Slicin' and Dicin'

I will add. I grossly underestimated how happy I would be with this. If I had done it over again I would have made my house smaller and done some sort of barnominium off to the side . I’m basically taking up 2.5 of 4 garage bays with equipment and don’t have much if any more room for additional unless I never want to be able to put cars in the garage . This basically means no more machines that aren’t rack mountable but honestly very little bang for your buck with those in a garage gym. If I ever found some bottom dollar HS stuff I would have to play some Tetris or just let my vehicle get hail damaged lol.

If I were to do it over again though I would move my office/ trophy room outside to barndo, and make a dedicated larger space for a gym, astroturf most of it unless I wanted to leave a small pickleball and 1/3 court BB court for the kids and make current garage smaller. Maybe axe the upstairs guest bedroom too and move it out there. I think it would have came out a wash on cost for a better gym and more dedicated hang out space when the kids get older. Wife might be passively more mad at me when she can’t just open the door to the garage and have me between sets take the trash out or help with the kids though

^look up barndobro on Instagram and check out that gym. If I had seen that before building my house I would have shot for something similar
 
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Dustin07 said:
thats a $1.5m setup where I live, not including land or house lol
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Pnw prices…. I feel like it could be done for 0.5 where I live !

That is an extreme version of course but you could do a basic 2 car garage on a slab with 1-2 big roll up glass doors. Spray foam the inside. Carpet turf over the slab with a couple of lifting platforms . Throw a couple of window units in it and some sort of heat and have your own lifting paradise !
 
Rockslide said:
Pnw prices…. I feel like it could be done for 0.5 where I live
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its so hard to say. our deck was about 25+ years old and every year I was spending money to repair it, replace rotted planks etc and we finally decided to just man up and replace the whole thing cause joists etc were going. I think it was about $30k all said and done and we jumped on it cause everyone else was being quoted double. (he also did a tremendous job and finished in like 10 days, working from before sunrise to after nightfall in rain and snow in feb). people out here are paying easily $25-40 to have their houses painted now. I've seen fences quoted for $20-30k. My wife asked if I wanted to hire someone to fence in that one acre we cleared... thats 200' x 200'. i said babe, that's $30k. We somehow became San Francisco over the course of about the last 10 years. I pay $6/gallon for gas and see the rest of the nation complaining about $4 and "almost $5" lol.

we are fortunate for lower property taxes, but we make up the gap by inflating the sell price of the house. so a house in Texas that's $500k might be $1.5m here, but both will have the same monthly payment in the end.
 
Things were really different only 5-6 years ago. When my wife and I got married and bought a boat together in 2020 I was feeling good about it with gas being under $2/gallon and moorage being about $200/month for a nice covered slip. I think we sold the boat last summer?? or summer before. I can't even remember now lol, but gas was over $6, and they we raising the marina slip to like $450. I was like nope. I'm not paying $450/month + $6/gallon to spend 250 gallons on an annual trip. just fly to mexico for less than that and not have to stress over maintaining a sinkable depreciating asset lol.

things changed fast though. My buddy's boat has been for sale since last Nov and all the sudden instead of waiting lists to get into marinas I'm seeing empty slips again everywhere.
 
Rockslide said:
I will add. I grossly underestimated how happy I would be with this. If I had done it over again I would have made my house smaller and done some sort of barnominium off to the side . I’m basically taking up 2.5 of 4 garage bays with equipment and don’t have much if any more room for additional unless I never want to be able to put cars in the garage . This basically means no more machines that aren’t rack mountable but honestly very little bang for your buck with those in a garage gym. If I ever found some bottom dollar HS stuff I would have to play some Tetris or just let my vehicle get hail damaged lol.

