Caught up here. Great stuff! Happy to see the family part.
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Hereās the show Iām doing. It should be super close to you too. I picked it because itās pretty affordable and the events seemed like something I could prep for with the gear I already own.
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Work for today:
19mar25
Squat:
315x1
355x1
385x1 RPE 7
405x1 RPE 8
430x1 RPE 9 (PR)
DE deadlifts:
6x1x345
Supported BSS:
115x8 RPE 8
115x8 RPE 8
GHR:
Bwx12 RPE 8
+15x8 RPE 9
Seated cable row:
155x13 RPE 9
175x10 RPE 9
GHD sit-up:
15
15
Notes:
- overshot RPE a little, but hit a PR, which is pretty good for still not being RPE 10.
- Deads felt fast, felt strong, good day.
- Using the SSB feels great on the Bulgarians, although I keep hitting the uprights.
- Interesting how my training has changed since I hit that 425 PR last year. Now? Lots of heavy stuff, speed work, varied exercises. Then? Squatted once a week, 10 sets of 3, never really going above 315, probably pushing the last set every other week or so. Also did heavy AF good mornings instead of deadlifting, same time frame I hit my 495 PR. Just interesting how itās completely different than what Iām doing now, was a pretty bare bones approach, but it worked well. But it didnāt get me above those numbers, and this has lol, so proof in the process.
- Conditioning is happening. I am giving up on logging it lol. Iāll give highlight reels when I do something good.
@jdm135 thanks for stopping by man, things really are just chugging along pretty great!
@BrandonCrawford Iām not gonna lie, Iām half tempted to sign up for that show now lol. Was planning a powerlifting meet butā¦ it does look fun lol
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Do it man! It will be way cheaper than a powerlifting meet (I looked at those too when I was trying to plan out my āchallengeā, and just the entry fee alone for PL meets are more than the entry fee PLUS membership fee for this comp). And honestly, this comp is about as close to a PL meet as strongman can get; a squat and an incline press as the 2 main strength tests? How rare a combo is that?
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Nice job mate
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Congrats on the squat PR dude!
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20May25:
DE pause bench:
9 sets of 165x3
Press:
95x5
135x3
155x2
170x6 RPE 9 (PR)
170x2 RPE 8 (okay, that first set smoked me lol)
Deficit push-up:
RRx11 RPE 8
RRx11 RPE 8
Rolling db ext:
60x8 RPE 8
60x8 RPE 8
Facepull:
65x12 RPE 9
65x12 RPE 9
Tricep pushdown:
85x11 RPE 9
85x9 RPE 9
Axle curl:
65x15
65x12
Standing abs:
80x12
80x12
Notes:
- bench felt good. Practicing the sink, really staying tight throughout.
- VERY stoked on overhead. 5lb PR, and thatās with a larger ROM and no wrist wraps. (I donāt remember when I stopped using those tbh, I think I may of just forgot to bring em on deployment and then never started). Continuing to re-affirm that training my bench makes me press go up, even though the reverse doesnāt seem to work as well. Iād still like to toy around with strongman again in the future, so good to know Iām not losing my pressing.
- Accessories all felt pretty good after jack. Felt strong, great pumps, just a good lift
So the Mrs and I have been lifting together every workout, and honestly I love it. Super stoked for her, sheās making great progress. Hit 155x12 on back squat today, which is decent but over bodyweight for her. Her deadlifts taking off too. Upper body is stalling a bit harder, but shes still getting after it.
We also have a ton of fun in the gym. In the video here you can see after my set Iām immediately turning to her to celebrate. We hype eachother up, which is nice. Lots of blaring music and dancing in the gym. We also flex at eachother, which is kind of hysterical, because she will straight up hit me with a most muscular pose while Iāll hit her with the āIG influencer booty shotā haha
@simo74 @PowPowPunishment thanks!
@BrandonCrawford decisions decisionsā¦ the car squat seems awesome, Iād love to do that. No idea how the heck Iād fair with a rolling thunder, but maybe thatās an excuse to buy one haha
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22may25:
DE pause squat:
5 sets of 260x2
Deadlift:
315x1
365x1
405x1
455x1 RPE 7.5
480x1 RPE 9 (power bar PR)
Deficit stiff let:
275x8 RPE 8
275x8 RPe 8
Front squat:
225x4 RPE 8
225x3 RPE 7 (bar slipped forward at the top, no shot at a 4th rep)
Cossack squat:
35x12
35x12
Chin grip pulldown:
170x10 RPE 8
170x10 RPE 9
Spread eagle situp:
+10x15
+10x15
Notes:
- went without knee sleeves for my pause squats. Partly because itās DE work, so I thought going sleeveless would give the quads some extra love. Partly because Iām lazy and putting on the knee sleeves twice in one workout hurts my soul.
