total aside

If you have a cable contract, go to this page and click on the day you want to watch.  Log in, click on any day and scroll down to weightlifting.

Network television never covers the real event.  Take some time and watch the 53kg women, for instance.  I swear, they are awesome.

Watch the 62 kilo men and prepare to be humbled when they snatch over 2X bodyweight.  Wow.  Very humbling.  They make me feel very weak, even if they are all 12 inches shorter than I am.

training 7.30.2012

Because of weekend stuff, I did the SSB squat session yesterday, which left me tired today.  Add to it that I only got about five hours of sleep last night, and I'm less pleasant to be around than usual.  Training would either be the mental health hour or a total bust.

Started the usual way and warmed up fairly deliberately.

Squat w/ belt x2@8 + -5%: reached 290kg, which still feels odd; got one fatigue set

2-count bench + chains x2@8.5 + -5%: hit 175kg + chains, got one fatigue set

Floor press x5@9 + -5%: hit 200kg and was done; got one fatigue set

Left elbow didn't like me on the floor press, which was about setup for one warmup set aggravating it.  My fault.

Squats are feeling heavy until I come out of the hole.  Setup, decent, everything feels like a ton until I start to stand up.  I get to the top, the weight bounces a little on my traps, and it feels like a ton again.
Whatever.

Body weight is fairly stable, which is good.  I let myself get way too hungry again today, which is bad.  I'll make up for it.

Wednesday I will be in Sacto all day, so training will suffer and stress will be high.  We nail this one and I might be able to retire someday.

No back spasms today.  Wife is back, had a great weekend, sleep sucked.  Hope tonight is better.

Thanks for checking in.

training 7.26.2012

Started with B-Ala/creatine.  No Spike today.  No dynamic work, either, which I need to fix -- out of the habit somehow, which is not good at my age.

Wife's back finally -- the past three weeks, one of us has been on the road.  That sucks, and my world isn't right until she's back.  So with training being more regular and my wife back in the house, this has been a good week even though work has presented some challenges.  What fun would it be if work wasn't a pain on occasion?  Just as long as those occasions don't run together...

Got to it.

Pin press -5cm x2@8 + -6%: reached 240kg, which was a legit 9; got two fatigue sets

Pin press chest x2@8 + -6%: reached 180kg, hit three fatigue sets

JM Press x6@9 + -6%: reached 100kg and right shoulder started barking loudly.  Nowhere near RPE=9, unfortunately.  Didn't push it.

Not thrilled about the shoulder limiting the JM presses, but that's the way it goes.  Triceps strength isn't my biggest problem on bench (I don't think), so I won't stress over it.  I will, though, sneak back in tomorrow and rip off some high-rep/light JMs to hit the triceps hard.

As stagnant as my comp bench has been, I guess I shouldn't say anything isn't a problem.  I need to get my gear on and see if I can still make it work.  Maybe I'll sneak some equipped sets in to Mike's protocol from time to time.  I really want to make some gains on the bench and will try pretty much anything at this point.

If you haven't checked out Marshall Johnson's meet report this week, go do it now.  Great stuff, and congrats to him for gutting it out.  While you're at it, check out Julia Ladewski's report -- what a stud.  Both are very impressive, and I guarantee 99% of the guys I saw lifting at LA Fatness back when I still used commercial gyms would be crushed by a 402# squat, briefs/suit or not.

CBL is still going well.  Body weight has stagnated for the moment, but that might be lean mass coming back after a couple of irregular weeks.  Feeling better, less jiggling, getting closer, eating everything I can the way I'm supposed to.

By the way, strawberries and cream Nitrean+ is not as incredibly delicious as the vanilla.  The vanilla (mixed in whole milk) is like ice cream, it's so good.  5g Leucine per serving.  Haven't tried coffee yet.

Anyway, off to eat.  Have a great evening, and thanks for checking in.

training 7.24.2012

Warm day.  Started with B-Ala/creatine mix, knee sleeves, hopeful thoughts.

Squat w/ belt x4@8.5 + -6%: reached 290kg; might have been a 9; two fatigue sets

2-count DL x2@8 + -6%: reached 240kg and crapped out; one fatigue set

Good morning x6@9 + -6%: same as last time, whatever that was, and got one fatigue set

I have so many sets of squats before work starts that it seems like forever.  I start heavier on the second exercise just because I'm already well warmed up.  It just means that by the time I get to the last exercise, I'm already pretty done.  I feel like I need more volume at work weights in squats, maybe less at DL, and I need to make sure I get all my accessory work in.  Gonna have to make some adjustments.  Maybe make bigger leaps to work weight early, though that tends to fry my mind.  Not sure.

The whole backyard smells like natural gas this afternoon -- pretty powerfully.  So either someone is burning off their grill and I'm wrong, or I may be blown up tonight.  If you don't hear from me, look to the news for a small explosion in North San Diego County.

Just got a shipment of the new coffee flavored Nitrean+.  Will report.

