That’s awesome……great narrative too Hyde. Seeing the sandbag carry and how many women couldn’t finish, I couldn’t help but think of when you were telling us about how much she could do in training and how intense she pushed herself. That’s where that grind comes from, to push beyond the burn, even in training when it doesn’t seem to count, but a Champion knows it all counts and that Champions are made in training, that’s what separates them from all the rest.![]()
those events seem like they'd be so hard to train for as well. I'd have to build an entirely new gym just to prep for those events. super cool, and considering her body weight she's stronger than most of us !!
That competition gave you that fever to get back at it……upping the weight and already hitting a PR.10/17/22 - Evening Session
BW 251.8
12 min walk
Bird Dogs
Side Planks
Manta Ray 12” Boxsquat
45,135x5
225x3
315x1
+gateway 1-ply briefs
365x1
+belt
405,435,460,475x1 PR
Conventional, stiffbar, briefs
135x5
225x3
315 6x3 EMOM
365 2x2
415x2
+belt
465x2
10/18/22 - AM Session, 12 hours later
10 min walk
Lying Leg Curl
55x17
88,118,148x12
178x9+4+4 rest pause
ss w/ Standing Calf Raises
BW 2x25
Legpress Machine
220,300,380x25
Leg Extension
45,85,125,165,205x15
Hanging Leg Raise
2x10
Back-supported Leg Raise
8,10,12
Back Extension
BW 3x25
Back to it last night. 20lb PR on the super high bar, super low box squat over 5 months ago at only 4lbs heavier bodyweight. Deadlifts felt speedy as well. Came back this morning for a bunch of easier accessory volume.
You know it seems like a lot of equipment, but it’s really not a big space hog. You would need to buy a few sandbags, and enough bags of the cheapest sand at the hardware store, to probably have at least 3 different weight bags (maybe a ~125,150,175). Buy a solid axle bar, and the wood to hammer together a couple blocks to clean and deadlift from the elevated height (assuming you already have a couple bumpers and some weights). Get a pair of top loader farmers handles from Titan, a sled for the surface you’ll be pulling on (we used my Spud Magic Carpet on the lawn with iron plates on it) and a battle rope.
We run the farmers along the edge of the street, and the sandbag over shoulder work & static lifts in the driveway or garage.
You put one of the blocks behind your sandbags at the edge of your driveway and now you have your Legpress platform to pull the sled through the yard with the rope for arm over arm.
For the sandbag/drag medley, just run the sandbags in the street and then immediately drag the sled backwards in the yard.
That’s about $900 in new equipment by my pricing for Cerberus, Spud, Titan parts, so about a grand with sand and wood, but normally you acquire this stuff slowly over time and these things will be useful for years of training to come. Farmer’s handles, sandbags, a sled, battle rope, blocks, and an axle have a lot of versatility for the footprint/storability.
Seeing your deadlifts in there raised a question for me. How long after your bicep reattachment surgery until you were brave enough to deadlift again? Also did you have to change up your mixed grip if the bicep you tore was originally your underhand grip on DL?
I’m not sure how long it was before trying deadlifts again, but the funny thing about that repair is that what is the greatest threat to blowing it is straightening the elbow/tricep fully, not using the bicep. The anchor is set within a few weeks, despite the generalized fear-mongering you’ll probably be fed by PT. So once you’re cleared to lift, just start at the beginning again and be very progressive in your loading while you rebuild your bicep strength.
I was told my a couple lifters I’ve know who had both tendons repaired that switched their mixed grip after the first one blew, that you are basically destined to blow the other doing so. They regretted switching after. Louie Simmons has torn his bicep off, but never switched his underhand after for his deadlifts, because he said every lifter he ever knew to do so did indeed blow the other one. You need to get back to pulling with the repaired arm underhand once you rebuild a complete range of motion. But you must regain full mobility before loading it significantly. My surgeon told me after the repair it’s as good again as when you were born.
Thanks for the info! I have actually considered just switching to hook grip several times before and wondered if this is when I should do it, but honestly I just absolutely hate trying hook grip lol **** hurts and feels so unnatural!
So in Layman’s terms, is your elbow issues resulting in weaker lockout for you on your pressing movements, and is it equal in both elbows or predominantly one?
Took a 7.5 hour trip up to Chicago and back today to meet with the surgeon to discuss the CT scan of my elbow I got right before vacation.
Now that we have that, and upon further examination of my limited elbow ROM but lack of pain, he does not believe the heterotopic bone growth is substantial in locations it would matter to be limiting my flexion - he suspects I have ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow. He gave me requisitions for an EMG & MRI to be done locally. Once we have those, we can plot a definite course. I may need a cubital tunnel release, where they slice the ulnar collateral ligament so it can relieve pressure on the nerve and when it heals back together there’s more room for the nerve to move.
Good news is my bicep doctor here may be able to do this, and if not this guy can do it in a Chicago suburb instead of downtown.
Hopefully the Doctor is able to get your elbow back up to speed to where you can get full use and ROM in that arm.If you have bigger hands, learn the hookgrip. It is the superior method, provided your hands are big enough to utilize it correctly. I have small mitts and it just never works out; I can never hold as much with hook as mixed. But don’t let some temporary discomfort stop you from achieving the best lifting positions possible if you don’t have small hands. The lat engagement with hook from the double over is incredible, and it’s a shorter pull.
I don’t have full flexion in my left elbow. I can’t do closegrip, incline, overhead I can’t even get the bar down under my chin without tremendous nerve pain that just totally cuts off power if I somehow push past that. I can’t curl more than halfway up. I had to work very hard just to reach my face; brushing teeth or hair with that hand is tough and I cannot touch the right side of my neck or upper pec with the left hand.
Thanks for the info! I have actually considered just switching to hook grip several times before and wondered if this is when I should do it, but honestly I just absolutely hate trying hook grip lol **** hurts and feels so unnatural!
So in Layman’s terms, is your elbow issues resulting in weaker lockout for you on your pressing movements, and is it equal in both elbows or predominantly one?
Hook grip was incredibly painful when I first learned it, but immediately added weight to olympic lifts. I recall being stuck at some low power clean like 205 or something, my coach yelling at me until I finally gave hook grip a try and pulled 225. I have always felt like hook grip helped activate the lats or something better as well. it's also great for snatch. But the thumb definitely gets sore on higher rep pulls or anything over 400lbs for me. (I don't have huge hands either)
7.5hrs! holy ****. Have you learned anything or developed any opinions on avoidance? They say hernias are a lottery. you will get one, or you wont. you can get it from sneezing. So when people tell me they won't squat or pull heavy because of hernia fears I'm like... well... most the hernias I've seen came from sneezes so.. plus like 5% of males are predisposed right? are bicep tears similar? does additional arm training help to avoid a torn bicep? it's on my mind more these days (as well as achiles injuries) now that i'm 40.
I feel like Branch Warren or one of the guys from his era had a bicep tear and he blamed himself for it. He said he went in cold, on a snowy day, in a cold gym, started immediately lifting hard and felt he could have avoided it if he had warmed up more. I wonder if there is any truth to that or if it's just another lottery ticket like the hernia.
Hopefully the Doctor is able to get your elbow back up to speed to where you can get full use and ROM in that arm.

