Bonus Day - Dec 31

Let's end the year the way we should: squatting. Was supposed to take today as off, but. What's 10 mins going to hurt? Just greasing the groove.

Buy in
Power Wheel pumps

7x max reps in 30 on 1.15 @ 120# (11's-10's)
Ass in the grass. It's not a lot of weight, but just rep count, a little kick to the CV system, and a pretty good quad pump when all was said and done.
9 mins.

5.5 + 2 hours, 2330-0500/24 hours. 14 mins total, PE: 8.
39/22/39%, 141C-248P. 2659 cal.

2011 - Year in Review

Thinking back now, I'm remembering this year as one in which I had hopes for a lot of good things to happen - and many did - but as I take a little stock, many of the good changes I had hoped for didn't materialize. Much of it because I didn't make change occur. Some few changes weren't because others didn't, but I don't have control over that - only over my own ability to inspire - and I don't see that I was living inspirationally this year, even to myself.

In my own little circle of influence, I took two steps forward and one step back. Certainly this was true in my PFT.
This year I woke up to the world of nutrition, finally journaling via the LoseIt! app on the iPhone. There, I realized that my breakdown on the big three was inverted - I was eating twice the carbs and half the protein I'd been imagining I was consuming.
I had a goal to pare down from 221 to 204, and did.
I did a high frequency period in June that expanded my vision for what I can do. 9 sessions a week with one full day off, and I think I can do more. It was a tight, focused time.

I learned a bit about working with just myself, a bar, and mean ol' Mr. Gravity while the Anytime Fitness in Shafter ramped up. The free weights area was an open area with one bar and 245# of oly plates. Re-learning the basics of press, squat, deadlift, pull up, clean, overhead squat ... at first I joked about the lack of equipment set up there, but only after the standard equipment arrived, really realized what a blessing that bar-only time was.
I did a short period of linear progression in the Fall followed by hypertrophy (in circuits) and completely dropped any running after the summer, and metcons, and finished the year stronger - and back up to 223#.
We did Volkslauf and Lighthouse, and both felt great. I PR'ed a few WoDs, but I'll have to check on which they were. My mile time was stanky, at 7:30, then down to 7:38 when I'd lost 20#. Go figure.
I did take time off the left achilles, as running always made it feel like some bone in my ankle was sawing through the tendon. I will bike more, and run less, in 2012.

At church, there was hope for change as one associate pastor left, and another arrived. A good change. Working with the staff is strange waters for me still though. I feel very out of place in a place that was once more my home than home for me. I'm apathetic now, and where I felt a determination to help be a catalyst for change there at the beginning of this year is now a feeling that I am not going to see a difference until the staff changes - and that myself or my family will not really learn, change or grow there. Could be just me, I'm sour on playing church. I'm sour on sermons as a construct. I'm sour on my own expectation for growth to come from outside rather than from my own gut.
Like a good gym, a good church makes growth easier. If I re-learned that a bar-only can be a blessing in the gym and all the motivation comes from within, I re-learned that one can move forward without a lot of external energy. But it's uphill. I'd do better in a Crossfit box with a supportive crew who are as motivated than I am (and more), and I'd do better in a church where the norm is to follow Jesus.
To that end, I'll see if I can find both a better gym, and a better church, in 2012.

I reawakened to the import of investing in a few this year. I have children who will only ever have one father. Not only do I enjoy them, I feel the weight of their expectation for my interest. I'm not interested in wasting time with people who will only ever be acquaintances. I'm penciling in some pointed time with those who I know will count this year.

Other random events this year: We went to Disneyland a few times, Catalina and Carpinteria, Setzer in December, helped Bennetts move.
In 2012, I want to evaluate these traditional trips, and keep only the ones that matter,
Gonna revise the family budget.
Gonna test benchmark WoDs, Maxes, and yes, even body composition this year. I forsee 9 40-day periods, starting with a 5/3/1 and hypertrophy.
Going to make regular time to play music with Haley and CC, guys' days with Kon, date nights with L. Going to solve the garage clutter and CF area in the backyard.
I'll do a bit more geocaching (placing), some homebrewing (less tasting), and stick with the UFC watching.
I did the burpee challenge two years ago. This year, I'll see how many consecutive days I can log a work out. I'll be careful to deload, but no nothing days. Gonna stay anabolic.

That's all for now.

Ca - PullPushHinge - Dec 30

5 rounds in .30 on 1.15:
Max rep chins (deadhang, 6's mostly)
Push press @ 120# - 8's+
KB swings - 15's

Plus 3 more rounds of overhand pulls, just because it's a pull-focus day.

9.5 - 1 hours, 2300-0830/24 hours. 21 mins total, PE: 8.
38/36/27%, 226C-167P. 2984 cal. Lose.

Wl - Back to Back - Dec 29

Not the volume of Monday, but pretty much the same hammer falling.

Back Squat
10xbar/ 10x 135#/ 8x 225#/ 8x 225/ 8x 205/ 8x 185/
16 mins.

Circuit - 4 rounds
Calves on the A-Frame @3 singles/doubles 8/15 - then @4 5/12's x2, then @3
Prone hamstring @90 x12/ @100 x10 x3
Extensions x12 @ 160 - warming up to this new machine
14 mins.

...one final set of lunges in the rack with 95# just for practice.

9 hours, 2230-0730/24 hours. 31 mins total, PE: 8. 222/13.

9 - 3 hours, 2230-0730/24 hours. 50 mins total, PE: 8. 223/15.
38/27/35%, 176C-226P. 2594 cal.

Wa - Press, Damn You - Dec 28

DE Bench Press
1x10 135# / x10 185/ x10 225/ x7 245/ x5 275/ x4 275/ x7 245
Remember how I was wondering if I was any stronger...? Today it was just like that. Was gonna be a pulling day, but the pressing just owned shit. Sad as heck that I was squatting 8's @ 185# yesterday, and today, this. I'd prefer they were swapped out.

6 rounds in .30 on 1.15 of the circuit:
Wide grip row machine x12-10 from 105 - 185 (next time I just pull the stack)
Recline DB presses w/ 65's (6's)
Assisted pulls 10's with 0 to 75#
Assisted dips - 12-10's with 0 to 75#
This created one massive pump.

9 - 3 hours, 2230-0730/24 hours. 50 mins total, PE: 8. 223/15.
41/22/37%, 135C-233P. 2710 cal. We'll chalk this one up as a small-W win.

Wl - MaxRack Testing - Dec 27

On a nutritional note, this is two pounds over the bloat that started me on the LoseIt! journaling trek. Am I bigger and stronger now than then? Um, bigger is a numerical certainty - without measurements, who could know much about composition? The scale BF% readings are basically the same.
Time to quantify everything.

Buy in:
3 rounds:
hyperflexions x13 /
prone hamstring x12 @ 90# /
extensions x12 @ 140# (new machine) /
calves on the rails press x15 up to 275# /
seated calves x12 @ 50#
12 mins.

Back Squats in the new MaxRack. Yeah, it was strange. Just trying to drop them deep, but machine feels like it's shoving you back over on your ass. Besides the lateral support (which I hate), I can get used to it. At the least, if I'm going it alone, I won't mind the safeties. I'm looking at the bright side - at least they didn't just drop in a shitty smith machine and call it a power rack. They did take out our old barbell. Going to miss him. It was a spartan 6 months, and I learned a few back to the basics things along the way.
Warm up @ bar, then 1x10 @ 135#, 3x8/1x10 with 185#
18 mins.

Cash out with two more of the circuit.
8 mins.

8 hours, 2330-0730/48 hours. 39 mins total, PE: 8. 223/15.
32/38/30%, 211C-166P. 2561 cal. Lose.

Pull/Swing n Pull - Dec 25

Another one of these Holiday-Filler workouts. If yesterday was push/hinge, today's pull/hinge. You see what I'm thinking. That means that tomorrow's gonna be some ass in the grass pain.

6 rounds, in .30 on 1.15
max reps pulls (10's down to 6's)
then
3 rounds, same count
Single arm KB swings - left/right (15's)
ring rows (12's)

6 + 2 hours, 0100-0700/24 hours. 21 mins total, PE: 7. 222/14
30/34/35%, 189C-197P. 2753 cal. Lose.

PC n Press - Dec 24

Just tired of feeling like a bloated log and doing nothing but eating until it hurts this week. Didn't squeeze in anything on Wednesday, as the gym was closed, and Thursday was devoted to the Japanese cold-unfiltered-demons of inebriation and Basque gods of gluttony. I have never thought or said it before, but I'm saying it this season: I've been eating too much, and can't wait for the holidays to end so I can live hard once again.

3 rounds in .30 on 1.15:
max reps Push Press @ 120# (9's)
then
6 rounds, same count, same bar
max reps Power clean and press (8's)

8 + 2 hours, 0000-0800/3 days. 10 mins total, PE: 7. 222/14.
51/32/18%, 151C-84P. 1999 cal.

Death by Thrusters - Dec 21

Supposed to be a Wl day, but my workout time was located at the intersection of Chronic Cough and Gym Is Still Setting Up New Equipment. Pair of dumbells and 10 mins was enough.

Death by DB Thrusters
@55's - 9.7 rounds.
Did 9 rounds unbroken, no problem. Round 10, I got 5, then hung the DBs at my waist and couldn't get them to go back up. It's unnatural how quickly the wheels fall off under this format.

9 - 1 hours, 2200-0700/72 hours. 10 mins total, PE: 9. 220/14.
25/47/28%, 238C-140P. 2283 cal.

Read (and Read and Read) the Label.

MuscleTech Smart Protein™ Bar. It's got muscle and protein in the name.

In the wrapper, though, it's more sugar than protein. While the callout screams 20g Protein! The bar has more grams of carbs than 20... but that's not being advertised.
The 30 grams-of-protein bar has 38 grams of carbohydrate. There's a reason it tastes like Triple Chocolate Chips.

Ingredients: Protein Isolate Blend (Whey Protein Isolate, Milk Protein Isolate), Soy Protein Isolate...

How's this possible? Reading the ingredients list on the label shows the first and second ingredients as Protein - if you read the parens, it's one, two, three, four - Protein, Protein, Protein, Protein. Awesome.

How's it even possible to have more carbs then?

Let's read on.

Ingredients: Protein Isolate Blend (Whey Protein Isolate, Milk Protein Isolate), Soy Protein Isolate, Chocolate Coating (Maltitol, Palm Kernel Oil, Whey Protein, Sugar, Cocoa Powder, Soy Lecithin, Vanillin), Chocolate Cookie Pieces (Wheat Flour, Sugar, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil, Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Salt, and Sodium Bicarbonate), Glycerine, Polydextrose, Corn Syrup, Water, Hydrolyzed Gelatin, Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil, Sugar, Rice Flour, Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Fructose, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Chocolate Liquor, Non Fat Dry Milk, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Rice Starch, Sucralose, Evaporated Cane Juice, Peanut Flour, Wheat Starch, Almond Flour, Pecans, Walnuts, Cashews, Hazelnuts.

Combine all those sugars and starches and flours and shites and the grand total is more than the proteins. It's simple math, just with the numbers hidden from view.

