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Web Servers and Lunges

Earlier this week I wrote about the fax machine and how it took more than 100 years from invention to the ubiquitous office appliance we know today. While it might seem, without really understanding the history, that the first guy to buy a fax machine was particularly risky - in fact it was not a risky move at all. The first big players were corporations who looked upon the fax as long-distance communication infrastructure, invested, and charged others to use it.

The Apache Webserver

Another example of a piece of long-distance communication infrastructure is, of course, the internet. And with it, comes web servers - the most popular of which is the Apache http server. The Apache HTTP Server Project was started by eight guys who, each realizing the benefits of combining their efforts to minimize double-work, banded together to plan releases for the http server now known as Apache.

One might ask, how or why did these fellas hook up? How did they decide to contribute to the project (instead of simply writing their own)? And then, once it was built, what made the Apache server so much more popular than its competition?

It turns out, the initial Apache server was a simple addition of a few patches, by eight guys, to the most popular web server at the time, NCSA HTTPd. The Apache project didn’t (at least initially) create something new, but instead built upon the huge success of an already existing product.

This still doesn’t answer our questions, though. It simply pushes our questions back one more generation. Why was NCSA HTTPd so successful, and why did the developers decide it was in their best interest to share the code rather than keep it only for themselves.

The NCSA stands for National Center for Supercomputing Applications is a private/public partnership at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It is largely funded with federal and state funds. The NCSA was responsible for Telnet, one of the first graphical web browsers and, of course, the web server NCSA HTTPd we’ve been discussing. Because of the public/private nature of the partnership, and because of the significant public funding, everything the NCSA produced is available to the public for “free”. (Free = paid for with tax dollars).

That is the reason the NCSA HTTPd server was open source in the first place, and, because of the free (like speech and like beer) nature of the product, it was a huge success. It was on the back of that giant that the Apache HTTPd Project built its success.

So, one other way to convince a group of people to act in a way that may not seem initially beneficial to any one individual would be to convince a bureaucrat to get behind the effort and fund it with tax dollars.

Wednesday Workout

Wednesday, as my grandmother would say, “was a doozy”. It started out cool and dry with a slight breeze. It ended in a serious thunderstorm downpour.

Warm Up
10x High Steps
10x Butt Kicks
10x Walking Lunges
10x Scapular Push Ups
10x (ea. leg) 1-leg Glute Bridge
10x Spiderman Walk
Those Burpees Suck (a variation)
400m Run
10x KB Swing @ 24kg KB
20x KB Snatch @ 24kg KB
30x 3-stair hop
40x Push Up
50x Sit Ups (feet anchored w/ KB)
60x Burpee
10x KB Swing
400m Run
The Finale
400m Lunge

The rain started, just barely, as we began our lunges - the very lightest of sprinkles from the sky. The rain became a real “rain” about 1/3 finished, and became a serious thunderstorm downpour with about 100m to go.

My ass is still sore today.

Today

Bench Press & Chin Ups
5x Press @ 110#
5x Chin Ups @ BW
5x Press @ 135#
5x Chin Ups @ BW
5x Press @ 160#
5x Chin Ups @ BW
5x Press @ 180#
5x Chin Ups @ BW
10x Press @ 205#
5x Chin Ups @ BW
Squats
5x Squat @ 155#
5x Squat @ 190#
5x Squat @ 225#
5x Squat @ 260#
9x Squat @ 295#
5x Assistance Exercises
10x Squat @ 185#
5x Chin Ups @ BW
10x Weighted Dips @ BW+50#

The First Fax Machine

In my last post, I committed to writing more often. I also wrote I have been thinking lately about group dynamics - especially, how to convince individuals to move in a way that is best for the group, even while the first decision-maker takes a significant risk.

I teased, “The first guy to buy a fax machine was particularly risky, yes?”

JB responded, “re Fax: not if he bought two of them.” This is a particularly good point, and one I want to discuss today.

Have Patience

As it turns out, the first fax machine was not made in the 1970s or ’60s…not even in 1900s, but, instead, the first fax machine was made in 1843. The first several uses of the machine in business applications were total failures. In the 1860s, a fax-like service was set up between Paris and Lyon, France. It was to work similarly to the telegraph. Obviously, the guy who set up that service bought two of the machines (as JB mentioned) and tried to sell access to his machines.

