To Infinity.... and Beyond!

I will say, I am not Hyde. the doms are real today
wearing my favorite slacks to work, and despite the waist being the same belt hold on everything, the ass/hammies are getting very snug lol

Dude maxing from the floor (9” bar height) is hugely taxing! I pulled from ~17” with that Rogue super hi-handle; night and day difference in those lifts. When I max deadlift for real my goose is cooked.
 
So, for just one day, salt is sufficient? How much?
How painful was the hunger or blood sugar swings?
Blood sugar swings are going to be very individualized, and happen less and less each time you fast. If you want to start to prepare then lower your carbs towards keto the 2-3 days prior and it will help with that immensely.

Ironically I have had worse hunger pains on mornings where I am going to eat. If I get legit hunger pains on a fast they last like... idk maybe 10 minutes, 20 tops. that gross I'm Going To Puke feeling briefly, then it's gone...

it's even easier on a Saturday morning when I have yard work to do or something. I'm convinced that my "need" for food is more dopamine and habit based. If I have an activity that will keep me busy I really don't find that I need to eat even half as much as I think I do.

by far and I mean BY FAR the hardest part of fasting for me has been BOREDOM. I get a huge sense of being bored after about 12-16hrs, and that's where the discipline training and focus come into play.


Dude maxing from the floor (9” bar height) is hugely taxing! I pulled from ~17” with that Rogue super hi-handle; night and day difference in those lifts. When I max deadlift for real my goose is cooked.
so yesterdays pull, and also a couple weeks ago when I did 500 from the rack I felt awesome for the rest of the session. Wanted to go ham on the gym, but man a few hours later both days... smoked me lol.
 
Bench
15 x 95
10 x 135
8 x 165
3 x 195, 225, 245
2 x 265,
1 x 275, 285
10 x 225
15 x 185
20 x 145

Laterals
12 x 25s, 27.5s, 30s, 35s, 30s, 25s

Rope push downs
3 sets

Hammer strength flies
3 sets

T bar rows (for balance / symmetry)
3 sets

Notes
No spotter today. Contemplated resting after yesterday's pull but opted to go in and enjoy some hypertrophy work. (And play with some bench)
 
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Nice strength focus benching for a fun day, and some great volume to follow it. I bet you really enjoyed this session!
 
Nice strength focus benching for a fun day, and some great volume to follow it. I bet you really enjoyed this session!

dude I'm smoked again lol. these sessions are insane while I'm going then a half hour later it's like coming off a crazy meth high or something lol. I forgot to add my 20 rep set originally haha.
 
Bench
15 x 95
10 x 135
8 x 165
3 x 195, 225, 245
2 x 265,
1 x 275, 285
10 x 225
15 x 185
20 x 145

Laterals
12 x 25s, 27.5s, 30s, 35s, 30s, 25s

Rope push downs
3 sets

Hammer strength flies
3 sets

T bar rows (for balance / symmetry)
3 sets

Notes
No spotter today. Contemplated resting after yesterday's pull but opted to go in and enjoy some hypertrophy work. (And play with some bench)
Nice bench work!!
 
Bench
15 x 95
10 x 135
8 x 165
3 x 195, 225, 245
2 x 265,
1 x 275, 285
10 x 225
15 x 185
20 x 145

Laterals
12 x 25s, 27.5s, 30s, 35s, 30s, 25s

Rope push downs
3 sets

Hammer strength flies
3 sets

T bar rows (for balance / symmetry)
3 sets

Notes
No spotter today. Contemplated resting after yesterday's pull but opted to go in and enjoy some hypertrophy work. (And play with some bench)
You got 300 on bench recently right?

I don't know how your Lateral raising that kind of weight!
 
You got 300 on bench recently right?

I don't know how your Lateral raising that kind of weight!
Me neither but I the only reason I didn't go higher was cause I was huffing and puffing and ever since you asked about it I've been really thinking about my form a lot lol

Na, I think 290 or 295 is my best raw. I have put up 315+ quite a few times with slingshot, my best being I think 320 or 325.

