First it was the pressing. I could live with that. But now he’s creeping into the only lift I’m good at and that’s just not going to work for me…
4 Likes
Ugh, today I was thinking to start a transition over to focusing on inclines instead of flat, but instead everything was shitty and terrible.
On the other hand, my wife is talking me out of losing weight, so I am putting that on hold indefinitely.
Afternoon Workout
Sunday, 25 January 2026 at 14.16
Bench Press (Barbell)
Set 1: 50 kg × 5
Set 2: 60 kg × 5
Set 3: 75 kg × 5
Set 4: 90 kg × 3
Set 5: 100 kg × 3
Set 6: 110 kg × 1
Set 7: 125 kg × 1
Incline Bench Press (Barbell)
Set 1: 45 kg × 5
Set 2: 55 kg × 5
Set 3: 70 kg × 5
Set 4: 82,5 kg × 3
Set 5: 95 kg × 3
Set 6: 105 kg × 1
Set 7: 90 kg × 10
Set 8: 60 kg × 20
https://link.strong.app/goujqwqo
2 Likes
What’s the argument? You look good/better now? You’re no fun to be around when you cut? Lots of valid reasons; just curious which one she’s throwing at you.
2 Likes
She likes the way I look when I am “big” like this. It’s pretty simple.
4 Likes
Hey, if health markers are good and you feel good, why change it?
3 Likes
@Cyrrex I figured it would be this. You seem like you might be grumpy when hungry. 
3 Likes
You got that right. I am getting grumpy just thinking about being hungry.
4 Likes
no wonder we get along so well.
1 Like
Yesterday I took my 14 year-old to train for the first time, officially. I had taken him once about 6 months ago, and it was a mistake…he wasn’t ready. He seems to be now, but time will tell if he can stick with it.
Anyway, taught him some basics about pressing, deadlifting (which I won’t have him doing much of) and bench. Today will be about squats, which I think will be challenging to get him to do regularly. But I want him to know the movement and why people do it.
5 Likes
This is awesome! We’ve had our boys in the gym since they were little. Their interest waxes and wanes. They are both getting more into it now since they are in athletic weight lifting at school. Getting a bit more serious about it. But I think the early exposure with their dad and I made them more comfortable to participate. It’s fantastic that you are inviting your child to be a part of it.
4 Likes
It’s a valuable tool and the hip hinge with a neutral spine is needed for so many exercises. There are some boys in my weight training classes who have no idea how to flatten their back (neutral spine) and it’s an adventure trying to teach it. But I can’t just say “This exercise isn’t for you” because they need to be able to do it on bent-over rows, RDLs, cleans, etc.
It’s definitely worth teaching/learning, but I understand not making it a focus after that.
My 9 year old has horrible proportions for squats but he does them like a champ. Poor guy doesn’t know he’s not built for them yet. Long femurs and long tibias/fibulas are not good for squatting.
4 Likes
Yeah, my aim here is to get him to do the deadlifts properly and explain the overall benefits of it. I just don’t want him doing tons of it in the early going, especially when his ego is ahead of his actual ability.
Anyway, we squatted today. He did fine, his mechanics were better than I thought they would be for a first session. He is turning out to be surprisingly teachable. Then again, my two other boys were also naturals at this stuff.
He was convinced before today that squats were very “lame” and everybody doing them looked “lame”. I could see his mind change as I continued putting weight on my own bar.
Did some jumps for warmup first.
Afternoon Workout
Tuesday, 27 January 2026 at 15.01
Box Jump
Set 1: 5 reps
Set 2: 5 reps
Set 3: 5 reps
Set 4: 5 reps
Set 5: 5 reps
Squat (Barbell)
Set 1: 60 kg × 5
Set 2: 80 kg × 5
Set 3: 100 kg × 5
Set 4: 120 kg × 3
Set 5: 140 kg × 3
Set 6: 160 kg × 1
Set 7: 170 kg × 1
Set 8: 180 kg × 1
Set 9: 10 kg × 10
https://link.strong.app/gatqoitq
6 Likes
Yesterday was press day. Showed the boy the basics a couple days ago, but today was the real thing, and I made him do everything I did. He continues to impress me, and he’ll be passing up a bunch of grown ass men in no time.
