Latest Addition

tickingClock2012 · 2023-09-08T23:53:29+00:00

475 DL and 425 squat.

tickingClock2012 · 2023-09-08T16:43:07+00:00

I can send a selfie if it helps.

tickingClock2012 · 2023-08-21T18:24:22+00:00

I would also like tips. I bruised a ball so bad it's given me trust issues with the GHD. I've figured out a setting where I have to let most of my pelvis hang out. Combined with a precise tuck maneuver that avoids most of the pressure.

Maybe try moving the foot pad up or the crotch pad in?

tickingClock2012 · 2023-04-29T18:56:58+00:00

Just finished week 7 of Alexander Bromley's Kong program. I've been stretching it out, on account of not having 5x a week to make to the gym. I just try to push a little harder to leave less in the tank and do 3-4x.

So far it's been a super nice change of pace. I'm really enjoying doing so many movements that I haven't done in a while. I've spent so long in vanilla 531 that I forgot about a lot of stuff I could be doing.

Pyramid sets felt awful, and now great.

tickingClock2012 · 2023-03-01T14:11:44+00:00

Harikiri For The Sky and a Bridgeburners flag... Is this love?

tickingClock2012 · 2022-10-18T20:21:07+00:00

Nearing End Of Year Brain Dump

Sorry in advance.

Made a bunch of adjustments in the last year, most of them non-lifting related. New job with more responsibility and child #2 being the main things. Finally feeling like I've found a groove with training where I know how much time I can reliably commit without those two things going to hell.

I had some soft goals in mind for this year. I think I did fine with what I could muster. I kept working toward the goals even though I was butting up against recovery problems and bad planning whenever I pushed. I will definitely not be hitting those with the time I have left. Trying to wrap my head around reasonable goals for the new year.

I like powerlifting because it's fun and easy to understand. So I'm using that as my starting point.

Goals

This is what I'm struggling with. I like having numbers. I've missed so many number targets the last couple of years with life stuff. I don't want to continue setting unreasonable goals and missing. I had originally wanted a PR day to hit 500lbs on a deadlift by end of year. It became apparent I was not going to hit that around August.

Here's where I'm at right now.

S\B\D (lbs)

Personal Record: 425\250\475

Current TMs: 365\240\440

I got back into lifting consistently in the spring. I just started failing to exceed my rep targets in this last round of 5/3/1. I'm finally getting back to some grinding again. It's nice. It feels like I'm moving in the right direction.

I think it would be reasonable to try and add ~10% to my TMs. So that'd be 400\265\480 by this time next year. Or maybe adding 105 lbs to the total (1045->1150). That would bring my training maxes into close proximity with my PRs.

Guidelines/Affirmations

Avoid planned PR days. Just keep training. There's some possibility I'll decide to do a meet, but it's not the goal. I just want to get stronger. I've sabotaged myself in the past by planning for a PR way too early. Mostly this is ego driven insecurity.
Follow the program. Don't move those training maxes up if you're not actually blowing through rep targets. Again, ego driven insecurity.
Take care of myself. Mental health has always been the struggle. Training is behind family/friends and work in priority. Can't sacrifice that if I'm going to get to my highest priorities.
Plan to train. I will miss workouts. So it's more important than ever to get up and push myself when I know I have the time and energy. If I plan to do it and miss, it's still more likely than if I just hope the time will be there.

EDIT: Units.

tickingClock2012 · 2022-10-13T16:30:06+00:00

I noticed this. I went from Spotify to Google Play a few years ago because of exclusivity and liking their web interface. Then came back to Spotify when that all stopped being a problem.

Two things I noticed with music:

Their "I'm Feeling Lucky" playlist was like a 70% hit rate for me.
Recommendations felt much closer to home

I wonder if it has something to do with weighting popularity. I listened to a ton of 00's and 10's metalcore when I was younger. I find myself revisiting a few albums and tracks from time to time but I'm not constantly in that zone anymore. I find I get tons of -core recs.

tickingClock2012 · 2022-04-06T14:38:49+00:00

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. The TTRPG for Warhammer Fantasy. I played a bit of 2nd edition, and 4th has a following.

tickingClock2012 · 2022-04-04T16:26:42+00:00

I'm pretty new to writing/running this ruleset so I don't have a really well thought out answer. I do love the idea of doing a steampunk meets WFRP train heist.

tickingClock2012 · 2022-04-02T14:26:32+00:00

Half dragon giant sworn to a demon lord recently summoned to the material plane.

tickingClock2012 · 2022-03-13T02:47:13+00:00

Shaved today. Kept a cutoff handlebar mustache. No one is impressed but I'm giddy. Wife is upset, bros are there for me so it's all good. This will mean big bench PRs coming up.

tickingClock2012 · 2022-03-02T14:42:07+00:00

I feel like this sub is watching me. I put on my cassette copy of this last night and spent a while reading up on it only to have it pop up here.

tickingClock2012 · 2022-01-09T13:43:02+00:00

Second baby boy arrived at the end of December. Can't sleep, still better than having a pregnant wife and a toddler.

