GIFt us your lifts! (or other achievements!)

18788909293112

Replies

  • cowsfan12
    cowsfan12 Posts: 6,175 Member
    steveko89 wrote: »
    nossmf wrote: »
    No way do you weigh that much! They say the camera adds 10 pounds, but I would swear from your videos that you weigh less than you self-report. (That applies equally to both @KickassAmazon76 as well as @Minion_training_program.)

    I am a tall guy, almost 2 meter (6'5ish i believe) and most of my weight is on the gut. I have pretty big upper legs as well, but thankfully lots of muscles there (proud of the progress there).
    So i guess it looks different on me than if i would be under 6 feet

    But yeah weighing almost 250 lbs makes it very hard to do bodyweight workouts
    Push-ups, pull-ups, dips
    Altough i can do 10 push ups and 5 clean dips

    I've found that even a few extra pounds makes a difference for pull-ups. I've been massing since around Thanksgiving and up ~9 lbs (currently 180lbs at 6'1" aka 81.6 kg and 1.85m), can absolutely tell a difference when I do pull-ups

    Agreed - put in 20lbs since last March - can eek maybe 2 unassisted chin ups right now - was doing 3 sets of 6-7 back then
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,073 Member
    It's amazing how much a small difference in weight can affect pullups. Back in my military days, I was routinely banging out sets of 20-25 pullups. I was really impressed by guys who added weight via a weight belt and still banged out reps, so I asked if I could try. Dude said sure, but warned me off of starting with the multiple 45's he was using, said just use 10 to start. Thought he was punking me, but figured I'd go along with it and show him how good I was.

    Turns out the dude was right. By adding a mere 10 pounds, my pullups dropped from 20-25 reps to 8, and when I tried using 25 pounds I eked out 3. Whole new level of respect for the dude after that, doing sets of 10 with an added 90 pounds.
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,678 Member
    nossmf wrote: »
    No way do you weigh that much! They say the camera adds 10 pounds, but I would swear from your videos that you weigh less than you self-report. (That applies equally to both @KickassAmazon76 as well as @Minion_training_program.)

    I am a tall guy, almost 2 meter (6'5ish i believe) and most of my weight is on the gut. I have pretty big upper legs as well, but thankfully lots of muscles there (proud of the progress there).
    So i guess it looks different on me than if i would be under 6 feet

    But yeah weighing almost 250 lbs makes it very hard to do bodyweight workouts
    Push-ups, pull-ups, dips
    Altough i can do 10 push ups and 5 clean dips

    You're too kind @nossmf :smile: . I too am tall (6'1), so I hide the weight pretty well, but my scale confirmed this morning that I am indeed 201lbs.

  • Minion_training_program
    Minion_training_program Posts: 13,440 Member
    When i was at my lowest back in 2015 i did not do much lifting, i was doing cardio a lot, and light weight dumbells and cable station work.
    But i was able to do 3 sets of 8 unassisted pullups with 10kg plate
    But i was around 185 lbs i think
    Yes i am stronger now than i was back then, but also a lot heavier and bodyweight workouts just suck at my weight

    At 185 i was also able to do 50 push-ups in a row
  • itchmyTwitch
    itchmyTwitch Posts: 4,019 Member
    About the pullups thing: I agree with everyone everyone here. For me, losing the ability to do them has more to do with gaining fat than losing strength. I still have another 20 pounds or so to lose before I feel like myself which is why I think it’s going to take most of the year before I can do pull ups again. I’m still training them, so maybe I’ll surprise myself.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,679 Member
    66atsorih6eg.png
    uexatzwrg4wy.png

    Versus five and a quarter years ago when it was all I could do to walk a mile.
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,678 Member
    66atsorih6eg.png
    uexatzwrg4wy.png

    Versus five and a quarter years ago when it was all I could do to walk a mile.

    That is incredible! What were you doing to burn all that!?!
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,679 Member
    66atsorih6eg.png
    uexatzwrg4wy.png

    Versus five and a quarter years ago when it was all I could do to walk a mile.

