ME Upper Body Fail

ME Bench Press w/ mini-bands
1x5 135lbs
1x5 155lbs
1x5 165lbs
1x3 185lbs*
3x4 175lbs**

Supplemental:
2x8 pull-ups
1x5 pull-ups

Superset:
3x10 2x45lbs bent-over DB rows
3x8 2x20lbs front raises

Traps:
3x12 2x50lbs DB shrugs
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* -- I added wrong when changing the plates around and thought I was doing 175. Mid-way through the set, I realised it was too heavy, so I did 3 reps and went back down.

** -- I should note that I completely failed the last set, so it's more like 2x4.. I'm going to partly blame the spicy food I had (which I shall be making a post about later), but I'm also super frustrated that I feel like i'm not progressing with my bench at all. Like... at all. If we think about it, I started with a 185lb 1RM, and the fact that I managed to do a 3RM with that weight is sure sign of progress.. Also, jumping up to that weight and doing a set of three probably accounted for my last set's failure, but all the same.. This is a plateau, and I dislike it, especially when my lower body lifts are all doing so well.

With all due luck, being in Canada will shake something up. At the very least, I'll have a spotter instead of waiting until someone notices I'm trapped under the bar. For the record, I look like I got punched in the mouth cause I was trying to get the bar back to the lower safety rack when it came down.

Playgrounds and Box Squats

On Saturday, Raquel, my sister and I went out to a playground in Fairfax that resembles the wooden castle playground in High Park, Toronto. Super fun and a good deal of upper body work. After a lunch break, we went to another playground and played around some more. Not much to say about it, but it was a rather active day.

Now, onto today:

ME Box Squats:
1x5 135lbs
1x5 185lbs
1x5 225lbs
1x5 245lbs
3x5 275lbs

Unilateral:
3x6 135lbs Reverse lunges, each leg

Posterior:
3x8 35lbs Hyperextensions

Ab circuit

ME Upper Body + Binh Dinh Kung Fu

Yeah, it might seem like overkill, but I forewent the cardio after the lifting and the BDKF was several hours later. I was, however, extremely dehydrated at the time of the lifting, so there was a small bit of puke when I got home.

ME Bench Press w/ bands:
1x5 135lbs
1x5 145lbs
1x5 155lbs
1x3 165lbs
3x3 175lbs

Supplemental:
1x10 BW pull-ups
1x9 BW pull-ups

Superset:
3x8 2x45lbs bent over DB rows
3x8 2x35lbs overhead DB press

Traps:
3x15 2x45lbs DB shrugs

Curls:
3x8 2x30lbs Zottman curls
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I added in the curls because I have a feeling that Zottman curls can strengthen the muscles around my elbow joint better than bench pressing alone would.

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1:00 BDKF
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After running through the first two forms several times, and the two fight drills from last week, I learned an additional two drills as well as the counter-attack portion to the initial drills. I'm also sad to see how easily my dad gets winded these days. This is a legacy I must carry on.. And it needs to be sooner than later.

The Past Few Days

I deliberately didn't update on the VTech Statewide this weekend because I probably don't have all that much to write about it. On Saturday, after we warmed up, there was really just a lot of play. It was hot as hell outside, shirts came off, and we did so much volume that everyone was beaten and dead by the end of the day. Things that looked too large months ago, though, looked tiny.. This means, to me, that the Westside program has been extremely effective. Many people also made comments about my physique which made me feel awkward. I certainly don't feel all that much bigger, but I guess I look it. Early on, Leon compared me to Jesse Woody back when he was predominantly strength training.

The second day of the statewide was grueling. Everyone was so tired that it was pitiful. Jumps that should've been easy were taken with the utmost discretion. Basically, it was like we were all beginners again and had forgotten how to jump. Our legs, arms, abs.. none of it worked properly. And for this reason, Monday was a full and complete rest day for me.

Onto tonight!

Max Effort Box Squats:
1x5 135lbs
1x5 185lbs
1x5 225lbs
1x5 245lbs
3x3 275lbs

Unilateral:
3x6 2x45lbs DB reverse lunges, each leg

Posterior:
3x12 BW ham-glute bridges

Ab circuit:
0:30 Med ball Mason twists (15lbs)
0:30 Jackknives
x2
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10:00 jog on treadmill; distance at end 1.4mi
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Still not completely fresh from this weekend. But I'll take whatever I can get.

Kung Fu and Parkour

Yesterday, there was a Binh Dinh session as per usual. I ran through the two forms a few times, and then we actually got into practical fighting stuff, which is pretty interesting. I think my dad's getting a little old for it, though, because he needed to stop pretty early on. Shame. All the more reason to be doing this now rather than later.

As far as Parkour goes, we did some timed runs as the theme. I think the times are very telling, actually. The first time I got was slower than everyone else's.. Aside form slipping up three times and two people doing less on the last leg of the run, I chalk it up to being clumsy with my ground-based movement.. However, on the last run, which involved a lot of climbing, I basically crushed everyone else's time (not to be arrogant OR competitive, just stating).. This tells me that my strength training has paid off.. But I'm not actually faster than they are, I'm just better at climbing. Overall, this tells me that I need to be training more dynamic movements and training more technique.. or at least getting more out of my technical training than I currently am. Maybe it's because I don't have anyone here who's going to be really pushing me (whereas when Knox, Nick, or Leon are around, I always get noticeably better).. But yes, more dynamic training. I need to set Friday up to be a full-on DE day regularly.. Soon, just not this week because of Blacksburg.

2 mile run

ME Lower Body

Lower Body warm-up

ME Box Squats:
1x8 BW (for form)
1x5 135lbs
1x5 185lbs
1x5 225lbs
1x5 245lbs
3x5 265lbs

Unilateral:
3x6 2x35lb bulgarian split squats

Posterior:
3x8 105lb pull-throughs

Ground-based ab circuit
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I know I'm going lower on the weights for the unilaterals.. but I HAAAATE them!! Okay, that's no excuse.. But I'm legitimately struggling every time with them.. I just can't wait until I can drag my sled around all day instead. :(

As far as the box squat goes... The 5 reps at 265lbs went off very easily. Did the break make me stronger? No clue, but I'm going to try a 3RM at 285 or 295 next week, then go up in reps. I can probably break 300 by the time I get into Canada, but.. no rush, no rush.