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.]
Showing posts with label Pain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pain. Show all posts
Friday, March 13, 2015
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, December 10, 2014
Rebuilding program notes... getting there...
12/10/14
Ahnohld Three-Day Split (Day 10)
80 min.
SQ: 10, 8, 6, 6 @ 225, 255, 285, 305 lbs.
[Oddly, the first two sets felt a lot harder than the last two. Or not oddly: they were higher volume and I still needed them to find my groove. I will be going for 325 this Friday.]
leg curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 80, 90, 100
[Felt some pain in my hamstrings so I took it easy on these.]
calf press: 15 x 4 @ 235
[Movin' on up. Broken toe no longer much of a problem.]
db BP: 10, 9, 9, 10 @ 70, 85, 80, 75
[A tried a new rep scheme, which I much prefer. Instead of wearing myself out before the heaviest weight, I used one set as a warm-up and then hit the heavier weights while I was fresher.]
PU (supinated): 12, 10, 8 @ bdw
[Less Body English, but still not beastly.]
db MP (split-leg): 5/5, 4/4, 3/3 + 3 @ 55, 50, 45
[I was thinking, who stands straight under some object while it's on top of them? So, instead I staggered one foot in front of the other, and then switched stance halfwway through the set. Meh. Better for core?]
EZ bar curl: 9, 9, 10 @ 90, 80, 70
[Same deal as with the BP, only my biceps had already been warmed up: from heavier to lighter.]
EZ bar skull crusher: 5, 5, 5 @ 90, 80, 70
[I have had some pain in my right elbow, so I took it easy here.]
Ahnohld Three-Day Split (Day 10)
80 min.
[Yeah, so I ended up taking Monday off, and then because I cut off some of my thumb tip and had a day-long ordeal with my ISP, I also took Tuesday off.]
SQ: 10, 8, 6, 6 @ 225, 255, 285, 305 lbs.
[Oddly, the first two sets felt a lot harder than the last two. Or not oddly: they were higher volume and I still needed them to find my groove. I will be going for 325 this Friday.]
leg curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 80, 90, 100
[Felt some pain in my hamstrings so I took it easy on these.]
calf press: 15 x 4 @ 235
[Movin' on up. Broken toe no longer much of a problem.]
db BP: 10, 9, 9, 10 @ 70, 85, 80, 75
[A tried a new rep scheme, which I much prefer. Instead of wearing myself out before the heaviest weight, I used one set as a warm-up and then hit the heavier weights while I was fresher.]
PU (supinated): 12, 10, 8 @ bdw
[Less Body English, but still not beastly.]
db MP (split-leg): 5/5, 4/4, 3/3 + 3 @ 55, 50, 45
[I was thinking, who stands straight under some object while it's on top of them? So, instead I staggered one foot in front of the other, and then switched stance halfwway through the set. Meh. Better for core?]
EZ bar curl: 9, 9, 10 @ 90, 80, 70
[Same deal as with the BP, only my biceps had already been warmed up: from heavier to lighter.]
EZ bar skull crusher: 5, 5, 5 @ 90, 80, 70
[I have had some pain in my right elbow, so I took it easy here.]
Friday, November 28, 2014
Three-day split rebuild notes...
Friday, 28 November 2014
Three-Day Ahnohld Split
65 min.
warm-up: motions, stretching, etc.
[Felt what I think is an "adhesion" in my right thigh, so I spent a good 10-15 minutes warming up. It feels like the same spot that "poped open" back in June, so I'm being cautious. Will need to do some foam rolling.]
SQ: 10, 8, 6, 6 @ 225, 245, 265, 285 lbs.
[I feel very confident that I will put up 305 this coming Monday.]
leg curl: 10, 8, 6, 10 @ 90, 100, 110, 80
calf press: 15 x 4 @ 180
db BP: 10, 8, 7, 10 @ 70, 75, 80, 65
PU (supinated): 12, 9, 8/1
[Penultimate rep needed body English and the last rep was a negative.]
unilateral db MP: 10, 8, 6 @ 40, 45, 50
[I'm content sticking with the same poundage until I can 'crush' the final set and legitimately advance. Double progression. Unilateral lifts are great, and sorely neglected.]
EZ bar curl: 10, 8, 6, 10 @ 60, 70, 80, 50
[Same as with the MP.]
EZ bar skull crusher: 10, 8, 8 @ 60, 70, 80
I have yet to invest in a "big tub of powdered protein" but I will do so soon. I may also get some creatine again, but for now my "supplements" are a gallon water a day, lots of greens, B-complex, fish oil, acai, and vitamin C.
Three-Day Ahnohld Split
65 min.
warm-up: motions, stretching, etc.
[Felt what I think is an "adhesion" in my right thigh, so I spent a good 10-15 minutes warming up. It feels like the same spot that "poped open" back in June, so I'm being cautious. Will need to do some foam rolling.]
SQ: 10, 8, 6, 6 @ 225, 245, 265, 285 lbs.
[I feel very confident that I will put up 305 this coming Monday.]
leg curl: 10, 8, 6, 10 @ 90, 100, 110, 80
calf press: 15 x 4 @ 180
db BP: 10, 8, 7, 10 @ 70, 75, 80, 65
PU (supinated): 12, 9, 8/1
[Penultimate rep needed body English and the last rep was a negative.]
unilateral db MP: 10, 8, 6 @ 40, 45, 50
[I'm content sticking with the same poundage until I can 'crush' the final set and legitimately advance. Double progression. Unilateral lifts are great, and sorely neglected.]
EZ bar curl: 10, 8, 6, 10 @ 60, 70, 80, 50
[Same as with the MP.]
EZ bar skull crusher: 10, 8, 8 @ 60, 70, 80
+ + +
I have yet to invest in a "big tub of powdered protein" but I will do so soon. I may also get some creatine again, but for now my "supplements" are a gallon water a day, lots of greens, B-complex, fish oil, acai, and vitamin C.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
How the mighty have fallen -- and yet live to rise again...
After Workout 1 of Operation Get Back Into Serious Weightlifting the members most stricken were my biceps and my calves. Oh my calves! I didn't do anything on Tuesday. I attempted to stretch my calves but got scared off. Today I went a little heavier than Monday's workout on just a few exercises.
[NB: My comma key on my keyboard is broke and I do not want to press CTRL+V over and over so I'm using slashes instead.]
Ahnohld Three-Day Split
Monday - 19 November 2014
60 min.
For a warm-up I did two sets of the following exercises at pretty low weight. Just to stretch and get the blood flowing.
BP: 10/8/6/6/6 @ 155/165/185/195/205 lbs.
db MP: 10/8/6 @ 35/45/50 lbs.
PU: 12/8/6/4 @ bdw
db tricep extension: 10/8/6 @ 25/35/40*
[On the last set I used a single 80-lb db and summoned not a little Body English.]
EZ bar standing curl: 10/8/6 @ 60/70/80 lbs.
[Only used a smidgen of body English on the last set. These are great.]
SQ: 10/8/6 @ 170/190/205 lbs.
leg curl: 10/8/6 @ 60/70/80 lbs. (??)
[These were a great way to stretch out my poor lil' calves.]
calf raise: 10 x 5 @ 60 lbs.
[Sinking into the bottom for a real stretch was like putting my hand in The Pain Box. Essential but brutal.]
crunches: 50
[I cycled through having my hands on the outside of my legs; having my left hand in between them; and then having my right hand in between.]
