Fine-Tuning the Machine & Tacking on the Vanity Plates

Training
641

Wednesday training: bench, shoulders GVT

Warmup: pullaparts with tubing, bradford presses, shoulder mobility stuff, etc.

BP @ 80: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 8, 8, 8, 9, 10; 93 reps.

The improved setup from the help that the big fucking scary dude gave me last Friday definitely made a difference.

Some meathead actually came up and tried to talk to me between sets while I was benching. WTF? You can see me watching the clock. I was just about to get under the bar, so I told him that he could wait to talk to me if he wanted. He did… and he didn’t even have a good pick-up line. Said something like, “Its nice to have you back.” I haven’t gone anywhere. Whatever, not sure what he was trying to accomplish with that one. Lame.

DB standing MP with 25’s: 10, 10, 8, 10, 10, 8, 10, 8, 10, 10; 94 reps

One-arm KB swings @ 35: 3 x 10, each side

Upright row @ 80: 2 x 6

DB front raises, 20’s: 2 x 12

642

Veggie - Glad you could bring your brother home and I hate to hear about your grandpa. Sounds like your family’s being hit hard right now. Sorry to hear it. As a morning person, I can’t get over the volume you can do with the “late night crowd”, creepy addicts and all.

643

Where ma ankle mobility drill vids, foo?

644

Glad to hear your brother will be ok…and worrying about his tatts, haha…I guess I would be too!

my delts are swole just reading that.

645

I LOL’d at “I didn’t go anywhere”
LMFAO

You know, that shit pisses me off. One guy literally watched me do 4 sets with 30 seconds rest, watching the timer on my phone the whole time, rushing to get into position and STILL talked to me.
That’s just plain rude.

646

1600×1200 423 KB

Today was the 1st real day off that I’ve had since last Thursday. Shit has just been so wack for what seems like FOREVER. Times like these remind me how much I love to lift. It is truly my outlet on so many levels.

Spent most of this morning getting supplies and then redressing my bro’s leg. The photo is sorta a PG view. He has lacs all around from his knee down and has managed to bust open a few stitches on the big one that goes across much of his calf. No signs of infection which is all I’m worried about.

Once we finished up and had lunch he decided that shooting freethrows over at the basketball court would be fun. I approved as long as I was allowed to play ball girl and he just stood at the foul line. Since it was a scheduled rest day I am calling the 1/2 hour of running around the court that I did ‘active recovery/conditioning.’ It was a nice, sunny spring day. Kinda fun actually.

Tomorrow will prove to be a bizarre day, no doubt. Good Friday holiday means that many folks are not working which generally wreaks havoc with our schedule at the office. It is also my scheduled squat/DL GVT session. Hoping that the gym has regular hours. If so, I plan to be training immediately after work. Pretty sure that they close @ 10 pm on Fridays anyway.

Worst case scenario, my schedule is fubar and I squat on Saturday. I’m not totally neurotic. I can handle a small change if necessary. Be flexible. At least I’m pretty sure I can…? Just kidding. Really, I’m known for being laid back in the rest of my life. I do get a bit crazy when it comes to my training sometimes. What can I say? It is just dedication to myself ultimately.

647

Glad to hear your brother’s up and about. The lacs on his calf don’t look bad at all…then again, you did say it was the PG view.

Keeping my fingers crossed that your gym has regular hours tomorrow…and being dedicated/wanting to stay on a consistent schedule is the opposite of wrong. :wink:

648

[quote]veggiestrong wrote:

Worst case scenario, my schedule is fubar and I squat on Saturday. I’m not totally neurotic. I can handle a small change if necessary. Be flexible. At least I’m pretty sure I can…? Just kidding. Really, I’m known for being laid back in the rest of my life. I do get a bit crazy when it comes to my training sometimes. What can I say? It is just dedication to myself ultimately.[/quote]

^^Totally relate to this^^ you are doing everything just right though and be flexible-ish. I am going on a trip this weekend and am totally more worried about where I am going to hit the gym than anything else. What can I say??

649

^ Lol! Yeah, I’m the same way. I consider myself a fairly laid back person as well, but when it comes to training, I like having everything planned out and scheduled. I don’t mind switching things about, but I need to get my training in damnit! And its generally a conscientious effort to skip a workout. The way I see it, this is ME time - just 2 hours where I don’t have to deal with anyone or anything, and just train.

