previously on eureka

• Squat: 175x5, 205x3, 225x10
• Good Morning: 155 5x10
• Situp: 5x20
• Preacher Finger Curl/Rev Curl: 45/45 4x10
• Lat Raise/Front Raise: 20/20 4x10

...and even less to see here, i ain't feelin it right now. I'll be my normal writey self come this weekend i'm sure. Just need to hit someone, is all.

not the droids

• EZ Curl/Reverse: 80/70 4x10
• Cable Curl/OH Ext: 50/90 4x10
• Face Pull/Seated Row: 50/120 4x10
• Cable Wrist Pro/Sup: 60/60 4x10
• DB Shrug/OH Shrug: 60/105 4x10

• Military Press: 85x5, 95x3, 105x7
• Incline Press: 105 5x10
• BB Row: 105 5x10
• Bent Delt Raise: 25 5x10
• Rope Extension: 140 5x10

Gah nothing to see here, move along.

come with the cannons sparkin

• Bench Press: 135x3, 155x3, 165x6
• BB Shrug: 205 5x10
• DB Row (Kroc Style): 65 5x10
• Situp: 5x20
• Dragon Flag: 5x15
• Flat Bench Finger Curl/Rev Curl: 45/45 4x10
• Lat Raise/Front Raise: 20/20 4x10

• EZ Curl/EZ Reverse 80/70 4x9
• Cable Curl/Rope Ext: 50/140
• Cable Wrist Curl Pro/Sup: 60/60 4x10
• DB Shrug/OH Shrug: 60/105 4x10
• Hammer Curl/L3DBX: 30/30 4x10
• Neutral Grip PD/OH Ext: 130/100 4x10

Yes I know, LOTS of pulling on a bench day, i told you, i screwed up my assistance scheduling. I aint too good at readin the interweb pages...even the ones i wrote myself. Weird.

Office Live or webapps or whatever it's called is f'ing sick for workout planning. Good job MS, do more good things like that.

Rowing...i needs to do it more. Like alot more. Also..."Ninjas,..Damn".

Ok, i got nothing to say tonight, i'm going to go eat tons of fat and protein. Hell to the yeah.

being strong is your duty

• Neutral-Grip DB Press: 30 4x10
• Flye: 15 4x10
• DB Bench Press: 35 4x10
• Floor Press: 30 4x10
• Close-Grip Bench: 95 4x10
• Guillotine Press: 75 4x10
• Band Flye/Chest Press: 4x20

• Deadlift: 165x3, 185x3, 215x3
• Diamond Push/DB Press: 35 5x10
• Band Face Pull: 2x20 ...then my band broke:(
• Floor Press: 35 5x10

Something to be said for dropping your weights back and practicing strict form. Thankfully i tend towards being something of a fast learner, so now that i've got that feel for the form i can start to bring the weights back up a bit. Fun fun. Being sorta tired helps too, i will concede. Need to do more cardio, the light 45 minutes 3 days a week aren't really working as well as the heavy 90 minute 5 times a week. Really i need to get the martial arts training back up to the levels i have planned for this phase...gah...that's going to be interesting.

Today doesn't really qualify for 2 full lifts, the evening session was more of a half session...but that does mean I have some good additional fodder for tomorrow's lifts.

The 5 hours of sleep i got last night that i thought served me pretty well actually didn't. Seriously, i am DONE drinking. I keep saying that but i think i mean it this time...one beer and a shot of vodka and i'm done? Even on...2300 calories? I'm just a lightweight now sadly. And now i'm totally conflicted about 1100. haha no i'm not, privatized alcohol sales FTW. Not that i'm going to be buying more alcohol, if this week is any indicator.

Blah...

such is the fate of

• EZ Bar Curl\Reverse: 75\65 4x10
• Cable Curl\Rope Extension: 70\140 4x10
• Band Overhead Curl\Tri Push: 4x20
• Cable Wrist Curl Pro\Sup: 50\50 4x10
• DB Shrug\Overhead Shrug: 60\105 4x10
• Band Swimmer Pull\Y Flye: 4x20

Body, or maybe just tastebuds are starting to revolt against liquid foods, which is probably a good thing. I suppose while today's modern packaged conveniences make it easy to count calories, it's probably still not a good idea to eat insane amounts of certain types of packaged foods, but then how else are you going to buy yogurt and cottage cheese? I know, it's a good question, isn't it?

Gotta say i'm diggin the whole carb-based full look you get after doing heavy high rep stuff. Upper body's lookin...well, better than it was a little while ago. This is the sort of thing that chases away carb phobia for sure. And yes, part of the reason i train is to look good, so stuff it.

Now then, off to consume a low-fat hi-carb lunch...Hellz yeah.

settle it on the platform, EA and Actiblizz

• Squat: 165x3, 185x3, 215x6
• Good Morning: 155 5x10
• FoB Split Squat: 75 5x10
• Situp: 5x15
• Back Raise: 5x20
• Preacher EZ Wrist Curl Pro/Sup: 35 4x10
• Lat/Front Raise: 20 4x10

Alright as much as i'd love to comment about the whole EA Actiblizz thing, sadly I'm not allowed to have a public opinion about the games industry anymore, but that's fine. There are other things to talk about. I'll just leave it at the subject heading and we'll (not) go from there.

Fatigued from small amounts of sleep and still my numbers go up. I like calories. Man I like calories. I think i'm actually even developing a bit of an aversion to liquid calories, but I'm thinking that has more to do with the taste than the fact that they're liquid vs solid, tho I will admit Trader Joe is slowly whittling away my resolve. Buffalo Chicken meatballs with bleu cheese? Gaaah...Maybe this weekend for the higher calorie day.

To paraphrase Mark Rippetoe, "train as hard and as much as your recovery will allow". To this i would add, "and FUCK the sound barrier". Target/Optimum/what the hellever heart rate is just an excuse to not train hard. Avoiding overtraining is just an excuse to squat less. Don't tell me you have to do your 5th arm day because you already squatted once this weak...err week...no weak is good.

Bro Scieeeence!!!

bro science!

• Military Press: 75x3, 85x3, 95x6
• Incline Press: 105 5x10
• Good Morning: 135 5x10
• Bent Delt Raise: 20 5x10
• Rope Extension: 130 5x10
• Hammer Curl/DB Extension: 30/25 4x10
• Neutral Grip Pulldown/OH Cable Extension: 140/80 4x10

Today was the kind of workout everyone needs to have every once in a while to remind you of why you train. Numbers went up, was still pretty hard, but man it felt awesome. Movements felt clean, everything was solid. Hopefully it's the increased calories kicking in, was getting a little phobic there. Gotta admit, i was looking a little soggy after this last week of no...ahem...steady state cardio. Ah well...must believe in the process.

Back to the mats sometime this week, definitely nervously excited about that. Capoeira last wk kicked my ass, but that's just unfamiliarity. We'll get it back...

Short update today, sorry, i'm not all writey right now...will try to do better next time.

white cats in the snow

• Bench Press: 125x5, 135x5, 155x8
• Diamond Push: 5x10
• DB Press: 35 5x10
• Band Face Pull: 5x20
• Pushup: 5x15
• Hammer Curl/DB Extension: 25/25 4x10
• Neutral Grip Pulldown/OH Cable Extension: 140/80 4x10

• EZ Curl/EZ Reverse: 75/65 4x10
• Cable Curl/Rope Extension: 70/140 4x10
• Band Overhead Curl/Band Overhead Press: 4x20
• Cable Wrist Pro/Sup: 40/40 4x10
• DB Shrug/OH Shrug: 55/95 4x10

So i'm becoming more and more a fan of fasting, even if it's just once a week. Maybe once i've gotten really, really lean (i mean like REALLY lean), I may think differently about it, but i suppose that all depends on how i end up eating once i 've gotten really, really lean (i mean like REALLY lean). I may just like it because it gives me a somewhat legitimate excuse to not eat food, which is always a plus, yeah, yeah i know, OMG MUST EAT 6 TIMES A DAY OR YOULL START DIGESTING YOUR MUSCLES THEN YOUR ORGANS AND YOULL HAVE NOTHING LEFT BUT FAT AND YOUR METABOLISM WILL BE SO LOW ALL YOU CAN DO IS SLEEP!!!!...whatever.

Alright this is going to sound weird, but i think i'm actually afraid of low intensity cardio. Let me contextualize that a bit. By low intensity cardio, I mean fasted 45 minute fast walk with no weights. Now, i've usually defined low intensity cardio as 90+ minute fast walk with at least 5 lbs on each ankle. But, then i've never done true fasted cardio, so maybe that's the missing key? I dunno, i mean for this next phase I'm doing all sorts of things differently (low-fat, hi carb, GASP!!), so maybe another change is good. That and i guess it gives me another excuse to fast, hehe. Seriously, i hate food.

No really, i hate food. I think that's why i like cooking so much, it's this whole self-loathing kinda ehhh...ok, i'm no good at being emo. Dammit.

operation apex predator

• Deadlift: 155x5, 175x5, 205x8
• Barbel Shrug: 205 5x10
• DB Row: 55 5x10
• Situp: 5x15
• Dragon Flag: 5x15
• EZ Bar Wrist Curl Pro/Sup: 30/30 4x10
• Lat Raise/Fr Raise 15/15 4x10

Three things i realized today:

1) Salt is awesome. Redmond Real Salt is freakin wicked. I understand what the princess meant by I love you as much as salt. Seriously, TJ 96/4 Beef Patties are not the same without it.

2) While i've enjoyed the week away from cardio (not really), man i'll be glad to get back to it. I'm actually looking forward to some morning fasted cardio, a nice 45 minute jaunt around downtown Redmond. Maybe weighted, maybe not, but probably so. Yeah...walking...f yeah.

3) I've been chewing my food alot more recently, thanks to this article on TMuscle and it's crazy how it prolongs your meal...obvious i know, but i'm used to inhaling my food. This is almost a workout in itself. Not sure how i feel about this phenomenon, as it sorta goes against the whole me hating food and now i'm keeping it around longer. Ok that's just weird.

I'm not sure if it's a problem that i was motivating myself through my dragon flags this afternoon by imagining even harder variations and thinking to myself "Well, at least it's not THAT hard". Sorta weird when i think the main reason for wanting to lose weight is so i can do pullups again. No seriously, i love pullups and dips, i know that's bizarre, but what can i say? If you know me, you know this is not the most bizarre thing i've ever said.

