Gym hitters, what muscle group are you struggling with?

GMTGuy said:
Think about Creatine is it'll wreck your liver if you don't drink enough water with it, plus once you stop taking it you shrink back down since it's all water weight. I may try out some whey, but think short of vitamins i'm going to stay away from the rest. My goal is to looked more ripped for the missus, and to have the extra physical strength in case I need it. I have a fast metabolism still even at 25 and a natural wide chest/shoulders, I want to get thick enough to where my colar bones don't show :D
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Broscience. Creatine's effect on the liver/kidneys is nonexistent.

A good multi + fish oil should be in your daily diet whether your lift or not. Unless you are able to hit your daily micro nutrient needs through your diet and food intake.

GMTGuy said:
I been lifting weights off and on a few years, my most difficult muscles right now are my chest and biceps. I know most the problem is I don't eat enough, to get big you have to eat big and i'm just not into eating 6-7 times a day. I've got gains but am not where I want to be yet.
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More broscience. You don't have to eat 6-7 times per day. Ever hear of intermittent fasting? 8 hour window of eating, 16 hours of fasting.

At the end of the day, all that matters is if you hit your caloric needs (cutting - caloric deficit, bulking - caloric surplus, recomposition/maintenance - eat at caloric maintenance) and your macro needs(protein, carbs, fats)

jeffrey said:
I've never really had any major problems. I hit a plateau on my bench more than anything. Can't seem to break beyond 315 right now.
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Deload for a chest workout doing only 60-80% of your 5-8 rep max on bench. Throw in some negatives, chains, bands, etc. If you have been doing one main compound pushing movement for the past few weeks, change it out and then go back to bench the next week. Eat above maintenance.

mikeshinobi said:
How 2 get abs:

1. 8% body fat
2. You're done!

As for neck - wtf, neck?

To add to the conversation - I've had trouble with my delts, and by that I mean I've had trouble progressing on OHP. Adding tricep work (something I previously neglected) helped with this.
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+1. No need for isolation ab work. Compound lifts and lower body fat percentage. Unless you want that barrel belly look(think turtle).
 


sampunk said:
There are only three exercises you needed

1) deadlift
2) squat
3) bench press

you don't need abs day/ arm day whatever
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Depends on your goals. When I took a 6 month break from lifting, I started off on a routine called Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength which entailed me squatting 3x per week, deadlifting, doing military press, and that's it. I came back to where I was at 6 months ago quick.

But agreed - these exercises should be the bread and butter of any lifting regiment.
 
JayyC said:
Thanks bro, taking in roughly 1800 calories a day and at least 150-160 grams of protein. Trying to drop a couple more pounds then hold and maintain for summer. Weird that you mention the beach, I'm heading to Florida in 3 days lol.

At the end of my workout, I do
Decline weighted sit-ups, 4x10 (45 lbs plate behind my head)
Weighted straight leg raises, 3x12 (15 lbs dumbbell between feet)
Standing weighted side-bends, 4x10 (45 lbs dumbbell)
Weight side-bends on back extension machine, 2x15 (35 lbs dumbbell)

Squeeze at peak contraction, hold for split second, slowly release. Rinse and repeat ever rep, slower is better.

I do this twice a week, either Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday, I switch it up from time to time.



Fuck no, lol. When I'm gaining weight in the fall/winter I only hit around 3000-3500 calories, I only weigh 173 in that pic on that page.
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what's your height for 171 lbs?
 
Meatytreats said:
Everything is genetic, it doesnt stop people from working out their chest, back or arms though does it?

Do more shrugs, up right rows and other trap exercises... You dont want a big neck... what you want are muscles from your ears to your shoulders and those are your trapezius... :zzwhip:
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yeah, the problem is that I have one of those long necks. I worked my trapezius pretty hard but it's still not making my neck look thick enough. I don't want a neck that is too thick, I just want it to be the same width as my jaw at the very least, then a bit larger at the bottom when it merges with the shoulders.

people forget that your neck is the only thing that is ALWAYS visible all year long.
 
EvilPenguin said:
Been hitting the gym for a couple months now.

Seen good improvement on almost all muscles except the neck and abs.

Fuck those are 2 tough muscles to work out... I have the gayest neck in the history of necks, long and thin. And I can barely notice 2 abs, but still working hard to get that 6 pack for summer.

