Hardartery - Recreational Outrage

[MarkKO]

I mean, it can't hurt too much to try...

[Hardartery]

I mean, it can't hurt too much to try...

Hooper talked about using a more squat style DL, which he was getting from Luke Richardson's videos, which is also Eddie Hall's style. I don't care much for Hall, but I am willing to give a go to something that might bump my DL.

[MarkKO]

I mean, it can't hurt too much to try...

Hooper talked about using a more squat style DL, which he was getting from Luke Richardson's videos, which is also Eddie Hall's style. I don't care much for Hall, but I am willing to give a go to something that might bump my DL.

Hall is a tiresome individual, but he is also a good deadlifter.

[Hardartery]

I mean, it can't hurt too much to try...

Hooper talked about using a more squat style DL, which he was getting from Luke Richardson's videos, which is also Eddie Hall's style. I don't care much for Hall, but I am willing to give a go to something that might bump my DL.

Hall is a tiresome individual, but he is also a good deadlifter.

I feel like he's still that little kid yelling "Look at me, look at me" to his parents, except somehow he's yelling it at all of us. Maybe he just needs some counseling or something.

[Hardartery]

Tuesday 3/28/23
Squats
bar x 3
135 x 3
225 x 3
315 x 3
405 x 3
425 x 3
445 x 2
425 x 3
405 x 4
My knees were absolutely screaming with the bar and 135. I sat on the floor and stretched the groin groin muscles and they felt better, so I kept stretching between sets. They finally felt good on the first set with 425.

Front Squats
265 x 3, 1
The bar started rolling on the second set and I was just using the cross arm BB style grip, and my thumbs weren't around the bar so all I could do was rack it. Cheap bar + random weights can equal trouble sometimes. Whatever, the squats weren't bad and I absolutely had sets of 3-4 if I wanted to push - but I don't because I am not convinced that they are even particularly useful for me right now.

Bad Girl
stack x 10 x 2 sets

Good Girl
stack x 10 x 2 sets

I have no idea what the two warmup sets for those were, just random weights to see how it felt. Pretty sure I've never actually used either one of those machine before in my life, but the tightness in the groin makes me think I have an issue to address there. Maybe not, maybe I just need to stretch more. The main thing is that I went upstairs to use those machines, and I had not been up there since around 2017 or maybe 2018. That's where all of the booty machines are, and the ab boards, and the angled back raise and glute ham, and about 8 Spin bikes. It is also hotter than Satan's butthole up there. It felt like I was walking into a refrigerator when I went back downstairs, and the downstairs is somewhere between 95 and 110 F (I'm guessing 35-45 C). I felt like I was risking heat stroke if I stayed up there much more.

[MarkKO]

Tuesday 3/28/23
Squats
bar x 3
135 x 3
225 x 3
315 x 3
405 x 3
425 x 3
445 x 2
425 x 3
405 x 4
My knees were absolutely screaming with the bar and 135. I sat on the floor and stretched the groin groin muscles and they felt better, so I kept stretching between sets. They finally felt good on the first set with 425.

Front Squats
265 x 3, 1
The bar started rolling on the second set and I was just using the cross arm BB style grip, and my thumbs weren't around the bar so all I could do was rack it. Cheap bar + random weights can equal trouble sometimes. Whatever, the squats weren't bad and I absolutely had sets of 3-4 if I wanted to push - but I don't because I am not convinced that they are even particularly useful for me right now.

Bad Girl
stack x 10 x 2 sets

Good Girl
stack x 10 x 2 sets

I have no idea what the two warmup sets for those were, just random weights to see how it felt. Pretty sure I've never actually used either one of those machine before in my life, but the tightness in the groin makes me think I have an issue to address there. Maybe not, maybe I just need to stretch more. The main thing is that I went upstairs to use those machines, and I had not been up there since around 2017 or maybe 2018. That's where all of the booty machines are, and the ab boards, and the angled back raise and glute ham, and about 8 Spin bikes. It is also hotter than Satan's butthole up there. It felt like I was walking into a refrigerator when I went back downstairs, and the downstairs is somewhere between 95 and 110 F (I'm guessing 35-45 C). I felt like I was risking heat stroke if I stayed up there much more.

Funnily enough, my mate and I were discussing the vagaries of front squats and he came up with the idea of wrapping figure nine straps around the bar and then tying the ends together. That gets looped behind the neck. I had a go with the empty bar and it absolutely holds the bar in place.

Maybe worth a shot for you?

