All-Purpose Health and Fitness Thread

[Log]

 

12 hours ago, Contentious C said:

So much for my "strong" legs.  I can move 8 plates on the hack, but I can't get out of the bottom of a Bulgarian with a 35-lb dumbbell in each hand.  Granted, my balance is SHEEEEEEEEEIT as Clay Davis would say, but still.  It's fucking embarrassing to struggle with things like that.

Bulgarians are probably my most-hated exercise that I still feel the need to work on. I'll have a set where I "lock in" and they move perfectly. Then, I'll have three where I'm all off-balance and struggling. So frustrating for me.

[Shartnado]

I was totally beat on Thursday, so I only did some stretching and light resistance band stuff (with the heavy band, though).

Recovered enough for Friday and did Trapbar but skipped all the preliminary stuff. After a few reps without Versas (off the blocks from the very beginning), I did a single with 453 before putting them on. Then with Versas 2x567, 1x662, then 3x767,5 off the full blocks. Then, shoes off, singles with 862 and 868. Also, with shoes 843,5 for the first time! Then 6x749 and that was it. Several new records for me, here!

Next week, a much needed Winter break.

During the week I was able to construct add-ons from metal pipes that I could use to attach small weights to the Trapbar, hence the new records and unusual numbers. Since the heaviest lift was 394kg, I'm sure the extensions will easily hold up to 400kg+, if needed. I know I will go for at least 396,5kg in two weeks' time.

Edited February 24 by Shartnado
DIY extensions to the Trapbar

[Contentious C]

5 hours ago, Log said:

 

Bulgarians are probably my most-hated exercise that I still feel the need to work on. I'll have a set where I "lock in" and they move perfectly. Then, I'll have three where I'm all off-balance and struggling. So frustrating for me.

I don't do them enough, and I'm not sure that's 100% because I hate them, or if it's just as much because I haven't prioritized them and get to the end of leg days without enough energy to throw *that* bit of misery on top.

The balance issue for me is pretty serious.  I'm a little klutzy to begin with, but one of the real weak spots in Fitness Youtube is doing *anything* at all to address balance problems.  I do all the little tricks to position myself right (lower the bar on the device, do the 'sit on it and plant your heel' trick, etc.) and they still suck so damn much for me.  The problem is me, and I don't know what I can do to actually improve my balance.  I'm not remotely interested in all that Bosu ball garbage, and I would really, really hope there is something out there that's helpful beyond, "Stand on one leg more often."

I don't know if it's my legs generally (my parents took me to a specialist when I was little because I walked funny), my hips, my ankles and my ridiculously high insertion points for my calves (I do not have aesthetically pleasing lower legs and never will, no matter how jacked I ever get) or if it's just everything all together.  But DAMN it would be great if there were a reliable, useful resource for this one topic, because the Bromleys and Dr. Mikes of the world have nothing to say about it.

[StretchMediatedHypertrophy]

I had work drinks last night, quite a few,  and although there was no headache, I really didn't feel like training today.

So I actually used the opportunity to do a heavy squat single - so I decided to squat to a 30cm (so a shade under 12 inches) hip thrust bench pad, and went to 121 kg with the SSB - which is 267lbs. Now I said I could squat 300 the other day no problem, but this is a tougher variation on a bad day, and it wasn't a true max, so it was validating enough. Echoing what I said earlier about going back to a hip-dominant squat, this was my first time doing a fat powerlifter squat in a while - I can definitely feel it in my hips. 

I also tried landmine goblet squats and they are surprisingly challenging - again this is a more hip-dominant variation. I will have doms tomorrow I can tell, despite it being a rough workout.

[StretchMediatedHypertrophy]

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”.
 

[Technico Support]

I used the hack squat machine yesterday and got some really good depth, really liked it.

Quads were hurting today but I still ran 6.5 miles, including what my watch tells me is my fastest 10k, about an hour and 8 minutes -- every mile was around 11 minutes, with a few below that.

Edited February 26 by Technico Support

[Control]

My back seems disproportionately undeveloped compared to everything else, yet I target it just as often as everything else.

Any suggestions? I’m just using free weights at home.

[Contentious C]

1 hour ago, Control said:

 yet I target it just as often as everything else.

