SESSION XVII Starts right now!
Summary: Session 17 seemed especially long. I started back at Temple and my knee wasn’t 100%, plus I’ve forgotten some set up procedures (like the keys) that caused me to get a late start. Made it through though. Also I haven’t been getting to the Y to work out as regularly, being at Temple 3 days a week and Y on Thursdays for GX leaves me the weekend and/or one of my days off for squats. To compensate, I guess that’s the right word, I’ve been doing some random vanity (upper body) work at home. My upper body does feel and look tighter, even those elusive abs are peeking through again, or is that hair?? Ha ha… Also, I’ve been getting some body work reps in overnight – suspension pushups and the pushup bars. Sometimes I do random body weight work at home as well. Looking forward to getting back outside. Maybe next session I’ll try and deadlift again – the knee seems to be healing up and getting stronger. Impact seems to be the enemy.
12713 (Sunday #221) AM – Work: HAPPY Birthday Stazja!!
I am chillin’ studying and trying to make this back/oblique heal, and thinking about the knee too. Let this be a lesson to myself; either get stronger and more durable or stop hurting myself. I’ll take either, but preferably both! I may have begin phasing out Wawa salads; more variety and better salads if I make them myself. I’ll just have to set aside more prep time.
I have a feeling the theme of this session will be healing, although I may be able to still push some solid squat weight with my legs. If I can increase 10-30 lbs a week on the squat I’ll take it for now. Oh yeah, I am intermittently pulling up on the straps, no deep angles, I just need to keep doing something to get stronger or keep from losing strength. (The back doesn’t hurt when I do it.)
Wake 193. 5 – Spent most of the day organizing paper and healing. Walked to 6-9 (about a mile round trip) did some air squats just to see if I could do them. Ice and heat the oblique. Off work, sick day, dentist.
12813 (Monday #222) Wake 195.5 – Dentist appt. too much blood from the gums, got to do better. Treating back. Aqua GX went well, not too much pain… healing!
12913 (Tuesday #223) Wake 191.5 !
Could this be the result of not supplementing? Today became crazy because I got my departure time screwed up in my head.
Back & knee are feeling a bit better. This unexpected break is karmic. Eating light to compensate for no workouts. Maybe I can do some light weights tonight and tomorrow.
Going from 198.5 to 191.5 within a fortnight and not really trying to, has some kind of message to it. The message is that I know how or what I need to do to drop weight, at will, but what kind of weight? Metabolism eats muscle last!
13013 (Wednesday #224) 192 39.5% BF 46% H2O – Measuring Day!!
This is one of those days where everything converges and gets measured, in centimeters. Why? Because they are more precise. Even though a centimeter is like almost 1/3 of an inch, I have comments when I add 1 cm, but it’s better than measuring in fractions of an inch. So here we go:
Torso: Visually I think I’m looking leaner in the rectus abdominus region as well as the sides. Getting some nice definition.
Top (around the solar plexus) 98.5
Middle (midway between plexus and naval) 92 – this is a drop and I’m happy about it.
Bottom (naval) 96 – not much movement here.
Under (waistline) This is an increase, small, but it’s got me perplexed, unless I’m measuring part of the gluteus minimus (upper butt). If it’s butt I don’t mind, been rockin that area with squats.
The Majors!
Shoulders 125 cm – This maxed out my chart. It’s a gain of about an inch.
Chest 104 – even, no gain. More pushups and bench pressing (more of the latter I’d say.)
Butt 106 – add 1 cm; it’s tricky to keep the eye on the rear end. I may have to get bigger pants, again! As long as my shoulders stay ahead of my butt, I’d like to get the chest thicker too.
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| One of my final eval pix from 2012. I still feel I need more work on my shoulders, I certainly need more pure upper body strength. I think I'll work on that when I get back outside. Take it to the bars!! |
Upper thighs – 62 (both) either they’ve evened out or my measuring is better.
Calves – 36 there’s a .5 difference between the two, not worth worrying over, yet I mentioned it.
Biceps – 40 – they have evened out. I measure them bent but not flexed. I may flex if I can find someone else to measure me.
