Are Weak Men Allowed To Post Routines!?

[lifesnotfair]

06.08.2008

Full rest.

07.08.2008

Warmups (again, it includes mobility stuff, sit-ups, hip extensions, jumping pullups, pushups, some air squats... it's tiring by itself). Then:

Back Squats:

Warm-up sets: 45x5, 95x5, 115x3, 135x3

Working sets: 155x5, 155x5

160x5 - Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kYXBnh9AY8

160x5 - Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QR3eOfjBP8

165x5 - Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuR_2Sn7_pE

Warning: I'm wearing boxers, but no shorts, in case you're easily offended.

I changed a lot of things since the last squat session:

-No more wooden blocks to meassure depth, will just go by feel.

-No more looking up, Mark Rippetoe says to look at a point about 6 feet in front of you in the floor.

-No more towel wrapped around the bar, I tried possitioning the bar lower on my back and it seems to work, although I feel it's now resting in my rear deltoids.. I always thought it would fall if I placed it there, but it doesn't, and finally I can squat without feeling my shoulder bones being crushed.

-I tried really hard not to let my knees drift forward at the bottom, but I believe this still needs a bit of work.

I did some grippers in between sets. I don't remember every set... but some stuff:

LH: closed the #1.5, failed the RB160 bad (suck from wide sets leftie); about 3 reps with BBSA, about 4 with #1... not sure.

RH: #1.5x5; RB160x0 (2mm in two attempts); #2x0 (4mm?) ...

All of the above was using a 40mm block before every rep/attempt.

Some extensors with white and green IM bands; wow, this has gotten WEAK !!!

Need to start grip training again. The problem is that I can only do it in days like this, where I train strength... because those conditioning workouts leave me too tired.

[ruga buga]

Good workouts.

Yes, you need to work on not looking up. Rip has a good point about that. and lose the towel

good videos

[lifesnotfair]

Good workouts.

Yes, you need to work on not looking up. Rip has a good point about that. and lose the towel

good videos

Thank you ruga buga. I assume you didn't watch my last workout's videos, as I lost the towel and looked down!

08.08.2008

21 DB squat-snatches, right hand.

21 DB squat-snatches, left hand.

42 kipping pull-ups.

15 DB squat-snatches, right hand.

15 DB squat-snatches, left hand.

30 kipping pull-ups.

9 DB squat-snatches, right hand.

9 DB squat-snatches, left hand.

18 kipping pull-ups.

Total time: 24:45 minutes. The DB squat-snatch is basically just a DB snatch, but you squat fully even if you wouldn't normally need to in order to snatch this weight. The legs were burning more than anything else in this workout, because of this. I used 20# on my oly DB handles, so I estimate between 30#-35#, depending if my DB handle + collars weigh 10# or 10#... I don't have a scale. The weight was supossed to be 45# but since I'm still weak and with no endurance I chose to scale it down a bit. All pull-ups had a big swing, but at least from full extension to chin over bar (maybe 3-4 in which chin didn't quite get there). Overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder width appart.

[lifesnotfair]

09.08.2008

I made my own "medicine ball", just cut off a basketball, filled it up with sand and applied some glue to the cuts, and duct tape. I have no idea how much this weights, I estimate around 20#, but cannot be sure. I then proceeded to make a mark in a wall, at almost 9 feet high (might have been a few inches less). I then proceeded to do a front squat with the ball, facing the wall, with a throw at the top trying to make it touch the wall at least at the height I marked, and as soon as i catched it I did another rep. Apparently this is called a Wall Ball Shot, I was squatting to 5 wooden blocks to meassure depth (it is below parallel). I did 150 reps in 9:40 minutes. The first 25 were continous, shoulders gave in first.. but then it was legs (I was then doing sets of about 10, some rest, continue, etc).. but right now it's the quads that feel pumped as heck.

I had my wife use the same ball, but only do a "thruster" (front squat squat + push-press combined, ball never leaves the hands but is locked overhead), she did 150 reps in 15:45, that's nice, she's only like 100lbs... she's been working out with me for a while now, seeing some progress.

[lifesnotfair]

10.08.2008

Complete rest.

