Time to make something happen...

I took a month off from the gym partly because I spent a week with my daughter and the majority of it due to work. That's what happens when you do customer service during the holidays. After the wonderful stress of working so many hours I forgot what day it was, I needed the gym just for stress relief.

If anyone remembers I decided to step onstage in 2013. Originally I was thinking bodybuilding  but since i have an allergy to banana hammocks I opted for physique. The contest is July 6 and is the Orlando Metropolitan. I have done something that is quite the shock to me...I have written out an eating plan which allows me to keep tabs on my food intake and make adjustments as necessary. Training is different too, slow reps, more volume, and of course the dreaded cardio. Physique requires a more "athletic" look so I plan to train that way.

These next three months I will be focusing on shoulder, chest, and arms. Three areas that need to pop onstage. Of course I not neglecting my legs, I never will. Love training my legs, now I can just train them stupid...20 rep squat stupid. One other thing I will be focusing on is my grip. I plan to get my #2 CoC closed before April. Since I do not respond to low intensity cardio I plan on HIIT with kettlebells for now. Gym days will be treadmill hell though.

Here is what I did today....

HS seated shoulder press  200 x 5,3,2,2  These reps were slow 5 seconds up and 5 seconds down. That was painful!

Side/Front/Rear raise  15x10 5 sets

Smith wide grip upright row 155x8 4 sets

Dumbbell Clean and press  50, 70, 90, 110 great way to finish the shoulders and a nice ego trip for me!

Romanian deads on smith 315x8 4 sets  135x20

Treadmill 30 minutes 6.5 incline 3.5mph

Weight this morning was 243, my goal is 220.  Bodyfat is 15%

Stay tuned for more...

Thicker is better

It's true! I got my newest toy delivered yesterday and decided to take it to the gym, Fat Gripz Extreme
Was I in for a treat. I know thick bars are the best for grip training but I had no idea what to expect with these things. A bit bigger than the regular Fat Gripz, the Extreme version is definitely for experienced.

I added these on to the HS chest press and was amazed at how much easier it was to press. I was not gripping the handles like a boa constrictor around a small animals neck. I was actually using my hands as hooks. 320 went so easy I decided to jump to 360 and banged out 5 sets of doubles. My next experiment was with Zerchers. This was ok, probably something I might do again. Felt awkward but effective, adds a little different stress to the lift. The final kicker was Behind the Back wrist curls...wow is all I can say. % sets of 6 reps with 135 was all I could handle.

I also did some back and other chest work today. Was surprised at how long I was in the gym which included 35 minutes on the treadmill. Thankfully I was fueled up with Shock Therapy and Atomic 7 from Universal Nutrition. I have decided that I enjoy the simplicity of their products and the fact they work for me.
The company has been around for almost as long as I have, so they must be doing something right.

I checked my weight and bodyfat today. Happy to say I am under 250...248 to be exact. I was surprised by the bodyfat readout I got, 14%. Serious? Really? Well I suppose it could be off since it was my first time. I would guess I am probably about 16%. I will do it again to see if there is a difference.

Like Al Pacino in Godfather 3, I cannot get away from strongman. No, I have not flip flop like Romney but I have decided to do a strongman competition in December. It is for fun and charity and I somehow convinced myself to do it. So if you are anywhere near Bradenton Beach on December 9th come out and watch, Brawn at the Beach.



 

Born to rage...

So I caught this video from National Geographic this morning...




Was certainly a little eye opening for me. Not that I am violent, but I think the "warrior gene" could explain a whole lot about me. Anyone that knows me has probably witnessed a little of my temper. Funny how the gangbangers, Buddhist monk, and Navy Seal all had it. All of them were soldiers in a sense, disciplined in their training, and focused. Yet all could leave the violence and focus on other pursuits.
Strange how much focus and discipline played in all their lives. I find it very similar to my pursuits in the gym. There is a certain level of focus, discipline, and insanity needed to to this stuff.


So grabbing my stuff I headed to the gym fueled by a cream cheese danish, coffee, and some Limp Bizkit. Was shoulders and triceps today.
I was dreading the gym since I took the whole week off after feeling like hell since Wednesday. My feelings were for nothing because I actually did better than I have in a long time.
Shoulder presses were 250 for 6 sets of 6 reps, nailed 5 giant sets of laterals, front raises, and rear laterals. Ended the shoulder session with some high pulls. The high pulls were a little too light so I need to add some more weight next time.
Triceps were brutal. I started with Lockouts on the Smith, 300 for 4 singles! Last time I could not budge 275... Finished the tris off with pushdowns, 50lbs. 20 reps, 7 sets. That was all I could handle, except I did cardio on the treadmill. 30 minutes, wanted to do 45 but my right calf was cramping the whole time. Want to talk about pain?!?!
That's it! Looking forward to watching some football and eating some food...

plate stealing, bar bending, pr setting...

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

So the anger management sessions continued. Seems like the world is setting me off. Everything from work  to the douchebag parking his motorcycle in the handicap spot at the apartment. I tried to get it all out in the gym but this crap is ceaseless. I used to think a friend was nuts when she told me she would leave the gym more angry, but now I know how she felt! 

Went back in with a vengeance to exorcise this demon. What happens? I set a PR, 815 on rack pulls. Have not trained this heavy in a long time and was surprised how easily it went up. Too bad there wasn't any room left on the bar. I had more in me....The workout was fueled by a sample of Sudden Impact, normally it is a drink but the guy that makes it is trying a pill form. Wow is all I have to say...Still jacked from it. May I suggest finding some and trying a bottle out. 