    That is incredible! What were you doing to burn all that!?!

    It wasn’t planned.

    Walked the dog a mile

    Gym session (not recorded)

    Muscle Madness Cardio class

    An hour swimming laps and practicing my 1-2-3 breaths (hardest of anything I do!)

    Walked the dog a mile and a half

    Walked three miles RT to the doctors’ office

    Walked the dog a mile
    (this dog has very high expectations)

    Aquafit “sampler” demonstrating a new cardio program they want to implement

    Swam a couple laps to kill time before blowing that off and ran mouth instead

    Full aquafit class

    Did needlework and tried to consume calories. At that point the “move ring” was buzzing along on its own and didn’t require much prodding.

    It’s always a puzzle how when you have no calories left over there’s tons of interesting and tempting things to eat, but when you have too many, you’re scrambling to get them in.

    It was def a unicorn of a day.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,073 Member
    I just burned 500 calories simply READING about that day! lol
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,679 Member
    I had a really good training session this morning. 👍🏻

    Am loving the VersaGripps gloves someone - maybe @nossmf ? - recommended. They are so grippy and take so much stress off my wrists (which are often a bit tender from arm balances) that I was able to go up on weights on several things.

    Better grip also helps take it out of my shoulders some, too.

    I also tried them in an Aerial silks class, out of curiosity, and really liked them for that, but was afraid the grips and especially the strong Velcro would tear up the silks, and those silks are not cheap. Maybe if and when I’m not such a total newb I’d try them again there.

    Anyway, fwiw from a weaker, non-power lifter, total thumbs up from me after a couple weeks now with the VersaGripps.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,073 Member
    So glad you're pleased with the results, but I have to deny taking credit for the suggestion, as it wasn't me.
  • itchmyTwitch
    itchmyTwitch Posts: 4,019 Member
    I am at the gym right now, but dear lord, I did not want to come. It's taking a lot of self discipline to not curl up on the couch and just sleep for years.

    Still... I'm riding my bike for half an hour almost every day and lifting 2x a week.

    I'm hoping the fire comes back. Until then... #neverthelessshepersisted

    You’re doing it!
  • Minion_training_program
    Minion_training_program Posts: 13,440 Member
    I am at the gym right now, but dear lord, I did not want to come. It's taking a lot of self discipline to not curl up on the couch and just sleep for years.

    Still... I'm riding my bike for half an hour almost every day and lifting 2x a week.

    I'm hoping the fire comes back. Until then... #neverthelessshepersisted

    You’re doing it!

    I got it done!
    ody9q12ukbyb.gif

    This is probably more impressive than those moments everything flyes and it feels kinda easy
    Going when you least want it, grinding through

    Proud of you Sandy!
  • Minion_training_program
    Minion_training_program Posts: 13,440 Member
    So last sunday, me and some friends went bouldering.
    I had never done this, and had never heard of it actually.

    One of my friends started doing this early december, and he loves it.
    So he invited us over.

    It asks a lot of back strenght, grip strenght, but unexpectically also leg strenght, core and balance.
    It was a lot of fun, and altough i was only able to complete 4 parkours in total, and brown and yellow only (those are the beginner levels) i really enjoyed doing it, and it was still a challenge. Next time i wanna try next level, which is pink and maybe orange as well.

    Friend is at orange level and tries blue and red sometimes as well, which are a lot harder.

    It's sort of rock climbing, or wall climbing, just without rope.
    It's not very high, and there is a big mat to which you can fall. Altough at highest point, i'd rather climg down first before jumping off (high point is 4.5 meter reach with arm)

    You start with a color, and have to touch a certain boulder point with 2 hands, then follow the colour to the top, and last one you have to touch with 2 hand simultaniously as well.

    I am still feeling my forearms (from all the gripping) and my back
    I think i did about 90-100 minuts of climbing before my grip started to lose, and i could not hold anything anymore.

