Brown’s Blog

Last march I dislocated my shoulder.  The way to avoid it now, so Im told, to do more back, and ZERO flies.  Since last year my shoulder always hurts, even after it was put back in.  Now Im working with a dislocated right wrist.  Its not as bad as the shoulder, but wow it hurts when Im done working out.  It makes doing biceps hard, but Im working through it.  Sooner or later those little bones will go back into place 

    I skipped legs last week knowing that I was going to be roofing all weekend.  For 26 hours I carried 170lb packages of shingles up a 12 foot ladder.  In total it was 46 packs.  The rest of the time I was hunched over on a sizzling hot roof nailing them in.  Im so glad I skipped legs and now my quads are killing me.  Im really thankful that I train as it would have been a lot more work to divide up the packs among people and make more trips.  On the bright side I got a great tan and a fantastic leg workout.

    I used to do dips all the time at the end of my tri’s workout.  With just bodyweight.  Couple weeks ago I pulled out the belt, and started putting plates on it.  Today I did 135, and noticed that there isnt anymore room for plates.  Sure the chain is long, but Im so damn short there is nowhere else for the plates to go.  3 was the most I could put, and I did 2 sets with them.  Now Im stuck.  Do I keep doing 3 plates and more reps, or maybe do a little pre-exhaust then hit the weighted dips?  I cant do more weight than I did today, and I dont like knowing I cant increase weight.  Im most likely talking to myself, but I could use a suggestion.  And no I wont hold a dumbbell with my feet, and the weights on the belt, I thought of that already. 

    I used to do dips all the time at the end of my tri’s workout.  With just bodyweight.  Couple weeks ago I pulled out the belt, and started putting plates on it.  Today I did 135, and noticed that there isnt anymore room for plates.  Sure the chain is long, but Im so damn short there is nowhere else for the plates to go.  3 was the most I could put, and I did 2 sets with them.  Now Im stuck.  Do I keep doing 3 plates and more reps, or maybe do a little pre-exhaust then hit the weighted dips?  I cant do more weight than I did today, and I dont like knowing I cant increase weight.  Im most likely talking to myself, but I could use a suggestion.  And no I wont hold a dumbbell with my feet, and the weights on the belt, I thought of that already. 

    Ok, so Im only 5′7" well maybe 8" but anyway I have a hell of a time in incline benches.  Yeah ok the seat can be raised, but that doesnt change the fact that I have to do some rather unusual things to lift the bar.  Friend of mine, hes 6′2", can lift the bar with ease.  Me, well, I put my weights on, take a seat, but then… I grab the bar, and literally slide up the seat till the bar is just over my chest with my head now above the bar.  From this position, I push the weight off, kind of like a flat bench press starting at the bottom of the rep.  I hold the weight up, slide back down into the seat, adjust the bar position, then start pumping.  Granted all this takes only a few seconds, but a few seconds could be the difference between 1 more rep and getting stuck under the bar.  People watch me like Im a fool.  How else could I do it without a spot?  This works, only to a certain point.  When my shoulder wasnt killing me I couldnt do more than 250 without a spot.  I just couldnt lift the bar this way.  Now Im sitting on 225 with a relentless pain in my shoulder, doing incline bench alone. 

    Ever since I screwed up my shoulder last October I havent touched incline bench, simply because it hurt so much I couldnt even lift the bar.  I can do dumbbells all day long, just not the bar.  Last week I thought Id hop on the bench, try out some light weight… light compared to what I was doing…  I only did 2 sets and had some mild discomfort.  Today, after a lot of warming up, I did some more incline.  No pain, or at least I didnt notice, and I havent lost all that much strength.  I was happy with my efforts, and my body’s response.  I doubt Ill ever get back to where I was, but doing incline bench again feels good.  Only time will tell I guess.

Right after I finished squatting 710, all kinds of old remarks kept coming into my mind.  Mostly my family warning me of how dangerous this is and how I could get hurt.  Yeah, and I could get hit by a bus crossing the street too.  I dont ever feel that Im in danger in the gym.  I never do more than I know I can handle.  If I feel good, I move up and if not… well you get the idea.  I almost wished somebody had been there from my family or a friend.  I suppose its best to accomplish some things alone.  They would have just worried me to death anyway.  Anyway its about the end of the road for moving up in weight.  My gym doesnt have 100 lb plates and by my guess, the bar will only hold about 60 lbs more.  Maybe I could find some kids to hang from the bar… or not.

I have a hell of a time doing incline dumbbells.  Its not the reps, its the getting the weight to the starting position I hate.  Biggest dumbbells my gym has is 100 lbs, pathetic but thats all they got… Anyway, Im just a little guy, but I have the hardest time getting them from my thighs to my shoulders.  I use my legs like most guys, but damn I spend so much energy doing that I lose out on reps.  Once I go back down, its no problem, its mostly 95 pounders and 100.  I skip 95 cause I know Ill waste energy.  I dont have a spotter, and normally Im alone in the gym. 

After hurting my shoulder Im so careful with weights.  When I use my legs to push the dumbbells up, I do it slow and maybe thats where the problem is.  I just have the fear of re-injury.  I should stop bitching, it doesnt help.  I suppose Im stuck this way until I get a spotter.  Needless to say, Ive been losing sleep and having great workouts… very odd.  I go in tired, and get all pumped up halfway through.  My sleep loss directly involves my new four legged friend, but in the long run I wouldnt trade him for the world. 

WTF… Why do people say Happy Memorial Day?  This isnt some f#@$ing</a”>mailto:f#@$ing”>f#@$ing</a> day of celebration.  Its a day to remember those who gave their lives for our country.  I swear the next person who walks past me and says Happy anything will get their ass kicked.  Im a Vet, Ive seen my friends die, and its not something Id say Im happy about.  Most people dont even realize the importance of this day, and only view it as an excuse to have a day off, or party etc.  So sad our society is overrun with people who take everything for granted.  For those of you who have served, or have family that is or was military, I wish you all the best.  For those who condemn the military or choose to view it in a negative light…. you can burn in hell. 

On a different note, I had a great workout… and Im still this aggressive.

So I adopted a dog.  Hes new to my home and kept me up all night.  At some point I slept, maybe for 3 hours.  I woke up, drank a shake, fell back to sleep.  I went to the gym figuring my workout wouldnt be so hot, boy was I wrong.  I started slow, and after my warmup, things took off.  Its been a while since Ive hit arms so hard, but I felt limitless energy.  The more I did, the better I felt.  Too bad my quad is acting up.  Tomorrow would be legs day, but Ill have to skip and play with my dog instead.  Gee darn.