23 Nov 2015 - Finishing up the week

20 Nov 
0740 hrs

Hill Climber Elliptical 
Intervals 30 sec On x 1.5 min Off X 20 min
KB swings 8 x 8 x 53 (30 sec Rest)
Rolling Triceps 4 x 8 x 20 lbs
Chest Supported Db Shrugs 
1 x 11 x 20
1 x 11 x 30
1 x 11 x 40
1 x 11 x 50
1 x 11 x 45
1 x 11 x 40

Rest was to the Db Rack and back. A few sets were in between sets of tricep work. The angle i was using is what i have been looking for to stretch out my traps. Due to the side i sleep on I have had issues on and off with my right shoulder. This may be another piece of the puzzle.  I will keep working this movement on this same bench for a few weeks to see how things play out.

20 Nov 
1810 hrs

Plate Front Raise 1 x 50 x 25 lbs
Band Pull-a-parts 1 x 30 x Red EFS Band
For the band pull-a-parts i put my spine right against the squat cage post. Seemed to give me a little more feed back to engage my mid back better.

Db Floor Press (30 sec Rest between all sets)
1 x 8 x 30
1 x 8 x 40
8 x 8 x 60
All reps as fast as possible while remaining tight through my upper back. Legs straight out not bent.

V-bar Rows 3 x 20 x 100
T-Bar Rows 3 x 15 x 75 (close, wide, med grips)

Completed throughout the session:
Head Harness 3 x 15 x 35 lb
Hip Ext 2 x 10 (L&R)
McGill Sit up 3 x 20
Supermans 3 x 10

Finished Up with:
Weighted Ab Pulldowns 
1 x 13 x 120
2 x 13 x 150
EFS Strap Pulldowns 3 x 13 x 140 lbs (30 sec rest)

21 Nov
1820 hrs

Scorpions 3 x 10
GHR 3 x 10
Back Ext
1 x 10 x Bar
3 x 10 x 50

With how things have gone with my back this week I am happy and thinking this went well. I capped it this week at three work sets instead of the planned 5 because I could tell things were starting to tire out.

Pull Up Hang 30 sec Hang x 2 reps

Finished up the session with Wide Bar Face Pulls, Rope Curls, Superman's, Bosu Crunch, Banded Side /Front step, Side Plank's, Bird Dog's, Lying Hip Extensions, and lasty a little bit of power breathing. Something else I know helps with Heart Burn and feels good through the abs when they are stiff and sore.

"Control your Breath and you control your Fear." -Rickson Gracie.

22 Nov
1805 hrs

Shrugs (30 sec rest)
1 x 21 x 135
8 x 8 x 225
Upright Rows (30 Sec rest) 8 x 8 x 135

Plate Raise 100 reps x 25 lbs (in as few sets as Possible)
Band Pull-A-Parts 75 reps x Red band (similar to EFS Pro Mini/ As few sets as Possible)
I used the squat cage upright again for the band pull-a-parts. My Shoulders were super pumped after the plate raises.
Hammer Curls 
1 x 13 x 40
1 x 15 x 35
1 x 17 x 30
1 x 19 x 25 (Last Rep hold Contraction for 5-10 sec)
1 x 21 x 20 (Last rep hold Contraction for as long as possible 20+sec)
Single Leg Hip Bridge  2 x 20
Bird Dogs 2 x 12

Super Set 
Bosu Sit Ups 1 x 21
Bosu Plank 1 x 15+sec (wobble the board as much as possible, make the abs cramp quickly)
Plans had to change for this session the gym was out of bounds because of Basketball. So I adapted and did some simple trap work instead.

23 Nov 
1450 hrs

Stair Climber Elliptical (Plate Carrier ON)
Warm Up: 5 min x avg pace 5.5 - 5.8 /2 min rest
10 min x avg pace 5.5 - 5.8 /5 min rest
10 min x avg pace 5.5 - 5.8
Rolling Triceps 6 x 8 x 30 lbs
Chest Supported Db Shrugs 1 x 50 x 20 lbs
ITWY 1 x 11 x 3 lbs

Short Conditioning session in the apartment gym. Plate Carrier added that little bit extra. Good sweat session. Heart racing. Lungs Burning.

Keep Moving Forward, Keep Your Fundamentals, Keep Getting Strong(er)

19 Nov 2015 - Fundamentals and consistency are key...

9 Nov
1810 hrs

Shots of this first thing in the am are good for your soul.

