Also it makes me look way less chubby that I am. I am not ashamed to admit that.

So these my 34s in comparison to my roughly 6ft frame. It's hard to judge how comically large they are just by themselves. Did sets with them today and could only manage sets of 7. A year ago before I stopped doing curls I was doing 4+ sets of 10 so I got a ways to work back to.

Deadlifts and bench presses went well today. Increased deadlift weight to 185. Managed 5 sets of 8. Might could have pushed some of those to 10 but no need to chance it. My goal is to build up to 205 then work on a little fat reduction before going back into muscle gain. Bench presses did good. Weights 155 and manged 2 sets of 10, 1x9, 2x8.

Quick note about stretching. It is completely possible to stretch too much. I recently realized I had been over stretching my right piriformis muscle. I started having sciatic pain in my right side. I've had similar pain I'm that side for a while but this was different and I also had it in my mid glute. Got to looking into it. It matched perfectly with what is described as "long piriformis syndrome." Basically it's stretched too much and become irritated when overworked because it's weakened from being stretched.

https://squatuniversity.com/2017/11/21/how-to-correctly-treat-piriformis-syndrome/

This is a good article I found on it.

This is not saying you shouldn't stretch. Just a caution as to not overdo stretching.

    • Zo1db3rg [comrade/them]
      ·
      3 years ago

      I will write up how I should have made these. So I didn't weight out like I should have but luckily I got pretty close with each. What I did was take a piece of pipe and cut two pieces out of the same length for the handle. Handles go to the end of each can plus the width for the handle part. I drilled a hole through the end of each pipe and ran a bolt though to act like an anchor once the concrete cured. Next I filled one end with concrete and used some blocks of wood to hold the pipe straight. Once that was curred I made a little stand to hold the now cured weights upside down for when I them poured and cured the other side. Now I got super lucky and both came out pretty on par with one another despite not weighing very well.

      Something I would do in the future is: Divide each set of components in two. Weight and label each piece and separate by set. Such as "A" and "B" or whatever. Then get the total of the components for each. Subtract that from the end weight you want. When you pour the first side first tare the scale for the can. Pour in the concrete till you reach the half amount you previously calculated. Then add the handle in. Push it down slow and rotate it to help it down all the way to the bottom. Once that's cured make some kind of stand to hold the cured weight upside down over the other can. Just enough so it reach close to the bottom. Tare and fill the other can and then set the handle down using the stand to hold it in place. This should yeild a more accurate weight and allow you to tailor it. Want lighter weights? Just fill up with less concrete.

      NOTE!!!!!! Concrete looses, what I have noticed, about 6-8% of it's wet weight once curred. So a 10lb weight after about a month cure usually comes out around 9.3 lbs or so. So keep that in mind.

      I hope this makes sense. lol