2023 Goals. Progress?

[hector]

More than half of 2023 is gone.
Are you more than halfway toward your 2023 goals?

I’m not. Sleep and work are more of a challenge than expected. Would love to hear status updates and stories from others.

[CheekiBreekiFitness]

Yes ! Squat and Deadlift both went up about +10 kgs and arms got bigger, 41 cm now. Bench is quite finicky still.

[EggMcMuffin]

I didn't accomplish anything besides transferring to a mediocre state school at the ripe old age of basically 30, along with running an official half marathon. lol

I want to start lifting again but I'm crap at managing my time. I also spend way too much time being bummed out about my life instead of like, doing stuff. It's also just too much. Trying to finish my degree so I can shovel shit for a few extra bucks while also working 3 days out of the week and then all the other shit I want to do is exhausting. It sucks being essentially a child when everyone else my age has looooong since fucked off, especially in the Bay Area where all the original inhabitants bailed and now you're surrounded by millionaires fucking everywhere. People routinely buy houses in my neighborhood valued at 1,500,000 and then completely renovate them.

I don't know. Sometimes I ask myself why I do this fitness thing. It was something I started doing when I was 20 or so and didn't know what I was doing and just wanted to feel like I was doing something. For me, it's almost a sort of metaphysical practice. I'm not trying to become swole, or some kind of athletic ubermensch. I just want to rock and roll.


I miss making the bar bend.

[DCR]

Looking back at my 2023 goals in the main thread made me laugh at myself as they just followed my short term gym focuses (foci?). At the turn of the year I was in one of my bi-annual paused rep phases and so of course I set paused rep goals with particular weights (for 3x5, which also is funny as I’ve since realized how much I loathe sets across). Then - as always happens - I remembered that pausing everything just isn’t fun and started chasing tens, so in February I changed my goals to one set of ten with particular weights / movements. I got the RDL, definitely had the squat, was nowhere near the bench. At some point, forgot about it as I ran the Phillips bench program and then started in on Zak’s pyramid progression. Then fuct my back. Bottom line, accomplished nearly nothing in terms of intended strength feats.

But: Not a lost year. Remembering after many years away how much I dig accessory work (holy shit machines) has been a revelation (thank you, 1995 Shawn Phillips), and prioritizing barbell curls on a whim has given me significantly bigger biceps, which is all that matters in life along with bench press stats.

Seriously, though: The fact is that my having any goal at this point other than “stop being fat” would be flat dumb.

I was serious about biceps too.

I'm not trying to become swole

I miss making the bar bend.

If you’re pressed for time, why don’t you choose just one or two movements and progress them as you like, ignoring all the other shit that you’re “supposed” to do?

[mbasic]

Not doing good.

I'm shifting the goal post to 'just not get injured (again)' for 2023

[AlanMackey]

So far, I'm doing great.

But it's kinda easy when your only goal is to train more often than not.

[EggMcMuffin]

@DCR I've been wanting to deadlift, but I'm not sure how to progress it without the context of a full program. I've started benching again using Hanley's stuff at the very least, it seems to work good. It's just that training for a marathon and even some lifting on top of that is A LOT of fucking working out lol

[DCR]

@DCR I've been wanting to deadlift, but I'm not sure how to progress it without the context of a full program. I've started benching again using Hanley's stuff at the very least, it seems to work good. It's just that training for a marathon and even some lifting on top of that is A LOT of fucking working out lol

Perhaps do any of Hepburn’s progressions, lifting on whatever days when you have the time and desire?

[rjharris]

cut down to almost 160 from 185ish and am slowly bulking back up. so far going well, but i'm finding maintaining a small surplus rather than a huge surplus to be more difficult than maintaining a (rather) large deficit

[AlanMackey]

@DCR I've been wanting to deadlift, but I'm not sure how to progress it without the context of a full program. I've started benching again using Hanley's stuff at the very least, it seems to work good. It's just that training for a marathon and even some lifting on top of that is A LOT of fucking working out lol

I would recommend Daily Dose Deadlift: https://www.strongfirst.com/daily-dose-deadlift-plan/

[TheDuke]

Not good.
I wanted to get some numbers on big 3 in 2022 but didn't get them, so only focused to get the same number on the bench press this year and it still doesn't look good.
Goal is 160 kg paused bench press, and I'm currently around 135 - 140 kg. I pressed 140 kg x1 @8.5 like few months ago and regressed since then.

