Somebody Else's Journal

Somebody Else's Profile | Weight History

61 to 65 of 105

Page: Previous ... 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 ... Next

22 March 2015

Shoulder's still a bit sore. Tested it by doing 4 pullups - I wasn't going for failure at all. Hurts a bit again, but not anywhere like it did last night, so that's something. At least I won't let it sieze up. All this effort I've put into getting better at pullups is really paying off. For those that don't know, pullups can be pretty tricky.

I use a pullup bar that attaches to a doorway; very handy, but has some limitations. I used to hang half way, and do pullups (just barely getting to the bar with my chin - not to be confused with a chinup) but now I've reached the point at which I can hang completely and do pullups that way, full range of motion, controlled, certainly no "kipping". (kicking legs like a fish out of water, which is a very bad, often-beginner technique and probably bad for your joints)

If anyone's interested in how I'm improving it: I've been using a chair and resting one foot on it while I do pullups, particularly when getting fatigued from regular ones. I've also been going for isometric pullups, or whatever you call them - essentially, holding the upper-mid position where most of the tension likely happens, and repeating that. Another one, is just simply doing it! Doing it often. Pullups here, pullups there,... not giving up and not slacking off if I can help it. I'm a big fan of just randomly, throughout the day, doing the occasional couple of pushups, chinups, situps, leg raises, pullups, etc. Not a huge workout, just barely even a warmup. It makes a difference, I find.

Oh, and a whiel back, I was complaining and freaking out about problems with the back of my head, but I believe I've discovered what it was. The doctor didn't get it, but he had the right idea. It probably was exasperated by anxiety, but I'm guessing he doesn't know a great deal about resistance exercises and common bad form with that.

So, these chin ups and pullups... one very common (even by some "pros") technique is stretching your neck up to the bar. It's fucking atrocious form, very bad for your neck and overall posture, not to mention cheats you out of the full movement. I found out that it strengthens the muscles at the back of the head and neck, which is great 'n' all, UNTIL they tense up, like they will with me, with anxiety (I have anxiety issues) and exercises I do, so that was highly likely to be what happened. I've since worked on my neck movement, as I knew it was bad, but not entirely why.

So, guys, if you're doing pullups and chinups, STOP stretching your neck up as though it's in competition with the rest of your body. Lol You'll do yourself an injury. xD If you wanna reach that bar, reach it properly, and this is what I try to remind myself.

Add Comment

21 March 2015

Thinking I overdid the exercise yesterday. (a 20 minutes resistance workout, then a 36 minute resistance workout with some high-impact cardio exercises, then later on, a 10-15 minute - possibly a lot more - resistance workout.) Achey all over, but particularly the side of my right shoulder is quite sore, even typing this out. I get obsessive, sometimes. I remember a few years ago, before the weight gain, I did several hundred situps in one session, despite the pain; it was all about the numbers. I do actually have OCD, so it's not really a surprise. xD

At least my obsession with abs gave me some very strong, thick abdominals, but I didn't appreciate the lower abs much back then, (at the right time, I still had the 8-pack look, thankfully heh) so I've had to work on them since getting back into fitness, (lots of leg raises xD) some 7 or 8 months ago. I feel the lower abs more now, (thicker and harder, giggety) which is great, and they're even starting to come through at last, 'though not a great deal yet. I might look into leg weights so I can hit those lower abs more.

Good news, is that I'm getting quite a bit stronger, and the bodyfat is still falling. Actually, quite sure I'm gaining muscle and losing bodyfat, because my weight is still yoyoing between 178 and 180 pounds, yet the bodyfat is visually getting less and less. Still counting calories and stuff, logging everything. I find I enjoy some foods quite a lot. Like, I'm hooked on houmous. xD I actually use celerey or bell peppers as a dip and just go to town on that houmous. I swear eating fat = bodyfat loss. Dunno why, but since upping my fat intake (things like houmous - focusing on healthy fats) I've seen good results.

The whole right side being bigger thing is still a thing, but I think it's not as bad as it used to be. I've made extra effort to focus on the left side more, concentrating on the muscles I want to change, and trying to remember to flex at the upper part of the movement. I know it's simple stuff, but it's something I never gave much thought to before, but I see now that you get much more out of a rep if you tense up at the right time, especially for muscular hypertrophy, I believe.

Oh yeah, and I feel like I have more control over my left side, like the nerves are getting better at reacting when needed. You know the thing where guys flex only their pecs? Well, might seem silly, but I can see the absolute necessity of that, just like flexing any muscle. I can flex my right one just fine, but the left one is drunk. lol I'm working on it, so I can get it to react quicker, and therefore actually get worked properly, same with the left bicep, which is getting a lot better. Ah, such a complicated matter.

Gonna stop typing now because my shoulder is pissing me off.

Add Comment

20 March 2015

Weight:	Lost so far:	Still to go:	Diet followed:
80.7 kg	5.9 kg	0 kg	Reasonably Well

Add Comment Losing 3.2 kg a Week

18 March 2015

Weight:	Lost so far:	Still to go:	Diet followed:
81.6 kg	5.0 kg	0 kg	Reasonably Well

Add Comment Losing 3.2 kg a Week

17 March 2015

Weight:	Lost so far:	Still to go:	Diet followed:
82.1 kg	4.5 kg	0 kg	Reasonably Well

Add Comment Gaining 1.1 kg a Week

Somebody Else's Weight History

View Complete History