    I think that being able to do pullups, and have good upper body strenght (mainly the lats) will give you an advantage though, and being not as big as me and more flexible certainly helps as well

    Here is a impression of it:
    e7sgzm4gpnov.gif

    4fyw46uzuktw.jpg

    12bbh3lxrfgv.gif

  • itchmyTwitch
    itchmyTwitch Posts: 4,019 Member
    I am at the gym right now, but dear lord, I did not want to come. It's taking a lot of self discipline to not curl up on the couch and just sleep for years.

    Still... I'm riding my bike for half an hour almost every day and lifting 2x a week.

    I'm hoping the fire comes back. Until then... #neverthelessshepersisted

    You’re doing it!

    I got it done!
    ody9q12ukbyb.gif

    This is a real victory
  • cowsfan12
    cowsfan12 Posts: 6,175 Member
    So last sunday, me and some friends went bouldering.
    I had never done this, and had never heard of it actually.

    One of my friends started doing this early december, and he loves it.
    So he invited us over.

    It asks a lot of back strenght, grip strenght, but unexpectically also leg strenght, core and balance.
    It was a lot of fun, and altough i was only able to complete 4 parkours in total, and brown and yellow only (those are the beginner levels) i really enjoyed doing it, and it was still a challenge. Next time i wanna try next level, which is pink and maybe orange as well.

    Friend is at orange level and tries blue and red sometimes as well, which are a lot harder.

    It's sort of rock climbing, or wall climbing, just without rope.
    It's not very high, and there is a big mat to which you can fall. Altough at highest point, i'd rather climg down first before jumping off (high point is 4.5 meter reach with arm)

    You start with a color, and have to touch a certain boulder point with 2 hands, then follow the colour to the top, and last one you have to touch with 2 hand simultaniously as well.

    I am still feeling my forearms (from all the gripping) and my back
    I think i did about 90-100 minuts of climbing before my grip started to lose, and i could not hold anything anymore.

    I think that being able to do pullups, and have good upper body strenght (mainly the lats) will give you an advantage though, and being not as big as me and more flexible certainly helps as well

    Here is a impression of it:
    e7sgzm4gpnov.gif

    4fyw46uzuktw.jpg

    12bbh3lxrfgv.gif

    That looks fun af -
  • Minion_training_program
    Minion_training_program Posts: 13,440 Member
    cowsfan12 wrote: »
    So last sunday, me and some friends went bouldering.
    I had never done this, and had never heard of it actually.

    One of my friends started doing this early december, and he loves it.
    So he invited us over.

    It asks a lot of back strenght, grip strenght, but unexpectically also leg strenght, core and balance.
    It was a lot of fun, and altough i was only able to complete 4 parkours in total, and brown and yellow only (those are the beginner levels) i really enjoyed doing it, and it was still a challenge. Next time i wanna try next level, which is pink and maybe orange as well.

    Friend is at orange level and tries blue and red sometimes as well, which are a lot harder.

    It's sort of rock climbing, or wall climbing, just without rope.
    It's not very high, and there is a big mat to which you can fall. Altough at highest point, i'd rather climg down first before jumping off (high point is 4.5 meter reach with arm)

    You start with a color, and have to touch a certain boulder point with 2 hands, then follow the colour to the top, and last one you have to touch with 2 hand simultaniously as well.

    I am still feeling my forearms (from all the gripping) and my back
    I think i did about 90-100 minuts of climbing before my grip started to lose, and i could not hold anything anymore.

    I think that being able to do pullups, and have good upper body strenght (mainly the lats) will give you an advantage though, and being not as big as me and more flexible certainly helps as well

    Here is a impression of it:
    e7sgzm4gpnov.gif

    4fyw46uzuktw.jpg

    12bbh3lxrfgv.gif

    That looks fun af -

    CHRIS! Man you should try this. I think you would really love it.

    Tip of advice, don't wear shorts.
    You will get you knee open, since those walls are like sandpaper. Got a few scrapes to prove it...

