Thursday: Undeserved Rest Day

FUCK work. This sucks. No way I can get any gym work in or any other real workout today/tonight. This means I need to basically spend 3 hours in the gym tomorrow and somehow avoid over-training or counterproductivity.

Need to squat. Still on a loose squat-based strength program where I gotta do the 5x5 2-3 times a week and keep bumping the weight. Should deadlift. And I need to get both serious shoulder work, some trap sets (muscles used to fight swine flu) and maybe some other arm stuff... I would say yes.

Here it be - A lot of work for a day, and a lot of time it will take, but that's what you get!

WEIGHT ROOM:

1. SQUATS 5 x 5 x 175
2. DEADLIFT 1 x 5 x 205-225 (stay over 200 for sure - do the set at 225 if feeling extra good on 135 warm up)
3. DIPS 3 x F
4. DB PRESSES... sitting, good weight - pyramid sets (like 5 or 6 at minimum)
5. DELT TONING with DBs
6. DB and Barbell curls
7. TRI-PULL DOWNS - alternating grips with big handle/bar, pyramid sets (4 minimum)
   
8. DB SHRUGS (It's a trap!)

Small Break......

CARDIO INTENSITY:

• 50 Burpees for time

Small Break..... (hydrate)

Extra cardio/Stretch/Cooldown:

• Run a mile or something
• Stretch and maybe some core work

Stay off the bar. This weekend will be pull up time as well as some better interval work than wednseday

Wednesday: Pig Flu

Intervals:
Sprint 2 laps around indoor YMCA track; walk 1 lap. Repeat 7 times.

Why 7? I don't know. I shoulda done 10 or more but I hate sprinting on that damn track. Puts that bending pressure on your knees and I already was sore in the legs and butt from squattin' or something.

Core work:

• Lying knee tucks (?? - saw on someone else's log, but these are garbage -- wtf they sposed to do??)
• Bird dogs x 25
• Chinnies x 10
• Odd oblique russian twist-type joints but with legs swinging back n forth opposite way - don't know name
• Super mans - one arm/leg for 10 sec each x 5, then both arms/legs for 20 sec x 2
• Chinnies x10

Weak. Didn't feel a thing really. Felt more like stretchin. Do more core training at home at night -- maybe pull out the ab wheel.

Realized at this point I totally should have done more intervals so hit the lame elliptical for 10 min just to burn some gas and keep the sweat flowin.

Muscle ups! I tried, I failed... but I did not have proper bar. Only one I had that could possibly have worked I think was the sucker mounted on the wall (so no space to swing). Jonks seem hard anyway, but I need these bitches in my repertoire.

Still not under 180. Fatty.

Tuesday All 'Round Workout -- Not Gonna Cut

1. Squats 5 x 5 x 170

(squats felt heavy)

2. Circuit

• burpee with pull up at top x 5
• DB swings (70lb) x 10
• jumping lunges x 10
  

3 rounds, 6 minutes --- wanted to get a fourth round in there but couldn't - was deeaad...

3. Russian Twists 3 x 15 (25lb plate)

4(ish) -- gayness and failure.

• Leg lifts/raises, another quick set of pull ups... all just monkeying around out of frustration b/c I wanted to do glute-ham raises & couldn't find good place to anchor...
• Tried some flags and I didn't have them today - did TWO and was killed. Sucked. I was crankin out 5 last time I did 'em. bah...
  

5. More failure -- ATTEMPTED Double DB Push Presses @ 55 and it was just too fuckin heavy for me. I can't bust that weight. Could be that I was exhausted, but still. Dropped down to 50 and was able to do them, but not well, and not many. (I've done good sets at 50 before tho, so I don't know what was going on.)

All in all, just was SPENT by the end of the weight room portion of my workout and took the fatigue into the cardio room with me, where I had to try four machines until I found one that wasn't metric (kph) and could handle the full speed for me intervals....

6. Intervals -- elliptical machine, manual at like 10 resistance I think: pushed 14 mph for 60 seconds, then snail's pace/recovery for 90 seconds -- 3 times and then cooled down.

Good workout, but not great. Was fucking tired and I HATE not being able to complete what I want to do.

