Shredded in the Last Frontier

[BB-archeologist]

1/23/16

Weekly Weigh-in: 198.8 lbs.

Weighed-in at 198.8, which is down another 0.8 lbs. from last week. I was a bit surprised that I lost anything because 1) I did almost no cardio this week, and 2) on Tuesday I took the family out to Seward and we smashed a huge lunch at this amazing seafood joint right on the Alaskan coast, so I will take it given the circumstances. I'm going to keep everything the same nutrition-wise, but I will need to button down on my cardio-game this week to keep moving in the right direction.

Today I am off from the gym, but I'm going to take the kid and dog out for a nice long hike this afternoon. Think we'll go explore the Knik River and see what kind of trouble we can find.

As always, tonight will be my "open window," and the lineup of goodies on the docket includes:

-Pizza and wings from the Great Alaskan Pizza Company
-100 Grand bars left over from last week
-Chocolate Milk
-Americone Dream Ben and Jerry's
-Sour Patch Kids

You can bet your bottom dollar that I will be a happy camper this evening.

[BB-archeologist]

Thanks to a little outside encouragement, I have decided to post a piece I wrote about a year ago discussing "Why Bodybuilding." This is why I do it. If you have a few free moments, it may be worth a read. Perhaps you can relate.

Why Bodybuilding?
By Caine L. Daugherty
February, 2015

Why bodybuilding? I get this inquiry quite often. People hear through the grapevine that I am a competitive bodybuilder and the suppositions start swirling around wildly in their minds. Despite caution against it, most folks still judge a book by its cover so I can see in their eyes the questions being formulated and the inferences they draw. Most instinctively assume that I am just some thick-skulled, narcissistic meathead who prefers spending my time flexing in the mirror and calling people “Bro” all day long. They think that I’m shallow, vain, egotistical, supercilious, uneducated, and ill-informed. One could probably make a strong argument that all of those notions are true to some degree but, as is often the case, the answer to the question of “Why Bodybuilding?” runs far deeper than that. Plus, I am more of a “Dude” man myself, and flexing is really only a tiny fraction of the bodybuilding lifestyle.

Now, I will readily confess that I like being strong, powerful, and even “ripped,” as the kids say. I am not too proud to admit it. I enjoy the finer things in life, like filling out t-shirts, picking up heavy **** and setting it back down, and, yes, even hitting a couple bicep shots in the mirror from time to time. And it is unequivocally true that when you look good – when you feel confident in your own skin – you feel good, too. You carry yourself differently and project a more robust aura onto those you meet. Sure, competitive bodybuilding takes this concept to the extreme, but what else can I say? If feeling this way is wrong then I don’t want to be right. But these relatively superficial side effects really only scratch the surface of the true answer to the loaded question of “Why Bodybuilding?”

First off, the absolute number one reason that I work out consistently and keep myself in peak physical condition lies in the long-term health implications gleaned from a healthy lifestyle. This aspect should be a clear no-brainer. Routine exercise plus a well-balanced diet equals longevity and all-around health. Everyone wants to spend a fortune looking for the fountain of youth, but the secret to living long and feeling young while doing it lies in habitual physical exercise. The human body was meant to move and there is nothing more conducive to improved health than physical fitness and a nutritious palate.

I know that every time I train, I am making an investment not only in my future, but in the future of my family and everyone else I hold dear. People depend on me and I am no good to anyone holed up in hospital bed or chilling in a coffin. Thus, it my responsibility to stick around and remain a somewhat useful human being. The way I look at it, after each workout is in the books, I get that much closer to being able to be around to see my daughter grow up and go off to college, and I am one step closer to being there to walk her down the aisle someday. This fact alone is worth every ounce of time and effort to me.

