I hate squats 3/30/09…

 

Squat:  Low, low box for sets 1-3; up 1” for the last set (1/2 below parallel).

            4x4@ 410, 425, 435 (killed me), 435

 

Oly Squats: 4x8@275

 

Hanging Leg Raises: 3x12 (to pike position)

Banded Abductors: 3x12 purple band

TKE’s: 3x20 green band

 

I’m gassed.  Crazy day at the facility.  Sarah and I will be burning the midnight oil this eve.

 

Short and sweet,

 

Chris Romanow

Deads 3.27.09er…

 

Deads: 4x5, 1@435, 1@465, 2@475

-Felt pretty strong.  My upper-back and grip were still a bit fatigued from the weighted pull-ups and bench shirt help on Wednesday.

 

RDL’s: 3x8@300

 

Medball Side Throws 12lbs ball: 3x15 ea

GHR’s: 3x20 (squeeze the glutes people)

Banded Shrugs green band: 3x20 (just a bit of vanity thrown into the mix)

 

Steady state cardio 10 min: Prowler push alternating trips with my training partners; active recovery in between pushes (brisk walk).  Nate I hate you.

 

I had a real good conversation with my training partners regarding speed work and its applicability to powerlifting.  Nate suggested I post the convo on the blog as most of the convo was via email (do I hear yawning?).  Let me know if you are interested in learning about what I contemplate 90% of my day.  Just click the “Ask a question” link and let me know.

Nate was a like a 260lbs Baryshnikov this AM, 

Romodumbellsandyourbackwillgetstronger

Drove to all corners of Fairfax today delivering the remaining flyers; my gas meter took quite a hit.  Here's what I did this AM prior to my tour of Fairfax County:

Bench: 4x5, 1@315, 2@325, 1@335
Pullups/Chinups/Neutral:  2x10x2 each grip + 45lbs extra weight, and then a finisher set of 15 each hand placement.
Lying DB Tricep Extentions:  3x12@50lbs
Band Pullaparts: 3x1000000000000
Prone Pillars:  3x10 ea leg; get in the plank position and alternate lifting each leg off the ground.  Great for shoulder stability and core strength.

Thats all you're getting today folks; I gotta go train some animals.

Romotivation

Tuesday 3-24-09…

 

I just got back from distributing SAPT literature to a bunch of the area’s high-school coaches.  Our flyers are awesome.  Along the way I saw some shirtless guy riding his unicycle down Braddock Rd.; mind you it’s about 35 degrees out.  Has anyone ever seen this guy?  What a character.

 

We are absolutely jammed packed from 1pm until 8pm; Tuesdays are productive!

 

Do 20 pullups today.  I don’t care how you do’um, just gett’um DUN…

 Romo

Muuuunday 3-23-09…

 

Last night I had some stomach issues between 12am-4am.  I’m sure you all want the details but we’ll just leave it at that.  I couldn’t for the life of me wake up at 4:30am so training got delayed until 9am.  In between emails and filing folders here is what I did:

 

Deep, Deep box squat: 3x5, 2@405, 1@425

Oly Squats:  4x8@275 (had some cramping because of my fluid loss last night)

Lateral Medball Throws: 4x15ea 12lbs

 

It wasn’t fun or pretty but I did what I needed to do.  I’m looking forward to feeling healthy at least once this week.

 

The beef and broccoli won last night…

 

Romo

Training 3-20-09…

 

Deads:  4x6 @ 410, 2 sets at 435, 465

RDL’s: 3x8 @ 300

Pullups/chinups/neutral: 50 total

Banded Rotational Abs (green band and towel as handle):  3x15 ea side

10min on bike

 

I’ve been pretty sick all week.  It was a bear to wake-up at 4:30am to train.  All things considered, I’m happy with the how the session went. 

 

Today was a test of the mind more than the body,

 

Romo

St. Patty’s Day lament…

 

As I stood in front of my fridge last night, contemplating if I should acknowledge the 1/16^th Irish in me (aka getting real crazy by consuming maybe 1 Miller Lite), I seriously had the following conversation in my head.

 

Me:  “Wow, how old is this Miller Lite?  This thing must be ancient.” (Can you tell that I don’t drink much?)

 

Me:  “It’s probably an antique.  I wonder if it’s worth some money.”

 

Me:  “When is the Antique Road Show coming into town?”

 

Me:  “Man, I love that show!”

 

Me:  “Don’t drink it, Chris, you’ll totally devalue it.” 

 

Me:  “Ya, plus you have an important bench session tomorrow; do you really want to perpetuate an elevated catabolic state by drinking this circa 1964 Miller Lite?”

