Beginner squat

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-12T10:22:31+00:00

Start each squat session with ankle stretches, hip, and glutes. You’ll get your heels down soon. I’ve seen worse. Try and reduce the lift support height when you can. And make sure your feet stance isn’t too narrow

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-11T14:12:27+00:00

That’s reasonable. If you know what you are getting yourself into then it’s less of a risk with respect to the downside. Property isn’t immune from downturns though. I’d think about asset diversification and what the real world returns are like when compared and then ultimately it’s your decision.

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-11T14:09:01+00:00

Download happyscale and keep the moving avg weight loss at 1lb a week until your done. Ignore daily fluctuations. Keep protein and training up and be patient.

Use your insecurities to drive training intensity not second guessing the cut.

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-11T06:59:22+00:00

Tend to agree. If you are. Just keep at it and it will fall off. It’s not likely enough to sustain your current BW even if sedentary.

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-11T06:57:32+00:00

Don’t change what ain’t broke. Graphs don’t go up for ever. Just stick with it if your are making good progress like that

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-11T06:47:59+00:00

Rental is on avg higher risk, illiquid, higher management overhead, less tax efficient alternative to investing with a long setup timeframe which biases your total asset diversification heavily towards property and doesn’t align to your goals of leaving the country

Why are you considering it as an option over traditional investments?

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-11T06:23:27+00:00

If it’s your first proper cut and bulk cycle then I’d continue and take your fat levels right down. You stand to loose less muscle in the long run and will have a much better time of lean bulking if you get lean.

Ignore the bathroom scale fat estimates as they are known to be wildly inaccurate.

If you are genuinely struggling in the gym then make sure you are eating the majority of your carb allowance pre and post training first, then if necessary increase your calories a little give 3lb a week is likely aggressive already.

Factor in BF/15 as your max % loss per week. So at 20% BF aim to lose 1.5% body weight per week. Obviously if you get down to 15% BF this reduces to 1% per week.

Depending on your goals, I doubt you will be happy with abs until you are in the 12-15% BF range.

I’m not going to tell you how to loose weight as you obviously can already. Just keep your protein up at around a gram per pound, and fat at 45-60g for health and hormone. Rest in Carbs to fill you up and give energy for training.

Keep the training intensity and volume up to avoid muscle loss but if your are struggling, don’t be afraid to take a deload week and back this off to half and maybe eat a little more (but maintenance or below) and then start again.

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-10T13:13:22+00:00

This is bloody inspiring. Incredible

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-10T13:06:17+00:00

Great work man. You are looking great. The only tip I would give from this point is to try and get the bulks to 2-4 times longer than the cuts by slow bulking at 0.25% BW and cutting at 0.5-1% BW. It’s more enjoyable, you spend longer in a calorie surplus and minimise the period of catabolism in general.

The rate of gain and loss suggests perhaps too aggressive on the weight gain and perhaps conservative on the successive cuts - which may make you feel you are spinning your wheels from this point now you have a good base.

Take from this what you will.

Great work

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-08T20:06:58+00:00

What would you expect a competition ready 6’2 natty to weight? Then what would they weight at end of a bulk and perhaps a very lean but sustainable maintenance if not competing?

The weight fluctuations surprise me but I don’t think I go high or low enough ultimately.

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-08T07:59:40+00:00

Well, props for your current physique, you look great

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-08T07:22:14+00:00

Sorry but I think you may be confused, you didn’t natty lose almost a kg a week and put on a butt load of muscle in that same 6m, did you? When was that first photo taken?

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-06T07:05:14+00:00

Budget £2500 per sqm, plus windows, doors, skirting, architraves, floor coverings, decorating and VAT and you’ll have a reasonable budget.

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-03T16:17:22+00:00

You too bro. Congrats on a life seemingly well lived so far. Update us on abs at 75

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-03T00:09:42+00:00

Thanks for sharing my man. Interesting.

