3 min erg @ 24-26 bpm
25 med balk thrust catches
12/12, 13/13, 15/15 helicopters @ 20 lb
----
x 3
HR 150-180 for 25 min
Tuesday, July 13, 2021
Monday, July 12, 2021
"Getting strong now..."
Saturday I took it easy, went for a walk with the kids, our dog, and my mom. Had some people over for my birthday party, mostly my kids' friends visiting from up north.
Sunday I did:
10 Lifeline presses @ 60°
10 Lifeline rows @ 45°
15 Hindu squats
10/10 hanging curls @ 25 lb
15 Hindu squats
— 3 sets
HR 140-180 bpm for 22 min
Friday, July 9, 2021
Day 3 of ... general rehabilitation
3 min erg @ 25-26 spm
2 min med ball thrust and catch
30 sec rest between exercises
x 3 = 150-180 bpm x 22 min
Thursday, July 8, 2021
It's been a while...
last post here was in February 2019
since then I have maintained a basic level of fitness due to the physical demands of my job, but am otherwise extremely out of shape with abysmal pulmonary stamina
largely this is due to a general existential "funk" I've been in for a few years, but at bottom it was simply a choice of mine not to make time for systematic exercise
leaving aside the sporadic "bouts" of exercise I have had in the past few months (erg, walking, weights, beach play, etc.), I hope to resume blogging about the exercise I'm returning to
today I did a basic circuit using my Lifeline Jungle Gym straps and a 20 lb dumbell*
60° flye presses x 12
45° rows x 10
Hindu squats x 12
hanging curls x 12 @ 20 lb
[5 circuits]
*I used a 3:1 concentric:eccentric rate for all exercises except Hindu squats
Day 2 of... a return to normalcy?
2 min erg @ 26 spm
12/12 of 20 lb helicopter swings
25/25 sec 25/25 sec of mace rotations
15/15 of 25 lb kettlebell swings
30 sec rest between exercises
x 3 = 140-200 bpm for 30 min
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Return to strength update...
26 January 2019
65 minutes, 130-180 bpm
Circuit "A" (push)
seated shoulder press - 120# x 14, 130# x 9, 120# x 9
db bench press - 55# x 13, 60# x 8, 55# x 9
Smith SQ - 145# x 12, 165# x 10, 155# x 11
Circuit "B" (pull)
cable pulldown - 130# x 14, 150# x 11, 150# x 11
spider curl - 60# x 13, 60# x 12, 60# x 13
Smith SQ - 165# x 9, 155# x 9, 155# x 9
5 February 2019
50 minutes, 130-190 bpm
Circuit "A"
Smith neck press - 95# x 20, 135# x 16, 135# x 15
seated row - 160# x 15, 160# x 14, 160# x 14
db lunges - 35# x 10/10, 40# x 9/9, 45# x 8/8
Circuit "B"
"wall" cable curls - 50# x 19, 60# x 18, 80# x 15
db pullover - 55# x 15, 60# x 15, 65# x 14
incline treadmill jog - (incline setting 10 @ 4.5 mph) 90 sec of 120 sec
[I banged my knees on stuff at work last week, so I knew I couldn't go HAM on squatting. Plus, tbh, I'm getting older, so maybe I don't need to be going HAM on anything--which is not to say that I shouldn't train hard. It just means I need to respect my biological progression over time, and adjust my training to maximize my strength gains while minimizing my recovery time.
[So, I am pleased with my prudential pivot to do lunges instead of mere leg extensions, as well as my on-the-fly decision to do treadmill drills instead of mere deadlifts. I simply must strengthen my legs to sustain moving me through space as needed, and keep my creeping gut at bay. Plus, an inclined jog serves well enough as hamstring training. So, look for more of this kind of "cross-training."]
65 minutes, 130-180 bpm
Circuit "A" (push)
seated shoulder press - 120# x 14, 130# x 9, 120# x 9
db bench press - 55# x 13, 60# x 8, 55# x 9
Smith SQ - 145# x 12, 165# x 10, 155# x 11
Circuit "B" (pull)
cable pulldown - 130# x 14, 150# x 11, 150# x 11
spider curl - 60# x 13, 60# x 12, 60# x 13
Smith SQ - 165# x 9, 155# x 9, 155# x 9
5 February 2019
50 minutes, 130-190 bpm
Circuit "A"
Smith neck press - 95# x 20, 135# x 16, 135# x 15
seated row - 160# x 15, 160# x 14, 160# x 14
db lunges - 35# x 10/10, 40# x 9/9, 45# x 8/8
Circuit "B"
"wall" cable curls - 50# x 19, 60# x 18, 80# x 15
db pullover - 55# x 15, 60# x 15, 65# x 14
incline treadmill jog - (incline setting 10 @ 4.5 mph) 90 sec of 120 sec
[I banged my knees on stuff at work last week, so I knew I couldn't go HAM on squatting. Plus, tbh, I'm getting older, so maybe I don't need to be going HAM on anything--which is not to say that I shouldn't train hard. It just means I need to respect my biological progression over time, and adjust my training to maximize my strength gains while minimizing my recovery time.
[So, I am pleased with my prudential pivot to do lunges instead of mere leg extensions, as well as my on-the-fly decision to do treadmill drills instead of mere deadlifts. I simply must strengthen my legs to sustain moving me through space as needed, and keep my creeping gut at bay. Plus, an inclined jog serves well enough as hamstring training. So, look for more of this kind of "cross-training."]
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Return to strength - Planet Fitness: Hexagonal Closest Stacking Edition
18 January 2019
50-55 min., 150-180 bpm
warm-up: testing out motions and weights
A circuit:
1) unilateral db press - 40# x 13, 45# x 12, 50# x 12
2) db flye - 40# x 15, 45# x 11, 50# x 9
3) Smith FSQ - 105# x 10, 120# x 11, 140# x 7
B circuit:
1) seated cable row - 110# x 16, 130# x 14, 150# x 13
2) bb spider curl - 50# x 13, 60# x 12, 60# x 12
3) Smith FSQ - 135# x 11, 135# x 10, 135# x 11
I was reading Stephen Barr's Modern Physics and Ancient Faith last week and on page 78, amidst a discussion of symmetry and design, Barr mentions that the most compact way to stack marbles in a box, as an example of order, is known as a "hexagonal closest stacking" (hcp) [link]. His point is that the order of the hcp matrix is a result of the deeper symmetry of the (designed) symmetry of the spheres themselves.