Legs a bit sore from yesterday's 150 wall ball shots in under 10 mins.

11.08.2008

Five (5) rounds for time of:

DB hang squat-clean (43# DB's), catching the DB's on the way down, going below parallel, then front squatting them, 9 reps.

Towell pull-ups, 15 reps.

Total time: 26:00.

Devastating. The Db squat-clean were the easiest part. I could've gone heavier but I've never really done this, so didn't want to push it. Still, as it was, it was enough to really tire me out. At first I was kinda "cheat curling" those DB's, but I then found out it was messing up with my pull-ups so I made a bigger effort to squat down quick enough so I didn't have to curl the DB's up.

About the towell pull-ups: first time ever doing them, I just hung a little towell over my pull-up bar, and was grabbing it with one hand over the other (maybe 2" between hands?) ... this was WAY tougher than I thought. I did them deadhang though, no initial swing.. I had to do them all in sets of 3, alternating hands possition every 3 reps. This was also a killer grip workout.

[lifesnotfair]

12.08.2008

I wanted to "run 5 km". Once again, I don't go to tracks, I just do one lap around a park. The park has a 0km mark, and then a couple of other marks. If they are accurate (spray painted on sidewalk?), I think I "jogged" slowly past the 3km mark without stopping! I jogged for 19 minutes before walking for 1 minute. Kept jogging... I rested two more times, again for a minute, walking, for a total of three 1-minute walking rests. I finished the whole lap in exactly 35 minutes, which beats my previous attempt by 6 minutes!!! I think the total distance is over 6km to be honest, I have got to measure this with my car or something. It is tough because it has hills and downhills... the downhills are AWFUL wearing the Vibram Five Fingers.

Maybe the fact that I did it after 6pm helped, because the dominican sun at noon, when I did my last lap here, really does NOT help. I wore my VFF's and have a couple of blisters, and dead calves obviously. I'm hoping I don't have to run at least for a week...

[lifesnotfair]

13.08.2008

10 GHD Sit-ups (*explained below)

10 hip extensions

20 thrusters, with 33# dumbells

30 kipping pull-ups

20 GHD Sit-ups (*explained below)

20 hip extensions

15 thrusters, with 33# dumbells

20 kipping pull-ups

30 GHD Sit-ups (*explained below)

30 hip extensions

10 thrusters, with 33# dumbells

15 kipping pull-ups

Total time: 20:17 minutes.

* The GHD sit-ups are supossed to be done over a "Glute Ham Developer", hyperextending all the way until you can touch the floor with your hand, and then back up until you touch your toes. Since I don't have a GHD, I sit on a bench, perpendicular to it, and anchor my feet with the power rack. I wasn't lowering too much below parallel though, just a bit below parallel. Still, this is MUCH harder than a regular situp, since at the parallel possition you're making the biggest effort, while in a sit-up you'd have the floor to support you.... these are tough. I just turned myself face down and did hip extensions in this manner as well (lowered until head almost touched floor mat, then back up to full hip extension). Tough workout.

[maidenfan]

Looked good to me. Imo, I wouldn't advice looking down though, it makes my back round when the weight gets heavy - I try to keep a neutral head position, eyes slightly up - helps me keep an arch. Your squat form looks very good though.

[lifesnotfair]

Thanks a ton maidenfan! I try to look at a point 6 feet in front of me, BUT, the "chest high" part keeps me from rounding my back.

14.08.2008

Complete rest day.

15.08.2008

Squats: 45x5, 95x3, 145x2, 165x1, 185x1, 195x1, 195x1 .... everything felt hard today, it felt awkward.. my lower back didn't feel right for some reason. Maybe I wasn't fully recovered from last workouts, who knows. It was very disappointing and I wanted to quit the workout... but luckily I didn't, because I got really motivated for some reason and did a ton of stuff today!!!

