Culking Bishes!!! Winter2016 / Spring 2017

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Replies

  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
    Not bulking, but I want to chime in about Strong Curves for @DancingMoosie . Bret has a clear method to how he lays out his programs, and IMO as long as you go with along with his template, you'll get somewhere. His programs are laid out like this:
    -Glute-focused movement
    -Pull (back)
    -Quad-focused
    -Push (chest/shoulders)
    -Hamstring-focused
    -Glute accessory
    -Linear Core
    -Lateral Core

    Stick to that template and pick exercises you can do with the equipment on hand.

    Even though he has an A, B, and C day, the C day is a variant on the A day. A is a "primary" day, B is an "accessory" day, and C is a "primary-ish but with variants to make sure we've covered all our bases" day. If you're only lifting two days a week, you have some options:
    -Mash A and C together one day and do B the other day (That should make A the day you're using barbells and B the day you're using cables, IIRC.)
    -Alternate between A and C so you're barbell-focused, then add in a couple of accessory exercises (OHP, step-ups, clams, perhaps). I think I'd lean toward this option.

    Specifically about the incline press: since upper body takes a back seat to lower body in this program, he's trying to hit your chest and shoulders at the same time with incline press. If you're going to drop this for bench press, it would be a good idea to add in a shoulder accessory.

    Specifically about the ab work: Bret loves RKC planks because you engage your glutes while doing them. Beyond that, do whatever ab work gets your whole core and call it a day.

    Back to lurking now... I love this thread.

    Ah, the dangers of me giving advice regarding a program I know nothing about. Thanks for the correction/added advice!
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
    I don't have cables, so did my best to keep the 3 workouts as written, with some subtitutes, but will add 6 week 6 pack abs once a week separately to cover what I missed
  • letsgain01
    letsgain01 Posts: 106 Member
    ishmallow wrote: »
    In a few weeks I'm on track to weigh the most I ever have in my life :# goal cal is 3700~ and I'm breaking through every day. After a few screw ups (about a 15 days wasted at deficit + not lifting or logging), I've gained 15 lbs in the past 3.5 months.

    Feels insanely good watching the scale rise and the lifts go up. Only helps to hold myself even more accountable.

    My short term goal, hitting 185. Long term... being 200+ meat boy ... Someday :)

    Things that helped me was buying easy eats to down if I'm at a deficit past dinner and mixing up my shakes.

    Peanut butter, trail mix, whey, milk, eggs (boiled or raw), and raisins are my consistent heavy hitters besides my lunch & dinner meals. What other stuff are you all throwing in for easy eat big digits??

    I eat a shitton of pasta at work basically everyday
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Update: My breakfast beasty feeding, included pastries, cold cereal and milk, and ice cream with chocolate fudge all over it!

    I am so not ashamed!
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
    Not bulking, but I want to chime in about Strong Curves for @DancingMoosie . Bret has a clear method to how he lays out his programs, and IMO as long as you go with along with his template, you'll get somewhere. His programs are laid out like this:
    -Glute-focused movement
    -Pull (back)
    -Quad-focused
    -Push (chest/shoulders)
    -Hamstring-focused
    -Glute accessory
    -Linear Core
    -Lateral Core

    Stick to that template and pick exercises you can do with the equipment on hand.

    Even though he has an A, B, and C day, the C day is a variant on the A day. A is a "primary" day, B is an "accessory" day, and C is a "primary-ish but with variants to make sure we've covered all our bases" day. If you're only lifting two days a week, you have some options:
    -Mash A and C together one day and do B the other day (That should make A the day you're using barbells and B the day you're using cables, IIRC.)
    -Alternate between A and C so you're barbell-focused, then add in a couple of accessory exercises (OHP, step-ups, clams, perhaps). I think I'd lean toward this option.

    Specifically about the incline press: since upper body takes a back seat to lower body in this program, he's trying to hit your chest and shoulders at the same time with incline press. If you're going to drop this for bench press, it would be a good idea to add in a shoulder accessory.

    Specifically about the ab work: Bret loves RKC planks because you engage your glutes while doing them. Beyond that, do whatever ab work gets your whole core and call it a day.

    Back to lurking now... I love this thread.

    Great advice. I'm totally a lurker too as I'm not really intentionally bulking, more inadvertantly bulking from not logging and eating whatever I want while still hitting the weights. Although I think I'm just bulking fat and not much muscle.

