To Infinity.... and Beyond!

[Hyde]

What a lovely morning, and some great news so far.

 

[PolishHamm3r77]

Epics sunrise and excellent news. And coffee

 

[akboom87]

Glad to hear good news so far! Thoughts and prayers tou you guys

 

[Dustin07]

still no pathology report... hopefully today!

Yesterday got to play Chambers Bay golf course for my first time in 13 years. They hosted the Amateur tour as well as the US Open back in 2015. Since it's winter, prices are like 60% cheaper than summer rates which makes it almost affordable lol. Anyways, no carts allowed so it was about 7+ miles of carrying clubs for 5 hrs. feet are still a bit sore!

it only rained a bit during the first couple holes then was dry rest of the morning. started peeling off layers pretty quick.

 

[Dustin07]

Warm up

RDLs, power cleans, bb Rows.

Deads
10 x 135
6 x 185, 225, 275, 325, 375
3 x 405
(Felt so good I considered running the 405s as RDLs lol).

Squats
5 x 135, 185, 225, 265

Leg ext
3 x 12

Leg curls
3 x 12


Notes
Training has been a bit messy between appts for my wife and work Christmas obligations. Really only planned for like 335 x 5 today to get a little volume in but it felt super light so pushed a bit further.

I'm a bit underfed, weight bouncing between 199-203, yet honestly the weights felt light today. Good session.

Super tired but super strong what a mind F.

Not attempting any squat records here. Just practicing and getting volume. Squatted in my flats instead of my ristos today and it felt great.

 

[gphagan1]

Warm up

RDLs, power cleans, bb Rows.

Deads
10 x 135
6 x 185, 225, 275, 325, 375
3 x 405
(Felt so good I considered running the 405s as RDLs lol).

Squats
5 x 135, 185, 225, 265

Leg ext
3 x 12

Leg curls
3 x 12


Notes
Training has been a bit messy between appts for my wife and work Christmas obligations. Really only planned for like 335 x 5 today to get a little volume in but it felt super light so pushed a bit further.

I'm a bit underfed, weight bouncing between 199-203, yet honestly the weights felt light today. Good session.

Super tired but super strong what a mind F.

Not attempting any squat records here. Just practicing and getting volume. Squatted in my flats instead of my ristos today and it felt great.

That’s a good training session considering you felt tired. Sometimes the gym is the very thing you need just to de-stress, to help refocus for life’s challenges. I hope you and your wife have a good week and Christmas.

 

[akboom87]

Warm up

RDLs, power cleans, bb Rows.

Deads
10 x 135
6 x 185, 225, 275, 325, 375
3 x 405
(Felt so good I considered running the 405s as RDLs lol).

Squats
5 x 135, 185, 225, 265

Leg ext
3 x 12

Leg curls
3 x 12


Notes
Training has been a bit messy between appts for my wife and work Christmas obligations. Really only planned for like 335 x 5 today to get a little volume in but it felt super light so pushed a bit further.

I'm a bit underfed, weight bouncing between 199-203, yet honestly the weights felt light today. Good session.

Super tired but super strong what a mind F.

Not attempting any squat records here. Just practicing and getting volume. Squatted in my flats instead of my ristos today and it felt great.

Pretty solid session! I’m always impressed with your deadlifts man.

 

[Dustin07]

Pretty solid session! I’m always impressed with your deadlifts man.

Thanks homie I appreciate that. It's sorta funny to think though, that 265 x 5 was probably equally hard as the 405 pulls. I've never been a good squatter but even for a smaller guy I've been happy and confused with my deads

Biggest change in my deads over the past 18 months is that 405 is always in my back pocket now. Back in the day I could only teach over 400 once a month without destroying myself.

 

[Dustin07]

That’s a good training session considering you felt tired. Sometimes the gym is the very thing you need just to de-stress, to help refocus for life’s challenges. I hope you and your wife have a good week and Christmas.

Thank you buddy, same to you!
Still don't have the pathology report we were supposed to get last week but I'm seeing a ton of optimism in my wife. I think she's prepared for chemo and radiation and she's talking about both in a positive way without any stress or fear. She's basically just planning for it even though we still have like a 50/50 chance or better that she might not need either.

