Brute's Book

[brute_fury]

Today
pull ups x 10
log clean once strict pres reps empty/75# x 3, 80x10 x5 sets
pull ups x 10
log clean and strict pres each rep 80#x20
pull ups x 9

fs 45x10, 135, 170, 185x5 x 5sets
pull ups x 8

3 rounds of:

• snatch grip power/hang shrugs x 25 wt used 65#, next round 85, 105
• ez bar upright rows 34# x 20
• landmine v grip rows x 30 wt used 25, 40, 50#
• band pull aparts x 20

viking press empty x 30 reps each grip
NICE!

I wanted to do some carries today but when I walked out after this with my girl it was raining…so maybe not. I’ll get them in this weekend.

One positive thing this entire COVID-19 situation helps me do is to exercise my CONTROL over my weaknesses- in this case exercise compulsions. Not obsessions, compulsions because I feel I MUST do or there will be consequences real or imaginary.

I know I get hooked on exercises (rituals) and then want to do them again the next week but now MORE reps or MORE wt or at least the same as I did before etc or I am lazy- which is my compulsive behavior trying to protect my own self value in my mind by making up these feats for myself to do to prove myself to myself

My compulsive behavior shows up when I have any type of anxieties or feel I lack control in whatever issue my mind WANTS control in and that is how I in my twisted way “create control”.

BUT!!! Another thing I know my personality innately presented in myself is that I am also practical and level headed. I was born with both sides in my mind, and luckily the older I get, the more I have in my life that I have achieved for myself, I can let those anxieties go- since I have solid things about me I can run back on and use when I’m feeling down about myself, I have facts to support my achievements- and armed with those facts I let my stronger practical side take over.

One of my family nicknames for me is “Prudence”. It is fitting for me in most areas of my life, but the last lagging part has always been for exercise/diet and romantic relationships. Those two areas are the last piece of my life I’ve needed to let Prudence take over where she has been pushed aside by an unpractical mind who is instead consumed by anxieties.

So far the romantic relationship part has finally totally kicked in and I am Prudence there. More and more these day I am gaining ground over the exercise/food intake part to be LESS driven by compulsion.

Long post! Positive too! Working on myself - calling myself out- is a never ending process…like road work! Never ending…painstaking, inch by inch, embarrassing, …and necessary.

[brute_fury]

Here are the things I do not know what to call;;snatch grip hanging power shrugs?

April 2, 2020

AnYWHO they apparently require me to make faces. They are butt workers! Next time I am gong to try popping the hip circle on to help leftie leg stay out and not caved in!

[brute_fury]

Malibu Walk- slow and lots of stops for smells! 2.8 miles in about an hour

Then I went home and went out on my own for speed walk 2.8 miles in 32 mins- pretty good! PUMP PUMP PUMP my arms and swing/tick tock my butt the whole time!!

[punnyguy]

You’re starting close to the floor and finishing at the waist (not the sternum), but this is the exercise I think of:

Christian Thibaudeau Snatch High Pulls 397 Lbs!

[brute_fury]

Yes! That was what I’ve been trying to do…yet hey have morphed into a whole other lift!

[brute_fury]

Today
Malibu Walk in the snow!

Then at home
warm up with rdls of plates to mimic a sandbag/stone pick- 25x5, 35x5, 70 ( 2 35’s stacked on top of each other x5

4 rounds of:

• sand bag load 150# x 10
• bw Bulgarians x 25 then 10 second hold each leg then bw squats 10-30 rep ( up in resp each time) then 10 second hold
• 25 rep/leg walking lunges then 10-40 bw squats then 10 second hold

Then I used my cut up mats to see if I could add some height to my loading platform - I can! I did! Did a load with each new mat, then the last highest height I did 2 loads. Platform pictured below!

a few rounds of plate rows- holding a plate and rowing it x8, used 25#,35#, 45#, 60#
band pull thrus x 30 ss back extensions x 25 x 3 sets

some band pull aparts x 10 ss rear delt db swings used 3#, 8.5#, and 10# x 30-10 reps
some lateral raises with the 3#'s and front raises with the 3#

I’ve very grateful I had my eyebrows tended to before the social isolation began. I had been having a bit of a crisis-- they were MASSIVE! For the last year and a half I’ve let the youngsters at the waxing place I go to have free reign— they have become more and more gigantic due to the fashion of said youngsters where big brows are better.

