Quest for Fire

[Erok]

Thurs., 12/15. 222#. Mixed nuts have been re-introduced.

Log Clean & Press: 90x5, 110x3, 130x2, 140x2, 150 x 2,2,2,2,2.

Log Rack Press: 90x8, 110x8, 140x5, 160x3, 120x8, 130x8. The grip is a bit wider than shoulder width, so I can eventually feel the moment arm in my shoulder joints. The obvious solution to this is to grow wider shoulders.

Standing Tricep Extensions with Multi-Grip/Swiss/Football Bar - i dunno. no angled grips, and it's hollow, so it looks heavier than it is. maybe 20#? empty x 15, +20# x 10,10,10. middle grip feels the best. narrow grip tires easily, and wide grip hurts.


Baked brined chicken legs, with the juices turned into butter pepper gravy. Broccoli & leftover laotian noodles.

[Erok]

Mon., 12/19. 218.6#. Dammit, Erok, this is the opposite of what should be happening. Need to fit in more meals over the weekend, be hungover less, and not shovel so much damn snow.

Also, moving into a new logbook, and there is no room for my sweet Pentel Twist-Erase 0.7.

Strongman Rob is doing Axle Continental Clean & Push Press. NoOne ever does continental cleans here. Quite impressive.

OHP: 95x8, 135x5, 155x3, 175x2 - first rep is strict, second rep is push press. deal with it.
145 x 8, 8, 7.5. AAaahgghgh. Basically a 5-second isometric hold just above the head. Wife thinks it's close enough.

Bench: 95x8, 135x5, 155x5, 185x3, 205x3, 165 x 8, 8, 8.

French Press: 70x8,8,8. These are far less enjoyable than LTEs. at least I'm not staring into the overhead lights.
Tricep Pushdowns: 100x20,20.

Wife ("I'm not feeling very strong today.") squats 175 and benches 95, all for fahves across.


pork carnitas enchiladas, with scrambled eggs.

[Erok]

(to the tune of "Deck the Halls")

load the bar with plates of iron
squatsquatsquatsquatsquat, squatsquat-squat-squat

lords and ladies come a 'mirin
squatsquatsquatsquatsquat, squatsquat-squat-squat

don we now our gym apparel
squatsquatsquat, squatsquatsquat, squat-squat-squat

(like) fabric 'round a pickle barrel
squatsquatsquatsquatsquaaat, squatsquat-squat-squat



learn to tell from good and bad pain
squatsquatsquatsquatsquat, squatsquat-squat-squat

time your rests, get on The GainzZz™ Train
squatsquatsquatsquatsquat, squatsquat-squat-squat

body mass in protein measure
squatsquatsquat, squatsquatsquat, squat-squat-squat

guards your precious muscle treasure
squatsquatsquatsquatsquaaat, squatsquat-squat-squat



Valsalva to brace your presses
squatsquatsquatsquatsquat, squatsquat-squat-squat

steady as the load progresses
squatsquatsquatsquatsquat, squatsquat-squat-squat

hook grip, mixed grip, it don't matter
squatsquatsquat, squatsquatsquat, squat-squat-squat

deadlift records you will shatter
squatsquatsquatsquatsquaaat, squatsquat-squat-squat

[Erok]

Wed., 12/21. 222#. co-worker let me finish her sushi.

Saw a boxer get punched in the nards. It wasn't a direct hit; the opponent was going for a kidney punch, hit the guy's belt/codpiece, which must have been loose, causing the cup to shift and make contact. The guy eventually got up, and went another round, though. Must be all that jumping rope they do.

Squat: 45x..., 135x8, 185x5, 225x4, 275x2, 305 x 8, 8, 8. The last set went something like this:

rep 1: I can't believe I'm doing this.
rep 2: Oh, God, it's so heavy! why? wha-ha-ha-hyyyy?
rep 3: Grrr. If I ever meet Andy Baker, I'm gonna...
rep 4: Ok, maybe if I close my eyes, this will all go away. I'm sitting on a cloud, eating peanut butter with Spuds MacKenzie.
rep 5: Why do I put myself through this? Why do I bother with any of this? I dont have abs. No one cares. No one understands.
rep 6: I should have stuck to kettlebells & yoga. They don't have to do things which are hard.
rep 7: Alright. I'm going to die here. This is fine. I welcome it.
rep 8: Oh, rep 2 felt much worse than this. I will do this again someday.

RDL: 135x8, 185x8,9. Hard to do these when you're still catching your breath.

Deadmill: 15 sec x 4. The little cardio-pixie-waif jogging next to me was giving me some strange looks. Hey, I wiped all my sweat off the thing - it's fine.


Pro tip: when you make enchiladas, make twice as much as you think you should, then freeze half for later! This works with other foods, too.

