Gettin' the ol' gang back t'gether...

After close to a year and a half out of the game, I'm now officially and seriously back into "grip training" mode. My brain has reactivated the algorithm that I ran non-stop a couple years ago, namely, looking at everything as a possible grip training device or opportunity. I look at the ground nervously, wondering if I can fit in some handstands without upsetting people around me. Clothes pins with rubber bands wrapped around them become finger-pinch trainers. Toothpicks and matchsticks become finger levers (i.e. brace a matchstick on two fingernails or knuckles and try snapping it in half with the finger in between). Beans, rice and sand in a bucket are training tools. All steel pipe is a rolling thunder waiting to be made. And so on.

In the last few weeks, I've not only taken up formal grip training again, but have also either assembled or laid the ground for assembling a DIY titan's telegraph key, something-like-Joe-Kinney's-secret-weapon, thick-handle dumbbells, and some pool-noodle Fat-Gripz. And today I splurged on some plumbing supplies to make one of my favorite old tools, which I left behind in Taiwan a couple years ago.

The Space Mace. 

Hold the long end somewhere and make the spinny end go round for a while without smashing your teeth. The higher you lift it, the more it activates your deltoids, and the more you involve the elbow, the more your biceps get worked. If you spin it horizontally, it activates your pectorals quite a bit. The whole time, of course, your forearm is getting fried. You can also spin it upside down for a whole different kinda burn, but be warned that I've had the spinner fall off as the friction gradually loosened the cap. The Space Mace (I coined that name, if not the device) feels a bit like a gyro ball, but the leverage produced by the heavy bar (2' x 3/4") achieves a different whole-torso effect, and the number of possible grip positions, distances from the torso, and angles makes it a unique challenge. If nothing else, trying to keep the rotation in rhythm is mentally soothing. How I've missed it!

I would have liked to get a thicker handle, but I wanted to get in and out of The Home Depot today, so I just took whatever was cheapest and available. I'll probably end up wrapping the handle with tape etc. to thicken it, but for now, as a warmup, endurance, and rehab device, it's fine. Granted, because so many pieces are involved,* it was a little costly ($34), but it can double as a variably weighted wrist lever,** so I effectively paid for two devices in one.

As you can see, I've also taken to wearing wrist bands most of the time, in order to keep my wrists warm and more prone to recovery. I'm also taking a daily glucosamine pill, so, yes, friends, you might say, it's on, like Tron.



--------------------

* 2' x 3/4" pipe, 3/4" coupling, 4" x 3/4" nipple, 3/4" cap, 1" T-coupling, 1" x 5" nipple, and 1" cap ... though I splurged on that last bit, since it's not essential: it just adds an aesthetic finish and more weight.

** Just unscrew the cap and remove the spinning T-coupling, then add and secure a weight plate of your choice to the upper segment of 3/4" pipe. 

It's hemorrhoid-makin' time!

Fear not, I have not been so hobbled.

I am merely being "cheeky" about one of the all but inevitable side effects of Serious Squatting.

In my most recent post I noted that I am relieving myself of accelerated bulking, and am seeking to build on the plateau to which Mass Made Simple has brought me these past six weeks. The workout below is one I shall be using for the foreseeable future, with some tweaks, which I'll explain presently. Meanwhile, if you needed any proof that I am not giving up on bulking--I do still have until March 18!--be aware that after Mass tonight, I got a large fries and two 1/2 lb. burgers from Wendy's. (They were amazingly good. [As filling as they were, by the time I finished writing this post, I was hungry again. Oatmeal-apple-and-protein time!]) For the next week I shall be putting special effort into hydrating.

As for my workout today....

Saturday, 7 March 2014
235 lbs (?), 60+ min.

Warm-up

(I)
DBP: 2-3-5, 5-3-3 # 235, 225 lbs
CX: 8-6-4 # 115, 125, 135 lbs (CL/MP/FSQ)

(II)
PU: 10, 8, 6 # bdw*
*(I admit to cheating with a little body English. Naughty, naughty.)   
SQ: 10, 6, 3 # 225, 275, 315 lbs
(In a throwback to my old circuit-style of training, I alternated between pullup and squat sets, though next time I'll move pullups to part III.)

(III)
db-P: 10, 10, 6 # 65, 70, 75 lbs

+ + +

- Despite a twinge in my knee yesterday, I had a great workout today. KB motions generate very peculiar angles and stresses, so squatting did not aggravate the joint in the same way.

- Sure enough, I prefer the decline bench press. With the db presses at the end, here's to hoping that my pecs are actually sore for once! I made sure to lower the dumbbells closer to my sternum than my collarbone, so that the eccentric tension was more in my pectorals than my anterior deltoids.

- The complex felt great, though I would like to be clearer about my clean technique.

- I've neglected grip training for too long, so it was nice to feel my forearms "fried" a bit today due to the pullups.

