Hope to bring some working out discussions to the table (Videos/Picture thread)

[PhDPepper1111]

Good to see u back, DP PHDude but sorry to hear of your family's illness. Glad to hear they're on the mend and you're back in your glorious grind. The place benefits from your positive presence.

Thanks brother much appreciated!

Yeah this getting nice, 42 reps today, cardio is getting way better. It actually got better after 30 reps. I'm noticing quality gains too, quads are bigger harder and my body is tighter all round-

That's some cardio! Yeah, I'm sure you can get some hypertrophy with that kind of volume, might be burning more fat which helps with definition too.


I did some benching yesterday - working on some pause work (attached vid), also did some work on both ends of the spectrum - lockouts at 413 and finished with 4x15 @135 to fatigue.
Didn't feel great but got 'er done!

[Bando]

Chest day, no ambition. Did 12 chitty sets and was thinking of calling it a day when a couple new big BB BP guys walked in. Sometimes I'll punish myself for a weak session by BB BP'ing 135 AMRAP for 3 sets, I usually get around 23 and it goes downhill from there. I get locked in, no wraps or elbow sleeves and knock out 30 without any struggle until like the 27th rep. I get up and there's like 7 guys just standing there staring at me. Got 20 and 10 after that, just toast. Never did 135 x 30 before.

Then I'm in the locker room and I literally can not take my shirt off. I look in the mirror and I'm just tearing up the collar of a shirt from a powerlifting event, it's not a shirt I want to ruin so I just throw my work shirt over top of it.

Just another example of dragging your ass to the gym when you don't want to do it and the Iron recognizes your efforts and throws you a bone.

[PhDPepper1111]

Chest day, no ambition. Did 12 chitty sets and was thinking of calling it a day when a couple new big BB BP guys walked in. Sometimes I'll punish myself for a weak session by BB BP'ing 135 AMRAP for 3 sets, I usually get around 23 and it goes downhill from there. I get locked in, no wraps or elbow sleeves and knock out 30 without any struggle until like the 27th rep. I get up and there's like 7 guys just standing there staring at me. Got 20 and 10 after that, just toast. Never did 135 x 30 before.

Then I'm in the locker room and I literally can not take my shirt off. I look in the mirror and I'm just tearing up the collar of a shirt from a powerlifting event, it's not a shirt I want to ruin so I just throw my work shirt over top of it.

Just another example of dragging your ass to the gym when you don't want to do it and the Iron recognizes your efforts and throws you a bone.

EXACTLY! GOod work!

Yesterday was Deads for me. It seems I'm alternating good days with rough days right now.... this was a fairly good one. My top set was a triple deficit dead, which I hit for 475 which is a personal best for now!
It's cold in my garage this time of year!
I plan to build a barn soon which will have dedicated space for my gym, but it probably won't be heated either lol - certainly not as awesome as bustasinclair's incredible new spot.

[PhDPepper1111]

Sunday is my catch up day and coaching day, but did a little benching etc with some narrow grip and wide grip spotos. I have been trying to add in a second lighter bench day when I can to see if that helps me increase the bench.. we'll see!

[LWW]

Set 2 for 25 reps. Heaviest yet, we are OVER 185 now. This was just supposed to be a moderate recovery day since I lifted heavy on Saturday, I was only thinking 2 sets of 20, but did 25 on set 2-

[PhDPepper1111]

Set 2 for 25 reps. Heaviest yet, we are OVER 185 now. This was just supposed to be a moderate recovery day since I lifted heavy on Saturday, I was only thinking 2 sets of 20, but did 25 on set 2-

Good stuff man! The way you started I wasn't sure you would make it to the end! (breathing heavy etc) - but what you were, was consistent with good form.
Yeah, this is cardio for you, and not sure how much hypertrophy it will give, but hey you are stretching yourself with different stuff. Good work!

Monday squat day for me as well. Jumped to heavy doubles which I always love. Did 3x2 @ 455, which felt good actually! My second rep I tended to shoot my hips out a bit, but I think depth is good and I like the stance for now. Did a burnout/backdown set at 5x418 so feeling plenty of energy!

[LWW]

Good stuff man! The way you started I wasn't sure you would make it to the end! (breathing heavy etc) - but what you were, was consistent with good form.
Yeah, this is cardio for you, and not sure how much hypertrophy it will give, but hey you are stretching yourself with different stuff. Good

This is all an experiment, the goal to slowly add weight which means hypertrophy wont happen till much later I feel bigger even upper body my shirts are tighter.

