Exodus Strength

I enjoyed the heats, even though it is a torturous thing. No attention given to spectators past harassing them to cheer, usually for made up things multiple times in a row to produce B Roll of people cheering for using later in their editing. There was unlimited free Reign at their tent, but it is across the street from the actual events near the portable toilets. Some events literally took 3 or so hours to complete and most stuff was not on time according to the posted schedule. If you want to see anything you need to be there very early to get a good spot, so you stand in direct sunlight all day and literally just run to the next location as soon as they finish the last competitor on the current one. I had lousy position for recording some of the events, so I didn't get them. And nothing is like WSM foir making you feel tiny and underdeveloped. Big Z looks like someone stole his shoulders and he still dwarfs me even looking retired.

I was surprised to see my country's Jaco Schoonwinkel do as well as he did in his grouping.

lheugh wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 11:47 am I was surprised to see my country's Jaco Schoonwinkel do as well as he did in his grouping.

Jaco was killing it honestly. He is very fast, his shoulders make him look shorter than he actually is like he couldn't possibly be that tall and have those shoulders.

Saturday 4/22/23
OHP - strict, from the rack, it's been a while since I did that
135 x 5
185 x 4 x 3 sets
205 x 2 x 2 sets

Push Press
205 x 2 x 2 sets

Lateral Raises - DB
75 x 7 x 4 sets

I have decided that I'm too fat, and my shoulders are too small.
Also of note, Magnus Ver Magnusson has apparently proposed to his girlfriend today during WSM in between events or something.

Hardartery wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 6:48 pm Saturday 4/22/23
OHP - strict, from the rack, it's been a while since I did that
135 x 5
185 x 4 x 3 sets
205 x 2 x 2 sets

Push Press
205 x 2 x 2 sets

Lateral Raises - DB
75 x 7 x 4 sets

I have decided that I'm too fat, and my shoulders are too small.
Also of note, Magnus Ver Magnusson has apparently proposed to his girlfriend today during WSM in between events or something.

I saw his post, on the beach.

So more shoulders incoming?

MarkKO wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 9:04 pm

Hardartery wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 6:48 pm Saturday 4/22/23
OHP - strict, from the rack, it's been a while since I did that
135 x 5
185 x 4 x 3 sets
205 x 2 x 2 sets

Push Press
205 x 2 x 2 sets

Lateral Raises - DB
75 x 7 x 4 sets

I have decided that I'm too fat, and my shoulders are too small.
Also of note, Magnus Ver Magnusson has apparently proposed to his girlfriend today during WSM in between events or something.

I saw his post, on the beach.

So more shoulders incoming?

It is remarkable what a change in scenery can do. Unfortunately, in my normal everyday life I am the biggest and strongest guy. Going to something like WSM reminds me of how big I no longer am in many respects. When I was competing, I went out of my way to be somewhere where I was not the biggest or strongest guy in the gym because I feel that it is really important if you want to progress. Being an old guy now, I cannot expect to ever be WSM size (Especially so given that I am unwilling to get on the PED train, low level TRT is as far as I'm going and that's only because it's legit medical diagnosis and not my idea), but I could certainly improve. I seriously would benefit from taking something drastic off of the waist, like 6 inches. That is not proving easy so I am re-examining my diet to do something about it.
All of that said, my shoulders are actually the bright point in my training for the first time in history. I probably have the largest amount of actual muscle mass there ever in my life and they seem to really like the work. When I was OHPing more weight I had smaller shoulders and did zero posterior delt work. That does not mean that I didn't need to do it or that it wasn't dumb to not do it, just that one does not equal the other. If I can't have a decent OHP, maybe I can at least look like I have a decent OHP. So I'm going to try and do two things going forward.
1. Increased volume and frequency for shoulders
2. Push some of the stuff that I have historically not done like trap work and upper back work.

After experimenting with a belt last night a little on presses, I feel that my abs are a weak point now and I need to actually work them and not just say that I'm going to work them.
I also should note that I had the pleasure of meeting Bill Gillespie in between events on Wednesday at WSM. He legitimately has no neck. I have never actually said that about anyone before, but just WOW. He's older than me, and still setting records, and totally chill. He was talking to a guy that I used to compete with back in the day (A guy connected to Singleton by marriage somehow, connected enough to have a VIP tag as a guest of T-Rex) and I got introduced. He looked totally normal from the shoulders down, lean in fact. Head and neck like a pitbull. He told us that since he recovered from Covid he had been getting injured non-stop in training, for the first time in his life. Doesn't apply to me, but I thought it was interesting that he has had non-stop injuries since Covid.

Hardartery wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 6:48 pm Lateral Raises - DB
75 x 7 x 4 sets

…

Hardartery wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 6:48 pm All of that said, my shoulders are actually the bright point in my training for the first time in history. I probably have the largest amount of actual muscle mass there ever in my life and they seem to really like the work.

Yeah, that tracks.

It's definitely an odd thing to happen. Could be related and could be coincidence I guess.

DCR wrote: ↑Sun Apr 23, 2023 3:17 pm

Hardartery wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 6:48 pm Lateral Raises - DB
75 x 7 x 4 sets

…

Hardartery wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 6:48 pm All of that said, my shoulders are actually the bright point in my training for the first time in history. I probably have the largest amount of actual muscle mass there ever in my life and they seem to really like the work.

Yeah, that tracks.

