2023 Training Goals

[hector]

Fuck all my lifting goals, I'm going to see if there are any marathons going on. I need a finishers medal to shore up my fragile ego.

Are you actually going to run a marathon?

Would be an awesome goal.

I'm thinking so. The place I run at actually holds a marathon in the winter, so it might be towards the end of the year but I think I'm going to keep going after I run 10k in three weeks or so and start training for half marathon and just maintain until it's time to start training for a full marathon. Or I could find something in like May or June but I hate hot weather and usually run at dusk so I'm not adapted to the sun lol

I mean I ran 4.5 miles yesterday and it seems like its doable. I went from severely underweight and squatting the bar to squatting 355 for a single so I more than likely have the balls for it, it's just that injuries are so much more common running. My knees are already bothering me sometimes.

I think that’s an awesome goal.
The heart health and endorphins are outstanding benefits.
I’m running, albeit slowly, for about an hour most nights and hope to do some kind of organized race also later this year.

[dw]

I finally have a concrete goal - to get big enough that people will stop coming up to me in the gym and giving me unwanted advice.

[houzi]

I have a slightly out of reach goal, but if the stars align and injuries heal themselves/stay away then it could be possible...

Bench Press 185kg~190kg

[Renascent]

I have a slightly out of reach goal, but if the stars align and injuries heal themselves/stay away then it could be possible...

Bench Press 185kg~190kg

How far have you got to go?

[DCR]

I finally have a concrete goal - to get big enough that people will stop coming up to me in the gym and giving me unwanted advice.

A most worthy goal. Same, except replace “get big enough” with “lose enough fat.”

I’ve been curious about your training, sans log. Is there a summary of what you’ve been up to?

[dw]

I finally have a concrete goal - to get big enough that people will stop coming up to me in the gym and giving me unwanted advice.

A most worthy goal. Same, except replace “get big enough” with “lose enough fat.”

I’ve been curious about your training, sans log. Is there a summary of what you’ve been up to?

In a nutshell I started with the BBM novice program 3 years ago and started drifting more and more toward isolation work as my results were pretty poor (but still much better than when I did SS over 10 years prior to that and just gave up after a year).

Now I have a pretty fixed routine that's all machines except I do incline DB press (actually more like barrel press, done in a way to maximize pec stretch) and somewhat recently started barbell seated rounded back GMs (the result of trying many different lower back movements none of which was quite ideal).

I bulk 6 weeks and cut 2, have been doing that for...not sure probably at least a year. I'm currently about 165# 14% body fat (hopefully not deluding myself about the bf%). Height is 5'10".

I'm pleased with the way it's going, I'm sure my SBD if I trained them would be way beyond what they were before I switched to isolations. Admittedly 165# is not impressive but I think I started maybe as low as 145# (I took pictures but for some reason wasn't weighing myself back then), and most importantly the progress has been very steady. I feel confident it'll continue into the 170s, after that who knows.

I log everything on my phone but never felt the need to post here. In general I do a ton of volume though lately have been experimenting with reducing it.

[houzi]

I have a slightly out of reach goal, but if the stars align and injuries heal themselves/stay away then it could be possible...

Bench Press 185kg~190kg

How far have you got to go?

I just need an extra 5kg~10kg. Which perhaps seems like a lot, but ive got 8 months and my bench always seems to move up a bit.

[CheekiBreekiFitness]

I finally have a concrete goal - to get big enough that people will stop coming up to me in the gym and giving me unwanted advice.

A most worthy goal. Same, except replace “get big enough” with “lose enough fat.”

I’ve been curious about your training, sans log. Is there a summary of what you’ve been up to?

In a nutshell I started with the BBM novice program 3 years ago and started drifting more and more toward isolation work as my results were pretty poor (but still much better than when I did SS over 10 years prior to that and just gave up after a year).

Now I have a pretty fixed routine that's all machines except I do incline DB press (actually more like barrel press, done in a way to maximize pec stretch) and somewhat recently started barbell seated rounded back GMs (the result of trying many different lower back movements none of which was quite ideal).

