Author Topic: This sucks... meltdown soon (Read 3448 times)

gibberj2 · « **on:** February 27, 2006, 08:26:03 PM »

I got a job at this detail shop vacuming cars and cleaning out the inside and stuff like that. In the job you have to move very fast and hustle all the time. I don't have a lot of energy to lift and i've been missing workouts and meals. I've lost 5 pounds in 3 weeks (muscle and fat). my legs are smaller, triceps looking flat and lost half inch in my chest/back. This sucks... what am I gonna do?

Cavalier22 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2006, 09:06:24 PM »

eat more

gibberj2 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2006, 10:16:15 PM »

eating more can help me not lose weight but i'll still be tired and have sub par workouts. i'm gonna look for another job. when i used to work in the airport doing screening luggage for the TSA (being an overpaid baggage handler) i lost all my muscle because i stopped training because i was very tired (hurt my back and shoulders 3 times too). TSA sucks if you end up in a real big airport in the most busy international bagroom it's like slave labor. you're tossing 70 pound luggage all day. those carosels that go around with the luggage get totally packed and you have to pull them out, stick them in the machine, put them on the table, open them, throw them back. the job sucks if you wanna bodybuild, especially if you're a guy who loses muscle very easily like me. i actually tried bodybuilding while i was in TSA. i used to bring tuna sandiwches and protein shakes and also pig out in the food court but i didn't gain any muscle because of the killer luggage lifting that my workouts were pathetic. my highest weight when i worked in the airport was 163. i reached 188 not long ago (that was my weight in the morning before i ate anything) and now i'm down to 184 and if i keep losing more i'm gonna get very depressed and probably say the hell with it and drink and eat garbage and train 2 times a week because whenever i look in the mirror i'm gonna be like damn i look like crap.

Arnold jr · « **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2006, 10:23:07 PM »

Bro, I've been working in construction and training for years, framing houses, concrete work, and everything else that can take a toll on your body. I'd say that the combo of construction and serious training is one of the toughest, but it can be met with success. It all boils down to how much you want to reach your goals, how bad you want it. If you want it bad enough nothing on this earth will slow you down, including fatigue.

Force yourself to go to the gym, no matter how bad you want to skip don't, once you get there 9 xs out of 10 you'll be glad you went.

Time management is also very important. You have to set back time to sleep. If that means not enjoying other things then so be it. If your training is extremely important to you it's a sacrifice that is well worth it.

Good luck to you.

Bluto · « **Reply #4 on:** February 27, 2006, 10:29:19 PM »

dont know how often you normally go to the gym, but there's plenty of programs out there when you hit the gym only twice, or maybe three times a week, concentrating on the big lifts only... so pick one of those and you'll only have to hit the gym a few times which saves time and also you only need to have energy for those few times a week...

gibberj2 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 27, 2006, 10:32:55 PM »

yea i can't imagine if i did construction. i'd have to get on steroids for sure. i had a friend who did construction and he was a skinny guy (5'8" 135) and had never lifted. his genetics were obviously better than mine though because when i started lifting i was like 115-120 tops after i started doing pushups for a while and i was taller than him. when he saw me gain some good weight i told him that i'd train him if he trained with me because i've only had lazy training partners who were never dedicated or when i train with my brother he's fat so we have to train differently. i told him what to eat and all that. he ended up getting stronger and very ripped but didn't grow much at all. he eventually flaked out of training saying he didn't have time and his wife and kids and all that. i think it's genetic. i've made all my best gains when i was unemployed, when i had an easy office job and when i coached chess. i know all the skinny guys always say they eat enough and don't but i used to be very skinny and my diet when i made my last gains was about 3300 calories and my gut was growing some so that was enough food.

gibberj2 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2006, 10:36:34 PM »

yea i know but i'm trying to get big not stay in shape or whatever. i used to work out 3 days a week but the muscles that i worked 2nd or even 3rd weren't growing nearly as much as the muscles i did first. 4 days a week is perfect for me. when i was making gains last time it was.

Day 1
Back/hams

Day 2
Chest

Day 3
Bi's and tris

Day 4
Quads, shoulders

Bluto · « **Reply #7 on:** February 28, 2006, 06:48:48 AM »

well 4 days is better, but if you cant make those 4 days, 2 days would be better if you manage to stay on that for week after week after week...
most dont separate back on 2 different days, and a lot of people dont have arms on a whole day... so i think it can be done... maybe your arms wont grow as much as would be optimal, but still you can grow a lot on your back, legs etc

gibberj2 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 28, 2006, 08:02:50 AM »

you mean separate legs on 2 different days?

triple_pickle · « **Reply #9 on:** February 28, 2006, 12:32:54 PM »

no meltdown needed – train three times a week, focus on big lifts (squats, deads, bench, push presses), hit arms once per month. eat well & sleep well. it actually helps me when i work out before i go to work as i am too tired after 5pm. if you work 5 days a week, try lifting on the two days off + some other day. get in, focus on lifting, get out. 75 min max.
workout 1
---------
squats
leg presses
leg curls
lunges
workout 2
---------
chest – heavy benches
shoulders – push presses
traps
once or twice a month: triceps - dips (weighted)
workout 3
---------
chin-ups (weighted)
rows
deads
once or twice a month: biceps – pick your weight and do as many curls as you want but take no more than 30 seconds in between the sets – should not take more than 7-10 minutes and your biceps will be fried
good luck.

