Walter__ Member

You look great, man. Lots of discipline. I'm working my way to 10%. Still a long way to go. Your progress is motivating.

I've been using minimalist or zero-drop shoes exclusively for the past 4 years now. There are pros/cons. I will say I used to have flat feet. After using minimalist shoes for a few years, I have arches and am no longer flat-footed. IMO the best looking minimalist shoes are from Vivobarefoot. It's one of the few minimalist…

This is good advice. Cheri is right. It might not necessarily be a back issue. It could be that your form is off, you're not bracing properly, or probably both.

It's very possible. Just stay consistent. Track your calories accurately. I highly recommend a food scale. I won over $2000 from it in 2017. It's easy. Just be consistent and don't make excuses.

Minimalist all the way. I can't imagine ever going back to thick padded, heel-rise "regular" running shoes.

That's nothing. I've seen people fly off the treadmill lol

Yup. MDer checking in

Your form should never be compromised. Drop the weight, man. I can't tell you a specific number - but drop it to whatever is necessary to do 5 reps with good, solid form. I used to do the ego lifting years ago, and ended up hurting myself pretty bad. When I recovered and came back, I made sure my form was spot on every…

Eat more.

Dreamer bulk it. Gotta experience it at least once.

There's no shame in logging in public. I do it all the time. But just be reasonable. There was once a lady on MFP that made a post about how she'd take her scale to Chipotle, take her burrito apart, weigh every ingredient individually, log it, then put it back together. Lmao. Don't be that lady.

You're a mess lol. It says right on the package 1.25 lbs.

Go with what works best for you.

Just squat less often. It's going to be hard to keep up 1hr+ high intensity cardio when you're doing heavy squats 3x weekly. If you're in a calorie deficit, it makes it all that much worse. Just realized my post isn't all that helpful. But it's hard to give anything specific if you're not telling us the specifics of your…

Get a pair of 5lb bumper plates. They're the size of full size plates, but they're only 5 lbs. Best thing a beginner can do.

The honest truth is it's not easy for some people. You may fail along your journey. Many times in fact. You just have to keep pushing. Every time you fail, just get back to it the next day. Eventually you get better. You get to the point where you can go weeks or months without failing. That's always how it's been for me.…

PF is alright. The massage chairs are nice, the equipment is generally well taken care of and clean. The problem is the lack of barbells makes it quite limited. But it's alright for light dumbbell workouts and cardio.

Try this one: http://outalpha.com/the-out-alpha-novice-program/ Very challenging. It'll kick your butt

This. I HIGHLY recommend the Myprotein brand. Cheap, tastes great, and ranked 1 in Labdoor testing (Labdoor tests protein supplements to see if they contain the amount of protein they claim). I picked up 22lbs of protein from their US store for $100 with coupon. I imagine it's a similar price on their UK site. Just look…

Probably not the answer you were looking for, but.. Stop worrying so much about keeping your chest up. Your objective shouldn't be to stay as upright as possible. How upright you are or how much you lean forward during your squat is based on your body proportions. Here's a very good video that explains it. I highly…

If her lats were completely relaxed, the bar would swing away. Try it for yourself. Grab an empty bar, get into the deadlift position, then completely relax your lats. With zero lat engagement the bar swings away. She's doing just enough to hold it and pose for a picture. I suggest giving Starting Strength a read. It…

I wouldn't worry about it if you're not feeling any pain. Most people who have pain from overextending is when it's really exaggerated, especially at the lockout. Just like in that second picture. OP hasn't posted a form video so it's just a guess at this point In the middle picture: Back is neutral, bar is over midfoot…

I'd guess it's a form issue. Your low back is either in hyperextension (pictured left) or hyperflexion (pictured right): Seems your friends say it looks okay, it's most likely hyperextension. Sometimes it can be subtle like in the pic above. Other times it can be extreme like this: The fix would be keep your spine neutral.…

Takes a little while to get used to lifting heavy. Stick to it. In 2-3 weeks you'll adapt, and it won't be so bad anymore. Make sure you're taking those well deserved rest days :)

Honestly just skip the 160lb set. You are 5'6, 136lbs which means you'll be deadlifting 135lbs soon if you follow the program. The standard deadlift is 137lbs for a novice 132lb woman: Also the plates in the 160lb set are small. Not only will you be nearing the limits of your set by the time you're at a 135 deadlift (which…

Have good racks and free weights. Please none of those idiotic 12-sided weight plates. Also make sure the equipment is well maintained and in safe operating condition. Some of the racks and benches in my old gym had loose bolts and would wobble.

Forkdowns

Maryland!

You're hyperextending at the top. Don't lock it out by hyperextending. Instead, lock it out by pushing through with your hips at the top (squeeze your glutes). Also don't exhale at the top. Hold your breath throughout the entire movement - it keeps your back and core braced. Exhale and catch a new breath at the bottom.

Ditch those shoes. Squatting with cushioned shoes is like trying to squat on top of a mattress - unstable. Use some flat shoes or go barefoot. Seems like everyone has addressed your other issues already about pushing your knees out and keeping your feet firmly planted without collapsing.