Hyde’s Strength Odyssey

[Dustin07]

so awesome, what a great summary too. That got me pumped just to read it!!! Congrats to the fam!

 

[gphagan1]

Wife took 2nd place in the Open 148lb women’s class this weekend at United States Strongman’s Nationals!

This is their biggest show annually - over 500 competitors all competing on a single day. The last time we came 2 years ago, she took gold in the Masters 148. After placing in the top third of the pack at a very stacked Arnold Pro-Am this year, she decided to step back into Open to show the younger ladies she’s still got it!

Easy small cut to weigh in at the limit of 148.3lbs on Friday morning (under 67.5kg). Saturday she took 3rd in the Max Axle Press I believe, opening 155 then hitting 165lb on her 2nd attempt, but missing 175 (only 2 successfully hit this out of 10 women in her class). Tied for 8th on the raw Axle Deadlift from floor, pulling 315 for a double (her worst event). The next event was a light arm-over-arm sled pull by a rope to you (seated with legs driving into a board to press off of), followed by immediately getting up to run to the other side and drag it back where it came from - she took 1st in this event with a blistering 22.4 seconds. The 4th event really shook things up: farmers carry down followed by a sandbag shaped like an atlas stone carried back. Unfortunately, the equipment fabricator for the show made the world’s slickest painted fat handles - turning the grip event into a hand size event. EVERYONE was pissed how terrible they were. What is normally an incredibly strong event for my wife turned into only receiving a distance score of 42ft out of 60 (if you dropped twice you were done). Still, some women couldn’t even budge them off the ground, so she scored better than most. Last event was a 175lb sandstone loaded over a bar for reps in a minute - the wife did 8 to tie for 2nd in this.

This left a clear 1st place winner with 41.5 total points, but a 3-way tie for 2nd at 36 points! One of the women was out on countback because she had no 1st place wins while my wife did (this made her 4th place overall), but the other gal had an equal number of 1sts, so they had to go to a tie-breaker event to establish the podium order: STONE OVER BAR, LAST WOMAN STANDING!

They had no advance notice to prepare mentally for this; the women were allowed to take a piss & grab their belts/shoes before meeting at the yoke to settle the score. 175lb sandstone (that they had already loaded for a minute straight as the last event) between them. Hot potato, 20 seconds to load it to the other side or you lose. Stone loading is THE most important event in strongman, so my wife was given advantage to go second as she placed higher on them in the final event. The other woman was absolutely determined to fight to the death, but she never had a chance. My wife is a podium stone-loader any day of the year, and I have watched her load a 160lb stone in the gym like this for HALF AN HOUR years back in training. Most all the athletes in the stadium circled around like witnessing a giant highschool fight. Every time the other woman loaded it, my wife would immediately send it right back over so she had no time to rest. The gal began throwing it over to try to make my wife have to drag it back further, so my wife began blocking it as soon as it came over, continuing to push her. Now she was standing so close, my wife began fuming & staring her down, turning this into a battle of wills. People were going wild! This went on for over 7 minutes straight, until her competitor broke on the 18th rep. Failing to load it, she collapsed in tears & exhaustion. While her friends went to comfort her on the floor, my wife stood triumphant in applause, flexing and roaring for all to behold.

So in typical fashion, my wife completely stole the show: there must have been genuinely 100 people that came up to us to congratulate her incredible victory before we left (which never would have happened if she’d just won 1st place even outright). It sure felt like she was the champion of the day after that display, something people from all over the country will remember for years to come.

That is so incredibly awesome, and I know you guys are extremely proud, and you should be. And the Grand Finale sounded incredible, and super impressive. I mean that’s like a Championship level girl fight there.
And tell her congratulations on putting up such impressive numbers.

 

[Segansational]

Wife is an absolute beast! Meaning that in the best way possible of course. Congrats to her - and what a way to finish out! Nothing better than that 1v1 to settle the score in one last event! Awesome!

 

[dapack]

That is awesome for your wife. Huge accomplishment!!!

 

[Hyde]

Thanks everyone! I’m really proud of all her hard work & dedication. It was an awesome performance, plus we had a really great trip. It’s always great to be with so many other lifters & see old friends. Brought the kids and my in-laws came to watch & help with my son as well. He had so much fun swimming with his cast finally off, playing video games with his grandpa, eating snacks, and everyone had a good time being together. We went out for a big celebration dinner Saturday night in Cedar Rapids.

She is competing at America’s Strongest Master (essentially Strongman Corp’s master’s nationals) in less than 10 weeks. I was initially worried about traveling 2 weeks out from my meet, but am excited to go now. We decided to make the 10 hour drive to Oklahoma, as it’s barely shorter to fly with layovers & will cost <$200 in fuel @$5/gallon. Plus odds of sickness are drastically reduced. I have time to figure out whatever I need to do to keep my peak on track.

 

[Dustin07]

Thats an awesome game plan and her comp is just going to keep your fire lit for yours too.

Its funny how midwest states be like that. I recall my old FIL choosing to drive to mandan from out here in puget sound for the same reason. He was able to rent a new Chrylser 300 back then and haul ass across Montana quicker and cheaper than trying to fly 3+ states away lol. Spokane is like that here too, about a 5 hour trip to drive, and a 1hr trip to fly, but +2hrs at the airport, parking, drive to airport etc, ends up being a wash but at least you have your own car.

