HIAH, Get Ready, workout 2A

I feel like I just got beat up.

My legs and shoulders were really sore from the last two days of lifting and swimming before I even walked into the gym yesterday. I’m even worse for wear today. There is no question that I need to take the weekend off.

Even with the soreness, I still feel like I gave my all on this one.

Here are the numbers.

Cable Standing Mid-Pulley Row (130×7, 175×6, 205×7, 220×5)

I found a pulley with a bigger weight stack. The first two were still pretty easy. The last two sets gave me some balance issues. I can move the weight but I can’t stand perfectly still. I have to rock back to keep from going forward. I wonder if I’m doing these right. Maybe I should go back down to 200 lbs or so.

Dips (2, 3, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1)

This might have been the toughest lift ever. I still can’t believe I managed to do 25 dips. I remember back in high school I couldn’t even do one. That was back when I weighed 235. I guess I’m a lot fitter now then I ever was.

I had to do a little grunting and even some screaming to get some of those two reps sets. That second one was ALWAYS tough.

The toughest part was doing these with 45 second rest periods. Even with that it still took me damn near 30 minutes. Nevertheless, I did it and I’m pretty damn proud of that.

Dumbbell split squat (50×6, 50×4, 50×6, 50×4, 50×3, 50×2)

I actually did these right this time. They were tough. I think the hardest part is figuring out when to stop. At some points I almost fall over. When I’m doing my second leg I know I have to match the previous leg and that can be quite an adventure.

HIAH, Get Ready, workout 1C

The weather was bad so we went to the gym that’s closer to our house. It’s certainly not as nice as our gym in the suburbs but it’s still a nice change of pace.

When I first looked at this workout I thought it would be the quickest. In theory I could finish all three  lifts in two and a half sets. My wife is doing NROL for women so she had five lifts. I thought I’d be waiting for her to finish. It didn’t turn out that way. She ended up having to wait a good ten minutes for me. This was the longest lift of the week. I spent at least an hour in the gym.

Here are the numbers.

Cable standing low pulley row with rope attachment (100 x 23, 110 x 12, 110 x 12, 110 x 3)

I suck at finding things in the gym. I tore the gym apart looking for that rope attachment. Went through every box and stalked around every machine. I ended up using some straps that serve basically the same function. As you might expect, as soon as I finished I found the rope hanging at eye level from a pulley machine.

Pushup (20, 4, 6, 8, 6, 6)

Twenty pushups is still no joke to me. Once I got that first set I felt like my arms were done. The rest period seemed like it flew by. I pretty much had to just tough it out from there. It took me five sets to get the last 30 but I’m pretty happy that I got it done.

Squats (135 x6, 135 x 10, 135 x 10, 135 x8, 135 x 8, 135 x4, 135 x 4)

I didn’t do this right the first time and I ended up paying the price. You’re supposed to do 20 in your first set. I don’t know why I stopped at 6. I guess I had visions of past back pain in my head. I got two sets of 10 immediately afterwards so I know I could at least do that much. It’s just mental. I’m gonna have to get past this.

Since I didn’t do 20 I ended up having to figure out a way to get 44 more reps in. I soldiered on even when my legs felt like jelly. To add insult to injury, the locker room in my gym is upstairs so I had to do the old man walk up there to get changed.

HIAH, Get Ready, workout 1B

Today I got lucky with picking weights. Had to pick a weight that I could lift 10 to 12 times. Every single one of them was right on the money.

There’s really not much to say about anything else…

Here are the numbers.

Underhand grip lat pulldown (135 x 10, 135 x 8, 135 x 6, 135 x 6, 135 x 5)

Dumbbell standing shoulder press (35 x 12, 35 x 8, 35 x 6, 35 x 5, 35 x 4)

Deadlift (185 x10, 185 x 8, 185 x 6, 185 x 6, 185 x 5)

HIAH, Get Ready, workout 1A

Weight lifting never ceases to amaze me.

I spent a grand total of 30 minutes in the gym. That includes a half mile warm up jog and a half mile cool down jog. Even so, I’m about as sore as I can be right now. I walked out of that gym completely spent.

Today was the first lift of Huge in a Hurry. For the next three weeks I’m going to do the introductory phase  called “Get Ready.”

The whole point of this program is to lift fast and stick to specified rest breaks. Doing that shaves a lot of time. We’ll see how it works.

Here are the numbers.

Cable Standing Mid-Pulley Row (35×7, 42.5×7, 95×7, 95×4)

The machine I used doesn’t have enough weight. 95 pounds is the max and it’s simply not enough. I exceeded the load number every time. I probably could have done sets of 20 if I wanted. You’re supposed to stop immediately after you exceed the load, though, because that’s a sign that it’s time to add weight.

I looked around and saw another one that goes up to 140 (I think). I’m gonna try it next time. My new gym hides the pulley stuff over with the rest of “the machines.” I have no idea what’s going on in that area. From day one I’ve done all I could to avoid it. I might have to spend some more time over there.

Dumbbell decline bench with neutral grip (50×7, 60×7, 65×7, 65×4)

You have two choices with this lift. Either do dips or the decline bench. I figured that there’s no way I could do a dip so I opted for the bench. After going through this ordeal it’s clear to me that I’d better figure out a way to do dips.

I ended up maxing out with 65 pound dumbbells but I don’t think that’s my max. That’s the amount that I was able to get in position. The whole thing is very awkward and I still don’t know how to pick up the weights and get in position. Those last two sets probably took me 5 minutes each. Maybe I’m dumb but I figured the only way was to put my legs in the things, pick up the weights and then lay down. This was VERY difficult for me to do. Once I got them up there, though, I had no trouble getting the reps.

After my workout I found the dip station and tried to do one. I was actually able to do a half decent rep even with tired arms. I’m gonna give real dips a try next week. If that doesn’t work I”ll use the dip assist machine. If I stay with this decline bench thing I’m bound to take a dumbbell to the head sometime soon.

Dumbbell split squat (50×4, 50×4, 50×4, 50×4, 50×3, 50×4, 50×2)

I just figured out that I did these wrong. I did lunges. I stuck my leg out, went down and then came back. In this exercise you’re supposed to keep your feet on the ground and then go down and up. Since these sets are basically of no use for determining my future progress I’ll just say that they were very hard and forced me to grunt like a weirdo at times.

My future workout plans

It’s time to start a new fitness plan.

On the weight lifting front I’m going with Chad Waterbury’s “Huge in a Hurry” I’ll admit that the title might sound counter productive to what I’m trying to accomplish. In his book even he doubts that anyone trying to lose weight would pick up a book with that title. What can I say? I’ve always been a maverick.

I don’t care. I’m at the point now where I realize that any weight lifting plan will work for fat loss. The biggest factor is diet. If you don’t eat enough then you won’t get huge. If you eat too much, though, you definitely will.