A reminder that the bottom line - total protein vs. total carb - is the way to weigh your protein bar, if you must eat one. The manufacturer's ingredients breakdown is usually deliberately misleading. Smart Marketing, but not Smart Protein.

Ca - PushPullaton - Dec 18

6 rounds in .30 on 1.15
Recline DB press @ 50s x12-13
Lifefitness vert pull machine x12's
15 mins.
The DBs were too too light, but that's all we had to work with in the hotel gym. Good posterior delt work on that machine.

Cash out
5 tabata rounds:
4 way planks/DB thrusters x10 @ 40's
10 mins.
These sucked.

8 - 2 hours, 0100-0900/48 hours. 27 mins total, PE: 9.
45/38/17%, 294C-129P. 3114 cal. Major Lose.

Cl - Overhead Squat - Dec 16

Minimum day.
4 rounds.
Overhead Squats 65#x10/75x11/85x12/95x13/105x14
Simplicity calf x15 @ 14/15/16/17

After the first set, squats were real deal deep. Pretty stiff on that first set these days though.

9 hours, 2200-0700/24 hours. 13 mins total, PE: 8. 216/15.
40/34/26%, 199C-148P. 2638 cal.

Ca - Hypertrophy Pulls - Dec 15

Death by pull downs, kinda.
6 doubled rounds, on the Simplicity, @ 13 just to get things going.
6 mins.

Main set:
4 rounds x10 in .30 on 1.15
Simplicity bench @11
Bent over rows @ 115#
Press @ 115#
Simplicity pulls @ 13
20 mins.

Cash out
3x
10 oly curl @65#/75/75
20 pumps
8 mins.

9 - 3 hours, 2200-0700/24 hours. 34 mins total, PE: 8. 217/13.
44/22/34%, 158C-248P. 2935 cal.

Cl - Dead Rounds - Dec 14

Wow, woke up a touch sore from the power cleans yesterday. I never would have predicted that, especially with the double count rounds - was keeping the volume low in the hopes of keeping the bar speed high. Win.

Buy in:
5 tabata rounds of the quad:
Squat/plank/side plank/side plank/boat
12 mins.

Main set:
3 rounds:
Deads @ 215# x8/10/10
Seated curl x11 @ 130/145/160
Extensions x11 @ 160/175/190
Simplicity calf x15 @15/16/17
16 mins.

9 hours, 2200-0700/24 hours. 28 mins total, PE: 8. 217/13.
32/32/36%, 182C-208P. 2274 cal.

Ca - Death by Power Cleans - Dec 13

Death by Power Cleans - 5 double rounds + 11 reps @ 115#
Took a blow during what was round 6, but waited too long to get the last rep in.
7 mins.

4 rounds of the circuit in .30 on 1.15, shooting for 12 reps per round:
Simplicity pulls @ 13/13/13/12
Simplicity bench @ 12/12/12/11
Bent over row @ 115#
Simplicity press @ 11/11/10/drop set,11-8
21 mins.

cash out:
3x 65# oly curls / downward dog stretch
5 mins.

10 hours, 2100-0700/24 hours. 34 mins total, PE: 9. 216/14.
46/12/42%, 50C-175P. 1876 cal. Should have taken some protein in the afternoon, but, Win.

Wl - Front Squat - Dec 12

Front Squat. Good form throughout.
10x bar, 10x 95#, 8x 145#, x7, x6, x6, x6
12 mins.

3 rounds of the Circuit:
Simplicity calves @ 14/15/16/(17) x15
11x extension @ 160/175/190
RDL @ 145# x8/x10/x10
11 mins.
One more calf there, as you see.

9 hours, 2200-0700/48 hours. 24 mins total, PE: 8. 219/14.
36/11/53%, 38C-191P. 1487 cal. Win.

Ca - Bonus - Dec 10

Was supposed to take today off, but I'm feeling like it, and, knowing that I'll be drinking beers and watching UFC tonight and won't be doing anything tomorrow but drinking beer and watching cyclocross.

5 rounds in .30 on 1.15
max rep pulls (10's to 8's, pretty much)
max rep press @ 120# (same)
... one more dose of pulls.

11.5 - 2 hours, 2100-0830/24 hours. 11 mins total, PE: 8. 220/15.
27/33/41%, 194C-240P. 3015 cal.

Wl - 4-3/4-4 - Dec 9

No timer today. Just feelin' it.

Circuit:
3 rounds:
x10 Ov squat @ 55#. Rock bottom.
x11 extensions @ 160/175/190
x11 seated curl @130/145/160
...and one more go at the squats.

then
4 rounds:
Simplicity Calf x15 @ 14/15/16/17 -- Deads x10 @ 185/195/215/215

10 hours, 2100-0700/24 hours. PE: 8. 217/16.
31/29/41%, 181C-257P. 3076 cal.

Ca - Death by Bent Rows - Dec 8

Death by Bent over Rows - 8.10 double rounds @115#
10 mins.

Simplicity Bench, Press, Pull circuit
11's @12-10-14, for the most part, in .30 on 1.15
16 mins.
It's hypertrophy, who gives a crap about specifics?

3 rounds
Oly bar curls x10s @ 65#
4 mins.

8.5 hours, 2200-0630/24 hours. 31 mins total, PE: 8. 220/15.
29/14/57%, 69C-282P. 2351 cal. Win.

All in the Numbers.

You need to do two things to get stronger: add weight and do more reps. The answer has never been: lift light weights for high reps, or lift heavy weights for few reps. The answer remains: Lift heavy weights for high reps. - Dan John

Wl - Death by Squats - Dec 7

A little death.

Buy in:
Tabata 3-way planks and banana boats - I dunno, 6 rounds? Spent a goodly amount of time messing with the timer.
14 mins.

Death by Squats - double count @ 115#
6 rounds.
7 mins.

4 sets of calves on the Simplicity @ 14/15/16/15 x15
6 mins.

... one more squat x20 as a final FU.

7.5 hours, 2330-0700/24 hours. 30 mins total, PE: 9. 218/15.
32/32/37%, 133C-153P. 1808 cal.

Ca - Thrusters n' Such - Dec 6

Buy in:
4x
Thrusters @ bar/@95#
Pumps x20
11 mins.

4 rounds, Antagnonists in .30 on 1.115:
Simplicity Bench @ 11 x11 / Simplicity pull @13 x11
13 mins.

...one set of bent over rows, what was going to be a 3 round cash out, but I thought better of it after 5 reps.

8 hours, 2000-0700/24 hours. 26 mins total, PE: 8. 219/15.
37/34/28%, 219C-181P. 2779 cal.

Wl - Death by Double Deads - Dec 5

Death by Deadlift - double count.
7 rounds @ 155#
Not much to say here, just ran out of gas on the last round. Breathing is difficult. Sore on day two.
7 mins.

3 rounds:
Extension x11/ Seated curl x11/ Simplicity calves x15
11 mins.

9.5 hours, 2200-0730/72 hours. 18 mins total, PE: 9. 219/14.
40/27/33%, 129C-156P. 2098 cal.

Ca - Death by SDHP - Nov 30

Death by Sumo pulls @ 115#. Can't believe I've not done this (at least, not logged the effort). So, a new PR today.
11 rounds plus 7 reps. Felt great through 10, then just had some real difficulty with 11, ending the round as 12 started.
12 mins.

3 rounds in .30 on 1.15:
Simplicity bench x12 @ 11
Simplicity pulls x12-10-9 @ 13-13-12
Bent over rows @ 115# x12-12-10. Feel the friggin' burn.
13 mins.

I dunno, right now I don't feel great, so I'm downshifted into hypertrophy mode. I have high hopes for the annual plan starting in Jan.

11.5 - 1 hours, 2000-0730/24 hours. 25 mins total, PE: 9. 216/14.
40/16/44%, 94C-259P. 2736 cal.

Wl - Deeper - Nov 29

3 sets of each, alternating in 1.00 on 2.00
Back squat x10 / Front squat x10 @ 115#, 125, 135
11 mins.

Simplicty Calf x15 @ 13, 14, 15, 16
RDL @ 135# x10 (three rounds only)
10 mins.

9 hours, 2200-0700/24 hours. 22 mins total, PE: 8. 216/12 (wet).
33/25/42%, 114C-192P. 1954 cal.

Ca - PushPull Antagonists - Nov 28

Lazy, and I don't feel so good. In general, not just pre- or post-.

Buy in:
3 rounds Pumps x20 / Overhead Sqt @ 45#, 65, 95 x10
One min rest between rounds.
10 mins.

Antagonists - 4 rounds in .30 on 1.15
Simplicity Bench @ 12 x10
Bent Over row @ 115# x11
Press @ 115# x10
Pull down @ 13 x10
...one more bench @ 11 for good measure today.
17 mins.

Cash out:
3x10 barbell curl @ 65#
3 mins.

9 hours, 2200-0700/3 days. 30 mins total, PE: 8. 218/14.
34/13/53%, 57C-241P. 1785 cal.

Cl - Stability & Squat - Nov 25

Power wheel, 4 rounds of each in .30 on 1.15:
Back stability holds
Pumps
Rollouts
16 mins.

5 rounds, Squats with 120# on the same timer.
6 mins.

9 + 2 hours, 2300-0800/3 days. 22 mins total, PE: 7. 218.
34/29/37%, 167C-211P. 2867 cal.

Ca - Quad Circuit - Nov 24

4 Rounds in .30 on 1.15:
Pull ups / KB swings 1.5 / Press @ 120# / Ring Push ups
22 mins.

7.5 hours, 2330-0700/3 days. 22 mins total, PE: 7. 218.
35/38/27%, 186C-135P. 2549 cal.

Ca - Hotel PushPull - Nov 21

Simple, on the way into Disneyland.

7x10 pulls / 6x11 reclining DB presses @ 50's

8 - 1 hours, 2300-0700/3 days. 15 mins total, PE: 7.
45/30/25%, 174C-147P. 4220 cal.

Death by Thrusters - Nov 17

Death by Thrusters @ 95#
12.8 rounds. It all felt pretty good, could've used a little more rest at the end there - just to keep from coughing.
14 mins.

Cash out:
Simplicity calf xMax reps @ 13,14,15,15,14,13
8 mins.

10 - 4 hours, 2100-0300/48 hours. 22 mins total, PE: 9. 217/14.
39/14/47%, 59C-201P. 1704 cal.

Ca - PC + PushPull - Nov 15

Today called for a test on Sweet Humble Pie, but I'm not up to any metcon yet. Just doing cleans on a regular min on, min off timer sent me into coughing fits today. I'm about 85% and ticking upward.

Buy in:
Power cleans x10 @ 95#, 105, 115, 125, 135
in 1.00 on 2.00
9 mins.

Push/Pull circuit
4 rounds x11 in .30 on 1.15
Bent over row @105#
Press @105
Simplicity Pulls @ 14, 13, 12
Simplicity Bench (duos) @ 10, 11, 11
15 mins.

9 hours, 2130-0700/24 hours. 25 mins total, PE: 7. 218/12.
40/26/35%, 138C-186P. 2410 cal.

Cl - Front Squats n' Circuit - Nov 14

Buy in:
4x10 overhead squats @ 55#
7 mins.

4x
RDL @ 95# x11
extensions @ 160# x11
Simplicity calf x15 @14-15
Front squat (knees out, hips out, ass in the grass) x11 @ 95#
20 mins.