I have also decided to make at least one "off day" a traps/ neck/ and elliptical workout.
[NB: My comma key on my keyboard is broke and I do not want to press CTRL+V over and over so I'm using slashes instead.]
Ahnohld Three-Day Split
Monday - 19 November 2014
60 min.
For a warm-up I did two sets of the following exercises at pretty low weight. Just to stretch and get the blood flowing.
BP: 10/8/6/6/6 @ 155/165/185/195/205 lbs.
db MP: 10/8/6 @ 35/45/50 lbs.
PU: 12/8/6/4 @ bdw
db tricep extension: 10/8/6 @ 25/35/40*
[On the last set I used a single 80-lb db and summoned not a little Body English.]
EZ bar standing curl: 10/8/6 @ 60/70/80 lbs.
[Only used a smidgen of body English on the last set. These are great.]
SQ: 10/8/6 @ 170/190/205 lbs.
leg curl: 10/8/6 @ 60/70/80 lbs. (??)
[These were a great way to stretch out my poor lil' calves.]
calf raise: 10 x 5 @ 60 lbs.
[Sinking into the bottom for a real stretch was like putting my hand in The Pain Box. Essential but brutal.]
crunches: 50
[I cycled through having my hands on the outside of my legs; having my left hand in between them; and then having my right hand in between.]
+ + +
I have also decided to make at least one "off day" a traps/ neck/ and elliptical workout.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Recent workout notes
Last week I had to deal with a neck strain (thanks a lot, SQ!), so I did a few days of jump rope, space mace, suspension dips and curls, ab wheel, sledge/tire, dino dumbbell movements, etc.
Thursday I went into the gym, but felt very sub-optimal, and was quite modest with my squats. I did the following (about an hour) as a circuit:
SQ: 12, 10, 10, 8, 6 @ 75, 105, 125, 145, 195 lb.
FSQ: 12, 10, 10, 8, 6 @ 75, 105, 125, 145, 195 lb.
db press: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 @ 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 80 lb.
seated cable row: 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12 @ 100, 100, 110, 110, 120, 120 lb.
spider curl: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 @ 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 80 lb.
I did a 30-minute workout on Saturday involving dino-db movements, space mace, and perfect pushups.
I'm headed into the gym now. We'll see what I pull off. Maybe I got "stale" this past couple weeks, so I'm willing to take it easy until the school year is over.
Thursday I went into the gym, but felt very sub-optimal, and was quite modest with my squats. I did the following (about an hour) as a circuit:
SQ: 12, 10, 10, 8, 6 @ 75, 105, 125, 145, 195 lb.
FSQ: 12, 10, 10, 8, 6 @ 75, 105, 125, 145, 195 lb.
db press: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 @ 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 80 lb.
seated cable row: 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12 @ 100, 100, 110, 110, 120, 120 lb.
spider curl: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 @ 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 80 lb.
I did a 30-minute workout on Saturday involving dino-db movements, space mace, and perfect pushups.
I'm headed into the gym now. We'll see what I pull off. Maybe I got "stale" this past couple weeks, so I'm willing to take it easy until the school year is over.
Monday, April 14, 2014
AYCE notes... (And sun!)
Went to a very enriching Mass Saturday evening. Holy Week is upon us.
Sunday morning we headed out to the beach to hang out and eat BBQ with my brother and his family. I loved being at the beach again. It was Elina's second time, and she took to it like... a fish to water? Alex was intimidated by the waves, but he'll learn quickly (or it's the plank!). I swam, tossed kids, and did some hand walking on the beach.
Granted, all this frolicking resulted in a lower back kink and some sore wrists. I had trained grip-crushing Saturday afternoon and was puttering making pinch blocks and a DIY (very rudimentary) version of the Titan's Telegraph Key Saturday night, at a savings of close to $100 (I'll post a video soon). I believe that my open-palm thumb trainer achieves the same effect at a tiny fraction of the market price.* (How do you patent a lever, anyway?)
By this morning, however, my back felt great and I actually ended up in the gym. All day I felt zapped, and even considered taking tomorrow off. Although "how you feel is a lie," how you perform is not. Auto-regulation means putting in the time, but not sacrificing quality performance on the altar of a fixed numerical scheme. I'm exhausted and will sleep after finishing this post, to wit:
AYCE Press
50 min., 227 lbs.
MOOD/MISC.: sluggish, dizzy (?), distracted by the larger than usual number of dudes at the gym; how I long to be able to train at home; warmups were included as opening reps in the following exercises
db bench press: 5x5 @ 80 lbs.
[Felt slight impingement in right wrist. Same as on my FSQ a couple weeks ago, and during my CoC drills Saturday afternoon.]
FSQ: 5x5 @ 215 lbs.
MP (belt): 5x5 @ 125 lbs.
"The Bench Shrug": 12, 12, 12, @ 185 lbs.
[Right wrist felt weak, hard to keep fist straight upward.]
My copy of Kelso's Shrug Book should arrive tomorrow, but I've already decided to incorporate shrugs as an assistance "finisher" in all workouts on my current program. Seeing as it's Holy Week, I'll take it a bit easier this week, and will take Friday off from work.
* Apropos DIY gym equipment, this evening I bought the key components that I believe I need to make something that achieves much the same effect as Joe Kinney's Secret Weapon. Assembly (no welding!) won't happen till next week, at the earliest, so I'll have to wait until then to see if it works like I'm envisioning my design should. Even then, I will not rush into using it. All I hear is that it's "painful," "unpleasant," "intense," and so on. I learned the hard way about three years ago that one must not overdo it with grip training. Still, if I can save $200 and achieve the same effect--more power to me.
At the same time, there's an interesting, albeit contentious at times, discussion on this thread about the ethics of "hacking" elite training equipment. I can see the problem if I were to use Kinney's own design specs without giving him royalties, but I think anyone is in his rights to produce a similar device for his own training goals. I'm not looking to sell my little device; what I'm using is readily available at almost any hardware store. (Indeed, though I did not see this page until posting this update, the design should give you a rough idea of what I've got in mind.) As I get closer to achieving my grip goals--merely closing CoC #3 for reps, by the way--I will be perfectly happy to pay for the actual Kinney device, if its specs provide the competitive difference needed for success. Meanwhile, ghetto works if ghetto can git'er done. I think Randall Strossen strikes the right balance here. It's no small irony, Strossen notes elsewhere, that Kinney's own training depended on "hacking" various Iron Mind products. Share and share alike, say I, while giving credit where it's due.
Sunday morning we headed out to the beach to hang out and eat BBQ with my brother and his family. I loved being at the beach again. It was Elina's second time, and she took to it like... a fish to water? Alex was intimidated by the waves, but he'll learn quickly (or it's the plank!). I swam, tossed kids, and did some hand walking on the beach.
Granted, all this frolicking resulted in a lower back kink and some sore wrists. I had trained grip-crushing Saturday afternoon and was puttering making pinch blocks and a DIY (very rudimentary) version of the Titan's Telegraph Key Saturday night, at a savings of close to $100 (I'll post a video soon). I believe that my open-palm thumb trainer achieves the same effect at a tiny fraction of the market price.* (How do you patent a lever, anyway?)
By this morning, however, my back felt great and I actually ended up in the gym. All day I felt zapped, and even considered taking tomorrow off. Although "how you feel is a lie," how you perform is not. Auto-regulation means putting in the time, but not sacrificing quality performance on the altar of a fixed numerical scheme. I'm exhausted and will sleep after finishing this post, to wit:
AYCE Press
50 min., 227 lbs.
