Gym regimen - June 2012

Thursday, 28 June 2012
Even Keel (B)
50 min., 99kg

Warmup: stretching, motions with plates (stiff-legged rows [had my hams tight and sore the whole workout! sadface], squatting, overhand cable curls, pulldowns, etc.), etc.

Circuit 1

FSQ: 9, 6, 3 @ 75, 85, 100

IBP: 9, 6, 6* @ 70, 80, 85

[I felt insecure on these until the 3rd set. My pecs felt over-trained, maybe because I did some headstand and handstand training recently. Spotter helped on last 2 reps of 3rd set. My legs were shaking like leaves with exertion, but I squeezed the hell out of the bar and stabilized to get the bar up. Got some thumbs-up from a couple guys in the gym. Meh.] 

DL: 9, 6, 6 @ 110, 120, 140

[Chalk is my friend! I killed the 3rd set. My back was achy a little while afterwards and my hams are going to hate me today and this weekend, but it was nice to dig deep on one of my favorite lifts. Got some more thumbs-up and mild "wooting" from some guys in the gym.] 

Circuit 2

db BP: 12, 10, 10 @ 50kg

[I'm "forced" to use higher volume on these since I'm already using the heaviest db's in the gym. Once I start at my new high school teaching job, I'm sure I won't have the same problem in their weight room. I can't wait!] 

Seated pulldown: 9, 6, 6 @ 111, 113, 115

[I'm already pulling the whole stack on these, too. Quite a challenge after all that deadlifting. High five!] 

Seated cable curl (narrow grip): 10, 9, 8* @ 50, 54, 58

[Used a little body English on the last set but ended with a penitential negative. Good long-head pump!] 

+ + +

Another typhoon is on the way, so the air has been awfully muggy and dusty. Maybe there are some foul ions in the mix, too. The point is that for the first 20 minutes or so of this workout, I was feeling alternately sluggish and wired. I've gone back to taking a B-complex multivitamin in the morning, and creatine monohydrate pre- and post-workout, so maybe I was a bit dehydrated at first. Around midway through, I started feeling more focused and energized. My dilemma was that I didn't want to slack - I never want to - but I also didn't want to train so hard going into my Quick Mass 3-day split regimen next Monday that  I'd begin depleted and quickly over-train. I decided to give my best and may the devil take care.

Fitness notes & grip training…

Tuesday, 26 June 2012
45 min., 99kg

Warmup: Stretching, flail, gyro ball

Headstands + motions: 2 min. X 3 

Hula hoop: 2 min. X 3

Grip crushing:
Heavy 150: 6 closes
CoC #1.5: 4 closes
CoC #2: 6 reps
CoC #1.5: 8 closes
Heavy 150: 16 closes

[Again, both my left and right hand were very close to closing the #2, but that "critical gap" persisted to defy me. In fact, strangely, my left almost seemed to feel stronger than my right hand by the 6th rep. Yet my right hand was clearly stronger in terms of stamina on my two, final "ramp-down" sets. This reminds me of a difference about long-fiber, slow-twitch muscle tissue I recently read about in a good article, "Why Bodybuilders Are More Jacked than Powerlifters". The key point is how, while Fred "Dr. Squat" Hatfield roundly defeated Tom "Big Wheels" Platz in a 1RM, Platz "dusted" Hatfield in a high volume competition. So it seems my left hand is catching up in sheer quasi-1RM power, though it definitely still lags behind my right hand in stamina. I decided not to do any forced closes this time, since past experience has taught me that doing them too regularly leads to tendon strain, which sets my progress back for unneeded recovery.]

Jump rope: 5 min. (w/ small breaks every 150 skips or so)

Gym regimen - June 2012

Sunday, 24 June 2012
Even Keel (A)
50 min., 99kg

Thumbs up, kiddies, my neck and abs were nice and tender today from yesterday's ab-core-calf-neck-grip melee. I keep losing weight, albeit incrementally (it's fat, I reckon), but my numbers keep going up (gradually), so I think I'm on the right track. I've been on the Even Keel regimen since a little after mid-May (I'm including some training I did at home before actually hitting the gym, as a necessary preparation after having been out of the gym too long). However, I do want to try a new regimen for July, which I shall explain below. My wife and I were up late last night (baby boss!), so this afternoon I took a much needed nap. I woke up at 1900 and got to the gym near 2000. It closes at 2100. So while there were very few people in the gym (hooray!), I was still a little groggy from the nap. It was, in short, a mental workout; but not without happy efforts. 

