Demigod before 35 (Aldebaran)

Training Training Logs
381

@aldebaran thanks for the tag! If you’ve got 3 days a week, I HIGHLY recommend this plan: Tip: The Colbert Full-Body Workout Plan

It’s a monster, and you will definitely see great results from it. I did this plan numerous times when my schedule only allowed 3 training days a week, and I also did the first half of my first contest prep on this plan as well.

Here’s a post I made about this plan as well when someone asked about it on a forum with some additional tips to keep in mind:

Please reach out anytime with any other insight or thoughts I can provide, happy to help!

3 Likes
382

Thank you for the insight, I will delve into your log. This looks brutal but also satisfying

383

I’d die on that plan, I can only hypothesise how quickly I’d misjudge my abilities and accidentally push to failure just because… well, fun/ego. I like that whenever you are tagged you show up and contribute meaningfully to the subject! <3

1 Like
384

Yep always nice to see @robstein pop up.

2 Likes
385

So first time back at the gym.

A. Squat 3 x 5 at 100 kgs

B. Deadlift 3 x 5 at 120 kgs

C. Bench 3 x 5 at 80 kgs

D. Cable rows 3 x 8 at 60 kgs

So, easy stuff, to get back at the exercises/ weight. I hate training in the morning, I’m long to wake-up. The warm-ups felt like a “oof” on my abs. Definitely feeling worse than the true sets. I probably warmed-up too fast, like an idiot. Everything felt really good actually, but I kept the weight low.

Though, after the Deadlift, I was talking to a colleague, that I was thinking about switching gyms, because I’m separated with my ex and he told me he saw her yesterday evening. Around 5 pm so there is no way I can avoid her forever her. I went and cried outside, I broke down, then inside as well. He saw I was feeling bad and told me about about his own breakup a few months ago. 10 years together, kids, projects and all. I couldn’t believe how he’s so positive. Dude’s ex military, broke his back at work ten years ago and is still at the gym training with crazy intensity to the bewilderment of doctors. Who am I to complain, really, I feel like a pussy. Took my number and that we should grab a drink someday. To be always positive and never show my pain. He’s an inspiration. When I was crying outside I really, really felt I wanted to die, and was wondering why was I still going on. I still am. Hiding myself doing a morning session. I don’t know how to be positive right now. Oh yes, first time in front in the mirrors, I actually really look great.

But yeah, for real, I cannot stay in that gym. The memories. The stress of seeing her. I would collapse for real. Ughh and thinking of the guy that follows her like a dog. She had rejected him before going out with me. I never really like the guy. We used to play US football and he was a pussy, always finding excuses. Still look like shit after years of working out yet is the first to offer terrible advice and try to shove Herbalife products. I’d go crazy of jealousy and pain being around her.

But it annoys me a lot. I’ve been in this gym for 7 years, I even did an internship there. The owner let us stay more than the 1h30 limit today, no worry. The other gym is a big commercial gym, there is less equipment (no Safety Bar and no Trap Bar) and the session is limited to ONE HOUR. This is ridiculous. But honestly, I just can’t… I feel just drained, no energy, no positivity, no hope. I can’t go back there. I just want to cry again.

386

Emotions are different to everybody, you’re having a serious bad time with this.
Maybe you should go out with your colleague or if you have a real close friend, it helps to talk about stuff like that.

You can’t hide from her forever, you work out the same place, I guess you’re not hating each other, you “just” split up. So you could try to face your fear and go up to her and say “Hi how are you” … Not in the intent to get her back, with the intent to make her another person in the room, that you know and someone you can talk to as a friend.
This will not happen today or tomorrow but in the future, you have to say Hi and see her as someone else than an ex.

1 Like
387

Thank God I have close friends. I talk to them of course, but not all the time. I feel guilty saying dark, sad things all the time for a month and a half.

Probably yeah. But I really don’t think I am ready. I have too much feelings for her. I don’t want to spend my sessions sad, jealous, mad or even crying. Yesterday hit me hard. I haven’t spent a second without thinking about her since. I was so tired and sad I went to bed at 7pm, on my offday… It’s okay, going to a new gym I might make new friends etc

1 Like
388

I felt really depressed this morning, and I skipped dinner yesterday, but at least I slept a lot.
So i did a quick double-stimulation session today.

