To Infinity.... and Beyond!

[MrKleen73]

Yeah, I would be hard pressed to bench too much after starting with shoulders, but I think I remember you saying you performed better doing OHP first a little while back. Glad you were able to shake out that cramp that can be devastating mid-set.

 

[Dustin07]

Yeah, I would be hard pressed to bench too much after starting with shoulders, but I think I remember you saying you performed better doing OHP first a little while back. Glad you were able to shake out that cramp that can be devastating mid-set.

Yeah we did a few weeks back for some reason (?) and ended up making it a staple as part of our warm up. the volume is relatively reasonable so it seems to be OK so far. But you have those days where you feel thick and plump and those days where you feel deflated and thin. today was one of the skinny boy feeling days with sore joints, not the end of the world

 

[Dustin07]

Warm up
DB curls, bent over rows
Bb power snatch

Hang power cleans
10 x bar
3 x 5 x 135
5 x 155, 175, 195

From the ground
3 x 205
2 x 225

Deads
5 x 225, 275, 315

Front squats
5 x 95, 115, 135, 155
3 x 175, 195


Notes
Light weight screw off day. Np preWO etc just killing time after company bbq until I can pick my boy up from school for the holiday weekend

Weight
190.6

 

[MrKleen73]

That looks like an old school football workout! Memories!!!!

 

[Dustin07]

That looks like an old school football workout! Memories!!!!

Just add a blocking sled and coach bringing the garden hose out mid practice and I'm back in school getting "easy" A's in science

 

[Rocket3015]

Company BBQ I'm always up for that!

 

[Dustin07]

Warm up
DB laterals, forwards, curls
DB bench

Bench
10 x 135, 175
5 x 205, 230, 250

Paused
10 x 185

Speed
30 x 135

Tri cable pull downs
3 sets

Rope push downs
3 sets

Hammer strength incline
3 x 15

Machine rows
4 sets

LISS
10 minutes
+ Comp to see who could run longest at 5mph lol

Notes
Sunday screw off day with my boy but actually pretty happy with that 250 x 5!

 

[Rocket3015]

Notes
Sunday screw off day with my boy but actually pretty happy with that 250 x 5!

I would be aesthetic !

 

[Dustin07]

Squats
10 x bar, 95, 135
5 x 185, 225, 265
3 x 300
1 x 315

+ Green bands
5 x 225

+ Green & red bands
5 x 225

Good mornings
10 x 135, 165, 185

Front squats
10 x 135

Leg ext
3 sets


That felt like enough for a holiday session I'm dropping sweat. Off to finish my fence building project now and smoke a pork butt.

 

[Rocket3015]

Nothing Like Smoked Meat !!

 

[Dustin07]

Nothing Like Smoked Meat !!

I love the whole process from starting the fire to over eating the animal!

 

[MrKleen73]

Sounds like a great day. Nice work on the 250x5 on bench. How did the pork butt come out? How long did you end up smoking it?

 

[Dustin07]

Sounds like a great day. Nice work on the 250x5 on bench. How did the pork butt come out? How long did you end up smoking it?

yeah man I'm at a tough point here trying to figure out my next step forward on that 300lb hunt. I don't think sitting at 250 and adding reps like I did at 225 is the answer so I might be chasing 265-275 for reps here soon.

we ended up doing ribs on Sunday and then a Beef roast on Monday rather than the pork. But turned out fantastic but in my opinion cooked WAY too fast. Part of that might be the smoker as I pointed out but part of it is also my fault cause I spent the whole weekend finishing up my fence project (90% finished). we have a puppy coming next month so I wanted our yard to finally be fenced in. I had quotes for a chainlink fence at around $4k, and ended up doing it myself over about 6 weekends for around $1500. now that it's done and I do that math I think had the other folks done it, they would have landed closer to $5-6k because of the additional hardware, length, and gate that was needed. I'm super happy with it though! HOPEFULLY it will keep the deer out of the yard, and keep the dogs in. it doubles the size of our garden and if it does work for keeping out the deer we can enjoy some plants that we coudn't really enjoy before...

