FIT.Y.E.R.O. (Meathead, wellness, fitness, diet, exercise) Thread

[ROGUE_]

-That was a good MindPump episode. I don’t listen to those pods often because every single one will make you think you need to change something in your workout it seems.

Preworkout being a placebo makes sense and I’ve looked at it for years as more a ritual when I do it vs an actual supplement but I don’t often take anymore.

Isometric exercises will definitely be added in as they’re better than walking or running to decrease BP, very interesting.

PT141 sounds interesting .

-Now that I have the cold tub and sauna back going just in time for Hurricane season I’ve forgotten how hard the sauna can be. It’s way harder than a cold tub, cold tub gets more bearable as you go, sauna gets worse the longer you’re in there. Building back up now and have been doing some contrast therapy almost every evening.

 

[ROGUE_]

I’m on week 4 of high rep sets, drop sets, etc. I will say that I can definitely feel it in my knee and elbow tendons/ligaments much more than I ever have doing heavy sets. Obviously it’s a lot more use, this is possibly the last week of it but man I like how I look so we’ll see. I really just wanted to switch it up for a bit to see what happened but it appears that MindPump is as correct.

 

[anthonys735]

If you want to do some increased reps maybe try BFR. Talk about a pump.

 

[ROGUE_]

I’ve listened to pods and read about BFR but not sure exactly if I’d want to do that. Apparently it works though. I’m interested to see if my body is going to adjust to my high reps or it’s just doing high reps causes this post 40. If my elbow gets worse I’ll stop, had forearm splints once post college and that was the worst, probably from doing 21s and burnouts/dropsets, etc.

They should make HgH maintenance level legal and affordable. Just 2-3 IUs a day for anti-aging and joint health/recovery. I don’t see anything wrong with that.

 

[ROGUE_]

The Paul Carter liftrunbang guy anth rec’d has interesting ideas and points but he also shaves his arms so not sure if I can trust him at all. Obviously makes poor decisions from the jump but he does say exactly what my lady always says, you don’t need a caloric surplus to gain muscle mass, maintenance is just fine if you’re dialed in.

 

[anthonys735]

BFR is great for injuries. That's where it's used most. You can get the benefit of heavy weights at a fraction of the load. It's just limited to arms and legs. Maybe a little shoulders.

 

[warrior-cat]

Kind of late to the party, been reading and have determined most here put a lot more effort into this than I, but I do work out 6 days a week moderate to light heavy strength training. My eating habits are kind of bad but what you gonna do.

Anyway, I have a question maybe already answered so apologies if so but have any of you incorporated the dead hang and the farmers walk into your regimen and if so, has it improved balance, core strength, back health, and other benefits claimed by those pushing it?

 

[Hank Camacho]

Dead hang what? Clean? Snatch?

 

[Bonzo_Cat]

BFR is great for injuries. That's where it's used most. You can get the benefit of heavy weights at a fraction of the load. It's just limited to arms and legs. Maybe a little shoulders.

Have had a nagging twinge in my left arm/hand so seeing this conversation had me break out the SAGA cuffs. 10-15 minutes use or a couple sets of bi's/tri's for 6-8 reps gives one hell of a pump and an invaluable tool for older seasoned lifters without heavily taxing your joints/tendons.

I could see them being useful for some pulling and pushing lifts, if nothing else, to work those stabilizer, secondary muscles. But they're biggest benefit is for your appendage focused lifts.

 

[anthonys735]

Farmers is one of my favorite exercises. Compound, functional, hits nearly all muscles. Should definitely be in everyone's program.

I've never done a time dead hang. Been working on pullups though.

 

[warrior-cat]

Dead hang what? Clean? Snatch?

Just hanging from a pull up bar or any kind of cross bar for about 20-30 seconds each time for three sets and doing it everyday until you can hang for a couple of minutes.

 

[Hank Camacho]

Just hanging from a pull up bar or any kind of cross bar for about 20-30 seconds each time for three sets and doing it everyday until you can hang for a couple of minutes.

Ah. Attia's standards.

