Board 8 > Fitness/Exercise/Health topic 2

(+) Yeah! (+)

Big gains today.

Hit 405 for 3 on squats and also hit a 435 for one. Failed on 440. Im above where I was at the end of last year and Im 15 pounds lighter.

Those after vacation workouts are always the worst. Both physically and mentally.

Deadlift squats and bench are all back to were they were at 200lbs, currently around at 185lbs. I went down to 177. So roughly gaining 8 pounds back after each cut will put me back to my previous strength PR's.

But I also had mono for 9 weeks, but it's a good enough baseline to use.

Now hoping to get some big gains for the next 5 months.

Ive unlocked an adrenaline boosting technique by listening to remixes of dbz scenes.

Gonna try it on my next 1 rep of deadlifts.

No idea how you maintain or even increase your lifts while losing weight.

As soon as I drop a few pounds (probably a good thing...) I inevitably drop a few reps too. Probably partly age but likely more due to shitty sleep and a not good enough diet.

Good sleep definitely helps. Not that Im exactly in that camp either.

Its just a combination of things. Recently Ive really leaned into the neurological side of things by doing a lot of isometric work after my warmup sets of just holding my max weight + an additional 20 to 25 pounds for about 20 to 30 seconds. No reps involved but it primes your neurons basically. Im also heavily leaning into muscle memory and because I basically just fluctuate between 165 to 200 within a years time where I swing the pendulum one way then the other Im never actually maintaining my body weight. Im sure that helps a lot to prime my body to recover my strength gains relatively fast even after a huge weight loss period.

Do not recommend upping fiber intake and drastically lowering caffeine intake (400 600mg to just 80 a day now).

My asshole is on fire.

Great workouts lately, pinched nerve from a few years ago finally feels back to normal. Only getting older so I dont have elite years left, but riding the wave of reinvigorated energy.

My deadlift PR before the nerve pinch was 610, and 575s are feeling as easy as they were when I was doing that. 585 yesterday felt pretty good too.

I've added swimming 3 times a week as well the past 6 months or so. Sucks having to change twice and dry off and what not as its so much added time, but i'd be sitting on my ass watching tv or playing a video game instead. I do too much already anyway so this is probably better. I usually only swim 10 to 20 laps down and back and quit. I've thought about having swimming only days and doing more.

But either way, nice having a bit of a good stretch

Speaking of pinched nerves(I have two) the one in my upper back flared up again and it absolutely sucks. I lost a lot of mobility in my trap/shoulder currently. I'm afraid it might be radiating down to my lower back too but that might just be lower back soreness(Hopefully).

Squat is up to 445(PR) and I am now regularly hitting 315 on bench.

Deadlift is stuck but that'll get going sooner or later, I think it's mostly just technique at this point.

Man. I wish years and years of nerve tension was a bit faster to fix. While I'm slowly getting more flexible my nerve tension is still absolutely horrible in my hamstrings and lower back. Also learned I have an anterior pelvic tilt which I've slowly been working on to fix too. I've actually gained .5 inches of height back which is neat.

But the lack of mobility in my hamstrings/pelvis/lower back is absolutely (no pun intended) hamstringing my deadlift progress. The lack of mobility is making it nearly impossible to tuck currently at the bottom to generate more power through pushing through the floor because I'm starting at such a lowered position.

I suppose the good news is that once I get that flexibility back my deadlift (should) explode in power.

Hi friends

havent posted here in a while. Glad to see a lot of yall are still killing it! I really had the gym at the bottom of my priorities for the last year. So much going on work and personally, most of it good! Ive kinda hit the age where I feel that exhaustion far more both on the short term and the long term, and its made the going to lift for multiple hours for 6 days a week something thats just hard to do consistently. But Im making a conscious effort to get on a better routine, and have done good for the last week or so. Im grateful that i still look damn good even if Ive shrunk a little bit (currently weighing at 171)

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/7/7076307e.jpg

iiaattgg posted...

Ive kinda hit the age where I feel that exhaustion far more both on the short term and the long term,

I feel that.

Seanchan posted...

I feel that.

Age is a bitch

but not going balls to the wall all the time has had some benefits. My knee feels a lot better. Ive gotten to spend more time with whatever girl Im dating at the time as well as more time with my family. The sleep is always nice.

i do miss slinging around some heavy ass weight, and I feel like Id be able to get back to some of those numbers quickly, but for now Im satisfied having a good physique and good strength compared to the general population

seanchan have you had any big victories in the past year ? I imagine you surpassed a lot of the numbers I was hitting lift wise

Nope, not really. Just been happy to have my lower back, glutes, hips, etc. feeling healthy for most of the year. I'm over 40, I've realized I can be okay with maintaining strength rather than increasing strength. Whatever I've got in the tank that day, that's what I've got; if I miss my goal by a rep or two the world isn't going to end. I've tried to add more functional stuff too, like kettlebell swings and gladiator deadlifts, rather than just the normal "big" lifts.