The only thing she's pissy about is the cost of medical care but honestly I really don't think it's bad. We will probably be around $7500-12k deep by the time it's done. I told her that's a small price to pay for her life. Plus she gets new tits and they're gonna use liposuction to fill them

Basically free lypo and boob job with every cancer purchase

 

[Dustin07]

I don't fully understand the difference between heels and flats for squats. I remember Hyde explained it a bit to me and I've forgotten. Squatting in my flats is nice cause I don't have to change shoes but today I honestly felt more stable for the first time ever in flats.

Kinda weird but maybe I'll move to them full time. Heels helped my squats a ton ten years ago but I'm liking the flats now. I am not a lifter who struggles to keep heels down, maybe that's the difference between now vs a decade+ ago

 

[PolishHamm3r77]

Thank you buddy, same to you!
Still don't have the pathology report we were supposed to get last week but I'm seeing a ton of optimism in my wife. I think she's prepared for chemo and radiation and she's talking about both in a positive way without any stress or fear. She's basically just planning for it even though we still have like a 50/50 chance or better that she might not need either.

The only thing she's pissy about is the cost of medical care but honestly I really don't think it's bad. We will probably be around $7500-12k deep by the time it's done. I told her that's a small price to pay for her life. Plus she gets new tits and they're gonna use liposuction to fill them

Basically free lypo and boob job with every cancer purchase

if you were indigent and in the state of Massachusetts that would have been a $5 co-pay on Mass-Health. Crazy!!!…

but grey cloud silver lining on your second point.
You cannot put a price on your health. Glad things r going well

 

[PolishHamm3r77]

I don't fully understand the difference between heels and flats for squats. I remember Hyde explained it a bit to me and I've forgotten. Squatting in my flats is nice cause I don't have to change shoes but today I honestly felt more stable for the first time ever in flats.

Kinda weird but maybe I'll move to them full time. Heels helped my squats a ton ten years ago but I'm liking the flats now. I am not a lifter who struggles to keep heels down, maybe that's the difference between now vs a decade+ ago

You have mastered the “drive through your heels” execution. Barefoot is my jam!

 

[SkRaw85]

still no pathology report... hopefully today!

Yesterday got to play Chambers Bay golf course for my first time in 13 years. They hosted the Amateur tour as well as the US Open back in 2015. Since it's winter, prices are like 60% cheaper than summer rates which makes it almost affordable lol. Anyways, no carts allowed so it was about 7+ miles of carrying clubs for 5 hrs. feet are still a bit sore!

it only rained a bit during the first couple holes then was dry rest of the morning. started peeling off layers pretty quick.

View attachment 238728

Sure as hell doesn’t look like winter up there! I’m currently wearing shorts, Hawaiian shirt and sandals. Xmas in Colorado wtf is going on lol.

 

[Resolve10]

There are a lot of factors that you can adjust to change squatting patterns, but in general heeled shoes are going to allow increased forward knee travel and/or have a more vertical torso position throughout the entire motion.

Not really a right or wrong in most situations, just kind of depends.

 

[akboom87]

Sure as hell doesn’t look like winter up there! I’m currently wearing shorts, Hawaiian shirt and sandals. Xmas in Colorado wtf is going on lol.

Same in South Dakota last year was like 18” inches of snow and -30 around this time.

 

[Hyde]

Thank you buddy, same to you!
Still don't have the pathology report we were supposed to get last week but I'm seeing a ton of optimism in my wife. I think she's prepared for chemo and radiation and she's talking about both in a positive way without any stress or fear. She's basically just planning for it even though we still have like a 50/50 chance or better that she might not need either.

The only thing she's pissy about is the cost of medical care but honestly I really don't think it's bad. We will probably be around $7500-12k deep by the time it's done. I told her that's a small price to pay for her life. Plus she gets new tits and they're gonna use liposuction to fill them

Basically free lypo and boob job with every cancer purchase

That’s a pretty great consolation considering that’s the price of a quality boob job anyway these days (very similar to gyno removal).

I don't fully understand the difference between heels and flats for squats. I remember Hyde explained it a bit to me and I've forgotten. Squatting in my flats is nice cause I don't have to change shoes but today I honestly felt more stable for the first time ever in flats.

