Monday: Deltz (worst kind of workout)

Stretched and warmed into my C&P routine but didn't have the energy. Started with 145# and only cranked 2 reps on first set. On second attempt couldn't clean the bar up. The presses weren't hard -- it was the cleans. I was just sapped. Could be the nasty cold I've had the last two days and still have, could be the debilitating heat and humidity... could be both. Lifting sick sucks.

I needed to keep it not much more than a half hour today so just worked the shoulders after that, but didn't have a partner to spot or motivate and I don't trust that the lifting was that effective.

• seated DB presses
• Lateral raises (cable - 40,50,60)
• front DB raises (20#)
• rear - laying face down with 20, standing/half squart with 25
• little tweaky exercises with 12.5# and 5#
• cranked out a few sets of bar curls at the end...
  

This will count as "shoulder day." Next lift will be vain b.s. too since I'm going to vegas this week so have excuse: full upper body -- Triceps, Chest, Lats, Core... At least will try to get some functional stuff in there like bench, pull ups and dips. Will work biceps and core more if I make it to the gym in Vegas (and might squeeze in some cardio even tho 110 degree heat might melt some of the extra fat off anyway :)

Friday Rack Pulls and Core

Never made it to gym yesterday b/c was way too busy (of course, typical [*fart sound*]). Just bumping up the general plan, which was deadlift and core on Thurs and some sort of metcon/intervals on Friday. Since I didn't wake up early enough for outdoor fun, will just skip the 'cardio'-style stuff for the day. Subbing in rack pulls for deadlifts with the hopes of making it easier to crank reps .

Rack Pulls
5 x 3 x 315

success, no hardship but lots of sweat

Core Training #7 (mambo #5?)

• TGUs x 5/side @ 1st rd 30#, 2&3: 40# -- wu'unt easy, i was rusty on them joints
  
• Saxon Side Bends x 6/side (10#)
• V-ups x 10 + Knew Hugs x 10 + V-ups x 5 + Knee Hugs x 5
• Repeat 3x - finish w/ plank hold (prob 45 sec or just over - conservative)
  

3 x 10 x 100 -- DB shrugs

1 x 8 x 75 -- preacher feature teacher curls

weigh in: 184.5 (i think)
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Next park w/o: burpees and rope intervals with something else thrown in there.

Thursday morning jog

I like getting a quick something in if I can get out by 6:30 or so (go out around 6 today I think - and was productive b/c ran by bbuster and returned movies).

Over to admo via Euclid, up to Kalorama park and around the park, then took Kalorama to Meridian Hill Park and did a lap there... MapMyRun.com said it was 2.15 miles. Not sure of my clip, but was certainly not going for speed.

Wednesday 2 (daytime) -- 'Glamour Muthles' (*Jazz Hands!*)

Triceps, Chest, Biceps, Back (LATS only, still resting traps still tomorrow)

Super Set-Style (not really a circuit b/c will increase weights):

• Cable bicep curls (simultaneous one-handed, to head) x 8 (30#, 40#, 50#)
  
• Cable twist/press (chest, side to side alternating) x 8 (50#, 60#, 60#)
  
• Pull ups close grip x 6
  
• Tricep cable press downs with rope grip x 10 (90#, 100#, 110#)
  

Repeat 3x and finish with 2 sets laying back cable curls (two-handed): 70#x12; 80#x12

Notes: Failed on last set of the twist/press and after like 4-5 reps, just cranked out 9/side of ref press/punch at same weight). Had some ADD inbetweeners - a few reps of cable side pull downs (crossovers not all the way?); some bar curls, etc.

Circuit:

• DB flyes (25lb) x 8
  
• Seated DB curls (25lb) x 8 (25# was plenty here after 1st circuit - last set was pretty tough)
  
• 1-arm DB rows (65lb) x 6
  
• French Press (75lb) x 10

Repeat 4x3x and finish with regular/wide grip pull ups - 2 sets x F

NOTES: This was experimental. I should have made the chest exercise strengthy like the latissimus movement and done one-arm bench presses at same weight as row (and back to back with row). Next time. Also, finisher was a bust -- I couldn't even get one full chin-over-the-top pull up at that point.

"Core Training #7" from Ross:

• TGUs x 5/side @ 45# (at home - needed to keep 10# plates handy for the SSBs)
• Saxon Side Bends x 6/side (10#)
• V-ups x 10 + Knew Hugs x 10 + V-ups x 5 + Knee Hugs x 5
• Repeat 3-5x. Finish with plank hold for time.

CORE CIRCUIT WAS A BUST!!! Too much upper-body muscle fatigue in arms and shoulders and could not do TGUs at the time (felt it out with 30#). MUST get good core training session by end of tomorrow (see plan at end of post).

