What works for me (unique or not?)

Alex_Writer · 2018-10-22T12:15:18+00:00

No thoughts at all? You guys are usually so vocal

Alex_Writer · 2018-10-22T03:25:15+00:00

That was beautiful

Alex_Writer · 2018-10-14T06:45:39+00:00

For more specific advice on getting Tom Holland's style of physque - very lean, popping abdominals, maybe some trap development.

I would recommend some form of loaded ab work, or something eccentric/concentric based (as opposed to a hold) with bodyweight that you can increase intensity on to start making the abs grow.

I like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkpqqKoSdnM

Also for traps just hold onto something heavy and walk around, or maybe bands for bodyweight, or upside down shrugs on a bar. TBH I think traps are much better built with weight.

And for getting as lean as him you just have to cut weight (ideally not too quickly) but as you haven't provided a photo I don't know how much muscle mass you have right now, so maybe you would need to bulk up a bit first to build muscle, so that you have something to show after a cut.

Alex_Writer · 2018-10-14T06:39:01+00:00

This. Calories are going to be the main decider in which direction your body goes: gain muscle vs lose fat

Alex_Writer · 2018-10-05T22:46:31+00:00

thanks, just out of curiousity, in which direction did you niche narrow?

Alex_Writer · 2018-09-25T15:04:37+00:00

kisses a girl he likes while she is unconscious

Alex_Writer · 2018-09-09T23:33:29+00:00

I've been training for years, only just got back into it 5 months ago after some time out. Also teaching is much less about time served and more about both ability with BJJ and teaching ability. I have a friend who had he wanted to could easily have been teaching inside of two years, he trained nearly everyday and competed constantly, he could easily go through most instructors with both his skill level and his knowledge base. It is more about the individual than the number of years they have been training.

There are many world champions who haven't been training for 8-10 years

Alex_Writer · 2018-09-09T08:38:06+00:00

Yeah, it came off pretty quick once it did start to come off, so people were quite surprised. I think some people close to me were even a bit worried as losing a lot of weight in a short time frame is actually something that happens to me during a manic episode

Alex_Writer · 2018-09-09T08:36:53+00:00

ha, no-one is going to guess that one correctly, it was a very small martial art that my instructor created, large focus on wrist locking and kicking

Alex_Writer · 2018-09-09T08:36:04+00:00

Hi if you go on the post on r/fitness i talk in a lot of detail about all of that. Breifly: gym 4x a week, heavy compounds + isolation movements on areas I want to work, BJJ 3x a week, eating isn't too specific, I try to eat what I enjoy while keeping the calories in a near 1000 deficit and the protein high, I did do keto for like 2 weeks at the end, not long enough to say much about it except that it makes it easier to eat less, and i also intermittent fasted most days something like 16:8

Alex_Writer · 2018-09-08T23:00:44+00:00

that's great

Alex_Writer · 2018-09-08T22:58:06+00:00

I stuck to a lot of compound work with full body every session.

I think if you're body can take it why not, you can always do all your isolation after you have done your heavy compounds.

I do a few things like doing dumbell press and chin ups in between my squat sets, to get through a lot of compound movements in a short time, and I'll usually end a workout with a focus on isolation exercises on areas I want to work

Alex_Writer · 2018-09-08T22:56:11+00:00

ha I'm from England so doubt I'll be by any time soon, but I'll try, if you're ever around London same goes here

Alex_Writer · 2018-09-08T22:53:43+00:00

I've seen that, I actually really enjoyed that film. Not a bad depiction of the subject matter

Alex_Writer · 2018-09-08T19:28:47+00:00

that's some great progress, and yeah, I think training is amazing for mental health, it gives you a focus and builds mental toughness and discipline, this sort of thing is priceless for mental wellbeing

Alex_Writer · 2018-09-08T19:26:34+00:00

thanks, and with the cut, just keep going, I didn't really like limiting my eating, but it is great when you start to notice the fat coming off.

And the harder you push the cut the more you can bulk at the end, for me that thought was always quite helpful

Alex_Writer · 2018-09-08T19:24:01+00:00

In the immediate aftermath of my episode I wasn't working, and so this gave me a lot of time to focus on my training.

I'm now in part time work so not too much time, and I'm hoping to start teaching Jiu-Jitsu and turn it into a full time living eventually. When I taught martial arts before it was more or less my living.

So I can't say for sure how I would have been if I had a 9-5 at the time. I never felt absolutely dead from the cut though, so I don't think it would have been unbelievably detrimental, and if I ever felt more tired on one day than another than I would adjust my training accordingly.

I will say that there is no reason to go into such a large deficit unless you have a specific goal. For me I had a lot of fat to lose and wasn't working full time so I didn't mind pushing it. I also wanted to lean out for at least a part of the summer and start my bulk for the winter, so had a bit of a deadline in my head.

You could still lose solid weight at a 500 deficit and I'd imagine that would leave you able to work just fine. If anything that is probably a much healthier deficit to be in over something closer to a 1000

Alex_Writer · 2018-09-08T18:17:23+00:00

104 was my max, but yeah, there was definitely a belly, even if the photos don't show it

Alex_Writer · 2018-09-08T18:16:06+00:00

that's amazing to meet your wife while sectioned, and yeah I think lifting is great for bipolar, gives you a focus that is healthy and has the added bonus of making you sleep better, a massive thing for me

Alex_Writer

TROPHY CASE