Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

[Smith1776]

I probably have the most diminutive portfolio out of all the regular posters on this forum. A combination of being young-ish and paying for tuition has led to a portfolio in the 5 figure range.

The plus side of that is that pretty much all of my assets fit in tax-benefitted accounts.

[vnatale]

How does the free weight area look?

According to 24-hour fitness policy you have to schedule a 60-min session the prior day and the club closes promptly between customer sessions to sanitize.
My partner and I usually spend roughly 2-3 hours per workout so this structure is a non-starter for us.

I have a home gym that I currently use and may never return to the gym.
Current totals: 445/365/501 squat/bench/dL

We have some literal monsters in this forum! What is YOUR height and weight?

As the proverbial hard gainer and plateau-er for long periods of times...my current totals for same are:

160 / 120 / 200

Quite different from yours!!!

Vinny

Wait 'til you learn the size of his portfolio. Talk about monsters! As I recall there are 8 figures before the decimal point. I say this with all due respect and jealousy. I wonder how many 8-figure guys can lift that much? Probably not many.

During my months of going through the archives I did see several references to his portfolio size. But I believe this is the first time I read of the enormous amount of weight he can move.

Vinny

[buddtholomew]

Thanks for the kind words.

I have been bodybuilding and powerlifting religiously since turning 16 years old (over 30 years now). Believe it or not, my Squat, Bench and Deadlift (Big 3) totals are not even competitive in my age group among natural lifters.

As I matured my lifts rose as well and only in my late 30’s/early 40’s did I attempt a 400+ Squat and 500+ DL. I was always trying to max on Bench (what young dumbass doesn’t do flat bench 5-6 days a week). So much wasted energy...

5x5 is a solid routine for intermediate lifters and if you want to make gains eat in excess of maintenance. If you want to see abs, keep the weight as high as possible while reducing calories below maintenance. It’s really that simple and I bulk/cut twice a year (220# to 190#).

I’m doing a box squat tomorrow (400+ to a 20”). I’ll post a video with timestamp if you guys are interested.

[Mark Leavy]

I’m doing a box squat tomorrow (400+ to a 20”). I’ll post a video with timestamp if you guys are interested.

I would like to see that. I hate box squats with a passion. Not that they don't work, they are just humbling.

[buddtholomew]

Here’s a safety bar squat 405# to 20”

https://gofile.io/d/0AaYvf

I’m hovering around 210# at the moment.

[vnatale]

Thanks for the kind words.

I have been bodybuilding and powerlifting religiously since turning 16 years old (over 30 years now). Believe it or not, my Squat, Bench and Deadlift (Big 3) totals are not even competitive in my age group among natural lifters.

As I matured my lifts rose as well and only in my late 30’s/early 40’s did I attempt a 400+ Squat and 500+ DL. I was always trying to max on Bench (what young dumbass doesn’t do flat bench 5-6 days a week). So much wasted energy...

5x5 is a solid routine for intermediate lifters and if you want to make gains eat in excess of maintenance. If you want to see abs, keep the weight as high as possible while reducing calories below maintenance. It’s really that simple and I bulk/cut twice a year (220# to 190#).

I’m doing a box squat tomorrow (400+ to a 20”). I’ll post a video with timestamp if you guys are interested.

I've been following Mark Rippitoe's Starting Strength for over 9 years now. It's somewhat similar to 5 x 5?

Vinny

[vnatale]

Here’s a safety bar squat 405# to 20”

https://gofile.io/d/0AaYvf

I’m hovering around 210# at the moment.

Until I watched that I'd never seen such a setup. Mine is quite primitive in comparison with nothing underneath me and the bar (and weights) resting on my shoulders.

Fell over once backwards. But that quite early when first learning how to do them and never repeated that experience.

Vinny

[buddtholomew]

Here’s a safety bar squat 405# to 20”

https://gofile.io/d/0AaYvf

I’m hovering around 210# at the moment.

