LRB365 - Week 26

Day 1 - 6.24.13

Standing Press - 3x5 @ 105#
BP - 5x110, 4x125, 3x145, 2x160, 1x170, 1x180, 1x190
Hang Cleans - 5x10 @95#
Pushdowns - 5x20 @ 45#

Day 2 - 6.26.13

Squat - 5x85, 4x100, 3x115, 2x135, 1x135, 1x140,1x150
Front Squat - 95x6, 105x6, 115x6, 135x6
Split Squat - 4x10
Lunges-4x10

Day 3 - 6.28.13

LRB365 - Week 25

Day 1 - Tuesday 6.18.13 Pressing - Light

Seated db press - 3x20 @ 15#, 20#, 25#
Incline Press - 3x12 @ 95#, 85#, 85#
Side Laterals - 6x20 @ 10#
Triceps Pushdowns - 6x20 @ 30#

Day 2 - Wednesday 6.19.13 Legs - Light

Pause Squats - 5x50, 4x65, 3x70, 2x75, 1x80, 1x85, 1x90
Split Squat - 4x20
Adductor/Abductor leg raises - 4x20
Speed skater lunge - 4x20

Day 3 - Friday 6.21.13 Back - Heavy

DL - 5x135, 4x170, 3x205, 2x240, 1x275, 1x290, 1x300, 1x325 (just felt strong today!)
weighted chin (1x chain) - 8, 6, 6, 6, 6
Good mornings - 4x8@95#
Curls - 20x12, 25x10, 30x10, 30x10, 15x20

LRB 365 Week 23-24

LRB 365 - Week 23 Off Week

Week 24

Monday - June 10

Standing Press 3x5 @ 85, 95, 105
Bench Press 5x110, 4x125, 3x145, 2x160, 1x170, 1x180, 1x190
Upright Rows 5x 10 @ 65#
Pushdowns 5x20 @ 30#

Thursday - June 13th

Squat 5x85, 4x100, 3x115, 2x135, 1x135, 1x140, 1x150
Front Squats 4x10 @ 45, 65, 85, 95
Split Squat 4x10 @ BW
Skater Lunge 4x20 @ BW

Friday - June 14th

RDL - 3x5 @ 135#
Pulldowns - 5x20 @ 75#,90# (x4 sets)
Glute Ham Raise 4x15
db curls 3x25@ 15#

LRB Week 22

Really focused for this week, as the next is my off week and the family and I are headed to Florida!!  I cannot wait ... works out perfectly that this week is the rest week in LRB365.  Loving the gains I am making with LRB.  The gym I had been using went under so that's changed my plans for the summer a bit.

5.27.13 - weighted vest

5.28.13 (first day at the school gym - TAC went under!!  Major suckage!!)

DL:  5x135, 4x160, 3x195, 2x230, 1x260, 1x275, 1x285 ; 1x5@260#

Ladder #1 - BW Squats + Sit ups + Chins + Push ups

LRB 365 Week 21

5.20.13

Squats - 5x85, 4x95, 3x110, 2x120, 1x130, 1x140, 1x145, 1x5 @ 130#

Ladder #1:
BW Squats - 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5
Sit ups - 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5
Chin ups - 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2
Push ups - 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5

5.22.13


BP - 5x100, 4x115, 3x135, 2x145, 1x160, 1x165, 1x175, 1x8@165#

Ladder #2:
Dips 3,6,9,12,15,12,9,6,3
Chins 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2
Push Ups 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5
Leg Raises  3,6,9,12,15,12,9,6,3

5.25.13 - weighted vest

LRB 365 Week 20

5.12.13 - weighted vest 45 minutes

5.13.13

DL:  5x135, 4x160, 3x195, 2x230, 1x260, 1x275, 1x285 ; 1x5@260#

Ladder #1 - BW Squats + Sit ups + Chins + Push ups

5.15.13 - weighted vest 45 minutes

5.17.13


Incline Bench:  5x70, 4x80, 3x95, 2x100, 1x110, 1x115, 1x120, 1x5@115#

Ladder #2 - Dips + Chins + Push ups + Hanging Leg Raises

LRB 365 Week 19

5. 7.13

Squats - 5x85, 4x100, 3x115, 2x130, 1x135, 1x140, 1x150, 1x5 @ 135#

Ladder #1:
BW Squats - 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5
Sit ups - 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5
Chin ups - 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2
Push ups - 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5

Getting stronger & loving it!

