To Infinity.... and Beyond!
- Thread starter Dustin07
- Start date
Rocket3015
Legend
But you look good in the mirror !!
Dustin07
Legend
haha yeah I'm almost full d-bag walking around with my shirt off again. Gonna have to get into a frat house soon.
SkRaw85
Legend
Sodium for me!
Dustin07
Legend
For real?
SkRaw85
Legend
Yep. Very overlooked, cheap, effective.
Dustin07
Legend
Gracias amigo. I emailed iconic as well to verify but hadn't heard back yet. so 3 pumps of dermacrine is going to equal the dhea in the true shred just being topical instead of oral. <-- which doesn't mean much to me since I don't honestly know which application is better but I take enough pills already
SkRaw85
Legend
Dustin07
Legend
WTF I can't believe I never thought of this.
my current pwo only has 60mg. I wonder if I should up it. awesome idea
hell even the lmnt has like 1000mg?
SkRaw85
Legend
Give it a go! LMNT has 1gram sodium, 200mg potassium and 60mg magnesium. I love it for the speed and convenience of the packets. Unflavored works well in pwo and watermelon is hands down the best taste for daily sipping. The chocolate ones are nasty.
Hyde
Legend
If you aren’t consuming about 1g sodium periWO, you are leaving performance/recovery on the table.
A 2% dehydration in an athlete can reduce power output up to 15%. Water cannot be held without significant sodium or at least carbohydrates, ideally both. People on keto plans who are small even need 5-6g salt per day to stay optimally hydrated. So a more muscular individual using carbs should still shoot for this range, and it can scale with size. You still want your 5 grams of potassium daily, but large amounts of sodium are proven to be healthy & helpful for individuals who do not suffer from hyper-retention & significantly increased blood pressure from sodium consumption. They’re out there, but you’re not them! Use lots of salt!
Hyde
Legend
I would not be messing with cycles right now as a natural around 40 years old. I would be considering if HRT is right for me, because cycling is going to risk your endogenous production getting substantially weaker - so are you really interested in weekly injections for the rest of your life?
Doctor-supervised HRT combined with some light cycles in time would be much more effective overall, as far as what you keep and what it can cost your health. It’s not a free ride, so I don’t want to glamorize anything. You have to do a lot of bloodwork to keep tabs on things, and troubleshooting when things start to get high or low.
Doctor-supervised HRT combined with some light cycles in time would be much more effective overall, as far as what you keep and what it can cost your health. It’s not a free ride, so I don’t want to glamorize anything. You have to do a lot of bloodwork to keep tabs on things, and troubleshooting when things start to get high or low.
Dustin07
Legend
Bench
10 x 95, 135
5 x 175, 205
Pause
3 x 5 x 230
SS
4 x 260
3 x 270
Incline
15 x 95
10 x 115
5 x 135, 155
2 x 175
8 x 135
Dips
Bw x 10
+25lbs x 8
+50lbs x
DB tri kickbacks
3 x 10
Weight
184.6
Added 5lbs to pause bench
Incline... Still trying to figure out grip to avoid shoulder injury. I think it's quite narrow for me.
10 x 95, 135
5 x 175, 205
Pause
3 x 5 x 230
SS
4 x 260
3 x 270
Incline
15 x 95
10 x 115
5 x 135, 155
2 x 175
8 x 135
Dips
Bw x 10
+25lbs x 8
+50lbs x
DB tri kickbacks
3 x 10
Weight
184.6
Added 5lbs to pause bench
Incline... Still trying to figure out grip to avoid shoulder injury. I think it's quite narrow for me.
Dustin07
Legend
noted! my buddy had a brand of electrolytes with high sodium in it that I threw into my preworkout today. I'll make a better effort on sodium. Never in my life did I really think about it intraworkout. I have no qualms with salt at all, except that my ring wont' come off after pho. ha.
Yeah I know you're right and I appreciate the candid response. I'm spitballing more than anything, trying to figure out anything at all that I can add to gain that edge. I have a lot on my mind as I figure out priorities. I know long term being this lean is no good. I'll have to go back to putting on more weight the old fashioned way if I'm going to break through these plateaus again. There is a mental barrier. I cut from 242lbs in my early 20s down to 168 and have spent the rest of my life since around 183-185. I get a mental block when I break over 190. it's hard to enjoy it when at another point in my life I worked so hard to get lean and chased bodybuilders
that said... strength training and powerlifting is more fun and I feel better when I'm in a surplus. less injuries, happier joints, more aggressive.
