Working the Back and "Dead on my Feet"

Had a good workout today that focused on the back which included the circuit WOD: "Dead on my Feet". This circuit did put to use on of my new toys: A 15-foot long, 2-inch diameter manila climbing rope. It is getting a bit late so I am just going to get this post rolling.

Today's quote if from Teddy Roosevelt:

"Believe you can and you are halfway there."

Weight Training: Back
Dumbbell Pullovers
One Armed Bent Over Dumbbell Rows
Upright Barbell Rows
TRX Rows
Weighted Pull-Ups
Heavy Landmine Rows
Heavy Deadlifts (Maxing out at 1.6x bodyweight)
Cpatains of Crush Grip Trainers

WOD: "Dead on my Feet" (Each exercise done in order to make one set. Three sets total.)
400 meter Run
15-Foot Rope Climb
Weighted Keg Deadlifts (10 repetitions)
Abdominal Crunches (60 repetitions)
188 lbs. Atlas Stone Lift onto a 48" platform (1 repetition)

Have a Great Day!

One and Done and Lifting to Failure

I was sorely disappointed today as my NCAA bracket got completely nuked. It is frustrating for me to see a team like Kentucky win when I know that Coach Calipari is not developing those players as "Student-Athletes" and molding them into educated young men with college degrees. Is he playing within the rules? Absolutely. John Calipari carefully recruits players that are extremely talented and gifted, coaches them for one year and sends them off to the NBA. It is within the rules, but that doesn't mean that it is a good thing or even the right thing. I will now get off my soapbox and just hope that the Wisconsin Badgers beat the tar out of Kentucky in the Final Four!

Today I experienced failure and I will tell you that it felt good. I bench pressed 290 lbs. the last time that my chest workout rolled around. It was a struggle but I got the weight up completely unassisted. Today I warmed up and when the time came I had the option to stick at 290 lbs. or maybe even try a crack at 295 lbs. What did I do? I stacked a nice round 300 lbs. on the bar. I got the bar about half way up and my progress ground to a halt. The bar hovered there for a heartbeat and was not going any further. Finally, my spotter helped just enough for me to finish my one repetition with assistance. It is good to know where my limit is, it is good to be humbled and it is good to have a very clear goal to shoot for!

Today's quote is from former North Carolina State Basketball Coach 
Jim Valvano:

"How do you go from where you are to where you wanna be? And I think you have to have an enthusiasm for life. You have to have a dream, a goal. And you have to be willing to work for it."

Weight Training: Chest and Biceps
Morning Session:
Heavy Dumbbell Flat Bench Press
Incline Dumbbell Chest Press
Dumbbell Flies
Weighted Push-Ups
Alternating Dumbbell Curls
Concentration Dumbbell Curls
Bench Press with Heavy Chains
Weighted Dips

Evening Session:
Heavy Bench Press (Four sets ending at one repetition for maximum lift)
Gymnastic Ring Push-Ups, Weighted with Heavy Chain (Three sets)
Fat Bar Barbell Reverse Curls (Four Sets)

Have a Great Day!

Legs, Busted Brackets and the WOD: "It's a Drag"

Today was a day off at work, but a lot was going on. Worked out in the morning followed by an hour and a half massage, watched Dayton finally get eliminated from the NCAA Tournament, got in the circuit training, had a going away party for our Assistant Director who is moving on and then watched the Wildcats of Arizona get eliminated from the tournament. Up and down day.

Today's quote is from John F. Kennedy:

"Change is the law of life. And those who only look to the past or present are certain to miss the future."

Weight Training: Legs
Dumbbell Box Squats
Dumbbell Lunges
Barbell Front Squats
Straight Leg Deadlifts
Glute/Hamstring Developer
Body Weight Calf Raises

Circuit Training WOD: "It's a Drag" (Each exercise done in order to make one set. Three sets total)
200 ft. Weighted Sled Drag (125 lbs.)
200 ft. Weighted Keg Carry (100 lbs.)
30" Standing Leap to Platform (10 repetitions)
60' Crabwalk with Resistance Band

Have a Great Day!

