Can you really gripe about dieting when you're eating carbs

It's tough to tell what your bf% is since it's all sitting in your midsection. You have the arms/upper chest of mid teens but midsection of mid20's

/SuperUsefulAnalysis

Thanks.

Other than squatting, paused squatting, and warming up to squat, no.

I can go deeper than I do, it's just not as strong or as stable. I'm more likely to lose balance forward. I also sometimes have pain in my left knee when I squat deeper than this. I'm not currently that concerned about depth because I'm not competing and because this depth is actually the limit of my mobility (mobility being where strength meets flexibility).

Imo increasing range of motion is a very sensible thing to aim for especially when you are not intending to compete (I assume you are referring to competing as powerlifter?). Wouldn't it eventually make you more confident, stable and powerful in the bottom of your squat? And more athletic all round?

Eta: regarding knee pain, I am not knowledgeable in this respect at all, but I do believe most people on the internets claim that full range of motion squatting is not any more harmful, or even beneficial, for knees, but that might be broscience

That may be the case, but I'm telling you for a certainty that I have pain in my left knee when I near the end of my knee flexion ROM.

As for your first point, I've found that when I limit depth to ~parallel, many of the problems that I've struggled with on the squat for the last year go away. I expect that I'll continue to slowly improve depth over time, but I am no longer willing to expend a lot of resources on what is essentially an arbitrary distinction.

RE: cable pulleys and weights and different stations.

At my gym I have a single cable LifeFitness station that's weight stack increments in 5lb increments starting at 2.5lbs. I do my face pulls with 42.5lbs and do 14-18 reps depending.

I also have a Precor multi-station; I use 70lbs on that and they feel about the same. Though the pull on the LifeFitness is smoother.

The difference comes down to things like pulley count, efficiency (how smooth is the pull, how easy do the wheels turn etc) and pulley distance.

Both stations are a 3 pulley system so you'd *think* the leverage would be the same but they aren't. I've generically judged their leverage - the LifeFitness is about 1.25:1 but the Precor is like 1.8:1 - my judgement was highly scientific - whether the weight pulled the weight and if it did, how fast.

I've thought about getting super anal because reasons and bringing in a hanging weight scale.

The tricep pull/pushdown pulley is also more like 1.25:1 - I had to explain that once to a set of bros who said "its easier to do it" on the cross-over cable. They didn't like hearing that the weight on the tricep pushdown was closer to reality in terms of weight printed on the plate.

Again, this is just my experience with equipment at "my" gym.

I don't see much reason to neckbeard over this for the same reasons as the t-bar row discussion. These lifts are only compared with themselves, so as long as the convention remains the same, it's irrelevant. Let's just assume the far more jacked and genetically lifter is facepulling on a lower leverage machine.

More importantly,

I've been thinking about this a little bit more.

I'm wondering if my chosen increase for squat and block pulls are a bit too steep. First of all, I'm still cutting. Second, even though I got 13 reps in the last set of pulls, it's still hard to predict how a 7.5kg increase in that weight will differently accumulate fatigue over the course of a ton of sets. I think maybe if I go for squatting 77.5 and 90 in week 4 (instead of 80 and 92.5 like I'd planned), it should still be enough of an increase to present a novel stimulus, right? I guess I'm questioning whether it's a better policy to make timid increases to the weight that are more sustainable over the long term than to immediately approach my true maxes right out of the gate.

edit: nevermind I'm just being a pussy. 10-11kg increase on squat/dead is fine because it's still gonna be 10+ reps in the tank for week 1 (squat 70 for 3x10 and pull 80 for 3x7). Glad I could clear this up.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017 Training
Bench Variant, C1 Deload TM70 3x6 @65%

1. Close-Grip Bench:

20x10
35x5

47.5x6
47.5x6
47.5x6

2. T-Bar Row (kg):

45x8
45x8

2. Arnold Press (#):

30x6
30x6

3. Chin-ups (@59kg):

5
5

3. Push-ups:

12
12

***

Boring week ahead. Probably for the best, considering how stressed out I've been lately. Diet isn't looking so good this week, either. Just a general trend of not having as much discipline with food as I have in previous months.

Thursday, March 16, 2017 Training
Squat Variant, C1 Deload TM97 3x6 @65%

1. HBBS:

20x10
40x5

65x6
65x6
65x6


2. Romanian Deadlift (kg):

45x10
45x10

2. Cable Straight-Back Crunch (#):

100x8
100x8

3. Leg Press (kg):

135x8
135x8

3. Cable Curl (#):

45x10
45x10

3. Good Morning (kg):

20x10
20x10


***

Saturday, March 18, 2017 Training
Overhead Variant, C1 Deload TM40 3x6 @40%

1. Press:

10x8

20x5
20x5
20x5

2. Lat Pulldown (#):

85x8
85x8

2. Paused CGBP (kg):

32.5x5
32.5x5

3. Rope Triceps Pushdown (#):

25x10
25x10

3. Band Face-pull (#):

12
12

***

Nothing to note. Anxious for this deload to end. I did post a new low weight of 126.2 this morning, though.

solid progress dude!

Thanks, Aidan.


Sunday, March 19, 2017 Training
Deadlift Variant, C1 Deload TM112 3x4 @40%

1. Deadlift:

20x5 good morning
20x5 rdl

60x3
60x3
60x3

2. Paused HBBS (kg):

20x8

30x6
30x6

2. Hanging Leg Raise:

8
8

3. Machine Seated Row (#):

70x8
70x8

3. DB Hammer Curl (#):

15x8
15x8

***

Since 40% of 112 is less than a plate, I decided to ditch the set/rep ranges and just try some pulls from the floor. It still looks like I need to go into some lumbar flexion to reach the bar, but I think they look better than any of my old deadlifts.

