Rooks - Tracking the Daily Grind...

[Rooks]

Almost surely. The plan you were doing was a carb gorger (when it burns, that's purely burned up carbs, a lot of them), whole30 provides a pitiful supply. Layne is one of the IIFYM gurus, eating a high carb intake for peak performance is part of it.

Gasp!  The great Waldo has graced my thread.

 

Re-reading this, I can't help but feel it comes across a bit snobbish, for lack of a better term. Wasn't my intent to come off that way. Sorry Waldo. I do appreciate your input.

 

How much more to shave the 'stache?

Haha, yeah. It's a bit creepy. But I figure I just sort of have to own the 'meathead' look for awhile. March 27th I can shave it off (I stated 3.3 weeks in my FB post which works out to the 27th).

 

3/5/2016

Mind: 

Read through The Hall of Mighty Men by Cliff Graham this morning.  About 100 pages long, I literally knocked this one in about 2.5 hours this morning (kiddo is with grandma this week and the wife slept in for 90 minutes longer than I).  Cliff's book are pretty quick reads.  I got into his stuff due to the Lion of War series, which is a fictional series based around the army of King David (from the Bible).  Honestly, I love the books even though at times, I can tell that Cliff isn't super polished at telling a complete story.  He'll go 25 pages detailing a great battle, step by step with what seems like an hour of time passage, then suddenly without warning it's 2 days later in the story.  I get that it has to happen sometimes otherwise some books would be 600 pages, but I think the quality of the story would greatly improve if he was a bit better a taking into account time passage and was able to more smoothly transition through it.  Anyway, I'm digressing from the point here.  This book is a supplemental book to the series telling some short stories about some of the characters in the series to fill in a bit of the gaps.  That said, to me, it seemed even less polished than the series.  It was alright, and the stories were interesting, but I don't feel like it added much to the series.  60 pages were dedicated to one of the main characters of the series, but the story was crude and to understand exactly what was happening.  The other 2 were about 20 pages each and I honestly don't even remember the characters from the series (will have to look the up later).  Either way, I probably wouldn't recommend people pick this one, even if you are a fan of the series.  

 

Body:  

(load/reps x sets)

Squats (Sleeves, No Belt) - 230/10 x 4

Comp. Bench - 165/8 x 3

Spoto Press - 165/8 x 2

Comp. Bench w/ Slingshot - 200/6, 200/10

Conventional Deadlift - 135/3 x 2

 

I was getting pretty gassed by the end of this, but was able to get up for the last set of Overload and mashed out 10 reps after only getting 6 on the first.  Wanted 2 sets of 8.  Overall, just a load of volume.  Added in the deadlifts at the end as super light technique.  Going to try and get another workout in tomorrow with heavy deadlifts, front squats, bench, and overhead press, but we'll see how I'm feeling.  Spent a good 20 minutes post workout mashing hamstrings and low back and will probably do another 20 minutes later today.  I'm going to put a ton of work into my mobility this week and see if I can finally get my lower back to loosen up (been tight for weeks now) or I might have to bite the bullet and go see a doc.  We'll see.

 

Soul:  

10 minutes of mediation with Headspace, think I'm on Day 17 total.  Some might say this is more of a mind thing, but I find it calming enough that I'm putting it here.  I do sense a difference in my demeanor for at least a short while after meditating, and I've heard enough people talking about it as a good practice that I figured I should give it a shot.  I signed up for a year subscription just to force myself to give it a real good shot (I find putting money down on something is usually a good way to make me do it).  Honestly, I've been having a very hard time with following the instructions given during each session.  I find it easy for me to just sort of zone out and take time for myself, but I've been finding it hard to have some focus while mediating.  We'll see if it gets better.

[The Most Loathed]

I have the same issue during the intro on some headspace sessions. It's gotten better for me as the whole point is to learn to be in the moment and as I've improved that I've also improved my listening skills quite a bit, including the intro.

[Rooks]

3/6/2016

Mind: 

Read about 40 pages of First by Rich Froning.  So far, it's meh.  Hopefully it gets less "This happened, then this happened, then this happened" and more talking about his mindset. 

