Motivation /Tracking Thread

[Big A]

Yep, size and low rep strength will absolutely murder your stamina, as it's not all that cardiovascular in nature. Training for one works against you for the other. Keep your rep ranges higher, 12-16, and eat for lean energy.

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[D. Lil]

I think what he is saying is, being a beast won't get you through the humps. Big muscles need more oxygen and that means more cardio to move them...maybe.?. Work on endurance at low weight heavy reps above 15-20 for 4 or 5 sets. Work on your core and lower back. A weak lower back and core isn't going to support your spine and adding rucks to your back make it worse. Protect your lower back and spine as much as you can. Older you, will thank younger you, later in life.

Exactly. Still lift, just put the emphasis on rucking and running. Like you said it will suck no matter what but being a PT stud will make it that much easier.

[SS Junk]

Weight is slowly coming off. Started at 275lbs and now down to 238. Has taken 2.5 years, but haven't lost any strength as of yet. Also have been a few bumps in the road where weight was gained back, but whatevs...

[davbrucas]

Gotcha.

The ranger school prep program is just that. Lots of running and endurance things.

You know what you need to focus on...if you could have passed the PT test then you'd be well on your way to battalion to await a slot in Ranger School. Don't fuck up your second chance if you get one!

[Big A]

I hit a milestone over the weekend, so I thought I'd post up an update, and share what's working. I finally got back below 220lbs, and the net loss to this point is 36lbs, with my end goal being 200lbs.

The biggest change for this latest cut has been working out first thing in the morning, which has been helping two-fold. First is the fact that I lift first and then do 40 minutes on the elliptical, so I'm doing fasted cardio with all glycogen depleted, as I only have a pre-workout (C4) beforehand. Secondly is that I'm not able to get to bed any earlier because of the baby, so it's hard to get up in the morning, which makes me a lot les likely to eat junk that will work against me.

I'm averaging less than a pound per week lost, but I'm also not losing any strength, which has always been the first thing to make me derail my diet, nor am I ever feeling super restricted at the dinner table. I'm not in any hurry anymore, Tanya tells me not to lose any more weight actually, but I can say that it is rather frustrating to have come so far, and still see the extra 20lbs to go.

A big motivating factor that keeps me going at this point is how much easier I move today, and I look forward to getting that much more capable of chasing a toddler around, and eventually supporting whatever outdoor activities will come down the road. I'm also looking forward to sleeping in again at some point.

[SS Junk]

Running is not for me. Messed up my MCL. My brother-in-law is a marathon runner and thinks the reason is due to heal strikes. I had no idea WTF that was until I looked it up and sure enough I could see my feet way ahead of me when I would run. Bad juju for a 240lb fat fuck. Didn't realize there was technique to running.

I hit a milestone over the weekend,

You ever having issues with the leg you broke?

[Big A]

You ever having issues with the leg you broke?

Not in regards to training or cardio, but I do the elliptical because of the lower impact to the knees and such. I have run plenty in the past though, and didn't have any problems with the broken leg, even as a 255lb fat fuck.

What's killing me these past few years is my lower back, it's constantly at some level of sore, and I haven't done squats or leg sled in a while. It's worse after working around the house all weekend than it ever was after leg day.

[SS Junk]

Do you dead lift?

[Big A]

Not anymore, heavy squats and deadlifts used to be a staple, but I've stopped them completely as not to do any further damage. I'm stuck doing extra sets of relatively light extensions and curls.

[SS Junk]

You don't think doing them for reps instead of weight would help?

[KBScobravert]

I found good mornings and straight leg deadlifts helped my lower back pains go away when doing squats and regular deadlifts.

[Big A]

It very well may be an issue of weak supporting muscles, but I've honestly not been wanting to push anything lately with those movements, thinking it's something more permanent. The other side of the coin is that I know what I'm able to do to keep up strength, but then again, what's that worth if my core is being neglected almost completely.

I've spent several decades in one frame of mind (get big and strong), and it's hard to think away for that. Even my dieting plan is in line with that, it's hard to let go, until the body forces it, as apparently it has.

[R1psycho]

Currently I'm sitting at 237, slowly leaning out and getting more vascular. Still chasing my beginning of year goals. I haven't had the desire to go heavier than 500 on deads, bench is coming along, still far away from my goal by year end. Just been progressing slowly to avoid injury.

[KBScobravert]

Had a yearly physical today at the hospital in Dubai. The doc was extremely pleased with my transformation. We have to include a copy of our passport and he looked at it, then me, then the photo again, and didn't believe it was the same person. That photo was Dec 2015 and I was 220. Today I scaled in at 179 dressed which put my BMI at 27.5. Which even he said is a terrible measure of health since it was clear that I am carrying more muscle than that BMI which calls me "pre obese" indicates.

BP was great for me. 123/78. But my ECG shows an "slight inversion in T1" but I had the same thing going on last year at my pre deployment physical. He said since I am on a statin and BP med he wasn't gonna worry about it and signed me off as fit for duty.

Just have to wait for the blood work to come back. Fucks took 11 vials of blood today. Hopefully my cholesterol and reds are in check enough to pass.

Also ran into a coworker who I haven't seen since last July. He couldn't believe I was the same person.

Tomorrow starts day 1 of this R&R and I have no desire to take a day off from the gym. Got to keep this trend going. I even got a decent workout yesterday in the hotel gym.

Hopefully everyone else is still at it.

[KBScobravert]

Currently I'm sitting at 237, slowly leaning out and getting more vascular. Still chasing my beginning of year goals. I haven't had the desire to go heavier than 500 on deads, bench is coming along, still far away from my goal by year end. Just been progressing slowly to avoid injury.

Way to go. I saw a huge increase in leaning out when I cut out carbs, simple sugars, and fruits. Switched to a more ketogenic style of eating but not full keto. Took about 2 weeks but suddenly I could tell a huge difference in the mirror and the way my clothes fit and my veins started popping out of my arms.

That along with 50 to 100yrd sprints for cardio and intermittent fasting. 7 hours to eat and 17 hours of fast a day.

There is no way I could even budge 500 off the floor on a deadlift. lol But I am able to get 2 reps of 225 on the bench which is a huge milestone for me.

I was injury free for most of this year until 2 weeks ago and I pulled a hamstring pretty badly.