The 1 Thing That Will Make You Better at Everything

I heard an interview with Dr. Parsley over at Barbell Shrugged.  You should definitely check out that interview.  Its a bit longer and goes into a lot more detail about how chronic sleep deprivation is killing us.  Check out the Barbell Shrugged interview.

Caloric Intake
1346

Carbohydrate Intake
66

Week 12 Day 1

Military Press
Weight	Reps
95lbs(70%)	3
110lbs(80%)	3
120lbs(90%)	5

Incline DB Press
Weight	Sets	Reps
30lbs	5	15

Dumbbell Row
Weight	Sets	Reps
40lbs	5	10

Ez-Bar Curl
Weight	Sets	Reps
50lbs	3	10

Farmer's Walks
Weight	Sets
70lbs	2

Military Press Workout Max - 135lbs

Caloric Intake
1193

Carbohydrate Intake
83

You Are What You Do

Week 11 Weigh In & Review

Starting Measurements
Weight - 240lbs

Today's Measurements
Weight - 216lbs
Waist - 41"
Neck - 16.5"
Body Fat - 26.5%

Week 11 is in the bag.  Its always a little disappointing when you step on the scale and it didn't drop 2lbs, but I still made some more progress.  Down 1lbs, 1" off my waist and most importantly down 1% body fat. Starting off the week I was sore as hell from the Saturday training.  I was able to get all my training in other than my 2nd hill sprint session because I was traveling last night and my 2nd ab session because my abs were killing me on Friday.  Apparently the decline sit-ups work them more than the hanging leg raises.

I am still experiencing some pain in my lower back.  I am assuming its an injury that just hasn't healed fully.  Its not hurting enough to stop training, so I'll keep going.  We'll reassess that going forward.  I need to make time to get in more mobility work at nights.  I am also hoping to be able to get a pass to the local high school track so I can go and run the stairs there once or twice a week on top of the hill sprints.  One step forward every day.

Week 11 Day 5

Squats
Weight	Reps
120lbs(65%)	5
135lbs(75%)	5
155lbs(85%)	7

Demil Deadlift
Weight	Sets	Reps
115lbs	3	15

Bent Knee BE
Sets	Reps
3	10

Hill Sprints
Sets	Incline	Speed	Time
5	1%	10mph	25sec

Squat Workout Max - 185lbs

Caloric Intake
2062

Carbohydrate Intake
126

Week 11 Day 4

Bench Press
Weight	Reps
120lbs(65%)	5
140lbs(75%)	5
160lbs(85%)	10

DB Military Press
Weight	Sets	Reps
25lbs	5	15

Dips*
Weight	Sets	Reps
160lbs	5	10

Lat Pull Down
Weight	Sets	Reps
80lbs	3	15

Farmer's Walks
Weight	Sets
70lbs	2

Bench Workout Max - 190lbs

Caloric Intake
1703

Carbohydrate Intake
143

*assisted dip machine

Week 11 Day 2

Deadlift
Weight	Reps
95lbs(65%)	5
110lbs(75%)	5
125lbs(85%)	10

Lunges
Weight	Sets	Reps
25lbs	3	10

Hip Bridges
Weight	Sets	Reps
45lbs	3	15

Decline Situps
Sets	Reps
3	15

Hill Sprints
4 Sprints

Deadlift Workout Max - 150lbs

Caloric Intake
1642

Carbohydrate Intake
117

Follow the Advice

Sore as shit from Saturday and since today's planned work was all the shit I did Saturday, I decided to make today my rest day and to do today's planned training tomorrow.

