Find what works for you: why I hate conventional strength training
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amusedmonkey
Posts: 10,330 Member
So after a long while of taking it easy, only doing enough to maintain strength or only very slowly increase it, I finally decided to buckle down and work on developing my strength with a conventional 3 days a week 40 minute full body routine. After all people seem to to be thriving on these, and being well rounded in fitness wouldn't be a bad thing. I dusted off my heavy dumbbells after working body weight for so long and got started.
First 5 minutes: I'm feeling great and motivated
10 minutes: starting to feel bored
20 minutes: when the heck will this end?
39 minutes: "only 5 reps left". After what felt like 5 minutes but was actually a few seconds: "only 3 reps left"
40 minutes: I'm spent. Everything is shaking, aching and burning. The headache is horrible and I feel like I'm gonna puke. I'm irritable, and if I could move my arms voluntarily I would punch someone.
3 hours later: I want to pee.. why do I have to? I just want to stay in bed and do nothing. I'm also hungry as hell.
Next day: I wish I didn't eat as much as I did yesterday, and what made it worse is that I barely got 2000 steps in instead of my usual 8-10k. I should have walked more yesterday because today walking is painful, sitting is painful, I just want to go for a run to stop being grumpy, but that too is painful. It's noon already and I barely have 300 steps under my belt. I still want to punch someone, but that would be painful.
This was a great reminder for me of why I tried conventional strength training 3 years ago and quit only a couple of weeks in. It just made me feel horrible, physically and mentally and too hungry to control my calories. I will not waste any more of my energy on this and will continue with my very slow but sure program. Going from barely being able to do wall pushups to being able to do a real pushup is an accomplishment. Sure it took me 2.5 years, but I did it without horrible side effects by only working on my strength of 5-10 minutes a day. This has also never been my main focus anyway.. I don't seek that kind of physique or find the ability to carry heavier objects particularly interesting. I just did it to keep the strength I already had so I don't lose it while dieting.
After a run I feel tired, but with a feeling of accomplishment, well-being, happiness, like the air is suddenly oxygen rich and satisfying. After I'm rested I'm happy and energetic. I guess those who like strength training might have the same positive feelings which push them to continue doing it. Not me though. I'll just continue doing what has worked brilliantly for me.
If there is something you hate doing, don't feel bad or like others are doing better than you. They aren't better, they're just different. Evaluate your goals and focus on what you like. Even then, you won't be missing out on other disciplines because you can still introduce some of that in non-stressful quantities or arrangements.
First 5 minutes: I'm feeling great and motivated
10 minutes: starting to feel bored
20 minutes: when the heck will this end?
39 minutes: "only 5 reps left". After what felt like 5 minutes but was actually a few seconds: "only 3 reps left"
40 minutes: I'm spent. Everything is shaking, aching and burning. The headache is horrible and I feel like I'm gonna puke. I'm irritable, and if I could move my arms voluntarily I would punch someone.
3 hours later: I want to pee.. why do I have to? I just want to stay in bed and do nothing. I'm also hungry as hell.
Next day: I wish I didn't eat as much as I did yesterday, and what made it worse is that I barely got 2000 steps in instead of my usual 8-10k. I should have walked more yesterday because today walking is painful, sitting is painful, I just want to go for a run to stop being grumpy, but that too is painful. It's noon already and I barely have 300 steps under my belt. I still want to punch someone, but that would be painful.
This was a great reminder for me of why I tried conventional strength training 3 years ago and quit only a couple of weeks in. It just made me feel horrible, physically and mentally and too hungry to control my calories. I will not waste any more of my energy on this and will continue with my very slow but sure program. Going from barely being able to do wall pushups to being able to do a real pushup is an accomplishment. Sure it took me 2.5 years, but I did it without horrible side effects by only working on my strength of 5-10 minutes a day. This has also never been my main focus anyway.. I don't seek that kind of physique or find the ability to carry heavier objects particularly interesting. I just did it to keep the strength I already had so I don't lose it while dieting.
