Pork Chop's Meathead Blog

[Pork Chop]

In a nutshell, I'm sick of looking like mashed potatoes.
I'm starting a new routine with little to no emphasis on cardio or Muay Thai training - treating those two as supplementary only.
I'm focusing almost my entire focus on lifting, packing on muscle, and getting stronger.
Using a modified version of the program found here:
http://www.weightrainer.net/training/beginners.html

I'll be lifting in the mornings 3 times a week.
I may sneak in some cardio on off days, and/or some muay thai training in the evenings.
Not going to go too hard on either of those last two - I can't, I'm nursing a broken foot (for starters).
In fact the injuries have been piling up so much the last couple years, I'm thinking about walking away from Muay Thai entirely.

[Pork Chop]

Day 1
Friday 9/11/2015

Squat: 95lbs x 10 reps; 95lbs x 10 reps - pretty easy, but felt really stiff. slight balance issues that cleared up by end of second set.
Bench: 65lbs x 10 reps; 65lbs x 10 reps - slow motion reps
Bent Row: 65 lbs x 10 reps; 65lbs x 10 reps - slow motion reps, a little hard on back & hamstrings
Overhead Press: 65lbs x 10 reps; 65lbs x 10 reps - slow reps until the end of the second set, started getting tired.
Assisted Chinup: 150lb assist x 10 reps; 150lb assist x 10 reps - 1st set with wide chinup grip - slow motion, 2nd set with neutral grip - got tired, so regular speed.
Barbell Curl: 40lbs x 10 reps; 40lbs x 10 reps - slow motion reps, pretty easy
Lying Tricep Extension: 40lbs x 10 reps; 40lbs x 10 reps - slow motion reps, pretty easy
Stiff Legged Deadlifts: 95lbs x 10 reps; 95lbs x 10 reps - felt stiff, the stretching felt more rigorous than the weight felt heavy
Calf Raise: Bodyweight with both feet x 10 reps; BW w/both feet x 10 reps - not too hard
Roman Chair Knees to Chest: 10 reps; 10 reps - little bit difficult.

I might not have been resting enough between some of those sets where I got tired.
Supposed to be resting 2 to 3 minutes between sets.

If these weights look ridiculously low, that's because they are.
The program I'm on is adamant about doing "easy" weight.
The argument is that full body workouts are more taxing than split workouts.
Also, given the amount of time since I been lifting (at least 3 months), it's better to ease back into a program.
Most of the exercises were pretty easy, I tended to make them harder with the slow motion speed of the reps.

I think the progression's going to work out to be:
+5lbs each week for the 2 isolation exercises, and
+10lbs each week for everything else.
While that plan looks aggressive, these "easy" weights are still way below my normal "warmup" weight.
It'd take about 6 weeks of this progression schedule to get to my normal "warmup" or 10-rep weight.

Today was kind of a test day.
Week 1 doesn't really start till next week.
Weeks 1 & 2 of the program are supposed to be 2 sets of "easy" weight for 10 reps each.
Weeks 3 & 4 of the program are 1 set of "easy" weight, 1 set of "moderate" weight for 10 reps each.
Weeks 5 & 6 of the program are 1 set of "easy" weight, 1 set of "low-moderate" weight, and 1 set of "high-moderate" weight for 10 reps each.
Weeks 7 & 8 of the program are the same as above, with 1 day where I do a set of "difficult" weight instead of "high moderate".
Weeks 9 & 10 of the program is the same as above, with 2 days where I do a set of "difficult" weight instead of "high moderate".
Weeks 11 & 12 of the program, I add an additional set (for a total of 4) on the 2 heavy days, with the last 2 sets being heavy. On the other day, I just do 2 sets: "easy" and "moderate".

After I finish the 12 weeks I'm going to switch to a 5x5 program.

[Pork Chop]

Sunday 9/13/2015

Did Eisa drumming today as I usually do on Sundays.
It's a little like kung fu - with kicks & stances; just with hitting the drum instead of punching.
We're getting ready for a performance next weekend, so practice ran long.
Today's workout was 3.5 to 4 hours.
First half hour was nothing but basics: stances & stretching.
I do 4 minute rounds of basics, which works out to:
4 min horse stance, no drum
4 min alternating front rising kicks, no drum
4 min horse stance with the drum
4 min alternating front rising kicks with the drum.
My drum's an O-daiko, so it's the big one.
We ran through our planned routine for the performance (6 songs) straight through at least 3 times, going over a couple of the songs at least another 3 to 5 times each.
Here's an idea of what one of the songs looks like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km74dVmC0Hg

[Pork Chop]

Monday 9/14/2015

Squat 95lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - easier than last time, still a little stiff at first, picked up by 2nd set
Bench 65lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - may not have gone quite as slow, easy
Bent Row 65lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - hamstrings a little stiff, otherwise, pretty easy
Overhead Press 65lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - may not have gone quite as slow, easier than last time
Assisted Chin 150lb assist x 10 reps x 2 sets - much less tired than last time, much easier
Tricep Extension 40lb x 10 reps x 2 sets - did it standing this time, was easy last time, still easy
Ez Bar Curl 40lb x 10 reps x 2 sets - this was supersetted with the tricep extensions. About the same if not easier.
Stiff Leg Deadlift 95 x 10 reps x 2 sets - kept perfect form. really easy. Kind of think I should do standard deadlifts though.
Standing Calf Raise Bodyweight x 10 each leg, BW x 10 both legs together. I'm always going to be weak at this exercise, but both legs together feels pretty good.
Decline Reverse Crunch 10 reps x 2 sets - had to do this on the situp bench instead of roman chair, might actually be a better workout, felt it directly on abs instead of hip flexors.

Was really sleepy this morning. Daughter kept us up last night. She's not sleeping well lately. Almost overslept. Didn't even think I'd make it to the gym. Was still sore from Sunday's practice, which was brutal. Temperature's dropping to a really comfortable range (50 in the morning), so that gave me a little extra energy. Had a pretty good workout.

Will probably have to double it up tonight, so there'll be another post unless I wuss out. My coach is fighting soon so this should be his last week of hard training. Not going to push it very hard myself though. Still can't kick. Going to try take it easy.

