Don't Let Raptron in the House

[raptron]

Day 24.2

I worked until ~6 PM and then was kind of slow mobilizing to leave for the gym. I feel like faffed around a lot during this workout, but the actual lifts felt pretty good, considering I hadn't slept super well the night before. 

 

Squats: 4 x 3 x 270# <-- these are some BIG girl squats. I don't think I've actually done multiple working sets at this weight before. They were tough, but moved pretty well! 

Paused squats: 3 x 4 x 235#

Bench: 2 x 3 x 155#, 4 x 4 x 145#

Chin-ups: 3 x 6

BSS: 4 x 10 x 40# DBs

 

Videos seem to suggest that squats are just barely at parallel right now, so I might make some adjustments in upcoming squat workouts to really make sure I'm hitting UNQUESTIONABLE depth (which was my prior MO before lockdown got me out of the gym). 

 

MOST IMPORTANTLY, I finally got in-season, local heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, so I'll be eating exclusively that for the next few days... JK JK because I also got a bunch of sweet corn, and some kind of avocado corn salad situation is on the horizon. 

 

Lift: 1/3

Bike: 0/1 

Run carefully: 1/2

Green spaces: 0/1 

Get in the water: 0/1

Read 30 minutes: 2/7 days

 

I'm actually in my office today. There is no one else on my floor. It's been really nice for just trying to get laser focused on a bunch of the more detail-oriented things I've got on my plate right now. (She says, while posting on a social forum. 😝)

[AgentsSka]

3 hours ago, raptron said:

MOST IMPORTANTLY, I finally got in-season, local heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, so I'll be eating exclusively that for the next few days... JK JK because I also got a bunch of sweet corn, and some kind of avocado corn salad situation is on the horizon

 

Bring over all of this yummy food.  We can work on squat form in my garage, then eat all of those goodies, and drink -  whatever your drink of choice is!

[bigm141414]

18 hours ago, AgentsSka said:

 

Bring over all of this yummy food.  We can work on squat form in my garage, then eat all of those goodies, and drink -  whatever your drink of choice is!

 

 

This has all the makings of another Boston based nerd lifting meet up.....

[raptron]

17 hours ago, AgentsSka said:

Bring over all of this yummy food.  We can work on squat form in my garage, then eat all of those goodies, and drink -  whatever your drink of choice is!

This sounds like an excellent time. Let's do it soon! 

 

7 minutes ago, bigm141414 said:

This has all the makings of another Boston based nerd lifting meet up.....

It definitely doesss. Rowdiness on the horizon.

 

Day 24.3

Dear lifting diary, 

 

My back was feeling a BIT sore from squats and I did not want to lift today. But, I didn't want to run either and that was the back-up option, so, I went to the gym, all rumbly and grumbly. It was fine in the end, but I did not feel particularly exhilarated about any of this. Just another day of putting in the work. 🤷‍♀️

 

Deficit deadlifts: 4 x 5 x 255#

Deadlifts: 4 x 5 x 295#

Bench: 10 x 125#, 3 x 10 x 130# 

Dips: 2 x 8 <-- these were TOO MUCH after so much bench volume, haha

Half kneeling db press: 3 x 8 x 30#

Plank KB pull-throughs: 4 x 20

 

I pulled up the playoff game on my laptop and watched the Bruins disappoint me horribly as I did most of this workout. Then I went home, ate more piles of tomatoes and mozzarella, and read more of my book. I kind of wanted to go right to bed, but I had to eat and shower so it was more like 11:30 pm when I did get to sleep. 

 

Lift: 2/3

Bike: 0/1 

Run carefully: 1/2

Green spaces: 0/1 

Get in the water: 0/1

Read 30 minutes: 3/7 days

 

The next weeks of deadlifts in the program look like repeats of my last 4 weeks of deadlift workouts, which I don't think makes sense for progression. AND the next few weeks of squats look literally impossible... 5s at 90%? Triples at my max? Lollllllll. I think not. I need to decide whether to jump ship to something with more reasonable expectations or keep the upcoming weeks' rep schemes and match them with more appropriate weights. 

[Mike Wazowski]

Aww sorry it was one of those workouts, but good on you for still putting in the work!

 

What lifting program are you on these days, by the way?

[raptron]

56 minutes ago, Mike Wazowski said:

Aww sorry it was one of those workouts, but good on you for still putting in the work!

 

What lifting program are you on these days, by the way?

