Alex_uk: 40 years in the making

[alex_uk]

Well I got out of bed and showered for the first time today, feeling like the latter stages of this infection now, I look forward to being fully recovered (probably just in time to go back to work!).

@gerry.b

I see u cracked 3 plates a week or 2 before I did. That 15 of 100 is 1 more rep than my pb but u did it AFTER 3 plates. At the risk of sounding lazy and having to scroll for info that may not even be there,how long u been benching?

I have been benching on and off since about 13, probably a bit more seriously in my 20s most seriously in the last 8-9 years.

@gerry.b

National titles in powerlifting with a bigger squat and deadlift at your size and age

There’s a lot of improvement for me across the board (which is great news) but bench does seem like a lift that just works well for me, squat as well, when it’s not injuring me! Deadlifts well they have he most room for progress!

I’d normally do a new year’s eve quasi powerlifting meet (me in my garage giving it 3 attempts at S/B/D) just to see where the progress has been over the year. Often throw in the OHP as well

Last year:

Squat: 170, 180 - failed
Bench: 135
Deads: 180, 190 - failed
OHP: 75, 80 - failed

Given that I’ve already beaten all of those (bar squat) in the last month and I’m still going to be wrecked from this virus I’ll not go ahead with it this year, but if I was full strength I’d say 180/140/200/80 would have been there, so that’s my mark in the sand for next year.

@gerry.b

I did win National titles

Nice, where abouts you live?

@gerry.b

Seems to be going through quite the period of affliction.

Light and momentary!

@gerry.b

You’ve quoted the Apostle Paul so I’m assuming you agree with his assertion in Ephesians that our biggest enemies are invisible

Absolutely, and I know when I agree to preach there’s almost always a coinciding spiritual battle, but outside of that specific scenario I struggle to discern what’s just life and what would be a spiritual attack. I try to just work on giving it all to God, no matter what the cause and letting Him resolve it for me (easier said than done - I’m a fixer/doer by nature).

@gerry.b

Got any occult practicing human enemies. Could be witchcraft bro

No one at all that I’d call an enemy, and I know of no one who openly practices witchcraft, there is a slight resurgence in paganism in the UK, but generally it’s a a fairly secular island (particularly my part of it), with some semblance of Christianity - hoping and praying for revival though!

[alex_uk]

Other news: down 5lbs from the start of the virus, really wasn’t up to eating and when I was it was low protein junk.

As always I’m up for the transformation, this year will be a straight up 6 months of gaining, aiming for that Bruce Randall Excellency in corpulence award! I’m currently 200lbs, currently lifetime heaviest is 210, I’d like to exceed that before June.

Main aim is to go and have a good time at the strongman comp, I’d like to put up good times, weights and be competitive everything else is a bonus.

Mandatory transformation photos:

That’s some awful deflated pre-pics, hopefully that means the end result will look better

[gerry.b]

I live in NZ,I’m a New Zealander. Half English half Maori to be exact. My father hails from Nottingham but he’s lived in NZ for most of his life. I lived in Australia for a few years and competed in masters there when raw lifting was taking off but I haven’t 3 lifted for nigh on 10 years. Did a couple of bench only comps in NZ a few years back but work interfered too much. I totalled 575 at 41 yrs old at 93 kgs. 210 squat..130 bench.. 235 deadlift. Edit.. forgot to add I was also working a reasonably physical job having to pull others weight as well.That enabled me to quickly drop from 93 kgs to 83 in about 3.5 months and take out an IPF Asia Oceania title. Now I’m bigger and my bench is better but the leg training is sporadic and currently in my early 50s I would be nowhere near those marks

[gerry.b]

Yeah the allegations of witchcraft to noone in particular are probably off base,sometimes its merely physical ailments only,however I think people would be shocked at the prevalence of “New age mysticism” and how that translates and affects the innocent. Anyway carry on lol

[alex_uk]

Just caught up on WSM (they broadcast it between Christmas and New Year here) I try and avoid hearing/reading/seeing anything to do with WSM all year so I don’t spoil the results, unfortunately I briefly caught glimpse of a headline that said about someone I didn’t know winning managed to blank out the name but since I knew pretty much the whole field apart from Fotu it was fairly clear who was going to win.

Still one of the most enjoyable (for me personally) WSM finals in a while. Really enjoyed seeing a rookie win - even if it did stop Tom Stoltman getting his 4th title. He had a really strong showing in every event, great to see some really top guys in the same era, never a fan of sports where 1 person or team dominants endlessly.