A1) Leg curls 2 x 12 with 20 kgs, 1 x 12 with 25 kgs

A2) Pseudo-leg press 3 x 12 with 107 kgs

B1) Supinated lats pull down 2 x 12 with 60 kgs

B2) Military press 2 x 10 with 60 kgs PR

C1) DB incline press 2 x 12 with 27,5 kgs

C2) Machine rows 2 x 12 with 60 kgs

D1) Preacher curls 2 x 12 with 30 kgs

D2) Cable pushdown 1 x 15 with 35 kgs, 1 x 15 with 50 kgs

E1) Leg press calves 2 x who knows with 80 kgs

E2) Cable crunches 2 x 12 with 60 kgs

So the goal was to do “easy” work, just feel again some exercises, machines or bodyparts I had not worked like that for 3 months. Well appart from the military press that I did during confinement so I went quite hard there. Very satisfied with the sets of 10 at 60 kgs, especially with little rest. I’m stronger! Back was easy, got good feelings in the legs. Used a lower, closer stance on the pseudo leg press and it wasn’t too bad despite the short ROM.

Session was a nice ego stroke. The 2 girls there stared at me and it is never a bad feeling to look at cute girls. I outrepped so hard the Military firefighter that was here I was impressed with myself. And honestly I’m starting to look very good. Crazy arms and shoulders separation with the pump, and I’m starting to have quads separation unpumped, and mid back veins unpumped!

The session made me feel good, right now I’m feeling much better. But probably like last time, it will only last a few hours. I have to use this energy boost to be productive and feel better! But honestly I think I’ll change gyms. Too much painful memories here. Last time I was there was with my ex, and honestly, I never enjoyed going to the gym so much. The best moment of my day has now become… well not so great. I think change might do me good.

I think I’m too hard on my physique because I feel this is the only thing I have achieved, and if I don’t have it, then I have achieved nothing yet.

I think I’m too hard on my performance because I have trained with crazy people. One I trained for a year with was in the French powerlifting team. He would come and train at night, or even wake up at night just to eat tuna, then go back to sleep. My first mentor was a guy weighing 70 - 75 kgs depending on his shape but repping 10 deadlifts at 200 kgs, doing sets of cable pull downs with decent form at 110 kgs and benching 3 plates no problemo.
But looking at the average person, I shouldn’t be so hard on my myself. Heck, more than half the people at the gyms don’t even look like they lift.

I have to find myself new things to be proud of and work hard at it.

Finally, the job. Well I got paid less than last month (where I didn’t work at all because of the lockdown) despite doing many overtimes and working on Holidays. So, there was probably an error with the pay or all my hours weren’t counted because we wrote them on a piece of paper. I’ll check this and if they try to fuck me I’ll just resign no matter what. I’ve given so much of myself for so little, not anymore

20200605_134237
20200605_1342371436×1914 1.5 MB

From today, weight 82.2

3 Likes
389

So I enrolled in the other gym. It’s big, many machines and there is actually an AC so this will be nice this summer. Also more opening hours so I might train on the weekend. Owner is super nice, told me there’s not much people right now so we can stay a bit longer. Also no 3 sessions weekly limit. So I think I’m going to finally do Colossus and I’ll do a 3 days program afterwards in 6 weeks to have the room to increase my conditioning on the off days

1 Like
390

First day at the new gym. I’ll be deleting the actual session each week to respect John’s work.

Colossus - Pull day 1

Oh my God. So, first day at the new gym. I went during peak hour on purpose to see how it goes. Sure there were people but the gym is really big so it wasn’t an issue at all. I arrived and there was a guy doing box jumps, proper KB swings, med ball slams??? I’m not that guy for once! At least for now. This excited so much I wanted to talk to him.

Well actually, tonight I was a bit that guy. The pump was so incredible I thought I was going to burst out of my tank top. My forearms were so massive I was shocked. People were looking me like “who’s that guy”? Never had such a massive contraction. I think i’m actually crazy with endorphine right now

Weight was a bit hard to gauge, and you see RPE 10 and 11 in the program, you want to give it all. i might have not rested enough as well, I had no idea how long it would be. Around 1h10 but it wasn’t an issue at all.

I was a little bit greedy on the first exercise. rack pulls as well. I wasn’t able to put the pins as low as I wanted, and even though at 200 I could still feel and contract my lats nicely, my core wasn’t ready yet at all for this much weight. Next week I’ll stay at 160 - 180 and increase the ROM. My lower back is not really happy right now lol

I’m so stocked for tomorrow’s session! This is really exciting, finding a bit of colors again in life.
My friend gave me some Call of Cthulhu books. i’ll delve into it, read some Lovecraft and Poe for inspiration and create some nice scenarios. This will put my mind to more productive things than thinking about my ex. Plus I have less work for the next two weeks, I’ll be able to unwind

5 Likes
391

Sleep horribly this night, constantly dreaming about my ex and waking up. So I was quite tired and down today. I ate shit as a result. But I had a great workout

Colossus - Push 1

That’s a big session. I kind of understand why people use intra now. Still hard to gauge the weights. I think I have been doing it too hard on most exercises. After the first one my chest already had an insane pump. I mean, this was crazy. I felt so weak afterwards on the bench. My triceps failed at 85 lol
I really gave it everything though. I should use less weight on the DB presses. The machine felt really good, especially the press. But I had never used these, and the weights used feels weird. This was really draining though. I’ll use very slightly lighter weights next time. I fear I’ll do the same, too much, tomorrow on legs. I’ll go easier on the three pump days.