Monday Shit Day -- conditioning and toning (sorta)... i shoulda wore pink

What proceeds is borderline nonsensical. I feel bad about workout even though I know that I accomplished what I wanted, which was pectoral conditioning, very basic preacher-based bicep work, and some not-to-intense lat and core work. Oh well.

Morning: This workout was weak sauce. I shoulda done all cardio after eating my body weight at Zach's house Sunday night grillin'. Will try for round 2 in afternoon if I can.

Kicked off with some incline and decline bench - bar warm up and then a bunch of sets @ 95lb. Incline was harder and wasn't getting those 10-12 rep sets... more like 6, although I pushed a few past that (one was 9). Decline was a little easier - a few 10 reppers.

Preacher curls -- warmed up light and then did a very easy set of 10 at the ol' standard (75lb), but then was maxing out it felt like at 95lb. Oh well, few more sets of 10 at 75.

Some T-bar rows -- sets @ 70lb and 90lb ... didn't max it out although I am curious (I've def done severeal reps at 135 before (3 plates) and I 5x5 Barbell Rowed 135 - I guess barbell row is where you want to find the 1RM for 'row' exercises anyway)...

Monkey session: Some other bicep tweakage, some light, 15lb many-rep (20-25) sets of DB Flys, some pull ups (wide grips were HARD today), some lower abitude & obliquitudes on the back extension thang, some punchy stuff with cable (jabs and back hand, 100lb)....

Blaaahhhhhhhh... hate this shit. All the tweaking, iso, toning lifts. But pure strength does nothing for appearance and with the summer upon us, I really can't make all my lifting sessions strength sessions. I need to build and tone too I guess.

Good sweat anyway.

pushed a hard 10 minutes heavy resistance on the elliptical (was getting late and needed to get into office).

Weighed in at 180.5, which ain't bad considering the face stuffing.

ROUGH PLAN FOR THIS WEEK:

• Enough hard cardio that I drop the weight down to a steady 177-8 by week's end.
  
• Hardcore shoulder workout - build build build (DBs, not barbells) -- can do tri's and traps this day too.
• At least two good strength sessions (squats, maybe some power cleans, thrusters, etc... focus on explosivity for at least one session but if exercises are 'shouldery' space it out from the shoulder building day)
  • Make sure in strength days to get lower back -- Deadlifts and/or DB Swings... also maybe get some good glute-ham raises in this week
    
    
    

Sunday park day

In the park by fountain... 93 degree and the air is plump.

3 rounds of:

• 20 push ups
• 20 box jumps (24 in)
• 20 sit ups
• run

Run varied -- first time, sprinted 50 yrds or so; second time, cooked a loop around the fountain, third time just did 10 jump squats and then finished by running up the stairs.

Not bad -- heart racing, but expected more sweat! eh, it kept coming for a while at least.. meh

Thursday: Man Maker Challenge

Bulk of work was 50 Man Makers timed: 10 minutes even. I was shocked. I took many breaks and walked to the water fountain 3-4 times. I should have done even better (even if I just had a water bottle next to me I would have easily shaved 2 minutes off I think). Next time, destroy that time.

Did some ax chopper cable thingies, some off-the-side-of-the-bench weighted decline sit ups (25lb plate), some pull ups, some dips, some back extensions, prob some other stuff and then finished workout with plank hold (I do believe I got 1 minute)... shot around for a while on the court and then peaced. With that challenge thing as the opener (aside from quick warm up) workout was my quickest in long time.

Oh... and weighed in under 180lb... 179.5, but still. Progress.

Wednesday: Pain is your friend

Warm up: pull ups, push ups, jump squats, GO...

1. Squats: 5 x 5 x 165
(felt crappy -- top front of thigh/groin kind of hurt right off the bat)

2. Barbell Rows: 5 x 5 x 135
(failed on the very last rep, but was 30lb more than last time I did this... nonetheless, same weight next time, McGillicutty)

3. Thrusters: 2 x 5 x 95
(kinda hard -- not the weight so much as balance and technique)

4. Explosive circuit -- Repeat 3x

• Barbell Punches: 5/each side x 35 on bar
• DB Snatches: 3/each side x 55lb

(whew... good one. did rounds 1 & 2 no break, but HAD to take at least a minute breather before 3rd round)

5. DB Scruggz: 2 x 10 x 90 (finished off with diminishing weight cable upright rows after)

6. Wrap up: crunches, leg lifts, etc -- good core/abs run until it hurt pretty good, then immediately jumped on elliptical for a 5 minute/fast as you can with pretty good resistance finisher and had the trunk HURTING (maybe a crampy kinda pain unfortunately, but I liked it -- have the feeling it was good pain for some reason).

