Right of Passage

[WidowMaker]

Hello everyone. I'm WidowMaker!

Been training for 33 years and haven't stopped yet.
Have had to slow down at time for various reasons but I'm still in the game.

My training philosophy is methodical, relentless and a hybrid style of metal militia, westside, and my own twist to it.

Right now for the last couple of months I have been in a therapy mode for my knee (old recurring Airborne injury) and a recent elbow (nerve) injury.
Sucks ass but I gotta play smart if I'm going to the Nationals and then onto the worlds platforms to compete once again.

So if you're gonna stay with me on this one then be patient.
I will post up pic and vids of me, my training and me and my wife's personal gym.
Our gym has some good equipment in it we are versatile and we can do many things in our gym.
My wife is into fitness, MMA, boxing and crossfit style training as she has no desire or plans on becoming a bodybuilder or a powerlifter but she does value some strength training in here workouts.
I for one love powerlifting with drop sets and killer burnouts for accessory work to my heavy training.
I love my MMA training and boxing I do also. I really don't keep up much with the boxing or the MMA anymore as it's mostly media and story logged now. No disrespect to and pro fighters here or there.

Anyways I will be posting up my journal starting tomorrow.
It will start with my Monday 31 Dec 2012 training day (squats).

[willi]

Hope to see your progress, WM. 33 years is a while. Thought my 16 years was long.

[Mondo]

I have you by a year or two in the gym and know all too well service related injuries as an 18D with the 7th SF that still crop up here and there. Just be patient and don't push things. Time passes and you will be back hard at it once again.

[millenium girl]

Glad you post your log here now Widow! Great job

[WidowMaker]

Hope to see your progress, WM. 33 years is a while. Thought my 16 years was long.

Thanks willi!!!!

[WidowMaker]

I have you by a year or two in the gym and know all too well service related injuries as an 18D with the 7th SF that still crop up here and there. Just be patient and don't push things. Time passes and you will be back hard at it once again.

Thanks Mondo!!! Yes, I know all to well about patience lol. Some of the better powerlifting meets roll around when I'm injured or can't get off work to go to them, lol. That's what sux.

[WidowMaker]

Glad you post your log here now Widow! Great job

Thanks MG! A good friend to me and Powerbelle as always!
Powerbelle say hi!!!

[WidowMaker]

Chambered Recovery: Part 1

Chambered Recovery: Part 1

Week 1
31 DEC 2012
Squat Day:

NOTE: No superman suit for me. Never had it. Never will!
No big boy briefs either.
Speed Squats:
(set to medium speed to reduce torque/safety chains set @ 14 link/pins set in power rack/unwrapped an unbelted)
225 x 12
8 x 315 x 3

Squats was ok today as it seemed very light but knee held up very well on this so I'm satisfied.

Powerpohl Belt Squats:
(parallel box/unwrapped/double quad drops/ rsting long enough to turn around and change pin on stack during the sets)
60 x 10
resting 1 minute
130 x 10
110 x 10
90 x 10
70 x 10
resting 1 minute
110 x 10
90 x 10
70 x 10
50 x 10

These were awesome today! Knee didn't give me much of a fit on these. This works a lot on your balance and stability. Hip flexors as well as other accessory muscle group are activated more with this.

Side Twists:
(2.1.2 tempo/30 sec rest between sets)
3 x myself x 20 each side

Good ab work on this today.

Target Stretch:
Legs needed it today. 5 minute stretch time.

Time/Comments:
Evening training.
Powerbelle; she spotted me on my squatting today.
Overall was still a good training day. No complaints.
Motivation was around 7.

[WidowMaker]

Chambered Recovery: Part 1

Chambered Recovery: Part 1

Week 1
1 JAN 2013
Bench Day:

NOTE: No superman shirt! Never had it....never will!
NOTE: Super set these 2 exercises and working these in the squat rack.
Close-grip Bench:
(to chest/index finger where knurling meets smooth/touch-n-go/no lockout/no high school bounce/unwrapped and unbelted)
135 x 12
Reverse-grip Bench:
(to chest/index finger on bar ring/touch-n-go/no lockout/no high school bounce/unwrapped and unbelted)
135 x 12
Close-grip Bench:
(to chest/index finger where knurling meets smooth/touch-n-go/no lockout/no high school bounce/unwrapped and unbelted)
135 x 12
Reverse-grip Bench:
(to chest/index finger on bar ring/touch-n-go/no lockout/no high school bounce/unwrapped and unbelted)
135 x 12
Close-grip Bench:
(same set-up as above except using elbow sleeves and setting the rack pins at the approximate height of the 2 board)
225 x 8
Reverse-grip Bench:
(same set-up as above except using elbow sleeves and setting the rack pins at the approximate height of the 2 board)
225 x 8
Close-grip Bench:
(same set-up as above except setting the rack pins at the approximate height of the 4 board)
315 x 8
Reverse-grip Bench:
(same set-up as above except setting the rack pins at the approximate height of the 4 board)
315 x 8

Good bench/pin press work today. No spotter cos Powerbelle had to work over this evening.
Not sure where I would be at here considering the nerve in my elbow so when I hit 315 I stopped here cos it was aggravating it somewhat.
I can see this recovery is going to take some time.

