Rise of the Slaya 2025

[duketheslaya]

@danteism

I’ve had to condense and modify my training somewhat but I do still get four sessions in weekly. Mostly focusing on bodybuilding right now, it’s been nice

Solid. What you weighing ATM

@danteism

Oh yeah, I did get through my service. That ended in 2018 (The want to go back in took a couple more years though)

Good man

[duketheslaya]

19th july 2025 Food
Pre workout shake
Oats, one scoop of protein, honey

Breakfast:
6 eggs, one avocado, tin of tuna

Lunch: Chicken and vegetables with chicken stock

Afternoon: was out with family, had small piece kf salmon with 2 potato cakes and some beans. One dinner roll

Dinner chicken and vegetables again

A good first day of diet.

[danteism]

I still keep telling myself that it can’t get any busier even though it always does. It’s cool though, I’m really enjoying the work I do.

Yeah, I’ve kind of stopped looking as I went through a ton of different experts who couldn’t help. I got most of the symptoms under control, but lately some have been getting worse again so I may have to get back on the “find the right doctor” grind

[danteism]

Right now I’m hanging around 78kgs. Been keeping quite lean, but I’ve also lost some lower body mass due to the health issues as they really put some limitations especially on my quad training.

[duketheslaya]

@danteism

still keep telling myself that it can’t get any busier even though it always does. It’s cool though, I’m really enjoying the work I do.

If you enjoy it, that’s the most important aspect

@danteism

Yeah, I’ve kind of stopped looking as I went through a ton of different experts who couldn’t help. I got most of the symptoms under control, but lately some have been getting worse again so I may have to get back on the “find the right doctor” grind

Damn… doctors these days. I’ve literally went to multiple doctors and watched them Google the symptoms in front of me. Lol.

@danteism

Right now I’m hanging around 78kgs. Been keeping quite lean, but I’ve also lost some lower body mass due to the health issues as they really put some limitations especially on my quad training

Nice that’s the weight I’m trying to get down to. Also chest day everyday it is then

[duketheslaya]

Sunday,July 20 Active recovery
30 mins treadmill at a slight incline
15 mins sauna

Felt good.

[danteism]

@duketheslaya

Damn… doctors these days.

Yeah. Although this time I can’t really fault them as the diagnoses that would fit best are also ones that would be masked by being strong and having some muscle mass as they are progressive diseases that become more apparent the weaker you get. Now of course I do hope that isn’t the case and it’s just something that both they and I haven’t considered
Guess we’ll see.

@duketheslaya

Also chest day everyday it is then

Haha, yea. But really, The upside for this is that bodyweight stuff feels really light. I actually dud consider competing in pull up nationals for a bit but ended up deciding against it (for now at least)

[duketheslaya]

@danteism

Yeah. Although this time I can’t really fault them as the diagnoses that would fit best are also ones that would be masked by being strong and having some muscle mass as they are progressive diseases that become more apparent the weaker you get. Now of course I do hope that isn’t the case and it’s just something that both they and I haven’t considered
Guess we’ll see

I hope that isn’t the case either

@danteism

Haha, yea. But really, The upside for this is that bodyweight stuff feels really light. I actually dud consider competing in pull up nationals for a bit but ended up deciding against it (for now at least)

That would be cool.. man I suck at pullups haha. Gonna work on those twice a week as a warmup etc

[danteism]

@duketheslaya

Gonna work on those twice a week as a warmup etc

Losing weight will do wonders for pullups. I’d also recommend sticking to lower rep ranges. Personally I rarely go over four reps and for most people I don’t really program over six.

Even if you want to increase your max rep count with bodyweight I’d have you do pretty much exclusively heavy work at the beginning. If you’re not strong at pullups this will be beneficial regardless of wether your goal is max weight or max reps as there is a pretequisite level of strength you need to be able to do high rep stuff on pull ups (obviously)

Really the training between max reps and max weight won’t differ all that much:

For both you’d want to do hypertrophy work year round (2-3 sets of 4-6ish reps @0-1 RIR, when peaking you can go to 1 set and drop it altogether in the final days). This could be done with either your “comp grip” (so the grip you’ll be using when testing) or with a close variation (say, lat pulldown with the same grip or a pullup with slightly narrower or wider grip / neutral instead of underhand etc). What grip you pick would depend on your weaknessess, how proficient you are with pullups and how much they beat you up.

For example, I’ve got long arms and I use a medium pronated grip as my comp grip. I’m very proficient with the movement but it beats me up like crazy. I’ve found that a really wide pronated grip work well for me. Note that I also do separate bicep work and narrow grip rows so they cover whatever the wide grip pullups don’t on terms of hypertrophy.

For max weight you’d want to keep some heavy-ish work in year round, preferably on the comp variation or a really close variation of that. I like to use submaximal singles (so singles around 1-3 RIR / RPE 7-9) for this. How much and how often depends on how much skills work you need to improve or to maintain your technique. (Wether you keed to improve would depend on, again your level of proficiency and the amount of time you have until testing/competition).

