Ivan Putski’s Anthems, Anecdotes, and Undeniable Truths of Garage Gym Lifting

8.26.24

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Forgot to throw this in Sundays write up but I did 35min on the treadmill, just over 3 miles, 250ish cals according to Apple Watch and the treadmill. Felt great. No issues. But wait, there’s more……

I get on the treadmill Monday and have a pain in my right foot. Seems to be in the arch toward the outside of the foot. Almost like the pain when you step on your child’s “Thomas The Train” toy in the middle of the night that was left on the living room floor as you make your way to the bathroom. I don’t hate on Thomas. Percy, Gordon and even that nasty Diesel would all hurt the same. But I digress. Pushed through as it wasn’t unbearable. I have my first meal, hop my bike to surprise my wife at work on her break. She walks around her bldg on break. By this point the pain had migrated up the outside of the foot, below the ankle “nugget”, behind nugget near Achilles, and maybe 6” up the ankle area from my heel.
I was hesitant to do legs, got the bar in my back, went to full depth and hung out for a bit focusing on the cues @Hyde and @akboom87 had mentioned after my tippy toe fiasco last week. NO PAIN. None through warm ups, working sets etc. BTW those cues you gave me got my mind off the ankle and I didn’t look like I was squatting in stilettos!!!! 👠 Good looks Fellas!!! The Good Effin’ Mornings same deal. Aces. No pain. Even walking it was like I stretched something out and the pain was gone. Went to do calf raises after quick hit on bi’s and tri’s and no bueno. It got worse as the night went. It’s not as harsh atm but still there. I’m thinking I shouldn’t get in the treadmill or maybe go slow n low like a tri-tip of beef 🥩 I remember @Dustin07 mentioning this or something similar recently.

so I had to go down the rabbit hole of sides from Nolvadex as this is my first rodeo w it. Leg cramping etc from edema? My socks r not leaving indentations so I doubt it. But I have so much going on in my head right now it sounds like a pickle ball tournament. Any suggestions? I’m off all week until after the holiday so I’m trying to stay busy, thus the treadmill as I’m not as active being off from work.

Limpin ain’t easy!!!
 
PolishHamm3r77 said:
It’s not as harsh atm but still there. I’m thinking I shouldn’t get in the treadmill or maybe go slow n low like a tri-tip of beef 🥩 I remember @Dustin07 mentioning this or something similar recently.
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I've had plantar fascitis and it was pretty painful. I did the iced water bottles, had my wife rub her knuckle into the knot as hard as she could. Only thing that seemed to fix it was better shoes ( went with sauconys) and rest. right now it's more of a tearing sensation where the "X" is on this image, not something I have experienced before and it hits at weird times like bending over to tie a shoe or just walking into my closet yesterday. I was a little nervous about squats yesterday but ended up with zero pain. the heel sensation shot through once last night, but not at all this morning so I really have no idea. its not an injury yet so I'm just taking it light. I did find that an incline treadmill at a slower pace was giving me a good cardio hit with less impact on the foot so that was a good solution for a while.

This week, I'm cutting the cardio quite a bit and cutting calories to offset my lack of cardio since we travel on Sunday so this is my last hard push before vacation.

generally, I do get pretty sore arches/feet from bad shoes though or wearing sandals too much which is a bummer because I like to wear sandals from like May till Oct in the PNW.


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I’ve fought plantar fasciitis my whole life. Broke my calcaneus in high school, feet suck. Swapped to Bearfoot shoes a few years ago and it disappeared. I use these insoles daily and the textured lacrosse ball from this company as well. 10/10
 
SkRaw85 said:
I’ve fought plantar fasciitis my whole life. Broke my calcaneus in high school, feet suck. Swapped to Bearfoot shoes a few years ago and it disappeared. I use these insoles daily and the textured lacrosse ball from this company as well. 10/10
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I used to love running in vibrams, I still have some packed away somewhere! once I got the achilles and calf conditioned for it I had a 2.5 mile loop I did on pavement and took them out trail running a lot. Looking back I have always thought that my injury was caused by the OG Reebok lifters. they were hard heeled, but with a flex in the arch so you could do box jumps in them, or squats, etc in a wod. I loved them for long time, but I always remember this time I was doing ring muscle ups, came down a little too hard.

I don't recall the exact time line but thats the only time I can remember having a blunt impact pain into my heel in sports (other than breaking my leg when I raced BMX) and the plantar issues developed thereafter....
 