After a run I feel tired, but with a feeling of accomplishment, well-being, happiness, like the air is suddenly oxygen rich and satisfying. After I'm rested I'm happy and energetic. I guess those who like strength training might have the same positive feelings which push them to continue doing it. Not me though. I'll just continue doing what has worked brilliantly for me.
If there is something you hate doing, don't feel bad or like others are doing better than you. They aren't better, they're just different. Evaluate your goals and focus on what you like. Even then, you won't be missing out on other disciplines because you can still introduce some of that in non-stressful quantities or arrangements.
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Replies
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I agree with you that people need to do what they like doing and/or what will help them meet their goals.
However, it does kind of sound like you went at it a little too heavy and hard for a first time.
Usually, when I get back into weight lifting after some time off, my whole weight lifting routine takes me less than 15 minutes because I'm doing one set of 10 reps with pretty light weights. I do that for a few days, for a couple weeks, then start building up. I wouldn't be up to a 40 minute weights workout for at least a couple months.
In fact, to tell the truth, this most recent time, I put a set of two 1 kg dumbbells in the bathroom (our bathroom is big with a large mirror) and started by doing a set of 10 bicep curls, 10 tricep raises, and a set of bent over rows or something like that in front of the mirror just before my shower. That's it. The whole thing took less than 5 minutes. And even that gave me mild DOMS the next day for the first few times.
But that was a starting point. No way could I have leapt in and done 40 minutes!
My main focus is cycling, but I do know that doing some upper body and core work is beneficial for long distance cycling. So I do some ... and build up a little at a time.7 -
If this happened the first time...
Then you went at it far too hard and conventional strength training is all about sensible progression. Simply put - you did it wrong, sorry!40 minutes: I'm spent. Everything is shaking, aching and burning. The headache is horrible and I feel like I'm gonna puke
You describe a slow steady progression over years so clearly have patience but you went at this workout completely the opposite way.
But I do heartily agree about needing to enjoy your exercise, otherwise it's a chore and few people have the discipline to put up with a chore just for the results.
Just don't think you really gave "conventional strength training" a fair trial.8 -
If this happened the first time...
Then you went at it far too hard and conventional strength training is all about sensible progression. Simply put - you did it wrong, sorry!40 minutes: I'm spent. Everything is shaking, aching and burning. The headache is horrible and I feel like I'm gonna puke
You describe a slow steady progression over years so clearly have patience but you went at this workout completely the opposite way.
But I do heartily agree about needing to enjoy your exercise, otherwise it's a chore and few people have the discipline to put up with a chore just for the results.
Just don't think you really gave "conventional strength training" a fair trial.
I agree. While you shouldn't force yourself to do things you hate, it really sounds like you were following a horrible lifting program or not performing it correctly.0 -
If I went out and ran 10 miles after a 3 year break, I'd hate running too.8
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Sounds like you went to hard, and to fast. Work smart not hard. I hate running, but if I were to start again. I would not go out day one and expect to run a 1.5 in the same time as I did in the Military.0
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You are lucky that DOMS was your only negative outcome, going too hard too soon is tempting the injury gods (says I, just healing from a back spasm from a mistake at the gym). Not sure if you're willing to try again, but that first six weeks or so, where you make so much progress is really enjoyable to me. But I start/restart with ridiculously low weights and just go through the motions in the very beginning, nudging up the weights a little at a time. After that, progress slows down, but I love that Incredible Hulk feeling I have when I leave the gym. In my mind's eye I'm a muscly beast. A good strength training session is definitely mood elevating to me.
An entertaining post though OP
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I do my strength training as a kind of circuit set up. I do use heavier weights but I break it up with something in the middle like jump rope or box jumps (only with my step aerobics step....I'm not that fit yet LOL). This way I move on to something different. I also like kettlebell workouts as I find them a bit more fun than a barbell / dumbbell workout.0
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What I did wasn't too extreme, it was just too many exercises at once when I'm only used to 1-2. I followed this which is a beginner routine:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rudy6.htm
Did 4 sets of 10 with the higher end of the recommended weights. I admit I went a bit higher on the squats with 15 kg dumbbells (a total of 30 kg).
