Wango back at the grind

[wango]

Sounds like a good workout, how do those wood choppers do you? I think I did something like that in a juco weight lifting class 18 years ago but haven’t done anything like that for years. Rowing and pull downs work well for me but it seems like adding wood choppers or something could be good. Do they help with parts of the back and rib muscles that aren’t worked as much with rows and pulls? Cause that’s what I need.

Pretty cool you have a visitor! Some of my neighbors are afraid of hawks cause an old lady had her chihuahua taken out of her yard by a hawk right in front of her. She made sure to tell the whole neighborhood like it was her own personal episode of Dateline NBC.

Hope life is good for you! All good here, school is still a mess but Its fine with me. If they don’t have my list of classes ready for me I cIf I can’t prep I’m definitely getting paid for going to gym during work hours today.

I really love how the wood choppers hit my obliques and tighten my waist, I think it’s by far my favorite abdominal exercise because they hit so many muscle groups at once.

The hawks here don’t go after smaller pets (our coyotes do though) or haven’t even seen them go after a squirrel. However our other common visitors (raccoons) were fascinated with me and my cat late one night; came right up to our big sliding glass door and hung out for about 10 minutes. Of course they had previously torn out all of the sod from our backyard & destroyed a few bird feeders (this is our fourth), but why hold a grudge?

Yeah, was thinking that today would have been the first day of teacher’s only week & my least favorite day/week of the year, plus our little guy appears to be himself again, I’ve got a big-ass smile on my face! Another reason I hated this week is about 4 years ago to the day, I started back at my gym that I use when I’m teaching, that’s 5 minutes from the school. I tore off the long head of my left bicep doing single arm incline curls. A truly f’d up way to start off the school year to say the least. Ironically it’s back and biceps day in a couple of hours, lol. I wish you the best this school year!

So our hawk skipped one day, but I look up from my book yesterday & there he was. He’s getting more familiar so he took a little dip, hung a bit & then went off hunting.

[wango]

Back
Pulldowns 4x10
Reverse Pec Dec 4x10
Shrugs 4x12
Single arm machine rows 3x8

Biceps
Machine curls 4x8
Incline curls 4x8
Reverse curls 4x10

1/2 kneel wood choppers 3x12

Then, I returned to very familiar turf that I hadn’t visited in 7 years. It felt like heaven. Shoulder ROM makes the shooting mechanics wonky and not fluid, but damn, that ball release came back within 5 minutes. Sweet backspin & the ball comes right back to me after it clears the net and hits the floor. Shooting range for a comfortable set shot used to be around 21 feet, today I was happy with 10. Damn, that felt fine!

[wango]

Pec Dec 4x10
Close Grip Bench Press 4x8
Upright Rows 4x10
Bent over Lateral Raises 4x8
Front Raises2x10
Rope Pressdowns 4x10
Overhead Rope Extensions 4x10

Abs & Treadmill.

Gym is much less crowded now that kids returned to high school & college

Dinner last night, all from Sunday’s Farmers Market: halibut, tomatoes, zucchini, onions a little olive oil and spices. I take no credit for the cooking. I contributed by carrying the bags at the market, lol. My wife loves to cook and I can’t recall ever not liking anything she has made. I’m one lucky guy!

[wango]

This 100x. Man, those twerps can sure wreck a place.

Not so much wrecking the place in our case, but just simply taking up more parking spots & extra bodies in the gym.

[wango]

Back and biceps today, almost identical to Monday’s workout.

Abs and treadmill.

My wife and I are digging “Penny Dreadful”, and on the last season. Looking forward to the return of “Dexter” later this year, better watch the final season or two to reacquaint ourselves. Also thinking “The Suicide Squad”. Liked the last one and this one got nice reviews. ‘Nobody” turned out to be pretty good as well.

[DinAZ]

Not to hijack your log, but I thought you’d want I see this!