This illustration, in turn, reminded me of a mathematical puzzle I read about years ago, perhaps in Amir Aczel's Fermat's Last Theorem, about a proof for the most optimized arrangement of objects inside a container (though I'm probably misremembering it). By the end of last night's workout, I realized an application of hcp-ordering in my fitness life: I'm going to need to "optimize" my training at Planet Fitness or I'm going to outgrow it within weeks.
Last night, while squatting, I started to feel my old instinct and capacity for strength return, and I knew it's only a matter of time before I regain enough strength to start training with very heavy weights. This will, in turn, put me in risk of setting off the infamous "Lunk Alarm" at Planet Fitness. That is a bridge I will cross when I must.
Even apart from heavy squatting and big lifts that would entail dread sounds of exertion in the trademarked "no judgment zone" that is Planet Fitness, I realized that I'll need to make the most of the impressive array of cable machines there. There are no free barbells and the fixed-weight barbells only go up to 60 lbs. This is fortuitous in its own right, since it will force me to train my way to the heaviest available dumbbells (80#?), which is a practice I endorse anyway.
I foresee using pre-exhaustion, unilateral, thick-grip, drop sets, and high-intensity methods to "stack" as much training capacity into Planet Fitness as possible. Stay tuned...
50-55 min., 150-180 bpm
warm-up: testing out motions and weights
A circuit:
1) unilateral db press - 40# x 13, 45# x 12, 50# x 12
2) db flye - 40# x 15, 45# x 11, 50# x 9
3) Smith FSQ - 105# x 10, 120# x 11, 140# x 7
B circuit:
1) seated cable row - 110# x 16, 130# x 14, 150# x 13
2) bb spider curl - 50# x 13, 60# x 12, 60# x 12
3) Smith FSQ - 135# x 11, 135# x 10, 135# x 11
I was reading Stephen Barr's Modern Physics and Ancient Faith last week and on page 78, amidst a discussion of symmetry and design, Barr mentions that the most compact way to stack marbles in a box, as an example of order, is known as a "hexagonal closest stacking" (hcp) [link]. His point is that the order of the hcp matrix is a result of the deeper symmetry of the (designed) symmetry of the spheres themselves.
This illustration, in turn, reminded me of a mathematical puzzle I read about years ago, perhaps in Amir Aczel's Fermat's Last Theorem, about a proof for the most optimized arrangement of objects inside a container (though I'm probably misremembering it). By the end of last night's workout, I realized an application of hcp-ordering in my fitness life: I'm going to need to "optimize" my training at Planet Fitness or I'm going to outgrow it within weeks.
Last night, while squatting, I started to feel my old instinct and capacity for strength return, and I knew it's only a matter of time before I regain enough strength to start training with very heavy weights. This will, in turn, put me in risk of setting off the infamous "Lunk Alarm" at Planet Fitness. That is a bridge I will cross when I must.
Even apart from heavy squatting and big lifts that would entail dread sounds of exertion in the trademarked "no judgment zone" that is Planet Fitness, I realized that I'll need to make the most of the impressive array of cable machines there. There are no free barbells and the fixed-weight barbells only go up to 60 lbs. This is fortuitous in its own right, since it will force me to train my way to the heaviest available dumbbells (80#?), which is a practice I endorse anyway.
I foresee using pre-exhaustion, unilateral, thick-grip, drop sets, and high-intensity methods to "stack" as much training capacity into Planet Fitness as possible. Stay tuned...
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Return to strength update: Smith Machine Tho
15 January 2019
45 min., 150-180 bpm
warm-up: feeling out weights and motions of coming workout
Three sets of A1-A3, then three of B1-B3. Feels good man.
A1: seated shoulder press - 80# x 15, 90# x 15, 100# x 12
A2: db bench press - 40# x 15, 50# x 13, 55# x 8
A3: Smith squat - 135# x 8, 9, 10
B1: seated pulldown - 100# x 15, 120# x 14, 140# x 13
B2: spider curl - 50# x 15, 60# x 13, 60# x 13
B3: Smith squat (wider stance) - 155# x 10, 10, 10
45 min., 150-180 bpm
warm-up: feeling out weights and motions of coming workout
Three sets of A1-A3, then three of B1-B3. Feels good man.
A1: seated shoulder press - 80# x 15, 90# x 15, 100# x 12
A2: db bench press - 40# x 15, 50# x 13, 55# x 8
A3: Smith squat - 135# x 8, 9, 10
B1: seated pulldown - 100# x 15, 120# x 14, 140# x 13
B2: spider curl - 50# x 15, 60# x 13, 60# x 13
B3: Smith squat (wider stance) - 155# x 10, 10, 10
Sunday, January 13, 2019
Return to strength update: "para-workout" edition
January 13, 2019
130-160 bpm for 40 min.
I refer to supplemental workouts like as "para-workouts." I suppose it might also count as "greasing the groove." Either way, I always enjoy tying shrug work and farmer carries into my larger workout regimen. I'm keeping my neck warm tonight, for fear of neck kinks tomorrow.
ski-step machine:
12 min.
shrug circuit:
1) farmer carry - 60# dbs x 100, 105, 110 steps
2) Kelso shrug - 135# x 12, 12, 12
3) stiff leg DL - 135# x 12, 12, 12
4) bench shrug - 185# x 12, 12, 12
130-160 bpm for 40 min.
I refer to supplemental workouts like as "para-workouts." I suppose it might also count as "greasing the groove." Either way, I always enjoy tying shrug work and farmer carries into my larger workout regimen. I'm keeping my neck warm tonight, for fear of neck kinks tomorrow.
ski-step machine:
12 min.
shrug circuit:
1) farmer carry - 60# dbs x 100, 105, 110 steps
2) Kelso shrug - 135# x 12, 12, 12
3) stiff leg DL - 135# x 12, 12, 12
4) bench shrug - 185# x 12, 12, 12
Saturday, January 12, 2019
Return to strength update...