My stuff was just basic whatever, as follows.
Afternoon Workout
Wednesday, 28 January 2026 at 15.34
Overhead Press (Barbell)
Set 1: 40 kg × 5
Set 2: 50 kg × 5
Set 3: 60 kg × 5
Set 4: 70 kg × 3
Set 5: 80 kg × 3
Set 6: 90 kg × 1
Set 7: 100 kg × 3
Seated Overhead Press (Dumbbell)
Set 1: 18 kg × 6
Set 2: 22 kg × 6
Set 3: 28 kg × 6
Set 4: 32 kg × 6
Set 5: 36 kg × 6
Set 6: 42 kg × 10
Set 7: 42 kg × 10
https://link.strong.app/ytynfbwb
4 Likes
Some pulling stuff yesterday. More experimentation to find better ways for my left elbow to deal with the pull-ups, and it seems a possible solution is to simply not contract so much at the top…instead of making sure my full chin goes over, I just make sure my eyeballs do. So the angle of my elbow joint simply doesn’t contract quite as much, which doesn’t seem too important for the movement anyway.
What I am saying is that the extra inch or two at the top seems to be causing all the pain.
Anyway, it was quite a bit less painful. Let’s see what happens longer term, would be nice to get back to something halfway respectable.
Afternoon Workout
Thursday, 29 January 2026 at 15.16
Pull Up
Set 1: 5 reps
Set 2: 6 reps
Set 3: 7 reps
Set 4: 8 reps
Set 5: 9 reps
Set 6: 10 reps
Set 7: 3 reps
Iso-Lateral Row (Machine)
Set 1: 50 kg × 10
Set 2: 90 kg × 10
Set 3: 130 kg × 10
Set 4: 150 kg × 10
Set 5: 130 kg × 10
Set 6: 130 kg × 10
https://link.strong.app/htihvedp
3 Likes
I’m now picturing you as a gopher.
An extra inch or two can be far more painful than people would think.
3 Likes
Yesterday was chest day. First one for the boy. He did good.
I did okay. Felt strong, but normally I would do these in the opposite order.
Afternoon Workout
Friday, 30 January 2026 at 15.03
Incline Bench Press (Barbell)
Set 1: 40 kg × 5
Set 2: 55 kg × 5
Set 3: 70 kg × 5
Set 4: 80 kg × 3
Set 5: 90 kg × 3
Set 6: 100 kg × 1
Set 7: 110 kg × 1
Set 8: 115 kg × 1
Bench Press (Barbell)
Set 1: 50 kg × 5
Set 2: 60 kg × 5
Set 3: 75 kg × 5
Set 4: 90 kg × 3
Set 5: 100 kg × 3
Set 6: 110 kg × 1
Set 7: 120 kg × 3
https://link.strong.app/hgizhpkv
4 Likes
Training your teenage son to beat me, that’s just cruel!
4 Likes
It is his way.
2 Likes
Deadlifts today, with some jumps for warmup. Not bad, not great.
Afternoon Workout
Saturday, 31 January 2026 at 14.25
Box Jump
Set 1: 5 reps
Set 2: 5 reps
Set 3: 5 reps
Set 4: 3 reps
Set 5: 3 reps
Set 6: 2 reps
Deadlift (Barbell)
Set 1: 60 kg × 5
Set 2: 80 kg × 5
Set 3: 100 kg × 3
Set 4: 120 kg × 2
Set 5: 140 kg × 2
Set 6: 160 kg × 1
Set 7: 180 kg × 1
Set 8: 200 kg × 3
https://link.strong.app/sjtbnaod
5 Likes
That’s a very decent top set.