Working Out Since My Last Post
First, it has been a challenge working out since my third son was born, but one I have largely met with success. I originally lifted twice or even once a week, as time permitted, but moved up to consistently getting three days in. Most recently, I've been doing Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength program to get my strength back up, with mixed results but a lot of fun. Generally, I'm pleased with where I'm at in the strength department, with my squat (with less-than-perfect form) at 220 for 3x5, my deadlift at 320 for 5, my bench at 230 or 235 for 3x5 and my press at 130 for 3x5. I've also finally graduated to power cleans, as I've reached the point where I'm working out with 135 (my gym does not have bumper plates, so I had to do hang cleans until I got to that weight). Finally, I've been hitting the chins and pullups hard, with good progress in that embarrassing department. I'm pleased.
The only downer is a hurt shoulder. My right shoulder is really acting up, and bench and chins - chins in particular - seem to really aggravate things. A narrower grip helped some on the bench, but I need to give my shoulder a rest.
The other big development has been my purchase of some Vibram FiveFingers KSOs for running. I admit to being very skeptical when I first heard about them as a running shoe, but reading up on barefoot running, I became very itnerested in trying it. I started running to the local high school football field and running barefoot on the turf there. Something weird happened.
My feet no longer hurt. My knees no longer hurt. My hips no longer hurt.
I've now been running for a few months in the Vibrams, distances up to five miles, and almost entirely on concrete or asphalt. And my knees and hips feel great. My feet are adjusting, but all I am getting are muscular soreness and adjustments - the rest feels terrific.
So, that's where I am now, physically. Mentally . . .
Where Do I Go From Here?
I feel as if I'm at a crossroads in my lifting. I have always had a "performance" approach to lifting. I wanted to get stronger so I could play football better - if it didn't help me be a better quarterback, I didn't do it. (Granted, I made poor choices in making those selections based on a horrible lack of knowledge, but that's another issue.) Even mor recently, now that sports are done, I have continued to lift for performance - to bench more, to squat more, to press more. I have done this because there has seemed something "right" in that mentality, and something "wrong" about the mentality of those who lift in order to look good naked.
However, in my two recent shoulder injuries (my left shoulder also gave me problems earlier this year), and in other ways, I am starting to see signs that my approach is flawed. Oh, it's not flawed if I want to really see how strong I can get, but I realized something the other day.
I don't.
I want to be strong, and I want to be stronger than I am, but I also want to be healthy. By healthy, I mean I want to be in balance (symmetrically strong, if you will). I want to be flexible. And I don't want my joints to hurt. I am not in this for competition, so I do not want to be injured (to the extent I can avoid it). Pushing as hard as I have on strength, particularly in the upper body, has to lead to some injuries that are simply unacceptable to be me with my life and my goals where they are.
And, dammit, I want to look good naked.
I do not yet know where this leads me. I am going to take a week and think about it. I need to rehab some, anyway, so I'm going to do three full-body workouts this week. Each exercise will be done for three sets of ten reps, moderate weight, with about 1:30 rest in between sets. If the DB bench press hurts my shoulder, I'll skip it entirely. The exercises will be:
- lunges
- single-legged RDLs
- DB bench press
- DB one-arm row
- DB press
- pullups/lat pulldowns
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