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Hyde’s Strength Odyssey

10/7/25
BW 242.8 postWO

3 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Side Plank Activations
SL Glute Bridges
Shoulder Swings & Stretches
Ankle Band Mobility

Squat, Transformer lowbar
45,155x5
245,331x3
+belt & doubleply sleeves
375x3
441x2
485x1
463x4
441x4
407x6

Paused Hacksquat
+heels & deadlift belt
90x10
180x3
270x8,12

Plate-loaded Leg Extensions
45 4x25

Tibial Raises
2x20

Today was rough; knees and hips hurt just going into it and didn’t get any better with 220kg on my back. Autoregulated to the minimum really, but I’m proud I got through what I did given how beat up I feel.

I think I’ve been training very hard on the big movements & it’s just catching up, so I will probably need to either deload officially, wave back, or slow things down (less progression in weights, maybe use some 9-day micros, etc) to continue this style of program. Maybe a bit of each?
 
I hate that beat up feeling. I’m 5ish weeks out from my PL meet and I’m in the verge of that beat up feeling. Tendinitis is flaring up in my elbow and just starting to feel run down. The good thing is I have Thursday-Sunday off from the gym. We normally train our schedule on Saturdays, but our trainer is out of town for the weekend so we’re doing our bench and squat schedule this week with some light accessories and deadlift, back and hamstrings on Wednesday. Hopefully some time off, a little active recovery and stretching with help out.

I think if you’re feeling the way you do and feel like a deload is needed then take it, then maybe cut the progression back just a bit then ease into it. Slow and steady wins the race and you don’t have a meet on the books as of now so let your body adapt, not only with the workouts but with the fact you’re off your cycle.
 
I hate that beat up feeling. I’m 5ish weeks out from my PL meet and I’m in the verge of that beat up feeling. Tendinitis is flaring up in my elbow and just starting to feel run down. The good thing is I have Thursday-Sunday off from the gym. We normally train our schedule on Saturdays, but our trainer is out of town for the weekend so we’re doing our bench and squat schedule this week with some light accessories and deadlift, back and hamstrings on Wednesday. Hopefully some time off, a little active recovery and stretching with help out.

I think if you’re feeling the way you do and feel like a deload is needed then take it, then maybe cut the progression back just a bit then ease into it. Slow and steady wins the race and you don’t have a meet on the books as of now so let your body adapt, not only with the workouts but with the fact you’re off your cycle.
That’s my exact thoughts, and also why I chose the Transformer Bar today. Pec felt alright but with no meet imminent I simply didn’t have to use a barbell, so I didn’t - more important to keep that pec feeling good.

Yeah I feel like I have done a pretty good job of holding my composition and most of my strength this last 6 weeks, but it’s not realistic to hold it all on low TRT. Especially not squat and bench, which were better developed for the size I had.
 
That’s my exact thoughts, and also why I chose the Transformer Bar today. Pec felt alright but with no meet imminent I simply didn’t have to use a barbell, so I didn’t - more important to keep that pec feeling good.

Yeah I feel like I have done a pretty good job of holding my composition and most of my strength this last 6 weeks, but it’s not realistic to hold it all on low TRT. Especially not squat and bench, which were better developed for the size I had.
You know your body and your very knowledgable in this arena, so watching out for the pec was smart.

For sure your strength will drop, but next cycle will be back to beast mode and another meet!
 
There's no doubt you've been striking while the irons been hot, but I have no doubt that you'll figure out the right balance here. You were very cautious taking tests to see where you were, then once you were able to let loose you definitely did.

I think I’ve been training very hard on the big movements & it’s just catching up, so I will probably need to either deload officially, wave back, or slow things down (less progression in weights, maybe use some 9-day micros, etc) to continue this style of program. Maybe a bit of each?

How is sleep with the Dad-stress? is your weight still down? seems like a combination of finally being able to train balls to the wall + a little life stress + you holding lower weight could all make things a bit more challenging this cycle? Kudos to you though for possibly recognizing a small change or deload type approach BEFORE the train comes off the tracks. historically it was always weeks of progressively worse performance that lead me to finally wave the white flag of "rest" haha
 
There's no doubt you've been striking while the irons been hot, but I have no doubt that you'll figure out the right balance here. You were very cautious taking tests to see where you were, then once you were able to let loose you definitely did.