 

Body:  

(load/reps x sets)
Conventional Deadlift - 270/8 x 2
 

Felt a twinge on rep 6 of set 2 so scrapped everything else.  Then spent about 45 minutes trying to roll, mash, crush, loosen and just in general get my lower back to feel better.  Very tender right now.  Deadlifts are scrapped from all workouts until I can get this back thing figured out.  Ugh... I hate injuries.

 

Soul:  

10 minutes of mediation with Headspace right after waking up.  Then went to Church.  Today's sermon wasn't something that hit me deep, although it did have a handful of good points.  

[Waldo]

Re-reading this, I can't help but feel it comes across a bit snobbish, for lack of a better term. Wasn't my intent to come off that way. Sorry Waldo. I do appreciate your input.

Ha. Didn't take it that way at all.

Have you shaved your head before? Man that is something I could never do, I'm way too physically conservative (been like 16 years since I changed it at all, plus getting to the age now where I feel blessed to have thick hair).

[Rooks]

Ha. Didn't take it that way at all.

Have you shaved your head before? Man that is something I could never do, I'm way too physically conservative (been like 16 years since I changed it at all, plus getting to the age now where I feel blessed to have thick hair).

 

I have not gone full shave.  Growing up, there was this old military barber near our place that charged $5 for a flat top.  I lived with that haircut from the time I was about 7 until I was 18.  So it was close to a full shave, but you at least had something on the top.  That said, I got to college and just stopped caring about appearance at all.  I was lucky to get a haircut every 12 months.  

 

So yeah... this is a bit of a new experience for me.  I don't really like how I look, but I just keep reminding myself it's very temporary and I raised a load of money for a good cause in doing it.  So all and all, it's a win.  

[Rooks]

3/8/2016

Mind:  Got like 5 pages read of First.

Body:  Workout below:

(load/reps x sets)
Feet Up Bench - 155/10 x 5

Incline DB Press - 50lb DBs/20

 

Just wanted to get in and get some upper body work with the low back feeling craptastic still.  Been doing everything possible to get it loose, and I think it's getting better, but no where need ready for full work capacity.

 

Soul:  Attended my grandmother's funeral.  91 years of great life celebrated with family and friends.  It was good to catch up with all my cousins and reminisce, even though I wasn't that close with my grandmother.  Then, did 10 minutes of mediation with Headspace after finishing up the workout.

 

3/9/2016

Mind:  Nada....

Body:  Workout below:

(load/reps x sets)
Competition Bench - 185/6 x 6

Pause Squats - 135/5 x 3

Standing Cable Rope Pulls - 150/10, 160/10 x 2

Super-set, Rope Tricep Extensions, Cable Bicep Curl - 110,100/10,10 x 3

 

Upper body goodness.  I'm starting up a round of Smolov Jr again on my bench and I'm going throw in light squats here and there.  Light movement can only help I'd wager.  

 

 

Soul:  10 minutes of mediation with Headspace in the car before I came into work.  Find that if I don't do it before I enter the building it probably won't happen.  

[matty_mcfly]

Any reason for the SmolovJr bench?

Low back issues right?

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[Rooks]

Any reason for the SmolovJr bench?

Low back issues right?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

Yeah.  My right hip / lower back has been funky for a month now and I thought I was doing enough mobility work to get it right before injury.  I trained through it for a bit, but my last deadlift session proved I was wrong.  So going to Smolov Jr. Bench and do some light squat work with more mobility work and hopefully get things proper again by the end of the cycle.

[Rooks]

3/10/2016

Meditation:  Got in my 10 minutes.

Books:  Nope.

Workout:  Nope.  

 

No idea what this day entailed.  Too long again at this point.  

 

3/11/2016

Meditation:  Got in my 10 minutes.  

Books:  Nope.

Workout:  Nope.

 

Went out for a decent meal at a place down in Lakeville, MN named Barley & Vine (we had a gift card for the place).  Solid beer menu, and burgers were decent.  Almost "splurged" on a New York strip, but I just wanted a burger.  And since it's my birthday, I'm ordering what I want.    