I chose this book mainly because I wanted to buy a weight lifting book. There’s just something about having one of those sitting on my table beside my couch. It’s a constant reminder that I need to stay in the gym. I looked around at all the ones that are currently out there, saw his name, recognized it and bought it.

The book is pretty much a mirror of the NROL plan in that it starts with a break in phase and you follow it with either a strength, hypertrophy or weight loss phase.

There is a difference in the rep scheme, though. Instead of a set number for each set this book calls for something called “loads.” In my other plans I might have three sets of 10 for example. Here I’ll have a day where the load is 10-12. I have to pick a weight that I can only lift that much. The entire lift will have a designated rep number. Say, 25 for example. In this case I might do 10, 10, 5 or I could even end up doing 10, 7, 5, 3. The sets after the first one aren’t really important. What’s important is that I do the total number of reps.

I really like this idea. Basically, you stop when you do your first bad rep. In the past, if I couldn’t get all the reps in a set I would just stop and call it a day. In this plan I’ll stop, rest a little and go back to work.

On the cardio front, I’m going to stick with swimming. I’m not ready to begin yet but I’m going to try “Zero to 1650.” The plan is to swim a “swimmer’s” mile.

It’s a six week plan but there’s no way I can do this in six weeks. The first week calls for four 100 yd swims. I just celebrated my first 50 yd swims the other day so I’m not even ready to start yet. I’m going to keep at it, though, until I’m able to do those 100 yarders.  I hope I’m ready to go in a few weeks but I’m in no hurry to rush. I’ll get there and I’ll get this one done just like I got all the other ones done.

Belly Off 2008, week 8, Saturday challenge

Belly Off 2008 is done!

Unfortunately, I still have a belly so the project wasn’t as successful as you would imagine if you just read the title. Nevertheless, I”m OK with the progress I made.

I actually gained five pounds over the course of the program but I had two holidays thrown in there. That’s almost exactly what I gained over the same period of time last year. (You can take that for what it’s worth).

Today I did things a little different. I ran a half mile warm up lap and then did my bike intervals. After that I did the Power of 10 workouts twice for 30 seconds each. Then I finished with another half mile jog.

My final push up total was two sets of 15 each.

I made a lot of progress. On the first Saturday I did the Power of 10 once for 30 seconds and then managed a grand total of 5 pushups. I thought I was gonna die. If I went back and tried that workout today I bet I wouldn’t even break a sweat.

Belly Off 2008, week 8, day 3

The final lift of Belly Off 2008 is officially in the books. Just one Saturday challenge to go and then I’m done.

I made an effort to give this one as much as I had. I feel like I did. I spent most of the time struggling for air.

Here are the numbers.

Hang Clean/Front Squat/ Push Press (8×95, 8×95, 8×95)

This is the same weight as last week but this time I did all 8 on each set. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do that on the last set but I just gritted my teeth and struggled to get it done.

Push up/pull up ladder (2/1, 4/2, 6/3, 8/4, 10/5)

The first four sets weren’t too much trouble. I was determined to finish all the reps on that last set so I did it in reps of 5-1-4. The pullups on that last one were pretty pathetic but I was happy to try them. I sometimes think about what it would be like to do a real pull up. Then I wonder if what I’ve been doing is going to get me any closer to that.

I’m gonna be honest and say that if the day ever comes where I can do just one pull up from a dead hang I’m gonna consider myself super fit.

X Chop (8×16, 8×16, 8×16)

I think these would help somebody with their golf game since it’s pretty much the same motion as a swing. Unfortunately, that doesn’t do much for me right now. Maybe I should buy some clubs.

Thrusters (10xBW, 10xBW, 10xBW)

I made a note that the second set was done consecutively. That’s huge for me. I’m was sucking wind for almost every rep so getting 10 in a row was an exercise in stubbornness.

Medicine Ball Bicycle (20×4, 20×4, 20×4)

Each time I broke it down into sets of 5. That was surprisingly hard. Even harder to breath then the thrusters.

Belly Off 2008, week 8, day 2

One more lift to go!

I’ve gotten in to the habit of doing a little pre lift cardio. I run two laps around my gym which is equal to a quarter mile. The problem is that I do this in my lifting shoes. I’m not sure if that’s a good idea at all. Probably not. It seems to be working though. No back problems yet again.

For some reason the gym was packed out today. I wasn’t able to do any circuits. I did all my lifts in straight sets.

Here are today’s numbers.

Dumbbell Snatch (8×40, 8×40, 8×40)

Last week I only managed to do one set of these so I stuck with the same weight to get them all. I’m gettting better here.

Ranging Squat (10×140, 10×145, 10×145)

I added 10 pounds at the end and that’s about as much as I felt comfortable going up in one lift. I’m still getting used to doing these without any back pain. It’s crazy. I keep waiting for it to happen and it never does. Love it!

I wasn’t as tired as I normally am on these. Thinking back, I really could have gone up another five or ten pounds on that last set. Oh well, slow and steady…..

One Arm Dumbbell Press (10×50, 10×50, 10×50)

My left arm was much weaker then my right. Towards the end I struggled with the left but had no issues at all with the right.

Dumbbell RDL w/row (10×32.5, 10×32.5, 10×32.5)

I don’t know if I’m ever going to have these included in any future plans. I know I won’t miss them if I don’t.

I feel good about my form but the row part makes me pretty miserable.

Belly Off 2008, week 8, day 1

Ehhh, I guess this lift was OK.

I added some weight in the deadlift and bench but I wasn’t able to finish the rest of the workout. I gave up on the lunges and I simply couldn’t do the intervals. I don’t know how anyone could do the HIIT after they’re really struggled with the deadlift.

Here are the numbers.

Deadlift (15×155, 12×165, 10×175)

I ended up starting too low. I thought I was doing 165 to start but after recaculating (after the set) I figured out that I was wrong. Even with the mistake I was still able to add 10 pounds to the end.

It might have been a good thing I didn’t figure out the weight right. The whole thing was tough. My legs were really beat down afterwards.

Bench (10×145, 10×150, 10×150)

I managed to add 10 pounds by the end. That’s pretty good. I didn’t have too much trouble until the last rep of the last set. Maybe all those pushups I’ve been doing are making a difference here.

Reverse lunge (5×25)

I did five reps and then my knees started hurting. I bailed after that.

Intervals

I managed to do the five minute warm up and about 15 seconds in the first round before I stopped. Just didn’t feel like I could go on.

Belly Off 2008, week 7, day 3

I’m really happy with today’s workout.

I don’t think I had any more to give. I also don’t think I could be any more sore right now.

FYI – I’ve gotten into the habit recently of running a few laps around the facility before I lift and I think that’s a good idea. I basically stole it from my wife. She started doing it and I tagged along.

