Josie,

I'm pretty sure a frenchy is a pull-up variation with isometric holds at the top, at 90 degrees, and at 145 degrees.

Holliday,

Nice squat, man, and sick overall training volume as usual.

Rexx pretty much said what came into my mind re: a few of Josie's posts over the last few days. Glad to see you may be finding some areas of mild relief soon, Holliday. Hiring a maid sounds like a good start.

Those squats, that's how you work.

I'm not gonna weigh in on the rest, but if you can make life easier, do that.

Frenchies are tough, I was doing 5s holds with overhand on a straight bar and my elbows didn’t really like it lol. Think my best effort was like BW+45 for a single, not a ****ing double you damn psycho.

This I wrote in Alobar's log. Josie has also a fresh list in her log. It is not bad. In the most desperate moments I was never uniformly desperate. There are always things that made me feel a little bit better or worse. And the trick is to notice that at all and not to drown yourself in major misery.


Three things that I believe are on your happy list:
- interacting with hot girls from your yoga course
- get into the flow with a work-out/running (it doesn't count if you are in a hurry or have to interrupt)
- playing with your dog and kitty

Cool front squat.

Will review full results with my doctor mid-September, but am told I was low-normal (334) on the T. Really tired/sleepy lately and I think it's the new med.

It takes time to adjust to new medication. Possibly they were worried about your lack of sleep and medicated accordingly.

8/29 -- 236.8 lbs 22.6% bf

5/3/1 Overhead Press (TM 191) + Archer Pullups

Overhead Press 2x2x115, 5x145 @6, 3x165 @7.5, 185 @9.5, 192f, 190f, 180 @10
Archer Pullups 6 mixed, 2x5 one-sided, 2x3 one-sided
BTN Press/Push Press 4x145/4x145 @10
Reverse-grip Bench Press 9x135, 6x185 @8, 4x215 @9, 4x205 @9


Workout Calories: 636

Felt a little fatigued beforehand and thought about taking an extra day's rest, so generally happy to get the 185 (cycle target was 183) but feel like I'm getting too one-and-done on heavy single attempts. Wish I would have either tried for a second rep OR tried 190 instead. Elbows started aching in the middle of the workout and got worse and distracting after the 185--made me call off trying 1-arm lockoffs/supramaximal descents for Archers.

Reverse-grip bench felt pretty affected so just took what it could give me.

One more workout until deload. Caloric consumption has not been terrible--between 2500 and 3000 kcals per day with about 270g protein. Not sure why the weight gain for a few days now but still looking at 12 pounds over the course of less than 3 weeks, so fine. Going to try to work in more cardio and yoga while deloading.

No point in showing the 190+ fails--not close.

It may be technically normal or within their BS range but that is low. Did they tell you your free? Btw you can get these results if they do their testing through labcorp by downloading the app.

That's the main thing, symptoms + free T. It's low enough where I'd be surprised if your DR wasn't willing to work with you (again assuming symptoms) but idk some DRs are really pretty ignorant on this subject or scared to do anything vs "in range" labs.

Highly recommend watching Jay Campbell's youtubes with top DRs in this field and his book TOT Bible.

The labs range keeps getting adjusted downward to account for the decline in men's testosterone levels. It's truly insane, average T levels are down like 50% in the last 50 years.

Cool, thanks.

On the app it looks like my free T is 7.05 or 2.11%. No idea what that means except looks on the low side of "normal".

It is a major practice for transitioning, so I sort of assume they'll be liberal about it. Will try to get to the videos, thanks.

What was the reference range on the free T?

"Healthy nonobese (BMI<30) 19-39 year old males; ng/DL 5 - 21"

8/30 -- 234.8 lbs 22.3%bf

Energy 2510 (-630)
Protein 293g (142 from powders)
Net Carbs 129g
Fat 84g


5/3/1 Deadlift (TM ~487) + 5/3/1 Front Squats (TM 270 + backoffs)

Single-leg RDLs 2x6x135
Front Squats 5x135 (31X1), 5x205
Raised-heel Front Squats 5x205 @6, 3x230 @7, 4x2x255 @8, 8, 8.5, 9
Fat Gripz Wide OHP (static) 6x115 @6, 5x140 @8, 4x165 @9.5, 3x3x165 @9, 9, 9.5
1-Arm Dumbell Rows 10x40s, 10x55s, 8x70s, 8x85s, 2x8x100s

