X-ZACT Training session XXIII: 42113 - 50413

Session XXIII starts today!! I’m in the final 60-some days of X-ZACT and it seems that the first part of 2013 has been wrought with attempted illnesses, injuries and various incidents that have attempted to hold me back and challenge my goals. Despite these non-setbacks it seems I’ve made noticeable gains in size, muscularity, definition and a different kind of strength. My body, however seems to miss running. I can’t remember the last time I ran more than five miles, or even three. As the weather gets warmer I’ll start running the woods again. My buddy wants to do a series of mud runs, so I need to get my butt and mostly my joints in gear for those – just in case they actually happen. There are a few days of travel scheduled in this session which could either result in a break/rest or an opportunity for me to do some body weight “guerrilla” training when and where ever I can. Might be a good time to put a little Tabata in my routine. But who knows. It’s a good thing these introductions are not promises because I’d likely break every one. I go day-by-day. I heard a good quote that goes “Never go to bed today without knowing how you’re going to exercise tomorrow.” The practice exists in the back of my mind; the quote is there just in case I forget. 

For the past four (? Maybe 3) weeks my routine has been such – Monday, Park workouts: Tuesdays GX & Aqua Classes (teaching): Wednesday aqua & Squats: Thursday Y-GX: Friday Lift therapy Saturdays Random usually home work: Sunday – random. Plus Back room training at the gig. So I’ve been pretty consistent. OK let’s get #23 started.

42113 (Sunday #303) – wake 192.5 Party, nothing else to say.

Session XXIII starts on a high note… high weight, but I was celebrating so let’s see how long it will take this to level out and see if it will trigger a great fall.

Massage Day – Feedback: Shoulders got bigger (more muscular). Ice right back (trapz/shoulder – done). Scar tissue build up at rt shoulder/triceps area. No training tonight, but I can still work legs & core. Rt forearm was kind of tight but not as bad as last time. Wonder if I’ll go back to acupuncture. Hello again 23. 

I can still run through the park, squat, jump, kick & role up – taking the workout stack daily, protein shake + recovery before work. Back to salads tonight and fruit+veggie shakes. 

42213 (Monday #304)
Tonight’s casual Lineup: deep assisted squats (maybe try some unassisted), uneven (1 leg elevated) lunge-squats, toy soldiers and walking with the weights on my ankles… like I say, casual. I may not even record reps. (And updated the journal.)

Wake 195  31.5 – 49%  3 gone!! Didn’t take a lot of wake up notes, so let’s see what I can remember. Drank breakfast and the wake stack, then the pre-workout stack and off to the park.

Park work 3 (from the phone);
Conditions 47, sunny, breezy. Pre-work stack, NO Xplode during, protein & recovery after.
I think I may have had too much protein today.
Run/jog thru woods, then across field… 12 minutes
Calisthenics – cross legged side run bk & forth.
Run fwd & back.
Jacks
Fwd & back base run/sprint 3 x 2 (fwd & bk = 1 rep)
Side bench jumps 8 – 12
Turn 180 degree side bench jump (must video this at some point) – new move 6 – 8
Jumping front kicks (march style)
Cross leg side run, bases (on diamond from home to 3rd) 2 x 2
Rope 45 degree squats 20 – 30 – 31 (had to get more than 30 last set)
Bench 1 legged lunge squats 2 x 12 each leg
Surf interval (just 1 pants ripped)

PISTOLS –
Off the low bench no count, two rounds, getting more control
High rope – 8 ea. (Maybe do more high before lowering, maybe 2 rounds each.)
Low rope – 4 ea. Got cocky and made it harder second round.
Stretch time 10 mins stretching/yoga barefoot in the grass – nature.
Backwards walk up hill.
Max HR 168!!!

This was pretty good. Legs feel really good. Give me more!!

Calorie burn data:
1114 first hour
2243 @ 2 hr mark
2570 @ 3 hr mark
2886 2 4 hr mark = 721.5 cph, slightly better than last week.
Salmon & veggies before work.

42313 (Tuesday #305)  -  AM – work: feeling very energized. Wonder if I should chill or do upper body? Probably should give the arm(s) a rest from pushing and pulling. Got the next five days off from work. Zona bound.

TU-GX later today. I should be okay for squats on Wednesday. I think I’m still burning good calories. Looks like I averaged 10 times more cals per hour than sleeping 4 hours yesterday including 1 hour of training.

Wake 191; 26% - 51.5% - the process continues. Stacks, pbh – finish my shake before heading out.

Good GX – thought my cal-burn was light 320 – 2468/ 200 = 740.5 ph – but it’s actually better averaged.

42413 (Wednesday #306) – Wake 189.5 (drank breakfast)  - just eeked back into the 180s – 3 so far. Practiced some 1 arm pushups on knees with yoga block, some regular push pushups, and some off the wall with the right. Air squats, misc exercise b/w chores & wasting time. Ankles are sore, both evenly. I’m thinking exercise/impact even light…

Good aqua GX – broke sweat. Squats: (225 lbs) 44 in 4 sets. 13 reps 1st set.  2 sets of calf presses. Pre-meal, grilled cheese, toms-shrooms-spinach.

42513 (Thursday #307) – Wake 189.5 after a short 90 min. nap (4 AM). Zona bound, drank breakfast. Walked to 69th st.

42613 (Friday #308) – Tucson, AZ.

Ate at the frat house last night. No doubt eating and training differently this weekend. Long sleep, jet lag, time change, etc. hotel gym is only ok, probably do more and better in my room. Woke with sore/tight low back, so more core work @ work. 

Morning cals: squats, pushups, bridge presses, toe touches, - still not done. Aqua Box style pool workout. Pretty rough at first but not bad: jump kicking is beastie, sunning, meditation, 30 mins.

42713 (Saturday #309) – Tucson, AZ. Saturday morning chill. Walked to Waffle House for breakfast, maybe get some pool time or can I see how far I can walk? Keeping no meat breakfast, but still getting some during the trip. No terrible effects.

Chillin' in Tucson - Got a couple of Aqua Workouts in, which I 

immediately incorporated into my aqua sessions at the university.

Pool workout done!! Some new ideas for class, if I can remember. Took a lot out of me. It’s HOT  today!!

42813 – (Sunday #310) – Tucson, AZ – rough night at the hotel. Alarms kept going off. I did get some zzz & dreams. Travel day. No workout today I imagine. Straight to work or call sick// hmmm.
Tucson – 2 Dallas – 1

42913 – (Monday #311) – PHL – wake 189.5 – Took a sick day. Right thing to do. Dreary and rainy… sucks to be here but time is passing, maybe some morning calisthenics, especially back stretch work. Plane got the lower back tight.

100 squats, slow & steady to start the day off. 20 bridge presses, 50 knee lifts – just trying to get started.

Home Work!! Kind of a new combo method. Choose weights, choose reps and try and reduce rest time and sets. 
Two 30 lb dumbbells. We increase reps as the exercises become easier.
#1 Squat-Curl-Press  20 reps in 4 sets  (uneven sets)
#2 Squat-Thrust-Press – 20 reps in 4 sets (even sets of 5)
#3 Squat-Press – 20 straight (probably should have done more)
#4 Shrugs – 25 – 20 – 25 – 30 (change hand position each time)  100 total, they’re shrugs.
#5 Dead Lifts (straight legs) 20 – 20 (slow) will probably increase this as well.
#6 Mat press + pushups (wide off the dumbbells) super sets
              Press – (2, 50 lbs) 15 – 12 – 13 – 15 [the less time between sets the less reps produced]
              Pushups 8 – 7 – 8 – 6  [these buggers were hard, especially wide and right after fatiguing the muscles with the presses. I’ll take it tho.]

Done Deal!! New home work sequence. Keep at this, increase reps, increase strength and power.

43013 – (Tuesday #312) – AM work. Recovering, relaxing and preparing for GX later today.

Wake 189.5 – 100 squats, drank breakfast, PBH Sammich.
Home – 3/Temple – 1/Home 1 – that should clear things up. Extra normal cleaning up from the weekend.
Good gx & Aqua – wiped out as usual. Cal counter went off on me 2742 cals in 2:22, about 1350 per hour. 3026 @ the 2:36 mark. Call it a day. Seems like a lot of intermittent measuring. Clock kept turning off/stopping.

MAY!!! [About 60 days to go]

50113 (Wednesday #313) – Wake 188: drink water. 100 squats; 30 bridges; various other body wt stuff; 120 front kicks (3 x 20 ea.). Thinking I should add the wt vest, but let’s just do more squats. Imagining new routines for TU-GX. Last Aqua Box of the session today – Squats after, try to increase to 50-ish!! Get stronger!!!!

Measuring Day – small reductions throughout [maybe I’ll transfer the data to this log. I don’t feel that excited about it for some reason.] Most lean muscle zones stayed the same. Leaner and hopefully denser all over. Better definition in the belly. Yes!! 

MEASURING DAY RESULTS:
Torso measurements ever 45 days:
Top – 102 cm was 101  +1cm (insignificant)
Middle – 91 cm – was 93 -2cm (less than an inch but going in the right direction)
Bottom – 95 cm – was 97 -2 cm (same)
Under – 97 cm – was 98   -1 cm (right direction): Get my torso measurements down into the 80s, again.

60 DAY MEASUREMENTS
Chest 101 cm – was – 104  -3cm (hopefully this is a loss of fat and not muscle. Definition suggests fat)
Shoulders 122 – was 125   -3 (same)
Butt 104 – was 106    -2 (same)
Thighs 61 [both] was 61
Calves 35.5 [both] was 36 essentially no change
Forearms 29 [both]  29 no change
Upper Arms [bent] – 39 – was 40
Knees both 38 [knees were measured b/c the rt seems bigger, swollen.

