DYELB: The Gainz Train

Health, fitness, and nutrition freaks, lets see those gainz.
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SAWCE
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Desertbreh wrote: Tue Jan 22, 2019 11:28 pm
SAWCE wrote: Mon Jan 21, 2019 10:42 pm Tapa no worky. Uploaded to my Flickr

https://flic.kr/p/23K6hqR
What does this do for you over the full dead? Strong AF, doe.
Pulling from just below (my preference) or just above the knee takes most of the leg drive out of it. You're able to overload your back with more weight since you're using a shorter range of motion, and the extra weight will help to develop it more.
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Some of you likely saw it on my IG but I worked on my poverty bench last night. The end of this mesocycle called for 5+ at 235 and I ended up getting 9! I'm fairly certain this is a rep PR for me, including pre-AC joint sprain (2ish years ago) numbers. I also plugged it into a 1RM calc and it came back with 300! I can't wait to give that, or more, a ride at the end of my program to finally break into the 300s!
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SAWCE
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Jaxper wrote: Wed Jan 23, 2019 1:07 pm Some of you likely saw it on my IG but I worked on my poverty bench last night. The end of this mesocycle called for 5+ at 235 and I ended up getting 9! I'm fairly certain this is a rep PR for me, including pre-AC joint sprain (2ish years ago) numbers. I also plugged it into a 1RM calc and it came back with 300! I can't wait to give that, or more, a ride at the end of my program to finally break into the 300s!
Nice man. How much longer on your program?
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SAWCE wrote: Wed Jan 23, 2019 1:08 pm
Jaxper wrote: Wed Jan 23, 2019 1:07 pm Some of you likely saw it on my IG but I worked on my poverty bench last night. The end of this mesocycle called for 5+ at 235 and I ended up getting 9! I'm fairly certain this is a rep PR for me, including pre-AC joint sprain (2ish years ago) numbers. I also plugged it into a 1RM calc and it came back with 300! I can't wait to give that, or more, a ride at the end of my program to finally break into the 300s!
Nice man. How much longer on your program?
After this week, I'll be halfway through (wk 8 out of 16), so still a ways to go.
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SAWCE
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Jaxper wrote: Wed Jan 23, 2019 1:16 pm
SAWCE wrote: Wed Jan 23, 2019 1:08 pm

Nice man. How much longer on your program?
After this week, I'll be halfway through (wk 8 out of 16), so still a ways to go.
Oh yeah, you'll hit 300 for sure at the end of the 16 weeks. Would be cool to see you throw up 315 and slap 3 plates on each side. Even 305 with 2 plates, a 35 and a 5 would be cool.

Wonder what my max bench is..
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Although ambitious, my goals for this year:

- Drop weigh back to 190-195 (jumped up to 205 due to injuries and holidays)
- Squat: 405 (pre-knee injury, prob around 390 right now) ---> 475
- Bench: ??? (assume 275, had AC joint sprain during last time I tested during a program) ---> 355
- Deadlift: 500 ---> 545
- OHP: 175 ---> 230
- Bent over row: ??? (never truly tested this, just guessing based on other sets) ---> 290

According to http://symmetricstrength.com/ , this would get be into the "exceptional" level of strength for my weight, get me to a spot of balanced strength, and a push me over the 400 Wilks threshold for powerlifting.

I'm really focusing in on recovery aspects this year - nutrition, sleep, stretching/yoga. I want to avoid injury as much as possible this year.
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Jaxper wrote: Wed Jan 23, 2019 3:39 pm Although ambitious, my goals for this year:

- Drop weigh back to 190-195 (jumped up to 205 due to injuries and holidays)
- Squat: 405 (pre-knee injury, prob around 390 right now) ---> 475
- Bench: ??? (assume 275, had AC joint sprain during last time I tested during a program) ---> 355
- Deadlift: 500 ---> 545
- OHP: 175 ---> 230
- Bent over row: ??? (never truly tested this, just guessing based on other sets) ---> 290

According to http://symmetricstrength.com/ , this would get be into the "exceptional" level of strength for my weight, get me to a spot of balanced strength, and a push me over the 400 Wilks threshold for powerlifting.