THE BEST FUCKING 12 WEEKS OF POWERLIFTING, lololol. With like, lots of modifications because I don't listen to anyone, let alone spreadsheets from the internet.

[Mike Wazowski]

1 hour ago, raptron said:

THE BEST FUCKING 12 WEEKS OF POWERLIFTING, lololol. With like, lots of modifications because I don't listen to anyone, let alone spreadsheets from the internet.

HAHAHAHA THAT TITLE!!!!

 

And I feel you, I'm forever a rebel when it comes to programming (but if now I gravitate to people who recommend customizing their programming based on how you feel, does it count as being a rebel still?).

[PaulG]

1 hour ago, Mike Wazowski said:

HAHAHAHA THAT TITLE!!!!

 

And I feel you, I'm forever a rebel when it comes to programming (but if now I gravitate to people who recommend customizing their programming based on how you feel, does it count as being a rebel still?).

I believe that makes you a programming hippie. Whatever’s in the mystical tarot of WOD, maaaan! Let the cosmic energy decide your gains!!

[bigm141414]

6 hours ago, raptron said:

THE BEST FUCKING 12 WEEKS OF POWERLIFTING, lololol. With like, lots of modifications because I don't listen to anyone, let alone spreadsheets from the internet.

 

This program reads like Smolov but with extra steps.

[Mike Wazowski]

16 minutes ago, bigm141414 said:

 

This program reads like Smolov but with extra steps.

My eyes and my brain hurt just looking at that writeup. Who writes without punctuation??

 

But also, that program sounds like a Trojan Horse with Smolov hiding inside, having skimmed the writeup.

[Mike Wazowski]

3 hours ago, PaulG said:

I believe that makes you a programming hippie. Whatever’s in the mystical tarot of WOD, maaaan! Let the cosmic energy decide your gains!!

I dig it. One of my best friends has a slight hippie vibe to her, I’m slowly shifting towards vegetarian unintentionally, and I’m experimenting with cutting down my use of soaps and moisturizing products on my body so I’m already halfway to hippie in my non-training life (except hand soap, because that has demonstrable health benefits).

[bigm141414]

2 hours ago, Mike Wazowski said:

experimenting with cutting down my use of soaps and moisturizing products on my body

 

Don't neglect a decent skin care routine my dude! Your older self will thank you. Natural body oils can only do so much!

 

  

2 hours ago, Mike Wazowski said:

Who writes without punctuation??

 

 

CLEARLY YOU HAVE NEVER WRITTEN A BLOG POST AMPED UP SMELLING SALTS READY TO TAKE LIFE BY THE HORNS AND LIFT HEAVY ASS SHIT AGHAFA.,ESFNWEAJKANWEFAJKWNECNQKJWEV DFBKJNQWEF!!!!!!!

[raptron]

18 hours ago, Mike Wazowski said:

And I feel you, I'm forever a rebel when it comes to programming (but if now I gravitate to people who recommend customizing their programming based on how you feel, does it count as being a rebel still?).

17 hours ago, PaulG said:

I believe that makes you a programming hippie. Whatever’s in the mystical tarot of WOD, maaaan! Let the cosmic energy decide your gains!!

Haha, you guys. RPE-based training is basically based on training how you feel! I don't really do programs that are based on RPE because I need a piece of paper to give me at least a minimum weight to consider when I'm doing a lifting workout. 

 

I love the idea of all these super serious lifters just being considered training hippies for self modulating effort, hehehe. 

 

(Though I take it you probably meant picking what things and how much you are going to do on any given day!) 

 

13 hours ago, bigm141414 said:

 

This program reads like Smolov but with extra steps.

That's weekly total sets. It's not that many sets each workout.

[Mike Wazowski]

2 hours ago, raptron said:

Haha, you guys. RPE-based training is basically based on training how you feel! I don't really do programs that are based on RPE because I need a piece of paper to give me at least a minimum weight to consider when I'm doing a lifting workout. 

Oh ya, that's totally fair - having something to anchor to makes total sense and I definitely need something like that (I'm thinking I need to start tracking my workouts again, so I can anchor to what I did the last time as a rough idea of what I'm aiming to improve upon).

 

2 hours ago, raptron said:

I love the idea of all these super serious lifters just being considered training hippies for self modulating effort, hehehe. 

Hahaha I'm sure some number of them would HATE that!

 

2 hours ago, raptron said:

(Though I take it you probably meant picking what things and how much you are going to do on any given day!) 

