Hyde’s Strength Odyssey

Old guy I know at the commercial gym told me yesterday that I need to “stop lifting heavy” now that I have a son 😂 He means well, but boy I did a poor job containing my grin at that!

But you know what my son told us the other day? ‘Dad, I can’t wait until I get older & can lift weights at the gym too. I wanna do competitions! Will you take me with you to the gym, Dad??’
That’s awesome….the little guy already has the fever. You can truly say lifting is in his blood.😎
 
Old guy I know at the commercial gym told me yesterday that I need to “stop lifting heavy” now that I have a son He means well, but boy I did a poor job containing my grin at that!

But you know what my son told us the other day? ‘Dad, I can’t wait until I get older & can lift weights at the gym too. I wanna do competitions! Will you take me with you to the gym, Dad??’

You bird brained ego lifters!!!!
 
That is so awesome that your boy has the bug. Happy to hear the progress on your knee too!
 
Old guy I know at the commercial gym told me yesterday that I need to “stop lifting heavy” now that I have a son 😂 He means well, but boy I did a poor job containing my grin at that!

But you know what my son told us the other day? ‘Dad, I can’t wait until I get older & can lift weights at the gym too. I wanna do competitions! Will you take me with you to the gym, Dad??’
That’s so awesome!! Keep that fire burning in him that way when you do get old you can live vicariously through him!
 
Old guy I know at the commercial gym told me yesterday that I need to “stop lifting heavy” now that I have a son 😂 He means well, but boy I did a poor job containing my grin at that!

But you know what my son told us the other day? ‘Dad, I can’t wait until I get older & can lift weights at the gym too. I wanna do competitions! Will you take me with you to the gym, Dad??’
That just made my heart melt.
 
10/6/24

VMO Activation
7 min Cycle
BW Hatfield Squats
Nerve Flossing
Scap Pushups
Cat Camels
Bird Dogs
Side Planks
Planks
Push-ups

Deadlift, stiffbar
45x10
95,145,195,245,295x5
315x1

Reverse Hypers
180 3x10

ss w/ Split Squats (emphasis on fwd knee travel)
BW 2x10

Leg Extensions on Reverse Hyper
180 2x12 using momentum

Band Pulldowns w/ EZBar
Heavy 2x12

Pull-ups on Yoke
2x8

Standing Calf Raises
BW,90,150,150x10

Last deload session before beginning this split in earnest, but this “leg day” will just be whatever I think I can safely manage with my knee. To that order, took the opportunity to do real deadlifts today since the knee bend is much more minimal, and weights stayed light enough to be safe but heavy enough to train the movement. Felt good to pull 315 again!!!

Bumping my test to 44mg test c daily, 308mg/wk. Between 50% more androgens and 2iu GH, should help get a little more out of the training ahead as I rebuild. Feeling great. Bloodwork in 2.5 weeks.
 
10/6/24

VMO Activation
7 min Cycle
BW Hatfield Squats
Nerve Flossing
Scap Pushups
Cat Camels
Bird Dogs
Side Planks
Planks
Push-ups

Deadlift, stiffbar
45x10
95,145,195,245,295x5
315x1

Reverse Hypers
180 3x10

ss w/ Split Squats (emphasis on fwd knee travel)
BW 2x10

Leg Extensions on Reverse Hyper
180 2x12 using momentum

Band Pulldowns w/ EZBar
Heavy 2x12

Pull-ups on Yoke
2x8

Standing Calf Raises
BW,90,150,150x10

Last deload session before beginning this split in earnest, but this “leg day” will just be whatever I think I can safely manage with my knee. To that order, took the opportunity to do real deadlifts today since the knee bend is much more minimal, and weights stayed light enough to be safe but heavy enough to train the movement. Felt good to pull 315 again!!!

