To come back and argue with myself a little: I really believe the variable is consistent hard work. So if doing something new enables that longer run, that’s the right choice. If sticking to your norm, as long as you’re still really pushing it, keeps you in the game, do that one.
Maybe the switching it up is really about reigniting a fire or letting you get more consistent again by changing up some use patterns?
If I can still make progress in a comfort zone, i’m not too bothered. If I ever get sick of what I’m doing though…
Exactly that.
There are far too many examples of guys training the same way for decades and getting results to dismiss staying on the same path. Slight changes and evolving over time is still a good path to take. Maybe it’s not optimal, but what it is? I know all about the law of adaptation and I know I could probably make some great gains with a big shift in the way I train, and like you… it’s what I’d recommend others do. All the science is out there clear as day. In many ways I could be a fool.
There is a problem though, the word plateau is thrown about too much in fitness. We can switch things up all we like but it always comes back to consistency and progressive overload. I’ve seen one of the strongest guys I know with a big overhead press do the same amount of reps on a top set for 1-2 months, maybe one of the reps moved a bit quicker than last week, maybe the form was better, and then all of a sudden, boom, there’s that +1. Even if every +1 takes him six-eight weeks, over the course of a year that’s amazing progress. Getting +2 in the space of 3 months could add 10lbs to their max. If that progress continued it could be 40lbs added to an OHP in a year at the level they are already at - it’s insane, perhaps unrealistic progress that many people would consider a plateau and blame the program. Sometimes many of us are just not reasonable with the progress that we expect to get.
Fo’ Sho’. One of the things CT talks about, that I think gets at your point, is the illusion of progress when you first start doing something new. You rapidly improve for the first couple weeks, so you think “this is the magic program,” but really you’re just getting more practiced at something you hadn’t done.
I didn’t really understand failure until i ran DC. What i must say now though is that i find it really hard to say what true failure is. Couple of things i’d like to throw out there
Firstly, the 2-3 second rest. If i hit failure and literally rest a couple of seconds i can nearly always get another rep or two. So is this training past failure or is it true failure.
The second is body motion (or poor form etc.) again you get to failure but if you lose perfect form and give it a bit of body english you can get another rep. Which one is true failure for the muscle.
I’d also like to add that in my mind, people who have weak links in their body (the injured) may hit failure due to an accessory muscle rather than the main muscles working (or aiming to be worked) on a lift. On bench out of my failed reps, i’d say 99% of them were due to my triceps. I very rarely ever failed due to my chest nor do i really get to take my chest to failure until i use a fly motion to isolate it.
This brings me to the point where i quite like hitting the same weight for 3 or so sets because i really know what i’m aiming/ doing in the lift and i know how hard i can and should push. Now i’m not saying thats better, but for me it helps me navigate failure and also not over training.
But enjoying this discussion so please continue. It does make me want to run DC training again but i need to stick to a programme for a while again!
Quick note until I come back (I should probably do some work) - I’m with you on everything. That’s why I’d rather fail on a machine/ isolation movement and never on the big lifts.
“Forced reps” are a Blood N Guts thing if I’m not mistaken (haven’t run it, would need a gym buddy for that). I also believe this method uses “beyond failure” with this.
Pro tip: do this from rep 1 and consider it a constant, not a variable. Form matters… until it doesn’t. No one ever got hurt by doing a hammer curl with bad form. The negative still needs to be respected though.
I do believe this is a DC tenet as well. Except squats. Dante wants you to die on squats.
4char
4char
I was going to ask how you were surviving JP’s program on 1,800 calories lol
Painfully 
Hormone support helps. If I wasn’t on TRT, I’d be struggling a lot more than I am now. Happy to discuss this in detail with you privately if you want to email me too; I’m guessing by your post history that it’s not your interest, just offering.
Eagerly looking towards a time where I can eat more food and start putting some muscle back on, but I believe I’m accomplishing that currently as well.
It definitely sounds brutal even if you were getting 5,000 calories! I will say your macros look awesome for so few cals.
And I appreciate that offer! You’re correct that I’m not really interested in the chemical side of the equation personally, but certainly no judgment from my end. I’m sure once you’re back in a surplus you’re going to explode in size!
4char
I always miss this log since its not in the regular training logs session, which is a total shame on me since there is so much good work going on here. really interesting to watch your progress with how carefully you track all the variables, almost a scientific approach to muscle gain going on here, and I love it. Nice work brother, great work with the cut. FWIW, a jacked AF 210 is impressive, and your weights support it. Might have some weeks that go more “recomp” than “cut”, but either way your are hitting the goals that all of us aspire to!
4char
I don’t know why, but this was hilarious. Probably because I’m always forgetting to bring socks or something like that too
4char
Alright friends, accountability time. I fell off the diet wagon hard yesterday and I’m struggling to re-motivate myself today. Motivation was waning all last week too (as evidenced by my lack of posting).
I don’t want to keep dieting, i don’t want to train, i don’t want to do school, and i don’t know why. Nothing has changed, there’s no new external stressors, I’m just unmotivated.
I’m considering reverse-dieting for a bit in hopes of getting my energy levels up so i can come back swinging. Not sold on it yet, maybe i was just having an off day/week; maybe I’m just in need of motivating material or a deload.
2/27/23
Food
Cal: 1878
P: 230g
C: 181g
F: 20g
I managed to keep myself honest and on track. Woke up this morning, hit the snooze. Woke up again, snooze again. Alarm goes off for the 3rd time and i contemplate taking an hour off work for sleep… then i hear Goggins’ voice in the back of my head “do something you don’t want to do - everyday”.
It’s time to start doing the shit I don’t want to do.
It’s time to start embracing the suck.
It’s time to start living up to my potential.
Sounds like adulting.
