6 Month Results

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  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
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    Thanks for the spread sheet! I deloaded and worked on my flexibility and my form, this should help. I am aiming to hit 200lbs early next month. I really want to hit that goal and then push forward to a body weight squat

    Your welcome.

    Form is critical in lifting the heavier weights. Make sure you get low enough to engage you hamstrings, knees out to engage you adductors, and then drive your hips up, hard, to engage your glutes. If you record yourself and through it on YouTube, I’d happy to do a form check for you.

    I highly recommend Starting Strength by Mark Ripptoe. Even being experienced in the lifts, there are great pointers and cues to maintain good form in the book.
  • bksmith83
    bksmith83 Posts: 6 Member
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    I just got Starting Strength for my birthday. I will be squatting like a super star in no time. I will have to figure out what I can use to record it though
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    Greg: have you seen the blogs from Mehdi re program changes last week? How long are you sticking with 5x5? I did it for about 6months and then went to a different program. Now doing 5/3/1 and making good gains.
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
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    Greg: have you seen the blogs from Mehdi re program changes last week? How long are you sticking with 5x5? I did it for about 6months and then went to a different program. Now doing 5/3/1 and making good gains.

    I have switched to 3x5 to still keep making daily progress then I will drop to 1x5. Afterwards I am planning on doing a couple of rounds of Madcow before switching to 5/3/1.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    is that 5 sets of 3 reps or 3 sets of 5 reps? Sorry.
  • Matthew_Gallagher
    Matthew_Gallagher Posts: 13
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    I'd say focus on the cardio and getting to a low bf% first. That way you can see the muscular results to the fullest. At my strongest I was benching 290 and squatting 550 at 205lbs and 26% body fat. I think you'd want to get down to 12% body fat first, then add on all the muscle. While losing weight, when you lose a pound, 75% is fat, 25% is lbm (mostly muscle). So it's counter productive to try to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.

    3 months ago I was 215 lbs, 27% body fat, and as strong as ever.
    After trying to walk on for football at my university, I realized I might have 10 or 20 lbs on everyone who made it, and my strength is alot higher. But with their body types, they were in a lot better shape.

    Now, 182 lbs, 20% body fat. Just dieting and doing cardio ive lost only 5 lbs of muscle. And I'm sure I can only bench 225 and squat 405 now.
    And I'm ok with that.
    Because in 11 weeks i will be down to 160 lbs, 12% body fat, showing off any muscle I have left.

    And then I can build muscle mass because of the muscle memory from being incredibly strong before, and that way I can see all the results and it will look amazing.

    I'd suggest having a daily caloric deficit of 1000 calories, lose 2 lbs a week. and in 6 months, (instead of losing only 20 lbs) youll lose about 50 lbs.
    Then, hit up the weights and eat a caloric surplus of 100 to 150 calories a day, and add muscle like crazy.



    It'll be a lot easier to focus on cutting fat first before adding muscle and strength. Than doing both at same time.


    I had 3+ hours of football practice daily in hs, 2 hours of working out daily over off season. And I'm I am a lot leaner than ever, just by eating a caloric deficit and maybe doing an hour of cardio every other day.
  • thatnixonkid
    thatnixonkid Posts: 6
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    Hi. Can you post some videos of your lifts please.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    Matthew_Gallagher: take it from me, low cal and cardio only is not a good idea long term. That is what I did first time. Lost 60lbs in 8months. Exercise was boxing and running only. Took me the last 3 years to get back to the same strength as I was before.

    I would mix it up. Bit of cardio (whatever you enjoy) bit of lifting to preserve as much muscle mass as possible.

    studies have shown that when very overweight people begin to lose weight the muscle/fat ratio lost is not too bad even with minimal resistance training but as people get closer to their "ideal" weight the amount of muscle lost is greater if the protein levels aren't kept up and heavy resistance training isn't included in exercise program.
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
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    is that 5 sets of 3 reps or 3 sets of 5 reps? Sorry.

    3 sets of 5 reps.
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
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    I'd say focus on the cardio and getting to a low bf% first. That way you can see the muscular results to the fullest. At my strongest I was benching 290 and squatting 550 at 205lbs and 26% body fat. I think you'd want to get down to 12% body fat first, then add on all the muscle. While losing weight, when you lose a pound, 75% is fat, 25% is lbm (mostly muscle). So it's counter productive to try to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.

    3 months ago I was 215 lbs, 27% body fat, and as strong as ever.
    After trying to walk on for football at my university, I realized I might have 10 or 20 lbs on everyone who made it, and my strength is alot higher. But with their body types, they were in a lot better shape.

    Now, 182 lbs, 20% body fat. Just dieting and doing cardio ive lost only 5 lbs of muscle. And I'm sure I can only bench 225 and squat 405 now.
    And I'm ok with that.
    Because in 11 weeks i will be down to 160 lbs, 12% body fat, showing off any muscle I have left.

