Yesterday was brutal. Headed to work at 7 and had meetings until 730, then 2.5 drive home. Hopped in bed and immediately crashed.. until 12:05a, when our power cut out. Completely forgot that our utility service had to cut power to everyone for four hours for ‘service upgrades’. It was 24F last night, so was brutally cold. Then power came back on shortly after 4a and everything beep, dinged and buzzed.
Thursday Morning
Weight: 230 (again in sweat pants)
Keg Carry: 90lbs + 1 scoop
Didn’t sleep great and still have cold. Lungs were on fire again. I live on a steep hill, so it’s killer on legs as well
Changed my grip up this morning. I started as mentioned below, but then halfway down hill, I let the keg rest on my quads as I walked. On way up, I just grabbed the bottom on each side. That seemed to be the easiest grip so far. My arms were mostly locked out and weight could rest against my upper hips/abs. I’m sure it’ll change a million more times as the weight gets heavier. It’ll be interested to see what gives first. Right now, I could see my lungs going first, then legs, then grip.
Thursday Night (yes, that’s right. I did something at night)
(Alternated) Incline Bench with Camber: 3x15x145
and OH Plate Raises: 3x15x25lb
Keg OHP: 5 reps
Rib was feeling better. A bit of discomfort when setting up OHP, but no pain while pressing. It was very uncomfortable sitting up tho. I had to lean to side
The Keg OHP was just, I wonder how this feels thing. Weight wise, it’s super easy. However, around rep 2, the sand shifted from one side to the middle and I just about lost it.
No keg carry this morning. I woke up, but was wheezy and didn’t want to try and push it. My wife and 2 year old were also awake and needed to get them coffee/packet anyway. Not sure I would have been able to squeak it out had I felt better. I’ll try and knock it out this evening.
Had a page long list of things to get done. Took out 20 or so sage brushes from yard, redid a paver planter, mowed .5 acre yard, etc.
Sunday
Morning Weight: 229 - Finally
Belt Squat
10x90lbs
10x180lbs
8x270lbs
8x320lbs
3x5x360lbs
EDIT: Forgot I did penguin walks on belt squat.
100 total steps with each leg, with 360lbs
Keg Carry: 90+2 scoops
Finally was able to get a good leg workout in. Felt good. Paying for it today in soreness
Finally hit 220s again. I hit it Sunday and again this morning (monday)
I may end up changing direction of keg carry. Was thinking about what will give out first and I’m pretty confident it will be lungs, whereas my goal is to get stronger. When that happens, I’ll adjust and just do two laps up and down driveway. That should give me runway to get to 200lbs.
Didn’t get anything in. My baby was awake for 3 hours, from 1130-230. I fell asleep after 3 and alarm was at 515. I just didn’t have it in me to go to 28F garage and move. My body was stiff and sore from legs anyways.
Forgot my wife had an appt at 5pm. She didn’t get home until 9ish, even tho kids were asleep, couldn’t safely get to garage with our finicky the baby has been
Tuesday Morning
Weight: 228.8!
Cold Plunge: 3 minutes in 36F (outside temp of 28F)
Keg Carry: 90lbs + 3 scoops
Seated NG OHP: 1x22x105lbs, 1x28x105lbs
Lateral Raises: 3x12
I go straight from cold plunge to keg carry. It’s unbelievable feeling to be on a hill, looking at the stars and mountains, while your soaking wet, freezing and carry 100lbs.
Went super light with the OHP. The stretch position has been harder on the rib cartilage. I handled it just fine tho. Even better, my muscles didn’t ache after each set. @T3hPwnisher, wondering if my rib has been slightly out this whole time.
Was kinda impressed with how easy 105lbs was. I was aiming for 50 reps today and expected 3-4 sets to do it.
Kids have BJJ tonight. As much as I want to get out there.. my first day back should not be 10 round Tuesday. I suppose I’m either getting wiser or more fearful with my older age. 5 years ago, I would have been gung-ho about coming back tonight.
Tried to get some work in on Tuesday morning, but felt off. Glad I did too, this cold has come back full force. Tuesday and Wednesday night I slept with shortness of breath and wheezy. Woke up this morning and started to cough up shit.. which is pretty standard for me, just surprised it took this long.
Sadly won’t be able to train BJJ today or tomorrow like I had planned.. which will punt me out another 10 days, minimum, as my in laws are flying in Sunday and leave following Saturday. Oh well, probably good to give me six weeks off, instead of 4.
Feeling much better today, thanks man. We’ll see how I feel tonight, when it’s actually time to go in garage and lift. Last night was rough. I fell asleep around 930 and at 1030 my son was projectile vomiting. His stomach was emptying in which way it could until about 115. At which point, I rolled over to go to sleep and heard the door open.. my wife came in to my son’s room unaware. I sat up and explained what had happened for last 3 hours and she told me our daughter was now wide awake. So, I went to go put her back to sleep. Then came back to son’s room around 230. I slept until about 4, when he woke up for round 2. I basically slept from 930-1030, then from 2:30-4 and finally 5-530. Today would technically be chest and shoulders for push day. If not, always tomorrow.
