Cal's Big Log II: The Revenge

Training
1061

Holy god my quads and glutes have been DOMinated. I wasn’t sure I should be training today but decided not to puss out.

Warm-up:

20 lateral raises
20 front raises
20 overhead presses
20 dumbell curls
20 hammer curls
20 L raises
20 bent over raises
(non stop using 2kg dumbells)

Dislocates

Military Press:

Bar x 10
25kg x 10
27.5 x 6 (for some reason this felt really heavy).
3 x 30kg x 5 (first set felt good, last was a struggle and involved a lot of butt clenching)

Wide Grip Bench Press:

Bar x 12
30kg x 10
40kg x 10

This was an experiment - I read the article on T-Nation about presses to neck and how they shouldn’t bother the shoulder. Not entirely accurate - bar on its own felt fine but I definitely felt my shoulder on the 40kg. I would love to get my big bench back but I don’t need any more bad injuries so I’ll have to take things slowly and cautiously (still, I do hate lifting such pussy weights in front of guys. It’s embarrassing).

Hang Power Cleans:

3 x 30kg x 5

These were shitty. DOMS didn’t help my mobility. Still, they made my puff and pant a bit so that’s good.

DB Windmills:

2 x 14kg x 5 (per side)

Was going to try dips next but did three and the shoulder didn’t feel great so decided not to risk it. I haven’t weighed myself but I’ve definitely gained weight over the weekend (amusement park and service station food ftw) because my arse and waist are both up half an inch.

Superset:

Skull Crushers: Bar +5kg x 20 (+5), Bar +7.5kg x (-2, oops), Bar +10kg x 8 (same)
Hammer Curls: 6kg x 20, 8kg x 12, 10kg x 8 (-2)

Think I fried my arms on the first set by getting carried away with the reps. Heh.

Superset:

Tricep rope pushdown: 10kg x 15 (+3), 12.5kg x 12 (+2), 15kg x 10 (new weight)
Standing DB curl: 6kg x 15, 8kg x 12, 10kg x 10

Did some handstands (felt better today) and back bends over a Swiss ball (argh). Then home.

Sun is out - may go for a walk later.

1062

a lot of volume in here!

enjoy the sun, I’ll be doing the same on my side of the planet shortly.

1063

Well, I had planned today as a rest day but I woke up with a sore throat in the night (again! - I thought this cold was on the way out) and was expectorating like a bastard this morning. Felt pretty grotty. It’s eased off, though, so I’ve been for a walk. I made myself - my leg DOMS are still fucking horrendous so I needed to get some blood through them. That’ll teach me to take more than a week off training.

1064

I went for a walk too despite feeling ‘grotty,’ and sore. Stubborn bitches we are :wink:

Hope you feel better…

1065

Sadly, training time-off always has a price to pay. Unfortunate timing of that plus the cold. Feel better!

1066

Cal: You just aren’t catching very many breaks lately. Any chance you have allergies?

1067

I’m one of the least allergic people I know. No hayfever, eczema, asthma, food allergies. My skin doesn’t like surgical tape or plasters (unless they’re hypoallergenic) and wool makes me itch like a crackwhore but other than that, nada.

Gym today. Legs still very sore, but no excuses. Did a bit of foam rolling before I left the house.

Warm-up:

20 hypers
20 reverse hypers with V at top
20 clams (per leg)
20 good mornings (with a 5kg body bar)

Some more body bar mobility work - nothing special.

Oly bar -
10 x bar straight leg deadlifts
10 x bar conventional deadlifts
2 x 10 x bar sumo deadlifts (ITB band and arse sore from the leg workout the other day)

Sumo Deadlift

50kg x 10
60kg x 5
70kg x 5
80kg x 3
2 x 90kg x 1

I wasn’t really happy with my form above 70kg - I find it hard to sit back because the weight in front of me throws my balance off and I don’t have the hip mobility to compensate. Consequently I was lifting the weight relatively easily and whilst my glutes were definitely recruited, I was still roundbacking it somewhat. As a result I elected not to do any further sets or increase the weight.

RDL

50kg x 10

2 x Triset

Lat Pulldown (shoulder width grip): 40kg x 10
Straight Arm pulldown: 20kg x 10
Close push-ups x 10

Grip was the weak link - my hands didn’t like the bar I was using and after deadlifts, I found it hard to hang on. Had to regrip several times on the second round pulldowns.

