Tuesday Bench Support

Situps
Hipswings
Shoulder complex

Flat bench 6 second eccentric, explosive eccentric comp grip
2 x ?? x bar
?? x 135
6 x 3 x 165
These were kinda cool. Really helped in a consistant bar placement/groove. Found that my head started to come up on the descent. Interesting. It didn't affect the press at all.

1 arm Grappler presses
5 x 45# ea arm
5 x 70#
3 x 5 x 95#

Close grip inclines
5 x 135
5 x 185
2 x 5 x 205
Left anterior delt tweeked on the last set. It seems to be ok this AM

Suspended Push Ups
10 x bwt
10 x bwt + mini
2 x 10 x bwt + 2 minis

15 min on bike on manual easy setting

BWT 252 post workout.

Left knee real sore from Monday. Probably shouldn't have gone up to the 810 on the leg press. Quads are sore as well but that's a good soreness.

I was an ass last night @ home. Got into a fight with Lisa and I can't recall why. I upset both Dan and Lisa. I think I might have had some good points but totally got lost in my poor communication. I have apologized to both.

Gotta go do something productive.

BWT 253 this AM This plateau is a stubborn one.

Maranatha

God Bless!

Monday Afternoon

It was nice to get in to the gym early because of the holiday.

Shoulder complex
Hip swings
Situps

Band assisted pull ups
5 x green band
5 x 5 x purple band

Leg press 45 degree sled
10 x 180#
10 x 360
8 x 540
5 x 720
5 x 810

Standing band abs
12 x greeen band
3 x 12 x green + mini

Easybar curls standing
8 x 90#
5 x 100#
3 x 8 x 100#

Bike 45 minutes on random
Bwt post workout 250

Nice workout. Left knee is a bit grumpy this (Tues ) AM. Got real sore last night but the ibuprofen helped. bwt 252# this am. Had a bit too much of the Memorial Day bbque. Ah well a guy needs to live ocasionally (?) right? I'm not losing # but I am still leaning out which is a positive. Pant size is down to a 38". That's down aprox 6". Feels good. I don't think I even want to try on any of my bench shirts. They will all fit like pajama tops I'm certain.

I heard 8 soldiers got killed yesterday. Sobering stuff. I don't know how many get the broader scope of this whole deal. When counting the Iraqi deaths, civilian vs military what does the insurgent uniform look like? What does the al Qaeda uniform look like? Can you tell the difference between an Iranian insurgent and an Iraqi farmer?

There was a poll done in Iraq of Iraqi's that say that the Iraqi locals believe that 70% + of all Iraqi deaths can be attributed to Sunni vs Shia or insurgents. Of the remaining deaths, how many were insurgents and how many were true civilians? This brings the # way down folks. Don't forget your ability to discern when you hear someone spouting facts they don't really know or understand.

Don't get me started on the WMD's. They are there, they were there. Ask my kid who is over there. He has been involved in findinf Scuds with chemical warheads on launch pads. Why doesn't the press report this? What do they have to lose? Perhaps they were wrong in calling the President a liar in this regard.

Ah well enough raising of the blood pressure this early in the week.

More later ya'll

Maranatha

God Bless!

Sat & Sunday

Sat ME Bench @ the Van Winkle Gold's
1st time for me @ this venue. Mike C was there with Jeff A and new guy Sean Draper.

Shoulder complex
Hip swings
Situps

Stump Presses hanging on 2 minis per side wide grip
2 x ?? x bar
?? x 135
5 x 135 + 50# hanging = 185#
5 x 135 + 100# hanging = 235#
2 x 5 x 145 + 100# hanging = 245#
These changed the dynamic of Stump Presses a lot. Not only did the plates swing, they bounced.

Med grip 4 board
4 x 3 x 315
These went well. Not at first but i think I found my stroke on the 4th set. I need to take the bar low on my last rib and press toward my feet. It is important for me to grip the bar on the heel of my palm and keep my knuckles up. The last set actually felt like I had some command of the bar. I haven't felt that in a while.

1 arm bridging DB presses
The setup is on the end of a bench with just shoulders, neck and head on the bench. 1 db at a time and pressed with one hand.
5 x 5 x 50# ea side
5 x 5 x 65# ea side
5 x 5 x 75# ea side
5 x 5 x 85# ea side
This movement is real interesting. You have to keep your body real tight in a more unilateral manner. Normal bench set up is more a back to front tightness but this setup makes you stay very tight side to side or else you can tip over. Also this works the glute on the pressing side real hard. I'm going to do these again. I saw thes on elitefts.com. If you haven't been to this site you are missing out. Great info and great products.