Neck – 41 – fist time I’ve recorded the neck I think.
Very slight gains all over. I’d say the heavy lifting has been beneficial. Going back to the theory of working harder to maintain gains this small could almost be considered maintenance. Personally I have to gain to maintain.
The knee is improving, led GX with no brace, Oblique is healing. Did some air squats and a few pushups yesterday. Sneezes are the big test, still hurts when I sneeze, but it’s not crippling.
13113 (Thursday #225) 192 36.5% 47%
What was different about the last week?
1. Returned to Temple GX sessions
2. No heavy lifting due to injury.
3. Took 2 extra days off from work, (4 total.)
4. Cut the calories because I cut activity
5. Dropped weight. Hoping the wt loss was H2O and fat and 0% muscle, measuring day suggests fat loss.
6. No supplementing.
Both the knee and back feel ready to return to the routine of lifting heavy & home work and ready to reintroduce pre-workout and maybe a few protein drinks during the week. I probably have 8 – 12 more weeks available for lifting, then the weather changes and sculpting begins. Hope I can keep this body functioning!
Guess I didn’t mention I was up at 3am, out at 8am, back in and sleep again from noon and up again at 3pm; one of those funny days. Then GX at the Y, back home and maybe a nap and/or workout before work.
Started pushups again – sets of 25, moving slowly. I think I’ll be able to squat over the weekend or Monday before Aqua. I think I’d better get my butt to the Y on weekends and maybe Temple too for legs. I can take care of the rest at home. Need to pick up the guest passes at Rittenhouse.
I let the weather to stop/postpone me, but no regrets. The option is still there – I think.
Fate had me run up the El steps, good knee strength.
Stronger in GX today, knee plays up when running in place, but good during jacks.
FEBRUARY
20113 (Friday #226) AM – work: Ready to get back to work!Got the straps out, suspension pushups, low angle… just gonna hit several sets of these throughout the night.
Oh yeah, working to end the Wawa salad contract, or cut it down to two salads a week and see if that has an effect on the weight.
Wake 192 – Brunch &, First Friday w/ the Fram. Back to training Tomorrow.
20213 (Saturday #227)
Suspension push ups 4 or 5 sets of 8 – 15 or 16 throughout the night. Going deep beyond the plane to hit upper pecks. I think I can feel it already.
Squats this PM at the Y, continue to work on finger push ups.
T-Mix, grapes, white fish and lentils, mush for eats. Thinking maybe pyramid squats and bench press for two weeks, 30 – 45 minutes in the gym and maintenance for home-work and GX the balance. Maybe some pull ups, focus on legs, chest & back work w/ supps – 2 weeks. Oh, got to do the shin flex too.
Wake 193 – back to work and gaining, or could be the beer. Left knee is swollen again, must be the impact, the soreness is behind the knee this time. Frustrating. 6 mg melatonin before bed 7 ACV.
YMCA 100 Squats Pyramids
45 lbs (solo bar) x 10
65 x 10
95 x 10
115 x 10
135 x 10
145 x 8
165 x 8
185 x 6
195 x 6
205 x 6
135 x 16
Shin Flex – 70 – 85 – 75 – 65 100 total. 30 minutes worn out. Post workout profound purge – but was it the pre-workout, the ACV at work, my body or the first session in a week, or more? Or a combo? I know I felt dense, heavy just before. I notice I have this kind of feeling several minutes before elimination. It’s not a sick feeling. Anyway…
Trail mix and BCAAs right after the workout. If I can do 30 minutes in a gym I can do vanity stuff at home.
20313 (Sunday #228) AM – Work.
Suspension pushups – 50x (12-12-12-8-10-6) Vanity work at home I guess and pre-work drink.
Wake 193: Headache mild, but I think it’s the melatonin – no dreams.
80 squats & diamond pushups (so far, going for 100 or each) Maybe home work this eve. Final 20 done. No time for lifting. Curled some bells, 20s-30s-40s.
