Becoming an Athlete

Yeah, that's a little bold and misleading.  I certainly didn't attend a Soviet or North Korean style re-education camp, but the impact has reached just as deep into my subconscious and changed me I feel like a different man; a better man.  Its a damn shame that my marriage had to end, but had it not, I'm not sure I'd be here today.  I'm at my 12% bodyfat goal, but that is not what is different.  Reaching the goal is simply an effect of me becoming something more. I have been self-disciplined for several months and it is automatic now.  Budgeting my time, energy, and finances is automatic.  I know what needs to be done every day and I do it.  I know what needs to be killed every day and I KILL IT!!!! My knee is still on the road to full strength, but following the Stack-10 plan, plus adding gobs of accessory work is paying off.  My overall conditioning and definition are on par with where I was when competing in MMA, but with a much higher le...

I stopped tracking bodyfat and weight.  My stomach keeps getting smaller, my weight has stabalized, my endurance is going up, my strength is going up, but most of all my work capacity has skyrocketed. I worked up another 10 pounds on squats, then killed it on other stuff. squats:  45x10; 65x10; 95x10; 115x10; 135x10; 155x10; 175x10; 185x5 Superset: a. Step-ups:  5 sets of 15 per leg b. 50lb Kettlebell swing:  10, 15, 20, 10, 15 hack squat drop-set:  240x6 - 190x6 - 140x6 - 90x6

I've been doing plenty of rehab and conditioning work, but I just started truly squatting on Monday, 9 DEC.  My knee is still the weak link.  I've recovered well from surgery, but the degradation to strength has been severe. One thing I did to make it more time efficient is to add 30 reps of calves raises from the floor (just bodyweight) between every set of every exercise.  My calves feel it today. Good old barbell back squats:  45x10; 65x10; 95x10; 115x10; 135x10; 155x10; 175x10, 8 hack squat machine: 50x10; 90x10; 110x10 single-leg extension: 20x20; 25x20; 30x15; 35x15; 40x10; 45x10; 50x10

I did 5 rounds of the following: wide grip pullup x 1 dips x 2 80lb kb swing x 5 squat jump x 10 medium grip pullup x 2 dips x 3 80lb kb swing x 5 squat jump x 10 chinup x 3 dips x 5 1-arm KB swing x 5 each squat jump x 10

I have 9 more sessions with the personal trainer.  It's been fun to do a mix of "functional" training and bodybuilding, but I'm ready to get back to meat and potatoes lifting, along with kettlebell work for conditioning and Highland Games-specific training. 2014 Training Blocks: Phase I:  Volume 10 weeks duration (4wks, 1 down week, 4wks, 1 down week) Mon:  chest (10x10); biceps (10x5) Tue: Charles Staley's Stack-10 plan Wed:  Cardio only Thu: back (10x10); triceps (10x5) Fri: Off Sat:  HG training or playing outside Phase II: Conditioning 6 weeks (no down weeks) Dan John's 10,000 Swings plan Mon:  Swings & press Tue: Swings and legs Wed: Off Thu: Swings and pull Fri: Off Sat: HG / play  Phase III:  5-3-1 Rest Pause plan 8 weeks (3wks, 1 down week, 3wks, 1 down week) Mon: squat and bench Tue:  Fat Loss Circuits Wed: Off Thu: Deadlift and press Fri: Fat Loss Circuits Sat: Off That's 24 weeks of programi...

I've been training every Mon, Tue, Thu pretty much without fail.  On Saturdays I get out and play - either with the kids, or on my own.  Long bike rides, hiking, or just goofing off at a park; the Texas Fall is perfect for playing outside on the weekend. My endurance is coming up fast, my waist has shrunk up nicely, and I'm starting to see muscle growth and definition.  I'll have no problems hitting 12% by my birthday. One area I have slacked off is alcohol.  I normally drink once every other weekend, but lately I've been meeting friends after I train and having a glass or two or 3 of wine with dinner.  That ends today. Basic template thus far has been: Mon: Push / Pull supersets with lots of ab/cardio circuits Tue: Legs done for stupid high reps slowly working toward strength rep ranges, and more cardio Wed: Off Thu: Whole body, usually including dips, pullups, rows, swings, leg press, and goblet squats. Fri: Off Sat: Many long hours of play; doesn...

So Monday was a push pull day, but I got sick and opted to stay at home.  I did dips and pullups all day long, and during the actual workout session, I did circuits of: swings with my 80 pounder dips squat jumps pullups/chin-ups After a few ladders, I switched to 1 arm swings.  WOW!!!!  I can feel every tiny muscle in my back, my traps, and my shoulders.  The force needed to hold your shoulder in socket is tremendous! I can actually feel where some muscles connect to my rib cage in back.  AWESOME!!!!!

And by act, of course I mean shit.  I am still living by my mantra of doing everything scheduled as compulsively as possible. My house is immaculate. My yard is coming along (previous renters let it die). My diet is getting closer to optimal. I have given up all caffeinated beverages other than hot tea, and I hardly drink alcohol. I have been cooking more. I am still making time for my bible study even now that the classroom portion has ended. I am making so much time for my kids.  I am seeing a dramatic change in the relationship with my 13 year old daughter. I have mastered my own financial system (a watered-down version of Dave Ramsey's plan) and am saving money faster than I ever did while I was married (technically still married but my wife won't speak to me and hasn't made any effort to file for divorce). That last part of the last bullet is the stressor.  I love that woman relentlessly.  I have yet to lose an ounce of passion for her even after 3 mo...

My wife and I rode the park road between Bastrop State Park and Beuscher State Park on March 13, 2010 .  Back then, I was only able to go about half way before crapping out.  This place is as hilly as it gets around Austin.  We might have done it once more but I don't see a blog entry about it. Well, I just rode Park Road 1C again and this time did all 22 miles (11 miles each way).  This was bitter sweet.  I had knee surgery on 12 AUG, so crushing all but 3 of the hills was fantastic, and that I am not sore at all is promising.  The bitter part is I was alone.  I went to one of "our" favorite places by myself and was able to go at a pace even she would have been hard pressed to maintain.  I don't have a road bike, so doing this on large frame mtn bike with 29" wheels is no easy task, and I always wear my daypack with ample water which adds another 15 pounds. I took a picture of one of the historic Civilian Conservation Corp buildings which ...

So I have the early morning wake-up handled.  I am walking my dog in the morning.  I am eating better, and seldom drink alcohol.  I am keeping a ridiculously clean house and a well manicured lawn. Let me be clear that I don't inherently value the lawn or the cleanliness of my house; and that is exactly why I am putting so much care and effort into these things.  I want to master the art of doing what I don't want to do.  I want to become the model of self discipline. Matthew 5:44:  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5:46-47:  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? In the same vein, what gains in self control or self discipline are there to be had from being consistent with activities I love?  Doing what I'd rather avoid is what p...

So I've stopped focusing on strength and explosiveness for the time being.  I need to get fit.  I want to get lean.  I MUST get my knee fully recovered from surgery. And my wife has decided she wants a divorce because she feels she has lost sense of herself and needs the freedom to explore herself and life without a husband.  That one was a blow, but I can show her genuine empathy.  We both had boundary issues and she had a tendency to be what she thought others wanted of her.  At this point, I just want her to be happy; whatever that may require.  I love you, Jaime, but I get that you need to leave.  Go with God. So there's that.  But the anti-anxiety meds and balls-to-the-wall conditioning training have been doing wonders!!!! I'm down to 218lbs and 14.8% body fat.  My goal is 10% by December 21st, my birthday. My mantra for the foreseeable future is this:  Self Discipline. I wake up at 5:00, pray for a while, take my dog ...

More push / pull with the trainer at Gold's.  I have to say, it's nice to do something so different than what I'm used to.  Light weights, high reps, machines as part of a single movement pattern circuit, machines and free weights as part of a whole body circuit. My anaerobic endurance is shooting up rapidly!

