Me

2015-12-08 training log

/ hsoi

Man, by the time I get warmed up, the session is over….

Seriously. I finished bench press and felt warmed up, but… that was it. No more benching, no more chest/triceps/shoulders/push type work here. Done. Sure there was more volume of the 6×6 then an AMRAP set, but still… that was like a warm-up. 🙂

But that’s how the program is to go. I have to remember that. This is week 1 — it’s going to be light, well, it’s supposed to be light, it’s supposed to feel easy. Any good program like this is going to feel really easy the first few weeks. As well, I have to remember that this hits work 2x week, so I won’t feel all pumped, spent, and trashed when I leave the gym because I can’t dig the hole of recovery too deep else I won’t make it through the next session in 3 days.

Gotta trust the process.

But still, it feels weird. 🙂

That said, as I’m getting the groove of this program down, I have to tell myself that I can pace differently, or almost not at all. There’s always a desire to pace things so there’s enough gas to get through everything. But here? There’s just not much to have to get through, so just go nuts and put everything into what work there is. This doesn’t mean get sloppy or anything, but rather if that’s all the bench work there is to do, make sure every rep is well-spent and get the most out of every one.

As for other things.

The curl-grip pulldowns took a little getting used to. No question, the supinated grip makes my shoulder and elbow joints less happy. But with some dinking around I managed to find a groove that seems to work ok. Again, starting light is good. Interestingly that I got some really good lat work out of that — was kinda surprised how I felt afterwards.

Everything else was what it was. I’m finding weights, finding groove. Next week should only be better.

Based upon Paul Carter’s Inception program

Week 1

  • Bench Press
    • bar x 6
    • 95 x 6
    • 115 x 6
    • 135 x 6
    • 155 x 6
    • 175 x 6
    • 155 x 15 (AMRAP)
  • Lat Pulldowns (curl grip)
    • 80 x 10
    • 90 x 10
    • 100 x 10
    • 110 x 10
    • 120 x 13 (AMRAP)
    • 95 x 20
  • DB Rows
    • 45e x 10
    • 50e x 10
    • 55e x 10
    • 65e x 14 (AMRAP)
  • Bent DB lat Raises
    • 10e x 12
    • 10e x 12
    • 10e x 12
    • 10e x 12

AAR: Shooting with Xray Vision

/ hsoi

Continuing education is vital – always be learning, always be improving.

So with that, on Sunday December 6, 2015 I attended a unique class: Shooting with Xray Vision (SXRV), presented by Dr. James S. Williams, M.D. of Tactical Anatomy Systems. About the class, from their website:

This class was developed to train law enforcement personnel in anatomically effective targeting in an Officer Involved Shooting. In other words, we teach cops where to place their bullets for optimum results.

This class gives cops the tools they need to visualize vital human anatomy in 3 dimensions from any presentation or angle. In the past ten years thousands of officers have been trained in SXRV, and reports from these officers and departments tell us that SXRV-trained officers are stopping their opponents more quickly, fewer officers are taking return fire, and round accountability is drastically increased.

SXRV is designed to give any officer or firearms trainer the tools he or she needs to not only shoot more effectively, but to train others in the system with a minimum of expense to the department.

Topics covered in this class include:

  • Ethics and U.S. case law of use of deadly force
  • Terminal ballistics
  • Gunshot wounds and incapacitation
  • Vital human anatomy and physiology
  • Practical classroom training in 3D visualization
  • Simulated and/or live fire 3D targeting

This is an 8-hour class and is POST-certified in several states.

My particular class was hosted at my home-base: KR Training. Class was sold out, and all those attending were KRT veterans (so a good, solid, and “tuned in” group). Weather was awesome; couldn’t ask for a better day.

I’m at a point in my study where most classes don’t present me with much brand-new stuff. Most classes tend to be things I already know, but there’s always something I learn. This class was no different, and I think that’s what made this class especially valuable to me.

See, sometimes you learn new things, but sometimes you learn what you know is wrong. There’s much value in simply gaining new knowledge, but even more value in ensuring the knowledge you have is correct AND correcting/improving existing knowledge.

