you can never erase

All numbers up, i'd say today was a successful start to training week 2. You know, not a whole lot to say tonight, things felt good, was hard as fuck, and I'm going to enjoy this burger now. And probably sleep, very soon. Man, you wanna feel like a beast? Cranks some ESA - Principles of A Paradisic Resolve and do some Farmer's Walks:

• DB Shoulder Press: 5x5 65
• DB Snatch: 5x5 70
• A1. EZ Curl: 5x5 100
• A2. EZ French: 5x5 70
• B1. DB Alt Curl: 4x8 25
• B2. Rope Extension: 4x8 24h50
• DB Farmer's Walk: 5x25m 70

It almost rained today, i could smell it. I was really hoping. Workout track of the evening: Chaos BC - Sepultura.

watch them drown

I think eating food is working, even on no sleep my numbers went up today. The overheads and high pulls even felt light, which is a good sign. I'm visibly bigger too, but still staying lean, which means alot of things are working. Haha, "lean", i'm probably still over 20, but at this point my shoulders and upper back are way wider than my waist, so i'm happy about that. The more i do bodyweight stuff, the more i realize i need to do more bodyweight stuff just because that shit is FUN:

• Overhead Press: 6x4 125
• DB Neutral Bench: 5x6 70
• Kneeling Wide Grip: 5x6 LaF 72.5
• Hanging Leg Raise w/Hold: 5x6
• BB Split Squat: 5x6 65
• High Pull: 5x5 135

I think i'm going to just stay in and veg today, at least until i go workout again tonight. Fuck yeah. Workout track of the morning: Nothin's Gonna Stand In Our Way - Spectre General. Oh yeah, i went there.

Back To It

After an unplanned deload week (I took it 100% off, actually, due to what felt like a complete CNS shutdown all week), I got back to it with ME Squat day.

A1. Prehab/Mobility

B1. Squat

8 x 135#

5 x 185#

3 x 225#

1 x 275#

1 x 325#

1 x 360# Seattle PR!

The 360# felt heavy, but my squat was stagnant for a while there, so I'm happy for the small win. All time PR is 375#, so I'm getting it back, slowly but surely...

C1. Push Press

8 x 45#

5 x 95#

3 x 135#

3 x 8 x 165#

D1. 18" Deadlift

8 x 135#

5 x 225#

3 x 315#

4 x 3 x 435#

This was more like 18.5", but who's counting :)

E1.  Ab Fallouts

3 x 8 x bw

F1. Farmer Holds

3 x 30s x 180# per hand                    

Hadn't done the holds in a while so I figured I'd throw them in there at a lighter weight after having done the 18" pulls. These felt pretty good, and wrecked my hands but good.

Overall a good session. Some odd left knee pain going on right now (I can't climb stairs, or stand up with weight on it), which is a bit worrisome, especially 3 weeks from till Raw nationals... I'm hoping Advil and ice fix it up.

feed the robot

Man ok so hanging leg raises, awesome. Pure awesome. I think it may be time to start doing pullups, chinups, and dips VERY soon. Overall decent end to week one, altho i feel like i need a little more volume on the arm days if i want to grow significantly over the next four weeks. I know i can, i've been able to put mass on in as little as 2 weeks, done properly. I feel like i was dangerously close to the proverbial sacrificing volume for intensity, but nah i think i pulled it out. Now to eat copious amounts of food tonight and rest for a day. Suck up those nutrients and calories, body:

• Overhead Press: 6x4 115
• DB Neutral Bench: 5x6 60
• Kneeling Wide Grip: 5x6 200
• Hanging Leg Raise: 5x6
• BB Split Squat: 5x6 45
• High Pull: 5x5 125

I feel...good. Workout track of the evening: The Devil Worships Me (Psylpsyb Remix) - ESA.

lord of flies

This is part i hate most, adjusting the calories to be able to recover. i gotta say this is the first time i've actually lived on peri-workout shakes instead of just straight up protein shakes. How der vermis turns...turns...Ah well, i think i can ALMOST say i made it through the first week of two-a-days, we'll see how tonight goes. Had to move today's morning to lunch to balance out the whole ot sleeping thing, but i think it'll be alright. I think i can squeeze six hours in between workouts:

• DB Decline: 5x5 60
• Mid Row w/Hold: 5x5 120
• DB Floor Press: 5x5 65
• Barbell Power Shrug: 5x5 205
• A1. Trapbar Hold: 5x24s
• A2. Falsegrip Strict EZ Reverse: 5x5 45

