Alcohol and Lifting

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
lifter85 wrote:
<<< i don’t see what drinking hurts though, >>>

I’ll just assume that one day you’ll discover the answer to this question.[/quote]

To this day i’ve yet to drink at all…being that i’m at the end of my college career and haven’t started yet, and have no desire ever to, chances are I will not.

All i know is everyone is getting bigger in the gym but me it seems, and they all have pictures up on the internet of them getting smashed non stop with alcohol or smoking stuff.

Last year around this time I was doing abbh1 and the 10x3 bench press i did was like 180 lbs i think, and a year later, after heavy perfect nutrition, lots of sleep, minimal outside work from the gym, extremely hard every workout, never missing a workout, and good supplementation, i’m barely getting 10x3 for 190.

Most people say when they try a new workout, they’re like “man, my bench was at 400 4 weeks ago, and now it’s at 420!” People’s progress is supposed to slow down at that level, not be 100x faster than mine at only 240. Go figure.

Oh and to the OP

Just because your school is known for drinking or whatever, doesn’t at all mean people there drink more than other places. My town is one of the biggest hippie towns out there, and literally everyone drinks big time.

My school is probably just a lot smaller than yours, therefore doesn’t get rated as high. The rank of your school’s drinking problem doesn’t relate at all to your decisions.

I’ve yet to drink and I don’t have a problem getting to know people if I want to (which from most of the people i’ve seen, i don’t really care to get to know them anyways). Plus, it gives me more time to focus on nutrition, working out, gf, school, work, etc. You don’t need others approval to get by.

[quote]Nidhogg wrote:
Personally, my strenght gains havent been better since i recently started drinking on friday nights. Ive increased my bench, DLs and curls about every week compared to when i wasnt drinking which i used to be stuck on the same damn weight for weeks sometimes.

But then again could be newbie gains, ive been lifting for about over a year now and drnking for the past month, so it only takes me a couple of shots and beers to knock me out.

Haha, i bet youre all thinking “stupid dumb ass kid stop bullshitting on our forums” but seriously i was just as surprised myself after reading about the bad effects of alcohol and training. Ive also put on some weight, probably fat considering that alcohol halts protein synthesis and fat burning.

My theory is that it somehow stimulates the central nervous system and not actually helps building muscle[/quote]

Its because you’re not getting enough calories. Drinking is an easy way to up your calories. Plus you stay up and get that extra meal at 3 in the morning. You just need to eat more.

[quote]lifter85 wrote:
Tiribulus wrote:
lifter85 wrote:
<<< i don’t see what drinking hurts though, >>>

I’ll just assume that one day you’ll discover the answer to this question.

To this day i’ve yet to drink at all…being that i’m at the end of my college career and haven’t started yet, and have no desire ever to, chances are I will not.

All i know is everyone is getting bigger in the gym but me it seems, and they all have pictures up on the internet of them getting smashed non stop with alcohol or smoking stuff.

Last year around this time I was doing abbh1 and the 10x3 bench press i did was like 180 lbs i think, and a year later, after heavy perfect nutrition, lots of sleep, minimal outside work from the gym, extremely hard every workout, never missing a workout, and good supplementation, i’m barely getting 10x3 for 190.

Most people say when they try a new workout, they’re like “man, my bench was at 400 4 weeks ago, and now it’s at 420!” People’s progress is supposed to slow down at that level, not be 100x faster than mine at only 240. Go figure.[/quote]

I promise you it will catch up with them. Youth is a wondrously resilient thing. Few things are more unhealthy than excessive alcohol.

Hmmm…staying sober means you get to be the designated driver, which means you can offer to drive all the drunk, horny chicks home from the bar.

Uh, what exactly is the problem here?

[quote]Doug Adams wrote:
Hmmm…staying sober means you get to be the designated driver, which means you can offer to drive all the drunk, horny chicks home from the bar.

Uh, what exactly is the problem here?

