It's happened Jow Forumsizens, the cut and maintaince is over. From January 2016 to now, I've lost around 95 pounds off the scales, and made decent muscle gains. 300 pounds to 205 @ 182cm and roughly 10-13% bf, hard to tell due to slight amounts of loose skin on stomach and chest, waist went from 44 to 31, and have visablr upper abs. Picture is from. January 2016 and July 2016, I've lost meow weight and gained muscle since then, I'm also flexing my arms in pic like a moron. But now I want to start a proper strength mesocycle in my training, which will mean eating a surplus (something which will be wierd). For the past while I've been doing a more bodybuilding focused training mesocycle, and made decent but not stellar gains, obviously from eating at a maintenance, or slight surplus. But now I'm gonna start Stronglifts once the exam season is over, and get comfy in my Christmas bulk. The regime I'm planning is Mon/tues/wed/thurs/fri/sat/sun A/rest/B/rest/A/Run/rest B/res/A/rest/B/Run/rest
A. Squat 5 x 5 Bench 5 x 5 Barbell row 5 x 5 Dips 3 x 10 Superset - Back extensions 3 x 10 -Rear Delt flies 4 x 12 Superset - Hanging leg raises 4 x 8 -Pallof press 4 x 45 secs
B. Squat 5 x 5 Overhead press 5 x 5 Deadlift 1 x 5 Chin ups 3 x 10 Superset-Face Pulls 4 x 12 -Hammer curls 4 x 12 Superset - Plank 4 x 45 sec -Side plank 3 x 45 secs
Current lifts Squats 110 x8 Bench 75 x 8 Rows 70 x 8 Ohp 42.5 x 8 Rdls 120 x 8 (need to start doing proper deadlifts, this program will help).
My question is, although I'm used to a lot of volume, will starting off Stronglifts with so much additional accessories seriously negatively affect it ? It's predicting my squat will get near 150kg after 12 weeks.
Good progress user! I would suggest a newer picture though as if you still look like second pic you should definently continue the cut a small ammount of time.
Kayden Adams
lol /B/rest lol get it breast nice bod btw
Benjamin Moore
good idea adding one now all my lifts are in kg, in case that wasn't obvious
I've improved a bit since then, didn't realise until I saw my recent pic compared to my July 2016 picture,since I don't really take off my top for pics, still quite self conscious. Looking forward to the surplus and muscle building in Stronglifts, and then the slow cut/maintenance from March til the summer
Nice progress, but I don't think you're 10-13% bf. More like 20% (even with loose skin).
Jackson Cook
>the cut
What cut? Great progress but there are atleast another 5-6% of bf that need to go.
Carter Martin
Really? oh well Fuck it, still gonna eat at a surplus to make the adequate gains I can lose a pound of fat a week easy enough, gaining muscle is much harder
Brody Cooper
Great now only 40 more pounds to go
Thomas Clark
fair but my question stands is adding so much accessories gonna hamper my progress in the main lifts? even though i can do all those lifts fine
Grayson Ross
nah, I think you should focus on upper chest, lats and shoulders though, and stop training legs so god damn much jesus christ
Tyler Edwards
Good progress. Hit OHP hard during this bulk.
Brandon Cox
Good to hear user. Post like this keeps me motivated that we are gonna make it someday. I'm roughly the same size as you was. I'm 125kg@188cm. Lost 15 kg in the last 5 months and keep losing it. Eventually I'll reach my goal weight which is 90kg.
Hunter Baker
Great progress user. Keep at it
Bentley Williams
Yeah, my biggest weaknesses are my upper body, and I think I just have really strong legs. I used to play rugby as a loose head prop, so they got a lot of work, it's part of the reason I was so heavy, stopped training in rugby, got injured (Acl snapped and damage to meniscus and tore the mcl too), so I've hard to train my legs a good bit for rehab. Also why I want to add chins and dips to my program, bit more chest and back work as well as arms.