I figure when I'm sling shotting 330+ without issue 300 raw should be cake
 
I personally didn't give two shits about his bloodline when we committed to him but my wife is smarter than me and knew she wanted this litter. After got him I got to see the dad for the first time. The breeder flew dad in from Czeck and he's the baddest looking GSD I've seen in my life. Absolutely beast mode, but funny as **** and super smart. Invalid Link RemovedInvalid Link Removed
Baddass dog. Just a pet dog?
 
Baddass dog. Just a pet dog?
Hard to say if he's our pet or we are his just yet, but yeah. The breeder used to do 100% K9 for cops so the last dog my wife got from them she asked for the most dopey lazy one she had, now she's shifted to ESA type breeding, helper dogs etc
 
Me neither but I the only reason I didn't go higher was cause I was huffing and puffing and ever since you asked about it I've been really thinking about my form a lot lol

Na, I think 290 or 295 is my best raw. I have put up 315+ quite a few times with slingshot, my best being I think 320 or 325.

I figure when I'm sling shotting 330+ without issue 300 raw should be cake
Gotcha. I'm right behind you.

Have you increased your kcal to match gains yet?
 
Gotcha. I'm right behind you.

Have you increased your kcal to match gains yet?

na, been cutting calories, generally. still sitting at low 190s after dropping 10 in May. I do my meal prep to be in a deficit first half of the day, and I only prep 4 meals a week now with a planned 20:4 fast one day a week. Mostly, this approach is allowing me to be sloppier 20% of the time. From where I am right now, I'd like to drop 10 more lbs maybe, but it's sorta less important to me than the strength gains.

as it is right now weighing in between 190-195 (up still 10-15 from a year ago) I don't think I've maxed out my strength potential in this weight yet.
 
You got 300 on bench recently right?

I don't know how your Lateral raising that kind of weight!
Most likely execution differences.
Me neither but I the only reason I didn't go higher was cause I was huffing and puffing and ever since you asked about it I've been really thinking about my form a lot lol

Na, I think 290 or 295 is my best raw. I have put up 315+ quite a few times with slingshot, my best being I think 320 or 325.

I figure when I'm sling shotting 330+ without issue 300 raw should be cake
Probably not bad form, just different execution styles. Some people do them extremely strict, and controlled on the way up and down. Some people do them with a more explosive concentric where momentum gets slightly involved to the the weight up then control it on the way down. Neither of these are incorrect form, just a difference in execution. Depending on focus I will use either of these two styles. As long as done the same way throughout the meso you are going to be able to appropriately track load and volume as you progress. Oh yeah the third way to do them is with body english, and momentum. Which can be okay with a controlled negative if trying to push weight or increase strength but for hypertrophy is not the ideal method of doing them. Why risk an injury for something that is not more effective.
na, been cutting calories, generally. still sitting at low 190s after dropping 10 in May. I do my meal prep to be in a deficit first half of the day, and I only prep 4 meals a week now with a planned 20:4 fast one day a week. Mostly, this approach is allowing me to be sloppier 20% of the time. From where I am right now, I'd like to drop 10 more lbs maybe, but it's sorta less important to me than the strength gains.

as it is right now weighing in between 190-195 (up still 10-15 from a year ago) I don't think I've maxed out my strength potential in this weight yet.
I think so too, especially since it sounds like you are kind of recomping at this weight.
 
