Hyde’s Strength Odyssey

[Hyde]

Did you shout back LIGHT WEIGHT BABY!!

lol probably should have! I just chuckled and told him Thank you. At some point I realized regardless of how I perceive the weight to just take the compliments.

 

[Dustin07]

Yeah, those are so sexy, I like the 4 doors better than the coupe for sure. I wanted one for so long. I want one of the ATS-V's or the new CTS Blackwing. Those are some sick beasts and you can do some bolt ons and a tune and have 600+ to the wheel in a V6 with the stock turbos! So many sick rides out there now.

I really liked the supercharged stick shift CTSV wagons

yeah I think they only made like 1500 wagons in the V with a stick shift IIRC. I see them pop up for sale every once in a while but they sell for at or above their original sticker price already (typically low miles though. I think the folks that bought them knew what they were buying). My old V was a 6 spd tremec manual as well, I LOVED it. could break rubber in at least the first 3 gears. IIRC you could push 90mph+ still in 3rd gear... with 3 to go. you never honestly ever needed 6th, that was a gas saver gear but still plenty strong to hit cruise control on the highway and leave it there.

I've been a chevy/gm guy my entire life and that caddi was by far the nicest thing I ever had. I'm getting a ton of miles on my truck and my wife gave me the go ahead to replace it but honestly if I were going to spend the money I sorta want to get her the XT4 or XT5 to replace her grocery getter (her commute is 8 miles). Mostly cause I want the caddi, I can drive hers on the weekend, keep miles off it, and still have my paid off truck lol.

 

[MrKleen73]

It is definitely like that. I mean part of me feels a little silly, because I’m the big fish in a small pond there. But I know it’s probably only good for the college boys - a rising tide raises all boats.



They are very cool. I really liked the supercharged stick shift CTSV wagons when they made those for a few years, but they were very rare even back then. I would love having a big horsepower manual wagon.

You are speaking my language!!! I used to want a Magnum but they are not as fast as we were led to believe. I would love to see one someone dropped a hellcat motor in!!! Mercedes also had or has a really sick twin turbo wagon too. I do like the Cadi V series better for sure they just have such a great look to them. Very signature styling.

 

[Hyde]

1/19/24
BW 257.8 yesterday

Band Facepulls, Tris, Flyes, Presses, Lats
2 rounds

Reverse Hyper
270 2x20

Buffalo Bar Bench
55x10
vs doubled minibands (+85lbs at top)
55,145x5
195,235x3
285,325,345x1 PR
235 2x5

Axle Seated OHP from Pins at forehead level
15,65,115,165x10
185x6,8

Diamond Pushups, paused
3x20

ss w / NG Wide Lat Pulldown
100,120,140x2
170x12
180x10
190x7

Bar Cable Tri Pressdown
60 3x25

Those doubled minis just about took my lunch money on 345! Spent every ounce of will I had to lock her out, but I made the lift. Elbow was pissed by the time I finished the backoffs due to the extra ROM of the bow bar, so I bumped my overhead pin presses up a hole to give it a break.

3 plates was tough today, but I felt like I really needed to take another attempt with 20 more pounds. In my head that was only 335, forgetting the Duffalo is a 55lb bar. I don’t know that I would have attempted it if I had realized it was 345 prior, so I am glad I forgot! Just shows how critical a can-do mindset really is in this game.

 

[Dustin07]

vs doubled minibands (+85lbs at top)
55,145x5
195,235x3
285,325,345x1 PR
235 2x5

when I read 345 I was like, that's not new for you... then I pictured it with the bands.
do you have the orange minis? I should use mine more, I always stick to the green and reds.

 

[SkRaw85]

1/19/24
BW 257.8 yesterday

Band Facepulls, Tris, Flyes, Presses, Lats
2 rounds

Reverse Hyper
270 2x20

Buffalo Bar Bench
55x10
vs doubled minibands (+85lbs at top)
55,145x5
195,235x3
285,325,345x1 PR
235 2x5

Axle Seated OHP from Pins at forehead level
15,65,115,165x10
185x6,8

Diamond Pushups, paused
3x20

ss w / NG Wide Lat Pulldown
100,120,140x2
170x12
180x10
190x7

Bar Cable Tri Pressdown
60 3x25

Those doubled minis just about took my lunch money on 345! Spent every ounce of will I had to lock her out, but I made the lift. Elbow was pissed by the time I finished the backoffs due to the extra ROM of the bow bar, so I bumped my overhead pin presses up a hole to give it a break.

