Glex's Log of Glexiness

[Glex]

Hi Muscle Mecca. How are you? I can't believe it's been almost two years. This place has changed a lot.

So, what's new with me? Well, I moved to New Mexico and kind of fell off the planet. It was not a happy time in my life. I was deployed last May, but luckily didn't have to go anywhere dangerous. I was able to eat a lot of fruits and veggies and run and lift while in the Middle East. Well, more running than lifting--I was running 30-40 miles a week easy, with 10+ mile days every weekend. I took first in the half-marathon in September out of about sixty or so competitors. I only ran a 1:37, so nothing spectacular, but good enough to win on that particular day against the small pool of people at our base. And I did it in my Vibrams, so that was cool.

Despite all that, the deployment still sucked as my boss was the biggest psychopath I've ever met. That motivated me to apply for my current job, though; I'm in Ohio teaching ROTC. It's much better than what I was doing. Because I'm at a university, I have access to some fairly decent fitness facilities. I hadn't done any real serious swimming for about eight years, so I took advantage of the pool starting in early January. Now that I've conquered that (I consider 'conquering' regaining my ability to swim a 100 butterfly, albeit slowly), I'm looking to change up my workout. It will include more lifting. Hence, this log.

My current short term goal is just to get in shape for summer, because, let's face it, about 90% of us on here are slightly metrosexual narcissists (unless that's changed, too). I'm not out of shape by any means, but I'm rockin' about a 192 right now and I'd like to be closer to 180 for summer. Until about June, I'll be working on my experimental workout program. More on that later.

I have several goals stretching out over the next 18 months. By this September, I want to run in the Air Force Marathon. The marathon part doesn't scare me. The hard part will be doing it barefoot

After the marathon, I want to dunk a basketball. I'm not too optimistic about that one. It has nothing to do with wanting to be good at basketball--I know that will never happen--but it seems like a good goal to work towards. I'm probably too old, which is sad, but I'll give that a good try for a month or so and see where my vertical gets. I'll be at a lighter weight from the marathon training so if it'll ever happen that would be the time. If nothing else it'll be different.

Following that, over the winter, I'll focus on lifting more, which I haven't done since college. Try to gain some mass again without getting as sloppy as I did in college. Preferably on my arms this time; no matter how big, fat, strong, weak, skinny, or fast I get, my arms are always the same size.

My last goal is to run the Air Force Marathon again, and run it in less than three hours. I think that will take a solid six months of just running.

So, that's my plan. My experimental program is something I've been wanting to do for a few years but never worked out the logistics. You know how when you start lifting after some time off you get sore again? My idea is to change up what I do often enough to be sore all the time. Hmm, actually, that sounds like a bad idea now that I've verbalized it, but you get the idea. Someone like Tim can probably give me a name for what I'm trying to do.

I also want to improve in running and lifting legs at the same time, which is something I haven't been able to do in the past to any great extent. I don't think they're incompatible, I just don't think I've found quite the ratio I need. When I was deployed I ran a long distance day of ten miles or more once a week and was probably only doing squats once a week. I want to shift that ratio a little. I haven't worked out all the details yet, but I've basically come to something of a three-week cycle. I'll run long distance every ten and eleven days, hit every body part about twice a week in the gym, and throw in some swimming, running, and circuit training. There will be a rest day about once a week. Nothing will be set in stone. Instead, I'm going to try to set up a good schedule that allows me to deviate from the plan as life gets in the way and as my body tells me what to do.

There's also yoga, because Sara and I have been taking free classes with the university. It's tougher than it looks if you've never done it, but I'm prepared to do yoga on my rest days sometimes because it's usually not that intense. I can do a headstand now

By the end of this three months I'm hoping to be able to do the following:

285 squat
405 deadlift
275 bench
5 pullups at BW + 45lbs
sub 9 min 1.5 mile run
sub 20 min 5k

Yeah, I know, benching as much as I squat I've given up all hope of my legs ever recovering from the herniated disc. My left hamstring is inflexible and weak, and it throws off the strength in my whole lower body. I'm not sure why it doesn't hurt my deadlift more...but maybe that would be higher if not for the injury.

Alright, so, that's it. That's a longer post than most of you all will read, but that's okay, it was mostly for my benefit. I'll keep you all posted as I develop my routine. Until then, I'll post up my workout from today and try to get around to the rest of the site tomorrow.

