Hyde’s Strength Odyssey

gphagan1 said:
Great workout….makes a lot of sense that you’re getting more dialed in at the lighter body weight and leverages. Shoot you might bench more at this meet at 198lbs than you did at 220 just because you will have two preps at a lighter body weight, so more practice.
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Yeah considering I missed my third last time, that’s the goal.
 
just watched it again, the 352 was so fast and the 375 you looked so damn strong on. I would not be surprised at all to see you do very well on bench even at the lower weight. technically you just have to beat 352 at 198 to improve right? Funny thing is from the camera angle you can tell that you pushed the bar away, but you were strong enough to try to correct it and it looked like you damn near did!!
 
Dustin07 said:
just watched it again, the 352 was so fast and the 375 you looked so damn strong on. I would not be surprised at all to see you do very well on bench even at the lower weight. technically you just have to beat 352 at 198 to improve right? Funny thing is from the camera angle you can tell that you pushed the bar away, but you were strong enough to try to correct it and it looked like you damn near did!!
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Yeah I did pull it back into the groove, but only after my butt started to lift to do it - so that’s when I told them to take it. I knew I blew it and didn’t want a gift if they somehow missed it.

No, I was wrong - I don’t need to improve anything, only hit the exact same total.
 
9/16/26
BW 219.0

Roll Feet
Split Squats
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
Glute Bridges
KB One-leg Deadlift

1” Deficit Deadlift, weightlifting bar
45,135x8 RDL
225x6 RDL
Hang from Pullup bar
+deadlift belt
275,325,365x3
+belt
405,455,485x3

Above the Knee Rackpull
+straps
545x1

SLDL
+straps & deadlift belt
315,325,335x10

BW Walking Lunges
3x21

Bench, Titan Powerbar
135x10
175x8
205x6
230x4
250x2
275x1
155x10

Finally got a real pull in. No elbow/forearm issues holding 485, and that triple standing on a plate was easy & fast. Everything felt on tonight: position, power, preparedness. Tempted to go to 505 after, but reminded myself that everything is going great so let’s just keep that ball rolling! I want to get a good squat in this Sunday before vacation next week.

Took a quick Rackpull since it’s the heavy week (going to a weekly rotational pulling model for the moment), which was easy but still let me hold an opener-ish weight. Added a set of walking lunges for a bit more thigh work, then a very light bench exposure. I’ve been reading Big Jim Williams training manual again, so I was inspired to get the extra touch in 🤷‍♂️
 
I forgot to mention that using doh with straps did bother it somewhat; there was some slight pain when I began 545 Rackpull but I committed & the pull was fast. I found squeezing really hard on the SLDL to make it less uncomfortable, maybe it straightened my arm more? Then benching on an aggravated elbow didn’t help much, but it’s bone on bone so I’m not going to baby it - it’s just going to get inflamed some with use.

But what’s important is the mixed grip had no issues at all. And things are much better than last week, so they should continue to improve.

Bloodwork tomorrow morning finally. I have Cystatin C and GGT so I don’t care as much about the basic kidney & liver markers that training can influence somewhat.
 
Good to see things recovering for you, and sounds like a fun wrestling match with the fridge. Glad you didn't get hurt dealing with it.
 
Hyde said:
I forgot to mention that using doh with straps did bother it somewhat; there was some slight pain when I began 545 Rackpull but I committed & the pull was fast.
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What is your opinion on DOH vs hook vs switch grip in regards to value, preference, science etc? do you feel one is better than the other? I prefer switch as we've discussed. I can DOH pretty high into the low 400s for sure if its a single, but since I prefer a switch grip for a legit 1rm I tend to DOH until 225 or maybe 275 then move to switch to make sure the arm is warmed up for it. I live with this idea in my head that DOH is safer for the bicep, but when it comes down to it, I always end up training switch because I know if I'm going for a PR I'll needed it.

then when I drop back to do my BBB type work, I just go DOH and if I'm very fatigued, I'll hook grip it. but something as simple as what grip I should be training for deadlifts is ALWAYS in my head. the fear of a bicep injury is always at the back of my head. its probably the biggest mental block I have when I'm pulling a PR attempt tbh.

I also haven't used straps in years since I lost mine and never replaced them but I always wonder if I should. I didn't replace them because I felt they led to really bad form on me. not so much lumbar, but I would tend to lose my thoracic more (which I know is lower injury risk anyways) when using straps. The biggest benifit of straps for me was definitely very very heavy RDL's. if I was repping out like 315 for RDL's then straps were perfect, good form, and didn't feel like I was ripping my thumb off. do you think I should throw a pair back in the gym bag again?
 
