FWIW there is some amento in pump gel and alpha gel.
I do like its use in the caps as well tho for certain scenarios.
I do like its use in the caps as well tho for certain scenarios.
ah you're right, I see it now. I always just really focused on the quality of the tongkat and the resveratrol.FWIW there is some amento in pump gel and alpha gel.
I do like its use in the caps as well tho for certain scenarios.
I have 3 total pressing sessions (reasonably) before I fly out of town for a week. I had mapped out 4th, with the first one in my example being earlier this week and already done. What do you think about this?Now you taper a little, staying training but ultimately doing easy and specific sessions that keep you technically sharp but shed fatigue because you stay under your abilities. Do a few doubles with 275 next session, 2nd session do some fast band work, 3rd session light and low volume straight weight, like some practice triples with 225 as final practice, then a few days later you take 305.
will do, I'll treat my lower work between now and then as if it's fatigue shedding/deloading as well since I'm focused on the one attempt at the moment.Eat a shitload of carbs and sodium the day prior to benching 305, and drink extra water & creatine. Day of, when in doubt take a little extra caffeine & Epiandro prior. Do whatever you need to get the body warmed with bands, cables, tiny plates or dbs - minimize warmup reps with the barbell, and make them all as perfect and fast as possible.
Two heavy days within that short of time frame might be too much to manage in the 90% plus range. I like a week between if going that route.that will be a sunday session with my boy, so the amount of volume I can fit in depends on his teenage mood and blood sugar level, but he's always good for chasing a top rep + sling shot work. so I guess my goal would be at least 295 raw, 300 would be ideal and / or 320-330 in the sling shot.
as far as accessory work, I'm open to suggestions!
normally we would hit basics that I know he's comfortable with. tricep push downs, dips, etc and then I usually hit the pec deck while he hits leg press, and machine press while he hits leg extensions and leg curls because those machines are all close to each other and I can make sure he doesn't die with the 500lbs he inevitably will put on the leg press (little **** with his monster legs)
ThisIf you are going for 305, you have all the heavy stimulus you need already done by what you just did (295 and 315 for slingshot singles). Now you taper a little, staying training but ultimately doing easy and specific sessions that keep you technically sharp but shed fatigue because you stay under your abilities. Do a few doubles with 275 next session, 2nd session do some fast band work, 3rd session light and low volume straight weight, like some practice triples with 225 as final practice, then a few days later you take 305.
If you are going for 305, you have all the heavy stimulus you need already done by what you just did (295 and 315 for slingshot singles).
I'm going to set up and go for it with the advice y'all have given me here. The only thought I have in contradiction to this is that I was sling shotting 325-330 (I can't remember which one was my top PR weight with SS) when I cleared 300lbs so in my head it just feels like I should be hitting 330-335 sling shot easily when I'm also able to hit 305 raw. it always seemed like the slingshot gave me about 10% overload fairly accuratelyThis
There is general correlation, but there’s going to be variation based on your current strength at different points in the lift.I'm going to set up and go for it with the advice y'all have given me here. The only thought I have in contradiction to this is that I was sling shotting 325-330 (I can't remember which one was my top PR weight with SS) when I cleared 300lbs so in my head it just feels like I should be hitting 330-335 sling shot easily when I'm also able to hit 305 raw. it always seemed like the slingshot gave me about 10% overload fairly accurately
If I had those micro plates I keep talking about I'd just try to clear a 301lb PR next week lol
That’s perfect, exactly what you want. You are not building any more strength - you are now perfecting final touches, keeping force production, technique, & GPP up enough while shedding some fatigue to smash it soon.that looks like a lot of work but I assure you it was light weight. an hour later I feel like I had a light yoga session or something but definitely felt like a deload.
it was fun to really throw the bar for speed once I was warm, it felt like it was moving great. my buddy's shoulder was bugging him half way through so doing KB armbars in the end for his benefit actually felt like a great way to finish this type of session for myself. fingers crossed. I still ate as though I was training to failure todayYou are not building any more strength - you are now perfecting final touches, keeping force production, technique, & GPP up enough while shedding some fatigue to smash it soon.
