I bulked and just got fat.
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lucygoesrawr wrote: »
I'm not sure I understand why using a kettlebell over a barbell would be better for me. I can tell you that I came across a blog a long time ago written by a lady with hypermobility who was a power lifter (I think? Something like that - sorry, I'm not familiar with the proper terms yet) who did all the normal lifts like deadlifts and was fine, she just had to be careful not to hyperextend anything. I also came across a video about a man who was some sort of olympic weight lifter with the same condition who also did normal lifts, same thing - he just had to be careful about form. If they can do it, why can't I? All I'm hearing is that I shouldn't try too hard now, and it makes me a bit sad, if I'm really viewed like that... The current program I'm on has solved many problems already, so I see no reason to stop it. I haven't had any injuries (had plenty from cardio stuff though). I really do appreciate the advice, honestly - but can you see my point?
Yep, I certainly see your point and if you have been cleared for this specific routine by your treating physicians who know your history and have assessed your capabilities then I'm not going to argue with that!
The (principal) reason I suggested a dynamic routine (so less focus on static movements) using kettlebells where the focus is on strength (so certainly not explosive movements or plyo stuff as another poster correctly pointed out) is to avoid what happens to waaaaaaay too many people - that is the ego gets the better of them and progressive overload isn't managed well as well as ease of use. They try and handle too much load, form breaks down and the range of motion may not be particularly suitable for their limitations (as in your case). There's nothing magical about them however
Kettlebells will essentially cap that load but it will be greater than the other forms of exercise that are traditionally recommended such as pilates but not to the extent it might possibly become a danger.
It's simply an alternative to consider. It's not that I consider you weak or fragile but rather because I consider you to be human...
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Does your doctor know you are bulking with strength training? Mine strictly forbade weight training for similar issues. (Swimming was basically what was recommended.) If your doctor does recommend the weight training, it might be worth your while to get a qualified trainer while you're learning. Maintaining a healthy body weight was also emphasized. Your joints are more prone to injury, so heavy lifting is something you should do very carefully, if at all.lucygoesrawr wrote: »Maitria - As I said before: losing weight has caused MORE issues than I had before. I have heard from others (on the official uk hypermobility forum I was given the link to by the first physiotherapist I saw) that they've had the same experience. Multiple medical professionals (including an orthopedic surgeon) have approved what I'm doing with the strength training, and expressed no concerns about my weight. I appreciate that you're trying to help, and thank you, but it seems like you haven't read my posts properly.
I'm not sure I understand why using a kettlebell over a barbell would be better for me. I can tell you that I came across a blog a long time ago written by a lady with hypermobility who was a power lifter (I think? Something like that - sorry, I'm not familiar with the proper terms yet) who did all the normal lifts like deadlifts and was fine, she just had to be careful not to hyperextend anything. I also came across a video about a man who was some sort of olympic weight lifter with the same condition who also did normal lifts, same thing - he just had to be careful about form. If they can do it, why can't I? All I'm hearing is that I shouldn't try too hard now, and it makes me a bit sad, if I'm really viewed like that... The current program I'm on has solved many problems already, so I see no reason to stop it. I haven't had any injuries (had plenty from cardio stuff though). I really do appreciate the advice, honestly - but can you see my point?
I hope this post doesn't cause offence, I'm not trying to be confrontational or anything.
I did read your posts, that's why I asked if the doctor knows how you're building muscle. I re-read the hypermobility post and saw that doctors want you to be stronger, but you didn't say they endorsed you heavy lifting. Those were my only questions, so I'll step out of your conversation.0 -
OP, I have a tendency toward being hypermobile and all of my joints like to pop out of place and overextend if I'm not careful. It's not a diagnosable issue for me and I am absolutely not trying to give you medical advice. However, learning how to lift and building up the muscles that surround my joints helped tremendously and made a huge difference in my life and health.
"Heavy" lifting is relative. Most people think anything above a 5# or 10# weight for a woman is heavy, and that's total BS. A heavy weight for you is one that is challenging but that you can lift safely and in a controlled manner. If your doctors say lifting is safe for you, go for it. (And kudos to you for finding doctors who are open-minded about exercise!).
You do have to listen to your body and work within your limitations. Everyone does. Pick anyone with long-term lifting experience in this conversation, and I'd bet they have some physical limitation that they've learned to work around. Yours are no reason for you not to lift -- you just may need to work a little bit slower than some people, but you're also progressing faster than other people.0 -
lucygoesrawr wrote: »hill8570 -
In regards to protein, I heard the rule is 1g per lb? I can't seem to eat 140g without feeling sick, so I'm generally getting around 125 and am trying to increase it a little each week. Is that a horribly low number?
My husband seems to know what he's talking about with form - he has looked into it obsessively, partly because he's terrified I'll injure myself and partly because he's very inflexible and has struggled a lot with his as a result. I've seen a few videos myself too, and I'm pretty sure it's okay. (We did work out that, during squats, I haven't been trying to push upwards with my hips enough though, which has helped somewhat)
1 g / lb is generally massive overkill. Best retrospective study I've seen concluded that 0.82 g / lb is the most for which there is any evidence of improvement. And even that's kind of overkill, IMHO. So if you're 140 lb (as you imply), then 115 g is more than enough. I wouldn't stress over it too much -- keep it in the 100 - 115 g range and you're golden.
Sounds like you're covered on form. Others have given lots of good suggestions as to other things to try. Good luck to ya!
