Sam Ashen Preparing for Battle

[Sam Ashen]

We have a battle coming up on May 13!

 

Looking over the next six weeks.....

Week 0: April 15 to April 21 - Back to the Grind in the Mines of MinniBulgaria, Week 2

Week 1: April 22 to April 28 - Back to the Grind in the Mines of MinniBulgaria, Week 3

Week 2: April 29 to May 5 - Back to the Grind in the Mines of MinniBulgaria, Week 4 - Also birthday coming up!  Star Wars Day!

Week 3: May 6 to May 12 - Prepare for Battle!

Week 4: May 13 to May 19 - Battle on May 13!  Deload Week

Week 0: May 20 to May 26 - New Program Week 1.

 

Quest 1 - Prepare for Battle

 

It's springtime now and while everybody else is getting out and doing fun things, I am deep in the mines of MinniBulgaria grinding out gains.  My current programming is:

 

Monday / Wednesday / Friday:

10 Snatch Singles in waves up to 95%

10 Clean and Jerk Singles in waves up to 85%

Front-Squat max, then 4 triples

 

Tuesday / Thursday:

8 Power Snatch Singles up to 80%

8 Power Clean and Jerk Singles up to 80%

3 heavy Front-Squat singles

 

Max-Out Saturday:

Hit a max Snatch Single

Hit a max Clean and Jerk Single

3 heavy Squat Triples

5 Snatch Pulls at 105%

 

Given that I see Miss Broki on Tuesday and Thursday now, it is most likely Friday will be scratched and Wednesday and Thursday will be shifted to Thursday and Friday so that she gets to see both parts of the program.  The six-day program would then be reduced to a five-day program.

 

We are back to the MinniBulgarian Grind!

 

Quest 2 - Don't Die

 

Track the number of times I die.  The last time I died was on April 1, 2017.

 

So.

Number of Cycles:  3

Number of Deaths: 3

 

Quest 3 - Do Battle with MinniBulgarian Honor!

 

May 13 is the big day.  So far, I am looking for 5 kg gains in both lifts, so I am thinking.....

Snatch: 75 / 80 / 83 kg

Clean and Jerk: 102 / 107 / 111 kg

 

Quest 4 - Tracking

 

This is a copy and paste of the previous cycle.  Still working on IfItFitsYourMacros and being a little bit less extreme on IfItFitsYourMouth.  We have approximately one year's worth of data showing a slow increase in weight at 3350 Calories per day.  Setting my goals slightly lower and using slightly less than 0.9 g Protein / pound bodyweight and splitting the rest of the calories in a 3:1 ratio, I get something like:

 

3240 Calories

360 Carbs (270 to 450)

120 Fat (90 to 150)

180 Protein (160 minimum)

 

So we are not shooting for any kind of precision here.  Let's just see if we can hit the broad side of a barn.  When we miss, then I can go looking for the culprit and evaluate from there if I should be making a different choice in the future.  We will come up with a list of things we can get away with and things we cannot!

 

Meal prep once per week.

 

One outing per week, even if MB would have me become a hermit.

 

One dessert between now and the end of the cycle.  Try to be original and post the picture!

 

Track weekly weight over 2017.  Track open, high, low, and close.  The candlestick chart from last year was fun!

 

Last cycle we hit 25/35.

 

Yup.  Just copy and paste because it has been working well enough for me.

 

Quest 5 - Life Hax - April / May Edition

 

Taxes are in.  It looks like now I should be revisiting the life and death issues.  I left off last will and testament stuff with a couple of decisions I was supposed to make.

 

I don't have much of a list of life stuff to think of.  Also it still feels too early to think about Tank's wedding in July.

 

Quest 6 - Other Quests as they Appear

 

And that's it.

[Blocky]

[Sam Ashen]

Score for Today:

6035 Calories

503 Carbs (270 to 450)

368 Fat (90 to 150)

180 Protein (160 minimum)

 

+26.1 Overall

 

Hitting the Broad Side of a Barn: 0/1

 

Sam Ashen Epic Day!

 

4850 calories in a single sitting if you believe MFP!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

10 hours ago, Sam Ashen said:

6035 Calories

Even for you, that's impressive.

 

And following.

[Urgan]

19 hours ago, Sam Ashen said:

Week 4: May 13 to May 19 - Battle on May 13!

 

 

Following because duh.

[Sam Ashen]

2 hours ago, Urgan said:

Following because duh.

 

Usually you are following for counter-trolling.

 

Today is Easter Sunday and also a rest day.  I made buns in the morning and hung out with my adopted family in the afternoon.

 

I arrived and picked my corner, eventually getting a conversation with the youngest.  It turns out I just found out she is one year into a Mechanical Engineering program.  <3 <3 <3

 

Then I hung out with the other introverts in the gathering and watched the first LotR movie in the basement.  I was not hanging around long enough to binge watch the entire trilogy and I was plenty tired after one movie.

