Nope. The last time I went in was this time last year, explained all my symptoms and just got given a health anxiety sheet and told to keep myself busy. I’ll be honest, even thinking about going in and trying to request something like this has me stressed out. I’m just so exhausted with all this stuff and I feel like I’ve probably got some low-level fear/PTSD-type stuff surrounding going to the doctor at this point. I have so much pent-up anger inside when I think about what has come out of me trying to get help, which I know in itself does not help. I’m emotionally so sound, but the health service just takes me back to some really horrible times.
Great PR there! Well done!
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Thanks!
I started this log with a 225kg TBDL PR. On the 5th September my working sets were:
177.5kg x 6
155kg x 10
155kg x 10
In 18 weeks (with a 6 week cut in-between), I have gone from that to:
200kg x 6
180kg x 10
160kg x 12
To say I’m chuffed is an understatement. I do wonder what I could work up to as a top single now but I kinda feel like I’d just be wasting time I could be spending continuing to grow! I’m riding such a wave with them right now.
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This is so understandable! I am so sorry that your experience with the system has been so awful. I want you to know that I’m in your corner and will help you in any and every way I can. I’ll talk to doctors, request tests, and help with your nutrition. Also, I’m here if you ever just need to talk. Hang in there, you are not alone!
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Can that actually be done when I’m across the pond?
Your involvement and just having people acknowledge it’s real gives me a lot of optimism moving forward. Crazy though, yesterday was a terrible day, literally felt like I had 20% of my lung function I was so full up with absolute crap and burning, my eyes were red and my throat was raw. I was so peed off with it that I had a moment of “fuck this”, and bought a lasagna and 4 packets of beef and onion crisps! I felt MUCH better this morning. One thing I did change though was I didn’t have my usual protein shake a couple of hours before bed as I’d already gotten over my desired protein intake (I did have a large glass of lactose-free milk though). I’m gonna skip that tonight to see if it makes any difference in how I feel tomorrow morning.
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27-01-2023
OHP
57.5kg x 5
52kg x 8
46kg x 12
DB Bench
40kg x 8
40kg x 8
40kg x 7
Lat raises (2sec hold)
10kg x 14
10kg x 11
10kg x 10ish
Machine Chest Press
85kg x 12
85kg x 9
85kg x 9
Rope pulldown
30kg x 12
30kg x 11
30kg x 10
Ez bar curls
40kg x 12
40kg x 10
40kg x 8
Lost a few reps on some exercises but that’s okay! I’ve smashed progress for 8 weeks and 8 weeks is usually about the time I plan myself for a deload. If I was paying more attention to the date and my body, I probably would have made this a light day and given myself at least 3 full days off.
I’m actually kind of happy that my body felt like this today. It proves that 8 weeks of pushing hard is my limit, and I’m pleased with the progress I made.
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It can, if your doctors will take me seriously. I’ve had clients all over the world - from Japan, Israel, France, Canada, Mexico, UK, Australia… all over. I’ve intervened and wrote letters on behalf of quite a few folks - sometimes it helps and other times they get handed a referral to their preferred dietitian or “nutritionist”… I would definitely give it a shot for you!
You are a strange case, no doubt… Let’s see how this shakes out a day or two from now.
Good call - if it’s something that simple, just damn. lol
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Strange would be an understatement lol. Yesterday the girls I coach had a football tournament and I hadn’t prepared any food. My diet yesterday (ignoring water) was…
1 glass of lactose-free milk
~50g Salt and black pepper crisps
Cheap from the cornership/off-licence
1 Chicken and mushroom pasty
1 Large sausage roll
A large pork chop
Fistful of carrot and swede mash
Fistful of cauliflower
A few brussell sprouts
3 Sausages
2 large jacket potatoes
15g of butter shared amongst them
A handful of brussel sprouts
More milk throughout the day + 1 scoop of vegan protein
Feeling better today than I have all weekend - no soreness just lots of unabrasive mucus/saliva and shortness of breath. Maybe brussel sprouts are the cure? Heh, I jest.
Had an awesome sleep last night aswell which probably helps. I wonder how much it has to do with motility, sometimes I can burp things up I ate 4-5hours ago.
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Had the weekend off, not planning to do a full 1 week deload, but giving myself today off too. I think the 3 days rest will be enough to get me through the last month riding through until I cut. I do feel a little chubby but looking awesome in some tshirts. Part of me says "you should see how you look when you get way leaner ", another part says “your goal has always been to look good in a tshirt, you live in Wales, the weather is rubbish and you never have your top off in public anyway”.
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I kinda lied. I’m gonna go in today but not right back to the grind. I feel like a lighter squat/rdl day could do me a world of favors in a multitude of ways. I plan to go in and just focus on the refinement of technique before going back to maximizing every set.
