MarkKO's Training Log

[MarkKO]

@robstein thank you so much for taking the time to answer to comprehensively! I think my mini-freak out happened because I’m not trying to lean out but reset my body to this level of leanness. Leaning out was easier because I was always looking for improvements. This is harder for me because I’m looking to stay the same, so my mind plays tricks on me.

I definitely eat a lot of veggies, but weighing them isn’t a bad idea. Eyeballing it I probably go through about two pounds a day.

@robstein

as long as it’s not too substantial and the mirror/progress pics are showing solid conditioning and improvements, IMO you’re good to go and shouldn’t obsess over the scale weight

That is awesome to hear. The fluctuations are not too large, at most a pound and a half day-to-day, usually quite a bit less.

[MarkKO]

Woke at 190.5 lbs, looking much the same. I’ll try and get some photos today too.

The F6 arrived and it fits nicely, but is loose enough I can easily put it on. Can’t wait to try it out.

[MarkKO]

Feeling much better than yesterday.

Today’s training

Lazy lifter plus shoulders

Squat, equipped

TM is 407 lbs

Work up from bar in 44 lbs x3-5 to 60%, briefs on at 60%

3x286 lbs, under 6 RPE, briefs and suit straps down, open belt
3x324 lbs, under 6 RPE, briefs and suit straps down
1x368 lbs, under 6 RPE, briefs and suit straps up
5x407 lbs, 6 RPE
5x407 lbs, 6-7 RPE

Left the squats there. They felt good, feels like I worked, no need to push further today

Low box squats, beltless, briefs
3x5x286 lbs, under 6, 6-7 and 7-8 RPE, short rests - these were hard today, plopped a bit when I wasn’t paying attention. Felt like DL more than squats in a way

Oly SGDL
3x10x220 lbs, under 6, 6-7 and 8 RPE - short rests, last set rest/pause because I fucked my balance on the sixth rep

Shirt time!

No idea what to expect so

Raw bar only for a few

Shirt on

3x132 lbs, closest I could touch was around where a two board would be
2x176 lbs, closest I could touch around where a one board would be
2x220 lbs, touched on the second - that’s that figured out
1x264 lbs, went up very fast
1x286 lbs, messed up the lockout a bit because I wasn’t expecting it so slow down so suddenly
1x302 lbs, grind to lockout but definitely got there

Left it at that for the day.

Looks like the shirt gives me 35-45 lbs off the bat without even learning it, which is awesome. The groove feels identical - well, almost - to my raw bench in terms of where I touch, how I lower. Seems to help to press straight up, though.

Next week I’ll bench as normal, then next cycle I’ll go as I planned. The singles and plus set I’ll probably do around 275 lbs.

Videos to come.

[MarkKO]

OK, pictures. Same location, lighting seems different but less flattering for sure (or I’ve just gotten way fatter…). Scale weight at the time was 191.4 lbs, around two hours after training. The bending over one took me by surprise. I think, maybe just, that my back has started growing a little.

[Destrength]

Saw your shirted benching pop up on my feed, looked easy. Kinda weird looking groove though, I always thought geared benching was more like the bench groove I like people doing (set up so bar is above where you touch, and go straight up and down) while you looked like you pressed in a diagonal from start to finish. I think you normally (or used to if I remember right) bench like that raw though, so it’s probably your natural groove.

I know some people recommend doing a non-straight but at the same time I can’t think of many big lifters that do that. Like Eric Spoto when he had the world record pressed straight.

Eric Spoto 722 lbs (327.5 kg) World Record Raw Bench Press - Official Video | RetroPL

same deal with scot mendelson

Scot Mendelson 715 Raw Bench Press World Record

A bunch of the westside guys doing raw work

Westside Barbell ME Upper Body 4.6.16

Ed Coan does a slight angle (hard to see with ancient film/weird angle) though.

Ed Coan 555x2 Bench Press (Gym Lift)

[MarkKO]

Yes, it was my raw groove. Last single I put up I did try to press straight up. Work in progress.

[simo74]

Still loooing good mark although I could have done without that arse shot !!! Keep up the good work mate.

[Irishman92]

@simo74

although I could have done without that arse shot !!!

Definitely x100

[ARTMYD]

strong look Marko ! Nice.

[MarkKO]

Woke at 191.2 lbs, pretty happy with how I look. Kind of sore in the quads and back, in a good way.

[MarkKO]

Took me a while, but here are the week’s highlights

Training Maximally, cycle 5, week 2, 14-20 August 2018, highlights

[MarkKO]

OK. Um. Possibly rant time, possibly not. We’ll see, but there’s definitely stuff knocking around my head.

I’m kind of bewildered although I shouldn’t be, and it’s certainly none of my business. But hey, it is what it is, and I’m bewildered by it. If you’re edging 275 lbs, you should probably not be wearing your belt to hit 50 lbs DB bench. Or seated DB presses. Hell, even the sub-200 lbs front squats and bench presses had my eyebrows raising a bit. I’ve done some dumb shit ranging from wearing tights and long socks to squat right to trying to implement bands and chains for no good reason and without the requisite knowledge, but I don’t think I ever did anything that stupid. Oh, and wearing wraps on top of knee sleeves. This is one guy who trains at Elite. He’s really nice, and he’s consistent, but fuck!!! He used to he a soft 242 lbs, he’s now in the 275s and it ain’t extra muscle. I know who coaches him, and he’s got a ton of good lifters who perform well. He’s a decent PLer himself. I guess he just needs the money.