 

Target it more.  Seriously.

What, specifically, is your home gym setup?  Dumbbells?  Barbell?  Squat rack? 

Also, to Hell with your grip if you're already going "heavy" (for your grip) on things.  Get some straps, go even heavier.  With my Versas, I do one-armed rows with the 95-lb dumbbells; without, I'd probably only be able to do the 60s or 65s, which would take forever to fatigue my back.

[Control]

Thanks! Though I’ll never be able to afford 95-lbs weights, so maybe I’m just out of luck.

I just have dumbbells at home (and a stationary bike).

[The Natural]

Went swimming yesterday for the first time in a while. Went well considering that. Ached during, ached after, aching today. Was going to have a quiet one today but Laura asked if we'd go bowling. Always fancied it but never have even though one is 15 minutes away from where I live. Laura got a strike with her very first ball and I did later. Had a good time and laughs along the way. Will see about Pilates tomorrow when I wake up.

[Contentious C]

15 hours ago, Control said:

Thanks! Though I’ll never be able to afford 95-lbs weights, so maybe I’m just out of luck.

I just have dumbbells at home (and a stationary bike).

Pull-up bar might be your best bet.  Pull-ups are a PITA to scale, but it's better for overloading than what you probably have on hand.

Pull day for me was pretty good - did 175 for 4x7 on bent-over rows, which were a little bit crap on form, but I'm pretty sure that's a PR for me anyway, so 4 sets of that is good nonetheless.  This is probably the closest and hardest I've pushed towards rowing bodyweight.  Rest of the workout was fine for accessory work and volume.  Dunno what I'm going to do for the next Pull day, though; I haven't done DLs or T-bar rows in a few weeks.  Maybe it's time for a Way, Truth, & Light workout again.

[Shartnado]

Took my shirt off and noticed a lump on the left side of my upper back that hasn't been there before and certainly isn't supposed to be there, either. It isn't particularly painful, nor is it gooey. Need to keep an eye on it, but it hasn't become any smaller in the few days I've been aware of it. There is no bruising around it, or anything. So, it could be a boil (there is no head as of yet), it could be an inflammation, or a hernia-like injury (is that even possible on your upper back?) If it's a tumor, that would be so my luck, but what the hell, I've had a good run!

[Contentious C]

1 hour ago, Shartnado said:

Took my shirt off and noticed a lump on the left side of my upper back that hasn't been there before and certainly isn't supposed to be there, either. It isn't particularly painful, nor is it gooey. Need to keep an eye on it, but it hasn't become any smaller in the few days I've been aware of it. There is no bruising around it, or anything. So, it could be a boil (there is no head as of yet), it could be an inflammation, or a hernia-like injury (is that even possible on your upper back?) If it's a tumor, that would be so my luck, but what the hell, I've had a good run!

Hopefully it's just that you're turning into Ric Flair!  No bruising is usually a good sign, but elaborate on "particularly painful" - is it not at all painful to the touch unless you really press on it?  Do you have any night sweats lately?  Or bruising elsewhere (like lower leg)?  And no, no "back hernia" - that's intestine-specific, and you don't have anything up that high that would go through the muscle wall without other problems. 

[Shartnado]

9 minutes ago, Contentious C said:

Hopefully it's just that you're turning into Ric Flair!  No bruising is usually a good sign, but elaborate on "particularly painful" - is it not at all painful to the touch unless you really press on it?  Do you have any night sweats lately?  Or bruising elsewhere (like lower leg)?  And no, no "back hernia" - that's intestine-specific, and you don't have anything up that high that would go through the muscle wall without other problems. 

I remember seeing a really weird lump on Superfly Snuka's lower back, back in the day. It kinda looks like that, but way higher.

During the day, I don't feel it at all, and if I touch the lump it feels similar how a jammed muscle feels, but not painful even if I put pressure on it. It feels solid, not mushy. Uncomfortable at worst, not painful. But it's really fucking weird and certainly not anything that is supposed to be there. My friend is a doctor, I'll let him have a look at it, if it doesn't start to subside next week.

No bruising, anywhere. No any bigger night sweats than usual, in fact, not much at all, recently. I do get those, every now and again, though.