Probably not bad form, just different execution styles. Some people do them extremely strict, and controlled on the way up and down. Some people do them with a more explosive concentric where momentum gets slightly involved to the the weight up then control it on the way down. Neither of these are incorrect form, just a difference in execution. Depending on focus I will use either of these two styles. As long as done the same way throughout the meso you are going to be able to appropriately track load and volume as you progress. Oh yeah the third way to do them is with body english, and momentum. Which can be okay with a controlled negative if trying to push weight or increase strength but for hypertrophy is not the ideal method of doing them. Why risk an injury for something that is not more effective.

it's one of those movements that I feel like once you are in tune with your body mechanics you get an understanding for how your joints should move, and then capitalize on that. here, he shows two different starting positions, I prefer the forward starting position with a slight bend at the hips Invalid Link Removed <double checks link, lol>

I would not do a perfectly strict rep probably with anything over 10lbs but my 30s were pretty much like this. reason being is because at the top of the rep I feel like the shoulders/tendons/muscles/joints are their most vulnerable and I don't want to "catch" heavy weight in a smaller/weaker muscle group then create an injury.

sorta like a clean and jerk. people always say don't cheat reps, but I feel like that's just advice for newbs with no form. I'm not going to cheat a 450lb deadlift (LOL) but there are ways over time you learn to cheat reps. a power clean is two pulls, 1st and 2nd (explosive), it's not a strict movement, but it will build a hell of a back and traps!


I think so too, especially since it sounds like you are kind of recomping at this weight.

it's really weird. don't feel as chunky as I did at 200. the weight belt is staying on the 2nd hole, but the slacks are getting tight in the quads and ass. shoulders and chest are destroying my favorite work shirts, lol. also, sent you a dm about rando links lol
 
I don't know how your Lateral raising that kind of weight!

also keep in mind genetics and my prior 10+ years of focus. for 5'9 and 190lbs I have measured as wide as 46" around the chest. I'm wide in the shoulders, and I had a massive focus on shoulder work when I was competing in Oly and Xfit.. I hate using genetics as a cop out but up until recently I've been disproportionately upper body strong. there have been too many times in my life where my bench is scary close to my squat ha. even when my quads were 2" thicker cause all we did was 100 rep volume at 134-155lb squats.
 
Agreed on the way to do these exercises. If you know how to use momentum properly there is nothing wrong with doing so. There are also some great times to use momentum, like getting in a few extra reps towards the end of a set, towards the end of an accumulation phase when a deload is coming up. It is like a mechanical drop set in that regard. I was more referring to those who ego lift and just want to get the DB's up to shoulder height regardless of how effective the rep is.

Also the traps and shoulders respond very well to explosive movement so nothing wrong with capitalizing on that. Olympic Lifters have some of the best delts and traps of all strength athletes.
 
It is like a mechanical drop set in that regard. I was more referring to those who ego lift and just want to get the DB's up to shoulder height regardless of how effective the rep is.

totally agree, that's why I also like to finish with 1-2 more drop sets to try to super isolate, increase control, and just destroy everything in the process
 
I do go higher than this, but similar movement in general. I use much heavier weight though. ;)😅

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Yeah, he is definitely using TUT and shortened ROM on those, creating a lot of metabolic growth signalling. You do what works best for you if you have a true understanding of what you are doing and how your body works. We all have to tweak things for the best contraction and SFR for us, not how everyone else does it. In the end it is not about the weight, it is about the tension created in the muscle. So however you find that works best for you is YOUR bread and butter.
 
Good work going on in here!!
 
Warm up
DB RDLs, front squats etc

Squats
3 x 135, 185, 225
1 x 265, 285, 315

High rack pulls (below the knee)
3 x 135, 225, 315, 365
1 x 415, 445

From the ground
3 x 135, 225, 315, 365

Bb rows
3 x 10 x 135

Leg press, 4 sets
10, 5, 5, 15
Pyramiding weight




Notes
Bicep started feeling a bit tight at 415 so I figured no need to set PRs three weeks in a row on pulls. Get some heavy weight in my hands and set up a good four+ future weeks.

Haven't squatted in a while since I've been overly DL centric, wanted to test them. They felt amazing. Not sure I had 350 in me necessarily, but 315 felt beautiful. Deep, controlled, reasonable speed.

Weight 195 this morning.
 
Nice Session!
 
