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I really enjoy the info that you share with us. Thanks for taking the time to answer.0
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I just want to say thank you, I have been following this thread closely and moved on to your blog too. Being able to hear from people like you, and gradually arm myself with the knowledge I need to go from starting state to my optimal body, is the main reason I love this forum. Thank you!0
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amandarunning wrote: »This thread is amazing. I check in every morning and learn a little more and think "wow, that makes it so clear" - usually with a metaphorical face-palm :-)
Well thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying it. I'm enjoying the conversation myself. Thanks to everyone who has participated. I'll keep checking in as long as there are questions.0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »Wow. Clearly I need to better educate myself on exercise physiology. Goes off to read....thanks so much!
Training for physique optimization, while not without its nuances, is much simpler to understand than is training for performance optimization. Thankfully there are a lot of great resources out there and you can start with the book I mentioned above.
Well and that's where I got completely bogged down. The physique info is just so accessible.
There are a lot more people interested in looking great naked than there are people interested in maximizing performance. So the gurus follow the money. Partly why this industry is so fubar.0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »stroutman81 wrote: »Wonderful thread - thank you. So much useful information.
My question - if you've time - is it realistic to get back to the weight you were in your 20s? I'm 42 yrs old, 5ft 0 and now 133lb. I lost 43 lbs already, but I want to be 116lb. Everyone at my slimming group, and my family, is telling me I won't be able to do it, and to stop being so unrealistic. They also say I'll look awful as my face will "fall in". What are your thoughts on realistic goals? my waist measurement at 133lb is 34 inches and I remember at 116 lb it was 25 inches - which is where I want it. Thank you.
I think a couple of things...
1) People will always say things like this. Ignore them.
2) Chasing a particular weight is silly. Forget about it.
3) Focus on the process - leading a fit lifestyle. The cards will fall where they fall. Base your decisions and behaviors on where you are today. Not where you were 20 years ago. Your body is different now.
4) You can always drop weight. So yes, theoretically it's possible to get to your coveted 116 lbs. But as I said above, I'd forget about it. If it happens, let it happen because it makes sense as you navigate down your journey.
Thank you so very much - that is a very encouraging and wise answer. I very much appreciate it. I will carry on enjoying my tennis and this year take up lifting, continue at a slight deficit, and see where it takes me. And try to relax about the 116. It's lovely to get such expert help.
Slight deficit, some conditioning that you enjoy (tennis) and progressive strength training sounds like the perfect plan to me. I'd add to it a bunch of objectivity, awareness, patience, and flexibility.
Objectivity allows you to assess where you're at and how you're responding to what you're throwing at your body
Awareness keeps you in the present rather than fretting over the future. The future is out of your control. The present dictates, in large part, what your future will likely look like. Put differently, you really only have control of the 6 inches in front of your face, so place your energy there.
Patience allows you to maintain sanity and keep realistic expectations. This is a slow process. Heck, it's a forever process. So it's important to learn to sit back and let your body progress at its pace and to have self-compassion. It's not a linear process... sometimes you'll make great headway. Other times it'll seem like nothing's happening. The "secret" to success is to embrace when things are happening and accept when things are not without over reacting and going off the deep end.
Flexibility is so dang important. Many people get hung up on specific programs or ways of eating. They hold onto their beliefs about exercise and nutrition the same way religious zealots overbearingly argue their points of view. But the thing is... there are no one-size-fits-all programs and diets. What's ideal for you today likely won't be ideal for you 6 months from now. This is rooted in a process of trial and error in order to flesh out a "best fit" program for you. Heck, I've been doing this a long time and with all of my online coaching clients, this is something I stress to them at the very get go. Even though I have a good idea where you should be starting... it's still a process that involves some educated guess work on my part... to which I will respond flexibly and logically as their bodies tell us what they do and do not "like."
Wow - that's great, thank you. It really helps to read you saying it's a process of trial and error - educated guess work. That explains why sometimes I feel I'm doing my utmost and the scales aren't shifting down, and sometimes I'm so hungry I go way over my allotted calories and still lose. I guess MFP doesn't really know how sedentary you've been, how many cals you've needed that day, and how many cals the 2 hours of tennis used. I'll bear that in mind, and try and have more patience and flexibility.
I also love:
"you really only have control of the 6 inches in front of your face, so place your energy there."
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stroutman81 wrote: »There are a lot more people interested in looking great naked than there are people interested in maximizing performance. So the gurus follow the money. Partly why this industry is so fubar.
Okay but don't they realize there is SO little point looking good naked if performance is missing.
(someone is going to flag this as inappropriate aren't they?)0 -
Liftng4Lis wrote: »When in a re-comp, what is the recommended deficit? Additionally, after being in one for about 6 months and knowing that it's a slow process, how many years are we talking here?
