16 SEP 11 -- The Power of One

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

Tolkienesque quotes aside, the number "one" has great significance. It is the first number, the beginning and the end of things. One living cell reproduces until an entire organic unit comes into being, and one living cell remains until it too dies and the organism goes out of living existence. One dollar can be the beginning of great investments, one bullet can put a plate of venison on the table for dinner, one proposal can create a marriage that results in children whose family line may last for thousands of years.

Tolkien knew the power of one, and the Ring Trilogy takes it as a theme, tying it also to the power of the will. Today's workout also has a theme, and it too centers on the number one.

Overhead press, 5/3/1 day and the training max is 245 lbs (yes, it's still there!).

Warm up sets

45 x 15
100 x 5
125 x 5
145 x 3

Working sets

185 x 5
210 x 3
235 x 1

My earlier digression into numerical significance is the result of a mental focus that I entered into prior to today's session. If you've been reading this log for the past several weeks, you will remember how I've been having difficulty maintaining my strength on the overhead press. I calculated today's percentage for the final set at 95% of the training max, and once rounded, it came out to 235 lbs, a weight which I knew would present a serious challenge, and possible failure, to my efforts on the overhead press. To obtain success on the last set, I mentally prepared for the lift for the entire time preceding entry into the gym, from the time I awoke from the post-sleep of last night's 11-7 shift right up until walking through the door to the gym. "Go for one...go for one..."

I focused on the lift, seeing it in my mind, visualizing it, all the while resolving on getting at least one good rep at that weight. The requisite number was one, and seeing the bar overhead, arms locked out, I could only help feeling total satisfaction, and relief, that the objective was met and that I am still ahead in the game. If you're a casual reader, someone who doesn't train the power lifts, you may not comprehend this, but for me, every workout is of crucial importance, and a new success after so many recent failures, a breakthrough to a new level, gives me the same feeling as a mountain climber who ascends to a new peak.

The assistance work for today continued on with overhead pressing. No chin ups, no dips, just overhead pressing. "If you want to press more, press more," was the theme.

Barbell military press 145 lbs for 5 x 10

One arm dumbbell press
40 lbs x 3 x 15 (each side)
50 x 10
55 x 8
60 x 6
65 x 6
70 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5

That's a lot of extra work on the overhead press, but I want to keep training it, making sure I can keep up with the next wave which begins at 250 lbs.