ash_law Member

@nakedraygun Are you sure that wasn't your opener??

@juliewatkin Solid lifts!! Soo close to that 2x bodyweight squat, and 3 plates at 128 is so impressive!

I'm just going to link to my most recent and best meet video (don't worry, I only show my third attempt for each of my lifts so it isn't super long). That isn't actually my best bench or deadlift, but the only ones that count are in a meet so these are all meet lifts. :P TL;DW: My best meet lifts are: squat 281lbs /…

I lift because nothing feels as good as the high of a new PR - whether it be finally reaching a 1-plate bench, a huge squat, 350lb deadlift, whatever. To me, nothing compares. Also, on a more shallow note, I like the way it transforms my body. :)

There is no exact anwer because you can have 19-22% bodyfat at a lot of different weights. For example, I'm 5'5" and roughly 23% bodyfat but I am also pushing 160lbs because I have a significant amount of muscle. You could also be 125lbs (like @carrieous suggested) and be within your ideal range of bodyfat too.

To echo what everyone else has said - find something that doesn't feel like it is some chore you HAVE to do. For me, running every day sounds awful. If I told myself I HAD to do it, it would never be anything beyond a chore. But powerlifting? It is not just a chore to me - I love it and I look forward to learning more…

People in the weight room are generally very nice and really willing to help out with questions, spotting, etc. Once you get past your own mental block about it, you will realize that - but I understand that the weight room is very intimidating at first. That's not to say that there aren't people who get judged/noticed in…

This. Although there are more appropriate places to curl, if you don't clue someone in that you're waiting for a piece of equipment, I don't think you can get mad when that person doesn't immediately exit the equipment after doing their sets. Besides, you did say that the gym wasn't really that crowded so he probably…

Arms and legs always. Midsection is always the last place. :/

I agree with this ^. I don't know what your routine is - cardio, crossfit, powerlifting, strongman, whatever - but I've found that the best way to feel better from soreness is to do the same movement that made you sore, with a lot of light reps to get blood moving into those sore muscles. Any time I compete, I am super…

Oh man, I LOVE DDR! I haven't played it in a long time, but when I was at my heaviest I would play it once in awhile for cardio. As long as you input your weight correctly, I would say that the calorie counters are fairly accurate. I remember using a heart rate monitor while playing DDR and then seeing what DDR said and it…

Squatting can be really awkward when you first start. Start with squatting to a chair - make sure you sit back with your hips. You can progress to lower and lower surfaces until you can squat by yourself. You can also play with the width of your squat stance to find what works best for you. There are also tons and tons of…

Do it @arditarose! Meets are so fun! If anything, at least go watch one first so you have an idea if you are still unsure.

I will fourth the suggestion for NROLFW. That is how I got started. It is great for getting you started on your first program, especially because it has pictures showing how to do each exercise it tells you to perform. It also has a great section talking about nutrition, as well as a section debunking the "women get bulky"…

This right here. Getting that PR is an incredible high.

Powerlifting. The lifts in order by my favorite are: squat, deadlift, then bench press.

I'm going to agree with @auddii and @ovidnine - the weight belt is for you to push against to help you lift more, not to prevent back issues. Definitely check with your PT to know exactly what you can do before buying a weight belt and lifting heavier.

I think most people feel awkward and uncomfortable about squats when they first start doing them. Really, the key is to keep at them and experiment with different stance widths, how your toes are pointed, high/low bar, etc. until you find what feels most comfortable for you. Yes, taller people have a bit of a disadvantage…

Thanks! :)

I'm 5'6" and currently about 157. My goal is to bulk up to about 162 and then cut to be a muscular 154 or so.

When I was overweight, I was pretty oblivious to the fact that I was overweight. It wasn't until I saw some bad pictures that I really realized how heavy I was. So, I didnt notice a trend of bad/worse treatment than I get now. That said, I do remember one big difference. I love animal prints - giraffe, cheetah, snakeskin,…

This. It is really hard to out-exercise a calorie surplus. A trap people can fall into is thinking that they are burning way more calories during their workouts than they really are, and MFP is notoriously bad at calculating exercise calories, so be careful about how much you eat back.

This is my profile picture, but thought I would post it anyway. Six year progress here. 180lbs and overweight on the left (2009). 150lbs and skinnyfat in the middle (2012). 157lbs and more muscular on the right (2015).

Yep, this. I'm the opposite of you, where I hold all my extra body fat in my mid-section but my legs and arms are defined. It is frustrating, but you just have to reduce overall body fat to work with the hand you are dealt.

I'm late to this party, but I'm a looking to build muscle too! Just started my first slow bulk about a week ago to eventually help with my powerlifting goals. Will be sending a friend request!

I get the grilled chicken wrap all by itself, no fries and no dressing. It is actually pretty tasty and the calories/macros aren't too bad. Sometimes if I'm feeling frisky and I have some extra calories I'll dip in some Chik-Fil-A sauce though.

Don't be too discouraged about your squat plateauing for a little bit, it will happen with each of your lifts at different times. For me, my worst lift is bench. I only put about 15lbs (~7kg) on my bench in the past year, but my squat has gone up by about 60lbs (~27kg) and my deadlift has gone up by about 65lbs (~30kg).…

I have exercise induced asthma. I used to run a lot of half marathons. When I first started, I would use my inhaler and could hardly run a mile, due to my asthma issues and overall cardiovascular shortcomings. As I kept training, I found that my lungs got healthier and I needed my inhaler less and less. I eventually got to…