unsatisfactory after 1.5 year of training, pics

[Darkvision]

So I'm going to restart rippetoes. I guess I started too light / didn't eat properly, (I had no complex carbs preworkout!!), any questions I have here I'll post up in my journal (link here on tuesday, that's my workout day. Tues, Thurs, Sat and Sun due to shitty gym membership only days I can go)

I'lll keep you guys posted.

For those who are helping me, thank you.

I'm getting fat lol.

[Darkvision]

oh btw, form question on squats, medium stance.. I'm falling on my ass(not literally) when I go A2G, and when I'm coming out of the hole, my back seems to round and lean forward and it's like I'm pushing with my midback, that's where I get sore sometimes.

EDIT: answered my own question, leaving for future forum novice searchees. the body NEEDS to lean forward naturally, not EXCESSIVELY, just SLIGHTLY in order to balance the weight so you don't fall backward. correct me if I'm wrong more experienced weightlifters on these boards, but I just practiced this theory and it was correct. As quoted from SS FAQ thread:

Question - Should I be leaning forward a little bit during the squat, or do I try to stand straight up and down?

Some amount of forward lean is natural, and in fact, is necessary. It is impossible, with a free weight barbell, to keep your upper body at a 90 degree angle to the floor. You cannot maintain any form of balance this way and if you try, you will fall onto your rump.

I don't know what could be causing this midback strain. Maybe chest isnt elevated enough? I'm going to get a video up soon if I can manage the camera-on-floor thing, or maybe ask someone to record me.

Oh oh oh and on bench press am I lowering the bar to the middle of my chest, or the lower chest, or upper chest?

I can't find that information anywhere =[

thanks guys! have a good day / night!

[_Wolf_]

have you bought the book?

[Darkvision]

yeah, it's first edition though.

do you guys ever feel tired all the time?

maybe this is lack of physical activity, but, I always feel fatigued before working out.. or all day for that matter. it's weird because I eat really healthy.

oh and if it seems my posts are scattered is because as' i reflect all day on my weaknesses in training, things pop up, and
i have noone else to ask but here.

[Ross86]

It could be lack of activity. It takes a little bit for your body to adjust to increased activity also...so you could still be tired from lifting before you even start another session. What is your pre workout nutrition like? Do you sleep enough? There are 100 different reasons why you might be tired.

[Darkvision]

Could be that I don't sleep enough. But what is enough? 8 hours? I have to wake up at 6am everyday for school M-F, and I usually end up going to bed around 11.

on the weekends I "sleep in" till 9 or 10, but I usually end up feeling like shit when I wake up. tired, sick, not hungry.. I feel like this when I don't work out too. and then I have to 'snap out' of that, force myself to eat, and then a few hours later force myself to go to the gym tired. I've rarely felt like " YEEAAH!!! TIME TO PUMP SOME IRON WOO!! LETS DO THIS!!!

I don't do drugs or drink so I just don't know why I feel like this. I don't have some weird disease. can anyone relate?

My preworkout nutrition, you mean everything I eat before I workout that day? or just in the hour or two before?

before right before I worked out I would take a scoop of whey. and hour before that would be like a hamburger and some french fries (home made, not fast food)

and breakfast and meals before that was like chicken breasts fruit and eggs.

that's why I'm thinking not enough complex carbs. do you guys usually eat a sweet potato brown rice AND oatmeal before you workout that day in seperate meals?

[Ross86]

Slow digesting carbs are best before you work out.

Everybody needs different amounts of sleep. I function best on 9 hours. My ex felt like crap if she got more than 7. Just an example.

[Cradler]

Haha Ross, you function best on 9? You're a lucky dog if you ever got to find that out!

I personally like in the 6 range myself, even if that's supposedly too little.

[Pitysister]

i'm around 7 i think...i usually wake up after 7 or so...i miss sleeping in on weekends till noon.

[widdoes2504]

Originally Posted by Pitysister

i'm around 7 i think...i usually wake up after 7 or so...i miss sleeping in on weekends till noon.

You and me both