Category: Uncategorized

Wow, those dreams were on topics existential!

Largely the analysation of my ego and it’s relation to lifting weights – day to day physical energy, job performance, my appearance in the mirror.

…..

Headstand :
:75

I don’t know how long it’d been since I’ve done one – in the past they gave me very useful neck strength, and too have taken away soreness.

The movement is as well something of a prep for handstands and overhead lifting…

I feel far less stiff from that one hold.

…..

•8oz cranberry juice

…..

Either isabel a bit faster, overhead walks, or
the audible of 50/20 (or another density protocol) fat grips deadlifts

We’ll see in a moment. It depends on the footing.

…..

1st Lift :

Isabel WOD
singles – e:14o:14 – just under 7:00

I wasn’t ready for this, I was digging to complete this – I did squat down twice, bent hands on knees two or three times as well, I don’t like doing these.

Stand tall during your workouts.

My turnover “barbell cycling” needs work for speed, whereas what was killing me was all the time under tension – I hold the barbell for probably :10 each interval, singles for 30 reps, not reps ever this way – again not fast this way.

However this gets me huffing and puffing, as time goes I’ll jog up more intervals between reps, EVENTUALLY picking up real speed.

The volume is enough for lactic acid in my legs, maybe some in my traps – the pick up pace forces you to finish reps pulled slightly out of ideal path.

I like this. It’s going to force me to dig each session.

Feels kinda like a wrestling match against a barbell.

Ground to overhead for reps & time/density is a way to stand stationary and alone, and yet transform.

Lifted To :

rock yo hips – crime mob

knowing the song was near the end helped me know that I was past half, then near the end of the 30 reps

……

2nd Lift :

(an hour later)

Fat Grips Deadlift
39x155lbs in 2:30
Press
2×205

great glute pumps with light density deadlifts

right now I’m enjoying the brief density fat grip deadlifts – it unlike isabel isn’t a thing – I do it without any mental stress, and note ; there was resting in that 2:30, easily enough to have broken 50 reps without walking over to my phone and checking the remaining time

I prefer the thicker grip, to the point I debate the purchase of fat grips extreme for hands or an axle for full body – you can’t do to shoulder movements with the fat grips…good luck lowering without crashing the bar down – axle for that, fat grips for deadlifts without an axle available

the clean was moderately ugly, some version of 5/3/1 for c&p is an idea

all the work before the press kinda limits it, but that’s okay

…..

I realize that moreso than anything I need conditioning and cardio.

I have plenty of size, and top end strength actually needs cardio and conditioning to get there.

…..

•12 mini donuts
•milk (out the jug)

…..

got SOAKED helping throw out a waterlogged mattress

…..

Actually got groceries again – a rotisserie chicken, and the cranberry juice I’d forgotten earlier in the day.

BOMBED the cart as a scooter back to the cart corall.

…..

$8 gets you fish sticks and a gallon of milk, just shy of 200g protein, and 4000 calories.

It’s not so hard to eat for $50/week.

…..

Rotisserie chicken is still $5 for a bird, pretty affordable.

…..

I’m plenty strong, what I need is conditioning.

While lifting lately is mostly the isabel wod or density fat grips deadlifts, the press my only lower rep movement – lifting being aimed towards conditioning…

I shouldn’t be skipping any opportunities to walk/run bleachers.

I should be doing some form of running, probably walk/run play (fartlek) down and back in a field or cemetery as a regular thing.

There is not reason I couldn’t run a 21:00 5k (well three mile), a ≤6:00 mile, and 20+ pullups THIS YEAR.

…..

A concept2 rower is $1045, and I think I’m willing to pay for that, actually moreso than $60ish a month to essentially rent access to it and powerlifting equipment.

It’d be cool to earn my conditioning toy via labor as well – figure out how I could chop wood for money.

…..

•fish sticks (¾ box)
•breakfast toaster strudel
•chocolate covered pb pretzels
•milk

easily 4500 calories on the day, and that with a bunch of hiccups on the whens of when I’d eat

frankly I’d intended to eat more today, and something I knew already, and experienced again today with isabel – right now I run better with more energy in, more energy out – and want that anaerobic stimulus regularly – high g flux – it’s better that way

…..

Stopped being wishy washy.

I’d been thinking for a while now that purchasing a kettlebell and some form of a step would allow for more frequency, more work capacity, and with my mover’s sea legs.

I ordered a 32kg kettlebell.
Didn’t want to wait any longer for heavier to come back in stock.

Why kg vs lb?

Availability. I don’t give a damn about 32kg vs 70lb – it’s a fraction of a lb difference, and pennies a difference in cost.

Funny, even when it arrives I’ll still have never had access to heavier than this bell.

This purchase is a test, an experiment, a dry run…

We’ll see if I need a heavier bell after racking up thousands of swings with this.

Get my money’s worth of this one first.

One kb allows me to easily do hip work on the days I don’t deadlift, and unlike a barbell it’ll travel to the pullup bar and dip bars, anywhere in fact, easily.

I did not buy an 18″ plyo box.
Simply I didn’t see myself using the shit out of it as I will with the kb.

Saved that money for another day.

…..

Knowing a kettlebell is on the way immediately I’m pondering the 10,000 swing challenge.

“Bro, you’re working as a mover.”
“Bro, your conditioning isn’t nearly that high.”
“Bro, you have no desire to mix the swing with lifts as written.”
“Bro, you’re not going to stick to anyone else’s written schedule.”
“Bro, mythical strength did his version in a week.”

I’m excited to have a tool for a massive increase in work capacity.

GOTTA GET YOUR MONEY’S WORTH

…..

Coast to coast is around 40 hours via car or train.

4-6 hours driving a day gets you to the opposite coast within a week and a half.

Realize that, and the world isn’t so small.

…..

Persistence & Tenacity

Work :

In the shop while waiting for everyone to show up myself and the manager’s son spoke of lifting and the gym.

I’ve known him since I was 19 from…the gym floor.

No longer at the same gym, and having crossed paths with him at multiple moving companies off and on over the years, we’re generally the only two who lift, and lifting/gym is a subject we’ll talk about.

I’d been wondering when the two of us would speak on the note, as he’s usually now doing quotes not out on trucks delivering houses.

Thinking of it both last night and a few nights ago, as I drove into work today I thought to myself “I’ll treat it like a game – I won’t bring up the gym, but will see how long it takes til he does”.

Then immediately after getting there he did.

The job itself was a full shift, 8½h, but 5½h of it was truck time – nothing particularly heavy, and anything moderately heavy went in easy access points.

The customer fed us, which is rare for military moves to do so.

And while this is better than the kitchen was, I do not like being around all the smoking.

Especially when it’s 5½ hours of cigarettes in the cab.

…..

•two slices pepperoni
•one slice cheese
•20oz coke

The customer ordered, and the delivery came at just about the point I was going to get into my lunchbox.

This was all I ate til after work.

…..

About The Pizza :

Noticed that the pepperoni had a garnish/spices a top it which with shake parmesan formed a crust like texture on top of the soft melted cheese.

The cheese pizza too had an artisanal quality to it – most of the cheese was melted, but there were these spots, a small circle here and there of mozzarella with the consistency you’d find in mozzarella sticks.

I’ve no idea if domino’s has changed their recipe since I had it last or if this restaurant wasn’t following spec in a good way.

…..

Upon arriving home ;

•salami sandwich
•frosted animal crackers
•cheese stick
•milk

…..

