MarkKO's Training Log

Ok, went off the reservation in regards to food tonight. After dinner was still hungry and held out for a couple of hours but when it got where I knew I’d struggle falling sleep I decided fuck it. First time since I started dieting in mid February. About eight sausages and a half pack of biscuits later and I feel somewhat better.

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At least make a run to the nearest takeaway joint if ur gonna splurge lol

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I know it Mark. For now what I’m doing is working I think I’m doing massive high rep assistance I am trying to gain a little weight, 0,5 kg month or thereabouts. When this little challenge ends after summer. I’ll do it a bit more like you prescribed.
Thanks for the kind words both you and @simo74.
I tell my self I’m hard working. I do however think my birth certificate is about to get to me.

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We can all start our Fat Gainz program and push each other along.

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Woke at 256.8 lbs, but not looking that much more bloated. Could be a whole lot worse.

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@guineapig ima move this here so it’s less hijacky.

Mine also, but with less information so less valid in that respect.

I recall reading one of Janae Kroc’s first interviews post transition and if I recall she unequivocally stated that she would never compete in a strength sport as she would have too great an advantage.

My very, very basic and limited understanding of the situation is that the MtF transition does not mandate hormonal treatment. The individual may opt to take the treatment to maximise their transformation, but is not required to do so to identify as female. So theoretically I could identify as female and compete SHW. So there’s that.

Also, the hormone therapy would not remove all muscle mass or neural efficiency, only reduce it. I would assume (so could be very wrong) that training during hormone therapy would mitigate this loss of muscle and neural effiency to some degree.

Should either or both these suppositions hold even partially true, an MtF transitioned individual would have a significant advantage over non-transitioned females, unless they were using sufficient PEDs. This advantage would also most likely exist to an extent even in an untested federation.

Somewhat ironically, the difficulties faced by trans individuals wishing to compete will delay the availability of data. One fairly obvious solution would be to create at least temporarily two trans divisions, MtF and FtM. I believe this is something RPS has either already done or is in the process of implementing.

Agreed. That onus of proof also in no way suggests those wishing to change the system are in the wrong as far as I understand it.

Because powerlifting is such a niche and above all unprofitable sport, there is little impetus for any group involved to change the rules. There are novice and unsanctioned meets that accept trans competitors, be it in a trans division or not. I suspect the federations will watch these closely to determine whether any significant number of trans competitors enter. If the numbers are small, which I strongly suspect will be the case, the feds will not waste their time and money accomodating trans competitors.

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Went for a walk on my usual route, but a fast one.

The extra workout, two rounds of
25 pull aparts
10/side kb bottoms up press
4 pullups
25 air squats

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Feds that have policies in place for trans participation specific certain levels of test or time spent on hormone therapy to be able to compete. Apparently it’s some pretty hardcore stuff pretty much anti-steroids. I’d think there’d be significant muscle and strength loss even if you still trained. Bone structure and other factors aren’t influenced nearly as much though.

Every trans lifter is another data point. It’s up to advocates of trans athletes competing against their competition identified gender to collect.

There’s even more data points looking a wider sports but powerlifting and weightlifting is so heavily influenced genetic expression, hormones/drugs and other factors that its really not the same.

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Smart. Quantifiable.

Yeah, this especially.

I recall that as well but since, Janae has spoken out in favor of letting MtF transgender compete and has presented some interesting data as to why she thought there wouldn’t be an unfair advantage.

She herself would of course be excluded because she never fully transitioned (in the biological sense) and identifies as gender fluid instead of transgender. I understand that means her gender is binary? (I could definitely be wrong).

The problem here is: Even IF MtF trans don’t have any advantage, while most people think they do, and they win or place high in any competition, they will be accused of cheating/ immoral behavior etc.

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More like not defined. Think of gender as a spectrum. On one side you are Male and the other Female. But all those spaces in between are possible “blends” of gender. Same with Sexuality and a whole list of other psychological things.

As she considers her gender Fluid she shifts along that spectrum. Her kids sometimes call her Mom, and sometimes Dad which I thought was really cool.

The problem with this is most Trans people dont want to be outed. However if some would step up in the name of science that would awesome…or if the Feds would let them compete but keep the Trans secret just to gather data idk. Or it could all be done in private gym/labs etc until we figure this thing out.

Joanna Harper is kind of THE researcher on this topic and her current stance is that if a woman can be made hormonally the same to other women then competition can be “equitable and meaningful”.

So far though she has mostly studied endurance athletes and not strength athletes.

My big thing is Sports are a game we play to pass time, create bonds and have fun etc and inclusion should be the utmost priority even over fairness.

Side note on Janae, she has always been a physical beast that would have an advantage over her competition. Her Drug Tested numbers before transition would still be considered insane 20 years later.

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100% I get really intrigued by grown ups who still seem hung up on the idea that the world should be fair in every way. We get told as kids that life isn’t fair and to deal with it, then spend the rest of our lives trying to prove this wrong.

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That was a much better explanation than I provided. I love following Janae’s journey (before and after outing). I learned a lot that I didn’t previously know.

If I recall correctly John Oliver did a segment about transgender people in sports or transgender rights and sports were briefly mentioned in his show “last week tonight”. It should be available on YouTube and as I recall he made some good points, that I agreed with back then.

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I agree with that as well. Maybe I lack the competitive drive that some have but I personally wouldn’t give a shit. Especially at lower levels where people don’t even earn money. Buhu you didn’t get 3rd out of 11 competitors in your local community’s powerlifting meet because you were beaten by a transgender? C’mon…

If I had to take an educated guess, I’d say that at least 50% of the guys I compete against use steroids. More likely the correct number might probably be 75%.
I still don’t use and won’t cry “this is unfair” everytime I get my arse handed to me. There is no “natural strongman” division here or whatever. So either accept it or don’t compete.

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Woke at 258.6 lbs, looking pretty much identical to yesterday. That threw me, because I ate properly. I did eat most of my food after 1600 though, so best guess is it’s just sitting there.

Last week was still a drop on average, this week will be a gain. Providing the week after is a drop again we’re good. If it isn’t, I’ll need to drop calories.

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Ditched training today. From around lunch everything started to feel off. Means I don’t get to train properly till Sunday, but next week deload anyway so I’ll just bench on Sunday. Tuesday next week I’ll deload bench and deadlift together.

Another factor was that my left shoulder really seems better, so I want it to get more rest. When it hurt a bunch, I didn’t care because it wasn’t getting better. Now it’s on the mend, I’m more willing to rest it. Never said I was smart.

Speaking of deload, I think it’ll run

Monday usual extra workout
Tuesday bench and deadlift
Wednesday rest
Thursday pullups plus extra workout
Friday rest
Saturday extra workout
Sunday new block squat

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Shoulda used RPE big fella

I did. Advanced predictive version.

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Beyond RPE 531 by Wendler

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