Cohen

I love some cereal too, so I give myself calorie space to fit it in and choose low sugar type. I have it with a banana and chocolate milk before workout, so it satisfies my choco craving

Changed my workout again today to help my shoulder recover. Good news is that the pain is going away Played futsal for 60mins 3 sets of 15 leg raises 3 sets of 15 box jumps 3 sets bw squats 3 sets OA rows 40kg - 6,6,5 2 sets of DB flyes 15kg - 10,10 < tried pressing shoulder hurt, flyes seem ok but not 100% MyFP yesterday Totals Cal 1,980 - C 336 - F 28 - P 94 < damn a lot of carbs today, can't resist my missus pasta carbonara with tuna

By strengthening do you mean endurance? or becoming stronger? BW Squats are fine for building strength, but once you pass a certain level it would be better to add weight, or change to a more challenging exercise like, hindu squats, split squats, shrimp squats, and pistol squats. If strength for endurance is what you are after, then challenging your self to complete a certain amount per week, or month, might be a good challenge. You could then complete 100 on certain days, 50 on others, 200 on extra long workouts etc Indian wrestlers used to do hundreds of hindu squats a day (baithak) to build leg strength.

Yesterday my shoulder was still hurting, I used dumbbells at 10kg to do some different movements and find out which hurt, farmers walks are ok, rows are ok, bench press hurts damn.... Basically anything where the dumbell is pressed hurts, and holding in front for goblet sqauts hurts too. So I did a light workout of dumbbells step ups, farmers walks and some heavier rows. It went ok and I took it slow. I think I need to reset my weights and go slow for a while until my shoulder is healed. So i'm changing my workouts for the moment, hopefully in a few weeks I will get back to benching. MyFP yesterday Totals Cal 2,056 - C 178 - F 81 - P 152

Today is rest day. My shoulder is still very sore inside, hoping things will be better tomorrow. If not I will stick to bodyweight stuff again. MyFP today Totals Cal 2,018 - C 201 - F 74 - P 116

1. Goal allocation: MQ: Bodyweight bench press using dumbbells = 4 Str Q1: Workout 4 times a week = 3 STA Q2: Record and hit target calories everyday = 1 CHA 2 CON 2. Mid Challenge Summary: MQ: I hit my main goal on week three, I honestly thought it would take longer. = A (100%) Q1: I missed one workout due to a holiday = 11/12 (92%) Q2: I missed 3 days calories counts due to a holiday = 18/21 (85%) 3. Challenge allocation: I'm rouding. MQ: (100%) = 4 STR Q1: 11/12 (92%) = 3 STA Q2: 18/21 (85%) = 1 CHA & 2 CON 4. Signature: Added Mini Challenges, +2 WIS +1 CHA STR 4 | STA 3 | DEX 0 | CON 2 | WIS 2 | CHA 2

Hit a pothole riding home on my motorbike today, didn't fall off so my bike is fine, but there was a strange crunching noise in my left shoulder - and now it's sore inside, guessing some rotator cuff issue. So workout today was just some bodyweight squats, box step ups, and a big of jogging around the estate. MyFP today Totals Cal 2,357 - C 238 - F 83 - P 137

Today is workout A and i'm working at level 12 - 30kg for bench, bent over rows, and farmers walks. BW WG Pullups - 2 sets 5, 5 Bench - 3 sets 9, 5, 5 < hit my main goal again today BO Rows - 2 sets 10, 10 Farmers - 2 sets 45m, 45m MyFP today Totals Cal 2,074 - C 252 - F 46 - P 124

After a weekend away i'm back to normal eating, tracking, and ready to hit the gym this afternoon.

The down and back mantra can lead to impingement. Shoulder packing for overhead movement is a little different to how it has been simplified. A more natural motion is needed, not completely loose and definitely not shoulders pulled tightly down and back. Allowing your shoulders to move naturally while keeping control at all times, is safer and much easier. People tend to have problems when they try to follow strict form rules and stop their shoulders from moving. A few interesting articles. http://bretcontreras.com/guest-blog-shoulder-packing-by-joe-sansalone/ http://bretcontreras.com/when-coaching-cues-attack-packing-the-shoulder/ http://www.markpieciak.com/2013/12/active-shoulders-vs-packed-shoulders/

Ori and the Blind Forest. I usually don't go for platformers but this is awesome.

Missed workout and tracking on Friday. I'm away with my wife and daughter for May day holiday

Manflu still in effect, but I got plenty of rest last night and had a relaxed morning. Today is workout A and i'm working at level 12 - 30kg for bench, bent over rows, and farmers walks. I had a nice strong black coffee before my workout to help with my manflu symptoms BW CG Chins - 2 sets 10,7 BW WG Pullups - 2 sets 5, 5 Bench - 3 sets 9, 6, 6, BO Rows - 2 sets 12, 12 Farmers - 2 sets 45m, 45m That's the end of benching for this week, so my main quest of a body weight dumbbell bench press (I'm using exrx to calculate my 1 rm) Finished bench this week at 64kg for 9 reps = 1rm of 82kg My body weight is 82kg wooooootttttt :D Goal completed, the last rep was a bit grindy, but it was full rom with a steady negative - i'm giving it to myself, but it was just one set, I need to repeat to truly call complete :D MyFP today Totals Cal 2,456 - C 328 - F 74 - P 111