Honestly I'm thinking this whole strength training progress is mostly genetic. You kinda have all the infos these days --> RTS, BBM, Hanley, data strength... some guys just make crazy progress and others are just spinning wheels.
Don't be mad homie, it is what it is.

[dw]

Not good.
I wanted to get some numbers on big 3 in 2022 but didn't get them, so only focused to get the same number on the bench press this year and it still doesn't look good.
Goal is 160 kg paused bench press, and I'm currently around 135 - 140 kg. I pressed 140 kg x1 @8.5 like few months ago and regressed since then.

Honestly I'm thinking this whole strength training progress is mostly genetic. You kinda have all the infos these days --> RTS, BBM, Hanley, data strength... some guys just make crazy progress and others are just spinning wheels.
Don't be mad homie, it is what it is.

I would expect progress to come very slowly from that 135-140kg range if your genetics aren't good.

After all if not then, when? Are people with average genetics ever hitting say 180kg in their lifetimes?

[TheDuke]

I would expect progress to come very slowly from that 135-140kg range if your genetics aren't good.

After all if not then, when? Are people with average genetics ever hitting say 180kg in their lifetimes?

I don't know man. When I first started lifting, I benched two plates pretty quick.
Then quit, and came back few years later and benched 330 while fat fucking myself.
Lost like ~30 lbs and five years later still can't beat that 330 with all this info I mentioned in the previous post.
One day I may bench 4 plates if I continue, who knows... and most people would be like "whoa, this guy strong".

[Hardartery]

I didn't accomplish anything besides transferring to a mediocre state school at the ripe old age of basically 30, along with running an official half marathon. lol

I want to start lifting again but I'm crap at managing my time. I also spend way too much time being bummed out about my life instead of like, doing stuff. It's also just too much. Trying to finish my degree so I can shovel shit for a few extra bucks while also working 3 days out of the week and then all the other shit I want to do is exhausting. It sucks being essentially a child when everyone else my age has looooong since fucked off, especially in the Bay Area where all the original inhabitants bailed and now you're surrounded by millionaires fucking everywhere. People routinely buy houses in my neighborhood valued at 1,500,000 and then completely renovate them.

I don't know. Sometimes I ask myself why I do this fitness thing. It was something I started doing when I was 20 or so and didn't know what I was doing and just wanted to feel like I was doing something. For me, it's almost a sort of metaphysical practice. I'm not trying to become swole, or some kind of athletic ubermensch. I just want to rock and roll.


I miss making the bar bend.

I'm going to make a suggestion that you probably will not try. Do single session of 5x5 on DL every two weeks. Do a single session of RDL or Good Mornings in the alternate weeks. Minimal, if any warmups. Hit it and quit is. No more than 3 sets of 5 on the RDL/GM. Strain to get it, but do not add sets or reps to it. If you go up in weight and miss reps, that is fine. Stay with a weight until you get all of the reps plus one more session. Hebburn progressions will be too much with the running, and DL every day will burn calories but get you nowhere. Hanley is HVLP stuff, so you need a different approach for the DL's. And the reason to do it is mental health, a good set of Deadlift gives you a fine reset of brain chemistry IME and makes it possible to carry on without becoming overly homicidal or suicidal. Then you can wax poetic on the session on here which is nice because you actually are a decent writer.

[ChasingCurls69]

@DCR I've been wanting to deadlift, but I'm not sure how to progress it without the context of a full program. I've started benching again using Hanley's stuff at the very least, it seems to work good. It's just that training for a marathon and even some lifting on top of that is A LOT of fucking working out lol

I would probs just do like DL portion of a regular program you've used before 2x/week with whatever upperbody stuff or running specific accessories you want. Limit session times to an hour per session and 30 minutes to DL, and if that means you miss volume, let it happen until you are able to train more quickly.