Edited February 29 by Shartnado
No serious symptoms as of yet

[Control]

1 hour ago, Shartnado said:

Took my shirt off and noticed a lump on the left side of my upper back that hasn't been there before and certainly isn't supposed to be there, either. It isn't particularly painful, nor is it gooey. Need to keep an eye on it, but it hasn't become any smaller in the few days I've been aware of it. There is no bruising around it, or anything. So, it could be a boil (there is no head as of yet), it could be an inflammation, or a hernia-like injury (is that even possible on your upper back?) If it's a tumor, that would be so my luck, but what the hell, I've had a good run!

Best case scenario: you’re transforming into Tenryu.

[Shartnado]

2 minutes ago, Control said:

Best case scenario: you’re transforming into Tenryu.

As long as my pecs won't start hanging like his did back in the early aughts!

[Control]

That’s the fate of all pecs, eventually.

[Technico Support]

5 hours ago, Contentious C said:

Hopefully it's just that you're turning into Ric Flair! 

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL this was my first thought!

@Shartnado please get that checked out.

[Technico Support]

Gym bitching...I hate these people:

• People who tie knots in the long rope AND also don't untie them when finished (the rope used for stuff like lat pullovers).  There are already 2-3 short ropes with lovely rubber blocks on them.  WTF
• People who, between sets, don't stay near the thing they're using
• People who occupy the only machine of its kind in the gym (in my gym, it's incline barbell bench, hip thrust, pec deck, & hack squat) and take crazy long breaks between sets.  If I can knock out three different exercises (9 - 12 sets) while waiting for you to finish up, something is terribly wrong
• Crowded gym supersetters
• And, as always, groups of 5 high school boys, all with broccoli hair and Crocs, "working out" together ie using a bench for an hour.  I am dreading Summer.

Edited March 1 by Technico Support

[Technico Support]

There’s a guy at my gym that I only see on Sunday mornings.  He’s not in bad shape but not in great shape either.  Wears knee and elbow wraps and all he does is Smith Machine bench presses.  Just like 30 - 45 minutes of 6-8 45lb plates of Smith bench press with shitty ROM.  I don’t know what to think about this.

[Shartnado]

4 workouts in 4 workdays this week. Started the week with 4 sets of incline dumbell bench with 88's at the conventional 45 degree angle. I believe all sets were 10+ reps due to larger than usual incline. 4 sets of hammer curls as well. Also standing double dumbell bicep curls with 53's, 48,5's, 44's and 39,5's, 6-8 rep range.

Tuesday was a Seal-Row pyramid from 154 to 319 and back to 154, with 11 sets in total. Until 264, I went without Versas and after that, with them. I think this pyramid worked better than the 5 sets with 264 I did the last time. This included 7 sets with 264 or more and even the heaviest sets felt better than the 264's last time. At the very end I also did a set of 5 barbell overhead press with 154. Good reps, too. I think that was a record.

Wednesday I went for a regular bench pyramid, from 164 to 280 to 154, with reps of 5, 3 and 7. 5's on the way up until 264, then 3's with 269, 275, 280, 275, 264 and 252, then 7's back down to 154. 15 sets in total. Between the heaviest sets I also did about 5 sets of resistance band lat pull-downs.

Thursday was Trapbar. Started with actual deficit lifts this time. Standing on 2 blocks, I did 5x260, 3x370 and 1x465 without Versas. That took it out of me and no more deficit after that. I did do 2x509 off the floor before moving on to blocks. Then 2x570,5 off the half blocks, and 1x665 and 2x784 off full blocks. Shoes off 1x873,5 and 1x843,5 then 2, 3, 4 and 3x749 with the last set, shoes back on. Shrugs with 553 (only 5 reps, but still), 469, 370 and 260.

Pretty good stuff this week. Weight still around 198 or slightly above 200 lbs. I guess I should try and cut back on the calories to get around 185 or something before the actual cut begins again in a couple of months. No problems otherwise, but abs are a long way off from where they should be.

[Technico Support]

Much more disciplined eating this week (calories below 2000, protein 160-190g, no uncounted food at night), somehow lost 4lb!  Probably half water but I’ll take it. Decent job of alternating weights and cardio all week, but just a walk yesterday (4 miles) because I was sore and not in a running mood).  Saturday cheat day let’s go!

