chins and LT miles

chins: 20lbs x5, x3. Faded fast and wanted some in the tank for Friday so I didn't do a third set. I hope this was compromised by my barbell rows yesterday and not some wall that I've hit.
running: 1 mile at 7.2mph (MHR 169), rest (3.2mph'ish) for 5 minutes, 1 mile at 7.2mph (MHR 174). The theory is these runs are at my lactate threshold.
face-pulls: 60 x50reps.
bent over flyes: 10 x20reps.

Turkish Get-up style guide.

Embracing the... firm embrace.

[skipping: Walk This Way]

The main WO:

• push press: 55 x 7, 5, 4, 3 with super-slow eccentrics (compare to last week.)


• db bent-over rows: 30 x 10/10; 35 x 5/5, 4/4, 4/4 (pb)



• push-ups: the real kind x 10, 7, 6 + 6 (ie: 6 full, then 6 girly til toasted, just to be thorough)

Random ragtags because I couldn't decide on a finisher on the fly:

• lying lateral raise 8 lb x 6/6;

• McPie's invented twisty shoulder raises 5 lb x 10/10

• db presses: 24 lb x 12

And then I just didn't feel finished so:

• bench dips: 8, 7, 6

• v-sit ball tosses (4 kg): 50

[skipping: Intergalactic]

one quick . . . finish

I was hanging out waiting for a conversation to end so I could hand in my par-Q form so I decided to do:
barbell rows 45 x50 reps. My upper back is sore as are my upper arms.

run-o-the mill

No running involved. Strictly a bar-b-q workout:

Military press- 2 x 100 lbs uhhg. Switched to power press : 5,5,4 x 95 lbs. I suppose if I had only raised my hand more in class as a youngster...

Straight arm raises- 10,7,7 x 30 lbs

Weighted pull ups - 25lbs 7, 5, 3, 2

Bar-b-q press -135 x 8, 5, 4 I'd like a spotter please. I have these horrible, sternum cracking visions.

Finisher military presses: 18 x 45 lbs. K-i-l-l-e-r

the "McPie"

but first, the chins: 20lbs x5, x5, x1
<some time later>
400m
10 Turkish get-ups @ 15lbs. (5 a side)
400m
10 TGU's
400m
10 TGU's
400m
10 TGU's
400m
17 minutes, 10 seconds. MHR 182.
The 400's were at 9mph. I have a sinking suspicion that the dreadmill reset to 0% after the 2nd 400m rep.
Also, a tip. I bring some change and keep track of my intervals by moving a quarter or nickel to the other side of the dreadmill when I complete a rep.

When in doubt, dump the bar.

Squats: 110 x 5, 5, 4 or 5?, 2 (Went down for the third and had to dump the bar - my first time having to do that. Next time I get to put bigger plates on!)
Alternated with calf presses (seated): 320 x 10, 10, 10, 10 (My "vanity" exercise.)

RDL: 95 x 10, 10, 10 (why didn't I add weight?)
Alternated with one-legged sit-ups on the ball. (have you guys tried these yet? they are great.)

Finisher: 3 x 400 m @ 9.2, 9, 8.5 (1%, one minute rests)

Retrospect: ham string curls might've been better finishers. Either way, there's some serious jello under my desk this aft.

Here's the question though: Did ANYONE do Turkish Get-ups today? Hmm?

Can stop sweating any time soon...

Inspired by the faux-mile yesterday, I tried to make it a hard workout today:

Squats: 8,6,7 @ 235lbs (happy with form)
bicep curls -hold on, my phone's ringing...ok back, 10/10, 7/7, 5/5, @30 lb db's
Deadlifts: 7,6,6 x 225lbs
Finisher squats: 155 x15, 30 s rest, 15 puke.
Mile run: 8:10 (includes a walk at 5 minute mark for 1 minute or 'Rest' just to keep the bile down). Pffft.

Hair of the dog

aka "GPS" (Googlemaps Pedometer Screwup)

Sunday afternoon, post-Glee Club Summit.

Overunder and Ms Hedda carefully plot out a mile through their neighbourhood using Googlemaps Pedometer. They chug some water (to wash down the ibuprofen). Trot through about 2 km to warm up.

Mark. Set. Go. Sucking up hangovers, they begin their mile-for-time. It hurts. Hedda has to stop to walk - twice. The route begins on a downhill (thereby starting them way too fast) and ends on an uphill (who the hell planned this route?)