[Hardartery]

Thursday 3/30/23
Incline Bench
135 x 5
225 x 5
265 x 5
275 x 4, 3
265 x 4
225 x 4

Side Raises
65 x 11 x 4 sets
65 x 7

Cross Body Curls - DB - palms up
65 x 7, 5
Stopped at 5 on the second set, the tweaked left bicep did something very tweaky so I just stopped. Something is definitely a little off in there so I'm going to just have to play things by ear for a while with it.

French Press - adjustable cable
130 x 15
150 x 12
160 (The stack) x 10 x 2
160 x 7

Pec Dec machine - plate loaded
90 x 15
180 x 3 - stopped because the bicep was being whiny.

[Hardartery]

Monday 4/3/23

DL - conventional like a real man**
225 x 5 - DOH
315 x 3
405 x 3
495 x 2 - mixed grip
545 x 5 x 2 - straps
545 x 1 + 5 Dimel reps

First the debrief. I have been dodging this session for at least 2 days, and am feeling zero motivation. The two crap DL sessions in a row combined with disheartening squats and the biceps tweak on the the left arm are all bright signs that I am overdoing the things lately. Clearly not from a volume perspective, but my CNS appears to be chewed up. I am not great at backing down intensity/% 1RM so the alternative is backing off the frequency a little and maybe hitting the stationary bike more. That noted, the session went well in spite of it being sheer willpower dragging me to the weights. I stopped at one set of Dimels because I don't want to overdo it and that weight is speed work from just below the knees - but picking it from the floor felt like something and I didn't want to do that part again tonight and push the envelope. My inner meathead likes to takeover and go until stuff breaks or stops responding, and I felt like easily 2 RIR on the first work sets, probably 2 RIR on the second and god only knows on the Dimels. The weight felt like I own it, if that makes sense, like I could will it up just because I want to kind of weight. Like it's heavy, but not really and if I psyched myself up a little and went Chuck Vogelpohl on it things would get nuts kind of heavy.
I fooled around with my start position across the sets, even the heavy ones, trying different hip heights by feel. It should have been a weight that's too heavy for that, but it isn't anymore I guess. I may get it together yet before I age out completely.

** footnote - just to be clear, the opening statement is hyperbole and I harbour no ill will towards Sumo or lifters that use it. Not trying to start some sort of flame war or anything.

[Hardartery]

Tuesday 4/4/23

Incline Bench
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 4 x 3 sets
225 x 5

Side Raises
65 x 12
65 x 11 x 2 sets
65 x 7

French Press - cable stack - V handle
160 (stack) x 15, 10, 13, 11

Cross Body Curls - DB - palms up
50 x 10
65 x 7 x 2 sets

No twinges from the left arm at all. The thing about this bro stuff is the pump is silly. My shoulders look about twice as big at the end of the workout as they did at the beginning and my arms didn't really want to bend. I had at least one RIR on the incline bench sets, except maybe the last one with 225.

[Hardartery]

Thursday 4/6/23
Squats
135 x 5
225 x 5
316 x 5
405 x 3
445 x 2
465 x 1 x 2 sets
445 x 2
405 x 4

Front Squats
285 x 2 x 2 sets
Slippy, even with a towel wrapped around my neck and drapes across my anterior delts. Biceps started cramping hard at 2 reps.

Shrugs
315 x 5
405 x 5
495 x 5
585 x 5 x 2 sets

Back Pullover machine thingy
80 per side x 10
125 per side x 6 x 2 sets

French Press - adjustable cable stack - V handle
160 x 15, 13, 8

Gym is closing at noon, they are having the ceiling painted today and then it's Semana Santa (Holy Week for those that don't know the Spanish, it's basically Easter but with the Catholic amplifier) so everything is closed until Monday either way.

[Hardartery]

Sunday 4/9/23
Muscle Snatch
135 x 3
155 x 3

Muscle Snatch to Strict Press Away
155 x 3
175 x 3
195 x 3

Muscle Clean to Strict Press Away
205 x 3
225 x 2, 1
205 x 3 x 2 sets - push press

Sad as it is, I am pumped a little about this session. The cleans all felt quite easy and fast. I probably could have muscle snatched the 205 with a tiny bit more effort, but it wasn't in the plan so I didn't. I am very much at the point of the clean being in no way a hindrance to the press, the press just sucks. BUT, it frankly felt easy again at 225, I had more reps but I am trying to keep my inner meathead in check and just take it a little at a time. It's progressing again so I don't want to screw myself up. 225 for a clean was in my head, but it no longer is after popping it up like that.