(after dark & after eating)

Lift:

Overhead Squat
10 x bar

10 overhead squats my “I still lifted today” thing – real minimal as I’d let it get dark – there’s tomorrow for more meaningful – I intend isabel another tic faster on the interval timer

…..

whether I’m being called fat or whether I’m being called muscular – I just own it

cracks me up to hear both from people in brief periods of time

…..

WIND!

walks every day, eventually twice a day is a good idea

bleachers – can be simply walking them – don’t skip weekends

not a bad idea to have something shouldered or in a bear hug for them either

the good part about having to carry stuff upstairs for work is that it’s good training – I am not lollygagging, I want my work pace to be FAST

pace is improving

…..

•swig of cranberry juice
•milk
•chocolate covered pb pretzels
•two packs ramen w/four slices american cheese

…..

I admit to myself that I basically eat as if I was a normal fat american.

I really did myself a favor bulking at 17 years old.

The question is :

•the rest of my life burly
•force feed for strongman, look for 300lbs body weight
•to change body type, get lean – this is the ego involved one, a new thing, and would show a smaller number on the scale (which is even funnier factoring in I haven’t stepped on one since late 2019)

I’ve always been disciplined about training frequently, but never have about eating clean or particularly structured.

…..

Salt and dirty food can be your friend when you’re cramping.

Today didn’t seem hard enough at work for my calves to cramp. Maybe I underestimated the initial three hours of heated cab.

I had worked in shorts today. Though unseasonably warm, nearly 50, shorts is the right call down to probably 25ish for me.

Like I did today, the backpack has a pair of pants in it to change into if it’s too cold in shorts.

…..

•8oz cranberry juice

…..

Persistence & Tenacity

What I’d been calling “flow” is more aptly titled “journaling”.

…..

Work :

short, worked about 2¾ for 3½h (4h?) pay, the only challenging item the base of the bed going upstairs (due to dimensions), the reclining couch on the ground floor not really an issue

at the shop I saved a strap being tossed out from the garbage – one of those infomercial ones, “forearm forklifts”, just one, not a pair as sold

that’s all there was, and that’s enough…

“fuck that, those are mine”
“the shovel?” he asks
“nah – this strap”

he’s looking at me funny, doesn’t know that this, intended as I’ve seen done online for isometric training, is a toy for me…I’m giddy

today at work I got a toy!

I’m going to incorporate it into my lift too

….

Pullups
3×4

so much for no pullups while running the total gym pullup experiment lol

…..

•meatball sub
•quart coffee milk

meatball sub – quite possibly my favorite food

and this being out of pocket mover’s food, not customer provided

at ~$8 it’s worth buying out, as it’d cost me about double in ingredients to make about two or three for myself – this way it’s “here you are”, while not taking up freezer space with meatballs you’re never gonna finish, nor having a bunch of the rolls go stale/moldy in the cabinet

man, I smell like coworkers’ (plural of them, plural of each of theirs) cigarettes – I hate that smell

still moving vs kitchen…

MOVING
much better for the soul
I’ll take moving any day

…..

These are both old anecdotes – years apart actually, one around my 21st the other around my 27th birthday :

I once had a girl, just shy of 20, a 5’10”, pretty, freckled brunette (nearly a redhead) proudly tell me she was 160lbs, that in the year and a half since high school she’d went from 240 to 160, first starting to jog, then adding in calisthenics, by then time we chatted about the gym waiting around at a job interview she had some FAST mile, 800m, 400m, and two mile times, and BIG squat numbers in the 10 rep range.

She just kept adding work as she could, and upping the intensity of the work from jogs to sprints & hard runs, from no strength training to calisthenics to hard leg sessions.

The girl went hard.

Turned herself into quite the athlete deciding that she was out of school, no longer was going to eat cause of having been picked on (and out of school no longer around the bullies), and did this around a hard full time job and living in a rather strict household.

I once had a girl, just shy of 19, about 5’8″ proudly tell me she was 130lbs, that during the end of her senior year and all this freshman year of college she’d decided enough was enough, and got healthy.

This girl telling me the same story in the opposite direction.

She had been anorexic, started strength training to gain weight and be healthy…
AND WAS

Two college girls I met through the gym in some capacity who looked good, but more importantly were healthy, which they hadn’t been even a year and a half earlier.

Spoke these anecdotes the other day, kinda had them on my mind, and came across body transformation stuff on reddit.

Which brings me to ;
The personal trainer isn’t there to get someone good at the gym…they’re there to get people, other people, healthy.

To speed up THAT process.

I remember typing one day, seeing both a man in his 60s, retired navy, who had initially spoke to me about calisthenics finding it odd that I at 6′ 250+ seemed in his eyes to only do pullups and burpees when he read me as “powerlifter”, and of a college girl, short and fat, RACKING UP burpees, high reps, pushing the pace, sweat puddle forming, not stopping to change the song GOING HARD.

That memory motivates me!
Seeing both a retiree and a fat college girl SMASHING burpees at the same time (though not together).

…..

FREEZING RAIN – HELL YES!

•quart coffee milk

Strap Isometrics :
bunch of positions/play (with new toy)

•tug of war
•deadlift
•one arm press
•pullover
•pulldown
•more

Lift :

Power Clean & Press (Every Rep Style)
2×2 w/185lbs
Fat Grips Deadlift
3×3 w/185lbs

…..

The pulldowns, particularly the one arm pulldowns with the straps – I can feel the cramping.

This is going to be a strength builder, what a thing to mix with total gym pullups to build pullups without really doing any!

…..

Having done an isometric tug of war, I realize this stuff could be done with others as a group.

Buddy carries are actually kinda fun, and I recall in the inuit/eskimo olympics there’s an event where, like a yoke, you walk carrying a few people.

Movement can be fun, it needn’t all be the gym.

…..

listened to another half hour of the Scourby reading of the KJV Bible, been doing that more and more lately

a solid thing to have playing in the background

…..

work was so easy, and tomorrow is mostly truck time so we train – a few sessions throughout the day

and note : the shoveling was so light – it doesn’t count as exercise, just fresh air

the total gym pullups felt really good last night, and we’re running them as an experiment in pullup ability without really doing pullups…alongside isometrics with my new toy

…..

•frosted animal crackers
•milk

…..

Total Gym Pullups :
x26

we’ve aways to go to 10×30

yeah, I REALLY like this movement right now

it’s giving great euphoric pumps
I try to slow and feel the negative in my lats, while this is #1 for biceps in my eyes

….

•split pea soup
•milk

…..

Training is going really well, I intend as the ground gets hard again (sure footed) to train power cleans heavier, make a push for the 300lb clean and press which mostly needs more power clean in the tank.

…..

…..

•three cheese sticks
•frosted animal crackers
•milk (in chilled glass)

…..

thinking as I eat the above “how calories are more important than protein for size”, all the reps and the increasing work volume lead me to believe my body wants a lot of food right now

…..

to keep logging food or not
as is I’m expecting to lean out as I increase activity

…..

Persistence & Tenacity

These are more aptly named journals than flows lol

…..

Why are you asking how much progress is reasonably to be expected?

Give yourself something unrealistic “bigger than pudzianowski” (I’m about the same height, got a cleft chin, blue eyes, and spelled it right), and get fucking going.

…..

I’d rather eat and out train high calories.

I’m laying here about to go to sleep thinking “heavy cream and corn pops” (not in the house), thinking too about what I’ll eat upon waking.