I have a distinct memory of Eric Frasure poking fun at me during a workout because of my lackluster ability with the 30 lb DB's on Lateral Raises. I was pressing over 300 lbs on all implements at the time and did not have impressive shoulders at all. I will say that I did a short press template that Shawn Smith sent me and that had me doing Reverse Flyes for the first time in my life along with a few other things and I felt a big difference from it so I believe in the power of developing the posterioir shoulders and upper back. If only it meant that I could press real weight.

Monday 4/24/23
BTN Press - from the rack
135 x 5 x 5 sets

Y-Raises
75 x 7 x 3 sets

Floor Press
135 x 10
225 x 5
315 x 1
225 x 8, 7

Stopped there for the day. Triceps were being uncooperative on Floor Press. I did not use the sleeves today, but I recorded my hack for putting them on.

Hardartery wrote: ↑Mon Apr 24, 2023 2:07 pm BTN Press - from the rack

I gather that your experience over the years has been that these are not any more likely to cause injury? I haven’t done them in two decades but wouldn’t mind bringing them back now that I’m actually growing a brain and doing some assistance work. I uses to like them.

DCR wrote: ↑Mon Apr 24, 2023 4:38 pm

Hardartery wrote: ↑Mon Apr 24, 2023 2:07 pm BTN Press - from the rack

I gather that your experience over the years has been that these are not any more likely to cause injury? I haven’t done them in two decades but wouldn’t mind bringing them back now that I’m actually growing a brain and doing some assistance work. I uses to like them.

They always benefited me when I did them, it has been trickier this time around because I lost all of my shoulder mobility over the group of years when I wasn't doing much lifting when I was sick. I think the hype about them being bad is nonsense. Real world observations would point at Bench Press as the worst thing for your shoulders, I don't see a lot of former O-lifters sporting the same issues as the Plers, and they certainly never did me any harm.

Thursday 4/27/23
DL - conventional
225 x 3 - DOH
335 x 3
425 x 3
515 x 2 x 5 sets - mixed grip, alternating with sets
So, I wrote 5 sets, it may have been 7, I lost count and only know that it's an odd number because I was alternating grip.

Sunday 4/30/23
Squats
245 x 5
335 x 5
425 x 3 x 3
425 x 2

Felt something on the right groin on the second rep of the last set, so I did not do any more reps and packed it in. That's the only reason I stopped, I was thinking of doing a few more sets. The knees stopped hurting at 425 finally and felt everything felt better as the work sets went on until whatever the groin did. I know that's not very specific, I'd have to look up an anatomy chart to identify exactly which muscle name to use. Both hamstrings and the glutes are now feeling fried, so I don't know. I have been stretching the groin a lot trying to alleviate the knee pain, so maybe it was something letting go, it felt like maybe a cramp or maybe like it was starting to tear. If I wake up with bruising I'll know something more for sure. I am not expecting it to be anything , just being careful. Being old sucks sometimes.

Unlucky. Hopefully no bruising

MarkKO wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 2:34 am Unlucky. Hopefully no bruising

Looks fine today, nothing remarkable. Sore, but for some reason my legs are very sore today, much more sore than normal and certainly more sore than they should be from the workout that I did.

Hardartery wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 5:33 am

MarkKO wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 2:34 am Unlucky. Hopefully no bruising

Looks fine today, nothing remarkable. Sore, but for some reason my legs are very sore today, much more sore than normal and certainly more sore than they should be from the workout that I did.

Kind of a win?

MarkKO wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 1:15 pm

Hardartery wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 5:33 am

MarkKO wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 2:34 am Unlucky. Hopefully no bruising

Looks fine today, nothing remarkable. Sore, but for some reason my legs are very sore today, much more sore than normal and certainly more sore than they should be from the workout that I did.

Kind of a win?

I am at that point in my life that yes, I'm going to call it a win. LOL. I went for a walk with the wife wearing my weighted vest, ala MarkKO

Hardartery wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 3:17 pm

MarkKO wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 1:15 pm

Hardartery wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 5:33 am

MarkKO wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 2:34 am Unlucky. Hopefully no bruising

Looks fine today, nothing remarkable. Sore, but for some reason my legs are very sore today, much more sore than normal and certainly more sore than they should be from the workout that I did.

Kind of a win?

I am at that point in my life that yes, I'm going to call it a win. LOL. I went for a walk with the wife wearing my weighted vest, ala MarkKO

You added your wife. Mine steadfastly refuses to join me.

MarkKO wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 5:04 pm

Hardartery wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 3:17 pm

MarkKO wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 1:15 pm

Hardartery wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 5:33 am

MarkKO wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 2:34 am Unlucky. Hopefully no bruising

Looks fine today, nothing remarkable. Sore, but for some reason my legs are very sore today, much more sore than normal and certainly more sore than they should be from the workout that I did.

Kind of a win?

I am at that point in my life that yes, I'm going to call it a win. LOL. I went for a walk with the wife wearing my weighted vest, ala MarkKO

You added your wife. Mine steadfastly refuses to join me.

My wife does the walking normally, but without me in the afternoons. I decided being on vacation I could give it a go, especially seeing as I can get a shower whenever I want here. I will miss this shower when I am not here, I spent some money on the fixtures and it is delightful. I get the tingles down to my toes in there when I stand under that rainfall shower head, like when you use one of those wire scalp massager things but better. Sigh.