Catching up

Well, what a trip -- after a 12 hour haul on Saturday, I was surprised I was up for training at all. I did a ton of conditioning during the holiday and made it to a 24 Hour Fitness on Tuesday to bench...then a 16 hour haul home on Wednesday. Nice trip, lots of driving.



Sunday (Christmas)
*My wife and I took a three or so mile jog. It was balls cold in Missouri, so we bundled up. It was actually a bit refreshing and the cool air was very crisp. Nice rural community with a town square and all (not my hometown or hers). We jogged through downtown and into a large nice midwestern park and back around through some side streets.

Monday
*My wife and I did hill sprints in aforementioned park. Pretty steep and long, but much colder than Sunday. It was in the mid-twenties, which brings back memories, but not fond ones.

*Monday we made the drive to Kansas City (which was about five hours), stopping along the way a few times for memories. When we arrived in KC, I felt all pent up and went for another jog before dinner. I went another three or so miles through a very sketchy neighborhood into a not so sketchy neighborhood where I ran a few hills. I then proceeded back into the sketchiness and am still around to tell the tale.

Tuesday
*My wife and I went on the same jog I did the night before. All the hoodlums were still sleeping, so instead of sketchiness it was just grimey. Oh well.

@ 24 Hr. Fitness
1) Bench -- 75% x4x5 (225)
2) Incline -- 10 x135, 8 x185, 6 x225
3) Incline Flys -- 45x8, 55x8, 65x8
4) Dips -- 5 sets
5) Plate Raises--Pressdowns--Face Pulls 3x10/10/10

Wednesday
*The big haul...16 hours...KCMO to NC

Thursday
1) Deadlift -- 75% x4x5 (410)
2) Shrugs 5x10
3) Rows 3x15
4) Pullups 4 sets
5) Curls 3 sets

Friday
*My wife and I went for another jog (4 miles) around the lake.

Good week and all caught up!

More Liftin' and Visiting the Doctor

Wow, what a visit. For a 250-260 (depending on the day and time) pound guy, my blood pressure is sweet. 104/62 -- what what? I'm not even trying to keep it down. I eat butter, whole eggs, salt, meat...all the things you're not supposed to. I guess it is all about training and not eating crap all the time (just some of the time). I'm waiting to get my cholesterol numbers, etc...so I'm not out of the woods yet, but close. I also got a tetanus shot which is making my arm pretty sore. I guess its necessary? There must be an abundance of rusty nails around for to step on. I also got to wear a sweet paper gown!

Training:
1) Deadlifts -- 5x5 @70%
*While deadlifting, I got a wild hair/bored and worked up so...this is how it shook out:
385 x3x5 (70% of training max)
405 x3
455 x2
505 x1
560 x1
385 x2x5 (to finish the 5x5)

2) Shrugs -- 5x10, finishing with 455

3) Rows (T-Bar w/V-Handle) 5x15

4) Pullups -- 5x1, 5x2 (Negatives)

5) Curls -- 3x10

I'm definitely good for over 600 in the deadlift. The 560 was pretty easy, I just got light-headed (maybe from the blood work earlier today?), so I called it.

No conditioning today -- maybe I should have, but I wasn't up for it.

Training and Such

Officially on vacation now -- the moniker above fits my current state of mind. For the next few days especially. I am not looking forward to the holidays and family gatherings and such, so WWHRD will serve me well. Like I said, lots of training and disengagement.

Monday was only conditioning -- hills, more than Saturday.

Tuesday was for the bench:

Bench Press
5x5@210 -- which is pretty light, but my bench is god awful...god awful. I am really going to be pushing this.

Push Press -- 3RM (225)
*I could have done more, but had to clean the weight up, therefore I could not do more (because I couldn't clean more).

Incline:
135 x10
185 x10
205 x10

Dips, Tricep Extensions

Sprints (100 yds x5, 50 yds x3)

Wednesday -- I debated on doing anything today as I was stranded at the car dealer service center all morning and it was raining. Again WWHRD...I went for a run (about two miles). I probably should have done something else, as tomorrow I deadlift and squat, but whatever...I'll get it done.

COLD!

Well, well, I was totally off yesterday. It did get cold (well relatively speaking anyway). We got a...hard freeze...last night! We finally pulled up our turnips and rutabagas from the garden yesterday (tiny little guys, mostly for greens). Only a month/six weeks from tomato seedlings. I'm going to rig up a hot light and fan in the basement. It will be epic -- something like this:


It was still in the mid-fifties yesterday, so hills were in shorts as advertised. Prowler today.

We're making the big X-Mas trip to Missouri to see family this year. Not only do I dread the drive, but the feeling of claustraphobia (both in the car and other people's houses). I'm going to take the prowler along this year -- the goal is three times in five days. I'm also going to find a gym on the 27th.

In honor of my X-Mas feelings...

Today is Saturday

12/17/2011

Today is for squats. I'll run hills today as well. It is like 60 degrees in North Carolina. This is perfectly acceptable to me, as I hate winter and cold (childhood trauma), but this is going too far. Why is it so warm? It hasn't been cold yet -- my wife and I have only turned the heat on like three times. It's almost X-Mas -- wow. I'll be running hills in shorts...shorts!..in December!!

Anyway -- Squats:
5x5 @70% (350)

This is week one of 5's. I'm using a conservative training max of 500, so it should be pretty easy to hit all reps, etc... for the full cycle. Next week will be 4x5 @ 75%, then 3x5 @ 80%, then three weeks of triples, doubles, etc... It's all mapped out, so I'll be running on autopilot.

Good Mornings (Buffalo Bar):
3x10 -- slow and light, but going slow made them tougher, so light is a bit misleading. Good work

Step ups (Buffalo Bar):
3x10

Sit ups:
3x10

I watched The Big Lebowski for the umpteenth time last night. I've been watching this movie since I was in high school. I always find something new that tickles me...this time it was:



I have seen this scene a dozen times, but never laughed as hard as last night.

7/10

-2 pounds last week

AM Conditioning:

Hill Sprints x20 PR (Grass Hill)

PM Training:
Squat (Buffalo Bar):
290 x5
335 x5
385 x5

Deadlift:
290 x5
335 x5
385 x5

**I pulled back on both training maxes. I think this will help with recovery in my hips and knees. Both lifts are on the wayyy light side, but better there than too heavy right now.

Narrow Squat:
225 x2x10
275 x10

Abs

a/o

7/8

AM Conditioning

Sprints:
50 yards x 10 sprints (rest = walk back)

a/o