…..

•two cheese sticks

…..

Of all the people from the restaurant to cross paths with…today I crossed paths with one of the flamboyant homosexuals.

He looked stressed, and was dressed like he was headed to work…in the kitchen, not takeout where he’d worked part time when I was there.

Well with three cooks gone in two weeks, that about three weeks back now… educated guess? The many chiefs (not enough indians) are probably putting ANYONE into the kitchen.

…..

I’m extremely happy to have left that job.
It was an incredibly negative environment.

The lesson, which I knew all along, that I can take away from my, just over, year there is this : don’t stick out things worth quitting, and don’t go against your gut instinct – I had the instinctive feeling “this place is toxic – leave immediately” within the first four to eight weeks there yet stayed another year past that.

TRUST in yourself and your abilities.
You DESERVE the best, but only when you ACT and BELIEVE it.

…..

•two donuts
•16oz milk

…..

Seeing grandma was an odd mix of depressing and nice – her mind is going, but unlike my mom’s step mom she’s cheerful, not angry.

……

Lift :

Press
15×155
Power Snatch
5×1 w/155
& Sn OH Walk 20yd down & back on last rep

…..

•slice of pizza
•glass of milk
•reeses
•tortilla chips

…..

Total Gym Pullups
10×7

Crazy bicep pump from this. Got some into my upper back.

It’d be interesting to build this to, say, 10×30 without doing real pullups just to see what the progression of volume on a light, high activation exercise does for my real pullups.

Weighted pullups I know work for my pullups, as is I don’t have access to one or much access to the other.

What carryover will happen from light to regular?
I expect good things.

…..

It looks like no bleachers this weekend…

Dude, forgive yourself if something isn’t done 100% of the time you want to do so.

It was a choice. Could’ve. Chose not to.

…..

•split pea soup
•peanuts
•buttered sourdough toast
•milk

…..

•½ salami sandwich

…..

I skipped running bleachers this weekend.
I forgive myself.

…..

The pushups tonight had VERY HIGH tricep activation.

The press and the pushups feed into each other.

I’m liking the strict reps right now, and instead of the kitchen should take them outside for explosive reps – claps, height, etc.

…..

Persistence & Tenacity

•½ sandwich
•tortilla chips
•few candies

The workout keeps getting pushed later and later.

…..

•coffee milk (preworkout lol)

&

1st Lift :

Power Clean & Press (Every Rep Style)
5×185
3×185
2×205
Press
2×205
5×185
4×185
2×205
5×185
Fat Grips Deadlift DOH
32x155lbs in 2:30
Power Snatch
1×155

Yesterday’s idea to amrap a 165lb pc became seeing how far I could go on the 185lb every rep style c&p.

My baked in level of strength on c&p in both every rep and press for reps styles is really approaching my lifetime PRs – this pleases me.

This = I’m much stronger with upper body press + full body pull.

Frankly I envision 10x205lbs ground to overhead every rep in the next month or six weeks, and working to 10×10 at 165 or 185lbs too is on my mind.

…..

The Glutes, Metabolic Stress, & Strength :

With all the timed fat grips deadlifts the past few days I’ve noticed, noted, learned, and relearned some things :

•the glutes getting pumped is the #1 thing for me lower body building strength

•double overhand, light (~30-40% 1rm), and volume while pushing the pace on deadlifts gets me there

•otherwise ANYWAY that I get a solid glute pump, this can vary from period of time to another

•considering the above a kettlebell swing would fit the requirements – so 50 or 53lber? 70lber? 40kg or 90lber? 100lber? Aside Later :

…..

A metal plyo step would be a heavier duty option than a step stool.

…..

I realize I’d feel better with frequent training for a time.

So I’m not going to restrict food at all – simply follow instinct while looking for progressively more and more working out.

…..

The Later Aside :

I keep putting off purchasing a kettlebell.

Thresh this out :
I can nearly double bell bottoms up press 53s, always can bottoms up press a 70lber strong side, and have never touched over a 70lber.

40kg or 90lber?

Maybe go all in on the 100lber and just swing it bunches, while attempting bottoms up presses using the free hand to help with balance.

…..

Sandbag Aside :

It’d be ~$30 to rebuild my sandbag.
Another 200-300lbs of sand, and pack of contractor clean up bags.

I know shouldering it 50/20, and carrying it in every conceivable manner, plus bear hug good mornings would all serve me well.

It’d also be easily travelable, something I could easily bring with me to meet up and get that former coworker strong should he actually be committed to getting in shape with my help.

Sandbags can be used anywhere.

…..

2nd Lift :

Overhead Squat
30 x bar

really pumped through them, great upper back pump, and out of breath

Side Press
10 x 75lb db each side

the movement always feels stronger, way more easy to rep, on my weak side

Grip + Row Play
w/75pb db, letting go at bottom, catching opposite hand, rowing

forearms surprisingly sore, noticed it carrying the empty barbell in one hand

this movement combination is what I think off as work capacity – the two, ohs and side press take nothing out of me, can be supersetted, and done density, and both build a useful rugged upper back strength

….

Food & The Senses – We Have Sight, Smell, Taste For A Reason :

I look at the steak, having purchased it about a week ago I know most would immediately toss it.

I don’t like wasting food, any.
However, I’m going to use, what I consider, common sense, and run the food through a three part test.

1. Sight
2. Smell
3. Taste

I’ve eaten and drank food “out of date” and it’s variants before, the answer to “is it still good” often is yes, though for a grocery store or restaurant it isn’t.

So I run the test. Today, $6 of steak went into the trash – it looked off to me, and I made the call on step one.

Often I’ve run milk that another (say the bartender) is about to toss through the test, sampling it, passing it, and drinking it freely that day til gone.

You just have to be smart about these things.

Also – I am full of energy, after cooking and eating I expect a third lift, more side presses.

…..

No Steak Dinner Tonight :

Well with steak out the dinner window, and the pan warmed I looked about ; “well I’ve leftover mexican restaurant food, nor have I eaten eggs today”, so it all went into the pan, mexican food and a meaningful amount of protein via eggs.

•mexican leftovers
•six eggs
•milk
•chips & chocolates

…..

I realize in about 1¼ years line cooking I never went 24 hours without food.

The ~41 hours fasting this week was nice to do, proving to myself that one need not have such a needy relationship with food.

It strikes those who look that to be needy about food is a feminine quality.

My last time in the grocery store the topic of food craving came up as conversation while in the checkout line.

While I can easily forget the craving and not end up eating the object in question the cashier was adamant that cravings stay on her mind til she eats whatever it is.

Women think far more about the next meal and what sounds good for it than men do.

However it’s rather comical the weight trainer, most ridiculously in bodybuilder form, being just as, if not moreso, needy about food than women who truly need the food consumption to have the healthy fat deposits that genetically they require to healthily nurture children.

I’m going to enjoy my meal now.

…..

I’d been thinking of Dan John describing hypertrophy as too easy when switching back and forth from one arm to the other with one arm pressing, so & in cahoots with massive energy before/during the preceding meal…

3rd Lift :

Fat Grips Side Presses :
50* reps total each side x 75lb

the difference in writing this coming down to this time it wasn’t straight sets – I set my mind to 50 each side, and got it in as many as it took, again weak side is stronger in this movement than strong side – less sets necessary to hit rep goal weak set vs strong side

GREAT STIMULUS!

