I'm never going indirect again, with all the aggro and cancellations with short haul flights in the new world.

Exactly how I see it.  At 5pm when you are stuck at a gate in Chicago and realise you could already be in Vegas if you'd paid the extra hundo..... shudder.

The one I was specifically looking at was BA via Phoenix which is total flight time 13h 12 opposed to the 10h 40 for direct.

1h 2 transfer time seemed potentially a bit tight so what's the risk of missing the connecting flight? I assume they have to sort it if you book both legs as one flight but you could end up hanging around a bit?

This one actually gets you to Vegas more than 4 hours sooner but with the downside of having to drive down to London at about 4am......

I'm never going indirect again, with all the aggro and cancellations with short haul flights in the new world.

Exactly how I see it.  At 5pm when you are stuck at a gate in Chicago and realise you could already be in Vegas if you'd paid the extra hundo..... shudder.

www.summerinvegas.com

Anyone know how old you have to be to qualify for 'seniors' events? Assuming it's 50?

Asking for a friend 

[I would honestly build my training around those]

I did my back in at the end of last year (pretty sure I slipped a disc) and messed up my shoulder in February (still undiagnosed, need to try and get an MRI scan) so I was off games for quite a while.

Been building back slowly for 6 weeks now and starting to feel like I'm getting somewhere. Deadlift back upto 100kg but still taking squats very carefully and not doing much over 90kg.

Weight is stubbornly high at 85kg - need to get some more discipline from somewhere but I am starting to enjoy workouts more now.

Injuries really really suck. If you have two pretty high profile injuries I would honestly build my training around those and be prepared too be a little behind/unbalanced for a year or so but to come out of that year in the position to push on. In a world where we hear sports athletes get back from big injuries within 3 months i think it can skew our view of it. They rehab 3/4/5/6 a day, then have all the medical advice/treatment/protocols/ dare I say some naughty stuff under the table. I think when you have a life and fitness is in your top 3/5 priorities its much MUCH harder to get to the point where you are as strong and able to get stronger.

Doing this has been huge for my training and helping keep me free of any major injuries for a long time now. I've had a few niggles but nothing to stop me going completely.

It's probably over a year now since I last squatted and 2 years since I dead lifted. For me it's just not worth it as I always seem to get hurt when I get towards decent weights.

Tough day today on my 'heavy' bench day.

Rep range is 4 to 6 and my best week I've managed to peak at 135kg for 4.

Felt really good today and had visions of giving 3 plates a go but for some reason it just wanted there.

To get to 135 in reasonable jumps I go 112.5, 122.5, 130 and then 135. Anyway the 122.5 felt ridiculously tough, 130 I just about squeezed 5 reps and then took the sensible option and bailed out on the top set.

Felt really confident after Monday being a good day but I guess sometimes it's just not there.

I started a mini cut this week but I can't see that being the issue as I've only dropped about 500 calories per day and only been at it a couple of days. I trained 11am instead of my usual 4pm which is a likely factor but I've done it before and not been badly affected. Hey ho, not to worry, back at it next session.

Walked into the gym yesterday and one of trainers casually bangs out a 165 bench then tells me his dieting and he's at 92kg. Absolute madness, might have to retire from the movement. Luckily we do tie on the DL.

You use wraps all the time?

Wow that's scary. There's a fella in my gym who weighs in about 90kg who has a 5 plate PR from years ago and still hits 4 plates regularly. He's only about 5' 8" and his triceps are about the size of my quads 

Claims natural as well which I think I can just about believe seeing his build.

I use elbow cuffs but never full on wraps. Cuffs just give a little bit of compression and support but I honestly don't think they add any weight. Wraps on the other hand would be good for a few kgs I would imagine.

Was hoping for 140kg for 3 today but had a really nasty twinge through my left arm and shoulder. Stupidly forgot to do my foam rolling before I left home for the gym and it proved to be a huge mistake.

