Hyde’s Strength Odyssey

11/17/25
BW 245.2 yesterday

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Copenhagen Planks
Ab Wheel
Band Shoulder Warmup
Split Squats

Squat, rackable camber bar
85,175x5
265x3
315x1
+belt
355,405,425,450x1

RDLs
45,135x10
225,275x3
325,345x10

Wide NG Lat Pulldowns
60,90x30
120,130x20

Max effort lower went really well. Definitely not actually maximal, but 15 more lbs over last week’s squat single and once again knee was very happy in flats. Just slowly raising weights to keep reaclimating to greater intensity. Also first day back at RDLs, so hedged my bets on weights & RPE - but this was still quality exposure with no lat issues. Flushed them out after with 100 light reps.
That’s some good total weight volume in squats and RDLs…..and finishing with 450x1…”Skrong”. Looks like everything is coming along really good on lower.💪
 
11/17/25
BW 245.2 yesterday

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Copenhagen Planks
Ab Wheel
Band Shoulder Warmup
Split Squats

Squat, rackable camber bar
85,175x5
265x3
315x1
+belt
355,405,425,450x1

RDLs
45,135x10
225,275x3
325,345x10

Wide NG Lat Pulldowns
60,90x30
120,130x20

Max effort lower went really well. Definitely not actually maximal, but 15 more lbs over last week’s squat single and once again knee was very happy in flats. Just slowly raising weights to keep reaclimating to greater intensity. Also first day back at RDLs, so hedged my bets on weights & RPE - but this was still quality exposure with no lat issues. Flushed them out after with 100 light reps.
That’s a awesome session and glad it felt great!
 
11/18/25

Nautilus Legpress
+90,270,450,540,630,720,810x12

Nautilus Glute Drive
270 2x15

Standing Calf Raise
70,80x10
90x8
30 sec stretch

Got to slip out to the commercial gym while my son was napping for a quick extra workout. Legs felt fresh since volume was so low in yesterday’s ME session. 5x12 up to 910lbs & knees felt good even in heels.

When I finished, a woman asked if I was all done. When I told her yes, she replied, “Your legs are strong as f*ck!” 😝
 
11/19/25

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Side Plank Activations
Band Shoulder Warmup

Comp Bench w/ Mono Jcups
45x10
95x5
vs doubled Light bands
45,95x3
115,135,165,185,205x1

Comp Bench w/ Mono Jcups
135,185,205,225,235x10
245,255x6

Band Pullaparts
Monstermini 4x25

Cable Tri Pressdown
50x40,30,30

For anyone who has never tried it, doubled Light bands is a ‘holy crap’ level of tension. I could not find any numbers from Elite on theirs, beyond their minis doubled are ~88lbs, but Westside says their Lights doubled on bench are 150-180lbs at top depending on width of grip/arm length. Which jives with how this felt. Just the empty bar against them immediately forced my game face on.

Shoulder doing a lot better today, and I advanced the followup bench volume work from 10,000lbs last week to 11,500 this week.
 
1/21/25
BW 247.2 postWO

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Copenhagen Planks
Ab Wheel
Split Squats
Glute Bridges

SSB Squat
65x5
vs Light Bands
65,65,155,245x3
+belt
300 3x5
320x3
345x2

Deadlift, powerbar
154x5
220,264,309x3
+belt
352,374,396x3

Some darn fine powerlifting practice this morning. Tough to get out of bed with the cold this morning, and I didn’t keep pace in my training to make up any time, so no accessories. Still, quality work done well: first session where I haven’t felt the lat at all, even around 400lbs. Might choose a lighter pull variation for ME work Friday.
 
Nice sessions there and good news on the lat! Man I feel ya on the doubled light bands lol. Almost lost my wrists and dumped the bar one time, almost.
 
that's great news about the lat!
I'm finding the cold and dark is still taking a bit of a toll as well but getting better. it's funny to me how much momentum I had going into NYE and then once Jan 1 hit I feel apart a bit while everyone else in the world is getting their 1 month of the year done now. lol
 
that's great news about the lat!
I'm finding the cold and dark is still taking a bit of a toll as well but getting better. it's funny to me how much momentum I had going into NYE and then once Jan 1 hit I feel apart a bit while everyone else in the world is getting their 1 month of the year done now. lol
Hey you got some good training in today; it’s rolling now. The last 3 weeks for me have really just been trying to get things going back in the right direction with my lat & the unstable shoulder that caused it to pull.
 
Today is day 18 since I’ve stopped the 500 test e/wk. Based on steroidplotter, my approximate total test levels should have dropped down to ~550-650ng/dl & dropping 100+/day now going forward.

