The Pursuit of Mythical Gains

Training Training Logs
1323

4/30-2019

Operation comeback. Here’s my starting point.

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188.4 lbs at 16.9%BF

I think the BF is a little low but going to go with what the Omron tells me.

Stopped by my old meat head gym around the corner from my house and re-upped for a year, went back and lifted with real barbells, lol.

Today’s training:
Squat BWx10, 45x5, 95x5x3
OHP 45x5, 65x5, 75x5x3
BP 45x5, 65x5, 95x5x3
Curls 20x8x3
Tri Push Downs 50x8x3

Obvs, really light weights, but I was shaking post workout - so out of lifting shape.

Plan on running SS for a few weeks, then shifting to 5/3/1 and will see how it goes before deciding whether to get back on TRT or not.

Felt great to get back. Anticipating epic DOMS tomorrow and Thursday, try again on Friday.

6 Likes
1324

Well…? Epic DOMS for Epic COMEBACKS. Welcome back

1 Like
1325

You’re looking pretty decent, you know.

1326

Thanks brother. I was 180 before I went on break, ate a lot of donuts and shit food and just felt sluggish. I feel like I qualify for the DYEL question.

However, I do see some muscle under the flab and I think it will come back quickly. I want the shoulders and the abs again for summer - just being honest.

Especially since I am single.

3 Likes
1327

Honesty is good, especially to oneself.

1328

Reader no ## back on track.
We are some dudes that follow along, I’ve been busy like shit lately and thought I’ve missed out for long, which I have, BUT you’ve been away for 2 weeks or so.
Love your log My Mythical Friend. Sorry to see that you bailed on the yoga teacher thing.
You are for sure still doing some yoga right?
And you are in for some DOMS I’m certain.

1 Like
1329

Yes, still every morning for at least half an hour to get my shit centered. I think Kundalini has a lot to offer, but it also has a lot of baggage and I just didn’t want to be a part of that scam. I believe in yoga as a means to connect mind, body and spirit, just not going to drink the Kool-Aid, lol.

Haven’t posted in a few weeks, but have been out of the regular gym routine for months. That, combined with being off the juice, has me skinny fat and I don’t like it. Testosterone really helps with recovery, it seems to me, and so I expected DOMS despite the slow re-entry, and sure as shit, I’m very sore today, and expect tomorrow will be worse.

However, I got my son to the gym today for the first time and it was great. He’s a bit of a couch potato, into video games, robots, and Marvel Universe, so very out of shape. But he wants to be jacked like his dad (was) and his uncle and cousin are, so he was up for going.

He’s twelve, wicked smart, and loves to play with words, so we had a long discussion on the nuances of terms like swole, jacked, ripped, and shredded. I also taught him how to be a true lifter - spread your shit out everywhere, talk for long periods between sets, flex after curling, all of the good gym culture and he loved it. Stopped at the store on the way home and got some protein drinks, Muscle Milk, and I explained how he only has fifteen minutes of an anabolic window or he will lose all of his gainzzz. He loved it, we’re going back Friday and I will teach him the importance of curling in the squat rack.

I’m probably doing it wrong but we’re just going to do SS with curls and TPD’s for now. We’ll throw in some sit ups and cardio next week. He couldn’t squat without his heels coming off the ground, guessing that’s flexibility so will do some yoga and stretching with him as well. If I’m wrong about that, feel free to make recommendations, anyone.

He’s really into science so I explained the stress, recovery, adaptation, why we get stronger and consequently bigger, macros, etc… and he soaked it up. He actually already knew about protein, carbs, and lipids from a science class, so he was excited to have a practical application.

Very excited to get him into the gym, he’s wanted to go for a while but has to be thirteen to go to the box gym, so when I signed up for the meathead gym again, I had to bring him.

True dat, but difficult as well, lol.

2 Likes
1330

That made me laugh :slight_smile:

You sure are doing the right thing.

About squatting let him do some light goblet squats with a pause in the hole.
Remember to teach him to say “how much do ya bench bro” and in the same sentence “I’ve benched 405, but injured my shoulder”

As long as you’re having a good time do not push him, make it fun, have some good laughs and just relax together.
Dad - son time is crucial.

3 Likes
1331

5-8-2019

Squat 5x3x105, OHP 5x3x85, BP 5x3x105
Curls, TPD’s 8x3 and 10x3

Did some stretching as well because my boy seems a little inflexible. Took me nine days to get over DOMS and find a day I could get my son back in the gym with me - worth the wait.