Dustin07 said:
I used to love running in vibrams, I still have some packed away somewhere! once I got the achilles and calf conditioned for it I had a 2.5 mile loop I did on pavement and took them out trail running a lot. Looking back I have always thought that my injury was caused by the OG Reebok lifters. they were hard heeled, but with a flex in the arch so you could do box jumps in them, or squats, etc in a wod. I loved them for long time, but I always remember this time I was doing ring muscle ups, came down a little too hard.

I don't recall the exact time line but thats the only time I can remember having a blunt impact pain into my heel in sports (other than breaking my leg when I raced BMX) and the plantar issues developed thereafter....
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High arched footwear was definitely my culprit. Square plug round hole.
 
Dustin07 said:
I've had plantar fascitis and it was pretty painful. I did the iced water bottles, had my wife rub her knuckle into the knot as hard as she could. Only thing that seemed to fix it was better shoes ( went with sauconys) and rest. right now it's more of a tearing sensation where the "X" is on this image, not something I have experienced before and it hits at weird times like bending over to tie a shoe or just walking into my closet yesterday. I was a little nervous about squats yesterday but ended up with zero pain. the heel sensation shot through once last night, but not at all this morning so I really have no idea. its not an injury yet so I'm just taking it light. I did find that an incline treadmill at a slower pace was giving me a good cardio hit with less impact on the foot so that was a good solution for a while.

This week, I'm cutting the cardio quite a bit and cutting calories to offset my lack of cardio since we travel on Sunday so this is my last hard push before vacation.

generally, I do get pretty sore arches/feet from bad shoes though or wearing sandals too much which is a bummer because I like to wear sandals from like May till Oct in the PNW.


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Mine hurts maybe 2 inches from your red x closer to the arch then up behind the knuckle. I wear Chucks if I’m not at work. I wear short Doc Martens w steel toe in summer and Redwings in winter. I did wear my block Doc’s Saturday for the service they don’t have as high a heel as the ones for work. Sad to think 3 miles on tread mill wearing under armor kicks did this
 
I love flip flops and flat shoes, but if I’m out of my house and not in my flops, I always have my Dad shoe ASICS on now. That’s what I wear in the gym too unless I’m in my lifters or my Bearfoot flats.

But when wearing something flat with no arch support, because I have almost no natural arch, my calves get exceptionally tight and drive plantar fasciitis. If I wear my dad shoes most of the time when out and squat in the lifters, they don’t get too tight. If I’m wearing flops a lot or squat in my Bearfoots, I get lots of tissue adhesion in my calves and must mash them out to get my feet to loosen back up.

My left foot/ankle has a lot of pathology from various injuries.

You have to find what works for you, but make sure your calves stay loose.
 
SkRaw85 said:
High arched footwear was definitely my culprit. Square plug round hole.
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PolishHamm3r77 said:
Mine hurts maybe 2 inches from your red x closer to the arch then up behind the knuckle. I wear Chucks if I’m not at work. I wear short Doc Martens w steel toe in summer and Redwings in winter. I did wear my block Doc’s Saturday for the service they don’t have as high a heel as the ones for work. Sad to think 3 miles on tread mill wearing under armor kicks did this
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Hyde said:
I love flip flops and flat shoes, but if I’m out of my house and not in my flops, I always have my Dad shoe ASICS on now. That’s what I wear in the gym too unless I’m in my lifters or my Bearfoot flats.
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yeah I had no issues with vibrams, but I probably trained the foot more to stay off the heel. I am loving flats for squats right now, and even the Reebok Nanos I liked for the comfort of putting them on, but would absolutely destroy my feet. way to flat. nanos and flat arched shoes for me can't be anything more than house slippers. Even my yard work mowing shoes are just retired Sauconys, that honestly now need to be retired.
 
Dustin07 said:
yeah I had no issues with vibrams, but I probably trained the foot more to stay off the heel. I am loving flats for squats right now, and even the Reebok Nanos I liked for the comfort of putting them on, but would absolutely destroy my feet. way to flat. nanos and flat arched shoes for me can't be anything more than house slippers. Even my yard work mowing shoes are just retired Sauconys, that honestly now need to be retired.
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This is how I am.
 
8.27.24

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I went barefoot for this session as shoes r hurting my feet

Pull-ups went nice. Second set felt better than the first. Trying to look more like Jared Feather than Eddie Hall doing these.

