Quest for Fire

[Erok]

Mon., 9/26. 219.6#. I find my lack of bodyweight disturbing.

Squat: 45x..., 135x8, 225x5, 275x5, 315x2, 345 x 2. The J-hooks on this rack are too damn low, and the mat flooring is uneven. No megusta. Lower back is unhappy. I have to blame something that isn't me. Wah.

Wife squats 185x2 like buttah.

GoodMornings, cuz that's what you do when your back is tweaked, right? 45x..., 65x8.

Rack Curlz: 80 x 3,5. Hey, I can curl 80 pounds!



All the leftovers: PorkyPork, creamed spinach, bratwurst, sweet potato hash browns, fried eggs. Add a beer and an hour and a half of Trump v. Clinton to ensure indigestion.

[Erok]

Wed., 9/28. 221.4#. I have re-discovered the twice-baked potato. When you have finished all the starchy/cheezy filling, stuff the potato skin full of whatever meat you're having. Boom! Instant meat boat! Great for lunch the following day.

Front Squat: 45x..., 95x5, 135x5, 185x3, platform's open!

DL: 225x10, 275x5, 315x2, 355 x 6 (straps). low back, while still DOMS-y from Monday, gave me no trouble.

to the chest-supported T-Bar thingy!
Rows: 25x12, 45x12,12,13.
Kelso Shrugs: 90x15,15,15.

Wrist Rollers: 25# for 5 minutes straight. up, down, up, down. brutal. Loved it.


I come home to a tub of chicken livers! fry them up in butter till they're crispy, and eat as many as you can before wife tells you they're for the dog. It's okay; she's a good dog.

Roto chix, bok choy in butter, some kind of deli salad with nuts and beans.

got my first jar of BCAAs - dosing will start Friday.

[Erok]

Fri., 9/30. 221.6#.

OHP: 45x..., 95x8, 135x5, 150x3, 165 x 3,3,3,3,3. verry tempting to run these triples out into singles, but I should probably go back to 5's. (after singles).

Squat: 135x5, 185x5, 225x21. Well, there's bodyweight. Talked to Mr. Back, who also did a run of 20-reppers, getting them up to 300. New goal.


Vietnamese noodles in pork broth with pork. Too much beer, and not enough sleep. What a weekend.

[Erok]

Mon., 10.17. 215.8#. Oh, no. Must have been the food poisoning and fever, followed by the fasting, followed by the weird appetite, coupled with the depressing weakness and diarrhea. Yeah, that's probably it.
5.8# loss in two weeks, though. I could market that.
Call it: The Crappening.

Well, back to square one.

Squat: 45x..., 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x5. Feels good. let's not push it just yet.

OHP: 45x..., 95x5, 115x5, 135 x 5,3,3,3,2,1,2. Yeah, this was a 10-minute AMRAP shitshow.

Turns out all the weight I lost was in my shoulders & upper back. Belt still fits on #4.


Steak & mashed potatoes. I'm back!

[Erok]

Wed., 10/19. 215.6#. Time to Make Erok Grow Again.

Squat: 45x..., 135x5,5,5. Adductors. Oh, Gawd, Adductors.

Bench: 45x..., 95x5, 115x5, 135x5, 155x5, 175x5, 140x8,8,8. Say, that's not so bad. I think my R shoulder is almost fully healed.

DL: 135x8, 225x5, 275x3, 315x3(hook)

Rows: 135x8,8,10. I. Hate. These. So. Much. I. Missed. Them. So Bad.


Baked chicken, collard greens (with bacon grease and broth), squash soup. Cheese-Its (they finally came out with an extra-toasty version!) and milk. Gonna need more milk.


Thurs. morning: wife says my back looks swole. Good sign.

[Erok]

Face it: You've always wanted to make one.

1. Roast some chicken. I like bone in, skin on thighs. save the juice/jelly and the fat - you will need it later. Alternately, have someone you trust bring home a juicy rotisserie chicken. Don't do it yourself, or send your lifting buddy to do it. You know what'll happen to that bird before it gets home. chop the chicken up(duh).

