crisis of strength

or faith...whatever you want to call it.
i feel like i have lost my desire to compete and lift. its tiring, exhausting, and time consuming.
ok maybe i just need to cut it back...time to do some other stuff. not just be in the gym all the time. ah well...

the past few days i have been thinking...maybe too much.

nothing much

the past 2 days were exactly that. nothing much. feeling tired and worn out. today my lower back hurt so bad i could barely walk. overuse? too much low back work? could be...could be residual effects from the competition. in any case it hurts like hell.
so i did no gym work at all. rest seems to be the best thing. muscle relaxers would be great too.

so the downtime has led me to dig up my old artwork and writing...i have some stories to work on. would be fun to redo most of the characters and stories. get my head back to writing and drawing.

so thats all for now...where's the bengay??

please keep your arms and legs in at all times...

sunday was nice. i relaxed at home at some good food with my parents, sister, and nieces. watched some boob tube...damn that talledega finish...
i also got my butt in to do some worship...cardio...iron type. did 1 hour total on the elliptical and abs. really you ask...does a strongman need them? YES!!!! we do.
weighed myself and was surprised to be at 232lbs! even after all the garbage i have been consuming. going to be good to come in light in june.

today i made the effort to sleep in...only because i shut off my alarm instead of hitting the snooze. good thing my dog needed a walk or i would have slept all day. got to the gym and took over the only power cage there. back work from hell...shrugs, zercher deads, good mornings, and 1 arm rows. it hurts to sit now...no pain but a little tight. happy with the workout so i did 20 minutes on the elliptical.

6 weeks

events
log clean and press 140, 170, 190, 210, 225

tire flip 500 12 flips total

farmers 245 each hand 80'

yoke 400---no pickup 450---pickup...nearly crushed me...holy crap

stones 200, 230, 250---all chalk 270---with tacky

felt pretty good today. back still wacky from last week.
central florida strongman is 6 weeks away. going back to keto diet
tomorrow. i was 235lbs wednesday. want to come in under 231
for this comp and qualify for nationals.

Allergies

For some reason this year it is bad. My head feels like mush and my nose is like a faucet. I am happy for that, the past few days it was just running down the back of my throat.
I really want to type something wonderful but my mind is just off in lalaland. Decongestants and antihistamines are a wonderful combination but i still need a wet/dry vac to suck the snot outta my head.

Lessons Learned

So here is how my weekend went...straight to hell!! I weighed in friday morning at 229 fully clothed. So happy about that. Spent a fun night with friends at EPCOT. I ate like a pig...fish, nachos, tacos, burrito, McDonalds.
Saturday took a turn for the worse. At the competition the first event was the yoke/ barrel carry. 750lbs crushed me. Felt something just pop in my back and my lower back tightened up.
Next was farmers walk 320lbs each hand. I knew what i could do and was happy with what I got but my back was not happy. It only cramped worse. Log clean and press came next. I could not stand up with it. I had no strength in my back. I was ready to quit at that point...hell with that! Deadlift was up next, did my 4 reps with the frame. Moved to the axle and could not budge it.
Finally I decided to give the stone a go...it was 330lbs over a 50" bar. Same result as the log. it wasn't coming off the ground.
After the comp and stuffing myself with free protein drink samples and pizza, I went home and weighed myself. 231...wow I should have been 235-238 if I refed myself properly. This was the first time I dieted for a competition. It was rough on my body and the results proved it.
Sunday I was able to pop my back and all the tightness and pressure went away. Later i ate pasta, garlic bread, and salad. Oh yeah I had a blizzard too...Went to the gym this morning and the weights felt like nothing. That is how I should have been Saturday.



pics here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xeyedbear/

2 Hours of Cardio and a Song

Ok I did 2 freaking hours...weighing in at 230.
I cannot wait to get out of work tonight...

and here is a song from Disturbed "Meaning of Life", feel free to sing along....