Kinda weird but maybe I'll move to them full time. Heels helped my squats a ton ten years ago but I'm liking the flats now. I am not a lifter who struggles to keep heels down, maybe that's the difference between now vs a decade+ ago

Heels are an ideal tool for the squatter who struggles to generate sufficient ankle mobility to hit desired depth. Thus, most people should not be looking to use them - unless they just can’t consistently get their body prepared to move where they are trying to get to.

Weightlifting is different, because a high level of forward knee travel is ideal & the heels facilitate that bias. It’s also desirable to reach absolute maximum depth (to drop further under the weight instead of having to be strong enough to jerk it higher). Probably worth noting that excess forward knee travel is not ideal for knee joint longevity. An Olympic weightlifter is looking to take gold in their 20s, so this isn’t a consideration (and the posture it allows is superior for their comp lifts). But for someone just squatting in general, for the long haul shoving knees over toes harder can produce more sheering force on the knees.

 

[SkRaw85]

Hopefully you two catch the good side of the coin and don’t need treatment. But then she might still hit you up for a $10K boob job since the seed is planted lol.

 

[gphagan1]

Thank you buddy, same to you!
Still don't have the pathology report we were supposed to get last week but I'm seeing a ton of optimism in my wife. I think she's prepared for chemo and radiation and she's talking about both in a positive way without any stress or fear. She's basically just planning for it even though we still have like a 50/50 chance or better that she might not need either.

The only thing she's pissy about is the cost of medical care but honestly I really don't think it's bad. We will probably be around $7500-12k deep by the time it's done. I told her that's a small price to pay for her life. Plus she gets new tits and they're gonna use liposuction to fill them

Basically free lypo and boob job with every cancer purchase

Glad she is looking at it so positively, and hopefully she won’t have to have the chemo and radiation, but if she does it sounds like you both are ready to get through it, and hey new boobs are always good.

 

[Dustin07]

but in general heeled shoes are going to allow increased forward knee travel and/or have a more vertical torso position throughout the entire motion.

Weightlifting is different, because a high level of forward knee travel is ideal & the heels facilitate that bias. It’s also desirable to reach absolute maximum depth (to drop further under the weight instead of having to be strong enough to jerk it higher).

My buddy and I were just talking about this. He prefers a very very small heel and we sorta came a conclusion that if I were oly lifting, my heels would probably make sense again. Occasionally I do like to bring the oly back to train some explosiveness but for now I can say that pulling and squatting in flats was nice from a "don't need to change shoes" angle, but also I just felt very very planted and stable in the flats this weekend.

Hopefully you two catch the good side of the coin and don’t need treatment. But then she might still hit you up for a $10K boob job since the seed is planted lol.

new boobs are always good

well the boobs are a go for sure, and covered by insurance, as well as a little liposuction since they like to fill them with as much of your own tissue as possible apparently. She did have the mastectomy dec 5th and a spacer was already put in. today she gets her first saline injection into the spacer to start spreading the breast tissue out and preparing it to go back to her normal size (which was decently large already). When they do the mastectomy they remove so much tissue that they worry about it being too thin to get enough blood flow to heal. Losing the nipple is a very very real possibility and a big fear she had. it was so real that they already had us working with them on 3d tattoo options "just in case" but they found they were able to save enough tissue that the body can (and seems to be ) heal itself very well. for the first few days we didn't look under the gauze. when we did, it looked like she got punched hard in the tit. a bit indented and very very bruised, the entire breast. TBH I was expecting a murder scene and it looked really good IMO. just a little scar down in the underboob and one in the armpit from taking the lymph nodes. she even has some cleavage again already from the spacer and everything. So from a husbands perspective I can say that draining the tubes, tending to the bandages and whatnot has been nowhere near as bad as I expected. probably a testament to fantastic surgeons! she really is looking and feeling great.