I feel like i'm not training as hard as i should be. I know my conditioning overall sucks balls, but i think i'm a bit too adapted to what I'm doing right now. Ah well, that may be good since I'm trying to put some mass on right now. Workout track of the afternoon: Reptile - Eden Synthetic Corps.

beat by beat

I need to figure out workout timing a little better, maybe morning and mid-pm perhaps? Problem with mid-pm is it's right after lunch and people are usually around to talk about things and strangely enough, around here people are actually talkative after lunch instead of in food comas. I really like it here. GODDAMN lower body work hurts. But man it's such a good hurt and I'm going to love every bit of it. Looking forward to getting those squats back up to respectable numbers:

• Squat: 6x4 225
• Uni DB Shoulder: 5x6 55
• Bent Lateral: 5x6 50
• GHR: 5x6
• DB Lunge: 5x6 25
• Push Press: 5x5 135

You tend to forget the beautiful brutality that is the glute ham raise when you're away from it for a while. Looking forward to hooking up some bands or chains or some sort of resistance on those. Workout track of the evening: Praise - Sevendust.

collateral

Scott Abel said it best, and i'm more and more inclined to agree, nothing tops caffeine as a pre-workout supplement. Coffee is the best way to get into the gym in the morning (after a good solid sleep of course). Only a few days in, but the hybrid dieting approach i think is definitely working, of course I should probably chalk some of it up to the insane dieting/volume training i did the 8 weeks prior, but whatev. I'm not feeling a ton if ill effects and...dare i say it...i look alright. Seriously, two plates of bad chinese food at lunch and no slow down? Nice. Definitely hittin up some conveyor belt sushi at PAX, aww yeah:

• DB Neutral Incline: 5x5 60
• TBar Row: 5x5 125
• DB Flat Alter Press: 5x5 55
• Bent Fly: 5x5 35
• EZ Reverse Wrist: 5x10 25

Three workouts into two-a-days, i think i can do this. I'm used to the idea that the first week of a new training cycle i lose sleep, it's just the way it's been for me. The interspersed off days are really helping, I think i may even take a break from cardio on off days for a few weeks and see what happens. Allez. Workout track of the morning: Left Behind - Slipknot. (and yes, the live in london cut off of disasterpieces IS THE DEFINITIVE VERSION!!!!)

open your eyes accept the mission

Alright so sleep did affect the benching a little bit. Not to say i didn't get through my set, but it was definitely harder than i expected it to be. Which is weird because everything else went fairly well. Oh except for Bulgarians. I forgot how freakin hard Bulgarians were:

• Bench Press: 6x4 185
• DB Decline: 5x6 55
• Seated Row: 5x6 150
• DB Back Raise: 5x6 35
• Bulgarian: 5x6 35
• Clean: 5x5 135

Why do i keep seeing new hot chicks at the gym every week? And seriously, why is the gym such a horrible place to pick up chicks? It's the only place i go that has women...sheesh. Workout track of the evening: Little Stranger - Access Zero.

i had wrists donning...

Last night was one of those weird nights were you feel like you SHOULD sleep, but for some reason you don't? Dunno, wasn't totally blitzed this morning tho and am feeling pretty decent about these two-a-days. After Sunday and Monday, i FINALLY get the whole carb/calorie cycling thing! Dear sweet jeebus i can't believe i didn't try this sooner. Well ok i did, but i didn't do it quite as extremely as i am this time, which may be why it's working better. Forge On! Also brah, my pecs are TOTALLY gettin swole again:

• A1. Lat Raise: 5x5 30
• A2. Front Raise: 5x5 35
• B1. Cable Curl: 5x5 150
• B2. Stiff Pushdown: 5x5 150
• Supros: 5x20 12->15

Haven't done direct wrist/forearm work in a while, but i think i've found some stuff that doesnt' feel quite as sissy as i usually tend to think forearm work is. Workout track of the morning: Existence - Solitary Experiments.

old seas bleed dry

And we are officially into two-a-day mass gaining, ladies and gentlemen. Main focus is back, shoulders, and left side in general. For now, i'm doing extra reps on my left side per set when i do dumbbell stuff, seems like a slightly naive approach, but then that's probably how my right side got bigger than my left side right? ...err left?

