StretchMediatedHypertrophy

I haven't posted for a few weeks, but I've been training, and cutting though unfortunately not strutting: The Good: Diet has been successful so far. Now let's be real here, heck of a long way to go but clothes that haven't fitted are fitting - unfortunately the scales at the gym are bruck so the clothes have to tell the tale rn. I am going to get some callipers to test bodyfat but I honestly think I lost somewhere between 10-15lbs in less than 4 weeks. Some of it is water weight no doubt. I haven't really been counting macros - just trying to keep the protein reasonably high, carbs fairly low, for the most part. Diets feel a bit like surrfboarding for me, it's a case of trying to catch a wave and not fall off - I actually do intend to take a diet break in 2 weeks when my gf & I go traveling so The Bad: Well training has kinda sucked. I mean, I'm doing what I can. It's not like I'm stepping on a stage/platform, it doesn't really matter if I lose a bit of size/strength - I can get it back later through muscle-memory. So tbh, I'm focussing a bit more on arms, shoulders, and because I'm mostly training with my gf right now, glutes. So yes - good girls, bad girls, side leg machine, glute push downs, hyperextension, some high-rep good mornings. The Ugly: Sprained my ankle last Saturday, tbh it seems to be more or less better now but it wawes a bit shit for a few days, basically stuck on the sofa. I actually fasted for about 44 hours, so it sort of helped with the diet weirdly. I did train quads today, but have been skipping calves though maybe some light work tomorrow.

I still think 'the travel department' comes out of this looking bad. If the travel department had said categorically 'this is what is happening because x, you do y & z, you'll get your expenses & we'll try to fly you out of your home airport next time' then it would have been fine. It's a massive communication breakdown & you can either blame the ppl who's actual job it is to sort this stuff out, or you can blame a couple of idiot wrestlers, or you can apportion a bit of blame in both directions. That all being said, one wonders how much they're being paid and look sure, ppl were riding across the county to get 40 bucks from Ian or something....but they were getting to wrestle at least. Doing 5 minute 6-man matches is barely wrestling. It probably is time for them to move on with their lives one way or another - they're too old to be boys. And I suspect that may have been a factor but of course noone in AEW will ever say that.

All sounds a bit 'Elon runs Twitter' tbh.

I think that's a pretty harsh analysis, but even if you think that it doesn't really change the fact that AEW come out of this looking like a bunch of dipshits too so it's ESH really at best. Dalton Castle's Boys are not the hill I'm dying on, but in a week where AEW brought us Billy Gunn vs Jay White I'm kind of wondering if I can really be arsed with this shit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqg1TEhqjyI I can't embed anymore, but I watched the above video and it's somewhat pertinent. My gym in Budapest got in 2 cheap SSBs a few years ago, and I was just so happy to have the opportunity to use one. Fast-forward to now, and the padding is definitely not what it was, and the handles don't feel secure enough (why on earth people have been removing the handles I have no idea, f'n savages). The SSB I was using at Sky campus in the UK...yeah I don't know if it was really a much better bar, but it had thicker padding and more secure handles. As the video points out, the really cheap SSBs don't have an offset between the downward bars and the weight collars - so it ends up being a goblet squat basically. I think I used to cheat that a bit by holding the handles higher (pushing the weight back) but now they're loose it doesn't feel that secure. Anyway, the point is that I don't really like doing heavyweight with this SSB anymore. Did a long pause single ATG with 121kg tonight, not sure I'll work with this above 2 plates moving forward sadly. Maybe I can get my shoulders ok with using a straight bar again sob. I am enjoying the dip very much right now, I have started messing around with the outward v version where the shoulders are externally rotated - the feeling in the chest is unreal. I do choose to use the assistance machine to ensure good ROM and no screw ups, but I think I will progress it further soon enough as long as I don't abuse them. Cut continues. I am in a deficit for sure (I get hungry and feel the sudden urge to pee out of nowhere several times a day), I am not really doing it in a structured way which is not ideal but I am ensuring I get a decent amount of protein. No obvious differences but it's only been just over a week.

And here was I trying to defend him!

If something feels good on Smith for you then great, but I would generally suggest people rotate movements in and out. So do Incline Smith for 3-6 weeks max, then put in a non-Smith in that slot. You can then move a Smith JM Press into a tricep slot. This is especially applies if you're doing heavy work. My current mindset.....makes me not that keen on them. I'll be honest, I think if your gym is *really* well equipped then there's not much need for them (i.e. you don't really need to do bench presses on there if you have good chest machines, & lunge machines do exist!)...obviously for most of us this isn't entirely the case. The other thing I'd say is that it is not clear to what extent the theoretical advantages of the Smith Machine really translate to better muscle growth.

Back to the above, yeah I mean I think I'd use a bench block rather than not touch but it could be that he wants to get hypertrophy work for the chest, shoulders & maybe tris without tearing up his shoulders. Maybe he is a powerlifter who normally trains somewhere else? You can generally lift more weight on a Smith, I'd generally prefer a machine but some chest machines aren't easy to get 'out of the hole' without assistance and the stack-loaded may not go high enough. As for me, yeah so a few weeks ago I got some pain on the left side of my chest and my left arm. I know right, bit terrifying? So being in the UK, I get myself to the hospital and I have to say, they saw me very quickly and I had a suite of tests and they didn't find anything heart-related so yeah that was a relief. I did slow my roll on my training for a bit, and I'm fine now. Back in Budapest for a piece, I think I have just begun a cut but we'll see eh? Monday was an Upper - mostly assisted dips (I guess I can do actual dips, but preferring to get better ROM & control rn - I may have a summer season where I do more outdoor calisthenics), and widish grip pull-ups, bit of auxiliary work. Tuesday - pin GMs, leg press, seated hamstring & calf. Friday, Saturday will be UL with the gf, so today is going to be a bit of an utility day - a bit of horizontal pulling, abs, carries, arm work etc.

TIMEUNDERTENSIONBRAH~! I mean in his defence, if he's doing 360+bar for reps even with sleeves and shitty ROM he's still fairly strong. Apparently people do wear knee sleeves at meets sometimes so idk. It might be worth asking him non-judgementally. I will update in a bit.

Tbh all this probably means is that CJ has the house, and Miro has decided to spend time with family & friends rather than rent somewhere in the US. He is injured apparently of course (medical care is cheap in Bulgaria, standards are different but it isn't like it is terrible), though yes Plovdiv Airport is hardly a hub. Bulgaria also has hot women, flexibility varies I am sure but tbh I'd be very unsurprised if Miro doesn't end up marrying a younger Bulgarian lady in 2-3 years.

I don't think any of those four were ever actually released.

Fuck Miro and fuck Malakai too. Meat Madness is a dumb idea anyway. Just have a hoss tournament already.

Kelleher; Gomez, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Clark, Endo, McConnell; Elliott, Danns, Diaz. I messaged a Chelsea-supporting work colleague...don't think he's taking it well Two games this week though, it's a happy moment but Liverpool have work to do.

Cappucino Jones~! Need to pair him up with a Hames Cortado to form 'The Roastery' or something.

Just coming back to the squatting to depth thing, I think setting up boxes is a pretty good way to a) keep things honest/real, & b) work your squat depth over time. During the p******c, I was doing a lot of squats with bands off a 20cm step - often with bands - sometimes I had foam on top of the step. Now bands aren't great for hypertrophy, but working off a sub-8 inch box definitely helped me keep a lot of leg power & mobility. And realistically most ppl should be able to do that - with bodyweight I mean. Don't be frightened to work with bodyweight, or with an empty bar - as the Yogi Guru Pattabhi Jois' say: “Practice and all is coming”.