Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below
A Lifter's Iron Log...
- Thread starter ghettostudmuffin
- Start date
ghettostudmuffin
New member
Probably around 20-25%. I'm not sure.
I swear it's the italian in me, but I hold bodyfat really well lol.
I'm not gonna lie and say I'm not chubbing it, but if you saw me in a loose t-shirt and gym shorts, fat guy is likely not the first thing to come to your mind because of my wide shoulders and the way I hold my bodyfat.
I tend to hold bodyfat over my entire body rather than directly in the midsection like so many guys do.
I've been 10% at 155 and 165 in the past, but I was not lifting weights at all or supplementing protein powder. It was just strictly long distance running and controlled calorie intake.
Honestly I liked the way I looked when I was lean like that. I could see my whole cheekbone structure and since I'm part cherokee indian it's noticeable when I'm lean. When I'm chubbin it I just look like I have a round face lol.
That said I hated being weak at that light weight.
Ideally I would weigh somewhere in the neighborhood of 215-240 depending on where my bodyfat was at at those weights. I would prefer to be closer to 240, but I'll know when it's time to cut down if that will happen or not.
Right now I'm just focused on getting stronger and bigger. I really don't stuff myself. I finally was able to buy some protein powder this last Friday and I have been eating 3 meals a day plus 3 protein shakes(just milk and 2 scoops powder) and now I'm gaining weight because I think the protein intake is there now to support more muscle growth. I was gaining weight, but at the rate of maybe 1 pound every 3-4 weeks and that's basically being unemployed and sedentary other than when in the gym.
In 4 days I put on roughly 2 pounds, but my protein intake was "MAYBE" 150grams a day without the protein powder and now it's an easy 200. This particular powder seems to digest really well so I may up it to 3 scoops each shake to get up to around 250grams with my 3 meals averaging 30-40grams.
I'm thinking I may bulk up over time to as high as 275 which I can probably do within another year of consistent lifting pretty easily. It's been proven that heavier people have more muscle mass generally and sumo wrestler's even with their very high bodyfat levels tend to have the highest amount of muscle weight of all which I found rather interesting. Combine that with actual weight lifting and you get the old school bulk approach. Even if I was 30% bodyfat at 275 I would be able to rip that down to 215-225 and be very lean which at 5'8.5" is pretty yoked if it's all lean bodyweight.
It's almost the exact opposite of trying to bulk up slowly and gain quality muscle mass. The only problem I have with that method is that you are going to gain some bodyfat and will have to cut/bulk and repeat many times to get where you want to be.
Same end result I think. Just 2 different paths.
I don't feel unhealthy at all at atm. If I get to the point where I really don't feel good then I would consider leaning out or stalling any further weight gain, but atm I feel fine walking around at almost 250.
As a sidenote when I was actively rock climbing and eating a healthy moderately low cal diet(around 2800-3k cals ed) I weighed around 175-180 and was tested with the 7 site skin fold method multiple times at 17% bodyfat yet was very health looking and definitely not chubby by any means. Many people would look fat or chubby at that % bodyfat regardless of their actual weight so my structure and the way I hold bodyfat allows me to sit at a heavier % than alot of people. Again I'm not saying I look good right now and I have a bit of a gut, but if I were to drop to 17% bodyfat right now I'd look pretty yoked.
I swear it's the italian in me, but I hold bodyfat really well lol.
I'm not gonna lie and say I'm not chubbing it, but if you saw me in a loose t-shirt and gym shorts, fat guy is likely not the first thing to come to your mind because of my wide shoulders and the way I hold my bodyfat.
I tend to hold bodyfat over my entire body rather than directly in the midsection like so many guys do.
I've been 10% at 155 and 165 in the past, but I was not lifting weights at all or supplementing protein powder. It was just strictly long distance running and controlled calorie intake.
Honestly I liked the way I looked when I was lean like that. I could see my whole cheekbone structure and since I'm part cherokee indian it's noticeable when I'm lean. When I'm chubbin it I just look like I have a round face lol.
That said I hated being weak at that light weight.
Ideally I would weigh somewhere in the neighborhood of 215-240 depending on where my bodyfat was at at those weights. I would prefer to be closer to 240, but I'll know when it's time to cut down if that will happen or not.
Right now I'm just focused on getting stronger and bigger. I really don't stuff myself. I finally was able to buy some protein powder this last Friday and I have been eating 3 meals a day plus 3 protein shakes(just milk and 2 scoops powder) and now I'm gaining weight because I think the protein intake is there now to support more muscle growth. I was gaining weight, but at the rate of maybe 1 pound every 3-4 weeks and that's basically being unemployed and sedentary other than when in the gym.
In 4 days I put on roughly 2 pounds, but my protein intake was "MAYBE" 150grams a day without the protein powder and now it's an easy 200. This particular powder seems to digest really well so I may up it to 3 scoops each shake to get up to around 250grams with my 3 meals averaging 30-40grams.
