[Aptorian]

Arnold Classic Strongman is live right now.

Here's the Reddit megathread.

https://www.reddit.c...tm_source=share

[Aptorian]

Aptorian, on 06 March 2020 - 07:06 PM, said:

Arnold Classic Strongman is live right now.

Here's the Reddit megathread.

https://www.reddit.c...tm_source=share

The mountain just crushed the Trial by Stone event. Guys going to break some records this year.

edit: And then Kieleszkowski just beat Thor. Holy crap.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 06 March 2020 - 07:14 PM

[Aptorian]

Day two is about to begin. Rogue is trying to one-up the strong man Dubai event in a months time by offering a hundred and one thousand dollars if somebody deadlifts 501kgs today.

I think Thors going to be a hundred thousand dollars richer by tomorrow.

[Malankazooie]

Respect to these guys for being singularly focused on pushing the limits of human strength, but in breaking these records I can't help but wonder how much industrial strength cattle steroids they have taken. 60 minutes had an interview with 'The Mountain' just prior to the final season of GoT airing and while he admitted to taking steroids in the past (I mean, he's been busted for it), he would not answer any questions about whether he was currently taking steroids. The piece on him covered the fact that he had a palsy scare that has left the right side of his face permanently paralyzed, I wonder if steroids has anything to do with it? I'm not completely against these guys using PEDs as a general principle, you have personal choice, if you want to risk liver, heart, kidney et. al damage for greater glory, that is your decision, but I think sports governing bodies should make that distinction. A drug-free league and a 'free-for-all' league, not sure what they could call it, but yeah, that way fans who consume this content would know there was an even/fair starting point for the athletes they support. Maybe there already is this distinction? Not sure, because I don't follow it that closely.

[Aptorian]

Can't recall if there's any serious tested Strongman federations or events but in powerlifting and bodybuilding there are tested organisations. So there are places to go if you want to be 90% sure everyone is competing on a level playing field.

I personally don't care. Strongman is about seeing monsters doing inhuman things us mortal gym goers can only shake our heads at. You can be sure that every single strength athlete who's competing at a professional level is on something, if not on a lot of something. They'll do anything to be competitive. Look at Martins Licis, the current World's strongest man, his back looks like a moon landscape because of all the steroid acne he's got. You can also tell because they'll do something crazy like ripping a bicep or damaging their back and then be almost good as new in a matter of months.

[Aptorian]

By the way Bell's Palsy isn't related to steroids. It's the physical and mental stress that triggers it. The paralysis is not permanent either. The Mountain is doing a lot better with the condition the past couple years as well though you can still see it.

Anyway, finished watching day 2. Went more or less as expected. Thor won the Arnold third year in a row, Kieleszkowski in second and Licis in third. I wish Licis was healthy, but I don't think it would have mattered. If Kieleszkowski continues to improve his pulling strength he will be the best strong man competitor in a few years. I love that polish teddy bear.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 08 March 2020 - 05:44 AM

[Malankazooie]

Okay, time to talk 'compression sleeves'. Expensive trendy vanity that doesn't do a lick of good OR there's something to these sexy flesh hugging turtle necks for your muscles? I see them all over the place at my gym now. Even have been to one of my niece's soccer games and have seen the little ones on the field running around with them on.



Will they last and be an important tool in your wellness toolbox or will they go the way of those weird ass toe sneakers?

[Aptorian]

Never seen anyone use them at my gym.

[Malankazooie]

You hear people say you have to have a strong core, or work on strengthening your core. Behold, an achievement to convince everyone just what exactly that means. Record set last month.

[Aptorian]

Actually, that record more or less makes a mockery of the plank. Any "exercise" you can do for 8 hours is probably not particularly effective or taxing for a trained individual.

Do some weighted sit ups, deadlifts and hip thrusts instead.

[Malankazooie]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say 90 % of so called 'gym rats' couldn't hold a plank for 5 min. if their lives depended on it. There's a big difference between being 'swole' from lifting weights and having functional strength. Most of the roid beasts who only lift weights are hollow images of all around strength and would have a very difficult time hitting the low end benchmarks of any measure of complete fitness.

[amphibian]

I have absolutely no need whatsoever to hold a plank for 5 minutes, ignoring 8 hours. I have a need to be able to support and balance my weight as I move dynamically to submit a person in grappling. I have a need to pull hard, push hard, hold grips very tightly, to have a strong neck, to avoid injuries, and to be smooth and controlled as I move.

