04302007

I don’t remember the exact results of my mom’s tests, but the doctor wants her to get checked out again in 6 months, leading one to believe that she’s not too concerned about it. In my dad’s words, it’s “guardingly great news.”

Enough about her, this is MY blog. The sore throat is gone, but there’s still a bit of a nose problem and a slightly swollen lymph node (perhaps of note that I found out about it while trimming the beard), which I’ve discovered is apparently a normal occurrence when the body is fighting an infection.

Good god, I’m prattling on about my body functions like a Jewish grandmother. End transmission NOW.

Sunday, 29 April 2007

Bench:
155 lbs. (plus chains) 7 x 3
185 lbs. (plus chains) 1 x 3

Skullcrushers/Tate press:
35 lb. dumbbells 5 x 8, 15 seconds rest between sets

Seated dumbbell cleans:
25 lb. dumbbells 3 x 7

Rear delt machine:
90 lbs. 2 x 7
90 lbs. 1 x 5

Standing cable row:
150 lbs. 1 x 7
160 lbs. 1 x 6
160 lbs. 1 x 5 (really 4 1/2, but I fought with it so much, I’m counting the extra rep)

Standing cable crunch:
100 lbs. 1 x 10

Standing cable crunch… WITH TWIST:
100 lbs. 1 x 10 each side

Comments: Judging by the amount of ass sweat I was leaving behind (don’t worry, I clean up after myself, dammit), I need to invest in some… shorts. But am I beyond the point of being self conscious about my lily-white dwarf legs and in the mode of thought that I’m simply there to lift weights and not to be pretty? I think so. We shall see.

Friday, 27 April 2007

“Box” squats:
155 lbs. 1 x 3
185 lbs. 5 x 2
205 lbs. 1 x 2
225 lbs. 1 x 2

Hyperextensions:
2 x 8
1 x 9

Barbell shrug:
225 lbs. 1 x 7
275 lbs. 1 x 7
275 lbs. 1 x 8 (Iced Earth was playing on the radio and gave me a burst of strength!)

Standing leg curl:
80 lbs. 3 x 8 each leg

Hammer curls
30 lb. dumbbells 1 x 10 each arm

Sidebends
65 lb. dumbbell 1 x 8 each side

Comments: According to the bathroom scale, I’m down to 270-ish pounds again, even with the retained water from the creatine. Weight/body composition isn’t really my focus at the moment, but it’s a nice bonus, even if a lot of it is from not eating as much because of the sore throat (which is much better now, by the way… a goddamn WEEK later).

Wednesday, 25 April 2007

Bench lockouts:
225 lbs. 1 x 4
275 lbs. 1 x 3
295 lbs. 1 x 1 (after a few missed attempts and some wrist pain)
315 lbs. 1 x 1

Skullcrushers/Tate presses:
30 lb. dumbbells 1 x 8
35 lb. dumbbells 3 x 6, 15 seconds rest between sets

Tricep cable press:
190 lbs. 1 x 9

Rear delt machine:
80 lbs. 1 x 6
90 lbs. 1 x 4
90 lbs. 1 x 5

Seated cable row:
160 lbs. 1 x 9
180 lbs. 1 x 5

Standing cable crunch:
100 lbs. 1 x 8
120 lbs. 1 x 7

Comments: I’m fucking tired and I fear I may have pulled a little something in my wrist. Time for some drugs and sleep.

Monday 23 April 2007

Stiff-legged deadlift:
185 lbs. 1 x 5
195 lbs. 1 x 3
205 lbs. 1 x 3
225 lbs. 1 x 1

Hyperextension:
1 x 5
2 x 7

Leg curl (technique for getting on the machine is much improved now, yet still hilarious and dwarf-like):
90 lbs. 1 x 7
100 lbs. 1 x 6
110 lbs. 1 x 5

Pullthroughs:
100 lbs. 1 x 7
120 lbs. 1 x 8
140 lbs. 1 x 7

Lat pulldowns:
150 lbs. 1 x 7
170 lbs. 1 x 4
190 lbs. 1 x 5

Sidebends:
65 lb. dumbbell 1 x 8 each side

Situps:
1 x 8 (not that impressive unless you take into account my already being tired as fuck, sick, and having not done situps in MANY moons)

Not losing that butt:
1 x 42

Comments: Not only dangerously beautiful, but a goddamn comedian! Like a fat, hairy, male Laura Kightlinger!