The rest of the training was great. I hit chest and lats before the rack pulls. Went heavy on all of those and was thrilled with my numbers. Made it a goal to get 20 reps total and did it. I ended the workout with wrist curls, light but that was all I had after rack pulls. If my hands feel like it I will train Captains of Crush tonight.

On to other things...I was thrilled that I received a really cool gift from someone very special. She went to Coors Field took the tour and brought me home a media guide for the White Sox. It is sooooo cool. Gotta love those kind of surprises. I also got to see Argo. What a great movie and story! I recommend seeing it. 

That's all for now....gotta buckle up for Sandy!

Moobies, Barn Doors, Popeye, and Douchebags

I was not sure about training today. Was feeling burnt out and tired. Tuesday I rode 35 minutes back an forth to work. Great cardio and leg training but exhausting overall. Throw in a schedule change at work and my body and mind are saying "WTF dude??!!"

Chest, Back and Forearms were on the agenda. I decided to go lighter and add more reps. The goal for back and chest was 30 reps total, thats the set and the rest pause reps. Did that with 230 on chest press, incline flyes with 30's, rows with 230, and 120 on pulldowns.
A few twists were added on incline flyes and pulldowns. On the flyes I stretched at the bottom each rep and then did my final stretch in that position for 30 seconds. That hurt! On pulldowns I did them with a rope, which is more like a row, but you feel them in the lats!

Forearms were crazy. Did Twist Yo Wrist on the low cable. Only used 25 and managed 4 sets of 5 reps. Then I dropped to 15 for 8 and 10 for 6.  Could barely write or move my fingers! I finished off with wrist curls behind the back. 225 for 5 and then 25 rest paused reps. That was all I could stand.

Ended my training with some easy cardio on the treadmill. I really hate cardio....

overtime, workouts, debate and grip

What a week it has been! I worked some OT and was not happy. Not because I didn't want to work, I love the extra cash and my job is easy...I hate sitting around doing nothing and then being asked to leave early. Totally ruins my day off. Oh well, I took it out on the weights.

Had three great workouts this week. Was thrilled that I made all of them. let's hope the streak continues!
Legs, chest, and shoulders were all toasted this week. Have the "good" soreness which makes me think I am growing. I still have to figure out the best way to get the biceps to grow...

Last Sunday's shoulder workout was insane. I did a seated press with 320 for 3. Was it ugly! Shoulder held up but I had to ice it later. During the week I managed to hit legs really well. Then I killed chest and back on Thursday. I am a real fan of the Hammer Strength machines. They have always felt good.

Today I switched up my shoulder routine and started with upright rows on the smith. Worked up to 325 for 3 singles then finished off with 205 for seven sets of seven. One thing I have added is front raises and think it has helped with my shoulder issues. Also band pull aparts before lifting have done wonders. Got done and could barely lift my arms!

Cardio has always been an issue for me but I think I am starting to like it. I am alternating treadmill for 35 minutes and HIIT on the elliptical. Seems to be working since I am down another couple pounds.

So I normally don't mention politics but I have to...I watched the debate this week and was appalled. This election is a circus and I am disappointed to be an American. For once I would love to have a politician tell us the plan they have to make our lives better and our country stronger. But that will never happen. These wonder people just spout off talking points and then let the drooling heads on TV and radio elaborate for them. The worst part of that is most people buy into it and never educate themselves on the truth! Let me present an example...
A former coworker called Obama a socialist, communist, and fascist. I politely asked him to tell me the differences between those three titles he bestowed on Obama. He had no clue. Now the educated readers or at least the ones that can type Wikipedia into Google can figure that out. I was amazed at the lack of basic   fundamental history and government knowledge. But let me express my real anger at the fact that Paul Ryan dismissed the Supreme Court in the debate when the abortion issue was brought up. In essence he said the decisions of the SCOTUS  do not matter. Appalling to think this man could be VP and throw aside the basic foundation of our government, if you don't know it is called Checks and Balances. Anyway...don't send me hate mail about politics, I refuse to argue about it. This was just my observation and opinion.

And finally let me talk about grip... I have always wanted to close the #3 COC and be ranked among the top grip guys on the planet. So with inspiration from a friend who will make an attempt to close the #3 and #4 on the same day. I have decided to add COC training on shoulder day, as a second workout. Warmed up with the trainer, then sets of 5,3,1 with the #1. Moved on to the #2. This was tough and I had only enough to get it closed quarter of the way. Then I forced closed the #2 and did negative holds, 10 count each hand two times. Finally I repped out the trainer for 25 reps each hand. Typing this was a bitch! A lot of work ahead of me...

Leg Day

Let's face it leg days is a love hate thing for most of us. Lately I have hated it so much I have avoided it like Mitt Romney paying taxes. But who wants to be this guy?

So I did legs... Took a lot to get my ass in the gym. Tried watching WSM finals, that only made it worse. Then I listened to some music and videos I saved on youtube just for motivation...so bad I fell asleep during a HellYeah song.  When I woke up I said "Eff it" and made my way to the gym.

Started with biceps...Seated barbell curls and cable curls. I like the seated barbell curls because they take out the forearms and stress that brings to the elbows. Cable curls are my favorite because I can keep the biceps under constant tension.

Then the fun began! Calves first, standing raises with stretches at the bottom. And the moment I dreaded heavy leg work on the squat machine. Before you all go beating me up cuz I am not squatting, my shoulder has made it difficult to get my hands on the bar. Hoping all the prehab/ rehab work help fix that. I did 540 for 8 then 15 rest paused reps. Breakfast almost came up after that. I ended my leg training with Romanian Deadlifts, 315 for 8 and 13 rest paused reps.