That business collapsed in less than 5 years.

Some 70 years later, in the 1920s, AT&T set up a similar service for reporters following political candidates on the campaign trail to fax photos back to their papers’ and magazines’ headquarters. Again, AT&T invested in the infrastructure (several fax machines) and then sold access to that infrastructure. They did a little better in their marketing; that is, they aimed their service at a small niche and highly specialized group of people - specifically, newspapers with the money to have traveling journalists and photographers. This time, the fax machine was relatively successful.

Still, it took another 40-50 years after that success before fax machines began to become a ubiquitous form of office communication - gaining popularity in Japan before finally making it to my dad’s (and yours, likely) office sometime in the late 1970s.

So, the moral of the fax machine is, if you want to change the world with your product, service or message, aim first at a highly-specialized niche (who also have the money to support you), solve an immediate and specific problem, then patiently wait for the trickle to the masses.

Friday and Monday Workouts

I’m still on 5-3-1, or rather a variant 3-5-1-deload.

Mondays are Military Press and Deadlift with Press, Chin Ups and Deadlift volume/assistance work. Fridays are Bench Press and Squat with Weighted Dips, Chin Ups and Squat volume/assistance work. Wednesdays, while the weather is still beautiful, is still outside at the nearby middle school track.

Today I worked up to an 8x @ 135# Military Press and a 13x @ 350# Deadlift.

After that, it was 5×10 ea. Press @ 95#, Chin Ups @ BW and DL @ 245#.

With Some Salt

I’ve been neglectful.

Real life has often gotten in the way of blogging, and eventually my thoughts became, “It’s been so long, I can’t just post yesterday’s training. I have to have something insightful to write.” and I had nothing insightful to write, so I didn’t write at all. And then the task became more difficult by a day. Newton’s First Law is pretty damn universal.

Lex I: Corpus omne perseverare in statu suo quiescendi vel movendi uniformiter in directum, nisi quatenus a viribus impressis cogitur statum illum mutare.

Wednesday Workout

Let’s start with the easy part.

Warm Up
10x High Step
10x Butt Kick
10x Walking Lunge
10x Spiderman Walk
10x Scapular Push Up
10x (ea. leg) 1-leg Glute Bridge
3x Circuit #1
15x BW Squat
10x Lunge
5x Squat Jump
Tire Drag

I’m not sure I have written about it here yet. I acquired a used truck tire. It’s not a big tractor tire or anything like that - it’s the size tire one might use on an F-150 or similar full-size truck or SUV.

I have a length of 1/2″ chain wrapped around the tire and a couple small carabiners holding it all together. I have a very large carabiner attached to those, and a heavy-duty tow strap run through the large carabiner. The tire can be dragged by the tow strap.

I’ve been doing this for some time, and began looking for a way to load the tire. Last weekend I fashioned a shelf of sorts out of 3/4″ plywood to sit inside the tire. It’s perfect for holding kettlebells and sandbags. =)

Tire Drag (cont.)
3x 25m drag @ Tire + 2×16kg KBs + 1×24kg KB (123#)
3x 25m drag @ Tire + 1×16kg KB + 1×24kg KB (88#)
3x 25m drag @ Tire + 2×16kg KBs (70#)
3x 25m drag @ Tire + 1×24kg KB (53#)
3x 25m drag @ Tire + 1×16kg KB (35#)
3x 25m drag @ Tire
3x Circuit #2
10x Press/Push Press/Jerk @ 2×16kg KB
10x Overhead Squat @ 2x 16kg KB
20x Push Ups
20x Swings @ 24kg KB

It was beautiful weather - about 70°F, not very humid, the slightest of breezes. A wonderful morning. Except I think I lost my stopwatch. That sucks. But other than that, yesterday was really nice.

A Little Something Extra

Besides the workouts I’m logging here, I’m going to make a point of writing other stuff here. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how groups make decisions (or how people make decisions that influence others and therefore “appear” to be group decisions)…and, similarly, how to encourage groups to act where there is a clear benefit, but where it might be particularly risky o be the first. (The first guy to buy a fax machine was particularly risky, yes?)