 

[Rocket3015]

yeah man I'm at a tough point here trying to figure out my next step forward on that 300lb hunt. I don't think sitting at 250 and adding reps like I did at 225 is the answer so I might be chasing 265-275 for reps here soon.

we ended up doing ribs on Sunday and then a Beef roast on Monday rather than the pork. But turned out fantastic but in my opinion cooked WAY too fast. Part of that might be the smoker as I pointed out but part of it is also my fault cause I spent the whole weekend finishing up my fence project (90% finished). we have a puppy coming next month so I wanted our yard to finally be fenced in. I had quotes for a chainlink fence at around $4k, and ended up doing it myself over about 6 weekends for around $1500. now that it's done and I do that math I think had the other folks done it, they would have landed closer to $5-6k because of the additional hardware, length, and gate that was needed. I'm super happy with it though! HOPEFULLY it will keep the deer out of the yard, and keep the dogs in. it doubles the size of our garden and if it does work for keeping out the deer we can enjoy some plants that we coudn't really enjoy before...

It is always a great feeling when it's done and you can stand back look at an say "I Did That" Be Proud !!

 

[Dustin07]

It is always a great feeling when it's done and you can stand back look at an say "I Did That" Be Proud !!

for sure. the past couple summers I've been so busy I haven't had any time with BIG projects since I built our covid chicken coop and painted the house back in 2020 (I roofed it after this pic)

This year I'm adding additional fencing around the coop to give our new chickens extra room to run (My wife picked up 11 for us this year, 2 of which we think are roosters that we'll get rid of)

 

[Rocket3015]

for sure. the past couple summers I've been so busy I haven't had any time with BIG projects since I built our covid chicken coop and painted the house back in 2020 (I roofed it after this pic)

This year I'm adding additional fencing around the coop to give our new chickens extra room to run (My wife picked up 11 for us this year, 2 of which we think are roosters that we'll get rid of)


View attachment 232616

2 of which we think are roosters that we'll get rid of

Chicken Soup !!!

 

[Dustin07]

2 of which we think are roosters that we'll get rid of

Chicken Soup !!!

my wife has gone from "we can't kill our pets" to "I don't need to know what happens to them" so I'm thinking beer can chicken!

 

[MrKleen73]

my wife has gone from "we can't kill our pets" to "I don't need to know what happens to them" so I'm thinking beer can chicken!

If you eat a rooster you have officially had cokk in your mouth, so does that make you gay?

 

[Dustin07]

If you eat a rooster you have officially had cokk in your mouth, so does that make you gay?

I had a consultation a few weeks back for the vasectomy and I unexpectedly was required to drop drawers and attend to a thorough groping to ensure I was anatomically viable for the procedure. I told my wife I was slightly relieved to find that I was not even a little bit gay but I didn't need the turtle to go completely into hiding either

 

[Dustin07]

Bench
10 x 95
2 x 7 x 135
5 x 185
2 x 205, 225, 245
2 x 3 x 260
8 x 225

Skull crushers
3 x 12 x 60lb ez bar

SS with machine curls
4 sets

Hammer curls
10 x 40s, 45s, 50s

21s
3 sets

SS with rope tricep push downs
3 x 20

Finished the month at 190.X lbs so less than a lb from the 189lb goal but PRd squats and bench press this month with a ten lb drop. So I'm not unhappy.

Finished a 36+hr fast today at 8:30am and lifted at 11:30. Considered pushing the fast until tonight but wanted to get my lifts in today and tomorrow.

 

[Dustin07]

went in feeling a little deflated after my fast so I said after bench I want a bro sesh to fill out the arms. was not disappointed. couldn't get my button down dress shirt back on over my arms post workout

 

[MrKleen73]

went in feeling a little deflated after my fast so I said after bench I want a bro sesh to fill out the arms. was not disappointed. couldn't get my button down dress shirt back on over my arms post workout

Now that is a great feeling!

 

[dapack]

Just got caught of on your log. Congrats on the squat PR!!!

 

[Dustin07]

Just got caught of on your log. Congrats on the squat PR!!!

thanks man! I think you and I were on each others logs back in the day the first time I hit 300 finally. its taken me forever to make progress but finally I can say that the 350 didn't feel like it was crushing my spine. I just gotta keep some momentum!

it's still the weirdest thing to me to think that I could pick up 465 off the ground but that squatting is sooooo much harder

 

[Hyde]

thanks man! I think you and I were on each others logs back in the day the first time I hit 300 finally. its taken me forever to make progress but finally I can say that the 350 didn't feel like it was crushing my spine. I just gotta keep some momentum!

it's still the weirdest thing to me to think that I could pick up 465 off the ground but that squatting is sooooo much harder

Is it that weird, if basically all raw lifters are this way?

