veggiesasquatch

If firm tofu is in fact firm I'd hate to use the not so firm version :/

Eating my body weight in carbs, peanut butter & proteins helps

Not really seeing anything wrong here. To follow Robert...what is the goal?

Enjoy the sun while it's here mate!!! After the rain for almost two weeks we're owed one wkend of dry weather! If only my legs weren't sore from squatting I'd go do some hill sprints. Have a great Sunday...

Smith machines are a huge hated of mine.

What I don't like is how it tells you where the bar will track. It's a given that there's a standard form for say, Low bar squatting. Though the principles for the technique are what they are every person is going to move a little different. That's why I hate smith machines, squatting, pressing, behind the neck pressing is wrong to me because of the fixed posistion. But people believe it's safer or what have you...

Yes mate a guy who lifts at my gym. A few people have mentioned him to me when they ask what stuff I'm doing.

He was training a couple of people to squat so I heard his accent I  went & said hi, obviously with the intension to pick his brain (as I often do). Got chatting about 5/3/1, dc & various things. Beast of a guy, his leg were huge! He's in the company of some serious lifters, Andy Bolton being one. 

You have the 5x5x50 in you, let the wrist issue settle down. I like going with a false grip on OHP.

Lucky SOB!!! Have a nice time amigo!!!

Ye mini nice session today, I'm killing it squatting atm. The bbb sets were a breeze to.

Nothing as yet planned for sat, though I'm working a night (friday)May try catching the new Johnny Depp movie, you? 

Mines pretty wild atm, my other half saying its a women repeller. I obviously replies with "shame I didn't have one four years ago then".

.

Also grow an angry looking beard

Nice work man!! OHP is coming on nicely!!

I finally was fortunate enough to bump into the Scottish powerlifting chap today, whom I've heard a lot About. He's a fucking beast!!! Asked him to have a look at my deads & he pointed out a couple of small things, like coming a little narrower with my stance as an example.

Nice guy, wouldn't wanna take a Slap off of him

Well this is it...if you can't/don't want to press you work round it.

If a book told me not to military press I'd return it, personally

Yes I'm lucky enough to train with

One of the worlds strongest men & a group of other strongmen who

Compete in the under 105kg...that's my aim but working towards it still

Fri-11th-May Cycle 5 Week 1 (3x5)

Worked last night & was pretty beat. Managed a decent amount of sleep but not great before training.

Lighter sets/mobility/stretching to warm up.

Main lift:

Squats: (warm up 52.5kg x5 67.5kg x5 80kg x3) 87.5kg x5 100kg x5 115kg x5 

Assistance:

Squats: boring but big 92.5kg 1x10 (70%) 80kg 2x10 (60%) 67.5kg 2x10 (50%) 

Standing hamstring curls: 3x12

Reverse hypers: 3x15

Abs: hanging leg raises 3x15

Quick 1 mile on treadmill

Summary:

No problems today, easiest week where gainings concern. Nice & strong on every considering I had about 5.5hrs sleep & little food before hand, the joys of shift work.

The lighter work allowed me to get in a little work on form but my squat forms pretty tight.

Pushed the bbb sets & I breezed through these. Though I won't be a hero & increase the percentages. Will keep them as is until next cycle, nice session & lovely weather ))

It's something I had as a teen & never botherd to fix. It usually settles down after a while, just one of those things. Need to be able to deadlift for strongman events.

I was looking at the meal plans on the main page the same time you posted!!! Obviously busy at work tonight;)

The same weight I have gained, I lost about 2 years ago now. I was generally unhealthy meat eater...the usual story. I dropped that same weight in about five months which, looking back was very unhealthy. I believe now that I was taking the first steps to an eating disorder at one point. 

All I really did to gain the weight was to eat the food I liked in larger quantities. Luckily that envolved mainly whole foods anyway,also pizza!!!

I'm of the opinion that macro counting is for the bodybuilder who's preparing for a show. If you're looking to gain, providing the food is from quality sources then I think you just have at it. The average gym goer (myself included) doesnt need to count every single thing they eat.

