This one went quickly
Concept II 50%
1,000 meters warmup
5,000 meters 20:09
I wanted 20:00 but just could not make it. Something to work on. I felt like I had trouble hitting a good breathing rhythm. I think that could make the difference.
Kettlebells
I made up a ladder thingie for today. This is jerks with a bell in each arm.
16K X 20, 24K X 15, 32K X 5
rest
16K X 15, 24K X 10, 32K X 5
rest
16K X 10, 24K X 5, 32K X 5
I have video of this but can’t upload it at the moment. I dunno, I’ll probably just keep it in my pile of bulk footage for later. As proof that I am doing these very wrong my anterior delts are smoked, my triceps and quads are not.
Back Squat
60K 5
100K 5
140K 3
160K 1
180K 1
185K 1
140K 3, 4, 5, 4, 3
This took 45 minutes
Roughly translated, 185K = 400lbs and that was my goal for this workout. It went very easy. I was squatting from the Jerk stands on account of folks doing a kind of ring pushup in the squat rack. Stepping out of the blocks the 400lb felt like every bit of their weight. I went down easily and came right back out of it without much effort. I had a spotter and I asked him how much help he gave and he said none. I asked him if I got my depth and he said yeah. I guess I have to take him at his word. So I’m glad to have hit my mark for the week. Now it’s time to move to some reps with that kind of weight.
Trap Bar Deadlift (Generously assumes a 45lb bar)
225 5
315 5
405 3 X 3
1 hour has passed
Moday I will do some front squat as my main exercise but next Friday and the following Monday I will emphasize the deadlift. For the time this was kind of a token exercise or an accessory exercise depending on how you look at it.
Good Morning 60K 3 X 10
Jump Rope 3:00
Standing Press
60K 5
80K 3, 3, 2, 0, 1
90 minutes have passed
This lift made me a little nervous going in but I didn’t have any trouble with that last bit of hip tweak I am fighting. So expect to see more of these in the coming weeks.
Leg Raises 3 X 10
I’m trying to do them slower each time, I still can’t pause at the top. I also do this with slightly bent knees. Official it’s because of flexibility but strength could play a roll too.
Slightly Elevated Situps - 40lbs on chest 3 X 10
2 hours
Today, Saturday
16K kettlbell juggling 10:00
Yesterday was beautiful and I kept saying, “If it doesn’t rain, I have to go outside and do something to enjoy it.” Unfortunately it was supposed to rain so I all but gave up on it. It didn’t rain so I thought I might make good on it. I loaded up my tire and kettlebell and headed to the park. I got there and found it packed. Tire was out, there just was no room to do it. So I got my bell out and took my station. I started the stop watch and sent my wife around the park once with the dog. When she got back I put the bell away. It was something like11ish minutes by my watch but I’m just gonna call it 10. In hind site, it is probably better that I didn’t do tire. I just wanted to get the blood flowing, not get a real workout in.
Sometimes I have to beg, borrow and steal to find my inspiration. This one goes out to Steve. I took his 02/06/08 workout and perverted it. So I offer my apologize and thanks to him.
Turkish Getup X 5/5 24K Kb
Crunch X 25 24K Kb
Leg Scissor X 50
Floor Press X 15/15 24K Kb
Burpees 10 (the jump portion at the end of each rep gives out at 10)
Kettlebell Row X 15/15 24K Kb
Took, maybe ten minutes but it was some nice work for a Sunday afternoon. It was all about the movement and a little bit of exertion and sweat. It also helped me really feel out that little injury I have left. It’s some kind of muscle that attaches to the anterior portion of the hips and pulls on the legs, Sartorious maybe. It attaches pretty close to the spine and aches any time I try to pull my left leg forward (knee locked) against resistance, that complies with my general theory (that I tried to address with that PT but he blew me off) that some muscles in my abdomen where tightening and it was going to be an issue. This also falls into one of my complaints about yoga and one I have heard from Scott Styles as well. They spend a whole lot of time doubled over and very little time working the opposite direction.