• DB Shoulder Press: 5x5 50->55
• DB Snatch 5x5 65
• A1. EZ Curl: 5x5 95
• A2. EZ French: 5x5 65
• DB Farmer's Walk: 5x25m 65->70

Farmer's walks are probably the best exercise i haven't done in way too long. Good way to scare the bros, methinks. Workout track of the evening: Take This Life - In Flames:

this ten ton brick

I'm really enjoying these sunday morning chats of ours...

Patel:

• Deadlift: 4x12 95
• DB Shoulder Press: 4x12 22.5
• Cable Mid Row: 4x12 45
• DB Neutral Bench: 4x12 25
• Kneeling Widegrip Pulldown: 4x12 75
• Standing Palloff Press: 4x12 30

Gibson:

• Deadlift: 6x4 255->275
• DB Shoulder Press: 5x6 50
• Cable Mid Row: 5x6 LaF60
• DB Neutral Bench: 5x6 70
• Kneeling Widegrip Pulldown: 5x6 LaF135
• Standing Palloff Press: 5x6 LaF50

...and now we start two-a-days and the treacherous practice of micromanaging calories upwards to put on strength and mass while minimizing fat gain. Worth it? I'll know in about 5 weeks i guess...

Bloody Deadlift PRs

Got my first nosebleed while lifting today. That's how you know it was a real Max Effort, I guess...

A1. Prehab/Mobility

B1. Deadlift

8 x 135#
5 x 225#
2 x 275#
1 x 315#
1 x 395
1 x 445# PR!

445# is an all-time deadlift PR. I popped an ammonia cap before the lift for a little more adrenaline, the lockout may have been questionable and I about passed out right after the bar hit the floor, but I'm freaking counting it. Nose bled a little after. My brain feels OK, though... 

C1. Push Press

8 x 45#
5 x 95#
3 x 155#
1 x 185#
3 x 2 x 205#

I missed DE Upper this week so I wanted to get some heavy shoulder work in. Right shoulder is still a bit creaky but again is nothing impeding my strength.

D1. 1/4 Squats

8 x 135#
5 x 225#
3 x 315#
4 x 6 x 425#

Figured since my hips were already warm, I'd work on some squat lockout techniques. These felt great.

E1. Squat Finisher

30 x 135#                  

Just because. :)


Great session. Time to shower, eat and nap.

take them by surprise

Methinks the combination of low cals, bad shoes, and ankle weights borked my left hip a little more than initially thought. Had to drop squats way the hell down and hit the box just to get through all of em, I seriously don't think i could've hit 185 if i had wanted to. Bad sleep probably had something to do with it as well. Whatever, made it through the high volume stuff (for now):

• Box Squat: 5x8 165
• Unilateral KB Shoulder Press: 4x12 16k
• Bent Lateral: 4x12 45
• DB Floor Press: 4x12 50
• Lat Raise: 4x12 20

Going to see if that Tony Gentilcore guy knows what he's talking about (i kid, i kid) and cut some volume for the next 5 weeks. Really want to put some upper body mass on before PAX, just for giggles...Workout track of the evening: Blood - Pride and Fall.

don't mind if your soul shatters

Clearly i didn't sleep as much as i thought i did last night, which is funny because i even remember thinking to myself after i got home, gee, it's almost 12:30, i should go to bed. Ah well...food will be consumed today, so i'm not horribly worried about energy levels. Quite excited for this week, i think i'm going to lock in my weekend sleep. Also going to start some changes a week early, so this is the last week of super high volume, which i'm actually happy about:

• A1. EZ Curl: 5x8 85
• A2. EZ French: 5x8 45
• B1. Bent DB: 4x12 30
• B2. OHX: 4x12 110
• C1. Bent Hammer: 4x12 35
• C2. Pushdown: 4x12 130
• D1. Cable Curl: 4x12 120
• D2. Stiff Pushdown: 4x12 120
• E1. TRX Mid Curl: 4x15
• E2: TRX Overhead: 4x15

Dropped the weight on the Frenches to focus a bit on technique. Lately my elbows have been flaring out WAY too much, so i wanna lock that in. It's really highlighting my lack of mobility in my upper body, which i need to address next month if i'm going to start martial arts again. But i have plans for that...Workout track of the morning: Vertex - Negative Format:

duality

Not much to say tonight, it's a bit late that I'm posting this and sleep calls...

