Hyde Puts Hercules to Task

Some damn nice lifting Hyde! So close on the 584 too! When you didn't get it I was like damn I must have missed a small hitch or something.
 
Nice job Hyde!
 
Hyde said:
That means the most to me coming from you, considering the people you have learned to bench around! Thank you, my lockout is still so strong from the cycles of board work from over a year ago if I can get it halfway I can finish it. I did a lot of pausing this Predator cycle (coupled w lots of volume and muscle work obv) and that definitely helped the bottom end. More pausing is definitely a good idea for me.

My muscle fibers are like a diesel engine unfortunately - if I don't grind a lift I wasn't truly maxing out. I feel speed work definitely makes me faster, but I can't run it for more than 6 wks without getting beat up. I can toggle bands and straight weight every 3 wks perhaps tho to alleviate that I bet.
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Sure, you could alternate bands and straight weight or maybe alternate speed and volume cycles or whatever you feel.

The judging was very strict on that 584. I can see where in the lift the judges make their calls, according to rulebook, but that's simply not enough to call on in my opinion. Maybe a re-bend of the knees, maybe not one smooth motion, but we're not talking about 135# here.
 
jimbuick said:
Yeah that 584 looked good to me, judging was Uber strict apparently.
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They honestly kind of judged on a curve - if you had some weight on the bar, you were generally held to the USPA standard.

I am buddies with the head judge and he was calling that lift, so I think if there was any doubt he needed to protect his integrity. I'm pretty happy with how it went down.
 
Great seeing you in action Hyde! Looking like a real champ in those videos
 
Oh yeah and those legs man... TREE TRUNKS!
 
Hyde said:
I'm the reason they will never stop selling cargo shorts. Because the top pockets are just for decoration.
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Yep pretty close to that myself. I wear 36 inch waist pants that I can pull off my waist without unbuttoning them, but the legs are tight and there is a perfect outline of anything in my pockets.
 
FireTitan said:
I...am...so....jealous!!
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Less than 6 months into learning to squat and deadlift, I was afflicted with BWS (Branch Warren Syndrome) - I have lived with it ever since. BWS affects thousands of lifters all over the world, and symptoms may include: needing to powder inner thighs in summer, difficulty finding jeans that fit the way you want, inability to skip leg day, an overwhelming desire to avoid formal events that do not allow cargo shorts or sweat/track pants.

#themoreyouknow #bwsawareness #jk
 
Hyde said:
I'm the reason they will never stop selling cargo shorts. Because the top pockets are just for decoration.
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Ha. Brilliant.
 
Hyde said:
Less than 6 months into learning to squat and deadlift, I was afflicted with BWS (Branch Warren Syndrome) - I have lived with it ever since. BWS affects thousands of lifters all over the world, and symptoms may include: needing to powder inner thighs in summer, difficulty finding jeans that fit the way you want, inability to skip leg day, an overwhelming desire to avoid formal events that do not allow cargo shorts or sweat/track pants.

#themoreyouknow #bwsawareness #jk
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Finally, a sickness I can want!!!
 
Day 39 of Herc (Currently 220mg/day)

Morn Weight 228.2lbs

Bumped to 220mg last Friday in keeping with the trend (3 divided doses of 4/3/4 caps). Still no side effects or GI issues (even taking my lone 100mg dose all at once w my bfast the day of the watercut). Feeling very good, I feel just as strong as 6-7lbs ago when this log started and recovery has been solid despite a small deficit.

Training today:

Sled Drags 65ft 4 each fwd & back (half with +35lbs)

Miniband Pullaparts 3x11

Hammercurls
20,25, 30s x20, 35x2x15, 40x15

Paused CG Bench
45, 95, 145, 185, 205x5
230x8

Incline Bench (steep AF)
225x3
155x4x10

One-Arm Db Rows
100x10
110x2x10

Cable Pressdowns
30x3x20

Fried in 70 min. Still a little beat up from Sat. Realized I used the wrong set of 5/3/1 numbers (too light) on paused close-grip right after I finished so added a heavy paused triple on Incline to make it up.

Want to get one more good week on Hercules so holding off a deload!
 
So you jumping into 5/3/1 too?
 
jswain34 said:
So you jumping into 5/3/1 too?
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Not really. Drew up a general training plan this morning and decided my main bench day would rotate weekly between Close Grip, CG 2bd, and Med Grip (all paused) so decided to use 5/3/1 for that programming. Squat will continue to be a weekly progression waved and loaded purely on instinct, pulling likely the same, and OHP either 5/3/1 or loaded like a traditional supplemental lift (sets of 3-6) as it will come after speed bench on 2nd pressing day. Unweighted dips will make up the bulk of shoulder volume after on that day anyway.