It needn't be years. Heck, I've lost 20 lbs in the last 3 months and totally overhauled my own physique. But I'm also internally motivated, don't have emotional/relationship issues with food, and am willing to put the work in daily. I'm also "light on my feet" when it comes to nutritional indiscretions. Meaning, I might eat a meal out that totally doesn't align with the plan for the day... but that meal is in isolation. It doesn't leak over to the next meal and the next. It doesn't cause guilt or grief. It just is, so I accept and enjoy it and then move on.
In many cases, I like for large folks to lose roughly 1% of their body weight per week... on average. And for smaller folks, that rate tends to drop closer to .5% per week. Don't get me wrong... there are cases where we accelerate this process. And there are cases where we have to actually accept a slower rate.
Of course, the more you have to lose, the longer it takes... but that's obvious.
So the recommended deficit? Slight to moderate, in general. The one that leads to the aforementioned rate of weight loss... keeping in mind there are a bunch of caveats to that.
I'd ask you, in return... what has your average rate of loss been over the last 6 months?0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »Psulemon, Thx for letting me know about this thread!!!
Awesome thread!!!
Now for my turn for a question and hopefully a answer
I am 5.2 ft and was 115 lbs in 2013 and maintained my weight all year, was close to goal. My goal was to get to 20% bf. I did Chalean extreme and t25 all year. Come 2014 I thought I needed a switch and decided I wanted more definition. So switch up my program. Come July I didn't change at all, so I paid to get my numbers done and go kinda iifym style. I was suggested to go to maintance as I had been in a deficit for 2.5 years and I wouldn't get more definition as I needed more cals to get more definition. So I went from 14-1600 cals on average to 1700 daily. I was ok with those numbers as long as I lifted 6 days a week. Come oct I was sick and wasn't exercising as consistently. I didn't adjust my cals and of course I gained. Went to 122 lbs. I gained bdy fat and inches and a clothing size. I need to get back down. I am doing 1450-1500 now. Doing combat and pump. Never did fast reps like in pump before. Am I making a good choice doing pump instead of Chalean extreme? 5 lbs does t seem like a lot but me it is and I justvwant to feel comfortable again iny clothes! Will i reduce my body fat doing it this way or am I better off doing maintance like I was suggested? I'm probably around 24% bf now? I had a goal of mid March for our beach vacation but don't know if that is realistic?
Wait. So people are charging for macro recommendations nowadays? Sheesh, I really need to put my guru hat on more often... smh.
Secondly, my apologies, but I don't stay abreast of all these fancy prepackaged workouts. They're just not my cup of tea. I can't tell you if one is better than the other for your goals. But I can tell you that I agree with the recommendation to go up to maintenance for a bit if you were really dieting for 2.5 yrs straight.
It sounds like you were at maintenance or above for a month, at least... maybe more.
If that's the case, I'd say you're good to head back into deficit territory. It's this side of things - the nutrition - that's going to be the primary driver of fat loss. Your current calorie target of 1450 or so is just about right as a starting point. It's toward the high end of things... so test it out. If it's yielding sufficient results... let it ride. What are sufficient results? Maybe .5% of your body weight per week on average.
And please understand that the exercise side of the coin should primarily be tailored for muscle maintenance. Let your nutrition handle the fat loss / calorie deficit side of the things. Tailor exercise to hold onto the "good stuff" as your diet takes the soft stuff off.
Thx u! I do these tailor made programs because for me I have to follow something or I'm lost. I have to be told what to do. Lol... I can't just grab my weights and know what to do on what day even following a page layout with a description. I don't know what that is but I fail miserably so that is why I do DVDs. If it keeps me moving that is all that matters....
I will stick to these cals, it's been 2 weeks so far with no changes in the scale yet. I normally do once a month weigh in and next Sunday will be a official weigh in for feb but as of yesterday I still just bounce up and down a lb. no real loss yet. I thought at first I was actually gaining muscle so let it go but after a few months I realized it was only fat:(
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Okay, this thread is awesome! As a fairly lean woman trying to get leaner, this puts soooo much in perspective. I feel not-so-alone, and also realize I need to carefully evaluate my goals, as I likely fall I to the "abs may not show til you turn into a skeleton" category. Bumping to read later In its entirety!0
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Thanks for a great post. I always hear that we need to increase our weights progressively
. Am I wasting my time with my 20kg dumbells. Am interested in getting leaner so starting to tighten up my logging which has been an issue. Just thinking what I can do with my limited weights at home.0 -
Awesome, thanks Steve! Nice to know I'm right on track! Plus, getting stronger and losing inches are a major bonus!stroutman81 wrote: »Liftng4Lis wrote: »When in a re-comp, what is the recommended deficit? Additionally, after being in one for about 6 months and knowing that it's a slow process, how many years are we talking here?
It needn't be years. Heck, I've lost 20 lbs in the last 3 months and totally overhauled my own physique. But I'm also internally motivated, don't have emotional/relationship issues with food, and am willing to put the work in daily. I'm also "light on my feet" when it comes to nutritional indiscretions. Meaning, I might eat a meal out that totally doesn't align with the plan for the day... but that meal is in isolation. It doesn't leak over to the next meal and the next. It doesn't cause guilt or grief. It just is, so I accept and enjoy it and then move on.