January 10, 2019
140-180 bpm, 38 min.
erg:
5 min., 1240m, 23 spm
dumbbell complex: 35, 30, 25 lbs.
lunges - 10/10, 10/10, 10/10
curl-press - 10, 10, 10
row-good morning - 10, 10, 10
squat - 10, 10, 10
bent tricep extension - 10, 10, 10
calf-shrug - 10, 10, 10
neck press: 115 lbs.
15, 15, 15
140-180 bpm, 38 min.
erg:
5 min., 1240m, 23 spm
dumbbell complex: 35, 30, 25 lbs.
lunges - 10/10, 10/10, 10/10
curl-press - 10, 10, 10
row-good morning - 10, 10, 10
squat - 10, 10, 10
bent tricep extension - 10, 10, 10
calf-shrug - 10, 10, 10
neck press: 115 lbs.
15, 15, 15
Sunday, January 6, 2019
Mid-life gym workout updates...
December 20, 2018
Heart rate: 160-200 for 30-40 minutes.
I ate the humble pie and started with the "Planet Express", which is a full-body, 30-minute station exercise area that has you alternate between a minute of cable resistance machine exercise, 30 seconds of rest, a minute of step-platform movements of your choice, cued by a red and green light overhead.
At the end of it, I did
5 minutes of erg work: 1174m @ about 24 spm.
December 29, 2018
Heart rate: 160-180 for 30-40 minutes
I did the Planet Express workout again, followed by
5 minutes of erging: 1204m @ about 24 spm.
January 6, 2019
Heart rate: 155-180 bpm for 35-40 min.
Today I sallied forth into the hallowed old realms of weightlifting. There are no free-weight barbell stations at Planet Fitness, which is a bridge I may have to cross when I get that strong again. For now, I remain firmly convinced that there's almost no need to use a barbell until you are able to manhandle heavy dumbbells for all the key movements at a respectable volume. And I see myself learning to love the much maligned Smith machine. More on that later, as things progress... the following is me working myself back into an Even Keel and HIT routine:
Erg -
5 minutes: 1220m @ 25 spm
Dumbbell complex @ 30, 25, 25 lbs. dumbbells -
lunges: 10/10, 10/10, 5/5
curl-press: 10, 10, 8
bent row-good morning: 10, 10, 8
squat: 10, 10, 8
bent tricep extension: 10, 10, 8
calf raise-shrug: 10, 10, 8
Smith machine neck press -
15, 15, 15 @ 95 lbs.
Heart rate: 160-200 for 30-40 minutes.
So, I joined Planet Fitness. It's very cheap per month, and is on my way to and from work, and not even ten minutes away from home, at that.
I ate the humble pie and started with the "Planet Express", which is a full-body, 30-minute station exercise area that has you alternate between a minute of cable resistance machine exercise, 30 seconds of rest, a minute of step-platform movements of your choice, cued by a red and green light overhead.
At the end of it, I did
5 minutes of erg work: 1174m @ about 24 spm.
December 29, 2018
Heart rate: 160-180 for 30-40 minutes
I did the Planet Express workout again, followed by
5 minutes of erging: 1204m @ about 24 spm.
January 6, 2019
Heart rate: 155-180 bpm for 35-40 min.
Today I sallied forth into the hallowed old realms of weightlifting. There are no free-weight barbell stations at Planet Fitness, which is a bridge I may have to cross when I get that strong again. For now, I remain firmly convinced that there's almost no need to use a barbell until you are able to manhandle heavy dumbbells for all the key movements at a respectable volume. And I see myself learning to love the much maligned Smith machine. More on that later, as things progress... the following is me working myself back into an Even Keel and HIT routine:
Erg -
5 minutes: 1220m @ 25 spm
Dumbbell complex @ 30, 25, 25 lbs. dumbbells -
lunges: 10/10, 10/10, 5/5
curl-press: 10, 10, 8
bent row-good morning: 10, 10, 8
squat: 10, 10, 8
bent tricep extension: 10, 10, 8
calf raise-shrug: 10, 10, 8
Smith machine neck press -
15, 15, 15 @ 95 lbs.
Monday, September 10, 2018
Get back on the good foot...
9/10/2018 (Monday)
224 lbs.
25 min.
140-160 bpm
1) 8 lb. sledgehammer drills: saggital chops 7/7, golf swings 7/7, log splitters 7/7
2) 35 lb. KB swing: 10/10
3) decline "perfect" pushups (feet 8 in. off the ground): 12, 12, 12
4) 35 lb. KB swing: 10/10
5) skip rope: 60 skips
6) 35 lb. KB swing: 10/10
7) repeat for a total of three sets
8) decline "perfect" pushups (feet 8 in. off the ground): 10
224 lbs.
25 min.
140-160 bpm
1) 8 lb. sledgehammer drills: saggital chops 7/7, golf swings 7/7, log splitters 7/7
2) 35 lb. KB swing: 10/10
3) decline "perfect" pushups (feet 8 in. off the ground): 12, 12, 12
4) 35 lb. KB swing: 10/10
5) skip rope: 60 skips
6) 35 lb. KB swing: 10/10
7) repeat for a total of three sets
8) decline "perfect" pushups (feet 8 in. off the ground): 10
Saturday, September 8, 2018
Spud no more...
Day 2 of a program to get myself back into shape to return to proper weightlifting.
7 Sept. 2018 (Friday)
220 lbs.
20-22 min.
160-190 bpm
warm-up...
1) 8 lb. sledgehammer drills: 6/6 saggital chops, 6/6 golf swings, 6/6 log splitters
2) 35 lbs. KB swing: 10/10/10/10
3) 45 lbs. (?) curl-presses: 10
4) 35 lbs. KB squat thrusters: 6/6
5) with 30-60 seconds of rest between exercises, repeat steps 1)-4) two more times
8 Sept. 2018 (Saturday)
222 lbs.
35 min.
140-170 bpm
warm-up: light erg for 3 min.
1) erg: moderately intense 3 min. (rating 27-31)
2) chin-ups: 8, 8, 8
3) Hindu squats: 20, 20, 20
4) CoC 1.5 for reps; finish with infinite grip machine set at 2/6: 8; 20, 8; 20, 7; 20
5) repeat for three sets
7 Sept. 2018 (Friday)
220 lbs.