3 plates was tough today, but I felt like I really needed to take another attempt with 20 more pounds. In my head that was only 335, forgetting the Duffalo is a 55lb bar. I don’t know that I would have attempted it if I had realized it was 345 prior, so I am glad I forgot! Just shows how critical a can-do mindset really is in this game.

Nice PR man! Thats a stronk push with that bar/band combo.

 

[BennyMagoo79]

Nice benching mate!

 

[Hyde]

when I read 345 I was like, that's not new for you... then I pictured it with the bands.
do you have the orange minis? I should use mine more, I always stick to the green and reds.

My wife has our pair of orange micro minis, but those are too light anyway for what I was after.

These are your traditional pink/red minibands from EliteFTS.

Doubled monsters (green) end up being quit a lot of band percentage for most guys.

Nice PR man! Thats a stronk push with that bar/band combo.

Thanks man, it was a good lift and definitely new territory for this bar for me.

I am definitely still feeling just as strong this week on my cruise 180 test, e so far.

 

[MrKleen73]

Congrats on the PR, killing it in here as usual.

 

[Dustin07]

My wife has our pair of orange micro minis, but those are too light anyway for what I was after.

These are your traditional pink/red minibands from EliteFTS.

Doubled monsters (green) end up being quit a lot of band percentage for most guys.

yeah my oranges are still in the original bag. I always end up using reds or greens. totally agree, the greens really add some oomph. I love warming up with the reds though, can take them a bit higher.

 

[Hyde]

yeah my oranges are still in the original bag. I always end up using reds or greens. totally agree, the greens really add some oomph. I love warming up with the reds though, can take them a bit higher.

As an aside, with EliteFTS both the microbands (smallest) and Light bands (bigger than the green Monsterminis) are orange.

The little micros are a really great band for warmup drills if you don’t want to lift with them, and also great for speed work. They are just 35lbs or so at the the top doubled, but also offer a lot of that tension still at the chest, and most importantly give you that band effect (teaching you to accelerate through to lockout) while letting you keep the bar weight much closer to your straight weights.

Microbands are the ones we reorder the most often, honestly.

 

[Hyde]

1/21/24
BW 256.8 yesterday

KB Suitcase Carries
KB One-leg Deadlifts

SSB Squat vs 80 chain
65x5
175,285x3
+belt
375 5x3 w/ 90 sec rests
425,465,500x1 PR

Split-grip Hang for 30 sec

Sumo Deadlift, Tex dl bar
155x10 RDLs
265 2x3
375 3x5
419x3
+belt
441x3

Third & final week of the speed waves meant it was time to push the weights a bit harder and worry less about total volume. Put my belt on for squats preemptively, dialed in and stuck to the timer. On the way up with the last single at 500, my right lat cramped to hell trying to hold my torso position, so we’ll see how that recovers. No bruising yet.

Probably going to make this Wednesday night’s ME a lighter session to keep fatigue managed. Do some sub-maximal GMs and get my beltsquats in then.

 

[MrKleen73]

Congrats on the PR!

 

[gphagan1]

Congratulations hitting another PR….. I bet your legs were toast after all that squat weight volume followed by sumo deadlifts.

 

[Hyde]

Congrats on the PR!

Thank you! Just another variation PR, not like a big dramatic one, but it’s definitely good that I’m consistently doing some things I have never done (like be able to squat over 500 on the SSB on any given day or with different harder twists).

Congratulations hitting another PR….. I bet your legs were toast after all that squat weight volume followed by sumo deadlifts.

You know honestly, I was just toast. I wish I had more gas left to have done more muscle work. I was just so tired at that point that I knew I couldn’t lift hard enough on Beltsquat to cause a real stimulus. I could have phoned in a little junk, but I couldn’t have done anything meaningful either with weight, reps, or tempo.

 

[BennyMagoo79]

Strength is up all round! Congrats on the SSB PR!

