Thread: Am I sabotaging my own efforts?

Hi SM'ers!

Some of you may have seen my photos and posts in body transformation but I have a question in relation to my training and would love to hear your thoughts.

What I've been doing is essentially a mixture between upper/lower 4x/week (sorry MO!) and a bodypart split. On my days off from weight training however I go to the gym first thing in the AM before breakfast (after popping some caffeine, ephedrine and some BCAA's and Vitamin C powder). What I do is a circuit of kettlbells and powercleans and intervals on the bike for no more than 30 mins.

I enjoy this type of workout as it's different to the weight training sessions that I do, where I focus on muscle contractions and it's less explosive than the stuff I do with kettlebells etc..

I do these workouts because I enjoy them and I feel that they're good for the 'fat burning' and cardio effect that they have on the body.

Question is: am I sabotaging my muscle building efforts?

Yes (assume you are doing a bulk?)

And I think you know it too.

Muscles grow when not in the gym - you are reducing the 'not in a gym' time.

Sorry dude. Maybe some lower key cardio is better because your kettlebells, etc, routine is a form of weights work as well as helping with the cardio.

Grunt I've seen your pics. Whatever you are doing works! I think MO said it in one of the threads with pics - 'quality physique'. Understatement.

All I read in your post was that you enjoy doing that workout. So I say (with my unqualified opinino) - keep it!! You say you enjoy it. Thats important too?

maybe, maybe not but the fact you are asking probably means they will be

the shoulder girdle won't be getting a lot of rest and is used in all upper body movements

maybe stick with some incline walking

and get off the ephedrine, bad stuff

dont fix it if it aint fucked,do what you were doing to look the way you are mate,

Originally Posted by gruntjc

Hi SM'ers!

Some of you may have seen my photos and posts in body transformation but I have a question in relation to my training and would love to hear your thoughts.

What I've been doing is essentially a mixture between upper/lower 4x/week (sorry MO!) and a bodypart split. On my days off from weight training however I go to the gym first thing in the AM before breakfast (after popping some caffeine, ephedrine and some BCAA's and Vitamin C powder). What I do is a circuit of kettlbells and powercleans and intervals on the bike for no more than 30 mins.

I enjoy this type of workout as it's different to the weight training sessions that I do, where I focus on muscle contractions and it's less explosive than the stuff I do with kettlebells etc..

I do these workouts because I enjoy them and I feel that they're good for the 'fat burning' and cardio effect that they have on the body.

Question is: am I sabotaging my muscle building efforts?

Firstly, why are you apologizing to MO? did i miss something ?

The only way to tell is if hey are impeding of your results, how have your workouts been going? improving?

he he... to answer your question, Bricktop, it's because MO has taken a lot of time to educate me on how to train like a bodybuilder vs a powerlifter (which was my background for a short time prior to returning to 'bodybuilding'). I was stuck in the upper/lower mentality and probably still am to some extent. He kindly took the time to give me some fresh ideas around my training. I try to keep an open mind but it's always hard to change something you're accustomed to doing.

Hard to say about whether or not the workouts have been improving. In the past (and still today) I judge my proress on the weight being lifted but I now train a little different in that I focus on the contraction, slowing the movement down and cutting out a bunch on momentum in the process. The end result is that I require less sets and can destroy myself in a shorter period of time. Must have something to do with TUT because I'm not being as 'explosive' in my cadence as I used to be. There is lots more pausing and squeezing (but more pausing) and a slow eccentric and a somewhat slower concentric action.

I'm probably in the best shape I've ever been in but still want things to keep moving in an upward direction.

Originally Posted by gruntjc

he he... to answer your question, Bricktop, it's because MO has taken a lot of time to educate me on how to train like a bodybuilder vs a powerlifter (which was my background for a short time prior to returning to 'bodybuilding'). I was stuck in the upper/lower mentality and probably still am to some extent. He kindly took the time to give me some fresh ideas around my training. I try to keep an open mind but it's always hard to change something you're accustomed to doing.

Hard to say about whether or not the workouts have been improving. In the past (and still today) I judge my proress on the weight being lifted but I now train a little different in that I focus on the contraction, slowing the movement down and cutting out a bunch on momentum in the process. The end result is that I require less sets and can destroy myself in a shorter period of time. Must have something to do with TUT because I'm not being as 'explosive' in my cadence as I used to be. There is lots more pausing and squeezing (but more pausing) and a slow eccentric and a somewhat slower concentric action.

I'm probably in the best shape I've ever been in but still want things to keep moving in an upward direction.

No need to apologise with a post like that - clearly taking on board conversations.
Gruntjc's next set of pics will be even more outstanding than those he posted, in the shift in focus on different areas of his training. Chest especially! You thought he had one before..
Your pysique is all quality, grunt. You underestimate yourself i think.