2. in your big-ass skillet, melt the chicken fat, and fry up some veggies - onions + whatever. I used a bag of frozen mixed stuff, so it had carrots, peas, corn, etc. add your spices - black pepper, galangal, black pepper, garlic powder, black pepper, a pinch of cinnamon, and to top it off - black pepper. No salt yet. Don't forget to add a little more black pepper.

3. deglaze the pan with that homemade wine that's just sitting in the fridge. seriously, why doesn't anyone appreciate it? it's delicious, and there's gallons of it. once that dries up, add the chicken meat and the juice/jelly. supplement with more broth/jelly. let it simmer gently while you do other stuff.

4. in your dry saucepan, gently heat up some flour to toast it - stir with a whisk. when the flour is nice and toasty, add butter/chicken fat. when that is melted, add a bit of heavy cream at a time until you've got a nice paste. then start adding milk, a bit at a time, until you've got a good, thick roux. don't stop stirring with the whisk, dammit!

5. pour the roux into the chicken mix, keep simmering/adding broth & cooking down till it's really thick. THEN, start salting it to taste.

6. get out your pie crusts (just get them premade at the store, for land's sake) and parbake them at 400 for just a bit.

7. fill your pie crusts. top with those leftover mashed potatoes you forgot about. dot with cold butter.

8. bake at 400 for a while, then turn it down to 350. or, just bake them at 350 while you watch an episode of American Horror Story.

9. when it's all Golllldennnn Brrrowwwnnnnn, you're ready. don't burn the roof of your mouth.

[Erok]

Fri., 10/21. 215.4#.

Observations:
1. Chinups are part of the program.
2. I don't do chinups.

Hypothesis:
My lack of chins is holding me back. Lack of chinups, rather. I have plenty of chins.

OHP: 45x..., 95x5, 115x5, 135x5, 155x3, 165x1, 150 x 3,3,3, 135 x 5,5. supersetted with-

Chins: 2,1,1,1,1,1. Lats are awn faya! (from Wednesday's rows, probably)

Squat: 135 x 20, 21. yep. doing two sets now.


Chicken Pot Pie, milk.

[Erok]

Mon., 10/24. 218.6#. Ah-ha! apparently the secret is junk food, with steak and potatoes. All weekend.

Squat: 45x..., 135x5, 225x5, 275x3, 315x2,1,1,1. still coming back. Gotta just pick a 3x5 weight and do it.

OHP: 45x..., 95x5, 115x5, 135x5, 155x2,2, 160 x 2,2,2. bit of a sticking point on the last rep. The way it should be.

Chins - between sets of squats and presses: 2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,1.9. dang, just short of 20.

Tri pushdowns: 70x12, 100x12,12, 80x12,12. Yeah, I should really be doing LTEs. Time constraints, though. And, there's only one bench appropriate for them, which is always taken. Sigh. How bad do I want it?


Burger, chips, salad, beer, milk.

[Erok]

Wed., 10/26. 221.6#. I'm telling you guys: junk food & milk.

Front Squat: 45x..., 135x5, 185x3,3,3, with

Chins: 3, 2.9, 2.9. yeah, these are max attempts.

Bench: 45x..., 95x8, 135x5, 155x5, 175x5, 185x5, 150x8,8,8.

DL: 165x5, 320x3, 395x3. Yes! I'm back on track with my 12/8/4/10/6/3 program!

wife squats 185x2, then decides she wants 187.5. First rep was golden, then she got stuck in the hole on the second rep. I spotted the bar off her back, and was all worried that she'd quit lifting right then & there. She went on to press, deadlift, and clean&press. With a smile on her face. It's like she's motivated or something. She's so damn awesome.


TACOS! Carnitas made with carmelized onions & dark beer, served with radish slaw, sour cream, avocado, and something in a bottle called "taco sauce".

[Erok]

Fri., 10/28. 220#.

OHP: 45x..., 95x5, 115x5, 135x5, 155 x 3, 3, 3, 3, 4. that fourth rep was sooo sticky, I would have bailed on it if it weren't for wife yelling at me. Thanks, honey. Supersetted with-

Chins: 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2.5 = 22.5. maybe set the goal for 50 per week?

Squat: 135x8, 165 x 20, 145 x 22. Gonna keep pushing these up.

LTEs: 60 x 12,12,12. There. I made time.


Enchilachos™!