 

[Dustin07]

SSB Squat vs 80 chain
65x5
175,285x3
+belt
375 5x3 w/ 90 sec rests
425,465,500x1 PR

Congrats! I'm almost growing to expect to see a PR in here weekly now

 

[Hyde]

1/23/24
BW 257.4 yesterday

Band Pullaparts, Tris, Lats, Pecs
2 rounds

Dynamic Swissbar Bench
35,85x8
125,175x5
215x3
255 5x3 ~90 sec rests

Floorpress
45x10
135,225x6
275x5,8,10 w/ elbow cuffs

Dips
BWx10
+45,70,80x12
+90x8 PR

Today was a ballbuster; went light on the preWO (one small cup of coffee, one cap Eria Jarensis, 300mg Alpha GPC cap) but I wish I hadn’t! Still, hitting 330-340x12 & 350x8 on dips at the end has to be a PR. Poured the coals to them to make sure I beat another gym member who has also benched 405. I told him last week I was coming for his dips, so I had to make good on the **** talk

 

[Dustin07]

damn dude another solid day in the books!

one cap Eria Jarensis, 300mg Alpha GPC cap

do you find these two compliment each other well when combined?

 

[gphagan1]

1/23/24
BW 257.4 yesterday

Band Pullaparts, Tris, Lats, Pecs
2 rounds

Dynamic Swissbar Bench
35,85x8
125,175x5
215x3
255 5x3 ~90 sec rests

Floorpress
45x10
135,225x6
275x5,8,10 w/ elbow cuffs

Dips
BWx10
+45,70,80x12
+90x8 PR

Today was a ballbuster; went light on the preWO (one small cup of coffee, one cap Eria Jarensis, 300mg Alpha GPC cap) but I wish I hadn’t! Still, hitting 330-340x12 & 350x8 on dips at the end has to be a PR. Poured the coals to them to make sure I beat another gym member who has also benched 405. I told him last week I was coming for his dips, so I had to make good on the **** talk

That’s definitely some serious dips….350x8 is no joke, I’m sure that would be a record at our gym.

 

[Hyde]

damn dude another solid day in the books!

do you find these two compliment each other well when combined?

Thanks! I feel like I did some good work today.

They both complement caffeine well, to be specific. EJ has a stim synergy with caff similar to the way ephedrine does, while choline bolsters the nootropic aspect. So it’s a great simple stack, but caffeine is the base of that triumvirate.

For full transparency my entire preWO was:
-small cup coffee
-1 cap SNS Eria Jarensis
-300mg NOW Alpha GPC
-1 cap Life Extension Activated B Complex
-3g SNS Creatine HCL caps
-3g SNS Ornithine Aspartate caps
-200mg Ubiquinol
-250mg CEL TUDCA
-200mcg Swanson Selenium
-100mg Dr.’s Best Nattokinase
-3 scoops MA Labs ProSynthesis17
-Lots of iodized salt in my water

But half of that is what I’d take upon rising any day.

 

[Dustin07]

They both complement caffeine well, to be specific. EJ has a stim synergy with caff similar to the way ephedrine does, while choline bolsters the nootropic aspect. So it’s a great simple stack, but caffeine is the base of that triumvirate.

it's an interesting combination and it's interesting to see how different people respond to different things. I've never tried the EJ, but I have used Alpha GPC and a few nootropics or nootropic-like products. I have felt like a non-responder to most, with the exception of one with lions mane + caffeine. by day 3 on that product it's like a fog lifts that I didn't even realize was there.

 

[Hyde]

it's an interesting combination and it's interesting to see how different people respond to different things. I've never tried the EJ, but I have used Alpha GPC and a few nootropics or nootropic-like products. I have felt like a non-responder to most, with the exception of one with lions mane + caffeine. by day 3 on that product it's like a fog lifts that I didn't even realize was there.

Something to consider there is a lot of nootropic products use BS doses of various ingredients, or bad combos. Various forms of choline especially are often underdosed. Plenty that use “alpha GPC” use 50% strength…so 300mg is really just 150mg active, but you’d need to be using 600mg of 50% potency to get the proper feel. The NOW capsules are the full strength. Or you see Citicholine at just 250mg, low doses of Lion’s Mane, non-standardized Huperzine, so on.

