I've said before & I will say again; the workout that you want to avoid will usually turnout to be one of your best! I did NOT want to train today. This was a good workout! I'd decided to wait until Saturday again dso I could video tape the training session. (That didn't happen... again. I honestly didn't feel like hauling the camera crap down into the basement. I'll need ot do it next week though. I need to start looking at technique & form befor I get too far into this program.) Regardless, I had planned on getting into the gym around 1 PM. I ended up starting at around 4:45 PM. My brain was trying to come up with reasonable excuses. It didn't matter. I was apparently determined to train. Yeah. I'm surprised as well.
Overhead Presses: 1x5 @ 55-pounds. 1x5 @ 65-pounds & 3x5 @ 75-pounds.
These felt like work. The first two sets (the warmups) felt good & solid. By the time the first work set was up I was pretty well charged. I'd been checkingmy wrist position since I tend to flex the wrist & unevely at that. That doesn't seem to be a problem this time. I'm much more aware of the isssue & I've been taping the wrist, as much so I can feel when they're bending as to add support. I don't kow if that's good or bad. I can see the use of forcing them to hold as a strengthening agent. The work sets were WORK! I actually wasn't certain if I'd be able to complete all reps & sets. That hit me about 1/2 way through the second work set. Then on set number three I managed ot power through & wasn't straining all that much. So we're good to go again with no drop in the weight progression.
High Pulls: 2x5 @ 85-pounds @ 3x5 @ 105-pounds.
Yes, I missed the weigh tchange between the 1st & 2nd sets. I started these out trying to do the 2nd pull from the power rack. I don't think I can do these that way. I just wasn't able to generate enough power to get the bar into motion. They felt like badly performed shrugs. I wasn't doing anything but bending my arms ot try & raise the bar... which didn't work. I was worried that I'd pull my back because they were so awkward. Trying to figure this out I space & forgot to adjust the poundage for the second warmup set.
For the work sets, I just put the bar back on the floor & did them normally... with an attempt at emphasyzing the shrug & then the pull. It took a full set but I managed to get things under control. That 5-pound weigh tincrease felt like a lot more. I suspet it's because I robbed myself of the two warmup sets. They were essentially worhtless... except that I learned that for me, trying to train on the 2nd pull isn't going to work.
By the end of the second work set, I felt pretty good. by the end of thr third, I could feel the pull everywhere I would expet to. Mainly in the traps & shoulders. NOT in the wrong areas of the back. So these should come along well now. The other thing I notced was that if I estimated the height correctly,I was pulling it up to just under teh navel which would be about mid-belt level. So two or three nches & the bar height will be fine. I'd like to have it coming higher but I just started up on these thing again after four years & I'm weak.
Squats: 1x5 @ 65-pounds, 1x5 @ 75-pounds & 3x5 @ 85-pounds.
These are getting interesting. I'm almost tempted to add more than 5-pounds per session but I know what's goign to happen. My legs are finally beginning ot even out, albeit slowly. I'm starting to feel the ;eft leg working & the imbalance isn't nearly as pronounced as it was a weekago. Slow & steady. By the time we're at 135-poudnds for the first warmup things should be normal. I think I'm progressing at the proper speed for recovery & allowing the left leg to get its strength back. The hips are getting a workout. It's been a few hours since training & my legs are beginnignto feel it. :)
Bent Over Rows: 1x5 @ 65-pounds, 1x5 @ 75-pounds & 3x5 @ 85-pounds.
I'm beginning to feel the bicep & back work from these. (I mean, I'm beginning to feel it overall... & RIGHT NOW I'M FEELING IT!) These went well but I had to force myself to slow down.
Overall I feel tired. My legs, upper & mid-back & biceps are going to be sore tomorrow. The traps, shoulders & triceps not until Monday. I can tell. The cycle is going to go like it did after the first training session. First th elegs... & then everything else.
This is the first time that my biceps got a decent workout. It's due to both the rows & the high pulls. It does bother me to have my squats be so far behind. They're the same weight as my bent over rows in weight & only a few pounds above my overhead presses. The high pulls are heavier than anything else. That seems odd. I'm not sure how the weight is going to change. I may reach a point within a month or so where I keep the other lifts where they are & focus on getting the squats up there. Also, I don't know how the leg issue is affecting the high pulls. That may be why I don't have the same push power that I used to. I may do that sooner in fact. Perhaps when the big lifts reach teh 135-pound level I'll hold for the squats & work them hard in order ot get the strength surge going. I don't like them lagging behind so much when the squats are the big builder. In order fo rme toget things where they should be, the squats need to be well out in front of the other lifts, especially the overhead presses & the rows. It's also funny that I'm so strong in the rows after having the back injury. Confusing that.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
The Pay Cut Blog...
Microsoft announced last week that they'll be cutting the pay rates for contingency staffers. Yes, I'm one of those lucky folks. I think I actually may be making more than my counterparts in the lab, but we're all looking at around a 10% wage reduction.
Here's the original blog which has further details & some related news articles.
Most of the staffing agencies are transferring the entire cut directly to their contract employees. I'm not sure what my company is going to do. I'm scheduled to have lunch with my rep next Monday to get the news. I'm hoping that they decide to absorb at least some of the cut themelves. A 5% cut is better for me than taking the etire 10% out of my paychecks. That's around $300 per month less gross... & essentially sinks my current budget. It would really put a squeeze on my savings plans fo the year.
Even worse news is that they have decided that all new hires will have their wages cut by 15%. This effectively makes the entry level wage for an STEII a little under $15 per hour. That's pathetic & I cannot help but think that much of this decision (at least the amount being cut) was based on the current economic conditions & the fact that it's highly unlikely that most people will be in any condition to refuse work. Even if the pay rate offered is a slap in the face. Interesting response from a company that virtually depends on contingency staffers to survive thourgh product release.
Needless to say, a lot of people are... "unhappy". There've been the usual threats of quitting & sueing. Great idea that. I don't know of anyone I work with that can afford to do this. It's completely unrealistic. The people sign on to this are likely to be blacklisted. Even if they aren't, they'll be forced to take a 30-day break-in-service... & then come back at an even lower rate; that 15% cut I mentioned.
My advice?, Shut up. Swallow your pride & make the money that you can... while you can. Me?, I'm hoping to be employed for a full year. I've said before that I want to of this industry & it certainly looks like I'm not going to have a choice in the matter soon. I won't say that they're forcing my hand... but there's little point in continuing on when I hate the work, have no respect for (most) of the people & now the money isn't even all that good.
So, with a little luck... and a LOT OF WORK, I'll be doing something else soon enough.
That's what the insane budgeting & savings are for. A complete career change. Something that I've been contemplating for nearly a decade.
Here's the original blog which has further details & some related news articles.
Most of the staffing agencies are transferring the entire cut directly to their contract employees. I'm not sure what my company is going to do. I'm scheduled to have lunch with my rep next Monday to get the news. I'm hoping that they decide to absorb at least some of the cut themelves. A 5% cut is better for me than taking the etire 10% out of my paychecks. That's around $300 per month less gross... & essentially sinks my current budget. It would really put a squeeze on my savings plans fo the year.
Even worse news is that they have decided that all new hires will have their wages cut by 15%. This effectively makes the entry level wage for an STEII a little under $15 per hour. That's pathetic & I cannot help but think that much of this decision (at least the amount being cut) was based on the current economic conditions & the fact that it's highly unlikely that most people will be in any condition to refuse work. Even if the pay rate offered is a slap in the face. Interesting response from a company that virtually depends on contingency staffers to survive thourgh product release.
Needless to say, a lot of people are... "unhappy". There've been the usual threats of quitting & sueing. Great idea that. I don't know of anyone I work with that can afford to do this. It's completely unrealistic. The people sign on to this are likely to be blacklisted. Even if they aren't, they'll be forced to take a 30-day break-in-service... & then come back at an even lower rate; that 15% cut I mentioned.
My advice?, Shut up. Swallow your pride & make the money that you can... while you can. Me?, I'm hoping to be employed for a full year. I've said before that I want to of this industry & it certainly looks like I'm not going to have a choice in the matter soon. I won't say that they're forcing my hand... but there's little point in continuing on when I hate the work, have no respect for (most) of the people & now the money isn't even all that good.
So, with a little luck... and a LOT OF WORK, I'll be doing something else soon enough.
That's what the insane budgeting & savings are for. A complete career change. Something that I've been contemplating for nearly a decade.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Workout Number Four
This was one of those "I really don't feel like it" sessions. I haven't slept well the past two nights. I'll probably take Friday nigh toff & train Saturday during the day. I wanted to video tape a session anyhow so that works.
Overhead Presses: 1x5 @ 52.5 Pounds, 1x5 @ 62.5 Pounds & 3x5 @ 72.5 Pounds.
These are starting to feel like work. Now excrutiating... but "work". It has me wonderin ghow long i'll be able to keep up the 2.5 pound additions.
High Pulls: 1x5 @ 80 Pounds, 1x5 #@ 90 Pounds & 3x5 @ 100 Pounds.
These still feel awakward & I had a sensation after the last training session that I'm trying ot over analyze the movement. Tonight I just tried to focus on the shrug & the toes. They seems a bit stronger. I felt it some in the traps & a lot in the upper back. They should improve with time. I think it will also help once I can set teh bar down. Right now the plate size is forcing me to either go too far down (if I want to put the bar on the floor & reset) or hold it at a static level. That wasn't so bad when it was only 50 to 60 pounds... but with 90 to 100 pounds on the bar, I think it's what's wearing me out. They just didn't seem as hard to do a few years ago. Then again, I've lost so much muscle mass & strength that I'm basically starting from scratch here. It's really like I've never trained before.
Squats: 1x5 @ 55 Pounds, 1x5 @ 65 Pounds & 3x5 @ 75 Pounds.
These feel better every time I do them. I found mysel wanting badly to get through teh high[ulls & on to the squats. (That probably won't last much longer.) I can still notice the issue withthe strength & flexibility inthe left leg, but I think if I don't try to force the depth & just allow the legs time to even out strength wise all will be well.
Bent Over Rows: 1x5 @ 60 Pounds, 1x5 @ 70 Pounds @ 3x5 @ 80 Pounds.
Once again I really wanted to just get these overwith. I forced myself to do the warmup sets but didn't do any mental imaging. Still, I felt a good back & bicep workout during the sets.
Neck Work:
I've been doing this since the second workout. The head strap allows me one set each for the front & back & righ tnow I'm using a pair of 5-pound plates. I was thinking about adding a 2.5 pounder but decided to wait. For the sides I'm doing a plate raise with a 10-pound plates resting on a towel. That sets onteh side of my head. I lay on teh becn on my side & flex the head up & down. This also will get a weight increase in due time.
Ab Work:
Leg raqises again tonight. I added five reps for a total of 15. I'd really like some iron boots... but that's over $100 I cannot aford to part with right now. Eventually I'll start incorporating the heavy side bends along with the ab bench work. I don't know if I'll try ot cram all of that into each seesion or do a different exercie each time. Three exercises. Three workouts per week. I may do that with the grip work as well when i decide to start adding it in.
I managed to get the workout down under 2 hours tonight as well. Lord I'm tired... & so danged glad it's near the end of the week.
Overhead Presses: 1x5 @ 52.5 Pounds, 1x5 @ 62.5 Pounds & 3x5 @ 72.5 Pounds.
These are starting to feel like work. Now excrutiating... but "work". It has me wonderin ghow long i'll be able to keep up the 2.5 pound additions.
High Pulls: 1x5 @ 80 Pounds, 1x5 #@ 90 Pounds & 3x5 @ 100 Pounds.
These still feel awakward & I had a sensation after the last training session that I'm trying ot over analyze the movement. Tonight I just tried to focus on the shrug & the toes. They seems a bit stronger. I felt it some in the traps & a lot in the upper back. They should improve with time. I think it will also help once I can set teh bar down. Right now the plate size is forcing me to either go too far down (if I want to put the bar on the floor & reset) or hold it at a static level. That wasn't so bad when it was only 50 to 60 pounds... but with 90 to 100 pounds on the bar, I think it's what's wearing me out. They just didn't seem as hard to do a few years ago. Then again, I've lost so much muscle mass & strength that I'm basically starting from scratch here. It's really like I've never trained before.
