Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

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Spaghetti
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Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#1

Post by Spaghetti » Fri Aug 02, 2019 11:49 pm

Age: 32 | Height: 5'11" | BW: 187lb | BF% ≈ 20%
Office worker with non-athletic childhood


Current PRs (2021/02/22):
Rep PRs (kg)1234567891011121314151617181920
Squat127.0 103.0 ------------------------99.0 97.0 95.0 91.0 84.0
Bench88.0 72.0 ------------------------71.0 69.0 ----68.0 64.0 58.0
Deadlift140.0 124.0 ----------------------------119.0 110.0 --------109.0
OHP53.0 ----47.6 --------------------43.0 ----41.0 39.0 ----37.0
Rep PRs (kg)1234567891011121314151617181920
Front Squat----------------------------------------66.0 --------64.0 --------53.0 ----39.0 38.0
Zercher Squat--------------------------------------------66.0 64.0 61.0 ----58.0 54.0
DB Bench------------------------------------------------22.7 ----20.4 ----19.3 18.1 17.0 13.6
Incline Bench------------59.0 54.0 47.0 39.0
RDL--------------------------------------------90.0 86.0 82.0 --------81.0 71.0
Push Press----------------------------------------51.0 ----50.0 ----------------46.0
The Current Plan (2021/02/22):
1.) Spend 4-8 weeks training without a program while I let some psychological issues resolve and dissipate.
ON HOLD: 1.) Continute running the Strongerbyscience hypertrophy template for a while. Everything has finally come together and I'm—slowly but surely—seeing gains.
2.) Try to have some kind of decent front rack position so I can start messing around with olympic lifts (because they look like fun) ... and because I hate the back squat and I don't want to buy a SSB.
3.) Low priority but slowly diet down to a 33in morning waist.
Training History:
SpoilerShow
Pre 2015:
Just putzing around with weights here and there, nothing special nor consistent, the focus was more on getting a better job. The only thing I can remember liking was doing a couple cycles of Hypertrophy-Specific Training.

2015-2017 The Endless Cycle:
1.) Try a novice lp program (GSLP instead of Starting Strength, because squatting every workout, power cleans, and getting fat seemed stupid for my goals)
2.) Hit a wall much earlier than most people on the lp and start having constant aches and pains
3.) Become increasingly frustrated with the r/Fitness community that keep saying to reset and have another go even though my gut instinct was that that would have been pointless
4.) Started to experiment with my own ideas (much more reps/sets at a lower intensity was a big one)
5.) Notice my e1RMs finally start moving up, but my ego wasn't okay with the low weights I was using
6.) Finally succumb to my ego -> go back to step 1 and repeat for 2 years

2018 Marathon Training and Enlightenment:
Jan-May:
Spent a lot of time training for a half marathon in June

May:
Stopped the training 4 weeks prior to work on final projects for school

June:
Ran the half, was on track for planned 2:15-2:30 finish time but got IT band issues 8 miles in and had to walk the remaining 5 miles for a final finish time of just under 3 hours.

July:
Felt like I could do better so started almost immediately for a full marathon using a program that doubled my running volume almost immediately

September:
The resultant plantar fasciitis from the suddenly volume increase became too much to handle so I gave it up.

October:
Recovery from running and a lot of research into how the body adapts to training. It at this time I became convinced that the machismo of "no pain no gain" and "don't be a pussy, have you tried trying" was one of the absolute dumbest things in the lifting community. I applied the lessons learned from running (80/20 easy/hard + lots of easy volume) into the PPL program that I only tested for 2-3 weeks. I had more visible gains from that little experiment than any previous lp program.

November:
I decided to see if I also had any strength gains from the PPL experiment by running a bastardized version of GSLP. The biggest change was adding more volume with a lots of easy sets (RPE 6-7). I did a lot of verifying of RPE values; I came to find out that a lot of what I thought was RPE 7-8.5 was actually closer to RPE 5-7.

December:
I just started to exceed my previous e1RMs before work killed any free time for training in mid-December. However, this lp experiment was a success: I hit my previous e1RMs with any aches and pains and felt like I had several more weeks in me before the eventual wall. My final PRs:
Squat: 205lb x 10 (2018/12/12)(@195lb)
Bench: 135lb x 10 (2018/12/12)(@195lb)
Deadlift: 225lb x 10 (2018/12/12)(@195lb)
Press: 105lb x 3 (2018/12/12)(@195lb) (I wanted that 100lb press so I jumped from 80lb to 100lb and surprised myself when 3 reps, surprised myself even more when it turned out to be that I miscounted the weight and it was actually 105lb)

I had a lot of flab at this point and was NOT happy about it. Randomly found out that there were cheap DEXA scans available in my area and got one the last week of December. The result: 30% body fat.

