Busted Knuckle Garage Workouts

Training
401

[quote]GunsNposes wrote:

[quote]

Um yea well it is mostly the freedom to be my own boss, the lifestyle is the biggest thing, being able to raise my boys in the country. This property has been in our family for a 100 yrs - so there is a lot of draw there for me, sentimental and all that. But aside from the lifestyle, I enjoy working outside, taking care of animals and the science behind that - granted it isn’t rocket science. But there is a a nice meld of muscle, brains and brawn that go on with this job - it is challenging everyday, either mentally or physically. Hope that i cleared it up for ya.
The money is good from it, but the expenses are outrageous so it normally ends up being a bust. Just depends on the calf market and how things are there…it is really one big gamble.[/quote]

Hi, Ive been following your thread a few weeks and this post just made me want to say that my wife was also raised on a farm too and I have witnessed that working with the land and animals gives someone an inner strength that is hard to describe. I have on many occasions been out to help with the farm too and the whole family seems to have an incredible inner strength to cope with adversity.

You folks really have to love what you do because it really seems to me that the system of commerce and government really kicks farmers in the rocks.

While I here I also want to really to say you have impressive body to weight strength and lot’s to be proud of. I can’t believe you dont have a power cage yet. I realize that in the rurals finding one on the local craigslist is wishfull thinking, but if you can get one it would be worth every penny as there are hundreds if not thousands of things you can do with one.[/quote]

It is a different mentality to work with the land and raise animals for a living, it isn’t for everyone that is for sure. Some folks like the “thought” of it but just can’t hack it. Yep the goverment is something else when it comes to “helping” the rancher. UGh I just try to not get help from them ever---- stay far, far away.

Thanks for popping on it and your kind words. I know on the power cage but I have only been lifting heavy since last March - so I am just really getting broke into the whole lifting thing :wink: If I see one for a decent price on Craiglist I will be picking it up for sure though.

402

Betty - thanks for the info, when I get a chance I will hit him up for the info, I can build things I know how :slight_smile: (mostly)

403

2/5 saturday
mobilty stuff

2/6 sunday

5/3/1 Deadlift

180 x 5
205 x 3
230 x 5

Had big palns for my workout on Sunday & then life got in the way. I was pretty disappointed I didn’t get to finish the workout. It was a strange day and really unsettling to me for some reason…

404

Hope all is well!

405

Betty - yea it was just a weird day.

I was on the last set of my deads yesterday & I get a call from my Uncle, he left a message on my cell (I never answer my phone while working out) so during a rest I checked my voicemail. He was looking for a tool that we use on the cattle - I had it at my house. Now it was 5:45 in the morning, odd time for him to be calling, he needed the tool for a cow that had just had a calf the day before.

I figured there was some urgency involved with the situation, given the time of the call & the fact that it was for this specific cow. I finished my last set and hustled out the door & up to look at the cow (workout clothes all, changed out of my chuck’s though - no cow crap on the chuck’s baby).

I get up there, find the cow laying on her side in a distressed way, labored breathing, sweating and the calf laying at her head (kind of nudging her-saddest thing I have seen in a long time). The cow was sweating and obviously in pain, belly bloated. Never seen anything like it before, neither had my uncle (he has been at this ranching thing for 63 yrs). My heart was aching for this cow, not a thing I could do for her really.

We did give some antibiotics and a polyotic cleaning (think-douche). I went inside her to make sure she was not trying to deliver another baby or something and we missed it - nope not that… but she stunk like pooled up blood. Leads me to believe that she was bleeding internally, not a damn thing I can do for that.

I make a few phone calls and try to get a vet on the horn, called 2 different vets - left messages - by the time a vet called me back it was way to late, way way to late for me or the cow. Yea about an hour later the cow died with the calf still there at her head. For the record the vet would not have been able to do much, other than speed up death for her.

Now life and death is a huge part of my job, I deal with it this time of year every day, depending on the weather it could be a couple calves a day - it is part of the deal. This situation bothered more than normal for a couple reasons -

I have never seen a cow suffer that much and be absolutely helpless
I have never felt so helpless, in regards to helping a cow
There is/was nothing I could do to fix the problem - not even a vet would have been able to stop the internal bleeding
She was a young cow, just her 2nd calf and she was good mom
She was a good cow (sounds silly but she has some great attributes and personality that made her a good cow)
It was just so effing sad, in every way!

So this was the start of my day. Now I am left with an orphan that I have to deal with, cause I can’t stand the thought of this calf dying - especially this calf, not this one. It feels very personal now, I dont think in the 10 yrs that I have been doing this as a lively hood it has ever felt this way… Very strange for me, very strange.

Now I understand this may seem odd to some of you and that I may just need to suck it up and deal with it. Normally I do and can with out much effect, I deal with life and death all the time, in animals, in humans - not a new feeling for me. There was just so much I could NOT do for her and that is what was the most distrubing for me.