MOOD/MISC.: sluggish, dizzy (?), distracted by the larger than usual number of dudes at the gym; how I long to be able to train at home; warmups were included as opening reps in the following exercises
db bench press: 5x5 @ 80 lbs.
[Felt slight impingement in right wrist. Same as on my FSQ a couple weeks ago, and during my CoC drills Saturday afternoon.]
FSQ: 5x5 @ 215 lbs.
MP (belt): 5x5 @ 125 lbs.
"The Bench Shrug": 12, 12, 12, @ 185 lbs.
[Right wrist felt weak, hard to keep fist straight upward.]
+ + +
My copy of Kelso's Shrug Book should arrive tomorrow, but I've already decided to incorporate shrugs as an assistance "finisher" in all workouts on my current program. Seeing as it's Holy Week, I'll take it a bit easier this week, and will take Friday off from work.
-------------
At the same time, there's an interesting, albeit contentious at times, discussion on this thread about the ethics of "hacking" elite training equipment. I can see the problem if I were to use Kinney's own design specs without giving him royalties, but I think anyone is in his rights to produce a similar device for his own training goals. I'm not looking to sell my little device; what I'm using is readily available at almost any hardware store. (Indeed, though I did not see this page until posting this update, the design should give you a rough idea of what I've got in mind.) As I get closer to achieving my grip goals--merely closing CoC #3 for reps, by the way--I will be perfectly happy to pay for the actual Kinney device, if its specs provide the competitive difference needed for success. Meanwhile, ghetto works if ghetto can git'er done. I think Randall Strossen strikes the right balance here. It's no small irony, Strossen notes elsewhere, that Kinney's own training depended on "hacking" various Iron Mind products. Share and share alike, say I, while giving credit where it's due.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Mass Made Simple - Time to reassess...
Week 7 of Mass Made Simple is for assessing one's progress and recalibrating one's goals and methods going forward. By the end of MMS (Mass Made Simple), my immune system and sleep were getting a little buggy, Lenten fasting threw my nutrition routine off, and then I mildly strained my knee Thursday night doing some double-KB "recharge" work. (In fact, I had been doing KB drills since Tuesday. KB bench press rocks!) Basically, I hit a wall, and it's time to restrategize.
From early January till now I've been hitting the weights pretty hard and have put on a good 20 lbs of lean body mass, so the quest has hardly been a failure. Did I reach 240 lbs? No, but I am not done bulking. I am simply releasing myself from the accelerated pace at which I've been bulking for almost two months. Weight training itself (as opposed to "augmenting athletic training with weight resistance") is a mega-marathon type sport. Some of the savvier gurus on YouTube, for example, have been weight-training-itself for 15-20 years. I've been doing weight training for less than four years, with a fairly significant hiatus in year three. I've learned a lot and I've gained 50 lbs since I began, and have enjoyed very satisfying gains in the major lifts (MMS helped my otherwise always lousy bench press quite a lot). Now it is simply a time to learn more, and build on a plateau.
I know what movements I want to train, so it's just a question (as always) of effective programming. Each person must adapt successful principles to his own needs. For me, for instance, I need a lot of volume for my chest, whereas I need a lot of power for my back and legs. I also do not enjoy losing whole-body mobility and agility by letting weight training crowd out calisthenic and gymnastic training.
OHS: overhead squat
FSQ: front squat
SQ: (back) squat
DL: deadlift
SDL: snatch deadlift
CX: complexes
MP: military press
OAP: one-arm press
DBP/db-P: decline bench press OR flat dumbbell press
DIP: dips
PU: pullups
CL/SQ: clean/into-front-squat
The above are the motions I prefer and which I believe research will bear out as the most efficient. However, given the demands of the DL, I will only do it every other workout.
So, what will I try today, mainly to get my mind back in the game and climb over the wall of stalled motivation that I ran into last week? Depending how my knee responds....
DBP: 2-3-5 x 2 @ 235 lbs
CX: 8-6-4 [CL/MP/FSQ] @ 115 lbs
PU: bdw for reps
SQ: [will report after workout]
db-P: 10 x 3 @ 70 lbs
For now I’m in a free-flow mode, discerning which program I want to pursue next. I’ve been interested in the 5-3-1 program for a while, so we’ll see. One thing that I do want to restore, is my grip training regimen, with a strong bodyweight dimension to all my training. This video was very "moving" ;) to me when I watched it last night. Enjoy!
From early January till now I've been hitting the weights pretty hard and have put on a good 20 lbs of lean body mass, so the quest has hardly been a failure. Did I reach 240 lbs? No, but I am not done bulking. I am simply releasing myself from the accelerated pace at which I've been bulking for almost two months. Weight training itself (as opposed to "augmenting athletic training with weight resistance") is a mega-marathon type sport. Some of the savvier gurus on YouTube, for example, have been weight-training-itself for 15-20 years. I've been doing weight training for less than four years, with a fairly significant hiatus in year three. I've learned a lot and I've gained 50 lbs since I began, and have enjoyed very satisfying gains in the major lifts (MMS helped my otherwise always lousy bench press quite a lot). Now it is simply a time to learn more, and build on a plateau.
I know what movements I want to train, so it's just a question (as always) of effective programming. Each person must adapt successful principles to his own needs. For me, for instance, I need a lot of volume for my chest, whereas I need a lot of power for my back and legs. I also do not enjoy losing whole-body mobility and agility by letting weight training crowd out calisthenic and gymnastic training.
OHS: overhead squat
FSQ: front squat
SQ: (back) squat
DL: deadlift
SDL: snatch deadlift
CX: complexes
MP: military press
OAP: one-arm press
DBP/db-P: decline bench press OR flat dumbbell press
DIP: dips
PU: pullups
CL/SQ: clean/into-front-squat
The above are the motions I prefer and which I believe research will bear out as the most efficient. However, given the demands of the DL, I will only do it every other workout.
So, what will I try today, mainly to get my mind back in the game and climb over the wall of stalled motivation that I ran into last week? Depending how my knee responds....
DBP: 2-3-5 x 2 @ 235 lbs
CX: 8-6-4 [CL/MP/FSQ] @ 115 lbs
PU: bdw for reps
SQ: [will report after workout]
db-P: 10 x 3 @ 70 lbs
For now I’m in a free-flow mode, discerning which program I want to pursue next. I’ve been interested in the 5-3-1 program for a while, so we’ll see. One thing that I do want to restore, is my grip training regimen, with a strong bodyweight dimension to all my training. This video was very "moving" ;) to me when I watched it last night. Enjoy!
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Mass Made Simple - Day 10
Wednesday, 19 February 2014
229 lbs, 60+ min
Warm-up
-
BP : 2-3-5, 2-3-5 @ 230, 225 lbs
[Had a little spotter help on the last reps of the first set, and not a little help {forced reps} on the last reps of the second set.]
One/arm press : 2-3-5 x 2 @ 60, 55 lbs
Bat wings : 5 x 10 sec @ 70 lbs
[Bird-dog : 20 sec, 20 sec x 2 (tighter form)?]
-
Complex : 2 x 5 @ 135 lbs
-
SQ : 10, 2, 10, 12, 12, 4 @ 155, 185, 205, 225 lbs
Tonight was hard. I took a nap after work, so by the time I got to the gym, I was not really amped. I did not drink any coffee or Red Bull, but I did have a Cytomax during the workout, which seems to be some truly worthwhile stuff. It took me a while to get my head in the game. I felt a bit defeated, since over the past few days I've felt a little run down. Nonetheless, taking an extra day off was a smart move, since, while I didn't go quite as heavy on the bench, it did feel pretty good. It just takes time.