If you need some inspirational music to get you going View attachment 242074
I gotchu:man, been crazy fatigued lately. looking forward to a relaxing weekend with a lot of fun in the forecast! I was lucky enough to golf with a supplier yesterday and even though we were in carts (not walking), I was shocked at how tired I was halfway through.
LOL if I'm going that route I might run something more like this:
View attachment 242087
Post-activation potentiation is useful for executing greater volume at a given weight (so dropping weight off after a heavier set/single to make it feel lighter on the next set, or doing repeat sets of 2-3 reps at a weight before an all-out AMRAP with same weight). But it’s not really useful for 1RM enhancement.One thing I'm really bad at after all these years is effective warm ups. I don't think I could have walked in cold and slammed out 10+ at 225 today.
But if I throw around 315+ on the slingshot then drop to 225 it feels half as heavy.
How can I improve my neurological firing without sacrificing top end capacity when making a run at a new PR etc? I have liked the banded work but I feel like it's the same. Throw down 225 banded, then 135 for 50 reps lol. But 225 banded into 300 raw isn't the same stimulus.
I feel like I need a very mild sweat in warmup without sacrificing energy.
you know what the funny thing is, whether I hit my goal or not I'm getting to where I'm excited to put this effort behind me so I can go balls to the wall again with some train to failure days lolDon’t overthink it! You’re not warming up for the Olympics here; you just need to do enough to get ready to press one single rep as hard as you can - that’s it.
Yep! It can be a very hard part of meet prep - the need for delayed gratification. You have to miss out on the normal rewards of training, all the extra control of efforts focused on a single task: to do something greater than you’ve ever done it before.you know what the funny thing is, whether I hit my goal or not I'm getting to where I'm excited to put this effort behind me so I can go balls to the wall again with some train to failure days lol
I food prepped this week as though I'm lifting every day. although I plan to lift light today (lower), then complete day off tomorrow, then hard again finally on weds.Remember, they say train & eat for the bench you want - not the bench you have! You can do this
Visualize your success.OMG I'm so ready to go ham tomorrow. miss training to failure lol
I think you're right here. I need more power with heavy weight in the bottom position. I am also thinking blocks might be smart. I didn't mention it in my log but we put a couple 5lb plates on my chest and I took another 305 attempt and finished it no problem with about 1/2 ROM. My issue isn't lockout, but the brute strength off the chest for sure.If you feel confident pause benches would help, it means you need more starting power. So you should do more of them and less banded stuff for a while - you want stronger delts & pecs to cash this paycheck.
Hey you gave it hell! Looks like a great session and dang close!Warm up
DB laterals, forwards, curls with 10lb plates.
Bench
2 x 12 x 95
5 x 135
3 x 175
1 x 200, 225, 255, 275, 290
0 x 305 (about half)
Sling shot
3 x 305
1 x 315
Static hold
10 seconds x 335
Raw
11 x 225
15 x 185
EZ bar skull crushers
15 x 40
2 x 12 x 60
SS with laterals
3 x 12 x 30s
Reverse seated dips
3 sets
SS with pec deck
3 sets
Notes
Someone jacked the 2.5lb plates while I was doing a rep to run inclines at 50lbs lol. So it screwed up my progression a bit
Hammered food, felt so full.
Had some triton still in stock so lubed up an hour preWO
Grabbed my emergency stash of pump addict and gave it hell.
Weight 197
This session has given me a lot to think about.
it really felt good man, appreciate the compliment!Hey you gave it hell! Looks like a great session and dang close!
weight was about the same (195 ish).
I do wonder if I carbed up better that time, although felt like was gorging myself this week.
For a simple single on something like Bench I highly doubt you carbed up better considering you've been in a surplus this entire time. There should be no real reason you would be even close to being depleted nor does it seem likely you'd be missing leverages, etc. that would change with weight changes.
But one thing I don't understand, is that for me, I feel like I do better with heavy frequency vs breaks. When I hit my last PR I was basically peaking a strength cycle. every session prior was add weight add weight add weight. 280 for a double, next session 295 for a single, next session 300lb PR.
VS this attempt, I had a great session, then tapered to prep for a hard effort and fell flat on my face.
