I have no idea if I do or don’t like it, but I figured I needed to remind myself that single leg work isn’t limited to lunges and split squats. Might hit some up to see how they feel on my hams and glutes compared to GHR.
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Yeah until it hurts walking down and up stairs from the intense leg workout haha!
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I think I made the best strength gains from seated military in the Smith Machine. That’s right, the Smith! I would do my regular reps but the Smith allowed me to go to failure and not die. I would also do partials when I hit failure. I think that’s probably the most weight I’ve ever moved on a “strict press”. I know the balance factor is removed so it’s not the same but it worked well for making progress.
I have been reminded by my nagging injury or whatever I have that there are lots of smaller muscles that don’t get what they need from bilateral (double leg) work. I’ve been throwing in reverse lunges on the Smith (again so I don’t have to balance) but it hasn’t been enough. Don’t be afraid to do some adduction and abduction work aka the thigh master movements. I think something as simple as standing on one leg and using a band or cable for a few slow sets would be sufficient.
Don’t be me. I’m trying to fix weaknesses that probably led to my current problem.
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Big Z is a fan of seated Smith incline, and I hear he’s a reasonable presser.
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Early in my personal training career I had the chance to learn about biomechanics. The guy teaching it was both smart and a tool. He thought I should quit my personal training internship because PT wasn’t my number one priority. I was going to school at the time and told him that was number one and he didn’t like it. He was an idiot in some aspects…
Anyway, during the biomechanics training, he explained that the body has X amount of energy to exert for a given task. The more things you add to that task, the less weight you can move (in terms of lifting). I’ll use bench press as an example. Flat barbell bench in the Smith is the most stable version. You’ll move the most weight because you only have to worry about pushing the weight up. Move to the regular bench and now you have to balance side to side, forward and backward so less weight can be used. Move to dumbbells and you have more planes and angles to balance. Move to DB’s on a physio ball and now you’ve added core stabilization to the equation.
Your energy is like a garden hose. Each aspect you add to a movement that reduces its stability is like adding another branch to the garden hose. For my example, Smith bench could be viewed as one hose from start to finish while using DB’s on a physio ball could be viewed as a hose with about 4 other hoses branching off of it. With one hose, 100% of your energy gets to the end of the line (moving the weight). With all of the branches added, you might only get 60% of your energy to the end of the line, thus you move less weight.
The lesson to learn is that if your goal is to isolate a muscle and move as much weight as possible with that muscle/movement, then stabilize yourself as much as possible (i.e. the Smith).
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Fun stuff!
I was checking out some information from this Russian Hammer throw coach. He used a similar analogy, but “backwards.” The “competition movement” was the main task. So in terms of the bench press, everything you “added” (going into the Smith machine, using different grips or rep ranges) took you away from the main task.
This guy considered lifts like benching in the Smith machine “special developmental exercises.” They use the same muscles and movement patterns as the Competion Exercise, but different execution.
He felt you should always do a limited amount of the “Competition Event” or a close variation, to maintain technique and measure the results of your training. And you also do a bunch of volume in “Special developmental exercises” in the 60%-80% range to develop the body to meet the demands of the event.
He also said you have to do “General Preparatory Exercises” that use different energy systems and movement patterns than the Competative event. As well as"Specific Preperatory Exercises" that use the same muscles and energy systems, but different movements than the Comp. Event.
This way, you could develop everything at once. It all sounded pretty cool, and vaugely familiar.
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coughWestsidecough
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That’s possibly the best explanation of that concept I’ve read.
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Woke at 182.2 lbs, which sort of tallies with being a bit extra hungry the last few days.
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Training Maximally starts
Lazy lifter plus shoulders
Bench press
TM is 242 lbs
20 pull aparts between sets working up to 70%
3x70% 6-7 RPE
2x80%, 7 RPE
2x90%, 8 RPE, should had been just a single but I forgot
1x100%, 8 RPE - didn’t feel too great
Worked back up from 70% in singles
3x100%, 10 RPE - much better feeling, even though had definite sticking points both second and third reps. Was able to get through just by calmly remembering to flare. That’s a real game changer.
Had a bit of trouble throughout with the bar shooting forward as it came off my chest, which irritated my left shoulder.
CGBP 3x5x70% to a one board because of my shoulder. Very light but all the same made a difference with the board for my shoulder. With leg drive, it felt like the load was entirely removed from my pecs. I’ll use this on Monday until I increase TM in three weeks.
