To Infinity.... and Beyond!

[SkRaw85]

Nice PRs! It’s all Coming together

 

[MrKleen73]

Congrats on the PR's and not getting caught spitting on the mirrors you animal!

 

[Hyde]

“There are no limits, only plateaus!!!”

 

[Dustin07]

Nice PRs! It’s all Coming together

Congrats on the PR's and not getting caught spitting on the mirrors you animal!

“There are no limits, only plateaus!!!”

Thanks guys, I'm pumped. actually beyond pumped. even though it was with sling shot, the 315 was my first ever 3 plates attempt. My buddy went to add 10# plates and I said "no, do it right". He laughed and said yeah you're right. pulled off the 25 and 10s and put the 3rd plate on.

My hips/legs were more worked than my arms and chest by the time I finished that lift. However now that I'm finished my whole body is ready for rest.

It's super interesting to me that in the end, your advice on working more in that 80% region led to the next PR. I really focused more in the 210-225lb rage for varied reps (5-10) for the past month, and here I am with a PR. So I have a good idea of what my gameplan should look like next.

My shoulders and cns are probably due for a rest. I'll see if I can't get some light deadlifts in next week in that dirt floor gym I found for fun.


THREE PLATES~!!!!!!!!! **** yeah!!! IDC if it's assisted, PUMPED

 

[SkRaw85]

You should be pumped! Now your CNS is primed and knows what’s to come

 

[Hyde]

It’s a great day! A lifetime bench PR, and your first 3 wheel press! My best with a slingshot device is 400, and that felt awesome - I’d rather be able to say I did that assisted than not at all, no question.

315 was a barrier that changed the way I viewed personal limitations on benchpress. It kind of removed this ceiling I was chasing and started making me think more along the lines of, “well, if I train hard enough I should at least be able to add 5 more lbs”.

Enjoy your vacation!!!

 

[Segansational]

today I'll bench. tonight I'll shower, I'll apply one last application, then head to the airport and begin a week of debauchery and bad decisions rooted in tacos, tequila, ceviche and my wife's little bikini. She might think she's fat but I'm all about it.

Sounds like the good life! Enjoy every minute of it. And congrats on the bench PR!

 

[dapack]

Double PR's!!! Congrats!!!!

 

[Rocket3015]

A donut and a PR it was a good day

 

[Dustin07]

Found it.
Hola from Sayulita, mis amigos

 

[MrKleen73]

Good stuff! Enjoy the trip!

 

[dapack]

Shorts and sun!!! Perfect vacation.

 

[Segansational]

Looks like a little slice of heaven, plus some iron slinging. Can't beat that! Now I'm jealous!

 

[SkRaw85]

Damn that’s beautiful

 

[Dustin07]

I finally got to bang and clang today. Sorta hit whole body. We used the old school all iron plates I grew up with and dirt and concrete floors. They were playing straight 1990s Tupac, DMX etc.

Went with RDLs at 225 - 275 to keep from crashing weights.

Declines, bb rows, some DB curls, bb curls. Little bit of everything. Between my Spanish and their English we got by really well. If I can I'll visit again just to hangout.

Senorita there has a little closer she sells protein shakes out of so I had a banana one.

Cost was treinta pesos to drop in (like $1.50). And cuarenta y Cinco pesos for the shake (like $2-2.50ish)

Great way to spend a morning and meet some surprisingly strong, old school, hardcore dudes.

 

[dapack]

Wow, talk about old equipment. You might need a tetanus shot now.

 

[SkRaw85]

Dude that’s like those pics you see of guys in the jungle with concrete cast plates and the like. Badazz! I second the tetanus shot

 

[ANABOLICWRWLF]

Dude that's awesome! That must have been a cool experience, such a no frills legit iron dungeon. Hope you give em due props on yelp

 

[ANABOLICWRWLF]

May not need the tetanus shot after the closet protein shake, probably has all the antibiotics you'll need already!

 

[MrKleen73]

Sounds like a blast training there. Jealous of your trip!