Squats: 1x5 @ 55 Pounds, 1x5 @ 65 Pounds & 3x5 @ 75 Pounds.
These feel better every time I do them. I found mysel wanting badly to get through teh high[ulls & on to the squats. (That probably won't last much longer.) I can still notice the issue withthe strength & flexibility inthe left leg, but I think if I don't try to force the depth & just allow the legs time to even out strength wise all will be well.
Bent Over Rows: 1x5 @ 60 Pounds, 1x5 @ 70 Pounds @ 3x5 @ 80 Pounds.
Once again I really wanted to just get these overwith. I forced myself to do the warmup sets but didn't do any mental imaging. Still, I felt a good back & bicep workout during the sets.
Neck Work:
I've been doing this since the second workout. The head strap allows me one set each for the front & back & righ tnow I'm using a pair of 5-pound plates. I was thinking about adding a 2.5 pounder but decided to wait. For the sides I'm doing a plate raise with a 10-pound plates resting on a towel. That sets onteh side of my head. I lay on teh becn on my side & flex the head up & down. This also will get a weight increase in due time.
Ab Work:
Leg raqises again tonight. I added five reps for a total of 15. I'd really like some iron boots... but that's over $100 I cannot aford to part with right now. Eventually I'll start incorporating the heavy side bends along with the ab bench work. I don't know if I'll try ot cram all of that into each seesion or do a different exercie each time. Three exercises. Three workouts per week. I may do that with the grip work as well when i decide to start adding it in.
I managed to get the workout down under 2 hours tonight as well. Lord I'm tired... & so danged glad it's near the end of the week.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Workout Number Three
Not my best... & definitely not my worst. I was somewhat psyched for this one all day.
Overhead Press: 1x5 @ 50 pounds, 1x5 @ 60 pounds & 3x5 @ 70 pounds.
I could feel the difference in the weight today. The work sets were more challenging (not making teh mistake of doing more than 5 reps because they were so light).
High Pulls: 1x5 @ 70 pounds, 1x5 @ 80 pounds & 3x5 @ 90 pounds.
I felt these tonight... & more in my upper back, shoulders & traps. I had one twinge... knowing before I completed the pull that I was in the wrong position. I was trying to concentrate more on these during execution. Pull with the traps, shoulders back, up on the toes. Most sets hit my back fairly hard. A few of them hammer my traps. I'll get this down before the weight really starts getting up there.
Squats: 1x5 @ 55 pounds, 1x5 @ 65 pounds & 3x5 @ 75 pounds.
I felt good on these tonight. Again I felt the weight difference. I'm still noticing the different positioning (strength & flexibility) between the left & righ tleg, but it appears to be evening out. I did notice a tendency to roll the right foot up onto the ball. I think I'm trying too hard for depth. Be patient. Put enough weight on the bar & gravity will take care of the depth all by itself. I just need to allow my legs to adjust slowly because it's been too long for me to try rushing my form.
Bentover Rows: 1x5 @ 55 pounds, 1x5 @ 65 pounds & 3x5 @ 75 pounds.
I worked these pretty hard this evening. I blew through the warmup sets without taking things too seriously... but yet again I felt the weigh tdifference & decided to work them slowly & deliberately. I'll be feeling those later because I really started feeling the lats.
Overhead Press: 1x5 @ 50 pounds, 1x5 @ 60 pounds & 3x5 @ 70 pounds.
I could feel the difference in the weight today. The work sets were more challenging (not making teh mistake of doing more than 5 reps because they were so light).
High Pulls: 1x5 @ 70 pounds, 1x5 @ 80 pounds & 3x5 @ 90 pounds.
I felt these tonight... & more in my upper back, shoulders & traps. I had one twinge... knowing before I completed the pull that I was in the wrong position. I was trying to concentrate more on these during execution. Pull with the traps, shoulders back, up on the toes. Most sets hit my back fairly hard. A few of them hammer my traps. I'll get this down before the weight really starts getting up there.
Squats: 1x5 @ 55 pounds, 1x5 @ 65 pounds & 3x5 @ 75 pounds.
I felt good on these tonight. Again I felt the weight difference. I'm still noticing the different positioning (strength & flexibility) between the left & righ tleg, but it appears to be evening out. I did notice a tendency to roll the right foot up onto the ball. I think I'm trying too hard for depth. Be patient. Put enough weight on the bar & gravity will take care of the depth all by itself. I just need to allow my legs to adjust slowly because it's been too long for me to try rushing my form.
Bentover Rows: 1x5 @ 55 pounds, 1x5 @ 65 pounds & 3x5 @ 75 pounds.
I worked these pretty hard this evening. I blew through the warmup sets without taking things too seriously... but yet again I felt the weigh tdifference & decided to work them slowly & deliberately. I'll be feeling those later because I really started feeling the lats.
How's Your Personal Radar?
[Things are slow right now. No builds, all broken. So I'm writing something... a bit different. Please bear with me if I ramble...]
How is you personal radar? I won't presume to have any idea what other people are thinking as they saunter about on their daily business. They're getting on with life. It's work, it's school, it's social or family obligations... you know, it basically all appears to be w-o-r-k.
Over the past few years while working on the various corporate campuses I've noticed an interesting (and to me alarming) phenomenon. People are in a very broad & general sense... bloody oblivious! Either they're unconscious or they're aggressive to the point of begging for a violent confrontation. There are levels of narcissism & unawareness that defy explanation or justification.
At first I thought that this was a societal phenomenon. It is not that lmmited. It is a spectre that appears to cross societal & regional lines to a degree. You can be certain that most individuals who live in a war zone have developed their instincts to be aware of their surroundings. Yet the larger majority of people living in "civilized" regions are under some dangerous misimpressions.
Here are some examples that I have observed, solely in my own... back yard:
Technology can be a wonderful thing. There are so many different tools, gadgets & widgets available now to make life "easier" that people have become depenent upon many of them. We daily see people driving while attempting ot manipulate cell phones in conversation or texting. I've seen people on the freeway in rushhour traffic reading books, using their laptops & even eating breakfast.
Closer to home (and in my own opinion even more annoying) are people who become so engrossed with these "gadgets" that they are locked in their own world & seperated from the external environment by disinterest. I've seen people so immersed in thei rphone conversation or a texting duel that they've literally walked out into traffic on major arterials. This even makes its way into other mundane areas of you rlife, such as the movie theater. Been to a matinee latly? Good luck watching the feature. Dependin gon your selection, the venue may be filled with offcast juvenile deliquents who have nothing better to do than pay $12 for a motion picture & then spend 2.5 hours texting & talking on their wireless devices.
I've seen people entering a building, receive a phone call & freeze in the doorway to catch that "important" call. They're now blocking the doorway... but they don't even notice. They'll stop in the stairwell.... not on the landing mind you... but on the stairs... to engage in a conversation. Never mind the dozens of people fighting to get past them & on their way. The world must stop in order that these imbeciles can conduct their personal business. In the realm of corporate scism, this may garner a harsh look or a loud, snorting exhale. In the middle of a metropolitan city, or on a secluded trail, it may get them mugged, assaulted, raped or killed.
I belive that there are several explanations for this. I also believe that they are inter-related & intertwined. Part of the issue is that people are now much more socially segregated that we were a decade or more ago. We send more e-mails than real mail. We use dgital media & connectivity to introduce, announe, pronounce & propogate. Technology has made all of this possible. Technology also allows our previously inherent social skills to atrophy.
However technology is not to blame. Technology & it's use are only a symptom. People are essentially lazy. People like to have a comfort zone. Considering the degredation of the species, it's actually quite amazing that our ancestors were able to survive at all. What kept them alive was their animal inheritance. It is this that we lose as we "evolve" on our journey. Unfortunately for some, all of mankind does not evolve at the same pace.
Predators are not so disconected from their surroundings. They are quite capable absorbing what they need to to survive... which means picking a target & making certain that they do not become one themselves. YOU are the target.
Perhaps it would be more correct to explain that within the human species, there exist various sub-species. Nearly everyone can accept that different animals fit into similar categories. For our purposes, we will make a distinction between predators & prey. Some animals eat other animals... & some animals are eaten by other animals. Like some other species, humans fall into both of these categories, depending on their own behavior... & what comes down to critical decisions.
I've read a few times that "what seperates humans from other species is that humans prey on their own kind". This is absurd and it's incorrect. This is one of the things that connects us to the natural world. A minimal amount of research into animal behavior will bring to light a host of species that revert to cannabalism & even euthenasia for their survival or as a part of social organization.
No, the difference between humans & "animals" is that humans develop an expectation of others that is undeserved & not based on anything other than wishful thinking. Humans don't value self-preservation as highly as they should. The other difference is that humans ALLOW themselves to be be controlled and manipulated to a level unprecedented in the animal kingdom. The only animals that I have seen as readily controlled are some of those that reside in the barn yard. If you were to do a basic side-by-side you'd see that the average citizen probably has more in common behaviorally with cattle or sheep on their way to the slaughter house than we do to lower primates.
It is behavioral. It is conditioned. It is also avoidable. If I become so absorbed (and really, self-absorbed) within my own shell, occupying myself with my toys, I'm fair game for everything from the street hood to the crack in the sidewalk... or that fast moving neighborhood bus.
Though there are annually millions of tax dollars spent at universities across this nation on studies of humanity in a social context, it appears that virtually all of them lack something crucial. I suspect it's because of that human characteristic of wanting trust & comfort. Nobody is going to approve a grant to a study that endorses arming oneself & dispatching a homicidal maniac. It's the correct response... but very few "experts" want to admit it. The grants that get approved are the ones that attempt to understand the human psyche from a "scientific" & predictable (and thus controlable) perspective. Asocial violence is NOT controllable. That is to say, "understanding" violence will NOT make it go away. It is predictable... at the very least to the degree that someone like myself can make a statement that horrible attacks do happen... & not get an arguement except from a clueless idiot. Most likely hiding on a Internet forum.
One cannot hope to control their environment if they are unaware of it. Individuals who ensconce themselves in the mentality that we need to see predators from their (the predators) veiw are mistaken... & yet they are also correct. The dichotomy occurs where some attempt to understand why individuals live by violence. The practical application of such studies needs to be directed into the how. I need not see the reason for an assault against me or my loved ones. I simply need to know how to respond... & "do unto others" while I am physically able.
So what happens to the average citizen who tip-toes through their day, insensible to their surroundings even to the point of stopping in the flow of traffic to answer a phone call? They die. They're eaten. Eventually this person is going to find themselves on the dirt end of the stick. It may take years. Of course, there's always the possiblity that they may get lucky & never be faced with it. Odds are that someone close to them will make the headlines though.
I honestly don't know if there's a solution to this. I suspect that if nature has it's way, there will be a culling of the unfit. Most people not only do not think in terms of "survival" they deliberately choose no to. It's an unpleasant region. A populace which has been conditioned to trust their protection to the state has bred instinctive skills into nothingness.
I mentioned those living in regions where war, death & dismemberment is common place. So humans are capable of survival in the most dire of circumstances. These people have a solid understanding of what is required to stay alive. It comes from necessity. I'm certain that there was a conscious decision in response to a school bus bombing, an attack on a community, a roadside ambush... These unfortunate people observed & learned.
That necessity does not exist only in war zones. If I were to look at the instances where I've had "close calls" (like the auto accident last April) I could make an arguement that the potential for death is everywhere. The likelihood may be of a lesser degree, but it does exist. Ignoring it is obtuse. Pretending you can evade it is folly. Being so disengaged that one can barely navigate a parking garage or the foyer of a building? What would you call that?
Don't be so involved in "activities' that you aren't even aware of traffic on the street you're crossing (or that you ARE crossing a street!). Don't get lost in that novel you're reading while you're riding the bus. Yes, setting on Metro for 90 minutes is a mind numbing experience. Being assaulted within spitting distance of the driver is horrific... & they aren't going to rescue you.
Don't take a nap in a public venue. Sometimes it can be tough to stay awake. I've worked long hours & odd shifts. On a few occasions I was so tired that I literally fell off of the bench & onto the floor of the bus. Deal with it. Stand up if you have to.
