Strong is good.

I was, and wasn't, a bit surprised when I stepped on the scale after todays workout and weighed almost 163 lbs. I've felt more "beefy" of late but I haven't been weighing myself at all. I thought maybe 160 but 162.6 was a lot.

It could be my earlier and more frequent eating, starting at 6 am when I get to work with almonds, tahini(sesame seed butter) MetRx protein powder; then going onto yoghurt and or string cheese, more almonds and or tahini a few hours later. Lunch is now my biggest meal with wine and cheese rounding out a very nice evening,lol.

It could also be the third kb workout, which I've been able to maintain for the last month, combined with the increase in volume and intensity across the board. Nice.Plus,it's always easier to put on muscle that you've had , than to build it for the first time.

Either way I am bigger and stronger, than I've been in a long time and it feels good. I'm not as ripped lean as I was at 152 but I am hella stronger and I ain't exactly fat either. And as I try to regular press heavier loads I can really feel the difference this extra mass has made in feeling STRONG under the heavier bells, or even when cleaning them.

The bigger I get the more I remember just how strong, and big, I used to be and how much confidence that extra mass gave me when trying to move very very heavy absolute loads.Strong just always feels good to me.

I had even toyed with the idea of cleaning the 40 kg today and knew regardless of what I decided this morning, the real decision would be made at 12 noon when the workout began. I put the idea out there and awaited the decision.

It came very early in the warmup when the universe told me today was probably not the day as I got a weird spasm in the long head of my left tricep warming up the clean with the 20 kg! My tricep cramped and wouldnt let go! Very strange. So my plan to warmup to big weights on the clean first was kiboshed.

Somehow I pulled too hard to early with the weight out on front of me and the tricep just contracted too hard. I knew it wasn't serious but it pissed me off.

Cleans

16 kgx5/5

20 kgx5/5

24 kg x2/5

28kgx1/5

No fun, lets see if I can press

KB press

16kg x5/5 ( can't clean/swing with left so cheat clean it)

2o kgx4/4

24 kg x3/3

28 kgx1/1

32 kg x2/2 x 5 sets

wow, these presses were very, very strong. Even on my left arm ( which told me the tricep was just cramping and not really injured) Even the cheat clean with the left side,which I've never done heavy, before felt strong. The rack position was strong. I was strong.

Snatches

16 kg x5/5

20 kg x 5/5

x6/6

x7/7

x 8/8

x10/10

x8/8

88 reps nice.these felt so easy but I could feel the tricep a little in the bottom of the swing position so I stayed with the 20 kg.

Shield casts

10 lb cbs x 100 reps non stop. switch arms every ten reps.

this further told me the tricep was ok as this move can be tough on that muscle. this felt light strong and easy.

I asked whether I should go heavy today and got the answer. I would have listened to a more gentle message, possibly, but, most importantly, I listened to my body.