Shift The Focus

     It was a good night of deadlifts. Let's get right into it!

••••••••••

DEADS:

133lb x12

177lb x10

(221lb x5) 3x

KELSO SHRUG:

67lb x10

Kelso / Upright:

77lb x10 / x15

97lb x10 / x10

PENDLAY ROWS:

Overhand / Underhand:

67lb x10 / x10

77lb x8 / x8

87lb x6 / x6

ISOLATERAL ROWS:

Wide, Single/Single/Double:

30lb x12 / x12 / x10

35lb x10 / x10 / x8

40lb x8 / x8 / x6

ISOLATERAL Z TWIST:

5lb x10

(10lb x10) 2x

ASSISTED PULLUPS:

Wide Grip:

80lb x10

80lb x8

80lb x6

••••••••••

     I think tonight went well. I'll talk about the accessories first. I wanted to do something different tonight because I was getting bored, that's why I threw in the Kelso shrugs and Pendlay rows. I'm not sure that I did either one correctly, but they felt good lol. I also thought I'd try some Z twists on the isolateral machine and I really liked them there! Doing them on the other row machine with the straight bar is OK, but the attachment itself weighs so much that it makes them much harder for me to do correctly. On the isolateral machine, you just have the D handles. It allowed me to lighten the weight and really focus on doing them right. I'm getting better on pullups....slowly. Now let's move onto the deads. 

     I dropped the weight back from last week and got 3 solid sets of 5. I had Frank take a video of me so I could see my form. I wanted to make sure that it was OK as I'm getting into the heavier (for me) weights. It actually looked pretty decent. Decent, aside from the fact that I look like a got-damn beached whale. I cannot believe how terrible I look. That's all I could see in the video was the size of myself, and I hate it. I was going to post the video, but I'm not at the point where I can do that because I'm embarrassed by the way I look. So here's where I deal with this "split brain" issue that I have. My Emotional Brain is so focused on appearance and being self-conscious of my extra weight, that it's not letting my Logical Brain be proud of the fact that I'm lifting more than I ever have with proper form.

     I see people who are bigger than me and they don't seem to care. And I'm not trying to be rude or anything here. I'm saying, I see people who are twice as big as me wearing shorts and tank tops and "lettin' it all hang out" and I'm over here in long pants and t-shirts, sweating my ass off and being mortified because you can see the outline of my thick gut. I'm disgusted with myself when I look in the mirror and see the curve of my spare tire because I chose to wear a large t-shirt instead of the bulky, baggy extra large shirt. I'm zero percent comfortable in my own skin and it sucks. I need to drop some pounds and at this point, it's a massive uphill battle that's wearing me down. 

     Maybe I'll end up sharing that video. Maybe it'll just get deleted. At least the the Chat GPT version of me has a smaller stomach. 

It's Been Over A Month

     As most Bros will tell you, Monday is bench day. I don't feel like a Bro, but I benched like one. Here's what I did:

••••••••••

BENCH:

95lb x10

115lb x8

(135lb x4) 3x

Narrow:

65lb x15

95lb x8

115lb x2

STANDING CABLE FLY:

Low/High:

(25lb x10) 3x

Mid:

(35lb x10) 3x

High/Low:

(40lb x10) 3x

TRI PUSH DOWN:

Overhand Push Down / Underhand Pull Down:

35lb x10 / x10

40lb x8 / x8

SINGLE ARM PULL DOWN:

10lb x8 ea.

10lb x10 ea.

(15lb x7) 2x

INCLINED PRESS:

(Bar x15) 3x

••••••••••

     For some reason, we screwed up and didn't do the incline presses after the bench like we normally do. By the time we realized it, my shoulders were done from the flys. The last set I did, I felt a little strain on my right shoulder - the same area that clicks/snaps when I do lateral raises. I tried doing weight on the inclines, but it wasn't happening. 

     I have FINALLY managed 3 full sets of 4 reps at 135lb. I looked back and it's been a month and a half since I've been trying to get that. I hope it's not another month before I can manage 5 reps. I'm trying for it next Monday, so stay tuned.

     So not a lot of volume on this session, but still got some good progress, and it sure does feel good to rep out those plates. 

Weighing Heavy

     I was feeling pretty good and I figured I'd strike while the iron was hot. I went back to some heavy sets for squats and I was not disappointed.

••••••••••

SQUATS:

95lb x10

115lb x6

135lb x5

(165lb x3) 3x

45° LEG PRESS:

[(240lb x10 pulse) 3x] 3x

STANDING CALF RAISE / SHRUG:

+45lb x10 / x12

+70lb x8 / x12

+95lb x6 / x12

SMITH MACHINE SQUATS:

Narrow, HIgh bar

Heel Elevated:

Bar x? - just did a few to get the feel for placement, form, etc.

65lb x10

95lb x5

Flat:

115lb x5

135lb x5

SEATED LEG EXTENSIONS:

Single/Single/Double:

(40lb x10 / x10 / 100lb x5) 2x

It was at this point that my knees just said "no". 

