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I like it.

Saturday 12/18/2010:

-Warmup
-10 meter sprints x 5
-Double leg bounds: 5x5
-MR Tuck jumps: 4x10
-MR Pogos: 4x5

-Squat: 205x2, 210x3x2. (fairly certain that's a  )
-DB Bench: 55x3x8, 55x6. (failure on 7th rep)
-Deadlift: 225x5. (after warmup. I tried sumo form today. It actually worked fairly well)
-Seated Row: 160x4x8 (While I wrote this I got really confused because it was higher than my DL... Then I realized I had written 260. haha)

-Cooldown
-Stretch + PWO


This is probably the best workout session I've had in a while. Squats were actually lower than usual with the higher weight. What I liked most was that today is the most even my left arm has been with my right on the presses since my injury. Felt pretty cool to be almost back to where I used to be. I'm think in the next month I'll be stronger in my upper body than I was before the injury. (Lower body is definitely as strong as it's been)

It really has a lot to do with your own body. I can't remember who it was (I think it was my dad's uncle... or maybe his dad), but people in my ancestry, at least within their tiny communities, were known for being very strong but not particularly large. If I remember right, I've been told my body type is much like my dad's uncle Pepe's was. (Yes, Pepe.) I never knew him, but my aunt says my torso in particular is a lot like his was. Somewhat small, with narrow slanting shoulders. Yet one of the most common stories I hear about him was his ability to carry large posts over each shoulder. He would carry two at a time, patiently, while other people working with him struggled to pick up one. What did he eat? Oh right, a whole lot of grains. Beans, rice, beef and pork that was as organic as it gets, and the occasional fruit.

Even now, you can't say to everyone, "eat this because it will help you with such and such." People's genetics vary greatly and not everyone reacts to different foods equally. I will admit right now, my diet has a lot of fats and a lot of carbs in it, because I mostly eat my mom's cooking. The amount of fats and carbs in my diet (despite being fairly balanced and healthy on both sides) would probably make most Anglo-Americans fat quickly. What I've been eating is fairly similar to what my grandparents ate and it works for me, but I doubt it would work for someone in Eastern Europe.

That's why I the only part I can agree with is experimenting on yourself. I've always hated beans, and unlike the rest of my extended family, I don't eat very many tortillas, but I can almost guarantee they would only benefit me.

Drugs are certainly interesting, especially in this country. But nootripcs have been around for thousands of years, in herbal medicine from China, India, south america, everywhere actually. Most, if not all tonic herbs will increase focus. The "tonic" herbs are the ones which Taoists revered for immortality, and believed them to greatly strengthen the body. Similarly to building muscles up stronger by going to the gym, tonic herbs strengthen the organs, the governers of bodily functions. But the good thing about herbs is that they balance the body's internal states of energy as well, keeping the organism healthy, which most people do not care about since we are looking for quick and easy ways to do things. Well there are immediate boosts in mental clarity from natural substances, people just don't know...here are some great options that will help people study better. And for the herbs, I recommend buying the actual herb and making a decoction/tea out of it, it's cheaper and more potent in many cases. Most of these herbs are also known as adaptogenic herbs too

1. Cacao beans/nibs - contains phenethylamine, closely related to methamphetamine, also high amount of antioxidants, blood flow to brain, keeps me up all night, too stimulating actually. Contains L-DOPA, domamine, serotonin as well... very complex
2. Cacao powder - cheaper, less effective, but pretty good boost
3. Rhodiola rosea - I have two articles on this on therawhigh.blogspot.com if you want scientific studies, stimulates CNS, not necessarily good for us who always stimulate the CNS. (i'm not selling it in the website)
4. Fasting in the morning, intermittently -increases brain levels of acetyl-l-carnitine
5. Anxiolytics - sedatives in other words can relax the brain, promote alpha brain waves, better than being overdriven in beta brainwaves for memorization.
6. Ashwaghanda - aphrodisiac for men and women, usually recommended for men. Helps resolve issues with HPA axis, helped me recover from overtraining like nothing else ever did.
7. Turmeric - obviously good for brain, and joints, inflammation. Kinda stimulating tho
8. Schizandra berries - less stimulating, feel it in brain pretty fast to sometimes.
9. Reishi mushroom - revered in china, calms the body
10. Meditation: I don't know the mechanisms really, except the alpha brainwave thing. Yogis who practice Kriya Yoga, a very meditative form, have told me they can retain almost everything they read. They are in a different state of conscoiusness, definitely more alpha brainwaves.
11. Hemp seeds - pretty damn cheap on nutsonline.com ($3/lb). One of the most potent plant based omega-3 forms, usually you can "feel" the brain energy right away. Chia seeds are even more powerful but difficult to chew. Good plant protein source too, and proteins are also good for the brain.
12. Marshmallow root and slippery elm bark - some recommendations to balance out the body. Many of us here on this forum need Yin yonics, b/c jumping and high intensity activities deplete the body. These have helped me focus, even tho it doesn't really make sense how.
13. BEEF LIVER - just so full of minerals . . .
14. SPIRULINA - also a food recommendation, contains 40+ trace minerals, gamma-linoleic acid, it is about 60% amino acids itself, pretty damn good brain boosting supplement and protein, and detoxification.