Here are the numbers.

Hang Clean/Front Squat/ Push Press (8×95, 8×95, 8×95)

Added 15 pounds. I’ve never had any worries about the clean or squat part. I guess the push press was holding me back. Today I just went for it and threw the 25’s on the bar.

I couldn’t do them all at times so I did something I should have been doing all along. I took a quick rest and finished the set. In the first set I did 6 and then followed with the last two. In the second set I got all 8. In the final set I had to do 4 then 2 then 2.

Push up/pull up ladder (2/1, 4/2, 6/3, 8/4, 2.x)

Miracle of miracles. I got through the fourth set. This was the first time that I’ve ever attempted the fourth set of pull ups. I still can’t do a real pull up but I do my best to get as much as I can without jumping and then go down as slow as possible. The last one I did wasn’t anything. I jumped the entire way and fell down immediately.

Couldn’t get all 10 pushups on the final set. I regret not regrouping and banging them out no matter how many times it took. I think I’m gonna do that next week for my final lift.

Very happy with my push up form today.

X Chop (8×16, 8×16, 8×16)

Nothing to say about these.

Thrusters (10xBW, 10xBW, 10xBW)

No back pain so that’s good. I did a pretty good job of doing a lot of these consecutively. Never got ten in a row but I had a few good stretches of five in a row.

Medicine Ball Bicycle (20×4, 20×4, 20×4)

I think I did these right for the first time. I ended up doing 40 reps for each set. Twenty for each leg. I’ve always done 20 total. I thought about it and there’s no way that can be right.

A little bit of back pain caused me to take breaks in the early parts. Towards the end fatigue was the biggest factor stopping me.

Random thoughts

Three things I wanted to post before I forgot about them.

1) I think I’ve finally figured out how to curb my overeating. It took me forever to figure this out but I’m gonna try it for a while. I still believe in the 4-6 meals a day thing for no other reason then if I do it right then I don’t overeat as much. The problem comes when I wait until I’m really hungry and then I go crazy. When I do it right and eat every 3-4 hours I’m able to eat a smaller meal and not feel the need to keep going.

Example. I really like peanut butter sandwiches and a glass of milk. If I eat one like 4 hours after my last meal then I’ll just eat one and be done. That’s about 400ish calories. If I wait 5 or 6 hours then I’m really hungry and I eat my PB&J with my milk and then I’ll eat some yogurt or some almonds or some other “healthy” food and then I’m sitting at 600-700 calories! Do that enough times and then I’m eating like 500-1000 calories more then I intended every day.

2) I think I made it clear that I need to increase my intensity while I lift. Doing what I did over the last six months is simply not going to get it done. I’ve got to work HARD in the gym or I’m wasting my time. It’s a little scary worrying about my back  all the time but I’ve got to be tough and get it done. There is simply no excuse for me not squatting AT LEAST 225 and deadlifting 315 by this time next year. NONE.

I need to be smart about it. Need to go up slowly. Still I need to go up. If I don’t then I’m wasting my time and I’ll be sitting here next year complaining about not losing weight.

3) I’m gonna be roped in to more running. I can already see it happening. My wife wants to run, my family wants to run, my friends want to run. Everyone is on a running kick. My facebook page has degenerated to nothing but people trying to pick a race.

I vaguely remember  posting entry after entry about how much I hated running. As time goes by, though, I seem to only remember the good runs. I still think about some of the really special ones from time to time. I guess that’s how things go.

The odds of me running a 10K in this calendar year are probably 99%. The odds of a half marathon are probably 95%. The odds of a full marathon, though,  are still negative one billion percent.

Belly Off 2008, week 7, day 2

This was an abbreviated lift. I forgot that my gym closes early on Friday. I ended up having a grand total of 15 minutes before they kicked us out.

My main mission today was to increase my squat numbers so I did just that. I ended up doing one circuit of all the lifts and then the final two sets of squats.

Here are today’s numbers.

Dumbbell Snatch (8×40)

Went up 5 pounds. I didn’t feel too comfortable with my form. I’m not sure that you can really do these wrong though. I guess my reps were just slower then I think they should be.

Ranging Squat (10×135, 10×135, 10×135)

I added 35 pounds from last time. I’m embarrassed that it took me this long to do it. I’m also embarrassed that I was really nervous before I got under the bar. My back felt fine. Maybe the time crunch helped. I didn’t have time to think about it. I knew I didn’t have long so I just went at it as soon as I caught my breath.

I’m very happy with my depth. I think my decision to do these with my feet at a 45 degree angle has made all the difference. It’s just a different feeling then when they’re parallel.

One Arm Dumbbell Press (10×50)

I used the 50 on my last set last time so I started with it this time. Not too much trouble.

Dumbbell RDL w/row (10×32.5)

I was incredibly nervous about adding any weight on this exercise but I did it anyway without any problems.

Belly Off 2008, week 7, day 1

I have mixed feelings about today’s workout.

On the one hand I made some big increases. On the other hand I wasn’t able to finish all the reps towards the end. I guess, on the whole, I’m happy that I finally sucked it up and added some weight to my lifts.

If anything, today’s lift reinforced for me the fact that I haven’t been giving my all in the gym for a long time. I’ve been using my back pain as an excuse. I’ve basically been going to the gym and doing  just enough to be a little uncomfortable and calling it a day.

It’s almost like I go to the gym just to get my ticket punched. Unfortunately, even perfect attendance doesn’t produce results. You have to really work hard or you don’t get anything for your trouble.

Here are the numbers.

Deadlift (15×145, 12×155, 10×165)

I added 10 pounds on all three sets with no back problems. That’s huge. I’m really proud that I finally made the decision to get serious about adding weight. To be perfectly honest, after today’s lift I realize I can still do a lot more here. I probably need to be smart about adding weight, though, and not go too crazy. Still, I’ve been lifting weights consistently for almost three years now. There’s really no excuse for my numbers to be this low.

Bench (10×140, 10×140, 10×140)

I’ve got some kind of mental block on the bench press. I’m convinced that I’m gonna put too much on and I’m gonna get crushed by the bar. I’ve never really made a serious effort here. In fact, I spent most of the past few years hating on the bench press.

I added 5 pounds from the very start. I’ve got a big note in my journal from last week saying that the last set was “TOUGH.” I basically ignored it and added weight anyway. That’s probably my only choice. It was no tougher then last week. It turns out that my arms and shoulders work just like the rest of my body. When you force them to lift more weight they can do it.

In my head I know I can lift more but I just can’t seem to put that thought into action. I guess it’s just gonna take me forcing myself to add weight to get it done.