Sweet potato fries...i thought i'd mention em.

I think i've found the optimal calorie level to still lose weight, be able to gain strength, and sleep. I'll know more by mid october I guess...

Blah, going to read stuff and sleep some. Yeah, reading!

one man squadron

• Squat: 155x5, 175x5, 205x8
• Good Morning: 125 5x10
• Barbell Split Squat: 65 5x10
• Situp: 5x15
• Back Raise: 5x15
• EZ Bar Wrist Curl Pro/Sup: 30/30 4x10
• Lat Raise/Fr Raise 15/15 4x10

Thinkin i may superset situps and back raises next time, gotta say I really dig that stuff. You know, it's weird, you don't really register the effects of fat loss until you do something that requires you to generate power, then all of a sudden you realize your control is TOTALLY gone because you're expecting to compensate for one thing and all of a sudden...ehh, you don't have to do it anymore:-D Granted after cutting you don't have the same amount of strength either, so maybe that balances it out a bit. I dunno, whatever. Am totally looking forward to getting some strength back over the next 2 months, while hopefully continuing to lose weight.

I will admit vanity is playing a huge part in the continued fat loss effort. Seeing myself in the mirrors at capoeira tonight was pretty cool, not cuz i look hot or anything (i don't), but being leaner just makes all your movements nicer looking. Current eating plan puts me in about an 8000 calorie deficit, so a little over 2 lbs a week in ideal conditions. 20 more pounds in 10 weeks is pretty fair i think, also given that i'll be in crunch for the next 3 months or so, i should be good. I refuse to gain crunch pounds, and I'm not giving up training for crunch. Sorry, just not happening.

Trader Joe Just Chicken and 96/4 Beef Patties. The Hi-Carb Dieter's best friends.

Anyway, I figure if i can set myself up for one more good cut in December, rockin. If i can be under 210 be December (har har, of course i will be, i'm just kidding), I don't have to do a full cut, i can just cut till i hit a good visual point. All about the visual assessment at that point.

Ok, at this point i'm just thinking out loud, soooo...signing off, until next time. Go play some Reach and quit reading my blog. Well i mean, do both, you know play Reach AFTER you read my blog.

...and still the search goes on

• Military Press: 65x5, 75x5, 85x5
• Incline Press: 105 5x10
• Good Morning: 125 5x10
• Bent Delt Raise: 20 5x10
• Rope Extension: 120 5x10
• Hammer Curl/Lying DB Tri Ex: 30/25 4x10
• Neutral-Grip Pulldown/Overhead Cable Extension: 130/80 4x10

Wow, how long has it been? Rhetorical(?) question, i mean i could just look at the last time i posted and i'd know exactly how long, true? True. Ah well. Short story long, like most people do from time to time, i lost my way for a bit (i know, i'm human, shocking). At some point I figured, you know, now that I'm over the shoulder injury I can just hop back in and i'll lose the weight over time, but i tell ya, that whole being fat neurosis of mine i'm still not over, and truth be told, i'll never get over it. "Son, my ego is writing checks my body can't cash" (thank you Netflix!), which is the real reason i haven't posted anything for months. It sucks not being able to watch your numbers go up, but them's the breaks of cutting, yeah?

I've been trying to do serious low calorie cuts for a while, decided this time i should just take it seriously and do it the right way. Missed being on the mats, missed being in the roda, hell, missed having my lifts go up, but in retrospect (and in the mirror), i don't miss the 20+ pounds i've lost over the last 2 months. So this is the interesting part, last time i successfully did a massive low calorie cut, i didn't have the best plan for coming off of it, so that's where I am now. I figure at 220 (yeah i got back up to almost 250, disgusting), i should be able to hit 2100 cals or so and toss some martial arts training back in.

I'm going to try some carb cycling too, but i think i'm going to try topping out at something low like 1g a pound on high days. So that means a 2400 calorie day at around...230g carbs and minimal fat? Should be fun. Will take it easy this first week, i'm not going to be so naive as to say or think "The Shoulder Feels Better Than Ever!" because honestly it doesn't, it still feels like shit in the wrong conditions. Thankfully mobility, stretching, and of course my ever present lacrosse ball and PVC pipe are seeing to "wrong conditions" being less and less.

Blah...and now off to buy supplements. Skippy.

Triple Threat Punishment

This morning I made the mistake of suggesting Jessica's run didn't live up to the hype. When asked, "How was it?" I said, "Meh... it was ok."

The next guy in said, "Not as bad as I thought!"

We then explained that her disclaimer about, "Try to run the whole way, don't stop, even if you run like this keep running (demonstrates pathetically slow trot)." raised expectations to a point where I was expecting to die.

I assumed that we would run up the hill that Condrey's house is on a hill that is quite tall and steep and is a definite hustle from the gym to the top and back in half an hour. Instead we ended up running repeats on a much shorter and slightly less steep foothill which is about the same as the major hill in the Bay to Breakers race.

Brian didn't like hearing this. In fact he even started dropping science on our asses like, "This ain't no honey ham!" a reference to a new local gym http://www.yelp.com/biz/bay-area-boxing-belmont which for many years was a Honey Baked Ham store.

It got even better when Mike B. took over. First drill was 10 seconds all out on nautical rope followed by long agility ladder then hurdles. On the rope we got to hear great encouraging statements like:

• 
  "I AM THE PUNISHER... IMMA PUNISH YOU!"
• "DON'T WASTE MY 10 SECONDS, YOU'RE WASTING IT."
• "I WANT TO SEE BIG WAVES WHAT THE HELL IS THIS CRAP!?"
• "HARDER... FASTER... LOWER!!"
• "DON'T WALK TO THE NEXT STATION, RUN!"
• "TOO SLOW TOO SLOW..."
• "YOU SAID THE RUN WAS TOO EASY, HERE IS YOUR PUNISHMENT!"
• "I DID NOT CALL TIME. YOU'RE WASTING MY TIME, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? YOU ARE GETTING PUNISHMENT SECONDS ADDED ON AS PUNISHMENT. DON'T WASTE MY TIME!"

Next drill was step ups on the boxing ring with a medicine ball on the shoulder. The final drill was a partner drill switching between push up cycles on agility ladder followed by high plank on 2 heavy kettlebells with an alternating 1 arm swing to the opposite hip.

The entire gym floor was covered in sweat and tears.

Circuit Madness

At Charles' house today for some serious punishment.

3x this circuit, 1:00 rest between circuits, no rest between stations

• +20lb weighted vest all exercises
• 100 jumping jacks
• 25 barbell squats @135lbs
• 20 3x hop squats (1 leg on step)
• 20 deadlfts 2x45 dumbbells
• 20 curls 2x20 lb kettlebell
• 20 tricep push backs 2x15lb kettlebell
• 2x high knee runs from stop sign
• 1:00 nautical rope with 2x15 second 2 arm internals
• 20 choppers each side 25lb plate
• 25 situps with fly 2x10lb dumbbell on bench
• 20 leg lifts on bench

Total weight lifted just on barbell squats: 5.2 tons

Boxing (focus mitts w/weighted vest):

Jab
Jab - Cross
Jab - Cross - Duck
Jab - Cross - Slip Left - Duck
Jab - Cross - Slip Left - Duck - Right Roundhouse Kick - Left Roundhouse Kick
Jab - Cross - Right Hook
Until exhaustion. Repeat 3x

General we have the stock

Lunch:

• Mobility and Elastic Band Work for Warmup (from Ultimate Warrior Workouts)
• Knuckle Pushup 2x10
• Diamond Pushup 2x10
• Towel Neck Isos 3x5s Hi/Lo
• Close Grip Bench 115 4x8
• Supine Pulldown 120 3x8
• DB Row 55 2x8
• Bar Curl 65 3x10
• Ab Crunch and Punch 3x12
• Ab Medball Sit 10 3x10
• Dragonflag Extensions 3x10

PM:

• Elastic Band Work Redux
• Mobility Drills (from Maximum Strength)
• Barbell Complex 4x6
• Bent Row
• Stiff Deadlift
• Deadlift
• Hang Clean
• Military Press
• Squat
• Good Morning
• DB Farmer Walk 55

Modified version of some of the Ultimate Warrior Workouts, trying to be nice to my shoulder, altho it handled the pushups and rows MUCH better than last time i tried this. Made it through the complex and Farmer Walks pretty solidly too. I'm doing alright.

My oh my...it's been (one week since, shutup) a while since I've been able to train, but now the stress of apartment hunt behind me as well as important decisions makes me happy. I know, i know i should train through all that pick an excuse, i'm getting old, i'm just lazy, whatever. Point is i'm training again. Need to take a week and get rid of the crunch or whatever pounds so i can fit back into my gi (embarrassing, yes, yes it is) but whatever. The elastic band and mobility work felt awesome, i really need to take more time and do that (i know this). I think not being so crunchy makes me feel less guilty about taking 90 minute lunches to get in good workouts. Given the nutty hours i worked last month, i'll take it as comp. That should buy me 90 minute lunches for the rest of my tenure here...

Triple Threat

Harsh day today.

Lifted weights yesterday and did some bonus nautical rope work at Charles' house. My shoulders are extremely sore. I was too busy yesterday to post what I did but it included 3 sets of shoulder press to failure.

Went to bed very late (for me) 11pm, woke up 4:55am for Triple Threat at Undisputed.

Triple Threat is supposed to be a class that kicks off the weekend and is probably my favorite because there is normally running and agility ladder.

Threat #1 - Jessica (everything with 2 5lb dumbbells) 0:30

• Run to San Carlos Caltrain station
• Stair loops at San Carlos Caltrain station x3
• Run to 5 story parking garage on Laurel St. inbetween San Carlos Ave and Holly.
• x3 Run parking garage, 1:00 jab cross at top
• 1:00 jumping jacks
• Run back to gym

Threat #2 - Brian 0:30

• Brian's normal stuff includes: burnouts, 21s, punch/kick combinations, movement between bags, movement around a single bag, mountain climbers, jumping jacks, side steps, crossovers

Threat #3 - Mike B. (fresh off his appearance cornering Nonito Donaire on Showtime) 0:30

0:10

• High knee ladder
• Jumping jacks ladder
• Side in-n-out ladder
• Bounding on hurdles
• High knee ladder combination to sideways hurdles
• Rabbit hop ladder to big hop hurdles combination
• Side to side ladder
• Bonus Codecow show off move: Ali Shuffle on ladder

0:10

• Push ups on ring
• Step ups on ring (switch back and forth for 10 minutes)

0:10

• 3 man crazy drill (rotate so you get 1:00 round of each exercise):
• man #1 - Plank
• man #2 - Push ups on shoulders of Man #1
• man #3 - Hook legs on Man #1 and do sit ups
• 2x2 man straight leg raises
• 2x2 man sit ups

Note: Mike likes to say stuff like, "15 seconds left... WHAT YOU GUNNA DO WITH EM!" You gotta push it out and give 100% on all these exercises to get the maximum benefit. Everything is done for speed.