15% seems more likely I was getting ahead of myself with 10-14%. I work my core a lot, I want a popping core even when not in single digits. Also why I feel comfortable adding on the core stuff to the StrongLifts program. Seems I should continue with what I have planned. The chins and dips doing extra arm/chest/lat work. Might after the 12 weeks change a squat session to doing more gpp work(tire flips and carries) with that day, reduce my squatting to twice a week, and maybe introduce an upper day on top. Bringing it to training 5 days a week. I'll continue my plan for the Program post exams, prob begin it around Christmas. Before NY anyway
Joseph Hall
You're fucking retarded--I bet you've never even had abs before. He's definitely not 15% right now in this pic > no pec outline > abs start to come through at 20% unless you're skelly > no vasculature anyway > no delt/bicep separation yet
Again, phenomenal progress OP. But you're not 15% bf.
Awww Oh well. I can deal with not being at my final bf% goals. Gaining muscle and laying down my strength foundation now as I'm no longer at risk of a heart attack is the wise move I think. And I do need to work on my upper body a lot. Grower not a shower ;D
Ethan Cruz
great job, shame about your micropenis
Jose Powell
>10-13% bf >it's just loose skin stop lying yourself, you're 20% bf at best
Gj senpai I've lost 70 trying to get another 40 off before I start trying to put on muscle.
Luis Hill
Because I want to gain muscle mass? And the more muscle mass you have, the easier it is to lose weight. It is also the perfect time to do it since I'll have a solid 3 months before the summer to lose some of the fat and show off the new gains. And honestly, I'm fed up with my lifts, I want to start throwing around decent numbers, just for pure mental vanity sake
Christian Reyes
Makes sense. It’s easjer to make gains with a lower bf% though.
I personally never bulk unless I have clearly defined abs.
Logan Reyes
That's fair But I kinda need the break from the diet too. It's been a couple of years of deficit or maintenance, a surplus for 3 months will be a nice break I've made okish progress on my lifts, but I think getting some decent strength gains will be good. And deloading my lifts and starting at my 50% 1RM now will be a good relearning/refreshing for my form, a good thing to do everyone once in a while. I'm sure I have loads of bad habits, I know my rowing isn't great. Gaining muscle+diet break+form refresher for 3 months has a lot going for it I think
Aaron Roberts
You still have very high bodyfat. Likely over 20%, The cut is not over for you my friend. It doesn't even look like you've reached the most challenging part of a cut.
Parker Gray
You should cut more, or maybe refeed for a week and then cut, but to be quite frank your mind is already made up and you won't listen to anyone who isn't saying what you want.
You've made superb progress but if you are asking should I bulk or cut then answer is to keep dieting. If you are looking for someone to agree with you that you should bulk I'm sure you'll get that too.
Well done regardless.
Luis Brown
Or even refeed/"bulk" until the new year so you can enjoy Christmas and then get back to the cut. In purely health terms there is nothing for you to be gained (figuratively) by gaining more weight. I know that's not what you want to hear but if you've gotten this far you can do this too.
Jace Moore
So since I am on the same journey ... When should you start bulking?
Samuel Flores
My question was whether I had added too many additional exercises to the Stronglifts program that could hamper my progress. Since I added ab work because I want popping abs and have made decent progress on strict L-sits, leg raises to face level (working on strict toes to bar) and window wipers. Dips/chins/rear delt work and facepulls (non negotiable) were for my lacking upper body. And I enjoy doing back extensions, I feel they almost loosen me out after rows But I do realise my bf% can/should be lower before going into a bulk. I'm not planning on dirty bulking, aiming for 200-300 kcal surplus at most. I track autistically so I will keep to it. I want to gain minimal amount of fat if possible. And cheers for the kudos. I'll cut for the summer after I make muscle/strength gains. I honestly wasn't trying to be contrarian or saying I had optimal bf%, I lift for myself and improving this stupid injured husk of a body. I'm not hideous with my shirt off and I can lose bodyfat in the future, but I need to make muscle gains before I hit 30 and enter boomer territory (currently 28), since it is only going to get harder.
James Robinson
When bf% is down to 10% or so. You put on optimal amounts of mass when you are 10%. People tend to bulk from 10% to 15%, then cut again. Rinse and repeat until the muscle amount desired is achieved, then maintain for the rest of your life.
Wasn't expecting this when I opened the thread, very nice.
Ethan Reed
I think his legs look good
Liam Bailey
What were you expecting? My legs are alright, my squat far outstrips my other lifts and I have massive calves from playing rugby, being obese and regular hillwalking. Hoping to keep them big by hill sprints, barefoot walking /running and box jumps (after the strength cycle), high volume stuff rather than doing calf raises