[Pork Chop]

Monday 9/14/2015 Part 2
Ended up doing about 2 hours of muay thai.
First hour I mainly held pads for 2 guys.
Second hour was a bit of boxing sparring, a bit of clinch, and a few more rounds of holding pads.
Coach fights in 10 days.
I know he'll do well, I don't think I've ever seen anyone performing on that level.
He's a machine.
Foot held up okay, but I didn't kick with it, just boxing, and was able to push off of it pretty well.
Did lunges instead of jump rope during warm up, didn't want to risk it.
Feels a lot better than last week, but i want to be sure it's 100% before I do anything with it.
I need to give it another 2 weeks at the bare minimum, preferably 4.
I think I'm going to spend a lot of time re-conditioning my legs on the heavybag before I spar or kick much in class.

[Brule]

Your path and mine sound similar. I've started and stopped many training routines either because of injury, health or just plain laziness. It got to a point at around this time last year where I said to myself, I'm not satisfied with being stagnant, always jump into something and not following through until the end or at least until I see some results. I was sick of giving up.

I went back to my old kung fu school and tried that for 3 or 4 months but quickly realized it was no longer for me. Then I checked out this local gym as they were advertising a discounted rate. The gym was clean and had new equipment and was really close to my house. I went home, did a lot of reading of weight training, although I was exposed to it in the past with trying to do it at home following the starting strength routine I once again quit before I could see results. But this time would be different. I started with starting strength in Jan this year and used that for a few months until my body told me it couldn't handle it anymore. This time, instead of quitting, I did some research because with all the info out there, there had to be a program that I could use and see results. I came to Wendlers 5/3/1 and have been on it since. I have seen results and am enjoying it so much. It fits perfectly with my schedule and because it's only one exercise per workout it doesn't burn me out.

Sorry for the long post, just wanted to say that I hope you find something that you can enjoy and will continue with it to see the results you want.

[Pork Chop]

That's awesome Brule!
Glad to hear you've found something that works. I've gone through a lot of the same headaches trying to find balance in a routine. It's tough adjusting when not only your capacities change, but your interests change as well.

Ever since I moved to Atlanta, Georgia (from San Antonio, Texas), I've had a lot of issues. One of the major issues has been alcohol, but I finally started getting help for that recently & am just shy of 6 weeks sober. Another issue has been injury, often associated with gym burn out and complete lack of interest. I've tweaked my schedule many times to isolate the root cause of the injuries & the feelings of burnout. Quitting drinking & taking supplements have helped a lot, but I haven't quite figured out the workout causes of injury.

One of the things I've phased out is bag class.
These classes are super high intensity cardio workouts. The emphasis in these workouts is on speed over form, crazy strength endurance, and involves some unsafe exercises. These workouts have caused me a good deal of problems.

I've also phased out the idea of working out on consecutive days - I just don't have the recovery ability to sustain that. My coach originally wanted me working out 1 bag class (1 hr) & 1 muay thai class (at least 1 hr), 4 consecutive days a week.

So far (the last 6 months or so), dropping these two things seems to have helped.

The broken foot recently (I think) was due to a lack of proper bag conditioning/toughening and the fact that the sport I'm in doesn't really have a long shelf life. Like I said, I've been thinking of walking away from Muay Thai entirely; but I can't do that yet for at least another year - till my contract runs out. One of the reasons for the switch to weights is that as hard as I work at muay thai, I never seem to be able to see results in the mirror. I'm hoping that sticking with the weights for at least 6 months; without a lot of crazy cardio inhibiting muscle growth, will help with that somewhat.

I rather like this newbie program I'm on because it's designed for a slow burn over 12 weeks, instead of throwing me to the wolves & inviting burnout. The workouts start with easy weight and the workouts become easier as I do them throughout the week & adjust to the weight. I've yet to see what happens when I start to increase the weight, but at least next week when I do, it'll be in small increments. The week after next, the 2nd set will involve a larger increase in weight. I'm hoping by then that my body will be used to lifting again and going up to what was my old warm-up-weight won't be an issue.

Bout to head to the gym, will post later tonight.
Really appreciate the feedback!

[Pork Chop]

Day 2 - Week 1
Wednesday 9/16/2015

Squat 95lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - fairly easy. Went very deep & pretty slow.
Bench 65lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - slow motion both sets - easy.
Bent Row 65lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - seems easier.
Overhead Press 65lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - slow motion first set. got tired half way through 2nd.
Assisted Chin 150lb assist x 10 reps x 2 sets - first set slow mo. tired on 2nd so normal pace.
Tricep Extension 40lb x 10 reps x 2 sets - superset with curls. slow mo 2nd set. easy
Ez Bar Curl 40lb x 10 reps x 2 sets - slow mo 2nd set. easy, but slow mo is tiring.
Stiff Leg Deadlift 95 x 10 reps x 2 sets - slow mo 2nd set, gets tiring. pretty easy though.
Standing Calf Raise BW x 10 each leg, BW x 10 both legs together. Slow mo 2nd set.
Decline Reverse Crunch 10 reps x 2 sets - superset with calf-raise. this hits my abs like nothing else. my lower abs have basically been sore since friday.

My lower back's been bugging me, but not sure if it's from deadlifts or from sitting on my computer. I usually have to twist to jump on my work laptop at home and that seems to be the most likely culprit.

I have a hard time doing slow motion reps for more than like 1 set at a time. It gets really tiring. I think I'll keep them for the 2nd set until I start staggering weights, with heavier weights on 2nd set (week 3). At that point, I'll do the slow motion set first and then do heavier weight.

I feel pretty good so far. Interestingly, my muscles are getting a tired/fatigued kind of sore instead of my usual cringe-worthy DOMS (except for maybe my abs). I think the combination of staying away from my normal high intensity cardio routine and the lighter weight is helping but it's still early. I still haven't quite figured how to integrate with muay thai, but for now, I'm just going to take it easy at muay thai classes (easier to get away with when you've got an injury).

[Pork Chop]

Wednesday 9/16/2015
Part 2

About 2 hours of Muay Thai.
Managed to jump rope for 10 minutes on the foot today.
Still can't kick, but nice to know i can move on it.
Held pads for most of the first hour, helping a first-timer.
Second hour was a little short, we only did the sparring, no clinch.
I think I did 2 short (1 min) rounds of boxing sparring.
Actually pretty tough, because our job is to just be extremely active.
So it's a bit like an amateur boxing match: nonstop punching.
Held pads for another 5 rounds.

[Pork Chop]

Friday 9/18/2015

Squat 95lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets => Today felt really good. Stiff at first, but felt like i was programming my squat, going completely ATG. I would like to build up an ATG squat to higher weights, so I think this going slow thing will help for that.

