Tuesday, December 27, 2011

A Note On Flexibility.

I read an interesting article the other day on flexibility. I will post a link when I find the piece. The crux of his argument was that if you are more flexible on one side than you are on the other and you continue to stretch both sides equally than what you are doing is maintaining the imbalance. What was suggested is that you focus on the tight side in order to even things up. I thought that was an interesting premise and I will probably try it and see what happens.

TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 5 minutes
DROM
V-ups 3 x 10
First day of the 18 month plan. The weights are much easier but if I stick this thing out it will get hard soon enough.
Squat - 5 @ 55/5 @ 70/5 @ 80/5 @ 90/5 @ 100/5+ @ 115 (got 10)
Press - 5 @ 30/5 @ 40/5 @ 45/5 @ 50/5 @ 55/5+ @ 65 (got 10)
Good Mornings - 3 x 10 @ 75
Pull up speed day - 10 x 3 on 1 minute with 110lbs assistance

Felt good today. The sick seems to be waning.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Exercise ADD explained

I had an epiphany this morning. I have planned to start an 18 month 5/3/1 cycle designed to get me up to a 315 squat, a 420 dead lift, a 165 press and a 225 bench. The epiphany came when I realized that I am in love with process rather than end goals because to get to a goal requires a certain amount of discomfort and work and by continually starting on something new I am able to avoid the really hard work that comes at the end.
I hate it when I discover something less than admirable about myself. Makes me think there might be other less than admirable stuff floating around that I have not confronted yet. Damn.
On to brighter things. I worked out today after a week off being sick. Things like strength and endurance go away rather quickly.

MONDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 5 minutes 715 meters
DROM
Straight leg raises 3 x 10
Row easy 2K just to get moving again 9:45.6
Push ups 12/10/10/8/6
Step ups 5 x 10 with 25 lb DB to 20" box

The weights that are coming up were derived by figuring out where I want to be in 18 months and then working backward from there subtracting 10 lbs per month for lower body stuff and 5 lbs per month for upper body stuff.
That leaves me with the following starting weights for the first cycle:
Deadlift - 240
Squat - 135
OH Press - 75
Bench Press - 135
These will be the numbers that the percentages are based on.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Sick. Like Dog.

Had a good workout Tuesday, started feeling poorly in the afternoon and by Wednesday I was full on sick. It is now Friday and I am just starting to feel a little better. No exercise probably until Monday next week. The only problem with that is how to keep this blog fresh and exciting without any new workouts being posted.
Ideas for topics are always flooding into my head while I am on the rower but by the time I am done those ideas are gone. I am sure they are still around but I can't find them.
So...how are you?
Maybe some links will fill the long silence that may be coming. Some of these I have posted before but for the sake of those just joining the fun here they are:
Mark Rippetoe's site.
Dan John's site.
Catalyst Athletics site.

T-Nation. going through the archived articles can occupy a huge amount of time so be careful there.

That should keep you busy. If I think of anything pertinent or bloggable I will post it straight away.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Mary Jane. It's Time to go Now.

I spend way too much time at the gym. Is that possible? I got there at 5:30 this morning and didn't get out of there until nearly 8. What's up with that? I believe that I chat way too much. I know people down there now and they like to talk as much as I do and that adds, easily, :45 minutes to the gym time. I guess if I had something else to do I would be more conscious of the time but I don't and so I fritter away the hours. I am a fritterer (is that even a word). All I can say in my defense is, oh well.
Switched the warm up row to 5 minutes today instead of 500 meters. I felt better after that.

TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 5 minutes 846 meters
DROM
V-ups 3 x 10
Squat - 5 @ 45/5 @ 65/3 @ 80/2 @ 95/3 x 5 @ 145 got these pretty easily maybe I am finally going to get this weight up to something respectable.
Press - 5 @ 45/5 @ 50/3 @ 60/2 @ 70/3 x 3 @ 105
Good morning - 3 x 10 @ 65
Pull ups 3 x max - 6/6/5 (1 more than last week)
I have been foam rolling at the gym for :15 minutes each day because if I wait to do it later I won't.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Perception V Reality

I realized today that my perception of my abilities is in no way reflective of the reality of my abilities. My PR on the 2K row to date is 7:26 and to think that I could drop nearly a minute off that time in a few months was a tad over ambitious. I have now set my sights on something a bit more realistic that being to go a sub 7 by February. I may not qualify to have the Concept 2 people fly me to Boston but it will be a significant improvement and that is now okay.
Missed Saturday so here it is
SATURDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Weighted sit ups 3 x 10 @ 15
Squat 5 @ 45/5 @ 65/3 @ 80/2 @ 95/3 x 5 @ 140 Hit the 140 this week so adding 5 lbs next week
Bench press 5 @ 45/5 @ 75/3 @ 90/2 @ 115/3 x 3 @ 160 trying for 3 x 5 @ 160 next week but I need to find a spotter
Push ups 16/12/10/10/8
Tabata row 94/94/93/97/93/95/96/97 avg. pace 1:45.6 avg sr 33

...and now onto the new week
MONDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
Row sprints 9 x 1 min. with 1:30 ri
284m/1:45.6, 290m/1:43.4, 289m/1:43.8, 287m/1:44.5, 288m/1:44.1, 284m/1:45.6, 289m/1:43.8
287m/1:44.5, 296m/1:41.3
The goal on all these was to go below race pace which I did for all but 2 of them.
DROM
Straight leg raise 3 x 10 slow and controlled
Push ups 16/14/10/10/10

I saw someone doing very slow and controlled toes to bar today for sets and I hated him.
(propriety dictates that I inform you that I did not really hate him I was just envious of his mastery)
Barbell row 3 x 5 @115

Friday, December 16, 2011

Plans versus Goals

A guy I know in Sunnyvale California says, "If you don't have a plan you're an idiot." I agree with him entirely. Then there are goals. Goals, to me, are finite they have a stopping point which, in my opinion, limits you. I am process oriented, which may account for why I don't finish things, I enjoy the process of getting somewhere without the added baggage of having a destination. Without a destination you can never get lost. This may appear to be a rambling approach but I have had success with it. I get places and although it may not be the place I thought I would end up it is always interesting and fun and interesting and fun is what this journey is all about.
FRIDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
Row 5 x 500 with 1 minute rest 1:48.5/1:46.7/1:56.6/1:57.3/1:51
I was trying for an average pace of 1:45 to 1:50. Didn't quite make it
DROM
Weighted pull ups 3 x 3 with 25lbs
Farmers Walk 3 trips with 50 lb dumbbells (not sure how far the trips were)
Reverse Hyper - 5/8/10 tried working on breathing under tension and it came out okay now maybe we can get these up to 3 x 10

Try adding in Farmers walks to your program as a finisher and watch your grip strength go off the map.
See you tomorrow.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

That Putin Fellow

Hopefully the Russians will get this Putin business out of the way and get back to the truly important things in life like reading my blog. Good luck.

THURSDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Back extension 3 x 10
Squat - 5 @ 45/5 @ 65/3 @ 80/2 @ 95/3 x 5 @ 140
Deadlift - 5 @ 135/5 @ 155/3 @ 170/2 @ 205/5 @ 295 (this is 7 lbs more than my previous 5 rep max)
Barbell row - 3 x 5 @ 110
Push ups - 16/12/10/10/8

A good day overall. The squats felt strong. The deadlifts felt good. (as good as a deadlift can feel) and the pushups went well.
See you tomorrow.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Daddy doesn't work. Daddy goes to the gym.

As much as I wish that were true it is not. I do work and right now I need to get this down and get to work. Did I mention that I am not fond of work?

TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
I am including some Hindu Push Ups in the warm up. I think I posted a video on these before but I will post it again.
V-ups - 3 x 10
Squat - 5 @ 45/5 @ 65/3 @ 80/2 @ 95/3 x 5 @ 140
Press - 5 @ 45/5 @ 50/3 @ 60/2 @ 70/5 @ 100/4 @ 100/4 @ 100
Missed the last two sets so my choices are: go down to 3 x 3 and add 5 pounds or stay at 3 x ? at 100 pounds and stick with it until I get five.
Are all the votes in?
Yes sir.
And what is the result?
3 x 3 @ 105 sir.
Very good.
(anyone have a sockpuppet I can borrow)
Good morning - 3 x 8 @ 75 went easy
Push ups - 16/12/10/10/8
I should have started working towards my age in push ups and pull ups when I was much younger then I wouldn't have as far to go.
Oh well. Carry on.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Drop Off.

Evidently, due to social unrest, my Russian readership has dropped off. Hope you guys get everything worked out. It is raining here today but I rode my bike anyway. About 3 miles. That was good for a warmup.
MONDAY'S WORKOUT
Bike 3+ miles
DROM
Pull ups - 3 x max 6/5/5
Step ups - 3 x 8 @ 95 to 20" box
Row Sprints - 8 x 200 with 1:30 RI/ avg pace - 1:38.8/ avg SR - 33
:40.4/:39.9/:40.3/:39.4/:40/:40.2/:39.4/:36.5
Straight leg raises - 3 x 5 with 5 lbs

I have to switch the weight days this week because of work on Wednesday. I am not fond of work. Gets in the way of more important things.
A good post on crossfit and older folks on the One World site.
Its cold and I am going back to bed.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

The Worm Turns (but only if you shake the bottle)

That title has nothing to do with the post but it just popped into my head so I wrote it down. I would like to thank everyone who is reading this and encourage comments if you have any questions or problems, actually keep your problems to yourself but I will answer questions.
FRIDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Squat - 5 @ 45/5 @ 65/3 @ 80/2 @ 95/ 3 x 5 @ 135
Press - 5 @ 45/5 @ 50/3 @ 60/2 @ 70/ 3 x 5 @ 95
Choked on the power cleans and just stopped
And that was it for Friday. I was tired and irritable and didn't feel like being at the gym.

SATURDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Reverse Hyper - 3 x 5
Pull Ups - 3 x 5
Long Row - 3000 meters 14:01.8
Not a great time on the row but I am still worn out for some reason, but I was not irritable today so I am making progress.
I have begun work on the O.P.W.A. (Old People With Attitude) Website and should have it up and running in a couple of months. I will keep you posted but don't, under any circumstances, hold your breath.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

One Day On, One Day Off

Okay here is yesterday and today. Squats are frustrating the hell out of me. I am just not that good at them. I will continue to work at it.
TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Straight Leg Raises - 3 x 10
Row Sprints - 7 x 200/1:30 RI
Average pace - 1:41/average stroke rate - 30
:41.7/:41.8/:40.2/:39.9/:41.1/:38.8/:39.4
One Arm Hang - 3 x 3 @ 5 seconds
Step Ups - 3 x 6 @ 95

WEDNESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM I included some 35lb plate swings and some 22.5 DB snatches 10 each side it was fun
Back Ext. 3 x 10
Squats - 5 @ 45/5 @ 65/3 @ 80/2 @ 95/2 x 5 @ 135
Bench Press - 5 @ 45/5 @ 75/3 @ 90/2 @ 115/5 @ 160
Barbell Row - 3 x 5 @ 105
Push Ups - 14/12/10/8/8 These were hard after the bench

Monday, December 5, 2011

...but where's the rum (or the blogger)

I'm back. Had a lousy couple of days and was almost embarrassed to post. Totally choked on a 2K row time trial. I will not tell you the time. The exercise ADD is setting in again and I am going to simplify the program and work on a Starting Strength model. I need to get my squat numbers up to something beyond what a high school athlete can do and just work on developing a good foundation. I am going to try to keep it going for 10 weeks (ADD willing)
MONDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
I am reposting this video for people who are just joining in and don't want to search for it in older blog posts
V-Ups - 3 x 10
Squat - 5 @ 45/5 @ 65/3 @ 80/2 @ 95/5 @ 135
Press - 5 @ 45/5 @ 50/3 @ 60/2 @ 70/5 @ 100
Deadlift - 5 @ 135/5 @ 135/3 @ 170/2 @ 205/5 @ 290
Good Mornings - 3 x 5 @ 75
Push Ups - 14/12/10/8/8

I will be doing squats, press and deadlifts on Monday, squats and bench press on Wednesday and squats, press and power cleans on Friday.
I don't know if I mentioned this but press always refers to shoulder to overhead. Saying shoulder press is like saying leg squat.
See you tomorrow.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

And..Away..We...Go.

