Training is going awesome.  I am still experiencing big gains and I have been loving the Maximum Strength programming.  I have just finished Phase 1 and am going to start Phase 2 today.  It looks like a nice fresh template of exercises, but I will be honest, I am going to miss the traditional back squats that have been replaced by just front squats in this phase.

I have put on some muscle mass already, going from 175 to 182.2 lbs.  Some of this is fat, but I have had a pretty clean diet thus far and I can tell I am gaining mostly lean mass.  I am hoping to settle around 185 in the end.

I am seeing nice progress in the bench as well.  My  1RM (One Rep Max) was 195, and this last week I did two sets of 3 reps with 195 on the bar.  The bench press is something that I have never trained well.  I was always focused on squats, so with some technique practice and the right programming and I making strides of progress.

If there could be one take away from this program for any athlete, I would say the soft tissue and mobility work should be #1.  I will let Mr. Cressey explain more about that, here.

Leave it to Hypebeast to tempt me once again.  The ZX 800’s are begging for me to break budget!  I am pretty picky when it comes to shoes, but I have sporadic tastes for different styles.  More pictures at adiFans.net.

So it doesn’t stop there.  TBG slays me with the new Crayola Hoodie.  Real Things! 07′, is a real threat to my pocketbook.

Next order of business, Sage Francis mang.  I have been listening to Human the Death Dance for a couple days now.  Wit and original production, thankfully  it lives up to the hype. 

 Check out his new video and single, Got Up This Morning.

Finally, tomorrow I am Boston-bound.  It’s really easy to get excited before a tournament, but when you get to fly to Boston to play, it’s really easy to stay awake when I should be sleeping.  At least, I finally have some time to read.  Wish me/us luck.  Talk to you next week.