One more extension, calf and squat because I wasn't up to it today. Don't ask.

9 hours, 2130-0700/3 days. 27 mins total, PE: 8. 218/14.
32/47/21%, 320C-143P. 3487 cal.

Moose Drool Ale - Spit n' Image

It's brown, it's named after a large North American ungulate, and its name suggests oral incontinence. Ah, we market product with our minds, but we drink beer with our mouths! Which is why this American brown ale is your new favorite session beer. Dense layers of malt, caramel, baking chocolate, and a hint of light-roast coffee give way to reveal a hop character you'll be surprised to find if you're used to drinking English brown ale. The finish is complex but balanced, and the gravity is not so high as to keep you from having another.

Sunday.
MattT and I at Walker's place. Another remote brewing on Walker's new turkey burner that seemed to flame out every 15 mins. Used a pair of Northern Brewer Caribou Slobber knockoff kits, but swapped out the Windsor for dry Nottingham (one packet did 10 gallons marvelously well), and added a honey bear to the second 5 gallons just to see what can happen.

Steep Grains - 45 mins up to 170 degrees, in two bags
.5 lbs Briess Caramel 80L
.5 lbs Fawcett Pale Chocolate
.25 lbs Black Malt

Fermentables
12 lbs Amber malt syrup
2 lbs Amber dry malt extract
1 lb Honey late addition (5 min boil)

Hops
2 oz US Goldings (60 min)
2 oz Liberty (45 min)
2 oz Willamette (15 min)

Not too much to report on brew day. All went easily and well. OG: 1050 without the honey, 1064 with - shooting for an OG of 1052..

Fermentation took right off, and the weather was just right for keeping the corneys in the garage at 60 degrees overnight, up to 72ish in the afternoon. In fact, with the locks open, we got a good puddle going and I belatedly moved them into the pantry washbasin. Should have put them there from the get go. Wow, still learning something every time.

Shut down fermentation on Thursday morning. Gave the tanks a shot of 20# Co2 and chilled them at 45 degrees. Sunday night, one week after the boil, we racked both corneys out and back into their original tanks. FG for both: 1012. Right on the mark.

See you after a month of conditioning.

One Month Mark:
Saturday, I watched UFC at Firehouse and sipped Moose Drools all night.
Sunday, Walker got a taste of the brew and said, "That's great." I tasted and said, "Ugh." Dry, bitter, no mouth feel. So, Walker leaves and leaves half a beer behind, and, half an hour later, I take a sip before dumping it down the sink.
Cha-ching.
Once the stuff had a chance to warm up and the chill haze to melt down, sure enough, we had a spot on Moose Drool - tasted, looked, had all the mouthfeel and stuff of the Firehouse draughts.
Now to waste a couple gallons on MattT.

Ca - PushPull - Nov 10

4 rounds in .30 on 1.15
Vert Presses @105# x11-8
Bent over Row @105# x11
Simplicity Pulls @14-12 x9-11
Iso Bench @10 x8 (singles + 1 double)
20 mins.

3 rounds
Oly bar curl x11 @55#
Simplicity Calf x15 @14
6 mins.

10 - 2 hours, 2100-0700/3 days. 27 mins total, PE: 7. 213/14.
45/25/31%, 111C-139P. 1870 cal.

Cl - In the Swing - Nov 7

Still pretty sick, but sicker of doing nothing. A little exercise can only make me better, or sicker, and I've been sicker already. Not afraid of it.

3 rounds:
55# Overhead squat x10
160# Extensions x10
115# Seated curl x11
Simplicity calf x15 @15

One more squat round, and out.
13 mins.

And, yes, in hindsight, doing this was a mistake.

9 - 2 hours, 2200-0700/8 days. 13 mins total, PE: 8.
36/33/31%, 159C-151P. 2327 cal.

Ca - Vert Pulls, KB + Tabata MA - Oct 29

16 rounds in .30 on 1.15
Pulls x10-8 (8 rounds)
Single-hand KB swings x11 w/ 1.5 pood (alternating, 4 rds each)
20 mins.

One round of chins and two-handed swings, for good measure.

Tabata Bag work, punching mostly.
7 + 3 mins.

A trip around the 400m block with Maylow to test the left achilles and the dog. Short-striding didn't help, the achilles isn't happy.

10 hours, 2200-0800/18 hours. 33 mins total, PE: 9.
32/40/28%, 278C-191P. 2870 cal.

Cl - Squat DE + Circuit - Oct 28

Ov Squat
45#x10, 65x10, 95x10
Ov Sqt/Back Sqt
115#x10/x10, same, same
18 mins.

4 rounds
RDL @ 165#x10
Simplicity calf @16x15
10 mins.

9 hours, 2200-0700/18 hours. 28 mins total, PE: 8. 215/12
26/16/57%, 58C-206P. 1448 cal.

Wa - Dead ME + Horz Push Pull - Oct 27

Deads
135# x11, 185x10, 225x7(5+2) , 275x1, x1, x1 225x7 (5+2)
13 mins.

Recline DB presses
8x10 with 60's in .30 on 1.15
11 mins.

Horz rows on cable with neutral strap handles in .30 on 1.15
11@ 70#, 10@ 80, 9 @90, 4 @100, 10 @80
7 mins.

7.5 - 1 hours, 2230-0600/30 hours. 32 mins total, PE: 8.
37/31/33%, 127C-136P. 1629 cal.

Rip Said It.

The problem is that most people, at various points in their training careers, lose sight of the basis for all productive training. They forget that the goal is always to produce a stress that induces recovery and supercompensation and that, as advancement continues, the increased timeframe of this response must be factored in. Variety for variety's sake is pointless. All training must be planned, and success must be planned for. All the variety in the world is no substitute for correct planning.

This noted just days before burying myself for a sick week with the jackhammer of overfrequency.

Metcon - Susan - Oct 26

Hey, my butt's a little sore from the Thrusters yesterday. Go figure. I've done tons more squats and not felt it.

Susan on the treadmill - 9.0 mph/6:42 pace with 1.5% grade, 10 push ups, 10 air squats. Used the camera on time lapse, so only got the rounded up time... 15 mins. Felt fine, not a gas problem or muscular problem.

Felt the left achilles rebel a little on the runs though. I'm biking until springtime.

6 hours, 000-0600/24 hours. 15 mins total, PE: 9. 212/12.
29/49/22%, 329C-149P. 3176 cal. Today was a bust.

Ca - Death by Thrusters - Oct 25

After a pair of days off, one would think I'd have been really ready for this. But I wasn't – wasn't feeling up for hammering today. Maybe I'd have gotten another round. At least I could have done 10 rounds... just not there today. Next time better score better - you're competing against a partial man today.

Death by thrusters @ 115# - 9 rounds + 7.

Then, 4 rounds of the Ca circuit
Simplicity Pulls @ 15 x10
Simplicity bench @ 11 x11-10
PP @ 125, 115, 105 x10
15 mins.

Another set of the pulls and bench to close it.

8.5 hours, 2230-0700/52 hours. 25 mins total, PE: 9. 213/16.
37/30/33%, 188C-208P. 2844 cal.

BRB - Dew's Back Tire + Brighthouse Hill - Oct 22

Up and out to SMG, met up with Dew and hung on his wheel all morning on the MTB. 13 + 31 out, 27 back.

9 repeats on the hill. 15 mins.

8.5 hours, 2130-0620 /18 hours. 93 mins total, PE: 8.
38/25/37%, 164C-244P. 3245 cal.

Wl - L-ightly Done - Oct 21

Feeling a bit thin in the skin today. Schedule called for a Squat DE day and Cl circuit. This is the approximation.

First, the circuit 4x:
Simplicity calf 15/16/17/17 x15
Ext 175/190/205/205# x10
RDL 115/165/185/185 x10-8
17 mins.

Overhead Squat x10
65/95/115/115/115/95
Nice and deep and wide and all that stuff. I'm not going heavy today, just doing them correctly for the ages.
13 mins.

9 - 1 hours, 2330-0630 /24 hours. 31 mins total, PE: 8. 213/14.
30/19/51%, 100C-268P. 2463 cal.

Ca - Death by PP + Horz Push - Oct 20

Death by Push Press; 9 rounds + 3 @ 125#
What to say? When there's no more push to push, there's no more push to push.

Ca Circuit - 4 rounds in .30 on 1.15
Simplicity bench @ 13 (wrong), then x10 @ 12 (right)
Simplicity pull @ 15 x8-10
Push press @ 115# x8-9
Bent over row @ 115# x10

...cashed out with 3 more on the bench @ 13, 12, 11 on the same timer.
20 mins.

9 - 1 hours, 2145-0645 /24 hours. 31 mins total, PE: 8. 211/11.
34/30/36%, 165C-196P. 2397 cal.

Wl - Dead ME - Oct 19

Deadlift.
115# x10, 185x10, 235x7, 285x1, 295x0, x1
16 mins.
It's not heavy, it just won't move. 295 is all the weight that Anytime has right now. See if I can't work that up to a triple.

Frt Squat.
95#x10, 115x10, 145x10, 165x8, 145x10
11 mins.
No messing around, sets on the 2 min, deep.

Cl circuit - 4 rounds:
ext x10 @ 175# / seated curl x10 @ 160# / Simplicity calf x16-13 @ 16
... and another calf just, you know.
13 mins.

5.5 hours, 2330-0500 /24 hours. 41 mins total, PE: 8.
51/12/36%, 73C-213P. 2345 cal.

Wa - Vert Pull + SDHP - Oct 18

Buy in:
Push Press 95#x10, 145x5, 165x0 (WTF?), 145x5, x4, x4
10 mins.

Main set:
10! SDHP @ 115# / Simplicity Pulls @ 14
I liked it so much, when Wictor arrived late, I turned around and did 10! again, reversed. A little more volume than I planned for today, but. But what are you gonna do? Correct. Hammer.
35 mins.

8.5 hours, 2230-0700 /24 hours. 47 mins total, PE: 8. 212/13.
40/22/38%, 134C-233P. 2615 cal.

The Pump Video Demo.

Can't find a good video demo of a pump anywhere. That's still the case, but now there's at least something on the web.

Wl - Squat Day - Oct 17

Ate pretty badly yesterday, and today, no better. Schedule called for a Squat ME day, but no rack. So, what we lack in poundage, we make up for in yardage.

Overhead squat x10/Back squat x10 @ 45#, 65#, 95#, 115#, 145# (x5 Overhead only), x10/x10 @ 115#, 115#, 115#, 95#
Focused on dropping them all deep and in the pocket.

Cl Circuit 3 rounds
extensions @ 175# (first rep, both patellar ligaments popped - very disconcerting) x10
Simplicity calf @ 16 x16
RDL @ 145# x10

...one more calf visit, just so.

8.5 hours, 2230-0700 /30 hours. 30 mins total, PE: 8. 213/13.
31/17/52%, 62C-190P. 1546 cal.

BRB Brick - Oct 16

MTB to Brighthouse hill, 28 there, 28 back.

6 hill repeats on the long slope, 4 on the steep slope. 13 mins.

8 hours, 2300-0700 /24 hours. 74 mins total, PE: 8.
43/37/20%, 146C-78P. 1928 cal.