Since I rode twice for 30 minutes yesterday I decided to forget cardio today.

Not the greatest of training days but I will take it.

rollin' like a freight train...

Yes I was...after yesterdays headache filled evening I was ready to roll over some weights. I had help from a sample preworkout that a a dude in the gym makes.  I was a little stoked and felt great. Pump was good but not insane...might need a little more Arginine.

Shoulders and tris were on the schedule tonight. Started with Hammer shoulder press worked 250lbs 7 reps. Managed four sets, my goal is seven. Next stop was Side raises supersetted with Front raises. This was brutally insane... 5 sets 10-15 reps. Made it to the Smith Machine for widegrip upright rows, 135 7 sets 7 reps. Finished my shoulders with face pulls 120lbs 15 reps 5 sets....this train was not stopping! Triceps were the final stop 120lbs 10 reps 5 sets and one last set with 50lbs for 20 reps.

I did jump on the treadmill for 30 minutes. Have to do the nasty cardio!

Refueled with chicken and rice and ready for my last 4 days of vacation. Hope I can relax and enjoy them. 

welcome back...

Yeah I know..WTF? I can't help it the tune is catchy and allows me to get my groove on. Don't tell anyone but I was doing the dance before i went to the gym...

I took two weeks off from the gym to nurse my shoulder and catch a couple baseball games. Check my Instagram for the pics... The games were great and thanks to someone really cool and dear to me for the great seats! The shoulder has not been so kind, even with time off it hurts. Sleeping can be difficult and a chore. I toss and turn just to find the right spot and then it starts to ache... Oh well I will survive and figure this out.

Retooled the training to allow me one day for shoulders and arms, one day for chest and back, and one for legs. Going for volume on shoulder day and doing DC for the other two. I hope breaking it up this way will save my shoulder.

So back to the gym...

Did chest, back and forearms today. Hammer strength chest press and incline flyes for chest. Warming up on the press I could hear my shoulder popping. As I added weight it actually felt better. I also made sure my form was correct, rolled the shoulders down and locked the lats. The incline flyes were a new twist and something I will continue with. Went too heavy for the work set and the form got sloppy.
Back was my usual row and pulldown shrug. Did the shrug on a HS pulldown, not a good idea since you really cannot lean back and get the traps involved. I did my stretches after both and was amazed to have a pump from the stretch!
Finished the day off with wrist curls done behind the back and twist yo wrist on a pulley. 255 for the curls was intense and then I did a static hold after finishing the reps. Did a lot of reps with the TYW and got serious cramps in the forearms!
Finally I did cardio...dreaded cardio, but I need it! 30 minutes on the treadmill 5.0 incline 3.5 mph. Jammed out to some Wicked Tinkers for that...

I feared seeing what the scale was going to read but I got on it anyway. Surprised I was down to 250...
Not bad for a couple weeks off.

seen trouble all my days...

Gotta love a great cover like that. Really sums up me...one turd slinging through a fan moment after another.
Certainly have to say I have slung my share and lately things are not so turd covered. Maybe karma is coming around...
I had to sling some nasty wet ones today in the gym though. One bonehead ruined my groove by walking in front of me and breaking my concentration. Sad part is after I raped his, and eveyone else's ears, he actually admitted he was wrong and turned out to be a nice guy. Finished my workout, went home and here I sit typing...

I did manage to get my shoulder healed up enough to tolerate incline pressing, 300 for 7 then another 11 rest paused reps on the Hammer Strength. Did some side raises on the crossover cable, then pushdowns. After a long rest I finished with heavy pulldowns and Pulldown Shrugs, a new favorite of mine! What is a pulldown shrug you ask? Sit at a pulldown machine, grab the bar and try to squeeze your shoulder blades together...you will feel the top, bottom and sides of your traps.

What really made me happy was my weight. I got on the scale and weighed 253 fully clothed and soaked in sweat. Seriously impressive since I have not done much in the last week except eat! Another thing to make me happy was my narcissistic check...my measurements were the same after a 5lb drop. Unfortunately my waist has not dropped any.

That's it! Just remember your gym etiquette dear reader!

lifting and cooking

Thinking "Reborn" will be a great song for a posing routine! Found this one on my ipod while training today.

So I found out what it takes to make yourself sore while doing DC training...Learning to do the reps properly. Last few workouts have been brutal and I can not only feel it but see it. Measurements changing in the right directions for all bodyparts. Weight is down too with just a lil extra cardio and some cleaning up of my diet.

Not going into too many details as far as my last few workouts but I have found doing a ham exercise as the widowmaker is really nasty! Last 2 leg sessions were like that and I really felt them. Another thing I found is that too much pressing in one workout is not really smart. I did inclines for chest and then close grip for tris...stupid! Got buried with 315 and then 275 on the close grip press. Of course my mindset has to get away from the amount of weight to performing the exercise properly.

Have to work on finding the right stretches to do between exercises. So far the standard leg stretches work along with hanging from the pullup bar. I use dumbbells to stretch the tris and bis, which can be awkward and painful, but who wants small arms anyway?

Diet is cleaned up nicely and going well. Added a lot more protein from good sources, my freezer is loaded up with about 20lbs of chicken breasts. Limiting my carbs helps a lot. Finding my body responds better to rice than anything else. I still throw in pasta just because I can make some good pasta! My favorite is to make pasta then add 3 whipped eggs along with parmesan.

Well that's all for now...

 

oh Henry...

He was speaking to me today through my ipod. No I have not lost it, well not completely, but I heard the same song from The Rollins Band twice in the last two days. Both times it powered me through some wicked training.