I’m from the 90’s and was a industrial/goth/raver tinged person and have had the whole gamut of eyebrows. Shaved off drawn in with eyebrow pencil eyebrows, the half eyebrows- where you keep the stubs and draw the rest of them in, and of course the zero eyebrows where I shaved them and just did not draw them in but left them blank.

Anywho. I was reading a book in bed a day before this picture was taken and the light had cast a shadow on the wall…of my eyelashes and these MASSIVE caterpillar long eyebrows!!! I was horrified!! I am a red head and my brows are blond and nearly invisible to start with and as I am getting older my brows are changing color and can turn almost greentinged with the darker “older” hair amoungst the blonde…it made my face look wild. BUSHY AND WILD!! This is a picture of them the day after I saw that scary eyebrow shadow creeper on the wall–they are massive!

I had to do something fast. These young people were getting out of hand with the size of eyebrows, and I was letting them do it to mine! I have a coworker at my job who has the biggest brows I have ever seen they are so distracting to not stare at, yet she in fact does do modeling as a side gig with those LARGE eyebrows. It is due to those large eyebrows in photos her face is very trendy now a days.

They do not work for on me so I went and had them thinned down considerably two weeks or so before the shutdowns. Thank god! Now I keep them trim and thinner on my own at home easier, and MAN does having scruffy crazy eyebrows make me you feel gross!

I’ve been attempting to keep my shaved head hair as least irritating and scruffy as possible by doing DIY trims of my neck with a regular razor I use for my legs, and a lil scissors for over my ears…so fair its tolerable. I am totally unskilled and terrified to try a shave job on myself so it’ll just be longer hair until we are all allowed back to Great Clips!

[brute_fury]

Today
Malibu Walk

Then after I drove to the field to do tbar caries–uh! I carried the empty tbar to the field and back- around 200 feet each way and froze my hands off! Too cold for it, around 28 degrees. I used to be able to tolerate that temp for carries but not anymore!

So instead I went speed walking- 2.8 miles in 30 mins then right after checking my time did 25 rep/leg walking lunges 10 bw squats 10 second hold x 4 sets one after the next

I do like Saturday as being a non-lift cardio/refresh ultra light day. So be it!

[brute_fury]

Today
pull ups x 10
log clean once strict pres reps empty/75# x 4, 86#x8 x 4 sets, 86x7, then set it down, then did another rep
pull ups x 9

fs 45x10, 135x2, 170, 180x8 x 4 sets, 180x7, 190x4 x 3 sets, 200x2 x 2 sets
clean grip lunges 7-x8/eg, 80x8/leg, 90x8/leg
bar only reverse alternating lunges bar on back x 10 total reps

4 rounds of:

• ez bar uprisht rows 34# x 15, last 3 rounds 44# x 12
• landmine v grip rows 25# x 30, next round 35# x 20, 55# x 20, 75# x 18
• band pull aparts x 20

viking press plus 2.5# 25 reps x grip x 3 grips
tried skull crushers empty ez bar x 30

That’s that. I had a strange 2am-11:30a shift yesterday and had a great after work walk with my girl. Promptly after that I went to bed and managed to get 8 or 9 hours of sleep! WONDERFUL!

Sleep has been a bit weird these last few weeks . I fall asleep no problem, dream sleep/rem whatever and wake up anywhere between 3- 6 hours later. READY to be awake, not tired just less hours of sleeping,

I am not sure why, yet I also have been able to thunder down some quality 30min- 1 hour naps when I start feeling tired on my days off. I st a timer and its ON! Sleep hard and then get up ready to go. I’m very inclined to follow the steps of habit- fan on, in my bed, towel over my eyes to block light and I can usually fall right to sleep. Maybe my hours needed to sleep have decreased.

