Still on the Right Side of the Grass

[Browndog]

everything sounds great BD...hope the drop in weight is just studmuffiny and not indicative of anything else

Not gonna say I wasn't concerned, but it appears that it was all diet and activity related ... and of course "studmuffiny".

You saw the news at the HQ on Jim / New Sunk Dawn?

[Browndog]

10/27/24

Week Four ...

Squat Monday -
130kg *6, Paused Squat 120kg 4*2, Single Arm Bench 65lbs 7*3. More single arm, single leg sets for successories.
Best Squat session in about 5 years ... right on the 5 year anniversary of my life being turned upside down, inside out.

Bench Wednesday -
JM Press 72.5kg *5, Larsen 82.5kg *5, Bench 82.5kg 7*2. Single arm work for chest and Tri's ... no Bi's today.
That set of seven was good for nine at minimum ... and that might be a new EST 1RM. If it's not, it's not to far off.

Deadlift Thursday -
Big Wheel Pull 223 kg *1, Deadlift 175kg 5*2, Single Arm Bench 70lbs 8*4. Leg Press, and Leg Extensions for successories.
Big time pull ... hard but not sticky. Deads were solid as well, Single Arm Bench was strong. What a day ...

Friday -
Range time for a couple of hours. It's such a shame that the outdoor season is just about over, my ball striking has never been better.

SBD SUNDAY -
SSB w/chains 130kg 6*3; Close Grip 2 Board 3 Count Bench 85kg 5*3 / 82.5kg 5*2; Pendlay Row 100kg 3*3.
No one in the gym today ... so no spotters; talk about pressure. Squats were hard, but I wasn't to be denied. Bench was hard, and I decided to drop the weight for the last two sets. Rows continue to surprise with an underhand grip, my forearm is better ... but why change this late in the cycle.

This week was as good a week as I've been able to muster in 5 years. There's not one lift that's lagging right now. Squats are close to back; Bench is breaking out; Deadlift is improving even as I'm trying to manage stress / fatigue from golfing.

My weight issue was a diet / activity issue, and I'm back to 203lbs. i need to be more mindful of where my calories are as I clean up some of the sugary items in my pantry.

On a separate note, I read that article on DMSO that Rip posted in the Covid thread, and decided to give it a whirl as I can't take NSAIDS anymore due to reduced Kidney function. I'll be damned, it does help. I'm well past the placebo phase, and I'm sold on it as being useful. I'm not sure I want to ingest the stuff, but as a topical application, I've had no issues.

So, that's that. On to a new cycle, and looking at finding a USPA meet to enter in 2025 ... gonna miss the USAPL events if I'm being totally honest, but TRT makes that a moot point now.

Peace ...

[Browndog]

11/3/24

New Cycle / Week One -

Squat Monday
Squat 110kg *5, Pause Squat 97.5kg 3*2. Cable work for successories.

Bench Wednesday
JM Press 62.5kg *5, Larsen 77.5kg *3, Bench 77.5kg 5*2, Heavy Hold 102.5kg *15sec, Tempo Down Incline Bench 50lbs 8*3
Cable work for Bi's and Tri's as successories.

Deadlift Thursday
Big Wheel Pulls 173kg *5, Deads 160kg 3*2
Leg work, Back and Chest for successories

Saturday
Golf in the cold, cold, cold ...
But the day was successful, best round of the year ... with a 41 on the inward nine.
Figures I'd get my game back just as the season ends. At least I didn't have to post the score to GHIN in NYS. I'll be a killer next season with my current index if I keep playing like this ***fingers crossed***

SBD Sunday
Squat with Bands 295lbs 2*4; 2 Board Larsen 175lbs 2*3; RDLs 255lbs 5*2; Pendlay Rows 205lbs 2*4
Back at the old facility ... pound plates only.

Unremarkable first week, which is as it should be.

I'm still shaking my head at how good my golf game has gotten ... only 50 years of searching ... #betterlatethannever

Peace ...

[BrooklynJerry]

👍

[Browndog]

11/9/24

Week Two

Squat Monday -
120kg *5, Paused Squat 107.5kg 3*2. Flys, Rows, and Wall sits for successories.
Good Squat session ...

Bench Wednesday -
JM Press 65kg *5, Larseb 80kg *3, Bench 80kg 5*2, Heavy Hold 110kg 15sec. Tri's and Shoulders for successories.
Not bad, a little sloppy with the regular Bench sets.

Deadlift Thursday -
Big Wheel Pulls 183kg *5, Deadlit 172.5kg 3*2. Shoulders, Back and Legs for successories.
Good BWP, Deads were a little sloppy ...

