The Legend of the Mad Monk

[Machete]

Here's to the rest of the year.

 

Total Tension Complex: 8 / 18

Press 8 ✔

Squat 9 ✔

Press 8 ✔

Squat 9 ✔

Press 8 ✔

Squat 9 ✔

Press 7 ✔

Squat 8 ✔

Press 7 ✔

Squat 8 ✔

 

MFP: 8 days missed in December.

 

Instagram:

Wednesday: 3 posts, 5 stories. Mostly memes.

Thursday: 1 info post, 2 memes; 4 stories

Friday: Only 1 post and 1 story

Saturday: 3 posts, 3 stories.

Sunday: 3 posts, 3 stories

Monday: 3 posts, 4 stories

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Moved up to double 20kg, with a slightly lower volume rather than adding more reps and getting into the double digits. Pyramids of 6-8 seem to hit the generally accepted amount of volume to induce hypertrophy. I'm going to try to incorporate some pull-ups and j curls on off days as well, then eventually some hip thrusts, because TTC seems to be all business upfront.

 

The calories are getting easier, as I'm getting used to eating more. Double Stuffed Oreos seem to work in a pinch, but my dermatitis also seems to be acting up. The things I do for buffness...

 

Need to catch up on the Instagrams. I've saved some good stuff, but I haven't pre-shot or pre-written any content. I will try to get on this. I'm thinking another solo drill for Wednesday, TRX for Thursday, something about nutrition on Friday, a fitness concept on Saturday, and a kettlebell exercise on Sunday. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd appreciate them.

[Urgan]

11 hours ago, Machete said:

The calories are getting easier, as I'm getting used to eating more. Double Stuffed Oreos seem to work in a pinch, but my dermatitis also seems to be acting up. The things I do for buffness...

 

[Machete]

22 hours ago, Urgan said:

 

 

Don't threaten me with a good time.

 

*that was a joke. It is NOT a good time, being a guy who had 5 prostate exams by the time he was 25.

[Urgan]

29 minutes ago, Machete said:

Don't threaten me with a good time.

 

*that was a joke. It is NOT a good time, being a guy who had 5 prostate exams by the time he was 25.

 

I guess it's up to you, since it's a Do It Yourself kinda deal, yeah? LOL.

 

Nope, that's like the opposite of fun.

[Machete]

45 minutes ago, Urgan said:

 

I guess it's up to you, since it's a Do It Yourself kinda deal, yeah? LOL.

 

Nope, that's like the opposite of fun.

 

That's why I never got into butt stuff; I knew too well what it entailed. Daffy's a freak, definitely.

[Machete]

Brother and his wife went to visit, so we had to pretend that we have our shit together. Day was very unproductive, though I was able to finally watch Infinity War, and was pretty satisfied with it. TTC moved down one day, which is not a big deal. I've been on a mood slump, and jiu-jitsu just its appeal. I've taken the time to start transferring my training journals. I'm almost caught-up.

[Machete]

Super stressful year. Lease ended, so I have to move again, which I despise, but looks like this will be long-term. Diet has been shieeet because of this. For now F the diet, I'll just put in some bare minimums for the rest of the month of 2 BJJ sessions. I'm trying to follow the RAT 6 2-lifts 3-days-a-week progression just to get some barbell volume back in, but I'm not expecting much. What I should totally do is periodize my packing and cleaning, segmenting the entire apartment so I can tackle one area at a time.

 

Master Bedroom (closets; journals; nightstand; mattress and frame; curtains; carpet cleaning)

Master Bathroom (cupboard of random stuff; curtains; deep cleaning; rack repairs)

Office

Living Room (boxes; rower; books; bookshelf; table; couches; TV stand; TV; walls; patio sliding door; outside cleaning)

Kitchen

Garage (all the stuff; sweep)

Bedroom

Bathroom

 

I'll be further elaborating on the things that will need to be done in each area. I have like 10 days.

[WhiteGhost]

Have you already found a new place to live?

