Month: July 2011

2011-07-03 workout

/ hsoi

The gym will be closed tomorrow for Independence Day, so I had to get my workout in today. No worries… just throws things off in a minor way, shouldn’t affect anything of consequence I would imagine.

One cool thing tho… I should get my 4″ powerlifting belt on Tuesday and I’ll use it on Wednesday, just in time for deadlifts. 🙂

Squat

  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 1x5x85
  • 1x3x130
  • 1x2x175
  • 3x5x220 (work)

There’s no question about the mental game here. I wasn’t into it. There was a time when lifting got really boring to me because there was no mental stimulation. And well, there still isn’t, but I’m realizing it’s quite a different mental game. I really have to get focused and be in a zone, even the slightest thing can throw things off. For instance, being a non-normal gym day, the owner wasn’t there and I think in the back of my head I’ve kept him as a bit of a security blanket — that if the weight got too heavy and I had to yell for help or a spot, I know he’d be there and be strong enough to manage. Well, today he wasn’t there and that sowed a little “oh shit” trepidation in my head… which of course isn’t good because it totally runs counter to what I need! I mean, if I think I’m going to fail, damnit I’m going to fail. I have to think that I will push that weight around like it’s nothing and then I will! Now, I still pounded out the 3×5, but there’s no question it was hard and my form went all to shit. So, the mental game is dawning on me, and it’s different from any mental game I’ve dealt with before. It’s kinda cool. 🙂

Bench Press

  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 1x5x70
  • 1x3x100
  • 1x2x130
  • 3x5x145

This felt good, almost. I’m trying to remember the Dave Tate advice, planting my feet and really pushing with them too… a whole body pressing motion. But I noticed half-way through my second set that my legs were limp. I firmed them up and the rest of the set wobbled.  Third set I realized that I’m planting my feet at a position fine for resting on the floor but not pushing back: I need to plant my feet closer to my head so when I start pushing into it, everything slides and I end up in a “normal” position.

Chin-ups

  • 1x11xbw
  • 1x8xbw
  • 1x6xbw

Dang. That’s a lot more than I did last Monday. Not sure what gives, but I’ll take it. 🙂

Commentary

The mental game here is very interesting, and until I started to lift heavy — heavy relative to me, where my body and brain thinks “oh gawd what the hell are you doing??!!” — I never really knew it. I can’t say I totally understand it yet, that will come in time. But it’s really an interesting thing.

I’m looking forward to getting my belt and seeing how it pans out. Plus I admit, it’ll be kinda cool to be squatting 225# — 2 plates! 😉

You know one reason I like my gym? Well, one thing I don’t like is that there’s just no way I can do power cleans (yeah whatever Rip… I’m a pussy for not doing them, fine). But apart from that, the gym is really good… especially since most people are there for “modern fitness” so they’re all using the elliptical, treadmill, or machines. Never a problem to use the freeweights. 🙂 Plus it’s always got people but never ridiculously busy. Good music too. It’s nice to get in, work, get out.

Two things from dry fire

/ hsoi / 2 Comments

Doing some dry fire work with my handgun and two things hit me… both taken from the Rangemaster Defensive Shotgun class I took a couple of months ago. My head, and how to make Rolling Thunder a better drill.

First, my head.

When I get into a shooting position, I always end up pushing my head out and down… sticking it out/forward and down. Why? I don’t know, but I do it and I know lots of other people do it too. Givens worked to get us to stop doing that: bring the shotgun up to your cheek. You ended up in a far better shooting position when you did. As well, it’s less movement, and less things to have to get in line to get a good sight picture and then a fast shot off.

I need to remember to stop doing that when I draw my handgun… any firearm really, but right now I’m working handgun and need to just not move my head… bring the gun up to my line of sight, not bring the gun up and my head down and try to have them meet somewhere.

To experiment, I did a bunch of dry press-outs, some with my head held normally, some with my head going out and down. No wonder I’ve had a dog of a time lately with getting my index… there’s just too much movement and things going on when the head also moves. With my head still my index and front-sight acquisition was exponentially better. *sigh*  Live and learn.

Second, the Rolling Thunder drill.

I realized that we didn’t run that drill as well as we could have. The goal of the class was fundamental manipulations and keeping the gun running. Everyone was focused on being able to get their required number of shots off when it was their turn to go. If it came to someone’s turn and they weren’t ready to go, the person would continue to work to load the shotgun until they had all the shells in and then went. It shouldn’t have been that way. If it’s your turn to go, you should go in whatever state your shotgun is in, and if there weren’t enough shells at the time, then you just keep doing the speed reloads until you get there. So for instance, you are to do 4 shots but your turn comes and you’ve only got 2 in the gun (one in the chamber, one in the magazine). GO! Shoot the two you have, then load one through the ejection port, chamber and shoot, load another through the ejection port, chamber and shoot.

