The Maximus Pact

[Shadowblaze]

I think a LOT of people who thought they were natty because they got their stuff at the vitamin shop were duped a little bit. I can't find anything about it right now on line but I could SWEAR that even GNC way back in the day had an IGF-1 product on the shelf among who knows what else. of course it all pales in comparison to some old school high quality 80g of sugar per serving celltech creatine.

I have seen some crazy natural physiques. These are the craziest I have seen.

The guy with the moustache is Quinton pulliam, he is 5’6 and I believe around 150lbs on stage.

The guy with the black hair calls himself Clark Kent, but that’s obviously not his actual name. He is 5’11 195lbs.

And the taller looking guy is Johnny biggio who I have been following for years.

 

[Shadowblaze]

I’m not gonna train today, just gonna rest.

 

[Shadowblaze]

Sometimes I forget how fortunate I am that all this is a 5 minute walk away from my house.

 

[Dustin07]

So I don’t know what to believe when it comes to benching tips and cues because most of them simply don’t work for my anatomy.

in regards to available info on this particular forum, I'd again push you towards Hyde and SkRaw85 since both these dudes have put up serious weight in comp, and fought through injuries.

I have seen some crazy natural physiques. These are the craziest I have seen.

The guy with the moustache is Quinton pulliam, he is 5’6 and I believe around 150lbs on stage.

The guy with the black hair calls himself Clark Kent, but that’s obviously not his actual name. He is 5’11 195lbs.

And the taller looking guy is Johnny biggio who I have been following for years.

going back to the comments Hyde and I both made about Layne generally I'd take a lot of it with a grain of salt when people claim to be natty. Quinton doesn't look too ridiculous. usually arms, traps, and lats are dead giveaways to me. look at the top 10 finishers at any given natty bb comp and you can see none of them have upper arms. Watch the Generation Iron "Natty 4 Life". I think its Gen Iron 3 or Gen Iron 4. they talk a lot about the guys who fake it, the guys who get caught, the health sacrifices to get to that level both natty or enhanced.

This was probably about the best I ever reached when I was focused on performance more than vanity. I did get leaner, but I also got smaller. I don't think I had the genetic potential to get much larger than this at this bodyfat naturally, tbh. but my performance level was very high and I carried well defined abs for about a decade before I shifted to more strength focused lifting. this was about 180lbs at 5'9".

My recommendation is to take the Arnold approach, look in the mirror as though you're sculpting a statue and work from there. I really enjoy hitting shoulders day in a tank because its my better feature I think, and then I am constantly pulled to improve legs because I think its one of my weaker features even though I don't enjoy the leg work near as much as upper work. but with hammer and chisel we sculpt.

 

[Hyde]

When it comes to benching tips I’m so skeptical. I used to fall into the propaganda with all the benching cues like retracting your scapula, pressing the bar in a curve, having your arms at 45 degrees flare. I did this and kept straining my front felt, not making great chest progress and it was so uncomfortable. Then I saw some stuff about how retracting your scapula can stress some rotator cuff muscles and how everyone’s anatomy is different so I started getting with a close grip but flaring my arms out more suicide style and it’s so much more comfortable, I also never retract my scapula and I get much less strains now.

So I don’t know what to believe when it comes to benching tips and cues because most of them simply don’t work for my anatomy.

It’s not propaganda; anyone with a kinesiology book can explain that’s how the shoulder joint works.

But it’s not just retract them back; it’s back & DOWN for greater stability. And if they come unrolled at all to press out, or if you’re touching too high on the chest, or your elbow position is wonky relative to your grip width, it’s entirely probable you’d strain your delts.

Just because you thought you were doing something right, doesn’t mean you were. I blew multiple discs in my back pulling and squatting wrong (thinking I was doing it right). I got my deadlift up to 572 and squat to 540 before things fell apart; in my hubris I assumed because I was getting stronger that everything was correct. That was a very long painful lesson that changed my life.

I have seen some crazy natural physiques. These are the craziest I have seen.

The guy with the moustache is Quinton pulliam, he is 5’6 and I believe around 150lbs on stage.