Boot Camp - Redux

With Charles at Undisputed Boxing Gym

15 min pre-class warmup:

• back rolls
• leg stretch
• run to Caltrain station, run lap on SF-bound platform (1 ramp, 3 sets of stairs)
• run back to gym
• treadmill until class starts

class, no stop or penalty dumpster run, no stop between exercises (total elapsed time ~25:00):

• jumping jacks
• squats
• jumping jacks
• push ups
• sit ups
• mountain climbers
• dumpster run (non-penalty)
• leg switch hops on boxing ring holding top rope 2:00 for speed
• single leg toe touches on boxing ring holding top rope 1:00 ea/leg
• round kicks holding top tope 1:00 ea/leg
• sprint around heavy bags

[put on wraps and gloves - rest] then kickboxing:

• technique drills on jab and jab cross
• 4 hits to Charles' abdomen then 3 hits per heavy bag moving to left (roughly 30 heavy bags) then sprint back to start
• 2 hits per heavy bag with 1 burpee between bags then sprint back to start
• jab cross, switch sides onto next bag, jab cross hook - repeat pattern across all bags then sprint back to start - 2x
• jab cross hook cross 1st row bags, right leg round kick 2nd row bags, left leg round kick 3rd row bags, sprint back to start
• 2:00 round boxing only, 0:30 warning with all out burn out
• 0:30 rest
• 3:00 round kickboxing, 0:30 warning with all out burn out
• 1:00 push ups
• 1:00 sit ups
• 0:30 push ups
• 1:00 sit ups

bonus (post-class):

• dumpster run

Boot Camp

W/Charles at Undisputed Boxing Gym

My own pre-class 15 min warmup consisting of some BJJ movements:

• Shrimping
• Hip escape #2
• Back rolls (part of hip escape #6)
• Dumpster run
• Stretching

Class:

• 5:00 jumping jacks for speed

3 sets of the following (no rest between movements, 3 seconds is allowed time or else dumpster penalty run)

• 2:00 squats with kettlebells raised to shoulders, I used 2x16kg and 2x12kg when I got tired. Not supposed to come all the way up.
• 1:00 squat with shoulder press
• 1:00 jump rope for speed, on middle round replace with burpees

more weights

• 1:00 push ups, chest has to hit floor, no droopy ass
• 2:00 sit ups, all the way up
• 1:00 sit ups, half way up
• 1:00 leg raise
• 0:30 flutter kicks
• 2:00 curls using boxing ring to support calves but bent over slightly, raise to 3/4 lower to 1/4 i used 20lb dumbbells for this
• 2:00 tricep dips on boxing ring

outside

• dumpster run
• rabbit hop suicide (approx. 40yd and back)
• parking lot suicides (incremental suicides running first to farthest parking line, 10 jumping jacks, sprint back, then go 1 line closer, etc... approximately 10 lines) no resting (other than jumping jacks)
• dumpster run
• round kicks each leg ~2:00 using pole for support
• front kicks each leg ~2:00 using pole for support
• stretching

post-class bonus

• 1mi treadmill at 10:00 pace to try and flush lactic acid

Farmers are kewl

So I I've been way too lazy still with training, so tonight I forced myself to so something. ANYTHING. So I dragged my ass outside and did some light Strongman training.

Tire Thwackin'

4 x 8# sledge x 20

Farmer Walk

2 x 50ft x 105#/hand
4 x 50ft x 130#/hand
1 x 30ft x 130#/hand uphill to put the handles away

That was it. Felt a twinge in my left erector on the last walk, it's a bit tight right now. Ice and some wine are helping.

General we have the stock

BJJ

• Chokes...lots of them
• Reverses from guard (second thing i ever learned)

5/3/1

• Deadlift: 205x5/245x5/275x5
• Back Raise: 5x20
• Knee Raise Crunch: 5x20

Heavy-ish (well ok heavy for me) deadlifts worked out alright, the shoulder is almost healed. Trying to do hanging knee raises let me know i still have some serious re-habing to do there, but well do it slow. Maybe by the time i've lost enough weight to do pullups again my shoulder will be 100 percent, hehe. Feels like the weak link was actually in my wrist/forearm and not my shoulder, so we'll scrape it out a bit tonight and see what happens. Run().

Strongman Day!

Today, I got to plan the workout. We (Jessica and I) were a bit worried that it would have to be an indoor SM day, which would have meant a lot of grip work, which would have sucked after deadlifting yesterday. But, the weather broke and we got to go outside and play.

Tire Thwackin'

4 x 20 x 8# sledgehammer. Rest when the other person goes.

Crucifix Hold

4 x 25#/hand (32s, 37s, 42s, 30s). Weight was suspended on chains, and we held it by the chains. Rest when the other person goes.

Prowler Push/Pull (90# on the Prowler)

This started as a push/pull but ended up being a push low/push high. Rest when the other person goes.

push low 20yd, pull 20yd
2 x push low 20yd, push high 20yd

I was done after this. I think I'd have gotten 4 if I hadn't pulled the first one back, but the whole workout felt pretty good...

It's family fun time...

Lunch 5/3/1

• Squat: 225x3/255x3/285x5
• Situp: 5x25 Lo-Incline
• Lunge: 5x10/Side
• Back Raise: 5x20

Feeling slightly less paranoid about getting back into heavier lifting, heavier being relative, but yeah, getting back up over 300 doesn't worry me, how's that? Bodyweight assistance work is definitely an awesome beast, it just has a different effect on you overall. I actually don't miss dumbbell assistance work, at least i say that now. I doubt i'll ever go insane with it like p90x/crossfit/gym jones style, but that's alright. I'd rather be able to train as much as i need to rather than blow it all out on one workout just to say i trained hard. Sadly i'm too old to do that shit anymore. Better with age.

Finally back to it

It's been weeks since I've trained at all. Excuses kept popping up, mostly due to getting the house ready to sell, but now that it's on the market, time to get back to it. I left the next 2-3 weeks of training up to my wife, since I was too lazy to come up with a program. She kicked my ass with what she wrote. Here's Day 1:

A1. Deadlift

Did these Sumo.

10 x 3 x 315#, 1 min rest. Had to switch to conventional on the last one as I ran out of gas and started skipping rep 3 on the last few.

B1. BB Row

10 x 3 x 155#, 1 min rest. Probably too easy... but tiring on the lower back after the DL.

C1. Overhead Press

10 x 3 - 135#, 1 min rest. These devolved into push-presses the further along I went.

D1. Smith Machine Tricep extenstions

6 x 5 x bw

D2. Bent Press

6 x 5 x 45# per arm

Next session is strongman fun that I get to design. MUAHAHAHA.

Baby steps out the door

Wednesday 5/3/1

• Bench: 155x5/175x5/195x5
• Pushup: 3x10
• Seated Row: 7Stack 3x10

BJJ

• Lots of brutal drills
• And I mean brutal
• Fast reps that involved picking people up
• Got another stripe

And when I say light benching, I mean LIGHT. I wonder if i'll be able to do my 1 rep at 215 in 3 weeks. I imagine if I stick with the tennis ball work on the shoulder i'll be good. Really is amazing how that stuff works. It's weird, today was one of those days where I was telling myself I shouldn't train, I did anyway, and I don't feel...incredibly better afterwards. I'm glad I did it, don't get me wrong, I'm just nice and wrecked now. But it feels like it's working towards knocking the rust off from Monday. Ah whatevah. It's all training and it's all good. If I make it through tomorrow and hit all my training points, I make it through another week. Good enough.

here we go again...

Lunch (5/3/1)

• Squat: 205x5/245x5/275x5
• Situp: 5x25
• Back Raise: 5x20
• Wrestler Lunge: 5x10/Side

For some reason, the notion that it's E3 makes me want to train harder. "Some reason", yeah I'm being a puss, I know exactly what the reason is. But whatever...

Squatting felt a little tight, but that's probably because i haven't done a ton of mobility work on the lower body in the last 6 weeks. Amazing how when you have an injury, you stop everything and just focus on that...well, maybe you don't but i sure do. I'm not used to being sidelined like that, which was kinda shitty. I mean seriously, energy just sucked out of me by that...but i'm feeling the world better, just some slight nags, so we'll keep doing what we're doing and see what happens...Nice.

Fight!

Warmup

• Prisoner Squat x10
• Jumping Jack x10
• Seal Jump x10
• Cross Jump x10/Side
• Pogo x10
• Front Lunge x10/Side
• Side Lunge x10/Side
• Wideout Jump x10
• Gate Swings x10

FIGHT!

• Knuckle Pushup 2x10
• Diamond Pushup 2x10
• Towel Neck Isometrics 3x5s Hi/3x5s Low
• Close Grip Bench 105 4x8
• Bar Curl 55 3x10
• DB Row 35 3x8/Side
• Ab Board Crunch n Punch 3x12
• Ab Board Kneeup 3x10
• Ab Board Medball Situp 6 3x10

Starting Martin Rooney's Ultimate Warrior Workouts, and i gotta say you MUST own this book if you're anywhere near a martial artists (even you capoeiristas who think you're dancers). Great workouts, great philosophy, and for 20 bucks it's one of the best presentations I've ever seen. Worth your time.

Rehab type work is tough. I'm trying super hard to not go crazy and push up bigger weights, but I need to remember i'm in it for the long haul. MMA training starts August or September, i'd like to be ready for that. I love it when a plan comes together...

This was not an easy workout, but that's mainly because after a month off i'm terribly out of shape. Martin Rooney said it best, "it's bodyweight exercises, if you can't even use that piece of equipment, i don't care what tools you got, it's probably not going to work." True that.

But i'm still going to get back to powerlifting movements at some point...Love my squats and deadlifts.

In this place, family means something

No log tonight, just some thoughts. It's been a while since i either trained or wrote alot of words, so what a great opportunity to do both!