 

[Dustin07]

Bench
10 x 95, 135
3 x 175, 205, 205
2 x 225, 245, 265
1 x 285

Slingshot
3 x 300
1 x 315
5 x 275

Raw
9 x 225

CGBP
8 x 185

Tri extensions
3 x 12+
(Never attempted the full stack before lol)

Superset with EZ bar curls
10 x 60, 80
12 x 80

 

[akboom87]

My buddy and I were just talking about this. He prefers a very very small heel and we sorta came a conclusion that if I were oly lifting, my heels would probably make sense again. Occasionally I do like to bring the oly back to train some explosiveness but for now I can say that pulling and squatting in flats was nice from a "don't need to change shoes" angle, but also I just felt very very planted and stable in the flats this weekend.




well the boobs are a go for sure, and covered by insurance, as well as a little liposuction since they like to fill them with as much of your own tissue as possible apparently. She did have the mastectomy dec 5th and a spacer was already put in. today she gets her first saline injection into the spacer to start spreading the breast tissue out and preparing it to go back to her normal size (which was decently large already). When they do the mastectomy they remove so much tissue that they worry about it being too thin to get enough blood flow to heal. Losing the nipple is a very very real possibility and a big fear she had. it was so real that they already had us working with them on 3d tattoo options "just in case" but they found they were able to save enough tissue that the body can (and seems to be ) heal itself very well. for the first few days we didn't look under the gauze. when we did, it looked like she got punched hard in the tit. a bit indented and very very bruised, the entire breast. TBH I was expecting a murder scene and it looked really good IMO. just a little scar down in the underboob and one in the armpit from taking the lymph nodes. she even has some cleavage again already from the spacer and everything. So from a husbands perspective I can say that draining the tubes, tending to the bandages and whatnot has been nowhere near as bad as I expected. probably a testament to fantastic surgeons! she really is looking and feeling great.

Glad to hear that man, sounds like you took real good care of her and she is healing well.

Bench
10 x 95, 135
3 x 175, 205, 205
2 x 225, 245, 265
1 x 285

Slingshot
3 x 300
1 x 315
5 x 275

Raw
9 x 225

CGBP
8 x 185

Tri extensions
3 x 12+
(Never attempted the full stack before lol)

Superset with EZ bar curls
10 x 60, 80
12 x 80
View attachment 238774

Nice full stack! 80# ez bar curls for a set of 10 then 12, hell yeah!!

 

[Dustin07]

Glad to hear that man, sounds like you took real good care of her and she is healing well.



Nice full stack! 80# ez bar curls for a set of 10 then 12, hell yeah!!

Oops I screwed that up, it was 60, 70, 80. Felt the PA XT today, biceps were yoked!

 

[akboom87]

Oops I screwed that up, it was 60, 70, 80. Felt the PA XT today, biceps were yoked!

I bet they were! Nice work

 

[Resolve10]

Ya I think most people can probably see some sort of benefits from heeled shoes, but it is also hard to find the optimal heel height depending on the individual due to various reasons. Fwiw I've only recently started using them again after probably 2-3 years of lifting in flats because it was just more convenient to just only have one pair of shoes to deal with.

 

[Hyde]

Ya I think most people can probably see some sort of benefits from heeled shoes, but it is also hard to find the optimal heel height depending on the individual due to various reasons. Fwiw I've only recently started using them again after probably 2-3 years of lifting in flats because it was just more convenient to just only have one pair of shoes to deal with.

What you really want is 3” platforms for all of your deadlift work. Save time & energy by making all of your work deficits. Don’t need to come up with mats/blocks, less weight you need to load, then you take them off one day and pull a PR.

 

[SkRaw85]

What you really want is 3” platforms for all of your deadlift work. Save time & energy by making all of your work deficits. Don’t need to come up with mats/blocks, less weight you need to load, then you take them off one day and pull a PR.

