Bryan’s more well rounded log of life and fitness

[Bryan Dobson]

Hi everyone, I am going through a a lot of life changes with job changes and moving and can’t focus as a competitive masters lifter at this time. I will think long and hard about the time requirements and injuries vs my enjoyment of PRs.

My competitive log is here
Bryan's journal

Brief bio is that I am a 47year old mildly dinged up male, former football, former infantry Marine. I still enjoy physical work but I am starting to accept some compromises in my capabilities. I competed because there was nothing else to do where I was, but moving closer to water opens up many activities that I have been missing for ten years landlocked. (Former marine from Corpus Christi who loves fishing )


Training
Thursday 19 July 2018 in warm Mentone, Texas.

Squat with no belt
45x10,135x5,185x5,225x5

Bench
45x10,135x5,185x5,205x5

This was good after a two week layoff I will ease back in and recondition to avoid excessive soreness. It’s so easy to go back to your previous loads and be miserable. Took along time to learn that I don’t find it worth it.

Life notes
My job in Farmington had an expiration date, life lesson..they all do. So I had to take work elsewhere, sell my house and relocate eventually..Farmington and is a shrinking town and I was lucky to get out.

I closed my house on Monday the 9th and after finalizing the sell drove a U-Haul truck and trailer from Farmington NM to Galveston Texas with my wife and two dogs following ina vehicle.
Unfortunately I had to sell my home gym equipment before the move, all but my west side bar. I will rebuild or join a gym so much uncertainty.. I was happy to see my rack and weights and benchi go to a former coworker and his young teenage son. I gave him a copy of SS and practical programming to start them on their journey. I hope they have a long and fruitful one.
Good news is that moving is great conditioning.

After getting to the coast I rented a short term condo and unloaded all my remaining stuff into storage in Texas city.
I am currently working in west Texas in the Delaware basin but have been interviewing with a company that can place me in Houston or Ft Lauderdale. As a contingency that I did not get that job I have been looking at houses in Galveston everyday after arriving with my wife.
Yesterday I flew back to work threw Midland and got back to work on my rotation.
Of course the day my wife finds a home she has to have I get news that I have an offer for the other company coming.
So stasis and stand by. And squats.

[Bryan Dobson]

Work has been challenging and it’s been nice and toasty in Mentone Texas.

Sunday 22 July 2018

Squat
45x10,135x5,225x5, 315x5x3

Press
45x5,95x5,115x5, 135x5x3

Deadlift 225x1,315x5

Slowly will add work at moderate loads to build capacity.. no hurry. Strength is there but going to stay off the nerve for a while.
I actually feel pretty good other than my bicep tendon that hasn’t healed all year. Nothing about today irritated it.

The day before yesterday I unboxed and loaded into a truck and 5en put into a cage about 50-30#fire extinguishers ..that night my distal bicep attachment was irritated. It did this after moving my furniture too, trying to avoid medical intervention but it’s been the pain of the year..

Life wise. I will be getting a steady job offer in the city but for lower pay..I am considering it but part of me wants to buy an inexpensive coastal home with cash And get out of the rat race.
I could do these non career good paying jobs when I want. I am So conditioned, working for insurance and retirement benefits..I feel like a trained rat and am afraid to get off the security wheel.

[Bryan Dobson]

Monday 23 July 2018

Bench 45x10,135x5,185x3
205x5x3

Neutral grip chin-ups bwx3x6 sets supersetted with bench

Start building up the work now. Nice n easy

[bustermonkey2]

I'm glad I found your new log and that you're getting back to lifting. Hope all the life transitions go well.

[Bryan Dobson]

I'm glad I found your new log and that you're getting back to lifting. Hope all the life transitions go well.

Thanks!

Tuesday 24 July 2018
Light day, soreness was unavoidable I guesse.

Front squat
135x5x3

Incline Dumbell press with 40s , got 5-6 worksets out of it.myo reps

RDLS
135x5x3

That should help.

I am Trying to cut my food intake to reasonable and prudent. Meaning cut the crap but eat a reasonable dose of protein 4 times a day. May be the heat, my energy levels are not where I want them.

[Bryan Dobson]

Long time no post. Hunted houses on the island..then lost one in a bidding war and got one under contract.

I am working now but forgot to pack a belt and lifting shoes. Whatever it will be a couple of months before I can do any useful “training” so I am keeping moving using a press/pull- chest or horizontal press/ squat type split but my variations are way out of powerville. In the meantime I am loosing inches in the middle and my shoulder is feeling better more consistently.

I Am kind of doing a little LP on lunges/split squats right now ar work. Will,not top it out in two weeks but it is some structure,

Monday 20 August 2018 sunny warm Mentone Texas
Ngbp 45x10,95x10,135x10,155x10,175x7@9,155x7@8,135x10. Load and go it’s just easy volume and movement,


Bbl lunge 45x10,145x5x3 ea leg

That’s it. Walking a lot lately at work doing large production site 8nspections and trying to eat well. Lots of stress with the home sale, the move to no house bought yet and buying a house. A lot of second guessing myself and almost talking myself out of pursuing what I really want.
Also I have Turned down my past two job offers with other jobs because I am not ready to go back to a regular work week and corporate culture. And the offers just were not good enough to make me go there. Looking forward to closing on an island house, in the mean time when I go home on then30 th (to a hotel) I will start putting together my fishing parafanalia.

[Bryan Dobson]

Hey folks just an update. I have been training when I can, life has been crazy. did a little LP(not to termination) to get back into the lifts and am doing some building work right now. More concerned about work capacity than maximal strength. Or even getting up on an rpe scale.
Backed off the beach house thing (poor quality and high risk living). I am too conservative and particular about my property to tolerate the risk. So I will be closing on a home in New Braunfels by the end of the month. With the “where should I live.?” drama over I will be happy to get back into life.

On the positive side of an extended layoff/ inconsistent period,(sometimes a couple of weeks at a time of bodyweight only work) my shoulder and bicep tendon issues have been improving. Pains don’t wake me up at night, which is really nice.
I have lost about 10pounds. I would like to lose 10 more. I am going to start focusing on more lifting now, but not get too obsessed....there is a nice gym walking distance from my new home. And some good food, beer, whiskey, music and fun to be had when I am off from work.

[Bryan Dobson]

Sat 13 Oct 2018

Press
70x5,87.5x5,105x3
120x3,137.5x3,155x5
120x5x3

Swiss bar bench press(narrow)115x15x3
Pull-ups 10,9,10

Monday 15 oct 2018
Deadlift
185x5,225x5,275x3 add belt
320x3,365x3, 410x5
320x5x3

Rdl
95x12x3

Roman chair leg raise
X15x3

Simple rules. Don’t grind.build up volume. Don’t get fat.

[Bryan Dobson]

Wednesday 17 October 2018

Bench
95x5,125x5,145x3
175x3,195x3,220x8
175x5,175x5,175x5

Dumbell Bench press
40sx15x3

Dumbell rows 40x10x3


Friday 19oct 2018

Squat
172:5x5,205x5,257.5x3
300x3,342.5x3, 385x6
300x5,300x5,300x5

Leg press 135 pounds added
3x15

GHR 3x10

Sunday 21 oct 2018
press
70x5,87.5x5,105x3
112.5x5,130x5,147.5x6
112.5x5,112.5x5.112.5x5

NG Swiss bar bench 115 or so 4x15

Chin-ups 4x10


Waving volume but keeping intensity in check.