Entry #631

I have extreme soreness in my triceps, probably from placing more emphasis on endurance work than DE. It was so bad on my first set that I thought I might have tore it.

RE upper

Incline dumbbell press:
2 x 20   30, 50 lb. dumbbells
1 x 17   75 lb. dumbbells
1 x 8     75 dumbbells
1 x 5     75 dumbbells
> 50 second rest times.

Tate press:
4 x 8     55 lb. dumbbells

Weighted chin-ups:
3 x 8     45 lbs.
1 x 7     45 lbs.

Hammer curls:
1 x 12   55 lb. dumbbells
1 x 10   55 lb. dumbbells
1 x 10   55 lb. dumbbells

Hise shrugs:
3 x 10   275 lbs.

Entry #630

I did hill sprints tonight, and my legs felt like someone had stabbed knives through them. My greatest incentive in doing them is to make analogies like that, by the way.

After those, I managed to shadowbox without vomiting out any internal organs (which was disappointing). Next, I practiced holding the horse stance for several sets. There was pain.

On the more casual front, I've been playing EyeToy more, specifically Sega Superstars. It looks way cooler when you're not this kid:

Entry #629

RE lower

Front box squats:
3 x 3     135, 185, 185 lbs.

Front squats:
1 x 12   185 lbs.
1 x 8     185 lbs.
1 x 6     185 lbs.
> This was light in order to get accustomed to the movement. I should get up to 225 next week.
> None of the sets were even close to failure, but I felt a twinge in my left knee that made me stop short. I should have warmed-up better.

Good mornings:
4 x 8     205 lbs.
> These were the best sets I've ever done.

> Janda sit-ups
3 x 8
1 x 4
> Haha. The first three sets were perfect, but the last one was hideous. It felt like I someone had shot a cannonball through me (which I should look into doing for an ab workout).

Crush trainer:
3 x 15
> I accidentally brought this thing instead of the #1.

Entry #628

ME upper

Bench press:
6 x 3     135, 185, 225, 275, 285, 300 lbs.

Skullcrushers:
4 x 8     55 lb. dumbbells

Front raises:
3 x 16   55 lb. dumbbells

Bent-over dumbbell rows:
4 x 8     120 lb. dumbbells

Preacher curls:
1 x 8     95 lbs.
1 x 7     95 lbs.
1 x 5     95 lbs.

At night, I stretched for thirty minutes.

I also played some EyeToy on the PS2. I treat it as dynamic stretching.

Entry #627

George hasn't contacted me, lately. I need to fight.

The weight room is closed tomorrow for Memorial Day, so ME day 1 will be on Tuesday, and I'll lift four consecutive days this week instead of one day in between in order to fit everything in.

I took this picture to identify myself on a forum to a skeptic, and I figure it's as good a time as any for a pictorial progress report. I'll have to do legs soon.

Entry #626

My cable now has a boxing channel. A classic boxing channel. It's awesome. Today, I watched some of Leonard vs. Hearns, although neither are among my favorite fighters.

This is for Thursday.

RE upper

Light incline dumbbell press:
2 x 20   35, 55 lb. dumbbells
1 x 14   75 lb. dumbbells
1 x 7     75 dumbbells
1 x 6     75 dumbbells
> 50 second rest times.

Tate press:
4 x 8     55 lb. dumbbells

Weighted chin-ups:
3 x 8     45 lbs.
1 x 7     45 lbs.
> Huge improvement.

Hammer curls:
1 x 10   55 lb. dumbbells
1 x 8     55 lb. dumbbells
1 x 10   55 lb. dumbbells

Hise shrugs:
3 x 15   225 lbs.

Entry #625

ESPN showed some awesome classic fights yesterday. I watched Ali vs. Frazier III, which gets better everytime I sit through it, and some of Tyson.

I did three sets of hill sprints tonight. They killed my legs, which were already tight from box squats (they were the fastest squats I've done yet).

My philosophy final is Wednesday, so I should have no interferences with training as long as I manage my time, unlike last occasion, where I had to cram at the last minute.

Entry #624

I was doing good mornings with 205 when I felt a slight twinge in my back. That was all I needed to rerack.

I'm completely fine now.

Box squats went great.

Entry #623

ME upper

Bench press:
6 x 3     135, 185, 225, 255, 275, 295 lbs.

