Came home last night and just did a bunch of good mornings, starting from 150 and going up to 200x10 before dropping back down to 150. Did 5 or 6 sets overall.

I've developed a minor dry cough and scratchy throat. 90% sure it's from inhaling dry air through my respirator. Feel nothing in my chest, which would point more toward COVID signs. I'll keep monitoring and see when it goes away now that air quality is a little better.

Did some Muay Thai practice yesterday afternoon and went on a jog at night. Haven't been logging this but I've been jogging almost every night with my respirator mask. Also did some stretching. It felt like a lazy day because I was mostly taking advantage of my day off building my PC but I actually got some good training done.

Squats
350x5
405x5
460x5

Drop-down to 405x3, 315x8, 225x10, 135x10

Took my mask off at 460. Air quality isn't good but it's gotten better, no longer "hazardous" and I can see the mountains again.

 Axle strict pressed 210x5 while wearing a respirator mask. Next day (yesterday) did some farmers' walks with 200s in my yard, then followed-up with triceps and biceps, plus a set of exercise ball planks. Pretty used to the mask now. Actually it's just the tightness on my nose bridge and slippage from sweat that's annoying, the actual breathing is a piece of cake even under heavy exercise. I'm not in great cardiovascular shape right now, either, at least not compared to when I was going to Muay Thai (sorta by design, I'm gaining weight), but I still remember the misery of training with a breath restriction mask last year. A lot of people shit on those and they don't do any voodoo with blood cell count but the point for me is they train you to suffer.

We were due for another lightning dry crazy storm last night and early this morning but it didn't really materialize. Still standing ready in case we have to evacuate. Air is peat soup, can't see the mountains past my house.

 Had a good pull day. Hit 570x5 with no grind off of 4 mats. Next time I'll do a rest-pause but I was very pleased with this. Woke up with a painful back but did some stretching out throughout work. Lifted with a mask on, we're surrounded by wildfires and one of the big ones is about 30 minutes away near Santa Cruz.

 Forgot to log something really important for yesterday but I went out and picked up a large pizza from Mountain Mike's for $17. Tuesday special.

Got to go shooting at a range on Sunday, was a lot of fun. Thanks to George for showing me the ropes.

Squatted an easy 515 on Monday night. We're talking around 10:30pm here, felt pretty tired and also nauseous (probably from my diet) but despite feeling like shit consistently I also feel strong and that's more important for right now. If I still feel terrible after I start losing weight then I'll have to get my stomach issues checked out.

Bench pressed 365 pretty easily yesterday. Wouldn't say the weight rocketed up or anything but there was no grind, it locked out smoothly. Did Kroc rows again but only for 1 set each arm, then moved on to T-bar rows with 5 plates. Really focusing on retracting the scapulae when I train lats lately.

A few hours later before bedtime I noticed a smoke smell in my house. Checked the kitchen to see if anything was left on, then realized it's from the wildfires. Air quality had changed that fast. Closed all the windows, ran my air purifier on high, moved all my plants to my bedroom, and ran the AC as I slept. Throat still feels a little scratchy. Then again, I constantly have bizarre ailments from living a hyper and gravitationally-challenged life so I can never be sure what is causing what. Could have strained my throat from growling during Kroc rows.

Have a good mask that filters out particulates so I'll be using that anytime I train for now. Running, lifting, bag-work, etc. 

Strict pressed 240x1 last Thursday on a day where everything felt heavy. Even feeling weak I'm always good for a 1-rep max, it's the ensuing reps that I feel crapped out on.

Friday was 108 degrees. Really wanted to train at the hottest part of the day but by the time I was ready it was evening. Still hovering around 105 at 7pm though. Took my farmer handles and did carries with 200 lbs in each hand in front of the house. Much better than the limited space in my backyard.

Saturday I just did triceps and biceps for 25 minutes and got a good pump.

PM workout after work yesterday:

Hip belt squats
Work up to 6 plates x 10
7 plates x 12
8 plates x 12
9 plates x 12 
* After 9 plates there's no more room on the Ironmind bar for more weight. Shame because this was shockingly easy after my weight gain. I should do more reps. Having some fluff also makes it much more comfortable for the harness to hang off my hips. Previously I'd use a sweatshirt wrapped around my waist for cushioning.

