gphagan1
Legend
That’s some good bench and overhead press work. And it looks like your metabolism is starting to cooperate with your body weight increase.
The Biggest Smont ever! 🤔 Lets find out
- Thread starter Smont
- Start date
Smont
Legend
Thanks, my pressing strength has been good lately and it's hard for me not to try to jump way ahead. I actually wasn't supposed to bench or OHP yesterday but I was itching to do it. I've been limited to 3, sometimes 4 training sessions per week lately so I may adjust a few things. At the end of the week, if I benched 2x in a week I'm happy, weighted pull ups 2x I'm happy, if I get at least 1 deadlift variation, one zurcher variation and hit legs more then once I'm happy. So far I've been at least checking those boxes. But I have more I want to work on. I'm scouring the internet right now looking for advanced 4 day powerbuilding splits that I could either follow or modify. I have the unity program from Dave Tate and John Meadows but that was a bit complicated and I don't have the mental capacity or willpower to do that one right now
Dustin07
Legend
same!Ha, now you’ve got me wanting to make omelets for breakfast.
I'm the opposite, if I can get it to the middle then the lockout is the easy part for me, maybe from too much time with the slingshot. Have you tried using the slingshot on the dip machine? For direct tricep work here are the top 3 things that I've seen cause new stimulation after 25yrs gymratting:
a. lying skull crushers. I can't do them standing or french press style, my elbows feels like the tendon literally is slipping and sliding over it, but laying down, they go really well. usually with an ez bar, then I decide which grip on the ez bar is best for my elbows and triceps that day. sometimes narrower, sometimes wider.
b. standing, overhead cable extensions. I often play with the setting. sometimes the cable is lower sometimes its above my head, I try to find that "spot" to know I'm blowing my tricep up but it gives me LONG DEEP ROM. I run sets of 20 and ascending weight till I hit failure, then a drop set.
c. I have at times added my CGBP at the end of my workout. like the very very end, after tricep work is done. and it's fucking SMOKES me. instead of hitting sets of like 205+, I'm doing burners at 135 until my triceps start puking and I cry a little bit.
Hyde
Legend
That was a great workout. I’m amazed your knees can handle lunges that heavy so well considering the grief they often give on free squats sometimes.
PM me an email address.
I have a simple good powerbuilding template that has Zerchers in it too from Rhyss Keane. I think it’s his OG Godstrength template.
Don’t reinvent the wheel - just do what is proven to work! Closegrip Boardpresses will help, 3-8 reps is probably optimal. I would say 3-board is ideal, but recently I just fixed my lagging lockout with Closegrip 2-board (EliteFTS Shouldersaver) for sets of 8-12. So even the bigger rom & lighter weights still helped - the key is Closegrip and focusing on the top half of the lift to overload it (plus tricep intent of course).
PM me an email address.
I have a simple good powerbuilding template that has Zerchers in it too from Rhyss Keane. I think it’s his OG Godstrength template.
Smont
Legend
That's awesome, I appreciate it
gphagan1
Legend
It’s hard to beat the tried and true close grip bench, whether flat or incline, for triceps.
You could try JM Press if it doesn’t bother your shoulders, and like’s already been mentioned, skull crushers, French press, and cable extensions. But I still think the Close Grip is best for mass.
Smont
Legend
Back to 203 again, WTF lol! Probably water because my midsection looked tighter then usually and the past few days I looked a little bloated.
Last night I put a couple ppl through a circuit, I did it with them with very sub-maximal weights.
*Goblet squat
*A kettlebell grip exercise
*Box jump
*Steering wheel planks
(imagine you're grabbing onto a 45 lb plank like you're holding a steering wheel but your body is still completely extended out like you're doing push-ups.) it's extremely challenging, bonus points if you can turn the steering wheel while maintaining plank position.
*Dead hangs from vertical hanging fat grip ropes
*Battle ropes
3x around with one minute rest between circuits.
