|
Post by M@ on Apr 8, 2020 20:01:31 GMT
Quite! I'm glad it was morning and there was light coming in behind the drapes rather than in the black of night. Wet sugar is sticky, so it probably sticks bubble particles together. Did I mention I suck at chemistry? I don't think that's how it works, but I don't know enough about chemistry to contradict you. Weight: 288.0 lbsI blew up my forearms today and typing is really difficult. My forearms don't hurt, but moving my fingers makes them start to burn and it's like my palms are ticklish. Great workout overall. I'm making big strength gains that really show up when comparing versus the previous week's numbers. For fun, I pinch-gripped my 25 lb bumper plates (current training uses the 35lb plates and I do farmers walks while I pinch them until I can do 4 sets of 1+ minute per set) which had been challenging four weeks ago and they felt like frisbees. I keep the pinch training until the end of the workout so that I can chalk up and not risk accidentally rubbing my eyes. There's some kind of additive or something in the loose chalk I have that gives me a rash if I get it near my eyes. I checked the Valor Fitness site and they have a notice that their supply-chain was disrupted by the coronavirus in China. They anticipate a re-stock by April 15th. I'm hoping I'll be able to buy that leg extension/curl machine and some olympic plate adapters when they're back in stock. The introvert in me is enjoying going out wearing a mask and sunglasses. I'm searching around for lightweight balaclavas/bandannas to make the look even more fun/badassed. Speaking of introverts: I checked up on John Stone. He and Lisa are doing fine with no major disruption to their daily routine. Good to know.
|
|
|
Post by seltzer on Apr 8, 2020 20:19:59 GMT
Thanks for the update about John and Lisa.
|
|
|
Post by M@ on Apr 9, 2020 20:19:56 GMT
Thanks for the update about John and Lisa. You bet. Weight: 287.2 lbsI'm in that lovely space where everything I exercised yesterday is delightfully sore. I reject any publication that states that's not the sign of a good workout. I think today's workout will yield similar results, but it was a Power day and those don't seem to tire me out as much as the Hypertrophy days. I'm curious to test my bench press 1RM. I'm approaching the weight (on Power days) that I used to use for reps with crappy form. Now I'm isolating my chest and if I feel the burn in my triceps or front delts I don't count the rep. I feel like I could really exceed my previous 1RM if I use what I've learned about chest isolation and farmer's-strength the whole thing up. I should probably hold off on this until I have a spotter, though. I have safeties, but I'd rather not try to control a 225 lb+ bar falling towards my throat and the nerves would probably affect the test. I've started reading Dave Draper's Brother Iron, Sister Steel on Kindle. The prose is flowery and requires digestion so it's not an easy read, but it seems pretty raw and guileless: A refreshing change after reading stuff from Arnold, the ultimate salesman. I also got my new reading glasses delivered via UPS since my optometrist's office is closed. They may not be perfectly adjusted for my face, but it's a relief to have the updated prescription and the frames are absolutely fucking badassed. They look great on me. DISCLAIMER: The rest of this post is about IT and videogame geekery. Anybody who had a Sony Playstation 3 (PS3) or has a first-generation Playstation 4 (PS4) knows that the built-in wireless connection is complete shit. I have no idea how or why a company like Sony let this happen. The PS3/4 was supposed to be the ultimate set-top box: BluRay player, video game console, and upgrade-able smart TV/streaming device. Their slogan was, It only does everything. Yet its shit WiFi protocol prevented you from getting speeds much faster than 256K. If you connected it via WiFi, you could not stream video, your downloads took days instead of hours/minutes, and online play was impossible. I bought one of the Call of Duty titles and couldn't even play the storyline because it kept trying to connect to the servers int he background and lagging the game. Sony never directly acknowledged this problem. There were a few tips and tricks to get throughput up to 1 to 2 Mbps over WiFi, but the general advice was: Connect via ethernet cable. Until today, I've been running a proxy server on my desktop computer to get - at best - 4.3 Mbps download, and that only works when my desktop is up and running. I've delayed downloads significantly by forgetting that I needed to keep my desktop on. Today everything changed. I finally ordered a wireless bridge so that I could connect the PS3/4 to the bridge via ethernet cable and take Sony's shitty WiFi out of the equation. After a five minute setup, I am getting 40.6 Mbps download on the PS4! This means the kids can play all of the online songs on Just Dance 2020 without buffering and the download of Uncharted 4 that I started 2 days ago has pulled down as much data in the past 20 minutes as it had in the previous 48 hours. This is a good day. This is a big problem solved without me having to drill holes through my floor and run cable through joists in the basement. I am incredibly happy and relieved.