Hit my second and third day back to back due to an interview and training at work. Good thing about that is I did get in an hour of cardio riding my bike. Because of the interview I will be getting in that cardio as I head into the office twice a week. Can't beat that...

So yesterday I did biceps, forearms, calves, hams and quads...very brutal! Today I hit chest, delts, tris, back width and thickness...even more brutal! Feeling a bit sore, a lot tired, and seriously famished. Time to eat some good food and snack on some bacon jerky...yes bacon jerky!

8/8/2012
barbell curls 100x8, 5, 5, 2
wrist curls 205x10, 6, 4
calf raises 250x8 with 10 second pause/stretch at bottom ----feeling this today!
standing leg curl 150x12, 8, 12
squat machine 540x8 rest, then the widowmaker 20 straight reps with 540
----stretched deeply after each exercise

8/9/2012
dumbbell flyes 50x10, 6, 4
machine shoulder press 250x8, 4, 3, 2, 3
pushdowns 100x20, 20
machine row 290x8, 7, 6, 4
kelso shrug 220x10, 8, 10 ---what are these you ask? i shall explain...


The Kelso shrug...sit at a pulldown station, grab the bar underhand, then shrug back as if starting a row. just try to squeeze the shoulder blades together. thrus me you will feel the middle of your traps!

After both lifting sessions I got on the treadmill for 20 minutes.

Now I think I will take a nap....

making changes

Thought long and hard about where I want to go on my next adventure in the world of iron...debated powerlifting, crossfit, physique, and bodybuilding.

Why the change? My joints are beat, my brain not in it, and I discovered who my real friends are. Imagine a person you called a friend and training partner completely ignoring you not once but twice!
Worst part is if I did anything to offend him I am clueless, but he has no balls to say what his beef is with me. And with that i just have no desire to be around people like that in training or competition. Sad to say I have seen a lot of that in strongman lately and will not be part of it. ---rant over---

Powerlifting was on my mind but again it will be brutal on my already beat up joints and it is really boring. Like watching paint dry boring. No offense to powerlifters out there, it is just not for me...

Crossfit? Yeah...that went in and out really quick. And as someone posted in a discussion on my facebook page "Why do I want to be the best exerciser out there?" Nuff said on that.

Physique and bodybuilding...here is a challenge I like. Something I have never tried and a place I have not gone yet. My enemy in this is the diet, can I put myself through it and get shredded? Physique crossed my mind because I can wear shorts, beats the banana hammock a bodybuilder wears, but as a friend pointed out I have a lot of mass and bodybuilding might suit me better. Either way I have to do something I dread, eat clean and do a lot of cardio. But if I didn't dread those things then it would not be a challenge now would it?

So what is my plan? First I need to work my chest, something not needed as a strongman. I also need to add size to my arms. Digging through notes and articles I opted on DC training. Simple high intensity designed to add mass. Why not? One thing I am doing that is a no-no for DC is high intensity cardio. But I know my body and the lo intensity stuff doesn't work for me. 20 minutes on the elliptical is about all I need. Diet for now will be high protein, but damn I discovered I need a lot more than I have been consuming. Other than that I plan to eat clean, no junk! After about 12 weeks I plan to start a cut and see what I look like under the fluff.

so i got in the gym today after 2 weeks off. here is what i did...
HS chest press 270x11,4---was very easy
Smith Wide Upright Rows 205x10,3,4,3
Rolling Extensions 40x12,6,7,5
Neutral Grip Pulldown 200x10,5,5
Good Morning 275x6,6
Elliptical 15 minutes---that kicked my ass!

That's it! In and out in one hour.

Hitting the reset button

Been gone for too long, maybe I was on a Rocky Mountain High or maybe I was just in a lazy mood and had nothing important to say. Either way I am back and looking at some interesting changes in my life.
A few are personal and will remain from the blog others are going to be discussed here...

First up is competing as a strongman. Eight years have taken their toll on my joints, I need a serious break. And with everything that has happened over the last 2 years competing is not viable. Travel and fees are not something I can afford. So I am semi-retiring as a competitive strongman. Looking at digging out the old fun stuff though. Working on my grip so I can bend, tear, and crush stuff. Stay tuned for that!

Next up is my weight. My job keeps me chained to a desk and my appetite is strong so I have porked up nicely to 265lbs. So my focus now is to drop the weight and lean out. Right now my goal is to be 225 by December 31st, 2012. I even thought about trying to step onstage in a year. That inspiration came from a friends success on his first competition and the amazing changes he made. The dedication and determination he shows is inspiring, give me half of that and I could take on the world.

So now where do I go? Well I  have cleaned up my diet and ramped up the training. In the last couple weeks I have dropped to 257, two pounds of that was from cutting most of my hair off...haha! The rest have dropped from my HIIT cardio and kettlebell complex. I still hit the gym hard and heavy but I have increased the volume which has me training more like a bodybuilder than a strongman. One other thing I have added is yoga. i try to get it in every morning just to stretch the muscles and keep the joints flexible. So far so good!

That's about all I have...stay tuned for the crazy ride!

what the hell just happened?

Something I said in the gym Sunday! Was a great workout until something went pop... was going to embed "Pop Goes the Weasel" by 3rd Base but I can't, anyway... Sat down and was doing machine presses hit 320 for 5 sets of 2 and was thrilled to get that. Went over to the squat machine and warmed up to my working weight of 720. On my 4th set of eight something popped! Not in my quad, lower back, groin, or knee but in my upper ab right below the rib cage. Felt like I got punched...but I finished my last set and then checked it out. Nothing bruised or lumpy just pain. So I did cardio and that sucked. A few days later it is tender but not painful, guess I could call it a strain.  Oh well rest it and adjust my training, possibly need to add more ab work and not eat as much before training.