Dustin07 said:
What is your opinion on DOH vs hook vs switch grip in regards to value, preference, science etc? do you feel one is better than the other? I prefer switch as we've discussed. I can DOH pretty high into the low 400s for sure if its a single, but since I prefer a switch grip for a legit 1rm I tend to DOH until 225 or maybe 275 then move to switch to make sure the arm is warmed up for it. I live with this idea in my head that DOH is safer for the bicep, but when it comes down to it, I always end up training switch because I know if I'm going for a PR I'll needed it.

then when I drop back to do my BBB type work, I just go DOH and if I'm very fatigued, I'll hook grip it. but something as simple as what grip I should be training for deadlifts is ALWAYS in my head. the fear of a bicep injury is always at the back of my head. its probably the biggest mental block I have when I'm pulling a PR attempt tbh.

I also haven't used straps in years since I lost mine and never replaced them but I always wonder if I should. I didn't replace them because I felt they led to really bad form on me. not so much lumbar, but I would tend to lose my thoracic more (which I know is lower injury risk anyways) when using straps. The biggest benifit of straps for me was definitely very very heavy RDL's. if I was repping out like 315 for RDL's then straps were perfect, good form, and didn't feel like I was ripping my thumb off. do you think I should throw a pair back in the gym bag again?
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I am not Hyde, but it depends, if grip will be the limiting factor before you run out of gas on your AMRWAP then I would wear them for the AMRAP. The goal of the amrap is to push the target muscles to extremes, and if grip fails beforehand then the only thing that amrap'd was your grip and not the movement.

I can't really even get into hook grip, the shape of my hands, wide and club like I can't really get my thumb far enough under the finger to get it to hook right. I am basically index finger on thumbnail. However DOH / Hook is better for balance from one side to the other for most of your training. What I used to do was work up to where DOH got hard then do switch grip for my harder sets, alternating from side to side each set ending my top set with my dominant switch grip side.
 
MrKleen73 said:
What I used to do was work up to where DOH got hard then do switch grip for my harder sets, alternating from side to side each set ending my top set with my dominant switch grip side.
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thats exactly what I used to do, trying to hit both sides 50/50 in training sessions but now days I only flip my left arm! the OCD in me is so crazy consistent in where I switch grip, where I add the belt, and which hand does what. the only things that are changing is at my top weights are moving up, I'm adding my belt later and later.
 
Dustin07 said:
thats exactly what I used to do, trying to hit both sides 50/50 in training sessions but now days I only flip my left arm! the OCD in me is so crazy consistent in where I switch grip, where I add the belt, and which hand does what. the only things that are changing is at my top weights are moving up, I'm adding my belt later and later.
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I think as long as a lot of the work is DOH it will be fine.
 
Dustin07 said:
thats exactly what I used to do, trying to hit both sides 50/50 in training sessions but now days I only flip my left arm! the OCD in me is so crazy consistent in where I switch grip, where I add the belt, and which hand does what. the only things that are changing is at my top weights are moving up, I'm adding my belt later and later.
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I think everything Mr. Kleen says makes sense.

Grip is HIGHLY specific. Not just grippers vs pinch vs barbell etc, but even down to the barbell - training reps won’t build your ability to hold a max single the way very heavy reps or holds will. What you can hold for 10 seconds out of the rack vs 45 seconds will even have a different training effect!

So to be able to support a new 1RM, do your heaviest sets mixed grip with the hand under you will be using under - condition specifically. For lighter work, DOH and straps will be acceptable. Usually better to get more even lat development, and used mixed on the heavy power or speed/technique type work.

This is why you will see me use straps for volume work like RDLs/SLDL, but mixed for almost all of my heavy stuff. Hook guys also use straps a ton, for almost everything but their heaviest work. They have larger than average hands, and like I said only maximal grip matters for them, so they can spare their skin for when it’s really needed.

The Rackpull was unique because at the commercial gym they have extra thick standard barbells and then cheap weightlifting bars (think like a cheapo version of an Ohio bar, not a powerbar) with no center knurling. I do my normal training on that, but if I were to do a Rackpull I will usually use the big bar to help spare it some abuse. It’s already a lot of weight and I don’t want to bend their bars up. But they’re very thick, so straps are necessary.

I would never do rackpulls at the barbell club, because they destroy bars & make a ton of noise and we have mats/blocks to make any height.
 