Reverse lunge (6×25, 3×25, 3×25)

I went up 5 pounds (10 – if ya want to get technical) and went with the 25’s. In retrospect, probably a bad move. I was so pumped to have added weight in the other two lifts that I figured I might as well go for gold. I couldn’t get close to 10 reps on any of the sets.

I kind of felt like that guy in the movie Tin Cup who refuses to lay up on the last hole but instead just keeps swinging for the green. After the first set it was perfectly clear that I had nothing left. I figured I’d rest and give it a try again. Even worse result. The third was just as big of a disaster. I still want to try the 25’s again next week. Just on principle.

Intervals

I had zero in me at this point. I couldn’t even get past the five minute warm up. That’s two weeks in a row not finishing these.

Belly Off 2008, week 6, day 3

Today was the last lift before I leave for home. I feel like I got a lot done since I’m feeling really sore right now.

Here are the numbers.

Hang Clean/Front Squat/ Push Press (8×80, 8×80, 8×80)

Added five pounds. I’m really happy with my form. Especially the front squat part. I guess that’s the one advantage of using weight that is so low. There’s not really any excuse for not getting good depth.

My arms and shoulders took a beating.

Push up/pull up ladder (2/1, 4/2, 6/3, 5/x, x.x)

Ended up with the exact same numbers as last week. That fourth set of pushups feels impossible. It’s tough to do eight when I’m fresh. Doing it after all the other ones is just too much.

X Chop (8×16, 8×16, 8×16)

I found the aerobics section this week. Got a hold of a good medicine ball and knocked these out without any problems.

Thrusters (10xBW, 10xBW, 10xBW)

I did these but they weren’t consecutive like last week. Had a hint of back pain and that slowed me down. It was all mental. I really need to get over that.

Medicine Ball Bicycle (20×4, 20×4, 20×4)

I assume the ball I used was 4 pounds since it looks like the one I used in my old gym. I had to stop halfway on every set. I was able to do them all though so I’m not going to complain.

Belly Off 2008, week 6, day 2

I did these at my second gym on Friday night.  The place was surprisingly busy. I saw more people at my little gym on Friday night then I had at either gym on any day since I’ve been down here.

Here are today’s numbers. I did all four in a row with no rest.

Dumbbell Snatch (8×35, 8×35, 8×35)

There aren’t any 32.5 lb dumbbells at the downtown gym so I took a shot at 35’s. Not too much trouble

Ranging Squat (10×100, 10×100, 10×100)

I had a little back trouble but I got all the sets. Nothing serious but whenever I feel any pain back there I get nervous. I ended up doing these with my toes pointing at a 45 degree angle and pushing my knees out as far as possible. There was no other way to do it without it hurting too much.

I’m not feeling to good about these things these days.

One Arm Dumbbell Press (10×45, 10×45, 10×50)

Again, no 42.5’s so I went up. Did the last set with a 50lber and got it done so that’s some progress.

Dumbbell RDL w/row (10×30, 10×30, 10×30)

Last week I accidentally went too high and screwed up my whole workout. This time I made double sure about my numbers. I really can’t go higher right now because it takes all my energy to keep my back straight. I don’t know that I’m even doing it right because sometimes I lean the dumbbells against my legs as I go down. Too much worrying about my back. Hopefully soon I’ll have the confidence to do these without that crutch.

Belly Off 2008, week 6, day 1

It’s getting harder and harder to update this blog. I guess that’s what 9 months of no progress will do to ya. Hopefully I’ll find more motivation to keep this thing going in ‘09.

I did this lift on Monday. It was my first lift in my second gym. The 20 minute drive to the other one is getting to be too much so I’m thinking of only using it only for the swimming and other things. The one I used here is a pretty bare bones place but it’s only a few miles from my house so the odds of showing up are much better. Especially with the weather as bad as it has been lately. The roads were pretty icy on this day so driving even a short distance was a bit of an adventure.

Here are the numbers.

Deadlift (15×135, 12×145, 10×155)

I shocked myself and added quite a bit of weight on my lifts here. I had no back pain so I’ll consider this one a major victory. I even made a note that I should add another 5 pounds on each one next time. Real actual progress might be on the way here.

Bench (10×135, 10×135, 10×135)

Zero progress here. For some reason I’m still having a lot of difficulty on that last set.

Reverse lunge (10×20, 10×20, 10×20)

Same weight as always. This gym only has dumbbells in 5 pounds increments but I need to take a shot on the 25’s soon.

Intervals

Adding the weight on the deadlifts really killed my legs. I could barely walk up the stairs to the cardio area. I only managed two intervals before I had to call it a day.

Belly Off 2008, week 5, day 3

I am really slipping on updating this thing. To much socializing over the weekend…..

Anyway, I did this one on Friday. Don’t remember much other then I note I made that said I was really sweating hard.

Here are the numbers.

Hang Clean/Front Squat/ Push Press (8×75, 8×75, 8×75)

Same weight as last time. It’s time to add weight.

Push up/pull up ladder (2/1, 4/2, 6/3, 5/x, x.x)

There is an actual pullup bar at my new gym so I feel like I get a LOT more out of these things now. I added one pushup on that fourth set from last time. Still a long way to go.

X Chop (8×65, 8×65, 8×65)

I still don’t know where everything is at my new gym so I never found the medicine balls. My wife pointed out later that they are in a room right in front of me. I suck at finding things….

I used the cable machine for these.

Thrusters (10xBW, 10xBW, 10xBW)

Big note here is that I almost got through the first two sets without stopping. Is it even possible to do all these without stopping? I’ll give it a try.

Medicine Ball Bicycle (20×10, 20×10, 20×10)

No medicine ball so I used a 10 pound weight. I also did these on a bench. I found that it helps my back a lot. I’m not sure if I’ll keep doing it but it’s something to think about.

Belly Off 2008, week 5, day 2

It’s still difficult adjusting to driving to the gym. It takes me 20 minutes one way. I am not enjoying this. Thinking about upgrading our membership so we can also go to the one that is closer. It’s not as good but this commute is gonna get old really quick.

My warmup today was virtually zero. I guess I’m used to having the walk be the warmup. I need to get serious about that part.

Here are today’s numbers. I did all four in a row with no rest.

Dumbbell Snatch (8×30, 8×30, 8×32.5)

Nothing much to say about this one. My new gym has dumbbells between the five pound increments so that’s nice. I tried the 32.5 pound dumbbells on the last set and didn’t have any problems.

Ranging Squat (10×100, 10×100, 3×100)

My first two sets were pretty good. I got good depth on most of the reps. On the ones where I didn’t it was because I didn’t drop my ass. I’ve still got a bad habit of leaning forward on these things. At least I understand when I’m doing it wrong. That’s something.

I hurt my back a little on the first set of RDL’s. By the time I got to the second set of squats I felt a twinge. It wasn’t much so I pushed through it. On the last set it started hurting more and I bailed.

