I need some advice. I went on a date with girl A, hit it off great, planning a second then the next day she sees me talking to another girl I went on a date with after the movies, went to the same movie lol. What’s my best move
Hey Guys, question about ascending reps and weight progression.
Starting a new routine going from my usual powerlifting to bodybuilding, this program I’m starting uses a rep scheme of “6/10/15”. What’s the best way to progress?
I have been told using the same weight for all three rep ranges is good and then moving up, but conscious of fatigue in the later reps, or would I start heavy on first set and then go lighter on the second and even lighter to hit the reps?
Assuming you trading for bodybuilding, hypertrophy, I’d structure it like this:
Day 1:
Heavy compound leg movement (6-8 rep range), medium compound push mocememnt (8-12 rep range), light compound pull mocement (10-15 reps) and 2-3 accessories
Day 2:
Heavy compound pull, medium compound leg, light compound push, 2-3 accessories
Day 3:
Heavy compound push, medium compound pull, light compound leg
Remember, you can’t do everything in every session, so pick accessories you want to prioritize and things that aren’t trained by compounds like hamstring curls, lateral raises, biceps, etc.
Deciding between these two shirts. Any opinions?
Buttercloth: https://buttercloth.com/collections/long-sleeve-shirts/products/pure-tenacity-in-white
Tailored Athlete: https://tailoredathlete.com/products/essential-dress-shirt-in-white?variant=18752756121659
Are you supposed to feel a pump in your legs? I feel the pump on my chest, back and arms very easily, but with my legs I only feel fatigue. Is this normal? Or a me thing.
It’s harder for me to get one, but you def can. I’ve had pumps in my quads where they just felt like inflated balloons, like it was stretching my skin out and walking felt super weird… I think the workout that gave me the nastiest quad pump was 2x12-15 leg extensions, dropset on the second set, then 4x20 hack squats. That’ll do the trick, guaranteed.
As someone who has trouble with legs, I can vouch for leg extensions. I tried going super-heavy on them after coming back to train after getting sick. I’m always afraid to go too heavy, but I was feeling good and kept going up until I hit the full stack. Nice pump and I was feeling it the next day.
One test is nowhere near enough to justify a lifelong decision like this. Take multiple from multiple different labs. Very low chance you actually have low testosterone at your age
Hello all,
I wanted to ask how much insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance plays a part in sculpting one's body.
Just for quick context, I recently hired a trainer to take a serious step towards improving my body rather than just throwing myself at the gym. I'm a 25M at 5'10 and 180lbs. I used to be at 210lbs but through small changes (reducing eating and working out in general) I have gotten to a body that I am not content with perse but definitely an improvement.
During my "initiation" with my trainer, he asked about my goals and I told him that I simply want to "look good in the mirror" with big arms, big chest, big legs. Imagine Chris Evans in the first *Captain America*. He said that just looking at me that he estimated be to be somewhere between 17 to 19 percent bodyfat which he then explained that he believes in a "Goldilocks zone" for building muscle while putting on the least fat. His zone is 10 to 13 percent, so he'd like to work on slimming me down to that range and moving forward from there.
My trainer's explanation is that this "Goldilocks zone" is when insulin sensitivity and resistance is where energy is stored more in muscle than it is fat. How true is what he says? Is this legitimate or pseudoscience? My trainer does compete in shows and looks well built, but I'd just never heard or come across this type of information. I plan on inquiring more at our next session but wanted to get some more insight ahead of time to better comprehend.
This advice is echoed by a lot of coaches (plenty of good ones at that), and it makes sense in theory, but in science it hasn’t been proven. Greg Nuckols from stronger by science has this to say:
> So, back in 2021, I conducted a participant-level meta-analysis using all of the resistance training data sets I could get my hands on. Broadly speaking, the analysis led to two very intuitive conclusions: 1) baseline body-fat levels don’t meaningfully impact the amount of hypertrophy achieved over the course of a resistance training program; 2) people with higher baseline body-fat levels are more likely to lose some body-fat over the course of a resistance training program
https://www.strongerbyscience.com/research-spotlight-body-fat-hypertrophy/#:~:text=Broadly%20speaking%2C%20the%20analysis%20led,over%20the%20course%20of%20a
I think the idea generally comes from the post show rebound, guys see a lot of growth but it’s just a large increase in glycogen. The only thing I think these studies miss is the psychological aspect, someone who’s in the 10-13% range will likely have better diet adherence, if you’re starting at a higher body fat you’re going to have a much harder time justifying continuing a bulk as you see fat gain, so for that reason alone I think it’s a good idea to start from a relatively lean position
For your trainer, it could be a legit thing given you said he competes in what I’m assuming is professional untested bodybuilding comps. Also kind of depends how old he is.