And the actual work
*Zurchers- 5 sets working up to a shaky single with 325
*RDL 5 sets up to 326x5
*Close stance hack squat-4x10 working up in weight to 275lbs
Realized I was getting short on time and I did two sets of hammer curls with fifties and two sets of reverse curls with 75 lb bar
The RDL was in a weird type Smith machine, but this is an old school Smith machine with no resistance help, the bar itself weighs 56 lb and just slides directly up and down with no assistance. It's a very odd piece of machinery lol. I use this for a few different exercises I've even done incline presses and the weight transfer between this and completely free weight is near identical.
Last night I put a couple ppl through a circuit, I did it with them with very sub-maximal weights.
*Goblet squat
*A kettlebell grip exercise
*Box jump
*Steering wheel planks
(imagine you're grabbing onto a 45 lb plank like you're holding a steering wheel but your body is still completely extended out like you're doing push-ups.) it's extremely challenging, bonus points if you can turn the steering wheel while maintaining plank position.
*Dead hangs from vertical hanging fat grip ropes
*Battle ropes
3x around with one minute rest between circuits.
And the actual work
*Zurchers- 5 sets working up to a shaky single with 325
*RDL 5 sets up to 326x5
*Close stance hack squat-4x10 working up in weight to 275lbs
Realized I was getting short on time and I did two sets of hammer curls with fifties and two sets of reverse curls with 75 lb bar
The RDL was in a weird type Smith machine, but this is an old school Smith machine with no resistance help, the bar itself weighs 56 lb and just slides directly up and down with no assistance. It's a very odd piece of machinery lol. I use this for a few different exercises I've even done incline presses and the weight transfer between this and completely free weight is near identical.
Smont
Legend
I'm looking over this program Hyde sent and a few other ones. I'm thinking about making a 3 day full body split and a 4 day split that still hits every compound 2-3 times and I'm going to present it to the group and see who wants to rock with it or what they want to change and maybe we get a group decision.
I've been trying really hard to build on this group, get more ppl focused on strength and lifting but it's really tough getting everybody on the same page with their goals and what they want to do versus what they're willing to do and........
, sometimes I wish I could just find a group of people who already have a set program and I could just blindly follow everything that they do instead of being the one that everybody wants to figure out the program lol
I've been trying really hard to build on this group, get more ppl focused on strength and lifting but it's really tough getting everybody on the same page with their goals and what they want to do versus what they're willing to do and........
, sometimes I wish I could just find a group of people who already have a set program and I could just blindly follow everything that they do instead of being the one that everybody wants to figure out the program lol
Dustin07
Legend
man I hate to say it but that right there might be why 99% of my gym life discussions are here on AM and I wear my headphones TIGHT while I'm lifting now days. I had a great crew to lift with years ago, but those days are gone.I've been trying really hard to build on this group, get more ppl focused on strength and lifting but it's really tough getting everybody on the same page with their goals and what they want to do versus what they're willing to do and........
Smont
Legend
The older we get the more of our friends don't want to do the s*** we do lol. When you go to a regular gym, or I should say when I go to a regular gym, I'm just like you are. I put my headphones on and my head down. When I'm at the gym I work at, it's a different type of environment and everybody kind of knows each other so it's a lot easier to conversate and see what other people want to do. But at the same time my gym does not attract people who are looking to do 400lb bench presses or triple body weight deadlifts or get huge. Most of these people are training for fitness and for sports specific goals. Every once in a blue moon we pick up a straggler in the weight area lol
OafMister
Member
I had to go to the doc for using mine. Class 4 red light laser machine. Medical grade. Didnt do anything for my injury. I could see it helping with small stuff but not major issues as I had.
Smont
Legend
For my top set of three on flat bench today, someone snuck 2 extra 10's on the bar while I was getting my elbow sleeves so big jump this week! I'm glad they did it.
Flat bench 225x12, 250x5, 285x5, 315x3, 225x17
High Incline pin press 225x5, 250x3, 285x3,2
Close grip bench 135x20,20,20,20
Girlfriend sent me like 15 text messages freaking out because one of the cats caught a mouse and there was blood all over the kitchen floor lol, So I had to go home and clean up.
I went back to the gym (it's only 3 minutes from my house) and I tried getting back in the groove and I couldn't so I just did a couple sets of push-ups and rope press downs and called it a rap
.