CS Rows
5 x 90#
3 x 5 x 135#

Widowmakers: one armed db swing to a snatch then press. Sean hadn't done these so I introduced him. I'm betting he's sore today.
5 x 40 ea side
5 x 55 ea side
5 x 65 ea side

40 minutes on bike on random

Later that day was Mike's farewell bbque. I had hoped for more people but it was a good time with the turnout we had. Mike is a good workout partner and a great guy. He will be missed.

250# post workout


Sunday
40 min eliptical 20 front 20 back.

I was just trying to get loose from Sat. Holy crap did those bridge and widowmakers jack with my anterior hip insertions. Jack in a good way. I don't know if I've ever been sore in those spots quite like this. Still real sore this am.

250# post workout

Monday AM 251#

Ward's mood seems to be real good these days. the pics he sends seem real up beat. September is not that far away.

It's obvious to me that God is working in the world and specificlly in our family. I can't quite put my finger on anything specific but it's sort of like a spiritual wind is blowing and it's hard to see what will be affected next. I just no that I need to be paying attention so that as God propmpts that I can be ready to move and serve. Times are going to get very weird and tough (worse than now) in the next few years. People ignore the fact that God our creator knows us and has given us the best plan for our long term peace and contentment. We keep thinking that we know more with our limited vision than the Creator of the universe. We are very short sighted creatures.

Gotta go. Dishes to wash.

Matrantha

God Bless!

Weds May 23

Different schedule this week. Traveled to AZ for biz and the rest of the week is full so I did a quick combo workout.

Situps
Hipswings
Shoulder complex

Bench Illegal wide grip
2 x ?? x Bar Not an official fat bar but it is a thicker handle for sure
?? x 135
6 x 3 x 165 1st rep ea set had a 6 count pause, 2nd had a 3 count pause and the 3rd had a 1 count pause. I tried to get off of the bottom as explosively as I could for each rep.

DL's
5 x 135
5 x 225
5 x 275
2 x 315
1 x 365
1 x 385

Overhead cable rope extensions
A bunch
Rope push downs
A bunch

seated cable easy preacher curls
4 x 8 x ??

DB alternate curls
4 x 8 ea x ??

40 min cardio bike on random

Ok workout. The pause thing could prove to be interesting. I read about this and the author did a 3 week wave on DE day of different types of paused reps. I'm nt certain what will happen next week but I'm looking forward to seeing what this does after a couple of cycles.

Weight has plateaued again not gaining but not losing either. I guess with the travel etc I should be happy with staying even.

Ward made it back to Ramadii. I talked with him on myspace a little earlier. He seems to be doing better. He says he thinks he has only one more sliver of metal left in his forehead.

4 months till he's home for good. Pray that he stays safe.

Lots of drama and trauma in the world. Pray for God's peace.

Maranatha

God Bless!

Thurs & Sat

Thurs
Situps
Shoulder Complex

Bent GM's
2 x 5 x bar
5 x 95
5 x 135
5 x 185
5 x 225
5 x 275
5 x 315 These were pretty ugly. Bar wanted to roll forward a lot

1 arm db row
5 x 100 ea
3 x 5 x 220

Standing ez curl
8 x 85
3 x 8 x 95

Weighted stability leg lifts
3 x 8 x 20

Started shooting the breeze and didn't do cardio. Bwt this AM was 249#

Sat ME Bench
Sit ups
Shoulder complex

Flat bench with the most bent bar I could find for a deeper ROM
2 x ?? x bar
1 x?? x 135
Stump Presses
3 x 135 + 50# hanging = 185 Bent bar caused weights to hit ground had to adjust
5 x 135 + 50
4 x 5 x 135 + 100# hanging = 235# Slow and steady with a slight pause

Push downs
5 x 200
4 x 5 x 250

Lateral Raises
4 x 8 x 40's

Shot the breeze

Cardio
Bike 45 minutes on random

Bwt Fri 250, today 249

It's been great having Ward home. He leaves early Sat to go back and finish his tour. Great guy. I wish everyone could meet him.

Maranatha

God Bless

Tuesday Stuff

Situps
Hip swings
Shoulder complex

DE Bench w/illegal wide
4 x 3 x 155
5 x 3 x 165

Hang clean to press
5 x 95
5 x 115
5 x 135
3 x 145
3 x 155
2 x 3 x 165

DB French Curl
8 x 80
2 x 8 x 90

Eliptical
15 back + 15 forward = 30 minutes

Tuesday BWT AM 250#
Wed BWT AM 249#

7# to the new weight class. I haven't been that light in over 14 years. My knees are soooooo happy. My strength is in the toilet but my pants fit lots better.

