View Full Version : Public Mortification
To start, anyone trying to make sense of my inconsistent performance should read Rip's article in the old CF journal about older trainees. Not a whine, these are just facts of life I deal with. An additional consideration is that I am active duty Navy, and military height-weight silliness has been discussed thoroughly on this board. Just another fact of life.
I started SS about two years ago, after realizing in CF just how abominably weak I was. I started from zero and went through all the usual form problems until I seemed to figure it out. My PRs were 275 squat / 290 DL, but the presses stunk and I never did more than 125 on PCs. I gained a good thirty pounds, most of which has stayed but has seemingly morphed into gut. I could have done more and better, but life intervened, deployments, stuff like that, until I transfered to England. Life here is sweet, my home gym is filling up nicely (a York GHD and an Eleiko PL bar make it so, thanks to Ebay). And now I'm determined to get this train rolling again, and keep it rolling until a)there is no more novice progression available and I move this thread to intermediate, and b) compete in a master's competition. I expect squat to break 300 and DL 340 or more before the novice progression is exhausted this time out. I'm already microloading the press at 115, but the bench can get to 160 or higher before I have to microload.
Today was squat and press:
230 x5reps x3sets
Working the squats back from 200, a little pyschological letdown after passing 225 (four wheels), these felt heavy but do-able. Could push through slow, no forward lean at all (thanks, GHD).
115 x5x4x4
My previous press PR was 112.5, but this is my third go at 115. I find I need more than four days rest on the press, and I'm also not benching right now (no bench at home, need to catch it at work). However, I also realized during the second set how much elbows need to be forward of the bar, and feel had I been doing that all along, I would have nailed 115 this time out. I'll give it a week and try again.
Big concern right now is eating, since Navy PRT is coming up in a month and the waist has to be slim, and it isn't. I want to eat more in order to do hard things, but have to keep it under control. A lot more metcon, push-ups, etc. in the next few weeks.
August West
04-13-2010, 06:52 PM
If you're working on waistline reduction, I'd try some of the recommendations John Sheaffer's mentioned in his Q&A: getting your protein in 6 evenly spaced meals, with a carb cutoff sometime in afternoon/evening. That combined with some walking before breakfast helped me lose a few inches in a couple weeks.
Good luck getting the most out of linear progression while you're at it.
The past two days--have delivered a new (well, used but new to me) car, taxes, masons showing up at my door without prior warning from landlord, idiot clerk at the DVLA saying my documents weren't right for registering said car despite instructions on documents clearly contradicting her, son using cement slab left by masons for artistic expression. Oh, yea, taxes. Lifting? What's that?
Tomorrow, squats and DLs.
poopmonkey
04-15-2010, 05:59 PM
Fantastic title for an online log. Love it.
Coming from a guy with your moniker, that means something.
There are no numbers here, just a whine. Been running from project deadline to project deadline, and then a molar that I knew had to go sometime (cracked in two, endodontist had already told me it was unsavable) really kicked up the infection. There is no pain like dental pain. Haven't really eaten in two days. Had it extracted yesterday, feeling better thanks to percocet, will attempt squat/press tomorrow, DL and metcon on Friday.
But woo-hoo, I did get some Apollo bumpers (15 and 20 kg), bar locks at 2.5kg each so now my bar will be standard weight, and I get a C2 this weekend. Rack and bench are soon to follow, just need 10kg bumpers, a 10kg training bar for the wife and her friend, who are interested, and some stable mats and the home gym is complete.
Robert Callahan
04-21-2010, 02:11 PM
But woo-hoo, I did get some Apollo bumpers (15 and 20 kg), bar locks at 2.5kg each so now my bar will be standard weight, and I get a C2 this weekend. Rack and bench are soon to follow, just need 10kg bumpers, a 10kg training bar for the wife and her friend, who are interested, and some stable mats and the home gym is complete.
Hey! Nice to see you started a log on here :)
Sounds like you are starting to accumulate all the equipment you need! For rubber mats I recommend looking up Horse tackle shops in the area as Horse stall mats are the same ones as used in gyms but way cheaper.
What does your program look like right now?
What does my program look like? Boy, that's a temptation to go all Rip on you.
I live in horse country, somewhere between 26-30 pounds a mat, so 45-50 bucks each, just waiting until I had a need. I don't mind used ones if I can get them from a local stable, but I don't know how often stables change them. I found a powerlifter (the one who sold me the bumpers) who will sell me one of his old racks, very heavy duty, and a very solid bench as well. I'll probably have the local vocational tech school modify the rack (shorten the depth, drill a few more holes, maybe add a higher chin bar), but otherwise it's as functional as it gets.
Just trying to get through today, feel better tomorrow and start lifting again.
Wussed. Teeth and jaw hurt, but I'm trying to stay off the percocet. Perhaps by tomorrow.
Got back under for just squats today. Having barely eaten and still being mildly under the influence, turns out that was a good idea. Workset 235lbs, actually slightly less (20kg bar, 2xWeider 45lb, 2x20kg bumpers, 2x2.5kg locks), did 5 reps, then 4, then 3. Burgers and beans tonight, pick up a used C2 tomorrow, DL and press tomorrow night. With luck will be a full round by Monday.
Getting back into it, Press and DL.
45x5x2, 65x5x2, 85x3, 100x2, 115 x5 x5 x4
Third try at 115lbs for the press. Now that I've figured out the elbow bit, much better control, much more consistent bar path (though it could probably still be nearer my face), quicker to get under. First set of 5, dug out the last one. Second set, bent my knees when stuck on rep 5, but I didn't turn it into a push, just straightened them and finished digging it out. Third set, 4 good reps, last one just not there. Debating whether to call that a PR and move up to 117, or screw around at 115 again. I don't know how much stress I'm getting repeating the weight over and over when I'm this close.
135x5x2, 165x5x2, 190x3, 220x2, 245x5
DL. Nice to have bumpers, although getting the weights close between kgs and lbs is a challenge. Switched to hook grip halfway through to start getting used to it again. Love the grip on the Eleiko, only added chalk to the work set. 245 work set, hard mostly because it's been two weeks since the last DL and over a month before that to the previous set.
Overthinking dept: I noticed at light weights that on the DL, while my left foot seemed slightly further forward than the right, maybe 1/2 inch, when I pulled the bar bounced up my right shin and barely grazed the left. Didn't notice it once the weight added on, probably inconsequential.
WTF?
Many, many frustrations right now. Things that just eat up emotional energy. But when I squatted today, I expected to get 235 for 5reps3sets. Warmups didn't feel bad. But at workset, the best I could get was 2 reps for set. The caloric deficit has caught up to me.
I have no choice, I have to shrink the waistline. Between two days of nearly no food at all with the bad tooth, and several days of almost exclusively protein, making one neat caloric deficit over the past week to ten days. The waistline doesn't look any smaller, but damn, I got weaker. Next week I'll be on travel and have no weights available, food options will be limited, too.
I'll still try to up the deadlift on Friday, but then it's a week of travel and a week of suck. In the meantime I may pay for the consult with Sheaffer so I know I'm on the right track. Navy rules change in June, they can tape me at any time, not just before the semi-annual test, and a tape failure puts you in the hands of the Navy's fitness experts three times a week until you get out of the fat boy program. Not where you want to be, not at my age.
Spent last night digging into Schaeffer's posts, getting the idea of partitioning. What scares me is that much of what he discusses I've already been doing, without much results. But not all of it, and maybe the changes will make the difference. We'll see.