2019 Scorched Earth Fat Loss:
January:
Immediately started to diet down after that DEXA scan. My approach: alternate day fasting (ADF). It way easier for me to fast than to run a daily caloric deficit. I decided to take a scorched earth approach, I didn't care if I lost lean mass along with the fat.

March:
Down 20 pounds and the daily dizziness finally stopped after I started supplementing with salt tablets (I naturally drink a TON of water). I got another DEXA scan and it confirmed the weight loss but at a price: 50% of the weight was lean mass; back to the gym I go.

I decided to start going back to a normal diet just so I wouldn't have issues in the gym.

May:
Gym and the normal diet ain't going too well so back to ADF I go. Trying to ADF while gymming also made me annoyingly dizzy so no more gym.

June:
Finally dropped into the healthy BMI range and started to do some easy runs; I've also begun training for a half marathon at the end of the year.

July:
I randomly decided to try an semi-HIIT session on the smart trainer after being about 24 hours fasted; I survived and got another 8 hours of fasting. For some unknown reason, after that HIIT session, ADFing became way easier.

Since it felt like my body finally adapted the ADF diet and I have less than 20lb to go until my weight loss goal, I started back to the gym. I decided to bastardize GSLP again: 3x5, start at super low weights because I'm lifting 30 hours fasted, no AMRAP, and added in arms and physical therapy exercises. It's just something to get me ready as soon as the cut is done.
Last edited by Spaghetti on Mon Feb 22, 2021 4:13 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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BenM
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Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#2

Post by BenM » Sat Aug 03, 2019 12:01 am

Welcome Spaghetti!

ChrisMcCarthy1979
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Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#3

Post by ChrisMcCarthy1979 » Sat Aug 03, 2019 12:44 am

Welcome!

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mgil
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Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#4

Post by mgil » Sun Aug 04, 2019 4:09 am

Interesting finding with the 80/20 easy/hard training composition.

Spaghetti
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Age: 36

Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#5

Post by Spaghetti » Mon Aug 05, 2019 10:23 pm

ChrisMcCarthy1979 wrote: Sat Aug 03, 2019 12:44 am Welcome!
BenM wrote: Sat Aug 03, 2019 12:01 am Welcome Spaghetti!
Thanks!
mgil wrote: Sun Aug 04, 2019 4:09 am Interesting finding with the 80/20 easy/hard training composition.
It reminds me a bit of the daily undulating style of programming, but adjusted to fit my level of effort and my recovery abilities. The easy days keep me constrained within my recovery abilities while the hard days allow me to go at max effort. Even though I hate the "don't be a pussy" mindset, I still have issues with keeping things easy, especially with cardio, so this is my solution that plays nice with my psychology and physiology. It's still all very fluffy though...

2019/08/05 Entry
  • Workout: 30min cycling session @ 100W and 9 hours fasted
  • NotesI had to waste 45min to get the power sensors updated and reconnected because who doesn't like updating firmware a thousand times.

Spaghetti
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Age: 36

Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#6

Post by Spaghetti » Tue Aug 06, 2019 9:44 am

2019/08/06
Status
  • 30-33 hours fasted
  • 3-4 hours of sleep
Workout - LP while Alternate Day Fasting (ADF)
  • 3x5 @ 75lb - 1min rest -- cable rows
  • 3x5 @ 80lb - 1min rest -- bench press
  • 3x5 @ 100lb - 1min rest -- squats
  • 2x10 @ 10lb - <30s rest -- physical therapy shoulder exercises w/ cable
  • 3x10 @ r6-8 - 1min rest -- db lte
Notes
  • Really poor sleep past couple days because of the heat and lack of AC, but it looks like everyone else in the gym is in the same boat.
  • Body weight has plateaued for the past two weeks, but I'm noticing that clothes fit a little looser.

