Entry #1212

Bench press:
230 x 3
260 x 3
295 x 7
> Kickass. This has been a great cycle.

Incline bench press:
172 x 5 x 10
> Still really easy but forcing myself to stick to 2 lb increases.

Lying one-handed cable rows:
200 x 2 x 10

Lying bilateral dumbbell rows:
100s x 3 x 10

Lying cable rows:
200 x 30

Decline push-ups:
22

Dumbbell curls and facepulls

In other news, I'm officially self-employed as a personal trainer. Taught my first trainee today and had a blast. All the friends, family, and my girlfriend I've drilled before really helped a lot. Since we're starting off with one day a week I structured a full-body template for her within the confines of the limited equipment we had access to at her apartment's fitness center. The set-up was a leg movement, a push, and a pull as the meat-and-potatoes for 3 sets of 10, with anything else being assistance exercises for fun. Working with just dumbbells, an EZ bar, and some machines, I had her do goblet squats, EZ bar overhead press, and dumbbell rows, with shoulder shockers and dumbbell curls to finish it all off. Next time we're going to throw cardio in the mix and I might have her hit the focus mitts. Bringing my kettlebells along is also in order.

Entry #1211

Deadlifts:
365 x 5
405 x 3
455 x 2
510 x 1
> It's not much but this is a lifetime PR. The 10 reps at the end and good mornings on squat day seem to be helping a lot. I'm looking back at my entry on July 10 when I couldn't even break 365 off the ground and I'm glad I didn't let myself be frustrated at that. Even at low weights I've matured enough to know how to enjoy myself.

SSB squats:
325 x 5, 5, 5

Deadlifts:
320 x 10

Entry #1210

Haven't trained my upper-body in 5 6 days. Turns out it's no sweat.

Overhead press:
175 x 3
200 x 3
225 x 3
> Might have been good for a 4th.

157 x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10
> Strained my neck really badly on the second to last set, but managed to finish anyways. Bring back facepulls for warming-up to open up any prone-to-impingement areas; this never happened when I did them. Hurts to move my head right now but it's not a serious injury.

One-arm lat pulldowns:
200 x 6, 6, 6, 6, 6
Two-arms:
200 x 30

Incline skullcrushers with Fat Gripz:
45s x 8

Swiss bar preacher curls:
95 x 8, 8, 10

Dumbbell external rotations:
8 x 15, 12

Entry #1209

Squats:
270 x 5
315 x 5
355 x 10

SSB squats:
305 x 3 x 10

Good mornings:
185 x 10

Lifted at 9 am. Felt refreshing.

Hit 24 Hour Fitness at 2 am this "morning" (I was up late).

Bench press:
215 x 5
245 x 5
280 x 8
> Even though I did this last December I'm glad that I've solidified this as an everyday max while trying to train around my pec tendons (which felt fine and are continuing to improve).

Incline bench press:
170 x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10

Kroc rows:
160 x 15, 12, 12
> Got tired of plates falling off my dumbbell handle so I simplified things by just jumping up 10 lbs and working with 3 25 pounders on each side, which leaves more room for a pin to stay snug. Crazy weight to hold raw.

Lying bilateral dumbbell rows:
125 lb dumbbells x 5, 4
> This is always so hard. Overestimated myself.

Lying one-handed cable rows:
200 x 15

Decline push-ups:
20, 15

Rowing machine:
100 x 10, 10
> I like these. Too bad my regular gym doesn't have one.

Band pull-aparts:
20, 20
> My snapped Monster mini snapped again, rendering it useless. RIP.

Dumbbell preacher curls:
40s x 8, 7
30s x 10

Came home at 5 am to my girlfriend waiting for my car outside with dinner (breakfast?) ready on the stove. I PR'd in human relationships getting her.

Entry #1207

30 minute jog today.

Entry #1206

Deadlifts:
135, 225, 315, 365 x 5
405 x 3, 5
435 x 1
> I'm finding my confidence again. Past few times I couldn't even break 385 and 365 off the floor, respectively, so it goes to show that this is a mental hang-up over my back. Every week my deadlift is jumping 25-50 lbs. I was gradually making my way to 435x5 but after the single more than an hour had passed, I was hungry, and wanted to have time to do squats.

SSB squats:
322 x 5, 5, 5

Deadlifts:
315 x 10

Felt good to hit everything after staying up all night. Session took something like two hours but it was very relaxing because of long rest times and the lack of pressure to PR. I went in tired and left energized.

Entry #1205

Overhead press:
160 x 5
185 x 5
210 x 5
> Couldn't come up for a 6th. Looking back, I did this in April. Darn.

155 x 10, 10, 10, 10, 8
> Rested too briefly for that last set, couldn't get it up for a 9th. I've been at this weight for a while so I'm going to go ahead and ascend to 157 next time.

One-arm lat pulldown:
200 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Both hands: 20

Fat Gripz skullcrushers:
45s x 8
35s x 6
> Usually can get 12 with the 45s but rest times were short.

At home:

One-hand kettlebell preacher curls:
50 lb bell x 10, 10, 10

Band pull-aparts:
20, 30
> Both of these exercises made my pec tendon hurt, and enigmatically it was already achy at the start of the day before training. Ditching these. Make sure to get to the gym early so I can do everything there.

Entry #1204

Went on a 90 minute walk to get some sun-instilled Vitamin D. Few minutes of foam rolling later at night.