|
|
|
Post by phillydude on Apr 9, 2020 21:06:33 GMT
The introvert in me is enjoying going out wearing a mask and sunglasses. I'm searching around for lightweight balaclavas/bandannas to make the look even more fun/badassed. Speaking of introverts: I checked up on John Stone. He and Lisa are doing fine with no major disruption to their daily routine. Good to know. I am also enjoying the fact that it's is completely ok to go out wearing a hoodie, baseball cap, sunglasses, and a bandanna as a mask... although I am fairly certain the folks who work at the bank and the convenience store in town aren't real happy about it. Thanks for the JSF update.
|
|
|
Post by M@ on Apr 10, 2020 18:20:12 GMT
I am also enjoying the fact that it's is completely ok to go out wearing a hoodie, baseball cap, sunglasses, and a bandanna as a mask... although I am fairly certain the folks who work at the bank and the convenience store in town aren't real happy about it. I always wear my sunglasses when I'm outside in the daytime. There's a sign at my local PNC bank that says "We request that all visitors remove hats, hoods, and sunglasses before entering the building." I always say, "Request denied!" in my head whenever I see it. Cracks me up. Weight: 286.7 lbsMy triceps are inexplicably fried this morning. Super-sore. I went with really strict form on skullcrushers, but they didn't feel very pumped or wiped out at the time. My wrist blaster is scheduled to arrive today. I can't wait to try it out. There was a sawed off length of hockey stick with a 5' length of rope at an old gym that I used to use for forearm training and twisting a weight up and down would absolutely fry my forearms. I'm getting that kind of work from wrist curls and reverse wrist curls on my cable system, but I don't have anything for that kind of lateral twisting motion (i.e. like twisting a screwdriver). This device is basically that old hockey stick with some balls on either end that will allow me to do that twisting work. I thought about drilling a hole through the handle of a 10 lb dumbbell and using that instead, but I didn't want to ruin my dumbbell. I also didn't want to add another DIY project to my day when I could just clickshop at Amazon. I have a family pack (each) of chicken thighs and drumsticks marinating in Cuban mojo sauce. I'll be making that, some Cuban black beans, and saffron basmati rice for dinner. It's a great meal and the leftovers go a long way. My buddy just stimulated the economy by ordering a massive kids playset for his backyard. He's going to have to cut down a tree and make some changes to its assembly to get it to fit. Sara lamented (not for the first time by a long stretch) that we don't have much of a back yard to speak of (since we're a corner lot, the front and side yard are big but the backyard is minimal). What little backyard we have is also being completely overtaken by three fir trees and a bush. I need to find out if there's a reliable arborist in the area who can come in and give me a plan for what to do with these trees. My neighbors are starting to complain as they grow into their yards.
