MarkKO's Training Log

[MarkKO]

@painter27 I train at Elite in Philip. It’s really good, and it’s now gone 24/7. What you see in my videos is the room with all the PL stuff, which is about a third of the whole space. The rest is standard gym machines (plenty and pretty good quality) and some cardio stuff as well as a classroom kind of thing with a short prowler track. The owners are very good (bodybuilder and physique competitors), and the staff are great.

If that’s not convenient and you want a dedicated PL gym Burley Strength in Fyshwick is excellent. You’ve also got Ultra Fitness and Strength in Fyshwick, very community and culture focused. I know the owner, nice young bloke and very focused on building a strength community. Down Tuggers way it looks like Loulanting Barbell is pretty decent.

[painter27]

Haha cheers man.
I just bought a house in Mawson its pretty close to elite, so I’ll definitely check that out.

Im a bit of a loner and tend to train later at night so the 24 hour access suits me.

[MarkKO]

Yeah, Elite would be your go to then.

[littlesleeper]

@MarkKO

What means something is being strong in the eyes of the strong

@MarkKO

it seems like very few strong people are mentally weak.

@MarkKO

rubbing shoulders with pencilnecks

@MarkKO

That’s what gets my goat.

@MarkKO

It means your standards are fucking pathetic.

@MarkKO

this is someone with whom I get on like a house of fire in all other respects.

Beauty quotes.

[magick]

@MarkKO

Big caveat, this just applies to physical strength. Mental strength is different, although it seems like very few strong people are mentally weak. Funny, that.

I’d imagine that comes more from the discipline that is required to lift genuinely impressive weight than the sheer fact that you lifted said weight.

Honestly, I don’t understand the concept that lifting heavy weights makes you mentally tougher. I think it should be the other way around- mental toughness IS what allows you to lift heavy weights.

Does lifting heavy weights build mental toughness? I dunno, though I generally lean towards no.

If you enjoy lifting weights and get a kick out of it, then I’d heavily lean towards no. It’s not that difficult to be disciplined and focused if something is a hobby/entertaining.

[MarkKO]

Either my willpower is fading or I’m getting the hang of being leaner. Or both. Either way, decided on the fly to carb up today - admittedly being in a cafe with brownies may have influenced this decision. It was a whole foods sort of place though, so it was a sweet potato and chocolate brownie and a snickers slice with dates and nuts as a base. Both were good. The brownie, in fact, was good by any standards. Then came the oat, blueberry and banana pancake with seed mix, fruit and maple syrup. That also was pretty good.

So far I’m sitting a little over 2600 calories so I’ll probably have one more meal and call it a day. Macros look like this.

[danteism]

@magick

Does lifting heavy weights build mental toughness? I dunno, though I generally lean towards no.

I’m going out on a limb here and saying that intense lifting builds mental strength - not heavy, but intense. Think 30 rep leg press or 20 rep breathing squat. Once you get it done you’ll think “hell, that was tough” and after a while you realize that you’ll need to be even tougher next time to beat it. This teaches you how to push yourself, and when you do it long enough you’ll be sure to build some mental toughness as well.

[MarkKO]

Went over by about 1500 calories but I’m getting better at keeping to the split.

[MarkKO]

Woke at 193.8 lbs, looking pretty much the same as yesterday bar some very slight bloating in the lower ab region. Such a small change in scale weight is odd given yesterday but I’m not complaining.

[BOTSLAYER]

@MarkKO

is the room with all the PL stuff, which is about a third of the whole space

so jealous.

[MarkKO]

Woke at 191.8 lbs, looking what is apparently now normal. Win.