Bench Press 65lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets => This is one of the 3 exercises (along with DL & curl) that I feel is seriously underweight. Doing the reps slow motion helps. Slow mo on both sets.

Bent Row 65lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets => Not quite as easy as the bench. The bent over position makes the exercise a bit more difficult. I think I was able to do slow mo on the second set. Got a little tired.

Standing Overhead Press 65lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets => 2nd set was slow mo, but got tired. Feel all kinds of pinches in my shoulders (rear delts) when I do this exercise. It might be 1 arm or another and it'll go away at the top of the movement, maybe only hurt for a rep or 2. This exercise is kind of embarrassing, because when I catch myself in the mirror, I can see just how tiny my stick arms look.

Assisted Chin Up 150lb assist x 10 reps x 2 sets => 2nd set was slow mo, but got tired around rep 7 and sped up. Slow motion reps make me all kinds of tired in the morning. I feel like I should save them for the exercises that are just way too easy.

Standing Tricep Extension 45lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets => Super set with the curls. Switched to dumbbell today, had been using ez curl bar. Went a little heavier. This exercise doesn't really seem to give my triceps a good workout. If I do feel it, I'll feel it in one arm not the other. It also feels uncomfortable with my shoulders. I'm either going to switch to 1-arm at a time dumbbell extensions or jump over to the tricep cable extension (going downward instead of overhead).

Ez Bar Bicep Curl 40lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets => Super set with triceps. I think I did both sets slow mo. This weight is just a bit too light. May switch to standing dumb bell curl to make sure both arms get hit equally.

Straight Leg Deadlifts 95lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets => Didn't keep the legs locked (at least for the initial pull) on this one. Felt like better form and didn't feel lower back pain. Weight feels ridiculously light. Super set with calf raise.

Standing Calf Raise BW x 10 reps each leg, BW x 10 reps both legs => Super set with deadlift. When I just do 1 leg at a time, I feel like range of motion somewhat limited, that's why I don't really add weight. Second set feels pretty good, but starting to feel a bit too easy, even though I'll probably always have issues with full range of motion.

Decline Reverse Crunch 10 reps x 2 sets => I guess technically this might be "incline" instead of "decline", because my head is higher than my knees. This exercise still feels brutal. Most ab exercises are extremely easy for me, except for maybe Russian twists - which are more of an issue for me at the hip flexors. It's surprising to me how hard this exercise hits my lower abs.

Next week marks my first weight increase. On many of the exercises I feel I'm ready. On some of them, maybe not so much. If I stop trying to do slow motion reps, I think even a weight increase will be fairly easy. We'll see how it goes, I'm excited.

Nutrition wise - I think I'm going to start having my second protein shake on the evenings of my off days as well as my work out days. Yesterday I was fairly hungry after dinner and I think the second protein shake would've been a smart move to help with muscle recovery and growth. My morning protein shakes are more of an MRP, my evening ones are more straight protein, so fewer calories.

[Pork Chop]

Friday 9/18/2015
Part 2

Barely an hour of evening muay thai.
Held pads for about 5 rounds for one of our guys that has a fight in October.

Jumped rope for 7 minutes straight. Still trying to take it easy on my foot. Been adding a minute each session. Last time was 6 min with a 4 min follow up. Time crunch tonight so didn't add 2nd round.

Did maybe 10 min of bag work. All punching. 5 min on the wide Twins bag (not a banana bag) and 5 minutes on the wall bag. My elbows were hurting. The wall bag can cause joint problems. I think it may have been more due to a combination of the morning weights & the gloves. I have been wearing Fairtex BGV-1 gloves for bag & pad work lately. They're really small for 16 ounce gloves and not quite as protective as typical boxing gloves. I may switch back to my Reyes hybrid gloves next time. Reyes gloves don't have the best reputation for protection, but their hybrid gloves are awesome. For sparring it's all about Twins though.

[Pork Chop]

Sunday 9/20/2015
Eisa (dancing/drumming) performance.
Actually a couple performances at one event.
Was at the event 4 or 5 hours.
Super exhausting.
Hurt my shoulder either Friday on the wall bag or Saturday just lounging.
Right knee's been bugging me.
Pushed through it, but it hurts a bit.

[Pork Chop]

Monday 9/21/2015

Squat 105lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - My right knee is kind of injured, but this still felt pretty good. ATG
Bench 75lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - 2nd set slow motion. still pretty easy
Bent Row 75lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - 2nd set slow mo, but this is a hard exercise to do slow mo. tiring on my hamstrings. may eventually switch to T-bar row.
Overhead Press 75lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - no slow, injured right shoulder on saturday. moderately difficult.
Assisted Chinup 135lb assist x 10 reps x 2 sets - no slow. moderately difficult.
Dbell Tricep Ext 50lb dbell x 10 reps x 2 sets - stuck with single dumbbell tri extension, instead of cable extension. moderately difficult. shoulder made it harder.
Stand Dbell Curl 25lb dumbbells x 10 reps x 2 sets - fairly easy. superset with tricep extension.
SL Deadlift 105lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - slow motion on both sets. still feels way easy
Calf Raise BW x 10 reps each leg, 10 reps both legs - superset with Deadlift. single leg is still kinda tough, both legs is kind of easy.
Incline Rev Crunch 10 reps x 2 sets. First set bench wasn't quite down all the way so it was easier.

Shoulder maybe a little better than this weekend, knee almost feels like it's getting more serious.
Overall increased weights felt pretty good, but I'm not sure how next week is going to go with increased weight on 2nd set.
I may just increase on certain exercises, the jumps I've already made on some of those exercises feel fairly significant, while other ones - not so much.
If I swap in T-Bar row instead of bent row, I see making 2nd set jump on squat, bench, t-bar row, and deadlift, while just increasing others weekly.

Leaving in less than 10 min for muay thai, so expect another post.

[Pork Chop]

Monday 9/21/2015
Part 2

Coach is fighting on Friday, asked us to be at the gym early today.
Was there from 4:30 till after 8, but didn't work out 100% of the time.
8 minutes of jump rope, followed by a later stretch of about 5 minutes of jump rope.
Held pads for 3 people: coach (5 rounds), one of the fighters (1 round), a new guy (most of the class hour).
Shoulder & knee were hurting, so I really couldn't do a whole lot on the bags.
Kind of a lazy workout, but still tired.