[CheekiBreekiFitness]

@DCR I've been wanting to deadlift, but I'm not sure how to progress it without the context of a full program. I've started benching again using Hanley's stuff at the very least, it seems to work good. It's just that training for a marathon and even some lifting on top of that is A LOT of fucking working out lol

I like this:
- Session 1: Deadlift (whatever stance you prefer) 1@8 5x3x80%e1RM
- Session 2: Romanian Deadlift 8@6 8@7 8@8 + 2 backoff sets (drop the load by 5%-10%)
You just alternate between the two types of sessions, each of them probably taking around 30 minutes. There should be very little grinding. If it derails your marathon training reduce the backoffs. If you're not progressing and your marathon training is doing good add more backoffs.

[CheekiBreekiFitness]

Not good.
I wanted to get some numbers on big 3 in 2022 but didn't get them, so only focused to get the same number on the bench press this year and it still doesn't look good.
Goal is 160 kg paused bench press, and I'm currently around 135 - 140 kg. I pressed 140 kg x1 @8.5 like few months ago and regressed since then.

Honestly I'm thinking this whole strength training progress is mostly genetic. You kinda have all the infos these days --> RTS, BBM, Hanley, data strength... some guys just make crazy progress and others are just spinning wheels.
Don't be mad homie, it is what it is.

The fact that the information is readily available does not really imply that your programming will be appropriate, even if you are decently intelligent and consume all of the (good) lifting content available online. To illustrate my thesis I recommend this thread

viewtopic.php?t=2101

[TheDuke]

The fact that the information is readily available does not really imply that your programming will be appropriate, even if you are decently intelligent and consume all of the (good) lifting content available online. To illustrate my thesis I recommend this thread

viewtopic.php?t=2101

How about your log? Your programming seems way better than most of the guys I see in the gym, and yet they are stronger than you, or me.

I've literally seen teenagers in the gym doing some basic bro splits, and then transition to some basic strength program and get pretty strong. Like this guy got a 600 lbs deadlift on Jason Blaha program after fucking around with some bro splits before LOL.
Or they do some basic okayish strength program over and over like 531 or Calgary and get to 4/5/6 plates and they're like "try this bro, I got so much stronger using THIS program" LOL yea whatever. And these young boys aren't even THAT genetically gifted. Above average, but far away from freaks.
What you say??

[Skid]

The fact that the information is readily available does not really imply that your programming will be appropriate, even if you are decently intelligent and consume all of the (good) lifting content available online. To illustrate my thesis I recommend this thread

viewtopic.php?t=2101

How about your log? Your programming seems way better than most of the guys I see in the gym, and yet they are stronger than you, or me.

I've literally seen teenagers in the gym doing some basic bro splits, and then transition to some basic strength program and get pretty strong. Like this guy got a 600 lbs deadlift on Jason Blaha program after fucking around with some bro splits before LOL.
Or they do some basic okayish strength program over and over like 531 or Calgary and get to 4/5/6 plates and they're like "try this bro, I got so much stronger using THIS program" LOL yea whatever. And these young boys aren't even THAT genetically gifted. Above average, but far away from freaks.
What you say??

Maybe try a cycle of Tren, those "teenagers" probably are. And no, no one with "average "genetics is hitting 180kg paused bench, at least without pharmaceutical assistance. That's pretty elite.

[TheDuke]

Maybe try a cycle of Tren, those "teenagers" probably are. And no, no one with "average "genetics is hitting 180kg paused bench, at least without pharmaceutical assistance. That's pretty elite.

Yea these 5 and 6 plates for squat and deadlift are definitely more common.
About 4 plate bench... this guy hit 186 kg in full competition with like 5 years training. His programming is Calgary at best. He's the guy that deadlifted 600 lbs with Jason Blaha program LOL. He was a scrawny teenager when he started, far away from some NFL prodigy. Obviously responded well to training.

I know few more young guys who bench in mid to high 300s with basic programming and <5 years training history.

Listen man, you are an inspiration and I hope I will lift weights when your age... maybe I'll have decent numbers, maybe not.
Last 2 years I'm hitting a heavy bench single around 300 lbs at 225-230 lbs BW and I'm thinking "WEAK. You benched 2 plates long time ago and still can't hit 350??"
Maybe if I did 531 or Calgary like these strong kids I'll get stronger too LOL.
I just think it's mostly genetics and then I'm happy that I'm alive and have a privilege to lift as a hobby, and laugh at me trying to hit some random numbers.