Are you seeing anyone for the issues ? Often when we have pain somewhere in the body it is just a symptom but not the cause. I had knee and quad pain for 4 weeks leading into my comp and didn’t get it looked at. Go see the physio and find out it is a hip flexor issue. Two sessions later and I ran up stairs to wake my son up this morning. Just saying, if you haven’t already then get it checked.
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15/05/25 - 200.25
Apparently I’m not even reverse dieting anymore, just full bore bulking. I had BBQ last night and ate completely unfettered, it’s unseasonably good weather in the UK right now and I’m taking full advantage, that’s my second BBQ this week. With 10 days until the cruise I ought to being trying to reign things in, but because I’m happy enough with the mirror I’m less focused than I would otherwise be.
A lesson for future weight loss periods, I think 8-12 weeks is the sweet spot, followed by a 6-12 week period of less restrictive eating, then if needed another 8-12 week cut. Trying to keep this up for 20+ weeks feels like it’s less productive. Always good to learn more about myself in this way.
Also tricep DOMs is a novel feeling, I’m enjoying it, planning on getting some strongman conditioning done this evening, shouldn’t impact that, winning all round.
Not in person, @Koestrizer did help get my back functioning again, I should re-establish some of the things he suggested, and I did see someone once about my shoulder, but my biggest issue is I don’t have anyone I actually trust to see in real life (the flight to Germany might be cost prohibitive).
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The diet break is definitely a sound strategy. Gives the body a break and allows the metabolism to recalibrate, so you can start losing on higher calories, vs running all the way to the basement.
I think some pre-cruise feasting is honestly a great approach. On my most recent cruise, I was coming into it at the end of a gaining block, and it was the first cruise where I DIDN’T eat like an absolute a-hole the entire time, haha. I had been feasting so much leading up to the cruise that by the time I got there, I was pretty much OVER feasting and just enjoyed unique flavors and experiences.
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Given this is a first cruise experience I’ll probably be on the A-hole end of the eating spectrum, but definitely only if it’s worth while eating and I’m enjoying the experience.
It’ll be interesting to see what sort of damage I can achieve in 7 days of eating.
Training tonight:
Platform loading: 75kg Sandbag
Farmers walks: 50kg per hand x 60 ft up drop/turn/pick 60 ft back
Battle ropes
Did this as a circuit with 2 other fire fighters after drill, literally went station to station with the time dictated by how long the person doing farmers took, no rest and no idea how many sets, just went until everyone was breathing hard and sweating even harder, around 20 mins (exercises scaled for the others).
Great session.
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Fuck yeah brother! Nothing mimic real first responder events like sandbags IMO
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This comment sent me looking for when I first introduced sandbags in my training, it was around 2020 and it was from memory (couldn’t find it in the journal) on the back of having to carry one of my smaller colleagues who was being dead weight and wearing BA (additional 20kg), between two of us, and really struggling.
That made me sit up and take notice, my colleagues rely on me if things go south (and unfortunately they do, as a very sad reminder of this only today, of two of our own from a different service died in duty: Bicester Motion: Firefighters killed in business park blaze named - BBC News) - I never want to ever have to wonder if I could have done more to save a life (or have my kids lose their dad, because he couldn’t get himself out because he didn’t put the effort in).
Sandbags answer the bill of carrying dead weight, of having high muscular and cardiovascular demands in tandem, I completely agree that nothing else really mimics that, plus you get to feel like a badass throwing heavy sacks of sand around!
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In digging through my journal I found my original BtM write up:
Apparently I forgot my own lessons, because I’m actually looking forward to running this again, I read through and it turns out I was stronger back then, finished off the last week at 160kg X 5 for 5 sets, I’m not there right now, but I’m probably stronger in the deadlift, bench and ohp and I’m lighter.
This time round I’m going for the diet and cardio, as long as the back and shoulder hold up this should be another great experience.
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For sure man!
I get people sandbag all the time thinking it’ll stop me putting them in the back of the cage.
Then I just yeet em on in like a sand back toss over bar anyway 
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If you’re in the position of moving a fallen officer, then dragging is going to be the way you do it. That’s why they put drag straps on or near the top of external vest carriers.I feel like the sled work I’ve started doing definitely mimics that kind of work - especially the pulling reps.
I’ve done this before. I look back at a time where I was stronger and look at what I did. And then I see it was something that sucked. 
Cleans and Olympic movements are great for preparing the body for this as well.
