Bench day

I love bench day even though I've sucked at benching now for a couple of years. I don't think I've gained more than a handful of measly pounds in all that time. Frustrating. I still love the movement and the way it feels and makes me feel. The situation used to be reversed with deadlift, but I'm gaining slowly there. Oh well.

Beautiful day here. Just gorgeous. Looking forward to getting some stuff done. First, to get stuff done in my weight room.

Started with AtLarge Results, Surge Workout Fuel, and a breakfast of eggs and sweet potato hash browns. Fabulous. Thanks, Mom, for making a decent cook of me. My wife thanks you too.

Felt oddly energetic today. I was inspired by Tate's 1100 pound abs article this week and decided to rededicate my ab work towards squat gains. Figured I'd start on bench day (huh?). Why not?

To it:

warm-ups
Bench:
200 kilos x 3 easy beezy
210 kilos x 3 right shoulder twinged, but ok
220 kilos x 3 pretty easy, really. Felt a little heavy. I could have gotten a fourth and maybe a fifth.

130 kilos x 5 x 10 reps

superset with

Fat DB rows with 100# 5 x 10
Band abs with a couple of strong bands x 5 x 10
Grappler swings with an old beat-down barbell and 30 kilos on the business end 5 x 10

The grapplers kicked my butt a lot more than I thought they would. The band crunches didn't hurt much at all, which also surprised the crap out of me. My left arm was a lot weaker than right on the Kroc rows, which also surprised me.

The day was full of surprises. After all is done, I feel great. Just wish that bench total would go up.

Deadlift day

In a hurry today -- long, complicated day. So I'm sneaking my workout in in the morning before heading off to face the stress.

Wore my elbow sleeves because my biceps always seem to hurt after DLing. Wore Metal Viking Pro briefs and started with AtLarge ETS, Results, Biotest Surge Workout Fuel, and some circumin.

Warm-up had a little dynamic work and a fair amount of bar work.

Deadlift:
260kg x 3 bitch heavy
280kg x 3 still a bitch
290kg x 3 more of a bitch. Nuts.

170kg x 5 x 8

supersetted with

SSB Good Mornings with about 100# on the bar 5 x 10

The supersets felt great, which was annoying after the heavy sets kicked my butt royally. I have to admit that I did a bunch of curls prior to the whole workout to warm up my biceps. I'm embarrassed to admit that I started a workout with curls, but at least I didn't end it that way too. Maybe Nate will forgive it. Maybe I care.

Everything felt like it was about to cramp today. Even my fingers. I woke up with bad shoulder pain -- think I partially dislocated it last night sleeping on it oddly. As a result I had fairly annoying subscapular spasm. What a whiner. I need to drink more water today, I guess. I have nothing to complain about.

Off to act like I know what I'm doing.

Military press

For those who wanted to know who Strongman Bob was, go here: http://thethinkingstrongman.blogspot.com/

Bob and I are essentially the same age, so I follow his exploits with interest. Gotta hold up my brother and fellow old fart.

Started today with APT Convict sleeves, no wrist wraps, AtLarge Results, and Surge Workout Fuel. I love this cocktail. I'll down some AtLarge ETS in a little while, both because I want to see what a microlactin is all about and because my hips are horribly sore from some extra work I did (that I didn't tell anyone about). I'm walking like a geezer, I'm so sore. Got to coach a baseball game tomorrow, too, with this soreness. Nuts.

Fairly quick warm-up and to it:

Military:
Seated, fat bar, drop to collar:
120 kg x 3 not bad
130 kg x 3 still not bad
140 kig x 3 really pretty easy, though I moved it slow to make it easier on my shoulders

90 kg x 5 x 10 w/ same arrangement

supersetted with

Chins, fat straight bar, widest grip possible, 5 sets to failure

I got a lot. Surprised myself with how many chins I got. I like my strength on the wide chins, though they're a little hard on my left bicep for some reason. I suppose I should do some curls before to warm up the biceps, but I didn't today.

Cool afternoon, good work, think I've got PRs coming in this cycle. I'm pumped. Now to get my bench and DL moving up again...

Squat day

I love squat day. There's just nothing like it -- deadlift day doesn't compare. Not sure why, but squat day fills me with anticipation, eagerness, desire... it's just a day apart.