I'm thinking I may bulk up over time to as high as 275 which I can probably do within another year of consistent lifting pretty easily. It's been proven that heavier people have more muscle mass generally and sumo wrestler's even with their very high bodyfat levels tend to have the highest amount of muscle weight of all which I found rather interesting. Combine that with actual weight lifting and you get the old school bulk approach. Even if I was 30% bodyfat at 275 I would be able to rip that down to 215-225 and be very lean which at 5'8.5" is pretty yoked if it's all lean bodyweight.
It's almost the exact opposite of trying to bulk up slowly and gain quality muscle mass. The only problem I have with that method is that you are going to gain some bodyfat and will have to cut/bulk and repeat many times to get where you want to be.
Same end result I think. Just 2 different paths.
I don't feel unhealthy at all at atm. If I get to the point where I really don't feel good then I would consider leaning out or stalling any further weight gain, but atm I feel fine walking around at almost 250.
As a sidenote when I was actively rock climbing and eating a healthy moderately low cal diet(around 2800-3k cals ed) I weighed around 175-180 and was tested with the 7 site skin fold method multiple times at 17% bodyfat yet was very health looking and definitely not chubby by any means. Many people would look fat or chubby at that % bodyfat regardless of their actual weight so my structure and the way I hold bodyfat allows me to sit at a heavier % than alot of people. Again I'm not saying I look good right now and I have a bit of a gut, but if I were to drop to 17% bodyfat right now I'd look pretty yoked.
Awesome man, sounds like you have it all figured out. One thing I would say is maybe you would consider taking a walk once a week. Saturday morning or something like that. Not a brutal power walk for miles but just to get moving a bit. I know first hand that when I did no cardio and just pushed the scale weight higher and higher my conditioning and health went down the shitter. Light cardio may also work as some active recovery. Your choice though, I could understand if you weren't too bothered about health right now.
Oh and you could try some deepheat rub on your bicep, that seemed to help my back when it was injured.
Oh and you could try some deepheat rub on your bicep, that seemed to help my back when it was injured.
ghettostudmuffin
New member
I've been so broke I haven't been driving to the big park I like to take walks at lately. Ideally when I can afford it I walk there on non-lifting days and walk the trails which have some pretty nice inclines.
Around my place it's all busy streets and it's not particularly relaxing or enjoyable to walk around here.
Went for a nice walk last week though. I can still haul my ass around trails for an hour np I just breath a little harder than I used to luggin this bodyweight around lol.
Went into the gym today to do some assistance work which was nice since I haven't done any for almost 2 months lol. Ever since my elbow has been feeling tendonitusy. Now that it's feeling good and it's just my bicep feeling sore I need to get back to doing shoulder and back work.
Standing Barbell Press barx8, 65x5, 95x5, 115x5 warmup
135x4x8 my bicep was feeling abit sore to go for a 5th set of 8 so I called it on these. Felt good to press. Thanks to bench the pressing strength still feels good.
Strict Dumbell Rows 75x4x8, learned a stricter way to do these today that applies better to bench.
Strict Leaning cable Pulldowns #8, 5x10
Horizontal bar pullups, feet on ball 3x5, these are harder than they initially appear.
That was it. Shoulders and lats felt great from this today. Left bicep tolerated it all pretty well.
Around my place it's all busy streets and it's not particularly relaxing or enjoyable to walk around here.
Went for a nice walk last week though. I can still haul my ass around trails for an hour np I just breath a little harder than I used to luggin this bodyweight around lol.
Went into the gym today to do some assistance work which was nice since I haven't done any for almost 2 months lol. Ever since my elbow has been feeling tendonitusy. Now that it's feeling good and it's just my bicep feeling sore I need to get back to doing shoulder and back work.
Standing Barbell Press barx8, 65x5, 95x5, 115x5 warmup
135x4x8 my bicep was feeling abit sore to go for a 5th set of 8 so I called it on these. Felt good to press. Thanks to bench the pressing strength still feels good.
Strict Dumbell Rows 75x4x8, learned a stricter way to do these today that applies better to bench.
Strict Leaning cable Pulldowns #8, 5x10
Horizontal bar pullups, feet on ball 3x5, these are harder than they initially appear.
That was it. Shoulders and lats felt great from this today. Left bicep tolerated it all pretty well.
ghettostudmuffin
New member
1-24-2011
Bench Press barx10, 135x8, 185x3, 225x2 warmup
255x4x5, 5th set 1x10 with a pause on the 10th rep
Decline Dumbell Bench 75's 3x10
Strict Cable Pressdowns #6 4-5x10 lost track
Decline Bench 225x3x5
Bodyweight 250lbs
Felt real strong today. Barely felt my bicep at all. It'll be sore during/after squats tomorrow, but it won't hinder them vs if I had squatted today and been sore for bench tomorrow.