I was thinking about that word family. It's funny, every professional organization i've been attached to loves to throw that word, and honestly, i believe they mean it. I think i'm just getting soft in my old age, but whatever, it happens to the best of us. Now, that said, i don't know what it is they mean by it, but they do mean it. I think it's just that for me anyway I have concept of what family...feels(?) like and maybe the business entity concept of family is just different. Maybe i need to learn harder what that feels like.

I'm not sure I want to.

I've been off the mats for a bit, out of the gym for longer, and out of the roda for an insanely long time. But you step back in/on and it's just kinda like...hey, good to see you again, how you been, etc. And life goes on. You don't get asked to leave, but then you don't really get asked to stay, it's just kinda like...you're there. Do your thing, tell us about stuff if you want to, i'm sure you will next time we go drinking again.

That works for me. It's nice to be training again. Call it your people, call it your tribe, hell go ahead...call it your family even.

Alright so that's not a ton of words and it didn't really go anywhere. I got tired somewhere along the way and it got late. I'll have some numbers to post again soon...nothing that'll matter hugely, but that's a different post for an earlier night.

2010 USAPL Illinois State Championships

I haven't posted since I tapered for the meet, so I'll do a quick write up of how it went.

This meet was the first USAPL meet we did 2 years ago, and only our second meet ever. This year, it was our last as IL residents, but hopefully not the last we compete in. We're going to try to make it to this meet annually, even from Seattle if we can. We've made a lot of friends and built great relationships with all of the people responsible for making this meet what it is, including but not limited to Mark & Suzanne Motsinger, Rick Fowler, Jim "Popeye" Bell and his Irish singlet, and many others.

Competing in this meet for me was a huge mental accomplishment for me given that I had fractured my left wrist and pulled & partially tore the tendon in November, had it misdiagnosed as a sprain for 3 months while I still lifted with it, and then had to stop training for 2 months while it healed. This gave me 8 weeks to prepare. Props to my awesome wife who had to deal with me crying like a baby about my wrist and knee the whole time :)

My plan for the meet was to hit 1100lbs total. I split my attempts so that as long as I hit all of my second attempts and only 1 of my third attempts, I'd get it. I thought it was a good plan...

The Meet

There was 1 platform for 60 lifters, so there were 4 flights, which made for a long day. Fortunately, my wife and Beth (the woman she is training) were in Flight A, and I was in Flight C, so I could handle them, then warmup during Flight B, lift in my flight while they handled me, and then warm them up during Flight D. This worked out pretty well for us.

On to the results. We competed raw, so nothing but wrist wraps, knee sleeves and a belt. And some ammonia caps. :)


Squat

350# I buried this and have the pic to prove it :)
375# failed
375# failed (would have been 400# if I got the second attempt)

Not a great start. Opening with 350# is a milestone for me, especially since the USAPL banned the Inzer velcro knee sleeves and I am squatting with Rehbands that do little more than keep my knees warm. I also have never opened at a meet that high, but I was really hoping to get at least the 375# on the second attempt so I could go for 400# on my third.

Grinding both attempts at 375# killed my right knee. Thankfully, some ice and rolling my quads on our PVC pipe worked out the issue and the day continued.

Bench

265# this flew up
275# this also flew up. Man, I should have done 280# here
290# stuck right out of the hole and failed

The 275# was a meet PR. I've done 300# in the gym, but I am notoriously bad at benching in a meet. Still, I wasn't complaining, given my wrist injury from a few months prior.

Deadlift

385# very conservative, but I never deadlift well in the gym leading up to a meet, and I still had a shot at 1100#. A very long shot...
415# this was very slow to move, but I got it. I needed 475# to get 1100#, but I knew I wasn't getting it, so I set my third attempt lower to at least get a meet PR in my total at 1070#.
445# big. fat. fail. You know your form sucked on your deadlift when people come up to you after and say "Man, I'm just happy you are OK after that."

I used an ammonia cap for the last attempt. It amped me up, but it wasn't enough. As soon as I started, I felt my back round over and I knew I was done, but it was the last lift of my day, so I kept trying to move it for a few seconds before dropping it. As Jim Bell said, I left it all on the platform.

The Results

Overall, I wasn't happy with my performance, but I got a total and qualified for Raw nationals in Denver this July, so I need to come back strong there. My final numbers:

350# squat
275# bench
415# deadlift
1040# total
5 for 9 on my attempts

I placed 2nd in the IL State Championships, and 3rd in the Great Rivers Open. I lost to Mike Bridges. Yes, the Mike Bridges. So I'm not complaining. The man is a legend, but he and his wife are damn cool, even when I proclaimed during the medal ceremony "How did I lose to THIS old guy?"

Jessica, my wife, also qualified for Raw Nationals. She's not happy with her numbers, but I am proud of her. She left it all on the platform. She went for an American Record squat at 302#, attempted the biggest bench she'd ever attempted at a meet, and attempted a 335# deadlift. She didn't get them, but I don't care. She can do all of that, and more, and she will. 2 years ago she wouldn't have even thought about going all out like this, and for that, I can't be any prouder of a husband.

Beth, the woman who Jessica trains, competed this weekend as well. It was her first powerlifting meet, after having only trained for 4 months. She did really well, and recorded a total. She also won the 132 Raw Open class. Great job, Beth!

On a special note, it would be a shame if I didn't mention that Paige Schutt was awarded "Best Lifter of the Meet" by Rick Fowler. She didn't lift the most weight or set any records, but what she did was much more amazing. She was in a serious motorcycle accident last year, was in a coma and suffered heavy brain trauma, but there she was this weekend, lifting! It was truly inspiring and just an overall awesome thing to see, and puts a whole new meaning to the "Power" in Powerlifting.

Lift Strong, people.

Last Bench Day

A1. squat pulls

3 x 10

B1. bench press

2 x 5 x 45#
3 x 95#
3 x 135#
3 x 185#
1 x 225#
1 x 245#
1 x 265# meet legal opener!
1 x 280# Woot! this was definitely meet legal at the start and end. my pause at the bottom may have been a touch quick, but I stayed legal on the press up. I hope to use this as attempt #2.

B2. leg bridges (prehab)

8 x bw
8 x bw
8 x bw

C1. neutral grip lat pulldowns

5 x 70#
3 x 95#
2 x 10 x 115#

C2. push press

5 x 45#
3 x 75#
2 x 10 x 105#

D1. step up w/bar

3 x 8 x 45#

D2. 3" pinch grip

30s x 25#/hand
45s x 25#/hand

Overall a good session. Better than my squats the other day. Only 2 more heavy sessions, then a few to work to my openers and iron out my warmup, and then rest for the meet in 12 days.

Pulled pork

5/3/1

• Deadlift: 245x5/275x3/305x6
• Kroc Row: 60x15/65x15/65x15/65x15/65x15
• Seated NGP: 105 5x10

Last lift before deload, had to make it solid. I almost think deadlift is my new worst lift, except i love deadlifting. Did some solid shoulder mobility today and i'm thinking that's been the ish i've been feeling. Need to get back into that seriously. Got all my new adjusted maxes for my last 5/3/1 cycle till about September. Cutting from mid-june to august, then off to brazil for a few weeks in august. Going to try and avoid the need for another cut in august after coming back from brazil, but we'll see what happens.

My squat sucks

Training sucked today.

A1. Flexibility work

squat pulls
glute activation
deficit pull w/o weight

B1. hammer curls (prehab)

3 x 8 x 30#

B2. cable tri pressdown (prehab)

3 x 8 x 96#

C1. squat

3 x 5 x 45#
3 x 135#
3 x 195#
3 x 225#
1 x 275#
1 x 315#
1 x 345# my opener for the meet in 2 weeks. Felt real easy.
0 x 375# this is supposed to be my second attempt at the meet. I went down too slow, and got stuck right out of the hole. Not a good thing for my quest for 405. Meh.

Called it a day here because we were at the gym for almost 2 hours at this point. Not a great training session overall.

More upper body? Really?

Lunch (5/3/1)

• Bench Press: 175x5/195x3/215x7
• Military Press: 165x10/165x10/165x10/155x10/155x10
• Cable Overhead TriX: 120x10/120x10/120x10/110x10/110x10

Feeling a bit of the sickness roll in but slightly increased water and food intake are helping stave it off for now. Last crazy week for a while so hopefully i can roll back into real training solid next week. Deload week hopefully means i'll have some extra energy to get back into BJJ and Karate full on. Looking forward to one more solid cycle of 5/3/1 then a big pre-summer cut. 6 weeks of pure cutting brutality, and not like it was in high school...

April showers bring May power...lifting meets

Forgot to post Tuesday's workout, so today is a two-fer. I started tapering for the meet this week. It's earlier than I usually start (3 weeks out), but I'm experimenting. I'm still going to max singles on the big lifts, but the accessory stuff is tapering off this week. next week I'll taper off the big lifts.

Tuesday

A1. Flexibility Work

squat pulls
glute activation
deficit pull w/o weight

B1. deadlift

3 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 105#
3 x 155#
3 x 195#
3 x 255#
1 x 315#
1 x 335#
1 x 365#
1 x 395# Thank goodness this felt easy. Injury recovery PR!

C1. machine row

5 x 90#
3 x 180#
3 x 8 x 230#

D1. front squat

5 x 45#
5 x 95#
3 x 8 x 185#

E1. int & ext rotations (prehab)

3 x 8 x 12#

E2. oh shrug (prehab)

3 x 8 x 45#

Thursday

A1. squat pulls

B1. bench press

2 x 5 x 45#
3 x 95#
3 x 135#
3 x 155#
3 x 185#
1 x 225#
1 x 245#
1 x 260#
1 x 275# BIG monkey off my back here. I missed this last week. It's the best I've done since before my wrist injury. I wanted to take 300 to this meet, but I'm happy with this.
2 x 1 x 225 with competition pauses

C1. neutral grip lat pulldowns

5 x 70#
3 x 105#
3 x 8 x 135#

C2. push press

5 x 45#
3 x 75#
3 x 105#
3 x 8 x 125#

Overall, both days felt great. I feel like I'm in the best pre-meet shape since I started doing this 3.5 years ago.

