2013-12-30 Squat

Warmup

Squat -
45x5
75x5
105x5
135x5
165x5
195x3
225x1
240x5x3
I actually found these pretty easy, particularly given the chair setup I use in place of a rack.
That said, I also noticed that I was leaning forward a lot more than usual. I'm going to focus on the various cues for vertical torso in future.

Barbell Row -
120x8x3
I'm still working on the technique here. I don't know if I'll increase the weight before my shoulder feels right again.

2013-12-29 Press

Warmup (no glute bridges, been skipping those recently)

Press -
45x5
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x5
95x3
105x5x3
Fake cleaned to shoulders since I'm lifting in the garage.

EZ Extension -
57.5x8x3
Still slow, and I'm still not sure how to get the effect I'm after. I'll ask Costis what he does to get a tricep pump.

EZ Curl -
50x8x3

2013-12-28 Deadlift

Warmup

Deadlift -
135x5
155x5
175x5
195x5
215x5
235x3
255x1
275x5x3
I chalked and amped up for these, including slapping myself in the head before each lift. I look like I'm wearing corpse paint.
I hook gripped the last 2 reps of each set.

Barbell Row -
120x8x3

2013-12-27 Incline Bench

Warmup

Incline Bench (~30 Degree) -
45x5
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x5
95x5
105x5
115x5x3
I'm still struggling with bar speed. I've also lost control of my right shoulder again, so getting into position is a pain in the ass.

Pull-Ups -
5, 5, 5, 4, 4, 3, 3, 2
Now that my shoulder's out again, I may go back to doing these as super-strict doubles.

Concentration Preacher Curl -
20x8x3
I did these with a dumbbell over a 45-degree bench. It worked out pretty well.

EZ Bar Extensions -
55x8x3
I did the first set very strict and with no music, then added music and got slightly sloppier. Wasn't as hard by the end. Up to 60 next time.

Elliptical -
1 hour at 1 incline and 8-9 intensity. This appears to be my lactate threshold (roughly 135 strides/min and 160bpm).

Sick

I'm down with what appears to be flu; I may risk training in a few days, but for now it's off the table.

The first two days just came down to laziness. I don't know why I have such a hard time motivating myself when I'm with my family, but I'm not coming back until after I've got a job (and possibly not for a while even then).

Meat - Mulled Wine Apple Crumble

Ingredients, in terrible American units -
Mulling Spices
1 Bottle Red Wine
4 Large Granny Smith Apples (~2.5lbs)
Approx. 1 cup butter
0.75 Cups Flour (any variety, including gluten-free)
Pinch Salt
Caster Sugar (lots)
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
Brown sugar
Ground ginger

1) Grind the mulling spices and place in a bag. Pour wine into a non-reactive saucepan, add the bag, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and leave to infuse for at least 20 minutes.

2) Peel, core, and chop the apples. We want a fairly large dice here (I peel the apples, cut them in half along the equator, cut into 5 segments guided by the core, remove said core, then chop the resulting chunks into 4).

3) Add the apples to the wine (leave the bag in), bring back to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer for a few minutes. Add some sugar, stir around for a few seconds, taste test, and repeat until satisfied. Remove apples with a slotted spoon.

4) Put apple segments into buttered 3.5" ramekins; you should get 7-8 depending on how many pieces you've already eaten. Lightly press into an even layer.

5) Bring wine to a boil and reduce by at least 3/4. Pour into a cup or jug, and add to each ramekin until almost covering the apples. Drink the rest.

6) Mix the flour, salt, granulated sugar, and chopped butter in a bowl. Put into a food processor and pulse until it reaches a breadcrumb-like consistency (don't overblend - the butter will melt and start clumping. We want breadcrumbs, not shortcrust pastry). Add evenly to the ramekins, starting with larger chunks and filling in gaps with the smaller bits.

7) Sprinkle brown sugar and ground ginger over the tops in whatever amount you think appropriate.

8) Put ramekins on a baking tray of some kind and put in a pre-heated 350-degree oven. Check them periodically and remove when the tops are golden brown.

No, this recipe is not healthy. Yes, it is delicious.

2013-12-18 Squat

Warmup

Squat -
45x5
75x5
105x5
135x5
165x5
195x3
215x1
235x5x3
I found these harder than usual; taking a long walk last night and training right after waking up will do things to you. I may switch back to evenings and just do an hour of cardio immediately after training.
Deng called me out for hyperextension a few times; I think I fixed it by the end by engaging my abs.

Pull-Ups -
4, 4, 3, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Dragon Flags -
8x3
I'm working on taking less of a break between reps. I wound up taking at least a minute for each of these.
I'm also working on avoiding lumbar extension here, and touching my lower back to the bench first.

I guess my next ab work will be full hanging leg raises. After that I've got no idea; maybe switch to just doing back raises?

Barbell Rows -
120x8x3
I want to focus my form on hitting the mid-back here. I think I got that about right this time, but I'm not sure.

2013-12-17 Press

Warmup

Press -
45x5
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x5
110x5x3
I've lost control of my right scapula again. I'll run back through the original rehab circuit to fix it, but I'm also never letting Jenny play under my shoulder blades again (at least not that one). I suspect those muscles want to be tight, at least on me.

Pullups -
3x5
Exhausted.

Extensions -
55x8x3
Moving up to 60 on bench day. I had a longer rest going into set 3, but everything seemed solid overall.

Curls -
50x8x3
I'll repeat these - I had to rest-pause for the last set. I think the standard cutoff will be when I don't need to take a break during the set.

I came in early today to lift with Deng. I think I'll continue with this; once I learn to activate my CNS earlier in the day, I should have an easy time adapting. This also spares me some of the difficulty from cardio, since I'll be doing that in the evenings.

2013-12-15 Incline Bench and Meet Musing

Warmup

Incline Bench (~55 degrees) -
45x5
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x5
95x5
110x5x3
2 minutes between sets. I did these at the stadium gym, and I don't plan to do it again; the benches are too low to the ground and don't set to the angle I want, and the racks seem harder to set up. I did discover something useful, though: the sticking point on these is so low and so solid that I need to explode off the chest to get the rep. The line between easy and hard is very thin.

Pullups -
5, 5, 6, 4, 4, 4, 3
I'm actually better at these if I jump to the bar.
I'm also getting laxer on form, though I think I can stand that for now.

Curl -
50x8x3
2 minutes' rest and some rest-pausing; I'll repeat these next week.

Extension -
55x8x3
90 seconds' rest and less rest-pausing, but I'll repeat these as well. It'll probably be up to 60 for the next one though.

I'm not sure if i want to train 6 days out of 7 or 5 days out of 6 right now. 6 in 7 only nets me one extra training day every 6 weeks, but makes deload timing a little more intuitive and scheduling generally easier. 5 in 6 rotates the rest day and spurs progress, but makes timing harder. I think 5/6 just won out, though. I've got other options to eke out progress once things get really, really tough (3-1-2-1 in particular; I kind of like that in the present, but it loses more days).

I've got exactly 14 weeks until March Madness (so 12 weeks of training, giving 18 sessions per lift including the last two). Deloading every 6th cycle gives me 15 sessions of progress. Dropping 1lb/week puts me in a decent position to weigh in at 148 (with a serious water cut). Alternatively, I can wait another 2 months and enter the State meet, where I'll beast the fuck out of everything.

I guess it depends on whether or not I can drop to 160. Time to diet.

2013-12-13 Squat

Warmup

Squat -
45x5
65x5
85x5
105x5
125x5
145x5
165x5
185x3
205x1
230x5x3
I took about a minute between sets for these. I'm rediscovering the difference between "not easy" and "actually hard," and I think I've got a ways to go before I hit the second.

Pullups -
7, 5, 4, 4, 4, 4, 2

Called it a day due to time constraints.

2013-12-12 Press

Press -
45x5
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x5
95x5x3

Pull-Ups -
5, 4, 4, 5, 4, 4, 4
I might have done 6 and 5 for the first two sets, but I'd rather undercount and overshoot.

Extensions -
55x8x3
Repeat

Curls -
45x8
50x8x2
Repeat

BPA - 2*25*DMic
BER - 2*15*Mic
BTN - 2*20*DMic

Deng and Rich joined us today. I felt like we had a complete team present, and liked that a lot - I'll inquire about getting us all going at a consistent time.

2013-12-11 Deadlift

Went to Team Tufunga today. I'd only want to be there for deads, so I'm not going back, but it was still nice (if nothing else, it'd be cheaper to hit the Cal Oly room for all my deadlifting sessions).

Warmup

Deadlift -
135x5
155x5
175x5
195x4
215x3
235x2
250x1
265x5x3
I got video here. I still look up during the reps, and might want to drop my hips a bit more. These were still easier with the round plates, though.

Pull-Ups -
6, 4x

Rope climb -
6 times nearly to the top, stopped after I dropped ~10 feet and bruised the balls of my feet

Pull-Ups -
Whatever, I hit at least 20 actual pull-ups

Hanging Leg Raises -
8x3, 6 out of every 8 touching feet to the bar

I think that was actually it.

2013-12-10 Incline Bench

Warmup

45 Incline Bench -
45x5
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x5
95x5
105x5x3
Using my bench grip (pinkies on rings). I didn't have the form down here, and I remember why I hate this bench variation. 5lb jumps.

Chins -
5, 4x4, 3x2, 2, 1

Curls -
45x8x3
50 next time.

Extensions -
55x8x3
55 next time.

BPA - 20*2*DMicro
BER - 15*2*Micro
BTN - 15*2*DMicro

2013-12-09 Squat

Warmup

Squat -
45x5
65x5
85x5
105x5
125x5
145x5
165x5
185x3
205x1
225x5x3
I didn't find these hard, but they weren't particularly easy either. I'm resting longer, using music more, and recognizing a need for more sleep. The lattermost probably means more than the rest, honestly.

Pull-Ups -
3x10
Pretty happy with these.

GHR -
8x3

Rollout -
8x3

Band Pullapart - Double Micro*20*2
Band ER - Micro*15*2
Band BTN Pulldown - Double Micro*10*2

2013-12-06 Push Press, Deadlift, Squat

Warmup

Push Press -
45x5
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x4
95x3
105x2
115x1
130x5x3
I'm really starting to get sloppy now. I know how to solve the two biggest problems, though:
"Front" groove - consciously push back rather than up, and externally rotate on the way up
Lumbar extension - squeeze glutes hard and reset back between reps
Strict Press starting Monday.