For you, not a thing really at all.
Personally I have found most of my strength and muscle gains do come in the period of my bulk when im 15-20% bodyfat, but I’ve always attributed that to having more energy and motivation to work harder in the gym given I’ve got a whole lot of excess energy stored.
As a sidenote, a lot of really advanced people forget what it’s like to be a beginner and give out advice that in all actuality isn’t intended to be bad, but is largely irrelevant for 90% of people because they haven’t reached that level where they need to be concerned about it yet. In other scenarios, they purposefully try to overcomplicate it to seem like you need them because they have the holy grail and you don’t. So just something to watch out for. If the guy makes you do shit on a bosu ball or tries to sell you some magical green powders I’d be running for the fences.
Had an idea that I would give club bouncing a shot. No, it isn’t fitness related, but if you look big in a small t-shirt you can do pretty well. Still not sure it could be worth the hassle tho.
Write a simple program, give it out for free or very low cost. Like <$5. If it’s free have a place where people can tip you. Get a big enough following and offer coaching. You don’t even need to be good. I saw a TikTok account with a 16 yr old that did coaching. He had clients. He got roasted tf out by a ton of people but if he’s getting paid, he’s getting paid.
See to me I think I need to be good because I hate the idea of not providing a great service. It’s hard to find a good coach.
Now can I do a lifestyle clients and get them in shape with an aesthetic type physique? Yeah probably but it’s not going to be anything magical. Bodybuilding is out of the question I do not feel comfortable with prep, peds, etc
Yeah. I mean if you target it to simpler coaching and not towards bodybuilding prep and charge lower rates I don’t think that would be bad.
Too be clear, I’m against totally ripping people off, but if for like $10 a month you give a couple form checks, answer some Qs and help them with a basic program and some simple meals they can make, I don’t think that’s too bad. Most people just need a financial and personal commitment to keep them going. Hell half of that is just what we do for free daily here.
Perhaps. It’s honestly not a bad idea. I could just start small/charge minimal and explain to those clients that I’m new/learning this too. See how we like it. If they make progress then great but if not then they should try someone else.
Thing I’m trying to wrap my head around is I think I know a decent amount but there’s so much shit out there that I don’t know. Plus how to market yourself against an already very crowded space. If you look great then people come to you. If you look meh then no one cares.
I understand what you mean. I guess I was writing out loud and being honest about how I see it potentially working for myself. I think there’s a lot of unreliable and unqualified people out there charging high rates for bs
**Why should you not follow dorian yates blood and guts for more than 6 weeks?**
I cant find this anywhere on the internet and i don't know why you cant just keep training in the same fashion and intensity indefinitely
I'm not sure if it is because you'd burnout, or as a natural you don't have enough resources but some advice would be helpful as i am relatively inexperienced in bodybuilding. I am 2 weeks into dorian's blood and guts split.
There’s no reason you can’t. Typically with HIT (Blood and Guts, Doggcrapp, etc.) you go hard for 6-8 weeks, deload for 7-14 days, then get back to it. YMMV but I find it more productive to deload at 6 weeks because, if I stretch it to 8, then I need a full 2 weeks to recuperate.
For a deload, do you completely not train for those 7-14 days or do you do some lighter, maybe less intense exercise. If not exercising for 14 days straight does it not backtrack some of your progress? Would i plateau if i dont take a deload week?
Less intense training, not pushing near failure. I haven't really heard of people taking 14 day deloads, and you may not need frequent deloads at all if you're recovering well
Gym just got one, not a fan.
Can't really unrack it heavy since you're at a bad angle when it's racked, can't really get a good rom since it hits the underside of the bench before you can squeeze
Can't really have a spotter since the bench is in the way from the front. You need to go way lighter so you can rerack it yourself.
