Day 324

My parents came in town tonight and we went to All You Can Eat shrimp night at the Shrimp Basket.  It was good, but they were slow and stingy on the re-orders.

But it was good visiting with mom and dad. Probably going to head back home this weekend and spend a little more time with them.

Day 323

This week is a deload week. So no training today. I'm glad.

This will likely be my last rest before the final contest training leading up to the contest in June.

Oh, boy, here we go. 

Day 322

Skipped church this morning, Mom and R1 went and I kept the baby.

It was a good morning, I caught up on some things I've been wanting to get done. Looking forward to a nap and some R&R.

Day 321

I remember sitting in the hallway of our old house, 2 years ago, keeping an eye on the weather as dozens of tornadoes ripped the state of Alabama apart. So thankful that my hometown and current hometown were both spared. 

The state continues to rebuild, but nobody pulls their bootstraps up like the Heart of Dixie.

Overhead lockouts with chains and fat gripz

bar x 5,5

115 x 3

145 x 3

165 x 3

185 x 2

All I had time for, today was a busy day.  

Went to Rebekah's last gymnastics class of the year. She showed us all her tricks and ran into a few friends. It was a good day.

Day 320

14" deadlift with chains

135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 5
500 x 5

Yep, that was it. Perfect workout.

Then went for a walk with the family and took the giant Bassador, Gracie.

Day 319

I took the kids while a very tired wife took a nap.  We went outside and played, Rebekah swam in her heated pool (the hot tub) and the baby sat in my lap and slept. Mommy got plenty of sleep and it was good for everybody.

Now if I could just get the dad gum ivy and vines in the back yard to die... I sprayed them with round up and brush killer, but looking at them today they just look sick, but not dead....

Paging Harvey Updyke.... :-)

Day 318

Strict Log Press with 1 set of chains

empty x 10
add chains x 5
135 + chains x 3 x 8 (trying to move weight fast...  didn't move it as fast as I wanted)

Close grip Bench lockouts (used fatgripz on these)
135 x 10
185 x 8
225 x 5,5 (left tricep felt funny/burning... stopped here)

Band pushdowns x 3 sets of as many

band bicep rehab work.


I realized halfway through the log presses that I hadn't done my extensive shoulder warm-up and rotator cuff exercises, I think if I had gotten my shoulders going I could have gotten more speed on the log.

Day 317

Wiped out from work and yesterday's squats. Whew...  Spent the afternoon being super dad on top of that.

Watched the Toomer's Oaks get cut down on the live webcam, so that was a real mood lifter (not)


I'm blessed though, good lesson on priorities.

Day 316

I knew today would be a long day back at work, but onward and upward...

Squat
Bar x 5
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 3
365 x 1
405 x 1
425 x 1
445 x 1
455 x 1(boom shakalaka, take that sickness, I'm proud of this lift, I've never been too good a squatter)

17" box squat w/ chains narrow stance high bar
315 x 3 x 4

Standing calf raise
275 x 15 x 3

Day 315

Skipped church and hung out around the house.  Worn out, also my last day before I head back to work.  I feel like a kid about to go back for the first day of school.

ugh. 

Day 314

No training today, still recovering, but here is today's highlights.

The morning started early at Storybook Farm, watching my oldest ride her pony, Corduroy. Many thanks to that great ministry and the joy they have brought to Rebekah. She got a blue ribbon for her good riding and I don't know that I've ever seen a child be so proud of anything in their life.

Rebekah and Corduroy

Then breakfast at Cracker Barrel.

Then it was back home and a trip to campus to walk around and enjoy the Auburn A-Day atmosphere, boy was it crowded.

Me and the Girls at The Auburn Arena 

I skipped the game and came home and took a nap. Then we all got ready and went up to Toomer's Corner for the last roll...

You know, it was great, we sent those landmark trees out with a bang. I freely want to admit to you that it breaks my heart a little.  My granddaddy Cleland stood by those trees and hitchhiked from school back home. I've spent many a night there myself in celebration.

I'm pretty sad that it had to end at the hands of Harvey Updyke, and I'll tell you that I don't really enjoy college football as much as I did before this whole tree poisoning thing happened. I look at it through a different lens now.  It's value is greatly diminished... Maybe that's a good thing.

One thing is for sure. You can count your life as a monumental failure if  let it be defined only by your allegiance to a sports team... Just look at Mr. Updyke...

But if your like me and your heart is a little heavy, or your sad, or you've been knocked down a few times... I suggest that on the next sunny Saturday afternoon you grab a roll of toilet paper, meet up with your family, and celebrate the memories of a life well lived. It may just prove to be good medicine for body and soul, and it may help brings things into focus, and lend a little joyful perspective on the trials of life... Oh, and wear a smile... Nothing bugs a rival team more than if you smile... :-)

War Eagle.

Day 313

Got up, drank coffee... It wasn't enough, still feel trashed.

Cooked a little breakfast and we sat in the house and did a few chores while it rained.

