weeks) before stress hormones kick in, ease off and kind of stay at maintenance every now and then with diet breaks. When I redline my metabolism is so peaked after every starchy meal I have a bowel movement within 20 minutes or immediately upon eating.

Looking good! By redline do you mean go into a calorie deficit? How often do you do that? 

Really have enjoyed all the responses so far. Don’t have many friends that lift irl so interesting to hear different peoples routines.
#12
(04-07-2022, 11:58 PM)Exile Wrote: Looking good! By redline do you mean go into a calorie deficit? How often do you do that?  

Yes, I've always found I looked my best when I put myself in a deficit from activity rather than through cutting calories purely through diet for a short period of time and can get beach ready. I noticed that sometimes at the start of a cut (upping protein/activity) something happens where you look more full and actually feel better before cutting the calories even lower and stress hormones start to overwhelm. Don't know the exact # of times I do this because I go by feel but definitely moreso around spring/summer. It's different for other people and I'm not trying to be the largest guy in the gym. I can make progress on lifts when I'm in a slight surplus then quickly diet down - middle path approach to training. For deloads sometimes I just take a week off or do a smith machine hotel gym workout. 

I used to be a lot stronger but I was a pure gymcel so I took a middle path approach to training. All of this is about making habit out of what other people consider difficult and not obsessing over it imo, probably why I've stuck with it. With your physique and training it comes in "waves" - you can't be 120% all the time
#13
(04-06-2022, 08:05 PM)Trevor Bauer Wrote: Lightning fast, effective hypertrophy workouts that important muscle groups can tolerate 2x/week.

I've been doing something similar with myoreps. Lot of different ways to do this but what I do is a set of AMRAP minus one or two (picking weight so I aim for 15-20), then 5x5 with intervals of 5-6 deep breaths. When I started I would just keep going until I couldn't crank out 3 but the DOMS would sideline me for 3+ days. You barely spend any time in the gym but you walk out feeling drained like it's your first day again.

Still trying to work out optimal programming for it. Right now I'm trying MWF with 2 compounds 5x5 (nothing too heavy though) plus whatever assistance work I feel like doing with myoreps. Rippletits hypno is forcing me to keep the big compounds in my routine. Maybe it's because I just got a home gym setup going with insufficient weight for my compound work, but the "assistance" is quickly becoming the meat of the workout. If I had more plates I'd probably go back to my old 5-3-1 routine but I'm not sure I'd survive consecutive day workouts with myorep assistance, even very targeted iso stuff.
#14
(04-08-2022, 12:21 PM)FruitVendor Wrote:
(04-07-2022, 11:58 PM)Exile Wrote: Looking good! By redline do you mean go into a calorie deficit? How often do you do that?  

Yes, I've always found I looked my best when I put myself in a deficit from activity rather than through cutting calories purely through diet for a short period of time and can get beach ready. I noticed that sometimes at the start of a cut (upping protein/activity) something happens where you look more full and actually feel better before cutting the calories even lower and stress hormones start to overwhelm. Don't know the exact # of times I do this because I go by feel but definitely moreso around spring/summer. It's different for other people and I'm not trying to be the largest guy in the gym. I can make progress on lifts when I'm in a slight surplus then quickly diet down - middle path approach to training. For deloads sometimes I just take a week off or do a smith machine hotel gym workout. 

I used to be a lot stronger but I was a pure gymcel so I took a middle path approach to training. All of this is about making habit out of what other people consider difficult and not obsessing over it imo, probably why I've stuck with it. With your physique and training it comes in "waves" - you can't be 120% all the time

Thanks for this. Good info.
#15
(04-08-2022, 12:44 PM)Frank Wrote:
(04-06-2022, 08:05 PM)Trevor Bauer Wrote: Lightning fast, effective hypertrophy workouts that important muscle groups can tolerate 2x/week.

I've been doing something similar with myoreps. Lot of different ways to do this but what I do is a set of AMRAP minus one or two (picking weight so I aim for 15-20), then 5x5 with intervals of 5-6 deep breaths. When I started I would just keep going until I couldn't crank out 3 but the DOMS would sideline me for 3+ days. You barely spend any time in the gym but you walk out feeling drained like it's your first day again.

Still trying to work out optimal programming for it. Right now I'm trying MWF with 2 compounds 5x5 (nothing too heavy though) plus whatever assistance work I feel like doing with myoreps. Rippletits hypno is forcing me to keep the big compounds in my routine. Maybe it's because I just got a home gym setup going with insufficient weight for my compound work, but the "assistance" is quickly becoming the meat of the workout. If I had more plates I'd probably go back to my old 5-3-1 routine but I'm not sure I'd survive consecutive day workouts with myorep assistance, even very targeted iso stuff.

Given basic aesthetics and 'staving off death' as Rippletits would say, one truly doesn't need more than a 90 lb power block set. In the gym, all the dumbells are there but you don't really see people picking up bigger and bigger ones with a bench press routine. They're moving around. Once homeostasis is challenged, that hammer strength upper chest thing looks cool.
#16
I think 1/2/3/4 is a reasonable goal for strength and that Rippetoe has the best methodology for achieving that. I also think that overeating is the main reason for bloated and ugly looking bodybuilders. We all know the stereotype of bald, old, blotchy skin, lumbering bearded dudes who are very strong. Imo the key to the ultra aesthetic bodies of guys like David Laid is to avoid overeating or training abs to maintain a small waist and good complexion, while lifting hard and taking steroids. I don't advocate steroids as they can permanently fuck up your natural testosterone. Has @FruitVendor taken steroids? He looks fantastic although this is the result of great genetics and years of hard work. I'm not very /fit/, so take what I say with a grain of salt.
#17
@BillyONare I've used before, I think I was around 205 but felt like shit + was living in the gym and my car bc I was struggling w cash. Wanted to go down a different path in life so I dropped it.



Didn't get a sense of dread about peaking strength/size early tbh, just changed focus and stuck w it. This pic and the one I posted before are ~6 years apart, I still have some faded stretchmarks to remind me.
#18
Aesthetically you are better looking now, even if you're not as big/strong. It sounds like you feel healthier now at a lighter weight + peating?
#19
Main difference is in the face. Reverse aged a few years upon coming off and changing up the diet. Started peating recently in the past ~2 years , felt a big difference bc I noticed I was not as hungry at a lower bf% like I was previously eating non peat. Probably had to do with lower stress/endotoxin and higher metabolic rate.

Close friend who stayed on was an unironic 6'5 gigachad with an anime level physique got diagnosed with liver cancer, sucked down to 140lbs and almost died before he found a donor. The stuff will always catch up to you and I probably did some damage I don't know about. Whats also weird is looking back at the "fitness industry" and how many people are just straight up dead from roids or end up going insane.
#20
Anyone else practice a barefoot lifestyle?

My Dad read about it about 7 years ago or so and got me into it.

I go barefoot as much as possible, and when I can't do that I wear Bedrock sandals, very thin so they are almost as good. Haven't had a foot injury of any sort since I started (besides stepping on a pinecone occasionally), and I can run faster barefoot than with shoes.



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