Deadlift -
135x5
155x5
175x5
195x5
215x3
235x1
260x5x3
Chris took video of the last set, but it was too dark to see anything. I'll try using mine next time.
I did a better job pulling harder on these, almost treating them like speed pulls. My grip still gives out if I do reps continuously, but I've got various ways around that.

Squat -
135x4
155x3
175x2
195x1
220x5x3
This was surprisingly easy given the last few days, and I did the last set Starret style instead of ChuanFu with no difficulty. That said, I did have issues keeping my torso vertical; I'm going to get video and focus more on driving my head back.

Pull-Ups:
3x10
Questionable rest. I'll get stricter on this next week.

2013-12-05 Bench

Warmup

Bench -
45x5
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x5
95x5
105x5
115x5
125x4
135x3
145x2
155x1
165x5x3
I got in very late and had to bench in the main room. Saarni's old bench is still the best one in there.
My delts burned for the entire warmup; apparently they haven't recovered from Monday yet.
I pulled out the music here; I doubt I actually needed it (though set 2 got a bit hairy), but since it's my last flat bench for a while I figured it'd be fun. It was.

Had to leave immediately afterwards.

2013-12-04 Squat

Warmup

Squat -
45x5
65x5
85x5
105x5
125x5
145x5
165x5
185x3
205x1
215x5x3
I found these harder than usual, but I'm not worried.

Pull-Ups -
3x5

2013-12-03 Bench, Push Press, Deadlift

Squatting tomorrow, repeat cycle. Still taking Sunday off.

Warmup

Bench -
45x5
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x5
95x5
105x5
115x4
125x3
135x2
145x1
160x5x3
Fairly easy. I don't know if that'll pan out once I stop resting as much, but I'm starting to think that 185 for 5x3 will be very doable.

Push Press -
125x5x3
I've got a ways left to go before this one seriously stalls.
Still seeing and working on technical problems.

Deadlift -
135x5
155x5
175x5
195x5
215x3
235x1
255x5x3
I had an easier time with these today. Music helped.

Chins -
3x7, 2

2013-11-27 Push Press and Deadlift

Warmup

Push Press -
45x5
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x3
95x2
105x1
120x5x3
Rigged up the 120 using 1.25lb chains and ~1.2lb screw collars.

Deadlift -
225x3
250x5x3
I still don't know why I find these so much harder than everything else.
Rigged up the 250 using the method above.

Extensions -
55x8x3
Rigged up the 55 using the method above.
Very hard finish. I'm not convinced my Texas Power Bar only weighs 45lbs.

Curls -
45x8x3
Moderately hard.

Skipped the rest, the main lifts are the important part.

2013-11-26 Bench

I haven't gotten much done for the last few days, but I did get into Gold's today. It's...ok.

Warmup

Bench -
45x5
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x5
95x5
105x5
115x4
125x3
135x2
145x1
155x5x3
Fairly easy.

Took the rest off; I'm going hit both Deads and Push Press tomorrow. I didn't realize walking in that the Gold's runs 24 hours; I'll only head in when I'm benching, but it's nice to know.

(Deads and Push Press on the same day will keep going through to 12/4, when my first deload starts. After that it's back to normal, plus taking a day off each week).

2013-11-22 Squat

Warmup

Squat -
45x5
65x5
85x5
105x5
125x5
145x5
165x5
185x3
210x5x3
I find these easier every time I do them. I suspect it's because I'm not recruiting as much muscle mass - deads feel slow and tiring, but they have me moving more.

Pullups -
5, 4, 2, 2, 3, etc. to 30
I actually kept my eyes closed on the jump for #30, though I had to try it twice.

GHR -
8x3
I still have a hard time with these, though my hamstrings seem to have gotten used to it.

Rollouts -
8x3

Band Pullaparts - Doubled Micro*25*2
External Rotation - Micro*15*2

Shoulder floss

10 Minutes Elliptical, 1 height 9 resistance, roughly 160 pace

Donuts PWO again.

2013-11-21 Push Press

Warmup

Push Press -
45x5
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x5
95x3
105x1
115x5x3
Focusing very hard on speed. Adding some music helps a bit. I might actually go through with buying a speaker.
I seem to have two grooves on these - one directly overhead and one somewhat forward. I don't know how to avoid the forward one, but I'll figure it out.

Pullups -
4, tons of 3s and a few 2s
Focused on speed and technique. I think my lats are asking for a rest now.

Extensions -
55x8x3
Herculean effort to do the last couple of reps.

Curls -
45x8x3
Time to up the weight.

Pullaparts - Doubled Micro*25, 20
External Rotation - Micro*15*2

Rib mobilization for a while afterwards.

10 minutes on the elliptical. I spent most of the time reading, and my pace actually went up - weird.

2013-11-21 Deadlift

Warmup

Deadlift -
135x5
145x5
155x5
165x5
185x5
205x5
225x3
245x5x3
Got up and reset a few times. My grip frustrates me, but the reps don't seem problematic. This is with 90 seconds' rest.

Chins -
4, 3, many more 3s and a couple of 2s, then 1 to finish

Leg Raises -
8x3
Forgot the ab wheel in the car again
Working on getting my legs out straighter as I do more of these

Pullaparts - Double Micro*20*2
External Rotation - Micro*15*2

Rib mobes on the lacrosse ball; again, didn't push it too hard, but did hit some good knots.

10 minutes of cardio on the elliptical, 1/8. It's surprising how easily I can distract myself doing this - reading WuDi's email yesterday and looking for a song today got me halfway through without really noticing.

2013-11-20 Bench

Warmup

Bench -
45x5
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x5
95x5
105x5
115x5
125x5
135x3
150x5x3
These are getting harder (last one was a difficult lockout). The weights are still light enough that I forget to slow down until the very end of the warmup.
My log comes in tomorrow. I noticed today that my technique needs a lot of work - I don't get much leg drive or "pop" off the chest right now.

I don't see much excuse for not dropping in on Supertraining or Mendy's gym for coaching at this point. It's a day off, but I'll have earned one by the time I'm done with grad apps.

Pull-Ups -
4, 3, assorted 3s and 2s
Focusing on fast, good reps and dropping once they get questionable.

Curls -
45x8x3
Still hard, but I'm guessing one more day of these before it's time to add the plates.

Extensions -
50x8x3
Less hard if I focus on speed and force. 55 next time.

Band Pullaparts - Doubled Micro * 20 * 3
Band ER - Micro * 15 * 3

10 Minutes Elliptical

2013-11-19 Squat

I'm going to stick to my deadlines more strictly in future. I'm pretty sure this took almost 90 minutes, most of which was spent talking to Costis.

Warmup

Squat -

45, 65, 85, 105, 125, 145, 165x5

185x1

205x5x3

Squatting's become easy again.

Chins -

5, 4, 3, assorted 2s and 3s

GHR -

8x3

Lots of rest during the last one.

Leg Raises -

8x3

Forgot the ab wheel.

Pullapart - 20xDouble Mini

Elliptical - 10 minutes at 1 incline, 9 resistance. This seems to be my ideal spot.

New Warmup, Progression Decision

Today's Push Press made it clear that I need to warm up to heavier weights.

I think I'll just start with the bar and add 10% of the work weight (rounded to the nearest 10lbs), hitting 5s until I'd normally stop and then cutting down by 1-2 reps per set. Deads will move slower, but with some bonus jumps.

E.g. tomorrow's squat:

45x5, 65x5, 85x5, 105x5, 125x5, 145x5, 165x3, 185x1, 205x5x3

Tuesday's Bench:

45x5, 55x5, 65x5, 75x5, 85x5, 95x5, 105x4, 115x3, 125x2, 135x1, 150x5x3

Wednesday's Dead:

135x5, 145x5, 155x5, 175x5, 185x5, 205x3, 225x1, 245x5x3

Thursday's Push Press:

45x5, 55x5, 65x5, 75x4, 85x3, 95x2, 105x1, 115x5x3

On the same note, I've decided to stick with 5lb jumps on Bench and Press for the rest of this cycle, switch them both off and run at 5lbs until I stall, then switch back, drop the weights 10lbs, and start building up at 2.5.

2013-11-18 Push Press

Warmup

Push Press -
45x5x3
110x5x3 (+1)
I forgot the microplates again.
The first set felt heavy and slow; the second and third moved much faster. I'm going to modify my warmup protocol to include heavier work; see below.
I'm going to work harder to keep my spine neutral - I slipped into extension too frequently today.

Pull-Ups -
5, 5...something. I hit 30.

Extensions -
50x8x3
I kept the rests fairly short, so the third set got very hard. I'll keep track of the times once I've got a paper log.

Curls -
45x8x3
See previous.

Band Pullapart - Doubled Micro*20, 20, 10
Band ER - Micro*10, 10, 10

Tack and floss for rotators. I discovered today that I have almost no internal rotation in either shoulder.

Elliptical -
10 minutes, ~155bpm
I'll stick with this for a while - I need to loosen up my shoulders before I go back to rowing, and this does at least as much to keep my legs working.

2013-11-16 Deadlift

Warmup

Deadlift -
135x5x3
185x5x2
240x5x3
I'm partly letting my body dictate the positions here - I hunt around for the easy groove.

Pull-Ups -
5, 4, 2, 3x6
I'm not sure what the difference was this time

At home:
Rollouts:
8x3
Much easier than last time.

Pullaparts - Mini*50*2
Band ER - Micro*20*2

I don't feel exhausted after workouts, and that frustrates me.

2013-11-15 Bench

Warmup

Bench -
45x5x3
95x5x2
145x5x3
Kind of a grind, but otherwise good. Fatigue probably played in here.

Chins -
Something at least 30
Can't remember if the first set ran 7 or 8

Curls -
45x8x3
Getting better; I have a feeling this will be the last week.
I may start doing both curls and extensions on each of the upper body days.

Pullaparts - Mini*50*2
Band ER - Micro*20*2
Shoulder Tack and Floss

It's a bit frustrating that I don't feel fatigued after these workouts. I need to stay more on track and chat less, but that's mostly for shortening the sessions - I doubt anything short of additional ending cardio will fix the feeling of underwork.

I'm slightly torn on planning here - I can either keep moving in 5lb increments on bench and press, stall out faster, switch movements, presumably stall again, and switch back, or I can shift down to 2.5lb increments sooner and go from there.

2013-11-15 Squat

Warmup, including some band approximation for shoulders

Squat -
45x5x3
95x5x2
135x5
200x5x3
Easier. I did the first two sets ChianFu and the last one Starrett without noticing much difference. I think my legs have just gotten used to squatting again now, though lack of rowing might be part of it.

