Quest for Fire

[Erok]

Tues., 8/01. 228.5#. Well, could be all the salt water I'm drinking. Either way, my snoring has dropped off considerably in the last month. All teh side-sleepers in teh house say Heeeyyy!

Front Squat: 45x..., 95x8, 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 255x5. These are getting better. Shoulders are staying tight, no finger-bending pain.

Bench: 45x..., 95x12, 135x5, 155x5, 175x5, 185x5, 195x5. No, really - I did Bench Press.

Cable Rows: 110x12, 120x12, 130x12.
Rev. Hypers: 45x12,12,12.


Bachelor Chow Delux: ground beef, jalapenos, mushrooms, fish sauce, liquid aminos, scrambled eggs.

[Erok]

Thurs., 8/03. 227#. Not as hot today, so cut back on the salt water.

Squat: 135x6, 225x4, 310 x 3,3,3,3. Bam! all these are fast. I noticed a tendency to fold up a little in the bottom of the third rep. My super-speed is causing me to divebomb. 310 has never felt so light.

DB Press: 35x12, 40x12,12,12. Just like barbell presses, except not like them. The bottom is way lower, thereby burning the delts into submission. I kinda like these.

platforms are still full, though, so I go out to the garage.

DL: 135x8, 225x5, 315x 2,3,5. first set doh, the rest hook. tried to keep rest to a minimum, but that garage is fucking hot.


meatballs in a special sauce of tomatoes, mushrooms, and zucchini. Probably some Italian name for it.

[Erok]

Sun., 8/06. Took down the apple tree with a hand-saw and the pole snipper, then used my circular saw freehand to cut all the branches into useable bits. I now have approx 10 cubic feet of apple wood chunks, and a crooked index finger.

Venezualean crispy wings, spicy steak, yucca fries, pork sandwich. Saw Atomic Blonde. Awesome movie.


Mon., 8/07. 226#. Not nearly as well-fed.

Squat: 45x..., 135x5, 225x5, 315x2, 350 x 5,5,5.
-Superset!-
OHP: 45x..., 95x8, 135x5, 155 x 5,5,5,5,5.

Lat Pulldowns w/Shrugs: 80x12, 90x12,12
-Superset!-
Rev. Hyper: 45x12,12,12.

A slog.


A whole mess of eggs, milk, whey, cheese.
Put a chuck roast in the dutch oven with jalapenos, pineapple, onion, red wine.

[Erok]

It's anniversary season, so we take a Staycation. Which means I stay away from the computer. Here's getting caught up -


Thurs., 8/10. 225#.

F Squat: 45x..., 95x8, 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 260x5.

OHP: 45x..., 95x8, 135x5, 160x3, 180x1,1,1, dropset 135x9.

Rows: 95 x 20. Just something to do while Wife cleans and presses it.

Quick protein shake, then to the masseuse! Laze about afterwards, go to the dentist, then out for fancy dinner.

Friday is spent jaunting about town, walking around a sunflower farm in bare feet. Nothing like the farms in SoDak, but still very pretty.


Sat., 8/12. 225#.

DL: 135x...,..., 225x5, 315x2, 355 x 1,1,2,2.

Circus DB Press: 45x8, 55x5, 65x3, 70 x 2,2.

Wife casually squats 225x1. Just have to transfer that confidence over to deadlifts.

picnic in the park, then paddleboarding (to the middle of the lake, then lying down on the boards until we drift the rest of the way across, followed by a mad dash back to the dock before we have to pay for another hour of rental).

To a friend's place for Fathead pizza. Look it uuup.


Mon., 8/14. 227#. I had a sandwich.

Squat: 45x..., 135x5, 225x5, 315x3, 355x5,5,5.
-Superset!-
OHP: 45x..., 95x5, 135x5, 160x5,5,5,5,5.
Squats are getting epic hard, but the presses go up like nothing.

Lat Pulldowns: 80x12,12,12 - shrugs at 100#
-Superset!-
Rev. Hyper: 45x12,12,15. That low back pump is no joke. I wonder how long before I get used to it.

Forgot my salt water! no wonder I'm gassed.


Chicken, risotto made with cauliflower instead of rice, cereal.