I don’t know how long that particular topic will last, but if it dies, it will be replaced by something else. The point is, I’m going to try to write more.

The Salt

My wife sent me a joke via email today.

Bank of America recently conducted a password audit of their online customers and found one Steve Buchanan of Auburntown, TN with the following password:

MickyMinnieDonaldDaisyGoofyBugsBunnyElmerFuddRoadRunnerNashville

When the customer service rep called and asked Mr. Buchanan why his password is so long, he replied, “I was told it had to be at least 8 characters long with at least one capital.”

And my initial thought - my very first thought, was not laughter but,
“WHAT! Bank of America doesn’t hash their passwords with a ≥ 256 bit salt before storing them in a database!?!”

And then I had to take a deep breath when I realized just how sad that is.

5-3-1, The Summer Program, and A Happy Father’s Day

This was the last week in the latest round of 5-3-1. Monday was Squats, Wednesday we Bench Press and Weighted Chin Ups and this morning was Deadlifts.

Monday

Squats: Warm Up
5x Back Squat @ 155#
5x Back Squat @ 190#
Squats: 5,3,1
5x Back Squat @ 255#
3x Back Squat @ 290#
7x Back Squat @ 325#
5x Barbell Circuit @ 95#
6x Bent Over Row
6x Hang Power Clean
6x Thruster
6x Squat Jumps
6x Good Morning
45 sec. Rest
Tabata Erg
I aim for ≥100m each 20 second interval
I hit it my first three intervals
After that, my shortest interval was 88m.

Wednesday

Bench Press & Chin Ups: Warm Up
5x Bench @ 115#
5x Chin Up @ BW
5x Bench @ 140#
5x Chin Up @ BW
Bench Press & Chin Ups: 5,3,1
5x Back Squat @ 190#
5x Chin Up @ BW
3x Back Squat @ 215#
3x Chin Up @ BW+15#
2x Back Squat @ 240#
1x Chin Up @ BW+40#
5x Barbell Circuit @ 95#
6x Bent Over Row
6x Hang Power Clean
6x Thruster
6x Squat Jumps
6x Good Morning
45 sec. Rest
‘Round the Gym
One round is:

  • One 4-line sprint ladder on the basketball court
  • Walk one lap around gym
  • Sprint up two flights of stairs to the indoor track
  • Job one lap around track (100m)
  • 10x burpees
  • Walk down stairs to basketball court
8 rounds, untimed

This Morning

Deadlift: Warm Up
5x Pull @ 185#
5x Pull @ 225#
Deadlift: 5,3,1
5x Pull @ 305#
3x Pull @ 345#
7x Pull @ 390#
5x Barbell Circuit @ 95#
6x Bent Over Row
6x Hang Power Clean
6x Thruster
6x Squat Jumps
6x Good Morning
45 sec. Rest

Summer Schedule

With this 5-3-1 cycle complete, I’m going to begin meeting again outside on at least one morning per week. Monday will be a deload day - foam rolling and mobility work. Wednesday morning will be outside with, hopefully, the normal crew and maybe a few extra.

In the meantime, everyone have a Happy Father’s Day. Enjoy being a father, if you are one. Call or visit your father, if you have one. If none of that applies to you, have a good weekend regardless.

Still Alive

Thanks to JB for the little push. I’ve been neglecting this for longer than I thought. I have no excuse and I apologize.

Training

I’ve been continuing with 5-3-1-ish template with two tweaks: I added both Hang Power Cleans and Weighted Chin Ups. The cleans are easy to figure. You use bar weight just as you would deadlifts, bench press or anything else. Chin Ups are trickier because you have to factor bodyweight into the 1RM, then subtract it back out at each percentage. The math isn’t tricky, so much as the implementation. That is, on many of the lighter sets the equation calls for negative mass.

I considered a few approaches for this issue:

  1. Use the Gravitron or the Lat Pulldown machine.
  2. Loop a rubberband over the bar and under my foot or bent knee.
  3. Just ignore any negative number and do BW instead.

I opted for #3 above there. It certainly makes the last, all-out set very challenging. I haven’t missed a chin yet, but I also only rarely go above the minimum required reps (5, 3 or 1).