• Deadlift: 5x8 225
• DB Shoulder Press: 4x12 40
• Seated Row: 4x12 130
• DB Neutral Bench: 4x12 50
• Wide Grip Pulldown: 4x12 90
• Palloff Press: 4x12 90

Threw in some cleans at the end for fun, only made it about 3 sets in. Workout track of the evening: Born to be Hate (Original Odium) - Hocico:

The Shoes, They Are The Good

First lower day with the new shoes, Speed Pull day. I gotta say, I love the shoes. I feel the ground more, i feel myself spreading the floor more, and I feel more stable. It's almost like wearing socks. Here's to hoping the USAPL doesn't decide to ban them...

A1. Prehab/Mobility

B1. Speed Pull

8 x 45#
8 x 135#
5 x 225#
4 x 3 x 275#

C1. SSB Box Squats

3 x 10 x 225#

D1. T-Bar Row

2 x 12 x 180#          

D2. Plate Swings

3 x 15 x 45#            

I kept things a bit lighter tonight, since ME lower day on Saturday is Deadlift day. Judging by how the shoes felt today, I am excited to see what a max effort pull will feel like...

judged for wasting mine

Ran out of steam on just about every set today at the beginning, not sure what the deal is. I seem to have trouble coming off of Sundays for some reason, which is weird because Monday is technically training day two, so i'm not sure what it is. I think maybe i eat too much on saturday, which keeps me from sleeping well, then i wear myself out sunday. Hopefully next weekend i'll have my couch, so i can just come home from the gym and take a NAP before doing whatever i do Sunday. Man i did alot of pulling today:

• Bench Press: 5x8 165
• DB Incline: 4x12 45
• Face Pull: 4x12 120
• DB Decline: 4x12 45
• TBar Row: 4x12 110
• DB Row: 4x12 75
• TRX Mid: 4x15
• TRX Chest: 4x15

I'm really diggin the shit out of TRX work, i may have to step it up soon and start doing some real hardcore shit. Maybe once i start tossing in pull ups and all that other crazy BW stuff i will. Workout track of the evening: My Obsession - Killswitch Engage.

New... Benching Shoes?

Tonight was the first real ME Bench session since before I injured my left pec/shoulder. I also picked up some new shoes for lifting (first time in 4 years, I was due)- both are New Balance Minimus:


These for benching/every day use:


http://www.shopnewbalance.com/newbalanceMX20BW.htm


These for squat/deadlift:


http://www.shopnewbalance.com/newbalanceMW10MM.htm

A1. Prehab/Mobility

B1. Bench

2 x 8 x 45#
5 x 135#
3 x 185#
1 x 215#
1 x 235#
1 x 270#

C1. BB Pendlay Row

8 x 45#
5 x 135#
3 x 185#
5 x 5 x 205#

D1. OH Press

8 x 45#
5 x 95#
3 x 12 x 135#

Heh, these devolved into push presses during the 3rd set. Still, I think this is a PR for volume on this.

E1. Ab Fallouts

3 x 8 x bw

Overall this was a great session. The new shoes felt great- I could FEEL the floor beneath my feet on the bench, and I think it helped my leg/hip drive. The 270# felt great, and I think I had maybe 5-10# more in me. No pain, either, which is great considering just 2 weeks before the last meet I couldn't bench the bar. Woot.

cuz i know i got soul

Patel said it best, man i'm glad we do this Sunday morning, otherwise i wouldn't get the fuck out of bed till noon on sundays...Good overhead/upper body work today, lots of technique work:

Patel:

• Overhead Press: 4x12 55
• High Pull: 5x6 55
• Barbell Row: 4x12 65
• Front Raise: 4x12 17.5
• Kneeling Neutral Grip w/Hold: 4x12 LaF72.5
• A1. Lat Pull: 4x12 LaF70
• A2. Neutral Grip Lat Pull: LaF70

Gibson:

• Overhead Press: 5x8 85->95
• High Pull: 5x5 105->115
• Barbell Row: 4x12 135->155
• Front Raise: 4x12 30->32.5/35
• Kneeling Neutral Grip w/Hold: 4x12->15 LaF95
• A1. Lat Pull: 4x12 LaF100
• A2. Neutral Grip Lat Pull: LaF100

Fuckin beautiful morning too, not gonna lie. Workout track of the morning: Fight The Power - Korn f/ Xzibit:

Farmer Walks and Ribs (and some Pizza too)

ME Lower daaaaaaay! Today was supposed to start with the ribs on the grill before we lifted, but I forgot I was helping a neighbor move furniture before this training session... so yeah, the ribs didn't happen till much later. Now the ribs are going while we await some pizza to tide us over. We're hungry.