[mickey]

Greetings Pork Chop,

It is not my style to crash on on someone's blog.

There is much info on the dangers of doing the overhead press/military press to the shoulders. Do a search on it.

mickey

[Pork Chop]

Greetings Pork Chop,

It is not my style to crash on on someone's blog.

There is much info on the dangers of doing the overhead press/military press to the shoulders. Do a search on it.

mickey
It's cool, thanks for looking out for me! I looked up issues with this exercise and read some articles before heading into the gym. As a result, I made a tweak to my form that will really save my shoulders in the long run. I think it helped.

The shoulder pain is around my rear delt. My upper back is hurting too, between my scapula and spine - like the lower trap or rhomboid. If this pain/injury is due to lifting, my main suspect is actually the bent rows. I'm doing it with flared elbows, in a posture I'm not comfortable with. I just don't think my back is used to the exercise.

[Pork Chop]

Wednesday 9/23/2015

Squat 105lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - felt really good today. Almost too easy.
Bench 75lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - slow motion on both sets. Again, almost too easy.
Bent Row 75lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - slow mo on 2nd set. This exercise is bothering me.
Overhead Press 75lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - tweaked my form and it was WAY easier.
Assisted Chin 135lb assist x 10 reps x 2 sets - 1st set good, end of 2nd set was hard.
Tricep Extension 25s x 10 reps x 2 sets - used 2 dbells. Took some getting used to. Felt pretty good by the 2nd set. If I keep the dbells pressed together, it's much easier, so I may just do that. Otherwise, it's the lack of stability that bothers my shoulders & elbows (moreso than overhead press).
Dbell Bi Curl 25s x 10 reps x 2 sets - superset with Tri Ext. Still easy.
SL Deadlift 105lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - both slow mo. Almost too easy. Super set with calf raise.
Calf Raise BW x 10 both, BW x 10 each - single leg calf raise still an issue. SS w/SLDL.
Incline Rev Crunch 10 reps x 2 sets - first set almost too easy. second set moderate. may need to increase reps.

No muay thai tonight, which should help with recovery. Believe it or not, being a padholder can be pretty tough on your body.

[Pork Chop]

Friday 9/25/2015

Squat - 105lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - felt real good. Think my right knee hurt at the end but otherwise okay.
Bench - 75lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - slow motion both sets. Easy
TBar Row - 75lbs (on bar) x 10 reps x 2 sets - not factoring bar made the weight pretty heavy.Not so much strain on lower back or hamstrings. Rear delts felt a little better.
Overhead Press - 75lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - pretty easy with the form tweak. Only one rep bothered me and that was because my grip was a little too narrow.
Assist Chin - 135lb assist x 10 reps x 2 sets - moderate. 2nd set difficult at the end.
Tricep Ext - 25s x 10 reps x 2 sets - superset with curls. getting the hang of this exercise and it feels pretty good, especially when pressing the 2 dbells together.
DBell Curl - 25s x 10 reps x 2 sets - superset with tri ext. Easy weight, but just a little fatigued from the superset.
SL Deadlift - 105lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets - superset with calf raise. easy weight. Slow mo 2nd set.
Calf Raise - BW x 10 reps both legs, 10 reps each leg - superset with DLs. Single leg set is fairly hard, especially on my weak leg.
Incline Reverse Crunch - 12 reps x 2 sets - harder on second set, still great workout.

All the training with the coach ended up paying off, he won his fight by KO and keeps his belt. Not trying to take credit for that, but didn't feel like I jinxed him at least.

[mickey]

The shoulder pain is around my rear delt. My upper back is hurting too, between my scapula and spine - like the lower trap or rhomboid. If this pain/injury is due to lifting, my main suspect is actually the bent rows. I'm doing it with flared elbows, in a posture I'm not comfortable with. I just don't think my back is used to the exercise.

Greetings Pork Chop,

The pain that you are experiencing may be from the same exercise. Those are the muscles that go into play when you are lowering the barbell from the extended position. They help control the descent. You are also working these muscles in the Bench Press, the T Bar Row, and the Dead lift. That is a lot of work for them to do.

mickey

[Pork Chop]

Tuesday 9/29/2015

Monday I was having bad migraines, I was barely even able to work from home. It was bad, so I didn't work out. I think it was related to the weather (lots of heavy rainfall) and lack of sleep.

Squat 115lbs x 10, 135lbs x 10 - felt good. First set was a bit stiff. Second set felt just right.
Bench 85lbs x 10, 105lbs x 10 - even 2nd set still felt really light.
TBar Row 70lbs on bar x 10, 80lbs on bar x 10, 90lbs on bar x 10 - last set tough but all of them were good. no pain
Overhead Press - 85lbs x 10, 85lbs x 10 - first set easy. second set harder but pretty good. no pain
Assisted Chin - 120lb assist x 10 x 2 sets - second set a bit harder than the first but gutted it out.
Tricep Extension - 30s x 10, 30s x 5, 60 x 6 - superset with curls. failed on 2nd after crushing my finger with a dumbell. I'm either going to have to stick with 1 dumbbell or 1 arm at a time.
Bicep Curl - 30s x 10 x 2 sets - superset with tricep extensions. Hard just coz I was tired. may have to stop doing supersets on this one.
SL Deadlift - 115lbs x 10, 135lbs x 10 - felt okay, still light. superset with calf raise
Calf Raise - BW x 10 both legs, BW x 10 each leg - superset with SLDL, second set starting to feel easier.
Incline Reverse Crunch - 13 x 2sets - still pretty easy

I think the extra rest helped. I didn't do drumming on Sunday or Muay Thai on Friday, so it's been like over 3 days of rest since Friday morning's workout so it was a pretty huge difference. I'm probably going to have to work out again tomorrow (wednesday), but at least I'm not planning to hit up muay thai tonight. One other thing that helps is that Wednesday's workout is much later in the morning/early afternoon, so I should have enough time to recover if I can get enough sleep tonight.