5/3/1 is boring and doesn't work well for me without tremendous modification. At this point it's just an unnecessary label on progressive overload lol
 
Also just bought a 2xl reactive Slingshot for $40 & free shipped as everything is 20% off at Howmuchyabench.net today only. Dealz!
 
Good idea for OP/speed bench on a second press day, exactly what I was thinking of doing).
 
I'd switch out that CG 2 board for some wide stuff (either chest or 1 board depending on how that grip treats you). You know you're gonna mash anything above a 2, so address your weakness
 
herderdude said:
I'd switch out that CG 2 board for some wide stuff (either chest or 1 board depending on how that grip treats you). You know you're gonna mash anything above a 2, so address your weakness
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My logic was that the CG cancels out the ROM difference of the 2bd, but that's certainly a fair thought! I also don't know I'm strong enough wide to handle the planned loading progression (255 at 3+, looking for 5-8) but if I demolish that I will change the grip for sure.
 
Hyde said:
Also just bought a 2xl reactive Slingshot for $40 & free shipped as everything is 20% off at Howmuchyabench.net today only. Dealz!
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Congrats on that deal, I love mine, a 2X fits well and I have plenty room to grow into it.
Hyde said:
My logic was that the CG cancels out the ROM difference of the 2bd, but that's certainly a fair thought! I also don't know I'm strong enough wide to handle the planned loading progression (255 at 3+, looking for 5-8) but if I demolish that I will change the grip for sure.
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Yeah I can see where going wider off the chest would definitely benefit you since you triceps are dominant. Might even be worth it to add it in even if it doesn't fit the preplanned weight progression scheme yet. Progress on the bottom end will definitely improve your entire lift. You want some specificity in your training and you will be starting your normal bench a bit wider than CGBP. So coming off of the chest wider during training will help strengthen that movement pattern. The CG BP will keep more focus on the front delts and triceps which are already very strong areas for you.

Like you said it is about weight progression and the plan for that day can easily be adjusted and have it's own progression scheme if it needs to be a little lighter, or heavier. You aren't following any one system so mixing things up shouldn't be an issue for programming.
 
Day 40 of Hercules

Sled Drag +45 100ft 2 each fwd & back

Beltless Hi Bar
45x10
135, 225, 315x3
365x1
405x1
425x1 PR
445x1 Miss

To Parallel Box
265x3x5

445 I stayed in position and was very confident; just wasn't there today after this weekend. 425 is still a lifetime beltless PR, let alone with the bar sitting up on my traps, and it moved FAST. I was psyched up and it drained me, plus I was going hypo as I had very little to eat, so hit a few sets off the box and cashed it in.
 
What Kleen said. The only number you are really married to in a supplemental movement is 60%. Get up above that for 3-5 sets of 8-12 focused on a weak point and profit.

What's your best squat with a belt again?
 
herderdude said:
What Kleen said. The only number you are really married to in a supplemental movement is 60%. Get up above that for 3-5 sets of 8-12 focused on a weak point and profit.

What's your best squat with a belt again?
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Well this is THE main bench move, we aren't talking supplemental. It matters, to me. I don't agree with a lot of minutia with what Kleen said for various reasons (no disrespect my brother!) but I agree with the take home point on using wide now over cg 2bd

Best comp squat is 500, belt & sleeves with bar down below my rear delts. Bar low AF, Goggins style squat morning. Hit a few 480s in the gym.
 
None taken, I would actually be interested in hearing the various reasons. You have been power lifting longer. Your opinion holds some weight with me. Maybe I can learn something from your reasoning.
 
MrKleen73 said:
None taken, I would actually be interested in hearing the various reasons. You have been power lifting longer. Your opinion holds some weight with me. Maybe I can learn something from your reasoning.
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Well, for one I subscribe to the Louie Simmons/Matt Wenning/shirted bench notion that triceps are king - not because delts and pecs don't make a great raw bench (they make the best!) but everyone ends up tearing pecs and busting their shoulders up over time. I see the value in stronger pecs and delts of course; I just always want that tricep dominance present. And when I close grip I use as little delt as possible.

And you guys have been presented with very limited info to work with - 80% of my pressing volume will in fact be derived from incline bench and dips. I just don't like my volume on pecs and delts to come from the heavier main movement. I have very long arms and it never goes well for my shoulders.
 
Honestly, you know my pec history and that I will not take even a moderately heavy weight with a wide or even moderate grip on bench without support present. But the light, super high rep sets with a wide grip have done wonders for me.