A1. Prehab/Mobility

B1. Squat

8 x 45#
8 x 135#
5 x 185#
3 x 225#
2 x 275#
1 x 315#
3 x 1 x 345#

C1. 1-Arm Row

5 x 5 x 120#

D1. 1-Leg BB Deadlift

4 x 6 x 105#          

These are still so, so hard.

E1. AbTrunCoreTwists

3 x 8 x 85#

F1. Farmer Walks (40 ft uphill. 40 ft downhill)

4 x 140#/hand

I dropped the weight on these today so I could practice turning/re-gripping. They felt great, if not torturous.


Overall a good session. I felt a bit discouraged at the end because I feel like my squat is stagnant- I was planning on going up to 375# but the 345# felt like garbage so I took Dave Tate's advice and worked to what I thought my max was for today. Hopefully next squat session, I'll feel better and get me a PR.


Ribs on the grill, pizza on the way, wife by my side, dog running around, ice on my back. Not a bad day, I guess.                    

down here in the underbelly

Whew...and now two days...two WHOLE days off. That should be fun:

• Front Raise: 4x12 30
• Overhead Press: 5x8 85
• High Pull: 5x5 105
• Barbell Row: 4x12 135
• A1. Lat Pull: 4x12 70
• A2. Neutral Grip Lat Pull: 4x12 70
• A3. Kneeling Neutral Grip: 4x12 140

Dropped some numbers because i really want to focus on form for these lifts. My form on almost all of these was getting shitty, especially high pulls. Gotta keep the elbows up. Workout track of the evening: Looking For Strange - KMFDM

welcome to the nation

Quick lunch workout to setup for missing Monday's session:

• A1. EZ Curl: 5x8 75->85
• A2. EZ French: 5x8 65
• B1. Bent DB Curl: 4x12 30
• B2. Pushdown: 4x12 130
• C1. Bent Hammer: 4x12 35
• C2. OHX: 4x12 110
• D1. Cable Curl: 4x12 120
• D2. Stiffarm Pushdown: 4x12 120
• E1. TRX Curl: 4x15
• E2. TRX Overhead: 4x15

Trying an experiment today, i may make thursday a two-a-day with food to setup for the friday-saturday fast. We'll see how this goes. Workout track of the PM: Valid World - Edge Of Dawn. Check out the Acretongue remix if you can find it, it's wicked.

i am vesuvius

Man, squats didn't go quite as well as deadlifts did yesterday but that's alright. As i've stated a few times, as long as i can somewhat maintain, it's all good. I feel like I just need to have a good night's sleep before doing squats. Oddly enough, I didn't sleep very well last night, something that hasn't happened in a WHILE, I'd actually been sleeping pretty decently. Yesterday was a bit of a more intense day, so who knows? Ah well...I feel like there will be good sleep tonight:

Patel:

• Squat: 4x8 45
• Unilateral Shoulder Press: 4x12 15
• Bent Lateral Row: 4x12 20
• Dumbbell Floor Press: 4x12 22.5
• Lateral Raise: 4x12 15
• Good Morning: 5x12 45

Gibson:

• Squat: 5x8 225/205/185/185/185
• Unilateral Shoulder Press: 4x12 37.5
• Bent Lateral Row: 4x12 42.5
• Dumbbell Floor Press: 4x12 52.5
• Lateral Raise: 4x12 22.5
• Good Morning: 5x12 45

Good lifts tonight overall, tomorrow's a two-a-day (not by plan, i screwed up monday pretty royally and i want to keep friday and saturday as recovery). Workout track of the evening: All Pain is Gone - Combichrist

uberfukkenmensch

Always good after a few days off to get back in, grippit-n-rippit. Had a slow start this week for some reason, i think i'm gettin a little more stressed about the goings on at my apartment right now, but i think i just need to relax. Getting to the point where I'm starting to sorta feel the lack of socialness weighing on me a bit, and goddamn i'd love a beer, but no...must stay strong. I'm feelin like the overall routine's workin though so...game on:

• Deadlift: 5x8 225
• DB Shoulder Press: 4x12 40
• Palloff: 4x12 80
• DB Neutral Bench: 4x12 50
• TBar Row: 4x12 105
• TRX Back Row: 4x15
• TRX Chest Row: 4x12

Still debating how much longer i want to stay on the cut. I'm really thinking as much as i have to still drop i can go the full 16 weeks (11 more weeks) if i'm good about refeeds. Calories are still something I'm not 100% but 1200 seems to be a nice sweet spot. Actually it's probably closer 1300 but it's worth it. Getting the requisite protein cals and about 500 extra of recovery nutrients, that's good. Workout track of the evening: Stand Up (for Uberbyte) - Uberbyte.