I was pleased to go heavier on the complexes, but by the time I got to the squats, I was really digging deep. My legs didn't want to give out, but erector spinae got the worst of it. Not "pain" as much as intense cranky tightening. Had to stretch it out! I need to activate my core more. The past couple days I did some KB drills, with not a few swings. Feels good in the obliques. My neck is no longer so strained but there is a slight resistance when I turn my head right and up. Riveting stuff, I know.
At the end of the day, all I can say is, I pushed through, my numbers keep going up, and even one of the main trainers tonight gave me The Nod, saying, "You're bulkin' up pretty good, man."
Good night.
229 lbs, 60+ min
Warm-up
-
BP : 2-3-5, 2-3-5 @ 230, 225 lbs
[Had a little spotter help on the last reps of the first set, and not a little help {forced reps} on the last reps of the second set.]
One/arm press : 2-3-5 x 2 @ 60, 55 lbs
Bat wings : 5 x 10 sec @ 70 lbs
-
Complex : 2 x 5 @ 135 lbs
-
SQ : 10, 2, 10, 12, 12, 4 @ 155, 185, 205, 225 lbs
+ + +
Tonight was hard. I took a nap after work, so by the time I got to the gym, I was not really amped. I did not drink any coffee or Red Bull, but I did have a Cytomax during the workout, which seems to be some truly worthwhile stuff. It took me a while to get my head in the game. I felt a bit defeated, since over the past few days I've felt a little run down. Nonetheless, taking an extra day off was a smart move, since, while I didn't go quite as heavy on the bench, it did feel pretty good. It just takes time.
I was pleased to go heavier on the complexes, but by the time I got to the squats, I was really digging deep. My legs didn't want to give out, but erector spinae got the worst of it. Not "pain" as much as intense cranky tightening. Had to stretch it out! I need to activate my core more. The past couple days I did some KB drills, with not a few swings. Feels good in the obliques. My neck is no longer so strained but there is a slight resistance when I turn my head right and up. Riveting stuff, I know.
At the end of the day, all I can say is, I pushed through, my numbers keep going up, and even one of the main trainers tonight gave me The Nod, saying, "You're bulkin' up pretty good, man."
Good night.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Mass Made Simple - Day 4
pre-workout projections...UPDATED after workout: actual reps in red
Monday, 30 January 2014
224 lbs, __ min
Warm-up
-
BP : 2-3-5, 2-3-5, 11 @ 195, 185 lbs
One/arm press : 2-3-5 x 2 @ 50 lbs
Bat wings : 5 x 10 sec @ 55 lbs
Bird-dog : 20 sec, 20 sec x 2 (tighter form)
-
Complex : 5 x 3 @ 105 lbs
-
SQ : 25 x 3 @ 115, 120, 125 lbs
---------------------
I think I felt some of the benefits of creatine tonight. A certain springiness in my reps even despite my overall distraction (I'm moving house). Must keep drinking water.
I'm surprised I'm doing as well as I am on the bench. I just need to take it slow and steady, especially seeing as I I felt a twinge in my right shoulder when I lowered the bar on the hang clean in my complex sets.
Oh, and speaking of complexes... THEY'RE HARD!!! Good news is that my press ("the limiting lift") felt stronger.
Lastly, the squat set FELT like I thinking heavy squat sets should. Lots of breathing reps (John McCallum would be proud).
Stay tuned.
Monday, 30 January 2014
224 lbs, __ min
Warm-up
-
BP : 2-3-5, 2-3-5, 11 @ 195, 185 lbs
One/arm press : 2-3-5 x 2 @ 50 lbs
Bat wings : 5 x 10 sec @ 55 lbs
Bird-dog : 20 sec, 20 sec x 2 (tighter form)
-
Complex : 5 x 3 @ 105 lbs
-
SQ : 25 x 3 @ 115, 120, 125 lbs
---------------------
I think I felt some of the benefits of creatine tonight. A certain springiness in my reps even despite my overall distraction (I'm moving house). Must keep drinking water.
I'm surprised I'm doing as well as I am on the bench. I just need to take it slow and steady, especially seeing as I I felt a twinge in my right shoulder when I lowered the bar on the hang clean in my complex sets.
Oh, and speaking of complexes... THEY'RE HARD!!! Good news is that my press ("the limiting lift") felt stronger.
Lastly, the squat set FELT like I thinking heavy squat sets should. Lots of breathing reps (John McCallum would be proud).
Stay tuned.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Stupid mop, stupid injuries…
The first clause is a reference to Pearl Jam's final 'song' on Vitalogy. #ftw.
The second is more mundane: my shoulder/elbow injuries, induced by a stupid arm-wrestling challenge a couple weeks ago, and my (medial) shin splints, induced by too much jump roping and jogging––together they finally caused me just to "give up" for the last few days and REST. After a jaunt to the beach for some body-boarding, which had my right arm aching all the way home, I was reduced to saying, "Damn it, it's always up or down, always either my ankles or my arm!" So I simply stopped doing any exercise for a few days.
So these notes are pretty off-hand, from memory.
I think on Sunday, May 5, I did…
20 minutes of conditioning, roughly like so…
3 min. jump rope
3 min. jog
3 min. kb x 2
I think on Monday, May 6, I did…
15 minutes of conditioning, like so…
3 min. jump rope
3 min. double end bag
3 min. kb
x 2
But by the end of the workout on Monday, my shins hurt so badly, I could only
walk my second jog circuit. Crippling pain.
So the past few days I've been reading and chilling with my family. And flipping out, now and then, about fulfilling/handing in my first-year-teacher certifications/documentations.
Today, though, I did the following, with little pain…
Saturday, May 11, 2013
20 min., 214 lbs.
3 min. medicine ball (30 wall ball, 30 bucket pass, 20/20 twist-catch)
3 min. double end bag
3 min. kb (30 swings, 10/10/10/10 jerks, 5/5 high-pull-snatch)
3 min. speed bag
REST
3 min. medicine ball, kb (30 wall ball, 30 swings, 10/10 jerks)
3 min. double end bag
2 min. speed bag
The second is more mundane: my shoulder/elbow injuries, induced by a stupid arm-wrestling challenge a couple weeks ago, and my (medial) shin splints, induced by too much jump roping and jogging––together they finally caused me just to "give up" for the last few days and REST. After a jaunt to the beach for some body-boarding, which had my right arm aching all the way home, I was reduced to saying, "Damn it, it's always up or down, always either my ankles or my arm!" So I simply stopped doing any exercise for a few days.
So these notes are pretty off-hand, from memory.
I think on Sunday, May 5, I did…
20 minutes of conditioning, roughly like so…
3 min. jump rope
3 min. jog
3 min. kb x 2
I think on Monday, May 6, I did…
15 minutes of conditioning, like so…
3 min. jump rope
3 min. double end bag
3 min. kb
x 2
But by the end of the workout on Monday, my shins hurt so badly, I could only
walk my second jog circuit. Crippling pain.
So the past few days I've been reading and chilling with my family. And flipping out, now and then, about fulfilling/handing in my first-year-teacher certifications/documentations.
Today, though, I did the following, with little pain…
Saturday, May 11, 2013
20 min., 214 lbs.