SBD Saturday -
Revs Banded SSB - 140kg 2*4; 2 Board Larsen 85kg 2*3; RDLs 120kg 5*2; Pendlay Rows 100kg 2*4
Just an outstanding SBD day ...

Pretty good week. Some slop to pay attention to, but otherwise no complaints.

Got what will most likely be one last outdoor range session in before the weather really turns on Tuesday. Still striking the mid to short irons sweetly, with a tight little draw. Putting better than ever. If I can figure out how to get off the tee without shooting myself in the foot ... well, lets just say my handicap will plummet.

It really is amazing what cutting out a bit of the sugary stuff, and getting a few more "steps" in does for dropping weight. Not that I want to, but I've had to find ways to add healthy calories into my diet to offset the above actions. I hate to eat ...

That's it for the week ... Peace!

[Mr. Bingley]

I love to eat lol

[Browndog]

11/16/24

Week Three

Squat Monday -
130kg *5, Paused Squat 117.5kg 3*2.
Everything felt really good. I could have used a bit more depth ... could have sworn I was deep enough.

Bench Wednesday -
JM Press 67.5kg *5, Larsen 85kg *3, Bench 85kg 5*2, Heavy Hold 120kg *10sec
Good session ... 120kg is damn heavy !?!?

Deadlift Thursday -
Big Wheel Pulls 193kg *5, Deadlift 182.5kg 3*2, Hack Squat 120lbs 10*3, Leg Ext 160lbs 10*3
Shortened session ... went to the Sabres game.
Good pulls.

SBD Saturday -
Revs Banded SSB 145kg 2*3; 2 Board Larsen 87.5kg 2*4' RDLs 130kg 5*2; Pendlay Row 105kg 2*4

Good Squats ... coach made the correct call for me to load 145kg, and not 150kg.
Felt tired on the Bench, but it moved just fine.
RDLs done with straps ... my hands are tired.
Rows are right at the point of starting to use hip extension to move the bar.

Weight is fluctuating between 200 and 205lbs ... I've added an extra PB&J to the daily consumption.

Sleep is still inconsistent: some nights it's OK; other night's it's non-existent.

Week Four should be interesting: Squats at 140kg for 5; Bench 87.5 / 90kg for 5's; BWP 203kg for 5 / Deads 192.5kg for 3's. All of these would be close to PR territory for the 2019 me.

Let's do this ...

[BrooklynJerry]

Seems to be going well. The videos look great.

[Browndog]

Seems to be going well. The videos look great.

Thanks Jer ...

[Browndog]

11/23/24

Week Four

Squat Monday -
140kg *5, Paused Squats 127.5kg 3*2. Cable work and some leg extensions for successories.
Knees were a little cranky, but the weight felt OK. Pauses were solid ...

Bench Wednesday -
Larsen 90kg *3 -PR-, Bench 90kg *5 -PR-, *4. Cable work for successories at substantially lighter weights ... I was spent.
HOW ABOUT THOSE PRs ... FIVE YEARS IN THE MAKING #finally

Deadlift Thursday -
Big Wheel Pulls 203kg *5, Deadlifts 190kg 3*2. Single Arm, and Single Leg work for successories.
Just an outstanding session. I'm not sure coach thought we'd get everything today ... but we did, and it wasn't a struggle.

SBD Saturday -
Revs Banded SSB 150kg 2*4; 2 Board Bench 90kg 2*3; RDLs 100kg 5*2; Pendlay Rows 100kg 2*4
Ending this cycle with a BANG!
Squats were hard but not soul crushing. Bench was as comfortable as it's ever been. My posterior chain was a little toasty from Thursday's work, so I backed off the RDLs. Rows were locked in ...

This cycle, and this week in particular is as intense as I've been able to handle in about 5 years. I'm really proud of the way I've stuck it out and found a way to get back being able to perform to my satisfaction.

It was about this time last year that my body was giving up the ghost: I had no ability to Squat without becoming light headed; my ability to Bench was deteriorating at an alarming pace; and my Deadlift was slowly regressing ... and we (my coach and I) couldn't understand why.

We were well past the stress of the cancer treatments, the stress of the divorce and all its ancillary bullshit. I'd been to multiple doctors who were, quite frankly, worthless: "You're Old", "You're trying to act like you're 17", "Slow Down, act your age".

Yeah, my Thyroid function was fucked, but something else was up, and it wasn't until I accepted the idea that maybe my Testosterone levels were "off" did things start to turn around ... but that was a process of discovery, and demanding an allowance to "try it" that took from November 2023 until May of this past year.

Here we are 6 month later, and I'm close to being "back".

I'm still sad about the fact that I can't compete in USAPL events anymore. My hope is that the USPA is as much fun when I step on the platform over there.

TL:dr What a great month and especially great week of training ... I'm back !!!