Session IV: 80215 – 81515

Failure is never an option. Clear vision!!

Survival Protocol

Chapter I: Summer 61915 - 92615

Session IV  80215 – 81515: 

This week kept pace with the previous weeks of this chapter, which can be characterized as too heavy & too fat, however on Friday came one of those drops that led me to believe we were getting back on track. Of course Friday was a travel day which meant I wouldn’t be eating according to my regular schedule. *Saturday’s reading are averaged… which is how I calculate when I’m on the road.. or up in the air as it were. The numbers aren’t controlling me (or my workouts or eating) and I’m not trying to control  them either. I gave myself one blue day this week – otherwise I’m still drowning in my own blood… pretty dramatic eh?

Day	Sunday 8-2	Monday 8-3	Tuesday 8-4	Wednesday 8-5	Thursday 8-6	Friday 8-7	Saturday 8-8*	Ave.
Weight	183.8	183	182	183	183	181.2	182.3	182.6
Body Fat %	17.7	17.5	17.5	17.6	17.5	16.9	17.2	17.4
BF wt.	32.53	32.03	31.85	32.21	32.03	30.62	31.36	31.77
H2O %	60.2	60.3	60.3	60.3	60.3	60.8	60.6	60.4
H2O wt	110.16	110.35	109.75	110.5	110.35	110.17	110.47	110.29
Muscle mass %	42.7	42.9	42.9	42.8	42.9	43.2	43.1	42.9
Muscle wt.	78.48	78.51	78.08	78.32	78.51	78.28	78.57	78.33
MM:BF ratio	2.41	2.45	2.45	2.43	2.45	2.56	2.51	2.46

Summary 8-02-15; one day off. First measuring day of BBC5. Option #1 at the Y. Late lunch at North 3d. Second street festival. Hot ass day! Oh, and I tested the scale today. Results below. I think this changes my paradigm.

80215 [Sunday #45] – Measuring Day: off day, slept in.

Round I: CO & coco-H2O – AMX, kicking & leg work and 4 x 20 bridges. Gonna do these like pushups. I need the core strength.

Weigh in and measurements: 183.8 – 17.7 – 60.2 – 42.7. (I have no comment.)

	8-02-15	Last Time	Change
Top	98 cm	95 cm	+3
Middle	92 cm	89 cm	+5
Bottom	94 cm	92 cm	+2
Under	97 cm	94 cm	+3

 Hammies – 60 cm (Going to be working on making them thicker.)

And speaking of thick, the tape confirms what the scale has been saying… thicker, heavier. I may have even bounced back to where I was 90 days ago. More lifting and less cardio made me thicker – only slightly, but it could be a trend. Got to step up the cardio/movement if I want to move this fat. Muscle hasn’t changed significantly, so the ration drops, despite lifting every other day. The extended fasting hasn’t done anything to the fat (it seems) either.

It’s the first day of Session IV. I’ve got to make some changes here. I’ll probably spread ou the lifting more and get back to strong cardio in the morning and add a couple of running/park days a week. Also, take a peek at what I was doing towards the end of BBC4, besides hurting and healing my back.

This is why I measure. Maybe I can head this off & reverse it.

Bkft – lamb stew. Yum. Maybe another tea before the Y? Yes!

Scale Test Conducted a simple test on the scale. I weighed in (dry feet) and clothes and got a reading. Next I added 10 lbs in ankle weights. The first reading measured body fat at 18%, H2O about 59% muscle mass 41-ish. If the scale is accurate, adding 10 lbs. of external weight, that doesn’t hinder the pulse of electricity should increase the overall weight, but not fat weight, not H2O. In my opinion it should read the extra weight as increased muscle mass. Well, this scale detected the extra weight and went through its formula and mathematically decreased H2O and muscle mass and increasing fat weight. From this experiment I conclude that this scale has a predetermined algorithm that’s based on the values (age, athlete, gender) the user enters and determines the results based solely of weight. There may not even be a electric charge, small or otherwise coming from the scale. This, I call bullshit on this scale! However, does this mean I stop weighing in? Probably not. It does mean I can stop living and or training to improve ratio. It frees me up a little bit from the results delivered by the scale. When I do gain muscle – as I have – the scale will interpret it as fat gain and when I lose fat, the scale’s been interpreting that as muscle loss. Sometimes technology works against us. In fact, often it does. So I’m just going to do what I do with more intensity. I can get back below 180, keep lifting, keep body weight training and cardio and keep the digits in the background. I might even get better results this way. Revelation!!