Morning military group PT, showed up late enough to get credit for being there but without having to do the group stretch, etc. Added ten more pounds to the DL:
135 x5
165 x5x3 (not really planned, added weights before finishing first warmup, so WTH, get some extra volume)
195 x3
235 x2
255 x5
Wasn't that hard, I can probably add ten more next week as well.
Hit the scales on the way to the elliptical, in Nike Frees and sweatpants (say, 2-3 extra pounds at most), weighed 240. Damn, I'm fat.
Did a tabata on the elliptical, 30 seconds hard, 30 slow, for the full 8 cycles. Was only mildly winded, and had 130 calories burned on the meter. I need about 165 calories over 12 minutes to score excellent or above, so I was pleased.
Pre-workout breakfast:
-12oz 2% milk with 28+ grams protein (I'm generous with the scoop, probably 35 grams at least), vitamins and fish oil
-3 eggs omelet, 1/4 cup cheese, fried in olive oil
-Normally I have 8oz cranberry juice, today I had 12oz grapefruit juice
-1 cup Lizi's granola (only in the UK, blood-tested to produce very low glycemic reaction) in 1/2 cup 2% milk, for extra carbohydrates for the workout
-Coffee: about three shots espresso into 1/2 cup 2% milk, no sugar
PWO one bottle Isopure (40g P/ zero C, 20oz liquid--no sugar or Aspartame, stuff should taste awful but is actually pretty good).
For lunch, london broil from last night's dinner with some gravy, green beans. I wish I had something that was pretty much fat or carbo, but I don't.
Oh, I've got a can of Italian tuna in the overhead. 160g, tuna in olive oil, fantastic. Protein and fat, mmm good.
Robert Callahan
05-05-2010, 12:56 PM
Hope you enjoyed the weekend? Were you able to pick up that C2 Rower?
Robert, good to hear from you. Yes, drove up to the Yorkshire moors and got it, a 1998 C model in surprisingly good condition. The monitor died, though, so he knocked it down to 185 quid, a real deal in the UK. Already ordered the PM3 retro kit, but it rows beautifully and nothing else needed replacing.
Tomorrow the guy who sold me the bumpers is dropping off a cage, heavy duty and custom made, and a serious bench, 300 quid the lot, again, a great deal. I've found the lifters here are willing to help each other out and cut deals for each other, quite nice. It's a full size cage, but I think I'm going to pay to have the depth shortened considerably and have some more holes drilled.
When the PFT is over next week, then I'm finally going to be able to get serious, getting the diet right and pushing all the lifts hard. Looking forward to it.
Dammit, trial by weakness just beginning.
Weigh in for Navy PFT today. 238.8 lbs, expected. Neck 16, waist (measured high, above the navel) 40.5. By the Navy charts, that makes me 24% bodyfat, one percent over the limit. These guys measured exactly by the instruction, no slack at all. Now, unless I score excellent or above in the actual test, I will be considered a Fail. Starting 1 June, even if I score excellent or above, I will be a fail regardless.
Only hope for this cycle is a possible "second chance" weigh-in in just about two weeks. So much for hopping back on the strength train, it's met-con city for the next two weeks.
Robert Callahan
05-11-2010, 10:05 PM
That is a bummer man! :(
Cut out those carbs and beer and get that waistline down!! :)
Thanks, Robert. Unfortunately, I cut out beer some time ago, most carbohydrates as well. The sad thing is, if I were to post a picture on the board, no one would say I was fat--I'm not ripped, and probably 20% BF, but you can clearly see the cuts on my hips. I'm thinner than I was the last couple of cyles. In fact, I actually think it's muscle that's hurting me, in that I used to be taped while much fatter around the waist, but there was no muscle underneath it. Now there's a lot of muscle underneath it, and a few extra inches of fat on top puts me over the limit.
I guess this should be a caution to you, young man. Watch that milk!
PFT completed, IIRC 83 crunches, 39 push-ups (the SUCK) and 212 calories on the elliptical, damned if I know what that makes. If I practiced push-ups I would do a lot better. Waiting for advice from John on how to approach the second-chance weigh-in.
BTW, this was the "new" Navy PFT, and it sucked, sucked, sucked. I've been at this 20 years now, and while it's always been BS, this is just so BS. More and more, it no longer feels like my Navy anymore. Just six more PT cycles after this.
Robert Callahan
05-12-2010, 01:37 PM
That is really lame! The way they measure BF is really stupid, and I hate that they use the BMI because it was never intended to be used on individuals, only populations.... I mean doing their taping method it has me at over 20% BF, when my actual number is right around 15.... People that are bottom heavy (me) get totally screwed cause their necks are smaller. I mean at a theme park the other day I did a "guess your weight" thing and the guy guessed 163lbs... I stepped on his scale and it read 215 and he just about lost his shit. It was cause my upper body is less than impressive while my ass and thighs are freaking enormous!
Oh well, one thing you could try doing is adding in some LSD work 3-4 times a week preferably in the AM before you eat breakfast. I know it is the devil according to CF and such but it will develop a decent cardio base and will break down a bit of the muscle in order to lean you down. Starting with 20-25 min Row/runs and then moving up to 45 min at a ~60% pace over the course of 3-4 weeks. Mixed in with some metcons and strength work (so you don't lose to much muscle) done at different times should get some good results. :)
An update, having nothing to do with strength.
Turns out the elliptical score wasn't very good at all. The Navy uses a calculator that takes the calories burned but then factors them against your weight to determine your comparable run time. When I first started using the elliptical, I had run scores that fell into the Excellent category. Now a comparable calorie burn only scored me as Fair. So I dl'd the calculator and played with it, and discovered that while the heavier you are, the more calories the elliptical credits you with burning, but the heavier you are, the more the Navy calculator works against you. The difference between my old Excellent and my current Fair is the 30 pounds I gained! Sonuvabitch! The system is absolutely biased against size and strength.
Then I found out that I only get re-weighed if I do the whole PRT again. So I get weighed and taped again on Tuesday AM, and do the test again on Wednesday AM. So yesterday I did some reading on the elliptical, and found that to get the calorie numbers up you have to stay upright, on your heels, without leaning over, and keep the resistance as high as you can stand it. I got on the machine yesterday afternoon to work on the technique, and added a dozen calories to my previous test score. Whoopee.
On the good front, I weighed 235 yesterday, and expect to be below 225 by the next weigh-in. All of which weighs in my favor.
The only thing strength related I've done is put my cage together. It needs some mods, and the local vocational center has said they're willing to do them for me, no word on costs although I said I'd pay reasonable expenses. Maybe someday.
The new pads I ordered for my GHD from York, which I started trying to get in January, finally arrived a few days back. They are now an injected molded very firm foam, a little harder than their old pads, but actually comfortable. They changed the inner tubing that goes with it as well, and they now roll very easily, so grips must be maintained while climbing on and off. They are also narrower, but I added a 1/2kg weight from a 1" bar on either side, works perfectly to hold them in place. So GHD work resumed yesterday, just back raises and 2 sets 10 reps GHSitups.
If not mentioned earlier, the C2 PM3 monitor came in early last week, so now that machine is a full up round, too.
And the local voc/tech center said they'll modify my cage, so in a few weeks that should be 100% as well.
On the weight loss front, progress. Yesterday I grabbed the Inzer L belt I couldn't fit into a week ago (I was at least an inch, maybe 1.5" from the last holes), and managed to get it on. It was tighter than I'm comfortable with, but I didn't suck my gut in to get it on, either. That's a major milestone of success in losing my gut.
