Essential Random Gym Thoughts Revisited...

[BobbyBooshay]

I made a thread about it but barely anyone checks it, figure I'd post it here. It's my 2nd week back in 4-4.5 years. Was gonna originally do the Jim Stoppani Shortcut to size workout but went on bodybuilding forums and everyone who is a beginner is following the plan below. For years people have been doing it.


Workout Programs



Any suggestions or feedback is appreciated.

1. Do yall take protein shakes on non-workout days? And if so, how much?
Havent had a shake in about 3 years, I get more than enough from food and I feel more full from eating. Hate using calories on drinks TBH

2. I'm tryna get bigger but I do have some gut. That gon naturally become muscle as I workout, or I gotta do something about that? Currently after every workout I do 2 sets of 25 reps of situps with a medicine ball
Fat and muscle are two different things, fat wont turn into muscle as you work out. If your in a calorie deficit then the fat will go away.

 

[BobbyBooshay]

The legend back -



His traps are sick, Elgin not Vince lol

 

[BobbyBooshay]

Sidenote, Vegan Gains got that Kofi Kingston chest.

VG's got some good biceps I cant lie

 

[He Who Posts Well]

Wow, that's a girl in the middle?

 

[semtex]

Wow, that's a girl in the middle?

hormonally it isn't

 

[BobbyBooshay]

Wow, that's a girl in the middle?

Yeah DLB she claims natty lol ha

 

[AquaCityBoy]

Yeah DLB she claims natty lol ha

Of all the "fake nattys" on YouTube and in the fitness industry, Dana Linn Bailey is the most blatant with the

It's damn near biologically impossible for a woman to look like that naturally, but somehow she did it through training hard and eating right?

 

[GunRanger]

i think it's time to throw quest to the bushes


this shyt was too good, and i like the peanut butter one too

 

[Apollo Creed]

literally gained back all the weight I lost earlier in the year and then some. Yea not cool.

I got an eating disorder.


I be eating dis order and dat order

 

[Wise]

**Long post alert**

• Since you need to lose fat, and probably a lot of it (likely 20-25 lbs of pure fat), there is no reason you should only be going to the gym 3 days per week. The more calories you can burn, the better. Anyone that tells you differently is likely focusing on details that don't matter at your stage. Right now, your goals should be to do nothing more than build a solid strength base and burn fat. This means a combination of compound weight movements and cardio if you want to maximize your gains (by gains I mean both gains in muscle and losses in fat). GAINZ

• The program you linked does list mostly compound movements which is good, but I don't think it is the most efficient routine you could be doing to maximize your gains

• NONE of what I'm about to tell you matters at all if you can't get your eating in check. The fact that you asked about whether you should be taking protein shakes tells me your knowledge of nutrition is minimal (that aint a diss, thats just a wake up call for you to do research). You need to research what a calorie is and the science of how calories relate to weight gain and weight loss. You should absolutely NOT be taking protein shakes if you are in a calorie surplus on a daily basis. It will do nothing but contribute to fat gain. However, if you are in a calorie deficit and struggling to eat 120 grams of protein per day, then yes perhaps you should consider taking protein shakes.

• You can do any exercise program and lose fat as long as you are in a calorie deficit. There are certainly ways to maximize your gains, but don't forget what is most important.

• The type of exercise you do is less important than the concept of Progressive Overload. This concept is key to success. You should always be trying to improve on your previous workout. If you can do 5 pull ups one day, shoot for 6 pull ups the next workout. Then for 7. Once you are able to 10, start to think about strapping extra weight around yourself. Once you can do 8 reps with 10 lbs around your waist, shoot for 8 reps with 12.5 lbs around your waist next time. The exercise itself is not as important as this simple concept

• This is why your situps you are doing are a waste of time. There is no Progressive Overload. You are just doing the same shyt every workout. Spinning your wheels in place. I personally think ab exercises are garbage, but if you feel like you want to do them then consider something like planks. Hold a plank for 30 seconds. The next time you workout, put a 5 lb weight plate on your back and hold the plank for 30 seconds. If you succeed, next time do it with a 10 lb weight plate. The overload concept works no matter what the exercise. Can't decide between dumbbell curls or chin ups to build your biceps? It doesn't matter as long as you overload. Don't sweat the details.

Now, onto your routine and why I don't like it personally. What I'm saying below is purely my opinion, but it is an informed opinion.

• The changes between heavy, medium, and light days are confusing for a noob. Its stupid, and its difficult to track your progress and difficult to focus on Progressive Overload. I think its OK to have 2 days, one where you focus on heavy loads at 5-8 reps and one where you focus on light loads at 10-15 reps, but adding in a third range unnecessarily complicated for a beginner.