Dice Deals - Hip n' Hinge - Oct 15

15 rounds Dice rolls:
15x KB swings (3 sets)
8x 120# deep back squats (6 sets)
4x 120# squat cleans (6 sets)
in .30 on 1.15
19 mins.

Tabata Bag work:
12 mins.

One-arm KB swings
6x10 (3 sets per arm) in .30 on 1.15
7 mins.

Bag work was the shizzle today. Gonna have to do that more frequently.

9 - 1 + 2 hours, 2200-0700 /24 hours. 39 mins total, PE: 9. 210/13.
31/24/44%, 131C-241P. 2597 cal.

Ca - PullPush Couplets - Oct 14

5x
Pull ups x10-8
Ring push ups x12
13 mins.

4x
Ring rows x8ish
Push press @120# x10-8
10 mins.

9 - 1 hours, 2130-0630 /13 hours. 23 mins total, PE: 7. 213/14.
40/21/39%, 134C-252P. 2943 cal.

Wl - Today, We Squat - Oct 13

Can't have a Wl day without a squat rack. Improvising at lunch is fine in a pinch, and as an intellectual excercise, but there's not really a need to cut corners.

Overhead 45# x10, 65 x10, 95 x10, 115 x10
Squat 185# x8, 225 x6, 245 x6, 275 x5 (felt shallow), x5, x3 (put the bench in back to "reach" for the box, and sure enough, I didn't get there), 225 x6 deep.
27 mins.

Circuit - 3 rounds
Calves on the A-frame @ 5 x15
Seated Calf @ 45s x12
Extensions @ 190/205/225 x12
Seated curl @ 130/145/160 x12
...One more go at the calf duo on the way out the door.
12 mins.

9 - 1 hours, 2200-0700 /30 hours. 40 mins total, PE: 7. 214/14.
54/9/37%, 60C-248P. 2823 cal.

Ca - Death by PC - Oct 12

Death by Power cleans.
10 rounds + 2 reps @ 135#
Missed at the top, just couldn't catch it. Plenty of hip left though.
10 mins.

Simplicity circuit
4x 12's - missed low, especially since I was doing iso's - 7's on isos.
press @ 10/11/12/11
bench @ 10/11/12/11
pulls @ 13/14/13/13
14 mins.

8.5 - 1 hours, 2230-0700 /24 hours. 24 mins total, PE: 9. 216/12.
35/17/48%, 71C-208P. 2000 cal.

Cl - Easy on the Legs! - Oct 11

Still sore, hamstrings and quads.

Buy in:
5x max reps in time - in .45 on 1.30 (12s+)
Ov Sqt with 45# (one with 65)
6 mins.

4x Circuit:
Seated curl @ 115,130,145,160 x12
Extension @ 175,190,205,220 x12
Simplicity calf @ 15,16,17,16 x15
RDL @ 135 x10-11
16 mins.

3x
Simplicity calf @ 16 x13 / Back Squat @ 135# x12
7 mins.

9.5 hours, 2100-0630 /24 hours. 30 mins total, PE: 8. 214/14.
34/22/43%, 104C-202P. 1894 cal.

Ca - Too Sore to Squat - Oct 10

Feeling the legs today after Volkslauf. SDHPs were good for getting out the kinks.

5 rounds x12s on the Simplicity Bench, Pull, Press. In .30 on 1.15.
Bench @ 9,10,11,12,11
Pull @ 12,13,14,14.13
Press @ 9,10,11,12,11
15 mins.

5x10 SDHP @ 95# in .45 on 1.30. Moving one finger in on the grip each set, starting with all fingers on the knurling.
8 mins.

9.5 hours, 2130-0700 /48 hours. 24 mins total, PE: 8. 213/13.
45/20/34%, 130C-223P. 2880 cal.

Volkslauf 2011 - Oct 8

The strength of the wolf is the pack, and the strength of the pack is the wolf.

Perfect, perfect weather for the run. Post race 72 degrees. Running with Aron and Chacho, and working our way through the obstacles together. Took plenty of walking breaks during the run section, and coming into the ditch, felt my lower back tightening up. Guess I've not been running enough - but that's a blessing as my achilles tendons are fine post-race.
Just felt stronger and stronger through the water, and enjoyed the obstacles. Took them a bit leisurely - spending additional time to help other runners.

4.5 miles: 50.10
5 miles: 56.16
Into the ditch: 1.02.18 (10.39 to do it)
First obstacle: 1.12.58 (19.41 to do 'em)
End: 1.32.39

The 10k's still a run, after all. Helped everyone else over the traditional 8-foot wall, and a couple other people, only to look around and find myself alone. Up, pull and heelhook FTW... glad to see that it's still there.

7.5 + 1.5 hours, 2145-0545 /48 hours. 92 mins total, PE: 8. 213/13.
40/37/24%, 269C-174P. Beers at the Firehouse for UFC to recharge. 3519 cal.

Cl - Bear Complex - Oct 6

Buy in:
5 Bear Complexes x7
65#, 95#, 115#, missed at 135# at 2.5 (not focusing on the press over to the back) and then at 5 (failure), 115#.
Yesterday was off, but my shoulders felt like paper maché today. Lots of presses two days ago, but the Bear compounded it. This was my first real try at the complex (read: last time I was just dicking around compared to today) so I don't know how much toll these exact on the shoulders. But today's payment was a significant one.
18 mins.

Circuit:
4x
x10 extensions @ 175-190-205-220
x11 seated curl @ 115-130-145-160
x15 @ 15 Simplicity calf
x7-8-10-12 RDL @ 135#
17 mins.
Feeling a bit thin today. Resting between stations instead of charging right ahead.

8.5 hours, 2130-0600 /48 hours. 36 mins total, PE: 9. 210/18.
42/24/34%, 172C-246P. 3312 cal.

Ca - Overhead Pressing - Oct 4

Buy in:
6x Overhead Press
x10 @95#, x10 @115#, x8 @ 135#, x2 @ 165#, x4, x5
13 mins.

4x Circuit:
Simplicity bench x8 @13/12/11 - Simplicity pull x10 @14 - Push press x10-8 @ 115#
18 mins.

One more bench @10 and one pull @13 to rep out 10+ for good measure.

8.5 hours, 2130-0700 /24 hours. 31 mins total, PE: 8. 209/18.
43/18/39%, 109C-234P. 2533 cal.

Cl - Front Squats - Oct 3

Buy in:
4x Overheads in .45 on 1.30
x10 @ 45#, 65#, 95#, 115#

Front Squats
x10 @ 115#, x8 @135#, x10, x8
11 mins.

3x circuit:
RDL x10 @ 135#, extensions x10 @ 175#, Calves on the Simplicity x 12 @ 16
9 mins.

Feeling a little flat today.

9 - 1 hours, 2200-0700 /30 hours. 20 mins total, PE: 8. 211/17.
39/18/43%, 106C-254P. 2352 cal.

Ca - Backyardigans - Oct 2

Out there with Kdawg and Hope. All in .45 on 1.30.

5x
10-8 Press @ 120# / Kb swings x16 @ 1.5 pood
17 mins.

5x
Pulls x10-8
Ring dips x10-8
15 mins.

Cash out:
3x8 chins.

8.5 hours, 2130-0700 /24 hours. 36 mins total, PE: 7.
39/23/38%, 132C-222P. 2859 cal.

M Bike - Spin to Win(d) - Oct 1

Easy up Fairfax and down Panorama. 16 miles, one hour. You do the math.

7 hours, 000-0700 /36 hours. 60 mins total, PE: 7.
28/38/34%, 166C-148P. 2187 cal.

Wod - The Chief - Sept 29

Lost count doing running rounds (gonna pick on Wic and say that I was hoping he'd be counting for me, but he'd just done the WoD and wasn't in the mindset to count to 3) 5 and the pushups on the first round, then I think 4 and the cleans on the second. If the 3rd and 4th were 4 rounds each, and I know I got 4 rounds and the cleans on the 5th, then it was 22 rounds and the cleans this time.

Best prior was 4 rounds each round = 20. But those weren't compiling, just stopping after squats to count the full round. Fewer rounds but more rest.

7.5 hours, 2300-0630 /18 hours. 20 mins total, PE: 9. 213/12.
45/22/34%, 133C-206P. 2430 cal.

Wa - Horz d'Oeuvres - Sept 28

5 rounds in .30 on 2:00
Horz row @ 90 x10, x 10-8 @ 100 / Bench x10@185#, x10 @ 205#, x8 225#, x5 245#, x4 255#, x8 225.
23 mins.

5 rounds in .45 on 1.30
Neutral grip pulls x 10-8 / Chins x8
7 mins

8 hours, 2300-0700 /30 hours. 30 mins total, PE: 7. 214/12.
45/31/24%, 138C-105P. 1844 cal.

Cl - Circuit & Overheads - Sept 27

Another easy day.

4 Circuits:
Extensions x11 @175/195/205/220 - Simplicity Calf x16 @16 - RDL x8 @165#
18 mins.

Cash out:
Overhead Sqt x10 @ 65#, x12 @95#, x10 @ 115#, x8 @ 135#
8 mins.

7.5 hours, 2300-0630 /24 hours. 26 mins total, PE: 8. 211/13.
32/25/43%, 143C-247P. 2733 cal.

Ca - Simplicity Circuit - Sept 26

What to say? 5 rounds with Wic on the Shafter Simplicity trio.
x10's In .30 on 1.15
Pulls @ 14-13, Presses @ 11-10, Bench @ 12-11
One more bench for reps for good measure.

9 hours, 2100-0630 /48 hours. 20 mins total, PE: 7. 213/15.
39/27/34%, 92C-115P. 1395 cal.

MBike - Lighthouse Century - Sept 24

Last time we did this ride, it just felt longer. We rode it faster, and stopped just as much, but I suppose we stopped for shorter breaks. Out at 0700, in at 1500.

Right out the gate I knew I wasn't doing well. Wine tasting and beer drinking on the trip over (Tobin James, Eos, Firestone Walker, Castoro, Jan Kris) with nary a sip of water, then some of the worst sleep I've had in months (didn't set the alarm, just knew that Matty's loud mouth would wake me, but kept turning over thinking is it time? is it time?). Drank my way through the first half of the ride, and didn't really feel myself until the final 15 miles. Didn't have any gas on any of the hills - and the only saving grace is that the skies were overcast, cold and spitting mist all day. Any sun at all and I would have probably gone raisin. The early going was fun though - dripping wet but still warm enough to ride. Didn't feel cold, in fact, until mid-morning. No nasty headwinds north of Cambria. Really nice stop for lunch at Sebastian's in San Simeon, right at Hearst Castle.

6.5 - 4 hours, 2200-0430 /36 hours. 325 mins total, PE: 8.
39/42/19%, 361C-159P. 3945 cal.

Wa - One Toke Over the Line - Sept 22

Feeling pretty darn close to overtrained, eight days straight. Life has gotten in the way of training for so long, now that there's time in the clear (granted, during the lunch hour, and with merely adequate gear) I'm all in. Taking tomorrow off as a road day anyway, tapering for the Lighthouse. Still, couldn't dodge the power cleans today. See how everything feels after the weekend and will re-evaluate the schedule.