Plus, when I’m old, retired, and mildly senile, I want to be capable of actually somewhat enjoying my golden years. What is the point of working your ass off your whole life and then dying two weeks after your retirement party? When I officially enter the realm of a crusty old fart, I want to have the physical capacity to go out and do all the things I’ve always dreamed of, instead of simply wasting away and prolonging some extensive slow death. If it means sacrificing some time to go to the gym now to make that happen, in my eyes, it is well-worth the tradeoff. Believe it or not we all have a choice: You can be old, weak, and frail, or you can be old, resilient and strong. Since I have to get old either way, I want to go into my twilight with some meat on my bones, a functional physique, and a little bit of strength to boot. It is my firm belief that building my body now will help me down the line to make the most out of the rotten situation that is aging.

But for me adhering to a fitness-centered, bodybuilding lifestyle goes well beyond just longevity and the ****tic advantages. Rigorous physical exercise is the best way to keep the mind sharp and regulate one’s psychological equilibrium. In other words, training balances me out. If I’m having a rough go of it and things appear bleak, a strong squat session puts everything back into proper perspective. When I’m frustrated and angry, training levels off my aggression. I have a strict rule that whenever I am pissed off and on the verge of laying into someone, I go to the gym and get a brutal session in. If I am somehow still ticked enough to chew someone’s ass after that, I will let them have it. Usually, though, I am able to clear the fog from my brain and see the situation in a new, more reasonable light. I think this strategy has saved many a relationship, along with my reputation as a rationally thinking individual, on more than one occasion. Likewise, when I’m feeling great, things are peachy, and I am loving life, a good workout just adds to my sense of delight. Whatever the situation, I always find that I can think more clearly and competently after a solid hour under the bar, and I can sift more easily through the nonsense of the day.

Additionally, weight training makes you good at doing tough things. Bodybuilding constructs a resilient character that embraces challenges, as opposed to avoiding them. There is nothing easy about sticking to your regimen and continually pushing yourself to new heights. It can be tedious, annoying, and downright frustrating. But guess what? So are a lot of things in life. By setting lofty goals, staying on track, and training with focus and vigor, I am much more capable of achieving everything else I set my mind to. I have found time and again that the same set of characteristics developed under the squat rack carry over to all venues of the game of life.

The iron teaches many life lessons and I have listened closely and taken notes. Determination, drive, persistence, conviction, and brutally hard work – these are the terms I have highlighted from my years and years in the weight room, and I try to make proper use of these words on a daily basis, both inside and out of the gym. I’ve become proficient at recognizing the obstacles lurking in my path and then destroying them. I’ve learned to pay it forward and put on hold my need for immediate gratification. More than anything, though, bodybuilding has taught me how to identify an objective and work tirelessly in its pursuit. These are the most valuable life skills one can hold, and each of them is forged and refined under a loaded barbell.

Aside from the array of health benefits and psychological advantages of bodybuilding, I have a genuine passion for the sport itself. I think the human body is a wonderfully amazing and beautiful machine – when it is properly maintained. We were all born naked and when you take your clothes off and look in the mirror, what you are really seeing is the one and only gift you have been given in life that is truly yours – and it is, without a doubt, a gift. It cannot be purchased, nor can it be stolen from someone less fortunate. It has been honed into the near-perfect specimen you see before you by hundreds of thousands of years of evolution. It has adapted to the stresses of life over the millennia and is built to last. What you do with it is up to you. It is yours and yours alone, and it is the one and only vessel with which you will maneuver about and experience the world.

In a gluttonous society where people are quite literally killing themselves with excess food, lack of movement, and piss-poor lifestyle choices, it is becoming more and more rare to see a well-kempt human machine built for performance. I like to see muscles working, especially when they are lean and sturdy, and nothing exudes power and confidence like a strong muscle performing a strong feat. It is a reminder of what we have been given and the importance of keeping it intact for as long as possible. So many people take their body and their health for granted, while voluntarily abusing the **** out of it until it is all used up. Nothing screams “I don’t value myself” like a frumpy, overweight, under-muscled human body. It show’s you don’t care about yourself, and in all likelihood you don’t care about much else either. I find this upsetting because you cannot un-ring the bell. Once you have destroyed it, it is gone. That’s it. You have taken your gift and shattered on the floor. It is a very disconcerting phenomenon.

