Week #5 shoulders and back day done.

This has to be single oddest entry I've written yet. I had terrific gains on both the back and shoulders portions of my 1.5 hour workout. Amazingly, I was able to maintain just as much intensity for the 2nd half of the workout (back) as I was for the 1st half (shoulders). I smashed an old plateau, outside-grip shoulder pressing 150lbs x 6, followed by a new personal best (PB) of 110lbs x 8 for dumbell seated overhead press. Trap shrugs are at 290lbs with the Smith machine, but I'm looking to attempt them this week with a combination grip and a straight bar.

For my back, combination-grip deadlifts are at 230lbs (estimated, 210lbs + 20ish lb bar), a new PB by far, and seated cable rows are at 260lbs to open.

However, with such an awesome week behind me, I'm still tinged by a bit of self-deprecation. It seems a tad hollow to be so stoked on my gains when entire swaths of shoreline are changed and entire villages/towns are gone in Japan. This morning, I donated to the Canadian Red Cross. I encourage you to do the same via your local Red Cross organization.

Also, take some time to review your own emergency preparedness plans. Ensure you have at least a few days' worth of water and food in your house at all times. Keep a small stockpile of gasoline in a safe place if you need to evacuate - this keeps you from depending on local gas stations that may be overrun with demand.

For those of us in rural areas, a gas or diesel-powered generator makes sense if you want to keep appliances running. See the aforementioned comment about fuel as most generators will only run between 4-12 hours continuously, depending on the load they're servicing and the size of their fuel tank. As an aside, vehicles with larger gas tanks can be either siphoned intermittently to fill the (much) smaller generator tanks - depending on the situation at-hand - or you can get a DC to AC power inverter and use your vehicle as a generator for critical devices. This is my choice if you need to conserve storage space or vehicle payload capacity.

Always keep extra supplies available - cooking capability via BBQ or camp stove, a portable set of dishes, blankets and a couple of good tarps or even a tent (I keep both handy). Be prepared to not only survive for a few days at home at least, but also in case you have to leave your home.

Have a great, productive and safe week everyone!