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13 minutes ago, Gordlow said:

10 months later. 20 kilos lighter. Back up to triples on the 28 kg kettlebell snatch. Pretty happy.

Also: check out my snazzy shorts.

Cool threads, bro! Yeah, you look like a different person altogether! Great job, man!

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Thanks dude. I'm happy because my bench wasn't moving and I got it moving. I was actually thinking I was going to go for an eleventh, but the 10th rep slowed down and I called it.

Although I'm toying with visiting the powerlifting gym again to try to hit a deadlift PR in 10 days, I'm actually going to get away from chasing numbers for a little while and really focus on hypertrophy, work capacity and athleticism. 

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14 minutes ago, SprintingFromAmerica said:

Thanks dude. I'm happy because my bench wasn't moving and I got it moving. I was actually thinking I was going to go for an eleventh, but the 10th rep slowed down and I called it.

Although I'm toying with visiting the powerlifting gym again to try to hit a deadlift PR in 10 days, I'm actually going to get away from chasing numbers for a little while and really focus on hypertrophy, work capacity and athleticism. 

Busting through plateaus is always cool! The 11th rep will come  in due time.

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My ribcage is...not trying to make me unalive, so there's that.

I cut back to just going 2x, enough to try to keep whatever shape I'm in and not backslide.  One upper day, one lower day.  It's not like I'm eating anywhere near enough to get bigger anyway.

Since I don't trust barbell presses, and may never again, I started doing pike push-ups on rings for my shoulders, and I gotta say, they're 10 times better than OHPs anyway.  No issue with mid/upper back support, the lockout position is killer for side delts, the stabilizing is a huge challenge...just love these.  Plus even at bodyweight, there are a huge pile of step-ups I can do with where my legs are positioned and/or boxes.

Sucks, though, since I'd just cracked 200 on bench for the first time ever.  Then again, that wasn't all that cracked, so...oh well.

May punch it up to 3x this week and see how I do.

 

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It's been a weird couple of weeks. Work and shorter workweeks have made working out a bit difficult. This week I'm back to basically normal, but while I was not working out, I obviously still rode the bike to work and work itself has been sweat-inducing, as it's been pretty hot in the building. Same in the gym, once I got there. Also, I tried to restrict my calories pretty harshly during the work days.

A few home workouts and a couple of jogs or walks, but I was able to maintain the weight around the 170 lb mark (give or take) where it has been for a while.

This week started with a 16h shift at work, but I started the gym week on Tuesday, doing a circut of a bunch of upper body stuff and a few sets with about 260 lbs on the squat machine.

Yesterday, for whatever reason a did a circut again, but started out with actual deadlift on a whim. Only did singles to see where I'm at and apparently, I was at 385 lbs. Not great. I did some stiff legged deadlifts with 340 and a few longer, slower sets with 264. Also did shrugs with 264 and a set of barbell rows with 154. Between these sets I did calf raises and squats on the machine again with 230. Then some overhead presses with 110 and then loaded 110 lbs on the bench and did some pump sets.

Today, I gave the deadlift another go, and fortunately got up to 418, which isn't that bad, given my weakened state due to the diet reaching the home-stretch. A bunch of lat pulldowns to the front on the actual machine this time and a couple sets with the resistance bands later on. A whole lot of curls, side delt raises and pushdowns, both on the lat machine as well as the bands. I was soaking wet, drenched in sweat by the time I was done.

I have no idea what I'll do tomorrow, but going for some sort of trapbar isn't out of the question. One week of diet to go after this week and also one week of work, before the summer holiday. Yeah, I'm starting to be about done. Well, work mostly. I'll try to keep some kind of workout regimen going despite not going to my regular gym at work.

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Yeah, I went wild with the trapbar today, as I felt a bit bummed out about the REAL deadlift so I decided to see what I can lift on trapbar while standing on a platform? My feet were at the low handle level, so I think it's pretty close to like lifting from the floor, albeit much more unsteady. So, I go 8x196, 6x306, 4x359, 2x416, 1x451 and 1x458. Then I took off the platform and did 2x458 off the floor. Then I said fuck this, it's heavy, and put the platforms beneath the weights. So I go 7 (well 2+5, since I had to re-adjust the weight, as it rolled off the other platform)×458 and then 8, 7 and 7x469. Then some shrugs with 416 (maybe 5 reps) and more with 306 and 196. After this it was just another sweat-pump with light curls and resistance band.

I felt much better after this one. The evening weight was 168, so now I can refeed on good conscience. Nightshift next week, so I guess Sunday evening will be the next workout

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After the refeed (that also included a 400g mousse cake) and a sweaty night of sleep after that I decided to get up for a run in the morning before breakfast. Some 40 minutes overall, with first 12 minutes of running (last two of which what I would call sprinting), then a minute of walking and the rest (including the stairs) with alternating between jogging and running. We have a decent heatwave going on here (by Finnish standards, anyway), so I was able to sweat out everything as I was back to 168, after the run. Actually, last night we went for a swim for the first time this summer. Well, not swimming swimming, but did spend a few minutes in the water, anyway. There are summers that I don't visit the beach once. Imagine that, all this work in order to get into what they call over here "the beach shape" and not visiting the beach! Well, I burn easily, despite the sunscreen.

