Day 122 of 365 - Lower

Warm Up

Elliptical - 10 minutes at resistance 10

Foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell

Work

Deadlifts - 5 x 45, 110, 125, 150lbs

Overhead Squats to Box - 5 x 3/3 x 45lbs

Kneeling Ab Wheel - 5 x 3 x Part way out

Notes

Leg soreness has mostly subsided. I felt really good, until I failed to stand from my first overhead squat. Whoops. A little stretching let me force the sets, but everything is misaligned from my legs getting so sore. I need some soft tissue work and stretching before bed today and tomorrow.

I found my ab wheel while cleaning out the gym. I cannot even do it kneeling right now. I am going build up on my deadlift day for awhile. I pretty much NEVER do direct ab work, so this is going to hurt.

Having a rest day on Sunday is fitting my life really well. I'll definitely be up late tonight.

Day 121 of 365 - Upper

Warm Up

Elliptical - 10 minutes at resistance 10, then 2 minutes to cool down to under 130bpm

Foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell

Work

Overhead Press - 5 x 45, 50, 60lbs

Renegade Rows - 5 x 3/3 x 16k

Get Ups - 5 x 1/1 x 16k

Notes

I have reached the first deload week. 70% of a normal workout, rounding down weight or reps when unsure.

The workout was easy. I am dealing with a lot of soreness in my legs, from the reverse lunges.

Day 119 of 365 - Lower

Warm Up
Elliptical - 16 minutes, 5 over 160bpm, stop at 130bpm
Foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell

Work
Front Squat to Box - 5 x BW, 45, 90; 3 x 100; 5 x 110lbs
DO Axle Deads (25lb plates) - 5 x 10 x 123lbs
Reverse Lunges - 4 x 8/8 x BW; 1 x 8/8 x 5lbs overhead

Notes
I focused on using my arms on the elliptical and hit 174bpm at one point. It messed me up a little while lifting. I think 5 minutes over 160bpm but under 170bpm might be the best for my warm up. 165bpm as the target, I suppose.

Squats felt good today.

Reverse lunges are difficult for me to coordinate. I kept them light, using a dumbbell overhead as an alignment cue on the last set. The toe on my left foot hurts if I step too far back. They were significantly harder than the forward lunges I have been doing.

Watched the Power Unlimited documentary on youtube this morning. Good times.

Day 118 of 365 - Upper

Warm Up
Go through some stuff around my house and gym, figuring out what I can donate or sell. Price it out and post it online.

Work
Bench - 5 x 45, 88; 3 x 98; 10 x 108lbs

Notes
I am on vacation and wanted to spend my time playing on the internet and eating nachos. I am scheduled to lift. My compromise was to bench while my nachos cooked. They are delicious.

10 reps at 108 required a little effort on my part, maybe because I was not warmed up very well.

Day 115 of 365 - Lower

Warm Up

Elliptical - 15 minutes, 5 over 160bpm, stop at 130bpm

Foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell

Work

Deadlift - 5 x 45, 132, 190; 3 x 215; 3 x 242lbs

Overhead Squats to Box - 5 x 5 x 45lbs

Barbell Hip Thrusts - 10 x BW, BW, 45lbs, 73lbs, BW

Notes

Using a heart rate based warm up is a good idea. It seems the incline setting has no effect on my heart rate. I learned something already!

Deadlifts went ok, not great. I was at least 2 reps short of my PR with this weight, though I was deadlifting 5 days a week when I set that PR.

Overhead squats are starting to come together. These sets were not that hard, and I did a 6th set with no box just fine. I'll try them with no box and just the bar next week during my deload. From there I'll either add reps or weight.

I see the appeal of hip thrusts for someone doing MMA, but my experience just classed them in the "stupid human trick" category. Supporting myself on the edge of the bench cramps my upper back and neck really bad. The bar does not feel very good rolling around down there either. I am looking for a swing substitute. Maybe single leg deadlifts will work...

Day 114 of 365 - Upper

Warm Up

Elliptical for 10 minutes

Foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell

Work

Overhead Press - 5 x 45, 70; 3 x 80; 8 x 90

Renegade Rows 5 x 5/5 x 16k

Turkish Getup - 5 x 2/2 x 16k

Notes

I am staying on the elliptical until my heart rate gets back below 130bpm. I was actually on there for 15 minutes this morning. I'd like to move away from raw time measure to time spent above specific bpms. Something like "Elliptical - 5 minutes > 160bpm, cool down to below 130bpm." My body adapts quickly to this type of work, already the resistance I started the month with is a little too easy. Pure time based measures are poor.