20413 (Monday #229) AM –work
Suspension push ups going for more than 50 this tour (12-12-15-12-12-12-10) 85
Wake 193.5 No melatonin, more dreams.
14 people in Aqua, I think it was a good session. Iced the knee then hot, weak, but not swollen.
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| I don't know what to say about this chart. I had a huge weight drop that I can't explain. It may have been from starting GX and cutting back on preworkout supplements. However, the weight came back towards the end of the session. |
Flat dumbbell presses 150 reps, no need to break down the routine. Used 30s, 40s, 50s, then 3 sets of shoulder shrugs and 9 reps alt shoulder press. I should stretch tomorrow.
20513 (Tuesday #230) AM – Home; 3 hr nap, but it’s 3AM, might as well get things done. Maybe watch a film, fold clothes and eat. Maybe get to the Y & squat today. Add 20 lbs to start, if I get there.
Got CS & Aqua @ Temple. Got to be up for that.
Early morning triceps extensions (triceps bar) 50+ lbs.
Later that day – GX & Aqua exhausting. Note carry food with me!!!
At night a few pushups.
20613 (Wednesday #231) 193.5 Wake up – Sleep was interrupted but I got it back.
Squats at the Y today. Start with 25s on the bar, maybe get more than 100. I can probably do 12 – 15 rep deep sets up to 135 lbs. Start taking glucosamine 3x daily for knee dumbass! Should have been doing this before.
Done deal – 105 squats.
Start 95 lbs (50 lbs on bar) Max 225 (3 sets of 5 reps) warm ups 15-15-12 etc.
100 Shin Flex up to 90 lbs, back to 75 feels good… I work this pyramid style also. Start low weight high reps and so forth. Some leg raises for the lower abs.
HOME
Db presses, informally, 20s-30s-40s plus shrugs and curls.
Veggie dinner.
20713 (Thursday #232) AM – Work
Suspension pushups 5 sets of 15. Really felt it on the 5th set. Meta before bed.
Wake 193 – dreary day – seems I can’t get motivated to get up when the alarm sounds. Opted for an extra hour’s rest. Knee seems to be improving, glucosamine or placebo effect or mind-body healing, whichever works.
YMCA-GX Today – Strongest GX of the year. Not fully participating but working the knee more and more, no apparent swelling. Elimination normal.
30813 (Friday #233) AM –Work –
Push up bars 25-25-20-10 (feeling it – chest) neutral grip hands at body width. Two more sets of declines 10 reps each start high, dip low.
Grave yard stack – Hoodia, Saw Palmetto, Glucosamine, Bee Pollen. (FYI)
Managed some good upper body work. Can still hold a high plange, but still can’t hold it low. Do this more… again.
Wake 193 (Been steady for a while) – Slept for 9 hours. Woke up, did upper body work, mostly shoulders and upper back.
Fruit breakfast, tea, lamb butt for dinner w/ veggies) Made salad for work.
There was a time that Friday’s meant heavy training at the Y. Today I couldn’t get out of bed. Maybe it was the weather, but maybe not.
20913 (Saturday #234) AM – work
Suspension Pushups – these are working my abs/core too! (10-16-12-10-10) No records, but to do this consistently will have an effect.
Wake 195.5 – the weight came back. I don’t know why. First over night w/o meat or fowl in the salad. Headed to the Y for squats – maybe beat 105 – I think I can do bigger sets on the low end. Knee is stiff, but I think the squats will work ‘em out.
DONE DEAL
120 squats start @ 115 lbs. First 3 sets 115 – 135 lbs 20 reps each. Maxed at 235 w/ 5 reps. (Top 3 sets 5 reps each.) Last two sets low weight 10 reps each.
Ultra wide grip chest presses between squat sets. Didn’t do as many presses it started as an experiment. Went up to 115 lbs, doing 8 – 16 reps each set.
Shin Flex pyramids 80 lbs 25 reps – 85 – 90 – 95 (new PB) – 95 – 90 85 – high rep sets.
Wrist flex experiment, started with 15 lbs, but 25 is about right, up to 30 reps.
Protein drink at Home, Ice then heat knee. Nice way to end the session.
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