Sumo Deadlift for speed (with eccentrics (not for speed)) 6x155, 5x225, 5x275, 3x315
Deadlift (with eccentrics) 5x335 @6, 5x370 @7.5, 5x405 @8.5, 3x430 @9.5, 455ff
French Press 6x97
Skullcrushers 8x97, 8x107, 2x8x112

Workout calories = 780


Wasn't really sure what to expect deadlifting today especially adding eccentrics with actual work weight--certainly that's better than bonking on 425! Pretty tiring generally by the 5th rep but I'll probably get used to it. I kind of like not making that much noise. Not very confident in my RPE estimates due to the new eccentrics and been doing EMOM single for a while, so add .5 to them if you want.

Tried the dumbell rows with the bracing against the bench thing; felt fine but unfortunately the gym dumbells only go up to 100. Maybe I can add bands?

You're the the only lifter I've seen that pulls a 3RM grinder and then adds 25 pounds to the bar for his next set.

Well probably not my most thought-through session, lol.

Had been planning to do SSPT 10 singles with 405 but I was really enjoying the full sets with eccentrics and then just wanted to test if I was still bonking at 425-435. Plus the first couple of reps had been feeling really easy.

Actual 5/3/1 sequence would have been 5x365, 3x415, and 1+x465, so *in a way* I was splitting the difference. But in another, more accurate, way I didn't know what the numbers were supposed to be.

Has anyone in this forum had good results with sspt? I've seen half a dozen ppl run it and not get too far.

Well, me. I’m pretty happy with it. But I am running it pretty custom—in fact I’m really just following a strongman’s advice and found out other people call something similar “SSPT”. Like how I started calling lying tricep extensions “skullcrushers”.

Something, something, innate capacity for enduring suffering something something clearly related to goals something something.

8/31 -- 232.6 lbs 21.9% bf

Energy 2379 (-761)
Protein 237g (120 from powders)
Net Carbs 154g
Fat 83g


Yoga Flow 373 calories

Damn man I used to live right by that gym! I would've been honored to train along side the great Holliday!

I don't really like the SS philosophy, but I'm too weak to "prove it wrong". I always wondered what how the regs would react to someone who's just a real natural athlete training his balls off. If I ever go back home I'm swinging by to see if I can get a little WIM to rub off on me.

Keep trucking hoss.

And how old are you? Definitely somewhere around the age where Rip would caution against "training like a young man." Makes me so happy to see some just lifting buckwild and with joy. BTN push press? F yeah.

Lol, actually they've been great--they don't care what I do. Their only real rules are "you have to let anyone work in" and "you must spot when asked". Just everybody there IS running Starting Strength, except 4 or 5 intermediate lifters and some Oly folks. Most people there getting lessons from the trainers; and it's all pretty standard SS stuff and not the typical gym trainer insanity. It is a little weird how often everyone is sitting resting between sets though. Yes, it does seem to give the gymgoers plenty of time to wonder what the hell I'm doing.

I'm 42 and like to think Rip is talking about 50 year-olds. Hit me up when you make it.

I go back and forth on the rip cult, and I am currently slightly more on the rip side than not. One interesting thing that happened during my lapse in training was Barbell Medicine's split from SS. It seems to show what a jack booted situation is happening over there, as their views are wildly different now than before.

Some of that could be Feigenbaum and Baraki bull****ting in the other direction a bit in order to differentiate themselves. Now they believe in high volume, low intensity, adding conditioning, doing high bar and sumo, pretty much exactly the opposite of what they were peddling 6 months ago.

Meanwhile Barbell Logic is still selling the vanilla SS brand. Both of the trainers are obese, they advise things like running out the LP for 9 months, pushing every set to RPE 11, microloading the squat 0.5 pounds, etc. One video the main guy advised pulling your missed deadlift rep for a full 5 count to get the stimulus from that (keep in mind this is with the bar stuck on the floor). So they're clearly ridiculous but the basic Rippetoean principles still have a lot of value, IMO.

Can you link to this one?

I'll look for it but it was from a podcast. I think it was back when they were audio only and the topic was about getting the most from your LP. And to be fair it was framed in an argument that novices don't know how to push sets really hard, so the 5 count thing was his way of "making sure they're really pushing it.". But then he added the bit about the stimulus.

ah, found it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v1UbF_cZzU#t=39m50s