Dustin07
Legend
It was very easy for me to stay natty when I was competing and from a small town surrounded by people who were all 100% natural. felt good to be a big fish in a small pond. As I get older, the need to piss clean has disappeared and I think thats where the dark side starts to whisper in my ear.
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Dustin07
Legend
I need to back up a moment and take inventory of what has occurred since Sept 2022 when I was able to go back to focus on training.
Sept
weight = 188
Bench = 225 x 3, and a single at 250.
Deads = 350 x 3
Squats = 300 x 1, 250 x 5
More Recently
weight = 184
Bench = 230 x 3x5, 275 x 1 multiple times. 300 w/ slingshot
Deads = 410 x 5, also 410 x 5 with deficit. 460 x 1 (PR)
Squats = 320 x 1, 225 x 3x10. But really not much progress here.
Putting things into perspective, the past 4-5 months have been pretty stellar actually. I've just developed a sense of urgency and lack of patience. I need to get control of that.
Sept
weight = 188
Bench = 225 x 3, and a single at 250.
Deads = 350 x 3
Squats = 300 x 1, 250 x 5
More Recently
weight = 184
Bench = 230 x 3x5, 275 x 1 multiple times. 300 w/ slingshot
Deads = 410 x 5, also 410 x 5 with deficit. 460 x 1 (PR)
Squats = 320 x 1, 225 x 3x10. But really not much progress here.
Putting things into perspective, the past 4-5 months have been pretty stellar actually. I've just developed a sense of urgency and lack of patience. I need to get control of that.
Rocket3015
Legend
Progress looks Great !!
Segansational
Well-known member
This is really great progress. I'd be very pleased if this was my strength increase. And I'm basically hoping to do the same, focus on deads & bench strength over a slightly longer time period (6 mo vs 4) .
Dustin07
Legend
Squats
5 x 95, 135, 175, 205, 235, 255, 270
1 x 300 (I just wanted to)
Fronts
3 x 185, 205, 215
Good mornings
8 x 185, 205, 215
Leg ext
3 x 10
Leg curls
3 x 10
Kb armbars
3 x each arm
(Shoulder prehab. Leg shoulder bugging)
Notes
Ribeye Steak and potatoes + sliders for dinner. Needed to get my cals up bad
Dude came over to my platform while I was moving weights from 205 to 225 and starts doing db raises then smiles and winks at me? I just about knocked him the F out. Ignored him and went back to squats. Bad form bro.
Wanted at least 3 x 5 @ 245 so I'm happy here.
If I can stick with it two squat days a week (volume and intensity) have always served me well.
Not sure how I'm gonna stay on top of deads.
Weight
188
But after coffee/breakfast
Felt lean, looked lean. Squat belt on 4th hole, so I am lean but after all I ate my gut should have been bloated
One of those days I struggled to motivate then had a great surprise session.
5 x 95, 135, 175, 205, 235, 255, 270
1 x 300 (I just wanted to)
Fronts
3 x 185, 205, 215
Good mornings
8 x 185, 205, 215
Leg ext
3 x 10
Leg curls
3 x 10
Kb armbars
3 x each arm
(Shoulder prehab. Leg shoulder bugging)
Notes
Ribeye Steak and potatoes + sliders for dinner. Needed to get my cals up bad
Dude came over to my platform while I was moving weights from 205 to 225 and starts doing db raises then smiles and winks at me? I just about knocked him the F out. Ignored him and went back to squats. Bad form bro.
Wanted at least 3 x 5 @ 245 so I'm happy here.
If I can stick with it two squat days a week (volume and intensity) have always served me well.
Not sure how I'm gonna stay on top of deads.
Weight
188
But after coffee/breakfast
Felt lean, looked lean. Squat belt on 4th hole, so I am lean but after all I ate my gut should have been bloated
One of those days I struggled to motivate then had a great surprise session.
Dustin07
Legend
The deads I'm stoked about.