She know owes me a BJ before dinner. But she's notorious for not paying her debts lol
Flat bench 225x12, 250x5, 285x5, 315x3, 225x17
High Incline pin press 225x5, 250x3, 285x3,2
Close grip bench 135x20,20,20,20
Girlfriend sent me like 15 text messages freaking out because one of the cats caught a mouse and there was blood all over the kitchen floor lol, So I had to go home and clean up.
I went back to the gym (it's only 3 minutes from my house) and I tried getting back in the groove and I couldn't so I just did a couple sets of push-ups and rope press downs and called it a rap
. She know owes me a BJ before dinner. But she's notorious for not paying her debts lol
gphagan1
Legend
Your bench is moving back up quick….315x3.For my top set of three on flat bench today, someone snuck 2 extra 10's on the bar while I was getting my elbow sleeves so big jump this week! I'm glad they did it.
Flat bench 225x12, 250x5, 285x5, 315x3, 225x17
High Incline pin press 225x5, 250x3, 285x3,2
Close grip bench 135x20,20,20,20
Girlfriend sent me like 15 text messages freaking out because one of the cats caught a mouse and there was blood all over the kitchen floor lol, So I had to go home and clean up.
I went back to the gym (it's only 3 minutes from my house) and I tried getting back in the groove and I couldn't so I just did a couple sets of push-ups and rope press downs and called it a rap
She know owes me a BJ before dinner. But she's notorious for not paying her debts lol
.Yeah a BJ would be a good trade off to clean up some mouse blood.
I had to get rid of a kill this morning myself. I was in the back yard throwing the ball with my Akita, and a rabbit darted out from behind a tree and took off running, and my Akita ran it down within about 30 yards, and without breaking stride, caught it, killed it, and turned and trotted back to me, and dropped the body at my feet. The thing is she’s a big girl at 123 lbs, but she runs like a deer. I told my wife, I could take her hunting in the woods and wouldn’t even need my rifle.
Smont
Legend
Wow, I'm surprised she caught it! This lady I know had a female Akita who was a big dog like yours. She might have even been a little heavier. I use to go take the dog out when she went on vacation. She would go after anything that moved, even other dogs. She would basically strangle herself trying to get a squirrel lol. I'll be honest the dog used to make me a little nervous, she trusted me enough to take her for walks but I don't know what would have happened if I had to try to take a small animal away from herYour bench is moving back up quick….315x3.
Yeah a BJ would be a good trade off to clean up some mouse blood.
I had to get rid of a kill this morning myself. I was in the back yard throwing the ball with my Akita, and a rabbit darted out from behind a tree and took off running, and my Akita ran it down within about 30 yards, and without breaking stride, caught it, killed it, and turned and trotted back to me, and dropped the body at my feet. The thing is she’s a big girl at 123 lbs, but she runs like a deer. I told my wife, I could take her hunting in the woods and wouldn’t even need my rifle.
. I love big dogs tho! My best friends has a husky/Akita mix who's a monster of a dog, super friendly with people, but he can't come to my house because he eats cats lolsammpedd88
Well-known member
Well you could always wake her up with your cock in her mouth. Either she will pay up or she’ll be pissed. It’s 50/50, but at least you have a chanceYour bench is moving back up quick….315x3.
Yeah a BJ would be a good trade off to clean up some mouse blood.
I had to get rid of a kill this morning myself. I was in the back yard throwing the ball with my Akita, and a rabbit darted out from behind a tree and took off running, and my Akita ran it down within about 30 yards, and without breaking stride, caught it, killed it, and turned and trotted back to me, and dropped the body at my feet. The thing is she’s a big girl at 123 lbs, but she runs like a deer. I told my wife, I could take her hunting in the woods and wouldn’t even need my rifle.
Smont
Legend
Sha actually paid and left a tipWell you could always wake her up with your cock in her mouth. Either she will pay up or she’ll be pissed. It’s 50/50, but at least you have a chance
. Of course now I owe her dinner .sammpedd88
Well-known member
Man we met another couple last night to eat sushi at the all you can eat place I mentioned to you before and the wait was almost 3 hours! I was craving sushi really bad!Sha actually paid and left a tip
Well at least she paid up in some way lol!