I don't think it makes sense to necessarily straight linearly plan out a your training block (without at least some sort of built in measures to help you assess the rate it needs to be at or what to do with potential bumps in the road), but I do think there is a bit more of a personal philosophy or looking at what you want to achieve kind of deal that this plays into that I'll try to touch on more at the end.
I am going to kind of agree. I think overall the big issue here is that it all just kind of feels so spur of the moment or not planned. I don't follow along super close, but most of the training just feels so random and not building on itself. At least the main (day 1 bench? idk) seems consistent in Raw then Slighshot then Raw for volume in general, but everything else just feels like throwing it together as it goes. There is like a random day with OHP? Squats every so often, sometimes cleans on dead days, etc.I almost warned you last night that your last warmup should only be 280-285. Not sure if that extra energy would have helped of course, but you just need to get close enough to make the move.
Good on you for trying. Something to consider is you didn’t have that long to set up a taper - real longterm delayed training effect takes weeks to fully manifest.
I have 25 years of experience, science, and different modalities constantly muddled in my head, so I have to frequently reassess what I know and what is real. But the VIBE I get, is that my recovery is very very high, and my losses come very very quick. Maybe it's because I'm smaller than some of you guys. My lifting buddy has known me for over a decade and today we discussed it in depth. his 1rm is about 270-275 (with a 500lb squat), but todays back off he hit 225 for 3s and I hit 11. He hit 185 for 6 and I hit 15. probably had 20.
Recovery can mean a lot of things and people are widely different idk what this is implying with his squat and comparison. 11 at 225 with a 300 and 185 for 15-20 with a 300 aren't wildly unexpected based on general tendencies.
First time I hit a 315 squat, I had a 290 x 10 in me already.
No offense, but this just indicates some gross deficiency in squat movement patterns or usage. I've worked with tons of crossfitters and general population individuals and this is more common in people who just aren't used to lifting heavy or make lots of changes in technique with the heavier weight.
I feel like generally, I have to move very heavy weight (for me) as frequently as possible, and that generally (for me) I recovery very very fast, as long as I'm not doing daily xfit style HIIT work. I'd almost be curious to hit it again tomorrow and see if I hit the same numbers.
This might not be wrong. It is important to understand personal recovery, tolerances, and responses. I lift way "heavier" than what I see most general online or gym consensus tends to be, but it just depends on whose influences you are looking at when you see what people train like. There are others who do as well at various points in their training career.
Especially if coming from a more endurance oriented background where recovery might be faster and ability to hit heavy loads might be compromised.
I think this is just what it boils down to for me and I hope this comes off the right way, but like what was the point? I'd just ask yourself what do you want from your training (and that the answer to that is for you it doesn't matter if that aligns with me or anyone else)?the other thing could simply be mentality. I love this **** so much I just want to go ham every day. Not going hard the last 11 days was far harder on my mentality than going hard every day lol
so without boring you with a years worth of logging, 2023 was a crazy successful year of PRs for me. January 2024 into feb was a very intentional cut. March after my wife's surgery became a month of travel every week so it was "stop the bleeding". By april I was able to bring back most of my routines. 2023 was deadlift + bench focused. 2024 I have been trying to bring back squats for hypertrophy purposes mostly because despite my deadlift hitting new all time PRs, capping at 500 or 520 rack, and 485 from the ground in December, I was losing size in my legs.I think overall the big issue here is that it all just kind of feels so spur of the moment or not planned. I don't follow along super close, but most of the training just feels so random and not building on itself. At least the main (day 1 bench? idk) seems consistent in Raw then Slighshot then Raw for volume in general, but everything else just feels like throwing it together as it goes. There is like a random day with OHP? Squats every so often, sometimes cleans on dead days, etc.
So I had to actually look back and I don't think I have any actual tapers into a top attempt for something other than recently when I really wanted a 400lbs Front Squat so I did taper into that.
This all feels a lot more relatable to me.When done naturally this may still be some form of tapering (my volume may be lowering as intensity is increasing), but not always. I just let the progression run because I enjoy the training. A lot of times I PR along the way or deviate on days it feels great and shoot for a PR, but generally I don't because I am conservative and would rather just keep training and moving along.
no, it was awesomeThis probably doesn't make a ton of sense because I am on low calories and just vomitted this giant amount of words up after training before going home, but I guess I am just saying you probably don't need to literally do some tapering like that into a max attempt every time you want to PR, you could literally just train and take the PRs as they come, but also know that the trade off with that is they might show up a little less often than if you want to purposely taper into them, in which case I'd again suggest maybe making a more conscious plan of when exactly you'd want those points to be so you can structure a more optimal approach.
