_tim's Log

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(_tim @ Sep. 03 2008,10:41)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">OK.  So I think I'm going to go back to my Oly warmups to attempt to get my form back on track.  I'm still going to stick with focusing on my Oly lifts on Wednesdays, but expect to see a whole lot more Oly activity in this log.  </div>
Cool!!! Can't wait to watch this! As always, good luck. I see your making a move to NYC, Wow big change from the Cleveland scene.
 
Thanks Bax! Yes, the move is a very good possibility at this point, but probably not until sometime in 2009. It would be a big change, but I love the city, and the role is unreal for my age. So - it's worth it. BUT - I can't put my family through the culture shock of moving from suburban Cleveland to Manhattan. So - I'm trying to find something close to town (within an hour or so) that would be good for the girls. My older daughter is in 1st grade this year, so school is a big point of consideration.

I'm sure everything will fall into place however it's supposed to, so we'll see what happens.
 
Week 2, Day 5

Push (re-do sorta)

Oly warmup!

Hang Clean bar work: maybe 25 reps or so

Squat Clean: 95 x 5; 115 x 4 - Better form today.  Getting there.

Standing Press: [WU: 95 x 8; 105 x 6; 115 x 3]

10 x 3 @ 120 - Yes, it seems than even when I repeat workouts, I still in some way follow the HST principal of a progressive load.  Indeed, I added 5 pounds today.  Impressive, I know.

Bench Press: [WU: 135 x 10; 155 x 8]

4 x 6 @ 175 - MUCH better.  This was a good starting point, but I must admit a big part of my problem is mental.  The last set, I started to doubt my ability to complete all six reps and started to convince myself that I desperately needed a spotter.  A different part of my brain squashed the idea like a bug, got under the bar, and destroyed the set.  Knowing that I have confidence issues may really affect how I approach bench this cycle.

Squats: [WU: 185 x 5; 205 x 5]

2 x 12 @ 210 - Um, I still believe that there is nothing more evil than squat 12's in this cycle.  I was trying to imagine the 20-rep squat set from FF's post here.  Yeah, after struggling with moderate 12-rep sets, I sorta think 20-rep sets would be life changing in a not so fun way.

No need for Tabata today.
 
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(_tim @ Sep. 04 2008,11:05)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">4 x 6 @ 175 - MUCH better.  This was a good starting point, but I must admit a big part of my problem is mental.  The last set, I started to doubt my ability to complete all six reps and started to convince myself that I desperately needed a spotter.  A different part of my brain squashed the idea like a bug, got under the bar, and destroyed the set.  Knowing that I have confidence issues may really affect how I approach bench this cycle.</div>
Please teach me the self-doubt in bench-press squashing technique!
 
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(electric @ Sep. 04 2008,11:09)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Please teach me the self-doubt in bench-press squashing technique!</div>
Well, today anyway, I looked at the bar, realized that it was a full 105 pounds LESS than my current 1-rep max and something in my head snapped, and expletives a-plenty flowed freely through my head. Realizing that I was making a much bigger deal of the set than I should was key - and submitting to that expletive-ridden tirade in my head did it.

Seriously, electric, I probably could have lifted much more weight that last set for six uninterrupted reps, and that tells me that I need to change my mental preparation when I bench so that I can appropriately tax my body and truly advance my strength levels with that lift.
 
Week 2, Day 6

Pull

Oly Warmup:

Squat Clean:  95 x 5; 115 x 5; 135 x 3 - other than some questionable form in the 135 set, my form is starting to come back.

BB Rev Grip Row: [WU: 135 x 8; 155 x 5]

10 x 3 @ 175

Mixed Grip Chin: [WU: BW x 3 x 2]

BW+10 x 6 (3-2-1); BW x 6 (4-1-1); BW x 5 (3-1-1); BW x 5 (3-1-1-H) - Yeah, so um, I won't be progressing the load here just yet..

Deads: [WU: 185 x 5]

2 x 12 @ 215 - I strapped up from the beginning as the 185 set showed me just how much I had left in my grip strength, which wasn;t much.  I'll continue my grip training with the hope that I can start doing my deadlift sets without straps before the end of the cycle.

Again, no need for Tabata today; the Deadlift sets winded me just fine.
 
Week 3, Day 7

Push

Squats: [WU: 135 x 8; 185 x 6; 215 x 5; 235 x 4]

10 x 3 @ 255 - I liked my form through all 10 sets.  Looking forward to the DOMS.

Standing Press: [WU: 95 x 10]

4 x 6 @ 105 - I had slated this load for 95.  I'm just very glad that I made the switch; the first two sets were pretty easy even at 105.  But - the bigger point is that I'll never develop my shoulders if I don't start challenging myself.  10 pounds is nothing huge, but it's something.

Bench Press:

2 x 12 @ 145

No time for Oly or Tabata today.

I head to NYC VERY early tomorrow, so tomorrow will be an off day and my Oly day will be compromised to get the triples work in this week.

Great workout!
 
