If you look at where they would fit in a powerlifting weight class today neither one of them would be near top level.

John Haack at 195lbs has a higher total.

Bodybuilding is to build optimal mass not strength.

****ing killing it dude.

10 weeks of bench program (heavy and often). No drugs, no protein shakes- just food and creatine.

Goal for the next few months = keep most of the strength but give my chest, delts and joints a break.

You’re a strong mf.

How much you weigh?

Ha- not even close!

Fun fact: I used the urinal next to Ferrigno at a Comic Con about 10 years ago. Dude is built like a wall.

10 weeks is a long ass time for strength or power training. Usually you want to deload somewhere after 4-6 weeks of heavy training.

If it were me I would do the deload and then roll into a hypertrophy phase. Lighter weights and more volume. Rebuild some of the muscle damage from the heavy lifting and also time for joints to heal up.

Thanks man.
213 this morning. I weigh every morning and it always 211-216

I got put on diet pills from my Dr. I am 285 and keep snoring and hurting myself being fat. Day 3 of no snacks so one day at a time. Hopefully in 3 months I am down ten pounds or so at my next de visit.

Nutri-system. I lost about 20 lbs. in 3.5 months. Didn't even have to exercise. Buddy of mine lost over 50 lbs. in less than 6 months, and I know he didn't ever lift a weight or hit a treadmill.

Since the weather's been nicer I've been doing a great job at getting 10k steps in and staying around 2,300 calories.

My question is- Sometimes work kicks my ass and I'm exhausted but I still drag myself to the gym. Sometimes just to do a full workout I go light on the weights.

Tonight I did: Shoulder Press 3x10 with 20 pound dumbells, Chest Fly 4x10 150, Lat pulldowns 3x10 180 pounds, Chest press 3x8 150 pounds, Later shoulder raises 3x10 25 pounds.

Am I wasting my time here with workouts that light? I figure something is better than nothing? I do upper/lower workouts 2X a piece a week on weekends I lift heavier as I'm obviously more energized

A light day at the gym is better than a heavy day on the couch.

I'm fat and just feel unhealthy. Started working with a dietitian last week and did a bike ride yesterday. Hopefully can work my way down to the way I used to be.

Woke up at 3:45 AM to hit the gym at work around 4:50ish.

Incline at 15 and speed set for 3.2 (the recommended speed is 3.0) for 30 minutes. Always a great start to the day. Highly recommend it.

I run 5 days a week now. Changed my life. Only downside is the weight loss. Feel better. More energy. Sleep better. Never thought I would like it.

Squat is getting better, last night I got 400 for 5
Bench is the same
Deadlift is stupid, I can get 405 for 5, but haven't been able to get 425 for more than 2.

Are you holding the handles? I can't get above 10 without holding on for more than 30 seconds at a time at 3.7.

You must have been a beast growing up and are just regaining your old form?

That kind of progress is insane.

Same. I've traditionally worked out (weights, spin class, or pilates) every morning and then done "fun" bike rides on the weekends.

When I was in my 20s and early 30s, I did a lot of trail running as well, but I swore off running and absolutely hated it for years. Something happened this Winter, and I started running some. Next thing you know, I pretty much need a run (or a bike ride) after work every day. Runs are just so much easier to get in regardless of weather than riding a bike. Doing mainly weights and mobility in mornings (the stretching and mobility has become really necessary with the tightness created from running) then running or cycling in afternoons.

I'm 51 and probably in some of the best shape of my life. Dropped down to below 200 lbs without losing any of the strength I was carrying at 225 last year.

I started recently doing interval training. I'm hoping that will help with my lower body running strength because if I do weights squats or something I can't really run very well for two days. I feel like it is helping me recover better now since my tendons etc may be getting stressed more.

Monday: 6 miles easy
Tuesday: 7 miles easy
Wednesday: 20 reps x 200m 30 seconds rest @ 30 secs faster than 5k race pace, 6 reps x 150m 1 min rest @ 400m pace
Thursday: off
Friday: 9 mile long run
Saturday: off
Sunday: Tempo run, 3 miles @ 30 seconds slower than 5k race pace followed by 3 miles easy after long cool down

I've went from 188 to 175 lbs so that is pretty disappointing. I would like to be larger not smaller but to be a good runner you need to lose alot of weight.