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TL;DR

New Frog  Semi-Sumo Deadlift PR - 185kg (PR any deadlift) [On reflection, stance was probably a cm or 2 wider than last time)

New Frog  Semi-Sumo Deadlift Rep PR - 140kg x 5 (Rep PR any deadlift)

New "Snatch-Grip" Deadlift Rep PR - 110kg x 10 (Rep PR any deadlift I think)

New Bench Rep PRs - 80kg x 15, 60kg x 25 

New Cambered Swiss Bar Dead Floor Press LOL - 90kg

---------------------------------

I was at the powerlifting gym today. Tbh I wasn't really feeling it, the Tibetan food I ate yesterday disagreed with me a bit (though obviously it may not concur on that point). But it was kind of the only day I could go so I went. I then got tempted by a really good piece of chicken cordon bleu at a nearby random office buffet, and some decent fries....Hungarian lunchtime places are often a bit inconsistent, but this was money and I don't regret it though along with fries and cheesecake it was probably far from optimal for performance lol. 

I decided just to mess with their Swiss Cambered Bar from the floor in a Power Rack, it isn't very stable so tends to tip - in the end I went with a dead bench from the floor which was super challenging. I went up to just 90kg and pulled 3 singles about 30-45s apart and they were all grindy...certainly enough to stimulate those high-threshold muscle fibres.

I then decided enough with that nonsense and went to a bench with an Eliko Competition Bar (those cost moneys)....I kind of regret not trying to max out with it but I made a decision not to try a super-heavy max out....anyways, I hit 2 rep PRs - 80kg x 15, and then using a close-grip, a proper 'Shartnado Special' of 60kg x 25 (!). The bar definitely feels nice for benching...although not really designed to rep out on, I think the aggy knurling means the forearms don't get fatigued and it probably helps. 

I got a 5kg PR on the Frog Deadlift. Last time I was at this gym, I did a lot of work to prime the quads for this lift and today I....couldn't be arsed, partly because it was hot, partly because of the aforementioned, and probably also because last time I hadn't trained in almost a week, whereas I had trained legs on Sunday and they were still sore yesterday. I did 170kg as an 'opener'....felt it was pretty hard, and just went straight to 185kg and took a nice long rest in order to complete the PR.

I pulled the 140kg x 5 and I was quite happy with that, which tells me I was maybe actually finding my groove..but then I started feeling my left hip just a bit so I decided to change up and I was super happy with the 110kg x 10 x 2 using a wide grip (I also wanted to use more upperback, bc I was feeling lower back). The 10s were really not ludicrously challenging and left me wondering if I wouldn't have hit a better PR on conventional today...the answer is 'probably' but it would have been more physically taxing. I think the Frog was doing better because I was squat specialising, now that I'm not I suspect conventional would be my better pull - though I don't think 200kg was on today and I guess that's the next goal.

I then did Seal Rows for the first time (they're great), and then did the belt squat (also great - though the traction of the back, beneficial as it may be, is still kind of hurty at the time) - I got a set of 20 using the weight I got 12 on last time, but I have been doing more leg pressing and I think there is some carryover there.

I think I may break the 10L barrier fluids wise today.

(I also hit a beltless 70kg OHP recently, which is a beltless PR)

 

 

 

Edited by SprintingFromAmerica
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On 6/27/2022 at 8:58 PM, Contentious C said:

My ribcage is...not trying to make me unalive, so there's that.

I cut back to just going 2x, enough to try to keep whatever shape I'm in and not backslide.  One upper day, one lower day.  It's not like I'm eating anywhere near enough to get bigger anyway.

Since I don't trust barbell presses, and may never again, I started doing pike push-ups on rings for my shoulders, and I gotta say, they're 10 times better than OHPs anyway.  No issue with mid/upper back support, the lockout position is killer for side delts, the stabilizing is a huge challenge...just love these.  Plus even at bodyweight, there are a huge pile of step-ups I can do with where my legs are positioned and/or boxes.

Sucks, though, since I'd just cracked 200 on bench for the first time ever.  Then again, that wasn't all that cracked, so...oh well.

May punch it up to 3x this week and see how I do.

 

I definitely think barbell presses are overrated movements, especially with wider grips. I tried to do some wider grip bench the other day...and I think I'm done with it for good. I'm well inside the lines.

DB presses are still really good though.

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Rough week so far. Started on the gym week on Sunday, as promised. Went for a jog before that, as well. It was bench and curls along with lat pulldowns. Monday, I walked to the city centre and back so I could get my vision checked for a new pair of prescription sunglasses, that night's workout was pull-up, dip, reverse shrug combo with 44lb extra weights, along with plenty of side delt work, curls and overhead presses with the squat machine's rack.

Tuesday I didn't go for extra cardio, so in the gym I went for the conventional deadlift. Got the 418 again and not an inch more, as I failed 424 three or four times. Used the platforms in order to get a 2 with 396 and then singles with 352. Took it down to 264 to do shrugs and 154 for shrugs and barbell rows.