- Happy with deadlifts. Itās a 5lb PR on this bar, but also my form was MUCH cleaner than when I hit 475 6ish weeks ago. Focused on not jerking off the floor, and not locking out my knees too early. Lift felt slower initially, but never hit a sticking point the same way, and seriously cut down on the lockout hitch
- Tried the cross arms for front squats. I think Iām going back to the front rack. Damn.
- Iām 3 for 3 on PRs this week, even without going to a true RPE 10. Now to see if bench plays along
11 Likes
23May25:
Paused bench:
235x3 RPE 8.5
235x3 RPE 9
JM press:
165x8 RPE 9
165x8 RPE 9
Flared db bench.
75x8 RPE 9
75x8 RPE 9
Cable front raise:
20x10 RPE 9
20x9
Straight arm lat pulldown:
75x12
75x10
Rear delt fly:
20x12
20x12
Alt db curl:
35x12
35x10
Banded hip flexor:
Gx15
Gx15
Notes:
- bench moved decent. I think this is the heaviest triple Iāve ever hit paused, but still short of my heaviest bench triple period. Second set was a bit of a grinder
- Tried to move the JM press up a bit, lowering more to my chin. Did not like it at all lol, felt all sorts of awkward. Semi considering trying to do JMs with the SSB, seems like a cheaters method to good form
- Db bench moved well, even with a bit of a pause at the bottom.
9 Likes
25may25
Squat:
365x2 RPE 7
365x2 RPE 7
365x2 RPE 7
365x2 RPE 8
DE deadlift:
5 sets of 3x295
Wide stance slant board reverse SSB squat:
155x12 RPE 8
175x10 RPE 8
Single leg RDL:
60x12 RPE 9
60x12 RPE 9
Seated cable row:
155x15 RPE 9
GHD sit-up:
15
15
Notes:
- squats moved well. I think Iāve got some mental game going on here. I spent so long just not getting anywhere on squats, and in this past year Iāve really started figuring them out. Actual strength is skyrocketing, but some of these weights SEEM too heavy. They arenāt. At all. I was worried 365 was too heavy for doubles, and even my warmup single at 340 felt like a truck. Then I did my first double, and after the 2nd rep really thought āoh Iāve got at least 3 more in me.ā Bit of a case where I think I mentally just equated these weights with being out of my reach, and now that they are just rep work, I gotta teach my head to get over it.
- Deads were fast
- These SSB things were brutal but great. Putting my feet on the outer edge of the slant board, my adductors just light up, but the slants enough to let me keep the upright torso and still target quads. Reversing the SSB also puts the bar a lot more forward, again hitting quads more. The light weight was smoking me lol.
- Single leg RDLS absolutely lit up my gluteus and lower back. Seriously, like glutes spasming post workout.
- Oh, family in town, did this fasted AM after a late night. So pretty happy performance didnāt drop.
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Thatās good to hear brother.
Iāve found that I can dig much deeper on a squat than I ever could on a deadlift or bench. Youād be surprised how many reps you truly have left in you, most are reluctant to reach that point though.
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Honestly, it makes sense. Bench is all triceps, when they give the lifts just over. With deadlifts, you can always just drop the bar. But with squat? Couple hundred pounds just pressing on your spine? I think your body instinctively goes āoh shit we gotta get this offā, so people stop the set before they really need to
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Lots of great work going on in here but highlighting this one. Nice job
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26may25:
Db bench:
65x10
65x10
65x10
65x10
65x10
Seated db press:
60x12 RPE 8
60x11 RPE 8
55incline Tate press:
40x12 RPE 8
40x12 RPE 8
Deficit push-up:
18 RPE 8
18 RPE 8
Pushdown:
70x15 RPE 8
70x13 RPE 9
Rear delt fly;
20x15
20x15
EZ bar curl:
75x18 RPE 9
75x14 RPe 9
Standing abs:
75x15
75x15
Notes:
- still using a flared position for the DB bench. Definitely weaker than if I let the dumbbells tuck more, but hits chest better. Slight pause at the bottom combines to make these reps really suck lol.
- Seated press feeling good. Hitting more reps at 60lbs than last time I ran these, with same or maybe lower RPE.