Circuit 1

SQ: 10, 6, 5 @ 90, 105, 120

[I added an extra rep to set 1, and dug deep for 5 reps on set 3.]

BP: 10, 8, 6* @ 75, 85, 95

[Added a rep to set 1, 2 reps to set 2, and 3 reps to set 3, though I slight spotting on the tail-end of set 3. Definitely a new PR plateau. Felt very good.]

SDL: 10, 6, 5* @ 90, 110, 127.5

[Used straps on set 3. I meant to do 125kg, but accidentally put a 5kg plate on the right side instead of a 2.5kg plate, as on the left side. Split the difference.]

Circuit 2

Press: 9, 6, 3* @ 50, 55, 60

[Brutal effort. I guess my BP efforts had taken a lot out of my press, so I had to use a modified split jerk motion on set 3.]

db flye: 12, 10, 8 @ 36, 40.5, 45

[Giving my chest that extra attention, as always. I didn't feel I was overly activating my biceps on these, but, seeing as I did them on the fly (!), I ought to brush up on proper form and see how they feel next time I have a go.]

PU: 8/3, 8/3, Ø

[I did wide-grip pullups, then switched to neutral-grip pullups. By the third set, the gym was closing and I was pretty much "done". Not a tremendous showing, I know, but I think I adequately blasted my back and arms with the SDL. As I like to say and hope, with weight training, there's always next time (otherwise you're wasting your time)! Apropos, here's a good article that mentions the neutral-grip pullup in connection with arm development.]

+ + +

Now, about the new regimen I want to try in July.

New program I want to try for July: The 3-day split "Quick Mass" workout from Bodybuilding.com. The webpage also includes a handy printable format for log-keeping. It's designed to take 45-47 minutes, Mon/Wed/Fri, and all exercises are 1 set of 8-10 reps TO FAILURE. I will alternate form each Wed workout for * selected exercises. Off-days are for hula hoop, jump rope, walking, swimming, headstands, bridging, neck, AND GRIP CRUSHING! I want to go back to a 3-day split not only to increase my metabolic demands, but also to try something different that fits nicely into a month+.

Here's the goods:

*Barbell squat / FSQ -

Leg extension -

Leg curl -

db pullover -

Press -

*Seated cable row / Bent row -

BP -

*Standing bb curl / Close-grip spider curl -

Seated tricep press -

PU -

Dips -

(Standing) Calf raises -

Crunches / Leg lifts -

I'll do my Even Keel (B) workout this week, then start this Quick Mass workout next week (July 2).

Stay tuned.

Fitness notes…

Saturday, 23 June 2012
30 min. / 45 min., 99kg

An active day. My wife went to the baby shower of a friend's wife, so we "guys" headed to a pool to chill out and swim. First we got limbered up in the massage-jet pool I enjoyed (once I regained my breath) one of the coldest ice baths I've ever felt. Then….

Freestyle swimming: 30 min., 1 km

Then we picked up our ladies and I got my cranky baby home to feed, shower, and cool off (poor kid goes nuts in Taiwan's humid air without A/C, especially when surrounded for hours by so many looming strangers). Originally I wanted to go to the gym, but it was late so I decided to train at home and hit the gym tomorrow.

Jump rope : 100+ skips X 3

Wrist roller : twice X 3 + four times X 1 @ 16kg

Neck flexes : 15, 20, 25, 20 @ 9.5kg

Ab wheel : 12, 15, 18, 15

Gut wrench : 40/40 (standing rotation / grappling crunches) X 3 @ 14kg

Fitness & grip training notes...

Thursday, 21 June 2012
45–50 mins., 99kg

Grip training - 

Warmup: Flail, gyro ball, stretching, etc.

Hula hoop: 2 min. X 4 (between crusher sets)

Heavy 150: 7 closes

CoC #1.5: 4 closes

CoC #2: 6 reps (no closes)
[But damn close, and nearly equally on both hands, to boot! I didn't use chalk until this, third, set and the forced closes. Going chalk-free is a psychological boost. I think I might get the #2 closed next time with my right hand. As I say, though, I was pleased to see that my left hand did nearly as well (or as poorly?) as my right hand. I'm all for balance. I think the exertion involved with the #2 and the forced closes, combined with the handstands, has given me a headache. Well.]

CoC #2: forced close - 20 sec.

CoC #1.5: forced close - 30 sec.

Ab/core training -

Handstand: 3 cycles + leg motions (~2 min.)