Why do it this way? IMHO, this would be an improved way to run the drill because it won’t just be about going when YOU want to go, it’ll be about going when you HAVE to go, which is more likely how a gunfight would go — you really don’t get to choose. That said, I would say the drill should first just be run without discussing this approach and see how people do it, likely they’re will be a long pause between shooters while “next shooter” finishes a complete reload before shooting. After everyone goes, bring up the topic about having to go when it’s time to go no matter what the state of things, but continuing to finish the fight, if you will. Both approaches to the drill are legit and both end up working a slightly different set of skills. I think what’s key is to raise the issue and sow the seed in people’s minds so they work to practice both ways and get the pressure of both approaches.

Enjoy life

/ hsoi / 6 Comments

A reporter asks a question:

Grilling some meats is reputed to increase cancer risk thanks in part to chemical compounds called HCAs, which form at high temperatures. So what’s a July 4th cook to do?

Their answer: Grill tofu.

My answer? Grill more meat — preferably beef, or something you killed yourself like venison — and eat it. Wash it down with a beer.

Life. You’ll never get out alive, so enjoy it while you have it. 🙂

More “Hope and Change”®

/ hsoi

[T]he position that Obama is now taking on medical marijuana—go after producers and sellers but leave patients alone—is no different from the position his predecessor took. In fact, Obama’s crackdown on medical marijuana is, if anything, more aggressive than Bush’s, with more frequent raids, IRS audits that threaten to put dispensaries out of business, forfeiture threats to dispensaries’ landlords, and direct interference in the legislative process by U.S. attorneys. This is certainly not what voters thought they were getting when they heard Obama repeatedly promise to change course on this issue.

Full article here.

How’s that hope and change working out for you?

Meet the new boss… worse than the old boss.

2011-07-01 workout

/ hsoi

Has it been a month already?

Squats

  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 1x5x85
  • 1x3x125
  • 1x2x170
  • 3x5x215 (work)

Damn. That was… heavy. That was… hard. The first set I pushed through but I could tell it was heavy. I think I need to put more time between the last warmup and the first work set. The second set though… that was very difficult. I’ll say this: I recall upon racking the bar that I realized I was hearing the gym music again… somewhere around the 3rd rep my brain just blanked out. I’m not sure why. From the exertion? from my body going “crap! we need to focus all energies on moving this weight to the exclusion of all that isn’t important, like hearing stuff.” I don’t know, but it was interesting. But on the 3rd set? I powered through it. The difference? Mental. Between set 1 and 2 I was a little distracted from overhearing gym chatter. After set 2 I just shut my brain down and focused on what I was about to do, the task immediately in front of me, nothing else. Powered through it fine.

Nevertheless, I think it’s time for me to stop 10# increments and go to 5# increments. Furthermore, the powerlifting belt I ordered will be here Tuesday and I’ll start using it on Wednesday. I know use of the belt will aid my lifting and it can add something like 25# to your squat… I don’t want to get sucked into that. If on Wednesday I do 225# and it feels extra easy due to the belt, then fine. Friday I do 230# and just keep the program going.

Press

  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 1x5x45
  • 1x3x60
  • 1x2x75
  • 3x5x90 (work)

This worked fine for me. Biggest thing I need to realize here is keeping my eyes on a fixed point and ensuring I throw my head forward as soon as the bar clears it. It’s partially a balance thing, partially ensuring I get the full “shrug” at the top, and just minding better form for a better benefit of the exercise.

Pull-ups

  • 1x11xbw
  • 1x8xbw
  • 1x7xbw

I’m feeling like I’m not progressing so well here, but perhaps I am. Sure it’s just 1 rep total over last Friday so it’s still something, and I am also doing a lot better about pulling my chest all the way up to the bar. As well, I’m fixing my breathing.. I keep doing that “exhale on the up, inhale on the down” thing, but I’m getting better about breathing at the bottom as I hang, then hold my breath all the way through the movement… which serves to also keep my body more rigid and so I get the chest up to the bar better. So, I think with form and everything getting stricter yeah, I am sure I’m improving. I guess I’m a little impatient here because I want to move on to real chin-/pull-ups and not these inverse row things. But, strength will come. Just must be patient, so long as there is progress. 🙂

Commentary

Damn. Has it been a month already? I’ve been following this Mark Rippetoe Starting Strength Practical Programming -inspired workout for 4 weeks now. It’s not a true SS program since I’m not doing the SS program as defined. It is basically the PP Novice program, but again not 100% since I’m not doing full/real chin-/pull-ups, but am working my way up to that point. But what it is is still adhering to the principles of a constant linear progression, sticking to the big simple exercises, allowing my body to be disrupted and progress at the novice pace which allows for faster gains due to the ability to recover faster and being much further from the ultimate genetic potential I have, etc..