3 min. medicine ball (30 wall ball, 30 bucket pass, 20/20 twist-catch)
3 min. double end bag
3 min. kb (30 swings, 10/10/10/10 jerks, 5/5 high-pull-snatch)
3 min. speed bag
REST
3 min. medicine ball, kb (30 wall ball, 30 swings, 10/10 jerks)
3 min. double end bag
2 min. speed bag
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Fitness and Gym regimen update – April 2013
Thursday I just slept early and rested. Earlier that day, though, like the idiot that I am, on a whim I agreed to arm wrestle a student who was in my room after school, having been displaced from his usual tutoring room. I have always sucked at arm wrestling and I know arm wrestling more about tricks and timing than actual strength. But I took the bait, anyway, and just like last time, I landed myself with strained tendons. It didn't help that this time, like last time, followed closely on a bench press workout. So I've had to tread lightly on upper-body exercises the past few days. I was a little audacious with my workout tonight (Sunday), but there's nothing like a mild injury to check your kettlebell form! Strangely enough, holding my daughter makes it hurt worse than the drills I did tonight. Must be the angle.
Oh, and Thursday night I read a good article by Jan Dellinger about training with Vern Weaver, which has given me ideas to tweak my current 5x5 regimen into a 6x6 routine, about which I'll say more later. In brief, though: SQ (hack or rack), weighted dips or flyes, clean high pull or DL, PU––that's it! Stay tuned….
Friday, 26 April 2013
20 min., 218 lbs.
[I took a nap when I got home but then went for the following workout at night.]
jogging - 13 min.
jump rope - 3 min., 3 min.
Saturday, 27 April 2013
30 min. (?), 218 lbs.
jogging - 10 min.
walking - 15 min.
REST
jogging - 9 min.
walking - 20 min.
Sunday, 28 April 2013
25 min., 219 lbs.
double end bag - 2 min.
kb drills - 2 min.
[swings, high pull swings, clean swings]
medicine ball - 2 min.
[wall ball, swing-toss, hop-catch]
jump rope - 2 min.
[250 skips]
REST - 2 min.
REPEAT
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Fitness and gym update – April 2013
Monday 22 April 2013 work out
50 min.
Speed bag - 3 min.
Double end bag - 3 min.
Jump rope - 3 min.
Speed bag - 3 min.
Double end bag - 3 min.
Jump rope - 4 min.
Continuous kb movements - 3 min.
[I've wanted to try this for a while: just keep the kb moving for a fixed amount of time; once one motion becomes too tiresome, switch to another; very acrobatic.]
--------------------------------
Rest between sets to gear up, hydrate, stretch
This is the first time in several weeks (four? six?) that I've been able to jump rope without any pain or debilitation from my ingrown toe! Apparently my boxing, kettlebell/mace conditioning, and weightlifting has kept me in good shape, too. I was able to jump longer than I used to, with less soleus/shin pain, and, though it's nothing spectacular, a four-minute streak is a personal record for at least the past three years. My pulse was easily at 180 bpm while jumping, and just as high for the three-minute kettlebell "loop" I did at the end. I think working past my shin splints from a few months ago, and doing foam roller massages every couple days, had really restored my lower legs. Now I'm tempted to buy a unicycle, since I sold my bicycle a while back.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
50 min., 217 lbs.
warm-up: motions, stretching
SQ: 5 x 5 @ 205, 210, 215, 220, 225 lbs.
BP: 5 x 5 @ 195, 185, 185, 185, 185 lbs.
PU: 5 x 5 @ bdw+35, +25, +15, +10, +5 lbs.
"box squat" db curls: 5 x 5 @ 80 lbs.
[I think I made these up. Begin seated, stand up, curl, lower the db, sit down, repeat. Really liked them. Will try them with a bb next time.]
50 min.
Speed bag - 3 min.
Double end bag - 3 min.
Jump rope - 3 min.
Speed bag - 3 min.
Double end bag - 3 min.
Jump rope - 4 min.
Continuous kb movements - 3 min.
[I've wanted to try this for a while: just keep the kb moving for a fixed amount of time; once one motion becomes too tiresome, switch to another; very acrobatic.]
--------------------------------
Rest between sets to gear up, hydrate, stretch
+ + +
This is the first time in several weeks (four? six?) that I've been able to jump rope without any pain or debilitation from my ingrown toe! Apparently my boxing, kettlebell/mace conditioning, and weightlifting has kept me in good shape, too. I was able to jump longer than I used to, with less soleus/shin pain, and, though it's nothing spectacular, a four-minute streak is a personal record for at least the past three years. My pulse was easily at 180 bpm while jumping, and just as high for the three-minute kettlebell "loop" I did at the end. I think working past my shin splints from a few months ago, and doing foam roller massages every couple days, had really restored my lower legs. Now I'm tempted to buy a unicycle, since I sold my bicycle a while back.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
50 min., 217 lbs.
warm-up: motions, stretching
SQ: 5 x 5 @ 205, 210, 215, 220, 225 lbs.
BP: 5 x 5 @ 195, 185, 185, 185, 185 lbs.
PU: 5 x 5 @ bdw+35, +25, +15, +10, +5 lbs.
"box squat" db curls: 5 x 5 @ 80 lbs.
[I think I made these up. Begin seated, stand up, curl, lower the db, sit down, repeat. Really liked them. Will try them with a bb next time.]
Monday, April 8, 2013
Fitness update -- April 2013
Mostly just greasing the groove today.
I've got some "good soreness" from my 5x5 workout Saturday. My right hand felt better on the speed bag, only some residual soreness. I've still fighting my ingrown left big toe. Very hobbling as far as cardio exercises go.
Anyway, today…
Monday, 8 April 2013
30 min., 216 lbs.
[Rest the bar on your hip with the weight behind you. Fling it forward around your waist as if drawing a sword, catch it with the leading hand, and reverse the vector.]
spear - 10/10, 10/10
[Thrust the mace as you sidestep with it.]
Excalibur - 5/5, 5/5
[Yank the mace up like a sword from the stone, thrust it skywards, kneel (lunge) down, and stand to replace the mace into the stone.]
360's - 10/10, 10/10
[Here's a nice little mace swinging video, too.]
swing - 30
high pull snatch - 10/10
[Swing up to a high pull, swing down, then snatch up.]
speed bag - 3 min.
I've got some "good soreness" from my 5x5 workout Saturday. My right hand felt better on the speed bag, only some residual soreness. I've still fighting my ingrown left big toe. Very hobbling as far as cardio exercises go.
Anyway, today…
Monday, 8 April 2013
30 min., 216 lbs.
speed bag - 4.5 min.
mace drills...
sword draw - 10/10[Rest the bar on your hip with the weight behind you. Fling it forward around your waist as if drawing a sword, catch it with the leading hand, and reverse the vector.]
spear - 10/10, 10/10
[Thrust the mace as you sidestep with it.]
Excalibur - 5/5, 5/5
[Yank the mace up like a sword from the stone, thrust it skywards, kneel (lunge) down, and stand to replace the mace into the stone.]
360's - 10/10, 10/10
[Here's a nice little mace swinging video, too.]
speed bag - 4 min.
kb drills...
clean - 10/10swing - 30
high pull snatch - 10/10
[Swing up to a high pull, swing down, then snatch up.]
speed bag - 3 min.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Fitness update - April 2013
Thursday, 4 April 2013
30 min., 215 lbs.
speed bag – 3 min. x 3
kb swings – 30, 35, 40
pull-ups – 5, 8, 11
dips – 5, 8, 11
[I lost a lot of time dealing with the tire-made heavy-bag––I'm still working on how to hang it––and trying to eradicate the stench that's been coming from two giant dead rats that my neighbor tossed in his back yard next to my garage. I used gasoline, fire, and then bleach. Win!]