Caloric Intake
2025

Carbohydrate Intake
125

Week 11 Day 1

Military Press
Weight	Reps
85lbs(65%)	5
100lbs(75%)	5
115lbs(85%)	6

Incline DB Press
Weight	Sets	Reps
30lbs	5	15

Dumbbell Row
Weight	Sets	Reps
40lbs	5	10

Military Press Workout Max - 135lbs

Caloric Intake
1699

Carbohydrate Intake
114

Week 10 Weigh In & Review

Starting Measurements
Weight - 240lbs

Today's Measurements
Weight - 217lbs
Waist - 42"
Neck - 17"
Body Fat - 27.5%

Week 9 is over.  A successful de-load week.  I did a little conditioning and two sessions of hill sprints.  Down 3 pounds since last week.  I did pretty well on my diet.  Today I had a personal training session with a trainer from the Sweatt Shop.  I was expecting just to get some pointers on my dead lift and squat forms, which I did, but I also got some pointers on assistance work going forward.  Today I did 3 new exercises, demel deadlifts, bent knee back extensions and barbell hip bridges.  Those are some exercises I will be adding those going forward to replace other exercises.  I am also going to be continuing to do the hill sprints 2-3 times a week.  At least Tuesdays and Friday, also possibly Sundays.  Looking forward to getting back into the gym, although can't say I am looking forward to 5am again.

Week 10 Day 5

Caloric Intake
2176

Carbohydrate Intake
127

Week 10 Day 4

Another day, more hill sprints.  Seeing spots today.  Busting my ass.  Feeling good.  Anyone who says hill sprints aren't a motherfucker is a liar.
Conditioning
Hill Sprints - 5 reps

Caloric Intake
1606

Carbohydrate Intake
103

Eat, Lift & LIVE Like a MAN

Caloric Intake
1586

Carbohydrate Intake
138

Week 10 Day 2

Hill sprints bring out something that you can’t really get in the weight room, something that you really can’t get on the track. All the guys that I know that worked out on a hill, they were a cut above the other competition around the league and they had long careers.
–Mike Singletary

Since I started this I had always planned to sprint hills as part of my conditioning.  Today was the first day on an actual hill.  Its a motherfucker.  I found a hill on the back of Xavier University's campus, and ran up that son of a bitch.  I ran it 5 times, a good start.  By the 5th one I was spent.  Wrapped it up about 25 mins ago, still feeling it. As Walter Payton said, “The hill, if you had to make a name for it, would be either the goal setter or the will maker.”

If you are looking for more info on it, check out Jim Wendler's article on Hill Sprints. "If given a choice, running hill sprints is my preferred method of conditioning. It taxes the lungs, legs, and most importantly, your mind. You get a big enough hill and you’ll grow a big enough pair of balls after a year of running it."

Conditioning
Hill Sprints - 5 reps

Caloric Intake
1322

Carbohydrate Intake
87

Week 10 Day 1

So I decided after a long ass weekend, this would be a good deload week.  Taking the week off from lifting, you to work just on conditioning.  Walking, sprinting, etc.  Get back after it next week.

Caloric Intake
1446

Carbohydrate Intake
111

Week 9 Weigh In & Review

Starting Measurements
Weight - 240lbs
Waist - 47"

Today's Measurements
Weight - 221lbs
Waist - 42.5"
Neck - 17"
Body Fat - 28.4%

So I didn't lose any weight this week which was a bummer, but I am down almost 1% body fat in two weeks which is good.  The training I was supposed to do today was rescheduled to next Saturday by the trainer.  Going to try to squat and deadlift this week anyway.  Getting tired of waiting around.  Need to lock in my diet a little better.  Eat a better breakfast of protein, watch what I am eating at dinner.  I also need to make sure I am getting in my conditioning in.  Thinking about making Saturday mornings  conditioning day.  With the snow gone, might be time to bust out the sled I made. The conditioning might be the little extra I need to kick my fat loss into gear.

Week 9 Day 5

Fear shouldn't tell you not to do something; fear should be your guide showing you where to go, what to try, and what adventure to embark on whenever the opportunity presents itself. Practice with the small things, then move on to the big things. Embrace your fears rather than avoiding them. Walk into the lion’s den, climb the mountain, fight the giant, and face your death with a smile if you want to live life in its truest sense. This is the way of the warrior. This is the way all men should live, with a thirst for danger and adventure and a hunger for fear.
-Chad Howse

Today is an off day. Did some yoga/stretching this morning to combat some soreness from Wednesday and also stretch my back and hips a little bit.  Got a training session tomorrow to work on my form for the deadlift and squat.  Hoping to lock that in and be pain free starting next week so I can get back to work 100%.