The guy with the black hair calls himself Clark Kent, but that’s obviously not his actual name. He is 5’11 195lbs.

And the taller looking guy is Johnny biggio who I have been following for years.

There’s an old adage that goes, “If it looks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck…it’s probably a duck.”

Be wary of people who have something to financially gain (like a social media following) from lying, when it seems probable they are. The world was just dying to believe the Liver King was natty too.

 

[Shadowblaze]

It’s not propaganda; anyone with a kinesiology book can explain that’s how the shoulder joint works.

But it’s not just retract them back; it’s back & DOWN for greater stability. And if they come unrolled at all to press out, or if you’re touching too high on the chest, or your elbow position is wonky relative to your grip width, it’s entirely probable you’d strain your delts.

Just because you thought you were doing something right, doesn’t mean you were. I blew multiple discs in my back pulling and squatting wrong (thinking I was doing it right). I got my deadlift up to 572 and squat to 540 before things fell apart; in my hubris I assumed because I was getting stronger that everything was correct. That was a very long painful lesson that changed my life.


There’s an old adage that goes, “If it looks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck…it’s probably a duck.”

Be wary of people who have something to financially gain (like a social media following) from lying, when it seems probable they are. The world was just dying to believe the Liver King was natty too.

I do believe it’s just propaganda, it’s so uncomfortable for me to

I remember seeing a Mike israetel video on benching and explaining how some peoples anatomy just better allow them to bench suicide grip. I know some science does say it’s better but for me it just isn’t, and if it hurts and makes me much more injury prone to do it that way then I won’t do it. Science can’t answer everyone’s anatomy.

I’ve been benching for years now and the best advice I’ve ever received was to make the exercise fit me rather than forcing myself to fit other people’s views of the exercise. So I don’t do any “proper” bench form. I don’t press the bar in a curved way, don’t retract my scapula, don’t internally rotate my arms or shoulders, don’t imagine trying to bend the bar. Every time I do all that it hurts my shoulders so bad and hurts my performance so much, ever since I stopped my chest has grown so much more.

I will try doing that ass on the bench strategy, drop the weight on the bench significantly and re-evaluate my form trying to make it textbook perfect. So for the next little bit I’m gonna go maximum 245lbs and as low as 225lbs and go slower and try to get the bar path and form down to a tee.

 

[Shadowblaze]

I want to train today but it’s probably the best for me to rest again. Last time I got vaccinated I had a fainting incident and was unconscious for half an hour. I also got my blood taken today so it’s not the best idea for me to train today and risk the chance of fainting.

 

[Hyde]

I do believe it’s just propaganda, it’s so uncomfortable for me to

I remember seeing a Mike israetel video on benching and explaining how some peoples anatomy just better allow them to bench suicide grip. I know some science does say it’s better but for me it just isn’t, and if it hurts and makes me much more injury prone to do it that way then I won’t do it. Science can’t answer everyone’s anatomy.

I’ve been benching for years now and the best advice I’ve ever received was to make the exercise fit me rather than forcing myself to fit other people’s views of the exercise. So I don’t do any “proper” bench form. I don’t press the bar in a curved way, don’t retract my scapula, don’t internally rotate my arms or shoulders, don’t imagine trying to bend the bar. Every time I do all that it hurts my shoulders so bad and hurts my performance so much, ever since I stopped my chest has grown so much more.

I will try doing that ass on the bench strategy, drop the weight on the bench significantly and re-evaluate my form trying to make it textbook perfect. So for the next little bit I’m gonna go maximum 245lbs and as low as 225lbs and go slower and try to get the bar path and form down to a tee.

You should not do things that actively hurt you.

Suicide grip is not scapular retraction. That’s what it’s called when you use a thumbless grip. Nobody was talking about that - suicide grip does take pressure off the shoulder, and increases potential for power transfer. It’s just more likely to drop the bar on yourself, which you obviously want to prevent with safety pins in a rack or the necksavers on a combo rack.

