Feel good story... I bought several pairs of cargo shorts back in the day like 20 years ago that I had tucked away forever because they were too small and I could never fit in them. In fact, I never fit in them and never returned them. Brand new. I think the last time I would have been able to fit in those shorts was probably college. Well...I just tried them on and now I fit in them. So, small pat on the back. Still more work to do.
Thought this was a great video for the journey and the steps between the next fitness levels to share. Breaks down the smaller adjustments to get to the next goal.
Athlean-x is probably the best YouTube channel to subscribe to if you’re serious about fitness. Great video.
^I've been busting my ass for over a year now, working out in some fashion at least five days a week and usually more trying to get in the best shape of my life. I can tell you I feel much, much better about myself. But, like the video says, it's a process to shed body fat and build muscle. Eating is a major PITA. So is getting enough sleep lately. I've had some minor injuries along the way and I've been sick with colds and **** more in this past year than I think I have in the last decade (but I still remained active). Every couple months I look at myself in the mirror and think I've almost arrived but a couple more months pass and I realize I'm still a long way off from being in truly great shape. TL;DR: If you ever plan to or dream of getting in shape, do yourself a favor and start somewhere TODAY.
I've been getting a little bored with my workout and I think I'm over-training certain body parts and certainly under-training some, so I went down the Athlean-X (Thanks @OkayAyeReloaded for the reminder) rabbit hole today and decided to change up my workout completely and do a Push-Pull-Leg-Rest split workout cycle. Watch the beginning of any of the videos for an explanation of what a Push-Pull-Legs-Rest split workout is. One of the things I like about it is the asynchronous 3 days on, 1 off workout to rest cycle, which Jeff highly advocates and I can accommodate with my lifestyle. I also like that legs are only once every four days because I really do think you need a lot of rest between leg days. I'll work in abs and a run daily regardless of what workout or rest day I'm on. Push (upper body): Pull (upper body): Legs:
The biggest key to being able to do pull-ups and chin-ups...lose weight. lol. It's easier to lose weight than it is to build enough strength to lift your weight. Actually, it is a combination of the two that gets you there. I finally got around to where I'm able to do a few of each. So, progress. Another thing that helps...hanging.
Just watched this guy for the first time (AFAIK). Not sure that I agree with everything I've heard so far, but he seems to have some unique info.
For us older guys, the question is not: What do you lift? The question is: What time is it? Is it time for knee braces? Is it time to lift less? Is it time to jog instead of run? Is it time to walk instead of jog? Is it time to admit you need special insoles? Is it time to not bench free weights because of that back issue? Is it time to give yourself more recovery after workouts? Is it time to emphasize flexibility over strength so you can still tie your shoes in a couple of years? Is it time to admit you’d have no chance with the hot chick on the stairmaster? Damn it all.
I'll tell you what gives me trouble are the wrists. I can lift the heavy sh*t but the wrists seem to be the weak point. I do some forearm exercises and some hanging. I see the development in my forearms a little bit. Once they get loosened up...they seem to be okay. But, they tend to hurt. It doesn't help that I tend to sleep on my stomach with my hands up and under the pillow most of the time. That's my comfort position. But, the hands go numb because it cuts the blood flow. This may be contributing to the problem. Maybe I'll try to take some Glucosamine or Turmeric for three months and see if that helps. It really shows up at the end of heavy deadlifts when you are nearing failure. It's the wrists that stop me from going further. I guess I need to hang more. F*ck!
I've had wrist issues myself and traced the blame back to exactly what you said--sleeping with my hands under the pillow. I got around them by wadding my pillow up to make it thicker (which my neck desired), and just moving my hands out slightly. I also don't train my forearms. Yes, they're too skinny. But it makes my biceps look that much bigger. Now if I could just figured out why my elbows hurt so damn much...
You don’t need to train your forearms unless you’re a bodybuilder targeting every muscle group for glamour reasons. Doing curls (or chin-ups) with the proper form will do plenty. Re: wrist issues: I’m convinced that most wrist issues are related to posture. My wife got a breast reduction recently which helped her posture immensely and her wrist pain disappeared completely. I do agree that your sleeping pose can affect your overall posture and you need to fix it, which is super difficult since you know, you’re asleep. I’m a side sleeper and have had to get into the habit of not laying with my arm under my pillow when I sleep. It’s an ongoing process but it’s helped. Size of pillow is important too.
I too have always been limited in reps/weight by my wrists, eventually they give out and sprain and then I can't lift for 2 months which resets my growth. They are thinner than my wife's wrists (who's 5'1 115 pounds). Posture ain't fixing these bad boys lol