[Pork Chop]

Wednesday 9/30/2015

Squat 115 x 10 reps, 135 x 10 reps - feels nice and easy
Bench 85 x 10 reps, 105 x 10 reps - really easy
T Bar Row 80lbs on bar x 10 reps, 90lbs ob x 10 reps - feels good. Little easier than last time.
Overhead Press 85 x 10 reps x 2 sets - starting to feel easy
Assisted Chin 120lb assist x 10 reps x 2 sets - failed last rep. 2nd set usually hard. probably not resting enough between sets. May or may not be able to keep up with dropping 15lbs of assist each week.
Tricep Extension 30lb dbell x 10 reps each arm x 2 sets, 20lb dbell x 10 reps - super set with curls. I have a 30lb dbell at home that is no problem to do this exercise with - it's 1 piece, iron, and kind of small. The 30lb dbells at the gym are rubber coated plates that are really tall, which makes this exercise hella-awkward. I'm either going to have to go back down in weight or switch to a different exercise because I can't do this exercise with the 30s at the gym. I basically had to spot myself at various points throughout the first 2 sets. I'm leaning towards lying skull crushers, but I'm really worried about imbalances from my weak left arm. Maybe I could switch and just add an isolated set for my left at the end?
Standing Dumbbell Bicep Curl 30s x 10 reps x 2 sets - super set with tricep extension. The weight is easy, I just get tired after struggling with the tricep extensions. It's a bit easier since only doing 1 arm at a time though.
Straight Leg Deadlift 115 x 10 reps, 135 x 10 reps - super set with standing calf raise. Still easy.
Standing Calf Raise BW x 13 both legs, BW x 13 each leg - super set with SLDL. Getting easier.
Incline Reverse Crunch 13 reps x 2 sets - Exhausting, but muscle-wise, getting fairly easy.

Was in a hurry today because I was late to the gym. Ran through this workout with limited rest. I was able to do it because I wasn't working out on an empty stomach. Fatigue doesn't seem to hit me nearly as hard if I've had some breakfast. Overall, I feel pretty good. Doesn't even feel like I cut out a whole rest day between workouts.

The tricep exercise is driving me nuts. I really don't like standing, overhead tricep extensions - the form just feels really wonky and I don't feel like I have a whole lot of control at that angle (like my shoulders are about to slide out of socket at any moment). I've had better results in the past with lying skullcrushers - the modified version I learned from a powerlifter friend is like adding a half-pullover at the bottom, so I think the longer head of the tricep is still covered. Like I said, I'm just worried about imbalances if I switch. Cable extensions are another exercise I've had some success with (usually in combination with the skullcrushers) - but that's another 2-armed exercise that is prone to imbalance. Skullcrushers with 1 more set of isolation work is sounding like the best option. Just not sure what to do.

Tonight's muay thai. All I want to do is jump rope, some kicks on the bag, holding pads, and maybe some sparring/clinch with a guy who's gonna fight soon.

[Pork Chop]

Wednesday 9/30/2015

Night time workout.
Did muay thai in the evening.
My first day back at kicking.
Foot a little sore but not too bad.

Worked with a partner who's ridiculously fast.
Padwork was kind of like being in a fight, holding & hitting.
He doesn't wait on the holder, which is usually a faux pas in my book, but I tried to use it to my advantage.
He does something I don't like when holding, which is hitting while catching.
This is a problem with holders standing orthodox, because the hand they're hitting with would have to be neutralized before I'd be able throw the shot anyway. They don't seem to realize this and bust me up. One holder a few months back kept holding for jabs with his catching hand way back in the rear and smacking me in the back of the skull as I was making contact. After 3 or 4 times I was starting to get woozy. He kept doing it after I told him to stop so I just walked off in the middle of the round. Wednesday's holder wasn't this bad. He didn't hit me in the back of the head, for example. But he is so much faster than me & throwing with speed that he was nailing me pretty bad with the pad. On one hand I like working with him to adjust for the speed, on the other, I get tired of getting busted up.

We did post class sparring and clinch for 1 of the 2 guys with a fight coming up.
Went okay I guess, nothing really to mention.

Finished up with kicks on the bag for re-conditioning my leg.

In the wake of that class I threw out my back, so I was worthless until basically Saturday.

[Pork Chop]

Sunday 10/4/2015

Drumming.
Luckily my back healed up in time for Sunday drumming.
I showed up at 12 and started warming up early.
We worked on a ton of songs, including 2 new ones, 1 of which I'm going to have to learn by the 18th.
The class was exhausting.
By the time we wrapped up at 3 I could barely wear my drum.
The new song is really hard and the footwork is really active & fast.

[Pork Chop]

Monday 10/5/2015

Was tired today. I think the drumming took a lot out of me, and I didn't even do any basics like stance. I didn't workout in the morning. Worked from home and barely got anything done.

Squat 125lb x 10, 145lb x 10 - felt really good
Bench 95lb x 10, 115lb x 10 - first time that bench has felt like any kind of work, though still fairly light.
T Bar Row 90lb on bar x 10, 100lb on bar - feels good, moderately hard.
Overhead Press 95lb x 10, 95lb x 10 - feels good, moderate on second set, pretty easy on first. little bit of elbow flare on 2nd, but more sloppiness than the weight. got it under control.
Assisted Chin 105lb assist x 10, 105lb assist x 10 - out of breath on this one. Pretty hard. Might've failed last rep. Surprised that the 1st set went as well as it did.
Modified Skullcrusher 60lb ez curl x 10, 60lb x 10 - not hard at all. The modification adds like a 1/2 pullover, so long head of tricep gets work. might move up to 70 next time.
Standing Dumbbell Curls 35s x 10, 35s x 10 - good kind of hard.
Straight-Legged Deadlift 125lb x 10, 145lb x 10 - still really easy. Super set with Calf Raise.
Calf Raise BW x 10 both legs, BW x 10 each leg - 2nd set getting easier.
Incline Reverse Crunch 14 reps x 2 sets - kind feels easier

My breath was an issue today. i was just winded from the workout. Not sure if it's the time of day or holdover from Sunday or if I'm just getting sick or what...

Skipped Muay Thai, which makes me a bad teammate to my friends with fights coming up, but I've gotta take it slow.
I just couldn't get myself to the gym to lift before this evening (no energy) and lifting is my priority.
I'll do muay thai this Wednesday and see how my body feels after the workout.
The fact that I'm not doing back-to-back weight days this week will probably help me recover from muay thai.

