Congrats on the 2 0 mate. Commiserations for missing the deadlift. You will get it. It is only a factor of time and effort.
What does the degree open up for you in terms of job opportunities or other paths you can go down? Pretty sure it makes a visa into Aussie easier 
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Congrats on the degree. Nice work.
Deadlift looked ok. The one thing I noticed is that during your leg pumps everything seems loose, and then you lock in. Maybe those pumps actually hinder you? Staying down there and THEN bracing may be not doing anything to help.
The failures all looked very similar, best guess is that the bar simply wasn’t moving fast enough to clear that sticking point. It also looks like your lats aren’t pulling the bar in at the start, because you aren’t squeezing them so much. That’ll let the bar drift out and that definitely will make that sticking point harder. I think if you take a little more time to brace from neck to butt you’ll be able to be a lot more explosive.
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Pretty poor. It’s rather worthless money wise to be honest. I have an application going as a strength and conditioning coach for competitive sport at a super expensive gym. Basically the degree is tailored towards manager position within the sports/ fitness industry. While that is a huge one, there is not a lot of money to be made unless you own shit and jobs for actually high qualified personal are a) rare and b) under payed. Believe me, this could become a really long post, but I’ll leave it at that, haha.
I am currently thinking about what to do next (besides that application). I may apply for the job as a police officer. That was originally what I wanted to growing up but I was talked out of it because I am colorblind. I still am but they are desperately looking for people 
I don’t really think that much will come out of it though tbh. I am WAY over the BMI standards they have. While everyone agrees that the BMI is outdated, they are obviously part of the government, so they hold onto it. I would be fine with losing weight - but not 30 kg at this point!
The other idea is staying close to what I have studied by becoming a physiotherapist. That is actually a pretty bad paying job while the education to become one is pretty hard. But I could see myself liking it. I have already applied at a school (very limited spaces) and they have accepted me. With the ever growing need for physiotherapists, the government has decided to make the education become more available and is now paying the tuition (since 2020). Still, unlike every other job education, you will not earn any money!
With the exception of choosing a university hospital’s school (university hospitals are like the best hospitals around here, especially in medical research and they are government owned). There are some schools that will pay you a small salary while you are in training.
I have applied for one of those in Goettingen but it will be a while (mid May) before I know if they accept me. Those spaces are just as limited and more wanted.
If it has to be the school that already accepted me, I don’t know if I could do it. I don’t have enough savings, don’t want to live with my parents for the three years and my parents don’t have the money to just support me and pay for everything. I may be able to apply for a government education credit but that’s not sure. Well and I’d work on the side obviously.
So yeah, I am figuring things out.
Still too poor for you snobs down under!
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Thanks man.
Good input! I’ll try to get rid of the leg pump. I always thought of the leg pump as a way of loading the spring so to say. Maybe you’re right though and it isn’t actually helping. I also think the new belt would help with that. With my current one, it is too hard to properly breath and brace while in the bottom position because it is too tight. So I kinda need the leg pumps to breath and get in position.
Serious congrats on the degree, that’s a hell of an achievement! I felt the same way, and same thing with my wedding. For me, both sunk in gradually
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Thanks man! Surprising that other people feel that way too. Just chalked it up to my emotionless state of depression I am currently in. Although my therapist noted that I make progress because I can now detect a few more feelings here and there than a few weeks ago… buuut I am digressing
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You absolutely want to jump into the pull, but you can do that just by driving your knees hard over the bar to initiate.
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Medical update
The urologist (aka original trt doc) called me back which I am thankful for. He confirmed that he has not actually seen the results, he just talked to the clinic’s doc on the phone. I asked about the measuring unit thing that stood out to me. His answer was that ng/l is not a measuring unit for testosterone at all. He thinks they meant to use ng/dl which would be a possible unit. For that I think he said 11 would be a good result (I have 5,5). I asked why the trt was stopped. He said he felt pushed by the clinic’s doctor and that the decision went against his professional opinion. The clinic’s doctor told him that the trt was not working and pushed her own opinion on him. This goes strictly against what the clinic’s doctor told me! I am inclined to believe trt doc over her at this point.
He said I need to get to his clinic so we can retest my blood and asses the situation properly. I told him about the stupid insurance rule. He understood and presented an option.
I am not sure if I am going to be honest with the clinic or go behind their back and get his second opinion anyway. Maybe I’ll talk to my therapist and get her to promise to not tell the rest of the staff and ask her/ go anyway.