Shouldering The Load

DE Upper. First time I've done 2 days in a row in a long time, and I feel it. But it's a good thing.

A1. Prehab/Mobility

B1. Push Press

8 x 45#
8 x 95#
5 x 135#
6 x 2 x 185#

Had a little achy right shoulder/trap pain here, like someone stabbing me, but nothing that prohibited me from lifting. Ice will help and I'll keep an eye on it.

C1. BB Pendlay Row

8 x 45#
5 x 135#
3 x 185#
4 x 6 x 205#

D1. Blast Strap Pushups

4 x 20 x bw

Dear lord, these were hard. Hadn't done them in a while...

D2. Plate Holds

3 x 20s x 45#

Tomorrow is an off day, but I am gonna try to be more consistent with prehab/mobility even on off days, what with my advanced age and all. :)

Squat and Sticky!

It's so hot, so hot, so hot bay-baaay. Pretty sure I lost some water weight during DE Lower speedy squats tonight...

A1. Prehab/Mobility

B1. Speed Squat

8 x 45#
8 x 135#
5 x 185#
3 x 225#
5 x 3 x 245#

My lower back pumped up really fast, during warmups on these and I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to power through, but I laid down between sets and it helped a lot. Perhaps I need to find a fast decompression method for nights that I squat after work...

C1. Good Mornings

3 x 8 x 185#

D1. Pullups

4 x 4 x bw

D2. OH Shrugs

3 x 12 x 95#

E1. Farmer Holds

25s x 205# per hand (PR!)
20s x 205# per hand
20s x 205# per hand  

Between the pullups and the farmer holds, my lower back pump disappeared, which is fine by me. This was a good session overall. Squats felt great, and the PR on the first farmer hold was awesome.

sundays at the marina

You know it's weird, I've been reading for years about manipulating metabolism through feast and fast cycles and how carbs can fill out your muscles and all sorts of things like that, but today was the first time i think i've actually seen it in practice. Definitely time to start paying more attention to that sort of thing, though honestly I have a pretty good idea what foods work for me, and it's actually a pretty good balance of clean and not so clean, so, skippy. The hard part now is going to be not becoming a Venice Beach cliche...haha i kid, i kid:

• Bench: 5x8 165
• Incline DB: 4x12 45
• Face Pull: 4x12 LAF 57.5
• Decline DB: 4x12 45
• 2Pt DB Row: 4x12 75
• Seated Row: 4x12 LAF 57.5

All the clean shiny equipment in the world can't disguise i nice rusty beatup gym underneath it all...it's only LA Fitness in name. No workout track today.

Achy Breaky Parts

ME Bench Day. Sweet Jebus my left pec/shoulder thing didn't flare up at ALL (knock on wood). Right trap/shoulder was a bit achy, but I'm fine with achy.

A1. Hip/Shoulder Mobility/Prehab

B1. Bench

2 x 8 x 45#
5 x 135#
3 x 185#
1 x 215#
3 x 1 x 245#

C1. OH Press

8 x 45#
5 x 95#
3 x 8 x 145#

Right shoulder/trap was a bit achy on these. Not sure what it is, probably just something out of whack. It didn't hinder the lifts at all.

D1. 1-Arm Row

4 x 6 x 115#

D2. Ab Fallouts

3 x 8 x bw              

Everything felt OK, but not great. Been very achy and creaky this week, I feel like I'm rusting up or something. Was gonna do some farmer walks or tire flips to finish but I just didn't have it in me...  

owning new life forms

Alright then, made it through weel 5 then, but for some reason methinks fat loss has just screeched to a halt. Didn't think doubling the calories and adding a small amt of peri-workout carbs would have that effect, but like i said, i seem to be able to get fat on air, so the fact that i'm getting fat again on 1600 cals doesn't surprise me. I imagine my metabolism is through the floor by now, but you know, let's see how this walking to work everyday pans out over the remaining 3 weeks. The heavier ankle weights seem to be working for now, but i'm not really feeling much from them either. Maybe time to finally buy that weight vest i've been talking about:

• Press: 5x8 95
• High Pull: 5x5 115
• Bentover Row: 4x12 135
• A1. Lat Pull: 4x12 80
• A2. Neutral Pull: 4x12 80
• A3. Kneeling Neutral Pull: 4x12 160
• Front Raise: 4x12 30