Good Aqua!

Squats: 225 – 55 in 5 sets. 15 reps first set. Feeling stronger by the 3rd set. Maybe I should do 5 or more sets a week. Still doesn’t feel any lighter. [155 total squats today.]
Cal-Burn: 3107 @ 3 hr mark. 1036.6 CPH – 7462 @ 8:12 mark. 910 CPH – not bad. Have to note 3 hours at a Limpbizkit concert, may have skewed the results. Hot dog, beer & pizza slice may negate the burn however. This is basically two lbs of fat burned in 8 hours, (waking.)

50213 (Thursday #314) wake 189.5: H2O first thing:110 squats in 4:40 (mins:secs); 50 pushups [felt the burn in my chest and not the pain in my arms/shoulders. Can I get back to 100 a day (in one set)??] Don’t forget one-arms. 40 bridges: 100 knee lifts. Drank breakfast, then almonds, fruit, yogurt covered raisins second breakfast.

To Media – (Great blackened duck salad at Quotations)

My strength and balance in doing this move has diminished from lack

of practice. I've found it difficult to get back into it. As you can see, my 

form is also lacking. Yet another challenge.

Need to get back to practicing planges & back to suspension training at work tonight. I think this session ends this week. Two weeks off from Temple, I should do some run- or jogging. Park tomorrow of lift therapy??
Y-GX: Strong 2505 cals @2:30. Started the cal counter 1 hr before class. 3667@3:41
2:30 – 1002 CPH
3:41 – 995.5 CPH

Y-GX kicked my ass today. I don’t think I ate enough. Protein & meal replacement mix after, but no energy boost. Need to find the formula for high E!!

50313 (Friday #315) AM – work. What to do? Still kind of tired, first night back I never seem to get enough sleep. I think I can hit the park this afternoon, but can I do that and suspension training in antemeridian as well? We will know later…

Wake 188.5
125 Squats, just over 5 minutes
50 pushups
30 bridges
100 knee lifts
20 each side plank (knee) leg raises
Veggie patty for breakfast, stack. Park training, wiped me out. Protein afterwards.

It didn’t feel as intense as previous sessions until I finished. The wake up stuff probably fatigued me. Good.
Run thru grass ten minutes – very rough, slow and embarrassing.
Base Intervals (home plate to 3rd base)
Side shuffle 3 sets.
Cross leg run 3 sets
Run fwd & back 4 sets (walked last set). I am very slow but trying to build speed and endurance. 
Left knee doesn’t hurt but it’s weak. So it slows me down.

This may appear to represent yo-yo dieting, however the weight span is
only a couple of pounds (188 - 189.5). The drama does help to keep me
on top of things. For what it's worth, i think I like the discipline; the
exercise of recording my daily weight, making charts and watching the
numbers more than I am concerned about losing weight. I've been
rethinking the benefits of being at 175, I do believe I'll be faster and
more agile at 175; if I can maintain and or increase my strength that
would be BONUS!!

Bench Jumps (Video); side jumps (16) 180 degree front turn; 180 degree back turn combos

Bench Pistols – Rope pistols – One legged lunge squats off the bench.
Rope pushups easy style. Pushups/Dips bench combos.
Max HR 156 probably higher. Wrecked afterwards
1474 cals at 2:10 680 CPH, low compared to the rest of the week.  Funny I’m burning these cals but have lost no significant weight. Must be the food. I feel like I’m not eating enough. Need to get back to the wake up veggie shakes and perhaps have post workout food on hand. 

50413 (Saturday #316) AM – work. Last day of the Session XXIII – wow, 50 days to go. I’m thinking leg therapy at the Y later today. More leg extension stuff rather than presses etc. I wonder if I should give the wake up squats a break? I’m afraid I won’t come back to them. We’ll see when I wake up. I think my body/mind expects me to do them.

Wake 189 – no workout, just did chores and tried NOT to exercise. Nice way to end a session. Session XXIV starts at midnight (Cinqo de Mayo) and session XXV will be the final session ending midweek June 18th.

Went back to veggie breakfast drink today and decided to add an extra ½ scoop of protein, but I still feel sluggish and heavy. I think maybe my body is missing red meat, or maybe it’s just adjusting. I may have to introduce some lamb back into the diet every so often and maybe even a little pork, or maybe goat. It was sunny and warm today so I can’t blame the weather. I thought I should go to the Y for leg therapy today, but opted to catch up on chores, plus I wanted to get back to the back room workout – suspension training and pull-ups. Oh yeah, the left knee and rt ankle joints need strengthening, they are causing me to be wobbly going up the El (double) steps.

X-ZACT Training Session XXII - 40713 - 42013

SESSION XXII – Starts today

40713 (Sunday #289) AM – work [Summary]

Starting a new session gives me the opportunity to reset, reframe and/or reassert my goals and my strategies. The last two sessions have been complicated due to what we shall euphemistically term a “medical event” it’s all documented in previous sessions so no need to go into it again. 

This session will probably find me returning to the outdoors and possibly even running through the woods again. The all too familiar cycle of cutting the cardio and lifting heavy to bulk up during the cold seasons is making feel conflicted again. When it comes time to start the run/jog I wish I had never stopped, yet I stop every year. 

Okay; so let me restate or possibly even refresh my goals: In three more I’ll be retiring from this gig. I want to be the same weight when I leave that I was when I arrived (170 – 175). Of course I don’t want to wait three years to achieve this. I want my weight to be well established, my health to be immaculate and my body to be ripped, tight, strong and agile. I also want high endurance, nothing like iron man, but pretty close. 

Now, what kind of training will I need to do to accomplish this? And, what kind of eating will I have to do? I have already begun cutting down on the meat and increasing the vegetables beginning back when I started eating salads over night (most had chicken or turkey in them.) I have since started making my own salads, sans meat; and have been getting more greens via smoothies, pretty much daily, with protein and fruit mixed in. I may actually be somewhere close to 50% raw already counting shakes, salads and the fruits, nuts & seeds I eat. I may have to measure this one day. 

New way of lifting. Pick a weight and stick with it. First increase reps, then increase weight, advises Joe Cannon. This will be a test of my discipline. Three  examples, squats, bench presses and leg extensions; 225, 135, 195 respectively going for single sets of 30 reps. (at one time I could do 20 bench reps at 135, but these days I am just about getting 10.) 

I should also have my joints checked out, especially my knees. I need a doctor who’s not going to dismiss these aches as “getting old.” I need someone who understands that I am a fitness enthusiast and I’m pushing the (at least ‘my’) limits. I want my connective tissue to grow strong along with my muscles. 

I should also get back to acupuncture sessions. This should be easy to do, even starting this week because I have two weekdays off. I can probably go Thursday. Let’s see if this happens. I should refer back to these goals and challenges periodically. 

Today’s AM Lineup:
Water Bottle squats: 20 – 20 – 20 – 20 = 80
Chin ups: 6 – 8 – 10 – 10 = 34
Pushups (suspended, legs elevated) – 17 – 17 – 13 – 10 = 57
Dips (suspended) 15 – 11 –  12 – 10 = 48

First round was hard. Right triceps/shoulder area sore and weak after dips. Very close to 20 pushups yes!!!! Second round, wrapped elbow. Surprised myself on the chin ups, burnt on the pushups, sore on the dips. I should do more stabilized dips at the Y. (Took recovery BCAA & Brewer’s yeast 2 each after round two. I may do another round or two before the end of the shift.) Third round – winded. Medium to low hang chin ups in round 3. Last dose of BCAA & BY. Salad between round 3 & 4. Lots of H2O. 
Making progress. Pleased, but right arm hurts, ugh!! 

Wake 189.5 – gained!!

Stretch, work around the house – twists and such. Bands night & maybe some dumbbells n pushup bars. Thinking I can get to the Y or play outside tomorrow.

40813 (Monday #290) AM – work
Band night, blue & green reps!!!

Deep squat lat pulls: 22 – 30 – 30* (add yellow band)
Triceps extensions (overhead) 12 – 16 – 10*
Standing Shoulder press (box) 16 – 16 – 12
Triceps curls (Tandem) 12 – 10 – 8*
Forearm pull (slow) 10 – 10 – 10*
Last round – deep squats & random band work.

Wake 188 – drop two

First Day in the park –
10 mins run/walk thru grass/field… really lame.
Jacks & shadow boxing 3 rounds
Bench jump (up & down) + squats  3 sets of about 8 (This is kickin’ my ass!!)
45 degree squat (on ropes) 20 – 25 each & various chest work, about < 45 degree angle
Rolls (but not all the way up, not the first set anyway). They started to come in sets 2 & 3, pretty awkward but still rolled up.
Squat-mt. climber- pushup combo, roll then reverse. 3 rounds 6 reps each. (Rough)
Ab work, trx type pikes – got 3 good ones.
Stretch, yoga style down dog & cobra, walk backwards up the hill.
Calorie breakdown (experiment)
1120 cals burned during training hour
2122 @ 2 hr mark. (1002 burned first hr after exercise) 1061 cph ave.
2652 @ 2.5 hr mark
2810 @ 3 hr mark. (688 cals burned in 2nd hr.) 933 cph ave.
2990 @ 4 hr mark (180 cals burned in 3rd hr.) big drop, 748 cph ave.

Recovery BCAA & Brewers Yeast.
Pre-workout – Mass gainer veggie shake, workout stack. May have to mix arginine & beta-alanine. Next park op is probably Friday.

I can still train at the gig tonight.
Iced (lf) knee afterwards. Gave me trouble during the first part of the run, but settled after. Opted out of taking a pic although I still think I should have. Oh well. 

40913 (Tuesday #291) AM – work
Make my body do new shit!! 