Normally I can do something and know that I gave my best and that there was nothing more I could do & can rest my head at night knowing that I did all I could do, I gave it a 110%. Well I gave a 110% yesterday & it was no were close to good enough for anyone or anything involved.

Nuff Said…

Yea so that was my day yesterday and the rest of the day I just felt out sorts and on a different plane than the rest of the world. Sorry for the long winded explanation.

406

[quote]n8tive wrote:
Betty - yea it was just a weird day.

I was on the last set of my deads yesterday & I get a call from my Uncle, he left a message on my cell (I never answer my phone while working out) so during a rest I checked my voicemail. He was looking for a tool that we use on the cattle - I had it at my house. Now it was 5:45 in the morning, odd time for him to be calling, he needed the tool for a cow that had just had a calf the day before.

I figured there was some urgency involved with the situation, given the time of the call & the fact that it was for this specific cow. I finished my last set and hustled out the door & up to look at the cow (workout clothes all, changed out of my chuck’s though - no cow crap on the chuck’s baby).

I get up there, find the cow laying on her side in a distressed way, labored breathing, sweating and the calf laying at her head (kind of nudging her-saddest thing I have seen in a long time). The cow was sweating and obviously in pain, belly bloated. Never seen anything like it before, neither had my uncle (he has been at this ranching thing for 63 yrs). My heart was aching for this cow, not a thing I could do for her really.

We did give some antibiotics and a polyotic cleaning (think-douche). I went inside her to make sure she was not trying to deliver another baby or something and we missed it - nope not that… but she stunk like pooled up blood. Leads me to believe that she was bleeding internally, not a damn thing I can do for that.

I make a few phone calls and try to get a vet on the horn, called 2 different vets - left messages - by the time a vet called me back it was way to late, way way to late for me or the cow. Yea about an hour later the cow died with the calf still there at her head. For the record the vet would not have been able to do much, other than speed up death for her.

Now life and death is a huge part of my job, I deal with it this time of year every day, depending on the weather it could be a couple calves a day - it is part of the deal. This situation bothered more than normal for a couple reasons -

I have never seen a cow suffer that much and be absolutely helpless
I have never felt so helpless, in regards to helping a cow
There is/was nothing I could do to fix the problem - not even a vet would have been able to stop the internal bleeding
She was a young cow, just her 2nd calf and she was good mom
She was a good cow (sounds silly but she has some great attributes and personality that made her a good cow)
It was just so effing sad, in every way!

So this was the start of my day. Now I am left with an orphan that I have to deal with, cause I can’t stand the thought of this calf dying - especially this calf, not this one. It feels very personal now, I dont think in the 10 yrs that I have been doing this as a lively hood it has ever felt this way… Very strange for me, very strange.

Now I understand this may seem odd to some of you and that I may just need to suck it up and deal with it. Normally I do and can with out much effect, I deal with life and death all the time, in animals, in humans - not a new feeling for me. There was just so much I could NOT do for her and that is what was the most distrubing for me.

Normally I can do something and know that I gave my best and that there was nothing more I could do & can rest my head at night knowing that I did all I could do, I gave it a 110%. Well I gave a 110% yesterday & it was no were close to good enough for anyone or anything involved.

Nuff Said…

Yea so that was my day yesterday and the rest of the day I just felt out sorts and on a different plane than the rest of the world. Sorry for the long winded explanation.
[/quote]

You need not apologize. This was different than most of the situations you’d previously dealt with. I can understand how you feel, as well. Although the circumstances are different, I know all too well the feeling of “your best wasn’t good enough.” I wish you the best in raising that calf. I believe it’s in great hands.

407

Beast-- Hey thanks for the udnerstanding words and thoughts. Hardest part in life sometimes is when you have to face that your best was not good enough, get better, adapt and move on. Sigh - life ain’t for pussies is it??

408

2/7 a.m workout —

so on the training front

Front squats
135 x 6
145 x 5
150 x 4
155 x 3
155 x 3

Speed deadlifts
135lbs x 3sets x 2 reps
155lbs x 3sets x 2 reps

BB rev lunge deficits
45lbs x 2 sets x 8 reps (each leg)
55lbs x 1 set x 8 reps (each leg)

Russian twist on bench hold 3 x 30 seconds (hard)

burpees x 35

got pullups and “rucking” to do later on - after my nap. I am gonna do the jedi mind trick with lunges, I hate-I mean love them- and need to do them more. So I am going to be chanting to myself that I “love” lunges, I “love” lunges over the next couple weeks and forcing myself to do them. Front squats were good, need to be careful to use the legs and not the butt/back. I caught myself on one of the sets trying to do that, quickly corrected it and was fine.

409

yep, that would take the cake as being a weird/emotional everything all wrapped into one.

not sure if your the huggin type, but ((HUGS)) anyway…

The poor baby calf! That would have made me the saddest. :frowning:

410

Yeah that helpless feeling really sucks. Especially for someone who works so hard to be competent and able as you do and are. Thoughts are with you. Jealous of your front squats.