Their time? About 7:30 and 8:10 (K & H respectively). WTF?

Back at home, we check some data, run some calculations. We forgot the route enroute, took a wrong turn, and ran an extra 300m. More calculations (by Overunder, natch) and we figure we averaged our usual times (6:15-20 and 6:50ish for the mile per se). And a couple extra blocks at top speed for good measure.

Next mile on the (flat) canal we're gonna be all "What? We're done already?"

Glee Club First Annual Congress

Was held on Saturday night, chez Hull.



While much fitness was discussed, none was done. Club members did manage to get shitfaced, but thanks to their training little effort was required to do so.



At any rate, spirits were high and all were in agreement that members were looking buff, svelte and ready for the beach, not to mention dragging ultimate opponents through hell on the field.



end minutes

I am a guy

I did Bench presses today. I never do. Now I feel that I can: Barbeque, talk about cars, spout every hockey player's stats, scratch myself. I want to read Maxim.

Aw, its not that bad. Starting a cold today, so no running and a relatively easy workout intensity wise.

situps: 3 X 2o
Extensions: 3 x 10 w/ 25 lb plate
Press: 100lbs x 5, 3, 2
Weighted Pull ups: 5, 3, 4(!) w/ 25 lbs (+ the chain, which counts for something I think)
Bench press: 10 x 115 (too light), then 5, 5 x 135
Finisher press: 19 x 45. Brutal!

chins and running

chins: 20lbs x4, x4, x3, x1
<some time later>
some "light" running. Instead of doing the 400m intervals or the soul-sucking mile, I decided to consult the charts of my heart zones from last year (they still apply, right? RIGHT?) and train at my Lactate Threshold (zone 5a for those keeping score at home). So, I warmed up, did a mile set at 7.1mph (MHR 166), rested 5 minutes, and did a second 800m set at 7.1mph (MHR 170). It was nice not to be cursing running at the end of it.

Ow.

Everything hurts today. Everything.

Typing now possible (3 hours later)

Work today was a brand new kind of hell. Workout got squeezed to the final moment of the day, so I had to amend it so I didn't miss my ride across the river.

Baby Angie:

75 chin-ups (or chin-up-type movement)
75 push ups
75 sit-ups
75 squats (45 lb)

Breakdown:

Chins -- 5 body weight, 5 with a single toe on the bar (chins done on the squat rack), with breaks; switched to the lat pull cable for "chins" starting at 100. Whenever I couldn't do 5 in a row, I dropped the weight. last 15 at 60 lbs. Rapid weight-dropping caused mainly by forearm/grip issues.

Push-ups: 10 regular, 10 girly, then in sets of 10 up to 50. Toasted and time-constrained -- moved onto sit-ups.

Sit-ups: 3 sets of 25. (feet braced)

Push-ups: 25 girlies.

Squats: 3 sets of 25.

27 minutes.

If I wasn't time-boxed by the end of the day pick-up, I could have done the full 100 of girlie push-ups, sit-ups, 45 lb squats (and would've maintained the order). Chins on the other hand... my forearms were so engorged I thought they were gonna split their seams. I could've kept going at 80, but I couldn't hold the bar. My hands totally failed. The push-ups felt really good afterward: great forearm stretch. My wrists didn't even notice.

hmmph

deadlifts: 280x1, 285x1, x1
power cleans: 135x4, x2, x2
press: 95x5, x4, x2. Forgot to do push presses to finish off the sets.
squats: just going back and doing some improved-form squats.
finisher: front squats, 45x45

The 2 1/2 lbs plates apparently don't fit the bar in the squat rack. So, I tried a workaround and then ended up just bumping it to 285.

a new intensity

I found a new kind of intensity during today's workout. Not the breathless, tingling intensity associated with, say, lots of fast running, but a deep, muscular intensity with lots of controlled breathing. It was a strength day, sort of? Only had a short hour today, round trip, so I had to limit the exercises and go fast:

Split squats w/ 100 lbs (2 x 50 lb db's -wanted to use the 55's but they were taken): 10/10, 10/10, 10/9. The poor, poor back leg on these! All that pre-fatigue and then switched to the front to do the bulk of the work.