How is sleep with the Dad-stress? is your weight still down? seems like a combination of finally being able to train balls to the wall + a little life stress + you holding lower weight could all make things a bit more challenging this cycle? Kudos to you though for possibly recognizing a small change or deload type approach BEFORE the train comes off the tracks. historically it was always weeks of progressively worse performance that lead me to finally wave the white flag of "rest" haha

Sleep has been decent. I haven’t been up stressing about my dad, but my son has woken us up more nights than usual the last week (often he has to pee, but was going through a fear of the dark thing last week). Nightlight seems to have resolved that mainly.

Yeah still have weight down at 238.4 last 3 mornings after bathroom. This is 5th week on the Anabolic Diet (cyclic keto). Definitely feels like it’s a solid tool to control my weight overall and ensure I eat enough quality protein. Not sure it’s ideal for peak performance, but it’s been good enough in training & I definitely feel good overall daily for work & life. You just don’t have the energy/lethargy swings that a regular 3,500 calorie carb diet imposes. I’m sure also being only 240lbs without blasting steroids also is contributing to feeling better.

Just saw my ART guy and he really helped loosen up a lot of garbage in my lat/tri tie-in on the side I strained the pec, and in the shoulders on both sides. Between that and backing off training last night, I feel a lot better. Knee that I shifted to on squats Tuesday is calming down some too.

Figure if I get things chilled out now I can keep it a short detour vs a bigger derail.
 
10/9/25
BW 238.4

4 min Assault Bike

Reverse Hypers
180x15,20,15

Lat Pulldown
80,110,140x6
170,180,190x10

NG Chin-ups
4,12,12,12

HS CSR
180,230,270x3
300 2x8

One-arm DB Row
80,90x15

Easy back day last night; going to a 9-day micro for my 4-day split this next ‘week’ at least to stretch out recovery time. Doing just back work on Wednesday nights is always a big mental break. I take less preWO, don’t spend as long in the gym. & just focus on getting some bodybuilding in. Might add a little carry or sled drag in to this day next time.

It was a beautiful evening out so I went to the barbell club to get away from all the crowd at the commercial gym. Then with the extra time leftover, I was able to read a bunch of books to my son before his bedtime; he is starting to really read some basic stuff! We’ve been going to the library every Monday night to pick out 10 books, and this week he’s trying to read Hop on Pop with me 🥹
 
10/10/25

5 min Assault Bike
Band Warmup

Widegrip Bench, Hansu Powerbar
44 4x10
88,110,132x15
154,165x25

DB Williams Extensions
20,30x10
40,50x12
60x5

V-bar Cable Tri Pressdown
40x10
70 2x25

Plate Raise to Overhead
44x5
55 3x12

Haven’t deloaded this session in 5 weeks, but perfect time with the pec & shoulder pain last weekend. No pain or discomfort in either today even with widegrip high reps, so I’m feeling confident to work with a couple plates next Tuesday for the speed bench day. Deloaded all movements.

Gym buddy pulled a lifetime PR this morning - 480lbs on a powerbar weighing ~196. He has his second meet in a couple weeks and is looking good for progress in all 3.
 
10/10/25

5 min Assault Bike
Band Warmup

Widegrip Bench, Hansu Powerbar
44 4x10
88,110,132x15
154,165x25

DB Williams Extensions
20,30x10
40,50x12
60x5

V-bar Cable Tri Pressdown
40x10
70 2x25

Plate Raise to Overhead
44x5
55 3x12

Haven’t deloaded this session in 5 weeks, but perfect time with the pec & shoulder pain last weekend. No pain or discomfort in either today even with widegrip high reps, so I’m feeling confident to work with a couple plates next Tuesday for the speed bench day. Deloaded all movements.

Gym buddy pulled a lifetime PR this morning - 480lbs on a powerbar weighing ~196. He has his second meet in a couple weeks and is looking good for progress in all 3.
Glad to hear your pec and shoulder felt good today and the deload went well. Keep up the rehab and you’ll be back to 100% in no time.
And good luck to your gym buddy. Tomorrow I’ll be 4 weeks out for my meet.
 