I'm really focusing in on recovery aspects this year - nutrition, sleep, stretching/yoga. I want to avoid injury as much as possible this year.
:nice:
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Started 20lbs heavier on my shoulder press tonight since I messed up and started light last week. 165, 175, 185, 195 all for sets of 10 reps. Last set I knocked out a few partial reps after the 10th, then stripped down to 135 and pulled the seat forward to hit some behind the neck presses. Gnarly pump.
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getting weaker sucks.

255 squats with some volume work at the end
275 deads
185 bench with some volume at 135

Still feel better after working out :doe:
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Big Brain Bradley wrote: Fri Jan 25, 2019 9:33 am getting weaker sucks.

255 squats with some volume work at the end
275 deads
185 bench with some volume at 135

Still feel better after working out :doe:
I hear you man. My squat still isn’t back to where it was pre-contest.
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SAWCE wrote: Fri Jan 25, 2019 10:24 am
Big Brain Bradley wrote: Fri Jan 25, 2019 9:33 am getting weaker sucks.

255 squats with some volume work at the end
275 deads
185 bench with some volume at 135

Still feel better after working out :doe:
I hear you man. My squat still isn’t back to where it was pre-contest.
still fat too :( lol

BUT, funny story.

My neck/back/arms have gotten big enough to finally rip a shit. Blew out the elbow of one of the shorter shirts. :lolol:
brain go brrrrrr
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Gonna really push for the full 405x10 for all four sets tonight with better quality reps on that last set than last week.

Forgot to say last week that I finally got all my squats at 295, so moving up to 305 this week for them. Can't wait to have 315 on there again. I think my best full workout with 315 last year was like 8, 7,6,6 reps or something. Hopefully by the end of March I'm hitting a full 4x10 with it.

Coach is pulling me off the drugs for 8 weeks though, so I may lose a bit of strength in Feb/March. Gotta let my system clean out a bit, then we'll go back to hitting them hard, possibly with some extra stuff thrown in. :excited:
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Rack deads sucking tonight. Lower back got to pumped doing my bent rows, and now it’s killing me trying to do the rack deads.
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Double post, so I’ll post my sets

405x 10, 3, 7, 6 :disappoint:
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Had the guy at my guy work on my back and hops last night with the pain I was in. Squats are feeling :fuckyeah: right now.

Hitting 305 for the first intentional time since like august or September of last year. 10, 8, 7 for my reps so far. One more set. Gonna force a 7th or fail halfway up. No bitching out early.
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Got the 7th :fuckyeah:
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Ooof legs feel like jello doing my cardio now.

Squat 305x 10,8,7,7
Leg press 380x 10,10,10,10 was supposed to be hack squat but someone was on it. Could have gone heavier on the leg press.
Smith machine front squat 80x 10,10,10,10 not counting the weight of the bar.
Lunge 50x 15,15,15,15 25lbs in each hand. 15 reps each leg each set.
Extensions 55x 20,20,20,20 hard contraction at the top, hold for a second.
Seated calves 110x 15,15,15
Standing calves 320x 15,15,15
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been slacking on diet so strength is ying and yang.

did squat at 275, 2x5 and 1x8
bench still poopoo af, 3 at 205, 2 at 185, 2x5 at 185 that was super grindy
deadlifted 1x5 at 295
did some pullups unassisted before all that and did resistance band sets in between deadlifts
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Lifting has frankly been :poop: for me as of late. My back is still highly aggravated by squatting. I think I am just done with squatting heavy for the foreseeable future and am going to change over to a more hypertrophy focused routine of some kind. Also considered going back to the basics and doing 5X5 but starting with a pretty low squat number.

Right now I'm just kind of doubling down on the hypertrophy workouts from the PHUL routine :sawce: suggested.

Any suggestions from the crew?
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D Griff wrote: Tue Feb 05, 2019 4:12 pm Lifting has frankly been :poop: for me as of late. My back is still highly aggravated by squatting. I think I am just done with squatting heavy for the foreseeable future and am going to change over to a more hypertrophy focused routine of some kind. Also considered going back to the basics and doing 5X5 but starting with a pretty low squat number.

Right now I'm just kind of doubling down on the hypertrophy workouts from the PHUL routine :sawce: suggested.

Any suggestions from the crew?
whats up with your back?
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Big Brain Bradley wrote: Tue Feb 05, 2019 4:18 pm
D Griff wrote: Tue Feb 05, 2019 4:12 pm Lifting has frankly been :poop: for me as of late. My back is still highly aggravated by squatting. I think I am just done with squatting heavy for the foreseeable future and am going to change over to a more hypertrophy focused routine of some kind. Also considered going back to the basics and doing 5X5 but starting with a pretty low squat number.