Friday, 5 April 2013
25 min., 215 lbs.
warm-up: mace drills ––> 5–10 min.
speed bag – one round for as long as I could keep up cadence ––> 5'26"
[Actually, I could have gone longer, but I was distracted by the pain in my right hand. I had an intense speed bag session yesterday, and the bones feel a bit bruised. So I'll be icing my hands, or at least my right hand, laying off the speed bag for a while, and maybe not even filming my progress video this weekend.]
kb swings: 20, 20
kb shotput swing: 10/10, 10/10
kb hoist and shove: 10/10, 10/10
[I also did some raking under the back tree to make the ground more level. Getting ready to hang my tire-made heavy bag...! I've already got two friends "on board" for training at my "gym laboratory" once or twice a week this summer, and on the way home from Home Depot today I saw a guy running backwards in the street and I immediately knew, "This guy needs to train with me." His name is James and he lives maybe a mile away. We exchanged numbers and hope to hang out when he gets back from a visit home to Michigan in a couple weeks. He's got a degree in sports science, also motivates/trains his wife, and is way more cut than I am heheh!
Why did I go to Home Depot, you ask? I try to limit myself to one DIY project a month, if it costs me money, so this month I decided to make a mace. I made one in Taiwan, and I've been missing it lately. My mace in Taiwan was about 3' of 1/2" steel pipe, a cap to stop the weights, and some rubber gaskets and a U-bolt to lock the weights up at the top. My new mace is much more ambitious: 3' of 1.5" steel pipe for the weight plates, a bushing to join a 1' long handle of 3/4" pipe, a cap for the top and a U-bolt to lock down the weights. I added a modest 6 lbs. of plates to the head, but, honestly, the mace by itself, even without weights, is quite a challenge after a hiatus, so for now I may just use it as a massive Indian club. For a shorter homemade mace bell, I could try this awesome DIY method. Here's another ingeniously simple method for a homemade mace bell/gada. ;p
Tomorrow I will be back in the gym. I originally wanted to cancel my membership, but they talked me into a 25% lower monthly fee and I'm staying. I figure I need a gym for 1) squatting, 2) deadlifting, 3) db shrugs, flyes, and presses (the Big Three, basically), and 4) farmer walking. Otherwise, I'll stick with my kettlebell, mace, boxing, jump rope, medicine ball, bodyweight conditioning.]
30 min., 215 lbs.
speed bag – 3 min. x 3
kb swings – 30, 35, 40
pull-ups – 5, 8, 11
dips – 5, 8, 11
[I lost a lot of time dealing with the tire-made heavy-bag––I'm still working on how to hang it––and trying to eradicate the stench that's been coming from two giant dead rats that my neighbor tossed in his back yard next to my garage. I used gasoline, fire, and then bleach. Win!]
Friday, 5 April 2013
25 min., 215 lbs.
warm-up: mace drills ––> 5–10 min.
speed bag – one round for as long as I could keep up cadence ––> 5'26"
[Actually, I could have gone longer, but I was distracted by the pain in my right hand. I had an intense speed bag session yesterday, and the bones feel a bit bruised. So I'll be icing my hands, or at least my right hand, laying off the speed bag for a while, and maybe not even filming my progress video this weekend.]
kb swings: 20, 20
kb shotput swing: 10/10, 10/10
kb hoist and shove: 10/10, 10/10
[I also did some raking under the back tree to make the ground more level. Getting ready to hang my tire-made heavy bag...! I've already got two friends "on board" for training at my "gym laboratory" once or twice a week this summer, and on the way home from Home Depot today I saw a guy running backwards in the street and I immediately knew, "This guy needs to train with me." His name is James and he lives maybe a mile away. We exchanged numbers and hope to hang out when he gets back from a visit home to Michigan in a couple weeks. He's got a degree in sports science, also motivates/trains his wife, and is way more cut than I am heheh!
Why did I go to Home Depot, you ask? I try to limit myself to one DIY project a month, if it costs me money, so this month I decided to make a mace. I made one in Taiwan, and I've been missing it lately. My mace in Taiwan was about 3' of 1/2" steel pipe, a cap to stop the weights, and some rubber gaskets and a U-bolt to lock the weights up at the top. My new mace is much more ambitious: 3' of 1.5" steel pipe for the weight plates, a bushing to join a 1' long handle of 3/4" pipe, a cap for the top and a U-bolt to lock down the weights. I added a modest 6 lbs. of plates to the head, but, honestly, the mace by itself, even without weights, is quite a challenge after a hiatus, so for now I may just use it as a massive Indian club. For a shorter homemade mace bell, I could try this awesome DIY method. Here's another ingeniously simple method for a homemade mace bell/gada. ;p
Tomorrow I will be back in the gym. I originally wanted to cancel my membership, but they talked me into a 25% lower monthly fee and I'm staying. I figure I need a gym for 1) squatting, 2) deadlifting, 3) db shrugs, flyes, and presses (the Big Three, basically), and 4) farmer walking. Otherwise, I'll stick with my kettlebell, mace, boxing, jump rope, medicine ball, bodyweight conditioning.]
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Fitness update - March 2013
I've had an ingrown toenail the past week, so I haven't been able to jump rope or run. Happily, though, I've saved the toe from infection or any surgical help, and I added a little jogging to my workout today.
Friday, 22 March 2013
45 min., 216 lbs.
wall ball - 20
twist toss - 10/10
bucket toss - 20
KB swing - 20
KB figure-8- 20
KB one-arm swing - 10/10
KB sidearm SQ - 10/10
KB pushup - 10/10
KB renegade row - 10/10
KB clean and press - 10/10
x 3
Saturday, 23 March 2013
60 min., 215 lbs.
double end bag - 2-3 min.
heavy bag - 2-3 min.
x3
KB swings - 20
KB swing and shove - 10/10
[The swing and shove is a move I improvised. Your swing the KB from one side up to the opposite shoulder, pause for an instant, and then shove the KB back up and away to the other side, like a shot put.]
KB pass around - 10/10
KB clean and press - 10/10
tire drag: stride & bear crawl - 1 min.
x3
speed bag - 3 min. x 3
[After my workout I did a strongman stunt which is among my proudest moments as an amateur athlete. I stood one 35-lb. dumbbell upright in my right hand and then swung-pressed my 35-lb kettlebell overhead on its handle in my left hand. Then I squatted with both overhead and did a lunge for each leg. The day before I had done it with the KB in my right hand, but had not been able to complete it with the KB in my left hand.]
Monday, 25 March 2013
30 min., 214 lbs.
wall ball - 10
twist toss - 10/10
bucket toss - 10
KB swings - 20
KB pass around - 10/10
KB figure-8 slap - 10
[This is an exercise I learned from this video about kettlebell training for boxing.]
KB crusher squat press - 10
KB swing and shove - 10/10
KB clean and press - 10/10
NO REST between exercises
1 min. REST after circuit
x 3
Wednesday, 27 March 2013
25 min, 214 lbs.
warm-up:
double end bag 3 min.
speed bag 3 min.
x 2
circuits:
KB swings - 30 sec.
KB swing and shove - 30 sec./30 sec.
KB clean - 30 sec./30 sec.
KB clean and press - 30 sec./ 30 sec.