In many cases, I like for large folks to lose roughly 1% of their body weight per week... on average. And for smaller folks, that rate tends to drop closer to .5% per week. Don't get me wrong... there are cases where we accelerate this process. And there are cases where we have to actually accept a slower rate.
Of course, the more you have to lose, the longer it takes... but that's obvious.
So the recommended deficit? Slight to moderate, in general. The one that leads to the aforementioned rate of weight loss... keeping in mind there are a bunch of caveats to that.
I'd ask you, in return... what has your average rate of loss been over the last 6 months?
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I'm planning on starting a weight training program this week (I'm going over squats and deadlifts with a trainer first so I don't hurt myself). I'm currently losing well on 1650 calories per day and one cheat meal per week (this week is sushi, yum!), protein between 110-130g/day. Should I change anything on the eating side for weight lifting? Or keep everything as is?0
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stroutman81 wrote: »No worries... I've been worried about missing posts too. Thanks stroutman81 wrote: »
Definitely some annoying stuff you're dealing with there. That's a bummer. I am glad, though, to hear that you're working with a physio. Hopefully you make some headway at, in the very least, ridding yourself of some of the pain.
I won't throw any exercise advice your way. It'd be beyond my scope and I'd be doing your physio a disservice. I'll say this, though. Take what you're permitted to do (in terms of exercise selection, intensity, and volume) and use it a few times per week. At a minimum, provide what stimulus you're permitted to provide in order to offer your body as much incentive as possible to hold onto muscle.
And in your case, you're going to want to ensure adequate protein intake more than regularly exercising folks. Strength training is our strongest stimulus for muscle preservation while dieting. If it's limited, we really need to focus on the second strongest stimulus, which is protein. Having lots of pool of excess amino acids in the bloodstream will provide a source for your body to preferentially tap into rather than turning to your muscle.
Thank you! I'll keep trying to challenge myself however I can. And I'm very happy to comply with the recommendation for more protein - I love my steak, no problem there. Very useful information, thank you.stroutman81 wrote: »
The idea being to build a bigger base of muscle so that the next time you cut down there's better likelihood of "looking the bf%"?
Is that what you're getting at?
If so, I'd say no. If you were working with me, I would not have you do any sort of muscle gain phase without first getting relatively lean again. I just don't see a point in it since the physiology still stands - higher bf% will lead to great rate of fat gain while in a surplus.
I can see your point, and I agree, I for sure want to avoid increasing body fat. I guess I was thinking of recomposition, but maybe that would be harder for me to do given my limitations...
Thanks so much, again, for your thoughts and time!0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »There are a lot more people interested in looking great naked than there are people interested in maximizing performance. So the gurus follow the money. Partly why this industry is so fubar.
Okay but don't they realize there is SO little point looking good naked if performance is missing.
(someone is going to flag this as inappropriate aren't they?)
To recomp optimally, in almost all cases, there's going to be a performance enhancement. Fat loss, in itself, will increase performance... assuming the retention of functional mass.
I view it as a spectrum. Some folks only care about improving aesthetically. In these cases, it's mostly about diet and training the muscles. Others have contracts on the line that depend on their performance. In these cases, while form will likely follow function, programming becomes a lot more nuanced and specific.0 -
Thx u! I do these tailor made programs because for me I have to follow something or I'm lost. I have to be told what to do. Lol... I can't just grab my weights and know what to do on what day even following a page layout with a description. I don't know what that is but I fail miserably so that is why I do DVDs.
I get that. Trust me, most of my web clients hire me for this very reason. They don't have the inclination or interest to figure this out themselves... plus progress it going forward. It's no different than getting your car serviced professionally rather than wrenching on it yourself!If it keeps me moving that is all that matters....
Only "movement" is not the sole factor in building a better physique. Otherwise you could walk yourself into jackeditude.
Definitely not knocking what you're doing though... they very well could be perfectly suited for you and your goals. Only one way to find out... apply them and assess consistently. If your assessments are showing progress... you know you're on the right track.I will stick to these cals, it's been 2 weeks so far with no changes in the scale yet. I normally do once a month weigh in and next Sunday will be a official weigh in for feb but as of yesterday I still just bounce up and down a lb. no real loss yet. I thought at first I was actually gaining muscle so let it go but after a few months I realized it was only fat:(
Well good for you staying objective. It's a hard pill to swallow at times but it's the nature of this journey. We all have to adhere to some system of eating and training while simultaneously tracking results. In doing so, we're shining a light on the efficacy of our programs. A lot of people get sucked into the trap of just forcing the same system over and over and over while expecting different results. They forget about the tracking and adjusting part of this process.
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Therealobi1 wrote: »Thanks for a great post. I always hear that we need to increase our weights progressively
. Am I wasting my time with my 20kg dumbells. Am interested in getting leaner so starting to tighten up my logging which has been an issue. Just thinking what I can do with my limited weights at home.