- As mentioned, the sudden jump in weight on my squat left we with a certain "tingling" in my nether regions after I got home, but I will simply have to increase my fiber intake (Fruit! Kale! Oatmeal!) and focus on stabilizing my abdominals and lumbar better than ever as the weight goes up. What ruined me a few years ago when I attempted the "Squats and Milk" bulking routine, was the combination of internal stress and the amount of time I had to defecate and wipe my bum because of all the eating I was doing. There was just too much going on downstairs, and I hated feeling so full all the time, so I bailed on "SMR" about halfway through. This time bulking, however, a very high quality protein supplement allowed me to eat less food matter, which required less digestion, which produced less etc., and my bum has thanked me.

I did not even really "think" about my squat progression. I just threw the plates on, knowing that being able to do over 20 squats at over 200 lbs had equipped me to go significantly heavy for fewer reps. When I finished, another fellow gave me the thumbs up and remarked, "No belt? No knee wraps?" At that point we had a nice conversation, in which I mostly gave him some pointers and encouragement. If nothing else, I did my job by enlightening him to the much ignored good of goblet squats and overhead squats (on a Smith machine, if need be).

As mentioned above, I shall persist in this routine for a while, although next time I shall replace the complex with the deadlift, do dips instead of the DBP, and do front instead of back squats.** As such, this routine is so similar to my old Even Keel routine that I might as well call it that. (Welcome back, old friend!) I'm genuinely curious what I shall be able to "pull off" on the deadlift. It's been a while, and having neglected formal grip training for a season will, I suspect, be a limiting factor. Given the perhaps uniquely intense demands which deadlifts put on the CNS, I am considering a further guard against overzealous burnout by replacing the DL with a SDL on Even-Keel-B days if I feel overtaxed.

As for the progression on this Even-Keel-A workout, I will not increase weight until I can complete all the desired reps. (No duh, right?) I respond much better to quasi-bodybuilding high volume than to powerlifting intensity, so I will use reps rather than poundage as my index. For example, since I dropped down to 225 on my second set of DBP, next time I will try for as many reps as I can manage at 235, and only once I can do two legitimate sets of 2-3-5 at 235 will I add any weight (5 lbs) for the next workout. It follows that I will "reward" myself by adding 5 lbs to my complex and squat (the latter which I first envisioned as a 10-6-2 progression, but I couldn't resist that final, third squat).

My current goal for pullups is three sets of 10 "good" reps. I'm not interested in adding extrinsic weight until I can do three sets of at least 15 reps at bodyweight. As the rest of my body continues to grow due to the other exercises, this is no small challenge.

Lastly, my current goal for the dumbbell press is three sets of 10 at 65, 70, and 75 lbs, at which point I'll shoot for the same rep-scheme at 70, 70, and 75 lbs, until I eventually can do three sets of 10 at 75 lbs. After that, I shall start the cycle again scaled up by 5 lbs.

Say it with me now: Double Progression Is Your Best Friend--And All The Programming You Really Need.***

Well, that, plus confidence, patience, humility, and rest.

Stay tuned.

• ** Here's a summary of what I have in mind for the next several weeks: 

• EVEN KEEL "A" Warm-up & Stretch (I) DBP: 2-3-5, 2-3-5 # (II) CX: 8-6-4 # (III) [F]SQ: 10, 6, 2 # (IV) PU: # bdw db-P: 10, 10, 10 #

  EVEN KEEL "B" Warm-up & Stretch (I) Dips: # bdw (II) DL: 6, 4, 2 # (III) FSQ: 10, 6, 2 # (IV) Chin-ups: # bdw db-P: 10, 10, 10 #

• *** My "Double Progression" axiom is to be taken in a minimal sense. There is a vast array of progression methods, so I do not mean to say that double progression is all you would ever need (or want), only that, if you want to avoid complexities and overthinking, Double Progression is totally sufficient for making gains (all hail The "KISS" Principle). I am also aware that Jim "5/3/1" Wendler poo-poo's the triplet-style programming that I've shown above, and that Dan John highly praises the 5/3/1 program, so I really do want to get into it at some point. For now, though, I want to stick with a regimen that I know works for me, isn't as mentally distracting during Lent, and that I can do while (hypothetically) reading Wendler's book before diving into his program on the fly (which was my mistake with Mass Made Simple).

Mass Made Simple - Day 10

Wednesday, 19 February 2014   
229 lbs, 60+ min

Warm-up
-
BP : 2-3-5, 2-3-5 @ 230, 225 lbs 
          [Had a little spotter help on the last reps of the first set, and not a little help {forced reps} on the last reps of the second set.]
One/arm press : 2-3-5 x 2 @ 60, 55 lbs
Bat wings : 5 x 10 sec @ 70 lbs
[Bird-dog : 20 sec, 20 sec x 2 (tighter form)?]
-
Complex : 2 x 5 @ 135 lbs
-
SQ : 10, 2, 10, 12, 12, 4 @ 155, 185, 205, 225 lbs

+ + +

Tonight was hard. I took a nap after work, so by the time I got to the gym, I was not really amped. I did not drink any coffee or Red Bull, but I did have a Cytomax during the workout, which seems to be some truly worthwhile stuff. It took me a while to get my head in the game. I felt a bit defeated, since over the past few days I've felt a little run down. Nonetheless, taking an extra day off was a smart move, since, while I didn't go quite as heavy on the bench, it did feel pretty good. It just takes time.