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Glad to hear your pec and shoulder felt good today and the deload went well. Keep up the rehab and you’ll be back to 100% in no time.
And good luck to your gym buddy. Tomorrow I’ll be 4 weeks out for my meet.
Thanks! It’s about time to bring it all together; this is the time you really want to practice well & set yourself up for a great meet day.
 
Thanks! It’s about time to bring it all together; this is the time you really want to practice well & set yourself up for a great meet day.
Praying I stay healthy! I feel better today than I did on Wednesday. I just felt beat up. Took my normal days off, ate some extra carbs, stretched really well and I feel much better today.
 
Praying I stay healthy! I feel better today than I did on Wednesday. I just felt beat up. Took my normal days off, ate some extra carbs, stretched really well and I feel much better today.
It’s normal to feel beat up during peaking; if you don’t overdo it you will be recovered in time for the meet with fatigue shed and body technically proficient to lift your biggest weights. But you do need to show up healthy to do that - you don’t want any unilateral issues. Only achiness that can be shed by the full deload a week out. Rest, walking, sled drags, a few 2-plate practice lifts clear that out over the 6 days prior.
 
Pulled calories back some last few days and had a whoosh: 235.2lbs today (-3.2lbs from all week). Figure deadlift tomorrow is the only thing I should push atm, so I’ll be carbing up in a surplus today to prepare.
 
It’s normal to feel beat up during peaking; if you don’t overdo it you will be recovered in time for the meet with fatigue shed and body technically proficient to lift your biggest weights. But you do need to show up healthy to do that - you don’t want any unilateral issues. Only achiness that can be shed by the full deload a week out. Rest, walking, sled drags, a few 2-plate practice lifts clear that out over the 6 days prior.
Yeah I feel even better today minus the minor flare up of tennis elbow in my right elbow. Been stretching, heating and started BPC/TB a few nights ago. I can deal with the level of discomfort it’s at right now. Just trying to keep it from getting worse. Did some yard work today. I had to spread some grass seed and fertilizer. That was a good steady state cardio session. My yard is just under an acre.

Any tips on alleviating tennis elbow, shoot them my way. I’m game to try anything new for it.
 
Any tips on alleviating tennis elbow, shoot them my way. I’m game to try anything new for it.
everyone seems to have a different life hack for tennis/golfers elbow (inside vs outside) for me it's always been associated with grip, so if I was mixing a lot of deadlifts with say rope climbs or pull-ups it would flare up and the only two things that consistently seemed to help was a lot of low weight db curls, especially prewo to warmup, or rest. Mine will flare up about once a year and nag a bit for 3-6 weeks but generally speaking I just ignore it and spend more time in my warmup then magically one day I don't notice it anymore
 
Yeah I feel even better today minus the minor flare up of tennis elbow in my right elbow. Been stretching, heating and started BPC/TB a few nights ago. I can deal with the level of discomfort it’s at right now. Just trying to keep it from getting worse. Did some yard work today. I had to spread some grass seed and fertilizer. That was a good steady state cardio session. My yard is just under an acre.

Any tips on alleviating tennis elbow, shoot them my way. I’m game to try anything new for it.
Yeah just like @Dustin07 said, very light high volume Hammercurls. Very easy db, microband, etc for couple sets of 25 to warm it up before training works well.

Someone who went to a seminar with Brandon Lilly and Swede Burns told me that was their advice to same question, and it’s served well over the years more importantly.
 
10/12/25

5 min Walk
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Suitcase Carries
Glute Bridges
Serratus Activations

Deadlift, stiffbar
135x5
225x3
315x2
+ belt
365,405,430x2

Bench, stiffbar
45x10
95,165,215,235x5

Well unfortunately my son thought he was trying out for a WWE promo or something the other day & aggravated something in my low back continually jumping on me while on the floor. So every time I would wedge into the bar and initiate my leg drive, I’d get nerve pain on my right side and some tingling down the leg. It was not getting better or worse as I warmed up, but then the back of my left arm where it’s been pulling at times this year started straining too.

This happened last week during speed pulls but I was able to overactive my lat to shut it up & finish. My ART guy believes that Serratus just isn’t doing its job, and I can often get away with it because my lat is strong enough to overcompensate usually.

