Quest for Fire

[Erok]

Wife can jump rope! One day, she got her workout done early, and wandered over to the boxing area. Next thing I know, she's bouncing up and down, whipping that rope around like nothing.
"WhUt!?! 20 years, and I've never known you could jump rope!"
She gave me a stink eye, and retorted: "Huh? I was a girl-child in the 70's. Of COURSE I know how to jump rope!"

Next day, I bought her a jump rope. Everlast. She says she can teach me. Hm.



Tues., 7/05. 221.0#.

Squat: 45x..., 135x5, 225 x 5, 295 x 5,5,5.

OHP: 45x..., 95 x 8, 115 x 5, 135 x 5, 155 x 5,5,5.

DL: 225 x 8, 295 x 4, 335 x 6 (straps).


Off to South Dakota to see the family: Grandma, Dad, Aunt, All-you-can-eat Crab Legs. They're all doing great.
Also visited my uncle; your basic all-around classic reclusive retired military officer who trains hunting dogs, makes glass art, and collects rocks. First thing he commented on was my t-shirt:

Uncle: "Strongman, huh? You lifting weights, then?"
Me: "Oh, yeah."
Uncle: "What kind of program are you on?"
Me: "Simple barbell stuff. A 5-by-5 type, with mostly just the squat, deadlift, and overhead press."
Uncle: "That's the best way to do it. Get in and out without wasting time. You ever heard of this guy, Mark Rippetoe?"

We had a great conversation. He found Rip through Instapundit years ago. He's got his 17-year-old grandson on SS. He also sent me home with some really nice slab-cut obsidian. Time to start learning the clovis point!

[Erok]

Mon., 7/11. 222.4#. So I took a week off - it was The Great American Road Trip! Feeling good, nonetheless.

Squat: 135x10, 185 x 5, 225 x 5, 275 x 5,5,5,5,8.

Bench (medium grip): 45x..., 95x8, 135x5, 155 x 5,5,5, 160 x 5, 10.

BB Incline: 45x15, 65x15, 75x15,15.
X-Overs: 30x15,15.
Curlz: 50x12,13,12,12.

wife squatted 160x3x5 and pressed 80x3x3 for two PRs.


Salmon, avocado, and rice. Too hot to cook, and we have a rice maker. Need to get more propane for the grill (I know, I know, but who has time for charcoal every damn night?)

[Erok]

Wed., 7/13. 222.2#.

Front Squat: 45x..., 135x5, 185x5, 205 x 3,5.

DL: 225 x 6, 275 x 3, 325 x 3, 375 x 3. Pfffssshwweeew! Now that was a good old fashioned deadlift set, with seeing stars, and catching my breath between reps, and all that. (straps)

Rows: 135 x 10,10,10,10.

Kelso Shrugs, in honor of Paul Kelso: 135 x 20,20. these feel kinda awesome.


Lamb Burgers, fried zuchinni, and avocado.

[Erok]

Fri., 7/15. 223.4#.

OHP: 45x..., 95x10, 115x5, 140 x 5,5,5,5,5.
skip all the bro stuff, and do:
Squat: 135 x 20, 155 x 20, 165 x 21. And so it begins.


Sloppy Joes on cheesy buns.

Also started a new wine. 4# of honey, plus 7 quarts of Concord grape juice into 4.7 gallons. Estimated gravity around 1.049 ish.
Honey and grapes from the family homestead in south central South Dakota. I'm calling it either: Great Plains Melomel, White River Lightnin', or Buffalo Juice.

[Erok]

Mon., 7/18. 222.0#.

Squat: 45x10, 135x5, 225x5, 285x5,5,5,5,5. Every 5 minutes on the minute.

Bench: 45x..., 95x8, 125x5, 145x5, 165x5,5,5,5,10. E5MOM.

Incline: 45x..., 95x12,12.
Cable Xovers: 30x15,15.
Curlz: 55x12,12,12,15.


Pork chops with creamed spinach. mmmmmmm.

[Erok]

in order from largest quantity to least:

apple cider vinegar
salt
black pepper
cumin
coriander

marinate for at least 30 minutes.


Oh, and stop asking me for amounts of ingredients! I don't tell you how many reps to do, either, so just fuck off and salt your own meat.

[Erok]

I posted about this up in Rip's forum once, but want it recorded here for posterity.

1. add a generous pinch of salt to a whiskey tumbler.

2. drain all the 'red juice' (myoglobin) from your steak/ground beef into the glass. swirl the salt in and shoot it.

3. add 1 - 2 oz. vodka to the glass, swirl, and shoot.

4. eat the steak.

[Erok]

Wed., 7/20. 223.0#. Not bad, considering I had a pound of pasta for lunch.

cleaned Front Squat: 45x..., 135 x 5,5,5.

DL 225 x 6, 285 x 12 (straps). reps 10,11 and 12 required three breaths.

Rows: 145 x 10,10,10,10.
Kelso Shrugs:145 x 20, 155 x 20. should find a way to go heavier on these. I like them already.
Lat Pulldowns: 80x15,15, 90x15,15.

Wife PR'd squat (165x3x3) and OHP (85x3,2,2), then asked "now what?" I said "whatever you want."
So we did Celebration Curlz x infinity, supersetted with LTEs. I saw a beautiful pair of old York 70# DBs, so did 20 shrugs with them. I tried out a Bent Press, but R shoulder is not up to it yet. Stupid washing machine. NEVER HELP YOUR NEIGHBORS MOVE ANYTHING.


Shrimp/egg/cabbage stir-fry.

[Erok]

Sat., 7/23. We got our central AC fixed this year, and not a day too soon. What do you call it when you hibernate in the summer? NetFlix and Chill?

OHP: 45x..., 95x5, 115x5, 145 x 5,5,5,5,7. Still getting really good bar speed.

Wife squats 135x5x5 for a volume PR.

Z Press: 45x15, 95x15, 8, 3, 2.5. runnin out of gas.
Tricep Pushdowns: 70x15,20, 50x31. yes, there was a pump.

Gym's closed for the day. Back into NetFlix & Chill. We watched Stranger Things. All of it, in one day. Totally awesome. Sunday, we went to Ghostbusters. I thought it was great. Kate McKinnon is a comedy goddess.

[Erok]

Tues., 7/26. 222.6#.

Squat: 45x..., 135 x 8, 205 x 5, 250 x 3, 295 x 5,5,5,5,6. Whew - I’m done. Heat, Humidity, and Volume are a deadly combo.

Wife squats some ramping singles, topping out with a surprise double: 170x2. The local IPF girl is impressed.


Bacon Cheeseburgers.