Today stood on the same scale that said I was 235 on Thursday, it said 233 now. Weigh-in is Tuesday AM, so with luck I'll be below 230 by then. This is by following the outlines of Schaeffer's partitioning diet, keeping the total calories low (2500 at most), dropping lifting for the duration but walking a mile in the evening, occassionally running up and down a soccer field tossing a rugby ball with my son, and by rowing a lazy (2:20/500m pace) 1,000m every morning.
Next up is to plan out what happens after the PRT make-up on Wednesday. Calories will have to increase, iron will get added back into the schedule, and given the results so far, I'll gladly pay John for consult.
Obscenities fail me. I stood in line for an hour, watched one fat (belly over by three or more inches) guy after another pass because they have no muscle, hence they are under the weight limit.
Stood on the scale. 229 lbs, a 9 lb drop in two weeks. Looking good. Different guy doing the taping. The EXACT SAME measurements, 16" neck 40" waist. Yet I know I've lost size around the midriff because I can fit into the Inzer betl again. No use arguing, it's just plain hosed up.
Robert Callahan
05-26-2010, 03:16 PM
bureaucracy at its best...
Can't you demand a more precise way of measuring body fat? Calipers or submersion or something?
Nope. There used to be that option, but it went away when the BCA waiver took effect--score an overall "excellent" in the actual events, and you could be waived up to 26% bodyfat. The waiver goes away in four days. I have "options," but they're all at the discretion of senior officers who have competing interests to consider.
I should add that it is DoD that mandates the measurement of bodyfat as the means of determining body composition, not the services, although the services are allowed to select their own means of making that measurement.
All this has led me to contemplate writing a "sticky" about SS and military service. The reality (of the Navy at least, but really all services, judging from other posters here) is that if you follow SS to its logical conclusion, you will run up against the BFA. Planning for that from the beginning is wise, and the sticky would lay out the considerations.
You didn't answer my email--you've been quiet, all is well on your end?
Okay, I'm over it.
Between today's chaos, tried to squat. Worked up to 75kg+30lbs=195lbs for my final warm-up set, which I stretched out to 5 doubles. Upped the ante, did a set of 5, no big deal. I just wanted to get the muscles re-acquainted with squatting after so long not under the bar, not eating and losing weight. Will add ten lbs per set next two without problem.
Also, resumed creatine a week ago, and I have to say it really seemed to help, even though these were nowhere near very heavy.
I wanted to press, but the new rack is too close to the garage lights, they will have to be moved somehow (the electrician left no slack in the wiring) before I can resume the press in the garage. I'll do the press tomorrow morning at work.
Early reps I clearly saw my feet roll onto their sides toward the heel as I concentrated on knees out. I think I pushed my feet out a little wider as I went along, I noticed the rolling went away as the weight got heavier.
0530 Bkfst - 4 eggs, egg whites, 1/4 cup cheese
8 oz cranberry juice
shake - protein (35g, carnation instant breakfast, 10oz 2% milk
vitamins and fish oil
coffee (3 shots espresso in 1/4 cup 2% milk)
0715 Unit PT (various crunches and push-ups)
0730 Squats
45x5x2
95x5x2
145x3
195x2
205x5x3 Not too hard. This represents a 25lb drop from my last 5x3 sets, about normal for a "cutting" period like I just did. I think had I followed wossname diet guru's advice to keep lifting throughout, I would have lost less strength. Will add 10lbs to next lift, possibly once after that before returning to 5lb gains.
Press
45x5x2
75x5x2 (mistake to add so much, threw off my warm-up progression)
85x3
90x2
95x5x3 Might have done better if I hadn't gooned the warm-up progression, this was hard but do-able. 100 might have been possible otherwise. Even though this is in the 15-20% loss range, to be expected, it sucks given the press is such slow gains.
PWO Bottle of Isopure, 20oz water with 40g protein, nothing else.
Snack 1000 3-4 oz mixed nuts
Lunch 1330 200g Teso Piri-piri chicken 270 cal 2g fat 11g sugars roughly 60g proteins (chicken estimates vary wildly)
with one small apple to keep up the carb/protein mix
1700 1/4lb hamburger, 50g protein shake w/ tsp coconut milk powder
1900 3x 1/4lb hamburgers, 1/2cup flat beans
2100 30g protein shake
Bkfst 0630
4 egg omelet, 1/4 cup cheese, cooked in olive oil
shake - protein (35g, carnation instant breakfast, 1tsp cocounut milk powder) vitamins and fish oil
coffee (3 shots espresso in 1/4 cup 2% milk)
1030 6-8oz steak (reheated leftover, yum)
1330 8oz roast beef and a banana
1930 14-16 oz some kinda steak, green beans of some sort, cuppla baby corns, small serving of spaghetti con vonghole (heavy on the vonghole)
I woke up at 0330 this morning and couldn't get back to sleep. I came home and fell dead asleep this afternoon for two hours. No PT today.
0630 Walked two miles dodging slugs and snails
0730 3 egg omelet plus egg whites, 1/4 cup cheese, cooked in olive oil
shake - protein (35g, carnation instant breakfast, 1tsp cocounut milk powder) vitamins and fish oil
coffee (3 shots espresso in 1/4 cup 2% milk)
8oz cranberry juice
1030 100g MOL mixed nuts
1330 8oz roast beef, apple
1530 Man from local vo-tech came around, they're going to take my cage as a teaching project, make it taller, shallower, give it more holes and realign a support to make squatting inside the cage easier. He's thinking of picking it up Mon morning and having it back to me Mon afternoon--this could be very cool.
1545 Coffee, sweet espresso and milk with a tsp demerara sugar
1630 Bench press, first time in months
45
65
85
105
125x5x3, surprisingly easy. I probably could have forced 135, will try for that next time.
Then ran to mow the lawn before the rains returned (this is England), I'm sure that counts as aerobic something.
Returned to do a tabata on the C2, accidentally did an extra round because I did the settings wrong to start, but ended up with 720m over the 8 done correctly. I pulled damned hard, but wasn't at all pukey (felt it, never did it) or blitzed like I was in the past after tabatas.
PWO shake: 40-45g protein (I just dumped the bin into the blender), 2tbsp coconut milk powder (mmm, sweet fat), and 5g creatine.
Rereading the EAS package (it was a different variety than I usually order), I compare the size of the scoops, and the scoop I've been using is 50% larger than the scoop in the bag, so for every protein shake I've been getting a minimum of 40 grams and generally closer to 50.
2000 breaded chicken cutlets, about 2 breasts worth
Finished off a bottle of gluehwein I've had out here, one mug.
1030 50g protein shake from the sampler pack. Tip: avoid anything that says "coconut" in its flavor.
0730 Bkfst - 4 eggs, egg whites, 1/4 cup cheese
8 oz cranberry juice
shake - protein (45g, carnation instant breakfast, 10oz 2% milk
vitamins and fish oil
coffee (3 shots espresso in 1/4 cup 2% milk)
Missed snack
1230 8oz turkey breast, banana
Squat
45x5x2
95x5x2
145x3
195x2
215x5x3
Deadlift
135x5x2
165x5x2
195x3
225x2
245x5
Power Cleans
45x5x2
95x3x5
105x3x3
50kg (110lbs) x3x2
55kg (121lbs) x3x5
Got the rack back today, put it together. I wanted to squat and press, but it was too late in the day by then so I just pressed. Squat tomorrow, DL and bench on Friday, full up routine starting next week.
Strange progression numbers because I was mixing lb and kg plates
44x5x3
61x5x2
76 (MOL) x3
89 MOL x2
101 x5x3
Not too heavy, boofed by loading around 111 for work by accident, did 3 reps before failing and dixing the problem. No problem following up with the programmed weight. I think I'll add 5 to the next press as well, then go back to smaller loading since previous PR was 112.5.