Then there’s also the issue of different people just respond better or worse to different ingredients. Like L-Theanine. I love that when I’m on blast because I can tolerate stims better without as much BP impact, but it can slow me down sometimes if I am already in a healthier place.

 

[SkRaw85]

Whats your take on HCL vs mono? Ive used mono since high school, had a quick burst with HCL in my early 20’s (also had the fun geranium in it lol) and recently bought some SNS HCL to play with again. Ive kept it moderate thus far, 2 caps/day. Thinking im lowballing it???

 

[SkRaw85]

To clarify *gram/lb of bodyweight?

 

[Electrake]

Dr.’s Best Nattokinase

Have you ever eaten natto? Delicious snot looking stuff.

 

[Hyde]

Whats your take on HCL vs mono? Ive used mono since high school, had a quick burst with HCL in my early 20’s (also had the fun geranium in it lol) and recently bought some SNS HCL to play with again. Ive kept it moderate thus far, 2 caps/day. Thinking im lowballing it???

If you digest mono fine, use mono. You are just throwing your money away on HCL. If mono gives you poops or a big bloated belly like me & my wife these days, you’re gonna have a bad time.

I follow the bottle instructions: 1-2 caps per 100lbs of bodyweight per day on intense training days & 1 cap/100 off days.

I need 3 caps to cover that baseline, and I generally train pretty intensely, so 4 caps daily (3g) is a good safe, repeatable bet.

 

[akboom87]

1/23/24
BW 257.4 yesterday

Band Pullaparts, Tris, Lats, Pecs
2 rounds

Dynamic Swissbar Bench
35,85x8
125,175x5
215x3
255 5x3 ~90 sec rests

Floorpress
45x10
135,225x6
275x5,8,10 w/ elbow cuffs

Dips
BWx10
+45,70,80x12
+90x8 PR

Today was a ballbuster; went light on the preWO (one small cup of coffee, one cap Eria Jarensis, 300mg Alpha GPC cap) but I wish I hadn’t! Still, hitting 330-340x12 & 350x8 on dips at the end has to be a PR. Poured the coals to them to make sure I beat another gym member who has also benched 405. I told him last week I was coming for his dips, so I had to make good on the **** talk

Nice work backing up your smack talk!

side note did you get your battery fixed and back on the road?

 

[Hyde]

Nice work backing up your smack talk!

side note did you get your battery fixed and back on the road?

Nope! Today it was the first day above freezing, so I wanted to test it.

I cleaned the corrosion from the lead, put a new battery in with high cold cranking amps since mine was actually leaking badly, but still won’t start. Tonight will be the first night it’s not freezing, so I will try once more tomorrow when it’s 40* and been 24 hours above freezing, but at this point I am beginning to suspect a parts failure somewhere.

It does crank/turn over well, just won’t start.

 

[akboom87]

Nope! Today it was the first day above freezing, so I wanted to test it.

I cleaned the corrosion from the lead, put a new battery in with high cold cranking amps since mine was actually leaking badly, but still won’t start. Tonight will be the first night it’s not freezing, so I will try once more tomorrow when it’s 40* and been 24 hours above freezing, but at this point I am beginning to suspect a parts failure somewhere.

It does crank/turn over well, just won’t start.

Gotcha yeah starting to sound like more in depth. Maybe the warm weather will make a difference on something though. We finally Sunday got into the teens and yesterday and today 30’s so a lot more pleasant.

 

[MrKleen73]

Good luck getting the car running. I know how frustrating having a car down can be. Nice work on the dips.

 

[gphagan1]

Nope! Today it was the first day above freezing, so I wanted to test it.

I cleaned the corrosion from the lead, put a new battery in with high cold cranking amps since mine was actually leaking badly, but still won’t start. Tonight will be the first night it’s not freezing, so I will try once more tomorrow when it’s 40* and been 24 hours above freezing, but at this point I am beginning to suspect a parts failure somewhere.

It does crank/turn over well, just won’t start.

You may have to replace the whole cable, if it’s had corrosion for a long time. It sounds like you still don’t have as much contact as you need to turn your starter fast enough.

