How are you? Mental Health Check-In

[tebriel69]

I don’t log in to BGOL like I used to but this place been my hangout spot since I was in high school. I’m not as old or as wise as most of you folks but I enjoy hearing about your experiences. I appreciate yalls candidness.

I’m blessed employment wise. Military and I just hit 20 years. 2 more years till my contract is up. Frightening because the state of affairs in the civilian world makes me want to stay in. Unfortunately, ageism is real even in the Army. Despite being over qualified, I can’t get promoted. Simultaneously, I am mentally done with the service. I love the benefits it provides to my larger than average family, but I hate feeling angry and frustrated all the time. Had to get on anxiety pills I used to be skeptical of mental health till it hit me and my fam personally. I still try not to take em if I can. Old negro distrust of meds still rears its ugly head.

Worried cuz I don’t know what the future will bring. I don’t feel qualified to enter the civilian world. Preparing for the LSAT but the success rate ofy study says is so sporadic that I feel unconfident in my ability to pass and yet again, ageism is real. Assuming I could even make it to a good law school and somehow finish, is an older guy gonna be hireable?

Essentially estranged from wife, kids struggling a bit with schooling which makes no sense cuz they usually are excellent students. I feel useless and incompetent half the time at work and home.

Gym life is good but stuck being unable to master certain skills in the gym. BJJ is going great though. Keeps me sore but improving. Had my first tournament last week and did better than I thought.

Not suffering nowhere near as much as a lot of you folks on here but I appreciate the opportunity to vent. Many thanks to Coco for this thread.

 

[APOPHIS]

Gym is my sanctuary as well. I’m mostly a calisthenics guy myself. Never tried to do a dip burnout but think I’m going to attempt. I prefer weighted dips so interested to see if I can reach your numbers. What’s your routine like?

Standing OHP is my go-to for the upper body. (135lbs for 10-12 reps)
OHP sitting, I'm nearing 225 lbs
My pull-up average is 25-32 on any day (bar type makes a difference)
Weighted pull, I do 45 lbs for 10 reps (3 sets)
PR pull-up was 135 lbs added weight
Weighted dips routine is three sets with 50 lbs for 20 reps (5-7 minute breaks)
Never tried, but I think I can get a 170-180 lbs dip
For pushups, I do about 65-75 on any given day.
I no longer bench press, but my max is/was 285lbs
Kneeing and standing ab rollouts for core
Walking lunges with 135 for legs until failure

As for my calisthenic burnout:
5 muscle-ups
10 over bar dips
20 pullups
30 regular dips
40 pushups
50 BW squats

No breaks (10 seconds to transition)
I tried to repeat this for 3 sets but one destroys my body, and I haven't gone past 2

 

[tebriel69]

Standing OHP is my go-to for the upper body. (135lbs for 10-12 reps)
OHP sitting, I'm nearing 225 lbs
My pull-up average is 25-32 on any day (bar type makes a difference)
Weighted pull, I do 45 lbs for 10 reps (3 sets)
PR pull-up was 135 lbs added weight
Weighted dips routine is three sets with 50 lbs for 20 reps (5-7 minute breaks)
Never tried, but I think I can get a 170-180 lbs dip
For pushups, I do about 65-75 on any given day.
I no longer bench press, but my max is/was 285lbs
Kneeing and standing ab rollouts for core
Walking lunges with 135 for legs until failure

As for my calisthenic burnout:
5 muscle-ups
10 over bar dips
20 pullups
30 regular dips
40 pushups
50 BW squats

No breaks (10 seconds to transition)
I tried to repeat this for 3 sets but one destroys my body, and I haven't gone past 2

Dope ass routine. You are very fit and hella strong especially at that body weight.

Only thing I do weights wise is hex bar deadlifts. Keeps my degenerative disc disease pain manageable. I do 6 sets. 495 x 3 is always the last 2 sets. Thinking of going beyond but not sure if I want to risk injury. Going to incorporate zercher squats again soon.

Typical workout is:

HSPU 10x10
Pull-up 8x10 (sets increase if working OAP)
Squats 15x10 (reps drop to 5 if working pistols)
Dips 10x10 (if weighted reps drop to 6 while sets increase)

Don’t know what dip max is because I don’t do that with BW exercises. At 123 lbs for 3 so far as my heaviest.

Hanging leg raises 5x6. really need to increase these.

Pushups are more of a warm/finisher and bridges are done for 12reps.

Rucking is once a week and BJJ 3-4 times a week with one long run during the week. I’m 225lbs.

 

[APOPHIS]

Dope ass routine. You are very fit and hella strong especially at that body weight.

Only thing I do weights wise is hex bar deadlifts. Keeps my degenerative disc disease pain manageable. I do 6 sets. 495 x 3 is always the last 2 sets. Thinking of going beyond but not sure if I want to risk injury. Going to incorporate zercher squats again soon.

Typical workout is:

HSPU 10x10
Pull-up 8x10 (sets increase if working OAP)
Squats 15x10 (reps drop to 5 if working pistols)
Dips 10x10 (if weighted reps drop to 6 while sets increase)

Don’t know what dip max is because I don’t do that with BW exercises. At 123 lbs for 3 so far as my heaviest.

Hanging leg raises 5x6. really need to increase these.

Pushups are more of a warm/finisher and bridges are done for 12reps.

Rucking is once a week and BJJ 3-4 times a week with one long run during the week. I’m 225lbs.