|
|
|
Post by phillydude on Apr 11, 2020 14:19:32 GMT
When the boys were of the right age, I designed and built a huge playset in our back yard. An 8'x8' elevated play deck with a slide and a rope climbing web, an overhead ladder with swings and a glider hanging from it, and a tire swing over an attached sandbox. It's still standing there, fifteen or so years after it was constructed (and surprisingly, it's still very sturdy). I've posted it on Craigslist a few times... if someone wants to disassemble it, they can have it for free. No takers though... the challenge will be removing the deck (which is 4' in the air and must weigh at least 500lbs) from the rest of the structure. My point is to think about the future before you commit a significant portion of your yard to something like that. (edit) I have no idea why your quote isn't showing up
|
|
|
Post by M@ on Apr 11, 2020 20:44:46 GMT
My point is to think about the future before you commit a significant portion of your yard to something like that. I never liked swing sets/jungle gyms in people’s yards. They were always unmaintained and rusted out. I never wanted one in my yard. The neighbors next door have a two story jungle gym with a slide that they’ve offered to us if we just get it out of their yard but I’m not interested. Then again, I never thought we’d be trapped in our yard indefinitely. Weight: 289.0 lbsI was delayed in making dinner last night because I needed to set up a Zoom meeting for a virtual happy hour. Dinner wasn’t ready until almost 9 pm. It was really good, but Sara had to bail and make herself some leftovers because she was so hungry. She wasn’t happy about it and I was embarrassed and upset about dinner being so late. At least we have awesome leftovers for a couple of days. I can confirm that the Wrist Blaster does, indeed, blast one’s wrists. It’s like two large doorknobs and you have to keep both sides anchored or your likely to drop the weight. I messed around and found that 10 lbs for curling my wrists towards me and 15 lbs for curling them away from me was a good starting point. All the parts of my forearms that were usually flat after my forearm workout were bulging with pump after using the wrist blaster. I want to get a few more small plates (2.5-5lbs) because it’s easier to manage with the rope fed through the plate holes than it is to cinch the rope around a dumbbell. This is the excuse I need to get one of those olympic fractional plate sets. I actually have an old doorknob set and now I’m wondering if I could make a wrist-blaster device out of it. Might try. With any luck, this will be the week that the Nintendo Switch and Valor Fitness Leg Extension/Curl machine both come back in stock at Amazon. I should go do yardwork. The bushes in the front yard are desperately in need of attention. I really, really don’t feel like it, though.
|
|
|
Post by Merk on Apr 13, 2020 2:55:09 GMT
If I lived closer I'd come over and do it for you (I spent much of my youth and part of a career change running a chainsaw and dropping trees). The last time I had to do major arborist work I had to cut down a tree that was leaning into a freshly built 2 million dollar home. There was lots of de-limbing, and having to cut the tree down in sections. From there came the real challenge of removing the stump with a bobcat. All you'd have to do is give me a hand, feed me some grub, and we'd be good to go! Of course that is if I lived closer. Best of luck bud. Arborists are expensive as all hell. EDIT: Your quote disappeared....odd, anyways you know what I was quoting.
|
|
|
Post by M@ on Apr 13, 2020 21:10:06 GMT
Best of luck bud. Arborists are expensive as all hell. I know. I have a guy who has come and done tree work in the past, but he's mainly just a guy with a crew and a chipper shredder. I don't think he knows anything about tree health or how he can trim back the stuff on my property without killing or infecting the trees. Appreciate the spirit of the offer though, that's an insane amount of work to trade for food/beer/comraderie. Weight: 288.8 lbsI had a wake up call yesterday. Sara hid eggs around the yard and we followed the kids with an iPhone and my DSLR to record the hunt and send the results to both sets of grandparents (who miss their grandchildren terribly). Seeing my grossly fat body on that video was stomach churning. Seeing the patchy baldness on top of my head was humiliating. I can't believe how badly I have let myself go. I also looked back at some old photos when I was lean and realized that the reason I still had a belly at - what I thought was - low bodyfat was because I have almost no muscle on my frame. Right now my butt, quads, and traps are the only things remotely developed. I'm no longer focusing on fat loss. I'm focusing on muscle gain. There is no point in cutting down to that skinny-fat state again. Right now my calves, forearms, chest, and shoulders are all growing week-to-week because of the attention I'm giving them. I'm focusing on actual bodybuilding from this point forward. I will probably lose some fat since I'm going to clean up my diet in terms of food quality (and am completely eliminating alcohol) but that's not the point. The point is to add muscle mass. I had a great upper-body hypertrophy session yesterday and absolutely destroyed my lower body today. I'm exhausted and very, very irritable because I need to eat. I'm going to get my daughter up from her nap in a few minutes and will then eat a shit ton of chicken, rice, and salad. I may have a steak, too.
|
|
|
Post by shamie on Apr 14, 2020 14:10:18 GMT
in a few minutes and will then eat a shit ton of chicken, rice, and salad. I may have a steak, too.