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[Glex]

28 March 2011

Squats
135 lbs x 10
185 lbs x 5
185 lbs x 5
225 lbs x 1
225 lbs x 1
185 lbs x 3
bar x 20

Leg Press
legs set close together
180 lbs + sled x 12
180 lbs + sled x 12
180 lbs + sled x 12
180 lbs + sled x 12

Good Mornings
55 lbs x 10
55 lbs x 10
55 lbs x 10
55 lbs x 10

Leg Press Calf Extensions
350 lbs x 10
350 lbs x 10
350 lbs x 10
350 lbs x 10

Weighted Abs

Running: 25 mins, about three miles on an indoor track. Ran the first 18:30 barefoot until my feet got too raw. I've only been trying to adapt to the barefoot thing for about a few weeks intermittently.

Aftermath: My legs don't stand a chance tomorrow.

[El Freako]

Do you know of 5/3/1 and other teachings of Our Lord Wendler?

[PrinceVegeta]

Nice goals u set up, good luck!

[Storm]

Wow, text wall! lol j/k i've read it all.
I'd like to say a few things:

1. WELCOME BACK!!!

2. STAY ACTIVE!!!

3. You have all my support in your many goals and i wish you luck, I however think that you've got too many and too "counteracting" goals. As you know running long distances in respectable time doesn't go well with packing on muscle mass, and viceversa. It will be tough at the very least.

4. For your strength gaining goals do as Freako tells you and have a look at Wendler's 5/3/1. It's simple, it's convenient and it works. Wonders.

5. (please take this like an honest well intentioned advise). Regarding your hamstring issue (and in wendler's words): most people is hamstring weak. You just need to have the balls to admit it, stop with the excuses and work to mend that. Proper stretching, foam rolling and accesory work aiming for your weakness. An important part of it is just a matter of shallowing up your own ego. Been there, done that. There's no real reason other than having no legs for your squat to be equal to your bench. At least RAW. If you're able to deadlift decently you should be able to squat. Go for it!

[PrinceVegeta]

Best post of 2011 right there!

[Glex]

El Freako: I do not. I am interested, though; I'll take a look.

Vegeta: What's up, animan? Thanks, let's hope I can meet 'em.

Storm: Thanks Stay active...physically? Sexually? Oh, on MM...I'll try. No promises

Yeah, I agree with packing on muscle and the long distance. Honestly, the 1.5 mile and 5k times aren't that fast for me, so I'm not worried about them getting in the way as I try to meet the short term lifting goals. I do plan on upping my long distance days to 10+ miles by the end of this three month cycle, but I'm hoping the extra space between runs will help me achieve the disparate goals better. This summer I was doing all those things at the same time I ran my half marathon, except I think my bench was like 265 and my squats maybe like 275. Just looking to regain strength in this first phase after focusing on swimming over anything else for three months.

However, I disagree with your assessment on my legs, though I do appreciate the candor and I know you're not trying to be mean or anything. The short story without getting anecdotal is that the problem is neurological, not muscular, as the MRI of my back shows and the specialist who saw me told. The strength imbalance is most notable on one-legged leg press and hack squats; my right leg is easily able to lift what I struggle to push with my left. Oddly, hamstring exercises never were an issue...perhaps I shouldn't have said that my left hamstring was weak. It is weaker than my right, but not significantly. My theory is the pinched nerve that constantly sends an involuntary signal telling my hamstring to pull is always counteracting the voluntary signals telling my quad to push. No amount of exercising, stretching, and/or attention, other than maybe surgical intervention, should be able to correct this.

This would explain why at the beginning of the press movement the weakness is more pronounced; it's at the end of the pull movement for my hamstring, which is where it's strongest. This might also explain why I generally don't feel the effects of the injury while I'm running--I'm not using the full range of motion of all my leg muscles.

Luckily for me, my legs don't really need to be any bigger They've always been one of my bigger body parts. Even since my injury I haven't noticed any atrophying in the left leg. My left calf lags my right, but it always has even before the injury.

Today was an off day, minus the yoga. I was even more inflexible than usual thanks to legs yesterday. "Now place your palms flat on the floor as you straighten out your legs." Go **** yourself, lady!

[Line]

[Storm]

Well, sorry then. That sounds like an annoying injury man, too bad.

[Natzo]

Hi5 for slightly metrosexual narcissist !

welcome back Glex aka the arcade overlord.

good luck on achieving your goals, i'm here for any advice! keep this up!



ps: dont turn into a Wendler whore.

[Glex]

Line:

Storm: Nah, it's alright. Honestly, you make a good point about doing ancillary lifts; it's something I should probably do to see if it'll help. I vary my training enough with random activities that I think I maintain an overall balance, but, like most guys, I mostly ignore inner/outer thigh resistance training. Our yoga instructor occasionally does some pilates leg stuff which I suck at...it's a little painful on my lower back, but not enough that I shouldn't be able to make up for it with practice and training. What usually makes me stop isn't the pain but the muscle fatigue, when normally the yoga strength movements are the only thing I can do well. The yoga is good bodyweight resistance training to hit stabilization muscles in my legs that I don't normally hit, and I'll try to make it a point to do more than just quads, glutes, hams, and calves on my leg days, whether its pilates, plyos, or resistance training. That may help me more improve my squat more than it would help a normal guy, but I don't expect full rehabilitation.