Looks like you sent some hawk luck my way. (Edit: idk why pic is sideways it isn’t on my phone. Oh well)

[wango]

No hijack at all DinAZ. Great pic, thank you!

My favorite spot on the couch looks out to our bird bath and a few bird feeders. I’m losing track of the time spent sitting with my cat, reading and just watching. In fact doing that this very second with a big cup of coffee. Gym later when the wife gets back from her walk.

[wango]

Went a little HIT today. Generally 2-3 warmup sets (not to failure) because I went heavier on the working sets than I have since I’ve started back.

Pec Dec 2 WS of 8 with double drop sets after the second.
Close grip bench 5x6
Upright Rows 2 WS of 8 with DD after last set
Front Raise SS with Lateral Raise 3x10
Rope Pressdowns 2 WS of 6 with DD after last set

Really not a super aggressive workout, but slowed down the eccentric and with the double drop sets, I really got a nice burn. Nice pump, image in the mirror is showing better shoulder width and even the arms are creeping up again.

[wango]

Abs and 2 mile walk today. Included a few passes around the treacherous and grueling “Big Trees Trail”.

Busy week: cutting off the shoulder length locks Tuesday back to a close trim on sides and back. The hair takes too much time and is too damn hot. It was fun however and kind of a bucket list thing that I always wanted to do.

Tomorrow going with the wife to re-do our will. It’s been about 15 years since the first. Awkward talks tonight as to who gets how much, who takes the cat, who sells the house etc., if we both die together; as a lot has changed in 15 years. Odd talk, but it’s got to be done. We looked at our original will and we’re shocked how we have changed our minds as to who inherits what.

Still sticking with TRT and HGH only till 15 more pounds disappear. Amping up the cardio this week, let’s see what the body can handle.

Oh, BTW, “The Suicide Squad” kicked ass! The wife loved it as much as I did.

[wango]

We saw the lawyer in the morning and we hammered out the will, it’s spooky thinking of that stuff, but it’s got to be done. Stopped for breakfast and I realized it was my first meal out at a restaurant since February of 2020. Kept it lean with egg-whites, chicken and spinach. The tomato-pesto was killer fresh.

Back
Lat Pulldowns 3x8 with drop set after last set
Single arm machine rows 3x6 with drop set after last set
Shrugs 4x10
High Face-pulls 3x10 with drop set after last set
Neck flexion 3x12

Biceps
Machine curls 3x8 with drop after last set
Hammer curls 3x6 with drop after last set
Incline Curls 3x6 with drop after last set

3x12 of 1/2 kneel woodchoppers then treadmill x20

So tempted to cheat with var, clen & t-3, but I want to grind it out & earn it for later.

[wango]

Pec Dec 3x10 w drop after last set
Machine Bench 3x10
Hammer Shoulder Press (reverse position) 3x12
Upright Rows 3x10 w drop after last set
Bent over Flies 3x12
Pressdowns 3x8 w drop after last set
Triceps Extension Machine 3x8 w drop after last set

Man, have to focus on posture more, it makes my pecs look night and day. I guess that’s one nice aspect of so many mirrors in the gym. B-ball gym slammed with private basketball coaches/clients, so absolute no go.

Protein bar, coffee & cat presently.

Saving cardio for afternoon (if I don’t flake, lol).

[wango]

Lat Pulldowns 4x12
Machine Rows 4x12

Elliptical x 5 mins

Shrugs 4x12
Reverse Pec Dec 4x12
Machine Bicep Curls 4x12

Elliptical x 5 mins

Face Pulls 4x12
Incline Curls 4x12
Hammer Curls 4x12
Neck flexion 4x12
Machine Abs 4x15

Treadmill x15 mins

Cardio tolerance/ability is drastically improved since I started, really upped the pace today & felt great. It’s time for books and my best friend napping on me. And to think, this would have been the first week of school and me already thinking “how many weeks to Winter break?”.

