sars scare at the old Hopkins place

The spirit of competition can compel you to do a lot of stupid things. Head on collisions with grown arse men who have 30kgs on you springs to mind. Last year my younger brothers and I thought it would be a good idea not to drink any soft drink (soda pop for people who can't speak English), ever again. Silly. Well, they thought it was a good idea, what got me on board was that the winner got $10 from each of the other participants, there were 3 of us. Yep, I'm that hard up for money, there's nothing like a crisp $20 bill to get me leaping out of bed in the morning. OK, I think the real motivator was the whole principle of the matter. We committed that we wouldn't do it and if we did we would have to bear the eternal shame of losing to one of our siblings forever. The possibilities for the potential torment of a dear loved one were to much to pass up. Dumb. I love soft drinks especially root beer and when I'm feeling cheap and nasty I can even go for a round sarsaparilla (a.k.a budget root beer). It really felt like cheating on a partner not drinking this whole time. Why did I sign up for this? Idiot. So, when I left the country I took the opportunity to sneak in a drink or two (or more) and I've been happy ever since. Sorry boys, I'll pay you your teners in a few years when inflationary pressures have whittled their value down to something that I can live with for the rest of my life. Brilliant. Unfortunately I somehow feel more sluggish, less prone to rock the world with unimaginable goodness. Could I have been wrong? What's happening to me? Maybe drinking 2 litres of water a day (then) was better then the 2 litres of coke I down on a regular basis (now). That's it for the sake of my health and my wallet (which hangs on the brink of its own mini-apocalypse) no more soft drinks period. So sayeth me, my word is my bond.

what's this a work out?

DL sumo 200kgs*3,180/2*4 (I can't really overstate how disappointing this was, struggling on 200, are you serious!?)

power snatch 60,62.5,65,67.5,70 (weak, this is my annoyance getting bigger)

front squat 80/2*5 (dull stabbing pain on my right side, not good)

AN IMPORTANT PART OF ANY CONTACT SPORT IS LIFTING HEAVY OBJECTS, this being a post wherein I do so with little fanfare and large dollops of generosity

The gym, my home away from home, which fortunately is just a stones throw away from my actual home, which is just across the way from centrelink (the place where you sign up for the dole), which somehow attracts the pick of the litter of this generation. I sympathise with their plight, empathise even, I really do. I need a job just as much as the next guy, or I could just morph into a sales champion over night (it's a commission only deal) get good at my present one and all would be right with the world again. With my new found riches from my new found sales savvy I'd do my best Mother Teresa impression showering down free candy, boomerangs, and other assorted goodies on the endless throng of nev'r do wells who pass, like sands through the hour glass so are the Days of Our Lives, through this here region. Yes, my promises of future philanthropy, with cash that in all probability has an extremely strong unlikelihood of materializing, knows no bounds. Yep, I'm feeling pretty good about myself right about now. But enough with the idle chatter, down to brass tacks, and iron knuckles, and other euphemisms for strictly business. Oh yes it's business, it's business time. As I was saying, the gym has carved out a special place in my heart at least the size of one of its four chambers and I couldn't be happier. Here's the workout from today (and another from some other day when I forgot to post), because I know how much you guys love reading about me training sessions mate. I just keep on giving and giving and I don't stop, I don't stop indeed...


lost workout
power C&J 60kgs,70,80,90, 100 (stapled on last)
OHP 60*3,40/2*8

today's workout
DL 180kgs,185,190*5;195*3
Power C&J 100/1*8 (stapled on reps: 1,7,8. I remember when this weight used to be easy)
seated row, small v grip 55,60,65*10

gymazing update

I tried out a shieko workout this week, big mistake. It looks as if my body isn't made to stand up to the rigours of 2 hour plus workouts, plus league training. I pulled way back on yesterday's installment, opting for a 5x5ish, Bill Starr, old-school, in-season workout. This went down much better. I'm concerned that my oly lifts seem to be super pathetic at the moment, they'll be receiving immediate attention in the coming week. Enjoy my unparalleled amazingness...

DL 120kgs*5,140*5,160*5,180*5 (drank some weak sauce on the 2 hundy, haven't looked in the mirror since)

Power Snatch 60kgs*5 (I convinced myself that the other 4 sets didn't matter)

Power C&J 80kgs*5 (ditto)

Bench 70kgs*5,75*5,80*5,85*5,90*5 (I even paused on the first 4 sets!)