There was a semi serious windstorm here in So Cal last night and this morning there was detritus everywhere. I love weather. I feel alive when nature is asserting its power. Its visceral. Calls up the primal in me.
THURSDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Tabata Row - 784 total meters
100/104/95/92/102/96/104
Push-ups - 12/10/10/8/6
Back Ext. - 3 x 10
Squats - 1 x 30 done fast with hands over a bar in the squat rack with a little assistance
Barbell Bent Row - 3 x 5 @ 105
Everything clicked today even though I feel as if my sleep was not so good.
Weather and plenty of coffee got me through.
Read about coffee here.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Shortly

I have been considering getting a strength coach just to have someone to push me and make sure my form is on. Problem being there are, of the people I have met, precious few qualified folks around.
TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Row Sprints - 6 x 200 with 1:30 RI
:38.8/:38.5/:37.9/:37.8/:38.5/:37.5 - avg. pace 1:35.4, avg SR 36
One Arm Hang - 3 x 3ea for 5 seconds
Straight Leg Raises - 3 x 10
Squats - 3 x 10
Step ups - 3 x 6 @ 95 to 20" box.
Felt like I was dragging today even though I ate well yesterday. Go figure.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Vanishing Blogger

No post Friday, no post Saturday, no post Sunday. The time just gets away occasionally or in my case somewhat more than occasionally. Stuffed myself sick on Thursday, worked out but felt bad on Friday and blew everything off on Saturday. On Sunday I went in and, just for fun, did lat pulls, curls and triceps press, stretched a little and went home.
I decided today to take a little time off the pull ups and work push ups instead. I will, however, do the One Arm Hang thing 2 days a week.
MONDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Deadlift - 3 x 3 @ 135/12 + 8 @ 220. Stay with this weight next week
Press - 3 x 3 @ 45/17 + 3 @ 70. Stay with this weight next week
Good Morning - 3 x 5 @ 75. These felt good
Push Ups - 12/10/10/8/6
V-up - 3 x 10
Squat - 3 x 10

Thursday, November 24, 2011

All Quiet..

...or so I thought until I got to the gym and it was crowded. I guess everyone wants to burn a few Kcals before stuffing themselves sick this afternoon. I talked to a gym owner this morning about starting a rowing team and he seemed marginally interested. I will probably have to beat him into submission.
THURSDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
Tabata Row - 91/94/97/101/91/94/99/105 - 773 total meters
I tried pacing the row a little this morning and it worked out nicely.
DROM
Weighted Pull Ups - 3 x 3 chest to bar @ BW, 3 x 1 @ 50lbs
Back extension 3 x 10
Squats - 3 x 10 and in honor of the day I did them goblet stlye with a 15 lb. Dumb Bell
Barbell Row - 3 x 5 @ 100
And now its time to go stuff myself sick.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Rowing and Stretching

First a word on rowing. Setting the damper to correspond with a certain drag number will maximize the machine to fit your body type and rowing technique. Here is a piece by Erin Cafaro, an Olympic rower, on how to set the rower up. If you are in a situation where someone assigns an arbitrary number for the damper setting you can throw this out at them.
I do several types of stretching to maintain what little flexibility I have one of the techniques is Active Isolated Stretching This is part 1 of 5 and they are all worth investigating.
TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Row Sprints - 7 x 200 meters with 1:30 RI
:37.4, :38.3, :38.1, :38.7, :37.6, :37.4, :35.8
All these were well under my planned race pace of 1:37 (and that is a good thing)
One Arm Hang - 3 x 3 ea. at 5 seconds each
Straight Leg Raises - 3 x 8
Squats - 3 x 10
Weighted Step Ups - 3 x 4 @ 100 These seemed dangerously unstable today so I cut the reps back.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Good Morning Sunshine...

...or not as there is no sunshine today. It is gray and overcast and a bit cold. Can anyone explain the difference between grey and gray? Today went well and I hit all my numbers on everything. The squats are getting much better. 3 sets of 10 each day working on form actually helps. Go figure.
MONDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Deadlift - 3 x 3 @ 135 and 1 x 20 @ 210
Press - 3 x 3 @ 45 and 1 x 20 @ 65
Pull Ups - 7/6/5/4/4
V-ups - 3 x 10
Squats - 3 x 10 to small box + 1 plate and we are below parallel.
Good Morning - 3 x 5 @ 70
Just about ten weeks out now from the rowing competition.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Some sort of weird stomach thing has taken hold so there will be no working out today. I am going to post a good article on stretching by Mike Robertson and one on the hip hinge by Dan John. Have fun and see you on Monday unless I think of something to say on Sunday (which is unlikely).

Friday, November 18, 2011

Tabata Crash

On Thursday I did my Tabata rows. Zooming along at over 100 meters per interval...until #5 and, while not an epic fail, it was a fail. Dropped to 61 meters (that is a sideways sad face and a WTF) Got it back up into the 90's for the last 3 but it was a struggle. Oh well, life's a struggle get used to it.
THURSDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Tabata Row - 754 meters (-34)
101/105/104/104/61?/95/92/90
Weighted Pull Ups - 3 x 3 @ BW/3 x 1 +45lbs
Back Extension - 3 x 10
Squats - 3 x 10 to small box + two plates (gettin' lower)
Barbell Row - 3 x 5 @ 95

FRIDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Squats - 3 x 3 @ 45/2 x 10 @ 75 (stay with this weight)
It is much easier to take advantage of the stretch-shortening cycle out of the bottom of a squat than to go from a dead stop at the bottom.
Bench - 3 x 3 @ 45/1 x 20 @105 (goes up next week)
Pull ups - 6/5/5/4/3
Weighted sit ups - 3 x 10 +10lbs
Squats - 3 x 10
Dumbell OH Press - 3 x 5 @ 37.5

I am not sure if I posted a video of behind the head weighted sit ups before so here it is. In front is the woos way out. Jim Wendler said of behind the head weighted sit ups "prepare to be humbled."