Case in point. Much of the 3D targeting, especially in terms of how to improve training to avoid training scars, are things we already do. When we teach people how to shoot, yes you have to keep it simple and gradually introduce concepts to students. So you might start with a basic bullseye target, but later you progress to a more “realistic” target that has a humanoid-like shape, such as an IDPA target. But it’s then important to progress to photorealistic targets, when teaching self-defense, because there’s a psychological hurdle people must overcome in order to enable successful self-defense. One aspect not often discussed is how every target is a flat, head-on, squared-up, perfectly presented target in 2D. When does anyone in life ever face you like this? There’s always an angle, always something odd to content with. That’s core focus of what SXRV is all about: to understand that people are 3D and 2D training artifacts can cost you.

So that in more advanced Defensive Pistol Skills classes @ KR Training we’ll use photorealistic targets, and more “realistic” ones, such as with people at odd angles and placements, the information in SXRV validates what we’ve been teaching and how we approach the topics. Validation is good. We know our students are getting good training, good information.

But what’s great is when things you thought you knew, you find out you didn’t. Case in point here: ocular window. No, that’s not really the best way to do things. First, when you break away from someone being perfectly squared up to you, the index of “ocular window” just doesn’t work. Second, and more important, it’s a poor way to index and target the brain stem, which is the supposed target of the ocular index. It comes back to a key focus of SXRV: learning true anatomy.

It was also great to learn about the pelvis as a target. I mean, we already knew about it, but it’s interesting to see how even today the pelvis as a target isn’t being properly taught. When Dr. Williams explained more of the structure of the body and how it worked, you can easily see how traditional pelvis targets are not the best and can be improved upon.

This is good stuff!

And this is why it’s so important to continue education: not just because there’s so much  to learn, but you might find out what you know isn’t right and/or could be improved upon.

I can only speak for myself, but I know I’m going to teach a little different, a little better. I often run students through the shoot house, where we use a lot of good photorealistic targets. In the past I’ve already worked to explain visualizing 3D targets, but I’ve got more knowledge, more vocabulary, more ways to explain the concepts. This only means good things for students, and for myself.

Dr. Williams doesn’t teach this course very often: it’s a heavy course. There’s a lot of talk of ethics, use of force, and legal issues (that’s the bulk of the class: there’s very little live fire). Even the medical portions of the class get a little of the heavy side to talk about. The subject matter is what it is. It’s not meant to be heavy, or unfun, or morbid: it’s about trying to save lives.

I wouldn’t say this class is for everyone. True beginners, those just dipping their feet in, it’s a bit much. But for anyone serious about saving lives, if you carry a gun on a regular basis – be you private citizen, or be it your job (police, military, etc.) – this information is important to have.

Thank you, Dr. Williams. It was a pleasure to meet you, and I look forward to future work together.

2015-12-07 training log

/ hsoi

First day of changing it up!

So I hit 199 lb. and that brings The Defattening Project Phase 1 to an end (I’ll have a write-up on this soon). Today officially starts Phase 2. I didn’t really expect to have “phases”, but that’s how things are turning out. So what ends is the lengthy downward/losing cycle, and what starts now is move of a periodized and “waved” cycle, where I’ll gain a little muscle, lose a bunch of fat, and slowly go up and down to finally get me the body composition I’m after. It also starts transitioning me back to the sort of lifting I want to do: building size and strength.

So with that, Inception week 1 starts now.

For the first week, it’s supposed to be “easy”. What is “easy”? Paul doesn’t define it, but he does define “moderate” as “leaving 3 reps in the tank”, so gauge from there. And I figure a lot of this will be figuring out what weights to use and how to go, which is especially difficult because:

  1. I’m so devoid of energy, this 8×8 scheme is likely going to fail from lack of fuel
  2. I really don’t know where things lie for me because I haven’t had this sort of volume.

So I opted that I’d work up to 185, based on the numbers I have to date. Turns out that 175 was good enough; once I got there I opted to just stick there. I would deem it easy, but it also didn’t feel too easy because again, I’m just out of gas — tho the new diet starts today and there are more carbs in it — that food isn’t in me yet. 🙂 I reckon it’ll take me a week or two to get some energy back and not fail out because I’m out of gas. Getting the dizzy spells to stop will be great too.

On paper this is really simple: squat, extensions, curls, raises. What a basic leg program! But the basics work, and my numbers were a pretty fair guess for today. I do look forward to things getting heavier, and my body getting back to the swing of all of this. 🙂

One note: the calf raises. They hurt in the bad way. They put my ankle at a degree of flexion, with weight, that they did not like given my past injuries. I can make it work, but I just had to keep reducing the weight (and that 5-second pause really kills you). I’ll find a way to make this work.

