2009: TFB's Road to Buff

[Android]

woah 150kg stiff legs! that's a deadlift weight for most mate, awesome :-)

I feel for you on the BB rows, perhaps dumbbells on an incline bench can afford you more flexibility in position and you can pull back further than a bar (bar stops at chest) to get good squeeze in, just a thought

[gazza]

good effort on the stifflegged deads mate, how's the weight loss going? diet looking pretty good. croissant early in the day won't hurt mate, hope it was a chocolate one :nod:

[teamfatboy]

Go the 150kg!! Fantastic stuff!!!!! :clap: :clap: :clap:

Croissants make you stronger!??

Of course they do... although perhaps paying attention to creatine and meal timings before the workout might have had something to do with it.

Of course, the "no carbs after dark" rule may be harder to adhere to now that long winter nights are coming :roll:

I've never really experimented with that DB incline row - but I can see how it'd work. The 'retracting' was a comment from my PT about the top of the lift - and when I nail it, it sets a fire going.... the only way to get results!

I'll be interested to see how my next deadlift goes - I've been lucky with good hamstring strength, but I'm feeling more able to tie the legs/back connection together than's previously been the case.

[nicksmith3]

Monday 11 May

Stifflegs 7x4

[Warm-up, 2x 10x 60kg] 100kg 120 120 140 140 150 150kg PB :dancing: woot woot! Starting to feel the mind-muscle connection, managed to keep back flat, torque the hammies and pull cleanly. Happy with that!

Solid DEADS brah!

Zimmer race...

[teamfatboy]

Tuesday 12th...

Rushed workout - really just squats. Work n things got in the way.

BB Squats 7x4

[Warm-up 2x 10x 60kg] 100kg 100 120 120 140 140 and then an attempt at 4x 150kg - managed a couple of singles, and a couple of doubles, but couldn't string together four safe lifts in a row. It was close, tho... next time for sure.

Think it might be time for a belt - haven't really understood how it'd work until now, but found myself wanting to brace abs against something...

Mind you, I think I'll also be getting one of NickSmith3's Zimmer frames - I like the blue one...is that the Zimmer equivalent of 21-inch chromies, ya reckon?

[autechre]

Mind you, I think I'll also be getting one of NickSmith3's Zimmer frames - I like the blue one...is that the Zimmer equivalent of 21-inch chromies, ya reckon?

I think you can pimp it a little more like this :grin:

[nicksmith3]

Mind you, I think I'll also be getting one of NickSmith3's Zimmer frames - I like the blue one...is that the Zimmer equivalent of 21-inch chromies, ya reckon?

I think you can pimp it a little more like this :grin:

LOL!

Tuesday 12th...

Rushed workout - really just squats. Work n things got in the way.

BB Squats 7x4

[Warm-up 2x 10x 60kg] 100kg 100 120 120 140 140 and then an attempt at 4x 150kg - managed a couple of singles, and a couple of doubles, but couldn't string together four safe lifts in a row. It was close, tho... next time for sure.

Think it might be time for a belt - haven't really understood how it'd work until now, but found myself wanting to brace abs against something...

Mind you, I think I'll also be getting one of NickSmith3's Zimmer frames - I like the blue one...is that the Zimmer equivalent of 21-inch chromies, ya reckon?

Mate, you're gonna have to hold off on my zimmers! I'm using the lot after incline treadmill jogging! :grin:

Belts are all good. Especially if you feel like your hitting a lot of lower back.. If you get an injury and you're out for a few months, you're probably not gonna grow during that time. Prevention brah! We want you 'growing'

[SoaringSwine]

Big squats there TFB!

[teamfatboy]

Thanks, SS. What's your views on belts? Good idea, or am I better off working on core strength some more yet?

[laurasaur]

I think belts are good for your heavy sets only. You need to try and maintain core strength also, don't get lazy with the belt

[SoaringSwine]

Definately use a belt on your top sets.

Proper use of a belt doesn't inhibit core development. The key to using a belt is using it as a brace, rather than a core replacement. Wear it tight, but loose enough to you can still brace your abs into it hard. It basically just maximises your core's potential strength.

[teamfatboy]

Thanks guys..that pretty much clears it up for me. I was planning to "belt-up" for the heaviest stuff only... those hi-weight, lo-rep sets...and SS

s description explaines it nicely.

I've no desire to concede core strength - so much as secure just enough support to grind out the last couple of reps.

[gazza]

if your form is good and your lifts are progressing why bother with a belt?

i don't use one for deads or squats(i do have one) anymore and don'y feel the need to be honest.

surely if your midsection gets used to 'bracing' against something when you don't use a belt for other sets surely it would increase the potential for your midsection to bulge out looking for that support?

thoughts??

[teamfatboy]

Fair points.... happy to hear differing views.

