Quest for Fire

[Erok]

Had a dream last night that I was power cleaning 405. No bumpers, just iron 45s, and no collars, so the plates were sliding further & further out with each rep. I didn't want to stop, though, because it felt amazing. I think I got at least 5 reps before the dream changed to me sitting on a couch, wrapped in a blanket, watching a movie.

[Erok]

Thurs., 9/11. The True Detective Workout, which largely consists of me tossing around my 50-ish# EZBar until I feel sick, a simple process of 20-rep rows, cleans, presses, and squats that takes about 20 minutes, then I finish up with some forearm, curls & tricep stuff. Episode 2 was alright - you can tell they're laying down a lot of character groundwork before stuff actually happens.

[Erok]

Squaterday, 9/13. 216#. Gimme a beat!

Squats: 45x..., 135 x 5, 185 x 3, 225 x 3, 285 x 5,5, 295 x 5. Not the prettiest, but solid, and not GM'ing much at all, save for rep 4.

Wrist Roller: 45# x 2

Bench: 45x..., 95 x 8, 135 x 5, 155 x 3, 185 x 5,5,4,1 (just had to get that last one), 135 x 5,5,8.

I run into a guy I hadn't seen in a couple months, asked him: "hey, didn't you just get married?" He treats me to an epic tale of anger, jealousy, and control - long story short: they called it off after she wouldn't let him go to his own bachelor party. Yes, that was mere hours before the ceremony. Crazy shit. He's doing much better now, though, working fewer hours, saving more money, and getting to the gym 5 days a week. I do not envy the single males of my species. At. All.

I run home for a massive brotein shake, then head over to my friend's place to help them strip the paint off their back porch - angle grinder with a 36-grit flap wheel - awesome! Except now, my legs are incredibly sore from all the stretch-squatting, and the shoulders are burning from wrangling that wheel. Supper was about 8 tequenos and a massive, juicy Patacon Pisao con Pernil from the greatest little Venezuelan place.

[Erok]

Mon., 9/15. 215.25#

Wrist Roller: 30#, 3 minutes, while I wait for a platform to open up. One is being used for clean & jerks, the other - I don't know what you call it. There's a box, and the bar is on the box, with a pair of 10's, no collars, then there's some boards, and an empty trap bar lying there, and the guy gets up on the box, and he's stretching his hamstrings while holding the bar, and the plates are slipping... I can't watch this.

I duck into a squat rack, and warmup with the bar. I turn back to look, and the guy's gone, leaving all this stuff behind - except the box, he took that with him. Anyway, I tidy up & get going.

Power Cleans: Why should I be dragging the bumper plates halfway across the gym tonight, just so I can lift in some foreign language?* The iron plates are RIGHT THERE.
95# x 3, Fsqtx5, 115 x 3, Fsqtx3, 135 x 1,1,1,1.

Deadlifts: 225 x 4, 315 x 2 (hook), straps on: 360 x 8. Oh, dear Odin. That is the hardest set of anything I've ever done. I'm breathing like a NASA wind tunnel.

SLDL: 235 x 8,8. Now these are the easiest things I've ever done.

Rows: 145 x 8,8,8,8. The guy on the other platform is also rowing, with 245. Ha! And I was feeling so tough.


Bachelor Chow, recipe #138: Beef veggie soup + meatballs & marinara, with buttered broccoli on the side.


*That was a joke. I happen to enjoy Latin. Futue te ipsum et caballum tuum.

[gatorinexile]

Fabriacate diem, punk

winky emoticon

[Erok]

Wed., 9/17. Going out to get some milk. I'll be right back. Hey, whattya know - there's my gym!

OHP: 45x..., 95 x 5, 115 x 3, 135 x 3, 150 x 2, -, -. damn. 135 x 3,3,3,3. try it again: 150 x -. 145 x -. Grr. 135 x 3. There.


Steak, stew, & salad, plus milk. Gotta load up for Squat Day.

[Erok]

Thurs., 9/18. 214.25#.

Squats: 45x10, 135 x 3, 185 x 5, 225 x 3, 260 x 3, 295 x 5, 5, 305 x 5. I'm beginning to feel the difference, but still keeping things solid.

OHP: 45x..., 95 x 5, 115 x 5, 135 x 5 - last rep had terrible, terrible form. So bad, in fact, it drew the attention of one of the powerlifting strongmen in the next rack. I tried explaining Press 2.0 to him, and he seemed to get the hip drive thing. We concurred that the press responds to frequency & volume. Bottom line: MOAR PRESSES! 130 x 4, 125 x 5. Oh, jeez, that's enough.

Hey, I haven't done any chinups in awhile. Yeah, just heckling myself.

[Erok]

Oh, and I got to see a guy bench 405 for singles. He was wearing a shirt, but it was still quite a spectacle. Heaviest bench I've seen there so far. The sleeves were so tight, his upper arms looked smaller than mine.

[Erok]

Fri., 9/19 - True Detective Workout, featuring lots of Bent Presses.

Episode 3 is like, whOAh. Some amazing stuff going on there. We went into the deleted scene of the preacher's sermon, and identified lots of Buddhism, as well as some HP Lovecraft references. Minds blown.

Perhaps I forgot to mention, the best part of the True Detective parties is the food. Our host recreates her mother's German comfort food recipes. Snowball-sized potato dumplings. Must learn to make them.

[Erok]

In Goodwill Saturday, I grab a 6' standard barbell for $4. The chrome is still on it, and the knurling is in good shape. Has collars, too. I immediately fit it up with my DP 22-pounders, and bang out some floor presses and behind the neck presses. Fun stuff.