triple88a

iTrader: (2)

So its been about 4 months since i've taken a preworkout.. just bought a pack of no-explode... we shall see how i like it. I've never taken it before.

miatauser884

iTrader: (11)

When I took jacked-3D I felt like I wanted to play in traffic.

Calories:

I typically use myfitnesspal to track my calories. I've been trying to consume around 1950 per day because it claims that is what I should eat to loose .5lbs per week. It worked really well when I was working out 3 days a week. I cut out non diet soda, sweet tea, etc. My wife cooks pretty healthy dinner meals. the weekend beer is what gets me, but I'm not trying to live a miserable life either.

After looking at past graphs of my intake it's better than I previuosly posted before this edit. Typically my daily intake is closer to 33% fat, 33% carbs, and 33% protein without supplementing with protein shakes.

viperormiata

iTrader: (24)

I've never a pre-workout before. I'm interested in what you guys have to say about them from experience. I really, really need to add more muscle to my chest.

Dot3

iTrader: (1)

C4 - I didn't feel anything from it (used a sample I had)
ON PRE - didn't get much from it (sample)
Old jack3d - hit hard, but felt like it dropped off pretty fast. Gave a burst if energy and focus. I loved this one but didn't last as long as I would have liked. (I think they banned this one)
Old White flood - gave me plenty of enery and focus but didn't hit as hard. It also lasts longer without and drop off. This is perfect for me because my training sessions can last up to 6 hours.
White flood reborn - I feel I got a little more focus compared to the old white flood.

It would be nice to try pre and c4 a few more times to see if I had an off day. When I tried them I just didn't get that much energy. I just felt like sitting there.

Leafy

iTrader: (1)

naNOx9 hardcore, definitely stopped/reduced failing from lactic acid buildup.
naNO vapor liquid, holy mother I thought I was going to die, Seeing random blotches of colors in my vision and light headed and I only took half a serving like the directions recommended for first use and it still fucked me up.

triple88a

iTrader: (2)

I fucked up my liver on white flood... was yellow for 2 months with bilirubin levels of 30something (normal is bellow 2). How do i know it was white flood? I started drinking it, 2 weeks later my symptoms began.

Why do you think that garbage was taken off the market?

Personally i love Assault... tons of endurance. Say you bench 250 first set, next set u go down 240, then down to 225, then down to 185 etc as u get more and more tired. With assault you will do 250, then go down to 240, then you'll stay at say 230 for few more sets.

JasonC SBB

I watched a couple of "starting strength" youtube vids on squats and deads, then downloaded a free Kindle sample of the guy's book

The sample includes the squats and deads chapters. I'll be trying the tips out.

miatauser884

iTrader: (11)

I felt like a real DB squating just a 45lb. My legs are still sore and I have squats again tonight. Going to parallel or slightly below is what really gets you. I'm glad I'm now glad I started where I did. i think it will help build a solid base. Get my body used to the form before the weight gets heavy.

I added in a couple sets of pullups, but I think I am going to knock that **** off too. I'm going to strictly adhere to the routine.

I need to take my fatty pre pics and see how I look in 12 weeks. I suspect it will work for me longer than 12 weeks.

Scrappy Jack

iTrader: (2)

I agree that it feels silly to start with the lighter weight, but I also agree with you that getting the form correct with light weight is important. Also, it will add up quickly. My starting weights were a little higher than just the bar because I had been doing most of those exercises already (just not in the SL5x5 routines) and had recent baselines to work from.

Mehdi also has some videos online you should review if you haven't already for tips on form and technique.

I definitely concur that proper-form parallel squats are a lot harder than what I was doing before. Depending on your gym, be prepared to be really annoyed when you find all the squat racks are full of guys doing deadlifts, barbell curls, and everything except squats.

Also, learn not to be that guy. The squat rack is for squats. You can do everything else without the rack as long as there are extra barbells. For instance, we have a bunch of benches at my gym (several each of flat, incline, and a decline) so there is always one unused. We only have 3 squat racks. If I am doing deadlifts or overhead presses, I just take a bar from an empty bench and find a spot with enough space to work.

I am trying to stick very closely with the routine for at least 12 weeks. You can't say it does or doesn't work if you don't actually do the routine. In my case, I have a hard time being strict with 3x per week due to an unpredictable work schedule.

That said, I do incorporate a 3-5 minute, high intensity warmup (interval run or jump rope) and try to have a stretching period at least at the end of the workout. I will sometimes also work in some days with plyometric, ab, and core-specific stuff but no other weight routines.

For example, Fri = SL(A), Sat = jog + plyo routine, Sun = SL(B).