I got out of bed at 5:30 and took my dog for a walk.  Nothing spectacular, except that since separation from my wife, and especially since she said she wants a divorce, getting up by 8:00 AM has been hard during the week.  Keep in mind I work from home. I am trying to lead a life of self discipline, with a level of rigor I have not had since I was training for pro MMA.  That was the last time a goal meant more to me than instant gratification.  Now I need to live with that same rigor, minus the fight night.  My intent is to make this part of my DNA.  I want to be a true juggernaut, who does not waiver from the path just because there are obstacles along the way. So while my 20 minute dog walk at 5:30 AM is not much in the way of athletic accomplishment, it is morally significant for me. Adrian

did a simple workout, but it taxed my out of shape body. 2 rounds of: a. 43lb kettle bell swing:  x 10, 20, 30 b. lateral raise with slight fwd lean:  x 5, 5, 5 Only 120 total swings.  Nothing compared to what a CFer or SFG / RKC does.  But it was a good start.  Later tonight I'm going to do some core work and take my dog for a walk.

So it is October, and I have been living without my wife for 7 weeks.  We are separated and she wants a divorce.  I am fighting this perpetual urge to plead with her to NOT file for divorce.  We started out great, but alas, imperfect people can wreck any perfect gift.  So now I am 2 months out of knee surgery, and I am able to train pretty well again, but my emotional funk has been more of a barrier than my physical state. I have been praying to accept that it is over, but I am a warrior and a perpetual optimist.  I will fight for the sanctity of my marriage till the bitter end.  I told this woman forever, till death do us part.  She is going through her own set of emotional dilemmas, and I just want to convey that divorce is like suicide, in that it is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. So with all that catharsis, I am back on track with my physical performance goals.  I have lost 25 pounds, and am trying to hit 12% BF by my 38th ...

Since I can only do upper body, I hit shoulders late Wednesday night.  Nothing fancy, but again, better than eating junk and doing nothing. Machine rear delt fly:  45lb x 10 x 10 Machine bent arm laterals:  30lb x 10 x 10

Well, it would seem that even rowing on Nautilus machines is too much for my knees, as I could feel the pain develop midway through the training session.  Ah well, still better that eating Vinegar & Salt chips and watching TV. Sauna:  5 mins neutral grip pulldown:  100lb x 10sets x 5reps (20 second rest or less) Nautilus isolateral row*: 80lb x 5sets x 10reps (wanted to get 10 sets but knee started feeling it) EZ-bar preacjer curl:  50lb x 10sets x 5reps Unilateral concentration curl**:  15lb x 4sets x 10 reps (wanted to get 10 sets but left knee couldn't support the left arm.  Started hurting at set 3, but I did 1 more anyway) *Isolateral row machine:  That's a science-y word.  It must be better than barbell rows or 1-arm dumbbell rows.  :( **Unilateral concentration curl:  1 arm at a time. I'll have to find an alternative, like seated incline curls.  My left knee did NOT like bracing the left arm.

Since I can't carry any real weight on my left leg yet, loading a barbell or using heavy enough dumbbells is out.  So I'm pretty much being an uber-nerd doing Nautilus and Hammer Strength machines at Gold's.  Today, laughably enough, was chest and tris.  Holy shit that sounds tool-ish. 10 minutes in the sauna - went through a litre of water Nautilus incline press:  100lbs x 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5 (i.e. 10x5) Nautilus peck deck: 50lb x 10,10,10,10,10 (i.e. 5x10) Hammer Strength dip lever thingy:  50lb x 10 x 10 Nautilus single arm overhead extension:  50 x 10 x 5 each

I tore my meniscus and part of my ACL.  I went in for athroscopic surgery on 12AUG.  It took me 2 days on crutches to start walking again, but I ad to limit the time on foot or the swelling would set me back.  I can go up and down the stairs without any issue and with a normal gait. Day 1 of rehab is this Friday, 23AUG. Oh, and my wife and I are getting separated.  So I'll have to get myself and my kids packed and moved out in the next 2 weeks.  Move in is 1SEP. At least I'm still standing on my own two feet and pressing on.

Swimming yesterday is nothing to write about, except that it was the most I could do before my knee started hurting.  I'm sure it is going to be slow progress after surgery on 12AUG.

I'm 37 and starting to feel it.  I'll be 38 in December.  I can objectively say that my neglect of cardio is taking it's toll as I age.  Yup.  I have always hated it, but now more than ever I need to do it. But with a torn left meniscus getting fixed on Monday 12 AUG, I'll be relegated to upper body and MAYBE some swimming for the next 10 weeks. We'll see how it goes.

It was nice to hit the trail early and walk before it got too hot.

I went for a 3 mile jog Friday evening.  No reason.  Just did it.

It's only 97 degrees out but that, combined with my conditioning circuits, was enough to crush me.  I feel pretty good about getting 5 days of work this week, even if it was well under my max effort. Mobility warm-up: a. jumping jacks 2 x 25 b. hindu pushups:  2 x 5 c. inch worm + drop splits:  2 x 2ea d. windshield wiper + back bridge:  2 x 5ea Conditioning circuit 1: a. goblet squat:  45 x 15, 15, 15 b. high wide bent row:  95 x 15, 15, 15 c. pushups:  BW x 10, 12, 12 Conditioning circuit 2: a. band assisted pullup:  3bands x 10, 10, 8 b. Push press:  95 x 15, 12, 8 c. KB swing:  80 x 10, 8, 8 skipped arms and traps skipped abs.

20 laps x 50 meters = 1 kilometer It took a while, but my son and his friend got to play at the pool while I did laps.  And I took a few breaks to play Marco Polo with them.  :)

Boy oh boy!  Using light weights for continuous movements is a great way to pump some blood, get your lungs working, and to burn some fat!.  Wednesday's session was great!  It was a challenge, but I'm ready to start adding some load and a 3rd circuit. Mobility warm-up: a. jump rope x 1min b. bear crawl x 10yds c. lateral crawl x 10 yds d. lateral lunge x 5 ea Fat-Loss circuit: a. curl:  45 x 5; 65 x 5 b. bent row:  45 x 5; 65 x 5 c. Romanian deadlift:  45 x 5; 65 x 5 d. high pull:  45 x 5; 65 x 5 e. hang snatch:  45 x 5; 65 x 5 f. thruster:  45 x 5; 65 x 5 g. overhead squat:  45 x 5; 65 x 5 h. overhead shrug:  45 x 5; 65 x 5 i. pushup x 5, 5 j. dynamic side plank x 5, 5 k. seated knee-in x 5, 5 l. mountain climber x 10, 10 m. burpee x 5, 5 (need to take this up to 10 reps)

I was headed to the gym but got on the phone with a good friend whom I hadn't spoken to for a while.  I stayed in my truck with the windows up and the truck turned off for 43 minutes.  I sweated SOOOO much - it was way hotter than the gym sauna. Because time got away from me, I came home and hung out for a bit before going for an hour long bike ride.

Self doubt.  Self loathing.  Feeding myself negative thoughts.  I'll never be good enough.  I don't deserve anything good.  I should be made to suffer more.  I temporarily crushed all that with a solid workout.  I dialed my plan back to a more realistic level and will face each workout as a chance to just sweat and be consistent.  Today's work: Mobility Warm-up: a. Down dog to Cobra:  2 x 5 each b. Inch worm to drop splits (working on ROM):  2 x 2 each c. Windshield wipers:  2 x 5 each 2. Dumbbell windmill:  2 x 5 each with 35lb Strength Circuits: Ladders a. dumbbell clean & press:  55 x 1-2-3/ 1-2-3/ 1-2-3 b. pullups:  bodyweight x 1-2-3/ 1-2-3/ 1-2-3 c. squat:  185 x 1-2-5/ 1-2-5/ 1-2-5 Regular sets a. Dips:  BW x 5, 5, 5 b. 1-arm power row:  80 x 5, 5, 5 c. sumo deadlift:  185 x 5, 5, 5 (felt the stretch, but load was easy) Arms a. hammer curl:  25s x 12, 12, 12 b. skull crushe...