I was pleased to go heavier on the complexes, but by the time I got to the squats, I was really digging deep. My legs didn't want to give out, but erector spinae got the worst of it. Not "pain" as much as intense cranky tightening. Had to stretch it out! I need to activate my core more. The past couple days I did some KB drills, with not a few swings. Feels good in the obliques. My neck is no longer so strained but there is a slight resistance when I turn my head right and up. Riveting stuff, I know.

At the end of the day, all I can say is, I pushed through, my numbers keep going up, and even one of the main trainers tonight gave me The Nod, saying, "You're bulkin' up pretty good, man."

Good night.

Mass Made Simple - Day 9

Saturday, 15 February 2014   
229 lbs, 55 min

Warm-up
-
BP : 3, 3, 3, 3, 3* @ 225, 225, 225, 230, 235 lbs 
          [Had spotter help me on last rep of last triplet.]
One/arm press : 2-3-5 x 3 @ 55 lbs
Bat wings : 10 sec @ 65, 65, 65, 70, 70 lbs
[Bird-dog : 20 sec, 20 sec x 2 (tighter form)?]
-
Complex : 3 x 4 @ 125 lbs
-
SQ : 10, 10, 5, 5, 14 (15?)/6 @ 185, 185, 205, 205, 225/225 lbs
          [I think I counted rep 12 at 225 lbs twice. Had that good ol' exertion headache by then.]


--------------------


While I haven't been posting the data, I have been sticking to the "recharge" workouts on the days after my recovery days. The last three or four times, I've used my 35 lbs KB to do swings, cleans, jerks, snatches, and windmills.


My weight keeps inching upwards, but, as always, eating is the hardest part of bulking. I'm off to buy some digestive aid and simethicone pills. They are to bulking what dairy aid pills are to lactose intolerance. They just make life easier. 

I was feeling signs of fatigue in today's workout, so I will take three days off and hit it again on Wednesday. It's better to err on the side of rest rather than injury. My litmus test, believe it or not, is the bench press. I think my shoulders and chest could use one more day of recovery, though I'll probably just do two recharge days in a row after Sunday. My complexes felt really good, though I think I should have gone for 135 lbs, though I did one more complex than the three scheduled by Dan John. Squats were not as brutal as last time, and I went heavier than Dan John prescribed for this workout. Go big or go home, and all that.


Stay tuned.

Mass Made Simple - Day 3

Monday, 27 January 2014   
222 lbs, 55 min
 
Warm-up
-
BP : 2-3-5, 2-3-5, 10 @ 185 lbs
One/arm press : 2-3-5 x 3 @ 45 lbs
Bird-dog + planking : 20 sec, 20 sec x 2
-
Complex : 5 x 2 @ 105 lbs
-
SQ : 30, 30 @ 105, 125 lbs
-
Bat wings : 10 x 5 sec @ 55 lbs

-----------------------

Bench felt quite good. Going for 195 lbs next workout.

I forgot to do the exercises in the right order AGAIN. Even so, I rather like doing bat wings at the end. But I'll fall in line next workout.


I screwed up my complex by starting too heavy. The press really is the limiting lift.


Squats didn't feel as devastating as one might expect. I'm trying to be prudent by not doing too much too fast, but I do intend to keep adding a little more than Dan John advises.

I am eating a lot, and seeing gains, but I'm really thankful that my casein got here today. Protein will arrive in a couple days. Eating so much "food" food is tiring. Getting the protein without feeling full most of the time will be nice. I also got a good reminder from the inimitable Hodge Twins about good vs. "dirty" bulking. In a word, if you're gaining more than 3 lbs per week, you're just getting fat. I'm at about 1.5 lbs, I suppose.

Need to go buy lots more eggs, rice, meat, and kelp. And sleep.

Boy, is there egg on my face!

And I don't mean the crate of eggs I eat every few days.

In my notes for yesterday's workout, I mentioned that one set of 30 squats felt too easy, and I would have liked to have gone for another set of 30. Well, it turns out that I was supposed to have done two sets! I was rushed for time getting to gym, so I was careless about writing down the workout tasks.

I discovered my error just as I was settling into to bed last night, looking at Mass Made Simple in order to visualize the upcoming Day 3 workout. It really irritated me, so much so that I had to convince myself not to do a set of 30 today, a rest day. I console myself with the fact that I squatted with 10 more pounds than Dan John advises for the first two workouts. "It's something." One thing that made the whole workout even cooler, though, is that I had inadvertently worn my brown scapular during the workout! OORAH-LLELUJAH!

