Sleeping Enough

I got 12 hours of sleep last night. My body was feeling a little beat up last night and it felt really amazing this morning. I think this sleep thing might really be helpful in taking my performance to the next level. We all hear that sleep is vital but I know I get to bed too late far too often. I'll have to keep the late nights in check between now and Denver.

Easy Tiger!

I was at the Blatt PE Center weight room today for Box Squats and Deadlifts; a buddy of mine (Eric) happened to be doing the same thing in the rack beside me and they guy in the rack next to his was squatting. I admit that it was odd, he was using a bench as a box but he was not sitting onto it and he kept his weight on his toes. I didn't care, I had to worry about my ripped palm from deadlifting (2 freaking weeks in a freaking row!) and my front squats which I did after I could not deadlift. So I finish a set and hear what sounds like an escalating disagreement. Some kid called the no touch box squatter out on form and the squat guy didn't like that. The challenger says, "I bet I can out lift any of you based on bodyweight". I think he was talking to the 3 of us, but he's probably wrong because Eric can Deadlift +500lbs at less than 200 bodyweight. And what would it prove? I think it's a better idea to let people be in your average commercial gym. They don't want to be told they are wrong and arguing about it will not do any good.
That's one thing I loved about training at Carolina Crossfit, people instructing each other on good form and a much lower occurrence of ego. Instead of looking at the other people in the gym as hostile creatures, they were people that wanted you to succeed.
Since I cannot train there now I just mind my own business. I won't call someone out on bad technique because it is not worth the greif. I will call you out here on account of bad training, but this is my blog and you chose to read it. People in the gym do not want your advice unless they ask.

Some Advice for Women

Everything you are about to read is going to fly in the face of everything you have heard about what women should do in the gym. Take it or leave it, but it is true. Women that are already training hard can disregard this, you know who I'm talking to.

1: The gym is not a fashion runway
The only requirement for your gym attire is that it is comfortable and allows a full range of motion. Makeup should streak off due to sweat if you are wearing it so do not take the effort.

2: Weight control starts at the table
Cut out the sugar and ease up on the beer, this will do more for your body than what you have been doing in the gym.

3: Weight is your friend
Those 5 lb dumbbells are not doing anything for you. If the weight does not feel hard until rep 43 it is TOO LIGHT.

4: Sweat is good
It means you have actually worked! Work produces results.

5: Run faster
You are not running fast enough, you will be healthier and burn more fat from running faster. I don't care it you have to cut the distance, your intensity needs to increase.

6: Do pullups
Every person on earth should be able to do pullups, women are not different. A woman that can do pullups is a strong woman and strong women are a rare, wonderful type of woman.

7: Become friends with the barbell
It is the best tool your gym has.

8: SQUAT
If you really want a firm, shapely butt your best friend is the squat with the barbell on your back. An added bonus is that it will make your whole body strong.

9: Deadlift
Being able to pick up heavy things is about the most practical physical skill to have, plus it really hits the butt and hamstrings.

10: Osteoperosis sucks:
Weak bones really suck and the absolute best way to build strong bones is external resistance. We go back to the Deadlift and the Squat and how healthy they are for you.

11: Lifting will not make you huge
Size, like I said before, starts in the kitchen. Now, if you do lift your body composition will change to meet the needs of what you are doing but bodyweight is directly related to what you eat and how much.

12: Work hard
That's the only way you will achieve your goals (you should write some down).

Progress and Calming Down

I started exercising and moved on to training because I wanted to get stronger, faster, and healthier, not unlike most people.  For a while I just wandered around the gym trying to figure out what I was doing, what form I should be using, and what I enjoyied, not unlike most people.  I made some progress but things really started coming together when my schedule became organized.  I decided to become stronger using the Deadlift and the Squat so I Deadlift and Squat every week.  Every week I increase either the weight on the bar or the number of reps per set.  I never perform more than than 5 reps per set because my goal is strength.  This plan is simple and brutally effective, and I have been using the same plan for over 2 months.  For a training plan to work you need to use it more than 1 week, more than 2 weeks.  After a month you should start seeing results, then you stick with the plan until the results stop.  
Too often beginners have exercise ADD, they work out for a week and wonder why they have not lost weight or become stronger.  Well, it took your body years to become the way it is now so you cannot expect some miracle transformation in 7 days!
The same applies to runners, some person decides to start running then they think the only measure of how good they are is distance covered.  I cannot apologize for saying that running 4 or 5 miles at a 10 minute mile pace isn't doing jack for your running ability or your health.  You would be better off increasing your speed over a shorter distance before you add distance.  Use a methodical plan, learn about intervals, run fast, stop wasting your time; you will burn more fat, waste less time, and look less like a jogger!

Chalk

Simply put, if you are not using chalk, you probably should be. If the bar is slipping out or your hands or you are slipping of the bar chalk will help. It dries your hands and keeps them from getting sweaty and slippery. If your gym is ridiculous and disallows chalk try Rosin powder, it dries the hands and does not leave a mess.