Until I watched that I'd never seen such a setup. Mine is quite primitive in comparison with nothing underneath me and the bar (and weights) resting on my shoulders.

Fell over once backwards. But that quite early when first learning how to do them and never repeated that experience.

Vinny

You are describing a conventional squat. The bar used in the video is a safety bar eliminating stress on the shoulders and the box is an accessory that allows you to vary your depth. A squat to parallel (considered competition depth) would be around 16”.

Rippetoe is similar to 5x5 but catered to beginners with less programmed volume. They both are centered around the Big 3 lifts.

It’s important to vary your routine and the type of lifts performed as often as possible so that the body adapts by increasing muscle mass. I use a box, chains and bands regularly while either lowering weight and increasing volume or reducing volume to increase weight.

[Mark Leavy]

Here’s a safety bar squat 405# to 20”

https://gofile.io/d/0AaYvf

I’m hovering around 210# at the moment.

Nice. You're a beast.

[vnatale]

Here’s a safety bar squat 405# to 20”

https://gofile.io/d/0AaYvf

I’m hovering around 210# at the moment.

Until I watched that I'd never seen such a setup. Mine is quite primitive in comparison with nothing underneath me and the bar (and weights) resting on my shoulders.

Fell over once backwards. But that quite early when first learning how to do them and never repeated that experience.

Vinny

You are describing a conventional squat. The bar used in the video is a safety bar eliminating stress on the shoulders and the box is an accessory that allows you to vary your depth. A squat to parallel (considered competition depth) would be around 16”.

Rippetoe is similar to 5x5 but catered to beginners with less programmed volume. They both are centered around the Big 3 lifts.

It’s important to vary your routine and the type of lifts performed as often as possible so that the body adapts by increasing muscle mass. I use a box, chains and bands regularly while either lowering weight and increasing volume or reducing volume to increase weight.

That box is a routine piece of gym equipment? Something I could buy at Amazon?

Vinny

[buddtholomew]

Here’s a safety bar squat 405# to 20”

https://gofile.io/d/0AaYvf

I’m hovering around 210# at the moment.

Nice. You're a beast.

Thanks Mark.

[buddtholomew]

Here’s a safety bar squat 405# to 20”

https://gofile.io/d/0AaYvf

I’m hovering around 210# at the moment.

Until I watched that I'd never seen such a setup. Mine is quite primitive in comparison with nothing underneath me and the bar (and weights) resting on my shoulders.

Fell over once backwards. But that quite early when first learning how to do them and never repeated that experience.

Vinny

You are describing a conventional squat. The bar used in the video is a safety bar eliminating stress on the shoulders and the box is an accessory that allows you to vary your depth. A squat to parallel (considered competition depth) would be around 16”.

Rippetoe is similar to 5x5 but catered to beginners with less programmed volume. They both are centered around the Big 3 lifts.

It’s important to vary your routine and the type of lifts performed as often as possible so that the body adapts by increasing muscle mass. I use a box, chains and bands regularly while either lowering weight and increasing volume or reducing volume to increase weight.

That box is a routine piece of gym equipment? Something I could buy at Amazon?

Vinny

“Most” gyms have these pieces of equipment. You rotate the cube for different depths. Amazon has them for sure!

[Kriegsspiel]

Here’s a safety bar squat 405# to 20”

https://gofile.io/d/0AaYvf

I’m hovering around 210# at the moment.

Until I watched that I'd never seen such a setup. Mine is quite primitive in comparison with nothing underneath me and the bar (and weights) resting on my shoulders.

Fell over once backwards. But that quite early when first learning how to do them and never repeated that experience.

Vinny

You are describing a conventional squat. The bar used in the video is a safety bar eliminating stress on the shoulders and the box is an accessory that allows you to vary your depth. A squat to parallel (considered competition depth) would be around 16”.

Rippetoe is similar to 5x5 but catered to beginners with less programmed volume. They both are centered around the Big 3 lifts.

