Re: TASM Fitness Thread. "Shirts-off" Challenge Starts NOW for May 4th deadline!
P.S.: First post here! I've loved this site for a long time, always inspirational. Also, Lunaman, thanks for that hundred push-ups routine, I've been working with that for a while and I feel its helped me gain actual strength as opposed to simply bulky muscle. Much obliged.
Welcome to the forum!
Glad you like the pushups program, though I will add the caveat that building muscle IS what gives you functional strength.

Muscle building is a slow process; it's pretty much impossible to become "bulky" without really really working hard with that as your intended goal.
I used the word myself in my first post here, but the longer I've thought about it the more I've felt that to call muscle 'bulk' in a way casually dismisses both the progress you make as well as the efforts of people who DO train for size, which isn't a terribly inclusive way to word things, you know? But I obviously understand what you meant. It's just been on my mind lately. Training for muscular endurance will not result in the same level of muscle gain as training for lifting heavier and heavier loads, but muscle is still what you have to thank for fitness improvements. :lol We're all in the same fitness boat of hard work and perseverance, regardless of our different goals.
Also, thanks for sharing the Bruce Lee anecdote! I love that that was a source of inspiration for the training on the Amazing Spider-Man, since Bruce had what I consider to be one of the best Spider-Man type physiques. :thumbsup
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I really would like to be lean and cut like you Lunaman you look awesome. Can you pm me to give me some insight on your workouts and what you eat and what proteins you're eating? I will really appreciate it man
It's great you have made such progress towards your fitness goals, and thanks for the compliments! I don't have any fancy workouts or special insights to share (and what works for one person may not work the same for another) but I can certainly give a basic rundown here.
As shaderun mentioned, I structured my workouts along the lines of the 100 pushups program until I completed the seven week goal, then I continued the workouts in the highest 'fitness level'. I then progressed to completing the final weeks of the program using knuckle pushups, then increased to using knuckle pushups with my feet up on a chair, then using "Perfect Pushup" rotating handle bases, then using the Perfect Pushup handles with feet elevated on the chair, each time working back up until I could complete the final week goal of the program.
*Now I do the final week workouts +10 more on each set and max set of at least 100, with legs elevated on chair, with the "Perfect Pushup" rotating bases beneath my hands. I do between
305 and
404 pushups in this setup throughout the course of a workout. I supplement this with alternating pistol squats to near exhaustion on my legs and pullups. Each workout is about 40 minutes, and I do them on three days a week, usually Tues/Thurs/Sat.
If it were in my current budget to accommodate a gym membership and the sheer volume of food needed for a clean gaining diet, I would probably be doing a more traditional weight-lifting regimen, but for now this calisthenics program keeps me at an at least functional level of fitness.
As for what I eat, I've always disliked sweets, so I keep most sugars and processed carbs out of my diet, and though I don't have any hard and fast rules about what I can't eat, I try to keep my ingredients simple and my fuels clean. I eat a lot of oats, chicken, eggs, fish, nuts and almonds, fruits. I never drink soda, it grosses me out, which many friends have told me is uncommon.
I really wish I had more intelligent or specific things to tell you, but I'm really not much of an exercise expert or dietician.
gerryc00 has a very good post earlier in this thread about dietary specifics that made a big change for him, if you want to check that out. Generally I've just tried to keep a steady exercise schedule, challenge myself on every workout, and eat as best as I can every day. I think that's what we all do.
Anyway, that's more than enough babbling from me. It's Sunday, so here's an update picture for the last week before the Free Comic Book Day deadline for the "Shirts-off" Challenge. I feel Spidey-ready.
*Now refers to edited and updated workout numbers for
August, 2013