VeganEssentials

I stay closer to 40% P / 30% F / 30% C on average with fat loss, some days the protein/carbs get flipped a bit, but I try to stay in this range in general unless I'm trying to gain. In which case, the carb ratio usually goes up to 50-60% when I'll add in 600-1000 extra calories per day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifq24lljbQM

Best things to cut bitterness I've found with collards - 1. Buy organic, not conventional. EVERY batch of non-organic collards I get taste way too bitter for me, organic far less, so that's the only way I'll buy collards now, even though it costs twice as much. 2. I try to cut out the veiniest parts of the collards rather than cook them all up. This means it takes me about 20 minutes to cut and prep abou 4-5 bunches, but they tend to be less stringy and a bit less bitter if I cut around the big white veins in the leaves and focus on the good green stuff. A bit less fiber, perhaps, but when you're eating as much of them as I do, it's not a worry 3. I don't always cook them right away, I often let them sit for 2-4 days in the crisper before I cook them. Seems that if they have a few days to sit first, they end up less bitter, and they don't usually wilt quickly so a few days doesn't seem to do any harm. 4. A little vinegar goes a long way with cooking collards. We usually have rice wine vinegar at home, a few splashes here and there in a big pan with about 4-5 bunches stewing up and it helps take the bite out. 5. It's all in the seasoning. I usually make mine either with cajun seasoning spices, a dash of liquid smoke and lots of coarse black pepper, or, with Indian seasonings, as things like tandoori seasoning or tikka really suit collards well. Just a cup or two of water in the pan, add seasonings in as the greens wilt a bit under medium heat after about 5-8 minutes, and they come out great every time. Of course, if they're still a bit bitter, a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce mixed in will fix that quickly enough

Thanks, everyone VS - For my "used to" foods, if it was vegan and tasted good to me, I ate it. Which is precisely why I always tend to gain weight quickly, when I'm not practicing self-control to some degree, I tend to go all-out for eating. These days, I'm eating a lot of Veggie Brothers meat alternatives (great vegan flank steaks, lemon garlic vegan chicken breasts, etc.), seitan, tofu, greens, beans, nuts and seeds, a few pieces of whole-grain toast with organic jam, a little soy yogurt for some good probiotics, the occasional piece of fruit here and there, and some Vega to round things out. Not a ton of variety primarily because I'm terrible in the kitchen and have never had much desire to fix that issue, so I still rely a lot on things that are convenient, or, are really easy to cook. So far it's working! First, the good news, we seem to have finally locked in our new facility location, and should be starting the move next week. New place is a few miles further away from home than the last one (my drive time will go from a quick 6-7 minutes to about 12, unfortunately), but we're getting nearly 6700 sq. ft. of space, more than doubling what we're working with now. Had to spend Thursday night with the crew at a town hall meeting to get approval from the city to changne the zoning regulations, guy right before us got into a war of words with the village president after they refused to allow his new signage, so we were on edge that the mood had shifted and they'd give us grief. But, after 90 minutes of listening to the most boring talk about code regulations and issues with everyone else, it took all of 15 seconds for the new area to approve us to move in ASAP, so we're good to go. Just found out as well that we have a load of new equipment that will be coming in once we relocate, we might actually change from being exclusively a private facility to having some public hours now with the additions and extra space, so it'll be an interesting shift once we settle in. Didn't get to train much this week again with heatwave and losing a day to a wedding (and the following day to nursing a bit of a hangover by eating everything in sight), but got in for a quick session last night for an hour until I was drenched in sweat and could barely move. Weighted pull-ups - 1x5 @ bodyweight (237 lbs. with lots of water retention yesterday) 1x3 @ 50 lbs. added 1x2 @ 80 lbs. added Went for my 100 lb. PR attempt, I think this time I finally was able to just get my chin over the bar, not perfect, but I'll give myself credit for it. Went for a second rep about 10 seconds later, eyes up to the bar but couldn't get my chin over it, so close, but it shows things are still moving forward. 2x10 @ 45 lbs. added on, done as singles with 2-3 seconds between each rep with a quick deload on the floor between Standing overhead axle strict press - 1x10 @ empty 55 lb. axle 1x5 @ 145 lbs. 1x3 @ 175 1x2 @ 195 1x1 @ 205 1x1 @ 215 3x2 @ 225, done as one rep, rack it, rest 20 seconds and get the 2nd one 3x2 @ 215, done as regular doubles, no re-rack between 1x15 @ 145 lbs. Barbell rows - 2x12 @ 235 lbs. 1-arm rows with green monster band looped around squat rack base, handle attached to other end, tension about 50 lbs. at start, around 100 lbs. at finish of pull - 2x20 each arm Called it a day after that, had to catch my breath too much with the humidity and the heat was killing me, so it was a short one. Will FINALLY get my ass in to squat tomorrow, I hear it's going to get painfully hot here again this week, better get it done before I miss it again!