[Erok]

Thurs., 8.17. 226#.

F Squat: 45x...,...,..., 95x5, 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 265x5. Whew! Hard to keep the back extended past the third rep.

Wife squats 135x18x3. She really wants to do 20-rep squats. Who am I to stop her? Some things you can only learn on your own. Like in the cave on Dagobah.

Wanted to bench, but chaos reigns tonight.

OHP: 135x5, 165x2, 185x1. Ooof. Harder than it... a bench is open!

Bench: 45x.........., 135x8, 155x5, 175x3, 185x2,2,5.

CGBP: 135x12,8. Out of gas, out of time. I'll make up for it on Saturday.


Spicy meatballs in coconut sauce. Started watching Atypical. The kid reminds me of myself a bit.

[Erok]

Sun., 8/20. 227#.

DL: 135x3, some power clean/front squat silliness. 225x5, 315x3, 375x3,3,3. hook grip, but with a little tape around the thumbs. worked great.

SLDL: 225x5, 245x5, 255x5, 275x5. I never know if I'm doing these right. Hammies felt a little stretch, tho.

Pullups: 2. Just to prove that I can't do pullups.
Lat pulldowns: 100x8,8,8,8. Shrugs at 120#.
Reverse Hyper: 45x12,12,12,12.


TACOS! Takes forever to prep all the toppings, but totally worth it.

[Erok]

Tues., 8/22. 225#. I walk in the door, and the Alpha Trainer says to me: "We just got a couple more sets, then we'll be out of your squat rack!" It's like the "Cheers" of gyms here. I see myself as a Frasier, but probably come across as more of a Cliff. Outside of the gym, though, I'm totally a Woody.

Squat: 45x..., 135x5, 225x5, 315x2, 365 x 3,3,3,3. Yep, threes.
-Superset!-
OHP: 45x..., 95x5, 135x5, 150x3, 165x5,5,5,5,5. You're gawdam right I'm using the stretch reflex.

Low Cable Row, close grip: 160x8, 150x8, 140x8, 130x10, 120x10, 110x12. Come on. Anyone who tells you these aren't fun is trying to sell you running shoes.


Chicken Madras with broccoli, milk. Watched the first episode of The Defenders. Interesting.

[Erok]

Thurs., 8/24. 225#. Ha! I laugh in the face of your 'deep dish' pizza!

Front Squat: 45x..., 95x5, 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 270 x 3,3. Threes are superior.

Wife squats 135x20x3. "Do people think I'm crazy?" Oh, honey. (I haven't told her about the White Buffalo yet.)

Overhead Squat: 45x8. Just to see what all the fuss is about. My shoulders survive this surprisingly well.

OHP: 45x10, 95x5,2, 115x2, 135 x 2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2. These are 'dynamic' effort.


Rear Delt DB raises: 10 x 20,20,20.
DB French Press: 40x10, 50x10,10,10.
BTN seated BB press: 45x10,10,10,17.


Pork chops, garlic & cream mashed cauliflower, greens, blueberry sugar wafers.

[Erok]

Mon., 8/28. 223.5#. This gym is such a madhouse on Mondays.

DL: 135x10, 225x5, 315x3, 395x3. These were smooth, hook grip, only saw a few stars between reps 2 and 3.

SGDL: 225x8,8,8. Sick upper hip pump.

I'm getting out of here. This week will probably be a low(er) volume, high(er) intensity week, and then a brief deload period.


Steak, stuffed mushroom, zuchinni. Like a grown-ass man.

[Erok]

Wed., 8/30. 225#. Loaded up on mac&cheese and cereal last night. Perhaps the opposite of a grown-ass man.

Squat: 45x..., 95x5, 135x5, 225x5, 315x3, 370x2,2,3. Felt pretty good at the time.
-Stuperset-
OHP: 45x..., 95x8, 135x5, 155x3, 170x5,5,4.

Pressing and pressing in the widening gyre
The triceps cannot hear the hip thrust;
Form falls apart; the centre of mass cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the training log,
The blood-flushed quads are loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of linear progression is drowned;
The best lack all nutrition, while the worst
Are obsessed with pushing intensity.


Ground beef with mushrooms, garlic, ginger, chimichurri, tomatoes and cream.