Weights up, scales down…

akboom87 said:
Woke up planning to hit the gym with my extra day off. Changed plans because this crud I have been fighting has just got me plugged up. Feel great and all but in the morning it’s not pretty, seems to clear once I am up and moving and get it cleared.

oh well it’s a sheet of ice outside with snow over top.

So in other news…… some of you guys that have been around my log for a while know that we had are first kiddo last spring, are little daughter is almost 10 months old now. Previous to her me and my wife battled infertility for 2 years prior. Seeing this specialist and that one etc etc. honestly we were to the point that it just wasn’t going to happen.

So fast forward and we have been a lot of nervous if we were going to have the same struggles for another little one or not. The doctor had said the chances will be better early on for various reasons.

With all that being said we are going to be expecting another little miracle here come summer time (Julyish time frame)

To say how excited we are is a very drastic understatement. From going to basically accepting the fact we would have no children to being blessed to have another one, it has me lost for words honestly.

well anyways I just wanted to announce this on here and share my excitement!
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Wow, late to the party catching up, but congrats, 🎉!
 
Last night was not a great night. Sometime in the night it must have been some thunder snow, dogs went ballistic. Then the town home snow removal people where out at like 2 am plowing snow to get ahead. Sleep last night was meh maybe 3-4 hrs.

Gym time 5:15 am - 6:40 am
0 RIR
BW-229 lol going the wrong direction

BW pull up x4

Chest supported DB Row
20x12
40x8
60x4x11x11x10

Lat pulldown
145x4x9x8x7

BB bench (not true 0RIR with no spotter)
45x15
95x12
135x5
180x2x5x5
(slinger)
205x2
215x2x1

EZ bar preacher curl
30x12
50x4x12x10x8

Cable Tricep rope pushdown
15x12
25x8
30x4x15x12

Leg extension
50x12
100x8
155x10x10
Resolve10 said:
Not a ton to add on the benching front other than also to keep in mind whatever your priorities are. Is it balance? Strength? Hypertrophy? Leaning more one to the other? Chest over Triceps or vice versa? Any sort of movement that is prioritizing lockout on the chest movements is going to potentially decrease the hypertrophy response intensity at the lower end of the motion so that is just something to keep in mind.

Also, in that 4 days you only have one rowing motion. I'd definitively switch out the pull overs for another row and even maybe switch the shoulder stuff for something more rear (or possibly side) delt considering all the pressing you are planning to do anyway. Maybe switch one of the stiff leg hamstring movements for something like a leg curl or working the hamstrings slightly differently, but that is a nit pick because I definitely do more stiff leg styled motions myself. 🙃
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All good information! I appreciate it!!

I would like to try to get some strength up on my bench.

priorities will be chest this block.
 
I think all of the things that have been suggested are good. However something to keep in mind. You are very early in your journey and probably don't need to specialize just yet. Not that it isn't good, but you might find a full body focus allows you to grow everything all at once right now. Unless you just feel the chest and legs are truly lagging behind other body parts. That or it is just something you really want to do. However at this point in your journey I doubt that specializing is a requirement just yet.

Again, in no way saying you shouldn't, but addressing whether or not it is needed at this point. If everything grows at once then the optimal approach for now is probably to work everything sufficiently for as much growth as possible. Pulling back on other body parts if you have the recovery ability to grow them all due to still being in the newbie gains territory is just less overall growth. Of course if in a deficit then specializing might not be a bad approach so you can grow what is the priority. Also, I would recommend you think about repeating most of your exercises until they begin to go stale. IE making slower progress or starting to beat you up in some way. This will allow the momentum to continue until the exercise goes stale.

PolishHamm3r77 said:
I binged that 12 video session on YouTube. I pulled the trigger on the App about halfway through the 12 videos. Very informative. I just completed week 1 of first meso. Certain things felt good and some feel like I can handle more work. I’m going to stay the course and trust the process. I should start my own log to keep me honest in 2024.
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Good deal your first week you want to feel like you didn't quite do enough. You should definitely have something left in the tank for sure. Starting around 2-3RIR, and gradually increasing weight, reps and sets over the course based on your feedback. If something was easy just put it was easy and you will get an extra set. Non need to rush up, you will get to your 0RIR by the end of the meso if you are answering the feedback questions appropriately.
 
MrKleen73 said:
I think all of the things that have been suggested are good. However something to keep in mind. You are very early in your journey and probably don't need to specialize just yet. Not that it isn't good, but you might find a full body focus allows you to grow everything all at once right now. Unless you just feel the chest and legs are truly lagging behind other body parts. That or it is just something you really want to do. However at this point in your journey I doubt that specializing is a requirement just yet.

