Squats
395 x 3
450 x 3
507 x 3
Drop-down sets of 405 x 6
315 x 10
225 x 10
135 x 10
45 x 12

Noticed I was dawdling a little putting the plates back and stumbling around so decided to punish myself with some extra reps on 405 and 315.

Woke up at 6:30 to hit this before a work meeting at 10:00 only to be told to not bother coming in and that I can work from home. Have the afternoon to do that and relax a little before a job number two in person.

Really pleased with how strong I felt on 507. I want to set up the kegs as safety mechanisms as I keep going heavier. Really don't want to dump the weight on a concrete patio if I ever need to.

Will hit up a second workout for hamstrings and abs before going to work.

Planning a late birthday trip this weekend to Calistoga for wine tasting. Ordered a batch of protein shakes and have three remaining RX bars.

Mat pulls (6)
585 x 2
Felt like I had no firepower.

Deadlifts
505 x 8

405 x 10

SSB lunges
150 x 16
200 x 14, 14

Bad/good news about my log, it's only 85 lbs and not 95. So I've been training with weights 10 lbs lighter than I thought. Worked up this time to several sets of 205, and made it up to 5 reps on the last set. I was totally wrong about the roll-up being harder than the press, too. I think that only applied when I was doing higher reps and my biceps fatigued faster than my pressing muscles.

Anyway it's amazing how much concentration and form make a difference on the log. I failed to get even one rep with 195 the first time I tried to wing it, but repping 205 this time was fine. I need to get comfortable with at least 230, which is the competition weight.

In other news, I'm also working on procuring a 215ish lb Atlas stone, and possibly a 300 lb one if I can even pick that one up. In talks with a local guy for pick-up on Friday.

 Came back last night after work and did 145x2x10 on the log (clean every rep). Got me breathing hard. The roll-up is much harder than the press. Makes me wonder if elbow sleeves are an aid or not. Also did some rear-delts and curls.

Bench press
245 x 5
285 x 5
320 x 4
275 x 8
No improvement here. Was going to do first set last and loaded up 245, then realized I just respond better to heavier weight on a calorie deficit so I went for 275. Going to keep that up and go for small rep victories with that much.

Dumbbell press
115s x 9, 9

Presses 320 and after super-set with dumbbell rows of 115s x 9-10, final dumbbell press super-set with 125lb unilateral rows x 11

 Day 2 of working from home. Doing this for my new job and then going to the office for the old one at 4:30. I can train while at home working. 

Squats
Up to 485 x 5

Drop-set down to 405 x 5
315 x 8
225 x 8
135 x 10
45 x 10

Knees hurt a little but I got through everything. 

Glad my squat hasn't seen any declines, unlike my pressing. I don't need to be straight bar squatting right now with no date for my powerlifting meet in sight, but I'd like to keep ready and since I'm on a roll with getting comfortable past 500 I don't want to let-up and switch to the SSB just yet.

Now that I'm working from home I'm going to reduce my edible intake since I don't need to cram in coffee-fueled lifting and prepping for the day in a 2-3 hour window at night anymore. No pressing need to take something that will knock my ass out through the caffeine and nighttime training stimulation. So I'll be cutting that out from every night to just once or twice a week as a treat.

Messed around with my new log yesterday, which came on my birthday. Wasn't able to train on my birthday because I worked 11 hours and then went out with George for Korean BBQ, which was great.

I got up to pressing 185 very easily but when I tried 200 I couldn't even get a rep. I don't just say this to cover my ass though: I don't think I was trying very hard. It got off my chest and then came back down and I stumbled, then just decided to drop it because I'd been playing around with 185 a lot and was already feeling it in my arms. Next time I'll have a more structured approach and rep out 200 and beyond, which I'm going to need to get a handle on for my meet.

Also did some banded dumbbell pressing which I stole from Paul Carter.

 Strict pressed 215 x 2, then 0 last night after work. That's about what I was putting up a few months ago despite my best efforts. Not a disaster but getting my press to excel while eating at a maintenance or a deficit continues to be an enigma. It's possible it was just an off-night too, felt really strong on the first rep and then the second rep was totally different. 

After that I did 21 chin-ups and then forced myself to call it a night, it was almost 9pm and I had a 12-hour day to prep for and get to bed on time. 

In exciting news I have a strongman log coming in! Supposed to arrive today, my birthday (not intentional). So I'll have a new thing to focus on anyways with a strongman competition I'm entered in being this May.

Afterwards my right elbow hurt really bad for multiple split-seconds when I bent my arm a certain way. Was wearing sleeves during the session so I don't know, possibly needed more warm-up. The neutral grip on the log may be a good change.

Still not working from home, but that should change this week, and I'll be dropping one job soon (damn, gonna miss that money).

