a_welch503 WORKOUT JOURNAL

[.V.]

09-10-2005

Shoulders
Mil Press.......110x3x4
Upright Row.....120x3x6
DB Mil Press.....45x3x6
Shrug...........260x3x4

Cardio - Spent most of the day cutting/carrying firewood and throwing it in a big pile. Didn't split and stack yet. The pile from today is 12'Lx10'Wx6'H. Then I pulled my brush piles apart and cut two truckloads of little stuff for kindling - anything from 1-2" in diameter. Now all that is left is to cut up the tree trunk 40' long and 4' in diameter. I'm tired. Got to go shopping for protein suppliments tonight since tomorrow I have to work. It's only a 30 mile drive to wal-mart.

Diet
M1.....Proten bar
M2.....Protein bar, dextrose, creatine preworkout feeding
M3.....Protein bar, dextrose, creatine postworkout feeding
M4.....Chicken breast with salad

The rest of the day will be either chicken breast or tuna with salad. Two more whole food meals planned.

If I get to do cardio, I will feed it with repeats of M2 and M3. Possibly repeat M4 if I can hold that much food.

I would have preferred to have not had so many protein bars, but I was too lazy to go to the store last night, chose to sleep early instead.

Comments
Overestimated my abilities on mil press and shrug. Could only get 3x4 on each with the weight I chose. I could have gotten more on the shrugs, but my grip just couldn't hold out. I'm not counting the two sloppy reps on each set where I was struggling with the grip.

[.V.]

Today I'm at work. No lifting (except for sick people). I wouldn't have the motivation to workout today anyway. Today would have been my baby sister's 26th birthday - if she hadn't been murdered 5/31/05.

Dear Andy,

You lost a sister here on earth but gained an angel in Heaven. I cannot begin to understand the depth of your pain from the loss of your sister, but I can offer my prayers for the soul of your sister, and for you and your family.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

[.V.]

Perinni, thank you you are always kind with your words. I don't speak latin so may the peace of the Lord be with you always too.

[.V.]

09-12-2005

CDL.....260x1x6
..........260x1x2

That is all.

First back day after a break. About like usual. Went too heavy, putting the bar down after the 2nd rep and something wasn't right - muscle spasms in the low back. Stopped to prevent a real injury.

Oddly enough, warmup and acclimation went great. The first set was perfect, weights going up quick and smooth. Actually felt good - a very nice change. Same on the second set until putting the bar down after the second rep. I actually though that perhaps I had gone too light it was going so easy. I guess I rounded a little on the way down - right before the floor, didn't bend my knees enough, I don't know exactly.

Spent some time lying in the floor until I could get up. Then made it into the house. I'm starting to feel better already so I'm sure nothing more than a little muscle pain is wrong. Still sucks though - having the perfect back day then it all ends suddenly. If I'm better tomorrow (completely), I'll try again. If not, just continue with my regular schedule of chest tomorrow and do the back next week.

[.V.]

Went to the chiro today. Able to stand up straight now. Feels quite a bit better, but still not able to get around very well. Bought the bike today. Got a Roadmaster 18 speed. Can't ride it though, back hurts too much.

Had a problem with the derailer adjustment on the front. Called the customer service and learned that the Schwinn, Mongoose, and Roadmaster are the same bike. That was good news. I'm sure that the expensive ones at the bike store are better quality though.

Darn color blindness. I thought I got matching helmet and bike. Then when I got home found out the bike was red and blue. The helmet is red and black. Oh well, now my kids have something to laugh at.

[.V.]

09-13-2005

Nothing today. I'm going to go for a bike ride this evening after the girl scout meeting.

Doc told me not to do any lifting in the gym for at least a week. Don't want to let a painful muscle turn into a real injury - can't afford a herniated disk. Apparently bike riding is OK though. As long as I don't downshift while going uphill while having to push hard on the pedals. I learned that this morning. Ouch.

[.V.]

Why didn't someone tell me that riding a bike was harder than running. I only got 2 miles. It was easier on the back, but my legs are totally killed now.

I hope tomorrow is easier - I did put air in the tires after riding. They call for 60 PSI and I only had 10 in when I rode.