48th birthday.
Squats
45x5x3
95x5x2
145x3
195x2
220x5x3
Concentrating on moving the bar vertically, seemed to be successful, much rocking on heels on warmups, about five forward leans in the workset. Weight not too heavy, but also watching depth and tightness at depth, gets awkward to think about them too much.
Press
45
60
70
95
105
Also concentrating on vertical bar path, not too heavy but will shift to 2-3lb gains from here out. Or maybe I'll get greedy and go for one more 5lb jump!
Chins
green band 5th hole 10x2 alternating right and left finishes to avoid truss in garage ceiling
black band for third set
Power cleans
30kg x5x2
45kg x5x2
50kg x5
57.5kg x3x5
Emphasis on landing in place and speeding up the elbows, did well on that front. Still snapping my head back, and viewing the tape I see I was setting up with my shoulders forward of the bar, which accounts for most of the form problems that popped up at workset weight. Some sore elbows from catching a few elbows down, sore rhomboids from the really sloppy first workset. Absolutely could not get that last rep of the last set, so will do 57.5kg again.
Yesterday afternoon, recuperating from the PCs of the day before, I got told I needed to do the "mock" PFT this morning at 0600. Sonuvabitch!
The numbers were nothing great, 45 pushups, 75 situps, and the elliptical equivalent of a really slow run. But the kicker was bodyfat taping: 17.5" neck, 40" waist, for 22% bodyfat.
My first day in the six month Fitness punishment program, and I'm already in standards. Great, just great. Now I have to "show progress" by continuing to lose at least 1% bodyfat per month, which is either my neck getting 1/2" larger or my waist getting 1/2" smaller each month. Easily do-able, but frustrating as Hell to still be stuck in this program until October.
So tired yesterday PM didn't do the squats, bench as sked. But the morning PT session was left open, so did my squats and DL and will do the bench when I get home.
Squats
45x5x2
95x5x2
145x3
195x2
225x5x3
Woo-hoo back to two wheels a side! Still working on the form, but I don't think I did the dip and dive like I did a two sessions ago. No video, I refuse to be filmed in that ghey Navy PT uniform.
DL
135x5x2
165x5x2
195x3
225x2
265x5
Careful readers of my log, who are legion, will see the goof immediately--But O, you jumped 20 lbs in the DL! Why, yes, yes I did. I didn't check the online log and remembered the last session as 255. EFFIN' HEAVY it was, but I held on to the bar double overhand with no hook grip and still pulled it off. If I progress on the PCs on Tuesday as planned, will try for another ten to 275 next week. I still think I was too timid with the DL the first time around, I should be comfortably over 315. Plus this one today felt damned near like my PR at 295 felt, so getting used to nearly TFH will be good for me.
Much later...
The bench mentioned above never happened. I can see quickly that recovery is going to be the 600lb gorilla of my new existence.
Yesterday, I planned to do the FEP in the morning and lift in the afternoon. But instead of steady-state low-intensity cardio for FEP, we got dances with dumbbells, little aerobic dumbbells, to include poor form squats, presses, "roof raisers," truly silly and poofy stuff. Then the petty officer said, "Four of you failed your mock PRT last week (the one that I handled easily on no notice), so I'm going to have to whip you into shape." With everyone in running shoes, he started us doing wind sprints on the basketball court, half-courts, quarter- and three-quarter courts, full courts. I tried, and quickly decided safety was priority and stopped, jogging when necessary. Too late. By then the left leg injury that had plagued me for four years before beginning lifting was re-aggravated. The group went outside to do 440 laps, alternating with push-ups, jumping jacks, sit-ups, etc., between laps. I just kept walking.
But by last night it caught up with me, the squat/press/chins were cnx'd, and I got very little sleep as the leg ached all night long. Avoiding the NSAIDs, want to avoid cortisone which is the only possible treatment. Supposed to do PCs today, I'll test it, but suspect I'll just do the press and chins to save the leg. Soonest I can see the doc is tomorrow.
I can't begin to say how much this irritates me, because this was an entirely avoidable injury.
Press:
45
60
72
90
110x5x4x4
Both missed reps I just couldn't get the bar high enough to get under it, wasted a lot of energy with heavy bars too far from my face. Just not a good form day, otherwise might have made it. It was greedy, but I'll nail it next week.
Chins
Green band, 5th hole 10x3 alternating sides
Got to the doc today, discussed a lot of things. He tested relative strength of left v right leg, left leg was definitely weaker. I was impressed that he had read that big fat medical record of mine back nearly ten years. Should be a good working relationship and he exempted me from all the stupid stuff that gets done in FEP. Now if I can get the chief to let me program myself, we'll be all set.
Nice to have a rest day. Hopefully can pull off squats and bench tomorrow, looking forward to pulling on Friday. Should I try for 275? Only 20lbs less than my PR, but that's another "greedy" 10lb gain, maybe it's time to back off to 5lb gains, especially after scrapping PCs this week.
Robert Callahan
07-01-2010, 01:25 PM
Got to the doc today, discussed a lot of things. He tested relative strength of left v right leg, left leg was definitely weaker. I was impressed that he had read that big fat medical record of mine back nearly ten years. Should be a good working relationship and he exempted me from all the stupid stuff that gets done in FEP. Now if I can get the chief to let me program myself, we'll be all set.
Nice to have a rest day. Hopefully can pull off squats and bench tomorrow, looking forward to pulling on Friday. Should I try for 275? Only 20lbs less than my PR, but that's another "greedy" 10lb gain, maybe it's time to back off to 5lb gains, especially after scrapping PCs this week.
Nice having a decent doc :)
I would play it by ear with the DL. If squatting doesn't bug the leg injury then you could probably go for the 10lb jump, but if the leg is still acting up I would err on the side of caution.
PS that cage looks pretty sweet!
Robert, you emerged from your shadows!
Yes, he's a good doc, looks pretty strong himself, none of this "stop squatting" business. He's Air Force, has similar problems with guys who train hard but then get told they have to do unit runs, usually to their detriment, so he's sympathetic.
I've stayed off the leg, trying to give it time to recover. There is no healing it, just avoid re-hurting it and give it time.
Bench
45x5x2
60x5x2
75x3
90x2 Where I realized I'd worked out the numbers wrong, so...
105x2
125x5x3 Not too heavy, but haven't benched in a while, working out the right heights for the safeties. Turned the bench around so the raised part for the seat is under my neck, I felt the left a lot more in the neck muscles and less pain in the upper traps so I think I'll stick with it for now.
DL
134
173
203
233
270
My usual comedy routine mixing lbs and kgs, but it worked out right in the end. Warm-up vid clearly showed shoulders forward of the bar at set-up, corrected with more squeezing up of the chest, looks decent in the vid posted in technique. Used hook grip throughout, not painful but it felt heavy.
Just squats today.
45
95
145
195
230
Vid posted in technique, better than before but still needing work. I thought after yesterday's DLs this would seem hard, but two things aided recovery--three days of 10 hours sleep (hooray for the 4th of July weekend), and not squatting in ten days. No effects from the left leg injury, so jerry rigging the sked to catch everything up by Friday. Will try PCs tomorrow, a day of rest, press and chins on Thursday, squats and DL on Friday.
Nothing today. Less than five hours sleep last night, up at 4 for FEP, only walked about 1.5 miles rather than my usual 2, dragging all day. 3 hour nap this afternoon, no PCs, back to bed very shortly. I've neglected sleep for far too long, this is crushingly convincing proof.
I can't remember what happened in between 6 and 10 July.
