Way back when, You could walk the 1.5 miles and and pass. 13:45 for age 20-29 if my memory serves....

I try to do 12oz. curls in sets of 6 on a daily basis.

I do 16oz curls every other day.

Get swole naturally and don't let the fake numbers and weights hurt you. We get these ideas in our heads and often it is all BS.

I quit going to the gym when they quit filling to pool to the skimmer and I found out I could lift the whole stack of weights on the leg press machine. Too much fake stuff for me. I need more to replace it but not if it will do more harm than good.

I think I remember a youtube series about "get swole" and they talked about "all you need". Mostly it is about weights at the gym but they touched on "all you need". It was entertaining anyway, its good for a few laughs even if it doesn't help you. Youtube, hodge twins, "get swole".

My goal here isn't to "get swole". My goal is to get stronger. They're related, but not the same thing. PED's are not in play here. The possible consequences aren't worth the benefits to me. What fake numbers and weights do you refer to?

I hadn't heard of them before. Just looked them up and watched one of their videos. Not bad. I've been watching megsquats and Katie Anne (powerlifters) a lot, along with a bit of Alan Thrall (strongman) and sometimes others.

Update
 

Time for another update. I watched this video and was able to identify a problem with my deadlift form. I made the small change of setting up with the bar a little further forward and saw an immediate improvement. I've since pulled 225 for 11 reps. It had been a while since I last tested maxes, so I decided to do it today. Here's what I got:

BW: 161

Squat: 275
Bench: 245
Deadlift: 285
Total: 805

The squat felt grindy enough that I didn't go for 280. Same with the 245 bench. After I got the 285 DL, I set up for 295, rested about ten minutes, re-chalked and went for it. No lift. I'm still happy to have set four PRs (if you count the total), broken an 800 total, benched over 150% of body weight, and I'm like 75 lbs away from catching up with this chick.

Tested my deadlift max again today. Still 285. I think I'm overtraining. I'm taking a deload this week and I'll see what happens after that.

I Pulled 300 and New Program
 

Megsquats put out a 4 week deadlift improvement program, which I'm starting next week. The weights are based on percentages of your training max, which she defines as a weight that you can hit any day and maybe a double if you're having a really good day. So I tested maxes today.

BW: 162
Squat: 275
Bench: 240
Deadlift: 300
Good morning 10rm: 95
Dumbell row 12rm: 60

For training maxes I'm taking a few pounds off the major lifts and calling it 265/230/285.

I was also supposed to establish a 10rm on Romanian Deadlift, but first I need to find out how to do them. I'll tackle that later. I was previously doing a 5x5 program that helped the deadlift a bit, didn't change my squat, and actually made my bench worse.

Retest Day
 

BW: 163

DL: 305
Bench: 245*
Squat: 275

I went with three attempts on squat and DL. went for a fourth on bench after how quickly 240 went up. I failed a 315 DL. I suspect 310 would have worked. I failed a 280 squat, but not by much.

*Spotter was a little over-eager and touched it, but not much. I think I could have gotten it without.

Your numbers are where I was at when I stopped power lifting and switched to cutting. What's your routine?

Skip, have you tried CrossFit?

Just wondering what your goal or end game is to building your lifting numbers? Do you not run or cardio train?

Replies! I thought I was the only one still reading this thread:)

I just finished Megsquat's "Grip It and Rip It" program. I haven't totally figured out what I'm doing next. I'm thinking along the lines of squat and bench twice a week and only deadlifting once, with a bit of cardio and some "bro stuff" as well.

I didn't do cardio during this last four week cycle of training, since Meg recommended against it. I'm going back to running twice a week starting tomorrow and I'll focus on slower strength gains for a while. Initial goals were 300 squat and 300 deadlift by 1 Jan. I've surpassed the 300 DL. It would be nice to hit three plates, but I'm going to focus more on getting my squat number up to goal. I'd also eventually like to be as strong as Megsquats (Megan Gallagher). Her total is around 865 right now and I put up an 825 yesterday. No rush on that though.

Hey Skippy! Awesome progress. I was into lifting for a while as well, 1rm dl hit 405 and then I toned it way down (I looked like a walking barrel). It was almost a decade ago at this point but been thinking to get back into it. Not a fan of crossfit btw, extremely prone to injury due to how they structure goals/achievements at the sake of form, but imagine you get a good coach and it's not a problem. I'll try and find a pic of "barrel" tbo

Btw I did both mad cow and stronglifts and found them really successful. No knowledge of the one you've been following though.

I tested maxes again today.

BW: 163

Squat: 290
Bench: 245
DL: Went for 310. No go. I've concluded that I can't set a DL PR and a squat PR in the same session.