 

[Dustin07]

Is it that weird, if basically all raw lifters are this way?

Na I get it, just hard to wrap my mind around. Seems like if I leaned my back against something and pushed with my feet as hard as possible I'd be stronger than yanking something from in front of me. Your numbers are a hell of a lot closer together though you have a monster squat

 

[MrKleen73]

Na I get it, just hard to wrap my mind around. Seems like if I leaned my back against something and pushed with my feet as hard as possible I'd be stronger than yanking something from in front of me. Your numbers are a hell of a lot closer together though you have a monster squat

To be fair though, he has seasons where he pushes squats harder, then others where he pushes DL harder. You never back off of DL, and it takes away from your squat. If you want to rectify then lower volume a bit on DL, to maintain it, and increase your focus on squats and I bet the squat starts catching up.

 

[Dustin07]

To be fair though, he has seasons where he pushes squats harder, then others where he pushes DL harder. You never back off of DL, and it takes away from your squat. If you want to rectify then lower volume a bit on DL, to maintain it, and increase your focus on squats and I bet the squat starts catching up.

That's so true. Lately my dl has suffered while squats grow

 

[akboom87]

Nice work on the fence and chicken coop! Bench looking strong, progressing nicely.

also I had to chuckle catching up on comments, I have noticed that when you say your going to back off a lift or de load you go even harder the next few sessions and sometimes hit a PR

 

[SkRaw85]

Skip the vasectomy, just start blasting trest! Jk. Kinda. Lol.

Bench is obviously gaining as of late. Keep hammering!

 

[Hyde]

Na I get it, just hard to wrap my mind around. Seems like if I leaned my back against something and pushed with my feet as hard as possible I'd be stronger than yanking something from in front of me. Your numbers are a hell of a lot closer together though you have a monster squat

Like Kleen said, that’s a product of training/intention. I am not built to be a squatter - I am built for the deadlift. But enough low back/bicep/grip issues have presented themselves over the years that I put my eggs in whatever basket made sense at the time.

 

[Dustin07]

Deads

10 x 135, 185
5 x 225

Off 2 plates
3 x 275, 315, 365, 405, 425

RDL
10 x 315

+ Green band
3 x 8 x 225

BB rows
10 x 135, 155, 175
30 x 95 (supinated)





Notes
Last few dl sessions have been too light, and have felt too heavy. So decided on a block pull day to make sure I could get heavy weight in my hands. I think 405 could have been 6-10 reps. 425 felt much heavier. Really wanted to get more work in today but tend to be more rushed when lifting with my buddy. I sorta had to force him into the rows lol he bailed when I switched to RDLs to go hit pec deck and leg extensions.

pic for reference of plate size

 

[Dustin07]

Thinking of flipping my lower priority and instead of having a squat day + a DL day, having 2 DL days per week.
One light weight/speed and accessory work (like banded deficit DL etc) with front squats as an accessory and one heavy day. Either from the ground or blocks.

May led to a long awaited squat PR but at the demise of my DL. With deads in theory only being 35lbs away from my lifetime goal, I feel like I should double down there and focus on it some more.

Thinking of doing the same with Bench. I can't linearly progress every session twice a week, but I'm starting to feel the benefit of "practice" (like DE/Conjugate style) on that second day.

 

[Rocket3015]

Cashing a PR is always great motivation !!

 

[Dustin07]

Cashing a PR is always great motivation !!

It's super motivating and I had a few sessions in May where I felt super awkward all the sudden when picking up the bar. Like I couldn't get into good position, it seemed heavier than it should, my thoracic didn't want to stay in position it was just awkward. It really made me want to fix my focus and give DL all my love and attention.

 

[MrKleen73]

It's funny we were just talking about why your DL stays higher than squats. Then bam! More DL specialization.