Wasting your time? I wouldn't go that far. But the easiest way to progress the stimulus for improvements is by gradually ramping up load over time. If 20 kg represents an overload right now in a particular exercise, it won't next workout, next week, next month, or whatever.
We're always trying to stay one step ahead of homeostasis... thus pulling our bodies out of their comfort zones in an attempt to better handle increasingly more challenging stress.
Now you can certainly make certain exercises more challenging with the same load. You can change the mechanics to put more load on the target muscle (think about going from regular push-ups to feet-elevated push-ups), you can slow down the tempo (especially the lowering phase) thus increasing the time under tension per rep/set. You can increase the number of reps per set as your body adjusts to a given volume.
There are many things you can do.
That said, if it were me, I'd want to expand my options for gradually increasing loading over time. At a minimum, shop around for some adjustable DBs. There are good resistance bands sold on Amazon that allow you to adjust loading too.0 -
I'm planning on starting a weight training program this week (I'm going over squats and deadlifts with a trainer first so I don't hurt myself). I'm currently losing well on 1650 calories per day and one cheat meal per week (this week is sushi, yum!), protein between 110-130g/day. Should I change anything on the eating side for weight lifting? Or keep everything as is?
Impossible to say based on the info you've given. What's your age, height, and weight? How active are you outside of the gym? How many days per week are you training? What forms of training are you using besides lifting?
Also, I feel obligated to state that you don't NEED squats and deadlifts to optimize your physique. I mean, if you want to include them, they're certainly great exercises. But I see a lot of people thinking they're NECESSARY for physique optimization and that couldn't be further from the truth.
If you don't feel comfortable with one or both, don't be afraid to find alternatives.0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »
The idea being to build a bigger base of muscle so that the next time you cut down there's better likelihood of "looking the bf%"?
Is that what you're getting at?
If so, I'd say no. If you were working with me, I would not have you do any sort of muscle gain phase without first getting relatively lean again. I just don't see a point in it since the physiology still stands - higher bf% will lead to great rate of fat gain while in a surplus.
I can see your point, and I agree, I for sure want to avoid increasing body fat. I guess I was thinking of recomposition, but maybe that would be harder for me to do given my limitations...
Thanks so much, again, for your thoughts and time!
Trying to add muscle and subtract fat at the same time is, in many cases, a losing proposition. There are some folks who can get away with it (especially those who are coming off injury, who are brand new to training, and/or those who are carrying a lot of excess fat). There are also some programs that try and optimize concurrent comp changes (such as Lyle McDonald's Ultimate Diet 2.0).
But in the vast majority of cases, you simply want to pick one goal and work your butt off at attaining it before moving onto the next.0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »I'm planning on starting a weight training program this week (I'm going over squats and deadlifts with a trainer first so I don't hurt myself). I'm currently losing well on 1650 calories per day and one cheat meal per week (this week is sushi, yum!), protein between 110-130g/day. Should I change anything on the eating side for weight lifting? Or keep everything as is?
Impossible to say based on the info you've given. What's your age, height, and weight? How active are you outside of the gym? How many days per week are you training? What forms of training are you using besides lifting?
Also, I feel obligated to state that you don't NEED squats and deadlifts to optimize your physique. I mean, if you want to include them, they're certainly great exercises. But I see a lot of people thinking they're NECESSARY for physique optimization and that couldn't be further from the truth.
If you don't feel comfortable with one or both, don't be afraid to find alternatives.
Could you clue me in as to what those alternatives are? Sometimes squats hurt my knee due to an ACL injury and repair about 2 years ago. I would love to know what other exercises I can do in place of them, as a back-up.0 -
I got linked to this page and really appreciate the information. In the first page, you mentioned that as a woman get leaner, the scale just doesn't work well as a measuring tool. So, what would you suggest we base our progress on? Wouldn't measurement and image in the mirror take even longer to show? So, how long should I expect to see measurable/visible results?
I'm 43 years old, 5'3" tall at around 118-120 lbs. According to various calculators, I am at 26% body fat and high risk waist-to-hip ratio (0.86). My starting weight was 145 lbs and I reached my goal weight last Thanksgiving and kind of lost focus until Christmas.
In the beginning of the year, I finally picked up the pace again. I now run 3 times a week and, on the other 3 days, I follow the program Body by You by Mark Lauren. I make progression in the program every week, if not every session. According to iifym, my TDEE is 1860 and I was usually able to achieve TDEE-15% on a weekly basis. I know I am getting stronger, at least, but the scale may have dropped a pound and measurements do not show measurable difference. I can be more patient if I know I am on the right track. But if I am eating too much, then, I should lower my caloric intake (or my expectation), right?0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »I'm planning on starting a weight training program this week (I'm going over squats and deadlifts with a trainer first so I don't hurt myself). I'm currently losing well on 1650 calories per day and one cheat meal per week (this week is sushi, yum!), protein between 110-130g/day. Should I change anything on the eating side for weight lifting? Or keep everything as is?
Impossible to say based on the info you've given. What's your age, height, and weight? How active are you outside of the gym? How many days per week are you training? What forms of training are you using besides lifting?
