The Pursuit of Mythical Gains

Hah, I was wrong. 181.6 @12.5%.

Back to the gym on Thursday, kind of getting into this BB’ing thing, even if Wendler does call it jerking off in front of a mirror.

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He may be onto something, all that wanking seems to have done wonders for his conditioning and muscularity! :joy:

Seriously though, not sure what the beef is or why there’s a misconception that if you’re focused more on bodybuilding than powerlifting style training, that you’re not incorporating heavy squats/deads and similar movements to 5/3/1 or other powerlifting/strength programs. Personally I used to be more into powerlifting and strength training, until I found this article: 10 Reasons Bodybuilders Are Bigger Than Powerlifters - T Nation Content - COMMUNITY - T NATION.

After reading it and looking into training styles further, I decided I’d rather be strong and look like a bodybuilder, than be able to lift more weight but look like a powerlifter. That’s just what works for me though, I think the beef between different styles of training is pretty ridiculous. Everyone’s working hard, do what you wanna do!

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I like the approach of developing a body that performs as good as it looks. For me, the appearance side is that of a bodybuilder or athlete. But you can’t stop at size alone. I like to lift heavy weights so I can be strong and actually apply my strength to the real world. Weight room strength is worthless if you can’t use it to help your buddy move furniture.

On the flip side, many powerlifters do not look good. I also don’t think they perform well outside of their competitions. Even Jim said he got out of breath going up a flight of stairs back in his competition days.

Congratulations, you can squat a thousand pounds. Unfortunately, you might have a heart attack if you’re attacked by drug addict who wants to eat your face.

I know, I know. The big strong powerlifter would break the addict. However, those people have superhuman strength and endurance when they get that way.

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Good stuff, I agree all around. As a 5’4", 140lb on stage bodybuilder, in day-to-day events, multiple moves, managing heavy instruments and sound equipment, I’ve never come across a piece of furniture I couldn’t move, or any obstacle that involves strength/lifting something heavy I couldn’t do that people much bigger I than had trouble with (unless of course it’s something high up I can’t reach, which no amount of training can fix LOL) I do incorporate heavy work in my training, while I don’t pull from the floor anymore due to a lower back issue, I still squat, rack pull and press heavy, and am always trying to get stronger.

I am fortunate enough to be friends with an incredible top ranking IFBB Pro Classic Physique competitor. Once he asked me, “should the goal for bodybuilder be lighter weight with higher reps, or heavier weight for less reps? The answer is heavy weight for lots of reps.” This really clicked with me. Good bodybuilders should ALWAYS be trying to get stronger, able to lift heavier weight and keep growing in both size and strength.

Sorry not trying to side track into this versus that or highjack the thread, good conversation here!

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Love the hijack. I didn’t mean to imply Wendler was right by any stretch of the imagination - and I think his intention was incendiary to begin with, good naturedly so.

I think the whole BB vs PL thing got solved here a while ago. If you get stronger, you’ll get bigger, and if you get bigger, you’ll get stronger.

For some reason, the higher volume (but not crazy) and lower weights seem to be having a positive effect on my composition. I realize that may just be a temporary thing, may just have to do with how I’m currently eating, and it might only have to do with weighted ab work, but it’s nice to see some changes, albeit very minor.

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It could be a combination of everything also, a good cumulative effect, beginning with what you’ve been doing for the past couple months leading up to now. If the higher volume with lower weights and better MMC is different than what you’ve been doing, you’ll definitely spur some new growth. “Everything works, but nothing works forever” as they say, I always find I feel new growth and gains when I change set/rep scheme and exercises.

Keep up the good work man, looking GOOD!

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I agree with every you guys have said. I’ve never understood any beef between any group who have a love for doing stuff with weights. I’ll also add, I look back at the first great PLers like Coan and Karkowski and Kazmaeir and they tended to look kind of good and trained like BBers a lot of the time. Amazingly, when I started doing this I started looking and performing better. Funny, that.

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5-19-2017

C11W3D1/2 SQ and OHP
5@95 WU
5@125, 140, and 155 - The Smith really hits my quads, and I wanted to do other leg work, so I skipped FSL.

OHP
5@90, 110, 130
5X8@110 FSL
Pull Downs 4x12, Abs 3x10 @ 50, 60, 70
Single leg extensions 4x10 @ 40
Single leg curls 4x10 @ 40
Giant Set - DB Curls, 4x10 @ 20, TPD’s 4x15 @ 40, FP’s 4x10 @ 40

Good workout, about an hour.

I’ve hit the LISS pretty hard this week, four times, 6 miles each, and was starving yesterday so I ate like a pig and weighed in at 188 and 14% this morning. Looked pretty fluffy. So today, I did that protein fast again, curious to see what I weigh tomorrow.

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Three more reasons my wife thinks I am gross, lol.

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Porn for dope fiends

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Since you’re stuck with a Smith machine then you ought to try one of my favorite leg exercises: reverse lunges. Since you can’t move back it turns into more of a single leg squat. I try not to put much weight on the rear leg when I reach back (it’s easy to cheat and push off the back leg). Your glutes will thank you!

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Just a little pride post. My boy is a great kid and he gets his green belt in Shotokan Karate next week. The progression is white, yellow, orange, blue, green, purple, red, brown, and black, I think.

His sensei is a serious bad ass, and the PKA champion for several associations in the North East, and I watched him fight. I know his belts are legit, and my son is learning from a legit fighter.

I helped him put his display together today and was filled with pride.

My belts in Kempo are on the left, his for Shotokan are on the right.

I am so looking forward to him getting his green so I can tell him we are equal now and we can spar and I can go Kramer and kick his ass, lol.

Proud dad. Glad I have a thread so I can share this shit with myself, lol.

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That’s awesome :slight_smile:

Whenever munchkin sees a video of me training he goes and picks the kettlebell or dumbbell up a few times to remind us he can lift too.

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@The_Myth On your grand tour of the US, you’re swing through Omaha, right?

Will be traveling the southern route, through Oklahoma, so no, am going to miss Omaha. I would rather see Omaha in June - my alma mater Oregon State is currently ranked #1 in the country in baseball and I’ve always wanted to go to the CWS. But, won’t make it this year.

Maybe next year. I plan on driving it out again!

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Come to Texas!!! Lol

If you can somehow squeeze the drive to Hawaii in, I have a guest pass to my gym for you.

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I’m in!

If you’re in PDX, let me know.

There’s that gym I’ve been meaning to check out.

I’m not going to be there this Summer, but probably at Christmas.

Are you talking about Loprinzis?

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