I believe it's mid-2000s, still lots of relevant stuff in there (and, historical background in various conflicted nations even if the current scenario has changed), definitely worth a read!

If you like features on travel to not-so-friendly parts of the world, you NEED to get Robert Young Pelton's "World's Most Dangerous Places" book. He has others that focus on smaller segments of the world, but that one is the best that I've read in his collection if you want something that's entertaining and has condensed coverage of various countries that are easy to get through in a reasonable amount of time. Probably one of the most interesting reads I've had in a long time, my only gripe being that he hasn't released an updated edition in a few years, but he's the undisuputed king of covering the conditions in nations where nobody in their right mind would normally step foot unless they had a death wish.

- Any time I think I can't keep on going on with my training to try and make progress, I watch this, eat a plateful of humble pie, and get my ass back in gear. Yeah, I still keep failing to actually embed YouTube clips properly, not sure what I always do wrong, someday I'll get it figured out

Working toward beast status, VS! If things could go the way I'd like for the long-term, I'd work to get to my old strength levels at the same bodyweight of 231 lbs. (but preferably with about 10 lbs. more fat swapped out for muscle if I had my way, otherwise, I'm going to end up in the low 220s by the time I'm done). Body recomp has been going well, still got plenty of energy and down about 14 lbs. total without any real "dieting" and zero cardio, all in 2 months with plenty of slip-ups where I'll go out for a few margaritas and chips if the weather's nice enough to sit by a lake somewhere. I'm happy in that, when I take a look in the mirror, I look bigger than I have in ages even at a lower bodyweight, the lower back love handles are almost gone for the first time ever, and it's a great course to be on. If only that bit of gut in the front would finally disappear, I think I could fall over and die a happy man knowing I've finally managed it, but as I'm closing in on 40 years old, I have to expect that the last stubborn area will hold out until the final moments when it has no choice but to comply But, I plan to keep on track for the remainder of summer and fall, a shame that if things go on plan that I'll finally be in the ideal condition I want just as we head into winter, but I'll take 2-4 lbs. of fat loss per month without suffering for it vs. the traditional dieting, cardio and misery that I can't stand!

Thanks, Robert! Feels good to not be roasting every moment we're outdoors! Hey, Herc! Once we get relocated, I'll document the move and get plenty of shots of the big guys to keep you happy for a while I'm sure it'll still be hot enough to require some partial undressing, so we'll see what we can do to help you out Thought I was taking it easy today, but as tomorrow's going to be hectic, I had to get some upper back work in just in case I can't do it tomorrow. Hit the other gym nearby to stay in the AC as it was still 85% humidity here, I can deal with the temps in the 80s but high humidity screws with my mild asthma and just makes me need to change my shirt 3 times during one session to stay dry. Made it quick, 50 minutes total with minimal rest periods when possible - Pull-ups - 1x5 @ bodyweight (still at 231 today, 235 clothed) 1x5 @ 45 lbs. added 3x3 @ 90 lbs. added, done as singles with just 3 seconds between each pull-up, working to cut out rest time and eventually make all 3 from a full hang 1x12 @ 45 lbs. added, done as 4 reps, rest 5 seconds and change grips, 4 more, rest 10 seconds and change grips, 4 to finish 1-arm barbell shrugs - 1x20 @ 135 lbs. each arm (strapped in, tought to do without) 1x15 @ 185 " " 1x12 @ 205 " " 1x10 @ 225 " " 1-arm seated cable row - 2x15 @ 140 lbs. each arm 1-arm cable shrugs - 2x30 each arm @ full stack Seated row machine - 2x20 @ full stack Cable face pulls - 3x20 @ 120 lbs. That was plenty, will probably be suffering in the warehouse all night to get caught up tomorrow, but planning on leg training Tuesday!

Hey, Herc! We have plenty of shade as people go between the indoor and outoor areas frequently (not to mention, we have lots of fans set up and plenty of cold bottled water for everyone), I'm just pitching for that the next place we get, there's actually a shower area for once. Nothing would be better than being able to actually clean up immediately after training with a cool shower, MUCH better than having to drive home first! Couldn't train this week much due to heat. 6 days in a row of 100+ temps, even hitting 112 here one day, completely out of line for usual summer heat in Wisconsin, but nothing we could do except sit around waiting for it to break. Finally dropped to the high 80s yesterday, which was not exactly "cool", but better than 100s, so I went in late to train for a quick bit, lower back and chest day - Flat bench w/ axle - 1x5 @ 145 lbs. 1x3 @ 195 1x2 @ 225 1x1 @ 265 Put on Slingshot 3x3 @ 300 3x5 @ 285 Wasn't feeling too strong today, heat was still sapping my energy. Not to mention, outdoor temps at 11 PM were only 75, inside the gym was still 84 and humid, not fun at all. Deadlifts - 1x5 @ 135 lbs. 1x5 @ 225 10x5 @ 315, next week changes things up, lower sets/reps with more weight to try and get some actual strength back Incline close-grip bench press - 1x5 @ 185, 2 second pause on chest each rep 2x15 @ 135, no pause Weighted hyperextensions - 2x20 w/ 35 lb. short bar behind neck Dips, first time in ages, found that someone brought in a new dip station with both angled and straight handles, so gave it a go - 2x15 @ bodyweight (down to 231 lbs. as of morning weigh-in) Reverse hyperextensions - 2x25 @ 75 lbs. Changing up the lower back work before long - next plan is doubles for deadlifts starting with 335, working to add 10 lbs. each week until I get close to 400. Want to be able to hit 405 easy and pain-free again by fall, then it's working back toward 500 injury-free. Should be getting some leg work in tomorrow, otherwise will be doing back work if lower body is still a bit worn out!

