Author: hsoi

2014-06-30 training log

/ hsoi

Realized something today…

Based upon Paul Carter’s Strong-15 (LRB365)

Phase 2, Week 1

  • Squats – cycle goal: 325
    • BW x 10
    • BW x 10
    • bar x 5
    • bar x 5
    • 150 x 5
    • 175 x 4
    • 205 x 3
    • 225 x 2
    • 235 x 1
    • 250 x 1
    • 265 x 1
  • Pause Squats
    • 195 x 3
    • 195 x 3
    • 195 x 3
  • Deadlift
    • 165 x 5
    • 205 x 4
    • 250 x 3
    • 290 x 2
    • 330 x 1
    • 350 x 1
    • 365 x 1
  • Deadlift – Back off
    • 290 x 3
    • 290 x 3
  • Leg Curls
    • 40 x 20
    • 40 x 20

Today starts the second phase of the Strong-15 cycle. While the weights went up, the work still felt light. I reckon that’s a good thing at this stage.

I did notice something significant today.

I realized that, when squatting, when I’m down in the hole I lose tightness. If I stay fully tight, really pressing out, Valsalva in full effect, when I get down in the hole there’s a wicked pain in my glutes and hamstrings, on the “rear, outer” portion of my legs from waist to knees. It’s hard to describe, but it happens without fail. What I think has happened is, my body KNOWS this is going to happen, so as I get into the hole my body loosens up, doesn’t press as hard into the belt, doesn’t hold everything as crazy tight, and thus avoids the pain. It’s not a big change… I just have to not be “clenching” as hard, just slack off a bit, but it’s enough — enough to both alleviate any pain and keep me from being fully tight and thus reaping the full benefits of tightness.

It crept up on me during the singles, and I really got it on the last single. I worked to stay uber-tight and it hurt. I then played around with it during the Pause Squats to see what I could discover. I played with my belt height, etc… but no difference in terms of the pain.

What I think it might be? Tightness. As in not flexible enough. When I stretch my hamstrings I usually do it in some sort of “toe-touching” modality. What I think I need instead is laying on my back; keeping my back straight, at a minimum up to trying to fully arch (no rounding); then pull my knee up to my chest. I did some of that after I was done lifting and yes, that was hitting directly to the muscles that were affected. I may just need to do THAT stretch and increase my range of motion there. I can’t say for sure, but I’m going to add that stretch to a daily routine and see how it goes.

Meantime, I just have to remember to cope with the discomfort and cue myself to “increase tightness”. Not just maintain, but to think towards increasing it, because that will help ensure I don’t slip back… at least I’ll maintain, at best I’ll get tighter.

Sunday Metal – Top Metal Albums 1990-2000 – #5 Skid Row

/ hsoi

When Metal-Rules.com posted their Top 30 Metal Albums 1990-2000, I thought it’d make a fun list for Sunday Metal.

#5 – Skid Row  – Slave to the Grind

I will never forget hating Skid Row when they first came out. Pretty boy frontman, “I Remember You” cheesy requisite ballad… OK, “Youth Gone Wild” was alright, but it seemed like late-80’s record company contriving because they needed another hair band to put out there.

But then, the Guns N’ Roses “Use your Illusion” tour that started before the albums were even released. Skid Row opening. And when the lights went off, lone spotlight shining directly down on Rob Affuso kicking his drum and holding a fist high to rally the crowd. Four hits to the hi-hat and BOOM… Skid Row erupts into “Slave to the Grind”.

And I was blown away.

Your door isn’t soundproof

/ hsoi / 2 Comments

Did you know the front door to your house isn’t soundproof?

It’s true!

You can talk to the person on the other side of the door just fine – and you never have to open the door.

Why might you want to keep your door closed when speaking with someone on the other side of it?

Maybe you don’t know who the person is on the other side of the door, they don’t have Girl Scout Cookies, and you don’t know what their intent is. Yes, chances are fair it’s just some solicitor wanting to sell you something or get your signature on a petition. But how can you be sure?

Why open the door?

First, it’s probably hotter or colder out there than it is in your climate-controlled house, so why let the A/C or heat out and the hot or cold in? Second, there’s bugs out there — I don’t like flies and mosquitos in my house.

But I also don’t like cockroaches, and I’m talking the 2-legged kind.

It’s not uncommon for doors to be opened, and assailants to then barrel through into the home.

Or maybe they don’t do anything… other than get a good look inside your home. What valuables do you have? Where are things laid out? Who might be in the home (that would be a problem)? Are there any dogs? Alarm systems? Then they come back later, maybe when you’re not home, maybe with more friends.

Why invite this trouble?

Yes, it can come off a bit rude to yell “Who is it?” through your door and carry on a conversation through a wall. So what? Which is of greater concern to you? your safety or your manners and how some stranger perceives you?

There will come a time when you must open the door. Until that time, leave it closed (and locked!) and talk through your door.

(for more information on home invasions, check the May 2014 issue of the Rangemaster newsletter)

2014-06-27 training log

/ hsoi

Based upon Paul Carter’s Strong-15 (LRB365)

  • Wide, Neutral-grip Pull-ups
    • BW x 3
    • BW x 2
    • BW x 1
    • BW x 1
    • BW x 1
  • BB Rows
    • 135 x 10
    • 135 x 10
    • 135 x 10
    • 135 x 10
  • Meadows Shrugs
    • 70e x 12
    • 70e x 12
    • 70e x 12
    • 70e x 12
  • BB Curls
    • 45 x 20
    • 45 x 10

    • I was in a rush today. Jam-packed day with many things going on, so I really needed to get in and get out. So that’s what I did.