Big brain move right there

 

[SkRaw85]

My buddy and I were just talking about this. He prefers a very very small heel and we sorta came a conclusion that if I were oly lifting, my heels would probably make sense again. Occasionally I do like to bring the oly back to train some explosiveness but for now I can say that pulling and squatting in flats was nice from a "don't need to change shoes" angle, but also I just felt very very planted and stable in the flats this weekend.




well the boobs are a go for sure, and covered by insurance, as well as a little liposuction since they like to fill them with as much of your own tissue as possible apparently. She did have the mastectomy dec 5th and a spacer was already put in. today she gets her first saline injection into the spacer to start spreading the breast tissue out and preparing it to go back to her normal size (which was decently large already). When they do the mastectomy they remove so much tissue that they worry about it being too thin to get enough blood flow to heal. Losing the nipple is a very very real possibility and a big fear she had. it was so real that they already had us working with them on 3d tattoo options "just in case" but they found they were able to save enough tissue that the body can (and seems to be ) heal itself very well. for the first few days we didn't look under the gauze. when we did, it looked like she got punched hard in the tit. a bit indented and very very bruised, the entire breast. TBH I was expecting a murder scene and it looked really good IMO. just a little scar down in the underboob and one in the armpit from taking the lymph nodes. she even has some cleavage again already from the spacer and everything. So from a husbands perspective I can say that draining the tubes, tending to the bandages and whatnot has been nowhere near as bad as I expected. probably a testament to fantastic surgeons! she really is looking and feeling great.

Awesome news brother!

 

[Dustin07]

What you really want is 3” platforms for all of your deadlift work. Save time & energy by making all of your work deficits. Don’t need to come up with mats/blocks, less weight you need to load, then you take them off one day and pull a PR.

Amen

 

[PolishHamm3r77]

What you really want is 3” platforms for all of your deadlift work. Save time & energy by making all of your work deficits. Don’t need to come up with mats/blocks, less weight you need to load, then you take them off one day and pull a PR.

Wait, so I could be 5’9” on deadlift day? That in itself is a PR. I represent the Lollipop Guild weight lifting crew.

 

[Dustin07]

Wait, so I could be 5’9” on deadlift day? That in itself is a PR. I represent the Lollipop Guild weight lifting crew.

None of us are super tall dude.

 

[GreenMachineX]

None of us are super tall dude.


View attachment 238792

Manlets, unite!

 

[GreenMachineX]

Warm up

RDLs, power cleans, bb Rows.

Deads
10 x 135
6 x 185, 225, 275, 325, 375
3 x 405
(Felt so good I considered running the 405s as RDLs lol).

Squats
5 x 135, 185, 225, 265

Leg ext
3 x 12

Leg curls
3 x 12


Notes
Training has been a bit messy between appts for my wife and work Christmas obligations. Really only planned for like 335 x 5 today to get a little volume in but it felt super light so pushed a bit further.

I'm a bit underfed, weight bouncing between 199-203, yet honestly the weights felt light today. Good session.

Super tired but super strong what a mind F.

Not attempting any squat records here. Just practicing and getting volume. Squatted in my flats instead of my ristos today and it felt great.

DL looking good! What's your current pr?

 

[Dustin07]

DL looking good! What's your current pr?

Pulled 485 on Dec 4th, it felt GOOOD but it was definitely my top effort of the day. Didn't even make another attempt after that one.

 

[GreenMachineX]

Pulled 485 on Dec 4th, it felt GOOOD but it was definitely my top effort of the day. Didn't even make another attempt after that one.

Nice. Well, no way it's a race to 500 anymore. You win ser lol

 

[Dustin07]

Nice. Well, no way it's a race to 500 anymore. You win ser lol

I ain't crossed the finish line yet!

 

[GreenMachineX]

I ain't crossed the finish line yet!

True, but I know you will!

 

[akboom87]

Now I’m curious how tall are you? I sit right at 6’1”

 

[Dustin07]

Now I’m curious how tall are you? I sit right at 6’1”

drivers license still says 5'10" but it's closer to 5'9" now. some degenerative issues and a busted disc at L5.
it's one of the reasons I'm a huge proponent of trying to get people to just rehab their backs and fix their brains before freaking out and getting surgery. I have a busted disc, a torn ligament, and a bone spur rubbing against the sciatica all in the same area, as well as losing about 3/4" of my height but I have zero pain as long as I stay active and deadlift.