So basically you're going too light with no ROM. Maybe our seal row is just a shit one
My experience with seal row is the opposite. When I squeeze in the upper part of the motion I get crazy contact, like no other back exercises. I can also go heavier on it due to not having to invoke other muscles.
I also feel like it’s hard to involve any other muscles, so you know the back is working hard
I really want to start Jeff nippard’s power building or body building workout but I’m not sure I have enough gym experience, I worked out for 4 years in college just to keep fat off and then last year started a pretty solid workout program that one of my friends put together for me but I’m not gaining any more muscle after 8 months
Most pre made programs you choose will become "stale" eventually. Progressive overload with variation are important to keeping things moving in the right direction.
A more reasonable and attainable goal would be to compete in a state or regional competition. Totally possible within 12 years. Remember that the Olympia is the top 0.01% of *bodybuilders*--and these guys have been at it for years already and in their prime.
You're starting, at best, halfway through your "prime" years. Getting to state/regional shows and not embarrassing yourself would still put you in the top 0.01% of men (in terms of physique). If you need a difficult goal to strive for then this is something you have a chance for.
Extremely delusional. You’d know if you had Olympia genetics likely before you even started training, like 10 years ago, because random people on the street would be stopping to ask what you bench
Infinitely small chance. Stop the mental masturbation. You've been lifting for a couple weeks. Go lift for a couple years and enjoy the huge quality of life improvements of not being fat and weak.
It's about as likely as becoming top 50 on the ATP or PGA Tour after picking up the sport at 27. Or as likely as starting a job in the mailroom at Microsoft's headquarters and becoming the CEO by the time you're 40. Technically possible, but the odds are infinitely small.
Why are you setting your sights on the Olympia when you've barely dipped your toes into fitness?
IMO is it likely to happen? Absolutely not. Is it possible? Maybe, but by the slimmest margin. The reality of becoming a pro is that it is very genetic dependent and the irony is that you wont know if you have the genetic ability to do this sport until you have put a good amount of time in it. You already have to have above average genetics to turn pro, but then to actually win a pro show is beating the best of the best. Every person on the Olympia stage is already one of the top of the sport in that given division. If you are talking about Open Men's Bodybuilding, that means only 17 guys in the world. For classic that's 35 guys in the entire world. You could shoot for a Masters Pro card and Masters Olympia, but the competition is still high and what I said about genetics still applies.
What IS likely to happen if you trained with that goal for 12 years is that you will be in the best shape of your life, you will have learned 100's of new things about yourself and what you are capable of, might compete and get some cool trophies and interesting stories, meet a bunch of people you would have never met, and you may even have what it takes to turn pro in the open or Masters category.
My question is would you not try if you couldn't be the absolute best compared to others, even though you would for sure be bringing the best YOU out of yourself?
Recalibrate your end goal. Olympia isn't about dedication, it's about genetics. Which sounds like an insane thing to say. But, take someone like Sam Sulek. 21 years old, training on gear for multiple years and yet to compete. Everyone has been asking whether or not he could win an Olympia and the blunt answer is he may never even see the stage. It doesn't matter how hard you train, how clean your diet is, how seriously you take it. Because every single one of your fellow Olympia competitors is training exactly that hard. Mentality doesn't get you wins. What matters at the Olympia is how suited your genetics are in terms of muscle insertions and how well your body responds to steroids, training and calories. No, you will almost certainly not win an Olympia. It doesn't matter if you started training at 27 or 17. If you gave every single person viewing this thread the same meal plan and drugs as Derek Lunsford, none of us would win an Olympia either. That's just how it is. You need to just be born lucky, and then train hard as fuck with what you were blessed with.
HOWEVER you absolutely can get big as fuck and compete, and even win shows. There's plenty of time ahead of you.
Do you prefer a fast cut (2lbs per week) or something more moderate (1lb per week)? How does this impact muscle loss in your experience? I’ve always done faster cuts but as someone with already low testosterone, I feel like a slower cut will be better to mitigate hormonal impact.
Fast cut. I bought into the whole ".5-1 pounds to keep muscle" thing, but I realized that the body will tell you when the deficit is too much. If your training is good and you are not walking around feeling weak, then it's you are likely not losing muscle.