Ya, that's more what I meant - like I know my upper body stuff is roughly 2 exercises each of push, pull and core work on a given day, and I'll generally try to mix up exercises a bit and have a rough idea of my current strength level / rep range. But I'm also an odd bird because the biggest stressor by far on my body is my dance practices and the strength training I do needs heavy modulation based on that (and dance says "LOL what's an off-season? You mean like taking a week or two off around Christmas?" so I never have a season where strength and conditioning is my main focus haha)

[raptron]

WFH Day 24.4

Yesterday, I thought about running but felt pretty RUN DOWN, so I cooked up a tonnnn of things instead. I made a corn salad with fresh sweet corn, scallions, avocado, radishes, and lime juice. I made radish green pesto. I blistered up a pack of shishito peppers. I ate more heirloom tomato + mozzarella toast. I baked oatmeal cherry chocolate chunk cookies. ✌️

 

It was really nice to spend the night in and just make a bunch of stuff. 

 

Lift: 2/3

Bike: 0/1 

Run carefully: 1/2

Green spaces: 0/1 

Get in the water: 0/1

Read 30 minutes: 4/7 days

 

[PaulG]

5 hours ago, raptron said:

Haha, you guys. RPE-based training is basically based on training how you feel! I don't really do programs that are based on RPE because I need a piece of paper to give me at least a minimum weight to consider when I'm doing a lifting workout.

Damn these programming hippies and their FEELINGS!!

 

I hear you though, I track RPEs in my own workouts and regulate my reps based on them. Your comment made me wonder if some folks also choose their weights based on RPEs though; I’m not even sure how that would work! I’ve done bodyweight for so long, where the amount of load is basically set in stone, that I can’t really imagine shifting barbell weights based on how you feel. I’m not sure what framework you’d even choose your weight based on. RM percentages?

 

3 hours ago, Mike Wazowski said:

Oh ya, that's totally fair - having something to anchor to makes total sense and I definitely need something like that (I'm thinking I need to start tracking my workouts again, so I can anchor to what I did the last time as a rough idea of what I'm aiming to improve upon).

I was going to say I am relatively anchor-less, and just make it up as I go along... but I am always looking at the last workout, if not the last few workouts. So compared to you I am a programming anti-hippie.

 

2 hours ago, raptron said:

I made a corn salad with fresh sweet corn, scallions, avocado, radishes, and lime juice. I made radish green pesto. I blistered up a pack of shishito peppers.

Love a good blistered shishito

 

Do you make a fully seasoned dish out of the peppers, or do you just blister them and throw them in the fridge to make something later?

[raptron]

32 minutes ago, PaulG said:

Damn these programming hippies and their FEELINGS!!

 

I hear you though, I track RPEs in my own workouts and regulate my reps based on them. Your comment made me wonder if some folks also choose their weights based on RPEs though; I’m not even sure how that would work! I’ve done bodyweight for so long, where the amount of load is basically set in stone, that I can’t really imagine shifting barbell weights based on how you feel. I’m not sure what framework you’d even choose your weight based on. RM percentages?

There is a pretty decent chunk of people who do go entirely off of RPE for picking weights! They usually start with rep max percentages and start to modify from there based on other workouts.

 

In theory, people who do like exclusively RPE-centric training probably try to create custom charts for themselves based off of their 1 RM, and would like edit this as they go? I don't really know how it works in practice, especially as something that WAS an RPE 9 earlier in your program should no longer be as your progress. 🤷‍♀️

 

However, it does pop up in other programs often, even if it isn't what the program is built around.

 

The program I'm doing has 1 or 2 RPE moments in it, which is how I wound up with a new bench PR. The instructions for that workout were to work up to a "8.5-9 RPE bench single" which you know is going to be very close to your max. I knew my bench had been improving significantly and suspected that my previous max would not meet the RPE 9 criteria, and I was right, so I progressed beyond that point. The new bench wound up being 103% of my previous max -- so it was a case where having that RPE guidance lead to me doing more than something that might have been based off of a 1 RM percentage. 

 

Quote

Love a good blistered shishito

 

Do you make a fully seasoned dish out of the peppers, or do you just blister them and throw them in the fridge to make something later?

