I wish I could say that I have  been busy at the gym but the past few days have been busy with other things. I missed out on my leg work out yesterday (and couldn't make up for it today), but I am still running in the morning. 5 miles today. Maybe 6 tomorrow. I will be starting week 3 of my arm building routine and I am starting to see amazing growth because of the new workouts I have been doing. The new supps I have been taking are helping out too. Muscle Tech is doing an amazing job with its new product line.  

Here I am, a month into my deployment and wish I could be done with it already. It is 120 degrees or more during the day and still hot as heck at night. 

My training this week is going to consist of the arm routine I pulled from MuscleMag, Jay Cutlers Back Routine, a chest workout from Reps, as well as abs everyday with one day just for that. I am running or doing elliptical 5 days a week, usually doing around 6 miles or an hour, sometimes more and longer. The arm routine I am doing is great, and I am on week 2. It is said to add 1.5 inches of muscle on these guns. I hope so.

Well, just about time to hit the grind. I have been up since 0800 as I had a Fire Marshal class I had to attend, but I sill have to work until midnight. Yay! Isn't it great to be the low man on the pole.

Once, again, I appologize for not being consistent with my postings. It is gonna get worse here in a few days too when we switch back to 12 hour shifts. I haven't been feeling well at all for a few days but I am still pushing myself to go to the gym. Yesterday was chest, today will be biceps. 

Well, got to get ready for work. Oh, and by the way, 2000 lbs is a ton.

Sorry I didn’t update on the leg press competition. I didn’t get to go to it. I was told I had a PT test a few days after that, so I didn’t want to get myself all jacked up from pressing all that weight, and then they cancelled in the next day after the comp. Oh well, gives me time to work up to a higher weight and be even more impressive.

I haven’t been working out real hard core and got a new schedule I will post later. I am gonna have to start going to the gym 3 times a day now I think. I go in the morning for cardio, and then in the afternoon, but I think I will have to add a mid morning short lifting session. I am not finishing my whole workout with my time constraints. So I am missing some key target areas, especially triceps and chest.

I did biceps for about 50 minutes today though. It was insane. But with the supps I’m taking, my pump keeps going well to the end of my workout. So even on the last set when I would usually have given up, I kept on going. I am really focusing on my pumps. I think that is why it’s taking me so long. I focus on squeezing at the top, and letting the weights drop slowly and controlled.

My wife is sending me a body measuring tape, so I can start measuring my progress. That is really key. I am also tracking my workouts now, as well as my diet. I need PROTEIN!!! I am going to get some this evening. Speaking of which, time to go eat and then to our little PX.

Until next time.

I am into week three of my third visit to Iraq. The past week has been real difficult. I just found out a few days ago about the loss of a really good friend I had in the Marine Corps, which has been a privately emotional event for me. Nobody here knows, and only my wife is a virtual shoulder to cry on. Being new to my unit, I don't have any close friendships that I can use to talk on this subject about. I have been talking to his mother and other friends of ours on Facebook, so I am dealing with it the best way I can. It really makes you feel vulnerable when you are out in Iraq with the threat of mortars and missiles looming on the horizon and then you hear a friend back home dies on an ATV on his favorite track.

Other than that, I have been going to the gym daily. Twice usually so I can get some cardio in. I'm taking the "weekend" (since we work everyday, there is no real weekend) off because on monday they are having a leg press competition that I plan to win. The leg press is my strongest move in my book. My best press was 6 reps at 700 lbs. That could make my 1 rep max almost 820 lbs. Thats over 3/4's of a ton. I got this. My long term goal for this year is actually to press 1 ton. 

So thats my week in a nutshell. Sorry I haven't been posting all to often. Now that I am on an 8 hour work schedule, I should be posting more often. Expect pics of the comp and my body progress soon.

Did some legs yesterday and topped off with a little abs to round out the week. I feel real good about working out in Iraq. Also, I started taking some new suppliments that I have been eyeballing for a while. I am doing a MuscleTech stack with Hydroxycut Hardcore X, naNo Vapor Hardcore Pro, and Anabolic Halo Hardcore Pro. What a difference those jugs of magic do for me. After leg pressing 500 lbs yesterday and obliterating my biceps the day before, I feel great. I feel like I could do both workouts again today. Expensive & quality suppliments are expensive for a reason. The really do work.