    Maybe a good idea for a teambuilding exercise
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,678 Member

    This is probably more impressive than those moments everything flyes and it feels kinda easy
    Going when you least want it, grinding through

    Proud of you Sandy!

    This is a real victory

    Thank you both! I realized this morning that it's definitely harder for me to work out when it's cold and dark outside. I HATE feeling cold, so the idea of going outside, cleaning snow off the car, driving there, changing... and then after the workout, going back into the cold while still sweaty... It all just makes me want to curl up under my heated blanket and stay home.

    In the summer it's so much easier because it's hot and sunny, I'm warm and it's just easy to grab the bag and go.

    It's silly perhaps, but definitely a HUGE factor.
  • itchmyTwitch
    itchmyTwitch Posts: 4,019 Member
    edited January 23

    This is probably more impressive than those moments everything flyes and it feels kinda easy
    Going when you least want it, grinding through

    Proud of you Sandy!

    This is a real victory

    Thank you both! I realized this morning that it's definitely harder for me to work out when it's cold and dark outside. I HATE feeling cold, so the idea of going outside, cleaning snow off the car, driving there, changing... and then after the workout, going back into the cold while still sweaty... It all just makes me want to curl up under my heated blanket and stay home.

    In the summer it's so much easier because it's hot and sunny, I'm warm and it's just easy to grab the bag and go.

    It's silly perhaps, but definitely a HUGE factor.
    It’s true for me too. A few things I do for incentive:

    recognize this is why (you did that already!),

    DRESS WARM (i have a habit of dashing out underdressed & it’s terrible for long term perception of my workouts),

    Keep my gym bag packed,

    go straight to gym from work because otherwise chores & guilt will keep me home,

    develop some acquaintance-ships that I’m happy to see- especially cute people i like looking at (Call me shallow, it works)

    Remind myself that winter doesn’t last forever



  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,679 Member

    This is probably more impressive than those moments everything flyes and it feels kinda easy
    Going when you least want it, grinding through

    Proud of you Sandy!

    This is a real victory

    Thank you both! I realized this morning that it's definitely harder for me to work out when it's cold and dark outside. I HATE feeling cold, so the idea of going outside, cleaning snow off the car, driving there, changing... and then after the workout, going back into the cold while still sweaty... It all just makes me want to curl up under my heated blanket and stay home.

    In the summer it's so much easier because it's hot and sunny, I'm warm and it's just easy to grab the bag and go.

    It's silly perhaps, but definitely a HUGE factor.

    I can’t even fathom the kind of cold you’re dealing with! I’d just shut down. Burrow down. Hibernate and come out the two months a year it’s probably tolerable up there. It always amazes me how humans adapt to cold weather and isolation. We vacationed in rural ND for several years, and the stories the locals told about winters……snow up to the roof, etc. 😱

    You Canadians are hardy people just to get out the door, eh?!
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,678 Member
    So last sunday, me and some friends went bouldering.
    I had never done this, and had never heard of it actually.

    One of my friends started doing this early december, and he loves it.
    So he invited us over.

    It asks a lot of back strenght, grip strenght, but unexpectically also leg strenght, core and balance.
    It was a lot of fun, and altough i was only able to complete 4 parkours in total, and brown and yellow only (those are the beginner levels) i really enjoyed doing it, and it was still a challenge. Next time i wanna try next level, which is pink and maybe orange as well.

    Friend is at orange level and tries blue and red sometimes as well, which are a lot harder.

    It's sort of rock climbing, or wall climbing, just without rope.
    It's not very high, and there is a big mat to which you can fall. Altough at highest point, i'd rather climg down first before jumping off (high point is 4.5 meter reach with arm)

    You start with a color, and have to touch a certain boulder point with 2 hands, then follow the colour to the top, and last one you have to touch with 2 hand simultaniously as well.

    I am still feeling my forearms (from all the gripping) and my back
    I think i did about 90-100 minuts of climbing before my grip started to lose, and i could not hold anything anymore.