Yes, and that .82g is for those with heavy strength workouts. 1g is just very easy to figure out and usually not harmful so it's pretty much the accepted rule of thumb.0 -
The (principal) reason I suggested a dynamic routine (so less focus on static movements) using kettlebells where the focus is on strength (so certainly not explosive movements or plyo stuff as another poster correctly pointed out) is to avoid what happens to waaaaaaay too many people - that is the ego gets the better of them and progressive overload isn't managed well as well as ease of use. They try and handle too much load, form breaks down and the range of motion may not be particularly suitable for their limitations (as in your case). There's nothing magical about them however
Kettlebells will essentially cap that load but it will be greater than the other forms of exercise that are traditionally recommended such as pilates but not to the extent it might possibly become a danger.
It's simply an alternative to consider. It's not that I consider you weak or fragile but rather because I consider you to be human...
I see where you're going, except the thing with kettlebells is it's possible for the momentum to get away from you - it's not as controlled a movement as e.g. a squat. E.g. if you swing just a little too high with ever so slightly heavier a weight than your ligaments and tendons (not muscles) can handle, or if your balance shifts a little on the upswing, it might lead to damage to the involved connective tissue. Ideally everyone's proprioception, judgement and focus are optimal, but that's not always the case. And you're not always sure what the limits of your physical capacity are until you hit them.0 -
UPDATE:
My hip got better!!!!
The weight gain also slowed (though I did, of course, manage to gain a couple of pounds very quickly over Christmas eve/day/boxing day/new year's eve (we didn't really 'do' new year's day).
But more to the point. MY HIP HAS STOPPED HURTING! Hoorah for bulking! : D
And the stalls have stopped. I'm doing 3 sets of 5 deadlifts at a time now, and 5 sets of 3 for squats and bench press - apparently some women benefit more from the extra volume and can progress faster this way. I don't understand why, really, but it's working - doing larger increases now each time.0 -
Update 2:
I've kind of stopped gaining. Not sure whether to increase calories? It seems a little odd that a woman of my height can potentially maintain on 2000+ calories. I'm not really active, other than the lifting and a short walk every day...
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lucygoesrawr wrote: »Update 2:
I've kind of stopped gaining. Not sure whether to increase calories? It seems a little odd that a woman of my height can potentially maintain on 2000+ calories. I'm not really active, other than the lifting and a short walk every day...
Depends. Do you want to gain weight? Then increase calories. If not, then don't. And the good news is, you can decide and then change your mind later if you want.0 -
Yes, I do - I just don't understand what's going on, how can my maintenance go up by several hundred calories? I've only put on about 4 lbs since I started, which doesn't seem enough to make that sort of difference.0
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lucygoesrawr wrote: »Yes, I do - I just don't understand what's going on, how can my maintenance go up by several hundred calories? I've only put on about 4 lbs since I started, which doesn't seem enough to make that sort of difference.
Caloric needs isn't a constant...and it's really hard to calculate accurately. So many variables at play and it's almost...no, it's *actually* impossible to accurately calculate calories in (or out). Make the adjustment to your target net calories and enjoy the additional food. Monitor your results in a few weeks and make adjustments as needed. Repeat process until (and even after) you reach your goal.
(When I added 20 pounds over 6 months recently, my calculated TDEE without exercise went from 3100ish to 3500ish...but it didn't necessarily change in a nice neat line. As I drop some of that weight, I suspect it will trend lower. In fact, based on experience, I expect it will actually drop below 3100 about a month into the cut.)
TL;DR - measuring calories involves a lot of estimates with a lot of variables.0 -
It's taken me about a year to build muscle that has resulted in redefining what my body looks like. I never did heavy lifting or went into a surfit to bulk. I have ended up about 3lb above my original goal weight, but I have also ended up 2 sizes less than my original goal.
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lucygoesrawr wrote: »Yes, I do - I just don't understand what's going on, how can my maintenance go up by several hundred calories? I've only put on about 4 lbs since I started, which doesn't seem enough to make that sort of difference.
Same reason people lose in spurts -- neither weight loss nor weight gain is linear. Quite possibly some of your early gain was due to getting more glycogen stored in the muscles (you said you went from tired and rundown to feeling better when you upped your calories -- a sign that your body wasn't having to suck from a dry well any more).0 -
Okay - thank you for the advice. I'll try adding 100 calories. 0
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lucygoesrawr wrote: »Yes, I do - I just don't understand what's going on, how can my maintenance go up by several hundred calories? I've only put on about 4 lbs since I started, which doesn't seem enough to make that sort of difference.
you gained four pounds, so maintenance and gain level increases..
when I started bulking I was gaining on about 2800 a day and now I am up to 3150 a day and still gaining about .5 pound a week...0 -
Would anyone be willing to look at a video of me squatting? I've just been told they're not deep enough but my husband says it's the angle (he's a lot taller than me). I've not stalled once since my initial post. ...Please? I'll PM the link. It's embarrassing enough without the whole forum being able to see.0
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Are you squatting to parallel or below?0
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I'm trying to go below parallel. My husband watches, and thought I was, but he has always said it's difficult to tell. But now I've been accused of doing half squats!
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lucygoesrawr wrote: »I'm trying to go below parallel. My husband watches, and thought I was, but he has always said it's difficult to tell. But now I've been accused of doing half squats!
As long as your hips break parallel and your lower back doesn't go into flexion, then it's probably fine. If the tops of your thighs end up parallel to the ground, then your hips have broken parallel.
A good-form squat for you is not going to look like a good-form squat for someone else due to hip differences, bone lengths, etc. As long as the basics (no lower back rounding, no valgus collapse, upper back tight, hips breaking parallel, etc) are right and you're not getting hurt (and getting stronger), then it's fine.
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post the video and we will take a look.0
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Post up- and we'll take a look- a straight level side view is best- and if you can swing it- a straight back view or straight on to be able to watch for knee cave in or not.
None of this angled looking down (if your husband is tall and filming) or off to the side sort of to the front of you.
perpendicular- and straight on from the front or back.0
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