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

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.]

Gym regimen – April 2013

Sunday, 21 April 2013
50 min., 218 lbs.

warm-up: motions, stretching

SQ: 5 x 5 @ 215 lbs.

db slight-incline press-and-squeeze: 5 x 5 @ 55, 65, 65, 70, 65
[Felt pain in right posterior shoulder, hence I dropped back to 65 lbs.]

DL: 5 x 1 @ 305 lbs.
[Felt great!]

EZ bb standing curl: 5 x 5 @ 80 lbs.

Fitness update - April 2013

Friday, 19 April 2013
20–25 min.

jump rope - 1 min.
[The first time I've used my "impact feet" in weeks, so I'm finally getting past my ingrown toenail!]

speed bag - 3 min.

kb drills - 3–4 min.
[kb swings - 30, kb swing and shove - 10/10, kb shotput swing - 5/5, kb snatch - 10/10]

speed bag - 3 min.

kb drills - 3–4 min. 

[kb swings - 30, kb swing and shove - 10/10, kb shotput swing - 5/5, kb snatch - 10/10] 

+ + + + +

Saturday, 20 April 2013
50 min.

mace bell - ~6 min.
[360's - 20/20, 10-and-2's - 20/20, King-Arthurs - 5/5, 5/5, samurai swing - 20/20]

medicine ball - ~6 min.
[shuffle ball - 15/15, lunge catch - 10/10, hot potato - 20/20, catch-jacks - 20/20]

kb drills - ~7 min.
[kb swings - 30, kb clean punch - 10/10, kb shotput swing - 10/10, kb snatch - 10/10, kb round the world - 20/20]

speed bag - 3 min.
--------------------------
REPEAT circuit

Then I made a brief set of exercises for a brief demo video I'll post to show some of my favorite exercises (most/some of the above).

Then I did about 20 minutes of yard work (clipping hedging).

Fitness update - April 2013

Thursday, 18 April 2013
25–30 min., 216 lbs. 

speed bag: 3 min.

medicine ball: 3 min. + 12 lbs. (wall ball, twist tosses, bucket pass)

double end bag: 3 min.

kb drills: 3 min. (swings, high-pull swings, shot put swings)

REST 1–2 min.

REPEAT, END WITH…

speed bag: 3 min.

Kicked my butt! Must stick with boxing conditioning even though I'm doing 5x5.

Fitness update – April 2013

Friday, 12 April 2013
60 min.

Coached a student on how to squat and deadlift. Helped me focus on and improve my own technique. He's coachable; only thing that matters.

warm-up: motions, stretching

SQ: 5 x 5 @ 205 lbs.

db slight-incline press-and-squeeze: 5 x 5 @ 55, 65, 65, 70, 65
[Felt pain in right posterior shoulder, hence I dropped back to 65 lbs.]

DL: 5 x 1 @ 305 lbs.
[Felt great!]

EZ bb standing curl: 5 x 5 @ 80 lbs.


Saturday, 13 April 2013
20 min.

3 min. mace drills (10-and-2's, 360's, King Arthurs)

kb swings: 30

kb shotput swings: 10/10

kb high pull / snatch: 5/5

3 min. speed bag 
REPEAT 


Monday, 15 April 2013 
40 min.

mowed lawn…

3 min. speed bag

3 min. kb drills

3 min. speed bag

3 min. kb drills

3 min. speed bag

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.

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 - 10/10

swing - 30

high pull snatch - 10/10
[Swing up to a high pull, swing down, then snatch up.] 

speed bag - 3 min.