Post: #51

(12-25-2013 04:56 PM)reaper23 Wrote:  Muscle ups

DL 550
BS 450
BP 350
OHP 225
C&J 305
Snatch 225

But there are all just incremental progress.

It's the damn muscle ups I want

How tall are you, I want to preform a muscle up to. Its pure comedy trying to do one at 6'2 with gangly long arms lol.

Post: #52

I need to gain like 30 pounds of muscle, become even faster and increase my vertical jump even more. Need to become unstoppable on the court.

Post: #53

Lucheese:

6'4 245-250 lbs


I can do ten strict pull ups now and countless dips. Need to learn the skill to put them together.

Post: #54

Delete

Post: #55

And what is the best way to measure my body fat? I let myself just slowly slip out of shape.. I just wish I had more black and white signals that I need to stop getting out of shape instead of just bit by bit by bit getting a little less slim every day until I am way of of shape..

Maybe just waist size? Calipers?

Post: #56

(12-26-2013 03:41 PM)bacan Wrote:  And what is the best way to measure my body fat? I let myself just slowly slip out of shape.. I just wish I had more black and white signals that I need to stop getting out of shape instead of just bit by bit by bit getting a little less slim every day until I am way of of shape..

Maybe just waist size? Calipers?

It's not a body fat measurement, but I keep a spreadsheet with measurements for my upper arm, stomach, waist, and thighs. I also add all these figures up for a total. Not terribly scientific but significant enough to track changes.

All you need is a tape measure so for me it's easy enough to stash in my backpack while I travel around from new home to the next.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #57

(12-26-2013 03:41 PM)bacan Wrote:  And what is the best way to measure my body fat? I let myself just slowly slip out of shape.. I just wish I had more black and white signals that I need to stop getting out of shape instead of just bit by bit by bit getting a little less slim every day until I am way of of shape..

Maybe just waist size? Calipers?

I really don't get the obsession with body fat percentages that people have. Don't get me wrong, it's an interesting little metric to be aware of but unless you're a competition bodybuilder, you should be concerned with visual or fitness cues.

If you're primarily concerned with aesthetics, stand naked in the mirror everyday before you shower. Take pictures of yourself shirtless. Weigh yourself often.

I can look at myself and see where fat deposits are growing, whether I've lost or gained weight, and whether it's been too long since I've hit the weights. If you can't be honest with yourself, pictures will be. Plus you can send them to chicks

Post: #58

Nice. Takes 5 min to measure all that? By adding everything together aren't you kind of mixing information? Some of those measurements go up when you get in better shape, others go down.

I am no good at noticing subtle changes in fat deposits..

Post: #59

Fitness goal: dunk a basketball. I can dunk a baseball/tennis ball right now. Got to hit the legs harder in the gym the whole year, then cut back on upper body stuff in April. Then start focus on losing fat until school's out in June. Probably can get down to 150 lbs by the beginning of Summer for a nice summer (six pack) body. I figure if I lose 10% of my body mass then I'll be able to jump 10% higher, assuming I don't lose any strength in my legs. I know I'll be able to do this because I have insanely weak legs gym-wise. I've never squatted more than 135 for 3 sets of 10. I don't even really understand how I can jump so high already.

Post: #60

My goal is to lose 20-25lbs of non-lean body mass (fat) and also make it into the "lightly trained" strength category (SQ+DL+BP= approx. 1000lb. at my weight) by summer. I need to add about 60 to my DL, 60 to my SQ, and 40 to my BP to achieve this. These goals conflict with each other slightly (increasing strength vs. losing weight) but I think this is achievable if I continue training and strictly watch my diet (average a 3500 kcal deficit per week). If this method doesn't work then I'm running out of ideas!

Post: #61

Handstand. I have some sort of irrational fear from "hopping down" like that that always messes up my form at the last moment. Not to mention that I don't have a wide, flat, soft surface that would help me with training.