Buy in:
4x Power clean & Press
95#x10, 115 x8, x8, 135# x6
9 mins.

Circuit - 4 rounds in 30 on 1.15
Simplicity bench @ 12/11 x11/10 - Simplicity pulls @ 14x10 - Push press @115# x7/6
16 mins.

8.5 - 1 hours, 2200-0630 /24 hours. 25 mins total, PE: 8. 211/16.
40/15/45%, 78C-229P. 2294 cal.

Wl - Lunchtime Legs - Sept 21

Buy in:
Ov Squat 45#x10, 65 x12, 95 x14, 115 x10
9 mins.

Deads:
185# x10, 235 x5, x5, 255 x3
8 mins.

Circuit
3 rounds:
RDL 185 x7/ Extensions 175# x12/ Simplicity calves 16 x16
14 mins.

Cash out:
Back squat 135# x20

7 hours, 2130-0540 /24 hours. 31 mins total, PE: 9. 210/15.
34/13/53%, 70C-287P. 2243 cal.

Ca - Pyramid of 4's - Sept 20

Buy in:
4x10,9,10,9 SDHP @ 115#
in 30 on 1.15, which was the work/rest interval theme for the day.

Antagonists:
4x10
Push press @ 115#/Chin grip pull downs @ 13 on the Simplicity

Main Set(?):
5 rounds on the Simplicities x10
Pulls @ 12/11 - Press @ 10 - Bench @ 10
Did the last two rounds of pressing with the oly bar. It's just better that way.

7.5 hours, 2300-0630 /24 hours. 31 mins total, PE: 8. 209/15.
36/21/43%, 126C-260P. 2453 cal.

Cl - Light, but Lots - Sept 19

AM
Power wheel holds/Power Wheel pumps/ab wheel rollouts
10 mins.

PM
Buy in:
Ov Sqt 45x10, 65x12, 95x10+5 back, 115x10,x10, x10
11 mins

Clean
95#x8, 115#x6 - 5 rounds
13 mins

3x16 Simplicity calves @ 16, then

Circuit 3 rds:
Simplicity calves/extension tops @ 175#x12/RDL @ 185#x5-6
21 mins

8.5 hours, 2200-0630 /30 hours. 56 mins total, PE: 8. 210/15.
40/19/41%, 90C-195P. 2087 cal.

Ca - Death by KB & Pull/Push - Sept 18

Buy in:
Death by KB swings. 10 doubled rounds with the 1.5 pood. 20 was enough, don't think I could have gotten 22 in the next round if I'd tried.

Then, 18 rounds in 30 on 1.15:
5 pulls (8's)/4 ring dips (8's/9's)
5 pulls (still 8's)/4 ring push ups (12's)
80 pull ups, feeling like I needed a rep count above 50.

7.5 + 2 hours, 2300-0630 /24 hours. 33 mins total, PE: 8. 213/14.
46/24/30%, 111C-140P. 2236 Cal.

M Bike - Base Camp - Sept 17

AM
Solo to the base of Round Mt - turnaround at 55 mins, where I bumped into Matt and Walker, who escorted me home. They took it easy on me.
27 miles. 1.45.

PM
Ab wheel/Power wheel rollouts.

9.5 - .5 + 1 hours, 2130-0700 /18 hours. 105 mins total, PE: 8. 214/13.
40/23/37% - 190C-298P. 3750 cals.

Wl - Floor, Bar, Me - Sept 16

Buy in:
Deads
165#x10, 235 x6, 255 x4, x5, x4. It's a grip issue. Those 4's had at least the fifth rep left in the tank, but I was gonna drop the bar. On a side note, Shafter Anytime only has 35's and 25's, and I was pulling 255 thinking it was 235. Sure was light when it was 235 in my mind.
15 mins.

Circuit: 4 rounds
Extensions (top range of motion) @ 220 x11/Simplicity calves @ 16 x16/ RDL @ 165 x7,9,11,9
14 mins.

8.5 hours, 2200-0630 /24 hours. 29 mins total, PE: 8. 214/13.
33/19/48% - 89C-219P. 2243 cals.
I'm up a few pounds and feeling bulky. Not blocky, just like it's all meat and I can move the world.

Ca - Squat n' Circuit - Sept 15

Buy in:
Overhead Squat: 45# x20, 65# x20, 95# x15, x13, x1,7 x15
23 mins.

Main set:
Simplicity circuit, 6 rounds in .30 on 1.15
Pull @ 14/15/14/14/13/12 x8-12 - Iso Press (hold at bottom) @ 12-10 x7-8 - Iso Bench @ 13-10 x7-8
16 mins.

9 hours, 2200-0700 /48 hours. 39 mins total, PE: 8.
41/19/40%, C-159 P-337, 3696 cals. A good day shitcanned by 3 pieces of pizza.

Wl - Rackless - Sept 13

Buy in:
Ov Sqt x13-12's @ 45-65-95-115#
9 mins

Front Squat
115#x10, 165#x6 x7 x6 x6
14 mins
Tried to do 175# on the last set but failed to clean it off the floor. Man, I want bumpers. Doing squats with just the deck and the bar is cool.

Circuit Omissions
2 rounds
Simplicity calves x15, Extensions x10, Seated curl x10, Romanian DL @ 115 (first)/135 (all after)
Dropped the Seated curl, then DLs, then Ext, for 5 sets of Calves.
14 mins

9.5 hours, 2130-0700 /24 hours. 39 mins total, PE: 8.
34/16/50%, C-74 P-226, 2055 cals.

Ca - Pull n' Power Clean - Sept 12

5 sets of 3 Sqt Cleans + 7 Hang Power Cleans
@ 95#/115#/135#//
15 mins,

Then, 8 rounds of 6-8 Simplicity pull downs in 30 on 60ish @ 15 (about 5 sets) and 13 (last 3 sets).
12 mins.

6.5 hours, 030-0700 /30 hours. 27 mins total, PE: 8.
21-36-43% - 156C/186P - 1711 cal.

Goblet Squat Demo - Professional Edition.

Hotel Modicum - Sept 11

7 rounds x 10s of reclining presses with neutral grip/6 of inclining presses with bar grip @ DB 50#'s - in 30 on 1.15 - 16 mins.

11 tabata rounds of bottom-to-bottom goblet squats with 35# - 6 mins

5 rounds of plank-pulls with 35#s (too much), 25#s (still too much), and finally 20#s.

8 hours, 2230-0700 /72 hours. 29 mins total, PE: 7.

M Bike - Sept 8

Sumo pulls yesterday, or just an accumulation of bad rest? Either way, the legs didn't have it today.
Up Panorama, down Rattlesnake, back on the bike path. Climbing feels good, power output on the flats was flat.

8 hours, 2200-0600 /18 hours. 92 mins total, PE: 8.

Ca - Nameless Anon - Sept 7

Terrible sleep.

5 rounds, in .30 on 1.15:
Simplicity pulls x8 @ 15/14
Simplicity bench x7 @ 14
Push press @ 95 x10 /135 x5 /115 x/115/115
...one more pull set for good measure.

Cash out:
SDHP x10 @ 95#/ 3x8 @ 115#
Somethin' like that.

6 hours, 000-0600 /24 hours. 23 mins total, PE: 8.

Cl - Sept 6

Buy in:
Ov Sqt with bar only
3x10
Front Squat @ 95/115/115#

3 rounds:
Extensions x7 /Seated curl x11 /Simplicity calf x15

Cash out:
3x8/10/10 Front Squat @ 135#

7 hours, 2300-0600 /36 hours. 25 mins total, PE: 6.
42/17/41, 31 C-92 P-226, 2299 cals.

M Bike - Sept 5

Out to Enos and back (thankfully, as I don't want to stay out there) on Walker's Kestrel. Quite a few stops to adjust seat height, etc, but lots of steady state work.

72 hours. 124 mins total, PE: 7.
39/27/64, 34 C-212 P, 2972 cals.

Ca - Lunch Circuit - Sept 2

Buy in:
Ov Squat x 10 @ 65# 3 rounds/ Easy calves on the Simplicity x15 @ 14

Main Set:
5x (7's mostly)
Simplicity Pull @ 14/15, Press @ 12/11, Horz Press @12
in 30, on 1.15s

Cash out:
Same as Buy in.

7 hours, 000-0700 /72 hours. 25 mins total, PE: 8. 211/11.

Bike + PullPush - Aug 30

AM
To Darrell's turnaround and back. The new slick on the front wheel makes a difference. Started off with 14 mph average, and just don't have the discipline to ride easy.
10.88 miles, 16 MPH.

PM
Simplicity pulls and press machines, 6 rounds each.
Pull: 15x8,16x7,17x5,17x5,16x8,15x8
Press: 12-13-14-14-13-12 - 6's mostly.

8.5 hours, 2200-0630 /12 hours. 41 + 15 mins total, PE: 7. 212/14.

LP - Aug 29

Squat 135/8 - 185/5 - 225/5 - 245/5x4
RD 135/10 - D 225/5-245/5 - RD 155/7-/8
Free Bench 155/8 - 205/8 - 245/5 - 250/5-/3-/5

Squats didn't feel heavy, it's just mental. Deadlifts need work. And, the irony continues as the bench is still heavier than them both. Only managed three on the second work set only because I wasn't ready. For all that, it's good to be going heavy again. I'm built for it.

Cash out:
4x20 to 12 Seated Calves @ 70

10.5 - 2 hours, 2030-0700 /72 hours. 50 mins total, PE: 7. 210/14.
63/12/64, 31 C-63 P, 1252 cals.

LP - Whatever the Fock - Aug 26

So, two days of cortisol, worry, and appointments. Training can supplant real life, but we're training to blunt the effects of real life's bruises, right?

AM
Couldn't sleep. Got on the MTB, but my legs were so hollow, I shut it down at Yokuts and did pull ups in my bike shoes and helmet.
8 rounds max reps in 30 on 1.15 of chins, neutral grips and some pulls

PM
1x10 press @ #115/5x135 x 4 rounds
1x5 squat cleans @ #115/5x5 @ #135

Anytime Shafter sucks shite so badly, it's just a tortuous hell to get what I got today. There's one bar and nothing else. Afterwards, tried to forget it at Lengthwise.

7.5 hours, 2130-0500 /12 hours. 28 + 13 mins total, PE: 6. 211/14.
28/20/52, 102 C-287 P, 2814 cals.

MTB - Aug 23

What's up with 205# this morning? Today was a 15 year BW low.

AM
Jewetta turnaround this dirty-air morning, in the weeds on the singletracks - taking it easy but pushing circles down on the aerobars when back on the asphalt. Picked up a crawdad trying to crawl across the bike path on the way back and took 'm home.
Used Runkeeper this time, it continues to log when stopped, so the moving average is dicked up.
15.18 miles - 4:28 min/mi.

Three weeks ago I did this on the pavement all the way in 59. Four weeks ago on the pavement in 61. Next time no stops for crayfish, and we'll see if I can't break an hour on the dirt.

PM
8xmax pulls in 30, on 1:30 on the Simplicity machine @ 14x12/15x10/16/17x5/17x5/16/15/14x12. Scap pulls after I couldn't rep out, usually set the grips "down" after 20 secs as the grip went.
12 mins.

