Bodybuilding.

[Strudul]

Old, but still great

 

[TT350]

I have a friend.

 

She's female.

 

She wants to lose weight and look like x celebrity or have certain body parts of celebrity x and y.

 

So. I tell her exactly how to get x body factoring in her experience, free time, and so on.

 

But then she can't go because she doesn't currently look like the girl she wants to look like or have bum like whoever.

 

And can't go days x, y and Z because she'll have to wash her hair afterwards and those aren't the days she can wash it.

 

Wow. poor girl!

 

I've seen/heard this kinda stuff often.

 

Poor girls.

 

Us guys are lucky to be able just go and stink after! And then we also don't mind "looking like arnie" after a few sessions in the free weights area.

 

I've discovered a new refreshing workout drink. Well, made one anyway.

 

Empty bottle.

Jiff lemon juice

Water

Stick it in the freezer. Really quenching.

 

I like drinking water that's just turning a bit icy.

 

I'm trying to get at least an hour of fasted cardio in every morning. 5/7 days I manage to make it.

 

I'm sort of struggling with the point of having or striving to have a good figure when I'm losing my hair. It's a very new development and rapidly onset.

 

I feel like it'll just negate everything else.

 

I've completely shaved it though. Trimmers then wet shave.

 

Been looking at FUE treatment.

 

Maybe it's due to having been rejected from last relationship.

 

Anyway I'll carry on regardless!

 

 

 

[rabbitstew]

I said on another thread, but I really wouldnt worry about your hair. I crop mine number 0 and it looks great, makes me look about 15 years younger and hides any grey hairs! But, if its only just started happening I can see it must be a bit of a shock and will take some getting used to. I dunno how much the hair treatment costs, but Calum Best had a couple of sessions and his hair looks good now. Rooney did too.

 

Ive just had 4 weeks of being ill. Cold after cold, so low energy & feeling like crap. Also not having any spare time outside of family & work commitments I only been able to have 1 workout a week this last 4 weeks which has been a right pain. Mad how its taking me a whole month to exercise the whole body when I used to hit it twice a week at one point. Anyhow I did squats & deadlifts on Sunday and pushed it really hard as i was so angry with not having any workouts that the doms today are killing. I really am struggling to walk and trying to sit on the loo or get in the car was a killer! At least my diets been spot on, but weighed myself yesterday and ive lost 6lb. Its like 1 step forward and 5 back.

 

Still, feels like this current cold is virtually gone, and so I am hoping that I can up the workouts and intensity. Fingers crossed.

[colesl4w]

Been loving the PPL routine I mentioned earlier, seeing improvements all round and feeling DOMS again like I haven't in such a long time. Had a bad bout of depression last week though which put me off the gym for almost a full week. Also went a bit too hard with landmine presses - didn't brace my core well enough and hurt my back a bit. Need to be more careful.

 

Also absolutely loving romanian deadlifts. I just feel them everywhere. Even my upper back has DOMS which I rarely even get with rows. Brilliant exercise.

Edited March 14, 2017 by colesl4w

[TT350]

Yeah the hair loss has really been thrust upon me. Ever since I broke with the ex.

 

It's really done a number on me. Being dumped, losing hair rapidly and getting nowhere with online dating had really blasted my self confidence. I'm really going to have to claw some back, somehow. Regain control of it.

 

FUE price depends on how many grafts you have but it does work well yes. No scars etc as there's no strips of skin cut and transplanted.

 

I'll get that asap and along with getting into the best shape I've ever been in, it should help with confidence.

 

I'm going to have to really push myself and force myself to keep improving physically. Not get to a point half decent and say "ok I look ok now I can ease off".

 

I've noticed a lot of outright ageism in the world of aesthetic weight lifting. Such as younger people saying "you look ok for your age" and "you need to be careful when you get to your age".

 

This is regarding people MY age. Mid 30s!

 

I feel just as healthy and a lot stronger than in my 20s.

[Ponsonby]

Yeah the hair loss has really been thrust upon me. Ever since I broke with the ex.

 

It's really done a number on me. Being dumped, losing hair rapidly and getting nowhere with online dating had really blasted my self confidence. I'm really going to have to claw some back, somehow. Regain control of it.

 

FUE price depends on how many grafts you have but it does work well yes. No scars etc as there's no strips of skin cut and transplanted.

 

I'll get that asap and along with getting into the best shape I've ever been in, it should help with confidence.

 

I'm going to have to really push myself and force myself to keep improving physically. Not get to a point half decent and say "ok I look ok now I can ease off".

 

I've noticed a lot of outright ageism in the world of aesthetic weight lifting. Such as younger people saying "you look ok for your age" and "you need to be careful when you get to your age".

 

This is regarding people MY age. Mid 30s!