Generally going and dicking around doing nothing is better than not going, because it helps sustain the gym habit. The battle is normally getting yourself there to workout

What are your goals? If its to build muscle/change your appearance and those weights you list are not challenging for you, it's not going to be building muscle.

If the goal is purely to look good, on those tired days you could always do the less taxing muscle groups, e.g. biceps/triceps/side delts/abs?

Not really ever a beast, just started when I was 17 and never really quit except for a few bumps here and there. Just steady with working out. I have tried every kind of workout imaginable. In my younger years I did a lot of high intensity training, then moved more towards strength. Late 30s through early 40s did a mix of Crossfit and strength. The strongest I ever was from 38-42.

Yeah. You are hitting the running a lot harder than I am. My schedule last week:

Sunday: 8 mile run on trail. Easy pace
Monday: Lift in morning, no afternoon.
Tuesday: Spin class in morning, Afternoon 3 mile run. 8:49 pace
Wednesday: Pilates in morning, Afternoon 25 mile paved ride.
Thursday: Lift in morning, Afternoon 8 miles run on pavement. Easy pace.
Friday: Morning: Mobility, stretching, foam rolling. Lunch: 7 mile trail ride.
Saturday: Lift in morning. Afternoon 9 mile run on trail. Easy pace.

I mainly get stiff when I push pace on shorter runs at this point. I'm not on any set schedule or program. Just enjoying going out and running and kind of making up routes arond our town as a I go.

Also on 10g creatine and 2.5mg tadalafil daily as only supplements.

No, I hold the top of the screen. I’m 6’2 with fairly long arms, so it’s not too bad.

In my running, I had a pretty bad knee issue that was causing significant stiffness and pain for a week or two... like bothered me when sleeping, walking, and sitting on couch. Lots of swelling. Seemed like probably a miniscus issue.

Anyway, I knew about the Knees over Toes Guy, so I investigated a bit and incorporated a few things from the program (I never subscribed or anything). I don't know why it works... but reverse sled pulls are a freaking miracle for knee issues. I can do a set of them (we have a treadmill at my gym that lets you do sled pulls by adding resistance) and my knee feels incredible.

Anyway, doing that along with continuing to work my squat and split squats deeper has my knee(s) much improved.

When you hold on you cut off most of the incline making yourself 90 degrees to the treadmill, making it like you’re almost walking flat. You shouldn’t have to hold on and it takes away the incline benefit. Try lowering to 6-7 degrees and don’t hold anything.

That’s interesting, I did not know this. I’ll try it your way next time, now I feel like I’ve been cheating myself lol. Thanks for the tip, Lew.

I don't understand all of the people who come to the gym and walk. Yes on incline. But...

It fascinates me.

I lost 40 pounds last Dec-Mar just incline walking. Didn't realize how heavy I had gotten but stepped on the scale and had hit 255. I'm just shy of 6'2" so I wasn't a blimp but definitely fatter than I should be. Stopped eating like shit and did 3 miles a day on the treadmill at 4mph pace and 6% incline. I'm not sure how accurate Apple Watch trackers are but I was burning bw 5-800 calories doing that alone.

I eventually wasn't getting my heart rate high enough after doing that for a few months so I started running on the treadmill and worked up to running the 3 miles rather than incline walking. Hated it but it was a means to an end. Never did catch the running bug though.

I like the controlled aspect of the treadmill by being able to manage the incline and pace. If I was just walking at a slower pace and flat, I'd do it outside and skip going to a gym.

Incline walking burns almost as much calories as running and is way easier on the joints. No idea why anyone chooses running anymore and the toll it takes on your body.

For me, running is meditative and exploratory. I can just leave my house and mentally create a route in my head as I go. Also, being outside feels so much better to me than being in a gym. So yeah, the benefits are probably more psychological than physical, but nothing sounds worse to me than walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes, much less an hour. I have a hard enough time doing “reverse sled pulls” on a treadmill for 5 minutes to start my workouts.

