Presidentender's journal

[presidentender]

..

 

[TallBill]

What kind or program are you going with?

 

[presidentender]

Originally posted by: TallBill
What kind or program are you going with?

It'll be back to BB tomorrow. Gave blood today, which kinda puts a damper on the whole "lifting" thing.

 

[Howard]

Left seems to be a little smaller than your right
More traps
Looks like you're pushing your left side up (check your collarbones) - or was the camera at an angle?

 

[presidentender]

Originally posted by: Howard
Looks like you're pushing your left side up (check your collarbones) - or was the camera at an angle?

Lumbar levoscoliosis. It's not as bad as it used to be (part of my weight training is specifically to fix it), but it's still noticeable, especially if I stand for long periods of time.

 

[gramboh]

What's your BF% like? You look pretty defined to me, but then again I am a fatass.

 

[presidentender]

Originally posted by: gramboh
What's your BF% like? You look pretty defined to me, but then again I am a fatass.

I don't know. When I was wrestling in high school, it was never above 5%; I'd venture to guess it's about that now.

 

[KoolDrew]

I don't know. When I was wrestling in high school, it was never above 5%; I'd venture to guess it's about that now.

I'd venture to guess you're not.

 

[BeauJangles]

Originally posted by: presidentender

Next time will have lifts, since y'all are mostly strength types.

What sort of other things are you going to be doing?

 

[presidentender]

12-3-2008

153 lbs bodyweight

Barbell deadlift: 265x5 + 309x1 + 265x3 + 155x10. I definitely felt the whole "gave blood on Monday" thing on this; it was supposed to be 5+3+5.

Bodyweight pull-ups: 10x2, Lat pull-downs: 130x10. Again, my endurance just gave out.

Dumbbell rows: 50x6x3. Hey, I finally finished a group of sets! Because I reduced my weight from normal, but still.

Dumbbell rear raises: 17.5x6x3

Fat bar shrugs: 185x10x2, Dumbbell shrugs 70x10x2. Ordinarily, I'd just go with dumbbell shrugs the whole way, but my grip wasn't getting enough work with all the giving up earlier.

Cool-down jog, biked home.

Originally posted by: BeauJangles
What sort of other things are you going to be doing?

Just trying to add mass.

Originally posted by: KoolDrew
I'd venture to guess you're not.

You're right! I'm not at exactly 5% bodyfat! Oh my god, I'm a fraud!
...
that or I honestly don't know and made a guess.

 

[KoolDrew]

You're right! I'm not at exactly 5% bodyfat! Oh my god, I'm a fraud!
...
that or I honestly don't know and made a guess.

Exactly how did you measure your bodyfat in high school?

 

[presidentender]

Originally posted by: KoolDrew

You're right! I'm not at exactly 5% bodyfat! Oh my god, I'm a fraud!
...
that or I honestly don't know and made a guess.

Exactly how did you measure your bodyfat in high school?

It's part of the certification process to make sure that wrestlers don't get too thin and cause themselves health problems. Caliper testing is performed by nurses, who then say : he's allowed to wrestle at this weight class but not lighter."

 

[conorvansmack]

I'd venture to guess you're not.

I'd venture to guess that you're being a bit of a dick. Lighten up. It's a guess of about 5%. Two things in the statement tell you that it's not precise.

 

[KoolDrew]

Originally posted by: conorvansmack

I'd venture to guess you're not.

I'd venture to guess that you're being a bit of a dick. Lighten up. It's a guess of about 5%. Two things in the statement tell you that it's not precise.

You guys do realize contest bodybuilders are at the bodyfat he claims to be, right? You also realize they are not able to maintain that level of leanness for long periods of time?

Regardless, the OP is skinny and he has a great base to work from. Keep the surplus reasonable and lift heavy and you shouldn't gain much fat at all and look a whole lot better.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: KoolDrew

Originally posted by: conorvansmack

I'd venture to guess you're not.

I'd venture to guess that you're being a bit of a dick. Lighten up. It's a guess of about 5%. Two things in the statement tell you that it's not precise.

You guys do realize contest bodybuilders are at the bodyfat he claims to be, right? You also realize they are not able to maintain that level of leanness for long periods of time?

Regardless, the OP is skinny and he has a great base to work from. Keep the surplus reasonable and lift heavy and you shouldn't gain much fat at all and look a whole lot better.

I agree with KoolDrew. There is a very low chance that you're at 5% BF. The % is low, but not 5% right now. I look very similar and I always venture to guess I'm around 9-10%. Maybe a little bit lower.

 

[presidentender]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

I agree with KoolDrew. There is a very low chance that you're at 5% BF. The % is low, but not 5% right now. I look very similar and I always venture to guess I'm around 9-10%. Maybe a little bit lower.