Of those listed, I've had rhodiola rosea and beef liver. Rhodiola, from the couple of times I've used it, has actually worked. I plan on using that one a lot more often when season is in full swing. As far as beef liver goes, I just like how awesome it is. I've never understood why most kids my age and younger don't like it. I think it tastes just fine, and it's nutritional value is amazing.

However, the best study is the one you do on YOURSELF. Change a variable, monitor the result and then decide how it worked for YOU, because in the end, you are the only research result that matters.

That's probably the only part I can agree with 100%.

Week of 12/13 - 12/17 (because I had too many performances happening to keep journal current):

Monday:
Either workout or go home and eat and be able to workout the rest of the week. I chose food and the option of working out the rest of the week. (only full school night I didn't have a performance)

Tuesday:
-Dynamic warmup. (very similar to what Andrew has posted)
-Sprints. (School's indoor track. ~130m)
  -Sprint straights, jog curves for two laps
  -Rest 5 min
  -Repeat 2 more times
-Upper body
  -Bench press: 135x3x5
  -DB Row: 50x4x5
  -Dips: 3x10
  -Pullups: 3x8

Wednesday:
-Dynamic Warmup. (I'll bother finding the link later)
-Lower body
  -Squats: 175x3x8 (We were told to do 3x8 by our coach, didn't like it too much. I think the extra weight in 3x5 worked a little better for me)
  -Low box squats: 2x20
  -GHR: 3x6
-Hurdle work
  -5 run throughs over 3 hurdles at 36" for form. Not much to say here other than I still have work to do. Definitely improved though.

Thursday:
Legs are killing me.... a lot. No indoor track due to it being the last day before winter break. I'm really happy about this too. I've been putting out some late nights and sleep hasn't been too good. Oddly enough, this was the day I got the most normal sleep. I decided to experiment with caffeine. I haven't had it in a few months (at least not any significant amount). Wanted to see how my body felt after a ~100mg dose from coffee. Effect was surprising. I felt my heart rate accelerate just while in class. I could feel my heart beating really strong. Not to say that my heart was suddenly stronger, but it was definitely pumping more blood. Usually caffeine doesn't do much to me, but before the last few months I was having it several times a day in Mexico where it's common to offer visitors coffee. My family there has a lot to go around...
I plan on staying off any caffeine until the 15th for my first indoor meet to experiment with how it affects me in actual performance.

Friday:
Legs are probably worse than yesterday. Mostly the hamstrings. Helping my dad with some stuff at home. I couldn't get to the gym before it closed. I settled on a short bodyweight rotation of squats pushups and core for about 25 minutes.


It's been a good week. During my sprint session I was actually ahead of my friend Tyler who is usually noticeably faster than I am. He seems to have a coughing problem during indoor. I like to think I'd be right next to him if he were at his best right now, but who knows. I'll probably to a full body session in the gym tomorrow since I've only done 2 days this week. Next two weeks I'll be on track with the original program.
 

Maybe I missed it, but I still haven't seen a response to my question about what a black person is.

Same here. Black people come from all over the world. Where are they basing their data? Anyone would call Obama black, but his mother's completely white. Would the muscular differences showing up in "black" people be in him too, even though he's really half white?

His calves look monstrous!