Yeah, Herc, this weather is truly something fierce this summer - I thought last year was bad, but this one's off to an even worse start. Basically, as our facility is in an industrial warehouse, we don't have the option for AC in it, which must be really, really tough for the clients training during the day right now. Even though they can go outside any time between sets (or, are being trained outdoors), it's no improvement when you've got that blazing hot sun coming down on you! The fans we have don't help for squat with the high humidity, so we're just keeping our fingers crossed that next week will be better. They're finally predicting a slide down into the 80s again for daytime temps, but we've been hearing that one for a while, so I'll believe it when I see it. Just like all the predictions for rain that never came true, except for one 30 minute shower this morning that won't change the fact that my lawn looks more like color of the Sahara desert than anything resembling grass

Wish I could say that either of those were a factor, but I ate plenty when I had more starchy foods, the main issue being that they simply don't fill me up unless I eat a TON of them. For example, I can now be fully satieated after eating something like an 8 oz. wheat protein veggie steak (the bulk of my protein/fat in such a meal) along with 4-5 oz. of spiced kidney beans or lentils and take in 500-750 cal. per meal on average, being pleasantly full for 4 hours afterward with zero sluggishness, no problem. With more pastas, potatoes, rice, etc. my average caloric intake was 1000+ to find a point where I was actually even beginning to feel full, and I'd be staving 2-3 hours later, ready to eat again. I mean, there were some days that I put down a full 1 lb. box of pasta, and it would go right through me even being close to 2000 cal. in one sitting. Sure, the starches were great when I was bulking up, I do credit them greatly with going from 250 to 283 lbs. over the two years I made my best gains in training, but when it comes to fat loss or just daily maintenance, they don't suit my system well and end up shooting me in the foot for making much progress. Love to eat them, but my body has apparently been telling me for years that it just doesn't utilize them effectively, and that leads to sub-optimal progress in the goals I'm after right now. I'm also notorious for always drinking at least a gallon of water per day, sometimes I'm close to 2 gallons. Heck, last time I trained at my facility, I drank 70 oz. of water over just two hours, and that was after I'd already put down more than 2 liters during the day and I'd drink nearly the same later that evening. I've always been on the thirsty side and keep water handy at all times, so I sip it constantly through the day as it's just a habit I've gotten into. Can't say those two things are a factor in why it doesn't work for me, which is why I still insist that some of us are simply built differently and will respond to different diets accordingly. Unlike like the friend who got me into training is able to lose 20 lbs. of pure fat in 6 weeks and have a ripped 6-pack midsection just by no longer drinking his usual nightly beers, I have to battle my ass off just to keep my waistline from expanding even when I've thought I was eating along the lines of what was good for me - some of us respond to identical factors so differently, you'd almost swear some people were of completely different species in the range of how what works for one doesn't yield the same results for another. Like I said before, you should definitely embrace what works for you - if someone feels great on high starch, high protien, high raw, or whatever their choice, stick with it so long as you TRULY feel good on it for how it works for your body, which should usually also be visible in how one looks as well (as opposed to the "I feel great on this diet!" people who obviously aren't thriving on it, like the raw guy I had a long conversation with at an Animal Rights conference who looked like a fragile skeleton with dark grey colored teeth, and he was only 22 years old!) Regardless of what plan you're on for eating, if it makes you feel healthy and gets you closer to your goals, more power to you!