9/18/26
BW 218.0

Hip stretches
Roll feet
Toe Touches

Bench, ISF Powerbar
45,135x10
185x8
225x6
255x3
275x2
295x1

Widegrip Bench
185,190x25

Plate Front Raises
45 4x10

EZBar Curls ss w/ Reverse Curls
37.5 2x12 each

JM Press
100,105x15

Band Pullaparts
Mini x100 total reps

alt w/ Band Tri Pressdown
Light 4x25

Bloodwork this morning before work, so did this session in my garage over a long lunch period. Felt strong! I also did some curls before my tricep work for the first time, which seemed to improve my flexion ROM & comfort on the JMs (this was a huge win in my book). Usually after extension movements I lose the ability to curl at all as my elbow gets fried. So this order let me get some curl work in while also potentiating my tricep gains!
 
Hyde said:
9/18/26
BW 218.0

Hip stretches
Roll feet
Toe Touches

Bench, ISF Powerbar
45,135x10
185x8
225x6
255x3
275x2
295x1

Widegrip Bench
185,190x25

Plate Front Raises
45 4x10

EZBar Curls ss w/ Reverse Curls
37.5 2x12 each

JM Press
100,105x15

Band Pullaparts
Mini x100 total reps

alt w/ Band Tri Pressdown
Light 4x25

Bloodwork this morning before work, so did this session in my garage over a long lunch period. Felt strong! I also did some curls before my tricep work for the first time, which seemed to improve my flexion ROM & comfort on the JMs (this was a huge win in my book). Usually after extension movements I lose the ability to curl at all as my elbow gets fried. So this order let me get some curl work in while also potentiating my tricep gains!
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Great session! Sounds like curls helped out and a win win.
 
So, I used to always do mixed grip on deads until I met you guys on here. Then the talk about blowing out a bicep got in my head, plus particularly @Dustin07 you use a lot of DOH grip. So that's now what I essentially exclusively use. Now, I'm not working with anything so heavy that grip is an issue right now too.

@Hyde how do you workout right after getting blood work? I wait until next day and I still get that blood bruise in the crook of my elbow afterwards from it not being fully healed!
 
Segansational said:
So, I used to always do mixed grip on deads until I met you guys on here. Then the talk about blowing out a bicep got in my head, plus particularly @Dustin07 you use a lot of DOH grip. So that's now what I essentially exclusively use. Now, I'm not working with anything so heavy that grip is an issue right now too.

@Hyde how do you workout right after getting blood work? I wait until next day and I still get that blood bruise in the crook of my elbow afterwards from it not being fully healed!
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I would not recommend using a grip besides DOH for your deadlifts until it becomes a problem. I do not anticipate you will need to consider it this meet prep, and like you said it will strengthen your forearms & keep you safer. Both arms over also helps you engage the lats easier for a stronger brace, builds the lats more evenly, AND shortens the pull vs mixed grip (when you turn a hand under, it does sit a tad higher).

I personally have never had an issue with bruising from bloodwork, only donation. But I will also say I wouldn’t let that stop me if it did - the puncture hole from bloodwork is so tiny, it doesn’t risk blowing open the way a donation puncture would. So if it isn’t bleeding on you, I’d just go for it!
 
Have you lost any overall girth on your arms as you’ve trimmed down some ? Curious if that’s gonna help a little bit with range of motion?

Actually, kind of curious in general if some change in your dimensions has required you in any way to change your form on any of your compound lifts
 
Rockslide said:
Have you lost any overall girth on your arms as you’ve trimmed down some ? Curious if that’s gonna help a little bit with range of motion?

Actually, kind of curious in general if some change in your dimensions has required you in any way to change your form on any of your compound lifts
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I think half an inch or so since 250s, but really not much at all for dropping 30lbs - which I think has been key to keeping my bench strength nearly static over the descent. Keeping the muscle was key. I can still wear 2XL shirts decently, especially the more fitted ones, because my arms and yoke have barely shrunk.

But unfortunately the lack of elbow flexion is joint-related (osteoarthritis and consequently the tightening/shortening of soft tissue across it after exposure to pain/inflammation). There was very significant bone spurring and calcification that was removed 3 years ago, but I never got follow-up X-rays to see if it returned (it does 20% of the time, even without heavy lifting). There is definitely some extra squishy play available in the joint when my ART doc has tested it, which is a good sign it hasn’t come back or isn’t as bad. But it’s pretty limited.

