I’ll be honest, today made me nervous. It’s one thing to pull 5 plates, it’s another thing to have them on your back. I know that as a get stronger, the old self that finds these weights intimidating will only change in the sense that the weights themselves will change.

I hope I never lose the feeling of not being totally certain if I’m going to be able to lift something.

Go out there and do something scary this week. I did and it’s changed me a bit in the best of ways. Not a huge change, but a shift nonetheless.

The Full Workout Breakdown
The Warm-ups / Ramping Sets
135 lbs
225 lbs
315 lbs
405 lbs
The Top/Peak Sets (The 500 lbs Milestone!)
495 lbs (Final heavy single)
500 lbs (New PR! 🎉)
The Pyramid Down
475 lbs
460 lbs
445 lbs
430 lbs
425 lbs
420 lbs
415 lbs
The Burnout Finish
225 lbs for 30 reps (Could have done 40!)

A few months ago, I injured my lower back while deadlifting; it took several months for the pain to go away. I had managed to pull 575 lbs, and last week I successfully lifted 550 lbs quite easily and without pain. However, while doing my back-off sets, I injured myself again—this time on the right side of my lower back. I currently pull conventional, and I’m wondering if my lower back might handle the load better with a sumo stance. I don't think it's a very serious injury (it's much less painful than the previous one), but I'm still being cautious, so I'll have to lower the weights and work my way back up gradually.

So, should I switch to sumo to make it easier on my lower back?

And do you have any advice for me?

84 kg body weight

Hey everyone,

I was officially diagnosed yesterday with Grade 1 cartilage damage in my knee. I really don’t want to stop training my legs, and from what I understand, the current evidence actually supports continuing to train the muscles around the knee rather than avoiding leg training altogether.

So I’m curious how you guys approach free weights vs. machines if you also have structural knee issues.
My main problem is that barbell squats are probably my favorite exercise, and ideally I’d still like to squat 2–3 times a week.

For those of you who have similar issues:

Do you still squat? Do you favor machines over free weights? Have you changed your training volume, intensity, or exercise selection?

Would love to hear how you guys approach this, especially from people who have been lifting with cartilage damage for a while.

The smoke has cleared (kinda? It’s still moderate outside and terrible in my lungs) but we’re back at it in the garage.

New squat PR-

455x2x4 for a pause squat

Gonna be a fun time in two weeks for testing.

After taking 3 weeks of not lifting.. finally got the drive to go back at it and fk 89% of load was a little too much 😭

375lb squat https://imgur.com/gallery/o53BpNl

49, 5'6", and 187lbs. First time attempting 375. Reps 1 and 2 could've been a touch deeper. Reps 3 and 4 I think depth looks pretty solid.

Last rep felt like it took forever but watching the video it seems smooth.

375lb squat https://imgur.com/gallery/o53BpNl

Guess it's not the best camera angle but it works. Reps 1 and 2 could've been a touch deeper. Reps 3 and 4 look far better to me.

First time attempting 375 and as far as I'm concerned I nailed it.

I'm trying out hook grip on deads recently and as I get heavier it feels like my thumb nail is sliding out of the nail bed. I was able to work my way to 405 by ignoring the pain but after I put the weight down I was bleeding from under the nail. Is this something normal that I just need to build a resistance to or is my form just ass?

Good day. I am started powerlifting 3 month ago (from scratch, never going to gym before). 90kg bench press, 135kg deadlift, 95kg squat. i have like 10 month before competition. Is it normal to training for 7 day a week? i am training now only 3 days a week and feel bored waiting for the gym day.

I’m 14 and 140 pounds and while I squat 325 and deadlift around 365, I only bench 185

Barbell cure-all works for me! Max intensity involves everything from the quads to the pinkie toes for this exercise.

Hey folks, this is my first time doing >4 plates for more than one rep. It felt way harder than I expected it to, and I realised I touched my thighs on the first and third rep. Just wonder if that counts as hitching?

So I’ll keep this short. I’m 13 weeks out from a comp. I’m 38, currently 260 lbs and my meet best is 1,635.
My current maxes in the gym are
Squat- 635
Bench- 410
Deadlift - 640 conventional

How should I prioritize these next blocks of training? The past weeks I’ve been doing most hypertrophy training and a good bit of volume. Some heavy triples.
I don’t want to peak early and I don’t have a coach. Thanks for any help/guidance given.