This was tougher because I trained heavy the other day it got me winded. Yes form stayed good. Im mad I didn't just do 30, but no biggie that'll happen maybe this week or next.

[bodyhard]

Set 2 for 25 reps. Heaviest yet, we are OVER 185 now. This was just supposed to be a moderate recovery day since I lifted heavy on Saturday, I was only thinking 2 sets of 20, but did 25 on set 2-

Fck man and you do them slow, most time I do high reps I do them pretty fast!! Way to go man, props!!

Good stuff man! The way you started I wasn't sure you would make it to the end! (breathing heavy etc) - but what you were, was consistent with good form.
Yeah, this is cardio for you, and not sure how much hypertrophy it will give, but hey you are stretching yourself with different stuff. Good work!

Monday squat day for me as well. Jumped to heavy doubles which I always love. Did 3x2 @ 455, which felt good actually! My second rep I tended to shoot my hips out a bit, but I think depth is good and I like the stance for now. Did a burnout/backdown set at 5x418 so feeling plenty of energy!

I can't tell but do you have safety rails in the rack?

[PhDPepper1111]

Fck man and you do them slow, most time I do high reps I do them pretty fast!! Way to go man, props!!



I can't tell but do you have safety rails in the rack?

Yessir! I have the nice heavy duty Rogue rails that I can switch from the squat side to the bench side of my rack. I don't have a death wish :P

[LWW]

Fck man and you do them slow, most time I do high reps I do them pretty fast!! Way to go man, props!!

I did those slower because I trained heavy the day before and was still feeling it, and this was set 2.

Today I squatted with 9# lighter and got 30 reps much quicker. I lightened up a tad because I must avoid burnout. My back feels so good, I've never had a pain free (inflammed) back the same week from dead lifts. This means I can continue dead lifting.

30 reps-

[PhDPepper1111]

my back feels so good, i've never had a pain free (inflammed) back the same week from dead lifts. This means i can continue dead lifting.

YESSS!!

Yesterday was bench day and I planned 3 sets of 2 board presses fairly heavy - was just a little anxious about three doubles around 300, but dang, it moved easy! Then did backdowns which also moved fast. Finally seeing the progress on bench (just at the end of last cycle and now) after almost a year of no gains. Feels good.

[induced_drag]

Second to last leg workout of 2021. 11 years back and going strong. Never gone off the wagon. Never skipped unplanned. Worked out through, double pneumonia, through spinal fracture and 3 disk injuries. I refuse to let anything derail me. Motivation comes from within. But thank you to those who have inspired me along the way! It does help to feel you are not the only one with issues

[PhDPepper1111]

Second to last leg workout of 2021. 11 years back and going strong. Never gone off the wagon. Never skipped unplanned. Worked out through, double pneumonia, through spinal fracture and 3 disk injuries. I refuse to let anything derail me. Motivation comes from within. But thank you to those who have inspired me along the way! It does help to feel you are not the only one with issues

Good stuff as always ID! Love the determination!!

I lifted Thurs and Sun - both went well.
Thursday I had a 'PR' for doubles at 507, which I did three times! Moved very easy too!
Yesterday was a light day overall but I did do three sets of Spoto at 297 which feels good to be hitting! I also did unracks at 418 so the weight keeps moving!

[coachcalande]

Getting a free rack at home has been life changing.


A month ago I did 5 sets with 400 lbs. 3-2-2-2-2…

Today 6-4-3-3-3

Progress from 11 reps to 19 in a month at age 55. I’m thrilled.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppW-fSaVvp8

[PhDPepper1111]

Getting a free rack at home has been life changing.


A month ago I did 5 sets with 400 lbs. 3-2-2-2-2…

Today 6-4-3-3-3

Progress from 11 reps to 19 in a month at age 55. I’m thrilled.

FTFY.
Good work!

[PhDPepper1111]

Going light this week; will be going heavy next week.
Did some relatively light singles and then some slow eccentric squats; the only heavy work was a heavy hold - unracked 683 which actually felt pretty good!
Have a good day all!