I don't think it's the weight or the intensity. I just don't physically handle long strength workouts for some reason (ignoring the boredom and disinterest). Probably has to do with reactive blood pressure from both physical and mental stress? This kind of dull headache I only used to get when I had hypertension and my blood pressure was high.0 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »What I did wasn't too extreme, it was just too many exercises at once when I'm only used to 1-2. I followed this which is a beginner routine:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rudy6.htm
Did 4 sets of 10 with the higher end of the recommended weights. I admit I went a bit higher on the squats with 15 kg dumbbells (a total of 30 kg).
I don't think it's the weight or the intensity. I just don't physically handle long strength workouts for some reason (ignoring the boredom and disinterest). Probably has to do with reactive blood pressure from both physical and mental stress? This kind of dull headache I only used to get when I had hypertension and my blood pressure was high.
It is the weight and intensity!
Start again, but this time, do 1 set of 10 with the lower end of the recommended weights. Do that 3 times this week and next, then see about adding a bit of weight or another set.
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You said one thing in this post that makes sense. You should enjoy your workouts.
The rest of it sounds like rationalizing, validation seeking, uneducated drivel. If you think people strength train so they can "carry heavy objects," then you clearly have not done your research.
It sounds to me like you walked into the gym, threw some weights around with no plan, felt lousy, and quit. Did you establish goals? Did you make a plan? Did you consult a trainer? Did you learn proper form for the exercises, as well as the correct starting weights and reps ranges? Did you establish a progression?
If you don't like strength training it's your right not to do it. But you should realize your opening post is laughable to the millions of people who do it and benefit from it every single day.1 -
So you implemented a program you didn't understand and therefore approached poorly, and now you completely write off strength training and encourage others to not feel bad about doing the same.
Pretty sure overweight people do the same thing with CICO and get roasted on here daily for the same defeatist attitude.1 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »What I did wasn't too extreme, it was just too many exercises at once when I'm only used to 1-2. I followed this which is a beginner routine:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rudy6.htm
Did 4 sets of 10 with the higher end of the recommended weights. I admit I went a bit higher on the squats with 15 kg dumbbells (a total of 30 kg).
I don't think it's the weight or the intensity. I just don't physically handle long strength workouts for some reason (ignoring the boredom and disinterest). Probably has to do with reactive blood pressure from both physical and mental stress? This kind of dull headache I only used to get when I had hypertension and my blood pressure was high.
4 sets of 10? Sure, when you have been at it for a while and are looking for ways to eke out gains. I agree with Machka9. Do one set of 8-16 reps initially.
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amusedmonkey wrote: »What I did wasn't too extreme, it was just too many exercises at once when I'm only used to 1-2. I followed this which is a beginner routine:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rudy6.htm
Did 4 sets of 10 with the higher end of the recommended weights. I admit I went a bit higher on the squats with 15 kg dumbbells (a total of 30 kg).
I don't think it's the weight or the intensity. I just don't physically handle long strength workouts for some reason (ignoring the boredom and disinterest). Probably has to do with reactive blood pressure from both physical and mental stress? This kind of dull headache I only used to get when I had hypertension and my blood pressure was high.
It is the weight and intensity!
Start again, but this time, do 1 set of 10 with the lower end of the recommended weights. Do that 3 times this week and next, then see about adding a bit of weight or another set.
See, I'm not a total beginner. I've been doing bodyweight for the past two years (squats, lunges, pushups, one legged glute bridges, band assisted pullups and such) but broke the exercises apart to where I did only one or two at a time. I chose the weight after using the first set as a test set. I already have some basic strength and could have gone even higher.
1 set of 10 might have actually been better since it would have taken me 10 or so minutes, before my body and mind start falling apart.0 -
If it was easy, everyone would do it.1
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I'm kind of in the same boat as OP.
