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Always Be Smashing

Been another inconsistent week around these parts. On Sunday, after finishing with the basketball hoop, and playing 2 hours of hard-court volleyball, I developed a pretty nasty knot in my upper back. That kept me laid up for a couple days. Fortunately, the upper back loosens up faster than the lower back, so by Wednesday I was ready to get back to work... a little.

11/17 08:00

Daily mobility

More volleyball in the evening. We beat up on a less-skilled team. Nice to do that every so often.

Thursday, did nothing, because neighborhood happy hour + lazy.

11/19 08:00

Daily mobility
32min treadmill run/walk 2.4m

11/19 16:00

WGS sequence
SQT 5x5 205, 225x3, 205#
Push-ups x10, 3x11, x10
OP 5x5 95, 105x3, 95#
Ab wheel x5, 3x6, x5
Assorted-grip pull-ups 12x3
Grip work

Wow, two sessions in one day! Haven't seen that in a while.
 
Back in town after a family vacation to Florida. That was my first time on a plane in the age of COVID. Felt weird, but we all appear to have survived the outing.

Was a good vacation - in addition to a lot of family time, swimming in the pool, drinking and teaching my kids to play Texas Hold'em, I rolled out almost every morning to "Kissimmee Muscle Gym" In Kissimmee, FL (great name for a town) to get in some lifting. The place is very traveler-friendly - if you ever find yourself in the area, I highly recommend it. It's definitely more of a body-builders' gym - lots of guys in there who looked like they might have skipped leg day to work traps and delts again. But they had a lot of good equipment, including some really nice Muay Thai punching bags (which is now on my xmas list) - beat the hell out of going to a hotel gym.

11/21 08:00

WGS sequence
DB snatch 10x5 70#
Burpees 6x3
DB bent press 6x1 70#
Chin-ups 22x1 (1 between each movement)

11/23 08:00

WGS sequence
SQT 5x5 205, 225#x4
Push-ups x10, 4x11
OP 5x5 95, 105#x4
HLR x5, 4x6
Assorted-grip pull-ups 12x3
Mace turns 12x5 15#

11/24 08:00

WGS sequence
KB snatch 20x5 60# (biggest KB they had)
Dips 20x1 (1 between each set of snatches)
Heavy bag 45s x 6

11/25 07:30

63min outdoor jog 4.3m
- ave HR 116, max 126

Later, 3m walk with family. That ended up being a lot of work - I was pretty sore the next day.

11/26 08:00

WGS sequence
SQT 5x5 205, 225#x4
Push-ups x10, 4x11
OP 5x5 95, 105#x4
HLR x5, 4x6
Assorted-grip pull-ups 12x3
Mace turns 12x5 15#

Happy belated Thanksgiving to @offwidth, @LoriLifts and all my other strong brothers and sisters.
 
12/1 07:30

Daily mobility
40min treadmill run/walk 2.9m
- 1W 30E 1W (0.33ST 1W)x6

Volleyball in the evening - several good hits, felt like I was getting out of the sand well.

As I've commented before, my weight is waaay higher than I'd like right now, and I've started tracking what I'm eating again to try to get it under control... but at the same time, I feel like I'm moving and jumping really well lately. No doubt the majority of the extra weight is lard, but I suspect there may also be some beef returning to the old legs from squatting. Which is a good thing for volleyball... maybe not so much for my 10k run time...
 
Skipped training on Tuesday for a volleyball tournament day. It was fun, and I felt like I played pretty well. But one thing really annoys me about tournaments, and it's really mostly about my team.

I am what lots of people would call a pessimist... though I prefer to think of myself as a realist. I have no illusion that my team of 40-50 year old overweight weekend warriors is going to go out and show up the 20-30 year olds who actually take the time to come out and play in a tournament. I go in ready to fight, but expecting to lose. My teammates... well, they tend to find all sorts of stuff to get mad about when they inevitably lose, none of which ever seems to be related to the fact that they're old and doughy.

There is a warrior zen to being a good competitor that so many people do not bother to understand. You always give your best fight, no matter the scenario. But don't curse the gods when you are over-matched. Honor your opponent (and your comrades, for that matter) when you are beaten.