Caloric Intake
1033

Carbohydrate Intake
61

Week 9 Day 4

Bench Press
Weight	Reps
135lbs(70%)	3
150lbs(80%)	3
170lbs(90%)	5

DB Military Press
Weight	Sets	Reps
25lbs	5	15

Dips*
Weight	Sets	Reps
160lbs	5	10

Ez Bar Curls
Weight	Sets	Reps
50lbs	3	15

Farmer's Walks
Weight	Sets
70lbs	2

Bench Workout Max - 190lbs

Caloric Intake
2051

Carbohydrate Intake
199

*assisted dip machine

Manliness Was Once Our Greatest Virtue

Whether it’s overtly masculine men like [Teddy Roosevelt] or Jack Donavon, or the Stoic philosophers Seneca and Aurelius, or writers like Mailer and Marden, or contrasting and opposing leaders like Churchill and Gandhi, manliness has always been a virtue with similar characteristics. Never has its meaning been up for much debate. No matter who is speaking of it, manliness has always been self-reliance. It always requires persistence and hard work and toughness and grit. It requires one to act with honor. It is everything good about humanity and men who possess it have developed our modern, free society. Yet now we turn our backs on our most prized virtue?

Love that.  Some people really get bent out of shape about the term "man up."  This article does a great job to talking about what being a man is really about.  We need more men to stand up and be men.  I really like this part as well, "The Holy Bible says, in Corinthians 1 16:33, 'Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.' When manly action and strength are spoken in the same breath they don’t conjure up an image of a physically superior human, rather, a spiritually tougher individual who can persist with a clear mind while others lose theirs and quit."  Good stuff.

"Personally, I hold that a man, who deliberately and intelligently takes a pledge and then breaks it, forfeits his manhood." -Gandhi

Check out the rest of the article, Manliness Was Once Our Greatest Virtue.

Walking (7.3)
Time	Incline	Speed
43 mins	2%	3.6mph

Caloric Intake
0

Carbohydrate Intake
0

Week 9 Day 2

Hack Squat*
Weight	Reps
135lbs(70%)	3
150lbs(80%)	3
165lbs(90%)	9

Lunges
Weight	Sets	Reps
25lbs	3	10

Lat Pull Down
Weight	Sets	Reps
90lbs	5	15

Incline Sprints
Sets	Incline	Speed	Time
5	1.5%	10mph	25sec

Walking
Walked 2 miles //45mins outside with the dog

Squat Workout Max - 185lbs

Caloric Intake
1564

Carbohydrate Intake
141

* Did this exercise today to get some leg work in without straining my back too much, its still bugging me.  Doing squats today instead of Friday and not doing deadlift at all to make sure I am good for my training session Saturday.

Puss Out Tuesday

Woke up feeling like shit.  Didn't prepare my workout the night before.  Million excuses.  Didn't go to the gym today.  Regretted it all fucken day.  Tomorrow is a scheduled off day, I'll be at the gym doing today's work.

Caloric Intake
1990

Carbohydrate Intake
143

Motviation Monday

Post by Derek Weida.

Week 9 Day 1

Military Press
Weight	Reps
95lbs(70%)	3
110lbs(80%)	3
120lbs(90%)	5

Incline DB Press
Weight	Sets	Reps
30lbs	5	15

Dumbbell Row
Weight	Sets	Reps
40lbs	5	10

Dumbbell Curl
Weight	Sets	Reps
20lbs	3	10

Farmer's Walks
Weight	Sets
70lbs	2

Walking
Walked 2 miles //45mins outside with the dog //20lbs carry (Max)

Military Press Workout Max - 135lbs

Caloric Intake
1533

Carbohydrate Intake
127

Prayer, Meditation, Breathing

This is an awesome interview with Mark Divine of SealFit.  The Barbell Shrugged dudes are fucken hilarious.  The part I like the most about this particular interview is the part that start at the 20:35 mark when they go through a "Warrior Breathing" session.  A lot of people often overlook the simple things that can help solve complicated problems.  In the article Why People Who Pray Are Healthier Than Those Who Don't, the did a study that shows that "regular prayer and meditation has been shown in numerous scientific studies to be an important factor in living longer and staying healthy."  You can also check out the article Meditation for Muscle for some of the physical and mental benefits of meditation.

Eat right, train right, and meditate or pray.