Also, I feel obligated to state that you don't NEED squats and deadlifts to optimize your physique. I mean, if you want to include them, they're certainly great exercises. But I see a lot of people thinking they're NECESSARY for physique optimization and that couldn't be further from the truth.
If you don't feel comfortable with one or both, don't be afraid to find alternatives.
I'm 24, 5' 4" and 133 lbs. Bf around 26%. I walk 10-13,000 steps per day (walking the dog, etc), but I sit quite a bit as a student. I do a step and strength class (50% intense step, 50% body weight/high rep weight training) 3 days a week, and a pure step class once a week. I really like my step classes and don't plan on changing them. I also do some balance work assigned by my physical therapist most days to strengthen my knees and ankles, but she has given me the all clear to start lifting as long as I am sure about my form.
I'm planning to start the following program. I picked it because it only works each muscle group once per week, so if I work that group again in my class I won't be overdoing it. I can also always use lower weights in my class as well, or do an alternate exercise. The teacher is really flexible.
Day 1 (all sets 8-10 reps)
Flat Bench Press – Warm-up sets and then 3 working sets
Incline Bench Press – 3 working sets
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press – 3 working sets
Dips – 3 working sets to failure (use the assistance machine if necessary)
Triceps Pushdown – 3 working sets
Seated Triceps Press – working 3 sets
Day 2
Barbell Deadlift – Warm-up sets and then 3 working sets
Barbell Row: 3 working sets
One-Arm Dumbbell Row – 3 working sets
Close-Grip Lat Pulldown – 3 working sets
Alternating Dumbbell Curl – 3 working sets
Barbell Curl – 3 working sets
Day 3
Seated Barbell Military Press – Warm-up sets and then 3 working sets
Barbell Upright Row – 3 working sets
Side Lateral Raise – 3 working sets
Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise – 3 working sets
Barbell Squat – 3 working sets
Leg Press – 3 working sets
Barbell Lunge – 3 working sets
Romanian Deadlift – 3 working sets
Sorry for the long post! Thanks for the feedback 0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »Therealobi1 wrote: »Thanks for a great post. I always hear that we need to increase our weights progressively
. Am I wasting my time with my 20kg dumbells. Am interested in getting leaner so starting to tighten up my logging which has been an issue. Just thinking what I can do with my limited weights at home.
Wasting your time? I wouldn't go that far. But the easiest way to progress the stimulus for improvements is by gradually ramping up load over time. If 20 kg represents an overload right now in a particular exercise, it won't next workout, next week, next month, or whatever.
We're always trying to stay one step ahead of homeostasis... thus pulling our bodies out of their comfort zones in an attempt to better handle increasingly more challenging stress.
Now you can certainly make certain exercises more challenging with the same load. You can change the mechanics to put more load on the target muscle (think about going from regular push-ups to feet-elevated push-ups), you can slow down the tempo (especially the lowering phase) thus increasing the time under tension per rep/set. You can increase the number of reps per set as your body adjusts to a given volume.
There are many things you can do.
That said, if it were me, I'd want to expand my options for gradually increasing loading over time. At a minimum, shop around for some adjustable DBs. There are good resistance bands sold on Amazon that allow you to adjust loading too.
Thanks so much for taking the time to respond, much appreciated. Would love those powerblocks but so expensive. You have given me enough ideas to get creative. Also never thought about resistance bands before.0 -
Great thread!
Any recommendations for stretches/exercises for knee pain? I have been lifting for about 8 months and recently getting pain in one of my knees (it feels like the muscle/tendon/whatever along the back of my knee is super tight and painful). It often pops when I squat (although I have pretty "crackly" joints in general)
I am also recovering from a ruptured muscle in my arm, so basically legs are all I can do right now - I want to make sure I don't mess them up, too.0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »I'm planning on starting a weight training program this week (I'm going over squats and deadlifts with a trainer first so I don't hurt myself). I'm currently losing well on 1650 calories per day and one cheat meal per week (this week is sushi, yum!), protein between 110-130g/day. Should I change anything on the eating side for weight lifting? Or keep everything as is?
Impossible to say based on the info you've given. What's your age, height, and weight? How active are you outside of the gym? How many days per week are you training? What forms of training are you using besides lifting?
Also, I feel obligated to state that you don't NEED squats and deadlifts to optimize your physique. I mean, if you want to include them, they're certainly great exercises. But I see a lot of people thinking they're NECESSARY for physique optimization and that couldn't be further from the truth.
If you don't feel comfortable with one or both, don't be afraid to find alternatives.
Could you clue me in as to what those alternatives are? Sometimes squats hurt my knee due to an ACL injury and repair about 2 years ago. I would love to know what other exercises I can do in place of them, as a back-up.
I'd be happy to review your form if you'd like. You could film yourself squatting and upload it to youtube. You can shift the setting on the video to unlisted so only those with the link can see it. If not, that's cool too.