Home is a very interesting place right now. Not bad but lots of upheaval nonetheless. Not certain between Mom and the cubs who are growing up how the family all fits together. I'm probably not the first guy to feel somewhat out of the loop at this point in the family's life but I know I am seriously clueless. Praying a lot lately for clarity of vision for my role in the family. Weird times. The gym is truly a sanctuary. Too bad the Sat crew has morphed away from the early days 4 years ago. It's still good but the loss of some of the original guys has taken it's toll.

Need to get back to work.

Maranatha

God Bless!

Monday Cardio

BIke 45 min on random. HR up to 123.

BWT Monday AM 251. Tuesday AM 250.

Ward came into work today to see where I work. We both helped Skip put together a court he is sending to Aruba. Skip the took us to lunch where Ward loosened up and started telling his war stories. That is always a good time.

I was supposed to go to PHX to work on a fix for a game court problem but circumstances dictated that the trip be postponed for a week.

Work to do.

Maranatha

God Bless!

Sat and Sunday

Sat ME Bench, Kind of

Hipswings
situps
shoulder complex

Flat bench
2 x ?? X bar
10 x 135
5? x 185
5 x 225
3 x 275
3 x 1? x 315 Jeff A touched the bar ea rep about 2-3" off of my chest then it went fine. I'm a weak sissy mental case.

2 x 4 x 315 + 4 boards

4 x 5 x 225 x illegal wide

Push downs

Some x a bunch x ???

Bike x 45 minutes

BWT 250# Sat Before the workout.

Sunday
Eliptical 40 minutes 20 forward and 20 backward
BWT Sunday morning 251#

I was next to worthless off the chest. Weird 'cause that's usually my strength. I ran out of protein this week which could have something to do with it. The weight loss could be working to my detriment 2 ways. The weight loss itself could contribute and I have gotten smaller and my stroke may be as much as 2-3" longer. I will do my DE stuff with Illegal Wides for a while and do rep work on ME day with a bent bar and extra wide grips. I still want to drop another 20 which may take me out of the Sept meet. Health is more important than bench meets.

It's great having Ward around. He seems much more together than the leave on his first tour. God is good. He gets checked out this week for his head. If he gets the ok he will go back next Monday and will be back in September. He's coming to work tomorrow to check on what I do and to go to lunch with a couple of us. Should be fun.

Danielle is going to graduate in about 3 weeks. Weird. It will be the start of another era. I've got mixed emotions. I still get the odd negative or sideways thoughts keep floating around. Brain farts I guess. I'm hoping Lisa and I can communicate better when it's just she and I most of the time. That has me worried. I just need to relax and trust God's planning and His love for us.

Need to get some stuff done before bed.

Maranatha

God Bless!

Thurs

Shoulder complex
Hip swings
Situps

SDL
10 x bar
5 x 115
5 x 165
5 x 215
2 x 5 x 265

Single leg leg press
5 x 180 ea leg - lever machine. Killed knees went to reg sled
5 x 180 " "
2 x 5 x 180 " "
2 x 5 x 270 " "

Bent rows
5 x 135
5 x 165
2 x 5 x 185

Stability ball weighted leg raises
3 x 8 x 10#
8 x 15#

Alt db curls
4 x 6 x 45's


Bike 20 minutes

Good workout. Didn't think I was going to make it in. Didn't go heavy but it went quickly.

The Texas crowd is leaving this AM. Good people. Hard to believe I get along so well with my wife's ex inlaws. God is good.

Having a very good time with Ward being in town. He seems to be acclimating back better than last time.

Not much editorial comment today except for the attached link. I would love to here what ya'll think about it. Funny how we don't hear about this stuff from our press.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1296126090432829344

Maranatha

God Bless

Monday and Tuesday

Started off to the gym on Monday for cardio and realized for the 2nd time in a couple of months I had forgotten to put shorts in my bag. No cardio.

Tuesday

Situps
Shoulder complex
Hip swings

Floor press DE bench
2 x ?? x bar
5 x 135
8 x 3 x 185 various grips

Military press starting off of pins
2 x 5 x bar
5 x 95
3 x 135
3 x 155
3 x 175
3 x 185
1 x 195

Overhead cable extensions with 'A' bar.
5 x 90
5 x 100
3 x 5 x 110 Not all cable set ups are equal, still.

suspended push ups feet on bench
4 x 10

Bike 20 minutes

Decent workout. I am learning how to strain with the military work. I still did not use my back well though. I need to bring the bar down through my lats better.

Ward was supposed to go to lunch with me but canceled because he was shook up about 2 friends (one he had trained) got killed over the weekend. Tough day. I hung out with him to give him someone to talk to.

Ward seems firm in his desire to get back with his crew and finish out his tour. If the army gives him a problem due to medical issues, Ward is prepared to convene a board and request that the decision be overturned. I don't want him to go back but I can't question his Courage or Honor. He is a great kid.

