You give me hope that I can bulk on chips and bacon! Yeah, started a log for personal accountability rather than inspiring lifting but really enjoying logging, and the feeling of letting people down if I wuss out is certainly a motivator!
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Protip: if you’re struggling to push through, write the rest of your workout down as if you’ve already done it, then allow your integrity to force you through the rest of the work.
As I understand it, Dark Horse is based on Westside style conjugate, so a lot of variations used on the heavy days. Probably makes it difficult to estimate maxes on competition lifts.
Could always use a 531 style testing, seems a bit easier.
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I’ll try writing and posting ambitious PRs (actually seems like a pretty good idea)
I haven’t tried that one, I use it occasionally for stuff that I know i can do, I just really, really don’t want to.
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Do it! I’ve had a couple of times in my training life where I worked hard to build and build and I never got to max to see what I accomplished. The first time I ran SGSS, I hit a 305 bench and it was off balance due to a lift off. My shoulder was hurting and I quit benching for…well, I still don’t bench (that was June of 2018). I wish I would’ve went back the next week and tried for 315 just to check it off my lift of lifetime goals.
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Ok, with the quick discussion above kind of reinforcing my thoughts (mainly that I do need to see those big tangible increases and yes DH is conjugate so can’t compare lifts to comp style) I’ll do the testing.
Thanks for the replies - helps solidify my thinking.
Also @dagill2 - 531 testing? My 531 testing was basically every cycle, any lift I felt particularly strong on that day would get pushed to max! Never really read about the proper testing protocol, might have to open the book again!
@Frank_C - yes definitely don’t get the chance to do it often, I am slightly worried the results won’t match my expectations but I’ll never know unless I try!
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That’s almost how I feel. I don’t have expectations; I have hopes! 
I hope I can get this weight. Nope…damn.
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There’s a whole 7th week testing protocol in Forever, but I haven’t read it yet so don’t ask for more details.
Haha true, lots of hope, let’s hope I get some pay off! If variations have any carry over I should be in for some PRs (I’ve basically PR’d every lift via a variety, under DH condition of being ruined, most varieties of lift being harder, i.e. Banded or deficit, not sure if the football bar bench or press variations have much carry over), I have good reason to hope!
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That’s fine I’ll stick with my current plan… or maybe try and squeeze them into one week…
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I’m the opposite - I never test, but I get annoyed every time I have a weak day in the gym
How’d you know it’s weak if you don’t know the max to compare it to!
I always have last week; well, for me, last weak
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Testing week 1: Deloading deadlifts
Conditioning:
I would like to say I was deloading my cardio, but reality is I was aiming to beat previous and burnt out quick (but I was on track!), Probably because I haven’t rowed more than interval sprints for a couple of weeks and this was early and fasted - two things I hate.
Emoms: deads
120kg + red band X 3 X 10 sets
Short but sweet(ish). Life threw me an opportunity to catch up in the form of an owl waking me up early, no desire to eat before training and since it’s just deload I didn’t think it would have any negative impact, jury’s out there - maybe cardio would have gone better if I had some food in me, lifting was fine and that’s what I care most about so nevermind.
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Getting good at cardio seems to really defeat the point to me. If you get really good at one type of cardio, then you just have to do even more to get the same effect. That’s like punishment for doing work.
Haha, yes indeed, probably just because we hate cardio though, if you loved cardio you’d probably be overjoyed that you can go longer and harder and not feel as ruined!
Put in lifting terms a set of 80kg squats for 10 would have very little impact on me these days, but back in the day that would have me limping for a week and probably be burning a tonne of calories and growing me some quads! (I do know your comment was tongue in cheek though).
Worse thing about cardio for me is how quickly it drops off … and sweating … and being out of breath … and stitches… and how much it burns but doesn’t build muscle…man I hate cardio.
Yeah, fuck cardio.
Fuck cardio right in the face.
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I am walking the dog twice a day so I am claiming cardio 2 times daily right now. Watch for my abs in a few weeks !! 
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All that dog walking is, yes, going to give you a rock hard six pack. But it might take 5 kilo off yer squat, definitely not worth it.