Blah...Weaksauce

PM

• BB Row :135 5x10
• Cable Tri Pushdown: 150x10/170x10/200x10/180x10/180x10
• EZ Bar Cheat Curls: 75x10/95x10/95x10/95x10/95x10
• DB Press: 45 5x10
• DB Bent Y-Flye: 25 5x10

Upper body day, the refuge of the weak and lazy. I'm not sure what it was, i think it was just a combo of the squats and the specific drills from BJJ from tuesday, but man i was blitzed today. Knew i wasn't going to make it through Kyokushin, but i had to do something today. There's also definitely something different about lifting at lunch then doing martial arts vs doing martial arts then lifting right after. It did get me thinking though, I may be able to move my upper body supplemental work to PMs after training and do 5/3/1's at lunch. This could work. This could work.

Also, Gatorade G Recover (o3 or whatever it is)? Not so much, stick with Surge. It reminds of really bad Isopure or something like that...nasty.

EARN your deload week, punk!

Lunch (5/3/1)

• Squat: 255x5/285x3/325x8
• Good Morning: 175 5x10
• KB Madness:
• 2H Swing 20x24kg
• Clean 10x20kg (per side)
• Press 15x20kg (per side)
• Snatch 10x20kg (per side)
• H2H Swing 20x20kg

Ahhh gimme a break i'm just getting back into kettlebell work, seriously. Preparing for July's (or i guess mid-June's) cut by starting to ramp up the metabolic work a bit more so hopefully when i drop my intake by about 1000 calories i can just shoot over and drop some pounds quickly. I really think you could do a 5/3/1 style for fat loss but truth be told i think the 5x5 is my choice. Worked great last time and the only time i fell off was when i tried doing lactic acid style training more. Stay on track for 6 weeks, take some re-feeds, and see how much we can drop clean. Should be exciting.

The man whose triceps exploded

5/3/1

• Military Press: 115x5/125x3/145x3
• Cable TriX: 120x15/120x15/120x15/110x15/100x20
• Kneeling NGP: 200x20/200x20/200x20/200x15/200x12
• Incline Press: 165 3x10

Look dude, you seriously need to find a better place to wait for your girlfriend to finish...whatever the hell she called that...than the incline bench.

For real, total weird testosterone moment in the gym today, i mean i go to train hard, and if people notice, that's the way it goes...wasn't my fault his chickie was impressed. Whatever, i still got all my training in. Is that a sign I'm getting old? I mean you'd think i would've been all excited that dude was trying to intimidate me but really i was just annoyed because i was trying to finish my set. I miss being young and feeling like i had to impress everyone...Except not really.

Deadlift apocalypse

5/3/1

• Deadlift: 225x3/255x3/285x5
• Kroc Row: DB60 5x15

Ok so probably anything under 180 lbs and 20 reps shouldn't be called a Kroc Row, but they were Kroc Rows in spirit. Definitely felt a little zombified going in, was sorta zoned out the whole workout, but i found it strangely easier to focus, even though i had to catch my focus in between lifts and sets. All in all, i gotta say this was about a 65 percent week, missed 2 BJJ classes and 1 Kyokushin class. Let's see if i can't make it just the one BJJ class i have to miss monday for a portfolio review eh? For the record, THESE are Kroc Rows, from the man himself Matt Kroczaleski:

Strongman Sunday Funday!

Today, I did some Strongman GPP with a friend from work, Marcus, who wanted to play with ze toys, pictured here:

http://twitpic.com/1ke153

It was a fun time. He actually outlasted me, which is a testament to both his cardiovascular health and my lack thereof...

A1. Tire load and Sledgehammer thwackin' medley

Loaded 40lb bag (man I needed to add weight to this) onto tire (About48"), take it off, 10 times
Hit tire on the side with right swing, 10 times
Hit tire on the side with left swing, 10 times

Did this twice.

B1. Tire flip

20 yards, 300# tire. Rested while the other guy went.

Did this 4 times.

C1. Farmer Walk

40 yards w/turn, 125#/hand. Probably should have had more on there, but didn't know what Marcus would be able to handle. He was fine. I noticed my left hand grip is a lot weaker than my right, likely from the left wrist fracture and tendon tear not being fully healed...

Did this 4 times.

D1. Prowler Finishers

Hoo boy. Started out with 25# per side for 50# total. Ran it down on the low horizontal handle 25 yards, walked it back on the high vertical handles 25 yards. I made 4, Marcus made 6, I went again after his 6th and decided it was too light, so I threw 50# more on (25# each side) and we went 2 or 3 more times running down and back with the low horizontal handles. I was done 1 rep before him ( I actually died on the run back of my last one and didn't make it).

I am out of shape. And Marcus is stronger than he thinks...

Weak Bench

Lunch (5/3/1)

• Bench Press: 165x3/185x3/205x9
• Incline Press: 155 5x10
• Cable Overhead TriX: 120x10/120x10/120x10/110x10/110x10
• Kettlebell Complex 20kg
• 5xL Swing
• 5xR Swing
• 5xH2H Swing
• 5xR Clean
• 5xL Clean
• 5xR Press
• 5xL Press
• Kettlebell Complex 20kg
• 10x2H Swing
• 5xR Clean and Press
• 5xL Clean and Press
• 5xR Snatch
• 5xL Snatch

Didn't know Proclub had kettlebells...still not going train there on a regular basis, although i notice there's no lunch crowd, which is nice. Weird, LunchBJJ is packed, but LunchGym isn't. Ah well...Maybe it's cuz rolling builds up a good appetite?

DEeeeeez Bench!

DE Bench day. I had to go in early to take care of some business with the owner, and snuck my training in before heading to work.

A1. squat pulls

10 x bw

B1. speed bench press

2 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 95#
3 x 135#
6 x 2 x 205#

B2. hip bridge (prehab)

8 x bw
8 x bw
8 x bw

C1. board bench press (used a foam roller)

4 x 3 x 260# I need to bring in my boards, the roller is too high...

C2. face pull (prehab)

8 x 120#
8 x 120#
8 x 120#

D1. bb row

2 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 95#
4 x 6 x 155#

D2. oh lunge w/weight

Didn't do 'em. Boo to me.

What a Big Bench You Don't Have...

A1. squat pulls

Flexibility work

B1. bench press

3 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 95#
3 x 135#
3 x 155#
3 x 185#
1 x225#
1 x 250#
0 x 275# Grr. I couldn't get warm the whole workout. This sucked, esp. 3.5 weeks out from the meet
2 x 1 x 225

B2. cable hip ad/ab (prehab)

8 x 48#
8 x 48#
8 x 48#

C1. neutral grip lat pulldowns

5 x 70#
3 x 105#
3 x 135#
24 x 180# (5,5,4,4,3,3)

C2. push press

5 x 45#
3 x 75#
3 x 105#
4 x 6 x 155#

D1. 3" pinch grip

60s x 25# per hand
45s x 25# per hand
30s x 25# per hand

D2 step up w/bar

4 x 6 x 45#

E1. prowler finishers

training session was 2 hours at this point, so I skipped these when I got home. I need to start pulling back a bit before the meet anyways.

Overall, I'm not happy with missing the 275 bench. I want to open with that at the meet, but I may need to be conservative on the opener to make sure I get a total to qualify for Raw nationals...

I said PARALLEL!

AM
Slept in, felt good

Lunch (5/3/1)

• Squat: 235x3/275x3/305x8
• Good Morning: 165 5x10
• Situp: 4x25

This workout felt really good. It was another one of those that i felt like i could have gone a few more reps on my heavy set, but i'm really trying to stay away from failure for now. I'm not sure i want to go to failure again for a while, at least not until i slim down a bit and start putting some size on again but for now i think what i'm doing is working. I'm able to push hard but not die. That makes me happy. Jiujitsu tonight, looking forward to that. Is there such thing as Masters MMA? I'm getting to that age i think.

Guillotine for the win!

AM

Seriously, when i say i need to be asleep by 10, i mean it.

Lunch

Damn portfolio review...i AM going to the lunchtime BJJ class wednesday by hook or by murder.

PM1

• Kyokushin - Self Defense

I gotta say, between BJJ and Kyokushin i'm pretty much learning everything i want to learn from martial arts. Striking, grappling, and self defense. Need to work back up to a little more conditioning during my gym sessions, not that i'm ever going to be a fighter or anything, but it'd be nice to make sure I'm still burning fat. I'd really like to finish the year off around 205.

PM2 (5/3/1)

• Military Press: 105x3/125x3/135x5
• Hang Clean and Press: 135x8
• Cable OH TriX: 110x10/120x10/120x10/110x10/110x10
• Kneeling NG Pulldown: 200 5x15

I'm definitely digging this 5/3/1 suck training type thing. Ok, it's not really suck training since i usually have a good half hour between Kyokushin and the gym, which is enough time to recover somewhat, bu just enough that i don't need to warmup. Need to make a serious effort to get in a lunch session tomorrow so i can stay up with my 5/3/1. Who knows, i may even go to capoeira tomorrow night (MAY).

Saturdays in the gym with...someone

PM1 (5/3/1)

• Deadlift: 225x5/255x5/275x6
• DB Row: DB60 5x10
• Facepull: 80x10/90x10/100x10/70x10/70x10
• Front Squat: 135 4x10 (just for fun)

Ok totally violated some cardinal rules here, didn't really have a plan other than 5/3/1 deadlifts so i sorta went all random with it. It was a weird night, really bottomed out bad on those deadlifts. Not sure what the deal was, but it's over. Back in the gym tonight, moving the military press skyward. A little more Kyokushin madness too...good times, good times.

Finally back in the Gym

I took way too much time off this week, which is bad considering the meet is in 4 weeks. I need to buckle down and stay focused for the next 3 weeks.

A1. Flexibility & Activation work

squat pulls
glute activation
deficit pull w/o weight

B1. squat

3 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 115#
3 x 155#
3 x 195#
3 x 225#
1 x 275#
1 x 305#
1 x 335#
1 x 365# Man, I am happy to have this monkey off my back. After missing this the last 2 squat sessions, I'm happy to say that I feel like 400# is within reach.

C1. farmer handle deadlift (no trap bar at the gym, so I did these instead)

4 x 6 x 280# gotta go up!

D1. machine row

5 x 90#
3 x 180#
3 x 230#
6 x 4 x 320#

E1. int & ext rotations (prehab)

3 x 8 x 12#

E2. oh shrug (prehab)

3 x 8 x 45#

F1. Blast Strap Ab Fallouts

4 x 6 x bw

I am so fried right now that I plan on taking a nap soon...

