aj_rock's Offseason Battle Log

[aj_rock]

OB's in Ottawa today, and I kinda don't have a car. Easter weekend they'll have a practice in my reach. As such, I'll be nursing a hangover today please and thankyou

[aj_rock]

Light workout because Ottawa was out of the options:

 

DB BP: 2 X 12 X 65

 

Pull-ups: 2 X 10

 

Dips: 2 X 10

 

Rows: 2 X 14 X 198

 

Bent arm lat raise: 2 X 12 X 80

[aj_rock]

Exposition time!

 

...

Part of the reason I've always loved working out by my lonesome is the application of music to exercise. Many a time have I been on a long run, long circuit, long set, and waddya know? The right song comes on, the right beat comes through, and somehow you can channel the energy back into your workout.

 

Sometimes, I wonder if I could channel that energy without having the music playing. Indeed, I am one of those who tends to have a tune in their head at almost any given time. Could this be used to enervate an adrenaline rush anytime I chose? Would be nice.

 

My randomized song selection was being fickle today, at any rate. Not many people can push themselves effectively in a workout to Journey. I switch songs rapidly, looking for a new song.

 

Unfortunately, as I flip through the songs, I notice that I had three minutes to make my circuit under time. I try not to notice, because it is always an invariably smite of dismay upon realizing that the time will not broken. Not today, at least.

No, instead I find myself staring at an old favorite of mine: Away, by Breaking Benjamin. Ye olde rock song about conflicted love. Not great for getting the keister in movement, but I then and there swore to myself to finish the circuit by the time the song ended.

 

I push through the next few sets at a dizzying pace. I begin to count my total reps, not the numbers for just this set: 98, 99, 100 pushups, 60 dips, 120 step-ups, 3.5 miles...

The final set comes up. Another 15 chin-ups and a mad dash to the start point to finish. I pause, take two breaths, and start in as the final refrain kicks in. My lats burn, my fingers ache, and I'm sure my huffing and puffing was audible to most there, as more than one glance of either admiration or fear came up to me.

 

The last few strains of sound are emanating as I finish the final rep. I am more than tired, but somehow I find the energy to sprint the last 50 meters back to the start. The final kicks in, I pause my cellphone's timer, and, completely winded, I sit for a few seconds, partially dazed. At this point, I almost don't care what music comes on. Then I hear a familiar thrum, as Such Great Heights by the Postal Service comes in:

 

"They will see us waving from such great

Heights, 'come down now,' they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away,
'come down now,' but we'll stay..."

 

I look around myself as others continue on their own fitness journeys, probably more than one of them wondering who this crazy guy is that comes in and punishes himself almost every day. Serenity takes over as I think to myself, that yes, they will see me waving, from such a great height, and the journey there was so great; I'm in no rush to come down...

 

Final time on this run was 50:57. 

[aj_rock]

Made it to the gym today against all odds. End of semester is really hittin hard right now

 

DL: 150 X 4, 170 X 2, 174 X 1, 174 X fail, 170 X fail, 160 X 1 (gah. Just couldn't...)

 

HS BP: 288 X 3. 268 X 5

 

Inc DB BP: 70 X 8, 6

 

Pull ups: 14, 12, 10

 

So some lifts are obviously falling off now. Gotten back down to around 181, and I'm literally || this close to the six pack. Top four are very visible, and striations are visible across shoulders and chest. Can't wait to show you guys the update at the end of the semester. Will try to circuit tomorrow and squats on thursday at least.

[Pat G]

Rawr Canadian tiger!

[aj_rock]

Tiger got a boo-boo

 

Got about 40 minutes into the circuits when I had the oddest pain/tightness between my right thigh and butt cheek. I had to stop. Slowly, over the next ten minutes, it got worse, and the tightness is only now receding (~40 minutes later)

 

I'm gonna have to take tomorrow and Friday off in order to make sure I'm rested for OB on Saturday. Not a happy camper am I, but it's better than snapping my hammy I guess.

[aj_rock]

Alright, this was a very easy weekend, all saying. Saturday went for a run around, but with low numbers we kept it pretty easy going.

 

Last night, we had a little touch tourny. Yah right little, I was playing for a good 3.5 hours all told. 6 round robin games, first 3 15 min each and then 10 for the last four. Made it to the 'semi-final' round, with a total record of 4-2-1 w/t/l. 