Also forgot the detail about these being main moves. Wide grip shouldn't be done very heavy unless that stuff comes naturally to you. With the strength of your tris and the length of your arms, I even wonder if sneaking your comp grip in a finger width wouldn't move your bench up. I know the closer(ish) comp grip is much easier for me in the bottom end because everything mashes together and stretches more. I think it's the reason wide builds speed off the chest, too. No tissue compression.

I'm not gonna tear down your whole bench cycle after you finally got it moving again, just throwing my suggestions out there for thought.
 
Dang brotha, lifts looked good! Progression my man!

Quadsman.jpeg
 
Makes sense to me, and in all honesty I am sure the wide grip bench he is referring to is probably far wider than I ever go. The widest I will go now is my ring finger on the ring. My normal bench grip is pinky just inside the ring, with my thumbs extended about an inch from the knurl lines to measure on the inside.

My triceps were the weak link in my bench before, but now I think I am probably pretty close to equal. Well not sure on the bottom now since I have been in the slingshot for so long. My chest activation is sick though. It won't take any time to redevelop anything there. I spent so long learning to bounce my pecs from watching Paul Orndorph wrestling when I was a kid. I wanted to learn so bad, thought it was so cool! Now sometimes I laugh because I will be bouncing the to music not paying attention. Sounds silly but it takes a lot of muscle control and mind muscle connection for that so I think it helped me fire them quickly and effortlessly which transferred into a decent bench press. I know a little of topic but made me think about it for some reason.

Stay healthy your programming is working and you are making PR's.
 
Today would have been off but as all I managed yesterday was a squat PR and 15 reps of Boxsquat I went back for a bit more.

Sled Drags 100ft
+45 1 backwards, 1 fwd
+90 ^
+140 ^ sled was probably ~240lbs total for these 2 and kicked my ass

DE Beltless Low Bar Squat
45, 135, 185x5
235x3
+12" box
285x4 doubles
-box
285x4 doubles

Weighted Hyperextensions (Rubish Raises)
45, 95, 135, 185x10
205x8
225x7

The sled demolished me in about 7 minutes right at the get-go so the dynamic effort squats were brutal. First time low-bar in ages and was tough to keep from falling fwd but last 3 sets things started to click. I love the Rubish Raises; going to keep pushing them.
 
Day 42 of Hercules

Got 4 more days with this run, one more good session tomorrow morning before float trip this weekend!

Sled 100ft +45 2 each fwd & back
Hammercurls 15x2x30

Dynamic Bench (20-50 sec rests)
45, 95, 145x5
185x8 triples (3 close, 3 med, 2 wide)

Standing Strict OHP
45, 95, 135, 155x5
+belt and wraps
175x3+2 push press

Miniband Pullaparts
3x12

Dips
3x18 volume PR for 3 sets

Chin-ups
3x10, 8

Kb Upside-down Press
8kg 3x20
12kg 2x9

Kb Pullovers
44x20, 16, 16

Db Curls
20, 25, 30x15
35x8

Db Incline Press
50, 55s x25

Good day, big pump. Accidentally used my Push Press max to calculate 5/3/1 for ohp so it was really just a heavy supplemental today. Ohp and chin-ups suck, coming from backing off them. Was worried 185 was too heavy for speed work but I must have gotten stronger because it was perfect.
 
I hate chin ups until I'm below 170 and can rep like 20 l lol
 
lifted67 said:
I hate chin ups until I'm below 170 and can rep like 20 l lol
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Shoot I wonder what it would be like just to do them at 200 even again! I used to be able to do 13 strict at that weight, and I finally got to a point couple months ago where I could do 13 strict again at 235 with 6-8 sets of 10 in a training session. I want to surpass that now.
 
Good stuff buddy. What were your specific grips on your speedy sets? I used to do thumb from smooth, just inside rings, and ring on rings. Now I do pointer on smooth, thumb from smooth and pinkie on ring from seeing a Louie vid on speed work.
 
herderdude said:
Good stuff buddy. What were your specific grips on your speedy sets? I used to do thumb from smooth, just inside rings, and ring on rings. Now I do pointer on smooth, thumb from smooth and pinkie on ring from seeing a Louie vid on speed work.
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Pointer on smooth, thumb from smooth, and last 2 were ring on ring (my comp is pinky on ring or a hair inside). I was going on instinct but glad it lined up pretty close!
 
