Rooks - Tracking the Daily Grind...

[Rooks]

8/15/2014

Overall Workout Time:  25 Minutes

 

Warmup

• Legs Swings and some MFR with a la-crosse ball

Deadlift

• 5 @ 135lbs (DOH Grip)
• 5 @ 185lbs (DOH Grip)
• 3 @ 225lbs (DOH Grip)
• 1 @ 275lbs (Switch, Left Over)
• 5 @ 305lbs (Switch, Left Over, Belted)
• 3 @ 345lbs (Strapped, Belted)
• 1 @ 385lbs (Strapped, Belted)

Overall Notes:  Just a crap day.  Just felt off the whole day.  Forced myself to at least do my working sets.  That was all I could manage.

 

8/16/2014

Overall Workout Time:  45 Minutes

 

Warmup

• Forgot... woops...

Bench

• 5 @ 45lbs
• 5 @ 95lbs
• 5 @ 135lbs
• 5 @ 180lbs
• 3 @ 205lbs
• 1 @ 230lbs
• 10 @ 145lbs
• 10 @ 145lbs
• 10 @ 145lbs
• 10 @ 145lbs
• 10 @ 145lbs

Notes:  Felt good.  Didn't even get 230 up last time I tried maxing out and today got it up in a 3rd working set. 

 

Farmer's Walks

• 30 sec @ 90lb DBs
• 30 sec @ 90lb DBs
• 30 sec @ 90lb DBs

Notes:  My PowerBlocks have an issue where they sort of transfer the weight off your grip if you don't keep them exactly centered.  That said, I did my best to keep it centered and definitely was feeling the burn in my forearms at the end.

 

CoC Grip Trainer #1

• 6
• 6
• 4 (only 1 rep with left hand)

Notes:  Half reps with each hand. 

 

Overall Notes:  Tried getting tighter using some of the techniques in "So you thought you could bench?" and I think it worked, but after the 230 set, my back actually ached a bit.  That's a question I've always had with these powerlifting guys having huge arches when benching (i.e. how they keep their back from just throbbing).  I'll keep researching.

[El Exorcisto]

The throbbing stops pretty fast. Did you get any cramps? I get horrendous lat cramps on a near-failed rep from the leg drive.

[Rooks]

The throbbing stops pretty fast. Did you get any cramps? I get horrendous lat cramps on a near-failed rep from the leg drive.

 

No.  This was just a pain right in the middle of spine.  I don't know.  I know Dave says in those videos that you should be uncomfortable, but this felt like something was going to get hurt.

 

Also, if I bent my knees back, my left knee started throbbing.  Had to keep my feet out.  Still felt like I could get leg drive out of it, so not concerned with that. 

[El Exorcisto]

Ah, you're arching with your erectors. Arch with your lats and scap retractors. Instead of just bending your back, bend your back by pulling your scapuale down and together so hard your lats cramp. It will keep you from getting that "ummm... did I snap in half?" sensation. When you feel it on the bench you'll wonder how you ever benched any other way.

[Muscle Professor]

Amazing volume on those deadlifts! Are you supplementing for your joints at all?

[Rooks]

Amazing volume on those deadlifts! Are you supplementing for your joints at all?

 

I take some Fish Oil and a Multivitamin every morning, but that's about it.  

 

Ah, you're arching with your erectors. Arch with your lats and scap retractors. Instead of just bending your back, bend your back by pulling your scapuale down and together so hard your lats cramp. It will keep you from getting that "ummm... did I snap in half?" sensation. When you feel it on the bench you'll wonder how you ever benched any other way.

 

Ahh... sounds like I might need to re-watch that 1st video to re-visit that demostration section before they even got on the bench.  Thanks for the tip.

 

8/17/2014

Overall Workout Time: 45 minutes

Warm-up

• Rumble Rolling on various parts of the legs
• Leg Swings (Front and Sides)
• Hip Openers

Squat

• 5 @ 45lbs
• 5 @ 135lbs
• 5 @ 185lbs
• 5 @ 235lbs
• 3 @ 265lbs
• 1 @ 295lbs
• 10 @ 155lbs
• 20 @ 155lbs
• 20 @ 155lbs

Notes:  295 felt very heavy.  Glad I was in my own home as the grunting that took place would scare small children.  I was upset that 295 felt heavy so decided it was time to go crazy with the volume.  Screw 5 sets.  We are getting to 50 reps in 3 sets.  Those two sets of 20 weren't as bad as I thought they'd be.  That said, they weren't fun. 

 

Overall Notes:  Getting bummed it seems like my squat is going in reverse.  All my other lifts seems to be holding steady by my squat.  I know my squat responds well to volume (thinking back to when I ran Smolov), so I'm wondering if only squatting once per week, or if its just a matter of getting used to better form since I just re-vamped my squat form 3 weeks ago, or if it's the cut.  I don't think this would have an effect, but I also don't take any whey or creatine on the weekends since I keep my "stash" at work, and all my squat workouts take place on the weekend now.  I still got solid amounts of protein per day (180g+), just not right around workout times like at work.  Who knows.  Might have to start experimenting.

[El Exorcisto]

You're cutting. Keep your eye on the prize and cut. Your performance will falter and it can't be avoided, but if you want better body composition then you're going to have to accept it.

 

Dave gets into the scap retraction bit but doesn't talk about arching with the lats. That's something I picked up at a local powerlifting gym I went to for some bench coaching. He got me arching harder than I ever had before and my actual spine felt better than usual when I was done. My back muscles on the other hand felt like I got attacked by a chimp on meth.

