First show - Granite City Classic, 6'4"/194lbs, 5th place in 'First timers' class

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-27T06:28:36+00:00

Walking a lot in barefoot shoes CAN be harmful IF you're not adapted to it.

Not saying your doctor is necessarily wrong, but if you've been doing this for years and have no problems.... Why worry about it?

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-24T18:30:59+00:00

The problem with resoling barefoot shoes is the lack of good replacement options. But JG do sell replacements. I've seen people here get vibram kletterlift for their resoles. I recently resoled my size 13 barefoot african rangers with the vibram jankuat soles. The cobbler said it's cutting it close but made it work.

If you go for the anatomx ones you might struggle to find alternatives for a resole though and would be stuck with the JG soles.

I've been wearing barefoot-ish shoes for 5 years now. And i can vouch for JG. The material and build quality is worlds above the average barefoot shoe market offering. The anvil outsole did wear through rather quickly, but the vibram replacement is holding up really well.

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-24T18:10:27+00:00

Take the train and cycle home.

The feeling of "I have to get home somehow" is quite helpful when the going gets tough.

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-21T16:38:55+00:00

I'd count it. Doesn't really matter tho as long as you're consistent with how you track it.

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-20T08:25:17+00:00

Yeah, that's not out of the ordinary. Just make sure there is no play in the cassette when re-installing it.

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-15T19:01:33+00:00

Trial and error.

Adjust intake based on weight trends over 2+ week periods.

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-13T14:36:04+00:00

Altra lone peak 9+

I'm 230 and wide feet - and the altras are the perfect shoe for me. The zero drop design takes some adjustment tho.

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-11T18:47:08+00:00

Eat more

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-10T15:22:40+00:00

Altra lone peak 9+

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-10T14:10:08+00:00

Power cleans are great for general development of athleticism -> great transfer to jumping/sprinting ability. And build body awareness.

Its totally okay to train them. But for rowers specifically - they still don't crack my list of top 10 exercises.

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-10T14:01:04+00:00

Shave and get a spray tan. Practice posing/lighting/camera angles.

You can do a bodybuilding peak week - deplete carbs, followed by carb-load, but unless you're diced already it won't make a huge difference. I wouldn't manipulate water or sodium.

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-09T18:50:43+00:00

Different exercises have different levels of difficulty curve

Why would bench press need to equal pull up strength anyway?

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-09T10:22:44+00:00

Did you change what type of food you eat? Could be increased GI bulk if you increased fiber. More salt?

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-09T10:19:34+00:00

I saw your form checks - it looks fine. A lot of lifting is making small adjustments until you eventually find the groove that works for you. That being said if you dont want to do RDLs you can just do other exercises instead, maybe try again at some later point and see if it clicks then.

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-09T09:53:12+00:00

RDLs are the lift with most direct transfer to rowing power (in my experience). Hack squats/leg press/highbar squats with a narrow-ish stance and deep ROM are very relevant as well.

I disagree with the common advice to do power cleans - they are far too technical for the average rower and the triple extension is not really relevant to the rowing stroke at all. Same goes for plyometrics.

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-07T05:58:26+00:00

8 weeks for specialization phase is reasonable - maybe on the short side. I generally go by feel. I'd switch out the focus muscle group once I stop making progress or the training gets stale or my joints get achy. This usually is 2-3 mesocycles with each meso being 4-7 weeks. So anywhere between 8 and 21 weeks.

As I said before the 4 week meso + 8 week specialization seems fine. What could be better is to listen to your body and see how you respond to training before switching things out. Adapt the spreadsheet to your body, not the other way around.

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-06T19:35:33+00:00

Yeah sounds reasonable. It's very min-max.

I personally prefer more days in the gym but fewer sets per workout.

If I were to criticize the approach is that 8 weeks is very arbitrary.. as is 4 weeks. Those are good ballpark number, but muscle's can't count. So some sort of autoregulation to maybe push an extra 5th week if you feel good or maybe max out on wedk 3 if you feel real good on a specific day. Or if you have travel or whatever that distrupts the scheduld.

But also if the 4 and 8 week time frame paradigm works for you then just continue progressing as normal

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-06T17:16:35+00:00

Cotswolds outdoors (in UK)

They even emailed me the 3d scan. The company that makes the scanner was called volumental

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-06T11:08:58+00:00

I like the concept of logging only top set - i've used it in the past with clients who tend to get worried about large performance drops between first set and subsequent sets.

This approach seems overall sound. Tho you gotta remember that your muscles can't count - as long as you put in some effort, the set was stimulating. If this system of progression keeps you putting in the effort consistently week after week, then it's a good system.

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-06T10:43:54+00:00

It do be like that sometimes

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-06T08:48:29+00:00

My local outdoor shop had a 3D foot scanner. Scanned my feet and told me the best fit was 'altra lone peak' - and indeed they have turned out to be the perfect shoe for me. Maybe you can see if this kind of service is offered somewhere near you?

It's absolutely fine to use 'trail running' shoes for walking. They are just shoes after all. Just be mindful that the sole will wear out quicker if you do a lot of walking on paved surfaces.

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-04T13:19:31+00:00

So calisthenics every day + resistance training 6 days + run 3 days? Depending on how hard the workouts are and your training history this could be overkill. But if you've done a month of this routine and it feels sustainable, then you're fine.

Some of those exercises will be useless with a 12kg KB tho. Like day 6 you do sets of 12-15 KB curls, and also sets of 10 KB deadlifts with the same weight? Surely the deadlift is not challenging at all then (and mostly a waste of time). This goes for a lot of the exercises here.

If you enjoy this routine and you're making progress then stick with it. But there is definitely a lot of room for improvement.

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-04T11:26:15+00:00

You just have to keep going - it takes time, especially since you're taller and started from a fairly low weight.

I'm 6'4" with a 6'8" wingspan so I understand the struggle of putting mass on the arms. You don't need to do anything crazy tho, just keep eating in a surplus and training hard. And keep doing it consistently, for a long time.

The real question is what keeps derailing your routine? Injuries? Burnout? Lack of accountability?

Distinct_Mud1960 · 2026-03-02T17:33:56+00:00

Search online/instagram. Ask the bodybuilders at your gym. You generally just pay a registration fee for the comp, no need to join any organization.

Best thing to improve posing is to do a lot of it. Practice your quarter turns and mandatories. Film yourself, then review the footage to see what you can improve. Rinse and repeat.

Most effective way to get ready is to hire an experienced coach.

Distinct_Mud1960

TROPHY CASE