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...

HIT Basic week 3 - Das what I'm talkin'bout...

Tuesday, 20 January 2015 
226 lbs., 35 min.

warmup: elliptical machine, stretching (6-7 minutes)

leg curl: 100 lbs. x 13c

leg extension: 100 x 11c

leg press: 250 x 13e

db pullover: 90 x 8e

seated Hammer press: 180 x 10c

T-row: 125 x 7c

db MP: 45 x 9e

bb curl: 80 x 7e*
[body English on last couple concentric exertions]

db tricep extension: 65 x 8e*
[body English on last couple concentric exertions]

farmer carry: 85 x 65 steps, pause 35 steps

standing calf raise:  230 x 13c

+ + +

I decided to increase the resistance, in order to lower the rep range, and thereby save more aerobic capacity for moving faster from one exercise to the next. This felt good, both going heavier and maintaining the "conditioning" aspect of HIT. I may wait until Friday to workout again, or just keep it on Thursday and then resume a MWF schedule next week.

HIT Basic regimen, week 2... and a readjustment...

Saturday, 17.1.2015
225 lbs., 52 minutes

warm-up: elliptical machine, stretching, motions

Leg curl: 90 lbs x 17c

Leg extension: 90 x 17c

Leg press: 210 x 22
(blech; Not true failure, but my exertion headache kept me in check)

db pullover: 85 x 11e

Hammer chest press: 150 x 15e

T-row: 115 x 10c

db MP: 40 x 3 / 45 x 7e

BBC curl: 75 x 10e
:)

db tricep extension: 60 x 10e
(with two body English concentric cheats)

db farmer carry:
85 x 65 steps left hand /
85 x 65 steps right hand /
80/85 (L/R) x 50 steps
85/80 (L/R) x 31 steps

standing calf press: 240 x 15c

+ + + 

Got an exertion headache on Wednesday, took Friday off, felt it again on Saturday on pullover and leg press, but focused on breathing (avoid Valsalva) and it felt much better, so the rest of the workout felt very good. Have been taking a lot more ibuprofen than usual, and really hydrating. I will survive.

I am pleased with my strength gains so far, and will only workout this Tuesday and Thursday, but will ratchet back some weight gradients in order to increase the conditioning component of this HIT regimen. Faster but lighter. Then heavier again.

Saturday and Sunday I did some forearm and ab workouts: mace, ab wheel, 1.5 gripper, 25-35 minutes each, and took a good walk with the family Monday evening.

New HIT regimen - Basic Week 2

Wednesday, 14 January 2015 
HIT Basic Week 2.2 
38 minutes, 224 lbs. 

warm-up: elliptical machine, stretching

leg curl: 90 lbs x 16c

leg extension: 90 x 15e

leg press: 200 x 19e

db pullover: 80 x 12e

db BP: 70 x 12e

T-row: 130 x 2 / 115 x 9c

db MP: 35 x 13e

bb curl: 70 x 11e

db tricep extension: 50 x 14e

farmer carry: 80 x 80 steps (left hand), 82 steps (right hand)

standing calf raise: 240 x 13e

+ + +

The "e" and "c" in the above notes refers to when I "failed": c refers to the concentric phase, in which I could no longer overcome the resistance, and e refers to the eccentric phase, in which I could no longer control the resistance "on the way down" (as it were). Also, failing on "e" means that the concentric phase involved a spotter or body English.

I took an average of a minute of rest between each exercise, which made each effort a little less ragged (compared to last time).

I enjoyed the 2c/4e cadence of this workout and the T-row was a nice change.

On Friday I will add a two-handed farmer carry after the unilateral carries. It's such a great exercise. I would love to work in some "trap days" but I don't want to undermine my progress by giving short shrift to rest.

HIT update... Getting there... No one trains hard...

Monday, 12 January 2015 

30 minutes, 224 lbs 

I was feeling residual soreness from Friday's workout, which goes to show that even these "one set workouts" can really cut a groove into your muscular inroads--and in only half the time! Granted, Saturday I did an ab and forearm workout (space mace, CoC #1.5, perfect ab wheel, and ipsilateral/oblique kb lifts--about 30 minutes), but these workouts continue to benefit me as much as I exert myself in them. 

I continue to learn more about the HIT method, and apply small tweaks to each workout. On Monday, for example, I went for higher reps on lower body exercises, used a spotter on at least one exercise, and used some body English to overcome concentric failure to end on an eccentric negative. 

Tomorrow (Wednesday) I will be lowering my weight a little on lower body, in order to fail at a higher rep range, and going heavier on upper body, for the opposite goal. I will also shorten my concentric (flex) phase to about 2-3 seconds, while keeping my eccentric (release) phase a good 4-5 seconds. I don't find bent rows very gratifying for this kind of workout, so I may use a bench-assisted T-row instead, or just use a slightly more upright stance. 