The good news is that my program I made up that begs borrows and steals from places including yoga accentuates this need. I started it too late to avoid this particular injury but it should help mitigate these in the future. I think that once I get all healed up from my variety of back boo boos from immediately before and after the break, I’m going to have a great year.
This probably took me about 30 minutes. I gave myself plenty of time to recover. This was more about getting it all done than it was about doing it fast. I was also using this workout to try and feel out that slightly dodgie left glute I have going on.
…So this morning I woke up to my alarm, like I do. I could not believe that I would set my alarm on a Saturday, it’s not like we have anything to do this weekend. So I turned it off and went back to bed. Much later, my wifes alarm clock went off. Now I was really confused, why had she set her alarm on a weekend too? So I got up and headed over to turn it off for her. I could get up, walk the dog, start breakfast and she could sleep. As I got to the alarm clock she reached over and hit snooze. Now she pointed out my error. It is not Saturday, in fact, it is Wednesday and it was time for me to be leaving for work, not just waking up. Why I thought it was Saturday I do not know…
Because of the late wake up I did not pack my gym clothes so when I got home I worked out
40K 2 hand swing X 20
32K C & J 5/5,5/5
24K Snatch 10/10
Burpees 5,5
Crunches 10
Leg Lifts X 20
Due to circumstances that were somewhat beyond my control, I had to miss Friday evening.
Today
40K kettlebell 5 X 20
Then I did a couple rounds of Providence, which my wife was doing at the time, with a 24K kettlebell. Then I took the dog for a run.
Tomorrow begins “normalcy” for me. Classes start, I’m at work and I can get a schedule going. It’s gonna be a Monday, Wednesday and Friday schedule. Tomorrow may be a it abbreviated ’cause I have to buy my books too. Tomorrow will probably just be rowing. Monday’s will probably normally have some kettlebells involved. Wednesday and Friday will be typical gm work. I’ll try to work in some kind of strongman/dinsosaur/kettlebell thing on the weekend, if I can.
While I’m babbling. My weight is up. I haven’t seen 240, even a the worst of time, but still. Not cool. I’m dumping the protein shake for a while, I think the calories are doing more harm than good. I’m cutting back my fruit just a little bit and upping my protein as much as I reasonably can. I have make some chicken strips and salmon that I have already prepped for the week.
I’ve been meaning to catch you all up on Good Calories, Bad Calories as well. I took a break during the holidays and am just getting back into it. It’s slow and tough at times but still a great read. Some interesting things have been said. I’ll catch you up soon. I’ve also ordered Protein Power to use as my guide to low carb eating.
Speaking of low carb. I’ve begun some low carb work already. I still insist on eating with my wife, eating things she will eat. Occasionally that means that I will make two suppers, a sandwich for her, meat for me. Occasionally it means I will eat a bowl of pasta. That’s just the way it is. I haven’t figured out how much or if I will document what I eat or how many carbs or any of that.
Lemme see, I haven’t been very chatty lately. There’s more but that’s all i can come up with for now.
20/20 32K kettlebell C&J. I focused on making the Jerk a legit Jerk. These were done slowly, one side for a single, then the other. I did sets of 5 per side and rested for a bit. Then 5 more. At ten I took a longer break. I wasn’t really going for anything in particular other than just doing it.
I also hit the Physical Therapist today, well not hit, went to see. I got 30 minutes of his time. Basically he taught me some foam roller exercises. I’m starting think that he doesn’t have the slightest clue what to do a with a guy who is relatively healthy. I wonder if my money would have been better spent at PerformBetter.com getting a few DVDs.
Last, I said this at farmstrength:
“I’m not a nutritionist or any kind of guru but I have one absolute for everybody. You WILL NOT lose the weight until you decide that it is your single most important goal for you in the gym. Until then, you are wasting time. “
I’m repeating it here because it is something I truely believe. Feel free to disagree.
