Machine gun

Good check up yesterday in Boston.  Highest blood numbers since transplant.  Dr says, "We hesitate to say perfect, but you're doing very well."  I am likewise cautious, hesitating.  But feeling very good. Back in a month.  McCready says he can do 100 push ups and 4 minutes of mountain climbers.  I think he should submit video.

Shotgun

particle or wave?

I have the goods on the stretch bands.  NB: these are ballpark weight/tensions.  Gonna say the error margin is +/— ten pounds.  Resistance grows as the band gets longer, there is a good bit of resistance variation in the age of the band, manufacturer etc.  Not to mention our instrument was a bathroom scale from Target. And there's always the observer effect.  I quickly realized this is a calculus (if not quantum) question.  I barely got out of trig alive and my brother is the physicist who no longer follows the blog.  So, if you find these to be off, well then they're off.  Im just trying to help.  Henceforth I will assume these are rough estimates of the resistance in American pounds. Even if it is a big fudge.  The world is not perfect.  Sometimes you put your shoe on and it has a rock in it.  If someone learns more and/or better about this, please tell us.  Consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise plan.

It's helpful to know the (a) tension value of a given band b/c on dynamic days the program calls for a certain percentage of straight weight and a certain value of "accommodating resistance"--weight that gets heavier in the easier (top) part of the movement.  Bands and chains do this very well.  Assume a 5ft length of 5/8in chain weighs 20lbs, about a pound a link.  If you have different chain, put it on the scale.  Make a note of the number, divide by # of links so you know many links to leave on the ground if you desire less than the poundage in an entire length.  Assume bands give you the values I list below. And always remember that you're usually using two bands (one a side) so you have to double the value.  If you fold the band for length or fit, of course, now thats Two bands to fight against. And those two will usually be at the higher end of the range b/c the band is already engaged, so to speak.

Left to right.  Orange, the so-called "mini band": 15-20lbs.  Black: "monster mini" 1/2in, 20-40lbs.  Purple 3/4in 30-50 lbs. [7/8in bands are common, they come in all colors, they go about 35-55lbs] Red 1in 40-70. Small blue: 1 and 1/8in, 45-80lbs.  Big blue: 1 and 3/4 in, 50-120lbs.
  
obviously, you want to pay more attention to width than color.  Colors are very often concomitant with these weights but they are in no way universal.  Spend enough time with them and you will know them by feel.  Don't get too hung up on what is essentially an immeasurable value.  Call it close enough and train.  What's most important anyway is speed, moving the bar with power.  If you're getting stuck, you have too much band or chain.  Hope this helps.  Your thoughts always welcome.

Housekeeping:  Day 120.  Feeling great, training hard.  Thom McGuane has a sweet story in Sept 10 NEW YORKER.  Today: 100 thrusters at #55 in 8:58.  Huge jump for me.  Followed it up with a good bit of ab work--hollow holds, bosu ball crunches. (yes. bosu ball and crunches and hammer curls oh my)  I sense that our collective blog enthusiasm is waning, or maybe im projecting.  Anybody had it yet?  happy (more or less) to continue but not in an echo chamber. I already have a workout log.  Very happy to have the no-posters along.  Very happy.  maybe just a "hey" once a month just so we/I know who's still out there.  If it's just cope and CIP and me posting as my wife, I'd rather send a group email.  Please advise.

Have you heard about the midnight rambler, the one you never seen before?

To be stupid, selfish and healthy are the three requirements of happiness, though if stupidity is lacking, all is lost.  —Flaubert.

Why don't we do it on the floor?

Max floor press.  Set up a low rack.  Take some time to get used to the movement if it's new.  Expect the floor to halt your elbows and make the press awkward and difficult.  Stay in control on the way down and push with all you got on the way up.  Try some knees up, some knees down.  I think you'll find knees down is tougher--reminding you to use your feet when you're on the bench.  Got up to 180.  Use this (your) number for percentages on speed days.

Assistance work:  dumbbell presses, Tate's presses, rolling tri extensions, handstand holds

100 abmat situps soles together.

Conditioning:  we dont need no stinking conditioning.  Tomorrow (I hope).

You need only 90 sec of the vid, but the other 3min won't waste your time. Im proud to say I learned the floor press in THAT VERY cage.  Ashamed to say with how much less weight.  Some strong cats there in Columbus.  Check out the drifter mid clip stretching nothing but the band itself.  Hey, um, what are you DOING?  Funnier thing is dudes suchlike float around the place pretty much all the time from what I could tell.  Skinny as all get out, no telling what their stories are, just hanging out at West Side, weeds in the garden.

hope you're getting stronger.

back to the top

Today begins a new 3-week wave for anyone following me in the West Side conjugate training.  The squat variation you do today will be the basis for percentages on dynamic days for the next three weeks.  I suggest something different and challenging.  Get 2KBs and affix them to the bar.  Warm up.  When you get the hang of it, start adding weight for singles till you get caught in a 30 second grinder, or get pinned.  I topped out at 175 which is well above my reg back squat couple weeks ago.  Incontrovertible progress, slow though it is.

JW at the gym invented a new demon assistance lift:  Deficit, sumo, banded KB deads.  If your back is flat, you shouldnt have any trouble finding your hamstrings. 10x3.  OH lunge steps and reverse hyper or back extensions will leave you worked.  Get your abs with 3 sets of 10-15 GHD sit ups and then do 100 unweighted, straight leg good mornings.

If you have anything left, 150 wall balls for conditioning.  Let us know how it goes.

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talkin' 'bout you and me

  McCready will want to skip this one.