That being said, I love my hour of lifting in the gym, but for more zone 2 work, I’d just much rather be outside.

I need to that. I've always had shitty knees but never been a huge problem. Lately I started running and my knees feel terrible at the end and later on in the day. No swelling but very stiff and brittle feeling.

Time stands still when I'm on a treadmill for more than a few minutes... I've tried music, watching sports, shows... doesn't seem to matter.

I find outdoor walks/jogs/hikes far more enjoyable.

All I can say is in my personal experience running just makes me feel great psychologically & physically. Sometimes I just need a run to clear my head and be at peace. Then I will feel better for the rest of the day as well. I was big into strength training from 18 to 28. Not always but many times I dreaded it. I am an extreme hard gainer so I felt lethargic and bloated alot of times since I really had to bust my ass to ever gain weight and add strength.

I absolutely HATED running for the first month or two. I had shin splints. My knees were getting shredded. Had no idea how people could ever run so much mileage in a week. Now I get it. I guess I didn't have enough ATP in my muscles. I changed my gait to supinate more and land more on the outside of my foot on my easy runs. Changed everything. Now no knee pain even on 30 to 35 miles per week. When I run I get to be outside on the trails. See a little bit of nature. While I did use the mill this winter it is really boring especially if I would just be walking.

I imagine if I keep running as much as I do maybe I will eventually get knee problems but for right now it really has changed my life. Of course to each their own. Obviously doing both is the best but there is only so much time in the day and I am training for time right now.

Agreed. I love being outside. The sun, the trees, the breeze - so much better than a climate controlled, stale gym with boring ass white walls.

Outdoor is undefeated but I figured out that if I find a show or movie I'm really into, it's real easy to make 30 minutes pass on the treadmill. But before that, I tried music, podcasts etc and I'd be dead bored within a few minutes. Needed something visually stimulating that I could focus on and allow me to forget that I'm on a treadmill.

Comp is 9 weeks and already hitting gym PR's every week. Looking forward to a record or two.

These are the fitness rabbit holes I dive into... LMAO

It started with an interesting Short tidbit about sternum angle when bench pressing and how a steeper sternum angle means you're basically decline pressing when you're on a flat bench, then the longer video about it, then a sidebar video that sort of disputes much of it in terms of upper/lower chest gains, but also throws in tidbits about how arching your back matters to the angle in which you're pressing, too.

And it's nothing I stress out about or really even change in my routines, just find all the studies on biomechanics and so forth interesting.


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Treadmills are a last resort for me. I don't enjoy them at all. I discovered recumbent stationary bikes a while back, though, and those are great. I can bring a book and just sit and read and pedal, and if you can crank it up to a really tough level it actually gives you a pretty good leg workout. So maybe I make it a little more of an anaerobic exercise than aerobic.

Having said that, I was in a hotel a while back and they had a really bizarre treadmill that I tried. It didn't have any power, and it was essentially a belt on two big drums that were in front of me and behind me. When I stood on it, the belt sagged under my weight and kept me stable between the two wheels. I seldom use treadmills, so I'm not good at them. This one kind of freaked me out, but at the same time I think it may have been a much better design for actual running. I'd like to try it again. I think that is actually a treadmill that I would use once I got used to it.

Heh, sounds like something from the Flintstones.

I do a quick 3-5 minute warm up on a treadmill before every workout, but depending on how many people are there, it also doubles as a way to wait for the first machine/bench/etc. of the workout to become available so I can swoop in and grab it at a moment's notice.

I have seen people really going at it on the stair climbers before and if I had to pick indoor cardio, that would probably be it (and it would probably become just as much a hamstring workout).

***** All things Fitness *****
 

The calorie tracker on Apple Watches are not even close to accurate. They do track your heart rate and sleep patterns really well though. It also helps as a nudge to workout or move around if you’re not a morning workout person.


Good job on the weight loss. Just keep moving, every day. You’ll never regret it afterwards but you will regret not doing it if you don’t.


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***** All things Fitness *****
 

Finally hit the 1000 pound club. At 44 I’m good with that as a lifetime achievement. If I’m lucky enough to see my 60s I’m sure my joints will thank me for not going for 1100.