Again, in no way saying you shouldn't, but addressing whether or not it is needed at this point. If everything grows at once then the optimal approach for now is probably to work everything sufficiently for as much growth as possible. Pulling back on other body parts if you have the recovery ability to grow them all due to still being in the newbie gains territory is just less overall growth. Of course if in a deficit then specializing might not be a bad approach so you can grow what is the priority. Also, I would recommend you think about repeating most of your exercises until they begin to go stale. IE making slower progress or starting to beat you up in some way. This will allow the momentum to continue until the exercise goes stale.


Good deal your first week you want to feel like you didn't quite do enough. You should definitely have something left in the tank for sure. Starting around 2-3RIR, and gradually increasing weight, reps and sets over the course based on your feedback. If something was easy just put it was easy and you will get an extra set. Non need to rush up, you will get to your 0RIR by the end of the meso if you are answering the feedback questions appropriately.
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Honestly it’s more of I was getting bored of the full body routine. Don’t get me wrong I’m going to go back but I needed to switch it up. I was planning to do another meso (the chest/tricep emphasis) then go back to full body.
 
akboom87 said:
Honestly it’s more of I was getting bored of the full body routine. Don’t get me wrong I’m going to go back but I needed to switch it up. I was planning to do another meso (the chest/tricep emphasis) then go back to full body.
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There you go, honestly though if still making good progress after the next meso, you might as well stick with it for another meso and push the goal until the momentum slows up. Make a whole training block out of it.
 
MrKleen73 said:
There you go, honestly though if still making good progress after the next meso, you might as well stick with it for another meso and push the goal until the momentum slows up. Make a whole training block out of it.
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Yeah I could do that for sure. The one I’m finishing up now is a 5 week (4/ 1 week de load) I was going to do the same for the next one.
 
akboom87 said:
Yeah I could do that for sure. The one I’m finishing up now is a 5 week (4/ 1 week de load) I was going to do the same for the next one.
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Yeah typically it is probably better to do a whole block of training if you want to see more noticeable gains. The gains from specialization take time to accrue enough to show themselves. That doesn't mean you will make less progress in the first 2 mesos or anything just that it takes 3-4 months to really see the changes add up enough to really show hypertrophy wise, especially if natural.
 
MrKleen73 said:
Yeah typically it is probably better to do a whole block of training if you want to see more noticeable gains. The gains from specialization take time to accrue enough to show themselves. That doesn't mean you will make less progress in the first 2 mesos or anything just that it takes 3-4 months to really see the changes add up enough to really show hypertrophy wise, especially if natural.
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Well now you got me wondering if I should extend the meso I’m on now for another meso. This meso was a back/bicep focus. I probably should at least one more 4-5 week block huh?
 
akboom87 said:
Well now you got me wondering if I should extend the meso I’m on now for another meso. This meso was a back/bicep focus. I probably should at least one more 4-5 week block huh?
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That is really up to you. Are you still making solid progress on the lifts for those body parts? Are you experiencing any aches and pains related to them? If yes to the first question, and no to the 2nd, then that is definitely an option. However like I said, it's not like you didn't progress during that time. It just might not be enough for you to notice big time. At the same time if Chest and squatting are what you want to focus on now then do that. Enjoying what you are doing increases the chances for success. I am not trying to muddy the waters for you so much as let you know you don't have to do all the specializing yet if you don't want to, and it won't negatively affect your progress if you don't.
 
Yeah if it wasn’t wholly obvious, from my perspective as a powerlifter when someone tells me they want to bench 4x a week and squat multiple days weekly I am assuming their goal is to drive the greatest 1RM on these as powerlifts for a bit as the priority.

Powerlifting is not how to build the most muscle or produce the most balanced physique, but rather how to build a lot of overall strength, often size if the calories are sufficient, and a lot of specialized strength for the sport of powerlifting. Some powerlifting is necessary for the base to get into strongman as well, but I think cross-training is probably nearly as important for the foundation of a successful strongman not in the open weightclass.

Slingshot benching as an example is probably inferior for long head tricep development because it is not loaded sufficiently through full ROM. But it can still add some hypertrophy AND will help add brutal benchpress lockout power. Which doesn’t show in the physique at all, but will be useful to bench a bigger 1RM.
 
Hyde said:
Slingshot benching as an example is probably inferior for long head tricep development because it is not loaded sufficiently through full ROM. But it can still add some hypertrophy AND will help add brutal benchpress lockout power. Which doesn’t show in the physique at all, but will be useful to bench a bigger 1RM.
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yeah I haven't noticed any additional tricep work really from slingshot, but the first thing I noticed was massive stability at the top just holding, unracking, and reracking weights that were not long ago beyond my 1rm (and still are).

first couple times I used the SS what I actually noticed was my forearms were worked in new ways getting a pump and some slight soreness.