[wango]

Chest
Pec Deck 4x8 Drop set after last set
Machine bench 4x8
Decline Cable Flies 4x10

Delts
Reverse Hammer shoulder press 4x 10
Upright Rows 4x10 w drop after last set
Bent over raises 4x10

Triceps
Pressdowns 4x8 w drop after last set
Seated dips 4x8 w drop after last set
Rope pressdowns 4x8 w drop after last set
Overhead Rope Extensions 4x8 w drop after last set

1/2 kneel wood choppers & treadmill

I pulled the trigger on a LED helmet that promotes hair thickness & regrowth. It’s on the way. Expensive, but there is a six month guaranteed return policy if you don’t like your results.

[DinAZ]

Sounds like you are putting in some solid work! Hair laser sounds cool and what’s to lose since you can get a refund if you don’t like?

[wango]

Sounds like you are putting in some solid work! Hair laser sounds cool and what’s to lose since you can get a refund if you don’t like?

Thank you. I finally feel like I’ve got some rhythm going on for the first time in ages. The reviews have sounded positive and hell, compared to hair transplants, this is cheap in comparison. I’ll take monthly progress pics to be objective. And yeah, a refund if you don’t get results, it seems like a good move.

[wango]

So much for that rhythm. Providing a lap for my boy to sleep upon & rarely leaving the couch (hardly ever leaving the house). Got 4 books piled around me and a small fan for a cool breeze. Hell, my hair restoration helmet arrived and I haven’t even opened the box. Missed a week of pinning, figured, what was the point.

Trying to eat reasonably well, but the wife treated us to fresh eggs from the markers market this morning. Damn, could easily tell a difference. Our little guy is on the “let him eat whatever the fuck he wants (except toxic to cats, of course) diet”. So this morning he ate bacon and eggs. We found out he is also partial to a New York steak, slightly salted and cooked medium rare.

[wango]

My little best friend is at peace & watching over me from heaven. What an incredible veterinarian service that helps with the transition. He passed painlessly & gently at our home with he and I sitting at our favorite spot, with him cradled in my arms.

Biceps
Machine curls 4x10
Incline curls 4x10
Hammer curls 4x10
Reverse curls 3x12

Triceps
Seated dips 4 x10
Rope pressdowns 4x10
Overhead Rope Extensions 4x10

Got my jab of HGH and Test in this morning. Thinking of a late afternoon walk. I greatly miss my little friend napping on my lap as he would normally be doing now, but the time was right and his trauma/pain were kept as little as possible over these past weeks. RIP

[wango]

Just back from my afternoon “hike”. Thank you Cy.

Eating clean with Salmon & salad for dinner. Nothing fancy.

Damn, haven’t used the trimmer on my body in weeks, I’ll probably drop a few pounds just with that crap gone, lol.

[wango]

Tended to skip breakfast as to let my little guy get in extra nap time on my lap, so today, resumed. 4 egg whites, veggies & as this was a Pre workout meal, 1/2 bagel. Grocery shopping tomorrow, back to regular meal prep.

High Hammer Rows 3x10
Low Hammer Rows 3x10
Shrugs 3x10
Face Pulls 3x12
Reverse Pec Deck 4x8
Bent over raises 3x10
Upright Rows to 70 degrees only 3x10

1/2 kneel wood choppers & 20 minutes Treadmill

Post workout meal: protein shake, 1/2 bagel and tbsp of peanut butter.

Right shoulder pain is a toothache that doesn’t let up (but I’ve lived with it before). I have stayed away from NSAIDS, but thinking it’s time. Also going to try some CBD cream with THC in it as my wife is really digging the relief it gives her.

[wango]

In what could be an ill-advised move, decided to lengthen my walk today . . . . & doubled my max of recent history & haven’t done in about a decade. Not terribly imposing, but for me quite a stretch. 4 miles in about 75 minutes. Feeling good now, but let’s see the repercussions tomorrow.

