OFFICIAL WORKOUT/TRAINING THREAD v2.0

[Gerbs]

Originally Posted by mikemhg

I think you'd be surprised how little you really need in terms of protein to be efficient. I believe people way overestimate their caloric needs to build/maintain muscle, your job also makes a big difference, for example if you're working a sedentary job, the calories you need day to day are much lower in general.

My job is sedentary, so I'm able to intermittent fast and skip quite a number of meals and still maintain a substantial amount of muscle, I might only eat 2000 calories a day, usually 1-2 meals only.

If you're working in construction for example, your needs are going to be completely different. You also need to take your body composition into account. Are those high grams of protein intake also translating into accumulated fat as well?

My TDEE atm at sedentary is around 2,500 calories. With sports and gym its hovering around 2,600-2,750 on average.

I've started doing closer to 0.8-1grams of lean body pass. Which currently I'm estimating around 205lbs @ 14% Body fat = 177 Grams

[68style]

Oof... 177g a day you gonna be pooping rocks

[mikemhg]

It's a lot of protein for sure.

How are you slamming that back, shakes, and eggs?

It's a little high personally, but if it works for you.

[SkinnyPupp]

You def don't need that much protein but yeah, do what works for your lifestyle

Make sure to get a lot of fiber, because high protein low fiber = diverticulitis risk

[sonick]

With the fatties posting their progress, should the gym bros revive this one? Although a caveat that I am not/have never been at the level of Skinny, Mike, or Gerbs, but I have gone regularly with various routines and lifting since my mid 20s.

During COVID until last year I was pretty much in maintenance mode, but as I got older maintenance mode was slowly deteriorating as I approach my late 30s.

With work being much more balanced and flexible with hours, I decided to try to go on a full on intentional (dirty) bulk/cut cylce late last year in time for this summer, starting at ~155lbs probably high-teens, low-mid 20% BF at 5'8".

Workout routine was 3-4 days a week of lifting, focused more on isolations and hypertrophy with rep ranges and approaches loosely based on the french dude on Natural Hypertrophy (split was leg day, chest & back, and then shoulders and arms).

I maxed out to 172lbs with water weight by around March this year, and lifted more weight with more reps, got bigger than I ever did when I was in my late 20s. My mind-muscle connection was better than ever as I was really able to properly isolate the muscles I wanted and felt I maximized the gains. I had to buy new clothes as it got to a point where I didn't feel comfortable going into a professional environment with how tight my shirts and t-shirts got lol.

April onwards I started on my cut. Diet changes were mostly reducing the supplemental protein intake and general caloric intake a bit, went back on intermittent fasting, got on an EC stack.

Morning fasted workouts with BCAAs 5-6 days a week, consisting of 1hr LISS on the elliptical where I try to maximize the resistance as long as I can maintain below 120bpm, with 30 mins of isolated resistance training, one muscle group a day.

I am down to around 158lbs now but have managed to maintain a decent amount size (I could have monitored protein intake more to try to retain more), my abs are back, top pretty defined my bottom are just starting to show in the last few weeks.

My strength from my bulk was actually quite close, probably at 90% of weight and rep range across the board between bulk and cut which I am happy with.

All in all, some learnings I will try to implement for this winter's bulk in terms of diet and routine, however it was cool to see results and progress I never had before. Even tho I am way older, I continue to lift more than I ever have, and feel in way better shape and aesthetics (maybe not the face or hair lol) than I ever did when I was younger and pre-COVID.

[sonick]

Bumping this up, what do you all use these days for pre-workout?

I used Ephedrine + Caffiene for workout days during my bulk, as well as daily EC stack during my cut.

Unfortunately Ephedrine is now limited to behind the counter and even though I stocked up before it got regulated, I don't want to be burning through my supply.

What's good these days or are people just keeping it simple with caffeine?

Miss the days of Jack3d and 1MR

[Gerbs]

Originally Posted by mikemhg

It's a lot of protein for sure.

How are you slamming that back, shakes, and eggs?

It's a little high personally, but if it works for you.

100 - 120 grams - 400-600 grams bison / lean ground beef

60 grams 2 x boba protein shakes with milk

15 grams - Greek Yogurt

10 grams - Rice / bread

Originally Posted by 68style

Oof... 177g a day you gonna be pooping rocks

Don't wanna jinx it but it's been 1 solid poop everyday at the same time every morning, clean wipes too lol

[red kryptonite]

Originally Posted by sonick

Bumping this up, what do you all use these days for pre-workout?

Miss the days of Jack3d and 1MR

just black coffee for lifting
preworkout for kickboxing. all pre these days are garbage, im using c4 ultimate and its ok.... but its no 1MR

[SkinnyPupp]

For caffeine to work as a performance enhancing PWO, you need to not take it regularly, and the dose has to be very high.

Otherwise it does work as a stimulant to keep you up

[mikemhg]

I stopped taking pre workouts years ago. Once you get used to working out without them, you won't feel the need to go back.