 

[Hyde]

Sans the dirt on the floor, that equipment reminds me of 2 different gyms I used to train at! The rusty iron has a great feel - like you’re really choosing to be there, working with it! None of all this coated rubber BS everything commercial has these days; there is no replacement for the feel of lifting iron (and stone/concrete).

 

[MrKleen73]

Sans the dirt on the floor, that equipment reminds me of 2 different gyms I used to train at! The rusty iron has a great feel - like you’re really choosing to be there, working with it! None of all this coated rubber BS everything commercial has these days; there is no replacement for the feel of lifting iron (and stone/concrete).

It reminded me a lot of Powerhouse Gym here in Houston as well. Of course they have a lot more equipment but it is all oldschool like that and everything has been rusted a bit from being open to the elements in a warehouse with no AC so just open bay doors all year long for years and years.

 

[Dustin07]

Squats
10 x bar, 95, 135
5 x 185, 225, 245, 270
10 x 230 reps for Rocket

Good mornings
10 x 135
8 x 175, 195

DB rows
3 x 10 x 70s

DB curls
3 sets

Leg ext
3 sets

Leg curls
5 sets

Adductor machine (still nursing something there )
3 sets

Kettlebell armbars
A little shoulder work. A week off didn't make it 100% so I need to put in more work here. That dumb xfit drop in I did set it off a month ago.

Notes
weight 188.6
Despite an abundance of caution, have had the squirts the past 36hrs so this session was scary to embark on.

Goal was to be working around 80% of my most recent 1rm which was 335lbs so I figured 268+ is a good place to come back.

Last thing I saw as I was grabbing my shoes was @Rocket3015 posting about his ambulance ride today. I was feeling super lazy but I knew you'd be here at the gym if you could bro, so I did my best to put in the work today, thinking about your speedy recovery the whole time.

Also, I know I'm guilty of being a bit stinky at times but I find it equally weird when people smell a little too good at the gym.

 

[Dustin07]

Wow, talk about old equipment. You might need a tetanus shot now.

Cracks me up, like three other people mentioned tetanus lol

I'm not a big guy at 190lbs and 5'9" but at my home gyms I know where I am in the pecking order and I feel good about myself. Nutrition usually primed for a good pump and I'm happy with where I am. When I got to this gym the vibe was completely different and while I could easily be friends with every one of those guys I didn't feel like I'd ever rank well lol. Definitely a completely different pecking order vibe as I walked around with my tourist backpack trying to just keep the blood flowing.

 

[Dustin07]

Actually except one guy. There was an expat there who definitely gave me the "you don't belong here" vibe lol. The guys who didn't speak English made me feel at home.

 

[Hyde]

Cracks me up, like three other people mentioned tetanus lol

I'm not a big guy at 190lbs and 5'9" but at my home gyms I know where I am in the pecking order and I feel good about myself. Nutrition usually primed for a good pump and I'm happy with where I am. When I got to this gym the vibe was completely different and while I could easily be friends with every one of those guys I didn't feel like I'd ever rank well lol. Definitely a completely different pecking order vibe as I walked around with my tourist backpack trying to just keep the blood flowing.

Mexico probably has more legitimate steroid use in their gym culture than the US. They aren’t wasting time with SARMs and crap when they can just go get real test & such otc from a pharmacy.

 

[Rocket3015]

Glad I could be of some inspiration somehow, I love that old rusty gym, it reminds me of a gym I trained at in Grenada once

 

[Dustin07]

Mexico probably has more legitimate steroid use in their gym culture than the US. They aren’t wasting time with SARMs and crap when they can just go get real test & such otc from a pharmacy.

First day on a real computer since feb 10th, I can actually see peoples posts and quotes properly lol.

Yeah in Sayulita I bet there were a half dozen farmacias in that little 4-6 block town and each one advertised more than anything, Steroids, Diuretics, and Viagra lol. If I actually understood steroids better I would have known better what I was looking at.

apparently Phil Heath is the face of steroids in Mexico lol

 

[Dustin07]

Glad I could be of some inspiration somehow, I love that old rusty gym, it reminds me of a gym I trained at in Grenada once

Most alpha dude in the gym there was your age. we got to talking and he fishes dorado from his 60+ ft boat ( as far as I could understand), he wondered about our fishing in Puget Sound, and gets the same shoulder tweak on his right shoulder that I get on my left. We both like fishing, boats, warm weather, and prefer flat or decline over incline pressing. That's the extent of what my spanish capabilities lol. But honestly I'm not sure dudes need more words than that to be best friends

 

[Hyde]

First day on a real computer since feb 10th, I can actually see peoples posts and quotes properly lol.

