I’ve returned after some absence. There was no particular reason for it, just a bunch of life stressors: injuries, stress from work, bit of love-hate relationship with training that sort of made me fall out of love with it. First time I ever lost that spark with training, and it scared the shit out of me. Definitely something I took for granted, a feeling of undying fearlessness and passion. Sort of wanes with the times and I think it’s a wonderful ode to living and dying. Have to accept it for what it is and move on, else we stagnate.
Anyway, I am back because I acquired a desire to start logging again, which seems to have coincided with my rekindled joy for training/dieting. Am I going to compete again? Fuck yeah! Am I weak as fuck right now? Yeah!
Those who followed me know I was coached by Travis Ortmayer but I recently let go of that prospect for a short time to find my composure again and get some solid footing alone. I will certainly rejoin with him when the time is right. For now I have to build some strength on my own.
29 years old
210-215lbs (previously around 225-235lbs but I do not hold weight like I used to)
5’9"
Current Personal Records (as of 5/30/23):
400 Bench
640 Conventional DL, 675 Sumo
500 Front Squat
380 Push Press
315x2 Strict Press
350 Log (out of rack)
340 Log Clean & Press
335 Axle Clean and Press
@Koestrizer Missed you too man! Glad you’re around!
@simo74 Thanks my friend. Yeah I have three different accounts here and I end up getting locked out of all of them at some point. I’ll have to come up with cool variants of my screen name soon haha.
First day having preworkout in years and holy shit did I feel like I was going to explode.
Deadlifts
135x3,3
225x3
315x3
405x2
455x1
475x4 felt pretty meh, belt on too tight
475x4 loosened belt and these felt significantly better. Probably had 6-7 to failure on this set. Used a more head down and rounded upper back. Seems to help with speed off the floor and that’s basically my achilles heel.
5/31/23
Front Squats
135x3,3,3
185x2
225x2
275x3
325x8
325x8
325x8 hard as shit. back is ouchies from this, havent pushed this hard on fronts in a while. Been working slowly upwards with front squats over the last 4 weeks.
Good Mornings
135x15
135x15
135x15 slow tempo, bit irritating of the back
Lunge (reps per leg)
40’s x 12
55’s x 8
55’s x 8
40’s x 8
BW x 15ish
My overhead has really taken a hit since losing weight. Squat and deadlift are about the same with deadlift actually seeming to benefit from the weight loss. For those who do not know, I typically floated from 220-240 from 2012-2022. I dieted reasonably hard (harder than ever with serious carb limiting) and it seemed to have completely changed my body and it’s method of holding weight. It’s hard to get to 220 these days and I seem to wanna stay around 212-215.
Strict Overhead Press
45x8,3 my first set of 8 are slow and controlled, the second set of 3 are fast and explosive
135x3,3 same warmup technique as above
185x2
205x6 hard
205x6 very hard
205x6 widened my grip and it seemed to have seriously helped. I find a wider grip is slower off the chest but easier to lock out. You’d think it would be opposite, but with a wider grip, you can access your upper chest and front delts longer towards lockout due to biomechanics, but have less tightness and triceps off the bottom.
205x6
drop set
185x3
155x5
135x7
If I can get sets of 5’s, or even 6’s with 225, I’ll be back in 300lb strict territory, which would be a huge bodyweight PR.
Incline Bench Press
135x5
185x6
185x6
185x6
185x6
Skullcrushers
45x15
95x6
95x6
95x6
65x12
Paused DB Rows (3 second at top)
100x8
100x8
100x8
100x20 (no pause)
Deadlifts (straps)
135x3,3
225x3
315x3
belt on
405x2 feels horrible
405x3 still not great
405x10 this was very hard, probably could havefought for 11 or 12.
Plan was 495 for doubles but I think I am a bit overfed from breakfast+a little beat up.
Front Squat
135x6,5,5
185x10
235x10
285x12
GMs
135x10
135x10
185x8
185x8
185x8
135x12
Lunge
bwx10
40x10
55x10
55x10
I realize now the problem, too much sodium haha. I have no veins and my head hurts in a particular spot I am aware of when i have too much sodium. I’ll test my BP to see just how bad it is.
6/13/23 - bw 214. Was feeling really good about this session. Could not wait to get after it. Today was the first day I front squatted 365 in a very long time.
Front Squat
135x3,3,3
185x3
225x2
275x2
325x1
belt on
365x5
365x5
365x5 woo! felt great. Not failure but close to it.
Probably capable of 425-435 for a max single right now. I did 365x12 on front squat before I did 500 for a single. I think I can probably crank out 8@365 right now in one set. I use reps as my gauge a lot.
I used mk677 for the first time last year, around when I pushed my log to 350lb/160kg. It works very well. Very noticeable within the first day you use it. Definitely recommend trying if you’re willing to do the research. I will say, the implications on IGF-1 markers is a bit worrying depending on how you interpret IGF-1 on cancer relationship.
All in all, Travis even recommended I use it when I first started with him. The changes to sleep are noticeable but nothing that would cure insomnia like I hoped haha. It makes you insatiably hungry in the first few days due to ghrelin surges.
Biggest change for me is retaining of intramuscular fluids. You really retain water and size in the muscle bellys. Truthfully, it never made me feel outside of my natural capabilities. I just feel like it gives you a buffer.
BPC-157 I used in pill form in 2019 thereabouts. I can’t say much good about it as I tore my bicep on the 8th or 9th week on it lmao. Probably incidental though!
Thanks mate really appreciate the time to respond. I was thinking the 157 might help with my knee tendon issue but very undecided about this vodoo stuff. LOL
Deadlifts (conventional with figure eights)
135x3,3
185x3,3 feeling really good so had to make sure it was for real
225x3
Belt on
315x2
365x2
415x4 feeling like I can do 20 here!
415x4
415x4
415x4 super conservative and so pleased. Technique wise I am closer stance and really exploding out of bottom instead of slowly building tension. I am not jerking the bar though.
Front squat
135x8
185x3,3
235x1
255x12
255x12 torture
255x12 easier. Tunnel vision second wind, my old friend.
GM/split squat superset (kept very light)
135x10/50x10 x 3 rounds