In any event, my creatine and ZMA arrived this morning, so I had my first teaspoon of creatine in a long time with brunch (yes, part of bulking means sleeping more than usual). I'm excited about trying ZMA for the first time ever tonight, if no other reason than I hear it promotes dream activity. I'm a notoriously "non-dreaming sleeper" (or, as I like to say, "I live my dreams"), so any boost in that mystery of mysteries should be exciting, even aside from the gains it's said to offer.

Also on the nutrition front, I've begun tweeting my protein intake as it happens (RIVETING STUFF!! WHAT ELSE IS TWITTER FOR!!?). I'm at about 170g by this afternoon, so I'll be sure to get my 300+ grams in today. My overall supplement schedule is like follows:

NON-WORKOUT DAYS:

20g BCAA/whey protein shake with creatine, plus eggs (20g protein) and bread in the morning
B complex, multivitamin, Co-Q10 pill, two fish oil capsules
30g BCAA/whey protein shake before lunch,
50g protein with lunch, fish oil capsules
40g BCAA/whey protein after work
100g protein with dinner, fish oil capsules
ZMA one hour before bed (three pills) 
20g casein protein right before bed, fish oil capsules

WORKOUT DAYS:

20g BCAA/whey protein shake with creatine, plus eggs (20g protein) and bread in the morning
B complex, multivitamin, Co-Q10 pill, two fish oil capsules
30g BCAA/whey protein shake before lunch
50g protein with lunch, fish oil capsules
30g BCAA/whey protein after work
10g Clif Bar protein before workout
40g protein 30-60 min after workout, fish oil capsules
50g protein with dinner, fish oil capsules
ZMA one hour before bed (three pills) 
20g casein protein right before bed, fish oil capsules

The above only makes for 270g per day, so, until I get my tub of protein and see what size drink I'd need to put down for how many grams, I'm not sure how to get over 300g. It will work out.

Stay tuned.

Mass Made Simple - Day 2

(I am only counting the "full workout" days, by the way. After each workout day, there is a rest day, then a recharge day. I went for a jog a few days ago, maybe Tuesday? On Wednesday my recharge was 4 sets of 10 goblet squats (50 lbs), 10 hang cleans (105 lbs), 10 presses (105 lbs), and 10+ pullovers (50 lbs). I intended to workout last night but I was exhasusted (we're moving and planning on a trip); I slept from 1700 last night till 0600 this morning, give or take. I will add tonight's workout data when I get home. Fridays are a real challenge on a protein bulking program, so I'm stoked that my protein, creatine, and ZMA will arrive in the next few days.)

A note on nutrition:

• This  morning I ate five fried eggs and a bowl of oatmeal with peanut butter in it; roughly 40g protein. 
• Then I came home for lunch and at five fried eggs with rice and spinach and kale; roughly 40g protein. 
• Then in the afternoon I drank a small protein shake; roughly 20g protein and half an apple.
• When I got home I ate... another five fried eggs... with rice and spinach; roughly 40g protein. 
• Shortly before my workout I had a Clif Bar; roughly 10g protein. 
• After my workout I ate... another five fried eggs... with spinach... and kale... and then ate a bowl of oatmeal... with peanut butter; roughly 50g protein. 
• Before going to bed I will drink another protein shake, a glass of milk, and a can of tuna; roughly 55g protein.

255g protein. That's at least 50g below my daily protein goal. On the other hand, today was a Friday, and I'm still waiting for my protein powder to arrive. I'll be cooking up half a dozen chicken breasts, nearly as many pork chops, cooking a pot of lentils, and making PB&H sandwiches for the coming week. 

Brang it.

Friday, 24 January 2014 
221 lbs, 50 min

Warm-up
-
BP : 2-3-5, 2-3-5 @ 185 lbs
One/arm press : 2-3-5 @ 50 lbs
-
Complex : 3x5 @ 75, 85, 105, 115, 115 lbs
-
SQ : 30 @ 115 lbs
-
One-arm press : 2-3-5 @ 50 lbs
Bat wings : 10x5 sec @ 55 lbs 
db pullover : 20 @ 40 lbs

-------------------------

I did things slightly out of order, and did not do bird dogs, because I was a little pressed for time, and wanted to make sure I got the complex and squats above all else.

I was surprised by how good the bench press felt, though there was a faint tinge of that right shoulder weakness that dogs me. I will go for 195 lbs next time.

Likewise, the complex felt much better this time than last, but the squats felt too easy; I could have done another set of 30, but... I'm going by the book as best as I can.

I have been a bit annoyed that I'm not gaining weight more quickly, but, hey, once the creatine and ZMA and get here, and the volume keeps getting higher and higher, and I keep getting good nights of sleep.

I've got this.

Stay tuned.

Gym regimen - January 2014

Even Keel A 
215 lbs, 40 min. 

[I wrote this post this afternoon and scheduled it to publish at 20:00. The below figures were my projected efforts, but what I actually did is in red. I love outdoing my own expectations. It's good to know that I have the ambition and humility to keep it up.] 