Natzo: Cheers I forgot about the arcade...must...resist...temptation to do...mindless ****... I haven't even done any research on Wendler yet, but I'll keep that in mind

[tim290280]

I'm not a metrosexual, I'm a yessexual.

I can also recommend 5/3/1. Just drop Freako (or me) an email and get a copy.

[Glex]

Tim: Does that mean you really really really enjoy the stylings 1970s progressive rock bands? Will do if I think it'll go with my training program

30 March 2011

Lifting: 50 minutes
Swimming: 25 minutes

Bench Press
135 lbs x 10
185 lbs x 8
185 lbs x 5
225 lbs x 2
225 lbs x 2+1

Pullups
BW x 8
BW + 25 lbs x 2
BW + 25 lbs x 2
BW x 5

Superset
Handstand Pushups.........BB Rows
Feet against a wall.............Underhand Grip
3 reps..............................155 lbs x 10
2 reps..............................155 lbs x 10
1 reps..............................155 lbs x 10
Switched to standing military press for last set
3 x 135 lbs........................155 lbs x 10

Superset
Dips.................................BB Shrugs
15 x BW............................315 lbs x 10
10 x BW + 45 lbs................405 lbs x 5
3 x BW + 90 lbs..................405 lbs x 5
8 x BW + 45 lbs..................405 lbs x 5

Superset
Incline DB Press...............Alternating DB Curls
70 lbs x 6..........................35 lbs x 8
70 lbs x 5..........................35 lbs x 8

Chest was done, so I dropped the presses:

Alternating DB Curls
30 lbs x 10
30 lbs x 10

And then I swam. Pretty leisurely pace, a few sets thrown in and a little bit of stroke. Probably about 1200 yards.

Aftermath:
Well, I think the plan is working. Swimming felt weird after taking a week off.

[Storm]

brofist for handstand pushups If nothing else it looks badass if done properly. Goku would be proud.
for god sake Glex...yards? at what pace? 17 stadiums per microfortnight?

Good job man, keep it up. I'm liking those weighted dips.

[FEVER]

handstand pushups! haha nice keep them coming glex

[Glex]

Storm & Fever: Haha, yeah...funny story about handstand pushups. This fat guy at my deployed base came up to me when I was doing them against a rickety roll-up door in the gym and said something like, "Do you have to be so loud? You're making us look bad! It sounds like you're going to bring the building down." I looked at him, not impressed with his attempt at smalltalk/being funny, and said, "It's the sound of fitness," and walked away. It was one of my douchiest moments, but I got a kick out of it later. I couldn't stop myself, it just came out. You have no right to be in the military if you're freaking ROUND. Anyway, I'm trying to get to the point where I can do it without a wall, because that would be truly badass

As for the swimming, um...I swam for 25 minutes so right around 50 yards/min. If you're interested I can put up my three months worth of swimming log, it's much more impressive ...but still such a far cry from my high school days

[Glex]

31 March 2011

Running: 40 mins
Easy pace. Maybe 4.5-4.7 miles. Enough to get my legs loosened up from Monday's leg session in preparation for tomorrow's PT with the cadets and subsequent legs session.

[Glex]

1 April 2011

Running: 25 minutes
Nice and easy. Played some volleyball after with the cadets.

Lifting: 40 minutes

Walking DB Lunges
35 lbs x 10
35 lbs x 10
35 lbs x 10
35 lbs x 10

Superset
SLDL......................Standing Straight Bar Curls
135 lbs x 10.............65 lbs x 10
135 lbs x 10.............65 lbs x 10
135 lbs x 10.............65 lbs x 10
135 lbs x 10.............65 lbs x 10

Box Side Step-Ups
For Stormy
Four sets of ten reps on each leg.

Single-Leg Standing DB Calf Raises
60 lbs x 10
60 lbs x 10
60 lbs x 10
60 lbs x 10

Superset
Swiss Bar Curls...........Seated Overhead DB Extensions
75 lbs x 10...................80 lbs x 10
75 lbs x 10...................80 lbs x 10
75 lbs x 10...................80 lbs x 10
75 lbs x 10...................80 lbs x 10

One-Arm Underhand Cable Extensions
Supersetted with hanging leg raises
30 lbs x 10
30 lbs x 10
30 lbs x 10
30 lbs x 10

Aftermath:
Lighter intensity day for the legs, next one is heavy, but I want to do heavy deads before that. I hate lunges.