Congrats on that bench pr and enjoy your vacation.
way to celebrate that PR with a vacation.
nice work
Hey there Ninja!
Congrats on the rack pulls! And I love, love, love the DB snatches! They actually looked really good to me. A lot of people turn the DB snatches into a clean and press kinda movement, but you got it down.
ohhh, that skinny pina colada sounds excellent! And with the potassium in coconut juice, i bet the hangover is minimal…oh boy, i think I got something new to try!
And yay for the bench PR! I know you fight that one with every ounce of your being. So glad to see it moving along.
About the dudes yapping. Ugh! So annoying! My every day confrontations are based entirely on my moods. If i’m feeling a little tense, I’ll pipe up and stir shit - otherwise, I’ll let things roll off my back and just do what you did, “move to another part of the gym” Sometimes things are just not worth the aggravation.
Hope your enjoying your vacay!!
Thanks for the kind words and good-vacay wishes! I could get used to this life of leisure.
Thursday’s training was a 3 hour kayak. I rented an awesome fast kayak and I and my best friend from high school paddled through town on the river. Pretty sweet alternative view.
Friday was a rest day which included a delicious bistro lunch, a stop at an organic peach orchard for the sweetest hot-off-the-tree fruit ever, and a visit to one of my favorite wine-growing regions (Dry Creek) for some wine tasting. This reminds me to have more of the wine I bought right after typing this.
Today’s training was an easy run on the path next to the rancher’s cow pasture, followed by a deload day at the gym. They had some monster-sized rubber 45 lb. plates, so I amused myself pulling 5 x 5 of easy 135# sumo deadlift sets with them. Did a few easy squats, 3 x 10 of dips with 10 lbs. on the dip belt, and put the 25 lb. plate on the chest supported t-bar row machine, 3 x 10. Love that machine.
I had time to visit the local running store and try on some shoes. The knowledgeable sales gal watched me run on the treadmill and agreed with my ARTist’s assessment of me as a slight under-pronator (I run on the outside of my feet more than the average bear). Which she noted was hell on IT bands (duh!) I tried running in some more cushiony shoes and found that it wasn’t possible to run with a forefoot/midfoot strike using them. The closest I came to buying something was the Saucony Kinvara which is quite similar to the Nike Frees that I already have, but with a more cushiony feel.
kayaking is on my list to do, I think I’d really like to try sea kayaking in Alaska
totally jealous of you vacation, best I can manage this year are my staycation adventures (which have been great but very short)
kayaking, good food and wine.
some shoe shopping…
yup that sounds perfect 
I’m jealous you got a chance to play with bumper plates. Glad to hear you are enjoying you vacation.
They had some monster-sized rubber 45 lb. plates
hahahahaha
they be normal sized
you people freak me out with your super tiny super heavy plates
but seriously - rubber plates?
how
fun
are
they
??
only thing funner is getting to throw them to the ground after lifting them over your head.
not that i’m anywhere near close to the 45 lb. plates, admittedly…
your vacation sounds great. wine… peaches… yum.
Does indeed sound great.
As far as shoes go, I’m inclined to think less is more. My knees (and ITBs) got a load better once I ditched the stupid cushioning for Frees and moved to a forefoot strike. Of course, I can’t run at all currently so take that as you will, though I think it’s more down to my mutant feet than anything else.
Sounds like you’re having a great time!
Kayaking is one of those things I’ve always wanted to do, but never have.
I’ve always wanted to try rowing one of those sculls on the Charles too.
I love eating fruit right off the tree, peaches will soon be in season here.
I’ve noticed significant differences in my stride since moving to a barefoot shoe. I don’t think you could run with a heel strike if you wanted too. Like Cal noted I’ve also had to deal with less foot issues. They don’t cramp up nearly as much as they used to.
Its the last day of vacation and I’m sitting in the airport waiting for my plane to show up and take me back home.
In case I ever wondered, it is indeed impossible to out-train a bad diet. 12 days of eating out on the road = a bit of a bulk. Luckily I can still zip up my jeans, but its a close one.
The San Francisco hotel had a quite-decent gym, in which I did the following:
Military Press deload
15s 1 x 10
20s 2 x 10
DB Snatch
25# 1 x 5 each side
30# 2 x 5 each side
Swiss ball leg curl
3 x 12
DB Farmer’s Walk
50s 1 x not far! Holy crap that was heavy.
One armed waiter’s walks
15# 2 x length of weight room
20# 2 x length of weight room
Pushups
3 x 10
supersetted with
Reverse Hypers
3 x 15
Lat pull downs
75# 3 x 10
Pistol squats to bench
3 x 10
Cable pull-throughs
65# 3 x 10
Seated front and side raises
7.5s 2 x 10
Then we went and rode up Potrero Hill, Bernal Heights and Twin Peaks to the very top.
The next morning I went for a lovely run around the Union Square area. Very fun to see a city this way.
In Yosemite, there was a little bike riding around the valley, and then some hiking.
Back in Sonoma County, I went for a couple nice morning runs, including one this morning as I knew I’d be sitting in a plane the rest of the day.