Warm up
DB RDLs, front squats etc

Squats
3 x 135, 185, 225
1 x 265, 285, 315

High rack pulls (below the knee)
3 x 135, 225, 315, 365
1 x 415, 445

From the ground
3 x 135, 225, 315, 365

Bb rows
3 x 10 x 135

Leg press, 4 sets
10, 5, 5, 15
Pyramiding weight




Notes
Bicep started feeling a bit tight at 415 so I figured no need to set PRs three weeks in a row on pulls. Get some heavy weight in my hands and set up a good four+ future weeks.

Haven't squatted in a while since I've been overly DL centric, wanted to test them. They felt amazing. Not sure I had 350 in me necessarily, but 315 felt beautiful. Deep, controlled, reasonable speed.

Weight 195 this morning.

Man this looks fun !!
 
You know that was a fun session. Hit the driving range after, came home and worked in the yard for a few hrs, edging, whacking, mowing etc. Finally sat on the couch for a few and all the sudden my glutes and hammies let me know it was a good session


That's one thing I've noticed more of lately, same day DOMs vs 1 or 2 days later.
 
You know that was a fun session. Hit the driving range after, came home and worked in the yard for a few hrs, edging, whacking, mowing etc. Finally sat on the couch for a few and all the sudden my glutes and hammies let me know it was a good session


That's one thing I've noticed more of lately, same day DOMs vs 1 or 2 days later.
Reading this reminded me of a shirt lolInvalid Link Removed
 
Reading this reminded me of a shirt lolInvalid Link Removed


What's funny is it somehow all sounded crude even as I typed it.

I told my wife for the first time in a long time it felt like the perfect American Saturday.

Hit gym, washed truck, yard work, washed dog, watched sports for an hour, fired up the BBQ, had friends over for a board game.

Now headed in for a bench session.
 
Warm up
Bb rows, power cleans, bb curls

Bench
10 x 95
5 x 135, 165
3 x 195, 225, 245

+Green bands (double wrapped on dbs)
5 x 135, 155

EMOTM style
4 sets x 3 x 175lbs
5 sets x 3 x 155lbs

No bands, wide grip
35 x 135 (cardio? Pr? Lol?)
35 x 95


Rope tricep ext
5 sets

Laterals
10 x 25s, 30s, 35s, 25s

Dips
3 x 10


Notes
Way better stimulus, thank you for the suggestion @Hyde ! Sooo much harder lol.

First two banded sets were to test things like how much tension I could pull into the barbell without flipping it, finding the right spot for the dbs etc.

I really only meant to do 20 reps at 135 but after banded work the barbell was flying so.... I went until I thought I was gonna have a heart attack lol. Pretty sure 38-40 was achievable but.... Why? Lol
 
Warm up
Bb rows, power cleans, bb curls

Bench
10 x 95
5 x 135, 165
3 x 195, 225, 245

+Green bands (double wrapped on dbs)
5 x 135, 155

EMOTM style
4 sets x 3 x 175lbs
5 sets x 3 x 155lbs

No bands, wide grip
35 x 135 (cardio? Pr? Lol?)
35 x 95


Rope tricep ext
5 sets

Laterals
10 x 25s, 30s, 35s, 25s

Dips
3 x 10


Notes
Way better stimulus, thank you for the suggestion @Hyde ! Sooo much harder lol.

First two banded sets were to test things like how much tension I could pull into the barbell without flipping it, finding the right spot for the dbs etc.

I really only meant to do 20 reps at 135 but after banded work the barbell was flying so.... I went until I thought I was gonna have a heart attack lol. Pretty sure 38-40 was achievable but.... Why? Lol
Pretty nice session!! 35 reps that got to be a pump! Bet you had to walk sideways out the gym doors after that lay workout!
 
Glad you had a good weekend !!
 