If I were to do it over again though I would move my office/ trophy room outside to barndo, and make a dedicated larger space for a gym, astroturf most of it unless I wanted to leave a small pickleball and 1/3 court BB court for the kids and make current garage smaller. Maybe axe the upstairs guest bedroom too and move it out there. I think it would have came out a wash on cost for a better gym and more dedicated hang out space when the kids get older. Wife might be passively more mad at me when she can’t just open the door to the garage and have me between sets take the trash out or help with the kids though

^look up barndobro on Instagram and check out that gym. If I had seen that before building my house I would have shot for something similar
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That guy has a pretty sweet man cave set up! I don't personally get the astroturf in a gym, but maybe if I were an athlete (eg, football player, etc.)? But very cool to be able to also open up those barn doors on track hinges (like a garage) to be able to get the fresh air and view when it's nice out!
 
Today it was sorta funny, I woke up feeling pretty good with no aches or pains, which is incredibly unusual. feet feel good, knees feel good. I think this mon/tues (rest weds) thurs/fri routine has been pretty good to me for hard work and that mid week recovery. Just pressing today so the real hard stuff is tomorrow.

Segansational said:
That guy has a pretty sweet man cave set up! I don't personally get the astroturf in a gym, but maybe if I were an athlete (eg, football player, etc.)? But very cool to be able to also open up those barn doors on track hinges (like a garage) to be able to get the fresh air and view when it's nice out!
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Yeah my wife and I have talked about something like that. even if it was an oversized shed big enough for one power rack + maybe a cardio item or two and a roll up door on each side would be cool. If I ever built a garage large enough I could see doing the whole thing in stall mats, with wood platforms, and a strip of astroturf for sleds etc. I wouldn't do the whole thing in turf, but occasionally its nice to have in a facility with sleds etc.
 
OHP
5 x 75, 95
3 x 110

5 x 140
3 x 160
4 x 175 (+1 cheater)

Joker
1 x 185, 195
1 x 200 (suicide/open grip)

Push press
3 x 205
1 x 215, 225, 235

BBB
5 x 10 x 115





Notes
Wanted to go for 205 today but was sorta dragging my butt so I was pretty happy to clear 200 again. No idea why an open grip felt like the right move on the top rep.

Took pushpress for singles (added a few lbs) cause I didn't feel like I had reps in me. Still, added weight I actually felt like I could have repped out that 235 for 3+ if energy level was a bit higher.
 
Dustin07 said:
OHP
5 x 75, 95
3 x 110

5 x 140
3 x 160
4 x 175 (+1 cheater)

Joker
1 x 185, 195
1 x 200 (suicide/open grip)

Push press
3 x 205
1 x 215, 225, 235

BBB
5 x 10 x 115





Notes
Wanted to go for 205 today but was sorta dragging my butt so I was pretty happy to clear 200 again. No idea why an open grip felt like the right move on the top rep.

Took pushpress for singles (added a few lbs) cause I didn't feel like I had reps in me. Still, added weight I actually felt like I could have repped out that 235 for 3+ if energy level was a bit higher.
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Great press day….with the weight you are moving on those Jokers and Push Press, I think you could get 205 easily.
 
Deads

5 x 175, 215
3 x 255

5 x 315
3 x 365
7 x 405 (lifetime PR)


Notes

I've had 405 x 6 in my head for 10+ years as a reps PR. Rep 1 was a f'ing 1RM kinda grind. Rep 2 was suddenly easy. All the sudden it was rep 4 and I thought you really gonna stop at 5??? As I'm standing, thinking, holding 405 in my hands almost comically. 6 was end of the road so I did 7 anyways. Not sure how.

Most weights were +5lbs over Rx today cause I hit the shitty gym after work and didn't take my micros. I'm ok with a ln abbreviated session today cause 400 x 1 was Rx for the programming and I was waaaaaaay too cocky on today's session despite being beat up.

This is the last lift of cycle 5 before deload. My body is feeling week 3 work now, all four lifts are flirting. Deadlifts are the furthest away from PRs, everything else is basically training through it.

Off to dinner with my boy.


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I'm 99.9% sure that 405 x 6 was a 2015 PR. So that's an 11 year old accomplishment I just beat.