Pull-Ups -
7, then more until 30. I don't remember exact numbers.
I don't plan to take a rest day for a while, but it'll be interesting to see what happens when I do.

GHR -
8x3
These got a lot harder.

Face Pull - 5lbs*15*2
Pullapart - Mini*50*2
Band ER - Micro*15*2

Then some tack and floss for my rotator cuff.

Elliptical - 8 minutes, then a 1-minute sprint.
This sucked. Like, really sucked. I'm going to maintain my rowing emphasis (long-term), but this plays in.

Crumpets post-workout. I need to learn to make these.

2013-11-13 Push Press

Warmup

Push Press -
45x5x3
105x5x3
I could have gone home to grab the microplates, but decided to leave some rest since the last time was a bit harder. These would up being quite easy in spite of that. Full progress with the microplates is 12.5-15lbs per month, so I'm not worried there.

Pull-Ups -
6, 4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2
I'm only counting reps with my eyes above the bar. This took about 15 minutes; I'm satisfied with that, but I do need to do the reps themselves faster. Just like with pressing, I think the issue is more that I'm intentionally slowing myself down than that I'm particularly weak.

Extensions -
45x8x3
Had to rest-pause the final rep.
47.5 next time, if I get a log.

Pullaparts -
Mini*50*2

External Rotation -
Micro*15*2

No rowing today - medial elbow inflammation in my right arm and shoulder complaints. I'll hit posterior shoulder for mobility today.

2013-11-13 Deadlift

Warmup

Deadlift -

135x5x3

185x5x2

235x5x3

I paused most of these and only reset for the last rep of the last set.

It seems like I actually get a stronger pull when I don't do as much to force my knees out. There are all sorts of possible explanations for that, but "ChianFu Squat" seems relevant here.

Pull-Ups -

5, 3xSomething

Rollouts -

8x3

Sticking with these for a while so I can relearn the technique and get the strength back.

Pullaparts -

Mini*50*2

External Rotation -

Micro*15*2

Erg -

8 minutes no straps, ~3:45 pace

1 minute rest

1 minute sprint, ~2:00 pace

I'll stick with the strapless for post-workout; I'm not sure if I'll do that for morning conditioning as well.

Couch Stretched later.

2013-11-12 Bench

Warmup

Bench -

45x5x3

95x5x2

140x5x3

Very easy. Pleasant, even.

I'm gripping at pinkies on the rings and pulling apart more than bending in (ie emphasizing abduction over internal rotation). This seems to be working quite well.

Pull-Ups -

5, 4, 3, etc.

I didn't really keep count here, I'm just pretty sure I beat 30.

Focusing on depressing my scapulae and then engaging my lats. My right side is still less active, so that's a little easier said than done. See below for some comments on soft tissue.

Curls -

45x8x3

Plus an extra few on the last set. Lots of rest-pause here, presumably because of the pull-ups.

I did these at a close grip (pinkies next to the smooth) and had some wrist complaints; I'm not sure exactly what I'll do to compensate for that.

Band Pull-Aparts -

Mini, 40x3

40ish, rather. Did less on the first set.

Erg -

8 minutes at ~3:10 pace, 1 minute rest, 1 minute sprint at 2:00

I may switch the first 8 minutes here to strapless to really hammer technique. I don't need to be burning a lot of calories here, and my times and joints will benefit from the form change.

RE: Soft Tissue

Right now I have three main complaints, plus one:

1) Right shoulder inactivity and scapular instability

2) Quad pain from squatting

3) Rotational imbalance that affects my pull

D) Dysfunctional (knock-kneed/collapsed arch) gait

Plans:

1) Go back to doing rib mobes on the lacrosse ball to help restore stability

2) Couch stretch and foam rolling to loosen things up and calm down the fascia

3&D) Identify deficient ankle mobes and perform them to equalize and improve mobility

Reading through more material also makes me think I should experiment with the ChianFu pattern for both squatting and erging.

Twice-Baked Potato

Two points opening here:
1) This is more a method than a recipe
2) Conceptually, this is actually really simple: It's a mashed potato that's been shoved back into its skin.

Ingredients:
Russet or other baking potatoes
Fat (preferably duck fat)
Butter
Egg
Salt
Pepper
Assorted other mix-ins and spices (e.g. bacon)

1) Preheat oven to bake at 400F
2) Rub the potatoes down with fat
3) Bake uncovered (I may revise this to wrapped in foil as I get more experience) until soft all the way through; for large potatoes (~3.5" diameter at widest point), that's somewhere between 1.5 and 2 hours
4) Once soft all the way through, cut the top ~1/3 off of each one and scoop the flesh into a bowl on the side
(4b - For smoother texture, pass through a potato ricer and, if desired, a drum sieve)
5) Add butter, seasonings, and mix-ins until satisfied with flavor. Usually this will mean a fairly large amount of butter and salt and pretty hefty dose of pepper.
6) Whip in egg (1 egg per 2-4 potatoes) and give a final taste test to adjust seasoning
7) Put the top of the potato skin back into the bottom of the potato, then spoon the mash back in, pressing down to get it into all of the nooks and crannies (consider putting a bit in before you put the top back on, to help maximize space efficiency). Texture the top and brush with melted butter if desired.
8) Bake for another 20-30 minutes.

2013-11-10 Squat

Every day, rain or shine, even if drunk. Training and socializing will coexist.

Warmup

Squat -
45x5x3
95x5x2
135x5
195x5x3
I'm still moving slowly with these. 185 was a very good choice for starting, and I can see why Nuckols prefers them for Bulgarian.

Pull-Ups -
5, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 2, 3, 1
Or thereabouts.
The 5 surprised me. I'm going to start adding one rep per workout, or...something.

GHR -
8x3
Some rest-pausing here. My hips collapse slightly; I now know that this is ok, though I still think what I hit today was a bit excessive. Repeating a few times.

Face Pull -
5x20x3
I may just add pull-aparts and do 50 reps of each each day.

Erg -
1250 meters at ~3:20 pace
1 minute rest
1 minute sprint, roughly 1:55 pace
Focusing on keeping my knees out. Looking at the ChianFu Squat videos makes me think Starett might be off a little here, but I'll take it for the time being.
I need to loosen up the backs of my shoulders; I'll hold off on morning conditioning until I've gotten that sorted out.

I'm going to start keeping a log again; having a book handy helps keep me motivated, since I can see what I've already done and stick with it.

Also, important note on the chins - Make sure to do the scapular depression step first, because if you don't do it then you may never manage it.

11-5-2013 Push Press

Push Press -
45x5x3
105x5x3
Switching down to 2.5lb progression once I get back.

Extensions:
52.5x8
47.5x8x2
Depends on the weight of the bar.

2013-10-31 Squat

Warmup

Squat -
45x5x3
95x5x2
135x5
190x5x3
Easier than I remember the last ones.

RDL -
135x8x3
Working on getting a stretch in my hamstrings at the bottom.

Pull-Up -
30 (2s and 3s)
Figured out that I can do these off the front door frame. Benching is now my only reason to go to the office.

2013-10-30 Push Press

Pull-Ups -
30
Didn't have time to do the full workout at the office.

Push Press -
45x5x3
100x5x3
Getting some complaints in my shoulders and bicep tendons. Good thing I have my lacrosse balls.
I still need to work harder on driving these up as hard as possible.

Extensions -
~47.5x8x3
Tried gripping both only on the smooth and at the very edge of the rough; I didn't notice any difference. Apparently the closer grip is easier on most peoples' elbows, as is using an EZ-Bar.

2013-10-29 Deads

Warmup (sans OHS)

Deadlift -
135x5x3
185x5x2
225x5x3
Harder than it should have been.

Skipped out on ab work because it's late and I'm a pussy.

2013-10-28 Bench

Warmup (sans OHS)

Bench -
45x5x3
95x5x2
135x5x3
Right shoulder has switched off; I'm not sure what I did to get it back last time. The bar here is very thick, so thumbless doesn't really work. I'm basically having to relearn bench.

BB Curl -
45x8x3
Not that easy.

Pull-Ups -
3x5
In future, I'll do these before the curls.

Rear Delt Fly -
12x 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15

Erg, 3-minute pace, Drag 5, 9 minutes; spring at 1:50-2:00 pace 1 minute

2013-10-27 Squat

Warmup

Squat -
45x5x3
95x5x2
135x5
185x5x3
Did the 45 and 95 sets without actually putting the bar down; it's fairly easy to hold high-bar, so I just walked around with it for a few seconds before starting again.
Used a pair of dining chairs and some scraps of 2x4 to improvise stands for the 135 and 185 sets. I had to do an Anderson squat and then step back to "unrack" it, but still worked out. It felt heavier than I remember, but that makes sense given how long it's been since I squatted.

RDL -
135x8x5
No GHR, so next best thing.

Band "Pulldown"
20, 20, 10
As yesterday

NG Cuban -
Might sub these out for delt flyes or something; now it's like a face pull that's harder on my shoulder.

2013-10-26 Push Press

Warmup - Diesel, OHS, Bridge

Push Press -
45x5x3
95x5x3
Need to work on really blasting the weight up. Sets of five are a pain in the ass now that I'm detrained.

BB Skullcrusher -
45x8x3
Heavy focus on keeping my elbows in.

Band "Pulldown" -
Lx10x5
Did the first two sets as clusters (2x10ea with no rest). Considered going for 100 but decided to split the volume up since I'm doing these every day for the next week or so.
3 days of intense desk work has totally deactivated my right lat. Fixing time.

Standing DB Cuban -
10x12x3
Need to focus on how my scapulae sit on my back when I'm doing this.
I also just realized that doing these with hands pronated is actually counterproductive; I'll try neutral from now on.

Programming and Diet

Program-wise, I'm going to swallow my pride on the Pressing issue and go for the LP option, but split up across 6-7 days per week (depending on recovery) to keep me in the gym every day. I'll still focus on Push Press over Strict, though - Pendlay likes it and it won't hurt to build explosiveness and overload at the top.

This basically gives me a 4-day split (Rep*Set):

A:
High Bar Squat 5x3
GHR 8x3
Pull-Up 30 reps
Face Pull 12x5

B:
Bench 5x3
Curl 8x3
Pull-Up 30 reps
Cuban 12x5

C:
Deadlift 5x3
Ab 8x3
Pull-Up 30 reps
Face Pull 12x5

D:
Push Press 5x3
Extensions 8x3
Pull-Up 30 reps
Cuban 12x5

There's some room for maneuvering on the shoulder protection work, but that's the basic pattern. I'll probably integrate some rowing as my shoulder recovers. I'm not sure what I'm going to do for ab work, and may add/substitute more. I haven't decided on a deload schedule, or when I'll start deloading - I'll need to go back over all of my old logs to figure that out, though doing it for the last 4 workouts of each cycle (i.e. 6 high 1 low) sounds pretty good right now.