20-22 min.
160-190 bpm
warm-up...
1) 8 lb. sledgehammer drills: 6/6 saggital chops, 6/6 golf swings, 6/6 log splitters
2) 35 lbs. KB swing: 10/10/10/10
3) 45 lbs. (?) curl-presses: 10
4) 35 lbs. KB squat thrusters: 6/6
5) with 30-60 seconds of rest between exercises, repeat steps 1)-4) two more times
8 Sept. 2018 (Saturday)
222 lbs.
35 min.
140-170 bpm
warm-up: light erg for 3 min.
1) erg: moderately intense 3 min. (rating 27-31)
2) chin-ups: 8, 8, 8
3) Hindu squats: 20, 20, 20
4) CoC 1.5 for reps; finish with infinite grip machine set at 2/6: 8; 20, 8; 20, 7; 20
5) repeat for three sets
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
Three years a spud...
Well, let's hope that's the end of that.
By that I mean the three or so years of aimless-exercise-slash-shiftless-aimlessness that the period between this post and the previous one suggests.
Have I not done any exercise since March 2015?
No, but, except for a brief, fairly consistent stint at a local gym, and some very random calisthenics every few weeks or months, I haven't spent much time or mental effort on personal fitness.
Fortunately, decent genes, decent eating habits, and physically demanding work and hobbies have kept me in, well, decent shape.
Be that as it may, my cardiovascular stamina is deplorable, and I have probably lost up to 20 pounds of muscle over the past three years (but probably only about 15).
A few weeks ago, I got a stomach virus/gastritis, and I think I went from 225 to 215. Since then I have eaten and active-lifestyled my way back up to maybe 220.
Starting Sunday, I somehow convinced myself to begin an old standby program I learned about years ago from Rich Bryda's e-books. Today at work I manged to convince a coworker to try it out with me, and by the end of the day we had agreed to get back into a proper fitness regimen.
And so it begins.
Almost as soon as I got home, I put on my sneakers, dug up some old training equipment from the forgotten recesses of my garage, and battled Old Man Entropy once again. I hope this marks a serious return to regaining strength and fitness as "40" looms less than a year away.
---------------
weight: 218 lbs.
time: 25 min.
pulse: 150-180 bpm
warm-up: basic movements to activate muscle memory
1) 8 lb. sledgehammer smash: 5/5 sagittal chops, 5/5 golf drives, 5/5 log splitters
2) jump rope: 50 skips (various)
3) 25 lb. KB swings: 20/20
4) step 2
5) 25 lb. KB press squats: 5/5
6) step 2
7) repeat steps 1-6 two more times
By that I mean the three or so years of aimless-exercise-slash-shiftless-aimlessness that the period between this post and the previous one suggests.
Have I not done any exercise since March 2015?
No, but, except for a brief, fairly consistent stint at a local gym, and some very random calisthenics every few weeks or months, I haven't spent much time or mental effort on personal fitness.
Fortunately, decent genes, decent eating habits, and physically demanding work and hobbies have kept me in, well, decent shape.
Be that as it may, my cardiovascular stamina is deplorable, and I have probably lost up to 20 pounds of muscle over the past three years (but probably only about 15).
A few weeks ago, I got a stomach virus/gastritis, and I think I went from 225 to 215. Since then I have eaten and active-lifestyled my way back up to maybe 220.
Starting Sunday, I somehow convinced myself to begin an old standby program I learned about years ago from Rich Bryda's e-books. Today at work I manged to convince a coworker to try it out with me, and by the end of the day we had agreed to get back into a proper fitness regimen.
And so it begins.
Almost as soon as I got home, I put on my sneakers, dug up some old training equipment from the forgotten recesses of my garage, and battled Old Man Entropy once again. I hope this marks a serious return to regaining strength and fitness as "40" looms less than a year away.
---------------
weight: 218 lbs.
time: 25 min.
pulse: 150-180 bpm
warm-up: basic movements to activate muscle memory
1) 8 lb. sledgehammer smash: 5/5 sagittal chops, 5/5 golf drives, 5/5 log splitters
2) jump rope: 50 skips (various)
3) 25 lb. KB swings: 20/20
4) step 2
5) 25 lb. KB press squats: 5/5
6) step 2
7) repeat steps 1-6 two more times
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
HIT workouts... Overcoming that inertia, focus on the numbers... Stupid left knee...
Tuesday, 3/10/15
5 min, warmup, stretching, motions
27 min.
leg press: 270 x 17e
FSQ: 205 x 9c
RDL: 235 x 9e
flye: 170 x 11e
press: 220 x 8e
cable pulldown: 170 x 13c
db seated MP: 100 x 9c
tricep cable pressdown: 70 x 9e
bb curl: 80 x 7e*
Saturday, 3/14/15
232 lbs., 5 min. warmup
27 min.
FSQ: 215 x 10e
RDL: 265 x 8e
seated flye: 180 x 10c
seated press: 220 x 10c
cable pulldown: 180 x 12e
bb curl: 80 x 9e
seated db MP: 50/50 x 11c
cable tri pressdown: 80 x 12e
db farmer
carry: 85/85 x 68 steps, 18 steps
Monday, 3/16/15
1500m erg piece - 5:11.4 (1.5 rests for breath)
Then when I got to the boathouse, I discovered there was no practice that day, but then the head coach suggested I take a scull out. I took him up on the offer, rowed for a solid hour, but had less fun than I had anticipated--but was relieved to discover afterwards that this was because I had set up some equipment incorrectly. 囧 。。。ç³—
Tuesday, 3/17/15
a very active practice tuckered me out; slept early :)
Wednesday, 3/18/15
warm-up: 10 minutes
30 min.
FSQ: 215 x 12c
RDL: 275 x 11c
seated pec flye: 190 x 11c
seated press: 220 x 11e
underhand pulldown: 190 x 12c
bb curl: 80 x 10e* / 1e (overhand grip)
tricep pressdown: 90 (?) x 10c
5 min, warmup, stretching, motions
27 min.
leg press: 270 x 17e
FSQ: 205 x 9c
RDL: 235 x 9e
flye: 170 x 11e
press: 220 x 8e
cable pulldown: 170 x 13c
db seated MP: 100 x 9c
tricep cable pressdown: 70 x 9e
bb curl: 80 x 7e*
Saturday, 3/14/15
232 lbs., 5 min. warmup
27 min.