gibberj2 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 28, 2006, 07:00:03 PM »

i can't bench. every time i do with even 100 pounds my rotator cuff or some part of my anterior deltoid or something goes "AHHHHHHHHHH STOP IT!!! IT HURTS!!!" i work with dumbells... 70's for 8-10 reps. bar dips have given me the best results though. i think i've solved my problem. today i worked out after a week of moping around. i did my heaviest leg presses ever 690 (plus whatever the sled is) for 8 reps. then i did a couple of sets of lunges, leg curls and extensions. Then i did shoulders. 3 sets of dumbell presses, some lateral raises and some reverse peck deck for my posterior delts. felt pretty good; just got off my ass and worked out even though i thought i was too tired when you get warmed up your muscles can still work very well.

the routine i wanna try is the old back/biceps chest/triceps legs/shoulders even though i'd like a fourth day to do arms by themselves... maybe once a month. as long as i can keep my gains i think i'll just eat like 2800-3000 calories instead of the usual 3300 and with the lifting and the busy job i'll lean out slowly. the last time i tried to do it fast i dropped 14 pounds in 3 weeks and a lot of it was muscle. i'm one of those guys who looked like an atrophied bruce lee before i worked out.

triple_pickle · « **Reply #11 on:** February 28, 2006, 07:54:23 PM »

not a big deal, dumbbell presses are even better as you get a deeper stretch (just make sure you go all the way down). for shoulders, you may try the following:

superset 1
----------
side laterals 3 x 10-12
front laterals 3 x 10-12

superset 2
----------
dumbbell presses 3 x 8-12
shrugs 3 x 8-12

rest 30 sec between the sets and 60 seconds when going from superset 1 to 2. quick and sweet.

in the past, i was never able to do much after a leg workout except supersetting biceps with triceps, but you may be able to do a quick shoulder workout as above.

gibberj2 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 28, 2006, 09:12:35 PM »

i cant do front raises or upright rows either. same shoulder problem. same pain. wiping windows hurts there too if i do it fast and too much in a day. it pisses me off but that's what i get from playing handball for years. i also think that when i started bench pressing i was doing it incorrectly and got messed up.

brianX · « **Reply #13 on:** March 01, 2006, 01:21:49 AM »

You fucking sissy. Lots of people have stressful jobs and are still able to make progress in the gym. Everyone wants to blame their lack of progress on something else besides their half-assed training. I've seen women stronger than you.

gtbro1 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 01, 2006, 01:34:50 AM »

I am 31 and have worked in a hot ass factory since age 18...10 -12 hrs a day 6 days a week...so I know all about being tired from work.I have the best luck if I get to the gym IMMEDIATELY after work(after a quick shower of coarse)..while I am still kinda "on the go"...cause if I sit down for any length of time and wait til later to hit the gym...forget it. Don't feel like liftin' shit.

gibberj2 · « **Reply #15 on:** March 01, 2006, 03:55:46 PM »

BrianX after seeing a lot of the things you've said here you're obviously a douche bag and know nothing.

gibberj2 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 01, 2006, 07:56:40 PM »

Here are my before and after pictures. total gain 60 pounds. These are my true measurements these pictures were taken today. it's not my biggest, i was a little bigger (and so was the gut) 3 weeks ago but not enough that it would matter. just 5 pounds.
Arms 15.25
Chest 41.5
Legs 25.5
calves 17.75
waist 34.5
bodyfat 14%
I'm gonna start cutting slowly (last time was a disaster). Goal is 7% bodyfat which would put me at 172-173.

gibberj2 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 01, 2006, 07:57:20 PM »

after

gibberj2 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 01, 2006, 08:01:48 PM »

after 2

oldtimer1 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 04, 2006, 01:22:32 PM »

Sergio Oliva worked 12 hour days at physical labor jobs prior to becoming a cop. He was working these jobs when he won his first Olympia. I know he's not human but I just wanted to illustrate what's possible.

I personally think if you have a physically demanding job you have to consider using high intensity routines like Yates used. If your leaving your job completely spent from physical labor it would be insane to lift for long routines unless your super man. I would use a three or four day split. Train each body part once a week and use at the most one or two work sets per exercise. Use at the most 3 to 4 exercises per body part. That's my two cents.

gtbro1 · « **Reply #20 on:** March 04, 2006, 02:30:01 PM »

Quote from: oldtimer1 on March 04, 2006, 01:22:32 PM

Sergio Oliva worked 12 hour days at physical labor jobs prior to becoming a cop. He was working these jobs when he won his first Olympia. I know he's not human but I just wanted to illustrate what's possible. I personally think if you have a physically demanding job you have to consider using high intensity routines like Yates used. If your leaving your job completely spent from physical labor it would be insane to lift for long routines unless your super man. I would use a three or four day split. Train each body part once a week and use at the most one or two work sets per exercise. Use at the most 3 to 4 exercises per body part. That's my two cents.

WELL SAID.

Cavalier22 · « **Reply #21 on:** March 04, 2006, 04:14:27 PM »

dude you used to one skinny mofo man

gibberj2 · « **Reply #22 on:** March 06, 2006, 12:17:44 AM »

Sergio Oliva? How can you compare me to a genetic freak?