Heavy Weight Training Day and Progress

I increased the weight on quite a few exercises today. I have also increased the number of repetitions with the 100 lbs. weighted keg. It may be time to add another five to ten pounds of sand. It is always good to see progress and to feel stronger.

I am living in Gabrielle Gifford's Congressional district. Though she no longer serves in Congress, she continues to serve the citizens of this country through her foundation Americans for Responsible Solutions which focuses on ending gun violence. Today's quote is from her husband Mark Kelly regarding her recovery from the gunshot wound to the head she received while meeting her constituents on January 8, 2011:

"Gabby's got a long road ahead of her. We know that the recovery from these kinds of injuries isn't measured in days or weeks. It is more like weeks and months... But ya' know, she's a really, really tough woman."

Weight Training: Shoulders and Triceps
Heavy Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Lateral Dumbbell Raise
Alternating Front Dumbbell Raise
Dumbbell Triceps Kickbacks
Diamond Push-Ups
Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extensions
Heavy Barbell Facebreakers ("Skull Crushers", "Facebreakers".... whatever.)
Heavy Barbell Shoulder Shrugs
Weighted Keg Presses, maximum repetitions
Captains of Crush Grip Trainers

Have a Great Day!

Wilderness and the WOD: "What Did That Tire Do To You Anyway?"

Worked out the back today and had the very cool experience of watching a bobcat walk cross the driveway. Fortunately, Ocho didn't see the bobcat and chose that moment to be extremely obedient and listen when he was called into the house.

Today's quote is from Aldo Leopold in honor of our Semester in the Southwest students going to the Gila Wilderness. The Gila Wilderness was the first designated Wilderness in the United States and Aldo Leopold was instrumental in making that happen. Also, The Wilderness Act is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year! Seems only appropriate...

"We abuse land because we see it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect."

Weight Training: Back
Dumbbell Pullovers
One Armed Bent Over Dumbbell Row
TRX Row
Upright Barbell Row
Weighted Pull-Ups

WOD: "What Did That Tire Do To You Anyway?"
30 - SISU War Hammer Swings (28.5 lbs.)
3 - Sets of Heavy Land Mine Rows
4 - Sets of Deadlifts (1.5x Bodyweight)

I will be on the road tomorrow for work, but we will pick it up again on Friday!

Have a Great Day!

Chest, Biceps and a Quote from Lou Holtz

Our semester students have returned from climbing camp and they are getting ready to embark on their last section: The Independent Student Expedition. This is a culmination of all the skills they have learned on their NOLS Semester in the Southwest. The plan is that they will break into two smaller groups, plan their ration, plan their route and journey into the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico. They will travel for a brief time with two NOLS instructors who will assess their backcountry skills, but in the end they will travel on their own and meet up with those instructors when they are done with their route.

It is very cool to see how far these students have come since their first day here at the base on January 19th!

Today's Quote is from Lou Holtz:

"You aren't going to find anybody that's going to be successful without making a sacrifice and without perseverance."

Weight Training: Chest and Biceps
Morning Routine:
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press
Incline Dumbbell Press
Dumbbell Flies
Push-Ups
Alternating Standing Dumbbell Curls
Concentration Dumbbell Curls
Captains of Crush Grip Trainers
Bench Press (Low Weight High Repetitions)
Weighted Dips

Evening Routine:
Heavy Bench Press (Maxed out a personal best again today!)
"21s" Barbell Curls
Heavy Weighted Dips

Have a Great Day!

Legs and the WOD: "Heavy... NBD"

Heavier leg day than normal and moved to a "Heavy" Thera-Band for the crab walk today. It was pretty brutal. We had three folks show up for the circuit training after work while two climbing instructors practiced their vertical rescue techniques.

Today's quote if from Mia Hamm:

"I have worked too hard and too long to let anything stand in the way of my goals. I will not let my teammates down, I will not let myself down."

