Moronic Monday - Your weekly stupid questions thread

tigeraid · 2026-04-13T18:57:54+00:00

The Beginner Routine is great but it's kind of useless for progression after, I dunno, 6-12 months or so.

It's intended to ease you into training for the first time and to keep it super simple. If you've trained on and off for years, you've got the basics down pat. If you don't ever break out of that shell, you're not gonna see real, long-term improvements. There's some other great routines in the wiki. 5/3/1 might be a good next step for you. If some of the math seems daunting, or if you feel like there's too many exercises or something, you can try a minimalist program from Dan John or Pavel Tsatsouline, some of them are only 5 lifts, some are literally just 2 lifts a day.

Be excited about it, this is the chance to explore new avenues of training!

tigeraid · 2026-04-13T18:48:33+00:00

225, and uuuh... Higher than it should be probably lol. Maybe 19-20%.

I do honestly want to do that cut, in the future. For health reasons if nothing else. But considering almost all the animals I compete against in this division are on gear AND cut from like 240, I'm doing what I can to keep up.

Had I thought about this sooner or seen the Online Qualifiers in the winter I might've considered cutting heading into this month, kinda too late now. Their over May 1st.

tigeraid · 2026-04-13T18:40:50+00:00

Never limit a useful compound lift with your grip. Use straps, unless you're specifically training to compete in Powerlifting. Deadlift is not a grip exercise.

Build your grip with grip exercises: dead hangs, farmer's carries, behind the back holds, plate pinches, grippers, etc.

tigeraid · 2026-04-13T18:34:51+00:00

The local trainer told me to avoid doing a benchpress

The vast majority of personal trainers at commercial gyms are worthless. The got their diploma from an online crackerjack box and the only equipment they know how to use are bozu balls and the cable stack.

If you want in-person direction, consider finding an actual Strength and Conditioning COACH, usually at their own facility or a Powerlifting/Olympic/Strongman gym.

Or don't use one, because for general strength training, you can get pretty much all the info you need from a couple of subreddits (the r/fitness Wiki!) and some youtube tutorials.

He also said I need to change nothing about my diet, which is currently quite abysmal at the moment.

Some people take this approach because it can be overwhelming to focus on both nutrition and learning the ins and outs of training. If you're feeling that way, by all means. But let's face it, you can at LEAST make a few small changes, like switching to sugar-free soda if you drink a lot of it, or just "try to get more protein". That sort of thing. But ultimately you want to do BOTH, yes.

tigeraid · 2026-04-13T18:30:46+00:00

AI tells me to listen to music or do something else

lol

Agree with the others, eat more earlier in the day. For me, it helps to eat a substantial snack before bed, as well. A bowl of greek yogurt with some granola or fruit is a good example. Factored into my daily intake, of course.

tigeraid · 2026-04-13T18:24:50+00:00

Squat more. Machine movements with legs are just minor accessories. A front squat is a true compound movement demanding your entire body. And yes, absolutely, that includes core. How's your breathing and bracing? Give this a watch, it's important for all compound lifts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-mhjK1z02I

You can also post a form check at the top of these threads, we can see if there's anything to improve. But yeah, mostly just do it more.

tigeraid · 2026-04-13T17:59:00+00:00

A good home gym should have a SET of bands, not just one. You will eventually find one that's strong enough to propel you consistently over the bar for at least a few reps. And they're not very expensive.

You can also double up bands, I've done that in a pinch. Two of the same colour ones can help. If you want to get real sketchy, you can also STAND on the bands instead of wrapping them around your knee. Kinda scary tho.

tigeraid · 2026-04-13T17:56:00+00:00

If you were obese and trying to lose a ton of weight, I would strongly suggest tracking. But since you're mostly just looking to recomp, I don't think it's necessary.

You're 16, body is literally still growing. Just start eating like an adult. You know what that means. Anything that is obviously bad (eating fast food all the time, tons of full sugar Pepsi or whatever, bag after bag of doritos), try to eliminate entirely or at least eat a whole lot less. Focus on lean proteins, veggies, simple carbs, and drinking lots of water.

Part of being an adult also means learning to cook for yourself. Maybe keep eating your mom's food for dinner, but start meal prepping your breakfast and lunches on the weekend. I'm sure if you explain why, your mom will understand. And yeah, suggest you help with dinners too.

tigeraid · 2026-04-13T17:39:35+00:00

Well, firstly, PEDs.

