Took some time to read through your log today–really enjoyed it. I will be following.
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Thanks, your log is pretty impressive imo!
Shoulders today. Was hot AF today. No AC and it was 102f outside. Just did my main lifts and did some body weight chins instead of rows.
Ohp 185 3x2
Chin +25x5 +50x5 +65x2x2 bw 3x10
Incline press 225 2x5
Ohp felt weird. Shoulder doesn’t like those much lately. Chins felt strong though. Was doing dead hangs and they felt very manageable.
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Hot again today. Did speed squats. Walked the dogs after for 40 minutes.
Squat 290 6x2
Pause squat 270 3x6
Chin 3x10
Biceps 30x12 immediately after 20x10, immediately after 15x10. Did this twice.
Skipped the belt squats since it was in use. Not overly motivated the last two sessions.
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U haven’t posted in a while. Is everything good? 
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Hi Hank,
You are right. I have been training, but I’ve had to change things up a bit on pressing. The left shoulder just hasn’t been a team player lately. So I am doing DBs for presses mostly and less barbells. I am still doing the same type of programming for everything else.
The shoulder issues are causing of loss of motivation for the workouts and also logging them. I am just afraid of doing some lifts I really like. I am not sure if my chin ups are causing some of the issue, so I have been avoiding those.
It is just tough for me to go in, and do isolation movements, or DB presses instead. I don’t feel passion for those things. I am doing them for the most part, but it can be easy to slack off, because I don’t really think doing all the curls, extensions and lateral raises does much anyways.
On squat and deadlift days I am doing well. I have a lot more motivation on those days.
I squat tonight.
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I really understand you, as it seems i cant squat and dl too much also and ill probably never improve much on those lifts if i hope to actually feel good on most days. I have kind of lost my vision in the gym because of this, just trolling the gym and doing arms a lot, lol…
Well ok, if my arms would respond to that i guess i would be ok but somehow i dont think they will anyways.
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What have you tried so far? Sometimes different rep ranges work well if your body can’t handle what you are currently doing. Training with a lot less weight and more volume can work for some.
Frequency can be played with too. Like only lower body once a week.
Accommodating resistance with bands or chains had helped me in the past. If you use a good amount of your weight as bands or chains it makes both easier at the bottom. I think that’s where those lifts can really physically and mentally fatigue. This is also good for sore hips and knees Imo. Good for shoulders in the bench too.
I’m sure you’ve tried some of this stuff, but just giving you food for thought.
Squatted yesterday. It was scorching. I did 3x10 at 300 with the duffalo bar. I did some rows and a few chins too.
Press day today
Db neutral grip bench 80 3x12
Neutral grip chin 3x10
Incline curl 35 3x12
Bb row 225 3x10
Shoulder felt good today. The elbow on the rough side was kinda feeling weird though.
Tendency to stay uninjured has got to be a big genetic advantage in strength sports. I’ve been pretty good most my time lifting, but lately it’s just been worse. Hopefully a short trend
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Speed deadlifts today.
Deadlift 405 8x3
3" block pull 2x5
Neutral grip chin 3x10
Nothing hurt today 
. Didn’t do that much, but still a win.
I’m going to put my upper back exercises before pressing. I enjoyed the t nation article about inverted rows. Not sure if I’ll do those, but I think doing just a bit more on back would be good right now with the shoulder recovering.
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Did some squats tonight.
Squat 360 5x2
Pause squat 320 2x4
Belt squat 405 2x5
Neutral grip chins 2x10
Haven’t updated in a bit. Been consistent, but the workouts are a bit lacking imo. Seems to go that way in the summers for me.
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summer ended yesterday.
back to work. 
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Since it has been so long, I’ll give a long write up. It is going to have my thoughts on a few things.
You know, I’ve been feeling a bit guilty about this log. About being relatively directionless lately. Doing 3-4 compound lifts and heading out of the gym. I have maintained size and am about the same BF %.
Lately, I’ve switched to doing two deadlift days per week. One day is RDLs and I am working my way up in volume. I started with 315 lbs for 3X10, I am at 4X10. I was thinking I’d go for 5X10, then up the weight. On that day I belt squat and chin up as well, and usually do some curls. This has actually been harder than it seems.
On my first pressing day, I’ve start out with Arnold presses. I am kinda doing a similar strategy as with the RDLs. Building volume, then increasing weight. I am up to 5X10 on those. I then do incline press, bent over rows and a triceps exercise. Shoulders do not seem to mind the Arnold presses.
Second deadlift day has kinda been a do what I want (as far as weight and reps), but always is pulling sumo from the floor, then off of 3" blocks. Lower volume. I then do BB rows, and some chins or biceps curls. I need some direction on this day.
Second press day is similar to the first two days. Working up on volume. At 5X10 on bench. I have increased weights, IIRC, I have 260 or 265 lbs next workout. I do BB rows after benching, maybe chins and some triceps work. I would like to do another variation, but at 5X10 already, I am a bit afraid of messing up my shoulder yet again.
I’ve been skipping the incline treadmill walking, which I have been feeling guilty of. I will start that habit again today.
I’ve been drinking more than ideal. It seems to happen in the summer. I got in the habit of having 2 after the gym or after work if not a gym day. Sometimes it becomes 3. I need to cut that out, and have been feeling guilty about it. I think my sleep issues (falling asleep) makes it difficult to give those drinks up because I believe it helps me fall asleep. Insomnia is a bitch. Like I figure it is better to have sleep impacted by booze and fall asleep, then it is to be up until 2-3 am trying to fall asleep. IDK, it is frustrating. I’d like all the drinking I do to be worth it if that makes sense. I think there are some positives with the booze if used correctly (social only). I am going to try to get to just on Friday and Saturday for social things, and occasionally if I have a friend event during the week. No bullshit sugar drinks either. My goal is to limit the calorie impact to 1000 kcal per week (would be like 10 seltzers or light beers). I’ll probably get flamed for this haha.