1 min. jog
2 min. REST
x 3
Friday, 22 March 2013
45 min., 216 lbs.
wall ball - 20
twist toss - 10/10
bucket toss - 20
KB swing - 20
KB figure-8- 20
KB one-arm swing - 10/10
KB sidearm SQ - 10/10
KB pushup - 10/10
KB renegade row - 10/10
KB clean and press - 10/10
x 3
Saturday, 23 March 2013
60 min., 215 lbs.
double end bag - 2-3 min.
heavy bag - 2-3 min.
x3
KB swings - 20
KB swing and shove - 10/10
[The swing and shove is a move I improvised. Your swing the KB from one side up to the opposite shoulder, pause for an instant, and then shove the KB back up and away to the other side, like a shot put.]
KB pass around - 10/10
KB clean and press - 10/10
tire drag: stride & bear crawl - 1 min.
x3
speed bag - 3 min. x 3
[After my workout I did a strongman stunt which is among my proudest moments as an amateur athlete. I stood one 35-lb. dumbbell upright in my right hand and then swung-pressed my 35-lb kettlebell overhead on its handle in my left hand. Then I squatted with both overhead and did a lunge for each leg. The day before I had done it with the KB in my right hand, but had not been able to complete it with the KB in my left hand.]
Monday, 25 March 2013
30 min., 214 lbs.
wall ball - 10
twist toss - 10/10
bucket toss - 10
KB swings - 20
KB pass around - 10/10
KB figure-8 slap - 10
[This is an exercise I learned from this video about kettlebell training for boxing.]
KB crusher squat press - 10
KB swing and shove - 10/10
KB clean and press - 10/10
NO REST between exercises
1 min. REST after circuit
x 3
Wednesday, 27 March 2013
25 min, 214 lbs.
warm-up:
double end bag 3 min.
speed bag 3 min.
x 2
circuits:
KB swings - 30 sec.
KB swing and shove - 30 sec./30 sec.
KB clean - 30 sec./30 sec.
KB clean and press - 30 sec./ 30 sec.
1 min. jog
2 min. REST
x 3
Friday, March 8, 2013
Fitness update - March 2013
Thursday, 7 March 2013
60 min., 212 lbs.
warm-up:
3 min. neck drag
30 med ball wall balls
20 overhead med ball lunges
20 med ball slams
20 med ball snatch tosses
5 min. speed bag
----------
[The x# in the following exercises indicates how many sets of the exercise I did.]
3 min. neck drag x 3
20 med ball wall balls x 3
20 med ball bucket tosses x 2
10 overhead med ball lunges x 3
10 med ball slams x 3
10 med ball snatch tosses x 3
3 min. double end bag x 3
2 min. heavy bag x 3
------------
cool down:
5 min. speed bag
[I needed a workout that got my heart rate up without aggravating my shin splints issues right now. Plus, it's not as strenuous as a full-on bodyweight workout like I did on Tuesday. I'll go for a run tomorrow.
I came up with "bucket tosses" on my own on the fly, though I'm sure they've been done before. Basically, take a wide (snatch deadlift) stance, bend down with the medicine ball, toss it forward against a wall, catch the med ball off the bounce with your chest, and repeat. Sometimes the med ball hits the chest with great force, which adds a nice quasi-unpredictable 'realistic' pugilistic feeling to the circuit.
I guess I'm done with slams for a while. Between my broken 12 lbs. Body Tools medicine ball and my 14 lbs. Troy VTX wall ball––which I've now learned is not intended for slams!––, I'm ready just to fill a durable sack with some wet clothes and sling it around to my heart's content. Less is more. I might even use the same or a similar sack full of clothes or tennis balls or a slightly under-filled basketball to replicate the core with rope action (this [PDF] guide from Ross Enamait shows the way). Also, if I can get the 60 odd feet of rope I left at my mom's house, I'll add rope plyometrics to my regimen again.
{Whilst searching for the term "rope plyo", I stumbled upon my next DIY fitness device/method––a hydrodynamic beam / slosh bar! Unlike the guy in the latter video to which I linked, I would use a 3" diameter PVC, instead of 4", and would probably have a removable cap on the "dumbbell" as well.}]
60 min., 212 lbs.
warm-up:
3 min. neck drag
30 med ball wall balls
20 overhead med ball lunges
20 med ball slams
20 med ball snatch tosses
5 min. speed bag
----------
[The x# in the following exercises indicates how many sets of the exercise I did.]
3 min. neck drag x 3
20 med ball wall balls x 3
20 med ball bucket tosses x 2
10 overhead med ball lunges x 3
10 med ball slams x 3
10 med ball snatch tosses x 3
3 min. double end bag x 3
2 min. heavy bag x 3
------------
cool down:
5 min. speed bag
[I needed a workout that got my heart rate up without aggravating my shin splints issues right now. Plus, it's not as strenuous as a full-on bodyweight workout like I did on Tuesday. I'll go for a run tomorrow.
I came up with "bucket tosses" on my own on the fly, though I'm sure they've been done before. Basically, take a wide (snatch deadlift) stance, bend down with the medicine ball, toss it forward against a wall, catch the med ball off the bounce with your chest, and repeat. Sometimes the med ball hits the chest with great force, which adds a nice quasi-unpredictable 'realistic' pugilistic feeling to the circuit.
I guess I'm done with slams for a while. Between my broken 12 lbs. Body Tools medicine ball and my 14 lbs. Troy VTX wall ball––which I've now learned is not intended for slams!––, I'm ready just to fill a durable sack with some wet clothes and sling it around to my heart's content. Less is more. I might even use the same or a similar sack full of clothes or tennis balls or a slightly under-filled basketball to replicate the core with rope action (this [PDF] guide from Ross Enamait shows the way). Also, if I can get the 60 odd feet of rope I left at my mom's house, I'll add rope plyometrics to my regimen again.
{Whilst searching for the term "rope plyo", I stumbled upon my next DIY fitness device/method––a hydrodynamic beam / slosh bar! Unlike the guy in the latter video to which I linked, I would use a 3" diameter PVC, instead of 4", and would probably have a removable cap on the "dumbbell" as well.}]
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Fitness update... New Label Day!
Tuesday, 5 March 2013
50–60 min., 213 lbs.
Warmup:
5 min. neck drag
5 min. double end bag
12 min. run
sling pistol SQ: 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3
sling pushups: 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3
PU: 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3
overhead lunges (14 lbs. med ball): 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3
dips: 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3
chin-ups: 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3
Cooldown:
N/A
[I "modified" my gate-sled –– by kicking a bend in it on the staircase –– so the front edge wouldn't rip up the grass so much.
My run went from a decent jog to a humbling shamble. Need to treat and forestall shin splints again. I've had this blog for over three years,I think, and I'm only now add "Running" as a content label. Sad but true. I'm set on cutting about ten pounds of weight, and running has been the missing element.
I took less rest this time between exercises and circuits.]
50–60 min., 213 lbs.
Warmup:
5 min. neck drag
5 min. double end bag
12 min. run
sling pistol SQ: 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3
sling pushups: 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3
PU: 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3
overhead lunges (14 lbs. med ball): 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3
dips: 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3
chin-ups: 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3
Cooldown:
N/A
[I "modified" my gate-sled –– by kicking a bend in it on the staircase –– so the front edge wouldn't rip up the grass so much.
My run went from a decent jog to a humbling shamble. Need to treat and forestall shin splints again. I've had this blog for over three years,I think, and I'm only now add "Running" as a content label. Sad but true. I'm set on cutting about ten pounds of weight, and running has been the missing element.