Exactly what regime or agenda do you think is behind this propaganda? Nobody is making money off of helping you bench heavier with less pec tears.

 

[Shadowblaze]

You should not do things that actively hurt you.

Suicide grip is not scapular retraction. That’s what it’s called when you use a thumbless grip. Nobody was talking about that - suicide grip does take pressure off the shoulder, and increases potential for power transfer. It’s just more likely to drop the bar on yourself, which you obviously want to prevent with safety pins in a rack or the necksavers on a combo rack.

Exactly what regime or agenda do you think is behind this propaganda? Nobody is making money off of helping you bench heavier with less pec tears.

Saying it was propaganda was more so a joke. I don’t know if you follow science based training people on social media but lots of people started using the term “propaganda” satirically when describing training they don’t agree with. That’s not the best term to use but I think you get what I was trying to say, by “propaganda” I meant what everyone else is saying is correct for benching. I simply don’t know what to believe anymore, I just do what feels best for me.

But I’m gonna drop the weight significantly on the bench press and re evaluate how I do the exercise with a slow bar path and just trying to nail the form.

And I was getting mixed up with the suicide grip, I meant to say guillotine benching by flaring your arms out a lot more. That is what feels best on my shoulders. Guillotine just feels great on my shoulders.

 

[Shadowblaze]

still not feeling great today so I will just do lunges and squats at home. Gonna go ham on monday again.

 

[Shadowblaze]

I got some sort of bug, I’m probably gonna take some time off the gym.

 

[Dustin07]

Saying it was propaganda was more so a joke. I don’t know if you follow science based training people on social media but lots of people started using the term “propaganda” satirically when describing training they don’t agree with. That’s not the best term to use but I think you get what I was trying to say, by “propaganda” I meant what everyone else is saying is correct for benching. I simply don’t know what to believe anymore, I just do what feels best for me.

But I’m gonna drop the weight significantly on the bench press and re evaluate how I do the exercise with a slow bar path and just trying to nail the form.

And I was getting mixed up with the suicide grip, I meant to say guillotine benching by flaring your arms out a lot more. That is what feels best on my shoulders. Guillotine just feels great on my shoulders.

xfit used to use a term called "squat therapy". they'd take some of the best squatters in the game and work with them to find small improvements. I always thought it was humbling and awesome to see guys with 500-600lb squats who were competiting in $1 million games go to squat therapy, and improve their squat. (obv 500 isn't huge, but it is a big squat when you're natty, tested weekly, and also have 15minute 5k times and 30 unbroken ring muscle ups, etc).

so I think about that a lot with everything. deads, squats, bench. there is always room for improvement.

I got some sort of bug, I’m probably gonna take some time off the gym.

you don't think it's related to this?

 

[Shadowblaze]

xfit used to use a term called "squat therapy". they'd take some of the best squatters in the game and work with them to find small improvements. I always thought it was humbling and awesome to see guys with 500-600lb squats who were competiting in $1 million games go to squat therapy, and improve their squat. (obv 500 isn't huge, but it is a big squat when you're natty, tested weekly, and also have 15minute 5k times and 30 unbroken ring muscle ups, etc).

so I think about that a lot with everything. deads, squats, bench. there is always room for improvement.




you don't think it's related to this?

View attachment 255403

The vaccine? I felt bad for a day or two afterward but I think I just happened to get sick around the same time lol, vaccine symptoms don’t last longer than a few days.

 

[Shadowblaze]

Its always been a dream of mine to become a political activist. After Kirk got shot I was really upset and saw there needed to be change. Over the past 11 years Canada has been under the control of the Liberals and they have ruined Canada with mass immigration. We are consistently the worst performing country in the G7. They opened a turning point uk based on turning point USA so I sent Turning Point USA mail telling them I am interested in opening turning point Canada. I will see how they respond but since im sick right now I thought it would be cool to spend time working on the website since that would be step one. Its not published yet or anything I have just worked on the website itself for about 5 hours today. I wont publish it before everything is set in stone and in order with all the logistical problems.

Id love to know all your thoughts on the idea and the website. The logo looks pretty dope.