 

I tried my best to estimate the feast.

 

Score for Today:

3439 Calories

369 Carbs

142 Fat

181 Protein

 

+5.6 Overall

 

Hitting the Broad Side of a Barn: 1/2

 

Back to the grind tomorrow!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

2 minutes ago, Sam Ashen said:

Then I hung out with the other introverts in the gathering and watched the first LotR movie in the basement.  I was not hanging around long enough to binge watch the entire trilogy and I was plenty tired after one movie.

I have to watch half a movie at a time after binging on them so much a decade ago.

[RedStone]

Your rolls looked like for reals rolls. #impressed

Binge watching on that level with peoples sounds like emotional cardio.

 

 

[Stronkey Kong]

Following for opportunities to troll and derail.

[miss_marissa]

On 4/15/2017 at 9:45 PM, Sam Ashen said:

+26.1 Overall

One of these days I want you to look at this... and say

 

13 hours ago, Sam Ashen said:

I arrived and picked my corner, eventually getting a conversation with the youngest.  It turns out I just found out she is one year into a Mechanical Engineering program.  <3 <3 <3

I Second the <3 <3 <3

[Sam Ashen]

Since so many love to pick on Millennials for not having their sh*t together, here's a nice one to fire back with:

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/apos-much-average-family-40s-160634710.html

 

#generationalwarfare

 

Basically, nobody understands long-range planning and retirement will be a thing of the past.

 

Meanwhile, even if you do follow the standard advice in this article everybody has heard thousands of times over, there are still fundamental flaws.  Markets are expensive and that will lower expected returns.  The literature you are given showing the power of compound returns often uses very lofty percentages like 11 or 12 or even 15% to inflate the numbers, but misses little details such as inflation...... and, of course, their fees......

 

.....and they tend to underperform the general market, anyway.

 

So.  Yeah.  Learn the compound interest formulas.  It's the best investment advice you can get.

#retirementplanning

 

7 minutes ago, miss_marissa said:

One of these days I want you to look at this... and say

 

You mean bulk up 25 pounds in five weeks?

 

8 minutes ago, miss_marissa said:

I Second the <3 <3 <3

 

I knew you would!  I mentioned having a friend in the space industry!

[shaar]

/me looks at average retirement numbers

/laughs

/laughs while digging hole in the ground

 

Although I guess that's not totally true, I do have assets I'm not taking into account, I'm also about a decade away from that age group so there's STILL TIME for financial catastrophe not to strike me down ahahaha

 

A lot of times (let's be real, most times) retirement is furthest from my mind.  If and when I make it to that magical age (like if our planet is still habitable) I've decided I'm going to become a wandering elderly vigilante justice monk, like the Vuvalini in Mad Max.  Maybe minus the motorcycle.  I haven't thought that bit through yet~

 

ALSO HALLO following for Great Justice and no more deaths ok, you should be allowed 9 in one year, like a housecat.

[Waldo]

6 hours ago, Sam Ashen said:

Since so many love to pick on Millennials for not having their sh*t together, here's a nice one to fire back with:

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/apos-much-average-family-40s-160634710.html

 

#generationalwarfare

 

Basically, nobody understands long-range planning and retirement will be a thing of the past.

 

Meanwhile, even if you do follow the standard advice in this article everybody has heard thousands of times over, there are still fundamental flaws.  Markets are expensive and that will lower expected returns.  The literature you are given showing the power of compound returns often uses very lofty percentages like 11 or 12 or even 15% to inflate the numbers, but misses little details such as inflation...... and, of course, their fees......

 

.....and they tend to underperform the general market, anyway.

 

So.  Yeah.  Learn the compound interest formulas.  It's the best investment advice you can get.

#retirementplanning

 

Geez, I had no idea it was that bad.  I'm in a pretty good place for my age (38), ahead of most "recommended" advice.  Those numbers for 40-somethings is terrible.  Maybe the shift from pensions to 401k's wasn't such a good idea...

 

I suppose though, suggestions sourced from the industry (conflict of interest much) tend to ignore some assests; such as your home, which keep up with inflation.  Downsizing to a cheaper house is a regular part of nearing retirement.

[brutalbears]

PREPARE FOR BATTLE:

[Sam Ashen]

Any guesses what Miss Broki picks on me for... Again?

 

 

 

Sent from my LG-D800 using Tapatalk

 

 

[Stronkey Kong]

10 hours ago, Sam Ashen said:

Since so many love to pick on Millennials for not having their sh*t together, here's a nice one to fire back with:

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/apos-much-average-family-40s-160634710.html

 

#generationalwarfare

 

Basically, nobody understands long-range planning and retirement will be a thing of the past.