Cranked out 1 time:

• 10 v-ups
• 15 back extensions
• 10 plate (45#) twists
• 10/side weighted side bends (45#)

Weigh in: 183.5

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FLAN

THURSDAY: Keep it simple. Deadlift, GOOD Core Circuit, maybe finish with some DB shrugs
FRIDAY: Some sort of metcon or intervals

Do handstand push ups (or attempt em anyway) any time -- at home or gym.

Wednesday 1 (pre work) - Trot Around the Park

Got out early to get the blood flowing -- had sprinting on my mind but the hard stone ground was way to wet (slippery) for that business.

• Light run up to top of park and then around the 'track'
• stretched, popped down the steps to the fountain level and found ok ledge
• 30 box jumps (21-22")
• Light run up the steps and back around the track one more time
• 30 sit ups
• 30 push ups
• 30 BWS

shoulder fuck

i forgot to stretch after work out and then slept on my right shoulder funny. doesn't feel like it did when it was injured but hurts to lift and extend in several ways and clicks/pops like there is some funky friction going on in rotator cuff or cartilage or something. will have to try to ice it and stay off of lifting for at least day or two -- runnin' and jumpin'?

Monday Vanity Day (w/ some strength): Shoulders (ham on the track)

Ham on the track? Haaammm on the track! (means I felt nauseous or woozy after).

Was gonna kick off with "Black Box" style Max Effort C&P and then move onto some circuits maybe and core training but was already getting spent by after that so just brutalized my shoulders to at least make sure the workout had some impact. Was disgustingly hot and HUMID, and it was pretty warm and muggy in the gym too -- think it took it out of me, but this was first time back in gym in several weeks.

Warm up:

• Stretching - shoulders, hips and legs a little
• SDLHP x 10 x 95
• Some light BB overheads (50#) behind and in front of the head
• SDLHP x 10 x 95
• More light barbell presses to warm up the shoulders

"Max Effort" Hang Power Clean and Press:

• 5 x 105
• 5 x 115
• 5 x 125
• 3 x 135
• 3 x 145 FAIL (2) -- didn't fail on the 3rd rep, was just pooped
  

Sucked.

For a good while, did plate raises and cable exercises to help get rear delts -- reverse cable crossovers, both down to up (harder) and up to down (wolverines) -- plus some rear delt DB raises and some other light weight Y-presses and other in betweeners throughout.

Definitely spent the delts, and to a small extent the traps. Couldn't lift arms til back at office.

I am reluctant to lay out workout plan for week since we've seen how well that works, but I will say that I must "get back into it" and get a few workouts. Also will commit to doing at least some core, some conditioning AND late in the week shoulder/trap "upkeep" with a few handstand push-ups and maybe some DB shrugs.

Weigh in: 182.5

* NOTE: Got some casein protein to take before bed but gonna wait til I have 2-3 workouts under my belt with a few days to start taking... or will just take small amount. DEFINITELY not running any where close to a calorie deficit (I GOTS enough calories).

Note on diet and activity

Soooo....

Been totally unable to work out for 2-3 weeks b/c of work schedule, moving and crap going on outside work. BUT weighed in [just] under 180 today for the first time in a longgg time (maybe since before the winter). Still need to drop 5 pounds before I show it, and need the activity and lifting to make sure I am not losing muscle (which I fear is part of it).

Anyway -- much of my weight gain came at periods of time when I was eating "healthy" but not working out enough. I was sticking pretty close to a paleo-style diet -- barely any grains, sugar or dairy and almost exclusively meat, fruit and veggies. But this kind of diet makes you eat a lot. The fat in the meat has a lot of calories. And the amount of protein I was taking in (living on the theory that there's no such thing as too much), was not appropriate for a non-training/non-active lifestyle. I think, for me anyway, the very high protein intake must be coupled with more vigorous activity.

I got less strict with carbs which makes me less hungry in general. Still keeping intake low-ish, but will have the occasional sandwich, bagel, pizza or bowl of pasta, plus granola in the morning.

Most importantly I think, I cut down on the red meat. I was just eating way too much red meat. 2-3 times a week is plenty. No need to have red meat pretty much every day like I was doing. Been eating slightly less eggs too. Prob wouldn't be difference if I just ate whites, but I love a yolk.

Maybe as important, I cut down on drinking. No major effort here, just been busier I guess. Taking more days a week off from the drinking and of course that can't hurt.

I'm about to destroy my progress this weekend going up to NY bc I'm gonna eat my weight in pizza and other yummies I am sure, but it's good to know my little experiment worked.

Eat LESS (even if taking in some carbs/starch is what helps you do it). Eat less red meat, especially when not working out my muscles enough. Drink less booze.

I also have been taking in some good 'fat-burning' food too, for note: probiotic kefir, green tea, high-fiber berries (ras, blue, straw).

One MAJOR thing I need to correct is that with my relaxed carb and dairy intake, I've also started having more sugar. That shit don't fly. Gotta cut it out.