But alternative to squats include leg presses, front squats, step-ups, front foot elevated split squats, rear foot elevated split squats, hack squats, goblet squats, etc. Anything that has the primary movement about the knee while your feet (or foot) is planted on the floor will replicate, at least in part, the squat.
As for alternatives to the deadlift... romanian deadlifts, hip thrusts, good mornings, glute ham raises, single leg RDLs (braced or not), pull throughs, etc.
Unless you're training to be strong in squats and deadlifts, there are a lot of alternatives that can train the same muscles each of these exercises hit. And again, I don't have anything against squats or deadlifts... they're great exercises. They're simply not necessary exercises for physique optimization.0 -
mom3over40 wrote: »I got linked to this page and really appreciate the information. In the first page, you mentioned that as a woman get leaner, the scale just doesn't work well as a measuring tool. So, what would you suggest we base our progress on? Wouldn't measurement and image in the mirror take even longer to show? So, how long should I expect to see measurable/visible results?
All of my clients take pictures, measurements and weight on a biweekly basis. Some weigh daily if we determine they're best suited for it.
How long?
I can't answer that. Each body is different. Some bodies just don't like to "give up" progress easily. This is partly why I harp on and on about focusing on the process and the outcome will follow - in due time as your body dictates.
Of course you don't want to get stuck in wheel-spinning, doing the same thing over and over again when that thing isn't enough to cause progress. But most people have more a problem with not giving it long enough vs. giving it too long.
I'd be giving any given protocol at least 4 weeks to reveal whether it's going to be effective for you or not. And the effectiveness might come by way of minor measurement improvements. Or a 1% movement on the scale for an entire month. Or a realization that your boots are fitting looser around your calves. Or a vein in your arm that you hadn't noticed before. Or whatever. You take whatever it is, as small as it is, and keep your eyes planted on the process.
You also don't judge or personalize your progress or lack there of. Instead, you accept it. If it's there, great... keep doing your thing. If it's not, that's great too. You didn't fail. You simply know you should modify something.
Maybe it's fewer calories. Maybe it's more training. Maybe it's inserting refeeds into your weekly dieting system. Maybe it's increasing accuracy of nutritional tracking. Whatever it is... you make small adjustments and retest.I'm 43 years old, 5'3" tall at around 118-120 lbs. According to various calculators, I am at 26% body fat and high risk waist-to-hip ratio (0.86). My starting weight was 145 lbs and I reached my goal weight last Thanksgiving and kind of lost focus until Christmas.
I'm not too much a fan of goal weights. I have a number of clients who've been working with me for a long time. They're actually heavier than they were when they started with me, yet they are happier than ever.In the beginning of the year, I finally picked up the pace again. I now run 3 times a week and, on the other 3 days, I follow the program Body by You by Mark Lauren. I make progression in the program every week, if not every session. According to iifym, my TDEE is 1860 and I was usually able to achieve TDEE-15% on a weekly basis. I know I am getting stronger, at least, but the scale may have dropped a pound and measurements do not show measurable difference. I can be more patient if I know I am on the right track. But if I am eating too much, then, I should lower my caloric intake (or my expectation), right?
So you've been eating right around 1600 cals/day on average, is that right?
If so, I'd say you have plenty of room for coming down. Do so systematically. Try 1500 per day and see if that gets things moving.
Remember, it is and always will be a process of refinement.0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »I'm planning on starting a weight training program this week (I'm going over squats and deadlifts with a trainer first so I don't hurt myself). I'm currently losing well on 1650 calories per day and one cheat meal per week (this week is sushi, yum!), protein between 110-130g/day. Should I change anything on the eating side for weight lifting? Or keep everything as is?
Impossible to say based on the info you've given. What's your age, height, and weight? How active are you outside of the gym? How many days per week are you training? What forms of training are you using besides lifting?
Also, I feel obligated to state that you don't NEED squats and deadlifts to optimize your physique. I mean, if you want to include them, they're certainly great exercises. But I see a lot of people thinking they're NECESSARY for physique optimization and that couldn't be further from the truth.
If you don't feel comfortable with one or both, don't be afraid to find alternatives.
I'm 24, 5' 4" and 133 lbs. Bf around 26%. I walk 10-13,000 steps per day (walking the dog, etc), but I sit quite a bit as a student. I do a step and strength class (50% intense step, 50% body weight/high rep weight training) 3 days a week, and a pure step class once a week. I really like my step classes and don't plan on changing them. I also do some balance work assigned by my physical therapist most days to strengthen my knees and ankles, but she has given me the all clear to start lifting as long as I am sure about my form.
I'm planning to start the following program. I picked it because it only works each muscle group once per week, so if I work that group again in my class I won't be overdoing it. I can also always use lower weights in my class as well, or do an alternate exercise. The teacher is really flexible.