DB clean and strict press (just one clean, to get into possition): 20x5, 30x3, 40x1, 45x1, 50x1, 52.5x1, 55x0, 55x0 ... ARGH! Failed 55 twice. Actually, it's more like 58, but I'll count my DB handle and collars as 10# only. I could move them this time though, just a bit, got my upper arms to parallel with the ground or so, and fought there for a second or so, then back down... darn. At least the 52.5 was a PR, but maybe only because last session (2 weeks ago) I jumped from 50 to 55, maybe I could've gotten 52.5 then, and it kills me that I aint gotten stronger :P

Deadlifts: 135x5, 185x3, 235x1, 255x1, 275x0, 255x1 ... the first 255 felt good, but after failing 275, and since at this point I was doing handstand negatives and holds to strengthen those shoulders, and might have been getting fatigued, the last set of 255 was sloooow, it was a hard fight. Used DO grip on all sets, with chalk, but held up fine with no problems.

Anyways, since tomorrow's workout will not be too harsh, I decided to do some more stuff... and here's when it all begun!

I did a chinup while helping with the middle finger of my right hand. Then I did one with my right hand, while helping with bottom two fingers of left hand. A couple of chinups at various widths, trying to rocket to the bar as high as possible, touching my hands to my chest, etc. Not sets, just a few chinups.

I did 15 pushups with my hands just by my sides and lower to my shoulders (upper arms parallel to upper body) to focus on shoulders more (I think). Strict ones.

I did 20 alternate pistols, which felt hard (?), but later, after some sets of other stuff, I did 10 each leg, breathing on the way down, and exhaling on the way up, so being as consecutive as they get (although not too fast, sometimes I'd breath slow just so I could rest a second at the top). My right's foot balance issues are a pain, I am basically putting my weight on the heel and the outside of the sole of my feet, and not the ball of my feet!! Argh, I love doing pistols leftie, hate it rightie.

I then got my Dip Bars which attach to my bench.. it's been 11 weeks and 3 days since my shoulder surgery. A week or two ago, even bench dips hurted. But I was reading something a gymnast said, in NBColympics.com, he said "if feel shoulder discomfort while doing dips -like many guys do-, try tucking in your knees"... so I decided to give this a try. By tucking my knees, my hips would move backwards, meaning my torso would be less vertical, and more leaned forward. And I could do dips again!!! whoohooo!! I loved it. I did a set of 3, of 4, and of 5 I think. It felt awesome, I was going down all the way, always thinking of keeping my shoulders down (and not up to my ears) and they did not hurt at all. I was so darned happy....

I did then 8 chin-ups with 3" between hands and knees tucked, works the abs quite a bit. Then did 6 pull-ups with 3" between hands and knees tucked.

I almost tried an L-pullup, but for some reason when I get in the L-hang possition, the shoulders kinda rotate or put themselves in another possition, and it's like my brain doesn't even like (or dare) to begin pulling up from that possition. Weird. I might keep working tuck chins/pulls from time to time to get more used to it.

And that's it, it all took over 2 hours... funny how some of these workouts take 10 minutes, but this one took so long. Oh well, I felt a lot of energy today. Must be 'cause I'm eating a ton recently.. session started bad, I finished very happy.

[tdbas1]

Nice workout, your deadlifts are coming along well. I guess you will need some rest after this workout!

take care

Tom

[lifesnotfair]

Thanks Tom! No rest yet!!

16.08.2008

Three (3) rounds for time of:

35 Double Unders

35 hip extensions

35 GHD sit-ups ** (I've explained in earlier posts, very recently, how I do these).

Total: 23 minutes... I even took a short (20-30 secs?) phonecall, and I lost a lot of time because of missing DU's. Also, I had a tough time doing them one after the other, so I did DU, single under, DU, SU, etc... this is more work (not convenient), but at least I could do many consecutive in this manner. This one looked "easy" on paper. It wasn't.

[lifesnotfair]

17.08.2008

40 pull-ups (first 15 strict, in 3 sets of 5, then all kipping)

25 dips

30 pull-ups (kipping)

20 dips

20 pull-ups (kipping)

15 dips

10 pull-ups (strict?? Heh)

10 dips

Total time: 34:45 minutes.

