illusionz' ICF blog

Nothing like a crotch shot to enlighten my evening

Now that you can't deadlift.. how about some chalk for your spare time...

Also you're missing core stuff out...

Do some planks or something in your bedroom, add weight with books etc if you dont have time!

On a better note, stop lifting, give me time to catch back up when I'm fixed and can out deadlift and squat you once more!

I will buy some chalk. I promise!

Yeah I know I keep missing core stuff as no time. No excuse for not doing it at home... laziness!

And haha. Your upper body absolutely wrecks me though legs are all I have.

Tbh you wont suffer too much atm with lack of core stuff but it'll bode you well for the future

I don't kick your arse too hard on press, but Dips and Bench press you are rather lacking in comparison Your biceps are just as strong as mine though

Also.. if you dropped some of the curling - you'd have time for core stuff

Yeah I know. I guess it's the short term gain that you get from arm work and don't get from core work when you have a layer of fat over the abs. Even though a stronger core will help the compounds down the line and also general athletic performance (I play a lot of hockey). Need #motivation

Yeah my bench is rather poor. My army mate asked how the **** I'm benching under 70 when I can DL 155 for reps (and tbh could go higher - it's not that hard). Need to bro up. In my defence I've only been lifting with free weights since Jan.

Very true. Again comes down to motivations I guess. From an aesthetic point of view I don't see myself getting down to the bf range where abs become visible. Whereas all bros want big arms lol. I know I should do more core work, and I have the time to do it at home on off days/after gym etc. Just need to actually do it (like I need to actually buy chalk haha)

I know all of your feels I was doing a lot of running and I play other sports too, core work helped in mysterious ways lol. I also have very little motivation for losing enough body fat to be ripped

Tbh we're very similar in experience and stats, I started in November properly (I mucked around as a bro again for a month following a marathon, I made 0 progress) I pulled my 135 PB in about a month of starting, but injury has stopped me progressing further

All bros want big arms, in my case I'm all tricep and so lacking in biceps

Yeah I've noted you runnning a fair bit. I hate running for running's sake, but do enjoy some good ol' competitive cardio.

Didn't realise you'd only been lifting since Nov, you must have had a decent base of strength before. I'm hoping I'll get to the 85kg bench by the time summer is over. No idea if that's realistic or not - basically depends how long I can surf the noob gains wave.

Lastly you're doing it the right way tbh. Arm volume is more tricep. It's just that my biceps are behind my tris imo.

You should surf the noob gains for a while yet, 85kg in about 2 months I'd think for 5x5 maybe faster. I was at a 70kg bench 2 months ago!

You're progressing seriously fast, very impressive lifts for the time you've been lifting. (seriously, it took me nearly a year to reach that bench/ohp)
Are your squats beltless?
In to watch, want to see what you manage to get out of the rest of your noob gains.

Also, your biceps are very strong.

35kg?

are you going all the way and right the way back up?

and do you rock your bottom for some momentum?

Full rom. First few reps of each set good form, last few 'cheat' a tad with leaning etc But then the consensus seems to be that it's better to cheat a couple of reps at the end than stop as soon as the strict form can't do another. Plus the incline curls after are strict. tbh though they're not a movement which I'm fussed about weight on. I just want to stimulate the muscle. The compounds are the ones where weight means something.

Damn, that's a mad curl tbh.

How big are they?

It's strange. My left arm is about half an inch bigger than my right but is the weaker one. Cold, flexed left arm is 14in, right is 13.5in. Yet on the DB curls left arm ALWAYS fails first, and left arm always feels more sore post workout. Confusing.

Because of the nature of the way I train (also rest a bit too long between the isolation sets), I think I've gotten a lot stronger without getting a huge amount bigger.

Also remember that I weigh 87.5kg so it's not actually that impressive

Are you sure they're 14inch flexed? Are you measuring with your forearm and your upperarm in an L shape?

I would've thought they'd be bigger.

Last time I did a cold measurement they were. I'm still a bit pumped now so can't test. Will try to remember tomorrow.

Just measured mine.

Cold left - 14 and a quarter inches
Cold right - 14 inches

flexed.