There's no need to go "commando" to develop a healthy sense of you surroundings. Unless you're required to wear a neck brace 7x24 then you can turn your head. Do you eyes & ears work? Use them. If you're walking down the street & you see a group of strangers mobbed on the sidewalk, engagged in loud, obnoxious behavior... cross... the... street. I'm assuming that your legs work as well. If you're moving, you can vacate or divert. If you're standing still... START MOVING! Do it.
Put down the toy long enough to navigate. If the call is important, they'll leave a voice mail or call back. Get your priorities straight. Crossing the street, getting into or out of the building or getting across a lane of traffic is more important than blathering to you freind about lunch or a movie date. You have a responsibility to yourself & those around you to remove your head from wherever it may be lodged. Do it... for the children.
Perform due diligence to recognize risk situation. Avoid them it's possible to do so. When it is not possible to do so? I think I'll save most of that for another post. It behooves you to look at local newspaper articles (if your local newspaper actually dares to run anything but the headlines) of local incidents of violent attack. In addition, read up on other unfortunate occurences. It doesn't need to be strictly relegated to human-on-human assault. Bad things happen to people. A building fire, a structural collapes, a 10-vehicle pile up... aren't these all things that a sane & snensible person would want to avoid or at least be able to survive? Not so paranoid after all are we?
Lastly, you can think whatever you want about this. I'm very lucky in that the opinions of others on such subjects are less than worthless to yours truly. If you adamantly disagree... then you're likely one of the dim-wits I've been complaining about. You can feel free to click away from this blog to the puppies & kitties. They're three of four pages south of here.
If you decide to heed any of this information or advice & your family & freinds start riding you? Ignore them. I can tell you from personal experience that sooner or later your deliberate observation is going to pay off. People will be amazed because "I did not even see that dude." is going to be heard quite often. I thought it was a compliment... at first. Now it tends to disgust me. It tells me that some people who should know better aren't willing to do some very simple exercises to improve things in their favor. These people have been given resrouces, advice & recommendations. They're on their own now. It reveals the practical value that people put on themselves & on others.
How is you personal radar? I won't presume to have any idea what other people are thinking as they saunter about on their daily business. They're getting on with life. It's work, it's school, it's social or family obligations... you know, it basically all appears to be w-o-r-k.
Over the past few years while working on the various corporate campuses I've noticed an interesting (and to me alarming) phenomenon. People are in a very broad & general sense... bloody oblivious! Either they're unconscious or they're aggressive to the point of begging for a violent confrontation. There are levels of narcissism & unawareness that defy explanation or justification.
At first I thought that this was a societal phenomenon. It is not that lmmited. It is a spectre that appears to cross societal & regional lines to a degree. You can be certain that most individuals who live in a war zone have developed their instincts to be aware of their surroundings. Yet the larger majority of people living in "civilized" regions are under some dangerous misimpressions.
Here are some examples that I have observed, solely in my own... back yard:
Technology can be a wonderful thing. There are so many different tools, gadgets & widgets available now to make life "easier" that people have become depenent upon many of them. We daily see people driving while attempting ot manipulate cell phones in conversation or texting. I've seen people on the freeway in rushhour traffic reading books, using their laptops & even eating breakfast.
Closer to home (and in my own opinion even more annoying) are people who become so engrossed with these "gadgets" that they are locked in their own world & seperated from the external environment by disinterest. I've seen people so immersed in thei rphone conversation or a texting duel that they've literally walked out into traffic on major arterials. This even makes its way into other mundane areas of you rlife, such as the movie theater. Been to a matinee latly? Good luck watching the feature. Dependin gon your selection, the venue may be filled with offcast juvenile deliquents who have nothing better to do than pay $12 for a motion picture & then spend 2.5 hours texting & talking on their wireless devices.
I've seen people entering a building, receive a phone call & freeze in the doorway to catch that "important" call. They're now blocking the doorway... but they don't even notice. They'll stop in the stairwell.... not on the landing mind you... but on the stairs... to engage in a conversation. Never mind the dozens of people fighting to get past them & on their way. The world must stop in order that these imbeciles can conduct their personal business. In the realm of corporate scism, this may garner a harsh look or a loud, snorting exhale. In the middle of a metropolitan city, or on a secluded trail, it may get them mugged, assaulted, raped or killed.
I belive that there are several explanations for this. I also believe that they are inter-related & intertwined. Part of the issue is that people are now much more socially segregated that we were a decade or more ago. We send more e-mails than real mail. We use dgital media & connectivity to introduce, announe, pronounce & propogate. Technology has made all of this possible. Technology also allows our previously inherent social skills to atrophy.
However technology is not to blame. Technology & it's use are only a symptom. People are essentially lazy. People like to have a comfort zone. Considering the degredation of the species, it's actually quite amazing that our ancestors were able to survive at all. What kept them alive was their animal inheritance. It is this that we lose as we "evolve" on our journey. Unfortunately for some, all of mankind does not evolve at the same pace.
Predators are not so disconected from their surroundings. They are quite capable absorbing what they need to to survive... which means picking a target & making certain that they do not become one themselves. YOU are the target.
Perhaps it would be more correct to explain that within the human species, there exist various sub-species. Nearly everyone can accept that different animals fit into similar categories. For our purposes, we will make a distinction between predators & prey. Some animals eat other animals... & some animals are eaten by other animals. Like some other species, humans fall into both of these categories, depending on their own behavior... & what comes down to critical decisions.
I've read a few times that "what seperates humans from other species is that humans prey on their own kind". This is absurd and it's incorrect. This is one of the things that connects us to the natural world. A minimal amount of research into animal behavior will bring to light a host of species that revert to cannabalism & even euthenasia for their survival or as a part of social organization.
No, the difference between humans & "animals" is that humans develop an expectation of others that is undeserved & not based on anything other than wishful thinking. Humans don't value self-preservation as highly as they should. The other difference is that humans ALLOW themselves to be be controlled and manipulated to a level unprecedented in the animal kingdom. The only animals that I have seen as readily controlled are some of those that reside in the barn yard. If you were to do a basic side-by-side you'd see that the average citizen probably has more in common behaviorally with cattle or sheep on their way to the slaughter house than we do to lower primates.
It is behavioral. It is conditioned. It is also avoidable. If I become so absorbed (and really, self-absorbed) within my own shell, occupying myself with my toys, I'm fair game for everything from the street hood to the crack in the sidewalk... or that fast moving neighborhood bus.
Though there are annually millions of tax dollars spent at universities across this nation on studies of humanity in a social context, it appears that virtually all of them lack something crucial. I suspect it's because of that human characteristic of wanting trust & comfort. Nobody is going to approve a grant to a study that endorses arming oneself & dispatching a homicidal maniac. It's the correct response... but very few "experts" want to admit it. The grants that get approved are the ones that attempt to understand the human psyche from a "scientific" & predictable (and thus controlable) perspective. Asocial violence is NOT controllable. That is to say, "understanding" violence will NOT make it go away. It is predictable... at the very least to the degree that someone like myself can make a statement that horrible attacks do happen... & not get an arguement except from a clueless idiot. Most likely hiding on a Internet forum.
One cannot hope to control their environment if they are unaware of it. Individuals who ensconce themselves in the mentality that we need to see predators from their (the predators) veiw are mistaken... & yet they are also correct. The dichotomy occurs where some attempt to understand why individuals live by violence. The practical application of such studies needs to be directed into the how. I need not see the reason for an assault against me or my loved ones. I simply need to know how to respond... & "do unto others" while I am physically able.
So what happens to the average citizen who tip-toes through their day, insensible to their surroundings even to the point of stopping in the flow of traffic to answer a phone call? They die. They're eaten. Eventually this person is going to find themselves on the dirt end of the stick. It may take years. Of course, there's always the possiblity that they may get lucky & never be faced with it. Odds are that someone close to them will make the headlines though.
I honestly don't know if there's a solution to this. I suspect that if nature has it's way, there will be a culling of the unfit. Most people not only do not think in terms of "survival" they deliberately choose no to. It's an unpleasant region. A populace which has been conditioned to trust their protection to the state has bred instinctive skills into nothingness.
I mentioned those living in regions where war, death & dismemberment is common place. So humans are capable of survival in the most dire of circumstances. These people have a solid understanding of what is required to stay alive. It comes from necessity. I'm certain that there was a conscious decision in response to a school bus bombing, an attack on a community, a roadside ambush... These unfortunate people observed & learned.
That necessity does not exist only in war zones. If I were to look at the instances where I've had "close calls" (like the auto accident last April) I could make an arguement that the potential for death is everywhere. The likelihood may be of a lesser degree, but it does exist. Ignoring it is obtuse. Pretending you can evade it is folly. Being so disengaged that one can barely navigate a parking garage or the foyer of a building? What would you call that?
Don't be so involved in "activities' that you aren't even aware of traffic on the street you're crossing (or that you ARE crossing a street!). Don't get lost in that novel you're reading while you're riding the bus. Yes, setting on Metro for 90 minutes is a mind numbing experience. Being assaulted within spitting distance of the driver is horrific... & they aren't going to rescue you.
Don't take a nap in a public venue. Sometimes it can be tough to stay awake. I've worked long hours & odd shifts. On a few occasions I was so tired that I literally fell off of the bench & onto the floor of the bus. Deal with it. Stand up if you have to.
There's no need to go "commando" to develop a healthy sense of you surroundings. Unless you're required to wear a neck brace 7x24 then you can turn your head. Do you eyes & ears work? Use them. If you're walking down the street & you see a group of strangers mobbed on the sidewalk, engagged in loud, obnoxious behavior... cross... the... street. I'm assuming that your legs work as well. If you're moving, you can vacate or divert. If you're standing still... START MOVING! Do it.
Put down the toy long enough to navigate. If the call is important, they'll leave a voice mail or call back. Get your priorities straight. Crossing the street, getting into or out of the building or getting across a lane of traffic is more important than blathering to you freind about lunch or a movie date. You have a responsibility to yourself & those around you to remove your head from wherever it may be lodged. Do it... for the children.
Perform due diligence to recognize risk situation. Avoid them it's possible to do so. When it is not possible to do so? I think I'll save most of that for another post. It behooves you to look at local newspaper articles (if your local newspaper actually dares to run anything but the headlines) of local incidents of violent attack. In addition, read up on other unfortunate occurences. It doesn't need to be strictly relegated to human-on-human assault. Bad things happen to people. A building fire, a structural collapes, a 10-vehicle pile up... aren't these all things that a sane & snensible person would want to avoid or at least be able to survive? Not so paranoid after all are we?
Lastly, you can think whatever you want about this. I'm very lucky in that the opinions of others on such subjects are less than worthless to yours truly. If you adamantly disagree... then you're likely one of the dim-wits I've been complaining about. You can feel free to click away from this blog to the puppies & kitties. They're three of four pages south of here.
If you decide to heed any of this information or advice & your family & freinds start riding you? Ignore them. I can tell you from personal experience that sooner or later your deliberate observation is going to pay off. People will be amazed because "I did not even see that dude." is going to be heard quite often. I thought it was a compliment... at first. Now it tends to disgust me. It tells me that some people who should know better aren't willing to do some very simple exercises to improve things in their favor. These people have been given resrouces, advice & recommendations. They're on their own now. It reveals the practical value that people put on themselves & on others.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
More blathering...
I wanted to put this down somewhere. I was thinking about dropping it into a Word doc... but I've been posting here a lot over the past week or so & since this ties directly into my posted training sessions I decided to dump it here. I eventually plan on setting this blog up with a full profile... so that people can actually find it... or avoid it. Afterall, I want to be fair. Nobody wants to scare the children.
On to business.
I tried to go over my previous lifting logs. I had been doing the math of weight progressions, trying to project what I can expect or hope to attain within the first 90 days. That was painful. Honestly, I have to assume that this Gibbon
could have done a better job tracking from one date to the next. It appears that on fully 1/3 of these training dates I didn't bother to log the year. Some don't have the month. One has virtually nothing... but it does has some illegible comments.
