Growth.

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Tuesday: Chest/Biceps

*10 reps per set unless otherwise noted*

Chest
Bench Presses: 3 Warmup Sets 45

Bench Presses: 3 Sets x 135,225,185 (10,7,10)

Incline Dumbbell Bench Presses: 3 Sets x 60,70 (10,7,6)

Incline Flyes: 3 Sets x 45 (10,10,8)

Biceps:
Barbell Curls: 3 Sets x 75,85 (10,5,4)

Dumbbell Curls: 40,35,30,25,20 til failure - drop set x2

Concentration Curls: 3 Sets x 15

New veins in my arms popping today. Better form equaled less weight, but after reading up on bench form and mind/muscle connections, I think I got a better pump than last week's chest and bi circus.

Had to hurry in and out to be back in time for Wifey to make it to her kickboxing class... Little rest between sets. Def had something to do with less weight as well. Usually an hour lifting session was done in less than 45 minutes - no post-lift cardio, 10 minute bike warmup. Cooking four meals at once right now with this 4 lbs of defrosted chicken. Cant wait to eat - smells good in the house.

One.

 

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252.0 this morning. 51 lbs down. More work...


Wednesday: Legs

Stationary bike, 10 minutes, warm up

Hamstrings

Seated Leg Curls: 3 Sets x 170,185,200 (10,10,6)

Stiff-Leg Deadlifts: 3 Sets x 135,225,235

One-Leg Leg Curls: 3 Sets x 140 (10,10,9)

Quads: 9 Sets

Squats: 3 Sets x 135,225 (10,1.5,3)

...hurt my lower back on the second set. Leaned forward too far and tweaked that shit something fierce. Still working on good form and apparently not there yet. Fuckin hell - I'm in pain.
Sucks I gotta work tomorrow.
Negligent shit right there...

Luckily, no back pain for the rest of the workout:

Leg Presses: 3 Sets x 450,540,720 (10,10,6)

Leg Extensions: 3 Sets x 190,205,220

Lower back pain is the worst... Hadnt had a setback since last September. Need to get this core stronger and remember to flex it more often. Garbage.

Did cop a Knicks hat for this weekend's Wizards game. They are playing Cleveland but I rep my teams wherever I go!

 

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Yesterday was a major step in the right direction for this reoccurring lower back issue I have.

30 minutes ice, 30 minutes heating pad, five minutes foam rolling... Repeat.

Trip to the "deep tissue" massage was a bust. Wasn't deep tissue and didn't honor the groupon correctly. Fucking waste of time.

Had to go back to work today and felt better than the day before - still some twinges and stiffness when staying in one position for a minute... But all in all I was useful and got paid so fuck it - all is good.

Hittin the gym in a few for shoulders and triceps. Replacing any movements that need major lower back support in favor of some machine shit.

Can't stop the hustle.

 

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Spoke with my wife the other morning about shoulder routines and she asked me how much weight I've been using lately. I told her the numbers, along with griping about how my shoulders are NEVER sore. They don't seem to grow. They must be mad at me...

She asked if I had been using my back muscles for some of the lateral dumbbell movements and I couldn't answer that question until last night when I hit shoulders and triceps.

I closed my eyes, imagined only using my delta and tried lifting 30 lb dumbbells in a side raise. Couldn't do it. Went down to 20... Couldn't do it. Picked up the 15's and did three sets of side, front and bent over side raises making the same faces I do when I do 2 bill shrugs.

I've been cheating the whole time!
Too much arm used in my prior movements, as I barely held grip and squeezed the fuck outta my shoulder muscles. Felt weird, felt painless, felt a pump, felt good.
No soreness yet, but that's not worrying me. Tomorrow will tell the tale accurately.

Back is still pinching me something terrible, but I've been stretching and foam rolling at every opportunity and the recovery I've experienced this time has been exponentially better than ever.

Hovering around that 252-254 lb range for the last two weeks, but clothes are fitting bigger and cuts are making appearances. I think I'm growing and losing fat at the same time - I know I'm eating enough to maintain, an sometimes more, while busting out AM cardio on occasion and rolling on fumes doing cardio at the end of my workouts... Eating in a deficit has been extremely hard since my metabolism has boosted and my output is raising.


Headed to DC today to watch the Wizards play for my homie's birthday. Should be a lot of fun. Kidless and worry free until tomorrow afternoon!

Life is good.

 

[PillarofBalance]

Now that you've opened up that mind muscle connection with your shoulders you'll show some good growth in that area. Just don't lose sight of that.

 

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Thanks for stopping in - hoping these shoulders get movin ASAP! I've put a note at the top of my training log for shoulder day to "pay attention". Hope that's the game changer

 

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Lacking willpower...

Weekend decisions allowed fun along with over-endulgence...
Back to the grind starting today. Lapses in judgement brought meals from famous places into my belly and psyche, mixes emotions followed.