Starting weights:
185 Squat
135 Bench
225 Dead
95 Push Press

I'll start with Press today.

Cardio-wise, 30-60 minutes fasted rowing in the morning, possibly adding intervals depending on fat loss. Alarm set for a 30-minute snooze, so I can wake up, take the pills, and then just nap for a bit while I wait for them to kick in. I haven't decided on diet, but I'm leaning towards the Nuckols-type approach mentioned before - cyclical keto has me ~wishing for carbs on some of my low-fat days and then getting sick of them on the refeeds. I can still cycle calories, fats, carbs, etc. on the alternative.

Having written that out I think I just made up my mind, actually.

Ultimately, the program will stall out, so I'll shift the movements:
Squat => Front Squat
Bench => Incline (or Floor, if I'm weak at lockout)
Dead => Clean (for 3x5 instead of 5x3) or Deficit Dead
Push Press => Strict Press

After, say, two cycles of each (assuming I even get that far - I'm very aware of my fuckarounditis), I may move off to my Volume-Driven Texas Method variant:

Volume:
Squat 5x5 @ 90%
Bench/Push Press 5x5 @ 90%
Deadlift ROM Progression
Pull-Ups

Recovery:
Squat 5x2 @ 70%
Push Press/Bench @ 70%
Deficit Speed Pull 1x10
Pull-Ups

Intensity:
Squat 5x1 (11% over Volume)
Bench/Push Press 5x1 (11% over Volume)
Competition Dead 1x1 (Moderate competition single)
Pull-Ups

That's subject to modification, but looks reasonable on paper. Ideally, I'd still be training 6-7 days per week, using extra (and presumably lighter) recovery days to fill in the gaps. Ab and direct arm work should probably also join the party; GHRs probably won't be necessary.

Program Riffing

I realized while watching The Incredibles today that I need to get back into competition and hit it hard, frequently, and successfully. I'll accept any form, but for now it's powerlifting. Victory is important and I haven't had much of it recently.

My favorite programs thus far have been Bulgarian, Linear, and the Texas Method, probably because they all involve some frequency of heavy work. I've posted my Texas Method idea, and my previous Bulgarian experiments have been...mixed. I'm also considering Sheiko.

My last meet performance was 375/215/415 for a 1005 total at 165 (170 walking weight). I intend to beat all of these at 148 at my next competition (minimum 380/220/420), and I've got about 20 weeks to go. My last Bulgarian experience ran 9 weeks and worked quite well for my squat; I'm not sure if I can get it to work for my bench, and I suspect that high-bar squatting and a better approach to speed pulls will handle the deadlift. I also get quad pain from squatting in this style now, but I'll have to get over that anyway.

For cutting weight, I'll start with half an hour of fasted rowing in the morning (and do an experiment without yohimbine or caffeine to figure out the right pace to use for each day). I'm also going to pay very close attention to my mood - it's possible that keto is hitting me harder than I'd like, in which case I'll switch to the mildly TKD-esque approaches I outlined a while back.

For LP, I've tried 3x5 with paused deads and weight gain, and 5x5 with touch-and-go deads and weight loss. That cut was more aggressive than this one, and I don't want to disregard this as an option - I had great success on the 3x5 (albeit with weight gain), can easily mesh the beginning of this with my cut, and can use it to segue into the Texas Method later. It's also one of the most versatile and forgiving.
Here I'd go 3x5 Squat/Bench and Dead/Press, starting 185/135 and 225/95, with chins and external rotation work afterwards. I'd need to go back to my old logs to figure out exactly what I did during the weight gain period. I'm probably most in favor of this to start, actually - 5s with moderate rest are good for testosterone levels, I can get it done quickly each day while I'm working at Cypress, and with 20 weeks I can realistically get somewhere very solid and/or transition to the Texas Method for peaking.

If I take the TM approach, I've got roughly 20 weeks of progress; if we split that into 3 cycles of 6 weeks progress, 1 week deload, you're looking at (ideally) 90lbs on the squat, 45 on the bench, and 75 (jokingly) on the deadlift. I won't be crash cutting this time, so the deadlift progression should actually be sustainable (barring squat interference) starting at 315, and using the 0.75in increments Emevas uses (6-5-4-3-2-0-Deload). High-bar squats, close-grip bench, rows on the light day. This approach also involves a lot of heavy 5s with reasonable rests, which we know are good for testosterone.

Sheiko would have me run #29 4 times and then peak with #32. This will probably be attractive in the future, but right now I think the lack of any real foundation or maxes is kind of a problem.

Bulgarian is...interesting. Broz's recommendation would be max squatting daily plus some backoff doubles/triples, alternating bench and dead for the other 3 days (CG maxes and volume for bench, speed pulls for dead). Suggestions here put a useful cap on the bench volume, though the deadlift advice is a bit lacking. This one's the most compatible with keto. Here's some more specific suggestions. This one has the added bonus of letting me focus on pressing overhead for a bit while I get my shoulder healthier (LP/TM would be less forgiving here). This one also worked really well without a team or any online guidance; very introspective, but fairly antisocial, with ups and downs to both of those.

I guess I'll figure it out later.

2013-10-14 AM

Erg -
60:00, initially ~2:40 pace, then alternating 2:40 and 2:20-2:30, and finally running at 2:20-2:30. 1:00 sprint at 1:40-1:50.

My lifetime (or at least starting) goal is now 16093 (ie 10 miles) in 60:00. I'd also like to hit a decent college crew-qualifying 2000m (likely 6:45 if I'm powerlifting at 165, and somewhere around 6:30 if I decide to break past that) and comparable 500m (1:40 lightweight and 1:36 heavyweight).

2013-10-16 AM

Erg -
11 500m/1:00 intervals at ~2:20-2:30 pace (averaged out to around 2:25 with ~35spm).
5 minute rest because I threw up in my mouth slightly after #11
19-minute free row at 3:10 pace, 25spm
30-second sprint at 2:00 pace

Glycogen depletion (and tiredness, and mild burnout) are really noticeable here. Monday's hour was "grimy" but doable even with 15 minutes of continuous 2:20-2:30, whereas today's intervals were murderous. Lowering the damper might play into that, but still.

2013-10-15 PM

Push Press - 145 for a few minutes, then 135 due to tiredness. Had a couple of push jerks, plus a hilarious failure trying to C&J the 135. I'll work on that at some point.

Chins - ~30. Number per set is going up, though that might be partly due to rests.

Face Pulls as always

1500m row at damper 4, ~3:00 pace, then 1m sprint. I actually recovered from the sprint pretty fast; I may start pushing for the full 500m soon.

2013-10-15 AM

Erg with damper at 4 -
Initial run of 8 minutes, roughly 2:45 pace
Rest/tighten straps, second run of 5 minutes, same pace
10 intervals 500m/1min, <= 2:30 pace

I noticed the difference in drag pretty quickly - my shins get tired from the reversal. Intervals for a few weeks should build up enough endurance to compensate.

Feeling vaguely nauseous now. Lack of glycogen probably isn't helping.

2013-10-13

Had a lot of carby food left over from yesterday; decided to go an extra day on the refeed.

Fasted Morning Cardio - 30m rowing machine, ~2:55 pace

(with Yohimbine and Caffeine)

Lifting -

Push Press/Jerk (mostly Press) 145 for 1s, 2s, and 3s; got a 4 at the end

Pull-Up to 30 reps

3x20 5lb face pull

10-minute erg cooldown, ~3m pace plus 1:45 pace for the last minute

2013-10-11

Lifted very early today.

Squat - Worked up to 315, playing with high bar. I'm gradually getting it.

High-bar's pretty nice; I can set up much faster and it works fairly well with the shoes. I may squat low-bar going into meets, but for now it's HB.

---

~Fasted (Last ate 11am, probably earlier; started around 7) Erg, 40 minutes, average pace ~2:55 (closer to 2:45 for first half), with 100mg caffeine and 15mg Yohimbine HCl

2013-10-6

Deficit Speed Pulls: 225 from 2 plates

Push Press: 135, mostly singles with a few 2-3s and a final push set of 5
Took a few strict reps, as usual. Harder than last time.

Pull-Ups: >=15

Considering alternative arrangements, like alternating lower/pull and upper/pull or just shortening the blocks from 15 minutes to 10.

2013-10-4

Cleans - 135 and 155, plus a bunch of power shrugs because I didn't feel like risking employee intervention. This was a pussy move and I will not make it again.

Push-Ups - Worked to 100, starting with 10s, then 5s, 4s, 3s, 2s, and some singles towards the end. Huge emphasis on shoulder position; I didn't succeed 100%, but it was better than last time.

Chins - 15 total

I need to work on explosion and clean technique. It might be worth taking the Oly class, actually.

10/3/2013

Nuckols Squat - Worked up to 185 for about 20 minutes, then 225.

Push Press - 135, once

Pull-Ups - A bunch

Romaleos II came in today. They're a little tight at the sides, so I may send out for the 9s to compare fit. Tiredness is starting to set in.

A Quick Long-Term Plan

This has been on the cards for a while; I'm just writing it down so I've got it formalized somewhere.

1) Carb Nite by the book through March; after that, cautiously break out (most likely add a second evening refeed elsewhere in the week and go from there).

2) Carb Nites at least every 7th day, but otherwise not allowed until I've dropped 0.5lbs morning scale weight since the last one.

3) If weight loss plateaus (less than 0.5lb loss across 14 days, measured from morning of refeed days), add:
3a) 15mg Yohimbine and 100-200mg Caffeine in the first few minutes of training; 45 minutes low-intensity cardio (preferably brisk walking or erging - should be able to carry on a broken conversation) immediately following training.
Start at 2 days per week, avoiding refeed days, and increase up to 7. Training should start least 3-4 hours after last meal.

If the plateau continues or returns, up to 60 minutes low-intensity.

As necessary, replace the refeed day's low-intensity with:
3b) 15mg Yohimbine and 100-200mg Caffeine on waking. Half an hour later, do a 5-10 minute easy warmup (brisk walking counts), then 10 minutes of low-impact interval training (most likely erging or murderously intense sprints on grass; erging only if that's not the low-intensity of choice). 5 minutes' complete rest, followed by 20 minutes of the cardio used for 3a.
If necessary, up the steady-state to 40 minutes, then replace a second day but reset the times and work them back up (extend refeed day, then the other one).

