Rooks - Tracking the Daily Grind...

[The Most Loathed]

Laura loved watching Sloan doing push ups.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

I'm gonna have to try those with Bianca. I have a feeling she'll love it.

[Rooks]

Laura loved watching Sloan doing push ups.

 

Most people seem to go "Aww.." when they see that one.    Sloan has a way of being stupid cute.

 

I'm gonna have to try those with Bianca. I have a feeling she'll love it.

 

Hardest part was convincing her she needed to hold my shirt while it was going on.  

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

Hardest part was convincing her she needed to hold my shirt while it was going on.  

 

Yeah, I can see that. I lay across the ottoman while playing with Bianca sometimes and she'll climb up onto my back and bounce up and down to get me to wiggle around like a ride. I have to keep my arms out to my sides because she doesn't get that concept and has fallen off, so I have to catch her.

[Rooks]

11/30/2015

Duration:  45 minutes

 

(load/reps x sets)

Paused Front Squats - 185/3 x 2, 200/1, 225/1

Hang Cleans - 95/3 x 3, 125/1, 145/1

 

Very short on time tonight, but got some Oly work in.  Front rack is feeling great these days.  Able to keep all my fingers on the barbell and not feel pain in the wrists, so that's great.  I still feel some pain in my left elbow on some of my clean catches, but it never lingers.  Probably something wrong with my form, as it tends to happen on "uglier" reps.  Oh well... 

[Rooks]

12/2/2015

Duration:  90 minutes

 

(load/reps x sets)

Conventional Deadlifts (E3MOM) - 315/5 x 6

Competition Bench (E2:30MOM) - 185/5 x 7, 185/8

Snatch-Grip High Pulls - 135/3 x 3

Clean-Grip High Pulls - 185/3 x 3

Standing Cable Rope Pulls - 120/10, 130/10, 140/10, 150/10

 

Everything again felt great.  Bench... I have no idea what's going on, but damn does 185 feel like nothing.  Was literally not tired at all going into set 8 at 185 so figured just go for 10.  Might have had it with safeties, but no need to push things right now.  Clean-Grip High Pulls might have been a bit heavy but still moved solid.  Last set of cable rope pulls was too much as I wasn't firing my back like I wanted.  140 is the sweet spot I think.  

[Shortgorilla]

Need more footage. :3

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[Rooks]

Need more footage. :3

Sent from my N9520 using Tapatalk

 

I'll see what I can do.  If all goes well, I'll be deadlifting again on Friday.

[Rooks]

Alright... so here's a big one.  Got a few days behind, but mainly cause Gorilla wanted footage so I snapped some from each workout.  Only got a warm-up pause squat on Friday as the camera died before I could get anything else, but did manage to get some sets from all the other days.  Had planned to do some voice over crap, but too busy right now to try and actually vlog.  Overall, let me know if you have any questions about anything.  

 

 

12/4/2015

(load/reps x sets)

HBBS (E3MOM) - 275/5 x 6

Overhead Press (E2MOM) - 120/5 x 6

Standing Cable Rope Pulls - 140/10 x 3

Standing Cable Curls - 100/10 x 3

 

12/5/2015

(load/reps x sets)

Conventional Deadlifts (E3MOM) - 315/5 x 6

Competition Bench (E2:30MOM) - 225/1, 185/5 x 5

Competition Bench w/ Slingshot (E2:30MOM) - 205/8 x 3

Pendlay Row - 145/5 x 5

 

12/6/2015

(load/reps x sets)

Front Squat - 135/2, 185/1 x 2, 205/1, 225/1, 250/1

Hang Snatch - 45/3, 65/3, 75/3, 85/3 x 3

Hang Cleans - 135/1 x 3
Clean Grip High Pulls - 155/3 x 3

 

12/7/2015

(load/reps x sets)

HBBS (E3MOM) - 295/4 x 6

Competition Bench (E2:30MOM) - 200/4 x 5

Competition Bench w/ Slingshot (E2:30MOM) - 220/6 x 3

Standing Cable Rope Pulls - 140/10 x 3

Farmer's Walk (E2MOM) - 70lb DBs/30 seconds x 3

 

Music

Stealing a page from The Most Loathed, I'm going to try and do this a bit more often and throw up a track that's "got me" recently.  Lately, all my new stuff has come from Spotify as they have this great new feature called Discover Weekly (read more here).  Anyway, it auto-selects 30 tracks for you every Monday and it's find me a lot of good ones.  Anyway, this one came on during one of my workouts and it really stuck with me.  "I am a Stone, Unaffected.  Rain hell down onto me.  Flesh and Bone, Unaffected.  Your Fool I Will Not Be."  Just resonates with me right now.  I don't know.  