Get psycho,
I wanna get psycho
Get psycho,
I wanna wanna wanna wannaI wanna get psycho
Run you little bitchI want your power glowing, juicy flowing,
Red hot meaning of life.
It's not enough to have a little tasteI want the whole damn thing, nowCan you dig it?
Need to get psychoWant to hear you say it Say you want it, need it
Don't wanna wait until we finish the showIt's not enough, you hunger for more
You're one twisted little fuck
And now you wanna get psycho with meGive in, give in, decide
Give in, give in, give in, decide
Give inGive in, give in, decide
Give in, give in, give in, decide
Give inGet psycho, I wanna get psycho
Get psycho, I wanna wanna wanna wannaI wanna get psycho
Scratch my itch
Give me your power glowing, juicy flowing,
Red hot meaning of life.
It's not enough to have a little piece
I want the whole damn thing, now
Can you dig it?
Need to get psycho
Want to hear you scream
Tell me to take you, scare you, fuck you
After we finish the show
It's not enough
You listening whore?
You're one twisted little fuck
And now you want to get psycho with me
Give in, give in, decide
Give in, give in, give in, decide
Give in
Give in, give in, decide
Give in, give in, give in, decide
Give inI can feel the blood flowing through my veins spilling on my soul
And now the hunger's getting bigger
Come a little closer now pretentious whore and pull my trigger
Free the violence that is building in me
I say now end of the ride murder suicide is how
I've been feeling lately
Come a little closer now pretentious whore,
I'm reeling with a feeling that
I can't ignore
Come a little closer now pretentious whore,
I'm reeling with a feeling that
I can't ignore
Come a little closer now pretentious whore,
I'm reeling with a feeling that
I can't ignore
The need to get psycho
Is not a question to me
Get get get get, get psycho
Get get get,
I wanna get psycho
Get get get get, get psycho
Get get get,
I wanna wanna wanna
Get psycho, get get get
I wanna get psycho, get get get get
Get psycho, get get get
I wanna get psycho, wanna wanna wanna wanna

Keeping Busy

I didn't do much today. I certainly stayed out of the gym. Slept in and decided to clean my place, would be nice since I am having guests. My dog enjoyed being out in the yard, he didn't have to hear the vacuum. Got some stuff rearranged and did some laundry...I know this is exciting.

I did manage to squeeze myself into my deadlift suit all on my own. Those damn things are uncomfortable...was more like a workout just putting it on. I do know it will help Saturday, besides its allowed so why get the extra pop from it.

Really today was about distracting myself from the competition Saturday. I can feel the tension rising the closer I get. I can certainly feel something mean and angry rising in me. I don't want to let it out too early, but I definitely do not want to let it consume me. So now I am occupying my time watching anime on HULU...a new one called Glass Fleet.

Haircuts and Oakleys

Before I went to bed last night I decided to get rid of the mop on my head. During all the training I let my hair grow along with a beard. I really hate shaving...
So I thought just buzz it short, nothing crazy. I eneded up going bare clippers. I have a rather nice head. Freaked some people out at work. I know i will catch crap from my mom...haha. For some reason she doesnt like it when i buzz my hair...oh well I am an adult.

I had a miserable time doing cardio today. 40 minutes is all I could manage. I did weigh 230 though and that made me happy. Happy enough to treat myself to a new pair of Oakleys. Seeing as how I have lost 2 pairs in the last year. I used the sunglasses as my carrot on an stick with this diet. Seems to have helped!

Cardio, Massage and Other Ramblings..

So today I did 90 minutes of cardio...not bad. Still holding at 231lbs. I 'm sick of this diet though. Tried to stomach some eggs. Tasted like rubber, even my dog wouldn't eat them! So looking forward to Giordano's Saturday night! Brings me back to the concert though. I had to eat and my choices were all non diet friendly. I opted for a hotdog and passed on pizza. Should have just had a beer...
Last week I scheduled a deep tissue massage...had to get out early to get it done. Felt great! The girl that did it worked me over good. Of course as I am heading there everyone decides they need my help....sorry no can do!
I know I am doig well this week. Last week I was dragging my butt thru everything. The little rest and relaxation has helped restore my desire and sanity. My music gets me fired up and thinking about competing is actually exciting! Strangely I am also rather at ease and relaxed.
A few more days...

