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.

Swim workout

24 laps

We are kicking ass in the pool.

Today we did 100 yard swims four times! That’s two full laps without stopping – four times! Yeah, I’m pretty impressed.

It’s still super hard but I feel a lot better knowing it’s possible. My swim plan calls for four 100 yd swims but with only a few seconds of rest in between. Unfortunately, it took about a minute to rest between each one of these. I’ll stick to this plan until I can get those rest periods down.

After those 8 laps I did 7 single laps. Then I did 10 lengths going as fast as I could on each one. Finished up with 4 cool down laps.

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.

Swim workout

24 laps

I just realized that my swimming plan only calls for 14 laps in week 1. Oops. I guess I’ll be really prepared.

Today I managed to do TWO 100 yd swims! Two whole laps without stopping! Pretty damn sweet if you ask me. I couldn’t get four which is my current goal so I guess I’ll just have to keep chugging along. Once I hit that mark I’ll start my plan in earnest.

After the first four laps I did 10 single laps. Then I did twelve 25 yd sprints as fast as I could. I finished up with 4 cool down laps.

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.

Swim workout

24 laps.

Big progress today. I did 24 LAPS. Still can’t believe it.

I swam to the wall, tapped it and turned around.

I hope to get to the point where I can do two laps at once. That’s when I’ll be prepared to start my new swim program.

Swim workout

24 laps (700 yds)

Big milestone today. I got 24 laps in. That’s big because I’m gonna start a program soon that should help me swim a “swimmers” mile. It’s basically gonna be a Couch to 5K in the water.

The first week calls for a grand total of 24 laps. Unfortunately, it also calls for quite a few 100 yd swims and I’m still a 25 yd kind of guy. I got 24 laps, though, so I’m getting there. I’m gonna stay at this length for a while and try to get to the point where I’m able to tap the wall and immediately turn around.

As for today, I’m not gonna lie. It was crazy hard. It ended up taking me a solid hour. The idea that I’ll be able to swim for a mile (33 laps) seems impossible right now but it’s really something I want to focus on. I see other people in the pool go lap after lap without stopping and I want to be like that.

I’ve accomplished so much over the past few years that I really believe that even something as crazy as this is possible. It’s just a matter of time. I know that if I put in the time and effort I can get it 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.

Swim workout

20 laps

I’m getting a lot better.  I’m at the point where I can get all the way through a length without much trouble. I’ve still got problems figuring out the breathing part right but everything else is coming along nicely.

Today was the first day that the pool was full of people. My wife and I had to share a lane.  I swam across the pool and waited for her. When she got to me I went back. My breaks were a lot shorter as a result so I feel like I got a much better workout.

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, Saturday challenge

Good workout.

The Men’s Health site has already flipped over to a new workout for 2009 so I’m gonna have to finish these last two challenges on memory. I’m sure that I did it right this time.

The intervals were the same as last time. To be honest, they didn’t seem as tough. I don’t know why. My legs weren’t burning as much as last week. I don’t know if that’s because I took an extra day off or if I’m just in better shape.

Did the power of 10 twice again. First round was 30 seconds and the second round was 20 seconds. I’m still unable to do the iso squat holds for the entire time. I did the first round with two 15 second sets. The second one was two 10 second sets.

I did 9 push ups in the first round and 10 in the second. That’s an increase of one overall but the first round was a lot lower then last time. I guess this is still good. I’ve had more energy in the end so I got a lot better on the second try.

Swim workout

15 laps.

One lap less then last time. I guess I just forgot.

I did these as fast as I could. It ended up taking me 40 minutes. That’s got to be at least 5 minutes faster then last time.

I ended up thinking of these in laps instead of lengths. I swam a length, took a few breaths, swam the rest of the lap and then took a rest. It was tough and by the time I got to the last lap my legs were done.

I feel like I made a lot of progress. Doing these laps quicker is definitely the way to go.

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.

Swim workout

16 laps (+3 laps)

I’ve made a lot of progress but I’ve still got a long way to go.

I’ve got to get dowm the correct swimming terminology if I’m gonna keep writing about my swimming. I think a lap is when you go down and back to where you first started. A half lap is called a length. At least that’s what I think it is and that’s what I’m gonna call it from now on.

Today I did what I always do. Swim a length, rest a while and then swim another, rest, etc. I was again able to go the whole way without touching the bottom. I’m still having trouble swimming the whole way though. Sometimes I’m so tired that I just end up floating toward the end. I’m just strong enough now to get going again from a full stop.

I never knew swimming was so complicated. There’s basically three things you have to get right.

First is the arm motion. I’ve read that you’re supposed to get your elbow high out of the water. Then you swing your forearm and hand over. I’ve got the pull through under water down but I still forget to do the elbow part sometimes when I’m tired.  When that happens my stroke is pretty weak and I don’t go very far.

Second is the leg motion. I simply don’t have the ability to keep them going constantly throughout the workout. I get too tired. That’s the first problem. The other is that I’m still not getting the kick right. Lots of times I’m just kicking with my ankles and not really using my whole leg. The funny thing is if I did it right every time I’d be even more tired and that would cause more problems. I guess the only solution is to keep swimming and get better endurance.