    I think that being able to do pullups, and have good upper body strenght (mainly the lats) will give you an advantage though, and being not as big as me and more flexible certainly helps as well

    Here is a impression of it:
    e7sgzm4gpnov.gif

    4fyw46uzuktw.jpg

    12bbh3lxrfgv.gif

    This sounds like so much fun! We have a place about half an hour from me that does wall climbing and has bouldering walls. It's been ages since I went, but I sure enjoyed it. I am sure I'd probably do a lot better now, what with the grip strength from lifting and the bendiness from yoga lol.

    Thank you for sharing this! :smiley:
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,678 Member

    This is probably more impressive than those moments everything flyes and it feels kinda easy
    Going when you least want it, grinding through

    Proud of you Sandy!

    This is a real victory

    Thank you both! I realized this morning that it's definitely harder for me to work out when it's cold and dark outside. I HATE feeling cold, so the idea of going outside, cleaning snow off the car, driving there, changing... and then after the workout, going back into the cold while still sweaty... It all just makes me want to curl up under my heated blanket and stay home.

    In the summer it's so much easier because it's hot and sunny, I'm warm and it's just easy to grab the bag and go.

    It's silly perhaps, but definitely a HUGE factor.
    It’s true for me too. A few things I do for incentive:

    recognize this is why (you did that already!),

    DRESS WARM (i have a habit of dashing out underdressed & it’s terrible for long term perception of my workouts),

    Keep my gym bag packed,

    go straight to gym from work because otherwise chores & guilt will keep me home,

    develop some acquaintance-ships that I’m happy to see- especially cute people i like looking at (Call me shallow, it works)

    Remind myself that winter doesn’t last forever



    I do need to do a better job of dressing warm and taking time to change. The gym is less than 5 mins from my home, so I often leave the gym in my workout clothes and just change / clean up at home. But I tell you... -20C on a pair of damp tights is akin to self inflicted torture. Might as well just sit on an ice block!

    My gym bag is packed and by the door (no longer left in the car so my shoes don't freeze).

    And acquaintances... haven't got any yet because I'm so socially anxious that I barely make eye contact with people. It's going very slowly. I'm starting to recognize some regulars, so in time that will get better.

    I have been telling myself.. 6 more weeks and it should be better. Only 6 more weeks. We're over halfway there. Plus Jan tends to be the coldest month and that's almost over too!
  • itchmyTwitch
    itchmyTwitch Posts: 4,019 Member

    This is probably more impressive than those moments everything flyes and it feels kinda easy
    Going when you least want it, grinding through

    Proud of you Sandy!

    This is a real victory

    Thank you both! I realized this morning that it's definitely harder for me to work out when it's cold and dark outside. I HATE feeling cold, so the idea of going outside, cleaning snow off the car, driving there, changing... and then after the workout, going back into the cold while still sweaty... It all just makes me want to curl up under my heated blanket and stay home.

    In the summer it's so much easier because it's hot and sunny, I'm warm and it's just easy to grab the bag and go.

    It's silly perhaps, but definitely a HUGE factor.
    It’s true for me too. A few things I do for incentive:

    recognize this is why (you did that already!),

    DRESS WARM (i have a habit of dashing out underdressed & it’s terrible for long term perception of my workouts),

    Keep my gym bag packed,

    go straight to gym from work because otherwise chores & guilt will keep me home,

    develop some acquaintance-ships that I’m happy to see- especially cute people i like looking at (Call me shallow, it works)

    Remind myself that winter doesn’t last forever



    I do need to do a better job of dressing warm and taking time to change. The gym is less than 5 mins from my home, so I often leave the gym in my workout clothes and just change / clean up at home. But I tell you... -20C on a pair of damp tights is akin to self inflicted torture. Might as well just sit on an ice block!

    My gym bag is packed and by the door (no longer left in the car so my shoes don't freeze).

    And acquaintances... haven't got any yet because I'm so socially anxious that I barely make eye contact with people. It's going very slowly. I'm starting to recognize some regulars, so in time that will get better.