I’m extremely frustrated with my lack of progress on squats. I’ve been doing these things for three years now! You’d think I’d have something to show for it. No matter what, though, I’m not adding weight until I’m comfortable. I remember the last time I tried to tough it out. I could barely walk around the house. Not going to happen again.

One Arm Dumbbell Press (10×40, 10×42.5, 10×42.5)

I tried the new dumbbells without any trouble.

Dumbbell RDL w/row (10×40, 10×30, no lift)

Here was where I screwed up. I read my paper wrong and went with 40’s instead of 30’s. That first set was extremely tough and I had no idea why. When I dropped back to the normal weight on the second set I was still hurting. Didn’t take a chance on a third set.

Belly Off 2008, week 5, day 1

Yesterday was my first day in my new gym. It took a while to get the lay of the land but I found everything I needed without many problems.

A big change I made was upgrading my notebook. I’ve been using one the size of my palm forever now. Now I’ve got one almost as large as a regular notebook. I’m not even trying to hide it. The change made making notations a lot easier. Now I can make more detailed notes along with my numbers. I think that will help me decide when It’s time to add weight.

To be perfectly honest, it’s been time to add weight for a long time. I didn’t this time since everything was so new. Every weight I did was exactly the same as week 4.

Here are the numbers.

Deadlift (15×125, 12×130, 10×135)

This gym doesn’t have 10 pound bumper plates. They told us that we can throw the weights on the ground as hard as we want so I guess they figure they don’t need them. I was forced to use 35’s as a base. We didn’t have 35’s at the old gym so I was thrilled to see them there but it made me have to reach a little further down then I’d like to pick up the bar.

I only have one notation on my notebook – “easy.” That should pretty much sum it up. I need to start with 135 next time. That will solve all my issues here.

Bench (10×135, 10×135, 10×135)

The first two sets were pretty easy but the last one was tough. I’m glad I didn’t get overconfident because it would have been embarrassing to scream for help on my first day.

Reverse lunge (10×20, 10×20, 10×20)

These were as tough as usual. I’d like to note that while I was holding my 20 pound dumbbells the guy beside me was deadlifting 500 pounds FOR REPS! I still can’t believe it. Never seen anything like it.

Intervals

Tough as always. I had thoughts of quitting early on but figured that since I’ve come this far there’s no point in stopping.

Belly Off 2008, week 4, day 3

I did my last lift at my current gym today. Kind of sad…..

I was able to completely finish all the reps on the last three lifts. First time I ever did that. Progress, I guess.

Here are the numbers.

Hang Clean/Front Squat/ Push Press (8×75, 8×75, 8×75)

Same weight as last time. For some reason these are still incredibly hard because of the push press. After I finished these my arms and shoulders felt dead.

Push up/pull up ladder (2/1, 4/2, 6/3, 4/x, x.x)

“Pull ups” are still a joke. I did add two to the fourth set so I’m getting to the point where I can actually do this lift completely. Maybe. That should be a goal at least. This is kind of embarrassing.

X Chop (8×12, 8×12, 8×12)

Nothing to these.

Thrusters (10xBW, 10xBW, 10xBW)

I got all these this time with minimal back pain. They’re still impossible to do consecutively without taking breaks. I feel like I’m really out of shape when I do these.

Medicine Ball Bicycle (20×4, 20×4, 20×4)

I did three sets of 20 for the first time ever. My back didn’t hurt as much but it was still really tough. I had to do these way too fast in order to get it done. I don’t know if I got anything out of the first two sets to be honest. I managed to do hold the reps on the last set a lot better. Hopefully I can improve on this next time.

Belly Off 2008, week 4, day 2

I feel OK about this one, I guess. I added weight on a couple of lifts but I still can’t shake the feeling that I could do more. A lot more. Probably can’t shake it because it’s true.

Here are the numbers. I did all four in a row with no rest.

Dumbbell Snatch (8×25, 8×30, 8×30)

I went up to the next set of dumbbells on the second and third sets. I was still able to do them OK. As for my form, that’s a big question mark. I have no idea. I take the weight from my knee to over my head in one motion. That’s about all I know for sure. I use a TON of hip drive. I probably need to do some more research and figure out if that’s the way to go.

Ranging Squat (10×100, 10×100, 6×100)

For the second straight week I couldn’t finish the last set because of back pain. This was what I was worried about. I obviously feel like I’m capable of lifting a lot more and thus getting a much better workout. My back just won’t allow me to do it.

There’s really nothing to do but ride this out. I’m gonna stay at 100 pounds until I can get a few pain free lifts in.

One Arm Dumbbell Press (10×40, 10×40, 10×40)

No increase here. Definitely should have. No problems other then on the last set. My back hurt when I did the right arm. Nothing that would have stopped me but annoying nonetheless.

Dumbbell RDL w/row (10×25, 10×30, 10×30)

Bumped it up to the 30’s today. These were as tough as usual. They always leave me the most tired. I don’t know if it’s because of the lift or because it’s the last of four lifts. Probably a little of both. Somehow, I escaped this whole exercise with no back pain. I have no clue how that’s even possible.

Belly Off 2008, week 4, day 1

I don’t remember a time in the recent past where I had to work as hard as I did today. As I walked out of the gym I felt like I’d given it all I had.

The good thing is that I went up in weight and there were still no back issues. I feel more confident about adding the weight every day.

One thing that I’m curious about is to see how my numbers are affected by my new gym. I’ve always heard that the plates aren’t exactly the weight they say they are. Next week I’m probably going to stick with whatever weights I do this week just to be safe.

Here are the numbers.

Deadlift (15×125, 12×130, 10×135)

Added five pounds to all the lifts for a second straight week. I keep promising myself that I’ll go slow but I’m always antsy to add weight. It worked out today because I had no problems.

Bench (10×135, 10×135, 10×135)

For the first time since I started this thing I got all the reps. Finally. Can’t believe how weak I am.

Reverse lunge (10×20, 10×20, 10×20)

I’ve gone over past workouts and this one is confusing. In the past I added the two dumbbells to get the weight. I’m just going to list the weight of one dumbbell to prevent further confusion. So last week I used 15’s.

Today I went up to the 20’s and it was incredibly tough. I feel like I’m strong enough to lift more but I get so tired that I don’t know if I’d be able to do all the reps without stopping.

Intervals

This was the toughest round of intervals I’ve ever done. I was breathing hard almost from the start. There were a few embarrassing grunts along the way but I was determined to keep up the intensity. The rest periods felt like they flew by.

I could barely walk after I finished. I never knew you could get so tired from the bicycles.

Belly Off 2008, week 3, day 3

When I got to the gym all three squat racks were taken. Two people were doing legitimate stuff (i.e. squats and deadlifts). I don’t have a problem waiting for them. The last guy was doing bicep curls. He needs a beating.