If I still need a boost to hit a very low but not grotesquely striated level of bodyfat, modify refeed day to:
3c) 5 minutes of shorter intervals at maximum intensity (15/45 seconds very low) in place of the 10 minutes above, and add 5 minutes of longer intervals (30/30) and a 5-minute easy cooldown. Then eat something immediately.
As necessary, up that to 40 minutes steady-state, then 10 minutes of longer intervals, then if for some reason that hasn't worked, replace the other 3b day (resetting the first day's times and working them back up one at a time [extend refeed steady, extend other steady, extend refeed intervals, etc.). As a last-ditch effort, up the short intervals to 10 minutes.

For properly resuming maintenance once I'm satisfied:
1) Reset all protocols back to the minimum times, stop taking the yohimbine, and increase calories to reach maintenance. Then gradually wean off of caffeine.

From there, it's still a bit up in the air, but I'd like to have a lot of leeway with food and drink while I maintain, so keeping the conditioning in makes sense. Ideally I'd work up to 3x/week of 3c and 4x/week of 3a (on waking rather than post-workout).

10/2/2013

Box Jumps - Triples at varying heights. One set, add a plate; repeated a few times at 4 and 5 plates, wound up getting six by the end. That puts the jump somewhere around 4 feet. 20 inches to go.

Push-Ups - Worked towards 100. Started with 20s, then 10s, then 5s, then 3s, then got the last five in one go. Goal is to hit the full hundred in a single set with good form.

Pull-Ups - 25, then 5 when I got home.

10/1/2013

Semi-Sumo Dead (on yoga step) - 225x1-3 for about 10 minutes. These were actually kind of hard, and very scratchy.

Push Jerk - 135 for a minute or so, then 145, 155, 165 for a single, and back down. Mostly doubles and singles.
Did get in another strict 135 rep. Some of these were push presses. Several failures towards the end. I think I push-pressed 155 at least once.

Pull-Ups - As usual

Face Pulls - 100 reps in 20-rep blocks, 5lbs

Much more tired today. Odd, that.

9/30/13

There are some very odd people at the RSF.

Deficit Speed Pulls (2x45, slippers) - 225x1 for 15 minutes
Push Press - 135x1-3 for 15 minutes (including 2 strict singles at the start)
Jump to Pullup
Face Pulls - 5lbs for 100 total reps

Next time someone confronts me at the gym, I need to verify whether or not they're staff. I have no idea who that leathery old guy was, but his definition of "dropping" is clearly very different from mine.

9/26/13

Push Pressing (and a bit of Push Jerking) with 135. Just went in and did triples, doubles, and singles for about 45 minutes to work off some steam.

Romaleos II shipping from Rogue in the next day or so, so I'll be squatting again some time next week.

http://gregnuckols.com/2013/09/27/a-few-thoughts-about-squat-depth/

This sounds familiar. I'll take a training max at some point in the next week and see where I miss; I remember losing it pretty high out of the hole in competition, so this could be relevant to me.

(Video Proof: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k98qNXSeD6c)

9/20/13

Fucked around. The warmup's always the same from now on (bridges, shoulders, overhead squat), so I won't write it down. Working up will always be the same, too: Sets of 3-10 at all the lower 25/45 increments, and maybe the empty bar.

Speed Pulls (chucks, 45lb plate): 15 minutes with 225. Pulled, got water, caught my breath, pulled again. Maybe 15 seconds rest.

Push Press/Push Jerk: 20 singles with 135. Tried to keep these as push presses, but pussied out and dropped on some of them. The last 3 were done as a full set (2 push, 1 failed, 1 jerk).

Chins: 30 reps across doubles and singles. Discovered I could jump to the bar, started jumping to the bar. Discovered I could jump to the bar from the bottom of a squat, started doing that. Fun.

Walked there and back.

Testosterone

I'm looking into dietary ways to increase testosterone levels. Thus far, I'm getting:

1) Zinc and Magnesium are important, ZMA's not necessary.
2) Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Cabbage reduce estradiol levels
3) Garlic is awesome
4) Sun exposure or vitamin D supplementation - >2000 IU per day is ideal. Sun exposure for 30-60 minutes gives around 5-10x this and tans you up too, which is good for me because of my hilarious farmer's tan
5) Interval Training
6) Weightlifting, especially when done with high volume and short rests
7) Horny Goat Weed. Icaarin levels equivalent to roughly 900mg/day produced dramatic testosterone increases in rats. This will have to wait until I have a job; getting it from Horny Goat Weed supplements (10%) would run $50/mo, isolate powders (usually 40%) would run more like $300/mo, and the tests to see if it's having a hormonal effect are about $150 each.
8) Talking to and sleeping with attractive women. Oh, right. Talking to guys actually helps as well.
9) Winning, presumably.
10) Olive Oil (helps with cholesterol absorption)
11) Apparently caffeine right before training can help
12) More and longer cold showers/baths. Wonderful.

Most of these line up with my plans either way. Right now my total testosterone around 11am (waking up at 10) comes in at 600ng/dL; normal for sub-25 is more like 700 (150 sigma). I'd like to get a more comprehensive set of labs in future (total, free, weakly bound, SHBG, and estradiol; total, free, and estradiol at minimum). Realistically I think I can hit 800ng/dL on waking; >900 would be excellent, but that'll take some word. If I can get it over 1,000 I'd be really, really stoked, but since the point is partly to fix risk aversion and improve my performance with girls, I suspect I'd already have all of the desired benefits by the time I hit this.

A Declaration of Fucking Around

I've recently had some epiphanies, and one of the bigger ones is that I no longer care about powerlifting specifically. My interest is in being strong, athletic, and ripped, not in setting huge records in the big three. I'll still compete, but (in my current mindset, at least) I'm not going to bother cutting weight and won't focus on the competition lifts to the exclusion of all else the way I have been recently.

I've also realized that regardless of how well the Westside approach is working, it's taking too long per day and fucking up my shoulder.

I've got two ideas:

1) Drop the money on a renewed gym membership and go Jamie Lewis style, lifting six days per week with high intensities, short rests, and no specific prescribed lifts, capping each session at an hour. The only requirement is leg/push/pull, with merged exercises counting as two. This'd be two weeks heavy one week light (probably just calisthenics for the light week, with lots of jumping and single-leg squats).

2) Save the money and just fuck around at home with the sled, handles, trap bar, and TPB. An hour per day of sled drags, cleans, deads, farmer's walks, and chins sounds like a similarly good plan for making things go.

Either way, I'm not flat bench pressing for a while. Once my shoulder and upper back feel like they're working properly I'll go back in, but I like Pressing more than benching anyway.

Worthwhile reading:

http://www.myosynthesis.com/workouts/bulgarian-style-training
http://gregnuckols.com/2012/09/12/a-deadlift-tip-and-some-training/
http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=5786666

A few programming insights and a look at two exercises I think would be worth looking at.

The idea here is that I want to get fit and healthy rather than win competitions, so a lot of stuff will go by Starett's work and general feel. I want to win at life, not at powerlifting. This also eliminates any concern I have about going hiking, rock climbing, or anything else.

Diet Again

http://gregnuckols.com/2013/09/02/carbs-at-night-make-you-lean-so-do-big-breakfasts/

I decided I'd stick with the old plan, so this isn't relevant yet - I may migrate over to carb-nite, actually, given how similar they are - but longer-term, I have a feeling this lays out a fairly decent (and sustainable) approach:

Large, high-fat, high-protein breakfast
Meals between as necessary, big focus on not training on an empty stomach
Low-fat and 120-150g carbs in the evenings

It seems like this would be ideal for easy weight maintenance (large breakfast for basic fullness and carbs in the evening to supposedly adjust the leptin schedule); it's clinically-backed and looks both convenient and healthy.

2013-09-12 Deadlift Day

Redoing the keto run for diet; the whole thing got kinda fucked from a weekend of baking and hanging out at the frats. Sleep's been bad too.

I'm going to exercise more self-control and not let this happen again. The diet's easy enough to stick to, so it's not like I have a good excuse.

Deadlift -
135x10
185x10
225x10
275x6 (hook, 5 mats)
335x5+3 (straps, 5 mats)
335x1 (hook, 5 mats)
I didn't scratch my legs up this time, so I think there are technical problems here.

DB Row -
40x10x5

RDL -
185x10x5
Decided that I've probably been majoring in the minors on this.

Front Squat Hold -
295x30, 30, 30, 20, 30
My upper back is now part of the limit here; mobility time.

BTNBPD - Mini*15x2
BPD - Mini*15x2
BER - Micro*12x2
FPull - Mini*12x2

Conditioning - Walked to Berkeley Bowl and then interval jogged to Sigma Pi (roughly 1.5 miles of intervals). I'm going to run for conditioning more - rowing's nice, but my running capacity is embarrassing right now.

2013-08-30 SE Bench

Did some tack and floss work on my shoulder with a barbell. Seemed helpful, should probably keep it up.

Warmup - Various rolling, usual activation stuff

Bench -

45x5x3

95x5x2

135x5

170x3x7

I seem to get a boost from closer foot position. I'll experiment more here.

Press -

45x5x3

85x5x2

115x4, 4, 4, 4, 3 (4F)

Actively building torque off the bar and the floor helped a lot here. CG starts next week.

Pulldown -

120x10

Much better than last time but still worrying.

Straight-Arm Pulldown -

45x10

30x10

40x10x2

Sticking with these for a while.

Face Pull -

20x12x5

Curl -

Small +5x10x5

Conditioning -

7000m in 52:20

Took the Yohimbine after second Press set.

2013-08-28 ME Bench

Good and bad.

Warmup - Comprehensive (upper rolling)

Bench -
45x5x3
95x5x2
135x5
165x5

2-Board -
185x3
195x3
205x3
210x3
220x2, 1
Getting interrupted by conversation really throws me off. Talking needs to stay outside of the gym in future.

DB Bench -
65x6, 6, 4 (5F), 4 (5F), 4
When I failed, it was sudden and hard to predict. I think this is a result of improving my scap control, though.

Pulldown -
120x8
Started getting pain in the front of my shoulder. Damn.

Pull-Ups -
3
Still

Curl -
Small + 10s x10, 10, 10, 10, 10

More Diet and Training Thoughts

I just read these two articles:

http://articles.elitefts.com/nutrition/nysc-undercover-should-we-avoid-eating-at-night/

http://articles.elitefts.com/training-articles/nysc-undercover-anabolic-breakfast/

I don't trust any single piece of work, but these are pretty interesting. It also meshes with part of this:

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2013/08/reflections-on-2013-ancestral-health.html

The "eat while it's light, not while it's dark" thing sounds nice, but I can't see it catching for me until my thirties.

