29 November 2011

PRs outside the gym

Since the central focus on this blog is weightlifting, with metaphors alluding to music, I figured this time around I would topsy-turvy this motherfucker.  Recently, my songwriting partner Bee and I wrote a host of new songs.  Usually, like I do in lifting, we wind up churning these things out as easily as a Catholic mother churns out kids, since they do not believe in birth control and what not.  This latest one used a little bit more than the minimal effective amount of effort, and was well worth that maximum effort we put into it.  Without further ado, I give you our band 'Bitter Paradox.'  The song is 'Polyamorous.'

Polyamorous, indeed.

01 November 2011

Fiscally Responsible Range of Motion testing (and squat PR)

First, on Sunday 30 October, I squatted 275 for two sets of triples, followed by two sets of doubles.  As I mentioned before, this was an old 1RM.  It is clearly not anymore.  On 31 October, box squats tested well.  I hit 295 for two sets of doubles and a single.  I am pleased with this.  Here is my log, if you care enough to check my work.

Segue
In addition to using the toe touch (or any other ROM test) for your movements, you can also test other things too.  If you are skeptical about anything I said, and reading this, you will probably relinquish all credibility, if you had any at all.  However, it is probably a safe bet that you haven't tried testing anything I have said in the first place, so your absence will not matter.

For a while, my roommate and BFFL touted the benefits of baking soda as a deodorant and as a toothpaste.  Even before I made the switch, this isn't that far fetched since it is in every toothpaste brand you can find out there, and in some antiperspirants as well. 

Apparently, some people think sodium fluoride is some bad shit.  According to these sources, it has been used for a lot of bad shit, and Nazis poisoned the water with it.  Then there is Operation Paperclip (google it) and a host of other shit you can find about how bad fluoride is.

I can only go with what seems more compelling based on what knowledge I have, and my healthy mistrust of government officials and authority figures.  However, I did do a ROM test on my toothpaste I had been using and then on a box of baking soda, and the baking soda tested way better than the toothpaste--the toothpaste did not move me past my base nine.  So I ditched the toothpaste for good, and brush with baking soda now.  My teeth are whiter than ever and I drink a minimum of one coffee pot a day.  I also took up smoking again for a brief stint this year, and my teeth stayed awesome looking with the baking soda.  I have also quit smoking again, and haven't smoked in a few months. 

If you are anything like me, you might wear black shirts a lot.  You might also get this weird white caking from your antiperspirant.  Even if you use the shit that "goes on clear and won't fuck your shirts up."  If you have half a brain, you know most advertisements aren't true.  Well, those advertisements aren't. I sweat like a whore in church, and I have fucked up a lot of shirts. 
 
Needless to say, my BFFL used baking soda as a deodorant as well, since he is allergic to nearly everything, and traditional deodorants caused him an allergic reaction.  So, I tested my deodorant against baking soda, and the results were much like the toothpaste.  I have not used deodorant since.
Since the change, I have not had any fucked up stains on my shirts, and no matter how much I sweat, I do not get rank like I used to, even when I go to the gym and hit PRs like a motherfucker.  On a day where I am inactive, I can skip bathing and still not get rank, which is something I was never able to do in the past.  Needless to say, baking soda is pretty fucking cool.

And to top it off, a gigantic box of the shit costs less than a leading name brand of toothpaste or deodorant, and will last at least ten times as long.  And you don't have to go to a hippie health food store and by some overpriced "natural" bullshit that they are marketing, or listen to them yack about all the aluminum and other bullshit in the deodorants on the market (since you can find that info for free anywhere). 

Sweat inducing.


You can test about anything, I chose this subject because it has saved me a ton of money, and has made my life better in a big way.  Plus, baking soda is useful for a bunch of other shit too, like baking, or keeping your fridge smelling good, why not have a bunch of it around? It's probably as useful as water.