I had given thought to trying to train, but honestly, I'm just going to rest up and recover and get going the first of next week. Got a busy weekend ahead any way.

Good Lord my throat is still hurting...

Day 312

Took care of the kids, went to lunch with the wife, took a nap, tried to do a few chores and then stopped kidding myself and went to the doctor.... 'cause I'm sick, real sick.

I was supposed to deadlift today, but we'll see tomorrow. 

Day 311

Feel like crap, this would happen during my paternity leave...

Tried to do a few chores and get a nap...

Did I mention that I feel like crap?

Day 310

Throat sore, aches all over... Story of my life...

Log Press
empty x 5
155 x 3
205 x 1
225 x 1
245 x 1
265 x 1 (this was pretty good seeing as how I feel trashed, this will be a conservative training max, should I need one for reference)

seated overhead barbell lockouts
bar x 3
135 x 3
185 x 1
205 x 1
225 x 1
235 x 1

Band lat pulldowns x 4 sets

Sled triceps x 4 trips

Day 309

Starting to get sick... great.

Squat bar x 5
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 12

front squat 275 x 1,1,1

band leg curls x 3 sets

standing calf raise 275 x 10 x 3

Day 308

Today was Orphan Sunday at our church, I shared a brief testimony in one of the Sunday School classes and we had several other things going on as well. It was a good day... I also took a nap. 

Day 307

Today I spent the day with my wife, we went to Babies R Us, the mall and The Cheesecake factory all in an effort to burn time before the big finale. To finish off the night we went to the airport to great our friends arriving from China with their new little girl, you can check out their blog here.

What a blessing.

Day 306

Left out for Hotlanta with my sweetie.  Went to see Needtobreathe in concert.  It was loud.  I mean real loud. But it was a great night. 

Day 305

Abs are sore from yesterday's overhead workout... That's how you know you did it right.

17"deadlift rack pull
135 x5
225 x 2
315 x 1,1
405 x 1
495 x 1
585 x 1
620 x 1
Given that I was pretty sore from yesterday's press a thon and worn down from a long night with the baby, I was pleased with these, my weight selection was spot on, 620 was just enough, but not too much

Kb swings 70lb x 10 x 4
Wrist roller 6 sets (3 sets both directions)
Gripper x 5 x 2
Various curls and light bicep stuff

Day 304

Log Clean and Strict press for reps
empty x 10
155 x 3
185 x 9,8 (strict as they come, just went until I stopped)

Zydrunas Presses off pins w/ chains added

115 x 5
135 x 5
165 x 4 (tried for 5, but just didn't have it)

Dumbbell pullovers (can't do pullups still, this is straight out of the 1997 toolbox)
110 x 3 (too heavy)
80 x 10 x 3

Chain tricep extension
3 sets to exhaustion

Day 303

It's bad ya'll when some walking lunges can make your legs feel like jello.

Went with the wife for the baby's 1 month checkup. All is well and she is gaining weight nicely.

 Other than that I didn't do anything today except hang around the house.

Day 302

Speed squat w chains
Bar x 5,5
135 x 3,3
235 x 2 x 8

Walking lunges ( put my 20lb axle on my back for balance)
3 sets of ~10 each leg, I am my own training implement with these

Calf raise 285 x 10 x 3

Band leg curls x 3 sets

Nap x til my wife was mad

Day 301

Took a trip to the Zoo to celebrate Gotcha Day. It was a beautiful day, had a picnic by the zoo playground, rode the train, and saw all kinds of animals.

Day 300

3 years ago today, my first daughter became ours in Astrakhan', Russia. Happy gotcha day, sweetheart.

We went and ate lunch at our favorite Chinese Restaurant and then ran a few shopping errands around town, had a big nap this afternoon.

Great day with family.

Day 299

Last day of work for two weeks. Glad to be off and spend some time with my girls.

No training today, just hanging out, had a great supper, going to bed.

Day 298

12" speed deadlift w/ chains
Worked up to 335 x 2 x 6

These felt great, wore my new belt, felt very fresh and fast

DB rows 110lb x 6 x 5

Day 297

Long day at work, stayed a touch late. I'm going to be taking two weeks off starting next week, I'm working as hard getting ready to leave as I would have if I just worked it (maybe not..)

Anyway, there you go.

Day 296

Shoulder warming up / stretching with bands

Close grip bench press
135 x 10
185 x 10
225 x 8,8,5,3 (varying grip)

band pulldown
green x 15 x 3

empty bar curls x 30
lots of band rehab exercises on bicep

single arm Chain tricep ext x 3 sets
Band tricep ext x 3 sets

Day 295

DELOAD WEEK!

Not that I have much to de-load from, but still.

Snatch
bar x a bunch

Lots of warming up of shoulders

Overhead squats x bar x ?
Snatch + overhead squats x 3 rounds

clean and push jerk
185 x 3 jerks x 3 rounds

clean and front squat 185 x 3 x 3

barbell Calf raise 245 x 15 x 3
Arch back good morning 135 x 10 x 3

bicep and tricep sled pulling x 4 trips each