Day Late

PM1
BJJ

PM2 (5/3/1)

• Bench Press: 95x5/115x5/135x3/155x5/175x5/195x12
• Incline Press: 155 5x10

Posting up Thursday a bit late:( A bit of a quieter day again, BJJ was definitely suck training but it was nice to do anything with my legs and get some circulation to work the soreness out. Took some good arm locks and I'm starting to get slightly concerned about my left shoulder, it's definitely complaining alot. I will admit i don't do a ton of soft tissue on my shoulders, maybe it's time to break the tennis ball out. Sounds like a plan. Gearing up for some heavy-ish deadlifting Saturday, that won't suck for sure.

Word to the wise: This is the WORST bench thing machine abomination on the planet. Stake it through the heart on site.

your new worst enemy

Tap Out or Puke Out?

AM

Rest

Lunch

Rest

PM1

• BJJ

Lots of chokes today, almost puke and/or blacked out several times, dude i was rolling with was FAST. Good times, gonna try the lunch class tomorrow.

PM2 (5/3/1)

• Squat 225x5/255x5/285x8/315x3 (just for fun)
• Good Morning 155 5x10

315 by three after getting choked out for half an hour...i wonder what i could do if i was fresh? I'm really digging this suck training kinda thing (thanks Fight Quest), it's always fun to find new limits and then obliterate them. Really looking forward to Fight Night Friday!

Stupid wrist

Skipped this yesterday due to bad sleep the night before. I'm happy I went in tonight, I had a good session.

A1. squat pulls

Just some prehab for my flexibility. Doing this before every workout now.

B1. bench press

3 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 95#
3 x 135#
3 x 155#
3 x 185#
1 x 225#
1 x 250#
1 x 270# I missed this 2 weeks ago, so I am happy to hit it. My bench is coming back, baby!

B2. cable hip ad/ab (prehab)

8 x 48#
8 x 48#
8 x 48#

C1. neutral grip lat pulldowns

5 x 50#
3 x 70#
3 x 105#
3 x 120#
24 x 165# (6,6,6,6)

C2. push press

5 x 45#
3 x 75#
3 x 105#
24 x 145# (6,5,5,4,4) Dammit, I tweaked my RIGHT wrist on this one. Pisses me off. Not anywhere near as bad as the left wrist injury. This is more "I'm hurt," not "I'm injured." Ice will help.

D1. 3" pinch grip

50s x 25# per hand
45s x 25# per hand
40s x 25# per hand

D2. step up w/bar

4 x 6 x 45#

E1. prowler finishers

4 x 50yd x (prowler + 50#) Low horizontal push 25yd run, high vertical push 25yd walk back

I blew threw my gym training session (65 minutes!), so when I got home I pulled out the prowler. If I had been 5 minutes faster, it would have already been out, as my wife was using it. Next time I'll call head of time :) I rested on a minute for these, aside from the last one, which I rested until I felt I could go. Pain.

Monday monday...

AM

• Delt Triset: DB25 5x5
  
  • Lateral Raise
    
  • Front Raise
    
  • Press
    
• Reverse EZ Bar Curl: 75 3x5/2x8
  
• Wrist Superset: SB25 5x10
  
  • Pronated Curl
    
  • Supinated Curl
    
• SGB: 45 2x5
  

Took it easy on the SGBs, my metabolism isn't used to being jacked up like that, it's been a while. I imagine by next week i'll be able to hit all 3 sets and then start loading. Still trying to find that hypertrophy sweet spot, not sure 5 reps is it. In the past, i did really well with 8, may have to get back to that sort of thing.

Two weeks is a long damn time to be off the training floor for no good reason. Money sucks, not having calories sucks. That said, being back is awesome. I'm tweaking the program a little bit, going to work up to crazy 8 a day (or whatever) workouts (ok, not 8, but you get the idea) sloooowly. Main focus is being able to hit all my fight classes, i'm severely behind in those. Professor is probably wonder why i just dropped off the face of the earth again, and rightly so. Not going to toss out the work excuse, but i really need to figure stuff out. Need to start chokin bitches out. And i want to start breaking shit.

PM1

• Kyokushin

Those Kyokushin guys are more fun than a barrel of monkeys...well, monkeys with rotary hammers that like to apply them to your sternum. Damn I wish i'd started training this sooner. Between this and BJJ I may just start bar fighting for fun in a few years...nah i kid, i'm a fighter not a...fighter? Ok sure.

PM2 (5/3/1)

• Military Press: 95x5/115x5/125x8
• Cable Overhead Tri-X: 110x10/120x10/120x10/110x10/100x10
• Kneeling Neutral Pulldown: 200x15/200x15/200x12/200x10+10s hold/200x10+20s hold

Yeah it feels good to be back in the gym, on the mats, you know just training again. Work be damned, i need to stop taking training breaks due to work, that's just lame. Also it makes me a pain to be around I'm sure. Ah well, all good. We all make mistakes.

I'd better have some monster bruises tomorrow.

Prowler Flu

Today was ME deadlift day. We got to the gym to discover that they were refinishing the cardio room floors. This made for a very lightheaded workout, and we wound up leaving after deadlifting and opted to finish the workout at home with our toys...

A1. Dynamic Warmups

Squat pull x 10
Clamshells 2 x 10/leg
Deficit Broomstick deadlift 2 x 10
Foam roller work on my knees/quads

B1. Deadlift

3 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 105#
3 x 155#
3 x 195#
3 x 255#
1 x 315#
1 x 335#
1 x 360#
1 x 385# this is what I will call an injury recovery PR :)

We felt like hell after this due to the fumes (Jess also ME deadlifted, and had the prettiest failed lift for a PR @ 330# that I've ever seen her do :)), so we decided to come home and play with our strongman toys!

C1. Strongman Medley

4 laps of the following:

40yd 300# tire flip
20 x 8# sledgehammer tire thwackin'
40ys prowler bear crawl push
some arbitrary amount of rest


I puked after lap #3, but sucked it up and did #4. My hands looked like this afterwards, I am so proud!

http://twitpic.com/1gcv6d
http://twitpic.com/1gcv0g

I gotta say it was a good day.

DE Lunch

Am trying DE Bench at lunch on Thursdays, since I need to go to the gym anyways to spot my wife for her ME bench day. The whole thing took 50 minutes, mostly due to not sticking a finisher at the end.

A1. squat pulls

10 x bw working on my flexibility, so I'm gonna do these at the start of every workout now

B1. speed bench press

2 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 95#
3 x 135#
6 x 2 x 185# time to go up!

B2. hip bridge (prehab)

8 x bw
8 x bw
8 x bw

C1. board bench press (used a foam roller)

6 x 4 x 245# time to go up!

C2. face pull (prehab)

8 x 120#
8 x 120#
8 x 120#

D1. bb row

2 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 95#
4 x 6 x 135# time to go up!

Bad day

Meh.

A1. 4" deficit deadlift

3 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 95#
3 x 145#
3 x 185#
3 x 225
16 x 275# (4,4,3,3,2)

B1. 12" box squats

2 x 5 x 95#
2 x 3 x 135#
3 x 185#
24 x 225# (6,6,6,6) These felt horrible today, and I know I can do more weight here.

C1. front squat hold

0 x 315# skipped these due to lower back pump. Tried resting 15 minutes but to no avail. Lame.

D1. hammer curls (prehab)

8 x 30#
8 x 30#
8 x 30#

D2. cable tri pressdown (prehab)

8 x 96#
8 x 96#
8 x 96#

I tried resting a bit before leaving so I could do some prowler work as finishers when I got home, I could barely walk and decided to lay down on the floor and ice my back. Overall, not a good training session.

The Great Outdoors

Mats in the gym were being cleaned today so we were outside in the parking lot for boot camp. All exercises performed with 2 kettlebells unless noted:

2 rounds - dumpster runs
1 round - squat and press
1 round - press
1 round - dumpster run (kettlebells optional, I took them)
1 round - step forward lunges
1 round - bicep curls for speed/pump
1 round - squat down, straight punches (no weights)

1 round - squat with modified fly
1 round - squat press walk, jog back
1 round - sprint, donkey kicks (x5), sprint back to start (no weights)
1 round - jumping jacks (no weights)
1 round - split jacks (no weights)
1 round - sprint to Mike Bazzel's jeep and wave to him, sprint back (no weights)

1 round - pole sprints (between 2 poles, walk back quickly) (no weights)
1 round - pole suicides for speed (15s, 14s, 13s target time, but missed it which caused punishment round) (no weights)
1 round punishment - dumpster run (back to kettlebells)

Double down

Bench felt pretty good today! I moved ME Bench back to Monday, and for once, there was no one on any of the benches! Hooray. I got some good doubles in, so I am confident it'll start coming back soon.

I also started working in some more grip work, to get my grip strength back. A lot of my farmer walks and deadlifting have been failing due to failed grip, so it's time to start paying more attention to that.

A1. bench press

3 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 95#
3 x 135#
3 x 155#
3 x 185#
2 x 225
2 x 235
2 x 245
2 x 245

B1. neutral grip lat pulldowns

5 x 50#
3 x 75#
3 x 105#
3 x 120#
24 x 165# (5,5,5,5,4)

B2. push press

5 x 45#
3 x 75#
3 x 105#
24 x 135# (6,6,6,6) Clearly time to go up

C1. cable hip ad/ab (prehab)

8 x 48#
8 x 48#
8 x 48#

D1. 3" pinch grip

45s x 25# per hand
45s x 25# per hand
35s x 25# per hand

Hoorah

boot camp w/Charles:

get into boxing ring and move:

1. in 3 steps
2. out 3 steps
3. switch corners to right
4. switch corners to left
5. all moves also in switch stance
6. in 3 steps, throw 6, out 3 steps, throw 6
7. sprint around ropes touching corners
8. squats for speed starting holding top rope ~1:00 then transition to 3rd rope ~1:00 then 2nd rope ~1:00 then bottom rope ~1:00 (at this point you wish you were dead)

slipping practice:

jab, cross, hook (slip, slip, duck) - back up to ropes and come forward
jab, cross, hook, hook, uppercut, uppercut - back up to ropes and come forward
sprint around ropes touching corners

kettlebells:
2:00 - snatch, squat, press for speed
2 laps around gym holding kb, 2nd one holding in snatch position
2:00 round - trade off between 2 out and back floor sprints and burpee high pulls
0:30 rest
3:00 round - trade off between 3 out and back floor sprints and jack-knifes/V-ups
0:30 rest
5:00 round - trade off between 4 out and back floor sprints and push-ups
0:30 rest

bonus round:
1:00 - hands on ring, sprint feet back and forth keeping ass down for speed
1:00 - feet on ring, hands on floor, alternate touching feet to floor for speed

I squat, therefore I am... in pain

What a day. It started with 2 hours of steady state cardio helping some friends move, then 1 hour rest before going to the gym. Whee!