Main changes are needing to actively brace MUCH harder on squats without as much abdominal weight to passively stabilize me & lower center of gravity, and also learn to squat again with less leg mass to contact. The thicker you are, the more you can bring stance in to let your stomach pile up on your thighs which stack on calves to help stop your descent & reverse out of the hole. When you lean out, unless you’re in knee wraps there’s nothing to put the brakes on at the bottom except your hip strength really - your hams will contact the calves of course, but there’s not a big pileup that can store energy to the same degree. No belly to push off.

Deadlift is more comfortable but no different otherwise. Just less weight to counterlever behind the bar during the pull. Bench is tougher because the stroke lengthens as fat comes off the chest, arms, upper back
 
9/20/26
BW 224.8

Roll Feet
BW Squat
Monster Walks
Scap Pushups
Cat Camel
Bird Dogs
RFE Splitsquat

Squat, Duffalobar
55,165x5
275x3
363x3 w/ deadlift belt
+belt
430,474x1
374 3x3, 319 3x5 in 16 minutes

Hacksquat w/ lifters
90,180,270x3
320 2x10

Plate Front Raises
45 3x15

Good squatting today. Could feel the deadlifts from Wednesday as things were still sore & fatigued, but everything moved well. Worked HARD on hacks to progress from 8 to 10 reps on 320 this week.

Bench Tuesday per usual, then upper back and legs Tuesday night before leaving early Wednesday for vacation.
 
gphagan1 said:
That’s a great squat workout….that Hacksquat 320 for 2x10 is just as impressive as the 474x1 squat.💪😎
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The hacks were definitely harder! Part of my brain is always worried that my quads are going to blow off of my knees at the bottom on this hack it feels so heavy, but I just keep going and everything comes out fine in the end 😅
 
Segansational said:
So, I used to always do mixed grip on deads until I met you guys on here. Then the talk about blowing out a bicep got in my head, plus particularly @Dustin07 you use a lot of DOH grip. So that's now what I essentially exclusively use. Now, I'm not working with anything so heavy that grip is an issue right now too.
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since I cant switch grip cleans or snatch, I have trained a ton of DOH naturally. even though I know I'll likely go to switch grip on my heaviest sets of deads I try to keep it DOH for warm up sets, drop sets, BBB, deficits, and RDL's. I do warm up with very light empty barbell curls pretty much every day for the sake of the elbows anyways, but if I'm going to say 405 on pulls for more reps than I think I can get DOH, I'll start stretching the bicep with switch grip around 315. its a paranoia thing for me. I might get some straps though. haven't trained with them in YEARS now. I'm not sure if they'd be a net positive or not for me its been so long. I did love them for RDL's though.
 
Dustin07 said:
since I cant switch grip cleans or snatch, I have trained a ton of DOH naturally. even though I know I'll likely go to switch grip on my heaviest sets of deads I try to keep it DOH for warm up sets, drop sets, BBB, deficits, and RDL's. I do warm up with very light empty barbell curls pretty much every day for the sake of the elbows anyways, but if I'm going to say 405 on pulls for more reps than I think I can get DOH, I'll start stretching the bicep with switch grip around 315. its a paranoia thing for me. I might get some straps though. haven't trained with them in YEARS now. I'm not sure if they'd be a net positive or not for me its been so long. I did love them for RDL's though.
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There’s a lot of truth in what Hyde was saying about using straps. Trying to target a specific body part like RDL/SDL you don’t want your grip to fail before you exhaust the targeted body part. Even doing rack pulls and block pulls they can come in handy. You just have to be careful that you don’t use them too much and lose grip strength. I guess that wouldn’t matter much for someone not competing but I personally wouldn’t want to use them all the time.
 
Dustin07 said:
since I cant switch grip cleans or snatch, I have trained a ton of DOH naturally. even though I know I'll likely go to switch grip on my heaviest sets of deads I try to keep it DOH for warm up sets, drop sets, BBB, deficits, and RDL's. I do warm up with very light empty barbell curls pretty much every day for the sake of the elbows anyways, but if I'm going to say 405 on pulls for more reps than I think I can get DOH, I'll start stretching the bicep with switch grip around 315. its a paranoia thing for me. I might get some straps though. haven't trained with them in YEARS now. I'm not sure if they'd be a net positive or not for me its been so long. I did love them for RDL's though.
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I definitely believe in warming up the mixed grip for the reasons you presented. It’s only hook grip that I meant you can just jump into top intensity, and even then only if very experienced/pulling heavy often (like most weeks).
 
