@Moonflower well played. Take the high line.
FWIW what you call your hinging lifts in your log is your business.
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I wish he would stay out of your log. This is my happy place. 
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I donāt like to stoop too low, even when itās really tempting. 
And I guess sometimes I just really like to throw in some drop down menus and memes. 
And yeah, I thought it was funny that got brought up again. Like I already explained that yes, itās technically off a low block but thatās the setup I have that I can actually use, so thatās that. Beats not doing them at all! And the results eventually come. 
Thatās why Iām a bit tougher when people decide to roll in here and make this not a happy place. Canāt have Beth having to read through a bunch of drama before we get to the dayās workout, no? #Priorities
On a slightly unrelated note, I was reading your thoughts about politics on here. It goes in waves, sometimes you get a phase where a lot of threads get a lot more political and then it fades again. I just donāt bit down on anything politics, even when I have clear opinions I could share. I just tend to ignore it save on rare occasions, and it cuts out a lot of unnecessary drama in my online life. Now, donāt get me wrong, I definitely talk politics with my friends and loved ones who know me by name and I see in real life, but on the internet with people who donāt know me as well? Pass. It helps keep me more focused on stuff that I care about that actually matters. Maybe my thoughts help give you a little bit of fresh perspective, maybe Iām just rambling to myself. 
No worries either way!
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As long as you realize that this thread is all about my happiness. 
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1/10/26 - Pull + Triceps
Weighted Pull Up +38 lbs. chains - 90 x 1, 45 x 10, 45 x 9
Small Mag Grip Cable Inverted Row - 195 x 12, 195 x 12
Seated Cable Row (Straight Bar) - 180 x 10, 10 x 10
Cable Pushdown (Tricep Strap) - 60 x 7, 55 x 10
Unilateral Rope Cable Overhead Extension - 20 x 9, 20 x 9
Summary
Great night workout, started off strong with a solid max on pull ups. Adding so much chains really changes the strength curve in a fun way and makes me so much weaker at the top than regular pull ups. Got to build up that weak point though! Rows were great, the cable tower stays put so well now and Iām so happy with it, the seated rows were amazing. Couple PRs on rows, which was awesome.
Isolations featured two new able attachments, the single rope which was fabulous and the Bells of Steel tricep strap, which was really different than anything Iāve done before. Felt really good once I got the hang of it!
Solid workout, solid pump!
Today Iāve been fighting an iffy stomach all day so I donāt know what tomorrow holds as far as workouts go. We shall see.
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Oh yes, with every workout I end with āwould my Internet mom be proud of my effort when she reads about this later in the thread solely dedicated to her happiness?ā 
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Thatās what I like to hear Champ! Now go clean your room.
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Ok so youāre not gonna believe whatās legit been on my todo list for like a month nowā¦ 
may or may not be something similar to straightening up the bedroom haha
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A mother always knows.
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Man we need a laugh reaction so bad right now. Wouldāve used it a few times today already lol
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Side note: That tiny print is almost too small for me to read even with my cheaters. Lol. I have old eyes.
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1/12/26 - Legs
Sumo Deadlift - 425 x 1
Back Squats - 225 x 8, 225 x 8
Unilateral Standing Cable Calf Raise - 90 x 11, 90 x 11
Unilateral Lying Cable Hamstring Curls (Facing Away) - 25 x 13, 25 x 13
Original Barbell Hack Squat - 85 x 11, 85 x 11
Summary
Wasnāt able to squeeze in shrugs or any hinging volume but the rest of this one was fantastic. Started off with a really nice sumo deadlift singleā¦I know thereās the whole āsumo is cheatingā meme but I wanted something that was heavier on the bottom of the movement. Iāve noticed recently if I can get a deadlift off the ground Iām always good, if itās a no lift it wonāt even budge. Itās like the thinking goes about how you fail a lift because you were too weak at your weakest part of the range of motion, hence the necessity to strengthen your weakest link. So sumo seemed perfect, and I was happy with the effort ramping up to the top single.