Spaghetti
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Age: 36

Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#7

Post by Spaghetti » Thu Aug 08, 2019 8:50 am

2019/08/08
Status
  • 30-33 hours fasted
  • 6-7 hours of sleep
Workout - LP while Alternate Day Fasting (ADF)
  • 3x5 @ 60lb - 1.5min rest -- overhead press
  • 3x5 @ 90lb - 1min rest -- lat pull
  • 3x5 @ 150lb - 1.5min rest -- deadlifts
  • 2x10 @ 10lb - 30s rest -- physical therapy hip flexor exercises w/ cable
  • 4x8 @ r6-8 - 1min rest -- hammer curls
Notes
  • Really need to work out the abs, my TVA is practically non-existent; couldn't get tight on the ohp and got some mild low back pain

Spaghetti
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Age: 36

Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#8

Post by Spaghetti » Mon Aug 12, 2019 9:15 am

2019/08/12
Status
  • 27-30 hours fasted
  • 4-5 hours of sleep
Workout - LP while Alternate Day Fasting (ADF)
  • 3x5 @ 80lb - 1min rest -- cable rows
  • 2x5 @ 95lb, 1x9 (AMRAP) @ 95lb - 1.5min rest -- bench press
  • 2x5 @ 125lb, 1x11 (AMRAP) @ 125lb- 1.5min rest -- squats
  • 2x10 @ 12.5lb - <30s rest -- physical therapy shoulder exercises w/ cable
  • 3x10 @ r6-8 - 1min rest -- db lte
Notes
  • Body finally adjusted enough that I can do AMRAP sets while being >30hrs fasted, without getting too dizzy to function.

Spaghetti
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Age: 36

Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#9

Post by Spaghetti » Wed Aug 14, 2019 8:50 am

2019/08/14
Status
  • 4.5mi run @ 20 hours fasted
  • 30-33 hours fasted
  • 6 hours of sleep
Workout - LP while Alternate Day Fasting (ADF)
  • 2x5 @ 65lb, 1x5 (AMRAP) - 1.5min rest -- overhead press
  • 3x5 @ 105lb @ 1min rest -- lat pulldown
  • 2x5 @ 165lb, 1x7 (AMRAP) @ 165lb- 2min rest -- deadlifts
  • 2x10 @ 12.5lb - <30s rest -- physical therapy hip exercises w/ cable (for running)
  • 3x6-10 @ r6-8 - 1min rest -- db curls
Notes
  • Did a 1hr "run" (easy pace, walk when HR > 80% MHR) yesterday at 20 hours fasted and definitely feeling its effects on this morning's workout.

Spaghetti
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Age: 36

Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#10

Post by Spaghetti » Sat Aug 17, 2019 9:27 pm

2019/08/16
Status
  • 4.5mi run @ 20 hours fasted
  • 30-33 hours fasted
  • 3-4 hours of sleep
Workout - LP while Alternate Day Fasting (ADF)
  • 3x5 @ 85lb - 1.5min rest -- cable row
  • 3x5 @ 100lb - 1.5min rest -- bench
  • 3x5 @ 135lb - 2min rest -- squats
  • 2x10 @ 12.5lb - <30s rest -- PT shoulder exercises
  • 3x6-10 @ r6-8 - 1min rest -- db lte
Notes
  • I should put the phone down an hour before going to bed, it's been screwing with my sleep even though I wear strong blue blockers.
  • It looks like my body adjusted pretty quick to the added run, felt way better than I did on 8/14.

Spaghetti
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Age: 36

Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#11

Post by Spaghetti » Wed Aug 21, 2019 12:09 am

2019/08/16
Status
  • 4.5mi run @ 20 hours fasted
  • 30-33 hours fasted
  • 6-7 hours of sleep
Workout - LP while Alternate Day Fasting (ADF)
  • 5@75lb, 2x5@55lb - 2min rest -- ohp
  • 3x5 @ 110lb - 1.5min rest -- lat pulldown
  • 3x5 @ 170lb - 2min rest -- deadlifts
  • 2x10 @ 12.5lb - <30s rest -- PT hips exercises
Notes
  • To keep the morning workout short, I've started running a separate at-home-with-dumbbells mini-workout for arms and abs that runs MTTF in the evening. Curls, lying tricep extensions, lateral raises, monkey shrugs (for upper traps); two sets to failure or near failure. I'm using an athleanx app for abs for the time being.
  • OHP is done with lp, the cut (-35lb, 10lb to go) took away whatever little strength I originally had in the overhead press.