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Felt like I slept good last night but the workout wore me down. Kept all the row sprints at well under my planned race pace. I did the straight leg raise on the thing that has arm rests and back support and tried to lower slowly on each rep. I think I will stick with that for awhile.
TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Row Sprints - 6 x 200/1:30 RI
:37.8/1:34.6/SR 38, :39.3/1:38.2/31 SR, :37.1/1:32.7/36 SR, :37.9/1:34.7/36 SR, :37.7/1:34.7/38 SR
:37.1/1:32.7/40 SR
One Arm Hang - 3 x 3 ea arm 3 seconds each
SLR - 3 x 7
Box Squats - 3 x 10
Weighted Step Ups - 3 x 5 dropped the weight back on this.
...and that's all the fun for today. 2 days of no CF bashing. I'm maybe getting over it. (maybe)

Monday, November 14, 2011

Wakey, Wakey, Eggs and Bakey.

I really wanted some bacon yesterday. My wife brought bacon home from the store so I could have had some. I took it out of the refrigerator and noticed it had an ingredient list. Curious, thought I. Well somehow, someway the bastards managed to get High Fructose Corn Syrup into the bacon. I would call them worse than bastards but then I might have to start thinking about putting a warning label on my blog.
SATURDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Long Row 3500 meters 13:39.3 avg. pace 1:57 avg. stroke rate 22
Burgener W/U (snatch) just for fun
and that was it for Saturday.

MONDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Deadlift - 3 x 3 @ 135/1 x 20 @ 200 (made it this week)
Press - 3 x 3 @45/1 x 20 @ 60
Pull-ups - 6/5/5/4/3 (dropped the numbers back on these and I am not sure why)
V-ups - 3 x 9
Box Squats to short bench - 3 x10
3 rounds with 1:30 rest between of 5 above the knee box jumps and 5 6 count burpees
Good Morning 3 x 5 @ 65 (dropped the weight on these because I had to take it from the ground to overhead and then put it on my shoulders as there were no racks available.
And last but not least a really good article on Adrenal Fatigue. A fun read.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Slam Ball with Sheep

I tend to have fun with this sort of thing long after it has stopped amusing everyone else. If you are familiar at all with crossfit than you will know the slogan, Our Warm Up is Your Workout. Greg Everett had a great newsletter entry for today called Our Warm Up is a Warm Up This is two days in a row that I have bashed around the C'fers. I may stop tomorrow but then again I may not.
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM and some foam rolling
Squats - 3 x 3 @ 45/1 x 20 @ 65
Bench - 3 x 3 @45/1 x 20 @ 105
DB OH Press - 3 x 5 @ 35
Weighted sit ups 3 x 8 with 10lbs
Box Squats 3 x 7
3 rounds of 25 Jump rope skips and Renegade Rows x 3 with 25 lb DB with 1 minute rest
That's all the fun for today and I must say I am really happy that I know how to include a live link.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

W.T.F.

Have I used that title before? I don't remember because I am old. I read a blog post today called "Don't Bite the Machine" It had a number of problems; the first and foremost, in my mind, is that it is poorly written. A wise woman once said, "Everyone has a novel in them and in most that is where it should stay." Same goes for blog posts. Contrast don't bite the machine with Rage Against the Machine and you will know, exactly, why this country is in such a mess today. Be complacent, go along with the crowd, don't speak up when there are problems as long as the money keeps rolling in just STFU. I laughed and cried at the same time.
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
3 rounds of 3 dips/6 push ups/9 35lb DB swings with 1 minute rest
Back Ext 3 x 9
Box Squats 3 x 7 (to a small box with 2 45lb plates on it)
Barbell Row 3 x 6 @ 90lbs
Tabata Row 790 total meters (2 meters off last week) :( sideways sad face
99, 1:41/101, 1:39/95, 1:45.2/98, 1:42/98, 1:42/99, 1:41/100, 1:40/99, 1:41
need to keep these at 1:40 or below. Perhaps next week

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Day Off

Another clever title. I am so bloody clever. I noticed that after a well thought of crossfit coach introduced the concept of "the finisher" all the sheep dutifully ran to obey having no idea why they were doing what they were doing. Jim Wendler has this to say about the finisher:
"Unfortunately, the finisher has been sullied by hardgainers and other random skinny punks that put one in every damn workout and can't figure out why they can only train two times a week when they're 15 years old.

The role of the finisher in the weight room is one you have to be careful with; you can't use one every time you train or you'll burn out quicker than Ryan Leaf. I've done some really stupid shit, mostly involving squats. In college, I did 330lbs x 30 reps; I was supposed to do 3 sets of 10 reps with 330 and decided to just get the shit over with."
To read more of Wendler's wit and wisdom as well as former crossfit golden boys, ostracized for knowing what they were talking about, Dan John and Mark Rippetoe go here
See ya tomorrow

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Yesterday and Today

Its a song title its a blog post heading its 2, 2 things in one. I missed yesterday. I am switching back to Wednesday and Sunday off. To make the switch I had to work out 5 days in a row which I don't like to do.
I decided to add a small conditioning piece as part of the warm up.
MONDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
3 rounds of - 5 20" box jumps and 5 Burpees
I was going to do that every day but then realized that I can't jump every day because it hurts
Deadlift - 135 x 3 x 3/200 x 9 (had a twinge and some hip pain so I cut these off
Press - 45 x 3 x 3/20 @ 55
V-ups - 3 x 8
Box Squats to a 20" box for form 3 x 7
Good Mornings - 1 x 15 @ 45
I am taking a week off the pull up program
TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Row Sprints - 200 meters x 5 with a 1:30 rest interval
:38.4/1:36 pace, 38.4/1:36 pace, :38.1/1:35.2 pace, :38.1/1:35.2 pace, 37.1/1:32.7 pace
5 pull ups/10 push ups/15 squats x 1
Hanging leg raises - 3 x 7
Box Squats - 3 x 7
Step ups - 3 x 6 with two 55 lb DB

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Beer, Bad Food (tasty food) and Marginal Sleep

Here we go again. Saturday went well. Sunday sucked and Saturday night was a birthday party.
SATURDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM + some crawls
Squats - 3 x 5 @ 45/65/75 then - 20 @ 85 (made 10+10) so I will stay with this weight next week
Bench - 3 x 5 @ 45/65/85 then - 20 @ 100 (made it but it was hard I may stay with this weight or try to add 5 lbs next week. I'll let you know)
Weighted sit ups - 5 x 7 with 10 lbs.
Wall squats - 5 x 6
DB oh press- 3 x 5 @ 30 (couldn't find a pair of anything higher but that was okay)
20 rep sets make me sore.
SUNDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM + 2 sets of 5 20" box jumps and 5 strict 6 count burpees ( I'll post a link to the 6 count burpees if I can find one)
Row 3,000 meters - 12:30.6 avg. pace 2:05.1 avg. sr 25
Went easier on the row overall but threw in some 100 and 200 meter sprints for fun and it was fun.
Then spent about :30 minutes stretching.
I am drifing away from the more painful stretching protocol advocated by you know who and into a more gentle and relaxed type of work. I am just not that fond of pain. Everyday life hurts enough I don't need to try and induce pain when I am stretching.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Rainy Day in Georgia