[Urgan]

Moving is extremely stressful on short notice, for sure. I like the divide and conquer strategy, makes it seem less like you have a whole household to pack, just a bunch of rooms lol.

[Machete]

11 hours ago, WhiteGhost said:

Have you already found a new place to live?

 

3 hours ago, Urgan said:

Moving is extremely stressful on short notice, for sure. I like the divide and conquer strategy, makes it seem less like you have a whole household to pack, just a bunch of rooms lol.

 

Yeah, that should be fully taken care of by next week, which is a huge weight off our backs.

 

Putting it that way, literally having an entire household to pack, I don't know how people do it. I've procrastinated on throwing away stuff too, probably because it keeps being rewarded. Some friends seem to have no attachment to anything they own, and they can just pick up and move whenever they want. I have mail from like 20 years ago. But when hurricane season comes, "Oh, you say you need 6 flashlights, 2 wool blankets, 100 feet of paracord, jumper cables, a tow rope, and MREs? Well you're in luck, because... DAMMIT, WHO MOVED MY STUFF [from the middle of the living room] AGAIN?"

 

Anyway, target today is to pack up two big boxes or random stuff and papers. No idea what is important in it, I just need to get it out of here. That should free up some living room space.

 

Good thing is I was able to get my lifts and IG posts in Monday and Yesterday. Bad thing is the VA sent my prescriptions a week late, and I'm going to have to go through this week as a bumbling idiot. Sleep schedule is fucked. I had a night of like 13 hours and another of intermittent 1-hour intervals. Thanks, Obama.

[Sylvaa]

5 minutes ago, Machete said:

Putting it that way, literally having an entire household to pack, I don't know how people do it. I've procrastinated on throwing away stuff too, probably because it keeps being rewarded. Some friends seem to have no attachment to anything they own, and they can just pick up and move whenever they want.

 

I am one of those people who can pack up and move like nothing. For me, not having a lot of stuff and moving easily go hand in hand. It's not like I don't have stuff, it just has a place. I bought Banker's Boxes and have papers filed by year in the boxes. That gets it out of the way (paper is so cluttery). I keep most everything for 7 years and cycle through at the beginning of every year. 

 

Also, a lot of things I don't pack neatly. Like clothes. Throw those suckers in a box and be done with it. Heck, if you are moving close by (or not using a U-Haul), just move the drawers with the clothes in them. 

[Urgan]

25 minutes ago, Machete said:

Putting it that way, literally having an entire household to pack, I don't know how people do it. I've procrastinated on throwing away stuff too, probably because it keeps being rewarded. Some friends seem to have no attachment to anything they own, and they can just pick up and move whenever they want. I have mail from like 20 years ago. But when hurricane season comes, "Oh, you say you need 6 flashlights, 2 wool blankets, 100 feet of paracord, jumper cables, a tow rope, and MREs? Well you're in luck, because... DAMMIT, WHO MOVED MY STUFF [from the middle of the living room] AGAIN?"

 

I can understand this. On the one hand, I am what many would describe as a neat freak and everything has its place or the world may literally stop turning. OTOH, I cannot comprehend a lifestyle where you wholesale abandon useful stuff when moving from place to place unless it was slowly coming apart or you are dramatically downsizing. Occasional/regular decluttering is one thing, whole new everything is a different story. I'm just too sentimental for that.

 

28 minutes ago, Machete said:

Good thing is I was able to get my lifts and IG posts in Monday and Yesterday. Bad thing is the VA sent my prescriptions a week late, and I'm going to have to go through this week as a bumbling idiot. Sleep schedule is fucked. I had a night of like 13 hours and another of intermittent 1-hour intervals. Thanks, Obama.

 

Sorry your sleep is erratic to nonexistent. That alone can really mess with your head.

[Kishi]

6 hours ago, Machete said:

Putting it that way, literally having an entire household to pack, I don't know how people do it. I've procrastinated on throwing away stuff too, probably because it keeps being rewarded. Some friends seem to have no attachment to anything they own, and they can just pick up and move whenever they want. I have mail from like 20 years ago. But when hurricane season comes, "Oh, you say you need 6 flashlights, 2 wool blankets, 100 feet of paracord, jumper cables, a tow rope, and MREs? Well you're in luck, because... DAMMIT, WHO MOVED MY STUFF [from the middle of the living room] AGAIN?"