I'm bad about it, but taking pics every couple of weeks would probably be beneficial to track progress. I can't get enough precision in my cheap body fat percentage calipers to tell between 11-13%, for example (and no way to tell if the nominal value is at all useful). My weight fluctuates a little, but I'm really not concerned about that number. I'm concerned with (1) getting stronger and (2) looking better.

miatauser884

iTrader: (11)

I learned that by being the DB doing standing lat pulls in the rack. I got a "Excuse me sir, how many more sets do you have? I need to do some squats."

I thought ****, I could be doing these without a rack. Then I thought, sir?, do I look like a sir?

triple88a

iTrader: (2)

Heres the thing.. form>weight. Once you get the form down you will start going up however if you start lifting heavier with **** form you will get used to **** form and eventually it will catch up to you and your body will start hurting and you wont be able to increase the weight u lift because of it.

Personal story, when i started benching i started with **** form.. no one told me better so i got up to about 200lb. My shoulders were hurting bad, overall my bench felt unstable so i hit what felt like a platoe.. went back down to 185ish for a month, fixed my form and thats when i started going up. about half a year later i hit 315 and then 2ish months later i did my 350 1 rep max.

viperormiata

iTrader: (24)

x2

I ordered this to add to my current whey protein after I lift. It's really, really, really hard to gain muscle on a 1300-2000 calorie diet with under 50grams of carbs. Leaning out is fun and all, but I can't wait to reach 190lbs so I can start packing on muscle.

I'm doing squats tomorrow before work. Saw this and it fit perfectly.

viperormiata

iTrader: (24)

Started my final (I hope) cut to get down to 190lbs. I'm at 210 right now.

I'll give updates on Mondays.

Diet is strict Keto; 1500-1800 calories depending on the day.

Workout routine is still the same; lift, abs, HIIT treadmill, more abs. I'll be switching each week from lifting for volume to lifting 2x6 leading with a dropset.

triple88a

iTrader: (2)

Well guys after about half a week on NO-Xplode i must say i'm disappointed. I dont feel any different from before and my body should be very sensitive to it since i havent taken any preworkouts since january. Well i dont feel ****. No pump, nothing... other than my stomach feeling like its full of gas so lots of burping.

A preworkout that i love is MP Assault. Gives me a pump and gives me tons of endurance and would recommend it. Do a month (max) on, a month + off cycle so your body doesnt get used to the crap. On the month off buy caffeine pills from walgreens if ur body isnt bad with caffeine and take 1 pill before your workout (200 mg). More than 1 has a negative effect.

mgeoffriau

iTrader: (7)

You just described the situation that started my health/fitness/diet journey. The only difference is that I was never really overweight -- but I was "skinny fat" despite being fairly active. I had low muscle mass and was getting a small paunch and layer of subcutaneous fat. I had extreme energy swings that affected my mood; functionally, I was bipolar. When my blood sugar dropped, it would get so bad that I literally lacked the emotional energy to find something to eat even though I knew that's what would make me feel better.

Thyroid problems and various autoimmune disorders run in my family, so I had levels checked but everything came back normal. The doctor said that based on my health history and symptoms, that I should investigate "reactive hypoglycemia" (not normal hypoglycemia) and consider adjusting my diet/lifestyle. He also pointed me to a study done that suggests a correlation between reactive hypoglycemia and small-framed, highly-intelligent children.

Initially I was really frustrated. Most of the typical advice was really just a coping mechanism -- not a solution. Eat small meals more frequently, keep a snack handy so you don't crash, eat your sweets or carbs along with protein, etc.

Then I started on the Primal/Paleo stuff and never looked back. Now it's no problem for me to go 5, 6, even 7 hours between meals. I often have "bulletproof" coffee in the morning (coconut oil and unsalted butter whisked in) and it holds me until well through the lunch hour if necessary. Even when I begin to feel hungry, my actual energy level doesn't plummet like it used to -- I can still function like a normal, happy human being.

triple88a

iTrader: (2)

I'm thinking of working out twice a day now. Hmm.

JasonC SBB

Geez, the above points accurately describe me.

Scrappy Jack

iTrader: (2)

Get a job.

y8s

iTrader: (8)

you guys must hang out on the same internets.

viperormiata

iTrader: (24)

Yo, yo. Down to 208lbs. Cut seems to be working. Abs are starting to show more naturally now. Still hitting the weights hard.

A good article sent to me from a friend. Your Cardio Routine is Making You Fat | Yahoo! Health

I sent it to my former running partner (he's too slow, now) and I bet you he will dispute it saying he just needs to run more.