Sunday

Monday

  • Sled Drag, 10 minutes upper and 10 minutes lower
  • Indian Club Swings

Tuesday

  • Treadmill, 20 min HIIT
  • Foam Roll and Stretch

Wednesday

  • Goodmornings with SSB 155 5 x 5
  • Romanian Deadlifts 135 5 x 10
  • Weighted Abs 5 x 10
  • Reverse Hypers 5 x 10

Thursday

  • Treadmill, 20 minutes HIIT
  • Foam Roll and Stretch

Friday

  • Speed Bench 185 9 x 3 (3 grips)
  • T-Bar Row 45x10, 70 x 10 80 3 x 10
  • H Rolls 10 3 x 10

Just kept busy and did a little work this week after the meet. I've definitely felt a little beat up and have been contrast showering everyday. I also spent a lot of time this week deciding what I wanted to do for my next program. I wanted to start training for a raw meet - possibly full, if not, bench. However, a couple of things have changed my mind. I've been having good success in the shirt this year, maybe I should just run with it. Also, to try and train for a full meet would probably ruin me. I have this overwhelming feeling that I have to get on the platform and squat and deadlift again. But why? What do I have to prove? This is a question for which I may never have an answer.

So, while I've been planning for a full meet, I've been trying to prepare myself a bit. This means stretching to get under a squat bar because I'm so inflexible and can't even get my hands in the sleeves. While doing this, I jacked up my neck severely. Considering my lumbar disc problems, it would not be a surprise if I had some cervical disc problems as well. I have also tried to do a little low back work. This has caused me to not only have low back pain, but pain in my left leg into my knee as well. It's crazy how the whole body is connected just like that song we learned in elementary school. You know "The hip bone's connected to the..." you get the picture. Interestingly, I was telling Jessica a few weeks ago how great it was to walk around pain free.

Now I feel like a cripple.

So, I have decided the full meet idea is out, for now at least. If I were smart, I'd say out forever. Hey, I'm tryin' folks. Anyway, one of the reasons I want to go raw is because I'm tired of putting on that damned shirt. So, I'm switching my training up again and planning on competing in October at the IPA Rhode Island State meet. I'm going to train traditional Westside for the bench and only going to put the shirt on three weeks out. Hopefully that will suffice, but if not, that gives me another week to put it on before the contest. Travis Bell gave me that idea and I'm running with it. I'll pick different ME exercises for each workout when I get to the gym and will try not to repeat any. I'll also bring my grip in more often on exercises, especially speed bench. Because I'm strong off the chest, I think really hammering the tri's might be the key to victory for me. If nothing else, this routine will be fresh. Only time will tell whether it works for me or not.

Oh yeah, for lower body training I'm going to stick with Wendler's 5/3/1 percentages. I will continue using the safety squat bar to squat and the hex bar to deadlift. These bars have kept me safe. Why change a good thing? The change for this cycle will be that I'm going to use a higher max starting weight based off of a few actual singles I took last cycle. I'm definitely going to push myself much harder on these than I have in the past. I'm also going to push for extra reps like Jim recommends. At the end of each rotation I'll up the weight five pounds another thing I wasn't doing previously.

Lastly, my weight is hovering right around 275. Using past pics and the mirror for reference, I'm right around 18% bodyfat. I'll get it checked again soon. I think this is an optimum percentage for me when comparing competing in the 242's vs the 275's. I have a plan for my diet and will continue to condition. Actually, I'm going to try and up my conditioning work. This is one thing I missed when cutting. I was on the treadmill so much that I never felt like I could handle any other GPP work.

Now I just have to keep myself in line and implement my plan. Easier said than done.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN YOUR PLAN

Running

  • 1 mile jog on track

This is first time I remember running in the last twenty years. Being an asthmatic for most of my life and being heavier for quite some time now, I just never bothered or saw the need for jogging/running. For some reason last night I told Jessica I wanted to head down to the HS track to run. When I woke up this morning, it no longer felt like a good idea. I was stiffer than ever and not in the good way. Anyway, once I have an idea, I run with it - pun intended.

As I started my jog, every bone in my body ached. I told myself I'd make one lap and then walk one. Once I finished the first lap, I figured I could make two and then walk. Well, once I hit two, I figured I was half way there and I could suffer through four laps. Damn, my calves and shins felt like they were going to explode. I was pleasantly surprised that my breathing was OK and my asthma didn't kick in. I've been off my daily asthma medication for a few months now. If it weren't for seniors passing me in walkers - I'd be proud of myself.

My pathetic time ended up being 14 minutes and 3 seconds. It's a place to start. A year ago this time I couldn't walk a half mile without stopping. A goal of mine was to walk a 5k last fall and I did that. Now a new goal for me will be to run one by the end of 2010. First, I'll need to get that mile time down. My immediate goal will be to get it down to 10 minutes. From there I'll start increasing distance. Who knows, maybe I'll end up strong and well conditioned.