An inglorious end to the 4th quarter.

And I'm back in Houston for another pointless frolic with the corporate machine.  Three fun-filled all-inclusive days in the bowels of the beast!  I don't think I've got ten bucks to buy a daypass to Metroflex.  But, on a positive note, I also don't have ten bucks to further petrify my liver.  I did bring my running gear, and I believe that running in this smog bucket is still free.  Though, I'm sure it would eventually lead to a hike in my insurance premiums.  At least I brought a shank with me this time.  Viva la Houston!

Friday: 30 min run = bad
Saturday: flat bench: 280 x 5, 300 x 5, 315 x 5.

Mid Week without commas

Last night was the start of a new deadlift cycle.  I was all too unexcited about it.  It was cold grey and wet all day yesterday.  I really wanted to run instead but I didn't want to get soaked and freeze to death on the way home.  I forced myself out to the gym and as usual I was glad I did.  It turned into a great session after which I was no longer cold but still quite soaked.  I have a full head of hair now so I got to experiment making a nifty faux-hawk from sweat and chalk.
DLs:
390 * 5
420 * 5
445 * 5

Bent over rows for several sets up to 185lbs for two sets of 6-8 reps. Moderately heavy DB rows.  A FEW body weight pullups.  And a whole buncha ab-roller-thingys to round it all out.  I woke up this morning with a really inflamed patellar tendon in my right knee.  Probably from the ab-roller-thingys. Otherwise it was fully awesome and healthier than giving a badger a parineal massage during labor.

Mōnandæg

My theory on incline bench being a beneficial crossover for overhead pressing appears to have had some truth in it.  I started a new cycle yesterday with OHP based on my most recent 1RM of 245lbs.  It went a lot better than expected.
185 x 5
200 x 5
210 x 5
Not so great in that I could have hammered out a few more on the last set, but rather that I didn't drop the bar on my head and die.  It was a bit awkward to be standing up with the weight again, but I felt really strong at lock-out and controlling the bar on the way down which was the intention of changing up to a heavier exercise for few weeks.  So, in conclusion, chocolate is far superior to vanilla.  That is all.

GVT

So in the spirit of deload week, which I traditionally get bored with, I went out looking for some interesting workout to do for the ol legs today.  Funny enough, I ended up on Bodybuilding.com reading an article about German Volume Training (aka: FML) I've done this program several times for very short intervals because I always forget how horrible it was the last time.  But I finished the article just to refresh the noodle on sets, reps, and percentages.  You're supposed to do some kind of compound exercise for 10 sets of 10.  What I had forgotten is that you're to use a weight that you can do 20 reps with (or roughly 65% 1RM)  65% of my current squat max is 335lbs.  That's crap.  So I went with 315lbs for 100 reps.  It's not so much that I'm in pain as that I'm ill.  I think I broke off a piece of my soul that will not be easy to reattach.  I wanted to quit after set five, but I continued on in some kind of pentacostal like trance.  It's now been six hours and I still feel like my head is gonna pop.  Cool stuff.  Its going on my list of things I'll never do again.  Ever.

Oh, and you're supposed to do this workout with every major muscle group four days a week for six weeks with accessory work.  I'm calling BS.

Funky Cold Medina

I finished up another 5/3/1 cycle this week and, I gotta say, I'm pretty pleased with the results for the first time in a long time.  I looked back over the last four sessions and realized that I managed two reps on the last set of every exercise.  The final lifts were:
Deadlift: 485 x 2
Inlcine Bench: 300 x 2
Squat: 485 x 2
Flat Bench: 350 x 2
I'm pretty OK with that and I feel like I can keep pushing the numbers up.  Last night should have been a deload, but I hate deloading more than I hate warming up.  So I declared it "Guns" Wednesday and did a variation of a bodybuilding arm workout that I saw in a Metroflex newsletter.  It was rediculous, hurt like hell, and I lifted no significant amount of weight.  Why do body builders do this to themselves!?  It was a change of pace.
All excersises were supersetted and the weights increased as the reps decreased, blah, blah, blah...
Dips: 20, 17, 15, 12, 10
BB curls: 20, 17, 12, 8, 8

CG bench: 25, 20, 15, 12, 10
DB curls: 20, 15, 12, 10, 8

Pushups: 20, 15, 10
Hammer Curls: 8,8,8 (heavier weight)

I just got bored writing that down. Oh, and my arms really hurt.  Yay!

Poo

I'm blowing the hell outta here in three minutes, so I'll post this fast.
Deads last night
385 x 5
435 x 3
485 x 2  Pretty clean....after I woke up and my eyes stopped bleeding.

Did a half hour run this morning at something like a 12:44 pace.  Every square inch of my hurt and jiggled, but I was I glad I made it happen.

Cheers to a good weekend.  It's 5:01.  I'm out!

.......................................................

Less pooey.

Incline bench tonight
240 x 5
270 x 3
300 x 2

I didn't get to eat lunch today so I was starved.  Props to General Mills though.  A bowl of magical Fruity Pebbles pre workout pulled me through the worst of it.

Trudging

I'm finally starting to feel like I'm recovering from the holidays.  Got a couple of good sessions in and wanted to record them before I forget.
Wed-
Squats: 410 x 3, 435 x 3, 460 x 3
More Squats: 10 sets of 5 reps with 255

Thurs-
Bench Press: 275 x 5, 315 x 3, 350 x 2
DB Bench: 75lbs x 10 x 4
BW dips: 4 sets of 10

Off to move the Robersons to Metropolis this weekend.  Please pray for safe travels and livers this weekend.  Cheers!

2012

I've pretty much lost hope in point-in-time resolutions as most of them are not something you can switch on or off like a light.  I will say that I've resolved not to continue the feeding trough suicide that I've been engaging in for the past couple of weeks.  I believe the scales are actually hiding from me, and I don't blame them. 
But I wont say it wasn't a good time.  Got to spend time with all my peeps and that was very refreshing and motivating.  At the very very least, it was a reminder that I need to stay focused and find a way to move my family north.  I'm sad that Bryant and fam are moving back to the city, but I'm also excited for them and a bit jealous.  Mostly jealous.  In the words of Rich Mullins, "It wont break my heart to say goodbye!".  Yeah, 2012 is going to be about putting this place in my rear view mirror. It's going to take some time and a lot of work, but my parole has been approved.  We're finally getting our debt under control and are starting to feel a bit of relief.  My employer has made it perfectly clear they could care less whether I stay or go.  So, we're going.   I'm not exactly sure how, when, or where, but the decision has been made and approved by the heads of house.  Guys I just ask for sincere prayers that God will open some doors for us when the time comes.
In the mean time, it's ToughMudder training!  I really want to run this one sub 200lbs.  I know I've got plenty of time, I've just got to get back to running and beat the crap outta my diet.  This will be my sanity for the first part of the year!