FSQ: 215 x 10e
RDL: 265 x 8e
seated flye: 180 x 10c
seated press: 220 x 10c
cable pulldown: 180 x 12e
bb curl: 80 x 9e
seated db MP: 50/50 x 11c
cable tri pressdown: 80 x 12e
db farmer
carry: 85/85 x 68 steps, 18 steps
Monday, 3/16/15
1500m erg piece - 5:11.4 (1.5 rests for breath)
Then when I got to the boathouse, I discovered there was no practice that day, but then the head coach suggested I take a scull out. I took him up on the offer, rowed for a solid hour, but had less fun than I had anticipated--but was relieved to discover afterwards that this was because I had set up some equipment incorrectly. 囧 。。。ç³—
Tuesday, 3/17/15
a very active practice tuckered me out; slept early :)
Wednesday, 3/18/15
warm-up: 10 minutes
30 min.
FSQ: 215 x 12c
RDL: 275 x 11c
seated pec flye: 190 x 11c
seated press: 220 x 11e
underhand pulldown: 190 x 12c
bb curl: 80 x 10e* / 1e (overhand grip)
[significant body English last couple reps for brutal negatives]
seated db MP: 55/55 x 10ctricep pressdown: 90 (?) x 10c
[It may have been 100 lbs, because an extra plate sometimes sticks to the bottom of the weight stack on my gym's machines.]
farmer carry: 85/85 x 72 steps, 30 steps
Sunday, March 15, 2015
This changes everything... Well, not really...
[I found my notes from my 3/10/15 workout! Below are the changes from what I remembered to what I had actually done, as well as notes from my workout this evening.]
3/10/15
5 min, warmup, stretching, motions
27 min.
leg press:270 x 15e 270 x 17e
FSQ:215 x 8c 205 x 9c
RDL:245 x 9e (?) 235 x 9e
flye:170 x 10e 170 x 11e
press:220 x 8e (?) 220 x 8e
cable pulldown:170 x 12e (?) 170 x 13c
db seated MP:100 x 9c 100 x 9c
tricep cable pressdown: 70 x 9e
bb curl: 80 x 7e*
3/14/15
232 lbs., 5 min. warmup
27 min.
FSQ: 215 x 10e
RDL: 265 x 8e
seated flye: 180 x 10c
seated press: 220 x 10c
cable pulldown: 180 x 12e
bb curl: 80 x 9e
seated db MP: 50/50 x 11c
cable tri pressdown: 80 x 12e
db farmer carry: 85/85 x 68 steps, 18 steps
3/10/15
5 min, warmup, stretching, motions
27 min.
leg press:
FSQ:
RDL:
flye:
press:
cable pulldown:
db seated MP:
tricep cable pressdown: 70 x 9e
bb curl: 80 x 7e*
3/14/15
232 lbs., 5 min. warmup
27 min.
FSQ: 215 x 10e
RDL: 265 x 8e
seated flye: 180 x 10c
seated press: 220 x 10c
cable pulldown: 180 x 12e
bb curl: 80 x 9e
seated db MP: 50/50 x 11c
cable tri pressdown: 80 x 12e
db farmer carry: 85/85 x 68 steps, 18 steps
Friday, March 13, 2015
HIT updates et miscellanea...
3/1/15 (?)
5 min. warmup
FSQ: 195 x 10c
RDL: 255 x 11c
flye: 160 x 11c
press: 220 x 10c
pulldown: 160 x 12c
pullover: 85 x 10c
bb seated MP: 90 x 11c
bb curl: 80 x 8e
tricep pressdown: 100/90 x 5e/3e
3/6/15
afternoon...
rowing erg:
5 min. warmup
1500m piece - 5:19.9 (two pauses for breath!)
[I got a Class C Concept II erg from a coworker/friend for an AMAZING price. I intend to use it regularly.]
evening...
leg press: 270 x 10e
Smith FSQ: 190 x 5e
cable flye: 120 x 9c
T-row: 125 x 8e
db press: 140 x 9e
cable pulldown: 150 x 9c
tricep cable press: 70 x 10c
bicep bb curl: 75 x 8e
[This was after a team dinner, and coming off days of feeling "not quite right". Eff it. Had to do something.]
3/10/15
5 min, warmup, stretching, motions
leg press: 270 x 15e
FSQ: 215 x 8c
RDL: 245 x 9e (?)
flye: 170 x 10e
press: 220 x 8e (?)
cable pulldown: 170 x 12e (?)
db seated MP: 100 x 9c
tricep cable pressdown:
bb curl: 80 x 7e
[Can't find my note paper from this workout, working from memory.]
3/12/15
erg rowing:
3.5 minute warmup
2 min. stretching
1500m piece - 5:16.8 (with three pauses for breath!!)
90 sec. pulse check, walkabout
5:16 cooldown row
[Three seconds faster than last time, and I'm intent on restoring my aerobic capacity. Oh, and I will be using squats to nurse my fragile left knee back to health, too. Stay tuned.]
5 min. warmup
FSQ: 195 x 10c
RDL: 255 x 11c
flye: 160 x 11c
press: 220 x 10c
pulldown: 160 x 12c
pullover: 85 x 10c
bb seated MP: 90 x 11c
bb curl: 80 x 8e
tricep pressdown: 100/90 x 5e/3e
3/6/15
afternoon...
rowing erg:
5 min. warmup
1500m piece - 5:19.9 (two pauses for breath!)
[I got a Class C Concept II erg from a coworker/friend for an AMAZING price. I intend to use it regularly.]
evening...
leg press: 270 x 10e
Smith FSQ: 190 x 5e
cable flye: 120 x 9c
T-row: 125 x 8e
db press: 140 x 9e
cable pulldown: 150 x 9c
tricep cable press: 70 x 10c
bicep bb curl: 75 x 8e
[This was after a team dinner, and coming off days of feeling "not quite right". Eff it. Had to do something.]