Tuesday: Work usurped my work

Shit. Didn't make it. Psh... Grrrrr

Man, my pull up muscles are a mess but it's not my lats -- think it's in my arms or shoulders... No idea how, maybe bad sleeping? I need to rest em so I can pull up/chin up for real. Good thing today is core and cardio/intervals.

Not going to map the workout or even record it unless I do something worth note -- plan is just to get a whole bunch of basic core work in and then either burn out intervals on the track upstairs (with stuff like jumping jacks, heavy bag, push ups maybe in between) or use the old elliptical the best I can for this. The former would be better maybe, but just got my ipod back so will prob end up chugging on the gaylliptical... maybe can get a pick up game of hoops too depending what time I make it to gym.

Monday Wuchumacallit

Deadlift for 1RM... hit 275 but sweaty hands = bar started to slip at top - I know why honkies be using chalk now. Woulda tried for heavier if not for the slippage.

Followed with some reps at lighter weight to make sure back/form/everything was all good...

Overhead Squat: 4, 3, 2 x 95lb (warmed up with bar, but the rack was in high demand so just jumped on it and tossed on the 25's -- didn't realize I put on that much. Was gonna try 5 x 5 x 85 ... another time.)

Everything else basically extra since I wanted to get cardio in.

• some full extension cable pulls
• light pull ups, jumping lunges, jump squats full leg lifts on pull up bar, one set of hindu push ups ... monkeyin' around all over
  
• Russian Twists 2 x 15 x 25lb, 1 x 10 with a sit up in there

25 on the elliptical with speed/sprint intervals (not counting the random resistance changes obviously)

Back of my knee was hurting pretty bad and I couldn't stretch it out (slept on it weird maybe) -- didn't affect exercises miraculously (even squartz).

Shirt was soaked pretty good :)

Weighed in at a hair over 180lb -- the 170's are in sight and if I can control my goddamn pie hole I can get that into the low 170's pretty soon hopefully.

Tuesday - Abs, Core, Cardio

Wednesday - Strength (start with Squat 5 x 5, include Thrusters, DB Snatches, Barbell Punches - maybe do a circuit of last one some sort of DB Row or Barbell Row, pull ups and box jumps... make sure to throw in some scrugz in extras,,, get them "I dunno's")

Wasted weekend....

Took a rest day on Saturday to play golf (still did bunch of push ups in the morning and stuff, but nothing good)

Sunday -- planned on getting a good workout in outside with some sprintervals, box jumps, burpees, etc... couldn't. Just didn't have it in me -- was dehydrated and totally spent. Lack of sleep + dehydration = anathema for getting any work done. Before my plan to hit the park tried for a few rounds of Man Makers (5 x 25lb DBs) + Jump Squats (10) and after 2 rounds was feeling dead -- huffing and puffington.

Make up for it this week, fool!

Fun Friday

Tried some max outs and not sure if I hit my 1RM's because I warmed up to them very incrementally but hit:

• Back Squat: 225lb x2
• Overhead Press: 120lb x2

I was impressed with both numbers - didn't expect to go that big on squats and I just lack confidence on the OHP's b/c my 5x5's are always difficult.

Then...

• Squats: 2 x 5 x 160
• Bench Press: 5 x 5 x 140
• DB Clean & Press: 5 x 2/each side x 50 (sloppy looking presses I tells ya -- bad grade I guess: C ?)
  
• Dips
  
  • Wasn't working... same joints or whatever that were tired and keeping me down. Did 2 sets of 5 right after Bench and wanted to punch myself in face but then got a mini circuit in and they were coming out a little better.
• Mini Circuit (idea was to match #'s but failed on Dips -- see above)
  
  • Side bends x 15/each side x 45 (plate)
  • 15 Dips (1o)
    
  • Side bends x 10/ea
    
  • 10 Dips (7)
    
  • Side bends x 5/ea
  • 5 Dips (5)

Got a whole bunch of extras in too -- some V sit ups, a few weak sets of pulls and chins, hanging ab jonks, some tri stuff, etc etc ... was just having fun with it.