Weight Training: Legs
Dumbbell Box Squats
Dumbbell Lunges
Barbell Front Squats
Straight Leg Deadlifts
Glute/Hamstring Developer
Calf Raises
Back Squat with Heavy Chains

WOD: "Heavy... NBD" (Each exercise: Maximum repetitions for one minute to make a set. Three sets total. One minute rest between sets)
Box Sprints
Standing Broad Jump for Distance
Barbell Squats (115 lbs.)
Weighted Step-Ups (50 lbs.)
Crabwalk with Resistance Band
Bodyweight Calf Raises
Abdominal Crunches

Have a Great Day! 

Shoulders, Triceps and the WOD: "Whip It Good"

Quiet day in the desert. We came back from the grocery store when we noticed a car that we did not recognize pulling into the "Visitor Parking" area. We unloaded groceries and I was going to park my car when a slender, older gentleman approached me. He introduced himself and it turns out that he was an old NOLS instructor who hadn't worked in years. Chaz was in town from Montana visiting friends and he thought he would swing by the base. Chaz apparently worked a lot in Alaska and had never been to our base before, so I gave him a tour and we chatted briefly afterwards. It was neat to meet someone who had worked at the school before me and we laughed that after fifty years of taking people into the wilderness, a lot of things remain the same about NOLS.

Today's quote is from Ed Abbey:

"Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit."

Weight Training: Shoulders and Triceps
Heavy Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Alternating Front Dumbbell Raises
Lateral Dumbbell Raises
Captains of Crush Grip Trainers
Diamond Push-ups
Dumbbell Kickbacks
Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extensions
Heavy Barbell Push Press
Barbell Face Breakers

Circuit Training WOD: "Whip It Good" (Each exercise done for one minute of maximum repetitions to make a set. Three sets total. No break between sets).
Heavy Rope Whips
80 lbs. Barbell Push Press
Abdominal Crunches
Heavy Bag

Have a Great Day!

Back, "Tires, Hammers and Stones"

We had a day off from work so we watched a bunch of NCAA basketball (Go Dayton Flyers!). The thing that I
love most about this tournament is when a team like Dayton can come along, seemingly out of nowhere and beat Ohio State and Syracuse. The Dayton Flyers will most likely be eliminated from the tournament soon, but just to have beat those two teams, those players will remember that for the rest of their lives. And that is a great thing.

Today's quote is from Shane Koyczan:

"We grew up learning to cheer for the underdog because we see ourselves in them."

Weight Training: Back
Bent Over One Armed Dumbbell Row
Dumbbell Pullover
Upright Barbell Row
TRX Row
Weighted Pull-Ups
Landmine Rows
Heavy Deadlift (Maxed at 1.5x bodyweight)

Circuit Training: "Tires, Hammers and Stones" (One set of hammer swings followed by the tire flips. Repeat three times. Finish with one stone lift.)
20-SISU 28.5 lbs. Hammer Swings
5-Tire Flips
1-188 lbs. Atlas Stone lift onto a 48" platform

Have a Great Day!

Chest and Arms and the Value of Learning by Experience

I took yesterday off after working a 14-hour day. We had all 80 girls from the Archer School return from their six different backpacking trips around southern Arizona, got them all cleaned up and drove them back to their hotel with their chaperones.

Part of my job is to debrief students and instructors when they return from the field. These 80 9th grade girls learned a ton from spending five days in the backcountry. They took turns as "Leaders of the Day" and most of them were navigating with a map off-trail for the first time in their lives. They marveled at the rocks, the blue sky with wispy clouds and at the cruelty of the manzanita bushes. They were tired, dirty, scratched up, laughing and smiling! It was a truly powerful experience.

Today's quote is from Kurt Hahn the founder of Outward Bound:

"I regard it as the foremost task of education to insure the survival of these qualities: an enterprising curiosity, an undefeatable spirit, tenacity in pursuit, readiness for sensible self-denial, and above all compassion."