MULTI HIP MACHINE:

Knee Raises:

(18lb x10 ea.) 3x

Kickbacks:

18lb x10 ea.

23lb x10 ea.

29lb x10 ea.

••••••••••

     My knees held up well during the squats which kind of surprised me. The squats on the Smith Machine started to really aggravate them and y the time I did the leg extensions, they were toast. The 165lb felt better than last time though and I don't think I struggled as much to get the 3 reps. Next week I'll try for the full 5. I believe I can do it. I've been trying to give a much more concerted effort at targeting my quads (as I said before) and I like the way it's making my legs feel. It's tricky to get that balance between enough to stimulate my legs but not so much that it destroys my knees in the process. 

     Overall, a good squat session for me, so I won't complain. 

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Undeniable

     It was a good night for overhead presses. Here's what got done:

••••••••••

OVERHEAD PRESS:

Bradford:

Bar x10

Strict:

67lb x8

72lb x6

(77lb x4) 3x

Push:

89lb x4

109lb x3

114lb x2

Z PRESS:

Bar x10

67lb x5

(72lb x3) 2x

HANGING LEG RAISE:

5x2

I threw these in for fun, just to do something while Frank was lifting.

CABLE LATERAL RAISE:

5lb x12 ea.

10lb x10 ea.

(15lb x3 ea.) 2x

ROTATOR CUFF ABDUCTION & ADDUCTION:

(5lb x10 add. / 5lb x10 abd.) 2x

ISOLATERAL SHOULDER PRESS:

+10lb x12

+15lb x4

+15lb x3

+10lb x10

CONVERGING SHOULDER PRESS:

Wide overhand grip:

40lb x15

40lb x10

Mid overhand grip

(50lb x10) 2x

SEATED REAR FLY:

70lb x10

80lb x8

90lb x5

70lb x10

••••••••••

     I'm pleased with what I did tonight. I have to thank Frank for forcing me to start the strict presses with 67lb. I was going to start with 50lb, but apparently, that would have been too low. I still have the tendency to undercut myself and not push myself as hard as I should, that's why it's good for me to have Frank as my partner.

     I'm also pleased because it's undeniable that I'm making progress. There are days, a lot of days, where I'm disappointed and discouraged with what I perceive as a lack of progress. I look in the mirror and see no changes. I look at the scale and see no changes. Yet I look at my training log and I cannot deny that I see changes. The numbers are inching up. They may not be flying up as fast as when I was 35, but they are creeping up. My physique is not what it should be, that's true. I have my suspicions. Some of it is within my control, but some of just is not. At the moment, I'm trying to control what I can and not stress over anything else. I won't lie though, it's maddening to have to work twice as hard just to stay in the same place and not fall backwards. But it is, what it is. I'm sure it's building character or some other bullshit motivational thing. Regardless of appearance and/or weight, the undeniable fact is that I am getting stronger. Seeing as how I'm getting stronger, and I'm not some novice lifter, then to my mind, I'm building muscle. Eventually, hopefully, it will be more noticeable than it is now. I have changed shape a wee bit but not as much as I would have hoped by now. All I can do is keep going.

     All things considered, I'm doing well. It's undeniable.

NEW PR!!

     You get another two-fer today because I forgot to upload yesterday's notes. No PR on bench, but some good progress. The PR happened today on deads. Keep reading to see all the deets.

••••••••••

Monday 5/11

DB BENCH:

Slight Incline:

30lb x12

It was after this first set that the flat bench opened up, so we switched over to that.

BENCH:

95lb x12

115lb x6

(135lb x3) 3x

4.5" block:

155lb x2

155lb x3

1/2 Rep - Bottom Up:

(95lb x10, x1 Full ROM) 2x

DB INCLINE BENCH:

35lb x10

45lb x2  - needed a spot on both, basically a fail, immediately went to 35lb x4

(40lb x4) 2x

I went to the 45's first because someone was working with the 40's. I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to get them, but I tried anyhow!

SEATED CHEST FLY:

85lb x10

95lb x8

105lb x5

I then tried a variation I've seen where you're not sitting, but leaning against the seat, legs out in front, about a 45° angle.

45lb x3

95lb x2

65lb x6

Tuesday 5/12

DEADS:

133lb x12

199lb x3 (overhand), x3 (mixed)

(239lb x3) 3x

BENT BB ROW:

Bar x20

55lb x12

65lb x12

75lb x10

SINGLE LEG RDL:

(50lb KB x10 ea. leg) 3x

LAT PULLDOWN:

Narrow:

85lb x12

90lb x10

100lb x6

CABLE LAT SWEEP:

15lb x10

25lb x6

20lb x5

CABLE LAT PRAYER:

20lb x10

30lb x7

35lb x5

20lb x10

ASSISTED PULLUPS:

I used the same hand/arm position on the pullups as I did on the pulldowns

90lb x10

(80lb x6) 2x

MACHINE CRUNCH:

(80lb x12) 3x

BACK RAISES:

25lb x12

45lb x10

70lb x8

••••••••••

     I'm kind of pleased with the 135lb on bench. I couldn't make sets of 5 this week, but the sets of 3 felt stable and solid. I'm not making the progress that I would like on the bench. I need to look into that and adjust what I'm doing. 