Controlling a banded barbell definitely works them harder to stabilize everything.

getting way more tension out of the dumbell approach as well with a green band on each side, looped through the db with both ends circling back over the barbell. Had a nice quiet gym so I didn't feel like a douche rucking some 90s over to the bench for 15 minutes. I wasn't sure if 90s were going to be heavy enough, at first they were moving around a fair amount but once I got them centered in the right spot they stayed planted and the amount of tension I was getting was definitely more intense than running even two bands under the bench the way I had been doing it.

Glad you had a good weekend !!

it was great! 2 lifting days, 2 bbq days, worked out a plan to extend my chicken coup/run to avoid predators, new puppy is doing well. wife and I had plenty of downtime. good stuff. fasting today for 36hrs, then two more lifting days before I head down to arizona for business and pleasure this weekend
 
Great weekend and sessions! That is hard to beat! Man 35 reps of 135 is no joke. I am not sure I have ever went that deep with 135.
 
Great weekend and sessions! That is hard to beat! Man 35 reps of 135 is no joke. I am not sure I have ever went that deep with 135.

haha yeah, I was done but I love to see what the barbell feels like after removing the bands. it felt like the 135 was just bouncing through the air. I sorta want to try less intense banded warm up before working up to heavy raw sets, it really drives some sort of neurological warm up that feels awesome.
 
haha yeah, I was done but I love to see what the barbell feels like after removing the bands. it felt like the 135 was just bouncing through the air. I sorta want to try less intense banded warm up before working up to heavy raw sets, it really drives some sort of neurological warm up that feels awesome.

Something I got from Eric Bugenhagen I enjoyed trying was working up to a top single against bands, then pulling then bands off, and working up just straight weight. You can even use multiple different strength lighter bands to peel away in layers. When the bands are removed, it’s like shifting into the next gear.
 
Something I got from Eric Bugenhagen I enjoyed trying was working up to a top single against bands, then pulling then bands off, and working up just straight weight. You can even use multiple different strength lighter bands to peel away in layers. When the bands are removed, it’s like shifting into the next gear.

I love that idea, I'll be giving it a try!
 
getting way more tension out of the dumbell approach as well with a green band on each side, looped through the db with both ends circling back over the barbell. Had a nice quiet gym so I didn't feel like a douche rucking some 90s over to the bench for 15 minutes. I wasn't sure if 90s were going to be heavy enough, at first they were moving around a fair amount but once I got them centered in the right spot they stayed planted and the amount of tension I was getting was definitely more intense than running even two bands under the bench the way I had been doing it.



it was great! 2 lifting days, 2 bbq days, worked out a plan to extend my chicken coup/run to avoid predators, new puppy is doing well. wife and I had plenty of downtime. good stuff. fasting today for 36hrs, then two more lifting days before I head down to arizona for business and pleasure this weekend
I'll be like you coming up with this fast on Thursday. I'm hoping i make it without anything so I can start 24 hours fasts once or twice per week.
 
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raw dogging just the plates 😅

"it's all about the science experiment"

that was an awesome watch and break down. I could see trying to triple band then up to 205, double bands to who knows what, single band maybe at existing PR. coincidentally those are the three colors of bands I have as well so it's a great experiment to roll with.

I'll be like you coming up with this fast on Thursday. I'm hoping i make it without anything so I can start 24 hours fasts once or twice per week.

as you know I've only been playing with fasting since about December and have been scouring the net and podcasts to learn more from Kleen and Hyde's recommendations. I think IF gives people a great start, is likely going to lower calories for most people, and provide a number of health benefits, especially if you stop eating a few hours before bed. 16:8 being the most common... I like 20:4 on most rest days cause I can eat whatever the hell I want for dinner to be honest, and I maintain. but for cutting, the real magic seems to happen at 30+ hours. I think all forms of fasting seem to have phenomenal health benefits though vs our normal routine in society of being constantly fed.
 
raw dogging just the plates 😅

"it's all about the science experiment"

that was an awesome watch and break down. I could see trying to triple band then up to 205, double bands to who knows what, single band maybe at existing PR. coincidentally those are the three colors of bands I have as well so it's a great experiment to roll with.