Off of those I'm adjusting the refeeds somewhat - regular breakfast, then focus on low-fat for the rest of the day.

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2013/08/more-thoughts-on-cold-training-biology.html

This also looks like a good point.

http://gregnuckols.com/2013/08/19/optimizing-thyroid-function-for-fat-loss-and-health/

The second one here concerns me; I'm fine with cyclical keto right now, but this backs up my plan to add carbs to all of my training days.

Final note, from here:

http://mythicalstrength.blogspot.com/2013/08/today-i-am-going-to-discuss-idea-that-i.html

I may start throwing in a "jesus fuck" workout every month or so after my meet. I can't decide if I should pick it based on how I'm feeling or just flip a coin.

I'm also not going to erg after my squat workouts for now - I don't want to tire myself out for the second upper day.

2013-08-25 Deadlift Day

I've been doing a full-on keto run for going on the last week now; according to my ketosticks I actually am in ketosis at this point, but I'm going to hold off on refeeding until Sunday (and then binge, at least post-workout).

This one is actually a repeat of the last deadlift day from 3 weeks ago, but I decided to use it to get back in the game after taking time off.

Warmup - Comprehensive (only UB rolling)

Deadlift -
135x10
185x10
225x10
275x5 (hook) (2pl, 1m)
335x8+4 (strap) (2pl, 1m), +1 (hook)
Not feeling as solid, probably because of the break. If I don't get the reps I want when I hit full-range, I'll probably only up 10lbs instead of 20.

DB Row -
40x10x5
Getting better evenness, but I'm going to repeat this.

RDL -
225x10x5 (straps)
Had to put the last two down after rep 7 to recover my grip. I still need to work on keeping these strict.

Rollout -
10, 10, 10, 7, 5

Band BTN - Mini, 12x2
Band PA - Mini, 12x2
Band ER - Micro, 15x2
Face Pull - 10lbs, 12x2

Erg - 5000m (35min)
Took my Yohimbine about 45 minutes in advance (right when I started the RDLs).

Upcoming Culinary Stuff

1) Actual curries
2) Coq au Vin made with chicken leg confit (in duck fat). I think sous vide/confit has potential here, though it'll probably need some edits.
3) Actual pastries. I've been making and eating a lot of straight chantilly cream recently for a temporary bump in fat intake; it's probably time I expanded that.
4) Mexican. For now I only have a small tortilla press (thus limited to tacos...and chili), but I can work from there. The larger one is another $25 but ships faster, so I can work with that one I can have the cash spare.
5) Burger Night #2, using the stuff mentioned previously. I'm looking forward to this one. Incidentally, I may try replacing the bacon with thin-sliced salt pork (similar flavors - and I can home-smoke if I want to - but can be sliced square). I'm also looking into getting more griddles (and getting rid of the old one). The plan here is $5 cover with 4oz and 8oz burgers, homemade buns (spongy for 4oz, stronger for 8oz), cheese that I've either Hestonized or melted, poured into thin layers, cooled, and cut into slices, bacon/salt pork, onions, pickles, and mushrooms. Possibly homemade ketchup.
6) This: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/seattlefoodgeek/sansaire-sous-vide-circulator-for-199
Once this is available for full sale, I'll probably just sell the Sous Vide Supreme and buy two.

I still need to sell and replace the roasting trays, lasagna pan, and the nonsticks.

Roasted Curry Chicken with Onions, Garlic, and Mushrooms

Ingredients:
1 Large Onion (or several shallots)
1 Chicken Breast, Skin-On (wing optional)
5 Cloves Garlic
Curry Paste (personal preference)
Button Mushrooms
Butter

Spread the curry paste on both sides of the chicken and marinade uncovered in the fridge, overnight.

Dice the onion and slice the garlic and mushrooms. Put chicken in the oven, skin-side up, and preheat to 400F. Add butter to a skillet and soften the onions until caramelized. Flip the chicken skin-side down; add butter to a separate, larger pan and sautee the mushrooms over medium-high heat. When the mushrooms are lightly browned, flip the chicken skin-side up again and add butter. Add garlic to the onions, cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to the mushroom pan and sautee another 2-3 minutes.

Remove chicken from the oven; slice once flat and then diagonally across the grain. To plate, form the vegetables into a bed, pour on the liquid from the pan, and lay the chicken on top, retaining its original shape. Finish by pouring on the contents of the chicken pan.
---
Possible changes:
A large quantity of garlic paste would probably work just as well

In trying to keep with a curry theme I'm thinking go with garlic and ginger pastes and some actual spices. I'm going to make some personal spice blends at some point.

Also, the marinade will work better if it's mixed with yogurt (goat milk varieties should work as well).

Diet Update

These come along a bit more often than I'd like at this point.

I'm almost out of protein powder and ready to drop the PSMF layout in favor of something less stressful. I'm basically fully over to an IF approach (which, again, is mostly to facilitate the yohimbine). Things are back to a very Jamie Lewis-type CKD, with calorie cycling, fat loads, and a single carb refeed. For now I'm integrating a full fasting day (currently planned for Saturdays), though I'll be taking that out as I get leaner.

The weekly layout (disregarding this week and possibly next, as my training's gotten a bit thrown off and I'll be out of town from Sat to Sat):

Monday (Erg) - Low-Calorie
Tuesday (ME Bench) - Fat Load
Wednesday (Erg) - Low-Calorie
Thursday (Squat) - Medium
Friday (SE Bench) - Fat Load
Saturday (Low Intensity) - Fast
Sunday (Deadlift) - Carb Refeed

Outlines/Macros:

Low-Calorie:
160g Protein, max 25g Carb, 100g Fat for 1650kcal at roughly 40/5/55
Large (high protein, fat, fiber) breakfast; moderate meal pre-training, small (fruit and protein) post-training
Salad and leanish meats; fibrous fruit after training. Pork Chop with Apple stands as a good example.

Medium-Calorie:
160g protein, max 25g Carb, 150g Fat for 2100kcal at roughly 30/5/65
Large (high protein, fat, fiber) breakfast; large meal pre-training, small post-training
Salad and fattier meats, with a major emphasis on beef, pork, and fattier fish.

Fat Load:
160g protein, max 25g Carb, 200g Fat for 2600kcal at roughly 25/5/70
Large (high protein, fat, fiber) breakfast; large meal pre-training, small post-training
Salad and good fat sources (fattier meats, dairy, nuts). Slightly higher emphasis on saturates.

Refeed:
200g protein, 600g carb, 70g fat for 3800kcal at roughly 20/65/15
Small (protein, carb, fiber) breakfast, medium pre-training brunch. Medium (protein, carb, fiber) meals throughout the day following training.

I'm looking to up my intake of eggs and organ meats around this; I can get Calf Liver at Berkeley Bowl for about $4/lb. It's actually pretty low in fat, which could mean that Liver and Onions just hit the menu for refeed day. Macadamias and some form of coconut fat are also on the priorities list, though it'll be annoying to get these at a reasoanble price.

For some random weird stuff that I found reading Meadows' work, I'm going to try consuming cranberry and lemon juice; he suggests lemon in warm water early in the morning, and cranberry at 4oz in 28oz water at least once per day. Given the health benefits of green tea I'm inclined to just make some tea in the morning and squeeze in a lemon. The cranberry's a bit more frustrating, but I can always just eat the berries themselves.

Serrano and Mendelson suggest a 30:60:10 balance on Sat:Mono:Poly, but I'm not too stressed there.

The salad part is a big deal here; I need to make sure I'm getting in the fiber and the micronutrients, and some carb intake won't hurt. Fruit post-cardio should also be helpful. All days will have a reasonable intake of fish oil (ideally keeping the w6:w3 ratio roughly 1:1).

This will probably get thrown off again once I get my bike and start cycling everywhere, but that should be in a good way. I'll probably be riding at least an hour every day (excluding Saturday), which will make a strong contribution regardless of intensity (N.B.: Once I've got the erging up to an hour, that puts me at around 15-20 hours of exercise per week; pretty respectable). For the Yohimbine I'm currently at 10g on waking, 7.5g 1.5-2 hours before eating, and 5g every hour in between. This worked today.

Other general notes:
1) Hammer out a regular 8-hour sleep schedule. This should be easier now that lab's off-limits at night. I'm looking to hit 12-8.
2) Massage should be important for general maintenance and relieving stress. Fortunately I've got Jenny and Tammy to keep me going there.
3) Meditation should also help manage stress. I'll probably switch this to the evenings, and possibly add a second session after a while.
4) Somewhat further from the ordinary, but I'm going to make a concerted effort to limit my contact with Steph and Hannah. They're both negative influences on my mood, and are the only big emotional drains on my time in lab. Not screwing up is important; not letting them affect me is also very big.

I'm going to sleep early and long while in Washington to try to get things back under control.

2013-08-02 SE Bench

Warmup - Comprehensive, sans lower body rolling

Bench -
45x5x3
95x5x2
135x5
165x4x5
Hellish after the conditioning, but fairly solid overall.

Press -
45x5x3
80x5x2
115x1, 4, 4, 3, 4, 3
Yells helped a lot here. I suspect I'll be using them a lot throughout this cut.

Pulldown -
130x8, 6, 6, 6, 6
Somewhat harder than Tuesday.

Face Pull -
20x12
25x10, 10, 9, 10
Not really pausing at the "top."

EZ Curl, light bar -
+0x10
+20x10
+30x10, 10, 5
Sticking to +20 in future.
Fairly sure the heavier bar is equivalent to +10.

Nihari (Pakistani Curry) - Draft

I got this recipe from Anum in lab, and I'm making it for her Ramadan dinner. I've got the original recipe at the bottom; mine's based on some variations (and heavily informed by http://rasamalaysia.com/nihari-recipe/2/). I've got some mild changes based on Western techniques; we'll see how the modifications go.

Ingredients (per 4)

Nihari Masala:
2tbsp fennel seed
2tbsp cumin seed
4 green cardamom
1 black cardamom
8 cloves
15 black peppercorns
1tsp ground ginger
1/4tsp ground nutmeg
1/4tsp ground cinnamon
1 bay leaf

Finely grind ingredients together in a blender or mortar and pestle; reserve. Makes a fairly large amount. Incidentally, this is probably a decent garam masala.