Arms are shaking, can't even type right... this was too tough. I have not done dips for over a year since I begun having shoulder issues. This was my first workout with dips in over a year. I can do more strict, deadhang chinups, than dips... this is rather unusual as pretty much everyone can do more dips. My pressing strength is really lacking, but now that I can do these again, hopefully it'll take off soon. Some mini sets of dips were of 3, 2 and even 1 rep.. and I even failed about 2 or 3 attempts at a rep, even resting a couple of seconds before trying... the dips killed my time here, they were so slow, as you can see, the last set of pullups those muscles were rested enough to do them strict (although not easy, of course). The biggest set of dips was 5, but mostly 3 consecutive ones, and each was a struggle. I was gonna do the same amount of reps as pullups (40,30,20,10) but when that first set was becoming sooo long and hard... I decided to lower to 25,20,15,10 and still it was much worse than the pullups.

Edited August 17, 2008 by Arturo

[lifesnotfair]

18.08.2008

Complete rest.

19.08.2008

Half-intensity week, workout 1 of 6 somehow cut in half (either half the weight, or reps, or rounds, or time, something cut in half).

15, 12 and 9 reps of A and B:

A) Thrusters with 23# dumbells

B) 2 jumping pull-ups followed by 2 push-ups with hands on 3.5" blocks for larger ROM.

Time: 12:45 minutes.

I would've used at least 43# dumbells for A, and 3 regular pullups (no jumping) and 3 dips for B, if it were not a half-intensity week.

[lifesnotfair]

20.08.2008

Half-intensity week, workout 2 of 6 somehow cut in half (either half the weight, or reps, or rounds, or time, something cut in half).

The Rx'd workout for today was to do 4 Tabata's in a row: pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups and air squats. As it would've been my first time trying something like this, I was gonna do 6 rounds (20 secs. of work, 10 secs rest) instead of 8. But, being half-volume week I only did 3 rounds. It was STILL a killer workout.

Pull-ups (kipping, but I don't have the technique right, so I had to stop many times and reset): 14, 11, 8 = 33

Push-ups: 12, 9, 6 = 27

Sit-ups (on the floor, feet anchored with a dumbell): 11, 10, 9 = 30

Squats (using arm swing to make it easier): 21, 21, 20 = 62 (actually did 21 in the third set, but I think a second after my time was over, I took a brief rest).

Total score: 152. This was a total of 6 minutes of work (well, 5:50 since the last 10 seconds of rest don't really count)... and it was enough to leave me dead tired. Those 6 push-ups in round 3 made me feel soooo weak. I can only imagine what I would've gotten in more rounds... very crappy scores for sure.

I've read of some crosfitters achieving a total score of 500+ doing all 8 rounds of each. Wow, what a work capacity. I know if I had done 4 rounds I could have barely gotten 200, but even if I had decided to do all 8 rounds I would probably end up getting scores like 1 or 2 for the latter 4 rounds of each exercise, maybe except squats.

[lifesnotfair]

I decided that instead of doing 6 "half intensity" or "half volume" workouts, I'd do only two, and then two complete days off.

So, 21.08 and 22.08 were both off days, nothing, not even a sweat

23.08.2008

So, today I wanted to do a workout that is originally written as: 3 rounds for time of: 400m run, 21 KB swings (55#), and 12 kipping pullups. I tried to do this one a couple of weeks ago, but I substituted 60 tuck jumps for the running, so I could do it at home, and I used 35# (a plate) for the swings. It took 21:45 it seems. But I wanted to do the real thing, so today I went outdoors, with my chain, PVC pipes and dumbell... so I could run. I don't know what 400m is like, so I chose a target that looked like it. I hung the chain over a tree branch, with the 1.5" PVC (a bit thicker since that is the inside diameter), and my dumbell loaded to about 43#. The first run was unbroken and it took me 1:54, so it must have been rather close to 400m I guess.... I gotta say that the runs 2 and 3 were both broken, I was soooo out of breath, it wasn't even funny. The pull-ups didn't have a kip really since it was my first time doing it from a hanging apparatus (similar to rings I guess).. all in all, it took me exactly 19:00. The swings were broken only once, about halfways, in all three rounds. The pull-ups sucked big time, broken up many times to achieve 12... again, no real kip, almost strict deadhang on most reps. Palms would turn inside so it was more of a chin-up. Wasted at the end.

[lifesnotfair]

24.08.2008

100 pull-ups.

100 push-ups.

100 sit-ups.

100 air squats.