Here’s some numbers, comparing first workout to today:

  • Squat
  • 105# –> 215# — 110# increase
  • Bench Press
    • 115# –> 140# — 35# increase
  • Press
    • 65# –> 90# — 25# increase
  • Deadlift
    • 135# –> 180# — 45# increase
  • Chin-ups (inverse rows, supinated grip)
    • increased 3 total reps
  • Pull-ups (inverse rows, pronated grip)
    • increased 6 total reps

    Total went from 420# (4 exercises) and 355# (big 3), to 715# (4 exercises) and 535# (big 3). That’s a 295# (4) and 180# (big 3) increase, and that’s just what I’m doing for 3 sets of 5 reps… that’s not even 5RM or the vaunted 1RM. Various formulas put my 1RM total for the big 3 just over 600# and all 4 at just over 700#.

    Those are alright numbers in my book. I’m not surprised that squat went up so fast because 10# jumps 3x week and the math is simple. I would reason my deadlift would be much higher if I was doing the actual SS program which would have me doing deadlifts 3 times every 2 weeks instead of 2 times every 2 weeks. But what will be more interesting will be looking a my numbers at the end of next month because obviously squat is now going to slow down but everything else is still chugging along. I don’t feel any other lift is really stressing me out like the squat is; tough sure, but not killing me like today’s squats did. Everything else will still chug along at their present increment rates (presses 5#, deadlift 15#).

    I’m really liking this program, more than any other weighlifting program I’ve ever done. I started lifting as a teenager because I was tall, lean, skinny, endomorphic, whatever… just a little wuss, and I didn’t like that. Besides, girls like muscles too, right? 🙂  But lifting then as a teenager and all the on and off lifting I’ve done throughout my life has always been “bodybuidling style” and while I appreciated the hypertrophy, 1. it got boring after a while, 2. I never really felt myself getting usefully strong. This program has been the best thing I’ve ever done, lifting-wise, because there’s no ability to be bored because there’s a high level of motivation and positive feedback. You lifted a big weight today, and next workout you’ll lift more… and then you do it, and the feeling of accomplishment is awesome. I am growing, hypertrophy is inevitable, and I am liking those results. But most of all, I’m gaining a lot of strength — real stuff, useful stuff, practical stuff.

    I like the program. I’m enjoying this a great deal. Excited to see how things will look after another 4 weeks. 🙂

    Car door theft vulnerability

    / hsoi / 2 Comments

    Apparently the way your car door handles are manufactured could make your car more vulnerable to theft.

    Read this article, but especially watch the video.

    (h/t to my friend Larry)

    I’m not sure how much of a tizzy we should get in over this because a thief can always break glass or do other things to get into the car. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting thing to note.

    Regardless, my stance remain the same: just don’t leave anything visible in your car that provides temptation. Don’t leave money, valuables, CD’s, electronics, food, clothing, cigarettes, anything easily consumable or sellable in the car. Just leave the car and nothing else. If they really want the car itself, there’s little you can do to prevent that. As well, consider Jim Trudeau’s approach because if the car’s not locked at all, there’s just no chance of damage and expensive repairs no matter how the door handle/lock is constructed.

    Long-term commitment

    / hsoi

    We decided to stop dating and settle down with commitment.

    After only 4 weeks of “dating,” Wife and I put down the money for a 1 year membership with Johnson’s Backyard Garden. That’s 52 boxes to use within a year. It’s a program they’re working on to build some up-front capital to purchase 146 more acres. That works for me: helps them build their business, gives us good food, and over the long term it saves us money. It cost $1500. That locks in a price of $28.85/box instead of $33/box, provided prices don’t go up over the next year. That amounts to a $215.80 savings on the grocery bill for the next year. Sure, the up-front cost is high, but I think about the long-term, and $215.80 is substantial.

    I’m looking forward to what it will bring. A little unsure how the winter will roll, but the adventure is fun and it’s nice to force some expansion into our diets. I mean, I had sunburst squash last week… never had that before, but it’s good stuff. Plus, it’s exciting, in a dorky sort of way… it’s like Christmas every week, because you don’t know what will be in the box. A fun little surprise.

    It’s kinda like my marriage to Wife. I knew after about a month with her that I wanted to marry her, and it didn’t take us long to settle into the long-term commitment. It’s been quite an adventure, and boy… it’s sure been good for me. 🙂