I must be doing kettle bell swings in my sleep. I’m still sick so unfortunately it will be about 3 weeks since I last lifted so it’s not that. My hamstrings and glutes are sore as hell. I suppose it could be from lack of activity. Weird.
Mine were hurting this morning when I got up, along with my neck and shoulder. And I was clogged up with a sore throat, tired and feel like my eyes are trying to fall out of my head. Half an hour in a hot shower loosened everything up enough to drag my lazy ass to work. Not sure if the muscle pain was the 5.5 hour drive from Medicine Hat or a flu symptom… 
Being sick sucks.
Or maybe it was the fact you were in Medicine Hat…
What was that? I can’t hear you…I’m still deaf from the wind… 
Aw feel better, or as I have been speaking, feeb betta.
Well, this sucks. Haven’t hit the weights for over a month. After getting for being sick the motivation just has not been there. Excuses, excuses I know, but hey that’s life.
So in order to clear some of the rust, I did some T-handle swings, hang clean and presses, and some high pulls. One set of each for 10-15 reps with 25, 45, and 35 lbs respectively. Each set left me totally winded. As I said, this sucks.
The plan for the next week or two is to do something simple, light and quick each day just to lose the aches and lube the joints. Been jealous of all you guys hammering it out the last month. </end pity party>
Awwww, there there. Glad to see you back posting. I know exactly how you feel, it just takes a couple of workouts to get back in to it.
Stop malingering! Get back at it! Now!
That was my tough love voice…
Get better so we can do the 40 oz. steak thing. I promise to keep my hands off your meat.
[quote]corrmhona wrote:
Stop malingering! Get back at it! Now!
That was my tough love voice…
Get better so we can do the 40 oz. steak thing. I promise to keep my hands off your meat.[/quote]
I wouldn’t trust a lifter promising to keep his hands off your meat . . .
[quote]cavalier wrote:
[quote]corrmhona wrote:
Stop malingering! Get back at it! Now!
That was my tough love voice…
Get better so we can do the 40 oz. steak thing. I promise to keep my hands off your meat.[/quote]
I wouldn’t trust a lifter promising to keep his hands off your meat . . .[/quote]
… No comment, but there would be weapons at the table to defend myself with. I love how restaurant servers bring the steak knife to the table with ceremony and slight apprehension. That’s right, you gave me a weapon so I expect decent service.
OK. Back to it finally. New “image” and subject line. My wife has been buying me all sorts of Mr. Potato Head over the years. All the Star Wars, superhero, special occasion, etc… Sadly, my head looks a bit like a potato head, so here I be in all my starchy glory.
New cycle of 5/3/1, BBB style
20131103 - Week 1, Day 1 - OHP
Warmup - YWTLs, 2x10 high pulls with green band
OHP
50x5, 60x5, 75x3
80x5, 90x5, 105x8
OHP 5x10@45. By the third set I was starting to feel fatigue. By the fifth I was done but I got it done.
BB Row 5x10@75. Decided to add this in. Need to deemphasize the biceps involvement a bit, but I liked it.
No other accessories. I know a bit extra is called for but I need to not kill myself in the first week.
WARNING! LONG RANT FOLLOWING.
Crap! It’s been almost two months to the day since my last workout excluding a few days of yard work. That truly sucks. Took a week off for Montreal, got sick, then got lazy, then got stubborn. My weight’s jumped back up and the pants are getting tight. Need to get my shit together.
Today’s turn around was the after effect of a dream I had. Last night’s sleep was not so great. Got up, watched some MMA with my wife, went back to bed for a nap. During the dream I was being a care-free smart ass and at some point someone said, “I see you’re back to your old self,” and I woke soon after. When I got up something was different. A load had been lifted and I wasn’t thinking about the usual shit that’s been bugging me. Most of which is work and my lazy ass not getting things done that should have been done ages ago.
