A4 - Accumulation Week 4: progress, metal, T-T-T-Tonka trucks

ell, here we are at the end of the first phase of training for the November meet, the Accumulation block. 

All in all, I think the block went well, despite some unexpected issues. 

The shoulder injury rehab is what it is- I think the progress has been good, but I know I need to step up the rehab and physical therapy game to maximize results. You'll see in the video for DE squats that the external rotation is nowhere where it needs to be- still very tight.

Need to focus more, also, on getting the bodyweight in line with what I want it to be. While I don't want to jeopardize recovery with some huge rapid weight loss, I also don't want to lift at 275- I am about 255 as of this morning. I think cutting down to 240 or so should be doable in the next two and a half months. 

More on that later.

Into the seshes.


A4A - ME Squat, 8/26/2014:

• Stretch, warm up - about 10min
• Cambered squat to high box - worked up to 330lbs + six chains/side

One of the constant themes through my training is that I always seem to run late with work and... you know... life. Weekday sessions lately have been in the neighborhood of two hours, and with my slow ass, that is not typically enough time to get a ton of accessory work in.

I know, I know

But there you have it.

This sesh was EVEN shorter, as I think it was 7:30 or 8:00PM getting to the gym, so after getting changed and warmed up, I only had about an hour, and that's about how long I take to get through the ten sets or what have you of main movement on max effort days, so that's about all we got in.

Good news, though, is that I toasted the previous sesh by doubling the chain weight, which should have amounted to about 80-100lbs over what I did last week.

Yay.


A4B - ME Bench, 8/28/2014:

Little mo' progress...

• Warm up, stretch, traction - about 10min
• Incline pin press - 3x5x175 + 1 chains/side 
• Barbell row - 5x10x135lbs 
• Dumbbell bench - 3x10x50lbs

Decent work, beat last week, got a little bit of accessory in. Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh,,,

Still not technically as good same time last meet training cycle, but I was able to get more plate weight and keep the chains higher up on the loaders, and that is progress. And progress is good. 

It's also an album by Ultraspank, but that's not important right now.

Since that album is meh, here's some live Godflesh. Because you're worth it. 

A4C - DE Squat/Deadlift, 8/31/2014:

• Warm up, stretch - about 10min
• Squat to parallel-ish box (3rd hole) - 8x2x225 + 3 chains/side. First few sets I were triples because I... well... I forgot they were supposed to be doubles. Lolly.
• Deathlift in the sumo style - worked up to 3x275 + six chains 

Need to get a daily stretch and mobility routine going as this completely shredded my adductors and hips and made my poor little hiney sore. 

Not really sure, either, why I decided to use my Chucks for the squats on these, but I did. Starting to lean back to my Romaleos for the cheated hip mobility, will monitor on straight bar work going forward. 

Of course, if I would pay more attention to my hip mobility we wouldn't have these problems. 

Also, shoulder. I may just stop mentioning it. 

DAILY ROUTINE, DAMN YOU. QUIT MESSING AROUND AND DO IT.

• Skeewatz:

• Defliftz:

All that = completely shredded hips, etc, apparently.


A4D - DE Bench, 9/2/2014:


Bench keeps rolling, slowly but surely.

• Bench - 8x3x125 + 2 chains 
• barbell row - 5x10x135lbs 
• Incline dumbbell bench - 3x10, 8, 6 x 50lbs 
• Shoulder series x2 
• Cable triceps extension, rope handle - 5x8x60lbs

I did end up having to drop the second set of chains to the second link of the first set of chains, if that makes sense, to maintain some speed on these, so not quite back to olden times yet. Nonetheless, a little more progress, little more work. Keeping the incline dumbbell pressing in, got back to the cable triceps extensions. Huzzah.

So, yeah. Trucks. 

This big beautiful bastard was parked outside of one of the local Lowe's when I went in Saturday morn to pick up some stuff to fix both the of the commodes in the house.

I didn't get to check out what the door emblems said but they featured Confederate flags, and the decal across the hinged windshield (!) said "REDNECK NATION". 

That shit was TIGHT, yo!

Thanks, Jesse. 

So yeah, mentioned earlier (and probably more than once in previous posts) about cutting a little weight before the meet. I figure two and a half months or so should be enough time to cut down to hit 242. Long story short, plan is to keep calories at about 2800/day whilst maintaining a 200g/day protein intake (peaked after training, more than likely) and minimize the processed foods. I have been maintaining an account over at myfitnesspal.com and have a pretty good idea at this point what my body likes and doesn't like for calories and losing weight. The important thing, obviously, is lifting performance and recovery, so as mentioned, I refuse to cater diet toward rapid weight loss if my lifts start tanking. 

More on that as it develops.

In the meantime, metal.






Go forth and Ragnarok.