Glad to help, Octo! Quick session at a different gym last night, temperatures here were still in the high 80s with 90% humidity last night, no way to train at our facility unless I wanted to be found dead there the next day. Paid $15 to get a night pass at the place a mile away from us, even with the AC running high I was still sweating like crazy, but got through an hour's session before I had to hang it up. Standing overhead strict press in the power rack - 1x10 @ empty bar 1x5 @ 135 lbs. 1x3 @ 185 1x1 @ 205 1x1 @ 225 3x8 @ 185 Weighted pull-ups - 1x5 @ bodyweight (238 clothed last night) 1x5 @ 45 lbs. added 3x5 @ 80 lbs. added, done as 3 reps with a split second deload (no usual 5 second break between reps), then would take 5 seconds between each of the last two reps to finish. Seated shoulder press machine - 2x20 @ 170 lbs. Seated row machine - 2x20 @ 250 lbs. full stack 1-arm DB clean and strict press, clean only once - 1x10 @ 95 lbs. each arm Wide grip pulldowns - 1x20 @ 220 lbs. Did 1x10 @ 55 lb. for DB hammer curls just before leaving just to do my usual one-set-per-month direct arm work and called it a day Nothing crazy, just 65 minutes start to finish and wrapped up. Temperatures here still supposed to be around 100 degrees with high humidity for the next 5 days, definitely throwing a wrench into my usual training, but I have to manage to get back to squat and deadlift before Sunday. Will sneak back into the gym as soon as the heat breaks, don't care if it's at midnight, I'll be there as soon as I can train without passing out!

Well, that's providing all those things actually are happening to the degree you note (which may or may not be the case, as you wouldn't know without dissecting me), but let me note this - 1. I feel better on high protein/fat every time, it's undisputable that my body is better suited for it, no matter what anyone claiming the "evils" of high protein says. Nobody can disprove it, no matter what the "science" of low protein and high carb says as fact. 2. I'm leaner, stronger, and more energetic on this diet than anything that was low protein and high carb that I've tried, ever. Therefore, my body is thriving on it in comparison to higher carb and lower fat diets, so how can eating a diet that would make me feel sluggish, bloated, constantly hungry and unmotivated be a better option? 3. My skin is clearer than when I ate more carbs (one pimple all summer so far, where I usually have more on my forehead from sweating more often), not to mention the bit of eczema I had on my chin (usually aggravated by beard growth that I normally have) has all but disappeared since going back on this eating program. Funny that it's doing the opposite of what you've said it should do! Anecdotally, some "experts" say I should feel like shit on this type of eating (or, they'll try to use scare tactics to infer that I'm cutting my life short, which is a lot of hype), but factual evidence proves them incorrect. It's the same as inferring that everyone will die of lung cancer if they smoke - sure, many are going to be unhealthy, but you could be of Keith Richards genetics and shoot dope, smoke like a chimney and drink like a fish for decades and still get by. That's all I'm saying - one person can thrive on something while the next may not do well, but it's terribly silly to say "Diet X will make everyone lose weight and feel great, while Diet Z will kill you quickly!" because it's all assumptive and anecdotal, too far removed from the principle of individual differences to be accurate. The facts speak for themselves when trial and error is applied to individuals, and I've found what works for me. Best to all who get by on other means, but let's not let hype get in the way of rational discussion. It does the same disservice as when we vegans try to insist that they'll outlive all who are non-vegan, it just muddies the argument with poor logic based on assumption and lack of facts based on the same tired scare tactics that the "protein = death" goofs have been insisting for years, without evidence to prove it.

So, you're saying to disregard roughly 17 years of personal diet trial-and-error and recording of how I respond to various diet programs and macronutrient ratios on all ranges of the spectrum and go with something that's proven to not work for me on past experience? I'm not saying we can't all exist on something like a diet based on starches, but if you think it or something like 80/10/10 is optimal for ALL people, I'm afraid I'll have to kindly say that you're projecting your own personal preferences on those who might othewise not be the same. The dolphins and monkeys comment isn't really remotely relevant here - I'm not saying to eat things that are far removed from nature, but there are more "delicate" balance factors that tend to apply toward humans than such a simple statement would let on. Nope, not a yo-yo dieter, it's pretty silly to infer that something incongruent with your own plans is sub-optimal without having any idea what the specific differences are. It sounds too dogmatic to instantly assume that something different = poor choice without knowing the background, or, by simply assuming that what works for one will always work for another. Please recall, I'm not a newbie to training or dieting, so no need for the spiel that would fit someone who doens't understand the nature of excessive caloric restriction or eating too little of something that can throw the body out of balance. I eat close to a Zone type macronutrient ratio, but the 40/30/30 varies between 40% protein and 40% carbs depending on whether or not I'm training that day. I don't get cravings for sweets or starches that lead to binging any longer as I did on other programs (both of my downfalls that have given me the fastest fat gain), I've lost 10 lbs. of pure fat in 2.5 months without anything more than mild (300 cal. under maintenance) calorie restriction on my non-lifting days (with no cardio added in my program), and for the first time while losing weight, I'm both getting stronger AND have more energy than I have in the past. I'd certainly like to know how this is less than ideal considering I couldn't get the scale to budge in the right direction on a carb-heavy/starch-heavy plan, much less get stronger and feel better at the same time. And, the best part is, I feel like I get to eat PLENTY at every meal, no longer do I get hungry 90 minutes later from low-fat meals that burn through me in record time, which have been known to send me into binge periods that undermine the whole process. Not to mention, now that I relize it, I never said I don't eat ANY starches, but they're in serious moderation, only enough to be a side portion of what I eat and never the main course. My original post wasn't to cut down a starch-based diet as if it doesn't work for anyone, but I will ALWAYS defend the position that dogmatic rigidity in believing in a single "perfect" system for all people for optimal fat loss and feeling great day-to-day is a bad path to be on. Everyone SHOULD embrace their best path when they find it, and by all means, share it with others if it works for them. BUT....there's a big difference between sharing something that worked for them personally and insisting it's without flaw or that it's perfect for everyone, because I can certainly find plenty of flaws when applying such diets to my own body based on what I've tried in the past. I don't like to assume something doesn't work until I've tried it, and I've been willing to try everything over the years from high percentage raw through ultra-low-carb to learn how my body fares on each program. No matter what anyone might insist, I know myself better than anyone else, and that's a fact that can't be disputed

