On Monday I pressed 165lbs x 5, 5, 3, 4. Which, while stupid, is still a volume PR. The first two sets were surprisingly easy, I think I was just pressing out in front of me on the third set.

Front squat 365lbs x 2, 2, which would have been better if I took this weight for a triple. I think it's doable right now, just not immediately after volume pressing.

Some negligible ring dips, I was essentially super-setting my warm ups for this in-between the front squats and then immediate attempted +90lbs x 3 after racking the bar for front squats. I got one rep. Died on the second.

Today I snatched up to 235lbs and cleaned up to 295lbs. It's pretty OK that I'm capable of cleaning 295lbs regularly, it would just be nice if I could stop being a talentless athlete and actually jerk it. I worked on my hip internal rotation to make my split better, which helped a little for a few reps, but I think I also need to focus a little more on hip extension in the couch stretch to get a better split – I caught 295lbs with arms locked-out but with too much lumbar extension and ribcage tilt and dumped it behind. If I can improve hip extension for the back leg I can split with a more neutral spine and hopefully be a more successful jerker.

Last night I did some tack-and-stretch on my distal hams, which was uncomfortable but not as terrible as suprapatellar pouch or distal triceps were when I first did them. My distal hams have been tight for a long time so I'm not sure why I haven't done this before; felt a lot easier to wind up into my snatch and clean start positions and it felt like more musculature was being used as far as hamstrings when I pulled off the floor. They're still pretty grody so I'll prob hit them a few more times and see what I can clear up.

Before I started my clinicals for the x-ray program, I had to buy scrubs. At the medical uniform/supply store in Wichita Falls (did I say that correctly? “Medical uniform” does that mean a store where you get scrubs or a fetish outlet where you get gyno tools that aren’t necessarily for ob/gyn offices? I don’t know anymore. Everything’s a fetish to me now. Show me your feet.) there was this real cute girl working who legit was one of the prettiest girls I’d ever seen. I used to know her name but the part of my heart that knew died with my memory of her. She was a brunette with dark brown eyes and a warm smile.

She showed me which ones I needed, was all helpful and patient and even waited for me to try on a pair and nodded her head in approval because they fit me. Her hand touched my back as she asked me to turn and I felt my heart beat in staccato, pounding out a love poem in Morse code. Let me be lost in your embrace always and if I forget your touch let me feel the lack.

The scrubs were on back-order so I’d have to come back later when another shipment came in to pick them up.

So I come back the next week and I legit sit in my car outside the store for like, fucking at least five minutes, psyching myself up, visualizing how I’m going to walk in like I own a fucking pair of functioning testicles for once and say, “Hey man, I think you’re real cute, you wanna hang out?” I may or may not have had to turn the car back on, leave, and come back after a few minutes because the adrenaline was making me sick. You can choose whether to believe I actually did or not, I don’t care enough to convince you either way.

So I finally say to myself “SHE’S A FUCKING TWENTY YEAR-OLD GIRL, YOU’VE DONE WORKOUTS HARDER THAN TALKING TO HER” as my final motivational thought and get out of the car, I inhale like I’m about to start the descent on a 1rm squat and open the door and swagger into the store, I had done some heavy deads the day before so I was feeling real fucking jacked –

– and I see an older guy at the counter and he’s pretty grumpy looking and doesn’t look particularly happy to see me. I see the brunette girl, though, and she is as wonderful as I remember her. She greets me by name again. The old man’s frown deepens when I smile and say hi back. I think to myself, oh shit is that her dad? How am I gonna get this chick’s digits if her dad’s watching? The LZ is too hot I REPEAT THE LZ IS TOO HOT DO NOT INSERT YOU ARE NOT CLEAR TO ENGAGE. She hands me the scrubs wrapped in dry, plastic wrap and our fingers touch.

“Have a good day good luck with your semester!” she says.

I say, “Okayseeyabye” and the door closes behind me.

Jamesinottawa asks:

Brent, are those Tai Chi shoes you’re wearing in the pic?

Yes. I was looking for flat-soled shoes with no arch support and I thought they looked cool. They are probably the best shoes I’ve ever worn. A lot of people make fun of them, including a doctor at work who just shook his head and said “typical” when I first wore them in the clinic. Chris always says “Nice Asics.” Patients ask me if I’m wearing wrestling shoes. I want to say, why the fuck are you looking at my feet anyways you freak. It’s fine.

karibot writes:

Brent. Lurker here. But I have to interrupt this siempresolo.jpg moment to tell you that some girls — cool girls — actually like sensitive dudes. A sensitive yet mega-jacked dude is an especially powerful combination. And honestly? Honestly? HONESTLY? Some of those girls ACTUALLY WANT to sleep with their sensitive dude friends. Especially if they are mega-jacked. Figure out how to use this to your advantage (a definite alpha move), and you won’t need the Lascek sweat cologne.

It’s fine. I’ll just get a ploofeh tri-color corgi and dress him up in bow-ties and glasses. That’ll feel like companionship.

Broseph writes:

This blog is boring as fuck…
I’m not even going to troll it anymore.
You’re a really average Asian guy that spends all of his time working out, talking about working out and/or associating with people that are involved in the fitness industry/are obsessed with working out…
This shit gets old.

I’m legit surprised people read it, and I’m even more surprised that my readership is growing.