not_a_runner Member

My gym has a crappy leg press where you press yourself + weight stack, I don't think it even goes to 400. Plus the ROM sucks (maybe because I'm short). When I was using it regularly I was probably working around '250' (plus body weight?) for sets of 20-30. I was squatting 275x8 at the time.

I’ve been cutting on/off for most of my Powerlifting ‘career’. I was 215 at my heaviest, and competed at 178 last year and hit squat/dead PRs. Only got my bench opener due to a back cramp. A few months later I was peaking for another meet, still cutting and hitting rep PRs and injured my SI joint, so never got to test my…

I found I could eat significantly more calories than expected during maintenance/diet break. I was losing a pound a week on about 2000 calories, but pushed my maintenance up to around 2800 during the diet break. I've previously lost 60+ pounds super aggressively, regained, lost some and regained again multiple times. I…

^^^ Agree

And please note OP, this does NOT mean - add a bunch more exercises, add a bunch of sets to every exercise, or anything like that. She's saying if you don't feel challenged enough, slowly, PROGRESSIVELY add A LITTLE BIT each week. So if you're going to up the weight this week, do that. If that's still not challenging…

EXACTLY 1 week on a program is nothing.

I say /thread here because we've already established that PHUL is a step backwards compared to PHAT. I'm not sure why OP felt the need for another thread when this was already well established...

Wait, the cable movements are actually what is programmed and he swapped them for freeweights. My bad. I had that backwards. In that case, DB step ups are probably the only abomination here. But something is still not adding up if he things this is easy....

I assume he means these are the only exercises he subbed? Day 1 - (Seated dumbbell press - Standing military press). ^ This is probably a fine sub. Day 2 - No changes. Day 3 -Rest. Day 4 - (Seated cable rows - T-bar row), (Seated dumbbell press - Standing military press). ^Probably fine. Day 5 - (Leg press - Dumbbell step…

How many threads have there been this week.....? lol :s

You're working every muscle at least 2x a week with this program though. You're doing twice the frequency as you would with a body part split, you don't need to be murdering every muscle every single day. What are you doing on the days you use the multi gym? Trying to sub machine exercises for compounds isn't going to give…

In another thread it sounded like he was using a 'multi gym machine' for some of the workouts as well. So, not even close to following as written..

Did you read @bbell1985 's responses on your other thread..? She said "If you don't like PHAT you won't like PHUL, I call that 'Baby PHAT'" Meaning PHUL will be less volume/a step backward from PHAT. If you already think PHAT isn't enough, you surely won't be happy if you take a step backwards. I would just stick with PHAT…

What method was used to determine these %'s ?

^^^^^ This. Do the exercises as written on the program you are following. I have a home gym, so the majority of my exercises are BB or DB, since I don't have machines available. I get just as good of a workout doing this as when I had machines available at a public gym. Even then, I did BB and DB exercises the majority of…

I can think of more than 5 things that can be done with just a barbell/dumbell at home.... Or even body weight, for that matter. Why limit it to '5 things'?

Out of curiosity, OP, do you or your wife currently follow an exercise program? You mentioned that you would do an exercise program with them, but nothing about what either of you do currently. Seeing that purposeful exercise can be fun/enjoyable can make a big impact on kids. (And if they're not seeing either parent…

They're kids.. Ride bikes, play outside, go swimming, etc. Pushing them to do an "exercise program" might not give the right impression. Instead of telling them to eat healthier, perhaps prepare healthier foods in a way that also tastes good? Some kids even enjoy getting involved with cooking.

I'm not sure what you're asking. I just said that "30 lbs" was irrelevant.

^ This isn't really relevant.... There's been no mention in this thread what type of tricep exercises anyone is doing. You can't compare your 80 lbs to OP's 30. Even if it were the exact same exercise, it wouldn't matter. What is heavy enough for one person may not be for another. It sounds like you've been working on your…

Lower body hypertrophy day, quad focused.

I don’t know the specific episodes off the top off my head, but it’s been discussed on the Revive Stronger podcast with Dr Mike Israetel. It is also what is recommended by Renaissance Periodization. (Sorry, I don’t read, I listen.. ha) Lyle McDonald has some good info about diet breaks as well. One day away from a deficit…

^ I would also do about half, workout wise. It is generally recommended to eat at maintenance during a deload. I definitely wouldn't try for a higher deficit during that time. You want your body to recover and be ready for your next cycle of training. A big calorie deficit is not going to be optimal.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1 Here's a great thread about programs. I would go with a beginner program based on your numbers for S & D's. If your goal is strength, I might suggest Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. These programs will instruct you…

Are you following a progressive program for squats and deads?

This If you're getting those body fat numbers from a home scale, they are inaccurate anyhow. And you're over thinking it.

Running a strength focused program is not going to be as optimal for muscle gains as running a true hypertrophy program. If you only want to train 2-3 days per week, I would look for a 3 day full body hypertrophy program. You'd be better off finding an established program than trying to modify one.

Last summer at 23, 5'1'' 178 lbs- my meet PR was 304 lbs A few months after that I was up to 275 lbs for a set of 8 (cutting during this time, so I was at a few pounds lower body weight). Unfortunately got injured shortly after and never got to retest my max, I'm sure I was well over a 315 1RM at that time.

Is SL 5x5 your current program? If your main goal is hypertrophy, Stronglifts is not really the most optimal program for muscle gains.. And as mentioned, you've been in a calorie deficit. Not many people are able to gain muscle in a deficit. If you've lost fat and maintained your current muscle, that's a win. I would say…

^ It's been mentioned several times on this thread that those extra calories will be allotted to carbs when reducing fat that low. "You can fill in the other 70% with whatever you want." Some people want carbs. Or a larger deficit. There are a lot of other protein sources out there that are very lean, besides just chicken…