There are scriblings from 2003 & 2004.... which is odd because I don't even remember training during that period on that particular program. Then againm this was when I was working at the estate & I was training during part of that time... unitl my wrist gave out on me completely.
To be honest, I was almost as disappointed with this as I was when I realized that I'd erased 70% of the videotape of my last 2005 workout. Yes, the best one I'd ever had... IN MY LIFE!!! Wait! Didn't I say on to business? Darned ADD!
Okay. Here we go! I took the last sessions weights & in a moment of extreme conservatism I decided that my optimum weight increases would be 2.5 pounds per workout. At that moment I thought it was fairly realistic. Then I looked at the old log pages. BS he says! I was consistantly adding 5-pounds per training session every week. Now, to be proper, this was only training twice per week. But as I recall, these weight increases were coming fairly easy, even when I was approaching 225-pounds, which would have been another PR for me.
So where does that put me? It puts me here: If I calculate these increases at 5-pounds per session x 3 sessions per week x 12 (90-days or three months - roughly mid-May)[15 * 12 = 180 + 70 = 250]... Yeah. So that shakes out as follows:
Overhead Press @ 112.5 pounds
(The overhead presses are going to be less weight of an increase weekly. They'll be 2.5 or more likely only 1.25 pound per session.)
High Pulls @ 270 pounds
(My math wsa off when I originally wrote this. I thought that looked a bit light.)
Squats @ 250
Bent over rows @ 250
After looking at the logs I can say with sincerety that the squats are almost guanranteed to progress at 5-pounds per session. There are a few things that could stifle that: work intefering or simply not being able to add that much more than twice per week. Honestly, I could have been working the squats considerably harder the last time. As I posted on the ROundtable back then, I wasn't even really working that hard to get the weight up. I barely noticed the weight increases. I was able to maintian form & control.
So tentatively... I think we'll be driving for a 225-pounds squat by June rather than than September. It's hard to tell with the presses. It looks like I added 2.5 pounds a few times & made the reps but then it would be four or five days until I trained again. Presses are my weak point. I've always struggled with bench & overhead movements & excelled in the squat & deadlift. It's my tiny, child like arm structure dang it! I've got wrist like a 12-year old girl! So I suspect that adding 1.25 pounds per training session is likely to be my limit if I want to be able to make reps every session.
Then there's the issue of the high pulls these may or may not get adjusted. I'd like to be moving that up along with the squats... but it's a more complicated move. It still needs a lot of work. Ultimately, if the squats actually do get all the way up to 250,,, or even to 225 by June I don't think there's going to be a problem with any of the other lifts. In my experience, once I start approaching my body weight, things start goingnuts as far as strength gains & body composition changes. Something gets turned to 11!
I'm coming back from a lower point. I'm starting out with lighter weights. The deciding factor here is going to be consistancy! I have to make my training schedule & not skip workouts. I feel like I'm more prepared to plan & set goals this time that I ever have been in the past. I'm hoping that's true.
I should have added in here... that in the previous cycle, as I was only traning twice-per-week (sometimes not even that) that I effectively lost nearly two-dozen training sessions. At 5-pounds per week, that's 120-pounds not going on the bar. I ended that cycle at 212.5 pounds in the squat.
On to business.
I tried to go over my previous lifting logs. I had been doing the math of weight progressions, trying to project what I can expect or hope to attain within the first 90 days. That was painful. Honestly, I have to assume that this Gibbon
could have done a better job tracking from one date to the next. It appears that on fully 1/3 of these training dates I didn't bother to log the year. Some don't have the month. One has virtually nothing... but it does has some illegible comments.There are scriblings from 2003 & 2004.... which is odd because I don't even remember training during that period on that particular program. Then againm this was when I was working at the estate & I was training during part of that time... unitl my wrist gave out on me completely.
To be honest, I was almost as disappointed with this as I was when I realized that I'd erased 70% of the videotape of my last 2005 workout. Yes, the best one I'd ever had... IN MY LIFE!!! Wait! Didn't I say on to business? Darned ADD!
Okay. Here we go! I took the last sessions weights & in a moment of extreme conservatism I decided that my optimum weight increases would be 2.5 pounds per workout. At that moment I thought it was fairly realistic. Then I looked at the old log pages. BS he says! I was consistantly adding 5-pounds per training session every week. Now, to be proper, this was only training twice per week. But as I recall, these weight increases were coming fairly easy, even when I was approaching 225-pounds, which would have been another PR for me.
So where does that put me? It puts me here: If I calculate these increases at 5-pounds per session x 3 sessions per week x 12 (90-days or three months - roughly mid-May)[15 * 12 = 180 + 70 = 250]... Yeah. So that shakes out as follows:
Overhead Press @ 112.5 pounds
(The overhead presses are going to be less weight of an increase weekly. They'll be 2.5 or more likely only 1.25 pound per session.)
High Pulls @ 270 pounds
(My math wsa off when I originally wrote this. I thought that looked a bit light.)
Squats @ 250
Bent over rows @ 250
After looking at the logs I can say with sincerety that the squats are almost guanranteed to progress at 5-pounds per session. There are a few things that could stifle that: work intefering or simply not being able to add that much more than twice per week. Honestly, I could have been working the squats considerably harder the last time. As I posted on the ROundtable back then, I wasn't even really working that hard to get the weight up. I barely noticed the weight increases. I was able to maintian form & control.
So tentatively... I think we'll be driving for a 225-pounds squat by June rather than than September. It's hard to tell with the presses. It looks like I added 2.5 pounds a few times & made the reps but then it would be four or five days until I trained again. Presses are my weak point. I've always struggled with bench & overhead movements & excelled in the squat & deadlift. It's my tiny, child like arm structure dang it! I've got wrist like a 12-year old girl! So I suspect that adding 1.25 pounds per training session is likely to be my limit if I want to be able to make reps every session.
Then there's the issue of the high pulls these may or may not get adjusted. I'd like to be moving that up along with the squats... but it's a more complicated move. It still needs a lot of work. Ultimately, if the squats actually do get all the way up to 250,,, or even to 225 by June I don't think there's going to be a problem with any of the other lifts. In my experience, once I start approaching my body weight, things start goingnuts as far as strength gains & body composition changes. Something gets turned to 11!
I'm coming back from a lower point. I'm starting out with lighter weights. The deciding factor here is going to be consistancy! I have to make my training schedule & not skip workouts. I feel like I'm more prepared to plan & set goals this time that I ever have been in the past. I'm hoping that's true.
I should have added in here... that in the previous cycle, as I was only traning twice-per-week (sometimes not even that) that I effectively lost nearly two-dozen training sessions. At 5-pounds per week, that's 120-pounds not going on the bar. I ended that cycle at 212.5 pounds in the squat.
It's time for a RANT!
Yes it is. In fact, it's LONG OVERDUE!
I won't go into too much detail here as far as identities because you never know who's going to end up reading this tripe. I'm not all that concerned when some people come up to me during the course of my travels & ask "Hey! Was that post in "xyz.forum.com" about me?" Yes. It was. You're either flattered or embarrassed. Stop worrying about what I said & take an introspective look at why I said it. Perhaps I'm just a jackass. Or perhaps my perspective is how 99% of the people you're talking to actually see you.
For the purposes of this post, let's say that there is "a guy". This guy talks at least every other day about "going to the gym". He says that he's going three to four days per week. He says that he works "back, bi's and abs" one day & "shoulders, tri's & chest" (or some similar derivative drivel) the other day. Uhm... yeah. That's a classic two-day split routine. It's as ineffective for the average, beginning strength trainee as it was thirty years ago when it first surfaced. That was back before steroids came under the "scrutiny" they enjoy today. Hmmm... I wonder if there's a connection.
Before the days of poofdom, when MEN trained with heavy weights on whole-body routines; MEN like John Grimek, Reg Parks, Doug Hepburn & other classic strongmen, such "split" routines were unheard of. It was understood that in order to gain lean mass... & thus STRENGTH one had to work the body HARD! It was also understood that the body adapted to such work due to an instinctive survival trigger; "You're obviously trying to kill yourself. I'll have to make myself stronger to counter this stupidity."
If you look at photos of these people, you may notice that they don't look like todays genetic freaks. Yes, they look "strong" but they don't look like an assortment of body parts stitched together in some basement Frankenstein experiment. They have a healthy symmetry. The other difference is that these guys could actually move weight! They had to because in those days, body building competition was a sub-category of lifting competitions. Not the other way around & not, as it is now, a totally unrelated genre... and what has essentially become a freakish cult. Anymore, I have more respect for WWF members than I do for IBBF members.
But I digress...
The "guy" states that he doesn't want to bulk up. A little bit of knowledge is can be a very dangerous thing! The term "bulking up" ordinarily relates to the loading of weight well before a competition. This actually is a traditional method for power lifters & body builders. They stop watching their wasitline in order to allow maximum caloric intake when they're magnifying their lifting programs to gain maximum muscle mass or in prepartion for a PR lift. It has little if anything to do with the rational, average trainee doing weight lifting to gain functional lean mass. It's a term that's been as misused as the two-day split I described earlier. If I had a dollar for every time I heard some twit respond with the "you don't want to bulk up" I'd be living on a beach somewhere. This is usually from someone who doesn't even train at all or worse yet, had a gym membership once that was utilized in the way I already described. If you look at them you'd have no idea that they ever even came close to a weight room, let alone lifted anything heavier than a lawn chair or a pint. (Not that there's anything at all wrong with lifting lawnchairs... or pints.) If you're happy with average strength & fitness I don't have a problem with that. To each his own. However, don't transfer your stupidity onto others in the guise of useful information. If this type of individual were being completely honest, they'd come right out & say "I lacked the dedication, interest & resolve to make it work. I'd still feel adequate if you did the same."
So our... zero is going to the gym, simply to "tone up". ARGGG!!!
Toning is a myth! One cannot "tone" what one does not have! If what this virgin is describing is a "ripped" look, then he either needs to start seriously lifting in a sensible, all-around training program & add significant cardio as well as controlling simple carbs and wasteful calories in his diet... or move to Somalia. Other than training properly, the only way he's going to get the look that he describes is by starving himself. One doesn't look "ripped" when ones ribs are showing. Boney, protruding shoulder joints are not attractive either.
Ironically, he could look SKINNY if he simply stopped eating. Yes, he'd look like an emaciated 3rd World refugee but this is precisely what he's describing, even though he doesn't realize it.
The other paradox here is that our zero says he doesnt want to... bulk up (Again ARRRRG!!!) yet he's following training programs used by professional body builders. The only things he's missing are 1) superior genetics that only about 5% of the worlds population have & 2) steroids!
At the head of all this is the fact that this guy won't listen to anyone else. He doesn't even listen to the advice of people who even remotely LOOK like they train with weights. Even though he's only been at it for a short while, you can't tell this dweeb anything. He's read a book. (Honestly? He's read couple of articles in a soft-porn muslce mag. Now he's an expert.) I suppose that he could be listenin gto the peopl eat the club wher eh trains. That's unfortunate because if they're anything like the feckless masses at evvirtually every training facility I endured, they're mired in the same, pointless, dead-end nonsense.
At least I'm learning, albeit slowly, that one cannot teach a pig to sing, or fly or not be a pig. There are people out there who simply refuse to acknowledge that what they're doing isn't working & is NEVER going to work. I suspect that the glamor (I'm not even certain that's how I want to phrase this) of being able to tell people that "I'm going to the gym four nights per week." has a certain appeal. I'm not sure where that appeal dies. Does it die when the person confronts themselves honestly & acknowledges that they've been training for 90 days & they look EXACTLY THE SAME as they did when they started? Does it take that same period of time with their friends & coworkers laughingly saying "Oh yeah. I can tell. It really shows." ?
I think it's somewhat tragic that these types of stories almost always end up the same. This guy will probably quit training in another few months because he's seeing virtually zero return on his investment. He may retain the membership... partly due to embarassment at his failure to make any progress. He'll wander in again every few months or so. He may wait until his New years resolution spurs him to repeat the horrific cycle yet again. I've been there. I've been there more than once.