Only I'm not in bloody Georgia. Today's workout went well. Everything in place. A good night's sleep and off I go.
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Tabata Row - 100/100/99/96/99/99/99/99 792 meters total (+24) :) sideways happy face on that
Weighted Pull ups - 3 x 3 @ BW 3 x 1 With 40 (got the singles chin over bar)
Barbell Row - 3 x 10 @ 85
Back Extension - 5 x 8
Wall Squats - 5 x 6
A good day at Black Rock

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Exercise A.D.D.

I heard that phrase, exercise A.D.D., the other day and I liked it. I think I have it. I have switched the pull up program a little. I have added in bent single arm static holds 3 sets of 3 each arm for 3 seconds each. According to the book Gymnastic Bodies it will help get the numbers up. So the program now is 2 days of the Recon Ron protocol, 2 days of the single arm hangs and 1 day of weighted pull ups.
TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Deadlift - 12 + 8 @ 225 I will stick with the 225 until I get 20 in a row
Press - 1 x 20 @ 50 This one goes up next week
Pull ups - 8/6/5/4/4
V-ups - 5 x 7
Wall Squats - 5 x 6
Good Morning - 3 x 5 @ 95
I had forgotten the stresses involved in 20 rep sets. Nearly killed me.

WEDNESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Row - 5 x 200 with 1:30 rest
40.9, 1:42.2/38.9, 1:37.6/38.2, 1:35.5/36.5, 1:31.2
I think I broke one of the rowers. My first pull made the chain go all floppy. Oops.
Bent arm static hang - 3 x 3 each arm for 3 seconds each
HLR - 5 x 6 Started trying to get these higher and I got a few toes to bar
Wall Squats - 5 x 6
Weighted Step ups 3 x 6 @ 110 This about maxed out my left leg. Curious that.
See you on Friday.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Yesterday and Today

That's a clever title isn't it. Yesterday's workout went okay and today's workout fried me. On the long row days the stress of rowing at a decent pace for 3500 meters is enough so I decided to scale back the extra stuff.
SATURDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Pull ups - 8/6/5/4/4
Weighted sit ups - 5 x 7 with 10 lbs. (on the bench made it a little harder)
Wall squats - 5 x 6 (these are getting better and I am getting a little lower)
DB press - 3 x 5 with 35's

SUNDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Row - 3500 meters, time 13:41 avg. pace 1:57.3 avg. stroke rate 23
I only did one set of 8 pull ups and 1 set of wall squats.
Didn't get the revers hypers in because the tall box was gone so I spent 35 minutes stretching instead.
See you on Tuesday.

Friday, October 28, 2011

T.G.I.F.

And I say TGIF for no apparent reason as Friday means no more to me than any other day. It's just some random thing that I put in there because I needed a title for this post and I plumb run out of cleverness.
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500
Tabata Row - 100/99/94/98/95/85/99/98 Total of 768 meters same as last week
Fell apart on number 6 ran out of steam but then the steam came back maybe it was just a P moment.
e-mail for description of P moment.
Weighted pull ups - 3 x 3 at bodyweight 3 x 1 with 37.5
Back ext. - 5 x 7
Wall squats - 5 x 6
Barbell row - 3 x 10 @ 80
Au revoir

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Top 'o' The Morning To Ya.

I bought a new book yesterday called Becoming Bulletproof It seems interesting and it was only $9.99. It was recommended by Dan John a man that I have a lot of respect for. I'll let you know what I think after I have absorbed the information.
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Introduced some spiderman crawls and Hindu push-ups as part of the warm up today. I like them.
Pull ups 8/6/5/4/4
V-Ups 6/6/6/6/6
Wall Squats 6/6/6/6/6
The above were done as a superset
Good Morning 3 x 5 @ 90
All the pull ups were chest to bar today.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

3rd times the charm

It has been 2 days (or more) Friday went okay but Saturday crashed. I am, for some reason, still a little sick...so...another day off. (darn this body, it must belong to someone else) I am going to take this week off of lifting and just take it easy. Maybe that will work. The rows are getting better. I am almost back to where I was on the Tabatas.
FRIDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Tabata Row - 97/98/99/96/95/98/97/97 a total of 778 meters which is 15 more than last week
Hanging leg raises - 5 x 5
Barbell Row - 3 x 10 @ 70

SATURDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters (my calf is bothering me for some damn reason)
DROM
Squats - 5 @ 45/5 @ 65/4 @ 75/10 @45
a miserable day squatting
Bench - 5 @ 75/5 @ 95/5 @ 110/3 @ 130/3 @ 145/3+ @ 165 (got 5)

DB OH Press - 3 x 5 @ 30
Weighted Pull ups - 3/2/1/3 @ 37.5

Saturday was bad overall. Not only did the workout suck but after I had to go to work. Got to figure out what to do about the work thing. I am not at all fond of it.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Woden's Day

All in all a good workout today. Sleep is awfully bloody important (have I mentioned that). Talked to my friend Brian yesterday who watched a movie called Forks Over Knives and he said the arguments presented were convincing enough for him to switch from his meat based diet to a raw and vegan motif. Although counter intuitive he said he has gotten stronger, as measured by pull up and dip numbers and his stamina has gone way up. Interesting in light of the meat and vegetable peoples claim that one can not thrive on a vegetarian diet and another example of the sheeplike behavior of the folks involved in a certain exercise group. (You know who you are)
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Row sprints 4 x 200 with 1:30 rest
1):40.2
2):40
3):41
4):38.8
I am going to get the sprints up to 10 x 200 and then drop back down to 3 x 200 and shorten the RI by :15 seconds (is that redundant with the 2 little dots and seconds) and build it back up to 10 x 200 etc etc.
Weighted Step Ups - 3 x 6 @ 100
Pull ups - 8/6/5/5/4
Wall squats - 5 x 6
Back Ext. - 5 x 6
A bad idea to schedule good mornings and back extensions back to back.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Back to Woik.

