A state of mindfulness is what I get. It’s not true enjoyment but maybe it’s even better. To be content (is the best way I can put it), living in the moment/present. Is peak living
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You may be on to something. Do I enjoy the training or do I enjoy the feeling the training provides.
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I dunno doesn’t matter just find what fulfills you and fill your life with as much of it as possible.
Of the large scale research into happiness what I’ve pulled from them is mindfulness and fulfilling inter personal relationships. Still working on em both but enjoying (lol) the process of living
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I had similar thoughts when I read that statement, but Mark was specific to powerlifters and I am assuming his comment was specifically aimed at competitive PLers, in which case I think they are more applicable. If you have one very specific goal, then finding the optimal route there and taking it regardless of if you enjoy it is is the smart choice. You’d have to have a single-mindedness and competitive drive to accompany this though, to ensure your ability to presevere through something you may not enjoy for prolonged periods.
If on the other hand you just want to be a stronger/fitter/bigger/faster/leaner version of yourself and you have no specific competitive restraints then I think that focusing on things that bring you joy but are not necessarily are optimal to your goals is a better way to train, because you’ll adhere to it better and we all know consistency is king in this game!
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I agree with this. If a competitor chose not to do this then they are essentially accepting that they wont be their best.
What I was suggesting is that some people (maybe the sick ones) can find an optimal route and still enjoy it. Not enjoying the training doesn’t make it more effective.
Ah yes agreed with that too, I think Mark and pwn are probably in the minority, I know I love the process and everything about lifting and I think I’d struggle to stick with it if I didn’t.
You nailed it.
What I said was directed solely at a powerlifter who wants to be competitive, someone looked at as, at the least, someone very inconvenient to have to compete against.
If that is not your goal, I would strongly urge anyone to find a way to train that they enjoy.
Todays training
Two rounds of
25 each pull aparts and facepulls
10x17 lbs kb per side bottoms up press (shout out to @Koestrizer for these)
Bench press
6x253 lbs
7x253 lbs
AFSAP of 13 in two sets. I was slipping all over the bench on the first set, kept hitting the uprights too. I was determined not to take a third set though, and this meant I didn’t have any option but to hit seven on the second. Small milestone here for me, but signiticant, because bench has been the lift where I fail easily. That is now no longer the case.
Weight loss so far appears to have no negative impact. I’m fairly sure 7x253 lbs is close to or a rep PR at that weight.
Something is up with my biceps too. During the descent and on my chest both hurt deep in the muscle belly. Felt they were being stretched close to tearing. No impact though.
CG Spoto press (replacing CGBP to a one board)
2x7x203 lbs
Same bicep stuff, still no impact
DB flys (replacing cable crossovers)
2x12x25 lbs
JM press (replacing skull crushers)
2x12x88 lbs
NG lat pulldown (replacing seated rows)
4x10x110 lbs
Rear delt flyes
2x15x25 lbs
All up an hour
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Love that movement. Genius primer/ warm up. Also helps alleviate some aches in certain instances.
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Well, they sure aren’t damaging anything and right now my shoulders need the love
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These the beasties you’re talking about? Looks interesting, however I’ll need to get a loan to buy some kettlebells at the moment with gym gear @ $90 per kg
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Jup, those are the ones. I don’t have access to kettlebells myself anymore at this point and wouldn’t buy them personally (I literally would only do bottoms up press, c&p and swings) but in case you have access to kettlebells anyway, they are worth the try!
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My dad used to have (maybe still has) a set of old 56lb scale weights like this
He used to clean and press them when ever there was a family bbq and he had a few beers. They weren’t that heavy to press but to balance them and stop them turning down and whacking your wrist took a strong as fk grip. I tried for many years as a youngster to no avail. Wasn’t until years later I learned that for dad his hands were so huge he had to jam it in there to grip it so it was never going to turn down… bloody cheat. Lol
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If you’re doing these with 17lbs, maybe I need to reevaluate my plan to do them with 16kg
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If memory serves me correctly, the heaviest I have ever done this with is 24 kg. I have a weak grip which is limiting but as I said: It’s harder than it looks, haha.
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This Makes my dads efforts with the old 56lb-ers (25.5 kg) not seem too bad then. 
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Woke at 254.6, looking similar to the usual. Starting to think the bicep pain is linked to very, very tight finger flexors.
I’m doing them as a warmup/activation.
Sixteen kilos is a good starting goal. Most I ever did was either 24 or 28.
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Me too. My grip isn’t good enough to use them as a main pressing movement.
That is what limits the usefulness of a bottoms up press as a press driver: grip is the limiter, not pressing strength. Highly effective for activation, for teaching correct shoulder position, for developing shoulder stability. A good pressing assistance exercise for someone with a high degree of grip strength.
But on its own, not really going to make you a better presser.
Like the front squat, very helpful as a squat assistance exercise and to teach upper back tightness but not very effective on its own to drive the squat up.
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