Hey Pwn, Super Squats seems like an awesome program. If you have low testosterone now, I’m scared to imagine what you’d look like on a level playing field.
I would like to run that 20-rep squat program one day! However, barbell squats in excess seem to aggravate my lower back. After I hit my top set, my back has had enough.
Are there any “rehab” exercises I should do? I can’t tell whether it’s soreness or actual pain, probably a mixture of both in small amounts. Generally, the lower back discomfort lasts a day or two after a hard leg workout.
Not sure how to proceed. Your thoughts are much appreciated. Thanks!
@round2lifting The book actually talks about using a belt squat or similar device to achieve a similar outcome, which might be something that interests you if you really wanna chase down the program. I don’t personally do any sort of rehab exercises. The reverse hyper has been awesome for keeping my lower back strong, and you could get a rehab effect with some ankle weights and a high table. Prowler/sled might be good for getting some bloodflow to help recover as well.
PM WORKOUT
Tabata burpee chins, with an ABC w/24kg bells during the 10 second rest
Notes:
I figured this would work out similar to the bear complex between rounds. Timed out just about right. Had to go 3 BCs on the 8th vs 4, as there’s a little bit of creep there, but in general I liked this, and the set up is even easier.
No idea what I’m doing tomorrow. Final workout before the start of Super Squats. Be good to eat again. Times out well with holidays and the cruise.
Awesome you had your levels checked out, I hope the treatment brings you everything you deserve. Next to that, inspiring work as always.
I got soft for a week, but am in high hopes somewhere next week I will be done moving and have a new, more awesome gym membership. The move will give me quite some extra free time, and a gym right in between my job and home. I am planning on taking a page out of your book, and start training in a way that triggers G-flux. Very much hoping the place has a prowler, rev hyper and all sorts of new toys.
@boilerman Those are major props coming from you. You are “get to yes” given human form. Big fan of all you do.
@Panopticum Great to have you swing by! Sounds like you’re going to have an awesome situation soon. I’m excited for you.
AM WORKOUT (0409 natural wake up) FASTED
CHAOS IS THE PLAN Week 4, Workout 4 (Final workout…for now. Chaos IS the plan)
Tabata burpee chins w/ABC during the 10 seconds straight into a 2 mile 80lb weight vest walk, immediately upon return shuck off vest and do the same Tabata workout
Notes:
I really dig this kind of workout. Do something stupid and hard to get the heart rate up, ride it out with something miserable, then close it out. Being able to do the same workout back to back is clutch because I can track the delta between them. First go round, I got 4 per round on the first 4 rounds and 3 for the last 4 on burpee chins. On the second go, I started with 3s, quickly devolved to 2s, and was at 1s for the final 2 rounds. Being in a fasted state even more awesome, as it means a huge meal as a reward. It’s just very “primal”: wake up hungry, go for a hunt, feast.
Still dealing with some insurance silliness. But tomorrow is Super Squats. I got a wild idea of making Paul Kelso proud and doing trap bar press, trap bar row and trap bar SLDL vs axle. That might happen.
Feeling absolutely dead. I’m starting to think 45 powerlifting meets in 45 minutes might be a little taxing. But the fact I can sleepwalk through 22 ABCs means I am in a GOOD way.
Got the insurance sorted out: my prescription is ready to go tomorrow, which will time out with Day 1 of Super Squats. If that’s not Kismet, I don’t know what is.
Juarez Valley burpee chins/KB swing
10-1 on the BCs, 5 swings between BCs w/40kg bell
Time: 11:49
20 standing ab wheels
25 pushdowns
30 GHRs
Got a bunch of pull aparts done during the main workout
Notes:
Here we go. 15 years later, and what’s cool is, when I finished the program way back when, it was with 310lbs. I wanted 315 but never got there. Cool to pick up where I left off.
Breathing wasn’t as deep as I would like. Something to work on. Been a long time since I pushed a workset beltless, so needed to get a feel/confidence there. My right hip being a little buggy didn’t help. Right shoulder is hindering me a touch after my 45 meets in 45 minutes. Also need to wear a better shirt next time, as the bar kept slipping. I owe it to myself to order a few more of the ones I like for squatting.
The pull-overs were perfect. I know exactly what I want as far as stretching goes.
It’s amazing just how much those squats take out of you, as proof of my Poundstone curl numbers. Well below previous PRs, but that might by my new baseline to work with on the program. Same with the conditioning: I was hurting when it was done. Family has been down with the flu the past few days as well, so there’s a chance I’m dealing with some of that.
It’s unique for me to get my training done in 45 minutes, but this was definitely “enough” training. The presses might be a touch too heavy, but everything else was dialed in well.
I still suck at rows.
Tang Soo Do possibly tonight, if family is feeling healthy.
@FlatsFarmer Thank you! Finally: SOMEONE appreciates my humor. In that regard, I’ve been thinking about how much people have been calling me a machine and saying I’m not human and all that, and it honestly wasn’t too far off the mark with how my numbers were registering, haha. Maybe now I get to actually be human: all too human. Always means a lot when you post on my log dude. I’d love to do the same for you, but you’re SO far ahead of me when it comes to what’s going on under the hood.
@tlgains Halloween is over, so bring on the turkey and Christmas Crunch! Haha.
A little surprised to hear about the physical aspects of your journey. I recognize it is your journey but if you have any questions I’m happy to help - have been on and off HRT for several years.