Background: I've been doing SL 5x5 for almost 4 months now. I've had my form checked, I got the right shoes and equipment, and I've been doing it long enough that extreme soreness is a thing of the past. I have not injured myself at all, and I can physically do things that I would not have thought possible, like chin-ups or squatting my body weight.
All that said: I really, truly hate it. It's a chore to go in the garage 3 days a week and do the routine. I feel no sense of accomplishment from moving up in weights, and I was so sure that I would at the beginning. The only reason I'm sticking it out is b/c of the health and hormonal benefits, and I *suppose* being trim and somewhat athletic looking is how I'm intended to look, as a man.
On the other hand, running is the absolute highlight of my life at this point, and riding my bike comes in a close second. I've just gotten to the end of C25K, and I am registered for several events next month. Sometimes I forget that I ran yesterday and then get sad when I remember that I shouldn't run today. I ran this morning through the cool mist and felt Alive.
I guess my point is that as important as strength training is, some people Just Don't Like It(R).2 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »What I did wasn't too extreme, it was just too many exercises at once when I'm only used to 1-2. I followed this which is a beginner routine:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rudy6.htm
Did 4 sets of 10 with the higher end of the recommended weights. I admit I went a bit higher on the squats with 15 kg dumbbells (a total of 30 kg).
I don't think it's the weight or the intensity. I just don't physically handle long strength workouts for some reason (ignoring the boredom and disinterest). Probably has to do with reactive blood pressure from both physical and mental stress? This kind of dull headache I only used to get when I had hypertension and my blood pressure was high.
It is the weight and intensity!
Start again, but this time, do 1 set of 10 with the lower end of the recommended weights. Do that 3 times this week and next, then see about adding a bit of weight or another set.
See, I'm not a total beginner. I've been doing bodyweight for the past two years (squats, lunges, pushups, one legged glute bridges, band assisted pullups and such) but broke the exercises apart to where I did only one or two at a time. I chose the weight after using the first set as a test set. I already have some basic strength and could have gone even higher.
1 set of 10 might have actually been better since it would have taken me 10 or so minutes, before my body and mind start falling apart.
Right. Start with that 1 set of 10 ... do that for a while. And maybe, for what you want to accomplish, you might even do that for a month or two. Then if you feel inclined to add another set, do that.
Personally, I want to be able to wear sleeveless tops come summer (a vanity thing), so I do a few more bicep and tricep reps than reps of other things ... after gradually building up to that point, of course.
As for choosing the weight, my 1 kg dumbbells felt really incredibly almost silly-light when I picked them up back when I was getting started (again) about 18 months ago. I felt like I could lift way more than that. But interestingly, I was actually slightly sore the next day after 1 set of 10 reps. How much you can do on a "first set" can be very deceptive.
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amusedmonkey wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »What I did wasn't too extreme, it was just too many exercises at once when I'm only used to 1-2. I followed this which is a beginner routine:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rudy6.htm
Did 4 sets of 10 with the higher end of the recommended weights. I admit I went a bit higher on the squats with 15 kg dumbbells (a total of 30 kg).
I don't think it's the weight or the intensity. I just don't physically handle long strength workouts for some reason (ignoring the boredom and disinterest). Probably has to do with reactive blood pressure from both physical and mental stress? This kind of dull headache I only used to get when I had hypertension and my blood pressure was high.
It is the weight and intensity!
Start again, but this time, do 1 set of 10 with the lower end of the recommended weights. Do that 3 times this week and next, then see about adding a bit of weight or another set.
See, I'm not a total beginner. I've been doing bodyweight for the past two years (squats, lunges, pushups, one legged glute bridges, band assisted pullups and such) but broke the exercises apart to where I did only one or two at a time. I chose the weight after using the first set as a test set. I already have some basic strength and could have gone even higher.
1 set of 10 might have actually been better since it would have taken me 10 or so minutes, before my body and mind start falling apart.