That is why when I see lean, well-muscled physique in the 21st century I take notice. It has become an anomaly and it says a whole lot about the person driving the machine. It shows they take pride in who they are and what they do. They are strong, disciplined, and successful individuals, and I would like to be categorized among them.

The reason I go all out and actually sign up for bodybuilding shows is because I love to test myself against the best of the best. I live in a very small rural community and when I look around I see a mass proliferation of the “big fish, small pond” mentality. It is rather easy to be the best at something if you live in a small enough population. But having the balls to go get on an airplane, fly three time zones away, and lock horns with the best in the game truly defines your place in the pecking order. It teaches you who you really are and where you stand in the grand scheme of things. It is a very humbling experience that can do nothing but build character.

[BB-archeologist]

(Continued from above)

Plus, how much can you honestly know about yourself if you have never been pushed to your absolute limit and beyond? You cannot even begin to grasp your own mettle until your back is against the wall with it all on the line. Most people turn and run from such intense situations because they are too weak to take such an honest look at the composition of their poise under fire. They are too afraid to look into the abyss and truly diagnose who they are and the elements from which they are constructed. The challenges are too great and the realities are too harsh. It is a sincerely frightening notion to think that you may not add up when compared to everyone else, and most folks are perfectly content to let this fact remain a mystery. But it is this element of the unknown – this peek over the event horizon into the giant black hole of actuality – that really gets my juices flowing. And this is the main reason I continue to compete and why I work so ****ing hard to be the best.

Unlike some, I absolutely live for the gauntlet of emotions that comes with competing on a grand stage in front of a large audience. The bigger the moment, the more that’s on the line, the better it is. I love the butterflies, the excitement, and the anticipation. I thrive on the sleepless nights and intense visualization of events to come. Some people hate it; can’t stand it even. It makes them nauseous. But for me, it is the most intense high I have ever experienced and the most visceral sensation that I’ve encountered. Just typing about it gets my stomach roiling and sends my adrenaline rushing. And this, my friend, is what it feels like to be alive – to truly live in the moment. To be sincerely present in the here and now, regardless of what has happened before or what comes next.

Competing toe-to-toe in whatever arena reconnects us with our primordial past. For eons humans have been waging war against nature, against predators, and against our fellow man. We’ve marched fearlessly into battle for thousands of years, always knowing full-well that we may not march back out at the end of the day. But we trudged in valiantly anyway. Whenever I enter a contest, I know that the odds of emerging victorious are stacked against me. But I do it because I have to see for myself how I measure up. I have to see where I stand. And it is this warrior’s ethos churning deep in my gut which drives me to prepare each and every day for battle. This is why I get up when the alarm goes off at 3 a.m. and why I continue to push forward when every ounce of my being screams at me to just give up. It is this willingness and ability to keep driving through the pain and to overcome adversity that, I believe, defines who you are and how you will live on.

And that is why I love bodybuilding and why I will continue doing it. As long as the fire keeps burning within, I will keep grinding it out day after day, year after year. I’ve always said that the morning I wake up and I don’t have that competitive inferno raging in my belly – when I don’t enjoy that nervous anxiety swirling in my gut to compete and win – that is the day I will hang ‘em up for good and walk away from it all. And at that moment, I will rest easily knowing I gave it hell and that I left the sport better than I found it. In the end, at least from my perspective, that is what this whole thing is all about.