My caffeine intake the last 6 months has been way down too, I make sure to time it too so its mostly in my morning time and never withing a 4 hours of bedtime. Gone are the days when I’d drink a Dew in bed, reading a book before going to sleep- I would be able to sleep no problem, the caffeine was nothing to my tolerance level then. Now I am down to 2 Dews an entire day at the most at work, and coffee to start the morning.

Anyway, I felt refreshed! Some of my coworkers are loosing their minds…its the extroverted types who are having a lot of trouble with this situation. I feel for them!

I am not sure the real statistics , yet in my experience most people- or the people who are in control of media and information that is…-- are more extrovert leaning then introverted…otherwise I struggle to explain how popular things like bars, clubs, eating out, etc is otherwise really are and how massive an effect taking them away is on others. I worry about the economy of course. But the social aspect is very important for a lot of people.

However there are people who really do feed and thrive of the interaction of others, I mean I do too if its positive, but my level of need is way way way way lower for in person stuff. And I tend to get worn out around groups, others feel energized.

In my younger years I thought there was something amiss with me, and really did give it a go with parties and interactions, as well as finding men who were extroverted as partners. I thought I should do this because everyone else did, and that I was missing out or messed up. Years ago I thought this-- now I know the reason its so hard to change who I am in whatever respect I am trying got alter myself, is because its not who I am supposed to be and its against my own groove.

There’s nothing wrong with me preferring to be alone, no mysterious, traumatic, horrible thing that needed to be fixed in me like some dude thought of me once upon a time. Its who I am and its helpful in times like this. I’d NEVER wish this on anyone, this level of fear and pain and disruption on the entire planet, but I can cope a bit easier being how I am.

[brute_fury]

Today
rdls 45x10, 115x5, 165x5, 185x20 x 4 sets, tried it with a hip circle on not great so only 10 reps
anderson zerchers 45x5, 115x5, 165 x5, 185x7 x 4 sets

bw Bulgarians 33 reps one leg then 10 second hold then 33 reps next leg 10 second hold then 33 bw squats then 10 second hold x 3 circuits

band pull thrus x 20 ss 20 back extensions with a pause up top each rep

3 sets on after the next of:

33 donkey kicks then 33 half rep donkey kicks then 10 seocnd hold each leg
33 heel raises then 33 half rep donkey kicks then 10 second hold each leg
33 clams then 33 half rep donkey kicks then 10 second hold each leg

hamstring ball curls 2 x 20 ss 10 bw glute bridges

3 sets of 8 push ups ss 10-15 band pull aparts

Cool! Gotta figure those hamstring ball things out. They work my hammies a lot yet MAN do they make my shins cramps up! I don;t have the ball all the way inflated either so whatever.

[brute_fury]

Today
pull ups x 10
log clean once strict press reps empty/75# x 5, 86# x 5, 91x6 x 4 sets, 95#x3
pull ups x 10
95#x3 x 3 sets
pull ups x9

log clean and strict press each rep 86# x20
pull ups x 8

3 rounds of:

• misc snatch grip power rdl/shrug things x 25 1st round 65#, next 80#,
  next 100#
• ez bar upright rows 34# x 20, next round 34# x 20, last round 39# x 16
• landmine v grip rows first 35# added x 25 slow reps/5 fast, next 45# x 25 slow reps/5 fast, 60# x 15 slow/5 fast/10 slow/5 fast
• 33 band pull aparts

3 rounds of:

• viking press with 5.5# added 20 reps/grip x 3 grips, next round 15 reps/grip x 3 grips, last round 10 rep/grip x 3 grips
• ez bar upright rows 39# x 10
• band pull aparts x 10

Lil Nap. Re-warm up then off to the field!

carried 45#/hand to the field, then carried the empty t bar then applied my liquid chalk while drying started the rotation of:

25 rep/leg walking lunges 10 bw prison squats then 10 second hold then walk to the field
tbar carry 167# x around the field (897 feet ) no drop then
30 rep/leg walking lunges - 10 bw prison squats- 10 second hold walk back to the field
tbar carry 167# x around the field 1 regrip then
30 rep/leg walking lunges- 10 bw prison squats- 10 second hold walk back to the feild
tbar carry 167# x around the field 1 regrip/drop then
40 rep/leg walking lunges -10 bw prison squats- 10 second hold walk back to the field
tbar carry 167# x around the field 2 regrips/drops then
tbar carry 167# x around the field 4 regrip/drops then went on for the last
tbar carry 167# x around the field many drops-4 at least

tbar carry 167# back to the car- 3 regrip/drops- took my time! This part was very very very fractionally uphill and on concrete and I could tell. My ankle protested this. I will not be doing ANY uphill tbar carries again- a bit too risky. And this was seriously not even much of a hill at all- like 2 degrees up- but I can TELL! here’s the trip to the field which is where the concrete ends- very very very fractionally downhill- my car being behind me!

Here’s the field after I finished! Sun just coming up, prefect weather, not freeze your hands, not over hot. SCORE!

Malibu Walk! SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIIIIIIIIFFF!

Nice! Managed 6 'round the field’s today. Part of that field is uneven and man does it make a difference!

My work has had its first confirmed COVID19 positive in the mist of my coworkers. It was bound to happen…there’s a LOT of staff there, around 200 employees all and all.

She actually has COPD and I think either ms or lupus as well and luckily is doing ok, she self isolated when she started feeling it coming on and got tested while she’s been at home. I happen to very briefly interact with her in a Hi/Bye pass by in the hall the day she went home feeling symptoms. I am not afraid of being infected by her, it was very brief and not close contact.

I am however now in a MASK a decent part of my day at work and its awful. Its protocol now and I really do not like anything impeding my breathing ever! Masks make me so sea sick and give me a full on headache.

But we have to at work when we are around each other. I can’t do it all day. There’s no way I’d ever work in the surgery department where they normally typically wear masks …HELL NO. So henceforth it appears it’ll be headaches on and off re-breathing my C02 at work and freaking out some of the dogs who hate seeing strange masked figures in their faces for the foreseeable future.

I’m compliant, I do my part but good god do I hate masks.

[brute_fury]

Today
fs 45x10, 135x2, 170, 186x8x3 sets, 186x7x2 sets

reverse alternating lunges bar on back 70# x 10 rep/leg ss with
10 bw Bulgarians each leg then 10 bw prison squats then 10 second hold
then right away another-10 bw Bulgarians each leg then 10 bw prison squats then 10 second hold
then right away another -10 bw Bulgarians each leg then 10 bw prison squats then 10 second hold = total of 30 Bulgarians/leg/30 prison squats etc

reverse alternating lunges bar on back 70# x 10 rep/leg ss with
same as above but 20 rep/leg Bulgarians, 20 prison squats , 10 second hold- 3 cycles of those= total of 60 Bulgarians /leg/60 bw prison squats

reverse alternating lunges bar on back 70# x 10 rep/leg ss with
bw bulgarians 30 rep/leg then 30 prison squats then 10 second hold- only one set= 30 Bulgarians/leg/30 bw prison squats etc

frankenstein squats 70# x 10 x 4 sets- some slow reps, some pumpin no lockout sets

clean grip lunges 70# x 10 x 4 sets rep/leg pumpin no lock out sets- I’ve noticed I tend to rock back on lunges, I think its due to my leverages, so I’m trying to do them a bit different to hit different things
back extensions x 50

Tried laying on my belly and doing band pull parts. Its been a popular thing to post on line the last two days by the fitness folk- not really excited with those. Did 2 x 20

oh triceps x 20 ss band pull aparts x 20 x 3 sets

Might do more later or I might not! Me and Malibu are currently stalking the sunrise so we can get out and have another sniff-athon- tail high up in the air- fabu-walk!

I have 3 weeks worth of laundry to do- which is a PR in itself since now I have been able to amass enough work scrubs to have 12 pairs so I can last 3 weeks without having to haul my stuff to the laundromat. I also have been wearing less workout gear- well smaller, less substantial workout gear since I am at home and don’t care!

