EPTAbout this blog/diary:+ Show Spoiler +
I'm a professional musician and (very) amateur gamer.
Blogging about improving and sticking to a program is very effective for my overall progress!
Having been inspired by Haulvern, I hope this humble blog can motivate another someone in need of positive change.
Thanks for checking this out and feel free to leave any comments or suggestions!
Blogging about improving and sticking to a program is very effective for my overall progress!
Having been inspired by Haulvern, I hope this humble blog can motivate another someone in need of positive change.
Thanks for checking this out and feel free to leave any comments or suggestions!
Calling any musicians or critics!
If you're at all interested, I'd love to play some mock auditions for you and get your feedback! I'll send you the music and some reference recordings for you peruse or not. No expertise is necessary! As an audition panel, you are always right and can force me to play anything in any fashion you'd like! Any participation or feedback you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
If you're at all interested, I'd love to play some mock auditions for you and get your feedback! I'll send you the music and some reference recordings for you peruse or not. No expertise is necessary! As an audition panel, you are always right and can force me to play anything in any fashion you'd like! Any participation or feedback you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
Week preview: De-load on the lifts, so I'll have plenty of energy for securing process cues on all FW excerpts.
Time for the mock auditions to commence!
Time for the mock auditions to commence!
Goals for the Week
“It's impossible to beat a person who never gives up.” --George Herman Ruth
Fitness Goals: + Show Spoiler [Long Term Goals] +
Join the Big 3 1000lb club. + Show Spoiler [Progress] +
Hit 5x10 Pull-ups and graduate to weighted pull-ups. + Show Spoiler [Progress] +
Weigh 175 and/or hit 15% Body Fat. + Show Spoiler [Progress] +
Hit 5x10 Pull-ups and graduate to weighted pull-ups. + Show Spoiler [Progress] +
Currently at 7 a set.
Weigh 175 and/or hit 15% Body Fat. + Show Spoiler [Progress] +
4 Weight-lifting sessions (program)(rep log):
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images2/6/66/GreenCheck.png)
2 Rowing HIIT or LISS sessions (log):
(opt) Running/Hills/Weighted walk sessions (log):
Weight Loss (slow 2k/cal cut): (food log)(chart) + Show Spoiler [Up-to-date Progress] +
![[image loading]](http://tickers.myfitnesspal.com/ticker/show/1040/9942/10409942.png)
Log daily food intake: (log)
Weigh-in daily: (log)
Music Goals: + Show Spoiler [Long Term Goals] +
Win a major symphony orchestra audition. + Show Spoiler [Progress/How to?] +
Be comfortable and confident playing each orchestral position. + Show Spoiler [How to?] +
I've made finals at major symphony auditions in recent months. I'm going to play well and compete in both Fort Worth or San Francisco by committing to daily mental prep, running mock auditions with fellow musicians, and seeking out lessons with top teachers.
Be comfortable and confident playing each orchestral position. + Show Spoiler [How to?] +
Seek out and play duets with my co-workers whenever possible. Request to play as many different positions in local orchestras as possible.
Compete in the Fort Worth Symphony Audition: (repertoire), (prep log)
Compete in the San Francisco Opera Audition: (repertoire), (prep log)
Daily Self-Hypnosis or Affirmation sessions: (
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images2/5/5e/Icon_Armor.png){kind=icon}
) Daily Meditation sessions: (
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/images/maps/ob.gif)
)Quality challenge-seeking practice session: (
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images/1/10/Gold.png)
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images/0/0b/Silver.png)
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images/f/f2/Bronze.png)
)Gaming Goals:
Log write-ups of my team's OCC Blood Bowl games (Current Standings):
Log write-ups and session prep for my DND 5E Campaign (wiki):
Previous Weeks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37.
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Monday 4/20:
(![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/R1CH/LadderUp.png)
); (![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/R1CH/LadderDown.png)
); (Today was an absolute kickass practice day! I knocked out all the sessions I had hoped for and then some! Secured process cues on a good number of the FW excerpts and made some pretty big steps forward in readiness. No meditation which was frustrating, but I'll address that more in Wednesday's post.
I did knock out an AWESOME Bench Day! The previous 3 bench workouts have been underwhelming. Stress, sleep, and hydration were all substandard and I walked away from each session dissatisfied. Not today though! I nailed 3 reps over my 1+ rep expecation and even went for the fourth! The safety bar is so nice for private bench practice.... don't lift at home with out it for sure.
Bench 1+
Tuesday 4/21:
(); (); (Another stellar practice day! Rotating sessions and exercise with Diablo 3 runs is an excellent little scheme! But on to the big focus of today: Squat Day!
I mainly recorded these lifts to check my form and be sure that I'm getting deep enough. Unless Ehzera, fellow awesome blogger (check his shit out), says otherwise I'm going to assume that this form is ok. My hips are definitely at or below parallel.
I will admit I look doofy in running tights and t-shirt, but this is my underlayer for lifting.... Even though it's mid 40s outside, my garage and bar are still pretty cold and I like feeling warm when exercising.
Squat 3rep set:
The 1+ set was particularly good! The 3rd rep featured a mini-fail ("just do what Jesus tells you") moment. My upper back tension broke a bit and I muscled the weight up in a sort of bastardized break in form. It doesn't look too bad on the tape but I certainly felt it in the moment. No pain in the moment or after the fact thankfully!
Squat 1+ set (3):
Wednesday 4/22:
(); (); (Awesome start to the day despite battling an incompetent IT department. Oh well what can you do...?
Practice this morning was spot on. I worked up the hardest excerpt from the SF list to an almost salable status. Just a couple more clicks on the metronome and a bit more solidity over the octave slurs/rips and we'll be there! The nuts and bolts session was also particularly good! In between I weighed in at work and grabbed a haircut. Just took the puppy out for a walk with my 50lb weight vest and he got more winded than I did. He so out of shape from the winter exercise reprieve. Time to kick him into shape!
On to the second half of the day!... which was pretty much a wash :-(. Didn't accomplish much of anything other than the rowing session and a bunch of household chores. My energy just petered out near the end and it was all I could do to get my rowing in. Ugh... It's funny because I'd love to build up to two strong workouts a day, but with audition prep on my mind I don't think I can handle it. I ran like 4 back-to-back Long Calls today over lunch... man that was fun! But I was just beat after working on that and Wozzeck.
Thursday 4/23:
(); (); (Friday 4/24:
(); (); (Saturday 4/25:
(); (); () The two previous days were very solid! Quite happy with the overall effort all things considered! Of course, these days featured the crazy 3 hours of commuting 6 hours of rehearsal that suck the life out of me. I've been knocking out me deload week and focusing on hitting the volume sessions in particular. As I had literally 2 hours for my deadlift session, my day's meal preparation, and some mental prep, it's no small wonder the deadlift session was slightly abridged.
Today was supposed to be restful, but the process of our landlord swapping out our malfunctioning toilets is taking much much longer than expected. For one, the process began almost 2 hours later than expected (after I woke up early and knocked out Bench Day in preparation for helping). They're currently on Home Depot run number 2 because of inadequate preparation.... This is seriously cutting into time for practice and running with the wife. When they return I'm going to ask nicely and then just begin practicing with them in the house because it's just taking too long. I still have to head out the door for tonight's Rite of Spring concert.
Sunday 4/26:
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