Low hang pull ups 3 – 5 – 3 of course legs have to stay in L to keep from hitting the floor.
Assisted pistols, legs tightening on this one. 5 ea – 6.
Uneven pushups p/u bar & dumbbell 5 ea then 8.

Train the nervous system and the body will follow. 

Heat rub right shoulder/triceps. 
Hard holding opposite leg out, semi-straight.

Wake 188.5 – drank breakfast, protein, creatine, strawberries, blueberries, ½ banana, chia seed, spinach, kale, coconut water, aloe juice, ginger shot ½, carrot extract shot.

Looks like a breakfast that will take me thru class. Calorie exp. In progress. First hr. preworkout, 3 bogeys shot down before leaving the house. Stomach feels empty… rely on the fat. Be strong for class.

Good GX – came strong w/o big meal. Low calorie burn.  4 hrs 1326 total. Didn’t get the high intensity burn today. Bands tonight.

41013 (Wednesday #292)  AM – work. Band night.

Deep squat pulls – 19 (cramp in left inside thigh, legs have been getting punished this week) This is not going to work.

Straight arm pull  20 -10 – (rev) 5
Shoulder push – 20 – 16
Forearms – 10 -12
Triceps ex. 12 – 12
Box press – 10 – 10
Pushups – 5 ea. – 6 (push up bar & table support) left side seems stronger.
Not so deep squat pull, 20 duh!! 20 more. Decent amount of work – kept me active through the night.

Wake 189.5  - - -  3 bogeys, no change. Drank breakfast, added a scoop of oatmeal. Aqua today and squats 87 degrees – just to note.

Good GX – squats 32 in 4 sets, do more in less sets. Maybe see how many squats I can do in 4 sets and not limit myself to 30-something.

41113 (Thursday #293) – wake 188. Extra fast last night. Last night working on bridges. Do bridges instead of crunches. Work it!! Reminder – pistol chair squats, working them 5 eac. + 5

I have to be as strong as I can be for the rest of my life.

Strong GX-YMCA session. Even more participation (from me).  10 ea. Ball pushups – random body work all day.

41213 (Friday #294) – wake 189 – sleep experiment – 576 cals in 8 hours sleeping. 72 cals per hr. (72 x 24 = 1728). This is pretty close to the rule of thumb that estimates a person will burn 10 calories per pound of body weight per day when they are in a coma. In my case 1890, so I’m just 162 calories off that mark.

Chair pistols – legs are tired. When down and back up doesn’t work, I just press up off the chair.
Lift Therapy at the Y today!!

Lift therapy complete!!
Round I: Leg press 400-ish  (8 plates) 35 reps in 3 sets + calf presses + shin flex (90 lbs) + bent calf presses. 3 sets.

Round II: bent row (135) 10-12-12 + step ups (10 – 16 – 20) + shin flex (90).  3 sets.

Round III: bench press (135) 10 – 12 – 10 + wrist curls 35 lbs. 3 sets: these bug my (rt) shoulder. So I’m keeping the weight light and not breaking the chest plane. Shoulder feels a bit better with reps.

Leg Therapy
Extensions – 195 lbs  6 – 8 – 10 (keep wt constant a increase reps )
Curls 165 lbs 6 – 8 – 8

Stretch & out. Wiped out but happy with the progress.

Note; LT replaced the park due to rain and 45 degrees.

Home work – twists, inverted squats, downward dog pushups, leg stack, just trying to get more flexible.

Workout stack: arginine: carnitine: HgW: yohimbe: guarana: CoQ10: D3: E: B12

41313 (Saturday #295) AM – work

Looking over the progress I’ve made over the past week. Better squats, better leg presses & bench presses. Nothing wrong with moving slowly. I guess it’s more maturing. I still have lofty goals – or inner visions of pushing my limits and becoming stronger, but I also want the agility and balance and flexibility – I want this weight 13 – 15 lbs. off of me so I can move my body more efficiently..

Tonight’s line up:
Waterbottle squats: 20 – 20 -  (suitcase style)
Suspension pushups; 13 – 14 – 10
Chin ups: 10 – 10
Dips: 12 – (kills rt. Shoulder) 10
WB shrugs: 20 – 20

One arm wall push-outs (practice sets)
Table pistols (practice)
Dips – although I dread them, I may have to do a few sets. Need to better stabilize my core. Need to center on nervous system training… the root of the body. If I can imagine this I think I can become better.

Wake 189 – drank breakfast, walk to 69 for groceries.
Chair pistols, up only arms folded, getting better balance. Wondering when I’ll restart insanity sessions.
BW home training this eve. Maybe some balance work, stretch & twists. Bands @ the gig. Hmm, spent home time in the kitchen… end of this week; will begin next week at midnight with the bands.

Ciao,

41413 (Sunday #296) – AM – work ::: Band Day

Deep squat pulls: 25 – 30
Chest Push: 20 – 20
Straight arm pull down: 12 – 10
(Already feeling stronger)
Triceps Ex: 12 – 10
Forearm pull – 12 – 10
(Ready for the orange band, more reps.)  Misc stuff.
One arm wall push outs. Pistol push – chair table.

Wake 188.5 – random stuff; pushups, chair pistols,

41513 (Monday #297) AM – work: EZ night – hard stuff…

Low bar pull ups (L) – 5 – 5- 6
Rev pushups elevated – 5 – 8 – 10
Water bottle press – 12 – 10

Wake 188.5 – 2 bogeys

Park Work: run ten minutes thru grass – a bit stronger but still slow, full pack, wts, boots.
Calisthenics 10 mins. Jax, shuffle, shadow box (should’ve kicked)
Up & down on bench
Side jump over bench, run fwd & backwards.
Leg work 3 – rounds
Air Squats: 30 – 40 – 50!!
45 degree rope squats (push)– 16 – 20 reps tough to hold.
Deep rope squats – 10 – 16 reps each.
Pistols (sort of0 off the bench, up & down alt legs. 8 – 10 total, good control.  – Good stuff.
Yoga stretch – boots off 10 mins in the grass. Open legs/hips, stretch, twist. Backwards walk up hill.
Calorie Burn info;
Max HR 161
Cool down HR 111
One hr. 1016
2 hrs. 1662 (808ph)
4:15; 2908
4:50 – 3035 average 627 per hour. A little less than last week. Could be lower RHR??
NO Xplode & pre-work stack.

41613 (Tuesday #298) AM – work

Not really aspiring to this. I don't think my body could pull it off with-
out drugs, but it's good to illustrate muscularity. I found that gaining
weight, even mostly muscle wasn't that good of an idea. I think my
knee started reacting to the extra weight. It was 15 lbs in about 7 or 8
months. Now that I'm "trying" to lose, I find myself becoming better
defined.

Lite band work, upper back & biceps – red & green bands
Hi pull back – 12 – 12 – 10 – 10
Standing biceps curls – 10 – 10 – 10 – 10
Bent flies (10 lb dumbbells0 12 – 12* (maybe more)

Legs are sore from the park. Got to be strong for Gx-TU today11
No more hoodia – don’t think it did any good.

Wake 188 – TU-GX today. Ate breakfast for a change.

41713 (Wednesday #299) – AM – work, relaxed.
Some upper-inner thigh (near) cramp, honey fixed it (& stretching) legs have been hammered this week, but make them stronger. 

Wake 188.5 21.5 54 (2): chore, did a few chair pistols, legs are sore, esp bottom back near ankles.
Post aqua squats 40 (4 x 10) beasties!!!!
Casein shake before bed.

41813 (Thursday #300) wake 188.5 – Night off no drop. This could be the new norm. still thinking 175, but in light of new info this weight may not be the best for me.

#1 – I’m maintaining weight, eating better and getting more defined. 
#2 – one statistic showed people with BMIs between 25 – 30 do as well or better health-wise than those under 25 BMI. 175 = 24.4 BMI 188 = 26.2 BMI
#3 – Ethnicity works in my favor. Some groups fare better at higher body weights & BMIs (slightly higher). 
#4 – Age, as I get “older” I should be packing on more pounds (muscle) to hedge against age-related muscle loss and maintain high (as possible) metabolism. 

Seems I’m moving into the more scientific realms of fitness, nutrition & health.

Dropped 6 lbs. since starting this book 12-12-12. 

Ate out, chicken sandwich – couldn’t eat the salad. Call it a cheat day.  Lift Therapy tomorrow – but I think I can do some home stuff tonight, upper body, no legs, they need a break. I mean rest…

Kind of sluggish when I got in, went to bed early. No home work… 

41913 (Friday #301)  wake 188.5 8 hrs sleep. Pretty good. Wake stack. Shake – no veggies – maybe a supplement. Not burnt out (on veggies) I don’t think. Lift therapy after lunch. This session ends tomorrow.

The fluctuations aren't as dramatic as they seems. There are
2/10 of a pound between each line. I'm pretty sure the weight is a
combination of fat burn, water drop and muscle build.

Lift Therapy successful – feel good, worked but not worked over. Ate Vietnamese #39 pre-workout.

Round I:
Leg press 360 – 400 lbs. (45 reps in 4 sets) + calf presses + calf raises (no wt.)

Round II: T-bar row (70 lbs) 12 – 12 – 10 + shin flex…

Round III: bench press (135) – 12 – 13 – 10, wrist curls 25 lbs.

Leg extensions 195 – reps.
Leg curls 165 reps
Asst pistols – bridges – stretches – cross leg squats/balance 1:15 mins
Slice of Pizza after, protein + recovery shake after.

42013 (Saturday #302) AM – work –

I may have burnt out on vegetables. They don’t appeal to me at the moment, but there are still lots in my fridge. 

Maybe jump rope tonight or just relax. Last day of Session XXII, maybe 3 or 4 sessions left. One will be short or extra long, they don’t work out evenly. Stop date is June 18 and that may be in the middle of the week. Anyway, I’ll have the opportunity to review the last year. 