DL on 10 Jul, usual workups to 275, followed by 4 mins of 30/30 tabata on the elliptical.
Squat
45
95
145
195
235
I think I've figured out the form thing, video with no/light weight shows the bar moving vertically (except the very top, where it moves back slightly, I think because it's light). Not so pretty at higher weights, but now I know where the focus needs to go. Loud pop in right knee at one point, lots of follow-on pops, some soreness today but nothing bad.
Press
45
65
80
95
110
Got it this time, but it was ugly. Despite the video showing what looks like me pushing the bar behind me, I think it's actually over my feet, just my long torso moving forward makes it look odd. Strangely, when I lost momentum in the work sets, starting from the bottom worked well. Just didn't have good body tightness today.
Chins, 2x10, green band at 5th hole, bounced the first set, made the second set all dead hang starts.
Morning
DL
135
175
215
255
280
10 lbs to old PR
Met Ignacio at the gym today, who competed in weightlifting for three years. Interesting to discuss different approaches to cleans, snatches, hang pulls with him, but he also thinks my 280 DL is pretty strong, where I'm thinking it's pretty weak. Good guy to know.
No lifting to report, but began running again during the morning FEP. 4x100m runs spaced out as I walked the laps. Hard rolling of the legs afterwards, lots of aches and advisories but nothing too bad. A step towards restoring running. Bump up to 200m runs shortly.
Nearly two weeks of no lifting. Too many balls in the air. Running 200m at a time now, next are 400m runs. Running still feels outright foreign to me. I'm way too heavy to lope, way too slow to actually call what I'm donig running, but the legs are adapting. Foam rolling has been a lifesaver for my knees.
Deadlift
135
175
215
265
285
Only five from tying my PR. Feeling damned heavy today, 5-10 seconds between reps getting breath and reset, hook grip held. I definitely had some upper back rounding. I did 290 before with alternate grip, I'd like to do it this time with hook grip, but boy, I can feel the difference.
Robert Callahan
08-01-2010, 06:39 PM
Nice work on the deadlifts man. I don't know how you can hook grip that heavy, when i try it feels like my thumbs are going to get torn off... oh well
hey i finally started myself a training journal on here, so feel free to stop by and check it out :)
Robert, I'd visit your training log if I could find it. Went through all your recent posts, no joy. I'd send you an email but you never read your emails.
I realized today I'm losing ground. I'm not really losing weight, my lipid profile has gone all to Hell, my T levels have been measured as pretty damn low but the doc won't budge on it until the cholesterol goes down, and if you were to drop the PT test on me today, you'd get downright crappy numbers. I cling to the DL because it's the only remaining link to sanity. I have to squat tonight, no matter how painful. I need to use the GHD again as well. And Ignacio is willing to teach me the oly lifts. I'm turning into one of those guys for whom iron is the only consistent thing in my life.
No squats for two weeks, back today for 225. Not at all heavy, but wanted to work on the form, I think I've pretty much solved the bar forward thing, or at least I know what the problem is. Keep the hamstrings stretched, very tight upper back, gaze is now a dozen feet in front of me and slightly down, drive the hips up under the bar. Some reps at workset weight were hardly perfect, but I'd say all the warmups were there. Wish I could confirm with video, but the battery died as soon as I turned it on.
45
95
145
195
225
Was going to run this morning, but the rain kept me inside. The rest of the fatboys did "spin class" but I chose to press.
45
60
75
90
105
Waited for the cage for a long time for two guys doing 1/2 squats. I am not big, not by this group's standards, but it was interesting to see how much yoke I have compared to everyone else in the gym.
gamedog
08-04-2010, 04:50 PM
Nice press numbers, OITW :-)
Just out of curiosity, what's "yoke" mean? Been hearing it tossed around a lot.
Nice press numbers, OITW :-)
Just out of curiosity, what's "yoke" mean? Been hearing it tossed around a lot.
Thanks for the good word, but I'd like to see them up around 150, that's a long ways from here. Yoke refers to the neck, traps and to some extent the deltoids. The yoke doesn't get big if you don't do some pulling--DLs, clean and jerk, snatch, PCs, that sort of thing. I don't do much weight at all, plan to DL 290 tomorrow (tying my old PR), but compared to the rest of the gym rats I'm a monster off the floor.
gamedog
08-05-2010, 03:30 PM
Thanks for the good word, but I'd like to see them up around 150, that's a long ways from here. Yoke refers to the neck, traps and to some extent the deltoids. The yoke doesn't get big if you don't do some pulling--DLs, clean and jerk, snatch, PCs, that sort of thing. I don't do much weight at all, plan to DL 290 tomorrow (tying my old PR), but compared to the rest of the gym rats I'm a monster off the floor.
Ah! That's what I thought! ... LOL my wife balked when the kid a JC Penney measured my neck and it came out at 19 inches. "It's gonna be impossible to fine you dress shirts you're comfortable in!" she yelled LOL I'd like bigger traps, hopefully one day ;-)
Now, as to your press... I remember I had to reset mine a few times and then I got up to 120 and it was like "BLAMMO!!!" and I was off to the races. Before I knew it I got to 150. Of course, when THAT happened I had to reset yet again... BUT, it WILL happen for you if you keep at it. I'll keep checking back with ya to keep up, and good luck with the 290 dead lift tomorrow, get in there and kill it!
It's Friday, deadlift day!
135
175
215
255
290x5
Damned heavy, but it seemed like less rounding than last time. OH grip for warmups, hook grip for last WU and work set. After setting up for the work set I realized I wasn't feeling very "intense," so I started to psych myself up, stamp on the floor, extend my arms forward over the bar, chant, made animal sacrifices, etc. No reaction from the gloves-and-purse set who were all over the gym this morning. I grabbed the bar, got my breath, set, squeeze--"F&CK YOU YOU F*CKIN' F#CK YOU'RE F*CKIN' MINE F@CKER," followed by a huge bang as I "set" the bar back down. Out of my peripheral vision I saw the glove boys staring wide-eyed like squirrels caught in the headlights. No more cursing but lots more banging until I'd finished. A few minutes later, still sweating and panting while seated on a bench, one of them said, "Hey, I understand the need for shouting and noise, but the obscenity isn't called for." For a split second I thought of smart-assed comebacks, but then just raised my hand and said, "Sorry, didn't mean to bother you." He pranced off shortly afterward and didn't return.
gamedog, my sticking point on the press is right around 112.5-115, hope to bust through that shortly.
On Friday I pretty much kicked over to straight Paleo, no dairy, to see if I can crack the nut on weight. Other than avoiding a few foods that weren't key to begin with, the only real change is dairy. What will be interesting after a month is to see if any of those wonderful changes Robb claims will happen--will happen.
I've been looking at getting a prowler or having something like that built (I want the pushing, not just the pulling), but the cost seems high. Last week at my son's rugby "camp" I tried pushing their sleds, real bastards on wet grass. It was bear wrestling, not pushing, and the bear won. Today I noticed what I believe are for kicking practice, bit white screens mounted on metal frames on wheels with cement bins added for weight. Not awfully heavy and they rolled too easily once moving, so I contented myself with short drives from the dead stop, and with pushing both upright and from down low. Not bad, but then one of the ruggers pointed out two rollers in harnessed rig, that I thought needed a machine to drive. Oh, no, there were pads in the back. Like anything that rolls it gets easier as you go (have to keep it slow to keep inertia working against you, not for you), but it was a heavy bastard. I need to figure a way to pull it, but it's a monster to push so I think I have my sled-based metcon figured out, every Sunday morning.