Edited March 9 by Technico Support

[Shartnado]

4 workouts this week, I'll edit the long version in later, but I just need to get it out that an hour or so ago I cleared 881,5 (or 400kg) on Trapbar off the full blocks and also 849 with shoes on. That was the big one, I'll get to the rest of it tomorrow!

Editing in:

Monday was the usual incline dumbell bench and hammer curls with 88's. Tried the first set with the bench straight up, but due to something going wrong the weights came back down and I banged up my left quad with one of them. Just a bruise, though. Said fuck this, and opted for two notches down and did 4 sets 11, 10 ,9 and 8. Hammer curls, standing double dumbell curls, dumbell chest flies on the floor and a few sets of resistance band lat pull downs.

Tuesday was regular bench and seal row pyramids, although with less sets than last week on both. Bench went from 153 to 285 and back down to 153 (I did two sets with 285, five "reps" in total, with only one clean rep), but the 252 set was 10 reps with 8 good ones and only the last rep was shit, so that's fine.

Seal Row went from 220 to 352,5 and back down to 220. Obviously, the 352,5 set was quarter reps at best, but I tried to stop the momentum and hold the weight up before slowly letting it back down. The 330 set went surprisingly well before that, at least in the early reps.

Wednesday I had shorter time than usual, so I dedicated it to all kinds of ab work. I have slacked off in that department recently.

Thursday was indeed Trapbar. Discovered a wonderful synth/shredwave band called Terror Syndrome and listened to it throughout. It seemed to work. Only small deficit and floor-level for warm-ups this time. Found 2 metal rods in the scrap and was able to use them to add another 5,5 lbs to the bar. So, started with 5x254,5 and 5x364,5 off the floor. Then 459 off a smaller deficit without gloves or Versas. Then with gloves and Versas, 536 off the floor. Then, off the blocks 2x565, 2x684, 2x778,5, 1x881,5 (no shoes), 1x849 (shoes on), 3, 2 and 2x754, 5x660 and with a slight rest-pause 12x565. No time for shrugs this time.

Next week, we're off to a trip to Italy. I will pack my running gear and resistance band with me, but the steady diet of pizza, pasta and wine will probably do a number on my weight, and that number is north of 200, most likely.

Edited March 15 by Shartnado
The longer version...

[Contentious C]

I'm pushing closer to 195 myself these days, but then again, I'm trying to and have the frame for it anyway.

Leg day was weird in a good way: heavy squats (that's only 225 for me, but DAAAMN my mid back is not equipped to handle squats that well anymore!) for 3x5, then hack squats at 290, 3x10, with a 3-second pause near the bottom to eliminate any stretch reflex.  Then back to the squat rack for 3x8 at 135 to fry what was left of my glutes at that stage, then Nordics.

Push was pretty light-ish because I was pressed for time (hahah).  3x8 of the 65s for incline dumbbell, then 4x8,7,5,4 of Smith machine military presses which left me with a good crick in my neck.  Some super-ROM laterals, some tricep extensions.

Today was Pull, and I thought I was going to do some crazy bullshit.  Instead I did differently-crazy bullshit.  Instead of 3x5 at 185 followed by 3x15 at 135 backoffs, I just did 5x7 of the 185.  They were...pain.  Glorious, glorious, back-growing, slab-o-meat pain.  Curls and some underhanded lat pulldowns (which I'm now doing at 135 lbs for reps, a previously unthinkable number for me) fried the rest.  It's probably a little scary that Push day used to be my favorite because I could get through it and not be so sore, but now Pull day is my favorite because I can throw up the Big Numbers AND be super sore afterwards.  I'm a sick fuck. 

And an increasingly jacked one.

Edited March 15 by Contentious C

[Shartnado]

First full day of the vacation and we walked 4 kilometers up a steep hill zigzagging to a lighthouse up top. Then to the top of the lighthouse for pictures. Then jogging most of the way down and then running back to our apartment. Also, our apartment is on the 5th floor, so that's 87 steps each time we go up or down.

The pizza, pasta and the pastries have been great so far, but I should get some decent activity going while over here as well.

It's very good to get some cardio on my feet as well. Biking is one thing, but you won't have great running cardio just by riding a bike.