[induced_drag]

Struggle is real. This is a different kind of vid. Been slowly trying to bring my back to handle loads again. Been 3 years since spinal fracture and 3 disk injuries, and I was holding out hope I had made some progress rehabbing. Have not had pain in almost 4 months. Even going up to 405 deads trying to train my lower back up again.

So I wanted to finish out 2021 on a high note. I put on 315 for a no handed squat and really hurt myself. Back went into full spasm. Barely moving today. Pain through my toes and like ice picks in my back.

I am almost 50 now. WTF am I doing this for? I am not sure, and will have to reconcile when I feel better. I dont want to be reactionary, but I may have to just give up on the thought I might heal.

[LWW]

Struggle is real. This is a different kind of vid. Been slowly trying to bring my back to handle loads again. Been 3 years since spinal fracture and 3 disk injuries, and I was holding out hope I had made some progress rehabbing. Have not had pain in almost 4 months. Even going up to 405 deads trying to train my lower back up again.

So I wanted to finish out 2021 on a high note. I put on 315 for a no handed squat and really hurt myself. Back went into full spasm. Barely moving today. Pain through my toes and like ice picks in my back.

I am almost 50 now. WTF am I doing this for? I am not sure, and will have to reconcile when I feel better. I dont want to be reactionary, but I may have to just give up on the thought I might heal.

That looked bad dude. Can you do light dead lifting? The former strength coach of the Bengals once said that he never had his guys training like power lifters. He said when they dead lifted it was with a weight they could do over 20 reps with and never to failure. Ive done a 50 rep set of deads before it feels just as good as the heavy stuff. It can be used to work ones way back up too so it is a strength builder.

[ajdahlheimer]

Struggle is real. This is a different kind of vid. Been slowly trying to bring my back to handle loads again. Been 3 years since spinal fracture and 3 disk injuries, and I was holding out hope I had made some progress rehabbing. Have not had pain in almost 4 months. Even going up to 405 deads trying to train my lower back up again.

So I wanted to finish out 2021 on a high note. I put on 315 for a no handed squat and really hurt myself. Back went into full spasm. Barely moving today. Pain through my toes and like ice picks in my back.

I am almost 50 now. WTF am I doing this for? I am not sure, and will have to reconcile when I feel better. I dont want to be reactionary, but I may have to just give up on the thought I might heal.

That's hard to watch ID, especially for anyone who has had their back seize up in a similar manner (I have, and had to get on a plane right after....was living hell). I hope you can figure something out long term for you, bro.


On a more positive note, my son has to max out this week on bench, squat, and clean to get his "beginning" weight totals for the 2022 football season. He hadn't maxed on bench since the summer so I told him he should do it here at home to give him an idea of what to try tomorrow at school. He put up 285 with very little resistance (slight pause at the very top of the lift). I told him to try 290 tomorrow, since he'll have a little more adrenalin going with all his boys watching him.

-AJ

[mtpockets]

Struggle is real. This is a different kind of vid. Been slowly trying to bring my back to handle loads again. Been 3 years since spinal fracture and 3 disk injuries, and I was holding out hope I had made some progress rehabbing. Have not had pain in almost 4 months. Even going up to 405 deads trying to train my lower back up again.

So I wanted to finish out 2021 on a high note. I put on 315 for a no handed squat and really hurt myself. Back went into full spasm. Barely moving today. Pain through my toes and like ice picks in my back.

I am almost 50 now. WTF am I doing this for? I am not sure, and will have to reconcile when I feel better. I dont want to be reactionary, but I may have to just give up on the thought I might heal.

Damn ID, that looked painful and was difficult to watch

I hope that you are recovering well, wishing you a speeding recovery..

All the best..

[PhDPepper1111]

Struggle is real. This is a different kind of vid. Been slowly trying to bring my back to handle loads again. Been 3 years since spinal fracture and 3 disk injuries, and I was holding out hope I had made some progress rehabbing. Have not had pain in almost 4 months. Even going up to 405 deads trying to train my lower back up again.

So I wanted to finish out 2021 on a high note. I put on 315 for a no handed squat and really hurt myself. Back went into full spasm. Barely moving today. Pain through my toes and like ice picks in my back.

I am almost 50 now. WTF am I doing this for? I am not sure, and will have to reconcile when I feel better. I dont want to be reactionary, but I may have to just give up on the thought I might heal.

Oof. Sorry to hear ID!
Hang in there - yes there does come a time to change the behavior/approach and find new ways to maintain overall health/wellbeing. Wishing you the best!