Yeah in Sayulita I bet there were a half dozen farmacias in that little 4-6 block town and each one advertised more than anything, Steroids, Diuretics, and Viagra lol. If I actually understood steroids better I would have known better what I was looking at.

apparently Phil Heath is the face of steroids in Mexico lol

View attachment 229243

That’s awesome! Lol no chance he condoned the use of his image for that poster.

There was a period in time where the US pharm seen had largely died off and everyone was smuggling stuff in from Mexico. Guys would go to Tijuana and such, load up, and bring stuff back. Apparently the border searching was extremely lax decades ago.

Guys would also go down, pin a bunch of sustanon and deca since they’re longer esters, and head back and finish their cycle up with orals like Dbol. Back then it was just kind of whatever you could get.

 

[Dustin07]

That’s awesome! Lol no chance he condoned the use of his image for that poster.

There was a period in time where the US pharm seen had largely died off and everyone was smuggling stuff in from Mexico. Guys would go to Tijuana and such, load up, and bring stuff back. Apparently the border searching was extremely lax decades ago.

Guys would also go down, pin a bunch of sustanon and deca since they’re longer esters, and head back and finish their cycle up with orals like Dbol. Back then it was just kind of whatever you could get.

Funny thing is, and this may be my naivete, but I have a hard time fathoming the idea of using a needle and compound in a town where you can't even use the water to brush your teeth lol.

 

[Hyde]

Funny thing is, and this may be my naivete, but I have a hard time fathoming the idea of using a needle and compound in a town where you can't even use the water to brush your teeth lol.

You better find some isopropyl alcohol and the syringes better be pre-sealed/wrapped.

 

[Rocket3015]

First day on a real computer since feb 10th, I can actually see peoples posts and quotes properly lol.

Yeah in Sayulita I bet there were a half dozen farmacias in that little 4-6 block town and each one advertised more than anything, Steroids, Diuretics, and Viagra lol. If I actually understood steroids better I would have known better what I was looking at.

apparently Phil Heath is the face of steroids in Mexico lol

View attachment 229243

Not that is funny, I guess as a professional athlete you take whatever advertising dollars you can get!

 

[Dustin07]

Warmup
DB laterals, forwards, curls
DB bench 50x15

Bench
10 x 135
6 x 175
4 x 200
3 x 10 x 215

SS
235 x 8,7,7 (didn't want to risk the spot)

CGBP
3 x 8 x 165

Random machines low rep after to teach the boy some stuff.


Notes
Nice session with my boy
He did a great job spotting my 30th rep at 215.
Last 3x10 day was 210 so...progress.

Weight 187.6 today after yesterday's pizza fiasco lol.

Wanted to quote my old session to see where I left off and where I'm picking up after the week off.

Bench
10 x 95, 135
3 x 185, 200
10 x 210, 220
16 x 185

CGBP
3 x 10 x 155

Accessories
some db work, short for time so put all my real emphasis on bench.

Notes
weight = 189

I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to move up to 3 x 10 at 220 so I went safe with 10 at 210lbs, then opted to risk it at 220 because 210 felt like I had 12+ in me. This tells me where I am for the cycle. next session I'll probably stay at 220 for 3x10 then start moving up again. everything really felt great. I'm toying with using my second bench day of the week for lower weight work with like 185lb-205lb pauses or something so that I can also do some minor squat work that day since I feel like I need 2 squat days and 2 bench days per week, but going 100% on either will force me to sacrifice one of them for sure.

All in all super happy with how this cycle is starting out. left off with that 285lb 1rm PR so hoping for 290 (although actually I'm secretly hoping for 300).

I also used my buddies velcro wrist wraps today instead of my normal ones and holy **** they got sooo much tighter you had to wrip those puppies off after a set, but I totally understand the value of them now.