A1. squat (with rehband knee sleeves)

3 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 105#
3 x 155#
3 x 195#
3 x 225#
1 x 275#
1 x 305#
1 x 335#
0 x 365# This is the second miss on this, but the first with meet legal raw knee sleeves. I think I need to work on more full squatting during the week, and aim lower next ME squat day so I can start progressing better here.

B1. machine row

5 x 90#
3 x 180#
3 x 230#
24 x 300# (5,5,5,5,4)

C1. rack pull

5 x 135#
3 x 225#
3 x 315#
16 x 405# (3,4,3,3,3)

D1. oh shrug (prehab)

8 x 45#
8 x 45#
8 x 45#



D2. int & ext rotations (prehab)
8 x 12#
8 x 12#
8 x 12#

E1. Blast Strap Ab Fallouts

6 x bw
6 x bw
6 x bw
6 x bw

We pulled in to the driveway and I jokingly suggested using the prowler to do some finishers. I was shocked when Jess said "I'll do 'em if you will!" I got out of the car, my abs cramped up and I wussed out :)

It's a two-fer!

Tuesday PM:

Since I didn't lift Monday, I decided to punish myself with another round of Prowler work. It worked.

30 minute walk to warmup (the dog led the way)

Prowler and Tire Flip Medley

1 x 20 yard low horizontal Prowler push
1 x 20 yard 300#-ish tire flip

rest 1 minute

1 x 20 yard low horizontal Prowler push
1 x 20 yard 300#-ish tire flip

rest 1 minute or so, play with dog

1 x 20 yard low horizontal Prowler push
1 x 20 yard 300#-ish tire flip

rest i don't know how long, dog has his way with me while I lay down

1 x 20 yard low horizontal Prowler push
1 x 20 yard 300#-ish tire flip

Drop to ground and let dog lick the shame off my face for a few minutes before putting the toys away


Wednesday PM:

I am considering moving ME bench day to Wednesday night, and putting DE lower day on Thursday at lunch, so this week is the trial for that to see if I can handle the shorter recovery.

A1. bench press

3 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 95#
3 x 135#
3 x 155#
3 x 185#
1 x 215#
1 x 235#
1 x 250#
0 x 270# This felt fine going down, came out of the hole well, but I hit my sticking point and lost it.
1 x 225 with competition calls
1 x 225 with competition calls

B1. neutral grip lat pulldowns

5 x 50#
3 x 70#
3 x 90#
3 x 120#
24 x 165# (6,5,5,5,3)

B2. push press

5 x 45#
3 x 75#
3 x 95#
24 x 135# (5,7,6,6)

C1. cable hip ad/ab (prehab)

8 x 48#
8 x 48#
8 x 48#

All in all a decent workout, but I am not happy with my bench results. I am going to go to doubles next week, I think, to get my mechanics working better.

Prowler season is now open

And my lungs burnses.

Prowler Alternating 50 yd Push

3 lengths of my house = 50 yards

1 x vertical grip/horizontal low grip/vertical grip

1 min rest

1 x horizontal low grip/vertical grip/horizontal low grip

1 min rest OH GOD MY LUNGS ARE BURNING

1 x vertical grip/horizontal low grip/vertical grip

Screw the minute I need to rest forever here. Is that you Jesus?

1 x horizontal low grip/vertical grip/horizontal low grip

OH DEAR LORD I still have to carry this thing back to the GARAGE?

So yeah. Prowler season is open in Central IL.

Pull my what?

Not great, not bad. I skipped some stuff due to not feeling well. I am finally getting my deadlift back, too, so I can't complain.


A1. deadlift

3 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 105#
3 x 155#
3 x 195#
3 x 245#
1 x 305#
1 x 325#
1 x 350#
1 x 375#
0 x 400# I shouldn’t have even tried this, but I got cocky. Still, 375# for the first time in 6 months isn’t bad. Still nowhere near my PR, but I am confident my deadlifting is coming back to me…

B1. machine row

5 x 90#
3 x 180#
3 x 230#
24 x 270# (6,6,6,6) Time to go up!

C1. 1/4 Squat

Skipped due to lower back tightness. I am a wuss.

D1. decline situps (prehab)

8 x bw
8 x bw
8 x bw

D2. int & ext rotations (prehab)

8 x 12#
8 x 12#
8 x 12#

Bang Bang!

Brunch Workout (5/3/1)

• Deadlift: 245x5/275x3/295x6
  
• Parallel Front Squat: 135 5x10
  
• Situp: 4x25
  

Parallel Front to Situp, that's cool. I dig that. I didn't really go to brunch (woulda been nice) but you know, it wasn't really morning, wasn't really afternoon, ok, ok, you get where i'm going with this.

Late morning swole

AM Workout

• BB Row Superset: 155 5x5
  
  • Overhand
    
  • Underhand
    
• Seated Pulldown Superset: 135x5/135x5/135x5/120x5/120x5
  
  • Seated Medium Grip
    
  • "Technically Correct"
    
• DB Flye Superset: 5x8
  
  • Neutral Incline: DB30
    
  • Standing Reverse: DB25
    

Blah...you're only tired until you think you aren't.

Lunch Workout (5/3/1)

• Bench Press: 185x5/195x3/215x7
  
• Cable Tricep Extension: 110x10/110x10/110x10/100x10/100x10
  
• Chain Pushup: 20 5x20

Hmm...wonder if i should feel bad about the fact that i'll end up doing 3 different bench variations today. Nah, it's bench day! Dare i say it, 5/3/1 is actually turning me back onto the bench a bit. Dammit.

PM Workout

• BJJ - I got armbarred tonight! It hurts as much as people say it does! and that's with a tap!
  
• Incline Press: 155x10/155x10/155x10/135x10/135x10
  
• DB Row: 75 5x5
• DB Neutral Bench: 75x8/75x7/75x6/75x4

Yeah you know what? 5x5 on DB Neutral next time, that was weird. They say it takes 6 months to get to where you start to feel comfortable with a martial art. If that's the case, I'm REALLY looking forward to August. Great, just in time for my brazil trip. Ah well it's only for a week, maybe i can find a BJJ Academy to spend some time at. In Brazil? Nahhhhh...

Back in the saddle

PM Workout 1

• BJJ - Lots of throws and i got crushed several times.
  

PM Workout 2 (5/3/1)

• Squats: 245x5/285x3/315x5
  
• Good Morning: 155 5x10
  
• Neutral Stance Palloff Press: 90 5x10/side
  
• Situp: 4x25
  

Another one of those nights i wasn't going to train but that's alright...we all make errors in judgment from time to time. Thank god for Fight Quest on Netflix and Fight Science on Hulu. Me thinks i need to by Human Weapon and XMA on DVD. It's inspirational stuff for sure. Found heaven a few blocks away from the office, I'm looking forward to flipping tires. Lots of tires.

Squats squats squats. I love squats.

Or do I... Today was DE lower day, and I totally wrote my split in a stupid manner that will be corrected for the next DE session. On the plus side, I think I finally broke out the "scary powerlifter crazy eyes, red face and red bald skull" look, judging by the looks of horror and awe from the high school kids curling in the cable machine right in front of the power rack. It made it all worth it.

A1. speed deadlift

3 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 105#
3 x 155#
3 x 195#
3 x 225#
1 x 275#
12 x #315 (3,3,3,3)

B1. 1/4 squat (it fell somewhere between 1/4 and 1/3 squat, really)

2 x 5 x 135#
2 x 3 x 225#
3 x 315#
24 x 415# (5,6,5,4,4) crazy eyes came out here, followed by red face

C1. front squat w/chains

2 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 105#
3 x 155# + 2 chains
24 x 185# + 2 chains (6,5,4,4,3,2) MOAR CRAZY EYEZ!

D1. hammer curls (prehab)

8 x 20#
8 x 20#
8 x 20#

D2. int & ext rotations (prehab)

8 x 12#
8 x 12#
8 x 12#

Overall not a bad day, but it took 1.5 hours due to needing to rest between the 1/4 squats and front squats. I had to drop my weight on the front squats, too, due to the stupidity of putting them both on the same day, one right after the other. I'll fix that for next time.

New Goodlife

First time doing a full weight day at a different Goodlife gym than I'm used to. Despite being smaller it was less busy, hurrah! Chest and Quads day..

Bench Press

• 20 x 135
• 12 x 155
• 10 x 175
• 8 x 195

Squats

• 15 x 135
• 10 x 185
• 8 x 205
• 5 x 225

Incline Bench Press

• 12 x 135
• 8 x 155
• 6 x 175
• 4 x 175

Leg Extensions

Used the machine, 20, 12, 10, 8. Almost maxed on the 8 but can't remember the numbers.

Incline Freeweight Flys

• 12 x 30
• 10 x 40
• 10 x 40
• 10 x 40

I would have done leg press today but I strained something during squats so I decided to take it easy.

International Bench Day!

What was I THINKING putting my ME bench day on a Monday?? Luckily, I nabbed the last empty bench in the gym. It was my first bench workout in 4 months, and man did it feel like it. But I survived with only a 10% drop from my old 1RM, and my wrist held up pretty well.

Also, I skipped yesterday's Strongman GPP day due to rain and being fried from Saturday's squat day.

A1. bench press

3 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 95#
3 x 135#
3 x 155#
3 x 185#
1 x 215#
1 x 235#
1 x 260#

B1. neutral grip lat pulldowns

5 x 50#
3 x 70#
3 x 90#
3 x 120#
24 x 150# (6,6,6,6)

B2. oh push press

5 x 45#
3 x 75#
3 x 95#
24 x 135# (6,5,6,4,3)

C1. oh shrugs (prehab)

8 x 45#
8 x 45#
8 x 45#

C2. face pull (prehab)

8 x 120#
8 x 120#
8 x 120#

Meetings make me sad

AM Workout (5/3/1)

• Military Press: 115x5/125x3/135x4
  
• Cable Tri Extension: 80x10/90x10/100x10/110x10/100x15
  
• Kneeling Neutral Pulldown: 200 5x15
  
• Band Pushup: 5x10 Heavy Band(2)
  

Grawr...the peril of working out during the day is that workouts can get supplanted by meetings:( Guess that means shoulders after BJJ tonight. This is going to be a crazy workout week methinks...