Its a change for me to wear legging to lift in! And I like it but I am not a huge fan of leggings in public. I used to only wear shorts and high socks for YEARS yet I stopped that because I began to feel my legs were not worth showing or they were flabby- due to whatever current phase of lifting/body type/food intake whatever phase I was in.

Over cardio-ing, over heavy-wt power lifting type movements,…under whatever…its all history. Now I am becoming a bit proud of my legs again! So I wear leggings. I am less self conscious and a bit…proud NOT the best, but they have defiantly changed in the last year.

[ChickenLittle]

I got some patterns online, broke out the sewing machine and made us all a few masks. Then I thought… hey! These would be good we your weed eating. Uh, not when it’s 95 degrees! Took about five minutes and it was soaked with sweat. Then it really made you rebreathe the Co2 Will have to rethink this. Maybe lighter material for weedeating. It did seem to help with the rocks pelting my face though.

[brute_fury]

YES! I had wondered if you wore a mask for mowing! My dad made me wear a mask for mowing when I was a teenager and they definitely help but GOD are they hard to get used to! I think the old fashioned - old time-western- bandanna around the face action is easier to breath out of like this:

I am not sure how protective or effective they are for not passing or getting respiratory stuff :{ I guess better then nothing, and better then passing out form re-breathing your breath!

[brute_fury]

Today
Malibu Walk! Big ol Moon out!

This was yesterday morning and a bit later then today’s walk.

A beaver left his snax out…!

came home and then went back on my own for a speed walkin’- 2.8 mile sin 30 mins then right after this:
25 rep/leg walking lunges- 40 bw squst 10 second hold rest ten seconds
25 rep/leg wlakign lunges- 30 bw squats 10 secon hold rest ten seconds
25 rep/leg walking lunges- 20 bw squast 10 second hold rest ten seconds
25 rep/leg walking lunges- 10 bw squats 10 second hold and walked the rest of the ay home.

My squat rack has a second use as a training tool for my girl!

She’s learned “scoot” under the pole, and a very tentative walk over the pole. I think in a bit she’ll leap that pole like a horse once she’s less afraid of it. She LIGHTS up when we do tricks!

She loves it! Big ol Smile!

After 10 mins of trick school she is worn out :)!!!

I uh…also have cut my own hair. I could not DEAL with it! It makes no sense, and it is what it is. Here’s my wild, Charley Chaplin-like haircut. This is was I did with $12 Walmart beard trimmers. As you can tell I should not be doing this, yet I know enough to stop when I go this far.

Last month when this all started I bic’d off my side burns because its better to be WITHOUT disgusting scruff then have me attempt to sculpt my own hairline. It feels less disgusting without the gross long back stuff that drives me nuts and thick square ass side burns that my hair line naturally goes into… but really it makes no sense this hair cut. This is the longest it had been in years, last cut was 2/1/2020. Its the COVID Precaution Chaplin look.

[brute_fury]

Today
pull ups x10
log clean once strict press reps empty/75# x 15 x 2 sets, 75# x 12 set it down and clean up again x 3 more reps, 75# x 10 set it down and clean up again x 2 reps
pull ups x 9

bicep tendon/inner elbow is cranky again, so I had to call it on the pull ups

fs 45x10, 135x2, 170x12 x 2 sets, 170x10, 180x7 x2 sets

clean grip lunges 70# 15 rep/leg, 85# 15 rep/leg, 100# 15 rep/leg
reverse alternating3 lunges bar on back 65# x 10 rep/leg

3 rounds of:

• ez bar upright rows 34# x 15, next round 39 x 15, 3rd 45x15
• land mine v grip rows 25# x 20 then 5 fast reps, 50# x 20 same reps , 65# x 10 reps rest then 10 reps
• band pull aparts x 30

one round of viking press plus 8# 20 rep/grip x 3 grips
2 last sets of 34# uprisht ezbar rows x 20-18

That’s that. Not super enthused today but I got this done-- GRATEFULLY! I am healthy, I am uninjured, I have equipment to use- score!