Sorry for the long reply.
I've had a number of people say this to me lately, that ten years of endurance/fitness competition may play a role. It's sorta odd to me that even though I have changed gears so much, that all that work I had done before would still be playing a role, but it sure seems to.Especially if coming from a more endurance oriented background where recovery might be faster and ability to hit heavy loads might be compromised.
Idk, he seems to be able to hit Dicks pretty hard, as far as heavy loadsI've had a number of people say this to me lately, that ten years of endurance/fitness competition may play a role. It's sorta odd to me that even though I have changed gears so much, that all that work I had done before would still be playing a role, but it sure seems to.
The man said he suddenly wanted to go for it, I have a week & a half left to do it, & asked what are some ways to optimize my chances. You will not optimize it by doing more or even maintaining workload, even if he wasn’t overreaching. Your best bet on a 1RM attempt is to be well recovered and overfed with well-maintained skill. Along with good attempt selection & mindset.I wouldn't overthink it, sometimes its just not there. Seems a lot of justifying is going on so I'd just say to just try to take it for what it is worth and use the info for going forward.
It is always easier looking back and I honestly just avoided adding input after you seemed to have a plan, since I always hate to overload people and have them second guess even if my opinion differs. Since you are seemingly looking to make sense of it I'll leave some input.
I am going to kind of agree. I think overall the big issue here is that it all just kind of feels so spur of the moment or not planned. I don't follow along super close, but most of the training just feels so random and not building on itself. At least the main (day 1 bench? idk) seems consistent in Raw then Slighshot then Raw for volume in general, but everything else just feels like throwing it together as it goes. There is like a random day with OHP? Squats every so often, sometimes cleans on dead days, etc.
I'd keep in mind you were also just sick not even that long ago before deciding to want to taper.
I also just don't think a taper or even a longer exponential taper makes sense as most tapers come after over-reaching to be effective and this just doesn't seem like that had been happening.
Idk I could just be a little lost though, just kind of felt like suddenly you wanted to PR so you just decided to taper instead of already having been building specifically to this time point.
I think this is just what it boils down to for me and I hope this comes off the right way, but like what was the point? I'd just ask yourself what do you want from your training (and that the answer to that is for you it doesn't matter if that aligns with me or anyone else)?
What I am getting at is do you want to train and make progress and just keep going, or do you want to take purposeful periods of tapering to try and maximize performance even if you aren't going to compete?
I'll lay out a theoretical example/model just to give an example. I don't want the take away from this to be that this example is the right way to go or that people who want to taper, peak their strength, compete or know exactly where their strength shouldn't do those things. My takeaway is people should know what they want and go in that direction.
So generally for myself I like lifting heavy, I like knowing what my best is, but honestly I really just like working out and progressing. So I had to actually look back and I don't think I have any actual tapers into a top attempt for something other than recently when I really wanted a 400lbs Front Squat so I did taper into that.
Otherwise you know maybe you just lay out training cycles where you are somewhat progressing linearly until some sort of top then cycle back down. It probably sounds vague, because I am not trying to lay a specific training on you and there are so many ways to do it. For example with myself I'll have a movement that may be a "focus" like say Deadlift and I may move through some progressions on it slowly and continually cycling up in intensity/weight with deloads coming as needed, but overall I'm just moving through a progression. Then when it seems that progression has hit its limit I reassess and deload and either decide to move back down the progression and make some tweaks and dive back into it or just move along to something else. When done naturally this may still be some form of tapering (my volume may be lowering as intensity is increasing), but not always. I just let the progression run because I enjoy the training. A lot of times I PR along the way or deviate on days it feels great and shoot for a PR, but generally I don't because I am conservative and would rather just keep training and moving along.