I did attempt sling shot pushups one time for fun because I kept seeing pushups touted as a benefit with the SS. I got a fantastic chest pump from it, but I did do a set of 50. after all my xfit years of doing millions of pushups, these days I have to really work into them or I can feel my shoulders cracking/popping/snapping. it's a motion they don't like at the moment, but it was pain and crackle free with the slingshot. just kinda a fun motion to take to failure. you basically bounce off the floor like a basketball lol
 
MrKleen73 said:
That is really up to you. Are you still making solid progress on the lifts for those body parts? Are you experiencing any aches and pains related to them? If yes to the first question, and no to the 2nd, then that is definitely an option. However like I said, it's not like you didn't progress during that time. It just might not be enough for you to notice big time. At the same time if Chest and squatting are what you want to focus on now then do that. Enjoying what you are doing increases the chances for success. I am not trying to muddy the waters for you so much as let you know you don't have to do all the specializing yet if you don't want to, and it won't negatively affect your progress if you don't.
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No not muddying the waters but providing more insight!
 
Dustin07 said:
yeah I haven't noticed any additional tricep work really from slingshot, but the first thing I noticed was massive stability at the top just holding, unracking, and reracking weights that were not long ago beyond my 1rm (and still are).

first couple times I used the SS what I actually noticed was my forearms were worked in new ways getting a pump and some slight soreness.

I did attempt sling shot pushups one time for fun because I kept seeing pushups touted as a benefit with the SS. I got a fantastic chest pump from it, but I did do a set of 50. after all my xfit years of doing millions of pushups, these days I have to really work into them or I can feel my shoulders cracking/popping/snapping. it's a motion they don't like at the moment, but it was pain and crackle free with the slingshot. just kinda a fun motion to take to failure. you basically bounce off the floor like a basketball lol
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The extra work comes in the form of handling heavier weights at lockout because you get the assist from the bottom making it so you can get more weight up off of your chest, then the band/bowtie/ss loses tension up top and you have to lock out on your basically on your own. It would be gradual and not like a wow that fried my triceps type of thing.
 
Unanticipated rest day lol. I went dashing through the snow this morning to get to a closed gym. lol don’t blame them for shutting down today it’s a mess. If I had Facebook I probably would’ve known, oh well.
 
we are finally getting our first semi-legit winter storm now. Most of it is at about 2,000ft+ in the foothills and mountains but down on the water we had sustained wind of around 40mph and a lot of rain. supposed to start seeing snow tomorrow in the low lands... we'll see!

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Finally, I would be hoping for never. LOL
 
MrKleen73 said:
Finally, I would be hoping for never. LOL
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from about Nov - Mar my biggest stress is either trees falling on the house, the bank behind our house washing away, or the damage of the dark rain in our region beating up our boat...

so at least when we get snow it's a little spec of brightness in the dreary PNW and it never lasts for more than a couple days tops lol.
 
Dustin07 said:
from about Nov - Mar my biggest stress is either trees falling on the house, the bank behind our house washing away, or the damage of the dark rain in our region beating up our boat...

so at least when we get snow it's a little spec of brightness in the dreary PNW and it never lasts for more than a couple days tops lol.
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Well.... when you put it that way.... ;)
 
Main roads have been plowed out but side streets are still a mess. Storms over now but the wind is cranking up now.
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Well, at least it is pretty.
 
akboom87 said:
Plus I wish the winters would be a little more brutal…. Stop some of the people from wanting to move here 🤣
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my wife and I laugh when Californians tell us they're moving back to cali cause they can't stand how gray and rainy it is here.... newflash... 😅
 
Dustin07 said:
my wife and I laugh when Californians tell us they're moving back to cali cause they can't stand how gray and rainy it is here.... newflash... 😅
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Born and raised just east of Everett, can confirm. Over on the east coast we complain about the "Floridiots" lol
 
Seems like Me and the wife just been catching everything this year. Tuesday night go to bed and my wife said her stomach was not feeling great. About 11 the stomach bug hit her she was up all night, I was mixing her water+ electrolytes to keep her hydrated. Then about 3 am it hit me.

Luckily the yucky part only lasted 3-4 hrs but man it just wiped me, I barely had energy to climb the stairs. We pulled through, both feeling a lot better today just tired mostly.
 