O-1 today. Roms 130; thrust 70; lunges 80, single lunges, ostrich, leg curls 135 +brick. Thought about 140 Roms, but let’s be conservative today.

Round II: [DC] – To the Y. walk to 69. Pre supps…

Option #1 – standard protocol, 4 x 15. Weight varies. Romanian Deadlift – 130 lbs. Done. I feel like I could’ve gotten 140, but next time. Thrusters 70 lbs. [15-12-15c-15 solid] It came to me to allow myself to take the press out of the routine if I ran out of steam and continue through the squats, which led to the ‘cheat’ (c), which is basically a front squat – then a press, instead of doing it as a continuous move. This will still get the job done. I’m still at 70 lbs. though. Lunges 80 lbs, 4 x 20 – done. Slow start, wobbly at times, short base. I can either advance to 90 or polish up the form and stance. We’ll find out next time. Seated leg curls – 135 + brick. 3 x 15 + 12. Staying here until it feels easy. May have to do a Legs II on Monday to finish up.

Done in about an hour. Very little wasted time. Protein shake after. Walk to the 4-2.

Meal -2 eggs & whites omelet, mushrooms and spinach. (whipped the eggs in the bullet).

It’s blaggin’ hot as ball outside!!

Round III: North 3^rd.

Meal – 3 Chicken & spinach, iced tea. (This may have been outside of the window, but oh well.)

Walked around the 2^nd st festival. May have gotten a random photo for the page.

Home, tea, chlorella, g’nite… wake strong. 

Summary 8-03-15: Felt some soreness in my right side back this morning. More towards the center, muscular I’d say, but it didn’t stop from functional Fitness today. In fact motion & activity seems to be the best thing for it.

80315 [Monday #46] – 1 snooze and the AMX. Forgot all about waking strong. Had a good sleep though. The main goal of AMX was the pushups, 4 x 44. They were strong, finally and at a point my upper body felt almost weightless on my arms. Also 2 sets of 25 bridges, (ez kind) and 2 x 50 (total) sidekicks, not high. Just trying to get into the move.

CO shot.. I think this pulled me down. It’s not the first time it happened. Think I’ll go back to AVC if CO is gonna act like this. It’s better at night.

Round I: [N] – Time for breakfast, but not very hungry. (Got done with AMX early enough for a short 12 minute snooze.)

Bkft – lamb stew, ½ cup of tea. Crazy. (The tea doesn’t seem that alluring any more.)

Round II: [N]

Picked up a muscle ache at breakfast. Right side, lower rib area, perhaps top of the psoas, or oblique muscle. (Always something. I have no idea what I did to trigger this.)

Lunch park’s 104% salmon and chicken. Ate later than usual and went heavier. Thought I might split it up, but I didn’t.

Round III: [SSB] –

Home after work for gainer shake w/ cayenne and fruit. Not bad, put a bit too much cayenne in though.

Round IV: YMCA – wasn’t very up for the class when I got there, ut I had a good crowd and a good show. I actually felt strong and a lot better when I was done. This stuff really works – I’m up for every class!!

A little post work after class.. ostrich a 12 and an 8, (for hammies) and two sets of anti rotation cable presses.

The rest of the eve was just chillin’. I prepared some tomatoes and cucumber for later. This might be called bruschetta. Oh yeah, chlorella before bed. G’nite. 

Summary 8-04-15: Break day, cheat day… maybe. I ate often today and no exercise. But I guess I can take a break. I’ll survive. *I didn’t eat any really bad food, but I won’t be ordering sausage at Midtown II Diner again. I might even have to stop eating there. Traditions change.

80415 [Tuesday #47] – Double snoozed w/ no guilt today. Back was sore – so ut was about icing and stretching this AM.

Tea and cocoH2O.

Weight 182 – 17.5 – 60.3 – 42.9 – 182 must be my set weight b/c I came right back to it after the weekend.

Hot shower for the back.

Bkft – Lamb stew and spice, tomatoes and cucumbers… got a sweat going too.

Social Day – no exercise planned.

Round I: [NM] – Bust first fruit salad at the gig and elixir. Leg stretches.

Lunch – parks 90-something.. 94%??

Meal, eggs and tomatoes – don’t eat sausage @ Midtown II (w/ Frank) tea. I will probably eat too much today.