That made me laugh. I think the part about having a steak too.
|
|
|
Post by M@ on Apr 14, 2020 18:06:17 GMT
That made me laugh. I think the part about having a steak too. I decided to go overboard on the chicken (2 thighs and 2 drumsticks) and save the steak for today. Just polished it off along with a cup of brown rice and a cup of black beans. It feels like I've already digested everything and am slowly growing (in a good way). Weight: 287.5 lbsIt's my rest day so I just walked for about 80 minutes on the treadmill downstairs while watching some TV. I got nine hours of sleep last night. My chest and quad DOMS are for real, so I'm glad it's a non-weight-training day. I have a bunch of stuff to do at work but it's not going to get done today. My plan is to knock out about another hour's worth and then go work in the yard.
|
|
|
Post by M@ on Apr 15, 2020 16:25:22 GMT
Weight: 288.8 lbsToday was an accessory day: abs, calves, and forearms. I do them in that order, saving forearms for last because I use chalk for plate pinch farmers walks and when that's over I can go wash my hands. I suppose I can go wash my hands any time, actually. I wish we had a scrub sink in the basement. Anyway, I made my protein shake when I was done and had a really hard time crushing the empty paper milk carton. Sign of a good workout. Our stimulus money was directly deposited in one lump sum today. I filed my tax return yesterday and will be getting a chunk back on that, too (I know I'm lending the government money interest-free by not adjusting my withholding). I checked Valor fitness and it looks like they briefly had the leg curl/extension machine back in stock but it's sold out again. Sigh. Also, there are still no Nintendo Switch's to be had at retail price. I guess the only way I'll be stimulating the economy is via a tree service. My buddy persuaded me to try playing Diablo III. He's getting back into it and wants someone to co-op with. I hadn't ever played it - despite loving the first two - because it had gotten critically panned and nobody I knew played it. My mistake: The game is fun as shit. It's the same click, kill, loot, repeat theme as the previous editions with even more little gimmicks to make each session a steady drip of pleasure and reward. I have no idea when I'll actually be able to play it, but I'm sure I'll find time somewhere. I started playing it when I woke up this morning and had about an hour of fun until the sun came up and made the screen too dark to see anything. Strangely, I got more work done in the first half of my day than I normally do. I even started my workout earlier. Maybe coffee and videogames are a good way to start the day?
|
|
|
Post by Merk on Apr 15, 2020 16:51:04 GMT
Weight: 288.8 lbsToday was an accessory day: abs, calves, and forearms. I do them in that order, saving forearms for last because I use chalk for plate pinch farmers walks and when that's over I can go wash my hands. I suppose I can go wash my hands any time, actually. I wish we had a scrub sink in the basement. Anyway, I made my protein shake when I was done and had a really hard time crushing the empty paper milk carton. Sign of a good workout. Our stimulus money was directly deposited in one lump sum today. I filed my tax return yesterday and will be getting a chunk back on that, too (I know I'm lending the government money interest-free by not adjusting my withholding). I checked Valor fitness and it looks like they briefly had the leg curl/extension machine back in stock but it's sold out again. Sigh. Also, there are still no Nintendo Switch's to be had at retail price. I guess the only way I'll be stimulating the economy is via a tree service. My buddy persuaded me to try playing Diablo III. He's getting back into it and wants someone to co-op with. I hadn't ever played it - despite loving the first two - because it had gotten critically panned and nobody I knew played it. My mistake: The game is fun as shit. It's the same click, kill, loot, repeat theme as the previous editions with even more little gimmicks to make each session a steady drip of pleasure and reward. I have no idea when I'll actually be able to play it, but I'm sure I'll find time somewhere. I started playing it when I woke up this morning and had about an hour of fun until the sun came up and made the screen too dark to see anything. Strangely, I got more work done in the first half of my day than I normally do. I even started my workout earlier. Maybe coffee and videogames are a good way to start the day? D3 is pretty solid. I've spent many hours on that game. It's critical to get a solid armor/weapon build going. There are some really good sites for builds (none that come to mind at the moment). Currently I'm working on Fallout 76's new Wastelanders release. So far, so good.
|
|
|
Post by M@ on Apr 16, 2020 1:37:55 GMT
Shit. Just. Got. Real.
|
|
|
Post by phillydude on Apr 16, 2020 10:36:46 GMT
|
|