Bumping my test to 44mg test c daily, 308mg/wk. Between 50% more androgens and 2iu GH, should help get a little more out of the training ahead as I rebuild. Feeling great. Bloodwork in 2.5 weeks.
Awesome man, glad you had a productive session without any setbacks.
 
Some cool stuff:

I did that workout this morning, plus 13 more minutes on the cycle for knee flushing after. Just took my son out to the pumpkin farm for a couple hours, drove him on the dirt track with the pedal cars. No knee pain or limping during or since all the activity this afternoon. Making some real progress!

And, way more cool, my wife hit a lifetime PR stone load yesterday! She lifted a 245lb Atlas stone to 44” THREE separate times! That’s heavier than I am 💪
 
Some cool stuff:

I did that workout this morning, plus 13 more minutes on the cycle for knee flushing after. Just took my son out to the pumpkin farm for a couple hours, drove him on the dirt track with the pedal cars. No knee pain or limping during or since all the activity this afternoon. Making some real progress!

And, way more cool, my wife hit a lifetime PR stone load yesterday! She lifted a 245lb Atlas stone to 44” THREE separate times! That’s heavier than I am 💪
That’s great news about the knee, and congratulations to your wife on her PR….that’s super impressive.💪🏆
 
Just starting to watch the video you posted. Really cool to see him walk you through the warm up (that's as far as I've gotten, lol). I finally know what a scap push up is, and the continuous motion on the Bird Dogs. I've been doing some of these movements ever since you recommended them to me @Hyde, but frankly, seeing Swede do them just cements in my head the importance/relevance.
Some cool stuff:

I did that workout this morning, plus 13 more minutes on the cycle for knee flushing after. Just took my son out to the pumpkin farm for a couple hours, drove him on the dirt track with the pedal cars. No knee pain or limping during or since all the activity this afternoon. Making some real progress!

And, way more cool, my wife hit a lifetime PR stone load yesterday! She lifted a 245lb Atlas stone to 44” THREE separate times! That’s heavier than I am
Awesome stuff on all fronts!
 
Old guy I know at the commercial gym told me yesterday that I need to “stop lifting heavy” now that I have a son 😂 He means well, but boy I did a poor job containing my grin at that!

But you know what my son told us the other day? ‘Dad, I can’t wait until I get older & can lift weights at the gym too. I wanna do competitions! Will you take me with you to the gym, Dad??’

Knowing that some day my boy will remember my work put in is a great motivator. It doesn't matter if I'm the biggest, strongest, or win anything, but when he's in his 20s, 30s, 40s, and beyond the history will be there and standards set.

I'm seeing a renaissance in humanity and societies desire to be stronger and healthier again, I'm loving it.

And, way more cool, my wife hit a lifetime PR stone load yesterday! She lifted a 245lb Atlas stone to 44” THREE separate times! That’s heavier than I am 💪

that's insane 😅 🔥 🤘
 
Awesome to hear about your recovery going so well. Congrats to your Lady for her lifetime PR, that is impressive stuff!
 
10/8/24

VMO Activation
6 minutes Assualt Bike
BW Squats
Scap Pushups
Cat Camels
Planks
Bird Dogs
Ab Wheel
Glute Bridges
Band Shoulder mobility & tricep warmup

Military Press from chin
45,65,85x10
105x3
125 2x8

CGBP
45,45,45,95x5
135,185x3
225,230x8

Bar Cable Tri Pressdown
Warmups
110 2x8

Cable Rear Delt Flyes
10 2x8

Cable Lateral Raise
Empty 2x10

Not sure how much weak-ass OHP numbers are going to help my bench, but theoretically it should give me some delt gains that could pay out later. Closegrip was painful but tolerable.
 
I’ve found I have to pick either OHP or bench. Threw in some OHP beginning of this cycle and my shoulders were starting to ache in a bad way. But I dunno, seems every raw lifter is doing OHP with bench training. You know the drill, listen to your own body.
 