Good workout. Not gonna grade every exercise. Was a lot of fun, went long, got solid sweat. I needed it.

Thursday: Intervals

Good one. Upstairs at Y. "Sprinting" on laps got progressively slower and while the first few rounds I didn't take any break between running and work sets really, on last several I needed 45-60 seconds of breath catching after the laps.

• 20 med ball slams (10lb)>> 20 sit ups>> run 2 laps (fast)
  
• 20 DB swings (50lb)>> run 2 laps
• 15 med ball slams>> 15 sit ups>> run 2 laps
• 15 DB swings>> run 2 laps
• 10 med ball slams>> 10 sit ups>> run 2 laps
• 10 DB swings>> run 2 laps
• 5 med ball slams>> 5 sit ups>> run 2 laps
• 5 DB swings>> run 2 laps

When I returned DB to weight room I needed to let the sweat flow and come down still a bit so did some light pull ups, dragon flags, and russian twists with 25lb plate (5, 5, 15)... did the trick

Running was the killer - obviously. The only work set that was not totally easy was the 1st set of 20 DB swings. As the numbers got low, felt like silly b/c I could have continued to do so many more reps, but the running stayed getting harder and harder so I guess that's all that matters.

Forgot to look at the clock at start, but I think I was inside of 20 minutes b/c I finished by 12:50 and a class that had started at 12:30 hit the track during my first set of DB swings and that would have been a few min after the class started at least. Those bamas messed up those 2 laps b/c I had to go slower to navigate around them. But there were some bunnies so that softened the blow.

Wednesday -- "rest"

After a few days of rest -- in that time diddled with some dumbbell exercises and def was up on my pull up bar some, but nothing too significant to call a workout... Wednesday, a very busy day at work was the culprit.

Plan for Wednesday through the weekend

DO THESE WORKOUTS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS

Intervals/Cardio/Conditioning:

go up to track area in gym w/ dumbbell, clock rough time if you can:

• 20 sit ups
• run 2 laps (fast -- if there are others on the track, wont be able to go full gas but as fast as you safely can)
• 20 DB swings (not pushing for heavy weight -- 55lb maybe)
• run 2 laps fast
• 15 situps
• run 2 laps fast
• 15 DB swings
• run 2 laps fast
• 10 sit ups
• run 2 laps fast
• 10 DB swings
  
• run 2 laps fast
• 5 sit ups
• run 2 laps fast
  
• 5 DB swings
• run 2 laps fast
  
  
• If there's anything in the tank after this, Russian Twists when you go to return the DB
  

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Strength:

• Squats 5 x 5 -- 160lb
• Deadlift 1 x 5 -- 195lb
• Bench 5 x 5 -- 140lb
• DB Snatch 5 x 3/side -- 55lb
• Dips

----------------------------------------------

Building (mass):

• Overhead press, maybe with both barbell and machine
• Curls
  
• Tri pull downs
• French press
  
• T-bar rows
  
• Lat pull downs
  
• Lat cable pull downs (full range of motion)
• DB shrugs 80 or 90lb
  

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Work Capacity 101:

• 5 Pullups
• 10 Medicine Ball Slams
• 10 Burpees
• 20 Jumping Jacks

AMRAP in 20 minutes.

----------------------------------------------

Try to get some other random conditioning and core... maybe some of those '300' workout exercises like Floor Wipers and also Russian Twists, maybe Dragon Flags...

----------------------------------------------

For weekend (or evenings I can get out on time and have nice weather)
Either Meridian Hill Park or Calvert Street Rock Creek Park exercise trail (in which case, add some pull ups to routines). Running should be intervals/fast. Get the solid ass-kicking cardio you need outside one of these days.

Saturday Conditioning/Strength

Had to keep it short b/c started maybe 40 min before gym closing time... blah. Workout sucked. Totally hung over and extremely dehydrated.

