Day: March 14, 2020

First COVID-19 weekend and what a difference

Just a few days ago, we were wondering if we would travel to watch the Bradley Women’s basketball team play in the MVC tournament this weekend and about our Foreigner concert. And I was planning on teaching face to face after spring break…1 week..and looking forward to the first home Bradley Baseball game.

Did that change.

Note: Wednesday: went to Costco: plenty of toilet paper. I didn’t look for some to buy today at Hyvee (plenty at home) and, while shelves were thin on some items and out on others, there was PLENTY of food of various kinds; more than enough for the two of us for some time.

We did eat out..and wondered why restaurants insist on not using open areas ..but instead want to pack people together. We resisted a bit and had a table away from others. Come on restaurants: stop this “packing people into a section” during this time.

I’ll do some work related stuff in a bit.

But I did vote (Go Joe!) and bought some dumbbell handles at Dick’s, along with 4 ten pound plates (to add to my existing plates). I bought some bench press spotting racks online (good for squats too) And on today’s walk, I found a couple of places in a near by park that are suitable for pull ups, given a non-rainy day.

Workout notes
deadlift Saturday:
(all conventional except where noted)
6 x 145
6 x 189
1 x 233
5 x 233 (no bounce)
5 x 238 (no bounce)
5 x 238 (no bounce)
1 x 255 (nailed it)
5 x 231 hex bar
8 x 134 stiff legged

Then 5 miles outside (walking); scouted playgrounds for pull up bar suitability.

Until we meet again

Well, our university just went down..students get an extra week of spring break and then we start online instruction on 30 March and are slated to continue until “at least” April 12.
I said “good bye” to my students as, well, though I hope we meet..my guess is that we are over until August.

It was a somber day for me; I gave one final lesson and tried to make it a good one. We went over the SIR model in differential equations class. I kind of felt weepy.

Our gym (pictured above…and this is how I usually see it when I arrive at 6 am) is closed until “at least” April 12 and, realistically, probably much longer. I’ll work out at the Riverplex until that is closed too…though I might be able to do my full routine, except for pull ups, at home. And even then…maybe make space in the garage for a full blown power rack? In my basement I can do light bench presses, curls, trap bar exercises and I have another bar I can take to the driveway to do overhead presses. And I’ll buy some good dumbbell handles too…want to do goblet squats and maybe dumbbell bench presses. I’ll need about 140 lb total (70’s for dumbbell benches and goblet squats…45’s for overhead presses)

And so…I made my “final..for now” weight workout in Markin a good one:

pull ups: 4 sets of 10, 1 of 7, 1 of 5
rotator cuff
bench press: 10 x 135, 1 x 190 (easy), 3 sets of 5 x 170
incline press: 10 x 135
clean and press: previously, I did one clean, then all of my presses in a set. This time, I did a clean for every press rep:
3 sets of 5 x 95. OMG..out of breath after the first set, later sets were better. Yes, these were strict presses, not push presses.
rows: 3 sets of 10 x 200 Hammer machine
standing dumbbell shoulder presses: 2 sets of 10 x 45
head stand and plank

Took about 80 minutes.

Markin…BU Students…..Until we meet again….