3/10/15
5 min, warmup, stretching, motions
leg press: 270 x 15e
FSQ: 215 x 8c
RDL: 245 x 9e (?)
flye: 170 x 10e
press: 220 x 8e (?)
cable pulldown: 170 x 12e (?)
db seated MP: 100 x 9c
tricep cable pressdown:
bb curl: 80 x 7e
[Can't find my note paper from this workout, working from memory.]
3/12/15
erg rowing:
3.5 minute warmup
2 min. stretching
1500m piece - 5:16.8 (with three pauses for breath!!)
90 sec. pulse check, walkabout
5:16 cooldown row
[Three seconds faster than last time, and I'm intent on restoring my aerobic capacity. Oh, and I will be using squats to nurse my fragile left knee back to health, too. Stay tuned.]
Monday, February 23, 2015
"Now THAT'S a spicy meatball!" And other HIT notes...
2/7/15
34 minutes, 228 lbs.
[This was a free trial workout at the Bailey's gym nearest to me. Good machines, but I lost time finding them and figuring out how to use them. There was definitely a harder core population there, which is a plus, and the price is right, but my current gym is just located so conveniently, and almost certainly less crowded than Bailey's would be.]
warm-up - 6-10 minutes
leg curl: 110 x 13c
leg extension: 130 x 12c
horizontal leg press: 250 x 7c (!)
[At first I thought the tracks were locked, but after inspecting it, I tried again, only to find that, in fact, THAT is what 250 pounds of dead weight really feels like! This discrepancy in equipment almost convinced by itself to switch to Bailey's, but... we'll see.]
chest flye: 130 x 10c
chest press: 205 x 6c
T-row: 130 x 12c
seated MP: 80/90/100 x 1/1/6
bb curl: 80/70 x 6e/2e
cable tricep extension: 80 x 11c
seated hypers: 240 x 14c
[Nice machine, but nothing can touch the MedX lumbar training machine. I am very desirous of trying it out!]
farmer carry: 90 x 74 steps, 40 steps
------------
2/13/15
29 minutes, 230 lbs.
[Around this time, my exertion at rowing practice combined with my HIT workouts, began to take a toll. I dropped the thrice weekly schedule, focusing on recovery. It was not long after this that my left knee also started bothering me: a weird tenderness/weakness in the outside lateral area that showed up when I sort of hyper-extended my leg (i.e. leaned forward on a straight left leg); no pain occurred when I flexed it, though kneeling on it was weird on occasion. I've cut back on the leg curls and jumpies, and it's feeling better.]
warm-up: 6-10 minutes
leg extension: 130 x 12c
calf extension: 240 x 13c
leg curl: 110 x 6e
chest flye: 140 x 11e
Hammer press: 230 x 9e
T-row: 140 x 11e
seated MP: 90 x 9e
underhand cable pulldown: 140 x 8e
triceps cable extension: 90 x 9e
bb curls: 70 x 9e
-------------
[Ellington Darden, whose HIT program I am currently following, mutatis mutandis, emphasizes that the real focus should be on two-week periods, instead of one workout after another or just a week's results. So, I'll be posting my results in two-week chunks from now on.]
-------------
2/20/15
24 minutes, 230 lbs.
[By this point I was feeling pretty run down, but I needed to get a workout in before the weekend. I muscled through, and it turned out to be not such a shabby HIT workout, after all. No major number plateaus, but intensity is relative to each workout, so I achieved the main goal: maximal muscular contraction.]
warm-up: 6-10 min.
leg extension: 130 x 12c
leg press: 225 x 13e
chest flye: 140 x 12c
T-row: 140 x 13c
chest press: 210 x 10c
underhand cable pulldown: 130 x 9c
seated MP: 90 x 11c
bb curl: 70 x 10e
[Body English up, killer negatives]
triceps cable extension: 90 x 8e
------------
2/23/15
26 minutes, 232 lbs.
[I have recently made some changes to my diet and begun taking some nutritional supplements. Nothing "crazy," just good, solid minerals and herbal stuff. I've also been trying to sleep more.
Well, kiddies...
Tonight was one of the hardest workouts I've ever performed in my life.
It was truly high-intensity. I got home and felt like I would vomit (this is largely due to the BCAA/creatine drink I finished right after the workout, but still!). All I could do was lie down on the couch for almost ten minutes until I revived and ate. Highly doubtful I will train again as soon as Wednesday. It was a glorious workout.]
warm-up: 4-6 minutes (motions)
leg extension: 160 x 10e
hypers: bdw + 35 x 10e
leg press: 250 x 14e
pec flye: 150 x 11c
chest press: 220 x 9c
T-row: 150 x 11c
underhand cable pulldown: 140 x 8c
seated MP: 110 x 12c
bb curl: 70 x 12e
[Body English up on last couple reps, killer negatives]
triceps cable extension: 90 x 11e
----------
Stay tuned. Rowing practice is going really well. "Nine hearts beating..."
34 minutes, 228 lbs.
[This was a free trial workout at the Bailey's gym nearest to me. Good machines, but I lost time finding them and figuring out how to use them. There was definitely a harder core population there, which is a plus, and the price is right, but my current gym is just located so conveniently, and almost certainly less crowded than Bailey's would be.]
warm-up - 6-10 minutes
leg curl: 110 x 13c
leg extension: 130 x 12c
horizontal leg press: 250 x 7c (!)
[At first I thought the tracks were locked, but after inspecting it, I tried again, only to find that, in fact, THAT is what 250 pounds of dead weight really feels like! This discrepancy in equipment almost convinced by itself to switch to Bailey's, but... we'll see.]
chest flye: 130 x 10c
chest press: 205 x 6c
T-row: 130 x 12c
seated MP: 80/90/100 x 1/1/6
bb curl: 80/70 x 6e/2e
cable tricep extension: 80 x 11c
seated hypers: 240 x 14c
[Nice machine, but nothing can touch the MedX lumbar training machine. I am very desirous of trying it out!]
farmer carry: 90 x 74 steps, 40 steps
------------
2/13/15
29 minutes, 230 lbs.