Also, charged up and did my first treatment with my Theradome yesterday (a laser treatment for hair rejuvenation). 20 minutes, twice a week. Ordered a couple of books on basic yoga poses & going to integrate that with some stretching in the sunny backyard. Shooting for 4 resistance workouts at the gym per week and a lot more wholistic stuff integrated in.

[DinAZ]

Flexibility and stretching more has helped my strength training, I bet you will feel great trying some yoga. Hell I’ve even thought about checking out some yoga classes lately. It’s like stretching at home but with a better view. Doing it in the yard sounds nice too! I’m up for about anything to improve flexibility other than Bikram hot yoga. Did that 10 or so years ago and it was not for me.

[wango]

4 miles is a pretty good walk!

That looks like a helmet from "Rollerball". I thought you had pretty good hair? Though I admit, I'm probably not the best person to judge..

James Caan flashback, lol. Believe it or not, in the instruction manual it actually stated that this helmet was not intended to provide protection from injury

It’s good, but it’s thinning (the mast didn’t help).

[wango]

Flexibility and stretching more has helped my strength training, I bet you will feel great trying some yoga. Hell I’ve even thought about checking out some yoga classes lately. It’s like stretching at home but with a better view. Doing it in the yard sounds nice too! I’m up for about anything to improve flexibility other than Bikram hot yoga. Did that 10 or so years ago and it was not for me.

I can fart when I’m alone & not worry. There are a couple of basic positions that I have tried that tends to stimulate that reaction, lol. I took a couple of classes with my wife years ago & a lot of it just didn’t work for me. There’s just some target areas that I want to hit, so want to look through all of the positions & will keep it simple.

[DinAZ]

I can fart when I’m alone & not worry. There are a couple of basic positions that I have tried that tends to stimulate that reaction, lol. I took a couple of classes with my wife years ago & a lot of it just didn’t work for me. There’s just some target areas that I want to hit, so want to look through all of the positions & will keep it simple.

If I was married and had a yard like yours I’d skip the classes too! The one time my buddy dragged me to a yoga class we were 2/3 of the men in a 20 person class. I figure a workout and a healthy place to meet women is a good thing. At least at yoga if I fall for a crazy one it will be a fit crazy one and not bar fly crazy.

[wango]

If I was married and had a yard like yours I’d skip the classes too! The one time my buddy dragged me to a yoga class we were 2/3 of the men in a 20 person class. I figure a workout and a healthy place to meet women is a good thing. At least at yoga if I fall for a crazy one it will be a fit crazy one and not bar fly crazy.

Smart thinking! I recall some bar fly crazies from my distant past, then again I did strike gold a couple of times too. TY, I’ll just have to be careful to not get too relaxed and doze off as I don’t want that hawk to swoop down and try to drag me away.

[wango]

I wondered if you would know the reference! Glad you did!

The injury thing is Lawyers. And probably some yahoo that started his last sentence with "Hey Bubba, watch this!"

Oh definitely got that reference. You know it’s really odd to look back at the male’s physiques in the “bad-ass” type roles back then. What a difference.

Just finished biceps and triceps. Threw in a few sets of forearm work and more wood choppers. I would have done cardio, but I didn’t want to push my luck. I’m astonished that there is not any pain due to yesterday.

[wango]

Arnold certainly brought the muscle to the big screen. Plus, even professional athletes then vs now are night and day. Makes you wonder how good someone like Babe Ruth, Franco Harris, or even someone like Wayne Gretzky would have been if they had access to and knowledge of the PEDs we do now.

I swear, if my living depended on my strength & power, I would do everything I could to use & not get caught. Did you ever see ESPN’s 30 for 30 episode on Bo Jackson? Imagine him with just a little AAS, my Gawd.

[DinAZ]

Yeah it would be interesting to truly know who has used and who hasn’t. A friend and college roommate played juco and then got a scholarship to Arizona when team was decent. He told me that steroid are rampant in college football so I have no reason to think that doesn’t carry over to the NFL.