I have decided to go with a straight linear progression on the weight lifting for awhile and then get back to Wendler in a couple of months. One of the many good things about doing my own programming is that I can change it when I want to. I am not forced into someone else's idea of what I should be doing.
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Stairs 5 minutes @ level 6
DROM
Press - 5 @ 50/5 @ 60/5 @ 70/5 @ 80/5 @ 90/3 @ 95
Dead lift - 5 @ 130/5 @ 165/5 @ 190/3 @ 210/3 @ 245/3 @ 275
Good Morning - 3 x 5 @ 85
The following was done as a super set.
Pull ups - 8/6/5/5/4
V-ups - 5 x 6
Wall Squats - 5 x 6

Monday, October 17, 2011

Postmaster General

Lessons I have learned this week. Yesterday specifically. When scheduling a longer aerobic workout even though on paper it doesn't look like much, in practice it is enough. I seem to want to do more than I have to but that is inconsistent with my view that doing as little as possible to achieve the end is the preferred course.
SATURDAY'S WORKOUT
Stairs 5 minutes at level 6
DROM
Squat 5 @ 65/5 @ 80/5 @ 95
Dumbell OH Press 3 x 5 @ 25
Behind Head Weighted sit ups 5 x 7 with 10 pounds
Wall Squats 5 x 5 to 24" box
Pull ups 7/6/5/4/4
Weighted sit ups with the weight behind your head affects your ego.
SUNDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
2500 meters avg. pace 1:58.6 avg sr 26 time 9:51.2
Split Squats 3 x 5 with 40 pounds
Pull ups 7/6/5/4/4

The question is: Will I learn my lesson?
Stay tuned to find out.

Friday, October 14, 2011

We're a Fickle Lot.

That's me and my personalities. I tend to want results quicker than they can reasonably be expected to occur but I have never laid claim to being reasonable. I may be shelving the Wendler program soon for a linear progression because by any standard I am still quite the beginning weightlifter.
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Bench 5 @ 70/5 @ 90/5 @ 105
Leg Press 3 x 10 with the sled + 100 pounds
The above two exercises were done as a superset
Tabata Row -103/103/89/93/99/89/91/94 total meters 763 (+2)
Barbell Rows 3 x 10 @ 70
Weighted Pull ups 3 x 2 w/u 3 x 1 with 40 pounds
Wall Squats 5 x 5 to a 24" box, bottom to bottom, these are getting better as I couldn't go to a 24" box 2 weeks ago.
Pwactice, Pwactice, Pwactice.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Is it Wednesday Already?

Not like I care if it's Wednesday. Every day is a great day in this, the best of all possible worlds. (notice the sarcasm dripping from the corners of his mouth. disgusting really.)
Last night I slept. Like baby. And I had a good workout. Should I be continually amazed? (rhetorical)
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Row - 500 meters
DROM
Press - 5 @ 45/5 @ 60/5 @ 70
Row workout 3 x 200 with 1:30 rest
1) :40.2/avg pace 1:40.5/avg sr 33
2) :39.7/avg pace 1:39.2/avg sr 32
3) :38.3/avg pace 1:35.7/avg sr 38
Weighted Dips - 3 x 1 with 40 pounds
Wall squats - 5 x 5
Pull ups - 7/6/5/4/4

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Back in Someone's Saddle

Back in the saddle again. But whose saddle and why did we get back in it and why did we get out in the first place. These are all questions that demand investigation.
The lingering traces of whatever this sickness is are hanging on so I pulled back a little today.
THE WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Deadlift - 5 @ 125/5 @ 155/5 @ 190
Good Morning with 80 pounds/Dips done as a superset 3 x 5
V-ups 5 x 10
Wall Squats 5 x 5

3rd round of Week 2 on the pull up program
7/6/5/4/4

It sometimes feels like I am never going to get stronger or be able to do more pull ups or push ups, but I am. It is just slow going... and I didn't sleep well last night. Bloody nightmares kept me up until all hours. The voices in my head are like a bad upstairs neighbor that slams pots and pans around all night. Enough psychosis/neurosis. See ya tomorrow.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Really? Do I Need to do That?

I keep forgetting that I am not 25 years old. I don't know why that is so hard to remember. I am going to take today off. As I said yesterday I am feeling under the weather and so will rest and relax today and probably tomorrow. Monday is a day off so I will get 3 days of recovery and head back on Tuesday to start a new week. I guess us older type folks just need a little extra time and I have been going pretty steadily since early January. As with other obsessive people the idea of taking time off irks me but I shall force myself to do this. See you tomorrow and I will try to come up with a link or two to keep you amused until I start working out again.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Squats suck or...

I suck at them and so they are hated. Slept good last night but something was wrong today because I felt like crap. It was indeed a bad day at black rock. I might try just a straight linear progression on the squats for a while and see if that helps. Been feeling under the weather lately. On a different note there are two things that are guaranteed to ruin my day; one is the specter of going to work and the other is sun. I appreciate all that the sun does for us but I would much rather wake up to a cloudy, rainy day than a bright sunny day. I am a winter and I feel alive when it is wet and dreary.
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Squat - 5 @ 65/5 @ 80/5 @ 95/3 @ 110 I just stopped there didn't even finish the sets
Weighted Pull ups - 3 x 2 with 35
Leg press - 3 x 10 with the sled + 90
Barbell rows - 3 x 10 with 70
Tabata row - 83/87/86/88/87/87/88/86 took this easy too
See ya tomorrow.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

A Little Something You Should Try at Home

No workout today but here is a link to a SMR manual that contains everything you need to get started on a foam rolling program. Including this in your daily work will go a long way towards increasing mobility. So give it a try.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

A Rainy Day in SoCal

Today it is raining. I did not bike to the gym. Met another crossfitter at 24 hr. fitness this morning. He told me he just couldn't justify $150-200 dollars a month to join an affiliate. I understood.
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Stairs - 5 minutes @ level 6
DROM
Bench - 5 @ 70/5 @ 90/5 @ 105/3 @ 125/3 @ 140/3+ @ 160 (got 6)
Split Squat - 3 x 5 with 30 lbs
Weighted Step Ups - 3 x 6 with 95lbs
Reverse Hyper - 3 x 7
Wall Squats - 3 x 5
Pull ups - 7/6/5/4/4
I am doing the pull ups over the course of the day rather than trying to shove them all in during the workout.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

O.P.W.A.