See, i personally see the last line here as an big issue - 10 reps in 10 Minutes is very slow. I don't know many people who would take that long.
I do strength training, and the heavy version of that, 1 set of 10 will take me 45 Seconds, 60 max if it's VERY heavy\hard. Even when i go heavy (3 reps), my REST periods TOTAL 10 Minutes....
Reading what you've said, you went from 1/2 excercises to 10. That's a big jump regardless of weight\reps. anyone who increases volume will struggle, as have i, with 6 years strength training under my belt (Albeit, i'm only adding more reps to my training).
If you split that program in half (50/50 it with Upper\Lower), then you'd adapt better.
Finally, you said earlier, you spent a few weeks trying strength training previously. On average, it takes around about 6 weeks for the human body to adapt to new demands, you need to give it more than a few weeks
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amusedmonkey wrote: »What I did wasn't too extreme, it was just too many exercises at once when I'm only used to 1-2. I followed this which is a beginner routine:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rudy6.htm
Did 4 sets of 10 with the higher end of the recommended weights. I admit I went a bit higher on the squats with 15 kg dumbbells (a total of 30 kg).
I don't think it's the weight or the intensity. I just don't physically handle long strength workouts for some reason (ignoring the boredom and disinterest). Probably has to do with reactive blood pressure from both physical and mental stress? This kind of dull headache I only used to get when I had hypertension and my blood pressure was high.CarlKRobbo wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »What I did wasn't too extreme, it was just too many exercises at once when I'm only used to 1-2. I followed this which is a beginner routine:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rudy6.htm
Did 4 sets of 10 with the higher end of the recommended weights. I admit I went a bit higher on the squats with 15 kg dumbbells (a total of 30 kg).
I don't think it's the weight or the intensity. I just don't physically handle long strength workouts for some reason (ignoring the boredom and disinterest). Probably has to do with reactive blood pressure from both physical and mental stress? This kind of dull headache I only used to get when I had hypertension and my blood pressure was high.
It is the weight and intensity!
Start again, but this time, do 1 set of 10 with the lower end of the recommended weights. Do that 3 times this week and next, then see about adding a bit of weight or another set.
See, I'm not a total beginner. I've been doing bodyweight for the past two years (squats, lunges, pushups, one legged glute bridges, band assisted pullups and such) but broke the exercises apart to where I did only one or two at a time. I chose the weight after using the first set as a test set. I already have some basic strength and could have gone even higher.
1 set of 10 might have actually been better since it would have taken me 10 or so minutes, before my body and mind start falling apart.
See, i personally see the last line here as an big issue - 10 reps in 10 Minutes is very slow. I don't know many people who would take that long.
I do strength training, and the heavy version of that, 1 set of 10 will take me 45 Seconds, 60 max if it's VERY heavy\hard. Even when i go heavy (3 reps), my REST periods TOTAL 10 Minutes....
Reading what you've said, you went from 1/2 excercises to 10. That's a big jump regardless of weight\reps. anyone who increases volume will struggle, as have i, with 6 years strength training under my belt (Albeit, i'm only adding more reps to my training).
If you split that program in half (50/50 it with Upper\Lower), then you'd adapt better.
Finally, you said earlier, you spent a few weeks trying strength training previously. On average, it takes around about 6 weeks for the human body to adapt to new demands, you need to give it more than a few weeks
I might be wrong, but I read it that she would do all the exercises in the program she linked in 10 minutes if she just did 1 set of 10 reps for each instead of 4 sets of 10 reps which took her 40 minutes.
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CarlKRobbo wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »What I did wasn't too extreme, it was just too many exercises at once when I'm only used to 1-2. I followed this which is a beginner routine:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rudy6.htm
Did 4 sets of 10 with the higher end of the recommended weights. I admit I went a bit higher on the squats with 15 kg dumbbells (a total of 30 kg).