 

3/12/2016

Meditation:  Nope.

Books:  Nope.

Workout:  Got in a nice little birthday bench session.

(load/reps x sets)
Competition Bench - 200/5 x 7

Front Squats - 135/5 x 5

 

My actual birthday.  Not much happened.  Just chilled at home with the wife and kiddo.  Did have an amazing beer named Grey Tuesday from The Bruery.  Also, got out for a long while and enjoyed the 70 degree weather.  I'm more used to snowstorms near my birthday that sun like that.  It was a pleasant surprise.  

 

3/13/2016

Meditation:  Nope.

Books:  Got through 7 chapters of my Rich Froning book.

Workout:  Nope.

 

Sunday was busy with stuff around the house.  

 

3/14/2016

Meditation:  Got in my 10 minutes prior to work.  

Books:  Nope. 

Workout:  Crushed some weights today over lunch.  OH Squats were no where limits of my legs, but keeping that bar above my head was proving more and more dangerous as the reps went.  

(load/reps x sets)
Competition Bench - 210/4 x 8

Overhead Squats - 65/5, 95/5 x 3, 95/3

Standing Cable Rope Pulls - 160/10 x 3

 

Back feels like it's getting stronger and stronger, yet I still don't feel confident I can do a pull-up.  I feel like I have to be something wrong with my form or something.  I don't know.  

 

Also, I'm not sure I like any of these format attempts.  I'm going to keep playing with stuff.  

[matty_mcfly]

Happy belated old man

[Rooks]

3/15/2016

 

Workout:  Format is load/reps x sets

Competition Bench - 225/3 x 10

Wide Grip Lateral Pulldowns - 100/10, 130/10 x 3

Static Hang Holds - BW/30 seconds x 3

 

Forgot how brutal the triple days were in Smolov Jr.  Definitely feeling it after this one, but threw in some back work too as I know I need it.  The static holds taxed the grip more than anything, but also using them just to make sure the shoulders stay loose and can get into that overhead position without issue.  

 

[Rooks]

3/17/2016
 
Workout:  Format is load/reps x sets
Competition Bench - 190/6 x 6

Back Squat (Sleeves, No Belt) - 245/5 x 6

 

Decided it was time to try something moderately heavy on squats as the back has been holding up well.  I've been slacking on my mobility work, but hopefully get back after it tonight.  Left hip and back still are problem areas, but they are much improved compared to 2 weeks ago.  Bench was feeling smooth and easy.  Decided to only go with a 5lb jump in Week 2 of Smolov Jr due to how heavy Day 4 felt.  We'll see how this week goes and if I'm bold enough to make the 10lb jump in the last week.

 

Book Report:  First by Rich Froning

 

Eh... not super impressed.  It was written I assume in between his 2nd and 3rd CF Championship as it only talks about the first two, but the cover points out that he's a 3-time Champ.  So yeah... overall, I felt like I was reading a book of a 25 year old guy who is a devout Christian, a great athlete who knows how to work hard, but hasn't had much life experience.  He talks about some rough life experiences, but he's clearly not a philosopher or a rocket scientist, which whatever.  Who is?  It just seemed to be a very simple book.  He talks about his life before CrossFit, some of his childhood experiences (although not much), outlines his start to CF, his first and second Open to Games experience, and then wraps up some chapters that just felt like they were added as sort of "You should do this".  He had a chapter about PEDs in CF in which he clearly shows he has ZERO idea what steroids do (although he admits it).  Then of course he gives a shout-out to BSN (his sponsor) about how how pure their stuff is.  And then he wraps it up by basically saying he hardly ever takes supplements.  Haha... that chapter probably irked me the most.  It just felt like it was there to give the shout out to BSN.  Another book I wouldn't recommend.  The lesson of the book really boils down to Froning is a freak of nature in terms of work ethic and work capacity (says 4-5 workouts per day 7 days a week in Games ramp up training) and his primary motivation isn't in winning the Games, but in glorifying God (as a devout Christian).  That's it.  There's not really life lessons or anything like, which too be honest after thinking about it for a bit, what the hell did I know as a 25 year old?  Nothing, so does it surprise me?  Not really.  