 

[Dustin07]

Then bam! More DL specialization.

haha I think that was the motivation because my DL's always did stay higher and lately they've felt like a laggard so I felt the need to double down

 

[MrKleen73]

haha I think that was the motivation because my DL's always did stay higher and lately they've felt like a laggard so I felt the need to double down

It's likely either not specializing enough, or so much it got stale and needs a break or cut in volume. You will find out shortly which of the two it was.

 

[Dustin07]

Last night I dreamed I had a hell of a time with a bad bench session. I was at some new facility, sort of a seminar, sort of a training session. 245 on the bar but with safety pins at the mid way part of the lift, and so narrow my hands could barely grip the barbell without hitting the pins. Struggled, struggled, then got into a groove with great explosive paused reps off the pins (?) Lol

That's when I woke up, with the most worked feeling chest, shoulders and arms like I finished a 2hr hypertrophy session


I told my wife who knows, maybe with enough focus a person can think themselves into physical progress

 

[MrKleen73]

Not a restful sleep, but a free workout. Lol There are times where the bodies natural sleep paralysis doesn't quite work right which results in movement and contractions during dreaming. You were likely actually flexing the hell out of your muscles from the stimulus of the dream.

 

[SkRaw85]

Thinking of flipping my lower priority and instead of having a squat day + a DL day, having 2 DL days per week.
One light weight/speed and accessory work (like banded deficit DL etc) with front squats as an accessory and one heavy day. Either from the ground or blocks.

May led to a long awaited squat PR but at the demise of my DL. With deads in theory only being 35lbs away from my lifetime goal, I feel like I should double down there and focus on it some more.

Thinking of doing the same with Bench. I can't linearly progress every session twice a week, but I'm starting to feel the benefit of "practice" (like DE/Conjugate style) on that second day.

Proven method!

 

[Dustin07]

I figure the subconscious is finally onboard with the PR train, time for battle!

 

[Dustin07]

Proven method!

I'm actually super excited to start, first session will be more DE style upper tomorrow

 

[Rocket3015]

Not a restful sleep, but a free workout. Lol There are times where the bodies natural sleep paralysis doesn't quite work right which results in movement and contractions during dreaming. You were likely actually flexing the hell out of your muscles from the stimulus of the dream.

Is this why I wake up with a calf cramp and go running thru the house at 2am ?

 

[Dustin07]

Warm up
DB curls, laterals, forwards, hammer curls

Bench
Wide grip
20 x bar
10 x 95, 135
3 x 155

+ Green band
3 x 155

+ Green band & red band
9 x 3 (wide grip, comp grip, close grip)

No band
3 x 155 (haha so weird)

DB bench
8 x 70s
6 x 80s
5 x 90s, 95s

Lat pull downs
4 sets

Hammer curls
3 x 10-13

Hammer strength seated dip
3 x 15

Note
Actually conjugate would call for like 120lbs on the 9 x 3 but I couldn't get myself to go that light.

 

[MrKleen73]

Is this why I wake up with a calf cramp and go running thru the house at 2am ?

Could be, or maybe one of your meds throws off electrolyte balance a bit.

 

[Dustin07]

I was a little worried that workout wouldn't be enough and contemplated adding some isolation work to shoulders, and pec deck hypertrophy but I'm actually feeling pretty worked.

I think next upper session I'll go SS to 1rm and see where we are if recovery is on par.

 

[Dustin07]

Deads
8 x 135, 185, 225
3 x 255

+ Green band
3 x 255

One plate deficit + green band
3 x 3 x 255

EMOTM - six rounds - 2 plate deficit, green band
3 x 255
6 rounds

No deficit + green band
8 x 315

Bb rows
3 x 10 x 135

DB shrugs
3 x 15 x 80s

Notes
Historically when doing bb rows I do not lower the bar to the ground in-between reps, lately I've been taking a lower position and touching each rep to the ground. The response I'm getting from that longer deeper rep is incredible.


Pic for 1 plate reference;

 

[MrKleen73]

Yep, that extra ROM will get you for sure.

 

[Dustin07]

Yep, that extra ROM will get you for sure.

I'm really excited to see what happens with my little experiment over the coming weeks. Being able to go in a thrash a light weight day, then go in and smash a heavy day sounds like so much more fun than my usual grind. My plan weds is to go full slingshot singles on bench and nothing over like 225 ish raw. sounds like such a fun day