Total time: 37 minutes.

The pull-ups, on a tree, sucked. Good thing it only tore the skin on my left middle finger and no more places. My hands were between a supinated and a neutral grip, since the branches were forming a "V" shape. I kipped all of my pull-ups, and although I went from full arm extension to "over the bar"-height, all reps were singles. I mean, at first I did 10, then all in sets of 5, BUT, between every rep I'd touch the floor with my feet and reset, like every pull-up was the first in a set of kipping pull-ups. I just can't find the proper ryhtm for kipping pull-ups yet, when I come down from one, I will have to swing back-forth an extra time (in both directions) before performing the next one, and I lose time/energy hanging there for nothing.

Push-ups were something like 10 then all sets of 5, 4 and 3... lol, so wasted.

Sit-ups were tough, I did 15 with feet unanchored, then switched to feet anchored.

Air squats with arm swing to help, were something like 20, and then all sets of 10.. so tired at this point, the quads burnt after each set of 10 reps, pathetic.

Still, 37 minutes is better than the 50 I got 3 months ago, before surgery and a 7 week layoff. Only been back at it about 5 weeks and I got a much better time, so I'm happy, I guess.

25.08.2008

It looked like it would rain... I took two dumbells, loaded to 38# each, to the park. The planned workout was: 3 rounds for time of: "800m run", and 21 push-presses with the dumbells (the first round being presses, rounds 2 and 3 being push-presses). I don't know what 800m is, so I picked a random target.

As soon as I started to warmup... it started to RAIN! Was that gonna stop me? NOPE! I just warmed up quicker than usual... some arm circles, shoulder circles, couple of air squats, tuck jumps, 10 pushups... and off I went. Since the very first part of this workout was an "800m" run that'd warm me up pretty fine anyways, wouldn't it?

The presses were tough on the first set, I broke them down something like 7-5-3-3-3 or something.. the push-presses were a bit easier on rounds 2 and 3, but the runs in round 2 and 3 were broken, too fatigued! .. It also sucked to start running, I'd feel my shoulder burning, heh. It was more like jogging though.. I can't really "run" for more than a few secs, running is a HUGE weakness for me....

On top of this, I did not time the workout! But I gave it all I had and did it as fast as I could. First workout ever under the rain... hardcore or what!?!?

[lifesnotfair]

26.08.2008

Complete rest. According to my log (I've been logging my food), I ate 2,999 calories this day, maybe a bit much for a rest day, but the % of where the calories came from, were 58% from fat, 36% protein, and 6% carbs, nice! Pork Cracklings helped boost the fat and total calories, heh. But the reason I mention this is because I ate all of this betwen noon and 7pm, I stopped eating at 7pm, and at 8pm I went to my parent's house, in which we had a small celebration of my sister's b-day. I'm the youngest son, my big bro is married with 2 kids, my sis is older than me but her kid is 3.5 months younger than mine. It was a nice celebration, and of course my mom had plenty of food to offer, and of course, at the end of it all, a cake. Small cake though, luckily (for them). They had raw ham, chorizo slices, cheese cubes, olives, some sort of sticks (like bread?), guamacole to dip stuff (the sticks and what not)... also a little whine, and juice.

I don't know how I did it, but I only ingested water, in the 2-3 hours I was there. I went to bed later, and still the last food was the one I had at 7pm. My will power is increasing, bit by bit. I knew I shouldn't do it since during the weekend I did a little disaster on saturday night, and sunday. But for the last 3 days I'm wearing my belt in the next hole, so this new style of eating I'm doing seems to be helping, which is cool, considering I'm eating at least 2,400 cals everyday, so I'm not starving myself or anything.

27.08.2008

Run 800m - Must start with this.

50 pull-ups (can be mixed with other exercises)

100 pull-ups (can be mixed)

150 squats (can be mixed)

Run 800m. Must finish with this.