Stew (per 4 servings):
2lbs Beef Shank (Halal, if desired)
Ghee (and tallow, if desired; avoid Lard if going Halal)
3 Large Onions
Ginger
Garlic
Red Chili
2 sticks cinnamon (1in each)
1 Bay Leaf
Kosher Salt
3tbsp Flour (Wheat, Rice, Arrowroot, etc.)
1tsp+1tbsp Nihari Masala (above)

Cut the meat into 2-inch cubes; reserve the bones for the stock.

In a pressure cooker or heavy dutch oven, heat tallow or ghee to medium-high, moderately brown the meat and bones on all sides, and reserve.

Finely mince ginger, and grind with water to make 1.5tsp paste. Repeat with garlic, in the same amounts. Finely dice one onion, and finely mince half of the chili. Heat ghee in pan over medium heat; add the onion, lightly salt, and sautee until lightly browned. Reduce heat to medium, add the garlic and ginger pastes, chili, and 2tsp nihari masala, and sautee 1 more minute. Add 1tbsp flour and cook 2 more minutes, then add the meat and stir until thoroughly coated. Add 5 cups water and the bones and bring to simmer; add 1 cinnamon stick and the bay leaf in a bouquet garnet. Cover and bring the pressure cooker to full pressure, or bring to a high boil and tightly seal the lid with dough (some of which should cover the inside lip) and weigh down with something very heavy, then bring to a high boil. Reduce to medium heat and cook until the meat is fork tender but not disintegrating. Chill overnight to let the flavors infuse; in the morning, skim off any surface fat.

Finely dice the other onion, mince the remaining chili, and make another 1.5tsp ginger and 2tsp garlic paste. Remove the meat from the pot and discard the bouquet garnet and the bones; reserve the stock, reducing or diluting as necessary to reach 4 cups. Heat ghee over medium-high and add the remaining Nihari Masala, and one stick cinnamon. Once the spices are lightly toasted, sautee the onion until lightly browned; add the chili and sautee until the onions are moderately browned; then add the ginger and garlic and sautee 1 more minute. Deglaze with 1 cup stock and reduce until dry. Return the meat to the pot and brown again on all sides, reserve 1/2 cup of the remaining stock, and add the rest to the pot. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

To the side, whisk together the remaining flour and stock. Add to the pot and simmer covered for another 10-15 minutes, checking every 5 to ensure that the stock hasn't reduced too far. Season to taste and let stand 10-15 minutes, ensuring it remains warm.

*Might work with the marinade still on

To Garnish:
Lemon
Cilantro
Ginger
Mild chili peppers

Peel and julienne the ginger; remove the seeds and top from the chilis, cut in half lengthwise, and thinly slice. Moderately chop the cilantro.

Cut the lemons into halves and lightly spritz the curry with one half, reserving the rest to serve on the side. Alternate bands of the ginger and overlapping lines of the chilis, then sprinkle cilantro over the top to form a light bed. Spritz with the lemon again and serve with roti.

(Presentation is up to you, but some variation of this is how I'd do it)

Quoted from Anum:
"you must obtain 2 lbs beef shank from the halal grocery store (i go to indus foods on san pablo & berkeley way -- talk to the butchers in the back).  wash the meat and cut it up into chunks (~2 inch cubes).  dice an onion.  saute the onion in some olive oil in the pressure cooker, and add the meat.  stir it to make sure the meat doesn't stick to the pot.  then, add 2 spoons each of minced garlic and ginger, 1 spoon of salt and 1 spoon of cayenne powder.  let this cook briefly, then add 4-5 cups of water and close the pressure cooker.  let it cook in there for 20 minutes on high after the thingy begins shaking, and then take it off the heat and let it release slowly.  then put it back on the heat and add 1 spoon garam masala, 1 spoon cumin and 2 spoons ground fennel.  stir and cook further for 15 minutes, adding more water if you think it is necessary given the curry to meat ratio.  then, dissolve 2 tsp flour in 1/3 cup water.  when the curry is boiling, add in the flour solution slowly, stirring all the while.  cook 10 more minutes on low heat.  some oil will float to the top which I am sometimes moved to remove but it's not necessary.  let me know if any of this is unclear! also, if you don't have some of these spices, I can give you those cuz you probably don't want to go out and buy ground fennel that you'll never use again.

this dish is usually eaten with rotis and topped with cut up cilantro, chilis and lemon."

2013-08-01 Squat

Erging yesterday completely murdered this. I think I know what happened to my bench on Tuesday.

Warmup - Comprehensive

Overhead Squat -
45x5x3
95x4x2
Harder than usual; my back's shot from yesterday.

Squat -
135x5
185x5
225x5
260x4x5
These were very unpleasant.
Yelled before each one, which helped a lot (as usual). Technique was questionable due to tiredness.

DB Row -
40x10x5
This one actually felt a bit better.
Probably see how this feels come dead day and possibly hit 45s next week.

GHR -
5x5
Harder than last week.

Rollout -
10x5
Repeat on deadlift day to see if it sticks. If it does, I'll go back to alternating with heavy front squat holds.

PU Retraction - 12
DB Protraction - 12 (double for right)
DB Retraction - 12 (double for left)

Felt dead, left early.

Diet Note

Today I didn't get off work until about 8pm, and found myself needing to consume a lot of shakes in a fairly short period of time. Having done so I feel a tad nauseous, so I'm making a personal note here (which also serves as advice for anyone copying me): You only need to get ~0.82g protein per pound of bodyweight. I probably should have stopped at 7 shakes, which would have left me feeling fine.

Live and learn.

2013-07-31 Erging

Music makes this a lot easier - I'm expanding my EDM playlist.

30 mins at 3-3:30 per 500m, followed by 1 minute at sub-2:00.

I'm going to try adding 5 minutes per session up to an hour and doing a 500 for time at the end (or possibly doing 2x28min+500m). Focusing heavily on technique, so I look a bit weird, but whatever.

Some Programming Thoughts

I'm going to stick with my approximate current layout until my next meet - the movements may change a bit, but the overall program won't until I know how well it's working for my dead. I've got periodic checks on my squat and bench progress, so I can manipulate those a little more freely.

Reading the JTS manuals has given me some ideas that I'm going to apply. A few notes:
1) I got bonus confirmation of Floor Press being a tricep movement and pause work being useful off the chest.
2) A lot of very strong raw deadlifters like various types of deficit pulls. Brandon Lilly in particular mentioned squat stance deficit work as a good way to improve glute and low back strength.
3) Dan Green really loves front squats

From that, I'm thinking:
1) Alternate RDLs with Squat-Stance Deficit Pulls
2) Stick with the current bench cycle, everything there looks fairly solid for now
3) Try out high bar squatting for a few cycles and see how it goes

I may have to integrate some technical deadlifting work at some point, but for the time being I want to focus entirely on just getting the lift stronger.

I don't plan to gain any weight until after the meet; my training after that will include some more aesthetic focus (shrugs and curling, mostly - my traps and biceps seem to be lagging). This may have me competing at 132, which would be interesting.

New future ideas (possibly for upcoming cycles, since I'm actively tracking squat and bench progress):
1) If CG Bench work pans out well, try sticking it between bench movements - ie. CG, 2-Board, CG, 1-Board, CG, Bench. If I only do triples this should only add one week the cycle (4 otherwise). This probably applies to whatever lift seems to work out best for my bench, though; I could see it happening with board presses, for instance. One extra week in the cycle also facilitates a 9-week submax run, which could be appealing if the squat cycle goes well.
2) Consider hitting triples exclusively for max-effort work (maybe still a single on 2-board).
3) Spend a while just doing 5x5 heavy squats or front squats on Squat Day, or possibly a period of 5x5, then 3x3-5 (reps*sets), then a peaking period with just singles. Alternating the two might work fairly well (for a 9-week cycle, go 5x5/5x5*2, 3x5/3x5*2, then take a new squat PR). This actually appeals pretty heavily.
4) In the same vein, I could do that with Bench and any suitable "builder" movement (right now I'm thinking it'll be close grip, but whatever).
5) More emphasis on overhead work might help out my bench, though I might just be saying that because Deng has ridiculously awesome delts and outpresses me.

#2 looks interesting, but I'll have to wait until the end of this squat cycle to see - I should be done with my cut by then, and if I can hit 355 I'll give it another cycle and see if it works twice. Bench-wise the same applies with 225; if it doesn't pan out, I'll either drop ME work completely and switch to the squat cycle (if that works), or try something more volume-based like #4 and just dedicate Fridays to building my Press.

2013-07-30 ME Bench

I'm making a pledge not to waste time anymore. My rest periods are more than enough time to chat, and staying late hurts the rest of my life.

Warmup - Comprehensive (sans lower body rolling)

CG Bench -

45x5x3

95x5x2

135x5

155x3

175x1

185x1

195x1

200x1

I would have liked 210. I'll take this, though.

Dumbbell Bench -

65x6x5

Very happy with this one, though I suspect that the twenty-minute break after my ME work made it a little easier. Might have been 7 on the last set.

Pulldown -

125x8x5

Longer rests here, but still good. I've stopped deloading the weight between reps - it keeps the tension in my lats and lets me get more per set.

Rear Delt Fly -

15x15x5

ADB Curl -

20x10

EZ Curl -

25x20x4

On Costis' advice. I used the heavier EZ Bar; he actually recommended the light one, so I may switch to that.

Since I'm cutting right now I'll focus on strength and go for something more in the 8-rep range.

2013-07-29 Diet and Erg

Switched fully to the IF as discussed in the last post. Today I'm doing two scoops in 400mL every hour to get the protein in.

Erged for half an hour (10-5-5-5-5). I'll take my headphones next time; it's supposed to be a pretty relaxed workout, so I'm focused mostly on technique and trying not to stop. This may do some good things for my mid back, actually - I'm certainly feeling it there.

Diet Update - Hammering Out Details

Since I'm almost out of protein powder, and (as far as we know) Yohimbine only works on an empty stomach, I'm switching back to straight IF for the remainder of this cut. I'll compress the protein shakes to the end of the day until I run out.

I'm skipping the ECA stack because of some recent Alan Aragon reading - looks like for someone with properly-set macros, it'll probably amount to maybe an extra quarter-pound per week. Yohimbine doesn't play nice with ephedrine and adds something I can't get from diet alone, so that stays in and ephedrine stays at the door.