455 - Deadlift
315 - Squat (ass to grass)
270 - Bench (full ROM with a 1 second pause at the bottom)


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You guys are a buncha meatheads.

I won my first 5k a couple weeks ago, for my age division anyway.

Lifting weights is for young men wanting to pick up chicks.

I will lift weights again when I can get my girlfriend to leave me.

3 months of Hotworx, and gave up booze for Lent...down about 8 pounds in 3 months. Balance is insanely better as is flexibility. I feel really pretty good.

Gonna have to continue serious regulation of booze if I want to reach my goal though.

Dammit. I hate getting old...

Legs are starting to lean out. Upper body is always harder to shed fat for me.

https://i.imgur.com/XlDxGyy.jpeg

There's a half-marathon in about six weeks that I'd like to do, and I'm trying to gird up the courage to sign up. I haven't run one in over five years, and I know it'll be brutal, but I want to do it.

I did a 13 mile jog a month ago in pretty cool weather, and did just fine. I tried to do one last week (while recovering from a cold), and I completely ran out of gas at Mile 10.5.

If I sign up, I'll gut my way through it and finish, but I'd really prefer from an ego perspective to not come in last place.

Maybe you can borrow loochy's legs?

Goodbye toenails!

Looking good Looch.

Olympic shoes for squatting?

I am amazed how no matter what thread you post in, no matter what the subject is, you are always and consistently 180 degrees away from correct. You have a gift! LMAO

Yeah. The wedge makes a big difference in allowing me to hit depth. My ankle mobility is crap from 35 years of soccer

It is a gift. It's like I can't control it. A true gift from God.

I actually admire the dedication from alot of you in this thread. It's good to strive for something.

Wish I had time to lift and run. Lifting has no end it seems. There really isn't competitions that I know of for 40 yr olds. I have to have some goal.

Put those things away unless you want the milf attack.

Good on you for the result. You seriously need to reconsider the attitude toward picking up heavy things, though. Check out the book the Barbell Prescription. The whole lifting for longevity thing is pretty much universally accepted,now.

Congrats on your success. I’ll never achieve that goal so I’m really jealous. Nice job

Thanks, bud! I really appreciate that. Honestly, it might sound like a big number, but it’s all about being smart with how you approach it and how you distribute the effort. You’d be surprised what’s possible with consistency and patience. You’ve got this, keep pushing, and you’ll get further than you think.

Looking good!

I'm up to 205lbs now. i think the last picture I posted was 190 or so.

I'll grab a pic when i get a chance.

and be sure to shave first :D

Congrats, those are awesome numbers. Just curious, do you know about how long it took you to get from say 2 plates to 3, 3 to 4, etc?

Thanks, bud. I was very intentional about getting stronger to hit this goal. I shifted my diet from a 200 to 300 calorie daily deficit to maintenance or a slight bulk, up to plus 300 calories a day, to make sure I had enough energy to build strength and muscle. Interestingly, I ended up recomping even though that wasn’t the original plan.

Progressive overload was key. Depending on how I felt, whether I was feeling strong and energetic or a bit fatigued, I would increase the weight from the previous week by anywhere from 2.5 to 10 pounds. On average, I was adding about 5 pounds a week. So using that math it would take around 9 weeks of consistent training and proper nutrition to go up a plate.

For reference, I can comp squat 405, but I’m not strong enough to get out of the pocket with an ATG 405. When I learned to squat, we were taught comp squatting, so I’ve spent decades building the muscle memory and strength to move weight through that ROM. But getting out of a deep squat is a whole other beast, man. People who can ATG 405 are strong strong.

And at the end of the day, there’s a point where everyone hits their physical limit. It’s just how the body works. The important thing is to listen to your body, keep it in great condition for the long haul, and make sure you’re not doing anything that’ll hurt you in the long run. It’s you vs. you.


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Quadzilla! You ever consider kicking field goals for the Chiefs?


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Congrats! I am aiming for a 1350-1400 by end of the year at age 50.

lol, its trimmed right now. Looks too ****ing weird clean shaven. Plus it waaaaay too much work. Seems like there's more and more every week.


What are you running right now? Anything other than GH?