Meal – dinner w/ Mom & Andee. Squash, peppers and tuna? Not sure but it was good.

CO, chlorella and cocoH2O, then bed. Rather early.

Summary: 8-05-15 – Option #2 Pushing some real weight now. Pushups and AMX. Otherwise, just a normal day.

80515  [Wednesday #48]  - Beat the snooze this morning.

Round I: AMX is taking form 4 x 45 pushups; sidekicks 2 (or 3) x 50; bridges 3 x 25 – twists, run in place with weights 5lbs. feeling the power and endurance build. Then tea.

Bkft: Lamb stew – forgot the AM vitamins… so I’ll just switch the order. OP-2 today. Back off on the incline, but I think I can increase on the row and the press. I might go to more than I can do and work towards the reps.

Still feeling the back, but it’s getting better.

Round II: [N]

Round III: [N] – Park’s  98%

YMCA - Option #2: Moving some weight now. Being smart. Coming up shirt and willing to stick it out. Incline Press – kicked it back to 90 lbs. smart move 4 x 15, but it was tough. Most likely 95 next, unless the ego says 100. Shoulder therapy between sets. Bent Row – 120 lbs. 4 x 15 Mind the negative. Lift higher. Gonna stay and polish this up. Wrist work between sets. Flat bench – 120 lbs. first 15 was a struggle, but I got through. Second was tougher. Then an 11 & 12. I’ll be here a while I think. Think 15, do 15!! Lat Pull downs – 97.5lbs cable. [90 + brick]. First went easy – 3 & 4 I had to work for, but I got ‘em. 105 next. Another breakthrough, over the 100 lbs mark. And I don’t mind staying here for a while. Plus – Ostriches or thigh dips.. 4 sets, no count really. I went for etn, but I missed a few times. Reverse [vanity] shoulderraises. 20 lbs; 10 – 10 – 16 – 20. They were a bit tough today. Anti-rotation – 60 lbs.

BCAA’s after and walk to the 42 as usual. Didn’t get the protein drink until I got home. What did I have for dinner?? Oh yeah, lamb stew.

Clr. And CO and then, to dream land. 

Summary 8-06-15 Not much exciting about this day. Gave myself a day off from training so I can pack and prep. [5].

80615 [Thursday #49] – double snooze. Round I: [N] – trying not to train this morning, but still did crunches and reverse crunches.

Bkft – T-burger and egg, brushetta.

Round ii: [N] – sometimes this happens. Maybe fruit today?

Round III: [NF] – sort of.

Late lunch, Park’s 101% I think I’ve been training myself toe at later.

Round IV: [SS]

Home – cup of tea and the slow packing process. Pump some iron… the steam iron … maybe I’ll get something in tonight.

Last chance to get some pushups – tomorrow aiming for 46.

Actually I’m feeling and looking pretty tight. Just some flubber on the sides and down the bottom, but even that looks like it’s diminishing.

Round V: [N] – Rare, but it happens. Maybe a shake for dinner but not very hungry. Getting close to 1800, maybe? Skipping the Y adds a significant amount of time to my day. Oh yeah, took, DHEA, CLA & D-Riobose, just as a supplement. I’ll likely be off the vits this weekend.

Summary 8-07-15: Travel day, but woke up early enough to get some good work done in the AM. Excellent flight.. seat 1-A. How did this happen. Everything went smoothly and the numbers!!!

80715 [Friday #50] – Woke with the alarm, but didn’t get out of bed until 0423 (precision, yes?) – so I might as well have snoozed. Surprisingly awake. It’s a travel day, but first AMX.

Got all four rounds today. Pushups 4 x 46. Excited to be closing in on 50. May go a different way after that, although I don’t want lose the momentum.

Not too bad - could be better 8-07-15

Sidekicks 4 x 50 – I know it’s doing something, still early.

Bridges – 4 x 25.. haven’t started adding reps it.

Jump rope, twists, shadow boxing, 4 rounds, about 100 each.

Weigh in: Pleasantly surprised by the digits today. Trying to accept without questioning (maybe it was the turkey burger) Did no workout yesterday, didn’t eat excessively and 5. Maybe it’s an adjustment or an anomaly. Figures they go down just before what could be a decadent weekend in NC. (But mostly South Carolina.)

Round I: [N] – headed out. Decent flight, short.

Round II: - Rock Hill, SC… time to explore.