 

I feel just as healthy and a lot stronger than in my 20s.

 

A friend of mine had a transplant. He often said that he wished he had been brave like me and just accepted and embraced his hair loss.

You have been through a rough time and are suffering low self esteem but the money could be better spent on some councelling which will help you cope with your relationship breakup, hair loss, body image.

After a rather gruelling divorce I had 'issues' and realised pretty quickly that I would never have another good relationship unless I got myself sorted so went for councelling. Not an easy thing to do back in the day when such things were considered a sign of weakness - now I recommend it to anyone. Why live with your demons if you can get rid of them.

 

A half decent body is just fine and will actually be more acceptable to most ladies than a bodybuilders physique - ignore what you see on social media and the movies. Most women do not like huge muscles and I reckon that if you get too big you will put off more women than you attract. My missus hates it if I gain too much muscle mass. A 'healthy' physique will be far more attractive, think Jason Statham rather than the Rock.

 

Never done it but know people who have, but online dating is probably a disaster for someone with confidence issues. Chill out, be patient, don't go looking and someone will come along when you least expect it. Don't treat every date with a lady as 'looking for love'. Just go out, be yourself and have a good time. If you click then great, if not you have both had a nice evening out together and no reason why not to be just friends if that works.

 

I have never been blessed with good looks, have a borderline OK physique, lost my hair at an early age but am on my second marriage to a nice looking lady who is 7 years younger. If I can do it then you can.

[TT350]

Yeah good advice above.

 

I do now completely shave my melon. Started off with just number 0. Now I wet shave it after trimming.

 

I'll get my confidence back. I'll look into some kind of councillor too.

 

The FUE, I'll evaluate it and go get a quote from a reputable clinic. I've never had really decent hair due to my dad's genes.

 

The gym is going well and my goal isn't to get huge. It's actually to get completely lean with a decent amount of beef. Especially if I'm going to have to carry on with the skinhead. Don't want to be some big meathead.

 

Yes, will knock the dating sites on the head for a good while!!

[Strudul]

The gym is going well and my goal isn't to get huge. It's actually to get completely lean with a decent amount of beef. Especially if I'm going to have to carry on with the skinhead. Don't want to be some big meathead.

Haven't you been hitting the weight for 7 years or did I just make that up? Surely you're huge already by most people's standards?

Edited March 16, 2017 by Strudul

[andybp]

Yeah the hair loss has really been thrust upon me. Ever since I broke with the ex.

 

It's really done a number on me. Being dumped, losing hair rapidly and getting nowhere with online dating had really blasted my self confidence. I'm really going to have to claw some back, somehow. Regain control of it.

 

FUE price depends on how many grafts you have but it does work well yes. No scars etc as there's no strips of skin cut and transplanted.

 

I'll get that asap and along with getting into the best shape I've ever been in, it should help with confidence.

 

I'm going to have to really push myself and force myself to keep improving physically. Not get to a point half decent and say "ok I look ok now I can ease off".

 

I've noticed a lot of outright ageism in the world of aesthetic weight lifting. Such as younger people saying "you look ok for your age" and "you need to be careful when you get to your age".

 

This is regarding people MY age. Mid 30s!

 

I feel just as healthy and a lot stronger than in my 20s.

 

not sure I agree with the hair transplant thing not sure that's a battle you're gonna win you're better off concentrating on other stuff in my opinion but you've got to do what you've got to do

As for the age thing they don't know what they're talking about I'm 51 this month admittedly I have my own gym but I'm fitter than most of the people I work with in this area and that's 30-40 people aged between 18 and maybe 55

of the couple I'd lose against one's early 20's and a cage fighter the other regularly does ironman competitions the only things i'm down on since my twenty's is stamina and hair. so just ignore them

[TT350]

The gym is going well and my goal isn't to get huge. It's actually to get completely lean with a decent amount of beef. Especially if I'm going to have to carry on with the skinhead. Don't want to be some big meathead.

Haven't you been hitting the weight for 7 years or did I just make that up? Surely you're huge already by most people's standards?

 

Lol since 22.

 

And size comes and goes. It's not a constant thing. After I broke up with ex I got skinny fat. Bad times. Body eats its own muscle if you just stop lifting weights and stop eating and your metabolism slows right down.

 

 

[nowhereboy]

I really need to get back in the gym.

 

I'm a skinny dude naturally, currently a combo of skinny with a bit of muscle across shoulders and chest and a bit of a belly.

 

I got in good shape for recent holiday with the ex but haven't bothered keeping it up. Any gains literally drop off me the second I stop training.

[Strudul]

Opened my chocolate brownie flavour whey yesterday. There was an offer running a while ago, so I got it free with my usual multi-buy of the 5kg unflavoured stuff, but only just got round to trying it.