A little afraid to see what happens when you get this rectified.
You’ll always be human to me! It’s good you’re still able to crack jokes and have fun, sometimes low T guys can be mopey.
It seems like you have good instincts, so maybe you don’t have to think as much. I still learn a bunch when I come through here. A couple weeks ago you mentioned that one of your workouts was basically “1000 planks.” Then I saw your solid positioning in the front squat and the whole idea of Scapular Protraction when bracing suddenly made sense to me.
There’s more going on in here than you see at first glance. Keep up the solid work and insightful documentation!
Oh wow! I didn’t know you were supposed to take a few very deep breaths in between each squat rep. I couldn’t imagine standing with 315 lb. on my back for 5 consecutive minutes, but you killed that set.
I think I’d pass out or die underneath the bar. My conditioning is fairly on-point, but my body sometimes calls it quits before I’m done. The medicine I’m on makes it hard to exert myself for long periods without literally passing out, so I’m always toeing the line between working hard and getting transported to the hospital in an ambulance.
This reminds me of that one time I had to go to the hospital after pushing the Prowler too much. I lost my vision and couldn’t breathe for about 15 minutes, a fellow gym-goer called the ambulance, and I spent a solid 3 hours in the ER. Still not sure what happened, but April was a wild month. I am now scared of the Prowler.
It’s the worst because I get dry mouth and sweat buckets no matter what. My body overheats pretty easily, and commercial gyms aren’t known for having the best ventilation in the spring/summer.
Eventually, I will also hit 315 x 20, hopefully before the end of the year! I’m 5 reps away but I rushed that last set of 315 x 15 because I wanted to get that bar off my back as quickly as possible.
Securing that milestone PR will be worth the 15 minutes of desperately gasping for air.
@round2lifting Appreciate it dude! The breathing is the most overlooked part, and I imagine it’s very conveniently overlooked, because it’s the part that REALLY sets this program apart. When I get the bar placement sorted, I hope to really get those breaths in.
PR or ER! I love it dude! I legit mean it when I say you’re one of the strongest humans I know.
As though it needed other reasons! Haha. I’m excited to see you progress.
You losing your vision reminds me of a story from one of my wife’s co-workers. He’s a Marine (never call a Marine an ex/former Marine: they’re ALWAYS Marines, haha) that runs ultra-marathons. One time, during one of those, he went blind. They figured out his blood sugar had crashed, so they force fed him cheesecake until he could see again, and then he finished the race.
Some lessons learned:
F**k
…yes!
Cheesecake is magic and we should eat it during workouts.
I am so glad you’re around again dude.
Slept off and on until 0700. Mrs was having a rough night dealing with being sick.
Upon waking, I immediately did Tabata burpee chins with a bear complex during the 10 seconds off. I might start calling this “Bacon and Eggs”, as it’s my morning workout before breakfast on weekends. And maybe the variant with the ABC will be “Sesame Street”, since that show comes on stupidly early.
But either way, I woke up feeling like I got hit by a truck, which I attribute to Super Squats on top of most likely coming down with whatever is sweeping through the family, so this was helpful to get me “back online”.
Through out the day, I got in my daily work, and then, when it was time to train, I spent 5 minutes pitying myself which meant I had to come up with a REALLY brutal workout since I had cut into my own training time, so I did this
25 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells straight into TABEARTA
Holy f–k I cannot remember the last time I’ve worked so hard in 10 minutes. I was absolutely redlined when it was done. PBJs are great whenever you’re hungry and don’t know what to eat, Kindergarten is a fantastic 20 minute back to basics, but this is going to occupy a special place in the training pantheon. I took 2 of my daily 4-5 minute conditioning blasts and put them back to back, because of course I did, and the results did NOT disappoint.
The first clean on the ABC IS becoming a bit too cheaty even for me. I’m getting more swing into it, which is cool, but I need to at least pull it to my shoulders.
First treatment administered yesterday. Now we wait and see how I respond.
EDIT: While I’m patting myself on the back…let me comment on that back. It’s looking huge
@T3hPwnisher The day that happened, I swore off pre-workout forever. I’m pretty sure I didn’t eat enough (or drink enough water) before coming to the gym, and I pushed past my limit on the Prowler. It was the perfect storm for a number of reasons, but I’m sure my blood-pressure-dropping medications aren’t helpful.
I came across a TikTok from a medical doctor who explained why you should “take it easy” in the gym while on psychiatric medications, and I immediately said to myself, “no matter what, I will not practice mediocrity when I’m capable of more”.
I don’t care what side effects I get, I will continue training at maximum intensity because I enjoy it.
Edit: I’m glad to be back and training regularly! I missed the community here, and of course I’m happy that you’re doing well and kicking ass in the gym as always.
I’m very happy to know you and talk to you on here, since you’re the person who I looked up to (and still do) back when I was a weight training newbie talking about Starting Strength and eating double quesadillas in high school trying to gain 40 pounds.
Edit 2: I can’t believe you’re able to walk properly after 20-rep squats, much less get through a tough conditioning session.
@round2lifting Love the thought process! And it’s been awesome watching you grow through this all. And give me enough time and I’ll push myself to a point where I can’t walk! Haha.
@FlatsFarmer I gotta just laugh at the situation. It’s truly bizarre, as my urologist likes to point out. Why be mopey? And I’m glad I can lend a few insights from my side. Means a lot that you find some value.
