I had an awesome workout on my first loading phase day. It was biotest micronized german creatine. I had stronger lifts and more endurance on the treadmill.
The stuff I use has a bit of creatine in it (it's hard to get protein powder without it these days). My brother who's totally buff says it's best to use if you're working out a TON, as in, everyday. Otherwise it doesn't really do much. I personally don't do a lot of the stuff because it isn't totally safe to use (though it's still in the GNC protein powder I use). I still get good results.
while it isn't creatine i'm currently trying out bsn epozine. just started it and i'm seeing minor improvement so far. definitely a good recover product but it's expensive... will be giving promera con-cret a go here soon, has great reviews. i'll keep you posted.
If you had such good results it's more than likely NOT because of the creatine but more of a mental response just from using it. Creatine does help but it's not a ridiculous amount that's for sure.
I'm pretty good these days, just working way too much in my opinion but that will come to an end soon enough(or so I hope). I'm going to look for your thread and check it out.
There is no need for the "loading" phase when taking creatine. There is absolutely no advantage to doing it. Companies list that so consumers will go through their product faster, then have to buy more.
A week isn't going to show much change if any if you don't create a ridiculous deficit. If I stay on track I should hit the single digits of body fat for the 3rd time this year.
started working out more frequently, though i don't spend as much time working out (went from 2 hours 2 days a week to 1 hour 4 days a week), and incorporating cardio (i sidewalk run 5K) 3 times a week.
BUT i will admit, no matter how much exercising i did, the weight didnt start moving until i changed my diet.
i think it was Rob, I thank him greatly, that told me to watch the "I wanna be like that guy" video about the dude that trained to be like a bodybuilder by exercising and then trying exercising and diet and the difference was amazing. everyone should watch that movie!
Muddy, you're welcome man. There's another documentary that I think just about everyone should watch but I can't recall the name of it or where I saw it, I'll look for it in a bit. People can learn so much from IWTLLTG, it makes body building what I would call simplified. However, as you might have noticed, there are some very misleading things that Stuart says and some if it is just false. Back to that when you read this I guess...
Sean, the thing about T levels isn't so much of about energy expenditure but diet. With a caloric deficit T levels will more than likely drop, with a caloric surplus you should see increases in T.
so i scratched the promera and went with a combo, universal torrent. on it for about a week now and noticing better pumps, which i enjoy
on a different note i'm satisfied (and a little surprised) with my progress thus far. started at ~182lbs and now at ~190lbs over the course of a month and a half. my waist hasn't moved from 32" either. we shall see where the uni torrent takes me along with the uni m(ethoxy)-stak when i start that up..
one serving of that whey is 120 calories so if you take it 2 x a day thats 240 calories hardly a hindrance....oh and by the way if you use the scooper they give you its only actually about two thirds a serving with a full scoop....I used my food scale to find that out
Sean, you could very well be wrong about that. I've read somewhere that the whey can absorb moisture so going by weight might not be the way to get an exact amount of calories if you're going to be so technical. Anyhow, it's not realy a huge difference in caloric intake if you're taking 2/3 scoop or 1 full scoop. There's no way such a little amount should make or break any person's diet.
I just started going to the gym about month ago. I have a multivitamin pack a got from gnc and i usually take 2 scoops of this whey extreme 60 i also got from gnc before and after a work out. I'm yet to get on the bench i have been mostly working with free weights and the machines but i can surely already tell a difference in strength.
This has been with going to the gym 3 times a week. mostly upper body and abes. Although i think i tore my lower abdominal muscle the other day due to not stretching. It sucks i cant even due a sit up.
That definitely doesn't sound good Joe. I'd wait a week or so before going to a doctor, maybe the muscles are just sore. Also, I suggest that you train legs, skipping out on leg training can even hinder your upper body results believe that or not.
I think i will start to get into a more fuller routine soon. For me it seems committing to gym is not an easy task. Although now that im staring to see results its making it more worth my while. I just need to sit down with a calender and come up with a full daily/weekly routine.
My lower abe muscle seems a little better today but i still don't think i would try a sit up. What happened was i did i pretty in depth work on on my stomach and after a few days it was not to sore but it was still tight. I was ruff housing around and never stretched before hand. I threw a packed bag of clothes in a downward motion as if you were throwing a dodge ball with two hands and that did it. It does seem to be healing though.