So, I picked a random target again, which took about 4.5 minutes to run, to begin with. It was at a park, I took my chain with my PVC pipes. I partitioned the exercises in the middle like this: 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 squats.... and I needed to complete 10 rounds, to achieve total numbers. This is different than doing one exercise, and then the other, because you don't really get much muscle fatigue, but you fatigue YOURSELF, entirely, in a way that feels... just sick! My pull-ups were almost strict, I just raised my knees on the way up, but no kip on this primitive setup I used. The squats were the easiest part, and I think the push-ups were the hardest.... triceps sore from two day's ago session which had a few dumbell presses, I could feel it while warming up. However, the hardest, ugliest, dont-ever-wanna-feel-it-again part of the workout, was having to run again after all of the exercises in the middle. This is when the squats you just did, are felt by your body. Very poor running-- actually, I walked most of it. It took me 4.5 mins while "jogging" it the first time, but the second time, it must've taken ages because I walked like in 3 different moments to finish that run. I need to get in shape.

My wife did 35 pull-ups, 70 pushups (regular! On her feet!) and 120 squats, but she didn't run the second 800m, she ran like 400 at most, didn't even walk the rest. We both finished in 32:30. The funny thing is, this workout, as rx'd, has TWICE the amount of work I did, and supossedly some fellas have gone a bit faster than the time I just got. That is mind-boggling. I'd like to see what Ivarboneless can do with a workout like this, I bet he could smoke it.

If this workout pops up too soon again, I'll do 1/2 of it like I did today. If it comes up after several weeks, and I feel I've made enough progress, I could do 3/4 of the rx'd amount, but I reckon I'm still far, far away from doing the whole 100 pullups, 200 pushups and 300 squats, with the full mile run at the beggining and the end, in a respectable time.

[lifesnotfair]

27.08.2008

Warmups, two rounds of everything except push-up and kipping pull-ups, just one round of 10.

Front squats:

45x10, 75x10, 100x10 - warmups. The 100x10 might have been too close to the working sets.

120, 125, 130, 135 and 140, all x10 reps. I videoed some of these sets, including the last two, and I was going way below parallel. I lack wrist flexibility so I used the "crossed arms" method. It is still VERY hard to keep those elbows up!!! My right shoulder got sooooo tired, and the weird thing is, I switched from having the right hand over the left, and viceverse, between working sets, and no matter which hand was on top, it was the right shoulder got got fatigued before any other muscle in my body, it was mentally a challenge to complete the reps. But I did it, I will upload at least one or two of the videos later, so maybe someone can comment on form. I had not done these in AGES. Not with a barbell, and with over 80 or so pounds (I sometimes do Thrusters with dumbells, but not this heavy).

I lifted my 30lb blob x5 reps each hand, but I was sweating too much, and at noon, it's too difficult. If I'm gonna train blobs, I need to do it after work, and without doing anything else. I just sweat TOO MUCH, and the caribbean weather does not help, much less at noon. So I quit on them and tried some grippers. #1.5 is still there both hands. Rightie, #2 with a wide set, 1/8". Leftie, filed #1.5, 1/16". Just one attempt each, after overcrushing the regular #1 and #1.5 for 3 seconds each. Not much of a gripper workout either.

Tabata kipping pull-ups (6 rounds): 12, 9, 7, 7, 6, 6

Tabata push-ups (6 rounds): 16, 8, 6, 5, 4, 4

I rested about 3-4 minutes between tabatas. Attempted a 5th rep on that last set of push-ups, couldn't get it. I'll add at least 3 tabatas weekly into my workouts. No planned day.. just when I feel they could fit. The other exercise I wanna do Tabata's with is air squats, but today wasn't a good day for them for obvious reasons. Maybe tomorrow, although tomorrow's workout is gonna be a real killer...

[lifesnotfair]

29.08.2008

20 handstand PROGRESSION

25 kipping pull-ups

30 DB swings (48# dumbell)

35 sit-ups (knees at 90*, feet anchored)

40 burpees

Total time: 15:50 mins.