Warm-up
-
SQ : 205 lbs @ 5x5 180, 185, 190, 195, 200 lbs @ 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Pendlay row : 155 lbs @ 5x5 135 lbs @ 5x5
-
db pullover-press : 60 lbs @ 10x3 12x3
Calf shrugs : 270 @ 10x3 12x3

+ + + 

And so it came to pass that today I signed a contract with one of my German classes that I must weight 240 lbs. (with a 15% body fat count) by March 18. Our scale at home has been acting up lately, so I'm not sure how much I weigh. My guess is at least 215 lbs. So, I've got two months to put on 25 lbs of LBM (lean body-mass).

Can I do it?

My guide for the bulking process, Dan John, says I can.

Accordingly, tonight after my workout I ate almost a whole bag of turkey cold cuts, a biscuit with PB and honey, and a kale garden salad. OOOrah!

Weight!

Well, I just used my mom's "Withings" scale system and it indicates I'm only 210 lbs! That was on carpet, so I tried it on a tile floor and it showed 219 lbs. My mom said it's "adjusted for soft surfaces" (whatever that means), so I tried it again and got 210 lbs again.

This is extremely irritating. The scale at the gym says I'm over 220 lbs, so unless I'm wearing 10 lbs of clothing at the gym (!), I've got a loooong way to go to my goal of 242 lbs (110 kg).

This angers me more than I can express, not so much because I may be lighter than I thought--after all, a higher power-to-weight ratio is a good thing--, but mainly because, once again, "advanced technology" makes life more frustrating. I just want to know my weight, not my electrolyte balance, my BMI, fat ratio, my density on a hard vs. soft surface, etc. JUST MY WEIGHT! So now I'll have to go to Publix to weigh myself on their old-school scale. I plan to hit the gym later today, so hopefully I can test the gym scale with some plates.

Gym regimen - Oct 2012 - and some nostalgia...

15 October 2012
Even Keel "A"
210 lbs (95kg), 50 min.

Warmup - motions
...........Circuit 1
SQ - 10, 10, 4 @ 185 lbs, 205 lbs, 215 lbs
Gironda neck press - 10, 8, 6 @ 115 lbs, 135 lbs, 155 lbs
SDL - 10, 6, 4 @ 185 lbs, 205 lbs, 215 lbs
...........Circuit 2
Press - 10, 6, 4 @ 90 lbs, 100 lbs, 110 lbs
Squeeze-press - 10, 10, 10 @ 85 lbs, 85 lbs, 110 lbs (I foolishly used uneven db's the first set, so I flipped them the second set to balance things out.)
PU (neutral) - 12*, 9*, 6* (Included leg lifts on concentric rise.) 

I'll be keeping my notes in pounds from here on out, at least until I'm back in Taiwan, or some other metric-based area. Just for curiosity's sake, I'll present the above data in metric units and compare them to my last Even Keel "A" workout nearly four months ago.

...........Circuit 1
SQ - 10, 10, 4 @ 84kg, 93kg, 97.5kg 
Gironda neck press - 10, 8, 6 @ 52kg, 61kg, 70kg 
SDL - 10, 6, 4 @ 84kg, 93kg, 97.5kg 
...........Circuit 2 
Press - 10, 6, 4 @ 41kg, 45kg, 50kg 
Squeeze-press - 10, 10, 10 @ 38.5kg, 38.5kg, 50kg 
PU (neutral) - 12*, 9*, 6* 

I have never done a Gironda neck press until today, so I have no prior basis for comparison. On 24 June, 2012 I did the following:

50 min., 99kg

...........Circuit 1
SQ: 10, 6, 5 @ 90, 105, 120
BP: 10, 8, 6* @ 75, 85, 95 (not comparable to the Gironda neck press, but there it is)
SDL: 10, 6, 5* @ 90, 110, 127.5
...........Circuit 2
Press: 9, 6, 3* @ 50, 55, 60
db flye: 12, 10, 8 @ 36, 40.5, 45
PU: 8/3, 8/3, Ø

Obviously, I've fallen behind, but there's no need to rush into injury. Today was a "recon" and refresher workout. Patience, humility, confidence, progression.

Now, out of further curiosity's sake, I'll present my stats, in an order revised to match what I trained today, from my first Even Keel "A" workout (on 8 February 2012), after having been out of the gym for several months, possibly a year. Those numbers should more closely resemble today's efforts. Indeed, my body weight then and now is roughly the same.

50 min., 96kg

...........Circuit 1
Squat 9, 6, 3 @ 70kg, 82.5kg, 100kg
Bench press 9, 6, 3** @ 70kg, 80kg, 90kg [Major spot for last 2 reps of set 3.]
Snatch DL 8, 6, 4* @ 110kg, 110kg, 120kg [Used straps for last 2 sets of set 3. They cut like razors, must buy my own!]
...........Circuit 2
Standing military press 9, 6, 4 @ 28kg, 42kg, 48kg
Bench EZ curl 9, 6, 4* @ 23kg, 28kg, 38kg [Body cheat on rep 4 of set 3 and then a 10-second negative to finish.]
Pullup 12, 9 + 5kg, 7 + 5kg 

It's good to see that the last two months of conditioning and greasing the groove (dips, pullups, T-bell swings, pushups, Jungle Gym, etc.) have put me in a position slightly better than where I was in February 2012. I had minimal 'body English' and no spotting in today's workout. I invested in some high quality protein, creatine, and glucosamine after the workout, so I'm expecting to hit 100kg (220lbs) in a week or two. Wish me pluck!