[TGreggors]

you're one hell of a writer. I enjoyed that

[BB-archeologist]

you're one hell of a writer. I enjoyed that

Thanks, man! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[BB-archeologist]

1/24/16 Arms, Calves

Leg Press Calves
31x1 Plate Per Side
25x1PPS
15x1PPS
15x2PPS
20x3PPS
13x4PPS
10x4PPS
10x2PPS

Seated Calves
20x50
10x50
12x90
8x90
10x90

Tricep Machine
22x60
7x80
10x60
15x40
20x40

Close Grip Bench
25x45
15x95 = Shoulder PAIN

V-Bar Cable Triceps
25x60
15x90
10x120

Bicep Machine
8x80
12x40
10x50
12x30
6x50
13x30

Seated Dumbbell Curls
10x35
10x35
10x35
10x20

Cardio:
Barefoot Sprints on the Football Field - 5x50 yards

Notes: Your run-of-the-mill arm and calf workout, I guess. I was hit by some troubling shoulder pain on close grip bench. It's the one I had surgically repaired a couple years ago so I decided not push my luck. Hit some cable tri's instead. I reconnected with my track and field roots by going outside and running some barefoot sprints. If you've never tried them, not only are they great for cardio but they will light up your calves like none other, especially right after training them in the gym.

We had a big 7.1 earthquake at about 1:30 in the morning last night. No damage but we did have some things fall over and few pictures got knocked off the wall. The trophy case is intact, though, which I guess is all that really matters...

[BB-archeologist]

1/25/16 Bench, Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Bench
45x45
21x45
15x135
5x200 = Shoulder Pain
2x185 = Shoulder Pain

Hammer Strength Chest Press
20x90
20x140
12x180
10x200
6x230
5x250
3x280
12x180
20x90

Incline Flies
10x30
10x30
10x30

Dumbbell Skull Crushers Superset w/ Reverse Dumbbell Flies
15x30 10x30
10x30 10x30
10x30 10x30
10x30 10x30

Straight Bar Cable Triceps Superset w/ Pushups
18x100 16
10x130 10
10x150 10

OHP Machine
10x95
6x95
10x65
15x50
12x50

Notes: Once again, I encountered some shoulder pain while pressing and I didn't like it. Backed off of the barbell and spent my energy on Hammer Strength Chest Press which felt better. Not entirely sure what's going on but I will certainly keep my eye on it and exercise caution. Everything else was good except dodging the droves of idiots that seem to inhabit this particular fitness center. Too many egos, not enough hard work. I may have a solution the problem but need a few more things to fall in place first. Stay tuned...

[NaturalPursuit]

Sucks about the shoulder pain.

Have you tried beginning with a fly variation to help increase neurological stimulation, mmc, and bloodflow?

[BB-archeologist]

Sucks about the shoulder pain.

Have you tried beginning with a fly variation to help increase neurological stimulation, mmc, and bloodflow?

Thanks, man, I appreciate the suggestion. I have not tried that yet, but it may be a technique that comes into play during the next push training session on Thursday. It's an old, lingering football injury that I had surgically repaired a few years ago. I still have a slight tear in my labrum and only about half of my bicep tendon remaining. I just have to manage it, be smart about it, and recognize when to back off.

[BB-archeologist]

1/26/16 Deadlift, Pull, Biceps

Conv. Deadlift w/o Belt
10x135
10x225
10x275
10x315
10x340
10x355
10x315

Wide Grip Pull Downs
15x120
10x130
8x140
8x120
10x100

Dumbbell Curls
10x35
10x35
8x35
7x35
7x35

Cardio:
10 min. of Mastering the Stairs = 101 Calories

Notes: The bar was moving today. Deadlifts felt great so decided to add some weight and move up in a pyramid scheme rather than going sets across. Pretty happy with where they are and where they are going.

[BB-archeologist]

1/27/16 Squats, Calves

Squat
20x45
20x45
20x135
20x185
20x185
20x135
20x135

Single Leg Press Calves
20x65
16x65
13x65
10x65
10x65

Seated Calves
25x50
12x90
11x110
8x140
10x90

Nautilus Leg Press Calves
50x200
20x240

Cardio:
11 min. Mastering the Stairs = 107 calories

Notes: Decided to throw in some variety and did 20-rep squats. My lungs gave out well before my legs did.