Pretty cooked afterward.  Looking forward to eating and going to bed.  My head is going to split.

training 7.22.2012

Went ahead with Day 1 this week a day early.  Taking the boy to Batman tomorrow after work.

Wore elbow sleeves and Spud velcro wrist wraps.  Used the usual B-Ala/creatine business and downed a bunch of Nitrean+ with whole milk after.  Can't tell you how much I love the new vanilla -- taste is awesome, like dessert.  Love it.  Have some coffee flavor and strawberries and cream inbound.  Will report.

No dynamic work today.  Brain isn't working.

Comp bench  x4@8.5 + -6%: reached 240kg and was cooked -- more like a 9; got three fatigue sets

Bench + chain x4@8.5 + -6%: used a pair of average 12" bands = about 30# at the bottom and a half ton at the top; reached 175kg and died

Elbows out ext x6@9 + -6%: worked up to the 200# stone and had had enough

Wish I had a cable tower for pushdowns.  Elbows and shoulders felt fine so long as I set up tight.

Stretching out the sleeves of my bench shirt -- arms have grown too much to get in it anymore -- to see what I can do in single ply.  Should be fun (after I find the groove again).  Will report when the time comes.

Diet is going well.  Put on a few pounds again, nice and slow.  Keeping an eye on it and how much I jiggle, if at all.  Not much to jiggle right now, and expect to lose some more while I hopefully gain lean mass.

Wife is out of town again.  This is getting old.  My business trip went very well this past week, though.

Thanks for checking in.

training 7.21.2012

Back in town after three days of business travel, which went well.  Hot and humid for SD, which isn't saying much.  Sweating like a pig, though.

Started with B-Ala/creatine mix and Spiked.

DL w/ belt x2@8 + -10%: reached 250kg; got three fatigue sets; last work set (pre-fatigue) was a true RPE=10 -- ground it out; very certain the national Masters IB record is within reach

SSB squat x4@8.5 + -10%: reached 265kg and couldn't move anything more

Good mornings x6@9 + -10%: used the SSB since it was already in the rack; hit 200kg and couldn't even start another rep

Too toasted from the earlier effort to do anything more.  Often I'm finding my zeal for the first movement is killing my performance in the last two.  So it goes.  Anyone watching would be amused, though.

Weight is doing okay.  Melting off the lard was going well until the travel -- that always blunts progress, as the rubber chicken dinners and way too much boozing seriously hampers things.  It's not like I get drunk, but every dinner has wine (a big sushi dinner had sake, of course) and every dinner is huge.  Without the benefit of training to at least make it pseudo-backloading.  Plus, eating during the day is tough, if not impossible, because of meetings and presentations.  This trip including exhibiting, so it was worse than usual.  On top of it, I don't remember ever having consumed so much coffee in a three day span. 

Anyway, back on the train.  We'll see how long it takes to get progress back on track.

Off to eat.  Thanks for checking in.

training 7.17.2012

Have to be brief this morning -- hitting the road for business travel for a couple of days.

Warmed up with the bar; used B-Ala, creatine.  Used elbow sleeves and wrist wraps.

Pin press -5cm x4@8.5 + -10%: reached about 550# and got 4 fatigue sets

Pin press full ROM x4@8.5 + -10%: reached about 470# and got two fatigue sets before an equipment failure

Push press x12@9 + -10%: reached 199# without histrionics and got one fatigue set; pretty blasted by this point

Don't feel like benching is making much progress, or at least the progress is hard-won.  Not sure why, but I've stagnated here again.  Or that's the way it feels.

Thanks for checking in.

training 7.15.2012

I realized this morning that I have somehow mixed up Mike's protocol several times in the last couple of weeks.  I did sets of things he didn't ask for in the week in which they were done.  Guess I should clean up my desk.  Sorry, Mike.

That said, I had training yet again today, and will the next two days in a row if I can make the time.

Started with B-Ala/creatine and dynamic work.  Didn't wear any protective gear this time except my Spud DL belt during the SLDLs.  Yes, the protocol for today called for SSB squats, but I did SLDLs because I squatted heavy yesterday.

DL, 2ct, x4@8.5 + -5%: hit 250kg and got one fatigue set; took long breaks between sets for external reasons

SLDL x6@9 + -5%: hit 200kg and got one fatigue set -- better than I thought I'd get

GM x4@9 + -5%: didn't get anywhere near =9, mostly to conserve for the next two days after a tough low-back day

Wife is heading home today after a weekend away in San Fran with one of her sisters.  It'll be nice to have her back, as the world is not quite right when she's gone.  The boy is in Boston with cousins, so I've been a bachelor all weekend.  Recovered smartly from the bourbon excesses on Friday, and have gotten a lot done.  That I value greatly -- to look back and see something accomplished.

Again, diet is back on track.  At least with working out daily I can backload constantly, which is lovely.  Fat is dropping; now to get the lean mass up.  I'd like to gain some appreciable weight this year without getting lardy.  We'll see, but I'm definitely rededicated to it.  Just hope to avoid injury.