Pull-downs felt good. Moved nice, good pump

Flat bench is where it went off the rails. Warmups went good. On 1st working set, I set my feet, walked traps n caps down the bench, lift off, bring the bar down for first rep I get 3/4 of the way down and start pressing, lower the bar back down to chest drive up, arch in foot Killin me from bracing. Rep 2 negative goes fine, drive up, pain in foot so I try to reset foot mid rep, must have pushed myself up the bench just a bit and hit the pin(where I unrack from) just before full extension. Got pissed. Racked it and called it on the entire session. Not one of my finest commitment oriented decisions. My thought factory was churning out WAY TOO MUCH bovine scatology to focus. Might switch back to Pump Addict instead of this non-stim “Mary based” PWO.

On another note I have zero energy and wondering if I shouldn’t be taking Inhibit-e w Nolvadex. Could my e2 be low enough to be lethargic? Again, prob just in my own head.

But a positive the Reduce XT right before bed is THE REAL DEAL. Sleeping awesome and having some vivid dreams. Waking up well rested.

The foot also doesn’t hurt this a.m. I am slated to do SLDL and Bulgarian Splits today. We will see how warm-ups go. I am going to skip treadmill today.
 
Hey, sometimes we just have to know when to call it. Probably the right move in this case. Had to do the same today - live to fight another day!
 
Regarding benching - if the foot hurts flat, see if it hurts just on your toes next time you warm up to bench. It probably will, and if it does then just switch the movement to feet up bench or, if that still hurts, a proper Larsen Press where they’re fully out in the air. You will obviously have to lower the weight to account for the stability requirements, but you will still use more total load than basically any other type of lift and, especially with a bit slower eccentric, will be able to get some nasty hypertrophy work in.

You can run these for a whole block: they will build muscle just as well, build some stabilizers better, and set you up for a bigger benchpress down the line.

Regarding being tired - welcome to PCT. Your test is low, so estrogen probably is too. Unless you are getting nipple irritation or excessive oily skin & water retention, I would not add Inhibit E right now. Estrogen often doesn’t rebound disproportionately, if it does at all, until a few weeks into PCT.
 
Hyde said:
Regarding benching - if the foot hurts flat, see if it hurts just on your toes next time you warm up to bench. It probably will, and if it does then just switch the movement to feet up bench or, if that still hurts, a proper Larsen Press where they’re fully out in the air. You will obviously have to lower the weight to account for the stability requirements, but you will still use more total load than basically any other type of lift and, especially with a bit slower eccentric, will be able to get some nasty hypertrophy work in.

You can run these for a whole block: they will build muscle just as well, build some stabilizers better, and set you up for a bigger benchpress down the line.

Regarding being tired - welcome to PCT. Your test is low, so estrogen probably is too. Unless you are getting nipple irritation or excessive oily skin & water retention, I would not add Inhibit E right now. Estrogen often doesn’t rebound disproportionately, if it does at all, until a few weeks into PCT.
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I was reading skRaw85’s log and saw the foot placement tips. Flat vs balls of feet etc. will try to mix things up next bench session.
I stopped the inhibit-e yest after 1st dose. I was more taking them out of habit not out of need. Then a light went off. If I’m not taking a “wet” compound prob don’t need to mitigate e2. Things to keep an eye on

thanks for your tutelage!!!
 
8.28.24

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Stim PWO for the win!!! Pump Addict is the shiz!!!!

Everything moved NICE.
skipped calf raises due to plantar pain!!!

Took it back to summer of ‘02 for some motivation

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8.29.24

Forgot to update this Thursday

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Between lateral raises and the rev grip cable front raises delts got a killer pump and were sore until mid day yest

Lats sore also esp lower lat
 
PolishHamm3r77 said:
8.29.24

Forgot to update this Thursday

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Between lateral raises and the rev grip cable front raises delts got a killer pump and were sore until mid day yest

Lats sore also esp lower lat
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that will get the blood pumping!
 
I dipped after the first set. My shoulders and knees have been killing me lately. Shoulders started hurting during incline press and figured trying to “ego” my way through another set of flyes wasn’t prudent.
 
Are you taking any anti estrogen? When multiple joints are hurting me that’s usually the first thing I think, that things are too dry.
 
Hyde said:
Are you taking any anti estrogen? When multiple joints are hurting me that’s usually the first thing I think, that things are too dry.
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This is where my mind went also. I was taking inhibit-e but pulled that maybe a week ago. Nothing anti-estro. Weird.

