Short and Sweet Legs

Our NOLS Southwest Instructor Course came back from the field today! That means all of our courses
are done, the evacuation phone has been silenced until fall and we can celebrate new instructors to our school! No evening workout and tequila for all!

Today's quote is from Paul Petzoldt:

"A challenge... to lead instead of being led, to participate instead of watching, to act instead of waiting with idle hands."

Morning Lifting Routine: Legs
Dumbbell Box Squats
Dumbbell Lunges
Barbell Front Squats
Bodyweight Calf Raises
Stiff Leg Deadlifts
Glute/Hamstring Developer

Have a Nice Day!

Just Move the Heavy Stuff!

Today was nothing but moving heavy weights and objects. No circuit, no high repetitions with low weight. It was physically challenging, but that made it super fun and enjoyable!

Today's quote is from Melanie Roach:

"Weightlifting is the easiest part of my day."

Morning Weightlifting Routine: Shoulders and Triceps
Seated Heavy Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Alternating Front Dumbbell Raise
Lateral Dumbbell Raise
Weighted Diamond Triceps Push-Ups
Seated Heavy Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension

Evening Weight Training:
Heavy Barbell Push Press
Front Plate Raise
Barbell Triceps Skull Crushers
Weighted Keg Clean to Press

Have a Great Day!

Back to the Back and The WOD: "Suckfest"

It is a good thing that this workout day came after a full rest day. We implemented a lot of the old favorites in the circuit and then added one new element: The Close Grip Weighted Sled Row.

The motion was essentially that of a seated close grip cable row  (video from Bodybuilding.com.... an amazing resource!) but instead of sitting, the pull is initiated from a standing squat position. Instead of pulling a stack of weights up in a pulley system, we were pulling a weighted Dog Sled along a measured concrete floor. The key to the success was to plant ones feet and pull with a classic close grip row motion. Only after the sled had stopped moving did you walk back until the line was tight and then repeat the pulling motion. This was brutal at the end of each circuit set so we called it: "Suckfest".

Today's quote is from George Carlin:

"The status quo sucks."

Morning Lifting Routine: Back
Dumbbell Pullovers
One Armed Bent-Over Dumbbell Row
Upright Barbell Row
TRX Row
Weighted Close Grip Pull-Ups
Captains of Crush Grip Trainers

Evening Circuit: "Suckfest" (Each exercise done in order to complete one set. Three sets total. Take a break for water as needed.)
SISU Sledgehammer Swings- 10 repetitions per side
Tire Flips- 5 repetitions
Atlas Stone Lift to 48" Platform- 1 repetition
5 meter Rope Climb- 5 repetitions
15 meter Close Grip Weighted Dog Sled Row- 5 repetitions
Pull-Ups- Maximum repetitions to failure.

Have a Great Day!

Rest and the Foam Roller

Today is the active rest day for this week: Hydrating, eating well, walking the dog. The other thing that I did today was roll out some sore muscles with the foam roller: Erector muscles, lats, glutes, hamstrings. Between the hot Tucson weather outside and the foam roller, things are feeling pretty good after a week of lifting! Rest and relaxation today, back at it tomorrow.

Today's quote is from Ernest Hemingway:

"I still need more healthy rest in order to work at my best. My health is the main capital I have and I want to administer it intelligently."

Have a Great Day!

Heavy Day Lifting Before a Rest: Chest and Arms

There is a lot of good NBA playoff basketball on today. This is really the only time of year that I enjoy the NBA. For me the season is too long and I just don't get a sense that the players are putting out a 100% effort during the regular season. But now that the playoffs have started, there seems to be some spark and urgency in the play. It is a bit shocking that my hometown team, the Washington Wizards not only made the playoffs but they actually won a first round playoff series?! Weird.

Today's quote is from Leonardo da Vinci:

"I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do."

Morning Lifting Routine: Chest and Biceps
Heavy Dumbbell Flat Bench Chest Press
Heavy Dumbbell Incline Bench Chest Press
Dumbbell Flies
Heavy Weighted Push-Ups
Alternating Standing Dumbbell Biceps Curls
Concentration Dumbbell Curls
Captains of Crush Grip Trainers
Bench Press with Resistance Bands
Bodyweight Dips, Maximum repetitions to failure

Evening Weight Training:
Bench Press 5x5
Weighted Dips 5x5
Wrist Roller Forearm Work, three sets
Abdominal Crunches, 100 repetitions

Have a Great Day!

The WOD: "Leaping Lizards"

One thing that I love about the desert is the myriad of lizards zipping around the property. Growing up on the east coast I just never saw lizards. Here they are as common as squirrels in Virginia. The male lizards crack me up when they do their little push-ups to get attention. Today I watched a Western Whiptail make what seemed like an impossible leap from the ground up onto a Mesquite tree trunk and the name for this WOD was born!

Today's quote is from Henry David Thoreau:

"We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal, and then leap in the dark to our success."

The Circuit WOD: "Leaping Lizards" (Do each exercise in order to complete one set. Three sets total with a water break after each set.)
Jump Rope- 100 repetitions or 50 double unders
30" Box Jump- 10 repetitions
Glute/Hamstring Developer- 15 repetitions
Pistol Squats- 5 repetitions per leg
20 meter Crab Walk with Resistance Band

Weight Training: Legs
Back Squats with Heavy Chains- 3 sets
Stiff Leg Deadlifts- 3 sets
Weighted Calf Raises- 3 sets
25 meter Heavy Dog Sled Work (half pulling, half pushing)- 3 sets

Have a Great Day!

Bears in the Woods, Medicine in the Wild and a Shoulder/Triceps Lifting Day

The Medicine in the Wild course returned from the Gila Wilderness today. It was a successful course for the 3rd and 4th year medical school students. They left with an appreciation for remote places, learned about their own leadership style and how it effects others and walked away with skills to care for patients in wild, remote locations. They even had a visit by a black bear in one of their camps!

With the course coming out of the field I had quite a bit of work to do. I was able to get in an early morning weightlifting session but that was about it for today. I will hit it hard tomorrow for legs!

Today's quote is from Stewart Udall:

"Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man."

Morning Weight Training: Shoulders and Triceps
Seated Heavy Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Lateral Dumbbell Raise
Alternating Front Dumbbell Raise
Diamond Push-Ups
Dumbbell Triceps Kickbacks
Seated Overhead Triceps Extension with Heavy Dumbbell

Have a Great Day!