I feel pretty darn solid, and want to keep it that way, so I’m starting 51mg 3x/wk today - which should keep me somewhere in that ~800-950ng/dl range most of the time.
 
1/22/25

5 min Walk
Band Shoulder warmup

Dynamic Bench, powerbar
45x10,8,3
95,145x5
195 9x3

NG Incline DB Press
50,55,60x30

HS CSR
90x15
180 4x15

ss w/ DB Skullcrushers
30 3x20

DB Hammercurls
30 3x12

alt w/ Seated DB Rear Delt Flyes
35 2x12

By the time I got to the gym after work yesterday, I was in a bad mood with zero motivation to train. Put on some heavy music, leaned into the emotions, and ended up with very productive training at least. Shoulder has definitely improved some from last week (which was awful).
 
By the time I got to the gym after work yesterday, I was in a bad mood with zero motivation to train. Put on some heavy music, leaned into the emotions, and ended up with very productive training at least. Shoulder has definitely improved some from last week (which was awful).

good job getting it in. I always feel like walking in the front door is the hardest part. you do that, you're 90% of the way to a good session.
 
good job getting it in. I always feel like walking in the front door is the hardest part. you do that, you're 90% of the way to a good session.
This is a fact, getting there is the biggest part.
 
1/24/25
BW 246.2 yesterday

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Copenhagen Planks
Ab Wheel
Glute Bridges

2.25” Deficit Deadlift, powerbar
45,135x10 RDL
225x5
315x3
+belt
365,405,435x2
455x1

Deadlift, powerbar
475,500x1

Cable NG RDL on Beltsquat
90,180x10
250x8,12

Beltsquat to 15” box
200,220,240,260x13

20” Box Stepups
BW 2x15/leg

Plate-loaded Lying Leg Curl
90x15
115x10

Deficit pulls were feeling stronger every rep, so after 455 I said screw it and took the mats out. Sometimes you just know you’ve got it. Been a long road back just to 500 after hurting my back 10 months ago, but this pull was fast & painless - and I had more left in the tank too.

A great moment on the journey, indeed.
 
1/26/25

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Side Plank Activations
Glute Bridges
Ab Wheel
Band Shoulder Warmup

Comp Bench w/ Mono Jcups
45x10,6
135x5
185,225,255,280,300,315x3
225 4x13

Band Pullaparts
Mini 3x35

Cable Tri Pressdown
50 4x25

Triples up to a max on comp bench, then 52 more reps with 225. About 16,000lbs of volume over 65% of 1RM, so I’m feeling it. Starting to turn bench back around!
 
1/26/25

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Side Plank Activations
Glute Bridges
Ab Wheel
Band Shoulder Warmup

Comp Bench w/ Mono Jcups
45x10,6
135x5
185,225,255,280,300,315x3
225 4x13

Band Pullaparts
Mini 3x35

Cable Tri Pressdown
50 4x25

Triples up to a max on comp bench, then 52 more reps with 225. About 16,000lbs of volume over 65% of 1RM, so I’m feeling it. Starting to turn bench back around!
So it looks like it took a full month for you’re strength to return after the injury?
 
So it looks like it took a full month for you’re strength to return after the injury?
Are you talking about my shoulder pain/instability I assume (since you quoted the bench training)?

If so, there wasn’t a defining moment where something got hurt, but after a couple weeks of incline DB press it seemed that’s when my shoulder woes began. Right around end of November, early December. I went from 295x8 down to 5 reps, then 4, then forget about it.

I’ve been doing frequent arm circles and then circumduction with a light db multiple times per day for bloodflow, some stretches to keep better flexibility to take pressure off, avoiding any consequential self liftoffs and using the mono jcups when solo, and using the SSB or camber bar on squat days to keep stress off. And things have been improving for sure.
 
1/28/25
BW 246.0 yesterday

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Side Plank Activations
Ab Wheel
Glute Bridges
Band Shoulder Warmup

14” Boxsquat, squatbar
55x5,3,3
145,235,285,325x3
+belt
375,405,425,445,465x3

Hacksquat
90,180,270x12

Squats went well. First time on a squatbar in a long time, & it went well. Felt terrible like always, but the weight moves better for it with the lower bar position. Shoulder also took it very well, most importantly. Knee was fine too.
 