(*actually 60, did a 10 rep set each side after hitting rep goal, strong side a real gut it out set…still hilarious to be stronger in one arm presses with my weak side for what it’s worth)

…..

There’s power in not masturbating.

As my beard grows longer, my inner strength growing via the discipline of not wasting seed…

You notice more of the opposite sex noticing you.

You notice in her looks the attractive traits, not the unattractive ones.

You catch her eye color, in every little interaction.

You’re more outgoing – talkative, willing to speak your mind, putting yourself out there, etc.

More disciplined about everything, waking up, showing up on time, eating, cooking, cleaning, training multiple sessions daily, etc.

…..

Nightly Pushups :

They felt so easy after all the overhead lifting today.

Take note. Hint. Hint. There’s something to that. Etc.

Overhead work makes horizontal pressing far easier.

…..

Based on how the side press feels, and how I look in the mirror holding victory pose – it hits the lats strongly.

I’d suggest a side press habit, lots of volume, with the heaviest dumbbell you can manage.

All I own is a 75lber.

…..

•two cheese sticks
•milk

…..

Persistence & Tenacity

“J how old are you”, the driver asks as we three are almost back at the shop.

“28” I reply, and to my surprise he says “older than I thought, I’d have guessed 23, 24”.

“Huh, odd – that’s the second time in the last few months people have guessed younger – the only two times that’s ever happened”.

It was a silly short delivery, minutes down the road from the shop, each of us making maybe five trips from the truck to the apartment.

Ten stories total, and each time I was gassing before setting the boxes down in the apartment.

What the fuck! Am I that out of shape, or was today a fluke?

(made funnier by the fact my hamstrings were tight, and my lower back a tad sore from wednesday’s 50/20 workouts – I went to work anyway, gotta get the “sea legs” – I’d rather get paid while sore, building the mental toughness that laborers have, that is oft missing from the gym – I don’t like these dudes being able to outwork me. And I think the driver saw that I was huffing and puffing and continuing anyway)

Either way, I know my answer as tomorrow is saturday and I run bleachers on the weekend.

In moments I’ll, I think deadlift or maybe front squat carry – that’s the closest without a good stairwell I can get to work stimulus I’d say.

I need to get over to the hardware store, purchase, better yet build, a sturdy step stool or box, and get to daily step up workouts on most if not all days.

What time tomorrow shall I run bleachers?

…..

16oz cranberry juice
…..

½ hour Duolingo – “paid linguist status”
(still being paid since 4hr minimum)

…..

1st Lift :

Isabel WOD
singles – e:15o:15 – just under 7:30

“paid athlete status” for all but the final seconds
(still being paid since 4hr minimum)

training this up (well technically down), using my old burpees method – the timed interval, next workout is every :14, etc

I just went when the timer went off in my headphones, got warm fast – I pulled the winter hat up, but not off so as to keep headphones on, was panting – should’ve worn mouth guard, it may help.

I feel real good having done isabel a bit quicker today.

Interesting how the interval timer has me go faster than just against the clock.

I noticed that I lowered the bar to the ground sl, my feet were a bit wide at the start of almost all reps, and many reps were just yank, then jump as it slowed around power point – not properly jump/shrug method.

Safe, but inefficient for heavier pulls, I’m using more back and traps than legs/hips this way.

The isabel wod – it feels like “it’s time”, may be a daily thing, I can feel the benefit.

The following will train glutes/hips however…

…..

•½ sandwich
•16oz milk

…..

Reading Ethan Reeve’s stuff I can find online.

As an adult you could play a sport as baseline, assume that your lifting is going to feed into that, both propping up the other, not taking away – go be awesome.

I like reading the anecdotes, here he is talking about the strength of college athletes, football players, wrestlers…

You should be as strong and conditioned as such, they’re human, you’re human.

Found this too :
https://swoleateveryheight.blogspot.com/2021/12/365-days-and-counting.html?m=1

Can only say thank you to the author – has me far more motivated to train in my circumstance.

…..

I remember me and another did 405lb deadlift singles for 50 or 60 minutes emom, finished the goal, kept going, and eventually seeing no end in sight spoke about calling it a draw and eyed each other suspiciously til the minute we both didn’t pull had passed.

Get back to that ability!

…..

2nd Lift :

Fat Grips Deadlift DOH
50 reps in ~3:30 w/135lbs

Maybe this morning was an issue with being empty of food and fluid – felt strong having a little in me.

This felt like kettlebell conditioning, I’d like one. What poundage though?

Great glute pump, felt it in my forearms a little – I was starting light with the fat grips on purpose.

Maybe tomorrow 50 reps with 155lbs, same movement.

…..

•16oz milk

…..

3rd Lift :

Press
4×185 STRICT pauses at bottom
Fat Grips SLDL DOH
2×185

…..

•16oz cranberry juice

…..

•went out to eat, mexican – fish dish, ate half – unlike me to not finish my plate

…..

My energy is so high right now, and I have nothing to do, nowhere to go – makes me want to move, start at square one somewhere else – a real blank slate (dude you can make it happen anywhere), start a social life, gym, career there (dude, anywhere).

…..

After the 41 hours fasting, then having smaller more frequent feedings today, I’m making note of how I feel, the small feedings felt good.

I’ve never really done frequent feedings, just very briefly in early 2021 – it wasn’t bodybuilder at all, just like “okay, a bar, cheese stick, and 8oz milk”, “oh, an hour and a half since I ate last, let’s eat two slices of american cheese”, and did that all day in addition to a meal or two.

Maybe that’s what I’ll do, and I won’t bother going no carb, just throughout moving shifts just pointedly every ninety minutes or so drink 8oz of cranberry juice or milk or eat a cheese stick or ¼ sandwich, do that for a time.

And on days off it’s “sea leg training” – as many mini sessions as possible, eating all the time, and keeping up the growing of my beard.

I genuinely feel that this is a prep period, that stuff is going to line up for me after a period of hell for me.

…..

Think about this, I’m not out chasing skirts, I don’t drink, it’s friday night – I’m not getting laid.

I ate dinner with my mom again, maybe that’s a twice month thing or something.

Spent a good portion of my tiny paycheck, like 20% after taxes to eat out – the hours weren’t there this week.

Hey though – the fun stuff, the experience, the memories – we were in the same car, and hammed it up jamming to miley cyrus, katy perry – the pop station on the way back to my parents.

“Mom, it’d be a blast to be in a city, doing this same thing at a stop light, me serenading those next to me with pop music, me hamming it up – hey, that intersection in 2020 while everything was shut down I had a funny stoplight car to car interaction with two chicks…”

…..

I look forward to both lifting and running bleachers tomorrow.

I’ve made note to amrap a 165lb power clean, reading deep water PRs the other day – man I have work to do.

May also do isabel but at either 7:00 to today’s 7:30 (technically seconds less as I’m going against an interval tic – the 30th interval isn’t how long it takes to get the last rep) or…

Same interval but up it 5lbs.
That could be run to 155lbs, maybe higher, THEN drop it with 135lbs from 7:30 down to say 4:00, mixing the two progressions for interest.

…..

That dip odyssey in 2019, I got real strong by just throwing lots and lots of reps at the movement, got reps easily with bw+45, I remember being all giddy, pumped up to go tell the (6’3″ 335lbs at his peak) bodybuilder, oddly, working desk there (I’d known him from a few gyms over the years) that I’d dipped at 400lbs between bw and plates.