Day off today. Hitching a helicopter ride sometime this evening to another operating base in Iraq. I hope they have a decent gym there. All I need is free weights. Thats all I need. Some sand bags would work too.

Im in Camp Buehring, Kuwait. I should be in Iraq in a few days but for now I am taking advantage of the awesome USO and MWR facilities they have here. Just went to the gym a little while ago an did a chest and triceps workout, then a little cardio. I will hit it up again tomorrow. Maybe back and shoulders.

I really miss my family and friends and can't wait to get back home to them.

Well, today is the big day. I am headed off to Iraq some time today (won’t say when due to opsec). Just like when I was in the Marines, this will only be a six month long deployment but it is the first deployment I will have away from my kids. So for the rest of the day, the PC’s and Laptops are getting shut down, and I am going to focus on playing with and loving on my kids and wife as much as possible. All week (and through the weekend of the fourth) we have been doing fun things and going out to fun places to eat. We went bowling and took family pictures. We went to a carnival and fun pizza places. That’s what it’s all about. Those fun little things are going to be memories I take with me and cherish for the next six months. I hope every father or mother headed overseas soon takes advantage of the time they have here and spend it wisely.

The Alpha Soldier is signing out for a few days but will be back in Iraq providing some good info direct from “The Suck”. Check back soon.

I recently purchased a brand new Android phone. For those that know me, I am a technology nerd and homebrew programmer, so things like this really pique my interest. I know that the iPhone and iPod touch have had tremendous success with military applications, or apps, but there are actually quite a few for the Android platform. One particular government contractor has noted that, and has begun deploying a program called the Raytheon Android Tactical System. Yes, you may recognize that name, Raytheon. Although not available on the public market, testing is running in deployed units and I wish I could get my hands on it to test it out. For now, I will have to list the top 5 military (or outdoorsman) related apps that will help any soldier, Marine, or other ground pounder whether in the field or in garrison.

5. Compass
Compass by Snaptic is the barebones compass app for Android. I tested out about four different compass apps for my phone, all of which worked quite well and served it’s purpose. There were some others that had some extra frills such as customized components and an all LCD display (showing degrees), however this one is hands down my favorite. Not only does it point you in the right direction, it tells you where you are as well. Once positioned, it told me I was on the 7400 block of my street. Very useful if you are stranded in a city and aren’t quite sure where you are.

4. My Tracks
Google has put out a superb app here which records your GPS tracks which could come in quite handy when on long marches. My Tracks will show you your real-time progress with Google Maps and give you statistics such as; distance, speed, and time. You can even create way points that you can upload or email to other platoons. I can see this as a real life practical application for teams out in the field that need to relay information on the battlefield about possible IED placements or enemy activity.

3. DOD Military Glossary Lite
Every service member from the lowliest private, all the way up to general has probably come across some term or acronym that they have never heard before. A must have for this occasion is this handy dandy little app has hundreds of military jargon explained in a well organized format. There is also a search function built in for finding that word on the fly. There is a paid version as well which has a much larger listing of words, but the lite version seams to have plenty to get you started.

2. Army Flash Cards 2
This app, created by ArmyApps.com, specifically targets soldiers getting ready for a promotion or other special board. There are five versions of the flash card programs, however this is the only one that is free. Each edition has different information. Version 2 includes; Army History, Code of Conduct, Communications, Field Sanitation, Security and Intelligence, and The Army Plan. This is a great one for me since I am an E-4 coming from the Marines and don’t have as much Army knowledge as privates coming out of basic do (or should).

1. Ballistics Calculator
Last but certainly not least is Ballistics Calculator. This amazing little app is perfect for the expert rifleman that we all strive to be. Input data into the calculator such as wind, elevation, and muzzle velocity (too name a few variables) and press the Compute button to calculate how you should set your windage and elevation knobs on your rifle. There is an iPhone app like this which I have heard of being used by snipers in real combat situations.

Just a quick post to announce my son's first birthday. Were taking family pictures today with me in my uniform for my kids to have while I am over there.