Tom performed well but the Hercules hold and deadlift really let him down, judging on the Flintstone press was really strict as well, any one of those variables changed and he’d have been first, just not quite his day.

Confession - I enjoyed watching Mitchell Hooper underperform, when he first came through I didn’t mind him (default position is to like everyone, especially Canadians, they’re usually delightful), but he’s really come across as increasingly arrogant, I get confidence, he had a dominant year, but don’t like arrogance (like he was writing everyone else off apart from Tom).

Great to see 4 out of 10 finalists coming from the UK, strongman is alive and well here! Paddy Haynes looks like a strongman to keep an eye on, doesn’t look much like a strongman but great overall performance, nearly had the 5th stone as well.

Really impressed by Trey Mitchell this year, a few years back I’d have said I wasn’t a fan due to arrogance (yup it’s a thing for me - and I know this isn’t a personality competition, but this is my log and so I’ll happily talk nonsense!) he’s seemingly chilled out a bit and put some massive performances in, shame he couldn’t have nudged Cooper out of the podium!

Eddie Williams, legendary grip, looks like the nicest dude ever, great singer!

Anyways that’s enough really out of date commentary from me, I just really enjoyed this year, enjoyed it enough to post about!

[alex_uk]

Also morning weight 198, the last few days taking its toll, nevermind gives me more runway to get big!

[alex_uk]

@gerry.b

I live in NZ,I’m a New Zealander. Half English half Maori to be exact. My father hails from Nottingham but he’s lived in NZ for most of his life

That’s a pretty cool heritage, you ever visited the UK?

@gerry.b

currently in my early 50s I would be nowhere near those marks

That’s fair enough, just hitting the gym and staying solid at 50 is a massive win!

[gerry.b]

No,but my younger brother has. He’s a shearer and actually got his British passport so he could live and work there for a while. He thoroughly recommends the place,some for dubious reasons that involve illegal substances but that’s another conversation. He did say he wrestled with the biggest rams he’s ever seen.

Thanks for the commend on my age,I did actually start proper weight training quite late( mid 30s) but strangely when people say you re deteriorating,I’m the strongest I’ve ever been in certain movements. There’s hope for you younger guys if u stick at it to keep improving. Powers the last thing to go. However I don’t like my weight gain. Proper pork chop. Might need a paradigm shift but that will have to wait

[alex_uk]

@gerry.b

He thoroughly recommends the place,some for dubious reasons that involve illegal substances but that’s another conversation. He did say he wrestled with the biggest rams he’s ever seen.

Yes an unfortunate issue in the UK and if you don’t like steroids I’d avoid - they’re not even illegal here haha.

Did some ram wrestling in a river the other day (random part of one of my jobs - water and animal rescue, as a fire fighter).

@gerry.b

There’s hope for you younger guys if u stick at it to keep improving. Powers the last thing to go. However I don’t like my weight gain. Proper pork chop.

Haha pork chop, I’m on the opposite end of the spectrum at 6’2 I’m still struggling to keep above 200lbs/90kg, the moment I stop trying to gain weight it starts falling off. You should get on board with the transformation challenge!

You’re definitely right with the age and improvements though, watching @simo74 over the years he’s stronger than ever in his 50s!

[alex_uk]

@alex_uk

I’m still struggling to keep above 200lbs/90kg

Speaking of which morning weigh in - 196 wish there was a spitting on the floor in disgust emoji!

Not that it will be a problem, but I’ve just given myself a hard limit on weight gain of 100kg/220lbs - signed up for an accelerated free fall course for my 40th (UK parachute license course), and you can’t be a fatty and jump apparently.

[gerry.b]

If your moving around a lot and that job sounds torrid, it won’t be easy. I spent about 10 years being around your weight and only put on size when I walked and energised less. I also changed my rep scheme from 3-5s to 8-10s. The thing is I’ve played around in the3-5 s for a bit only recently again and busted long time plateaus so it’s give and take. I’m not eating more,just I guess it’s the direction of the calories

[gerry.b]

Simos gotten bigger. Also works hard in the gym. Doesn’t shy off the meaty compounds. We were on the same Aussie board for a few years. We re practically the same age,same size and some lifts he’s better at that’s why I follow. He’s more consistent but in my late 30s early 40s I trained supercharged. Some of the workouts I did,noones done. Last few years I’ve incrementally dropped off while he’s metronomically stuck at it

[alex_uk]

@gerry.b

Last few years I’ve incrementally dropped off while he’s metronomically stuck at it

Yea for sure, he is Mr consistent, the definition of hard work and consistency and a testimony of the results, hope to be the same when I find myself at his stage in life!