I’ve found I have to pick either OHP or bench. Threw in some OHP beginning of this cycle and my shoulders were starting to ache in a bad way. But I dunno, seems every raw lifter is doing OHP with bench training. You know the drill, listen to your own body.
I generally found if my strict press went up, my bench had as well. But you definitely don’t need to do any to have a big bench; I just always enjoyed it when I could do it, before I lost my elbow flexion.

I’m going to film them next time and see if my shoulder is reasonable, or if it’s doing a bunch of compensatory stuff to hit depth with the barbell. It all felt good, but I might need to stick with seated/back-supported pressing if it’s moving a lot.
 
10/9/24

VMO Activation
5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camels
Nerve Flossing
BW Squats
Bird Dogs
Side Planks
Ab Wheel
Glute Bridges

HS CSR
90x10
180,270x3
360 2x8

Wide NG Seated Low Cable Row
Warmups
190 2x8

RDLs
45x10
135,225,275x3
300 2x8

Plate-loaded Lying Leg Curl
Warmups
125x7

Reverse Hypers
270,360,450,450x8

BB Shrugs
300x6
350 2x12

Enjoying getting back to it! Decided I am going to be doing this day at the barbell club going forward; the commercial gym is just too damn busy after work on Wednesdays & I no longer need their AC until next summer. I don’t think I’ve done such a heavy, and I mean low-rep & RPE10, set of leg curls like that in many years. Should be good for a fresh stimulus!

Unless otherwise stated, I always do my work sets of RDLs and Shrugs with straps.
 
How’s the knee feeling?
Really good. It’s basically normal for day to day, except I don’t really have the confidence to drive all the way through to lift my entire body just on it alone yet. So I can squat regularly bodyweight with full intent, and lower on it into a split squat, but I don’t feel great trying to come up just on that knee from a split squat or deep step-up. I can go up stairs normally though.

Feels clicky, like just standing up too fast the RDLs & Shrugs last night. But weight won’t be going up on those for a minute.
 
Really good. It’s basically normal for day to day, except I don’t really have the confidence to drive all the way through to lift my entire body just on it alone yet. So I can squat regularly bodyweight with full intent, and lower on it into a split squat, but I don’t feel great trying to come up just on that knee from a split squat or deep step-up. I can go up stairs normally though.

Feels clicky, like just standing up too fast the RDLs & Shrugs last night. But weight won’t be going up on those for a minute.
That’s great to hear, because you just never know with the knees…..talking about clicking, man at my age, when I go through warmups, I’ve got so many parts clicking, I sound like RoboCop moving around. When the clicking stops or slows down, and the aches and pains kind of go away, then I know I’m good and warmed up and ready to lift the real weights.💪😎
 
That’s great to hear, because you just never know with the knees…..talking about clicking, man at my age, when I go through warmups, I’ve got so many parts clicking, I sound like RoboCop moving around. When the clicking stops or slows down, and the aches and pains kind of go away, then I know I’m good and warmed up and ready to lift the real weights.

Mine’s been like that since I was in the Army, and I was only 21 then. Only gonna get worse from here on out
 
Mine’s been like that since I was in the Army, and I was only 21 then. Only gonna get worse from here on out
Yeah most definitely; both of my knees generally pop or click whenever I get up from a chair, bed, warming up, lifting, etc. That’s been like that for some years, elbows & shoulders less so but definitely a thing. My left elbow definitely clicks more.

This knee has had a couple instances very much like this in the past, so I don’t really expect much less from my body in years to come.
 
Man I am definitely toasty from that posterior session yesterday; my mid back/lower traps and hams are especially feeling it. Both knees are tight from all the hamstring tension, but my legs are so tired I really don’t want to do any cycling to flush them 😭
 
Man I am definitely toasty from that posterior session yesterday; my mid back/lower traps and hams are especially feeling it. Both knees are tight from all the hamstring tension, but my legs are so tired I really don’t want to do any cycling to flush them 😭
Flush em you can do it!!!
 
