3y ago Ask TRP
That makes sense and helps. I have always enjoyed strength training more, and felt like my body was better adapted towards it, but at the end of the day, strength is not as much of a goal as aesthetics.
Your anecdotes about mind muscle connection are reassuring. When I lift, I rarely "feel the burn" in my muscles even when I train for complete failure (bar hit safeties level failure) when I do sets of 3 on bad days.
I also have only ever consistently benched for chest and rowed/deadlifted/pullups for my back. I think more exercise variety would probably help overall.
I've really tried to emphasize my shoulder to waist ratio. As of this morning, I measured in at 46.5 inches around the widest point of my shoulders and 29.5 inches around my waist. That puts me at about a 1.57 shoulder to waist ratio (1.97 when measured in pixels from the front), but I've learned recently that shoulder waist ratio doesn't mean shit unless you're lean and well muscled.
I'm sick of putting 300+ pounds on the bar and people asking me: "are you okay with that weight?" "You're really gonna squat that?" "Don't hurt yourself, now"
The stares from people after I do can be entertaining, but it still sucks to know that I don't look like I lift. Sorry this turned into a bit of rant, but I empathize with you and your situation. I think I'm realizing the whole "just get strong and lean and you'll look good" is bullshit.
I'll start incorporating more exercise variety as well as chaining up my rep scheme. Does the 8 to 20 rep range sound better? That way I really feel the burn in my muscles.
You look pretty good in your profile picture if you don't mind me saying so. Was that a result of the shift in training post COVID? You definitely look aesthetic there.
Read More3y ago Ask TRP
Feeling a little frustrated with lifting after 3 years.
M/22/5’6/150lbs
170->(first six months lifting, doing SS 3x5 & diet regrettably) 185->135 (year and a half cutting) 135->145 (mini-bulk, but most maintenance for 6 months) 145->160 (four months bulking. I know. I overdid it.) 160->150 (two months cutting) OHP/B/S/D=140/205/315/345 Chin-ups: BW+30x5
Mostly have trained in the 3-5 rep range (mostly 3). I think all the strength training without much hypertrophy work has left me a little skinny fat. I'm feeling a little lost and wondering if I'm doing wrong. Do I look like someone whose been lifting seriously for years? Am I just too high in body fat? I'd like to see abs for once in my life.
I’m also 48 hours fasted, so I look a little depleted in the photo.
imgur.com/a/nihi4qk First photo (front) is with flexed abs Second photo (back) is unflexed
Can someone give me advice on where to go from here? My life has still gotten significantly better since starting lifting -- just about every aspect of it has benefitted from my time in the gym... I just thought I'd look better after 3 years in the gym, and I'm not sure where to go from here? Continue cutting? Start bulking? Eat at maintenance and recomp? Should I keep training like a powerlifter? Or shift to more emphasis on isolation and high reps?
Thanks for your help!
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