Man, I've had a rough time in my personal life here for the last couple of months.  On top of that, work is more taxing than it has been in the last couple of years.  Training has come to a stand-still. I need to make the time to train, just as a healthy outlet, and to keep from losing all that I've worked for, physically.

10 mins of stretching KB windmills:  35 x 5/5, 5/5 deadlift:  135x10; 185x10; 225x10; 315x5; 365 x 4,3,2 wide grip bent row:  95 x 12, 12, 12 flatback goodmorning:  95 x 12, 12, 12 Kroc row:  65 x 15/15, 15/15, 15/15 (easy.  need to go heavier next time) incline dumbbell curls:  30s x 8, 8, 6 cross body hammer curl:  25 x 8/8, 8/8, 8/8 (gonna ditch this one for regular hammer curl.  don't like how it forces my shoulder to lurch forward) EZ-bar curl:  30 x 25.

Followed some advise from a man much more knowledgeable than I. warm-up:  500meters on Concept2 rower in 2:22 KB getups:  3 per side with 35lb KB stretching for 10 minutes overhead press:  95x10; 115x8; 135x6; 155x4, 4; 135 x 8 incline dumbbell press:  60s x 12, 10, 10, 8 dumbbell shoulder superset a. laterals:  10s x 10, 10, 10 b. bent laterals:  10s x 10, 10, 10 rope grip tricep extension:  80x10; 90x10; 100x10; 110x8, 8; 100x10,10

I don't want to get overly personal and philosophical, so I'll leave it at this.  I love my children unconditionally, but it was my wife who really made today special for me.  I have good kids, but my wife is amazing.  I'll leave out the deeply meaningful parts and cut to the fitness chase. She got me an 80 pound kettlebell.  Those things aren't cheap, and especially not at that weight.  We had been casually messing with some at a fitness store a week ago and she said the 45, 55, and 60 looked too easy for me.  I can barely 1-arm press the 80# 4 times with my right and twice with my left.  I'm going to have to log some serious hours to develop any form of mastery with this behemoth. 

My wife and I went to the gym together for the first time in quite some time.  She isn't a member at my gym, but got a free day pass.  Since we had time on our hands, i made this one count. lots of stretching (down-dog, cobra, hurdler stretch, front splits that are far from complete, hamstrings, quad stretches) foam rolling (piriformis, IT band, back), shoulder 'dislocations' with stick Step-mill:  10 mins at level 4.  Not so bad when I can crack jokes to my wife about my stair climbing ineptitude. Goofy hand crank cardio machine: 10 minutes.  This thing looks like a bicycle crank with handles.  I set it to intervals and it definitely got my shoulders and arms warm while raising my heart rate and breathing. Recumbent bicycle: 14 minutes while maintaining heart rate at 160 according to a questionable built-in heart rate monitor.  It honestly felt easy. Playing with a 55lb kettlebell:  clean & press; snatches; 1-arm swings; windmills mor...

Sort of swimming.  More like alternating between hot tub and sauna with a few laps in between to cool me down.  All together I did maybe 10 laps, with several trips to the sauna and hot tub.

Great workout today.  Now that I joined a gym, I can do normal stuff while my daughter is at roller derby practice.  The gym is 3 blocks from her derby facility. 5 mins on treadmill at 3mph / 5 degree incline. stretched for 10 mins chinups:  BW x 3, 3, 3 superset: a. Pullup ladders:  BW x 1-2, 1-2, 1-2, 1-2, 1-2 b. rope grip tricep pushdown:  70 x 10,10,10,10,10,10,10,10,10,10 wide grip bent row:  95, 10, 7, 10, 10 superset a. skull crusher:  60 x 10, 8, 8, 8 b. leg raise off bench:  15, 15, 15, 15

The battery in my truck died, so I rode my bike to the gym.  It's only 4 miles, but there is one big hill along the way.  My legs were very tired by the time I got there. bike ride to gym 10 mins of stretching deadlift:  warm-up sets135x10; 185x10; 225x10 295x5; 315x5; 335x5; 355x5 bike ride home I skipped all the accessory work since I rode my bike.

concept2 rower:  2 mins stretching, 10 mins chinups:  BW x 5, 3, 3 bench press:  185x5; 205x5; 225x5; 185x13 dips:  BW x 3 shoulder superset a. snow angels:  10s x 8, 8, 8, 8 b. bent laterals:  10s x 8, 8, 8, 8 abs / biceps: a. incline dumbbell curl:  25s x 8, 8, 8, 8 b. plank:   30sec, 30sec, 30sec, 30sec EZ-bar reverse curl:  65 x 10, 10, 10, 10

Nothing fancy.  Just an evening bike ride with my son.  We did about 5 miles.

nothing fancy.  Just got some jogging in while my son was at the skatepark.   All together, maybe 2 miles of jogging and 1 mile of walking.

Went swimming with my kids for about 90 mins.  After that i went to the gym for my last day of messing around: chinups:  5, 5, 3, 3 bent lateral raise:  15s x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 cable rows:  some weird machine, 140 x 10, 10, 10, 10 got bored and went home. Later this evening i took my son to the skatepark and did some shotput and light weight for distance.

Today was one of the rare days where I walked in without a plan and just nailed it.  I did what I needed to do, and it was little more than luck and intuition.  Damn I need a plan. Deadlift: 135x10; 185x10; 225x10 275x5; 315x5 365x2,2,1 405 x 1, 1, 1, 1, missed the 5th single Single leg curl: 40x9/9, 9/9, 6/6 double leg curl: 60 x 24 Leg press machine: 160 x 50; 200 x 50; 240 x 50 lots of stretching

I am still lifting and still trying to follow a plan, but I just don't buy into what I'm doing right now.  3 days a weeks is not adequate.  I feel lost.  I can't use the garage gym because our contractors are still using it for a remodeling project. Normally I am very objective about what my goals are and what the best way to reach them is, but for whatever reason I've been very uncommitted to a single goal.  I keep flip flopping and getting nowhere.  I am seeing some progress here and there, but without commitment or direction, progress is almost meaningless. So I joined a commercial gym yesterday and bought 4 personal training sessions.  Normally I wouldn't do this but the guy is a competitive strongman, and former powerlifter.  I can get on board with this.  He talked to me about his reasons for abandoning the Westside training template, which are the same reasons I've had for not doing it.  He mentioned his current training, which h...

More Highland Games practice.  We've got a pretty solid group now, with ample equipment to get real work done. Braemar stone:  My form has improved dramatically this year.  I've added 2-3 feet over any previous best. I may hit 30' before end of the year Open Stone:  I'm trying to transition out of the Glide to the Modified South African method.  My glide is fine and will put me in the hunt with Amateur Cs, but I need to get the MSA down if I want to hang with the Bs. Heavy WFD:  I suck at this.  I'm above novice, and respectably in the C distances, but nothing close to Top Three.  I know I can bring this up to at least a consistent 21' before end of year.  Its just in the timing. Light WFD:  I'm already throwing further in practice than I have in competition.  45' won't wow the crowd, but it'll keep me competitive. Caber:  Still my best event.  As my grip strength improves, it just keeps getting easier.

Friday is my light day.  I use it to keep my heart rate up and get a good pump.  While it is good for hypertrophy, it's also good conditioning and recovery. skipped cardio warm-up.  sad-face sticker for me 1st circuit a. overhead press:  75 x 15, 15, 15 b. wide grip pulldown:  120 x 15, 15, 15 c. alternating lunges:  BW x 20, 20, 20 Decline situp:  BW x 15, 12, 12 2nd circuit: a. dumbbell upright rows:  15s x 12, 12, 12 b. incline dumbbell press:  55s x 12, 12, 12 skipped arms again.  another sad-face sticker Down and dirty, Nice and quick.  Cheap and Easy.

