Rebooting my goals- Ironman Cozumel, 1900+ total, and a lot of pain.

[krazylarry]

Damn dude, is your dad Chuck Norris and your mom Wonder Woman?

Super impressive stuff as always, Alex.

[Chris Rodgers]

But who gives a shit. In the last 7 days I've pulled 645, benched 495, squatted 665, biked a full century, and run a not totally shitty 5k. I'm happy. It's a rest day. Fuck it, time to eat.

You want a cookie?

Heal up brutha, maybe lay off all that damn excessive cardio! And also, don't wrap your knees like a newb next time

[Alex.V]

You want a cookie?

Heal up brutha, maybe lay off all that damn excessive cardio! And also, don't wrap your knees like a newb next time

I'm eating cookies.

No, you're damn right. It was my own damn fault for wrapping up wrong, and I'm paying for it. Stupid.

[Chris Rodgers]

I'm eating cookies.

No, you're damn right. It was my own damn fault for wrapping up wrong, and I'm paying for it. Stupid.

Stupid is as stupid duh-uhhz

[Alex.V]

Damn dude, is your dad Chuck Norris and your mom Wonder Woman?

Super impressive stuff as always, Alex.

Man, thanks, I appreciate it.

You can still call me Adam though. It's all good.

[Alex.V]

Well I'm exceptionally far behind. Weekend was light on the cardio and lifting, gave me some much needed recovery time to let my knee heal.

Saturday:

DE upper.
BB bench:
bar x lots
135 x 10
225 x 10
275 x 3
275 x 3
275 x 3
255 + light band wrapped around back x 4
255 + light band wrapped around back x 4
255 + light band wrapped around back x 4

Felt good, very fast, and that little bobble on the concentric I used to have is gone (where I used to dip the right shoulder a bit)

Skullcrushers:

135 x 10
135 x 10

Some random core stuff, cable crossovers, front DB raises with the 60's, then a short run.

Run: 6 miles, 8:00 pace

Very relaxed, easy run, just loosening up the knee. Almost stepped on a big ass copperhead snake, which was not really that cool.

Sunday:
DE lower

Rack pulls (plates 4" off the ground)
135 x 10
225 x 6
315 x 6
405 x 3
405 + doubled lights (~180 pounds at top) x 3
405 + doubled lights (~180 pounds at top) x 3
405 + doubled lights (~180 pounds at top) x 3
405 + doubled lights (~180 pounds at top) x 3
405 + doubled lights (~180 pounds at top) x 3

Lockout strength is not my problem, these felt effortless. Good way to keep my knee relatively unharmed while still working the posterior chain a bit.

Calf raises, adductor/abductor machine work, then out for a short bike.

Bike: 10 miles, ~16 mph.

Very slow, intentionally. Doing a bit of rehab work here (single leg pedaling, dropped heel climbs, etc.)

Monday:

Stationary bike, 1:30. 30 minute warm up, 45 minutes of drills (1 minute sprints, 1 minute cooldown, 1 minute steady pace), 15 minute cooldown.

Tuesday:

ME upper.
BB bench:

bar x lots
135 x 6
225 x 6
315 x 6
365 x 1
405 x 1
435 x 1
add shirt
445 x 1
475 x 1
500 x 1

Smoked this. Easy. Have another 25-30 in me, even with a shirt that's so loose I can get it on and off in 30 seconds myself.

Need to get myself a properly fitting Katana. That'd be sick.

Also happy with how easy the raw bench felt, though my shoulder's acting up.

BB rows:
315 x 10
225 x 12

Curlzzz, skullcrushers, some ab work, cable rows, then out for a run.

Run, 3.62 miles, 25 minutes or so. Good pace, legs felt good.

Trying Nitrean+ now, and so far, do love the taste. 1 scoop of the dutch chocolate with 1 scoop of fruit punch results is pretty damn excellent. (In vanilla almond milk)

[Cards]

awesome workouts; i mixed the blue rasberry results with a scoop of vanilla the other day and was pleasently surprised. Also, I liked your comments in the results ingrediant thread, very insightful.

[Alex.V]

awesome workouts; i mixed the blue rasberry results with a scoop of vanilla the other day and was pleasently surprised. Also, I liked your comments in the results ingrediant thread, very insightful.

Ah good, I'm glad it's at least somewhat interesting.

[Alex.V]

Aight, bit behind here so just the main parts.