So I did the activation drills he wants me doing prior, but suddenly at 430 it wasn’t enough & the pain was bad. Going up to 460 was probably not even possible given all the pain I was in, which was a shame because I could tell I was very very powerful yesterday. 430 looked excellent from the outside, if you didn’t know I was pulling it with only one glute and a screaming tricep insert.


Ending on a positive, warmed up on the bench and neither my pec nor shoulder bothered me at all with weights around 2 plates. So I can train a light day on that tomorrow for real. Just packed it up after that.
 
somehow they know exactly the spot to get like little trouble magnets lol. I can remember vividly my boy taking the remote control when he was toddler aged and pounding it right on the steel plate in my clavicle like a hammer, I think I nearly puked and cried at the same time 😂 . hopefully yours is temporary and mends quickly!
 
Also, I now have the same sickness rest of family has. Coughing up phlegm from my lungs and stuffy nose, fatigue, aches. Body is just not working with me on any level at the moment,

So I don’t really know what the plan is for training diet or anything right now. Pec seems like I can probably train it carefully, knees hurt, back could be weird for just a week or a problem for months, and my serratus is causing issues with holding deadlifts. Not exactly easy to set up programming with any certainty.

Probably just going to do whatever I can, as I can!
 
Also, I now have the same sickness rest of family has. Coughing up phlegm from my lungs and stuffy nose, fatigue, aches. Body is just not working with me on any level at the moment,

So I don’t really know what the plan is for training diet or anything right now. Pec seems like I can probably train it carefully, knees hurt, back could be weird for just a week or a problem for months, and my serratus is causing issues with holding deadlifts. Not exactly easy to set up programming with any certainty.

Probably just going to do whatever I can, as I can!
That would be a smart move until you get rid of your crud and your back calms down. Maybe some light work to keep things moving and slowly work some deep stretching and light deads or even light block pulls as you can tolerate. Also I appreciate the advice from you and @Dustin07 for my elbow. I did some scraping last night with some massage oil and used the handle of a butter knife. That helped some. I’ll definitely do some db curls and/or mini band curls too.
 
That would be a smart move until you get rid of your crud and your back calms down. Maybe some light work to keep things moving and slowly work some deep stretching and light deads or even light block pulls as you can tolerate. Also I appreciate the advice from you and @Dustin07 for my elbow. I did some scraping last night with some massage oil and used the handle of a butter knife. That helped some. I’ll definitely do some db curls and/or mini band curls too.
It’s not a mobility issue; I was actually hitting perfect positions and building huge tension - the problem is something is flared up enough that wedging in pushes on a nerve. Ironically, I could stiffleg deadlift 225 when I tested it with zero discomfort. If I pull with all erectors, it’s fine - it’s bending the knees to engage the legs that puts me in the compromised position.

But the lat tie-in will likely be a problem on RDLs even by 400, so things will need to be light stifflegs or perhaps GM variations if this continues. I’ll also probably try Trapbar staying very vertical. ART doc mentioned that should be easier on the tricep/lat tie in.
 
yeah thats a bizarre one. I'm sitting here in my office mimicking stiff leg vs deadlift to see what I feel in terms of muscle engagement to try to understand what is working differently. The way everything in our bodies is so interconnected it could be accute there in the back or it could be front, like core/abdomenal strain pulling, could be as low as calves even tbh. I was trying to visualize elongation of the hamstrings to see if that might give more pull/strain but no, the SLDL should stretch more. obviously lats, what about your quads how are they?
 
It’s not a mobility issue; I was actually hitting perfect positions and building huge tension - the problem is something is flared up enough that wedging in pushes on a nerve. Ironically, I could stiffleg deadlift 225 when I tested it with zero discomfort. If I pull with all erectors, it’s fine - it’s bending the knees to engage the legs that puts me in the compromised position.