Managed to find a bench at the right height to grind out the knot in my back and squeezed out a dodgy 135kg but it didn't feel pleasant. Quite encouraging though to hit that weight when not feeling good.

I know you're joking of course but don't give up on bench. Use him as motivation to get better. What's your PR at? Was it about 120kg when we trained together a few years back?

Reward seat availability seems really bad through June. Me and Stu managed to get an economy flight home on June 24th but currently nothing to get us there.

Stu's family circumstances mean we have pretty specific dates which isn't working well with availability at the moment. We really need to fly out on Monday 20th and Mondays in general very rarely seem to have anything until the day or two before.

We've both started collecting Avios to give another option but they don't seem a whole lot better.

3 and a half weeks 'til we go so it's getting a bit dicey. We've actually started looking at connecting flights as an option if we need to go down that route and there seem to be loads. Still hoping for the direct option in PE or upper but nice to know there are a fair few options if it comes to it.

I can see us on the phone to Virgin on the drive down to Heathrow the way it's going

Tough day today on my 'heavy' bench day.

Rep range is 4 to 6 and my best week I've managed to peak at 135kg for 4.

Felt really good today and had visions of giving 3 plates a go but for some reason it just wanted there.

To get to 135 in reasonable jumps I go 112.5, 122.5, 130 and then 135. Anyway the 122.5 felt ridiculously tough, 130 I just about squeezed 5 reps and then took the sensible option and bailed out on the top set.

Felt really confident after Monday being a good day but I guess sometimes it's just not there.

I started a mini cut this week but I can't see that being the issue as I've only dropped about 500 calories per day and only been at it a couple of days. I trained 11am instead of my usual 4pm which is a likely factor but I've done it before and not been badly affected. Hey ho, not to worry, back at it next session.

Going well guys, good to hear the updates.
Personally, have had to stop trying to increase weights whilst lowering body weight. Concentrating on reps/sets with lower. Hurt my back deadlifting last month, which didn't help.
On holiday next week, once back i'm going back to using full body workouts, doing individual body parts just  doesn't work as well for me.
Have also been caning the cardio, which has probably limited the strength/muscle gains.

Nice work mate. Been following your progress on the other thread and it looks to be going really well.

Full body is always a decent idea if you don't have any specific goals. Just move a decent amount of metal and you'll at the very least maintain muscle.

Cardio in itself shouldn't directly limit strength gains although if you're smashing a 60 minute run before hitting the weights you won't have anything left to push yourself enough to stimulate any growth.

Main thing is that you're enjoying whatever you're doing and can stick with it.

Good to see everyone getting it done.. im still doing the mad crossfit stuff with some strength & olympic lifts thrown in for good measure..but have been working more on paced stuff rather than flat out red lining, will leave that to the whipper snappers going well and looking to be nice and cut for the summer.

Never been one for 1 rep max stuff especially at my age as I dont want to hurt myself but I thought i should update some of my poorer PB's.. squat and deadlift mainly..

upped the squat from 150KG to 170KG..deadlift we are aiming for 200KG as I done 170KG a couple years ago with more left in the tank..not sure if I will go back to bench..was happy with 130KG..although I suppose 3 plates is should be a target

All very impressive numbers as it is! How long was it to get to 150-170?

was a bit odd really..i dont do a lot of squatting..i did 150 a couple of years ago and failed 160...started doing some squatting with the pt recently and found i was doing 150 for 5 reps pretty easy..so i said to him that i should be able to improve 1 rep from there.. so went 155..160.165.170.. and failed 175

Where did you fail the 175? Did you get out the hole?

Some solid squatting that. No surprise failing 175kg after presumably doing all those PR singles one after the other.

Planning to do the main this year, any guides on best way of getting more than $10k to vegas?  Don’t want screwed with rates/charges and not sure what the best play is

You're allowed to take more than $10k cash as long as you declare it first. https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-195?language=en_US

Like Marky says cash is definitely your best option.

Other alternative if you know someone out there prior to the main who manages to win a bit is to arrange something with them but that depends on how well you know them of course.