Wednesday: Bike and run.

12 mile TT style bike ride then a 4 mile run (with two very attractive young women who so kindly managed to stay a few steps ahead of me the entire time. Motivation is good.)

Thursday: ME lower

My knee was still being cranky, so I did deficit pulls so I could keep the weight lighter.

Deadlifts:
135 x 10
225 x 6
315 x 6
Added 3" blocks under feet
Deficit pulls:
405 x 5
495 x 2
565 x 1
585 x 1 (slow as shit)
495 x 4
Knee hurting.
Back to regular pulls:
495 x 6

Stiff legged deadlifts:
455 x 10
455 x 10
455 x 10

Adductors, calf raises, abs, then out for a quick run.

Run: 3.1 miles, ~8:00 pace. Just taking it easy.

Friday: OFF! Ate.

Saturday: Long bike

110 miles, ~6:25 or so (I forget). Funny things happen during long rides.
Around mile 45 I got bored and starting thinking about sex.
Around mile 55 I started thinking about bacon instead
Around mile 65 I was getting loopy and started thinking about sex with bacon, which weirded me out so I decided it was time to stop daydreaming.
Around mile 75, I stopped for a 20 ounce full sugar red bull, which kicked in around mile 85 and gave me a second wind that helped me blaze headlong into the (figurative) wall really hard around mile 95.
By mile 105 I was giggling slash crying every time I was doing anything other than coasting downhill.
At mile 109 I was exactly a mile from home, so kicked it into high gear and managed to top out around a blazing 11 mph (helping me pass the guy running with a stroller), before collapsing in front of the house.

Sunday: DE upper/lower and run

BB bench:
bar x lots
135 x 10
225 x 10
255 x 3
275 x 3
275 x 3
275 x 3
275 x 3
255 + light band around the back x 3
255 + light band around the back x 3
255 + light band around the back x 3

Skullcrushers with 155 for 3 sets of 10

Squats
bar x lots
135 x 10
225 x 10
315 x 3
335 x 3
335 x 3
335 x 3
335 x 3
335 x 3

Knee VERY unhappy, but feeling better by the end. Decided this was quite enough.

Crossovers, front raises, stretched, the run: 7.5 miles @ 8:00 pace.

Shit I was tanked.

Currently drinking a Kasteel Donker.

[krazylarry]

(with two very attractive young women who so kindly managed to stay a few steps ahead of me the entire time. Motivation is good.)

Haha yes! The last time I got suckered into going for a run, it involved a lady friend and a nice tight pair of white shorts. Now just think what she was wearing lol.

Good stuff as always Alex, I mean Adam, I mean Belial, I mean white Jesus...

[Beast]

Wonder Norris, you still on the Burger King diet?

[Coke]

Humorous summary of the ridiculously long bike ride, pain threshold must have been over the top.

Always exceptional in here.

[Rileigh]

12 mile TT style bike ride then a 4 mile run (with two very attractive young women who so kindly managed to stay a few steps ahead of me the entire time. Motivation is good.)

Got that right. Best run I ever did I was trying to out-last a female friend marathon runner.

Glad to see you're getting the hang of the shirt. Workouts looking awesome as always! Also read your blog post or whatever it was on the main site the other day. Was a good read.

[GazzyG]

Strong workouts, Alex.

I was probably thinking about bacon at the same time, though I don't have the excuse of a bike ride.

[FearFactory]

INSANE DEADLIFT VOLUME HOW DOES YOUR BACK HOLD UP TO THAT???

YES I AM YELLING

[JSully]

YES I AM YELLING

this made me LOL forrealz

[Alex.V]

Haha yes! The last time I got suckered into going for a run, it involved a lady friend and a nice tight pair of white shorts. Now just think what she was wearing lol.

Ok now this is funny shit. Seriously, though, what is it about women that they look exponentially hotter when running and guys look exponentially more ridiculous? Anyhow, thanks mate!

Beast- burger king diet.... nah, that eventually started tearing up my stomach. Lots of oat bran and yogurt in the morning, pounds of fish and rice in the evening, with ample amounts of donuts, cookies, pita chips, sharp provolone cheese, triple creme brie, beer, and the occasional protein shake distributed in between.

Coke, thanks mate. Every word was true, too... mildly disturbing out there. lol. It's a very different sort of pain than getting nearly crushed under a bar. Less of the instant "oh shit", more of the constant "What the hell am I doing to myself".