DB Snatches

14kg x 10 (per arm - alternating arms, so 20 reps per set)
16kg x 10

DB Rows

24kg x 8
26kg x 6 (grip fail!)

I wasn’t going to do these because I knew my grip was gone, but then I saw a 20-something male doing rows with 18kg and I just HAD to go and make him feel like a pussy. I’m a bastard like that.

Handstands (not so great today) and stretching.

Not a fantastic workout but I had 6 hours sleep, still hocking up grollies and still have DOMS so I’m cutting myself a little slack.

1068

Cal: Solid training considering all the shit you have going on. Hope you start feeling better soon.

1069

when i’m teaching i find myself getting sick during the holidays. it is like my body holds on (even when the sick buggers still turn up to class with all their germs) during the term and then when i don’t have to do it for a bit my system totally collapses. have you found something like that going on?

you are a weirdo (in the greatest possible way) with all your extra bones. i didn’t know people could have extra bones. i guess that could come in handy if you break something that you have extra of lol. really hope that your foot issue gets sorted out. i know what you mean about free crap doctors. we basically have the same situation here (aussie). in nz as well.

1070

Yeah, Nicole said the same thing - she sees a lot of teachers and they all get sick once the holidays arrive. Mind you, I was sick during the spring (Jan - Easter) term too. Bleh!

Extra bones aren’t all that uncommon - they’re in about 2.5% of the population. I only have an accessory navicular on the right foot - I’m not sure what else I’ve got in there! I have a bone spur under my upper gumline as well - I can feel it with my tongue but it’s not noticeable otherwise. It may be a result of being born to an older mother (36 when she got pregnant) as the DNA in the eggs can get a little funky over time. That’s just speculation on my part, though.

My legs are still a little sore from Thursday (especially the VMO and left IT band) and posterior chain is DOMSy from yesterday, but I’m off to my parents tomorrow for two days so I felt I needed to train today.

Warm up:

Warm-up:

20 hypers
20 reverse hypers with V at top
20 clams (per leg)
20 single leg hip thrusters (foot on bench) - per leg
20 overhead split squats (per leg)
20 bosu ball sit up/squat thing

Once I was in the free weight room I did some step overs. (these: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5-iOjXxth0 - I do them in the power rack. 10 per leg, then put the pins up and did 10 more).

Hips are feeling tight and uncomfortable. I did some stretching stuff between sets of most exercises - I basically can’t get my thighs back towards my torso as far as I need to but it’s going to take a fair bit of time and work to fix this.

Box Squats (6 risers + 15kg plate)

Bar x 20
30kg x 15
3 x 40kg x 5

ITB was pretty grumpy and I could feel my lower back (probably thanks to deadlifts) so I didn’t push my luck.

5 risers - 15kg
Bar x 12

Felt odd to take a riser out - not very comfortable, but I want to improve my depth a bit.

Leg Extensions

2 x 30kg x 10

Quads were NOT happy about doing more leg extension as they are still sore so I just did a couple of moderate sets for bloodflow.

Then did:
10 overhead squats (4kg body bar) - ROM was a bit shit
10 jumping squats
10 cossack squats (per leg, side to side) - I could not do these free standing - I had to grab the power rack for balance. I’ll work on these - I’m sure they will do my hips some good.

Leg curls

20kg x 10 (per leg)

Started with 30kg, did one rep and my hamstrings told me to fuck off. That solitary set of RDLs I did yesterday obviously did its stuff.

Did not do any more at this point - just stretching and mobility. I guess this could be considered a deload leg workout.

Put myself on the torture machine (aka scale). Got the following:

Weight: 11 st 4 (158lbs/71.6kg)
Height: 5’7.3" (1.71m)
BMI: 24.4
Bodyfat: 26.6%
Fat Mass: 19kg !!!

I take the bodyfat with a pinch of salt but on the other hand, it’s probably not far off. I’m feeling quite fat right now. I did indulge somewhat during my coastering weekend but I’ve been eating clean since then. Still, clean eating doesn’t do much for me, personally, when it comes to weight loss - I need to do something more drastic.