Weight Training: Chest and Arms
Flat Bench Dumbbell Chest Press
Incline Dumbbell Chest Press
Dumbbell Flies
Push-Ups
Standing, Alternating Dumbbell Curls
Concentration Dumbbell Curls
Captains of Crush Grip Trainers
Barbell Bench Press (Three sets of 10 repetitions)
Weighted Dips

Evening: Heavy Bench Press (4 sets, 8, 4, 2, 1 repetitions)
Maxed out at a new record for bench press again tonight!

Have a Great Day!

Spring, Legs and the WOD: "Its a Gas, Gas, Gas"

It is sometimes hard in Tucson to think that it isn't officially Spring until March 20th. I am sure that my family back home in the Washington DC area wish Spring would hurry the hell up. It was another beautiful day in Tucson but the crew was busy getting ready for a big de-issue of six courses coming back from the field tomorrow. There was no real organized workout this evening, but I did get in some dynamic leg work anyway.

Today's quote is from Sheryl Crow:

"No matter how chaotic it is, wildflowers will still spring up in the middle of nowhere."

Weight Lifting: Legs
Dumbbell Box Squats
Dumbbell Lunges
Barbell Front Squat
Straight Leg Deadlift
Glute/Hamstring Developer
Bodyweight Calf Raises

WOD: "Its a Gas, Gas, Gas" (After the warm-up do the two exercises to complete one set. Three sets total, no breaks between sets).

Warm-up with one minute of Jump Rope

Box Jump onto a 30" Platform (10 repetitions)
Barbell Back Squats with Heavy Chains (8 repetitions)

Have a Great Day!

WOD: "How Do Leprechauns Do this Crap on the 18th?"

Back to work after waking a bit blurry-eyed from St. Patrick's Day celebrating. Work was a half day long with folks doing just what needed to be done. Later this week we have a lot to do when the Archer School returns from the field. People are taking the time while they can.

There were four folks that came to the Shoulder and Triceps focused WOD:"How Do Leprechauns Do this Crap on the 18th?" It was a tough start but we all finished strong!

Today's quote is from Colin Powell:

"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure."

Weight Training: Shoulders and Triceps
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Alternating Front Dumbbell Raise
Lateral Dumbbell Raise
Diamond Push-Ups
Dumbbell Kickbacks
Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Press
Heavy Barbell Shoulder Shrugs
Barbell Face Breakers
Weighted Keg Push Press
Captains of Crush Grip Trainers

WOD: "How Do Leprechauns Do this Crap on the 18th?" (Each exercise done for one minute to make one set. Three sets total. One minute rest between sets).
Jump Rope
Weighted Sand Bag Overhead Press
Triceps Dips
Lateral Dumbbell Raise
TRX Triceps Face Breakers
Abdominal Crunches
Front Olympic Plate Raise
Diamond Push-Ups

Have a Great Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day and Today's WOD!

I figured that it would be best to get this thing typed up before too much of the Bushmills is gone! Needless to say there will be no circuit this evening. Whiskey, beer (Not any of that green crap!) and the Young Dubliners are in order.

Today's quote comes from Michael Collins at his last meeting with Winston Churchill:

"I shall not last long; my life is forfeit, but I shall do my best. After I am gone it will be easier for the others."

Weight Training: Back
Dumbbell Pullover
One Armed Bent-Over Dumbbell Row
Upright Barbell Row
TRX Row
Weighted Close Grip Pull-ups
Landmine Row
Deadlift

Have a Great Day! Erin Go Bragh!

Last Day of Spring Break, Bracketology and Taking a Hike

It was a wonderful day in Tucson. We lifted heavy weights (Including a personal best bench press!), watched some college basketball and took the dog on a great hike up Agua Caliente Hill. Tomorrow Rebecca gets back to studying for medical school, but I think that she got some well deserved rest this past week.