At the same time we didn’t have guys like LeBron James with insane physiques in their late 30s back in Bo’s time. So even if he did juice I imagine the healing and longevity type PEDs have greatly improved.

[wango]

Yeah it would be interesting to truly know who has used and who hasn’t. A friend and college roommate played juco and then got a scholarship to Arizona when team was decent. He told me that steroid are rampant in college football so I have no reason to think that doesn’t carry over to the NFL.

At the same time we didn’t have guys like LeBron James with insane physiques in their late 30s back in Bo’s time. So even if he did juice I imagine the healing and longevity type PEDs have greatly improved.

Many of my ex students moving onto college football said they were common and almost necessary. They knew I did TRT and I would always tell them precautionary tales from the forum. I tried to give them as much useful advice without condoning their usage.

Bo said he rarely even lifted weights, I really did not get the impression that he would be using. That guy was a true freak of nature.

But man, the guys in the NFL today? Granted, weight training, trainers, diet & supplements are utilized so much better, but I don’t think that is what is entirely behind the size & power that is so noticeable these days.

[wango]

Oh yeah, if my livelihood depended on it, I would be chock full of all sorts of PEDs. We kind of send mixed messages to pro athletes: be bigger, stronger! BOOO, you used drugs! These guys docs likely are keeping such a close eye on their meds and bloodwork they know when they had a extra dash of salt with their dinner.

Have not seen the Bo Jackson episode yet. BTW, it would not surprise me if he had a little PED action going on at one time or another...

My attitude toward their usage and considering it “cheating” has obviously changed the moment I started TRT and participating on the forum. Just seeing what TRT (and then HGH) could do for an old run down fart like myself? I’m sorry, once these guys get into their 30’s and naturally must start declining, hell yeah I’m going to use, how can you not and still keep up?

Dude, Bo was the biggest athletic freak of nature I’ve ever seen. Could be the biggest sports tragedy ever, when his careers (both football & baseball) we’re cut short by a freak injury. Easily would have been HOF in both.

[wango]

Did a few days of walking, plus try to avoid the gym on weekends. And oh yeah, the THC/CBD cream did a fantastic job. Plus my wife’s hands are magic, it had to be how she rubbed it onto my shoulder & upper bicep.

Back & biceps. Worked in 3 rounds of elliptical in between. Got a nice yoga book and found about a dozen positions that can be doable and will hit what I’m looking for.

F’d up dreams. Both the wife and I swear we felt our little buddy walking on the bed at night on a few occasions now.

[wango]

Legs, Abs, elliptical and stationary bike this morning.

One light meal today only. Second round of cardio this evening. Currently plateaued at 10 pounds lost.

The wife bought us some more THC/CBD cream, but overjoyed that just the first application helped immensely. Let’s see how tomorrow’s push routine affects it.

[wango]

That happens for a bit.

Man, I sometimes swear I hear one of ours meowing to come in and they are NOWHERE around. The brain does funny things when it is bored. Like the more we are listening or looking for a thing, the more false positives we get. Kind of like when Siri was just randomly laughing. It heard something it pieced together as "funny", but there wasn't anything there humans could perceive.

The implications for computer perception making mistakes are staggering...

I’m sure it will. Due to Covid & me being home for 18 months straight, he & I were inseparable. Honestly got to the point when I did or did not know if he was in fact on me as it always felt he was.

Push routine, treadmill & another walk coming up in a bit. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth (that’s a blast from the past, lol), but my shoulder is still doing better. That said, starting to really get pissed at the scale

[wango]

Back, biceps, forearms and abs. Decent strength & pump actually considering I didn’t eat prior.

Last night’s farmer’s market bounty. Fresh corn, heirloom tomatoes, grilled peaches (first time for me and they rocked!), and fresh diver scallops. I’m pretty sure she used some olive oil . Not exactly football grub while watching the rams vs. the bears, but damn it was tasty. Those are the peaches grilling, sorry not the cleanest of grills . . . . .