To your question: only way to know is to see some after results. Cut back if you notice a stall or degress in muscle. Keep protien sky high for the time being and amino's, as you are, flowing throughout workout. Fuel yourself for the extra activity if muscle wastage isn't the goal in other words. You may require more of the right calories to compensate? You havn't got a bloody ounce of fat on you anyway! What do you wanna be? 1%?

Originally Posted by gruntjc

he he... to answer your question, Bricktop, it's because MO has taken a lot of time to educate me on how to train like a bodybuilder vs a powerlifter (which was my background for a short time prior to returning to 'bodybuilding'). I was stuck in the upper/lower mentality and probably still am to some extent. He kindly took the time to give me some fresh ideas around my training. I try to keep an open mind but it's always hard to change something you're accustomed to doing.

Hard to say about whether or not the workouts have been improving. In the past (and still today) I judge my proress on the weight being lifted but I now train a little different in that I focus on the contraction, slowing the movement down and cutting out a bunch on momentum in the process. The end result is that I require less sets and can destroy myself in a shorter period of time. Must have something to do with TUT because I'm not being as 'explosive' in my cadence as I used to be. There is lots more pausing and squeezing (but more pausing) and a slow eccentric and a somewhat slower concentric action.

I'm probably in the best shape I've ever been in but still want things to keep moving in an upward direction.

One important question: what training style got you the most consistent gains over the time you have been training.

Not saying thats the one to stick with forever, im just interested.

Thanks MO. But I do have fat. You just cant see it in those pictures!! :)

Bricktop, in all honesty, I've never fared well on doing volume training. That said, full body workouts dont really work for me either because they just seem too taxing on my CNS (especially when you squat first) and probably dont cause enough microtrauma to the muscle.

Put it this way, I think the upper/lower has worked well for me but after speaking with MO I am more inclined to work in a bodypart split once every few weeks, but I still cant get myself to do more than say 10-12 sets for a particular bodypart.

The upper/lower thing wont allow me the time to concentrate or include too many isolation exercises, which I'm still unsure about. That said, I really noticed improvements in my chest when I included cable flyes in my routine but the most important thing that came out of doing this exercise for me was the realisation that chest growth (for me) comes from the stretch at the bottom of the movement (be it cables or dumbells etc...) rather than the contraction at the top. Additionally, when I get to the bottom of the movement (and I now adopt this approach to most of my exercises) I focus on squeezing and contracting the muscle rather than using momentum to get it up.

Originally Posted by gruntjc

Thanks MO. But I do have fat. You just cant see it in those pictures!! :)

Bricktop, in all honesty, I've never fared well on doing volume training. That said, full body workouts dont really work for me either because they just seem too taxing on my CNS (especially when you squat first) and probably dont cause enough microtrauma to the muscle.

Put it this way, I think the upper/lower has worked well for me but after speaking with MO I am more inclined to work in a bodypart split once every few weeks, but I still cant get myself to do more than say 10-12 sets for a particular bodypart.

The upper/lower thing wont allow me the time to concentrate or include too many isolation exercises, which I'm still unsure about. That said, I really noticed improvements in my chest when I included cable flyes in my routine but the most important thing that came out of doing this exercise for me was the realisation that chest growth (for me) comes from the stretch at the bottom of the movement (be it cables or dumbells etc...) rather than the contraction at the top. Additionally, when I get to the bottom of the movement (and I now adopt this approach to most of my exercises) I focus on squeezing and contracting the muscle rather than using momentum to get it up.

That's absolutely fine mate. Its not particularly the "split routines" etc etc, its the style of the lift as you've described.
Don't repeat the word "flye and growth" in the same sentence while Bricktop is around though
This is just the start. I promise applied to ALL bodyparts, you WILL have a physique at the next level to what you have now.
Triceps is one especially that needs this applied to really get that puffy beef in the long head, right up the back top that hardly ever gets captured to its full potential where it attaches to the rear delt.

All the best and call in anytime.

Thanks mate. And just quietly, I reckon Bricktop is gonna tear me a new one on that 'flye' confession lol ;)

Originally Posted by MO

That's absolutely fine mate. Its not particularly the "split routines" etc etc, its the style of the lift as you've described.
Don't repeat the word "flye and growth" in the same sentence while Bricktop is around though

.

all witchcraft i say!

Originally Posted by gruntjc

Thanks mate. And just quietly, I reckon Bricktop is gonna tear me a new one on that 'flye' confession lol ;)

Heretic. They may well be the difference. Or not.

Just remember chicks only dig that thing between your legs, and a heavy back squat.