5.10.13


BP - 5x100, 4x115, 3x135, 2x145, 1x155, 1x160, 1x170, 1x8@155#

Ladder #2:
Dips 3,6,9,12,15,12,9,6,3
Chins 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2
Push Ups 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5
Leg Raises  3,6,9,12,15,12,9,6,3

Felt strong/solid on bench.  Getting better and better with the ladder circuit.  Weak point is push ups.

LRB365 Week 18

4.29.13 - 10 hill sprints

4.30.13 - Day 1

DL:  5x135, 4x160, 3x195, 2x230, 1x260, 1x275, 1x285 ; 1x5@260#

Ladder #1 - BW Squats + Sit ups + Chins + Push ups

5.3.13 - Day 2

Incline Bench:  5x70, 4x80, 3x95, 2x100, 1x110, 1x115, 1x120, 1x5@110#

Ladder #2 - Dips + Chins + Push ups + Hanging Leg Raises

Week 17 LRB 365

Day 1 - 4.22.13

Squats - 5x85, 4x100, 3x115, 2x130, 1x135, 1x140, 1x150, 1x5 @ 135#

Ladder #1:
BW Squats - 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5
Sit ups - 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5
Chin ups - 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2
Push ups - 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5

Brutal workout!  The conditioning side of things is going to be rough.  Gotta really take care of myself in regards to sleep / diet in this phase for sure.

4.23.13 - 30+ min weight vest

Day 2 - 4.25.13

BP - 5x100, 4x115, 3x135, 2x145, 1x155, 1x160, 1x170, 1x8@155#

Ladder #2:
Dips 3,6,9,12,15,12,9,6,3
Chins 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2
Push Ups 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5
Leg Raises  3,6,9,12,15,12,9,6,3

Brutal once again!  This was a great week of two workouts. Still have the hills to run this weekend!

4.26.13 - 30+ min weight vest
4.27.13 - 10 hill runs

Week 16 LRB365

Day 1 - 4.15.13

Squat:  80x5, 95x4, 110x3, 120x2, 140x1, 145x1, 150x1
100@60# facepulls, 100@BW lunges

Day 2 - 4.16.13

BP: 5x95, 4x110, 3x120, 2x140, 1x150, 1x155, 1x160
100@70# pulldowns, 100@35# pushdowns, 100@25# cable curls
abs

Day 3 - 4.18.13

Pause Squat: 1x3 @ 120#
DL:  5x160, 4x190, 3x225, 2x260, 1x280, 1x285, 1x300
100@45# shrugs

Day 4 - 4.19.13

Incline bench: 2x20@65#
100@30# rear delt machine, 100@30# skull crusher, 100@30# straight bar curl

Solid week of lifting ... great finish to this phase of LRB 365.  Really liked the 100 rep sets.  Looking forward to the next phase!

W15 LRB 365

Day 1 - 4.8.13

Squats:  5x85, 4x95, 3x105, 2x115, 1x135, 1x140, 1x145
100@60# facepulls, 100 lunges BW

Day 2 - 4.9.13

BP:  5x95, 4x110, 3x125, 2x140, 1x150, 1x160, 1x165
100@70# pulldowns, 100@35# triceps pushdown, 100@25# cable curls

Day 3 - 4.11.13
DL - 5x160, 4x190, 3x225, 2x250, 1x270, 1x280, 1x285
100@45# shrugs

Day 4 - 4.12.13

Incline 2x12 @ 85#, 100@40# skullcrushers (brutally hard!), 100@30# rear delt, 100 @ 30# straight bar curls

W14 LRB 365

Day 1 - 4.1.13

Squat - 5x80, 4x95, 3x110, 2x120, 1x125, 1x135, 1x140
100 facepulls @ 50#, 100 lunges BW

Day 2 - 4.2.13

BP - 5x95, 4x110, 3x125, 2x140, 1x145, 1x155, 1x165
100 @ 70# pulldowns, 100 @ 30# triceps, 100 @ 20# biceps
ab/lower back work

Day 3 - 4.4.13

Pause Squats - 3x3@110#
DL - 5x125, 4x160, 3x190, 2x225, 1x250, 1x270, 1x285
100 @ 40# shrugs
ab/lower back work

Day 4 - 4.6.13

Incline bench - 2 x 20 @ 65#
100 @ 20# rear delt, 100 @ 30# skull crushers, 100 @ 20# straight bar curls

Another solid week ... really getting my technique more and more solid - two more weeks in this cycle. Want to keep rocking it!

