The Official Gym & Fitness Thread

hahaha!! Took me 4 months to be able to bend my knee enough to get shoes on. I have worn them every day since!

I have pain every day.....most of it is when I wake up. Running is interesting... mostly just focusing on mimicking my left side and ignoring the pain (within reason obviously), and I have to do a TON of stretching before I even think about it.

At this point, it’s just normal, and I’ve gotten used to it. Just trying to get back to full range of motion and get a quad back. All said and done, I will be out 11 1/2 months before I go back to the academy. Blows my mind how long this takes to heal. Even when I go back, it was suggested I wear a brace the entire time.

 

Do you know what your numbers are?

People would ask me and I’m like IDFK. I don’t memorize my shit I just look for progress and I know what my goal is but knowing my 1RM at any moment in time, no.

Thats honestly what I love about the ultra community. When you lift people always want to know how much you bench. When you run marathons or halfs people always ask what your time is. If you run 50, 100, 200 miles aint nobody asks for your time. You did it and you didnt die you’re a fucking bad ass. Period.

Ultra = stongman of lifting

 

I used to be obsessed about my 1RM. I still like to have an idea of where I’m at but I know I’m far off from where I was before my hip surgery. I can usually gauge based off how a particular workout goes. For instance if I can bench 225x10 I’d feel pretty confident to say I can bench 300-315 for 1 but if I only get 225x8 I’d guess my max would only be around 285-290 at that time. That said my shoulder is being a stupid little bitch right now so I’m taking time off all pressing until it doesn’t hurt to raise a glass

Similar for squat and deadlift, though I’m much more likely to randomly attempt a 1RM with those on any day if I’m feeling good than I would with bench but I can do those 2 without a spot and be fine if I need to bail

edit: I’m also 20lbs bodyweight lighter than my last comp so I don’t expect to be back at those lift numbers for a while

 

I know what my current training maxes are that I go off of for programming. Usually I'll know the weights of the next comp and make that my training max.

Honestly I have no idea what I could hit on the big three lifts in competition. I rarely max or come within 90% of training maxes before dropping down and starting the cycle over. Occasionally my coach will have me do a 100% or 105% amrap during peaks and we will reset training maxes then.

 

Thats pretty much what I did was guess where I would be at or just go off my Wendler max that cycle.

 

When I’m on program I always know my starting 1RM and then I set a “training max” at 90-95% of that which the program working weights are based off

 

My right quad dissapeared and its so hard to get it to activate. I’m hoping now that I’m starting to branch into some weight it comes back quickly.

Right now I’m in no pain but I’m still waiting for something to come up like I’m worried once I start running a ton or squatting and DL again I’m gonna run into a problem.

I can’t imagine almost a year out to recover.

 

That's what I do if I don't have a competition weight in mind. For instance, last comp had a 700lb axle deadlift. So 700lb was my training max. It's different than powerlifting on most events since we know what the weights will be. If I'm not on a training peak for a comp I will have a training max then adjust it 5-10lbs higher after each peak.

 

Just make sure you go slow. I build my quad thinking I was in the clear hair to find out my calves weren’t up to par. I can’t jump on my right leg alone. I simply don’t have that strength yet. Weird experience. Something that was nature for 38 years and I am having to learn it again.

As far as the year is concerned, I do not recommend it! Lol

 

This

 

I’m doing [read: trying] single leg hops now down the sidewalk after my runs. Its so hard. You have to fight your brain because it doesn’t trust the knee.

I’m pretty sure my neighbors think I’m some poor little retarded kid pretending he can hop scotch with the other kids it looks so bad.

It gets better everyday so can’t complain too much.

 

Sounds like you need some chalk to confirm to the neighbors that you are regressing into childhood. Don't forget to mumble to yourself while doing the hops.

 

lol! Welcome to my world

 

I'll jump in with regards to logging attempts, weights, and goddamn social media. My IG clearly states: digital training log

When fighting we didn't have social media yet to the degree now. i'm thankful and bummed out as well. I won a national title and have ever only seen 1 of the 3 fights. I have no memory of the title fight, completely blank. would love to see myself and have that 3rd person memory.
I feel like it also helped us focus on training. Like the strongman said your opponents didn't know your abilities or numbers.

Progress through time, i became an olympic weightlifter and recorded every session almost. It was important to notice technique flaws and in a sport that was very niche at the time, helped to connect with folks. I'd sit in a warm up room for a comp, read the list of opening weights, see who could beat me, go to their IG and find their best lift most recently to know how much to go up for my next attempt.

Now to present, all i care about is my physique. I'm not recording nearly as much and its awesome. The downside is i don't have the ability to look back and see the progression of certain movements, see how my body looks, how i set up a certain angle, etc

TLDR: their are pros and cons.

 

Maybe if I wear a propeller cap and chant while I do it my neighbors will leave me alone LOL

 

I just don't really care if other people see me lift lol But I do also video every single lift and have an album of nothing but progress. Doesn't have to be on IG for me to track it.

And yes 100% it helps with focus. I train alone and the only person who sees all my top lifts is my coach. I'm now 50lbs lighter than the last guys I competed against, and beat. I see them all on IG posting numbers for lifts and max attempts, yet in competition they don't do shit. For one they don't train worth shit, for two they are fat and slow.

 

I just had cupping done for the first time. Feels super weird

 

Fire cupping is my fave.

 

I used to post everything on IG but now I maybe post 1 workout per week. Mainly just let everybody (which is hardly anyone) know I haven’t fallen off amidst all my recent life changes and BS going on in the world. I record almost all of it so I can track and critique form, mainly the latter. Especially coming back from injury/surgery. Doesn’t have to be posted for it to have happened...does it?