Yesterday’s training was:
Squats
Bar 2 x 5
65# 1 x 5
85# 1 x 5
90# 1 x 3
95# 1 x 2
100# 1 x 2
105# 1 x 2 <–knee cave on last rep
1103 1 x 1 <–knee cave, so I called it.
Yep, squats still suck and lots of sammiches don’t help.
Bench Press (5’s week)
Bar 1 x 5
65# 1 x 5
75# 1 x 5
85# 1 x 10 <–rep PR +1
I’ve been chasing 10 @ 85# forever, so I was really pleased! Plus a PR on vacation tastes especially sweet.
BBB 65# 5 x 10
supersetted with
TRX pistol squats (each side)
5 x 10
Hanging leg raise with ab straps (straight leg)
1 x 10
Chest supported t-bar row
35# plate 1 x 10
Thanks for reading this far! My plane just arrived, but now the flight is further delayed due to weather at home. Apparently the universe doesn’t want me to go to work tomorrow.
Also, yesterday’s training included a gnarly hill climb up a road in Healdsburg, so add a 2.5 hour bicycle ride.
Cal and Patch, I indeed have given up the idea of a more cushioned shoe. My knee has been feeling good in the Nike Free. Also, I really noticed when I put my hiking boots on how much I missed feeling the contours of the ground beneath my feet. I did the shorter hikes in my Frees and was happy with them. Right now I’m lusting after a pair of Merrell Pace Gloves. I tried on the NB Minimus again and it didn’t fit me well at all. I also tried on the Saucony Kinvara again and it wasn’t comfortable. I have a wide forefoot and a narrow heel. Side by side, the Free had a much wider forefoot than the Kinvara which made all the difference.
Alexus, I would have LOVED to throw a bumper-plate loaded bar to the ground! Alas, I am not strong enough yet to handle the 45# plates. Maybe someday!
ManFromMA, you can rent kayaks to go on the Charles as well as sculls. I’ve never done it, but would love to.
George, I would also like to try sea kayaking. Perhaps I’ll wait on that until after I take a course in self-rescue. The ocean is not a plaything.
Joe, I did enjoy my vacation but I’m ready to come home. Home is nice too.
Frenchie, you would have highly approved of my eats this trip. Especially the French bakery cafe we hit up yesterday for a deep dark chocolate cookie and a palmieri cookie. Plus lots of sourdough bread and wine, oh the wine.
I did enjoy the pancakes, french toast, bread, muffins, cookies, etc. that I don’t ordinarily eat. But I’m ready to get back to my “normal” food. I’m comfortable eating the way I eat, and I’m sort of looking forward to complete control over my food again. Although the muffins at the Peet’s next to me are looking delicious and I’m not nearly home yet… 
Hey Kimba - glad you had a fantastic vacation. Sorry about the delay. I know when I go away, training is the last thing on my mind so I’m impressed that you got so much training in. And a PR! D’you think it’s possible that the extra carbs gave you the energy to get your PR? I had a good training session on Tuesday after scoffing my friend Colin’s homemade muffins all weekend… (In hardcore diet mode now, heh).
I too have a wide forefood and narrow heel - I have feet like a duck. The Frees fit me well as do my Vibrams and Merrells, so I think you will do well with the Pace Glove.
Cal, I think a bit of a rest and higher calories did help me on bench yesterday. But it didn’t do jack squat for my…squat. Its so hard to measure the nutrition-to-training relationship.
I did try on the Merrell Pace Gloves but was in a hurry and couldn’t really evaluate them. I’m looking forward to giving them a more measured try-on.
your vacation sounds lovely
bumper plates come in smaller sizes, too. the greens are 10kg (i think that is about 22 pounds). it was a major milestone for me to get them up over my head so they could be slammed to the ground. i’m working on getting the yellows (15kg) and eventually the blues (20kg). at the moment i only use the blues for deadlifting lolz.
i’ve also become a total convert to minimalist footwear. other people at work (on their feet all day) swear by major cushioning - but they also complain of knee and lumbar pain. since i’ve managed to break in my merrells so they really do fit like a glove (very thin bendy sole but leather work shoe style) my feet feel really wonderful in them. can stretch out my toes and indeed i do and i don’t have lumbar spine pain or toe curling / cramping from being on my feet all day anymore!
i’d love the pace gloves or the nimbus - but will probably hold out for summer. welcome back from your vacation.
It’s good to hear you had a great time and you’re amped to get home. I predict multiple PR’s when you are back to the friendly confines of your home gym.
Great job on the BP PR. Glad the hotel gym was descent, i travel a bunch during the winter for work and it’s always a challenge.
PS can’t believe you squatted 1103…
Heh yes, Alexus - I forget you have your summer during our winter.
[quote]kimbakimba wrote:
Bench Press (5’s week)
85# 1 x 10 <–rep PR +1
I’ve been chasing 10 @ 85# forever, so I was really pleased! Plus a PR on vacation tastes especially sweet.
[/quote]
Very nice. I would kill for 10 reps at 85. Am pleased to be hitting 5 at 80! Your PR might have been a result of all the serious eats. Truly.