One of the guys says I should go up to 275 next week. I'm pretty sure I could do at least 1 hard set of 5 with it now. I would rather go to 265 for 5 sets because I think I can make 5 sets with it next week, but if I feel particularly strong on the first set I said I would go for 275 after that.
Booyah.
Bench Press barx10, 135x8, 185x3, 225x2 warmup
255x4x5, 5th set 1x10 with a pause on the 10th rep
Decline Dumbell Bench 75's 3x10
Strict Cable Pressdowns #6 4-5x10 lost track
Decline Bench 225x3x5
Bodyweight 250lbs
Felt real strong today. Barely felt my bicep at all. It'll be sore during/after squats tomorrow, but it won't hinder them vs if I had squatted today and been sore for bench tomorrow.
One of the guys says I should go up to 275 next week. I'm pretty sure I could do at least 1 hard set of 5 with it now. I would rather go to 265 for 5 sets because I think I can make 5 sets with it next week, but if I feel particularly strong on the first set I said I would go for 275 after that.
Booyah.
ghettostudmuffin
New member
1-25-2011
Barbell Squats barx5, 165x5, 275x2-3, 341x1 warmup
365x5x5 solid, belt and wrist wraps
First 2 sets felt a tad shaky because I haven't had that much weight on my back in weeks. The sets actually got better as I went on. Felt strong.
Leg Press 400x5x18 good pump from these.
Bodyweight 250lbs
Barbell Squats barx5, 165x5, 275x2-3, 341x1 warmup
365x5x5 solid, belt and wrist wraps
First 2 sets felt a tad shaky because I haven't had that much weight on my back in weeks. The sets actually got better as I went on. Felt strong.
Leg Press 400x5x18 good pump from these.
Bodyweight 250lbs
ghettostudmuffin
New member
Imo the job scene is fucking terrible, but then again my skills lay in the construction industry which is still suffering heavily.
I see projects going all over the place, but they are usually big developments.
Your field may be different, but one thing is for certain. Job competition is incredibly stiff right now and employers are being extremely selective.
Fuck, I've been to around 4 job interviews in the past 6 months and didn't get one and have put out 30+ total applications. I'm talking even applications to grocery stores and blockbuster video.
Nothing, nadda.
Economy still blows despite what the news says.
I see projects going all over the place, but they are usually big developments.
Your field may be different, but one thing is for certain. Job competition is incredibly stiff right now and employers are being extremely selective.
Fuck, I've been to around 4 job interviews in the past 6 months and didn't get one and have put out 30+ total applications. I'm talking even applications to grocery stores and blockbuster video.
Nothing, nadda.
Economy still blows despite what the news says.
Andalite
Elite Bodybuilder
I don't get it. It's the same way here as well. Jobs ARE tight yet we're supposed to be the fastest growing country? How does this work? There ISNT a boom here at all. Our stocks are MASSIVELY overvalued right now and everybody KNOWS this.
The biggest issues here right now are Inflation and food prices.
ghettostudmuffin
New member
1-27-2010
Assistance night
Standing dumbell press 25'sx10, 40'sx10, 50's x2x10 easy stuff
Strict DB Rows 50x8, 60x10, 65x2x10 np
DB curls tri-set/ incline db curl to leaning curls to the forehead to upright seated curls, 3 sets of this complex. This was fairly tough actually, in a curl sense. Started with 20's and then switched to 15's when curling to the face and seated upright.
Good burn.
Adductor and abductor machine. 3 sets each with 1 drop set on each set for 6 actual sets. Used like 190-210 on opening the legs and similar on closing, drops sets was 40lbs less weight. Did 12-15 reps first set and 10 on the drop set.
Slight incline situp 3x8
Bodyweight 251lbs lol
My left bicep was aching pretty heavily today otherwise I would have pressed 135 for sets of 10 and gone heavier on the rows.
Assistance night
Standing dumbell press 25'sx10, 40'sx10, 50's x2x10 easy stuff
Strict DB Rows 50x8, 60x10, 65x2x10 np
DB curls tri-set/ incline db curl to leaning curls to the forehead to upright seated curls, 3 sets of this complex. This was fairly tough actually, in a curl sense. Started with 20's and then switched to 15's when curling to the face and seated upright.
Good burn.
Adductor and abductor machine. 3 sets each with 1 drop set on each set for 6 actual sets. Used like 190-210 on opening the legs and similar on closing, drops sets was 40lbs less weight. Did 12-15 reps first set and 10 on the drop set.
Slight incline situp 3x8
Bodyweight 251lbs lol
My left bicep was aching pretty heavily today otherwise I would have pressed 135 for sets of 10 and gone heavier on the rows.