Meal – salad bar, portabella mushroom steak and spaghetti squash, sour cream and ice tea at Ruby Tuesday’s.

Garba – Indian dancing and Indian food. Fascinated by the tradition and the dancing.

Stayed up past my bedtime, but had a blast.

Summary – 8-08-15: Krishna’s wedding day. Lots of eating and drinking and they were serving dark and stormies… so all bets were off today. I may have actually gotten some exercise in, in the morning.

80815 [Saturday #51] – Rock Hill, South Carolina

Eyes opened around 0600 and felt like I had a great sleep. Can’t recall the dreams though.

Round I: [N] - Training today? Maybe after breakfast.

The Wingate has provided a worthy breakfast; eggs, sausage patties, real potatoes and there’s a waffle maker, fruit, cereal and tea. (I didn’t sample everything, just the eggs, sausage and tatters.)

AMX – movement – jumping (with bands), shadow.. worked until I felt that tingle… the heaviness that told me I’ve done enough.

Round II: [N] – I need another breakfast. T-mix will do.

Wedding day – and not much more. So eating and drinking, but it was fun, fascinating and there was magic in the air… environment – I’m thinking about the weight, but also dismissing it. I’ll be back in the groove next week.

Thinking how many pushups I’ve done since July 2 (4 x 28) to 4 x 46 yesterday. It’s a lot to cipher. Ok this is another reason to remember 08-08. BTW – dark and stormies on the menu, so I drank a little in celebration.

Chicken & lamb kabobs and other Indian food, starch and carbs. I don’t know the name of any of this stuff, but it looked and tasted familiar. And I liked it.

Good night…

End of Part I of Session IV

No dramatic changes this week. What some call maintenance, I call a plateau. In fact, however these numbers show a steady climb in overall weight, including fat. The weight is increasing in tiny increments, for instance fat weight (average) isn’t even up 1% from last week. Muscle mass… is the same, however it’s a smaller gain than fat. The ratio fell only slightly as well – not enough to be concerned about. I expect, from my steady weight training regimen, that muscle mass will rise more dramatically… but the look in the mirror and the fit of the clothes still hints at improvement. *represents average weight. As far as I'm concerned I'm still in the red, especially when it comes to fat weight.

Day	Sunday 8-9*	Monday 8-10	Tuesday 8-11	Wednesday 8-12	Thursday 8-13	Friday 8-14	Saturday 8-15	Ave.
Weight	182.8	183.4	183.4	183.4	183.4	183.4	182.4	183.2
Body Fat %	17.3	17.4	17.6	17.7	17.4	17.6	17.2	17.5
BF wt.	31.62	31.91	32.28	32.46	31.91	32.28	31.37	32.06
H2O %	60.5	60.4	60. 3	60.2	60.4	60.3	60.6	60.4
H2O wt	110.6	110.77	110.6	110.4	110.77	110.6	110.3	110.65
Muscle mass %	43	42.9	42.8	42.7	42.9	42.8	43	42.8
Muscle wt.	78.6	78.68	78.5	78.31	78.68	78.5	78.43	78.41
MM:BF ratio	2.49	2.47	2.43	2.41	2.47	2.43	2.5	2.45

Summary – 8-09-15: This is what I call a buffer day, but it’s usually the day after I get back home. I actually did some shopping today. Lucky me, I’m in South Carolina the weekend of tax holiday and a lot of stuff is on sale. I got a good workout in this morning too. I didn’t miss a day of pushups and started adding in other stuff as well. I need to get back to the hard stuff tho. I figured out how many pushups I’ve done since I started my program. .. 3,462 as of today.

80915 [Sunday #52] – Rock Hill, SC – the day after the festivities. Got the day to myself.

Round I: - Wake 0700-ish, breakfast, eggs, sausage, tea – it’s a pushups day – 47 is the goal. Generally feeling pretty good today so far and will probably get to some sort of workout.

As soon as you get your shyt (mind) together you can have what you want. What you need, you already have.

AMX in the hotel room…

4 x 47 pushups

4 x 26 bridges

4 x 60 sidekicks w/ 4 x 100 crunches and reverse crunches, some toe-touch (cross calisthenics). Run in place, jumps.. stuff like that… about 40 minutes.

Round II: - some exploring and rewards from Dick’s.

Lunch – Applebees – steak, portabella mushroom, red potatoes. This is where I tallied up my pushups.