[Pork Chop]

Wednesday 10/7/2015

Squat 125 x 10, 145 x 10 - feels good
Bench 95 x 10, 115 x 10 - kinda easy
TBar Row 90 on bar x 10, 100 on bar x 10 - kinda hard
Overhead Press 95 x 10, 95 x 10 - 1st slightly easy. 2nd set difficult. Starting to get out of breath.
Assist Chin 105lb assist x 10, 105lb assist x 10 - 1st moderately difficult. 2nd hard, failed last rep. Really out of breath.
Modified Skullcrusher 70lb x 10, 70lb x 10 - 2nd set a little bit difficult. Both felt good though.
Standing Dbell Bicep Curl 35s x 10, 35s x 10 - Grind to finish, not sure why I get so tired.
Straight Legged Deadlift 125 x 10, 145 x 10 - Super set with calf raise. kind of easy, a little out of breath.
Calf Raise BW x 10 both, BW x 10 each, 95 x 10 both, 45 x 10 each - Super set with deadlift. last set a little tough.
Incline Reverse Crunch 14 reps x 2 sets - not too difficult but out of breath.

I can only guess that added muscle mass & increased oxygen requirements are the reason(s) I'm getting winded while lifting.
Worked out before lunch, but at least had some calories from breakfast - so definitely wind & not muscle fatigue.
Not too upset, because this is kind of the point of this whole program.

Don't know what to do when I go to 3 sets next week.
Thinking I may end up staying the same weight on some/most of the exercises.

[Pork Chop]

Friday 10/9/2015

Squat 125 x 10, 145 x 10 - 2nd a little heavy but good. pins on squat rack were set high so did a mini set of 4 before bailing on that rack for another.
Bench 95 x 10, 115 x 10 - kinda easy
TBar Row 90 on bar x 10, 100 on bar x 10 - heavy
Overhead Press 95 x 10, 95 x 10 - Not bad. Out of breath after.
Assist Chin 105lb assist x 10, 105lb assist x 10 - 1st moderately difficult. 2nd hard, failed last rep. Longer breaks.
Modified Skullcrusher 70lb x 10, 70lb x 10 - 1st easy. 2nd felt pretty good.
Standing Dbell Bicep Curl 35s x 10, 35s x 10 - Really tired 2nd set.
Straight Legged Deadlift 125 x 10, 145 x 10 - Super set with calf raise. kind of easy.
Calf Raise 125 x 10 both, 145 x 10 both - grip was about to fail 2nd set. Didn't drop weight, but couldn't keep hand closed. Didn't feel bad otherwise.
Incline Reverse Crunch 14 reps x 2 sets - not too difficult but out of breath.

Getting fairly winded on these.
Next week jumping to 3 sets is going to be different.
I see increasing weight on Squat, Bench, Deadlift, and calf raise.
Assisted Chin Up is going to be hard.

[Pork Chop]

Friday 10/9/2015

Muay Thai
Jump rope 10 min
Shadow Box 10 min - focused on speed
Heavybag 15 min - last 30 seconds of every 5 minutes was skip knees (20 each side usually)
Conditioning 10 sets of 10 kicks left leg, 6 sets of 10 kicks right leg, going for power. Supersetted both legs first 6 sets each, followed by 20 skip knees. Finished off with another 20 skip knees for a total of 100 each side.

I like this workout.
I wouldn't mind doing it 2 or 3 times a week,
The trouble with classes is the sparring & unreliable partners.
Right now I just want to get proper form, endurance, and conditioning back.
Trying to mix in sparring, clinching, and unskilled padwork is kind of a recipe for disaster for me right now.

[Pork Chop]

Sunday 10/11/2015
Eisa Drumming 3+ hours. I was dying after like the first hour. Burned my shoulder out after just a few songs. Luckily after a short break it stopped cramping up and I was good to go. (For anybody that is a little confused at how one shoulder could burn out, I suggest going back to watch the video on the first page. My drum is almost twice as big as their big drums and from what I can tell, I hit it a bit harder). The last hour of practice was a real grind, totally exhausted. Pretty sure it was because I was hungry.

Came home, downed a quick protein shake, and searched for car cleaning supplies for an hour with no luck.

Started yard work between 5:30 and 5:45p, went until about 7:45p. I have a huge yard and lots of leaves on the ground meant lots of bagging. Still didn't get to eat for another hour and a half because I had to go get my car washed. The gas station car wash did a pretty horrible job btw.

Really zonked today (Monday) as a result. At 11am I couldn't even keep my eyes open to keep working - had to take a break for a few hours. Just waiting to catch heck from my boss.

[Pork Chop]

Oops I got a bit behind...

Wed 10/14/2015

Squat - 135lbs x 10, 145 x 10, 155 x 10 - felt pretty good
Bench - 105 x 10, 115 x 10, 125 x 10 - easy
Assist Chin - 105lb assist x 10, 105 x 6f, 120 x 5 - failed on last set of 105, finished with 120lb assist. Might've done one more set than I wrote down, can't remember. Really hard.
Overhead Press - 105 x 10, 105 x 10, 100 x 10 - felt like I was losing it so dropped weight on last set. The 100 felt good, almost like I should've been doing 100 from the beginning.
TBar Row - 100 lbs on bar x 10, 105 x 10, 110 x 10 - originally planned to go up 10lbs each set, but was feeling really tired. Fairly hard.
Skullcrusher - 70 x 10, 70 x 10, 70 x 10 - somewhat easy
DBell Curls - 35s x 10, 35s x 10, 35s x 10 - I get really tired doing this exercise. Doesn't feel heavy so much as just so drained by the end that I can barely finish.
SL Deadlift - 135 x 10, 145 x 10, 155 x 10 - somewhat easy. superset with calf raise.
Calf Raise - 135 x 10, 145 x 10, 155 x 10 - ok. superset with SLDL. grip is tough.
Clean - 135lb x 1 rep - did a clean to re-rack the bar. Was happy with it.
Inc Rev Crunch - 15 reps x 3 sets. Tired.

Was still drained Monday & Tuesday from overdoing it over the weekend with the drumming & the yard work. It really killed me and with the increased volume coming up, I need to make sure I was fresh.

First time doing the increased volume of 3 sets per exercise. Felt like a car wreck. Very tough to grind through. So drained. Takes an hour and a half, maybe longer. Lots of rest between sets. The assist chin was particularly bad, but I am fairly sure that there's one more set I didn't log.