But the lat tie-in will likely be a problem on RDLs even by 400, so things will need to be light stifflegs or perhaps GM variations if this continues. I’ll also probably try Trapbar staying very vertical. ART doc mentioned that should be easier on the tricep/lat tie in.
Does your ART guy do dry needling by any chance? I know that helped with my ulnar nerve issue in my left elbow. You really have to have someone that’s really good at it to be able to get close enough to the nerve without stimulating it. Honestly I’m not familiar with ART, I mean I know what it is but I just don’t know a whole lot about it.
 
yeah thats a bizarre one. I'm sitting here in my office mimicking stiff leg vs deadlift to see what I feel in terms of muscle engagement to try to understand what is working differently. The way everything in our bodies is so interconnected it could be accute there in the back or it could be front, like core/abdomenal strain pulling, could be as low as calves even tbh. I was trying to visualize elongation of the hamstrings to see if that might give more pull/strain but no, the SLDL should stretch more. obviously lats, what about your quads how are they?

They’re fine; I mean nothing is unilaterally weird. I just think the reason the SLDL is less stressful is because it’s not really driving through the leg to the same degree at the start. The leg contraction is more isometric with less initial flexion.

Does your ART guy do dry needling by any chance? I know that helped with my ulnar nerve issue in my left elbow. You really have to have someone that’s really good at it to be able to get close enough to the nerve without stimulating it. Honestly I’m not familiar with ART, I mean I know what it is but I just don’t know a whole lot about it.

No he does not; he is a registered chiro but rarely does adjustments unless he sees something gone off. He believes most issues stem from muscular, which can be addressed with tissue release and/or strengthening, mobility work, or increasing activation in a pattern.

As much as the active tissue manipulation can be beneficial, his homework stuff is often just as important.
 
They’re fine; I mean nothing is unilaterally weird. I just think the reason the SLDL is less stressful is because it’s not really driving through the leg to the same degree at the start. The leg contraction is more isometric with less initial flexion.



No he does not; he is a registered chiro but rarely does adjustments unless he sees something gone off. He believes most issues stem from muscular, which can be addressed with tissue release and/or strengthening, mobility work, or increasing activation in a pattern.

As much as the active tissue manipulation can be beneficial, his homework stuff is often just as important.
I’d like to find one in my area after your explanation of what they do.
 
10/14/25
BW 239.0 yesterday

2 min Assault Bike
Reverse Arm Circles
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Side-Plank Activations
Serratus Activations
Glute Bridges

Bench, Tex powerbar
45x10,5
135,185,225x3
245 5x3

CG 2-Board
265 2x5

Spoto Press
225 3x6

Low Incline NG DB Press
50x10
70,75x20

Band Pullaparts
Monstermini x34,33,33

Really happy with today. No pains anywhere, and I was consistently able to set up optimally, self-unrack safely, not hit jcups, and generally move forcefully. Part of that I believe was doing the bracing protocol prior, and also using weights I can really handle well while thinking through them to execute with intent. This was the good safe practice I needed to set myself up for more progress back next week.
 
10/14/25
BW 239.0 yesterday

2 min Assault Bike
Reverse Arm Circles
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Side-Plank Activations
Serratus Activations
Glute Bridges

Bench, Tex powerbar
45x10,5
135,185,225x3
245 5x3

CG 2-Board
265 2x5

Spoto Press
225 3x6

Low Incline NG DB Press
50x10
70,75x20

Band Pullaparts
Monstermini x34,33,33

Really happy with today. No pains anywhere, and I was consistently able to set up optimally, self-unrack safely, not hit jcups, and generally move forcefully. Part of that I believe was doing the bracing protocol prior, and also using weights I can really handle well while thinking through them to execute with intent. This was the good safe practice I needed to set myself up for more progress back next week.
That’s great, no pain….hopefully it will continue through next week.
 
10/14/25
BW 239.0 yesterday

2 min Assault Bike
Reverse Arm Circles
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Side-Plank Activations
Serratus Activations
Glute Bridges

Bench, Tex powerbar
45x10,5
135,185,225x3
245 5x3

CG 2-Board
265 2x5

Spoto Press
225 3x6

Low Incline NG DB Press
50x10
70,75x20

Band Pullaparts
Monstermini x34,33,33

Really happy with today. No pains anywhere, and I was consistently able to set up optimally, self-unrack safely, not hit jcups, and generally move forcefully. Part of that I believe was doing the bracing protocol prior, and also using weights I can really handle well while thinking through them to execute with intent. This was the good safe practice I needed to set myself up for more progress back next week.
That’s good news!
 