Might be why I'm a better deadlifter than squatter, I keep building a better frame to get closer to the bar
I think it's also why I have to be at like 10% BF to look like I'm even 12-14% because it feels like everything is squished right into the love handle region

 

[MrKleen73]

drivers license still says 5'10" but it's closer to 5'9" now. some degenerative issues and a busted disc at L5.
it's one of the reasons I'm a huge proponent of trying to get people to just rehab their backs and fix their brains before freaking out and getting surgery. I have a busted disc, a torn ligament, and a bone spur rubbing against the sciatica all in the same area, as well as losing about 3/4" of my height but I have zero pain as long as I stay active and deadlift.

Might be why I'm a better deadlifter than squatter, I keep building a better frame to get closer to the bar
I think it's also why I have to be at like 10% BF to look like I'm even 12-14% because it feels like everything is squished right into the love handle region

Sounds like the heavier squatting and deadlifting has built up your obliques a bit. Once they have a little size on them they start pushing out what little fat is there more.

 

[GreenMachineX]

Sounds like the heavier squatting and deadlifting has built up your obliques a bit. Once they have a little size on them they start pushing out what little fat is there more.

This is why I suspected for myself for a while. What's the way to fix this?

 

[MrKleen73]

This is why I suspected for myself for a while. What's the way to fix this?

Detraining the area, or getting used to it. If you want to squat and DL heavier your core is going to grow to be able to support the weights you are moving. That is just part of the game. Short of dieting and staying leaner than usual so you don't see the love handles as much I don't really have a workable solution for someone who wants to continue squatting and deadlifting. Perhaps @Resolve10 or @Hyde have a suggestion, but I think that is just the result of needing a thicker core to manage the weights being used. Personally, I have just come to accept that I have good obliques and when I am lean they are impressive, but when I am holding a little extra, I look a little extra. The real answer is to stay at a lean healthy weight which as i get older actually makes more sense anyway for longevity, and joint relief purposes. Even in my pics at 194 I still have a little bit of love handle with a full blown 6 pack, abs serratus and intercostals. I don't really think anyone was paying attention to them though because everything else was very impressive. Most peoples eye's are drawn to positive things and away from the negative unless looking for it. Of course when we look at ourselves especially in this game we look directly toward anything that makes us insecure. So some of it just comes down to acceptance.

 

[Dustin07]

This is why I suspected for myself for a while. What's the way to fix this?

Sounds like the heavier squatting and deadlifting has built up your obliques a bit. Once they have a little size on them they start pushing out what little fat is there more.

I don't doubt it. When I was leaner and hanging out in the 10% area I intentionally did not try to overtrain obliques etc for that exact reason. Undoubtedly during my xfit years they got more than enough work anyways and the occasional med ball russian twists etc, but I did not TRY to bulk them up at all.

again according to renpho, I'm only up 3% BF from 14-17% even though bodyweight is up from 183 to 201.
so from 25lbs of fat to 34.5lbs of fat (+9lbs) but a bodyweight increase of 18lbs.

*Yes I know renpho isn't accurate necessarily by any means, but I have found it to be consistent so I watch it as a baseline, from my own experience, and the mirror, I'd guess it's close to accurate right now on the 17%, and back in the day we used calipers and dunk tanks*

 

[Resolve10]

I'm not good to ask this because I've always had garbage core genetics. I then just didn't care and never felt all the compound movements I did or core work ever really made my sides blow up anyways. I know some disagree, but I don't think it is generally as big as an issue as some make it (but I also hang out pretty lean so maybe it is easier to say that than if I let myself gain some more weight).

 

[Dustin07]

I'm not good to ask this because I've always had garbage core genetics. I then just didn't care and never felt all the compound movements I did or core work ever really made my sides blow up anyways. I know some disagree, but I don't think it is generally as big as an issue as some make it (but I also hang out pretty lean so maybe it is easier to say that than if I let myself gain some more weight).

the other thing is the same area that in theory might grow from doing these movements is the same area a man tends to hold excess weight with age (spare tire). Right now I'd say that area between the belly button and the belt is the only portion that's truly grown a tad uncomfortably large in my last 18 months. my lats have swollen a lot too (as have arms) but I've just moved on to wearing larger shirts.

all of my pants still fit. some of my slacks are just tighter in the quads and ass. boxer briefs are a lot tighter in the ass.