Segansational
Well-known member
100% this as I've seen other dedicated lifters fall by the wayside. I'm really the only person in my group that probably does anything when we used to be the crew that would go to the Arnold together on the regular. I get that life has a way of interfering, but I can't see myself ever stopping.
Smont
Legend
I've actually spent like 3-4 years just trying to find a single person with the same goals as me lol. I know if I could find one person roughly my size who's as committed and competitive as I am we could both get super f****** big and strong. I've set the standard pretty low too lol. I'm aware most ppl are age don't want to diet too hard, and im not really committed to trying to step on a bodybuilding stage. I know most people aren't going to want to cross train the way that I do with lots of conditioning work.
So who wants to pretty much eat whatever they want and try to put on some size and strength? You would think that would be an easy one but I can find a single person who will commit 3-4 days a week. At least I have a few people committed to show up on Saturdays now. Bench day is easy to find a few people, this past Saturday we had a guy show up he literally did no warm-ups, first set he hops under the bar at 135, he matched me for sets up to 275 and the back off set at 225 and as soon as we were moving on to the next exercise he was like all right guys I'll see you next week lol and he was out the door
Segansational
Well-known member
Are you still working out at the boxing gym? Or is this at a commercial gym? I would think that lifting for boxing specificity could be potentially different goals, as you might not want to get too heavy depending on weight class.
Smont
Legend
Still no HGH and primo in my possession, I'm likely just staying on 0.5-1ml test per week for the next 4-6 weeks as I don't want to jump the gun and start any kind of cycle until I have everything I need, my stash is pretty low, down to test, winni, s23 and I have a 10ml bttl of testosterone, EQ and tren I mixed up back when I started this cycle. I originally was going to continue cutting back then since I was already lean as **** in December but I talked myself out of it for food lol. Strength is still going up too so I'm hoping more food will bridge the gap in this time where everything's kind of exiting my system. I still feel like I'm not training enough, my cardio is like 15min 3x week at this point, I'm getting 3 lifting days but the long rest periods has really limited how much work I can get done in a session. I know this is good for strength gains. I know it's less calories burned, but it seems like so few total sets per body part per week. I'm so use to a certain level of intensity over a long period of time, but this is more like I need to be chill and then be really intense for about 30 seconds and then be chill again. Its boring .
Last night I finished the night with a stack of peanut butter and jelly sandwichs. I made sure I hit 4000 and that's the goal this week. 4000 per day
. Last night I finished the night with a stack of peanut butter and jelly sandwichs. I made sure I hit 4000 and that's the goal this week. 4000 per day
Smont
Legend
It's the boxing gym but it's not purely boxing, it's a Athletic center. Boxing/MMA/Jujutsu/kickboxing are the main focus for athletes, we do get baseball, football, lacrosse, and basketball players as well but those are mostly the youth sports and highschool kids looking to improve on their strength and agility in the off season. We have a lot of 30-50yr old jujitsu guys who lift but there not that into making big gains as they are into just exercising.
I'm not just looking through the members at the gym tho. I've reached outside the gym, I'm always inviting ppl to our gym for a workout and I'm willing to go to other gyms. If I could find any like minded person within 30min of me then I would make the effort to there way 2 days a week. Saturday id always be at my gym. Tuesday and Thursday nights I have to run my class so I'd have to be at my gym. But I'm even willing to go train at 9 or 10pm if I had to. Even though I'm very busy I'm also very flexible because I have the ability to rearrange my schedule a bit. Most other people have a very set schedule they have to be on and only have very limited time to train. Which I get because people have families and obligations.
Smont
Legend
My kids are just about grown, my main job is roughly 8-4 Monday through Friday but I can pretty much leave anytime I want any day and my other sources of income are completely on me and have no set hours, and my gym is 3min from my house. Honestly I'm pretty sure I could jog there in 3-5minutes, and I have the keys. I have a much more flexible schedule and more gym access then the large majority of people. I need to find a rich person who retired Young or a drug dealer who wants to get jacked lol. That's the only way I'm going to find someone with a wide open schedule lol
Dustin07
Legend
Its crazy to me! My wife and I have so many friends who reach out and ask for advice to lose weight and stuff. we always start by telling them about our food prep routine on Sundays and 99% of the time they all say "oh yeah I don't cook". and thats the end of it! They don't even try...