Right now I'm just kind of doubling down on the hypertrophy workouts from the PHUL routine :sawce: suggested.

Any suggestions from the crew?
whats up with your back?
It's been an ongoing thing. I strained/effed up a muscle in the lower back a couple of years ago dead lifting and it's just always aggravated by squats and sometimes DL since then. It is sometimes fun, other days I'll lift and then it hurts for the next week. I've seen a doctor, tried different exercises, but nothing seems to make it totally right other than just not doing any heavy squats/DL at all. :disappoint:
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D Griff wrote: Tue Feb 05, 2019 4:32 pm
Big Brain Bradley wrote: Tue Feb 05, 2019 4:18 pm

whats up with your back?
It's been an ongoing thing. I strained/effed up a muscle in the lower back a couple of years ago dead lifting and it's just always aggravated by squats and sometimes DL since then. It is sometimes fun, other days I'll lift and then it hurts for the next week. I've seen a doctor, tried different exercises, but nothing seems to make it totally right other than just not doing any heavy squats/DL at all. :disappoint:
Try only doing front squats? You'll still build massive calves, and since you stay more upright it puts less strain on your lower back.

Alternatively, either don't squat at all, or squat at the end of your leg day.

You're not a powerlifter, so there's nothing saying that you have to squat. Some professional bodybuilding physiques have been built with just machines for guys who had issues with squats.

If you really want to squat, programming them last in your workout will ensure that you're using a lighter weight due to fatigue and build up of metabolic waste during the workout and will keep you down in numbers that shouldn't aggravate your back while still stimulating your legs since they're doing work.
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D Griff wrote: Tue Feb 05, 2019 4:12 pm Lifting has frankly been :poop: for me as of late. My back is still highly aggravated by squatting. I think I am just done with squatting heavy for the foreseeable future and am going to change over to a more hypertrophy focused routine of some kind. Also considered going back to the basics and doing 5X5 but starting with a pretty low squat number.

Right now I'm just kind of doubling down on the hypertrophy workouts from the PHUL routine :sawce: suggested.

Any suggestions from the crew?
Does your back hurt when you squat on the Smith Press?
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D Griff
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Desertbreh wrote: Tue Feb 05, 2019 5:47 pm
D Griff wrote: Tue Feb 05, 2019 4:12 pm Lifting has frankly been :poop: for me as of late. My back is still highly aggravated by squatting. I think I am just done with squatting heavy for the foreseeable future and am going to change over to a more hypertrophy focused routine of some kind. Also considered going back to the basics and doing 5X5 but starting with a pretty low squat number.

Right now I'm just kind of doubling down on the hypertrophy workouts from the PHUL routine :sawce: suggested.

Any suggestions from the crew?
Does your back hurt when you squat on the Smith Press?
I've so rarely used it that I'm not really sure.
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SAWCE wrote: Tue Feb 05, 2019 5:34 pm
D Griff wrote: Tue Feb 05, 2019 4:32 pm

It's been an ongoing thing. I strained/effed up a muscle in the lower back a couple of years ago dead lifting and it's just always aggravated by squats and sometimes DL since then. It is sometimes fun, other days I'll lift and then it hurts for the next week. I've seen a doctor, tried different exercises, but nothing seems to make it totally right other than just not doing any heavy squats/DL at all. :disappoint:
Try only doing front squats? You'll still build massive calves, and since you stay more upright it puts less strain on your lower back.

Alternatively, either don't squat at all, or squat at the end of your leg day.

You're not a powerlifter, so there's nothing saying that you have to squat. Some professional bodybuilding physiques have been built with just machines for guys who had issues with squats.

If you really want to squat, programming them last in your workout will ensure that you're using a lighter weight due to fatigue and build up of metabolic waste during the workout and will keep you down in numbers that shouldn't aggravate your back while still stimulating your legs since they're doing work.
I think maybe the only front squats idea is a good one. I do like free weights/bar bells more and I'm not really trying to get huge or have an insane physique, I'd just like to look good and be stronger than most.

Front squats will be lower weight by nature and involve the back less as mentioned, I'm sure easier on the spine as well. I think they'll still be solid for building :massles: as well.
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