Back Ext 3 x 13 x Bodyweight
GHR 3 x 11 x Bodyweight
Head Harness
1 x 17 x 25 lbs
1 x 17 x 35
1 x 15 x 45
1 x 13 x 50
1 x 34 x 25
Face Pulls (long pause at contraction) 3 x 17 x 60 lbs
BB Push Ups /Fat Man Rows /Bosu Sit UP 3 x 10
Weighted Ab Pulldowns 4 x 15 x 105
Neck Crunch 2 x 17 x 25
Hand Stand 1 x 5 count, 1 x 10 count

This was very much a recovery session. My Upper body was feeling a little tired and after the previous session of Back Ext this week I needed a little blood flow and traction. It felt good at the time but a hours later my hip seemed to not be so happy. Normal day i guess. I was using actual plates with the head harness and it seemed to shift the weight ever so slightly. I nice variation instead of the evenly weighted KB's.

10 Nov 
1800 hrs

Plate Raise 1 x 50 x 25 lbs
High Pulls
2 x 5 x Bar
3 x 3 x 135
2 x 1 x 185
1 x 3 x 165
1 x 3 x 155
1 x 3 x 115
2 High Pulls, 1 Clean, 1 Push Press
3 x 1 x 95
I walked into the gym feeling pretty fucking solid. Once I got to the 3rd set of 3 reps with 135 things to come unraveled. I tried one set of 185 but decided better of it. I only do these for fun so I am not too concentrated on the numbers.

Combo Db Press, Side Laterals, Rear Laterals 3 x 11 x 20 lbs
Just enough blood flow and muscle pump from these.

Chest Supported shrugs 3 x 17 x 50 lbs
Rope Curls 3 x 21 x 70 lbs
Hammer Curls 
1 x 14 x 40
1 x 11 x 40
1 x 5, 5, 5, 5 x 40, 30, 20, 10 lbs
Vbar Pull downs 3 x 17 x 165
Stir The Pot (abs) 2 x 5 clockwise, 5 counter clock

...Because graphs, and learning

11 Nov

1530 hrs

Elliptical Hill Climber 4 x 3 min x 5.5-5.7 avg pace

Brief and intense, enough to make me breathe hard and sweat. I did not want to take the whole day off today. If the apartment building had an Airdyne I would probably be doing a daily torture session on it. I also find intense conditioning sessions seems to alleviate the mild heart burn i get from Midnight shifts /Naproxen (not sure of the actual cause anymore)

12 Nov 
 0140 hrs

12 Nov

0140 hrs

Farmer's Walk (w/20lbs Plate Carrier) 10 x 20m x 90 lbs

Just the walks today. rest was long enough that I felt I could do another trip. in total this was under 10 min.

Shrugs (w/Plate Carrier & straps) 4 x 17 x 225 lbs

Grip was already fried. This did not feel all that heavy but I felt like I was not stabilizing properly through my low back. So I kept the weight lighter and pushed for a nice trap burn.

Weighted Ab Pull Down 

1 x 17 x 105

1 x 17 x 115

1 x 17 x 120

1 x 17 x 130

Slowly working the weight up on these. The machine I am doing them on is not ideal so balance is a slight issue but I still get what i need from the exercise. 

Box Dips (starting with feet on box /slightly above 90 deg) 4 x 5 x body weight

This session should have been the first indicator something was off in my low back. I Kept the weight low in the shrugs because my low back and lower abdominals had trouble getting and staying tight so things you could say were feeling loose. The weighted abs felt great and the Dips i did from the box because I find there is less shoulder irritation but the triceps work well and I always start and end with maximum tightness.

So the next few days I spent sleeping, Chopping wood, dog walks, and relaxing in the Sweat Lodge /hot room (aka my living room with the wood stove). I was honestly going to train on Monday afternoon. I swept the house, raked some leaves (very minimal). Then while at the grocery store I could feel my low back slowly sliding out. It was weird. By the time i got home (10-15 min later) I could barely get out of the car.

I suddenly had the back of a 90 yr old man. It was fantastic. I got up early Tuesday morning and took some Naproxen and Tylenol, which seemed to the trick. I was stiff and could not tilt my pelvis without pain but I was upright and able to walk around which seemed to help in short doses.

I made the drive back to the city and walking the dog upon arrival seemed to help. More Tylenol and then a flexoral at bed. I slept OK both Monday and Tuesday night. Woke up stiff and now as I write this Wednesday night after a nice "Clunk" this afternoon it feels better about 80% better. I see my physio on Friday so I can make it to then.

On the Up side I did train today.

