Silver and Steel

Training Training Logs
2906

This is super helpful - thank you!

I haven’t read that article, but I will now. Just the couple indicators you threw out sound pretty familiar (as does the programming and age…).

That’s interesting about the magnesium. I do take it and do fall asleep relatively easily… then I wake up a couple hours later and that’s it for the night. I am definitely happy to move it up; do you feel like it makes you drowsy earlier in the day?

I really appreciate you jumping in and happy cake day (I don’t remember if that means birthday or forum anniversary)!

2907

Thanks, It must be forum anniversary…or I just forgot again :wink:

I was a bit worried about mag making me tired in the day but have had zero issues. If you reflect upon your own experience with mag supplementation at night you may discover what I did that unless you are actively trying to fall asleep after taking it (lying down with eyes closed) you likely have no drowsiness.

I “test” as Thibs Type 1B though so I can sleep through a rock concert, caffeine doesn’t really impact me as much as others, and do quite well on little to no sleep when I am forced to.

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2908

Probably true - I take it and then go to bed, so I’ve never really thought about it.

Well this just gets more and more interesting - I also tested as 1B… then he told me he believes I’m 1A, I’m just such an arrogant asshole I overestimated my own athletic ability. I still choose to believe the NFL just missed out on a great opportunity.

This was usually my case, too; I think that’s why I’m getting so frustrated when it is bothering me!

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2909

yep deloads are a great opportunity to hit something heavy but drop the volume through the floor. My body get so accustomed to the multiple heavy sets but it also takes it’s toll physically. Going in and hitting one heavy double and then not much else has worked really well for me. I would also say that whilst my training is heavy and hard, I do not do a lot of intensity stuff like drop sets, rest pause, forced reps, partials etc. I think this stuff beats me up really quickly.
Maybe it is time to re-discover the joy of simple block periodisation, and embrace the old man strength gainz.

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2910

In your windowless van?

2911

At my age you take what you can get …

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2912

Ok my friends - I took one of my wife’s Unisom tabs and slept like the just. That’s really the issue - is I can’t sleep. When I do, I’m fine in the gym. If the training is what’s disrupting the sleeping, that’s a malicious cycle clearly conceived by the demons of hell to try and slow me down.

Looking back, to @FlatsFarmer point, I was only doing 4 days in the gym with the occasional foray to 5 when I was getting lean a couple years ago. Since we’ve been working from home, I’ve let that creep up to 5 as my minimum and often 6 or even 7. So I’ll back that back down to 4 for sure. I could do the CT split and still do the Meadows’ or any program, so that’s easy. I do like the idea of 6 weeks and then planned deload.

I probably will do a hormone panel @Andrewgen_Receptors. I don’t know what actions I’ll take or how much I’ll post about it on here. I’m pretty open about my health, because I think it can be helpful, but I have seen a crazy amount of folks looking for justifications to take stuff they may not need or that there’s no consequence, and I don’t really want to potentially feed into that. I know you’re on that subforum fighting the good fight, which I think is great.

I moved the magnesium up to mornings, so we’ll see what that may bring. If it’s as simple as that, then the good guys win and all is right with the world.

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2913

I would recommend a full male hormone panel, even though i don’t think you’re having testosterone issues. Reason being is that none of us are getting younger and all of us train… at some point going the TRT route is totally warranted because of andropause (guy issues, the male version of menopause). You’ll probably want to know your natural levels while you’re young so you have a baseline to attempt sticking to for longevity (the 200mg/wk guys aren’t seeking longevity).

I won’t spam too much here, but some basics so you aren’t going at it blind
https://www.t-nation.com/alpha-life/the-complete-guide-to-t-replacement/
From above article:

Ask for this lab work:

  • Testosterone, total
  • Testosterone, bioavailable
  • Testosterone, free (Equilibrium Dialysis method)
  • Estradiol (sensitive assay)
  • Steroid Hormone Binding Globulin
  • Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
  • Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
  • Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)
  • Complete Blood Count (CBC)
  • Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA)
  • Blood Chemistry Panel
  • Metabolic Panel

In addition to this, I would add:

  • IGF-1 (for GH level)
  • Prolactin (may be unnecessary, but can have wide-ranging effects if not kept in check)

^The only lab you would need to check your GH level (the potential issue you are having) is the IGF-1. The rest is a recommendation if you wanted to have yourself covered as you age, but is just a suggestion.

