Be Excellent To Each Other

It's just good to be back. The difference this time is that my wife has also started lifting. She's been doing spin classes for a decade but I'm not too convinced by them. I did them for a couple of years and never felt like it made a huge difference. The sort of thing you only notice when you miss a few weeks and go back.

I'd love to do 'real' bench press but I've not got a spotting partner these days so I'm just sticking to machine weights. I don't mind the compromise to make sure I don't get strangled by the bar!

I decided i needed to lose 5kg as I put weight on, 6 months in tot year only 7kg to go

Do you mean you've lost 2kg of negative weight?

Trainer unavailable, usual gym buddy off ill, I went deadlifting anyway.

The first two bits of equipment on my list were unavailable but I managed to not rage quit and started with number 3 instead.

I only completed my deadlift program because one of the other regulars, who I've never spoken to before, asked if he could jump in and alternate sets with me.

6x110kg was *hard* (especially as I was pre-fatigued by pull-ups) but I did it.

I didn't complete the whole program because I ran out of time, but I did a lot better than I wanted to.

Fly out tomorrow for the big one.

Decision made on race day shoes (leaving the carbon ones at home)

The weather has got better!

Good luck!

I’ve not been to the gym for a while since fucking my back up but I have been swimming (to test the water).

Managed to get up to 24 lengths done in 30mins which is a personal best for me, think that’s 600m

Bad news gang: strikes in air traffic control in France have meant my flight to France is cancelled.

Despite much looking at many alternative methods there's no really feasible way to get to the big hill.

Absolutely gutted, but Ventoux is hard, there's no gifts there.

Ah no, that sucks.

That's a real shame after all the training. Hope you're not feeling too gutted about it.

Maybe next year?

Yeah. Next year.

We know more about the logistics of being a privateer racer now, so should all be easier.

So you get to hear me banging on about it for another 365.

28 lengths in 30mins today! 700m

Worst.Goodhew.Ever.

Badhew

Weight loss continues, but my daily routine changed when my granddaughter finished her GCSE's and stopped going to school. So I haven't been doing my morning yoga as regularly as I should (or meditating, which I usually did while waiting to collect her from school) and I've not been quite as strict with the diet or walking the dogs, but have improved bit with the overnight fasting.

But as often happens with serious weight loss, I lost a lot quite quickly to begin with, but it's slowed now. BUT ...... I've lost over half a kilo in the last month, so now am within 0.3 of a kilo of the top end of my target weight range.

Granddaughter starts college in a couple of weeks, so maybe I can get back into a more regular routine.

That's one really good poo before the next time you weigh yourself. You can do it!

I always do.

Hey! It's me! The person from the first post in the thread 13yrs ago

Since the 1st August I have been on a bit of a health kick, being as I turn 50 next year. People say the best way to keep mobility and stay healthy as you age is to build muscle and lift heavy things, so that's the plan, alongside cutting out the evening snacking on junk food.

Did a full month of food tracking on MyFitnessPal, watching macros and eating more protein. This month I have sacked the tracking on the head as life is too short, but I am continuing to eat healthy, cut out the junk food and eat more protein. That's good enough.

I'm currently on week 5 of gym visits. 3 times a week, in small group trainer led sessions, doing strength and conditioning work. My lifting numbers are tiny at the moment, especially anything leg related, did a 40kg squat for 5 reps this morning though, which ain't nothing. Bench is 50kg, overhead press is 40kg, not done deadlift yet. Lat pull down is the only thing i'm good at (no doubt due to archery) did 76kg for 10 reps the other day, so should be able to push 90-100kg max one rep on that.
Actually really enjoying it, turns out I need a trainer telling me what to do for an hour, so small group training gives me that, without the exorbitant cost of a PT for 3 times a week. Still not cheap though (£200+ a month), but I think it's worth the cost, certainly until I know what i'm doing.

Weight wise I started at 89.1kg. Currently at 86.5kg. Not a huge loss at all, but i've definitely built some muscle to counteract the fat loss. Also, I no longer need forever to recover from a gym session, so something is working.

Next up, they do powerlifting classes and Hyrox classes. I'm not there yet, but i'll no doubt give them a go soon.
Gym is a really good vibe, everyone chats to each other, no mirrors, good trainers. They used to only do it as a women's gym, but branched out a couple of years back to let guys in, and I think that has helped the atmosphere a lot as it's still predominantly women who go. No alpha gym bros stalking the place. They only open up new slots when someone leaves, to ensure the sessions don't get overbooked, and some folks there have been going for years, and don't intend to stop anytime soon!

Let's see what the numbers are next month!

>3 kg is flipping marvellous. I'd take that! Currently oscillating between the same 1 or 2, up and down (and may be kidding myself that I'm overall holding steady, but fingers crossed).

I benched 60kg today, still trying to get back after month absence... And I'm only getting back to 70 for 2!

So 50 is really good going, well done. 40kg overhead press is probably more than I do as well.

And I load creatine and beta alanine now and take a pre workout (which helped me finish a couple of reps today that I wouldn't have before).

I'm doing 5g or creatine a day. Tried a pre workout but it tasted awful
I train at 7am in the morning, so trying to workout the best thing to do beforehand, and currently it seems to be just drinking water. Anything else makes me nauseous during the session.

Yeah, I have trouble if I eat less than a couple of hours before, and my protein shake is definitely an afternoon thing (but straight after is the best time anyway).

The trick with pre workout is deep breath in and smash it before you need to breathe.

I won't bore you with the photos of the first 2 leg press PBs of the day but the third was 402kg for 6 reps.

I had more in the tank, though there was a little strain starting that made it too risky even if that wasn't where I'd decided I wanted to be today anyway (because the arbitrary numbers are important!).

This is getting really silly now.

I've just realised you're talking about a horizontal leg press rather than sled? The one at my gym I gave up after 120kg. It's totally different.

402kg. Jesus Christ. I can just about do 80!

New training schedule starts next week, less cardio, more weights and bringing in deadlift. Should be fun!

Surely you can do at least double your own bodyweight?

I only weigh 40kg.