Nice workout….getting back to normal with those sets of 3s especially that 465x3, and finishing on the Hacksquat. That made my quads tired just reading that.💪😎👍
 
1/29/25

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Band Shoulder Warmup

Dynamic Bench, powerbar
45x10,5
vs doubled minibands
45,95x5
135x3
170 5x3, 2x5

SSB JM Press
65x15
115,135,155,155x10

Widegrip Lat Pulldowns
60,100x10
130x15
140 3x12

ss w/ DB Lateral Raise
20x20
25x15

DB Rear Delt Flyes
30 2x12

DB Hammercurls
30x15

Short on time last night; in & out under 65 minutes total. Also began a new speed bench wave, using similar straight weight to 3 weeks ago but now ~85lbs of band tension additionally, which the shoulder tolerated well. Really happy with both of those things. Pretty serious pump by the end; it’s crazy what very short rests can do.
 
1/31/25
BW 246.0 yesterday

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Copenhagen Planks
Ab Wheel
Glute Bridges

Deadlift, powerbar
154,220x5
264,308x3
+belt
330,352,374,400x3

Transformer Bar GM
145 4x15

Plate-loaded Lying Leg Curl
45 2x25

Ab Wheel
1x10 (pre-deadlift)
2x15

Just didn’t have it today; no energy & no drive, only snot. But I pulled a recent best last Friday, then added 12.5mg ephedrine & a cup of hot coffee to my preWO on Tuesday to bandaid this cold I’ve got & squatted heavy anyway.

So today was time to pay the piper, embrace the fatigue debt, and only took what little was there.
 
1/31/25
BW 246.0 yesterday

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Copenhagen Planks
Ab Wheel
Glute Bridges

Deadlift, powerbar
154,220x5
264,308x3
+belt
330,352,374,400x3

Transformer Bar GM
145 4x15

Plate-loaded Lying Leg Curl
45 2x25

Ab Wheel
1x10 (pre-deadlift)
2x15

Just didn’t have it today; no energy & no drive, only snot. But I pulled a recent best last Friday, then added 12.5mg ephedrine & a cup of hot coffee to my preWO on Tuesday to bandaid this cold I’ve got & squatted heavy anyway.

So today was time to pay the piper, embrace the fatigue debt, and only took what little was there.
Still a good workout….man I wish I pulled 400x3 on the days I don’t have it…skrong.💪😎👍
 
2/1/25

Lat Pulldowns
88,110,121x6
143,165x12
187x10
209x8

Plate-loaded CSR
90x10
180 4x10

BB Shrugs
135,225,315x5
+straps
405 2x15

Standing Calves
110x8,10,8
30-sec stretch

Standing Cable Abs
warmups
66 2x12


2/2/25

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camels
Band Shoulder Warmup
Bird Dogs
Side Plank Activations

Bench, power bar
45x15
vs 4 chains (~75lbs)
45x5
vs 8 chains (~150lbs)
95x5
135x3
185,215x1

Had a good quick extra accessory session yesterday afternoon. First time shrugging 4 plates in a long time. They were sore today!

I think all the chain on max effort bench this morning made stabilization a little tricky today, and 215 felt a little squirrelly despite not being maximal. Loaded up 225 but my shoulder then wasn’t feeling ideal and when I lowered it down my subconscious just immediately gave up, didn’t even try to push it off my chest.

Really had no energy or drive to continue after that. Everything achey from this cold so I just packed it up. I’m whipped.
 
That’s some serious shrugs….gives you those traps like a Grizzly Bear. Hope you get rid of that cold, but good job pushing through on bench.👍
 
2/1/25

Lat Pulldowns
88,110,121x6
143,165x12
187x10
209x8

Plate-loaded CSR
90x10
180 4x10

BB Shrugs
135,225,315x5
+straps
405 2x15

Standing Calves
110x8,10,8
30-sec stretch

Standing Cable Abs
warmups
66 2x12


2/2/25

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camels
Band Shoulder Warmup
Bird Dogs
Side Plank Activations

Bench, power bar
45x15
vs 4 chains (~75lbs)
45x5
vs 8 chains (~150lbs)
95x5
135x3
185,215x1

Had a good quick extra accessory session yesterday afternoon. First time shrugging 4 plates in a long time. They were sore today!

I think all the chain on max effort bench this morning made stabilization a little tricky today, and 215 felt a little squirrelly despite not being maximal. Loaded up 225 but my shoulder then wasn’t feeling ideal and when I lowered it down my subconscious just immediately gave up, didn’t even try to push it off my chest.

Really had no energy or drive to continue after that. Everything achey from this cold so I just packed it up. I’m whipped.
Awesome session! I shrugged 185 today and was on fire can’t imagine 4 pps !!
 