Based upon Paul Carter’s Inception program

Week 1

  • Squats
    • bar x 8
    • 95 x 8
    • 115 x 8
    • 135 x 8
    • 155 x 8
    • 175 x 8
    • 175 x 8
    • 175 x 8
  • Leg Curls
    • 40 x 8
    • 40 x 8
    • 40 x 8
    • 40 x 8
  • Leg Extensions
    • 50 x 12
    • 55 x 12
    • 60 x 12
    • 65 x 12
    • 70 x 12
  • Seated Calf Raises
    • 50 x 18
    • 35 x 17
    • 25 x 12
    • 10 x 15

Where I’ve been, where I’m going

/ hsoi

If you’ve been following along, the past 16 months I’ve been on what I named “The Defattening Project”. Back in August 2014 I woke up, realized that I got fatter and heavier than I’ve ever been in my life, and I was most unhappy that I let myself get that way. So the past 16 months have been a journey of “defattening” myself. I will write more on that part of the journey soon. Right now I want to write about where I’m going.

See, I’ve gotten to a point now where the “downward journey” is more or less over. It’s not really – I’m not 100% where I want to be, but I’m pretty close. Close enough that it’s better for my goals to start “waving”. Taking a sort of “2-steps-forward, 3-steps-back” type of approach. Spend a few months massing/bulking, gain maybe 10-15 lb. (water, glycogen, fat, muscle), then spend a few months cutting/leaning, lose maybe 15-20 lb. (water, glycogen, fat, hopefully no muscle). The end result is that I gain some muscle and lose more fat than before I started, which should wind me up in a pretty good position. Yeah, this’ll probably take a good 10-12 months to accomplish, but that’s fine.

It used to be that “getting strong (and big)” was my goal. When I hit a 1000 lb. total (sum of my squat, bench press, and deadlift amounts) it was a goal accomplished. The next goal was Defattening. I’ve made solid progress on that, but since I haven’t hit my ideal, it’s still a goal but it can start to take a backseat and my next goal start to come forward a bit.

My next goal? To bench/squat/deadlift 3/4/5. The “3/4/5” can mean a couple of things. It could mean: 300/400/500 lb.. Or it could mean “wheels”, a 45 lb. plate being a “wheel”, thus 315/405/495 lb. on the bar. I actually want “wheels” because that looks cooler. 😉 And the simple reality is that you have to hit 300 and 400 to get to 315 and 405, so 300 and 400 are milestones along the way; the 495 vs. 500 is no big – just 5 lb. which can be easily worked.

To get to that point? I need to rebuild my strength. I have lost a lot of strength during these 16 months of cutting. It’s all there tho; the cellular structures and so on. During my 16-month cut we took a small break to do a mini-mass and my strength came back pretty well during that. So I expect with this more “waved” approach that I should be able to regain my strength and maybe even make a little forward progress from my all-time bests. It will be slower than if I was dedicated strength-building, but that’s OK as my goals are still mixed.

One part of it? I need to spend time not on pure strength building, but on good old hypertrophy. I lost muscle mass (hard not to on a lengthy cut like I did), and I need to build some back up.

So whereas my fallback desire is to just start into strength-building protocols, what I really need is a more periodized approach: a period of mass-building, a period of strength building, a period of peaking.

The cool part is that the long-term diet discussions I’ve been having with Nick & Renaissance Periodization, everything should dovetail just peachy here. I spend something like 6-12 weeks massing, 4-8 weeks mid, then 8-12 (maybe a wee more) cutting. So that gives a good time on a “not-cut” diet to mass, rebuild strength, and even peak. Then when I cut just do mass-building with some strength focus in there too, to just work to retain all I gained. Plus if things are timed right, I can actually keep gaining on the early weeks of the cut; if the cut doesn’t go too long, then I should be retaining all I gained (may stall, but at least not regress). So, this could work out alright. No I don’t expect to hit my 3/4/5 goal, but I expect to be laying a good foundation — which does include being at a lighter weight when I hit those numbers.

Yeah… goals are planned on a yearly basis, even longer. Days, weeks, months are merely indicators.

So how am I planning on getting there?

Well, again, the general plan of periodizing things: mass, strength, peak; lather, rinse, repeat.