Right now, I have the opportunity to really see what lots of light deadlifts, and lots of olys will do for my deadlift.

I’ve got the fat grips, no reason this couldn’t be 50 in 5:00 at 300+ doh within six months.

No reason I couldn’t hit a 225lb isabel in 10:00, a snatch every :20.

Between Ethan Reeve and Jon Andersen I’ve read some anecdotes that put fire in my belly for seeing what I can do with olys.

Just gotta find the more than lifting weights physicality and get my wind.

…..

•ritz bitz
•kit kats
•milk

Yeah, high frequency training and high frequency feedings for awhile.

I’d like to “out train a bad diet”, but at the same time eating a couple hundred calories a million times throughout the day isn’t that high calorie in the end.

…..

Does Working As A Mover Take Away From The Gym?

Well, having been in and out of moving since 2017, always lifting weights in some form alongside it – here’s my thoughts.

Pay attention to the lower back – don’t train it if you’re sore from work or a lift – save it for work.

If something is sore don’t train it.

I was, with my trex arms, generally unable to do much if any biceps work alongside moving – nicely this is changing.

The little hours allow me to get in shape, muscular and otherwise, for this job, outside of, and alongside it.

Sometimes my grip will get freakish inside the gym from labor – and yet still the meth head 100lbs lighter than me can pick up nearly as heavy as me, but seemingly hold it for much longer than I.

Seriously, the labor world and the gym lifting weights world are not much the same.

Gym strength carries over to the pianos.
Two things ; right now lots of boxes and lots of stairs, the stairs moreso, are my nemesis.

I remembered teasing this chick “I don’t use the stair climber, after being paid to carry boxes a 100+ stories all in all today, nope not stepping on that hellish thing after work as part of my workout – everyone on it should try carrying boxes for one of the four hours we ran boxes of books to that attic today”.

Funny, now I’m doing bleachers for the sea legs – I have a slightly different mentality now.

I’ve heard of all the professional fighters who worked manual labor then boxed daily.

I don’t see a reason that I have to be soft.
There’s no reason I couldn’t be as capable as the men of yesteryear.

Moving can be, an odd, base for strongman which seems the physical path I’m most likely to aim myself.

Labor is tougher than lifting.
Use both to your advantage.

My grip strength needs lots of work.

Luckily the job and all the fat grip pulling fixes this.

……

The morning after my first 495lb deadlift (a friday night in 2016), I was squatting every day, and so sore – but I wanted to still work up to a 405lb squat…

2×5 bar, 2×5 95lbs, ~75×5 135lbs THEN loose enough, 3×185, 3×225, singles at 275, 315, 345, 365, 405

Everyone thought I nuts.

It’s a lesson that regular work gives you ability fast.
The whole thing was maybe 75 minutes.

…..

Persistence & Tenacity

I’ve been regularly dreaming of these situations where I could have alcohol, and even in the dreams I turn it down.

Alcohol is something that simply has no draw to me.

…..

I used to, til about puberty, regularly have nightmares of cowardice – still having them occasionally after.

Those mostly passed by the time at age 15 I stood up to an 18 year old with all his friends around to protect another.

At about 18 years old I charged a pitbull.

…..

Woke up with trap soreness, at about 36 hours fasted, energy a bit low.

The day is off, so went back to bed, slept in a couple hours THEN immediately took to typing.

Typing to middle school rap, while meditating on what the next lift will entail.

I’m leaning towards not breaking this fast without another workout.

Coming up on 40 hours, I may go to 48, eat a keto dinner knowing I may be eating carbs at work tomorrow.

Will today be a million session day?
With 12-14 waking hours still the day is young, we’ll see.

…..

1pm
Okay, about 41 hours fasted – I changed my mind, with how tight some muscles were, and how stiff I felt I decided to break fast, and I included carbs :

•two cheese sticks
•½lb kielbasa
•bowl of tortilla chips

That gone I’m about to cook eggs.

•five eggs
•one potato (home fries)
•10oz reeses
•48oz milk
•bowl of tortilla chips

Food is more enjoyable when fasted, I tasted it, savored it more.

Not a lot of food, especially considering 40 hours without a calorie – the lesson is we in the first world eat far too much.

Alternate day dieting, fasting every other day could be sustainable.

We’ll see what I do alongside moving and lifting weights.

…..

Moving :
I know that it’s not a career, not enough money, but I’m taking pride in it in the moment.

Eyesight was a bit better while fasted.

While eating the second bowl of chips I thought to myself “why am I still eating”.

Eating carbs is an addiction.
Eating is emotional, habit.

In this case I felt better not eating – learn the balance.

Note : I almost immediately had to shit after this meal, maybe 45:00 later.

It would’ve been a better idea to keep it clean.

…..

Visiting Cali at 18, too lazy to cook which is exactly what not having learned to cook is – a lot of my meals were microwaving meatballs from costco, eating that with tortilla chips.

I like tortilla chips, always have, choosing them today, and often lately as salty carb alongside meat.

…..

Lift :

Overhead Squat
2×10 w/ bar

Really let my shoulders stretch, looked for full body mobility – loosened me up real well.

Not doing a big lift today, was tight, but with wintery conditions/snowing – I’m okay with the easy lift.

“As long as you at least feel the movement for a few with the empty bar.”

…..

I’ve long liked the John Broz “squat every day ” philosophy.

For me I’m going “lift every day”, apparently seeing how far I make it this year, but I’m not sweating it.

If I’m genuinely away from weights that’s okay.

However there is no excuse to not overhead squat my beater bar for a few when at home if I don’t do something bigger.

…..

The overhead squat is a great loosening movement.

It’s not a good idea to sit around when you’re sore.

Movement, generally done light through the full range of motion, makes you limber again.

The overhead squat is the weight trainer’s yoga.

…..

As I shoveled snow and after showered I was checking in.

Yesterday’s 50/20s were great, my glutes and traps have obviously worked – primed, which is good for strength though sore, as have my forearms, with hamstrings and biceps a bit tight.

While shoveling I had an emotion hit me, frankly I could’ve cried – just this overwhelming thought of “I’m approaching 30 and have accomplished nothing – no wife, no kids, working a job that’s going nowhere (though moving feels much better to my soul than line cooking), and never went anywhere athletically”.

I want wind, for health, and for performance.

In the moment to be able to run it on job sites – I hate being the slowest on the crew running boxes, want my hands on every heavy item, etc.

The answer to this is bleachers on the weekend, lifting every day – off work meaningfully, on work minimally.

Daily activity.

Walks would be easy to integrate, while a
kettlebell is a purchase that would get me outside for lots of volume.

But, my psyche goes to this place, this same one repeatedly…

“Dude, why aren’t you in a gym.”

As I showered I thought of all the pulling volume I didn’t do during the covid lockdowns.
Hindsight 20/20

I had 500lbs in weight available, I could’ve been overhead squatting, power snatching, power cleaning, pressing, and deadlifting like a madman.

You could make an entire transformation, in any direction, with effort at the above.

Going to the powerlifting gym or not is right on the line for me, I’m being indecisive.

If I took another dead end job, one less physical, not a kitchen, more set hours and had to pass by it daily…

A cashier would be a million daily interactions, and be nothing on recovery.

What did all the world’s strongest man competitors do for a living?

How many times have I been told that I should do strongman?

And dude…

How passionate do I get when speaking about wrestling, which I haven’t done since 2011?

It’s hell to live in ; the “glory days”, in television’s version of reality, etc ie not making your life a story worthy of telling.