One of the many great disciplines of the iron, I figure. There's no point in getting mad at the kettlebell when you fail to get it over your head.

12/8 17:30

WGS sequence
KB 20x5 32
Chin-ups 20x1
TGU 10x1 32,40,32x3
Heavy bag tabata
 
There is a warrior zen to being a good competitor that so many people do not bother to understand. You always give your best fight, no matter the scenario. But don't curse the gods when you are over-matched. Honor your opponent (and your comrades, for that matter) when you are beaten.
Well said, I'd rather be a thankful pessimist than an angry 'optimist'
 
12/10 08:00

Daily mobility
40min treadmill run/walk 2.9m
- 1W 30E 1W (0.33ST 1W)x6

I really had to talk myself into getting in the run this morning, and I'm not sure why. I actually enjoy it after about 7 minutes in. Have to remember the "do-it-all" training mantra; it doesn't matter how strong you are if your are too winded to be useful when you get there.

12/10 16:45

WGS sequence
SQT 5x5 225, 245, 225#x3
Push-ups x11, x12, 3x11
OP 5x5 105, 115, 105#x3
Ab wheel x6, x7, 3x6
Assorted-grip pull-ups 3x(4,3,3,3)
Grip work

A little bit of self-reflection from today: a big part of my motivation to train comes from growing up always being the strongest person in the room (naturally that depends on what definition of strongest you use...). Now, I've been around enough to know that in reality I am nowhere near any sort of elite level, especially these days. But, among average folks, I've been fortunate enough to have the genetics to be at the top, and the inherent desire to stay there. And, thanks to motivation/pride/stupidity, I want to stay there as long as I can.

Oddly enough, that was one of the fun bits about being at the gym in FL over Thanksgiving; I could pick out a few young bucks there who I know had me beat... but at the same time, I could pick out a few who I know I had beat as well. Stay humble, but dominate when you can.

Y chromosome is some crazy s@#$, isn't it?
 
12/13 17:15

WGS sequence
SQT 5x5 225, 245, 225#x3
Push-ups x11,x12,3x11
OP 5x5 105,115,105#x3
Ab wheel x6,x7,3x6
Assorted grip pull-ups 2x(4,3,3,4)
Grip work

Had to cut pull-ups short due to dad/coach duties. Winter (and basketball) is coming...

Monday's training felt like it might be a good time for a day off. So, on Tuesday all I did was help assemble a squat rack for my wife's work (she's a physical therapist). Encouraging to see that they're introducing more strength work into their therapy.

Wednesday was COVID booster day, so I elected to avoid any overhead work due to the sore shoulder. A small price to pay for invulnerability, as far as I'm concerned.

12/15 18:00

WGS sequence
KB1HS 26x5 40
GSQT 26x1 32
Chop wood & carry water (aka sledgehammer swings and KB farmer carries) x5

EDIT: forgot to add goblet squats

A quick note on pop culture: lately I've been watching "Cowboy Bebop" on Netflix, a live-action adaptation of an anime. I've really been digging it; I've watched the original anime, and I thought it was a great modernization of the concept. And, found out the other day Netflix has already canceled it. Not the first time that's happened to me. Clearly, pop culture and I are not going the same direction.
 
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I love the original, it was always been a one season story though. It’s always risky going live action with a cult classic anime imo.
No doubt. Remakes of anything - anime, movies, old TV shows - come with a lot of baggage and expectations. You have to add something (otherwise why do it) without offending the legacy.
 
12/17 16:00

WGS sequence
SQT 5x5 225,245x2,225#x2
Push-ups x11,2x12,2x11
OP 5x5 105,115x2,105#x2
Ab wheel x6,2x7,2x6
Assorted grip pull-ups 3x(4,3,3,3)
Grip work

12/18 11:00

WGS sequence
KB snatch 20x5 32
Chin-ups 20x1
TGU 10x1 32,40x2,32x2
Heavy bag tabata

Increasing bodyweight continues to be an issue, particularly with weekends now liberally sprinkled with holiday parties. Feeling very strong right now... but, also feeling very heavy.
 
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