In the concrete, here’s what I’m going to start with: Inception.

I’ve been digging into my own program writing, and finding things that work for me. I really enjoy that, and see little reason to stick firmly to someone else’s modes. But there’s no question that I’m still enjoying exploring Paul Carter’s approaches. He believes in being strong, but also being jacked and looking good. He’s had a long lifting career that’s gone through many phases, and he’s a student of the game, so he has many good insights and perspectives. He appreciates true science, but also bro-science; both have a place. And the simple fact that I make good progress with his approaches and don’t get nearly as beat-up? Gee, I’ll take that. I love me some 5/3/1, but that shit beats me up hard.

Thing is that so much of my LRB exploration has been during this cut, so it’s hard to really say how it works for me. But what I have done has been good. Strong-15 full-cycle has worked well for me. The Guaranteed Muscle Mass was productive and very insightful. So I’m still enjoying exploring Paul’s approaches.

And his new “Inception” program has just had a pull to me ever since he released and I read it. No, it wasn’t what I expect it to be, and I’m still not totally sure it’s right for me, but I think it’s right for right now. Maybe in the future no, but now? Yeah.

Here’s why.

I’m coming off a long cut. I have no idea where my strength lies, but I do know I am weaker and I need to rebuild muscle and strength. This program is all about a phase of hypertrophy followed by a strength phase.

I know that when I come back like this, my strength will vary. Following a highly-structured program of percentages is inappropriate because I may exceed and need to progress faster, or I may still be hurting and need to progress slower. Inception is based around some general guidelines of the weights and how hard to work. Sure I could do this with a percentage-program, but it can screw it all up. Being able to have more flexibility right now ought to be good.

Of course, it starts with hypertrophy, which is what I need after the cut. I need to build back my work capacity, I need to get my body used to things again. This is the type of work I need at this point.

There’s a 2x/week mode to it: you squat twice a week, and you do “pushing” movements twice a week. I’ve been really wanting to explore this for mass building. When I did GMM, it kicked my ass but I grew some. There’s also so much bro-science out there about lifting twice a week when you really want to grow. Look at the 3-day splits like “push/pull/legs” and running A/B versions of that (e.g. squat one leg day, front squat the other leg day; flat bench one push day, incline bench the other push day) on a 6-day/week cycle. You don’t have as much volume during the session, but over the course of the week you get more total work — and you grow. Any program work I’ve been thinking about for this “post-Defattening” has all been gravitating towards this sort of program, and Inception provides it.

It dovetails into a strength phase, with a good way to figure out values and progress that should be helpful for me where I don’t know where I lie any more.

The duration should work out just peachy with how we’re planning the diet to run.

There’s no deadlifting. Yeah, I love deadlifting, but some bodyparts aren’t happy with me. So this keeps me from getting too beat up in that way. But there will be deadlifting.

See, Inception is just the first 2 periodization phases. What I then intend to do is run the 2nd strength phase, figure out my 1RM there, then add a few modest pounds and run the Strong-15 Short Cycle to peak. That phase will include conventional deadlifting. And again, it should dovetail nicely with the diet, because workload won’t be as intense and neither will food consumption.

And there’s other little things, like Inception has dips and chin-/pull-ups, which I’m very happy to get back to. Granted, i could write my own program, but again, I’m still exploring Paul’s methodologies and running his as-written programs are a way to gain insight into if his shit works for me or not; or what of it does work and what doesn’t. So it’s all good learning.

But that’s my plan going forward. That should carry me for a few months. After this runs its course, what will I do? I’ll figure that out when I get there. It will depend upon how everything stands come that time.

We’ll see how it works. 🙂

2015-12-04 training log

/ hsoi

Funny thing about today? I didn’t care much. 🙂

I hit my goal weight — and in fact am even lighter this morning! (stress, I think). So I’m looking forward to next week, when I can eat more, lift differently, and start on the road upwards.

Today wasn’t bad — far from it. Just my brain was happily elsewhere. 🙂

More coming about the road ahead.