1. Squats: 5 x 5; 155lb

2. Overhead Press: 5 x 5; 85lb

3. Barbell Rows: 5 x 5; 105lb (try alternating grips for sets -- over, under, over, under, over)

4. Some delt stuff (DB raises and such... all only 15lb DBs)

Quote of the day (not to steal too much from Dan's workout log)

"If you cannot squat low, you ain't worth shit." -- Elliot Hulse

To Do List

Work Capacity 101

• 5 Pullups
• 10 Medicine Ball Slams
• 10 Burpees
• 20 Jumping Jacks

AMRAP in 20 minutes.

Sat....

"There's no business like row business." (alternatively, "Rowbody rows the trouble I've seen, rowbody rows but Jesus"; alternatively, "Shoulders, shoulders everywhere and not a drop to drink.")

Did these, didn't get to swings. Those were the workout...

1. Squats: 5 x 5; 155lb (ease up into it with warm up sets)

2. Overhead Press: 5 x 5; 90lb? (consult the Beanslift chart for better idea, but that seems right)

3. Barbell Rows: 5 x 5; 105lb (try alternating grips for sets -- over, under, over, under, over)

4. Tweaking the delts: various DB raises (front, lateral, back), do on bump/half-ball thing if possible, sets of 10 (maybe 2 sets ea)

5. DB Swings: 3 x 15 @ 60lb (beast!)

No extras -- there will be nothing in the tank after this, guaranteed. Might not even be alive. The finisher will eat your children.

----

*some time next week, work into a conditioning workout: 35lb DB (or plate w/handle) Clean & Press x 50 (25 each side)

Thursday: And boom goes the dynamite

Very decent workout. Ass kickers were the Front Squats b/c I am a gimp and couldn't get the proper hold/bar placement and the Jumping Lunges but only b/c I think I messed up counting (not sure - circuit was brutal though, was huffin and puffin after the lunges). From now on, exercises will be graded.

EXPLOSIVE STRENGTH:

1. DB Snatch: 5 x 3/side @ 55lb

Grade: A -- First set was a little sloppy but the next 4 were good and crisp. Same weight next time though, bucko, because of that first set.

2. Double DB Clean: 5 x 3 @ 55lb (each hand)

TOO MUCH WEIGHT. 1 sloppy set. 1 GOOD set, but upon doing good set realized it was too much for the full 5x5. Did 4 sets with 80lb barbell (hang clean) adding a couple o' reps to the last set. Grade: F on the DB Clean at that Weight, A on the barbell.

3. Circuit 4x:

a. Front Squats @ 95lb

Grade: F -- Couldn't find more ways to hurt myself, couldn't get right placement on shoulders of bar, was hurting shoulders where bar was resting, was really hurting wrists the way I had to bend 'em just to keep some fingers on the bar to stabilize... completed 5x5 okay, but need to get form.

b. Jumping Lunges or Jumping Squats (x 10 ... if lunges, right/left = 1 rep)

Grade: ? -- Could have been an A or an F... I thought I failed the first 3 rounds at 7 or 8 and completed the sets with jump squats, but then the 4th round (which I def counted cleanly) was quicker and easier than the first 3 to complete so I think I might have counted poorly the first few. These made the whole workout though -- especially if I was counting wrong, because those sets to fail were ass kickers (had me huffin and puffin for life goin into the pull ups)

c. Pull Ups (Close Grip) x f (8, 6, 5, 7)

Grade: ? -- all relative... coming out of the lunges, I think these #'s are really good actually, but in general, I want to see fail sets of pull ups at like 12 or 15 soon... gotta break double digits.

d. One-arm DB rows x 5/side FAST @ 60lb

Grade: A -- they were hard (as end of circuit) but I did 'em fine. Would not have been able to do them well or as fast as I'd want at 70lb tho, which was my planned/hoped for weight).

4. Overhead Squats: 5 x 5, 75lb

Grade: C- -- I guess completed the sets okay, but I was worried about form, was hurting in wrists and stuff from Front Squats and form coulda been better/squats coulda been lower (felt some pinching in the middle of my back and stuff... get the form).

Extras: biceps & triceps... random

NOTE on Dumbbell Safety: I bruise my lower forearms pretty good sometimes doing DB Swings, which is okay, but be careful dropping/putting down the DBs after sets of Snatches, Cleans, Presses, etc. Was knockin the same spot pretty hard after the snatches today on left arm.