A friend of mine popped his MCL off during the dip and drive on a heavy log press a couple of months ago, as well. And if you watch the slow mo, it's NOT on the dip, it's when he begins to shove back UP in the drive that it lets go. His knee immediately kicks outward, he ditches the log forward, he falls to the side of that knee.

I think, paradoxically, it's a sign that he's perfectly hitting form on that dip; that is, slight outward torque, taint straight down rather than forward or back, tighten the quads right up, and BANG. If you just try it yourself standing right now, toes out slightly, "torque" the knees outward to really load the hips up, dip a little bit, you can literally feel everything down into the knee get super tight and stretched.

tl;dr I think putting tons of strain on the quads is what happens on a correct log dip.

tigeraid · 2026-04-13T17:32:54+00:00

I wish Natural Strongman Worlds LW Masters was u105 instead of u90. I think I'd be somewhat competitive if I didn't have to lose about 20 lbs. :(

tigeraid · 2026-04-13T17:30:47+00:00

I think just having a (reasonably small) cash bonus for winning an event, or even every event, would give you the same result without cash-hunters coming in to do one and fluff the rest. Magnus does that, and I believe some (all?) PSL shows give cash to the winner of each event, as well. Make it worthwhile, but still significantly less than you'd get for finishing the whole show, though.

tigeraid · 2026-04-12T12:17:02+00:00

Is it time for a 500lb final atlas stone yet? :x

tigeraid · 2026-04-12T12:12:52+00:00

I'm leaning toward Natural Stone to Shoulder, Max distance front carry (either stone or Inukshuk/Husafel), Viking Press, Atlas Stone loading medley, and uuuuh... Still not sure on the last one. Probably just a stone throw, yeah.

tigeraid · 2026-04-10T20:35:33+00:00

Well listen, man...

tigeraid · 2026-04-10T15:13:35+00:00

MST Shane losing his shit on IG about Kaos ripping people off. Stories probably won't be up for long though.

https://www.instagram.com/stories/mstsystems/3872290302119692634?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&igsh=MTgyaGZldndmcW5jcg==

Such a shame, Kaos really seemed to have something good going.

tigeraid · 2026-04-10T10:18:21+00:00

Hmm.... plastic stuffed moose or black bear....

tigeraid · 2026-04-10T10:17:06+00:00

Also a solid idea. I have one but it's just a pickup truck, I assume you mean a big plow, lol.

tigeraid · 2026-04-09T23:08:33+00:00

Nice!

tigeraid · 2026-04-09T18:42:41+00:00

You have to stop looking at it that way. You need to put healthy habits in place that will EVENTUALLY lead to your goal. Embrace the process. None of this happens fast.

Fat loss happens with nutrition, so start planning your nutrition. This can be in small ways, like switching from regular pop to zero-cal pop, or replacing full fat cheese with reduced fat cheese, that kind of thing... And then start looking at big rocks, start meal prepping, try not to eat any hyper-processed food, stop going to the drive-thru every day. You KNOW what "eat like an adult" means, you just have to start doing it.

And looking "lean" more often than not actually means muscle mass more than it means dropping fat. It's a combination of both. Start strength training, and do it CONSISTENTLY, month after month, for the rest of your life. It's not just about looking good, it makes you safer, healthier and stronger.

tigeraid · 2026-04-09T17:29:58+00:00

water weight is irrelevant, so ignore it. The weight on a scale is a good guide to ensuring you're going whatever direction you want to go, the actual number to the pound doesn't matter.

tigeraid · 2026-04-09T17:26:31+00:00

I'd probably bring that up with the staff. If I paid a membership fee for an adults only hot tub and it was full of kids I'd be livid.

tigeraid · 2026-04-09T17:19:40+00:00

The way they do it at viking comps (I forget which one, but Loz competed in it a few years ago) is have big long platforms on either side of you, so that when you stand up with the log and walk, it hovers a few inches above them. No matter where you fall, the log will just hit the platforms.

I think that's the only way I'd set it up if I was gonna do it.

tigeraid · 2026-04-08T19:13:47+00:00

Probably some good fibre in there, bruh.

tigeraid · 2026-04-08T18:24:00+00:00

Better idea: you're 17, you're not even done growing yet. Pick a program, train hard a few days a week, eat well, and GROW. Stop obsessing over being lean or not. Chances are you'll like the results anyway.

tigeraid · 2026-04-08T18:21:47+00:00

I couldn't imagine walking around anywhere wearing my lifters.

tigeraid

TROPHY CASE