This is pretty clear at this point.

Have you ever trained with a partner EV? Someone big and strong that could show you the effort required might be a good idea.

One of my training partners blacked out unconscious during some floor pressing last week. I'd consider that a RPE 10, btw.

I do think learning to push through and grind is an acquired skill, and you just don't seem willing to want to take it there. Hopefully that mindset doesn't ever carry over to your job where you might actually need it sometime.

That said, I do agree that you can still get results with sub-optimal training, as seen over and over in this world.

Yah that's healthy blacking out

And big n strong partners lol yah last partner I had made me do 275x1 on bench that went over real well.

I didn't say it was healthy, lol, I just said it's an RPE 10. And sometimes that's where you need to go to the get the results you seek.

Bigger and stronger with a decent idea of programming would have been better stated.

But maybe compare your effort scale to Holiday's recent squat videos...

Some guys simply aren't very tough, both mentally and physically. They have a low threshold for pain or discomfort. That's basically the whole log in a nutshell.

Evo,

It sounds like you're just intimidated by how alpha he is.

I remember at one point he was benching like 285 or 290 so that has not increased either. maybe over the past few weeks, but not long term.

I just clicked on the first page of his log to see what he was doing. he was actually stronger five years ago in 2013. lat pulldown and shoulder press was about the same but DB row 85x12, bench 225x5, RDL 155x10, etc etc. negative gains over the last 5 years.

As I stated many many times previously I will state it again for those that skim or perhaps might have memory loss from blacking out. My overall goal is to look better and have long term health benefits from living this lifestyle not the opposite- don't get it twisted. I have trained rpe 10 before it's not like I am unable to lift heavy so don't come in here thinking your alpha when your life experiences are as simple as hiding behind a desk at work talking a big game. I choose not to train too heavy because of my own experiences at the gym and because of my lower back as it has been a persistent problem.

I've also been in 3 police academy in the last the 5 years each were 5-6 months. And yes back in 2013 that was my prime when I looked the best 159 7%.

Paging dr loco, dr loco to the emergency room! Please bring your head fat measurement kit dr!

EV,

I don't think any of the keyboard warriors that still read your log, I'm assuming mostly for amusement, are claiming, either explicitly or implicitly, to be, as you say, alpha; we're all just pointing out the absurdity of you claiming that you are given your training progress and anecdotes about your life views and personal/professional life. Of course, we all understand the purpose behind re-framing anyone's legitimate criticism of your progress (ego preservation); the fact remains that your programming is garbage, and that you'd get better results from something that was much higher volume while still remaining sub-maximal with respect to relative intensity. The last five years of your log make Soulman look like G4S; maybe it's time for a title change?

Helpfully,

Monte

Monte- What would u change about this program to make it garbage proof?

thatshighpraise.gif !

8/28/18
171.4 lbs

- Totally spent after this workout was supposed to be hyper day but u guys got me hyped up to train harder just to prove the #haters wrong.

Back/shoulder hyper
SW- DB/Kettle rows 6x3 (70%)- 30s rest
20kg x3
24kg x3 x5

Regular pull ups 3x12 t/t@ 2:37
x10 x3

One arm DB rows 3x12 (needed full 2 mins felt like 30 seconds somehow)
Wu - 50x8/70x5
85x10 x2 120s rest
85x8+f

Close grip lat pulldowns 2x15
140x15 x2

Seated DB press 3x10- 60s rest
55x10 x3

Upright rows 2x12-15
80x10 x2

BB shrugs 3x8
225x12 x3

Abs 2 exercises

Negative. When posters in here use you as an example to explain how my training/gainz suck you probably need to reevaluate.

So this week my calories went from 3,370 down to 3,170 did a huge decrease cause I was just maintaining my weight. Focusing on crushing the macros, to the phucking tee and been doing well this week. I'm getting super hungry though like it honestly feels like I'm consuming 2500 it's a sickening feeling. Can't wait to bulk again. Additionally doing stair master roughly 700kcal/week now going to keep it the same for next week as well and see how it all levels out.

My opinion:

* Disclaimer: I'm not on an ivory tower of gains over here. I'd love to have your lifts and physique.

- Your statement that you do this for looks and not strength is inconsistent. You have pushed the bench to actually high RPEs in the past, so it's clear you know what they are. You just care about that lift and don't care about squats or deadlifts or rows. Which, in a vacuum, is fine.

- But this isn't a vacuum. You've had a stated objective to add mass since the start of the log, which has mostly remained unmet. In order to approach that goal as a natural, you're going to need to increase your leg and back strength a ton. And judging from your bench-to-bodyweight ratio, you obviously have above average lifting genetics. Which means that it should be within your capability to squat and deadlift 400lb+, given enough time and hard training.