     The deads went well! I didn't do a lot, but I did get a PR on my sets of 3! I've never done that weight before and I'm very pleased with my progress. I remember when I was stuck at sets of 185lb, and even that was a struggle. I didn't even have to wear my knee sleeves tonight. My right knee is angry now, but it held up while at the gym. 

     I'm reigning my food in and getting it back to where it should be. I didn't have a ton of energy last night for bench but for some reason today, I was kind of peppy. I don't question it anymore, I just roll with it. 

     I've had dinner, had my treat, and now I'm ready for tea and a rest.

Squattin' Solo

     I was without my other half for squats today. Frank was off on an adventure up north. I was on an adventure at the Y. Here's what I did:

••••••••••

45° LEG PRESS:

(190lb pulse x10) 3x

240lb x10

(280lb x10) 3x

SQUATS:

High Bar:

Bar x10

Low Bar:

95lb x10

Low Bar 1.5 Reps:

(95lb x6) 2x

115lb x6

115lb x3

LEG EXTENSIONS:

Single/Single/Double:

(40lb x10 / x10 / 90lb x5) 2x

50lb x5 / x5 / 100lb x5

LYING HAMSTRING CURL:

Single/Single/Double:

60lb x4 / x4 / 110lb x4

(50lb x4 / x4 / 90lb x4) 2x

MULTI HIP:

Standing Adduction:

(29lb x10 ea. leg) 3x

Standing Abduction:

(29lb x10 ea. leg) 3x

••••••••••

     Aside from feeling totally alone, everything went alright. I haven't been eating very well though, so much energy was tanked. I really should have pushed for more squats and I should've done the hip flexors and kickbacks on the multi hip machine. I need to do better, so I will. I'm also going to reel my diet back in today. No excuses. 

I Didn't Bring Da Noise

     The past 2 days have gone well. Nothing remarkable, which, in relation to last Tuesday, is a wonderful thing! Here's the rundown for Monday and today:

••••••••••

Monday 5/4

BENCH:

Paused:

65lbx10

95lb x10

1.5 Reps:

115lb x3

95lb x6

95lb x3, x1, x.5

Larsen Press:

95lb x9

95lb x10

INCLINED PRESS:

(75lb x8) 2x

75lb x7.5

DECLINE PRESS:

95lb x10

115lb x5

115lb x4

DB ROLLBACK:

(20lb x10) 3x

DB PULLOVER:

(40lb x10) 3x

SEATED FLY:

Single/Single/Double:

80lbx10/x10/90lb x5

(80lb x10/x10/90lb x6) 2x

Tuesday 5/5

DEADS:

133lb x10

177lb x8

221lb x2, x4

221lb x5

221lb x3

KB RDL:

Double Leg, kb in ea. hand:

(50lb x12) 3x

DB BENT ROWS:
Narrow/Sweep:

20lb x10/x10

25lb x7/x7

30lb x5/x5

SEATED WIDE CABLE ROW:

25lb x12

30lb x12

(40lb x8) 2x

NARROW LAT PULLDOWN:

70lb x10

75lb x10

85lb x8

BACK EXTENSIONS:

Weight Held w/arms extended

25lb x12

35lb x12

45lb x12

••••••••••

     I felt a little "scattered" and unfocused yesterday. It seemed like my brain just couldn't stay in one lane. I look back at my notes and see that my reps/sets had no rhyme or reason, or at least, less than what they usually have. Today went a little better. I tried not to do too much with the deads because my goal is to keep these sessions less taxing on my body. I'm hoping to find the sweet spot of doing enough to progress, but not so much that I can't recover. I think I'm getting close. I had some tightness in my left hip after the deads, but I did some stretching and then a dead hang and I felt a nice, releasing pop. Most of the pain was gone after that. My knees have been achy but I'm blaming this crazy weather for that. Other than that, I'm all good. I also had no...let's call it..."gastrointestinal issues" today. Praise baby Jesus.

     I'm feeling good, and trying to stay positive in the face of adversity. It sounds so cliché, but it's true. The easy thing to do is just give in to the negative feelings and throw your hands up in defeat. I don't want to do things the easy way, though. I never have. I work hard, I push hard, I complain loudly at times, and I persevere. 

     On a side note, I'm trying to update the look of this old blog. I don't know about you, but the white font on a dark background was really straining my eyes. I opted for this new brighter look, but I'm on the fence. I think it's a little too "foo-foo" for my liking. I may play around with it a little  and see if I can't fine tune it. Let me know if you have any suggestions!