Post: #62

I can do a one arm push-up and one arm pull-up. I'd like to be able to do a handstand. Bulk up a bit and to start doing bjj again.

Post: #63

(12-26-2013 07:37 PM)bacan Wrote:  Nice. Takes 5 min to measure all that? By adding everything together aren't you kind of mixing information? Some of those measurements go up when you get in better shape, others go down.

I picked the method up from Tim Ferriss. It's obviously not a flawless system but it does the trick.

Yeah, I suppose if your arms or thighs were getting massive than it might throw off your tracking, but it'll be obvious if that's happening and you can change your measuring system or separate them (I record the specific measurements and the total inches in a spreadsheet).

Chances are that if you've got any significant weight to lose all of these areas are going to get smaller long before they start getting bigger though. My arms definitely look better and bigger since I started working out but the tape measure shows no growth. You could also just track the losses on your problem areas if you want, like waist and hips, for instance.

Basically you want to measure:

Both Upper Arms (mid bicep)
Waist (horizontal at naval)
Hips (at widest point below Waist)
Both Legs (mid-thigh)

My drop on my waist and stomach tells me all I need to know and is what I usually brag about (lol) because people understand it. When my goals evolve I suppose I'll find something else to focus on.

(12-26-2013 04:17 PM)Enigma Wrote:  I really don't get the obsession with body fat percentages that people have. Don't get me wrong, it's an interesting little metric to be aware of but unless you're a competition bodybuilder, you should be concerned with visual or fitness cues.

For the most part, I agree with what you're saying Enigma, but most people trying to build new habits find it helpful to be able to watch a somewhat concrete metric while they're making changes. It's motivating.

People who don't keep measurements often give up because they don't think they're getting anywhere. I even read somewhere about a guy who started tracking his weight or his bodyfat on a spreadsheet while doing his best not to consciously change his diet or lifestyle and found his metrics trending downward. Obviously not a scientific expirement but interesting nonetheless - kind of like how people with food journals tend to eat better, unconscously, and can stick to diets easier if trying.

Also, my before and after pics are indeed a lot more motivating than my spreadsheet (highly recommend taking them), but it takes a while to see real changes there. I also find that other people will notice when your body really changes so when I start hearing compliments I know I'm getting somewhere.

But the metrics help with the week to week until you get the dramatic results that you can't ignore.

For guys who already have solid fitness habits it's probably unnecessary.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #64

Weighted two-story rope climb. Less specifically, just push myself even harder to where I have nothing else left in the tank when I leave the gym.

Post: #65

Great goals guys.

I'm earning my GORUCK Tough patch next year. Med dropped in 2013 with concussion and hypothermia.

Post: #66

(12-25-2013 09:17 PM)reaper23 Wrote:  Lucheese:

6'4 245-250 lbs


I can do ten strict pull ups now and countless dips. Need to learn the skill to put them together.

I'm 6'6 235. All about technique. Took me a month to get the technique down. What really helped me was doing pull-ups with 100lbs strapped to myself with a focus on negatives. Once you get that explosion from taking the weights off, you need to trigger your shoulders and elbows once you get your chin above the bar. That quick transition should be able to put your weight over the bar. I usually started at a dead arm position and got a swing going.

Post: #67

My goal is to rip ass at rowing crew.

I'm currently pretty damn slow on the erg machine, despite my height. I completely neglected squats and deadlift up until three months ago(I'd been lifting for about a year), and it's made me far worse at the sport than I should be. I'm sick of seeing myself in the bottom twenty in terms of split times. I plan on squatting, running, and erging my ass off, until I'm as fast as I should be. By the end of the year, I also want to be DB benching 90's, DB shoulder pressing 65's-70's, and squatting more than 250 pounds. I plan on working on sprints as well, and hope to take up a fighting sport over the summer. I've had too many close calls in Isla Vista with drunk asswipes, I need to be able to properly defend myself.

Post: #68

Look like Brad Pitt in Fight Club. No Homo.