Seated military press
A right pain to find out exactly how set up the adjustable bench in the power rack. Worth it. Note for me: top of seat back to be directly under racked bar; J hooks to be set just below height of locked out bar.
4x5x110 lbs
6x132 lbs
I like how it takes everything below my chest out of the equation. I’ll keep this at least until TM increases.
Strict BB row 50 total reps: 15x132 lbs, 2x10x154 lbs, 16x132 lbs
Rapidly becoming a fan of these
Just realised when I say superset I mean giant set.
Bis/tris giant set
Machine preacher curl 5x10x60 lbs, slow eccentric
U-bar tricep pushdown 5x15x55 lbs
Arm pump.
Stationary bike sprints 10x40 sec off/20 sec on at level 15 - got through this with higher intensity with the same effort as last week. Good.
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In relation to your transformation? It seems weird but in hindsight this makes a ton of sense, bodies can generally move more weight being heavier but we were designed to be leaner, meaner greener fighting machines…maybe not greener, I think that was for Turtles.
Also, your training is on point so that will go a long way in not losing strength.
Losing the extra weight has probably greatly improved your workload capacity making high reps easier and more enjoyable.
Also saw your more recent transform photos and looking very sharp!!!
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That’s kind of how I feel now I’ve had time to think.
Plus I got overly caught up in training minutiae and lost my way a bit which didn’t help.
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Woke at 183.3 lbs, which I’m quite pleased about. I don’t want to be getting much below 183 lbs. That would mean I’d probably have to up calories much sooner than I want.
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Felt kind of sluggish this morning. Can’t pinpoint why, probably just work. A run of seven days straight is decent, plus I’ve clocked in fair few hours of walking at work too.
Today’s training
Lazy lifter
Stiff bar DL
TM is 484 lbs
6 pull-ups between warmup sets to 70%, mostly double overhand
2x341 lbs, under 6 RPE - one double overhand, second hook. Stumbled back on the second
2x390 lbs, 6 RPE, straps
1x440 lbs, 6-7 RPE, straps
1x484 lbs, 8 RPE, mixed grip - felt OK, kept positioning well enough but wasn’t convinced
1x484 lbs, 8 RPE, mixed grip - better
No point in going up, still feeling a bit tired. Lats very switched on from the two extra sets of pull-ups. Wanted a bit more pulling though, so
3x3x341 lbs, paused at knees for a second or two, all 6 RPE or under
Glutes noticed this. I’ll do these any day I don’t work up past my TM for a single just for the sticking point training.
Initially meant to hit 5x5 front squats at 275 lbs to get my 25 reps of squats in. Worked up to 220 lbs, unracked the bar and held it racked to let the usual initial dizziness pass. Realised the dizziness wasn’t passing, and just as I began to wonder if I was going to black out everything started going to a pinpoint and I realised I was dropping the bar because I was blacking out.
Decided against front squatting, but still wanted to squat.
2x5x308 lbs, both 7 RPE but glutes and abs were tired so
15x280 lbs
All in the rack, on a standard bar. Figured out how to not crush my hands with a wide grip and everything. I’ll probably just do this for the next two weeks. I’m a bit bored of front squats. I think they’ve served their purpose for the time being.
45 degree back extensions: 2x25
Slow eccentric with pause at the top. This brutalised my lower back and hamstrings beautifully
Supersetted abs/shoulders
BB suitcase holds, 25 count/hand at 132 lbs: two each
Front/side/rear raise at 15 lbs: 2x15 of each
Grip and shoulders fried, so didn’t push beyond.
Today was an interesting introduction to thinking and properly autoregulating. Part of me feels like I was lazy because I didn’t do exactly what I had planned. The majority of me feels very differently, because I came out of the gym known I’d achieved what I planned on - because I used my brain and listened to my body’s feedback.
Still tired AF though. Glad tomorrow is a rest day.
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Ah I couldn’t do it! Got nearly 900 posts in and gave up trying to read through the whole thing 
Imma start reading backwards for a bit to see what you are currently up to.
Keep up the good work and the good work ethic though mate!
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@Irishman92 the first half is probably the most useful, because it’s where I did most of the dumb stuff
Good effort, though. Thank you.
I think work ethic is the one thing that let me get away with suboptimal training for a while.
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I keep getting flashes of dizziness/impending blackouts today. Not exactly pleased. I think I’m just tired. Sleep has been OK, but the last seven days have all basically been get up, do a whole bunch of stuff (including training), go to work, repeat. No real down time.