Kicked off the rest of the volume work with regular old squats, and this was the first Iāve been able to try out my new squat ramps. They were a bit more humblingā¦it made everything seem harder. I lost a few reps on both sets BUT I was able to hit depth so much better! It felt really nice and I think Iām going to be using my ramps as a default moving forward for pretty much all of my squats as I work to build my squat up, trying to make my squats as squatty as possible and my hinges as hingey as possible right now. I think next leg day Iāll be maxing out on Zercher squats, something with a lower absolute load as Iām still working on pushing myself hard on heavy squats.
I also used turned the ramps backwards and used them for my calf raises, which will also probably be my default moving forward as well. The lack of range of motion on the floor (and axial loading and fatigue) is why I havenāt done barbell calf raises on the floor in a hot minute, so I think I might do those in the near future again as well.
Hit hamstrings for the first time in a bitā¦yeah I know. Leg days the past few weeks have been pretty rushed and stuff has fallen through the cracks, trying to get things back to the volume it needs to be. Did the lying ham cable curls for the first time in a while (basically a dumbbell hamstring curl with a cable) and that is probably one of my favorite hamstring isolations, my hams were cramped and sore right after those sets! Felt great.
Quads were pumped, hamstrings, cramped, solid deadlift progress, what more could you ask for out of a leg day?
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You thought about employing a deficit on your deadlifts? I just stand on a bumper plate to get my deficit.
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I totally would, I just donāt know how I would set it up with my crash pads, especially considering I donāt own bumper plates. Iāve considered standing on a 12" plyo box but Iām not sure if thatās too much of a deficit and Iām not sure if a plyo box makes the bar path awkward or not.
Not sure RE the crash pads, Iād guess set the elevation up in between the pads and then just lift as normal? Obviously the pads make it less deficit-y, but cāest la vie, deadlift height is arbitrary anyway.
Another thing Iāve used in my gym was concrete blocks (we have a 4 inch block in the UK, not sure if thatās an option where you are).
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So I just spent ten minutes Googling/YouTubing this and comparing with how I could actually set this up. My crash pads add six inches off the floor and I would have to stand on a 12 inch plyo box to do this, which is possible even if a six inch deficit is a little steep. (I think, after some more quick Googling, that a six inch deficit would be about the same deficit as two and a half 20 kg bumper plates on the actual floor.) Do you have experience with that amount of deficit? Most deficits that Iāve seen up to this point are 2-4 inches or so.
TL;DR, it might be possibleā¦start out light, watch my lower back and keep the form tight, and see how it goes?
I think the largest deficit Iāve used was 4 inch, and Iād say 2 is about the sweet spot for me, obviously itās all unique with leverage but Iād guess 6 inch wouldnāt feel great. Mind you lifting sandbags probably sets you up in a far bigger ādeficitā and Iāve not injured myself on them (but maximum weight lifted in sandbags is more limited).
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Hmmā¦I have no idea what my leverages might be regarding optimal deficit height. Iām game to try it, a deficit is a deficit though, right? The leg day after next when I max out on deadlifts again Iāll give it a shot! Def going to be careful to not wreck myself but Iām game.
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1/14/26 - Push + Biceps
Cambered Swiss Bar Bench - 225 x 11, 225 x 9
Dumbbell Lateral Raises - 15 x 12, 15 x 12
Paused Weighted Decline Push Ups - 90 x 9, 90 x 9
Dumbbell Hammer Curls - 40 x 12, 40 x 12
Straight Bar Cable Floor Curl - 65 x 9, 65 x 9
EZ Bar Spider Curl - 70 x 12, 70 x 12
Summary
Great lift today, chest pump was amazing. Been a minute since I remember having one that good, I think it was due to using the cambered Swiss bar. Iāve kept it out of the rotation recently since itās harder in the stretch but I really like the grip and it feels great on my shoulders so I let it rip today. Felt happy with it, especially considering my numbers from today on a bar thatās harder than a standard flat bench.
Rest of the workout was good, nothing to write home about. Iām working overnight 12-hour shifts the rest of the week so Iām not sure how thatās going to impact my recovery but Iāll take what I can get lol.
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that is a ripper bench!
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