Today's quote is from Dr. Seuss:

"You're off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so... get on your way!"

Weight Training: Chest and Biceps
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press
Incline Dumbbell Press
Dumbbell Flies
Weighted Push-Ups
Barbell Bench Press with Heavy Chains
Alternating Dumbbell Curls
Concentration Curls
Weighted Dips
Captains of Crush Grip Trainers

Three mile hike with the dog and Rebecca!
Evening bench press (Four sets 10, 6, 3, and 1 repetition)

Have a Great Day!

Rest Day

I will be happy to admit that my legs felt as if they were made of lead today. Perfect day to get 80 students issued backpacking gear, drive them to the field and take my one day a week off. On a side note, I did see an Elegant Trogon today out at Cochise Stronghold! Very cool bird!

Today's Quote is from Mark Twain:

"I have never taken any exercise except sleeping and resting."

Have a Great Day! Get some rest.

Leg Day and the WOD: "Trees in the Desert Hurt"

We had a good showing with five folks arriving at 6:45pm for the evening circuit

training. The WOD name came from the idea that we will have legs like tree trunks if we keep this up and then remembering that just about every tree in the Sonoran Desert and thorns and is out to get you!

Today's quote comes from Abraham Lincoln (It seemed appropriate for leg day!):

"Be sure to put your feet in the right place, then stand firm."

Weight Training: Legs

Dumbbell Box Squats

Dumbbell Lunges

Front Squats

Straight Leg Deadlifts

GHD

Bodyweight Calf Raises

Back Squats with Heavy Chains

WOD: "Trees in the Desert Hurt" (Complete each exercise in order for one set. Three sets total.)

10m Shuttle Run (10 repetitions)

10m Walking Dumbbell Lunges (6 repetitions)

Tire Jumps (25 repetitions)

30m Weighted Sled Drag (2 repetitions)

Abdominal Crunches (60 repetitions)

GHD (10 repetitions)

20m Crab Walk with Resistance Band (3 repetitions)

Have a Great Day!

Shoulders and Triceps. WOD: "Sweet Potato Buuuuurp"

It was a fine day here at NOLS Southwest. We have six fired up instructor teams in town getting ready to take 79 students and chaperones into the field from the Archer School for Girls. We are psyched to have these instructors and students here at the base. We are running on all cylinders getting ready for their big issue day.

Tonight we had four folks take part in a solid shoulder and triceps focused WOD I am calling "Sweet Potato Buuuuurp". That is the answer I received when I asked my friend and co-worker Ryan what he had for dinner mid-workout.

The quote of the day is from Henry Ford:

"Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you are right."

Weight Training: Shoulders and Triceps
Seated Dumbbell Press
Alternating Front Dumbbell Raise
Lateral Dumbbell Raise
Captains of Crush Grip Trainers
Overhead Triceps Press
Diamond Push-ups
Dumbbell Kickbacks
Heavy Barbell Shoulder Shrugs
Barbell Triceps Face Breakers
Weighted Keg Push Press

WOD: "Sweet Potato Buuuuuurp" (Each exercise is done for one minute to make a set. There is a one minute break after each set. There was a total of three sets).
Jump Rope
Diamond Push-ups
Barbell Push Press
TRX Triceps Face Breakers
Front Plate Raise
Crunches
Lateral Dumbbell Raise
Heavy Rope Whips

Have a Great Day!!

Lifting for the Back and the WOD: "E-I-E-I-Oh Crap this is Actually Hard!"

Today three folks showed up for the evening circuit training. It was a tough back day, I will be sleeping very soundly. Today's quote is from Napoleon:

"Courage is not having the strength to go on- it is going on when you don't have the strength."

Weight Training: Back
Dumbbell Pullover
One Armed Bent Over Dumbbell Row
Upright Barbell Row
Weighted Pull-Ups
Landmine Rows
TRX Row
Deadlift

WOD: "E-I-E-I-Oh Crap this is Actually Hard!" (Three sets of each exercise)
20-Sledgehammer Swings
5-Tire Flips
5-Atlas Stone Lifts onto a 48" Platform
2- 150m Farmer's Carries with two 5-Gallon Water Jugs
60-Abdominal Crunches

Have a Great Day!