    And then I can build muscle mass because of the muscle memory from being incredibly strong before, and that way I can see all the results and it will look amazing.

    I'd suggest having a daily caloric deficit of 1000 calories, lose 2 lbs a week. and in 6 months, (instead of losing only 20 lbs) youll lose about 50 lbs.
    Then, hit up the weights and eat a caloric surplus of 100 to 150 calories a day, and add muscle like crazy.



    It'll be a lot easier to focus on cutting fat first before adding muscle and strength. Than doing both at same time.


    I had 3+ hours of football practice daily in hs, 2 hours of working out daily over off season. And I'm I am a lot leaner than ever, just by eating a caloric deficit and maybe doing an hour of cardio every other day.

    I am less concerned with "showing off" muscles than actually being strong; nor do I care about being "ideal". The pounds are not important to me the body fat percentage is. If I can keep gaining 1lb of muscle per month while losing 2% body fat, I would prefer that over losing 5% body fat along with 2-3lbs of muscle per month.
  • Matthew_Gallagher
    Matthew_Gallagher Posts: 13
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    Maybe I'm just saying that because I can gain my strength back in 3 months time no problem because ive done it before.

    Guess its one of those youth things, Ill enjoy it while i can lol
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    lucky bugger :P
  • ganesha303
    ganesha303 Posts: 257 Member
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    I just got Starting Strength for my birthday. I will be squatting like a super star in no time. I will have to figure out what I can use to record it though

    I use ifitness on my iPad for recording my lifts. It is an invaluable resource, and you can back it up online...
  • ganesha303
    ganesha303 Posts: 257 Member
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    How did you measure the fat loss versus the muscle gain? I have started the same program and I have noticed that I am more solid but I just want to see how to do it.
    Also congrats on the squats that is a huge weight. I am 6'5", 242 and I am having a hard time getting past 180lbs on the squats. I am not sure if it is a mental block though

    On measuring: Omron body fat analyzer is like $25 at drugstore.com. Not perfect but good enough.

    On your squats: if you are following 5x5 and having stalling problems before you get into de-loading, are you eating enough protein and are you getting enough sleep? Either of these can throw your heavy lifts off.
  • ganesha303
    ganesha303 Posts: 257 Member
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    [quote
    Lift Stats:
    Squat = 185lbs - 340lbs
    Bench = 95lbs - 200lbs
    Deadlift = 135lbs - 315lbs
    Press = 65lbs - 125lbs
    Row = 65lbs - 140lbs
    [/quote]

    Just curious how your squats ended up heavier than Deadlifts?
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
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    [quote
    Lift Stats:
    Squat = 185lbs - 340lbs
    Bench = 95lbs - 200lbs
    Deadlift = 135lbs - 315lbs
    Press = 65lbs - 125lbs
    Row = 65lbs - 140lbs

    Just curious how your squats ended up heavier than Deadlifts?
    [/quote]

    Just how it played out, mostly as a result of focusing on grip strength for a while so i can put off incorporating lifting straps as long as possible. It is getting increasingly difficult though. I may start pulling my work sets with straps and keep using double-overhand for my warmups.
  • gtm124
    gtm124 Posts: 179
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    I don't have a dog in this fight, but this is the first post where I have seen GUYS on MFP. Nothing against the fairer sex, but good to see I am not the only guy on here. But I am new to MFP so maybe I have not looked around enough. Keep up the good work guys. FWIW, I like to incorporate cardio into my exercise program mostly in the form of road cycling. Weight training is important too as a strong body is as important as a strong pumping heart in cycling.
  • ganesha303
    ganesha303 Posts: 257 Member
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    result of focusing on grip strength for a while

    What are you doing to work on grip strength?
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
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    result of focusing on grip strength for a while

    What are you doing to work on grip strength?

    I was sticking strictly to double-overhand grip, which made progression harder around 275lbs and was holding longer at the top (up to 5 seconds) which again, made progression harder. It worked though, now 275 is my last warm-up set and I am able to complete them with double over-hand then use switch grip on my work weight.
  • Matthew_Gallagher
    Matthew_Gallagher Posts: 13
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    Btw -- At my best

    Bench: 290 lbs
    Squat: 550 lbs
    Deadlift: 600 lbs
    Press: 185 lbs
    All while I was weighing anywhere from 200 to 210

    Fat/weight loss
    Started 215lbs approx 27% bf
    Now 182lbs approx 20% bf
    11 weeks to final fat/weight loss goal of 160lbs at approx 12%

    (Then from there I'm going to start adding on the lbs of muscle, because I'm going to feel like a littler girl at 160)
    Final goal 175-185 lbs 8%-12% bf


    If you want any tips of advice based on my successes, I'd gladly help.

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