He also lifts like a million pounds every day, so not a fair comparison.
Oddly, under the top-down lights at the gym when I get a good pump on, I look like a gladiator with a bit too much side flab. But that confidence disappears quickly, and I am back to looking like a fat old slob.
Yep itās amazing what good lighting a good pump and a well fitting vest can do for your look. Then wake up the next morning and itās like you aged 15 years overnight !
Mate I just got back from vacation and the wife and I spent most of our time people watching and realising just how shabby the general population is starting to look.
I stopped competing with the general public many years ago, for the reasons you allude to. I am really competing with myself most of the time. And sometimes you bitches. And time.
Anyway, feeling pretty drag ass today. Think it is because of the pulling yesterday on top of the 2nd Covid shot. So kept the reps low on everything and did a combined squat/dead session.
Barbell Squat
Barbell Deadlift
Even so, managed a decent squat at 140, and a slow but sure dead at 190. Will update my earlier post.
Thats still some solid work mate. How close to max is that 140?
Dunno. It was a tad easier than I thought. Squats are weird, thoughā¦that could be close to my max today, but I might be repping it in a few weeks. Have spent most of the last two months doing sub-maximal repping, so the body needs to adjust.
Where is that compared to an all time PB?
I can neither confirm nor deny that Iām looking for a target to aim for.
Itās balls. All time I think is 170. Did 165 last fall.
140 is the number i consider ābare minimumā for being in good squat shape. So thereās a target for you.
Those all seem like good targets. Iāll let you know when Iām getting close so you have fair warning to get better.
Itās too easy to feel good about oneself relative to the general public nowadays.
I reckon with your natural ability for fairly heavy high rep squats, you could probably convert that to some pretty good 1RMs with enough practice.
Thats the plan. A few more cycles of high rep accumulation work, then slowly āpeakā for a heavy max around Christmas time. Iām aiming for the upper end of your target range.
Whilst I somewhat agree with this, and by that I mean getting stronger at higher reps should also translate into a bigger 1RM. I also have found that it isnāt always that straight forward. For me more volume at lower reps higher weights seems to have a much better impact on my strength. @dagill2 If you are planning to build slowly for a peak then there is plenty of time for some lower rep work later in the year.
Yeah, that is actually what I think as well, I just wasnāt being as specific. I donāt have the same deliberate approach that you do, but any time I want to āconvertā my repping strength, it requires me to actually put heavy weight on the bar and lower the reps. It takes time, of course, but the high repping ability carries over pretty well.
A better than average day today. Probably just the results of the last two months of hard work combined with a few days of easy lifting and almost no fatigue accumulation.
Bumped up the TM on both decline and incline by 5 kilo, but did no backoff sets (deload, duh).
Decline Barbell Bench Press
Barbell Incline Bench Press
Muscle-Up
Even just managed 7 MUs, although the last one was the kind where one arm transitions and you are stuck hanging there until you get the other one to transition. Humiliating, obviously.
How many gymgoers pointed and laughed at you?
Probably several, I didnāt notice whilst my head was hung in shame.
Push press day. Wanted a triple on the topset, but lost power and focus, ultimately failing about halfway up. A bit disappointed about that, but the last two sets made up for it a little bit. Good day overall. Also ran a mile, like a kook.
Push Press
Seated Barbell Press Behind Neck
Damn, you crazy man.