[Klinger]

Originally Posted by a_welch503

Why didn't someone tell me that riding a bike was harder than running. I only got 2 miles. It was easier on the back, but my legs are totally killed now.

Heh. Yeah, biking is easy -- when you're going downhill. It's the uphill parts where you earn your fitness. Don't worry; your body will get used to it after a couple more jaunts.

[.V.]

I didn't even get any hills. The really mild ones that are almost flat were tough. The big one that I spent over a year getting able to run up both sides - I didn't even try.

Ha - "I'll just jump on my bike and ride to where I do my walking and running at" - remember that? It'll be a little bit before I can do that. And my little 9 year old can make the big hills on a regular one speed bike.

[.V.]

09-14-2005

Chest
Flat Bench..........150x3x4
Incline Bench......130x2x4
Decline Bench.....140x2x4

Abs - physically unable to do any crunching movments today. Hurts the low back too much.

Same for the PL setup on the bench. I'm doing lower weights lying flat on the bench and concentrating on squeezing the chest - acutally pushing with the pecs instead of traps and lats so much. Wow, my chest is already sore. Easier on the low back too.

Diet today

M1.....eggs, tenderloin
M2.....preworkout protien, creatine, shakes
M3.....post workout protein, creatine, dextrose shakes
M4.....tuna on salad 30 minutes post workout.

The rest of the day will be chicken breast and salad and tuna and salad.

If I'm able to get out for cardio, it will be pre and post feedings just like for lifting.

I've learned one thing lately - and it's been a hard lesson. Even though my CNS seems to thrive on the pounding it gets from working out - it is only to a point - then it just gives up. Between the workouts to my maximum ability and the MS, I've really gone downhill lately. The cut had been going well, gaining a bit of muscle (or at least strength) and losing the fat pretty quickly. Then I just hit a wall. The time off - almost 10 days, not eating enough during that time off, then getting hurt which means even more time off is really taking a toll. I've lost strength. My wife said I'm looking ethiopian again. A quick check with the scale and tape measure yesterday told me I'm at 6%BF (still looks like 10-20% to me) and 177 lb. That means 166 lb LBM and 11 lb FBM. I did lose muscle dammit. I think I've lost all my gains I made over the last 5 and 1/2 months. From now on I'm taking a SHORT break every 8 weeks whether I need it or not. That way I can take 4 or 5 days instead of getting closer to two weeks and maybe recover better, quicker, and not lose anything.

I'm going to go ahead and try to get the rest of the fat off between now and the 25th of this month. Then I've got all winter to work on eating more and getting bigger & stronger.

[maverick]

Sounds like you need an ego boost. Now where are those before and after pics...

[.V.]

I threw the ego out the window. It can work against me. Just being realistic. Overdid it, ended up losing my progress. I'll get it back. Now I've just got to be smarter from now on - no more working through the pain - rest when I need it. That way I don't do this to myself again. Third pic is due in 11 days.

On a happy note - cardio - 5 mile bike ride. Riding is still harder than running and walking. I had no clue. Kind of funny - today on that hill which I can run all the way up the steep side and the long side both - my little one passed me giggling all the way to the top as I struggled to ride up it. Today was her first ride on a 6 speed mountain bike instead of just a regular bike. Mine is an 18 speed and I was having to use the easiest gear to make it. At the top, she was like, "whew - that's a lot of fast peddling but sure is easy using all those gears".

[.V.]

09-15-2005

Back is so much better today. Not 100% yet though. Follow up with the doc today - she was worried about blood pressure and stuff on the new medication. Doing all right BP 95/65. Resting heart rate 60.

I had hoped to at least work abs today - but was told not to. Too much strain on the lower back.

An employee brought in a blood pressure measuring machine to work today and I tested mine, which I had not done in a long time. My reading was 121/74. My last recorded reading was on 8/22/03 when I had a physical and it was 116/70.

Is that your normal reading? Are you taking any meds that would effect your BP reading? Numbers sound amazing to me, but I'm not an expert in interpreting.

Out of coincidence, I checked my resting pulse rate this morning and it was 50 bpm. I thought it could have been lower with all the running I've been doing. It's been as low as 44 bpm in the past.

So maybe it's time for a physical to get some blood work to see where I am in the other areas like cholesterol, tryglycerides, and blood sugar.