Round III: [SD] – ish

A day of chillin’. Don’t want to do the pool, but maybe walk the area a bit. Went to the mall and shopped!! Amazing.. must be bored. It’s the day after the excitement… my buffer day. I jump back into it tomorrow. Off the plane and straight to the Y. if all goes well, that’s how it will play out.

Cracker Barrel  for a late dinner. Chicken Caesar salad made with love, but Kaitlyn and tea. Then I vegged and watched ME TV – The Man was UNCLE wasn’t as cool as I remembered it being. Guess I’m jaded.

Good night.

Summary 8-10-15; woke up at 5am in South Carolina  and at 5pm I am teaching Functional Fitness in Lansdowne, Pa. everything worked out according to plan. I had to have an emergency meal from Duncan Donuts… but it won’t become a habit. Late weigh in for the weekend average.

81015 [Monday #52] – Rock Hill, SC – Travel Day

My dreams were psychoanalytical… but I can’t remember, exactly what behavior I was analyzing. Two parts – one I was up a tree and I managed to climb down. This is progress; most times I’m forced into a situation where I have to jump from too high a point. Second part – there was a woman in my life who kept morphing from adult to child but she was both in each incarnation. Pentamore.

Wake 0600 bfkt – eggs (scrambled all week) and sausage, 2 x tea.

Round I: [BFF] – Body beast? Humph!.

Not going to hurry up and wait today. I’ll be waiting anyway, but I’m ot going to rush to it. I will cruise and wait.

Round II: [SS] – Hit the highway. Smooth cruise to Charlotte.

Decent flight – forever (115) bus ride, but made it to the Y in plenty of time. Duncan donuts emergency meal did the trick. No danger of getting hooked on their food.

I was tired at YGX today, but made it through. Got a decent walk home, low eats, 2x tea at home and catching up w/ vegging out.

Weigh in provides the average for the weekend, it was up based on Friday’s low, but pretty average all-in-all. I guess it’s doing what it’s supposed to be doing. Option #3 heavy Legs tomorrow and pushups, etc., in the AM. Wake strong! 

Summary 8-11-15: Man, today started off wet and cold. Dragged myself into the gig, first day back after being away. I had every intention of going to the Y for heavy legs… and then… this happened (Don’t you hate that?). What happened is I opted out to give my legs an extra day’s rest. But I salvaged the day with an upper body home workout, some food prep, including goat stew.

81115 [Tuesday #54] – Woke up strong this morning, no snooze and straight to AMX 4 x 48 pushups, sidekicks, side leg raises (straight legged hydrants, if you will), 3 x 27 bridges – I’m doing the plus one with these now. Crunches, various stuff. Actually some good energy on this cool rainy morning.

Tea, finished the lamb stew for bkft. (Time for turkey soup again, I think). Still felt energetic despite the digits. I started a 90 day thing a year ago, but between the options progressive and the AMX pushups progress, I feel like I’m already in a program. (This will go more than 90 days.)

Round i: [N] – elixir at the gig today and left over trail mix. Need to restock. Hammies are tight, probably from yesterday. They’ll enjoy Option #3 today.

Leg press – 380 & calves

Squat 150 & shins

Front lunge 80?

Lunge lift? Ostrich?? Anything else??

Lunch – t-mix restocked, Park’s 100%

Round II: [N] – Rethinking the Y today. I may make a stop home… but we’ll see. Might switch it to a food prep day. I can still do W-F-Su-Tu…

Home: Kind of wiped. Could be lack of fuel. A turkey burger and egg might be a good call.

Meal – T-burger, shrooms and brushetta.

Round III: [NFC]

Actually got an upper body workout done with dumbbells on the stability ball.

4 rounds 25 lb plate orbits (around the head) 10 – 15 in each direction. This once hurt my elbows, so something’s improved.

Db press 20 lbs 4 x 15 on the ball.

Triceps pull overs – 20 lbs db on the ball.

Seated rev shoulder press – 12 lbs dbs, on the ball.

Shoulder laterals  (5 – 8 – 10 lbs progress) & wrist/forearm  work…

I feel like I salvaged the day. Goat soup in the crock pot w/ red beans, peas, carrots and pepper sauce blend. Should be good for breakfast.

Got to get back to the evening routine.. or maybe I’ll take this week off from chlorella and CO… or start spreading it out over 2 or 3 days and see how the body responds. I think it’s the lining of the gut that regenerates every 24 hours… so it may be good to do gut maintenance daily.. or nightly – as the case may be.