 

Meanwhile, even if you do follow the standard advice in this article everybody has heard thousands of times over, there are still fundamental flaws.  Markets are expensive and that will lower expected returns.  The literature you are given showing the power of compound returns often uses very lofty percentages like 11 or 12 or even 15% to inflate the numbers, but misses little details such as inflation...... and, of course, their fees......

 

.....and they tend to underperform the general market, anyway.

 

 

Since high school I've pretty much always assumed that I'm going to have to have a source of income up until my very last days. Just put a little savings... and by that I mean your typical retirement plan... just in case shit his the fan and you absolutely can't work... like money for chemo and medical Marijuana. 

 

But,  the smart thing to do is not hoard money regardless of interest rates. Hoard capital: property, businesses, copyrights, patents,  etc.

 

Money is all inevitably worthless.

[Sam Ashen]

Springtime: Back to the Grind in the Mines of MinniBulgaria

 

Day 7 of 24

 

Snatch Singles at 94, 104, 114, 124, 134, 144 pounds

Snatch Singles at 134, 144, 154 pounds

Snatch Singles at 144, 154, 164 pounds

 

Yup.  I got all the snatch!

 

Clean and Jerk Singles at 134, 154, 174, 184 pounds

Clean and Jerk Singles at 174, 184, 194 pounds

Clean and Jerk Singles at 189, 194, 199 pounds

 

Front-Squat Singles at 224, 244, 264, 274 pounds

Front-Squats: 4x3x234 pounds

 

The kid who administered the active test was teasing me today.  I stopped by briefly to chat.  Have you been doing your cardio?

 

I was lifting weights faster.  (I had to get it all done before Counterfit)

#cardiono

 

Actually when I think about it more, I did take a couple of long walks on the weekend, because it's just too nice outside to pass up.

 

I fixed spaghetti for tonight.  I was going to try making the sauce with half a pound of beef, but that just would not do.

 

Score for Today:

3375 Calories

391 Carbs

120 Fat

216 Protein

 

+1.6 Overall

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

36 minutes ago, Sam Ashen said:

I was going to try making the sauce with half a pound of beef, but that just would not do.

Half a pound of beef is just a snack, right?

[RedStone]

2 hours ago, Curl Brogo said:

like money for chemo and medical Marijuana. 

 

2 hours ago, Curl Brogo said:

Money is all inevitably worthless.

 

 

1 hour ago, Sam Ashen said:

Yup.  I got all the snatch!

 

 

[shaar]

11 hours ago, Sam Ashen said:

Actually when I think about it more, I did take a couple of long walks on the weekend, because it's just too nice outside to pass up.

 

Even MinniBulgaria gets springtime!!

 

[miss_marissa]

23 hours ago, Sam Ashen said:

Since so many love to pick on Millennials for not having their sh*t together, here's a nice one to fire back with:

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/apos-much-average-family-40s-160634710.html

 

#generationalwarfare

 

Basically, nobody understands long-range planning and retirement will be a thing of the past.

 

Meanwhile, even if you do follow the standard advice in this article everybody has heard thousands of times over, there are still fundamental flaws.  Markets are expensive and that will lower expected returns.  The literature you are given showing the power of compound returns often uses very lofty percentages like 11 or 12 or even 15% to inflate the numbers, but misses little details such as inflation...... and, of course, their fees......

 

.....and they tend to underperform the general market, anyway.

 

So.  Yeah.  Learn the compound interest formulas.  It's the best investment advice you can get.

#retirementplanning

 

 

You mean bulk up 25 pounds in five weeks?

 

 

I knew you would!  I mentioned having a friend in the space industry!

 

That article is mildly terrifying.

 

Yes. Bulk up 25 lb in 5 weeks lol

 

13 hours ago, Sam Ashen said:

Any guesses what Miss Broki picks on me for... Again?

 

I'm going to take 2 guesses:

1) Throwing the bar to the heavens and taking your time to get under it?

2) Letting it get too far in front of you.

 

Watching the videos, I can't really tell, but I have only olympic lifted twice

[goodbye_farewell]

21 hours ago, Waldo said:

Maybe the shift from pensions to 401k's wasn't such a good idea...

 

 A good idea for who? It was a great idea for the companies' bottom line. Pensions are an unknown cost to employers since they have no clue how long retirees will live. Simply matching a 401k contribution is more predictable and shifts the financial responsibility from the employer to the employee. Does that mean retirees are better off? Hell no. So many people live beyond their means and don't bother to save for retirement. Some don't even save enough to get employers match, missing out on thousands of dollars in free money...

[Sam Ashen]

1 hour ago, miss_marissa said:

I'm going to take 2 guesses:

1) Throwing the bar to the heavens and taking your time to get under it?