Walking
Walked 2 miles //45mins outside with the dog

Week 8 Weigh In & Review

Starting Measurements
Weight - 240lbs

Today's Measurements
Weight - 221lbs

Blood Pressure
139/78

"No man is more unhappy than he who never faces adversity. For he is not permitted to prove himself." -Seneca

Little bummed to not have lost more weight, but I got after it last night so -1 is better than nothing. 

Tweaked my back again, not happy about it.  Going to take this week off from the deadlift and squat exercises and going to see a personal trainer from Sweatt Shop here in Cincinnati to help me lock in my form on those to prevent any injuries going forward.  I am also thinking about adding back another ab and back exercise during the week to improve my core and back strength, which might be a reason these little tweaks keep coming up.

Other than that I can tell I am getting stronger and leaner.  I can feel it when I am working out.  8 weeks ago I was struggling to do 15lbs on the military press for 5x15.  Doing that exercise with 25lbs now.  My clothes are getting pretty loose.  I'm on the last hole on my belt, going to need to add another one soon.  Its a good feeling.  I am also pretty pumped at my commitment to this.  I woke up Thursday feeling like shit so I didn't go work out.  6 months ago, I would have just skipped the day, but I went to the gym and did my training after work.  A testament to my desire and motivation, but also to having a program I am enjoying.

Week 8 Day 5

Walking (6.4)
Time	Incline	Speed
41 mins	2%	3.6mph

Caloric Intake
566

Carbohydrate Intake
56

Week 8 Day 4

Bench Press
Weight	Reps
125lbs(65%)	5
140lbs(75%)	5
160lbs(85%)	9

DB Military Press
Weight	Sets	Reps
25lbs	5	15

Dips*
Weight	Sets	Reps
160lbs	5	10

Ez Bar Curls
Weight	Sets	Reps
50lbs	3	15

Farmer's Walks
Weight	Sets
70lbs	2

Walking (5.3)
Time	Incline	Speed
41 mins	2%	3.5mph

Bench Workout Max - 190lbs

Caloric Intake
1810

Carbohydrate Intake
148

*assisted dip machine

Fight the Way You Need to Fight

Walking (6.2)
Time	Incline	Speed
41 mins	3.5%	3.5mph

Caloric Intake
1387

Carbohydrate Intake
125

Week 8 Day 2

Got up this morning and did my normal yoga/stretch routine.  Felt a little tight in my back since squating last week.  Went to the gym, warmed up a little more for the deadlift.  Put the weight on there and felt some more discomfort.  Not real happy.  I made an appointment with a personal trainer at Sweatt Shop here in Cincinnati to help me hone in on my form to prevent this from happening anymore.  Pissing me off.

My plan going foward til next weekend is keep doing the upper body exercises and the assistance work exercises and hold off on the deadlift and squat to heal up and wait until I get my training session, then pick back up with this cycle.  Fuck.

Caloric Intake
1701

Carbohydrate Intake
155

Week 8 Day 1

Military Press
Weight	Reps
85lbs(65%)	5
100lbs(75%)	5
115lbs(85%)	6

Incline DB Press
Weight	Sets	Reps
30lbs	5	15

Dumbbell Row
Weight	Sets	Reps
40lbs	5	10

Dumbbell Curl
Weight	Sets	Reps
20lbs	3	10

Farmer's Walks
Weight	Sets
70lbs	1

Pushups*
Sets	Reps
8	10

Military Press Workout Max - 135lbs

Caloric Intake
1962

Carbohydrate Intake
116

*Born Fitness Pushup Improvement plan

If You're Fat and Lose Weight, You're Probably Gonna Get Fat Again

"So I came across this article this morning, and I found it quite interesting. 

Fat is Officially Incurable (According to Science) 

If you don't feel like reading it, here is the high level overview.... 

Basically multiple studies showed that only about 2 out of a 1000 people who lost enough weight to get down to what was considered a "healthy weight" (I'm taking some liberties here), actually kept it off.

At first, my bullshit meter wants to go off, and say there is no way that's correct. But then I sat and thought about it for a while. And I realized, that's probably more accurate than I wanted to initially admit."

Pretty interesting read from Lift-Run-Bang.  Check out the rest of the article, If You're Fat and Lose Weight, You're Probably Gonna Get Fat Again.

Walking (6.1)
Time	Incline	Speed
41 mins	2%	3.5mph