Last few weeks I've done a bit more swimming and it was so nice how great it felt to just do a 30 minute swim. Not trying to kill myself like in years past where I was trying to hit goals, just swimming until I felt satisfied.

I go to the gym with a friend who weighs 100 lbs more than me, mostly muscle (Im 135 lol). Today we used the uh, hip thrust?, machine, not sure what its formal name is. I have stronger legs than arms, but usually hes doing almost double what I am regardless.

He was doing 270 for it and I was able to somehow do 230. Apparently my pelvic thrust is my strongest movement proportionally speaking and I find this hilarious.

I'm always seeing women (sometimes guys too but mostly women) in my small gym doing hip thrusts on the smith machine. One in particular will use every bigger plate in the gym (to the tune of 360ish pounds plus the bar), meaning I can't do bench/squats/deads while she is there. Pretty annoying, though she is quite fit and with the booty to match what you'd expect for that heavy of a hip thrust.

Chaeix posted...

I go to the gym with a friend who weighs 100 lbs more than me, mostly muscle (Im 135 lol). Today we used the uh, hip thrust?, machine, not sure what its formal name is. I have stronger legs than arms, but usually hes doing almost double what I am regardless.

He was doing 270 for it and I was able to somehow do 230. Apparently my pelvic thrust is my strongest movement proportionally speaking and I find this hilarious.

son, as a former skinny kid, let me give you some of the best advice youll ever get. You do those hip thrusts, and you dont stop. Youll have to swat the women away like flies.

Up to 455 on squat. Might get to 500 before December after all. Set(s) are currently looking like 380 X 5 410 x 3 and 455 x 1.

Sorozone posted...

Man. I wish years and years of nerve tension was a bit faster to fix. While I'm slowly getting more flexible my nerve tension is still absolutely horrible in my hamstrings and lower back. Also learned I have an anterior pelvic tilt which I've slowly been working on to fix too. I've actually gained .5 inches of height back which is neat.

But the lack of mobility in my hamstrings/pelvis/lower back is absolutely (no pun intended) hamstringing my deadlift progress. The lack of mobility is making it nearly impossible to tuck currently at the bottom to generate more power through pushing through the floor because I'm starting at such a lowered position.

I suppose the good news is that once I get that flexibility back my deadlift (should) explode in power.

So I basically confirmed this by just raising the bar and weight up a couple inches off the ground to give me a more proper starting position and my deadlift went up 30lbs.

All the more reason to get more flexible.

Up to 365 for 8, 385 for 5 and 415 for 3 on squats.

I love this topic because I can reference all my past numbers. Like at the beginning of this one I was doing 1 rep for each 300 on squats. I even remember hitting 365 for one for the first time. Now I can hit for 8.

Always nice to have those reminders.

So I've improved my hamstring flexibility by around 3 inches in the past 5 days. Simply by brute forcing with the use of Jefferson curls(and variations of it) and gravity, and it's awesome how much this simply just works.

I'm like an inch away from touching my toes. I'm so goddamn close to this goal. I plan to up it to palms on the ground than eventually the human fold. I think I'll be satisfied at that point.

Sorozone posted...

So I basically confirmed this by just raising the bar and weight up a couple inches off the ground to give me a more proper starting position and my deadlift went up 30lbs.

All the more reason to get more flexible.

Deadlift has now improved by 50lbs in basically a week.

Taking a small few day break. I sprained my thumb of all things and it's hard to grip shit without intense pain.

Im officially running into a plateau.

Gonna go light for a week and hope I can hit it hard until the end of the year.

iiaattgg posted...

havent posted here in a while. Glad to see a lot of yall are still killing it! I really had the gym at the bottom of my priorities for the last year. So much going on work and personally, most of it good! Ive kinda hit the age where I feel that exhaustion far more both on the short term and the long term, and its made the going to lift for multiple hours for 6 days a week something thats just hard to do consistently.

When i was younger i would come home from high school/college/early post college years and immediately go to the gym. Now in my mid 30s, I drive to the gym from work and when i get to the gym parking lot I have to sit in my car for like 15 minutes before actually walking in lol.

Also, if I stop at home on the drive home, I almost always take the day off. I think this is my 'getting older' moments. Still honestly having great workouts, especially now with my pinched nerve issue finally going away, but I think 50 cent said it once 'ya im still in the gym it just hurts a little' lol

Yeah my nervous system is just shot. Hit 225 on bench for 15, which shattered my previous PR of 11.

Theoretically my 1 rep should be around 335 340, but Im struggling at 315. So hoping this deload and rest combo will works out.

Finally got a 495 squat

Metal_DK posted...

Finally got a 495 squat

Thats awesome! Hoping to be there by the end of the year.