Deadlifts: 6, 5, 5, x 225 (pb). I actually think I can safely go higher but today the grip was a little feeble after 60 dips yesterday. Did I mention I did 60 dips yesterday? ;-)

Finisher squats: 155 x30 (10, adjust tight shorts, 10, adjust tight shorts, 10. Grrrrrrr poor choice of clothing.)

Run: 1 mile at 0%: 7:57 -just to see.

flaring lats or at least nostrils

chins: BW + 20lbs x 3, x3, x3, x2.
<some time later>
1% grade. 400m x 4 @ 9.4mph (1:35 400's) w/ 90s rest between. MHR was 166, 179, 177, 187. I asked for 6 reps but was told no.
Thighs are still screaming about the front squat finishers from two days ago. Bad news for them, there are more on tap tomorrow . . .

In which I attempt to overcome "sucking"

In an attempt to overcome my meagre 45 lb press barrier, I tried the following today:

push press: 5, 3, 3, 2 @ 55 (I might've tried it a little heavier, but I had to do it freestanding -- the rack was occupied by meaties working on their quadruple-plate partial squats. I almost had a mirror-smashing incident, but recovered using my superior core strength.)
* edit to add The point of the push press was to put up extra weight that I could then lower s-l-o-w-l-y (5 second eccentrics) to build strength through the movement. That was the idea, anyway.

one-legged ball crunches: 20 x 3 (alternated sets with the presses to keep the twitch at bay in a busy gym)

10 or 12 or maybe 15? girly-pushups with shoulder-width hands (girly was all I could manage after completely failing on the presses)

dips on the bench: 3 x 6

inverted flies: something like 8, 6, 6 @ 10/arm (I am weak back there; this set was for postural purposes, not necessarily related to the press problem)

I considered doing a few other shouldery- or chest-type exercises, but frankly, my upper arms felt like bricks. So I did a little run on the treadmill - this time it really was a cool-down. (10-12 minutes at 6-7 mph. Mostly flat.)

Tomorrow: massage!!

Second circuit

of the week:
3 rounds of 800m run, 50 sit-ups, 20 dips for time.

Well, did it all in 30:21, which I think sucks but does include all the extra treadmill ramp time and stuff, which amounts to not at all that much really.
Times for 800m: 3:20, 3:32, 3:40, -nothing fantastic but the last one was pretty hard. Did them at 2%
Let me tell you about hooking your feet for 150 sit-ups, 50 at a time; Try to avoid the big toe cuticle area. I had to do them on the ball. I hooked my toes under the footrests of a back extension thing (seldom used as it does not have enough pulleys, chains, cushions and pins). I am missing some skin :-(
Dips: 20, 10+5+5, 5+5+4+3+1+1+1. If EVER I have to lower myself into a manhole I know these will come in handy.

I had hoped for 27:00 or so. The last set of dips took time. I didn't feel gross the whole time, which was kind of nice.

Tomorrow: legz!

Numb from the elbows down

Prologue: Three months ago, my grip was the gating factor in a single set of 75 lb RDLs. Now it takes 130 lb chin-ups, 105 lb deadlifts, and some db calves presses to knock me down. Surely that will have some impact on my flick?

Today:

split squats: 10, 10, 10/leg @ 55 lb
chin-ups: 3, 2, 2, 2*
(alternating sets of the above, beginning and ending with chins.)

deadlifts: 7, 6, 6 @ 105 (pb, and reps were hampered by grip - I can't imagine 270!!!!)
calves: 2 x 10 single-leg holding 30 lbs, 1 x seated presses @ 320
(alternating sets of the above = grip totally disintegrated)

12 back extensions
25 + 20 v-sit ball tosses (4 kg)

Run. Outside. Ostensibly to loosen the legs and get some sun, but during the course of my 10 minute jog, I talked myself into throwing down 3 sprints (40m?). All out, chasing a striker sprints. The word that comes to mind is "flail".

I have under two weeks to tame the limbs into something resembling "efficiency".

* HOW to increase my reps-per-set on chins? I've done as many as four in a row, and today almost had that (but not quite), but can't seem to get past it. Strategies?

I don't care if Monday's blue

This morning had to include the strength workout from the weekend because of the aftermath of the birthday party rendering me immobile yesterday. As Dean Martin said, "I pity people that don't drink, 'cause when they wake up? That's the best they're gonna feel all day".

squats: 215x5, x2, x2. Short of my best by 10lbs but I think I was thrown off by doing this at work in front of a mirror and seeing how awful my form is. It's amazing my back has not snapped in half. I will drop the weight and improve this.
press: 95x5, x3, 1.
deadlift: 270x3. New pb. My grip failing continues to be the weak link here.
power cleans: 130x2, x3, x2. New pb.
finisher: front squats - 45x40.
<some time later>
chins: BW+20lbs x 3, x3, x1.