[Pork Chop]

Friday 10/16/2015

Part 1

Squat - 135 x 10, 145 x 10, 155 x 10 - felt good. One or two bad reps on last set.
Bench - 105 x 10, 115 x 10, 125 x 10 - easy
TBar Row - 90lbs on bar x 10, 100 x 10, 110 x 10 - last set good/moderately hard.
Overhead Press - 95 x 10, 100 x 10, 105 x 10 - last one really hard.
Assisted Chinup - 120lb assist x 10, 105 x ~10, 120 x 10 - failed 2nd set last rep
Skullcrusher - 70 x 10, 70 x 10, 70 x 10 - moderately difficult
DBell Curl - 35s x 10, 35s x 10, 35s x 10 - last one hard. Tired
SL Deadlift - 135 x 10, 145 x 10, 155 x 10 - superset with Calf Raise. Grip issues last set.
Calf Raise - 135 x 10, 145 x 10, 155 x 10 - superset with SLDL. Grip issues last set.
Clean - 135 x 1 - did another clean to re-rack the bar. felt good.
Inc Rev Crunch 15 reps x 3 sets.

Dropped weight on some exercises. Still very tough. I don't know how my assisted chinups suddenly got so weak, must be gaining weight. My clothes are all tighter in the chest & shoulders, but my waist & stomach are pretty much the same.

Part 2

Muay Thai
Jump Rope - 10 minutes
ShadowBox - 5 minutes
BagWork - 10 minutes
Conditioning - 70 kicks left leg, 50 skip knees, 30 kicks left leg, 50 skip knees, 100 push kicks right leg.

Was in a hurry because they were going to close the gym early.

[Pork Chop]

Sunday 10/18/2015

Drumming - Performance at Gibbs Garden. 2 shows, ~20min each.

Saturday was my daughter's friend's birthday party. That basically meant 5 hours of chasing my kids around Chuck E Cheese. I ended up missing a drumming practice to prep for Sunday's performance.

Sunday started early - got to the meeting spot at 10am. We performed at 12:30p and 1:30p. We left at something like 5:30p and I got home at something like 6:30p. I hadn't eaten since breakfast so I was exhausted. Ended up staying up too late too. It killed me for Monday. We have one more performance on the 25th, 2 shows like the 18th.

[Pork Chop]

Tuesday 10/20/2015

Squat - 135 x 10, 145 x 10, 155 x 10 - felt really good. First set was the hard one. Last set was great, no form issues.
Bench - 115 x10, 125 x 10, 135 x 10 - easy
Assist Chin - 120lb assist x 10, 105 x 10, 105 x 10 - needed a bit more help on very last rep. The second set felt fairly strong, but the third set was hard.
Overhead Press - 100 x 10, 100 x 10, 105 x 10 - went conservative. Last set hard, but good, was able to grind it out.
TBar Row - 100 on bar x 10, 105 x 10, 110 x 10 - felt pretty good, almost easy.
Skullcrusher - 80 x 10, 80 x 10, 80 x 10 - felt good, just tired.
Dbell Curl - 35s x 10, 35s x 10, 35s x 10 - felt good, better than last time. tired on last set.
SL Deadlift - 145 x 10, 155 x 10, 165 x 10 - superset with Calf Raise. Felt really good, almost easy.
Calf Raise - 145 x 10, 155 x 10, 165 x 10 - superset with SLDL. Grip problems last set, kind of ruined my form.
Inc Rev Crunch - 15 reps x 2 sets - just exhausted

Really tired today. This workout takes way too long. I think I was at 1 hour 40 min today. Very hard to recuperate with this much volume.

[boxerbilly]

It's cool, thanks for looking out for me! I looked up issues with this exercise and read some articles before heading into the gym. As a result, I made a tweak to my form that will really save my shoulders in the long run. I think it helped.

The shoulder pain is around my rear delt. My upper back is hurting too, between my scapula and spine - like the lower trap or rhomboid. If this pain/injury is due to lifting, my main suspect is actually the bent rows. I'm doing it with flared elbows, in a posture I'm not comfortable with. I just don't think my back is used to the exercise.

Do you feel pain when you press those areas or have someone press them? If not, the pain could be coming from a other area.

Other than that. Keep at it man. Doing great.

[Pork Chop]

Do you feel pain when you press those areas or have someone press them? If not, the pain could be coming from a other area. Pain's gone now.
I get a little tightness in my neck & lower back from time to time, but nothing serious.
Think my big issues is just plain fatigue:
I've gotta fit 3 days of weights and 2 sessions of cardio, each needing a day afterwards to recuperate, into the 7 days of the week.


Other than that. Keep at it man. Doing great. Thanks for the support!

[Pork Chop]

Thursday 10/22/2015

So my plan for today was to work out kinda light (my program recommends light days) so that I can work out again on Friday, getting my 3 weight lifting days in this week and my muay thai session. Also, I've been having a lot of trouble with the added volume of 3 sets of 10 reps for each of the 10 exercises as opposed to the 2 sets I was doing earlier. I realized in the gym this morning that I was either going to have to drop down a lot of weight to get the 3 sets (and still deal with time & fatigue issues), or I could stick with the more comfortable 2 sets and only drop a little weight. I went with the second option.

Squat 135lbs x 10, 135lbs x 10 - little stiff at first, but in general pretty easy
Bench 115lbs x 10, 115lbs x 10 - easy
Assisted Chin 120lb assist x 10, 120lb assist x 10 - Wasn't quite sure what to set this one on. Worked out pretty well, not too hard.
Overhead Press 95lbs x 10, 95lbs x 10 - wouldn't say it was hard, but maybe not as easy as I was hoping
TBar Row 90lbs on bar x 10, 90 x 10 - fairly easy.
Skullcrusher 80lbs x 10, 80 x 10 - fairly easy
Standing Dbell Curl 35s x 10, 35s x 10 - lot easier than when i was doing 3 sets on everything.
SL Deadlift 135lbs x 10, 135lbs x 10 - superset with calf raise, fairly easy, but started to feel fatigued
Calf Raise 135lbs x 10, 135lbs x 10 - superset with sldl, good weight, but fatigued. grip held up well.
Incline Reverse Crunch 10 reps, 2 sets - fairly easy

My intent was to get some work in, but not to kill it and I think I accomplished that. I don't feel anywhere near as obliterated as I have been lately. Given the fact that my recuperation is not very good, this may be the way to go. I'm thinking about just doing 3 sets on the leg exercises.

Something I haven't really mentioned that is playing a part in my recovery (or lack thereof) is my family. My daughter usually wakes up in the middle of the night at least one night a week. This week (since Sunday), she's woken up every night. Tuesday night was particularly bad - my wife put her in our bed a little after midnight and she kept kicking me all night, so Wednesday I was a bit of a wreck, that's part of why I wasn't able to work out. Wednesday night, she did me a favor by not waking up until around 5am Thursday morning. Luckily, the roughly 6 hours of sleep beforehand (and the hour or so afterwards) was enough to keep me from being a basketcase. My job's fairly challenging mentally, so when I don't sleep enough it's very bad for me. I gotta figure out what to do about my daughter.