I tried to do a HSPU-progression exercise that had my knees on top of a "box" of around 26" height (not sure, maybe more). Oh-My-Goodness! It was still TOUGH! I did 10, and it felt so tough, I switched to push-ups with feet elevated in order to complete 20, which felt so tough after that.... it took me forever to complete it. I think that got me into thinking I should do this amount of reps and not what I had planned (20/30/40/50/60) ... and looking back, I could've done the originally-planned numbers, seeing how long this took me. The pull-ups were 10/5/5/5 (although treated as singles, kipping sucks), they felt a bit hard today, probably because I did tabata of them yesterday. The swings were 15/9/6, not bad, and I used 48# for the first time ever, last time was 43# (the recommended amount is 55# or "1.5 pood kettlebell"). The sit-ups were all consecutive, no arm swing, although anchored. And the burpees... wow, these seemed to take ages, I did them in sets of 5 and then had to breathe like 15-20 times before continuing. Burpees are TOUGH! No pansy jump though, touching the ceiling in all jumps.

After 4-5 minutes rest, and with legs still sore from 2 day's ago's workout (which included 150 air squats, although partitioned), and yesterday's front squats:

Tabata Squats: 20, 19, 17, 17, 17, 17 - note, had to take 1-2 secs. rest in all sets except the first... the last four mostly looked like 8+5+4 ... not consecutive. Second set had just one small break I think.

Luckily tomorrow is rest day. Biceps are sore today!?!? Weird, must be because of the tabata pull-ups yesterday? I must eat well and sleep well to recover nicely from this beating I've received in these past 3 days.

[lifesnotfair]

30.08.2008

Complete rest.

31.08.2008

3 rounds for time of:

50 air squats

7 muscle-ups (I cannot do these, read below to see what I did instead)

10 hang-cleans, 115#

Total time: 28:19 minutes.

Instead of a muscle up, I substituted each one for: 3 kipping pull-ups and 3 parallel bar dips. I would do 3 of each and count as 1 MU. I wouldn't do more than 3 in a row, to keep it more real (dunno about the dips, but could have done the kipping pull-ups in bigger sets than 3). So per round, it was 21 kipping PU's and 21 dips; in total, it was 63 of each, plus 150 air squats, plus the 30 hang cleans.

It was my first time ever doing cleans. I can't "rack it" in my shoulders, so I just held the bar in my hands once it was "cleaned". On the first set, technique was getting me, so I had to break that set down into 3 mini-sets or so. The 2nd and 3rd round were 5/5, I was getting better I think. Only slight knee bend, more hip drive really, and up it went. I had never in my life felt pumped traps. I mean, I've worked my traps before for sure, they've been sore and everything like any other muscle, but I had never actually felt them pumped, they were sticking out and everything, and they felt heavy, somehow. Loved this workout, I wanted to quit early on.

Dips felt better than last time I did them, but still way harder than pull-ups. I failed about 2 dips at the end of round 2.

[lifesnotfair]

01.09.2008

FINALLY I decided to go to a track!! Was tired of not knowing the distances I was running, therefore the times, and having uphills/downhills, etc... so I went to a track, it was only a short drive, which was cool.

I was kinda embarassed, since there were people who seemed to train seriously, and there i was with my Vibram shoes, people starring at them, maybe thinking I'm elite, and I'm just a noob, ya know... I didn't even wanna warmup much. I jogged one lap (400m) as warmup mostly.. and then did the planned workout, which was 4 runs of 400m, with exactly 2 minutes rest in between. Nothing serious, I just timed my runs with my wrist watch, and they all seemed to take roughly 1:30, which made me happy, since everytime I had to "run 400m" at the park I'd run for 2 minutes. I was now able to set a pace and stuff, definitely a bit faster than my regular jogging pace. Runs 3 and 4 were tough to finish, but I got them, so all runs were unbroken, but I was breathing very heavily at the end of those last two. Even the last one was 1:30 at most though, so I know for sure my real 400m time is way below that... it was my first day and I was still trying to find the right pace. It was 6pm though, so the caribbean sun wasn't an issue. If I go back at noon some day, performance might be affected by weather. I loved it! Can't wait to go again!! I slowly walked a lap as cool-down...

But, after I got home about 10 mins later, I stretched my hammies a bit... and decided to work on developing an L-sit. So I put up some wooden blocks (3) and held it for 10 seconds. Then I removed a block, leaving 2, and held it again for 10 seconds. Then I tried to hold it with one of the blocks over my legs, but that was so hard I only lasted a couple of seconds, but almost immediately did it without the extra weight and did it again. I also did a couple of hanging leg raises, two sets of 10 I think. I put my palms flat on the wooden blocks, and I know I need to work on staying in my fingertips if I wanna get to do this skill without the wooden blocks. They raised my hands probably 3.5" from the ground (2 of 'em).