Robert Callahan
08-10-2010, 03:53 PM
I have found success with the paleo thing, hopefully it works well for you! Ill be interested to see how the sled goes. I have been trying to run hills and have been sucking wind. I think I need to add another day of running in to work it a bit more but we shall see if i have the time or energy for that :)
Well, I'm hungry most of the time with grains and dairy entirely off the table, but I'm trying. I only weigh myself on Fridays, will see if there's any difference by then.
Running day, did 1.5 miles alternating 200m walk 200m run, walked another .5 to make 2 miles. It's getting easier, would be even more easy if I weighed less. However, knees and other aches are much less, I'm amazed at the difference foam rolling makes.
Finished with 4x 10 pushups, 10 secs between sets, just to keep them in the game.
gamedog
08-11-2010, 02:54 PM
Well, I'm hungry most of the time with grains and dairy entirely off the table, but I'm trying. I only weigh myself on Fridays, will see if there's any difference by then.
Running day, did 1.5 miles alternating 200m walk 200m run, walked another .5 to make 2 miles. It's getting easier, would be even more easy if I weighed less. However, knees and other aches are much less, I'm amazed at the difference foam rolling makes.
Finished with 4x 10 pushups, 10 secs between sets, just to keep them in the game.
That's a nice pushup scheme right there. Good running, too. I believe that that kind of running is the way were were designed to (go-go-go, slow-slow-slow, go-go-GO!) it's good for you!
Have you considered anything else for your fat burning goals? Perhaps farmer's walks or box jumps or somthing like that? I ask, because from what I've read, a lot of folks say that moving around with heavy things in your hands like you do when farmer's walking, and jumping and stuff give you the cardio you'd like and helps burn fat, but also discourages muscle loss...
gamedog, thanks for the interest. Sunday mornings will be sled metcon for the foreseeable future, but beyond that I'm not going to add weight while I move. I feel my weight when I run as it is. I'm not running intervals for intervals sake, but because I pretty much completely lost my ability to run due to some injuries. So when I run, I RUN, and then take my breath coming around the track, repeat. It's rebuilding a lost capacity, and I never liked running to begin with. The net workout (two miles) was about a half hour, so it shouldn't affect strength.
The push-ups was to tease like tabata, but not go all-out. When I get up to 8x10reps, then I'll add more reps, and then go for time.
Yesterday, first set of GHRs and GH situps (parallel) in a long time, x10 each just to refresh my muscles what it's like. Will add more. I did my best PT test situp (maxed) doing nothing but GH situps for my ab training.
This am, press
45
60
75
90
107
Again, not that hard, and even when the bar drifted a little forward I could still muscle it up.
Robert Callahan
08-13-2010, 06:38 PM
When you do your push-ups do you do them chest to ground, or the military style till your upper arm is parallel to the ground?
I ask because I am working them chest to ground right now because i figured it would be better to train more range of motion than less, and if i can max out the PFT with chest to ground, then half should be easy?
But the thing is they gas me out and my numbers are sucking. I am increasing the days i do push-ups on so maybe that will help.... we shall see :)
I find chest to the ground to put tremendous stress on my shoulders. I think you're shaped somewhat like me, but I have orangutang arms and the levers get very long. I'd recommend you stick with regular push-ups but be careful to insure good depth. Come test time there will be some allowance for slop.
Something a SEAL taught me a long time ago is to waste no energy on the negative--just drop into the bottom position and push off, kind of like clapping pushups. It takes a little to train to, but it makes sense when doing them for time. Experiment putting your hands closer to your stomach than you normally do, so that at the bottom you feel the load across your lats and rear delts. Things to experiment with that might work for you.
Pushed a "Richter Predator" back and forth 5x about 25 meters during my son's rugby practice, apparently quite a distraction to the little ones waiting their turn. Not as stiff this week as last week. Unfortunately, the club will be closed for the next two weeks for end of August holidays.
Ten days on Paleo (no dairy or grains), eating a lot more fruit and greens than I have ever done. Something feels different, but I can't put a finger on it yet. Will not weigh myself until Friday, that gives it two weeks to do some magic.
Also, at work today, ran up the stairs, no pain at all. I normally hoist one leg at a time up the stairs. So something is working right out of all this.
PM workout
Squat
45
95
145
195
230
Only 40% of my work reps were as good as I want them to be, but I think I've latched on to what I need to do--stretch hamstrings, keep back TIGHT, drive the hips up under the bar (feels like leaning back but it's not). When I do that, the bar path is vertical.
Did 3x8reps curlz @55lbs. I hate to admit it, but without the looks you've got no cred around here.
2x10 GHR, GH situps. These nailed me last week, adding them back in because they work.
On the 17th I did my morning walk, about 1.75 miles.
Rested yesterday. Sleep, baby, sleep.
20 mins low intensity on the elliptical today, then over to the squat cage where I waited behind someone actually doing full-depth squats. Afterwards I pressed.
45
60
75
90 (I think)
110
First set OK, second set took some grinding, but some crap in the weight room got me PO'd enough that the last set was on fire. Tomorrow, back to the deadlift.
PR!
First in a long time. Deadlift
135
175
215
255
295
Funny that 255 felt just a bit heavy. 295, however, was a ton. Weight room was weird today, Warface was grunting loudly with every rep of his 135lb press (you know he can't see his legs in the mirror because they most closely resemble kindling wood). A strange guy was in the rack, but at least he was doing pulls so I didn't hassle him. The Bobbsey Twins were back doing calf raises on the Sally and then leg presses--oh, they kept telling each other how they could barely walk when they get done, but they, too, have shaved kindling for legs.
First rep hard but done, second and third reps had really deteriorating form, so I made myself lock it up for rep 4. But they were all slow and beat the sh*t out of me, and rep 5 only came up three inches or so. I dropped it, cursed loudly (screw the Bobbsey Twins). I took 30 seconds, caught my breath, went back for rep 5 and got it. I'm calling it a good set, but the easy 5lb gains are about done. I'd like to get to 315 that way, but the rowing has gotten a lot rougher.
This is the end of week 2 of Paleo, supposed to be the worst point. Not seeing any returns yet, still weighed 232. That was a downer after the PR, but I'll keep at it for a month.
Robert Callahan
08-21-2010, 06:31 PM
Congrats on the PR :) getting closer and closer to 315
Congrats on the PR :) getting closer and closer to 315
Grazie. Amazing I never thought of alternating grip at the time. That might get me to 315 or more before ending the linear gains.
PR!
This is the end of week 2 of Paleo, supposed to be the worst point. Not seeing any returns yet, still weighed 232. That was a downer after the PR, but I'll keep at it for a month.
Not that you asked, but I decided to eat a strict Paleo diet earlier this year. I did it for three and a half weeks before throwing in the towel. It shaved a good 15 or 20 pounds off my squat and left me feeling exhausted early during workouts. I attribute this largely to the satiety induced by the diet. There are few dense sources of carbs, and protein and veggies fill you up. Without milk, I was unable to keep the calories high enough to sustain my training. Consuming lots of coconut milk all the time for calories loses its charm, too. I'm no longer a fan of Paleo for my training needs, although I see its value for some people. Your results may vary and I hope that they are better than mine.
TomC, honored you'd waste the time looking at my log. I realized I haven't been as strict as I thought because I always start the day with a shake of Carnation instant breakfast, whose main ingredient is powdered milk, and about 50g of whey. Just didn't dawn on me until two days ago. What I want out of paleo is cosmetics--I need to get that waistline gut to go down, and it's not budging. Reduced calories, morning walks, extra aerobics--it's not budging. I think I know the cause, but the doc is not supporting me because my LDL numbers are too high. If paleo reduces either the waist or the LDL numbers, I'll be happy (and yes, I'm aware that paleo often increases the overall LDL numbers, but for the next test I'm demanding a count of the fluffies and dense).