…..

It horrifies me to see the lifestyles and where they end up, the guy’s miserable after a lifetime of dead end job.

The negativity of everyone just feeding into each other – I find my mentality works better for me then they theirs.

Even if it’s a mundane task at a dead end job, there’s something to smile about and be thankful for.

The moving company forces me out of bed, making me move around in the fresh morning air.

We all need fresh morning air and movement in our lives.

…..

Ahh, what was going negative was made positive.

…..

I smile knowing day by day, week by week, soon month by month my beard shall grow longer.

Money?
Money ; why couldn’t I train people outdoors with naught but a barbell?

Has anyone done it?
I could be the first.

Then come up with some cutesy name like “CrossFit” and term like “WOD” for what entails overhead squatting, power snatching, power cleaning, pressing, and deadlifting, generally for reps, with little warm up, and medium to heavy weights like a madman – start with one person or a small group, and eventually have AMRAPS (hey another term) televised on espn.

Note To Self :
Dude, take the above seriously.
Make it. No reason you couldn’t make it with a barbell and any space.

YOU CAN MAKE IT WITH YOUR BARBELL AND ANY SPACE

…..

wes watson – gate money and a vision

…..

Nearing bedtime, yesterday without food, today with what’s listed above and maybe a small meal in the next hour or two – I look a bit less fat.

This could work for me, mixing aggressive intermittent fasting with aggressive lifting.

Tomorrow after work, or Saturday, and bearing good footing – how many times can I power clean 165lbs?

Sounds like the extra clean work I need for my pressing.

…..

•two cheese sticks
•two chicken quesadillas (or whatever to call them – spicy tortilla shells, breaded chicken, mexican mix cheese melted)
•12oz cranberry juice
•32oz milk
•candy bar
•handful peanuts

You know, frequent feedings are as simple as a few bites of meat or cheese.

It’s ten seconds to eat a cheese stick.

This meal sat better than the first.

Two meals ten hours apart, and still not particularly high calorie on the day.

Tomorrow I move a, well I know the apartment complex – no elevator, it may be fun getting any couches out.

…..

Laying to bed my abs are sore.

As they’ve been all day.

I attribute it to the 50/20 snatches yesterday.

They’re not used to that many reps overhead, nor snatches – as for the past 15 months I’d mostly just pressed.

…..

Persistence & Tenacity

Vitality.

You can feel it through your actions.

Maybe some is not in your hands, but you still have the actions, your actions.

Indoors? Outdoors?
Outside you breath the fresh air and feel alive.

After a few hours in front of the television you realize nothing was accomplished, that you just lost time – time you’ll never get back.

You make eye contact, and she blushes.

Bleachers instead of a stair climber –
Your heart is pounding, cardio.
Your upper back is pumped.

Having masturbated, you compulsively shower, compulsively change your sheets – look at your eyes in the mirror.

Where’s the soul behind them? Gone.
Thank God that’s only temporarily.

You eat candy. You get drowsy.

You eat medium rare steak, and you’re chomping at the bit – you feel like going and chopping a tree, lifting again, shouldering a sandbag, meeting new people, seeing new places – LIVING!

You smell, and taste the mood in the air – they’re all miserable, punching the clock…

Drowning in vices.

When you can’t make an entire workday without participating in your vices – that’s addiction.

And sign you need new work.

The western world is one of addiction – television, food, phone, internet, alcohol, tobacco, legalized marijuana, criminalized opioids.

…..

3 Pullups

(Pro Athlete Status ie paid to “workout” – an old joke I used to make to gym staff working out on the clock)

@ work – the customers house was right next to a playground, waiting to drive off instead of standing around, seeing the bar appeared bout 9′ high and not liking standing around I hopped onto the bar of the swing set.

Just low enough to hop up onto, plenty high to fully hang from I climbed my hands up a little higher to closer to a false grip, real thick grip – like 4″ minimum, probably more, a sturdy bar – I’d love to live 10′ from that playground.

Picturesque house too.

The bar I use usually is real thin, I think I’m better at pullups with thicker handled bars – today’s was an entirely open hand.

The 3 reps on this fat bar were far stricter than sunday’s 5 reps on a thin bar – I left a bunch in the tank today.

The horror! I didn’t rep out.

I should build myself a sturdy, proper height, thick bar outdoor pullup station.

Having one just outside my door, my dip belt, my plates – no reason it wouldn’t be at 10 x bw+100 fast – I love weighted pullups.

…..

Work :

Easy ~4h, briefly unloading crates from a trailer with pallet jack, then mostly truck time to deliver ONE item

home early = lift early

It’s a beautiful day at The Cold Air Barbell Club!

…..

Lift :

BUT FIRST!

I should have tomorrow off, so I’m okay with caffeineing up – instant coffee = ass taste, but tastes less like ass in cold water, this time blended instead of shaken or stirred just to try it.

I drove home singing at the top of my lungs to “she had me at heads carolina”, really good mind state, it’d be cool to be in a bumping gym, but too I enjoy the fresh air at The Cold Air Barbell Club which is what I have to do the necessary work in this moment.

A gift.

1st Lift :

1pm
Power Snatch
50 reps in ~18:30 w/135lbs

Decided to go for 50/20 with 135lbs, the “isabel” wod split was in about 12:00 – I should go way harder on isabel.

Maybe do isabel daily til competitive

Funny that the “grace” wod (c&j 30×135) has no interest to me. I’d rather jerk for reps  off of one clean per set or clean & press in any permutation – both heavier than 135lbs.

But I’ll do isabel.

While 50 or 100 reps – that’s a solid c&p session!

185+ lbs clean & press sounds like a good grace mod wod

No reason to take a long break, but I’m home for the day, so it’s no hurry, and a rotisserie chicken isn’t enough excuse to run to the store – so long break then…

2nd Lift :

2pm
Deadlift
50 reps in 10:15 w/205lbs

Decided to go for 50/20 with 205 as the 50/20 snatches were awesome – work capacity day – gotta have more ability to work.

First 15 reps as a set, mostly 6s after – the 15 showed me I have better strength than I’d been recently thinking, strength and work capacity, even wind – it all comes back quickly

3rd Lift :

3pm
Press
9×185 = PR tie

Hitting 9 considering all the mini sessions before, not bad. The clean was easy. The presses a bit loose, many to barely chin or a bit high. 10 is very close, while 12-15 is the “supposed to” progression number.

Note that according to that it wasn’t time for 185lbs, but 185lbs was today’s executive decision.

Not 50/20, just presses because press.
I want that 300lb c&p remember THIS YEAR

2023

Tomorrow maybe clean to a max then high pull a bit higher. Build more horsepower for the above.

…..

Immediately after this lift I did some…

Physical Play :

20:00
•some 10yd backpedaling – probably 75-80% speed – this is a creative way to run – start line, backpedal, walk to start line, repeat

•handstand practice – today I used a pair of bricks as contact point, I liked how that felt, got a couple good ones, but far from being able to hold one comfortably, consistently, and as a skill.

I may do pushups outside with the bricks as handles, I enjoyed squeezing them, a nice addition of grip stimulus.

…..

It’s funny, working in the kitchen I was all bummy about getting in workouts.

Now again as a mover, as it had been as a mover before, and at the other physical job I had in the interim period between moving and moving – I like training LOTS, and have no issue getting to the gym whether a place where I pay membership dues or at my home based Cold Air Barbell Club.