I don't work on hangs per se. I just make sure I do at least a few pull-ups most days and work on going as fast as possible on the up and as slow as possible on the descent. I might try to time a hang just to see.

If you are really wanting to build up grip strength, hang one of those cheap pull-up bars on your bathroom door. Make yourself hang for 30 seconds every time you walk through the door and you'll be at 2 minutes in no time. "Greasing the groove" is the best way Ive ever found to increase pull-ups.

On farmers walks, I do alot more suitcase carries (i.e. one hand farmers carry). It sounds like cheating. It is not. Far, far harder. The next day you'll have soreness in abs you never knew you had.

 

[creeksman]

I’ve noticed lately the pump is crazy. I look like a sloppy dad bod when I walk in and like a gym rat (definite exaggeration but you get the point) on the way out. Not sure if it means anything.

Also noticed my strength peaks somewhere between my 5th-8th set. In my 20s, it would peak on like my 3rd. I don’t know if it means I have more stamina or if it just takes longer to warm up now.

 

[ROGUE_]

I’ve noticed lately the pump is crazy. I look like a sloppy dad bod when I walk in and like a gym rat (definite exaggeration but you get the point) on the way out. Not sure if it means anything.

Also noticed my strength peaks somewhere between my 5th-8th set. In my 20s, it would peak on like my 3rd. I don’t know if it means I have more stamina or if it just takes longer to warm up now.

Yeah very common feeling, we all wish we always looked like we do leaving the gym. That’s why bodybuilder comps and
wrestlers are lifting before they come out on stage. Great news you’re seeing the difference now though, good sign.

 

[Hank Camacho]

I mixed things up today and supersetted ring dips and pullups followed by sandbag clean and presses and then sandbag carries. I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight.

 

[Anon1711055878]

They should make HgH maintenance level legal and affordable. Just 2-3 IUs a day for anti-aging and joint health/recovery. I don’t see anything wrong with that.

I just started semorelin injections a few nights a week. I’ll update after 90 days. It isn’t hgh but it is supposed to stimulate the pituitary gland to release it.

 

[anthonys735]

Last 2 weeks are probably my least efforted work outs in the last... decade. I still lifted a few times each week, had 2 nice bike rides, was active around the house and such. Nothing compared to my normal MWF full body, heavy weight, low rep + 1 day of hard cardio + 1 day of light cardio.

Back in the workshop today and I felt unbelievable. Just reinforcing to me that less is more with this ****. Diet and recovery are so important. Not earthshattering that Diet is 1.

For us olds, I think there's a strong case rest and recovery is #2 with resistance training at #3 and cardio at #4.

 

[pretzel__logic]

Same boat, Anth. I was solo with the baby the last week of July while husband was on his golf trip and then we went out of town part of last week. It was just about surviving and advancing with a teething kid who is about to be walking into everything instead of just crawling and climbing any second. We should be back to normal this week and I CANNOT WAIT. Hoping the additional rest from barbell stuff translates into some solid workouts this week. Leggo atkot.

 

[Hank Camacho]

For us olds, I think there's a strong case rest and recovery is #2 with resistance training at #3 and cardio at #4.

For me at least, sleep and recovery are NUMBER ONE with a bullet, asterisk, exclamation point, and in italics. That is one thing I love about the Whoop -- it allows me to match the intensity of my workout to my recovery. I don't even attempt a kettlebell workout unless I'm in the yellow. I will substitute a mobility session or a walk, even if I subjectively feel fine.

I've been tracking and the hot tub dramatically improves my recovery. Thankfully, it is getting cool enough in the evening again to use it.

On a related note, olympic rings and a sandbag whipped this ol' boy's *** yesterday. For @warrior-cat, I added 30 second holds on the rings and dead hangs from the bar after the supersets. Much more difficult than I'd like to admit!

 

[anthonys735]

Yeah, if your diet is already somewhat reasonable then rest and recovery would probably be 1. Those are the 2 you'd want to triage and start with which is most out of whack. Poor sleep is pretty well connected to just about every awful negative health event you can imagine.