Dam, feels like just yesterday I was reading Hop on Pop with the kiddo, now he’s 10! 😭
Do you think it’s coincidence that you read Hop on Pop, then a few days later he hopped on Pop and Pop popped?
 
Dam, feels like just yesterday I was reading Hop on Pop with the kiddo, now he’s 10! 😭
Do you think it’s coincidence that you read Hop on Pop, then a few days later he hopped on Pop and Pop popped?
Lol well it’s not new behavior really in his defense, except normally he will listen when I tell him to stop/ease up. But last week he was not being a good listener, wouldn’t back off, so we had to put the fear of God back into him 😝
 
Have you considered adding in some to gh for a few months (alongside the TB and BPC) to help expedite the process? I remember you did a bit a while back but wasn’t that long of duration iirc
 
Have you considered adding in some to gh for a few months (alongside the TB and BPC) to help expedite the process? I remember you did a bit a while back but wasn’t that long of duration iirc
Well I think I’m dodging the bullet, pec-wise. I am trying to save that GH for an emergency injury, but it could be helpful with the knees and I do have a new source that I haven’t directly ordered from, but I know would get some to me fast in a pinch. So maybe I should just use it up? Especially while doing cyclic keto, blood sugar would be less of a concern.
 
10/15/25
BW 235.6

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
KB SuitcaseCarries
Reverse Arm Circles
SL Glute Bridges
Serratus Activations

Squat, Duffalobar
55 2x5
165,231,275,319x3
+doubleply sleeves
363x3
+belt
407x3
430x5

Paused Hacksquat
+heels & deadlift belt
90,180,270,320x3
290x10

SSB GM
65,175x8
241x5

Plate-loaded Lying Leg Curl
65,90x3
100x13
110x10

Plate-loaded Leg Extensions
65,75x20

Decided to test the knee out on squats last night, with the goal of just one top work set to get some practice in. I was planning RPE8, but rep 5 very quickly and obviously became RPE10. This suggests my 1RM was only around 495 last night, but the fact I could do it at all is probably a win.

Overshot warmups on paused hacks: 3 reps at 320 ended up basically being a heavy strength set, but 290 was just right for a brutal leg builder. Felt the nerve every rep on Good Mornings, so by rep 5 of 241 it was abundantly obvious I had zero business doing that movement right now.

Right knee hurts again now today, so things are improving but definitely still janky. I’ll squat again 9 days from this.
 
10/15/25
BW 235.6

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
KB SuitcaseCarries
Reverse Arm Circles
SL Glute Bridges
Serratus Activations

Squat, Duffalobar
55 2x5
165,231,275,319x3
+doubleply sleeves
363x3
+belt
407x3
430x5

Paused Hacksquat
+heels & deadlift belt
90,180,270,320x3
290x10

SSB GM
65,175x8
241x5

Plate-loaded Lying Leg Curl
65,90x3
100x13
110x10

Plate-loaded Leg Extensions
65,75x20

Decided to test the knee out on squats last night, with the goal of just one top work set to get some practice in. I was planning RPE8, but rep 5 very quickly and obviously became RPE10. This suggests my 1RM was only around 495 last night, but the fact I could do it at all is probably a win.

Overshot warmups on paused hacks: 3 reps at 320 ended up basically being a heavy strength set, but 290 was just right for a brutal leg builder. Felt the nerve every rep on Good Mornings, so by rep 5 of 241 it was abundantly obvious I had zero business doing that movement right now.

Right knee hurts again now today, so things are improving but definitely still janky. I’ll squat again 9 days from this.
Nice strong workout …. Good job pushing it for good quality work, but knowing when to pull back. Glad the knee held up and didn’t get too bad.
 
Nice strong workout …. Good job pushing it for good quality work, but knowing when to pull back. Glad the knee held up and didn’t get too bad.
Yeah it was cool until I was really pushing on the 430 set. It hurt every rep on paused hacks, but in a way that I could still push confidently without thinking it was going to grenade. And it felt good on extensions actually, really good from those.
 