I don't think it's the weight or the intensity. I just don't physically handle long strength workouts for some reason (ignoring the boredom and disinterest). Probably has to do with reactive blood pressure from both physical and mental stress? This kind of dull headache I only used to get when I had hypertension and my blood pressure was high.
It is the weight and intensity!
Start again, but this time, do 1 set of 10 with the lower end of the recommended weights. Do that 3 times this week and next, then see about adding a bit of weight or another set.
See, I'm not a total beginner. I've been doing bodyweight for the past two years (squats, lunges, pushups, one legged glute bridges, band assisted pullups and such) but broke the exercises apart to where I did only one or two at a time. I chose the weight after using the first set as a test set. I already have some basic strength and could have gone even higher.
1 set of 10 might have actually been better since it would have taken me 10 or so minutes, before my body and mind start falling apart.
See, i personally see the last line here as an big issue - 10 reps in 10 Minutes is very slow. I don't know many people who would take that long.
I do strength training, and the heavy version of that, 1 set of 10 will take me 45 Seconds, 60 max if it's VERY heavy\hard. Even when i go heavy (3 reps), my REST periods TOTAL 10 Minutes....
Reading what you've said, you went from 1/2 excercises to 10. That's a big jump regardless of weight\reps. anyone who increases volume will struggle, as have i, with 6 years strength training under my belt (Albeit, i'm only adding more reps to my training).
If you split that program in half (50/50 it with Upper\Lower), then you'd adapt better.
Finally, you said earlier, you spent a few weeks trying strength training previously. On average, it takes around about 6 weeks for the human body to adapt to new demands, you need to give it more than a few weeks
10 reps of 10 exercises (a total of 100 reps) in 10 minutes. It's not that slow.0 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »CarlKRobbo wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »What I did wasn't too extreme, it was just too many exercises at once when I'm only used to 1-2. I followed this which is a beginner routine:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rudy6.htm
Did 4 sets of 10 with the higher end of the recommended weights. I admit I went a bit higher on the squats with 15 kg dumbbells (a total of 30 kg).
I don't think it's the weight or the intensity. I just don't physically handle long strength workouts for some reason (ignoring the boredom and disinterest). Probably has to do with reactive blood pressure from both physical and mental stress? This kind of dull headache I only used to get when I had hypertension and my blood pressure was high.
It is the weight and intensity!
Start again, but this time, do 1 set of 10 with the lower end of the recommended weights. Do that 3 times this week and next, then see about adding a bit of weight or another set.
See, I'm not a total beginner. I've been doing bodyweight for the past two years (squats, lunges, pushups, one legged glute bridges, band assisted pullups and such) but broke the exercises apart to where I did only one or two at a time. I chose the weight after using the first set as a test set. I already have some basic strength and could have gone even higher.
1 set of 10 might have actually been better since it would have taken me 10 or so minutes, before my body and mind start falling apart.
See, i personally see the last line here as an big issue - 10 reps in 10 Minutes is very slow. I don't know many people who would take that long.
I do strength training, and the heavy version of that, 1 set of 10 will take me 45 Seconds, 60 max if it's VERY heavy\hard. Even when i go heavy (3 reps), my REST periods TOTAL 10 Minutes....
Reading what you've said, you went from 1/2 excercises to 10. That's a big jump regardless of weight\reps. anyone who increases volume will struggle, as have i, with 6 years strength training under my belt (Albeit, i'm only adding more reps to my training).
If you split that program in half (50/50 it with Upper\Lower), then you'd adapt better.
Finally, you said earlier, you spent a few weeks trying strength training previously. On average, it takes around about 6 weeks for the human body to adapt to new demands, you need to give it more than a few weeks
10 reps of 10 exercises (a total of 100 reps) in 10 minutes. It's not that slow.
Because my focus is on cycling, in the evenings I ride the trainer or outside for about an hour ... or I go for a brisk 3 km walk on my rest (from cycling) days. Then about 2-3 days a week I also spend about 20 minutes doing upper body and core work.
That seems to give me what I need at this point.
Because your focus is on running, why not do something similar?0
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