Day 1 (all sets 8-10 reps)
Flat Bench Press – Warm-up sets and then 3 working sets
Incline Bench Press – 3 working sets
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press – 3 working sets
Dips – 3 working sets to failure (use the assistance machine if necessary)
Triceps Pushdown – 3 working sets
Seated Triceps Press – working 3 sets
Day 2
Barbell Deadlift – Warm-up sets and then 3 working sets
Barbell Row: 3 working sets
One-Arm Dumbbell Row – 3 working sets
Close-Grip Lat Pulldown – 3 working sets
Alternating Dumbbell Curl – 3 working sets
Barbell Curl – 3 working sets
Day 3
Seated Barbell Military Press – Warm-up sets and then 3 working sets
Barbell Upright Row – 3 working sets
Side Lateral Raise – 3 working sets
Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise – 3 working sets
Barbell Squat – 3 working sets
Leg Press – 3 working sets
Barbell Lunge – 3 working sets
Romanian Deadlift – 3 working sets
Sorry for the long post! Thanks for the feedback
It's hard for me to really comment here since I have no clue what your classes are really like. That said, I'm thinking they're more cardio than anything else. If you're doing timed calisthenics... it's really closer to cardio than it is strength training.
I mean, let's face it... walking or running is resistance training. You're training and your body weight is providing a resistance. But walking certainly isn't providing the same stimulus at the muscle level that progressive strength training is providing.
Take myself for example. I do 5 full body strength sessions per week. I also go backpacking once per week and walk most days. I don't cut back my leg training simply bc I backpack and walk. Granted, if I was doing intense cardio that was neurologically and muscularly challenging, I'd have to rethink it.
But that would beg the question of, "Does that high intensity cardio suit my goal?"
Which brings me to a very important point that needs addressing before I get ahead of myself (which I likely already have). Context ALWAYS matters. The value of any given program can't be assessed without knowing what the end user is hoping to obtain from said program. Put differently, what are your goals?
And does your current training match your goals?
Specificity also ALWAYS matters.
0 -
Thanks for doing this Steve! I'm guessing there isn't a set answer for this, but in general how quickly should I be progressing in my weights when lifting? I'll often stay at the same weight level for several months, and I'm wondering if I'm cheating myself somehow. For example, right now I'm squatting 115, and I've been at that weight since October. I'd like to be strong, but I generally do what I do to look good naked and to be in good shape for the summer hiking I do. I'm maintaining my weight currently (32, f, 5'5'', 135) although contemplating another small cut.
To give you an idea of activity level: I do total body weight lifting twice a week, yoga twice a week, and 3-4 mile runs twice a week. I walk about 5 miles a day but don't have an active job.
Any thought on when I should be upping my loads, or things I should be thinking about?0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »stroutman81 wrote: »I'm planning on starting a weight training program this week (I'm going over squats and deadlifts with a trainer first so I don't hurt myself). I'm currently losing well on 1650 calories per day and one cheat meal per week (this week is sushi, yum!), protein between 110-130g/day. Should I change anything on the eating side for weight lifting? Or keep everything as is?
Impossible to say based on the info you've given. What's your age, height, and weight? How active are you outside of the gym? How many days per week are you training? What forms of training are you using besides lifting?
Also, I feel obligated to state that you don't NEED squats and deadlifts to optimize your physique. I mean, if you want to include them, they're certainly great exercises. But I see a lot of people thinking they're NECESSARY for physique optimization and that couldn't be further from the truth.
If you don't feel comfortable with one or both, don't be afraid to find alternatives.
I'm 24, 5' 4" and 133 lbs. Bf around 26%. I walk 10-13,000 steps per day (walking the dog, etc), but I sit quite a bit as a student. I do a step and strength class (50% intense step, 50% body weight/high rep weight training) 3 days a week, and a pure step class once a week. I really like my step classes and don't plan on changing them. I also do some balance work assigned by my physical therapist most days to strengthen my knees and ankles, but she has given me the all clear to start lifting as long as I am sure about my form.
I'm planning to start the following program. I picked it because it only works each muscle group once per week, so if I work that group again in my class I won't be overdoing it. I can also always use lower weights in my class as well, or do an alternate exercise. The teacher is really flexible.
Day 1 (all sets 8-10 reps)
Flat Bench Press – Warm-up sets and then 3 working sets
Incline Bench Press – 3 working sets
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press – 3 working sets
Dips – 3 working sets to failure (use the assistance machine if necessary)
Triceps Pushdown – 3 working sets
Seated Triceps Press – working 3 sets
Day 2
Barbell Deadlift – Warm-up sets and then 3 working sets
Barbell Row: 3 working sets
One-Arm Dumbbell Row – 3 working sets
Close-Grip Lat Pulldown – 3 working sets
Alternating Dumbbell Curl – 3 working sets
Barbell Curl – 3 working sets
Day 3
Seated Barbell Military Press – Warm-up sets and then 3 working sets
Barbell Upright Row – 3 working sets
Side Lateral Raise – 3 working sets
Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise – 3 working sets
Barbell Squat – 3 working sets
Leg Press – 3 working sets
Barbell Lunge – 3 working sets
Romanian Deadlift – 3 working sets
Sorry for the long post! Thanks for the feedback
It's hard for me to really comment here since I have no clue what your classes are really like. That said, I'm thinking they're more cardio than anything else. If you're doing timed calisthenics... it's really closer to cardio than it is strength training.