 

I mean, if I had useful things, I'd keep them. And in a way I still do; as far as my media is concerned, I'm really big on digitizing this stuff. If I didn't have that, I don't know that I would do so well with getting rid of things, because what if, you know?

 

6 hours ago, Machete said:

Good thing is I was able to get my lifts and IG posts in Monday and Yesterday. Bad thing is the VA sent my prescriptions a week late, and I'm going to have to go through this week as a bumbling idiot. Sleep schedule is fucked. I had a night of like 13 hours and another of intermittent 1-hour intervals. Thanks, Obama.

 

Well, one day at a time, then. You'll get through. And I have a feeling that even on your bumbling idiot days you're still better than a lot of people on their good days.

[Machete]

On 2/13/2019 at 11:37 AM, Sylvaa said:

Also, a lot of things I don't pack neatly. Like clothes. Throw those suckers in a box and be done with it. Heck, if you are moving close by (or not using a U-Haul), just move the drawers with the clothes in them. 

 

That's pretty much what I did. I haven't even unpacked some of the stuff I brought here 2 years ago.

 

On 2/13/2019 at 11:48 AM, Urgan said:

 

 I can understand this. On the one hand, I am what many would describe as a neat freak and everything has its place or the world may literally stop turning. OTOH, I cannot comprehend a lifestyle where you wholesale abandon useful stuff when moving from place to place unless it was slowly coming apart or you are dramatically downsizing. Occasional/regular decluttering is one thing, whole new everything is a different story. I'm just too sentimental for that.

 

 

Sorry your sleep is erratic to nonexistent. That alone can really mess with your head.

 

We're definitely due for a downsizing. But I haven't really looked through, so I'll have to do it at our new place. Haha

 

I think the self-pity that permits me to stay in bed past 10 is what throws it off. And the dogs. They're so warm and fluffy.

 

 

21 hours ago, Kishi said:

 

I mean, if I had useful things, I'd keep them. And in a way I still do; as far as my media is concerned, I'm really big on digitizing this stuff. If I didn't have that, I don't know that I would do so well with getting rid of things, because what if, you know?

 

 

Well, one day at a time, then. You'll get through. And I have a feeling that even on your bumbling idiot days you're still better than a lot of people on their good days.

 

I'm working on digitizing my training journals, but keeping the backups of course. The others, eh.

 

Yeah, the delivery is supposed to come today, so things should be looking up.

 

Got the boxes packed yesterday. I'm just aiming for one box today to empty my closet. If I do that, maybe I'll pack up my bookshelf. Got some jiu-jitsu in, but I woke up a bit late so I wasn't able to eat. Ended up having a few handfuls of kettle-cooked chips in the Walmart parking lot after (and by "a few handfuls" it apparently meant the whole bag). 

[Kishi]

21 minutes ago, Machete said:

Ended up having a few handfuls of kettle-cooked chips in the Walmart parking lot after (and by "a few handfuls" it apparently meant the whole bag).

 

I mean, if your hands are big enough...

[Urgan]

23 minutes ago, Machete said:

I think the self-pity that permits me to stay in bed past 10 is what throws it off. And the dogs. They're so warm and fluffy.

 

 

To be fair, pets are fluffy. Some of them purr. If there was nothing forcing me to leave the house to make a living, I would not do so well at getting up, either.

[Guzzi]

We will be moving into a bigger house within the next 12 months and although we are all desperate to live somewhere that has enough space (our current house is rated for 3 people, there’s 5 of us) I am dreading the move itself. 

 

I am NOT a sentimental person by any stretch of the imagination, I don’t keep cards people send me (or gifts, if I don’t like them!) but I have So. Much. Stuff.  I own seven, yes seven, frying pans because each one is a different shape/size so has a different purpose.  I have dozens of Tupperware boxes of varying shape/size so that I can store food in the appropriate sized tub.  I mean, life would end if you stored food in an excessively large tub, right?  I have a tool for just about anything - need a new hole in your belt, got you covered!  Need to rivet a new button on your jeans, hit me up! 

