[quote]Mascherano wrote:
Haha! My image of you gaming is priceless. Shades closed, phone off, the flickering of the TV as the only light source.
Yes, can you please fix the weather over there? Its messing with my weekend footie watching![/quote]
wrapped in a quilt with at least one hot water bottle, surrounding floor littered with empty plates, bowls, and tea mugs…
It’s not that far off, Mascherano - my blinds are down, mainly because they are broken (opening them involves folding and pinning them useing safety pins). I am totally lazy about home upkeep and getting stuff fixed or redecorated, but woe betide if my PC should ever have a problem! Lighting is generally low - desk lamp at most - sometimes just lava lamp and/or candles. I loathe overhead lighting and avoid it where possible. I’m basically a troglodyte.
Quilt - not so much. Big fluffy dressing gown - absolutely. I’m pretty good about doing the washing up though. That’s about the only sort of housework discipline I possess. (I do get through a lot of tea, though…)
No training today as it was a rest day but I have found an ART practitioner not too far from home and have booked a session on the 25th after work. I really need this - I feel all jammed up, especially around the hips and groin. (Ideally I wouldn’t be sat on my arse playing games as much as I do, but, well, it’s one of my few pleasures that doesn’t involve lots of calories). Anyway, I’m assuming ART is painful, no? Just wondering if I should take along a wooden spoon to bite on.
ART!! nice! i’m jealous. definitely let us know how it goes. =+)
[quote]Cal Jones wrote:
I’m basically a troglodyte.
[/quote]
I haven’t played a good game of Heroes of Might and Magic in a while…
[quote]Cal Jones wrote:
nlmain - Dragon Age [/quote]
woohoo! Dragon Age FTW! I’m lovin’ it…
Yeah - I’ll be busy with this for a month or two - then I’ll be on to Mass Effect 2 (I usually wait a couple of months after a game’s release to give the devs time to patch the bugs, heh).
[quote]Cal Jones wrote:
Yeah - I’ll be busy with this for a month or two - then I’ll be on to Mass Effect 2 (I usually wait a couple of months after a game’s release to give the devs time to patch the bugs, heh).[/quote]
you don’t want to be a beta tester?
I was a games journalist for years. I’ve had my fill of shitty, unfinished software.
Did some foam rolling before I hit the gym and then rolled my hip flexors on a medicine ball when I got there (ooh ow!) so felt a bit more mobile. Thing is it’s pressing day, but no matter.
Bar x 5, Bar x 5, (working sets) 22.5kg x 5, 27.5kg x 3, 32.5kg x 6
(I just realised the weights I used for each set were the same as my last front squat workout - how bad is that?) Last set is 71.5lbs for those struggling with the conversion.
I could have squeezed another rep or two out of the final set if I’d been prepared to use more body English, but as I’m watching the back, I’m staying as strict as possible.
10, 8, 8, 8
Going to do these as much as possible - my scaps need it.
Straight Arm Pulldown: 20kg x 10, 25kg x 8, 30kg x 6
Scap retractions (from narrow lat pulldown position): 40kg x 10, 45kg x 8, 50kg x 5
2 x 10 x 28kg (61lbs)
Only reason I did these today was someone was using the cable row, and an instructor was teaching a new girl to dumbell row with 6kg so I thought I’d show her how it’s done.
Grip on the right hand isn’t good - need to get some straps I think. I don’t know why, since I’m right handed, but my left hand grips a lot stronger. With the right, I have to put the dumbell down once or twice and regrip it - but not with the left. No idea why that would be.
1 x 25kg x 10
1 x 30kg x 10
1 x 35kg x 5
Just totally ran out of steam on the last set, so called it a day.
Down another pound to 11 stone 4 (158lbs) - progress is slower than I’d like but at least it’s going in the right direction.
Went shopping after and treated myself to some salmon sashimi. Thought I would finally get to use the chopsticks I brought back from Japan. Thing is, they are laquered, and trying to grip sashimi between them is like trying to wrestle an oiled piglet. Ended up eating with my fingers.
Yes! I love heavy rows for grip!
Do you do the body rows with your feet on a bench? One more question…does your gym have 1lb plates? How did you manage a 71.5 press?(ok that was 2 more questions)
Great news about the pounds going down!!
[quote]Cal Jones wrote:
2 x 10 x 28kg (61lbs)
Only reason I did these today was someone was using the cable row, and an instructor was teaching a new girl to dumbell row with 6kg so I thought I’d show her how it’s done.
[/quote]
Love, love, LOVED this. And with a big, big weight too! Nice.
All this talk about hip mobility is motivating me to do more and better warmups, and to work on this on off days. Yay for positive peer pressure!
MiM - No to the bench - the Smith Machine is in a sort of alcove so you can position a bench under it for bench press (for those fools that don’t use the proper bench for some inexplicable reason) but you can’t place one sideways for feet. So feet are on the floor.
No 1lb plates. It’s all metric - the smallest plates are 1.25kg, so two of those is 2.5kg or 5.5lbs. So basically, 5.5lbs is the smallest increment I can increase a weight. I have to round up or down a lot to get my 5/3/1 weights.
A 30kg press is 66lbs, so if I add two 1.25kg plates to that I get 32.5kg, or another 5.5lbs to equal 71.5lbs.
Yes, 5/3/1 makes you good at maths too.
[quote]Cal Jones wrote:
Did some foam rolling before I hit the gym and then rolled my hip flexors on a medicine ball when I got there (ooh ow!) so felt a bit more mobile. Thing is it’s pressing day, but no matter. [/quote]
yeah definitely wouldn’t hurt ya to roll those puppies out everyday if they’re as tight as you think they are. =+)
[quote] Thing is, they are laquered, and trying to grip sashimi between them is like trying to wrestle an oiled piglet.
[/quote]
i need to start a compilation of cal sayings that make me laugh mah ass off.
I love the foam roller (= Hope it helped a little. I also love the big lifts too!!
No training today but did spend nearly an hour foam rolling and stretching. And to be honest my hips feel even worse! Maybe I overdid it.
Cal, good for you for foam rolling. I only JUST realized that foam rolling pre workout might he beneficial.
I’m not sure, can you over foam roll? Good question.
pretty sure you can over foam roll, as in, enough to make you sore.
I read in an article once (maybe here, maybe not here, can’t remember) that it takes 6 hours of instructed stretching and mobility to be as flexible and mobile as you ever will be. (not saying anything about weakness, that can take months) and one hour every week after that to maintain.
I dont think it was time poorly spent, but if you’re that tight, just the stretching/mobility stuff can be as intense for your muscles as a workout.
Yeah I can believe that. It was the tennis ball/right SI joint that has left me feeling a little tender. I’ll keep working on the stretching. Very much looking forward to the ART session next Monday - I hope it brings some relief. Right now I feel as though everything is getting worse and worse.
lovin Dragon Age Cal. I have no life again and it’s all your fault-lol. My character can beat you character’s butt 
N
Just saw the videos and have a few comments. You may already have picked up on these:
You have a massive bench. There is no reason why you couldn’t squat in proportion. Hope this helps.
TQB
PS. Combat Cal?