Becoming an Athlete

Let me get the workout out of the way.... 30SEP2014:  wk1-d2 warm-up with Agile-8, back bridges, stomach vacuums, side planks Box Pistol squats:  30 total  (HARD!) deadlift:   275 x 5,5,5,5,5 single leg press:  70 x 20/20, 20/20, 20/20 calf raises:  BW x 20,20,20 Thoughts and ramblings: When I was a kid I started lifting because I wanted to  be as strong as Superman and move like Spiderman.  Then I got a little older and wanted to be ded-sexy.  Then it was about imposing my will on my opponents. I grew up thinking violence and the willingness to use it as a tool made you right, made you a man.  Because I had no control over what happened to me at home, I developed the attitude of "Fuck you!  You maybe can kick my ass, but you can't hurt me NEAR as bad as I can!" When I got to the Air Force Academy, I discovered the boxing team.  TEMPORARY NIRVANA!!!   For 17 minutes at a time, my twisted mind made se...

I was sick for almost  2 weeks and lost ~12 pounds.  I actually had to go buy new jeans and punch 2 holes in my belt.  Seriously!  My clothes fit me like sack clothe.  So I'm a little weak and have diminished work capacity at the moment. Silver Lining The good news is I'm ridiculously lean.  I mean 204 and 33" waist isn't too shabby.  I plan to eat clean and slowly mass up while keeping the waist at 33".  If I can get to 225 and maintain a 33" waist, I'll be beyond happy!!!!   Oh and all my veins are big and prominent. PhaseI redo: week1-day1 warm-up: Agile8, stomach vacuums, skipped reverse wood choopers neutral grip ("NG") pullups:  5,4,3,2,1 hang clean & jerk:  95x5; 105x1,1,1,1,1;  115x1,1,1,1,1 Overhead press ("OHP"): 120x5,5,5,5,5; 85 x 19 Countdown superset: a. dips:               BW x 5,4,3,2,1,5,4,3,2,1 b. EZ-bar curl: 55x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5

I got sick on 9/16 and finally got better on 9/22.  Time to hit the gym with pansy weights and high volume.  Need to bounce back as fast as possible.  I'm down to 208, which is too light!!!!! I'll forgo the re-carbing phase and keep this new light bodyweight as a way to mass-up slowly and "lean"ly.

Pressed for time, and all the (two)  squat racks were in use. So.... 1-arm dumbbell snatch:  75 x 5/5, 5/5; 80   x 3/3, 3/3; 85 x 1/1, 1/1, 1/1; 90 x 1/1, 1/1, 1/1 Deadlift: 135x10; 185x5; 225x5; 275x5; 315x5; 365x5,5,3; 385x3

warm-up 1:  agile-8, back bridges, neck bridges, stomach vacuums warm-up 2: reverse wood chopper:  70 x 8/8 neutral grip pullups:  BW x 6,5,4,4,3 kettlebell swings:  50# x 10,10,10,10,10 Dips:                      BW x 6,5,4,4,3 kettlebell swings:  50# x 10,10,10,10,10 Overhead press:  145x5; 150x4; 155x3; 160x2; 165x1 kettlebell swings:  50# x 10,10,10,10,10 High pulls: 115x5; 135x5;  155x5,3,5 kettlebell swings:  50# x 10,10,10,10,10 incline dumbbell press:  40x10; 45x10; 50x10; 55x10; 60x10; 65x9 kettlebell swings:  50# x 10,10,10,10,10 Lateral raise drop-set:  25x8 - 20x8 - 15x12 - 12x13 Skipped arms

I should have lifted on Tuesday, but I was smashed from 19 sets of squats on Saturday, then the planned lifting on Monday.  So I pushed my Tuesday session to Wednesday. Got to the gym late because of kids practices, so I skipped my warmups and abs.  I also skipped KB swings because of soreness from deadlifting. Neutral grip pullups:   BW x 6,5,4,3,3 Dips:  BW x 6,5,4,3,3 Snatch grip high pull from hang:  95x5; 115 x 5,5,5; 135 x 5,5,5; 155 x 5,4,3,2,1 EZ-bar biceps curl:  80x5; 85x4; 90x3; 95x2; 100x2 Seated dumbbell overhead extension:  45 x 12,12,12,12,12,12 Incline dumbbell curls:  25s x 8,8,8,8,8,3 My forearms were swollen beyond belief!  Not a bad pump in the biceps, either.  But the forearms!!!!!  UNREAL

Warm-up: Agile-8, back bridges, neck bridges, lots of  extra hamstring & hip flexor  stretching Clean & jerk:  95x5; 115 x 1,1,1,1,1; 135 x 1,1,1,1,1; 155 x 1,1,1,1,1 Deadlift: 155x5; 185x5; 205x5; 225x5; 245x5; 275x5; 295x5; 315x5; 335x5; 365x5; 385x1; 405x0

AM:  30 minute walk PM: Warm-up 1:   agile-8 Warm-up 2:   back bridges Warm-up 3:   stomach vacuums Warm-up 4:   reverse wood choppers:  60 x 12/12 Dips:  BW 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 KB Swing:  80 x 10, 10, 10, 5, 10 Pullups:  BW x 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 KB Swing:  80 x 10, 5, 10, 5, 10 Bench press:  185 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 KB Swing:  80 x 10, 5, 10, 5, 10 Incline dumbbell press: 40x10; 50x10; 60x8; 65x5; 70x5; 75x3 KB Swing:  80 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 Lateral raise drop-set:  25x8 - 20x8 - 15x8 - 10x8 Skull crusher:  60 x 8, 8, 8, 8, 8 Alternating dumbbell curl:  25s x 12, 12, 12, 12,  12 Total swings:  180 Total swings tonnage:  14,400 lbs (i.e. 180 x 80lbs)

Ha.  That's  a pun.  Cuz I'm single.  So I dated someone for about 5 months and it was great, but then she had to go away for a bit.   When she got back to town, she wanted to transform her life, for the better.  I was super excited for her, but I was also part of the old life so we parted ways.  Then we started talking again and have become friends.  We speak just about every day.  She is dating and figuring herself out.  I am single because I found exactly who and what I wanted.  The hard part for me is that she is even more attractive as the woman she is becoming.  I'll stay single and focused on my own growth until I find someone or something of equal worth and joy.  Not what I anticipated, but hey, it isn't all bad.  I have a great friend, am kicking ass professionally, physically, and spiritually. On to the physical ass kicking....... Kettlebells.  No other single piece of equipment can transform you ...

Funny how lifting is my "rebound".  I mean, I always lift, even when in a relationship, but when I'm 100% truly single, lifting takes up the lion's share of my time (outside of father duties and work). I'm killing it right now.  High volume, high frequency, very heavy.  Thankfully my diet and rest are allowing me to handle this without burnout. Sunday AM: Off Sunday PM: Dips / KB swings: 5 supersets Pullups / KB swings: 5 supersets Overhead press / KB swings: 5 supersets Incline db press / KB swings: 5 supersets Lateral raise drop set (4 drops) Skull crushers / alternating dumbbell curls: 8 supersets Monday AM: sprints Monday PM: TRX pistol squats 1-leg db deadlift Deadlift:  stack-5, 4, 3, 2, 1 leg press:  3 x 30 Tue AM: walk Tue PM: Dips / KB swings: 5 supersets Pullups / KB swings: 5 supersets Hammer strength rows / KB swings: 5 supersets EZ-bar curls / KB swings: 5 supersets Incline db curls / db overhe...