My shoulder hurt while pressing, I think due to tight muscles in my upper back and neck. Stretching between sets helped some, but I need to consistently do mobility and soft tissue work before bed.

I was a little worried about having renegade rows and getups on the same day, but they work nicely against the tightness that developed on my day off. Given that this workout is normally preceded by two days off, I think the exercises are a good fit. 5 sets feels like a ton of volume right now, but my hips also felt really good by the 4th and 5th sets of the getups. My knee normally clicks coming up from half kneeling, but stopped doing that by the final sets.

Day 112 of 365 - Lower

Warm Up
Elliptical for 10 minutes
Foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell

Work
Front Squats to Box - 3 x BW, 45, 85, 95; 6 x 105lbs
DO Axle Deadlifts (25lb plates, band on knee) - 5 x 10 x 123lbs
Lunges - 5 x 5/5 x 12k overhead

Notes
I tried harder than last week's squat workout. It shows. The top of my left forearm is feeling better.

Day 111 of 365 - Upper

Warm Up

Elliptical for 10 minutes

Foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell

Work

Bench Press - 3 x 45, 80, 90; 10 x 100lbs

One Arm Rows - 5 x 10 x 20k

KB Clean and Press - 5 x 8 x 16k's

Notes

Bench is limited entirely by how far I want to push my shoulder joints. I am not going to do more than 10 reps.

I forgot I was going to do renegade rows and ended up doing one arm rows instead.

Clean and presses were tiring and near the limits of my work capacity.

Day 108 of 365 - Lower

Warm Up
Elliptical for 10 minutes
Foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell

Work
Deadlift - 3 x 45, 60k, 180lbs, 205lbs; 5 x 230lbs
Overhead Squats to Box - 5 x 5 x 20k barbell
Two Hand Swings - 5 x 10 x 28k

Notes
Only 16 hours between this session and the last one. It is all my schedule allows for. The top of my left forearm is still tender.

I think I had a major breakthrough on how to perform an overhead squat. It is a movement I have wanted to learn for years, but always failed at, even with just the bar. Normally I am fighting not to fall backwards. Normally when I squat I try to send the force through my heels. Today I let myself push through my toes as much as I wanted. The squats were far, far easier.  Promising...

Day 107 of 365 - Upper

Warm Up
Elliptical for 10 minutes
Foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell

Work
Overhead Press - 3 x 45, 65, 75; 8 x 85lbs
One Arm Rows 5 x 10/10 x 20k
Turkish Getup - 3 x 2/2 x 16k

Notes
I sat too much yesterday and went to bed far too late. Last week's snatches gave me a splitting headache, so I opted for something a little easier today.

Switched to a dumbbell after the first set of getups. The top of my left forearm is aching. No idea why.

Day 104 of 365 - Lower

Warm Up
Elliptical - 10 minutes
Foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell

Work
Front Squats to Box - 5 x BW, 45, 70, 90, 100lbs
DO Axle Deadlifts - 5 x 8 x 123lbs
Lunges - 5 x 5/5 x 10lbs overhead

Notes
Four days straight of lifting has caught up with me. I did the bare minimum. Next week I will do better.

Day 103 of 365 - Upper

Warm Up
Elliptical for 10 minutes
Foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell

Work
Bench Press - 5 x 45, 75, 85; 10 x 95lbs
Renegade Rows 5 x 5/5 x 16k
KB Clean and Press - 5 x 6 x 16k's

Notes
Bench was easy, but my shoulders are clicking and popping. My hope is that regular mobility work and practicing the movement will make it usable. I was repping with 145lbs in college. I cannot do 5 x 10 with my assistance exercises, using the weights I have. I will build up to it.

In other news, I locked in the rate I wanted for my refinance today. 3.25% for 10 years, no points. I'll be poor for awhile, but it will save me more than $30k total over the next 10 years. Score! 