I think the smartest thing I’ve done on my entire fitness journey aside from losing the first 25 lbs, is start muscling up my legs. Got a compliment from Frank on them today. (He once referred to them as pink flamingo legs. And I thought “chicken legs” was bad.) 

I don’t want to become obsessed with sarcopenia, but I do want to keep my fast twitchers (muscle fibers) alive and thriving as long as possible, like another 100 years – for real! Not sure whether I’m at the age when I should be trying to lose weight. “They” say we start losing body mass as we age, maybe as early as 40 (which is also when sarcopenia seems to come about), so I need to keep my major muscles as strong, big & condensed as possible. 

I’m noticing unprecedented definition on my torso so (again) maybe 175 is not a beneficial goal. 

Injury (or pain) report:  have to check back to when the ankles started bothering me. I think it was a strong Y-GX session where I did a lot of jumping. They’re still wakable, runable and jumpable. I haven’t wrapped or iced them yet. I should be more pre-emptive. 

Looks like it’s going to be a festive weekend. Been dining out since Thursday and got 2 parties later today. Discipline within reason.

Tonight’s casual line up; toy soldiers w/ ankle weights, db (10s) shoulder presses and flies and front raises, 1 arm push-offs (the wall). This will continue on and off throughout the shift.

Wake 189 – Got some bending and stretching done, esp legs. Got to push and stretch hammies. Chair pistols are still tough! Keep at it. Parties tonight, eat, drink, merriment.

X-ZACT Training Phase XXI - 32413 - 40613

SESSION 21 (XXI)

Welcome to Session XXI – this is like stepping out of the darkness. Yes I’m melodramatic about this stuff. I use my over active imagination to motivate me in exercise, to heal myself and to deal with medical setbacks and injuries. I still insist that I don’t get sick, even though Kid Stone attacked. It hasn’t passed yet. In my mind he and I are doing battle. I’m trying to destroy him before he escapes, he’s trying to do some damage. I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to start lifting again today. I took a personal trainer refresher course over the weekend and learned some valuable information which I plan to incorporate into the remainder of this operation. It’s technically Spring and that means time to cut, sculpt and define and that’s why I’ll be lifting weights and working my own body weight. I did order the exercise bands so I’ll be adding them and more balance and stretching. Officially 76% through the year and I’m pushin’ the limits.  

32413 (Sunday #277) wake 189.5 20% – 50%

No pain, brunch with the ladies. Start session XXI today. Can’t use Kid Stone as an excuse anymore. Going back to old school training; sculpting for muscle size and density. Reps & sets, combos, classics. Should start today buy the y closes at 1800, I could start at home and continue at work.

HOME WORK: Legs – Back – Chest
Front db squats 30 lbs 3 x 10
Db dead lift – 30 lbs 1 x 12 then 40 lbs 2 x 12
Bent row R&L – 40 lbs 3 x 12 ea.
Bent flies – 30 lbs 3 x 12
Spring Bar Bends – 16 – 20 – 25
Floor press 40 lbs 3 x 12

This may continue at work. Good way to start session XXI, let’s see if I can sculpt this body a bit more by June 18th… end of the second year of Bajai Bootcamp.

32513 (Monday #278) AM – work Returning to suspension work. Pushups (*feet elevated), and dips.

Pushups: 20 – 20 – 16 – 10*- 10*
Dips:   10 – 20 – 18 – 11
Curls:   15 – 35 – 41 – 20 (alternating +1 extra for the left arm, sometimes tandem)
Triceps Kickback: 15ea. – 20 – 20 – 10

Maybe 4 rounds is enough. Suspension pushups is the best exercise for my chest. I’ve gotten the best results. Last 2 sets feet were elevated (but stable). A goal achieved.

Wake 190 – sun salutations 2x, then balancing – legs [do these in sets like weights] 12 – 20 – 30 seconds each leg, then repeat. Leg to the front then to the sides. Stretch hams and quads – bridge – didn’t time it. Working into tougher poses.

32613 (Tuesday #279) AM – work.  Kid stone attacked just before midnight – took a pill. Seems like he’s close to leaving, but enough about that. Tonight’s routine.

Chin ups (rev. grip): 6 – 6 – 8 – 5* (*hanging low)
Rev. grip push ups on bars: 10 – 12 – 10 – 8* (closer & slower)
Front shoulder raises (alt): 21 – 25 – 31- 21 (extra for left arm, palms up last set)

Wake 188.5 36% BF – 47% H2O [note body fat numbers are usually off. The scale is not as accurate as it claims.]  Morning ritual.
Good GX session, drank dinner, (protein veggie shake), guac & chick peas.

32713 (Wednesday #280) AM – Work

Today’s session –
Water bottle squats: 10 – 10 -10
Suspension pushups, feet elevated; 6 – 6 -8
Dips: 10 – 10 – 11
Curls (dumbbell alternating):  20 – 25 – 20

Have to relearn to do squats and probably pushups too. This will help me.

Wake 188.5 post ritual. Like back in the day, wake up and …
Wake exercises: body bends, floor touch & inverted no wt. leg press. Headed to Aqua GX felt pain increasing so I took a pill. Thought Kid Stone was gone and thinking these are phantom pains, but got a class to teach so I can’t take chances. I think this moves a little every 2 days. Flowmax may have helped, but oh well.

Good GX, no pain, but wondered if I needed the pill or not.

32813 (Thursday # 281)

AM - WORK – Tonight’s line up:

Pull ups (palms away): 6 – 7 – 4 (wide) - 4
Rev grip pushups, legs elevated: 10 – 10 (elevated) – 10
Deep assisted squats (no wt):  12 – 16 – 20 -20
Shoulder laterals: 10 – 10 – 12 – 10

End of March,(2013)  thought it was time for 

another eval session. Big Chunky, 

remember him... he's my fat belly and he's

got to go. I'm about to go medieval on his

flabby..., well you know. There are some results

in the upper body. I'll certainly NOT be

competing in a contest or auditioning as a

fitness model. Snap shot eval pix at home

will have to do for now. Stay tuned.

Assisted Pistols (high table): 10 ea. – 10 – 12 – 10  (working towards pistols)
Pretty good workout, still new, expecting serious gains in strength and reps.
No Kid Stone pain.

Wake 188.5 25% - 52% Wake rit. Green shake & grilled cheese w/ guac, shrooms & toms – good. Got up El steps pretty good. Y – GX.

Today: Night off, don’t eat too much. Maybe some x-work before session and after. Work pushups & pull ups. Good GX, got a set of pull ups and ball pushups before the session… more participation then subbed zumba, now I’m wiped out. Is that a six pack poppin//

21:10 – Random HR 103 BPM walk to el and up steps.

32913 (Friday #282) woke lazy but had a good night’s sleep – rare that I get to sleep at night. Did a few pushups. Sore from the recent training. Going to hit the Y for some weights; squats, row, press, etc & body work. Then veggie shop, dancing later. Woo hoo!! First Friday at the Y in weeks, maybe months.

A Good Friday workout. Bars & Body

Squats 225 4 sets of 5 reps. Keep weight constant, increase reps & ROM (take reps to 30).
Bent rows rev & prone grip. 135 3 sets 6 – 10 reps.. also going to 30, increase and improve stance.
Shin flex between rowing sets, about 80 lbs.
Body work –
Deep supported squats, no weight, beyond 90 degrees.
Inverted wt less leg presses 30 sets 20 ish reps.
Dips – 3 sets of 8 push these to 30
Wide grip pull ups 3 x 3 – increase reps… maybe decrease sets until I power up the reps.
Stretch quads & hams.
Done – just over an hour.
Body Rock get my dance on.

33013 (Saturday #283) AM – Darling’s Diner. Angus burger w/ cheese & tea. Sleep at night.

Wake 187 post rit. Drop weight get stronger. (I’ll pay for that burger at some point, not so much the burger but the bread.)

187, wow excited!! -1lb. a week for 3 months or 90 days should get me to my goal. But, I’ll have to maintain my good/better eating habits and vary exercise and see what happens.

Bought a HR monitor/watch today. Woke up after a 3 hr nap rhr 48 bpm. Calculate working HR for fat & Calorie burn.

Base; 120 x 65% = 126 BPM or 21 BP10 seconds; 85% = 150 bpm or 25 BP10

Fit test – Got back into the Hawks, been a while. Snug but not tight. Keep living my life. Not very hungry today. Picked at soft pretzels & drank much fluids. No pain, not hint of pain. Got the meds just in case. Another win – but losing means chronic, no – terminal illness, so I’d better not lose, or quit.

Recognize this guy??? Me neither.He actually only kind 
of exists in essence. This is from 1996; pretty much the 
year I decided I'd gotten fat enough and it was time for 
some serious change. Looking at pix over the years 
inspires me. The people I knew back then are kind enough 
to deny on my behalf that I was a fattie. If I'd done so I 
may havehit 250 lbs or more before I came around. 
I may have to put together a retrospective of my journey 
through  fitness... through life.

Duck tonight. Oh yeah, brining my bands to work to add to the variety.
Oh yeah 2 – body’s sore from yesterday’s training. Legs are screamin!!

FLASHBACK – this is day #283 from a year ago - 

32812 – Wednesday #283... woke early, chilled in bed for a while. 180 lbs. 
Suspension training over night – even the wing chest was stronger, more reps on short angles. 
Oh yeah, dips!! More than just a hold, maybe stronger tonight, deeper angles (esp for back/rows) I may stick around a few weeks when I’m off (forgot what I meant by this). 
Notes: I am 7 lbs heavier than this time last year, but coming down. I was doing suspension training but most of it was standing at an angle, about 45 degrees. I was also taking Life guard training this time last year, which may have contributed to the lower weight. No doubt I was eating differently as well. More vegetarian days. I may have to get back to those. Going for more raw veggie meals during warm weather months. 175 by August!! 