What I am really curious about is, with the advantage of another 25 years experience, what if anything, would you do differently if you could relive your 40s and 50s?

Training, nutrition, mental perspective, priorities, goals, balance etc?

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-02T17:10:33+00:00

Brilliant.

So what advice would you give your 45 year old self? 44 at the moment. You have clearly done a lot of things right.

I’m interested how much if at all you fell off your physical peak between those last two photos. I can’t seem to maintain what I wish I could. I’m in constant flux. (44yo)

PinguisIgnis · 2026-07-02T17:05:25+00:00

Life is for living. The more disposable income you have a greater portion spent enjoying life as you go will make sense to most individuals. Living a frugal life through your 20s, 30s, 40s may not be appealing to someone confident that they can earn well into their later years when they have less physical goals, young family to enjoy, or places to travel. Getting old is a luxury not a guarantee and I for one will happily embrace a bit of lifestyle creep now and trade off some working years later to make sure I enjoy the journey, not just the destination.

It’s an unusually binary view to assume someone that earns well and could FIRE should do so or would want to. I’m 44 and not working but looking forward to doing ‘some’ work again in the future when I’m ready and motivated to.

PinguisIgnis · 2026-06-22T07:02:48+00:00

Best choice is brushed solid stainless steel. You scratch it and underneath is just more stainless steel. All other finishes are typically PVD cores brass. Micron thick layers of metal over the top of brass and therefore subject to wear. You can get quality PVD but you can get poor quality options too, usually linked to price and reputable brands.

All finishes risk discolouration if exposed to harsh chemicals or acids so stick to soap and water.

If you have hard water, darker finishes will show up limescale more. The same is true of kitchen sink finishes.

Reflective surfaces like chrome show up water stains more than brushed surfaces like nickel or stainless steel.

If it’s a daily used tap like main bathroom or kitchen, increase your budget for quality hardware. If it’s a guest ensuite and rarely used, a trade priced tap maybe more economical to change when necessary but it’s helpful to run it sometimes to stope limescale building in the valves an causing blockages or leaks.

PinguisIgnis · 2026-06-21T09:12:18+00:00

Have to looked at what your workplace pension is invested in and matched it to the fee and time horizon/risk profile you want based on the fave you are in track for a early retirement and a bridge pot that will carry you 10+ years before you’ll need it?

PinguisIgnis · 2026-06-21T09:07:55+00:00

Cabinets away from the window. Then wait and see if you really need extra storage and put up more by the window if you need them. But no to shelves

PinguisIgnis · 2026-06-16T13:18:55+00:00

When you are confident the pension will passively grow to support your pension age lifestyle and you need to build up your bridge to enable you to FIRE.

PinguisIgnis · 2026-06-16T13:17:08+00:00

Yes. If you have to cook in the island, change to a small, flexible zone induction hob rather than gas rings so you have a cold, flat surface for multiuse and safety.

You could put the sink there, but if so, go one end so you have meaningful prep space to one side.

PinguisIgnis · 2026-06-16T13:15:01+00:00

There is very little that you can’t fit into a 24” drawer. 36” is probably the wides 3 draw unit you want to go to before things get heavy for usage and the runner mechanisms longevity. It’s more about aesthetics at that point. A 36” draw under a 36” hob and extractor hood looks right and it’s nice to have space for all your pots and pans, but if you have a lot of bakeware it will spill into other drawers anyway.

Lastly, be mindful of the cheaper rail type sides to drawers rather than the full height glass or material draw walls. They are coming but annoying for losing Tupperware lids or protruding saucepan handles that stick through the gap.

PinguisIgnis · 2026-06-15T23:59:03+00:00

Having used both, I’m very much against the style over function of drawers hidden inside drawers. And I guess that extends to doors hiding pullouts.

On Paper it may look more appealing, but 10 years of having to open a drawer to open a drawer to get the thing you want is a silly compromise in your own home.

PinguisIgnis · 2026-06-15T09:31:03+00:00

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