Food for Thought #sbar

W13 LRB365

Day 1 - 3.25.13 Snow Day!

Squat:  5x75, 4x85, 3x100, 2x110, 1x130, 1x130, 1x135 - felt really solid & strong coming out of the bottom with the singles.
100 facepulls @ 40#, 100 lunges @ BW

Day 2 - 3.26.13

BP:  5x85, 4x100, 3x115, 2x130, 1x140, 1x150, 1x160
100 @ 70# pulldowns, 100 @ 30# triceps pressdown (cable), 100 @ 20# cable curls
ab/lower back work

Day 3 - 3.22.13

Pause Squats 2x3 @ 110#
DL:  5x145#, 4x175#, 3x205#, 2x230#, 1x245#, 1x250# 1x260#
100 @ 40# shrugs

Day 4 - 3.28.13

Spring Break!  Rest & Mobility!

W12 LRB 365

Day 1 - 3.19.13

Squats:  5x75, 4x85, 3x100, 2x110, 1x115, 1x125, 1x130
100 @ 30# facepulls, 100 @ BW lunges
ab work

Day 2 - 3.21.13

BP:  5x85, 4x100, 3x115, 2x130, 1x135, 1x145, 1x155
100 @ 50# pulldowns, 100 @ 25# triceps press downs, 100 @ 25# biceps curl (cable)
ab / lower back work

Day 3 - 3.22.13

Pause Squats 2x5 @ 100#
DL:  5x145, 4x175, 3x205, 2x235, 1x245, 1x255, 1x260
100 @ 35# shrugs

Day 4 - 3.23.13

Incline - 2x12@ 65#
100 rear delt @ 20#, 100 @ 30# triceps skull crusher, 100 @ 20# straight bar curls

W11 LRB 365

Day 1 - 3.12.13

Squat:  5x75, 4x85, 3x100, 2x110, 1x115, 1x120, 1x130
1x100 face pulls @ 30#
1x100 lunges @ BW

Day 2 - 3.13.13

BP:  5x85, 4x100, 3x15, 2x130, 1x135, 1x140, 1x150
1x100 pulldowns @ 70#
1x100 triceps (cable) @ 20#
1x100 biceps (cable) @ 20#
ab work - lower back work

Day 3 - 3.14.13

Pause Squats:  2x5 @ 95#
DL:  5x115, 4x145, 3x175, 2x205, 1x235, 1x245, 1x255
1x100 shrugs @ 30#
ab work - lower back work

Day 4 - 3.15.13

Incline:  2x20 @ bar#, 2x12 @ 65#
1x100 @ 30# straight bar row
1x100 @ 20# chambered bar triceps skull crusher
1x100 @ 20# chambered bar curls

*Got all 4 main workouts in this week . . . I really like the variety.  Each day I feel it in a different spot . . ..  which is awesome.  Still need to get my 2 weighted walks in and a HIIT workout.  Looking at the weekend to get this done and start programming my weights for week 2.  Loving LRB365!

3.15.13 - 20 min walk with 16# wt. vest

Satisfaction Leads to Failure - Let's Be Great!

Satisfaction leads to failure

I saw this quote on a basketball training site I was checking out and it really spoke to me.  This is where I think we are as a society . . . and the reason why so many people are weak mentally and physically.

I am very focused on becoming stronger physically and have been really working out hard . . . I am the strongest and fittest I have ever been in my life.  But I can't settle.  I'm not satisfied.  I will continue to become stronger; not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Satisfaction leads to failure.

The high school I teach at just found out that we are "excellent" on the state report card.  We also got positive comments from an accreditation group last week.  Two years ago my school was struggling to improve its Annual Yearly Progress . . . now we are "excellent".

Satisfaction leads to failure.

To be honest, I question the level of my teaching every day and every week.  I don't feel "excellent".  I like to think of myself as a pretty good teacher, but I feel I can be a stronger teacher and in turn help my students to become stronger.  Yet, through it all, our students score well on the OGT (which measures basic skills) and we are rated "excellent" as a high school.

Satisfaction leads to failure.

At what point do we all say,  "Great, but we can do better!  We have to do better"?  And when will someone start asking people, "What are you doing today to make us better?  Great?  The best?"?

For me, it's time to move beyond "satisfaction" and even beyond "excellent".  But, I struggle from a teacher point of view as to what I can do to become better.