10/17/25

3 min Assault Bike
McGill Curlups
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
KB Suitcase Carries, DL, & Swings
Band Pullaparts

Lat Pulldowns
60,100x12
140,170x3
180 3x10

V-grip Chin-ups
3,15,15,15

HS CSR
180x6
230,280x3
300 2x11

Cable Laterals
Empty 2x12

Cable Rear Delt Flyes
10 2x12

CS DB Kelso Shrugs
80 2x20

You know you’re leaning out when you can do multiple sets of 15 on chin-ups! Tricep/lat tie-in didn’t hurt too bad doing all this; most importantly it did not seem to be getting worsened by this training. So it was a productive upper back session. Need to bump the Chest-supported Row, Rear Delt Flyes and Kelso DBs 5lbs/side next time, and Pulldowns 10lbs.
 
Well I think I’m dodging the bullet, pec-wise. I am trying to save that GH for an emergency injury, but it could be helpful with the knees and I do have a new source that I haven’t directly ordered from, but I know would get some to me fast in a pinch. So maybe I should just use it up? Especially while doing cyclic keto, blood sugar would be less of a concern.
Only one way to find out 😀
I truly believe it would benefit you drastically. It’s a slow cook.
 
10/17/25

3 min Assault Bike
McGill Curlups
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
KB Suitcase Carries, DL, & Swings
Band Pullaparts

Lat Pulldowns
60,100x12
140,170x3
180 3x10

V-grip Chin-ups
3,15,15,15

HS CSR
180x6
230,280x3
300 2x11

Cable Laterals
Empty 2x12

Cable Rear Delt Flyes
10 2x12

CS DB Kelso Shrugs
80 2x20

You know you’re leaning out when you can do multiple sets of 15 on chin-ups! Tricep/lat tie-in didn’t hurt too bad doing all this; most importantly it did not seem to be getting worsened by this training. So it was a productive upper back session. Need to bump the Chest-supported Row, Rear Delt Flyes and Kelso DBs 5lbs/side next time, and Pulldowns 10lbs.
That is definitely a lot of chin-ups.💪
 
Well I think I’m dodging the bullet, pec-wise. I am trying to save that GH for an emergency injury, but it could be helpful with the knees and I do have a new source that I haven’t directly ordered from, but I know would get some to me fast in a pinch. So maybe I should just use it up? Especially while doing cyclic keto, blood sugar would be less of a concern.
If you decide to start with the GH are you going to start at 2iu’s? Just curious how it affects you. I’ve been on for 4 weeks. Started at 2ius. At one point I dropped it to 1.5 due to the sausage fingers I was waking up with in the morning. Went back to 2 and titrated up to 3 and got the same issue after a few nights so I dropped back to 2.5. I’ve been pinning at night at least two hours after my last meal.
 
If you decide to start with the GH are you going to start at 2iu’s? Just curious how it affects you. I’ve been on for 4 weeks. Started at 2ius. At one point I dropped it to 1.5 due to the sausage fingers I was waking up with in the morning. Went back to 2 and titrated up to 3 and got the same issue after a few nights so I dropped back to 2.5. I’ve been pinning at night at least two hours after my last meal.

2iu. Basically all the benefits besides enhanced size can be had from that, and to me the cost is silly beyond that for how little else it does. Like if you aren’t a serious bodybuilder, I don’t think the cost/benefit is there for most people to go higher. If you do 3-4/day, you’d benefit more from splitting into 2 administrations, FYI. Then you trigger lipolysis twice.

It raises my blood sugar & BP slightly, and I sleep a tad better & definitely recover a bit faster. Joints feel better, prolactin goes up some, more fullness in the muscles, I need slightly more calories.
 
2iu. Basically all the benefits besides enhanced size can be had from that, and to me the cost is silly beyond that for how little else it does. Like if you aren’t a serious bodybuilder, I don’t think the cost/benefit is there for most people to go higher. If you do 3-4/day, you’d benefit more from splitting into 2 administrations, FYI. Then you trigger lipolysis twice.

It raises my blood sugar & BP slightly, and I sleep a tad better & definitely recover a bit faster. Joints feel better, prolactin goes up some, more fullness in the muscles, I need slightly more calories.
As far as the sides, I feel much better with 2 iu’s than 3-4. I do like the fuller feeling but having to split a dose during the day and having to pin it around the timing of a meal personally isn’t worth it for me. I don’t know how in the world somebody can pin 10 or more iu’s of this stuff. I couldn’t imagine the sides effects with that amount.
 