2) Letting it get too far in front of you.

 

Well played!  She will also want to know why I had the dessert nachos *and* the sampler platter, but to be fair, I did not include that IG picture and it is quite likely you did not see that in my feed.  But well played!

 

1 hour ago, miss_marissa said:

Watching the videos, I can't really tell, but I have only olympic lifted twice

 

The forwardness is not so obvious.  Hmm.  Maybe I shift forward when I hit bottom.  I will have to look more closely.

 

To spot (1) you simply have to watch the bar pulled into orbit and note when I am fully extended and how I go down another foot after meeting the bar.  All that extra distance is extra energy that could have been more weight on the bar.  All of those lifts could have been power snatches or power cleans.

 

1 hour ago, miss_marissa said:

That article is mildly terrifying.

 

Firstly, you are doing awesome.  Seriously.

 

Secondly, have you notice how closely the rule of thumb they made up resembles the stupid rule of thumb used in The Millionaire Next Door?

The Millionaire Next Door Stupid Rule: Age times Income divided by 10 less than or equal to Net Worth.

This article one-ups the Millionaire Next Door with: Retirement Account Balances greater than 6 times salary by age 50.

 

When I got home last night I realized that they are only considering retirement balances, but a lot of net worth is tied up in the house.

 

Or maybe you called the article mildly terrifying because it shows how many people have nothing saved.  Then I would most certainly agree.  It is part of a general trend I see and I find it disturbing.

 

1 hour ago, wovercast said:

A good idea for who? It was a great idea for the companies' bottom line. Pensions are an unknown cost to employers since they have no clue how long retirees will live.

 

Pensions were a great idea for the bottom line, too!  Smart people running the pension have a pretty good idea how long until a worker retires.  They may have no clue how long retirees will live, but actuaries have a very good handle on averages.  From all of this, they can calculate their costs.

 

To be very conservative, they will use a very low rate of return.  The investments return much more than they assume and suddenly the company's primary business is investing.

 

Then bean counters start padding the bottom line by increasing the assumed rate of return so that they no longer have to contribute so much money to the pension fund.  Then the market does not return so optimistically.  Then suddenly the company is in big trouble.

 

Very smart people periodically do very stupid things.  The cycle goes on.

 

I need to read up on this stuff again!

[shaar]

18 minutes ago, Sam Ashen said:

 

Well played!  She will also want to know why I had the dessert nachos *and* the sampler platter,

 

House sampler or tablegating sampler???  Now I'm hungry and thinking of mozzarella sticks.

[miss_marissa]

8 minutes ago, Sam Ashen said:

The forwardness is not so obvious.  Hmm.  Maybe I shift forward when I hit bottom.  I will have to look more closely.

 

To spot (1) you simply have to watch the bar pulled into orbit and note when I am fully extended and how I go down another foot after meeting the bar.  All that extra distance is extra energy that could have been more weight on the bar.  All of those lifts could have been power snatches or power cleans.

 

I did not notice the forward bar path personally, but, like I said I don't have a keen eye for that. I just know that was something she was on you about recently.

 

Yep, can definitely tell with the snatches and clean and jerks that you are catching it very high. Ideally you should be catching it at/ towards the bottom, right?

 

10 minutes ago, Sam Ashen said:

Or maybe you called the article mildly terrifying because it shows how many people have nothing saved.  Then I would most certainly agree.  It is part of a general trend I see and I find it disturbing.

Yes. I am 28 and have more saved than the median 44 year old. Not as much as the average though... working on it.

$6200 would be about 3-4 months of living expenses for me, living frugally. I could move to a cheaper area and it would probably stretch me to about 5-6 months.

 

15 minutes ago, Sam Ashen said:

Secondly, have you notice how closely the rule of thumb they made up resembles the stupid rule of thumb used in The Millionaire Next Door?

The Millionaire Next Door Stupid Rule: Age times Income divided by 10 less than or equal to Net Worth.

This article one-ups the Millionaire Next Door with: Retirement Account Balances greater than 6 times salary by age 50.

 

When I got home last night I realized that they are only considering retirement balances, but a lot of net worth is tied up in the house.

 

The fault with the Millionaire Next Door Stupid Rule is that for young people, I obviously won't be at the designated number. I don't think it would really work for anyone under the age of 35 or so. I didn't start working full time until 24 years old, and I had been making student loan payments up thru December. So right now I have less than 1 year salary saved, but I should have 2.8 years saved already??? Even though I've only been working less than 4 years??? LOL ok then.

The latter rule seems more reasonable to me because you can back track from 50 and see if you are on a reasonable path, whereas the first rule will always have you playing catch up, unless you were given a windfall or trust fund of some sort. (Or started working and saving at a younger age....)