Once I get past 150kg, I'm past any previous PB's, so I'm keen not to f&^k with my back.

The reason I raised it was that, on a couple of occasions during that last set journalled, I was finding it hard to gain enough leverage to keep my back from rounding over, despite keeping head up and looking at the ceiling. I'd drive with the glutes/quads, hips would rise, but it took a monumental effort to ensure that shoulders didn't round-over and set me up to get stapled. By then core was fatigued, so not as capable of helping as in the early sets.

But, if belts are not for the final few reps of the heaviest sets (my own heaviest sets, that is) when would they be used, or are you saying they're not of any use?

[gazza]

merely saying that i don't use one and on occasions when i have my form has gotten sloppy resulting in injury on one occasion.

very much an individual thing imo. if you are having problems as stated above then you may well benefit from using a good belt. for me personally i don't feel it necessary, but if weights keep climbing or i get bulied into trying a one rep max then i will look at using my belt for the purpose it was designed instead of hanging weights from it when i do dips :grin:

good luck, your lifts are definately climbing consistantly mate so i'm sure we will know what you decide very soon :nod:

[teamfatboy]

Thanks Gazza...I think one thing I'm going to have to pay more attention to is precise foot placement - making sure foot/ankle aligns accurately with knees for either a regular-stance or sumo squats. Knees have been grizzling for a week now after that effort.

Of course, there could be a lot of reasons - I would have normally done some other stuff as well to work the whole joint (like some iso extensions to hit the teardrop), as well as other muscle groups, in the same w/o - but 'cos of time, this was basically just the squats.

It's all good tho... next goal's to nail the 150s and move on out. I've still kinda got in mind that if I got to 180 by Xmas, that'd be good (part of a plan to get close to the 1000lb club).

[teamfatboy]

Tuesday 19th

Making good with what I could find..

15m bike to warm-up

DB Bench - 4x 25 at 16kg e/s

Cable Curls 4x 10 at no-idea-how much, plates not calibrated

DB Flies - 4x 25 at 12kg e/s

DB Concent curls 4x 10 at 10kg e/s

DB Front Raise s/s with DB Side raise, 3x 10 at 8kg e/s, 1x 10 at 10kg e/s

And an hour later the burn continues! Moving from low rep range (bb bench was 7x 4 reps most recently) to high rep range (4x 25 reps) really shook things up!

[laurasaur]

yay for the burn

[teamfatboy]

Thursday 21st

Back and triceps (and before folks comment, yes, maybe it should have been chest-tris the other day, and back-biceps today..but it wasn't :grin: )

Cable Rows 4x25 - no idea of weights, - superset with

DB Skullcrushers 4x10 with 12kg dbs

Cable Shrugs 4x25 - again, no idea of weights - superset with

DB Close Grip Press 4x10 with 16kg dbs

DB Single-arm rows 2x 25 with 20kg db - superset with

Cable Pushdowns 4x10, no idea of weights.

Good workout, got a feeling Ms DOMS is on her way to visit my traps and lats later....

[Small]

Back and triceps (and before folks comment, yes, maybe it should have been chest-tris the other day, and back-biceps today..but it wasn't :grin: )

nah thats all good way-ive started chest/bis and back/tris, leaves the arms component less fatigued, if the major muscle group is the dominant workout, meaning you can go heavier and harder. its waee good imo

[teamfatboy]

's kinda what I thought. Musta done some good, chest's still grizzling from Tuesday, so clearly I was able to hit the major muscle group hard, and biceps were tender too...

so yep, all good. :nod:

[teamfatboy]

Tuesday 26th - back into it with a vengeance.

Deadlifts 6x6

[Warm-up 2x 10 x 60kg] 100 100 120 120 140 140kg... not the best, was hoping to get to 150s but wasn't a happening thing. Next time :nod:

SM CG Press 3x 12

40kg 40 45kg - got the angles right, set triceps alight!

Assisted Chins 3x12

-40, -45, -50 (kg assist)

Standing BB Curls 3x12

3 sets at 22.5kg. Scrupulous form, had the 'little PT' voice in my head cutting out all the cheats. Weight doesn't sound like much, but that just means there's room for improvement.

Wasn't really firing - was a meal behind where I normally am, but if what I was feeling was the CNS totally fritzed, then clearly I was training hard enough.

And I was talking to someone today about this, so wtf...

[marky65]

I think those pants might be a bit big for you TFB...Time to go down a few sizes or just make sure you wear a belt!!... :pfft:

Great effort :clap: :clap:

[teamfatboy]

They're old pics (from around 2006) that I took after doing a programme similar to BFL. I threw them up to show that BFL can work for anyone... if I wasn't so damned attached to my account name, I'd change it!

[laurasaur]

I reckon its time for a pictorial update