If you can't commit to a gym then don't. It's cheaper working out at home. On average here in Chicago a gym membership will cost you $360 a year and you're locked into a contract for that year as well.Then factor in the time and gas it takes you to get to and from the gym and it all adds up. You could cheaply buy yourself a full size olympic bench and weight set and get into phenomenal shape in the comfort of your own home. The drawback is that you don't have access to all the machines for working out that a gym provides but if you're creative you can think of a way to train for whatever your goals are anyhow.
I agree but i have next to no room in my apartment. My membership was actually 129 for the entire year. I think now that im starting to see results though it will be easier.
Damn, making excuses already Joe. I would give up the bed I sleep on just to fit a weight bench into my living space. However, that is definitely a good deal on a gym membership so go for that.
Not derailing this thread but seeing this guy Johnnie Jackson is just impressive. His pecs are MASSIVE. No news to those in this thread I'm sure but DAMN, what a physique.
Johnnie has been on a big decline for a couple of years. He used to claim he was the strongest body builder and all that jazz but definitely came nowhere close to winning that title this year. Regardless of that him and just about all other body builders are bests and even though he's not the champ this year around he still is ridiculously strong.
My split: Monday-Chest, triceps and abs Barbell bench press, flyes, skull crushers, dips(soon to be weighted when my belt comes in), knee raises, rubber band cable crunches, weighted situps
Tuesday-Back and biceps Pull ups, chin ups, bent over barbell rows, t-bar rows(I just stick my barbell into a corner of a wall and grip the barbell with a m@sturbation grip(I don't own an actual handle yet)), dumbbell rows, heavy standing EZ curl bar curls, ez curl preacher curls, dumbbell preacher curls, standing alternating dumbbell curls
Wednesday-Legs, shoulders, traps and abs Squats, leg extensions, over head barbell press, dumbbell press, side laterals, knee raises, weighted sit ups, rubber band cable crunches
Thursday-Chest and triceps See Monday
Friday-Back and biceps See Tuesday but instead of pull ups/chin ups I do a lot more sets of bent over barbell rows
Saturday-Shoulders and abs All dumbbell presses(Arnold presses) and weighted situps
Sunday-Usually only cardio 5 mile run, stationary cycle and some shadow boxing
I super set all the muscle groups to be trained so for example I'll go from benching right into dips and then hit abs. Doing supersets like this is brutal but it saves time and definitely makes you that much stronger.I pyramid up and go very heavy with everything and then I pyramid down. I end up doing probably close to 16 sets per muscle group these days because I have the time(I'm laid off) and I can obtain results doing so. Most people would say what I do is over training and over kill but I'm cutting and having some nice gains right now so I'll just do what works. I actually do cardio every day as well, I've run 5 miles outside for the past 2 weeks now I believe. It's been cold it's been snowy but I still get out there and do it.
I own an olympic size bench and have an olympic barbell set(I actually have over 600 pounds in plates too. I own an iron gym(the thing you hang in a door frame) in which I use for pull ups/chin ups and hanging knee raises and I also have a dip station. My bedroom looks more like a gym with a bed in it and I wouldn't have it any other way, so many people complain about not having room and blah, blah, blah but if you really want to get in shape you make no excuses. I don't see the point in giving a gym $360 a year and plus, it's a waste of gas and time getting to and from a gym. I suggest you check out craigslist and buy equipment there at a great price. If you need a dip station this right here is the cat's azz-
It sure is, good thing I have tons of free time. BTW, my dip belt just came in from BB.com but I can't give a good review of it just yet. No more sets of 15 on dips or 20+ pull up/chin ups for me :D
I'm doing a pretty standard 4 day push/pull right now.
Your gym sounds like mine Rob. I have a bench, olympic bar/plates, a few dummies, "power tower" for chins/pulls/dips etc. I have more than enough to get a good workout. It's the monotony that kills me.
I greatly prefer going to a gym than working out at home, although I can get by either way. Going to the gym just creates a different state of mind for me. Better focus, better intensity. Not to mention it's absolutely one of the best ways to meet girls.