Guess who's back, back again.

Great goals for this year Totz! Hope you get a good uninterrupted shot at them all.

Anything over a 2.5 x bw dead is always a good target to aim for. Standing up with 675lb in your hands will be an awesome moment!

Bugs suck, but you'll be back up to speed soon enough. All the best.
 
"I saw a steroid girl at the gym, that was interesting. Started to familiarize myself with some of their equipment."

Don't let your wife catch you familiarizing yourself with the steroid girl's equipment! ;-)

"Got a good workout though I felt like crap afterwards and almost threw up."

Just like Arnold...
 
Thanks for the comments, guys. This gym tends to make me feel rushed so I'm not resting as much between sets or exercises... so I've come close to hurling again a few times since, but it's getting not as bad, which I assume is improving my conditioning.

Down to 238 lbs again. Still feel fairly strong though I'm still kind of fighting off the cold or whatever it is.

Yeah, 675 will be awesome. It might be a push to hit that this year but I'm going to try... I'm going to go watch a local powerlifting meet where they do squat, bench and deadlift next weekend as long as I don't have to work, they have it there every few months I believe, and I think in March or April there is another one? I might try it out. I really want to get my bench up to 300 first but I figure I might as well get used to all the rules and stuff sooner rather than later.
 
Totentanz said:
I'm going to go watch a local powerlifting meet where they do squat, bench and deadlift next weekend as long as I don't have to work, they have it there every few months I believe, and I think in March or April there is another one? I might try it out. I really want to get my bench up to 300 first but I figure I might as well get used to all the rules and stuff sooner rather than later.
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Be careful with attending the PL meet. It makes you want to compete! Every time I've gone to one I've ended up wishing I had entered -- even with my wussy bench.
 
Inexplicably, I was 242 today when I weighed in?? Not sure what happened. Maybe it's the creatine but I've been on that a while so... I don't know.

Today's workout was kinda short as I was rushed so I minimized rest.

Flat Bench
205 x 12, 10, 8

Pulldown
180 x 12, 10, 8

Rack Pull
445 x 7, 5, 5,

Curl
140 x 10, 8, 7

Tricep Pulldown
80 x 16, 15

I messed around with some dips and machine rows too but nothing special. Most everything is still pretty easy though curls were kinda tough. Arms were pumped afterward, getting very close to 17 when pumped which is a big deal to me since my arms are my worst bodypart.
 
Well, as I expressed in another thread, I've had problems lately with the fact that my fat free mass index is right at about 25. My goal was to cut down the first quarter or so of this year before I begin bulking again. This has been a struggle because my body doesn't seem to want to drop fat without losing more lean mass than I am comfortable with.

I've finally come up with a plan that I've been following for about a month now and it seems to be working. Basically, it is similar to UD2.0 but sort of a bastardized version that does not include depletions. I slip into ketosis easily as it is, and I can't be in that ketosis brain fog for the first half of the week every week, and I can't handle the drowsy feeling I get from the carb load either, due to work. My job demands my mind be sharp all week long, and I have to be very active all day. So... My basic plan has been as such

Mon-Thurs 10 x bodyweight in calories, 2 grams of protein per lb of lean mass, on thursday I increase the carbs slightly in the PM
Fri 15 x bodyweight in calories, 1.5 grams of protein per lb of lean mass with the extra calories in the form of carbs - I take a fair amount of these carbs in the morning for breakfast prior to my workout
Sat 18 x bodyweight in calories, 2 grams of protein per lb of lean mass
Sun 15 x bodyweight in calories, I allow protein to be a it unrestricted on sundays so it ranges from 1 to 2 grams per lb of lean mass

Then the workout...
Mon/Tues 2-3 sets of 10 - 12 reps with a push/pull split
Weds, Thurs cardio
Fri fullbody 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps in the AM
Sat 3 sets of 1-3 reps only squats, deads and bench
Sun cardio

Obviously I am progressing the lifts each week, with the exception of the Saturday workout where I am simply trying to maintain my strength in the core lifts. So far, my strength has been maintaining nicely and I am getting leaner day by day. Weight is dropping very slowly. I know what some of you are thinking... Tot is doing cardio??? I thought his idea of cardio was 15 rep sets of deads. Yes, I am doing cardio. I believe I have a fair amount of visceral adipose tissue for some reason that I am trying to get rid of.

I'm currently down to 230 lbs and I have a somewhat blurry four-pack, so I'm hoping another month or two of this is all that will be necessary before I can start focusing on gaining again.
 
Thanks for the update. I’m at the blurry 4-pack stage headed in the other direction since I’m still bulking, but since that can’t go on forever . . . . I’m also in the same boat as you with more visceral adipose tissue than I care for so I’m following your progress hoping I can learn from what you’re posting.
 
Well I will definitely keep updates coming on how it is going. I might start supplementing with Yohimbine HCL once I get under 10%. I'm at about 16 right now based on my calipers.

In other news, I recently deadlifted 455 for 13 reps which by my calculations means that I should be able to do 600 lbs for a single. I won't be peaking on my single dead for a while still though, like a month or two, so I won't find out for a while whether I can really do it or not.
 
Totentanz said:
In other news, I recently deadlifted 455 for 13 reps which by my calculations means that I should be able to do 600 lbs for a single. I won't be peaking on my single dead for a while still though, like a month or two, so I won't find out for a while whether I can really do it or not.
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That seems to be Wendler's approach to training. His 5/3/1 program calculates 1RMs based on mulitple reps of lower weight. Apparently he's had some success with it.

Congrats on your weight loss. Right now I'm down to one blurry ab...
 