Now lets jump into the time machine and head back to the weekend prior....it was a blast to see my friends and spend some time with them. We hung out, ate, drank, and trained. I could go into the details but we signed blood oaths not to divulge the midgets name or whereabouts of the sheep...oops I have said to much! Just kidding on that. we did have a blast hanging out at Downtown Disney and eating our way around Orlando. Let me recommend The Brickhouse on I-drive!

We trained Sunday with another friend of ours...which always makes me work harder. I was set to go for a PR push press. After watching Rich nail a 250 PR I was set to go...my 250 felt like a ton, but for me that is a good thing. I managed to push it out. Next was 265...I nailed that easily. 285 was up next, a 10 lb PR if I could nail it...I was jacked walking up to the bar, music blaring and head focused. I went throught the lift in my mind...then I grabbed the bar. Had the bar high on my collarbones..way too high...I pressed and immediately was bending backwards. Instead of trying to readjust I dumped the bar, which was really loud. But my cussing and swearing was probably louder.



Thinking about the lift I knew what went wrong, the bar was too high. In that position I was too far back to get under the bar. BUT...the weight felt light and I know would have gone up. Oh well, next time! After this I moved on to dumbbell clean and press. Worked up to the 120's and was drained...

After that I spent the rest of my weekend hanging out. Was enjoyable to have a crazy time with my good friends...something I treasure. Thanks...

worship

while some people head to church on sunday i prefer the gym. gods of iron and steel are much more forgiving than those in churches. they are also more believable and real. you cannot be a timid or halfhearted follower of the iron, although there are a lot of those out there. you have to give all your soul to these gods. somedays you must offer up blood...when you do the gods of iron and steel will reward you, not with pearly gates or 72 virgins (i would take one if offered)  you are rewarded with much more...the ability to lift more, feel better, and even look better. no amount of praying has ever done that, just hard work!




split press
180x2 5 sets

front squat
180x3 7 sets

machine press
250x3 5 sets

treadmill
35 minutes

went easy today which was not easy to do. i was feeling strong and wanted to do some dumbbell presses. decided to save it for next week. planning a PR session with some of my dudes. so far i have not decided if i will layoff this week or do light training.

so let me say i don't know if i should be disappointed or ecstatic. gym got a new scale so i jumped on and was pushing 260! my clothes fit better than ever...i still see some veins and actually a few new ones. shoulders and arms look bigger and my legs feel like they are stretching my shorts. guess i have to chalk it up to the osta-rx from ironmaglabs...

this one time at band camp...

So I was too tired to type last night, blame the insanity of training deadlifts. I did manage to get out to BW3's have some wings, watch some baseball and then head over to the theater and watch American Reunion
I was in tears the entire time...




But you aren't here for my movie reviews..

Deadlift on 2" box
300x3, 360x3, 420 2x2, 450 5 singles ---the 4th rep I had to do twice, came up halfway, regrouped and nailed it!

Deadlift for reps
450x4 430x4 380x4 330x7 280x10 ---drop sets on these, explains my soreness and pain today!

Wrist Curls
185x10 5 sets

Hammer Curls
50, 60, 70, 80 5 strict reps each arm  90x4 each arm, 50x24 rest pause reps

But wait there's more!!

Today I went in to work my lockouts, back and tris....seriously disappointing! Maybe the late night got to me, maybe the lack of food...I do know my head was not in it

Lockouts on Smith
135 185 225 5 reps, 250 3 reps, 295 2 reps ---I knew something was not right, these all hurt!
315 1 rep!---I struggled to get a second but that was not happening so drops sets were in order...
245x8 225x8 205x8 185x6 135x6

HS row
270x6 5 sets ---Could have done more but the energy was not there

Pushdowns
100x10 7 sets

Facepulls
100x20 5 sets

Treadmill
25 minutes

All this heavy lifting

Been lot of weight lifted and a lot of pain inflicted over the years, I hope it pays off. My week started off with a great ending to a great weekend at my parents. I had an extra day off and managed to get groceries and some extra goodies picked up. I had to get some paint for a friend's paintings I am going to do...I need to start those! Along with that I got some deliveries...aminos, t-shirt, and some peptides. Some free some not, I really love the free stuff! But from there my week went downhill! Was feeling like crap, sinuses and allergies along with some mysterious pain in my legs... Which turned out to be not such a mystery when I realized it was some nasty DOMS from chasing my dog around my parents neighborhood! Strongman and running are not compatible sports... So I took 2 days off from work to clear my head and rest my body. Refreshed I went into the gym and did this...

Push Press
145x5, 175x4, 205x3 2 sets, 235x2 5 sets

Machine Squat --- facing in
720x8 5 sets

Machine Press
270x5 5 sets, drop sets 230x3, 180x3, 140x3, 90x5

Treadmill
30 minutes

Wanted to do more on the squat machine but my left hammie was screaming and cramping. Also I wanted to get my weight but the scale was broke, will have to head to the grocery store which has a big one in the lobby...
I started taking Osta-RX by Ironmaglabs. Lot of potential in this product! I want to see what benefits I get in terms of strength and size. Just to be a little self serving I took measurements of my arms and legs... 17.75 and 27.5 respectively. Also looking to nail a 300lb push press...So stay tuned! 

i think i need a new shoulder

well the past is catching up to me, or at least my shoulder. long time ago i damaged it in football, that hampered me from training any press heavy. years later as i started down the path of strongman i found no issue wit hmy shoulder. recently it has reared its head... today proved it. pain in my arm and elbow, as if i had tendinitis. the shoulder is starting to be stiff and lacks range of motion. but does that stop me? hell no!

i made it through before and with proper care i can do it again. ice and rest along with aspirin will help. a lot of stretching is part of my plan. towel or band stretches have really helped. a good massage will also be beneficial. wish i could afford ART, which would really be the best to fix this. i think a true mark of a champion is knowing when to listen to your body...think mine is telling me "next week is going to be light"


power cleans 135x2, 155, 175, 195, 215--nope!, 135x3

high pulls 405x2 5 sets
upright rows 135x10 5 sets

pushdown/extension 60x10/8 5 sets

treadmill 30 minutes

that's about it...weight dropped one pound, guess the cleaned up diet and cardio is helping. looking forward to the weekend. will be relaxing with the 'rents

Doom doom doom

i needed some heavy lifting today. this week was rough...there is just so much stupidity one person can take.