And now, two days off and a solid fast, i said 36 hours, but it may end up being 48 unless i want to eat breakfast tomorrow...which i dont. Workout track of the evening: I'm Pretty Much Fucked - Mindless Faith.

at any moment

Alright so i pulled it together enough to hit the AM makeup session this morning, which was nice...Damn it's nice to be walking distance from the office, and it's even a nice walk too. That's just a good. Also, sleeping in your own bed? Priceless. I haven't slept that well since I moved, no offense to the fine folks at Oakwood Apartments. Left wrist has loosened back up, chalk that up to being wrapped in the heating pad maybe, tho i couldn't get it to pop out nicely like i did last time i had such an issue. Ah well, as long as we're good to go. Man, today is just ultimate upper body day, if i can get through presses and my pulldown tri-set today I'll be rockin:

• Bench: 5x8 155 -> 165
• T-Bar Row: 4x12 100 -> 110
• Decline DB Bench: 4x12 45
• 2Pt DB Row: 4x12 70
• Incline DB Bench: 4x12 40 -> 45
• A1. TRX Chest: 4x15
• A2. TRX Back: 4x15

Man, if my hands hadn't been baked out from something i did yesterday, not sure what, I think I could've gone for the 20 set on the rows. Definitely need to start thinking about Krocin em up. Workout track of the morning: One Good Reason - Vigilante.

between human and divine

Surprising what a few grams of carbs and some extra calories will do. Felt like i was going a bit light today, but this should actually be a heavy week overall, two deadlift sessions (unintentional) and going to wrap it up with press tomorrow. No bench this week, unless i try to pull a two-a-day tomorrow, which from the look of things probably isn't going to happen, tho I'm going to try and wrap up here pretty quick and hit the sack...first night in the new apt, that should be interesting. Crap, you know two-a-day actually sounded feasible about 2 hours ago, of course i didn't think about the fact that it's tomorrow...shit. Ah well. Broz would make me do it:

• A1. EZ Curl: 5x8 75 -> 85
• A2. EZ French: 5x8 65
• B1. Bent DB Curl: 4x12 30 -> 35
• B2. Push Down: 4x12 130 -> 140
• C1. Bent Hammer: 4x12 35 -> 40
• C2. OHX: 4x12 110
• D1. Cable Curl: 4x12 120
• D2. Stiff Pushdown: 4x12 120 ->140
• E1. TRX Curl: 4x12 -> 4x15
• E2. TRX Overhead: 4x12 -> 4x15

Workout track of the evening: Echo Chamber -Negative Format. We should all deal in mind control, it makes us better lifters.

It's Gettin' Hot in Here

The garage, it is so hot. DE Lower tonight.

A1. Prehab/Mobility

B1. Speed Pull

8 x 45#
8 x 135#
5 x 225#
6 x 2 x 300#

After wanting nothing to do with the gym tonight, these felt pretty damn good. Used looooots of chalk due to the hot-n-stickiness of the garage though.

C1. SSB 12" Box Squats

3 x 8 x 245#

Pretty sure I saw Jeebus during these.

D1. T-Bar Row

2 x 12 x 135#

D2. Plate Swings

3 x 15 x 45#

Was gonna do Farmer Holds, but the heat finally got to me. Overall a good session, though.

we are back to dogma

Whatever.

• Deadlift: 5x8 205 ->225
• DB Shoulder Press: 4x12 35
• Seated Row: 4x12 120 -> 130
• DB Neutral Bench: 4x12 50
• X-Palloff: 5x8 TF100
• Face Pull: 4x12 TF130

Yep, that's all i got for today. Workout track of the evening: Proteus Prayers - PreEmptive Strike 0.1. Nice and ravey...like me.

do you believe in rock and roll?

Yeah third workout in a row, i dunno what's going on, just not much to say. I'll be honest, i'm a little burnt out, not on training, but there's been some really weird personal shit that popped up about the time i left seattle that just keeps getting weirder and doesn't seem to want to settle out. I'm sorta using it as a driver, but i'm noticing that emotional training is just really draining now. Mind over matter is fucking tiring:

• Squat: 5x8 185
• Uni DB Shoulder: 4x12 40
• Bent Lateral: 4x12 40
• DB Floor Press: 4x12 45
• Lat Raise: 4x12 20
• Good Morning: 5x8 135

Workout track of the evening: I Believe In Blood - Nachtmahr. The synth break starting at about 2:12 is FUCKING MASSIVE. Hands in the air, jerks.