[Shortgorilla]

Rooks, how hard are you cutting?  Your numbers are pretty great.

[Rooks]

Rooks, how hard are you cutting?  Your numbers are pretty great.

 

Hard to say really.  This is the first time I've actively tried to "cut".  Been following this calculator using the Athletes Formula, working out 4x / week, and 20% cut. 

 

I'm hungry a lot, but it's not unbearable. 

 

8/18/2014

Morning weigh-in:  202.0

 

Very disappointed as I tried like hell to stay rock solid all week with the marcos and still only saw weight go down 0.2lbs.  This 200 lb barrier is just taunting me and I guess will continue taunting me for another week.  It's a de-load week, but I think I'm going to add in some runs to burn a few more calories.  Also, will probably take some more measurements this week to see where things are.

[El Exorcisto]

How many calories are you shooting for daily?

[Rooks]

How many calories are you shooting for daily?

 

2062.  206g Protein, 129g Carbs, 80g Fat.

[El Exorcisto]

It's strange you're not losing faster than you are. I cut at 1500 on both of mine and lost 2-3 pounds per week like clockwork for a month before things slowed down on me.

[Rooks]

I mean I dropped from 210 to 204 in like 3 weeks. 

 

Going to stick to it this plan though for another 3-4 weeks though.  See where things go.  I don't want to get too impatient with this whole thing. 

[El Exorcisto]

Oh, you're doing fine then. Trust in the process.

[Shortgorilla]

Your lifts are great, your macros are good, and I haven't seen them but I'm guessing your thighs are almost as sexy as EE's.  Keep it up, Rooks.

[Rooks]

8/19/2014

Had every intention of working out yesterday, but work got in the way due to some unforeseen deadlines suddenly appearing.  Then had every intention of getting out to the garage to do a little work on the dumbbells only to find our back door had been smashed and our house had been broken into.  Odd thing was the only thing missing was my wife's laptop.  They didn't even take the power cord that went with it. 

 

Long story short, we have a crazy lady in our neighbourhood that for some reason is convinced that somehow she has been getting tortured by something lighting her skin and hair on fire through computers from our house.  No joke.  The officers described here as "crazy as crazy gets".  That said, she admitted to the crime when confronted and gave the officers the laptop without incident.  It's a little sad, cause I've seen her on walks and she seems perfectly nice.  Hoping she gets the care she needs since clearly some one isn't doing their job to help her or it hasn't been reported yet.

 

Anyway, my night was spent talking with officers, cleaning up broken glass, and putting up some plywood to cover the opening in our door.  Finally sat down at 9:30 and cracked a beer (or two ) with the wife to try and get the "buzz" of the day to calm a bit.  Plan on getting a workout in today, albeit a de-load workout, but whatever. 

[jdanger]

I hear a lot of reasons for missed workouts but yours probably just jumped to the top of the list. Glad everything worked out ok considering. 

[Rooks]

I hear a lot of reasons for missed workouts but yours probably just jumped to the top of the list. Glad everything worked out ok considering. 

 

Agreed.  If all we are out is a door that I've been meaning to replace anyway and one night, and it hopefully gets this lady some help, I don't see how it couldn't have turned out better.

[Rooks]

I don't know about liquid chalk, but I LOVE regular chalk and it is stupid cheap. I can't believe you haven't tried it yet with the grip issues. That and mixed grip (or hook) usually do the trick. I would say give it a shot because it may just change your deadlifting world and if it doesn't you won't have invested a lot of time or money in trying it.

 

 

If you keep it in a block it doesn't get dusty at all. Use a toothbrush and a damp rag to wipe it off when you're done and no one will be the wiser. Or you could, I don't know, TRAIN AT HOME SINCE YOU HAVE THE SHIT TO DO IT!!!

 

Back to the chalk thing, where do you guys buy yours?  Chalk seems super expensive on RogueFitness.  Does a place like Dicks carry it? 

[El Exorcisto]

I buy mine at Dick's.

[Rooks]

Cool.  I'll try swinging in in the next day or two and picking some up.

[mgage]

I think I just bought mine on Amazon. IIRC, it was like $8 for six blocks and I haven't even worked my way through the first block. That was somewhere between 6 months to a year ago.

[Shortgorilla]

I should get some chalk too.  I'm glad you got your wife's laptop back.  Is that lady going to pay for the damage to your house?

[Rooks]

I should get some chalk too.  I'm glad you got your wife's laptop back.  Is that lady going to pay for the damage to your house?

 

Not sure.  Her husband wrote us a note apologizing for the whole ordeal and wants us to call him to work something out.  Must not be easy for him.  We'll probably call him the next day or two.

 

8/20/2014

Overall Workout Time:  20 Minutes

 

Warm-up

• DeFranco's Simple Six

 

Overhead Press

• 5 @ 45lbs
• 5 @ 60lbs
• 5 @ 75lbs
• 5 @ 90lbs
• 5 @ 55lbs
• 5 @ 55lbs
• 15 @ 55lbs

Notes:  Simple de-load workout.  Nothing worth noting.

[Rooks]

8/25/2014

Morning weigh-in:  199.6lbs

 

Ahh... weight loss.  You silly crazy psychotic little thing.  Only did 1 of my workouts all week (time and it was a deload week anyway), ate like crap all weekend going well over my calories totals loaded with a plethora of beer, Domino's pizza, and whisky, and yet I'm down 1.8 lbs to get through the 200lb barrier finally.  Makes perfect sense. 

 

Back on the horse this week, although diet might struggle a bit as I'm going on vacation Tuesday through Thursday.