Fat man passing through!  Watch out.  I was incredibly tired after 2 bad nights of sleep, and with contractors hijacking my garage I couldn't get to my barbell or weights for Deadliftapalooza.  So I took my jump rope and 73lb T-bell. 5 minutes of jump rope to warm up various stretching for 10 mins t-bell swings:  2,3,5,6,7,8,9,10  (50 total) hindu pushups x 10 back bridge pushups x 10 3 mins rope down dog - cobra pose x 5 each t-bell swings:  2,3,5,6,7,8,9,10  (50 total) hand stands for longest time x 5 plank wall walk (feet on wall):  3 x ~15 feet hindu pushups x 10 back bridge pushups x 10 feel good and loose now.  

You know what I love?  Strength, conditioning, and agility.  You know what I hate?  Cardio and dieting. Cardio is the most mind numbing activity I can think of, especially when done on a machine. But for whatever reason, I chose to do 45 minutes of recumbent bike today.  Nothing brings out my ADD like sitting still doing something that isn't a mental challenge. So I did my 45 minutes and vowed never to do that again.  From here on out, my "cardio" will be conditioning.  Stuff that gets me funny looks but works like nothing else.  Mobility  / Agility drills that will force my body through ranges of motion I haven't used since fight training. I'll call it Cirque du Gros Homme

I missed Friday's workout, but Monday was solid.  I started the session with 7 minutes in the sauna and was sweating profusely.  I take a gallon of water with me to training sessions, so I was never dehydrated. front squat:  145x15; 165x10; 95x12 wide grip bent row:  105x10; 125x8; 145x6 bench press:  165x10; 195x8; 205x6 v-grip pulldown:  130 x 10,10,10 dips:  BW x 5, 5, 6 decline situp:  BW x 12, 12, 12 skipped arms.  :( back to the sauna for 10 minutes, finished my gallon of water.

Took the new 28 pounder out and threw for about an hour while my son skated. 

Hot day in the parking lot today. jump rope:  3 mins deadlift 135x10 185x10 225x10 275x5 315x5 + 5 singles 375 x 10 singles

My ability to adhere to an aggressive schedule is pretty much nil at the moment.  3-on / 1-off is still the most productive split I've ever followed, but damned if I can find 3 days in a row to train.  Daughter needs to go here, son needs to go there, extended family events, wife and I get a rare afternoon to get out of town....... So my scheduling gland has atrophied.  I am not secreting the "find time to train" hormone.  Consequently, I am going to the over-used, under-performing Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule. Framework for the next month is: Monday: whole-body - medium loading Wednesday: deadlift till I crumble while my daughter is in roller derby practice Friday: whole body - light loading Monday was a good full body day: treadmill:  5 mins to get the stank flowing bench press:  155x10; 185x8; 195x6 (easy) front squat:  135x15; 155x10; 95x20 (everything easy but the last set) wide grip bent row to chest: 95x10; 115x8; 135x6 (easy)...

I'm loving the Wednesday evening workout in the parking lot behind my daughter's roller derby building.  since she practices for 2 hours, I can really get after it and feel no pressure for time. Deadlift: 135 x 10 185 x 10 225 x 10 275 x 5 315 x 5; 10 singles 365 x 10 singles Farmer's walk: 90lbs per arm:  4 x 50 yards

I'm still just having fun and building momentum.  Nothing planned today, so I went to Lake Pflugerville and alternated 1/4 mile jogs with 1/4 mile walks.  I completed all 3 miles, so it works out to: 6 x 1/4 mile jog 6 x 1/4 mile walk I have been training in New Balance MT20BY2 shoes and there is no cushioning whatsoever.  Wearing them every day for walking shopping, or errands has helped strengthen my feet, calves, and shins.  Had I not done this first, I'd never have been able to run in them today. Great shoes.  I highly recommend them.

Even though it was mother's day, my daughter's roller derby team has practice, so i had another opportunity to train in the parking lot behind the loading docks. walking lunges by 50 (PAINFUL) 30" box jump x 15 3 Med Ball explosive circuits a. straight slam x 10 b. rotational throw left x 5 c. rotational throw right x 5 d. right arm shot put x 5 e. left arm shot put x 5 f. chest pass x 10 g. backward throw for height x 5 73lb t-bell swing x 15 40lb kettlebell high pull left x 10 40lb kettlebell high pull right x 10 1-arm pushup right x 5 1-arm pushup left x 5 tricep pushup x 5 tire sled drag: +45lb 4 trips x 40 yards 

Life changes all the time, and when it does you have to change with it.  I've been going through some minor changes to routine, schedule, and family stuff - all of which have thrown me off my plan. Well, I'm not one to let stuff like that derail me.  It may temporarily slow me down, but I never come to a stop.  I call it my flywheel theory.  As long as I keep a littlest bit of inertia, I can overcome a loss in velocity and never quite stall. All that said, I had to change gyms as my wife left her job at 24HR, so I'll be training at home once again. I actually prefer home training for a number of reasons.  Now to break the news to my training partner.  :(

I had a brief training session on Tuesday. A. Incline dumbbell curls:  30s x 5, 5, 5, 6, 5 B. Plank step-out:  x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 Bench press:  135 x 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1  (55 total reps in about 5 mins or less.  I am still incredibly sore.) Wednesday was interesting.   Since my daughter is in Roller Derby and practice runs from 6:30 to 8:30, I have to train in the empty parking lot.  I competely smoked myself yesterday. 12lb med ball circuit: a. slam:  4 x 10 b. right arm throw:  4 x 5 c. left arm throw:  4 x 5 d. wall ball:  4 x 5 e. weight over bar:  4 x 5 tire sled drag:  10 x 50 yards  This one killed me.  I'm dead.  I wrote this from the beyond A. 73lb t-bell swing:  10,9,8,7,6 B. 73lb t-bell goblet squat:  10,9,8,7,6

Man, I'm happy with my progress thus far in 2013.  I threw against 7 other guys and came in 3rd.  I had some big increases in most throws, and fell apart on others. Braemar stone: 26', 9.5"  -  added 2 feet to my PR Open stone:  30', 4.5"  -  same.  need technique work Heavy WFD:  18' 11"   - dropped a foot, but clearly have 22 in my near future! Light WFD:   41' 1"  -  shit the bed.  I over thought it and never got my feet under me for any of these throws.  I have 50+ in me Heavy hammer:  58' 5"  -  another bed shitting.   Light hammer: 74' 6"  -  same as ever, but I had one throw at 86' 1" that didn't count because I stepped over the fault line (AKA Trig).  That's a 12' increase in my normal distance. Caber:  12:45   -  not bad Sheaf:  18'  -   Judge said once I get a little form I'll be throwing 24'.  Can't wait till that...

