A spike 
Not sure about fear motivating PRs, but I know I like that little bit of fear that comes with a heavy squat.
Eight weeks into this mass phase. It’s been good. Actually, it’s been better than that. For the first time I think I actually have a clue what I’m doing, why I’m doing it and how it’s working.
Specifics (spoiler, it’s all stuff that’s obvious AF which took me a while to figure out):
- pull of blocks, but have the second squat as something that will work the off-the-floor muscles (I think I’ve said this before);
- rotate DL variations off blocks every three weeks ke so, including the set/rep scheme (again, probably covered that before);
- shoulders grow from pressing AND raises at least twice a week, it’s not an either or;
- BB rows, DB rows and pull-ups for back strength, machine rows/pulls for size;
- I still don’t know what my bench weakness is, so ATM I’ll just say it’s everything from an inch off my chest or so. Whatever it is, I’m SHIT at DB bench, so that’s one lift that isn’t getting rotated until it gets up to speed;
- incline BB press might well be my strongest press, so I should probably not use it as a main lift because, what’s the point focusing on what I’m already better at compared to other stuff? Definitely worth including as a secondary lift though;
- probably best to keep my squat at mostly straight sets in the eight to 12 rep range as heavy as I can handle with decent bar speed and just add weight to that as I go because that seems to drive my top end squat every bit as well as heavy, low rep sets. Unlike DL, no messing around with variations. At most do some belted and some beltless.
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Obviously you don’t squat hard enough
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Talk about living dangerously, boy you’re flirtin’ with disaster here haha
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Saftest dude in the gym flips the monolift over onto himself and almost breaks his foot off doing lunges.
I’d hate to see the dangerously unsafe guys there.
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You beat me to it. I was searching for the TNation post about this event. haha!
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Have I missed something?
I remember the monolift incident though
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Speaking of living dangerously!!
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Woke at 200.2 lbs, looking tight.
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Hey, I’d forgotten about those incidents
Yeah, so not sure what I’m doing that’s worse.
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I read three of these posts on your thread tonight, and was little mind fucked for a second. “wait he woke up three times in one day?” Haha.
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4000+ post you’re epic Mark 
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I love the happy little bounce walk you did after front squatting 400.
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Me too. One day I was thinking about it randomly, and I winced to myself. Glad Mark was okay though.
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Aside from big legs, the slight anxiety attack that’s induced at the bottom of the squat is what ensures I come up about 40-50% of the time for me.
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Guess I need to stop setting the safety’s because I only feel anxiety/loathsome right before the attempt. I really feel nothing during the lift (mentally). And I have no problems getting buried.
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Woke at 200 lbs, looking trim but maybe even a tad flat. Interesting how by bodyweight pretty much steadied at 200 lbs as soon as I dropped the twice weekly carb binges.
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Odd day today, but pleasantly so. Got around to doing a bunch of work around the house I’d been meaning to for ages, so noon to six pm was spent between the carport, Bunnings and the tip. Didn’t eat between breakfast (0830ish) at and finishing up bar three tablespoons of peanut butter. Smashed the water throughout though.
Can’t train tomorrow arvo so training today
Today’s training
Pec flye machine at pin 6 for a bunch
DB bench
10x25 lbs
10x45 lbs
8x65 lbs
4x10x85 lbs, 6, 7, 8 and 9-10 RPE
8x85 lbs, 9 RPE
Work sets took 14 minutes. Next week 5x10.
BB incline press supersetted with strict barbell rows
Press 3x12x132 lbs - insane pec and tricep pump. It’s looking like BB incline press may work excellently as a second exercise, possibly because even fatigued I can still move semi decent weights
Rows 3x10x209 lbs - won’t lie, today these were hard AF
Pec flye machine supersetted with T-bar rows
Flyes 3x15 at pin 7, elbows on handles
Rows 3x12x132 lbs
DB tricep rollovers
3x12x25 lbs - third set was borderline impossible. Hadn’t meant to go up to 25 lbs until next week but the 20s were in use
All up took an hour and 10 minutes. Ditched the incline treadmill because I figure loading and unloading the ute counts as easy conditioning.
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