Thank you. I'm glad I went yesterday. Got to see both of my sisters.

Bodyweight squats 3x10

Front squats 45x10

Overhead squats 45x5

Front squats 95x5

Front squats 135x2x5

Deadlift 135x5

Deadlift 185x3

Deadlift 225x1

Deadlift 245x1x5

Chin up 1.9(fail last 2 inches)/fail

Powerclean 95x5

Powerclean 115x 3/2

After lunch before shower weigh in at 205.2 lbs.

Sorry to hear about your mother, Bob. Glad to you were able to visit and say your goodbyes.

Thanks floppy.

I think the workout really helped me today. As Henry rollins would say, 200 lbs doesnt lie to you like your friends do.

Or something like that.

The iron carries a force(warning I'm weird lol). This force was known even to whatever built Stonehenge. Iron is represented at Stonehenge by 56 stones along a wide outer circle surrounding what most consider the prime significance of Stonehenge. 56 electrons in iron atoms are represented by the ancients. Hmmm I wonder why. Maybe they were crazy weight lifters that made a shrine dedicated to iron. Simple.

Nah Henry rollins is the **** for motivational speeches though. He talks about finding that spark in yourself. A spark that is yours and nobody else's. Nobody is going to lift for you. Period.

https://youtu.be/-7M2N-54g1k

The Iron by Henry Rollins.

Didnt eat well yesterday. Went to bed at midnight and my cat woke me up at 5am. Might need extra recovery day today and tomorrow but I'm gonna wait till tomorrow to see how I feel. Hoping for a good night sleep tonight.

Might try to work up a sweat today doing something fun. No plans yet. My basketball is in my truck, which is at the shop. Maybe some hiking? Idk. I'm tempted to sneak onto a golf course and take some approach shots.

I'm pretty happy with yesterday's workout. Mental notes:

Would have liked 3rd set of squats but guy was moving on to Deadlift and I'm basically trying to stay out of his way.

Would have liked a break for my legs and back before Deadlift, but the squats are still pretty light.

Deadlift was satisfactory. Slight grip weakness on 3 4 5 reps double overhand grip still in effect. Held last rep for a few extra seconds at the top.

Cleans need better warm up and probably shouldn't squat deadlift and clean same day but awww **** it. Cut these short after barely racking 2nd attempt of 2nd set.

Decent depth on overhead squats is slight improvement. Have to let knees go pretty far forward. Not sure how bad my form is. Likely quite bad.

Friends copy of starting strength came in the mail and he said my low bar squats look just like the pictures. No other significant comments on form.

Feel great physically. Just ok mentally. And doing Ok spiritually.

Hit a large bucket of balls at the driving range last night. Was my first time attempting a large bucket since 2010. There was some left lumbar fatigue pain near the end. But I was fine almost immediately after.

Zero pain today. Woohoo.

https://youtu.be/Ow58yHEl_Ls

Seems like good overhead squats information. Keys :

Slow tempo. Dont bounce out of bottom. Knees break first helps maintain upright back angle. Bar shoulders and feet should be aligned. Shoulders back but not shrugged.

Also hey mods faq overhead squats link is broken.

10 second back bridge

10 bodyweight squats

15 second back bridge

5 hands overhead squats

5 hands overhead squats

Powerclean and 5 front squats building to 115x3x5

Pushups 5/10/10/10*/10.

* 4th set was single exhale for the whole set. I havent been able to do that in the past 15 years.

"Knees break first helps maintain upright back angle. Bar shoulders and feet should be aligned."

Might be contradictory depending on your proportions. Your torso will lean a little to more than a little based on that.

Yes some torso lean is necessary. I think the point is that you want to feel like your back is vertical like the front squat demands.

Should be more lean than the front squat. I think trying to be upright is a fine cue if you're finding yourself on your toes a lot, but it's an overcorrection if you feel the weight behind you.

Right. I did overdo the vertical thing two workouts ago with just the 45 lb bar. Fell back a little but didnt fall.

