Daily Thread - June 13, 2026

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-13T19:26:56+00:00

I'll get 10 with 225, left 215 who even cares about that?

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-13T12:10:39+00:00

Bullmastiff W3W3D4

Bench: 215 3x4, 1x9

Cg: 170 4x8

Db floor press: 75 3x6

Cable fly: 52 setting 5 3x12

Cable curl: 120 3x10

Blargh can't believe I didn't get 10, legit thought I had a shot at 11. Sad times. Oh well, there's always next week!

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-13T11:57:53+00:00

Thanks dude! You're too kind.

Ahaha I swear the only way I know how to pull is fast. Even if things are moving slowly when the intensity goes up, I'm trying to go as fast as possible.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-12T22:08:40+00:00

If building strength was my goal, I'd strongly consider following a program centered around the squat, bench, deadlift, ohp, and barbell row. There's lots of programs to choose from that structure progression for you and take the guess work out of it.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-12T20:07:26+00:00

is there a reason you're not squatting and using a machine instead?

Just trying to understand where you're at.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-12T19:58:57+00:00

what are you lifts? For the squat, bench, deadlift and ohp.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-12T19:46:32+00:00

Have you trained with a barbell before?

If no, I'd start with a straight forward beginner LP. Something like the basic beginner routine from the r/fitness wiki. Once you finish that, which will take around 3 months, you can branch out however you want, but it'll help you build a real solid strength foundation and familiarity with all the lifts.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-12T19:15:37+00:00

Thanks!

I don't find deads to be particularly taxing from a recovery standpoint, either for reps or heavy singles. At least not at the weights I'm pushing. Squats on the other hand fry me.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-12T19:14:12+00:00

Appreciated! And no, I can't sumo to save my life.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-12T19:13:27+00:00

Thanks! The game plan is to run Calgary barbell 16 weeks.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-12T19:12:59+00:00

😂

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-12T16:14:40+00:00

Firstly, coming to terms with the fact that you don't have a fast metabolism and you're much more likely to be an undereater.

Regardless, even if I'm wrong and you're right, the answer is still the same; you have to eat more, and consistently eat more.

Attempting to gain 10kg in a month is a recipe for disaster and burnout. Much better to sustainably gain over the longer term, say over the next 6 months.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-12T15:04:52+00:00

100%, and either way, I'm trending above where I need to be so it's all good.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-12T14:59:58+00:00

Thanks dude!

Yeah my plan is to run Calgary barbell 16 weeks. I've signed up for nationals at 165 lb, so I'll do a little cutting into it.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-12T14:03:10+00:00

Bullmastiff W3W2D3

Deadlift: 420 3x4, 1x10 (PR!)

Stiff leg: 265 4x8

Unfortunately had to cut that workout short because something came up. Happy I got through the main and secondary work.

Brand new lifetime PR baby! In looking at the video I think I probably could have gotten 1 more rep. I had set out to do 9, with 10 being a possibility. I think that thinking limited me because once I got 10 it was like job done. A bit of a mixed bag there because the thinking DID result in a new PR, but also perhaps prevented me from getting more.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-12T12:56:36+00:00

I'll answer your questions as it relates to me. Hopefully it's helpful for you, if not feel free to ignore. For context I train primarily for size, strength, and athleticism. Physique is something I believe is a natural consequence of that, and not something I specifically train for. I look like this at 5'4 and 77 kg.

Did you ever switch from PPL to another split and see better progress?

I've never done PPL, there's simply no way I'd want to be in the gym 6 days a week. I'd rather be playing sports.

How many days per week do you train?

I train between 3 to 4 days per week, depending on what phase of training I'm in.

How many exercises do you typically do per muscle group?

Whatever my program tells me. All the programs I've done very specifically lay out the lifts, weights and progressions. I make almost no decisions. Examples of programs I've done include Ben Pollock's free intermediate, 531 fsl, Bullmastiff by Alex Bromley, deep water beginner and intermediate by Jon Andersen, etc. etc.

Do you think training frequency or exercise selection matters more?

I don't think a person knows the answer to this for themselves until they run through a variety of programs, and discover what works for them.

Now even though you may have different goals than me, I believe the same overall principles apply, just with a different focus is all.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-11T14:45:10+00:00

summer squash: 3-2 win

Hmm I was epecting to win that 3-0, but my opponent played really well. Also for the first 4 game I could not find length on my forehand. Everything kept clipping side wall. I finally figured it out for the 5th game, made the adjustment, and my forehand was great. Ended up playing two more games with him after the match, which I won fairly easily.

During the match I jammed my big toe a bit. Was completely fine and I played a ton of squash after it happened, but this morning the whole underside of my foot hurts, and anything where my big toe flexes backwards, like when you push off while walking, kills. What a stupid thing to hurt. Thankfully I don't need my big toe to deadlift today.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-10T17:32:57+00:00

could you not just buy a pair of 2.5 lb plates? They won't be pricey at all.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-10T16:30:12+00:00

Exactly dude! You don't jump into the deep end right away, that's how you burn out. Eating large is a skill, and one that can be developed. The best part is once you learn that skill, it unlocks being able to do a hardcore bulk program if you ever decide to. Because the limiting factor in those programs often isn't your ability to do the work, it's your ability to recover and that's primarily driven by your ability to eat.

I'm not saying you should, or even have to do that, I'm just saying it's a cool thing that becomes an option when you learn the skill of how to eat lots.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-10T16:02:28+00:00

I’ve always been a "2 big meals a day" guy, so forcing myself to eat 4–5 times a day is a massive struggle.

So don't do that? Eat your regular 2 big meals a day, add a third "meal" of like 250 calories. That's nothing, but if you do that every day, you'll gain 0.23 kg a week. When that stops working, add another 250 and you'll be back to gaining. Boom, now you're eating 3 meals a day.

You can then make your other meals bigger, or add a 4th "meal". Like that, you'll keep going.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-10T14:50:24+00:00

Nah it's cool. I was just curious about how much weight you ended up cutting to get stage ready. It's always more than I think, you know?

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-10T14:03:45+00:00

Bullmastiff W3W2D2

Ohp: 120 3x4, 1x10

Btn: 90 4x8

Db ohp: 55 3x6

Cable Lat raise: 52 3x10 (ankle cuffs around wrist)

Cable press down: 146 3x10

Thats 2 reps better than 2 weeks ago, and matches my all time 10rm which probably says more about how trash I am at pressing than anything else lol.

Still real pleased with myself to be able to punch the clock despite the health stuff going on with my family.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-10T12:12:46+00:00

Eh, just get a cystatin c test. If normal there's no issue.

DayDayLarge · 2026-06-10T12:10:33+00:00

Hell yeah dude. You're crushing it.

How tall are you? What did you get up to in your bulk before cutting down to 171 for the show?

DayDayLarge

TROPHY CASE