Your turn. Tips also appreciated.
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You have a trainer? Get one. Abs are made in the kitchen. Not that I would know, I don't have any! Good luck with your goal. Pics?
 
Wicked Ice said:
Proof that creatine damages your liver?
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Creatine

Quote:

Precautions:

Because of the potential for side effects and interactions with medications, dietary supplements should be taken only under the supervision of a knowledgeable health care provider.

Side effects of creatine include weight gain, muscle cramps, muscle strains and pulls, stomach upset, diarrhea, dizziness, high blood pressure, liver dysfunction, and kidney damage. Most studies have found no significant side effects at the doses used for up to 6 months.

Rhabdomyolysis (breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue) and sudden kidney failure was reported in one case involving an athlete taking more than 10 grams daily of creatine for 6 weeks. People with kidney disease, high blood pressure, or liver disease should not take creatine.

Taking creatine supplements may stop the body from making its own natural stores, although researchers don' t know what the long-term effects are. The Food & Drug Administration recommends talking to your health care provider before starting to take creatine.

There have been reports of contaminated creatine supplements. Be sure to buy products made by established companies with good reputations.

Some doctors think creatine may cause an irregular heartbeat or a skin condition called purpuric dermatosis in some people, but more research is needed to know for sure.
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only self self weight exercises and climbing for me.

The ultimate way for training your body.
 
"Weight side-bends on back extension machine, 2x15 (35 lbs dumbbell)" Can't get this.

blogspotter said:
Also mind sharing your exact diet and work-out plan?
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Don't think of food as "clean" or "dirty" like a lot of people suggest, just be conscious of the calories that the food your eating is worth. It isn't about "what" you are eating that makes you fat or ripped, it's more about "how much" your eating that is going to make a difference.

As someone already said, you can get fat or shredded eating strictly McDonalds. Is it healthy? No. Does it make losing weight harder? Yes. Fast food tends to be "less filling" on the hunger levels and a metric shit-ton more calories that food you would make at your house, which is why is it incredibly easy to gain weight when eating out.

I eat 2 meals a day on average, not including protein shakes. About 1-2 hours from the gym, I'll eat 1/2 cup of oats + 1/2 of 2% milk. Roughly 210 calories with 33ish grams of carbs, more than enough to get me through my workout at a calorie deficit (eating at a calorie deficit for several weeks/months in a row will make you feel like shit. It gets better, but not by much). After working out, I usually hit up a fast food drive-thru and grab nothing but chicken (gotta get the protein in), occasionally I'll grab some fries to go with it depending on how much I've been dragging lately.

Somewhere between there and bed, I'll usually smash a 2-scoop protein shake (good for 300 calories and roughly 50 grams of protein) and maybe a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if I have room for it. Important thing is that I stay under 1800 calories a day until I get to a plateau where weight loss stops. I honestly don't plan on getting much under 170 for the summer I doubt I'll be lowering calories any further, plenty lean enough for me. Was at 192 this fall/winter after bulking up as much as possible, hopefully hitting 200 this time around.

blogspotter said:
"Weight side-bends on back extension machine, 2x15 (35 lbs dumbbell)" Can't get this.
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[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2o1FlK1RIk"]Side bend 45° - StudioMiletto.com - YouTube[/ame]

Only difference is I do a slight rotating motion from front to back on the way up instead of just going side to side. I have never had an exercise kick my ass so hard for me when I did this for the first time 3 years ago, even with a light dumbbell. Definately recommend nothing higher than 5 or 10 lbs to start holding, then again maybe I'm just a pussy lol.

If you interested in figuring out your calorie needs to lose body fat, then this is a good thread to start: Calculating Calorie Needs and Macronutrients **UPDATED** - Bodybuilding.com Forums

Most of that is a cookie-cutter guide to figuring out you maintenance calories, but it gets you started with some figures to play around with. Trial and error over the first few weeks is going to be your best friend here.

Also worth taking a look: How to lose fat for Noobs - Part II - Bodybuilding.com Forums

HKSEO Jonbones said:
Chest and arms are the hardest for me. Never had a problem with strength, its just really hard for me to get any bigger or get any more definition in that area
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Diet is 90% responsible for this problem. Best workout in the world will not put any size on you if you are not eating at a calorie surplus each day.

EvilPenguin said:
what's your height for 171 lbs?
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5'11". Those pics on the bodyspace are at 173 lbs.