 

Sounds amazing right? Wrong. It's bloody awful. It's like drinking pure sugar.

 

I love the unflavoured stuff, just mix it with milk and it tastes like... well... milk... with a porridgey / oaty hint. This stuff though, I'm not sure I can bring myself to keep drinking it. I need to find something to tone it down. Maybe mix it with unflavoured stuff?

[TT350]

There's no such thing as tasty protein lol.

 

Is it full of dextrose?

 

CNP was the best tasting whey I ever had.

[Strudul]

Sucralose. Which according to the internet is 600x sweeter than sugar, but zero calories.

 

(Same stuff that's in Splenda sweetener apparently)

[colesl4w]

 

Could anyone give me some pointers on my squat? I find it a real struggle to increase compared to everything else weirdly. Does form look ok there? My lower back always feels tight immediately after.

Edited March 20, 2017 by colesl4w

[Ekona]

It looks like you filmed in Tard 'O Vision!

[Jay84]

I've got a zero all over but a beard, I look more like I need a Harley than a zed.

[Strudul]

Not an expert on squats, but...

 

Your movements don't flow. it should be a smooth down and up, but you seem to go through multiple jerky phases. You seem to lean forward, then push your arse out, then you knees pop forwards. Looks unnatural and a bit rushed.

 

Try slow everything down, and push you chest out a bit more.

[Strudul]

Watch this if you haven't already:

 

[TT350]

Your back shouldn't move at all. Imagine a pole or invisible horizontal line going down the centre of your body. Follow that line up and down and dont deviate from it. drive with your thighs. Let them do all the work.

 

Don't lean forward at all. You're going to do your lower back in.

 

If you find yourself tipping forward before you stand, please lower the weight until your core is stronger. That'll really help and you'll progress.

 

Hope that helps. Please be careful. Squats are easily the most dangerous lift. A single little mistake can mean months off to heal. A mate of mine crushed two discs in his back and had to have an op.

 

Do slow sit ups holding a 20 plate or whatever you can hold and manage to get 8 to 10 reps of. Next grab a heavy dumbell in each hand and lean side to side but keeping your legs really straight.

 

If you have one of those machines that you sit in and twist side to side, use one of those too. Or incorporate a side to side twist into the weighted setups.

Edited March 20, 2017 by TT350

[Strudul]

Squats are easily the most dangerous lift.

Nahhh

 

1) Suicide grip bench - just asking for it to fall 2 feet and crush your throat

2) Normal grip bench - the surplus of fail videos is enough evidence I think

3) Deadlift - you can drop the weight unlike bench, but lots of chance for spinal injury if not done properly

Edited March 20, 2017 by Strudul

[TT350]

Squats are easily the most dangerous lift.

Nahhh

 

1) Suicide grip bench - just asking for it to fall 2 feet and crush your throat

2) Normal grip bench - the surplus of fail videos is enough evidence I think

3) Deadlift - you can drop the weight unlike bench, but lots of chance for spinal injury if not done properly

 

Yeah the spinal injury thing makes it for me lol.

 

I've never used barbel bench on my own. I always do bench press with dumbells to avoid that injury risk. I also have incorporated Smith machine bench in my routine. Not as the primary lift though, that's dumbells, which I do first. I'm really happy with the routine I have at the moment. It's basically flat, incline, decline dumbell press, dumbell flies, flat and incline, cable cross overs, then Smith machine flat incline and decline bench. Then I do all the equivalent on the machines. It really really overloads my muscles and I love the feeling like they've turned into jelly! Can barely lift a bottle of water after.

 

And I can't believe anyone would do suicide bench! I wince looking at it lol.

[Strudul]

I always have to barbell bench solo cos I don't have a spotter anymore
I know my limits though, so it's pretty safe, but stunted progress massively cos I can't really push it.
Always bench without clips too, so if it comes to it I can just roll to the side and shake the weights off.

Never really liked Smith, but used it a lot initially. It just feels so unnatural now though (unless you use one of those fancy 3D ones), the bar ends up so high on my chest with a lot of elbow flare. Edited March 21, 2017 by Strudul

[TT350]

 

I always have to barbell bench solo cos I don't have a spotter anymore

I know my limits though, so it's pretty safe, but stunted progress massively cos I can't really push it.

Always bench without clips too, so if it comes to it I can just roll to the side and shake the weights off.

 

Never really liked Smith, but used it a lot initially. It just feels so unnatural now though (unless you use one of those fancy 3D ones), the bar ends up so high on my chest with a lot of elbow flare.

 

Try swapping to dumbells mate. I far prefer them to barbell.

[Strudul]

Prefer the stability of bench. Feels tight.

 

Dumbells always feel a bit more wavy, and I don't like the pissing about / discomfort of trying to get the dumbells up. Usually save dumbells for incline where I go lighter.