18 Nov
0900 hrs

Fucking Hell Yeah! Going from barely able to stand and then training 2 days later. 

Warm ups: Pull-a-parts and Plate Raise x 3 sets of 15 reps
Bench
1 x 155 x 3
1 x 175 x 3
1 x 195 x 3
3 x 155 x 5

Single Arm Cable Rows (L/R No Rest until all sets completed)
8 x 8 x 60 lbs

I rowed these high up into the rib cage. Under control, now hard lean forward. I lightened the weight and simply pushed up the volume. I read an article about some "old school" hypertrophy set x rep scheme. I laughed I have not really done 8 x 8's since I was a teenager. Solid upper back pump.

Face Pulls 5 x 15 x 80 lbs
More Rear Delt /Upper back pump-i-tude.

Barbell Curl 1 x 87 x Bar
5 sec rest +13 more reps for the 100 rep total. Goal is to get back to 100 reps in one set.

Banded Pull downs 1 x 100 x EFS Monster Mini (Black)
Bosu Plank 2 x 20 count
This felt decent but a struggle since my back was slightly out still.

DB OH Press /Side Lateral /Rear Lateral
1 x 9 x 25
1 x 9 x 20
1 x 9 x 15

Finished up with foam rolling my left hip, quad, upper back. Then Hooked a heavier band up, put it under my arm pits and sat down, for a nice gentle traction of my T Spine hoping it would help things lower down my back.

The training session and movement led to my back re-adjusting later in the afternoon. Bingo!

19 Nov 
0910 hrs

Superman's 2 x 12 (6L/R)
So feeling about 70-80% with my back heading into the gym this was meant to be a calisthenic recovery session. Midway through my first set of Superman's i had a big Ker-clunk! in my low back and everything was set back into place! Great start to the day and the training session.

Pull Ups 4 x 3
Push Ups 4 x 13
Back Ext 4 x 7
Fat man Rows 4 x 13
Bosu Sit Ups 4 x 13
Neck Crunch  4 x 13 x 25lbs
Box Dips 4 x 4 reps

The Pull Up Volume builds. I have numbers in mind to rebuild my Silver Back Saturday. This session will happen weekly from now on and build as the Pull Ups build. Slow build of Volume back to a decent level again.

Feeling a little better now that my back is reset itself. I still see Physio tomorrow ask her to check it and my shoulder that i seem to incessantly sleep on. I am managing it but wondering if she ideas or guidance. Till Next Time.

Keep Moving Forward, Keep your Fundamentals, Keep Getting Strong(er)

08 Nov 2015 -Encouraging...

1 Nov 2015
0120 hrs

Warmed up then:
Rack Pulls 
1 x 3 x 275
8 x 1 x 275 (done at the top of every minute)
2 x 9 x 225 (reps for blood flow, make things feel better the next day)

All Rack Pulls done Double OH. To strengthen grip and to keep me honest. For now at least my grip fails before my Low back especially when doing rep work.

Neck Crunch 4 x 17 x 25 lbs

Finished Up with Wide Bar Seated Cable Rows, T-Bar Rows, Single Arm Cable Rows, lots of OH Tricep Extensions, Machine Rear Delt fly's, Preacher Curls (not going to full extension but far enough), and finally a few quick sets of back Ext with some Stir the Pot to cap things off

2 Nov 2015 
0215 hrs

**20 lbs Plate Carrier worn through out**
Farmer's Walk 
10 x 20m x 65lbs
Spiderman PushUps 5 x 5
Handstand / Push up 5 x 10ct / 1 rep
Shrugs (yes i was still wearing the Plate Carrier)
1 x 20 x Bar
1x 21 x 135
5 x 8 x 225
1 x 8,8,8 x 135 (Wide, Medium, Narrow Grips)

6 Nov
1005 hrs

Band Pull-a-parts & 25lbs Plate Raise  3 x 15 (warm up0
Bench (TM=221)
40%,50%,60% warm ups then
1 x 5 x 145
1 x 5 x 165
1 x 5 x 190
2 x 8 x 145
1 x 7 x 145
1 x 5 x 145

Not world record weights or even PR weights but the right shoulder is feeling solid still as I get up around 200 lbs with volume. encouraging.

Single Arm cable rows 
5 x 8 x 75lbs (Back and forth until completed, No rest)

Barbell Curl (AMRAP) 1 x 73 reps x Bar

This one all out set nearly fucked the rest of my session it took about 5 min before my hands and forearms started to feel like i could even consider doing anything else. But doing this one high rep set once a week I have found helps my bicep tendons immensely. I will simply push it to the closing time at the end of the session next time.