17/05/25
Training
Squats: 60, 100, 120, 140, 160kg x 3
Hip squat Bulgarians: 20, 40, 60kg x 8 e/s, 60kg x 8 e/s followed immediately by 10 reps of standard belt squats to finish.
It’s nearly 8pm I haven’t stopped all day, and this was all I had time for, so very nearly skipped it, but I didn’t, and really glad I didn’t.
140kg
160kg
Belt squat BSS
Given that 160kg felt solid (more head pressure and seeing stars than any muscular/joint pressure) maybe this:
Isn’t as bad as I thought.
@kleinhound @Frank_C - loving the first responder focused discussion, will respond more soon!
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How do you like those Belt Bulgarians? I had to check the video because I couldn’t picture it. I might need to figure out a way to do this at I can push some weight with my legs.
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That triple at 160 looked really nice mate
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Haha, that must be so shocking to the person acting the big man, who’s suddenly getting ragdolled!
Yea dragging is always the emergency go to for us, but we also have to consider rescue from building collapse and other assorted hazardous environments where dragging might not be ideal. We also get called to more and more bariatric people that the ambulance can lift, we try not to drag them because they’re usually in a poor state of health.
Funny the impact hard stuff has on making the body hard! I actually want to do the hard stuff, my body isn’t as keen right now though!
It’ll take me a few goes to get the set up and feel right, that set I videoed was too fast, I slowed the next set down and focused on the movement and it was solid, it’s slightly awkward but definitely something to keep in the mix, particularly drop setting from unilaterally to bi lateral that gave a great training effect. Still feeling the DOMs
Cheers Simo, if I can stay injury free BtM and SS should be really good with that as my starting place!
In a ridiculous turn of events weight - 201 5lb up in 5 days, hopefully mostly water weight, but I have just eaten like a death row inmate. Its Monday I leave on Friday, let’s see how much I can drop with very limited time & no head space!
Training
A1) Bench: 60, 80, 90, 100kg x 5, 110kg x 10
A2) DB rows: 30kg x 5 x 5 sets
That was it, just getting the big stuff done.
Taking full advantage of that water weight with that bench, not 100% sure but that might be a rep PR.
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Certainly surprises a lot of big dudes.
I like to juxtaposition use of force/strength with really calm and polite speech. Really fucks with their minds that I’m not only whooping their butt, but also being nice about it.
I call it police parenting
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Very nice triple at 160 on those squats. 
110 x 10 on BP is strong too. Nice work in here!
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Haha love it.
Thanks Shane, I feel like I’m always battling some minor strain these days, so I’ve actually been really pleasantly surprised at hitting some of these numbers despite of the strains and some weight loss.
Speaking of weight loss - 20/05/25: 198.25
Training - AM
Burpees chin ups: 5 x 10 sets EMOM
HH TBDL: 68, 108, 148, 168kg x 3, 148kg x 15
Alt DB curls/hammer curls/pinwheels: 10kg x 15/8/5, 12/6/5, 15/6/5
Burpee chins had me blowing and making sure I kept them strict meant my back and shoulders were blown up by the end.
The Trap bar pulls were interesting, wasn’t sure how my back was going to feel, got to 148, went to pick up the bar and was instantly like nope, then I thought about what I was feeling and analysed it, pressure and discomfort, but not pain or injury, so I just told myself to take it slow and controlled, no jerking on the bar initiate steadily and pull deliberately, realising that I will feel it in the lower back. Worked well, and same for 168, didn’t want to push any further, but felt solid for the back off set, about rep 10 on that my back actually finally felt looser and easier.
Definitely good for a fair bit more here if this wasn’t first thing in the morning and fasted.
Then just a quick bi pumping finisher.
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Finally finished playing catch up in your log, there was a LOT I missed. Glad your back is on the mend… that was a scary video, dude.
Well I’ll be damned, I was also considering running it again!
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15 rep deads will definitely put hair on your chest.
I thinks strains and finding work arounds are just part of it when you get older.
Sometimes I feel like a swat officer going into battle with all the knee and elbow sleeves I wear.
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Haha fortunately I’ve got a short memory and back squatting without trepidation!
Do it! I’ll be starting WC 2nd June if your up for a parallel run?
Not sure the Mrs would be too keen for that.
Yea definitely feels like it, mind you not even 40 yet!
I’ve got sleeves for the elbows and knees and the neoprene belt and lever belt, still half tempted by some neoprene shorts for the hips and lower back, might as well just squat in my wetsuit!
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