 

[Shadowblaze]

Im still in bed sick, I wont go to the gym for a few days. Whatever I have is mild luckily, I dont have a cough which is unusual.

 

[Dustin07]

Its always been a dream of mine to become a political activist. After Kirk got shot I was really upset and saw there needed to be change. Over the past 11 years Canada has been under the control of the Liberals and they have ruined Canada with mass immigration. We are consistently the worst performing country in the G7. They opened a turning point uk based on turning point USA so I sent Turning Point USA mail telling them I am interested in opening turning point Canada. I will see how they respond but since im sick right now I thought it would be cool to spend time working on the website since that would be step one. Its not published yet or anything I have just worked on the website itself for about 5 hours today. I wont publish it before everything is set in stone and in order with all the logistical problems.

Id love to know all your thoughts on the idea and the website. The logo looks pretty dope.

https://www.instagram.com/katarinaszulc/?hl=en

Katarina is a Canadian with Mexican heritage that has a really interesting podcast recently on the Shawn Ryan Show (spotify for me). you might like it. She talks a lot about what's going on in Vancouver and your southern (our northern) border. The immigration issues definitely appear to be widespread.. UK is quite tulmultuous right now.

The vaccine? I felt bad for a day or two afterward but I think I just happened to get sick around the same time lol, vaccine symptoms don’t last longer than a few days.

yes, I personally am opposed to probably 90% of them. I never had a thought about it tbh until the covid vaccines came out but then I started doing a lot of research and I'm not convinced that any of them are healthy now. Including the polio vax. but it's a deep dive.

 

[Shadowblaze]

https://www.instagram.com/katarinaszulc/?hl=en

Katarina is a Canadian with Mexican heritage that has a really interesting podcast recently on the Shawn Ryan Show (spotify for me). you might like it. She talks a lot about what's going on in Vancouver and your southern (our northern) border. The immigration issues definitely appear to be widespread.. UK is quite tulmultuous right now.


yes, I personally am opposed to probably 90% of them. I never had a thought about it tbh until the covid vaccines came out but then I started doing a lot of research and I'm not convinced that any of them are healthy now. Including the polio vax. but it's a deep dive.

Thanks for the podcast link. We will see how turning point responds to my letter and see if I move foreward, if not ill simply change the name to Canada for Christ and still inspire it on the backbone of what Turning point usa stood for.

I myself have gone far down the rabbit hole with vaccines. I dont believe the covid vaccine is good and I highly regret getting it. But when it comes to things like hepatitis im fine with it. theres a lot more to it but im not gonna get into it too hard in here.

 

[Shadowblaze]

Have any of you ever used PR lotion (topical baking soda)?

I used to use baking soda pre workout and it helped quite a bit with endurance and workout performance. I was watching a Will Tennyson video on testing fitness gadgets and he used it and said it was great. So I bought some.

 

[Shadowblaze]

I stopped my immunosuppressant therapy aswell since I woke up today feeling more sick. I have a cough now too.

 

[Dustin07]

Have any of you ever used PR lotion (topical baking soda)?

no Sir, not familiar with it

 

[SkRaw85]

Saying it was propaganda was more so a joke. I don’t know if you follow science based training people on social media but lots of people started using the term “propaganda” satirically when describing training they don’t agree with. That’s not the best term to use but I think you get what I was trying to say, by “propaganda” I meant what everyone else is saying is correct for benching. I simply don’t know what to believe anymore, I just do what feels best for me.

But I’m gonna drop the weight significantly on the bench press and re evaluate how I do the exercise with a slow bar path and just trying to nail the form.

And I was getting mixed up with the suicide grip, I meant to say guillotine benching by flaring your arms out a lot more. That is what feels best on my shoulders. Guillotine just feels great on my shoulders.

My unpopular opinion: “science-based training” (especially on IG) is propaganda and a sham.

 

[Shadowblaze]

My unpopular opinion: “science-based training” (especially on IG) is propaganda and a sham.

Yeah it is, at least many parts of it.