I mean, let's face it... walking or running is resistance training. You're training and your body weight is providing a resistance. But walking certainly isn't providing the same stimulus at the muscle level that progressive strength training is providing.
Take myself for example. I do 5 full body strength sessions per week. I also go backpacking once per week and walk most days. I don't cut back my leg training simply bc I backpack and walk. Granted, if I was doing intense cardio that was neurologically and muscularly challenging, I'd have to rethink it.
But that would beg the question of, "Does that high intensity cardio suit my goal?"
Which brings me to a very important point that needs addressing before I get ahead of myself (which I likely already have). Context ALWAYS matters. The value of any given program can't be assessed without knowing what the end user is hoping to obtain from said program. Put differently, what are your goals?
And does your current training match your goals?
Specificity also ALWAYS matters.
One of my biggest goals is to have more energy and not get out of breath while hiking, so I think cardio is important for my training. It's also great for my mental health, since it's very meditative to me and I just generally enjoy it. My class often includes doing 50-100 pushups, 2 minute wall sits, 3 minutes of body weight or 10 lb dumbbell squats, 2 one minute sets of tricep extensions, or 2 one minute sets of bicep curls. Often 4-5 minutes of cardio followed by 4-5 minutes of these types of exercises, rinse and repeat for one hour
I'm mostly just wanting to try something new, to be honest. I am making some progress but it has been slow, although the holidays might have something to do with that! According to a BIA scale, my muscle mass has stayed consistent since September while I've lost about 6lbs, so I'm going in the right direction but hoping to speed things up. Just wondering if I should adjust calories or keep them the same. I'm eating about 1650, losing .5-1 lbs per week on average but they're in spurts (same for 3 weeks, then 1.5-2 lbs down, then same for 3 weeks, etc). Everyone on here talks about heavy lifting helping to reduce fat and increase muscle especially in newbies, so I wanted to give it a try!
Edit: Are you saying that I shouldn't try strength training since my goal isn't really to be stronger? I think I'm confused.0 -
Therealobi1 wrote: »stroutman81 wrote: »Therealobi1 wrote: »Thanks for a great post. I always hear that we need to increase our weights progressively
. Am I wasting my time with my 20kg dumbells. Am interested in getting leaner so starting to tighten up my logging which has been an issue. Just thinking what I can do with my limited weights at home.
Wasting your time? I wouldn't go that far. But the easiest way to progress the stimulus for improvements is by gradually ramping up load over time. If 20 kg represents an overload right now in a particular exercise, it won't next workout, next week, next month, or whatever.
We're always trying to stay one step ahead of homeostasis... thus pulling our bodies out of their comfort zones in an attempt to better handle increasingly more challenging stress.
Now you can certainly make certain exercises more challenging with the same load. You can change the mechanics to put more load on the target muscle (think about going from regular push-ups to feet-elevated push-ups), you can slow down the tempo (especially the lowering phase) thus increasing the time under tension per rep/set. You can increase the number of reps per set as your body adjusts to a given volume.
There are many things you can do.
That said, if it were me, I'd want to expand my options for gradually increasing loading over time. At a minimum, shop around for some adjustable DBs. There are good resistance bands sold on Amazon that allow you to adjust loading too.
Thanks so much for taking the time to respond, much appreciated. Would love those powerblocks but so expensive. You have given me enough ideas to get creative. Also never thought about resistance bands before.
Some of my clients have these and they approve:
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Mountain-Products-Resistance-Exercise/dp/7245456313/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423523461&sr=8-1&keywords=resistance+bands
And yeah, power blocks are ridiculous. I have very expensive ones myself, but I bought them for my studio where I train clients out of. These are the ones I have:
http://www.amazon.com/Ironmaster-75-Quick-Lock-Adjustable-Dumbbell/dp/B000GE5QRM/ref=sr_1_44?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1423523572&sr=1-44&keywords=adjustable+dumbbells
But you can usually find a much more reasonably priced set on ebay, craigslist, or whatever. And at your local sporting good store, you can likely find cheapos that can get the job done.
There are loads of them on amazon... not sure if this link will work:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=sporting&field-keywords=adjustable dumbbells
And let's not forget that you can load backpacks progressively with books. For lighter adjustable loads, you can use gallon jugs or buckets.
There are a lot of options.
0 -
elsie_fair wrote: »Great thread!
Any recommendations for stretches/exercises for knee pain? I have been lifting for about 8 months and recently getting pain in one of my knees (it feels like the muscle/tendon/whatever along the back of my knee is super tight and painful). It often pops when I squat (although I have pretty "crackly" joints in general)
I am also recovering from a ruptured muscle in my arm, so basically legs are all I can do right now - I want to make sure I don't mess them up, too.
How did you rupture (I'm guessing) your bicep?
And it would be inappropriate for me to try and take a stab at what's going on with your knee. I'd simply suggest to get it looked at by a qualified professional... like a good physio. And definitely do NOT force through the pain!0
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