[Hardartery]

Monday 4/10/23

Incline BP
135 x 5
225 x 5
295 x 2 x 2 sets

DB Bench
100 x 8*, 7, 4, 4

Cross Body Curls - DB - palms up
65 x 8 x 3 sets

French Press - plate loaded cable - V handle
100 x 30

The French Press was just to burn out the triceps at the end, somebody else had it loaded and I jumped in between sets at their weight. * I managed the elusive Fixed DB Misload, in a feat of underachievement. I had a 100 in my left hand and a 90 in my right hand for the first set. I didn't notice until I put them down and saw the numbers on both of them at the same time. Damn hex DB's look the same.

[Hardartery]

Wednesday 4/12/23
Squats
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 3
475 x 2, 1
405 x 3

Front Squats
295 x 1, 2
Second set was easier than the first, had at least one more on each set

French Press - cable stack - V handle
160 (Stack) x 15 x 2 sets
160 x 14 x 2 sets

Pullover Machine
130 per side x 5 x 3 sets
First two sets overhand, last set underhand. This may look like fancy LP loading, it is not. The gym was packed and I could only get 4 45's and a set of 40 lb plates so that's what went on.

Squats were tricky, there is a huge bump in the floor, and the rack was moved so that my left foot lands right on it when I set up. I moved the rack around a little and danced around the thing, but it jacked up my foot placement on a couple of sets and made it like I was squatting with my toes on a 5lb plate on a couple of others. I think it's a new thing, like maybe somebody dropped something in the rack and busted a floor tile under the rubber mat, I will know to look for it next time and adjust accordingly BEFORE I have all of my plates stacked up against the rack. I definitely had at least 1 RIR on the first top set, and I could have had a second on the second set but the bar speed was crap on the first and I didn't want to get grindy or have to use the adrenaline button to get it.
I am on a plane tonight so next session will be in SC in a few days, and hopefully I get to run over to Myrtle Beach for a few days and catch at least the qualifying heats for WSM.

[Hardartery]

Sunday 4/16/23
Muscle Snatch
135 x 3 x 2 sets

Muscle Clean + Strict Press Away
185 x 3
205 x 3
225 x 1
205 x 3 x 2 sets

Pitiful session stuffed in late at night just to get something in. It's been a week. Wednesday night's flight got cancelled, rebooked for the same flight Thursday night. That was cancelled when I got up the next morning and the next available was Sunday. I bought tickets with a different airline and we flew out that afternoon. A little more money but we were at least in motion. That flight circled Miami until we were almost out of fuel before redirecting to Ft Myers. So we landed late, at the wrong airport, to get fuel in anticipation of taking off for the correct one once it was receiving traffic again. The pilot timed out waiting so we couldn't fly until either he got the mandatory rest period or they found us a new crew. Next problem, we can't disembark because no customs people at the airport. So they brought in a crew of customs people to process us eventually and we disembark. Now I am a 2 hour drive from the airport where my rental car is waiting. Ended up with a new rental and I ate the cost of the original. It was cheaper than booking a car to drop off at the other airport. Apparently the issue was flooding at the Ft Lauderdale and Miami airports, we found that out later.

[MarkKO]

Sunday 4/16/23
Muscle Snatch
135 x 3 x 2 sets

Muscle Clean + Strict Press Away
185 x 3
205 x 3
225 x 1
205 x 3 x 2 sets

Pitiful session stuffed in late at night just to get something in. It's been a week. Wednesday night's flight got cancelled, rebooked for the same flight Thursday night. That was cancelled when I got up the next morning and the next available was Sunday. I bought tickets with a different airline and we flew out that afternoon. A little more money but we were at least in motion. That flight circled Miami until we were almost out of fuel before redirecting to Ft Myers. So we landed late, at the wrong airport, to get fuel in anticipation of taking off for the correct one once it was receiving traffic again. The pilot timed out waiting so we couldn't fly until either he got the mandatory rest period or they found us a new crew. Next problem, we can't disembark because no customs people at the airport. So they brought in a crew of customs people to process us eventually and we disembark. Now I am a 2 hour drive from the airport where my rental car is waiting. Ended up with a new rental and I ate the cost of the original. It was cheaper than booking a car to drop off at the other airport. Apparently the issue was flooding at the Ft Lauderdale and Miami airports, we found that out later.

That's one hell of a trip. I guess at least your luggage didn't get lost.