I've not been quite as motivated the last couple of months following my bench PR 10 weeks ago.

I picked up a few niggles during my testing block which developed in to a full on tendon/ligament f**k up after I didn't back down enough in the following weeks. Lesson learned and next time when I go for 1RM I'm going to really take it easy after the top set.

Anyway the injury has meant I've missed a few sessions but generally still made it in for my 3 bench days. It's been pretty painful on occasion but the strength has stayed reasonable. I've only trained 3 days per week most weeks but I'm happy to miss legs and arms.

Please to report that today is the first day that I've been 95% pain free so ready for a run in to another PR attempt. I'll also probably feel motivated to throw in an extra session on Friday with a bit of luck.

I've been back up to full bench strength recently hitting 4 x 10 at 100, 110, 115 and 120 on my 'light' day (Monday) and 112.5 x 5, 122.5 x 5, 130 x 5 and 135 x 4 on 'heavy' day (Wednesday)

Today I hit 9 paused reps at 120kg which is a PR so all is going really well.

Triples next Saturday and if I feel good might have to stick 3 plates on for the first time in 3 months!!

No update for a while, so about 6 weeks ago I thought I would give myself a little intense squat circle. Haven't really done squats or deads this year, so I went in with squatting 4x a week. 3x10 Day 1, 8,6,15 on following days.

This week we've had 3x10 100, 3x8 110, 3x6 115, hoping for a 3x15 75/80 tomorrow we shall see. But I think the 3x6 is a lifetime PB? I may have done it at 120 before, I can't remember but either way very pleasing. No belt, no shoes which will definitely be a lifetime PB.

Other than that, most of the other numbers have just been ticking along. Peaked at 3x8 46 for DB chest, 3x8 62.5 OHP and 3x8 100kg BOR. Still quite firm on 4 days a week, and trying to get my steps in now the weather is getting a little nicer. Starting to get the golf itch, so I am easing training a little just to make sure I am not too stuff, depleted for when I play, but its a sacrifice I am quite happy to make this summer. Weighing in around 87/88 so keen to not go to high over, wouldn't mind being 85 by July.

Reintroduced weighted chins, pretty sure I was 3x6 with 20kg at my peak and went 6/6/4 with 10kg today so some improvement ready there.

How is everyone else doing?

Nice numbers mate especially that OHP and DB chest press. 3x8 at 46 is really good work but you know yourself what a jump it is trying to go up to the 50s from there. Must be good for a few reps now though so maybe next block you'll get to giving them a go. I'd recommend throwing them in between the 46s. Instead of 3 x 8 at 46 maybe 2 x 6 at 46 to keep a bit in the tank then throw in a double at 50 then a rep out at 40. Just feeling the 50s out for a month or so will really work the confidence to then up the reps to 3, 4, 5 etc.

I'd love to be doing weighted chins at some point...... Recently reintroduced assisted chins with almost the full stack so I'm a bit behind 

Fallen off the wagon!

Will weigh in and make a return on Monday ready for the run up to a holiday on the 9th.

Graffe please.

FYP

Excellent work

Not sure which of this or Stu's graph is more amusing. Either way, enjoying the laughs

So many things whoosh me....

Did you miss giraffe gate?

I'll take the overs on that 12 7

On

£1 or £2

I will let you choose the stakes

Did we ever finalise this? Think it was £2 wasn't it?

booked

Nice one

I'll take the overs on that 12 7

On

£1 or £2

I will let you choose the stakes

Did we ever finalise this? Think it was £2 wasn't it?

[I imagine a few Brits who are already out there for the Main might have been interested in buying in to this!]

Pity you have to qualify for the Vegas event. I imagine a few Brits who are already out there for the Main might have been interested in buying in to this!

I imagine this is precisely why they want people to qualify for it.

Presumably wanting to crown an SPT Vegas champ from people who actually use the site rather than randoms who happen to be in the vicinity on the right day.

Seems a great way to give their regulars something exciting to aim for.