Sadly, had this same guy stumbled on a SANE, WHOLE BODY APPROACH he would be light-years ahead of his peers. He could have added 20-pounds of muscle in the same amout of time that he trotted around the club, barely breaking a sweat & buring more dollars that calories! He would have understood the necessity of balancing aerobic and anaerobic training so that one doesn't end up burning the muscle they allegedly built the week before.
This isn't the only individual that I've had exposure to who was determined to do it their own way... despite their being living proof that their method doesn't work... & met with abyssmal results. Some of them were sincere & ignorant. Others were bull-headed, lazy & stupid. Those who were my friends, I still maintain relationships with. I just exclude them from ANY training relationship. I won't even discuss the subject with them. I will NOT lift with them, walk with them, run with them or anything else that involves the fitness regimen. They're a pariah when it comes to physical improvement. Why? Because it's obvious to me now that this is intentional. Not only do they not want to put in the work themselves, they seem determined to undermine my own efforts. I don't know if this is intentional. It may be a subconscious reaction. They miss the cigar nights, pub crawls & the other activities that we used to indulge in several times per month (or week).
So... this wasn't much of a rant. It started out that way. I began posting it late last night but (thankfully)Blogger lost the 40+ minutes worth of bile I'd spewed onto the page. That's what I get for trying to be fancy. This version is more information & opinion that the vitriolic diatribe I was penning at 10:40 PM last night.
This being the case, I'd like to offer a few more bits of experienced advice. While I myself am currently not the picture of healthy perfection, I am working on it. The individuals whom I previously referred to are leagues behind me as far as their knowledge & more importantly their willingess to research for themselves.
I tried everything that they tried. It didn't work for me either. It doesn't work reliably for ANYONE! (Well, at least not the normal, 95% of the populace who prefer not to poison themselves or render themselves sterile.) So here's what does work:
If I were to suggest a single, solitary tome that would empower the average trainee, it would be this one...
No! I don't make a single red cent on the sales of this book!
Although I've read many others which proved invaluable in my journey, Brawn was a revelation... & a revolution. It was an eye opener & I became a parrot, repeating "Yeah! Me too!" as I read of the authors observances on the state of frustration that the majority of trainees encounter. Every moment of failure that he suffered is repeated ad nauseum by tens of thousands of victims every day. From this volume, I'll attempt to toss out some very basic advice.
Use compound exercises! We're talking about building a FOUNDATION for the future here. Remember... Toning is a myth! No matter if your goal is fat loss, an increase in lean mass, the gaining of strength... all roads begin with the basics: Squats, deadlifts, presses & rows. YOU want to do more than just "pump up" your muscles. You want to develop solid, lean muscle mass. You also want to strengthen the connective tissue, the tendons & ligaments. This enables you to handle ever heavier resistance... & it also keeps you body healthy & injury free.
Do a FULL BODY routine! Yes that's right. Firstly, why spend more time in the gym or health club than is absolutely necessary? Unless you're suffering from severe loneliness & a keen sense of abandonment you should be spending that extra time with friends, famliy or doing some activity that you actually enjoy & that will benefit your mind. A full-body routine done two to three times per week is what you should be doing. You shouldn't expend more than 60 to 90 minutes. Don't burn up Gatorade going into the gym four to five, or even six days per week unless you're aiming for competition... & I mean you're competing THIS YEAR!
You will gain NOTHING as a beginner by concentrating on what equates to finishing exercises. If anyone tells you otherwise... get some cardio in by running away from them as fast as you possibly can. Drive away from them if possible. (Personally, I'd prefer that you do the world a BIG favor and run them over!)
Those first two really do go together. Compound exercises and full-body routines. Not only do you train your core body, but the compound movements have a proven knockoff effect overall; specifically the squats & deadlift. Personally, I'd put dips & overhead presses in there as well. Both are fatastic strength builders & the hit not only the obvious target structures but just about everything else that's connected right down to the floor. No wonder it's so unpopular. Do this stuff TO THE HILT three times per week & then tell me that you're not exhausted at the end of every single session. (I don't think that one needs to train to failure every single session. I've had plenty of training sessions... with decent weight on the bar, where I've made the reps with a tad to spare... & still been virtually useless at the end of that time.)
Add weight whenever possible! Progress is the entire point. No? One will not gain an ounce of mass, strength or anything else unless the resistance is increased. There's no need to be ridiculous. Add a weight that will allow you to maintain proper form, cadence & repetitions. Add a weigh thta allows you to lift under CONTROL! But... ADD THE WEIGHT! If you aren't doing that... stop training. You're not going to get anywhere. (Regarding adding reps as opposed to adding weight... see the embedded links again for "toning" & "bulking". There are differing methods for adding resistance... but fully researchthem first.) The proven method is to add weight & maintian the reps.
Slow but steady is how this game is played. Too much weight & you'll lose momentum & motivation. Not enough weight & you'll be spinning your wheels. As a note, most clubs don't have plates smaller than 2.5 pounds. (Some places don't have anything smaller that 5 pounds! Morons!) I've seen a few places that had 1.25 plates, but those usually disappear. Either that or people look at you with a snicker. "Why are you using such light weights?" I'd like to write something here... but what I'd like to say would likely get this blog removed. Suffice it to say that you can do a few quick calculations for yourself. It doesn't take a math major to figure out how small increments of weight added CONSISTENTLY can "move a mountain".
Take 1.25 pounds & multiply it by three times per week. Now take that number & multiply it by say 26 weeks. That's 97.5 pounds you've just added to a compound exercise like your squats, bench or overhead press or deadlift. If it were squats, you've just gone from lifting the bare Olympic bar (45 pounds w/ clips) to squatting 142.5 pounds. You've done it in six months.
Oh, it gets better! Double that number! Do this type of program, adding that small increment of weight for an entire year? You're now squatting... 285 POUNDS! So the next time some brainless dimwit chides you for using small plates, just look at them knowingly... & keep training. They're blithering imbeciles. It's also a safe bet that they've NEVER added significant weight to ANY lift they're doing. On esignificant thing about small increment additions is that it's enough to ramp up the pundages, it's enough to force your body to gradually adjust to the requirements... but it's rarely enough to ram you into a plateau.
If you're fortunate enough to train at home or in a similarly convenient location (& I certainly hope you are that fortunate!) I highly recommend investing in some of these...
They're fractional plates made by a company called Peidmont Design Associates. The weights run from 1 .oz all the way to 1-pound & cover every necessary increment in between. These things are outstanding in quality & function!
There's a link for the company at the top right of this page. Again, I'm not making money from ANY of these companies or products... I just happen to use a lot of their products & every piece that I own has proven to be well worth the investment. If you belong to a commercial gym,... they may allow you to bring these in. (YOu may not even want to say anything. Just do it & wait for them to object.) Just make certain thet you keep them in view & don't leave them lying where they'll be lost or stolen. (I think that PDA still stamps your initials on all but the smallest plates at no charge. When I bought mine, they just came that way. It was a nice personal touch & these guys did a fantastic job.)
Again, the point of having such a tools is that it allows you to continue your progress to almost absurd levels. Every time you start approaching a plateau, you can drop the weight down, drop the weight down & drop the weight down again. You can add as little as a single ounce... & yet continue to add weight. This isn't an iaaues when you're starting out, but once the weight gets to around 150% of your body weight now you're into the serious work zone. Now you actually have to start planning your stratgey. Set that ability up beforehand. Set it up with the training log, the micro-plates, the research...
Keep a training log! The number of people who looked at me like I was from Mars is testament to the malfunction that the fitness "industry" has become. The idea is as foreign to them as a cullinary delicacy from the Republic of Togo. If you're not keeping track of the specifics of each training session... how do you have any idea of your progress? This is probably one of the sginle most significant stumbling blocks I've seen in other trainees. I've known guys who never wrote anything down. They just went in, stuck some plates on the bar & did as many reps as they could. They basically had no idea how much weight they were lifting nor hwo long they'd been stuck there. This went on for over five years with one guy that I worked with.
Your log should have the date, the time (you're going to want to know how long these sessions are taking you), the exercises & those should be seperated out by sets & reps. Some people keep it simple with a spiral notebook. They just organize in page format as they go along. I personally prefer something closer to a binder... because when I make up my own routines I like to dump them into Excel. The page formatting makes it pretty easy to organize the cells however you want. One disadvantage of the Excel method is that you tend ot use an entire page per session. This isn't really a problem for me as my handwriting is so La grande`! once I start getting cranked up that I cannot fit it into teeny-tiny lines anyhow. The spiral format (if you write small enough & are the organized type)can allows you to cram multiple session onto a single page. So no flipping back to see what you were doing yesterday or last week. YOu can get several sessions in a glance which is very handy. But again, if your penmenship is like mine ater your heart starts pumping, you won't have room for comments & possibly won't be able to read what you wrote later.
Ultimately, you should be able to look through your log & know EXACTLY how much you've lifted, how much you've added, how each session went (include a space for comments!!!)... every detail that will facilitate your understanding of what you're doing... & what you're truly capable of. If you want to, you can transfer that stuff into a spreadsheet or just a text document later. I do. I like ot keep the comments & such in a seperate Word document. These I expound later.
Lastly, again on the small increments, adding weight & all that good stuff: This whole thing is about progress. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. Anything worth having is worth working for. Anything you get for free either isn't... or it's worth less than what you paid for it. Yes, they're all tired old mantras. They're also all true. It's taken me my lifetime to realize what they meant.
I'll finish this with one last jewel. This one from
Henry Rollins.
If any of this helped you, feel free to e-mail. Or don't.
I won't go into too much detail here as far as identities because you never know who's going to end up reading this tripe. I'm not all that concerned when some people come up to me during the course of my travels & ask "Hey! Was that post in "xyz.forum.com" about me?" Yes. It was. You're either flattered or embarrassed. Stop worrying about what I said & take an introspective look at why I said it. Perhaps I'm just a jackass. Or perhaps my perspective is how 99% of the people you're talking to actually see you.
For the purposes of this post, let's say that there is "a guy". This guy talks at least every other day about "going to the gym". He says that he's going three to four days per week. He says that he works "back, bi's and abs" one day & "shoulders, tri's & chest" (or some similar derivative drivel) the other day. Uhm... yeah. That's a classic two-day split routine. It's as ineffective for the average, beginning strength trainee as it was thirty years ago when it first surfaced. That was back before steroids came under the "scrutiny" they enjoy today. Hmmm... I wonder if there's a connection.
Before the days of poofdom, when MEN trained with heavy weights on whole-body routines; MEN like John Grimek, Reg Parks, Doug Hepburn & other classic strongmen, such "split" routines were unheard of. It was understood that in order to gain lean mass... & thus STRENGTH one had to work the body HARD! It was also understood that the body adapted to such work due to an instinctive survival trigger; "You're obviously trying to kill yourself. I'll have to make myself stronger to counter this stupidity."
If you look at photos of these people, you may notice that they don't look like todays genetic freaks. Yes, they look "strong" but they don't look like an assortment of body parts stitched together in some basement Frankenstein experiment. They have a healthy symmetry. The other difference is that these guys could actually move weight! They had to because in those days, body building competition was a sub-category of lifting competitions. Not the other way around & not, as it is now, a totally unrelated genre... and what has essentially become a freakish cult. Anymore, I have more respect for WWF members than I do for IBBF members.
But I digress...
The "guy" states that he doesn't want to bulk up. A little bit of knowledge is can be a very dangerous thing! The term "bulking up" ordinarily relates to the loading of weight well before a competition. This actually is a traditional method for power lifters & body builders. They stop watching their wasitline in order to allow maximum caloric intake when they're magnifying their lifting programs to gain maximum muscle mass or in prepartion for a PR lift. It has little if anything to do with the rational, average trainee doing weight lifting to gain functional lean mass. It's a term that's been as misused as the two-day split I described earlier. If I had a dollar for every time I heard some twit respond with the "you don't want to bulk up" I'd be living on a beach somewhere. This is usually from someone who doesn't even train at all or worse yet, had a gym membership once that was utilized in the way I already described. If you look at them you'd have no idea that they ever even came close to a weight room, let alone lifted anything heavier than a lawn chair or a pint. (Not that there's anything at all wrong with lifting lawnchairs... or pints.) If you're happy with average strength & fitness I don't have a problem with that. To each his own. However, don't transfer your stupidity onto others in the guise of useful information. If this type of individual were being completely honest, they'd come right out & say "I lacked the dedication, interest & resolve to make it work. I'd still feel adequate if you did the same."