I ended up doing five minutes on the elliptical to warm up. I think you’re supposed to do that everytime but I never do since my walk to the gym is more than five minutes.

Back pain caused me to not be able to do all the lifts. Weirdly, my squats were not the ones affected.

Here are the numbers.

Hang Clean/Front Squat/ Push Press (8×75, 8×75, 8×75)

This is a five pound increase officially but I have a feeling that I miscounted last week. I feel like this was exactly the same but I can’t be sure. Ended up spending a huge amount of time making sure on this one. Used the 45 pound bar along with 15 pounds on both sides. I’m pretty sure that’s 75.

Anyway… This is good for my front squat confidence. I can get really good depth. Back feels good. Still, the whole thing is frustrating because I have to really struggle on the push press. I am really weak on that one.

Push up/pull up ladder (2/1, 4/2, 6/3, 2/x, x.x)

I need to make sure that I keep track of these just to ensure progress. Today was the first time that I got all 6 push ups. That was about as far as I could go though. I’m still two sets from ever accomplishing this thing.

My “pull ups” are still a joke. I can’t hold on for longer than a second or two.

X Chop (8×12, 8×12, 8×12)

Nothing to these.

Thrusters (10xBW)

The first set hurt my back on every one. I somehow gritted through it and finished the first one. Didn’t even think about doing a second.

Medicine Ball Bicycle (2×4)

You’re supposed to do 20 reps but I am FAR away from ever getting there. These hurt my back the most. I literally can’t keep my legs up because it hurts too much. I have no idea what the problem is.

Belly Off 2008, week 3, day 2

The half marathon training is going to hell but I’m determined to stick with the lifts. I actually went to do these during what’s supposed to be rush hour. All I needed today, though, was dumbbells and the squat rack so I had no trouble at all.

Here are the numbers. I did all four in a row with no rest.

Dumbbell Snatch (8×25, 8×25, 8×25)

I went up to the 25 pound dumbbells today. It made these things a lot tougher but I got them done. I’m not so sure that my form was as good as it could be but that will come with time.

Ranging Squat (10×100, 10×100, 2×100)

Added five pounds here. I’m really happy with my form on the first two sets. It was just as good as last time. On the last set I felt back pain almost from the start and ended up bailing after only two reps.

One Arm Dumbbell Press (10×40, 10×40, 10×40)

Jumped up to the 40’s. The first two sets were fairly easy. The third set with the left hand was pretty easy too. For some reason when I used my right hand on that last set I had back pain. I got through it but it was not fun.

Dumbbell RDL w/row (10×25, 10×25, 10×25)

Stuck with the same weight here. I’m feeling better about the romanian deadlift part but the row is still tough. Especially after doing the press immediately before.

Belly Off 2008, week 3, day 1

I took an awkward step after I got back home from the gym yesterday and hurt my back. This is proof of two things.

1) I am officially an old man.

2) Walking around the house is bad for your back.

So, yeah, I worried about that all day today. Especially with today being deadlift day. I’m shocked to report that I had zero back pain during my lifts today. I had some on the walk to the gym and even had some in between sets but during them there was nothing. Amazing.

Here are the numbers.

Deadlift (15×120, 12×125, 10×130)

After three weeks I finally decided to add some weight. I don’t know what came over me. I was really worried about my back at the start but when I practiced the motion with just bodyweight I was fine. Figured I’d go for broke.

It was pretty tough but I got through it OK. I really felt the strain in my legs. That combined with the lack of back pain leads me to believe I actually know how to do these now.

Bench (10×100, 10×100, 8×100)

I ended up going to the gym during the busiest part of the day so obviously the bench presses were taken. I ended up using dumbbells and it was just as good. Took a shot in the dark and went with 50’s. I think I chose correctly. I missed the last two reps in the last set because my right arm gave out.

Reverse lunge (10×30, 10×30, 10×30)

These were tough again. Not sure why. One thing that’s for sure is I’m getting every bit of these reps. My knee scrapes the floor every time. I’m actually concerned that going up in weight might disrupt my form and I’ll go back to half lunges or something. That being said, it’s time to move up to the 20’s. If getting all the reps for three straight weeks isn’t enough evidence then I’ll never have any.

Intervals

I really need to spread these intervals out more. It’s not fun to do them on back to back days. I was really tired when I started as usual. By the time I finished I was even worse. These things are so tough. I can’t believe I’m able to finish them.

I had thoughts of running thirty minutes after I finished. I’m sooooooo far behind on my race training that it’s not funny. My race is in a little over two weeks. I stood on the treadmill and couldn’t even keep up with the walking pace. Maybe another time…..

I planned on getting in two long runs before my taper week starting on the first of December. Either I’m gonna have to start doubling up workouts or I’m gonna have to start cutting out runs. Neither sound likes a great idea right now.

Belly Off 2008, week 2, day 3

Another day of trying to improve form. I feel like I did that.

Here are the numbers.

Hang Clean/Front Squat/ Push Press (8×70, 8×70, 8×70)

Depth on my front squat was awesome! For me, at least. I guess I don’t have to keep qualifying that. Nobody’s ever gonna wanna watch me for tips on how to do these things right.

But, yeah, I got pretty low without any back pain. The push press still limits the weight I can use. It’s an awkward transition. I have to readjust my hand position at the top of the front squat because I can’t do it without resting the bar on my chest and holding on with three fingers.

Push up/pull up ladder

This is just depressing. I still haven’t gotten all the way through one set of these. I couldn’t finish a set of 6 push ups. My arms are dead before I even start. Hopefully I’ll get stronger soon.

X Chop (8×12, 8×12, 8×12)

Nothing to these.

Thrusters (10xBW, 10xBW, 10xBW)

I made a little progress here. I got all three sets done without feeling like I was gonna die. I’m still breathing VERY heavily but I made a lot of improvement here.

Medicine Ball Bicycle (10×4)

I picked up the smallest medicine ball to try these but I still had back pain. I stopped halfway through the first set. It’s just not worth it.

Belly Off 2008, week 2, day 2

I had a lot of fun in the gym today. Yesterday, I was thinking about how glad I was to be back lifting again. Today just reinforced that feeling.

The thing that made it so fun was that I didn’t add any weight on any lift. Today I concentrated on improving my form without worrying about having to struggle with more than I could handle. As a result I was still incredibly tired but really upbeat the entire time. I was still smiling on my walk home.

Here are the numbers. I did all four in a row with no rest then repeated three times.

Dumbbell Snatch (8×20, 8×20, 8×20)

Last week I thought I knew what I was doing but today I know that I was way off. I did a lot of experimenting with hip drive and now I think I got it. Maybe. Who knows? I might figure something else out next week. On the second set I hit a groove and the weight felt really light. The last set was a joke. It felt like it didn’t weigh anything at all.