Appreciate that. It’s funny, I felt far from that in the moment, because internally all I wanted was to go back to bed. Thought back to sick nights as a kid and only saw care from my parents. That led me to laying there wondering if my parents felt the same, but I only saw the external care.
Friday night
Felt good enough to do some push work.
Incline Camber Bench
2x10x145
3x10x165
Lateral Raises
3x15
DB Pushups
3x20
DBs are just for deeper press and more of a natural grip
Tricep Rope Extensions
3x12
Felt pretty good. Overall feeling better. Although night time is the worst. Woke up and coughed up a load of snot.
Today, Saturday, feel good as I knock out chores before Out-Laws come into town
My in-laws are in town. When ever we are together, there is always a huge bowl of ice cream involved, with whipped cream and chocolate sauce, courtesy of my MiL. Yesterday, everyone had a big old bowl with a slice of berry pie. I, on the other hand, ate two pints of protein ice cream from my Ninja Creami. Over 70 grams of protein, 18F and negligible carbs as I don’t sweeten it. Felt good to sit there eating something I really love and not compromise my goals.
There is also always bourbon and coke. We don’t usually drink to drunk, but a drink an hour over 4 hours of sitting by a fire or watching a game is fairly common. I have kept it to Coke Zero or just soda water. Both huge wins for me.
Yesterday was a higher calorie day, and why I went for more volume on squats. Had a normal breakfast, didn’t eat lunch, two protein shakes throughout day, then over a lb of pot roast beef with a cup of rice. Then finished the night with the ice cream
I haven’t hit the keg since Monday, simply because my lungs have so much shit in them. I coughed up a lot of snot yesterday morning and evening, then again this morning. Given how much impact the carry has on my cardio, it’s better to just feel better. That said, even if I’m not feeling well, I’ll still do it. I just want to avoid the days where I can’t breathe well.
Messed around with this. Had the idea to throw my single arm attachments and give it a row. Actually worked well.
Keg Carry: 90lbs + 7 scoops
Keg Carry Up and down driveway: 11x30sec rest
Down and up, 30 second breather, and go again. Got into a good rhythm. My heart rate stayed around 160, but found my pace could have kept going. I accidentally did 11 reps, which I noticed while watching video. I alternated which hand was on bottom each time, as sand stays on lower side. The last rep I did walking backwards.
Time wise, it ended up just being shy of an EMOM. It took me about 35 seconds from pick up to putting it down.
Monday:
Cold Plunge: 4 minutes in 36F water, with OA at 28F. The chiller isn’t running so much anymore, I have it set to 38F so OA is definitely making it colder.
Was a fun class. We worked side control drills. Essentially regaining side control if opponent turns in, by weaving arm and moving to other side, hopping to other side, dealing with leg pummeling, etc.
Had two rounds with white belts. I went easy. First guy didn’t know anything, as he has been training for three weeks. I helped him with where we started in drilling.. leg pummels in, he grabs leg, drops knee to cut the corner takes side control. Then walked him through misaligning spine, pushing knees and stepping over to mount. Get the undercook, walk the hand up, then finish head and arm
Second round was a bit more lively, but honestly a cake walk. I did a fun butterfly sweep over head. Then butterfly sweep to saddle, realize I can’t leg lock the white belts and let it go, then elevated into an outside ashi, let it go, then got into a false reap and took him down, let it go. Then from close guard, I hip bump swept him and my coach told me to be careful and not do that. So I practiced J Point passing, passed the guard, took mount and messed around with Ezekiel and loop choke.
yeah you gotta look after us beginners fella! and the rib all ok with these gentle rolls vs whites - winning!
Suprised a hip bump from CG is frowned upon though, we were working similar in a beginner class a few months back iirc, so certainly a white belt level move that? Rib ok?
Haha! Funny enough, I was looking through our group thread from my old gym. They posted a photo today and all the color belts look exhausted and white belts smiling. I commented asking if I needed to come back and put them to work. It’s fun to work against people that are of no threat. I’ve been trying to work the choking dilemma from side control of, paper cutter > baseball bat choke > loop choke > arm bar if they post hard.
Only because of my rib. It’s a hard crunch motion, then twisting. He’s right. I would have been better off with a scissor sweep.
Honestly, it was 80% good. I could feel some pain in movements and weakness in others. Fortunately/unfortunately, I can’t train again until next monday, so lots of time to heal more.
This was always some of the most rewarding kind of training for me. I loved working with new students. It was so much fun to be a part of that initial discovery process. I might have been guilty of black belt bodhisattva syndrome, but those were some wonderful moments on the mat.
and the rib all ok with these gentle rolls vs whites - winning!