Pantlegz's Workout Journal

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Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
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I completely agree that it is easier to bulk then cut, that's been my intention. It just happens that it works this way. My strength gains have slowed down a lot and I don't feel like I'm getting bigger just more dense. I didn't get my bf% before but I would assume with a smaller waist and more defined abs at 30+ lbs heavier meant I wan cutting fat but still gaining weight. Which would only make sense if it were muscle.

I am on a beginners routine just because I like it, I'm not adding weight according to SL. I've been back in the gym for a good 9 months, I did miss a month or 2 due to surgery but it only took me a few weeks to get back to where I was. I guess I didn't think that would put me back to the starting fresh category, or that 1 year would still be considered just starting but I guess it isn't all that long when you think about it. I would think if taking a few months off would do that it would be more popular, that or I'm a genetic oddity which is completely possible.

Either way I'm not going to complain about my results and your advice is typically spot on, I just disagree with that statement. Anecdotally speaking only, what happens in general or to other people I don't have experience with.
 

brikis98

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2005
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I didn't get my bf% before but I would assume with a smaller waist and more defined abs at 30+ lbs heavier meant I wan cutting fat but still gaining weight. Which would only make sense if it were muscle.
Judging bf% by appearance can be a tricky beast. For example, lots of people look pretty much the same as their bf% changes from 14-20%. It's also possible to gain both fat and muscle but to look more ripped in the end, depending on how/where the muscle and fat were distributed.

I am on a beginners routine just because I like it, I'm not adding weight according to SL. I've been back in the gym for a good 9 months, I did miss a month or 2 due to surgery but it only took me a few weeks to get back to where I was.
Being a beginner has more to do with how much time you had off since the last time you did weight training. If it was a few years before you started SL5x5, then your body would probably be in a detrained state again, you'd have extra body fat to burn, and you'd be likely to see beginner gains. Oh, and for the record, being able to do a beginner routine is a good thing. It allows you to use the simplest programming and to make the fastest gains, so stay on a beginner routine as long as your body can tolerate it.

I would think if taking a few months off would do that it would be more popular, that or I'm a genetic oddity which is completely possible.
The problem is that to be able to take advantage of beginner gains again, you have to take off enough time to become detrained and (typically) fatter. Obviously, this is counterproductive as a long term strategy for getting stronger/fitter/etc.

Either way I'm not going to complain about my results and your advice is typically spot on, I just disagree with that statement. Anecdotally speaking only, what happens in general or to other people I don't have experience with.
You are correct in saying that it's not impossible and I should probably make that more clear in my replies. There is nothing physiologically that totally prevents muscle growth and fat loss simultaneously. However, the reality is that - with the notable exception of beginners to weight training - few people will actually be able to pull it off. Therefore, most people would find their time much better spent alternating bulk & cut cycles when trying to change their body composition.
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
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Saturday(5/29) workout:

Squats: 325x5x5
OH Press: 135x5x5
Dead Lift: 225x5x2
Chin ups: 5, 5, 4
Prone bridges 3x60 seconds
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
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So I made my goal of 250 lbs over the weekend, so I'm going to start my cut. I expect my gains to be slower, or even stop during this time. I'm suer there are people here with some experience with this. How much, on average, are strength gains slowed down while cutting? Also, should I slowly taper my calories off weekely or just drop my diet down to slightly above BMR of my goal weight? Which would be faster? Which would allow for most muscle and strength retention?
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
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Tueday(6/1) workout:

Squats: 315x5x5
Bench: 225x5x5
push ups: 3x25
lat pulldowns:170x3x10
reverse crunches: 3x12