APRIL!!! Don’t be no fool!!

40113 (Monday #284) AM – work: working with bands and holding a deep squat for some pull sets. Green & blue seem to be the “weight” – the combo. Just a bunch of random upper body and arms. Anticipating soreness of a different sort later today.

Wake 187.5 24.5% 52.5% Rit-massive!! The weight difference between coming in from work and waking up, including elimination is about 2.5 lbs, back to what has been ‘normal’. Occasionally I’ll drop 3 lbs but only when drinking. 

Left lower forearm – strange soreness, probably from the bands or sleeping on it. 

Last antibiotic today. End of the Kid Stone saga. I probably passed it w/o realizing. There were some stinging events. I’m not even that curious to know what it was. Just have to be diligent in keeping it from happening again – even in another 20 years.

40213 (Tuesday #285) AM –work

After moving steadily in one directions looks like I got a bounce. 

Since the Kid Stone incident I've been eating much differently. My daily

veggie drink has protein and creatine in it. I ate out a couple of times

this session (maybe more.) I've set a goal of 175, by August, at which time

I'll be in my 3rd year of daily fitness documentation. Next step is 

maintain 170 - 175 lbs and get stronger and more agile. I should be 

able to do a bit more when i don't have as much weight to lug around.

The Line Up
Water Bottle Squats – 12 – 20 -12
Pull Ups (L) – 5 – 6 – 6
Push Ups – 16 – 11 – 10 (suspension legs elevated)
Dips – 6 – 10 – (suspended, didn’t even make it to the final set, poor!)
Burning appx 370 cals per hr @ work.

These rounds wore me out. I did do some home work yesterday – squat-curl-presses & shoulder work, nothing too straining.

Wake 188 22.5% - 52%  Banged a double!! Oatmeal for breakfast wake stack + CLA and omega 3. TUGX today.

Two good GX sessions – burning about 1100 calories per hour just leading classes – according to my watch. Of course this is why I’m always beat after classes on Tuesdays.

Note to self – stop talking about fat people. More on this later.

40313 (Wednesday #286) AM – Work: Last week I told myself to remember not to work out Tuesday into Wednesday. Now I’m bored. I could pull out the bands I suppose, but muscles need to rest. Bands tomorrow. Home work after GX.

Wake 188 – only dropped 1.5 lbs, slept til the alarm. Shot down 3 bogeys before 1600. Practiced pushups 25 normal, 15 each side with the dumbbell (right side was weak, needed two sets.) 10 each w/ opposite arm extended on the ball. Maybe squats after GX?? And do pushups with straight arm. Not quite to 1-arms yet. Maybe try 1-arms on knees.

1 each set straight arm pushups at the pool & 30 squats @ 225 in 5 sets. (It averages 5 sets of 6, but that’s not how I did them.)

40413 AM – work. Lite band work. Just to keep busy. Drinking lots of H2O.

Wake 188.5 Y-GX then dinner w/ mom.

Calorie burn experiment #2
700 calories during the 55 minute class.
900 more the first hour after class.
2800 total burned in 3.5 hours after class [2800 – 700 = 2100] so 600 CPH after the intervals. The norm or ‘control’ is 370 CPH.
4 hours later still burning just under 600 CPH.

40513 (Friday #287) 188.5  No weight drop, but I did eat dinner last night so no mini-fast. Lift therapy today???

Yes- Lift Therapy successful.

Round 1 – leg press – calf raises – shin flex  3 revolutions
Round 2 – t-bar row – shin flex – deep assisted squats (no wt.)  3 revolutions
Round 3 – Bench press 135 lbs – step ups (on dumbbells) shin flex  3 – 4 revolutions
Leg curls, Leg extensions (195 go to increase reps) Asst pistols, stretch legs.
Calorie burn appx 800 PH @ 2 hrs since leaving the house.
After 3 hours 700 CPH. At 5h 10 mins 2550 total 494 CPH.

Going to try and take this BMI scale more seriously. Let me see if I can get and memorize the formula. Although it’s more than 150 years old. I’ll get mine into the 24s, but what’s more important is the waistline and bellyline. I’ll be one of my few friends who aren’t “technically” over weight. 

BMI = lbs/ht in inches squared x 703.07 my BMI at 175 lbs will be 24.4
Ht remains constant at 5041 (that’s 71 x 71). So today’s BMI is 26.3. 25 is overweight. I think 180 will get me to 25.1. If I happen to pack on more muscle weight but get my belly down to around 32 inches and Body fat to about 12% I won’t worry much about BMI, but right now, it’s a goal.

It should be noted that I again danced for hours, this was my evening cardio. And drank nothing but H2O and iced tea. I guess those days of not drinking due to the meds just quelled my taste for alcohol. Oh wait, I did make an aloe & dark coconut rum drink earlier this week, just as an experiment. 

40613 (Saturday #288) 188.5 maybe… Last day of  session XXI and this will be the last entry for this document (that’s an admin note.) Today kind of snuck up on me. Walked some errands… need to do more of this. Casual waking takes too long so I need to walk to get somewhere, or pick up what I need. 20-30 minutes should do.

50 slow deliberate air squats, flip kicks and trying to hold a seated, elevated L pose on yoga blocks. Start session XXII on the straps. Ta-ta.

X-ZACT Training Phase XX: 31010 - 32313

SESSION 20! 

Session XX begins auspiciously enough after a night of dancing and surprisingly not much drinking… of alcohol that is. It will prove to be a challenging session, more of hurting and healing than training. But stay tuned.

31013 (Sunday #263) wake 193 – 34.5% bf 47.5% H2O or something like this.

DST started today so my 4am arrival time was actually 5am. I slept 4 hours and woke up strong, not very sore at all. I drank much water at shakedown and danced for hours. 

Took the AM stack and worked on opening the core – back bends, stretches – still more I can do. Sunny today, but not motivated to go outside just yet. I’m 72% into this year. I’m beginning to imagine my outdoor workouts. I may not be able to run… far. 

Another thing I’ve noticed in the last two weeks is dry skin, and itchy too. Had a dry patch at bottom of rt thumb. I thought it was strap handles, but they are not on both thumbs. Was wondering if this is lack of H2O or b/c I added lemon juice to the water, or the weather. Although I’ve been eating more fruit and veggies, hydration still seems low. As warmer weather comes things will likely change. 

31113 (Monday #264) Wake 191.5 35.5 – 50 – short sleep, up 2 hours before planned. Woke strong. Start a week or two of cardio and stretching. Flexercise @ wake. Runny nose. Mid 50s today. Got that funny feeling a demon’s coming.
YMCA –
Cardio 35 mins, elliptical. HR 144 – 150, hi intensity via the chart. Mat abs – shadow boxing – some squats – stretch, 45 mins total. Brought the ropes but ddn’t use them.
Knee – status quo, healing. Maybe try a short run during week 2. Better to keep the impact low and light.

31213 (Tuesday #265) AM – work: relaxed and worked on holding lunges and stretching them out. Wondering if I can get another cardio session in today. Getting more naps at the gig.

You have probably guessed, I love charts. Maybe that makes me

a neo-nerd. This is pretty much 2 weeks of battling Kid Stone. I

dropped back into the 180s, which is where I was headed for Spring

anyway. I've taken another step towards a better diet and I'm entering

"cutting season" which means more activity and muscle sculpting 

instead of high weights & high reps. 

Wake 191.5 29  49.5 – Flexercise & stretches for legs, back, abs and leg work w/ ankle weights. Burst training.

31313 (Wednesday #266) – chilled, but worked on holding lunges/crescent. I should focus on lunge bridge, more twists, bow, downward dog.

YMCA – Elliptical 30 mins, 3 min sets fwd/bkwd. Air squats, stretches, flex training for back. Bridge and down dog. Maybe bow at home. Leg stretches, 60 mins.

31413 (Thursday #267) AM – work – Mostly chillin’ working on lunge-crescents – these are pretty tough when done properly.

Been eating raw and vegetarian over night. ACV before bed, aloe juice @ wake. Less coconutwater and more H2O w/ lemon juice. Early results seem to be steady lower body fat numbers and increasing H2O numbers at wake up. Weight has been b/ 191.5 and 193.5. two cups of tea and generally two cooked meals at home, an apple a day, blueberries and OJ.

Wake 191  26%  52% - post ritual. Steady increase.

PAIN!! Left side, lower ab/upper pelvic area. Iced it, hot showered it. Took advil b/c I have a class to teach. This sucks, worst place for pain. I’m wondering if I over stretched or if it is DOMS, just in this area… ouch. Oh yeah, checked for anything that felt lumpy or herniated… negative.

YMCA – Very strong, good breath, no pain, probably the Advil or adrenaline or group energy. Don’t want to give drugs too much credit. Maybe I can stretch a little at home.

Urine darker than normal, hope it’s not blood. Trying to think what it could be. This plus pelvic pain causes concern. First noticed before class at the y. could it be dehydration/ been mentally going over intake – nothing way out of the ordinary. Hmmm, will monitor this.

31513 (Friday #268) AM – work – wondering about this pain that’s starting to return. Left side, pelvic area, upper. Mild to dull but perpetual. This week of cardio and no lifting or body weight work is near the end, how the hell am I injured/ I may have slept funny… pressure.

Okay, I’m clear. Had to take Advil for the pelvic (doesn’t seem like groin, bit could be originating from there.) Pain. Eating less over night.

Got home, 194.5 severe pain in lower left abdomen. HR accelerated, thought I was going to have to go to the ER, called my primary, no office hours today. Ice pack, hot baths, sleep and pain relievers. Made a chili powder & baby lotion ointment, drank lots of lemon water. Made a web search for the problem. Decided intestinal blockage seemed feasible, since no elimination/purge all day. (a few trickles during the shift.)