8.5 hours, 2130-0600 /12 hours. 67 + 12 mins total, PE: 8. 205/12.
29/30/41, 163 C-227 P, 2178 cals.

LP - Aug 22

Ov Squat 45x10, 65x10, Back Squat 205x5, 225x5, 235x5 for 4

Romanian Dead 135x10, Dead 205x5, 235x5 for 2

Bench (Smith) 135x10, 225x5, 240x5/x5/x6.
37 mins.
Squats felt good, Deads felt bad, Bench felt light.

Cash out:
A-frame singles x8 @3, seated @ 45 x12 for 2
4 mins.

8.5 hours, 2200-0630 /24 hours. 41 mins total, PE: 8. 212/12.
37/18/45, 83C-209P, 1969cals. Today was a good day.

S Run + Pulls - Aug 21

Run to Yokuts - 16.20.

7 sets of strict chins, 30 on, 45 off, falling into the 3 - 8 rep range.

11 rounds of 5 box jumps and hill sprints, in 18, on 53.

Home in 14.10. Grabbed a couple of rocks on the way back.

Side note: running continues to dick up my left achilles. I was hoping that subbing all the biking for the running these last couple of weeks would have made some sort of difference, but it's throbbing as I type this, so. Fock running for a while.

8.5 hours, 2200-0630 /12 hours. 55 mins total, PE: 8. 212/12.

AR - Death by Push Press - Aug 20

Buy in:
4 rounds Ab Wheel rollouts/Power wheel pumps

Death by Push Press
9 rounds @ 123#
Testing the shoulder, felt fine. Strict pushes, mostly. Didn't hammer out max rounds, just easy.

Cash out:
3x20 KB swings @ 1.5 pood

8.5 hours, 2200-0630 /60 hours. 25 mins total, PE: 6. 212/12.

MTB Hills - Aug 18

Cracked 207 today, just when I was wondering if 209 was a set point.

Up Alta Vista to do Alfred Harrell twice, then back the same way, through the Circle. Not much remarkable today, save for the fact that I felt stronger on the second rep than I did on the first.

8 hours, 2200-0600 /36 hours. 65 mins total, PE: 8. 206/14 post work and eats.

Ca - Simplicity LP-ish - Aug 17

Going heavy with the dopey Simplicity machines at Anytime.
5 roundsx5 min: 40 on, 55 off with 5 extra warning.

Pull @ 16, 5 + 5 scap pulls
Press @ 10 round 1, then 13 - Isos in up position
Bench @ 11 round 1, then 14 - Isos same

Turned my right shoulder into hamburger doing the isos. Try 'em low next time. Or, next time, maybe the stupid box will have some free weights.

9 hours, 2200-0700 /20 hours. 26 mins total, PE: 8. 209/11.

LP - Aug 16

Bit of a rush today, skanked a bit on the Bench press, but since I did it on the Smith machine last time, I was approaching this tentatively.

Squat: 45x10, 65x10 (ov) - 185x5, 205x5, 215x5 x3 rds
Dead: 45x10, 135x10, 225x5
Bench (free): 135x10, 205x5, 225x5, 245x3 (fail), 235x5, 245x5 (win)

Says something about my training history that I can walk in pretty cold to the bench after not really having done it for - what? - 10 years and go heavier than both Squat or Dead. Without a spotter. This will change, though. I predict the bench will get stuck very soon, while the Squat and Deads won't until winter. Fingers crossed. Although the squat does feel good. Not light, but good. Especially as it's pushing on my left shoulder when my arm's crimped back.

9 + 2 hours, 2200-0700 /36 hours. 31 mins total, PE: 7. 212/16.

MTB Brick - Aug 15

Steady state on the MTB to River Walk. 27 there, 26 back.
6 repeats up the West side of the ampitheater hill. 8 mins.

6 +2 hours, 030-0615 /18 hours. 67 mins total, PE: 8. 210/11.

Ca - 100 Tabata Pulls - Aug 14

100 pulls on the Carp beach bar. The best bar around, bar none! Tabata count, 5 reps per round, 20 rounds. On pull number 92, the skin on my right hand popped. Gonna lose that callous, but for now it's just sliced and burns.

Last time I did Angie, it took a lot longer to do 1oo. Using a tabata timer, it's a pretty good way to get to 100 in 10 mins.

9 -1 hours, 2230-0730 /24 hours. 10 mins total, PE: 9. 215/9 PM.

AR - Hotel Modicum - Aug 13

Thursday and Friday night's sleep was pretty terrible, tent camping with the JH group at San Simeon. Bad food, just laying around, no stretching... both days were just off days, which I think I needed. I needed this short, high-intensity work too. Seemed just right for the day.

Tabata -
10 rounds, 30# DB thrusters (10-7) each.
9 rounds, back flyes on the pec dec. These burned more than you know.

9 -1 hours, 2130-0630 /48 hours. 10 mins total, PE: 9.

Ca - Where It Don't Hurt - Aug 11

AM
Legs were too wasted to get up and ride hills today. The better part of valor?

Dropped in the gym, since I'm outta town for the next couple, and even though I'm a bit overtrained, I can't just let this go. So, doing in what's not sore.

PM
Buy in:
5x Romanian Deads @ 95x10/x10/115x8/x10/x12
4x10 Seated Calves @ 70
18 mins.

Main set:
10! Hourglassed Chins/Bar dips on 1.20
Did everything unbroken but the final 9 and 10 dips - that last 10 went in twos... when it gave out, the wheels just flat fell off. Best to start with the 10 dips and one pull up, if I remember next time.
13 mins.

9 -1 hours, 2130-0630 /27 hours. 31 mins total, PE: 7. 209/15.

LP - Aug 10

This feels easy, since it's not so dense. Still, kept the pace up with 1.30 RI. Still trying to balance going heavy with going fast. Maybe there will be something to all of this - easy days are too hard and hard days are too easy. Here, the heavy days have been too light, and the metcon days have been too slow.

Squat: 45x10/65x10 (both OV)/135x8/185x5/205x5 four rounds
Press: 135x5/155x3/145x5/x4/x5
Power Clean-Clean: 135x4/x5/x5/x5 (sq clean)

I'm going to do full squat cleans from here on out. There's no reason for me to cheeze on theeze.

7.5 hours, 2200-0530 /18 hours. 41 mins total, PE: 7. 210/13.

M Bike + LP - Aug 9

AM
Dew pulled me to the RR bridge near Enos and back on a gorgeous morning. 17.4 mph average, but I spent most all of it in the pocket, just trying to hang on. Aero bars make a difference though! Gonna get a slick and throw it on the front wheel at least, since I don't have anything but the becoming-a-cross MTB to ride.

PM
Day one of week one as I start LP.
Bench (shitty Smith Machine ... beggars) 135x10/185x10/205x10/225x8/235x6/245x5
Squat 45x10/65x10 Ov/95x10/135x8/155x8/185x5
Dead 135x10/205x5

7.5 hours, 2130-0545 /24 hours. 90 + 35 mins total, PE: 9.

S run - Mile Test - Aug 8

I ran this three months ago in 7.23. Today, 7.30. I've dropped 9 pounds - was at 218 then - but I do remember selling out on that run. Today I was trying to find my stride the whole way, and really giving 85%. Guess that's how I've been training - kinda easy.

Anyway, I was thinking that I'd beat my last time even in cruise mode. I just need to lay down a base, which I will do on the bike here over the next phase of linear progression. Then we'll see about adding speed.

73 degrees today and pretty thick air.

7 hours, 2300-0600 /24 hours. 27 mins total, PE: 9.

WoD - Push, Pull, Tug & Tow - Aug 7

4x10
Press @ 120#/Pull up/KB Swing 1.5 pood
400 m run

rd 1: 5.04; 2: 6.00 (had to wait for the dog); 3: 5.29; 4: 5.08.

Cash out:
4x10 ab wheel rollouts & power wheel pumps.

7 + 2.5 hours, 2300-0600 /24 hours. 21 mins total, PE: 9. 209/13.

MTB - Round Mt - Aug 6

Took an AR day yesterday, two bouts with the ab rollouts and power wheel.

Got up early today and solo'ed Round Mt road. Took it pretty easy - 85% effort on the North side climb - and generally 80% throughout. They're tearing up the road in the Poso area, good day to ride the MTB through there. Felt sorry for the roadies.
56 mins to Ambermill up Chester, 27 to the climb, 24 up, 27 to the old (now defunct) water by Okihi, 43 home. Finished in just under 3 hours. 85 degrees today.

7.5 hours, 2230-0600 /36 hours. 177 mins total, PE: 8. 210/13.

MTB Hills + Wa - Shot in the Dark - Aug 4

I need to start tagging these logs with nutritional information. Adding the bed/wake times is a telling factor. I'd like to mention cals/dehydration/PCF% consumed ... and some other things from Dan John's recovery scale. Just not today.

AM
Two repeats up Alfred Harrell on the MTB. 22 to get there, 6/5.30 to climb the bluff each time. Hammered on the second one, and boogied home down Panorama. Note that when they warm up the horses on the north side of Calvary Bible, it really makes that section at the base of Manor a dusty, nasty mess to breathe.

PM
Buy in:
4x10 Ov Squats @ 45/65/95/115
Left glute still feels a bit torn.

5x8
SDHP @ 95 (1st)/105(4) - Incline DB press @ 70's - Cable row @ 100
30 secs RI between items (not rounds)
This was a good rest interval. I was a bit gassed, but I'm going to grow into it. 70's don't feel heavy, just have trouble cleaning them up off the floor.

Hey, maybe I'll work on cleans.

8.5 hours, 2130-0600 /18 hours. 60 + 31 mins total, PE: 8. 210/13.

Cl - The Minimum - Aug 3

No, it's not a WoD, although I wish it were. Then I'd have something to crow about today.
Instead, I squeezed in what I could during lunch hour between morning and evening meetings.

4x max reps (10's)
Simplicity Lunge with ROM (3/6/8/8)/Ext @ 205/Seated curl @ 130/145/Simplicity calf @ 16
One more lunge just to say F.O. World.

I thought the Anytime Fitness in Shafter was going to be my savior. It just sucks.

7 hours, 2230-0545 /24 hours. 18 mins total, PE: 6. 210.

MTB + Ca - Aug 2

AM:
Steady-state MTB to the Jewetta turnaround. .5 mi/mile one-gear accelerations, but nothing grueling. 59 mins.

Noon:
5x max reps circuit on the Simplicity machines at Shafter Anytime.
lat @ 12/13/14/15/16; shoulder (singles) @ 10/11/12/12/12; bench @ 12/13/13/13/13.
Bench can use a little work, methinks.
45 on, 55 off each. 24 mins.

7.5 hours, 2230-0600 /24 hours. 84 mins total, PE: 7. 209/13-11.

Mixed Run - Aug 1

Easy dog trot over and back to Yokuts. Ankles were crunchy, but they felt better afterward. 15 over, 15 back.

There, 5x max rep chins with scap swings in 45 on 2.00.

8 hours, 2230-0630 /24 hours. 40 mins total, PE: 7.

Enjoyable as Fuck.

One: doesn't look like truth in advertising to me.

Two: if it's true, then you don't really need the shirt to tell everyone, right? They should just know.

