So much to lift! so little time!

Haven't posted for the past week, so I'll recap while my computer is turning a 2 week task into a 30 minute one. My time at the gym has been cut short most of the time, which is a little frustrating. I finish my two core movements and I want to do some metcon/cardio/something additional, but then I look at the clock and realize I *really* need to get back to work. c'est la vie, I suppose. I'd go after work, but that's after the gym closes. Anyway, here are my past three rather short sessions:

12/2 Friday

A. Warmup

1.5 mi stationary bike

B. Mobility/stretching

10 min

C. Deadlift

5 x 135#
5 x 185#
5 x 225#
5 x 275#
7 x 295#
3 x 305#

D. DB Bench

8 x 35#
8 x 35#
8 x 40#
8 x 50#
8 x 55#
8 x 60#
8 x 60#
8 x 60#

12/5 Monday

A. Warmup

1 mi stationary bike

B. Stretching/movement

15 min

C. Clean and Jerk

5 x 45#

5 x 95#

5 x 115#

3 x 135#

5 x 145#

5 x 145#

5 x 145#

D. Power Clean

5 x 155#

5 x 165#

5 x 175#

I wanted to do some barbell overhead squats, but I had to get back for a meeting. Next Oly day, I'll be sure to get them in.

12/7 Wednesday

A. Warmup

Stationary bike, 1 mile

B. Movement/stretching

10 min

C. Squat

5 x 45#

5 x 95#

5 x 95#

5 x 135#

5 x 185#

5 x 205#

5 x 225#

5 x 240#

5 x 240#

5 x 240#

Still going ass to grass, still feels great

D. Standing Press

8 x 45#

8 x 45#

8 x 55#

8 x 65#

8 x 75#

8 x 80#

8 x 80#

8 x 80#

and capping things off with a ditty that fueled that last set of squats:

secret of war

        Even though you never suspect it, you know it's true, it's always going to be one of the little assistance exercises that you get sloppy and lazy on and fuck yourself up.  Case in point, bent laterals!  And of course it was the very last rep of the very last set that did it.  Thankfully I did some stretching in between and some rolling afterwards, now I'm at home happily doping myself up so I can function tomorrow at my interview.

        It's funny how much you can one-rep when you don't really think about it.  I imagine i'll be able to start out at a fairly good clip on deadlifts when I hit up juggernaut, sadly, I feel like my other lifts might suffer a bit, but I've never had an issue bringing squats up at least, so I'm not going to worry about it.  Just going to keep doing what I'm doing for now and continue to enjoy this rather unique training situation I find myself in.  Anyone wanna setup a GDC Fight Club next year, maybe after the Tech Art meetup?


        It's funny, I'm at that point in the cutting where I get cold alot and it being winter i'm never sure if it's just me or the weather.  Pretty sure it's me at this point, which is a good sign.  Now...here's the real question:  Am I so set on training that I'm going to try and squeeze in a workout in the three hours before my interview tomorrow?  I probably will, let's see what time I end up leaving the airport and get to Redwood City.

• Deadlift: 355x1/305x3/255x5/205x8/135x12 Stripset, no rest
• Push Press: 4x6 145
• A1. DB Floor Press: 4x8 60
• A2. Bent Lateral: 4x8 50
• B1. Hammer Curl: 2x8 25
• B2. Overhead Extension: 2x8 110

        Had to take a serious break before trying to get in those last two stations.  Strict hammer curls are actually really hard to do when your lower back is spasming a tiny bit, but I figure i can put that down as unstable training?  Haha, man that's gonna be my claim to fame, Injured Assistance Training!  Ok that's a horrible idea.

Today's TrainingTune: Fearbomb - Mangadrive

Beginning Aerial Silk

This is my gym:



I normally don't post things I'm so amateur at, but I always like to at least get some video footage when I'm at the beginning of a new journey. A week ago I signed up for Aerial Silk dancing classes, and I've found a long term relationship in them. Pole dancing really spoke to me when I first got into it, but not like this does. I felt like I found something that I had been desperately unconsciously seeking.

At the end of class, Tonya tied the two ropes together (creating a sling) and let the girls go at it. I started with the normal inverts, but then the music kind of got to me, and I started actually dancing. She thought it was really stylistically interesting, so she set up a separate rig and let me practice after class. She's an amazing teacher, and I'm really grateful for all the extra time and attention she's spent in helping me.

avisa la

        There's probably something to be said for not being weighed down by food, or maybe it's because i've been sleeping when I feel like sleeping but this is the first class where i felt like I'm finally catching back up to capoeira.  Didn't play...great...but i'm moving better.  Sucks too, i'm just getting back into a new capoeira family and now i have to leave it behind.  Gah...not the life I really want to be living.  Makes me a sad bear.