2/4/25
BW 244.0 yesterday

5 min Assault Bike
Band Shoulder warmup
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Copenhagen Planks
Ab Wheel
Glute Bridges
Split Squat

14” Boxsquat, SSB
65x5
vs light bands
65,155,245x3
295 4x5

18” Boxsquat, SSB
335x3
385,435,475,505x1

Sumo Deadlift, powerbar
154x5
224,314x3
+belt
374 3x3
414,434x1

RFE Split Squat
BW 2x10 (pre-squat)
+30,40x10

Ab Wheel
1x10 (pre-squat
2x16

Good training day; got some squatting in, a bit of partial ROM load exposure, some sumo pulls for the first time in eons. Which all felt great until 434, which I admittedly pulled immediately after 414 so the guy I worked in with could drop the bar weight back down. Wanted to train my lower body power while hopefully not undermining heavier work this Friday and next Tuesday.
 
2/4/25
BW 244.0 yesterday

5 min Assault Bike
Band Shoulder warmup
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Copenhagen Planks
Ab Wheel
Glute Bridges
Split Squat

14” Boxsquat, SSB
65x5
vs light bands
65,155,245x3
295 4x5

18” Boxsquat, SSB
335x3
385,435,475,505x1

Sumo Deadlift, powerbar
154x5
224,314x3
+belt
374 3x3
414,434x1

RFE Split Squat
BW 2x10 (pre-squat)
+30,40x10

Ab Wheel
1x10 (pre-squat
2x16

Good training day; got some squatting in, a bit of partial ROM load exposure, some sumo pulls for the first time in eons. Which all felt great until 434, which I admittedly pulled immediately after 414 so the guy I worked in with could drop the bar weight back down. Wanted to train my lower body power while hopefully not undermining heavier work this Friday and next Tuesday.
Awesome looking session 505 for the top set ! 💪🏻💪🏻
 
2/4/25
BW 244.0 yesterday

5 min Assault Bike
Band Shoulder warmup
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Copenhagen Planks
Ab Wheel
Glute Bridges
Split Squat

14” Boxsquat, SSB
65x5
vs light bands
65,155,245x3
295 4x5

18” Boxsquat, SSB
335x3
385,435,475,505x1

Sumo Deadlift, powerbar
154x5
224,314x3
+belt
374 3x3
414,434x1

RFE Split Squat
BW 2x10 (pre-squat)
+30,40x10

Ab Wheel
1x10 (pre-squat
2x16

Good training day; got some squatting in, a bit of partial ROM load exposure, some sumo pulls for the first time in eons. Which all felt great until 434, which I admittedly pulled immediately after 414 so the guy I worked in with could drop the bar weight back down. Wanted to train my lower body power while hopefully not undermining heavier work this Friday and next Tuesday.
That’s a good workout….interested to see your “Heavier” workout on Friday.💪🏆
 
Solid work!!!!
 
2/5/24

Move junk in the garage
Band Shoulder Warmup

Dynamic Bench, powerbar
45x15,8
vs doubled minibands
45,95,135x5
185 4x5

SSB JM Press
65,115x10
165 3x8

High Incline Rack Overhead Tri Lockouts
95,115x8
135x6,4

Seated Swissbar French Press
45,65x12
85x10,10,12

ss w/ Seated DB Rear Delt Flyes
30 3x10

Swissbar Hammercurls
65 2x12

Started freezing rain as I was going out to my car after work to head to the gym, so I bundled up in extra sweats, put some gardening gloves on & lifted in the unheated garage. Just kept it moving, kept my hood up, and it went pretty good.

Experimented with some heavy & light overhead tricep movements after JMs, which actually seemed really effective without beating up my elbows the way lying extensions do. You can use some serious poundage on the rack lockouts - 80* incline, barbell on pins above forehead level behind the head. This is something Pat Casey used to do, and I see why. He would do 225 for 6x7 back when he was the first man to bench 600.
 
2/7/25

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Copenhagen Planks

GHR Sit-ups ss w/ Reverse Hyper
BW/180 2x10 each

7.5” Blockpull, powerbar (~1.5” below knee)
45x10
135,225x5
315x3
365x1
+belt & straps
415,465,515,545x1

BB RDLs
225x6
315x3
365x8
385x12

Wide NG Pulldowns
100,120,140,160x15
180x10

Reverse Hyper
180x20

HS CSR
230 4x10

Really good morning. I’m not particularly strong from blocks because I use a lot of leg drive in my deadlift, so anything over 500 was my goal today. Felt like I could have pulled one more at 565, but trying to keep some in the pocket & just focus on continual progress safely. 385x12 was great on RDLs, and I can definitely go up next time. Moving back in the right direction!
 