Rileigh- Right? Sounds painful, though... hopefully she's one of those slow and steady types and took it easy on you. I can't hang with the girls I know who run them regularly.... they have these effortless, economic strides where they look like they're floating. I look like a rhino doing ballet.

Gaz- Bacon is not the reward for effort, it is in and of itself the first step towards greatness. eat your bacon.

FF- I think it's just used to abuse. Also, I make an effort to engage it as little as possible in my day to day life. My posture right now, for example, is a stunning example of minimal muscle engagement. Had I zero musculature and a poorly developed spinal column, my seating position would be identical. Key for recovery.


So, catching up... nothing particularly stellar to report.

Monday: Bike.

12 miles, ~23mph. Trying to keep my legs exhausted and get used to pushing it hard on the hills while fatigued.

Tuesday: Off. Went down to ATL to see Rise Against. (Girlfriend's favorite band... I love em too). Good show at the Masquerade, great set list.

Wednesday: ME upper and run.

Bench:
bar x lots
135 x 8
225 x 8
315 x 6
405 x 1
Add shirt
455 x 1
475 x 1
475 x 1
Just practicing.

Bench with doubled lights (+180 or so at the top)
225 x 10
255 x 8
275 x 6 (definitely a PR for these- over 450 at lockout, and felt effortless)
225 x 6

BB rows with 315, some curlzzz, windshield wipers, then out for a run.

Run: 3.5 miles, 8:00 pace

Holy SHIT it was hot out there. literally had to wring out my shirt afterwards and left a huge puddle... and it was a dri-fit.

Thursday: ME lower and bike.

Box squats:
135 x 10
225 x 10
315 x 6
405 x 2
425 x 2
425 x 3
425 x 4

These were light, but... still concerned about my knee. Encouraged that I can push the weight with minimal pain- back to heavy squatting next Thursday.

Stiff legged deadlifts:
405 x 6
475 x 6
495 x 5
475 x 5

Haven't gone heavy-ish on these in a while, felt nice.

Lateral raises and shoulder stability work, then out for a bike.

Bike: 20 miles, ~19.5 mph.
Hitting hills frequent and hard, trying to maintain steady speed regardless of grade.

And tonight... Found a Dark Lord on ebay, plan on enjoying it tonight with a few friends. Those who know what this is, well, you know.

[JSully]

screw all the work you did, how as Rise Against? I've been wanting to see them for ages. Awesome band!!

[Alex.V]

Dude, they were awesome. Long set, probably close to two hours, hit on songs all the way back to RPM, finished with a sick version of Savior that included a pretty damn excellent guitar solo and more or less brought down the entire damn house. (Well, lawn).

They put on amazing live shows, go see them. Tim's acoustic versions of a few classics are worth the price of entry alone, and somehow nearly every song manages to have a new and different vibe than you get from the album version... which is a good thing.

[JSully]

fantastic, can't wait for them to come to phoenix again.. it's been a long time and I missed them last time. Paper Wings is the sing that got me interested in them and it was on cruise control from there. Hope they come here soon.

[tom183]

Jealous about Rise Against, man. One of my favourite bands also.

Training is stellar as always.

[Rileigh]

Rileigh- Right? Sounds painful, though... hopefully she's one of those slow and steady types and took it easy on you. I can't hang with the girls I know who run them regularly.... they have these effortless, economic strides where they look like they're floating. I look like a rhino doing ballet.

Oh I'm sure she took it easy on me, but there was no way I was the one that was going to quit first.

[chevelle2291]

Sigh....Outside of a few bands, hard rock died around 2005 for me. Korn, Chevelle, Trapt, Atreyu, etc., all those guys are fucking horrible now.

Only band I have continued to listen to is Disturbed. All of their albums are pretty damn good, although I wasn't a huge fan of indestructible.

[FearFactory]

this made me LOL forrealz

haha.

Seriously, all I can take is about two sets of deads and my back is smoked. I envy Sir Alex V.

[GazzyG]

Sigh....Outside of a few bands, hard rock died around 2005 for me. Korn, Chevelle, Trapt, Atreyu, etc., all those guys are fucking horrible now.

Only band I have continued to listen to is Disturbed. All of their albums are pretty damn good, although I wasn't a huge fan of indestructible.

I have a couple of their songs on my Spotify. Indestructible, Stricken and Down with the Sickness.

I used to like Mudvayne too, when I was into heavy music.