    I have been telling myself.. 6 more weeks and it should be better. Only 6 more weeks. We're over halfway there. Plus Jan tends to be the coldest month and that's almost over too!
    YES. that was eye opening for me.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,073 Member
    The military assigned me to northern North Dakota (just a few miles south of Canadian border) for five years. Met my wife there, three of my four children were born there, I enjoyed the job, mostly good memories from my time there. But I can confirm the winter horror stories, the locals you met @springlering62 weren't simply trying to scare you with tall tales, lol. Immense snow fall totals, often from a single storm, temperatures dropping so cold that water will freeze before it hits the ground. (True story...we'd make a pot of boiling water, add food coloring, then quickly open the front door and toss the water out onto the yard. It would literally freeze as it scattered, creating a colorful pattern across the snow. Repeat with a new color two or three times, call it "winter art". You could always tell which military base houses had little kids, based upon which yards contained the art.)

    Admittedly, my level of discipline then pales in comparison to now, so other than shoveling snow as needed, I allowed the cold to become an excuse not to hit the gym for weeks or months on end, and my fitness suffered for it. (Not a good thing when you're serving in the military, mind you.) Immense kudos go out to @KickassAmazon76 for "faking it until she makes it" and getting to the gym anyway.

    I echo some of @itchmyTwitch comments about how to install external discipline when internal is lagging. The last thing I do before bed is prep my gym bag for the morning, because my alarm is going off way too early so I can hit the gym the moment it opens and be done before work. My alarm is on the other side of the room (no sleep-induced slapping the snooze button), and some mornings my irritation at the alarm (or stepping on something on the way to the alarm) serves as the energy needed to get started each day. As a guy I cannot admit to appreciating looking at certain other gym goers as motivation to get there each morning without sounding creepy, so instead I post in multiple forums here upon completion of a workout as accountability instead.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,073 Member
    @Minion_training_program I have tried the indoor climbing, but could never get over the habit of hanging too far away from the wall, thus increasing the tension on my grip to the point I never lasted very long. As a youth I used to enjoy free-climbing rock faces, but only ones with easy grips and foot rests. Seeing some climbers like the opening scene from Mission Impossible 2 give me goosebumps and a firm "*beep* no!"
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,679 Member
    nossmf wrote: »
    The military assigned me to northern North Dakota (just a few miles south of Canadian border) for five years. Met my wife there, three of my four children were born there, I enjoyed the job, mostly good memories from my time there. But I can confirm the winter horror stories, the locals you met @springlering62 weren't simply trying to scare you with tall tales, lol. Immense snow fall totals, often from a single storm, temperatures dropping so cold that water will freeze before it hits the ground. (True story...we'd make a pot of boiling water, add food coloring, then quickly open the front door and toss the water out onto the yard. It would literally freeze as it scattered, creating a colorful pattern across the snow. Repeat with a new color two or three times, call it "winter art". You could always tell which military base houses had little kids, based upon which yards contained the art..

    This app needs a 😱 button.

    Not to side track, but we did the covered wagontrain out of Jamestown four years. It is always scheduled to include 4th of July, which is scorching down here.

    Our suggested packing list included “heavy coats”. I honestly thought they were pulling our legs because we were from the Deep South, and didn’t pack any. The first night- in freaking July- the temperature dropped below freezing. We had icicles inside the tent from our breath. And it rained. Heavily. The kids were crying and wanted to go home. Several families did. That afternoon, it got into the 90’s.

    We were just so…..confused.
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,678 Member
    edited January 24
    Reminds me of this one... It was - 40 out and my cup had freshly boiled water in it.

    wqfk63us5k3f.gif

    And then, for fun...
    vkvh2ivw58b6.gif

    note: -40 and no mittens and jacket is not zipped up. LOL #IAMCANADIAN
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,073 Member
    So, you are willing to do snow angels in -40, but heading to a heated gym is somehow difficult to force yourself to do? Makes perfect sense to me...