 

[PolishHamm3r77]

If you have any of the original Jacked3d put that on the terminals and in the gas tank. Always got me running

 

[Hyde]

1/24/24
BW 258.4

Hip Stretches
RFE Split Squats
KB One-leg Deadlifts
KB Side Bends

Transformer Bar GM, low-bar setting
55x10
145,235,325x5
+belt
415,465,515x5 PR

SSB Paused Frontsquat, beltless
65,155,205,245x3
275,285,295x5

Beltsquat to box
110,220x10
310 3x10

Plate-loaded Leg Extension
90x15
115 3x12-14

After all the SSB work I’ve been doing lately, that low-bar setting on the Kabuki Transformer bar felt like an absolute cheat code. Soon as I stood up with it, I knew I was going to have to load the hell out of it to get a tough set of 5 in (in lieu of my typical ME lift on Wednesdays). 515 is definitely the heaviest good mornings I’ve ever done, so I left it there.

SSB is generally harder for me on fronts than a barbell, but they felt super strong tonight. Probably just being fresher from doing GM 5s prior instead of the usual heavy singles.

 

[PolishHamm3r77]

1/24/24
BW 258.4

Hip Stretches
RFE Split Squats
KB One-leg Deadlifts
KB Side Bends

Transformer Bar GM, low-bar setting
55x10
145,235,325x5
+belt
415,465,515x5 PR

SSB Paused Frontsquat, beltless
65,155,205,245x3
275,285,295x5

Beltsquat to box
110,220x10
310 3x10

Plate-loaded Leg Extension
90x15
115 3x12-14

After all the SSB work I’ve been doing lately, that low-bar setting on the Kabuki Transformer bar felt like an absolute cheat code. Soon as I stood up with it, I knew I was going to have to load the hell out of it to get a tough set of 5 in (in lieu of my typical ME lift on Wednesdays). 515 is definitely the heaviest good mornings I’ve ever done, so I left it there.

SSB is generally harder for me on fronts than a barbell, but they felt super strong tonight. Probably just being fresher from doing GM 5s prior instead of the usual heavy singles.

Some nice numbers there!!!

So instead of Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, Square, and Triangle
Is the Kabuki code Down, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up ?!???!

 

[SkRaw85]

Nice GM’s! Transformer bar really shines for that movement, and so many options to position the load.

 

[Dustin07]

holy GM!

 

[Hyde]

Some nice numbers there!!!

So instead of Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, Square, and Triangle
Is the Kabuki code Down, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up ?!???!

Don’t forget the old multiply chant “Back, Back, Back, Back, Back - UP!”

Nice GM’s! Transformer bar really shines for that movement, and so many options to position the load.

You know, it was set on Low-Bar Squat, and it wasn’t wanting to adjust for me to experiment, so I just left it.

But that bar still has one lower setting - Hinge! I can’t even imagine using that. I guess for something light with high volume, but even the lowbar position is so low I could barely stand up straight without it wanting to roll off your back. I had to keep a forward lean in my torso.

Years ago I did squat that way, with the bar insanely low on my rear delts. But that’s part of how I hurt my low back, and later I realized all the guys squatting the biggest weights keep it high enough that you’re not holding it with your elbows. You have to bench & pull to make a total, so you have to save the elbows & low back for those and squat with the legs. Seems like a no-brainer now, but when I was starting I just moved however seemed to let me lift the most. I had no teachers.

 

[Hyde]

“I’m too old to lift heavy anymore.”

*Mike Burch has entered the chat*

^Coolest lift I’ve seen in a long time, honestly.

 

[PolishHamm3r77]

Wow. For all the poor kids in the world!!! Impressive

 

[BennyMagoo79]

“I’m too old to lift heavy anymore.”

*Mike Burch has entered the chat*

^Coolest lift I’ve seen in a long time, honestly.

Man I was scared for him at the beginning…then it just flew up. Kinda sounds like it hurt though lol.

 

[BennyMagoo79]

Nice GM PR too mate!

 

[Hyde]

Man I was scared for him at the beginning…then it just flew up. Kinda sounds like it hurt though lol.

If you go through his other videos, he self-unracks and benches 400lbs (181.5kg), cheat curls 330lbs (150) on an EZBar, etc at 65 years old.

In the bench videos you can see multiple shelves of old powerlifting trophies in his garage. Crazy what is possible when people don’t quit and stay conditioned to something.