Finished up with Face Pulls (holding the rubber ends of rope and elbows driving back with authority)Stir the Pot, Rolling triceps, Bird dogs (do shit you hate and you will improve- i keep hearing that. Well I do sort of hate Bird dogs, maybe not hate but i really find them not stimulating)

Christmas trees courtesy of Shawn Ray and Flex Wheeler

7 Nov 
1020 hrs

Back Ext (The bar i use for this is the EZ-Curl bar, bar weight not included)
2 x 10 x bar
1 x 5 x 50
1 x 5 x 70
1 x 5 x 100
3 x 10 x 50

Low Back pump. I will have a ripped and shredded Christmas tree in time for 25 Dec. That is the plan. make it grow! Doing this one exercise regularly seems to have immensely contributed to how good my low back has been feeling. encouraging.

Finished up with TKE's, Banded Walks (Front and Side and backwards), Face Pulls, Paloff Press.

The topper for the session was a solid Wide Grip Pull up hang for 30 sec followed by one rep. Something I picked up on in my readings in the last few weeks. I will toss it in, lengthen the time hanging slowly and see what comes of it in the coming weeks, months.

8 Nov
0955 hrs

Pull Ups 3 x 3
Band Pull-a-parts  4 x 13 x Red EFS Mini (Red)
T Bar Rows 3  x 15 x 75
V-bar Rows 3 x 15 x 150
Rope Pulldowns
1 x 13 x 100
4 x 13 x 105
Chest Supported Rear Delt Rows 4 x 17 x 25
YTWI 3 x 7 x 5 lbs
Band Pulldowns 2 x 40 x Monster Mini (Black)
Side Plank 2 x 30 sec (L&R)
Db Shrugs 
5 x 11 x 80
1 x 9 x 90, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40 lbs

Not sure why i got such a wild hair in my craw today to do so much fucking volume but this session definitely burned some calories.

Pull Ups were strong and solid. Second session of 3 x 3 so i will be adding another set of 3 next session. I will also be shifting them to another training session. I do prefer doing pullups combined with Pushing movements in a session. Maybe it is time to bring back Silverback Saturday.

So I had to go into to see my medical people because my script for Naproxen is running low.
I will not get into all the details but i never saw the doctor only spoke to the med tech so I definitely left frustrated but learned a few things:

-I need to up my arm work so the small cuff does not fit at ALL. Every time my blood pressure gets taken the person doing it always uses the small cuff. Which is supposed to be maxed out at 14.2 inches (I read the cuff during one of the many periods i had alone). My Forearms are almost that big. My arms measure in at over 15 inches relaxed at the spot they put the cuff. I guess I will have to be more insistent for the adult sized cuff in the short term. My Blood pressure came in on the high side due to this error as it usually does.

-I have to go back at the end of the month for a long term script. The one i got will only last me until then pretty much, give or take a few days. The appointment at the end of the month is at least a nurse practitioner. So I can also ask about a sleep study to see if i have sleep Apnea.

-My recent, mild, heart burn may not just be a side effect of working midnight shifts. I forgot Naproxen also causes it.
I will have to do some more reviewing of NSAIDs and Pain killers.

I was asked 4 questions (about side effects) of things i may be experiencing:

- I said No to stomach pain (Liver bleeding i am guessing),
-no to bloody stool (yeah pretty sure you would have seen me before now),
-if i was taking the full dose (yes, other wise i am a miserable person to be around),
- lastly do i have heart burn (um, not really, yes sort of, a little bit, but only after midnight shifts)

Having a discussion with a guy at work who was given Naproxen the other day, he stated he was groggy and super tired. He figured it was the Naproxen. Which made a light bulb go on in my head.

That might explain some of the up and downs i have had the last 2 months. I will monitor this if this applies to me.

Remember I am not a medical professional, I only take what i am prescribed and only by the dosages prescribed to me by my medical professionals

Keep Moving Forward, Keep Getting Strong(er)

30 Oct 2015 -Find your place in the world....and Dig in.

So after the post i cut my pace back a little and I seemed to find a little bit of a groove. I allowed myself more to simple exercise and move daily. I have also had a few more "Bodybuilder" sessions. No I am not planning on putting a speedo, spray tanning and stepping on stage just yet. don't rule it out though. Ha.
The focus more on muslce pumps and making things burn from higher reps seems to have given bit of a therapeutic effect. I know this shit but still having to re-learn lessons from when i was 13 yrs old.