I love turning 40 and breaking PRs.
The bench I'm mostly happy about, caught my old PRs so I'm knocking in the door.
The squats always being my biggest struggle are still quite a bit below PR territory but I know how to fix it. It's work, and it's hard work. I can't pussy foot around it, it's just hard and I have to do it.
But the more I think about it I can't imagine a scenario where I'm squatting 400 and not deadlifting 475+ so maybe switching my effort to squats will have the better carryover even though I love deads. They're just fun and I think I have the leverage, genetics, shape that favors deads over squats.
Hyde
Legend
Squats
5 x 95, 135, 175, 205, 235, 255, 270
1 x 300 (I just wanted to)
Fronts
3 x 185, 205, 215
Good mornings
8 x 185, 205, 215
Leg ext
3 x 10
Leg curls
3 x 10
Kb armbars
3 x each arm
(Shoulder prehab. Leg shoulder bugging)
Notes
Ribeye Steak and potatoes + sliders for dinner. Needed to get my cals up bad
Dude came over to my platform while I was moving weights from 205 to 225 and starts doing db raises then smiles and winks at me? I just about knocked him the F out. Ignored him and went back to squats. Bad form bro.
Wanted at least 3 x 5 @ 245 so I'm happy here.
If I can stick with it two squat days a week (volume and intensity) have always served me well.
Not sure how I'm gonna stay on top of deads.
Weight
188
But after coffee/breakfast
Felt lean, looked lean. Squat belt on 4th hole, so I am lean but after all I ate my gut should have been bloated
One of those days I struggled to motivate then had a great surprise session.
I’m trying to picture this scenario: do you mean someone you don’t know just carried dbs onto your platform for the express reason of doing shoulder raises while staring at you? That would be really strange. I don’t even know that I would be angry as much as just baffled.
Also, you have made tremendous progress. 10% on bench, 20+% on deadlift, and ~8% on squats in less than half a year. That is the express lane for gains by any standard, beyond noob gains. You should be very pleased with the results your work has yielded! I have gone YEARS for 6lbs on benchpress before, with drugs. The higher you climb, the harder it gets, and progress is not linear. You can toil for 2 years, and then all of a sudden find the answer and things take off again.
Lastly, I really think you shoulder order some injectable L-Carnitine, and if you really want to throw some cash you could get some CJC with DAC and some Mk677. These are performance enhancers that will not require PCT, can be run for extended periods to increase recovery, and will get you experienced with pinning. The CJC & MK combo may not be right for you (pricey, mainly for bulking, can have side effects like lethargy or raising prolactin some), but you actively believe in L-Carnitine so it seems like a no-brainer way to actually make it work for you and improve your natural hormonal environment.
MrKleen73
Legend
Sounds like no need to discuss Androhard doses, which is good. I think your current progress is awesome, and wouldn't mess with my HPTA unless being totally okay with the prospect of TRT for life.
Great progress man you shouldn't be worried about not progressing fast enough. The stall is probably a good thing because it will allow some of your connective tissue to catch up before you keep climbing in weights lifted. Your numbers have come up A LOT, and quickly!
Great progress man you shouldn't be worried about not progressing fast enough. The stall is probably a good thing because it will allow some of your connective tissue to catch up before you keep climbing in weights lifted. Your numbers have come up A LOT, and quickly!
Dustin07
Legend
I literally was walking from barbell, to plate rack which is mounted to the squat rack. Grabbing a 45 to throw on the barbell to make it 225. With plate in my hand, lifting it to the barbell the guy jumps on my platform and starts doing db raises then looks at me smiles and winks.... IDK how I attract this type of stuff. I'm pretty anti social in the gym. once my head phones go on I'm focused on what i'm doing for the next 60-90 minutes and keep to myself entirely. Another guy spent the last 2 weeks trying to sell me his supplements. He sees me deadlifting 400 and something and says "oh back day huh? right on man!".
Thank you for the suggestions on supps! I'm making a list to put together a plan.
I know you're right on the gains. I think I can get frustrated with myself when my maxes always end up at the same exact region so breaking through is always a monumental success.