That is all… 

Summary – 8-12-15: It was a good day… in the gym. Today was a much better day for me to be in the gym than yesterday. Option #3 was outstanding. Pushing up some “real weight” and practically maxing out on the leg press (the capacity of the machine, that is) so I decided to add an extra set. Is it lame to consider the 90 minutes in the gym the ‘best part of my day’? Probably not, especially when I used to come home and watch TV, and think that was something special.

81215 [Wednesday #55] – One snooze, up and 2 sun salutations. I actually feel stronger through these, despite having not practiced much. It might encourage me to do more.

Tea, breakfast – goat soup/stew w/ red beans, peas, carrots and pepper sauce.

Weigh in; eh. Not overly concerned. I still have the goal in the back of my mind

Round I: [N] – Good climb up the el steps. Leg stretching @ la gig.

Round II [BFF] -  Lunch, park’s 89% Dark meat turkey is back!!! YAY!!  Not hungry at lunch time. T-mix must’ve been filling. Eat later.

Got to make the Y today. Option #3 (see yesterday’s schedule) – I may add a few if energy is extra high.

Round III: [NS]….

Round IV: [DP] shaky. Making adjustments.

Round V: [DP] – remix…

YMCA – Option #3 – Heavy legs. First day back in a week. Pre-supps. Feeling strong today. The extra day off helped. Added some new stuff, replaced one, did an extra set of another. Good stuff. High marks. Leg press – 380 lbs 5 x 15 + calf press (5 x 40) + single calf press w/ 30 lb db. Progressive reps. I am approaching max capacity of the smith machine (400 lbs) so I’ll have to start doing more reps/sets. I am also thinking of replacing this with standard deadlifts for a while. I want to get back to those. Squats (back) 4 x 15, 150 lbs. + Calf raises 150 [15-20-20-15] + shin flex 85 lbs [15-20-15-22: the first set of squats took my breath away, but I caught up with it on subsequent sets. Different foot angles during calf raises – calves are starting to split – noticeably . shin flex can probably move up to 90 lbs if I can find one. Elevated single leg lunge squat. [ESLLS] 20 lbs dbs. This replaced front loaded barbell lunges. 4 x 8, each leg. I was shaky at first, but the core kicked in. I need to mind my posture, as I tend to lead forward. Keep the back straight and chest up and out. Ostriches – will have to demo this at some point. 4 x 10 and they were tough. For this, I’ll do the one-more strategy, so 4 x 11 next time around. (or maybe 2 more?) Seated leg press and calf pump – high & tight. 175 lbs, cable 4 x 15. I can move up on this. This can also be a hip opener and I need that. Done in 90 minutes. Post protein shake & BCAAs.

Rode home. Meal – goat stew, big bowl, so two meals in one.
Chilled, recovered, nodded. 

Summary: 8-13-15: Hit 4 x 49 pushups this morning and in fact did 4 complete rounds, of sidekicks, bridges and crunches. Other than this the day was fairly quiet. I did more leg work after the gig. Although I wanted to get outside I didn’t. I tend to stay in when I get home. [Level 6] – liquid fast in the evening.

81315 [Thursday #56] – seems I’m down to 1 snooze.

Round I: [NT]

AMX – Got through 4 rounds of pushups [4 x 49]; sidekicks [4 x 60] better form will come. Bridges [4 x 27] advancing one by one. Crunches [4 x 100] and a few other moves in between. Good work. What to do when I get to 50?? Just keep going. I know I’ll regret it if I stop.

Tea – bkft – Lamb stew

Lower middle stomach was spasming yesterday. I think from exercise or sitting. Left knee was weak after ostriches, I think from the weight on my knee from kneeling. CO on it overnight. The kicks may have helped.

Round II: [N]

Round III: [N] – Leg’s tight, feeling good.

Round IV: [NSF] – I realized I can blast my legs and still walk – hammies need more stretching.

Round V: [N] – second day in a row. Next level? What’s next? Head home.

Round VI: [DS/SS] ? another record.

Home – stayed in once again, but did get some easy leg work and stretches. It seems once I’m in I stay in – got to kick up the activity. Sat through some enlightening lectures though. (I should save this stuff for the day time.)

Light on the food this eve. 2x tea, and 2x elixir, some p-butter, almonds and blobs.