Those lunges really destroyed my posterior, and I will gladly accept the awkward pedance of that term over the juvenile implications that "destroyed my ass" makes me think of. I suppose that by even reasoning that in type I've defeated the entire point of avoiding it, though.

Only getting about 4,000 calories or so today because my time's been short. I slept for 10 hours, woke up late, and am going to bed early for me. I've been needing to catch up.

Entry #1203

Deload

Squats:
165 x 5
207 x 5
245 x 5
> Meant to add my wrist weights so I'd be up 2 lbs more from last deload, but only remembered on the second set. Oh well.

Pause squats:
225 x 10

Walking lunges:
85 lb dumbbells x 16, 16

Good mornings:
185 x 10

Entry #1202

Swam 4 laps, then individual laps totaling 7.

10 minutes of yoga and foam rolling at night.

Entry #1201

I'm currently getting ready for a job interview at LA Fitness in about an hour and a half. Fingers crossed.

Breakfast: smoked salmon, multi-grain toast, milk, multivitamin.

Entry #1200

Deload

Bench press:
130 x 5
160 x 5
195 x 5
> Pec tendons seem to be recovering well. Nixing chin-ups seemed to make the difference.

Incline bench press:
170 x 10, 10, 10

Meadows rows:
110 x 10
120 x 10, 10

Various kettlebell curls

Wow, log consistency is through the roof ever since the switch. I record my sets as I go at the gym using the app and then edit in notes at home on the computer.

Entry #1199

Deload

Deadlifts:
135×10
225×5
315×5
365×0
315×10, 10, 10
> Back is feeling bad and I have a critical mental hang-up about pulling really hard. Not going to overanalyze this, just need to get and stay healthy while deadlifting as consistently as possible. May revert back to linear progression if I have to reset too greatly, if not ROM progression. I should also note that 315 felt heavy at first and then really easy after rep 5 of the second set all of a sudden.

SSB squats:
320×5, 5, 5

Reverse crunches:
30

Planks

Entry #1198

Deload

Overhead press:
100 x 5
120 x 5
145 x 6

135 x 15

One-handed lat pulldowns:
160 x 15, 15, 15

Dumbbell military press:
75s x 5
80s x 5

Lying dumbbell rows:
100s x 10, 10

Cable curls:
Entire stack x 10, 8

Facepulls:
Entire stack x 20

Entry #1197

Wow, I haven't been this surprised about a UFC fight since Cro-Cop lost to Gonzaga in 2007.

Stayed up all night to reset my schedule. Took a three hour nap from 2-5, went to bed at 9, then woke up at 2 to get something to eat. I'll probably try to catch some more z's after this.

In other news, I've actually been counting my calories and will continue to do so thanks to a phone app that makes it easy. I eat way more than I thought I do, easily surpassing 5,000 calories everyday, sometimes 6. Seriously, who knew that the glass of milk I drink every meal has almost 700 calories? Awesome.

Entry #1196

Squat:
307x5
347x3
387x5
> I was aiming for 6. Have been squatting once a week instead of the usual twice, so make sure to keep up squatting frequency next cycle.

SSB squat:
305x10
307x10

Hindu squats:
50

Kettlebell swings:
50 lb bell x25

Reverse crunches and planks

I am liking this a lot more than xanga. Posted half of this on my phone at the gym, finished recording the rest at home.

Entry #1195

Well, this is a bittersweet day. Due to xanga's closing of doors come July 15th, I will be moving this log and the continuation of my journey onto Blogger: http://powpowpunishment.blogspot.com

I've hated xanga for a long time now - my login is never retained, I have to pay for features that other blog sites provide for free, the bloat of unwanted gimmicks I never use like credits and Minis, their sudden and unapologetic dropping of API support so I can get around the login by posting from Scribefire, lack of a mobile layout...I can go on. But for nine years I've been here, inconveniences and all, for continuity's sake. This thing has a lot of memories, but I'm glad the xanga team made the decision for me.

The tears are starting to flow. Ugh. You know what? One more log entry, for old time's sake. Getting down on my living room floor right now...

Crying push-up:
1
> Technically a PR for this exercise.

There it is. My last recording.

Entry #1194

I've been sleeping terribly the past four days due to the heat (I know, I'm in freaking Oregon, but my apartment retains heat at night like crazy) and took an extra two days off, yet I surprised myself tonight.

Bench press:
240 x 5
275 x 3
305 x 5
> Considering I went in hoping for 4 with 3 as a "safe" number this was a win. I was good for 6, possibly 7, but my pec tendons felt pain-free for the first time in a while and I didn't want to grind with them. Felt amazingly strong. I wonder if it's just a typical week-3 peak or if the push-ups have something to do with it.

Incline bench:
167 x 4 x 10

Kroc rows:
150 lb dumbbell x 25, 15
> I had to rest-pause on the first set after reps 12 and 15, respectively, due to my grip. This is pretty much the heaviest dumbbell I've ever held without straps.

One-handed inverted cable rows:
180 lbs x 10, 10

Inverted rows:
25, 20

Decline push-ups:
25, 20

Kettlebell preacher curls:
50 lb bell x 10, 8, 8

Band pull-aparts

I weighed 237 on the gym scale, so I've lost 2 lbs.

Entry #1193

For 6/28 I felt like absolute s*** and had heartburn from lifting on a full stomach but managed to overhead press 230x1. Obviously 225x4 was way better but it felt really good to get this over my head and it's nice to know that this constitutes one of my "bad" days.

Sleep has been terrible lately because of the heat and I haven't been keeping up with deadlifting.