[/quote]

…raaaape?

[quote]lifter85 wrote:
Tiribulus wrote:
lifter85 wrote:
<<< i don’t see what drinking hurts though, >>>

I’ll just assume that one day you’ll discover the answer to this question.

To this day i’ve yet to drink at all…being that i’m at the end of my college career and haven’t started yet, and have no desire ever to, chances are I will not.

All i know is everyone is getting bigger in the gym but me it seems, and they all have pictures up on the internet of them getting smashed non stop with alcohol or smoking stuff.

Last year around this time I was doing abbh1 and the 10x3 bench press i did was like 180 lbs i think, and a year later, after heavy perfect nutrition, lots of sleep, minimal outside work from the gym, extremely hard every workout, never missing a workout, and good supplementation, i’m barely getting 10x3 for 190.

Most people say when they try a new workout, they’re like “man, my bench was at 400 4 weeks ago, and now it’s at 420!” People’s progress is supposed to slow down at that level, not be 100x faster than mine at only 240. Go figure.[/quote]

So because everyone else gets shitfaced and seems to make progress, you need that as your excuse to do the same? Your logic is extremely flawed.

First of all, quite comparing yourselves to others. You are you, and they are they. Who cares what “they” do?

Second, you did make progress, while I agree that it wasn’t much and could be improved. Do you keep a workout log? Figure out what works for you, and what doesn’t. Don’t use your lack of gains as an excuse to slack off.

You say your training and diet is perfect but perhaps it is not. I would start there.

[quote]tveddy wrote:
drink guiness. Nobody chugs guiness fast. [/quote]

Well I guess you don’t know me and my old habits…I pounded EVERYTHING.

I’ve been sober for 10 months and I wouldn’t go back as my life is much better now.

To the OP…who really CARES what people think of you not drinking? Be original.

[quote]greekdawg wrote:
<<< So because everyone else gets shitfaced and seems to make progress, you need that as your excuse to do the same? Your logic is extremely flawed.

[/quote]

I concur with the spirit of what you’re saying, but he said he doesn’t drink =]

[quote]greekdawg wrote:
So because everyone else gets shitfaced and seems to make progress, you need that as your excuse to do the same? Your logic is extremely flawed.

First of all, quite comparing yourselves to others. You are you, and they are they. Who cares what “they” do?

Second, you did make progress, while I agree that it wasn’t much and could be improved. Do you keep a workout log? Figure out what works for you, and what doesn’t. Don’t use your lack of gains as an excuse to slack off.

You say your training and diet is perfect but perhaps it is not. I would start there.[/quote]

I’m tellin you. Its because they are adding calories. Is your diet perfect to gain weight or is it perfect to cut. I can make massive strength gains with a terrible diet. However if I eat clean I stall. Why? because I don’t get enough calories.

[quote]Freaky Styley wrote:

Get a beer and nurse it, then.

[/quote]

Probably the best advice aside from not drinking. You should be able to counter any comments you get about not chugging the beer your holding by using your training as an excuse or making jokes about how the person harassing you has a problem. Do this for a while and before you know it everyone will be so drunk they won’t care what you’re doing.

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
lifter85 wrote:
Tiribulus wrote:
lifter85 wrote:
<<< i don’t see what drinking hurts though, >>>

I’ll just assume that one day you’ll discover the answer to this question.

To this day i’ve yet to drink at all…being that i’m at the end of my college career and haven’t started yet, and have no desire ever to, chances are I will not.

All i know is everyone is getting bigger in the gym but me it seems, and they all have pictures up on the internet of them getting smashed non stop with alcohol or smoking stuff.

Last year around this time I was doing abbh1 and the 10x3 bench press i did was like 180 lbs i think, and a year later, after heavy perfect nutrition, lots of sleep, minimal outside work from the gym, extremely hard every workout, never missing a workout, and good supplementation, i’m barely getting 10x3 for 190.