Among Friends, Co-Workers and Dogs. The WOD: "Thankfully Brutal"

It was great to be at the NOLS Southwest base today. We will be having a lot of courses going out the door in a few days so there are a lot of instructors arriving. Some are new folks that I have never met but there are plenty of old friends arriving as well, fresh from winter somewhere or returning from adventures in exotic places. We had a great cookout out back in the warm Tucson evening, lots of food, beer, laughter and dogs at our feet. Hard to beat it really.

I have decided to attach a quote to the WOD each day. Today's quote comes from one of the true heroes of American history Eleanor Roosevelt:

"We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot."

Weight Training: Chest and Biceps
Dumbbell Flat Bench Press
Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
Dumbbell Flies
Captains of Crush Grip Trainers
Concentration Dumbbell Curls
Alternating Dumbbell Curls
Bench Press
Weighted Dips

WOD: "Thankfully Brutal"
Heavy Bench Press (8, 6, 5, 2 Repetitions)
"21s" Biceps Curls Super-Set with Forearm Roll-Ups (3 Sets)
Dips (4 Sets, Maximum Repetitions)

Have a Great Day!

The Best Laid Plans....

Just when you think that you can start your normal workout routine and get a circuit training in, life and work throw you a curve ball. We had some unexpected stuff to do this evening at the branch. Fortunately I was able to get in a lifting routine in this morning, but we will have to wait 'til tomorrow for more!

Weight Training: Legs
Dumbbell Box Squats
Dumbbell Lunges
Barbell Front Squats
Straight Leg Deadlift
Bodyweight Calf Raises
Glute/Hamstring Developer

Have a Great Day!!

Ready for Blast Off!

Hydrated all day and ate a hearty load of wonderful homemade food. Tomorrow I am ready to get back at a heavy lifting routine and circuit training. I don't know why, but it seems only fitting that my first hard day back at training comes on a legs day?!

Weight Training: Shoulders and Triceps
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Lateral Dumbbell Shoulder Raise
Alternating Front Dumbbell Raise
Triceps Dumbbell Kickbacks
Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extensions
Diamond Push-ups
Captains of Crush Grip Trainers
Abdominal Crunches
Barbell Push Press
Barbell Triceps Face Breakers

Have a Great Day!

Being Back Home and Back Exercises

Today was a simple day of eating food that didn't need to be re-hydrated, using a flushing toilet, cleaning personal paddling and camping gear and catching an early matinee movie. In between I was able to fit in a good, albeit light back workout.

Weight Training: Back
Dumbbell Pullover
Bent Over Dumbbell Row
Upright Barbell Row
TRX Row
Pull-ups

Evening Workout:
Deadlift (1.3x Body Weight)
Landmine Rows
Pull-ups, Maximum Repetitions

Have a Great Day!

Back in the Saddle Again!

I am back from a great two week trip on the Rio Grande as an instructor for the NOLS Semester in the Southwest. It was a fantastic trip with a great group of students. As part of our journey we were interviewed by the public radio station in Marfa, Texas. Here is a link to that interview!

I was very excited to get back into my routine today after being away. I lifted pretty lightly and got an adjustment by my chiropractor. I have found that as I have gotten older I have had success by easing back into my lifting routine after being away on a wilderness trip. You will notice that my routine today was much lighter than what I would have done just before leaving on my river trip. By next week I will be ready to really start hitting the heavy weights again and get my circuit trainings rolling in the evenings!

Weight Training: Chest and Biceps
Dumbbell Flat Bench Press
Dumbbell Flies
Alternating Dumbbell Curls
Captains of Crush Grip Trainers
Barbell Bench Press
Dips
Barbell Bench Press with Heavy Chains

Have a Great Day!!