[MarkKO]

Today’s training

Lazy lifter

Conventional DL, raw, DL bar

TM is 473 lbs

Work up from 132 lbs in 44 lbs x3-5 to 60%, 5-1 pull-up ladder between sets (all overhand wide) - still feeling damn good. I haven’t gone beyond five for a while but it feels like I could quite easily now

3x330 lbs, under 6 RPE, double overhand
1x379 lbs, under 6 RPE, double overhand but sooooo close to losing grip
1x423 lbs, under 6 RPE, hook
1x473 lbs, 6 RPE, hook with tape
1x506 lbs, 8-9 RPE, hook with tape - not happy with this, bar was slipping and generally felt heavier than I’d have liked
1x506 lbs, 8 RPE, hook without tape - better, but still heavier than I’d like

Despite my whinging, positioning was actually pretty good and when I say felt heavier it means I actually felt a slight deceleration at my sticking point, not oh shit I can’t move this.

Like so:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZLGT3HlvYz/

I guess that’s one of the few downsides to submax training: you forget what heavier loads feel like. Same thing happened with squats last prep, so this should get better quite fast.

Sumo paused off floor, beltless, straps
3x3x330 lbs, all under 6 RPE with short rests

Low box squats, beltless
10x2x319 lbs, all around 6 RPE until the last two which were maybe 7 RPE - took 11 minutes 30 seconds or thereabouts

Reverse hyper
3x25x220 lbs - really focused on squeezing my erectors. Felt good

Abs/shoulders superset
Cable lateral raises with cuff just below elbow leaning away 3x8.25 lbs to 8 RPE (didn’t count, I’m guessing around 20-30 reps each time)
STBs 3xto 8 RPE (seven or so)

[Irishman92]

@MarkKO

Reverse hyper

3x25x220 lbs - really focused on squeezing my erectors. Felt good

Damn, I’ve never had access to one of these. Is it the plate loaded on a pendulum type?

The only thing I can do that is remotely close is doing deadlifts on a back hyperextention

[magick]

@danteism

I’m going out on a limb here and saying that intense lifting builds mental strength - not heavy, but intense. Think 30 rep leg press or 20 rep breathing squat. Once you get it done you’ll think “hell, that was tough” and after a while you realize that you’ll need to be even tougher next time to beat it. This teaches you how to push yourself, and when you do it long enough you’ll be sure to build some mental toughness as well.

I can agree with that, certainly on the level that doing the actual “20 reps with your 10RM” squat program would entail.

But, only on the basis that allows you to adapt to dealing with the mental strain that comes with severe physical stress.

I guess I just disagree with the notion that mental strength is applicable across the board, which seems to be what many people suggest when they say “lifting builds mental toughness” and related phrases.

Hell, I’ve worked something like 17-18 hour days seven days a week for three weeks straight before and I’m not entirely sure that built mental toughness in any real fashion, so my definition of the phrase and how I apply it may be horribly skewed.

[MarkKO]

Yep, plate loaded on pendulum. Not sure DLing off a back hyper would have the same effect. What I have seen done is lying over the back of a high incline bench (face towards the seat) and lifting your legs up. That would be similar I think.

[MarkKO]

I look at mental toughness as being able to do what is needed to achieve a given result regardless of how you feel about what is needed. So, it could be working 18 hour days for three weeks, it could be doing 20 rep sets with your 10RM - but it could also be taking time off work to look after family even if your boss gets pissed about it, or doing boring assistance work because that’s what builds your total when you really want to try cool new exercises.

[Irishman92]

@MarkKO

Not sure DLing off a back hyper would have the same effect.

Me neither, I think im getting ripped off! Haha

@MarkKO

What I have seen done is lying over the back of a high incline bench (face towards the seat) and lifting your legs up. That would be similar I think.

The problem is loading the movement.
Unfortunately I haven’t got access to a GHR either. My gyms have way too many treadmills and not enough cool stuff!

[MarkKO]

Try with a band. I find the top end of the movement is the important part for loading, the bottom is for opening the back out.

[Irishman92]

@MarkKO

Try with a band.

Your a genius! I knew their was a good reason why I kept you around! Haha

[MarkKO]

Hehe, lucky me