Week 3, Day 8

Pull

Deads: [WU: 185 x 10; 225 x 8; 255 x 5]

10 x 3 @ 275 - Got through half the sets without straps. Getting there.

BB Rev Grip Row: [WU: 135 x 8]

4 x 6 @ 155

Chins:

1 x 12 @ BW, 1 x 3 @ BW - Yeah - these won't be progressing just yet.

No time for Tabata or Oly work today, unfortunately.
 
Week 4, Day 9

Push

Bench Press: [WU: 135 x 10; 165 x 8; 195 x 5]

10 x 3 @ 215

Squats: [WU: 185 x 8; 215 x 4]

4 x 6 @ 245

Standing Press:

2 x 12 @ 85 - All but the last 2 reps of the last set were easy.

No time for Tabata or Oly today....

Miserable sports weekend for Buckeye and Browns fans.......
 
my condolences tim, I really thought Browns would fare better.
 
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(fearfactory @ Sep. 15 2008,10:00)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">my condolences tim, I really thought Browns would fare better.</div>
I thought the Browns defense would have done worse. They had wind and slippery hands on their side though!

I missed the 4th quarter of the game due to a power outage from Ike.
 
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(fearfactory @ Sep. 15 2008,10:00)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">my condolences tim, I really thought Browns would fare better.</div>
As a long-time Browns fan, I frankly did not expect them to do any better...!

It was the Bucks who broke my heart. They weren't even competitive.

_tim's deads are looking pretty good.
 
Yeah the Buckeyes bummed me out too. Not much of a Browns fan, but worse, a Lions fan. Talk about frickin' scary. YIKES!!
 
Like a broken friggin' record

Well lads, the Ohio footbal gods (well the ones north of Cincinnati anyway) were kinder this weekend with both Buckeye and Browns victories.  Tne Browns, however, weren't remotely competitive in the first half and that's a bit disconcerting.

My new job will have me travelling potentially all over the place, with monthly visits to Manhattan and Toronto a given.  I have got to figure out a strategy for when I travel.  The workout I did today was a repeat, with the penalty of 5 pounds added to each lift.  Little thing I trook from the Biggest Loser - but MY 5 pound penalty is meant to incur more pain, not lose a weigh in.

Push

Week 5, Day 10

Squats: [WU: 135 x 10; 185 x 8; 215 x 5; 245 x 3]

10 x 3 @ 260 - Form on the last two sets was rather good morning-like.  I got down in the hole just fine, but my stabilizers were cooked 8 sets in.

Standing Press:

4 x 6 @ 110 - Too easy.  Even with a two week interruption, the only hard rep was #6 of set 4.  So, I think I definitely need to bump the load here.  I believe I noted something similar the first time I did this workout at this load level.

Bench:

12 x 2 @ 150 - Last set was clustrered 9-3.  I completely ran out of energy.

Well, hopefully this is the start of at least 3 weeks on continuous training...  Time will tell.
 
Week 5, Day 11

Pull re-do

Deads: [WU: 185 x 10; 225 x 5; 245 x 5; 265 x 3]

10 x 3 @ 280 - Only managed two sets without straps.

BB Rev Grip Row: [WU: 135 x 8; 145 x 7]

4 x 6 @ 160 - Last set was clustered 5-1.

Chins:

BW x 4 - Not so happy there.

Not sure about tomorrow; I may skip my Oly workout and do yoga.  We'll see how I feel.
 
In a word, fugly

Push re-do

Week 5, Day 12

Bench Press: [WU: 135 x 12; 165 x 8; 185 x 5; 205 x 3]

6 x 3 @ 220; 1 x 4 @ 220; 1 x 3 @ 220 - The work sets were hard; on set 7, my 3rd rep kida stalled and a trainer at the gym came over and gave me an unwanted spot (pet peeve - he actually grabbed the bar mid-rep) and then demanded that I do a 4th rep.  Figuring my work sets were not going to total 10, I obliged.  That 8th set was aided by a different spotter - I got 2 reps like 135 was on the bar and then the 3rd rep barely got off my chest before I needed assistance.  Not happy - and this wasn't it...


Squats: [WU: 135 x 10; 185 x 6; 225 x 3; 235 x 3]

3 x 6 @ 250 - In set 3, rep 6 was nearly disasterous.  To preface - my legs are still sore from the first workouts of the week, and apparently my stabilizers are fried too.  Coming out of the hole on that rep, my abs just quit working.  My body started to crumble forward - and I threw my hips slightly forward and caught the weight (figuratively) on the tops of my hamstrings.  I stabilized the movement, and completed the rep.  The same trainer I mentioned before ran over to assist me - and I actually called him off.  Had he not come over, I would have dumped forward - that's obviously what I should have done.  I had no room to do so, and I knew I'd get hurt.  Throwing my hips forward saved my back - but I took a big risk with my knees, bottom line.  It was after that rep that I unloaded the bar and called it a day (I supersetted my Presses for time reasons).


Standing Press:

2 x 12 @ 90 - Last set was clustered 11-1.

FUGLY.
 
You got that right, TR.
biggrin.gif
 
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