This was a day of complete self reliance and not disillusionment, but a confirmation that I can’t rely on my primary.

31613 (Saturday #269) wake 190 24 hr fast & remedies, experimentation. The fear turned to determination. I talked to and listened to my body. Sea salt purgative this morning – let’s see what that accomplishes. I’m wasting my first weekend off, but on the other hand, I’m spending it healing myself. 
Warm soak bath, heat pad, sea salt hasn’t kicked in yet. Usually takes an hour. More evidence of blockage. Next, tea & oatmeal. 
Trying to figure out how this happened. Been eating well all week except the soft pretzels. I think it’s them, but I usually eat them a couple of times a week anyway. I wonder if the vitamins and supps could be the cause/ Never happened before though.
Noon – still no elimination. Opted for guacamole instead of oatmeal. Did have some dried pineapple a handful of blueberries, tea lots of water, aloe & ginger shot. Status quo – no more meds tho.
Right wrist forearm pain, connection/ 
1730 – still no elimination, some gas, urine is clear. Every time I drink, it hurts in the left oblique. Heat pad helps. Ate blueberries, drank tea w/ cinnamon and ginger, aloe juice. 

I haven't taken any eval shots recently, so I've

been flashing back. In 2003 this was an "after 

picture." It's June in California, so I'm 

presenting better than I would on say, Coney

Island. 2003 was an interesting year. Seems

my belly is the same circumference as back then

but, it's somehow different. I've got to cut an 

inch or two off of it before September.

31713 (Sunday #270) – still no elimination 190 lbs, apple cider vinegar.

805 – just a little elim. Still pain in the waisetline. Trying sea salt again. 
1045 – Caster oil 1 tbsp / oj – this was no help. Only caused pain. Went back to the heat pad.
1240 – blueberries – hungry
2300 – ish; Back from the ER, diagnosis, kidney stone. This needs to be passed or dissolved. 2 mm. overall the ordeal wasn’t so bad. 

31813 (Monday #271)  189.5

In many ways it’s like Day 1. I have to rebuild slowly. Measuring was scheduled for yesterday – but…

Top (Solar plexus) 101 cm – up from 98.5 significant increase.
Middle (6 pack) 93 cm – gain of 1 cm from 45 days ago.
Bottom (Navel) 97 cm – 1 cm gain.
Under (waistline) 98 cm – 1 cm reduction.

I am way off of my goal of all of these numbers being in the 80s, but I’m realizing that the reality is only the middle and bottom are candidates for 89 centimeters or less. On the other hand I seem to be growing uniformly, and there is more definition. 

No exercise today so far this week. Feeling backed up again. The recovery has begun.

31913 (Tuesday #272) 189.5 – awake at 5AM. Got Gx today. Going for an actual laxative, but also going to try smoothies to ease back into eating. Little if any pain from ‘Kid Stone’. Urine is clear. Drank 32 oz of sea salt water last night & only farted. Maybe there’s not enough in the system yet.

The meds, except for the antibiotics have side effects I’d rather not deal with, although I might try the ‘flowmax’ and keep the pain killers with me just in case. The pain hasn’t been as bad as pre-ER.

Ref; measuring day – next time we’ll do the rest of the upper body and appendages. 
730 – breakfast smoothie; protein, ice, grapes, bitter gourd, coconut water, chia seed, cherry extract, spinach, kale, ginger juice (pure) made 2 servings.

Soreness in mid vertebrae, from straining I suspect.

Back to fitness. Dropped three so far today. Good, better eating. Off to temple for GX. Dropped another at TU.
GX and aqua went well. Back is screamin’, slowin me down but not stopping me. Good thing I have no heavy lifting to do. Took pre-workout stack and post work (BCAAs) will finish shake at home.

32013 (Wednesday #273) AM – work. Chilled – back hurts, heated. Appetite has returned.

Wake – 188.5 after 2 and a wake shake. Got a GX cardio session tonight at 1930, so a bit of eating out today it looks like. Sessions went well, had a salmon BLT at the horse and salad I’ll take to work with me.

32113 (Thursday #274) – wake 190.5

Two days of wake shakes with green veggies. Kid Stone is on the move. Woke my ass up at 1035 and had to activate the drugs. I got Y-GX today and can’t be messin around. Will have to take it easy tho. Been taking ACV night & day. No exercise besides what I teach. Can’t wait to start up again. More body weight & sculpting, i.e. old school lifting for definition. SPRING!
Y-GX – got through this one. No pain, but the issue still lingers.

32213 (Friday #275) AM – work: It’s a week later, already and looking back over my notes, I saw and documented this coming; I just didn’t know what it was. The last thing I would have expected was kidney stone. I didn’t want to believe it when the nurse told me. At this point I’m feeling no pain. I took a pill before coming to the job and neither the lower abs zone nor the middle of my back hurts – most likely due to the pain killers. 

I’ll probably take this weekend off from any sort of exercise. I have a personal trainer course to take and that will take up 8 hours of my Saturday, but it’s worth it. This stone should either pass or be dissolved by the end of the weekend and when I wake up Monday, it will be the second day of Session XXI and that puts me 76% finished Bajai Bootcamp Year Two. I’ve already decided the third year I’m going back to the Ruggedness theme. I like it and it fits in with my goals. X-ZACT is clever, but too band-wagony. 

It’s still early in the day and there’s a lot left of this Friday to unfold. 

Wake 188.5 37 47 no pain, no meds. Last pain killer taken last night around 2200, so it must have worn off by now. Maybe some light exercise, but I can’t wait til Monday – or Sunday to lift again. Good wake up elimination. Maybe I’ll get some bands.

32313 (Saturday #276) 191 – dropped 2… oatmeal for breakfast. P/T course. 830 – 1200. Took a nap and woke w/ severe Kid Stone pain – had to take 2 pain killers. They took more than an hour to kick in and suddenly, no pain.

I should chill tonight, can’t drink anyway, but who knows?

Measuring Day Redux – I’m going to convert the numbers into inches just to give me a better view.
Top – 101 cm = 39.76 inches. I’m not mad about this. I wouldn’t mind adding a few more inches as long as it’s the back that’s getting thicker.

Middle – 93 cm = 36.61 – at one time this was 87 cm around. I should get back to this. I think my whole frame got thicker over the past 9 months. I think I’ll be able to shred this spring/summer.

Belly – 97 cm = 38.19 – this is where I have to definitely focus and that focus will be on eating, food, supplements and activity. Over 37 inches statistically puts me at a health risk. That’s enough motivation for me.

Waistline – 98 cm = 38.58 – funny how these numbers are essentially the same, but my belly is more or less hanging over the waistline. Same as above, it’s a statistical health risk. Nonetheless, I still want to be strong like bull!!

Lower belly target 89cm – 94 cm.

I have got to reduce this belly fat. I’m more defined and leaner all over, but around the belly button I’m the same as I was in 2003! Hard to believe or accept that after 10 years the belly hasn’t changed. Last fall’s pants fit better today. I have to wonder if around the belly is affected by back expansion as well. Someone described belly fat as a tumor! It secretes hormones in order to keep itself alive. I think of it as a monster, a living creature within me.

This is the end of session twenty. This has probably been the roughest two weeks of the century for me, certainly of the Bajai Bootcamp series.

X-ZACT Training Phase XIX: 22413 - 30913

Session XIX or 19…

Summary - The main theme of this session has been suspension training. The secondary theme is healing. Damn, seems not only did I have to battle another invader, but have to heal injuries as well and a few of them I don't even know exactly how I acquired. Also, yeah... my birthday. I celebrate more responsibly now. It could be because I'm "older;" it could be because I'm training and don't want to sacrifice any gains, it could be because I have vivid memories of embarrassing moments. In any case I celebrated and trained the next day. By the end of this session I am 72% through this year of Bajai Bootcamp II. I set loose, general goals, I experiment with supplements and exercise regimens, keep note, weight myself daily and take periodic measurements of muscle and fat. I treat my body as much like a lab as a temple. I think it helps to know what's going on. 

Here's a shot from mid 2001. I'm about 4

years into my 5 year plan, simply to bench

press my own weight (which was about

225 in 1996.) Here I'm about 200 lbs, still 

bulky with too much fat, but starting to 

take shape. Contrary to what the hype

suggests, this doesn't happen over night

and 90 days, 12 weeks,3 months is just

your initiation. This is lifetime stuff and

if you don't use it, you will lose it.

Guaranteed!!

This session finds gains and pains, a steady drop in weight and without even giving it much thought, a decline in pre-workout drinks. Sometimes the body just switches to auto-pilot.

22413 – (Sunday #249) AM – Work: Various suspension work, mostly pulling. Need to get my strap adjustments right. Also need to make time to loosen/open and strengthen the core!!!

Wake 192.5 – haven’t been here in a while. Random lifting and flexibility exercises. I realize my center needs to be opened and more flexible. I can hardly hold an L position. I can’t bend forward and this I believe is holding me back on many levels. I need to develop and execute and maintain a routine to achieve this progress. 

Didn’t eat much – typical night off routine.

22513 – (Monday #250) 194.5 @ midnight.

Short sleep. Might as well get up, eat, workout a bit. So what it’s 4:22AM!? Got up, folded clothes, ate oat meal and did flexibility exercises, deep squat – stretches, floor touches and stuff I don’t have names for yet.

Went for a nap, it’s still early. May get to the Y for leg presses and close grip presses… That will be my switch-up if I get to the Y w/in 3 days. I’ll do squats & wide grips one day and presses and close grip. Back to work tonight and more suspension push ups. I want to get to 20, make it look easy then get my feet elevated. I want to get to 20 with dips also. I think my waistline is getting smaller. I’m still wearing the “Fat Boy” (36’s) pants to it’s hard to tell.

