Camping trip was a blast. Not nearly long enough due to work but made the most of Friday through Sunday. Ate incredibly well, actually bought too much food beforehand and I hope the salmon steaks we didn't get to are still good enough to eat today after work.

Full-body workout before weekend camping trip:

Yukon squats

405 x 5, 5, 5

Clean once and axle press

180 x 5, 4, 5
-
Super-set with chins
10, 12, 12

Done while very hungry and with short rest times. Happy with this, the discomfort made me stronger. 

Woke-up before my alarm at 6:30 today and got in a nice little day-starter workout of 30 burpees and some shadow kickboxing before heading to work. My cat was batting at me and playing during the burpees so I finished off by playing chase, where we take turns chasing each other back and forth. He's very puppy like and even plays fetch with his mouse toys.

Breakfast is some pomegranate white tea, salmon and lox bagel, and milk with whey protein.

Yesterday after work:

TNG deadlift strip-sets

500 x 6

405 x 10

315 x 10
* Improving by a rep every week. Tried to rest-pause but felt like I didn't have another rep in me. Next time I'll try harder, I think it might be psychosomatic. Also might try to not do TNG next time.

SSB lunges

150 x 16

Backwards run uphill

Gotta catch up here. Day before yesterday I did another bench press workout comprised of 250x5x8, super-set with dumbbell rows. Yesterday I did some shadow kickboxing rounds.

Haven't been doing as much cardio lately. That comes with the territory for gaining weight but increased work hours don't help. Probably averaging 2-3 times a week now. I'd like to do something 4-5 days a week. Eating, meal prep, and dishwashing all combine to take up a lot of time, but I can still make it work if I'm driven to.

Deadlifts

500 x 0, 5

405 x 10

315 x 10

* Head wasn't in the game for that false start, belt was also too tight. Ended up setting it too loose even over my sweatshirt but the lever is getting rusted at over 10 years old now and I didn't want to spend 5 minutes fiddling with the screws again. Got 5 reps pretty easily. Next week will aim for 7 with an arbitrary goal of 10 pretty soon.

Ssb lunges

150 x 20

Back has been feeling terrible the past couple of weeks. Yesterday and today at work I've been doing dynamic and static stretches, and today I even walked forcibly backwards on a treadmill that's in storage, which I've heard is good for the knees but also felt good on my back. 

I need to get a sled. Pulling it would be really good for my body. 

Bench press

245 x 8, 8, 8

225 x 10, 10

-

Super-set with dumbbell rows

115 x 8, 10, 10

125 x 10, 10

Band pressdowns, curls, Y-rows

The birthday brunch cruise went off without a hitch and was fantastic. I'm on an early schedule anyway so I had no trouble waking up at 7:00 to make it to San Francisco in time. We went under the Golden gate bridge and passed close by Alcatraz. Food was amazing and I pigged out after some bottomless mimosas. Our waitress even let me take my stacked plates home as long as I kept it discrete.

Because the universe feels threatened by my power, I got word at the end of it that nobody could be in the office this afternoon. I had no choice but to go in, topping off the week of bad fortune. My friends offered to come back to the South Bay when my shift was over, so we went out for sushi at night in town and checked out a gamer bar where I played Street Fighter 2 against George. Ended up watching the live-action Fist of the North Star movie and live-action Mario movie back at the house, both of which were disappointingly boring.

All in all, I had a great time despite the bad circumstances.

Just forced myself to do a 30-minute workout consisting of Yukon bar squats with 225x3x10 with sets of 8 chin-ups between all warm-up and other sets. My quads feel like glass and I consider this a deload. I'm starting to think I get this feeling when I squat really deep over a long period of time.

Really hectic day yet again and I have little time until I have to wake up early tomorrow for the brunch cruise, but I'm glad I went against my inner bitch and hit some iron. Just disobeying the whims of the universe and getting training in is a win.

 Didn't have much time yesterday so I got a quick workout in of 140x5x8-10 on the press, super-set with chins. Tried to press a 100 lb dumbbell before that but couldn't do it once without leg drive, so I used my legs to get 2 reps on my right arm and 1 on my left. Strength is trying to hide from me right now but I'm not letting up on the consistency no matter what's thrown at me.

Suprise overtime today at work and I have no food left except for a jar of nuts. Tomorrow I have a birthday brunch cruise I set-up with my friends that I have to go to sleep early for, so I'm both underfed and short on time. Have a headache today too. The office isn't soaking wet anymore but it smells horrible. With all the windows and doors open to air it out cigarette smoke is constantly wafting in here.