Work to do.

Maranatha

God Bless

Me Bench

Was just Mike Cordova and me. Bitter sweet. He moves to NoCal the first week of June. Great guy. He will be missed.

Situps
Hip swings
Shoulder complex

DB bench
8 x 45's
8 x 75's
5 x 95's
5 x 105's
5 x 115
4 x 115

6" lockouts
5 x 315
5 x 335
3 x 355
1 x 365

Pushdowns
5 x 5 x 250

Pull downs
8 x 160
8 x 170
8 x 180
8 x 190
8 x 200
8 x 210

Lateral raises
4 x 8 x 40's

45 min on treadmill el 2.5 speed 3.7

Bwt before breakfast 252 after workout 251. Good stuff.

Picked up Ward # the airport. Finally. He is good but was hacked at the way his roommate treated his townhouse. They are having a heart to heart as I type. It will work out, I hope.

Good to have him home.

Maranatha

God bless!

Thursday Stuff

Shoulder complex x 2
Situps 3 x 25
Hip swings

Bent Over GM's
2 x 5 x bar
5 x 95
5 x 135
5 x 185
2 x 5 x 225
I didn't go too heavy as I was focusing on my setup on these. Because of tight shoulders I used to set up with the bar just under my C7. Because of the way I have to grip the bar due to bad wrist and tight shoulders, the bar had a tendency to roll/slide over my C7 at the bottom of the GM movement. This had to change.

I pre stretched my shoulders and focused on keeping the bar farther down on my traps. I have a ways to go to be where I want to be but it went ok and was an improvement.

Standing abs with dbl green & mini band
4 x 8

Leg press
5 x 270
5 x 450
5 x 630
2 x 5 x 720
First time in a long time for these. Used a high, narrow foot placement and that worked out well. Knees feel great today. Quads are slightly sore today. Feels good.

Wide neutral grip pull downs to chest
5 x 210
3 x 5 x 225

Bicep isolation machine
some x bunch

15 min bike on manual

Decent workout. I look forward to improving the GM's. In the past, everything went up when those improved. These are harder to do now without the belly I used to have. I used to be able to use my belly as a brake on the way down. I would rather have the flatter stomach in the big picture. I don't have a six pack yet but I do have 2.5 abs working for sure. Hoping for 3 plus in a month...

252# this AM

Ward has contacted his Mom and he says he will be home tomorrow. Good stuff.

More to do.

Maranatha

God Bless!

Wed Cardio

45 min on the bike on random.

Bwt yesterday AM 252#. Post workout 251#. This AM 252#. Doing better.

No word from Ward. Hopefully he will show up tomorrow.

GM's tonight. Going to train lighter and work on stretching my shoulders and keeping the bar lower on my back. Good times.

Looking forward to Sat AM. I think the DB French Curls/Presses are hitting my tris where they need work. Last Sat I was able to grind more reps out where in the past I would have just hit a wall. Small progress but progress nonetheless.

I wish Dave and Mandi would take getting the rest of their crap out of my basement more seriously.

Work calls.

Maranatha

God Bless

Tuesday

Shoulder complex x 2
Situps 3 x 25
Hip swings

Flat bench
2 x ?? x bar
2 x 8 x 135
8 x 3 x 185 varied grips Set up change feet real wide and slightly out front. Didn't feel bad.

Illegal Wide Military
5 x bar
5 x 95
5 x 135
2 x 3 x 165
5 x 155

DB french presses
8 x 75
3 x 8 x 85

Suspended pushups feet on bench
4 x 12
The last set was done with gymnastic rings some guys brought in. Way nicer than metal handles...

Eliptical 10 min back 10 min front = 20 total min

Bwt yesterday 253#, today 252#

Ward is on the road somewhere. Looking forward to having his butt home.

Danielle's b-day is next Monday and she graduates in about a month. God is truly good.

Need to go get stuff done.

Maranatha

God Bless!

Monday in the Cardio Area

It was a Monday. Glad it's Tuesday now.
45 minutes bike on random.

Yesterday AM weight 255#. Tues AM weight 253#. Up and down stuff is old.

Talked to Ward online yesterday. He was not out of Iraq yet but on a base where he should have caught caught a flight and should have hit Kuwait and possibly left there by now. It will be good to have him home for sure. The Texas crowd should be in town by Sunday evening.

Al Qaieda and Iran have been saying that the mideast craziness is really WWIII. How come our press doesn't cover this? Why do they want us to remain divided? At least for a short while we seemed to pull together after 911. Why is that bad? Lots of strangeness out there.

Multitudes of stackages to dive through.

Maranatha

God Bless!