Anabolic Effect
Prime XT
Both SNS GDA’s
Cissus and Joint XT
20mg Tamoxifen
Blood Pressure Support XT

The RAD 150 and Epiandro didn’t cause this.
my knees haven’t bothered me since I was 230lbs
Usually if it’s an inflammation thing the ankle w 8 screws and a plate and the bicep w the titanium button would bother me but they don’t.

Shot in the dark but I switched from brown rice to jasmine rice maybe 2 weeks ago. I dunno.
 
If anything switching from brown to white rice would lower inflammation. Brown rice can be hard on the gut in large quantities if anything.

But I agree the screws not hurting indicates you are not systemically inflamed.

Tamoxifen can make things drier for some, but it’s staying in by necessity so that’s that. Just didn’t want you to be taking anti-e stuff if not necessary. Inhibit E may be natural but it’s got very legitimate effect; many people use it with their TRT in lieu of a pharmaceutical AI if they’d otherwise need that.

If you are taking joint support, not inhibiting estrogen, staying fairly hydrated, there’s not much else you can do besides getting enough rest and moderating training. Which what you do with the Renaissance stuff is pretty well-managed by the app, so long as you are not doing exercises you’re finding just aren’t tolerated at all by your body.
 
9.2.24

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Squats and Good Effin’ Mornings moved nice. Lower back is a little tight this a.m.

Right elbow felt a little notchy. Prob just scar and arthritis from injuries. Didn’t feel it on second working set after some deep stretches.

I changed the angle on the bench for incline db curls. Went to lowest incline setting. Stretch seems greater. Got a great pump.

Skipped calf workout again as my plantar has been happy. Might hit body weight single leg raises later in week. Might not. Going by feel in this. Going to hit cardio now and see what shakes loose
 
PolishHamm3r77 said:
This!!! You sly man!!! It was so simple. I’m normally over a gallon just by necessity at work. I’m under a half least the last 5 days. Gonna up the water intake…….
Thank you!
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Bro how do you expect to have hydrated joints when you ain’t even keepin’ hydrated organs?
 
PolishHamm3r77 said:
9.1.24

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Your strength endurance is pretty damn awesome man. Hitting 25-26 reps with 25lb db's on side raises is very impressive.
PolishHamm3r77 said:
I dipped after the first set. My shoulders and knees have been killing me lately. Shoulders started hurting during incline press and figured trying to “ego” my way through another set of flyes wasn’t prudent.
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Smart move!
Hyde said:
Are you taking any anti estrogen? When multiple joints are hurting me that’s usually the first thing I think, that things are too dry.
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PolishHamm3r77 said:
This is where my mind went also. I was taking inhibit-e but pulled that maybe a week ago. Nothing anti-estro. Weird.

Anabolic Effect
Prime XT
Both SNS GDA’s
Cissus and Joint XT
20mg Tamoxifen
Blood Pressure Support XT

The RAD 150 and Epiandro didn’t cause this.
my knees haven’t bothered me since I was 230lbs
Usually if it’s an inflammation thing the ankle w 8 screws and a plate and the bicep w the titanium button would bother me but they don’t.

Shot in the dark but I switched from brown rice to jasmine rice maybe 2 weeks ago. I dunno.
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The fact you are probably pretty suppressed from that cycle, and then having the Tamox taking the place of estrogen at the receptors so it can't really do it's job could have a lot to do with it, and could make it much easier to get a it dehydrated.
PolishHamm3r77 said:
This!!! You sly man!!! It was so simple. I’m normally over a gallon just by necessity at work. I’m under a half least the last 5 days. Gonna up the water intake…….
Thank you!🙏
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Yeah this was one of my thoughts as well, also make sure you are getting your salt in. Extra water without sodium is actually a less hydrated state than having enough sodium and just enough water.
PolishHamm3r77 said:
9.2.24

Squats and Good Effin’ Mornings moved nice. Lower back is a little tight this a.m.

Right elbow felt a little notchy. Prob just scar and arthritis from injuries. Didn’t feel it on second working set after some deep stretches.

I changed the angle on the bench for incline db curls. Went to lowest incline setting. Stretch seems greater. Got a great pump.