Spaghetti
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Age: 36

Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#12

Post by Spaghetti » Tue Oct 01, 2019 9:30 am

2019/10/01
Status
  • Started dieting and going back to the gym last week after having to take a month off personal reasons
  • 33 hours fasted
  • ehydrated due to a weight loss"woosh" yersterday
  • 5 hours of sleep
Workout - LP while Alternate Day Fasting (ADF)
  • Bench: 5x45, 5x85, 5x115, 5x105, 5x105
  • Cable Row: 5x45, 5x55, 5x85, 5x85, 7x85
  • Squats: 5x45, 5x95, 5x135, 5x135
  • 2x10 - PT (P)rehab work for shoulders
Notes
  • Put on a total of 10lb in the month from bad eating habits. The first 5lb was expected, the second 5lb was not.
  • Weights regressed from last week, most likely an off day due poor sleep and being much more dehydrated than usual
  • I don't know how to describe it, but it felt like I could have done 10x the volume with energy left over if I had just dropped the weights by 10%. As soon as intensity got high enough, it felt like I was "burning through my matches" when I shouldn't have been. http://theendurancedoc.com/education/10 ... al-power-w

Spaghetti
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Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#13

Post by Spaghetti » Sat Oct 12, 2019 3:56 pm

2019/10/12
Status
  • Cranking hard on the dieting at 1.5-3lb lost per week...
  • Actually starting to get enough sleep...
Workout - mostly machines - 3x/wk (almost) full body, 2-4 sets, 10ish reps, with RPE8-10 last set
  • Back, vertical - 9-12 sets per week (lat pulldowns)
  • Back, horizontal - 9-15 sets per week (seated cable rows with close grip and wide grip [for rear delt])
  • Chest - 6-9 sets per week (pec deck)
  • Triceps, pushing - 6-9 sets per week (assisted dips, focused on triceps)
  • Triceps, overhead - 6-12 sets per week (overhead cable extension)
  • Biceps - 9-12 sets per week (some kind of DB curl)
  • Deltoid, lateral - 9-12 sets per week (lateral raise machine since cable and db have always felt off)
  • Hamstrings, knee-focused - 9-12 sets per week (seated leg curl)
  • Abs, rectus - 6-9 sets per week (leg raises)
Notes
  • Because of the harsh dieting (1.5-3lb/wk), I've had to drop the classic compounds; it took too long to recover between sets and between workouts. I switched over to full body workout with isolation-type exercises and after being five workouts into it, I find it works much better with my dieting.

Spaghetti
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Age: 36

Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#14

Post by Spaghetti » Sun Dec 15, 2019 1:00 pm

2019/12/15
Given up on the dieting, a recent DEXA scan confirmed that I screwed up the cut by losing too much lbm. A little bit after my last entry, working out became too fatiguing, even just trying to get 10k steps in per day became difficult. I was able to keep losing weight, but after quitting the gym, I noticed I had stopped leaning out; I think it is at this point that I started to lose a lot of lbm quickly since I was losing about 2-3 lb/wk.

After all was said and done, I basically put myself right back to where I started from a few years ago. Still, the process was useful since I finally convinced myself that I had a horrible diet and that it was sabotaging everything.

The plan forward:
  • Mostly hypertrophy work for the foreseeable future, mostly machines and isolations because time and recovery reasons. I'm using Israetel's volume stuff as a guide.
  • Maintain weight for a few months then start a very slow bulk.

Spaghetti
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Age: 36

Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#15

Post by Spaghetti » Tue Dec 24, 2019 10:39 pm

2019/12/24
Not much to add beyond that I'm just trying to do 9-12 sets per body part per week via machines and isolations as I get back into the swing of things.

Spaghetti
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Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#16

Post by Spaghetti » Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:28 pm

2019/12/26
Status
  • BW: ~168lb
  • Sleep: 4 hours, ugh
Workout
  • Vertical Back: lat pulldown, 2 sets
  • Horizontal Back: cable row, 2 sets
  • Chest: chest press, 2 sets
  • Triceps: overhead tricep extension, 2 sets
  • Biceps: db curl, 2 sets
  • Front Shoulders: strict ohp, 2 sets
  • Side Shoulders: machine based lateral raise: 2 sets
  • Rear Shoulders: reverse pec dec, 2 sets
  • Quads: leg press, 2 sets
  • Hams: none today
  • Traps: farmer's walk around the gym
  • Abs: hanging leg raises, 2 weak pathetic sets
  • LISS: 30min on the stair-mill thingy at a slow speed

Spaghetti
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Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#17