Got my 225 on bench up to 16 reps now. I remember the days of hitting it for the first time never thought Id hit it for 16. It is making me unreasonably confident moving forward.

Also got diagnosed with IBS. Which I knew for years but never actually got it checked out with a doctor. Turns out that fructose is my trigger. Which makes me sad because I like fruit.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/f/fb2e15ca.jpg

My legs looking big.

Looking strong as fuck big homie

my OHP was an even 200 today despite not doing over 185 for the longest time. Everything was just clicking today and I just said fuck it and hit it

iiaattgg posted...

my OHP was an even 200 today despite not doing over 185 for the longest time. Everything was just clicking today and I just said fuck it and hit it

Those days are amazing.

And speaking of, up to 460 on squats. Doubt I'll be able to add 35 pounds in 3 months to get up to 5 plates(Unless I really put on major mass) but I'll keep pushing for that.

Today is the first time in about 3 weeks where Ive feel completely locked in again.

Im not going super heavy for the next 3 months so probably no new PRS outside of the 8 rep range, but it feels real nice to not be fatigued and my muscles feeling like they can be pushed to the limits.

I have successfully gotten my girlfriend to go to the gym 2 to 3 times a week with me.

Sorozone posted...

I have successfully gotten my girlfriend to go to the gym 2 to 3 times a week with me.

She'll be squatting 2 plates in no time!

Been able to do deadlifts 2 times a week and squats again. Trying for one last run to a big pr in deads. 1rm was 615 before nerve pinch 2 years ago, back up to 595.

Really good workout today.

Feeling really good heading in to these last couple of months. Hoping to get some big PRs in the future.

I'm coaching my son's hockey team this year so I'll be skating at least once a week, so that's a start. Kids are bugging me for a gym membership too so I'll likely do a family membership for all 4 of us.

PRed on incline bench with hitting 225 for 8 reps for the first time.

PRed on squats with 340 on 12 reps. Oddly enough my limiting factor is my lungs with that amount of reps.(My altitude is 7000 feet).

I get unreasonably winded.

I did 12 reps at 240 the other day Could have maybe gotten 1-2 more reps if I completely wanted to max out. But yeah, the endurance and breathing become the biggest issue near the end.

Hit 250 for 8 on flat bench for the first time. That's cool. Might get to 270x8 by the end of the year.

Also my back strength exploded out of no where. I'm going to attribute it to increasing my bw pullup reps every time I do them. Went for 30 reps to 41 reps in 2 sessions(throughout the entire workout not in a row). And next time I'll probably increase to 50 or so reps. Which might end up with me doing 100+ by the end of the year but w.e.

I might throw in something similar but with pushups instead on a chest day.

I switch between chinups and pullups each week on the day I do back. Best I've done weighted is 6 reps @ 62.5 for pullups and 6 reps @ 72.5 for chinups. Typically I'll do 3 sets total, one at the heavy weight, then a second where I'm trying for 8-10 reps (typically ~45-50 pounds), and then a final set at body weight for however many I can do (usually only 10-12 because I'm gassed at that point).

Yeah I've switched to one day where I do all the body weight pullups, and a separate back day where I work on weighted pullups. Yesterday I was just blasting through lat pull downs.

Weighed in at 194 today so still on track for around 200 or so before the end of the year. Also bit the bullet and bought some powerlifting shoes. I'm curious if anything to see the comfort level if there is any. My squat form is pretty solid overall with regular shoes. Stability will be interesting too.

If I ever get back to a 4 day split again, doing one day and weighted another sounds like an interesting idea.

I've thought about powerlifting shoes but barefoot (well, with socks on...) has always seemed to work okay for me. I'll be interested to see if you see a real difference.

Sorozone posted...

Also my back strength exploded out of no where. I'm going to attribute it to increasing my bw pullup reps every time I do them. Went for 30 reps to 41 reps in 2 sessions(throughout the entire workout not in a row). And next time I'll probably increase to 50 or so reps.

So this ended up being 61 total reps today. With a crazy 14 rep set at the beginning. My body weight PR is 15 reps, and I'm roughly 20 pounds heavier when I did that.

Didn't realize this topic was still around!

This summer was weird. Got really into golf so went from going to the gym 4-5 days a week to once every week and lost a lot of my strength. Slowly gaining it back now that the weather is getting rainy. Positive news is that I went from 230 down to 200, so I look and feel great.

Hit a 230 for 12 a 250 for 8 and 260 for 6 but was feeling good and hit another 2 on bench press. Hitting 260 for 8 is crazy to me.

My 8 rep goal is 270 by the end of the year.

No PR on bench press today, but benching 315 has been the easiest its ever been for me. Probably could have gone for an extra rep or 2.

75 body weight pull-ups today.

Also consistently over 400 pounds on squats. 500 is out of reach until next year though. That 10 to 11 weeks where I had mono really killed my early momentum.

Looking forward to next years prs.