  • Cheat Curls
    • 40 x 12
    • 50 x 10
    • 60 x 8
    • 70 x 6
    • 70 x 6
  • DB Curls
    • 30e x 8
    • 30e x 7
    • 30e x 7
    • 30e x 6
  • Reverse Curls
    • 40 x 20/9/6 (rest-pause)
  • Close-Grip Bench
    • bar x 10
    • 115 x 5
    • 135 x 4
    • 155 x 3
    • 175 x 2
    • 195 x 1
    • 155 x 12 (AMRAP)
    • 155 x 6 (50%)
  • Skull Crushers
    • 40 x 12
    • 50 x 10
    • 60 x 8
    • 60 x 7
  • Overhead Triceps Extensions (superset with preachers, done in a non-stop circuit)
    • 40 x 20
    • 40 x 12
    • 40 x 8
  • Preacher Curls
    • 40 x 16
    • 40 x 10
    • 40 x 5

2015-12-03 training log

/ hsoi

Today was pretty cool.

First, officially weighing in at 199 lb.. Hell yeah!

Second, pull-ups!

So the weight? That’s awesome. Big milestone to break 200 lb. Things are changing for the better.

The pull-ups was cool. Last session I decided to not do pulldowns and such and just hit pull-ups and chin-ups. Because I like doing them and want to keep getting better at them — I only stopped due to my shoulders. The protocol is to do shoulder-width grip pull-ups — from a dead hang to chin-above-the bar — controlled up and down, no swing, no kicking, no kipping, no none of that. All the way up, ALL the way down, hang, “relax”, then repeat. Do pull-ups (pronated/overhand grip; harder) until I can only do a set of 1; then switch to chin-ups (supinated/underhand grip; easier) until I can’t do any.

And I got 4 pull-ups, even after all that prior back work.

I don’t think I’ve ever done 4 PULL-ups in my life.

Awesome. 🙂

The other thing was that usually when I do reps I know the next rep isn’t going to happen, so I stop. Well, I do that with pull-/chin-ups and dips and such, but I shouldn’t — I should try for the rep and if I don’t get it, I at least got some work in. If I do get it, then I got it! It’s really a good way to keep pushing forward on bodyweight stuff, but I just keep forgetting to do it because my normal mode is to realize I’m unlikely to get the next rep so stop.

But I reminded myself of that today in the midst of things, and on those 1-rep set chin-ups I’d try, get half-way, lower back down. Then notice… I started getting more reps! I’ve heard about that with things like German Volume Training where the reps go down, but then around set 7 or 8 you get more because of the body’s response to things.

And I cranked out a lot of reps — sure many sets, but overall volume was good. Heck, I only stopped because I had to due to time constraints.

Anyways, a good day. 🙂

A complete write-up on the Defattening is forthcoming.

  • Barbell Rows
    • bar x 10
    • 105 x 5
    • 125 x 4
    • 145 x 3
    • 165 x 2
    • 185 x 1
    • 145 x 10 (AMRAP)
    • 145 x 5 (50%)
  • Cable Row
    • 100 x 10
    • 100 x 10
    • 100 x 10
    • 100 x 10
  • Behind-the-back BB Shrugs (smith machine)
    • 135 x 20
    • 165 x 20
    • 185 x 20
    • 185 x 17
    • 155 x 20
  • Pull-ups
    • 4/3/2/2/2/1
  • Chin-ups
    • 3/3/2/2/2/2/2/1/1/1/1/1/2/2/1

Thinking about Pepper Spray

/ hsoi / 17 Comments

Why haven’t I carried pepper spray? Because I couldn’t find a suitable carry option.

But I’m working to change that.

I have long wanted to carry pepper spray. Why? Because it’s useful, and because sometimes it’s the better – only (?), right (?) – option.

For example, I’ve had more than enough times when 4-legged critters were more the issue, and spray would certainly be more appropriate for the situation. Just the other day I was crossing the street and a drunk homeless guy started yelling at me. I politely and firmly dened him, he didn’t like it, started cussing me out; should he have opted to escalate, pepper spray likely would have been an appropriate option.

But I haven’t carried any? Why? Because I can’t find an option that works for me.

I carry enough stuff on my belt. I really don’t have room for more stuff.

In my pocket?  The main worry I have is accidental discharge.

I looked at the Sabre Spitfire upon recommendation from Claude Werner, but that was just asking to go off in my pocket. Plus I didn’t like the discharge (distance/reach, spray pattern, etc.).

We do have a lot of Fox Labs products around the house. The Mrs. and Daughter have keychain sprays. We have some larger canisters for use and carry at other times (e.g. walking to the mailbox).