Option #4 tomorrow and last day of work for the weekend. It’s been a long 3 days (ha ha) I’ll get my shish together next week. So much for cardio month – better to be consistent, I say. I have in the pat, gotten to a strong point and then stopped and went cardio. It’s been a while since the last O-4.

Summary 8-14-15 – enduring the typical long day at the gig, then jump into Option #4 (lift therapy) at the YMCA. Opened with a triceps super set, which took a lot of energy. I had to switch up a few exercises at the end. Triceps work makes me strong and mine are pretty thick… so…

81415 [Friday #57] – Six rounds with the devil and the weight’s the same & fat is up?!? Whatever! Wake up, one snooze and yoga & movement for AMX. Legs are still tight… good tight. Option #4 later today. Lift therapy.

My plan – incline press, 115 lbs and the same for bent reverse grip row. Shoulder press 75 lbs. Pull ups going for 11 neutral. Shrugs 160, EZ curls 45 or 50? Triceps press, bent flies? Dumbbell pullovers? It’s Friday so I can stay longer.

Round I: [NT] –

Lunch park’s 98% - the usual mix.

Round II [N] –

Round III: [D] –

YMCA – Option #4 pre-supps; I pushed hard today and ran down in about an hour. Dropped a few exercises, added some replacements – still satisfied: Close grip press + triceps pullovers in a superset: The goal remains the same however… Close grip (115 lbs): 2 x 15, 13 & 13 – technically a fail, but I’m gonna add 5 lbs next time around. Pull overs (55 lbs) 4 x 15 – I can add weight. Thought I may have to separate these two , because they are brutal… but there’s no going back. these rock the tri’s. Reverse grip row 115 lbs. mind the negative, bows flared. But I got 4 x 15, going to 120. Seated shoulder press 75 lb; 12 – 2 x 13 – 12. Is this my first time at 75 lbs? It was tough. [shoulder therapy b/w sets.] Shrugs 175 – 3 x 15 & 14 (left grip was failing on the last set). Stay here. The grip strength will improve. This is where I ran out of steam. So, I went for legs (outside of this option). Leg extensions – 127.5 (Cable) 4 x 15. This was kind of a break + I needed some quad work. Pull ups – 2 x 11 neutral.. stay/repeat. Protein drink and BCAA’s

Restock almonds and cashews – walk from 6-9.

2x tea at la casa. Writing and cleaning dishes.. exciting life. Looking fwd to a cool night and good sleep.

AMX tomorrow – go for 50… hope the arms aren’t in pain. Oh yeah, I may need to complete O-4 home as well.

Summary 8-15-15: Road trippin’, dining out and dancing in the night time… but still got the AMX done and hit 4 x 50 pushups. Still adding just one more every other day. Nice way to end a session.

81515 [Saturday #58] – long sleep, long fast. Up at 0700.

Round I [N] – ready for today’s challenge.

AMX – usual warm ups and twists and rotations.

Pushups: 4 x 50! Milestone.

Sidekicks 4 x 70 – stay here and polish them up.

Bridges 4 x 30 – stay and expand.

Crunches 4 x 50 – straight legs elevated. Need to increase the ROM. Might have to use a wall.

Cup of tea and the numbers. Glad they moved but still are red.

So I was thinking yesterday how I’m weight lifting very regularly and expect to be losing weight. DUH!

I’d almost forgotten the advice of skip, a professional body builder and a fellow Pisces, “don’t watch the scale, watch the mirror.” I’ve been watching both, but until recently I was giving more faith to the scale. Consistency remains the key … so keep going. Keep the beat… the basics… then change, add replace and modify as required (or desired0 but keep going. )

Bkft goat stew, small portion… not too small I hope. On the road today… mind the eating. Think primal. (with that in mind I still eat two mini soft pretzels.)

Round II: [N] – north jersey Ocean twp road trippin’ with the Lama.

Road snack bars 2x.

Meal – Bonefish grill – lamb chops, zucchini, sweet potato mash.

Round III: [NT] – back on the road.

Race st pub – dark & snappy (strong, had to nurse this one.) Lamb burger and bun. No fries… I managed not to eat a single fry!

Trestle Inn and rare and increasingly rare night out of dancing for Hermanita’s birthday bash. Got my dance on, and a good sweat.. and out. Bed by 0100.

And this is how I ended Session four.

End of session 4