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

Love the benching outside the smith machine. IT's cool that it is designed for such things and is not pure evil, just mainly evil.

[Rooks]

Love the benching outside the smith machine. IT's cool that it is designed for such things and is not pure evil, just mainly evil.

 

Yeah.  The funny part is that they actually make safety arms for that specific model of Squat Rack / Smith Machine thing.  I tried to convince the powers that be they should spend the $150 to purchase a set to greatly improve the work gym here, but alas they denied the request.  

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

Yeah.  The funny part is that they actually make safety arms for that specific model of Squat Rack / Smith Machine thing.  I tried to convince the powers that be they should spend the $150 to purchase a set to greatly improve the work gym here, but alas they denied the request.  

 

I guess saying "I squat and could get an injury wihtout the arms, which would raise your insurance rates." would more likely result in "no squatting signs" vs safety bars.

[Rooks]

I guess saying "I squat and could get an injury wihtout the arms, which would raise your insurance rates." would more likely result in "no squatting signs" vs safety bars.

 

Pretty much what happened.  I tried to lay out how squatting in a Smith Machine wasn't an optimal exercise when compared with barbell squats and the added safety from arms for multiple exercises made the cost for them seem trivial.  I got "We don't support people doing Squats outside of the machine."  I didn't push it after that as I figured worst case, they'd just remove the free weights and barbell from the gym.  

[matty_mcfly]

Random - but have you given up on the whole BFR thing?

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[Rooks]

Random - but have you given up on the whole BFR thing?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

Yeah.  BFR was part of the PH3 Trainer and as I was cutting, that program is just too much on a cut.  I never got passed Day 3.  

[Rooks]

3/19/2016
Workout:  Format is load/reps x sets
Competition Bench - 205/5 x 7

Front Squat (No Sleeves, No Belt, EMOM) - 185/2 x 10

 

Bench was easy.  Front squat EMOM work was more an experiment on work capacity.  Overall, weight wasn't diffcult.  Will probably move to triples during my next attempt, but my wrists did start to get a bit tender.

 

3/20/2016
Workout:  Did my first ever "ruck".  Loaded up my backpack with 25 pounds of plates and ankle weights and took off on a half jog, half run.  Did 2 miles in just under 30 minutes.  Felt good actually.  Moved faster than I thought.  Got back and hammered out 5 sets of 10 squats and 10 push-ups with the ruck sack on.  Good bit of cardio.  

 

https://zombiesrungame.com/zombielink/runs-detailed/8886783/public/

[Rooks]

3/21/2016

Workout:  Format is load/reps x sets

Competition Bench - 215/4 x 8

Static Hang Holds (E2MOM) - BW/35 seconds x 3

Wide Grip Lateral Pulldowns (Fast I can do the reps) - 70/10, 150/5, 140/4, 130/4

Standing Cable Rope Pulls - 160/10 x 3

 

Upper body goodness.  Nothing much else to report today.

[Rooks]

So I've decided to put this log on hiatus for now.  I've been frustrated lately with how to format my comments and after some thinking, I've come the conclusion that it's because it doesn't provide anything meaningful to anyone.  Most of my posts are just lists of my sets / reps for the day, which I log elsewhere.  So it's not something I use, and given that the people that follow along are all more advanced lifters then I anyway, I doubt you guys are getting much out of it either.  

 

I've decided I'm going to spend the limited amount of time I do have on NF focusing more on making the leaderboards better (if possible) and all around looking at threads / areas of the forum to try and actually given meaningful information.  

 

Someday I might come back to this, but for now, consider this thread dead.  

[The Most Loathed]

Go for it man. look forward to seeing your enhancements to the leaderboard.

[Sloth the Enduring]

See you around Rooks.

[Waldo]

17 hours ago, Rooks said:

So I've decided to put this log on hiatus for now.  I've been frustrated lately with how to format my comments and after some thinking, I've come the conclusion that it's because it doesn't provide anything meaningful to anyone.  Most of my posts are just lists of my sets / reps for the day, which I log elsewhere.  So it's not something I use, and given that the people that follow along are all more advanced lifters then I anyway, I doubt you guys are getting much out of it either.  