 

[MrKleen73]

I'm not good to ask this because I've always had garbage core genetics. I then just didn't care and never felt all the compound movements I did or core work ever really made my sides blow up anyways. I know some disagree, but I don't think it is generally as big as an issue as some make it (but I also hang out pretty lean so maybe it is easier to say that than if I let myself gain some more weight).

Yeah, I don't think it is as big of a factor as some make it but definitely believe the muscles grow due to the increased need for stability. I also don't know for how long, or it just a temporary growth after first getting started.

That being said, I always noticed when I trained regularly with a belt my abs stuck out more from being used to being pushed out under maximum contraction. Basically from training them pushed out as opposed to held in. I imagine some attention to my tranversus abdominis during that time would have probably kept that from happening though.

In the end I think just staying leaner is the real answer if the appearance of love handles is an issue for you. Otherwise, self acceptance and continuing to do the exercises you love is the answer.

 

[Resolve10]

Ya I should emphasize I mean a lot for how I look at it. I think a strong looking waist (as long as it isn't super blocky) probably isn't bad and I'd rather lift a ton of weight and maybe be a little bigger there then trade it and lift less.

I also have zero aspiration to compete in BB so my opinion means less if that is someone's sole goal.

 

[Hyde]

Ya I should emphasize I mean a lot for how I look at it. I think a strong looking waist (as long as it isn't super blocky) probably isn't bad and I'd rather lift a ton of weight and maybe be a little bigger there then trade it and lift less.

I also have zero aspiration to compete in BB so my opinion means less if that is someone's sole goal.

This is my thoughts. All men who get stronger have waistlines that grow somewhat with their strength, because their lean mass must have increased at some point. And as men age they also tend to add more fat around the core/low back as well.

I’m not saying that you need to be fat or need to have a bad looking core, but I am saying it’s unreasonable to think all of the other supporting muscles for a lift will grow over time but the abs & obliques somehow wouldn’t. Look at every man who has performed a 1,000lb conventional deadlift - you will not see the waistline of a Physique pro.

 

[Dustin07]

Warm ups

RDLs, power cleans, OHP
Empty barbell

Deads
10 x 135
5 x 225, 275, 315, 365

Bench
10 x 95
5 x 135, 185, 225, 250

Slingshot
5 x 275

Squats
5 x 135, 185, 225

Slingshot assisted pushups
1 set of 50

DB Curls
20 x 30s





Notes
Bench was feeling sorta light after those deads. Buddy and I anticipate a crazy holiday schedule so opted for an everything day.
Work was nuts yesterday so I opted for a fast. Knew gym wasn't happening.
Sleep quality has been good but hours have been strained. Just super busy and getting home late.

Weight 196.6 this morning still fasted.

 

[Dustin07]

I was dragging my butt today at the gym but the bench felt super light. only supps:

Alpha Gel
XPG DHEA
APEX Triton <- forgot I had some in my desk at work so gave it 5 pumps. smells good lol.

Pounded my protein shake mid workout and back at my office I feel worked. I really did not think it was that good of a workout and the first 10-20 pushups seemed just silly but once I decided to go for 50 it honestly was a nice accessory, really gave me a decent volume pump and fatigue feeling.

 

[Dustin07]

Ya I should emphasize I mean a lot for how I look at it. I think a strong looking waist (as long as it isn't super blocky) probably isn't bad and I'd rather lift a ton of weight and maybe be a little bigger there then trade it and lift less.

I also have zero aspiration to compete in BB so my opinion means less if that is someone's sole goal.

I think it's another sport where fashion has changed. Nobody would have called Ronnie fat, but clearly Arnold and most guys from previous generations had narrower waist lines. fat is fat and lean is lean regardless of shape to some degree, don't you think?

I don't think I personally care necessarily what my waist measurement is, and if I'm blockier or narrower in the waist but the tell tale signs that my BF is higher than I want are the little rolls. if the gut wants to hang over the belt instead of in it, if I see the spare tire poking out the sides of a fitted shirt from behind. I mean, we "know" if we have a little extra fat we want to shed.

CBum has done a great job of sculping huge lats though to make his waist look pretty damn trim. In terms of sex appeal every woman I've met would prefer the less vascular and cartoony look, maybe an off season Arnold at most. But yeah, I'd have no problem with a cbum physique