Session I [61913 – 62913]
61913 [Wednesday #1] Wake 189.5 24% Body Fat / 52.5% H2O … 3 – drank breakfast, chocolate mass gainer, pnut butter, spinach & fixins.
I think the lower leg tightness/near cramps come from enthusiastic jumping during gx sessions. Could be the calf raises/presses also. Stretch these more.
YMCA
#1 SQUATS – 275 lbs. 38 reps in 5 sets
#2 BENCH – 185 lbs. 30 IN 5 – struggled. I’m feeling kind of inadequate not benching at least my own weight, however, I have to remain disciplined, work my plan and progress as I will. I’m eyeing 225 at some point with multiple [more than 10] rep sets.
#3 SHIN FLEX – 95 lbs. 115 in 5
#4 DIPS – 66 in 5 – more fatigued, first time I didn’t beat the previous day. Looking to rock a century in 4 sets or less, then maybe I’ll add weight.
Followed by Yoga – first time teaching a class in about two years.
Yoga went well… Happy! Good combo; lift heavy, practice yoga.
Random item: My wake-shake makes about 24 oz, I drink 12 immediately and the rest after the workout.
Ingredients: whey protein, creatine, chia seed, oatmeal. Ice, fruit, coconut water, juiced (or whole) fruit & veggies (mostly spinach & kale). I’ve been doing this since March 18th of this year, right after the Kid Stone incident. This is when the six began to emerge.
62013 [Thursday #2] AM – work
Recovering/relaxing GX-YMCA this afternoon. I should try to do some pull ups before class…
What are some of the “reasons” [excuses] I use to slow down or stop progress?
One that comes to mind is “over training.” Maybe it was a legit concern at some point, but now it seems like an excuse.
Solution – no scheduled breaks. What has happened in the past is my body/spirit will let me know what it’s time for a break; or situations, trips, duties, vacations – will require a break. In the past, after unscheduled breaks I’ve come back stronger.
At some point I remember thinking or writing about whether I could return to my 2004 upper body bench press weights. Overall, in cardio and lower body I’m more efficient. I want to see if I can modify this into a combination of Strength, Power, Agility, Coordination, Endurance, Reflexes (Speed) & Balance. I need to elevate every element and see what happens. I have to overcome the initial tiredness, and force myself into intervals, running and more climbing.
Wake 189.5 25% - 52.5% ACV [apple cider vinegar] before bed. Drank breakfast, fruit juiced & veggies.
Strong performance at GX-YMCA today. Two rounds of interval challenge wore me out… in two minutes. Just that fast!!
Salmon & spinach for dinner. Cheat night at the gig, and probably this weekend will be decadent.
62113 [Friday #3] – Summer at the gig.
My body is so delightfully sore these days, between pumping iron and stretching and body weight stuff, I don’t need to exercise overnight. However it makes for a longer tour. In any case I relax and contemplate this season of R2R.
2 Rounds of HIIT Challenge to warm up – killer. I think it wore me down.
#1 – 225 lb Rom DL – 30/5 the grip is still holding me back. I may have to strengthen my grip before I add more weight. It’ll come along.
62213 [Saturday #4] early wake up 189.5 – actually did some push ups and deep squat hip openers. Road trip day. One drink and ate wisely, but not much physical activity.
62313 [Sunday #5] wake 191.5. Up early, did some chores, had first egg-white omelet w/ raw fixins; pretty good. Back to sleep for several hours. Low energy day. [A day like this would probably be a 3. I stated strong early but ran out of things to do so I went back to sleep. Maybe should’ve eaten more. But I needed to get some sleep for work so I think it worked out.]
Did some lifting around the house for triceps & shoulders, did some stretching. Some other activity my occur before work. Body looks good, but sore. Energy is slowly building. Still low energy day. Managed to pump some iron and get several tasks accomplished. Probably train some at the gig… suspension most likely. Squats tomorrow? This week looks normal.
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| First 10 days of weight tracking. The trend from the last year continues. I'm rockin the high 180s- low 190s, and lifting heavy. |
62413 [Monday #6] – AM – work; Can’t bring myself to train this morning as I plan/imagine my afternoon workout… Squats, bench press, shin flex, dips – maybe add a fifth and jog a mile after, if I can get a treadmill.
Wake 190.5 21% 54.5%:
3 rounds HIIT before breakfast, which I drank. Then a double. Y, today. Rain today, but I feel strong right now. 6 Day on a 1 – 7 scale.
YMCA Action
#1 – Squats 275 – 45/5 10 rep max: Closing in on 50 reps, but think I should be able to go deeper. Maybe not be so fast to add 20 – 25 lbs once I hit 50. Maybe I should have a few 50 rep days.
#2 – Bench 185 – 32/5 10 rep max. – getting stronger again and bigger in the upper body. Old shirts are getting tighter. Shoulders are hanging in.
#3 - Shin flex – 100 – 60/5. This is the right weight, just have to get used to the pressure on the top of my feet.
#4 – Dips – 100/5 25 rep max. Finally got to 100, now I have to dip lower and slower. More deliberately.