It’s important to vary your routine and the type of lifts performed as often as possible so that the body adapts by increasing muscle mass. I use a box, chains and bands regularly while either lowering weight and increasing volume or reducing volume to increase weight.

That box is a routine piece of gym equipment? Something I could buy at Amazon?

Vinny

“Most” gyms have these pieces of equipment. You rotate the cube for different depths. Amazon has them for sure!

TBH though, Vinny, if you're squat is still at 160 I don't think you need bother even think about box squats. Just keep doing back squats for now. Are you still progressing on SS?

[dualstow]

Nice to see you doing your thing, Budd!
People on forums and on the radio never look like what I imagine. I pictured you as a blond, almost Dutchman . Probably because of ZA. Boy was i off. Your profile vaguely reminds me of Adam Driver, although you could probably throw him in a dumpster five feet away if you needed to. (Hopefully that situation will not arise).

[buddtholomew]

Nice to see you doing your thing, Budd!
People on forums and on the radio never look like what I imagine. I pictured you as a blond, almost Dutchman . Probably because of ZA. Boy was i off. Your profile vaguely reminds me of Adam Driver, although you could probably throw him in a dumpster five feet away if you needed to. (Hopefully that situation will not arise).

Haha; my hair has gone rogue.
Mid-life crisis, coronavirus and early retirement did the trick

[vnatale]

That box is a routine piece of gym equipment? Something I could buy at Amazon?

Vinny

“Most” gyms have these pieces of equipment. You rotate the cube for different depths. Amazon has them for sure!
[/quote]

I have never gone to a gym. I'm a major proponent of doing it at home for tons of reasons.

This is the Powertec half rack and bench that I bought used in 2010 for $225. The person I bought it from both brought it to my house and set it up. It did not come with that piece on top. And, not the same weights. It did, though, come with an Olympic bar and 275 pounds of Olympic weight, the 45#'s which I have never needed.

I do relatively few exercises using them. Three times a week start with the squat and end with the dead lift and in between rotate in the either the bench press or the press. Then each day I finish with arm curls.

My motivation was never body building. It was actually to hit the softball farther. But after my first session I quickly realized the total quality of life change it brought. Reflected upon that again this afternoon as I was pushing an old, heavy lawn mower uphill in the hot sun and it was all fine for my body. I might not have been able to say the same 45 years ago.

Vinny

[vnatale]

“Most” gyms have these pieces of equipment. You rotate the cube for different depths. Amazon has them for sure!


TBH though, Vinny, if you're squat is still at 160 I don't think you need bother even think about box squats. Just keep doing back squats for now. Are you still progressing on SS?

I plateaued long, long, long ago. If I can up an exercise by 5 pounds that is huge in the range of weights I'm working in. And, at my age I consider just maintaining a major victory as I believe there is fair amount of natural yearly muscle mass loss in my age range? Doesn't it actually start around age 25 (or even 20) but then keeps accelerating as you go through each subsequent decade of life?

Vinny

[vnatale]

Nice to see you doing your thing, Budd!
People on forums and on the radio never look like what I imagine. I pictured you as a blond, almost Dutchman . Probably because of ZA. Boy was i off. Your profile vaguely reminds me of Adam Driver, although you could probably throw him in a dumpster five feet away if you needed to. (Hopefully that situation will not arise).

Haha; my hair has gone rogue.
Mid-life crisis, coronavirus and early retirement did the trick

I was surprised that you did not have huge legs to do the weights that you are doing. That must mean that they must be close to as muscled as they can be?

Vinny

[stuper1]

Vinny,

I'm not an exercise expert, but sort of an interested amateur. From the things I've read however I think maybe you're missing one key exercise, which would be a pulling motion. You could get this with a chin up bar or with bent over weighted rows. Or inverted rows pulling your body up to meet the bar that is resting on the rack.

[Mark Leavy]

Vinny,

I'm not an exercise expert, but sort of an interested amateur. From the things I've read however I think maybe you're missing one key exercise, which would be a pulling motion. You could get this with a chin up bar or with bent over weighted rows. Or inverted rows pulling your body up to meet the bar that is resting on the rack.