Cross-crunches: 40 X 3

Leg lifts: 30 X 3

Rowing crunches: 40 X 3

+ + + 

Last night I did several failed attempts at the salamba sursasana, then about three headstands, then a couple sets of crossover crunches and leg lifts.  

Gym regimen - June 2012

Monday, 18 June 2012
Even Keel (B) 
100 min., 99kg 

This workout took longer than I like because the gym was more crowded than usual at 8pm. So I had to let the squat rats and partial-range-of-motion meatheads (PROMOmeats) dissipate before I could get down to bidness. Plus, at various times I had to observe my buddy's form on some lifts, which was cool, because at least he's improving. As for my bodyweight, I remain under 100kg, but am certainly getting stronger (cf. FSQ, IBP, DL, db BP, and cable curl compared to last time for the most salient gains).

+ + + 

Warmup: exercise bike, stretching, motions, waiting, etc.

Circuit 1

FSQ: 9, 6, 3 @ 70kg, 82.5kg, 95kg

IBP: 9, 6, 3*/2* @ 70kg, 80kg, 90kg/80kg

[My buddy gave me a manly spot on the 3rd rep of the 3rd set, then peeled off 10kg for me to do an already drained and spotted 2 reps at 80kg. 好fu!]

DL: 9, 6, 5 @ 110kg, 125kg, 140kg

[CHALK! Chalk made so much of a difference! I really broke through on my 3rd set, without those debilitating grip problems, thanks to chalk. Still, I really need to figure out the hook grip again. Weird muscle amnesia.]

Circuit 2

Seated pulldown: 9, 6, 6 @ 50kg, 51kg, 52kg

[Felt surprisingly drained on these––thanks to the evil deadlift! :) ]

db BP: 12, 12, 12, 12* @ 45kg, 50kg, 50kg, 50kg

[I've got to keep giving my pecs special attention. It wasn't until the last rep of the (spontaneously extra) last set that I truly needed a spot. Thanks, Justin!]

 
supine cable curl: 50kg, 54.5kg, 59kg

[Used a "powerflex" plate (?). Good times. Body English on some of these reps is actually part of the pump: getting that handle all the way to the forehead and releasing slowly. Long head (close-grip) focus FTW.]

Fitness notes…

Sunday, 17 June 2012
35 min., 99kg

I went for a 25-minute jog to a bookstore, grabbed a few books, then jogged back. Felt very good. If by good you mean, "I felt like a lumbering heap of bricks in a bag."

When I got home, I did some tripod handstands using my fists instead of open palms. I felt as secure with those as I felt with open-palm headstands a couple weeks ago. Progress. Yeah.

I don't really mind not gaining weight right now, since I'm cutting fat while still getting stronger (cf. 18 June 2012 Even Keel notes). I know jump rope, hula hoop, and running are the best "gut-busters" out there, so I need to bring them into my regimen. It's not that I mind having a large abdomen, since I know what strength is 'behind' it; I guess I just don't want any "freeloading gut" if I can avoid it, capisce?

Fitness notes...

Saturday, 16 June 2012
30-40 mins., 99kg

Tripod headstand: 1 min. + motions X 3 (cycles)

[I did this just so I could get a workout in before the looming, ominous "all you can ate buffet" to which we treated my in-laws.]

Supine leg lifts: 15/15/10, 15/15/10


Pinches: Sleeping mat (Overhand, Finger-palm, Thumb-fingers) X 3

[I used a quasi-tatami mat, common in Taiwan. I pinched it overhand till failure (which was mere seconds usually, due to the give of the fabric and the sheer ungainliness of the thing), then along one of its seams like hoisting a sack without using your thumbs, then the same thing but with the emphasis on my index and bird-finger and thumb. Nice improv challenge, good for the brachioradialis. Easily quantifiable by time.]

Walking (+ 3-brick block pinching): 30 mins. (10 mins.)

[Later that night, once the buffet had had its way with us, I was sent on an errand, so I decided to walk and complete a lesson on Pimsleur Spanish II. This made for a 30-minute walk, around the midpoint of which I found a block, made of three bricks, on the sidewalk. So I commenced with pinch-grip farmer-walks, in each hand until failure until I got back home. Another cool improv challenge. The stone may have weighed 10kg.]

Fitness notes…

Thursday, 14 June 2012
40 min., 99kg

I guess I've lost some weight. 

Hula hoop: 5 min., 5 min. 

Tripod headstand + leg motions: 1 min., 1 min.

[On the 2nd cycle I rose up from the crow pose (kakasana), which was a satisfying challenge. Eventually, I'd like to cycle out of and back into the kakasana with leg motions (split, side-split, pedaling, etc.).] 