I'll be training in the evenings, so I'm looking at a slightly lighter yohimbine dose on waking and then boosters throughout the day. I originally thought 10g on waking and then 7.5 every 3 hours after that, but now I'm looking at 10 on waking and 2.5 every hour. If I'm waking up at 8:30 and eating around 7 (training at 8), that's 35mg per day (just over twice the bolus dose for someone my size) - I figure I can safely start there and bring it up as I get used to it.

I'm also going to start adding in more cardio - once I'm fasting, I'll be cooking actual meals in the evenings and can start buying groceries in advance. I'll start out just walking to Andronicos/Safeway in the mornings, but once I have a bike I'll try hitting Berkeley Bowl (should be an easy ride - at regular pace it'll actually be faster than the walks). I want to keep this very low-intensity, since (as Aragon constantly points out) fasted cardio has negative effects on lean mass.

I'm going to refine the carb refeeds somewhat based on Lyle McDonald's work - some notes on that:
1) The liver stores about 100g glycogen; muscles store roughly 10g/kg or 4.5g/lb. For me that pegs things around 650g total (assuming slightly sub-10% bodyfat and 160lbs). Due to the liver limitations, (0.5*Sucrose + 1*Fructose) should (ideally) stay under 100g.
2) Synthesis goes fastest following training and tapers off from there. The first meal should come as soon as possible.
3) Outside of the training "window," timing/distribution doesn't seem to matter. The best layout will probably involve a higher-fat and higher-fiber meal shortly before bed to slow release.
4) High-GI carbs do seem to work better overall.
5) A pre-training meal with moderate carbs should improve synthesis by increasing circulating insulin levels.
6) Fat gain stays negligible as long as fat intake stays low (Lyle quotes 88g from a paper and recommends 60-70g for someone 140-160lbs).

Lyle's recommended macro breakdown falls at 70/15/15 C/P/F by lean body mass, which seems pretty reasonable. Right now that's 720/153/68 in the first 24 hours; dropping carbs to 500 doesn't offer much of a change, but it's nice to know I've got a fairly serious buffer.

Based on that, my refeed plan is to wake up, take a full 15g of yohimbine, and have a lowish-fat, moderate-carb, high-protein breakfast about two hours later. An hour or so after that, train and immediately follow with a high-carb, lowish-fat, high-protein meal (min. 100g carbs), followed by at least 3-4 similar meals throughout the rest of the day. I'll be avoiding fruit here - this should help to keep fructose content down, and fruit itself is very filling and gets in the way of other foods that I should be consuming in greater bulk. I can handle the fruit side on other days. The same applies to salad, and for similar reasons. I want this to be satisfying, not unpleasant (which is what the current one's shaping up to be, thanks almost entirely to overdoing fruit and leafy vege).
For starches I'm looking mostly at potatoes (and other roots) and rice, though I'll still allow wheat.

The fat refeed won't involve any shakes - there will be fiber, but for the most part it'll just be two unlimited meals of fatty meat on the bone with some leaves to aid with digestion. This one's very nice and very simple.

Regular days will be a bit more limited. For the upcoming week, I'll just concentrate the shakes into less water and consume more quickly. On lifting days that'll probably just be one scoop at a time; I don't need to worry about frequency so much as just making sure I take in at least six scoops (some of which can go with the meat meal). For nonlifting days, it's at least 9 scoops, which might take some more work to imbibe but shouldn't be a huge problem.
---
Once I run out of powder, this switches over 100% to cooked meals. The macros here don't change much - on erg days it's at least 150g protein worth of lean meat with some allowance for fat and very low carbs, plus a small amount of fruit post-workout for liver health (probably berries - again, small). For lifting days, it's the same, just frontloaded so I'm full when I head to the gym. They'll have a higher fat allowance, but the goal's still 150g+ protein spread across two meals totaling around 1500kcal; chicken thighs actually won't be good for this. These days will include greens to keep things going.

I'll hammer out more specifics later, but I'm still getting over crippling abdominal pain from eating too many plants so that'll probably have to wait until next time I'm at Costco.

EDIT: I'm also going to resume contrast showering and stop turning on the heating system - cold exposure activates non-shivering thermogenesis and thereby increases fat utilization. The morning walks should help with this, though that's not happening tomorrow because tonight I'm going to be up until six.

2013-07-28 Deadlift

I need to talk less, and not install a dishwasher next Saturday.

Warmup - All but the glute bridges

Deadlift -
135x10
185x10
225x10
275x5 (hook, 4.375")
335x6+3 (straps, 4.375")
335x1 to rerack (hook, 4.375")
I blamed the straps at first, but then noticed my grip sucking on everything else and remembered what I did for most of yesterday.
Next week should be better.

DB Row -
35x10x5
Playing with technique - shoulder blade flares if I emphasize the mid-back, stays flat if I focus on lat recruitment - worth remembering for bench days. I'd like to see if I can keep it flat on the mid-back emphasis, though. Right side is getting stronger.

RDL -
225x10, 8, 9, 8, 7
First two were hook, last three were strapped. I wonder what would happen if I mixed the two.
Still focusing on technique for these - organized spine, screw feet into the floor, keep lats engaged, hips back/knees constant, engage glutes. Happy to be at 225, though.

Rollout -
10x5
Lots of iffier reps and partials here, but I'll settle as long as I keep improving.

Band BTN Pulldown - 12x2xMini
Band Pullapart - 12x2xMini
Band External Rotation - 12x2xMicro
Some chance I'll need to switch to the light over the mini for the first two, actually.

Burgers (Planning)

I'll be doing another burger night soon, so I'm working up the basic ideas for methods and ingredients. Here's what I've got so far:

1) Keep the meat in the fridge, and freeze the grinder before use.
2) Hand-mincing may actually work better than grinding.
3) The optimal mix probably involves some combination of sirloin, short rib, brisket, and oxtail. Possibly include some suet if I have any lying around.
3b) Sirloin wants to be at least 30% for texture. I'll probably start with 3:2:2:2 and go from there. Short rib's texture can help out the sirloin so I can probably up the brisket without much worry.
3c) Emphasize quality and pick out stuff that's nicely marbled. Apparently grass-fed actually might beat out grain here, but at the prices they charge that's not happening on a $5 cover.
3d) Brisket needs to be ground/chopped very fine. Short rib (and any other chuck bits) maybe not as much, unsure about oxtail and sirloin.
3e) Heston likes to salt some of the meat in advance of grinding it so it binds things better. I'll experiment with this (especially with some ground chuck eye). I'll try an hour in advance first and look into 6 depending on how it compares.
4) Handle the meat as little as possible. I plan to spread it onto plates and use a metal spatula to section off and weigh the portions, then put them on foil and shape them from the side instead of hand-forming full patties. I'll be doing a test run of this first, though.
5) Start with 6oz portions and go from there. This means I'll need to dimple the middle of each patty and make them all a bit wider than the buns
5b) OR try to reconcile the handling thing with balling them up and smashing them onto the griddle with a heavy spatula, since this maximizes the browning area.
5c) Also note that you can get away with coarser/less even work with thicker patties, since they're going to be heavier anyway.
6) Experiment with some bun recipes. I'll start with this one:
The Spotted Pig's Hamburger Buns | Serious Eats : Recipes
7) Experiment with herbs, caramelized onion extract, and tomato concentrate, but try to integrate these into the grinding process to minimize handling. Kenji likes anchovies, marmite, and dashi to boost the umami, so I might as well try with those. Mushrooms (perhaps oven-roasted) may also work here to boost the umami.
8) Flip frequently for faster cooking. This requires a good spatula.
9) Try using the same technique as the roasts - cook to the desired doneness in the oven at a low temperature, then annihilate at max in the pan to build the crust.
10) Eventually work out something on the cheese. Everyone seems to like making your own American-style cheese using sodium citrate, and Comte seems fairly popular for the flavor base. Kenji has his own trick here, which might be worth a look.
10b) Maybe use a mandolin to cut slices of conventional cheese for the time being.
11) Play around with condiments, but note that you can still get slices from the tomatoes used to make any concentrate. Play with onion slicing approaches, but Kenji likes pole-to-pole (versus orbital or chopped) for balance.

I'm looking forward to going pure IF partly because it'll let me play around with these - I can buy, section, and flash-freeze large batches of the cuts and then refine the recipes almost day by day if I want to.

Also, much as I hate straight up blogging, I've noticed that as I lose weight from my face, my cheekbones start looking more and more German.

2013-07-26 SE Bench

Warm-up - upper back

Bench -
45x5x3
95x5x2
135x5
160x4x5
Not as solid.

Press -
45x5x3
80x5x2
120x4, 3 (4f), 3, 3, 3 (4f)
Murder on my abs after yesterday.

Face Pull -
20x10x5

Went home.

2013-07-25 Squat Day

I need to get better at cutting conversations short.

Warmup - Fairly comprehensive

Squat -

95x5x2

135x5

185x5

225x3

250x4x5

Actually pretty easy, though I still want to get my Romaleos. Did notice that my bar position seems to be rising.

DB Row -

35x10x5

Still trying to get the right side to work.

GHR -

5x5

I can't tell if my form's slipping or if I'm getting a lot better.

Rollouts -

10, 10, 10, 8 (9F), 4 (5F) + 6 partials

PUR - 12x2

DBR - 25x12x2

DBP - 25x12x2

PIR - 12x2

All held for a 4-count per rep (varied counting speeds).

2013-07-24 ME Bench

Warmup - Comprehensive upper body

CG Bench -
45x5x3
95x5x2
135x5
155x3
165x3
175x3
185x3
190x3
195x1.5
Spot on 195 was really bad, but I'm still pretty happy with 190. Next week I'll have more energy for attempting 210.

DB Bench -
65x6, 6, 5, 6, 5
Dropped some DBs and broke the mirror here. I feel bad.

Pulldown -
125x8x5
These were with rest-pausing and generous ROM.
I should mention that I haven't had solid food since Sunday (except some tortilla chips yesterday for sampling hot sauce).

Delt Fly -
12.5x12x5
Fairly fast sets, but good. Try 15s next week.

Curl -
20x10x3
6+4 for the last one.

2013-07-23 Deadlift Day

Won an argument with a strong-willed staff member (and started working on making friends with him). That was nice.

Warmup - Comprehensive (sans rolling on lower body)

Deadlift -
135x10
185x10
225x10
275x5 hook, 3 plates
335x12+6 straps, 3 plates

DB Row -
35x10x5
I might be getting the feeling back, but I'm not sure.

RDL -
220x10x5 straps
Getting harder. 225 next week.

Rollout -
10, 10, 10, 7 (8f), 10 partials
That was embarrassing.

Very late so I skipped prehab. I'm a bad person who could do his prehab at home.

And will.