Besides the 5-3-1, I’ve been doing a lot more barbell circuits, tabata rowing erg and sprint intervals (running 8-10x 4-line basketball court ladders on the minute).

That and a deliberate reduction in kCal has led to a ~10#/2″ loss in three weeks. If the Accu-Measure is as accurate as its name implies, most of that has been fat. That’s good. I’m aiming for sub-10%BF over the next 4-6 weeks. We’ll see how that goes.

The good news is, my lifts have all stayed pretty constant (with my deadlift even going up) during this weight-loss period. Same strength at less bodyweight is good.

It’s been too long to recap all my workouts, so I’ll just post this morning’s.

This Morning

5-3-1 Military Press & Hang Power Clean

Warm Up
5x Press @ 65#
5x Press @ 80#
5x Clean @ 85#
5x Clean @ 100#
5-3-1
5x Press @ 110#
3x Press @ 125#
8x Press @ 140#
5x Clean @ 140#
3x Clean @ 155#
8x Clean @ 175#
5x Circuit @ 95#
5x Bent Over Row +
5x Hang Power Clean +
5x Thruster +
5x Jump Squat +
5x Good Morning +
60 sec Rest
Slight Cool Down
Walk 400m around indoor track
3-5 minutes
8x 4-Line Basketball Court Ladders
Start on the back line +
Sprint to free throw line and touch with fingers +
sprint to the back line and touch with fingers +
sprint to the center line and touch with fingers +
sprint to the back line and touch with fingers +
sprint to opposite free throw line and touch with fingers +
sprint to the back line and touch with fingers +
sprint to the opposite back line and touch with fingers +
sprint to the back line…
…one round each minute.

Worked up a nice good sweat, a high pulse and respiration rate and burning legs. Success.

Coming Weekend

This weekend upcoming should be relatively quiet. Tomorrow my family and I will be celebrating the survival of a good friend, remembering those who were not as lucky and doing our part to find a cure so there can be more of the former and less of the later.

Other than that it should be pretty quiet.

With a little luck (and my actually sitting down to write something) I’ll do a weekend follow-up on Monday.

A Dan John Week

Military Presses & Front Squats

Again, I’m running behind. Here’s Wednesday and Friday.

Wednesday Military Press

3x Warm Up Circuit @ 65#, 95#, 115#
8x Bent Over Row +
8x Power Clean +
8x Front Squat +
8x Press/Push Press/Push Jerk +
8x Back Squat
Military Press
5x Press @ 75#
3x Press @ 105#
3x Press @ 120#
8x Press @ 135#
Assistance Work #1
8x Floor Press @ 185#
6x Zercher Squat @ 185#
5x Chin Ups @ BW
8x Weighted Inclined Sit Ups (lvl#2) @ 10# (held behind head)
Assistance Work #2
8x Floor Press @ 185#
6x Zercher Squat @ 185#
5x Chin Ups @ BW
8x Weighted Inclined Sit Ups (lvl#2) @ 10# (held behind head)
Assistance Work #3
7x Floor Press @ 185#
6x Zercher Squat @ 185#
7x Chin Ups @ BW
5x Weighted Inclined Sit Ups (lvl#2) @ 10# (held behind head)

My Zerchers were weak Wednesdsay. My hips were hurting, my hamstrings were kinda tight and my lower back hurt. 6 reps each round was just taking it easy and trying to loosen things up.

Front Squats (Today)

3x Warm Up Circuit @ 65#, 95#, 115#
8x Bent Over Row +
8x Power Clean +
8x Front Squat +
8x Press/Push Press/Push Jerk +
8x Back Squat
Front Squat/dt>

5x Squat @ 135#
3x Squat @ 190#
3x Squat @ 215#
10x Squat @ 240#
Assistance Work #1
15x Incline Press @ 135#
5x Warm Up Squat @ 135#
15x (ea. arm) 3-pt Rows @ 70# DB
5x Warm Up Squat @ 185#
Assistance Work #2
15x Incline Press @ 135#
20x Squat @ 225#
15x (ea. arm) 3-pt Rows @ 70# DB
20x Squat @ 225#
Assistance Work #3
12x Incline Press @ 135#
15x Squat @ 225#
12x (ea. arm) 3-pt Rows @ 70# DB
15x Squat @ 225#

That’s 70 Squat reps @ 225# in about 20 minutes. My legs were absolutely dead when that was finished, and I had a wicked headache. Awful.