[BB-archeologist]

1/28/16 Chest, Back Shoulders

Side Lateral Raise Machine
25x35
20x50
15x65
12x80
10x95
20x35

Dumbbell Overhead Press
16x40
11x50
5x60
6x50
10x35
10x35

Hammer Strength Rows Superset w/ Neutral Grip Pull Downs
20x50 16x100
16x90 10x140
10x140 6x140
10x160 6x140
10x160 12x85

Hammer Strength Chest Press
20x90
10x180
6x230
5x230
5x230
21x90
10x90

Incline Dumbbell Bench - Drop Set
6x60 10x45 10x40

Cardio:
12 min. of Mastering the Stairs = 116 Calories

Notes: Pre-exhausted shoulders first, then moved on to back and finished with chest, so basically the reverse order of how I've been doing these sessions. I got a ton of reps in with very little rest and experienced one hell of a pump. I also saw a female lifter deadlifting 225 for reps with picture-perfect technique. It was awesome to see!

[BB-archeologist]

Upcoming Events:

A few significant developments have come about recently and I am very excited about them:

1. I will be judging the Alaska State Bodybuilding, Figure, Fitness, and Physique Championships in April. This will be my first time as a judge, but I am honored to have been asked. Talk about coming full-circle. Two short years ago I won this show, now I'll be on the opposite side of the table.

2. We sealed the deal on a house and will be moving in at the end of February. It's a nice spread out in the country with some land, a pasture, and a greenhouse, along with some amazing views of the Chugach Mountains. The best part: A large garage that will be transformed into a home-gym. I'm going to begin investing in some slightly used equipment and, hopefully, within the next six months it will be so-long commercial fitness center and all associated nonsense. The idiocracy/douchebaggery has been driving me crazy lately.

3. My buddy has asked me to come along for his black bear hunt this spring down on the Kenai Peninsula. This is an opportunity of a lifetime. Rich people from the lower 48 pay upward of $20,000 to come to Alaska and harvest a bear, but I'll get to tag along for free. I'll be doing mostly grunt work, like packing gear into camp and packing meat back out, but it will be well worth the effort. Plus, it'll be a week camped out in the backcountry, away from civilization and the hustle and bustle of everyday life. I think he might make it worth my while by compensating me with a share of the harvest. Like I always say, "Will work for meat!!"

[Kise92]

Do you pre exhaust shoulders to get more contact with your chest? and congrats on a new house and everything. Sounds nice

[BB-archeologist]

Do you pre exhaust shoulders to get more contact with your chest? and congrats on a new house and everything. Sounds nice

Well, this is actually a technique that I'm going to try over the next few weeks. I've had a fairly significant shoulder injury and it tends to get re-aggravated when I do a lot of pressing over an extended period of time. It seems like when I get a lot of blood moving into my delts first, it works to stabilize the joint and keeps some of the inflammation at bay. The key, though, is not to roast shoulders so much that it detracts from the subsequent chest/pressing work. This was actually something suggested to me by NaturalPursuit. The guy knows his stuff...oh, and he is a legit manimal.

Thanks for the congrats on the house. It has been a long time coming.

[BB-archeologist]

1/29/16 Quads, Hams, Traps

Barbell Shrugs
30x45
20x135
20x225
12x315
10x365
10x365
10x365
10x365
10x365

Single Leg Press
20xEmpty
15x1 Plate Per Side
12x1 PPS
10x1 PPS
10X1 PPS

Leg Extensions w/ 3 second+ pause at the top
18x90
10x105
10x120
10x120
10x90

Lying Leg Curls
15x90
10x100
10x110
10x90
10x70

Notes: The old legs were already wrecked from 20-reps squats on Wednesday, which made this session especially brutal. The plan was to go much heavier on single leg press, but just the empty sled alone about left me piled up on the floor. The quads were certainly burning. The curls and extensions effectively finished the job of annihilation. Walking should be delightful for the next few days.

