Starting Over From Scratch.

HST
•split squats 85x12
•Romanian deadlifts 225x12
•iso-lateral pulldowns 160x12
•iso-lateral Decline Bench 140x12
•iso-lateral row 160x12
•Barbell Press 70x12
•front raises 17.5x12
•Incline DB Flyes 30sx12
•s/l standing calf raise 70x12
•s/l seated calf raise 35x12

193 bodyweight
 
HST
•iso-lateral pulldowns 170x
•iso-lateral Decline Bench 150x10
•iso-lateral row 170x
•Barbell Press 80x10
•Incline DB Flyes 30sx12
•strict laterals: run the rack

•split squats 85x12
•Romanian deadlifts 225x12
•s/l standing calf raise 70x12
•s/l seated calf raise 35x12
 
Arm pump!

99178c6638badcb714f7ea8ec7f89897.jpg
 
Cool, HST setup, nice to watch this.

I see 15's then 12, with some 10s? What is your routine and progression like then?
 
NWlifter said:
Cool, HST setup, nice to watch this.

I see 15's then 12, with some 10s? What is your routine and progression like then?
Click to expand...

I am just getting started and kind of feeling my way through exercise selection and loading parameters.
I am currently cutting and when i’m done, I’m going to start a more official HST program
 
Ugh. Cutting weight sucks. Im beginning to think that i will never be really lean and ripped. The first bit of weight comes off easy, but ive ever since i hit about 193, ive lacked the discipline to get any lower for weeks!
Low energy, hunger... inhibited motivation.
I am not at an unhealthy body fat level, but lack definition. Maybe im just being narcissistic and need to stop worrying about having that lean defined look.

Or maybe I shouldn’t try so hard to restrict calories and get some cardio squeezed into my busy schedule.

Or maybe i need to get some hormonal assistance... it is just so miserable to drop bodyfat levels below 15% naturally.

End frustrated venting post.
 
Man tell me about it! 2.5 years ago, I did a major cut, I had let myself get tubby big time. I lost 35 lbs of fat, even gained a little muscle during. But I STILL (without starvation) cannot
get my waist size down to where it used to be. I'm like 4 inches over my old waist size, and I eat way less than I used to. VERY annoying!!
 
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The dreaded “skinny fat”. Should I get to 10% before tryingbto add lean mass? Improve partitioning ratio?
Should I just stay at 15% and just go for muscle mass gains, and accept the flab?

I look leaner than I a really am due to my tall height and slender bone structure... i am built like an endurance athlete/swimmer.
 
I myself, am going for the slow and steady, the add muscle, hope for slow drops in bodyfat. I guess it's totally your choice on which approach, suffer and get it over with, then be careful not to re-add it, or just go gradual?

If your going to be brave, here is my 6 month comp from 2 years ago. My before pic should make you feel better about yours!
bECA9z.jpg
 
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Personally I would (and do) cut to 10-12% before going back on a bulk. BodPod had me at 6-8% but I would have said I was nearer 12%, image belowIMG_2024.JPG

Edit - should have mentioned that starting weight was 220 lbs of pure fattiness
 
Last edited:
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I agree with Mick rationally, but emotionally it is so tempting to restore my lean mass back,( from back in the day.)
Either way, it is fun to be starting over from scratch with low muscle mass, it is only up from here!
 
NWlifter said:
Abs! Man... I can only dream of getting that lean I think!
Click to expand...

Problem with Abs with me is I tend to lose a fair amount of size to get to that level which is ok when on the beach but not so much when clothed, also I got 5lbs lighter than that photo (160 lbs) but face got quite thin, many said I looked gaunt.
 
Realistically... how lean you need to go really just depends on what matters most to you. Do you want to have a visible six pack? Is going around like that shirtless important to you? Last I remember, you didn't live far enough South to be worrying about going shirtless year round, so maybe not. I'd still cut down a bit further if I were in your place, but you can certainly make progress building muscle at that stage too. Might not be as optimal, hard to say. I've bulked while above 15% before and still made progress.

However... the cutting stage then takes a lot longer and you end up having to lose a lot more than you thought before you are lean again. This year, I'm personally trying things a bit different and going to try to stay leaner through the year instead of bulking up like I used to, operating under the assumption that I can probably only gain a pound of muscle a month anyway, if I'm lucky. We'll see if my progress over the year differs much from previous years.

But if you just want to be hyooge then getting super lean or staying relatively lean probably won't matter as much. So I guess the question is... what are your real priorities?
 
In the past, though it sounds totally “wrong”, I’ve made good progress, just lifting and eating for maintenance, not even counting calories, but letting my body’s hormonal hunger instincts regulate my caloric intake... slowly adding muscle through resistance training without “bulking and cutting”. Sounds like bullshit, but it worked for quite awhile.

Thanks Totentanz, food for thought to clarify my goal.
 
Sci said:
In the past, though it sounds totally “wrong”, I’ve made good progress, just lifting and eating for maintenance, not even counting calories, but letting my body’s hormonal hunger instincts regulate my caloric intake... slowly adding muscle through resistance training without “bulking and cutting”. Sounds like bullshit, but it worked for quite awhile.

Thanks Totentanz, food for thought to clarify my goal.
Click to expand...
If your body is working right (adiponectin, ghrelin, and leptin levels) will be pretty accurate for hunger vs needs. I 'used' to be that way, now, not. If I listen to 'my' hunger, I'll for sure be on an unstoppable bulk lol I would say, people who eat what they feel, and stay lean, are in that good category, of course they never had to 'cut' as their body is working perfect so they stay lean. People who eat to appetite and gain fat, must have some skewed levels.
 
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