Supine leg lifts: 10/10/10, 15/15/10

Ab wheel: 12, 18

Neck bridge: 1 min., 1 min.

Chakrasana (wheel pose) + eka pada urdhva dhanurasana (the "lightning rod", as I call it): ~1 min., ~1 min.

I didn't even try the salamba sirsasana! Too tired, early to bed tonight!

Some of my workout music: 

Gym regimen - June 2012

Wednesday, 13 June 2012
50–60 min., 100kg
Even Keel (A)

Warmup: motions, stretching, etc.

Circuit 1

SQ: 9, 6, 3 @ 100kg, 110kg, 120kg

BP: 9, 6, 7* @ 80kg, 85kg, 90kg

[Slight spot on 7th rep of 3rd set.]

SDL: 9, 6, 3* @ 100kg, 120kg, 130kg

[Wrists straps for 3rd set.]

Circuit 2

Press (EZ bar): 9, 6, 3* @ 50kg, 55kg, 60kg

[Did a negative on 3rd rep of 3rd set to "make up for" a little body English I used in the 3rd set.]

PU: 12 @ bdw

[Some body English and negatives on the last couple reps.] 

Seated pulldown: 8, 8 @ 115kg

[It was too much of a hassle to work in with the other two guys on the pullup tower, so I did the pulldown instead. It was a solid challenge, good pump.]

Spider curl (EZ bar, narrow grip): 9, 6, 9 @ 40kg, 42.5kg, 45kg

[Another good pump with the long head focus.]

* * *

I can't say I felt tired in this workout, but I could tell my body was less than 100% after my grip training and extensive core/neck training yesterday. It was a "mental" workout, to be sure. SQ felt good. I didn't go as heavy as last time on the BP, but I widened my grip a bit to ensure my elbows were tucked, and ended up doing more volume than last time (1660kg on June 5th vs. 1860kg tonight).

I made good increases in everything else, but definitely need a full recovery. So perhaps my next workout will be on Sunday, maybe even next Monday. As always, I must keep things in perspective: I've only been back on a serious weightlifting regimen since May 27 (or May 21, at the earliest)––just two or three weeks! The road is long. Gains are counted by months and years. Patience, Humility, Confidence, Progression.

Stay tuned.

P.S. I forgot to mention that I worked out barefoot, which was actually pretty cool.

Grip training & misc.…

Tuesday, 12 June 2012
50 min., 100kg

Warmup: gyro ball, stretching, etc.

Heavy 150: 6 closes both hands

CoC #1.5: 3 closes both hands 

CoC #2: 3, 3 NO CLOSES

[I wasn't surprised or discouraged by this lackluster performance. I've been giving my forearms a lot of regular challenges lately, with the gyro ball, flail, handstands, deadlifts, etc. So I believe I'm in a "congealing" period between plateaux. My palm and finger strength has gotten stronger, now I just need to be better about doing two good crusher sessions per week.]

CoC #2 - forced close/hold: 10–15 sec.

CoC #1.5 - forced close/hold: 20 sec.

* * *

Hula hoop: 3 min., 3 min., 3 min., 3 min.

[I added some side-to-side steps, which felt even more aerobic.]

Neck bridge + upward bow (i.e. the chakrāsana or ūrdhvadhanurāsanam): 1 min., 2:30 min.

[I would have gone longer on the first cycle but too little padding made it quite uncomfortable on my forehead. I had fun on the second cycle, throwing in one-leg extensions in the upward bow (i.e. the Eka Pada Urdhva Dhanurāsana). I tried it from the neck bridge position, but I'm not "there" yet.]

Tripod headstand + bent-arm crow pose: 3 cycles

[By cycle I mean a complete motion through set-up and return to the crow pose.]

Salamba sirsasana: several unsuccessful attempts, one successful with my wife stabilizing my ankles

Active recovery…

My active recovery these days is a mix from any of the following:

• grip training (plate pinches, flail, gyro ball, crushers, etc.),
• conditioning (jump rope, Hindu squats & pushups, burpees, tumbling, dueling ropes, lassoing, etc.),
• core work (hula hoop, planking, leg raises, ab wheel, etc.),
• headstanding,
• [I really ought to add some jogging, stairs, and swimming into my program.] 

