i f'ing hate deadlifts!

why dear god do i do these things? they come and go and take forever to get a new PR. you would think such a brute strength exercise is so tough to master. well enough griping, here are the details...

deads 135x5 225x5 315x3 405x2 495x1 545x0---attempted twice but was going nowhere. 495x5 singles

power squat machine facing in 360x8 6 sets

standing leg curls 100x10 5 sets

rope rows 150x8 5 sets

HS iso row 1 arm 90x8 5 sets

face pulls 100x10 5 sets

what was really funny is that a couple people were impressed with the 495. i must be the only crazy person in the gym lifting heavy.

and on another note...i am waiting to hear back about 2 jobs. one i took a test for and qualified. hoping they call. got a phone call today from a service that i applied with couple weeks ago, wanted me to go to the machining company today. really? i told the lady i would be able to go monday. still waiting to hear from her...if the company was so desperate why didn't they call me in 2 weeks ago?!?1

back to the front

woke up early today. felt wonderfully rested but a little anxious...figured i might as well take it out in the gym.
headed there early to a busy gym filled with senior citizens. oh well, i made my way to the back and hit a push day...

leg press 270, 450, 630x10, 810x8 5 sets, drops 720, 630, 540, 450, 360, 270 all for 8 reps.

lunges on smith machine 135x8 6 sets...was hell grabbing the bar. right shoulder tight. but loosened up by the last 2 sets

reverse grip press on smith 135x5, 185x5, 205x5 5 sets....shoulder is feeling better on these

pushdowns 180x10 5 sets...was actually light because of the pulleys.

cable tate press 20x15 8 sets


also found my first comp of the year...Central Florida's Strongest Man.... http://nastrongman.com/cfsm2011.pdf
can't ecide if i should enter Masters Heavy or Open Middle. funny thing is the weights are the same. i could always diet for Masters Light.

conditioning

well since my cardio sucks and i hate running i thought i would find a unique way to abuse myself.

kettlebell swings 70 reps
med ball twists 70 reps
hammer swings 50 reps
med ball raise 30 reps
kettlebell swings 60 reps
captains of crush trainer 30 reps
captains of crush #1 5,4,3,2,1 reps with negative hold on last rep
med ball floor extension 20 reps
band curls 80 reps
2 hand kettlebell snatch 10 reps

kettlebell was 16kg and med ball was 12lbs. hammer had 5lb plate on it.

i am winded and drenched. 

the best laid plans

well damn me...i was up early, ready to roll and event training was canceled. oh well more time to get ready and hit the gym. but for some reason a little wind was taken out of my sails. i felt like the intensity wasn't there although the strength was.

HS iso press 1arm 45, 70, 90, 115x5, 135x2, 160x1 5 sets

split press 135x2 5 sets

wide grip upright rows on smith machine 225x5 6 sets

zerchers from knees 315x1,5,5

HS shrugs 270x20. 360x15, 450x10, drops---360, 270, 180, 90x10

cable side raises 20x10 7 sets

drop the world not the bar

well i felt like doing nothing today...fought with myself and the doubts...i won and went to the gym.
in the process i did have a great convo with my neighbors. fun to hear about other people and their lives.

well had to show the dingleberries how to deadlift...

deads 135x5, 225x5, 315x5, 405x5-4-3, 315x8, 225x10

standing leg curl 150x8 5 sets  130x8, 110x8, 90x8, 70x8, 50x10

HS iso row 1 arm 45x8, 90x8, 135x8, 160x8 5 sets

rope row 100x10 6 sets

face pulls 100x10 10 sets

benadryl and squats

i feel a bit like Wheezy today. the pollen is high and so am i...on benadryl. this is not a great time of year.
training is horrible when you can't breathe. i as gasping for air like a fish out of water. but i managed to make it through...

squats 135x5, 225x5, 315x5, 405x10,5,5---wanted 20 straight but that was not happening

hacks 270x8 6 sets 180x10, 90x15

reverse grip benches on smith machine  185x8 5sets

pushdowns 100x10 5 sets, 80x8, 60x8, 40x12, 20x20

tate cable extension 20x10 6 sets

although today was sucky in the gym i am really happy with stuff going on at RXmuscle.com. strongman is a big priority and i get to be part of that! finally after all these years there is coverage and recognition for the athletes that put in the hard work for a sport that i not only enjoy watching but participating in.