Thanks for checking in.  Everyone have a great week.  I will try to check in while on the road, assuming I can find a gym to frequent.


Later.

training 7.13.2012

Hot and humid today, at least for SD.  H&H for here is a cold snap for most.

Went to a bourbon tasting last night and drank too much, ate too little, and stayed out way too late, so today was likely to be bad.  Didn't turn out that way.  Started with B-Ala/caffeine/creatine and half a Spike.

Wore elbow and knee sleeves and put on loose briefs when the squats got heavy.

Comp bench x2@8 + -5%: hit 250kg and got one fatigue set; after, dropped to 50% and did AMRAP, which wasn't many

Pin squat + chain x2@8.5 + -5%: used reverse bands (strong+ave= -30# at top and maybe -200+ at bottom) and reached 900# (more than 8.5 -- all I had), got one fatigue set, dropped 50% and did box squats AMRAP


Incline x5@9 + -5%: reached 175kg and took a dump; actually, I reached 165 and hit ten reps, added 22# and was done with five.  Go figure.  Think I was toasted from the bench and extra reps at 165, so might have gotten more.

Feel very good about today, despite the fact that I must smell like walking sour mash.  I'm way too old to be doing that to myself -- can't tell you how many years it's been since I was even remotely hanging, but I was hanging this morning.  Feel a lot better now, having sweat like a pig and kicked my own butt sideways.

I've lost some weight in the last few weeks and yet have been feeling fat.  Got back to strict carb backloading, limiting carbs on non-training days to 30g for the day.  It's been hard -- I've been craving things badly, which tells me I fell off the wagon pretty hard.  Been strict the last days and feel much, much better, and the weight is running off.  Time to eat more, particularly on training days.  Strict.  It's so hard for me to put on lean mass, I can't afford to do this again.  I don't feel weak at the moment, but I feel small -- I will make training brutal for a while until I either start feeling beaten up or bigger.  Whichever comes first.

Traveling for business this week Wed through Friday, so sessions will be spread out.  Will train tomorrow, Monday, and Tuesday more than likely.  Going to be a very stressful week, and lots of business dinners.

Have a great day, and thanks for checking in.

training 7.10.2012

Just cutting/pasting from my RTS log -- sorry.

Apparently screwed up the order of my sessions, so I improvised a little to get back on track.

Started with B-Ala+creatine.

Squat w/ belt x2@8 + 5%: reached 300kg again and again it felt heavy; hit one fatigue set at 0%

Bench + chain x2@8.5 + 5%: reached 240kg and died (I've regressed), but hit three fatigue sets at 0% -- just kept moving the work weight

Lunges x4@9 + 5%: bunch of weight, did fine, a little cramping but no big deal.  Feel okay about them, but still hate them. 

Right elbow barked a little, and my knees hate lunges with anything but slow reps and super-strict form, which doesn't allow for an RPE of 9.

Did a bunch of flys between sets in bunches of 10 using fat DBs.

Rededicated myself to the work and diet this week.  Been fairly militant about both, and I am sure I will see the results. 

I also have a GHR inbound, though not sure when it will arrive.  Rather pumped about that.

I need more volume, so I have reduced my weight jumps to work weight, taking them typically in 44 or 66 pound leaps rather than my usual 110#.  Maybe as I near work weight, I will start doing extra sets or reps.  I just feel like I need the work.

I'm also going to undergo a throwing program so that baseball doesn't kill my elbow and shoulder so much.  It really kills my pressing, so I will work more diligently on shoulder health.

Enough for now.  Off to eat a horse.

trainin 7.5 and 7.7.2012

Work completed two days ago.

Been off coaching baseball for 4 hours a day for the last three weeks, so no training during that time.  The boys finally lost, so I'm back at it.

7.5
Squat x2 @8 + -5%: worked up to 330kg and crapped, one fatigue set.  Felt very heavy.

2count bench + chain x2@8.5: reached 175kg plus a bunch of chain and was done, one fatigue set

Floor press x5@9 + -5%: reached 200kg (much to my surprise) and did three fatigue sets.

Floor press was surprisingly good.  Left shoulder barked through the bench -- hurts when I reach back behind mid-line at level arm.  Feels like mild tendonitis, so not worried -- lots of fungo hits, more than likely.  The surprise is my right arm was fine after throwing probably a thousand pitches over three weeks.

7.7

Deadlift x2@8 + -5%: reached 275kg and did two fatigue sets -- felt very good

Incline x5@9 + -5%: only reached 100kg with my balky shoulder, but the weight went up well; got three fatigue sets

Pendlay rows x5@9 + -5%: I need more rowing, so I did the work and some extra; reached a whole bunch of weight (forgot to write it down) and did three fatigue sets; also through up some reverse bodyweight rows using a 2" rope from the ceiling at a negative angle (feet higher than head) -- did four sets of 10

Felt great today.  Great to be back at it.