Ben becomes a Marine

[Phaedrus49er]

Strength I, Workout B-3

Warm-up - CP2:
--hip crossover (Alwyn calls it "lower-body Russian twist"), 5 reps each side
--scorpion twist, 5 reps each side
--lateral lunge, 5 reps each leg
--crossover lunge, 5 reps each leg
--sumo squat-to-stand, 5 reps

Work:

SUPERSET
--bent-over BB row (6/1/6/1/10-12, 311, 180RI) - 6 @ 115lbs, 1 @ 145lbs, 6 @ 125lbs, 1 @ 165lbs*, 12 @ 115lbs
--BB bench press (6/1/6/1/10-12, 311, 180RI) - 6 @ 145lbs, 1 @ 185lbs, 6 @ 165lbs, 1 @ 205lbs, 12 @ 145lbs

SUPERSET
--close-grip lat pulldown (2x6-8, 311, 120RI) - 6 @ BW, 6 @ BW
--DB shoulder press (2x6-8, 311, 120RI)** - 8 @ 45s, 8 @ 45s

lower-body Russian twist (2x10, 101, 90RI) - 10 @ BW, 10 @ BW

* denotes 2 three-quarter reps (got pissed at not completing the first attempt but just couldn't tap my torso at the top with this load, but my form was awesome)
** denotes neutral grip (will repeat in next week's workout as well; had been using pronated grip)



Notes:
--My back continues to improve. No pain today, just some very minor discomfort that I mostly ignored and therefore upped my bookend loads a tad. The workout-ending hip crossovers had my back popping pretty good, but that's just from residual muscle tightness (biological protection of the injured area). I'm very nearly at 100% strength-wise, and my regular SMR work should continue to facilitate quicker recovery. No issues with scorpions today, either. Every now and then when standing from being seated for awhile, it takes me a couple steps to get fully upright
--I could probably increase my 1RM bench press load, but I'll likely keep it at its current level since there's such a discrepancy between my horizontal push and pull numbers right now.
--I can't decide if I like my gym for the scenery or hate it for the sad entertainment (read: watching trainers continue to put clients at high risk for injury, if they come back at all from the unnecessary beating they're taking). I do now know that Mondays suck, and I'm not there on the second-worst day (Wednesdays). The other three days of the work week seem to be void of too much assholiness. I could've sworn Monday, Wednesday, and Friday were National Mirror Muscle Days. Maybe it's just Mondays now.
--Being the cynical pessimist that I am (or is that pessimistic cynic), I'm waiting for something bad to happen. In the past twenty-four hours: my best friend informed me that she's moving back here this spring, the Essentials stuff actually started to click after getting through the terminology, and my boss floated the possibility of paying me an all-cash equivalent to the cash-and-housing deal I have now, meaning I could realistically start looking for a house.
--I just had a "holy shit" moment in looking down at my shoulders. Is that size and definition I'm beginning to see? (This from someone with an extensive history of shoulder issues, meaning subpar development and subsequently small arms relative to body type.)

[Phaedrus49er]

Today (and likely tomorrow and the next day) is Biomechanics Day(s). I just have to accept that the minutiae of neuromuscular physiology will require several revisits, mainly for terminology, but now--NOW--we're getting into physics. I'm home

[Phaedrus49er]

Regeneration day:

Work:
--2 rounds of front/left/right planks, 30sec each, 60RI btwn rounds

SMR work (10 reps each)
--foam roller - back, glutes
--Stick - hamstrings, calves, quads (inner, outer), IT band, chest
--tennis balls - spine

Stretching (Core Performance protocol using rope for assistance)
--calves, 15sec each
--hamstrings, 15sec each
--adductors, 15sec each
--IT band, 15sec each
--quads, 15sec each
--triceps, 15sec each
--up-and-over chest stretch, 10reps
--side-lying internal shoulder rotation, 15sec each
--90/90 core twist, 15sec each
--quadruped rocking, 10reps



Notes:
--Nothing much, just read through the biomechanics chapter (and understood it). Feeling a little better about all this material, but I'm still not going to claim to be officially studying for awhile. I need to see if I can keep up the pace and understanding for awhile first.
--Tomorrow will be the first major test on my back since last week's debacle. It feels a LOT better today, just some negligible discomfort, so I should be able to match my pulls from last week if not improve on them.

[Phaedrus49er]

I posted this information elsewhere in a slightly out-of-the-way place but thought it was relevant here as well:

For those of you (like me) wondering about when the CSCS exam will change due to the new textbook (now said to be coming out in July 2008), I just got an email from the NSCA saying the changes will not go into effect until July 2009:

So, you/I can focus on the second edition until next summer; of course, the third edition does update some information:

Voila.

I guess this means no more wait-and-see with these studies--I can go ahead and make it official that I'm prepping for the exam, albeit with no set deadline as of yet. I want to get through the whole book first, assess my weaknesses and how long it might take to bring them up to par, then schedule an exam date.

[Mahler]

Ben,
The workouts are looking solid. Glad to hear the back problems are improving.

[RedLefty]

Is "quadruped rocking" when a bunch of four-legged animals attend a Godsmack concert?

[Phaedrus49er]

Originally Posted by Mahler

Ben,
The workouts are looking solid. Glad to hear the back problems are improving.

Thanks, John. Today's workout was another step forward (to be posted after this one).

Originally Posted by RedLefty

Is "quadruped rocking" when a bunch of four-legged animals attend a Godsmack concert?

I'm not sure about Godsmack. Maybe Bruce Springsteen? Godsmack seems a little more primal to me.

