Overall, training is going pretty well.  I've been pretty consistent.  Everything I'm doing could be done better, but I'm not very concerned right now.  We have one month left during football season.  As long as I just stay consistent I'll be fine.  More free time is right around the corner - the light at the end of the tunnel is no longer an oncoming train.

Here's my training from our road trip to San Diego last week.

Tuesday

  • SSB Box Squat: 205x5/230x5/255x5 PR!
  • Ab Rollouts: 5x10
  • FBB Press: 5x10
  • KB Row: 5x10
  • Pull-ups: 5x5 *done later in the day with the softball team

Thursday

  • Trap Bar: 235x5/285x5/325x5 PR!
  • Ab Rollouts: 5x10
  • DB Incline: 5x20 w/30's
  • KB Row: 5x10
  • Pull-ups: 5x5 *done later with basketball team

The DB Incline causes too much pain in my shoulder.  The 30's were way too light, but the 40's and 50's hurt my shoulder.  No matter how I angled my hands the joint would pop and click.  I have to scratch them off the list of exercises.

Here's training from our home game this past week.

Sunday

  • SSB Box Squat: 190x5/215x5/240x5
  • Ab Rollouts: 5x10
  • SSB FSL (no box): 5x10@155
  • Dips: 5x10
  • Pull-ups: 5x5

Tuesday

  • Press (with Squat Bar): 55x5/75x5/95x5/105x5/115x5/125x5/135x3
  • Ab Rollouts: 5x10
  • Pull-aparts: 2x25
  • FBB FSL: 10x5@95
  • T-Bar Row: 5x10
  • T-Bar RDL: 5x10

Friday

  • Trap Bar: 210x5/235x5/260x5
  • Ab Rollouts: 5x10
  • FSL: 10x5@210
  • KB Row: 5x10
  • Dips: 5x10

I got in my bike work every day except for this past weekend.  My sister was in town so we partook a little too much in the adult beverages.

As I mentioned, I'm happy with training given the time of year.  I've been playing with all kinds of different ideas and tried a few out here and there.  The more I look at things and have an honest assessment of what looks good and what I will actually do, I've realized that the template I'm using works well and I enjoy it.  Instead of making changes to increase the musculature in my neck/shoulders/upper back I just need to put a better emphasis on the work that I'm already doing.  I think I got caught up in the stupidity looking for the quick fix.  In reality, I had a pretty good back/neck/shoulders before surgery.  Surgery really jacked me up and it hasn't even been a year.  It's unrealistic to expect my body to rebound quickly after being opened up twice in 3 days.

I'll probably play around with some little stuff, but the core of my work should and needs to remain the same.  My eating frequency needs to improve.  If I want to build some muscle I need to eat as such.  My 2 times a day habit simply won't cut it.  Fundamentally, I know this.  But, I have that stupid gene where I think I'm special/genetically gifted.  This is obviously not the case, nor has it ever been.

We have one month left before I get a lot more free time, which will include much better sleep.  All of this, plus more frequent eating will undoubtedly render the results I'm looking for.

In this process I'm still trying to find ways to "test" my strength.  I was very happy with my SSB 255x5 and Trap Bar 325x5 PR's.  I just have to keep working.  I think Jim and I (and hopefully, Vincent) will have an NOV Meet some time this winter.  Those gatherings always refocus me and get me back on a good path.