Day 2 week 5

Gorgeous day, plenty of time, mega-high carb day. Should be ok.

It's very warm here today, pushing mid-70s to 80s even this close to the beach. It meant the rumpus room was hot going in, so fan went on right away. I love that.

Started with the usual nutrition. I've been very precise today with all my meals simply because the scale isn't budging -- I defy nutritional and physiological science and logic. I'd eaten over 3000 calories before noon and was just getting started. I'm a walking science experiment, even playing with insulin levels to maximize gaining potential. So far, nada. I like to think I'm a challenge for Shelby. Either that or we're graduating to the whole large pizza and double bacon cheeseburger addition to the meal plan pretty soon. Kidding. Kind of.

Warmed up with lots of dynamic work, including shoulders. Added the bar and kept going.

Wore elbow sleeves, light wrist wraps, and added loose briefs when I got to the front squats.

To it:


Straight-arm anterior/medial/posterior fly: 60 reps per set, 20 each direction, three sets with 15 pounds. Not bad at all today. The last few reps were nauseating, but the rest was ok. Form is rock solid -- no bouncing, flinging, swinging, or cheating.

Skullcrushers: 3 sets of 10 reps, 100kg on the bar plus a lot of chains. Left the band off and widened my grip by about six inches. Made all the difference -- slow reps, solid form, no elbow pain at all. Thanks to Tim Hull and Rob Sinnott for the ideas. Now to fix my bicep work...

Nothing was terrible, but all was tough. I felt really good about the work after it was done, as my tris were spent and pumped.

Front squat: 3 sets of 10 reps, 160kg on the bar. Went up a little on the weight and worked to ATG depth. Everything was smooth today -- no knee pain, hips were good, etc. Finished the last two sets with a wicked ugly back pump, though, and my right bicep cramped solidly on the second set. Ah, well, have to have something to complain about, don't I. Otherwise I'd have to make something up.

The back pump and cramps are puzzling to me since I'm drinking a couple of gallons a day. Yesterday the sole of my right foot cramped during my floor press -- in the effort I was contracting the sole of my foot in my shoe and cramped like a bastard. I laughed it off then. It's kind of like a dog fart, though -- it's funny the first time, but never has quite the same charm after that one. I'll talk with Shelby about it.

Great day, good work. Later.