Random Thought Thread

fonedork said:
She has a name. Sophia. Say it
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When much much younger, there was also a Sophia in my life (TripleOughtBob doesn't know where I live, does he?!). She was a potty mouthed Greek who kept cussing in her native when she got angry (almost all the time) which I found to be quite adorable. My given nickname was "hey Maláka" which I found very endearing. I knew what it meant but pretended that I was her Musaka 🤣 ... Man, what wouldn't I give to be young and a super dumbass again! A much older dumbass just doesn't have the same appeal...
 
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Casinostocks said:
When much much younger, there was also a Sophia in my life (TripleOughtBob doesn't know where I live, does he?!). She was a potty mouthed Greek who kept cussing in her native when she got angry (almost all the time) which I found to be quite adorable. My given nickname was "hey Maláka" which I found very endearing. I knew what it meant but pretended that I was her Musaka 🤣 ... Man, what wouldn't I give to be young and a super dumbass again! A much older dumbass just doesn't have the same appeal...
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At least when we were young we could use youth as an excuse. Now, all I can do is just throw my hands up and say, "Ok, I'm a dumbass!".
 
They got these down at Buds gun shop.
I would love to get one someday!
There are some videos of these on YouTube It’s so cool! It is basically a little electric pump that squirts a gas/diesel mixture across an electrode.
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If you are ever in the bluegrass state. You gotta go to Buds!
 
bluemax_1 said:
Yikes. Sorry to hear that, man.

Hope everything goes well.

One of the things it took me a long time to learn, was to listen to my body. Most of the times I got hurt was from pushing further than I knew I should.

Nowadays, with the DL progression for example, I stick to 5 rep sets. It gives me what I consider a comfortable safety margin.

When I'm ready to add another 10lbs, I know for a fact, that I'm strong enough to get at least 3 clean reps at the higher weight, usually 4, and on occasion, I've even hit the full 5 reps the first time at the new weight, but if I can only get 3 (or 4) and the next rep feels like it would be too close to the limit (defined as not knowing whether 100% effort will clinch it or not), I stop. There's always the next workout.

When I get strong enough that I can do 5 reps at a particular weight, and still feel like I have another 1 or 2 reps in me, I don't. I stop at 5, and the next workout, I add another 10lbs.

Not going to failure ensures that I don't sacrifice my form when getting tired, and I've found that it allows me to recover quicker. I'm not stiff and sore for 3 days or longer. Just mild soreness for 1, maybe 2 days. I've actually made faster progress than I did when I was younger, because I've been able to avoid training injuries by not pushing for that last 1% every time.

I haven't even tried a 1RM in decades, and won’t ever be trying one again. Seen (and had) more injuries from pushing to hit that new PR that turns out to be juuuust a bit too much.

No idea if I can get back to 100% of my peak strength levels (lost quite a lot of muscle/strength since the beginning of the millennium), but more is more, and as long as I can keep making progress, I'll keep pushing (even if progress is never as much/fast as I'd like 😅).
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The surgery went great, everything healed perfect with no lingering effects. I never deadlifted super often before I hurt myself anyways. Bench and overhead press were my bread and butter. I squatted moderately. When I restart, I’m going to carefully give the deadlift a shot again, start with 95lbs low rack pulls. No more overhead press for me. Bench and squats will also start at 95lbs. My best numbers before I hurt myself in Jan of this year; Squat: 265x14. Bench: 225x14. Deadlift: 375x15. Haven’t done 1RM’s since 2016.
 
JACKMANDU said:
They got these down at Buds gun shop.
I would love to get one someday!
There are some videos of these on YouTube It’s so cool! It is basically a little electric pump that squirts a gas/diesel mixture across an electrode.
View attachment 1892067View attachment 1892066
If you are ever in the bluegrass state. You gotta go to Buds!
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Love the sales pitch! 🤣

"But honey... it's for clearing snow. You know how my back is...."
 
coolbreezy37 said:
The surgery went great, everything healed perfect with no lingering effects. I never deadlifted super often before I hurt myself anyways. Bench and overhead press were my bread and butter. I squatted moderately. When I restart, I’m going to carefully give the deadlift a shot again, start with 95lbs low rack pulls. No more overhead press for me. Bench and squats will also start at 95lbs. My best numbers before I hurt myself in Jan of this year; Squat: 265x14. Bench: 225x14. Deadlift: 375x15. Haven’t done 1RM’s since 2016.
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Glad to hear the surgery went well!

Yeah, heavy OHP can be a bear on the spine as you're stabilizing it on the way up. It's one of the few things a Smith machine can actually be helpful for (that and calf raises).

Even though it locks you into one line/plane of movement, it's easier to move your body under it as you go through the movement (unlike trying to use it for something like squats 😝), without needing to arch your back as much.

There's still the compression from the weight, but it's quite a bit less than the load during squats. It's that arch in the back while stabilizing heavy OHPs that potentially affects folks.
 
If it weren't for weight training a couple of times per week, I'd be completely worthless. (Some would argue that the training doesn't change that. LOL.)

I do my deadlifts with a trap bar...makes them a bit more of a squatlift depending on how you set up...but I find them really useful. I only do a bit over 300 lbs for reps...but I'm not pushing my luck anymore while pushing 70 later this year.

I use dumbbells, kettlebells and sandbags for the rest of my routine.

Recently I found that my grip was slipping a bit with the increased humidity...(despite the dehumidifier in the same room).