I appreciate everyone's comments and support. I agree with you in regards to connective tissue etc as well. it's always funny how when the body needs something, the brain knows what food to crave and where to get it. I knew I desperately needed fats this weekend. Suddenly my joints were sore, elbows a little burny at one point. scale says I grabbed a whopping 6lbs over the weekend. Did not drink any alcohol. and did not really eat more than maybe 2,000 calories over maintenance total the whole weekend but my body needed some nourishment badly. Usually I can see 6lbs of water retention in the mirror but everything seems to have stayed leaned out. Not sure how my gut measurement stayed down with all that food and water in me, that one is perplexing.
Dustin07
Legend
Warm up
DB curls, forward, lateral, bench
Bench
3 x 10 x 95
5 x 175, 200
3 x 10 x 210
SS
3 x 8 x 230
CGBP
20 x 135
12 x 155
DB curls
3 x 10 x 40s
Lateral raises
12 x 30s
2 x 10 x 35s
Hammer strength seated dips
12 x +190
2 x 10 x +230
Declines
12 x 135
10 x 165
8 x 185
Figured tens always build my squats. Why not toss them into bench. Saw Jesus on the last rep though. I think he spotted me a little.
Feeling thick and pumped. Great session. I love food.
DB curls, forward, lateral, bench
Bench
3 x 10 x 95
5 x 175, 200
3 x 10 x 210
SS
3 x 8 x 230
CGBP
20 x 135
12 x 155
DB curls
3 x 10 x 40s
Lateral raises
12 x 30s
2 x 10 x 35s
Hammer strength seated dips
12 x +190
2 x 10 x +230
Declines
12 x 135
10 x 165
8 x 185
Figured tens always build my squats. Why not toss them into bench. Saw Jesus on the last rep though. I think he spotted me a little.
Feeling thick and pumped. Great session. I love food.
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Rocket3015
Legend
You will never have a better spotter !
Dustin07
Legend
Have some nice shoulder doms today, feels good!
haha yeah I think he was just a goofy dude. But I was in the zone and focused so at the moment I just wanted the dude to bugger off lol. What's funny is I go out of my way to make my rack available for someone who wants to work inbetween sets etc but once people start to drum up a conversation I get guarded because I know how fast a little bro talk can absolutely derail and ruin a workout....
Amen!
haha yeah I think he was just a goofy dude. But I was in the zone and focused so at the moment I just wanted the dude to bugger off lol. What's funny is I go out of my way to make my rack available for someone who wants to work inbetween sets etc but once people start to drum up a conversation I get guarded because I know how fast a little bro talk can absolutely derail and ruin a workout....
Amen!
Dustin07
Legend
Mondays session I was 190lbs
Had burgers friday, ribeye and sliders saturday, finished sliders sunday. made a pan of brownies friday night and finished them by Sunday.
This morning (weds) woke up at 184.6lbs which is basically back to my 5 month low lol. Been ramping up calories but I guess my body done used them all up.
As an experiment I did eat in surplus Fri-Mon. Lifted Fri, rest Sat, Lift Sun/Mon, rest Tues. I fasted from after dinner Monday until Dinner Tuesday. so the experiment is to see how lifting goes today. To see if Dinner + breakfast/snack/snack pre-workout ramps up my cals enough after fasting to get back in the game.
Had burgers friday, ribeye and sliders saturday, finished sliders sunday. made a pan of brownies friday night and finished them by Sunday.
This morning (weds) woke up at 184.6lbs which is basically back to my 5 month low lol. Been ramping up calories but I guess my body done used them all up.
As an experiment I did eat in surplus Fri-Mon. Lifted Fri, rest Sat, Lift Sun/Mon, rest Tues. I fasted from after dinner Monday until Dinner Tuesday. so the experiment is to see how lifting goes today. To see if Dinner + breakfast/snack/snack pre-workout ramps up my cals enough after fasting to get back in the game.
Hyde
Legend
Now my guess is if you go back to a weekly deficit and don’t keep porking down the treats, your body will start leaning again. Usually when I have a big reload type scenario with a surplus over 2-3 days, I will find my weight to soak it all up, and I will feel much better. But if I continue to eat more, I will get fatter right away, otherwise if I go back into the deficit it’s great because thyroid got stimulated back up to a higher maintenance.
