Becoming an Athlete

Left biceps tendon still hurting, so I skipped snatch and pullups. Agile-8 + back bridges (remind me never to skip this) Bulgarian squats: bw x 10/10; 20s x 10/10. 10/10 Hack squat: 140 x 25 1-arm db overhead press: 55 x 10/10, 10/10, 6/6 Incline barbell bench press:  135 x 10,10,5 Lying cross-body triceps extension:  30 x 12/12, 8/6 Dips:  6, 9 Decline situp:  BW x 12, 12

My left biceps tendon is still hurting.  I think I need to drop the daily pullups and improve my form on the Olympic lifts. Less arms - more hips. Monday's work: pullup:  scratch hang cleans:  165 x 3,3,3 deadlift: 295 x 8,8 (3 sets is too much after cleans) 1-arm pulldown: 60 x 5/5, 8/8, 10/10 (warming up sore biceps tendon) bent row:  125 x 10,10,10 skipped 1-arm preacher curl skipped barbell curl corkscrew: 25 x 12/12, 12/12

Another great day of soreness and effort. a. Hang cleans:  135 x 6,6,6,6 b. Pullups:  BW x 5,5,4,3 1-leg dumbbell deadlift:  60 (30 per arm) x 10/10, 10/10, 10/10 a. Incline dumbbell press:  65 x 10, 10, 10 (super easy) b. 1-arm row:  65 x 10/10, 10/10, 10/10 (super easy) 1-arm dumbbell overhead extension: 25 x 10, 10 Barbell curl: 60 x 10, 10 (easy) skipped abs.  :-(

I totally killed myself at the skatepark on Wednesday.  My son was skating, and I was playing with a new 50lb KB.  This is a great weight. Easy for snatches and presses, but really challenging for get-ups.  Just about right for goblet squats and windmills. Lost track of how many rounds of: a. windmill ladders:  1,2,3 b. Snatch ladders: 2,3,5 c. High pull ladders: 2,3,5 d. 1-arm swing: 2,3,5 e. 2-arm swing: 5,10,15 Lost track of rounds of Snatch Countdowns: 7,6,5,4,3,2,1 Lost track of rounds of: a. Clean & Press: 2,3,5,10 b. Goblet squat: 2,3,5,10 c. 2-arm swing: 5,10,15,20

Pullup: 5,4,3,2,1 Muscle snatch: 115 x 1,1,1,1,1 Back squat: 205 x 10,10,10 1-arm overhead press: 45 x 10, 10, 10 each Chin-ups:  BW x 5,5,5 Dips: BW x 10,6,6 Incline dumbbell curl:  27.5. x 10,10 decline situp:  BW x 10,10

I got side tracked AGAIN, so I decided to start over. A1-1 Clean: 135 x 3, 3, 3 deadlift: 315 x 8, 8, 8 1-arm flat bench dumbbell press* (70s x 10, 10, 10) bent row: 115 x 10, 10, 10 cross-body dumbbell extension:  30 x 10, 10 EZ-bar preacher curl: 60 x 10,10 corkscrew: 25 x 10, 10

Hang cleans:  165 x 3; 155x3,3 deadlift: 335 x 8,8 1-arm pushup:  negatives only x 3/3, 2/2, 4/4 Bent row: 115 x 10,10,10 cross-body tricep extension: 27.5 x 10/10, 10/10 EZ-bar preacher curl: 60 x 10,10 Corkscrew: 25 x 8/8, 8/8

If you have read my blog much at all, you have seen that I try new things far too often.  I specialize for a time on "arms"  or do a "squat cycle", and ultimately I get part way through and feel too imbalanced to finish the full 10 or 16 week plan. Now that I'm as busy as I am, I've been forced to reevaluate my priorities, and see if what I'm doing in the gym matches up to what I want to accomplish in life.  Seem like I'm over-reaching with that statement?  Let me draw it all out, and then you tell me. What I value in life: Time spent with my family and friends Capability to do anything, either for fun or because I need to take care of business Ability to protect my family and friends should the need arise A lean healthy physique that will keep me active into my old age If I spend 5-6 days a week in the gym, I'm short changing my family time.  If I focus too much on size and strength, I'll risk losing mobility or getting fat - eith...