Really quite a shit week. I actually just want the weekend to be over so I can start over next week and crush it. I would cancel my social plans because I'm not in the mood but I paid for the cruise and it was my idea to begin with.

I really, really didn't want to do anything today, which is a good feeling to take into the gym.

I knew I wouldn't be able to budge something close to 600 given the way I was feeling so I got up to 505x4 on deadlifts. Was aiming for 5 at a minimum and 8+ as extra credit, but thinking of 500 as my bad day weight for any amount of reps is pretty cool. I wrote this exact same thing about 10 years ago with 405 when I kept failing 455. 500 is the new 405, which was the new 315 back then.

Immediately stripped the plates and hit 315x15, followed immediately by 240x10 on the SSB bar. My right quad has been feeling funny, which has happened before if my deep squat volume goes up. So I left it at that. My ego may not be glowing but I'm laying bricks down.

If it took life inconveniences to get me into doing the quick, substantive workouts I've been telling myself I need to do more of, good. I really do not need to be maxing out on "core" lifts in 2-hour sessions as if I'm at a meet 4 days a week. I can still do that shit sometimes too! Just less of it. 

Crazy couple of days. Monday started out with a lack of sleep, then my car started making noises on the drive to the office. Am in the market for a new car so I went to the dealer afterwards, which took 3 hours, and put the down payment for a 2021 Corolla that will be ready in 3 days after financing is approved. Didn't have anything to eat except a weightgainer shake in the morning that left me very hungry with a lunchless afternoon.

On the drive home 4 hours after I normally get off work, my car died. Luckily, my tow came quicker than the 2 hours that was expected and got a ride home with my car trailing behind from a very cool tow truck driver. 

By the time all this was over it was evening and I had to start getting ready for bed. Got much better sleep, although still had to wake up via alarm.

Come into the office and the whole place is flooded. The water was shut-off yesterday and someone had left the faucet handle in the on position. When the water came back on at night, water ended up flowing overnight until I came in and turned it off. I wasn't wearing boots so I'm sitting at my desk with wet socks and shoes, freezing. If I had a longer shift I'd go back home to change. Food is two peanut-butter sandwiches and a thermos of milk.

Squatted 475.on Friday night, followed by 5x10 of 315.

Overhead dumbbell strict press

80 x 5

90 x 5, 5, 4

-

Super-set with pull-ups

8, 8, 8, 10

Axle power clean each rep and strict press

140 x 8, 8

-

Super-set with pull-ups

8, 10

SSB squats

240 x 20

-

Super-set with deadlifts

315 x 20

Walking dumbbell lunges

50s x 18

Got this idea from Emevas. Weight was light but quads and back were sore coming in so this was not fun at all, which was the goal. Perhaps next time a different bar for squats would be better so back is a little fresher for deadlifts. 

Bench press

230 x 5

265 x 5

300 x 5

230 x 15

* Much stronger showing than last month when I hit 300x4. Powerful reps, no grind at all. 

-

Super-set with T-bar rows

Up to 5 plates x 10

Dumbbell press

100s x 8, 9, 8, 8

-

Super-set with T-bar rows

5 plates x 10, 10, 10, 10

Mat pulls (9)

Up to 585 x 0, 3

500x1

My back was hurting and I'm really happy I got 585 x 3. Felt like the technique to sit far back with the weight really clicked tonight. I gave that everything I had, couldn't even do 500 for more than a slow single afterwards.

I have a new bed and mattress and my back already feels a bit better from it. We'll see. 

One-arm dumbbell strict press

Up to 80 x 8, 8, 7/8

-

Super-set with pull-ups

8, 10, 10

Axle clean and strict press each rep

130 x 8, 8, 8

-

Super-set with pull-ups

8, 9, 9

Heavy band pressdowns

15, 10

Super-set with.Power cleans

160 x 5, 5 (then push-pressed the last rep for no reason)

Keg curls

160 x 12

Mat pulls (9)

Up to 585 x 4

505 x 9

* Getting better at handling this beast each week. Felt very strong today, the weight was much easier to rip off the mats than usual for the reps I did get and 0 missed starts is a great thing for me. Simply did not have it in my back to do a 5th.

Deadlifts

315 x 20

Axle cleans

160 x 4

I was feeling nauseous as hell by the end. Max effort pulling followed by 20 reps was a lot of pressure on my stomach. I'm going to do my lightish squats and abs tomorrow, this took me long to get through. 