I honestly usually just eat them out of the pan! I've tried to use them in other dishes, but I find they get kind of slimy and lose their pizazz. 🤷‍♀️

[raptron]

Day 24.5

Squat: 3 x 3 x 275# (!!! big squats) <-- I had a guy who is a hardass ref sometimes watch these for depth and he said they were all good 

Volume squats: 3 x 6 x 245#

Bench: 3 x 155#, 3 x 5 x 145#

Chin-ups: 3 x 6

Single leg RDL: 3 x 8 x 65#

DB rows: 3 x 12 x 40#

 

I met up with GC after and we had some beers and fries. I gossiped with my roommate for like two hours when I got home, so I went to bed laaate.

 

Day 24.6

Early-ish, hangover morning 3 mile jog! AHA! I JOGGED TWICE! It was kind of slow but it happened. 

 

Then, it was up to Maine for the next two nights with QP. I waded in the water, sat in the park, hung out on porches and patios, ate way too much food (incl. oysters, scallop crudo, seafood chowder, lobster BLT, more heirloom tomatoes, good pastries, etc.), walked around a lot, saw LOTS of very cute dogs, etc. I still failed to bike, oops, but everything else was hit! 

 

Lift: 3/3

Bike: 0/1 

Run carefully: 2/2

Green spaces: 2/1 

Get in the water: 1/1

Read 30 minutes: 6/7 days 

[raptron]

It's a brand new weeeek and actually the last week of this challenge! 

 

WFH Day 25.1

Squats: 3 x 6 x 245# 

Noped out of paused squats this time

Bench: 2 x 5 x 145#, 2 x 4 x 150#, 2 x 6 x 135#

Plank shoulder taps: 4 x 20

Glute ham raises: 4 x 8

Curls: 4 x 8 x 20#

 

Something funky is going on with my pelvic floor. I've been experiencing some kind of odd things for several weeks, but I can now tell that it gets way worse during/after squats so I think it may be related. I'm trying to make an appointment to get it checked but everywhere has a wait list unless you have like, obvious things that need help... like you know, growing a baby or whatever. I may just go straight to pelvic floor physical therapy if I can find a place taking new patients without a crazy long wait there too -- I've been meaning to go specifically for the stress incontinence issues with gymnastics tumbling, but hadn't gotten around to it yet. 

 

WFH Day 25.2 (so far)

I ran 2.5 miles to warm up before a 6:30 AM outdoor group circuit workout in a park with some of my colleagues. I'm THAT desperate to hang out with some coworkers. 

 

We did 4 1-minute rounds of v-ups, push-ups, 40m sprint / jog intervals, burpees, and walking lunges with a 2-3 minute break in between rounds.

 

It was short, snappy, and despite being around my coworkers, I still couldn't keep my shirt on. I finally understand those guys who just like strip once the first beads of sweat appear. I just can't... keep wearing one when I'm hot and sweaty. 🤷‍♀️I CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE. I'M OUT OF SHIRT-RELATED FUCKS. 

 

I walked home, got coffee, picked up nice bagels, and started work a bit early. I was planning on doing deadlifts and more bench tonight, but I'll see how I feel by the time the work day wraps up. 

 

Lift: 1/3

Bike: 0/1 

Run carefully: 1/2

Green spaces: 1/1 

Get in the water: 0/1

Read 30 minutes: 2/7 days 

 

I'm picking up a friend's CSA share this week and next, so there will be lots of fresh veggies in my future. ✌️ 

[Manarelle]

19 hours ago, raptron said:

It was short, snappy, and despite being around my coworkers, I still couldn't keep my shirt on. I finally understand those guys who just like strip once the first beads of sweat appear. I just can't... keep wearing one when I'm hot and sweaty. 🤷‍♀️I CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE. I'M OUT OF SHIRT-RELATED FUCKS. 

 

Hahahaha, totally hear you here. I'm a little concerned about having to keep a shirt on when/ if gyms ever re-open, 'cause it's amazing how much cooler it is without one. No more shirt-related fucks!

[KB Girl]

On 8/28/2020 at 5:23 PM, raptron said:

 

Yesterday, I thought about running but felt pretty RUN DOWN, so I cooked up a tonnnn of things instead. I made a corn salad with fresh sweet corn, scallions, avocado, radishes, and lime juice. I made radish green pesto. I blistered up a pack of shishito peppers. I ate more heirloom tomato + mozzarella toast. I baked oatmeal cherry chocolate chunk cookies. ✌️

Drooling so much right now! 
 