4th cycle through these training sessions.  Maintaining 3 on, 1 off is becoming difficult due to work and family commitments, but I'm still getting through all 3 sessions, just taking longer than 4 days. 10 min on recumbent bike Superset: a. incline dumbbell curls:  30s x 8,6,6,6,6 b. plank step-out:   x 10,10,10,10,10 EZ bar reverse curl: 45 x 10,10,10,10,10 Dips:  34 total pushups: 34 total overhead press:  115 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

A group of 5 of us practiced for two hours Saturday morning. Light Hammer:  practiced winding without throwing till I could keep a good arc (low on my right, travelling upward over the left shoudler).  After that did several throws with two winds, then progressed to three.  All told, about 45 - 60 mins on the hammer  Light hammer: Stuck with double spins and am getting the hang of it.  I still throw further off a single spin, but expect that to change as I practice the double more. Sheaf toss:  I got a few that were estimated at or above 20'

Back on track and feeling rock solid! 10 mins recumbent bike pullups:  18 reps total inverted TRX rows: 40 reps total (getting lower each time) Hammer strength supine pulldown:  180x5; 200x5,5,5,5 triceps / abs superset: a. cross-body db tricep extension:  25 x 8/8, 8/8, 8/8, 8/8, 8/8 b. weighted decline situp: 25 x 8, 7, 9; BW x 10, 10 FreeMotion (goofy machine) tricep extension: 90 x 12,12,12,12,12

skipped warmup alternating jump lunges:  3 x 10 box jumps: 3 x 10 Bulgarian squats: BW x 12/12, 12/12, 10,10 Front squats:  185x5; 205x5,5,5 Leg press: 270x25 leg press calves raise:  450 x 15, 14, 15 (12+2+1)

No sooner do I say "Pat me on the back!  I haven't missed any training sessions!  I'm a stick-to-it God!" than I go an miss some training sessions.  Friday was a long overdue dinner with one of my best friends.  Time well spent, and truly more beneficial than a training session. Saturday was to have been back work, but my wife and I decided to take the bikes to Pedernales State Park for a ride.  Unfortunately my chain snapped about 2 miles in.  But it made for an amusing walk back.  Afterwards we went to a farmer's market just outside Johnson City.  Hand made bread, organic olive oil, a few glasses of wine, and pork ribs!   Reconnecting with my wife was also far more beneficial than any training session could have been. So I did C3-D1 over again on Sunday. Same stuff as on Thursday; 10 mins recumbent bike superset: a. incline db curls:  27.5s x 8,8,8,8,8 b. plank step-out: BW x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 each EZ-bar reverse curl:  ...

Cycle 3, Day 1.  Haven't missed a workout yet.  Motivation is at an all time high. recumbent bike:  5 mins Bicep / Abs superset: a. Incline dumbbell curls:  25s x 8,8,8,8,8 b. plank step-out:  BW x 5 sets x 5 each leg EZ-bar rvs curl: 40 x 12,12,12,12,12 Dips:  28 total pushups:  30 total overhead press*: 115x1; 95 x 5,5,5; 105 x 7 *Overhead press:  My shoulders were totally spent from the increase in dips and pushups.  Again, I see how terrible my strength endurance is, so can see sticking with this plan for quite some time.

no missed sessions yet, and I've even been pretty good about walking my dog in the evenings. Tuesday's session: 10 mins on recumbent bike pullups:  17 total reps TRX inverted row:  40 total reps (getting closer to parallel with floor) hammer strength supine pulldown:  160x5; 180x5,5,5,5 Triceps / Abs superset a. decline cross-body dumbbell extension:  22.5x8,8,8,8,8 b. decline situp:  BW x 10,10,10,10,10 FreeMotion tricep extension:  90 x 12,12,12,12,12

Today was hip / ham dominant leg day.  I started with lots of accessory work before I got to deadlifts.  That forced me to use absolutely crap poundage on my deadlifts.  Seems my strength endurance is shit right now - all the more reason to stick with this plan. recumbent cycle:  10 mins 1-leg deadlift:  BW x 12/12, 12/12, 7/7 leg press:  290x10; 350x10; 390x10 deadlift: 225 x 5, 5, 5, 5 leg press calves:  90 x 30,30,30

Did the full workout today, and it felt great. 10 min recumbant bike: Bicep / Abs superset a. incline dumbbell curl:  25s x 8, 8, 8, 5, 8 b. leg raise off bench:  BW x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 EZ-bar reverse curl:  35 x 12, 12, 12, 12, 12 dips: 22 reps total pushups:  20 reps total (right pec/shoulder still gassed from Saturday throwing practice) overhead press: 115 x 5; 120 x 5, 5, 5, 5

Man.  I am terrible!  We had a fantastic turnout on Saturday with some genuine throwers showing up to help us newbie / rookie / hacks. Started with Braemar stone, and moved to open stone.  Eventually I moved to light weight for distance.  Thanks to one of the vets who showed up, I started working double spins.  It's completely different than I'm used to, but the instruction was spot on.  After 2 hours I headed home for a mountain of pancakes, eggs, and sausage.  :-p

The kids had a busy schedule on Friday, so i didn't get to lift till 10:30 PM.  I made it quick, and pushed as hard as I could, but it wasn't much. recumbant bike:  10 min warmup pullup:  15 total reps  :( inverted rows:  40 total reps at about a 60 degree incline (i.e. closer to lying than standing) Hammer strength supine grip pulldown/row: 180 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 That was it.  I skipped triceps, abs, and 1-arm dumbbell row.

Another good start to my 1st cycle of 4-day rotation: recumbant bike:  10 mins level-7 bulgarian squat:  BW x 7/7, 8/8, 7/7 24" box jump:  10, 10, 10 front squat:  185 x 5, 5, 5, 5 back squat:  95 x 30, 20, 20 skipped calves.  it was late.

Day 1 of my 4-day rotation.  Not a bad start.  I was training in the garage and my 10yr old son wanted me to work with him on legs, so I cut my work short to focus on him.  He's trying to get ready for a skateboarding competition in May and wants more power to ollie higher.  :) My workout: jump rope:  2 mins dips: 4 x 5 (20 total) pushups: 4 x 10 (40 total) overhead press:  115 x 5 x 5 I skipped abs and biceps.  My son ended up falling asleep on the weight bench. Bulgarian squats, single leg dumbbell deadlifts, and squat jumps took it out of him.

I'm back to a training schedule that has worked best for me in the past.  High frequency, moderate variety, escalating intensity. I'll be following a 3-on; 1-off schedule: Day 1: push, biceps, abs Day 2: legs and calves Day 3: pull, triceps, abs Day 4: off So that's only 4 days per cycle.  Why am I saying 8 days a week??? Simple.  I have found that I can make consistent progress on squats or deadlifts as fast as with any upper body lifts.  On cycles 1,3, 5, 7 etc., I'll train squats.  On cycles 2, 4, 6, 8 etc I'll train deadlifts. I just went through Day 1 on Wednesday night and I'm sore!  I can't wait to do it again in 4 days. One critical aspect of high frequency training is post workout recovery nutrition.  I'm confident the addition on PWR shakes and the additional frequency should help me hit my goal of 240lbs at 15% BF.

I got whooped pretty good at the games last week.  San Antonio games had a much higher caliber of athlete than the previous games I have competed in.  Time for me to put it in high gear!!!!

Tuesday was my last day of hard work before the San Antonio Highland Games.  I'll do some light work on Thursday, and then it's rest and recover for Sunday's competition. Tuesday's work: Jump shrug:  115 x 10; 135 x 10 Close grip snatch:  115 x 10 singles; 135 x 5 singles Hang clean: 115 x 5, 5, 5;  135 x 5, 5, 5; 185 x 5 singles Clean and push press:  185 x 5 singles Snatch grip high pull: 135 x 10, 10, 10 20lb Medicine ball power circuit:  2 circuits of a. WOB x 5 b. Wall-ball x 5 c. Rotational throw x 5 each direction d. Chest pass x 5 e. Slam x 5

KB Snatch: 45lb x 5/5, 5/5, 5/5 KB Clean & Press: 45 x 10/10, 10/10 machine leg press:  150x30; 170x15; 190x15; 210x15; 230x15; 250x15; 270x15; 290x10; 310x10; 330x10; 350x10 hammer strength supine grip pulldown:  90 x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 1-arm overhead press:  50x5ea; 2 x 55x5ea; 2 x 60x5ea; 2 x 65x5ea