I definitely need to increase the weight next time.

Ranging Squat (10×95, 10×95, 10×95)

Formwise, I think today was the best I’ve ever done here. By any objective measure I’m still way too high at the bottom but for me this was about as good as it gets. I felt like I actually hit parallel.

I felt like that but I don’t think I did. I believe that if you think you’re parallel then your not. If you think you’re below parallel then your parallel. Etc. I think you get the point. The mirror lies is all I’m trying to say.

Nevertheless, this was a big step forward for me. My back was straight and my abs were tight on every single rep. I didn’t feel too much back pain either. There were a couple of close calls but nothing that made me worry that I couldn’t finish the rep.

I really like the larger splits that this lift calls for. I was practically squatting sumo style on that last set and it felt really good. I’m thrilled to actually get all three done this time without worrying about hurting myself. I probably need to experiment more with the wider stance. I think there’s something to it.

In the past I would have a good day of squats and then convince myself to jack up the weight. I’m smarter now, though, so I’m not. I might go up 5 pounds next time but that’s the absolute max. I’ll probably stick with 95 for a set or two and see if I really feel good. Slow and steady. I’ve got to get that through my head.

One Arm Dumbbell Press (10×35, 10×35, 10×35)

These felt a lot easier today. I guess this was the point where I realized that I actually made strength improvements from last week. When you’re constantly adding weight you don’t really think about it as much. At least I don’t. I just think, “I’m working my ass off just like last week and I’m still weak.” Or something like that. Reps were really easy. My balance on the right side was also much improved.

Time to think about adding weight here.

Dumbbell RDL w/row (10×25, 10×25, 10×25)

A little worry here because I felt a little back pain on these sets. Nothing to stop me but, as I think I’ve made clear, any problems back there set off my panic button. I did manage to go below my knees and keep my back straight this time so there was a little improvement. Still a little concern, though, so I’m going to be hesitant about adding weight.

Belly Off 2008, week 2, day 1

This morning I woke up feeling pretty good. No real soreness to speak of. This workout fixed that problem.

Here are the numbers.

Deadlift (15×115, 12×120, 10×125)

I think my form was 100% better this time around. It was tough but it didn’t really seem as impossible as last time. No back pain at all.

Bench (10×135, 10×135, 6×135)

I still haven’t worked my way up to three sets of 10 yet. I got two sets this time though so that’s progress.

Reverse lunge (10×30, 10×30, 10×30)

For some reason these didn’t seem as hard as last time. I’m not sure why. My heart wasn’t beating as hard. The last set was pretty tough but I can’t help thinking that I need to move up to the 20’s soon.

Intervals

It didn’t take long for these to wipe me out. By the end of the second round my legs were dead. I must have looked pitiful as I soldiered on through all 10. Those last few took everything I had. I can’t believe how tough these were to do. I think it might have something to do with the deadlifts. I actually used my legs this time so I guess this is what I have to look forward to for a while.

Belly Off 2008, week 1, day 3

WOW. I just got my ass kicked.

This was the toughest workout I’ve done in a long time. I couldn’t finish. I am spent.

Here are the numbers.

Hang Clean/Front Squat/ Push Press (8×70, 8×70, 8×70)

This is a hybrid lift. You start with the bar at your knees, clean it to your shoulders, front squat it and then push press it from there. I tried 95 one time and quickly figured out I had NO shot. I dropped it down to 70 pounds and I was lucky to get all the reps. I had no problem with the clean or the squat but the press was tough. My arms were done at this point.

Push up/pull up ladder

The goal here is to do two push ups for every pullup. Reps start with 2 pushups and then one pull up. Then you double everything until you get to 10 push ups and 5 pull ups.

My push ups were weak from the start and I had no shot at any sort of pull up. I tried to hold negative reps but I just couldn’t do it. The first few times I held it for a few seconds but by the third time I was just jumping and coming down with no slow down.

You’re supposed to go up to 10/5 and do the whole thing for three sets. I couldn’t hit 10 pushups and 5 pull ups on the first set. Figured I was wasting my time so I moved on.

X Chop (8×12, 8×12)

In this one you grab a medicine ball and make a chopping motion across your body. Since you have to move on both sides of your body and then switch your leg position and do it again, each set is 48 reps. It made me sweat but no big deal.

Thrusters (10xBW, 10xBW)

These are insanely hard at this point. I can’t even breathe. My arms hurt when I’m holding myself up and legs hurt when I jump. I had to stop on almost every rep in order to catch my breath and convince myself that I could do another. TOUGH.

Medicine Ball Bicycle (20×10, 15×10)

For some reason these hurt my low back. Added to that was the fact that I couldn’t do more then a few without losing my breath. I had to fight in order to get five in a row. Only did that a few times. I gave up on the second set because of the back pain and didn’t attempt a third set of any of the last three lifts.

Belly Off 2008, week 1, day 2

I put this off as long as I could.

The thought of doing squats yesterday was horrifying. I couldn’t even walk normally. There was no chance. Today wasn’t much better but I figured I’d better get going. Either I go to the gym or I don’t. I don’t want to be some guy who goes to the gym every once in a while.

Hopefully I can get back in to the habit. Back in the day there was no thought involved. At 8:30 I got off the couch and got ready for the gym. Today I sit around and try to convince myself to go. It’s just like I’m starting over. I’ll get back in the swing of things eventually. I hope. I forgot how much this part sucks.

Here are the numbers. I did all four in a row with no rest then repeated three times.

Dumbbell Snatch (8×20, 8×20, 8×20)

This is a new one for me. I think I’ve got the hang of it pretty quickly.

Ranging Squat (10×95, 10×95, 10×95)

These are squats. You just open up your stance a little wider on each set. I stuck with just the old 25’s on the bar with absolutely no shame. I’m so over worrying what I look like. I want to one day figure out how to do this damn exercise right. I’m still not there. Had difficulty getting depth on the first two and the last set was mostly horrible. At a certain point I’d have a little twinge in my back and come up too soon. I kept my chest up and back straight on all the reps though so that’s progress.

I’ll get the depth eventually. I don’t care if I have to do 95 pounds for months. I’ll get this right before I go heavier.

One Arm Dumbbell Press (10×35, 10×35, 10×35)

For some reason I had more trouble keeping my balance on the seat when I used my right arm. I wonder if that speaks to some flaw in my form? Am I weaker somewhere else? I can’t figure this one out. When I did my left I had no trouble. On the right I had to move the weight and fight for stability. Weird.

Dumbbell RDL w/row (10×25, 10×25, 10×25)

I sweated my ass off doing these things. Each set is basically 20 because you have to do the Romanian deadlift and then you go back for the row. I went as far down as I could while keeping my back straight but honestly that wasn’t too far. I got the weight down to my knees. I’m not really sure how far you’re supposed to go.