Grains were minimal before paleo, but I drank quite a bit of milk. So all in all there hasn't been much change in my diet other than a boosting of green vegetables. Still, the only noticeable difference so far is an increase in indigestion, which is either the boost in fish oil or coconut milk talking. Which in itself doesn't bode well at this point.
Heavy rains this morning so no walk, so an easy 1000m on the rower in the garage instead.
6 days, found this on the third page. A little travel and other discontinuities. Now in week 4 of Paleo, let's just say the pounds aren't melting away. Gary Long wrote up a plan for me, starting implementation now with the objective of nailing the October PT test.
Objective one is sleep, getting it fixed, a minimum of seven hours and up to ten per night. The household isn't cooperating on this one at all.
Today:
2x10 GHRs
2x10 GHS
Usual 500m warmup on the rower
Lots and lots of PCs, 35, 45, 55kgs, 3 rep sets. Just trying to get the form down again, not snap my head, get my elbows under (remembering Starr's note that the elbows have to go out to get there), land in place. Not a stellar performance. I rarely caught the bar elbows down, but nothing felt solid or in place. I widened my grip about 1.5 inches each side, but that didn't see to help anything. Bar kept leaving the thigh not far above the knee.
Ate supper, then a 2 mile walk, shower and bed.
Oh, Happy Day!
A while back I asked the good Major Ryan Long for some suggestions on my own plan. I started implementing his plan yesterday because it's ideal for continuing strength training while building towards a max performance Navy PFT. So off to the gym this afternoon, a beautiful sunny day in England, and ran 4x 440 yards, not having run anything longer than a 220 since Rip was in short pants. I need to shoot for a 12:00 1.5 mile, = 2:00 440, so that was my target with 4 mins rest in between.
1:50
1:50
1:55
2:00 I was pretty impressed that I made those times.
Then a tabata for push-ups, got the local USAF PT lady to count for me. Mind you, she's a trainer, and had never heard of a tabata.
26
15
9
7
6
3
quit That first 20 seconds seemed awwwfffffullllly long, but she swore it was only 20, so I'll live with it. The last half-dozen reps were so ugly it didn't seem worth continuing. Coming off PCs yesterday, I'm going to feel it tomorrow.
But the big news... is that I got on the scale before going out to run. 228, down 4 lbs from about 12 days before. I hope this means something is starting to click.
And to do it I've been a bad boy. I've been skipping the Navy mandatory FEP for the last two weeks in order to sleep, and it's been paying off. I'm taking leave after tomorrow, another nearly two weeks of training myself. The rugby club opens again this weekend, meaning I can resume pushing the roller for metcon as well. Finally, it seems that things may be turning. I'll stick with paleo so long as I keep seeing the results.
Went for the big 300lbs in the DL today.
500m on the rower for warmup
135
178
225
266
301 x3 then fail
Some of the numbers are odd, mixing pounds and kilos. Rechecking my math I see it was one pound heavier than I calculated yesterday (135kg plus 4lbs). Form held well until the third rep, but I can clearly see the back lever being lost. When I dropped the fourth rep my outer pecs hurt like Hell for about ten minutes.
But after that failure I got into my heavy belt and cinched it at the second hole for the first time in over a year, so the weight (and size) loss continues.
Bench
45
70
95
115
135
First bench in God knows how long, tough but obviously achievable. Not as tight as I need to be.
100 reps in 25 rep sets of neck raises with that silly skull harness.
And then the usual long delay without much. I know I lifted once since the DL, but don't remember any of the particulars.
500m warmup on C2
10x GHR
10x GHS
Squat:
45
95
145
195
225
Bloody heavy after such a long layoff. My son was watching me, so dammit, I chugged out every rep.
Press (just mucking around)
45
80 (cuz I really miscalculated)
62.5
80 again
95 3 reps
10x GHR
10x GHS
100 neck raises (25x per set)
My lower back is very sore today.
Morning walk.
Pushed the predator around the rugby pitch again, 6x about 30 yards each way.
PT test is one month away, all focus now is on continuing to lose weight and build endurance, strength will have to take a back seat.
Robert Callahan
09-19-2010, 11:39 PM
Morning walk.
Pushed the predator around the rugby pitch again, 6x about 30 yards each way.
PT test is one month away, all focus now is on continuing to lose weight and build endurance, strength will have to take a back seat.
Good luck with the PT! Hope the paleo is going well :) Sorry I havn't been around, school is taking up most of my waking hours these days. in fact i need to update my log, maybe I will go do that... :)
Just running today, an 880 in , 440 in and . On Thursday two 880s and two 440s, just building up. Felt pretty good all in all. It's not like I'm overtraining, but having rediscovered sleep I swear by the stuff. On the scale I'm down another lb to 227, with the added cardio hope to beat that down near 220 by weigh-in, from there I can dehydrate to the weight limit, 211. I'm still doing the neck exercises, just in case.
When I look in a mirror, I can see the difference in my midsection--fat is leaving the handles and just staying in the middle. I'm a-thinking this is less Paleo than sleep, as the cortisol is dropping. It's slow but in the right direction.
Your inbox is full. But...
Thanks, but I just can't fit a cage in my garage. I thought I could a while ago, but I didn't measure in the right place. Where I thought I could fit, will interfere with the door. So it's only stands. But thanks, I'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on some stands.
Weigh-in this morning for the last mock PRT before the test. Next week is the real weigh-in, week after the real test, so as of Thursday, FEP is done! SH!
Forgot to put in a running workout from last week. 3 laps, 2 laps, bunch of singles. Problem was lap times were averaging 2:15-20 per lap, not good enough for a good PT test, so I'll do the elliptical again.
As for the weigh in, had to fight to get 74" again, no matter since I weighed 227 (I dropped five in two weeks, and now it's frozen again). Monkey-shit taping gave me a 16 neck, after I bitched it went up to 16.5, but waist was consistently 37.5, down 1.5 since last taping. Which by the book makes me 19% bodyfat.
I am so looking forward to lifting heavy and chowing down in three weeks.
No reason to post till now, haven't been lifting anything, just trying to get 90s skinny.
Official PRT weigh-in just completed, 221 lbs at 74", 16.5" neck and 36.5" waist. Half-ass paleo seems to be working, those numbers put BF at 18%. Just need to pass the test tomorrow and we're golden.
Rugby practice, for the first time, with the local Rugby Union club tomorrow night.
and then the surgeries begin on Friday, starting with a dental implant. Should be able to start lifting next week.
A thoroughly mediocre PT test, but passed and done. The long national nightmare is over!
Off to rugby tonight, I hope I don't regret this.
ivankannan
10-14-2010, 12:01 PM
Good job!
I don't understand any of the exercises you have mentioned : GHR, GHS??
Whats the deal with the neck size?
Ivan, it's been discussed in military threads. Put on muscle, you go over height/weight limits, then you have to be measured (taped) to meet standards. The bigger your neck size, the more leeway around the waistline.
GHR is glute ham raise, GHS is glute ham situp. The first is a powerlifting exercise for building hamstring/glute strength, go see EliteFTS for example, the second is a Crossfit thing that has put guys in the hospital but I think is very valuable if done smartly. Both require a glute-ham bench, which I had in my old base gym (surprise!) and which I was lucky to find very cheap on Ebay.
221 lbs at 74", 16.5" neck and 36.5" waist. Half-ass paleo seems to be working, those numbers put BF at 18% may not seem like much, but when the Navy called me fat I had a 16" neck, 39" waist at 239 lbs, which was 24% BF by its calculations. I didn't make a dent in those numbers until I started paleo, but that's what brought the waistline down.