2/5/24

Move junk in the garage
Band Shoulder Warmup

Dynamic Bench, powerbar
45x15,8
vs doubled minibands
45,95,135x5
185 4x5

SSB JM Press
65,115x10
165 3x8

High Incline Rack Overhead Tri Lockouts
95,115x8
135x6,4

Seated Swissbar French Press
45,65x12
85x10,10,12

ss w/ Seated DB Rear Delt Flyes
30 3x10

Swissbar Hammercurls
65 2x12

Started freezing rain as I was going out to my car after work to head to the gym, so I bundled up in extra sweats, put some gardening gloves on & lifted in the unheated garage. Just kept it moving, kept my hood up, and it went pretty good.

Experimented with some heavy & light overhead tricep movements after JMs, which actually seemed really effective without beating up my elbows the way lying extensions do. You can use some serious poundage on the rack lockouts - 80* incline, barbell on pins above forehead level behind the head. This is something Pat Casey used to do, and I see why. He would do 225 for 6x7 back when he was the first man to bench 600.
That’s a sick variation!
 
2/9/25
BW 246.2

Lower Mashing
Bird Dogs
Split Squats
Hip Stretches

6 min Walk
Band Shoulder warmup
Side Plank Activations

Floorpress, powerbar
45x10,5
95,145,185x5
225,255,275,295,305x1

Bench, powerbar
135,205,235,255,265,270,275,280x5
225x13
205x15

EZBar Preacher Curls
40x10,8,8

Bar Cable Tri-Pressdown
44,66,88x8
110 3x8

Floorpress did not feel good; couldn’t get my body to stop trying to favor the shoulder so a buddy advised me to cut it early. Then moved to the actual benchpress after, and I was able to quickly get into a groove with things feeling better each set. Felt like I could have exceeded 280x5 even! So I managed to finally have a decent bench day overall.
 
That ended up being a really good bench session….lots of volume with all those sets of 5s and then finishing with two high rep sets. I like that workout.👍
 
2/11/25
BW 246.0 yesterday

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Copenhagen Planks

Reverse Hypers ss w/ Ab Wheel
180/BW 2x15 each

Glute Bridges
Band Shoulder Warmup
Split Squats

Squat, Duffalobar
55,145x5
235,285x3
325x2
+belt
375,415,445,475,495x1

SSB, heels
155,245x3
+belt
315,335,355x5

RFE Split Squats
+35 2x12

Reverse Hypers
270 2x10

ss w/ GHR Sit-ups
BW 2x12

Beltsquat March
140 2x60 sec

This was a great day of training! Woke up energized to my first alarm & arrived early, we’ve got some new blood in the gym adding more energy, and I’m proud of my performance & accessories accomplished today. Hitting an easy 495 squat pain-free, with more in the tank, was an important milestone. I did this in my Bearfoot flats.

The lifters just put too much pressure on my knees, but I don’t need that extra quad emphasis when I squat heavy. So flats will continue to be used for all my heavy or boxsquat work, and the heels will just be for various accessories when I want that focus, or perhaps lighter squat volume.
 
2/11/25
BW 246.0 yesterday

5 min Assault Bike
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Copenhagen Planks

Reverse Hypers ss w/ Ab Wheel
180/BW 2x15 each

Glute Bridges
Band Shoulder Warmup
Split Squats

Squat, Duffalobar
55,145x5
235,285x3
325x2
+belt
375,415,445,475,495x1

SSB, heels
155,245x3
+belt
315,335,355x5

RFE Split Squats
+35 2x12

Reverse Hypers
270 2x10

ss w/ GHR Sit-ups
BW 2x12

Beltsquat March
140 2x60 sec

This was a great day of training! Woke up energized to my first alarm & arrived early, we’ve got some new blood in the gym adding more energy, and I’m proud of my performance & accessories accomplished today. Hitting an easy 495 squat pain-free, with more in the tank, was an important milestone. I did this in my Bearfoot flats.

The lifters just put too much pressure on my knees, but I don’t need that extra quad emphasis when I squat heavy. So flats will continue to be used for all my heavy or boxsquat work, and the heels will just be for various accessories when I want that focus, or perhaps lighter squat volume.
Whew that is an awesome day of training!
 
I love how you stopped at 495 instead of just taking 500 or 505 what a tease. reminds me of a high school girlfriend.
Don’t need to do it to know I own it. Just need to keep conditioning my body to handle greater intensity progressively & methodically.

I don’t want 500; I want it all!
 
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