For the discussion of bodybuilding and lifting for aesthetics.
My philosophy is:
Anything is better than nothing, and more is better than less as long as you stop short of hurting yourself.
It’s shocking how quickly you lose your edge when you choose “none of the above’”
@lurkerhasarisen I know how it is when traveling my man. I was shocked when the Loews in Philly and a Marriott property in Scottsdale had free weights. I suspect you'll nail that 400.
better than nothing.
I still find myself poisoned by old, bad, all-or-nothing habits.
I have a home gym, but keep neglecting it (and thus myself) because "cAn'T gO hEaVy!"
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I have an Anytime Fitness membership that’s good at over 4000 locations worldwide, but getting to the gym when I’m working is hard, especially since we get two vehicles for our six-man crew.
The hotels we stay in always have fitness centers, but those are definitely hit-or-miss. In all my years doing this job I’ve only encountered one hotel with a squat rack, and none with a trap bar. I usually end up doing goblet squats with a 50-pound dumbbell. Not great, but better than nothing.
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@lurkerhasarisen That is my issue too has been for a long time. Fortunately, the job I have now doesn't involve air travel, just within the state, and the city I go to the most has a gym where there's a code on the door and you can go whenever you want.
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Since my job requires so much travel, it’s all I can do to maintain. I set a PR of 355 in January 2024, and here I am a year later at essentially the same place.
My issue probably won’t be trying to get gains too fast, but being able to be consistent enough to get any at all.
In 2024 I was on the road frequently up until August, at which time I had a break that lasted until November. November was busy, but once my last mission ended I’ll be off until the second week of January. Then it’s balls-to-the-wall for at least six months, which means that my ability to follow my training routine will be significantly compromised. I’ve been thinking about ways to change up my training to compensate for the irregularity that’s coming my way.
When I’m not traveling I’m highly disciplined, but maintaining on the road is hard.
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GWDdVMtR38 @lurkerhasarisen Lurker, this guy will get you motivated to crack that 400 pound barrier. The second deadlift shown is 688 in pounds, and it and the squat were done at IPF worlds meets, which have strict day of meet drug testing and random out of meet testing for lifters, and the IPF is an organization that hates U.S. lifters and would like nothing more than to bust one for failing a drug test. From everything I've heard, this guy was never an enhanced lifter. I met him at a drug tested meet in St. Louis where he pulled 716 at 181, and it was hard to believe someone his size could be so strong.
What's remarkable to me is that the 688 deadlift preceded the 700 squat by 25 years, so he would have been in his early to mid 50s when he did the squat. Sure, he was 25 pounds or so heavier, but a 700 squat at any age or weight is pretty impressive to me, and certainly by someone under 200 pounds who is over 50.
Read Morewww.youtube.com/watch?v=BrGIh84HBzg. I'd heard of this guy but hadn't seen him lift until I stumbled across this video on youtube. 705 x 4 on squat without even wearing a belt. Great technique and drug free lifter. Obviously gifted genetically.
@lurkerhasarisen Just don't try to move up too fast and you'll likely do more than you think you can right not.
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Strenthlevel.com allows you to factor in age. When you account for that, “elite” begins at 323 pounds for my weight class and age. (As you noted, that’s straight deadlifting, whereas I use a trap bar, which makes a big difference). I have no idea how much I can lift with a barbell… I’m sure it’s nowhere near 350.
If I had any sense I would be content where I am. Early in my journey I was doing around 250, and I viewed 300 as a probably-unattainable number. As I started to approach it, it became a goal. Once I made it I got the bug to do three plates (320 pounds). Nobody was more surprised than I was when it happened. Now that’s my final warmup weight before I push my max.
I may have a problem.
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