For those of you obviously regurgitating shit info from the Misc that has to do with "no iso work needed on core, big three takes care of that", I'd like to see a pic of your abs. Every now and then a genetic freak comes along and is ripped as hell, striated triceps, retarded high bicep peak, etc, and he might just do compound work with nothing else. Might.

For the rest of us, better get used to throwing in isolation work. Otherwise, you're doing it wrong.
 
JayyC said:
Don't think of food as "clean" or "dirty" like a lot of people suggest, just be conscious of the calories that the food your eating is worth. It isn't about "what" you are eating that makes you fat or ripped, it's more about "how much" your eating that is going to make a difference.

As someone already said, you can get fat or shredded eating strictly McDonalds. Is it healthy? No. Does it make losing weight harder? Yes. Fast food tends to be "less filling" on the hunger levels and a metric shit-ton more calories that food you would make at your house, which is why is it incredibly easy to gain weight when eating out.
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I think that the need to focus on higher quality food is because it's too easy to get it wrong with junk food. Also, most people aren't meticulous about their food and will not bother to calculate the amount of calories they consume each day. In fact, most people don't even know roughly how many calories they need to consume each day.

While I am not implying that he's part of the group that hasn't sought to discover this information, I'd still suggest he DOES pay attention to whether the food is "clean" or "dirty ". Also, the undulating energy levels can make it challenging to give 100% while working out. In my personal experience, things really began to change when I got rid of all the bullshit food I was having. As a result, I truly believe that quality is just as important as quantity.

Just my 2 flies.
 
SEOFrog said:
I think that the need to focus on higher quality food is because it's too easy to get it wrong with junk food. Also, most people aren't meticulous about their food and will not bother to calculate the amount of calories they consume each day. In fact, most people don't even know roughly how many calories they need to consume each day.

While I am not implying that he's part of the group that hasn't sought to discover this information, I'd still suggest he DOES pay attention to whether the food is "clean" or "dirty ". Also, the undulating energy levels can make it challenging to give 100% while working out. In my personal experience, things really began to change when I got rid of all the bullshit food I was having. As a result, I truly believe that quality is just as important as quantity.

Just my 2 flies.
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Agreed. When I tell people my "diet" they assume I'm full of shit. Overwhelming majority of the population don't know anything about nutrition, not as much as they think they do anyways. The stuff that I do now relating to dieting/working out was learned from hundreds of people that are bigger and leaner than I ever thought about being. The bad thing is that when I bring up the topic of being able to eat fast food/junk and still lose weight to people that ask me about it, they get excited and go full retard and they might count their calories a couple of days at most before going back to their old habits.

Whether cleaner foods effect energy levels or not isn't something I'm familiar with, so I can't comment on that. I'm all about size and body composition, just a personal goal of mine since day one. I'll be the first to tell you I'm not the healthiest here and my so called "diet" pretty much reflects that.
 
Celtik said:
If you want to see an interesting workout/diet routine, check this out:

Nearing 50, Renaissance jock Herschel Walker breaks fitness rules - CNN.com

herschel-walker-strikeforce.jpg
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Black genetics.

sampunk said:
There are only three exercises you needed

1) deadlift
2) squat
3) bench press

you don't need abs day/ arm day whatever
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You still need rows for lats, + the top powerlifters in the world all do assistance isolation work. For a reason.
 
Wicked Ice said:
Neck is genetic. There's nothing much you can do with it unless you're injecting steroids into your neck.

Abs is made in the kitchen. Get 8-10% body fat and you will get there.
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for the neck, that's not really true - it's not particularly hard to thicken up your neck. shrugs, deads, rows and other back exercises don't do it though. Buy or make one of these: Headstrap Fit for Hercules neck harness for neck strength-Ironmind Enterprises

Train with it a couple times a week (start easy, a sore neck is a bitch) and you'll notice results.

And yeah, abs are made in the kitchen for sure, but some people do have a hard time getting them to any decent size and shape. If you are one of them, isolation exercises will help. Go heavy, focus on hard contractions, but keep it in check so you don't end up with a blocky midsection.
 
momchil9 said:
only self self weight exercises and climbing for me.

The ultimate way for training your body.
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Make sure you do a lot of pushing exercises if you're climbing a lot, nothing like a rotator cuff imbalance that makes it impossible to lift your arm above chest level (or even comb your hair) for a month to take the fun out of life.
 
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