Glad your knee is on the mend, hopefully it maintains some positive momentum for you!

I’ve found I have to pick either OHP or bench.

Same, I think mostly because of frequency in training though. My best OHP was like 205lbs at bodyweight around 180 when I was really making it my main focus, but bench stalled through that cycle. I do feel like if I throw in OHP though as an accessory to bench, it tends to do OK and ride the bench wave up.

But even when I started playing with like 205-225lb push press or push jerks etc I was shocked at how heavy it felt, like soul crushingly heavy after not playing with it for a while. it's definitely a practice / frequency thing for me.

talking about clicking, man at my age, when I go through warmups, I’ve got so many parts clicking, I sound like RoboCop moving around

LOL. that's my shoulders. zero pain, but I throw down incredibly slow empty barbell bench for like 20 reps before I move anything else just to get the clicking to go away 😅
 
10/11/24

VMO Activation
6 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camels
Nerve Flossing
BW Squats
Bird Dogs
Side Planks
Ab Wheel
Glute Bridges
Band Shoulder/Elbow Mobility

Widegrip Swissbar Bench
40x15
40,130,180,220,240,250,260,270x5

DB Curls
5,12,20,25x8-12

6 min Assault Bike
BW Squats

Want to continue to honor the 9-day micro on this new hypertrophy split, while still staying in the gym 4 days per week. I find a bonus day helps me stay more active & get more prehab stuff done, while keeping GPP higher.

Bench felt solid; I was happy with this extra practice so I shut it down there to save my real load for incline smith in 48 hours.
 
I did not lol. Did feel better after work, getting to walk around more out with my family. Got some Halloween lights put up; my son loves that stuff.
Little kids are so fun around Halloween and Christmas…..for me and my wife decorating and putting out stuff with the kids for Halloween and Christmas was always the most special times….Have fun with that little guy, they grow up so fast.😍
 
Little kids are so fun around Halloween and Christmas…..for me and my wife decorating and putting out stuff with the kids for Halloween and Christmas was always the most special times….Have fun with that little guy, they grow up so fast.😍
He is a blast; we are constantly going around to different stores or streets in our neighborhood right now to look at various inflatables and decorations. He just loves all the bright stuff!
 
Also, today I was doing all of my squats without hanging onto anything - feeling balanced & even, and seem to be comfy accelerating with intent. I expect I’ll try some goblet squats or even the empty bar tomorrow/Sunday.
 
10/13/24
BW 242.8 yesterday

VMO Activation
6 min Cycle
Tspine Stretch
Cat Camels
Nerve Flossing
Bird Dogs
Side Planks
Ab Wheel
Glute Bridges
BW Squats
Band Shoulder & Tri warmup

Very Low Incline Smith Bench
12x15
102,152,202x3
242x8 PR
262x7 PR

Machine Cable Chest Press
Warmups
230x3 -> drop-> 210x3

Pec Deck
Warmups
200,210x8

Chest Dips
BWx3,10,10

ss w/ Knee Pushups on Knuckles
0,0,15

10 min Recumbent Bike

Awesome session. Between the extra 100 test/wk last week & the 2iu GH & extra food (mainly clean carbs) I’ve added recently, even with stopping L-Carn the last couple weeks I feel like I am juicing up substantially. Had to take 12.5mg Exemestane the other night, day 5 of going to 44mg test c daily, so I know I am getting some great IGF1 conversion from the GH with estradiol running so high.

Got my L-Carn with Choline in from MA Research in, but holding that off for another training week.

Knee continues to improve, but I’m taking my son to the zoo tomorrow so I didn’t want to risk ANYTHING with the knee before all the driving and walking ahead. Should be a blast! He loves how they do the Halloween decorations.
 
