You didn't use a shopped pic for pic 2 this time so getting better you had my arm half the size in the old shopped pic you shared last time. The pool pic is still shopped to hell but it is a start. Matt is 200-205lbs I am 220-225lbs it is a 20lb difference not 50.
Why are you downplaying your weight now, but boasting higher weights in other threads? You said you were 238 here:
https://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?topic=673674.0Now you have dropped 13-18 pounds?
You are correct that I'm hovering around the 200-205 mark right now.
That's the heaviest I can be without gaining obvious fat, frankly. Not that I'm shredded by any means...but I'm OK with my current body composition, and I won't be able to maintain that if I put on any more size.
And there are other things - it's all a trade-off: the heavier we get, the slower we get, and I feel it reduces our health status somewhat.
But you often talk about how it's what we are able to do RIGHT NOW. You are correct that RIGHT NOW, I am not my strongest, nor am I 50-lb less than you.
However, I hit the majority of my top lifts at 170. And virtually all of them at 170-190. Some exceptions apply.
So I guess my question is:
How does my seated dumbbell press with the 100's for six reps when I was ~170 compare to your SDP at ~220?
?
From what I can tell, I was at or above your lift at 220.
If I'm wrong, then how strong was your SDP at ~220?
Matt has no background in strength lifts wtf are you talking about he has never entered a powerlifting meet. He has no official numbers in anything. I curled 165lbs in a meet SCN writing it down in their records book or not doesn't change that I strict curled 165lbs.
I've been in 16 strength contests from 2010 to 2017 that I can think of off the top of my head...but I may be missing a couple in there, and I have been in some before/after that time frame, but the fake pandemic basically destroyed the entire local strength scene.
So...maybe 20 total contests. I've only been in one full powerlifting meet. I don't care for the refined component of powerlifting...plus, I like the athletic component of Strongman events.
I'm not sure what your definition of "official" is, but I have ample video evidence showing what my strength is at, or has been.
I have also pressed 350lbs for 2 reps something Matt has never come close to doing. Matt also uses anabolic he is not a natural athlete.
What's your definition of "never come close"?
Perhaps our definitions are different there.
My max bench press in a bench-only contest was 320-lb, and my max gym bench press was 345-lb. I was 183-lb when I got the 345, but I've gotten 340 at 170 in the gym before.
Here is a video of me bench pressing 315x6, weighing 170-lb:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CeN1RWeADHv/Here's 250x18 - bounced reps, but regardless, it shows where my strength has been:
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CeldRFRAoOS/My max bench press with 315 was 8 reps, when I was weighing 192.
I have been training bodybuilding-style all summer, and only started strength training again three weeks ago.
As for using anabolics:
Yes, I have used them, but I am unlikely to use them again. Most likely, I will just go on TRT, as opposed to run a cycle. But if I do that, I will first talk to my doctor, and I would obviously share that publicly.
But this is what I can say about anabolics:
My best LOOK has been on steroids. Absolutely.
But my best LIFTS were not only drug-free, but ABSOLUTELY clean - with YEARS since my previous cycle.
I'm sure there are a few obscure lifts in there where I was on something. But all my best lifts that I can think of, were not only drug-free, but the majority were while weighing 170-lb.
But honestly I don't care what he lifts because none of that changes the fact he doesn't know how to hold a fucking dumbbell. That is why its rolling his wrist backwards and sliding out of his hand at a 45 degree angle fucking morons. He could probably lift more if he learned how to hold a dumbbell. He would also get a lot more development if he stopped ego throwing shit around. Who the fuck talks about maxing out machines and record leg presses and half rep shoulder presses? Every time he writes about lifting he is dropping 50lbs in bodyweight then adding 50lbs to his lift and then saying that would be good lift at that weight right but he doesn't weigh that and doesn't lift that not even close.
Historically, I have not lost much strength dropping a lot in weight.
Here's an example - in 2014, I competed in the 2014 Thunder Bay's Strongest Man contest weighing 192-lb. My lifts are here:
In 2015, I dropped a full
29 pounds [>15% of my body weight], but dropped less than 8% of my strength:
^ In particular, look at my 750-lb tire flip - in 2014, I got six flips, with the sixth flip landing just as the whistle went [6 flips in 61 seconds].
In 2015, I got 5.5 flips in 60 seconds. So despite losing 29-lb, I only dropped half a flip. In both cases, I completed 5 flips in 60 seconds.
Also, look at my Farmer's Walk with 250-lb per hand. You can see I pick up the implements and start moving with it a lot more easily in 2014, when I was 192-lb. However, I still managed to complete the 80 foot course in 2015, which I got in 48.87 seconds.
That's pretty good, considering I weighed 163-lb. That's literally a 3x body weight Farmer's Walk.
So I am very confident saying that I should be able to maintain my strength as I drop weight.
I will not be dropping to 170 again though. I will be dropping to about 185, I would say.
As for my form - right now, I am training for strength. Probably until next summer. I expect to lose size, but my preference is to be strong right now.
I know if I trained with pristine form, that I would put on more muscle...but I would rather be strong right now. If we get contests back in my city, no one is going to judge me on how good my form is. It's just a question of locking out the rep.
You can see videos of my strength at the link below - just go to the highlighted section for videos. Although some of my best lifts aren't there - but a lot are:
https://instagram.com/matthew_thunderbayI acknowledge that my form is lacking, but as I said, it doesn't matter for contests.
LASTLY...
We can settle this, IMO.
I only JUST started to train for strength about three weeks ago.
I pulled 450 yesterday, but it was an easy pull.
I know I can pull 475 right now.
I don't want to push it THAT hard too quickly, and be stupid and get an injury...but strength increases for me right now are just muscle memory.
So...I am open to settling this if you want to.
I'm pretty sure I will be able to deadlift 500-lb next week.
But just to be SAFE...
How about we start by seeing who can deadlift more by Halloween?
I should be safely at 505 by then.
My goal was to get to 550 @185 body weight. I was just going to work up to 550, then maintain it while gradually dropping to 185.
I'm basically trying to get to a level of strength I can maintain. I don't want to push it to a level that is "fake", like how we see retired bodybuilders shrink and look like they never trained a day in their life.
I'm also realistic...I don't want to weigh more than I do now, for health reasons, and I don't think a 600 DL is realistic unless I weigh ~220, and that isn't an ideal weight for health at my height, IMO.
So I'm trying to be realistic, and be healthy.
But if you want to do a strength challenge, I'm open for it
We could do 70-lb dumbbell presses with a
3-second pause [so you can't complain about the form], for max reps, or 405-lb for reps deadlift, or 315-lb for reps bench press.
I actually think this is a good idea. We could do a January 1st deadline. The bench press would be bounced reps, obviously, and the deadlift would be with belt, straps and chalk, and obviously bouncing reps would be ok.
Or we can do a max one-arm dumbbell [Circus Dumbbell] press. My gym only goes up to 120-lb dumbbells, but I could use electrical tape and get that to 140-lb, and do max reps in 90 seconds or something. Or I could go to the Strongman gym across town, and try to hit 160.
I could weigh in at 190-lb and give you a 30-lb weight advantage or something.
Again, I only just started training for strength again about three weeks ago. There is no reason I shouldn't be hitting the numbers I expect to get. It's just muscle memory.
Now...I will say I have no expectation of matching your max biceps curl. I'm confident I could get 115-lb...maybe more...but I know you're well ahead of me on the max curl.
But open to settling this if you want to.
I just find it strange that you would bash my overhead press. My overhead presses have always been good. I'm not claiming perfect form...but my OHP's are pretty dang good, IMO.