Good for you having the ability to moderate a workout if you aren't well rested. I'll still fight through a bad night sleep, or after a night off boozing... which probably isn't smart. I'm still fighting off some those demons that Kook is currently fighting. That mentality of working it to death, rather than smarter not harder, is a tough one to completely get rid of.

Pretzel, I'd imagine any kind of progress with a teething baby is about impossible. The mental escape has to be most benefit in a hard workout with that stress and lack of rest.

 

[pretzel__logic]

I'm counting both husband and I actually getting our meal prep done and both back in exercise routines as positive progress at the moment haha

I was tight on time last night so I did this circuit. Whew, my cardio is TERRIBLE but it felt good. ~15 minutes to finish it.
4 rounds of each:

1. 10 stiff-legged deadlifts - 135#
2. 15 KB swings against light (purple) resistance band - 45#
3. 15 hip thrusts - 90#

I realized halfway through I should have mixed in a quad exercise but oh well, I've been putting an emphasis on posterior chain anyway.

 

[anthonys735]

MP guys swear by 15-20 minute workouts 5-6 times a week for new parents or people in high stress environment. I've never tried.

 

[Hank Camacho]

If pretzel is practicing law in addition to raising a toddler and nursing a husband, she's a bad MFer for getting any workouts in whatsoever. Respect.

 

[Johnnie Africa]

I’ve settled into a groove the last 7 months where I do a big 1 hr workout one day a week, 2 20 minute workouts, and 30 min workout with 3 days rest. Seems to be sustainable anyway,

 

[Hank Camacho]

I’ve settled into a groove the last 7 months where I do a big 1 hr workout one day a week, 2 20 minute workouts, and 30 min workout with 3 days rest. Seems to be sustainable anyway,

Gonna need more details than that, Ron.

 

[Johnnie Africa]

Gonna need more details than that, Ron.

so Tuesday is only day I can go to gym so I do legs and chest that day with big machines

All other days are my home gym where I have a cable rack machine so Thursday biceps and core for 20 mins. Friday Peloton and Triceps 30 mins. Then either Saturday or Sunday (depending on which day I’m least hungover) just random assortment of **** with cables which is pretty disorganized honestly.

I used to do Peloton twice but I only do it once now, mainly because I dread cardio. However I always feel better after doing it and cardio is what I struggle most with whether I should do more or not. I work an active job though so I feel it’s not as important but I’m not really sure tbh

 

[ROGUE_]

After my month of high rep low weight, which was good for me but not sustainable on the joints, the last two days I’ve started on a functional strength program.

KB one leg planted and lunging back and forth with abdominal rotation with the other and then switching.

KB bulgarians.

KB lateral lunges (elevated).

Landmine curl to cross body press.

KB jumping lunges.

KB step ups.

Renegade rows.

Standing 1 arm Landmine high pulls.

GHR+med ball over head then slam/press once back level.

Etc. etc. really digging it so far, partly because it’s so different. I need to do some more functional things going into the new career. Will definitely still do traditional squats, deads, bench as well but not as often through the program.

 

[ROGUE_]

And after making the mistake of introducing the lady to Rhonda Patrick we are now adding in 1-2 days/week of the Norwegian 4x4. Honestly I need it, it doesn’t take long, and I’m glad she’s there to make the push for me. My VO2 max could use some work. Plus, many of the stations during downtime will go outside to the bay and do a WOD style workout and I don’t want to be the meathead that’s gassed after 5 minutes…

 

[pretzel__logic]

If pretzel is practicing law in addition to raising a toddler and nursing a husband, she's a bad MFer for getting any workouts in whatsoever. Respect.

This means a lot. Thank you, Wildcat Friend

 

[pretzel__logic]

Powered by the niceness of Hank’s comment I squatted 275 today, which is the heaviest straight weight I’ve done since before the baby. Also had a nice 250 double before that. Both 10 lbs up from May-ish!

 

[Kooky Kats]

Love it, Pretz. Ease back in, be safe.🫶

I missed my personal beach body challenge comparison pic from 30 years ago but close. Need more work, but I’m not embarrassed by my appearance anymore. I look and feel good. So there’s that.

I will work hard thru the fall and winter… see where I land.