I got started fairly late, knowing it would go dark on me. I took a desk lamp into the gym with me so I could see to schlep weight, but I kinda liked the darkness.

I started with a dynamic warmup -- a little extra today, because I knew today would hurt. I downed AtLarge Results and Biotest SWF before and SWF during. No wraps or sleeves, but I wore my Metal Ace briefs for support.

After the warm-up:

Squat:
300 kg x 5 felt quite heavy. Made me a little concerned for the next two sets.
320 kg x 5 felt worse. Starting to worry. Just felt bitch heavy, even on the shoulders. The walk-out was a bit of a cha-cha.
340 kg x 5 Walk-out was fine and weight jumped up. Go figure. This is my pattern. 748# felt smooth and depth was passable.

200 kg x 5 x 10

supersetted with

Ham curls using bands x 10
Woodchoppers with strong bands x 10
Posterior deltoid work with light dumbbells x 12

Everything felt great. I'm kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop, particularly after reading Strongman Bob's log and hearing of all his structural troubles. Getting old is relentless, and I'm feeling it. But less than I used to.

And yes, my head is going to split open. Wouldn't be a squat day without a searing headache afterward.

Bench day

Really excited to finally get to bench day -- #2 behind squat day. Had a great night's sleep last night after a weekend of not sleeping (Scouting madness camping trip) and was up for a heavy day finally.

Used AtLarge Results and Biotest SWF before and SWF during. APT Convict elbow sleeves and neoprene wrist wraps. Relatively quick warmup (too quick) and to it:

Bench:
180 kg x 5 bastard heavy -- huh?
200 kg x 5 even a dirtier bastid
220 kg x 5 a little easier -- need more warmup that's not a heavy set

on to:
fat bar bench 120 kg x 5 sets of 10 ugly

superset with:

db kroc rows with fat dbs and 100# 5 sets of 10

Cool evening -- beautiful outside. Great tunes on the Shuffle, elbows felt good, shoulders weren't too bad, but still not my best night. First two heavy sets were met with twinges in my left shoulder, which is a bit odd (usually the right that hurts, if either). Didn't hurt in the later sets.

Anyway, everything felt heavy today. Go figure. Maybe lunch wasn't big enough.

Deadlift day

Heading out of town to chaperon a bunch of little Cub Scouts. So I had to rush to squeeze this one in this morning.

Pretty good warm up -- dynamic and on the bar. I never detail my warm-ups, but can if anyone is interested. Used Results and SWF before, SWF during. Spud Inc. DL belt.

Deadlift:
250 kg x 5 oddly tough
260 kg x 5 still tough. What a wimp.
280 kg x 5 oddly easy once in the air. Thought I might burst a few things getting it moving on the first rep, but all the others came up easy. Go figure. Sported a blistering headache when done, though.

160 kg x 5 x 8 reps

superset with

Good mornings with a bunch on the SSB

The 160s and GMs were nothing but easy. Everything moved well, no odd pains, no muss, no fuss. Pounded it all out and now I'm off to shower and Costco, headache and all.

Have a great day.

Military press

Back at it today. I'm getting ready for hosting and playing in a pick-up baseball game for guys who played -- you have to have played in college, minors, or bigs. I'm very excited and it's coming together fabulously (lots of interest/players), but it means getting my old bod in the playing groove. So I've been taking lots of cuts (at least 50 balls a day) and throwing as often as I can, and my shoulders and elbows are feeling it.

So today's military day is important on several levels.

Used AtLarge Results and Surge Workout Fuel before. Elbow sleeves and chalk, but little else. Been taking Circumin day and night; not sure how many to take, but am keeping it around 1000mg per drop.

Quick warm-up.

Military press:
110kg x 5 very easy -- felt really strong, tight
120kg x 5 still a breeze
130 kg x 9 could have pushed ten, but left some in the tank

75kg 5x10 supersetted with
chins 5 x fail

Everything felt strong today. I breezed through the workout and took about 70 cuts with a 30 ounce bamboo bat at regulation minor league balls. Feel good, though my right shoulder is aching just a little bit (not bad at all) and I have a slight headache. Nothing worth whining about.

Everything felt good enough that I wondered what's going on. Maybe I should move up the weight. We'll see after the 5/3/1 day.

Off to watch the ballgame -- whether the Yankees end it tonight or not is largely irrelevant, just because the series has been so good.

Have a great night, all.