 

Eh, I like to peruse and get an idea of what other people are lifting on various exercises and what a workout looks like, especially people that know what they are doing that are well past the noob stage.  Occasionally posting a workout has value for others.

 

On my log, I tend to work out my workout evolution as a write it out.

[Rooks]

 

On 3/31/2016 at 3:07 PM, Rooks said:

...I've come the conclusion that it's because it doesn't provide anything meaningful to anyone.  Most of my posts are just lists of my sets / reps for the day, which I log elsewhere.  So it's not something I use,...

 

How wrong I was.  So yes... I'm starting this thread back up.  Been a solid 2 months since I logged things here and it hasn't been a productive 2 months.  I've been experimenting with a few different things, but overall, still have the same lower back issues so not really getting stronger at the moment.  So what's changed?  Well I realized that I was in fact using this thread.  Sitting down and regurgitating what I did for the day lets me stop and think about what I did at least mildly and come with an idea on how I feel overall feel about my programming even I didn't type it all out.  So yeah... I'm back.

 

What else is new?  Nothing much.  Been reading a bit more lately, as well as dosing myself with gobs of podcasts, which is a new thing for me, but when I suddenly realized I had an hour to an hour and a half every day on my commute that was wasted on talk radio, I substituted pretty quick.  Tim Ferriss, Jocko Willink, Barbell Shrugged (only sometimes), Super Strength Show, Joe DeFranco's got a few good ones, and I'll throw in a Bill Simmons podcast occassionally when I need a laugh.  Reading wise, it's been all over the map.  Doing a book club with a buddy where we read classics.  I just got through 1984 which actually gave me a nightmare.  Also, doing some business success books and workout books like Wendler's Beyond 5/3/1.  Really like the idea of his 2x2x2x program with my current state.  2 days a week lifting, 2 days a week mobility for an hour, and 2 days a week conditioning.  I've modified it a bit to fit what I'd like to do where I put some very light Olympic lifting form work on the mobility days, and my conditioning is rucking with a 25lb backpack, and I have yet to actually get all 6 days in, but I think once I can get back in the groove of things, it'll work swell.  

 

I'm pretty much abandoning the idea of competing this year.  I just don't want to right now.  Seems like training always leads to injury so I want to get my training figured out where it doesn't injure me, then maybe I'll get back to pushing for a higher total.  Not like I was going to win any titles anyway.  Also, Tim Ferriss's podcast talking to with Christopher Sommer (http://fourhourworkweek.com/2016/05/09/the-secrets-of-gymnastic-strength-training/) has me super intrigued.  Gymnastics has also been amazing to me, and I've always wanted to give a go, so maybe now's the time.  Not sure.  It's an idea floating around my head.  

 

Otherwise yeah... that's about all I got for now.  

 

5/26/2016

Workout:  Format is load/reps x sets

Competition Bench (E2MOM) - 125/5, 150/3, 175/3, 200/1, 225/1, 250/1, 190/5 x 5

  -- Happy with this.  Set Rep structure is from Beyond 5/3/1 moving up to a heavy single at 100% TM (with optional heavier Joker Sets if feeling good), then 5x5 at 75%.  I like it.  190 moves very fast.  With the E2MOM, last set gets heavy but moves well.

Front Squat (E2MOM) - 125/5, 150/3, 175/3, 200/1

  -- Felt a mild twinge in the middle back on the right side here so scrapped the rest.  Tried doing some more at 135 but after unracking, knew it wasn't worth it and moved on.

Lat Pulldowns - 90/10, 100/10 x 2

  -- Very slow and methodically never taking tension off the lats.  Last set was borderline to fast, so should move back to 90 next time.  

Cable Rope Pulls - 170/10, 160/8, 150/10

  -- Not bad.  170 was too much.  

Stiffed Legged Deads - 135/10, 185/8

  -- First set was strapless, second used straps.  Back had a nice pump after all that.