Went lighter on the squats yesterday becase I was running a little late. Bnech was fine, going to add another 5 lbs Saturday. Tomorrows workout might be a little lighter, I just got back into football practice for the first time in about 2 weeks and I'm sore as hell today and we have practice again today. So I may be hurting pretty bad tomorrow. I'll be fine after next week doing football+gym just going to take my body a little while to get adjusted to working so hard again.
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
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Another 2 hours of football last night, wasn't nearly as hard as Tuesday though. We did do up hill sprints which were hard but nothing too bad. Feeling better so hopefully I''ll be able to lift heavy today in the gym.
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
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Squats: 325x5x5
OH Press: 125x5x5
Dead Lift: 315x5 325x5 335x5
Chin ups: 5, 5, 5, 1+25lbs
Prone bridges 3x60 seconds

Really tried to focus on my DL today and I think it helped. However my grip is still holding me back, I know I need to work more farmers walks into my routine I'm just so pressed for time. Finally doing proper OH press, not seated anymore so I dropped the weight done a little. I'll go for 135 next week. Also, chin ups suck my arms/back are weak as hell.

Since I'm cutting I'll be including my weight to each of my enrties, just to track my progress there. I would like to hit 220 by the end of August. Then I'll bulk again.

Current weight: 237lbs
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
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Saturday (6/5) workout:

Squats: 225x3x10
Bench: 185x3x10
push ups: 3x25
lat pulldowns:140x3x10
reverse crunches: 3x12

was in a hurry saturday morning so I lifted lighter and didn't rest much between sets. I was suprised that the bench press was so easy I was hoping to push myself a little more than I did there.

Also played my first football game of the summer saturday night. We did ok, didn't win it tho. I had a ton of fun but I'm still a little sore from it.

Current weight: 237 - getting bf% checked Thursday and probably every other week from there.
 

HomerX

Member
Mar 2, 2010
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05-28-2010 your weight was 245, 3 days later you gained another 5 lbs and another 4 days later you already lost 13 lbs????

I would suggest to always use the same scale for your measurement!

Loosing 13lbs of weight in 4 days sounds impossible besides drinking 10lbs of water before the first measurement...
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
4,631
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my weight moves around a lot, there's nothing I can do about it. the 250 was on a full stomach at the end of the day. But I did that intentionally because that was my goal to bulk to to 250 then I started cutting. I've weighted myself on 3 different scales with similar results, my home scale(cheap pos) had me at 240 both the gyms and my moms scale had me at 237. and I hit 250 on 5/22 so I'm at 13lbs down after 2 weeks. Which is pretty reasonable considering I was stuffed when I weighed myself. But on average my weight will move 5-7lbs throughout the day.
 

HomerX

Member
Mar 2, 2010
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But on average my weight will move 5-7lbs throughout the day

The amount of water/food and you clothing will skew your measurement. If you are really interessted in you REAL weight and if you loose or gain weight, you should measure yourself always on the same scale at the same time of the day.
I think the best time is in the morning before the breakfast and after you were on the toilet - naked .
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
4,631
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The amount of water/food and you clothing will skew your measurement. If you are really interessted in you REAL weight and if you loose or gain weight, you should measure yourself always on the same scale at the same time of the day.
I think the best time is in the morning before the breakfast and after you were on the toilet - naked .

I understand this, the only issue is I don't have access to the gym scale(the only one I trust to be accurate) first thing in the morning. I do weigh myself on my home scale every morning even that can vary wildly. It says I've gaind 10 lbs since this weekend and tomorrow I will have lost all that weight. I get consistant results weighing myself in the gym whether or not it's at my lowest weight I'm not too worried about. If I weigh less at my heaviest then I'd also weigh less at my lightest (throughout the day). And with the addition to bi weekly or monthly bf% testing I'll have a better indication of how much, if any, fat I've lost.
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
4,631
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Squats: 345x5x5
Bench: 230x5x5
push ups: 3x20
lat pulldowns:160x3x10
reverse crunches: 3x12

My stupid tendon in my left arm started bothering me after my bench press so I decided to rest last night rather than go to football practice. Other than thata everything felt good. The 345 Squat is 20lbs off my pervious 1RM :)

Weight: 238lbs - I need to get more serious about cutting, I've cut back my food intake a little but I'm still way too lax. I think starting today I'm going to exercise a little more self control.
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
4,631
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Squats: 335x5x5
OH Press: 130x5x5
Dead Lift: 315x2x5
Chin ups: 5, 4, 5
Prone bridges 3x60 seconds

My arm was killing me again today. I don't think it's the tendon anymore, I just got all tore up at the football game last weekend and it's still pretty bruised.