I bulk 6 weeks and cut 2, have been doing that for...not sure probably at least a year. I'm currently about 165# 14% body fat (hopefully not deluding myself about the bf%). Height is 5'10".

I'm pleased with the way it's going, I'm sure my SBD if I trained them would be way beyond what they were before I switched to isolations. Admittedly 165# is not impressive but I think I started maybe as low as 145# (I took pictures but for some reason wasn't weighing myself back then), and most importantly the progress has been very steady. I feel confident it'll continue into the 170s, after that who knows.

I log everything on my phone but never felt the need to post here. In general I do a ton of volume though lately have been experimenting with reducing it.

Just curious, when you say "isolation" do you mean machine work in general ? Or single-joint exercises done on a machine ? Do you do compound movements on machines ?

[dw]

Just machines in general.

[DCR]

I finally have a concrete goal - to get big enough that people will stop coming up to me in the gym and giving me unwanted advice.

A most worthy goal. Same, except replace “get big enough” with “lose enough fat.”

I’ve been curious about your training, sans log. Is there a summary of what you’ve been up to?

In a nutshell I started with the BBM novice program 3 years ago and started drifting more and more toward isolation work as my results were pretty poor (but still much better than when I did SS over 10 years prior to that and just gave up after a year).

Now I have a pretty fixed routine that's all machines except I do incline DB press (actually more like barrel press, done in a way to maximize pec stretch) and somewhat recently started barbell seated rounded back GMs (the result of trying many different lower back movements none of which was quite ideal).

I bulk 6 weeks and cut 2, have been doing that for...not sure probably at least a year. I'm currently about 165# 14% body fat (hopefully not deluding myself about the bf%). Height is 5'10".

I'm pleased with the way it's going, I'm sure my SBD if I trained them would be way beyond what they were before I switched to isolations. Admittedly 165# is not impressive but I think I started maybe as low as 145# (I took pictures but for some reason wasn't weighing myself back then), and most importantly the progress has been very steady. I feel confident it'll continue into the 170s, after that who knows.

I log everything on my phone but never felt the need to post here. In general I do a ton of volume though lately have been experimenting with reducing it.

Glad I asked. This is really interesting, especially the volume focus, given that my usual thought when using machines is to fucking wreck myself in a set or two of balls deep intensity. I’d be curious as to what might result if, during a break from volume, you followed @quikky into DoggCrapp training, albeit only with your usual machines.

It’s aggravating me that I can’t easily find it, but Jamie Lewis at one point referenced a pro bodybuilder from the late 80s / early 90s or so I think, whose physique was built entirely with machines and cables.

In any event, adding 20 lbs of muscle is a success.

[ChasingCurls69]

1. Do arm isolation twice a week, do abs+cardio at least once a week.
2. Train weighted chin ups, weighted dips, and overhead press the whole year, even through PL meets at least 1x/week.
3. Take creatine and hit my protein consistently.
4. Aim for actually using MacroFactor instead of giving Greg Nuckols $72 and not using it.
5. Maintain a smol calorie surplus for more than half the year. Doesn't matter if it's 200-300 calories, since realistically that's all it takes for me to see an improvement in my rate of progress compared to maintenance/slight accidental deficit.

So far this is working extremely well; I've put an inch on my arms and gained ~8lbs since January. Bench is finally up in training, and I am looking at a 5-7.5kg meet PR in bench. Press is at PR levels, too.

I need to do the abs and cardio more consistently.

[DCR]

@ChasingCurls69, what movements have you been doing for the arm isloation work?

[ChasingCurls69]

@ChasingCurls69, what movements have you been doing for the arm isloation work?

I've been doing incline DB curls and standing zottman curls for biceps; incline DB gives a huge stretch under load, and the pronation from Zottman curls helps me keep the elbow AIDS in check. Usually one day 3 sets of 10-12, one day myoreps for 30-40 total reps.

For triceps I've been doing to these DB pullovers that are kinda like the Rippetoe style lying triceps extensions, except it's one DB and you are perpendicular to the bench with your shoulders on it and the rest of you is doing a bridge. I got that one from one of my online clients who has massive triceps and a 414 bench. And then the other triceps movement is just single DB overhead extensions. Both of these give me a huge loaded stretch and it only takes 2-3 sets on each day, plus I haven't needed as much bench volume as before. On the DB pullovers I like a heavy set of 10-12@9-10, and then a set of 15-20@7-8. For overhead extensions just sets of 10-12 until they are uncomfortable (which may be like RPE 6-7).