So our... zero is going to the gym, simply to "tone up". ARGGG!!!
Toning is a myth! One cannot "tone" what one does not have! If what this virgin is describing is a "ripped" look, then he either needs to start seriously lifting in a sensible, all-around training program & add significant cardio as well as controlling simple carbs and wasteful calories in his diet... or move to Somalia. Other than training properly, the only way he's going to get the look that he describes is by starving himself. One doesn't look "ripped" when ones ribs are showing. Boney, protruding shoulder joints are not attractive either.
Ironically, he could look SKINNY if he simply stopped eating. Yes, he'd look like an emaciated 3rd World refugee but this is precisely what he's describing, even though he doesn't realize it.
The other paradox here is that our zero says he doesnt want to... bulk up (Again ARRRRG!!!) yet he's following training programs used by professional body builders. The only things he's missing are 1) superior genetics that only about 5% of the worlds population have & 2) steroids!
At the head of all this is the fact that this guy won't listen to anyone else. He doesn't even listen to the advice of people who even remotely LOOK like they train with weights. Even though he's only been at it for a short while, you can't tell this dweeb anything. He's read a book. (Honestly? He's read couple of articles in a soft-porn muslce mag. Now he's an expert.) I suppose that he could be listenin gto the peopl eat the club wher eh trains. That's unfortunate because if they're anything like the feckless masses at evvirtually every training facility I endured, they're mired in the same, pointless, dead-end nonsense.
At least I'm learning, albeit slowly, that one cannot teach a pig to sing, or fly or not be a pig. There are people out there who simply refuse to acknowledge that what they're doing isn't working & is NEVER going to work. I suspect that the glamor (I'm not even certain that's how I want to phrase this) of being able to tell people that "I'm going to the gym four nights per week." has a certain appeal. I'm not sure where that appeal dies. Does it die when the person confronts themselves honestly & acknowledges that they've been training for 90 days & they look EXACTLY THE SAME as they did when they started? Does it take that same period of time with their friends & coworkers laughingly saying "Oh yeah. I can tell. It really shows." ?
I think it's somewhat tragic that these types of stories almost always end up the same. This guy will probably quit training in another few months because he's seeing virtually zero return on his investment. He may retain the membership... partly due to embarassment at his failure to make any progress. He'll wander in again every few months or so. He may wait until his New years resolution spurs him to repeat the horrific cycle yet again. I've been there. I've been there more than once.
Sadly, had this same guy stumbled on a SANE, WHOLE BODY APPROACH he would be light-years ahead of his peers. He could have added 20-pounds of muscle in the same amout of time that he trotted around the club, barely breaking a sweat & buring more dollars that calories! He would have understood the necessity of balancing aerobic and anaerobic training so that one doesn't end up burning the muscle they allegedly built the week before.
This isn't the only individual that I've had exposure to who was determined to do it their own way... despite their being living proof that their method doesn't work... & met with abyssmal results. Some of them were sincere & ignorant. Others were bull-headed, lazy & stupid. Those who were my friends, I still maintain relationships with. I just exclude them from ANY training relationship. I won't even discuss the subject with them. I will NOT lift with them, walk with them, run with them or anything else that involves the fitness regimen. They're a pariah when it comes to physical improvement. Why? Because it's obvious to me now that this is intentional. Not only do they not want to put in the work themselves, they seem determined to undermine my own efforts. I don't know if this is intentional. It may be a subconscious reaction. They miss the cigar nights, pub crawls & the other activities that we used to indulge in several times per month (or week).
So... this wasn't much of a rant. It started out that way. I began posting it late last night but (thankfully)Blogger lost the 40+ minutes worth of bile I'd spewed onto the page. That's what I get for trying to be fancy. This version is more information & opinion that the vitriolic diatribe I was penning at 10:40 PM last night.
This being the case, I'd like to offer a few more bits of experienced advice. While I myself am currently not the picture of healthy perfection, I am working on it. The individuals whom I previously referred to are leagues behind me as far as their knowledge & more importantly their willingess to research for themselves.
I tried everything that they tried. It didn't work for me either. It doesn't work reliably for ANYONE! (Well, at least not the normal, 95% of the populace who prefer not to poison themselves or render themselves sterile.) So here's what does work:
If I were to suggest a single, solitary tome that would empower the average trainee, it would be this one...
No! I don't make a single red cent on the sales of this book!
Although I've read many others which proved invaluable in my journey, Brawn was a revelation... & a revolution. It was an eye opener & I became a parrot, repeating "Yeah! Me too!" as I read of the authors observances on the state of frustration that the majority of trainees encounter. Every moment of failure that he suffered is repeated ad nauseum by tens of thousands of victims every day. From this volume, I'll attempt to toss out some very basic advice.
Use compound exercises! We're talking about building a FOUNDATION for the future here. Remember... Toning is a myth! No matter if your goal is fat loss, an increase in lean mass, the gaining of strength... all roads begin with the basics: Squats, deadlifts, presses & rows. YOU want to do more than just "pump up" your muscles. You want to develop solid, lean muscle mass. You also want to strengthen the connective tissue, the tendons & ligaments. This enables you to handle ever heavier resistance... & it also keeps you body healthy & injury free.
Do a FULL BODY routine! Yes that's right. Firstly, why spend more time in the gym or health club than is absolutely necessary? Unless you're suffering from severe loneliness & a keen sense of abandonment you should be spending that extra time with friends, famliy or doing some activity that you actually enjoy & that will benefit your mind. A full-body routine done two to three times per week is what you should be doing. You shouldn't expend more than 60 to 90 minutes. Don't burn up Gatorade going into the gym four to five, or even six days per week unless you're aiming for competition... & I mean you're competing THIS YEAR!
You will gain NOTHING as a beginner by concentrating on what equates to finishing exercises. If anyone tells you otherwise... get some cardio in by running away from them as fast as you possibly can. Drive away from them if possible. (Personally, I'd prefer that you do the world a BIG favor and run them over!)
Those first two really do go together. Compound exercises and full-body routines. Not only do you train your core body, but the compound movements have a proven knockoff effect overall; specifically the squats & deadlift. Personally, I'd put dips & overhead presses in there as well. Both are fatastic strength builders & the hit not only the obvious target structures but just about everything else that's connected right down to the floor. No wonder it's so unpopular. Do this stuff TO THE HILT three times per week & then tell me that you're not exhausted at the end of every single session. (I don't think that one needs to train to failure every single session. I've had plenty of training sessions... with decent weight on the bar, where I've made the reps with a tad to spare... & still been virtually useless at the end of that time.)
Add weight whenever possible! Progress is the entire point. No? One will not gain an ounce of mass, strength or anything else unless the resistance is increased. There's no need to be ridiculous. Add a weight that will allow you to maintain proper form, cadence & repetitions. Add a weigh thta allows you to lift under CONTROL! But... ADD THE WEIGHT! If you aren't doing that... stop training. You're not going to get anywhere. (Regarding adding reps as opposed to adding weight... see the embedded links again for "toning" & "bulking". There are differing methods for adding resistance... but fully researchthem first.) The proven method is to add weight & maintian the reps.
Slow but steady is how this game is played. Too much weight & you'll lose momentum & motivation. Not enough weight & you'll be spinning your wheels. As a note, most clubs don't have plates smaller than 2.5 pounds. (Some places don't have anything smaller that 5 pounds! Morons!) I've seen a few places that had 1.25 plates, but those usually disappear. Either that or people look at you with a snicker. "Why are you using such light weights?" I'd like to write something here... but what I'd like to say would likely get this blog removed. Suffice it to say that you can do a few quick calculations for yourself. It doesn't take a math major to figure out how small increments of weight added CONSISTENTLY can "move a mountain".
Take 1.25 pounds & multiply it by three times per week. Now take that number & multiply it by say 26 weeks. That's 97.5 pounds you've just added to a compound exercise like your squats, bench or overhead press or deadlift. If it were squats, you've just gone from lifting the bare Olympic bar (45 pounds w/ clips) to squatting 142.5 pounds. You've done it in six months.
Oh, it gets better! Double that number! Do this type of program, adding that small increment of weight for an entire year? You're now squatting... 285 POUNDS! So the next time some brainless dimwit chides you for using small plates, just look at them knowingly... & keep training. They're blithering imbeciles. It's also a safe bet that they've NEVER added significant weight to ANY lift they're doing. On esignificant thing about small increment additions is that it's enough to ramp up the pundages, it's enough to force your body to gradually adjust to the requirements... but it's rarely enough to ram you into a plateau.
If you're fortunate enough to train at home or in a similarly convenient location (& I certainly hope you are that fortunate!) I highly recommend investing in some of these...
They're fractional plates made by a company called Peidmont Design Associates. The weights run from 1 .oz all the way to 1-pound & cover every necessary increment in between. These things are outstanding in quality & function!
There's a link for the company at the top right of this page. Again, I'm not making money from ANY of these companies or products... I just happen to use a lot of their products & every piece that I own has proven to be well worth the investment. If you belong to a commercial gym,... they may allow you to bring these in. (YOu may not even want to say anything. Just do it & wait for them to object.) Just make certain thet you keep them in view & don't leave them lying where they'll be lost or stolen. (I think that PDA still stamps your initials on all but the smallest plates at no charge. When I bought mine, they just came that way. It was a nice personal touch & these guys did a fantastic job.)
Again, the point of having such a tools is that it allows you to continue your progress to almost absurd levels. Every time you start approaching a plateau, you can drop the weight down, drop the weight down & drop the weight down again. You can add as little as a single ounce... & yet continue to add weight. This isn't an iaaues when you're starting out, but once the weight gets to around 150% of your body weight now you're into the serious work zone. Now you actually have to start planning your stratgey. Set that ability up beforehand. Set it up with the training log, the micro-plates, the research...
Keep a training log! The number of people who looked at me like I was from Mars is testament to the malfunction that the fitness "industry" has become. The idea is as foreign to them as a cullinary delicacy from the Republic of Togo. If you're not keeping track of the specifics of each training session... how do you have any idea of your progress? This is probably one of the sginle most significant stumbling blocks I've seen in other trainees. I've known guys who never wrote anything down. They just went in, stuck some plates on the bar & did as many reps as they could. They basically had no idea how much weight they were lifting nor hwo long they'd been stuck there. This went on for over five years with one guy that I worked with.
Your log should have the date, the time (you're going to want to know how long these sessions are taking you), the exercises & those should be seperated out by sets & reps. Some people keep it simple with a spiral notebook. They just organize in page format as they go along. I personally prefer something closer to a binder... because when I make up my own routines I like to dump them into Excel. The page formatting makes it pretty easy to organize the cells however you want. One disadvantage of the Excel method is that you tend ot use an entire page per session. This isn't really a problem for me as my handwriting is so La grande`! once I start getting cranked up that I cannot fit it into teeny-tiny lines anyhow. The spiral format (if you write small enough & are the organized type)can allows you to cram multiple session onto a single page. So no flipping back to see what you were doing yesterday or last week. YOu can get several sessions in a glance which is very handy. But again, if your penmenship is like mine ater your heart starts pumping, you won't have room for comments & possibly won't be able to read what you wrote later.
Ultimately, you should be able to look through your log & know EXACTLY how much you've lifted, how much you've added, how each session went (include a space for comments!!!)... every detail that will facilitate your understanding of what you're doing... & what you're truly capable of. If you want to, you can transfer that stuff into a spreadsheet or just a text document later. I do. I like ot keep the comments & such in a seperate Word document. These I expound later.
Lastly, again on the small increments, adding weight & all that good stuff: This whole thing is about progress. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. Anything worth having is worth working for. Anything you get for free either isn't... or it's worth less than what you paid for it. Yes, they're all tired old mantras. They're also all true. It's taken me my lifetime to realize what they meant.
I'll finish this with one last jewel. This one from
Henry Rollins.
