Adarq.org

Back around. Again.

It's been a while since my last post. I hate excuses but I'm trying to get some people to be accountable to for staying in semi-decent shape again. One of my last "come-back" posts was in January of 2014. I tried to make sort of a comeback but for about to years now I just haven't been able to get the motivation to go to the gym. My focus has been entirely on finishing school. I didn't realize what was stopping me until a few months back. I was having a conversation about life in general with a close friend. I basically broke down about how I wasn't all there. I could never sleep well and too many things were in my head. I realized that the ridiculous school/workload combined with taking summer classes burned me out and left me no psychological recovery or time for myself after my aunt lost her battle to cancer, a close friend died in a bicycle accident, and several other friends and acquaintances in a short span passed from sickness, and some even by their own hand.

I'm now graduated and it took me until a month before graduation to realize that it had all caught up to me because I never took care of myself, physically, or mentally. What really made me come back was the speech a director gave to all the college students at an educator's conference somewhat recently. He said that there's no way you can take care of your students or your family, if you haven't taken care of yourself first. Without an emphasis on caring for yourself, things start to break down and what you once focused on is out of reach because you haven't bothered to make sure you're capable of it.

So now I'm getting back to a focus on me for a while. I try to let things go and not worry about them when they're out of my hands. I've been sleeping better, even if it means waking up late (not a concern, since I'm between jobs). The last thing I'm really missing is getting back to working out, and eating more because my diet has consisted of almost nothing for a while.

TL;DR: I didn't realize until recently just how much certain life events had affected me psychologically. I'm back to the forums as a sort of accountability system to focus on improving my physical and mental health to be the more motivated and energetic person I once was.

Plus you're all really chill and helpful, especially LBSS, who always gave me good feedback and a hard time all the same like big brother and I appreciate that.

Monday 2/24/2014:

Bench: 115 1x5, 135 3x8, 1x7 (failure on last rep... still better though, strength is starting to come back even though I feel crappy on bench)
Pullups: 4x5
DB split jerk: 40 ea hand, 3x10
SA DB Lateral Raise: 15lb 3x8
Face pull: 45lb 3x8 (Still on a cable machine but a different one, not sure what the true weight is, went even lighter than usual and focused more on movement)

Pushup: 3x10
DB alternating curls: 25lb 3x10


Brought a friend along with me, he did fairly light weights since he's never been in the gym before. He felt fine until we got to pushups and he collapsed and said, "what did you do to me?!" haha
Also, he says I'm a lot stronger than I look. His words, "You look like a stick but you're freaking tough. Like bamboo. Skinny and strong. I'm gonna just list you as bamboo on my phone"... I laughed.
Still hate looking skinny, but I guess being heavily underestimated by my appearances is better than just plain skinny fat.

Been in several different performances and late rehearsals the last couple weeks, so I've focused my time on actually going to the gym to do something and practicing my horn, kinda just forgot to update, been so focused on listening to and practicing jazz improv (which I suck at haha). Here's the last two days

Friday 2/21/2014:

Bench: 125 2x8, 135 3x8
Pullups: 4x5
DB Split-Jerk: 40s 3x10
SA DB Lateral Raise: 20lb 3x8
Face pull: 70lb 3x10

Straight bar cable curl: 65lb 3x12
Pushups: 3x10


Saturday 2/22/2014:

Squats: 135lb 2x5, 185lb 3x8
DB Step up: 40lb ea hand, 3x8
SL DB RDL: 50lb ea hand, 3x10

Didn't do auxiliary stuff saturday because I didn't realize the gym closed at 3, had to cut short.

2/5/2014:

BB Overhead Squats to box: 65lb 3x8 (focusing on the movement and not weight. Still really hit my core muscles and shoulder stability, shoulders being what I'm focusing a lot on)
DB Step ups: 50lb DBs 3x8 ea. leg
SL DB RDL: 45lb DBs 3x8 ea. leg

Missed lunges to go to game I had to play for, but I figured getting something in was still better than missing all-together. I'll be at a music educators conference today through Saturday... still working out alternatives so I can still get my workouts in.

Oh, damn. I just realized none of my last two weeks of month 1 posted. I haven't even been looking back, but I guess my browser kept taking me to a cached copy (what?)

I'll just be updated from my phone while I'm at the gym from now on. In the mean time, minor update:

I'm over 140 consistently for the first time in like... 6 months? 143 right now, still super light, but my progress is consistent. I don't feel so shitty and lacking in energy while I'm at the gym, it's super easy to eat a lot now though my diet could still be way better. Also, my motivation and energy in classes and all that is better... so win-win-win.

Here was Monday's stuff from the start of Month 2, I'll update today's as I do it tonight.

2/3/2014:

Plyo pushups: 3x3
Bench press: 135x8, 145x8, 145x7, 145x6 (had a guy at the gym help slightly on the last set, couldn't quite make the last two reps... BB bench blows right now)
Pull-ups: 4x5
DB Split-Jerk: 40s 3x10
SA Lateral DB Raise: 12lb 3x8
Face Pull: 45x3x8
Straight bar cable curl: 45x3x12

Just realize I never posted my last logs:

1/6/2014:

Nautral Grip DB Bench: 50lb 3x8
Lat Pull Down: 105lb 3x8
SA DB Push Press: 45lb 3x10
Face pull: 75lb 3x8
Narrow pushups: 3x10
Alternating DB Bicep Curl: 25lb 3x8

1/8/2014:

DB Pistol squat: 3x8 w/35lb
DB Single leg RDL: 3x10 with 2 50's
Reverse bodyweight lunge: 3x8

1/9/2014:

Pullups warmup: 3x3
Neutral grip pullups: 3x8
Incline DB Bench: 3x8 with 45's
SA DB Row: 3x10 w/50lb
Standing BB Press: 3x8 w/65 (shoulders are by far the weakest, which is why I've been doing so much for them lately)

Missed Saturday's leg stuff. My legs were still completely fried from all the single leg work on wednesday and my back muscles were in excruciating pain. Like... well beyond normal soreness from exercise. Not sure what was up, but they're feeling better now. Should be fine for next week to be fully in the swing of things with all leg workouts in place.

Gym's been closed for new year's stuff since I'm using the one at school. Settled for a lot of bodyweight stuff at home.

Chin up: 3x8
Decline pushups (feet on fourth step of stairs): 3x10
Neutral grip sternum pullups: 3x5
Tuck planche pushups: 3x3

May add more upper body to my gym stuff tomorrow depending on how I'm feeling. I'm not too concerned about having to miss a thing or two here and there right now, since I'm still building up.