Three: you're mixing your metaphors. Can't you be Hard as Nails? Nails are hard, aren't they? Hard as Rock. Hard as Steel. Hard as a Rogue Beater Bar.
Or did you just want to use the F-word? If so, shouldn't you be Sticky as Fuck? Intimate as Fuck. Fertile as Fuck.
I'd say Wet as Fuck, but you're not even sweating.

Crossfit, I love you. But when you let stuff like this go without challenging it, I hate you. Allowing wimps to posture makes all of Crossfit look dumb as fuck.

MTB M Bike - Hart Park Sunday - July 31

A fasted cardio day on the bike with Dew, out to Hart Park and back. No real pushing, just easy and spinning all hills. Sucked Dew's wheel a bit in the sections where you'd really rather be on a road bike. Picked up a couple of caches out that way on the way.

7 hours, 2300-0600 /24 hours. 110 mins total, PE: 6/7. 210/13, post everything.

MTB + Hills - Embankment Bluff Brick - July 30

Last time I did this, 11 months ago:
MTB to the emBankment bluff. 18 mins there, 15.25 back.
5x the half-bluff in 2.00/1.44/1.38/1.32/1.50 on 4.30.

Today:
18 mins there.
5x the half bluff in 1.38/1.36/(?-tapped the timer)/1.34/1.38 on 4:30.
Cruised back, picked up one of MacCapt's No CRAP left behind caches.

Anyway, I remember turning myself inside out to get those times last year - today, I pushed, but not 100%. Just when I was sure I wasn't showing any performance improvements, a ray of sunshine. Had an off day yesterday too, sure that helped. On the other hand, feeling the left-side high-hamstring/glute tear from Badger.

8.5 hours /48 hours. 70 mins total, PE: 9. 210/12.

MTB - Easy Rider - July 28

Half mile accelerations out and back to the Jewetta keyhole, ratcheting up a gear at the mile markers. An hour is pretty much par for the course. Purty morning, testing out the "fasted cardio" theory. Not really pushing, never out of breath or hammering.

Don't tell my downhill forks they're being used for cardio.

7 hours/18 hours. 61 minutes, PE: 7. 211.

You Wouldn't Understand.

AR - What the Hell, Ca is Simple - July 27

Buy in:
4x20 pumps/x13 Simplicity seated calves @ 13

Then:
Simplicity circuit-ish - 40 seconds on, 45 off the trio, in sequence
Simplicity pull downs @ 8/9/10/11/12
Simplicity iso overhead press @ 8/9/10/10/10
Simplicity iso bench press @ 8/9/10/11/10

So, next time you start heavy and go down from there. 35 seconds on, 45 off.

7.5 hours/30 hours. 34 minutes, PE: 7. 210/15.

16 Week Weekly Weight Progression

16 Week Weekly Weight Progression

Week 1: 5x10x60% (5 sets of 10 reps @ 60%)
Week 2: 5x8x65%
Week 3: 5x5x70%
Week 4: 5x3x75%
Week 5: 5x10x60%
Week 6: 5x8x70%
Week 7: 5x5x75%
Week 8: 5x3x80%
Week 9: 5x10x60%
Week 10: 4x8x75%
Week 11: 4x5x80%
Week 12: 4x3x85%
Week 13: 5x10x60%
Week 14: 3x8x80%
Week 15: 3x5x85%
Week 16: 3x3x90%

WoD - Beerless Badger Blackout - July 26

Will there be one left behind?

Nearly drove by yesterday. I felt great at noon today. By the time 5:00 o'clock rolled around, I was feeling less so. Damn Walker messaging pics of LW summerfests in front of my eyes. Damn Badger got me dreading what I was knowing I was going to feel.

At least I did the right thing and hung in and did the WoD, and did all of it.

First set of cleans. Felt like where my left hamstring ties into my glute was torn. Just do them and they'll feel better ... you'll go numb. 5x6 @ 103# - used the junior bar so no one would mess with my bar when I was over on the treadmill. Round two was better, just forced myself to pick up the bar and the body knows what to do - not to mention the fantasies of only doing 2 rounds, 60 reps is enough of a rep count. Round three, my back was pretty tight, and all of it was pretty much gone. Hard to keep count, keep from feeling like passing out after standing up.
Pull ups: 8/7/6/etc. Felt good, just gassed.
Ran the 880's @ 1.5%, 10 minute pace.

Round 1: 16.19
Round 2: 17.54
Round 3: 17.56

52.11. 8# more on the bar than last time, which, now that I check, is more than the 95# Rx'ed. Dumb! But the time was way off the mark. Since the cleans are the heart of this shizzle, next time, I will own.

9 - 1 hours/24 hours. 58 minutes, PE: 10. 211/15 - 210/10 pm.

Wa - July 25

Nearly drove on by the box today. Part of the workout is mastering the self, on days like these.

6x 7-10 reclining DB press @ 65#s/5x 7 cable rows @ 80#
1 min RI

4x 7 chin ups/3x 5-6 push press @ 123#

8 hours/36 hours. 29 minutes, PE: 7. 209/15.

Mixed Run - July 24

Run to Beach -10, 8 home with a sub-3 around the long block with Maylow.

8x max reps pulls at the park.

7.5 + 2 hours/48 hours. 31 minutes, PE: 9. 211/14.

WoD - Woody - July 21

You know, everytime I do this run/work/run WoD, I fully expect to blow apart the workout in the park section - 12 minutes, say - and everytime I end up taking just as long as the runs.

out: 25.13
pulls/dips/kte: 23.10
back: 24.44
I did this back in Feb in 73 minutes too, without any real running back then (25 mins there, 23 mins doing work, 25 mins back) ... I am not getting any faster.

Pullup bars were wet, and then my hands were sweaty, but I really just had a heckuva time trying to hang on. Grip is weak.

7.5 hours/36 hours. 73 minutes, PE: 8. 208/12.

Train Grade and Wl - July 19

AM
13 there, 13 back, with a lot of futzing with the timer on the way. 6 repeats in .50 on 3.00. Recoveries are easier, but my feet aren't any faster. Still tough to make it under the wire in 50.

PM
5x good form max rep deads @ 135#/155/185/185/185 - 10/8/5/6/5
one more drop-set 10 at 135#
1.5 min RI

then
4 rounds of 10s/12s:
extensions @ 205/curl @ 135/A-frame @ 5/seated calf @ 45
1 min RI

7.5 hours/12 hours. 45 + 28 minutes, PE: 8. 209/11.

Wa - Push Pull - July 18

Working on 5 hours sleep. But AR week is over, and it's time.

5x 8/7/7/7/7 Push press (strict) @ 123# (junior bar with 45s#)
1 min RIs

5x 8/7/8/7/7 SDHP with same
1 min RIs

3x 5's dips/dead hang pulls
1 min RIs

5 hours/24 hours. 25 minutes total, PE: 6. 211/11.

MTB and Pulls - July 17

AM
Three reps on the MTB over Ada, Chimes, Ada in an hour, with a little hiking break to bag a cache on the hilltop overlooking Lover's Cove. Spent a lot of it in the granny gear, but it felt great. Love the air here, the views, and the grind. As we've always said, a powerful sensory experience.

PM
6x max rep pulls on .50 rests with neutral grip

AR - Kayak and Snorkel - July 15

Doing a lot of snorkeling this week. At first, had to force myself to think outside of setting aside workout times, but just keeping moving comes naturally on this island, and, I'm really ready to just AR all week. Granted, I've logged three workouts this week, but after double sessions, it feels easy - and easier than I've been on myself here than in years past.

Midnight movie last night for the premiere of the Harry Potter finale, and too much wine. A late start and 3 hour tour on the kayaks to Willow Cove and back. Lots of snorkeling today too, again.

AR - Dive and Pulls - July 14

Hour dive off of Casino point, with some nice highlights. Explored a little cave, saw a moray eel, tooled around until too cold to continue.

PM
10xmax reps chins/KtE .50 on, .50 off
Snorkeling

Hill Run - Fire Road - July 13

Easy uphill to check up on the Catalina Stables cache, then hard to the turnaround at the campground, then hammer up and back. Felt stronger as the run went on. Absolutely light of foot springing up the hill back to the golf course.

PM
Snorkeling. Hey, it's an AR week. But there's nothing that easy about it. Pushing those turbofins leaves my legs feeling hollow the next day.

63 minutes, PE: 8.

WoD - Catalina Cindy - July 11

Last time we ran this WoD, I only got 11 rounds. Same shrimpy playground monkey bars with the neutral grips and no room for kipping, but managed 16 2/3 rounds. Pulls got hard, pushups just slowly accrued, and the squats simply served to gas one out. Used the iPhone and did rounds on the minute/minute and a half. After doing Chelseas, 20 minutes seemed short. Not fun, but short.

PM
Snorkeling.

Off - Velocity Day 28 - July 10

Final day of Velocity, totally blew it up with day one at Catalina and a trip to Luau Larry's and out on the patio at Antonio's. Needed a day off, and needing this AR week, as I'm feeling very overtrained from the hi-freq cycle.

Dice Deals - Velocity Day 27 - July 9

Buy in:
2 sets max reps of
ab wheel rollouts, then power wheel face up, then power wheel pumps, then one more rollout

24 mins on the die, with 120# barbell
Die contained cleans, thrusters, push press, romanian deads, ring dips
dips came up four times, push press a few, deads and cleans a couple ... the overhead sqt and thruster sides only came up once.

7.5 + 1.5 hours/30 hours. 15 + 24 minutes, PE: 7. 212/14.

Common Courtesy is only for the Common.

I live in what, until the recent housing boom and ensuing bust, was small-town America. A mid-sized city that still had a main street USA feel. Go to the store, see three people you know. Go out to eat, there at the table across from you is someone from high school. Get on an airplane, sit next to someone from church or the old neighborhood.

Someone from the big city might find this stifling. How is one supposed to carry on illicit affairs or other dirty deeds under this kind of scrutiny? Only those who have lived with the solitary confinement of walking through a city composed of cold concrete and disinterested strangers, and has capitulated emotionally to that vacuum of anonymous loneliness might think that numerous acquaintances would be an impediment. In any walk of life, knowing people and being known by them should be bedrock-foundational to a fulfilled life. These truths are so self-evident that they sound vapid: People are important. Relationships matter. To have a friend, you must first be one.

One measure of the small town's regard for people is the Friendly Greeting in Passing. The big city counterpart is the Avert the Eyes and Say Nothing. Why the difference? You must not be from around here, because here in the city, the Friendly Greeting on the sidewalk simply isn't done. No one knows why. Too many people to reasonably greet? Self-preservation because you don't know who's a crazy who will take your "Good Day" as a "Stalk Me?" If asked, I'll bet that's the rationale. But only at the conscious level. I think the unwillingness is laziness, or self-centeredness, but mostly an ingrained disdain for people in general. Just as the city is full of people; people everywhere become a hindrance, an impediment, merely many obstacles as I try to get about my more-important-than-theirs business.

The deep psychology of kindness in the city is another post. I don't really need to point out the big city's shortcomings here, except to note that smaller usually is, and should be, kinder.