I also think I’m gonna change one-arm cable rows for one-arm dumbell rows. Problem is there are a million form videos and they are all different. This will be a good introductory day to find a form that I like, and I’ll jack the weight up next week.
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Key pointers from me on 1 arm DB rows, keep your shoulders square (don’t twist your back). Nice smooth motion, pull in a slight arc back to your hip (to target your lats more), use straps if it helps you focus on using your back.
Away you go!!!
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Cheers dude. I followed the form from a Jeff Nippard video which mimics what you say. They felt really good - can’t wait to push the weight a bit on them.
Also turns out I’m an absolute idiot. I thought I’d been smashing it hard for 8 weeks but of course I had a full 7-8 days deload over Christmas. I haven’t been smashing it hard for 8 weeks at all, i’ve been bulking for 8 weeks. I really should have checked my log. So turns out I’ve done 3-4 weeks before having another deload. I don’t know how I could get it so wrong. Had Sat, Sun, Mon off and Light day Squats today (Tuesday), when really I was just being a bit weak-minded because I had a bad day. Bah.
Doesn’t matter in the grand scheme I know, but still a little annoying I messed up. Oh well.
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I haven’t really followed this log so I don’t know what style of lifting you’re doing. That being said, the deload early and often approach is a winner. One of the staples of 5/3/1 is the deload after every 3 week cycle, with the thought being if you wait until you need a deload you’re too deep in. There are variants in 5/3/1 which change this protocol but the advice and general deload theme stays consistent.
TL;DR 3-4 weeks before a deload isn’t going to hurt your progress and may be exactly what you need
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Thanks @heretolog. I am aware of this stuff but it’s always good to be retold when overthinking comes into play. In the long-term I’ve never regretted a deload, but I have regretted delaying one.
Better to be the guy that takes one too early and stays feeling fresh and injury free, than the guy who didn’t listen to his body and has to regress everything due to an avoidable injury.
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01-02-2023
Bench
100kg x 6
90kg x 10
80kg x 13
Arnold Press
26kg x 8
26kg x 8
26kg x 8
Weighted Dips 17.5kg
11
10
Pushups
30
Machine Shoulder Press
45kg x 11
45kg x 10
45kg x 9
Overhead triceps extension (rope)
27.5kg x 11
27.5kg x 11
27.5kkg x 10
Cable curls
30kg x 12
30kg x 12
30kg x 11
As if it was magic, suddenly the gym was the quietest it’s been this year so far. February 1st, you beauty.
Right back to it after my deload mishap, right back to +1s. Top bench set was straightforward, the 6th rep was super smooth, spotter said he thought I was gonna go for a 7th but I’m just happy taking them +1s on the main movements and not rushing things. It might be a rep PR, I’m not sure. If I consider I’m only benching once every 7-9 days as opposed to 2-3x a week though, it definitely is.
Swapped Seated DB Press for Arnold Press as they’ve gotten a bit grindy these past few weeks. I think it’s similar enough but also enough novelty to keep me moving forward.
Weighted Dips continue to fly up but I still sense a bit of slowing down. I was wondering how long I’d be able to ride the linear progression for with them. I love having them in my program and feel I get a lot of it.
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We both need to be dipping with 2x 20kg plates dangling off us by the summer!!!
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I figure I could probably do 25kg for at least a set of 5 right now. A mix of 5-10kg of progression and 5-10kg of weight loss. Seems totally achievable! Will be interesting to see where we end up. 
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Got TBDLs tomorrow and I‘m wondering whether to switch up to 2 sets instead of 3. The thing is I’m progressing awesomely and if something is working, I should NOT try to fix it. I dread that last set though, probably just being a pussy but it gases me out something chronic and I wonder how it carries over to the rest of my workout. I also feel that I could condense my 8 day (every other day) into a 7 day program if I wasn’t so gassed after deads. I wouldn’t have to worrry about sometimes missing Sundays then. I dunno. Just hope I’m not about to make a mistake. Maybe switching the chest-supported rows for pendlays will make up for it.
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You are thinking right here.
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Hopefully you’re right. Thanks. I’ve done chest-supported for the past few months because there’s no way I could barbell row with the efficiency I’d want after putting so much into deadlifts.
I’ve been trawling the web for the past 45mins or so reading a bunch of articles on deadlift volume and recovery. Even though I know some coaches think TBDLs are easier on recovery due to less spinal load, and others think it’s harder on recovery because you can lift heavier… the overarching theme might be that I’ve simply gotten to a point in my training where my strength on the lift might be too much on recovery when doing that many sets. Yes, I’m recovering before my next session and still progressing, but it’s at a cost of the flexibility of not running my training as a 7-day program because I’m often feeling I need that extra day off. Not just that but it is making the rest of the workout a real slog. I will just do the two sets tomorrow and see how it goes. If in the coming weeks I still progress as I have been then I will be ecstatic.
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