There is really a lot going on in your workouts which is fine in the beginning, but you may find that as you progress, and start getting more intense, you maybe can't keep doing everything. Possible change: Choose one weighted lower body exercise. Choose one weighted push exercise. Choose one weighted pull exercise. Example: Squat Press Row Do these every workout and try to progress in weight over time. For example if you enjoy working at higher reps and are getting 15 reps easy, then increase the weight a little and keep working until you hit 15 again, then repeat. This will do more for your goals as you are progressing and your conditioning increases. Do your bodyweight circuit and focus around a few of your favourite exercises keeping in mind that you are covering all areas of the body. Try come up with a progression you can track over a long period, such as reducing the amount of rest time between exercises, or increasing the amount of reps, or number of round performed etc.. Run with your program for at least 6 weeks and see how it goes. I would even suggest running it for 12 weeks before making any changes. Although adding lean mass doesn't actually burn many calories, strength training while dieting helps you retain muscle (or even increase it) so it is actually a great way to exercise. Don't worry about building mass amounts of muscle, it is not going to happen, it takes many years of heavy training to build a decent amount of muscle naturally. I'm not someone that puts too much in the whole muscle confusion (keep them guessing) thing for this reason: When you are new to a particular exercise your body adapts and learns how to perform that exercise and you see quite quick results in performance, this takes place before the best muscle gains start to happen. People tend to change their programs around quite often, and they only 'feel' like they are getting muscular benefits from the changes, when in fact they are missing out on the actual real benefits which come from working on the same exercise for a longer amount of time. Too improve real performance in a particular exercise it needs to be performed often and repeated for a long time with some form of progression.

I use myfitnesspal and input my own custom goals. At the moment they are 50% carbs 25% protein and 25% fat. I don't hit it exact everyday, but it serves as a good guideline and I get somewhere near. This has been working well for me this year at maintaining my weight and steadily getting stronger. I have tried a higher protein amount for about 3 months and didn't notice any difference so I dropped it back down. I'm not lifting huge weight, so this might change as I get stronger. I have tried lower carbs and didn't feel great during the day. But it is worth trying out different things and letting them run for a while to get a go idea what works for you. Some people prefer low fat, so maybe 50%C, 35%P, 15%F Or more of a balance 40%C 30%P 30%F Or low carb 25%C 35%P 40%F If you are staying the same weight but losing fat, then keep doing what you are doing, it is working well.

Well my manflu kicked in on my rest day. Slept all morning so missed my food target for today, don't feel like eating carbs. MyFP today Totals Cal 1,727 - C 86 - F 81 - P 109

The Elliot Hulse video is spot on. You should be using a weight you can handle, be able to get it into position, do your reps with a full range of motion, and increase the weight when you're ready. You will have no problem getting the weight up if you approach it this way. I usually increase weight when I can get around 8 to 10 clean reps, and I have never had a problem getting the next weight into position (up to now ) I'm only up to 70lb dumbbells at the moment so nothing amazing, but I have had steady increases throughout the last 6 months.

Yeah i'm the same, kind of like the move a turtle would make rolling in slowmo onto its shell I have a tiled floor so the wife would kill me if she heard me dropping weights, I kind of do a reverse to get back up, bring my knees up and then rock forward to sit up.

Today is Workout B at level 16 - 40kg for goblet squats, one arm rows, and suitcase walks. Been feeling a bit stuck with pullups the last few workouts, so I changed it up a bit today. Added 2 sets of close grip chins with slow negatives, and wide grip pullups moving slow throughout, pausing at the top and mid way. BW Chins - sets 9,5 BW Pullups - 2 sets 4, 4 Goblet Sq - 2 sets 8, 7 OA Rows - 2 sets 7, 7 Suitcase - 2 sets 16m, 16m - not too good today MyFP today Totals Cal 2,329 - C 295 - F 55 - P 127

Sit on the bench with the weights on the floor in front of you. Lift them up onto your legs resting on the quad towards the knee area (I do one at a time) Lay back whilst raising your legs at the same time to help lift them into position. Practice the technique with lighter weights first. Don't fling them up or lay back fast, you will hurt yourself. Take it easy and keep everything nice and tight going into position. I agree that if you can't pick up a dumbbell you shouldn't be using that weight.

Recruit mini challenge 3: +1WIS 1. Overall my plan is working well but i'm not making any progress on pullups, i'm stuck at 8 reps and the last rep is a bit iffy, I need to change my sets or alter the workout. 2. The topic below had some good suggestions and things to try out. http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/63991-pull-up-progressions/ 3. Tomorrow I will mix up the pullup section of my workout and add chinups with slow negatives twice a week, and do the pullups twice a week.

Have a sore throat, headache, and a little bit of a cold at the moment, so i'm not expecting any extra today. Just get in the garage and get my workout done Today is workout A and i'm working at level 12 - 30kg for bench, bent over rows, and farmers walks. BW Pullups - 2 sets 8, 5 Bench - 4 sets 7, 5, 6, 5 BO Rows - 2 sets 13, 10 Farmers - 2 sets 45m, 36m MyFP today Totals Cal 2,120 - C 263 - F 56 - P 113

Ghrelin - the hunger hormone is telling you to eat more right now. When your stomach gets stretched from eating it turns off. Eat something that will turn off the signal but is not high in calories, like and apple for example, or plums are quite filling. Thick soups are filling and porridge oats help too.

What type of foods are you eating? Might be an idea to slowly start introducing some meals which will keep you satiated for longer.

It does take a few weeks for your body to adjust to a change in eating habits. Your energy levels, and mood take a huge hit at first, but they come back again, and the cravings will go away after a few weeks. Try and keep to your plan, you have had a great start. Your body will adjust quickly, keep up your hydration, sometimes a food craving will go away when you drink a glass of water.