 

 

Life

Haven't really updated any many things lately here.  I know Jitters follows along on the Caring Bridge page, but things have been looking up for Sloan finally.  We had an MRI back in mid November and the tumor had finally begun shrinking so the Chemo is working.  That said, the same day we had our MRI and found out that great news, my cousin was having a funeral for their 2 month old child (never left the hospital, born premature, lots of health problems) so wasn't entirely a happy day.  We had to miss the funeral which I was pretty bummed about.  Overall though, it's life.  Work's been a bit stressful, but it's funny how this life situation has really put "work stress" into perspective.  It's just doesn't affect me anymore because frankly, it's not important.  So yeah... I guess there are some positives.  

 

Also, been trying to cut back on beer lately.  Limiting myself to Thursday through Sunday right now.  Sort of related to wanting to drop a few pounds, but also because I've been reading It Starts With Food lately and probably going to give Whole 30 a shot early in 2016 so trying to ween myself into that a bit.  We are thinking February.  The wife is on board and she prepares all the meals so I may not have a choice.    Realistically I don't think it'll be that big of a change for us as we already do all grass-fed meat (barring an occasion dine out).  The biggest choice will be our liquids as both my wife and I love beer and whisky.  Giving up the booze for 30 days will be the biggest hurdle for sure.  

[Rooks]

Last but not least (and I purposely put this into a 2nd post so it would embed), this is from the day before Halloween.  Sloan had a chemo treatment that day, but we convinced her to rock her monkey costume.  Anyway... at one point, she decided it was time to dance.  Luckily we had a camera handy.

 

[Sloth the Enduring]

Super cute.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

Awesome that things are looking up Rooks. Think about you guys all the time.

 

I love your bench volume.

[Rooks]

Awesome that things are looking up Rooks. Think about you guys all the time.

 

I love your bench volume.

 

Been trying to aim for 3 Squat sessions, 4 Bench sessions, and 3 Deads session every 2 weeks.  Plus an Oly day each week and 2 OHP sessions.  Bit confusing, but I think it's been working as I've been feeling stupid strong with all my lifts lately.  Sticking down in the 65-75% range in all my lifts.  It's all really centered around Prilepin's Table right now.  

 

But yeah... really want Bench to be up in the 300s by the time my next meet rolls around so really trying to hit that.

[Rooks]

12/9/2015

(load/reps x sets)

Conventional Deadlifts (E3MOM) - 340/4 x 6

 

Morning Workout.  Kiddo was up for an hour or so in the middle of the night and I was running behind.  Nothing felt good, but I got through it.  Morning workouts definitely aren't for me.

[Rooks]

12/10/2015

(load/reps x sets)

HBBS (E3MOM) - 295/4 x 6

Competition Bench (E2:30MOM) - 200/4 x 5

Competition Bench w/ Slingshot (E2:30MOM) - 220/6 x 3

 

Thought I was running behind so I didn't do any accessory stuff.  Turns out I was left off an e-mail that would have given me plenty of extra time.  Such is life.

 

12/11/2015

(load/reps x sets)

Overhead Press (E2MOM) - 130/4 x 6

Hang Snatch - 45/3, 65/3, 80/3, 80/3, 95/1 x 3

Snatch Balance - 95/3 x 2, 105/3, 115/3

Squat Jerk - 45/2, 65/2, 80/2, 95/2 x 4, 110/2

 

Crammed in the OHP work that I missed on Wednesday.  Then did a bunch of Oly variation stuff.  I felt stupid strong in the Snatch Balance work.  Think I could have easily done 135 or more with a single.  But as I was at work with no bumpers, opted to go the safe route with weights I could maintain control over.  I also think I'm going to start doing Squat Jerks before every Squat day just to get some more time with the movement.  If I'm going with that approach as my main Jerk, and I want to get 150kg someday, definitely have to get more control with the weight there.  110lbs felt good, but not as good as Snatch Balance did.  The narrower grip gets me which I think means I need to work on shoulder mobility more.  

[Rooks]

Morning weigh-in:  223.2 lbs

Slightly bummed about this but not really.  I haven't really weighed myself since my competition in August and this is pretty much exactly what I weighed then.  Figured I'd be below 220 now, but such is life.  My body composition has been changing pretty drastically which I can only attribute to the extra volume in my workouts and being more diligent about hitting 4+ workouts per week, plus being a bit cleaner in my diet.  I damn near have dropped a belt size on my lifting belt in the last 2 weeks it feels like.  So something is working.  If I give up beer on 1 or 2 more days a week (currently at 3 days), I assume the weight will start dropping, but for right now, I'm stable and I'm starting to see quite a bit of definition in my traps, shoulders and pecs.  

