May 19th - DL 240 for 3 sets of 5, regaining shape - but keeping the volume on the lower side

 19.05.2026

Almost six years of this new lifestyle now. I remember that day well, May 20th 2020.

Before yesterday was a pretty fatiguing day, exhausting - I was adjusting my overall metabolism, my overall energy reserves.

Yesterday was a nice day; some elements of it were peculiarly pure, best I can put it. I woke up, had a rather tiny meal then decided it was time to finally take a walk and return the cheap player and headphones I bought, so I did. It was an experience, a quiet one but the one that was rather vivid - because I focused mentally on recording everything.

It was hot, but I put on my blue polyester sweatsuit, figuring it should be good; it was almost good - if it was just a tiny bit more chill I would not have sweated so much. I put on the trekking boots - they were okay. My foot was *better* - barely noticeable, but better, especially by the end. The usual crossing of the railroad ensued; I wondered if someone dug a little channel for the poisoned water to escape from the garages or was it just water washing. Usual climbing - I got good at it; keep remembering that time I had to climb the terricon in my old crocs, helping with some really heavy radio equipment lol. Should have had the darn boots on me, heck! Note to self: have them with me the next time, even though they do chafe my ankle bones a little, even with the extra insole and double-socks, which is a preferred way for long-term usage and survival; that's why slightly oversized boots are better. On top of that, I have wide feet and tall arch, that's the original reason I started wearing bigger and bigger boots.

Of course, there's the autistic ego question - what if I wear big boots cause it makes me feel like I look stronger? If so, that is not the case with most people lol. Plenty of men told me I look like a clown or some such hehe. But I can't help but like the way I look.

So, today we're deadlifting. My inner thighs are pretty sore since my last Squat. Prime movers - not as much. Hams, a bit of glutes. I had a pretty painful thigh rotator cramp last night lol.

Also, I wanna write. I have a short couple scenes left to finish the first storyarc of Marco RW4. A lot of things were changed!

Had another thin, surface-brewed large cup of that fake arabica (robusta). Could not finish it, even though it tasted nice with the sugar. I think it's possible it had no caffeine, cause it steeped it for only a short bit of time. And I had no coffee yesterday at all, weird!

Workout

Deadlift

20 for 20

70 for 8

120 for 5 - cutting down my usual warmup volume a little. On my previous OHP session I also did do just a little too much warmup.

160 for 5 DOHG

180 and 190 for 3 DOHG - pretty nice, all reps rather full even if fingers were starting to open on some of them. Gives you confidence. I do also believe it makes your tissues more elastic for when you do heavy weights - that's a hypothesis. If it's true, then it does mean you need a good enough amount of volume before heavy weights. Balancing it...

200 for 2 really nice reps DOHG - although right hand was opening; a few more half-reps, really stubborn. Glad I was able to do it right away! I did one okay rep, one messy, then another okay rep, then I was stubborn for a little while.

230 for 5 - first three mixed grip, then the finger/skin pain was too much... Why? Then did two reps in straps. I guess I should just take my time with this...

240 for 5 - somewhat nice. Working on the "torso fitness". It's in your guts, that feeling of overwhelm when you're repping DL and it's telling you to "cool off", stand up for a second or a minute. So I'm working on just this, on generating EFFORT against "quick fatigue", fighting against my gut telling me to "stand up and breathe for a second". That's how I used to do it, fighting against those hard, last reps! I'm remembering now. This is the kind of work you need to train your ability to GENERATE EFFORT. It's funny, because if you're strong and in a good shape, then you *don't* need to generate as much effort, so you can sort of HALF-ASS your sets! It's a paradox. And HALF-ASSING doesn't give you a good enough kick to STAY IN SHAPE.

I took around 5 minutes before that first working set. Overall plan today was to let my left hip recover a little and not go for "big" volume, so the plan was to do 3 sets of 5 with 240 - and if I feel super good I can add weight but not volume. Let's see then!

240 for 5 - not bad but again messy cause I did three very unevenly and went to push them on.

240 for 5 - a little better, all reps swift and powerful. I fiddled around too much on the first rep and got a cramp in my hip extender, so I dropped it to relax the muscle but then I did the remaining four very well. Getting my metabolism back.

I've been having a bit of throat soreness from all the heat and temperature drops. I've been walking around underdressed, that might be a small issue.

All that stuff today is kinda exhausting. I looked at some of the junk in my drawer and decided that I don't need to keep the stupid empty adaptogen bottles. Man, looking at this you might think I was an alcoholic who didn't drink normal booze. That's what I was, in a way, for many years, cause my teenage brain got stuffed with soviet-shamanic BS that was prevalent amidst dinosaur trainees. Adaptogen, liver pills, special vitamins, nootropics, etc etc. Plain ass retarded.

***

I did what I set out today. Thus, today's workout is good.

Later I did some Captains of Crush, simply worked up to CoC№2 for 10 parallel reps and I was really exhausted by then.

RPotD

Dendrobium sagittatum, Labelum - Labelum calattea maxima

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Dendrobium_sagittatum