Hate to hear about the knee and nerve issues on deads. Sounds like you are leaning up nicely!
 
As far as the sides, I feel much better with 2 iu’s than 3-4. I do like the fuller feeling but having to split a dose during the day and having to pin it around the timing of a meal personally isn’t worth it for me. I don’t know how in the world somebody can pin 10 or more iu’s of this stuff. I couldn’t imagine the sides effects with that amount.
You don’t have to pin it away from a meal; insulin presence only diminishes endogenous GH production. If you inject it, you will have it regardless of how recently you ate.

In fact, being able to combine the presence of GH and Insulin is a powerful benefit unique to exogenous use. Normally you can only get that naturally when you break an extended fast, like multiple days.
 
10/19/25
BW 235.8 yesterday

5 Incline Walk
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Side-plank Activations

Plate-loaded Incline Press
70x10
120x8
160x6
210x3
250 2x6

Smith JM Press
Empty x10
+50,100x8
150x6
190x3
240x6,7

Cable V-bar Tri Pressdown
warmups
120 2x6

Cable Straightbar Curl
warmups
66 2x6

Standing Calves
110x3
140 2x8

Reverse Pec Deck
warmups
150 2x6

Trying a couple different movements out at the commercial gym for my second pressing day. Overall, I enjoyed them and looking forward to next week’s progression. Started 40mg test c/day on this day (Sunday) since it’s been 8 weeks since the meet to clean up health.
 
You don’t have to pin it away from a meal; insulin presence only diminishes endogenous GH production. If you inject it, you will have it regardless of how recently you ate.

In fact, being able to combine the presence of GH and Insulin is a powerful benefit unique to exogenous use. Normally you can only get that naturally when you break an extended fast, like multiple days.
Thanks for that info. I’ve hewed so much back and forth about pinning near a meal that I figured I would err on the side of caution and wait at least two hours after eating.
 
Thanks for that info. I’ve hewed so much back and forth about pinning near a meal that I figured I would err on the side of caution and wait at least two hours after eating.
No honestly it’s actually ideal in the sense that GH at 1.5iu+ instantly triggers lypolysis - it is actually a dirty secret that it’s very hard to get fat from a meal you take GH with, and why it’s often used in conjunction with larger postWO or cheat meals.

People who spout the “away from meals” nonsense are just folks who haven’t read how the hormones work applied in a clinical context. They have read about how endogenous output works & extrapolated that because it the two hormones are normally opposing to one another, combining GH & insulin is counterproductive - but that’s just not what happens when injected.

Like all these knuckleheads who think that because endogenous testosterone output in a peak healthy male typically doesn’t exceed 7mg per morning, 100mg/wk TRT is actually higher than natural. Failing to consider that ~30mg of that 100 is just fatty ester weight of enanthate/cypionate to control the release (only 70mg per 100 is actually even testosterone), or the fact that testosterone metabolism changes when the release is gradual vs a daily spike, or the way a larger singular dose drives down SHBG as well as increases aromatization to estrogen. It’s just not the same in net effect. But the Dunning-Kruger effect is strong with many: if you don’t know what you don’t know, you may fail to consider something could be more complicated than it appears.
 
10/21/25
BW 240.8 yesterday

3 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Bird Dogs
Suitcase Carries
SL Glute Bridges
Band Pullovers

Deadlift, Texas powerbar
45,155x8 RDL
265,309x3
+belt
353,397,431x3
464x2
453x7

GM, Giant Cambered Bar
85x8
195x3
283,305x8

Plate-loaded Lying Leg Curl
90x5
115x10,8

Nerve pain was gone today, so I was able to get back to some solid deadlifting (as well as the good mornings I wanted to try last Wednesday). Also got scar tissue broken up at the lat/tricep insert and mobilized my shoulders enough to keep my tricep out of pain today.

This is one less rep at this weight than a month ago, definitely at a higher RPE (this was every bit of RPE9), but I am stoked to have pulled this off given the context. Been doing keto to maintain body composition, just real HRT last 8 weeks, & battling some niggles, so to hold so much strength is excellent for me. Puts my e1RM ~550 today.
 
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