I don’t think you’d be feeding into anything by potentially pursuing TRT, even less-so if not going for TRT and only seeking something to help your sleep out… I don’t see how anyone could extrapolate peptides into AAS as they are not the same thing.

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2914

I’ve never even heard of peptides. Having a Google now. In my head I’m dreaming all the effects of the roids without any of the side effects (I know this won’t be true).

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2915

Lol yeah, in lay men’s terms - they just tell your body to produce certain hormones. Most (to my limited knowledge) have some effect on GH production, some for recovery, some for sex drive, but more or less they just signal to your body to make more of a certain hormone - instead of just adding the hormone to your body (like TRT or HGH).

The one that gets me is BPC-157… Want to recover from surgery in like half the time? BPC-157. Why don’t doctors prescribe this? Because it’s meant to make you better.
-End Rant-

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2916

Cheers for the info. You ever used any of you don’t mind me asking?

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2917

No, but my wife has used/is using Sermorelin for sleep, recovery, metabolism, anti-aging. She likes it (and she’s not a meathead like me).

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2918

@Andrewgen_Receptors I really appreciate all the info! I am in the same boat as @rugby_lifting where I don’t know anything about peptides. I have long worked in healthcare (industry side), so it sounds like I need to learn.

My total T on my last two physicals was sub-200 (ref. 249 - 936) - that’s where I joke that it’s a mere 5x punny’s. I remember my estradiol was higher than the ref range, which is why I’m a whiny bitch, but I don’t know that I’ve had any of the other numbers done. I’ll do the bloodwork and we’ll see what we see; I’m super open. The promise of restful sleep is like a siren’s call that could take me anywhere at this point.

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2919

This isn’t necessarily a problem, but it depends significantly on your SHBG and Free Test levels.

Total Test is effectively useless, Free Test is where it’s at (high SHBG nullifies Free T, signalling to your body to produce more Total Test, which results in a total of lower Free Test). In short: any and all symptom relief you would get with TRT would be in chasing elevated Free Test levels, not Total Test. BUT the test you need specific to your sleep would probably be IGF-1 (possibly prolactin and maybe cortisol).

Let us know how it goes! (you can always email me if you’d prefer privacy)

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2920

Thanks man - I will!

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2921

Is there no private message?

2922

Private messages aren’t really a thing here, but you have Mod powers and I’ve had Private convos with Mr. Patterson more than once in here… maybe you’re able to initiate one? I’m not sure. Worst case scenario, I’m cool with email and later text if you want. Just don’t need all my personal info out in front of the whole internet lol

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2923

Just catching up some. TFP, you are definitely a man of action!

Always good to see. :+1:

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2924

Thank you, good sir!

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2925

Ok, Super Friends - I’m watching the turkey roast and I sent the kids to shower, so it’s one for my word vomit.

I took a Unisom two nights in a row and slept like a champ; I wake up feeling hungover, though, which isn’t ideal. Then I didn’t take it last night and slept about 4.5 hours. I don’t feel horrific today, so I guess that’s what I needed.

@Andrewgen_Receptors, my last bloodwork had SHBG (right in the middle of the reference range, 40) and free test (just below the range, 7.8). I am not really trying to do any thinking on this myself yet, but I am having Defy tell me what other labs I need for a consult. I’ll get a little smarter between now and then.

Yesterday I took a day off (which I always feel crazy guilty about, even though I know it’s just work) and played with the kids all day. We went to their mom’s gym and played basketball and jumped on boxes and did rowers and whatever they wanted. I was shocked how well I was moving in the court - who knew it was still in there?? I felt great and thought about showing off squatting, but stuck to our recovery plan and didn’t do that - dedication! I then braved the grocery store for the last minute thanksgiving stuff and my wife and I went out for dinner.

The day before I got to do career day at my son’s school. I talked about the army and surgery and had them put on kit and fire a couple devices. They loved it and he was really happy I went, so that was great.

Our dogs almost ate another dog (he came into their yard, to be fair) a couple weeks ago, so we’ve got them signed up for some training. They’re great with us, but have to break their distractions. We are doing the “pre-training,” which is a bunch of drills, and my daughter loves doing it - she is an animal person through and through.

Today I’m a master chef - this is what we’ve trained for! We’ll eat a giant dinner (I bought thinking my family would join, but they are sick), and then we’ll go see whatever the new Disney movie is.

I’ll probably have a relatively normal workday tomorrow to get back on track. I’ll start thinking through what I’ll do for this next 6-week block, too, and probably play around in the gym.

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends! I, for one, know I have much to cherish.

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