#5 – Handstands 5. Barely held for 3 seconds. These really should be pushups, but later.
#6 – one mile run, with a .25 mi walk. Need to be able to run a solid mile [6-7 mph] after doing all this.
#7 – Abs work
#8 – Leg stretches, deep runner lunges.
Out – 105 minutes.
Body items: left knee is tight with twinges of slight pain, but stiffness makes it tough to run, however this didn’t affect my squats power. Left shoulder is tight when raising it to drink for instance. I get a massage this weekend.
Recovery: brewer’s yeast and BCAAs
Pre-work NO Xplode – finished the bottle before the end of the workout this time. This seems like a good way to start the day.
62413 [Monday #6] – AM – work; Can’t bring myself to train this morning as I plan/imagine my afternoon workout… Squats, bench press, shin flex, dips – maybe add a fifth and jog a mile after, if I can get a treadmill.
YMCA
Woke ok. Stretches and some squats for about 30 minutes or so. Hit a double as usual. Y-GX today. Drank bkft. Pretty standard Thursday so far. 3 Jump rope intervals. 60 secs. On 30 off, before class. Good GX, just 2 ppl in class. Thinking it’s a 5 day just b/c of weather and my energy is lower than normal. Nite off, so chores, maybe a bit of home work. Left shoulder still sore.
Speaking of… tried some shea butter on the sore spots, lf shoulder, which feels better and lf knee – also a bit better, but we’ll see after the run. I think my current regimen is pretty productive. I’ll add & subtract exercises as necessary, but the basic 50 rep in 5 set strategy seems sound. Although it’s taking me a while to get to 50 reps of a 185 lb bench press, I can envision myself hitting 50s with 225 possibly by the Fall, barring any unforeseen setbacks. #1 – Inverted leg press: 450 lbs 60/5 + calf presses and standing calf raises + farmer walks [2 10 lb plates] b/w sets for grip training. #2 – Thrusters & power clean practice. 65 lbs. 40/5 steady 8 sets, first time. Add 10 lbs next time. Bounce stretching something between sets. [*Ballistic stretching is not recommended, however I’m doing it in a more controlled manner.] #3 – Overbar dips – 66/8 body weight [I may have to demo this to show you what I mean. I’m trying to get strong enough for muscle ups.] I was able to get a little lower. #4 – Leg slide press – 275 60/5 add wt next time. Plus calf presses [toes in/out alternate]. #5 – Low pull ups, neutral grip, L-posture. 30/5 (steady 6). #6 - 1 mile treadmill walk. Sore left knee and fatigue kept me from running it. #7 – Floor touch stretch, standing on dumbbells. 3 sets of 100 [I think these made my obliques sore. #8 – Core stretch, leg stretch, sivasana & out. Obliques are screamin!!!
This is looking like a 4 day. Didn’t go to the Y, although it’s not too late now. I did a lot of sleeping and meditating & stretching. After 5 days of lifting and aerobics classes maybe today should be as it is. They say we can’t catch up on sleep, but it can catch up on us. Managed some leg work, squats & weight vest (new standard) kicks, stretches, shoulder rehab/therapy work. Thought about upgrading to a 5 day but the energy never came and I never went out. This pretty much defines the 4, middle of the scale day, or chill day. Maybe a 3 day would be no exercise at all, b/c I was blah, not b/c I was out doing something fun. Can’t blame the weather for this either, it was a lovely day.
PS: This year the blog will be subject to much editing and additions. Pictures, charts, videos will possibly be added later. Be sure to check out the Gateways to Health Page. Thanks.
62413 [Monday #6] – AM – work; Can’t bring myself to train this morning as I plan/imagine my afternoon workout… Squats, bench press, shin flex, dips – maybe add a fifth and jog a mile after, if I can get a treadmill.
Wake 190.5 21% 54.5%:
3 rounds HIIT before breakfast, which I drank. Then a double. Y, today. Rain today, but I feel strong right now. 6 Day on a 1 – 7 scale.
YMCA Action
#1 – Squats 275 – 45/5 10 rep max: Closing in on 50 reps, but think I should be able to go deeper. Maybe not be so fast to add 20 – 25 lbs once I hit 50. Maybe I should have a few 50 rep days.
#2 – Bench 185 – 32/5 10 rep max. – getting stronger again and bigger in the upper body. Old shirts are getting tighter. Shoulders are hanging in.
#3 - Shin flex – 100 – 60/5. This is the right weight, just have to get used to the pressure on the top of my feet.
#4 – Dips – 100/5 25 rep max. Finally got to 100, now I have to dip lower and slower. More deliberately.
#5 – Handstands 5. Barely held for 3 seconds. These really should be pushups, but later.
#6 – one mile run, with a .25 mi walk. Need to be able to run a solid mile [6-7 mph] after doing all this.
#7 – Abs work
#8 – Leg stretches, deep runner lunges.
Out – 105 minutes.
Body items: left knee is tight with twinges of slight pain, but stiffness makes it tough to run, however this didn’t affect my squats power. Left shoulder is tight when raising it to drink for instance. I get a massage this weekend.