Wednesday I went for almost an hour of running and managed a lightish squat and calf-raise workout as well. After a good amount of stretching during the shift, I try to get ready for the trapbar on Thursday night and that would be it for a few weeks, home workouts notwithstanding. Yeah guys, I'm just about ready to stop working for the summer. One more night and then it's 4 weeks off. I need to see if I can get this year's definitive photo, or if that is already the one I'm using now?

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Alright, the last trapbar before the time off. Started off light with 10x185, 8x295, 6x339, 4x361, 2x427 (new record without Versas), 1x515, then failed an attempt at 574, but then did three singles with it off the platforms. Then just some light shrugs and usual ab work. Ok, this will have to do for now. I shall resume the hard schedule again in 4 weeks.

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ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED~! Overhead Press: 60 kg x 10. RPE 9.5

 

Edit/Additional: Was unplanned. After fairly light training on the weekend (wasn't super motivated after long day at powerlfiting gym tbh), I felt like I had the energy for a bit of arm and shoulder work. Started on the OHP, and just decided I was going to go for it. Tbh it was a pretty horrible set, I misgrooved rep 3, and then on rep 7 I started to feel my hips (probably due to the split squats the day before) and had to quickly adjust my leg positioning. Reps were grindy, but they didn't really stick either. I actually think I probably could have grinded out 1 more, but it wouldn't have been pleasant and my body was very relieved to dump the bar back in the rack. SymmetricalStrength.com thinks my OHP is weak, and ultimately I think increasing my Bench max is going to be about delts and triceps so I think OHP is going to remain a focus for a while.

Edited by SprintingFromAmerica
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Man, I've got to get back on it. I was on vacation last week, so I ate like a pig and was generally lazy as hell (it was great!).  Before that, my knee was giving me fits on squats and deadlifts, so I'd dialed everything way back

Now, this weekend, I'm going to be running a ringside camera for a wrestling tv taping.  I did it back in March for a PPV and a taping, and it KILLED my back. My body just isn't used to handling a big-ass tv camera anymore.  This week, leading up to it, I'm going to try and just do some mobility-type stuff to get myself ready. 

I've been going to PT for the knee, so I have a routine to help with that.  I figure next week, I'll get hardcore back into that and start really light on the squats/deadlifts and start working my way back up slowly. 

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Well, I've kept the running and home workout routine going through the weekend and the first couple of the actual days off. Some 45-60 minutes of running/jogging including the stairs each time for three days straight. My legs are definitely feeling this. The workouts have been OK, but I just can't seem to get a fierce pump with this little weights, no matter how hard I try. Did get some good pics nevertheless and the photo editor works its magic every time.

Early tomorrow morning we'll be off to Belgium for a week or so. There will be plenty of walking, I'm sure, and I'm taking the resistance band with me. All of this will absolutely be off-set by  Belgian chocolate and waffles (no beer, though) many times over.

I consider myself lucky to have gotten this far without totally blowing up. In the next couple of weeks, that's where I'm probably headed, but I don't mind.

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18 minutes ago, SprintingFromAmerica said:

Where are you going in Belgium?

The frites are of course the real danger. I remember buying the family portion at a place in Mechelen. He asked me if they were all for me. I lied.

I tried a Bicky Burger too. Never again.

Antwerp and Bruges, or the other way around. Landing in Brussels, obviously. Haven't visited the country before, so it should be interesting.

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I worked in Belgium for a bit. The gym charged extra to use the showers. I actually mostly used the office gym which was buried in a corner of the car park and was basically a multigym, a reverse pec deck and 2 bikes.

I had my first ever Mitraillette at https://www.google.com/maps/place/Eethuis+frituur+semi/@51.2008245,4.432632,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x207ac76d0edf83e9!8m2!3d51.2008364!4d4.4326027, I was being dropped off to get the train to Brussels and then London.

I spent a few hours in Antwerp, I did walk through the Jewish District and it was indeed all diamond and paper plate shops.

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Thanks. Since I don't qualify for the traditional treatment (I take immunocompromising medicine, and 3 of the medicines I take interact negatively with paxlovid), they're going to give me the monoclonal antibody treatment tommorrow.

 

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6 hours ago, driver said:

Had a Dr. appt. on Tues for my sus left shoulder. Shoulder doesn't hurt anymore and I weighed in at 178 lbs(in 5/12 I weighed in at 364 lbs) so the visit went pretty well.

You just about halved your weight in that time? That's an amazing feat. Hope the shoulder will be OK, too! Great job!

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Belgium has done a number on my diet, but that was the plan. There has been plenty of walking as well as push-ups and resistance band work in the hotel room and even one workout at the hotel's Spa fitness room. They are no match for the waffle, ice cream, melted chocolate and whipped cream combo, though!

I had one large portion of Flemish Fries and there has been small portions as side dishes on meals, but I haven't exactly gone nuts with those.

I had trouble with muscle stiffness all over my body for a day or two, but I was able to massage them away by myself. Traps and glutes seemed to be the source of the problem, once again.

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