***The 2020 Gym Rats Thread*** ᕦ( ͠°◞ °)ᕥ

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Great minds think alike :D - was watching Alberto Nunez’s last vlog and like me on his 2nd leg day he uses the Cybex Squat Press (the pivot-style leg press) and adds padding to raise the height of the seat up, which improves the ergonomics considerably when performing full ROM since you can’t adjust the seat angle. I often try and tinker with machines where I can because I’ve come to appreciate the inherent advantage they have over free weights in certain situations and their usefulness for gainz (different resistance profiles over the ROM, minimisation of form deviations and the ability to flirt with or go to failure more safely, less faff setting up, etc). Good not to be dogmatic about a barbell-only life, and avoid the ‘you HAVE to do x movement or you’re a pu$$y’ mindset. :p
 
Somnambulist said:
Great minds think alike :D - was watching Alberto Nunez’s last vlog and like me on his 2nd leg day he uses the Cybex Squat Press (the pivot-style leg press) and adds padding to raise the height of the seat up, which improves the ergonomics considerably when performing full ROM since you can’t adjust the seat angle. I often try and tinker with machines where I can because I’ve come to appreciate the inherent advantage they have over free weights in certain situations and their usefulness for gainz (different resistance profiles over the ROM, minimisation of form deviations and the ability to flirt with or go to failure more safely, less faff setting up, etc). Good not to be dogmatic about a barbell-only life, and avoid the ‘you HAVE to do x movement or you’re a pu$$y’ mindset. :p
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The leg press is great. Always used to use it at the end of my squat session. The best thing about my own gym is I can do whatever - sometimes these kind of things have their place. To be fair its usually people who don't gym who are the most opinionated.

Next week I should comfortably pb shrugs. Again people have their opinions, but if I want traps like a beast that's my own business :p
 
Hit 85KG on the bench press today, 2 sets 2 reps. Not amazing I know but progress even if it's slow. I want 95 for 2 reps end of year...
 
Good job!

I tweaked something in my groin softly kicking a ball with my Son yesterday. God, I'm getting old. :p Luckily today is light squats day.

On week 4 of madcows and it's progressing nicely, still not where I was pre lockdown but I'm also 6kg lighter so I'm happy. I'll be hitting 110kg squats come Thursday and they're still feeling pretty easy! I think my form is a lot better now and I haven't had any back problems for weeks *knocks on wood*.
 
DanTheMan said:
Cheers folks. The reality isn't as bad as I described it! I had / have ulcerative colitis prior to surgery and looking back, that was probably more limiting.

The amount of times I'd get to some decent numbers lifting and then have a massive flare up and be back at square one was frustrating. At least now that shouldn't happen.



I didn't even consider lifting again and then lockdown happened, I felt better than imagined and I came across the 'stoma weightlifting' community on social media and it got me intrigued. Especially a girl called Zoey Wright who got hench after her surgery.

I wear a hernia belt when lifting but the science is mixed on whether or not they help or hinder. Other than that, I just listen to my body. I do tend to exhale when lifting rather than bracing to release some abdominal pressure but that is about it.
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That's hugely inspiring and impressive. I guess PBs might be off the cards then?

Will you have to be on a pouch for the rest of your life? Or is this temporary until you're insides are all fixed?

I know how much intra-abdominal pressure I put when pushing myself, I'd imagine bits of me would ping across the room if they weren't inside me!

Did they offer you any medication to bulk you back up or was that just your metabolism kicking in again?

What are the realistic expectations for training in the long term?
 
I’ve never had face tingling as much as I have today after pre workout. Weird. Never had it close to this bad.

I thought lockdown might harm my progress more than it has. In some areas I’m now stronger and in most I’m nearly up to strength, but much leaner. Building the weights back up from a much lower working max has definitely helped. As has the rest for my joints! The only things I miss are hammer leg extension (but terrible for knees and now replaced with front squats) and front pulldown (great for back mass, but it was taking its toll on my shoulders, now replaced by a load of different barbell and landmine rows).

Freefaller said:
That's hugely inspiring and impressive. I guess PBs might be off the cards then?

Will you have to be on a pouch for the rest of your life? Or is this temporary until you're insides are all fixed?

I know how much intra-abdominal pressure I put when pushing myself, I'd imagine bits of me would ping across the room if they weren't inside me!

Did they offer you any medication to bulk you back up or was that just your metabolism kicking in again?

What are the realistic expectations for training in the long term?
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Good questions, I’m curious about this to.
 
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Freefaller said:
That's hugely inspiring and impressive. I guess PBs might be off the cards then?

Will you have to be on a pouch for the rest of your life? Or is this temporary until you're insides are all fixed?

I know how much intra-abdominal pressure I put when pushing myself, I'd imagine bits of me would ping across the room if they weren't inside me!