Dad’s birthday this week (hence the visit) and then I’ve got another coastering weekend coming up (Alton Towers this time) but once I get back on Monday I am starting a radical fat loss program for August. Will probably start a new log as well since I’m close to the end of this one anyway. Since I’m not running, it’s not like I really need the carbs.

1071

I hate when I fail due to grip - seems like such a freakin waste…

1072

That roller coaster pic is awesome! I saw another one of you while lurking on someone’s log. Blue cami. Great smile. So pretty, Cal.

Glad you’ve found some relief for the headache. Surpirsed you can do jump squats with the foot trouble. That’s good. Looking forward to the new log. I was looking at all your warmups. That’s about what my training looks like right now!

1073

I’m sorry if you already went over it and I’m just slow, but what’s a cossack squat?

1074

Step overs, hmmm, must try that. I’ve seen some of the rugby players in my gym do them.
Yeah I know that fat feeling, doesn’t make it true but if you would feel happier…

1075

re: Cossack squats, I borrowed them from juniormint - she has a video in her log.

1076

Anyway, visit to parents was, well, not what you’d call relaxing. Ended up cleaning up my mum’s shit, and that isn’t a euphemism, btw - she’s incontinent. Great.

I did manage to go for a walk and did a few step overs on route when I found some hurdles on a trim trail. Copped some trouble from dad because I was gone two hours and he was about to call the hospital rolls eyes - OK so I did pop into the shops on the way back to buy lunch for them (as usual, all the food in the fridge was past its sell by date) and grab a coffee at Starbucks because I needed just to have a coffee somewhere peaceful. Bleh.

Anyway, home now and looking forward to some rollercoasters this weekend. Gym tomorrow.

1077

Oh Cal…your probably not the hugging type so I will just pat you on the back.

Happy Coastering…and don’t be so hard on yourself with your body. We are the same height and I would KILL to be in the 150s
just sayin…

It seems like as long as I have “known,” you, you are on a diet of epic proportions…and then gain it back. when will it be for good?
And why do you gain the weight back?

1078

That’s a question I keep asking myself.
I am going to try and get in shape in August - I have a month with no distractions (as yet) to concentrate on the gym and the eats. It’s mostly for myself but I also need to be a better role model to the kids I teach. I need to learn the meaning of moderation. Unfortunately I am an all or nothing personality with a history of binge eating. If I can fix the head, I think the body will follow.

1079

Unfortunately I am an all or nothing personality with a history of binge eating.

me too. looks like you can be a role model to me as well. your roller coaster trips sound very cool. glad you get to enjoy the summer.

1080

Long but productive workout today, despite feeling groggy first thing.

Warm-up:

20 hypers
20 reverse hypers with V at top
20 side leg raises (did I see someone call these Jane Fondas?)
20 clams (per leg)
20 single leg hip thrusters (foot on high bench) (per leg)
20 overhead split squats using a 5kg body bar (per leg)
20 bosu ball squat/sit up combo

Move to free weight room then:

10 step overs in the power rack (pin 6)
10 step overs (pin 8)
I sling a barbell between the pins and step over that. The number is the holes from the bottom.

Box Squats

Bar x 20
30kg x 15
40kg x 10
45kg x 8
50kg x 5
55kg x 1 (finally I get over 100lbs - it’s 110lbs for the record - even if it went up slowly)

Took a riser out and did another 10 reps with the empty bar. I don’t like squatting to 5 risers, to be honest - 6 feels much better.

Overall, much happier with the squats - they are feeling better. Still a long way to go, though.

Leg Extensions

30kg x 10
40kg x 10
45kg x 10
50kg x 10
55kg x 6 (new weight - can’t be squatting more than I can do on the leg extension now, can I?)

Doggy style leg curls (I got tired of typing single leg bent over leg curl - doggy style sums it up better!)

1 x 30kg x 10 (per leg)
1 x 30kg x 8 (per leg)

Leg Press

80kg x 10
120kg x 10
140kg x 10
160kg x 8 (I just wanted four wheels a side for the hell of it, really).

ROM is still an issue due to the hip capsule thing - I did work on my hip capsules between every set of squats. I’d like to be able to get my knees into my armpits - or hell, my leg behind my head, but I’m quite a way off that.

Stretching and a few handstands.

Long workout - took me two hours, maybe a bit more. But it was going well so I just went with it.