sleepless nights

cannot figure out what is going on but for the past few nights i have been sleepless. one night i was up till 730am and managed to get 3 hours of sleep. last night was no different. i laid down at 10pm knowing that we were losing an hour. i wanted to be well rested for event training. well every time i dozed off something woke me or crept into my mind and had me wired. 4am rolls around and i know i am screwed. my alarm was set for 5...finally sleep came and i woke up at 10...exactly when i was supposed to be training. why?!?!?! i am normally the person that can sleep through anything. could it be stress? anticipation? anxiety? or maybe the fact that i am doing nothing to make myself exhausted...well that might have changed today. hit the gym for some nasty punishment.

HS press 1 arm 90x5, 135x3, 180x1 3 sets, 90x10 3 sets, 45x15

dumbbell clean and press 100x1 3 sets, 80x1, 60x1, 40x5 each arm

zerchers from knees 135, 225,315, 405 tried 495...then did 495 from ball level and nailed it!

cable side raise 20x10 5 sets

neutral grip cable upright rows 100x10 6 sets

on the crapper

ever have that epiphany while sitting there unloading your bowels and stinking up the place? yeah had a few in my life...mostly just stinking up the place though with a few bright and shining moments. i wonder if Einstein came up with his theory that way? but i digress....

the past few weeks are a true test of who i am and what makes me tick. it is a struggle somedays to get up and function. i apply to jobs with the hope of just hearing "we want you to work for us."  i check my resume to update and change details, just to fit a job, praying that the HR personnel like what they see.

through all this i find a way to keep sane and away from the ledge. the gym, hulu, netflix, pandora and my weekly trip to the little diner down the street. funny how the simple things make a difference. i talk to my friends and kids which is a great way to bring me off the edge. also i am going through old art and stories, rethinking that i should just do this stuff again.

strongman...now there is my passion. love the sport. you just have to watch the Arnold Classic to know what i mean. hurts the most that i cannot compete and training can be too much to bear right now. but i stay in the gym and keep that fire burning. hopefully i can stay healthy...which is why i will be taking a week off. damn shoulder is tweaked. funny how an ancient injury will come back to haunt you.

so to sum this rambling wreck....i need the focus and intensity to see it all through!

http://www.rxmuscle.com/strongman.html  just had to share a pic of Travis Ortmayer.

so i just read this...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110304/ap_on_re_as/as_india_executive_killed

amazed at how things are elsewhere. but can they get like that here?


i am seriously getting tired of the job hunting. i almost don't care anymore. how many more resumes can i send out...ugh. would rather shovel crap if it paid well.


so i managed to get to the gym. went through the motions....

close grip bench press  135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x5, 315x4,3,2

HS shrugs 540x10 5 sets

HS row 1 arm 135x8 5 sets

HS press 1 arm 115x8 5 sets

power cleans 135x3, 155, 185, 205, 225

dips 3 sets 8 reps

cable curls 100x8 4 sets 80,60,40x8 20x10

wrist curls 2 ways 135x10, 185x10 3 sets, 135x10

can't deny me

aaaagh! nothing beats a little physical and mental anguish. waiting to hear back on my interview yesterday, apply for more work...for whatever reason i have been thinking about my past. the wrongs i have done and the wrongs done to me. i suppose it is all part of growing and surviving. makes me a bit tired, which i found out today during training.

legs were on the menu today...

romanian deads with trap bar 140x8, 230x5, 320x5, 410x2 6 sets..pure brutal pain and torture.

hack squats 180x8, 270x8, 320x8 5 sets, 270x8, 180x10, 90x15, sled 20 reps

hack lunges 90x10 3 sets...thought i was going to die doing these

standing leg curl 120x10 5 sets, 100, 80, 60, 40, 20 10 reps

ab pulldowns/cable side bends 120/100 5 sets 10 reps

leg raises 20 reps 3 sets