    Nuff said.

    MyGunTips.com

    / hsoi

    Champion Sport Shooter and local Texan BJ Norris has a website called MyGunTips.com.

    It’s a growing collection of informational videos about shooting sports, self-defense, and other firearms-related topics.

    As an example, here’s BJ explaining strategies for shooting the Steel Challenge stage “Roundabout”

    And you thought it was just making 5 plates go “ping” as fast as possible. 😉

     

    2014-06-25 training log

    / hsoi / 3 Comments

    Based upon Paul Carter’s Strong-15 (LRB365)

    • Bench Press – cycle goal: 245
      • bar x 5
      • bar x 5
      • 105 x 5
      • 120 x 4
      • 140 x 3
      • 155 x 2
      • 175 x 1
      • 185 x 1
      • 195 x 1
      • 165 x 16
    • Incline Press
      • 105 x 10
      • 105 x 10
      • 105 x 10
      • 105 x 10
      • 105 x 8
    • Machine Flye
      • 65 x 20
      • 65 x 20
    • Pushdowns
      • 45 x 20
      • 45 x 20
      • 45 x 20
      • 45 x 20

    Nothing much to report. Just a solid session. One thing I’m making a better effort on is locking out. Often, if I’m doing “touch-and-go”, I will go to extension, but may not fully lock out (e.g. 98%). I’m trying to go all the way, certainly on assistance work like the pushdowns… get that squeeze.

    Otherwise… I just can’t wait to start phase 2 next week. 🙂

    “Gun Violence” as a Public Health Issue: a Physician’s Response

    / hsoi

    Jane M. Orient, M.D. writes for the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 18 Number 3 Fall 2013 on the notion of “gun violence” as a public health issue. (h/t Greg Howard)

    Full article available here. 6 pages, 51 citations. Not a long read, but one chock-full of data.

    2014-06-23 training log

    / hsoi

    It just got lighter…

    Based upon Paul Carter’s Strong-15 (LRB365)

    • Squats – cycle goal: 325
      • BW x 10
      • BW x 10
      • bar x 5
      • bar x 5
      • 135 x 5
      • 160 x 4
      • 185 x 3
      • 205 x 2
      • 245 x 1
      • 250 x 1
      • 255 x 1
    • Pause Squats
      • 210 x 3
      • 210 x 3
    • Deadlift
      • 190 x 5
      • 225 x 4
      • 265 x 3
      • 300 x 2
      • 330 x 1
      • 340 x 1
      • 350 x 1
    • Deadlift – Back off
      • 300 x 3
      • 300 x 3
    • Leg Curls
      • 40 x 20
      • 40 x 20
      • 40 x 20
      • 40 x 20

    This marks week 3 of phase 1. It’s supposed to be that “very light” phase, just getting the body back in the groove. Sure enough, it’s been that. Everything has felt light; in fat, each week feels lighter than the last! I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting in the groove, or my body is really remembering all the cues and minor technique details, especially during setup. But whatever, today felt very light.

    There were a couple times when during the singles I did the single, changed the weight, did the next single — no real rest between sets. I mean, the prior rep felt light enough, enough I could have certainly done more than 1 rep… so why not?

    All in all, things seem to be on track. Next week begins phase 2. Looking forward to where this takes me.

    Sunday Metal – Top Metal Albums 1990-2000 – #6 Sepultura

    / hsoi

    When Metal-Rules.com posted their Top 30 Metal Albums 1990-2000, I thought it’d make a fun list for Sunday Metal.

    #6 – Sepultura – Arise

    “Arise”

    So apparently violence CAN be the answer

    / hsoi / 6 Comments

    In a 2005 report commissioned by [National Institute of Justice, a U.S. Department of Justice agency], researchers examined a variety of sexual assaults and other physical assaults against women. The study did not focus specifically on college students. The researchers found that potential rape victims who resisted their attackers physically and verbally significantly reduced the probability that a rape would be completed and did not significantly increase the risk of serious injury.

    Most self-protective actions significantly reduce the risk that a rape will be completed. In particular, certain actions reduce the risk of rape more than 80 percent compared to nonresistance. The most effective actions, according to victims, are attacking or struggling against their attacker, running away, and verbally warning the attacker.

    In assaults against women, most self-protective tactics reduced the risk of injury compared to nonresistance. According to the researchers, the only self-protective tactics that appear to increase the risk of injury significantly were those that are ambiguous and not forceful. These included stalling, cooperating and screaming from pain or fear.

    A separate study found that even when a rape was completed, women who used some form of resistance had better mental health outcomes than those who did not resist.

    From a 2005 report, that Certain Self-Defense Actions Can Decrease Risk. (h/t Michael Z. Williamson)

    So sure. It’s important to teach people not to commit crimes; to not violate the property, rights, and dignity of others. It’s also important to realize that while civilized society has worked towards this end for thousands of years, there are still those who chose to deviate and not do what you or society-at-large desires and deems appropriate and acceptable. We haven’t yet been able to eliminate from society bad people doing bad things.

    Given these bad people still exist and likely will continue to exist for some time (if thousands of years of history are any indication), it’s prudent you take additional steps towards your own self-protection and self-preservation.

    And yes, if the above report is any fair indication (along with thousands of years of recorded history), sometimes violence is the most effective solution.

    Remember, violence isn’t bad, it just is what it is. While often violence is used – and most often reported – in a negative manner, certainly violence can be and is used in a positive manner. Do not overlook the fact that a woman fighting back against her rapist, that she is using violence as a tool to preserve her dignity and life. And apparently, a violent response is demonstrated to be the most effective means of avoiding assault, sexual assault, and rape.