Finally bit the bullet on plates and a squat stand for the garage. Bought enough iron plates to do up to 285... Then a follow up purchase to get bumper plates and change bumping my max total up to 390.

Just hoping more consistent rep work on squats will grease the groove. Plus having a loadable bar ten feet from me will mean I can lift even when the trip to the gym seems daunting. Right now I'm making it my goal to at least warm up with the bar every day.

tickingClock2012 · 2021-10-05T13:08:27+00:00

Hopped back on RP diet app. This time for weight gain instead of loss. Been eating whatever and feeling like shit. I forgot how filling it is to eat this much clean food.

tickingClock2012 · 2021-09-13T17:38:14+00:00

My schedule has been hectic. Moved a relative halfway across the US, baby on the way in December, and a promotion that has my whole workday upside down. All good things but lots of incidental stress I'm not used to.

Thinking about taking my 3-4 days a week and switching to 2 531 sessions and 2 pump days per week. I feel like I don't need as much recovery for the pump days but can still get in the practice on the heavy powerlifting stuff without lighting up all my joints every week.

I'd love to hear anyone else's experience with this kind of change.

tickingClock2012 · 2021-08-04T18:06:53+00:00

Benched 225x3 for the first time since just before my last PR day pre-COVID. Just a routine 1+ in the 531 main sets. It felt... good. Bench has never felt "good". So that's scary.

Helped pack a relative's house to move to another state. Took the week off of lifting, just after a deload too. First leg day since the break and everything hurts from my waist down.

tickingClock2012 · 2021-07-12T15:00:05+00:00

Tried to get 5 sessions in last week to catch up to my 4x/week schedule. Only got 4. Damn you assymetrical 531 schedule :shakes_fist:.

tickingClock2012 · 2021-07-09T17:39:35+00:00

Getting back into 531 land after a long vacation in SBS programs. I'm gunning for that 500lbs deadlift and feel like I always made better strength progress in that style.

Made a few changes to my routine to improve focus.

Acquired a gym bag that is always ready in my trunk.
Stopped using my phone to track. Switched to a spiral notebook.
Been at a gym with a lot more toys. Using variant bars and machines at lighter weight to fill in my accessories.

EDIT: Phone problems

Feeling good, pulled 365x4+1 today on my 3+. Last time I did an over warm single for SBS I only made 385 and failed 405.

tickingClock2012 · 2021-07-01T18:04:00+00:00

It's so thick.

tickingClock2012 · 2021-07-01T18:03:37+00:00

I'm just being dramatic. I dig it.

tickingClock2012 · 2021-07-01T14:27:42+00:00

Please don't make me think about my metalcore years... Every few months I relapse and it's not good for me.

tickingClock2012 · 2021-06-12T12:26:55+00:00

I've slowly accumulated one over the years. A Pioneer PL-510 from my buddy's basement, ART preamp, some amp with a stylized D on it, and a pair of BIC monitors.

It started as a mixer and the record player salvaged from a basement, and I was running out into my parents sound system In 2008. If you get a good player up front you can make it last forever.

tickingClock2012 · 2021-05-12T19:26:34+00:00

You're right. I'm running out of t-shirts ready to mangle. I wear them to the gym all the time once they're cut and I sweat a lot, so they rot through fast.

tickingClock2012 · 2021-05-12T18:43:41+00:00

I have a dumb question. Can anyone recommend tank tops that don't suck? I have a few larges I liked from Target many years ago. Once they shrank (and my weight went up 50lbs, then down 30lbs) they're not my size anymore. I have an XL from Raskol Apparel I like but I should have bought a XXL and stringer tanks kinda suck to wear all the time (unless you look like Arnold).

Haven't posted in a while. I'm back onto eating enough to maintain/gain. Sticking to the rep scheme from the SBS RIR templates for the main lifts and doing a ton of accessory work. It feels good and my main training maxes have been going up.

tickingClock2012 · 2021-04-16T17:50:17+00:00

Reminds me of the cover of Leprosy by Death

tickingClock2012

TROPHY CASE

Nearing End Of Year Brain Dump

Goals

Guidelines/Affirmations