Press

170 x 5

190 x 3

215 x 0, 0, 0, 1

-

Last 3 sets super-set with pull-ups

8, 8 ,10

* This is stupid, but I was so surprised I was having such a battle with 215 that I broke my own rule about session brevity and kept at it until I got it. I just needed that personal victory. Felt notable weakness and lag in right arm compared to left, that side was dragging behind and I could tell the barbell was crooked in the air. Not something typical (no pain or anything like that though).

UPDATE: It is dawned on me mid-sessiom while doing lighter presses that I was using a wider grip than I usually do and my triceps felt out of it until adjusting.

Press

145 x 10

135 x 10, 10, 10, 

-

Weighted pull-ups

45 x 8, 10, 10, 10

Yukon squats

325 x 5

375 x 5

425 x 5

315 x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10

* Back was the weak link here, reracked on the first 315 rep thinking I might have to do these sets later but got through with no twinges. Legs are feeling real strong despite being hungry and knees are pain free.

Was running on 4.5 hours of sleep and was struggling mentally on the very last set. Just felt kind of floaty and out of it. The weight was light and I'm kinda annoyed I didn't press the time more despite the fog, but good session nonetheless.

Sidenote: I've seen a bunch of people online talking shit against Jon Andersen's enhanced physique and Instagram personality. I just have to say WTF at that latter point. It's an obviously intentional over-the-top persona (he was a pro wrestler), I think it's awesome. Each post puts a smile on my face while also providing a good, simple nugget of life advice. People take themselves way too seriously (and without having much to show for it).

Bench pressed 315x3 on Thursday, very easy. Strength is going up despite a miss on my last bench session.

Press

155 x 3

182.5 x 3

202.5 x 3

155 x 9

-

Super-set with pull-ups

8, 8, 8, 9

Skullcrushers

50s x 9, 8, 8, 8

-

Giant-set with dumbbell curls

50s x 9, 8, 8, 8

-

Giant-set with pull-ups

8, 8, 8, 8

Decline push-ups

19, 10-> Switch immediately to band chest flyers x 12

-

Super-set with band Y-rows

19

Done in 70 minutes, including warm-ups. Got a painful pump, exacerbated by elbow sleeves.

Bought the Deep Water book After having the sample sit in my Kindle library for a few months. I mean this as a huge compliment, but you wouldn't mistake the writing being from an English major or anything yet it's brutally effective in its simplicity. Thoroughly enjoying it. The opening story immediately grabbed me. 

Completely unrelated but I'm loving having a cat again. I'm a guy who's only had odd little critters like reptiles and amphibians most of my life so a dog or a cat as a pet is a big deal to me. 

Bench press

227.5 x 5

263.5 x 5

300 x 4

-

Last set super-set with dumbbell rows of 125 x 12

Fell one rep short. Shoulders felt sore from previous upper-body session.

Returned at night after work.

Swiss bar bench

225 x 8, 8, 10, 10, 9

-

Super-set with T-bar rows

4 plates x 8

5 plates x 10, 10, 10, 20

Poundstone curls

50

Mat pulls (9)

Up to 585 x1
500 x 10

Only had it in me to grind out a single today, so showed 500 what's up. Called it here to take a friend to a doctor's appointment.

Total time spent here was 45 minutes, which is quick for me even with this little amount done. I spend a lot of time in my gym warming-up because of my knees and back. My aim for 2022 is to push the pace and make around 70 minutes the norm for a full work-out.

Phil Stevens commented recently that he's training 6 days a week in 20 minute workouts so he doesn't miss a session. No matter what,  giving up 20 minutes is doable in a day. I'm taking the cue and doing shorter workouts with higher frequency when my schedule requires it.

Totally forgot to upload this a few days ago so putting up what I jotted down.

Press

150 x 5

170 x 5

190 x 5

150 x 10

Super-set with pull-ups

8, 10

Skullcrushers

35s with Fat Gripz x 10

-

Super-set with dumbbell curls

35s with Fat Gripz x 10

Yukon squats

Up to 420x3

315 x 8, 8, 8, 10, 10

Didn't try for 470 based on how heavy 420 felt. I think the strength is there but it was a bad day, either from being hungry or going too long without squatting heavy and having bar shock from the walkout.

Everytime I write an analysis like that I end up concluding that it's an excuse and at the end of the day the summary is I was too weak.

Anyway, a problem: eating this much leaves me nauseous when I wake-up, causing me to either undereat for breakfast or force a big meal down for way too long a time. Either way, I end up hungry when I train. This isn't inherently a bad thing but I want bang for my caloric buck if I'm putting the effort in, otherwise I would just train fasted. 

I end up eating my biggest meal before bed, which causes the morning nausea cycle to start all over again. 