Work is going to take our temps with one of those fancy forehead thermometers as soon as it ships in from cooperate. Twice a day temp checks! All very private and respecting HIPAA etc…however most of us techs and dvms don’t really care, we are more medically minded and interested then concerned about our biological privacy. There is no shame at my job for telling someone you currently has diarrhea, a rash, uti , pink eye…etc. Its what we do all day long with dogs and cats and we give them dignity -well I do at least- treating their “embarrassing” bodily conditions, so humans of course get it too! Coworkers especially.

I have no idea my baseline body temp, I would imagine its lower then normal since I get chilly. The last fever I had was 6 years ago. I hope to keep that streak!

[brute_fury]

Today
very quiet dead lifts 45x10, 135x5, 185, 225x10 x 10 sets
bw bulgarians 30 rep / leg then 10 second hold then same for other leg then 30 bw squats x 3 sets

That is it. Low motivation today, completed something.

My coworker buddy of mine has offered to cut my hair!!! She’s not a stylist , yet has done it before… I ran home and got my clippers on my lunch break after letting Malibu pee, then had second thoughts. Firstly its FREEZING out! Weirdly cold for Denver in April at 17 degrees- 23 yesterday with snow.

I"m going to ride it out a bit and see if I can wait until May…I say now and then loose it over the weekend. This week things seemed - in my understanding- to have cooled a bit in the hysteria and fear. Yesterday after work and after many misc new stories, YouTube whatevers, felt we may be back to a less restricted lifestyle sooner then I had anticipated. I sure hope so.

Staying home is not a big deal but its not great long term as we all are experiencing. Personally it makes a difference having no BOOKS! Library is closed and that hits hard!

[punnyguy]

Most libraries have a lot of e-books and audio books now.

I use Kindle, the e-book downloads directly to Amazon’s site and then onto my Kindle. There are other formats besides Kindle as well.

[brute_fury]

I might end up dong that! I have a terrible time reading from a screen and like the whole paper turning, book in hand feeling… Beggars can’t be choosers however!

[brute_fury]

Today
log clean once strict press reps empty/75# x 5, 86x2, 95x5x5 sets, 100x2 x 2 sets

fs 45x10, 135x2, 170, 190x7x3 sets, 200x4, 200x3

Anderson zerchers- cool setup I figured out! My ottoman on one side, two stacked crash pads on the other make a great set up for these! My squat rack is ok but the safeties are very short so I felt i was not in the best position for my back and my knees. Any who! Back to logging!

Anderson zerchers slow and controlled ( don’t want to break my ottoman!) descent 135x8, 175x10, 190x10x3 sets

snatch grip shrugs from pads/ottoman 135x11 x 3 sets
zercher lunges 65# x 20 reps/leg, 853 x 15 rep/leg, 105# x 8 rep/leg

3 rounds of:

• ez bar upright rows 34# x 33
• snatch grip shrugs 155x10, 2nd round 155 x6, last 135x6
• band pull aparts x 33

viking press 30 reps/ grip x 3 grips ss 15 upright rows ss 10 band pull aparts

viking press plus 10# 10 reps/grip x 3 grips ss 15 upright rows ss 15 band pull aparts

back extensions x 33 ss putting stuff away

walked around with a 35# plate ( great handles on them!) in each hand around my apartment x around 5 mins, some regripsgrips/shrgs/deadlifts/rowsd/rdls of those plates in each hand mixed in

Malibu SNOW WALK! It snowed a LOT! 8 inches at least so far of wet, thick spring snow. She loved it!

Took my girl home, then left on my own for a Power Snow Walk - did 2.8 miles in around 36 minutes in the snow. It felt great because I was driven…my twinnie came by and left homemade cinnamon rolls in my car while I was walking Malibu yesterday afternoon- and I was a recipient to a Drive-By Cinnamon ROLLING!

I had to earn those rolls WAHHHHHOOOOO!!!

[ChickenLittle]

I am not big on reading on kindle, but I LOVE audiobooks. You can just keep “reading” while getting shit done! The Libby app let’s you check them out for free with your library card.