The Magic Number and Music as a Weapon

I woke up yesterday morning early so I could get to Wallyworld and get a new tire. Knowing my last experience there I was prepared with gym bag. The wait for 1 tire....4 hours!!! So I walk across the street to the gym.
I proceed to spend 3 hours doing cardio and pseudo-strongman events. I did zercher deads, good mornings, push presses, and holds. Inbetween these I spent 20 minutes on the dreadmill, for a total of 80 minutes. I ended my time there with 40 minutes on the helliptical...total cardio 120 minutes.
Got on the scale...dum dum dum...231lbs!! Finally all this cardio and dieting has paid off. 6 days to go till weigh ins. Looks like I can drop a few more lbs this week. Made it back to Wallyworld, picked up my car, early, went home and took care of laundry, lunch and my dog. Speaking of lunch...I cannot stand fish anymore.

Music as a Weapon
Oh man I have been looking forward to this for a long time. Even though there were bands playing outdoors all day I went at night for the headliners...Chimaira, Lacuna Coil, Killswitch Engage, and of course DISTURBED!!!!
Chimaira opened. What can I say? Just not my speed. Too much scream and all the songs sounded the same.
Lacuna Coil....wow!! Think Evanesence with a much harder sound. Very impressed. Going to pick up their new CD when it comes out.
Killswitch Engage was fun. They had the best pit going. Sounded great! They ended with "Holy Diver" Oh hell that was great...DIO!!!! Put up them horns!!

One thing about the opening acts, their mic's sucked!! Could barely hear or understand the singers.

Then what I have been waiting for....DISTURBED!! Saw them last year at House of Blues and was impressed. Now I get to see them in a large venue. Draiman came out on the Emblem and landed onstage. They did all the great songs. The medley of songs was quite impressive. The reset the stage for Indestructible...camo netting and red,white and blue lighting. The band came out...guitarist was in an Air Force shirt, bassist in an Army shirt, drummer and singer in camo!!
Then it went black...and the crowd is going wild...is that it?? Drums begin to bang and the spotlight comes up on the drummer...a killer drum solo!!! Lasted something like 5 minutes.
Then came the finisher...The Sickeness...cant go home without hearing it. Draiman was in the crowd on a lighted lift and sang most of the song there. Then he made his way to the stage and finished. Lights up go home....

The wait to get out of the parking garage was endless. What brought me joy was watching the redneck stoners pushing their car...must have spent all their money on tickets and pot.

Today my ears are still ringing....

Water Weight and Tires

Today has been weird for me. It started with a lackluster session of cardio in the gym. My weight seems to be stuck at 235lbs. Even after 90 minutes on the DREADMILL. Oh well...I still have one week before the competition.
Since this is new let me explain...I am cutting weight to enter the lightweight division for North American Strongman Inc. The weight limit is 231lbs. I am competing next week in Orlando, Florida at the Europa Show of Champions. The contest is a Pro/Amateur meet with a procard going to the winners in each weight class.
Wanting to achieve something more than last place and a so-so existence in strongman I decided to take the leap. I noticed my strength is up there for the lightweights. I am not the best but I can do well. The challenge is dropping the weight....I LOVE FOOD!! I made the choice and have really stuck to my diet. I have been doing a ketogenic diet. Whats that you ask? Basiclly you are getting your body to burn ketones(fats) instead of carbs as fuel. It means the body is burning the fat in your body and you lean out.
I started at 248lbs 3 months ago. I dont miss the carbs so much but I sure do want a pizza....

Now the rest of my day. I was driving to work jamming to the ipod. But damn it starts to get noisy!! Turn off the radio....Sounds like a flat tire. Figures I am driving in the middle of nowhere. I get to a spot i can pull over and get it swapped with the spare...drive on in to work. All the spring breakers and holiday goers are jamming the streets. Cant make it to the tire place.
So I figure i will wake up early, go to Wally World, get a new tire, and make my way across the street to do some more cardio.