So I went into the office and got a handful of items that have been nagging me for the last month or two. Those of you in I.T. understand that some things just can’t get done during business hours because, well, there are people using our computers and we can’t just kick them off whenever we feel like it, not when it’s non-critical.
After work, shoveled the bit of snow that did not turn to ice on the driveway and got thinking that I really need to start a new 5/3/1 cycle. Chilled out for a bit, ate supper, chilled some more but while reading Beyond 5/3/1. I like the new templates and look forward to trying something new. The problem on previous cycles was I felt I wasn’t doing enough. Mostly because I was not getting sore or getting DOMs. Sure, you don’t need those things to improve, but I guess there’s the psychology of feeling a bit beat up to know you accomplished something in the gym. So BBB was my choice. Get more volume on the targeted area and some assistance work. I did not do the extra assistance that’s recommended today because, well, I wanted to feel like I worked, not kill myself.
Back again! The power of the subconscious working through issues. I think if I could sleep for a week total I might cure myself of lots of mental issues.
Yeah, I get restless sometime in the 6-8h window of sleeping. Maybe plan a week’s vacation where you’re put in a medical coma for 7 days. Maybe that will clear up a lot of issues. I can’t guarantee it would work, of course.
Good you are back! I was going to have to track you down and
…
nag you!
As long as you are working out you are moving forward when you aren’t, you are moving backwards. Just the way it is.
For MT: I forgot yesterday’s music selection. Kate Bush Hounds of Love disk. Guys love her, girls seem to hate her.
20131104 - Week 1 Day 2 Deadlift
Warm-up: Foam rolling hams, quads, IT band, back. Mobility swings
DL
100x5, 125x5, 150x3
165x5, 190x5, 215x8 (fumble fingers kept wanting to type 325x8. Ha! Yeah, right.)
5x10@75 - this was done more Romanian style as the 10lb plates make for an uncomfortable deficit. Also did these touch-and-go or I’d be deadlifting all night.
Ab work - I think 50 reps of DL is enough ab work this night. Tomorrow is scheduled as a day off so I’ll whip out the ab roller and get a few rounds in if I’m not dying.
Musical selection of the day: Metalwood - Chronic. My favourite track is called “4 Speed.” Unfortunately no YouTube track so here’s a link to the audio: http://grooveshark.com/#!/search/song?q=Metalwood+4+Speed
For the YouTubers (hmm, I see a potato reference there) here’s something else but shows off their skills:
My experience is that guys are indifferent to Kate Bush but that the usual artistic, sensitive type females absolutely adore her. So 325 is the new goal your fingers must be saying.
Quite possibly on the Kate Bush front. My wife is the artistic type, not necessarily the sensitive type and she hates Kate as does my mother, but for me it literally perks my ears up… That puts a bit of irony in your statement.
325 must be a subconscious goal.
Love your new avatar. Good work with the deads.
Thanks, Cav. I’m feeling it today!
20131106 - Week1 Day3 - Bench
Warm-ups: YWTL, 2x10 high pulls with green band, 1x20 face pull w/ green band
Bench
50x5, 65x5, 80x3
85x5, 100x5, 115x11 w/ 20 face pulls after each working set - probably should have stopped at 10 as 11 was a grinder
5x10@45 - did not get tired until the 4th set but my energy was sapping near the end of the 5th
BB Row
5x10@75
DB Lateral raises
3x10@10
DB concentration curl
2x10@10
I did not have the mindfulness to pull up a playlist so hit the radio. Not bad, too many commercials. Based on my numbers I seem to be much more shoulder dominant in my benching. I’m trying to create a better mind-muscle connection. Probably should have went with DB flyes over lateral raises to enforce that. Next time.
I’ve read a bunch of you out there using higher rep light weights for biceps issues. My left bicep at the elbow is giving me a bit of grief so I thought I’d do a bit more direct biceps work. In addition I really have to stretch and massage the wrist extensors as it feels there’s a bit of ulnar impingement at the elbow as well.