Monolith

So i got up at 5am... didnt get on the road till 7:30 though.

Traffic was fairly light, and the park was easy to find. I think it was only 1.5-2 hours each way. I was expecting the parking lot to be stuffed with cars by the time i got there at 9:30, but there were only half a dozen. I took the Spellman trail, which was supposedly the most difficult trail on the mountain. It made me huff, but it wasnt too bad. The steepest part was maybe 50 degrees? It was great though, because its an "out of the way" trail, meaning there weren't any other people on it.

I packed a couple meals of chicken and brown rice (I KNOW, I KNOW) and stopped once midway and at the top to eat. Meals were spaced a little closer in an effort to keep all the fucking cardio from doing any damage. The view was awesome. It was a really clear day. There were quite a few people at the top the whole time though... about 15 people coming and going. A couple light planes buzzed us. lol. I only brought a little over a liter of water (planned on getting more at the camp store, but it was closed). I was rationing my water fairly well, but then i came upon a stream trickling down the mountain. I was a little hesitant at first... but the water looked clear and didnt smell, so i tried it. Tasted alright, so i refilled my bottle with it. lol

Further up the trail i kept crisscrossing the stream. I just assumed that since the water was running downhill from up on an undeveloped mountain, it'd be fairly clean (and i wouldnt have the shits within 10 minutes). Luckily my guess was correct, since i drank about 2 liters of the stuff and i feel fine.

Legs were slightly tender by the time i got back to the parking lot. I dont think im going to do hams this week. I'm still gonna go in and practice some snatch's on saturday. Oh, and i think squats from now on (on squat day) will be done as overhead squats. I'm pretty solid already (as far as getting the weight overhead and being stable with it), but thats just with the bar... lol. I need to get used to some more weight.

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ek867/dexamyl.jpg

Monolith

Yeah, i hear that, Iain... it always goes by way too fast. I despise winter.

Perhaps...

Here's the true test: Do you own the DVD set of Star Trek: The Next Generation?

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ek867/dexamyl.jpg

atherjen

That sounds like SUCH a wonderful day!!! mm mountain water!

" To dream anything you want to dream: That is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything you want to do: That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits: that is the courage to succeed."

NPC Southern Classic, June 3rd
NPC Cajun Classic, June 10th
NPC Mississippi State July 22nd

carbchick

nope (phew!) just tell me you don't own the complete DVD set of Sopranos, w. directors' commentaries, and I can rest full easy

Monolith

So yesterday, after feeling like i burned 8 million calories, and out of utter derision for cardio, i rewarded myself with some sugar. Make that lots of sugar. I had two warm peanut butter cookies (with slightly melted chocolate chips on top). That was followed up with a package of reese's pieces. Then i had a small milky way bar.

I'm also going to start slowly increasing cals. First step is going to be replacing a "no" day with a "low" day. Might start doing a post w/o spike, and/or using a during w/o drink. I'd like to be able to comfortably (i.e. psychologically) work out past an hour/hour and a half.

Oh, and the Exorcist prequel is a fucking horrible movie. Don't waste your money or your time. It feels like the director just graduated from the local community college drama department, and the writer just graduated from alcoholics anonymous.

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ek867/dexamyl.jpg

Monolith

Training for 9/3: Snatch practice/Shoulders/Triceps

Did about 1.5 hours of practicing form for the snatch as well as trying to increase the weight on the overhead squat. Holding the weight steady is a bitch!! I wish my arms werent so friggin long. At one point i just had 95lbs over my head, but as i was standing up, i guess my back was too fatigued, and the weight fell forward. It nailed me in the shin, ripping off a big line of skin.

Anyway, for shoulders i just did a couple sets of standing bb militaries since they were already pretty worn out. Then i just did like 3 sets of dips for my tri's. I was in the gym about two hours. I had a during w/o shake with me w/ some malto/dex.

I'm thinking i might take tomorrow off, im still pretty sore.

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ek867/dexamyl.jpg

carbchick

so the sugar monster bit ya. but only a little bite.
What's your plan with the carb cycling then, now? how many no, lo, hi days in your cycle? also do you track cals every day, even on the hi carb days?

way to go with the overhead squats. I like em too but overhead weight is so paltry they don't give me much of a leg workout. good for balance though: Or for finding out how little balance you have

PreMier

Enlighten us

Where are my pics damnit!

P-side Inc.

"the post-workout high is more profound than any drug-induced rush imaginable." -Dante B.

Monolith

Well, im going to start slow. For now it'll look like this: High/low/no/high/low/low/no. So 2 highs, 3 lows, and 2 no. I need to reread the carb cycling articles, but if i feel the need, i'll probably just swap a "low" or two for a high day.

And i had a bitch of a time today with snatches. I was actually just trying to do overhead squats for most of the time. I could barely get two reps with just 100lbs. Holding the weight steady is STUPENDOUSLY difficult, because your entire core and every muscle in your arms is having to keep it balanced over your head as you descend. That reminds me... my abs were sore as shit after i first tried doing these a couple days ago. Your shoulders need to be pretty damn flexible too, because you have to lean forward a bit to maintain balance, but the weight has to stay straight up and down... meaning your shoulders better be able to rotate backwards fairly easily.

Anyway, i'm really not all that motivated to keep my legs progressing as best as possible. I can squat 260, which is waaay more than i ever thought i could just a few months ago. Eventually i think i'll be able to get the weight up on overheads to give my legs a decent workout, though. For now hacks and presses will suffice.

Besides, snatches are just so fucking cool. Being able to deadlift the weight up, explosively toss it over your head, catch it in a full squat, and then stand up with it is way more impressive to me than just a big bench or something like that. Plus i'm really diggin' the intense core work.