 

[Dustin07]

My unpopular opinion: “science-based training” (especially on IG) is propaganda and a sham.

everytime I see someone showing "instead of bench, do this", and "instead of squats, do this", or "I'm jacked (he's not) and 40 because I only eat vegetables and do body weight workouts", I just switch over to the bench press group and watch some 275lb dude slam out 405 for reps to get my head straight.

 

[Hyde]

Sorry to hear you’re feeling ill man.

everytime I see someone showing "instead of bench, do this", and "instead of squats, do this", or "I'm jacked (he's not) and 40 because I only eat vegetables and do body weight workouts", I just switch over to the bench press group and watch some 275lb dude slam out 405 for reps to get my head straight.

You know that kind of highlights the crux of it all: what do you WANT to do/be?

People get so caught up in what other people are telling them is ideal, they forget it’s their own life - if you want to train or eat a certain way, you should always take that into consideration. If you love the actual process of how you train, or when/what you eat, isn’t that worth something? Even if it meant it wasn’t the maximal/optimal choice for a particular result, if you love it, that has value.

I mean we don’t want to get injured, or not make any progress towards our goals, or become unwell from our diet…but there’s something to be said for just doing an exercise or method or having that meal because it truly satisfies your soul.

 

[Shadowblaze]

Sorry to hear you’re feeling ill man.

Thanks.

At the end of the day it happens to about everyone once a year so its no big deal. Im also not working or in school right now so the timing works out well. I have been using the extra time to just chill, rest, sleep in and work on my own stuff.

Im keeping my protein intake high so I dont lose much weight or strength.

 

[Dustin07]

People get so caught up in what other people are telling them is ideal, they forget it’s their own life - if you want to train or eat a certain way, you should always take that into consideration. If you love the actual process of how you train, or when/what you eat, isn’t that worth something? Even if it meant it wasn’t the maximal/optimal choice for a particular result, if you love it, that has value.

I mean we don’t want to get injured, or not make any progress towards our goals, or become unwell from our diet…but there’s something to be said for just doing an exercise or method or having that meal because it truly satisfies your soul.

I like when Arnold was really active on social media, his theme was always "you're exercising, that's great!" it wasn't so much about correcting people or telling them they had to do this instead of that, it was "wow look at you, you're doing the thing, good for you!".

 

[Shadowblaze]

I just got a job interview! Monday at 10:30.

 

[Dustin07]

Congrats and goodluck!

 

[Shadowblaze]

I got some pretty cool stats at the doctors office. Last November I weighed 150lbs after losing a lot to a gallbladder disease and not being able to train hard because of my autoimmune disease.

From November 2024 to April 2025 I gained 6lbs of muscle.

Then I started a strict diet and supplement protocol and from April to September I gained 14lbs of muscle.

It’s also worth noting that it’s partly because of muscle memory that I had from when I was at my biggest.

But I am now 175lbs, down from 180 at my peak but up from 150 at my recent lowest. I don’t have 16” biceps anymore but 15.5” and I’m way stronger even though I’m considerably smaller.

Very happy with the progress, my goal is 190-195lbs lean. I don’t wanna get bigger since I’ll become less explosive.

 

[Shadowblaze]

My first day back to the gym will be on Monday, I’m gonna take the weekend to rest and see friends. I’m going to an Oktoberfest event tomorrow with my buddies and then I’m seeing a friend from church on Sunday.

 

[Dustin07]

you're probably guessing pretty close to accurate there at the 195lb range. your average NFL running back is 5'10'-5'11" and 205 to 220lbs. These are elite level athletes with unlimited resources for nutrition, training, and rehab though. I'd say even at my age at 5'9" I always felt the most mobile at 180 but lacking strength, the most powerful at 205, but lacking conditioning. I'm fairly happy with where I am now at 190-195 with a decent mix but of course would always like to be leaner and stronger lol

 

[Shadowblaze]

you're probably guessing pretty close to accurate there at the 195lb range. your average NFL running back is 5'10'-5'11" and 205 to 220lbs. These are elite level athletes with unlimited resources for nutrition, training, and rehab though. I'd say even at my age at 5'9" I always felt the most mobile at 180 but lacking strength, the most powerful at 205, but lacking conditioning. I'm fairly happy with where I am now at 190-195 with a decent mix but of course would always like to be leaner and stronger lol

Yeah, If I can get close to the level an NFL running back performs ill be very happy, but thats a few years down the road.