04232007

Sleep is sporadic, if existant at all, thanks to the pain of swallowing waking me up every so often. It’s a good thing sleep is optional!

Further evidence for possible slight retardation on my part: It FINALLY dawned on me to take some ibuprofen, not for any fever (which is long gone, if I indeed had one at all – my last reading was 97.3 F, decidedly BELOW normal, what the fuck?), but for the anti-inflammatory bit of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and how it could possibly help with ye olde throate situation, and it seems to have GREATLY influenced a reduction of swelling and pain, so many hurrahs for ibuprofen.

Sunday, 22 April 2007

Bench:
145 lbs. (plus chains) 1 x 3
155 lbs. (plus chains) 1 x 3
165 lbs. (plus chains) 6 x 3 (these almost killed me)

Skullcrushers/Tate presses:
30 lb. dumbbells 7 x 7, alternating between the two exercises, 15 seconds of rest between each set

Seated dumbbell cleans:
20 lb. dumbbells 1 x 9
25 lb. dumbbells 2 x 7

Rear delt machine:
80 lbs. 1 x 7
90 lbs. 1 x 4, 1 x 5 (I fucking FOUGHT for that last rep, and actually only made it maybe 1/2 or 3/5 of the way, but I’m counting it)

Standing cable row:
140 lbs. 1 x 6
150 lbs. 1 x 5, 1 x 6

Standing cable crunches:
100 lbs. 2 x 8, 1 x 9

Sidebends:
60 lb. dumbbell 1 x 8 each side

Comments: I’m glad I went to the gym tonight. Aside from being tired as all hell (and smelling like smoked ham – I need a shower POSTE HASTE), I’m feeling pretty good. I don’t know if the increased blood flow to my face helped open the old sinuses or if I “sweated out” a good part of the sickness, bu the only thing that’s bothering me now is the throat (though not as bad as earlier) and a SLIGHT headache.

04212007

Well I’ll be a son of a bitch. There appears to be the beginning of a head cold making its presence known. With Odin as my witness, if I caught this from the spic (it’s alright – we’re friends, and he calls me the hick), his testicles will be ruptured. The sore throat is acceptable, particularly because it makes my considerably baritone voice even deeper. The headache, while not ideal, is (barely) tolerable. The stuffy/clogged/runny nose, however, is grounds for SWIFT VENGEANCE AND VICIOUS TERMINATION (of his cods).

Update: After a 3 1/2 hour sleep, I seem to have made myself worse, and added shivering to the aforementioned list of symptoms. This better not interfere with lifting tomorrow.

Friday, 20 April 2007

Box (no box available, so a bench was substituted) squat (which, again, thanks to my dwarf-like legs, turned out to be more like a quarter squat):
145 lbs. 1 x 3
175 lbs. 1 x 2
185 lbs. 5 x 2
205 lbs. 1 x 2

Hyperextensions:
1 x 9
2 x 7

Barbell shrug:
225 lbs. 1 x 9
275 lbs. 2 x 7 (first time using a belt since the early days of gymming!)

Hammer curls:
20 lb. dumbbells 1 x 12 each arm

Sidebends:
60 lb. dumbbell 1 x 8 each side

Comments: Theoretical max for the squat is 285 – 300 lbs., and for the bench, 240 lbs. Also, I need to work on getting in position for the box squat.

Wednesday, 18 April 2007

Bench press lockouts:
225 lbs. 1 x 4
275 lbs. 1 x 3
295 lbs. 1 x 3, 1 x 2 (had to break out the wrist wraps for the second set)
315 lbs. 1 x 1 (wrist wraps again)

Skullcrushers/Tate presses:
25 lb. dumbbells 1 x 7
30 lb. dumbbells 3 x 7, alternating, 15 seconds rest between sets

Tricep pushdown:
220 lbs. 1 x 1/2 (I’m counting it, goddamn it)
200 lbs. 1 x 1
180 lbs. 1 x 6

Rear delt machine:
80 lbs. 1 x 6
90 lbs. 1 x 4

Seated cable row:
160 lbs. 1 x 7
180 lbs. 1 x 7

Standing cable crunch:
100 lbs. 1 x 9
120 lbs. 1 x 7

Sidebends:
60 lb. dumbbell 1 x 8 each side

Comments: It pained him to say it, and don’t go spreading it around, but I got an “I’m proud of ya” out of Matt. Sentimental pigfucker.