Today is basically mini sessions all day.

I fully expect to hit one or two empty bar overhead squat sessions before bed.

And some pushup ones are a given.
I do pushups at least twice a day, just normal every day.

…..

Fat Loss Day!

All the workouts were between at least 13-15 hours fasted, I just hit at least 16 hours.

Only drank water. Nearing a half gallon.

I love that I have energy.
It’s a matter of just doing more and more physical.

You should be able to work a physical job, have outdoor physical hobbies, lift, play sports – do all of it.

And be able to instinctively eat, sometimes little, sometimes big, and be lean whilst doing so.

The backpedalling was a good idea, could easily use that as one of many conditioning things to do – I want strong and in shape.

…..

4th Lift :

5pm
Overhead Squat (Press Grip)
bar x 20

…..

Spent the day at working out, went hard enough at it during some sessions, played in another, tied a PR, had a good day.

As I put the bar away in the ohs session I felt something…

“this is what it was like starting out – anytime, anywhere, loving the process”

And I smile.

…..

In the past and present I love days where I get in a million lifts.

…..

Ended up fasting, now about 830pm it’s been 24 hours, I’ll end up going til some point tomorrow without calories.

Likely 36+ hours.

It felt right. I went with it.

All I have prepped is ½lb kielbasa as
I see little need to eat carbs except around work.

That may become my usual.
Though baked potatoes sing a salacious song.

With kielbasa as breaking the fast option without having to cook, there is also eggs which are quick – today the first in about six days without having any, the two my intended late meal tonight had I eaten.

I have a pound of steak to cook, and for a few days now a rotisserie chicken has been begging a trip to the grocery store.

…..

930pm

Pushups :

more range than woody woodpeckers, still not full rom, brought the first set to 100 reps

second set, full rom, trying for high tension – 10 reps

third set, full rom, high tension trying to put it in as many muscle groups as possible, particularly the lats – 10 reps

Not the last pushups on the day either.

…..

Persistence & Tenacity

Today’s PR (tie) Music :

monica – everytime the beat drop

a middle school throwback – they consistently amp me up while lifting

1215am
High Tension Pushups

…..

I remember at one point during the covid lockdown, inspired by wes watson, I went real minimal on food for a bit.

1000 daily calories

I went about ten days on a can of baked beans, a pack of ramen, and the luxury of (not to be had in the story that inspired this) a 12oz glass of milk for my one daily meal, after reading for a few hours and doing my set of pushups.

At about that ten day mark I was getting real needy for meat, and relaxed the thing a bit.

I remember having a 16oz flavored milk, being a little disappointed I went off diet, yet cherishing the thing as I drank it.

That influx of caloric flavor – immediately I felt far less bummy. I’d been rather eeyore (spelling CORRECTED – the depressive donkey). The drink made a difference.

And that night I chose to have a takeout dish of pork, rice, and beans from a local mexican restaurant.

I went back to a similar diet the next day, but bumped it to 1500 calories or so.

The one pan meal saw the addition of 3-4 eggs, and I upped milk to 24oz.

If I didn’t finish it I allowed one days allotment to be a few bites of food before the next days evening meal.

All in all it was about three weeks of asceticism, then I realized the world wasn’t ending, and went back to eating normally.

…..

With A Healthy Base Of Physicality You Don’t Lose Muscle :

Last night speaking with my old training partner we were discussing how the body holds onto muscle.

He got hurt injured (spinal), didn’t lift for a little over six months, sedentary or close to it, and basically maintained 15 pullups, and a 10×405 deadlift without activity coming out the other end at 6’1″ 240, and knowing his eating habits I assume he has an outline of some if not a 4 pack of abs.

“I assume you didn’t really change how you ate though inactive, still clean, still high protein.”
“Haha you know me. Yeah. Maybe just a bit less calories.”

A good base of physicality changes everything.

Once you’ve built muscle the body doesn’t just want to waste away.

Those who never played outside as a kid, played sports as a youth, physical work and/or sports/hobbies/gym as an adult – a lifetime of sedentary…

They may lose muscle by dropping calories with their lifestyle as one with the couch, it’s when you have a physical base that shit just doesn’t happen.

For pete’s sake somatotypes change over time, and I’m inclined to say that they don’t change in a negative direction.

Everyone can become a whatever and mesomorph hybrid – that hybrid in either order.

And all those heavy fat fuckers who were athletic at around 6′ and between 185-235 as high school athletes…

Even at 330lbs they’re not far off from getting back to their athletic self of youth.

That motivates me.

…..

You know, every day I don’t have a full time shift it makes sense to me to get in multiple sessions.

If I join that powerlifting gym I’m still going to have to get my outdoor session in as well.

I really like that aspect of The Cold Air Barbell Club.

Gyms are too coddled.
It’d be a great thing to have racks, benches, pullup bars, dip bars, a tall staircase, lots of plates, heavy dumbbells, heavy kettlebells…outdoors – year round, location ie weather not a consideration.

I’ve been getting it in wintry conditions and loving it.

Wim Hof w/AnnaLynne McCord

…..

Upon waking I’m a little hungry.

That’s good. I’ll wait til after I’ve lifted to eat some eggs and/or steak.

…..

1st Lift :

Power Snatch
10×1 135lbs e:45o:45
Lateral Raises ss/w Deadlift
6×10 2½lbs/5×3 205lbs
Deadlift DOH
1×255
1×275
3×300
5×255
Press
6×180 close to strict
4×180 STRICT

Good explosion on the snatches.
I don’t like how quickly the explosive effort gets to my legs – lactic acid maybe.

255 is a good top number for deadlifting right now, can be reps test # for now.

…..

Oh yeah it’s worth it to do a bunch of light deadlifts.

That was a great session.

Always pull double overhand.

To progress on the power snatches keep adding intervals to 20, then go to doubles.

Occasionally do a high rep set, and when 20×1 is easy add 5lbs.

As I realized on the deadlift if I keep the reps crisp most of the time, occasionally doing high reps or heavier as a test of all the crisp light low rep sets.

With this approach I could essentially never have to buy another piece of equipment or step foot into a gym again.

Double overhand and little black with gloves in the cold – makes the grip have to be strong.

No bumper plates means never dropping the bar.

500lbs is what I can load to, and to get to 20×500 doh, well that scales to a 700+ deadlift, is strongman strong, very conditioned.

…..

Most sessions of pulls – low rep sets.
Occasionally test reps.

…..

kielbasa, potato (home fries), american cheese, yogurt covered pretzels, milk

…..

Checking the schedule I’ve been added onto a couple shifts this week.
A bit more than monday’s really short shift.

Still, need better work, really to make a living with vocation not job.

…..

I’ve been doing my dishes immediately lately.

Taking pride in having an empty sink, enjoying the act itself of washing them in the moment, and treating it as a daily win.

…..

glass of holiday punch (spiced juice – not alcohol)
…..

I’ve never ate clean, nor ever had seriously high protein.

I built muscle on, at most 250g protein a day, generally about 180g, while calories were at 5000, sometimes more.

For all dietary concerns the answer can boil down (heh) to “eat meat”.

Looking back to fall 2018 when I was taking care of my grandma, I’d eat a cheese sandwich for breakfast having woken famished to drink half a gatorade in the middle of the night, if grandma wanted to get lunch we would (generally subway – my usual meatball sub see mover’s food choices) – I didn’t say no to lunch, but skipped it otherwise, for dinner most evenings I had a bag of frozen breaded chicken, drank milk, and late night I’d have another ravenous meal – raw egg shake and a bowl of grits.