Cable Crossover (top pull):
(2.2.2 tempo/single quad drop/rest long enough to change plate stack during working set)
40 x 10
rest 1 minute
70 x 10
60 x 10
50 x 10
40 x 10

Good set here got into my upper and outer chest w/o getting into my elbow.

Cable Crossover (bottom pull):
(2.2.2 tempo/single quad drop/rest long enough to change plate stack during working set)
70 x 10
60 x 10
50 x 10
40 x 10

Finished off everything good on these. Satisfied for today.

Seated JM Press:
(quad drop/no lockouts/ wrist wraps and elbow sleeves)
210 x 10
195 x 10
180 x 7
165 x 5

Chest and triceps are trashed somewhat and really didn't get into my elbow too much doing these. Good!

Target Stretch:
Chest and triceps got a good stretching to day as too. I stretched out my forearms also. 8 minute stretch time.

Time/Comments:
Solo this evening.
Overall was still good and motivation was around 7.

[millenium girl]

Thanks MG! A good friend to me and Powerbelle as always!
Powerbelle say hi!!!

I missed you both! Are you still working out together?

[WidowMaker]

I missed you both! Are you still working out together?

Yes we still train, but Powerbelle's work schedule with her overtime the past couple of months has made it hard on her to train with me at times.

[millenium girl]

Yes we still train, but Powerbelle's work schedule with her overtime the past couple of months has made it hard on her to train with me at times.

Overtime sucks. I know how motivating Powerbelle can be

[WidowMaker]

Overtime sucks. I know how motivating Powerbelle can be

Yes. Overtime sucks but it makes for fatter paydays and money to put up for something needed.
Yep, her motto is something is better than nothing.

[Dawgpound_Hank]

Good luck healing dude. Interesting log - I will follow it. Lookin' thick in that avi.

[WidowMaker]

Chambered Recovery: Part 1

Chambered Recovery: Part 1

Week 1
3 JAN 2013
Deadlift Day:

Deadlift:
(no belt or hooks/double overhand grip)
135 x 12 (sumo)
135 x 12 (conventional)
225 x 5 (sumo)
255 x 5 (conventional)
315 x 3 (sumo)
315 x 3 (conventional)
315 x 3 (sumo)
315 x 3 (conventional)

Staying safe not to aggravate my knee while it subsides.

Standing Leg Curls:
(3.3.3 tempo/double quad drops sets/rest only long enough to reach around and change pin on plate stack)
50 x 12 (each leg)
1 minute rest
110 x 10 (each leg)
100 x 10 (each leg)
90 x 10 (each leg)
80 x 10 (each leg)
1 minute rest
95 x 10 (each leg)
85 x 10 (each leg)
75 x 10 (each leg)
65 x 10 (each leg)

These were very good today. Hams are tore up now.

Chins:
(wide grip/hooks when needed/3.3.3 tempo)
2 x bodyweight x 10

Good on these today. Love any from of back work. Lats, traps o lower.

Seated Low Row:
(3.2.3 tempo/48" lat bar/double overhand wide grip/hooks/Olympic rowing style but elbows don't release past knees)
70 x 10
180 x 15

Lats are good and worked as well as upper and mid back. Traps are ready for their next exercise now.

Dumbbell Shrugs:
(3.4.3 tempo/triple quad drops/hooks when needed/no belt/rest during working sets only long enough to grab next bells)
105 x 10
95 x 10
85 x 10
75 x 10
1 minute rest
100 x 90
90 x 10
80 x 10
70 x 10
1 minute rest
90 x 10
80 x 10
70 x 10
60 x 10

Traps are good and trashed right now.

Swiss Ball Ab Twist:
(2.3.2 tempo/ roman chair style)
2 x myself x 12 (each side)

Abs got some decent work today.

Target Stretch:
Back feels better now that it's all stretched out.
Stretch out time about 7 minutes.

Time/Comments:
Solo today.
Powerbelle had to work over this evening.
Overall back training was good today as motivation was around 8.