It should be amusing, because anyone that procalims that they have the "Best diet for everyone" should be avoided at all costs! It's snake oil salesmanship once someone says that they have a plan that can help ANYONE lose weight, because if that were true, who would use anything else? We're all too different for a "perfect" diet. Starchy foods now make me sluggish, bloated, and generally decrease my motivation to do anything physical, not to mention they don't fill me up without eating massive amounts that inevitably lead to more fat gain. Couldn't attempt a McDougall plan unless I wanted to simply test my will to subject myself to daily diet misery, but if it works for others, that's good to hear.

Good to know there's another brand coming, but we've acutally had a vegan D3 here in the US since the end of 2011. We were already bringing in Vitashine (which is now only licensing their formula in the USA and is not selling here under the Vitashine brand at this time) quite a while ago, it's good stuff and what I'm recommending to everyone that has cruddy Vitamin D levels. I was rock-bottom on mine last summer, felt like death, depressed, no energy, and Vitashine (now the Global Health Trax D3, the first brand that licensed Vitashine for use under a new brand in the USA), has really helped me get things back in check again. Levels tested in perfectly normal range again last time I had it checked, something that none of the vegan D2 supplements could do for me! Basically, so long as it says that a product is using Vitashine, it's all the exact same thing from brand to brand (much like how almost all the vegan DHA and EPA supplements are 100% identical except for brand names, pricing and variances in dosages), so whether you're using Vitashine's brand directly, GHT or the Food Movement one, it's the same thing under different names with no real difference between them.

Yep, that's how I do the heavy weighted ones, VS! Otherwise, I end up expending a good portion of my energy just sitting in the hang catching my breath between reps, so I always do at least a one second deload and quick breath, then pull again from there! Quick chest/deadlift session last night, temperatures here were 101 during the day, gym was still 86 degrees at night, had to make it quick so I wouldn't pass out! Deadlifts - 1x5 @ 135 lbs. 1x5 @ 225 10x5 @ 305, about 60-80 seconds between sets, back is still feeling great, getting ready to change slightly. One more week of 10x5 to keep greasing the groove, then I add a bit more weight (will start at 335 or so), dropping sets to 5 and reps to 3 while slowly increasing for a month or two. Once I can pull in the 400s pain-free, I'll know I'm on the right track again. Axle bench press - 1x5 @ 145 lbs. 1x3 @ 195 1x2 @ 235 1x1 @ 265 Put on Slingshot 1x1 @ 305 1x1 @ 325, had to really fight the lockout, lost a lot of energy, couldn't keep going heavy 1x5 @ 285 Decided to drop and do speed doubles, 10x2 @ 265 with the Slingshot, one minute rest between sets. Reverse hypers - 2x25 @ 70 lbs. DB Spoon Presses (palms-in DB press with DBs always touching from chest to lockout) 2x15 @ 75 lbs. Called it a day after that, dripping with sweat and feeling woozy, will get in for some upper back work today or tomorrow!

Join the club! Precisely why I train late at night by myself. When I'm in a rut and need to be pushed harder than ever, I do well with other people (but, only people that are motivating, i.e. those who are stronger than myself). But, 99% of the time, I'd rather have the gym to myself, turn up the music, and take care of things without seeing another human being for the 90 minutes I'm there.

Hey, VS! For me, I found that the approach of doing reps as singles with a few seconds to catch breath between each was the fastest way for me to progress for adding more weight. When I was doing all sets from a dead hang on each rep, it was a LOT tougher, as I can't cut reps short of a full hang like some people do and I lose too much energy that saps me from doing the most good. What I recommend is to play around and first, see what you can max at for a single weighted pull-up. If, say, you find that it's 55 lbs. for your max single, then drop it to something like 25-30 lbs. added, doing 3x5 as one rep, let feet hit the floor, take 2 quick breaths, and repeat. There's always time to go back and work on the full hang endurance part later, but if you're looking to get that overall strength up, do what it takes to get there with the few breaths and quick deload between each one. The only time I end up going to failure is if I try for a PR, otherwise, worst case is that the last rep of the last set might be an inch shy of a full ROM, but you can always take a few extra breaths if you feel you need it between reps. It's an odd approach, but I swear by it, definitely what has worked for me. Also, consider trying shrug-ups to strengthen the starting pull (they also hit the rear delts/rhomboids nicely if you feel tightness in that area), basically strap in (don't want to let grip interfere with these) as if you're about to do a set of torso width or wider pull-ups, and just do a 3-4" ROM upward lat shrug like you're starting a pull-up, but cut them REALLY short and hit some higher reps as a finisher. They'll kill your lats big-time and will work those starting stabilizer muscles nicely and could really loosen things up. If that doesn't do the trick, then cable face pulls would be my next suggestion, done knuckles-up, hands angled at about 45 degrees, pulling in close to eye level each rep. If you have a weak spot in the smaller musculature, those two things will quickly point it out and help you bring them up!