It doesn't mean my 1rm is bigger or that I'm stronger than the guy next to me, but breaking my own feat of strength from more than a decade ago as I approach my 44th birthday hits me hard. That's a good one.
 
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Dustin07 said:
I'm 99.9% sure that 405 x 6 was a 2015 PR. So that's an 11 year old accomplishment I just beat.

It doesn't mean my 1rm is bigger or that I'm stronger than the guy next to me, but breaking my own fear of strength from more than a decade ago as I approach my 44th birthday hits me hard. That's a good one.
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Yes it really is! Definitely an awesome day for you; be proud.
 
Hyde said:
Yes it really is! Definitely an awesome day for you; be proud.
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That one has my heart all twisted up in knots still. What a weird thing to be so hung up on, "reps" but I walked in feeling like garbage. Ended up going 5lbs heavier than programmed, and when I got into the heat of the moment I know without a shadow of doubt I put everything I had on the platform. 0 RIR.

And really just for the love of the game. Just to beat the weaker version of me.

Week 3 of cycle 5 might be my best lifting week ever. Zero 1RM accomplished but a hell of a lot of effort and output.
 
Dustin07 said:
I'm 99.9% sure that 405 x 6 was a 2015 PR. So that's an 11 year old accomplishment I just beat.

It doesn't mean my 1rm is bigger or that I'm stronger than the guy next to me, but breaking my own feat of strength from more than a decade ago as I approach my 44th birthday hits me hard. That's a good one.
Click to expand...
Congrats man, this is awesome!
 
Dustin07 said:
That one has my heart all twisted up in knots still. What a weird thing to be so hung up on, "reps" but I walked in feeling like garbage. Ended up going 5lbs heavier than programmed, and when I got into the heat of the moment I know without a shadow of doubt I put everything I had on the platform. 0 RIR.

And really just for the love of the game. Just to beat the weaker version of me.

Week 3 of cycle 5 might be my best lifting week ever. Zero 1RM accomplished but a hell of a lot of effort and output.
Click to expand...

I put a lot of stock in rep PRs. They give you something powerful to drive your training, something that gets you fired up to reach for more. If you are doing things you have never done, you are getting better.

When my dad died 3 days before his birthday last November, I took a 5lb PR on my 10-rep powerbar PR for deadlift in his honor on his birthday. Someone may say, why would you care about that? Well I can tell you that specific PR has stood for 9 years, so being strong enough now to break it was huge for me. It was VERY difficult to achieve; sheer will alone allowed me to go the distance.

Strongman Jon Anderson liked to call his training style Deep Water, as in the guiding principle was to venture into territory that forces you to adapt or die. Dan Green squat 600+ for reps on the SSB in the cage this year. He said about it that you should set goals in your training that scare you a bit.
 
Dustin07 said:
That one has my heart all twisted up in knots still. What a weird thing to be so hung up on, "reps" but I walked in feeling like garbage. Ended up going 5lbs heavier than programmed, and when I got into the heat of the moment I know without a shadow of doubt I put everything I had on the platform. 0 RIR.

And really just for the love of the game. Just to beat the weaker version of me.

Week 3 of cycle 5 might be my best lifting week ever. Zero 1RM accomplished but a hell of a lot of effort and output.
Click to expand...

Something about getting into your late 30s or 40s that makes you feel incredibly good when you can hit PRs. Something about defying aging while most of the humans in the country are sitting around waiting to get sick and die is very satisfying
 
Dustin07 said:
That one has my heart all twisted up in knots still. What a weird thing to be so hung up on, "reps" but I walked in feeling like garbage. Ended up going 5lbs heavier than programmed, and when I got into the heat of the moment I know without a shadow of doubt I put everything I had on the platform. 0 RIR.

And really just for the love of the game. Just to beat the weaker version of me.

Week 3 of cycle 5 might be my best lifting week ever. Zero 1RM accomplished but a hell of a lot of effort and output.
Click to expand...
Dude way to break that 11 year PR ! It’s so crazy to me how in the days that can seem like the worst can crank out the best training days, just freaking wild.