Zerchers  135, 225, 315, 365, 415, 465

Trap bar deads  420x3 4 sets

this was about all i could take. it was hot as sin in the gym, wonder if they forgot to turn on the AC??
i can feel my back getting sore already. the last set of zerchers i bounced the bar off of my forearm, that will be bruised tomorrow.

hanging up the strongman for posing trunks....

Yes dear readers that is it. Time to get tan and lean. The choice is tough, kind of like When Luke had to decide if he was going to Alderaan with Obi Wan...







aaaaand if you haven't done so yet check your calendars!






Training today was rough. I have been tired the last few days which might explain it but I still managed to push through, pun intended!

Push Press 145x5, 175x4, 205x1 2 sets, 235 5 singles --- the last three were really strict pressed

Front Squats 235 5 singles, 205x4, 155x8
----neglected these too much, ouch!

Machine Press 180x10 5 sets ---1 minute rst between sets, last 2 sets had to finished rest pause

Treadmill 30 minutes

One thing I have noticed it my hands are soft. The bar is really digging in to my palms. That hurt worse than anything. have to figure a way to toughen them up!

got in the gym today for a little tricep and lat destruction. a good easy training day. had some good discussion with some of the other dudes in the gym about keeping the joints healthy. recommended  one guy buy some rehband and horse liniment. i swear by both! the other dude got my discourse on yoga...yes i do it and it does help.

i have noticed that my joints are not the best they have been. part is abuse and the other is age. it happens... but we have to take care of them. as i mentioned stretching or yoga is a great way to help along with proper care. i have used my rehband sleeves for a long time now. they help keep my joints warm when training. also the horse liniment works wonders in that department. supplements like glucosamine and cissus can be beneficial also, but i have not had great results with those.

so here is todays training, might not seem like much but it is effective.

rolling extensions
25x8, 30x7, 35x6, 40x5, 45x4, 50x2, 60 7 singles

pushdowns
100x8 7 sets

1 arm rope extension
40x8 7 sets

face pulls
120x10 5 sets

neutral grip pulldowns
150x8 5 sets

treadmill 45 minutes
---trying to get more cardio in, but i hate it so much!

i think i pulled something

i have to say that i enjoy the looks all the tools and toolettes give me in the gym. i don't lift like everyone else and i certainly could care less to... i do what i want for my own reasons and that is to as strong as possible. but what really gets me is some crossfit moron giving me dirty looks as i lift. serious? you are push pressing less than 100lbs...i don't even warmup with that.

enough of me bitching...i have set out to push press 300lbs this year. and what a better place to do it than at a comp where i can break a record. in september there will be a record breakers comp in davenport, florida. the masters record is what i am going after. the current masters HW record is 300lbs. maybe if i diet i can break the LW masters record which is 280. if only they would have stones, the record has been in the books since 2003 at the first comp i ever competed in.



Romanian Deads on smith
315x3, 365x3, 405x3, 455x1---too light went up a bit 505x1 5 sets

band pulls on smith from mid shin to mid thigh
315 plus purple band 3 reps 7 sets

bar end holds 135, 180, 225, 270, 250, 225---10seconds and 5 seconds

holds in shrug machine 540 3 seconds 2x---that sucked! 450 10 seconds 2x

just one of those days

i just needed to dig out the lil jon...






i can certainly feel the old me coming back: a little attitude and a whole lot of stupid. other than a sore lower back i have been feeling good. think i need a new bed... excited to see a comp added in july, now if i can make it there. since i am trying to get my feet under me again i am just happy to train, but i have a feeling next year will be mine. the goal is to qualify and make it to nationals. there are some personal goals i have thrown in but i will keep those to myself for now.

machine press 140x5, 180x5, 205x5 2 sets, 230 5x5, 220x5 2 sets, 200x5 the next sets were drop sets 180x5, 140x9, 90x10

split press barx5, 95x3, 135x2, 155, 180x2

jumped on the elliptical for some HIIT cardio and then the treadmill totaled about 25 minutes.

that was it! an easy day in the gym. 

Counting

Always counting sets, reps, pounds...but what does it mean? Are we just idiot savants or chronic OCD counters? What makes the counting worthwhile is the end result.



Press lockout in smith
315 7 singles

Machine rows
320 5x5

Pushdowns
120 10x7

Cable curls
100x25

Treadmill
45 minutes

it's deadliftin time!

