Good gym session!
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Thanks! It was really fun. 
Leg Day
My training buddy was out sick today so I just hit three lifts:
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Hip Thrust
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Modified Sumo Deadlift
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Leg Press
I need more practice with that sumo stance on the deadlift. Using just 135, my glutes really kicked in, the movement pattern felt perfect, and my whole body was challenged. It wasn’t heavy but it just felt right. So, there was no need to increase the load… especially since this is still a new lift for me.
BUT I DID. LIKE AN IDIOT. I increased it to 155, and I think my left foot wasn’t aligned with my left knee because as soon as I set the bar down after a set of 8, my knee had some sharp pains and my sight went out. (No biggie, same minor black out dizzy spells I’ve discussed before.)
So I stopped deadlifting there, and went on to the next lift.
Lesson learned? Hopefully, with the knee thing at least. I wore baggy pants and couldn’t actually see whether or not my knee and foot were aligned. It didn’t feel bad during the set, but I’m guessing that was the cause of the pain. So next time, I’m wearing shorts and sticking with 135 for a while.
There is no solution for the dizzy thing. Making sure iron levels aren’t too low and using workout nutrition (Surge and MAG-10) are super helpful, but they can’t cure it completely. So at this point, it’s just a fun body quirk that tends to happen with the big lifts.
Another Thing
There are perks to having a training buddy: you use better form and rest longer between sets. I’ve also been erring on the side of caution when it comes to weight on the bar, but that could go the opposite direction if training partners get competitive with each other. I don’t see us doing that.
The Squirrels Are Gone
The column is fixed and we treated ourselves to new rocking chairs.
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I’m happy for you all though. I like my crazy little bushy tailed buddies, but I can se why you’d want to end that. 
Edit:
And you have some premium trout out there! Wow!
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I thought this too.
I’m at a powerlifting gym now, so i did a powerlifter thing and did the smelling salts before my heavy leg press set (highest likelihood of me passing out) and went to failure… no light headedness. Normally id be seeing tunnel vision.
Might be worth a shot. Or sniff…
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Intriguing. I might have to try that sometime. I’ve always wanted to sniff those, so this may be the perfect excuse. But how silly would that look for someone only lifting 135?!
I would totally get laughed at and would deserve it.
The dizzy thing can happen even without lifting. What’s funny is that I thought it was normal and that everyone’s sight went black when standing up too suddenly. So deadlifting is nothing but (basically) bending over and standing up. Luckily it never happens DURING a lift, just right afterward or when standing up after a rest period.
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They were reunited at a huge tree-filled park where squirrels get fed all sorts of picnic scraps! They’re going to be way happier there. Less risk of getting run over too.
It’s awesome! I love having friends who fish or hunt. One of these days I should go with him and learn how to do it.
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I fly fish, which is a great way to overthink something very simple.
Its fun though. I mostly goof off. The majority of trout in western PA are stocked, and just don’t taste very good. You guys with high elevations and pristine waters are very fortunate. I bet those are deeee-lishis.
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I think I would enjoy that. It seems idyllic.
Even better.
I season the crap out of them. Something like sour cream or vinegar really helps too. But once in a while they’re a wee bit too fishy for me. Maybe that means I’m not a real fish person. But I will never turn down protein.
I remember choking down sardines as a high schooler just trying to get more in. 
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Oh man, when I was a wee little skyz, my dad would reward me with my very own can of tuna and on really special occasions anchovies in mustard.
.
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That actually sounds good. Love anything super salty.
So does that mean you like anchovies on pizza? I sure do. But it doesn’t take much.
I’m not sure! I’ve never had them on pizza.
I might have to try that, but only for myself. My wife & kiddo are kinda finicky about their pizzas.
Their pizzas:
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Dang that looks good. All pizzas matter. 
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Right on, Sister! 
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Nothing wrong with that.
My mom used to have us jump out of the apartment pool and grab sardines with our mouths like we were orcas at sea world.
Eating an anchovy is like eating an eyebrow.
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If there’s spicy mustard on it… 
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Ha! What a fun mom.
I love a tiny amount of eyebrow on my pizza.
I’m the last person to the creatine party. 
But what finally got me on board wasn’t muscle or strength related at all. It was actually brain related. This Eugene Teo vid was the final-nail-in-the-camels-coffin-straw-back that convinced me. (I dare you to mix metaphors better than that.)
This is completely silly, but what’s stopped me from using creatine all these years was the fear of water retention. And I’ve heard that it tends to be the worst when you start using it.
So, I took 10 grams yesterday in two separate (5 g) doses, and sometime in the evening, it felt like my belly was a giant water balloon… which of course I pushed out further and turned into a drum. That’s obviously how to seduce your husband. When he says “staaaahp it!” repeatedly and makes a grossed out face, that just means you should keep going because he finds it super attractive.
So, if you happen to be passing by my log right now, do you take creatine? How much? Do you notice anything from it? When do the belly bongo drums stop happening? Or is that a thing that happens forever and you get used to it?
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Not anymore
Used to be 5g daily
I notice absolutely nothing from it
Never noticed bloating from it. Was always too fat to notice water retention, so either it doesnt happen, or it happens minimally (its just more noticeable for lean individuals).
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On and off. The idea of cognitive help is attractive.
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