Fitness notes - July 2012

July 3 -
Tuesday I walked laps around the track for half and hour while listening to Pimsleur Spanish. Every two laps I did half a lap of bounding. Really felt it the next day!

July 4 -
Wednesday I did another 30-minute "Pimsleur walk" (without bounding), followed by about ten minutes of handwalking / free handstanding practice. I'd say I'm at an intermediate level, in so far as I I'm confident about hopping up into a handstand, I can do decent bent-leg handwalking, can hold some good straight handstands for a few seconds now and then, and am very comfortable tumbling down to try again. Having an open, grassy area makes such a difference. One other encouraging factor is that, according to Patrick Barrett in How to Do a Handstand, it's harder to handstand on grassy, uneven surfaces, so, who knows, maybe I'd do even better on a basketball court. In college I was known to amble on my hands down the dorm room hallway from time to time, so it's just a matter of getting that feeling back. Hand balancing is so much fun, even in failure!

July 5 -
Thursday I did  a Quick Mass workout.

July 6 -
Friday night I rode a bike around Sanxia for about half an hour, then came home and trained my tripod headstand with leg motions, and did some stretching. Felt a good soreness in my neck and traps the next day or two. High five!

July 7 -
Saturday I rode my bike for about half an hour and, in between, did ten minutes of handstand training. Believe it or not, I felt most sore in my right glute and left hamstring. All the hopping up and landing worked my lower body harder than my upper body. In the course of reading the next day, I found that Barrett explicitly mentions this fact in his How to Do a Handstand.

July 8 -
Sunday we had a lunch and family time with my mother-in-law's family, and by the time I got home, I was pooped. Rest is the other half of training! I was incredibly hungry all weekend, and by Sunday night I was up to 104kg.

July 9 -
It was my birthday, and a grueling day dealing with visas, buses, the baby, etc. so I ended up having some beers with a friend. Not the best form of recovery, but hey, I'm not Arnie. OR AM I???

Gym regimen - June 2012

Thursday, 28 June 2012
Even Keel (B)
50 min., 99kg

Warmup: stretching, motions with plates (stiff-legged rows [had my hams tight and sore the whole workout! sadface], squatting, overhand cable curls, pulldowns, etc.), etc.

Circuit 1

FSQ: 9, 6, 3 @ 75, 85, 100

IBP: 9, 6, 6* @ 70, 80, 85

[I felt insecure on these until the 3rd set. My pecs felt over-trained, maybe because I did some headstand and handstand training recently. Spotter helped on last 2 reps of 3rd set. My legs were shaking like leaves with exertion, but I squeezed the hell out of the bar and stabilized to get the bar up. Got some thumbs-up from a couple guys in the gym. Meh.] 

DL: 9, 6, 6 @ 110, 120, 140

[Chalk is my friend! I killed the 3rd set. My back was achy a little while afterwards and my hams are going to hate me today and this weekend, but it was nice to dig deep on one of my favorite lifts. Got some more thumbs-up and mild "wooting" from some guys in the gym.] 

Circuit 2

db BP: 12, 10, 10 @ 50kg

[I'm "forced" to use higher volume on these since I'm already using the heaviest db's in the gym. Once I start at my new high school teaching job, I'm sure I won't have the same problem in their weight room. I can't wait!] 

Seated pulldown: 9, 6, 6 @ 111, 113, 115

[I'm already pulling the whole stack on these, too. Quite a challenge after all that deadlifting. High five!] 

Seated cable curl (narrow grip): 10, 9, 8* @ 50, 54, 58

[Used a little body English on the last set but ended with a penitential negative. Good long-head pump!] 

+ + +

Another typhoon is on the way, so the air has been awfully muggy and dusty. Maybe there are some foul ions in the mix, too. The point is that for the first 20 minutes or so of this workout, I was feeling alternately sluggish and wired. I've gone back to taking a B-complex multivitamin in the morning, and creatine monohydrate pre- and post-workout, so maybe I was a bit dehydrated at first. Around midway through, I started feeling more focused and energized. My dilemma was that I didn't want to slack - I never want to - but I also didn't want to train so hard going into my Quick Mass 3-day split regimen next Monday that  I'd begin depleted and quickly over-train. I decided to give my best and may the devil take care.