[Phaedrus49er]

Strength I, Workout C-3

Warm-up - CP1:
--forearm-to-instep lunge with rockback heel stretch, 5 reps each leg
--backward lunge with twist, 5 reps each leg
--calf stretch, 10 reps (2sec hold)
--forward inchworm, 5 reps
--inverted hamstring touches, 5 reps each leg

Work:
--deadlift (6/1/6/1/10-12/15-20, 311, 180RI) - 6 @ 205lbs, 1 @ 245lbs, 6 @ 225lbs, 1 @ 275lbs, 12 @ 135lbs, 15 @ 95lbs

SUPERSET
--Romanian deadlift (3x8-10, 311, 0RI) - 10 @ 95lbs, 10 @ 95lbs, 10 @ 95lbs
--static lunge (3x8-10ea, 311, 90RI) - 10 @ BW, 10 @ BW, 10 @ BW

SUPERSET
--good morning (2x10, 222, 0RI) - 10 @ BW, 10 @ BW
--reverse crunch variant (2x10, 222, 90RI) - 10 @ BW, 10 @ BW (on flat bench today)



Notes:
--*clears throat*.................. BOO-YAH!
--To elaborate, I was a little concerned this morning after some odd spinal pain overnight while lying on my stomach (as if my lower spine was more lordotic than it should've been, which it wasn't). Once I got up for the day, it was fine but still a little nagging in the back of my mind. Apparently, all is well in Lumbar Land: as sad as it is, the 275lb pull is a PR Uncle Pukie and his son Cousin Fainty almost made a visit after that set, despite taking an extra 30-45 seconds' rest beforehand.
--On a related note, it seems that as the loads have increased, I've had to settle my center-of-gravity a little farther back, so my shins look like they had a bad encounter with a cheese grater today. The looks from the Smith-machine types at the lines of blood were priceless I did have the decency to (a) sop up what I could with paper towels and (b) make a show of using Purell after each blotting. I didn't find any remnants on the bar itself, so no worries there; plus, I'm clean (pending anything I might've picked up from the bar itself).
--The second set of RDLs caused some severe low-back muscular fatigue, which I can only assume is a consequence of prolonged tension in that area following the spinal tweak (and likely loosened up through SMR yesterday, which might also explain the overnight pain). However, it might've been that I was overextending my ROM at the bottom of the eccentric phase, so I shortened up a tad for the third set and had no problems.
--I forgot the first 90RI in the second superset today. Oh well.

[RedLefty]

Belly sleeping. No good.

[Phaedrus49er]

Originally Posted by RedLefty

Belly sleeping. No good.

I know, I know. I've tried to break that habit, but I just can't stay comfortable there. I usually end up on my back during the night, but I can't start out that way usually.

[RedLefty]

I finally gave in and got a Posturpedic contour pillow last month. It's so high and curved that you really can only sleep on your back or side.

One night I ended up on my belly for a while and could barely move the next morning. A few hours of hyperextension caused a surprising amount of pain! Haven't been on my belly again since, and I used to be a bigtime belly sleeper.

p.s. -- It's a good thing your shins don't have chlamydia.

[Phaedrus49er]

I don't know that I'm quite ready for the pillow switch. I do have a pretty firm mattress, which is why I don't stay on my stomach (or side) for long. It's just the starting out part that gets me. Now, the couch is another issue altogether

[Phaedrus49er]

Strength I, Workout D-3

Warm-up - CP2:
--hip crossover (Alwyn calls it "lower-body Russian twist"), 5 reps each side
--scorpion twist, 5 reps each side
--lateral lunge, 5 reps each leg
--crossover lunge, 5 reps each leg
--sumo squat-to-stand, 5 reps

Work:

SUPERSET
--chin-ups (6/1/6/1/10-12, 311, 180RI) - 6 @ BW, 1 @ BW+45lbs, 5 @ BW+20lbs, 1 @ BW+50lbs, 8 @ BW
--BB shoulder press (6/1/6/1/10-12, 311, 180RI) - 6 @ 115lbs, 1 @ 135lbs, 6 @ 120lbs, 1 @ 145lbs, 12 @ 95lbs

SUPERSET
--wide-grip seated cable row (2x6-8, 311, 120RI) - 10 @ 180, 10 @ 200
--DB bench press (2x6-8, 311, 120RI) - 8 @ 50s, 8 @ 50s

lower-body Russian twist (2x10, 101, 90RI) - 10 @ BW, 10 @ BW



Notes:
--If I didn't already note this, the cable rows are on a double-pulley machine, so I'm not too excited about the numbers for that exercise.
--I managed the 1RM shoulder presses without any push-press help, which was nice.
--My low back is sore today, but it's all muscular and not spinal, which I'll take any day.
--Two eye-rollers today: 1) the guy "curling" in the squat rack... with 135lbs (who followed that up with mega-quarter-squats... in the Smith machine), and 2) one of several women--only women--who love to set the treadmill at the steepest incline and then lean back while holding onto the front--making their bodies perpendicular to the treadmill, not the ground, which would mean *gasp* knee flexion --and walking.
--One week left until completion of this phase and a week off in DC

[K-Court]

Nice numbers, Ben. The 311 tempo is tough and I find if you're true to it your "usual" numbers go down. The chins and shoulder presses in particular are noteworthy. Good going.

[Phaedrus49er]

DAMMIT! I need to be studying this textbook, but a copy of Athletic Body in Balance arrived today. Decisions, decisions...

And thanks, Rob