Constructed a Circuit Today...

And then tried it out! That was a bit like inventing a hand grenade, then pulling the pin.

First off, it is HOT out! Water would have been a great thing to have on hand.

Anyway, the goal:

5K run with 3 sets of 20 burpees thrown down and a mile run for time halfway-ish trhough. All for time.

And the result:

Well, I was happy to finish. I had to split Burpee sessions 2 and 3 up into 10 x 10 and 10 x 5 x 5 sets respectively, and there was necessary resting so I managed a pretty poor 30:24. I will let this little visual aid say the rest:

It just never felt like I had power behind my stride, or deeper breaths to take, or anywhere to dig deeper. But I did push through and past the hard stuff. But my question, always is this: is that hard stuff actually hard?

shot at redemption

Well, I did some chin-ups. It was 3 sets of max-reps day.
10, 5, 4.
A couple of hours later I went back to the gym and hit the dreadmill. On Wednesday, I had fully intended to do 6 reps of 400m at 8.6 mph (1:45 400's). I crapped out after 4 reps.
Today I did 400m x 6 @ 9mph (1:40 400's) with 90s rest between (Max Heart Rate hit 188 on the last rep). Much better but not nearly enough to be a full member of the Glee Club when I look at their metabolic conditioning work of late. Tomorrow is squats, presses, and deadlifts (with a couple of sets of power cleans after the deadlift "warm up"). I will also try to add a set of max rep squats as a finisher.

Uncle Mike

"Michael"

Officially:
Three rounds for time of
Run 800 meters
50 Back Extensions
50 Sit-ups

My stats:

• 800 m: 8.5, 8, 7.9 (ave) mph, 1% grade

• Back X: 20, 15, 15, 12 (max reps, I threw in an extra set 'cuz I was so far from 50)

• Sit-ups: 50, 20+20+5, 25+13+12 ("+" represents 10 breath rests)
  

= 27ish minutes.

Legs demo.

As in demolish.

Just to finish off yesterday's legs blitz, today's short workout saw:

Core work (Ball knee tucks, crunches)
8,7,7 Squats @ 225lbs mixed with 30lb dumbell telephone curls ;-) (10, 6,5 each arm)
then 155 lb squats (ATG) finishers: 15. I should have tried for 20.
7,6,7 Deadlifts @ 215 lbs mixed with those lie on your side pivot a small (12.5lb) weight with your arm -they work a little part of the shoulder, hopefully building it for launching the frisbee 1/4 of a mile, which would be of no benefit in a game, but I know we could all run it down in under 1:30 min if pressed, and that would just be plain cool, game or no game.

Flu symptoms are dissipating. This has been a hard workout week spirit wise, gains lost and all.

Oh the Glee

Its supposed to be about the glee. Glee is code for "pain and the feeling one will be sick".

Today at lunch I tried a quick and nasty circuit designed along the lines of a CrossFit WOD.
The goal: 400m run, 20 laundry jumps, 10 pull ups, repeat 4 times for time.
The result: 400 m run x 4, 20, 15, 15 12 laundry jumps, 10, 9+1, 4+3+2+1, 3+4+2+1. The time? 30 minutes. Booo. What a nasty workout though. Laundry jumps are killer after the 400 m (which I feel is important to run @ a 2% grade). I had the flu last week. There was lots of sputum. Eeeew, sputum.

After work Ms. Hedda and I had scheduled a mile run for time. Along the canal we ran a warm up mile or so, then posted 6:16 (me) and 6:48 (Ms. Hedda -a personal best!) for the timed mile. That just plain hurt, friends. Toward the end each stride was a huge effort, my legs pretty buzzed from the lunch time ho-down. We both had similar experiences, our bodies just not as lithe as we know they can be. Ms. H had a big workout yesterday and is still recovering. Neither of us thought our times could be what they were. It was pretty much guts that pushed us along and, while it felt physically pretty bad at the end, the 'guts' leave a damn good feeling behind.

It was a slow jog back to car. With dreams of sub 6... And pizza.