Have a great dinner with your boy and enjoy the after glow 😎
 
Dustin07 said:
Deads

5 x 175, 215
3 x 255

5 x 315
3 x 365
7 x 405 (lifetime PR)


Notes

I've had 405 x 6 in my head for 10+ years as a reps PR. Rep 1 was a f'ing 1RM kinda grind. Rep 2 was suddenly easy. All the sudden it was rep 4 and I thought you really gonna stop at 5??? As I'm standing, thinking, holding 405 in my hands almost comically. 6 was end of the road so I did 7 anyways. Not sure how.

Most weights were +5lbs over Rx today cause I hit the shitty gym after work and didn't take my micros. I'm ok with a ln abbreviated session today cause 400 x 1 was Rx for the programming and I was waaaaaaay too cocky on today's session despite being beat up.

This is the last lift of cycle 5 before deload. My body is feeling week 3 work now, all four lifts are flirting. Deadlifts are the furthest away from PRs, everything else is basically training through it.

Off to dinner with my boy.


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Man that is so awesome, and such a huge accomplishment. Some PRs are just bigger and more important, and that was one of them….age is just a number bro. And I love your narration of that set. I could feel the intensity just reading that…that’s one you need background music to match the moment.💪😎👍🏆
 
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I really appreciate the support, compliments encouragement! I think only other gym rats can understand it when you've really put it all out there.

This morning I woke up feeling like I PRd deadlifts, that's for sure. It was supposed to rain today and I was gonna live it up with movies and couch with the wife but the rain hasn't come yet so I'm playing with the old chainsaw.

We aren't sure if this was my wife's grandpas or dad's but we know they stopped making this model around 1995-1997. AI tells me it's a "legendary" one man chainsaw. I had the mechanic do a full tune up and blade sharpening this week and I have to say this is the first saw I have ever liked

I'm taking down a few more trees within my skill zone, removing all limbs, cutting them to matching 10ft logs that I might use later either for fencing or a rustic barn idea I have.


But I think this is enough for today. I'm dropping sweat and my body feels like it's been hit by a train

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This big tree had fallen naturally years ago but since then a couple other big dogs, bout 50ft+ tall and 9-12+" diameter had fallen across it.

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So I spent today cleaning up that mess and got another pile of 10ft logs stacked and delimbed. I'd love to put a small barn with three stalls right where that tree is, but it has a view of the water so my wife is tempted to set up some sort of vrbo glamping site there. I'm not keen on entertaining strangers every weekend for $100 but it would be a place where kids could stay if they visit a week at a time too.


Either way we finally got rain. I cant tell what is sweat and what is rain but my back is tired so I'm gonna be lazy now!!

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@Hyde I thought you had suggestions on taking a heavy single during deload rather than just going through the standard Wendler RX but I can't figure out who's thread we had that discussion in. Its been on my mind a lot lately and with this being deload week I wanted to clear that up.

I keep grabbing different parts of the book you sent me until I can read it through so I'm not fully read up on the 7th week protocol yet, still learning. but I don't think thats what you meant cause that implies 100% of TM right?

I think my TM's have crept too high maybe in some areas, like now the calculator thinks I have a 322bench (nope), and a 305.5 TM. IIRC I started out with a max of like 290 so TM was alike 265 so that has crept up a lot in 5 cycles.

I might be getting close to needing to adjust my TM's back down a bit on all 4 lifts. not sure...
 
long story short I was thinking a nice clean 275lb bench comp style for a single made a lot more sense than going for a TM single since that would technically be a PR and seems like way overreaching and in that scenario, it implies to me that my TM is now too high...
 