This morning's work:

Sled 100ft +45lbs 2 each fwd & back

ME Rackpulls on Pin 1 (powerbar, 5" off ground, singles)
135, 225, 315, 405, 455
+belt
495
515
535
555

Beltless SLDL
225x10 (feeling these out)
275x4x10

Goodgirls

GHR Sit-ups

Definitely wasn't a true max on the rackpulls but after 495 moved like garbage I started making the jumps denser. Turns out all I had to do was brace harder and they kept getting faster! But it was good work. Off to float for the weekend!!
 
Enjoy the float, im jealous. I always wanted to go on one of those things. They look like loads of fun.
 
Nice lifts and enjoy your weekend!
 
jswain34 said:
Enjoy the float, im jealous. I always wanted to go on one of those things. They look like loads of fun.
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Man it was a very good time, probably best one yet. It was in the low 80s and sunny both days and high 50s at night for good tent sleeping. The Black River was high this year so it had a good flow to it and we rarely had to drag the rafts. Water was just as clear and cool as ever and made for a great day of swimming and sun.
 
Day 47, last day of Hercules

Morning weight 229.0

Bumped to 240mg on Friday. Had 120mg left in the bottle from a couple missed doses so spreading that out thru today. Diet was junk all weekend but it doesn't appear to have set me back any with all the activity. Had to take an extra day off yesterday as I was still shot from travel and sun.

Sled +50lbs 100ft 2 each fwd & back
Miniband Pullaparts 2x20
Swede-style Pullaparts 3x12
Hammercurls 15,20,25,30,35,40s x15

Paused Wide Grip Bench (Ring on ring)
45x4x5
95, 135, 175x5
205, 230x3
255x5 @RPE9
+Reactive Slingshot
280x3
305x1
325x2 PR?

Incline Press
165x5x8

Straightbar Pressdowns
40,50,60,70x20 no rest
80x20

Right lower trap got pinched during the 280 self liftoff and has been bound/painful since so I will attempt to go back for upper back this evening after I've digested some Chinese buffet w sushi for dinner! Very fun session otherwise with a strong pump in all the beach muscles and rear delts. Never used the blue slanger til today but it was a lot stronger than I expected. Bet I got 30lbs out of it at least.
 
Sounds like an awesome weekend!
 
wasme said:
Sounds like a fun weekend Hyde.. Any lower back issue with those heavy SLDL (beltless)
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No sir - they were a little Romanian as I performed them touch n go for grip reasons and I instinctively want to load the tension in my hams, but I tried to focus on bracing hard and pulling with low back. So glad I am healthy enough to play with them!!! I think they will help my back strength as long as I manage to train them carefully. I don't feel confident doing heavy work with SLDL yet but 5x10 isn't really "heavy", regardless of poundage. Buddy here can do that with 500 at my weight! That's where I need to get.
 
Last night hit upper back work. Nothing exciting, 100 or so good work reps. Pulldowns, heavy chest supported rows, chins, 4 different cable rows. This morning all I had time for was warmed on sled and hi bar squat 315 for 5x6, then a PR set of 12, beltless. Final Review on Herc coming very soon.
 
Final pics as of this morning:

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Looking good my man !!
 
Updated my 2nd post with this:

FINAL REVIEW

I overdosed (compared to recommended 100mg/day, divided) Hercules for 6.5 weeks. Using 2 bottles I started at 120 and ended at 240mg (bumping by one cap every Friday) and had NO side effects at any point.

Over ~45 days I lost 5-6lbs intentionally, but I absolutely got stronger and believe I added muscle. Looking back I honestly trained harder than ever for this meet - maybe not in total volume, but every rep of every session was performed with hungry intent, so that cannot be ignored. I have had subpar experiences with other brands of Laxogenin, even at 160mg/day, but I would not hesitate to run Hercules again at that dose for 8 weeks as I'm sure it would benefit my training. I wish I hadn't missed the Labor Day BOGO sale Sparta just had on it. I think I would use 160mg straight through for a longer cycle if I bought some on my own dime.

I shed bodyfat (to be expected with diet), gained strength (not typical in a deficit but certainly doable in an aggressive program like the Predator), but the kicker is I really think I gained lean mass, and joint pain lessened noticeably. At least at these higher doses, I'd compare this to 5-10mg Ostarine with none of the hormonal disruption. No changes in libido, energy, mood, etc.

This is the first lax product I've ever liked (having tried oral and td from OL and Primeval's oral) and the only one I would honestly recommend. I got better in every way on it - if that's placebo in a bottle, I'll take it. A bit leaner, more muscular, and stronger with less pain in only 6 weeks for someone that's been training 7 years and isn't using drugs is absolutely uncanny.

Thank you for this opportunity, Sparta Nutrition - Hercules was a pleasure!!!
 
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