Public Mortification

[OITW]

Getting back into it, Press and DL.

45x5x2, 65x5x2, 85x3, 100x2, 115 x5 x5 x4
Third try at 115lbs for the press. Now that I've figured out the elbow bit, much better control, much more consistent bar path (though it could probably still be nearer my face), quicker to get under. First set of 5, dug out the last one. Second set, bent my knees when stuck on rep 5, but I didn't turn it into a push, just straightened them and finished digging it out. Third set, 4 good reps, last one just not there. Debating whether to call that a PR and move up to 117, or screw around at 115 again. I don't know how much stress I'm getting repeating the weight over and over when I'm this close.

135x5x2, 165x5x2, 190x3, 220x2, 245x5
DL. Nice to have bumpers, although getting the weights close between kgs and lbs is a challenge. Switched to hook grip halfway through to start getting used to it again. Love the grip on the Eleiko, only added chalk to the work set. 245 work set, hard mostly because it's been two weeks since the last DL and over a month before that to the previous set.

Overthinking dept: I noticed at light weights that on the DL, while my left foot seemed slightly further forward than the right, maybe 1/2 inch, when I pulled the bar bounced up my right shin and barely grazed the left. Didn't notice it once the weight added on, probably inconsequential.

[OITW]

WTF?

Many, many frustrations right now. Things that just eat up emotional energy. But when I squatted today, I expected to get 235 for 5reps3sets. Warmups didn't feel bad. But at workset, the best I could get was 2 reps for set. The caloric deficit has caught up to me.

I have no choice, I have to shrink the waistline. Between two days of nearly no food at all with the bad tooth, and several days of almost exclusively protein, making one neat caloric deficit over the past week to ten days. The waistline doesn't look any smaller, but damn, I got weaker. Next week I'll be on travel and have no weights available, food options will be limited, too.

I'll still try to up the deadlift on Friday, but then it's a week of travel and a week of suck. In the meantime I may pay for the consult with Sheaffer so I know I'm on the right track. Navy rules change in June, they can tape me at any time, not just before the semi-annual test, and a tape failure puts you in the hands of the Navy's fitness experts three times a week until you get out of the fat boy program. Not where you want to be, not at my age.

[OITW]

Spent last night digging into Schaeffer's posts, getting the idea of partitioning. What scares me is that much of what he discusses I've already been doing, without much results. But not all of it, and maybe the changes will make the difference. We'll see.

Morning military group PT, showed up late enough to get credit for being there but without having to do the group stretch, etc. Added ten more pounds to the DL:

135 x5
165 x5x3 (not really planned, added weights before finishing first warmup, so WTH, get some extra volume)
195 x3
235 x2
255 x5

Wasn't that hard, I can probably add ten more next week as well.

Hit the scales on the way to the elliptical, in Nike Frees and sweatpants (say, 2-3 extra pounds at most), weighed 240. Damn, I'm fat.

Did a tabata on the elliptical, 30 seconds hard, 30 slow, for the full 8 cycles. Was only mildly winded, and had 130 calories burned on the meter. I need about 165 calories over 12 minutes to score excellent or above, so I was pleased.

Pre-workout breakfast:
-12oz 2% milk with 28+ grams protein (I'm generous with the scoop, probably 35 grams at least), vitamins and fish oil
-3 eggs omelet, 1/4 cup cheese, fried in olive oil
-Normally I have 8oz cranberry juice, today I had 12oz grapefruit juice
-1 cup Lizi's granola (only in the UK, blood-tested to produce very low glycemic reaction) in 1/2 cup 2% milk, for extra carbohydrates for the workout
-Coffee: about three shots espresso into 1/2 cup 2% milk, no sugar

PWO one bottle Isopure (40g P/ zero C, 20oz liquid--no sugar or Aspartame, stuff should taste awful but is actually pretty good).

For lunch, london broil from last night's dinner with some gravy, green beans. I wish I had something that was pretty much fat or carbo, but I don't.

Oh, I've got a can of Italian tuna in the overhead. 160g, tuna in olive oil, fantastic. Protein and fat, mmm good.

[Robert Callahan]

Hope you enjoyed the weekend? Were you able to pick up that C2 Rower?

[OITW]

Robert, good to hear from you. Yes, drove up to the Yorkshire moors and got it, a 1998 C model in surprisingly good condition. The monitor died, though, so he knocked it down to 185 quid, a real deal in the UK. Already ordered the PM3 retro kit, but it rows beautifully and nothing else needed replacing.

Tomorrow the guy who sold me the bumpers is dropping off a cage, heavy duty and custom made, and a serious bench, 300 quid the lot, again, a great deal. I've found the lifters here are willing to help each other out and cut deals for each other, quite nice. It's a full size cage, but I think I'm going to pay to have the depth shortened considerably and have some more holes drilled.

When the PFT is over next week, then I'm finally going to be able to get serious, getting the diet right and pushing all the lifts hard. Looking forward to it.

[OITW]

Dammit, trial by weakness just beginning.

Weigh in for Navy PFT today. 238.8 lbs, expected. Neck 16, waist (measured high, above the navel) 40.5. By the Navy charts, that makes me 24% bodyfat, one percent over the limit. These guys measured exactly by the instruction, no slack at all. Now, unless I score excellent or above in the actual test, I will be considered a Fail. Starting 1 June, even if I score excellent or above, I will be a fail regardless.

Only hope for this cycle is a possible "second chance" weigh-in in just about two weeks. So much for hopping back on the strength train, it's met-con city for the next two weeks.

[Robert Callahan]

That is a bummer man!

Cut out those carbs and beer and get that waistline down!!

[OITW]

Thanks, Robert. Unfortunately, I cut out beer some time ago, most carbohydrates as well. The sad thing is, if I were to post a picture on the board, no one would say I was fat--I'm not ripped, and probably 20% BF, but you can clearly see the cuts on my hips. I'm thinner than I was the last couple of cyles. In fact, I actually think it's muscle that's hurting me, in that I used to be taped while much fatter around the waist, but there was no muscle underneath it. Now there's a lot of muscle underneath it, and a few extra inches of fat on top puts me over the limit.

I guess this should be a caution to you, young man. Watch that milk!

[OITW]

PFT completed, IIRC 83 crunches, 39 push-ups (the SUCK) and 212 calories on the elliptical, damned if I know what that makes. If I practiced push-ups I would do a lot better. Waiting for advice from John on how to approach the second-chance weigh-in.

BTW, this was the "new" Navy PFT, and it sucked, sucked, sucked. I've been at this 20 years now, and while it's always been BS, this is just so BS. More and more, it no longer feels like my Navy anymore. Just six more PT cycles after this.

[Robert Callahan]

That is really lame! The way they measure BF is really stupid, and I hate that they use the BMI because it was never intended to be used on individuals, only populations.... I mean doing their taping method it has me at over 20% BF, when my actual number is right around 15.... People that are bottom heavy (me) get totally screwed cause their necks are smaller. I mean at a theme park the other day I did a "guess your weight" thing and the guy guessed 163lbs... I stepped on his scale and it read 215 and he just about lost his shit. It was cause my upper body is less than impressive while my ass and thighs are freaking enormous!

Oh well, one thing you could try doing is adding in some LSD work 3-4 times a week preferably in the AM before you eat breakfast. I know it is the devil according to CF and such but it will develop a decent cardio base and will break down a bit of the muscle in order to lean you down. Starting with 20-25 min Row/runs and then moving up to 45 min at a ~60% pace over the course of 3-4 weeks. Mixed in with some metcons and strength work (so you don't lose to much muscle) done at different times should get some good results.