This probably doesn't make a ton of sense because I am on low calories and just vomitted this giant amount of words up after training before going home, but I guess I am just saying you probably don't need to literally do some tapering like that into a max attempt every time you want to PR, you could literally just train and take the PRs as they come, but also know that the trade off with that is they might show up a little less often than if you want to purposely taper into them, in which case I'd again suggest maybe making a more conscious plan of when exactly you'd want those points to be so you can structure a more optimal approach.
Sorry for the long reply.
it was a fun go at it, and it got me mentally psyched for the attempt and for lifting in general. I guess in some ways it worked out kinda as a deload anyways which isn't a bad thing. Funny thing is I was going after 305 but ended up having a dream about 315.The man said he suddenly wanted to go for it, I have a week & a half left to do it, & asked what are some ways to optimize my chances. You will not optimize it by doing more or even maintaining workload, even if he wasn’t overreaching. Your best bet on a 1RM attempt is to be well recovered and overfed with well-maintained skill. Along with good attempt selection & mindset.
It’s easy to sit back and say, ‘Why don’t you just keep getting stronger? Then you will eventually lift it.’ It’s an excellent consideration in the philosophy of training - nobody would disagree. But that’s also not honoring the constraints of the request.
Hey you got close, but like’s already been said you had gotten sick not long ago, but you still made good strides over the last few weeks, so plenty of victories along the way.it was a fun go at it, and it got me mentally psyched for the attempt and for lifting in general. I guess in some ways it worked out kinda as a deload anyways which isn't a bad thing. Funny thing is I was going after 305 but ended up having a dream about 315.
I definitely appreciate the tips and wisdom along the way. It was enjoyable to have my mind focused on a target even if I missed. the build up was fun and intentional.
Ya I had the broad strokes already, just felt it was worth mentioning maybe trying to get a bit more structured especially if you ever wanted to branch out from just focusing on deadlifts and bench to something more well balanced so you could get a better gauge on what is doing what so you could continue making good gains. I am by default way more structured in certain senses though as that is what clicks for me compared to some.really that's all it was. my schedule consistency had restored much of the strength I had lost this winter and knowing I had to travel again I wanted to see if I could make a big push last minute.
Ya if you were already in a predisposition to be better at that type of activity and then did a lot of it there are probably plenty of structural changes physiologically that would just lead you to respond a certain way. Even if you've changed priorities some of the underlying stuff will still be there and/or take awhile to change.I've had a number of people say this to me lately, that ten years of endurance/fitness competition may play a role. It's sorta odd to me that even though I have changed gears so much, that all that work I had done before would still be playing a role, but it sure seems to.
See, the problem was it wasn’t 315 on the barit was a fun go at it, and it got me mentally psyched for the attempt and for lifting in general. I guess in some ways it worked out kinda as a deload anyways which isn't a bad thing. Funny thing is I was going after 305 but ended up having a dream about 315.
I definitely appreciate the tips and wisdom along the way. It was enjoyable to have my mind focused on a target even if I missed. the build up was fun and intentional.
Yeah, all of that high volume to failure work is gong to increase the mitochondria in your muscles. They don't go away, and are what help supply the muscles with energy, which allows for faster recovery, both intra-set, and between training sessions.I've had a number of people say this to me lately, that ten years of endurance/fitness competition may play a role. It's sorta odd to me that even though I have changed gears so much, that all that work I had done before would still be playing a role, but it sure seems to.
If you’re going to have to go on a work trip it might as well be Vegas. One place I don’t mind going for work. Enjoy when you can, and looks like you found a good gym.Down in Vegas for work so I'll try to catch up on individual posts when I have a full charged phone lol. Just dropped wife off at airport, she was only here thurs-sun, I have to stay till Weds.
So I packed up some gear, wraps, sleeves and went for a walk.
Warmup
25min walk to gym
Bench
15 x bar
10 x 95, 135
5 x 175, 205
3 x 225, 250
2 x 275
1 x 275
Paused - 2+ count
3 x 5 x 225
Rear delt swings
3 sets
Dips
BW x 3 x 10
CGBP
3 x 8 x 185
Laterals
3 sets
Arnold's
2 sets
Cool down:
25 min walk back to hotel
(Figured may as well get LISS and save $30 in Uber fees)
Pretty good gear! Been a while since I got to use a new Ohio bar. Hands are thoroughly shredded View attachment 242322View attachment 242323
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