Ate at The Tune Inn for breakfast yesterday - best corn beef hash I've ever experienced. Joined the likes of chef Guy Fieri by eating there. Lost my phone and found out the staff at The District of Pi retrieved and stashed it in their safe the night before... So we bought an amazing deep dish as a thank you and rode with it between my legs all the way back to Richmond.

I used to live every minute like this - great tasting food and no restrictions. Crazy shit. It made me feel good. Now it's guilt thats accompanying, and it's the healthy diet that makes me feel good.

Hitting the gym hard today - very excited... Snowed out in March. Word??

Battling this lower back shit which has morphed into a cold, pinching feeling instead of the acute soreness. I think it's working itself out again.

Chest and biceps on the menu.
Time to eat.

 

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Monday: Chest/Biceps 12

*10 reps per set unless otherwise noted*

Chest
Bench Presses: 3 Warmup Sets x 45
Bench Presses: 4 Sets x 135,185,225,245 (10,10,10,6)
Incline Dumbbell Bench Presses: 3 Sets x 40,60,80
Incline Flyes: 3 Sets x 45,50,55

Biceps:
Barbell Curls: 3 Sets x 75,80,85 (10,8,3)
Dumbbell Curls: 30 (10,6,6)
Concentration Curls: 3 Sets x 20,25,30

30 minutes of some 21, then off to the grocery store with my little man.

Felt amazing today. Has another co-worker and my homie in there and we all got it in. Good workout.
About to start working out with my body weight on bench presses. That shit is hype!

 

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$0.99/lb split chicken breasts, gumbo fixings, crock pot for 12 hours (6 of which on High).
That cooked while we ate filets off the iron skillet with a side of red garlic mashed taters.
All this following that great workout yesterday...
Then it was a Black Donnelly's marathon, then bed. Absolutely lovely.

Today was another story...
Apparently playing ball yesterday did a number to my back - which was noticed all day at work.
This cold, pinching feeling in my lower back, stretching to my right ass cheek is MURDER.
I can't shake it - no position gives it a break except for laying on the floor face up with my feet in a chair.
And I'm just now getting off work after a 13 hour day.

The ups and downs of life bring us to some crazy peaks and valleys - seeing my son asleep on his stomach with his ass in the air and hearing Wifey read Dr. Seuss was bitter sweet to come home to tonight. Missed the majority of the day that wore them out, but was still able to experience a bit of it.

Bailing on the gym this evening to eat good, sleep better and have married time.
Tomorrow is another story - my mans and I are planning a war for after work. No prisoners.

On a side note, it seems as if I have hit somewhat of a statistical plateau, as the scale dieties have cast a dark cloud over my numbers: 253 as of this morning. It's not discouraging me though - my progress shines through in the form of PR's, new belt loops and increased metabolism. Never fail, I am ravenous 1.5 hours after dinner. Other times of the day the stomach growls make themselves heard about 2.5-3 hours after a meal... But this Evening Beast keeps rearing his persuasive face, smiling as I consume some peanut butter or a shake close to bed time.
The trials and tribulations of the dieter who's chasing their dreams, I guess.

This is my journey, our journey, from obscurity to legend.
Sounds pretty over-dramatic at times... Others it is the best representation of how I feel. I'm proud of my gains, not so proud of my stretch marks. Proud of my diligence and regretful for not adopting my current focus a decade ago.

Pushing onward.

 

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Wednesday: Back

Light Weight Wide grip pull downs: 3 Sets x 90, Warmup

Barbell Rows: 3 Sets X 135,155,175 (10,7,3,3)

Seated Rows: 3 Sets x 160,180,200 (10,10,6)

One-Arm Dumbbell Rows: 3 Sets
X 75,70 (10,7,7)

Deadlifts: 3 Sets x 135,155,175 (10,10,6)

Back was feeling much better at the end of the work day. Forcing myself to flex my core during all movements really helped not strain what's already strained. Helped in the gym this evening too. No ego, just concentration and steady flow.

My dude bailed on me right as I walked in the doors so I was able to really zone out and get it in.

I decided against shrugs as the last time I did those I felt a bit of a twinge in my lower back. No risk today - just reward.

Cardio, food, sleep, work...
Repeat.

 

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249.8 this AM. Word.

 

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I'll tell you what's a son of a bitch...losing weight while your metabolism speeds up. Bittersweetness of dieting I guess: less food needed to lose fat while becoming hungrier by the day.

It's not really a reason to complain - more like celebratory, but it's definitely having me reevaluate constantly.

I ate 10 times yesterday trying to curb this insatiable hunger to no avail. Luckily I got to do some core work amidst grip and forearm stuff... Used the carpel tunnel exercises POB posted too. Good shit.

This weekend will be time for beast mode. Week 5 of this new routine, Week 13 of routine work in general, since getting back on track.

I realized, with the help of my wife, that I am the healthiest I've been in over 6 years. Wanted to raise a glass of vino in cheer, but instead opted for water.

Life is change.