Strong Lifts

Eugen Sandow, the father of modern bodybuilding

Since I've been here my workouts have been in three phases: "I don't know what I'm doing", "I asked a big guy for help" and "something that approaches a plan."  It's pretty much how life is, except that the understanding only reveals itself in hindsight.  Most of the time we think we are in the third phase all the time, until we learn more.

Here are my notes on the phases.

1. Starting program 22 June - 22 July: warmup, random Xfit/single exercise, cooldown
   1RMbench: 225
   shoulder press: 175
   squat:  315
   deadlift: no idea, maybe 375
   row: no idea
2. Midway (22 July - 25 Aug) 5x5: one exercise 5x5; increase weight each set
   Started at 5RMbench: 185
   shoulder press: 135
   squat:  225
   deadlift: 280
   row: n/a
3. Aug 26 to Now; Stronglifts 5x5; increased weight each workout day or week
   Started at 5RMbench: 215
   shoulder press: 135
   squat: 265
   deadlift: 355
   row: 115 (too easy)
   

   			Week 1			Week 2			Week 3			Week 4
   Exercise	Sets	Reps	26-Aug	28-Aug	30-Aug	2-Sep	4-Sep	6-Sep	9-Sep	11-Sep	13-Sep	16-Sep	18-Sep	20-Sep
   Squat	5	5	265	275	285	295	305	315	315	320	325	295	300	305
   Bench Press	5	5	215		220		225		225		225		200
   Overhead Press	5	5		150		150		155		160		160		135
   Barbell Row	5	5	115		135		155		175		180		185
   Deadlift	1	5		355		375		385		395		405		415

   summary of the past month
4. Plan for Oct 2013 - Jan 2014 (Reset after returning home)
   Started at 5RM5x5 bench: 115
   5x5 shoulder press: 80
   3x5 squat:  165
   1x5 deadlift: 205
   5x5 row: 100

Tonight my potpourri workout was as follows:

Squat: 1-225, 1-315, 1-335, 1-345, 0-355
Deadlift: 0-445, 0-445, 5-225
Bench: 5-135
Rows: 3x5x135

This week, I maxed out at the following, for a total of 1,020lbs:
Deadlift: 430
Bench: 245
Squat: 345

So I made it into the 1,000lb club, got my name on a peice of paper in the gym but no free T-shirt.  First video is me squatting 345lbs.  Second one I almost make 445lbs deadlifting.

Proof from the bulletin board.

Today I hit 2000 views.  I try not to get hung up on the number of pageviews, but it is still fun to know how many people are reading this.

Work

The mustache says, "I kill wild animals."  The mutton chops say, "I ain't got time to shave."

To continue the conversation from yesterday regarding inherent ability versus how hard work goes into success, take a look at a Teddy Roosevelt comic (note the manly sideburns).  TR was also the New York City police commissioner, just like our friend Jim Gordon.  If you didn't know, Gotham was modeled after NYC.  This isn't biography of our 26th president, so I won't recant the whole wikipedia article.  He was simply a man's man who did big things.  That being said, it's probably easier to do big things when you are born into a wealthy family in New York City.

Along with aptitude vs. work, "Do what you love and the money will come." is another work related motivational phrase that is counter intuitive and maybe overused.  But maybe the part of that phrase, "what you love" doesn't have to be narrowly defined.  I like eating chips and watching movies, but it might be tough to get paid to do that.  Maybe I can be passionate about or willing to work hard or lead in another, perhaps similar area.  Marcus Brotheron talks about this idea in this post.

Similarly, Mike Rowe (of Dirty Jobs fame and an Eagle Scout) talks on TED about doing what you love.  He meets with some sheepherders and helps castrate some of the sheep (there's no video).  What he really talks about is the idea of loving what you do and that this doesn't really make sense to most people.

Read some of the page stronglifts and an infographic that combines paleo with leangains and stronglifts.  Stronglifts recommends 5x5 workouts, like I have been doing, but combines three of the exercises on one day.  I used to feel that that is too much on one day, but if I remove my warmup and cooldowns, it would be reasonable.  Also, rather than trying to increase on each set (my ego getting in the way of proper muscle and ligament development), I can be okay with doing 5x5 of the same weight during a workout.  So, tonight I planned on doing 5 sets of shoulder press at 160 and 1 or more sets of 5 reps of 315 deadlift.

Ok, so I actually got more than 1 set of deadlifts and barely got through 5 sets of presses.

Shoulder press: 5-160, 4-160, 4-155, 4-155, 4-155
Deadlift: 5x5x335

I'll save those of you with squeamish stomachs the image of my bloody right shin from the last set of deadlifts.  My form has improved, but I still need time to heal.

Decided to add a few carbs into my post workout meal.  We'll see how long I keep that up.

We'll see how long I keep up the tater tots.

Saw this video at the coffee shop.  I don't speak Polish, but I think I want to shave my head and dance by an abandoned train station now.

Coffee, Mr. Tulley

I've started a course at coursera.org titled "Maps and the Geospatial Revolution."  It's sort of a primer on GPS, maps, ecology and other information about the earth and a gateway into Penn State's Geospatial Intelligence and Geospatial Information Systems certificate or masters degrees.  Here are four episodes (about 15 minutes each) which are fascinating.  Even if you know nothing about GPS, cartography or ecology, these videos show how the technology has helped people during earthquakes, disease epidemics, foot shortages and other horrible situations

Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4

So CNN talked today about the Royal George and other famous George's: Curious, George Herman Ruth, etc.  Well, there are some not quite good and downright negative George's out there, to wit:

The Bad

• George Zimmerman - if you don't know who he is, then I am envious of your lack of "news" awareness
• George McGovern - Featured negatively in a Charlie Daniels song, as well as the dietary documentary Fathead, Senator McG also gave us the term "complex carbohydrate" in his McGovern Report.
• George Jones - alcoholic country musician; not the worst, but maybe not an idol for a newborn Englishman

The Maybes

• George Liberace - the famous pianist's brother; mentioned by Bugs Bunny in one of his parodies.
• George Carlin - incisive, insightful comedian who definitely pushed boundaries
• George Constanza - pretty much a schlub character from Seinfeld.  Demonstrated wimpy characteristics for the rest of us to not emulate.

Another simple workout tonight, followed by protein.

Warmup: 6 26lb weighted chinups

Workout: Shoulder press - 5x135, 5x140, 5x145, 5x150 and 3x160

Cooldown: 4 30lb weighted chinups

Evidence that I was in the gym, at least once, with a camera:

160lbs...for those of you not in America, that's about 73kg

this is my concentrating face

this is my "happy" face

I'm pretty unoriginal when it comes to free food from the dining facility.  Yep: tonight was steak, eggs and beef sausage.  Don't worry: I had a handful of mixed nuts for dessert.

Dear Lord, thank you for cows and chickens.  And salt.  Amen.

I heard the east coast has cooled off.  I guess that means my family will stop telling me how hot it is...I pretty much have A/C everywhere, but it's still funny.