 

Me:  “Good point, Chris.  Compromise by having a Diet A&W Root Beer.”

 

Me:  “Root beer is a very underrated soda (or pop as they say it up north).”

 

Me:  “Ya, it’s totally on par with grape, DP, a straight-up regular Coke, and Fresca (original flavor).”

 

Me:  “Fresca?  Huh, who would have ever thought a grapefruit flavored anything could be so refreshing and delicious.” 

 

My random stream of consciousness was abruptly interrupted by the memory of my mother yelling at me to shut the fridge unless I wanted to pay the electric bill.  I do a lot deep thinking in front of the fridge.  Needless to say, I went with the A&W and have decided to put the Miller Lite in my time capsule. 

 

Today bench session:

 

Bench with a pause 4x6 @ 315

Fatboys with a really thick chain over my chest 4x12

Band Resisted (two purples) medball Pushups 3x8

12 lb medball side throws 3x15 ea

10 min on the stairs

 

DUN

 

I’m a weird dude,

Romo

Toughness…

 

Yesterday, one of our “ankle biters” trained after having a root canal performed on two of his teeth.  He then proceeded to smoke a push-up and pull-up pr.  Did I mention that right before his training session one of his molars fell-out; it was a bloody little miss.  The tooth fairly has been busy at his house.  What’s your excuse for not getting stronger?

 

Training 3/16/09

 

Low Box Squat: 4x6 at 390

Oly Squat:  4x8 at 275

Some banded abs and two fingered pull-ups

Romo

I just had my weekly therapy session with the sledge and tire.  I'm feeling like a brand new man! 

Bracing for the Saturday rush...

Romo

I have yet to be driven to insanity from this deload week.  Yesterday, I did a recovery workout for my upper body along with some TKE’s and hip mobility drills. 

 

Work has been real busy which is awesome.  Today, I’ve responded to about a million emails, put the finish touches a training template (it has all the bells and whistles, very user friendly I must say), programmed using the newly created template (Did I mention that this template is the best thing since cheese in a can?), secured a couple new wrestling groups (we are pumped to get these guys in the facility), and consumed a delicious chicken salad.  Off to train some Golden Oldies and SAPT Monsters…   

 ROMO

The time change and allergies are kickin’ my butt; I’m glad it’s a deload week.  While it’s always a challenge to take it easy at the gym, deloads are a necessary part of the game.  Yesterday, I completed a complex of hang cleans, fronts squats, standing military, band pullaparts, pull-ups (all grips), and hanging leg raises until my body felt good.  Off to train some SAPT studs.

 

Romo

Dead’s and begging for a deload…

 

Can I stop prefacing my training post by saying that all sets are done…..RRRRRAAAAAAWWWW! 

 

Dead’s: 1x3 @ 460, 1x2 @ 485, 1x1 @ 515

 

RDL’s: 4x10 @ 275

 

GHR Abs + 45lbs plate

Chinup/pullup/neutral: each grip 15 reps

 

D.U.N.

 

Considering the condition of my left leg at the moment I was fairly content with how the training session went.  Next week is a deload week, thank goodness.  Off to train some Golden Oldies!

 

What’s that I hear???  Chinese buffet, is that you?

 Romodumplings please

"He who labors diligently need never despair; for all things are accomplished by diligence and labor."

—Menander

The Foam Roller is my bff today...

Romo

Smorgasbord of training, 3/4/09…

 

Monday’s snow storm screwed everything up.  Usually, it wouldn't be a big deal as I would shift to a Wednesday-Friday-Sunday split; however, I will be particularly busy this weekend so I had train both the bench and squat today.  It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be, but it certainly isn’t my preference.  Here’s how it went.  Oh ya, everything is RAWWWWW!

 

Bench: 1x3 @ 330, 1x3 @ 345, 2x1 @ 365

 

Squat: 1x3 @ 435, 1x2 @ 465, 2x1 @ 490

 

Oly Squat: 4x8 @ 275

 

Pullup/Chinup: 2x12, 2x12

 

Stairs for 10 min

 

Notes:

 

-I’m really looking forward to the deload next week as my body needs some recovery from 4 weeks of hard training.

 

-Bench feels good.

 

-Squat feels alright.  I need to incorporate an extra session or two of foam rolling and hip-mobility drills.  This will help me be more consistent getting the 1/2” of depth I’m trying to get.  This will also eliminate the touch of thoracic rounding I’m experiencing.    

 

-Adjust squat training.

 

-Eat, sleep, recover.

 

Off to do some programming,

 

Romo