    Anyhoo, @DancingMoosie, I was going to say you can use a yoga ball to do back/side extensions on if you want. I use mine for weighted back extensions.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
    The problem is not having all the equipment in one place. I have up a ball at home , not at the gym. Dumbbells in one gym, not the other. No cables anywhere. That's why I've been doing stronglifts 5x5 for so long and then added hip thrusts. Just trying something different, more glute and core focused, I guess. I can always try it for a few weeks, adjust, or go back.
  • Syneea
    Syneea Posts: 451 Member
    Dancing Moose, I wonder what management would say if you requested that they add these items..It is crazy that a gym wouldn't have such basic tools!!
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    The problem is not having all the equipment in one place. I have up a ball at home , not at the gym. Dumbbells in one gym, not the other. No cables anywhere. That's why I've been doing stronglifts 5x5 for so long and then added hip thrusts. Just trying something different, more glute and core focused, I guess. I can always try it for a few weeks, adjust, or go back.

    Hmm.. that is super frustrating.
    Honestly, if I were you, I would maybe search for a more simple program that works for your gym situation.. you can always add hip thrusts and accessories to your glute/lower body days.
    I love Strong Curves, BUT it is not for everyone. Coming from SL 5x5 it is much more "fussy" if you will, and very high rep.. not everyone loves that.. and that is OK!
    On the other hand, if you are really loving SC and want to continue with some modification, go for it, I personally didn't run the program as written due to equipment limitations and I still found lots of success with it.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    Holy crap- the name change... why?!?!?

    WHY LOL
    bioklutz wrote: »
    I think I am hitting that 3 month wall that @JoRocka has been talking about. I am starting to think wtf am I doing to myself. I feel fat. I know logically I am not fat. I know logically that a few more pounds and 7 more weeks won't make me enormous. Emotional I have been a little bit of a wreck. I keep arguing with myself to keep going. I set a goal and I should stick with it. Then I start thinking maybe I am just being stubborn and maybe it really is time to quit bulking - I might regret it if I don't stop.

    How long does it take you to get through this @JoRocka? This is my first bulk.

    The panic for me was a 2-3 week process- after that in to month four I sort of accepted the fatness.

    I still had bad days- but they weren't nearly as crippling. Like- my "bad" weeks - are like ABORT ABORT ABORT ABORT- vs- "man I feel fat- where's my pizza"

    Keep going. You got this- push through till at least month 4- usually once you get into month 4 you can make it another couple weeks- this is EXACTLY why I aim for 4-6- at a minimum I can make 4 months- and then usually push into month 5- but I can just push to month 4 I'll feel like I accomplished what I wanted- then feel better into month 4.
    TR0berts wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    I've been eating a gifted bag of reese's pieces for the last 3 days. I blame it on bulking. Sorry not even CLOSE to sorry.

    It took you 3 days? That's one night.

    I ate a whole bag (the big bag) of peanut m&m's on sunday.
    #noshame.

    I still have one of those "share size" bags of coffee and nut m&ms that I picked up to try. Even in a bulk, I can't seem to bring myself to eat them. They've been sitting on my desk for a month now, and every time I look at them, I just immediately "nope".

    Yes, there is something wrong with me.

    wait- how did I not know about coffee and nut m and m's?!?!?!

    WTF?!?! WHY HAVE YOU BEEN HOLDING OUT ON ME!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    The problem is not having all the equipment in one place. I have up a ball at home , not at the gym. Dumbbells in one gym, not the other. No cables anywhere. That's why I've been doing stronglifts 5x5 for so long and then added hip thrusts. Just trying something different, more glute and core focused, I guess. I can always try it for a few weeks, adjust, or go back.

    I'd find a program that works at ONE gym- and or- find a gym that has all your needs.
    That would make me f**king bonkers LOL
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
    edited January 2017
    I work with what I have. I work at a school, so....use the gym there. I'm not trying to complain because its free. I don't have money or time to buy a membership, and the only public gym we have here is a very small Anytime Fitness, and I don't think it has all the equipment I would need either. I will make this work, lol. I'm going to do my F'd up version of SC and go back to 5x5 plus accessories when I see fit. I've been doing my own version of workouts for 3 years and have had great results. Thanks for the advice, I really do appreciate it.