On a different note, I’ve lowered the cruise / self TRT to 62.5 mg every third day (145 mg/wk). I feel good or the same. I have also added oral minoxidil (rogain) to my regimen for hair preservation / thickening. I am using this in a low dose (2.5 mg/day). I might lower that to 1.25 mg/day after I run out of the 2.5 mg tabs (they are quartered 10 mg tabs). 1.25 mg, is probably equivalent to using 5% topical Rogain twice a day (if you’re a responder). Only about 40% respond to topical as they don’t have enough of the enzyme to convert the minoxidil to the active drug minoxidil sulfate. Taking it orally eliminates that issue.
The drug regimen is as follows:
Test E: 145 mg/wk
Finasteride: 1 mg/day
Oral Minoxidil: 2.5 mg/day
Telimasartan: 20 mg/day (BP drug)
Benadryl: 50 mg at night (for sleep)
I’ll add in some Cialis when that comes in at 5 mg/day. That is for BP and for mid body pumps, but TBH, I might not need that anymore. I have drastically cut down on porn, and that has seemed to help. I think it has actually helped with depression as well. I am proud of this achievement.
As you can see, I have lots of issues. I’ve been working on things though, or at least trying to improve.
I recently did get diagnosed with ADHD. I am not medicated yet, but plan to be. I have that follow up meeting with the shrink on Monday. This does scare me a bit, since I have an addictive personality. I’ll have to be mindful of keeping the meds in check. I do think that for me, the deficits in attention has led to other issues (including the addictive personality), so I think addressing it is the right course of action.
Let’s see, what else. Oh, I bought 7% of an AirB&B rental property for 7% of the profits. I am excited about that. It is a good deal for me I think. Good deal for my close friend too, since he needed money to get it fixed up for the AirB&B market.
I am trying to reduce my exposure to politics and news. Easy to get sucked into that. It is outside of anything I can influence, and takes mental energy. It helps that the recent politics threads here have been mostly really stupid haha.
I guess right now, I am focusing on getting rid of the bad habits (mostly the drinks). That is a higher priority than improving the training, not that both couldn’t be done.
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Even after “cutting down”, I was similar to you with the drinks for a long time. Went to the gym in the evenings. Monday a friend would always drive down for 2 as it was the only chance we got to see each other, Wednesday was open mic night in my local pub, Thursday was quiz night where I was part of a team, Friday was Friday, Saturday was Saturday. It’s an easy habit to get into but hard to get out of.
What did it for me was reading a book called “The Naked Mind” by Annie Grace. It breaks down a lot of a lies around drinking, what you think it promises you but actually takes away, how embedded it is in society, and how to break out of it. I rarely drink now unless on special occasions and it is crazy how it changed my whole mindset. It’s an easy, enjoyable read and if it helped me who was in that rut for many years, i’m sure it can help you.
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Last weekend I was out with friends, and we were having drinks, and I kinda asked some drinking questions. How often do you have 4 or more, how many per week. Everyone (all thirties to mid thirties) meets the definition of an alcoholic. I don’t think that was a fun conversation topic haha. I think especially around that age group, that if you’re not in a religion or culture where it is frowned upon, that it is very common, maybe normal. I think kids perhaps is what slows a lot of people down?
I’ll take a look at it.
I am aware. Much of my drinking has little to no benefit. Then when I do go out for the social drinks, I need more of them to get the same effect.
I can think back to a time, when I would say my drinking was worth it. Meaning the social lubrication, and hanging with friends or whatever had value. I didn’t have much tolerance, so even for a party, 4-5 light beers was enough. Doing that every now and then seems like the “good” time is worth the calories / or the other effects it has.
I guess I think about hedonistic adaptation with the drinking. It isn’t necessarily bad to have something hedonistic every once in a while. But when doing so, it should be kept in mind what is being done and that it is a silly thing. Like a cold beer with friends is enjoyable, but to think that maximizing the beers will maximize the happiness is silly.
is white claw seltzer?
well done
the important part.
You’re aware of this study.
Researchers have discovered a significant link between high use of anticholinergic drugs – including popular non-prescription sleep aids and the antihistamine Benadryl (diphenhydramine) – and increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s
It is one. I don’t like those very much though.
I was not. I have been thinking that it doesn’t work that great anymore anyway though.
Maybe I’ll try melatonin. It’s worked in the past, but only for a day or two.
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#MeToo
Shit I did it already
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If this site had tag lines, this would be mine.
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There’s the wonderful quote about drinking just borrowing happiness from tomorrow.
I still feel alcohol has a place as a social lubricant, but to use it regularly is no longer a lubricant, it’s a vice. I used to think drinking regularly was normal but as soon as you get out of the routine and away from the people, you realize it’s far from it. People just hanging around other people with borderline alcoholism, of course someone would be inclined to think that way.
When you try to still go out whilst not drinking you’ll soon have people asking you questions, “what’s wrong? why aren’t you drinking? come oooooon have one? why are you being so boring?” etc. As the saying goes, it’s the only drug you get shit off people for NOT taking. These kinds of questions say more about them than it ever will you. It makes them feel uncomfortable because they’d rather do that than deal with their own issues with drinking. Once you understand that, it’s way easier to turn down drinks. I’ve been on both sides of those conversations many times.
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