 

[Hyde]

Thats an awesome game plan and her comp is just going to keep your fire lit for yours too.

Its funny how midwest states be like that. I recall my old FIL choosing to drive to mandan from out here in puget sound for the same reason. He was able to rent a new Chrylser 300 back then and haul ass across Montana quicker and cheaper than trying to fly 3+ states away lol. Spokane is like that here too, about a 5 hour trip to drive, and a 1hr trip to fly, but +2hrs at the airport, parking, drive to airport etc, ends up being a wash but at least you have your own car.

Yeah this was the difference between 7-8 hours travel if we fly (and 7 is really pushing margins) vs a 9.5 hour drive plus any stops. Plus we can start the drive whenever it’s convenient to us instead of working around the flight times, so it’s basically a wash that also saves us $800-1,000 in airline & rental car fees. Plus we can pack whatever we want, and not worry about a rental.

Besides less seat time, nothing about flying js convenient. The airlines do not value your business, & they generally suck even when everything goes right.

 

[Hyde]

6/9/26

BW 236.4 postWO

2 min Assault Bike
Push-ups

Bench, Texas Powerbar
45,135,225x5
275x3
305 4x2, 1x6+1 assisted

1-Boardpress
265 2x10

DB Laterals
30,35x15

DB Rear Delt Flyes
40,45x12

HS CSR
180x8
270,320x3
370 2x8

Reverse Hypers
230x15
270 2x15

The humidity has officially arrived. A pleasant 76* degrees this morning, but at 97% humidity everyone was pouring sweat and the floors were slick as owlshit. Doubled my intra sodium from 1,200 to 2,400mg and bumped water from 40 to 60oz.

Good bench day back to it. Body feeling great after skipping 2 training days; nothing in the lower body is remotely tight like usual. Put 5lbs on last week’s work no problem. Got in early to accommodate a buddy’s work meeting, so managed a couple back accessories with the extra time despite the fluid loss. Tomorrow late afternoon it’s supposed to be 90*, so probably going to be a Squat & Leave kind of after-work session.

 

[Dustin07]

The airlines do not value your business, & they generally suck even when everything goes right.

Every time I think they're starting to improve on a trip down, they totally F up the flight home and I realize they suck again, lol.

Tomorrow late afternoon it’s supposed to be 90*, so probably going to be a Squat & Leave kind of after-work session.

honestly I'm starting to love the occasional "just do it and go home" sessions. Sometimes it feels more productive.

 

[Hyde]

8 weeks after last comp (March 1st) were 140 test c/wk.

Then 4 weeks of 10-15mg trest ace TOTAL added to that.

Last 2 weeks dropped the Trest & moved to 260 test c & 60 deca.

Sunday was 12 weeks out from comp, so it’s time to move from “Sports HRT” into a proper blast. As of yesterday, going to:

280 test c / 140 mast p / 60 deca / 30 tren e

for a 510mg total/wk split over daily shots. Using up an open Mast P and will adjust mast dosage to get water retention ideal (high as possible without gyno). Pulled the trigger on some GH, and will add that in soon. It should help fatloss, but mainly for injury prevention/recovery. I ran into a buddy at Nationals I’ve competed with in Indiana a couple times; very strong guy (2050 wrapped total) who was coaching one of my competitors this past meet (who I’ve also competed with in the past). Talking gear, the main thing that stuck out to me was that he felt GH was essential for recovery & stays on it anymore. We only have so many years left at the biggest weights, so if we can extend that we have better chances for bigger numbers before we’re done. At least with the cyclic keto and losing fat, I’m not worried about any HbA1C or insulin resistance issues either.

 

[sammpedd88]

8 weeks after last comp (March 1st) were 140 test c/wk.

Then 4 weeks of 10-15mg trest ace TOTAL added to that.

Last 2 weeks dropped the Trest & moved to 260 test c & 60 deca.

Sunday was 12 weeks out from comp, so it’s time to move from “Sports HRT” into a proper blast. As of yesterday, going to:

280 test c / 140 mast p / 60 deca / 30 tren e

for a 510mg total/wk split over daily shots. Using up an open Mast P and will adjust mast dosage to get water retention ideal (high as possible without gyno). Pulled the trigger on some GH, and will add that in soon. It should help fatloss, but mainly for injury prevention/recovery. I ran into a buddy at Nationals I’ve competed with in Indiana a couple times; very strong guy (2050 wrapped total) who was coaching one of my competitors this past meet (who I’ve also competed with in the past). Talking gear, the main thing that stuck out to me was that he felt GH was essential for recovery & stays on it anymore. We only have so many years left at the biggest weights, so if we can extend that we have better chances for bigger numbers before we’re done. At least with the cyclic keto and losing fat, I’m not worried about any HbA1C or insulin resistance issues either.

I’ve heard so much talk about staying on GH for long periods, if not indefinite at low doses. I can tell a difference a 6 months on 2ius a day as far as body recomp.

 

[Hyde]

I’ve heard so much talk about staying on GH for long periods, if not indefinite at low doses. I can tell a difference a 6 months on 2ius a day as far as body recomp.

Yeah it’s more of a cost thing. Even 2iu is $4/day.