 

[anthonys735]

Kook looks great. Keep it up. You're to the point now where everything gets harder. Gains and body fat get more difficult to move. Just stay the course.

 

[warrior-cat]

For me at least, sleep and recovery are NUMBER ONE with a bullet, asterisk, exclamation point, and in italics. That is one thing I love about the Whoop -- it allows me to match the intensity of my workout to my recovery. I don't even attempt a kettlebell workout unless I'm in the yellow. I will substitute a mobility session or a walk, even if I subjectively feel fine.

I've been tracking and the hot tub dramatically improves my recovery. Thankfully, it is getting cool enough in the evening again to use it.

On a related note, olympic rings and a sandbag whipped this ol' boy's *** yesterday. For @warrior-cat, I added 30 second holds on the rings and dead hangs from the bar after the supersets. Much more difficult than I'd like to admit!

I am doing it three times a week during my upper body workouts. Will see how it works out after this month is through. 30 seconds at this point is as long as I can hang at on time. Doing it four times during my workouts.

 

[warrior-cat]

If pretzel is practicing law in addition to raising a toddler and nursing a husband, she's a bad MFer for getting any workouts in whatsoever. Respect.

I am a big proponent of the saying "You can find time to work out if you really want to do it." Sometimes it requires time/workout modifications but...

My biggest concern at this point for me is, recovery days. At my age (68) I have read between 2 and three days (preferably, the latter). I do upper body Mon. Wed. and Friday. Lower body Tue. Thu. and Saturday. Sunday is total off day. However, I make my middle days between both upper and lower (Wed. and Thu.) light workouts not pushing hard those days. More stretching, light muscle strength, with a workout on Bob, hanging bag, and BAZ System martial arts workout. (Katas included).

All of this has helped me maintain a pretty good level of fitness. (Nutrition needs to improve but...) I am still in good enough shape to play softball (beer league of course). My wife asked me a year or so ago when I was going to quit playing ball. I told her "When teams quit calling asking me to play".

 

[Hank Camacho]

@warrior-cat when is the last time you tried just doing full body workouts three times per week? That extra recovery might allow better overall results.

We are taking a weekend trip in a few weeks. Going to Cincy and I hope to get in a ton of walking at the zoo, a Reds game, etc. I scheduled a Bod Pod appointment a few days after. That is going to add just a little angel on my shoulder if I want to get too rowdy in the big town. Hopefully my stupid *** bathroom scale is wrong and I'm not 32% bodyfat. We shall see!

 

[warrior-cat]

@warrior-cat when is the last time you tried just doing full body workouts three times per week? That extra recovery might allow better overall results.

Never. Probably would have to adjust the amount of time spent during workout days by going a little longer. Right now, I work out between an hour to an hour and a half each day. I spend a little more rest periods between sets because of age. Plus, even on my heavier days, I still incorporate some MA workouts.

 

[anthonys735]

Hell of grind for a 68yo, congrats.

No way you're 32%. Did you order the metabolic rate test as well?

 

[Hank Camacho]

No. What is it?

 

[warrior-cat]

Hell of grind for a 68yo, congrats.

No way you're 32%. Did you order the metabolic rate test as well?

Yeah. still in pretty good shape even though I ballooned to a little over 230lbs a few years back. I have since reeled it in a bit and was weighing in at 202lbs this morning. Over 230 pictured below with one of my students who was preparing for a tournament. She won her age and belt and overall grand champion that year and the next. She is a very good listener and takes it all seriously. Used to be a gymnast.

 

[Hank Camacho]

Damn, warrior. You're swole for someone your age!

Anfernee, I went ahead and signed up for the metabolic rate test. I'm assuming they will tell me how many calories I need to eat a day at the end. Marcus Welby.

Just knocked out 14 rounds of my single arm complex with the 24k (53lb) bell for the first time and then followed it with the Cook Drill (with each hand do a waiter's carry, rack carry, and suitcase carry with a kettlebell without setting it down) with same weight. I did not intend to push it but my wife and I both had one of those great nights of sleep where you both get deep rest and I had a 97% Whoop recovery score and just let it rip. Gonna sleep like a baby tonight.