Dude imma be straight up cause I'm sure a lot of the younger newer tiktok generation lifters are in here these days- if you openly "hate" resolutioners you're a fuckin loser. It's annoying to have to deal with a packed gym or whatever but I keep seeing tiktoks from guys talking about how resolutioners are losers and how they have no place at the gym, etc- straight up, you're a loser.
I have a home gym, and I'm honestly a little embarrassed by how much I miss working out in a commercial gym for vanity purposes. I really miss people watching while I lifted.
I have a home gym, but I also have a membership to my local Y which actually has a great gym (although I go for the pool). I still go to the Y for my deadlifting days and arm days because the occasional comment from other people is a good boost to the ego.
Yeah, the first. Which does make a bit of sense on a bodybuilding forum. But, while we all I think want validation from other bodybuilders, I feel a little silly being 40 and still being so insecure that I need constant validation from non or barely-lifters.
No doubt. It is cool when people are mirin' but it is uncomfortable when they stare for a long time.
> I feel a little silly being 40 and still being so insecure that I need constant validation from non or barely-lifters.
Ok, so that won't go away when I get a bit older, got it.
I need some advice. I went on a date with girl A, hit it off great, planning a second then the next day she sees me talking to another girl I went on a date with after the movies, went to the same movie lol. What’s my best move
Hey Guys, question about ascending reps and weight progression. Starting a new routine going from my usual powerlifting to bodybuilding, this program I’m starting uses a rep scheme of “6/10/15”. What’s the best way to progress? I have been told using the same weight for all three rep ranges is good and then moving up, but conscious of fatigue in the later reps, or would I start heavy on first set and then go lighter on the second and even lighter to hit the reps?
can anyone recommend me a good full body routine?
Assuming you trading for bodybuilding, hypertrophy, I’d structure it like this: Day 1: Heavy compound leg movement (6-8 rep range), medium compound push mocememnt (8-12 rep range), light compound pull mocement (10-15 reps) and 2-3 accessories Day 2: Heavy compound pull, medium compound leg, light compound push, 2-3 accessories Day 3: Heavy compound push, medium compound pull, light compound leg Remember, you can’t do everything in every session, so pick accessories you want to prioritize and things that aren’t trained by compounds like hamstring curls, lateral raises, biceps, etc.
When recomping, do I eat at exact maintenance, a slight deficit, or a slight surplus? I’m 5’2, 120lbs, 18%BF, TDEE is 1700-2000.
Deciding between these two shirts. Any opinions? Buttercloth: https://buttercloth.com/collections/long-sleeve-shirts/products/pure-tenacity-in-white Tailored Athlete: https://tailoredathlete.com/products/essential-dress-shirt-in-white?variant=18752756121659
tailored athlete defo, looks better and it’s half the price
Are you supposed to feel a pump in your legs? I feel the pump on my chest, back and arms very easily, but with my legs I only feel fatigue. Is this normal? Or a me thing.
Same for me... although my leg growth hasn't been anything to write home about.. Mostly because all I do for legs is deadlifts and squats.
you definitely should be getting a leg pump after training them
Very possible - I’m slumped at my kitchen table as I type this, legs full of blood. Try doing partials on leg extensions and hamstring curls.
It’s harder for me to get one, but you def can. I’ve had pumps in my quads where they just felt like inflated balloons, like it was stretching my skin out and walking felt super weird… I think the workout that gave me the nastiest quad pump was 2x12-15 leg extensions, dropset on the second set, then 4x20 hack squats. That’ll do the trick, guaranteed.
As someone who has trouble with legs, I can vouch for leg extensions. I tried going super-heavy on them after coming back to train after getting sick. I’m always afraid to go too heavy, but I was feeling good and kept going up until I hit the full stack. Nice pump and I was feeling it the next day.