as you know I've only been playing with fasting since about December and have been scouring the net and podcasts to learn more from Kleen and Hyde's recommendations. I think IF gives people a great start, is likely going to lower calories for most people, and provide a number of health benefits, especially if you stop eating a few hours before bed. 16:8 being the most common... I like 20:4 on most rest days cause I can eat whatever the hell I want for dinner to be honest, and I maintain. but for cutting, the real magic seems to happen at 30+ hours. I think all forms of fasting seem to have phenomenal health benefits though vs our normal routine in society of being constantly fed.
I agree wholeheartedly on the benefits of fasting, but never believed the part about muscle retention until you guys did it. Every resource out there of fasting people I've seen are smaller then when they started (keto proponents also), but since I'm being forced into it with this procedure Friday, I may as well go all out and give it a shot.
 
I agree wholeheartedly on the benefits of fasting, but never believed the part about muscle retention until you guys did it. Every resource out there of fasting people I've seen are smaller then when they started (keto proponents also), but since I'm being forced into it with this procedure Friday, I may as well go all out and give it a shot.
it's weird,
but since moving to fasting vs caloric deficits, I rarely feel "flat", my recovery seems better, my sleep is crazy good, and I did pull like 2 PRs in my while cutting 10lbs so there is definitely something to it I think.
 
it's weird,
but since moving to fasting vs caloric deficits, I rarely feel "flat", my recovery seems better, my sleep is crazy good, and I did pull like 2 PRs in my while cutting 10lbs so there is definitely something to it I think.
I'm praying it's the solution to my bad sleep while cutting issues then. Here's to getting my hopes up! 😆
 
Yeah, I would expect this first fast to be a little rough at 24 hours with no break in period. You would probably want to do some 16/8 fasting for a little bit then move on to 20/4, and finally 24+ hours. If you gradually increase length of fasts they will become easier and easier. There is some fat adaption that needs to be had before this will feel good, or normal so that first one will not be representative of how your 3rd and 4rth fasts would feel.
 
I'm praying it's the solution to my bad sleep while cutting issues then. Here's to getting my hopes up! 😆
Yeah, I would expect this first fast to be a little rough at 24 hours with no break in period. You would probably want to do some 16/8 fasting for a little bit then move on to 20/4, and finally 24+ hours. If you gradually increase length of fasts they will become easier and easier. There is some fat adaption that needs to be had before this will feel good, or normal so that first one will not be representative of how your 3rd and 4rth fasts would feel.

The other thought I had a few minutes ago was in regards to the energy boost you get when you go into keto, but also the straight up exhaustion I have at the end of a fully fasted day when I add in cardio.

my wife read it's not uncommon for a couple who fasts together to go to bed, have one of them pass out immediately, have the other one up for hours as they switch into keto and find new energy in fat storage. that only happened to me one time, when I went on the 60+ fast, and on the first night I couldn't sleep. however, I didn't do any fasted cardio that day, i was in a strange bed in arizona, and I did have some diet coke that night. otherwise generally speaking on full 30+ hr fast days with a little LISS, or a sweaty walk etc I find myself completely tuckered by bed time and if I'm worried, a dissolvable melatonin seals the deal for me.

I'm sitting at 17hrs fasted right now and the hardest part was around 8 or 9am this morning when my stomach got the breakfast growls. now it's about 1pm and all I can think about is maybe some LISS with the dog tonight, driving range, etc. I'm definitely going to try to double down on some fasted cardio though because with one full night of fasted sleep post cardio I always gain the best results. Tomorrow and Weds though are important lifting days so this is my only chance
 
This all sounds very familiar, well besides the couples who fast together because my wife does not fast with me. Unless stimmed from my preworkout I am typically passed out before her. Especially on a fasting day where I either did cardio or one of my walks.
 
I am forced into about a 12 hour fasted tomorrow, not looking forward to it. Someday I may grow a pair and try a 24hr fast ??
 
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