 

Yours truly did... good in some areas, excellent in others, terrible in some. Offload accuracy and communication need some work on offense, although defense was stellar and we could direct our numbers as needed. Broke the line about 8 times and all were good for tries, but only 3 were mine, as scrummy wasn't allowed to score and had to ditch the ball to a teammate upon reaching the try area. But most were pretty clutch, and considering that our team scored only a total of 12 tries, it means I had a major impact on 2/3 of them

 

Sore as all hell now, so squatting at the gym tonight is dubious.

[aj_rock]

Gah, under consumption of carbs yesterday/working out fasted today took it's effects. I've never had to breath so hard after a couple sets of exercise as I have today. Even a light jog had my RQ go up ridiculously high. 

 

HS BP: 3 X 298, 3 X 278, 6 X 248

 

Pull-ups: 2 X 11 

 

Inc DB BP: 6 X 70, 7 X 65

 

10' jog

 

At 180 again. The physical difference between previous 180 and now is outstanding. Easily 4-5 less lbs of fat.

[Hermione Gainser]

oh hai.

 

I'm still stalking your updates. I know you've felt sad about my lack of gifs. It'll be ok, though.

 

So, some quick responses to many updates:

 

1. sorry to hear about the life stuff. hoping it's getting better.

 

2. your hair makes me so happy.

 

3. i concur w/Kat re photos. well played.

 

4. you're a beast. nice workouts.

 

5. cringeface like whoa. fasted workout without enough carbs. ouch. naturally, you still rocked it.

 

 

Okay, carry on...

[Waldo]

aj_rock, on 03 Apr 2013 - 12:18, said:

At 180 again. The physical difference between previous 180 and now is outstanding. Easily 4-5 less lbs of fat.

Nice. You didn't really bulk that long either, did you?

This cut will likely be my last time flirting with the 200 line (hopefully). I might put together a montage of 200 lb photos to show the difference; initial cut, bulk 1, cut 1, bulk 2, cut 2.

[aj_rock]

Remember my 'bulk' had a heavy dose of cardiovascular intense training. Cardio doesn't give you lean mass, but after our little touch tourny on monday, the difference between the guys who have been only lifting and myself is staggering. I'm quite happy with the way things are going all told. 

 

Great idea on the montage though! Would be the best side-by-side comparison of same weight, different lbm available IMO as most comparisons on teh net always compare different people.

 

Ninja Edit: HI LAURA. I CAN HAZ GIFS!?!?!?!11!?

[aj_rock]

Ok, last night's workout:

 

Squats: 2 X 305, 4 X 295, 6 X 265

 

T-bar Rows (to make up for the lack of deadlifts this week): 2 X 5 X 225

 

DB BP: 10 X 70, 8 X 60 (stopped due to discomfort, apparently 36 hours wasn't gonna be quite enough rest)

 

Lat pulldowns: 5 X 225, 6 X 205, 8 X BW

 

 

Resting it up today, got a lot of work to do (still >.>) and have a weekend of rugby comin up. Touch tourny tomorrow, Alumni school game sunday, and crew practice sunday as well. Monday will likely ALSO be a rest day as a result.

 

Something I was puttin a bit o' thought into as well, re: a big weight difference between Waldo and I. Well after seeing his glute raise video, I have concluded the size difference is due to the fact that I almost literally have NO ass. None. 

 

This also explains (although not something anyone else here is aware of) why I have great acceleration (best first 3-4 steps around), but a really really crappy top running speed (40m times are almost embarrassing v.v). Something I'll have to consider for in-season training. The muscles lag enough that throwing a couple targeted exercises in there during the season shouldn't slow me down much.

[Waldo]

That was my guess as well.

Almost always when I see guys my height that are much lighter yet don't appear much lighter, the legs are a culprit (especailly butt and hamstrings).

This tends to REALLY show up with bodyweight exercisers, among that group I'm frickin huge (on the scale). When I see those bar dudes workin out that have real built upper bodies, doing really awesome stuff, there is always a but....

Those ghetto GHR's I do greatly contribute to my sprinting speed and in general have made my posterior chain really strong. I'm hoping that at the end of this cut I'll be close to actually being able to do a full unassisted rep. One of these days I need to go to a proper track and time myself in the 100, I'm really curious as to which side of the 12 sec line I'm on (to be able to clock in the 11's as a mid 30's white ex-fat dude would be pretty epic). I ran in the 14's when younger and I'm much faster right now.