Did you mean to say that you'll be a contender? Sah-weet! And shame on you for not notifying me in advance of an event packed to bursting with a herd of big, hunky guys. I would've cleared my calendar. Send pics of the 6'5" 350 pounder, please. Baby Herc Hey, Herc! Not likely I'll be competing against these guys any time soon - many of them are people who have been at the top of the amateur field for years in a row, and I prefer that if I'm going to get stomped, it'll be by people a little closer to my level Not to mention, I'll likely be competing as a lightweight whenever I'm well enough to get back in the game (lightweight in strongman being a cap at 231 lbs.), but you never know how things will go! I'll try to find the name of the guy who came in 2nd if they have results posted yet, he's the behemoth from New Mexico, probably only carries a bit more bodyfat than I do even though he outweighs me by 120 lbs. (which is uncommon for heavyweights, usually when they're in the mid 300s they're not the leanest!) There'll be more pics popping up this week, I'll see if I can make you happy with that

Quick leg training session tonight, was going to do chest, but didn't feel 100% with my right shoulder still being a bit tender. It loosened up after warming up, but after working up to 295 lbs. x 4 for a close-grip bench press with the Slingshot on, I felt it better to wait 2 more days and just worked legs - Squats - 1x5 @ 135 lbs. 1x3 @ 225 1x2 @ 275 1x1 @ 315 1x1 @ 345 1x1 @ 365 10x5 @ 295 All sets pretty easy, even getting to train legs only every 14 days hasn't slowed things down much, but I'm sure they'll be better when I get more consistent about hitting them hard. New hack squat machine in the gym this week thanks to our member Dan who has temporarily donated a full gym's worth of Hammer Strength equipment to our facility for the next few years until he graduates with his degree (after which, he wants to open his own gym, so we'll be needing to replace a lot of stuff down the line). Played around with it for a few quick sets - 1x20 @ 100, 150, 200 lbs. Even though the sets were light, my legs were pretty beat from the squats, but wanted to play around with the new toy for some light sets before calling it a day. Was going to do 3x25 for glute/ham raises, but after the first set, my hamstrings started cramped up something fierce, so I called it a day. When I get hamstring cramps, it's sheer agony, I end up rolling on the floor and shouting for 5 minutes straight until they loosen up, so no need to make life miserable. That was it for today, should be back for chest work and deadlifts Wednesday!