411

Betty~ thanks for the love, I have to work a bit harder at being a “hug” type person, but I dont mind em. I just don’t have the best “people” skills. Ooops, not sure why either but for the most part I find myself annoyed by the average person and I just want to smack em around (I’m working on that though). :stuck_out_tongue:

Alexus~ Yea helpless feelings are no fun, but live and learn. I learned a valueable lesson from this incident and know what I need to do next time.
Man front squats are a bit of love/hate thing with me, not sure why. But thanks.

412

Sorry about the cow, unexpected loss can be very disconcerting.

Front squats easily hateable, occasionally loveable.

413

oh no! :frowning: I’m so sorry about the cow :frowning:

you folks who deal with large animal stuff–in all ways of life-- are something else, and I really respect you guys coming form small animal nursing view.

I am sorry to hear about her :frowning:

414

Sorry to hear about the cow. It’s only human to feel upset about things like that, no matter how often it has happened before. Good luck with the calf.
Solid workouts despite all that. You continue to inspire.

415

I absolutely love cows, they’re the sweetest creatures to me.
I remember walking from the gym, and there was this calf who was so playful, and she’ll run, stop and look back at me, wait for me to walk to where she was then run again and repeat.

I’ve had to go through a helpless stage with my miniature pinscher last week, and I can’t think of any words to make you feel better, since none really helped me.
You’re a strong person though, and that calf will have a great mom in you.

416

Thanks everyone, the calf is doing great btw. It is funny I have him in a pen outside and when I holler he raises his head and starts to look around for me. Very cute indeed ~ my boys were helping me feed him tonight and the calf was trying to find milk on them boys somewhere, the calf was head butting their chest, back and head looking for more milk. Pretty humerous stuff :slight_smile:

417

2/7 Monday P.M workout

4.5 mile=45minute= 45lbs

4 x 5 pullups
2 x 5 pullups

2/8 Tuesday

Well today was one of them days that I spent it hauling hay, packing calves, doctoring calves and milking stubborn momma cows that did not want to take care of their baby’s. I got up at 5 and normally on Tuesday I dont workout til after I am done feeding… but I got done feeding and my feeding truck broke down ~ sigh! Spent the rest of the morning taking care of little 2 & 4 legged creatures that needed tending.

After lunch I fixed the truck, stupid thing anyhow. I have a 1999 ford superduty, it has the v-10 in it, what a p.o.s. I mean seriously. It has this habit of every 6-8 months blowing a spark plug out of the head. Oh come on not today - so I have this handy little kit that comes with a reamer, thread chaser and new insert, 2.5 hours later the feeding truck is up and running again (this is supposed to be my workout time btw).

Out the door and up to put straw out for the cows and take care of the calf that I have been doctoring and putting on his mom’s tit cause his mother is a retard that has a 1/4 of brain I swear. Ended up putting this particular calf in the calf warmer (think fancy heated box) for a couple hours and giving it a dose of vitamins and 3 pints of milk via a tube down the throat and into the belly (crossing my fingers the whole time that I didn’t hit the lungs instead). Anyway this calf seems to be in better spirits after some TLC and I am now hoping that it is strong enough to force itself on it mom a bit, since the mom is not wanting to take care of it. Ugh I hate when they do that & I wonder why they do that, not want to claim a calf that is. If the calf can’t do that then I will repeat the process tomorrow, and if this calf dies I know right where this cow will end up ~ her next stop will as a couple hundred 1/4 pounder at McDonalds somewhere.

Okay so that is why I did not do my weighted walk. But I bet I walked about 3-4 miles anyhow :). Tomorrow is lifting and I will be working out at 5, that way nothing will get in the way hopefully

418

Hope today is better for you!

419

Coyote~ me too, although it can’t be a lot busier. I am forcasting a nap in my future! Thanks…

420

2/9 A.M workout

hip mobility stuff (flexor wad stuff)
club swinging 10lber

A1.bench press
120 x 5
130 x 5
135 x 5
140 x 5

A2.Pullups
4 x 5

B1. Elevated feet pushup
3 x 10

B2. Horizontal rows
3 x 10

C1. Hammer curls
25 lbs x 8
30lbs x 9
35lbs x 8

C2. Suspension Rev.Fly
3 x 10

D1. Partial standing Ab rollout
3 x 8

D2. Bear crawl w/ over head reach
3 x 5 reaches per side (actually a really great stretch for the hammiess & felt it in the lats too)

Okay it was a good workout, cold and frigid but good. I moved a bit quicker thru it than I should have but it was really really cold and wanted to keep moving as much as possible. All in all pretty happy with this workout. The bench was good, really had to push to get the 5th rep 140lbs for some reason this a.m, but probably due to the aforementioned temps and not resting long enough. Pullups were good but I am feeling the effects of yesterdays activities for sure. My lats and back are bit tired today.