So much for leg presses at the Y, sleep took over. Will have to re-adjust. Aqua-GX @ Temple, a must.

Temple gym has what I need for legs. I’ll be stopping there say, Mon & Weds after Aqua for shorties… sweet.

Seated Leg Press about 80 reps total, feeling the weight, then calf presses and 35 lb shin flexes, extend ROM on light weight.

22613 – (Tuesday #251) AM – work

Suspension Pushups: 16-16-16-12*-10* total 70
Suspension dips: 6-10-10-10-12*-8
*Switched the order (did dips first.)

Wake 193 – Good GX Sessions.

22713 (Wednesday #252) AM – Work
LEG CRAMP!!! Upper, Inner rt thigh.
Figured I’d relax today, thinking I can maybe do squats after Aqua. Fives – several sets of 5 reps, piling on the weight. We shall see.

BTW – 2 packs of honey and walking and guzzling water seemed to help the cramp. It almost brought me to tears.

Wake 191.5 – had a good sleep too – didn’t want to get up but probably slept too long. Slight headache. Aqua Gx and maybe squats. Cloudy & cool (48)

Good Aqua – mild headache, but hit the gym after.
Squats: 5x5 135-225-235-245-225
Leg extensions 4 – 5 sets.
Shin flex. Good 20 minutes, 2-3 sets. Good dinner.

Something a little more recent,(this decade).

Mid 190s, leaner, but no where near the 

promises of

extreme fitness/diet program claims. 

Another part of real life such programs don't

take into consideration - getting sick, getting

hurt, dramatic life changes, body type,

etc. We can still over come all of these, 

"obstacles" but we have to be relentless.

22813 – (Thursday #253) AM – Work.
Suspension pushups & Dips.
Pushups: 18-14-12-16 60 Total
Dips: 12-10-12-16     50 Total
Showing progress, burned the pecks!!

Still have a slight headache. Talking about fitness excites me. Not bad, increased reps per set. I’ll take it and the burn too. Y-GX Later today.

Wake 191.5 39% 47% - Still blowing snot out of my nose, slight headache – more head than chest now.
(Dinner with Mom).

MARCH 2013 – Hit it Pal!!!

30113 – (Friday #254)
HAPPY Birthday 191.5 (might be a lazy scale, but who cares?)

I imagined I’d hit the gym today, but didn’t. Fridays have become rest days and I make it to the Y on Saturdays. It works. An extra day between heavy squats and hi-rep squats. Since I can do heavy days at Temple I can keep the weight lower at the Y and focus on increasing reps at 135 to 225 lbs. 

The chest is noticeably thicker. Tried on some shirts I got a while back… tight up top.

30213 – (Saturday #255) Wake 193.5: Good day to wake up. Headed to the Y for squats and wide presses, maybe leg therapy. Maybe I can break 100 today; it’s been a while. I think the bug is dead. Knee is… not sore, but not up to 100% either. I can feel its weakness. It will take time.

Got a purge going on. Probably due to eating differently than usual. No stomach pain however.
YMCA

Squats – 100 done!!
Start 175 @ 20 – 15 – 10 then progress to 225 doing 5 – 10 reps (up to 75 reps) Then finish with 155 lbs x 10 reps and 135 x 15… not bad. I should make 125 my minimum next time around.
Wide presses – 115+ many sets 10-12 reps. At the first 8 rep set I drop the weight down.
Did 200 – 300 weightless calf raises.
Shin Flex – 85lbs 3 x 20 – 16 – 12
Leg therapy – single leg extensions
Stretch 75 minutes

30313 – (Sunday #256) Wake 195 @ 430 AM. Stayed up for a while and did some monster squats (squats, curl, press, reverse), some ab stuff w/ ankle weights – hardly felt the weight. Shadow boxing, twisting standing abs. Back to sleep around 11am. Massage 6pm.

30413 (Monday #257) wake 193.5 – early wake 4AM again. Sea salt purgative, 1 pint. Did the job… quickly.

The crazy daily yo-yo remains. Fluctuating between 2 lbs. This is

normal for me. And maybe for most people, so don't get nervous if

you are plus or minus a couple of pounds. Anyway, trending weight

is dropping, just in time for "cutting season. I feel like I can gain and

or drop weight at will these days, because i know how my body works

and responds to what I do to it. It's a good feeling.

Morning stack.

Have to lay off the wide pres for a while, right upper forearm tender and sore. Switch to close grips. Cutting the creatine this month. Will continue with B-A and arginine and suffer through the taste. Add lemon juice to H2O, see what happens.

Pull Day Done Early.
Wide grip pull up via smith machine feet on floor.
L-pulls reverse close grip 3-4-5 (not a good L, but I’ll get it.) 3 sets each.
Db (35lb) rows 3x12 + BB (135) shrugs 3x12
Bent bench flies (35lbs)
Standing db shrugs 35 & 50 lbs
Various abs, leg raises with ankle wts, wide and neutral grip pull up w/ ankle wts.
Wide & reverse close grip pull downs 3 sets each.
1 set dip w/ wts.

Thinking maybe cut B-A & arg for the month and keep extra 10 lbs of weight in my bag for the rest of the month. Knee is still healing.
Aqua then leg work @ Temple.
Seated Leg Presses – calf press - shin flex 3 rounds
3 sets of seated leg curls. 15 – 20 minutes.

30513 (Tuesday #258) – Anticipating some suspension pushups at the gig. Been away from them for a while and think they have added some thickness to the chest. My body hair seems thicker too – hard to say, maybe b/c I haven’t cut it in a while. I’m thinking body hair is a sign f higher testosterone. Could be my bias, but it could also be fact. When in doubt, I’m going with the most favorable scenario.

Suspension Training:
Pushups: 20*-20-20-20-20 = 100 (my first 20 & first 100)
Dips:     10-12-10-10-10-13 = 65
I may have to lay off of these due to elbow, but it didn’t seem to hurt while I was doing them. As long as I don’t try to go wide I should be ok. I think the scores (20s) are for real. Stay here this week and maybe elevate next week.

Wake 193.5 – rushed out, sort of. GX today & Aqua. Good sessions – pretty worn as usual. More coaching – knee is stronger, but still not back.

30613 (Wednesday #259) AM – work Chillin’ updating.
Got two red marks, bruises perhaps, just above the elbow, outside. Doesn’t seem to be any pain. I iced them anyway. I think this could be from suspension pushups, from rubbing on the straps, or strain – I didn’t notice them before. So, now I‘ve got something else to keep an eye on. The price of strength and fitness. Geeze!! Tiger balmed.
Wake 191.5 – Woke up strong, but stole a snooze. Did some core opening exercises, back bending stuff – not that my back bends very much. I’m trying to change that.
Aqua GX, then Squats
Temple Squats (5x5) + 2: 135-225-225-235-250-225-135. The first 225 set was tough so I repeated it.

Right front delt sore, but don’t know why. Ice & rub. Knee still healing.
Dropping weight, eating less meat, perhaps I should eat more or add more fish during the week. Maybe tonight?

30713 (Thursday #260) AM – Work
Suspension work – closer to standing today. Seems like as soon as I’m making good progress something hurts. This shoulder pain came out of nowhere – the elbows I have an idea about. So I’m doing easy suspension early – pulls (lats), triceps & chest. Heat-rubbed the shoulder, & wrist curls, feeling sleep.

Wake 193.5 flex morning stuff, wake stack, meal CLA & Omega-3 combo.
YGX Today
Sore shoulder, iced before bed.
YGX was a LOT stronger today. Moderate knee strength, great cardio & motivation.

30813 (Friday #261) AM- work
Suspension training is not going to work today; elbow and shoulder (rt side) need rest. If I make it to the Y later today I may do leg presses on the smith. Geeze, just when I hit 20 reps sets and 100 reps on the tour.

Wake 191.5 Slept late, or should I say woke and went back to sleep. Cloudy, windy, ugly day. Did flexibility work, esp back bends.
Sore spots: Left ankle, inside – this got iced. I don’t know what I did to either spot (rt shoulder). Left knee is better. Right knee is being tricky. If I step slightly oddly I get pain, but it doesn’t last, doesn’t cripple and the knee remains stable.

30913 (Saturday #262) Last day of session 19 (AM – Work) and I’m lamenting injuries again.. or still! Possibly my usual Saturday routine, wake strong, go to the Y and do what I’d imagined myself doing on Friday. I think I could use some leg presses. The question is, should I lay off lifting next week and do cardio machines flexibility, balance and “easy” stuff – or keep lifting? I wanted to get some bench presses in to see if those suspension push ups made me stronger in that area; but, the same shoulder hurts, that I hurt bench pressing in 2008, in the same place. It doesn’t seem like a good idea, but things can change by Monday. Hmmm. Perhaps I should just wait until Monday to make a decision.
Wake  191.5

YMCA - Made it to the Y today -

100 Leg presses - I didn't even total the weight, I just know I started with 6,  45 lb plates and ended with just over 400 lbs. I did this in the same pyramid pattern I do squats in. Start with a moderate wt and do about 20 reps, add weight, drop reps. I actually got stronger during the process. One set would be 5 reps and the next set, same wt. would be 10 reps. I love inverted leg presses anyway.

Directly after the leg press I did anywhere from 20 - 30 calf presses, then single calf raises, 10 - 16 reps each.
Then, close grip flat bench presses... moderate wt. about 115 - 155... That's a round. I did multiple rounds. Finished up with 100 reps (in 4 sets) of shin flexes.

Then, went to Shakedown and danced my ass off for hours!! Drank lots of water. That's how I ended this session.