Thanks, VS - it wouldn't have been so bad were it not for both being quite unexpected. Uncle of mine was just diagnosed with emphysema in early May (2 pack a day smoker for about 60 years), then there to multiple cancerous tumors all over his body just weeks later, no hope for recovery, it was just a matter of waiting for his time to come, which wasn't all that long afterward. My wife's cousin was a shock, only 45 years old, but heavy drinking over 20+ years caught up with him - he fell at home and hit his head, went into a coma (they couldn't operate for hours afterward because of his massively high .32 blood alcohol content), and they took him off life support a few short days later. Rough times all around, but that's life, sometimes it's great, sometimes it's a handful of shite. Definitely hit those weighted pull-ups - they've been a great asset, even doing my sets technically as singles with 5 seconds rest between reps has built up a LOT more upper back strength. One of these damned days I'll finally get one with 100 lbs. strapped on, I think it's now more of a mental block than anything else, hopefully once I get 100 I'll rip through another few PRs soon afterward. Wanted to train tonight as it was nice and cool outside, but something I had for dinner (cheeseless pizza from new place in town) just didn't settle right, gut has been churning for the past 5 hours, so had to skip lifting until tomorrow. Only consolation is that I got to have fun with front-row seats at the Milwaukee Battle at the Beach yesterday, great strongman comp and looking like it'll be a pro card qualifier next year (quite the honor for a contest that's only in its second year!) My wallet's a lot lighter after sponsoring extra cash for the winner in three different events, got a nasty case of sunburn, but a great time overall. Some pics of the day to share: Power stairs were first event, 3 implements (425 lbs for two, 500 lbs. for the third), each had to be lifted up 5 oversized steps on the beachfront, everyone got through the 425s, but the 500 shut down about half the roster from completing the full event. Guy with the hat and sleeveless shirt is Sam McMahon, state chair for North American Stronman Society, retired former pro competitor, and all-around good guy who helps ANYONE who wants to get into strongman. My business partner Kirk is the bearded guy to the right of him, he's the one who runs our training facility. Guy doing the event is Eulice, one of our members who has been making great progress this past year. Grey haired ponytail guy with back to the camera is Jan (aka Swede), inspiration for those who want to be bull-strong as they reach the half century mark. I watched him deadlift 455 lbs. for 19 reps in a contest not long ago, some amazing strength for a guy who's a half century old http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/8033_524653643806_1330941873_n.jpg Block press was 2nd event, concrete blocks ranging from 205 to 265 lbs. had to be lifted from the sand to overhead. Nobody made the full run (two people came close), most were only able to get through 2-3 blocks before being shut down by how big and awkward they were. Apparently, when they use metal blocks or denser rock, it's not quite so tough (or so people were saying), those concrete slabs were freakin' BIG. Guy who is in the photo managed to win two events, so I handed him a pair of $100s for his work that day. http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/602365_524656063956_2124657310_n.jpg 3rd event was the tombstone carry, 300+ lb. concrete slab carried for distance as far as you could take it around the course, best distance was one full lap and about 90% of the 2nd lap by one of the guys who trains at our facility, was something like 280 feet total distance carried (in sand, nonetheless) http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/303569_524656248586_784495320_n.jpg 4th event was keg toss, 30 lb. empty aluminum kegs thrown over 14 foot bar, fastest time wins. Most completed it, but some just couldn't get the technique down and only got a few kegs over to be counted for scoring. http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/306660_524657301476_123597218_n.jpg Stones were final event, 6 stones weighing 275 lbs. through 380, if you made those you got the crack at the 405 lb. bonus stone, three people made it to the last one, only two were able to get it loaded. Shot here is of guy Jake Bodi (lightweight pro, he's now competing as a heavyweight despite most HWs being 40-100 lbs. heavier than he is!), one of the two to nail the last stone, but he was a few seconds slower than the massive 6'5", 350 lb. monster who trekked up from New Mexico to beat him out for a 2nd place finish http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/196153_487603174587185_1281203204_n.jpg Finally, me holding two beers in one hand and handing out prize money (it seems the can of Guinness between myself and Sam is floating on its own, as there's a mystical 5th hand between us but nobody attached to it) http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/208896_524658598876_488276068_n.jpg