Can I in my one classroom make the change needed to be great?  Can I get my students to be great?  Can I help the math department to become great?  Can I do this on my own?  If not, how do I rally others to join me in the push to be great?  Who will challenge me . . . because I need to be challenged.

I'm tired of being satisfied. . . 

Cycle 2 - LRB 365

Cycle will have 4 workout days, 100 reps sets, walking with wt vest on, HIIT sessions.

Weights using as "goals":
Squat = 170#
DL = 340#
BP = 200#

First 3 weeks will use Phase 1 85%
Squat = 145#, DL = 290#, BP = 170#

W11 D1
Squat = 145#
5x75, 4x85, 3x100, 2x110, 1x115, 1x120, 1x130
1x100 facepulls / 1x100 lunges

W11D2
BP = 170#
5x85, 4x100, 3x115, 2x130, 1x135, 1x140, 1x150
1x100 pulldowns, 1x100 triceps, 1x100 biceps

W11D3
Pause Squat 2x5 @ 95#
DL = 290#
5x115, 4x145, 3x175, 2x205, 1x235, 1x245, 1x255
1x100 shrugs

W11D4
Incline 2x12-20
1x100 row, 1x100 triceps, 1x100 biceps

Walk with Weighted Vest x 2 @ 20 min
1 x HIIT x 8 sets

Week 10 LRB 365 - Deload Week

Setting this week up using Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 deload week - 40%, 50%, 60%

3.5.13 Day 1

Squats: 4x5@70#, 4x5@85#, 4x5@100#
MP:  4x5@50#, 4x5@60#, 4x5@70#

Did squats+MP in super set fashion.  Just wanted to get in 10 solid sets (4@40%, 4@50%, 2@60%).

Felt really good.  Want to work on mobility and stretching this week.

Follow up:  It's the next day and I got a snow day from school.  Also, I am sore throughout my upper legs and hips.  Really gonna focus on mobility & stretching throughout today.

3.6.13 - Shoveled my driveway & cleaned up branches that had fallen due to the snow.  Heavy snow!!

3.9.13

DL+BP deload day

DL+BP for 10 sets:  4 sets @135#+80#, 4 sets @ 170#+100#, 2 sets @ 205#+120#

Really tried to focus on technique today - did a solid warm up prior to the workout.  Did some abs along with some lower back strength work.

My body feels strong and I am raring to start the next cycle of LRB 365.  I will outline the cycle in my next blogpost.

itslearning - Systems of Equations

itslearning.com - Systems of Equations

Any math teacher knows the struggle teaching Systems of Equations can be.  And, that's where I am in Algebra and with my first journey through itslearning - so far, though, it's been a pretty positive go of it.

Update - my students are about 6 weeks into the itslearning journey and are finally beginning to "catch on".

Students are diving into the videos . . . pausing them to make notes . . . copying down helpful information.  Then, they are looking back at the notes and using them as a resource.  Discussions between the students is a daily occurrence now!  And, I am able to give the attention to those who truly need it . . . while my stronger students continue to roll on and gain even more confidence in the ability/independence.

The one thing I love about itslearning is the ease that I can make changes on the fly . . . student comments help control the direction of my lessons and this is such a great option for me when using itslearning.

Now does that equal understanding?  The material is still difficult but I have been pleased with the overall effort/focus level this week.  The itslearning LMS seems to give students a feeling of "extra support" so very few are completely giving up and shutting down.  For some, this is a huge step in the right direction.

I have been looking a lot at lesson set up and have found that an intro video / practice problem / assignment set all being one page eliminates issues of what link to click and where to find this and that. Also, because Systems of Equations covers a lot of ideas I have broken them down into Levels.  The Levels are tabs on the main page so it's really easy for students to go to Level 2 when they complete Level 1.

I am still trying to "control" the speed at which the classes are going which I know is still hindering my stronger students and is something that I need to look at more in the future.  The opportunity for my strong students to take off and do amazing things is there.  But, I'm not sure what the best way to go about that is . . . without losing touch with them and them feeling like they have no support.

As I move forward:
The adaptability as I move forward is something that excites me and opens up the idea of differentiated lessons . . . different levels in regards to difficulty so those that are stronger take the upper level work and the average student will work on the lower level.  This is something I plan to look at as I move forward in the semester . . . creating lessons that fit better with my individual student groups within my classes . . . right now I am trying to fit all my students into one style of set up (which is working for the majority but . . .).