 

I hope your move goes smoothly! 

[Machete]

Totally got nothing done. I'll try again today. Missed deadlifts as well. Apparently multiple sets of squats kill me.

 

19 hours ago, Kishi said:

I mean, if your hands are big enough...

 

 

19 hours ago, Urgan said:

 

To be fair, pets are fluffy. Some of them purr. If there was nothing forcing me to leave the house to make a living, I would not do so well at getting up, either.

 

We work our asses off so our pets can live the dream. I was surviving on PB&J and protein shakes for months while they ate premium grain-free lamb kibble.

 

18 hours ago, Guzzi said:

We will be moving into a bigger house within the next 12 months and although we are all desperate to live somewhere that has enough space (our current house is rated for 3 people, there’s 5 of us) I am dreading the move itself. 

 

I am NOT a sentimental person by any stretch of the imagination, I don’t keep cards people send me (or gifts, if I don’t like them!) but I have So. Much. Stuff.  I own seven, yes seven, frying pans because each one is a different shape/size so has a different purpose.  I have dozens of Tupperware boxes of varying shape/size so that I can store food in the appropriate sized tub.  I mean, life would end if you stored food in an excessively large tub, right?  I have a tool for just about anything - need a new hole in your belt, got you covered!  Need to rivet a new button on your jeans, hit me up! 

 

I hope your move goes smoothly! 

 

Oh yeah, my biggest box during our last move was by far the kitchen; and it got even bigger, despite the fact that yes, I do have a favorite pan, and the others are rarely used.Three blenders, because what if I want a smoothie with a specific consistency not available to the other two?

[Urgan]

10 minutes ago, Machete said:

We work our asses off so our pets can live the dream. I was surviving on PB&J and protein shakes for months while they ate premium grain-free lamb kibble.

 

Facts.

[Machete]

So got the move done right on time. Now to unpack. Slowly.

 

 

Got some Front Squats and Deadlifts in too. Pretty good week.

[Machete]

On 2/15/2019 at 11:27 AM, Urgan said:

Facts.

 

People can't believe the amount of money I spend on rent (especially at my salary) just so my dogs can be accommodated. How dare they say it's nothing like having kids.

[Machete]

So the past month I got back on the barbell. Hit some heavy 8 set work on some big lifts and I've put on quite a bit of mass.

 

I'm the heaviest I've ever been, but funny enough, not the strongest I've ever been. I'm able to muscle some things through in jiu-jitsu, but I haven't seemed to figure out how to use all this mass yet. Also I tend to gas out really quickly. We'll see how it goes. I'm going to keep the massing project going until about August.

[Machete]

Soooo, updates.

 

Had a back strain a week before IBJJF, probably from overzealous training (again). Took the entire week off, and came in heavy the day of. Had to cut some weight, and ended up cutting a little too much. Nerves didn't hit me though, because I got in just as I was getting called. Still felt a bit lethargic. My first opponent just wanted it more than I did. Super gassed after that, and the next guy was just much better; ran circles around me. Ended up with bronze for participation.

 

Key things to consider for June would be cardio, HRV monitoring (which has fallen down the wayside) , and perhaps some rotational training. Weight seems steady, and I don't think I want to go over 3'000 cal just because it's really hard (and expensive) to eat. I'm running a 6-week cycle of a Military Athlete strength plan, so that should get my durability and work capacity up before I go back to 5/3/1.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Gonna follow from now on.

[Machete]

So, I finished the main lift portions of MTI's 357 Strength, and I'd have to say that was a lot more volume than I'm used to. My mobility is currently terrible as I've been having trouble washing my own back. I'm also the beefiest I've ever been, and people are definitely asking questions. I signed up for a jiu-jitsu tournament mid-June, so I'm thinking I should drop some calories and work on getting a little more limber and lean.