That last set of 15 was a killer. The good news is I’ve noticed significant increase in the thickness of my thighs since I’ve started this high-rep squat phase. The bad news: my waist is getting a bit bigger too. I’ve been constantly hungry, eating like mad. That helps, I’m sure. Both effects.

Two more weeks - I’ll work up to 4×20 Squats @ 225#, hopefully - and then I’ll deliberately and significantly reduce kCal input and increase kCal output. See if I can strip some of this padding off my 6 pack. =)

All my lifts seem to be going up in steady fashion. That makes me happy. For now, it’s just more of the same.

Deadlifts and Bench Press

Sorry. I had kind of a long weekend here. I missed logging Friday’s workout. I’ll catch up here.

Friday Bench Press

Last time I benched, I was playing with a new set-up. I have always had a big strong arch in my back, solid foot placement with steady leg drive and retracted scapula. I typically set myself under the bar so the bar is directly over my diaphragm. I then pull back my feet and set my legs hard underneath me. Finally, I grab the bar and pull myself into the tightest arch I can manage - ending with my weight on my retracted scapula and my face under the bar. This allows for what I’ve always thought was a pretty stable surface from which to press.

I watched a video of a man who set his feet about mid-bench, rolled his hips forward and then basically did a back bend under the bar onto his upper back. His claim was that produced a much tighter surface from which to bench, but required a ton of flexibility.

The good news, as I saw it - flexibility is something I possess. As J.B. says, “flexibility is [my] super-power”. Always has been. I thought I’d give this new setup a try.

It was awful. I’m plenty flexible to do a back-bend under the bar, but just couldn’t get a solid leg drive and the angle of the bar was all wrong. Maybe I’m too flexible. Maybe I just needed to work at it until I found the right angle. I don’t know. I kinda don’t care. If it ain’t broke…etc. Friday I was back to my normal setup.

3x Warm Up @ 65#, 95#, 115#
8x Bent over Row +
8x Power Clean +
8x Front Squat +
8x Press/Push Press/Push Jerk +
8x Back Squat +
8x Good Morning
Bench Press
5x Press @ 125#
5x Press @ 160#
5x Press @ 185#
9x Press @ 210#
Assistance Circuit Round #1
10x Incline Press @ 135#
5x Squat @ 135#
15x (ea. arm) 3-pt Row @ 70# DB
5x Squat @ 185#
Assistance Circuit Round #2
15x Incline Press @ 135#
20x Squat @ 225#
15x (ea. arm) 3-pt Row @ 70# DB
15x Squat @ 225#
Assistance Circuit Round #3
12x Incline Press @ 135#
12x Squat @ 225#
10x (ea. arm) 3-pt Row @ 70# DB
10x Squat @ 225#

I was hoping to get 3×15 Squats @ 225# after the first set of 20. That didn’t happen.

Deadlifting Today

3x Warm Up @ 65#, 95#, 115#
8x Bent over Row +
8x Power Clean +
8x Front Squat +
8x Press/Push Press/Push Jerk +
8x Back Squat +
8x Good Morning
Deadlift
5x Pull @ 200#
5x Pull @ 260#
5x Pull @ 305#
12x Pull @ 345#
Assistance Circuit Round #1
15x Dips @ BW+35#
10x Squat @ 135#
15x Face Pulls @ #10 plate
10x Squat @ 185#
10x Power Curls @ 95#
Assistance Circuit Round #2
15x Dips @ BW+35#
10x Squat @ 225#
15x Face Pulls @ #10 plate
5x Squat @ 275#
10x Power Curls @ 95#
Assistance Circuit Round #3
12x Dips @ BW+35#
5x Squat @ 275#
15x Face Pulls @ #10 plate
4x Squat @ 315#
10x Power Curls @ 95#

Front Squats

3x Warm Up @ 65#, 95#, 115#
8x Bent Over Rows +
8x Power Cleans +
8x Front Squats +
8x Push Press +
8x Back Squats
Front Squats
5x Front Squat @ 135#
5x Front Squat @ 175#
5x Front Squat @ 200#
10x Front Squat @ 230#
Assistance Work
8x Floor Press @ 185#
15x Zercher Squat @ 185#
5x Chin Up @ BW
8x Floor Press @ 185#
12x Zercher Squat @ 185#
5x Chin Up @ BW
6x Floor Press @ 185#
12x Zercher Squat @ 185#
3x Chin Up @ BW

I haven’t done Chin Ups in a while. My elbow had been giving me lots of problems and chin ups really aggravated it. I’ve obviously lost a lot of chin up strength in that time. Must work on that.