Wednesday: Another cardio "workout"... yeah right

Had planned on expolosive strength workout in afternoon but crazy busy and late workday put an end to that. Pft!! See Thursday for strength workout and make Saturday next lift day (conditioning/strength)... then rest or intervals on Sunday and back to Mon-Wed-Fri lifting next week.

Morning: Cardio

40 min on the elliptical, some side ab jonk, some back extensions and some good stretching

(Finished off with 2 min "sprint" at 11mph)

post-workout weigh in at 183.
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Publish Post

Tuesday: Cardio

Morning

40 min on the elliptical (blahhhh)

Monday: Scrumgth

Jesus, Fatty. You weighed in at 190lb pre-workout and just shy of 188 afterward. EAT LESS. Health shmealth... too many cals. And seriously, no cardio workouts that don't come damn near putting you in the hospital. Faaaaaaaaattyyyyy.

Warm up:

• Plyo push ups x 10
• Chin ups x 5

2 rounds of this with no break between exercises and minimal few-second break between rounds.

1. SquaRts: 5 x 5 @ 145lb

2. Deadlift: 1 x 5 @ 185lb

3. Bench press: 5 x 5 @ 135lb

4. Dips: 3 x F (9, 12, 9 ... all about freshness here -- first set was coming off directly off bench I think and then did some sit ups and stuff in between other sets. Should do sets closer together but I didn't feel like failing on like fuckin' 4 or something.)

Extras:

• Several sets of sit ups and twisting side sit ups off the bench (name for 'em?)
• DB shrugs: 3 x *about* 15 @ 80lb DBs
• "Barbell punches": 1 x 5 ea. side @ 40lb, but was too slow so went lighter after that and did 3 x 5 @ 25lb on bar.
• One-arm plyo rows (cable) 3 x 10 each side @ 120, 130, 140

Note on the "punches": Just poked around with a google of "barbell punches" and found video demos of people doing this several different ways -- some people using too much weight and pushing the bar slowly, some people using inside/back hand and some using front/jab hand. I prefer to roll how Ross (RossTraining) be doing it -- strong (back) hand and low enough weight where the motion is FAST and explosive. If I'm pushing the weight too slowly, then I'm gonna shave it down. Last time I did 2 sets with 35lb on the bar I think though and was slammin it pretty fast so I'm not sure 40lb was too much -- maybe was just b/c end of work out and left hand was def the weaker.

Now EAT LESS FATTY

Sunday Rest

Saturday -- at night we make babies, but during the day we make men

Where: Meridian Hill Park, lower fountain section
When: Mid-day, after serious hydration and a little burying of the hangover
What: Collision of fun/challenge with cardio

6 circuits of:

• Man makers (35lb DBs) x 5
  
• Sprint across park to other end of fountain and back to weights (about 40 or 50 yards each way)

Friday: Strennnnnggggth

The following workout is rated B for BRUTAL.

burpee warm up

From one exercise right to the next...

1. Squats: 140lb, 5 x 5

2. Double DB push press: 50lb DBs, 5x5 -- THIS was the ass kicker. That shit was pretty fuckin' heavy for me. Only got 4 on last 2 sets so same weight next time, chump. Try warm up next time with lighter weight... build up to it like you do with squats and bench.

3. Sumo deadlifts high pull: 80lb, 5 x 5

4. Dips 3 x F: 10, 6, 5 -- This is some disappointing pussy shit. Last time I did 11, 10, 7... I suspect the decrease is b/c late into a hard workout.

5. DB swings: 55lb, 3 x 15 (finisher)

Notes:

After that finisher, I didn't need any extras today. Did a few slow, controlled shoulder lifts (one-arm DB presses w/ 40lb and some light lateral raises I held out at peak, but only like one set of each... and did some sets sideways sit ups in between the 3 DB swing sets).