Catching up has been a squat rollercoaster, from suck to pretty good to depth checks to pelvic floor issues.. good that you’re getting some help with those! Maybe online counseling is an option to avoid the wait lists? I’ve seen it offered here and there since I follow too many people who talk about this on insta x) 

[raptron]

15 hours ago, KB Girl said:

Catching up has been a squat rollercoaster, from suck to pretty good to depth checks to pelvic floor issues.. good that you’re getting some help with those! Maybe online counseling is an option to avoid the wait lists? I’ve seen it offered here and there since I follow too many people who talk about this on insta x) 

Hahah, it really has been a roller coaster! I would actually say the ups and downs are directly a result of the pelvic floor discomfort/instability. 

 

I was able to get an appointment for Friday with an NP so I can hopefully at least clear up some of the more mundane possibilities (UTI, STI, etc.) and see what she thinks of the whole thing. I did find a few pelvic floor PTs that are also doing telehealth check-ins, and I looked beyond that to see who is practicing this specialty in the area. A number them intentionally don't go through health insurance, so it's $180 just for an assessment. 🙃

 

Day 25.3

I went into the office on Wednesday. I ran out to the farmer's market to grab some more heirloom tomatoes (because the CSA I picked up didn't have any), and when I got back there were suddenly far more people in the building, now with cupcakes and bubbly wine. We launched a big product change on Sept 1, so this was a semi-secret launch party for the product and product marketing teams, but I just happened to ALSO be in the building, so I got invited. 😆

 

I skipped the gym for this impromptu work party that we had out in the garage with the garage doors open. There was far less drama than last time, but I got in on some good gossip and I've identified the like main party people -- I just have to worm my way into their good graces to actually get invited to future secret parties. 

 

The party went pretty late for a work thing that started at 3 and I had to hustle home before 9:30 to run D&D. I didn't have anything prepared, so it was let's go on the RANDOM ENCOUNTER TABLE for what you run into trying to navigate to the lair of the big winged demon whose been fucking y'all up for two years, plus some mild logistical thinking about how they had to navigate some tricky terrain. 

 

Lift: 1/3

Bike: 0/1 

Run carefully: 1/2

Green spaces: 1/1 

Get in the water: 0/1

Read 30 minutes: 3/7 days 

 

ANYWAY, deadlifting moved to tonight. More lifting tomorrow and then lighter lifting/conditioning and going for a run on Saturday. Adventure club rides again on Sunday! AND Monday is Labor Day, so it is part of this week/weekend so any bike riding will absolutely count! 

[raptron]

Day 25.4

Deadlifts were gooood. Though, my outer hip started to cramp at my very very last set. Probably because I did way too many deadlifts, lol. Bench felt shaky warming up but the top sets were actually ok! Not easy, but I felt solid. 

 

Deficit deadlifts: 4 x 5 x 255#

Deadlifts: 3 x 275#, 3 x 285#, 3 x 295#, 3 x 305#, 3 x 310#, 2 x 6 x 275#

Bench: 2 x 6 x 135#, 2 x 5 x 145#, 2 x 4 x 152.5# <-- you know things are serious when we use the baby 1.25# plates, lol

DB rows: 3 x 10 x 45#

Elevated single leg glute bridges: 3 x 25 per side

Dips: 2 x 8

 

Lift: 2/3

Bike: 0/1 

Run carefully: 1/2

Green spaces: 1/1 

Get in the water: 0/1

Read 30 minutes: 3/7 days <-- I forgot to read yesterday, oops

 

It's FRIDAY. IT'S A LONG WEEKEND. Tonight, I'm going to lift, read, and go to a small bday in someone's backyard. Tomorrow, I'm gonna do some conditioning and go for a jog (3-4 miles), read, and maybe bike to my friend's house. Sunday is adventure club to a mystery destination. Monday will have swimming and hopefully some kind of cookout? I got invited to go hiking but the day hasn't been picked yet? So I'm not sure if I can make it yet. 

[Mad Hatter]

Oh man there's so much going on here it's hard to catch up, and I'm not even the one doing all the things! 😄

 

Hope you can find some help through your health insurance, that's a rather hefty price tag... 

[KB Girl]

On 9/3/2020 at 4:13 PM, raptron said:

I was able to get an appointment for Friday with an NP so I can hopefully at least clear up some of the more mundane possibilities (UTI, STI, etc.) and see what she thinks of the whole thing. I did find a few pelvic floor PTs that are also doing telehealth check-ins, and I looked beyond that to see who is practicing this specialty in the area. A number them intentionally don't go through health insurance, so it's $180 just for an assessment. 🙃

 

yikes.. I hope the appointment was good? 

Any options that your health insurance would cover?