 

[Dustin07]

One thing that has seriously changed/improved in the past two months is that my bench sessions are far more taxing than ever before and I'm not 100% sure what to credit that too. Maybe better nutrient timing allowing for better sessions? My hip about locked up on my 210 set and then my hammy on my 220 set (lol) but my body was left shaking after the session like a hard squat or deadlift session.

 

[Hyde]

One thing that has seriously changed/improved in the past two months is that my bench sessions are far more taxing than ever before and I'm not 100% sure what to credit that too. Maybe better nutrient timing allowing for better sessions? My hip about locked up on my 210 set and then my hammy on my 220 set (lol) but my body was left shaking after the session like a hard squat or deadlift session.

Well, you’re lifting more weight, therefore more total load if volume was unchanged.

You could definitely have a squat focused day with a secondary bench, and a heavy bench day with an auxiliary squat.

 

[Dustin07]

@Hyde do you ever run these high volume days in your cycles anymore?
I understand a bit of your low rep build ups to working sets, and I know in PL 3 and 5 rep sets maybe with an occasional AMRAP is norm. I don't wan to waste effort in the wrong training zones but it does seem like I just respond so much better lately with a high volume (10 rep) day worked into my routine.

I wonder if your knee jerk reaction is for me to stay the course, or get my volume via a different methodology like if I ran today as a 5x5 @ say 235 instead. (same with squats, what if I were to squat 260 5x5 or 6x5 instead of say 230 x 10s)

 

[Dustin07]

Well, you’re lifting more weight, therefore more total load if volume was unchanged.

You could definitely have a squat focused day with a secondary bench, and a heavy bench day with an auxiliary squat.

I get that, it just feels weird after years of lifting to be crossing into this new world of much heavier volume on a regular basis. sorta like a newbie experience all over again.

that was also my thought on the squat/bench combo. Maybe that's how I do it. finish yesterdays squat session with pause bench and todays hard bench session with light weight pause squats etc. oh wait, that wouldn't work... that's two days in a row... hmm I'll figure it out...

 

[dapack]

@Hyde do you ever run these high volume days in your cycles anymore?
I understand a bit of your low rep build ups to working sets, and I know in PL 3 and 5 rep sets maybe with an occasional AMRAP is norm. I don't wan to waste effort in the wrong training zones but it does seem like I just respond so much better lately with a high volume (10 rep) day worked into my routine.

I wonder if your knee jerk reaction is for me to stay the course, or get my volume via a different methodology like if I ran today as a 5x5 @ say 235 instead. (same with squats, what if I were to squat 260 5x5 or 6x5 instead of say 230 x 10s)

Could always work your way down each week. 10, 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1 something like that. For me personally in the past 4 reps worked good on bench and multiple press days. Seems likes 3 days of some presses a week to increase and 2 days will hold me were I am at. x1 a week I lose strength until I hit a certain number.

 

[Dustin07]

Could always work your way down each week. 10, 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1 something like that. For me personally in the past 4 reps worked good on bench and multiple press days. Seems likes 3 days of some presses a week to increase and 2 days will hold me were I am at. x1 a week I lose strength until I hit a certain number.

ah yeah that is the other thing I have sacrificed... along with oly, I haven't been training overhead at all. I worked so hard to hit a 205lb overhead at 185lb bw and I'm not sure I could do much more than bodyweight if that right now. But man... OHP was a grind to get there. 1lb micro plate jumps for a long time.

 

[ANABOLICWRWLF]

I also used my buddies velcro wrist wraps today instead of my normal ones and holy **** they got sooo much tighter you had to wrip those puppies off after a set, but I totally understand the value of them now.

I have a set of Invictus Onyx wrist wraps that I really like. I've had them about 2 years now after the coach I was seeing called out my Rogue straps as the junk they were: after using real straps I could tell they weren't much more than an Ace bandage with a cool logo! I'm actually thinking about trying out a set of Pioneer straps next, but the velcro on the Invictus still has plenty of life.