If any of this helped you, feel free to e-mail. Or don't.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Workout Number Two
I tweaked the schedule somewhat. My legs were still a bit too sore last night & I was late getting home from work thanks to traffic. I took it easy... & ate some lasagna. Today saw much better form in the squats & high pulls. (Most likely the overhead press as well.)
I did a warm up today. A set of 20 dumbbells swings with around 25 pounds. That seemed to warm me up fairly well without overdoing it.
Overhead Press:
1x5 @ 47.5 pounds, 1x5 @ 57, 5 pounds & 3x5 @ 67.5 pounds.
I could tell the difference in the weight on these today... but I still felt like I had more strength & much ore control over the bar today than I did in the first workout.
High Pulls:
1x5 @ 70 pounds, 1x5 @ 80 pounds & 3x5 @ 90 pounds.
I had an epiphany on these before the first set. I was setting doing mental imaging (if you haven’t tried this you should!) & I pictured first a snap shot of the IronMind Second Pull T-shirt. Then I saw Jim Schmitz doing the movement. It was at that point that I realized what I have been doing wrong all this time. Not just from the other day, but the entire time I was working these back in 2005.
I wasn’t pulling my shoulders back. I got up & began analyzing how I had been doing them & realized that I actually tend to lean forward at the top of the pull. This is WRONG! Leaning forward (or what “feels” like straight & fully erect) actually causes a few problems.
1. It takes the hips & legs completely out to the lift & shifts virtually all of the work to the shoulders & back.
2. This weakens the lift.
3. This also puts undue stress on the lower back.
4. The shrug should be completed by pulling the shoulders back as you thrust the hips forward coming up onto the toes.
Making this slight correction made a huge difference in my form. I’m going to need a lot of practice & it will take some time to unlearn the incorrect form but I noticed immediately that it felt correct. SO now video-taping is going to help correct this. Naturally I didn’t tape today.
Squats:
1x5 @ 50 pounds, 1x5 @ 60 pounds & 3x5 @ 70 pounds.
I saw a noted improvement on these over Wednesday. My left leg appears to be evening out. I still had a slight lean & there was also some slight difference in flexibility but not nearly what I saw the other night. By the time the weight starts climbing closer to 135 pounds, I should have the issue fixed. I also felt stronger overall today in the squat. Things felt more even, more controlled & more precise. The thumb behind the bar feels more natural now. I may even moce my hands out on the bar a bit further to ease the shoulders a bit.
Bent Over Rows:
1x5 @ 50 pounds, 1x5 @ 60 pounds & 3x5 @ 70 pounds.
I took the time with these today rather than just blowing through them. I was thinking of pulling more. On Wednesday I basically yanked the bar up to get them over with. I could still work them slower. It will take some time to get beyond the fatigue that's hitting me in thee sessions. Currently, by the time I get done with teh squats I'm ready to bail. I had a bit more in me today. Factor in the bloody cold of the basement & it wasn't pleasant towards the end.
Lastly I did one set of 10 reps w/ 10 pounds for each side for the neck. The neck harness covers the front & back & I do lying neck raises with a 10-pounds plate for the side. That & one set of 10 reps of leg raises for the abs finished things up.
Lastly, I’ll note that… it’s still a tad too chilly to be working out in that basement without the Under Armor on! I'll need to do laundry tonight so I'll have some decent protection for Monday's training session. Top & bottom I think.
I did a warm up today. A set of 20 dumbbells swings with around 25 pounds. That seemed to warm me up fairly well without overdoing it.
Overhead Press:
1x5 @ 47.5 pounds, 1x5 @ 57, 5 pounds & 3x5 @ 67.5 pounds.
I could tell the difference in the weight on these today... but I still felt like I had more strength & much ore control over the bar today than I did in the first workout.
High Pulls:
1x5 @ 70 pounds, 1x5 @ 80 pounds & 3x5 @ 90 pounds.
I had an epiphany on these before the first set. I was setting doing mental imaging (if you haven’t tried this you should!) & I pictured first a snap shot of the IronMind Second Pull T-shirt. Then I saw Jim Schmitz doing the movement. It was at that point that I realized what I have been doing wrong all this time. Not just from the other day, but the entire time I was working these back in 2005.
I wasn’t pulling my shoulders back. I got up & began analyzing how I had been doing them & realized that I actually tend to lean forward at the top of the pull. This is WRONG! Leaning forward (or what “feels” like straight & fully erect) actually causes a few problems.
1. It takes the hips & legs completely out to the lift & shifts virtually all of the work to the shoulders & back.
2. This weakens the lift.
3. This also puts undue stress on the lower back.
4. The shrug should be completed by pulling the shoulders back as you thrust the hips forward coming up onto the toes.
Making this slight correction made a huge difference in my form. I’m going to need a lot of practice & it will take some time to unlearn the incorrect form but I noticed immediately that it felt correct. SO now video-taping is going to help correct this. Naturally I didn’t tape today.
Squats:
1x5 @ 50 pounds, 1x5 @ 60 pounds & 3x5 @ 70 pounds.
I saw a noted improvement on these over Wednesday. My left leg appears to be evening out. I still had a slight lean & there was also some slight difference in flexibility but not nearly what I saw the other night. By the time the weight starts climbing closer to 135 pounds, I should have the issue fixed. I also felt stronger overall today in the squat. Things felt more even, more controlled & more precise. The thumb behind the bar feels more natural now. I may even moce my hands out on the bar a bit further to ease the shoulders a bit.
Bent Over Rows:
1x5 @ 50 pounds, 1x5 @ 60 pounds & 3x5 @ 70 pounds.
I took the time with these today rather than just blowing through them. I was thinking of pulling more. On Wednesday I basically yanked the bar up to get them over with. I could still work them slower. It will take some time to get beyond the fatigue that's hitting me in thee sessions. Currently, by the time I get done with teh squats I'm ready to bail. I had a bit more in me today. Factor in the bloody cold of the basement & it wasn't pleasant towards the end.
Lastly I did one set of 10 reps w/ 10 pounds for each side for the neck. The neck harness covers the front & back & I do lying neck raises with a 10-pounds plate for the side. That & one set of 10 reps of leg raises for the abs finished things up.
Lastly, I’ll note that… it’s still a tad too chilly to be working out in that basement without the Under Armor on! I'll need to do laundry tonight so I'll have some decent protection for Monday's training session. Top & bottom I think.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Still A Little Sore?
Oh yes. Yes I am. The hamstrings ham been sore since Wednesday evening, right after the training session. My shoulders are just starting to tighten up now. I took tonight off & will be rested for session two tomorrow night.
I posted that first workout on Hard Gainer. I doubt that I'll post every session, but I may post once per month just to show my progress. The folks there are very supportive & there's a lot of information for sane lifters to garner.
I'm pretty psyched to get this rolling again. I've got six months until summer... what summer we have around here. That's about where I started seeing real progress the last time.
It's temptingto push it, but I'm weaker than it was back then. This is the longest I've ever gone without getting some lifting in for at least some type of cycle every few months.
I actually didn't intend on writing this much...
If my math is correct & I write off Ferbruary, that gives me 5 months until July. If I can manage to stick to three workouts per week, that's 20 weeks times three. If I can manage to add 5 pounds per session to the squats, high pull & bent over rows, that's 60 pounds per month. At 5 months, that will be 300 pounds. It also means 150 pounds added to the over head press.
That's seems pretty aggressive. Even if I only manage to add 10 pounds per week that's still going to put me over 200 pounds on the bar by July for the big movements & an addition of 100 pounds ot the OHP.
So...
Then the approximate targets would be thus:
Overhead Press @ 165 pounds
High Pull @ 285 pounds
Squats @ 265
Bent over rows @ 265
Realistically, 5 pounds per session is a slow, steady increase for the squats. I'm positive that I can manage that. It's what I was doing before on a two-day per week regimin... & not working at it much at all. I don't think that a three-day per week program is going to cripple me as long as I make certain that I stay focused.
If I can keep myself motivated I'll hammer those increases. Once the squat weight starts to move up everything else is going to follow.
I posted that first workout on Hard Gainer. I doubt that I'll post every session, but I may post once per month just to show my progress. The folks there are very supportive & there's a lot of information for sane lifters to garner.
I'm pretty psyched to get this rolling again. I've got six months until summer... what summer we have around here. That's about where I started seeing real progress the last time.
It's temptingto push it, but I'm weaker than it was back then. This is the longest I've ever gone without getting some lifting in for at least some type of cycle every few months.
I actually didn't intend on writing this much...
If my math is correct & I write off Ferbruary, that gives me 5 months until July. If I can manage to stick to three workouts per week, that's 20 weeks times three. If I can manage to add 5 pounds per session to the squats, high pull & bent over rows, that's 60 pounds per month. At 5 months, that will be 300 pounds. It also means 150 pounds added to the over head press.
That's seems pretty aggressive. Even if I only manage to add 10 pounds per week that's still going to put me over 200 pounds on the bar by July for the big movements & an addition of 100 pounds ot the OHP.
So...
Then the approximate targets would be thus:
Overhead Press @ 165 pounds
High Pull @ 285 pounds
Squats @ 265
Bent over rows @ 265
Realistically, 5 pounds per session is a slow, steady increase for the squats. I'm positive that I can manage that. It's what I was doing before on a two-day per week regimin... & not working at it much at all. I don't think that a three-day per week program is going to cripple me as long as I make certain that I stay focused.
If I can keep myself motivated I'll hammer those increases. Once the squat weight starts to move up everything else is going to follow.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
The First In Four Years...
So... This is a critique of my first full workout since March of 2005. No, that's not a typo. De Quervain's, an injured knee & a car accident. I averaged about one injury per year. The legs are like rubber... I didn't do a warm up. I figured that the weights weren't heavy enough to warrant one. Also, I didn't want to wear myself out. In this particular case I was right. I barely had enough juice to get through this session & if I'd done the ten minutes on the treadmill or something I don't think I would have survived the squats.
Overhead Press 1x5x45 (wu) \ 1x5x55 (wu)\ 3x5x65 (work sets)
High pulls 1x5x65 (wu) 1x5x75 (wu) \ 3x5x85 (work sets)
These were tough... because I didn't set the bar down between reps. The plates were too small. So I just lowered myself to the approximate height the bar would be at if I had 45-pound plates on it. I just slowly lowered down & hovered there. It actually felt fairly natural & I appreciated the stretch on the Achilles, calves & the back. I'm sure to be in agony by Friday.
Squats 1x5x45 (bar only wu) \ 1x5x55 (wu) \ 3x5x75 (work sets) These were tough as well. Not because of the weight. Just the bar actually felt pretty good & I was able to maintain control, but... I immediately noticed that my left leg is still lacking strength when compared to the right thanks to the accident. So I had to consciously compensate. I could actually see that my right leg was bending more (lowering me off-balance) so I had to force myself to push harder with the left leg to even my upper body out. I felt these almost immediately after the work sets were done. Especially in my left leg.
Bent over rows 3x5x65 (work sets) By this point I was pooped... and my back was getting tired. I pulled it ever so slightly on one of the work sets of high pulls. I decided to just hammer out three good sets. That was it. I'd been planning on neck & grip work... but at the end, after a full hour, I just wanted to eat dinner & collapse. Not necessarily in that order. I didn't even have the energy to cook anything so I went out & grabbed some fast "food". Of course, I'm regretting that now. I'm really craving a salad & a steak or something. I FEEL GREAT!!! So... I'm going to try to hit this three days per week for a while. If I can manage top add five pounds to the high pulls, squats & rows at each session & 2.5 to the presses I should be doing pretty well within about a month. That will put the squats up to 135, the high pulls at 145, the ohp & rows at 125. I'm most worried about the squats because of the difference in leg strength... but that's probably affecting the high pull as well. Every once in a while that darned knee injury sends me a reminder, but the training should strengthen that right up.
I have a LOT of ground to make up. That's the most discouraging part. I had been squatting my body weight... & closing in on the 225 lb. landmark. It's time to start working back to that. When I look at the old video recordings of those workouts I cannot believe how much muscle mass I've lost. The videos aren't even of my best lifts because I'd stopped taping in January of 05'. By March I was really starting to get in a groove. That was month six on the 5x5 program. The wrist pain became so great that I couldn't hold the bar at all.