Solution: eat what I can within 30 minutes, then train 45 minutes later no matter what. And be strict about these times, adjusting as need be (but once it's in writing, no changing on the fly).

Also cut down on the nighttime meal a little bit, with the expectation that things will start to fall in line and I'll be hungrier during the day and can eat more consistently large meals throughout. 

Woke-up coughing and having lifted heavy twice yesterday I decided to give my body a break today and squat tomorrow. Did some stretches and a light shadow kickboxing workout this afternoon.

Made some green tea with honey, ginger, and lemon today, and had turmeric with milk as well as a turmeric pill (supposed to help with coughing).

It's also been awhile since I've just gotten outside and enjoyed it for its own sake, partly due to the recent rainy weather. Today I stepped out on the balcony and sweeped, getting some natural vitamin D while my cat explored.

Nighttime

Swiss bar bench

185 x 10

205 x 10, 10, 10, 6

-

Super-set with dumbbell rows

115s x 10-12

Dips, curls

Hit up Costco after work which is why the session was so late at 9:30, but foodwise I'm set for now. Yesterday I also treated myself to a Chipotle burrito and today I've got two Costco hot dogs with a slice of pepperoni pizza.

Bench press

260 x 5

295 x 3

330 x 0, 2

260 x 8

-

Last set super-set with dumbbell rows

115 x 10

* On the first attempt at 330 I didn't even go for it and react based on how heavy it felt. Took a break to assess whether I should go for it and then tried again. Literally said "Holy shit" as I reracked because I was blown away how 295 felt heavy and 330 felt like nothing. 

Called it here to go to work. 

Had a fun but hectic New Year's weekend extending into Monday with a work dinner. Sensing a crazy schedule, I did a light but fast-paced full body workout on Friday. Intensity wasn't off the chart as I was battling illness that incentivize me to get tested for COVID, which was negative thankfully.

I didn't even keep track of the rounds because I was figuring out what would be a good combination of things to hit. I organically settled on axle thrusters with 110, giant-set with chin-ups and Yukon squats with 135. I think it was around 6 rounds of that, finishing up with a set of 20 push-ups.

Nothing crazy but it got me breathing, which was making me cough. Because this workout was done before I got tested I wanted something easy to recover from. 

Clean and press

160 x 5

185 x 3

205 x 2

-

Last 2 super-set with pull-ups

10, 10

Swiss bar press

145 x 8, 8

-

Super-set with pull-ups

10, 10

Deadlift

570 x 3 (PR)

Returning at night:

Deadlifts

405 x 15

SSB squats

150 x 30, 30, 25

Did shadowboxing and hill sprints on Friday night before I hosted a friend, who responded with astonishment that I trained on Christmas Eve upon her arrival. Went to George's house for Christmas where we watch the new Matrix (it wasn't great IMO). Day after I didn't do any training but had a huge dinner of Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes. Did a lot of shopping for the cat too. Fun weekend. 

Clean first rep and press

150 x 3

170 x 3

195 x 3

-

Last set super-set with chin-ups

10

Clean and press every rep

145 x 8, 8, 7

-

Super-set with chin-ups

10, 10, 10

Incline Close-grip swiss bar bench press

135 x 10

Super-set with wide-grip pull-ups

10

SSB squatted 290x8 and 330x3x8 yesterday, then came back at night and did good mornings, band leg curls, and ab wheel rollouts. Good two days of lifting. Haven't felt my chest get sore from bench pressing in years but this amount of volume has been doing it.

It's been a week with the kitten and my sleep hasn't really suffered considering he sleeps with me half the night. I've woken up a few times from him climbing on me but he's pretty behaved about learning when the giant bipedal furless cat is asleep and won't be getting up (very different from a dog's needs). 

Have significantly reduced my edible consumption in order to not be tired just in case. Very easy sacrifice. 

More than once I've put off training to tend to him or just catch up on chores, and since I'm not losing weight I think it's only benefitted my strength. Boxing and Muay Thai training at home have been greatly reduced lately although I've gotten some shadowboxing sessions in, will greatly increase that. I've gotten sidetracked about going to the gym and need to work that out, too.

Bench press

245 x 3

275 x 3

310 x 3

245 x 8

225 x 10, 10, 10, 7

-

Super-set with dumbbell rows (starting from 310 bench)

100 x 8

115s x 8, 10, 10, 10

125 x 10

Y-rowa, preacher curls, band pressdowns

The weight feels pretty heavy but when it comes to the money set I'm seeing steady improvements. 

