Thursday, February 19, 2009

Entry #736

ME lower

Rack pulls:
6x5      135, 225, 315, 365, 405, 455 lbs.
> The pins are lower, with the bar resting below my knee. I'd intended to do this before but I made a rookie error of only gauging the level of the pins, and then putting the bar on afterwards, which came at about knee height.

Barbell lunges:
3x8      185 lbs.

Standing band crunches:
4x12   

Grip work (timed holds)
Entry #735

RE upper

Crazy plates (I feel like an idiot using this name):
5x10    145 lbs.
> Rather than use the 45s, I opted for two 25s on each side so I could hang the plates lower. This increased the difficulty tenfold. My delts were screaming in pain from the tension of having to stabilize this beast.

Chest flyes:
3x12    55 lb. dumbbells

Cable extensions:
3x10    Entire rack

Chin-ups super-setted w/ Hise shrugs

High reps today, but that's the point of RE anyways.

I had 8-bit music from Castlevania II: Simon's Quest stuck in my head all day.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Entry #734

I woke up late today, so I went to the track after my first meal. By the time I arrived, it was already evening. I did HIIT for some laps and practiced some forms, but there were people running around in the dark and it was pretty annoying, so after I finished the intervals I left.

Rather than return home, I figured I might as well stop by the gym and use their bag. It's in the closed off room that I always use for the power rack. After about five minutes the same personal trainer I always get pissed off at comes in with a client and starts bouncing that fucking ball on the wall. I wanted to pop it. I hate that exercise. Woe to whoever pays these clowns to learn how to do that.

Well, I'm minding my own business when the trainer approaches me and goes, "Hey, you're actually not supposed to be in here. This is just for trainers."
That makes zero sense, but I simply nod my head with gritted teeth, and then remember something. "So then---that section with the kettleballs is also locked up. I wanted to use a pair for tomorrow. Could I get some out?"
He frowns and doesn't say anything. AAA acting, there. "Ehhh..."
"Like I said, I just want one pair. I use them for benching."
"Nyehhh.....I don't know about that. It's a different area and all..."
Yeah, it's a different area, which is why I need access to it in the first place. I just walk out then and there; I don't have time for wishy-washy noodle kegs.

Instead, I head over to the bike room and skip rope. This is the first time I've ever seen myself do it in a mirror. I actually have pretty good footwork for it, and I kept it up at a sustained rate. Good work here. I alternated this with shadowboxing.

Before I left, I also did 40 reps of the bar on the bench for form. I'm aiming for a 405 lb. bench within this year.
Entry #733

DE lower

Overhead squats:
8x2      135 lbs.
> Deep.

Romanian deadlifts:
2x8      315 lbs.

Cable rows super-setted w/ bilateral curls

Grip work

Bah, I need to get to the gym earlier.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Entry #732

I hate birthdays.

Anyways, my military press is picking up steam.

January 13: 4 reps, 200 lbs.
February 16: 5 reps, 210 lbs.

Arnold Schwarzenegger in Pumping Iron: "Come on Frahn-co. Lazy bahstard. Let's get sehrious naow."

Seriously, I have to wake up earlier and make more out of my days, rather than doing nothing but lifting. My conditioning is most likely below where it should be.

ME upper

Military press:
6x5      95, 135, 165, 185, 205, 210 lbs.
> The loading application was incredibly easy for my muscles to manhandle, but my coordination is still suspect, so I stumbled at times and actually failed the first try at the fifth rep of the last set before I succeeded on another attempt. Therefore, I technically did 5.5 reps. The fact that the successful attempt was easy when I regained my balance testified just how helpful doing push-presses (DE) have been.

Tate press:
1x10    75 lb. dumbbells
3x8      75 lb. dumbbells

Horizontal front raises:
2x8      40 lb. dumbbells

I ran out of time to the fault of the front desk lady, who told me they close 30 minutes later than they actually do. Will do lat stuff tomorrow.

I saw that I had my cellphone in my bag, so I took a picture of my forearm in between sets because I was bored.


Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Entry #731

Rumor of my death has been greatly exaggerated.

ME upper

Floor press:
5x3      135, 225, 275, 295, 315 lbs.
1x2      335 lbs.

Close-grip bench:
1x10    205 lbs.
1x8      205 lbs.
1x7      205 lbs.

Bilateral bent-over lat raises:
1x10    40 lb. dumbbells
1x10    45 lb. dumbbells
1x10    45 lb. dumbbells

Chin-ups

Ab circuit

Exhausted. More analysis soon.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Entry #730

Not fighting is truly the pits. Updating bears little incentive when the only changing variable are some numbers. This will change soon enough, when I get a bike for next school semester and will have a mode of transportation to the boxing gym. It's about time, I say.

ME upper

Floor press:
5x5      135, 185, 225, 275, 295 lbs.
1x3      315 lbs.
> This was miserable. I felt extraordinarily weak. Heads will roll. I haven't done DE in awhile, so I can definitely conclude that I gain more from speed day than repetition.

Close-grip bench:
3x8      205 lbs.

Bilateral bent-over lat raises:
1x8      35 lb. dumbbells
1x10    35 lb. dumbbells
1x8      40 lb. dumbbells

Chin-ups:
4x8

Ab circuit