I don’t have a leg press or a hack squat so. I was thinking about doing vertical leg press in the smith machine. We’ll see if the management lets met do this bullshittery. And smith machine squats with a close stance for hack squats. Otherwise I’ll just use the pseudo leg press. Enjoying a lot the program but I have to eat less. It’ll be better tomorrow.

Felt huge tonight, and some youths already approached me for advice. This is never a bad feeling. I went and talked to a girl that was doing crosstraining. And a dude doing sumo deadlifts with 3 plates. What is this? For once there aren’t only people doing bullshit workouts. This is my place ahahah

2 Likes
392

Had the same shitty night as yesterday, and for some reason my left knee was painful during work. This plus my crippled lower back, I was a bit anxious about tonight’s session.

Colossus - Legs 1

I’m in shambles. Good thing my knee pain disappeared at home. Leg curls were a little bit easy but I rushed because I forgot them and did them before my final warm-up of squats. First rep of squats and in the hole my belt came up. Oopsie I forgot I lost 6 kgs. Usually I don’t use my belt at such low weight but on my final warm-up my lower back was so fatigued I decided to throw them on. My ego suffered there, for friday I did 100 kgs squats beltless and it was really easy but today I was crushed. Definitely going to take care on the deadlifts next week. I could have probably used a bit more weight but I wanted to ensure perfect form.

I’m gonna drop the vertical press in the smith, my shoes didn’t really like it. The pseudo leg press here, upon closer inspection, is from a different brand and can actually go deeper.

The death set killed me, really. At around the 12th rep I actually failed, dropping the KB and falling down if there was not something to hold on. I took some breathes and finished it. On the left leg it was even at the 10th rep lol, and managed only 14 in total. It reminded me of that video of Tom Platz training this german pro and making him do squats to actual failure “thank God failure has been reached!”. After that I was fried.

Never used so much intensity on the RDLs either. On the last rep I just kept my back flat and squeeze my glutes as much as I could for the slow concentric, and I was not sure at all I could do it.

Calves hurt a lot as well, really went bananas, I almost felt as well.

I’ve never trained legs with such intensity. The session was around 1h30. And now I’m in pain everywhere. But I feel full, of blood, of muscles whatever. Never my chest felt so full!

I’m going to do the three pumps days easier, and just focus on having a good pump. The RPEs are 10 but I think considering the exercises and the 60 secs rests, it should be way less damaging. I’ll probably do some of these at RPE 9

393

My friend I have been away for a few days and coming back to your log reading about changing gyms, and the positivitu about your self and your new gym. Awesome man.

Keep up the good work, try not to overdo it the first couple of weeks back to the weights.

1 Like
394

Thank you. I’m certainly not cured, and still have many sad moments, but I try to be as positive as I can. I really canalize a lot into these workouts.

I don’t think I’m being reckless, at least not today. I had weights during quarantine, and the first week I just did easy stuff.

But maan this is draining! I’m always hungry!

1 Like
395

Sign of good workouts, you’re doing something right

396

Gyms won’t reopen here until probably the end of the month. I’ve gotten so depressed I’ve lost the will to do even bodyweight workouts at home :frowning:

1 Like
397

Sorry to hijack your log my man.

1 Like
398

How long has it been? I hate training at home and yeah, more than two months home + the breakup, I had a really hard time training. Thank God I can now

399

Our gyms closed the beginning of March here in NYS. Projected reopening, assuming everything goes according to plan, is end of June/beginning of July. I can’t even imagine what my strength will have plummeted to by then.

1 Like
400

Well it’ll be over soon enough! Do not worry about strength loss. You didn’t lose that much, and it will come back really fast.

Morning run - 40 min

Went running in the wild with a colleague from work this morning. Nice way to start the day. Still didn’t sleep as much as I wanted to, but at least no dreams this time. Spent the day super tired, drank countless coffees and diet cokes.

Colossus - Pull 2

So, the pump session. A million time less draining. The rest periods are to be 60 secs all the time so you can’t go bananas. The back extension bench was taken out because of Covid today, so I really didn’t know what to do and did some light Good mornings instead.

Went ballistic on the curls though. On the reverse curls I was under the shower lights and it looked like I was about to explode. My arms were huge, insane vascularity. i pushed so hard my lips were trembling. After the session, I cam home and my friend said that I was looking way bigger.

Anyway, good, short feel-good 45 min session. Trying to eat less food as well

1 Like