Oh, also, one other change I will make is to give myself a little more rest between each exercise. By the leg press, my legs were trembling, and by the bb curl, almost my entire lower body was shaking, so much so that I gulped down a Cytomax to avoid "bonking". I love the strength/conditioning aspect of HIT, but I also realize that the conditioning intensity needs just as much time to develop as the strength component. So at least a water break between each exercise will be the order of the day. 

In any case...

leg curl: 100 lbs x 12 

leg extension: 100 x 11 

leg press: 200 x 13 

db pullover: 70 x 12 

db BP: 65 x 11 (with spotted failure) 

Pendlay row: 145 x 4 / 135 x 6 

db MP: 35 x 9/1 (exhausted pause before tenth rep) 

bb curl: 60 x 10 

db tricep extension: 50 x 8 

unilateral farmer walk: 80 x 71 steps (L), 73 steps (R) 

Coda: I was the only person who made any "noises" or showed real signs of exertion, for which I did earn the occasional "look". But hey--go big or go home, and why waste an hour when half an hour is enough? 

Re-building notes... gains... rest is so important...

Tuesday, 16 December 2014 
Ahnohld Three-Day Split, Day ___
60 min. 

warm-up: stretching, motions, etc.  

SQ: 12, 10, 8, 6 @ 225, 245, 265, 285 lbs. 

leg curl: 12, 10, 8, 6 @ 70, 80, 90, 100 

db floor press (with elevated feet): 12, 10, 8, 10 @ 65, 60, 70, 75
[An old-timer (sort of) saw me doing floor presses and suggested I throw-in leg raises while doing them, to activate my abdomen and destabilize my torso to enhance pectoral control. I like it. He then told me that he had a heart attack recently due, apparently, to a hypertrophic heart, after 36 years of heavy lifting. He said he is giving his doctor until the end of January to get things right, at which time, either way, he'll resume heavy training. Kind of creepy to get advice from a guy who might literally die under the bar in the next few weeks.] 

PU (supinated): 14, 9, 7 @ bdw  

db pullover-press: 12, 10, 8, 6 @ 60, 65, 70, 75  

EZ bar curl: 12, 10, 8, 6 @ 50, 60, 70, 80 

This was an abbreviated and more quickly done workout, which was fun, since I had to get my wife to a teacher function that evening. I drank two 500 mL bottles of Cytomax.

+ + +

Wednesday, 17 December 2014 
walking with double stroller 
2 miles, 30 min.

+ + + 

Thursday, 18 December 2014 
walking with double stroller
2.6 miles, 40 min.

+ + + 

Friday, 19 December 2014 
Ahnohld Three-Day Split, Day ___
80 min. 

SQ: 12, 10, 8, 6 @ 230, 250, 270, 295 lbs.  

leg curl: 10, 9, 8 @ 90, 100, 110  

calf press: 18, 16, 15 @ 255 (?)
[I'm never really sure how to tally a leg press machine. I guess you don't count the board itself.]  

db floor press (with elevated feet): 12, 10, 8, 8 @ 70, 75, 80, 85  

[PU (supinated): 15, 9, 8 @ bdw
[and
[db MP: 12, 9, 6 @ 45, 50, 55 

[In order to save time, I "intermeshed" one set of each exercise after the other.] 

[EZ bar curl (narrowish grip): 12, 10, 8, 9 @ 50, 60, 70, 80
[and
[db tricep press (supine, two hands on one db): 12, 10, 10 @ 70, 75, 80
[Ditto.]

I ended up talking for a few minutes with a couple guys about new exercises and programs they can try. I mentioned that I'll be doing a "high-intensity program" in the new year, and they said they wanted to try the same, "like Crossfit." Let's just say, though, that the HIT method I will be doing is much different from Crossfit/Insanity/PX-90-style intensity workouts. With my HIT goals, the maxim is, "Less is more", while those other intensity programs are driven by the idea that "more is never enough."

In any case, I felt much stronger on squats, and I was pleased to see my pullups and floor press improved. I once again drank two bottles of Cytomax. Originally I had planned to return on Thursday, but I wisely decided to give myself one more day of rest (and walking), which was a boon.

Next week I am partial to idea of going to the gym simply to do a baseline workout to prepare for my HIT program. That is, I will run through the exercises I'll be doing to establish roughly my 1RM for each, and then use a 75-80% "inroad" of that amount for the workouts themselves.

Then again, I realize that after a few days off, especially with the holidays looming, I may want to go for one more solid full-body workout and then use the first two weeks of the the HIT program to establish weights, rhythms, stations, etc. (which is kind of what Darden intends for the first two weeks, anyway).

I'm really itching to work in some grip training days again. Walking/Jogging with the kids will generally be my off-day activity for the foreseeable future.