[Around this time, my exertion at rowing practice combined with my HIT workouts, began to take a toll. I dropped the thrice weekly schedule, focusing on recovery. It was not long after this that my left knee also started bothering me: a weird tenderness/weakness in the outside lateral area that showed up when I sort of hyper-extended my leg (i.e. leaned forward on a straight left leg); no pain occurred when I flexed it, though kneeling on it was weird on occasion. I've cut back on the leg curls and jumpies, and it's feeling better.]
warm-up: 6-10 minutes
leg extension: 130 x 12c
calf extension: 240 x 13c
leg curl: 110 x 6e
chest flye: 140 x 11e
Hammer press: 230 x 9e
T-row: 140 x 11e
seated MP: 90 x 9e
underhand cable pulldown: 140 x 8e
triceps cable extension: 90 x 9e
bb curls: 70 x 9e
-------------
[Ellington Darden, whose HIT program I am currently following, mutatis mutandis, emphasizes that the real focus should be on two-week periods, instead of one workout after another or just a week's results. So, I'll be posting my results in two-week chunks from now on.]
-------------
2/20/15
24 minutes, 230 lbs.
[By this point I was feeling pretty run down, but I needed to get a workout in before the weekend. I muscled through, and it turned out to be not such a shabby HIT workout, after all. No major number plateaus, but intensity is relative to each workout, so I achieved the main goal: maximal muscular contraction.]
warm-up: 6-10 min.
leg extension: 130 x 12c
leg press: 225 x 13e
chest flye: 140 x 12c
T-row: 140 x 13c
chest press: 210 x 10c
underhand cable pulldown: 130 x 9c
seated MP: 90 x 11c
bb curl: 70 x 10e
[Body English up, killer negatives]
triceps cable extension: 90 x 8e
------------
2/23/15
26 minutes, 232 lbs.
[I have recently made some changes to my diet and begun taking some nutritional supplements. Nothing "crazy," just good, solid minerals and herbal stuff. I've also been trying to sleep more.
Well, kiddies...
Tonight was one of the hardest workouts I've ever performed in my life.
It was truly high-intensity. I got home and felt like I would vomit (this is largely due to the BCAA/creatine drink I finished right after the workout, but still!). All I could do was lie down on the couch for almost ten minutes until I revived and ate. Highly doubtful I will train again as soon as Wednesday. It was a glorious workout.]
warm-up: 4-6 minutes (motions)
leg extension: 160 x 10e
hypers: bdw + 35 x 10e
leg press: 250 x 14e
pec flye: 150 x 11c
chest press: 220 x 9c
T-row: 150 x 11c
underhand cable pulldown: 140 x 8c
seated MP: 110 x 12c
bb curl: 70 x 12e
[Body English up on last couple reps, killer negatives]
triceps cable extension: 90 x 11e
----------
Stay tuned. Rowing practice is going really well. "Nine hearts beating..."
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
HIT Basic - weeks 4 and 5 - Less is more... Rowing gains!
Saturday, 31 January 2015
10 min + 28 min, 228 lbs.
3/3 cadence
leg curl: 110 x 10c
leg extension: 120 x 11c
leg press: 250 x 9e
Cybex chest flye: 110 x 14c
Cybex chest press: 220 x 2/6c
[Switched machines.]
Cybex MP: 90 x 1/6c
[Switched machines.]
T-row: 125 x 9c
pullover: 90 x 7c
bb curl: 100 x 1c / 90 x 2e / 80 x 5c
[Switched bars to find the right weight.]
cable tricep extension: 70 x 7e
farmer carry: 85 x 70 steps, 23 steps
Wednesday, 4 February 2015
10 min + 24 min + 3 min, 228 lbs.
3/3 (or 3/4) cadence
leg curl: 110 x 10c
leg extension: 120 x 12c
leg press: 250 x 12c
Cybex chest flye: 120 x 10c
Seated chest press: 220 x 8c
[Lost time on these trying to figure out the Cybex plate weights and then waiting for a guy to finish with the machine that I could make sense of. Probably need to raise the seat a bit next time.]
bb MP (seated): 90 x 6e
[Man, I suck at presses.]
T-row: [oops, forgot to do this, but that worked out on a different level; see notes below]
pullover: [skipped these, for same reason explained below]
bb curl: 80 x 6e
cable tricep extension: 80 x 9c
farmer carry: [did not do these either]
----
Had I done my usual eleven exercises, I surely would have exceeded thirty minutes, but I chose to skip some exercises today for a couple reasons.
First, since I have begun coaching crew, I have been "the fitness coach". As a result, I have been doing jumpies, running, pushups, planking, crunches, rowing, etc., on my off-days, and have felt some soreness in my run-up to tonight's workout. I'm also starting to feel some aching in my lower calves (shin splints... again??).
Second, for the past few days I have felt some achey tension in my upper back, probably due to the pressure on my shoulder blades during pullovers, T-rows, and farmer carries. So even though I had slated T-rows for tonight's workout, it's just as well that I skipped them.
On top of all that, I continue to read as much as I can about High Intensity Training and made an executive decision to implement one of its most central but most neglected principles (which I'll put into my own idiosyncratic words): rest is more important than any one exercise. In terms of frequency, less is more. So I nearly put tonight's workout off another day, but I'm glad I did it. Despite the pains, I could tell that rowing (ergs and calisthenics) has increased my fitness.
Oh, two other things:
1) I had a small epiphany last week: alternate primarily lower-body and primarily upper-body HIT workouts. This will allow even more time for recovery, without succumbing to full-on multiple splits.
2) The programming wars will never end, of course, and ultimately pretty much every program "works", but the reason I am so "into" HIT these days is twofold: first, it achieves what other programs do in less time, and, second, it prevents injury better than other programs. A lot of noise is made about the fact that many, even most, of the bodybuilding greats did not (strictly, or perhaps ever) practice HIT.
Yet the point remains that the greats could have achieved the same results in less time. More than that--my little epiphany--I would be surprised if anyone who ever really committed to HIT ever went back to a different type of training. Apparently, Schwarzenegger did try (one workout of) HIT, with Arthur Jones, but he never dug into true HIT-failure--and then gave up on the method. But I have a feeling that once a serious lifter has seen how effective HIT is--and no, Dan John, with all due respect, HIT does not mean "Nautilus only" training--he would not return to some other method... UNLESS he simply decided HIT is too demanding.
I have seen remarkable progress, both in terms of strength and body composition, since beginning HIT a mere five weeks ago (if not just more than a month), and I have loved how much time I can save with it.