Hell Yeah! 1400? You're strong AF. What's your splits right now?

Thank God I'm not a hariy guy. LMAO


300 test, 300 mast. I'll keep that up all summer. Feels good, no side effects other than being a bit greasy.

I haven't benched since last August so not sure where I am there currently. PR is 315 but should be more now.

DL is is currently low-mid 500's and squat is mid 400's.

So you're running low octane. I'm currently at 450 test and 300 Decca per week and 50mg tbol per day. No AI. only sides I see is occasional anxiety, night sweats and uncontrollable boners.

Beast numbers. I’d love to hear progress updates when you feel like sharing them.


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Great info!

I did something similar with squat, but with IT Geek weight on the bar and not loochy quad weight.... ended up averaging right at 5lbs/week after increasing volume to 3 times/week. As the weight went up, so did my ass, but now going back and concentrating on full range of motion.

After doing that stint for ~6-8 weeks and making good progress, I definitely have a better appreciation for grinding it out over weeks, as it kicked my ass.

Probably mid June before I start training for this. Have a strongman comp in May and then need to let the body recover a bit.

I'll post updates though.

Totally feel that. Getting over the mental block of going ATG with real weight is such a trip, even when you’ve got the safety bars set. You know you’re probably fine, but your brain still throws up red flags like you’re about to get folded in half.

The grind is brutal, man. It hurts, it’s slow, and there’s basically zero glory outside of the occasional nod from another gym bro who gets it. But that’s what makes it worth it. Most people will never even try to do this kind of work. We’re out here suffering on purpose.

Good luck on that comp, man. Pushing yourself like that in middle age is savage, not gonna lie. Definitely looking forward to the updates, hope you crush it and come out of it feeling accomplished and healthy.

No crap. I'd be terrified to give max effort like that at odd angles, etc. I'm so brittle that everything would surely snap.

Lol, thx, but my days of pushing max RDLs and squats are long gone. Sciatica is a depressing bitch.

I'll be 56 this year; I'm just happy that I've been grinding away in the gym for the last two years and haven't picked up any injuries that have kept me from working out for more than a few days-couple of weeks at a time.

My goals are much smaller, like I want to be able to do at least 10 unassisted pull-ups by thanksgiving, weigh less than 165-lbs, run (jog) 3 miles under 26 minutes, and maaaybe get 225 up on the bench twice, if my shoulder and/or elbow can hold up.

But who knows, maybe I'll surprise myself and exceed my expectations. Just don't see me hitting that 1000-lb mark ever again. But thx for the positive thoughts!:D

You're younger than me!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here’s another good reason why you should not skip leg day. <a href="https://t.co/QIh5hCQHiT">pic.twitter.com/QIh5hCQHiT</a></p>&mdash; The Driven Man (@The_DrivenMan) <a href="https://twitter.com/The_DrivenMan/status/1914953404238975167?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Explains why all these body builders die young. Should have worked those thighs more.

What? Bodybuilding is half legs.

Man I got fat, 5'9" and 240. More a beer gut than anything but I have been sitting on my ass a lot for work. Ever since I went remote.... lazy lazy lazy. I have a desk that can move from sitting to standing so I decided to get one of those treadmills that goes under your desk. It doesn't have arms or anything on it. I also moved my weight rack upstairs in my office behind me. It cramps my room but I don't care. I have been starting to walk on the treadmill a lot while I work and have started lifting weights again. Nothing too heavy as I haven't lifted in a while. I was never a huge lifter anyways. When I was in tip top shape I was around 180 so definitely not a huge guy. I am already feeling better and can tell I am getting some muscle back but haven't really lost any weight which has me slightly concerned. And I know that muscle weighs more than fat but I was fully expecting at least a few pounds.

Without knowing the whole story, I’ll recommend watching your diet more closely.

When you change your activity level, it’s pretty normal to feel hungrier and eat more as a result. You’re probably just be eating/drinking back all the calories you’re now burning.

It happens. When it does I find that getting moving helps me get things started, but to lose weight diet is 95% of it. Even if not doing some hardcore diet, just food journaling and trying to keep a daily average under 2,000 calories reverses the trend. Good luck whatever you do