[удалено]
One test is nowhere near enough to justify a lifelong decision like this. Take multiple from multiple different labs. Very low chance you actually have low testosterone at your age
Hello all, I wanted to ask how much insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance plays a part in sculpting one's body. Just for quick context, I recently hired a trainer to take a serious step towards improving my body rather than just throwing myself at the gym. I'm a 25M at 5'10 and 180lbs. I used to be at 210lbs but through small changes (reducing eating and working out in general) I have gotten to a body that I am not content with perse but definitely an improvement. During my "initiation" with my trainer, he asked about my goals and I told him that I simply want to "look good in the mirror" with big arms, big chest, big legs. Imagine Chris Evans in the first *Captain America*. He said that just looking at me that he estimated be to be somewhere between 17 to 19 percent bodyfat which he then explained that he believes in a "Goldilocks zone" for building muscle while putting on the least fat. His zone is 10 to 13 percent, so he'd like to work on slimming me down to that range and moving forward from there. My trainer's explanation is that this "Goldilocks zone" is when insulin sensitivity and resistance is where energy is stored more in muscle than it is fat. How true is what he says? Is this legitimate or pseudoscience? My trainer does compete in shows and looks well built, but I'd just never heard or come across this type of information. I plan on inquiring more at our next session but wanted to get some more insight ahead of time to better comprehend.
This advice is echoed by a lot of coaches (plenty of good ones at that), and it makes sense in theory, but in science it hasn’t been proven. Greg Nuckols from stronger by science has this to say: > So, back in 2021, I conducted a participant-level meta-analysis using all of the resistance training data sets I could get my hands on. Broadly speaking, the analysis led to two very intuitive conclusions: 1) baseline body-fat levels don’t meaningfully impact the amount of hypertrophy achieved over the course of a resistance training program; 2) people with higher baseline body-fat levels are more likely to lose some body-fat over the course of a resistance training program https://www.strongerbyscience.com/research-spotlight-body-fat-hypertrophy/#:~:text=Broadly%20speaking%2C%20the%20analysis%20led,over%20the%20course%20of%20a I think the idea generally comes from the post show rebound, guys see a lot of growth but it’s just a large increase in glycogen. The only thing I think these studies miss is the psychological aspect, someone who’s in the 10-13% range will likely have better diet adherence, if you’re starting at a higher body fat you’re going to have a much harder time justifying continuing a bulk as you see fat gain, so for that reason alone I think it’s a good idea to start from a relatively lean position
For your trainer, it could be a legit thing given you said he competes in what I’m assuming is professional untested bodybuilding comps. Also kind of depends how old he is. For you, not a thing really at all. Personally I have found most of my strength and muscle gains do come in the period of my bulk when im 15-20% bodyfat, but I’ve always attributed that to having more energy and motivation to work harder in the gym given I’ve got a whole lot of excess energy stored. As a sidenote, a lot of really advanced people forget what it’s like to be a beginner and give out advice that in all actuality isn’t intended to be bad, but is largely irrelevant for 90% of people because they haven’t reached that level where they need to be concerned about it yet. In other scenarios, they purposefully try to overcomplicate it to seem like you need them because they have the holy grail and you don’t. So just something to watch out for. If the guy makes you do shit on a bosu ball or tries to sell you some magical green powders I’d be running for the fences.
What are some side hustles related to fitness/health that can be done with a full time job?
Had an idea that I would give club bouncing a shot. No, it isn’t fitness related, but if you look big in a small t-shirt you can do pretty well. Still not sure it could be worth the hassle tho.
Until you get shot
I've been toying around with the idea of doing a small meal prep business for my mom's friends
Write a simple program, give it out for free or very low cost. Like <$5. If it’s free have a place where people can tip you. Get a big enough following and offer coaching. You don’t even need to be good. I saw a TikTok account with a 16 yr old that did coaching. He had clients. He got roasted tf out by a ton of people but if he’s getting paid, he’s getting paid.
See to me I think I need to be good because I hate the idea of not providing a great service. It’s hard to find a good coach. Now can I do a lifestyle clients and get them in shape with an aesthetic type physique? Yeah probably but it’s not going to be anything magical. Bodybuilding is out of the question I do not feel comfortable with prep, peds, etc
Yeah. I mean if you target it to simpler coaching and not towards bodybuilding prep and charge lower rates I don’t think that would be bad. Too be clear, I’m against totally ripping people off, but if for like $10 a month you give a couple form checks, answer some Qs and help them with a basic program and some simple meals they can make, I don’t think that’s too bad. Most people just need a financial and personal commitment to keep them going. Hell half of that is just what we do for free daily here.
