MarkKO's Training Log

More wins. I finally got around to getting the bloodwork my GP wanted in July. Went to see him today, and I wasn’t expecting it to be pretty. I mean, with the amount I’m eating and the weight I’ve added how could it be? I expected at least some serious shit going on with my blood glucose.

Apparently I was needlessly worried. Blood glucose is fine (according to the doc that shows my ability to process glucose is good), cholesterol is fine (OK, cholesterol needs watching as it’s towards the high end of normal bit it’s still in the normal range). Kidney function is perfect, liver is actually better than last time it was tested (but still a little high).

Last bloodwork was done mid 2017 - so when I was sitting around 185-90 lbs with sub 15% bodyfat. The values are basically all the same.

So, win. This was a major boost. Doc says the only thing I should look at is reducing fat intake and keep an eye on my blood pressure as it’s still high normal.

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Great news Mark!

I’m sure you know the intensity of your workouts is going to affect your liver values - I wouldn’t worry about it. I also suspect the composition of your meals (avoiding processed sugar, etc…) contributes to the healthy glucose levels.

With respect to the SSRI’s and shit, you might consider adding in theanine as a supplement, adding a handful of cashews a day as a snack, and some coffee/caffeine in moderation.

Just some of the things that I find help.

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Woke at 246.8 lbs, looking similar to yesterday although maybe a tad more bloated.

@The_Myth I didn’t know my training could impact my liver values. It does explain it though. Also thank you, I’ll look into theanine. Caffeine i already get from my coffee in the morning.

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Pretty cooked after work (installing workstations in a room without aircon) so took a couple of scoops of pre trainer. Brought me about to normal energy levels or bit below.

Todays training

Bird dogs, rolling planks, reverse hyper

I’ve been reading Brian Carroll’s 10/20/Life and he advocates those first two. Felt effective from the get go, so they’re staying. There’s one more element of the McGill big three to try.

DL, stiff bar
3xplate/154 lbs - I widened my stance out maybe an 20 mm each foot because the last few weeks no matter what my hips shoot up and I figured maybe my gut is getting in the way. This was a good guess
2x2 plates/264 lbs
1x3 plates/374 lbs - belt on but double overhand (just)
4x2x484 lbs - waaay better position with wider stance but fuck me they were slow. Bracing was better from set two.
7x484 lbs - left hand failed at the top of seven, which is a first for me. If it had held out I had a good run at nine. Took a good few huffs of Skull Smash which is what got me through this set. Bar moved well, managed to keep position pretty well.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpoYwN4AGNZ/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=t83mlzi5m19

That was it. I set up block pulls just below the knee around 420 lbs and couldn’t move the bar.

Called it there. I asked Greg if I can switch to deloading every fourth week and he said yes. It’s normally reserved for bigger guys moving more weight but he apparently agrees there’s no point in risking injury.

That means I’m deloading next week. Also not training tomorrow.

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3 plates - 140kg is about where I start to slip with double overhand too.
7 reps at 220kg, fark me, hell of an effort mate!

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Used to be the same for me. Now it’s three 25 kg plates, so progress.

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Those 7 reps looked so smooth Mark. Grip failed before anything.
Awesome.

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Maybe @duketheslaya can offer some tips for your grip mark. Lol

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I know it’s a joke, but I’m pretty certain Mark’s knowledge base would ensure anything I’d say he would already know.

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Although it was in jest, sometimes we can even the boss can learn from the apprentice.

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@duketheslaya you probably know more about grip training than I do.

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Maybe All around grip training. But im sure Deadlift specific grip (Support) you would know more. I would just say things like double overhand deadlift holds for time,high rep barbell rows, Romanian deadlifts etc, Kroc rows, pullup bar hangs. blah blah

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Woke at 246.5 lbs, less bloated than yesterday.

@duketheslaya that’s what I would have said too, apart from the overhand holds for time, RDLs and hangs because I wouldn’t have thought of them. I really don’t train grip at all.

I don’t think powerlifters need to train grip provided training includes plenty of gripping. I think where people get caught out is using straps a bunch in training. I guess that’s the scenario where a PLer would need grip training, except that seems like a lot of double handling when you could just ditch the straps. I’m guessing Greg has similar ideas because we don’t do specific grip work at all and he won’t let us use straps for DL.

One thing about grip for me that I’ve noticed is that it’s a hell of good fatigue indicator. If my grip is off, that’s almost always a sign I’m puabimg the limits.

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Exactly, well put Mark.

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Struggled to stay upright and awake today. Sore all over too. We had a BBQ at work, which was cool, and I went home right after and went to bed until Mrs KO and munchkin got home.

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BBQ has many different iterations here in Murrica, wondering what it means in Oz.

@The_Myth

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Thanks. We call that grilling - or smoking.

BBQ has many different meanings here, from Texas BBQ to Carolina BBQ and all points in between (Memphis, St. Louis), all different.

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Pretty sure there is only one definition

noun

a meal or gathering at which meat, fish, or other food is cooked out of doors on a rack over an open fire or on a special appliance.

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Woke at 247.1 lbs, similar to yesterday or a bit less bloated. Still stiff AF but feeling better.

Also, average gain time. October to November saw an average gain of four pounds, or a pound a week.

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