On a more positive note, my son has to max out this week on bench, squat, and clean to get his "beginning" weight totals for the 2022 football season. He hadn't maxed on bench since the summer so I told him he should do it here at home to give him an idea of what to try tomorrow at school. He put up 285 with very little resistance (slight pause at the very top of the lift). I told him to try 290 tomorrow, since he'll have a little more adrenalin going with all his boys watching him.

-AJ

Let us know how it goes AJ!


Today starting my 5 weeks' annual military training, so not sure if I'll have many videos for this thread until Feb (will be working out in an Army gym), but we'll see
I really enjoy my reserve time - I get to do direct patient care, and some 'army' stuff too.
Definitely excited for 2022 and training - I think there's another thread for that so I'll post there.

[bodyhard]

Struggle is real. This is a different kind of vid. Been slowly trying to bring my back to handle loads again. Been 3 years since spinal fracture and 3 disk injuries, and I was holding out hope I had made some progress rehabbing. Have not had pain in almost 4 months. Even going up to 405 deads trying to train my lower back up again.

So I wanted to finish out 2021 on a high note. I put on 315 for a no handed squat and really hurt myself. Back went into full spasm. Barely moving today. Pain through my toes and like ice picks in my back.

I am almost 50 now. WTF am I doing this for? I am not sure, and will have to reconcile when I feel better. I dont want to be reactionary, but I may have to just give up on the thought I might heal.

Damn that sucks, that is what happen to me last year, I didn't fail the lift but the pain happen mid rep and I had to rerack it. Was the worse feeling I have ever felt, put me out for almost two months I still feel tingling in my legs/feet and have to continue doing stretches I also wear a belt for anything 225 and over.

Hope you figure something out man

[induced_drag]

Thanks guys! I was not going to even look at it, but after I did, I realized this is just a great example of the struggle we all fight. Sh!t hurts some times. But, it's 2022. I was in the gym today! Did a lot of stretching over the weekend, and walking fine. Might even try some light mobility deads tomorrow.

This is just a bump in the road. No biggie. But it is a great illustration of what I have been fighting the past 3 years. I thought that might be in the rear view mirror, but it is not.

Looking at some new things for 2022.

One thing is for sure. I dont like to say I am going to do something, but here it goes. I will be in the best shape of my life for the summer of 2022! BOOM!
I might not be breaking PR"s but I am going for it in ways that I can.

Life is good! What matters is we are all here fighting the fight. Aint nothing but a thing.

And in keeping with tradition, first swelfies of 2022!

[PhDPepper1111]

Yesterday was a little better than Monday - getting used to having a mask on my chin and remembered to buy a shaker so I could have my preworkout. Bench definitely felt better and hit a PR of 2x315 twice. I'll have to figure out how to put the links up on my phone but I did get an assist in recording one of my sets. Looking forward to heavy deads today!

[PhDPepper1111]

Aaand final workout of the week - great one all around! Did heavy deadlift doubles and pulled 520 quite smoothly which is a nice jump from my double a couple weeks ago at 507... I have 7 weeks till my next comp so I probably won't be pushing heavy too hard for the next 4 weeks but certainly felt good yesterday to hit that big double! I am still posting on youtube but not sure how to link from my phone since I can't access the youtubes from work.

Keep on keepin on brothers and sisters!

[PhDPepper1111]

ok think I got my stuff working to link my videos from youtube.
Here are my lifts from last week:
Again, a great week overall; I think this week I'll be going lighter

[Arnoldswim]

Struggle is real. This is a different kind of vid. Been slowly trying to bring my back to handle loads again. Been 3 years since spinal fracture and 3 disk injuries, and I was holding out hope I had made some progress rehabbing. Have not had pain in almost 4 months. Even going up to 405 deads trying to train my lower back up again.

So I wanted to finish out 2021 on a high note. I put on 315 for a no handed squat and really hurt myself. Back went into full spasm. Barely moving today. Pain through my toes and like ice picks in my back.

I am almost 50 now. WTF am I doing this for? I am not sure, and will have to reconcile when I feel better. I dont want to be reactionary, but I may have to just give up on the thought I might heal.