Skipped calf workout again as my plantar has been happy. Might hit body weight single leg raises later in week. Might not. Going by feel in this. Going to hit cardio now and see what shakes loose
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Try some SMR techniques on that elbow, John Rusin has some goodvideos on SMR (Self Myofascial Release) for the elbows and forearms on his youtube channel. Quite helpful.

You really want to turn up the heat on those incline DB Curls do them on a flat bench, and let your arms stretch almost all the way to the floor and keep the elbow back you wont need to come all the way up as it releases the tension but the pump, and extreme stretch from these really put you into that hypertrophy specific zone.

You might try just doing the bottom half of the calf raises in the stretched position without going all the way up. When you go above the parallel you really have to use your feet more to extend beyond the 90 degrees. So it may be helpful for your feet while not losing any of the hypertrophy from the movement. Body weight and high reps with short rest periods is gonna be the ticket there. Just spend a little time in the stretched position at the bottom and then lower slowly into the hole for a deep calf stretch and come back up quickly but not explosively.
 
Here is the video I got the lying DB biceps curl idea from and it is pretty damn awesome in my opinion. Definitely replaced the incline DB Curl for me for sure.

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9.3.24

total waste of time today.

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Not doing pull-ups going forward. Feels like a railroad spike is being driven into my shoulder where clavicle would meet medial delt
Pull downs were fine aside from lack of strength

Got pissed. Threw my incline bench across the garage, put an hole in the drywall, and called it.

Zero energy, absolute zero sex drive, and zero motivation.
 
“What have I told you about throwing things in the house?!”
- me to my 3 year old, every other day
 
PolishHamm3r77 said:
9.3.24

total waste of time today.

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Not doing pull-ups going forward. Feels like a railroad spike is being driven into my shoulder where clavicle would meet medial delt
Pull downs were fine aside from lack of strength

Got pissed. Threw my incline bench across the garage, put an hole in the drywall, and called it.

Zero energy, absolute zero sex drive, and zero motivation.
Click to expand...

Sorry man. Some fuggin days….
 
PolishHamm3r77 said:
9.3.24

total waste of time today.

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Not doing pull-ups going forward. Feels like a railroad spike is being driven into my shoulder where clavicle would meet medial delt
Pull downs were fine aside from lack of strength

Got pissed. Threw my incline bench across the garage, put an hole in the drywall, and called it.

Zero energy, absolute zero sex drive, and zero motivation.
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Buttt maybe a PR on the shot put of the incline bench!
 
PolishHamm3r77 said:
9.3.24

total waste of time today.

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Not doing pull-ups going forward. Feels like a railroad spike is being driven into my shoulder where clavicle would meet medial delt
Pull downs were fine aside from lack of strength

Got pissed. Threw my incline bench across the garage, put an hole in the drywall, and called it.

Zero energy, absolute zero sex drive, and zero motivation.
Click to expand...
Sounds like low estrogen to me. Try some oral DHEA maybe 25-50mg and see if that helps. Being suppressed your test is not going to be high enough to supply estrogen in the amounts needed to be felt through the tamox.
 
@PolishHamm3r77 - COME BACK!!! Hope all is well, you seemed a bit frustrated with how things were going. Hopefully just needed a quick mental break, suppression can be a mofo sometimes. Even if you don't feel like training or whatever come back on here and stay in the environment so you can get your mojo back easily. We miss your memes and sense of humor along with the hard work you do.
 
PolishHamm3r77 said:
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There was a previous board sponsor here, and still some sites I believe I know, that sell RAD140 powder.

Its a much better price than pre-capped, but I would never be able to use that quantity, so it ends up still being expensive overall!
 
HMMMM what is with all of the invalid links all of the sudden. Is there a new rule or something?
 
We upgraded pretty much everything and had to remove broken links that were created because of it. We are in the process of trying to restore a lot of the image files but will take time. No new rules, just 20yrs of cleanup.
 
Admin said:
We upgraded pretty much everything and had to remove broken links that were created because of it. We are in the process of trying to restore a lot of the image files but will take time. No new rules, just 20yrs of cleanup.
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Thank you for the prompt reply!🙏

That is a lot of housekeeping, good luck.
 
9.21.24

Haven’t lifted in a minute
Finishing the deload from previous Meso I bitched out on

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Life stuff, shoulder stuff, mental stuff

Now that my excuses are out of the way,
I’m finishing the deload as an “ease back into it” workout. Will asses at end of week and see what’s next.
@Jimbabwe can u see these w/out downloading?
 
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