Squatted 445x3 yesterday. Was planning on doing the rest after work but had company over to help with the kitten and didn't get to it. I did have the time but it was a rare moment of putting off training entirely. My plan is to do upper body today and then return back and make use of the SSB and get in some squat volume. 

Axle pressed 195x3 from the floor the other day. The work after is what's the most challenging. 145x3x8 clean and pressing every rep doesn't sound like much but the forearm fatigue is what makes this tough and the axle is hard to hold after awhile. It's important to not hesitate, just grip and rip without thinking and not let the mind get a chance to dawdle. The pressing itself isn't so bad.

My back has been hurting lately and I had a bad mat pull session yesterday. Couldn't break 570 off 2 mats so I did 500x5 before I stopped not out of fatigue but noticing pain in my lower left every time I unloaded the weight. 

Bench press

225 x 5

260 x 5

295 x 5

245 x 9, 8, 10, 9, 8

-

Super-set with dumbbell rows

100 x 10

115 x 10, 10, 10, 10, 12

Push-ups immediately after last bench press set x 10

Got interrupted a lot from work, so made up for the long rest times with heavier weight and additional reps beyond the planned 8 for 245.

Glad I got this done on the 5 hours of sleep that I did because the rest of the day did not let up. Just insanely busy. Frozen Trader Joe's pepperoni pizza, homemade weightgainer, and a multivitamin kept me full with very little time expended prepping food.

So glad I got a blender last week, it's saved me so much time.

In other news, I'm going after work today to pick-up a kitten from one of my plumbers whose cat had babies.

Had at least three good training sessions I didn't record, but in a nutshell they were benching 255x5x8, squatting 365x5x8, and axle clean and pressing 205.

Mat pulls (3)

570 x 0, 3 (PR)

* Success. After a false start I mentally ran through form cues that help me (lift with legs, push holes through the earth with feet, pretend a giant rubber band is trying to crunch you and you're expanding against it) and did a strong triple.

Was running late for a zoom meeting (that I infuriatingly had to be in the office for) so I dropped everything here and rushed to work, drinking a glass of milk and eating a protein bar on the drive over. After it was done I had a little bit of leftover turkey and quinoa, then ate straight out of a mixed nut butter jar. Downed another glass of milk at home and finished up at night.

SSB squats

150 x 40(PR), 30, 25

Stomach felt absolutely wretched and my head felt bad too. Felt like I was going to throw up the nut butter. 

For some reason lifting at night gives me digestive issues lately and I yawn a ton, then feel fine and awake a couple of hours later. 

Did another living room work out yesterday reaching 75 burpees along with shadow kickboxing, exercise biking, and 120 jumping jacks. Total time was 14 minutes. 

Had two very productive sessions of Yukon squatting 365x5x8 and bench pressing 255x5x8 over the weekend while hosting a friend. Doing 5 sets of the same weight with compound movements is something I haven't done in a long time and with the calorie surplus I ought to take as much advantage of extra volume as I can. I also suck at it in terms of recovery between sets, which is an excellent reason to do more of it.

Running on about 6 hours of sleep today due to a work meeting at 7:30 (free Chick-Fil-A though). Did my living room workout, getting 70 burpees with a couple breather seconds here and there.

Had a great second Thanksgiving over the weekend at a friend's house. Didn't train on Saturday and Sunday, being out of town.

While I'm typing about rest, I have actually been making a concerted effort to be on my feet less. A combination of martial arts training, cooking, cleaning up the kitchen, and just wanting to do some general house cleaning after work was taking a toll on my knees and feet.

Came back Monday and had a subpar mat pull session, managed to move 570 for 1 off 3 mats at least but after feeling a slight twinge in my back I was no good for more. Did SSB squats with 150 x 30, 25, 20 afterwards and my inner quads are torched from that. Still sore now on Thursday.

Also viper pressed 210x1 with my log on Tuesday.

Yesterday I did my living room workout with a PR of 62 unbroken burpees this time despite my legs being debilitatingly sore.

Thanksgiving:

Bench press

255 x 5

290 x 3

325 x 1
-
Last set super-set with dumbbell rows
100 x 8

Dumbbell press
115s x 8, 8, 7
-
Super-set with dumbbell rows
115 x 10, 10
125 x 8

A whirlwind of other isolation stuff.

Yukon squatted 435x5 yesterday. Assistance work involved 315 for 3 sets of 8, 9, 10, with the final being a strip-set down to 225, 135, and 45 x 10. Noticed lately my back really tires out on squats. I think it's the bar, which is cool. It's long, I think longer than a typical buffalo bar and more curvy, so it takes more back to keep it steady certainly than a straight bar but in a different way than an SSB.