Petri Aspvik

That was pretty interesting. Short, but informative. I am with Ursala on the hearing loss thing. The owner at the shop I work at runs some old swing gate machines, to which name I shall not reveal. And I have to walk to the other side of the shop because the noise they make turns my stomach. Seriously it makes me feel ill. Just imagine what it does to an ear drum.

There are longer ones coming. Baxter and Ciferri did long as hell inserts.

Thanks guys. The biggest thanks should go to Crash and John, and of course the artists.

Is the article about physical or mental health? I feel like at times it can be mentally draining as well.

Read it man. Its not long :P We touch on the mental aspect but the weight is on physical stuff. And this is just the first one, plenty more to come.

In here you can ask for tips ;)

http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/war-stories/1887-lifting-thread%3Btraining-tattooed-warrior.html

There are few artists still who I havent gotten back from when I send the reminder emails months back. If you read this, email me :) Who did get back to me, thanks!

I've been working on for a article series for TAM about tattoo artist and how they maintaing their health for quite some time now. It was originally going for the mag as a huge article, but its going for the blog now. The first one is up. Marcus Kuhn

Health Issues With Tattooing (Marcus Kuhn) « TAM Blog

More to come!

ps. They asked for a profile pic, that was the only one I had around :D

Thanks Kyle!

Gotcha :) What if I do deads with the 5 and squat as 3x10?

I really dont like doing longer rep sets. Not in deadlifting atleast. Why do you recommend doing longer reps? I mean, if I di 5x5=25. If I do 3 x 8-12 = 24/27/30/33/36. Different means of course. But I like shorter reps :)

@Petri Aspvik does that mean you plan to train 3 x per week ?

I was thinking of two days. One doing squat and deads, then another day doing just squat. Do you think doing the back extensions also is a good idea, or would it be overtraining? Meaning in both days... Maybe extensions and abs on the other?

T NATION | Reg Park's 5x5 Program

As Park explained it, 5x5 includes two progressively heavier warm-up sets and three sets at the same weight. He suggested increasing weights at approximately the same interval, for example:

Back squat: first set 135x5, second set 185x5, followed by three sets of 225x5.

When you can complete the last 3x5 at a given weight, increase the weight on all five sets 5-10 pounds. Also, he was strongly against training to failure, saying that it encouraged a negative mindset when attempting other heavy, near-maximal lifts.

You are, however, allowed to test for one-rep max at the end of each phase. Park recommends two warm-up sets (1x5 and 1x3), followed by three progressively heavier attempts at a one-rep max. So the max testing day would be: 1x5, 1x3, and 3x1 (for each lift). Take the next four days off from the gym, and then begin the next phase of training.

Anyone ever train with the Reg Park programs?

The Real Arnold Schwarzenegger Beginner Programs

I was thinking of trying (somewhat) after I finish this cycle, this one. Or with the same %

Reg Park and 5x5

5x90 (Warm-up @ 60%)

5x120 (Warm-up @ 80%)

5x150 (3 stabilizer sets)

5x150

5x150

When you can get all your reps of 5 at 150 lbs, you add 5 lbs. So next time your bench it would be:

5x95

5x125

5x155

5x155

5x155

Reg liked to use about 3-5 minutes to rest in between sets.

I was thinking of trying for the fuck of it this one (minus the bench) but it might be just too HC

Reg Park's Three Phase 5x5 Program

Phase One

45-degree back extension 3x10

Back squat 5x5

Bench press 5x5

Deadlift 5x5

Rest 3-5 minutes between the last 3 sets of each exercise.

Maybe not optimal way to traing, but...

After reading what @MadeIndelible posted from Conn's blog I totally get the $500 an hour thing now. It sounds like he'd putting a fuck of a lot more work, and personal energy and time into each and every person and their tattoo.

I think all the great artists put as much in.

Someone mentioned Roberts blog. Anyone have the link? I only know the old blog.

Yeah. And I find it to be mentally better. Im my moms care taker and spent daily, give or take 18-20 hours with her. Still, the weekly (if it isnt rest week, which I also welcome as a part of training) deadlift etc. session is something that I cant wait. It gives me mental strenght by just imagining it. Go in, warm up, lift and leave. If I was doing 8-12 machines I would kill myself :D

Squat and leave! :D

Speaking of trust and gaining

T NATION | Effective Training for Busy Men

Training is one of our priorities – you wouldn't be reading T Nation or this article if you were just a weekend warrior or into "fitness." You're into training, and training is not "exercise."

In Starting Strength, Mark Rippetoe defines training as a "physical activity done with a longer-term goal in mind, the constituent workouts of which are specifically designed to achieve that goal." We aren't "exercisers" or "fitness hipsters." Our training each day has purpose and meaning towards a bigger and more defined picture.

We don't randomly select things and strive "for a good sweat" or try to fit square exercises into round goals. We train. And those who train and are getting a bit older have a myriad of responsibilities. We have to prioritize our training around much of our life so that we can achieve those long-term training goals.

Life doesn't just throw us curveballs – it throws Niekro-scuffed knuckleballs with a bit of Gaylord Perry lube, and we all know where those are going to land. But if you plan your training accordingly, those incidents won't harm your training goals or your life outside the gym.

That's the key – the balance between maintaining a cutthroat attitude towards your training goals and your life. You plan. You execute.

Yeah, legends. I love this quote

In the end, routines won’t win. Philosophies and methodologies will. Over time if you don’t develop one for yourself, you will flop about searching for the “next great routine” that will get you over that proverbial training hump you have been stuck at. When it doesn’t, you’ll say the routine was shit, or that you “need to focus on weak points” and such shit. When all along, it’s been your inability to stick with what works and impatience that keeps you stuck in a training sludge. In the meantime, I’ll maintain my status as fucking idiot and slowly get better.

But in order to do so, you have to TRUST. Like obviously mister Carter has trusted the road paved by the likes of Coan. They did shit that works, so why not do it yourself! I guess it is the modern eras folly, wich I myself have been quilty off. Everyone wants to find the "perfect" program and they have to either

a.) Find the so called best program at that moment. And when you look at modern training mags, they lack the so called best i.e simple and proven stuff. And they do it for two weeks and switch = gain nothing

or b.) They have to follow the "best ideology" and make a training program themself, which in 99% of the time is shit.

So it is about trust. The guys who came before me knew what worked. So ego should be put aside and trust in the simple and effective no bells and whistles programs, and gain by doing so. It is not a race about who has the coolest shit. Its about doing. Its about TRUST.

Killer article by Paul Carter!

Just Train – by Paul Carter - JimWendler.com

He did give me few (somewhat similar as in your link), and I tried to do them. Didnt see any significant help. Or maybe I didnt do them correctly and I know I slacked...

Motherfucking Shawn! How good is that. Robert Ryan FTW! You cant teach a tattooer to tattoo Auras.

Fucking Jensen always stealing shit...

If the achilles tendon snaps, I think it rolls up the leg. Fucking gross...

Jeesus... Just imagining that hurts. And I also always start with a good warm up. For example: do rowing and crosstrainer, tven dynamic stretching and when deadlifting start with the bar and go up. If I press after that I again start with light and go up to heavier. But never gave I done rotator cuf stuff... Will do after this!

I do slouch, but not nearly as much as I have started doing deads. My neck muscles are tight as hell sometimes. Headaches and I constantly move them as trying to eas it.

I will cut pressing. Thanks for the link! A friend recommended also this. What do you think?