Assorted dynamic warm up stuff.

Low bar squats 135x2x5.

Low bar squats 135x1x10

Deadlift 255x1x5.

Chin up 1 + fail / 1 + fail.

I'm really glad I worked out yesterday. I had the best reason to take the day off from lifting. However these days I'm all for seizing opportunity. Yesterday was one of the longest days of my life. Lifting was a great release of energy, both physically and metaphysically. Of course I was asleep like a baby about 45 minutes after the workout.

I got the call yesterday morning that mom passed away. She wasnt quite a saint, but she will go down in history as someone whose career was dedicated to helping needy kids. Every Christmas she became santa for these kids. She literally had santas list for the local kids that were in her system. Every school year started for tons of kids thanks to her.

That's what mom did, but that's not what defines her. Since its impossible to define her in a paragraph, I'll keep it simple. This woman taught me how to love. For that I'm forever grateful.

Condolences for your loss Bob.

Condolences, Bob.

Thanks guys. Ive been getting my energy out with physical activity. Kept very busy yesterday. Played 9 holes on frozen ground. Shot hoops at the park. Went to the driving range. Lifted weights and fell asleep soon after. Played 18 holes today on hard but wet turf in light rain. Then I took a ride with a friend to nowhere. I made a giant Italian sandwich from an antipasto platter that someone was nice enough to send. I figure I'm going to have to deal with it soon, as the services are next week. But for now I'm just keeping busy. Going to stay with friends this weekend. Little retreat of sorts.

I found my sadness barometer here :

https://youtu.be/SOUVuviI3pM

I think when I can make it through this song without crying, I will be over it. Currently I cant hear more than 4 bars.

People seem to think I'm doing ok as they have stated that I seem to be handling it well. Maybe they forgot that I'm on the highest recommended dose of mood stabilizer? Idk.

Hoping to lift in the driveway this morning. Short road trip this afternoon to Worcester county to see some old friends.

https://youtu.be/ohOtDA3dTAA

I have until Tuesday to basically go wherever the wind takes me. Might adventure west tomorrow. I might need to see some mountains. Something bigger than me. Something significant that can make me remember that I am but a man flying through space on a big rock. Right now I'm much more self centered than that. I'm aware of my insignificance, yet this is most definitely a major turning point for me. So I gotta take it seriously. Just because we are small and temporary, doesn't mean we dont matter. In fact, since we're all born of stardust, and will all be stardust again someday, every particle in our being is significant, however small on a relative scale. Me you yo mama and yo cousin too.

So yeah. Mountains sound awesome. Natures eye candy.

Trip was cancelled but ive been keeping busy. Walked 18 holes today and lifted some weights.

Bench 135x 3/3/5

Some lighter incline bench.

Chin up 1/f/10 second hold at top.

Thats all for today.

Sorry for your loss

Thanks.

Slept poorly last night from 10pm to 1am. Woke up cold and sweaty. Put on a sweatshirt and went to the bathroom. Then I slept great after that until 8am. I know that sounds backwards. Theres no heat upstairs here. So if I just wear a t-shirt I end up in a cold sweat. If I wear a sweatshirt then my body temp can go lower without being cold thus no sweat.

Hit a small bucket of balls this morning but thats all of todays physical activity.

Hoping guy wants to squat and Deadlift tomorrow.

Played 18. Had a glass of red. Ate a bunch. Napped. Woke up(this part took a while) and realized that I was officially burnt out.

Made coffee and took down a few cups. Laid down again for 20 more mins. Ive been feeling ok since but I decided to take the day off from lifting weights.

Weighed in this morning before shower at 206 lbs.

I wasnt getting any stronger just sitting around drinking coffee this morning.

Romanian Deadlift up to 152x3x5 focusing on speed going up to get fast twitch muscles ready for cleans.

Hang clean starting 1st pull at shoelace height 115x3x3

Pushups 5 warm up. Then 6 or 7 x 10. I lost track of number of sets.