sammpedd88 said:
There’s a lot of truth in what Hyde was saying about using straps. Trying to target a specific body part like RDL/SDL you don’t want your grip to fail before you exhaust the targeted body part. Even doing rack pulls and block pulls they can come in handy. You just have to be careful that you don’t use them too much and lose grip strength. I guess that wouldn’t matter much for someone not competing but I personally wouldn’t want to use them all the time.
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I agree with all that. loved them for RDLs but I had a bad habit of giving up form quality on heavy pulls from the ground when I used straps. although now I'm curious since its been so long! basically I lost one of my straps like 3-4 years ago, so I just threw the other one away and never bought new ones lol.

Hyde said:
I definitely believe in warming up the mixed grip for the reasons you presented. It’s only hook grip that I meant you can just jump into top intensity, and even then only if very experienced/pulling heavy often (like most weeks).
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For me its the reps, hook grip at a set of 315 RDL's is gonna feel like I'm ripping the thumb off lol. one rep is one thing, but if I'm repping them, yeah hook grip adds up fast lol.
 
Did 45 minutes of fasted cycling this morning, 40 LISS and 5 HIIT. Went ahead and took my GH in the morning, whacked 500mg l-carn prior as well as a cap of Thermagize XT.

Got all my bloodwork back.

Liver and kidneys are better than ever via both the CMP as well as GGT & Cystatin C, HsCRP inflammation is nil at 0.9, trigs are solid at 87, HbA1C has come up from 4.4 since starting GH but still only 4.8 and 12-hour fasting glucose I have probably never seen this low (besides an extended fast) at 73 (after an evening prior shot of GH no less). Iron and storage are high enough I can donate whenever I want, but no need with a comfy 17.4 HGB and 52.4 HCT. HDL was also awesome - 55, which is higher than ever, nevermind just coming off 6 weeks of orals! So everything was awesome.

EXCEPT my LDL is higher than I’ve ever seen it, at 216. And ApoB was like 180 😢

Now with my HDL well in range, trigs less than double it, no cardiovascular inflammation, and great glucose metabolism/low insulin resistance, I am probably not slapping plaque down uncontrollably. However, it’s way too high & I have to get it down ASAP.

The main contributing factors (in retrospect) are my keto diet coupled with familial hypercholesterolemia, I stopped taking Ezetimibe after the last meet when I ran out, AND using Anavar for 6 weeks or so. Var is mild in many ways, but I have only ever used it while also taking Ezetimibe (and I’ve seen LDL get to 130 at end of meet prep then). I recall the one time I previously did cyclic keto without Ezetimibe (on no drugs), LDL shot to 167. So I really probably need that drug much more than a statin on this diet, with my genetics.

Obviously Var has already been done for 3 weeks, and I am in the process of sourcing more Ezetimibe, but the main changes for me going forward are to switch all my pork & chicken to fish, nuts, and olive along with lean proteins for my keto. Then on weekends, minimize saturated fats - they will need to be tighter calorically anyway to get down for 198. I need to stay away from the fun stuff for a while & stick to low fat when it’s high carb days. I’m also going to try to start adding some cardio in finally since it will serve me both on lipids and fat loss. I have moved my microdose of 2.5mg Rosuvastatin twice per week to nightly this week, and will probably progress to 5mg nightly next week or so if that seems to go well. I’m also going to raise GW from 5mg to 10mg, as I really want to get this lower as fast as possible. I’ll add the Ezetimibe in whenever I can get it.
 
Often times HDL and LDL will track up together with diet changes. Keto is driving both up. Sounds like your ratio has actually improved some though.

FWIW I take 10 mg of Crestor every night and have had zero issues over the past 2 years. They work , clinically significant side effects are about 1/20 patients in blinded studies and offer the best plaque protection. Zetia helps the numbers and helps plaque some but nowhere near the potency.

My HDL has always ranged from 28-40, ldl from 120-150. Now ldl runs around 70 and my hdl around 45.

Have you checked a Lp(a). If not may be worth checking. Reassuringly your hsCRP is good.

Still a lot we don’t know about lipids. Much more to it than the labwork. Some people have perfect lipids , still make plaque. Others run around with horrendous lipids and smoke and don’t make it . Genetics is probably the number 1 predictor followed by everything else . Still too early probably for a calcium score to be of value. Some advanced lab panels can further delineate risks and those are going to get better and better as AI technology advances
 
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