[BethB]

@alex_uk

he is Mr consistent, the definition of hard work and consistency and a testimony of the results

Very much agree.

[BethB]

Is it weird that of all the people I’ve seen in their underwear on this forum I can pick out @simo74 without having to know who posted it? And without a face.

[gerry.b]

@alex_uk

@gerry.b

Last few years I’ve incrementally dropped off while he’s metronomically stuck at it

Yea for sure, he is Mr consistent, the definition of hard work and consistency and a testimony of the results, hope to be the same when I find myself at his stage in life!

You probably will be,especially as u continue to improve. That’s the carrot of aging,power improves. If you structure yourself mentally and tailor your training to suit,you won’t stop. Sure things might get in your way but it’s too ingrained to completely quit. Doubly so if you re still competing in something strength related and that’s where I’ve become somewhat aimless

[EmilyQ]

Happy cake day, Alex!

[BethB]

Happy cake day!

[BethB]

@alex_uk

I’m really not a fan of the Catholic church

I know this is from a while ago. But would you mind explaining? If not no biggie. I’m just curious.

[alex_uk]

Haha quiet day on the forums, wanting to kick a hornets nest?!

Joking aside I don’t mind at all. Please hear the following as a criticism of the structure and orthodoxy of the Catholic church, not a criticism of individual believers.

There are a very significant number of things I find disturbing about the Catholic church but I’ll try and focus on the biggies.

Sola Scriptura was the rallying cry of the reformation, it meant that the sole authority for believers was God’s word, scripture, that alone forms the basis of the believers guidance for the Christian life. This was and still is critical because anytime someone has a “prophecy” or a “word of knowledge” you can measure it against the scripture and see if it aligns, scripture is our north star. The Catholic church doesn’t have Sola Scriptura (in fact for much of it’s existence it’s actively prevented people from reading scripture - the council of Trent actively banning anyone from reading one without the permission of a Bishop).

This is a massive issue, particularly well illustrated by the Catholic dogma of Papal Infallibility. The idea that any man (outside of Christ himself) could be infallible, because they’re sitting on a certain chair, is insane. Unfortunately that specific issue allows the creation of doctrines that directly contradict scripture

Doctrinal issues, these are really only a subset of issues from not having sola scriptura but here we go:

• purgatory - not biblical and created and motivated by all the wrong reasons simply awful. (This very day you will be with me in paradise, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord - see scripture guides against such heresy)
• indulgences similar to the above they’ve changed from the beginning origins but still awful.
• salvation requiring works, I can see the issue here, particularly given verses in James, so could have some sympathy here but really, reading scripture in the context of scripture means that all our deeds are filthy rags, no-one does good, no not one, and what works could possibly offset the burden of our sin, only Christs sacrifice is sufficient - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
• I’d list Mary’s title as “Co-Redemptrix” but they’ve recently clarified their stance on that so it isn’t blasphemous.
• the necessity of sacraments/priests - Christ is our high priest, there is a priesthood of believers but there isn’t a requirement of having a “priest” there is no sacrifice to be made, the atonement has been made once and for all, we aren’t making it again every Sunday at “mass” (Hebrews 10).
• following on from the above the Catholic church in essence recreates the system of religion and law within the old testament but adds a little Jesus flavour. Old testament priests, offered sacrifice and interceded between God and man, but we have and intercessor and it certainly isn’t a man in a dog collar.

Historical issues:
I won’t major on this because it is largely historical, but it’s worth mentioning - the Catholic church was the instigator of so many historical atrocities, the crusades, the inquisitions and many other examples - this isn’t to say protestants have a squeaky clean sheet they don’t, but there really are a lot of blots on the history books.

Money - the Catholic church has historically been extremely wealthy, but has “served” some of the poorest communities in the world, no doubt it has done some good over the centuries, but I’m not a fan of an organisation claiming the teachings of Christ and still having billions (estimates between $50 - 265 billion) on the balance sheet, I completely see the need for organisational resilience when it comes to finance and the organisations don’t come much bigger than the Catholic church, but it definitely feels like there is much more that could be done on this point.

There’s more, but that’s a quick whistle stop tour of some of my primary reasons.