SON: So every time I go to the gym I get chocolate milk or a candy bar?
ME: It’s a protein bar, not a candy bar. Last time it was a protein shake, not chocolate milk.
SON: Whatever. I’m in.

2 Likes
1332

You just say yeah you’ll get a candy bar or chocolate milk but only when you train :slight_smile:
that’s motivation, good stuff.

1333

Honestly, and I’m always a little surprised by this, I think the kid would get a root canal if I was getting one.

He’s a smart kid, loves word games, so he loves the whole word play with swole patrol, the nuanced differences between getting jacked, ripped, shredded, and diced, and giggles about the silliness of the anabolic window.

I have a high threshold for humor, I think, except am a sucker for silliness, but this kid has me laughing all the time.

He’s a little bit round right now, but hasn’t hit puberty, sits around playing videos all day, hardly ever goes outside, so the gym is a good way for us to spend time together. I know keeping it fun is the most important thing.

During post workout stretching, I slipped in a few yoga asanas on him. When we got done, I asked him if he felt enlightened yet, told him I snuck in some yoga moves, and he said, “Not really enlightened, but have a hankering for some Indian food.”

5 Likes
1334

Brillant, smart kiddo :slight_smile:

1335

5-11-2019

Woke about 4:30 AM, did 45 minutes of yoga, met up with Russ and Metal for breakfast - they invited this other cat named David over and I was all jealous and shit, but got over it fast.

We ate, coffeed, was good, then David showed. I was all prepped to be pissed and he turns out to be a gay man in his late fifties, lol.

Headed to hang out with The Boy, we decided to watch Ironman but I had to vacuum the pool and clean the filter first.

The skimmer broke in half - literally in half.

I couldn’t get the screws out so I called my soon to be ex brother in law and he came over and we spent another two hours fucking around with that - me freezing in the pool.

Great day, lol.

3 Likes
1336

5-13-2019

SQ 125x5x3, BP 120x5x3, BPA’s 15x4, Narrow grip BB 45x10, regular grip BB 45x10, hammer DB 15x10

Recovery is getting better, less sore, able to lift again sooner. Not sure WTF I’m doing - feels like the illegitimate child of SS and 5/3/1. Hope to squat and OHP on Wednesday, adding weight each time, rinse, repeat. Will probably go straight 5/3/1 next week.

5 Likes
1337

5-15-2019

SQ 135x5x3, OHP 85x5x3, BPA’s 15x4, Lat PD’s 80x6x3, Curls and TPD’s - splaining to come.

Read something in the articles about chasing the pump for arms, so I’m doing ten narrow grip, ten regular grip, ten hammer curls, no rest.

Same with TPD’s - ten with straight bar, ten with drop bar, ten with rope.

Brought The Boy with me, he loved the pump from the curls and TPD’s. finished off with some stretching.

Just adding reps for him. He has trouble squatting, probably a shitty teacher, but his heels come up and he can’t seem to get sat down. I think it’s a weakness, but not sure if it’s quads or hams - thoughts? I’ll take a video next time.

Felt good to get back within 48 hours.

I have gained eleven pounds in the last three weeks, up to 192 this morning. I’m back on TRT and creatine for the last two weeks, diet hasn’t changed much, so I assume it’s water. Actually look better, probably all in my head.

2 Likes
1338

I’d check his ankle mobility first, but if it’s not that he may overuse his quads to squat if he’s up on his toes a bit…

2 Likes
1339

He’s very flexible, I was totally wrong when I mentioned this earlier. Also, knees come way out over his toes. I’m sure it’s a combination of him getting the concept/feeling and some weakness/imbalance.

Found this vid.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

1340

Perhaps a box or teach him to squat off a bench, with the cue to sit back, or poke his butt backwards. If his hips aren’t too tight you could mess around with a less vertical torso and that might help. I’d tell him his weight should be centered somewhere in the mid-foot at all times, so his heels or toes shouldn’t some up. There are other cues, like “screw your feel into the floor,” to engage ankle stabilizers…

1341

Nice. I shared with my PE teacher friend and she recommended box squats as well, along with spreading his chest and chin up.

Think we got it solved…for now, lol.

1 Like
1342

Don’t give him cues or anything tell him to squat all the way down and sit with his butt almost on the ground, most kids can do that.
It is a very basic movement pattern.

You could try to give him a KB or DB to hold for the goblet squat.

And the box could be good as well.