- (Yes Iām wearing a crop top lol, wife showed me this thing about āif you feel you arenāt lifting heavy enough as the gym, itās because your outfit isnāt slutty enoughā so I grabbed some scissors and cut up my shirt on the spot lol)
- New to the high incline tates. Felt good, but a bit tougher than other variations. Great tricep stretch though.
- Deficit pushups feeling good, stronger on BW than start of last cycle. Implementing the hard stop at the bottom, holding for just a second. Actually have a fitness test coming up, so doing pushups in my lifting is kind of convenient, donāt have to train em outside.
- Not sure why, but pushdowns have just been clicking lately, triceps feeling pumped.
8 Likes
28may25:
Deadlift:
365x1
405x1
460x1 RPE 7
385x9 (REP PR for dead stop, but not all time if counting TNG)
Stiff leg deadlift:
275x10 RPE 8
275x10 RPE 9
Front squat:
185x8 RPE 8
185x8 RPe 8
Supported BSS:
115x15 RPE 8
115x17 RPE 9
Wide grip Pull down:
165x14 RPE 9
165x11 RPE 9
Spread eagle sit-ups:
+10x15
+10x15
Conditioning:
30 min Inc treadmill walk
10 Inc, 3.2mph
Notes:
- havenāt done a deadlift AMRAP in a hot minute. Felt good. Was hoping for more reps, but cut it here after some hitching on the 9th rep. Hit 410x11 at my best, but that was TNG on a deadlift bar with plenty of hitch, so itās hard to really compare. Lower back was definitely lit up after this.
- Front squats AFTER deadlift AMRAP and stiff leg deads? Disrespectful. I was dying.
- Tried using straps on fronts, actually think thatās gonna be the move for me. Depth on fronts wasnāt great first set, I feel like I start dumping the bar forward at some point. Second set I purposely slowed my tempo down a lot, and really sank into the hole. Depth was better, but fuck that set was tough.
- Supported BSS still feeling good, 115x17 was a pretty brutal set.
- Wifeās work schedule changed, so conditioning is getting tacked onto the end of lifts instead of being done separate in the AM
10 Likes
You do any more thinking on competing?
Edit: I actually randomly stumbled on a post you wrote about a year ago about also having some endurance goals. You ever chase any of those rabbits yet?
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Still considering competitions. Iām leaning towards a powerlifting competition, just because it was my first intro to strength sport, and Iād kinda like to see how I can compare to my college days.
And for the endurance, the answer is ākindaā lol. I hit the ruck I wanted, which actually wasnāt bad, just shitty. I ended up changing my run goals, because of some career options that involve PT tests. (Which I have no idea if I even want to pursue, and I wonāt have to do the tests for at least 2 years from now, but I wanna be ready) so swapped the 10 mile for a 1.5 mile and a 300meter goal. Still working towards those, taking a more āslow and steadyā approach as opposed to my usual cardio goals of āmurder myself for 10 weeks then do no cardio whatsoever for 6 months after I hit the goalā lol
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Gotcha. Iāve done powerlifting comps before and they were fun, but also long as hell! Not that strongman is much better in that regard lol.
What was the ruck? I have it in my mind to ruck a marathon at some point.
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Goal was 12 miles sub 3 hours with a 55lb pack. Knocked it out in about 2:48. Honestly wasnāt bad, just a long brisk walk with some history podcasts lol.
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29MAY25:
Paused bench:
225x5 RPE 9
225x4 (failed 5th rep)
3 board press:
225x6 RPE 9
205x8 RPE 8
JM press:
145x12 RPE 9
145x11 RPE 9
Single arm Db row:
95x20 RPE 9
95x18 RPE 9
Db Front raise:
20x15 RPE 9
20x15 RPE 9
Rear delt row:
25x15 RPE 9
25x15 RPE 9
Inc Db curl:
25x15 RPE 9
Banded hip flexor:
Gx20
Gx20
Conditioning:
1 mile run: 7:37
Notes:
- today just pissed me off. I just canāt seem to get this bench worth a damn. My deads and squats always been relatively better, and over time they have just grown and grown while my bench is the same as ever. Pauses kicking my ass, couldnāt even hit a 5th rep at 225. This lifts just kicking my ass.
- Ass kicking continued on the board press and the JMs
- Db rows felt good at least.
- Dang, tried rear delt row the way coach does it, more kind of bent arm. The light weight was humbling, totally smoked my upper back and rear delts.
- Run went well. Started out at a 8min pace for the first half mile, then opened it up a bit the last half. Humidity is starting to creep up in the DMV, felt like I had just jumped in a pool by the time I was done running
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