If you've got a great takeoff but are subpar everywhere else the butt is the culprit I would look to as well. Squatting strength will have a huge influence on the first few steps, but once you're more upright the drive that the glutes and hamstrimgs provide will takeover propulsion. Even though squatting does work the posterior chain, the ROM is all wrong for sprinting unless you're doing super heavy quarter squats. Whereas a ghetto GHR is pretty much the perfect ROM (and has the right load vector, pushing the heel back as opposed to down).

[aj_rock]

I was actually thinking more along the lines of weighted step ups or lunges. Mimics running form more closely. But GHR's would be easier to perform on top of squats and deadlifts. Hmmmmmmmmmm

[aj_rock]

Alrighty. Didn't work out friday and pretty good thing, because my body is battered and done anyways.

 

Touch tourny on Saturday; our team won! I was a little rusty, especially on the passing, but made a few good ones and scored quite often.

 

Sunday, we had our alumni game! 9 v 9 because of numbers, one of the older undergrads and myself played with the alumni and cleaned up quite nicely. I had 2 tries and set up another 3, we won quite handily.

Then we went to OB practice. 45 minutes passing and decision making, then we got into game play, with about 1/2 hour of full contact to finish off. Hence why I am indeed very sore today. But the coach says the other rookies and I seem to improve from week to week, so only good things happening there. One big positive, is that we did a tiny bit of fitness at the end, front of the pack whole time. Feels good to be one of the few guys actually running during the off season.

 

Tonight's an off night to nurse the bruises and batters, then back into it tomorrow. Intra-squad game Saturday for club, then another OB practice (weekly on Sundays now). We'll see how well the cut holds up.... but getting lots of notice from the club lads!

[Pat G]

I like seeing these updates man. How is the l cartinine treating you?

You got the full details on those circuits? I need to jump on the AJ bandwagon and get my fitness up. If I'm going to have shite ball control I might as well be fit enough to cause havoc that way.

[aj_rock]

Y'know, it's hard to quantify. I haven't been running it in an experimental procedure really, and last couple weeks my intake has been wishy washy due to a ton of travel n such. I'll have to think on how to better quantify results.

 

I'll take a picture of the plaque all the instructions are on, but I'll need to fiddle with a few of the components to make a circuit for someone else. Our track is weird, where 1km = 7 laps (right!?), so translating that to a 400m track or rugby field (428m) will take a bit of thought. I can't just add or take away work, because time to finish is an important parameter. It also requires various equipment pieces (dip bars, chin up bars, a box for steps, stairs) that wouldn't be readily available on a field. You'd most likely need an athletic center or something like that.

[Hermione Gainser]

Ninja Edit: HI LAURA. I CAN HAZ GIFS!?!?!?!11!?

And upon you she bestowed all the gifs!

 

 

or, for now, this super cute sloth. I mean, come on, sloth!

 

I was actually thinking more along the lines of weighted step ups or lunges. Mimics running form more closely. But GHR's would be easier to perform on top of squats and deadlifts. Hmmmmmmmmmm

 

Quoted for truth!  I've seen a lot of improvement using weighted step ups and lunges but HOLY FRAK are they the worst post squat and deadlift.  I mean, ouch. 

[aj_rock]

Wowow. Worst workout in a while.

 

Deadlifts: 180 X 1, 170 X 2, 150 X 4

 

HS BP: 298 X FAIL, 288 X FAIL, 268 X 2. I wanted to cry. Very discouraging

 

Pull-ups: 8 (are you kidding me!?)

 

Inc DB BP: couldn't even lift the 65s on my own.

 

Aaaaaand done. Basically threw the weights down in disgust and left. I'm raising calories by 10% to 2200 and seeing if that helps. Maybe it's residual tension from the load of rugby this weekend, but I neeeeeed to find a way to get that stuff under control.

 

At least the deadlifts went well. Funny, its the legs that seem least affected by all this leg work...

 

Ok, gotta work out a new weekly plan for the rest of this week and the last two weeks of school. That'll finish off the cut, finally.

 

Circuits today, Pull workout tomorrow, and Push workout friday. Neglect higher rep work on the opposite day so that I can get back to chest fresh. Then another weekend full o' rugby, which is what screwed me up in the first place. Clearly, I need more than two days to recover the little bits.

 

So Mondays: light weight, high rep. No PRs or nothing, just get tension on the muscles and stretching.

 

Tuesday: Circuits.

 

Wednesday: Light run and squats

 

Thursday: Pull workout. RPT rather than pure heavy now

 

Friday: Push workout + squats. RPT

 

Weekend. Rugby!