 

[Shadowblaze]

Ayy I got the job, it’s my first electrical job. Non unionized which I’m not sure what to think about. Still waiting to hear back for the other job. They are starting me at $22.50 an hour which is $1 more than most unionized starting wages.

 

[Shadowblaze]

I also lifted today and hit bench for the first time in a while, I reevaluated my form and didn’t use leg drive. I’m obviously gonna be weaker after being sick but still hit 225x7, and 245x4. I also trained back and arms too but didn’t log it since I didn’t train that hard since it’s my first day back, I still got some very light symptoms.

 

[Shadowblaze]

Wow I’ve never seen it look this nice, it looks like another planet lol

 

[Hyde]

Congratulations on the new job! Even if the job isn’t perfect being non-union or whatnot, just getting employed and establishing a resume & income is a crucial first step in launching your career. Now you will begin gaining experience, avoid a long unemployment gap, not be worrying about money so much, and generally have a lot more leverage to hunt for other better jobs while employed.

 

[Shadowblaze]

Today was just rugby training, I trained for 1.5 hours.

Tmrw is my first time squatting heavy in a month or so, I’m excited. I’m back on my treatment and aren’t sick anymore so I should be good to go, if I feel bad I will stop though.

 

[Shadowblaze]

Day 49:

Sheesh it was a pretty good lift today, I worked out with my closest buddy and it was a lot of fun.

I threw 315 on and hit it for 7, every lift has gone down a good amount which is obviously gonna happen post infection, I’m gonna get it all back within the month. I also haven’t squatted heavy in a month and still put up 7 reps with 315.

Finished it off with wind bike sprints, brutal for the cardio.

 

[Shadowblaze]

My buddy is gonna start posting his physique like I have done in the past on social media, any advice on his posing at all?

He’s an absolute genetic freak, he looks slightly smaller since he’s 6’5 but he has 16.5 inch arms, almost 17. He benched 225x3 his first time benching (he was only training arms before lol.) and hit 315 after only a few months benching. His dad was a power lifter and football player and his mom was a world champion gymnast, I’ll get photos of us next to each other and you’ll see he dwarfs me.

 

[Hyde]

My buddy is gonna start posting his physique like I have done in the past on social media, any advice on his posing at all?

He’s an absolute genetic freak, he looks slightly smaller since he’s 6’5 but he has 16.5 inch arms, almost 17. He benched 225x3 his first time benching (he was only training arms before lol.) and hit 315 after only a few months benching. His dad was a power lifter and football player and his mom was a world champion gymnast, I’ll get photos of us next to each other and you’ll see he dwarfs me.

Look at the camera if possible (if he’s going to post his face) and have the photos of the back taken dead on - and when the lats are actually set. Some of these are probably more photographer error in timing.

I’m not surprised on the bench at 6’5”. If you can’t bench 315 with a frame that size, it’s like not benching 225 for an average height male. He has a lot of good dense muscle already and just needs to keep slowly eating more & more over time and train his lower body with the same dedication/frequency. He will need to add a ton of weight & size to fill out such a big frame, and it’s going to take a decade, so it’s not a sprint.

The biggest frames have the greatest potential for strength and mass, but take the longest to realize them typically (long bones can hold a ton of meat, but make for poor illusions of size compared to short frames).

 

[Shadowblaze]

My strength has taken quite a dip, I know I’ll get it back but still. I’ve also lost 4lbs while sick.

One of the reasons I have lost weight too is because of stress causing me to eat less, I’ve been so busy working on my website and work courses and personal things and my mental health hasn’t been the greatest.

 

[Shadowblaze]

Day 50:

It was a decent day today, I didn’t sleep great but that’s alright. Gonna lock in tmrw.