Skullcrushers:
2 x 10   50 lb. dumbbells
2 x 8     55 lb. dumbbells

Bent-over dumbbell rows:
4 x 8     120 lb. dumbbells

Lateral raises:
3 x 8     40 lb. dumbbells

Preacher curls:
1 x 5     95 lbs.
1 x 6     95 lbs.
1 x 4     95 lbs.

Entry #622

George informed me that he's had more time to train, of late. We expect a fight next visit. I'm planning on buying some headgear this weekend.

My hand is completely fine. I feel like I can crush buffalo scalps with it, now.

The new program will be a Westside triples template. It's just what I need.

Entry #621

Board press:
5 x 3     135, 185, 225, 275, 305 lbs.
2 x ½    345 lbs.
> That sucked. I feel burnt out.
One possibility is that the phonebooks I've been using have been flattened from all the weight, and I'm going lower than I intend to. My sticking point is half-way up.

I've been doing singles for a long time. It's time for a routine change.

The joints in my left hand hurt like hell from last week's grip work. My neck is in slight pain, too.

Not a positive day, but I thrive off of this. Easy is boring.

For tonight, I'm just going to eat big, play some Rogue Galaxy, and concoct a scheme of retaliation. I'll be formulating my own routine after I read Zatsiorsky's book.

There will be blood.

Entry #620

My weight read 228 today, with clothes. I have not been on creatine for over half a year. The aim is at least 240.

ME lower

Squats:
5 x 3     135, 225, 275, 315, 345 lbs.
3 x 1     395 lbs.
1 x 1     400 lbs.
> All were completely ATG.
> The 400 was slow. My mind wandered. I distinctly remember feeling relaxed on the way down, which made me lose my tension. Still, it wasn't a struggle.

Good mornings:
4 x 8     205 lbs.

Cable crunches:
4 x 12    150 lbs.

Pullovers:
3 x 12
35 lb. plate
> These feel incredible for my deltoid flexibility. I see value in them for rehab work, if it ever comes to that.

Entry #619

This piqued my concern:

"I watched a video of one of my meet pulls and realized that it took me
a full 11 seconds to pull from the time that I first contacted the bar.
As a result, I lost every shred of help I could get from the
stretch-shortening cycle (the elastic energy of which takes several
seconds to dissipate completely) present from my drop to the bar."

Suffice to say, I'll be pulling much more promptly from now on.

Today, I just did several stretching regimens in preparation for tomorrow.

Entry #618

I was contemplating about purchasing a pair of powerlifting bands to do reverse-band deadlifts for a cycle, but after some research, I've decided to start with rack pulls. This will allow me more time to shop around. Chains will come after bands, somewhere down the road.

My deadlift was 455 last session, so I'm expecting to start off with lifting 500 pounds, and going up from there. Reportedly, a typical rack pull will be 100-200 over one's deadlift, but I use a lot of leg drive, which will be diminished with a higher start.

Tonight, I walked to the track again and drilled some shadowboxing before moving on to ledge jumps and ending with a jump-rope session.

Entry #617

DE upper

Speed bench:
10 x 3   185 lbs.

Overhead dumbbell press:
1 x 8     85 lb. dumbbells
1 x 7     85 lb. dumbbells
2 x 5     85 lb. dumbbells

Cable pushdowns:
3 x 10   150 lbs.

Wide-grip weighted pull-ups:
1 x 4     45 lbs.
2 x 6     45 lbs.
1 x 4     45 lbs.
> First and last set were extra wide, hence the lower reps. Way hard.

Barbell curls:
1 x 8     90 lbs.
1 x 6     90 lbs.
1 x 5     90 lbs.

Entry #616

I was doing deadlifts when a personal trainer came up to me and said, "If you're gonna do those, I can't let you go without shoes."
Me: "Okay."
"If you go to any gym, they'll make you wear shoes."
"Yeah. Some gyms don't even let you do deadlifts. Gyms sure are stupid, huh?"

DE lower

Box squats:
10 x 2   225 lbs.

Overhand Romanian deadlifts:
4 x 8    275 lbs.
> Someone was using the good bar, so I had to settle for one with no knurling. Grip held through.

Full-contact twists:
3 x 8    80 lbs.

Dumbbell shrugs:
3 x 12   115 lb. dumbbells