Lyle McDonald has talked about your maintenance dropping within about 4 days of being at a deficit, and 1 day of refeed not being enough, but 2 consecutive days resetting the thyroid back up so you don’t just need to keep endlessly lowering calories. Calorie cycling 3-4 days down, 2 up.
Dustin07
Legend
I mean if that works... that's like a big ol Christmas present for the 9-5'er power lifting. Being able to eat in surplus on the weekend, and just pick a day during the week to skip two meals and maintain a fast is about the easiest nutritional plan I've ever seen.
Dustin07
Legend
Warm up
Leg curls
BB RDLs, straight legged, power cleans, OHP
Deads
8 x 135
6 x 225, 275, 315, 365
7 x 405 (PR)
RDLs
8 x 315
16 x 225 (cardio!)
Barbell rows
3 x 10 x 155
DB curls
5 x 40, 45, 50
Ez bar curls
3 x 10-12
Lat pull downs
3 x 10
Building that Kleen back.
Notes
184.6lbs
Weight belt BARELY on 4th hole. Rode in in the 3 spot today.
Walked in planning on 365 x 3x5 (80% of previous PR)
But it felt so light I figured 405 x 7 is a 1 rep PR over my 2015 405 x 6. Soooo sue me.
I know we don't put a TON of emphasis on calculators but .. theoretically within 14lbs of my 500lb goal. At this point I might do it at 185 lol.
Idk what's going on but I was worried I'd be tired at the gym and once I got here my aggression and energy went through the roof.
Invalid Link Removed
Leg curls
BB RDLs, straight legged, power cleans, OHP
Deads
8 x 135
6 x 225, 275, 315, 365
7 x 405 (PR)
RDLs
8 x 315
16 x 225 (cardio!)
Barbell rows
3 x 10 x 155
DB curls
5 x 40, 45, 50
Ez bar curls
3 x 10-12
Lat pull downs
3 x 10
Building that Kleen back.
Notes
184.6lbs
Weight belt BARELY on 4th hole. Rode in in the 3 spot today.
Walked in planning on 365 x 3x5 (80% of previous PR)
But it felt so light I figured 405 x 7 is a 1 rep PR over my 2015 405 x 6. Soooo sue me.
I know we don't put a TON of emphasis on calculators but .. theoretically within 14lbs of my 500lb goal. At this point I might do it at 185 lol.
Idk what's going on but I was worried I'd be tired at the gym and once I got here my aggression and energy went through the roof.
Invalid Link Removed
MrKleen73
Legend
Sounds like you found a winning refeed solution for post fasted training! Also love the mention on the "Building that Kleen back"!!!
Congrats on the DL PR!!!! When I saw your 405 for 7 I immediately thought you are going to be over 500 soon. So that calculators is about right on. Who knows you could already be there. If not I bet with a deadlifting bar you would be.
Congrats on the DL PR!!!! When I saw your 405 for 7 I immediately thought you are going to be over 500 soon. So that calculators is about right on. Who knows you could already be there. If not I bet with a deadlifting bar you would be.
Dustin07
Legend
Thanks man!! Yeah the bar at LA fitness is not great. I use liquid chalk and it was still slipping. we have one nice oly bar there but it was already being used. I don't use straps for conventional, I will use them for RDL's and accessories but never for a straight training pull since I believe in "practice as you compete" (even though I'm not competing anymore).
Dude if I had any more gas in the tank I would have thrown in some db rows or kroc rows too, I was literally thinking about your video the other day when I jumped on the lat pull downs lol. Just felt fantastic today. that 405 x 7 DID take it out of me though, which I'm going to take as a very good thing since I believe I really struggle to lift at RPE 9+ so I'm glad i pushed it. MAYBE had a few more reps in the tank if I wanted to put the bar down and reset but this was a nice nice training endeavor. I'm pumped!!!
I will admit this:
It makes me feel pretty douchey when I set up on a platform and start pulling 400+ for reps when the people on each side of me are pulling 95-135lbs and are obviously 30+lbs heavier than me, just out of shape lol.
Rocket3015
Legend
Be Proud!!