Day 102 of 365 - Lower

Warm Up
Elliptical - 10 minutes
Foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell

Work
Deadlifts - 5 x 45lbs, 110lbs, 165lbs, 190lbs; 8 x 215lbs
Overhead Squats - 5 x 5/5 x 12k
Two Arm Swings - 5 x 10 x 24k in 5:00

Notes
This program is more work than I am used to. It seems having psyched up for my deadlift max ensures I need it for the hard set each time I deadlift. I am not sure if that is good or bad.

Day 101 of 365 - Upper

Warm Up
Elliptical for 10 minutes
Foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell

Work
Overhead Press - 5 x 45, 65, 70; 8 x 80lbs
KB Snatch 5 x 10/10 x 16k - 4:15
Turkish Getup - 5 x 1/1 x 16k

First day of 5 3 1. My assistance work was harder than my main exercise. I am not sure what that means. I think, perhaps, that I am lazy...

Day 98 of 365 - Upper

Warm Up
Elliptical 10 minutes (2 workouts in a row!)
Foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell

Work
KB Press - 10 x 16k's, 16k's,
Renegade Rows - 5/5 x 16k, 16k
KB Snatch - 10/10 x 16k, 16k
Partial Getup to Half Kneeling - 3/3 x 16k

Notes
Lower back muscles are quite sore today. Kept the weights light and volume low as a result.

Day 97 of 365 - Lower

Warm up - elliptical 10 minutes
Foam roller and mobility work with 12k kettlebell
Deadlifts - 5 x 20k, 60k, 90k; 1 x 110k, 282lbs
Front Squats to 12" Box - 5 x BW, 20k, 85lbs; 1 x 110lbs, 130lbs

I got back on the elliptical. I really ought to do that every time. I paid enough for it.

Today was all about finding some maxes to start 5 3 1. The deadlift was better than I expected (within 10lbs of my all time PR) and entirely mental. I'll probably have a hard time falling asleep tonight because of it.

The front squats might have been better without deadlifting first, but this is what I had time for. My heaviest front squat ever was only 155, so 130 is close enough to whatever my current true max is.

Day 95 of 365 - Upper

Warm Up - Foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell
Overhead Press - 8 x 45lbs; 5 x 65lbs, 85lbs, 95lbs
Renegade Rows - 5/5 x 16k, 16k, 16k
Close Bench - 5 x 88lbs, 5 x 108lbs, 3 x 118lbs
Half Getup - 5/5 x 12k, 16k
Grippers between sets - 3/3 x T, T, T, #1, #1

I am thinking about making a run at Wendler's 5 3 1 program. It is pretty close to the upper/lower split that works for me mentally. Maybe I can actually get stronger following it.

I need to loosen my body up this week and set maxes to start the program next week.

Day 94 of 365 - Lower

Warmup - foam roller and mobility with 12k kettlebell
Box Squats - 10 x BW, 12k; 5 x 16k's, 16k's
Single leg deadlifts - 5/5 x 16k, 16k's, 16k's
Lunges - 5/5 x BW, 12k overhead, 16k overhead

I am all tight from sitting around. Yikes! Maybe I'll do something again tomorrow.

Day 94 of 365 - November in Review

November was not a good month for progress against my goals. Stress at home has me distracted and escaping into non-productive activities.
 
1. Lifting - The month started out ok, but fell apart in the last two weeks. Poor diet led to low energy and skipped workouts.

2. Eat on $4 a day - Stress led to low quality, expensive eating habits. I am trying to get back on the menu I laid out at the start of November. About all I learned is that corn flour and corn meal are very different ingredients, that yield very different results. I did make my best pizza to date.

3. Become competitive at pool - This goal remains on hold.

4. Maintain my home - This goal received no attention in November and is likely to remain on hold for December.

5. Excel as a quality engineer - So far adapting to the new developer has been a non-issue. I discovered I can get my agile books for free via interlibrary loan, which is fantastic. I am 2/3 of the way through the book Product Development Flow. The author provides solutions to and reasons for many of the problems I have experienced with traditional project management. Very cool. I also have the book _Agile Testing_ sitting on my kitchen table. I expect to start it in the next week and to see continued strong progress in December.

Overall
Other than doing well with my career (which I am getting paid for), I really took things easy. I cannot decide if this is an appropriate response to stress or simply poor coping ability on my part. December may be more of the same. I have put my Netflix on hold in an effort to direct my energy productively. We'll see what happens.