 

12/12/2015 - 12/13/2015

Did nothing but drank beer and got in some mobility work.  Mostly hammered on my legs.  But the Packers crushed the 'Boys.  So it was definitely a good weekend.

 

12/14/2015

(load/reps x sets)

Conventional Deadlifts (E3MOM) - 375/3 x 6

Competition Bench (E2:30MOM) - 220/3 x 5

Competition Bench w/ Slingshot (E2:30MOM) - 240/5 x 3

Standing Cable Rope Pulls - 140/10 x 3

 

I did the deads today strapped as my hands have been getting pretty shredded lately with the extra dead sessions.  Out of my 3 sessions every 2 weeks, I'll do the middle session with straps to keep my hands in a bit better state.  Grip isn't a concern, and it's not like straps stop working forearms all together.  First 4 sets felt stupid light.  Last 2 finally got a bit difficult, but no real concerns.  

 

Bench again was stupid easy.  I'm suddenly feeling like 300+ might be a real possibility by March.  

 

Random Awesome Video of Brute Strength

C'mon man... 5x5 of paused ATG at 260kg.... with no sleeves or belt.  Even if he weighed 140kg I'd be impressed, but no, he's 103kg.  Daily dose of inspiration.

 

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

Harry Potter got jacked.

 

You're inspiring me to stop making excuses and get my ass in the gym. Tomorrow starts squat every weekday.

[Drazen]

I wish I could handle that kind of squat volume and still be able to walk.  Never get old.

[Rooks]

12/15/2015

Knee felt a bit wonky and lower back was tight so I decided to take the day and do some mobility work.  Not sure why the knee felt crappy other then I haven't been keeping up with mobility on IT bands and hips and etc.  I think my back felt like crud because I was engaging my glutes enough prior to deads yesterday, which thinking about it was probably due to the straps.  Might have to come up with a way to get tight with straps.  Either way though I forgot to do mobility work so it was a total lost day.  

 

12/16/2015

(load/reps x sets)

HBBS (E3MOM) - 330/3 x 6

Squat Jerk - 45/3, 65/3, 85/3

Overhead Press (E2:15MOM) - 145/3 x 6

Standing Cable Rope Pulls - 140/10 x 3

Leg Press Cable Machine - 240/10 x 3

Leg Extension Myo-set - 140/10, 140/4 x 3, 140/3

 

See mgage!  I do read your stuff.    Gave one of those myo-set things a shot to get the blood really pumping in the quads at the end.  It worked well.    

 

Today was heavy.  First time in awhile things have felt heavy.  But I got through it without too much trouble.  Sets 3 and 4 of the squats felt like I was rounding a bit much, but managed to keep things more locked in during sets 5 and 6.  Knee felt good and back felt better despite my lack of mobility work which was surprising.  OHP was brutal.  Just running into the typical wall.  That said, I did get through this workout.  Next week could be really interesting.

[Rooks]

12/17/2015

Low back still felt tight so took the day off again with lots of mobility trying to get this junk to loosen up.

 

12/18/2015

(load/reps x sets)

Conventional Deadlifts (E3MOM) - 375/3 x 4

Competition Bench (E2:30MOM) - 220/3 x 5

Competition Bench w/ Slingshot (E2:30MOM) - 240/5 x 3

 

Did the deads beltless and only managed 4 sets before feeling like it was too much and I was getting a little worried that I'd break form too much to continue.  But I feel like I can hold form better beltless for some reason, so I made it out of the workout with the back feeling pretty solid (probably a bit better than when I started).  Overall, bench was still light.  Man... I feel like I could bench a truck right now.  Hoping this volume keeps the numbers going up.  

 

Daily dose of More B.A. Strength

Clarence is back.  330kg Deadlift at 103kg in Oly Shoes with a Hook Grip.  Who the hell is this guy?

 

[Rooks]

12/19/2015

(load/reps x sets)

Front Squats - 185/1, 225/1, 245/1, 255/1, 265/1, 275/1, 285/0

Overhead Squats w/ Snatch Grip - 65/5, 85/5 x 2

Hang Snatch - 85/2 x 2

Hang Clean - 85/2 x 2

 

Hit a nice solid PR here.  I think I've only done a 255 before and damn did 275 go up fast.  Thought for sure I had 285+ but whatever.  Looking at the video, I maybe cut 275 a bit high, but I'll take it for now.  