Eat enough that it's aiding the goal, be that cutting/bulking  & get the training right. Then you can kick some ass & live )))

Ps I'm only 5ft 10" so the gains looks pretty decent haha

Just to add, don't sacrifice a full range of motion for more weight. I can get more out a 8kg side raise than captain "throw my back into it with the 20kg per arm side raise" champion....well that's if I bothered with stuff like that

If your hitting pull ups correctly your shoulders/arms should be getting worked. As above, you ARE using the back on the pull up, it's impossible not to. I use to think I wasn't hitting my lats enough, banging out 5x10 on wide pull ups soon corrected that conception. Remember to squeeze your shoulder blades together to hit a full range of motion, I see far to many people who think getting theirs

Chins to the bar is enough.

Can I ask how you train shoulders/arms in general? 

Row wise, your bicep should be pumped by the end of the set/reps. You're pulling, so your arms (forearm, bicep ect) are going to get hit. As an example I don't even do curls, no point as I do pull/hammer pulls twice a week & db rows In 5x10 sets/reps. 

You're using big movements in what you've listed, they aren't isolation. The body simply has to recruit more sub muscle to help you hit the main movement 

Hey chewy,

There's isn't much I ve not considered tbh. It's just an old problem from my teens I ve never got looked at. Luckily I can get treatment through my job so going to get that rolling Monday.

I'm fine squatting, front squatting ect it's just the position of deads. Same when I sit down if my postures not good. Defiantly compression that's the issue there. I'm exploring all I can really so I'll try speed pulls if it comes to that. The last option obviously is not deadlifting. That's why I favour touch & go deads. Defeats the object I know but working round the back & all.

Thanks for taking time to post on here, appreciate the advice:)))

I can relate to bad shoulder mobility. I had bad whiplash in an accident. I looked like the 80's batman turning my neck to the left. I don't go much past shoulder width for pull ups either. 

My lower back is awful with sciatica & forever hold me back on deadlifts. I even programmed it at a beginner weight pre 5/3/1 & it's still awful. I'll make gains then have a bad bout, not deadlift & start over. But I can squat, front squats ect so at least that's not effected.

I take a good 3 mins now before each set, on the main loft at least. I'm there to get strong so it's a little different to bodybuilding obviously

I'm using Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 so out of my gaining weeks (4th is a deload) this is the lightest week.

On my actual 5/3/1 week last cycle i got 7 reps at 110lb (minimum was 1) so that was hugely pleasing. Also i had come off a 12 hr night shift & hit the gym right after, no complaints!!! I never ever lift to failure,I always keep a couple of reps in the tank.

I currently weight about 90kg (198lb???) but my OHP is wank, weight wise. My assistance is boring but big, reduced percentages but for 5x10. You just repeat the main lift of the day.  I weighed about 63kg (138lb) just under a year ago...

Anything behind the neck is a huge no no for me...you can't beat a proper strict military barbell press. Pressing on smith machines should be against the law. Even lat pull downs behind the neck make me wince, just doesn't look right to put the shoulder, neck & posture into that position. But if you're making gains...

I like your workouts, no bs & to the point...much like myself

Thurs-10th-May Cycle 5 Week 1 (3x5)

Decent per workout food. Bowl of oats with a scoop of choc coconut protein/sunflower seeds with a coffee & a couple local organic eggs.

Usual warm up of mobility/lighter sets & stretching.

Main lift:

Bench press: (warm up sets 40kg 2x5 50kg x5 60 x3) 65 kg x5 75kg x5 85kg x5

Assistance:

Bench press: boring but big 70kg 1x10 (70%) 60kg 2x10 (60%) 50kg 2x10 (50%)

Dumbbell rows: all per arm 32kg x10 30kg x10 28x10 22kg 2x10

Chins: wide grips 2x10 hammer grip 1x10 (did a couple of light lat pull downs)

Ab circuit: side bends, crunches, cable crunch

Summary:

Main lifts no problems, though last set seemed to take most of my energy. Bbb sets were a gasser again, which is what I wanted. Would love to see the "tricep push down" people do this kinda work, my arms were on fire after this.

Left it to long between my benching & db rowing to get my chins in. Kinda blew out on them really but it is the second time this week hitting them. Rows seemed hard today, maybe I didn't eat enough yday or something?

In all pretty decent session though

I just meant a good profile....