One of my dads buddies from high school (we golf with him on occasion) told me he's having liver issues and I asked if he and his dr ever talked about fasting a bit since the liver is a major beneficiary during fasting. "you mean like not eating?!" I said yeah but like... maybe just one day. or even just skip breakfast and lunch and see how it goes. by the time dinner rolls around, if you just go to bed you gain another 8hrs of fasting. "I can't do that!!" so I'm like well ok I guess you'll die.
Thats become my instinctual response when people won't even try little life hacks to improve their health. I don't even argue with them anymore. Just, "well I guess you'll die".
Thats a bummer. glad you saw some good benefits from it though. The placebo effect might have been very strong in me the first week. especially being the week between christmas and new years when it was darkest and coldest of the year, but feb 25th marked 2 consistent months of it and I feel like my morning energy level is insane.
For my top set of three on flat bench today, someone snuck 2 extra 10's on the bar while I was getting my elbow sleeves so big jump this week! I'm glad they did it.
Flat bench 225x12, 250x5, 285x5, 315x3, 225x17
High Incline pin press 225x5, 250x3, 285x3,2
Close grip bench 135x20,20,20,20
Girlfriend sent me like 15 text messages freaking out because one of the cats caught a mouse and there was blood all over the kitchen floor lol, So I had to go home and clean up.
I went back to the gym (it's only 3 minutes from my house) and I tried getting back in the groove and I couldn't so I just did a couple sets of push-ups and rope press downs and called it a rap
She know owes me a BJ before dinner. But she's notorious for not paying her debts lol
solid! the debt cracked me up. my buddy says "everything" is transactional. I did a lot of heavy lifting in the garden Sunday before the gym, which definitely crushed my gym session yesterday but the wife said "knock these things out for me before you go and I'll pay you back when you get home" so........... I was like done deal.
Segansational
Well-known member
LeanEngineer
Legend
I've tried raw sushi many times and I can't get around the texture of it and knowing that it's raw fish! haSha actually paid and left a tip
Smont
Legend
I live in South Eastern CT. The gym is pretty cool. Back in the day, this gym was strictly boxing/MMA. It was a boxing ring, an area with wrestling mats that was about double the size of a boxing ring, and a small weight training area which was literally just random dumbbells and barbells on the floor in the corner. Over the years it's kind of moved away from being a hardcore fighting gym. We still have tons of fighters, but only a few high level. The gym has transitioned more into an athletic center and is very family friendly. And the facility is now massive, you could take everything that was at our old gym and just put it in the weight training area of the new gym, we used to only have four or five heavy bags and we probably have 30 now, we have classes that range from children's intro to boxing to grey dogs 55 years and older to mommy and me which is Mom's and their young children (believe it or not there's probably 30 women in that class lol) I didn't think that one would be a huge success and it was, classes for Parkinson's disease and neurological problems are big there as well.
What I'm getting at in all of this, is while I'm sad we don't have our little hardcore fighting gym like we used to, we still have fighters and now the gym has an opportunity to cater to such a wide variety of people.
And a lot of our events are also fundraisers that give back to youth sports. We even modify the rules of some of our strength competitions to get more people interested in doing it.
Smont
Legend
I thought it was going to be the most disgusting thing I've ever ate in my life, one day A buddy of mine was late come on let's just go have some sushi and I'm like nah man I don't do sushi lol. So I ended up trying a piece and I was completely shocked how it had no seafood taste at all. I actually hate cooked fish. I can eat a piece of cod or salmon or whatever it may be and tell that it was seasoned well and cooked properly but it's just not my thing. I'd rather go for a steak, but sushi is one of my many weakness lol. Steak + sushi is my favorite meal.
On that note, my girl made some **** last night that was holy moly good, I told her I can eat whatever whenever for the next 4-6weeks so have at it.
This is a chicken breast stuffed with a bunch of cheeses, spinach, portobello, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted peppers.
Then she made me cookies lol.
gphagan1
Legend
Looks like she did a good job…that looks delicious.
Smont
Legend
She's been doing lots of good jobs latelyLooks like she did a good job…that looks delicious.