A (Possible) Beginning

There’s a guy with whom I work. He lifts. We’ve had some brief conversations in the past about lifting. It seems like he does a bodybuilder-style, 3-5 x 10-15 isolation exercise, body-part-split-type program. I, obviously, don’t; though we’ve never had any conversation about my “program”.

We were sitting in a meeting room the other day, waiting on the rest of the meeting invitees to join us. He turned to me and asked me a question about the leg press. I answered, honestly, “I have no idea. I’ve never done a leg press.” He was shocked!

“What do you do for your legs?”

“Squats, Deadlifts, Zercher Lifts, Overhead Squats, Front Squats, Cleans, Lunges, Good Mornings…”

“You don’t do any leg press? What about leg curls?”

“Nope.”

“Really? …”

He confided he rarely squats and never does any of the other exercises I mentioned.

I saw him this morning. He said he deadlifted for the first time, on his “back” day…and admitted he actually kinda liked it and was interested in learning some of those other exercises. I offered him an invitation to come lift with us anytime he wants. We’ll see if he takes me up on the offer.

Back to Work

Monday morning I got up refreshed. I’ve had a week of deload and was ready to get back to work.

3x Warm Up @ 65#, 95#, 115#
8x Bent Over Row +
8x Hang Power Clean +
8x Front Squat +
8x Push Press/Push Jerk +
8x Back Squat
Military Press
5x Press @ 75#
5x Press @ 95#
5x Press @ 110#
10x Press @ 125#
Assistance Work (round 1)
12x Weighted Dips @ BW+35#
10x Squat @ 135#
15x Face Pulls @ #10
10x Squat @ 185#
10x Power Curl @ 95#
Assistance Work (round 2)
15x Weighted Dips @ BW+35#
10x Squat @ 225#
15x Face Pulls @ #10
5x Squat @ 275#
10x Power Curl @ 95#
Assistance Work (round 3)
12x Weighted Dips @ BW+35#
5x Squat @ 275#
15x Face Pulls @ #10
3x Squat @ 315#
10x Power Curl @ 95#

Dan John is a huge fan of power curls; and, generally, if Dan John likes something, that’s reason enough to like it too. That being said, I’m not sure I like power curl. I’ll stick with it for at least one 4-week cycle of 5-3-1 and then reassess.

Spring Cleaning

This is supposed to be a deload week. I’m backing off the volume pretty significantly, playing with some exercises I haven’t worked in a while, and just kinda goin’ with the flow. I have no specific goals for this week - whatever calls my name will get my (short-term) attention.

General Warm Up
Some walking lunges
Some glute activation stuff
Some shoulder mobility stuff
5x Upper Body Work @ 95#
1x Power Clean +
5x Military Press
5x Power Curl
5x Curl-Grip Bent-Over Row
Work Up to Squat Clean 1RM

My previous Clean 1RM was 190#. I haven’t Cleaned in a long time and expected to hit 175# or maybe 185#.

Work Up to Squat Clean 1RM (cont.)
1x Clean @ 115#
1x Clean @ 135#
1x Clean @ 155#
1x Clean @ 165#
1x Clean @ 175# ~easy~
1x Clean @ 185#
1x Clean @ 195# ! ~bar still moving pretty fast~
1x Clean @ 200# !!
1x Clean @ 205# !!!
5x Lower Body Work @ 185#
1x Clean +
5x Front Squat

So, I ended up working a bit harder than I planned, but hitting a 205# Clean was amazing. Even after not cleaning heavy since last November and not lifting anything heavy during two months of that time (as I trained for the stair race) I saw a huge increase in my 1RM. I must be doing something right.