[wango]

Moving out to Los Angeles definitely changed my choice of foods. I grew up as a mid-west, meat & potatoes guy, but my wife grew up out here. Hell, I remember the first time they took me out to have sushi. It was definitely a wtf moment.

But damn, she really is a killer cook and absolutely fearless in the kitchen. I am a very lucky man.

Just walking today and some stretching/yoga.

[wango]

Push day Wednesday, legs yesterday, today was back & biceps. More stretching & yoga later. F’n beautiful weather today!

[DinAZ]

Moving out to Los Angeles definitely changed my choice of foods. I grew up as a mid-west, meat & potatoes guy, but my wife grew up out here. Hell, I remember the first time they took me out to have sushi. It was definitely a wtf moment.

But damn, she really is a killer cook and absolutely fearless in the kitchen. I am a very lucky man.

Just walking today and some stretching/yoga.

I don’t eat a lot of seafood in Arizona other than an occasional shrimp or fish taco, but I love seafood. LA has great food in general and also great seafood so I can definitely it see how it could grow on you. I am renting a house in LA for 3 nights next month to get out of the desert for a bit, and I know I’m going to eat a lot of good seafood. I want to be sure to get some Korean seafood; I tried it last trip and it was great.

How is the yoga going? do you have a set routine you do, or have you been advancing and learning new poses a little at a time, or what do you like to do for it? If I try it at home I imagine I’d put a yoga YouTube on the TV the first couple times so I can learn what to do.

I’m glad to hear you are continuing with it, I have been spending a lot more time on stretching and flexibility but I haven’t done any yoga. I may have to follow your lead and do some at home because I can see me doing that sooner than going to a class at a studio.

[wango]

I don’t eat a lot of seafood in Arizona other than an occasional shrimp or fish taco, but I love seafood. LA has great food in general and also great seafood so I can definitely it see how it could grow on you. I am renting a house in LA for 3 nights next month to get out of the desert for a bit, and I know I’m going to eat a lot of good seafood. I want to be sure to get some Korean seafood; I tried it last trip and it was great.

How is the yoga going? do you have a set routine you do, or have you been advancing and learning new poses a little at a time, or what do you like to do for it? If I try it at home I imagine I’d put a yoga YouTube on the TV the first couple times so I can learn what to do.

I’m glad to hear you are continuing with it, I have been spending a lot more time on stretching and flexibility but I haven’t done any yoga. I may have to follow your lead and do some at home because I can see me doing that sooner than going to a class at a studio.

Thank you. It was long overdue that I did more stretching (same with leg strength & balance). Fortunately I know my Anatomy, etc. & all I did was buy a yoga book showing about 100 different poses/positions with really nice pics & explanations as to how modify them for beginners. I picked out about 15 that seemed to target what I wanted to accomplish. I’m still trying to polish up a pattern or routine I can do from day to day mixed in with other stretches and also adding some leg/balance work in.

I did a studio once with my wife and quickly decided most of their routine didn’t fit what I wanted or would flat out not work with my hips.

Tomorrow is farmers market day, I’ll take some pics of the fish selection. This area really has its advantages at times, that’s for sure.

[wango]

Yesterday morning was a pull day with a few rounds of elliptical threaded in. Then did a light 20 minute cardio in the afternoon.

Today was legs and abs, again with 3 rounds of elliptical blended in. Afternoon stretch/yoga. Also threw in an initial set of goblet squats to see how they felt (and not too bad, actually). Hoping for an evening stroll with my wife after a very light dinner. Talking with endo next Monday hoping to get my testosterone prescription renewed.

Might have shot my final basketball shots today as the shoulders just refuse to let me. Life ain’t fair I know, but damn.

[wango]

Getting caught up on the log... Man, retirement seems SWEET!

I will not lie, it really is.

Thank buddy for checking in and keeping up with your log, the motivation has been very helpful to me. Last cup of coffee & headed to the gym.