KB snatches:  just some.  a few times each with each arm, 45lb KB incline db press:  50s x5; 60s x5; 70s x5; 80s x15 rope grip cable row:  70 x 10, 10, 10 rope grip cable static horizontal shrug:  165 x 10sec, 10sec, 5 sec squat: 135x10; 185x5; 225x5; 275x3; 295x3 Med Ball circuit: a. 20lb med ball WOB:  3 x 5 singles b. 20lb med ball chest pass:  3 x 5 singles c. 20lb med ball wall ball:  3 x 5 singles

Considering I didn't start lifting till 9:15, it was pretty darn good. KB get-ups:  35lb x 5 mins chin-ups:  BW x 4, 4, 5, 3, 4 overhead press:  135x5; 145x5; 155x3; 165x3; 175x2 deadlift:  135x10; 225x5; 275x5; 315x5; 365x3; 385x2 clean & jerk (occasionally push press):  185 x 10 singles  close grip snatch: 135 x 10 singles 20lb medicine ball underhand overhead throw (like HG Weight Over Bar): 5 singles 20lb medicine ball wall-ball:  5 singles 20lb medicine ball underhand overhead throw (like HG Weight Over Bar): 5 singles

I'm coming off a two week break that was only supposed to last 4 days.  I took time off for spring break, then got a cold or flu that last a week.  So this was my first day back and it felt OK.  Since I only have 2 weeks till the games, I'm going to run a high frequency plan to get some kind of neural gains. KB get-up:  35lb for 5 mins bench press:  135x10; 185x5; 205x5; 225x4 t-bar row:  135 x 5,5,5,5 squat: 135x10; 185x10; 225x5; 245x5; 275x5 close grip snatch:  115 x 5, 5, 5, 5 hang snatch (with normal snatch grip):  115 x 5, 5, 5, 5 snatch grip high pull:  145 x 7, 7, 7, 7; 195 x 4, 4 4

Well, after whatever this sickness was, a walk was plenty.  I was still a little dehydrated from all the decongestants etc., so I my calves cramped a good bit.  Monday will be the true test

SO I take my family to the Gulf coast for spring break, then I come back home and BAM!  Major chest and head cold. I lifted on Monday, 3/18, but by Tuesday I could hardly stand, and I mean that literally.  I would cough so hard that I got light headed and wobbly on my feet.  My lungs were so full of phlegm that it was hard to breathe and I felt constantly hypoxic. It is Friday and I'm doing much better now.  I may do a little walking around this coming weekend, but nothing strenuous till Monday 3/22.  

Spring Break was a ton of fun but I was around so many kids and outside so much that I have caught a cold.  My endurance is crap at the moment, but I decided to change it up and make the most of my strength. deadlift:  135x10; 185x10; 225x10; 275x5; 295x5; 315x5; 335x1; 365x1; 385x1; 405x1 machine leg press thingy: 190x20; 210x20; 230x20 DONE!

Time to get after it.  I have 3 weeks till my first highland Games of the season.  I'm going to focus on maximal strength and conditioning (no changes to Phase 2), and see where I stand come April.  Afterwards, will likely need to start working on speed.

Taking the family to the Gulf of Mexico tomorrow, so I hit it hard today.  I won't be training at all until Monday 18 MAR. Since today is a bit of an off-day, I decided to play around and just have fun lifting heavy. Kettebell clean & press:  45 x 1-2-3-4-5, 1-2-3-4-5 (switching arms between each rung on the ladder) Kettlebell snatch:  45 x 5+5, 5+5, 5+5 (L+R) quasi-ladder-complex fun a. Clean:  165 x 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2 b. Press:  165 x 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2 c. Pullup:  165 x 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2 HammerStrength overhead press:  90 x 10; 140 x 8, 8, 6, 8 Face Pulls:  50x20; 60x20; 70x20; 80x20; 90x15, 15 Arms superset: a. FreeMotion tricep extension:  95 x 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5 b. FreeMotion bicep curl: 90 x 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5

This has got to be about the most amazing start to any year I've ever had, strictly from a health and strength standpoint.  My programming has been spot on.  I started with a shoulder that was wrecked, weak legs, and a flabby core.  The plan I followed just was not a fit for me.  I won't disparage the plan, because the author is brilliant and could out lift, throw, coach, train, or think me any day of the week. My Phase I was just what I needed to jump start my hyperthrophy, and Phase II is continually producing better than expected strength gains, and a steady decrease in midsection lard.  Today was another credit in that strength and conditioning account. Early evening: Complex: a. Bent row: 115 x 5, 5, 5 b. RDL: 115 x 5, 5, 5 c. Hang clean: 115 x 5, 5, 5 d. Front squat: 115 x 5, 5, 5 e. OHP: 115 x 5, 5, 5 Deadlift: 135x5; 185x5; 225x5; 245x10; 295x8; 315x6; 335x6 Squat: 135x20; 155x20 (Seriously.  Most exhausting, muscle-igniting work ever) MetC...

1 mile walk with my wife, and dog t-bell swings:  73 x 2,3,5,12

AM work: 73lb t-bell swings:  2,3,5,11 walk with dog:  1 mile PM work: kettlebell get-ups:  30lbs x 5 mins incline dumbbell press:  50x10; 60x7; 70x6; 75x6 1-arm dumbbell row:  65 x 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10   MetCon: max rounds in 7 mins of: a. pushup x 10 b. bosu-ball situp x 10 c. TRX inverted row x 10* total:  4 rounds plus 5 pushups Inverted rows were hard.  My forearms and mid back were not up for the volume.  I did 10, 10, 8, 6 so not quite the full workload.  Will switch to sets of 5 on everything next week and replace situp with ab wheel.

Phase2, wk2, day4 Great day.  Nice way to clear my head in the middle of a frustrating day at work. Complex: a. Bent row:  115 x 3,3,3 b. Romanaian deadlift:  115 x 3,3,3 c. Hang clean:  115 x 3,3,3 d. Front squat:  115 x 3,3,3 e. Overhead press:  115 x 3,3,3 Front squat: 155x10; 185x8; 205x6; 225x6   Back squat: 135x20; 155x15 (HARD!!!!!)   Metcon:  max rounds in 7 mins of a. 1-arm kettlebell swing:  45lb x 5+5 b. burpee x 5 total:  4 rounds.  Burpees sucked the wind out of my lungs and life out of my legs.  Heart rate was probably ABOVE maximal!!!!

Phase2, wk2, day3. AM workout: 73lb t-bell swings:  2,3,5,10 The first "sets" of 2, 3, and 5 reps are just warm-up.  Since changing weights isn't practical, I just start with fewer reps. Walk with dog:  1 mile.

Phase 2, week 2; day 2.  triple goocher! I've decided to make one addition and one elimination from my life each month.  I master that swap, and then add another swap the next month.  This is the most significant life overhaul I've ever undertaken, and the most consistent I've ever been.  Quick summary: January: eliminate alcohol; add glasses February: eliminate all energy drinks; add morning prayer March: eliminate fast food; add dog walking Mon - Fri Which brings me to my "Twice A Day" title I woke up at 6:45 and got ready to take my dog for a walk.  before i got him harnessed up, i decided the head to the garage for some 73lb t-bell swings.  It was cold, I was stiff, and the t-bell felt heavy.  But a did a nice little 'check-the-box' set of swings, then walked my dog. AM WORKOUT: t-bell swings:  73 x 2,3,2,3,5 walk dog 1/2 mile Each day I'll add just a bit more.  This isn't part of the commitment, just may as well get som...

Phase 2, wk2, day 1 warm-up complex: a. bent row:  115 x 3, 3, 3 b. Romanian deadlift:  115 x 3, 3, 3 c. hang clean:  115 x 3, 3, 3 d. front squat:  115 x 3, 3, 3 e. overhead press:  115 x 3, 3, 3 deadlift: 225x10; 265x8; 295x6; 315x6 The deadlifts took so much out of me that I called it day.  No squats or metcons today, but I'll make up for it on Tuesday.