SSB lunges
150 x 16
200 x 16

SSB good mornings
150 x 8

Have been wrecked the past two days from overzealous bodybuilding workouts for my upper-body and those Kroc rows. Took a lazy day off yesterday, just went for a walk at night.

Did mat pulls today, got up to 570x4 off 5 mats. 1 less than I wanted but 1 better than last week. Going to do some more things after work. 

Been drinking more caffeine before lower-body workouts in particular in an attempt to really up my headspace level for breaking the bar off the ground. Seems to be helping. Too much coffee makes me feel jittery, though. Especially problematic on squats. Thinking about switching to sugar-free Red Bull on deadlift days with a little coffee (I love the taste too much, especially with breakfast).

Also have to remember that these rest days can really make my back decline if I go for long periods of sitting or lying. More active-recovery on rest days.

Feeling numb and calloused about personal problems that have popped-up lately. I'm indestructible. 

Bench pressed 335x3 and then murdered my body doing Kroc rows with 200 lbs on the farmers' walk handles. I felt a sensation like the vertebrae between my shoulder blades being pulled apart and that feeling persisted the rest of the evening and night, but now that it's the next day it's gone. Sternum was also hurting, similar to when I overdo heavy weighted dips. If I didn't just do this I would have been speculating about COVID doing something in my chest. Got 16 ugly reps on the last set with my left arm. Could only manage 10-12 on my right, which is the surgery side, and even then it was FAR harder. Might just be a leverage thing and being more comfortable on the other. Did 3 sets total for each arm, partly because it took a bit for me 

Only did 3 sets of decline bench with 225, didn't want to drag this session out long after brutalizing my body and then not getting enough sleep by training into the night. Going to do some isolation lifts to hit the extras after work.

The rows are on video, will upload later. Definitely notice bigger arms from the weight gain. Also got two comments recently about that, one from the cashier asking me if I've "been working out" and the other from my friend who asked if I get remarks from people in public about my physique. 

My back has been feeling pretty good lately. Hoping that translates to a win on mat pulls this week.

Just squatted 480x3 and dropped down to 405x5, then 315, 225, etc x 10. Felt great afterwards, no dying or collapsing.

Had trouble getting to position with 480. Had to rerack the bar because it was slipping and the weight just felt so heavy. Watch some DBZ and made myself pissed before getting back under the bar and chalking up.

Strict pressed 220x3 and followed that up with banded strict press and incline bench, all super-set with pull-ups. Came back in the evening to do a bodybuilding-style workout with skullcrushers, tricep extensions, all kinds of curls (including preachers done on the exercise ball), overhead shrugs, and push-ups. Totally wrecked myself and I have to say I look more toned two days from the insane pump I had (what a douchey sentence). Just trying to have some fun while I'm on a caloric surplus since I can't always train like this.

As far as cardio goes I've been going on easy 30-minute jogs at night about 3 times a week. Need to practice more Muay Thai. Was doing good keeping up my stretches and fell off it this week.

Helped a friend move yesterday, intentionally trained biceps the day before a little easy to prep but it was actually the easiest move I've ever done. Nothing was very heavy. I think I'm used to moving either by myself or with only one other person so I overestimated the job. Still a decent workout and with it being near 100 and wearing a mask there was some misery involved, although it felt like just another day for me with how used to lifting in my backyard I am.

Had a couple of good lifting days on Friday and Saturday. Squatted 455x5 and benched 317.5x5. Squats were feeling pretty heavy by 405 but benching felt breezy. 

End of last week my back was hurting since last Monday. Feels like an aggravation of my prior injury. Really came out of nowhere too, it happened on the day I felt mega nauseous and sat or lay around most of the day. Feeling better today and I was able to squat on Friday despite it feeling terrible.

One other thing that's been on my mind: gauging by how easy I benched 360 a couple of weeks ago and how fast I'm progressing, I think I may be strong enough to bench 405. I'm contemplating testing this in a safe way sometime in the near future.