 

[Hyde]

@Hyde do you ever run these high volume days in your cycles anymore?
I understand a bit of your low rep build ups to working sets, and I know in PL 3 and 5 rep sets maybe with an occasional AMRAP is norm. I don't wan to waste effort in the wrong training zones but it does seem like I just respond so much better lately with a high volume (10 rep) day worked into my routine.

I wonder if your knee jerk reaction is for me to stay the course, or get my volume via a different methodology like if I ran today as a 5x5 @ say 235 instead. (same with squats, what if I were to squat 260 5x5 or 6x5 instead of say 230 x 10s)

If it’s working now, then keep riding it until it doesn’t. A lot of people make no progress changing things too often thinking there are greener fields around the corner.

I think the higher volume is best when intentionally trying to gain size. I don’t mean slow muscle improvements, I mean flat out bulking. So generally more for increasing the base. Things like 5-6x5 are better for all around strength and size maintenance. Those strength phases would follow the high volume phases.

Keep in mind for months I’ve been downsizing, and now I’m less than 4 weeks from a meet, and I’m trying to come back from a tear, so what you’ve seen me do is all very different from someone trying to expand their base.

 

[Rocket3015]

@Dustin07 what you are doing seams to be working, and working well, I would stay the course until you hit a plateau or things start to slow down.

 

[SkRaw85]

Glad you didn’t shart yourself whilst squatting

Dude that Phil heath poster is hilarious! I agree though, who wants to inject Montezuma’s revenge????

 

[Dustin07]

Glad you didn’t shart yourself whilst squatting

Me too. there's been a lot of that around me lately and the risk was very real. But I'm a thrill seeker so I went for it

 

[SkRaw85]

Go hard AND go home

 

[Dustin07]

Go hard AND go home

Roger that. made the mistake of taking my buddy to the gym today.

deads
10 x 135, 225

deficits
5 x 225, 275, 315, 340, 375

deads (here's where **** went wrong)
1 x 405, 440, 465 (PR)

RDL
8 x 315
3 x 10 x 225

bb rows
3 x 10 x 135

notes
plan was deficits to 5 x 375 and block pulls up the rest of the way. but my buddy said no way that 375 was way too fast and easy, pull a PR today or that guy next to you is going to think you're a pussy. damn peer pressure.

weight 189 this morning but after two monster trips to the bathroom before 8:am I bet its lower. I fasted 24hrs yesterday and had a ginormous spaghetti dinner with all the meat I could find. I weighed 187 before dinner (curious how the fast went) and woke up at 189 lol.

I have fixed the pain in my left shoulder that I think I caused with that dumb xfit drop in I did by doing kettlebell armbars the last few weeks. NOW I have a little twinge under my right collarbone to the left of it, like directly under my chin in the upper peck from todays deadlifts. I'm not concerned though just watching it. that's also the side where I have a 6" steel plate so it's always a little wonky anyways.

 

[Hyde]

BOOM! Sometimes you just need to reach out and take what you’ve earned!!!

Glad you nailed it. Be mindful to pull back on lower body/back some the next week, but when you get a lifetime 1RM PR on one of the big 3 that’s a trade I would gladly make any day!

 

[dapack]

Congrats on the PR!!! Works out like that sometimes, unplanned PR.

 

[Dustin07]

BOOM! Sometimes you just need to reach out and take what you’ve earned!!!

Glad you nailed it. Be mindful to pull back on lower body/back some the next week, but when you get a lifetime 1RM PR on one of the big 3 that’s a trade I would gladly make any day!

haha I know I know.. i told him that he either set me back 10 days in my training plan or skipped me forward a month lol
I am really happy about it and now an hour later my body is feeling much recovered already. 35lbs to 500!!

I'm going to pack for my normal bench day but I will wait and see how I feel in the morning to decide if I'm too wrecked and if I want to gap it with a rest day.

so I'm sitting at 335/285/465 right now = 1085 with that squat not really being a 1rm just the most I've trained lately. 1200 is pretty dang reasonable for me still I think. but all I can think about is three wheels on the bench and a fat 5 hundy.

I know 115lbs looks like a lot but when you break it down into the three lifts I should be able to do that.

or at least have a good time tryin