I took less rest this time between exercises and circuits.]
Monday, February 11, 2013
Everlast Training Camp (modified) Week 2
Monday, 11 Feb 2013
26 min., 220 lbs.
heart - 140-170 bpm
Warm up
3 min. speed bag
2-3 min. jump rope
1 min. double end bag
Squats x 20
Lunges x 20
Push ups x 25
Pull ups x 11
Sit ups x 25
Leg raises x 20
Rotations x 20
Ab wheel x 15
-------------------
CIRCUIT x 2
Enjoyed another lovely nap yesterday. Just what Sunday is for. Felt much better rested today and my speed bag is getting better, slowly but somewhat surely. This video was very helpful.
26 min., 220 lbs.
heart - 140-170 bpm
Warm up
3 min. speed bag
2-3 min. jump rope
1 min. double end bag
Squats x 20
Lunges x 20
Push ups x 25
Pull ups x 11
Sit ups x 25
Leg raises x 20
Rotations x 20
Ab wheel x 15
-------------------
CIRCUIT x 2
Enjoyed another lovely nap yesterday. Just what Sunday is for. Felt much better rested today and my speed bag is getting better, slowly but somewhat surely. This video was very helpful.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Everlast Training Camp... and reality
The tail end of this post shows what I did Monday for this week.
Tuesday, 5 Feb 2013
24 min., 220 lbs.
heart - 160-180 bpm
Stretching warm up
Jump rope - 45 sec.
Jumping jacks - 45 sec.
Burpees - 45 sec.
Jump rope - 45 sec.
Hill climbers - 45 sec.
Squat jumps - 45 sec.
Jump rope - 45 sec.
Knee highs - 45 sec.
Shadow boxing - 45 sec.
-------------------
CIRCUIT x 2
Wednesday, 6 Feb 2013
I came home and almost immediately fell asleep for two hours. Then I decided to take the day off and took the family out for dinner.
Thursday, 7 Feb 2013
25 min., 219 lbs.
heart - 160-180 bpm
Stretching & 45 sec./45 sec. jump rope warm up
Jump rope - 45 sec.
Jumping jacks - 45 sec.
Burpees - 45 sec.
Jump rope - 45 sec.
Hill climbers - 45 sec.
Squat jumps - 45 sec.
Jump rope - 45 sec.
Knee highs - 45 sec.
Shadow boxing - 45 sec.
-------------------
CIRCUIT x 2
Now I want to post something I wrote on Facebook asking friends for advice.
Need some input on my fitness regimen, specifically what the line should be between pushing through the pain and resting by doing other exercises for a little while. For the past couple weeks I've been doing the Everlast "Training Camp" workout. M, W, F is a strength building circuit of 8 exercises twice. Tu, Th, Sa are aerobic conditioning along the same lines. The first week involves 30 second intervals for the conditioning exercises, with no rest between them until the one minute break between the first and second circuits (strength circuit allows for 30 second tests between exercises). Each week adds 15-30 second to the intervals.Friday I drove to pick up my Everlast dual bag stand, got a double end bag while I was at it, and had a little fun with the heavy bag and speed bag once I got everything set up.
Now, as it is a boxing program, jump rope is a big part of it. For the past few years I've primarily trained weight and plyometrics, and have terribly neglected the cardio side of things, at least as far as loss of lower body IMPACT exercises go. Every time I try to make jump rope a regular thing (this is the third or fourth time in as many years), I suffer shin splints, but this time I'm determined to overcome them. I've had relative success by using the golf ball under the foot massage, a massage cylinder, NSAIDs, ice, stretching, and rest. Even so, when I go for a quick sprint (upstairs or to my classroom, for example), my soleus and inner lower shin really ache for a while. Yesterday I got home and pretty much immediately took a two hour nap, and then decided to take the day off from training (given my training the past few years, I knew I could afford a missed day of strength training). Well, I got back on track today with the conditioning circuit and holy cow I felt like a bag of rusted bolts. Plus, once I got inside, I lay on the floor for a few minutes, stunned at how badly my lower legs ached. I know I'm getting fitter, since I'm technically doing more effort each time, but I still basically feel like I'm never fully rested or recovered. Today for example I felt a slight shortness of breath after a burst of teaching activity. The training is making FEEL weaker, even though I know objectively and rationally that it's making me stronger. Another issue is that this regimen is partially aimed at losing weight, so I'm reducing my Celtic intake.
Anyway, I'm thinking of taking tomorrow off (though I'm sure I'll work up a sweat breaking in my new heavy bag/speed bag stand), going for a walk or bike ride, doing a strength circuit Saturday, taking Sunday today off, and getting back to it in full swing Monday. However, my quandary is whether I should even progress to the next time bracket until I can do the circuits strictly as advised by the training pamphlet. I won't lie; those breaks have a way of stretching past 30 seconds and I have a way of pausing for air during some conditioning exercises. On the other hand, maybe it's designed just to be hell week after week, and is to be scaled by whatever means as long as you stick with it. It's hard to believe I'm THAT out of shape compared to the average purchaser of the jump rope that includes the Training Camp booklet, but this is a humbling endeavour any way you cut it. Perhaps I should do the exercises at a little lower intensity?
Heavy bag, jump ropes, and power tower -- what else do you need?
Enough space, not hit too hard by the sun but also not in the breezeless back of the garage.
My advanced jump rope station: a long rectangle of carpet folded in half, stacked on top of a plywood board on another rectangle of carpet on the ground.
My Lifeline Jungle Gym XT does well on this branch. I also attach my double end bag here (anchored by two 20 lb. dumbbells I place in that nearest tire). Again, not without breeze but also with shade.
This is my main neck trainer, and also how I 'invented' "Necker lunges." It's a Lifeline cable expander thingie, with the handles latched onto a large hook I screwed into the wood over the doorjamb. For a while I did suspension pushups, rows, and pistol squats with another suspension trainer I have, but then decided that was too much strain on the wood, so now I only do neck exercises from it. Each red cord is about 30 lbs of resistance, and doubled through the carabiner, I can get a total of 180 lbs of resistance. What's that blue thing? Why, it's a large dog harness I bought a couple years ago in Taiwan. I place it on my head and the cords provide the resistance from any angle I like.
Saturday, 9 Feb 2013
30 min., 219 lbs.
(I woke up Friday with a wicked little kink in the left side of my neck. I did the following workout after a couple hours of yard work.)
A. Jump rope 45 sec. THEN double end bag sparring 45 sec. x 5
THEN
B. Three-round Everlast heavy bag workout
Round 1: 5 hits, squat, 5 hits, rest, repeat x 3 min.
Round 2: 15 sec. on the bag, 15 sec. rest, repeat x 3 min.
Round 3: 5 squats, parry left, 5 squats, parry right, 15 sec. on the bag, repeat x 3 min.
My shins didn't hurt too bad.
+++
So, I hit a wall and need to re-strategize. Where do things stand with the Everlast Training Camp? I think I'll space out the workouts like so:
Monday: Strength circuit
Tuesday: swim or bike or jog or bag training
Wednesday: Conditioning circuit
Thursday: swim or bike or jog or bag training
Friday: Strength circuit
Saturday: Conditioning circuit
Sunday: total rest
I'll do this until I can do each 45-sec. interval without cheating or pausing, before moving to a longer interval. As I say, rest is the key exercise in any exercise plan.
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