Getting my EMG done in a couple weeks with a local neurologist to test the ulnar nerve in my elbow to see how it’s firing. Should be “shocking”
My bicep repair surgeon here also put in the request for the MRI at his local facility, so I should get a call Monday or so once insurance approves it to schedule that.
Really pushing to get this done ASAP so I get any surgery in before the end of the year for insurance. It also sounds like it could take up to a couple months of recovery before getting back to training for some of the elbow procedures, so I need to get through that before I could begin prepping for another meet.
do you have training plans during recovery? IIRC Layne came out of his pec tear with a bigger squat than ever before because when he couldn't bench/press etc he moved to safety bar squats and built the hell out of his legs
What’s the best bang for your buck Safety Squat Bar on the market? Maybe I can start some of those when I’m released for PT because this no lifting thing is killing me smalls
The Titan SSB is a great bar. I’m not sure which version I have, but it’s a beast and seems underpriced for what you get with it (the ability to squat again). Especially being an older dude with shitty shoulders. My only complaint is, and it’s being very nit picky, I would like some handle options. However, I’m sure there’s something out there that would fit right in there. Not a big enough deal to warrant research on my part. Man I agree on Kabuki. Those guys make some unique, badass bars.Absolutely love my Titan SSBv2. It’s the absolute cheapest SSB that is built right to hold serious weight. I’ve had over 500lbs of tension at the top with heavy bands & weight and it doesn’t bend/bow at all. I know a couple guys here got them too and love them.
If I was going to spend more, I would get the Cerberus SSB - it comes with 3 sets of handles and looks really good.
If money is no object, the Transformer Bar from Kabuki Strength is the top end choice due to its adjustable nature. Everyone I’ve ever known to get one loves it.
10/20/22
BW 251.0
Set up/clean garage gym for 25 min
5 min walk
Bird Dogs
Bodyweight Lunges & Squats
Dynamic SSB 13” Boxsquat
60x5
+105 chain
60x3
+140 chain
60,150x3
240x2
+belt
290 8x2 w/ 60 sec rests
RDL
135,225x8
+straps & belt
315x6,8,10
Straight Arm Band Lat Pressdown
Avg 3x20
First night back squatting against accommodating resistance. Chain safety squats were no joke - pouring sweat by the end of 8 doubles! RDLS absolutely took my lunch money. Not sure if still being sore from Tuesdays hamstring work had any play, but these were way harder than they should have been at ~50% of my deadlift max, so I really need to hammer them. I think if I can push them up, something magical is going to happen for my pull.
Reverse Hypers tomorrow when I’m no longer dying.
Good to hear the bone spurs are not the issue. Would recovery time be better with the nerve entrapment thing?
I only ask such a redundant question because it seems like Hyde is always super knowledgeable about good equipment and bargains lol
Search Craigslist many people are dumping equipment they bought during lockdown that they simply bought out of boredom. Always tons of Titan equipment in my area. DO NOT buy a Rogue SSB

Weighed 249.8 this morning. -3.5lbs in 2 weeks, despite vacation.
Told the wife I’m getting so little now. She laughed, shook her head & said, “You definitely are NOT little yet. Just getting some of that bulk off.”
Lots of fasted walking & playing outside with my son this morning. Big family dinner with in-laws tonight & will cycle calories up higher tomorrow for Monday morning Max Effort Lower session.
lose any more weight and you're going to have to anchor yourself to the ground every time the wind kicks up![]()

Congrats on the PR!