Post by Spaghetti » Fri Dec 27, 2019 11:38 pm

2019/12/27
Status
  • BW: 168lb
  • Sleep: 7 hours
Notes
  • I'm waiting for confirmation on the expected workload at work for the next couple months before starting being serious with tracking and following a plan. It's two different plans depending on whether it's a heavy or a normal workout. Should find out in a couple weeks, but I'm really not looking forward to possible overtime.
  • It's nice not caring about what specific weight to use as long as I get somewhat close to failure. I should remember to do this more often when I'm feeling burnt out.
Workout
  • Squats: 3 sets
  • Cable row with separated handles: 2 sets
  • Bench press: 2 sets
  • Lying tricep extension (dumbbells): 2 sets
  • DB curls: 2 sets
  • Strict OHP: 1 set
  • Deadlifts: 2 sets
  • Some kind of ab workout that gym buddy got from some random video a while back...
  • LISS: about 30min of walking on the treadmill, mostly just killing time waiting for gym buddy to show up

Spaghetti
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Age: 36

Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#18

Post by Spaghetti » Tue Jan 07, 2020 1:30 pm

2020/01/07
Status
  • BW: 168lb
  • Sleep: 5 hours
Notes
  • Work has spoken: high chance of overtime, but most likely to add up to a handful of hours a week. Therefore, my workout time has moved to the mornings where I only have a strict 60min time limit, but at least the racks and benches are open.
  • They ain't high weights, but I can keep rest times low. Additionally, I really don't have much muscle mass in the first place (especially so after the scorched earth fasting diet).
Workout (A)
  • Strict OHP: 1x5@45lb, 5x5@60lb (70%) | 1 min rests
  • High Bar Squat: 1x5@60lb, 5x5@135lb (70%) | 1-1.5 min rests
  • Cable Row: 85lb - 10, 9, 9 | 1 min rests
  • Machine Lat Raise: 60lb - 12, 10 | 1 min rests
  • Reverse Fly: 55lb - 10, 8 | 1 min rests
  • Curls: 20lb - 10, 9 | superset with overhead cable extension
  • Overhead Cable Ext: 32.5 - 10, 10 | superset with curls
  • Farmers Carry/Walk: 45lb in each hand - 100m, 70m, 30m | stop at 200m total
  • Leg Raises (Captain's Chair): 6, 5, 3

Spaghetti
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Posts: 120
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Age: 36

Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#19

Post by Spaghetti » Wed Jan 08, 2020 11:16 pm

2020/01/08
Status
  • BW: 168lb
  • Sleep: 6.5 hours
Notes
  • Ehh, nothing really...
Workout (B)
  • Bench: 1x5@45lb, 5x5@105lb (70%) | 1 min rests
  • Deadlifts: 5x5@155lb (70%) | 1-1.5 min rests
  • Lat Pulldown: 85lb - 10, 10, 10 | 1 min rests
  • Machine Lat Raise: 50lb - 10, 10 | 1 min rests
  • Reverse Fly: 55lb - 10, 10 | 1 min rests
  • Curls: 20lb - 10, 10 | superset with overhead cable extension
  • Overhead Cable Ext: 32.5 - 10, 10 | superset with curls
  • Seated Calf Raise: 45lb - 15, 15, 15
  • Pallof Press: 12.5lb - 10, 10 | I think I'm getting the form down correctly,
Last edited by Spaghetti on Fri Jan 10, 2020 9:05 am, edited 1 time in total.

Spaghetti
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Age: 36

Re: Ready...Set-y...Spaghetti!

#20

Post by Spaghetti » Fri Jan 10, 2020 9:04 am

2020/01/10
Status
  • BW: 169lb
  • Sleep: 6 hours
Notes
  • Wrists were not at all happy today
Workout (A)
  • Strict OHP: 1x3@45lb, 5x5@60lb (70%) | 1 min rests
  • High Bar Squat: 1x5@60lb, 5x5@135lb (70%) | 1.5 min rests
  • Cable Row: 85lb - 10, 10, 9 | 1 min rests
  • Machine Lat Raise: 50lb - 15, 12 | 1 min rests
  • Reverse Fly: 55lb - 10, 10 | 1 min rests
  • Curls: 22.5lb - 10, 7 | superset with overhead cable extension
  • Overhead Cable Ext: 35 - 12, 8 | superset with curls
  • Farmers Carry/Walk: 50lb in each hand - 30m, 20m, 30m (strapped), 10m | wrist issues
  • Leg Raises (Captain's Chair): 8, 6, 5

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