I have played around with high Pulls from the knees, Power shrugs (knees), and a few power cleans. Teaching myself something new is a good challenge and again refreshing for my head.
When I am home I used my home gym, utilized my sled, and cut some wood.
I do not count it as anything other than relaxing but it should be noted I adopted /rescued a 8-9 yr old Bull Mastiff. He has sore achy knees so he can only go for walks 30 min or less. So we are a good pair. He is also my fire team partner when I am away from home. The extra walking seems to have helped my hip. Due to this I have dropped the treadmill /Plate Carrier sessions for now. It is more fun being outside walking anyhow.

Anyhow here are the highlights from the last 2 weeks or so.
16 Oct
High Volume Shoulder work. Front raises and laterals finsihing up with Db Shrugs and Stir the pot on a Physio Ball.
17 Oct
Oly work (Power Shrug,high Pulls, Power Cleans, Push Press)
Kb Swings
3 x 21 x 50lbs (1 min rest)
5 x 21 x 70lbs (1 min rest)
18 Oct
Cable flys 4 sets
Close Grip (Fat Gripz) sets of 8 reps starting with the bar, 20lbs jumps up to 105lbs for 2 sets and then a final set of 21 reps. Rest was long enough to add weight.
Hammer Curls 4 x 11 x 50 lbs
19 Oct
Off Day (transition from Evening to Midnight shift)

20 Oct
Plate Carrier on for Blast Strap Rows,  Push ups, Face Pulls,  Rollouts
Plate Carrier off Dips, Back Extension

I should explain when I do dips i do them from the bottom position starting with my feet on a box. I tighten everything up then contract up to the top position. I have always loved dips but have found my front delts don't always appreciate them. So i do them once in awhile with this minor tweak in starting positions and i find i get something out of them without buggering my shoulders.

21-23 Oct

Dog Walks, yard work and shooting Pop cans with the Red Rider BB Gun ( I won it as a door prize at a Charity auction).

Also set up the BB in the basement with 135lbs + Chain. Did High Pulls and Shrugs all day every time I had to go down and do something in the basement (Read: LAUNDRY). If I had to guess probably like 10 sets of 10 at a minimum, maybe more.

24 Oct
Floor Press 5 x 5 x 135 + chains
Sled Drags and Wood Chopping (actual wood cutting not that cable movement people do)

25 Oct
Stair Climber Elliptical
2 x 1/2 Mile (Less than 6min)
Push Ups, Stir the Pot, Db Rows (completed between 1/2 mile sessions)

26 Oct
Pull Ups 3 x 3 x bodyweight
High Pulls (from Knees)
5 x 1 x 185
5 x 1 x 155

27 Oct
Back Ext (w/ bar) 4 x 10 x 50lbs
Band Walks, Cable Rows, Pallof Press, Bosu Situp, Bar hang, TKE's
28 Oct
Bench
4 x 2 x 185
1 x 10 x 185
Db Floor Press, Arm work, Pallof  Press and Seated Cable rows.
29 Oct-
Farmer's Walk 10 x 20m x 85lbs w/Plate Carrier (+20lbs)
Handstands /Push Ups (w/Plate Carrier) 5 x 1
The Farmer's and Handstands was a package deal on one end of the 20m.
Ab work -bosu crunch & Standing Abs
30 Oct -Transition Day off. 3 x long dog walks.
31 Oct - Off night. I waited to long on shift to go so at about 2am I was to fucked up to go train.

1 Nov- Corrected the mistake and went early. Also going to be a longer than normal midnight shift with the 1 hr time change.
Rack Pulls (top of knee cap)
1 x 3 x 275
8 x 1 x 275 lbs (45 sec rest)
2 x 9 x 225
Neck Crunch 4 x 17 x 25 lbs
Cable Rows, Tbar Rows, Seated Rope Row,OH Tri Ext, Preacher curls, Mach Rear Delt, Stir-the-pots.
An Arm /Back Pump is awesome at 2am while working mids.

I have also had a marked increase in Abdominal work. I had a bit of a scare 4 weeks ago thinking I may have gave myself a hernia (semi-common with people with hip issues I guess as my body is out of alignment alot). Physio checked and I am clear, yay!. It was just a pinch or a mild strain. In addition to the Ab work. Daily Back Ext, low volume, keeping my back muscles strong and active.
Overall my physio is impressed with how well my body is holding up and wants me to simply keep doing all of it.

I definitely feel like I am back on track after struggling to simply have a decent training session most of  September.

Keep Moving Forward, Keep Getting Strong(er)