- I've heard it said that the squat needs intensity to grow, but I think it's more the case that all the lifts need intensity and that it is just far more difficult to do a hard set of squats than of bench or overhead press. The spinal loaded nature of the movement makes you want to die even in an RPE7 set, which is probably why you consistently overrate RPE for it. Even worse with deadlift since it is also spinal loading but without the mechanical advantage from lowering the weight first.

- I agree with Monte's assessment that you should just do a ton of sets of everything if you're planning on never pushing anything heavy, but that's not gonna be optimal. Eventually even an easy weight gets hard when you've done enough sets of it and then you're back to the same issue. It's arguably easier to just do the one hard set and get it over with.

- I'd rather see you do a 5/3/1-type program + bodybuilding-style accessories, and just really push that top set as hard as possible. And beat that set every week until you experience what a real @9 or @9.5 set of squat/dl is. A program like this would be the best of both worlds for you.

Re: programming, it obviously depends a ton on what your goals actually are, because, as Renton noted, what you say you want and what you do aren't aligned.

If you're looking to get stronger, doing some kind of progressive overloading will be necessary. Beyond that, it's kind of up to you; the en vogue powerbuilding style (center each workout around one of the big four with some reasonable progression in intensity, volume, or both over time, then bolt on whatever accessory movements to the back end to satisfy weak point training and/or aesthetic goals) has fit my eye for a while.

Before I just recently started this new block, I was thinking of challenging you to run what I'm running now concurrently (Jacked and Tan 2.0, a powerbuilding type program from noted Reddit programming nerd gzcl), but figured you wouldn't be down. I'm two days in, but it's k. It's a lot of volume, but that's what I enjoy.

^LOL

I think he forgot what SALTS stands for.

Re: Strong bench to bw therefore I should be able to DL/Squat 4 plates that's a big negative. In theory perhaps but I've been focusing on upper body for many many more years than lower. My upper body was built from sports whereas my lower back could not handle the impact and my hamstrings would always get injured.

In a nutshell I don't disagree with you guys about intensity it sucks right now. I'm a bit nervous about my lower back I constantly have to stretch it out. Feel like an old man.

I wouldn't be opposed but no DLs and to answer your question my ultimate goal is to keep my joints healthy and look like I lift.

Maybe just do kb swings and goblet squats instead of squatting and dead lifting. Doing a bunch of swings will probably do more for you then doing 3*8*85 on rdl

I'll diverge from what everyone is saying somewhat and say you don't need to squat or deadlift in any way shape or form for your goals. It might get you there quicker, but if it's injurious for you, it might make it take a lot more time. The problem is not the programs you pick or exercise selection, it's your execution of both. You need to have a more clearly defined progression instead of going in and selecting sets/reps seemingly at random/by feel. Weights need to get heavier each session or volume in terms of total weight moved throughout the session need to INCREASE systematically.

I think you can still do this just fine on PHAT and don't think it's a bad program at all, but that means when you do the 95lb RDLs for 10, you need to do it for 105lbs the next workouot, not just stay there into perpetuity. Adding weight to the bar/machine each time=/= powerlifting training that will not make you aesthetic. It's literally how muscle is built... Increasing weight but decreasing ROM like you did on your shoulder presses also doesn't count.

TBH I'd drop all sq/dl movements and find a good quad machine that works well you for, whether it's leg press, hack squat, smith squat, or powersquat machine.

I agree Evo. Its tough to do cause I used to track weight done for the big 3 lifts but now I'm not sure what to keep an eye on aside for bench/front squats. But I'm going to start keeping track of rpe/weight done for the main lifts and make sure it's going up on the monthly basis.

8/29/18
171.4 lbs

Lower body hyper
Lying curls 45s rest
WU 30-65
WU 80/95
110x15 rpe 9
125x10
140x8 rpe 10

SW- Front squats 6x3 rpe 7 @165
165x3 x5

Leg press 5x5 (goal to is find rpe 8 for 5 reps)
230x5 x2 (was going to do 5 sets at this weight but nah need to pick up intensity even on hyper days)
250x5
270x5
290x5
320x5 (weird- still feels lightish)
360x5 rpe 6 - good working weight but can def do more. Def been holding myself back, I was going to do 230 when that's like rpe- negative 5. Going to use today as motivation to stop holding myself back and make some serious gainz.

SLDL 3x10
95x8 (it's time to make a infamous leap into a new PR after 5 years)
135x5
185x5

Glute bridge 3 sets