7/26/2021 - Limited Time L1 W2 D1
Agile 8
2 x 5 box jumps
Squat
335 x 9
260 x 15
Bench
225 x 10
175 x 20
Kroc Row
105 x 42 reps/arm
I wasn’t feeling it today. Did a lot this weekend and didn’t eat or sleep or drink enough. Still powered through though and hit respectable reps for the way I was feeling. Low back is tender but it’s muscle so I’m not panicking. Head hurts from exertion.
Just realized I forgot to log 7/27. Whoops
7/27/2021 - Assistance Circuits
Agile 8
Plyo push ups - 2 x 5
5 times through in <27 minutes
Dips - 15
TRX Row - 20
Ab Wheel - 20
Fuck my whole life. Got it done and was proud to do it. Had a wicked pump and may already be seeing some physical improvements at 1.5 weeks in. Already improving with bodyweight work which is nice.
7/29/2021 - Limited Time L1 W2 D2
Agile 8
2 x 5 box jumps
Deadlift
365 x 10
285 x 15
Press
130 x 9
100 x 13
Kroc Rows - 105 lbs - 35 reps/arm
I rushed through this one pretty hard because I thought I had a work meeting at 10…which I just saw was cancelled. I didn’t have really any rest between deadlift and press or between press and Kroc rows. Still pushed the sets hard and exceeded minimums on Press while hitting my personal minimum on rows. Feeling good, spine is strong and low back muscles have a pump. Hips and hams did work today. Little twinge in my shoulder that I’m pretty sure is from sleeping funny, has been there for a week or so now.
7/30/2021 - Assistance Circuit
Agile 8
2 x 5 plyo pushups
5 times through in 28 minutes
Pushups - 20
Pull ups - 10, 10, 7(3), 7(3), 10
DB swing - 85 lbs - 5 x 20
Haven’t felt good all day but powered through. Glad I did. Been anxious since I woke up and this chilled me out. Gonna try and sleep extra tonight then eat well tomorrow.
8/2/2021 - Limited Time L1 W3 D1
Agile 8
2 x 5 box jumps
Squat
350 x 6
280 x 15
Bench
240 x 8
190 x 15
Kroc row - 105 lbs - 45 reps/arm
Did what I needed to today. Squats still don’t feel right, need to get that straightened out. Bench was a hard push and worked out well. Kroc rows…fucking Kroc rows.
8/3/2021 - Assistance Circuit Day
5 times through in 26:40
Dips - 15
TRX Rows - 20
Ab wheel - 20
Dips and ab wheels were tougher than normal for some reason, but TRX rows were better. Overall I feel good and I always feel jacked after these assistance days. Have an InBody today to see how they’re working too.
8/5/2021 - Limited Time L1 W3 D2
Agile 8
Jumps
Deadlift
385 x 10
305 x 20
Press
140 x 8
110 x 10
Kroc Row - 105 lbs - 35 reps/arm
Deads felt terrible until the 385 set and then felt great. Left hip is compressed so spent some time on my inversion table. Press went well, 140 x 8 is good for me and the 110 was a good fight. Kroc rows coulda been better but I went pretty all out on the 1+ and widowmaker sets so not upset.
Mighty garage deadlifts
8/9/2021 - Limited Time L2 W1 D1
Agile 8
10 jumps
Squat
325 x 8
245 x 13
Bench
215 x 10
165 x 16
Kroc rows - 105 lbs - 40 reps/arm
I ate poorly and slept about 8 hours total from Friday through Sunday. Had some beers working in my garage last night and didn’t feel great today. Got in and got the work done though, pushed bench real hard.
Edit to add I did my usual circuit Friday and didn’t log it. Got 'er done in 20 minutes flat which is a PR.
8/10/2021 - Assistance Day
Circuit - 5 times through in 23:40 - 3 minute time PR
Dips - 15
TRX rows - 20
Ab wheel - 20
Rhomboid shrugs - 50
I was short on time so I just did my best to keep moving. This was where I went to the dark place @T3hPwnisher and @ChongLordUno frequently visit for their training. There’s a catharsis in it and it allowed me to push harder than normal. Like always, the pump from this work is unreal and my body generally just aches afterward.
8/12/2021 - Assistance Day
Flipped assistance to Thursday due to a change to my work schedule.
