Wrist pain, the dangers of vegemite, and the effect of time-travel on the human body.

Today is my first coherent day back in the US post my trip to Australia. The day before I left I had a great workout, relaxed, and BANG! WRIST PAIN. Bad. The ulnar side of my left wrist hurt excruciatingly. I have no idea why. I had no prior pain or problems. It didn't hurt in my workout...hell, it never hurt before. I was really worried, but didn't want to see the doc the day before my trip down under. I let it go. I planned on taking my grippers to Australia - I just left them home. Maybe it was my body's way of telling me to slow down? Hell if I know (?). I couldn't even flex my wrist to look at my watch. It didn't feel like a nerve. It felt more like bone or connective tissue (?). That said...absolutely no grip or weight training activities were on this trip. Major bummer.

Vegemite is gross. Don't try it. It's a staple at the Aussi breakfast table, but it's nasty. The Aussi's know it too...they give it to you like it's candy and wait for the uncontrollable metaphysical reaction of your face trying to eat itself. Then they'll laugh at you. Seriously.

The plane ride to Australia from the East Coast of the US is B-R-U-T-A-L. 6.5hrs (DC - LA) + 14.5hrs (LA - Sydney) = 21hrs, but that's not all folks - you cross the International Dateline so you lose another 24hrs automatically. You basically get on the plane on Saturday afternoon and get off it on Monday morning. Yeah. Kill yourself. Coming home...well, that's another story. You get on the plane in the afternoon in Sydney and land in LA the morning of the SAME DAY - about 5hrs earlier! Yeah. My internal clock is like, "WTF, DUDE!?!?!?"

I will say this, the Aussi's are a great bunch. All vegemite tricks aside, I'd endure the plane ride again in a heartbeat to enjoy their pleasantries and country.

My wrist is still sore, but nothing like it was. I think the week off did wonders for me. I'll begin training again tomorrow with an early morning gym workout (yet to be determined). It's good to be back, I missed the chalk, sweat, and super glue.

2 November 2007 - Gym Workout

Deadlifts (conventional unless otherwise noted)
-Bar X 15
-Bar X 15 (sumo)
-135 X 15
-225 X 5
-315 X 3
-405 X 3
-455 X 1
-495 - MISS
-405 X 1

Arched-Back Good Mornings
-135 X 10
-135 X 10
-135 X 10

Power Shrugs
-315 X 8
-405 X 6 (belt and straps)
-495 X 6 (belt and straps)

Wide-Grip Lat Pull-Downs
-200 X 10
-230 X 8
-250 X 5

Low Cable Sumo Pulls
-130 X 12
-150 X 10
-150 X 10

Olympic Bar Curls
-135 X 5
-135 X 5

Swiss Ball Crunches
-3 X 25

Swiss Ball Torso Rotations (25lb plate)
-2 X 30

Roman Sit-Ups
-1 X 30
-1 X19

NOTES: The deads felt really solid today, hell, the 405 triple was an easy set. 455 went up slow - way too much back and not enough ass and hips. I thought for sure I could correct it on the next lift, 495. No chance. I'm just not back there yet. I pulled it about 4" off the floor and had nothing left. My form felt solid, I just didn't have enough strength for the pull. It's nothing that won't change with solid training and dedication. I usually take a wider stance with the arched-back good mornings, but today I placed my feet exactly as I would in the deadlift. I really tried to hit the hams, glutes, and posterior chain the same way my deadlift does. It felt different, but good. I'll try it for a while just to see if it produces any improvement. When I go heavy on the deads my back can't take heavy good mornings and vice versa. So, I mix them up. Heavy deads and light good mornings on one pulling day and light deads and heavier good mornings on others. I don't think there's any explanation needed on the rest...it's just hard work.

1 November 2007 - Grip Workout

Grippers
LH:
-Filed HG150 X 10 TNS
-CoC#2 X 15 MMS
-HG300N X 5 MMS
-HG350 X 5 Forced Reps
-CoC#3 X 3 Negatives
-Filed HG150 X 5 TNS
RH:
-Filed HG150 X 10 TNS
-CoC#2 X 25 MMS
-HG300N X 12 MMS
-HG350 X 7 Forced Reps
-CoC#3 X 3 Negatives
-Filed HG150 X 4 TNS

One Hand Olympic Bar Wrist Curls
-Bar X 10 L/R
-55 X 4 L
-55 X 6 R
-60 X 0 L
-60 X 2 R
-Bar X 8 L/R

Two Hand Olympic Bar Reverse Wrist Curls (no thumbs)
-Bar X 15
-65 X 9 (I'd be lying if I said the 10th counted)
-75 X 1
-75 X 6 (thumbs)

25lb Plate Curl Negatives
-3 X 10

Power Rack Pin Front Levers (~10" from the end of the pin)
-3 X 5

Power Rack Pin Rear Levers (~6" from the end of the pin)
-3 X 5

100lb Plates Farmer's Walk
-~40'
-~25'

100lb Plates Hold for Time
-~20 seconds

Filed HG150
-1 X 5 L
-1 X 4 R

Extensor Bands
-Easy Band X 50 L/R
-Medium Band X 40 L/R
-Hard Band X 40 L/R

Swiss Ball Crunches
-3 X 25

Swiss Ball Rotations (25lb plate)
-2 X 30

Roman Sit-Ups
-2 X 30

NOTES: I felt pretty good today. This is the second grip day trying the extra volume with the grippers and I really like it. I got more reps with my #2 than last week on both hands, so I can't really complain. I have to find a balance with the volume and the max effort. I feel smoked by the time I try to hit my #3, and there's just nothing there. The negatives will help, I'm sure, but it hurts the morale. This is also the second week for the one arm wrist curls with the Olympic bar - let me tell you, they're killer. The power rack pin levers are along the same line as levering a v-bar...just a bit heavier! The 100lb plates farmer's walk was just supposed to be a hold for time, but there was no one around so I thought it'd be fun. I made it about 30' across the gym and had to stop and turn around, after which I only made it another 10' or so. I had to take a breather and start again, 20' and turned and only got 2 steps before they came loose. Then someone set up shop in another squat rack so the movement went back to a hold for time. The shock of my footsteps felt like a jackhammer on my fingers. I need to implement these into my workouts on a semi-regular basis. TONS of fun. I upped the ab work today, and the Romans really hit my hip flexors hard, showing a clear lack of strength and endurance. Muscles vital to a respectable deadlift. These will be regulars in my workouts from now on.