'65 Galaxie

  Dropped Wyatt, Agnes and Adeline at school yesterday and turned for the gym.  Somewhere on Rt. 30, scan-function radio landed on GAMES PEOPLE PLAY, song I don't believe I'd heard since the early 70's.  BLAMMO.  The nostalgia, memory ambush, auld lang syne--none of these seem equal to what hijacked me--transport, let's call it, was so powerful I considered pulling over.  The name Nixon on everyone's lips, parents' red Ford, the view out my bedroom at 333 Winthrop, a Lock Haven University Eagles jersey #34.  My aunt's green VW Bug. Whew.  I had to look at my pants to make sure they weren't still plaid sansabelt.  White belt?

As the song faded out, DJ said Joe South (the singer/songwriter) was dead.  I've become, too soon,  a compulsive obituary watcher and I more or less took this news in stride. We're all gonna die some day.  BUT the vividness of the memories South's voice induced became some kind of visitation.  I kept teasing it all day long like a loose tooth and ended up doing a little googling.  The artist Lissie has a cover of the song that my head knows is actually better than the original, but my heart melts for South's marble-mouth, authentic-sad delivery.  I get the sense that his comparatively less emotive version may be a result of his actually feeling the song more or even too much and needing to keep a leash on it, lest it get away from him. Whereas Lissie's talent just clears the decks.  Wildly speculative, but that's what I hear.  Yeah, this is 500 words titularly about B-grade pop, but the melody is damn near irresistible.  South is probably a poor man's John Stewart, and I'm okay with that.  South also did that corny one about the boondocks.  Spent some time there too.  I now own the single, call me and I'll play it over the phone for you.

Trout Run, PA

So then earlier tonight I get the song, both versions, on the computer and play them over and over and give myself a case of the goose bumps each time.  The back yard on Winthrop, first time eating a green onion from the garden.  Plumber neighbor melting lead in his garage.  Birdie and I were in a wreck in the '65 Galaxie on the Market Street bridge, pre seatbelt (truly, the sansabelt) era, have a scar to prove it.  'Course I played the song(s) for the kids.  The jaded second grader acknowledged the melody but really not enough drum or guitar for him. And, like, what games is he talking about?  My two cuddle doves loved the Lissie cover and as the living room darkened with evening they kinda swayed and whirled around the living room repeat after repeat stopping now and again to peck me on the cheek and remind me to shave.  Not much older than I the first time I remember hearing the song and I got all wigged out again.  Hope you are haunted by a good memory.

Dynamic presses today.  9 triples on the bench.  6 singles standing.
Assistance:  Standing KB presses, rolling tri extensions on a foam roller, sled rows
Conditioning:  12-9-6-3  1.5p KB/CTB pulls/clapping push ups
100 bandy pull ups
3x10 GHD sits

This post almost went a different direction, which I hint at here for your edification:

Got back?

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two cheers for me

Dynamic front squats today.  10 doubles.  70# + one chain.  maybe a little slow.  If you're stuck on speed day you're too heavy.  6 X 1 sumo deads.  #95 + singled thin band.  JW and I did some quick scale work today and I think we established that a thin band is 30lbs at the top.  The thicker red or purple band (depending on your supplier) is 60lbs.  Give or take.  Crude measurement to say the least.  But I think it's close enough for exercise.  I intend to test the rest of the bands.  Will report.

Assistance work:  pistols (scaled), GH raises, Reverse-hypers.

Conditioning:  tabata squats, min rest, tabata sumos @ 115.  Had 15 in the bag for the squats which would have been thrilling but I blew up in the last two cycles: 11.  BOOO.  Sumos were awful.  In the middle I totally quit on myself and posted a 4.  FOUR!  The rest were 7 and above.  HISSS

Power wheel is an ab contraption, contraction also.  I use my brother's.  He used to post here once in a while.

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This is Fish Camp

Hello Trout Runland.  Two TV's.  Kegs o' Beer.  Campers, tents, and lots of glory days.  Grills hot enough to burn your chicken in the time it takes to do one loop on the four wheeler.  It's true Scott Francis needs to exercise.  We all need to.  I'm sorta scared by what the man could dead or clean if he got serious, but I'd still like to see it.  We're talking about a kid who at 17 stood in one end zone and threw a softball in to the other end zone.  On the fly.  It rolled out the back.  Im pretty sure he could snatch body weight.  if he had a little less body weight.  but just a little.  Did I mention the four wheelers?  And a guitar player and plenty of trees to water.  Fish Camp.

Went for a max push press today.  145.  Might have worked too hard a lower weights.  No matter.  good training.  And I got two more at 135.  Assistance work was all gymnastic:  weighted pulls, reg dips,  reg pushes.  And then the party started.  100 #25 dumbbell thrusters.  If that doesn't tell you what, you'll never know.  14 min and some seconds.  I have this idea that the quickest way to complete recovery is through:  a long line of action, mid-line stabilization and scorched lungs.  I'm trying to build conditioning around those.  Easy to dream up, hard to do.  Oh and I took the powerwheel for a walk too.  100 steps.

Seriously, get a Thera Cane.  Make your life better.
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Guten Morgen

Find 3RM wide-stance, bent leg good morning.  155.  We were hindered a bit by our setup:  Partner deadlifts bar to your back, then you have an anderson squat just to get in postion.  Might have done more in the gym or just a squat stand even.  Eh, constantly varied.  Assistance:  one legged KB deadlifts, lunge steps, quad loaded step ups on to the retaining wall (the one behind me, not pictured).  Conditioning: Honda Fit + driver push, 80yd x 3.  Three max tuck holds from the stud pull up bar. (so named for location, not user)

Workers of the world unite.  You have nothing to lose but your chains.
The only antidote to mental suffering is physical pain.
--Uncle Karl.


Happy Labor Day comrades. (111)