Apropos the last, I'm getting better at it and my goal is to become skilled at handstands and handwalking, or "the lost art of hand balancing". I've gotten much better at working my legs and core in a headstand tripod (i.e. raising up and lowering down slowly, holding front- and side-splits, cycling, etc.). As such, my next goals are i) training to hold the tripod for time (even 30 seconds would be nice), and ii) doing the sirsasana. I held it once for a few seconds last night, but mostly it was just good practice for tumbling. Heh.

Last night I also did four sets of the gyro ball, the flail, hula hoop, and supine leg raises. Felt good. In the last week I've shed some fat, and dipped back under 100kg, but I can tell I've put on muscle in its place. Patience, Humility, Condfidence. Stay tuned.

Gym regimen - June 2012

Friday, 8 June 2012
Even Keel (B)
100kg, 50+ min.

Warmup: stretching, motions, etc.

FSQ (EZ bar): 9, 6, 4 @ 70kg, 80kg, 90kg
[If you thought the FSQ was awkward, try it with an EZ bar without a squat rack! Yikes! But I did get a few cool small abrasions on my shoulders and collarbones.]

IBP: 9, 6, 6, 4 @ 70kg, 75kg, 80kg, 85kg
[Let's call this another PR! I threw in the 4th set on a whim, and surprised myself. I guess the headstand practice is helping.]

DL (EZ bar): 9, 6, 10 @ 90kg, 110kg, 120kg
[Actually felt good on the EZ bar, since the slight curvature seemed to provide a better grip. Alas, though, it can only load so much weight.]

db IBP: 5/5, 10, 10 @ 41kg/50kg, 50kg, 50kg
[Maybe I need to switch to dips and pushups, since I'm already doing every set with the heaviest db's in my gym.]

Seated cable curl: 12, 12, 10 @ 41kg, 45.5kg, 55kg
[Working the long (outer) head felt great! A super pump. I'll be training the next two weeks with a long-head emphasis.]

Machine FSQ: 9, 9, 9 @ 146-172, 158-185, 169-199lbs [66-90kg]
[The machine said there was a weight gradient over the course of extension: from starting to finishing weight. It felt good to work my quads, reminded me a bit of my rowing days.]

Variety, spices, and all that…

This blog recently reminded of a silver, if not golden, rule of weight training: MIX IT UP.

I'm very pleased with my Even Keel regimen, and intend to keep at it at least until I find a gym in America (ca. July or August 2012). Even so, I do research to keep myself on my toes.

So, here are two ideas I've had recently that I think will help keep my body "on its toes".

1. Alternate weekly or twice-weekly based on geometry.

That is, even if I stick with an A-B Even Keel routine, let's have, say, week 1 of 4 focus on the quads vs. hamstrings (with a higher back squat and front squats vs. a lower and wider back squat), the long vs. short bicep heads (with narrow vs. wide grips, respectively), the greater vs. lesser pectorals (with wider vs. closer grips), mid-back vs. wide-back pulls (with closer and higher vs. wider and lower position), etc.

2. Every 6–8 weeks, switch to a month of 5x5.

I.e. do my bi-weekly Even Keel workouts for 6–8 weeks, then switch to a month of higher volume "cutting" work on a 5x5 regimen.

Oh, and a third goal:

3. Flesh out my strength and grip training with "beast skills". 

My current main goal is the handstand and hand-walking, and to master/close the CoC #2.5, before I get to the #3.

Gym regimen - June 2012

Tuesday, 5 June 2012

60 min., 100kg

Even Keel (A)

Warmup: motions, stretching, etc. 

Circuit 1

SQ: 9, 6, 3 @ 90kg, 105kg, 120kg 

BP: 9, 6, 5** @ 75kg, 85kg, 95kg 

[My buddy spotted me on 4th rep of 3rd set and saved me on 5th rep of 3rd set heheh!] 

SDL: 9, 6, 3* @ 100kg, 115kg, 130kg 

[Used straps for 3rd set.]

Circuit 2 

Press (EZ bar): 9, 6, 6 @ 45kg, 50kg, 55kg 

[Felt alright, could have gone heavier, I'll give it a whirl next week.] 

PU: 12, 11*, 11* @ bdw 

[Felt pretty good, but, understandably, a lot of me is fried after my SQ-BP-SDL circuit.] 

Spider curl (EZ bar): 9, 6, 3 @ 35kg, 40kg, 45kg 

[These are awesome(ly evil) right after pullups.]  

++++++++

I felt pretty charged up for this workout, and it was nice to get some "real weight" on the bar for my squat, after a long hiatus. 

Also, new PR for bench press. I figure doing 3 solid reps 95kg on my last set of a circuit puts me in the 110kg 1RM range. 

Stay tuned.