But the Fox Labs keychain model (or any of those types, as most keychain sprays are the same style) just never felt good in my pocket. Last week I was on vacation and the only things I was able to carry were my Spyderco Delicas and a Fox Labs keychain spray. The spray was in my pocket, and too many times the tab was flipped around. I kept fearing a discharge in my pocket.

That said, carrying the spray for a week finally made me get off my butt. The trip made me think a lot about sprays, including learning that yes you can bring pepper spray on an airplane in your checked luggage (there are limits and restrictions, but ultimately you can). So the whole trip I spent a lot of brain cycles thinking about spray. This is as opposed to “normal” where I think about it, struggle to come up with a suitable option, then put it back on the backburner until it comes up again; lather, rinse, repeat, remain unsatisfied.

Well, I’m hoping my luck will change.

I just purchased an ASP Key Defender. It looks like it will have a good chance of being something I could carry, that should have minimal chance of accidental discharge, and could be effective and useful. Plus it should be sturdy enough to be a striking implement too. Yes, I avoided this in the past because I just wasn’t sure about deployment under pressure. I’m still not, but I do hope to put it through some paces. The indications I’ve seen from people’s whose opinions I trust seem that the ASP Defender should be workable; not ideal, but workable.

The Palm Defender seems too small (capacity, distance, and size in the hand for striking). The Street Defender is probably going to be a little too big. Some videos of the Key Defender in action seem reasonable so…. it’s what I’m going to try. I picked up a couple refills of the OC spray, as well as a couple inert cans too.

We’ll see.

 

2015-12-01 training log

/ hsoi

Today was… as expected.

But tomorrow… well, maybe next week… things are looking better. 🙂

First today. It was what it was. I’m just out of gas. Such is life. But it’s important to get the squat workout in because that affects my workload for the week more than anything. I was also cramped for time, so the extensions, curls, and raises I did as one endless tri-set, no rest at all, just keep rotating. Really, nothing much else to report or record about today other than I did the work as best I could.

But that’s the cool thing. 🙂

So in talking with Nick yesterday, it’s pretty much agreed that I’m coming to the end of the 1.5-year-long Defattening Project… well, at least chapter 1. I’m not where I want to be, but I’m pretty close. What’s going to stop is the constant downward trend. It’s been 16 months of diet, deprevation, and loss, and it’s time to stop. Instead, I’ll start waving in a sort of “2-steps-forward, 3-steps-back” sort of thing. So as a rough description, bulk to gain 10-15 lb. then cut to lose 15-20 lb.. If all goes well, that bulk will be some water/glycogen, then some muscle and fat. But then the cut should merely seem me lose the water/glcogen and the fat. Keep things on a fairly short cycle, because I don’t really start losing muscle (and strength) until the cut drags out. So if the cut is kept at maybe 8-12 weeks (hopefully closer to 8), that ought to work out. Then slowly over the course of 2016 I ought to get my body comp where I want it to be.

Yeah, goals are measured on a yearly basis… days, weeks, months are merely indicators of progress.

I also expect this should allow me to rebuild strength and minimize loss of strength. Sure, I might stall out towards the end of a cut cycle, but I can live with that — it’s not loss. Because my next goal is a strength goal, so it’s time to rebuild things towards that end. Getting my body comp where I want it remains a primary goal, but it’s a little less primary and getting muscle and strength back is a little stronger goal.

So it’s my hope all will go well in this way.

I also have training plans in mind, but I’ll have to write about that later.

Right now the goal is to hit 200 lb., which I ought to hit Sunday. If I don’t, well, then next Sunday. It’s very close. 🙂 Once I hit that, it’s time to change gears. Huzzah!

  • Squat
    • bar x 5
    • bar x 5
    • 115 x 5
    • 145 x 4
    • 170 x 3
    • 215 x 2
    • 245 x 1
    • 200 x 10 (AMRAP)
    • 200 x 6 (50%)
  • Leg Press
    • 0 x 20
    • 135 x 20
    • 185 x 20
    • 225 x 13
    • 135 x 18
  • Leg Extensions (triset with curls and raises)
    • 40 x 15
    • 45 x 15
    • 50 x 15
    • 55 x 15
  • Leg Curls
    • 30 x 15
    • 30 x 15
    • 30 x 12
    • 30 x 9
  • Standing Calf Raises
    • 80 x 10
    • 80 x 10
    • 80 x 10
    • 80 x 10

2015-11-30 training log

/ hsoi

Man, it felt good to be back in the gym.