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ek867/dexamyl.jpg

Novo

Yeah, they really are

I WISH someone, anyone, at my place practised oly lifts - gawd I'd love to give 'em a try, but I haven't the foggiest idea about form ... and they just don't look the easiest things to 'take a guess at'. You're working with someone who knows his stuff hey? Lucky bugger

Monolith

lol, no, no one at my gym knows the o-lifts. One of the trainers wants to work with me to learn 'em. He knows the clean and jerk fairly well, but doesnt know shit about the snatch. He's someone that likes to know his job as best as he can, though, so i have no doubt he's scouring the area for information right now.

I've just been watching video's of people doing snatches and reading up about it online. I have no doubt my form is awful, but its fun regardless. I'd love to have someone familiar with the lifts give me some help, but that just isnt gonna happen around here.

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ek867/dexamyl.jpg

Novo

Hmmm, so, extrapolating, I could just pick the hottest trainer at my place and suggest he add knowledge of the oly's to his bag of tricks ... and add that I am willing to play guinea pig as he learns? I think there is merit to this

Mono, you are a genius. Though an accidental one, I bet you never thought of this use for the lifts

Monolith

Pics from my hike yesterday. Fair warning, they're 2-3mb each. Too lazy to crop/compress, sorry.

3/4ths of the way up, just above the tree line

same area

hippies dancing at the summit

eagle

view from the top

Make sure your browser doesnt force the pics to fit your window, or you'll have downloaded all that for some normal sized pics.

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ek867/dexamyl.jpg

Monolith

Seeing as how every trainer at my gym is male, no, i hadnt thought of that before.

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ek867/dexamyl.jpg

Novo

Really? Weird, I reckon we've got 30% girls.

Of which precisely one would possibly interest you to snatch with however. The others? Not so much ...

Jodi

I forgot how green it was up there, very pretty. Nice pics

Essence EFA

P-funk

here is a good website on olympic lifting and how to get started and train each lift and the components of it.


olympic lifts

ps...don't snatch before you can clean. it is all in the pull

http://pwtraining.blogspot.com/.....come and see what is on my mind!

Ivonne's Blog on Health and Wellness!

Looking for online training/coaching/consulting? --> Optimum Sports Performance

"In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, in the experts there are few."
-Buddha's Little Instruction Book

Monolith

I'm just gonna throw some links ive found in here, since Firefox isnt letting me add new bookmarks for some reason.

http://benn.vectorx.org/
http://www.msbn.tv/usavision/displaypage.aspx?id=731

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ek867/dexamyl.jpg

Novo

Hey, cool! I know it wasn't for me ... but I stole the link anyway, ta! I'm excited to give these a shot ... no doubt scaring everyone at my place in the process. They'll be horrified I'm even trying

carbchick

True, that. I have seen genuine fear in chappies' eyes when I'm trying to oly lift. And swaying about and almost not making it. I notice they move pretty fast out of my general ambit.

Monolith

Stats for 9/6:

Stomach - 37.85"
Right arm - 16"
Left arm - 15.8"
Right quad - 25.35"
Left quad - 24.75"
Neck - 15.75"
BW - 220lbs

Stomach and arms dropped a smidgen. Gained a pound. Other stats stayed pretty much the same. I found it interesting that i only gained one pound, considering my diet. I ate 3-4k cals of sugar friday night, and i also swapped a "no" day for a "low" day this week. That hike i took coupled with the few days i more or less did "iron cardio" while practicing snatches likely held things in check. Even more interesting is that my strength is up a bit as well, as my next post will detail.

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ek867/dexamyl.jpg

Monolith

Training for 9/6: Chest

DB flat press
95lbx3
95lbx3
95lbx3

DB incline
80lbx0
80lbx0
75lbx2

BB decline
215lbx3
215lbx3
215lbx4

---

Last week on the DB flat press i went 3x2x3 with the 90's. This week i went 3x3x3 with the 95's (of course, i had some good motivation... dude next to me on the incline was pressing the 110's for 10). Was going to move on to incline presses, but the bench i normally use was taken. I tried to use another bench, but the position wasnt quite the same. I couldnt get a good kick up with the 80's, they kept falling too low for me to get the first rep up. I finally managed to get the 75's up, but the set sucked.

Decline press felt good. Last week i did 205lb for 4. This week i went 215lb for 3x3x4. First set felt pretty easy, but i wanted to make sure i could get 3 reps on each set. Last set i let it rip, and managed 4. I was happy with it.

Unfortunately, the gym closed at 1pm for memorial day, so i didnt get a chance to do bi's. I'd like to hit the gym twice tomorrow... get bi's in early in the morning, with legs later in the afternoon. Classes start for me tomorrow, though, so it might be tough. I'm kinda looking forward to tomorrows leg workout... i'll be doing close stance, ATG overhead squats (if i can).

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ek867/dexamyl.jpg

carbchick

you gained a pound. since when? i.e. could it not be muscle? seeing as how measurements are either the same or less.

Monolith

Yeah, it could be. Chest strength improved a bit this week. Can't be sure untill i hit some other muscles, though.

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ek867/dexamyl.jpg

atherjen

Im thinking that these cheats are helping you!!

good luck w. the overhead squats tomorrow!

" To dream anything you want to dream: That is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything you want to do: That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits: that is the courage to succeed."

NPC Southern Classic, June 3rd
NPC Cajun Classic, June 10th
NPC Mississippi State July 22nd

yellowmoomba

Great job with 95's!!

BTW - Memorial Day is in May LABOR Day was Monday

My Journal

"You are born small and weak... you die small and weak... how you look in between is up to you."

Monolith

brain fart