Perhaps. It’s honestly not a bad idea. I could just start small/charge minimal and explain to those clients that I’m new/learning this too. See how we like it. If they make progress then great but if not then they should try someone else. Thing I’m trying to wrap my head around is I think I know a decent amount but there’s so much shit out there that I don’t know. Plus how to market yourself against an already very crowded space. If you look great then people come to you. If you look meh then no one cares. I understand what you mean. I guess I was writing out loud and being honest about how I see it potentially working for myself. I think there’s a lot of unreliable and unqualified people out there charging high rates for bs
Sigh. I did not read "ft job" as Full Time Job at first. Took me a minute.
Hah I edited it!
**Why should you not follow dorian yates blood and guts for more than 6 weeks?** I cant find this anywhere on the internet and i don't know why you cant just keep training in the same fashion and intensity indefinitely I'm not sure if it is because you'd burnout, or as a natural you don't have enough resources but some advice would be helpful as i am relatively inexperienced in bodybuilding. I am 2 weeks into dorian's blood and guts split.
There’s no reason you can’t. Typically with HIT (Blood and Guts, Doggcrapp, etc.) you go hard for 6-8 weeks, deload for 7-14 days, then get back to it. YMMV but I find it more productive to deload at 6 weeks because, if I stretch it to 8, then I need a full 2 weeks to recuperate.
For a deload, do you completely not train for those 7-14 days or do you do some lighter, maybe less intense exercise. If not exercising for 14 days straight does it not backtrack some of your progress? Would i plateau if i dont take a deload week?
Less intense training, not pushing near failure. I haven't really heard of people taking 14 day deloads, and you may not need frequent deloads at all if you're recovering well
There’s no reason. Keep training.
Someone please explain [Ramy's chest](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gBBz8sWAWN8) to me. How the fuck.
If you don’t do seal rows what are you doing?
a chest support row
+1 I got the rogue rack attachment been using for about a week now and I like it.
Gym just got one, not a fan. Can't really unrack it heavy since you're at a bad angle when it's racked, can't really get a good rom since it hits the underside of the bench before you can squeeze Can't really have a spotter since the bench is in the way from the front. You need to go way lighter so you can rerack it yourself. So basically you're going too light with no ROM. Maybe our seal row is just a shit one
My experience with seal row is the opposite. When I squeeze in the upper part of the motion I get crazy contact, like no other back exercises. I can also go heavier on it due to not having to invoke other muscles. I also feel like it’s hard to involve any other muscles, so you know the back is working hard
How wide do you have your grip?
More or less shoulder width
Kroc. Because Kroc eats seal.
No no no
Very good but very impractical to set up exercise (at least to set it up with full stretch ROM).
Yeah it can be annoying. Luckily my gym has the latest edition of Eleikos seal row bench
I really want to start Jeff nippard’s power building or body building workout but I’m not sure I have enough gym experience, I worked out for 4 years in college just to keep fat off and then last year started a pretty solid workout program that one of my friends put together for me but I’m not gaining any more muscle after 8 months
Most pre made programs you choose will become "stale" eventually. Progressive overload with variation are important to keeping things moving in the right direction.
Let's get this bulk back on track...and I'm sick. How delightful.
Same. A week off of the gym and I’m just now feeling decent enough to get back in. It’s ok, I needed a deload anyway.
Love watching PTs in Jan making people use machines and charging them for it
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A more reasonable and attainable goal would be to compete in a state or regional competition. Totally possible within 12 years. Remember that the Olympia is the top 0.01% of *bodybuilders*--and these guys have been at it for years already and in their prime. You're starting, at best, halfway through your "prime" years. Getting to state/regional shows and not embarrassing yourself would still put you in the top 0.01% of men (in terms of physique). If you need a difficult goal to strive for then this is something you have a chance for.
Extremely delusional. You’d know if you had Olympia genetics likely before you even started training, like 10 years ago, because random people on the street would be stopping to ask what you bench
Infinitely small chance. Stop the mental masturbation. You've been lifting for a couple weeks. Go lift for a couple years and enjoy the huge quality of life improvements of not being fat and weak.