 

[Dustin07]

One of the reasons I have lost weight too is because of stress causing me to eat less, I’ve been so busy working on my website and work courses and personal things and my mental health hasn’t been the greatest.

pretty normal at your age, lots of new responsibilities and opportunities, schedule juggling. you'll get into a groove fast and then life will feel a bit cruise control until you reach middle age and wonder where it all went and if you did enough lol. The happiest people I meet are usually those under the age of 7 and over the age of 70
.

your strength will bounce back fast, ebbs and flows my man. ebbs and flows.

 

[Shadowblaze]

Day 50:

It was a decent day today, I didn’t sleep great but that’s alright. Gonna lock in tmrw.

do you guys think I should cut back on volume?

 

[Shadowblaze]

Day 51:

Let’s goo I’ve gotten a good amount of progress back! My workout was gruelling today, I was sweating so bad lmao.

Didn’t do any isolations other than quads because I’m so sore since I hit legs the day before yesterday.

I reintroduced some more plyometrics for my rugby today though. Gradually gonna up it.

 

[Hyde]

Did you do a 100-rep set of machine squats? If so, yes you are doing too much volume. 100-rep work is only for isolation movements for tendon work (like tricep Pushdowns or TKEs).

A rule I try to adhere to is that anything I do, I want to do well. It should have a point I can explain, and having it in the context of my entire program should still make sense.

For example, if I did closegrip bench, then 3-board presses, then EZBar Skullcrushers, then pushdowns…what would adding some db kickbacks possibly add that wasn’t already accomplished for my triceps that day? Likewise, if you did do a 100-rep squat set after heavier work, it’s probably time to be done with leg hypertrophy afterwards. You’re not going to leg extension/curl your way to a meaningful amount of additional hypertrophy stimulus that day.

 

[Shadowblaze]

Did you do a 100-rep set of machine squats? If so, yes you are doing too much volume. 100-rep work is only for isolation movements for tendon work (like tricep Pushdowns or TKEs).

A rule I try to adhere to is that anything I do, I want to do well. It should have a point I can explain, and having it in the context of my entire program should still make sense.

For example, if I did closegrip bench, then 3-board presses, then EZBar Skullcrushers, then pushdowns…what would adding some db kickbacks possibly add that wasn’t already accomplished for my triceps that day? Likewise, if you did do a 100-rep squat set after heavier work, it’s probably time to be done with leg hypertrophy afterwards. You’re not going to leg extension/curl your way to a meaningful amount of additional hypertrophy stimulus that day.

Lmao I accidentally put an extra 0 ignore that, I didn’t even notice that.

I’m a pretty high volume guy but I hate how long my workouts are. If you had to take 1 exercise from my lower day and one from my upper what would you take?

Is 10 hard sets a week truly enough to build muscle?

Another thing I should add is I rest really long between each set so I can push them hard, usually like 4-5mins.

 

[Shadowblaze]

I hit legs so hard that I’m about to drive to the grocery store that’s a 5 minute walk away haha, I was walking down the gym stairs earlier and it was rough, I felt like I was doing a leg extension with my bodyweight every step I took. I missed that feeling, it’s amazing being back and healthy on my treatment again.

 

[Shadowblaze]

today was an amazing and much more productive day, I’m really glad with how it turned out! I was at a church event and it was amazing talking and joking with everyone and I got this new app called structured and it helps a lot with building a routine and productivity

 

[Hyde]

You don’t need to do all the lunge variations AND BSS. Pick the form of single leg work that most directly addresses your current greatest need. You aren’t getting big on single leg work; you’re preventing imbalances and increasing tolerances to what you need most to prevent injuries.

I’d also choose only one DB row and Hammercurl variations for a session. I can get doing some DBs after bb rows for a bit more unilateral work to prevent imbalance and get a better stretch, but doing them standing and the chest supported after is getting overkill. Also, bands aren’t doing anything dbs aren’t better for the hammers. Bands are mainly for garage/box lifters making do, because Hammercurls aren’t that important anyway. More important you just get a few in than worry about details with them.