Another minor whoosh in weight this morning, to 125.4 lb, which officially brings me under 57 kg and almost to the original loco recommendation (of 125, which he's of course changed to 115 by now, fml). I eat <1400 calorie days and lose weight, what a concept. My waist is now 78cm and the U.S. Navy calculator says I'm 15% body fat. The plan, still, is to finish the cut at the end of next cycle regardless. Conservatively, that should have me finishing the cut under 123 lb / 56 kg.

Week 49 Diet, Week 31 Cut



I had a bad start to this week, but managed to regain control over the last few days. Water weight spiked until Wednesday, and has been crashing back down since. This morning:



Brag: goal weight reached
Beat: still pretty fat

Well the good news is you are 125 and don't get fat on 1600 cals.
That's the magic of high volume weightlifting. You use to get fat doing 2x5s @1400 cals.

Yeah, I definitely think my TDEE has increased substantially over the last year. I'm actually losing fat faster now than I was losing at fewer calories three months ago, despite being leaner.


Wednesday, March 22, 2017 Training
Bench Variant, C2W1 TM73 3x10 @65%

1. Close-Grip Bench:

20x10
30x5
40x3

47.5x10
47.5x10
47.5x11 @9 (edit: maybe this is more like @7.5 or @8 after looking at the vid. It felt harder in the moment.)

2. T-Bar Row (kg):

50x10
50x10
50x11

2. Arnold Press (#):

25x13
25x13
25x13

3. Lat Pulldown (#):

100x14
100x14
100x14

3. Cable Lateral (#):

15x9
15x9
15x9

3. Push-ups:

12
12
12

***

Finally, back to real training. My performance was disappointing on bench, as I got 15 reps at this weight in the last cycle (after having done 3x8). There are a few possible reasons. My form wasn't great, and I think I wasted some gas in a sloppy first set. Also, it wouldn't surprise me much if I de-trained a little during deload week. Not gonna sweat it much.

T-bar rows are getting a little better, I think. It's still hard to resist involving the traps in the tougher reps. I decided to substitute pushups for triceps pushdowns, with eventual plans to put dips in this assistance work slot. There were loads of reps in the tank on all these sets, but I didn't want to push them too hard in the first session.

Thursday, March 23, 2017 Training
Squat Variant, C2W1 TM107 3x10 @65%

1. HBBS:

20x10
40x5
60x3

70x9
70x10
70x13

2. Romanian Deadlift (kg):

55x10
55x10
55x10

2. Cable Straight-Back Crunch (#):

100x15
100x15
100x15

3. Leg Press (kg):

125x12
125x12
125x12

3. Cable Curl (#):

55x13
55x13
55x13

3. Good Morning (kg):

35x10
35x10
35x10

***

The bar felt way too heavy today. I cut the first set off at 9 because I felt like I must have been doing something wrong. In the third set I felt my form breaking down even as the bar speed was pretty fast after 13 reps, so I just racked it. Two bad sessions doesn't necessarily make a trend, but it sure seems like I de-trained substantially during the last week. Oh well, I still got the prescribed amount of work done.

Something wrong with your youtube links last 2 posts

cause he linked to his video manager link of the video instead of the channel itself. doh

Yeah that's what happened.

hbbs 70x13
cgbp 47.5x11
tbar 50x10

Pretty striking how much weight has fallen off in the tbar vid and that gym looks crazy busy where you are benching!

Thanks. Yeah I got to the gym a little late that day. It's a dead zone from 1p to 3p, then super crowded after.


After watching that squat video again, it looks like I was just dive-bombing them. Slow and controlled next time. And more wim. I gotta figure out something to tell myself when I'm half out of breath in these 12+ reppers to keep me from re-racking the bar with 5+ reps in the tank like what happened today.

Saturday, March 25, 2017 Training
Overhead Variant, C2W1 TM42 3x10 @65%

1. Press:

10x10
10x5
20x5

27.5x10
27.5x10
27.5x11 @9

2. Chin-ups (@58kg)

9
8
8 @10

2. Paused CGBP (kg):

20x5
35x3

47.5x8
47.5x8 @9
47.5x8 @9.5

3. DB Incline Press (#):

30x13
30x13
30x13

3. DB External Rotation (#):

10x11
10x10
10x10

3. Cable Face-pull (#):

55x21
55x21
55x21

***

So-so day. I maintained or made minor progress on most of the lifts. For the press, the cue du jour was to lean back a bit more. I have an issue with the bar getting away from me. I think I improved my form significantly today, but you can see the bar drifting forward as I approach the end of the set.

For bench, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get 3x8 given how badly Tuesday went. It was hard but I got through them, and I think my form is pretty decent.

Are you intentionally pausing your OHP as well? Form looks solid, in any case.

I remember the early days of this log wrt chins -- great progress. Now add more sets.

Yes, originally I was going to do a variant of the press, but I ended up settling on doing them strictly with no bounce. I think the form is easier this way. My press sucks so much that I don't particularly care about being able to lift heavier with no pause.

Re: chins, I feel like the progress is entirely weight loss. I've actually lost a lot of ground on them in the last couple of months, having done 11 at 60kg at one point. I'll escalate the volume, just taking it slow right now.

I've been deliberating with friends on chin programming. Volume sets are fine, but interfere with max reps/intensity sets. Seems that a delicate balance is required for progress (or just smashing volume and hoping for the best/not getting tendonitis)

I'm not entirely sure what happened to my chinups. I was making a ton of gains, decided to add a 5th set to my routine, then lost all the gains with the last few pounds of weight loss. I suspect that the odyssey with my deadlifts / rdls played a role, though. For a few weeks there my upper back was on fire every day and it probably affected my chinup performance. Now that this is no longer happening, I suppose it's time to add the volume back in.