Robert Callahan
10-16-2010, 07:28 PM
Great work man! Yeah the paleo thing is pretty effective. I went to a research talk given by a doc who actually talked about paleo and was pretty up to snuff on his nutrition info. He said liked to recommend the "Mediterranean diet" with a paleo twist in that you restrict the grains and try to go gluten free. Either way it is nice to see some science coming through with what has been working in the trenches :)
Dunno. Picked up my latest lab work this AM, as usual the labs did it all wrong again. There were only two solid pieces of information in it, one was my CRP being over 3. That's not good, and needs to be figured out. I've done half-assed paleo to this point, but I've got to go strict now to see if I can figure out where the inflammation is coming from.
Re-acquainted myself with the bar today.
Squat
45
95
145x3
195x2
In other words, the warm-up but no work sets. I'd planned on 205 for a work set, but I'll feel this enough tomorrow that 205 can wait until Wednesday.
Press
45
57
68x3
78x2
100x5x2
I could have done a 3rd set, but I opted for discretion and supper was already on the grill.
ivankannan
10-19-2010, 12:53 AM
I have already lost 6lbs within 10 days now and my strength levels are almost the same, except today it was hard to complete the last set of Squats, mostly because I didn't eat well today, which also brings another point that its getting very difficult to find stuff to eat!! Lot of the weight loss must be water weight but I notice my tummy is smaller. I have been reading more stuff I realize how unhealthy I have been all this time, especially accumulating so much abdominal fat in the name of bulking.
Today I was hungry and didn't have many options to eat and I was having all these fond memories of good food I used to eat. I miss rice and bread already :( I am not craving and I am confident about my mental strength, so no worries about breaking paleo. The problem is finding food to eat!
Another thing is that I need to put on muscle. I might lose maximum of 12lbs more after which I need to start putting on some mass. I am not sure how effective Paleo is in regards to gaining muscle like the way conventional bulking is (even though I didn't gain a whole lot of muscle earlier due to high cortisol. I had probably gained like 10lbs of muscle and 15+lbs of fat last time).
As far as my sleep is concerned, I actually felt very sleepy today. Don't know why. Yesternight I just woke up once. But the overall trend is that my daytime drowsiness is slightly better. I had bought curtains and realized how bright my room used to be earlier, like about only 80% dark, now its like 95% dark but not fully dark. Probably will change the curtains to better ones.
manisstrong
10-19-2010, 01:20 AM
^ lol wrong thread?
ivankannan
10-19-2010, 10:44 AM
^ lol no.
OITW is like my mentor in Paleo dieting, so I 'reported' to him about my progress so far. I was messaging him before but now I thought its ok to post in his thread.
Edit: I forgot to mention that I bought Robb's book (long back!) and have been listening to the podcasts.
Ivan, I don't know that I'm much of a mentor, just a pointer.
On the eating: eat fruit and nuts, eat big servings of meat and vegetables. Berries, melons, Sunflower butter, almond butter for fats, just eat till you've had enough. There are tons of "paleo" recipes on the net and a good starter set in Robb's book. You want to grow, so eat till you've had enough and then a little more. A little white rice or corn once a week is okay and goes a long way (look at KSC's log, he's on a tight lo-carb diet with dashes of white rice, and he is not underperforming). When your body stops burning carbohydrates and shifts to ketones, you won't like it, but you'll get better.
One thing that Robb Wolf obsesses on that I don't think matters is strength to weight. As Rip has noted, gravity doesn't care how much you weigh, only how much weight is on the bar. That's all you need to worry about, how much weight you're lifting. As for bulking, there are a lot of paleo bodybuilders pushing the grain-fed beef, less so milk because of its tendency to make everything grow. If they can "bulk" that way, you will, too, so long as you lift and eat.
Sleep will get better. Remember not to eat before bed, give it at least two hours if not up to four. Same with alcohol, have a glass of wine with dinner and then stop.
And then lift heavy weights, and eat until you're a little more than sated to recover and grow. Lift heavy things.
ivankannan
10-19-2010, 01:56 PM
Actually (at this point) I don't care how much I lift but I want to weigh more! My frame is pretty small so if I weigh around 170lbs at say 10% BF, that will be relatively huge for me and then I will bother about pushing the limit. But for that goal I need to gain like 30lbs of lean muscle.
Right now my schedule is tight, I go and lift at 6 or 7pm and reach home by 8 or 9pm. I finish eating by 10pm and then try to go to bed at 11 or 11:30pm. It sux but don't know what to do. May be I will shift to morning workouts but only if I am able to wake up at 6am and be able to sleep at 10pm. Probably it will take some time. Yesterday was bad, I woke up like 5 times probably because I slept with full stomach. And I don't drink alcohol (pretty much teetotalitarian).
But yeah right now I am on pretty much on a keto diet (not eating fruits) and will start adding them (may be a bit of other stuff) after few weeks. I will get into full gear bulking mode after a month and I am excited!
Took a long break after that nonsense, nothing but rugby once a week. Hard to get psyched to work out when it's dark at 1600, but did it today, turned on the heat lamp in the garage and did a little work.
Squats
45
85
125
165
205 x5x2
Weight wasn't much, but I felt really lightheaded after the first set, dizzy to nauseous after the second set. Figured that was a good clue that while my body remembered how to squat that miniscule weight, some re-adaptation is necessary.
ivankannan
11-15-2010, 11:52 PM
Could you free up your inbox a bit, I couldn't pm you..
Bench. Never been much at it, 150/155 PR, but never missed a rep, either (aiming low, I guess) until today. Good thing I'm just working my way back into it.
45
70
95
115
135 2 reps then I got to test my safeties (worked fine). It didn't feel heavy, it just didn't move.
then back to
115 x5x3
This will correct itself soon enough.
Lotta stiffness from Monday's squats, but not too bad. Deadlift today. Probably should have shaved a little more than 10% off of my last (failed) set... two months ago. Throughout I concentrated on starting the pull with the shoulders forward of the bar and not giving up any knee angle without moving the bar up, but I did find the bar forward of my shins quite a bit, and also concentrated on using the lats to keep the bar in.
40kg warmup just for form, 5x2
135
170
205
240
270 x2
240 x3
240 didn't seem too much, but 270 was too much, and after 270 I was all but passing out standing up. I sat down for 2-3 minutes, came back to try 270, barely cleared the floor. Again, extremely lightheaded. Stripped the bar back to 240, finished 3 more reps, and actually felt nauseous, like I did after the squats on Monday. When I first did SS, it used to knock me on my ass, like now, but I got past it. I've obviously lost something, whether it's anaerobic capacity or CNS resilience, that will take a little time to come back. Disappointed I didn't make the 270, but I'll make 260 across next time out, I'm certain.
Rugby. The main club was there, so played and trained with the big boys for much of it. The training pitch has gotten muddy as Hell as the autumn has wore on. I'm slowly understanding more of what's going on, that helps. Rolled my legs before going, felt good while there, just a little soreness in the knees, but after nearly two straight hours of "touch" rugby, oh man am I feeling it. I'll be a true gimp tomorrow after everything tightens up overnight.
Incredible freakin' soreness. My knees held up through the rugby practice, but as soon as I stopped moving they started aching. Hamstrings are so tight. Barely slept last night. Put off squats till tomorrow, give the legs good stretching and rolling today. I can barely walk though, the stiffness is so bad from my hips on down. Classic example of NOT taking some time to work back into it and paying the price.
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