I noticed earlier you said that you haven't done much cardio. I would consider some form of light cardio, if only to let you keep lifting somewhat heavy. Swimming would be my strongest recommendation. I hate swimming now but I would only do it because its hard enough (when you're not in good conditioning) that you can get a good workout in relatively quickly and a good freestyle stroke with a flip turn seems like a great movement for spinal mobility. I hear swimming is recommended for disc herniations and the like.

[induced_drag]

I noticed earlier you said that you haven't done much cardio. I would consider some form of light cardio, if only to let you keep lifting somewhat heavy. Swimming would be my strongest recommendation. I hate swimming now but I would only do it because its hard enough (when you're not in good conditioning) that you can get a good workout in relatively quickly and a good freestyle stroke with a flip turn seems like a great movement for spinal mobility. I hear swimming is recommended for disc herniations and the like.

I am still training. Did not even miss a workout. For my leg work the next week, just did leg press, and all back work was done supported.

I actually do need to do cardio. Have not done any in 4 years. Going to start with some morning fasted a few times a week. I have a rower and incline trainer. For me incline walking is the best cardio. Rowing is probably better, but I find it boring. Walking, I can just get into a zone and go.

Dont see swimming as an option for me I sink so badly in a pool, I would probably drown in open water even though I grew up swimming. I am dense enough that I drop like a rock. Even with a full breath of air, I can pull another person to the bottom of a pool. I can almost sink a pool noodle. If I sit on a noodle, only about 1/2" of the top of my head is above water. I have to still kick to breathe. Let on my own treading, I am guessing I would last a few minutes. I have always been 'dense' and never floated well even as a kid.

In college where I was fit, we did open water diving training with full wet suits, hoods etc. Most people needed 15-20lbs of lead weight to hit neutral. I had only 2lbs. I am leaner now and have more muscle so it has only gotten worse. I actually did not realize how bad it was since I generally just raft in out pool. We were in Aruba and I went reef snorkeling. They gave us flippers and buoyancy vests we could inflate. Even with it blown up 100% I had to kick pretty steadily to keep my head above water. It was actually scary and that was with fins on. I was snorkeling with my son, and it dawned on me that I could probably not do much to save someone in the water. Kind of a bad feeling.

[OldFartTom]

Nothing very exciting to report and no great vids etc as posted above but after my idiotic shoulder injury. I'd always thought rotator cuff was for obsessive benchers and juicers, so never considered it would be something I'd ever have an issue with, but yet again I prove myself very wrong. Didn't realise that squat would be hardest thing (getting right arm into position, even a light high bar was pain).

However for the last 4 weeks or so I've been able to get back into the gym on a regular cycle and follow regular planned exercise. I'm still working the movements not working any real weight, but it seems just doing the work and consistently putting in the time is what accumulates.

**** my ohp is weak Don't care too much about the other lifts, sure they'll come back in time, but OHP was so long a struggle to get the little I had that I'm finding it hard to accept any setback there. I really thought just before COVID originally hit that I was on the brink of getting my first bodyweight strict-press, how that dream fell, 2 years later and I'm so far behind that now

Oddly OHP doesn't, so far anyway... seem to cause any shoulder pain. We'll see maybe just maybe 2022 will be my bodyweight press year, but it may be Christmas if it happens?

[PhDPepper1111]

Nothing very exciting to report and no great vids etc as posted above but after my idiotic shoulder injury. I'd always thought rotator cuff was for obsessive benchers and juicers, so never considered it would be something I'd ever have an issue with, but yet again I prove myself very wrong. Didn't realise that squat would be hardest thing (getting right arm into position, even a light high bar was pain).

However for the last 4 weeks or so I've been able to get back into the gym on a regular cycle and follow regular planned exercise. I'm still working the movements not working any real weight, but it seems just doing the work and consistently putting in the time is what accumulates.

**** my ohp is weak Don't care too much about the other lifts, sure they'll come back in time, but OHP was so long a struggle to get the little I had that I'm finding it hard to accept any setback there. I really thought just before COVID originally hit that I was on the brink of getting my first bodyweight strict-press, how that dream fell, 2 years later and I'm so far behind that now

Oddly OHP doesn't, so far anyway... seem to cause any shoulder pain. We'll see maybe just maybe 2022 will be my bodyweight press year, but it may be Christmas if it happens?

Hang in there buddy! Given time patience and perseverance I'm sure you'll recover!

Yesterday was NOT a lighter day lol... went with singles, so... 475/485/485 and I feel good!