Took about 10 days off due to visiting family for the Thanksgiving holiday. Weighed in at 202 before I left, weighed in at 202 after my return. Happy to have stayed flat, and secretly I expect I may have lost a little tissue and gained a little bloat. I ate mostly as off-days, but I couldn’t be perfect because I was at the mercy of restaurant menus and such. And as well, Thanksgiving dinner was my first cheat meal since the start of the month, so I ate well. So I’m aiming for 200 this coming Sunday, which will be a nice milestone.

After that, not sure what’s going to happen. This marks week 17 of this cut cycle, which is pretty long. I’m back-and-forth on what to do, and presently in talks with Nick about it. We shall see.

Anyways, the gym was good. A good session in terms of work accomplished, but bummer because I can keep watching my strength fading. It’s odd to lift weights yet get weaker… but it’s just part of the process. I know it’ll come back, and I am already planning what to do next.

  • Incline Press
    • bar x 5
    • bar x 5
    • 85 x 5
    • 105 x 4
    • 125 x 3
    • 155 x 2
    • 175 x 1
    • 155 x 9 (AMRAP)
    • 155 x 6 (50%)
  • DB Bench Press (4-0-1-0 tempo)
    • 55e x 10
    • 55e x 10
    • 55e x 10
    • 55e x 9
    • 55e x 7
  • DB Flat Flies (rest-pause
    • 25e x 16
    • 25e x 8
    • 25e x 5
  • Press Behind Neck (seated, smith machine)
    • 85 x 11
    • 85 x 7
  • Seated DB Press
    • 35e x 10
    • 35e x 9
    • 35e x 7
    • 35e x 7
    • 35e x 6
  • Front Plate Raise
    • 20 X 50

2015-11-20 training log

/ hsoi

Just a day.

Same results and behaviors to report — everything’s going down.

It is what it is right now.

That said, I am taking a planned off week next week. I’m taking the week off work, and I’m sorely in need of rest and recoup. Between work stress, diet stress, etc. I just need some time to tune-out and recover. Plus the Thanksgiving meal is my first (planned) “cheat/refeed” meal since the beginning of the month. So I may hold steady on weight or even gain a hair, but any gain likely is going to just be a temporary bloat that should quickly shed. The time off, the diet during the week, the turkey dinner, etc. is all planned and worked out with Nick @ RP. My body should be happy from this.

That’s something to realize. Since I started on the Defattening Project about 15-16 months ago, I haven’t really taken any time off. Normally I’d go 6-8 weeks or so then hit a deload, even sometimes a “jack shit” deload — i.e. allow my body the recovery it needs. But because of the needs of the diet, I have to keep working. Maybe a light week, but there’s really no ability to just “jack shit” it. That’s taken a toll on me for sure. But it’s just part of the process.

That said then, what will happen after the break? I’m not sure. Best I can say is to see how my body responds. Who knows… maybe that Thanksgiving refeed will kick everything in the pants and I’ll be able to go for another few weeks. Or maybe my body will say “no mas” and I need to mid for a month then start back up again. I don’t know; many thoughts in my head, but the main one is to see how things are after I rest and recoup.

But the light at the end of the tunnel is visible and growing brighter. 🙂

  • Cheat Curls
    • 40 x 12
    • 50 x 10
    • 60 x 8
    • 70 x 6 (cheated last few reps)
    • 70 x 6 (cheated)
  • DB Curls
    • 30e x 8
    • 30e x 8
    • 30e x 8
    • 30e x 8
  • Reverse Curls (just a rest-pause set)
    • 40 x 20
    • 40 x 10
    • 40 x 6
  • Close-Grip Bench
    • bar x 5
    • bar x 5
    • 115 x 5
    • 135 x 4
    • 155 x 3
    • 175 x 2
    • 195 x 1
    • 155 x 13 (AMRAP)
    • 155 x 6 (50%)
  • Lying Triceps Extensions
    • 40 x 12
    • 50 x 10
    • 60 x 8
    • 60 x 7
  • Overhead Rope Triceps Extensions (rest-pause set)
    • 40 x 16
    • 40 x 11
    • 40 x 7
  • Preacher Curls (superset with pushdowns; rest-pause)
    • 40 x 15
    • 40 x 9
    • 40 x 5