Agile 8
Plyo pushups
Circuit - 5 times in 21:50
Push ups - 20
Chin/pull ups - 10, 10, 10, 6(4), 6(4)
DB swings - 85 lbs - 20
PR time and 3 sets of 10 in a row pull ups are a PR too.
8/13/2021 - Limited Time L2 W1 D2
Agile 8
2 x 5 box jumps
Deadlift
350 x 10
270 x 15
Press
130 x 9
100 x 14
Kroc row - 105 lbs - 40 reps/arm
Decent day today, I pushed hard but am fighting my hip being out of place and some serious back soreness. Press was the better fight, especially on the last rep of widowmaker. I’m feeling burnt out but have likely been short on carbs and protein, so will fix that.
I have a golf outing tomorrow at the ass crack of dawn with my dad and brothers. It’s a 4-man scramble that my dad runs as a memorial for his best friend (whose son was one of my best friends through high school). It also is a fundraiser for my high school, and most of the people I liked to be around growing up will be there. I look forward to it all year and feel like we should fare pretty well this time. I’m gonna have some beer, donuts, bloody Maries, pizza, and fried chicken, and I can’t wait.
The number of those people on my list is miniscule, haha. But nice, it must feel awesome to have plans for something cool. So rare now.
I grew up in a community that was a lot better than most people, myself included, deserve. I could run into probably 80% of my graduating class on the street and be happy to catch up with them. No idea what made that happen but I’m very grateful for it.
8/15/2021 - Run
Mowed the grass for about 45 minutes and pushed the pace hard. Still felt wired so ran
3.14 miles in 25 minutes flat. That’s a distance and time PR. At least jogged the whole way but tries to speed up where I could. Very happy with it and I feel good now.
8/16/2021 - Limited Time L2 W2 D1
Agile 8
Jumps
Squat
340 x 8
265 x 10
Bench
230 x 10
180 x 20
Kroc Row - 105 lbs - 35 reps/arm
I carbed up pretty hard this weekend after not really recovering from anything last week. Flared my feet a bit more today on squat and my legs/hips did way more of the work than usual. I think with feet straight forward my back does all the work and that’s not ideal. Cut the widowmaker short to help with recovery as well. Bench was good and so were rows.
8/20/2021 - Limited Time L2 W2 D2
Agile 8
Jumps
Deadlift
375 x 3
290 x 5
Press
135 x 8
Cut the session there. I have a knot deep in my trap that’s so bad I can barely turn my head. Was hoping that moving around would help get rid of it but it only got worse. I noticed I was really lopsided on press so I just stopped. Will try and get it sorted this weekend and hopefully be good to go by Monday.
Squats have sucked lately. Not today. Why? Because I’ve been bracing like an imbecilic titmouse. When you suck an appreciable air volume into your body cavity, you’re stronger. Better late than never I guess 
8/23/2021 - Limited Time L2 W3 D1
Agile 8 + lacrosse ball on trap/shoulder knot (insert puke bucket emoji)
2 x 5 jumps
Squat
360 x 8 - near PR territory
285 x 12
Bench
240 x 7
190 x 17
Kroc Row - 105 lbs x 45 reps/arm - near PR, if not PR
This was the exact kinda training session I needed after last week’s debacle. The knot in my trap is still there and still bad, but I took one of my wife’s muscle relaxers with 4 Advil on Saturday and it’s been about 10% better since. The lacrosse ball almost made me throw up it hurt so bad, but the pain helped me focus on lifting. Squats felt awesome for the first time in months because I got my bracing under control. I had been breathing into my ribs and lifting my shoulders, instead of into my diaphragm. Bench was good as well, and the rows seem to have helped my trap. Superset all the bench sets with 30 seconds on my inversion table and my back feels like it did when I was a kid. Need to keep that up.
Also, had a bit of a come-to-Jesus moment with my mentality on life in general, which includes lifting. I’ve been driving from the passenger’s seat for a month or two because I let myself get caught up in meaningless research, scrolling online, and nonproductive daydreaming. Mrs. GarageRocker and I had a good talk last night because we’ve both felt that we’ve been personally stuck in a rut. Came up with a few strategies to fix it for ourselves and each other. Mostly for me I just need to focus on being present and doing what I’m doing in the moment rather than thinking/planning/etc. One task at a time until it’s done. The talk we had highlighted, for the millionth time, that I married lightyears out of my league and that we have a marriage better than I could have ever asked for.