Well I don't think it was too accurate because I attempted 585 on Saturday after pulling 545 for a triple that didn't feel too bad, and I only got the 585 halfway up. I did just do squats the previous day with my 8 rm for 3 sets of 7, so... who knows.

Today was interesting. A bunch of fair sized guys were clustered around a rack, taking turns squatting 135 lbs for sets of 5-6. They were looking at me like I was some kind of freak as I squatted 315 for 2 sets of 12 two racks down. And I'm not even as big of some of those guys were. I'm getting used to it though, it was the same look I was getting on Saturday when I was deadlifting.
 
:)

I had a similar thing happen last week when a dude at my new gym was going on and on about how strong crossfit has made him. I asked how long he had been doing cf, he said since September. I told him that I did crossfit some last year, but it didn't really make me stronger as much as it made me really lean. He scoffed. He started to get mad and told me I must have been doing it wrong. I told him I liked cf and do their metcons here and there to supplement my strength work.

Anyway, we got to work on our 1RM testing and he topped out at 130lbs. He couldn't believe I hit 200lbs when I spent much of our earlier conversation talking about how weak I am. "I thought you said your squat was weak sauce, bro", he chided me later on. I said "it is weak (acting like I didn't see his)." :)
 
I know everyone started somewhere, and I remember back when 135 was a heavy squat for me, but doesn't it make you feel good when someone like that is running their mouth about how strong and powerful they've gotten, then they proceed to lift a fraction of what you do? Haha. I love how many "experts" there are in the gym like that guy, or like this other guy at my gym who watched me deadlift 545 for a triple then proceeded to tell the two guys he was with that some guys load up way too much weight on the deadlift then use too much back when they lift it. I was thinking... seriously? According to this guy, you should feel it mostly in your legs. I didn't bother correcting him. I happen to be a form nazi on deads and squats, so... If you don't feel deads in your traps and erectors then you aren't lifting enough.

Anyway, tooting my own horn aside... 200 lbs is a pretty respectable squat for your weight. I'm sure you'll be at 2 x bodyweight soon enough if you keep at it.
 
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Totentanz said:
I know everyone started somewhere, and I remember back when 135 was a heavy squat for me, but doesn't it make you feel good when someone like that is running their mouth about how strong and powerful they've gotten, then they proceed to lift a fraction of what you do? Haha. I love how many "experts" there are in the gym like that guy, or like this other guy at my gym who watched me deadlift 545 for a triple then proceeded to tell the two guys he was with that some guys load up way too much weight on the deadlift then use too much back when they lift it. I was thinking... seriously? According to this guy, you should feel it mostly in your legs. I didn't bother correcting him. I happen to be a form nazi on deads and squats, so... If you don't feel deads in your traps and erectors then you aren't lifting enough.

Anyway, tooting my own horn aside... 200 lbs is a pretty respectable squat for your weight. I'm sure you'll be at 2 x bodyweight soon enough if you keep at it.
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You bet I'll keep at it - I'm chasing 1.5x BW at the present - next stop 300lbs!

Yeah, I'm not one to judge another man's lifts - but it did feel pretty sweet to have the biggest total in my class. :)
 
After a refeed the last couple days, I'm back up to 235 but my skin folds actually dropped slightly... so not sure what's going on. Bodyfat measures at ~15.5%??? That's crazy. I'm going to wait a few days and check everything again.

Thinking about going in and attempting to pull 585 again today, or maybe 565. I'm feeling pretty good today. I'll post back if it happens.
 
Totentanz said:
After a refeed the last couple days, I'm back up to 235 but my skin folds actually dropped slightly... so not sure what's going on. Bodyfat measures at ~15.5%??? That's crazy. I'm going to wait a few days and check everything again.

Thinking about going in and attempting to pull 585 again today, or maybe 565. I'm feeling pretty good today. I'll post back if it happens.
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I don't care which one you get. It's all nuts to me! 235 @ 15.5% is uber-awesome! Your progress has been outstanding. I trust that means life is a little sweeter right now. You certainly deserve a break.
 
Thanks guys. I have certainly been very happy with my progress since August or so. I have been lucky and haven't gotten really sick like I usually do each year, and so I've been able to stick to my plan strictly for several months now. It's been nice. I didn't attempt any PRs on deadlifts today. I'm going to wait until next week or possibly the week after. When I worked up to 500, it felt heavier than it did last week so I'm not sure I'm recovered from the 585 attempt last week. I did end up doing 500 for a set of 5 but after that I decided to keep the rest in the tank and not push very hard this week so I will hopefully be stronger next week.

I do think that 600 is getting close. Relatively speaking, of course. Maybe even as soon as a few months from now even.
 
230 at 13.9 as of this morning. My weight has been fluctuating a lot within 5 lbs either way of 230, which is weird. But my caliper measurements keep going down, along with my waist and everything else is maintaining, so... according to all my bodyfat measurements I am somehow losing only fat and no muscle. I know calipers aren't foolproof, but I'm happy with how things are going either way.

I tried to take a video of a deadlift from the top with my phone, but it didn't work very well. You can't even see the plates. I will take a better video next week and have someone come with me to take the footage. I look like a dork when I'm trying to get set up for the lift, haha. Anyway, here it is:

 
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Gyms empty, scare 'em off? :)

I've got to get me some straps.

Looks good tho totz! I asked coach if he thought I might be able to hit a big PB with the top-to-bottom DLs and he said we're gonna work with loads lower than max and try to be as fast/explosive as possible on the ascent. But I'm gonna try for a PB a few weeks in regardless. ;-) The biggest improvement I've seen from his programming is in my DL for some reason and I'm eager to exploit that.
 
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