Well, I am back to training. I mean it’s easy to tell when celebrities hear about it and clamor to get a picture with you. I’ll get to that in a bit, but first let me get caught back up with my log.
This was my first complete week back to training. The two weeks off did wonders for my back. The biceps tendinitis still lingers, but I’ll take that over the back and hip issues. Wow, the other thing is, I can’t believe how sore I am. It’s like I had taken a year off. Actually now that I think about it, it makes sense. The competition was only two weeks ago, but I really limited a lot of my assistance and cut off squatting and deadlifting a few weeks prior. As my wife tells me, I am not a "connector of events."
Training went well enough. Nothing revolutionary, just getting back to more or less the same 5/3/1 I had been running before the meet. If it ain’t broke, right? A few changes include my fsl sets (extra volume) after my bench. Although my ability to grind a lockout has improved, I still think it can get better. So I’m doing half reps there for the top half of my bench.
I did have a little snag on Tuesday. I was in NO mood to train. When I got in the basement I made the executive dumba$$ decision to just get to lifting and not warm up. I was cruising along with minimal rest, just enough to change plates on inclines, and at some point I jacked up my shoulders around the collarbone area. They are still a little bothered six days later. Live and learn, never skip warm ups, like I don’t already know this.
Ok, about the pic. On Wednesday I was really lucky to be able to dine at Rao’s Restaurant in NY, Harlem to be exact. Rao’s is a very famous Italian joint. You know a place is truly Italian when they only take cash as payment. It’s been open since 1896, now that’s pretty cool. You know it’s good because they don’t open for lunch or weekends. It’s a one of a kind restaurant. There are only about ten tables in the whole place, and the table is yours for the night so there’s no rush. They don’t really take reservations, people more or less own the tables. So you either have to be someone or know someone. I am not a someone, but my dad is. He is a cool dude. He’s been there a bunch of times, but I was a virgin.
I could go on and on about the experience. It was the best time I have ever had in a restaurant. The food was not to be believed. They don’t have a menu. The manager sits with you and goes over choices they have for the evening. You start with a bunch of appetizers, then there’s a pasta, followed by the main courses, and to finish you off, dessert. All in all I ate calamari, clams, salad, bread, rigatoni, meatballs, broccoli rabe and sausage, steak, eggplant parm, and lemon chicken. At one point all of the guys went outside to take a breather, I stayed at the table and kept eating. I was to the point of wounded when dessert came, but I forged ahead. The offerings were homemade cheesecake and homemade ice cream. My answer, “Yes.” The waiter asked, "Which?" and I replied, “Both.” Oh my God, they were delicious.
Post dessert we sat for a while having coffee and after dinner drinks. I had noticed a few famous people, but this is a place where you are not supposed to notice famous people. I was with a great bunch of guys. One of the gentlemen owns a bunch of restaurants and is a real card himself. He’s one of those people who can and will make friends with everyone. Next thing I know Whoopi Goldberg was at our table. She was really nice and wanted a picture with a world famous bencher, so of course I obliged. Seriously though, I am not one to bother people for pictures. She was over at our table and really gracious, so I joined in. This was a once in a lifetime meal experience. I’m a lucky guy.
FRIDAY – BENCH Bench with legs up 285/330x5, 375x10 Bench partials/top half with legs up 285 x15 Swiss bar tri ext 215x7x6x5 Inverted swiss bar rows x20x19x16
SATURDAY Treadmill 40 minutes Front and side planks 2x30 seconds
SUNDAY – SQUAT/DEADLIFT Safety squat bar squat 250/290/325x5, 250x15 Trap bar deadlift 250/290/325x5, 250x15 Back raise 5x10
MONDAY – CONDITIONING Sled drag 20 minutes Treadmill 20 minutes Front and side planks 2x30 seconds
TUESDAY – INCLINE BENCH Incline bench 250/290/330x5 Incline bench partials/top half 250x15 Dips 2x10, 1x5 Inverted barbell rows 3x10 *This was a stupid session!
WEDNESDAY 20 minute treadmill
THURSDAY 40 minute treadmill