Shrugs were on point once again. Really digging the high volume work. I think there is a lot to be said about just holding a heavy barbell in your hands for an extended period of time.

[Kise92]

Well, this is actually a technique that I'm going to try over the next few weeks. I've had a fairly significant shoulder injury and it tends to get re-aggravated when I do a lot of pressing over an extended period of time. It seems like when I get a lot of blood moving into my delts first, it works to stabilize the joint and keeps some of the inflammation at bay. The key, though, is not to roast shoulders so much that it detracts from the subsequent chest/pressing work. This was actually something suggested to me by NaturalPursuit. The guy knows his stuff...oh, and he is a legit manimal.

Thanks for the congrats on the house. It has been a long time coming.

Nice, thank you for a good answer. Yes, NaturalPursuit knows alot and is really nice sharing alot of knowledge.

[BB-archeologist]

1/30/16

Weekly Weigh-in: 197.8

Weighed in at 197.8 lbs., which is down another pound from last week. Still right on track with 16 to lose in 18 weeks. Strength is still moving up, while the scale is moving down, which I consider an ideal spot to be at this point in the game.

Today is a much-needed recovery day away from the gym but, per the usual, I'll be going out for a hike this afternoon. After that, I plan on smashing some serious calories.

This will be the final week of my hypertrophy/bodybuilding phase. Next Sunday will mark the transition to a strength-based approach, which I will run February through sometime in April. More details to come.

[BB-archeologist]

1/31/16 Arms, Calves

Seated Calves
30x50
20x50
15x90
12x110
10x140
12x90

Hammer Strength Calf Machine
70x90
20x90
25x180
12x270
15x360
12x360
30x90

Incline Dumbbell Curls
30x20
8x35
20x17.5
7x30
15x15

Barbell Curls
12x50
10x60
10x60
10x40

EZ Bar American Press/Close Grip
15/30x35
8/18x55
6/8x65

Rope Cable Triceps
15x50
8x60
6x70
10x40
15x20
10x20

Seated Dip Machine
28x80
15x120
10x140

Forearms
Various Wrist Curls X A Lot

Cardio:
Hiking for 1.5 hours = A Lot of Calories

Notes: I went for a nice long hike this morning in an area called Palmer Hayflats Wildlife Refuge, which was awesome. Fresh air, sunshine, and some good exercise. I really, really didn't feel like going to the gym after that, but I sucked it up an went anyway. Ended up being a pretty good training session. Extremely fast-paced with tons of blood flow. I can tell I am starting to get leaner because my vascularity is really starting to pop. I'm kind of excited to see where it ends up here in a few months.

Below is a photo of the excursion.



IMAG0038[1].jpg

[BB-archeologist]

2/1/16 Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Giant Set - Dumbbell Bench/Reverse Flies/Dumbbell Skull Crushers
16x65/10x30/10x30
12x70/12x30/10x30
10x75/10x30/7x30
9x75/10x30/6x30
8x75/10x30/5x30

Lateral Raise Machine
20x65
15x65
12x80
10x95
10x95

Cable Flies
20x50
10x70
6x80
4x90

Straight Bar Cable Triceps
35x40
10x65
10x70
8x75

Seated Dumbbell Front Raises
8x40
6x30
5x30

Hammer Strength Chest Press
12x140
12x140
10x140

Notes: A whole heck of a lot of volume today. I started out with a giant set of dumbbell bench, reverse flies, and skull crushers and was pretty much wiped after that. Finished strong, though.

After work, I went to the doctor and got an epidural nerve block injection into my L5-S1, which I ruptured back in 2011. This is the third time I've had it done and each of the previous shots lasted for about 2 years. I only get them when my sciatica gets really bad, which it has been for the last couple of months. The injection hurts like a bastard for the first few days, then the relief sets in. I'll probably take it easy tomorrow, then start to build back up on Wednesday.