2 enormously insane days of work have left me frustrated. my work isn't physically demanding but it is mentally draining, deadlifts were the much needed cure. so after work i headed over to the gym. was not sure how it would go since my back acted up on me...

deadlifts off 2" box
315x3, 365x2, 415x1, 445x2 singles --- went for a third but got it halfway.

deads off floor
445x1, 415x1, 365x1, 315x5

really happy with this training. the deads exploded off the floor for me. on my way home i could feel my back tightening up..such a great feeling. i think 600 will be easy this year.

so done with this

it way i am feeling song and quite appropriate for the way i am feeling. done with the crappy feeling and sorry attitude. time to make some shit happen. of course the 14 hours of sleep i just got helped too. headed to the gym with a lift or die mentality today.

push press 1x5x145, 1x4x175, 1x3x205, 5x2x225

squat machine 5x10 360

machine press --- my math skills were shot at this point, what i thought was 150 was really 240! anyone want me to balance their checkbook?
1x5x240, 5x5x250, then i did drops, which i will keep in the program 230x2, 180x3, 90x10

hopped on the treadmill for 20 minutes, add in the ride and i did 40 minutes total of cardio.

weight is about 253-4

some days

some days you just feel like saying "fuck it" that has been my thought for the past few. don't know what it is...but i just have been feeling mentally crushed and physically exhausted. both of those have taken their toll on me.

physically i feel like i am rundown and run over. i have hit good training when i have gone into the gym but after i have just been empty. eating has not been a problem, sleeping either. i have been getting plenty of both.  i also have really cleaned up my eating. sticking to food i have to cook and staying away from fast food.

mentally i'm not in it anymore...motivation and concentration are out the door. i would prefer to sit here and do nothing than even try something. i have been anxious about work and tired of the mean rude individuals that call. don't get me started on the downright dumbasses... i can sense that part of the issue here is the lack of competitions in my area. nothing scheduled till september which leaves me with a lot of idle time to question my reasons for doing this. also i have no one left to challenge me in the gym or in training. i have set goals but have not been able to focus on them.





solutions, besides a heavy dose of slayer. well physically i have rested which has helped the aches and pains go away. i have tested out a supplement which is supposed to help repair the damage done and get me going again. also i have begun stretching every morning...yoga... one other thing i did was to fast for a few days to get the nastiness out of my system. can say i have felt better after doing that.  mentally i have had the most challenges...after i do my yoga i meditate. very tough to do...i also have been reading some decent books which have helped me focus on more than me.



and let me add that you can sometimes find motivation in the strangest of places. was watching ken burn's baseball, part where they talk about the return of the yankees to greatness. no i  have not become a follower of the evil empire but was in awe of the story of their manager, joe torre. he played for years never getting the chance to win or make it to the big game. he had shining moments but never the champion. as a manager he was fired from several teams, but steinbrenner took a chance on him, a chance that paid off with 6 championships....

Coming Alive

So after resting my low back for 2 weeks and mulling why I put myself through this pain, I hit the gym. Just like the song title I am "Coming Alive" Must be the combination of watching the Arnold last night and just sheer insanity but I really want to get in and kill it. My personal goals still stands...300lb overhead this year.
So here is what I did:

Push press  1x5x135, 2x4x165, 2x2x190, 5x1x205
Squat machine 5x5x630 facing in/out totaled 10 sets
Seated press 140x5, 190x5, 5x5x250
Treadmill 30 minutes
Weight 253

Started over with the Sheiko program but only focusing on pressing this time. Will be doing leg and back work but nothing like the program calls for. Also upping the cardio. I expect to get in 2-4 hours on my bike per week along with 90 minutes treadmill work in the gym.

Nothing else too exciting going on...I did find out I am permanent at my job, nice feeling after the last year I had. Hope I get a raise... 

Struggle

so today was a struggle mentally and physically. the mental part kicked in before i ever thought about training.
life has been tough the last few years for me. some highs and a lot of lows. i would love to change that but it seems the universe just likes to kick me when i am down. i stress about money because i barely have enough to survive. i get my bills paid but that is it....means there is no money to compete or just get myself  supplements. then i stuggle with my job...happy to be employed but i have still not heard if i am fulltime yet. would also be nice to get a raise. don't get me started on healthcare or 401k's...like i have any money for that. next in line is my kids, i miss them...nuff said!
all this wells up inside and drives me the edge, honestly there are days i wish i wasn't here. somehow i persist thinking there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. but i have not come close to the end of it yet. my friends and family have been priceless to me in all this.
so instead of wallowing and throwing a pity party i went to the gym! and then i squatted...

Squats 295x5, 335x4, 405x2, 465x1...this sucked!! Low back was not feeling it. A lot of discomfort in my low back just above the tailbone. Went down barely to parallel and thought I was not coming back up. Have the energy but no strength at all.

Seated press 140x5, 160x4, 190x2x2, 220x3x8...added extra sets to punish the shoulders. Regular push press wasn't happening with  back tweaked.

so that's it. managed to make it home and to the store to pickup some food. that was no fun carrying the bags up the stairs. hopefully the chicken tastes good...

Pushing the limits

was definitely feeling all my previous training this week along with the hour of riding yesterday. but today was a true test of how much i could take. lot of volume just for pressing. made some small adjustments to the weights on the way down but it was still more than enough. opted to use the squat machine which was a perfect addition.