MrKleen73
Legend
No Man, like @Rocket3015 said be proud. You are in there for you. If nothing else you are motivating them to do better. If they think you are a douche that is just from sipping the hater-aid, and is their problem. I would be there cheering you on to dig and get your hardest reps in. When i was pulling 405 for higher reps or doing 315x20 some would stop and stare, some bitch about the weight clanging, or some would cheer me on as I started really digging for reps. The ones staring or cheering me on were the real ones the rest weren't worthy of my attention. Either way I was there for me, and those who recognized that were the only ones worthy my time or consideration. It's your journey so they can either cheer you on, stop and stare, or pay you no mind. It doesn't really matter because unless cheering you on they don't have any effect on you reaching your goals.
Hyde
Legend
Nice PR!
Something that really helped drive my deadlift was doing an AMRAP every 8-9 days, and not squatting heavy concurrently (~70-75% range and not as much volume). This was the 5th Set for powerlifting methodology.
Squat OR Deadlift will be set to 4x2 at 80% training 1RM, followed by 1xAMRAP (stop if form breaks any). The other lift will be kept at technical work of 5x3 at 75% of recent training max. You just add 5lbs a week to each for 5 weeks, then deload.
Then there is other backup assistance work. I realize that might be a little slow for you, but if you put it on a normal 7-day “week” schedule it becomes very aggressive, pulling a heavy deadlift AMRAP weekly.
Anyway, just to give you an idea, it can work very well - BUT, it is tough to recover from, and recovery is when you build, so you have to adjust training accordingly is the point. Protect your back health.
Something that really helped drive my deadlift was doing an AMRAP every 8-9 days, and not squatting heavy concurrently (~70-75% range and not as much volume). This was the 5th Set for powerlifting methodology.
Squat OR Deadlift will be set to 4x2 at 80% training 1RM, followed by 1xAMRAP (stop if form breaks any). The other lift will be kept at technical work of 5x3 at 75% of recent training max. You just add 5lbs a week to each for 5 weeks, then deload.
Then there is other backup assistance work. I realize that might be a little slow for you, but if you put it on a normal 7-day “week” schedule it becomes very aggressive, pulling a heavy deadlift AMRAP weekly.
Anyway, just to give you an idea, it can work very well - BUT, it is tough to recover from, and recovery is when you build, so you have to adjust training accordingly is the point. Protect your back health.
Hyde
Legend
Wife tans there all the time, but just FYI she said tanning isn’t part of the base $10 membership (here). That’s why I don’t have a membership; that would be the cheapest tanning pass anywhere if you get that!
BOSSMAN
Well-known member
Thanks for clarification because that was our train of thought. We haven't looked into as of yet
Rocket3015
Legend
Black Card Membership $20 a month Unlimited, Tanning, Massage Chairs / Tables, Red Light Therapy and you can take a guest/spouse every time for free!
MrKleen73
Legend
This, but I think it is 24.99 here or maybe that is around what it is after fees and such. Still not a bad deal for a gym, tanning massage chairs and the Infrared therapy.
Hyde
Legend
I think my wife has a deal through her insurance that she could get access to a handful of different places for one fee. She uses the PF for tanning sometimes, and cardio machines when in a cut since it’s closer than other places.
Dustin07
Legend
My understanding is that some PF's are better than others. we had a PL style gym in Tacoma for $9.99 / month that sold out to PF and on the first day all the free weights and barbells were removed and replaced by machines. Now if they brought back these other perks it might be worth it lol. I think I'm paying $39/month now at LA fitness for "any club" so I go back and forth between the one local to my office and the Tacoma one. They have other stuff like pools, basketball etc but the weight rooms are solid and thats what was most important to me. real oly platforms etc.
Rocket3015
Legend
I just signed up for "Silver Sneakers" today, so my Black Card will only be $10 a month. I thought Silver Sneakers was only for old folks!!
Dustin07
Legend
I like this approach a lot, would be a lot of fun for sure. It's very hard for me to commit to deads over squats with my squats being so poor and my deads disproportionately high. I mean with a 405 x 7 today, I know I couldn't squat 305 x 7. (I think I hit 315 x 10 once though). I keep thinking if I make squats my highest priority the deads will come along for the ride. But then it's deadlift day, I'm having fun, and I go for it.