Since I skipped Thursday, I hit a double today.  Since I trained legs so early, I had plenty in the tank tonight. Warm-up complex: a. bent row:  95 x 7, 7, 7 b. Romanian deadlift:  95 x 7, 7, 7 c. hang clean:  95 x 7, 7, 7 d. front squat:  95 x 7, 7, 7 e. overhead press:  95 x 7, 7, 7 Incline db press:  45x10; 55x8; 65x6; 70x6 1-arm db row:  60 x 10/10, 10/10, 10/10 Simple MetCon:  max rounds in 5 mins a. pushup x 10 b. TRX row x 10 c. straight leg situp x 10 Total:  2 rounds

Phase 2, wk1, day 3.  Friday.  "GASP!" about sums it up. kettlebell get-ups:  5 mins with 25lb kb, constantly switching arms/sides front squat:  135x10; 165x8; 185x6; 205x6 (all sets easy) back squat:  135 x 20, 20 (now I'm feeling it! Back and legs burning.  Chest starting to pump some O2) MetCon: This about did me in a. 1-arm KB swing:  35lb x 10 per arm b. Treadmill sprint: 30sec sprint at 6.0mph / 10 degree incline completed 6 rounds.  No idea how long it took.  Heart felt on the verge of exploding.  Entire body in agony.  When I got home:  Tire sled drag This was just plain stupid.  45lb weight in tire, connected to my harness I ran 3 trips (Down and back =  1 trip).  Distance one direction = ~15yards.  So 3 x 30 yards. This was the king of all suck.  It will pay dividends.

Another great day.  It's still week 1 of phase 2, so the weights are still conservative, but the conditioning is KILLER, but in small doses. warm-up complex: a. bent row:  95 x 5, 5, 5 b. Romanian deadlift:  95 x 5, 5, 5 c. Hang clean:  95 x 5, 5, 5 d. Front squat:  95 x 5, 5, 5 e. Overhead press:  95 x 5, 5, 5 Neutral grip pullup:  5 sets x 4+10sec negative Overhead press:  95x10; 105x8; 115x6; 125x6 Tiny Metcon: 5 mins max rounds of a. dip x 5 (hard after all the OHPs) b. hanging leg raise x10 c. kipping pullup x 5 total:  3 rounds, with 17 seconds left

WOW!  Hard hard work today.  My spinal erectors are still yelling at me.  My MetCon was supposed to be done with my 73lb T-bell, but mercifully, I forgot to take it to the gym.  :) All weights were easy and just break-in weights Kettlebell get ups: 5 mins with 25lb kettlebell Deadlift: 225x10; 245x8; 265x6; 275x6 Back squat:  135x15; 185x10  (lower back on fire by 2nd set) MetCon:  max rounds in 5 mins of: 1-arm KB swing:  35 x 10 per arm KB goblet squat:  35 x 10 Sprawl:   x 10 completed 2 rounds That little MetCon kicked my ass.

Well, I have decided to change my focus a bit.  I need more leg volume, and the only way to get that is to train separately from upper body.  I'm still going to be hammering the conditioning, and will get sufficient direct arm work, but abandoning the abs / arms days. New schedule: Monday: Deadlift day start with 5 mins kettlebell get-ups deadlift:  strength focused back squat:  few sets, high reps conditioning focus on Swings, Goblet squats, Sprawls Tuesday: Overhead pressing start with simple barbell complex overhead press:  strength focused chin up Conditioning: Dips, kips, leg raises Arm density set Thursday: Squat day Start with 5 mins kettbell get-ups front squat:  strength focused back squat:  few sets, high reps conditioning: Swings, situps, jumps, med balls Friday: Horizontal pressing start with simple complex incline dumbbell bench press:  strength focused t-bar row:  strength focused Conditio...

I went to the gym saturday morning to play around a bit.  All told, it was a good time, and was maybe even productive. Stretching in sauna:  10 mins various floor stretches:  10 mins Hang clean: 135 x 1,1,1,1,1;  155 x 1,1,1,1,1; 165 x 1,1,1,1,1; 185 x 1,1,1,1,1 Close grip snatch:  95 x 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 Full snatch from floor:  95 x 1,1,1,1,1; 105 x 1,1,1,1,1; 115 x 1,1,1,1,1 Snatch + High pull + jump shrug:  115 x 3+3+5, 3+3+5, 3+3+5 Foam rolling:  10 mins, but it felt like 10192346987 hours

I am steadily progressing towards Highland Games competition season.  One of my goals for this year is to devote the proper amount of time to conditioning.  I saw my photos from Nov 2012, and my gut was entirely too big for my kilt!!!! The plan thus far has been working well. Completed Phase 1:  Hypertrophy (muscle growth) phase 6 weeks duration lower % of 1RM 8 - 12 rep range Higher volume marginal weekly variety Phase 2:  Strength and conditioning 6 weeks duration working as high as 85% of 1RM 6 - 10 rep range movement-pattern specific MetCons at end of each session Sample Phase 2 training session: warm-up:  3 mins jump rope Front squat:  10,8,6,8,6 (wave loading) Overhead press: 10,8,6,8,6 (wave loading) Chin-up:  5 x max reps MetCon:  max rounds in 10 mins of: a. alternating jump lunges x 10 b. dips x 10 c. squat jump x 10 d. kipping pullup x 10 A Note On MetCons: One of my complains against CrossFit is the over a...

late night workout.  Not the best, but better than skipping. lots of various ab machines:  9 total sets arm superset: a. barbell curl: 50 x 10 x 10 b. skull crusher:  50 x 10 x10 

I was stiff, sore, and felt "heavy".  Instead of running intervals, I went to the gym and spend about 45 minutes in the hot tub.  I stretched everything, and then cooled down in the pool. By the time I got home, I was utterly relaxed.  I slept like a baby last night

Title should read Weak 6.  That's how I felt on Monday evening -weak. incline dumbbell press:  50x12; 60x10; 70x8; 55x12; 65x6; 75x5 bench press:  145 x 10, 10, 10 t-bar row:  70x12; 80x10; 90x8; 75x12; 85x10; 95x8 prone fly:  12.5 x 10, 10, 7, 8 leg press machine (squat racks unavailable):  130x15; 150x15; 170x15; 190x15; 210x15; 230x15; 250 x 21!!!

How the heck did that happen?  I missed Wednesday because I worked late.  Then the next thing I know - it is Monday morning. Well, I'm going to do Friday's workout today, 18 FEB, and push the weights as far as I can.  Same for Wednesday and Friday. After this week, I'm on to phase II, which will bump my schedule to 4 days of lifting per week, and incorporate small doses of MetCons.  I'm ready to feel more athletic again, and start getting a little lighter.

Simple low intensity intervals. 8 rounds at level 1 2min walk 30 sec run Afterwards, I shot my 83# recurve and did great up to 30 yards.

I am rapidly hitting the wall on overhead press.  everything else is progressing nicely.  I'm glad next week is the last week of this phase. squat:  45x15; 95x15; 135x10; 175x12; 215x10; 235x8; 255x8 Bulgarian squat: =10lb x 10/10, 10/10, 10/10 overhead press:  95x12; 105x10; 115x8; 100x12; 110x0 (zero); 125x7 lateral raises:  12.5s x 10,10,10,10 V-grip pulldown:  100x12; 115x10; 130x8; 115x12; 130x10; 145x8 behind neck pulldown:  100 x 10,10,10,10

I started a day early with some low intensity cardio before church. 10 rounds of LIIT - level 0 3 min walk 30 second hard run Level 0 is a 1-to-6 work-to-rest ratio.  I'm ready to step up to Level 1: 1-to-4 (30 sec run / 2 min walk).