OPWA is Old People with Attitude. Our motto is, "I'm old and you're in the way." This is coming soon to a t-shirt near you.
I've changed my schedule and am now going to workout on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday off, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Monday off. This is to take advantage of fewer people in the gym on Sunday.
SUNDAY'S WORKOUT
Stairs 5 minutes at level 6
DROM
Deadlift - 5 @ 125/5 @ 155/5 @ 190/3 @ 220/3 @ 250/3+ @ 285 (got 6)
Good Mornings - 3 x 5 @ 75
Dips - 3 x 4
V-ups - 5 x 10
Wall Squats - 5 x 5
Didn't do the pull ups
TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Row Workout 5 x :45 with 1:00 rest
1:47.1 221 meters/1:44.1 216 meters/1:42.7 219 meters/1:40.8 223 meters/1:45.6 213 meters
Weighted Dips - 3 x 2 @ 35
Side Bends - 3 x 10 with 25
Wall Squats - 3 x 5
Might change the row sprint day by picking a distance and just adding more sprints each week.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Morphing

The workouts are changing slightly as I am finally starting to get the whole thing under control. I have decided not to do the Front Range Crossfit rowing program because, quite frankly, I can't understand it. So the rows are going to be: One day of sprints, one day of Tabatas (20 seconds on, 10 seconds off times 8) and one long day. Here are the workouts that I did over the last 3 days.
THURSDAY
Row 500 meters
DROM
Tabata Row - 761 total meters - 94/93/96/96/96/93/95/98
Bench Press - 5 @ /70/5 @ 90/5 @ 105/5 @ 115/5 @ 135/5+ @ 150 (got 8)
Bulgarian Split Squat 3 x 5 ea.
Weighted Step ups 3 x 6 with 90 pounds
Reverse Hyper 5 x 6
Wall Squats 5 x 5
I did the pull up program at home later in the afternoon 7/6/5/4/4
I will probably repeat week 2 on the pull ups
FRIDAY
Stairs 5 minutes at level 6
DROM
Squats - 5 @ 65/5 @ 80/5 @ 95/5 @ 105/5 @ 120/5+ @ 135 (got 6)
Weighted Pull Ups - 3 x 3 with 30 pounds
Bent Row - 3 x 10 with 65 pounds
Leg Press - 3 x 10 with the sled plus 110 pounds
SATURDAY
Row 500 meters
DROM
Row - 2,000 meters - 7:42.8/average pace 1:55.7/average stroke rate 26
Better on this row than the last one which was a wash.
Dumb Bell Press - 3 x 5 @ 25 pounds
Weighted Sit Ups - 5 x 7 @ 25 pounds
Wall Squats - 5 x 5
I will do the pull up program at home this afternoon. It will be: 7/6/5/4/4
I am probably going to be changing the workout days so that I go in on Sunday as the gym is much quieter on Sunday and I am something of a misanthrope.
Misanthrope: Someone who doesn't hate people but feels better when they are not around.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

3 Days Down

Bless me readers for I have sinned, it has been 3 days since my last post and these are the workouts.
SATURDAY
Stairs - 5 minutes at level 6
DROM
Row Workout 3 x 3 minutes and track drag factor at different damper settings.
1 - damper at 4 - drag 71-71
2 - damper at 7 - drag 84
3 - damper at 10 - drag 89-90
pull ups -6/5/5/4/3
Sit ups - 10/10/10/10/10
Wall Squats - 5/5/5/5/5
above three done as supersets with 2 minutes rest between
Back Ext. 3 x 8
Leg Press 3 x 10 with sled = 90
MONDAY
Stairs 6 minutes at level 6
DROM
Deadlift - 5 @ 125/5 @ 155/5 @ 190/5 @ 205/5 @ 235/5+ @ 265 (got 8)
Press - 5 @ 45/5 @ 60/5 @ 70/5 @ 75/5 @ 90/5+ @ 100 (got 6)
Pull ups -7/6/5/4/4
V-ups - 10/10/10/10/10
Wall Squats - 5/5/5/5/5
Good Mornings - 3 x 5 @ 70lbs
Dips - 3 x 3
TUESDAY
Bloody hellacious day. 2 nights of bad sleep. The whole thing went south.
Row 500 meters
DROM
Row Workout (supposed to be 1:00 on/2:00 off times 10
I made 5
1:39.6 337 meters/1:40 300 meters/1:40.3 299 meters/1:40 300 meters/1:41.3 296 meters
Weighted Dips - 3 x 3 with 32.5lbs
Pull ups - 5/5
side bends - 10/10
Wall Squats - 5/5
Total P day
Tomorrow is a day off and hopefully I will sleep better for the next two days.
Wouldn't that be lovely.
On a lighter note I got a 1 day a week internship in the Strength and Conditioning Dept. of a local college so that will be kinda cool.

Friday, September 23, 2011

What Ho.

The title has absolutely nothing to do with today I just couldn't think of a title for this post.
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM + did some of Eric Cressey's mobility work for squats
Pull ups - 6/5/5/4/3
sit ups - 10/10/10/10/10
wall squats - 5/5/5/5/5
Squats - 5 @ 60/5 @ 75/5 @ 90
Bench - 5 @ 70/5 @ 85/5 @ 100
Weighted Step Ups - 3 x 6 with 90lbs on 20" box

And that is it for today. I can't think of anything clever or funny to say so I'll just leave this post alone...not clever...not funny.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

I started a rowing program today that is being posted by Jon Kissick on the
Front Range Crossfit site. Jon is a two time collegiate national champion in Rowing and a five-year member of the US National Rowing Team. He has two Pan Am Games gold medals, a bronze and a 5th place finish at the World Rowing Championships, and a Gold Medal from the Goodwill Games. The program is designed to get athletes ready for the Crash B's and since my brain is tired and I was just feeling my way through the rowing I thought I would let Mr. Kissick do my thinking for me.
TODAY'S WORKOUT
500 meter row
DROM
Row Workout 5 x (3 + 30) with the damper at 4
You take 3 strokes to get up to speed and then 30 strokes at full pressure.
The total time for the workout was 12 minutes with 1:30 rest between efforts. the total meters covered was 2085.
V-ups and Back Extensions - 3 x 8
Weighted chins - 3 x 3 with 10lbs.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Who Missed a Post?