So yeah, it's looking like I'll do 3 sets of squats, SL deadlifts, and calf raises, leaving the rest at 2 sets. I just don't think I can recover from 3 sets on everything. I still have to see how I feel on Friday. Hoping I can go heavier than this workout. I'm feeling pretty good right now though, like I got enough work in to trigger growth, but not so much that I can't recover from it.

[Pork Chop]

Sunday 10/25/2015

Drumming - Performed again at Gibbs garden (about 1hr away), 2 shows, about 20 min apiece.
Busted my eyebrow open with the drum. Funny, I've never been cut like this in boxing.

Friday I was exhausted and Saturday I had no time.
2 weeks in a row of only 2 lifting days... not good

[Pork Chop]

Tuesday 10/27/2015

Squat - 135lbs x 10, 145lbs x 10, 155lbs x 10 - last set was actually easiest
Bench - 120lbs x 10, 130 x 10, 140 x 10 - easy
Assisted Chinup - 120lb assist x 10, 105a x 10 - 2nd really hard
Overhead Press - 105lbs x 10, 105lbs x 10 - good hard
TBar Row - 105lbs on bar x 10, 110ob x 10, 115ob x 10 - last set hard
Skullcrusher - 80lbs x 10, 80lbs x 10 - last set hard
Dumbbell Curl - 40lbers x 10, 40s x 10 - 2nd hard
SL Deadlift - 145lbs x 10, 155 x 10, 165 x 10 - superset with Calf Raise, easy
Calf Raise - 145 x 10, 155 x 10, 165 x 10 - superset with SLDL, grip issues on last set
Incline Reverse Crunch - 15 reps x 3 sets - tired

Tried mixing it up because I really can't do 3 sets on all the exercises.
This one still took over an hour, probably 1hr 15min.

[Pork Chop]

Thursday 10/29/2015

Squat - 135 x 10, 145 x 10, 155 x 10 - easy
Bench - 120 x 10, 130 x 10, 140 x 10 - last moderately difficult.
Assisted Chinup - 120a x 10, 105a x 10 - not too bad
Overhead Press - 105 x 10, 105 x 10 - tired 2nd set
TBar Row - 105ob x 10, 110ob x 10, 115ob x 10 - not bad, but tired
Skullcrusher - 80 x 10, 80 x 10 - super tired
Dbell Curl - 40s x 10, 40s x 10 - 2nd set, slow
Incline Reverse Crunch 15 reps, 3 sets - a little easier doing it early. people curling in squat rack.
SL Deadlift - 145 x 10, 155 x 10, 165 x 10 - superset with CR. grip issues throughout
Calf Raise - 145 x 10, 155 x 10, 165 x 10 - superset with SLDL, grip issues.

Pretty sure this was 1hr 15min or longer.

[Pork Chop]

Friday 10/30/2015

Squat - 145 x 10, 155 x 10 - easy
Bench - 130 x 10, 140 x 10 - good
Assisted Chinup - 120a x 10, 105a x 10 - not bad
Overhead Press - 105 x 10, 105 x 10 - 2nd set slow.
TBar Row - 110ob x 10, 115ob x 10 - 2nd set heavy
Skullcrusher - 80 x 10, 80 x 10 - 2nd moderate
Dbell Curl - 40s x 10, 40s x 10 - last rep very slow
SL Deadlift - 155 x 10, 165 x 10 - superset with CR, no grip issues
Calf Raise - 155 x 10, 165 x 10 - superset with SLDL, no grip issues
Incline Reverse Crunch - 15 reps x 2 sets - not bad, tired

Really wanted to get in my 3rd workout, was kind of tired and pressed for time, so went with 2 sets on everything. Worked out pretty well. Finished in just under an hour and nowhere near as fatigued as with earlier workouts, but still got in some good work. 2 sets feels a lot better, 3 on everything feels too much.

[Pork Chop]

Sunday 11/1/2015

Drumming practice - 3 hours. First hour was stance & basics. Drank a protein shake during the workout, but still fairly exhausting. I probably did a better job of surviving this time around, but I was REALLY tired & hurting. Hit a protein shake when I got home too.

[Pork Chop]

Monday 11/2/2015

Squat - 145 x 10, 155 x 10, 165 x 10 - kind of easy actually. last set was the best.
Bench - 135 x 10, 145 x 10 - kind of easy
Assisted Chinup - 105a x 10, 105a x 10 - last rep hard
Overhead Press - 105 x 10, 110 x 10 - last few hard, final rep worst
TBar Row - 110ob x 10, 115ob x 10 - not bad
Skullcrusher - 80 x 10, 80 x 10 - last few reps moderately difficult, in general not bad
Dbell Curl - 40s x 10, 40s x 10 - not bad
SL Deadlift - 155 x 10, 165 x 10, 175 x 10 - superset with CR, grip issues on 2nd
Calf Raise - 155 x 10, 165 x 10, 175 x 10 - superset with SLDL, grip issues on 2nd & 3rd
Hanging Clean - 135 x 1 - horrible form. Was tired. Guy next to me was curling 95lbs in squat rack and slamming the weights after every set. So this was pretty much frustration & ego.
Roman Chair 15 reps x 1 set. Old people parked on normal situp bench
Incline Reverse Crunch - 15 reps x 2 sets. Old guy jumped right in front of me to steal my normal situp bench after I'd waited for the others to leave. Had to do it on the other bench. Couldn't get a good stabilizing grip with my hands. Otherwise, kind of easy.

This workout was just about an hour. Three sets on legs and abs really seems to be the way to go. Total's about 24 sets of 10 reps. Fatigue was not so bad that I was questioning whether or not I could finish.

Figured out that I need to drink a protein shake just about every morning when I wake up. If it's a workout day, I probably won't work out early. If it's not a workout day, I just don't seem to wake up that day. Going to try to get into the habit of hitting the gym 4 or 5 days a week and just doing very light cardio on the other days.

[boxerbilly]

Doing great man !

[Pork Chop]

Thanks :)
I have a few weeks of backlogged workouts in my logbook but I just can't seem to find the time to put them in here, sorry.
When work calms down a bit, I'll see what I can do.