        I've done many martial arts, and i will say honestly that Capoeira is the most unique style i've ever studied, and will probably remain so.  There are so many elements of it outside of the actual training that I've just never found in any other martial.  A punch is just a punch, and a kick is just a kick, but Capoeira has a unique way of getting you in and out of those things.  I've always said Capoeira is like jazz, in that Capoeira is the movement between your attacks.  To me, that's your Capoeira.  Don't get me wrong, i'm really looking forward to getting up to the bay and hittin some Kajukenbo hard, but the roda and the bateria will always be home.

        I had thought that i was going to hit up the gym today after class to make up some bodyweight sets since it's across the street and a block or two down from the academy, but yeah, that didn't happen.  Let's be honest, martial arts are pretty much Phd level classes in bodyweight mastery, so I think i'm covered.  I may toss a few sets onto the end tomorrow or maybe do a light two-a-day.  I still feel like my recovery is keeping me somewhat ahead of my overall deficit effect, so there's still some tweaking to be done.

Today's TrainingTune: Chega Pra Ca - Mestre Suassuna

i am atomic

        Two things happened today: I got no sleep last night, which i take as indicator that the lowered calories are finally starting to take effect, and I hit a pretty solid wall, not quite failure, but close enough.  Means it's time to switch over and go full bore RFL.  I've been tapering this week, started at ~200g protein and ~200g carbs, mainly from protein shakes, chicken, and rice, by wednesday, I had dropped to ~200g protein and ~100g carbs, so today I can finally flip over to just ~200g protein.  That's actually under the RFL protocol methinks, but until I have serious crash, I'm going to stick with that.  Going to eat the last of my chicken today, sorta easing into all protein, then by saturday I'll be back on just liquid protein.  Awesome.

        I think i'm going to not start working again till at least January 2, which gives me a full four week jump.  The move should probably go pretty quick and knowing the area means I'll be able to jump right back into training methinks, so cool.  I've mentioned start dates of the 9th, which would actually give me a full 6 weeks of cut, which i think is ideal.  Well, i'll know next week, so cool shtuff.  Then i'll be happy, like this guy:


        This is an interesting cycle because I'm really having to just go on how my body feels but still stay within acceptable numbers.  I don't think i'm going to take a rest day until i crash out, which is an interesting thought, because now I can pretty much just recover whenever i want, so it may be a while until that actually happens...

• Overhead Press: 5x5 115
• Clean: 4x6 155
• A1. DB Neutral Decline: 4x8 65
• A2. Seated Row: 4x8 145
• B1. EZ Curl: 4x8 60
• B2. RopeX: 4x8 70
• DB Bench: 3x12 55
• Lat Pull: 3x12 100

        I would say more, but chicken.

Today's TrainingTune: The Kosmokrator - PreEmptive Strike 0.1

Belated Blog

This is my post for two days ago (take that as an indicator of how swamped I've been)

A. Warmup

Stationary cycle, 1 mile

various stretches

B. Squats

5 x 95#

5 x 95#

5 x 135#

5 x 185#

5 x 205#

5 x 225#

5 x 235#

5 x 235#

5 x 235#

My squats haven't been going up as fast as they used to, but I've also been focusing on really going down as low as possible, so I'll take the slower progress.

C. Standing Press

8 x 45 #

8 x 45 #

8 x 55 #

8 x 65 #

8 x 75 #

8 x 85 #

8 x 75 #

8 x 75 #

I still don't enjoy presses in any form, I'm not sure why I don't. Ah well. making some minor progress here, on a suggestion from a friend I've switched from 5 rep sets to 8 rep sets on my standing and DB chest presses, so we'll see if that helps me progress at all

Today's Training tune:

fractured thoughts unwon

        Ugh, i'm skipping sets for the stupid reason that I'm not looking at my log properly and transferring my sessions to my notebook properly.  I'm tempted to run down to the park today and get in a set of dips just to make up.  I might do that on my walk tonight, I doubt the effect would be negligible other than to put me at some sort of mental rest.  Eh, why not?  I'll do it for the children.



        I added in a few extra sets today just as an experiment, and it felt pretty decent.  I think the first two sessions this week were a bit low on volume overall, so i'm adding one more set of 8s to everything and tacking on two more accessory sets.  Also trying to stay really tight on the rest length, even for supersets.  I'll still take 60 seconds on all the power sets, but I feel like i can hit 45s for now on the supersets.  I'm going to creep numbers up a bit and see what the upper bound is, but yeah.  I need to hit this really fuckin hard, like it needs to hurt.

• Deadlift: 325x1/305x3/255x5/205x8/135x12 Stripset(no rest)
• Push Press: 4x6 145
• A1. DB Shoulder Press: 4x8 37.5
• A2. 2Pt DB Row: 4x8 70
• B1. Front Raise: 4x8 20
• B2. Face Pull: 4x8 90
• C1. Strict Cable Curl: 3x12 80
• C2. Strict Rope Extension 3x12 80

        I wonder if it would be completely detrimental to take 90 seconds and then hit some kettlebell swings or a complex.  Worth experimenting with tomorrow, me thinks.

Today's TrainingTune: Blood Divine - The Synthetic Dream Foundation