I'm certainly not 5%, since I'm not trying to make weight every week . My serratus is visible if I raise my arm above my head and don't flex, but I don't have the biceps or pectoral striations. I'd like to be sure at what % the striations show up, maybe I'll pay for a test when they do.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: presidentender

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

I agree with KoolDrew. There is a very low chance that you're at 5% BF. The % is low, but not 5% right now. I look very similar and I always venture to guess I'm around 9-10%. Maybe a little bit lower.

I'm certainly not 5%, since I'm not trying to make weight every week . My serratus is visible if I raise my arm above my head and don't flex, but I don't have the biceps or pectoral striations. I'd like to be sure at what % the striations show up, maybe I'll pay for a test when they do.

The striations probably have a lot to do with hydration levels as well. *Shrugs* It's not like BF % really matters much anyhow. As long as you look good, who cares.

 

[conorvansmack]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
The striations probably have a lot to do with hydration levels as well. *Shrugs* It's not like BF % really matters much anyhow. As long as you look good, who cares.

Exactly. Don't depend on a number to dictate what looks good. Your eyes should dictate what looks good.

 

[presidentender]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
The striations probably have a lot to do with hydration levels as well. *Shrugs* It's not like BF % really matters much anyhow. As long as you look good, who cares.

Wait, wait, you mean that my hydration levels effect how I look? That the extra sodium I take in to make me retain more water and change my hormone levels so that I can get more cut on short notice... makes me retain more water? Which I mentioned in my OP? Gasp.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: presidentender

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
The striations probably have a lot to do with hydration levels as well. *Shrugs* It's not like BF % really matters much anyhow. As long as you look good, who cares.

Wait, wait, you mean that my hydration levels effect how I look? That the extra sodium I take in to make me retain more water and change my hormone levels so that I can get more cut on short notice... makes me retain more water? Which I mentioned in my OP? Gasp.

Water-fat is hardly mentioning all of these things. I skimmed the post and obviously missed that Was just proposing alternative reasons for looking more cut. Continue the discussion without my poorly attended advice then

Really though I was mentioning just about the striations. The body fat % that they show up will obviously differ due to hydration levels, making it difficult to actually hone in a BF % where they show up. Therefore I doubt you will be able to find out an exact answer in terms of body fat for when pec striations and such appear.

 

[presidentender]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
Really though I was mentioning just about the striations. The body fat % that they show up will obviously differ due to hydration levels, making it difficult to actually hone in a BF % where they show up. Therefore I doubt you will be able to find out an exact answer in terms of body fat for when pec striations and such appear.

What I will be able to find out, though, is how low it has to be for them to show up without playing with my hydration levels (which are always pretty high, especially in winter) too much. Hydration levels become more important at low body fat (no matter how dehydrated you are, if you have 15% bf, you do not have striated quadriceps).

You're right that hydration levels have a lot to do with the final push of looking ripped. Competition bodybuilders used to tan on top of sodium loading-depletion in order to make their skins look thinner. Now it's more common to use fake tanning products, and you can tell the difference.

 

[presidentender]

12-5-08

Bench Press: 155x5 + 175x5 + 185x3 + 175x3 + 155x3. This was just going to be 5+3+5 at 155 and 175, but the 175 just felt right.

Pec Flyes: 30x12x4. That's 30 in each hand, not 30 total.

Dips: 20 (did these because my lifting partner wanted to. After I did these, he did 2 and we moved on)

Dumbbell triceps extensions: 17.5x12 + 15x12x3

Dumbbell lateral raises: 15x12x4

Preacher curls: 70x12x3

Hammer curls: 25x12

Roman Chair sit-ups: 15 with 10-lb plate behind head, 10 with plate, 10 without plate

Cool down jog: went too far, got LA buildup and a stitch in my side.

 

[presidentender]

12-7-2008

Squats: 155x5 + 175x5 + 155x5

Trap bar deadlifts: 100 x 10 x 2. Decided to try these since I had never done them. I do not recommend trap bar deadlifts as a hamstring, back, or gluteal exercise, although they do activate all these muscle groups. They're just not that great for it.

Isolateral leg extensions: 25x12x4
Iso Hammy curls: 25x12x5
Calf raises: 90 x 25 x 4
Side bends: 45x12x4 each side

 

[TheVrolok]

You bench and squat the same weight? But you dead twice your bodyweight? How'd that happen? Leg injuries or something? Dead numbers are great for your bw, bench and squat aren't terrible either.

 

[presidentender]

Originally posted by: TheVrolok
You bench and squat the same weight? But you dead twice your bodyweight? How'd that happen? Leg injuries or something? Dead numbers are great for your bw, bench and squat aren't terrible either.

Part of it is that I was drained from deadlifts, part of it is that I bike everywhere and was in a hurry (which kills the legs, don'cha know). Another part of it is that I used to care only about my upper body, since that's what was most important when I was wrestling. I'm tall, skinny, and long-legged, which hurts both bench and squat. Also, I refuse to squat less than ass to ground, because my glutes are more important to me than the numbers.