Third is breathing. Currently I’m basically holding my breath for the first half of the length. This allows me to keep my head under water so I can go faster. Once I have to breath all hell breaks loose. I end up pulling my head up and swinging it around from left to right at least two times. I guess I should be able to just turn my face to the ceiling on one of my strokes but I just can’t get the hang of that yet. Sometimes I do it but I feel like I have to take another breath on the very next stroke so it kind of defeats the whole purpose.

All that being said, today was a pretty good workout and I made a lot of progress. I feel like I have a good idea of what I need to be doing and I made steps in that direction. That’s really all I can do.

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, Saturday challenge

This was the hardest challenge yet.

I think I deserve a cookie for getting this one done today. My gym closes at 6pm on Sundays so I had to go earlier then usual. Instead of enjoying the 4pm NFL games, like the rest of America, I was sweating it out in the gym. I missed the epic Dallas Cowboy beatdown that I’m sure everyone I know will be talking about.

This workout was a little bit different. Instead of 10 rounds of 30 seconds on, 60 seconds off on the bicycle it changed to 5 rounds of 15 seconds on, 45 seconds off. I can say without question that the one I did today was a LOT harder. Since I only had 5 rounds I was able to go much harder on all of them. The final one was the most difficult 15 seconds I’ve experienced in the gym that I can remember.

After the cycling I moved on to the Power of 10. This time I had to do two sets. The first one involved doing all 10 for 30 seconds. After a little rest I had to do it again for 10 seconds.

I did 13 push ups in the first round and 5 in the second.

I can’t believe how tired and sore I am right now.

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 5, Saturday challenge

I did this one on Saturday. This is the one I was supposed to do last week but skipped for whatever reason.

This workout involved the usual 10 intervals on the bike with 30 seconds on and 1 minute off. The power of 10 workouts were moved up to 30 seconds each.

This was without question the toughest Saturday challenge yet. I was spent after the intervals. I somehow managed to push through the power of 10 workouts for the most part but I simply couldn’t hold either of the split squat iso holds for the full time. I had to stop at 15 seconds and then do the other 15 seconds after a quick rest.

I ended up doing 12 push ups which is an increase of one. That being said, I wasn’t happy with my form on these. I think they were passable but they certainly weren’t nose to ground like I’d like them to be. I think I was so tired at this point that I didn’t even believe that I could do 12. When I did do them I ended up feeling bummed that I didn’t give it more effort.

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.

Swim workout

13 laps (650 yds)

Added three laps today and actually was able to make it all the way across on every single one of them. Sweet.

Swimming workout

10 laps (500 yds)

The wife and I are pretty much committed to a Tuesday/Thursday swim schedule for the time being. It’s pretty fun to hang out together at the pool.

I only did 10 laps but I tried really hard to shorten the time I did it in. Still took a little over 30 minutes.

Each half lap is only 25 yards but after the first few I’m basically done. It’s incredibly difficult for me to go the entire length of the pool without stopping. I’m kind of bummed about this but at least I’ll have a good idea of when I make progress.

The idea that I could do this entire workout without stopping seems almost impossible right now but I’m going to keep it up and see where things go.

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.

Swim workout

10 laps (500 yds)

Added three laps to today’s swim. I still can’t believe how hard this is. I also can’t believe how hungry I am when I get home.

My first swimming workout

7 laps

Today was my first day to go swimming at the gym pool. I don’t remember the last time I was in a pool. Probably 10 years. I know that I’ve never spent any time doing laps with any amount of seriousness.

The pool at our gym is pretty nice. It has four lanes and there were only two people there when we showed up so we were in luck. I don’t know how popular that thing is so finding a lane could be an issue in the future. I guess I’ll find out.

Today’s swim was surprisingly tough. I was breathing heavy from the very first half lap. I had to stop and take a breather after every one that followed. A couple of times I couldn’t make it all the way and had to dog paddle or even walk my way to the end. You gotta start somewhere I guess.

My plan is to make swimming my primary cardio workout for a while and see how it goes. I like the idea of changing things up. I also like the possibilities of measuring improvement. It should be fun to increase my endurance. Another added element is the differing strokes. Right now all I do is freestyle but if I want I can incorporate all the other ones later on. The possibilities are endless.

I really don’t have any concrete plans in mind. I obviously want to increase the laps but first I want to build up to the point where I can do a full lap (to the end and back) without stopping. I’ll probably do a little digging and look up some workouts. This week will be dedicated to just getting a feel for the pool and having fun.

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, Saturday challenge

Today was my last day at my gym. It was even sadder then yesterday. I’m pretty sure I heard the Incredible Hulk music playing as I walked out the door….

I have no clue when I’ll start going to my next gym. Monday and Tuesday will be spent on the road so it would be Wednesday at the very earliest. I’ve got that half marathon on Saturday, though. I’ll probably take the week off and start lifting the next Monday.

As for today …

For some reason the intervals didn’t seem as tough. Don’t get me wrong. I was breathing hard and walking away from the bike was still a bit of an adventure. It just didn’t seem as bad as the last two weeks.

The power of 10 workout, on the other hand,  was tougher then ever. I had to increase the time to 25 seconds. The iso holds are about damn near impossible. Not sure how I’ll be able to hold them much longer.

I increased the pushups to 12. That’s an increase of two from last week.

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.