Plus side, my buddy Justin is going well even though outside of training his life sucks a bit right now. He’s finally got a coach who convinced him to hit the volume and he’s reaping the benefits. Not sure if he’s still enhanced as he’s broke ATM, but he also cleaned up his attitude. He’s got a ways to go before he’s not a laughing stock at Elite (seriously, he’s still a caricature insta-lifter in many ways and needs to dial down his arrogance), but baby steps. So all that’s a bonus and I’m glad to see it because he is a decent bloke at heart. Hopefully it continues.

Personally, I’m really enjoying training. It feels like something has clicked and while I’m not progressing fast at all, I’m confident I’m laying down a good base as I go along. Bar my occasional panic about the mirror I’m pretty satisfied with how my physique/body comp is going. The longer I stay relatively lean as I am, the better I’ll be able to stay that way. Despite what my brain tells me, I think it unlikely that one day I’ll suddenly wake up and that 30 pounds of fat I lost will have suddenly come back.

[MarkKO]

Went on an impromptu date with future wifey. Probably around 400-500 calories over, courtesy of around 100 grams protein in dinner alone (monkfish, chicken, beef cheek). Not overly fatty as far as I could tell, apart from very crisp potatoes roasted in duck fat. Meh. Some things are important and this was a one off. Just happens to fall when I’m still semi paranoid about getting fat again. Fuck but I’m an idiot sometimes (the paranoid part, date was awesome and food delicious).

[MarkKO]

Woke at 192.7 lbs but looking fine. Relieved, to be honest.

[MarkKO]

Quick note with early morning clarity: all this BS I’m putting up about my weight and how I look boils down to one thing: I’m terrified of taking it for granted and suddenly finding myself fat again.

It’s kind of similar to what I felt when I started training. If I missed a day or didn’t quite hit my target one day, I’d obsess over whether I was losing my progress. Now I now better. Same story with being lean-ish. I haven’t been here, consistently, long enough to get a feel for what is OK and what isn’t.

[IronOne]

Mark, enjoy your leanness! Dont let it be an anxiety, it doesn’t deserve to. You didn’t shed 30lbs in 2 weeks and won’t gain 30lbs in 2 weeks. Relatively frequent checking in will prevent you from losing form. You have the tools.

One observation/idea: Your upper half needs more mass. This may be a stubborn area for you, so it needs extra attention. Most notably chest, shoulders and arms. Obviously this is whats holding your bench back. I’ve had great success with high volume paused flat db benching. Progression like 5x12, 5x10, 5x8, 5x5. Goal is to barely be able to get the last rep of the last set, weight is sets across. This will also get you away from the barbell, which will hopefully make your shoulders happy. Perhaps this could replace cgbp.

I know it has to be the ‘right time’ or off-season, but just something to think about.

[MarkKO]

@IronOne

You didn’t shed 30lbs in 2 weeks and won’t gain 30lbs in 2 weeks

Logic and reason also tell me this. My brain struggles to accept it. Thanks though.

@IronOne

One observation/idea: Your upper half needs more mass. This may be a stubborn area for you, so it needs extra attention

Tell me about it @IronOne . I’ve been bashing away at the back work, and I think it’s starting to show some results (maybe); but chest and shoulders are definitely starting to lag. It’s funny you mention DBs, because I’ve been thinking about that myself. I think I may need to swap dips out. I’ve been using them in some form or another for so long it’s probably time to change it up. I’ve noticed in the last few weeks I get less of a pump out of dips. Doesn’t matter how awesome I think they are, if they’re not working they need to be rested.

I’m hesitant to swap out CGBP entirely, but what do you think about replacing dips with DB bench variations? I could follow those rep schemes you set out and play with degrees of incline as well. That way I’d go CGBP, DB bench.

Arms I think I’ve got a handle on in terms of exercises, and it’s just a matter of putting in the work now.

[IronOne]

@MarkKO

but what do you think about replacing dips with DB bench variations? I could follow those rep schemes you set out and play with degrees of incline as well. That way I’d go CGBP, DB bench.

Love it. Stick with flat for awhile so you can measure progress. I’ve noticed great carryover to bench and size gains since focusing on them for an extended time. Incline is fine, but flat will allow you more weight and specificity.

[MarkKO]

I shall be guided by you in this. I’ll start in the coming week to get a feel for what weight to use.

[MarkKO]

Another realisation (I may be wrong but I suspect not): despite wanting to get good at a bunch of things, I don’t need to spend time focusing on all of them. I can just keep doing what I’m doing. I’ll get stronger and that transfers across pretty much everything, the most I’ll need to do is spend a month or two focusing on a particular lift to bring it up to speed.