Squat Day!

I changed up my training splits a bit today to more of a traditional ME/DE split. Today was ME Lower day, and I squatted for real for the first time in almost 3 months. It went really well- so well that I broke the rules and tried an extra single and failed :) Still, it felt great, plus I got to watch my wife PR her deadlift at 325!

A1. Squat

The warmup sets were devised by my wife, following Dave Tate's school of warming up

3 x 5 x 45#
2 x 3 x 105#
3 x 155#
3 x 195#
3 x 225#
1 x 275#
1 x 305#
1 x 325#
1 x 350# This felt really easy. Like, TOO easy, so I rested up and went for...
0 x 365# That's what I get for breaking the warmup rules.

All in all, I am 50# away from my goal of 400# for this year. No complaints there.

B1. 18" Deadlift

5 x 135#
3 x 225#
3 x 315#
12 x 405# (3,3,3,2,1)

C1. Seated Machine Row

5 x 90#
3 x 180#
3 x 230#
24 x 270# (6,6,5,4,3)

C2. Front Squat Hold
4 x 315# (20s, 30s, 30s, 30s)

Farmer Walk (50 ft)

1 x (175# per hand) x 50ft
1 x (175# per hand) x 15ft My left quad cramped up here and I called it a day

Overall, it was a good training session. My wrist flared up and got a bit inflamed towards the end, but it's feeling a lot better than a month ago.

Legs-N-Stuff

EA Club One gym this am. Supposed to be a light day, wife says I don't know what that is.

No abs, no hands.
No legs, no abs.
All sports start at the legs.

15 min jump rope warmup - criss cross, doubles, steps intervals
squats: 5x135, 5x225, 5x275, 5x275
leg curls: 5x125, 5x150, 5x175
2:00 single leg lunges, 30s rest
1:00 frog hops, 1:00 sumo squats w/45lb dumbbell, 30s rest
2:00 lunge walk, 30s rest
2:00 step ups, 30s rest
2:00 sit ups, 30s rest
2:00 one legged sit ups, 30s rest
2:00 straight leg hip thrusts, 30s rest
1:00 push ups, 30s rest
3 2:00 rounds on double end bag (30s rest)
3 3:00 rounds on heavy bag, mostly working jab and double jab but also some counters (30s rest)
left hook technique work on speed bag

Yeah, ARM TRAINING!!

AM Workout

• EZ Cheat Curl: 85 5x10
  
• Alt DB Curl: 30 5x5
  
• BiL Hammer Curl: 25 5x10
  
• Cable Tricep Pushdown: 150 5x10
  
• Cable OH Tricep Extension: 80 5x10
  
• EZ Cheat Reverse Curl: 75 5x10
  

Hmmm...i think i've been lying to myself. Arm training is fun.

Lunch Workout (5/3/1)

• Deadlift: 225x3/245x3/275x6
  
• Hack Squat: 135 4x10/1x15
  
• Situps: 4x25
  

May actually make it through tonight's complexes...I would be so lost without Surge and brown rice...

Worst Day Of Your Life

Boot Camp Friday - Undisputed Boxing Gym w/Charles

3mi warmup jog (not part of the class but what the hell)

As Charles is fond of saying, "I'm going to make today the worst day of your life."

XX minutes nonstop (he said 20 but I think he went 25 or 30, I don't know I could barely breathe) 1 minute intervals, no rests. All exercises done for speed, as many reps possible. I use medium weight for these instead of light so that after about 0:45 seconds of each exercise I wish I was dead and I start screaming out in pain. For example I use 16kg kettlebells for the leg exercises and a bit smaller yellow ones for the upper body and maybe trade for the 16kgs if I feel good at the end of a set.

Run 2 laps around heavy bags farmer's carry 2x kettlebells
Military Press w/2 kettlebells
One leg in the air single arm press
Squats w/2 kettlebells
Run laps (fast) around heavy bags
Push-ups
Dumbbell flys
Bicep curls w/2 kettlebells
Tricep ext. kettlebell or dumbbells
Run laps (fast) around heavy bags Forward lunges w/1-2 kettlebells (each leg for 1 interval)
Various squats w/2 kettlebells
Single leg forward then backward lunges w/no step between (you can do with weights, I didn't)
Run laps (fast) around heavy bags
Sit-ups
Jack knifes
Crunches
Knee lift with twist
Run laps (fast) around heavy bags

Put weights away (running), glove up then:

jab, cross, hook
drop to prone on face and spring back up
sprint to far bag (~20 yards)
jab, cross, hook
drop to prone on face and spring back up
sprint to near bag (~20 yards)
repeat in a cycle for 1 minute as fast as possible hitting as hard as possible

1 minute straight punch burnout on focus mitts

2x more of the jab, cross, hook drill.

Limit==Baseline

AM Workout

• Flye Superset: 4x5/1x8
  
  
  
  • Flat Flye DB25
    
  • Reverse Flye DB20
    
  
  
• DB Row: DB75 4x5/1x8
  
• Complex: 95 4x5
  
  
  
  • Romanian
    
  • Hang Clean 2 Front Squat 2 Push
    
  • Alt Reverse Lunge
    
  
  

I is gonna sleep gooooood this weekend...

Lunch Workout (5/3/1)

• Bench Press: 155x3/175x3/195x10
  
• Incline Press: 155x10/155x10/155x10/155x9/135x12
  
• Cable Tricep Extension: 80x10/80x10/70x10/70x10/70x12
  

Blah...may be time to refigure my bench max. Dammit, i hate bench. Ah well, time to quit bein a puss i suppose...

Mad Squabbles

Boxing Conditioning at Undisputed Boxing Gym this am.

Standard first hour of conditioning, still working up to the full tuck and plank TRX interval times of 1 minute which is around 20-22 reps for me. Good partner medicine ball sit ups today, bad stability disk throws.

The equipment we use for conditioning:

Jump rope (warmups before class)
Stability disks x2
Kettlebell or kettlebells, pick one that is heavy enough for lunges and squats
Medicine balls x2
Big ball (Swiss style)
TRX

In general exercises are done in one minute intervals with 10-15 seconds rest between exercises. Some exercises are done for reps either 10, 12, or 15 with no rests. Planks tend to be done for either 30s, 1m, 2m with a rest period of back rolls.

Boxing today consisted of burnouts on the heavy bag:

10 seconds straight punches as hard and as fast as possible to same spot on bag using hips to throw from a good stance
10 seconds rest
15 seconds straight punches...
10 seconds rest
20 seconds punches...
10 seconds rest
30 seconds punches...
30 seconds rest
1 minute punches with extra emphasis on last 10 seconds

Then learning two combinations we built up on focus mitts using the progression:

jab, jab cross (2)
jab, jab cross hook (3)

jab, jab cross, slip left (2)
jab, jab cross hook, slip right (3)

Final combination:
jab, jab cross, slip left, COUNTER left uppercut, left hook (2, 2)
jab, jab cross, clip right, COUNTER, right uppercut, right cross (3, 2)

We also did uppercut burnouts on the focus mitts. Interval length is 2m rounds per combination with no rest, uppercut burnout rounds are 1m.

Brakes!

Lunch Workout

• Barbell Row Superset: 135 5x5
  
  
  
  • Overhand Row
    
  • Underhand Row
    
  
  
• Kneeling Pulldown Superset: 200 4x5/1x10
  
  
  
  • Medium Grip
    
  • Close Grip
    
  
  
• DB Neutral Grip Bench: 70 5x10
  

Alright, hit the wall today, scaling back and just doing the one workout today. This puts me pretty solidly behind on the week, but at least i can use this week as a baseline and add workouts going forward. I'm looking forward to sleep tonight, yes i am...

Adaptation, Improvisation

AM Workout

• Slept through it, made it up PM

Lunch Workout (5/3/1)

• Squats: 235x3/265x3/295x8
  
• Decline Situps: 5x20
  

PM 1

• BJJ Week 4b
  
• ...and i actually submitted someone today! twice!
  

PM 2 (Assistance makeup)

• Good Morning: 185 5x10
  
• Hack Squat: 135 5x10
  
• Complex: 95 4x5
  
  
  
  • BO Row
    
  • Front Squat 2 Push Press
    
  • Jump Back Squat
    
  • Good Morning
    
  
  

It's not so much me being stupid and trying to see how hard i can train, it's more like getting myself up to the level at which i want to train. Truth is, i want to be really strong, i want to do BJJ, and i want to do capoeira (so i should probably start going back to class at some point). At some point, i'm not even thinking, oh my god, i shouldn't be training this much, this is crazy, etc, it just is. It's more about coming to grips with what i love doing. And that's never a bad thing.

Takin' it easy

Today was prehab and GPP day. Not too exciting, but it needs to be done.

Shoulder/Hips prehab circuit (int/ext rotations, hip ad/abduction)
3 x 8

Tabata Jump Squats
6 x 20/10
2 x 10/20

Walk
10 min

Fight Club

UBG Boxing Conditioning w/Mike B.
1st hour: conditioning

• Roll it up
  
• Plank it (long)
  
• Roll it up
  
• Plank it (shorter)
  
• Plank leg raises 12 reps
  
• Flop it (12 reps w/leg raise)
  
• Straight leg hip thrusts (2 sets)
  
• 10x push up both fists on disks
  
• 10x push up right fist on disk left on ball right leg up
  
• 10x push up reversed
  
• 10x push up on TRX
  
• TRX pike it
  
• TRX combo tuck it then pike it - 2 sets
  
• Ball overhead 90 deg legs roll it then thrust it combo - 2 sets
  
• Drive ball sit ups with ball between knees
  
• Partner ball toss situps with ball between knees
  
• Partner chest toss situps with ball between knees
  
• Feet in TRX straps hamstring thrusts - 2 sets
  
• Foot on ball, other foot in air hamstring thrusts - 2 sets
  
• Squat on the disks
  
• Lunge on the disks
  
• Med ball lunge with twist (on disk optional)
  
• TRX lunges
  
• Reach out lunges with kettlebell
  
• Squat to side lunges with ball
  
• TRX 1-legged squats with optional hop
  

30min boxing:

• Heavy bag: jab; 2xjab; 3xjab; jab cross; hooks; uppercuts
  
• Focus mitts: jab jab cross; jab 2xjab; jab 2xjab 3xjab jab cross; uppercuts; straight punch burnout x2; left right left slip(l); right left right slip(r)