Glad your bro is better and all stitched up! Also glad that you’re taking care of him. He’s definitely in good hands :slight_smile:

Grrrr to the meathead. Just the other day I had a guy talk to me the ENTIRE time I was working out. He was actually gabbing whilst squatting! (he was only 1/4 squatting of course) Anyways, the problem was he’s a nice guy, a friend of a friend, a regular at the gym…what could I do?!

Training is looking great Veg! Nice stuff.

650

don’t forget to breeeeaaath…ommmmmmmmm

:slight_smile:

651

Tonight’s training: legs GVT

Warmup: wall squats 3x10, spiderman crawls 3x10

Squat @ 140: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 9, 9, 10, 9, 7; 94 reps

RDL @ 155: 10, 2…

Weird nagging thing in my mid-back/right ribcage was acting up. No go. It was definitely aggravated by stuff I was doing at work today. So, I decided to do GMs instead. Also running out of time because the gym was closing in < 30 mins. Cut the rest periods to 60 sec.

GM @ 95: 10 x 10; Went too light on these. Hardly an effort, even with the shorter rests. I think that I’ll go for 110 or 115 if I do these GVT again.

Done and home to foam roll and stretch and eat and sleep. TGIF. My training is so boring to read right now. Not boring to actually do at least.

652

i don’t find it boring to read. hope your torso feels better soon. looks like the surgeons did a good job indeed on lining up the skin for the tattoo :slight_smile:

653

not boring!!

I’m excited to read about your next training adventure as well… you strong Veggie, you!

654

Surgeon did a great job with that tattoo! Glad everything is going well. Your bro is lucky to have a sister who knows her shit.
Good training, too…though wouldn’t want to do it myself.

655

I just come here for the pictures and the liquor :wink:

656

I’m not bored either. Instead, I’m super impressed (and inspired) by those squat and GM numbers. Hope your back is ok.

657

Pictures and liqueur. I can deliver. And yes, I train hard too. Drinking some KY straight bourbon, if you’re curious. After NJ craft-brew. Phillies went to extra innings on the West Coast. And they won. Yay!

Life is getting back to normal. I have discharged bro from my care. Emotionally still very stressed/drained… which was all the more reason to go kill it in the gym. I literally was crying on the phone with my mom on the way there. She said, “We’re all gonna be ok. Just go to the gym and do your thing. I’ll talk to you afterwards.” My mom rocks. She totally understands all 3 of her kids and she is the BEST! Weird freaking Easter awaits, but tomorrow is another day. One foot in front of the other. Etc. You get the idea…

Saturday training: Back/triceps GVT

Warmup: some smattering of different stretches/mobility drills, not paying attention-- mind was elsewhere.

Pendlay rows @ 97: 10, 10, 10, 10, 8, 9, 10, 7, 9, 10; 93 reps

I was very, errmmm, ‘explosive’ while I did these. Kept thinking that I might be pushing my luck with the noise and whatnot. Guess nobody complained. They felt pretty awesome. My ribs/back are decent, but I admit to a therapeutic dose of naproxen pre-training.

Skullcrushers @ 63: 10, 10, 8, 7, 8, 8, 7, 9, 7, 8; 82 reps. Felt heavy today? Whatever, all in a day’s work.

12 wide-grip pullups, singles; Trying to maintain these. Man, getting heavier is a bitch!

Cable triceps pushdowns w/rope: 20, 10, 10, 10

Done

I was a sweaty fucking mess after this session. Felt like a million bucks. Life is good, albeit strange :wink:

658

sounds like a great session. hope things are a bit more peaceful for you over the next little while. no more sick secretaries etc.

659

Getting sweaty is always good for the soul. Glad things are settling down for you. You’re looking terrific.

660

Decided to add a conditioning day since I was feeling so fantastic when I woke up this morning. Went down to the garage and prayed to the iron gods with my kb. Hot and sweaty. Today is a gorgeous day, sunny and warm for now. I’m really not very religious anymore, but Easter is a beautiful time of renewal. Feeling very blessed and recharged.

HAPPY EASTER!

KB (35 lbs) superset x 3, just enough rest between each exercise to keep me from dying. Breathless and kept my HR up the whole time.

Two-hand swing 20; Single-hand swing 10, each side; High pull 20

Only took 15 mins or so, but I was sufficiently worked over.

Going to my sister and brother-in-law’s place to kick back and celebrate the holiday. Eating, drinking, and watching our Philly teams. Flyers and Phillies.