Post: #69

(12-29-2013 03:27 AM)Agastya Wrote:  My goal is to rip ass at rowing crew.

I'm currently pretty damn slow on the erg machine, despite my height. I completely neglected squats and deadlift up until three months ago(I'd been lifting for about a year), and it's made me far worse at the sport than I should be. I'm sick of seeing myself in the bottom twenty in terms of split times. I plan on squatting, running, and erging my ass off, until I'm as fast as I should be. By the end of the year, I also want to be DB benching 90's, DB shoulder pressing 65's-70's, and squatting more than 250 pounds. I plan on working on sprints as well, and hope to take up a fighting sport over the summer. I've had too many close calls in Isla Vista with drunk asswipes, I need to be able to properly defend myself.

To get better at erging, you need to do a lot of steady state, an hour a day sub 2 minute pace, and for lifts the RDL's, pull up-s, and one legged squats are key.

Post: #70

(12-29-2013 02:57 AM)Remington Wrote:  

(12-25-2013 09:17 PM)reaper23 Wrote:  Lucheese:

6'4 245-250 lbs


I can do ten strict pull ups now and countless dips. Need to learn the skill to put them together.

I'm 6'6 235. All about technique. Took me a month to get the technique down. What really helped me was doing pull-ups with 100lbs strapped to myself with a focus on negatives. Once you get that explosion from taking the weights off, you need to trigger your shoulders and elbows once you get your chin above the bar. That quick transition should be able to put your weight over the bar. I usually started at a dead arm position and got a swing going.

impressive, man. 100 lbs weight pull ups? strict or kipping? thats impressive either way.

did you use an online resource for technique or just figured it out?

Post: #71

(12-29-2013 09:58 AM)reaper23 Wrote:  

(12-29-2013 02:57 AM)Remington Wrote:  

(12-25-2013 09:17 PM)reaper23 Wrote:  Lucheese:

6'4 245-250 lbs


I can do ten strict pull ups now and countless dips. Need to learn the skill to put them together.

I'm 6'6 235. All about technique. Took me a month to get the technique down. What really helped me was doing pull-ups with 100lbs strapped to myself with a focus on negatives. Once you get that explosion from taking the weights off, you need to trigger your shoulders and elbows once you get your chin above the bar. That quick transition should be able to put your weight over the bar. I usually started at a dead arm position and got a swing going.

impressive, man. 100 lbs weight pull ups? strict or kipping? thats impressive either way.

did you use an online resource for technique or just figured it out?

Strict. You get nothing out of the pull up if you kip. I only do sets of 4 reps because the 5 second negatives really take it out of you. Pretty much got the technique down on my own. I watched a couple youtube videos to see how far the grips were and small things like that.

One thing you could do is get one of those stretch bands and and tie one end to the pull up bar and the other around one ankle. That will provide you with the assistance to pull yourself over the bar. I did that a few times so I can experience what it feels like to get over the bar and push up. If you go without the band, try swinging a little bit so you can have some momentum.

Post: #72

I'm like 5% body fat, 5.8, kinda strong, fast, flexible too, a bit like Bruce Lee but with no comparison whatsoever if you catch my drift. What the hell can I do to improve?! I'm an ectomorph, it takes a bit of time to see some results and it is hard or impossible to get fat.

Post: #73

4 reps at 100lbs of weighted strict pull ups at 235 lbs?

christ!

Post: #74

Post: #75

(12-29-2013 02:15 PM)reaper23 Wrote:  4 reps at 100lbs of weighted strict pull ups at 235 lbs?

christ!

When I was younger, my parents didn't want me to start lifting until I was in high school. So I stuck with pull ups, push ups, and dips...doing sets until exhaustion. Then once I got into high school, I started attaching weight because I saw a guy do it once at a gym. Thought it was pretty cool. So its been a constant build since then. Unfortunately, I became lazy with lifting in college after I stopped playing ball. Started lifting seriously about 2 years ago. Don't ever want to go back to the way I was.