Belly Off 2008, week 1, day 1

It’s been almost five months since I was serious about lifting. It’s crazy to think that I spent that much time away from the gym. It’s good to be back.

I started slow today and that was a good thing. I feel like I’m starting over. I guess it’s true that if you don’t use it, you lose it.

Here are the numbers.

Deadlift (15×115, 12×120, 10×125)

The first two sets were pretty easy. My form went bad on that last one. I had to take a couple of shots in order to get it right. I guess I’ve learned enough to know when I’m screwing up. My back wasn’t straight early on so I stopped. Eventually I got it right and pushed through.

I don’t think I’ll go up in weight too much in the near future.

Bench (10×135, 7×135, 5×135)

Here’s where I realized how weak I am. I couldn’t get all 10 reps of 135 in either of the last two sets. That’s gotta be a new low. I don’t remember ever not being able to at least get this much. Ever. I’m sure I was at one point but….. wow. I’ve got a lot of work to do.

Reverse lunge (10×30, 10×30, 10×30)

These are as hard as ever. It’s so funny to be sweating like a pig holding 15 pound weights. I think all my reps were pretty good, though.

Intervals

After this I got on the bicycle and did intervals. I did 30 seconds as fast as I could with one minute cool down periods in between. After 10 rounds of that I was done. It took almost 20 minutes.

I was exhausted walking out of the gym. My legs felt weak. This workout is no joke.

Plans for the future

I’m probably going to take the rest of the week off to recover. My legs feel good but I’m currently suffering through a pretty nasty cold right now. I’d like to be feeling a little better before I get back to the grind.

First off, I’ve already got another race scheduled. I’m running the Memphis Half Marathon in five weeks. I decided to do it to support my wife. She ran her first 5K in the same race where I ran the half marathon. I guess she caught the running bug and wanted to give a half marathon a shot. We’re moving to Memphis next month so that seemed to be the best race to try. Turns out they’re having their race in the first week of December. I guess we’ll get a good look at the town in our first week there.

I know that this is pretty sudden but I have no worries. The half marathon distance wasn’t an issue in the half marathon I ran and it wasn’t an issue in the marathon. I’m going to do three runs a week to stay in shape. I’m thinking something simple like two 3-5 milers during the week and a longer run on the weekend.

That’s not really a weight loss thing, though. My weight loss plans were basically derailed for a few months because of this marathon and it’s time to get back in gear. It’s past time to go back to the gym.

I’m constantly on the lookout for lifting plans. The newest one I’ve found and that I’m going to try is the Men’s Health Belly Off plan.

It’s an eight week program with three lifting days a week. There’s also a little HIIT cardio thrown in the mix as well. It’s kind of like NROL, I guess. There are a few weird things thrown in there but I’m going to give it the old college try and see if I can’t lose a little weight right before the new year.

You can check out a bunch of videos detailing the lifting plan here. There’s also a corresponding diet plan. It’s pretty similar to what I’m already doing so I think I can keep up with it. You can check that out here.

I already know that I won’t be able to devote 8 straight weeks to the plan. I’m moving in a month so week 4 will be devoted to closing on a house and Thanksgiving. We’re actually moving in week 5. Three weeks after that is Christmas so I’ll be flying home that week. In the best case scenario I could get this done in 11 weeks which would get me to the middle of January. This is a little annoying but it’s not like I have any other options.

In the past I might have just decided to wait until the new year. You know – new year, new start and all that garbage. That’s a dumb idea. I’m not going to waste the five weeks that I do have just so everything can be tied up neatly in a little bow. I’ll probably gain weight in my off weeks so I probably won’t get a real sense of if this program really works or not. Maybe, I’ll try it again next year. Who knows. I’ve got to do something now, though, and this is going to be it.

A random trip to the gym

I’ve been missing the gym an awful lot lately so I made a trip there tonight.

I read some article in Men’s Health this weekend about doing chin ups. That was my excuse.

There was a three step program in the article but i just did negatives until my arms gave out. I used the chin up grip, neutral grip and finally the pull up grip. Not the brightest thing in the world but I didn’t feel like leaving after only five minutes.

My arms are killing me right now but it was awesome to be back.

Taking time off from the gym was a great decision

Just a little note before I forget. August 1st would have been my two year anniversary of going to the gym. I haven’t been in well over a month, though, so it’s not much to celebrate.

Taking a break from lifting was a great decision. I worried about it a good deal. I worried that I would gain fifty pounds and degenerate into some couch potato. I didn’t. This time off has allowed me to focus on my running and I’ve kept it up.

The best thing about this past six weeks is that my lower back pain has gone away (knock on wood). I’ve had some bad times on a few of my runs but other then that I haven’t had any problems. Some of the little things that annoyed me like pain when I bent forward to brush my teeth or when I got off the couch are basically gone. I can pick up a case of bottled water off the ground without grimacing. I feel good as new.

The back thing robbed me of most of the enjoyment of going to the gym. Every day was a struggle. I got tired of telling myself to suck it up all the time. When I return I hope I can get back to having fun like I used to.

I’m not sure when I’ll go back. I only know that I will, someday. Maybe in October after this marathon is over. Who knows. Weight lifting was a huge part of the reason I lost so much weight and it’s gonna be a big part of what’s going to help me keep it off.

My new home and my new gym

I’m finally back in DC.

The run didn’t happen. It was over 100 degrees every single day down there. I saw 103 at one point. Some guy told me the heat index was 110. REDICULOUS.

Even with that I came away with a much better impression of Memphis then I thought I would. The house we are looking at buying is located in an awesome location. It’s walking distance from the Mississippi and an awesome running path. I was blown away. It easily beats the view of my current path.

I’m also in love with my future gym. It is a REAL gym. My first ever. The guy who showed us around made that perfectly clear. You can use chalk and throw the weights on the ground. I was in disbelief when he told us that. To prove it he picked up a plate and threw it to the ground as hard as he could. I think I was sold on the place at that exact moment!

Then I saw SIX squat racks. The crazy thing was that we were there at around 6pm on a Tuesday and none were in use. Can’t think of a better sign. I’ve already picked out my favorite rack. You can get in it and not have to face a mirror.

There are also three swimming pools, a jacuzzi, two tennis courts, a full sized basketball court, raquetball courts and even a huge indoor track surrounding the place. There is a ton of cardio equipment and they made it clear that you can stay on any of them all day if you want. No time limits! Wow!

All of this and it costs exactly half what we currently pay. I’m excited. I think I’m going to get into swimming and probably a little tennis since my wife loves that so much. Who knows what else I’ll do. There’s so much variety that there’s gonna be no excuse to not go. After this marathon is over I’m looking forward to doing something different every day.