Thursday, November 2, 2023
Monday, October 30, 2023
Woke-up 5 minutes before my alarm and got in a morning shadow kickboxing session randomly broken-up with 10 burpees. Nothing was timed, just turned on the music and flowed. Was freezing when I got out of bed and had to take my sweater off by the time I was done.
Submitted a request to be placed on the adult waiting list for a local boxing gym. I've had my eye on this spot since 2007. If I don't hear anything soon I'll sign up for my old Muay Thai gym that's about 5 minutes from my house. It's pricey but the proximity is worth it; I'm saving up for a car to replace the old van I'm driving and I don't want to take my current vehicle further than this if I can help it, especially not on the regular. My first choice would have been American Kickboxing Academy, which has more competition for me (local spot has a lot of suburban family folks going for cardio kickboxing and sparring partners can be hard to come by) and actually $10 cheaper, but that'll be my reward once I get a more reliable vehicle.
Realized my packed lunch was a little light today so I treated myself to a poke bowl with zuchinni spirals instead of rice. Despite the large bowl I was still hungry afterwards so had some of my bison hamburger meat with avocado afterwards.
Getting a little stricter with the diet as I inch further down in weight. Still holding on to my Saturday cheat day but no longer eating carby on Friday night or Sundays. Weighing around 209.
Squats
430 x 8
330 x 18, 10
Leg curls
10 plates x 30
Standing ab wheel
8 reps
Feeling the instability from a smaller waist. Going to increase the amount of ab work I'm doing and will hit some planks today. Overloaded squat walkouts are another idea but I'll have to be wise on programming them in and not overtrain my back.
Saturday, October 28, 2023
Thursday, October 26, 2023
This morning, I put on a shadowboxing video on YouTube and joined in, except adding kicks to make it kickboxing. I actually look forward to this morning ritual as it gets chillier because it makes me warmer in the cold mornings than huddling in bed does.
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Monday, October 23, 2023
Thursday, October 19, 2023
Sunday, October 15, 2023
Saturday, October 14, 2023
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
Sunday, October 8, 2023
Saturday, October 7, 2023
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Saturday, September 30, 2023
Sunday, September 24, 2023
Saturday, September 23, 2023
Sunday, September 17, 2023
Saturday, September 16, 2023
Thursday, September 14, 2023
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Sunday, September 10, 2023
Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Was extremely strapped for time yesterday evening, which is anticipated during the week and all part of the plan. Forced me to do another no-rest session which is good for me.
Axle clean once and strict press: 120 x 5
Chin-ups: 5
10 rounds in 9:04
20 kettlebell strict presses with 50 lb bells, dropping and cleaning every 5 reps
-
Super-set with 10 chin-ups
Lateral raises: 15 lb kettlebells x 20
Had some visitors when the after-work gym crowd arrived.
Because I was feeling nauseous from that effort combined with eating a big pre-workout meal, I had a liquid dinner of a protein shake with a whole egg and egg whites added and a homemade smoothie (no orange juice as a solvent anymore, only whole fruits that were slightly thawed or microwaved with a little hot water added so they blend; the process looks nutty but it turns out an instant smoothie with no added sugar or juice).
Tuesday, September 5, 2023
450 x 8
350 x 20 + 20 kettlebell pullovers
250 x 25
Feel delirious after this and am actually not entirely sure if I did 450 for 10 or 8. I’ll go with the lower number.
Turned down offers at the office on Friday to indulge in drinks because I knew I’d want to drink at the beach the next day, which was a blast. The tide receded at sunset and I got to walk out in ankle deep water as San Francisco lit up in the background.
Friday, September 1, 2023
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
This morning was awesome. Woke up 15 minutes before my alarm so after downing a protein shake I played a round of Street Fighter Alpha 3 as Akuma, then did 8 of Dan John’s ABCs with 50 lb kettlebells, and then had time to make 3 eggs with my usual morning weightgainer before heading to work.
Easing into ABCs very gradually due to my pissy elbow, but just being able to do a single rep is a huge improvement from earlier this year. There was a little pain today but as long as I didn’t rotate my wrists and kept the press portion with my palms facing each other, I could do them.
Sunday, August 27, 2023
Saturday, August 26, 2023
Friday, August 25, 2023
Sunday, August 20, 2023
Sunday, August 13, 2023
Saturday, August 12, 2023
Friday, August 11, 2023
Sunday, August 6, 2023
Saturday, August 5, 2023
Thursday, August 3, 2023
Wednesday, August 2, 2023
Smashed the Thai bag yesterday evening. 3 3-minute rounds.. Only reason I called it there was because I got hungry and I'm trying to gain weight.
Really making an effort to polish up my hooks lately and to keep my elbow more level. Everything was beginning to turn into a shovel hook before this correction.
This morning before work I hit 40 burpees.
My back has been KILLING me this week. Yesterday, however, was a good day for reversing some of the damage. Ample hip stretches, a set on the reverse-hyper, and did the McGill 3 before bed. Gotta do the McGill 3 every evening, it helps quite a bit. Going to replace my mattress soon, too. Memory foam just isn't for my body.
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Monday, July 31, 2023
Did yoga last night and also did 2 laps with the sled. Then I got ready to go for a nighttime swim but on my way I stopped by my reverse hyper and did 2x10 with 225. Ended up not swimming due to how late it was and just relaxed on the seat drinking a sparkling water while I enjoyed the atmosphere before going back in.
Woke-up this morning and did 50 push-ups before work. My legs are just devastated and I'm walking like a mummy, which was a predictable outcome, but my rear delts and traps are very sore today too. I have a back massager at my office that I can use on my upper-back area if I slump.
New job is going well. Health insurance starts in October. I told myself I wouldn't compete in strongman until I get healthcare, soooo now I'm on the lookout for comps, although I'm open to more powerlifting too.
Sunday, July 30, 2023
Thursday, July 27, 2023
Did this after a long work day on not enough sleep yesterday evening. Didn't feel I had heavy singles in me so I didn't bother. I'll assassinate a 350 bench soon enough.
1-board press
280 x 6, 7, 7
-
Super-set with T-bar rows
5 plates + 10 lbs x 10, 12, 12
Swiss bar bench
205 x 10, 12, 10
-
Super-set with T-bar rows
5 plates + 10 lbs x 12, 15, 15
The set of 6 was a tough, sleepy grind, while the sets of 7 after I felt awakened were powerful and explosive.
Very last Swiss bar rep was a real fight, which I love ending on.
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Despite being dead tired yesterday evening and running on little sleep I felt supercharged after taking an edible by the evening and went on a 10-minute jog, then 2 minutes of shadow kickboxing, and then ended by swimming laps. Also made time to do some yoga before bed.
This morning I woke-up and hit 50 burpees before work. Ran out of milk for the weightgainer but it's just as well. I've been bloated and gassy from it. It absolutely works for its intended purpose but a break is welcome. I packed two mega sandwiches I made with grass-fed steak and avocado, a tupperware packed with rotisserie chicken from Costco seasoned with a sweet heat spice rub, and 2 protein bars. Feeling full at work right now but with less GI issues.
Power bench day tomorrow. Deep Water...soon.