My Cycle 1 1RM numbers were
Dead 425
Bench 295
Squat 315
OHP 185

those were legit numbers not guess or calculators. As I get into week 6 it projects:
Dead 480
Bench 350 (LOL)
Squat 394 (not yet)
OHP 212 (close, but probably 206)

I am thinking I should adjust my numbers down some. I popped my stuff into AI and it recommends

Dead 385
Bench 265
Squat 305
OHP 155

all of which are smaller than my original first cycle so that seems a bit light as well. I'm ok with 2 steps forward 1 step back to keep the momentum but it seems I'm stuck between over reaching and going backwards too far with these two options.
 
Dustin07 said:
My Cycle 1 1RM numbers were
Dead 425
Bench 295
Squat 315
OHP 185

those were legit numbers not guess or calculators. As I get into week 6 it projects:
Dead 480
Bench 350 (LOL)
Squat 394 (not yet)
OHP 212 (close, but probably 206)

I am thinking I should adjust my numbers down some. I popped my stuff into AI and it recommends

Dead 385
Bench 265
Squat 305
OHP 155

all of which are smaller than my original first cycle so that seems a bit light as well. I'm ok with 2 steps forward 1 step back to keep the momentum but it seems I'm stuck between over reaching and going backwards too far with these two options.
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Yeah that seems way too big of jumps for week 6. AI projects seem to low. What is the recommendation on 5/3/1 when you are close to absolute max?
 
akboom87 said:
Yeah that seems way too big of jumps for week 6. AI projects seem to low. What is the recommendation on 5/3/1 when you are close to absolute max?
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so this would be more like week 20-24 (I just finished week 3 of cycle 5, each cycle is 4 weeks... 3 training + 1 deload).

if I go on into cycle 6 (month 6) and am unable to hit my prescribed/programmed numbers I'd have to immediately recalculate to go backwards at least 10% on TM, 2-3 months.

if I go back to cycle 4, the week 3 amraps would be:

deadlift 390
bench 280
squat 320
OHP 170

Cycle 3, the week 3 amraps were:
deadlift 380
bench 270
squat 285
OHP 170.

so I can see some benefit to this level of taking a step back. although at the moment inclined to give cycle 6 a try.

deadlift 410
bench 300
squat 335
OHP 180

actually, technically I know i can hit all of those for a single next month. thats definitely not an issue. they should be amraps of 2-3+ though.

Here's what I think I will be able to do if I keep things as they are:

deadlift 410 x 5 or 6
bench 300 x 1 or 2
squat 335 x 4 or 6
OHP 180 x 3, maybe 4 or 5

So I am thinking I'm getting close to where TM for bench needs to be recalibarted down, OHP too probably.
 
Dustin07 said:
so this would be more like week 20-24 (I just finished week 3 of cycle 5, each cycle is 4 weeks... 3 training + 1 deload).

if I go on into cycle 6 (month 6) and am unable to hit my prescribed/programmed numbers I'd have to immediately recalculate to go backwards at least 10% on TM, 2-3 months.

if I go back to cycle 4, the week 3 amraps would be:

deadlift 390
bench 280
squat 320
OHP 170

Cycle 3, the week 3 amraps were:
deadlift 380
bench 270
squat 285
OHP 170.

so I can see some benefit to this level of taking a step back. although at the moment inclined to give cycle 6 a try.

deadlift 410
bench 300
squat 335
OHP 180

actually, technically I know i can hit all of those for a single next month. thats definitely not an issue. they should be amraps of 2-3+ though.

Here's what I think I will be able to do if I keep things as they are:

deadlift 410 x 5 or 6
bench 300 x 1 or 2
squat 335 x 4 or 6
OHP 180 x 3, maybe 4 or 5

So I am thinking I'm getting close to where TM for bench needs to be recalibarted down, OHP too probably.
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That makes more sense now.

Agree on the last block
410
300
335
180

Then from there if you have to cut back bench and OHP then ramp back up.

Definitely making huge progress man!
 
Incline LISS
20 min

Bench
15 x bar
5 x 135
3 x 185, 215
1 x 245
1 x 275 paused 2 count


Notes
Upside to this approach is everything was taken with extreme confidence and I was really looking forward to today's super lazy session.
 
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