Forgot about Zerchers. Gotta get back to 'em! Great whole BW workout
My HSPU needs work, I got 4-5. Balance is key
Oddly enough, I can hold a handstand for over a minute
Try doing hanging leg raises as a windshield wipers.
I do kip-ups for cardio and jump rope. I should get back to boxing

Lastly, DO YOGA or pilates. Trust me on this!
I'm a certified Yoga instructor. Start and stick with it!
Sticking with the wellness theme of his thread: read, meditate, pray, and do breath work.

 

[tebriel69]

Forgot about Zerchers. Gotta get back to 'em! Great whole BW workout
My HSPU needs work, I got 4-5. Balance is key
Oddly enough, I can hold a handstand for over a minute
Try doing hanging leg raises as a windshield wipers.
I do kip-ups for cardio and jump rope. I should get back to boxing

Lastly, DO YOGA or pilates. Trust me on this!
I'm a certified Yoga instructor. Start and stick with it!
Sticking with the wellness theme of his thread: read, meditate, pray, and do breath work.

Bruh that’s my issue too sort of. I can handstalk walk for a good distance but can’t hold a handstand at all nor hit a clean wall free handstand. Balance is hard af. Will try those windshield wipers but I bet I don’t have the core to do em.

If everything wasn’t so damn expensive i would do yoga. lol last time i tried it was in grad school and it was free thru the school.

Props on the prayer and meditation suggestions however. That is always available. Good lookin

 

[cocobeauty]

I don’t log in to BGOL like I used to but this place been my hangout spot since I was in high school. I’m not as old or as wise as most of you folks but I enjoy hearing about your experiences. I appreciate yalls candidness.

I’m blessed employment wise. Military and I just hit 20 years. 2 more years till my contract is up. Frightening because the state of affairs in the civilian world makes me want to stay in. Unfortunately, ageism is real even in the Army. Despite being over qualified, I can’t get promoted. Simultaneously, I am mentally done with the service. I love the benefits it provides to my larger than average family, but I hate feeling angry and frustrated all the time. Had to get on anxiety pills I used to be skeptical of mental health till it hit me and my fam personally. I still try not to take em if I can. Old negro distrust of meds still rears its ugly head.

Worried cuz I don’t know what the future will bring. I don’t feel qualified to enter the civilian world. Preparing for the LSAT but the success rate ofy study says is so sporadic that I feel unconfident in my ability to pass and yet again, ageism is real. Assuming I could even make it to a good law school and somehow finish, is an older guy gonna be hireable?

Essentially estranged from wife, kids struggling a bit with schooling which makes no sense cuz they usually are excellent students. I feel useless and incompetent half the time at work and home.

Gym life is good but stuck being unable to master certain skills in the gym. BJJ is going great though. Keeps me sore but improving. Had my first tournament last week and did better than I thought.

Not suffering nowhere near as much as a lot of you folks on here but I appreciate the opportunity to vent. Many thanks to Coco for this thread.

I completely understand the transition to civilian life even though I was the dependent of my then military spouse and this was many years ago so I’m sure the military is a bit different but the anxiety is the same. I pray things get better for you and your family. Many blessings and keep working out, I hear it’s great for stress.

 

[tebriel69]

I completely understand the transition to civilian life even though I was the dependent of my then military spouse and this was many years ago so I’m sure the military is a bit different but the anxiety is the same. I pray things get better for you and your family. Many blessings and keep working out, I hear it’s great for stress.

Thank you Coco. Didn’t know you were a dependant. You know how it is then. Still trying to count the many blessings and keep it moving one day at a time.

 

[Helico-pterFunk]

Things are good at the moment. Visited and spent 3 days with my mom and her boyfriend in their city. Quality time.


Spent yesterday evening with pops. Went for dinner / watched a movie.


Gonna get together with my aunt sometime this week and take her out for her birthday dinner & Christmas lights. That's our annual tradition together as her birthday was last week. We go out for a meal & then take in some lights at various places. She's my dad's younger sister & has always been like a 2nd mom to us kids, as she got married in her mid-40s and never had kids of her own.


Got our staff Christmas party this Friday. That should be fun. I went for a number of years in the early-2010s, but then didn't go for several years. I went last year and it was good to catch up with friends I've worked w/ within other locations in the organization, so I plan on sitting with them again. Good crowd / slightly older people who have about 5 - 10 years on me.


Gonna visit with pops this Saturday. Take him out for sushi at one of our fave Japanese restaurants. Been there a good number of times in the past few years with him & others respectively. Haven't had a bad experience. Catch up on some of our shows together / go for a drive and check out some lights in a former neighborhood earlier in the day, and afterward.


Going to a Christmas party next week. Friends of the family host it & are always really gracious. Nice to catch up with their crowd.

 

[West Endian]

Just buried my son… I’m fucked up right now but determined to keep it pushing somehow. I still got time on my clock so gotta play the game

My deepest condolences to you and your family.

 

[cocobeauty]

Thank you Coco. Didn’t know you were a dependant. You know how it is then. Still trying to count the many blessings and keep it moving one day at a time.

I don't think civilians really understand how nice the military makes your life, and even moreso if you are in a military town. I remember when we first got out, we were like WTF is this ghetto mess we out here in. LOL

I look back and really laugh, but we made it...separately, but we made it.

 

[Ballatician]

Just buried my son… I’m fucked up right now but determined to keep it pushing somehow. I still got time on my clock so gotta play the game

Late to this thread but my condolences.