    My plan (for now) is:
    Monday: SC workout A
    Tuesday: SC workout B, plus some bis/tris/shoulder and treadmill walk or jog
    Wed: 6 wk 6 pk abs
    Thurs: SC workout C
    All of the SC will be modified to fit my equipment in that day's gym and to my needs, but based on the program as written.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    Holy crap- the name change... why?!?!?

    WHY LOL
    bioklutz wrote: »
    I think I am hitting that 3 month wall that @JoRocka has been talking about. I am starting to think wtf am I doing to myself. I feel fat. I know logically I am not fat. I know logically that a few more pounds and 7 more weeks won't make me enormous. Emotional I have been a little bit of a wreck. I keep arguing with myself to keep going. I set a goal and I should stick with it. Then I start thinking maybe I am just being stubborn and maybe it really is time to quit bulking - I might regret it if I don't stop.

    How long does it take you to get through this @JoRocka? This is my first bulk.

    The panic for me was a 2-3 week process- after that in to month four I sort of accepted the fatness.

    I still had bad days- but they weren't nearly as crippling. Like- my "bad" weeks - are like ABORT ABORT ABORT ABORT- vs- "man I feel fat- where's my pizza"

    Keep going. You got this- push through till at least month 4- usually once you get into month 4 you can make it another couple weeks- this is EXACTLY why I aim for 4-6- at a minimum I can make 4 months- and then usually push into month 5- but I can just push to month 4 I'll feel like I accomplished what I wanted- then feel better into month 4.
    TR0berts wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    I've been eating a gifted bag of reese's pieces for the last 3 days. I blame it on bulking. Sorry not even CLOSE to sorry.

    It took you 3 days? That's one night.

    I ate a whole bag (the big bag) of peanut m&m's on sunday.
    #noshame.

    I still have one of those "share size" bags of coffee and nut m&ms that I picked up to try. Even in a bulk, I can't seem to bring myself to eat them. They've been sitting on my desk for a month now, and every time I look at them, I just immediately "nope".

    Yes, there is something wrong with me.

    wait- how did I not know about coffee and nut m and m's?!?!?!

    WTF?!?! WHY HAVE YOU BEEN HOLDING OUT ON ME!

    I would never do such a thing. ;)
    20wbmsktpikf.jpeg
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
    @Gallowmere1984 You have amazing self control. I can't believe you still didn't eat them!
  • Morningstar25
    Morningstar25 Posts: 50 Member
    I am trying to gain weight. Been too thin for too long now and want to be a healthy weight. Any suggestions what to eat for healthy weight gain?
  • Morningstar25
    Morningstar25 Posts: 50 Member
    We can all achieve this and gain the weight we desire! We must never give up!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    I am trying to gain weight. Been too thin for too long now and want to be a healthy weight. Any suggestions what to eat for healthy weight gain?

    I would start with reading some of the stickies. But essentially, set your MFP account to gain, track for 3-4 weeks and adjust up if you aren't gaining. Follow a good progressive overload lifting program for muscle gains.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    bioklutz wrote: »
    @Gallowmere1984 You have amazing self control. I can't believe you still didn't eat them!

    Honestly, I keep them right in front of my face all of the time, hoping that I'll randomly desire to eat them. Never happens. I've had them for two months (since the day I started my bulk), and I just keep finding other things I'd rather eat. I have a 200 deep stock of protein bars from various brands, and like 20 pounds of chicken breast and salmon in my freezer. Nothing about those m&ms seems even remotely appealing, knowing what else I have around.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Yay finally the scale is moving up in the right direction! I don't know how I lost weight during the holidays but now I am back on track. Phew! Back on the gain train B)
  • jdscrubs32
    jdscrubs32 Posts: 514 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    Yay finally the scale is moving up in the right direction! I don't know how I lost weight during the holidays but now I am back on track. Phew! Back on the gain train B)

    You are lucky @sardelsa as the train was just about to leave the station. Choo choo
  • musclegood_fatbad
    musclegood_fatbad Posts: 9,809 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    Yay finally the scale is moving up in the right direction! I don't know how I lost weight during the holidays but now I am back on track. Phew! Back on the gain train B)

    Not sure why, but I always lose weight during the holidays. Super frustrating.