alongthelinesof

concept art for my Obama comic. It doesn't really look like him, but I thought it was cool anyways.

F. Squats have always been my least favorite thing to do and have thus, always been one of my weaknesses.  So I couldn’t think of a better way to start off the new year than with 8 weeks of ONLY Front squatting.  Oh, and today is 10 sets of 10.  Whachu know ’bout volume!

PM

So I’ve decided to step up my get-yoked-pertrophy game up to the next level.  10 sets of 10 Front squats super-setted with 10 sets of 10 chin-ups.  I’m going to attempt this with 245lbs (this particular gym only has lb plates).  My buddies, Will (who will also be using 245) and Denny will be doing the same.  I encourage any and all to try this as well if you like NOT fitting into clothes properly.

Fuck.

Strength is a cruel mistress, one who slaps you in the face with a phone book every time you decide to take a couple weeks off.  I took a pitiful introductory “pre-workout” on Saturday in hopes of softening the blow to my fragile ego.  No luck.  BUT, today is a new day and the start of my new, more (slightly) organized training program.  And since I’m posting my business all over the internet, I may as well use this website as a training tool and post my workouts on it.

AM

-Hang snatch for triples: 50kgx3,70kg,90kg,100kg,110kgxxx (2 out of 3),50kg

-snatch pulls off the blocks x4: 70kg,90kg,110kg,120kgx2

-mobility work and abs.

-caught a tricep pump

PM

-power clean x2, clean and jerk x1: worked up to 130.

-jerks from the rack (front): worked up to 130

-mobility work/experimented with different rack positions, eventually started doing rack holds with 190kg.

-caught another tricep pump

Here’s the POD, it’s another of an older gentleman.

whachu know 'bout lead sticks??!!

In other news . . .

this.

chicken n' stuffing

Here’s how the conversation went:

“So do you want gravy on your stuffing?”

“umm . . . yeah.”

“And do you want gravy on your chicken as well?”

“UMM, YEAH!”

I recently wrote a post for 70sbig.com and expressed my feelings on the importance of problem solving when it comes to Olympic Weightlifting training (You can find it here: http://www.70sbig.com/?p=3378). For entertainment purposes, I made my main argument that I need stronger legs if I’m going to be a better lifter. This is true. BUT stronger legs does not a lifter make. There are a number of other issues that I’m going to address in the new year, most of which can be most easily seen while comparing myself to those who are better than me.

In my opinion, the best training tool for a lifter is training with people who are better than yourself. That way, you can see firsthand what the differences are between you and them. Unfortunately, my circumstances are such that I am training by myself the majority of the time (NOT an ideal training environment). However, I am constantly comparing myself to superior lifters and have come to a few conclusions:

1) Flexibility. I am always being made fun of because I have big arms (yeah buddy!). But really, they just aren’t that big and there are lots of other lifters with a lot bigger arms than I do who have no problem with their rack position.  If you take a look at a good lifter, they can catch a clean and stand up with it with the bar resting in their palms.  When I clean, my fingers are barely hanging on and sometimes my arms just pop out of position and the bar flies all over the place.  After 6 years of lifting, I couldn’t sit down in a front squat with an empty bar, so when I miss cleans, it is always while racking the bar at the bottom.  Good lifters do not do that.  IF a good lifter misses a clean, it is while standing up out of the hole.  Simple fix.  Front squat more.  But my shoulder girdle is so tight,  that my rack position is just plain shitty.  SO, in the new year: get more aggressive with shoulder flexibility . . .  A LOT more aggressive.  When I have the money, some soft tissue work should help this too.

2)  Front squat (duh!).  I need to be front squatting 230 kilos for triples, plain and simple.

3) Consistent pulls.  When I approach maximal weights some times I feel like I literally FORGET how to set up and pull the bar.  The fix: stop being such a sally and do it right.

If I can improve at least these 3 thing, I’m confident that my numbers will show it.  I’m looking forward to getting more organized with my training and improving my gross flaws.  Heavy volume on the squats starting next week, whachu know ’bout volume!!??.

In other news:  I bought approximately HELLA sketch paper of varying sizes today.  I’m gonna do some next level maneuvers with my art game this year.

In other, other news:  My good buddy passed me the newest Jame Lidell album recently.  It is fucking legit.  Here’s a video of him from Lablogotheque.  This website has videos of live impromptu performances from cool bands and it’s how I heard of this guy.

Oh, and here’s a picture.

Ms. Marvel is so goddamn hot. She's probably in my top 5.