• Full body weight workouts are great, but I prefer splitting day between upper body and lower body. Lower body exercises are very taxing on your body and will zap your strength and endurance quickly. Maximizing your upper body workout is tough when you are exhausted from squats and deadlifts. For a beginner I think I like 2 upper body sessions, 2 lower body sessions, and 1 or 2 cardio sessions per week if you can make it to the gym 5 or 6 days.

• Bench pressing is one of the best exercises--but for an inexperienced lifter, the barbell bench press may not be the best choice unless you have a workout partner. The fear of failure and getting trapped under the bar is legit, and thus you will not push yourself to your maximum potential. Dumbbell bench press helps with this because you can just drop the dumbbells. Alternatively, doing forward leaning dips is also a solution. Dips work damn near every muscle in your upper body, and I am a huge advocate of any exercise where you move your body through open space (like dips and pull ups).

• The FAQ section of this routine specifically says not to increase the weight you use during your first 5 weeks. This is ridiculous. As a beginner, your strength will increase rapidly. You need continue to push your muscles harder and harder, and Progressive Overload is the key to this. Progressive Overload Progressive Overload Progressive Overload Progressive Overload.

Thanks for your reply. dapped and repped.

I have some gut, but I mean I don't know if I would classify it as 20-25 pounds of fat. Not sure how much to be honest or how you reached that conclusion.

You're bang on with the barbell bench press, I'm using dumbbells. I'm actually using FitnessPal app tracking my calories. My goal is to get a pound a week, which consists of 2740 calories a day. I tend to be right on point with that. You recommend I change it to something else? (ie. maintaining weight, losing a pound a week, etc)

Can one still can mass/bulk with a calorie deficit?

Can I add cardio into a day of weightlifting? (ie. treadmill 20 mins before a workout)

You're right about the 3 categories. I go heavy on one of the days and medium on the other 2.

I do agree with your last bulletpoint where it says you shouldn't increase your weight during your first 5 weeks. I found that odd as well on their behalf. Do you think it would be okay to continue my current routine, however, neglecting that perspective and actually increasing the weight? For 3 of the 7 exercises contain workout sets (2 workout sets, 2 real sets) and the remaining 4 exercises contain just 2 real sets. Should I keep it at 2 or increase to 3?

That routine has been followed by users on that forum for years and there seems to be only satisfaction from it, hence, why I chose to follow it.

And with your heavy emphasis on progressive overload, in your opinion, how long do you think it would take to physically notice a change in body if I follow that mantra (progressive overload)?

If you know of any routine on the internet (or that you follow or recommend) I'd be happy to look at it and see if I should implement that instead

good looking out

 

[BobbyBooshay]

Of all the "fake nattys" on YouTube and in the fitness industry, Dana Linn Bailey is the most blatant with the

It's damn near biologically impossible for a woman to look like that naturally, but somehow she did it through training hard and eating right?

You forget she was builled growing up, so she worked extra hard.

 

[BobbyBooshay]

When do you guys change your daily calorie intake allowance, when your not losing weight or do you change it up every 2 weeks or so ?

I use the BW x 15 to find my maintenance cals then minus 20% formula to get my calorie intake for fat loss.

However that calorie intake is based on a BW that I no longer weigh at - so am I not overeating then ?

 

[RTF]

When do you guys change your daily calorie intake allowance, when your not losing weight or do you change it up every 2 weeks or so ?

I use the BW x 15 to find my maintenance cals then minus 20% formula to get my calorie intake for fat loss.

However that calorie intake is based on a BW that I no longer weigh at - so am I not overeating then ?

When it stops working lol.

The amount of calories needed to lose weight is a fixed variable - you just need to find it. Over time it will change. depending on your bf% you should have a regular maintenance day or cheat meal where you up the calories. The lower your bf% the more regular this needs to be.

So anyway - if after 1 week you've stalled. Have a day (maybe 2 if you're a lean dude) at maintenance then go back to that same caloric intake. If it's still the same, cut a few more calories (say 100-200 calories), again the amount depends on your consumption and body. Then go again. When I move down on calories, I always do it the day after a maintenance day.

 

[BobbyBooshay]

When it stops working lol.

The amount of calories needed to lose weight is a fixed variable - you just need to find it. Over time it will change. depending on your bf% you should have a regular maintenance day or cheat meal where you up the calories. The lower your bf% the more regular this needs to be.

So anyway - if after 1 week you've stalled. Have a day (maybe 2 if you're a lean dude) at maintenance then go back to that same caloric intake. If it's still the same, cut a few more calories (say 100-200 calories), again the amount depends on your consumption and body. Then go again. When I move down on calories, I always do it the day after a maintenance day.

Oh ok cool, well weight is dropping off regular I track scales weekly as a guide along with what i look like in the mirror.

I was thinking calorie intake would change, as I am losing weight.

 

[mr. smoke weed]

Brehs, I'm getting the good work done at home. But what are some good stretches/time killers at the office? I have my own office and when I'm not working(40%) of the time, I feel like I could be getting some good work in. Any good rec's will get the dap/rep