[BB-archeologist]

2/2/16 Off/Rest/Recovery

I woke up with my alarm at 2:30 a.m. to go train, but there was that little voice in my head saying, "Caine, you ****ing idiot, you just had a large gauge needle shoved directly into your spine 11 hours ago, don't go to gym!" And what do you know, I actually listened.

Decided to make it a rest day and I am glad that I did. It was kind of a rough one. The epidural injection adds fluid into the tiny space between the vertebrae and the disk, and for the first couple days the additional pressure really pushes on the nerve. The result is increased radiculopathy in the form of sciatica down the outside of your leg. It usually clears up after two or three days, so we'll see how it goes tomorrow.

The plan is to go in and at least do something productive.

[BB-archeologist]

2/3/16 Quads, Hams, Calves

Leg Press
65xEmpty
50x1 Plate Per Side
30x2PPS
30x2PPS
20x2PPS

Nautilus Leg Press Calves
50x180
30x220
18x260
12x300
10x360
10x400
10x480

Seated Calves
30x50
12x90
10x140
12x90
20x50

Lying Leg Curls
40x30
20x50
12x70
10x90
20x50

Dumbbell Reverse Lunges
10x40
6x55
5x65
4x75

Cardio:
13 minutes total
4 min. HIIT
9 min. LISS
Calories = 137

Notes: The entire thing was average at best. Still had some soreness from the shot, though markedly improved from yesterday. Tomorrow is another day.

[BB-archeologist]

2/4/16 Back, Biceps

Ultra-Wide Neutral Grip Cable Rows Superset w/ Wide Grip Pull Downs
20x100 18x100
20x120 12x110
10x140 120x120
10x150 8x120

Hammer Strength High Rows
12x90
6x140
4x190
10x90

Lawn Mowers
10x55
8x75

Good Mornings
10x45
10x95

Cable Curls
20x60
12x80
10x100
8x120

Zottman Curls
10x30
10x25
10x22.5
10x20

Hammer Curls
5x55
6x40
5x40

Cardio:
18 Min. Total
4 Min. HIIT
10 Min. LISS
Calories = 162

Notes: Killin' it, Bro! This was a great training session. I found a new cable attachment that I've never used before. It had a neutral grip but it was much wider than any I'd ever seen. It really lit up the rhomboids from a new angle, and with it supersetted with pull downs, my back was on fire. Arm work went well also. Finally felt like myself again for the first time in a while.

I did an extra couple minutes of cardio because part-way through the song "Moby Dick" by Led Zeppelin came on. As a general rule in life, you never, ever bail on Jon Bonham's drum solo, which might just be the most phenomenal one in human history, so I just kept on going.

[BB-archeologist]

2/5/16 Quads, Hams, Traps

Leg Press Superset w/ Goblet Squats
50x1PPS 10x65
30x2PPS 10x80
15x3PPS 10x80
15x4PPS 10x80
10x5PPS 10x80

Leg Extensions
22x90
10x120
10x135
7x150
18x75

Lying Leg Curls
20x70
20x80
12x90
10x90
15x70

Dumbbell Shrugs
10x100
10x100
10x100
10x100
10x100
10x100

Notes: Another good one in the books.

[Kise92]

2/4/16 Back, Biceps

Notes: Killin' it, Bro! This was a great training session. I found a new cable attachment that I've never used before. It had a neutral grip but it was much wider than any I'd ever seen. It really lit up the rhomboids from a new angle, and with it supersetted with pull downs, my back was on fire. Arm work went well also. Finally felt like myself again for the first time in a while.

I did an extra couple minutes of cardio because part-way through the song "Moby Dick" by Led Zeppelin came on. As a general rule in life, you never, ever bail on Jon Bonham's drum solo, which might just be the most phenomenal one in human history, so I just kept on going.

This^Nice to hear you are feeling well! Keep it up mate.

[BB-archeologist]

This^Nice to hear you are feeling well! Keep it up mate.

Thanks, buddy! Things are on the up and up so we'll just keep rolling along.