[Erok]

Mon., 12/26, 12:30pm. 223#. Quick session before the bro-in-law comes to visit.

DL: 135x5, cleanintofrontsquat x3, DL 225x5, 315x3, 405 x 1. All I really wanted for Xmas.

SGDL: 225x3,3,3.
CoC trainer: a bunch while I coach the wife, who squats 175x5.


Finally found the best Cubano sandwich in town. Coincidentally, it's the same place that makes awesome crispy spicy wings. Double score!


Back at 6:00pm. 226#. Yeaahhhh.

OHP: 45x..., 95x8, 145x5,5.

Bench: 45x.., 95x10, 135x5, 165x5, 175x5.

Incline: 45x..., 95x12,12.
LTE: 45x8, 65x12,15.
Curlz: 65x12,12,12.

Thus begins my deload week. Snacks, protein chocolate milk.

[Erok]

Tues., 12/27. 221#. Got an Ultimate Warrior t-shirt for Xmas!

Squat: 45x..., 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275 x 5,5. trying to make the plates rattle.

RDL: 135x8, 185x8. Deload week takes a looooot of discipline. Especially if you don't feel like you really need it.

Dedmill: :15 x 4, but with strictly timed 1:30 rest periods. peak heart rate was 225. Nothing to worry about, though. The rule of thumb for max heart rate is: bodyweight in pounds, plus ounces of coffee consumed in the last five hours, times your bench to press ratio. (221 + 8) x 1.17 = 268. I'm well within my range.



Roto Chix with sweet potatoes and homemade chimichurri. My 1 kilo tub of creatine arrived in the mail!

[Erok]

Thurs., 12/29. 222#. Started BCAAs, this time in loose powder form. All the horrible things you're heard about them are true.

Press What She Squats: 95x5, 135 x 5,5,5.

Dips: 3,3,3,3,5,8. These are spread throughout the session. They still suck.

Row What She Deadlifts: 105x8, 155x8.



pork in port butter sauce with noodles & roasted brussel sprouts.

[Erok]

Sun., 1/01/17. 224#. It's busy in here for being National Hangover Day. All the pro lifters and serious physique/BBers are in.

OHP: 45x..., 115x5, 145x5, 150x5, 155x5.

Bench: 95x10, 135x5, 155x3, 175x3, 185x5,5,7.

Dips: 5,5,5. still suck.

DB Curlz: 30x12,12,12,12. sets are: drag, hammer, cheat, and cheat drag.


The whole weekend is a blur of food: prime rib roast, tater tots, brussel sprouts, poopcorn, milk, oranges, apples, pork chops, potatoes, martinis, scotch, stout.

[Erok]

Tues., 1/03. 225.5#. BCAAs, creatine, and cafffieeene.

Squat: 95x8, 135x5, 225x5, 275x3, 315 x 5,5,5. These are some of the best squats I've ever done. Feeling strong for once.

RDL: 135x8, 225 x 5,5,8.

Dedmill: :20 x 4, liberal rest periods. Wife is on the elliptical, keeps looking over at me: "honey, are you okay?" Thus ends deload week.


chicken stew on rice, braunschweiger on pork rinds with pickle relish.

Watched the Eddie Hall Dokumentarfilm on Netflix. Wow. Drink your milk, kids.

[Erok]

Thurs., 224.4#. It's a madhouse in here. All the resolutionaries, plus the Ladies of Lifting, plus these two 7-foot bodybuilders who just take up so. much. space.

Log 'Top Half Clean' & Press: no platforms open, so I drag it to one of the racks and pull out the safeties. resting on the bottom rails, the log sits just below the knee. Makes lapping it easy, so I'm just doing the top half of the clean.
90x10, 110x3, 130x3, 140x3 CLAAANNNNG! log collided with one of the J-Hooks during the clean. Damn thing rings like a bell. Crossfit Jesus is coaching at the next rack, and is nice enough to slide the 25 on that side back into place before I press it. I really hope everybody was looking at me. I chat up this nice guy, Josh, and borrow a pair of his collars.
150x3, 160x3, 150x3.

Press Lockouts: no racks open, so Josh makes a deal: his collars for my rack. I glady oblige, put the log away, and as I'm looking around for something to do, another rack opens up. Ha! I set the safeties as high as they go, putting the bar at chin level.
155 x 4,4. these are really hard.

Dips: 6,6,8. yep, still suck. they feel better around rep 3, and I can get in the zone. dismounting feels horrible though - something about the sudden release of pressure in the superior structure of the shoulder.

Tricep push downs: 100 x 20,20,15. Triceps: Evil. Punish.


chocolate milk, some kind of wonderful ground beef/veggie casserole wife made, with fried eggs and bacon.