Training hard to hold a plank for eight hours is what this person decided to do. Alright, but it's not applicable for me and for something like 99.9% of people either.

Steroids don't automatically create muscles. If someone is really muscular and does steroids without getting hurt or having the volatile mood swings and handful health effects etc, then that's actually fairly impressive to me. More than a plank for eight hours.

[Malankazooie]

Yes, doing steroids and holding yourself back from beating up your girlfriend or losing your cool and beating up someone weaker than you is impressive. Point conceded.

[Aptorian]

Kazooie you should do some reading on Steroids and move past the stereotypes that cloud public debate.

[Malankazooie]

Well Apt.

I have read about steroids, but more importantly have experienced first hand what it does to people. One of my best friends back in high school did steroids. He went from skinny as a rail to legit specimen over the span of our senior year in high school and was considering dabbling in amateur bodybuilding competition and seeing where it took him from there. He changed. He abused his girlfriend, she broke up with him and he dated a string of girls but could never have a lasting relationship because he was such asshole to them. He started to get into fights with anyone who he perceived disrespected him. He started to do illegal drugs, cocaine primarily (reckless decision making is another side effect). His parents tried to have him committed for a psychological evaluation. He kicked through the door and spent the next weeks crashing on couches of his new gym friends, the guys who were his connection for the steroids. I tried to stay friends with him, because prior to steroids, and an obsession with a perfect body, he was a great guy, but suffice it to say we stopped hanging out. About 10 years ago I heard he was murdered, shot. Don't know the specifics, but I can imagine it probably follows a typical narrative.

[Aptorian]

Huh, forgot to reply to you Kazooie. I won't discount your personal history but there's plenty of people in strength sports who use steroids and (at least publically) don't display any of the negative social, cognitive side effects you mention.

People who are predisposed, by their upbringing, culture, mental state, should not be taking steroids but you can make that same argument about alcohol and drugs. Beer doesn't make people beat up their partner, neither does steroids though admittedly testosterone clearly will affect people's aggressiveness and dick head potential.

In other news, Saturday May 2nd, The Mountain, Hafthor Bjornsson, is live streaming his attempt to break the World Deadlift Record by lifting 501 kgs. If he succeeds he'll try for 520 and 530 kgs.

Seeing as he gets to do it in his own gym under very controlled conditions, I think there's little doubt he'll lift 501. 520 would be mind blowing though.

[Malankazooie]

Can you guys point me in the direction of the nearest terrorist training camp? These rocket launchers have declared jihad on stalled gains!

[Malankazooie]

Damn, The Rock gots himself some serious bitch tits (Gynecomastia). I'd say he's rockin' at least a B cup. I'd motor boat those udders.




Don't do steroid kids. Do the work in the gym and stick to a disciplined nutrition program.

Another example The Rock is juicing: he ripped apart his gate to get to work. Roid rage, a classic symptom of doing steroids.

Oh, and steroids shrink your testicles into the size of BBs. There are waaaay more serious side effects though, like shorten your life side effects.

[Mentalist]

First foray onto the field today with cleats and a ball. I haven't done any endurance cardio since end of Novemeber when the pools closed down- I do regular walks 8-10 clicks, but that's not really intense cardio;

The results are not encouraging: doing laps running with the ball across the width of the field, I'd generally be gasping after 3 laps. Over the 2 hours that I was outside, I maxed maybe 25 laps, mostly sets of 3;

Spent a lot of time taking shots (and jogging to retrieve the ball), as well as doing spot kicks for accuracy training- trying to hit a fencepost from about 10m away over uncut grass. trying to do this with my left foot took forever, naturally, so there's LOADS of room for improvement.

Guessing everything will be sore tomorrow; if it's not raining, gonna try to go for at least 20-30 min after work on my passes and control against a wall.

[Aptorian]

Gym reopened last Thursday. Went to the gym yesterday and today. First day wasn't so bad. Woke up with a sore right elbow and a stiff neck. Still went to the gym and trained back and bi's this morning. Four hours later I feel like I got hit by a truck. Walking on stairs sucks. Moving my arms hurts. And I've got a three hour meeting scheduled.

Gonna need a lot of coffee and a bean bag chair I think.

Gym has done no renovations or improvements since it closed. There's dust on some equipment which just seems lazy. I guess all staff have been sent home and nothing was done in the building for 6 months.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 11 May 2021 - 10:21 AM