Could be low blood pressure too. I know I had a couple of weeks where that happened a bunch towards the tail end of Phase I. Not sure what would be causing it though. I’m decently hydrated for certain.
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Uh @MarkKO do you mind giving a bit of a recap on your lifts at the moment?
Has losing weight negatively affected you (you were losing weight last year as well but progressing decently)?
I see you are still running 531. Albeit a slightly different variation from the looks… When is your next meet? Last one I read about was when you hit around a 1300lb total.
Whenever you have a minute though, I’m in no rush. Apologies about being a pain in the arse haha
You’re also getting closer to my weight (5kg difference!) but lifting about 2.5-3 times nore than me! You’re probably not used to these weights at this bodyweigh. Well done on the auto regulation, don’t get injured when you are progressing well.
Also can I ask what job you do ?
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Talk about myself and my training? Oh man, that’s so unlike me, it’ll be such a hassle @Irishman92
Yeah, right. You’ll probably regret asking, as this will probably be looooooooong.
In terms of maxes? Haven’t maxed in ages. On any day, I’ll say
Squat 1x210, 3x200, 5x190, 10x140
Bench 1x115, 3x105, 5x100, 10x75
DL 1x230, 3x220, 5x200, 10x180
Press 1x75, 3x70, 5x60, 10x50
Pull-ups 5x5, 3x8
Strict BB row 10x70
Less strict BB row 10x100
That’s all based on what I’ve done in the last month to six weeks, with belt and wrist wraps only for the big three. On a good day, fresh, I’d be good for a fair bit more. We’ll find out shortly
Overall, absolutely not. Being lean(ish) is awesome, especially because I know it will only drive my progress in the long term. Plus it’s simply cool to be in a physical condition I never thought I could even come close to achieving. I’m now at the stage where I think I have a physique that quite a few people would want and that shirtless stands out as above average at my gym.
In terms of limit strength, absolutely it has had a negative effect on quite a few lifts - for the time being at least. Granted I’ve also gotten out of the habit of lifting heavy singles over the last three to four months which has also had an impact, so it’s a little harder to tell which aspect had a greater effect. Heavy singles are as much a matter of mind as they muscle.
If I look back - without poring over every session and going by memory - first to drop was bench, although that took a while. I was fine, possibly even stronger, at 98 kg and seven months in, but then I had my bicep strain and had to back off on benching. By the time I’d recovered enough to start again about six weeks later I’d lost a bit of ground, but at that time I was around 92 kg and that’s when bench really started to go down the toilet. In numbers: 98 kg, pre bicep, smooth 137.5 kg with comp calls for one; six weeks later, 92 kg, grindy 137.5 kg touch and go. Two and a half months later, around 85 kg, barely 122.5 kg.
After bench, press dropped, although I stopped using it as a main movement in September or so last year which obviously will have had a major impact. At 97 or so kg I was good for a rough 92.5 kg I think, definitely 90 kg; around 83.5 kg I’m good for 80 kg. That’s less of a drop than bench I guess. Rep capacity for upper body pushing beyond maybe 70-75% is fucked though.
Squat lost rep capacity for heavier loads (180+ kg) around the time I went below 95 kg I think, but I honestly don’t know about limit strength. Every time this year I’ve hit anything heavy it’s been in a fatigued state. I’d like to think I’m still good for between 217.5-227.5 kg in sleeves for one if I’ve worked up decently. Rep capacity for lighter weights (120-150 kg) is way higher though, because of how I’ve been training.
DL I’ve never had the best rep capacity at the best of times. That’s probably stayed identical, limit strength may or may not be down. If it’s down, it won’t be by too much. Probably similar to squat I’ve been using the stiff bar, so I’m guessing my DL bar pull will be easier. Positioning is better at this weight. Can’t pull sumo for shit any more though. I think I need to be over 95 kg minimum for my leverages to work sumo.
Upper body pulling is across the board miles ahead of where I was. Whether it’s pull-ups, BB or DB rows doesn’t matter. My back now shits all over my back then in terms of strength, endurance and muscularity. Arms, single leg and abs likewise.
It’s in Beyond, the Training Maximally section. It’s pretty much Bulgarian training a la Wendler seasoned with reliance on autoregulation. Imagine Jim and Mike Tuchscherer got together one day with a couple of cases and had a chat.
It’s July 9, GPC Canberra Winter Classic. Last one was October, GPC Canberra Cup and I totalled 630 kg (1386 lbs). I’d like to at least equal my last total, but if that turns out unrealistic I’ll shoot for anything over 600 kg (1320 lbs).
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