I found that wrapping the bar grip with CoFlex really works great. It sticks to itself, is tacky enough for an excellent grip, with no slipping or blisters...and no chalk or gloves. It also does not change the diameter of the bar in any meaningful way, so it won't alter your grip except to enhance it.

coflex-latex-free-bandage-wrap.jpg
 
Blues said:
If it weren't for weight training a couple of times per week, I'd be completely worthless. (Some would argue that the training doesn't change that. LOL.)

I do my deadlifts with a trap bar...makes them a bit more of a squatlift depending on how you set up...but I find them really useful. I only do a bit over 300 lbs for reps...but I'm not pushing my luck anymore while pushing 70 later this year.

I use dumbbells, kettlebells and sandbags for the rest of my routines.

Recently I found that my grip was slipping a bit with the increased humidity...(despite the dehumidifier in the same room).

I found that wrapping the bar grip with CoFlex really works great. Tacky enough for an excellent grip, no slipping or blisters...and no chalk or gloves.

coflex-latex-free-bandage-wrap.jpg
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Nice! ~300+lbs at 70 puts you waaaayyy ahead of 99.99% of the population. (Heck, who am I kidding? It probably puts you ahead of 99.99% of the current population of any age 😂🥴).

Yeah, while slowly rehabbing my back, I found that the 'squatlift' motion was easier on my back. I work out in my home gym in my basement, and considered buying a hex/trap bar when I couldn't even DL that initial 135lb bar, but decided to be creative instead.

I've had my Powerblock Pro set for years. Quick and easy to adjust weigjt, and the handle height remains the same regardless of the weight, so I figured to simulate a standard DL/Squatlift height, I just measured the Powerblock handle height, and looked for something that would work as a spacer to place them at the equivalent height of a standard competition DL height.

Measured the handle heights, then went to the nearest home improvement store with a measuring tape and started measuring everything; patio blocks, cinder blocks etc. Found that a standard 4x4 was actually pretty close (and would put the Powerblock handles maybe 1/4" lower than a standard DL).

Cut 2 pieces 30" long, and laid those down on either side of me so I could put the dumbbells on them, and start the pull at that height, and lower them until they touched, for each rep.

After the initial range of motion and bodyweight rehab, I started with just 10lbs in each hand, and slowly worked my way up. When I was able to comfortably do 5 reps with 70lbs in each hand, I thought, "OK, that's 140lbs. I can switch to standard DLs from here, since the bar is only 135lbs". Tried ONE rep. Nope.

The bar in front of my shins = the load being further forward. I felt it a lot more in my lower back.Got the single rep and went, "Yeah, no. Not ready for that yet".

Went back to the dumbbell squatlifts until I could comfortably do 5 reps with 80lb dumbbells, then tried the 135lb bar again. Finally could pull the 135lb bar for 5 reps. Felt different, but not "Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!", level 😂

Went to standard DLs from there.
 
We have quite a bit in common, B bluemax_1

I've had a set of Rexan PowerBlocks, (2 x 125 lbs), since sometime in the mid 1990's and still use them religiously. They are fantastic.

I have two shrug bars. One standard olympic bar @ 45 lbs. The other is a heavy duty 80 lb bar I use with a couple of bumpers and the rest standard olympic plates. Makes less noise and no damage to my slab in my home gym in the basement. (I have a 6 x 4 rubber stall mat under the setup.)

Let me see if I can take a quick snap.
 
By the way at B bluemax_1 , I can relate to your issues. I was diagnosed with scoliosis at the police physical for NYPD back in the mid to late 70's. Not only did I not know what it was, I actually thought they were lying to me. The person who disclosed this to me told me that I may not feel it then, but I would as I got older. At the time I was still active in rock climbing, competitive karate and other sports, so thought he was simply full of it.

I withdrew my app for the NYPD and went the federal route and never gave it another thought until I happened to see my x-ray in an orthopedist's office for an on-duty injury to my left biceps capsule. I asked the doc if that was my x-ray and my spine, to which he answered in the affirmative. I said wow, I guess they weren't lying to me after all. When I asked if I needed treatment, he asked if I was experiencing issues, and I said no. He said there's your answer. (This was when I was in my forties.)

I'm a bit prone to some stiff necks and some lower back discomfort from time to time, probably attributable to scoliosis, aging and a touch of arthritis as we get older...but it doesn't keep me from doing anything (yet). (I always wondered why my left pants legs were always a tad longer than the right. LOL.) I do have shoulder issues from climbing, but c'est la vie.
 
Blues said:
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Nice setup and usage of a multipurpose space. 👍😁

Those horse stall mats are great. Had a Tractor Supply nearby and got mine there. Same thing; 4'x6'x3/4" mats on the concrete slab in the basement.

Too cheap to get the Powerblock stand, so I put mine on stacked cinder blocks for a convenient height 😂.

I also have a Rogue SML-1 stand with the spotter arms for bench and squats.

Sooo convenient to just walk down into the basement to work out.
 
coolbreezy37 said:
The surgery went great, everything healed perfect with no lingering effects. I never deadlifted super often before I hurt myself anyways. Bench and overhead press were my bread and butter. I squatted moderately. When I restart, I’m going to carefully give the deadlift a shot again, start with 95lbs low rack pulls. No more overhead press for me. Bench and squats will also start at 95lbs. My best numbers before I hurt myself in Jan of this year; Squat: 265x14. Bench: 225x14. Deadlift: 375x15. Haven’t done 1RM’s since 2016.
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high weight high reps are awesome. I should get back to weights one of these days. KARATE takes up my exercise budget right now.
 
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