BW 242.8 yesterday

VMO Activation
6 min Cycle
Tspine Stretch
Cat Camels
Nerve Flossing
Bird Dogs
Side Planks
Ab Wheel
Glute Bridges
BW Squats
Band Shoulder & Tri warmup

Very Low Incline Smith Bench
12x15
102,152,202x3
242x8 PR
262x7 PR

Machine Cable Chest Press
Warmups
230x3 -> drop-> 210x3

Pec Deck
Warmups
200,210x8

Chest Dips
BWx3,10,10

ss w/ Knee Pushups on Knuckles
0,0,15

10 min Recumbent Bike

Awesome session. Between the extra 100 test/wk last week & the 2iu GH & extra food (mainly clean carbs) I’ve added recently, even with stopping L-Carn the last couple weeks I feel like I am juicing up substantially. Had to take 12.5mg Exemestane the other night, day 5 of going to 44mg test c daily, so I know I am getting some great IGF1 conversion from the GH with estradiol running so high.

Got my L-Carn with Choline in from MA Research in, but holding that off for another training week.

Knee continues to improve, but I’m taking my son to the zoo tomorrow so I didn’t want to risk ANYTHING with the knee before all the driving and walking ahead. Should be a blast! He loves how they do the Halloween decorations.
Congrats on the PRs……Hyde I saw this video of this little toddler lifting and it made me think of your little man. I loved how he throws the weights at the end like “get that out of here.”😎💪


IMG_0290.gif
 
Congrats on those PR's!
 
VMO Activation
6 min Cycle
Tspine Stretch
Cat Camels
Nerve Flossing
Bird Dogs
Side Planks
Ab Wheel
Glute Bridges
BW Squats
Band Shoulder & Tri warmup

LOL that's some peoples entire session

Very Low Incline Smith Bench
12x15
102,152,202x3
242x8 PR
262x7 PR

always good to find a PR in here!

Knee continues to improve, but I’m taking my son to the zoo tomorrow so I didn’t want to risk ANYTHING with the knee before all the driving and walking ahead. Should be a blast!

my wife did the same thing for me this weekend 😅 I was like man, what a great day, I got to go to the zoo and everything 😅
 
—BIGGER BY THE DAY—

Ended up fasting all Wednesday until 9pm or so since I was moving my Wednesday night training to Thanksgiving morning - I didn’t plan it, but it’s just something I find easy that drew me like gravity. I spent a lot of time that day reflecting on the idea of benching 405 this year. Not so much that it needs to happen this year, but that I shouldn’t be waiting around to try to make it happen. I had huge squat progress last bulk that would translate to a big total PR, but I needed to play that safe & take the 5.5lb bench PR to lock it in. And it was the right call, competitively that I would do all over again.

I realized I’m at this jumping off point - after losing 20lbs and being off supraphysiological doses for 6 weeks, my body is primed to rebound. My gut is healthy, my body has been recovering, my appetite is solid, and I only need to eat 3 easier meals a day to maintain lately. Everyone knows people who lost 20lbs and gained back 25 as soon as they thought they could go back to their old dietary habits - why should I be any different? So if I eat like it’s my job AND have the benefit of pharmacology behind me, I should be able to exceed my greatest bodyweight ever. And 6-8 weeks is definitely doable to keep up the big eating; it’s 4+ months that can be defeating. It’s a lot of time to be able to lose resolve/focus.

So if I can bloat back up rapidly, add that extra last 5lbs of bodyweight, don’t have to max out on squats prior, and get to do this in the gym, on my time, when I feel ready (regardless of date) - this all seems like a true & reasonable goal. I realized that if I don’t, it might be half a year at least before I get the chance again. My elbow has taught me how fast things can change - you really never know how long you have to do something. So I’m not wasting another day - I’m going for it.

