CPT Jeff’s BodyBlog

As the presidential palace compound was having the finishing touches applied to it for hand over to the Government of Iraq, I finished packing my foot lockers.  We’ll be loading them up very soon to get shipped back to the states.  This is one of the significant actions that has to be completed prior to being redeployed.  And as many things over here are going through significant changes, this seems like a really good time to be leaving.

After I finished packing up my foot lockers I really didn’t have anything better to do on New Years Eve, and as I was busy all day yesterday, it seemed to me like an excellent idea to hit the gym.  Fortunately, it was almost completely empty, so I pretty much had the run of the place. 

Even though it was already after 8pm I still felt pretty good, in fact a lot better than I did yesterday.  I ran through a shoulder and back exercise, then jumped into biceps and proceeded to smoke them for about an hour.  At the end of the workout I was glad that I decided to go to the gym.  It was a good way to end the year. 

And now, on to the next year. 

Yesterday was chest and tricep day, and normally I look forward to this day as I enjoy benching.  However, yesterday I just didn’t feel it.  I had my gym partner with me and neither one of us could really motivate the other.  I’m not really sure what helped to contribute to that feeling, but it stuck with me throughout the whole workout. 

Hopefully I’ll be able to shake that feeling.  It’s going to be tough getting to the gym over the next couple of days.  We’re starting to pack things up over here and thats going to have to take priority.  I may try starting to go mid-day and eat lunch afterwards.

After a good three days of fairly hard workouts at the gym, today is a rest day, and I feel good.  I always love the feeling after my muscles stop hurting (aching really) but I’m still feeling them.  It feels excellent to stretch.  Then tomorrow is back to my chest and tricep exercises. 

Howerver, tomorrow I’m also planning on heading over to Victory base to a friend of mine who I was deployed with over here back during Operation Desert Shield/Storm.  It’s been about 14 years since I last saw him.  He stayed Active Duty Army until they medically retired him after 23 years.  Now he’s working as a contractor over here (Iraq).  Should be good to see him again. 

I had the opportunity to go to the gym on Friday with one of the guys from my unit.  Back in June four of us had decided that it would be cool to run a team competition, two against two.  Well, needless to say, my gym partner and I had been hitting the gym five days a week ever since (really, even before that). 

The competition consists of several events.  The flat bench, the leg press, the military PT test (overall score - extended scale allowed), and body fat measurement using calipers. 

Friday is one of my two normal chest workout days.  I run a pyramid routine on flat bench, incline bench, decline bench, then three sets of flies.  After working chest, I’ll switch to a tricep workout.  The guy that joined me that day was surprised at all I was doing.  He did five sets of three-reps each on the flat bench using the same weight for each set.  Then did a few sets of dips and said he was done. 

I’m not really sure that my team will have much problem with this small competition.  Howerver, I’ll continue to push myself as if I do have something to worry about…

Well, after hitting the gym between five and six days a week since Jan of 08, I hit my goal today of benching 309 lbs.  I was able to press this twice without assistance from my spotter.

That’s cool that I hit this goal, but now I need to set a new goal as my deployment to Iraq hasn’t ended yet.