 Been doing bag-work and running over the weekend. Shadow kickboxing too. Nothing too structured, just moving however I feel like it.

Yesterday:

Mat pulls (7)
585 x 5
One mat improvement but damn, I really can't seem to surpass 5 reps. I haven't even tried rest-pausing because the 5th rep is a grind but I should try.

Belt squats
6 plates, 8 plates, and 10 plates x 10 each

SSB lunges
150 x 14
200 x 14

Planks
46 seconds
Abs were still sore from the ab wheel.

Had a birthday and Valentine's Day cheat day from someone baking me dairy-free cinnamon rolls (they were every bit as good) and taking me out to dinner (Italian). That was great.

 Shadowboxing combo to practice:

"Learned a combo-string: low right kick, 3-2-3, right body kick, 3-2, left switch kick, overhand right and left hook to the body, circle out with double-jab. Started with just the first portion of that and added on." Jesus, trying to remember shit like this is what always confused me in the middle of padwork at Muay Thai.

Bench press
280 x 8, 9, 8
Last set super-set with pause bench of 225x3
-
Super-set with dumbbell rows
100 x 10 (unilateral)
115s x 10, 10

Pause bench
225 x 8 (ended with 5 Kelso bench shrugs)
-
Super-set with dumbbell rows
115s x 9

Incline dumbbell bench press
50s x 15
-
Giant-set with incline skull crushers
35s x 5
-
Giant-set with incline bench curls
35s x 9

Curls against bands
35s x 8

Ab wheel
2 sets of 5 slow reps

Elbow sleeves this time but still much better showing than last week. Distinctly remember my first workout visiting California from Portland in December 2012 because I got 280x8 and it was annoying falling short of that almost 10 years later last week (much lighter right now than then though). Actually managed to record all the bits and pieces in a workout too. Stomach is pissed probably from eating close to bedtime again last night, can't be helped though.

Last night after work:

Squats
425 x 3 x 8

Two sets of uncounted banded leg curls until failure

Had to think about whether I wanted to continue on this 3 set protocol or go back to 5/3/1 and do lower reps in the 500s. After checking that I've only been doing this practice for 2 weeks I decided to do one more. Will return to 5/3/1 next time and see if I've gotten stronger at that extreme (for me) weight. I expect things to go well. If I've regressed, I can conclude I need heavier poundages than this when losing weight. I'll either have gained or will learn something, so I'm pleased whatever happens. It's been a mental break too to think about squatting 8-10 reps in thr 400s instead of 1-5 with a bonecrushing load. 

Did this at about 8:00pm after another 11-hour day, had to really be on top of my time management to get this done, eat big afterwards, and then still be able to fall asleep two hours later. I had cut down on my intake before the schedule but edibles are helping me immensely at night to fall asleep despite the late evening caffeine intake and training. Melatonin too. I've also found that edibles help me think outside the box so when I shadowbox things will suddenly "click" that I'm supposed to be doing better or that I suddenly notice feel wrong.

Pre-work out meal was a Mod Pizza, diet Coke, and a donut from this kitschy new place next door. First donuts I've had that were on par with Krispy Kreme. Had just come out of the oven.

Post-workout meal were two protein waffles with pasture butter and maple syrup, tall glass of organic milk, a little unsweetened cranberry juice (this and grapefruit is my mainstay mixer when drinking, which I partially attribute to why I never get hangovers, and it was weird having it without alcohol), and a casein shake. 10 minute walk afterwards to help digest and reduce GI problems eating so close to bed.

Woke up today to a text from my first job saying not to come in, he hasn't called me back about it yet (including me it's a 4-person company and he can be a little disorganized at times). Still working second job 4:00 to 7:00 today but it's a much-needed break.

Came home from work late yesterday due to having to make a store trip. Squeezed in some explosive shadowboxing and then a single hard round on the heavy bag. Got some stretching and kicking done at the first office in the afternoon, too. 

So much meal prepping every night, but I'm keeping up. Have to plan meals for 12-hour days through the whole week. My mainstay is ground beef or turkey, depending on what I have at hand, with frozen vegetables, spices, thick-cut cheddar, and lime. I get two containers of that, then a mug of slow-cooked beef soup, a protein shake, and sometimes leftover omelette. Tacos when I have physical cash to go to the taco stand.

 Stomach is killing me this morning at work. This usually happens when I have buffalo wings with ranch dip the night before too close to bedtime, but dinner last night was 4 eggs with added egg whites from a carton and mixed veggies. Finished that with a casein shake and waited a little over an hour before going to bed.

Came home yesterday and did 3 rounds on the heavy bag, 1 hill sprint, and a 15-minute jog. Was feeling mentally fine but physically low energy for some reason, but I did lift twice each day on the weekend with a max mat pull showing and a brutal press session against the bands (which always particularly sucks).