[DCR]

@ChasingCurls69, what movements have you been doing for the arm isloation work?

I've been doing incline DB curls and standing zottman curls for biceps; incline DB gives a huge stretch under load, and the pronation from Zottman curls helps me keep the elbow AIDS in check. Usually one day 3 sets of 10-12, one day myoreps for 30-40 total rep

Funny, incline DB curls rightly have been all the rage in a few training logs here of late.

For triceps I've been doing to these DB pullovers that are kinda like the Rippetoe style lying triceps extensions, except it's one DB and you are perpendicular to the bench with your shoulders on it and the rest of you is doing a bridge. I got that one from one of my online clients who has massive triceps and a 414 bench. And then the other triceps movement is just single DB overhead extensions. Both of these give me a huge loaded stretch and it only takes 2-3 sets on each day, plus I haven't needed as much bench volume as before. On the DB pullovers I like a heavy set of 10-12@9-10, and then a set of 15-20@7-8. For overhead extensions just sets of 10-12 until they are uncomfortable (which may be like RPE 6-7).

This is really interesting. I had never seen that Rippetoe video before and now want to try these. I retired LTEs years ago after the hundredth time that they felt like someone lighting my elbows on fire, but wonder if this version would mitigate that. I already sort of French press in a similar way, intentionally not holding my elbows static and employing shoulder movement. I just was reading about Dorian Yates suffering his career ending tricep tear doing a "pullover and press" movement that sounds an awful lot like this, but he apparently was using stupid weight very near the end of contest prep, and didn't think that it would have happened if he'd been smarter about backing off when in that condition.

[CheekiBreekiFitness]

@DCR if LTE's don't suit you, you can try Dumbbell Triceps Rollbacks, its' very similar to LTE's but feel much better on the joints.

[EggMcMuffin]

10k was down, half marathon in another month

idk if I should go for marathon, maybe I should start lifting again and try to hit a 500lb deadlift. Idk how long it would take to build up to my old 445lb PR

[James]

Front squat 225 for 20 beltless.

A couple months ago my ankle started to hurt front squatting so I had to stop. But it seems better now. Going to give this some attention again. Original plan will not work now so I'm just going to try adding a rep or two to 225 every week for the rest of the year.

It isn't going to work but that's better than giving up. Might put a belt on if I get above ten though.

[alek]

Internal Goals
Train and eat consistently and intelligently in a way to facilitate strength and hypertrophy gains. I'm this close to doing bodybuilding for a year or two.

Did pretty well here I think. I squatted 200kg at a meet, which was cool. I did some BB style training, which was also cool.

External Goals
Be accused of taking steroids by a muggle. Set individual and total PRs at a meet.

When I first went to see the doctor about the heart thing, she asked me what supplements I was taking. Was she asking me if I was on steroids?

[slowmotion]

I'd like to stay healthy and keep lifting.

I'm still reasonably healthy, I think, and I'm still lifting. So that's good.

Maybe get down to 88kg body weight.

I was 88.8 kg two days ago. So I'll count that one.

Maybe do a 200 kg deadlift again.

Maybe.

Hahaha, no, I didn't do a 200 kg deadlift again. Maybe next year. Maybe.

[CheekiBreekiFitness]

Goals for this year (while staying between 90 and 95 kgs of bodyweight, current bodyweight is 91 kgs):
- Bench 140 kgs (current e1RM is 125)
- Squat 180 kgs (current e1RM is 165)
- Deadlift 220 kgs (current e1RM is 210)
- Complete 365 conditioning sessions (1 per day, performed first thing in the morning)
- Get big fucking arms

PS: needless to say the last goal is the most important ...

So I did deadlift 220 kgs, and arms got bigger (42 cm/16.5 inches). Failed the rest of the goals, but the squat goal should fall soon (I did squat 170 kgs though).