Push press 1x5x135, 1x5x165, 1x4x190, 1x2x205, 1x2x225, 1x2x205, 1x3x185, 1x5x165, 1x8x135

Squat machine- facing in  5X10X360

Treadmill 30 minutes

satisfied with this week. the pressing was easy but my legs need some work. think next week i will go with more volume on leg training along with more cardio. i need to find some inexpensive supplements or maybe a sponsor...any takers out there?

how bout some etiquette lessons?

no it is not about which fork to use or the proper use of pronouns....this is about the gym. too many people have no clue how to act when the gym. one thing that is amazing is the people that misuse the equipment or just hog it up for an exercise that can be done elswhere. in other words, CURLS IN THE FREAKING SQUAT RACK!! what in god's name makes these insane people do this? but that's not the worst...lately the skinny fitness freaks have taken over doing pushups in the rack! please oh dear god of iron would you make the bar snap next time one of these morons does this....
amazing that people lack the common courtesy to just get out of the way and give you space. it is respect, if you see someone lifting heavy or working hard stay out of the way....my learning experience was when i was a dumb teen and in a hardcore gym. i made the mistake of walking in front of a mirror while 2 meatheads were inclining 405...on my way back they stopped me and tld me if i ever did that again i would walk out with a bar stuffed up my ass. they let me slide on the iron prostate check because i was new...after that i gave my respect to everyone and in turn i got some respect too.
now onto the douchebags that prefer to "look" hard, make fun of people and yet do absolutely nothing but breathe out CO2...there are places for you, please try planet fitness.

now onto the lifting...

Deadlift to Knees 1x3x275, 1x3x335, 2x3x395, 4x2x425

Pushdowns 5x8x100
Rolling Extensions 6x4x35

Romanian DL 1x4x315, 1x4x365, 2x2x425, 4x1x480

Treadmill 20 minutes

was a good day. really felt the deads in my lower back. hands are shredded from the bar.

exorcising

somedays you just have to let out the demons. today was one of those....thanks to a certain person who doesn't know their stupidity and selfishness helped me through todays workout. if anyone know me they know i am very protective of two important people in my life. i would kill and die for them. i was put i a very pissed off mood after hearing about something going on in one of their lives. thanks to a good friend i was calmed down, but there was that demon lurking, it kept poking its head out and i needed to exorcise it.

the exorcism started with a bike ride in the cold, okay it was 50 but the windchill made it feel like 30. it was nice to get out and test the new bike. the ride was fast and got me to the gym. at the gym i started my first day of a sheiko plan...wtf is that? well check this out... http://www.elitefts.com/sheiko/
decided to go with this plan and focus on my pressing. instead of bench i am doing push press. will also work the numbers to bring up my deadlift and squat.

so the first day went like this...

push press 1x5x135, 2x4x165, 2x3x190, 5x2x205
squat 1x5x290, 2x5x350, 5x3x405
seated HS press 1x5x140, 1x5x160, 4x4x190
good mornings 5x5x225

treadmill 25 minutes --- cut this short because i was going to pee myself!

i adjusted the reps and the first 2 exercises and changed to a seated press for the second press exercise because i don't want to burn myself out or get hurt. felt pretty good after this, definitely will be sore later...

zee doctor iz een...

the only monster i hope to create is me... so i am playing around with an olympic ladder scheme or for you bodybuilders, a pyramid. why? hopefully to increase my conditioning and my performance in the lifts.
and it goes something like this...
power clean, front squat, split press  3,2,1 reps
warmed up and then did the lifts. i added 10lbs each set then went down 10lbs. on the way down i did only 1 rep per set but tried to make the lift in one move.

started with the bar then 95, 115, and 135 lbs. work sets were 155, 165, 175, 165, 155, 135. felt easy and light. but that was my intention. after that i did some wrist curls 185 for 6 sets of 10 reps, then 2 sets of 15 with 135lbs.

i certainly enjoy the strange looks i get when doing this stuff. or maybe it was the stench from my rehband...some people are so stuck in their ways, glued to the same machine, and slaves to every "new" workout published in a magazine. if only they would try something different, even a small change! but i think some people are afraid to be challenged and grow. the box they live in is too comfortable...step outside the box.

i am a sinner!!!

today's lesson in the church of iron is about neglect....dear believers i have sinned. a mortal sin in the church of iron. i have neglected my deadlift. please forgive me!! the neglect of the deadlift is the worst kind, it takes so much from you when you do....manhood, ego, pride! i think there was a woman in the church today that could outdo me. the skinny gym rats looked at me with shame, as if i was doing crossfit or worse men's physique! will the gods of iron, stone and chalk shine a light and bestow forgiveness on me, a sinner?


so here is what i did...
deadlifts 135x5 from floor, 225x2, 315x1, 405x1 from 2" box
then i put on 495 and tried oh lord i tried! 2 times to be exact! at least i broke it from the floor.
redemption was in my soul...i removed the box and pulled it from the floor...once! oh my sins have come back to haunt me. this was tough!
dropped the weight and proceeded to rep out 315...20 rest pause reps

punishment enough for today. time for some lunch with mom and dad, then some relaxing

the machine is hungry...

i am back. was not going to blog anymore but something said "do it"
no comps until september but i still push on. my goals this year are to deadlift 600, squat 600, and push press 300. got a plan in place for that and it really began today....

squat 335x20---hit 13 and thought i was going to die, but i went and finished one rep at a time!

push press 225 5 singles---had a few more reps in the tank.

standing leg curl 110x15 2 sets---this was supposed to be rdl's but i forgot

HS iso row 360x6 2 sets----strapped in for these brutal sets

pushdowns and cable curls 100x8 3 sets----gotta keep the arms strong

ab pulldowns 100x25 2 sets----these burned

elliptical 10 minutes HIIT---this was dumb! not good to do after squatting like i did. think i will keep this up!

now to the personal stuff....work has been rough, for some reason i can't get my head wrappedaround some of the calls i take. i want to help but the policies we have don't give me the leeway to help. just pisses me off!
next is my computer, damn thing cost me 2 hours yesterday and got me an ass reaming...thanks microsoft!
throw in everything else breaking and i think i might forget technology all together! headphones, bike, phone, cars....i am somehow cursed! now don't get me started on women...

anyhoo...dear readers let people know about this blog! i have plans to relaunch my other one and give some insights to strongman and life there!