Dustin07
Legend
when people tell me they can't eat food, I refer to my prior motto: "well, I guess you'll die"
One of my best buddies says the same thing. he wants to like seafood but can't do it. I'm like maybe darwin was right, idk.
I think I could live the rest of my life on seafood if allowed lol
sammpedd88
Well-known member
Another words, she’s been a great service provider lately!She's been doing lots of good jobs lately
Smont
Legend
Absolutely, she's on a role. I jokingly emailed her today to tell her that she has a stellar 9.1/10 satisfaction rating at the moment and now would be a good time to apply for upper management. There's a opening in the fluffer department that could quickly progress into headmistress or Head-mistress lol
Smont
Legend
Random warm ups for about 10min, three sets on the Nautilus neck machine, three sets of box jumps and battle ropes, three sets of push/pull on the sled with a rope.
Weighted chins superset with behind the neck pull down +25x6 and 110x6 for 5 sets
RDL-135,225,275,325x6
Chest supported row-50x10, 70x20,14
Standing low cable row- 150x10,10,10
Stretching and mobility stuff
Weighted chins superset with behind the neck pull down +25x6 and 110x6 for 5 sets
RDL-135,225,275,325x6
Chest supported row-50x10, 70x20,14
Standing low cable row- 150x10,10,10
Stretching and mobility stuff
I must be recomping though because out of nowhere I feel like I went from looking bloated to more defined again and it doesn't make any sense at all 
akboom87
Well-known member
Because you on the bulk she going to be adding heavy cream to everything to get you bigger
Hyde
Legend
Yeah that Smont, I’m always thinking how bloated he looks in his pics 
Sounds like he’s been adding heavy cream to everything for her!Because you on the bulk she going to be adding heavy cream to everything to get you bigger
PolishHamm3r77
Well-known member
If that is bloated, I aspire to bloat!!!Yeah that Smont, I’m always thinking how bloated he looks in his pics
Sounds like he’s been adding heavy cream to everything for her!
jfigliuolo
Member
Jesus... he's a fucking pig 
Smont
Legend
Yeah that Smont, I’m always thinking how bloated he looks in his pics
Sounds like he’s been adding heavy cream to everything for her!
Smont
Legend
Jesus... he's a fucking pig
I wasn't saying im bloated in that picture, I was saying that for the past week or so I felt like that and then all the sudden I seem leaner again. These are small details that only I would notice for the most part. I'm just trying to make sense of the slow to stagnant weight gains. Or how my weight is barely creeping up right now but I'm making gym progress/strength gainsjfigliuolo
Member
Yeah... I understood that. Really just having fun. I would imagine though when you feel bloated 99% of the world would look at you and say "Damn I'd like to look that good" really a compliment in a roundabout way.
Dustin07
Legend
your text thread must look identical to the one I have going with my wife. Never ever give them the full 10/10.
one time my wife handed her phone to her boss because they were doing a facetime with a client and had like 3 computers going at once all face timed and I started blowing up here text
. Her co-worker texted me "she needs you to pause the texts for a moment cause they are popping up on her meeting!!!"
gphagan1
Legend
Good thing you didn’t send a D*ck pic and say….look what’s waiting for you when you get home baby.your text thread must look identical to the one I have going with my wife. Never ever give them the full 10/10.
one time my wife handed her phone to her boss because they were doing a facetime with a client and had like 3 computers going at once all face timed and I started blowing up here text
Dustin07
Legend
Probably wasn't far off !!Good thing you didn’t send a D*ck pic and say….look what’s waiting for you when you get home baby.
Smont
Legend
Oh my Godyour text thread must look identical to the one I have going with my wife. Never ever give them the full 10/10.
one time my wife handed her phone to her boss because they were doing a facetime with a client and had like 3 computers going at once all face timed and I started blowing up here text
, I often send the emojis now but no pics lol, I stopped doing stuff like that when the kids were little because I was always afraid I'd do it one day and the kids would be on the phone watching YouTube or playing a game lol. When we were kids, "kids" I was probably 22 or 23 and she was 19 or 20. I sent her one and the message I get back is....."Very nice!" Tracy is outside, should I go get her or erase the picture and we sweep it under the rug!?
It was her mom