Lowest weight, Wednesday 11/22:

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Starting composition at 246lbs:

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23mg Trest Ace & 15mg Mk677 again this morning; 400mg l-carnitine preWO. Full as a tick from Thanksgiving/Bigger by the Day 1. Began the Cube Predator bench program. It is a seriously tough program, but that’s exactly what gaining 25+lbs and benching a PR in a short timeframe is going to take. I busted my ass today.

Your adventure to 4 wheels last year has been on my mind a lot lately. I had to go back through your log to figure out what programming approach you were running back then. Would you go Cube Predator again? What resource did you use at the time for tracking (excel, app, etc?)

I've been reading up a bit on it over at Juggernaut, still exploring though.
 
Your adventure to 4 wheels last year has been on my mind a lot lately. I had to go back through your log to figure out what programming approach you were running back then. Would you go Cube Predator again? What resource did you use at the time for tracking (excel, app, etc?)

I've been reading up a bit on it over at Juggernaut, still exploring though.
Yes I think it’s a solid program to push your bench hard in a short timeframe, provided you will be eating in a surplus/bulking. It’s a LOT of high effort volume in both bench variations and supplemental bodybuilding work. Not something to turn to routinely, just for a focused phase.

I have used it 3-4 times, and been hurt at least twice (once straining a pec & last time my serratus). You have to keep the AMRAP work clean, devoid of any technical breakdown. Every week you are taking things to failure, so that needs to be technical failure, not muscular. I was careful last time; my body just struggled to keep up around week 3. My ART guy was working overtime on me trying to keep my shoulders/pecs/elbows working 100%.

You can take a program like that and always slow it down a little, stretch it out. Or cut a little out, drop an AMRAP here or accessory out there, if you are getting beat up. But you have to eat and sleep big no matter what.
 
10/15/24

VMO Activation
5 min Assault Bike
Nerve Flossing
Scap Pushups
Cat Camels
Bird Dogs
Side Planks
Ab Wheel

Squat
BW,25 2x10 each
44 2x8

Deadlift, stiffbar
45 2x10
135,205,255x5
285x3
315,325x5

Plate-loaded Leg Extensions
45 2x12

Calf Raises on Hacksquat
Empty,90x12
180 2x10

Split Squats (emphasis on fwd knee travel)
BW 2x12

Goblet squats holding a 25 felt remarkably in the groove, but with a bar on my back I just couldn’t seem to get into a comfy pattern. My knee didn’t hurt, but I think not changing into my lifters had me feeling like a fish out of water trying to backsquat.

Deadlifts felt better every set, and when I think about being able to comfortably & safely rep 3 plates again it does bring a grin to my face 😄
 
My spine shuddered when I read stuff at deads. Congrats on 3 wheels plus! That’s a major victory over the setback.
Yeah it really is. I’m trying to really not rush anything and stay incremental, because it’s been such a boon in my daily life to be more capable again. I want things to stay healthier! Strength is such a benefit, but not if you’re too hurt to use any of it.
 
Yeah it really is. I’m trying to really not rush anything and stay incremental, because it’s been such a boon in my daily life to be more capable again. I want things to stay healthier! Strength is such a benefit, but not if you’re too hurt to use any of it.
Man glad you were able to do some deadlift work with some weight and test out squat movements, that’s a really good sign. I always cringe when I hear knee or spinal injuries, because those injuries can cause so many serious issues that can derail you. And even minor injuries with the knees and spine can be very challenging to work around without causing a more serious injury. It’s just good to see you’ve been able to work around it and everything appears to be healing.💪😎
 
Sell ya my Texas DL for cheap. It’s got some dust on it…
I keep going back and forth on selling my Elite FTS SS YOKE Bar. I still have a hope I can use it again someday, but the reality is I probably won't be able to do it.
 
I keep going back and forth on selling my Elite FTS SS YOKE Bar. I still have a hope I can use it again someday, but the reality is I probably won't be able to do it.

It’s not a nice thought, but same. Pondering selling a few other bars and my deadlift platform and getting one of those Ferrari EliteFTS bench setups.
 
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