Freedom Squats! Or Something.

Today was ME Squat day.

A1. Prehab/Mobility

B1. Squat

8 x 135#
5 x 225#
1 x 275#
2 x 1 x 325#
0 x 365# just plain got stuck.
1 x 335#

I don't know why I tried the 365#. wait, yes I do- I felt good and thought I could get it, but I didn't have it in there I guess. I should have stuck with the plan of 3 singles. Oh well. After the 365# bomb I threw 335# on there just to get some decent work in.

C1. 1-Leg BB Deadlift

3 x 8 x 105#

I made this mistake of saying "those can't be too hard!" after Jess did them the other day. I was dead wrong- these things were killer.

D1. 1-Arm Row

5 x 5 x 115#

D2. AbTrunkCoreTwists

3 x 8 x 85#

Man, after a couple of hours of yardwork I almost didn't train. I'm glad I did- aside from the one crappy squat, I got some decent work in ahead of gorging myself with food and beer tomorrow.                    

filtering the masses

Yeah same deal, not alot of words, was a good lift. Going to attribute it to the coffee i drank before training. Also, i think i'm going to call hang deadlifts hangmans from now on. Deadlift -> deathlift -> hang deadlift -> hang deathlift -> hang death -> etc...yeah ok anyway that's dumb but i'm still gonna do it. Anyway, another one of those workouts where i hit the bottom about one set into the last station:

• Hangmans 5x8 185
• Face Pull: 4x12 57.5
• Palloff: 4x12 30
• Seated Row: 4x12 115
• DB Neutral Bench: 4x12 45

...and that was about it. Lots of big dudes at the new gym, pretty cool...

we are only alive

Another kind of nothing special workout just something fun to keep everything moving. Not much to say this morning, i'm just kinda floating right now. Not to say this was an easy workout, it definitely hit me solidly enough. Looking forward to being able to do these splits with some real weight, the 5x5 uni-lateral overhead felt awesome. I can definitely see the advantage of supersetting all this too, doing this linear took about an hour, of course i spent a lot of time warming up.

• Dragon Punch: 5x5 45 -> 50
• Strict DB Snatch: 5x5 45 -> 50
• EZ Curl: 5x5 85
• EZ French: 5x5 75
• Lat Raise: 4x8 25
• Fr Raise: 4x8 30
• A1. Cable Curl: 4x8 130
• A2. Stiff Pushdown: 4x8 130

Deadlift should be fun tonight...wonder what the new gym looks like.

lie in wait for the offering

Nothing crazy today, just some easy shit to keep the body warm and the systems running until tomorrow night. No more 72 hour fasts, that was fucking brutal, but i think i can get away with...36? That's not too bad. Gotta say I want to work some of these lifts into my next couple of cycles, some REALLY good shit here. This was fun, altho my shoulders did start scream a little bit once i started trying do real presses, as the numbers tell. I haven't been particularly diligent about my wall slides, dislocates, and no moneys, seems like i have a living breathing (hurting) reason to get back to that stuff:

• Goblet Squat: 5x5 70
• Strict DB Snatch: 5x5 40
• DB Renegade Row: 5x5 40
• NG Alter Bench: 4x10 35
• Bent Flye: 4x10 20
• NG Standing Alter: 4x10 20
• Rope Extension: 4x10 110
• Band Curl: 4x10

Yeah kinda feel like i'm starting to hit a crash point soon, but i think as long as i can keep sleeping I'll be fine. Train as hard as your recovery allows.

long for the storm

Numbers are even more steadily declining, means it's time to eat again. I can hold off till sunday as planned i think. If i can have a good chill day tomorrow moving provided PODs doesn't continue to fuck me and send my blood pressure through the roof i'll be fine. I was really fucking cold today for some reason, and i'm not talking like 5 hours later i realize, hey, i'm fucking cold, it was more like, get to work, take my jacket off, sit down, FUCK ME I'M COLD. Not sure but whatever. Don't care, i worked out today. Overload is overload:

• Bench Press: 5x8 135
• DB Incline: 4x12 40
• TBar Row: 4x12 90
• DB Decline: 4x12 40
• 2Pt DBR 4x12 65
• TRX Back: 4x12
• TRX Chest: 4x12

I think i can, i think i can. You know...The numbers may not make sense, but hey at the end of the day, i'm the one doing the work and seeing the results. That's about all there is to that. Down to the details.