Overhead Press 1x5x45 (wu) \ 1x5x55 (wu)\ 3x5x65 (work sets)
High pulls 1x5x65 (wu) 1x5x75 (wu) \ 3x5x85 (work sets)
These were tough... because I didn't set the bar down between reps. The plates were too small. So I just lowered myself to the approximate height the bar would be at if I had 45-pound plates on it. I just slowly lowered down & hovered there. It actually felt fairly natural & I appreciated the stretch on the Achilles, calves & the back. I'm sure to be in agony by Friday.
Squats 1x5x45 (bar only wu) \ 1x5x55 (wu) \ 3x5x75 (work sets) These were tough as well. Not because of the weight. Just the bar actually felt pretty good & I was able to maintain control, but... I immediately noticed that my left leg is still lacking strength when compared to the right thanks to the accident. So I had to consciously compensate. I could actually see that my right leg was bending more (lowering me off-balance) so I had to force myself to push harder with the left leg to even my upper body out. I felt these almost immediately after the work sets were done. Especially in my left leg.
Bent over rows 3x5x65 (work sets) By this point I was pooped... and my back was getting tired. I pulled it ever so slightly on one of the work sets of high pulls. I decided to just hammer out three good sets. That was it. I'd been planning on neck & grip work... but at the end, after a full hour, I just wanted to eat dinner & collapse. Not necessarily in that order. I didn't even have the energy to cook anything so I went out & grabbed some fast "food". Of course, I'm regretting that now. I'm really craving a salad & a steak or something. I FEEL GREAT!!! So... I'm going to try to hit this three days per week for a while. If I can manage top add five pounds to the high pulls, squats & rows at each session & 2.5 to the presses I should be doing pretty well within about a month. That will put the squats up to 135, the high pulls at 145, the ohp & rows at 125. I'm most worried about the squats because of the difference in leg strength... but that's probably affecting the high pull as well. Every once in a while that darned knee injury sends me a reminder, but the training should strengthen that right up.
I have a LOT of ground to make up. That's the most discouraging part. I had been squatting my body weight... & closing in on the 225 lb. landmark. It's time to start working back to that. When I look at the old video recordings of those workouts I cannot believe how much muscle mass I've lost. The videos aren't even of my best lifts because I'd stopped taping in January of 05'. By March I was really starting to get in a groove. That was month six on the 5x5 program. The wrist pain became so great that I couldn't hold the bar at all.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Drumming Up Motivation...
I was planning on starting back into lifting last week. Then it was last weekend, then it was Monday, It's nearly Wednesday & I haven't started yet. I guess I need to whip out the old training logs & review some of my old workout footage... & anything else that I can think of to get me going.
Part of it is being too tired when I get home from work. If I come home, eat dinner & then set down in the recliner I inevitably end up taking an involuntary power nap. I fought it off this evening... but yesterdays was over an hour. I was dead to the world. I hate that. I feel like crap when I wake up & then I have trouble getting to sleep when I go to bed. Sometimes the nap feels pretty good... while it's happening. Afterwards it's horrible though.
Ironically, I know that after a few days of weight training, getting to sleep will not be a problem. Any carbohydrates knock me right out though. I usually don't eat breakfast... mainly because during the week I get up early anyhow & don't feel like climbing out of bed 15 to 30 minutes earlier to eat. I think I need to start. I don't really eat lunch either. I usually buy several bags of nuts; peanuts & sunflower seeds & start munching those around 10 AM. I also drink coffee though... usually only one or two cups but occasionally I down a third during the day. This is also a mistake.
I measured my upper arm the other day & I cannot believe how much size I've lost. Back in 95 when I was still training two to three days per week I'd gotten my upper arms to just over 17". Now I'm right around 14.5". I've lost around 2" on my neck. I haven't measured my legs but I imagine that I've lost two to three inches there as well.
The one good thing about this is that I know I'll start responding immediately. I actually think that I might be able to manage three days per week for a while if I watch the diet & try not to screw up my sleep schedule. I was thinking about trying a hybrid Atkins thing as well. I could boil up eggs for breakfast the night before. I usually drop fat pretty fast on that regimen & if I can manage to eat often enough during the day not to starve & keep my energy up I should do well. It's getting started that's the toughest part.
I'd prefer to do nothing but lifting but I know that I need some type of aerobic training as well. I haven't started the Couch to 5k yet but that still seems like a viable program. In poor weather I can use one of the treadmills that we have... provided the roommate hasn't buried it underneath a stack of filing boxes again.
Oh... I was down in the basement the other day. IT WAS... FREEZING!!! Oh joy. Most of the frost is gone & it seems to be warming up during the days... but I could still see my breath down there the other night.
The last time I "trained"... (Gag!) I did fine on the overhead presses. The high pulls were sloppy... but then I expected that. The squats were what killed me almost immediately. I started off much too heavy.
Just looking at the log... holy crud the last entry was back in November of 2007. Has it really been that long? So the OHP's were started at 55-65 & 75 pounds. Perhaps I went a bit heavier than I should have but I managed those sets; 1x5, 1x4 & 1x2. I may have been able to make three sets of five had I gone at it again.
The high pulls were done at 75 pounds; 1x3 & 2x5. I was getting sloppy & lazy already.
The squats? Pffft... I attempted to start out at 115 pounds. I managed two reps. I dropped the weight to 95 pounds & only managed three on the second set. Then I quit... I remember getting stuck or dropping both of those sets. Pathetic... but I couldn't get my form down.
I think that my legs are stronger now than they were then.
So... maybe tomorrow night, Wednesday the 18th will be the evening that I start up again. This sounds stupid but I'd like to see what I can pack on over the next few months while I’m on this contract. Simply because one of the guys at work thinks he works out. I'm not sure how I'll manage taping the sessions. I might not bother with it for a while.
Part of it is being too tired when I get home from work. If I come home, eat dinner & then set down in the recliner I inevitably end up taking an involuntary power nap. I fought it off this evening... but yesterdays was over an hour. I was dead to the world. I hate that. I feel like crap when I wake up & then I have trouble getting to sleep when I go to bed. Sometimes the nap feels pretty good... while it's happening. Afterwards it's horrible though.
Ironically, I know that after a few days of weight training, getting to sleep will not be a problem. Any carbohydrates knock me right out though. I usually don't eat breakfast... mainly because during the week I get up early anyhow & don't feel like climbing out of bed 15 to 30 minutes earlier to eat. I think I need to start. I don't really eat lunch either. I usually buy several bags of nuts; peanuts & sunflower seeds & start munching those around 10 AM. I also drink coffee though... usually only one or two cups but occasionally I down a third during the day. This is also a mistake.
I measured my upper arm the other day & I cannot believe how much size I've lost. Back in 95 when I was still training two to three days per week I'd gotten my upper arms to just over 17". Now I'm right around 14.5". I've lost around 2" on my neck. I haven't measured my legs but I imagine that I've lost two to three inches there as well.
The one good thing about this is that I know I'll start responding immediately. I actually think that I might be able to manage three days per week for a while if I watch the diet & try not to screw up my sleep schedule. I was thinking about trying a hybrid Atkins thing as well. I could boil up eggs for breakfast the night before. I usually drop fat pretty fast on that regimen & if I can manage to eat often enough during the day not to starve & keep my energy up I should do well. It's getting started that's the toughest part.
I'd prefer to do nothing but lifting but I know that I need some type of aerobic training as well. I haven't started the Couch to 5k yet but that still seems like a viable program. In poor weather I can use one of the treadmills that we have... provided the roommate hasn't buried it underneath a stack of filing boxes again.
Oh... I was down in the basement the other day. IT WAS... FREEZING!!! Oh joy. Most of the frost is gone & it seems to be warming up during the days... but I could still see my breath down there the other night.
The last time I "trained"... (Gag!) I did fine on the overhead presses. The high pulls were sloppy... but then I expected that. The squats were what killed me almost immediately. I started off much too heavy.
Just looking at the log... holy crud the last entry was back in November of 2007. Has it really been that long? So the OHP's were started at 55-65 & 75 pounds. Perhaps I went a bit heavier than I should have but I managed those sets; 1x5, 1x4 & 1x2. I may have been able to make three sets of five had I gone at it again.
The high pulls were done at 75 pounds; 1x3 & 2x5. I was getting sloppy & lazy already.
The squats? Pffft... I attempted to start out at 115 pounds. I managed two reps. I dropped the weight to 95 pounds & only managed three on the second set. Then I quit... I remember getting stuck or dropping both of those sets. Pathetic... but I couldn't get my form down.
I think that my legs are stronger now than they were then.
So... maybe tomorrow night, Wednesday the 18th will be the evening that I start up again. This sounds stupid but I'd like to see what I can pack on over the next few months while I’m on this contract. Simply because one of the guys at work thinks he works out. I'm not sure how I'll manage taping the sessions. I might not bother with it for a while.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
It's madness...
Supposedly, overtime is limited now that we're post M1... & not yet to M2. I've been trying to keep my hours at 40. I was successful last week (with some creativity on my part) but this week is already shaping up to be heavy. The builds have been broken & the builds have been late.
If my commute weren't so ridiculous, I'd get up earlier & check my e-mail before going in but there's not much point doing it. I'd need to get up at least 15-minutes earlier to check my messages. Then if there's no build, lying down again is pointless because I'd probably just be getting back to sleep when I'd have to get up in order to get into work by 9 AM. SO tell me, what's the point?
I started a budget this month. I had trouble deciding how much I was going to save. With the rumored re-org at work, not knowing how long I'll be employed & expecting that if I lose the job after only 6 months, and the economy being so happily helped into the crapper by Congress, it may be lean for a long time before I find another job.
I started out thinking I could put $900 per month in there. I was thinking of the amount of money I'd need for the training in Orlando. (No... I haven't talked about that & I don't know if I will. I'm trying not to advertise my plans). It was originally $5270. They've raised the tuition to a little over $6200 for 29 days. So it became obvious that if I were planning on having that money saved in six months, I'd need to put away more. Now I've made a plan to try to put $1,000 per month into savings. The additional cash (over $6k) will have to come from the latte` & cigarette fund.
I've been putting $5 in every day that I don't buy a latte` on the way to work. So far I think I have an additional $25 or so in there. Every little bit helps.
Krav class comes up again in March & I’m going to attempt to be ready... by getting in some aerobic activity... & committing to the nicotine patches. I've been doing okay but I slip about once per week... tonight included. Even just cutting down will be a step in the right direction but I could use that money elsewhere. The "Emperor" has announced an additional $.61 tax on cigarettes to fund the SCHIP program. I don't intend to assist the SCHIP program.
More later...
If my commute weren't so ridiculous, I'd get up earlier & check my e-mail before going in but there's not much point doing it. I'd need to get up at least 15-minutes earlier to check my messages. Then if there's no build, lying down again is pointless because I'd probably just be getting back to sleep when I'd have to get up in order to get into work by 9 AM. SO tell me, what's the point?
I started a budget this month. I had trouble deciding how much I was going to save. With the rumored re-org at work, not knowing how long I'll be employed & expecting that if I lose the job after only 6 months, and the economy being so happily helped into the crapper by Congress, it may be lean for a long time before I find another job.
I started out thinking I could put $900 per month in there. I was thinking of the amount of money I'd need for the training in Orlando. (No... I haven't talked about that & I don't know if I will. I'm trying not to advertise my plans). It was originally $5270. They've raised the tuition to a little over $6200 for 29 days. So it became obvious that if I were planning on having that money saved in six months, I'd need to put away more. Now I've made a plan to try to put $1,000 per month into savings. The additional cash (over $6k) will have to come from the latte` & cigarette fund.
I've been putting $5 in every day that I don't buy a latte` on the way to work. So far I think I have an additional $25 or so in there. Every little bit helps.
Krav class comes up again in March & I’m going to attempt to be ready... by getting in some aerobic activity... & committing to the nicotine patches. I've been doing okay but I slip about once per week... tonight included. Even just cutting down will be a step in the right direction but I could use that money elsewhere. The "Emperor" has announced an additional $.61 tax on cigarettes to fund the SCHIP program. I don't intend to assist the SCHIP program.
More later...
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