[Hardartery]

Sunday 4/16/23
Muscle Snatch
135 x 3 x 2 sets

Muscle Clean + Strict Press Away
185 x 3
205 x 3
225 x 1
205 x 3 x 2 sets

Pitiful session stuffed in late at night just to get something in. It's been a week. Wednesday night's flight got cancelled, rebooked for the same flight Thursday night. That was cancelled when I got up the next morning and the next available was Sunday. I bought tickets with a different airline and we flew out that afternoon. A little more money but we were at least in motion. That flight circled Miami until we were almost out of fuel before redirecting to Ft Myers. So we landed late, at the wrong airport, to get fuel in anticipation of taking off for the correct one once it was receiving traffic again. The pilot timed out waiting so we couldn't fly until either he got the mandatory rest period or they found us a new crew. Next problem, we can't disembark because no customs people at the airport. So they brought in a crew of customs people to process us eventually and we disembark. Now I am a 2 hour drive from the airport where my rental car is waiting. Ended up with a new rental and I ate the cost of the original. It was cheaper than booking a car to drop off at the other airport. Apparently the issue was flooding at the Ft Lauderdale and Miami airports, we found that out later.

That's one hell of a trip. I guess at least your luggage didn't get lost.

I did not give them the chance, I was carrying a backpack and a CPAP and that's it. No bags for them to lose on the way out of Central America. It's cheaper to buy bags at Goodwill (Second-hand charity shop deal) than pay to bring empty bags with me. I typically buy bags for between 5 and 8 dollars each and put them on the curb when I get "Home". I have a row of nice bags on top of the wardrobe for the eventual day when we move to a different base of operations, outside of that I only take luggage one direction anymore. I have clothing and stuff at my US base to use while I am there.

[MarkKO]

Sunday 4/16/23
Muscle Snatch
135 x 3 x 2 sets

Muscle Clean + Strict Press Away
185 x 3
205 x 3
225 x 1
205 x 3 x 2 sets

Pitiful session stuffed in late at night just to get something in. It's been a week. Wednesday night's flight got cancelled, rebooked for the same flight Thursday night. That was cancelled when I got up the next morning and the next available was Sunday. I bought tickets with a different airline and we flew out that afternoon. A little more money but we were at least in motion. That flight circled Miami until we were almost out of fuel before redirecting to Ft Myers. So we landed late, at the wrong airport, to get fuel in anticipation of taking off for the correct one once it was receiving traffic again. The pilot timed out waiting so we couldn't fly until either he got the mandatory rest period or they found us a new crew. Next problem, we can't disembark because no customs people at the airport. So they brought in a crew of customs people to process us eventually and we disembark. Now I am a 2 hour drive from the airport where my rental car is waiting. Ended up with a new rental and I ate the cost of the original. It was cheaper than booking a car to drop off at the other airport. Apparently the issue was flooding at the Ft Lauderdale and Miami airports, we found that out later.

That's one hell of a trip. I guess at least your luggage didn't get lost.

I did not give them the chance, I was carrying a backpack and a CPAP and that's it. No bags for them to lose on the way out of Central America. It's cheaper to buy bags at Goodwill (Second-hand charity shop deal) than pay to bring empty bags with me. I typically buy bags for between 5 and 8 dollars each and put them on the curb when I get "Home". I have a row of nice bags on top of the wardrobe for the eventual day when we move to a different base of operations, outside of that I only take luggage one direction anymore. I have clothing and stuff at my US base to use while I am there.

Smart.

Goodwill shops are great value for many things. My wife has a very fashionable wardrobe filled almost entirely by her regular excursions to charity shops.

[Hardartery]

Tuesday 4/18/23
Squats
245 x 3 x 2 sets
335 x 3
425 x 2 x 2 sets
335 x 3

Light work, I'm on vacation. I was bummed about how it went until I just now calculated the weights. I have 100's here as the first pair on the bar, but I just think "2 wheels" in my head and didn't think about the extra 20 lbs. Now I feel better about it, but my knees are unhappy. I curse that damn Leg Press, I knew better than to fool with it and I did it anyway. Who knows how many more weeks of this I have before the knees calm down finally. I may be ordering some BPC 157 shortly and eliminating the problem. Damn leg press. Anyway, I leave very early to drive out to Myrtle Beach and see WSM heats!

[Skid]

Interested in the BPC 157 - Have you used it before and if so how well did it work/how long do you need to take it? I tore my Right leg CL a few years ago and never got it repaired, and my right hip has been sore off and on for a few years now probably to compensate for the ACL tear. Be interested in trying it if it works.

[DCR]

Goodwill shops are great value for many things. My wife has a very fashionable wardrobe filled almost entirely by her regular excursions to charity shops.

My girlfriend, the same. It’s something that I very much appreciate about her.

@Hardartery, have an awesome time tomorrow.