Enter the jogging trail. In my travels, I've found this to be the measuring stick of the heart of a town of any size: is there still a small-town friendliness to be found in the sub-city? Is there still a small town want in this city for people to connect with other people? Somewhere where even in the largest of the large, people can regard strangers with courtesy? The dance club or bar doesn't work; shoulder past me, dig me or fight me. Even the church or the business club, individuals shield themselves. The runner's road/bike path/jogging trail in each city is the place where a sliver of the population shows up with no real pretense. Here, everyone's looking weary, sweaty, and, noting each passer-by in the same condition, looking each other in the eye with a mutual respect. The premise here is These people are me.

People passing each other here nod, wave, say Hellos, Keep it Ups, or even See You Back Out Here Tomorrows. These tiny gestures are the indicators that here, even in a large and mostly impersonal city, there's hope that people can value one another.

Back to my formerly-friendlier-but-growing-less-so mid-city-sized town. Out for a run on the bike trail, I noticed today that some don't get it. They must not be from around here. The university professor with coke-bottle lenses pedaling the three-wheeler is an import from the big city, the mid-50's man walking in his straw cowboy hat is an import from someplace where the prevailing culture is too macho for men to greet other men, the girl running with her headphones and designer glasses is an import from that disaffected internet-nannied generation where people are pixels – but, for the most part, most do.

The fat guy on the mountain bike nods coming and going. I'm in better shape than him, but he's still me; we're both out here working. The stick-thin and speedy cross country kid does the same. He's in better shape than me, but maybe I'm him in 25 years, still out here working. He acknowledges that with a fist pump. The old lady who walks her dog on the path every day to feed the feral cats under the bridge, she says hello. We're both morning people, we're both interested in the welfare of those cats (granted, at differing levels of involvement).

Here on our bike path, most people still feel connection. Most still show the courtesy. There's hope for my town. Let us continue to feed the hope with sweaty smiles.

Dice Run - Velocity Day 26 - July 8

AM
Apple juice before the run - felt great for the first section. Stack up a couple sets of squats and burpees, and a 66 on the box jumps, and the return trip felt pretty bad. Really hot and muggy today ... that sucked.
26 out to the skatepark, 22 back.

No PM. Fridays are turning out to be a bad day to schedule PMs.

7.5 hours/12 hours. 49 minutes, PE: 9.

Murph + Wl - Velocity Day 25 - July 7

AM
Medi-Murph to Yokuts with 8 backward tenths. 16 there, 17 home.
There, 5x max reps pulls (5+3's) on 1.45.

PM
Buy in:
8 tabata rounds of dead bugs/planks.

3x
10 extensions @ 240/11 seated curls @ 145/12 A-frame @ 6/12 seated calf @ 45

2x 8 front squat @ 115 + one more round of the calves

4x 10 romanian deads @ 115

2x10 front squat @ 115
Everything today with good form.

Stayed right in line on the dietary stuff today.
8.5 hours/36 hours. 41 + 39 minutes, PE: 8. 212/12.

S Run + Wa - Velocity Day 23 - July 5

AM
5x Train grade in .50 on 3:00. I didn't make the first two on time. Theme for the day: Overtraining may bring about physiological changes, but it degrades performance ... and, it feels bad. 12.35 there, 12.39 back.

PM
Buy in:
16 tabata plank/side planks/dead bug rounds, 4 each.

6x 10 on 2:00, RI between each
neutral grip pulls/reclining DB presses @ 65s

3x 5 on 2:00, RI between each
Push press/SDHP @ 115#

This was supposed to be a Ca workout, but the RI was so long, there's no way to rationalize it. Needed all of it too, just nothing left.

8 hours/18 hours. 41 + 49 minutes, PE: 9. 212/15.

Death by (heat) - Velocity Day 22 - July 4

Noon, after the Westchester 4th parade. 106 degrees f.

Death by cleans with 120#. So friggin' hot, that the bar scorched my hands on the first pull. Wrapped it with a towel and make it through 6.6 - was it the heat?

Finished with 1x5, then 4x10 deads on the minute with the same bar.

9 hours/30 hours. 13 minutes, PE: 9. 212/15.

Mixed Run - Velocity Day 21 - July 3

AM
Run to Yokuts - 16 there, 19 back. 80 degrees and muggy. 6x max reps pulls/chins/5x max reps dips. 20 mins.

Finished with 16 rounds of tabata punching.

8 hours/48 hours. 56 + 8 minutes, PE: 9. 212/15.

Dice Run - Velocity Day 19 - July 1

AM
Dice run to the skatepark. 14 rounds, including the recline pulls and box jumps. Liked to have died with 3x mountain climbers on the way there, 66 box jumps on the first round, and 3x burpees on the way back. Hamstrings were wanting to lock up after those romanian deads yesterday.

PM
Was going to have a Ca day, but blew it off for LW. It's Friday, I was feeling thin, and just shot for the fail on today's velocity after a super day yesterday.

8 hours/12 hours. 45 minutes, PE: 9. 217/10 PM.

S Run + Cl - Velocity Day 18 - June 30

AM
10x Tenth mile sprints, one on, one off.

PM
Buy in:
Bar only Snatches.

2x10
Overhead sqts @ 95#/curls @ 145/extensions @ 220#

4x10
Romanian deadlift @ 95#

3x10
Overhead sqts @ 95#/seated calf @ 70#/A-frame @ 5

Cash out:
4 tabata rounds plank/side plank/dead bug/side plank

8 hours/36 hours. 33 + 39 minutes, PE: 8. (215)/13.

Velocity Explained.

Today's more than an AR day, it's completely Off. Good day to catch up on this program reporting.
Check the chart below, last week was my heaviest frequency since my triathlon days. Any day in red is a day I blew up the Velocity-ish program.

Coming in, I logged two weeks on the Lose It! app. Nothing special, just an eye-opener in a couple of grand ways: one, I thought I was eating twice the amount of protein that I actually was eating, and two, I was eating more than twice the carbs I needed to be eat- er, drinking.
Oh yeah, I wasn't exercising worth a crappé either. Here are those control weeks:
Yes, scroll like heck, blogspot is retarded.

Control	Fat	Sat. Fat	Carb	Sugars	Protein	F/C/P%	Calories	Exercise
M30 c1	117	35	88	6	101	58-20-22	1840	-
T31 c2	165	50	226	49	152	50-30-20	3058	1x 30 mins
W1 c3	138	35	159	38	128	52-27-21	2437	-
T2 c4	159	44	144	38	122	57-23-20	2886	-
F3 c5	127	38	210	58	109	47-35-18	2690	-
S4 c6	120	38	88	26	142	54-18-28	2403	1x 31 mins
S5 c7	99	30	336	74	93	34-51-14	2700	-
Week c1	132	39	179	41	121	50-30-20	2573	2x 61
M6 c8	102	32	341	90	108	34-50-16	3086	-
T7 c9	118	28	207	107	80	48-37-15	2149	-
W8 c10	48	17	132	8	64	36-43-21	1345	-
T9 c11	200	88	202	27	154	56-25-19	3264	1x 10 mins
F10 c12	70	20	324	24	121	26-54-20	2601	-
S11 c13	98	26	160	33	127	43-31-25	2216	-
S12 c14	102	29	163	17	99	47-33-20	2399	1x 11 mins
Week c2	105	34	218	44	107	42-39-19	2437	2x 21

Okay, enter my bastardized version of the Velocity program. The basic idea here was to graze (eating 5x/day on three hour intervals), trash myself with nearly daily double sessions, and convert fat to muscle. Yes, I know that this is physiologically impossible.

Nutrition	1 - 700	2 - 1000	3 - 1230	4 - 1530	5 - 1830
2000 cal benchmark, 2200 acceptable	3 eggs, coffee or watered juice with C - 306 cal/20g protein	Pro shake - 280 cal/54g protein	Beer Nuts 425 cal/17g protein & carb, or comparable	Pro evolution shake - 320 cal/68g protein	Meal (up through 700 cal) or Pro Shake

Breakfast is composed of 3 whole eggs and some days some apple juice with the Vitamin C water. A protein shake or two to keep the protein levels above the carbs. Days where the carbs are over limit are marked with a number and a b ... notation regarding the liquid carbs that blew up week two.

I was still using Lose It!, and set the goals there to go from 221 to 204 (which gives a calorie allowance of 2200/day). Velocity is at 2000 per exercise day, and 1700 on non-exercise days. I generally disregarded the Lose It! settings which allow for more caloric intake when exercising, and mentally shot for the 2000 cal/day as a benchmark. I did use Lose It! to journal my nutritional intake and kept these as loose objectives:

- 100 grams of carbs a day, any day over 100 grams of carbohydrate is a fail day

- 33/33/33% for nutrients, preferably 40/20/40% with carbs as the lowest - any day where carbs go over 30% is a fail day

- Per the velocity diet, 2000 calories per day on exercise days, 1700 on non-exercise days, but I'm looser on the caloric intake than on the nutritional percentages

Work involved, for me, super hi-frequency. 10x sessions a week; four AM runs, four PM resistance sessions. Looks like I blew off the Friday PM session, mostly.

Work	Mon	Tues	Weds	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun
AM	S Run - 1/1	S Run - Hills/Grades	Off	Murph - Pulls	Dice Run	Cleans/KB	Yokuts Mixed Run - Pull/Dips
PM	Wl - Deads	Ca - Pulls	Off	Cl - Front Sqt	Wa - Push	Off	Off

Maybe I'll post my befores when this is over. But not now. Here's the first two weeks of four:

Velocity	Fat	Sat. Fat	Carb	Sugars	Protein	F/C/P%	Calories	Exercise
M13 1	34	11	29	14	60	47-17-36	1603	1x 32 mins
T14 2	76	24	61	19	172	42-15-42	1666	2x 64 mins
W15 3	94	24	162	21	166	39-30-31	2157	1x 33 mins
T16 4	66	23	110	25	157	36-26-38	2186	1x 51 mins
F17 5	95	31	67	26	196	45-14-41	1891	1x 34 mins
S18 6	163	49	92	19	192	56-14-29	2617	off
S19 7	111	45	55	26	144	56-12-32	1871	1x 59 mins
Week 1	92	30	82	21	155	46-19-35	1998	7x 273
M20 8	129	65	212 4b	19	211	41-30-30	3322	1x 40 mins
T21 9	126	44	68	21	194	52-13-36	2227	1x 33 mins
W22 10	82	27	89	7	142	45-21-34	1731	2x 64 mins
T23 11	52	17	268	61	136	23-51-26	2145	2x 86 mins
F24 12	96	31	163 1b	38	185	38-29-33	2346	1x 20 mins
S25 13	93	24	75	13	196	44-16-41	2060	1x 72 mins
S26 14	91	27	223 4b	43	168	35-37-28	2793	1x 58 mins
Week 2	96	34	157	29	176	39-29-32	2374	9x 373
	Fat	Sat. Fat	Carb	Sugars	Protein	F/C/P%	Calories	Exercise

Week two was a bust for carb intake. Exercised like a maniac during week two. 12 out of 14 fail days during the control weeks, down to 6 fail days out of 14. Now, there are two weeks remaining to pull the entire show together. I can do better.

Sucks to have something to prove to yourself. It's like standing in a hole that you've dug and realizing that you had to work to get so low.