The Official Gym & Fitness Thread

Currently 5ft 9in around 208lbs. My heaviest was 265 back in high school. I dropped down to 200 between jr and sr year but over the past 8 years since graduation I have fluctuated up and down. When I reached 255 two years ago I got back at it with eating healthy and working out. (don't laugh) I did crossfit for about a year and slimmed down and was in the best shape I've ever been in but that was about 4 years ago when I was a flight student. Once I started working as a flight instructor I packed on the weight. Since switching from being a flight instructor to being an airline pilot (2years ago) I've been working towards my goal weight of 180lbs. I tried getting back into crossfit but it just didn't work. Lately I've been doing orange theory after a friend pestered me enough to start going. Ideally I want to lean out to 180 and then get into power lifting and build back up to 200ish. Ive found I truly enjoy power lifting. Back when I was lifting at the CF gym I had 955 total. 410 DL 320 squat and 225 bench. The hard part for me is that being a pilot I'm all over the place so I don't have regular access to a good gym. I'm stuck with whatever junk the hotel has.

Thanks for the welcome.

 

Sounds like you had some experiences for sure. Generally people pack on the weight because they do stop some exercise which inhibits fat gain, it's pretty common. What is also common though as I mentioned is people don't know what they are eating. Weight loss and gain is pure science. If you burns 2k calories a day and you consume 2.2k calories a day - you will eventually gain weight. Same goes for losing weight ... 2k... eat 1800... lose.. you get the point.

 

Two a days are going to be the end of me...weights in the AM and cardio in the PM. Everything hurts.

I hate cardio but I’m finally at the point where it’s hard to talk myself into skipping the cardio. It was only a couple weeks ago I was struggling to talk myself into going.

Got a bit more fat to drop before I can finally go on a clean bulk. Can’t wait!

 

Ever think about doing faster cardio in the morning and lifting in the evening?

 

That's awesome you've got the motivation factor on point man-congratulations!

 

I don’t think fasted cardio has much more benefit than non-fasted...but I don’t know for sure. Lifting is more important to me than fat loss and I’m a morning person so I’m my best early in the day. I’ve got everything in order (routine, diet, etc) so now it’s about patience...hence the two a days (my lack of patience).

 

They give you a super stable platform, imagine screwing some plywood to the bottom of your shoes. Definitely very little chance of rolling or rocking. I always squatted in regular tennis shoes so I also noticed just how much give there was in street shoes after I started using squat shoes. There's no give at all so every bit of your energy goes immediately into the push. It actually surprised me.

 

Thanks! My motivation has always been to stick around as long as I can for my son...and not be the fat dad that has to skip activities because I couldn’t keep up. My goal isn’t, and will never be, to be shredded or cut but to be as strong as possible. It’s a great feeling putting new PRs up each time I go for it...even if it’s as small as a 5 pound gain.

 

Right on. I'm with ya!

 

That sounds freaking killer. I’m excited now.

 

The only thing I might caution is since you are used to squatting barefoot, these do have a raised heel which may or may not take a little adjusting to so you don't get pitched forward. It's not huge but just something to be aware of while you are warming up so you're comfortable with the feel before you hit any big weight.

 

Close but not 100% true for all weights. I’ve personally broken a pair of adi powers and romeleos from 600+ pound squats. The plastic used just couldn’t handle 800+ lbs on them. (Me sitting at 275 and then 600+ lbs of weight.) when I squatted my 750# squat I used adipower 3’s and after that squat the shoes were fine but they are not healed. If any heal you have about 1/8” if that of an arch.


The biggest thing about squat shoots when you use them is to remember your email using them. Sit back on your heels. That’s what they are intended for is to get you off your toes and allow you to drive through the back of your heels to utilize your entire leg not just be a quad dominant squatter. As well as to help with mobility issues if any that you may have. As I said earlier. I’ve switched Soley to flat bottom (chucks, vans) for my competition lifts.https://imgur.com/a/3E1N0zA

Not sure you can really tell how small of a raise if any from this angle

 

I personally never got over 600 in the 220 weight class, (I believe my official highest competition squat was 590) but I was still squatting in street shoes. I had planned to try competing in Masters Raw meets when I Finally got some squat shoes so the most I would have probably been doing was high 400's to low 500's. Personally I tried flat sole shoes and I prefer that slightly raised heel-guess it's just what I'm used to. I can sit back plenty and get well below parallel. Maybe my calves are too tight or ankles or whatever since I tend to rock up slightly when I push out of the hole so the raised heel gives me something to push into.

 

https://imgur.com/gallery/jXm5IQD

Here’s you all something to get you woke up. For those that haven’t seen it. We had fun since this was my opener and I was 500% confident it would fly up like a feather, and the fact my kid loves this damn song.

 

Nice poundage on the DL-that is where I always struggled! My DL's always sucked. Cracked me up watching the judge shakin' it to the song! lol So did you get it?!

 

Yeah I finished with a 720 that day on deadlift then a week and half later pulled 755 at an ubsanctioned meet. Went for 800 after that and passed out pulling

 

Ugh! That's some serious pulling! Congratulations.

 

Didn’t realize it only posted 20 seconds. Here’s the rest


https://imgur.com/gallery/zTPPVCg

 

You remind me alot of George Leeman.