Hypertrophy III, Day 1, Workout 4

Although I didn't clean the barbell off the floor as... erm... cleanly as I could've, I surprised myself doing 4 reps at 164lbs. for my last set of Push presses. (Then again, it's easier for me to go heavier there than with Shoulder presses or Military presses.)

If there's anything that's going to stop me from going higher is not getting the bar off the ground or if I'm able to do that, setting it back down. The gym will kick me out if I regularly let the weights crash to the floor.

I'm convinced I'll be getting more out of this exercise this way--despite the extra difficulty--rather than relying on the power cage/rack. At the rate I'm going, I may, just may, be able to go for 204lbs. at the end of this phase, but I'll be happy with 184.

Hypertrophy III, Day 2, Workout 3

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Hypertrophy III, Day 1, Workout 3

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Hypertrophy III, Day 2, Workout 2

Last week my right knee went wonky; this morning it was my left. Glad to know they're balancing each other out.

In other news, I thought, it being a Sunday and all, that the gym would be kinda empty when I went there. Well, I thought wrong as there was a basketball team there in the free weights area. Fortunately for me, they didn't use the cage at all so I was able to do my Squats without any interruption.

Hypertrophy III, Day 1, Workout 2

Cosgrove is really the devil. My arms felt like falling out of their sockets.

Hypertrophy III, Day 2, Workout 1

The shock from last week's Day 2 workout wore off, and I managed to survive today's workout, one heavier than I intended because of so many new people in the gym (a canoeing team in addition to the basketball and softball teams). Although in the end my self-entitlement is outweighed by the gym's bottom line, I'm annoyed that these teams (1) work out during everyone else's lunch break and (2) hog the areas they're in which practically prevents anyone else from using the equipment.

Well, I'll see how far asking nicely is going to get me, but as far as I'm concerned, I have no plans of letting this disrupt my schedule.

Hypertrophy III, Day 1, Workout 1

Thanks to NSCA's training video, I'm learning how to clean a bar off the floor. My Barbell push presses have gotten too heavy for me to safely position the bar up to my shoulders. Fortunately I only have to lift heavy every 3 workouts, and so I'll use the other two for more practice.

I tried using the cage before to prop up the bar, but somehow I could never get my abs and back engaged. With the clean, I've got practically the major groups working together from my arms down to my calves for stability and control.

Hypetrophy III, Day 2, Workout 0

Cosgrove is the devil.

Hypertrophy III, Day 1, Workout 0

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Hypertrophy I, Day 2, Workout 12

Finished another NRoL phase. Time for a week off.

Hypertrophy I, Day 1, Workout 12

Last upper body workout for this phase.

Hypertrophy I, Day 1, Workout 11

It's my 2nd anniversary today, and I celebrated it by buying bigger clothes such as another pair of XL track pants and a new pair of XL gym shorts so I can put the smaller ones away and get back some circulation in my thighs whenever I work out. Also grabbed two pairs of knee-length shorts to replace the two I can't jam my ass into any longer.

I didn't get any shirts since my upper body's now somewhere between a Medium and a Large, which makes me a "Marge," I guess. (Oh, Homie.) I've already decommissioned some shirts that are too tight for me and have started using again my old L-sized apparel. I wonder if it will take me 2 years to outgrow those and move up to XL.

Just in case you guys were wondering about the disparity between my upper and lower bodies, well, here's a pic of me with
nuthin' butt the truth.

Hypertrophy I, Day 2, Workout 10

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