Recovery: brewer’s yeast and BCAAs
Pre-work NO Xplode – finished the bottle before the end of the workout this time. This seems like a good way to start the day.
62513 [Tuesday #7] – AM – Work. One week in. relax, update.
I wonder what will happen by not training overnight. I’m getting some solid workouts during the week & making good strength progress. I can always go back. TU-GX this afternoon.
Wake 191 19% 56% - good wake up numbers. Typical Tuesday, wake up with no time to do anything. Drank breakfast, headed to TU. – double. Iced left knee and heat rubbed left shoulder before bed.
Strong GX with good energy left for aqua box. Woohoo!!
62613 – [Wednesday #8] AM – work – Recovering from GX as usual. Not much going to, ‘cheat night’ no salad.
Wake 191 20% 55% - good wake numbers. Double. 3 rounds HIIT Challenge – I can take all summer for this. I do feel better when I do it though – but starting is hard. Drank breakfast; chocolate, pbutter, kale, strawberries, etc. Got to make it to the Y. I was teetering as to whether to go or not. This is an example of a ‘5’ day [1<7 scale]. Felt like I didn’t want to go, but pushed it. Low – mid energy. Humid, almost gloomy day.
#1 – Romanian deadlifts – 225; 36/5 the grip has become stronger. Kicks, farmer walks [20 lbs], bend hammy stretch between sets.
#2 – wide grip pull ups – 30/5 … progress
#3 – Pull overs 95 lbs.; 24/5 this was a drop in reps – probably an indication of my low energy.
#4 – leg curls 180 lbs.; 33/5 same as last time.
#5 – Seated row 135 lbs. 40/5 not a bad showing, still looking for the right weight on this one. I can probably increase next time.
Didn’t do any above bar dips, b/c smith was being used, and left shoulder – but maybe it’s just an excuse. Left shoulder seems to affect military type presses and it needs to heal. I want to add military presses to one of these sessions. I’m thinking they’d go well with leg presses day.
Felt kind of weak today. Hot, humid and rainy. Worked up a good sweat though. Stretch legs – feeling the hips opening, a bit painful, but hopefully will lead to increased flexibility there. Stretched abs on the swiss ball, then out.
Recovery, BCAA & Brewer’s yeast, banana and trail mix. Maybe the 30 – 60 extra minutes of sleep cost me. Got to wake up strong every day. I need something to do daily.
Iced left shoulder, then heat-rubbed it. Grilled cheese w/ raw ingredients for dinner. Wasn’t very hungry post workout. Got to bend knees more and more often. Left knee stiff, but not sore.
Thinking about adding biorhythms chart in here, but I don’t know whether I should do it pre or post – if I looked ahead would I be influenced by what I saw? I’m still trying to devise a scale to accurately describe my days.
For instance a 1 day would be unable to get out of bed. Too sick and tired to get anything done, even at home.
A 2 day would be too sick to go out, but working out at home intermittently.
A 7 day, is pure power and energy. Up and energetic, and breaking records at the gym, or if not at the gym everything is going my way. [however, these are to describe workout days.]
So far I’ve had a 6 & a 5 day… I’ll get this together.
62713 [Thursday #9] – AM – work. Taking August off from protein and creatine? Simple wrist curls, left hand tight, cramp-ish.
Wake 190.5 17.5 57% very good wake #s. Not bad for pep & cheese, salad & various fruits & nuts over night and no exercise.
62813 [Friday #10] – Wake 189 20 – 55.5 either my waistline’s getting smaller of the elastic in my boxer briefs is getting looser. Nonetheless they are still tight around the thighs. Measurement day comes in about a month, we’ll see then. [*smaller waist makes belly look bigger. It’s still Chunky.] Morning stack, ate bkft [raw egg-white omelet.]
Got a meeting in media today and early Friday workout at the Y. Leg press etc, maybe toss in some front squat thrusters and catch up on the over bar dips and some power cleans. Oh yeah, save time to run a mile & stretch.
I think August is the month I’m going to cycle off the supplements. Its vacation month, so we’ll see what happens. What I expect is to find the protein is the primary source of the weight/mass gain, and lose a few pounds, but as always… we shall see.
A 7 Day is a 6 day without pain. I’ll give this day a 6.
YMCA – work
BCAA recovery, NO-X pre + regular pre-work stack. Blackened duck salad at Q’s. I could use that massage now!! Casein shake post [@ home] – out dancing and one beer later that night.
62913 [Saturday #11] – Wake 190.5 20 55.5 woke with stiff neck/trapz – left side. Stretch 7 heat rub. Can’t wait for massage. Thinking YMCA today, chest and back work, maybe light legs – work tonight. Forgot to mention dessert last night @ Silk – apple pie and some kind of ice cream.
I’m going to call this the last day of Session I, since June 30 is a Sunday; it’s a good day to start Session II.
PS: This year the blog will be subject to much editing and additions. Pictures, charts, videos will possibly be added later. Be sure to check out the Gateways to Health Page. Thanks.
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