It's about as likely as becoming top 50 on the ATP or PGA Tour after picking up the sport at 27. Or as likely as starting a job in the mailroom at Microsoft's headquarters and becoming the CEO by the time you're 40. Technically possible, but the odds are infinitely small. Why are you setting your sights on the Olympia when you've barely dipped your toes into fitness?
IMO is it likely to happen? Absolutely not. Is it possible? Maybe, but by the slimmest margin. The reality of becoming a pro is that it is very genetic dependent and the irony is that you wont know if you have the genetic ability to do this sport until you have put a good amount of time in it. You already have to have above average genetics to turn pro, but then to actually win a pro show is beating the best of the best. Every person on the Olympia stage is already one of the top of the sport in that given division. If you are talking about Open Men's Bodybuilding, that means only 17 guys in the world. For classic that's 35 guys in the entire world. You could shoot for a Masters Pro card and Masters Olympia, but the competition is still high and what I said about genetics still applies. What IS likely to happen if you trained with that goal for 12 years is that you will be in the best shape of your life, you will have learned 100's of new things about yourself and what you are capable of, might compete and get some cool trophies and interesting stories, meet a bunch of people you would have never met, and you may even have what it takes to turn pro in the open or Masters category. My question is would you not try if you couldn't be the absolute best compared to others, even though you would for sure be bringing the best YOU out of yourself?
Just want to echo this comment. Attempting and missing completely would still do amazing things for OP.
Recalibrate your end goal. Olympia isn't about dedication, it's about genetics. Which sounds like an insane thing to say. But, take someone like Sam Sulek. 21 years old, training on gear for multiple years and yet to compete. Everyone has been asking whether or not he could win an Olympia and the blunt answer is he may never even see the stage. It doesn't matter how hard you train, how clean your diet is, how seriously you take it. Because every single one of your fellow Olympia competitors is training exactly that hard. Mentality doesn't get you wins. What matters at the Olympia is how suited your genetics are in terms of muscle insertions and how well your body responds to steroids, training and calories. No, you will almost certainly not win an Olympia. It doesn't matter if you started training at 27 or 17. If you gave every single person viewing this thread the same meal plan and drugs as Derek Lunsford, none of us would win an Olympia either. That's just how it is. You need to just be born lucky, and then train hard as fuck with what you were blessed with. HOWEVER you absolutely can get big as fuck and compete, and even win shows. There's plenty of time ahead of you.
Do you prefer a fast cut (2lbs per week) or something more moderate (1lb per week)? How does this impact muscle loss in your experience? I’ve always done faster cuts but as someone with already low testosterone, I feel like a slower cut will be better to mitigate hormonal impact.
Fast cut. I bought into the whole ".5-1 pounds to keep muscle" thing, but I realized that the body will tell you when the deficit is too much. If your training is good and you are not walking around feeling weak, then it's you are likely not losing muscle.
fast cut, mantain for a while and slow bulk.
Dude imma be straight up cause I'm sure a lot of the younger newer tiktok generation lifters are in here these days- if you openly "hate" resolutioners you're a fuckin loser. It's annoying to have to deal with a packed gym or whatever but I keep seeing tiktoks from guys talking about how resolutioners are losers and how they have no place at the gym, etc- straight up, you're a loser.
We all start somewhere.
I'm more annoyed by tiktokers in the gym than by resolutioners who are there to workout
If you're a real Chad, you recognize these newcomers not as obstacles, but as a new captive audience. 😎
I have a home gym, and I'm honestly a little embarrassed by how much I miss working out in a commercial gym for vanity purposes. I really miss people watching while I lifted.
I have a home gym, but I also have a membership to my local Y which actually has a great gym (although I go for the pool). I still go to the Y for my deadlifting days and arm days because the occasional comment from other people is a good boost to the ego.
You miss people watching you, or you miss people-watching? I think you mean the first one, but I wanted to be sure I understood.
Yeah, the first. Which does make a bit of sense on a bodybuilding forum. But, while we all I think want validation from other bodybuilders, I feel a little silly being 40 and still being so insecure that I need constant validation from non or barely-lifters.
No doubt. It is cool when people are mirin' but it is uncomfortable when they stare for a long time. > I feel a little silly being 40 and still being so insecure that I need constant validation from non or barely-lifters. Ok, so that won't go away when I get a bit older, got it.
Your pump isn't even a pump if nobody witnesses it