And he's missing steak and eggs.

We're all fighting the clock. But it's easier with steak and eggs and weights.

[vnatale]

Vinny,

I'm not an exercise expert, but sort of an interested amateur. From the things I've read however I think maybe you're missing one key exercise, which would be a pulling motion. You could get this with a chin up bar or with bent over weighted rows. Or inverted rows pulling your body up to meet the bar that is resting on the rack.

Thanks. I will now head over to my chin up bar opposite my bathroom door and report to you how many I can do. I predict one. If I can do two I will be ecstatic!

By the way, I believe you are correct in what you proscribe. It's just so frustrating on my end to be capable of so few.

Just as I predicted. I did one (slowly) until my chin was about an inch over the bar. But once I got back to the bottom both my arms were entirely exhausted. Maybe I'll try a few more times tonight. Thanks for the prodding.

Vinny

[vnatale]

Vinny,

I'm not an exercise expert, but sort of an interested amateur. From the things I've read however I think maybe you're missing one key exercise, which would be a pulling motion. You could get this with a chin up bar or with bent over weighted rows. Or inverted rows pulling your body up to meet the bar that is resting on the rack.

And he's missing steak and eggs.

We're all fighting the clock. But it's easier with steak and eggs and weights.

Cannot argue with that. My main protein sources these days are beans and peanut butter.

Vinny

[buddtholomew]

Nice to see you doing your thing, Budd!
People on forums and on the radio never look like what I imagine. I pictured you as a blond, almost Dutchman . Probably because of ZA. Boy was i off. Your profile vaguely reminds me of Adam Driver, although you could probably throw him in a dumpster five feet away if you needed to. (Hopefully that situation will not arise).

Haha; my hair has gone rogue.
Mid-life crisis, coronavirus and early retirement did the trick

I was surprised that you did not have huge legs to do the weights that you are doing. That must mean that they must be close to as muscled as they can be?

Vinny

I was a track athlete then football WR and have always maintained more of an athletic physique. Body fat is probably 12-14% with visible abs.

Form is very important when it comes to lifting heavier weights and pull-ups are a great way to build back strength. An even better way is deadlifting

[stuper1]

Vinny,

I'm not an exercise expert, but sort of an interested amateur. From the things I've read however I think maybe you're missing one key exercise, which would be a pulling motion. You could get this with a chin up bar or with bent over weighted rows. Or inverted rows pulling your body up to meet the bar that is resting on the rack.

Thanks. I will now head over to my chin up bar opposite my bathroom door and report to you how many I can do. I predict one. If I can do two I will be ecstatic!

By the way, I believe you are correct in what you proscribe. It's just so frustrating on my end to be capable of so few.

Just as I predicted. I did one (slowly) until my chin was about an inch over the bar. But once I got back to the bottom both my arms were entirely exhausted. Maybe I'll try a few more times tonight. Thanks for the prodding.

Vinny

Believe me, I hear you. I have a friend who can do over 20. I can do about 5. So I know the frustration. Different body types work better for different exercises.

Here are a couple more alternatives for pulling exercises:

https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/invert ... -exercise/

https://www.coachmag.co.uk/dumbbell-exe ... ed%20again.

[vnatale]

I was a track athlete then football WR and have always maintained more of an athletic physique. Body fat is probably 12-14% with visible abs.

Form is very important when it comes to lifting heavier weights and pull-ups are a great way to build back strength. An even better way is deadlifting

Thought I've been playing basketball and baseball / softball for nearly 60 years I'd never describe myself as an athlete.

I'm definitely dedicated to those three times a week when I am deadlifting.

I also read the Rippitoe's Starting Strength book twice. I think he had 90 pages alone on how to do a proper squat. And, I also watched the corresponding video many times. I used to be playing it for the specific exercise that I was doing.

VInny