Most people say when they try a new workout, they’re like “man, my bench was at 400 4 weeks ago, and now it’s at 420!” People’s progress is supposed to slow down at that level, not be 100x faster than mine at only 240. Go figure.

I promise you it will catch up with them. Youth is a wondrously resilient thing. Few things are more unhealthy than excessive alcohol. [/quote]

Don’t lie to him. I’m not promoting alcohol, just have to admit that college drinking doesn’t always do all the damage people act like it does. Yeah theres some major mishaps, but I’m sure if you had as many gym rats as drinkers you would see major mishaps in the gym also.

Learning to stop drinking while still enjoying the bar scene every night is hard, and I wish those good luck. I think it might be better to replace it with something else besides the bar get your girlfriend, and a few good friends and forget the bar.

When your trying to get your life together so you can support your girl and kids you won’t have time to do the bar every night, then when you do go out you’ll enjoy it even more.

Is this thread becoming about how to bullshit people into thinking your having a beer? what about trying to command their respect by telling them your not drinking for your health. I’m a Junior at stonehill college (yeah, you’ve never heard of it), which was once one of playboy’s top party schools.

thursday to sunday people are partying, drinking having a good time, and I was one of them. Last year I drank 2 nights, my birthday and the beginning of the school year, and the other times I went out but didn’t drink I simply told my friends that I didn’t want to drink for a number of reasons, mainly my health and so I could make some decent muscle gains.

here I am about 25 pounds of muscle and a year later, and I feel great. I drink a little more often now, but still not nearly as much. it does suck getting used to, but once you learn to command the respect of others (yes, command the respect) by simply stating your reasons, it gets easier and hell, you can have fun without booze. Not to mention DDing isn’t a bad option.

when are people going to realize every school is a party school?

[quote]Mikel0428 wrote:
here I am about 25 pounds of muscle and a year later [/quote]

Kudos!

talk to chicks while you nurse a beer.

I’m not sure if this topic was covered anywhere in here. But I have a question, is it better to lift and drink heavily in the same day? Or to not lift at all if you’re planning on drinking heavily?

[quote]tveddy wrote:
drink guiness. Nobody chugs guiness fast. and nobody makes fun of someone for drinking guiness slow.[/quote]

That’s because it tastes like water with a lump of charcoal in it.

College should be the best four years of your life. Do what you want and have fun. If drinking will help you with that, drink. I love going out, drinking with friends, etc. Yes, some people will get heavy from drinking, although I feel that’s more from the lack of training than it is the drinking. I have friends that are very lean and drink 3+ nights a week. The only time I’ve scaled back was when I was training for a half-marathon, and most people don’t give you a hard time if you say you’re training for that or for some other cause.

I do think you have more fun often times if you’re drink. You get good stories out of, random drunken hookups, etc. But hey it’s completely a personal choice. Just make a decision that you’ll be happy with now and in the future.

[quote]Epimetheus wrote:
it’s not quite that simple, considering everyone and their mom drinks Thursday-Saturday in Iowa City, leaving me in either the position of creepy shut-in who no one wants to associate with, or the loser who stands around trying to make conversation at a party, when someone suddenly interjects and screams “Hey, where’s your beer?!?!?!” I guess this is kind of a stupid thread though, since it’s just me being a cry baby bitch just because I’ve decided to go the way of the lone horse, so to speak. [/quote]

honestly dude i used to be in the same situation. all my friends are always playing beer pong and shit and i used to never drink because of the low carb diet i was on. my advice though is you can still go out to partys and shit dude, but just use the time you arent spending downing shots to hit on girls. a friend of mine told me this story before of him chillen with some jamaican chicks and he didnt drink then so he just sipped on a glass of orange juice but they all thought it was a screwdriver and one chick was like “wow you can really hold your liquor” or some shit, and i guess he ended up fucking her. or just learn not to get shitfaced 4 days a week.