04 Aug Tucker: Ground control to Major Tom
I named this log for the heroic Major Tom of David Bowie’s Space Oddity because I’m walking into uncharted territory now too.
There are a couple new items for me lately.
First, I’m still not working legs or doing any bar work. This is strange for me because even though my legs dominated the rest of my body, I never felt comfortable not working them because I didn’t want to be one of those guys who hits upper body only. The squat was always the lift I felt most confident in as well, so it’s been hard to relinquish. It’s paid off so far though and I should have done it a long time ago, all the extra energy I have in my CNS from not taxing it with leg work is being put right back in to my chest and shoulders which need the most work.
Second, and significantly more meaningful and uncharted, I’m not stressed at all. Besides the occasional “what if I’m not ready in time, what if I’m wasting my time not going hard enough, yada yada”, I’m not feeling any major rush. In the past there would have always been a lot to prove and a lot of pressure I would put on myself, but this last year’s worth of difficulty has served me well now that I’m almost out of it.
Trusting in the process has never been quite so clear as it is now. I’ve seen myself totally transform in 6 months starting last January to June, then shrink down over three months of being sick, then start to fill back out over 6 weeks, then spend another couple months sick, fill back out while leaning up to win a show in 4 weeks, and then watch myself shrivel again for 2 months as I spent time vacationing and moving across the country…. and now, finally, I’m seeing myself change again with the last 2-3 weeks of training.
For me it’s had to be an experiential thing, because I wouldn’t have just gone along and trusted it without having seen the damage rushing and pushing too hard can do, and the success patience and a wiser approach can bring.
My body is coming back slowly but surely. I’m adding a little bit of weight to the scale each week and each time I take pics they look better. My strength is improving each week and I’m not rushing anything. I’m only doing as much as I can while still completely feeling the muscle, and focusing with intent on stimulating it the best I can and pumping it full of blood.
I’m not quite ready to post any transformation pics, but I think within the next couple weeks there should be a noticeable enough difference that it’ll be worth putting up.
Other than that I’ve just been incorporating more DB work and less machine work, and in the next couple weeks I’ll start using bars for upper body work as well. Once my nerve feels better in my neck/arm I’ll feel comfortable putting some weight on my back, but until then my legs aren’t suffering…. and I have to admit it’s really fun to just get an upper body pump each day and head out. #gymbrolife #gymtanlaundry
Warm up consists of exercises given to me by Craig – shin box get ups, one arm and one legged planks, side shuffling with a band around my knees and various balancing techniques and thoracic mobility stuff
Chest and biceps
Flat DB press 3×8-12
Incline machine press 3×8-12
Flat machine press 3×8-12
Machine flies 3×10-15
DB curls 3×8-12
Hammer curls 3×8-12
Machine curls 3×10-15
Shoulders and triceps
DB OHP 3×8-12
Machine OHP 3×8-12
DB side raises 2×8-12
DB front raises 2×8-12
Machine reverse flies SS w/shrugs 3×10-15
Cable triceps ext 3×8-12
DB overhead ext 3×8-12
Machine triceps ext 3×10-15
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