[lifesnotfair]

02.09.2008

Warm-up, then:

Chin-ups, underhand grip, shoulder-width:

BWx1, +25x1

50x1, 55x1, 60x1, 65x1

70x1

75x0 - failed some inches before lockout, really wanted 3-25# plates

70x1 - didn't think I could repeat this, but I did.. actually, here's the video of this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO76JR2nReU

In between sets of chins, I was doing sets of Pistols just for fun, all sets of 3 reps per leg (left, a few seconds rest, then right):

BW, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 35. It got tough while holding the 35# plate so I repeated with it. I was holding plates and didn't wanna be bothered putting together a dumbell, and holding the 35 + 5 would've been hard as it's kinda wide already.

Tabata push-ups, 6 rounds: 17, 12, 8, 7, 7, ?? - I thought I had finished after 5 rounds... turns out I had one more to go, my wife told me, I think I started maybe 2-3 seconds late, and I'm not sure what I got, 5 or 6... I was so pissed because I thought I was finished. Oh well, sh*t happens. Still better than last week!

Also, I did NOT do these today, but about 6 days ago, I believe this was the last set, of 140x10, just checking my form: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l3omtWKjcM

Edited September 2, 2008 by Arturo

[lifesnotfair]

I somehow forgot to mention that the chin-up with 70# strapped to me was a PR by 20# !! Percentage-wise, it was a huge improvement! Previous best was set about 5-6 weeks ago, and I did not try a weighted chin ever since. But have done tons of kipping pull-ups and other stuff.

[ginroth]

Nice chinning, I can just about get 70 lbs from just above a deadhang, if I go from a deadhang I can only get 66, but I'm gonna get there.

I'm aiming for about 45-50 for 3-5 reps tomorrow.

[lifesnotfair]

Cool to know not everyone on this board is at the very least twice as strong at me I'll race ya to triple-digit weighted chin-up bro!! Nah, just kidding. I am not specifically training for them, but do them from time to time to see if I've gained or lost strength. It is always cool to set new PR's!

03.09.2008

Stretched for about 10 minutes. Rest.

04.09.2008

I have changed the push-ups in my warm-up, to push-ups on a wooden block, for a bigger ROM, and on my fingertips. I would like to eventually do 2x10 dips in my warm-up, instead of 2x10 push-ups. Today had 10 jumping pull-ups and on second round 10 kipping ones (as singles).. 2x10 OHS with oly bar, 2x10 GHD sit-ups (head touches floor on every rep), 2x10 hip extensions... the warm-up is feeling like less everytime, which is the goal. I am still all sweaty at the end but at least not too tired anymore, after forcing myself to do this before every workout. I also do more warm ups I don't mention (easier stuff than what I just mentioned). I find this is much better than doing a static cardio for 5-10 mins.

Barbell push-press:

45, 65, 85, 105 all x3 reps. Resting well between sets, unracking from shoulder height, not cleaning the weight.

Working sets:

125x3, 130x3 (ties previous best)

135x3 - PR!

140x3 - PR!! - I looked unstable in these reps, although I held it at lockout for at least 2 secs on each rep just to make sure it was "valid".

145x1 - failed attempt on rep number 2, argh! My head told me to repeat the 140, but I'm stubborn and wanted another PR... asked for too much.

I made sure to grab the bar close to the base of my palm, and it did not seem to "pinch the nerve" it pinched the last time I did these, on my right wrist.

Tabata kipping pull-ups: 12, 11, 7, 8, 7, 8 - treated as singles mostly, as my kip sucks. These pump my forearms.

Tabata air squats: 20, 20, 20, 19, 19, 18 - third set was 20 but still had a 1 second break. Sets 4 and 5 also had a break, about 2 seconds this time, and the last set had two small breaks. I am hoping these don't hinder tomorrow's weighted squats, I did tabata squats a week ago so I'm hoping legs are used to it.

Both tabatas had better scores than last week; today was a good day!