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