Did they offer you any medication to bulk you back up or was that just your metabolism kicking in again?

What are the realistic expectations for training in the long term?
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I don't have a large intestine any more so the only option is a 'j pouch' where they create a sort of fake rectum and hook that back up. It's an option but I don't fancy any more major surgery at the moment and it's not a guaranteed success, it brings with it its own set of potential issues.

The abdominal pressure issue is interesting. I really understand my abdominal area and how different lifts work it now since surgery. I don't know whether it's me naturally compensating to avoid injury or just how different lifts works but the major compound lifts feel quite safe. I brace my core by sucking everything up and inwards rather than the feeling of pushing outwards and it hasn't yet felt like anything is going to herniate.

Alternatively, If I was to hold a 20kg plate out in front of me with my arms fully extended, it feels like my insides are going to fall out!

Thankfully I didn't need any medication to bulk me up after surgery as I had a crazy appetite. I was easily putting away 4000 calories a day. Sadly, a lot of it was cake and custard. I probably only put on a tiny percentage of muscle but at the time I was so out of it, I just wanted to eat anything and everything.

Realistic goals for training are pretty much the same as before surgery, albeit with less flare ups and backwards steps. I just want to continue improving the big compound lifts as much as I can and get my body looking vaguely like someone who trains. I want to keep a decent amount of body fat (15-20%) as if I opt for surgery, its better to have more in reserve than too little.

There's so many inspiring people with stomas that I feel like more is possible than life with ulcerative colitis before surgery. People have climbed everest, run ironmans, travelled the world and come top 3 in powerlifting comps with a stoma.

This guy has 2 bags and look at him less than a year after surgery!

2tBoqg.jpg


2tBoqg
 
Mmm... I suspect the guy above was either massive before the stoma or "had additional help" after. Regardless it is an amazing before-after set, but that is A LOT of extra lean mass and chest hair for diet and training alone...
 
Had a nose on his page. 22kg in 6 months. Was j00cy pre-lockdown, did a Kevin Levrone and lost a load then blew up again in no time at at all. Must be something in his steak... (and the magic of myoclei).
 
Oh I'm certainly not aspiring to be that size and I have no idea if that's natural or not. It was more to highlight that having a stoma and bodybuilding / powerlifting is still possible without hernias.

I'm a naturally very slim guy and my shoulders are narrow I could probably take all the juice available and not look anywhere near as wide as that guy.

Nutritionally, having a stoma is fascinating as you really realise how different foods absorb. The old myth that red meat backs you up is so wrong, meat and fish are by far the easiest to absorb. Raw / undercooked veggies are pointless as they come out pretty much like they went in :D.
 
Well I'm hugely impressed by your stoicism - I think I'd be fairly miserable. The gym is the one thing that keeps me sane, and I know you can still do it, but I don't know it would probably make me feel vulnerable. That said you don't know how you're going to react.

I think you're attitude is amazing, and it's good to hear you've bounced back to well.

Interesting to hear your point about "seeing" your digestion - one thing to point out, it's a thing the west don't do very well, is masticate properly. We tend to only chew 10x or so before swallowing, whereas we should be generally chewing 3x longer.

I wish you well on your journey and look forward to seeing how you progress!
 
Better to have tried and failed than have not tried at all! I'll probably keep going and then reassess things a year or so down the line.

Yeah, chewing is my new hobby as there's more potential for blockages with a stoma so got to make sure to chew.

Thanks for the support. I should really get round to starting a training log on here.
 
Echoing @Freefaller 's words - inspiring. :)

Managed a PB for moi yesterday on the deadlift - 95kg 5x5. Looks like I need to attempt 100kg 5x5 next. :eek:

Back to squats today...slowly slowly creeping up. Today will be 70kg 5x5 fingers crossed.
 
B&W said:
It's a nice feeling, last week couldn't get 120 off the ground today I did it for one rep lol.
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Mm slow and steady. I think that is what caused me to slow down at the start of the year Jan-March. I was not pushing enough then I was surprised when I realised I could lift more than I could...this sentence reads weird but you get my drift. :p
 
Yeah, I can do 100x8 for a few sets. 110 X 4/5 reps. Guess it takes time.

Have to push yourself hard, never listen to the gym bros who say you need to 12 reps of something before you go higher. If we listened to them we'd never make progress.
 
Mm indeed. I pushed my biceps too much yesterday (or maybe i pushed them properly for the first time?!). Went for heavy concentration curls (12kg 4x8) but had to reduce to 10kg for the last set then hammer curls, then reverse grip cable curl. Weight was way down then but completed it.
 
Try anabolic aliens 5 minutes bicep workout. (on youtube) Do it at the end of your session or you can try it at home if you have some dumbbells, go for 5KG. You will feel it for 1-2 days afterwood..

I do there calf 5 mins workout once a week on leg day.
 
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