Alan H's 2013/2014 Offseason Log

[Alan H]

I walked over and checked out the new "Activity Center" here at the Big U today. Wow...gorgeous, gorgeous pool. Drop-dead amazing climbing wall room. Acres of basteball courts and squash/raacquetball courts.

However, the weight room is chockablock with fancy-pants machines at the expense of stuff that's really useful for me. Seriously, the damn place is ENORMOUS and 85% of it is machines of some sort or another. There is..amazingly a whole "Life Fitness" bodyweight rack setup that includes TRX and, incredibly, a small boxing hanging bodyweight bag. They'll check out gloves to you. I wonder how many idiots are going to destroy their wrists on THAT. The squat racks are safer than the ones at Arillaga, so that's good. However, the biggest dumbells are only 100 pounds and there's absolutely NO room whatsoever to do any Olympic lifts. There are no platforms, and they don't even want us to deadlift in there..."it might hurt the floor" says the nice girl at the front desk.. Seriously? SERIOUSLY? You can't do a deadlift in the gym because " it might hurt the floor "??? That's the stupidest thing I ever heard.

I don't think I'll be using the facility, much.

[Alan H]

Ten more days of "between season" before I can start lifting. My hips and head are ready. Wrists? Not so much.

[Alan H]

This may have been the longest time I haven't logged on to X Marks since.....except when I've been on vacation. I think I'm just mentally burned out. My head is all about sailing right now... and some stuff going on with Joan.

I've done nothing, even stopped doing my rotation drills for over a week. However, today is day #1 back in the gym. It won't be much but it will be something. And my right wrist is still jacked.

[Martin Roy]

Hang in there and don't force it.

[Alan H]

First day back in the gym after six weeks off to heal. I'm just greasing the wheels and remembering how to do stuff. Man, I have NO abs. I also am pretty sure I'm going to spend a bunch of time on the rowing machine for a while. I need to loosen up.

Stationary bike 5 min ... no stretch cage. A pretty co-ed got in it just before I was going to, so I let her have it and just went over to the DB rack.
Goblet squats - 3 x 8 x 35. The weight ain't the point. I must have *sat* into each one for 10-15 seconds. Stretch all that stuff out. Man, I am tight.
Flat Bench press - 3 x 8 x 115. Yeah, I remember how to do this. THey don't hurt my wrist. This is good.
Deadlift - 3 x 8 x 135...also did NOT hurt my wrist. YAY!
Rowing machine - 5 minutes around 2:30/500 which is surprisingly good. In a month I'd like to be doing 8-9 minutes at <2:20 / 500m
Then I foam rolled my left piriformis.
Hammer Wind ab crushers - very sad... 2 x 6 x 10 pound medball and it was HARD

Butt is very tight, hips are tight and sore, IT bands are tight. It's a start.

Tonight, some rotation drills. I also have started cutting my morning oatmeal in half. Lunch is going to be significantly smaller as well. I really need to drop some weight. I keep starting and going about 2 weeks and falling off the wagon.

[Alan H]

Day Two of greasing the skids. The weight is inconsequential, it's the doing that counts right now.

Stationary bike active warmup ...4 min
Stretch cage...kind of quick and dirty. I need to spend more time in there.
Goblet Squats... 3 x 8 with a 35 pound dbell. I sat into each one for a long five-count..back straight, eyes up in the mirror. You know, holding that position down there for a slow five count is actually flippin' hard.
Flat bench press .... 3 x 8 x 115. Easy. No worries, here
Deadlift ... 3 x 8 x 135 ...got my heart pumping, tho
then a whole lotta foam rolling on the hips. I need more of this, but it really helps.
Hammer Wind ab crushers .... 2 x 6 x 10 hard, but not as hard as Monday.
Rowing machine.... 5 minutes @ 2:30/500 m

[Alan H]

I'v ecome to the conclusion that what dogged me all season was not fatigued hip flexors, but outrageously TIGHT hip flexors. So I'm working on that...rather doggedly, actually.


Couldn't stand it so I put some weight on today. Not a LOT but pretty good for squat day #1. I'm pleased.

Stationary bike-4 min
Stretch cage
Back squat - 2x4x135, 2 x 3 x185, 3x2x225, 3x245
Flat bench press- 2x4 x135, 2x3x165, 3x190, 3x205
Overhead press- just to try em ...6x95 did not hurt
Hammer wind ab crush - 2 x 7 x 10 lb med. ball
LOTS of hip butt quad and hammie stretching

Tried a couple of dumbell snatches, too- bad, hurts wrists. Wrists are actually rather sore today, after a good first half of the week. Bummer.