End of the week, good time to reflect. And the the thing that's standing out to me is my absolute lack of weight loss and even possible weight gain. It's clear that I am gaining some muscle mass, but I am not losing the fat pounds I want and I am doing what I think is needed to really get the furnace burning. My suspicion is that it's the extra food I am getting in breakfast and snacks. At last doctor's visit, he gave me the old, "make breakfast and lunch your big meals and don't eat dinner or carbs too late/close to bed." That's sound advice I guess if you get home from work by 5:30, go to bed at 9pm and wake up sunny and chipper at 6am. I am not a breakfast eater - usually just a banana if anything, so this is all added calories for me... not to mention the little (healthy, but still...) snacks every 2-3 hours or so. These tactics should spike the metabolism, but they are not. I am eating very healthy food for the most part, but I feel like I am force feeding myself in the morning. Try backing off breakfast and just taking a slightly lighter lunch with a light snack later on (basically lunch in 2 spread out lighter sittings). No matter what, you ain't gonna avoid dinner so extra eating will not be offset.

Weighing in at at least 186 today. Faaaaaaaaaaaaattttyyy...

Hamstring soreness - yarp

Only left leg, so I gotta make sure I was doing the ham-glute raises right... Without a spotter and a rough makeshift anchor I tried to concentrate on form and straight back, but definitely needed to stay concentrating on the leg anchor too. If it is the hammy it's real low b/c pain is down behind knee almost. Was kinda sore last night, but is the super sore today. Will be shuffling around like an old man. Gonna work through it anyway so hopefully I don't hurt myself w/ squats and push presses. At least I should know if workout is doable when I start warming up...

Look online for testing for hamstring pull...

Update: no big deal... feels better after walking around during day and feels best after workout. No pull, just minor strain and healthy soreness

the bar has arrived -- that was mad quick, yo

I WILL increase my pull up capability 5 fold!

Thursday: Car dee yo PUSHED BACK

Cardio day... Eat lightly, especially after workout for rest of day, muthafucka!

Need to hydrate today -- cardio at night. 6pm "spin" class.

Mid-day

4 circuits:

• Pull ups x F
  
• Sit ups x F
  
• Medicine ball push ups x F
  
• ham-glute raises x F

Notes:
1. You ain't impressing anyone with your pull up #'s, buddy. That doorway bar can't get here soon enough.
2. Did a little bit of bi and tri work with the cables b/c I am stupid and have no willpower and saw some else doing it and it looked fun...

Evening

• 60 min cycle class --UPDATE: Couldn't get out of work in time to make this and didn't feel like a boring cardio session on the eliptical/treadmill so will call today a "rest" despite the quick mid-day workout and not take a weekend rest day. Bball don't start till 6 on Saturday, so you have the whole day to exercise and weather's supposed to be good on both days.
  

Note from a night out...

One-hitters in bar bathrooms are always a tempting offer but ganj = fitness kryptonite. Bad decisions lead to bad things... like a late night cocktail weenie binge (apparently with chop sticks). No quicker way to undo all the good gym work!

Wisen up.

Wednesday: Strength ... They called me Tasty Cakes

Tasty early morning workout ... woke up at like 3:45 or some shit (aka crack o'clock) and couldn't get back to slumber.

Warm up: Burpees -- 2 X 10

1. Alternating front squats and overhead squats:

• 3 x 5 each
• bar (45lb); 65lb; 85lb
• topped it off with one set (5 reps) of reg back squat @ 145lb

2. DB Snatch: 5 x 3/side; 50lb DB

3. Barbell rows: 5 x 5; 100lb (think I might have done an extra set b/c I zoned out)

4. Bench press: 5 x 5; 130lb (warmed up with sets of 10+ w/ legs raised @ empty bar and 70lb)

5. Pull ups 3 x F: damn it all to hell, only got 4, 3, 3 ... think the rows might have tired me out (like I said, think I might have squeezed in an extra set there)

EXTRAS (not exactly in this order):

• DB extensions: 40lb x 10; 50lb x 8
• Floor wipers with empty bar 1 X 20 (just practicing this new-to-me exercise)
  
• Bulgarian split squats holding 25lb DBs on each side - 5 each leg
• 10 quick box jumps
• 5 slow DB presses trying to get that upper middle delt that gets neglected if form ain't dead on -- 30lb DBs
• TURKISH GET UPS showed me how weak I am: only 2 x 2 with 25lb DB (left side was the one that had the trouble)

All in all, good lift -- happy with it.

"Mike Snifferpippitz who? How many Mike Snifferpippitzes do you know? Now let me in already, it's cold out here...."