10 min + 28 min, 228 lbs.
3/3 cadence
leg curl: 110 x 10c
leg extension: 120 x 11c
leg press: 250 x 9e
Cybex chest flye: 110 x 14c
Cybex chest press: 220 x 2/6c
[Switched machines.]
Cybex MP: 90 x 1/6c
[Switched machines.]
T-row: 125 x 9c
pullover: 90 x 7c
bb curl: 100 x 1c / 90 x 2e / 80 x 5c
[Switched bars to find the right weight.]
cable tricep extension: 70 x 7e
farmer carry: 85 x 70 steps, 23 steps
+ + +
Wednesday, 4 February 2015
10 min + 24 min + 3 min, 228 lbs.
3/3 (or 3/4) cadence
leg curl: 110 x 10c
leg extension: 120 x 12c
leg press: 250 x 12c
Cybex chest flye: 120 x 10c
Seated chest press: 220 x 8c
[Lost time on these trying to figure out the Cybex plate weights and then waiting for a guy to finish with the machine that I could make sense of. Probably need to raise the seat a bit next time.]
bb MP (seated): 90 x 6e
[Man, I suck at presses.]
T-row: [oops, forgot to do this, but that worked out on a different level; see notes below]
pullover: [skipped these, for same reason explained below]
bb curl: 80 x 6e
cable tricep extension: 80 x 9c
farmer carry: [did not do these either]
----
Had I done my usual eleven exercises, I surely would have exceeded thirty minutes, but I chose to skip some exercises today for a couple reasons.
First, since I have begun coaching crew, I have been "the fitness coach". As a result, I have been doing jumpies, running, pushups, planking, crunches, rowing, etc., on my off-days, and have felt some soreness in my run-up to tonight's workout. I'm also starting to feel some aching in my lower calves (shin splints... again??).
Second, for the past few days I have felt some achey tension in my upper back, probably due to the pressure on my shoulder blades during pullovers, T-rows, and farmer carries. So even though I had slated T-rows for tonight's workout, it's just as well that I skipped them.
On top of all that, I continue to read as much as I can about High Intensity Training and made an executive decision to implement one of its most central but most neglected principles (which I'll put into my own idiosyncratic words): rest is more important than any one exercise. In terms of frequency, less is more. So I nearly put tonight's workout off another day, but I'm glad I did it. Despite the pains, I could tell that rowing (ergs and calisthenics) has increased my fitness.
Oh, two other things:
1) I had a small epiphany last week: alternate primarily lower-body and primarily upper-body HIT workouts. This will allow even more time for recovery, without succumbing to full-on multiple splits.
2) The programming wars will never end, of course, and ultimately pretty much every program "works", but the reason I am so "into" HIT these days is twofold: first, it achieves what other programs do in less time, and, second, it prevents injury better than other programs. A lot of noise is made about the fact that many, even most, of the bodybuilding greats did not (strictly, or perhaps ever) practice HIT.
Yet the point remains that the greats could have achieved the same results in less time. More than that--my little epiphany--I would be surprised if anyone who ever really committed to HIT ever went back to a different type of training. Apparently, Schwarzenegger did try (one workout of) HIT, with Arthur Jones, but he never dug into true HIT-failure--and then gave up on the method. But I have a feeling that once a serious lifter has seen how effective HIT is--and no, Dan John, with all due respect, HIT does not mean "Nautilus only" training--he would not return to some other method... UNLESS he simply decided HIT is too demanding.
I have seen remarkable progress, both in terms of strength and body composition, since beginning HIT a mere five weeks ago (if not just more than a month), and I have loved how much time I can save with it.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
HIT Basic - week 4 - Quickies, quality, and ... um, well, some other qu- word that eludes me...
Wednesday, 28 January 2015
231 lbs, 10 min + 19 min.
hydrated, confident, focused, curious though how a true HIT workout would have played (badly, I suspect)
[I set today as a Not To Failure (NTF) workout. Friday will be a true, all-out HIT workout. I learn something new every day with this entire method. For example, apparently, Arthur Jones himself--who trained like a beast--used a 3-3 cadence. That is what I tried tonight. As such, I want to err on the side of "heavy", and I feel that, unless I'm doing an explicitly "super slow" regimen, a 4-4, 3-1-3-1, etc. cadence forces me to go lighter than I could for MMF in the anaerobic window (6-10 reps).
In other words, I like lifting/pushing/pulling heavy things, wot.
Let it be noted that, even though I did stopped short of HIT failure, I used heavier resistance, and will use the same basic numbers on Friday.]
warmup: elliptical machine, stretching, bathroom, etc.
leg curl: 110 lbs. x 7
leg extension: 120 x 8
leg press: 250 x 7
seated calf raise: 180 x 11
Nautilus chest press: 210 x 8
Nautilus MP: 90 x 5
T-row: 125 x 6
pullover: N/A
cable curl: 80 x 10
Nautilus tricep extension: 70 x 8
farmer carry: 85/85 x 70 steps, 20 steps
231 lbs, 10 min + 19 min.
hydrated, confident, focused, curious though how a true HIT workout would have played (badly, I suspect)
[I set today as a Not To Failure (NTF) workout. Friday will be a true, all-out HIT workout. I learn something new every day with this entire method. For example, apparently, Arthur Jones himself--who trained like a beast--used a 3-3 cadence. That is what I tried tonight. As such, I want to err on the side of "heavy", and I feel that, unless I'm doing an explicitly "super slow" regimen, a 4-4, 3-1-3-1, etc. cadence forces me to go lighter than I could for MMF in the anaerobic window (6-10 reps).
In other words, I like lifting/pushing/pulling heavy things, wot.
Let it be noted that, even though I did stopped short of HIT failure, I used heavier resistance, and will use the same basic numbers on Friday.]
warmup: elliptical machine, stretching, bathroom, etc.
leg curl: 110 lbs. x 7
leg extension: 120 x 8
leg press: 250 x 7
seated calf raise: 180 x 11
Nautilus chest press: 210 x 8
Nautilus MP: 90 x 5
T-row: 125 x 6
pullover: N/A
cable curl: 80 x 10
Nautilus tricep extension: 70 x 8
farmer carry: 85/85 x 70 steps, 20 steps
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