Weight 236lbs - feel good that I'm making a little progress, just hope I can keep it up. Haven't had a chance to get my bf% tested yet. Hopefully soon.
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
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Squats: 275x3x10
Bench: 205x3x10
push ups: 3x20
lat pulldowns:150x3x10
reverse crunches: 3x12

went lighter and higher reps again today because I was yet again in a hurry. Everything felt good, I was surprised at how easy benching 205 10 times was. And squats were oddly more difficult than I expected.

weight 235lbs- yay progress I've been really strict on my diet most of this week and plan on being that way for a while. I got my bf% tested today and... well I'll make another thread about that later today when I can get a pic taken.
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
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Had another football game last night. I was completely dead by the end of it. It was hot and humid as hell. Got a hell of a workout though, I love D line/end :)
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
4,631
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Squats: 325x5x5
OH Press: 135x5x5
Dead Lift: 325x5
Chin ups: 5, 5, 5
Prone bridges 1x90, 2x60 seconds

felt weak as hell today, squats were hard. DL's were barely doable. skipped football practice to spend time with my kids because I'm going to be out of town for about 10 days.

Weight 235lbs - I'm not sure if cutting has been having an effect on how much I'm able to lift or if I just had a bad day in the gym.
 
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Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
4,631
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Squats: 315x5x5
Bench: 235x1x5 225x4x5
push ups: 2x25, 1x20
lat pulldowns:160x3x10
reverse crunches: 3x12
Farmers Walk: 140x3x45seconds

Today felt better, still not at 100% mentally. I dropped the weight on the bench down because that first set at 235 felt really heavy and I did squats first which meant my bench would be a little weaker. Not sure why but dropping the 10lbs from the squat made a huge difference. I think it was all mental or I need a little rest which I'm going to be getting.

Weight 236lbs- I saw this coming the day before I ate a shit ton and was almost consistently hungry, I can't explain it and it's never happened before but my appetite was not able to be satisfied.

I'll be out of town and therefore out of the gym for the next 7-10 days. Going on vacation to Colorado! I wont be 'resting' but I think getting a break from the gym for a week will help me mentally as that seems to be where all my issues are at the moment. Fear not ATHF I will return, you'll just have to do without my super exciting workout journal entries for a while...
 
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Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
4,631
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finally back in town, I'll be skipping the gym tomorrow just to get some rest in as I didn't get much on my vacation and I have a football game tomorrow. Colorado was awesome, the hike up Huron peak was much harder than I expected took a total of 8 hours but the walk down too longer than the hike up. It was easily the hardest thing I've done in my life, so far... that plus 2 days of rafting and camping/hiking around in general I would say I was as, if not more, active as I am at home.

/blog

Should be back to normal come Tuesday. Lets see if this week off helped me any.
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
4,631
4
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3 hour football game today, went well. We won. Didn't play as much as the other games but it was still a good workout.
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
4,631
4
81
Squats: 325x5x5
OH Press: 125x5x5
Dead Lift: 225x5 275x5
Chin ups: 5, 5, 5 1x45lbs
Prone bridges 3x60 seconds

first workout in over a week. Should have gone lighter on the squats the last set wasn't the best form but I went below parallel. OH press was kinda ugly too, failed 2 reps in the last set. I fell great though, I may drop the weight back if my next go round doesn't go any better.

Weight: 230lbs! The week in the mountains really helped with this, I didn't have much to eat and I was steadily working.