[BB-archeologist]

2/6/16

Weekly Weigh-in: 198.0

Weighed in at 198 on the nose this morning, which is actually up 0.2 lbs. from last week. A slight increase was expected for two primary reasons:

1) Cardio: I actually need to do it. I will admit that I've been slacking, mainly because I would rather scrub toilets at a rest stop than spend time on a treadmill. I hate it and I really have to force myself to do it when I get done lifting. I'm also going to try to get back out on the track a day or two a week to run some sprints. Deep down, I'm still a sprinter at heart and I do miss it.

2) The pain injection I got this week had a blend of corticosteroids (gasp!! he said steroids), which causes you to retain more water than normal.

Changes are in order nonetheless. It's actually good timing because tomorrow I will be starting my next training phase, which will be geared more toward strength-building. The weekly layout will be different, along with the set and rep scheme. I'm going to add another recovery day to the mix as well since I will be starting to work with significantly heavier weights than I've used for the past 9 weeks.

Today I'm off from training, but I'm going to be heading into Anchorage to pick up my Power Rack for the home gym. I feel like it is Christmas morning all over again. I might go ahead and buy a bar and some plates as well. The gal from Play-it-Again Sports has my contact info and will be calling me whenever they get more used Olympic plates in. I told her I'd need "A Lot" of them.

Per the usual, I will be doing my Open Window this evening. I might do some lasagna in the slow cooker and I've got an entire package of Oreos that I bought last week and never opened. They've been laughing at me every time I open the cupboard, so I'll need to remedy that situation. Sour gummy worms always tend to make their way onto the menu as well.

[BB-archeologist]

2/9/16 Deadlifts, Calves

Conv. Deadlift w/o Belt
10x135
10x225
10x315
10x365
10x365
10x365
10x315

Notes: As I was putting away the plates after deadlifting, I got stopped by the old guy/former competitor who proceeded to lecture me in detail about the many and varied injustices in modern day bodybuilding judging criteria. While it was a provocative discourse, it prevented me from finishing my workout. No worries, though. I will just hit calves later in the week.

I did pull 365 for 3 sets of 10, which was a PR, mainly because I've never tried it before. My back felt good both during and after the workout, which I deem a definite plus.

[BB-archeologist]

2/10/16 Bench, Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Bench
30x45
25x45
10x135
5x185
5x185
5x185
5x185
5x185
5x185

Incline Dumbbell Bench
20x40
12x55
6x70
12x40
7x60

Press Superset w/ Side Raises
18x45 10x25
8x95 10x25
8x95 10x25

Notes: For the second day in a row, the old dude stopped me between sets and would not quit rambling on and on and on. What's worse is that it was quite literally the exact same conversation we had yesterday. So, for the second day in a row, I didn't get to finish my workout. Not cool. I get that he's a nice guy and respects me enough to want to talk bodybuilding, but it's like, "Dude, I only have so much time to do what I need to do. I have to be at work in 25 minutes. Wrap it up, man." But then that probably makes me a jerk. Going to wear a ball cap pulled low tomorrow so hopefully I can at least get my squats in without interruption.

Finishing the home gym can't come soon enough...

[BB-archeologist]

2/11/16 Squat, Calves

Squats
15x45
15x45
10x135
10x185
5x225
5x255
5x275
5x275
5x275
5x275
5x275

Standing Calf Machine - Occluded
30xEmpty
15x70
15x120
12x160
8x210
3x210
12x160
20x70
15xEmpty

Nautilus Leg Press Calves
20x480
15x480
12x500

Cardio:
15 min. Treadmill
4 min. HIIT
11 min. LISS
Calories = 156

Notes: First time with a bar on my back since I got the shot in my spine. Squats went well, though. I've switched to 5x5 working sets across, starting with 275. I'll bump up 10 lbs. next week and keep riding the wave. For calves, I found that if I roll up my knee sleeves just below the knee, it has virtually the same occlusive effect as using wraps. Gastrocs were effectively wrecked.