A bit confused on the set/rep scheme as you have it listed. For example: "2sets; reps 12,6,10,5,8,4; 30sec rest" It notes 2 sets, but has 6 different rep schemes, so I can't tell exactly what you'd do for something like this. If it's just 2 sets for a major body part, what exactly are the reps you're doing for each set? Or, is this some sort of super-set concept? If you can clarify on that, it'll definitely help understand what you're doing better. That being said.... If you're just getting back to training after a longer layoff, hitting all major groups twice within a few days of each other is probably more than you need. Coming back to training after time off usually means you get more return for less time spent training vs. someone who has not taken a break in some time and is stuck at a plateau for progress. I'd consider something easier for the comeback that revolves around the main compound lifts that yield the best returns with more rest time. For example: Day 1 - Leg training, throw in a few sets of ab work if you feel compelled, but it's not really necessary when just getting back to normal training again Day 2 - rest Day 3 - Upper back and chest training Day 4 - rest Day 5 - Lower back and shoulder work Day 6 - rest Repeat cycle after day 6, if needing more recovery time, add an extra rest day in on day 7. For lifts, I'd suggest something more of the following - Leg training - - Squats done at least to parallel (preferably a few inches deeper), 2-3 warmup sets, then 5 sets of 8-10 reps (I normally like to suggest lower rep sets, but for getting back to regaining proper form after a break, better to go lighter with more reps than heavy with potentially bad form). Rest at least 2.5 minutes between sets, up to 4 minutes if necessary. It's not about sucking wind between and during your sets, it's about doing quality work for maximum results, and longer rest periods vs. shorter ones will make your sets more effective, you'll definitely have more energy to lift heavier. Remember, you say you want to put on weight, and making your lifting sessions into cardio-esque training with short rest periods will be contradictory to your goal. - Glute/ham raises (if your gym has a glute/ham setup), 3x15 @ bodyweight (or, as many as you can manage per set, making sure to get at least 10 reps). If no glute/ham machine is available, do either leg curls seated or lying down, 3 sets of 10-12 reps or 1-legged Romanian deadlifts, 3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg - Calf work is only needed if you have really small or underdeveloped calves. Unless that's the case, don't bother spending time on them. If you do them, just 2-3 sets will be plenty. After proper deep squats done to near failure (or, maybe failure on the last set, but not on all sets) and some good hamstring work, most people should have little urge to do anything but crawl out of the gym if they give it 100%. Should you find that you have ANY energy left and want do do more, then thrown in some lighter leg presses, using only the bottom half of your foot to press the weight with legs shoulder width or slightly wider. 2-3 final sets of 15-20 reps and that should cure any feeling of needing to do more. Upper back / chest training - - Barbell or dumbbell rows, 2-3 warm up sets, then 4 sets @ 8-10 reps/set, rest 2-3 minutes between sets - Close-grip (hands about 18" apart, close to torso width) flat barbell bench presses with no bounce off chest, 2-3 warm up sets, 3-4 working sets @ 8-10 reps/set, rest 2-3 minutes between sets - Pull-ups (if you can do them), 4 sets of 8-10 reps, otherwise medium to wide grip pulldowns, same set/rep scheme - Incline dumbbell bench press, 3 sets of 10-12 reps, 2-3 minutes rest between sets - Barbell or dumbbell shrugs, 3-4 sets of 10-20 reps (I do better with higher reps, but everyone is different), no excessive "body english" to move the weight, if you can't shrug it without a bounce each time, it's too damned heavy for you, so drop the weight. Forget adding in arm work, if you're doing the lifts here you won't need to do anything for triceps (torso width grip benching will take care of that part), and biceps will get plenty from the upper back work. Some of the guys I know with the biggest arms don't ever do any direct work, so if you hit the compound lifts hard and heavy, there's little to no need for most people to waste their time on arm stuff. Lower back/shoulder training - - Barbell deadlifts, 3-4 warm-up sets, then 5 sets of 8-10 reps to work on keeping proper form without going too heavy initially - Standing barbell overhead press (use the power rack for this one, or, power clean the weight into position if you wish) - 2-3 warm-up sets, then 4 sets of 8-10 reps. Press to the front of the body, lower bar to clavicles on each rep (none of that "lower-to-the-ears-only" garbage here), start each rep from a dead stop on your collarbone. Use a hand position just with hands just outside shoulder width, where your thumbs would be close to touching your front delts at the start of each press. - Lower back hyperextensions or lower back extension machine (either will be fine), 3 sets of 15-20 reps - 1-arm dumbbell power clean (one power clean only) and press for each arm, 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps After these sets, you will find your lower back, core, shoulders and triceps will be taken care of, another reason why there's little to no need for direct ab or arm work in this routine. Not much more to say about this sort of plan other than that it leaves out the b.s., saves you time from spending a good portion of your sessions wasting it on direct ab/arm work, and gives plenty of bang for the buck. If you're short on time and your endurance is good, it's laid out in a way that on the chest/back and lower back/shoulder days, you can speed things up (if you feel compelled) by alternating the sets for each body part (such as, one set of pull-ups followed by a set of close-grip bench presses) and shortening rest periods down to 60-90 seconds. I don't recommend that at first, perhaps after a few weeks to get acclimated, but that's how I structure my own training, working non-conflicting body parts so I can occasionally shorten rest periods and keep things moving if I'm rushed. Just another option for a program of this sort. Only other thing to mention is intensity, the most common lacking factor in a LOT of people's programs. Not every set needs to be to failure, rather, every set should be where you don't hold back anything, and give it your all. My sets usually go like this - Say I'm doing barbell rows, 5 sets of 8 reps with the same weight, warm-up light sets are already over and done. My first working set, I'll get through the 8 reps pretty well, and feel like I might be good for 2-3 more if I fought with everything I had. 2nd set, I get through the 8 reps well enough, probably good for 1-2 more reps if I really fought for them. 3rd set, I get through the 8 reps, but know that one more at most is all I'd have been good for. 4th set, it's a bit of a fight to get that 8th rep in, an extra rep would be a 50/50 chance of completion at best if I'd tried it. 5th and final set, it's a killer to get that last rep in, no chance in hell of making another unless I rested about 10-20 seconds before giving it a try, nothing left in the tank to give to that lift at that point. For lifts with fewer sets (such as 3 sets total), just look at my notes for sets 1, 3 and 5 and that'll give a clear picture of how you should be feeling at that point. I mention intensity as most people gauge their true workout intensity moreso by what they THINK they are capable of giving vs. what they actually are capable of (usually based moreso on one's idea of not wanting to be "too uncomfortable" rather than going all-out and battling to make optimal progress), and many times, they sell themselves short. Basically, if you can converse with someone during your set or have any urge to do so for the first 20-30 seconds or so after your set is done, you're most likely not giving it your all, and proper focus and intensity should be a bigger concern. It's a long reply, but that's what I'm known for Keep it simple, use effective lifts done well with good form, eat plenty, get enough sleep, and good things will happen.

They don't call the squat "the king of all lifts" for nothing Between squats, deadlifts, rows, overhead pressing and benching, there's nothing you can't do to build awesome strength and a great physique. Squats will always be my favorite, even though I have to do them light for a few more months until my old injuries are hopefully well enough recovered!