 

[Hyde]

1/25/24
BW 257.0

Fat handle Lat Pulldown
88,110x12
143x15
187x10
209x9
187x8

CS Tbar Row
45x15
90x12
135x10
160x7-> 135x5-> 90x7 dropset

DB Preacher Curls
12.5,15,17.5x12

Lying Leg Curl
130x15
150,160x12
170x8


Nothing exciting, but I bombed over to the commercial gym on my lunch break to hit my lats, get my leg curls in and worked on my bicep strength/flexion at peak. This was a great way to invigorate the afternoon - didn’t even mind that I was slammed afterwards for the rest of the work day. Heavy bench in the morning!

 

[MrKleen73]

Congrats on that PR, and man was that an impressive Dead Lift. Bro went after that nose torque like a coke head after an 8-ball!!!

 

[Dustin07]

“I’m too old to lift heavy anymore.”

Saw this yesterday and didn't say anything, I think I was processing. I hear this type of thing way too often by people both older and younger than me, and I think using age as an excuse to not be awesome is one of my biggest pet peeves. I can think of countless amazing feats of strength from people far "beyond their prime".

At 41 with a desk job myself, I'm not sure but I think it's the accumulated fatigue of "life" that gets people "comfortable" to the point where they don't push it anymore. IDK. I'm still processing but something about that little comment really got my mind spinning and thinking.

Being a stud pro athlete at 22 isn't nearly as impressive as say Rocket was in his 60s. But finding a man like him is also far more rare.

Congrats on that PR, and man was that an impressive Dead Lift. Bro went after that nose torque like a coke head after an 8-ball!!!

that reminds me i need to order some more, my old stuff has lost it's charm, lol.

 

[MrKleen73]

Saw this yesterday and didn't say anything, I think I was processing. I hear this type of thing way too often by people both older and younger than me, and I think using age as an excuse to not be awesome is one of my biggest pet peeves. I can think of countless amazing feats of strength from people far "beyond their prime".

At 41 with a desk job myself, I'm not sure but I think it's the accumulated fatigue of "life" that gets people "comfortable" to the point where they don't push it anymore. IDK. I'm still processing but something about that little comment really got my mind spinning and thinking.

Being a stud pro athlete at 22 isn't nearly as impressive as say Rocket was in his 60s. But finding a man like him is also far more rare.



that reminds me i need to order some more, my old stuff has lost it's charm, lol.

Meh, there is something to say for the I am too old for that stuff. However it is very individual. I am too old personally for powerlifting and my risk reward profile. I have just put too many miles on these joints of mine, and they are not the resilient type. I got those degenerative arthritis genes unfortunately. So for me personally. I am too old for that type of stress on my body. I am not too old to build a damn good physique and step on stage though!

When you get into guys being able to maintain lifting like this into their elder years you are talking about someone with great connective tissue genetics, a superior recovery ability, and probably trains smartly.

 

[MrKleen73]

That being said, a lot of people use it as an excuse. I like to be the guy in the room that makes them eat their words when it comes to being too old to work out or build muscle.

 

[Dustin07]

Meh, there is something to say for the I am too old for that stuff. However it is very individual. I am too old personally for powerlifting and my risk reward profile. I have just put too many miles on these joints of mine, and they are not the resilient type. I got those degenerative arthritis genes unfortunately. So for me personally. I am too old for that type of stress on my body. I am not too old to build a damn good physique and step on stage though!

When you get into guys being able to maintain lifting like this into their elder years you are talking about someone with great connective tissue genetics, a superior recovery ability, and probably trains smartly.

That being said, a lot of people use it as an excuse. I like to be the guy in the room that makes them eat their words when it comes to being too old to work out or build muscle.

this coming from the guy who already looks stage ready 7 months out!

 

[MrKleen73]

this coming from the guy who already looks stage ready 7 months out!

Thanks, It is awesome that my physique looks as good as it does at this bodyfat, but but I am so far from stage ready, not anywhere near close. I am likely somewhere between 12-15% so 7-10% to lose to be show ready around 5%. The biggest difference is how much smaller my waist gets once in the single digits it starts getting much thinner. Bringing out that X frame evenmore. With the additional delt work it should definitely look much better than the last time I was at single digit body fat.