 

[Rooks]

12/20/2015

Decided to screw around with fotor.com and made the collage below about my weekend.  

 

Great weekend.  My parents came up Saturday morning and snagged the kiddo for an overnight voyage.  Did get the Front Squat workout in (see above post).  Met up with Jitters on Saturday and he gave me this awesome stained glass fairy princess for my daughter.  Jitters, feel free to mark that one down as a RAK because it was amazing.  As you can see, it's already hanging in her bedroom.  

 

With the kiddo out, we went down to Ichiban (Japanese Steakhouse here in Minneapolis).  However, they have an all you can eat sushi bar where the sushi chefs just keep loading up boats that go around the bar and you take pieces off the boats.  It's awesome.  Damn, I love sushi.  It's so damn good.  And secondly, we hit up a speak-easy (the photo of the drink).  My wife heard about this crazy bar that it's marked at all called the Marvel Bar.  Basically, you walk to the end of this street and you see a guy standing at the top of a stairway (the bouncer).  Then you go down the stairs, into a basement room that has no real markings either, just 3 doors.  You go through one of them and presto, you are suddenly in a bar.  Crazy kind of feeling.  They only do wine and high end cocktails so it's a bit spendy, but it was fun.  Had two bourbon based drinks I'd never had before.  They were solid.  Fun experience.  Definitely some "high end" people in this bar at $10+ per cocktail.  

 

Sunday, got up, went to Church, did some cleaning, got out for a 1.5 mile walk, and tacked on 4 Wind Sprints across the nearby park.  Finally, made another egg monster which has been my go-to breakfast for the past month now.  2 peppers, 1.5 onions, bunch of kale, 24 eggs, carton of egg whites, 20oz of Venison, and some seasoning to spruce up the meat a bit.  Grease the pan with coconut oil.  I've been cutting into 10 servings.  Probably about 500+ calories per slice but I don't really care.  It keeps me full until lunch.  

 

 

12/21/2015

(load/reps x sets)

HBBS (E3MOM) - 350/2 x 5

Competition Bench (E2:30MOM) - 240/2 x 5

Competition Bench w/ Slingshot (E2:30MOM) - 260/3 x 3

Standing Cable Rope Pulls - 140/10 x 2, 150/10

Dips - BW/5 x 3

 

Heavy stuff, but got through it.  Nothing else... just heavy.  

[Rooks]

So the kiddo caught a nasty virus that put us into the hospital Christmas Eve night into Christmas morning.  My wife summed up a lot of the details over on the CaringBridge page so for anyone interested, feel free to head over there.  I was going to type up some big long thing, but eh... it's a fitness blog.  
 
12/25/2015
(load/reps x sets)
Conventional Deadlifts (E3MOM) - 405/2 x 4
Competition Bench (E2:30MOM) - 240/2 x 5
Competition Bench w/ Slingshot (E2:30MOM) - 260/3 x 3
 
Got discharged from the hospital around 11am, so had time to get a lift in after kiddo napped when we got home.  My program actually called for 400/2 for 4 sets, but damn if I didn't want to have my sets with 4 plates.  Also, as you can see, I've signed up for Instragram.  Feel free to stalk me there.  Also, I'm back on the Facebook.  My hiatus has done me well, so hopefully I don't just go back to my old habits of checking it all the time.  Back to the lifts, bench felt heavy today.  I'm really thinking the weights at work must be at least 5-10 light.  Or I guess I could be run down.  I don't know.  On the plus side, I'm officially down a size in my lifting belt.  Don't know if I'm losing weight or not.  

 
12/26/2015
(load/reps x sets)
HBBS - 350/2 x 4
Clean Grip High Pulls - 135/5 x 3
Romanian Deadlifts - 135/10 x 3
 
Didn't do any timing today as I knew it'd be tough enough getting through the sets.  Still felt the deads yesterday, and my 315 warm-up single felt pretty darn heavy.  That said, I got through it without too much trouble.  Pictured is my 2nd set.  My left knee caves just a bit on the 2nd rep, but didn't seem to be an issue for the 3rd and 4th set.  Overall, did bench yesterday, and can't really do overhead work in my basement so scrapped the OHP work and just did some High Pulls and RDLs.  High Pulls as always were a back fryer.  Love those things.  Never really done RDLs before and I couldn't tell if this weight was hard or not.  I'd feel my hamstrings stretching, but I was standing up just fine.

[Sloth the Enduring]

You're a strong man Rooks.

[Shortgorilla]

Rooooooooks! I asked for video and didn't see it! Thanks for sharing I will watch it when I get home. I'm glad this are improving for you. Happy holidays buddy.

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