I went hog hunting again, this time with two 5-gallon buckets of corn soaking in a variety of fruit and fruit-flavored beverages.  Each bucket weighed just over 40lbs.  The walk to the ground blind was right at 800 yards.   My traps are aching today.  Not sure I would have been able to draw my bow if I even saw a pig - just kidding. But yeah - my traps hurt.

I count Thursday's ride to the park and Follow The Ninja-Leader as wk4-d4. Friday's workout: 5mins on treadmill: 3.5pmh / 5 degrees incline dumbbell press:  50x12; 55x10; 60x8; 55x12; 60x10; 65x8 bench press:  165 x 10, 10 T-bar row: 70x12; 80x10; 90x8; 75x12; 85x10; 95x8 Prone fly:  12s x 10, 10, 10, 10 Sumo deadlift: 185x12; 205 x 10; 225x8; 245x8

That's a game I made for me and my kids when they were tiny.  I'd climb all over the playscape of any park we were at, and hop from structure to structure and they'd try to follow.  I have always been age-appropriate with the little "stunts"; just enough to get my son and daughter to demonstrate a touch of agility and balance. Today the student became the master. My son is just about 10 now and was hopping from precipice to precipice, weaving himself through the monkey bars, and dancing across pipes 6 feet in the air like the gravity defying offspring of a  professional Parkour athlete and a billy goat!  Thrice I said "I'm not doing that". But hey, time marches on and you take pride in seeing your kids excel even as your youth fades.  And truth be told, I can still do more playground stunts, and display more mobility ad agility than most guys my age, and nearly all men at my weight.

Short, hard, to the point.  In and out in 40 minutes TRX oblique thingy:  BW x 10/10, 15/15 TRX assisted V-up:  BW x 10/10, 8/8 wanted to do woodchoppers or weighted decline situps, but all stations were in use.  :( Arms 10 x 10 superset a. barbell curl:  45 x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 b. skull crusher:  45 x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 Sets 8 through 10 were PAINFUL!!!!!!  My arms hurt from the middle of the workout to the next day (as I type this).

3.2 mile walk with my dog. Great weather.  Legs heavy from Bulgarian squats on Monday

Awesome is in tha house! squat:  barx15; 135x15; 175x12; 205x10; 225x8; 245x8 Bulgarian squat: BW x 10/10; 5lb x 10/10, 10/10 V-grip pulldown: 85x12; 100x10; 115x8; 10030x8 behind neck pulldown:  85x10; 100x10, 10, 10 overhead press:  90x12; 100x10; 110x8; 95x12; 105x10; 115x8 lateral raise:  12sx 10, 10, 10, 10

2 hours of throwing and some conditioning.  As usual, the tire sled smoked everyone.  :) standing put:  12 lbs warm up - maybe a dozen throws standing put:  16 lbs - maybe a dozen throws Open Stone:  16 lbs - another dozen or so throws Light weight for distance: 24lbs - probably a couple dozen attempts Weight over bar:  46lbs - maybe a dozen throws till it broke.  :( Conditioning: Sled drag:  30 second sprint with 65lbs (my son got to ride in the tire), walk back Sled drag: 30 second sprint with 110lbs (my son + 45lb plate), walk back Atlas stone clean and press:  2 reps.  I was totally smoked.

More solid work.  I skipped the squats because of the Saturday Highland games practice we had lined up. warm-up:  5 mins on treadmill @ 3.5mph/5degrees incline dumbbell bench press:  45x12; 50x10; 55x8; 50x12; 55x10; 60x8 bench press:  155 x 5, 5, 5 t-bar row: 55x12; 65x10; 75x8; 60x12; 70x10; 80x8 prone raise:  12s x 10, 10, 8, 8

My first arm workout.  Ten sets of ten reps is tough!  I had to reduce the weight after the 3rd set, and it was still a challenge.  I'll increase by 5 lbs next week. TRX-assisted situp:  BW x 10, 10, 9 Woodchopper:  90 x 12/12, 12/12, 12/12 Bicep  / tricep superset: a. barbell curl:  50x10, 10, 3; 40x10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 b. skull crusher:  50x10, 10, 10; 40x10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10

Good easy cardio today, followed by stretching in the sauna 5 rounds of: 3 min walk @ 3mph / 5degrees 1 min run  @ 6.5mph/5 degrees

Got to the gym in a rush and skipped the warm-up. sumo deadlift:  205x12; 225x10; 275x8; 295x2 single leg deadlift: BW x 8/8, 8/8, 8/8 overhead press:  80x12; 90x10; 100x8; 85x12; 95x10; 105x8 lateral raises:  8s x 10,10,10,10 v-grip pulldown:  85x12; 100x10; 115x8; 100x12; 115x10; 130x8 behind neck pulldown:  85x10; 100x10; 85x10, 10

I walked about 10 miles on a day hunt, stalking new ground for signs of feral hogs.  I found what I was looking for and have 3 spots to still-hunt from ground blinds. The mileage was hard, since I was following game trails or no trails at all.

Great workout on Friday.  warm-up:  5 mins on treadmill at 3.6mph/5degree inclune incline dumbbell press:  40x12; 45x10; 50x8; 45x12; 50x10; 55x8 bench press:  155x 10, 10, 8 t-bar row: 50x12; 60x10; 70x8; 55x12; 65x10; 75x8 prone fly:  10s x 10, 10, 10, 10 squat:  155x12; 185x10; 205x8; 225x8 Bulgarian squat:  BW x 10/10, 10/10, 10/10

Today was a cardio day, and since nothing grinds on my soul like a jaunt on the treadmill, I happily agreed to meet a friend for some tennis after work today.  He's a great player; used to be an instructor / coach.  I have played around with tennis with my wife before, but neither of us no how to play. My buddy Alex was making me run around the court like a Jack Russell after a treat stuffed squeaky toy. We played for 80 minutes.  So much more enjoyable than steady state cardio, or intervals, and every bit as taxing as a hard 5K. I hope I get to play again next Tuesday.

Forgot my training log at home, so some of the weights were heavier than they should have been. stationary bike and stretching overhead press:  70x12; 80x10; 90x8; 80x12; 90x10; 100x8 lateral raise:  5s x 10,10,10,10 v-grip pulldown:  85x12; 100x10; 115x8; 100x12; 115x10; 130x7 behind neck pulldown:  85 x 10,10,10,10 sumo deadlift:  185x12; 205x10; 235x8; 285x8 single leg hyperextension:  BW x 6/6, 6/6, 6/6

I made a couple of changes to achieve the volume I'm after.  I simply can't get enough total reps in handstand pushups or neutral grip pullups right now.  So I've replaced them with barbell overhead press and neutral grip pulldown.  This is still break-in mode, so the weights were light again. warm-up:  5 mins treadmill at 3.4mph / 5 degree incline overhead press:  65x12; 75x10; 85x8; 70x12; 80x10; 90x8 lateral raise:  5s (yes 5 lbs per arm.  so what?) x 10, 10, 10, 10 neutral grip pulldown:  70x12; 85x10; 100x8; 85x12; 100x10; 115x15 behind neck pulldown:  70 x 10, 10, 10, 10 squat: 155x1`2; 175x10; 205x8; 215x8 Bulgarian squat:  BW x 8/8, 9/9, 9/9

Second break-in workout.  I like using the lighter weights and just focusing on form, and contraction of the involved muscles.  Even though the wights were modest, the heart rate got up there by the end of the workout. warm-up:  5 mins treadmill at 3mph, 6 degrees; 5 mins stretching incline dumbbell press:  35x12; 40x10; 45x8; 37.5x12; 42.5x10; 47.5x8 bench press:  155 x 10, 10 (didn't do 3rd set because shoulder was hurting t-bar row: 45x12; 55x10; 65x8; 50x12; 60x10; 70x8 prone lateral raise: 8 x 10, 10, 10, 10 sumo deadlift: 155x12; 175x10; 195x8; 205x8 single leg hyper-extension: BW x 5/5, 5/5, 5/5