A high volume lift, couple mile beach walk, maybe a little swimming, what seemed high stress yet psychologically on a mission, she ~4000 calories a day was a maintenance level with a lot of hunger.

180g protein, ~4000 calories
Felt like starvation rations.

I exploded as I drove back east, I’d say I broke into the 270s, and was leaner for a while.

Rest (physical rest – driving), continental breakfasts, pop tarts, oreos, mcdonald’s, and milk – all the hc&p went to my neck, traps, and shoulders once my body found “recovery”.

Running into a training partner my father’s age at the grocery store he looked at me and was like “obviously the past few months, whatever you were doing in cali worked – I thought you were still out there, when did you get back”.

…..

Right now, in being kinda needy about a craving for a rotisserie chicken.

Nicely enough they’re sound financially as well.

A person could eat one daily as the starting point of power eating, or allot one a day as dieting down food.

At some point before bed I’ll have a ¼lb steak, 3-4 eggs, make another potato into cheesy home fries, maybe eat the other ½lb of kielbasa.

The type of day that coworkers would look at you in horror for eating.

…..

2nd Lift :

Overhead Squats
bar x 20

Feels great, gets you breathing and an upper back pump.

Guilted myself into it. I didn’t have a full time shift today ergo two lifts.

The empty bar overhead squats, all it takes is stepping outside – fuck the footwear (yes) get it done.

…..

¼lb steak, leftover tater tots,
four eggs, one potato (home fries), american cheese, milk, two brownies, finished yogurt pretzels

Microwaving overcooked the steak, it was the second time reheating it.

Eggs are #1 right now – funny since the last time I regularly cooked eggs and regularly enjoyed them was as a high school junior starting to cook for myself after the school weight room wanting to eat before mom got home and made dinner.

Making a weekly batch of baked potatoes is awesome, it lets you have meat with a baked potato, and it lets you make home fries in the pan you’re already using for meat and/or eggs.

…..

1130pm
Pushups

I don’t log every time I do pushups here, but with it being an all consuming thought while doing the thing – share I must :

“Simple. All in effort.”

It does not matter what you do, it’s how you do it.

Expect awesomeness. Achieve awesomeness.

The journey is joy.

…..

Persistence & Tenacity

A silly short shift – nailing crates shut – probably need to get other work, this week is slow, too slow.

Bouncing around at dead end jobs at the low end of the american wage scale.

I’m not making enough money, don’t at any of these jobs.

…..

home early = lift early

That’s the plus to a silly short shift.
As is I’ve been lifting in some capacity daily

…..

I don’t like downtime, I actually prefer being busy.

In a way I was content when I worked long hours and went to the gym immediately after work.

SoCal last time, ~30 hours weekly taking care of my grandma, eventually daily gym and beach, no financial concerns – that was pretty ideal.

Bro, get the beard to a good length, be in shape, and happy in the off chance that you go back aka SoCal prep work

…..

Lift :

DB Side Press (each side) ss w/ Overhead Squat ie L+R+OhS
5+5+10
10+10+15
12+12+20

1 Arm OHS
3 x bar each side

75lb db & empty barbell
each ohs set with progressively narrower grips from normal to almost press

…..

For a few days I’d been realizing the above, working these movements with the 75lb dumbbell and the empty bar would allow for a lot of work in a brief condensed period – a conditioning lift, which frankly have massive carryover to everything.

Also ; a bunch of squats is a worthwhile daily thing – bodyweight if you have nothing for weight, though something could be easily improvised.

I’m partial to overhead squats.

They’re my favorite squat variant.

Especially on the high rep light end of the spectrum, as simply I enjoy overhead squat reps with the empty bar moreso than bw squats.

…..

When I’m off, around the house, basically I’m sedentary.

I don’t go for walks, runs, etc.

This nags at me internally.

“Get past the mental block”, “go outside (not a problem) and move”

The 2020 lockdown, nearly three years ago now, three years which I feel I’ve not accomplished in – that was the only time in my life I was consistent on riding my bike around.

I’d do a loop just so I could feel the sun and wind on my skin as I bombed downhill.

…..

•2oz peanuts
•½ salami sandwich
•milk

…..

nap

I shouldn’t be – it’s basically a sign of nothing to do/depression

…..

I looked at some crossfit wods and realized it’s the modern substitute for hard labor.

…..

Turns out my old lifting partner is now going to the local powerlifting gym, this about a week after an old work acquaintance wanted me to show him how to lift there.

Hints from the universe?

It’d be a place to film military presses, and has most strongman implements.

But I’m content with The Cold Air Barbell Club.

Choices to make.

I’d already been sleeping on the idea of going due to the latter for a little over a week now.
…..

3 eggs with green beans, ~4oz reeses, ~4oz steak, milk

Still clean meals with dessert.
I don’t make myself toss all the junk I have on hand from christmas presents.

Eggs are great. Thing is they’re almost 50¢ each right now.

I bet meat and eggs with green beans is a sustainable clean eating for me.

I’m really enjoying fried eggs right now, they’re an easy delivery vehicle for vegetables, and I don’t put down much meat per sitting right now.

Nicely, if I lay off of junk food and probably milk, I’m easily aimed for fat loss.

But moreso than the aesthetics of fat loss, I’m more concerned with getting my cardio back.

…..

Notes To Self For Military Pressing :

•lots of quad – to drive through sticking point
•lots of power cleans – to shoulder the bar, and have lots of energy reserve with which to press

…..

Getting In Shape With Equipment :

I’d be inclined to mostly do conditioning for a period, to not be focused on heavy lifting.

I too have my old coworker on my mind, as he’s, basically at less than square one – two years ago he was 5’7″ 280ish with thick limbs, natural power- since he’s lost 40ish lbs and it’s all from his limbs, he didn’t play sports growing up, etc – sled/prowler and basic calisthenics strikes me as the path he needs.

I am having an unscratched itch for db thrusters and db c&j.

Both, luckily, a way to get in shape, and access to a concept 2 rower would be nice as well – ditto to prowler and stair climber.

…..

Basically I need to make it that personal training in some capacity is how I make my living.

•outdoor group classes
•teaching lifting in a gym
•online
•youtube monetized
•gym owner

…..

Psychologically I’d be okay with, not even keto, but as a mover I’d get by on 1 slice of bread with peanut butter on it (½ work sandwich), and 16oz of milk a day as “carbs” some incidentals from cheese, essentially none from meat, eggs, and not counting whatever comes from green beans, broccoli, cauliflower – the three main vegetables I’d be including.

…..

Nearly zero carbs?

Mind dictates energy, activity levels, mood, etc – it’s mental.

…..

As long as I’m still at The Cold Air Barbell Club regular deadlifts make sense, but light as worked well for me ~15 months ago…

205 is convenient to load, just double overhand, a bunch of sets of 1-5, real crisp – I know my glutes, the workhorse of the body, pump this way so I get feel good and strong from this manner of training.

…..

Extra pushups just before midnight, treating them as if they were a military press – really squeezing my quads, thinking to myself “I should be able to squeeze my glutes like this too”, trying to make pushups full body tension.

I did a really good job with quads, a decent job with abs, and oddly wasn’t feeling a pump so much in my upper body though I ended the sets very out of breath.

I assume with this high amount of tension that I was holding my breath.

Persistence & Tenacity