X-ZACT Training Phase XVIII - 21013 - 22313

Session 18 Summary – I don’t even know how long I’ve been taking the creatine-beta alanine mix, I dropped the arginine because of the taste, but I have to use it up so I’ll deal with it when I get to lift heavy again. Less lifting days this session due a weekend in Brooklyn, surprisingly didn’t gain too much extra weight. Continuing the suspension training over night and battling against a bug for most of the last week of this session. Very little home work – due to being home very little. Four days of GX a week. And the knee is improving. It’s weak, but hasn’t been swollen lately. 

21013 (Sunday #235) AM – Work Start Phase XVIII (18)
Suspension Pulls – 3 sets, low.
Wake – 195.5: Air squats 3 20s + deep lunge squats – good stretch I think I can do more of these. Maybe some back work before work? Or just rest and update?
Let’s make pulling dominant this week at home and work. May not train this weekend. Build muscle get leaner!!

21113 (Monday #236) AM – Work. Suspension Pull ups. Just working on strengthening usually about 10 reps every 30-60 minutes.
Wake 193.5 – E: couple sets of bent rows just to stay focused. Good aqua, knee held – no pain, no swelling.
Got some bar work done at Temple, then a long ass walk through North Philly. (Camino Real w/ Benny)

21213 (Tuesday #237) 193.5 Wake up.
To the Y for squats, start at 135 this round, go for 25 reps.

First 2 sets, 25 reps 135 & 155, net 15, then 10s. Maxed at 250, sets of 5 then 3. Wide grip chest press 115 & 125. Shin fle, 90, 95, 100!!! Now I can work with 100s – no going back, but can’t go higher either.

Stingle is with me an hour later, not intense tho. My have to 86 the arginine for a while. Can’t take the taste. Feeling wiped out and got 2 G sessions to do.

21313 (Wednesday #238)
Wake 192 – weekly adjustment wasn’t hungry last night. Pull day and the Y? I’m thinking before aqua g … still feeling the lats from Monday at Temple. Just a few pull ups made an impact.

Pull day and leg therapy at the Y – pull ups are week I need more of this!!!

Leg therapy – no records, just getting the leg curls/extensions back in shape.

Purge day – seems unnatural, wonder what I ate. No stomach pain, but that drawn down feeling…
Good aqua, good, went fast, not very hungry either. Got food w/ me tho – maybe that’s why I’m not hungry.
Pondering whether the purge was a pre-emptive dismissal of flu, or bug or some other interloper. I visualize my body as a Temple surrounded by a fortress, my antibodies are elite soldiers ready to do battle with all enemies and always getting strange. My digestive system eliminates threats before they can get a foot hold. Badass from outside in and inside out.

21413 (Thursday #239) – Suspension push up bars reverse grip, incline, no need to count, feeling kind of worn but I’ve got to keep at it.

Sets – IIII (4): Didn’t eat much during the tour, bean burrito – trail mix – water – wasn’t hungry. Let’s see what later today brings.

Wake 193 – took extra hour thought I was hungry, but appetite was satisfied easily, mix, banana, blueberries, wake stack. Seems like some kind of change occurred. Can’t place it. More energy, brisk steps, moving faster. Let’s see if this transfers to Y-GX today… hey, it could be all the exercise I’ve been doing, even though it’s unorganized and intermittent @ work. I have been to the Y more than usual this week. 
Late dinner

21513 (Friday #240) AM – Home – Sick Day, Brooklyn later, eat healthy this weekend and drink healthy too.
Wake 194.5 – late meal last night, wasn’t hungry but devoured the food. More positive expectations, affirmations. More talking and thinking myself into being.

21613 (Saturday #241) Brooklyn, NY – random morning pushups. Basquiat w/ Po.

The green, trending weight, line is always much steadier than the radical

blue, actual weight line. Looks like the weight loss is coming earlier than

expected, but I'm also getting leaner (sorry no body pix this session),

which is why I noted that I may have crossed into a more efficient muscle

building/fat burning zone. I've changed the way I eat over night, which is

8 hours of low activity. It's the 8 hours that I "work."

Catfish & Hurricanes w/ the Fram. Dark-n-Stormies w/ C & Po. (Commonwealth)

21713 (Sunday #242) Brooklyn, NY – Spicy lamb burgers w/ Corwin & Po.

21813 (Monday #243) Brooklyn-Manhattan-Philly: Last day of Aquarius headed to Pisces. Going back to Philly – got aqua this eve, maybe home work.

Back in Philly 195.5 17% 57% H2O. I may have crossed over into the fat burn – muscle build zone. After 3-4 days away I’m looking pretty good, however I try to account for a bias-factor, but I see thicker veins and more definition. 

21913 (Tuesday #244) 195 Wake. First day of Pisces. Good sleep, pre-workout meal. ACV at wake.

Headed to the Y for squats, maybe start at 155 go for 25… kind of obliged to do more than 100, maybe 100-125 and wide presses at 135 or +? And shin flex @ 100 – keep moving forward.

100 Squats – endurance and strength were down, the knee was functional was functional. Started at 155 for 25 reps. Next set was only 15 reps (added wt.) Got about 4 sets of ultra-wide presses at 135 then dropped down and increased reps. Max squat was 215 today. Got to take a shin flex break b/c the weight is bothering my instep. Massive calf raises, no counts.
Leg therapy, extensions, knee is stronger, slight pain tho.
Leg curls are strong. Stretch & go.

Two powerful sessions at Temple, I’m beat as usual. Back to overnight sessions…maybe. Got to update too.

Setting up for suspension pushups but won’t be mad if I don’t do too many. My “gym” is flooded and unusable, how about that for a sign? Plan B… relax.

22013 (Wednesday #245) AM – Work. Took a break – figured after a workout and two classes a break was in order, plus my workout area was flooded. GX Later today, maybe wake up work.

Wake 195 – Steady – Aqua GX – still think I can lift wts after. It’s self portrait day. Woke with a mild headache but shook it off. LIMBO. Bit of a sore throat and stuffy too. Maybe another battle coming. Took some Vit-C at wake, I think I missed a few daily doses. I think it’s time to get more.

Good GX – note: back to popping CLA + Omega 3 – about to finish another CLA Bottle – wonder if this stuff is really working. I should get some red rice yeast, see if I can knock this cholesterol down faster.
Hands are tightening up again at the outside along the pinky ridge. This hasn’t been happening in some time – what’s changed?? This could be a sign. Thighs are tight, but I blasted them yesterday.
I think a bug’s coming. Took the elixir this eve. The bug could be causing dehydration. Did I mention sore throat? Just mild for now. Left elbow dry. Noticed it yesterday. This could be the cause of yesterday’s lackadaisical weight room performance.
The “exercise room” is dry. Already did pushups and dips, got to take the stack too. 50 minutes until tomorrow.

22113 (Thursday #246) AM – Work –
Already a few sets into the day. The more I do it, the more I want to do it. Do what? Suspension pushups and dips – my feet are resting on a box which makes it a bit more challenging. I think I feel new muscles waking up and maybe these chems are being released and beating up on the bug too! Maybe once per half hour … just whenever. No pressure. I probably won’t count reps unless I get a 20.
Got about 5 sets in doing dips like this is brutal, looking forward to the results.

Wake 193 (after elimination) Woke with sore throat, closer to the top, elixir and chicken & veggies for breakfast. Feel weak and sluggish. Upper thighs (rear) are tight!! Knee is kind of sore, say 3 on a +10 scale. Iced it. I should be good for tomorrow… squats… did some lunge squats today just to stretch. Got my salad fixins, I can ditch Wawa for a while, but need dressing.

22213 (Friday #247) AM – Work
Suspension; seated legs elevated short range pull ups, 45 degree pulls and chest wide-outs (I know what they are, hmm “angels” come to mind).  Maybe 4 or 5 sets so far, just pulling to get stronger and used to it. Muscle ups need to be in my near future.
YMCA Later today??? Squats again, stick with 155 @ 25 reps. Maybe 2 x 25 reps? And get rid of this bug!!!
I can do muscle up training with the straps. Feet are on the floor and my legs are assisting but I can practice making the transition from off the ground to in the air… or from below to above the plane.

Wake 194.5 – The masculine was ready to hit the squats @ the gym, but the feminine wouldn’t allow it. She demanded sleep and rest as the body fought the Bug! (Grrr!) Long deep sleep and vivid dreams, re-woke stronger, lots of bad stuff expelled from the lungs and nasal passages. (Right nostril.) I wonder if it means anything that the snot was coming from the right ??

22313 – (Saturday #248) AM – Work
Last days of the bug battle? First round of suspension push ups and dips – body’s strong but tired from fighting the bug.

Sets = 4 super sets then split sets 2 more each, reps are 6 – 14 (I think is my max).

Wake 193 – surprised, good drop for a work night. Could be the bug too.
Made it to the Y only 75 squats, however I worked in rounds of squats, calf raises, ultra-wide presses, 4 or 5 rounds maybe 6, then a couple of shin flexes @ 95 lbs.

The body & knee held up but I'm worn out. Still at max with the bug. She gave me the resources she could.
First squat set – 165 at 25 reps, I was going for 30.

The body flushed much of the evilness out of itself during and after today’s session. It was truly a battle royale. The bug got the better of me yesterday but I came back with a vengeance today. Although I needed a 30 minute nap after the battle.

This is it for Session 18 – this was a rough one for me, I’ll have to go through my notes for the summary. Session XIX starts at midnight and I’m thinking more suspension work, more pull ups overnight. Oh yeah, started Red Rice Yeast – 2 tabs a day, they should last 2 months. Then I’ll get the cholesterol checked and see what effect it had. Last count was 199 only down 9 points but that put me in the green zone. I want at least 10 – 20 more points of buffer.