Dustin07 said:
criminy dude that sounds like food poisoning
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Well I would agree the only thing is most everyone at the office has had this in December/January. So I think it’s a bug going around?

you are correct though as it’s almost the same kind of symptoms feeling.
 
UGHHHHH!!!!! Glad you are feeling better.
 
akboom87 said:
Well I would agree the only thing is most everyone at the office has had this in December/January. So I think it’s a bug going around?

you are correct though as it’s almost the same kind of symptoms feeling.
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sounds like you're on a cut then whether you want to or not 😅
 
MrKleen73 said:
UGHHHHH!!!!! Glad you are feeling better.
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Thanks man definitely way better today just fatigued. It was a true test of are parenting yesterday with both of us feeling like death and the little one full of energy and wanting to play 😂. I’m really hoping she doesn’t catch it we have been cleaning and hand sanitizer before we grabbed her etc trying to prevent it.
 
Hope the lil one doesn't get it too. Sounds like you did the best you could either way.
 
akboom87 said:
Thanks man definitely way better today just fatigued. It was a true test of are parenting yesterday with both of us feeling like death and the little one full of energy and wanting to play . I’m really hoping she doesn’t catch it we have been cleaning and hand sanitizer before we grabbed her etc trying to prevent it.
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Kids are tough; she’ll get over something faster than you guys will most of the time.
 
Managed to get in some toast and eggs this morning, then tried some chicken and rice for a small lunch. Need to pick some yogurt up, unfortunately don’t have any at the moment. Might try and hit the gym in the morning will cut weight down depending on how I’m feeling.
 
Still not much of a appetite which is good for my cut 😂

tried to get up and be ready at 5am but that was a no go still trying to catch up on rest.

Gym time 4 pm - 5:30pm
0RIR
BW-223

BW pull ups
X3x1

cable curls
20x12
40x8
50x4x12x9x9x8

hammer curls
15x20
30x4x15x11x11
15x15

bb flexion row
40x12
80x8
100x4x12x10

BB shrug
135x12
225x5x15x13x10

Romanian deadlift
95x12
135x8
140x8x8

BB deadlift
135x8
185x3
225x3
275x3x3

pretty happy with this session with the way the week has been. Took a while to get firing but got there. Also extremely happy with my deadlift today. Was just feeling like pulling and things where clicking, I wished it would have been sooner as I was pretty gassed so I kept reps low because that’s all I had in me.
 
At least you can say you lost a crap load of weight!
 
-15 below zero real temp yesterday and -18 real temp today, wind chill has been about-45/-50. So needless to say been a stay at home weekend. My truck has an engine block heater oil pan heater and transmission pan heater, so I will plug that old girl in tonight and see if she wants to cooperate tomorrow. I only have a one car garage so I have the diesel stay inside.

Appetite is back to normal, but have been eating real light with the indoor weekend. I seem to be keeping off the weight I shed with the bug. Not complaining I was having a hell of a time getting out of that 227-228 range. Well hydrated and fed since Fridayish. Weight this morning 223 on the dot.

also totally forgot to mention that I ordered Iconic formulations Alpha 7. It showed up the day before I got sick.
So started that Thursday, 5 pumps a day. Will be adding this run to my notes to keep track. Also for anyone interested. I will also start my 2 bottles of incinderine to combine with.
 
Love it when I forget something I ordered and get a nice surprise.
 
Well I decided to just do a 4 week full body split meso. I’m not doing a de load, my theory is had quite a few breaks between last meso I don’t think I needed it.


Gym time 6:30 am - 8 am
3RIR
BW223
Pre workout 1.5 scoops pump addict

sups
Alpha 7-5 pumps a day
Fish oil 2x day
BLR incinderine 4 pills day 2 morning 2 evening-30 minutes before meals

BW pull up
X2

pec deck fly machine
50x12
80x8
120x4x10x8

bench press
95x12
135x8
175x5x4x4
Slinger 175x6

cable bar push down
20x12
35x8
40x4x12x10x8

BB flexion row
50x10
100x4x8x8


Lat pull down
100x10
145x4x7x7x6

DB preacher curl
15x15
25x10x10x8


DB lateral raise(bench incline)
10x12
12.5x4x10x9x9

Had a pounding headache this morning, went away after some coffee. Just couldn’t seem to get firing, everything felt heavy. Bench was horrible. Was thinking I didn’t need a deload now I’m second guessing. Don’t know if it was just a rough morning and 2 days of not doing **** or what.

My battery heater must not be working anymore, block heater and pan heaters are. Truck just barely had enough juice to roll it over, it fired but was a miracle. Didn’t help it hasn’t run since Friday. Was cold as ****, glad no work today.

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