 

Again, this will have to change once exams end. But that's a discussion for the in-season log

[aj_rock]

Alright, circuits blew up in my face as well. Crazy stress from final project reports n stuff. I'm taking today off, rugby-full weekend again anyway. Bumped myself up to maintenance yesterday and today. Realistically I've been treating my shoulders rather poorly (despite the lack of direct work, which I did to prevent EXACTLY this) lately, so I'll hopefully get back into stuff next week.

 

I think I'm gonna start transitioning back into rugby maintenance type stuff anyway. My heart just isn't in the cut anymore. Final report will come in sometime mid-next week.

 

AJ out.

[aj_rock]

Hmm. So intra-squad game on Saturday, twas interesting.

 

We played 10 on 10 due to a lack of numbers, three 20 min periods. For the first period I played FB until I sat out for a bit with a bit of a head knock (no concussion or anything, just got a wicked headache for a bit )

 

When I came back in, we were down three tries (one of which was partially my fault, I still almost saved it though after the fact) to none. Then we sent off our scrummy and I played the position for the first time in my life.

 

Not gonna lie, I could get used to it. I used to be intimidated by the position (so much DECISION MAKING), but based on my experience gained at OB, well, I was definitely getting compliments after the game. We ended up tying the match at three tries a side. None by yours truly, but if only they tracked assists...

 

Yesterday we had OB practice, same old same old. After next weeks session, they'll be announcing the 22 for New York. I can only hope and cross my fingers. Did tweak my TFL a bit, but today was a planned rest day anyways. Tomorrow we'll go relatively light and a bit of a jog.

[aj_rock]

Ok, getting pretty ticked off here.

 

Doing circuits yesterday, partway through the second circuit I pulled up lame because of what felt like a gluteal cramp/strain in my right side again. Now it's not just by chance. Something's going on over there, and if I don't manage to figure out a solution it might start impacting my ability to play. Thing is, it ONLY seems to show up when doing circuits.

 

Think I'm gonna start incorporating gluteal strengthening exercises sooner rather than later. This stuff can't wait. I can't wait.

[Pat G]

In my noob opinion I'd imagine training as hard as you have been on a cut hasn't exactly helped your recuperative abilities. Keep up the work man

[aj_rock]

It's more like my relatively weak posterior chain is finally falling behind to the level that it impacts the rest of the activity. Basically, it can't keep up no moe.

 

Yesterday, kept things a little lighter, right shoulder is feeling a bit tweaked:

 

HS BP: 248 X 9, 8

 

Pull-ups: 10, 9

 

Squats: 225 X 11, 9

 

Inc DB BP: 65 X 10, 60 X 10

 

T-bar Row: 175 X 10 X 2

 

OLSLRDL (one-legged, stiff-legged, romanian deadlifts): 40 X 10, 60 X 10

 

I think I'm going to include those in most workouts from now on. 

 

fancy pants dinner tonight. Om nom nom. 

[aj_rock]

Alright, post weekend update:

 

Hornets played Beach in a single pre-season match Saturday instead of the three games (womens + I & II mens) due to number issues. Seconds played 40, then firsts played 40.

 

Our seconds essentially got a pile-drive into the ground, but that's not unexpected, playing vs a regular playoff contender. When we put our firsts on, however, game was tied at 2 tries apiece after 40 (no kicks). Not too shabby.

I had a great game, right-side winger. Beach liked to kick, and I got a chance to field a couple. Since practicing with the blues, my vision and the 'options' I feel I have available to me at every step seems wide open. 

One thing to work on, and that's contested fielding. At this level, I'm much more likely to have someone contesting me for a kicked ball, which I am not used to in any way, shape or form. Will need some work.

 

Sunday we had another practice with the Blues, and I'm reaaaally sore in general following that. I wasn't selected for the New York match, so no moe practices there for a few weeks. 

 

Light workout yesterday, trying to keep everything from stiffening up:

 

DB BP: 2 X 15 X 40

Pull downs: 2 X 15 X 110

Inc DB BP: 15 X 35

OH DB: 15 X 25

Rows: 2 X 15 X 90

Pistol squats: 10 X each leg

OLSLRD: 10 X 40 each leg

 

Still kinda sore n such today; you kids should see my face. Got a nice shiner on the left eye that got me weird looks from my prof yesterday. Ah well.

Will get around to doing post cut pictures once my face has prettied up a bit.