Fitness notes…

Thursday, 2011.7.7
Swimming:
35 min, 1200m (500m breast & turbine, 700m crawl)


Friday, 2011.7.8
[The following exercises were done around my grip training, since the first set was basically a warmup and I wanted to avoid having other sets drain my grip strength until I was finished with the crushers.]
45 min., 94kg

Crushing grip:
Warmup: gryo ball, flail, stretching

Heavy 150: 12 closes

CoC #1.5: 12 closes r.h., 12 reps l.h.
[only 8 closes l.h.]

CoC #2: 4 reps
[~2 closes r.h., ø closes l.h.]

CoC #1.5: overcrush 30 sec.

Heavy 150: overcrush 45 sec.
[l.h. slippage last ~10 sec.]

Gut wrench: 24, 24, 24, 24 @ 14kg

Drawing water: 12/12, 12/12, 12/12, 12/12 @ 14kg

Ab wheel: 15, 18, 21, 24

Neck harness tug: 30, 30, 35, 35
[all 4 vectors]

Rope skips: 120, 135, 75
[My shins/calves were killing me by the last set! Woe is I!]

+ + +

I will be taking it easy on my wrists, especially my left arm, for the next few days. The last few reps on some sets were really painful (the release, I mean). Some icing, stretching, muscle rub, etc. Next time I train, however, I will go for higher intensity and lower volume. To wit…

a little gyro ball,
10 reps with the Heavy 150,
6 reps with the #1.5,
and then at least 6 all-out efforts on closing and semi-closing the #2.
And then no overcrushing.

The session after that, however, will consist solely of overcrushing and negatives, to wit…

warmup with the Heavy 150,
overcrush the #1.5 close to a minute,
negative (forced close) with the #2,
and a final overcrush with the Heavy 150.

I guess I'm also going to have to lay off the jump rope for a while, and then maybe just do a set of 120 every couple days until my legs get used to it. Meanwhile I will keep swimming three times a week and going for jogs and power walks. I should get back into doing Hindu squats and Hindu pushups, but that's a passing note to self.

I love training my neck, though it is just a hobby exercise. I should mix in bridging like I used to do.

My bout of illness last week and a more conscientious diet has me around 94kg, maybe 95kg, so it's nice to be leaner and have more stamina. I've invested in a bottle of ω-3 fatty acid (fish oil pills) and was given a bag of yeast grains (with vitamin-B supplements), so I'm hoping I expect to feel more chipper in the next months. I've also gotten towards a nearly pescatarian diet and "go vegetarian" every Friday.

I bought a couple more 10lb plates tonight and now I've set up my two db's and my 2" db with a minimum weight (~20kg) which I can just add to without having to sling all the weights back and forth.

I'm looking to try a couple new restaurants tomorrow, Saturday, which is one of my busiest work days. I've been cleaning up my room(s), which is satisfying.

A great burden is lifting from my shoulders these days and a cloud of depression from May and June has left me. Onward! To become the man God knows I can be (again)!

Gym regimen - May 2011

Even Keel Workout 2
80+ mins, 96.5kg

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

Squat: 8, 6, 4 @ 105kg, 110kg, 120kg
[Wore a belt and put the safety rack in place for set 3.]

Incline bench BP: 9, 7, 3/3 @ 70kg, 80kg, 85kg/82.5kg
[Had the safety rack in place for set 3.]

Seated lever row: 10, 8, 6 @ 100kg, 110kg, 130kg

Rope-handle pushdown: 9, 7, 5 @ 35kg, 40kg, 45kg

Seated DB curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 17kg, 19.5kg, 22kg

Deadlift: 8, 6, 6 @ 110kg, 130kg, 140kg

CIRCUIT:

Leg extension: 10, 8, 6 @ 45kg, 50kg, 55kg

DB pullover-press: 10, 8, 6 @ 32kg

Overhand EZ-bar curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 35kg, 37.5kg, 40kg

Gym regimen - April 2011

Even-Keel Workout 1
50 mins, 96kg
[I guess summer is melting off my fat! Today was hot but I slogged through. Allegedly, according to my spotter on the bench, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." I'm giving Creatine another try.]

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

Pullup: 16, 15, 14
[Could have had better form on tail end of set 3. And then one day I'll be dead.]

Bench press: 8, 6, 5* @ 75kg, 82.5kg, 90kg
[Felt very solid on these. See additional workout notes below. My chest is coming along.]

Snatch deadlift: 8, 6, 5 @ 100kg, 110kg, 120kg
[A slightly narrower grip, just outside the rings in the knurling worked much better. Frankly, a wider grip brings the bar onto my "junk" at the finish.]

Military press: 10, 8, 6 @ 45kg, 55kg, 65kg
[I was actually taken aback at much more I am able to press nowadays. Ties into my improved bench press.]

Spider curl: 8 + 4, 8 + 3, 4 + 2 @ 35kg, 42.5kg, 47.5kg
[I love these!]

Front squat: 10, 6, 6 @ 70kg, 75kg, 80kg
[These felt much better: hands were placed well and I am sure my knees weren't drifted more than necessary. Dug deep on set 3, for damn sure! A Taiwanese guy walking in stopped to look at me and then smiled at me as I walked away from the rack. Flex some nuts!]