Also the head doc meets me tomorrow, so I should probably see what she has to say regarding the lab results. Maybe she has good news as well.
Real cluster fuck if you ask me.
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20.02
1 bench press
3 sets @ bar
2 sets @ 60 kg
2 x 1 @ 80 kg
1 @ 100 kg
1 @ 120 kg - lol I have done reps with this in the past. Moved terrible
1 @ 125 kg - slow as shit but didn’t move worse than 120
Fail @ 130 kg
2 axle pin press (chin/ lower lip level)
5 @ 56 kg
5 @ 66 kg
5 @ 76 kg
3 @ 81 kg
3 band assisted pull ups
4 x 5
4a seated cable row
3 x 12
4b external rotation
3 x 12
Notes
- okay let’s just be happy that traditional bench pressing is done for this season and move on
- I don’t know what it is… Maybe the lack of lift off, maybe the bench setup… But bench pressing has never in my life felt as awkward as it does now.
- tried touching my chest way lower today to take pressure of my biceps. That kind of worked but didn’t exactly make things less awkward.
- @strongmanvinny2 I copied the pin presses from you and wanted to include them in my next program. Today was the test and I originally wanted to do them at forehead height. I now realized that my rack doesn’t give me that option. Should I continue like I did today or do them seated and at forehead level?
Video:
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Congrats on the degree K, that’s alway awesome to finish something you’ve started and do it in a great way.
It’s a start to something bigger, build upon it and suddenly you’ll end up doing something great.
DL and bench will be there forever to be conquered and you will do it.
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I actually get on my knees to do it because my rack does not allow me to do it standing. Try it like that! Either way, your set up or mine are good.
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@mortdk thanks my friend 
Time for a resume.
Development during Thor’s Power Program 2:
Squat: 180 kg - 190 kg (+10 kg)
Push Press: 130 kg - 135 kg (+5 kg)
Deadlift:. 210 kg - 210 kg (± 0 kg)
Bench press:. 120 kg - 125 kg (+ 5 kg)
Development during the off season (comparison with my numbers before my involuntary time off training):
Squat:. 180 kg - 190 kg (+ 10 kg)
Push Press: 125 kg - 135 kg (+ 10 kg)
Deadlift:. 210 kg - 210 kg (± 0 kg)
Bench press: 130 kg - 125 kg (- 5 kg)
Not what I hoped for but not terrible. I think if we factor in the circumstances, as many of you have pointed out, I can’t be disappointed.
8 weeks to go before my first regular comp of the season. The next week will be about refamiliarising myself with stuff I haven’t done in a long time (like axle cleans). Also I’ll have some fun. Maybe break out the squat suit for box squats.
Then it is game on.
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Hey man, progress is progress and it appears you are making it on many fronts.
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Keep it up!
Seems like things have improved significantly since 2019. At least that’s what I get from the positivity of your posts.
Do you ever train specific events like tire flips, farmers walks, carries, etc? Looks like most your training is the basic lifts.
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Thanks man. I have a lot open construction sides still. But it is about more than survival at this point, so I’d say I agree that things are looking better than autumn/ winter 2019. Still shit mostly but I try to mention it less unless something really stands out.
I do specific event work but not much in the offseason. A lot of events break your body down and cut into your recovery reserves. I did do some light speed yoke and farmer’s carries these last 12 weeks. Also some log but only because of the team comp I did. In general I am kinda limited on event work. I train out of an abondoned cheese factory and all the equipment I need to buy myself. So I don’t have atlas stones or tires.
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Final medical update on the hormone front for the time being
The head doctor confirmed that the lab screwed up. They now agreed that my testosteron level is way low (with the gel still). They will provide me with the gel for now and then I need to figure out the rest with specialists after I leave the clinic.
The urologist said that he doesn’t want to do injections because it would supress my natural production too much. On the other hand as I understand it, that mainly plays a role for fertility and if I am able to have kids is questionable anyway with such a low t production + the cancer treatment might have erazed that possibility anyhow.
So in my own mind I’d think: Just test my sperm and if I am not fertile anyway, just fire away. 
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And if you are, can’t they just freeze them like eggs?
Congrats on the degree man. I totally get that feeling of being underwhelmed by it, but, it’s on to the next thing now!
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Would be a logical step in my opinion. Not sure how my insurance feels about it though.