 Managed to have a fairly rejuvenating weekend. Got lots of training in and worked from home on Sunday.

Saturday after work:

Mat pulls (8)
Up to 640x1

Deadlifts
500x5

Finished later in the evening with belt squats and SSB lunges (150x22)

Sunday during work-from-home

Axle press
Up to 200x5
* Much better showing than last week. 

Axle press against bands
140 x 8, 8, 9

Dips, curls, band pull-aparts, rear-delt flyes, reverse crunches

 Got called in to cover someone at my first job so no days off this week. Yesterday after job 2 I did 3 rounds on the heavy bag, then went on a run mixed in with shadowboxing in a parking lot. May upload a clip of this later, striking was really crisp and my foot pivots have improved drastically. Blame it on doing more boxing compared to leg kicks in the absence of a MT gym. My flexibility is definitely worse than it was back then but I'm doing stretches again in the office and I'd like to do something for that every day even if just a little bit.

Waiting to get off this 4.5 hour shift so I can go home, pretend I had a day off and I simply woke-up late, and pull some heavy weight.

After work last night I did 4 rounds on the heavy bag, 3 hill sprints, and a 12-min jog.

Woke up before the alarm early enough to do a quick 8-minute workout consisting of the exercise bike, 20 jumping jacks to further warm my legs up, and then 27 burpees. Got me going from freezing in the morning to hot really quick. Even had time to make a small latte and felt great on my way to work having put a little morning ritual behind me.

Been sleeping like the dead. Only waking up once to piss, which believe it or not is good for me. Big part of that is not eating (including my casein shake) and trying to drink minimally in the hour before bed. Feeling really peppy in the morning but then I get a little tired as the day goes on, which is to be expected given the hours. I'm getting a little over 8 hours a night thanks to hauling ass with meal prep, training, and then a little R&R time when I get home.

Typing from job #2 again. Had a lot of downtime today at job #1 and the office to myself. Did a bunch of stretching and then practice some Muay Thai kicks. Actually had slim-fitting sweatpants under my jeans because the mornings are cold and it makes my knee feel better so I took my pants off and was able to high kick more comfortably. Also watched Kengan Ashura and am getting far into season 2. There's a taco truck in front of the properties, they absolutely load them. For $3 I got a plate filled with ingredients.

Should be working from home for most of my days starting next week.

Night training after an 11-hour shift yesterday.

Bench press
280 x 7, 8, 7 (last set immediately super-set with 50 lb dumbbell press x 13)
-
Super-set with dumbbell rows
100 x 8
125 x 8, 10, 10

Dumbbell press
50 x 15

Curls

Pretty disappointing bench press numbers. Can't blame it on work, been eating and sleeping real good. Was the first time in a bit that I forgot to use elbow sleeves. I put a good effort in across a number of heavy sets though.

Said I was going to have a rest day yesterday but couldn't resist throwing hands on the bag (3 rounds) and going for a short jog afterwards. Felt strong urge to move my body after sitting most of the day.

Today ended up being a short day. Went to my first job in the morning after nobody could come in and second job said to take it off because it's slow.

Squats
Up to 415 x 8, 8, 10

Deadlifts
225 x 15
275 x 10

Ab wheel rollouts (slow)
6

Debilitating ab cramp after the ab wheel. Had to go limp on the couch for at least 5 minutes before it stopped. Good training day though. Right knee is a little achy after it all but better than it was.

Typing this from my second (old) job. Got hired at a new place but slowly transitioning out of here so it's a 12-hour day. Started at 8 in the new place and came here at 4. Probably going to repeat this tomorrow. I treated today as a rest day but tomorrow I'm going to plan to train right when I get home. If this keeps up though I'll train before work early in the morning. Pretty tired, did not sleep great last night. 

I'm not finding this workload horrible (and I've done longer days years ago) but I've gotta say, not having much free time at home to look forward to for the first time in awhile reminds me why people self-"medicate" so much. I've never had a drinking issue and I don't touch alcohol during the week when I'm alone, but I'm looking forward to popping an edible tonight to relax. Naturally my temptation for wanting this causes the edgelord in me to say that's all the more reason not to do it.

I meal-prepped very well. Didn't have time in the morning to make coffee so I was without caffeine but I had two containers of omelette and one ceramic container mug (impulse buy at the store the other night, great idea) of beef soup I made in the slow-cooker. Just realized I haven't had any carbs aside from the minimal amounts in veggies and tomato bits.

Went on a hike yesterday, something I need to do much, much more of. Was a good 4 hours of real hiking, including plenty of uphill terrain. Got to try out my cricket protein bars that I had a sample pack for. Verdict? Best-tasting bars I've ever had. They weren't radically different but the texture was soft and they were sweeter than most bars I've had.