* * *

Post-work workout:

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

Low lever row: 12, 10, 10 @ 80kg, 90kg, 100kg

Bench press: 10, 8, 10* @ 70kg, 77.5kg, 85kg
[Spotter helped me on last, maybe, 5, probably 4, reps of set 3. Where did that come from!? Game on.]

Spider curl: 8 + 4, 8 + 4, 3 + 3 @ 37.5kg, 41.5kg, 47.5kg

CIRCUIT:

Wrist roller: 6kg, 6kg, 5kg

Wrist curl: 12, 10, 14 @ 5kg, 10kg, 12.5kg

* * *

My grip training arsenal is nearly complete: Captains of Crush #1.5, and then a #2, in the mail in the next 1, to 6, weeks; Adjustable battery–jumper grippers; Wrist flexor bars; Wrist roller; Thick-grip barbell and dumbbell; Eagle catcher; Plates and dumbbells; Severe negative slider-post [kind of like this… but "simpler"… i.e. "ghettoer"];etc.

My body is responding very well to the new regimen: more rest, more intensity, more spontaneous mini-workouts. On my after-work workout I took off my button shirt and trained in my wifebeater… and must say, I looked bigger than last time, and I think I turned a few heads (not gay!). Patience, Humility, Confidence…. Stay tuned.

Gym regimen - March 2011

FRIDAY, 11 MARCH 2011
A4: Shoulders, Triceps, Traps: 60 mins, 98kg

WARMUP: step machine, jump rope, stretching, DB calisthenics

CIRCUIT:

Medial delt DB flye: 10, 10, 8 @ 10kg, 10kg, 12kg

Tricep pushdown: 12, 9, 8 @ 30kg, 32.5kg, 35kg

Jump rope: 100, 100, 100

CIRCUIT:

Rear delt flye: 12, 9, 7 @ 10kg, 10kg, 12kg

Elbows-in DB extension: 12, 9, 6 @ 18kg, 22kg, 26kg

Step machine: 1 min, 1 min, 1 min

CIRCUIT:

Military BB press: 12, 9*, 6* @ 40kg, 45kg, 47.5kg
[A hip cheat on 12th of 1st and 9th of 2nd and a good negative after/on 6th of 3rd.]

DB pullover (with extensions): 12, 9, 6 @ 26kg
[I added a tricep extension to my chest and back up on each pullover. Great pump!]

CIRCUIT:

Hise shrug: 24, 22, 20 @ 90kg, 95kg, 100kg

BB shrug: 12, 9, 6 @ 90kg, 95kg, 100kg

+ + +
Today was a great workout, it's been a while since I trained these muscles as a unit. As I've been doing in general since resuming my A-regimen, I opted for slightly lower weights with better form and greater intensity (i.e. faster turnover between sets). I hurt my right shoulder a few months ago, as you may recall, so I didn't want to re-aggravate that this time around. Happy to say, I felt no discomfort or weakness during these exercises. I've got another month of A-workouts ahead of me, and I started taking creatine today (only 5g per day right after my workout, forget that "loading phase" stuff). My main goal for this building cycle is to hit 130kg on the squat, 150kg on the deadlift, and that 10/8/6/4 at 80/85/90/95kg spot-free set on the bench. Then I suppose a week or two of BDW work and maybe a new routine altogether for 6 weeks or so. Of course, life being what it is, I make these plans with the standard "Deo volente" clause. Stay tuned.

Gym regimen - January 2011

A4: Tris, Shoulders, Traps
SUNDAY: mins
97kg, BMI 27.5

Warmup: Step machine, calisthenics, stretching

CIRCUIT:

Cable lateral raise: 12, 9, 8 @ 13.5kg, 16kg, 18kg

Pullups: 13, 13, 13*
[13th of 3rd was a big kip into a negative.]

Hise shrug: 24, 24, 24 @ 80kg, 90kg, 100kg
[I don't know how much the Smith machine bar weighs, so I'm just counting the plate-weight.]

Standing barbell military press: 12, 8, 8* @ 40kg, 45kg, 50kg
[8th of 3rd used a body cheat into a negative.]

Elbows-out dumbbell extension: 12, 9, 6 @ 14kg, 18kg, 22kg
[I went lighter on the weight today and tighter on the form.]

Shrug: 12, 9, 9 @ 90kg, 100kg, 110kg

Cable pushdown: 12, 9, 7 @ 27.5kg, 30kg, 35kg

Step machine: 2+ mins, 2+ mins, 2+ mins

"Cooldown":

Oblique cable tucks: 20/20, 20/20 @ 50kg

+ + +
A nice, brisk workout, but not so hasty I didn't focus on good form all the way. Now it's time for a restful weekend to recuperate for SMR. I've decided to use up the protein I have and then save my money by not buying another tub of it. My research indicates that "normal nutrition" suffices for the strength athlete. Oh, plus all that milk! Today it was encouraging to see my big(ger) ass can still do pullups heheh!