Day 2 — Upper strength + hypertrophy

Use upper strength warm-up.

A. Bench Press

225 x 5
230 x 5
235 x 4
240 x 2
240 x 2
230 x 5 back-off
Rest 2:00 after first 2 sets
Rest 2:30 after 235
Rest 3:00 before and after 240 sets
RESULTS: 225, 230, 235 only 3 reps, 240, 240, 230 only 4 reps

B. Chest-Supported DB Row

3 x 8 @ 62s
1 x 6-8 @ 70s
Rest 75-90 sec
RESULTS: Done, last 2 reps of 70# slow and not perfect

C. Incline DB Press

70 x 6
62 x 10
62 x 10
Rest 90 sec
RESULTS: barely got last 2 reps of last set.

D. Half-Kneeling 1-Arm DB Press

35 x 8/side
35 x 8/side
44 x 5/side
35 x 8/side
Rest 20 sec between sides
Rest 60 sec between sets
RESULTS: done. 44# was ugly, but reinvigorated last set of 35 so that it felt easy! 44 not all reps were perfect.

E. Cable Face Pull

3 x 12-15
Use a load that keeps reps clean
Rest 45 sec
RESULTS: 85# x 15, 87.5 x 15, 87.5 x 12

I've either got the perfect set of characters, or I have really figured this game out.

The first few locations are a bit tough in each realm, but I'm able to gain momentum, get the right skills in the slots, buy the right items, and from then on I feel I am handling anything that can be thrown at me.

Using the Bounty Hunter and Druid are huge.  The Witch is even bigger and maybe the most powerful hero I've played with.  Being able to see what is coming without "revealing" them is huge!

Fun game, but I'll definitely be ready to put it up after beating it - if I beat it. :)

DAY 4 — POSTERIOR CHAIN + CARRIES

Warm-up:

Easy bike — 3:00
KB deadlift with 35 — 10
Glute bridges — 10
Reverse lunges — 8/leg
Light trap-bar reps — 2 x 5
Rest 30 sec between pieces

Workout:

 A. Broad Jump

4 x 2
Full reset
Rest 45 sec
RESULTS: Done.

B. Trap Bar Deadlift

8 x 4 @ 285
Rest 90 sec

Goal: more density and total work than last block, still fast

RESULTS: Done, slight grind at end.

C. DB Reverse Lunge

3 x 8/leg @ 62s
Rest 20 sec between legs
Rest 75 sec between sets

RESULTS: Done, no real problem.

D. Barbell Hip Thrust

4 x 8
285, 295, 305, 315
Rest 90 sec
If 315 is clean, keep it there next week too

RESULTS: Done, no real problem.

E. Farmer Carry

5 x 60m @ 62s
Walk-back recovery
Rest until breathing is under control, usually 60-75 sec

RESULTS: Got it done no problem, just slightly tough set 5.

F. Copenhagen Side Plank or Standard Side Plank

3 x 20-25 sec/side
Rest 20 sec between sides
Rest 30 sec between sets
Daily goal:

Glutes and trunk do the work
Back stays quiet

RESULTS: Got it done, slight knee discomfort on inside.

DAY 3 — ZONE 2 RUN

Warm-up:

Walk/jog — 5 min
Walking lunges — 10 total
Air squats — 10
Relaxed strides — 2 x 20 sec
Walk-back recovery

Workout:

Gradual ramp — 10 min
Steady run — 45 min
Cool-down walk — 5 min
HR target:

126-132 bpm

Finish:

4 x 15 sec relaxed strides
Full walk-back recovery

RESULTS: 60 minutes @ an average 135 BPM

My random thoughts on a hodge podge of things that went on this weekend...

Kara is really getting more comfortable driving the Tacoma! Almost every time she drives it, someone in a car pulls up and said, "Wow, are you learning to drive a stick?  Good for you!". The last guy said, in closing, "You'll be able to survive the apocalypse!" 

She comfortably making her way through the neighborhood next to the Buena High School parking lots.

She's smart and is picking it up quickly.  Will it stick?  Will she keep the truck as hers?  Or will I have to sell it and get something else?  Time will tell...

I also did a short Hall Canyon hike with Walt, Jen, Sheila, Kari, and Barb Zerbe.  We went up about 2 miles and then hiked back.  It got a bit hot for Walt, but I really enjoy the hike here.  We saw a lady who used to work at Ventura High who I've talked to before in the stands at a football game.  She volunteers there, and was showing me an app called "Merlin" that will listen to sounds in nature and tell you what type of bird/animal is making the sound.

It's pretty awesome.  I'll be testing that out soon, along with the one my mom uses called "Seek'.

Next up was the Cinco de Mayo + Mother's Day celebration at Encanto Living - the residential care facility that cares for my dad.  All of the mother's had a plaque filled with pictures and a little biography of each.

We had a catered lunch, and Miriam planned a game that uses cards as prompts to create group discussion.

Spike, one of the residents, went on a rant about how he doesn't "understand the women of America", because he's been divorced 4 times and he just can't understand why or how that has happened to him. :)

Ah well, he's got dementia and is in pretty bad shape.  It was hilarious because Miriam had to distract him and move on to the next person.  Everybody was laughing.

The was also a really good Mariachi singer.  She was great and really did a good job and holding everyone's attention for an hour.

Couple final things...

During Jen's admin leave from VHS, she "re-did" our entire stairway banister.  She found a YouTube video that taught her how to remove the finish coat, do minimal sanding, and stain the top of the banister, and then pain the vertical poles white.  It looks great!  She finished that this weekend just in the nick of time for going back to school.

And finally... Walt has been at it again, destroying the "drip system" sprinkler spickets AGAIN!  I had to go to Green Thumb and buy some chicken wire plant root protectors to put OVER the little spickets (after fixing them).  Now he can't easily destroy them. He could if he really tried, but I don't think he knows that yet. :)

This move was a trip.  At times ported me back to middle and high school feelings of being ostracized, even though it was partly due to me being so shy.

Partly by choice, and party because I felt I didn't have a chance of fitting in (I also lacked confidence - and I think kids at that age can sense it!), I was content with my little tribe.  Computer video games, exploring storm drains and tunnels 'round the city, building go carts, forts, and oh so much more.

I don't know if I was born this way, or if it was some sort of defense mechanism, but I just never really truly "wanted" to fit in with the cool kids.

It just didn't feel natural to me.

The cliques just seemed strange and awkward. 

I didn't even really want to try.

Even when I went back to a couple of high school reunions, I still felt like an outsider amongst the ASB kids, the jocks, the cool kids, and all the rest of the groups.

And during college, there was zero part of me that wanted to rush a fraternity.

I simply don't feel comfortable around conformist sorts of mainstream groups.

I hate it when I feel other's have an expectation for how I should act, what I should do, and how I should spend my time.

These things are unsaid, but you can feel the expectations and the judgements.

So...back to the movie. :)

Yeah, an extreme example of not being accepted, being shunned, maligned, and bullied.

There's nothing worse than being outwardly shunned by a group.

We humans are wired to want to be at least included in some sort of tribe.

And when there's enough social proof that one is a pariah, it makes one feel ugly inside.

It's a survival thing I guess.

This movie was great in that it made me feel empty, sad, icky inside.