For max reps you could run only hypertrophy work most of the time, although I like to have a bit of heavier stuff there as well. Muscular endurance improves really fast, for most people just doing one 4-6 week block before testing/comp with higher reps is sufficient. In that block you’d still keep the heavier hypertrophy work in and If you wanted you could keep the submax singles (or whatever you’ve used) on as well. In this block you’d do 1-2 high rep sets with your comp grip or a slight variation (either bodyweight or just less added weight) one or two times a week after the heavier work. For some people high rep comp grip is too taxing to use in training multiple times per week or at all, on which case you’d want to opt for variation on one or both days per to use comp grip but only do one high rep session per week

That’s the nuts and bolts of it (not that anyone asked)

[duketheslaya]

@danteism

For both you’d want to do hypertrophy work year round (2-3 sets of 4-6ish reps @0-1 RIR, when peaking you can go to 1 set and drop it altogether in the final days). This could be done with either your “comp grip” (so the grip you’ll be using when testing) or with a close variation (say, lat pulldown with the same grip or a pullup with slightly narrower or wider grip / neutral instead of underhand etc). What grip you pick would depend on your weaknessess, how proficient you are with pullups and how much they beat you

Lol I can only do 5 pullups on one set then drops to 4 then 3.

@danteism

either bodyweight or just less added weight) one or two times a week after the heavier work. For some people high rep comp grip is too taxing to use in training multiple times per week or at all, on which case you’d want to opt for variation on one or both days per to use comp grip but only do one high rep session per week

So one day a week focus on comp grip pullups and another day lat pulldowns? A higher rep pull-up session then lower reps another session

[danteism]

@duketheslaya

So one day a week focus on comp grip pullups and another day lat pulldowns? A higher rep pull-up session then lower reps another session

With 5 as your max reps I’d start off just doing like 2-3 sets @1 RIR (so 3-4 reps) twice a week, with a submax weighted single or two in there If you want to do that.

If you want to do lat pull downs on one or both days drop to 1-2 sets of pullups @ 1 RIR followed by 1-2 sets of lat pulldown in the 4-6 (or 4-8) rep range @ 0-1 RIR on those days.

[duketheslaya]

Today’s food sun, July 20
880 grams lean kangaroo burgers
400grams tomatoes

3 slices pepperoni pizza
3 pieces garlic bread

TOTAL ESTIMATED MACROS:

Calories: ~2340 kcal

Protein: ~240g

Carbs: ~142g

Fat: ~84g

Yeah I ate some pizza- but calories still low and protein high. Sue me

[duketheslaya]

@danteism

With 5 as your max reps I’d start off just doing like 2-3 sets @1 RIR (so 3-4 reps) twice a week, with a submax weighted single or two in there If you want to do that.

Sweet

@danteism

If you want to do lat pull downs on one or both days drop to 1-2 sets of pullups @ 1 RIR followed by 1-2 sets of lat pulldown in the 4-6 (or 4-8) rep range @ 0-1 RIR on those days.

will see how I go, going to really focus on pullups form as well and slow eccentric

[duketheslaya]

Am session
Tactical Barbell fighter week 1 day 1
Estimated TM 75% (guessing here, don’t know one rep max to base tm off so just guessed, turned out good)

Barbell back squat
3*5 70kg

Bench
3*5 60kg
Too heavy will adjust to 55

Deadlift
3*5 90kg

Strict OHP
30kg
Too light was being conservative

2*3 Pullups

-Havent deadlifted or squatted in 6 years

• Will adjust bench and strict press TM
• -pullups were hard after the 4 main lifts

[duketheslaya]

Form check please @T3hPwnisher @ Anyone

[j4gga2]

Blood how are you already balding. We’re the same age!

Also form was fine. You’re gonna need another 20kg on that bar to see anything relevant imo

[T3hPwnisher]

I’m really not much of a form check guy. Those looked like squats and deads to me.

[duketheslaya]

@j4gga2

Blood how are you already balding. We’re the same age!

My whole head is tattooed lol, just need to shave it

@j4gga2

Also form was fine. You’re gonna need another 20kg on that bar to see anything relevant imo

Sweet!

@T3hPwnisher

I’m really not much of a form check guy. Those looked like squats and deads to me.

I’m glad lol.. thank you

[duketheslaya]

Pm Boxing
Tough session
1hr30
Footwork
Shadowboxing
Partner drills
Bagwork
750 crunches, various ab movements

[duketheslaya]

Diet mon, July 21
700 grams lean beef mince
2 cups of vegetables
2 scoops of whey
1 cup of oats
Tablespoon of honey

Daily Macros (Est.):

Calories: ~2294

Protein: ~227g

Carbs: ~101g

Fat: ~99g