That's rhetorical. Going through some crossfit blogs the other day and came across my favorite CF non argument. The community is fond of saying, when presented with the injury stats for their "sport", all sports have injuries. to which I answer yes they do but in a real sport they know how to prepare for those injuries. They know how to strengthen injury prone areas, there is a protocol for avoiding injuries and since they actually listen to people who know about these things they are able to prepare. A CF coach once got all over me when I told him I was doing a series of shoulder exercises designed to strengthen the musculature to help prevent an injury. He didn't quite get it. Anyway...enough of this on to,

YESTERDAY'S WORKOUT
This is a back off week.
Stairs 5 minutes at level 6
DROM
6,5,5,4,3 pull ups with 10 sit ups and 5 wall squats between sets
Deadlift - 5 @ 120/5 @ 150/5 @ 185
Press - 5 @ 45/5 @ 55/5 @ 65
Superset:
Good Mornings with 65lbs./Dips - 3 x 5

TODAY'S WORKOUT
500 meter row
pull ups/sit ups/squats - same as yesterday
Weighted Dips - 3 x 3 with 15 pounds
Reverse Hyper - 3 x 8
Row Sprints 10 x :45 sec. with 1:30 rest
The numbers in order are avg. pace, avg. stroke rate, meters
1:42.2 32 220/1:46.7 29 211/1:43.2 31 218/1:44.6 31 215/1:42.7 28 219
1:42.7 29 219/1:41.8 29 221/1:42.7 27 219/1:47.6 36 209/1:43.6 31 217
The fundamental problem with my goal, as regards this rowing, is that I am not an olympian, I am not a nationally ranked rower and I am not in that great of shape. I am a 56 year old guy who, for some reason, thinks he can take over a minute off of a 2K row in a little over 4 months. The same guy used to think he could start training for a 5K run using a protocol for an eighteen minute race. This particular guy suffers from delusions of grandeur and an overblown sense of what it is possible to accomplish. I am going to have to have a talk with the boy.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Just when I thought I was safe.

Just when I thought I was over the CF stuff some friends invited me to their gym to do Fight Gone Bad. I went just to see what would happen. Nothing happened. I walked through the workout with just enough intensity to get my heart rate up. I modified the Sumo Dead Lift High Pulls by gripping wider and only pulling to mid chest. The score was low, 179 and the order of exercises was off because they didn't have enough stations set up. I do best on this workout when the row is last. I may game it this year and do it again next year or not. We'll see. Crossfit is just for laughs now and again but I can't take it seriously anymore. I told one of the trainers there that I was doing just dead hang pull ups now and he launched into the, production of power speech. I could only smile and nod. Any way that's it for now.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Another Day in Paradise

Well here we are. Another Friday in paradise.
Took today off the Recon Ron program to do weighted pull ups.
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters easy
DROM
Row 2000 meters - 7:53.8, average per 500 - 1:58.4, average stroke rate - 25
Burgener W/U - clean
Clean and Jerk - 8 x 1, 45/45/50/50/60/60/65/65
Weighted Chins - 3-3-3-1-1-1 Sets of 3 were body weight singles were 27.5/32.5/37.5
V-ups/Back Extensions - 3 x 7 ea.
Short and sweet today. Felt good after the workout.
Biked to and from the gym.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Recon Ron Coming at Ya.

As I said in yesterdays post I am starting the Recon Ron pull up program. It is going to replace the body weight warm up I have been doing.
Here is today's work out:
Stairs 5 minutes at level 6
DROM
6 pull ups, 5 sit ups, 5 wall squats
5 pull ups, 5 sit ups, 5 wall squats
5 pull ups, 5 sit ups, 5 wall squats
4 pull ups, 5 sit ups, 5 wall squats
3 pull ups, 5 sit ups, 5 wall squats
Back Squat - 5 @ 60/5 @ 75/5 @ 90/5 @115/3 @ 130/1+ @ 145 (got 3)
Bench Press - 5 @ 70/5 @ 85/5 @ 100/5 @ 130/3 @ 145/1+ @ 160 (got 5)
Weighted Step ups - 3 x 6 with 85lbs. to 20" box.
Late in the day so signing off with no words of wisdom for ya.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Wednesday is the new Thursday.

Posting on my off day. I am going on Monday and Tuesday taking Wednesday off then going Thursday, Friday and Saturday. most everything else stays the same. I am posting today because I will be starting the Recon Ron Pull Up program tomorrow. The link gives you all the sets and reps but no other instructions so here they are:
You need to have 6 dean hang pull ups to start so if you are not there yet, get to work.
Just follow the program taking about 1 to 2 minutes rest between sets.
If you stall on a week then repeat that week over.
If you stall for two weeks running on the same week then take 5 days off and start again.
Do the program for 6 days straight and take the seventh day off.
I will keep you posted on my results and hopefully I will get to 20 pull ups by the end of the program. If all goes well then in 5 months I'll be there.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Old Guy Crap

Got up 3 or 4 times to pee last night that equals bad sleep and bad sleep equals bad workout. I decided to do my row sprints right up front today as that is the focus of today's workout. Worked out okay for the rows but everything else was compromised and I was tired.
Today's work Out:
Row 500 easy
DROM
Row 10 x :30 with 1:00 rest
163/148/145/148/140/150/148/144/151/154
Have to keep it at 155 meters in order to be faster than goal pace.
Goal pace is 1:37
pull ups 5 + 4/wall squats 10/sit ups 10/ dips 9/ push ups 10
Reverse hyper 3 x 8
butterfly sit ups 3 x 8
nixed the weighted sit ups today because of a shoulder twinge
Burgener W/U (snatch)
Snatch 8 x 2 with 70lbs
weighted dips - 1 @ 30/1 @ 35/1 @ 40
Bike to and from the gym
Over all not a great day. The snatch seems to be coming together. I'm getting a better feel for it.
And now...off to work.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Bad Dobby!

I did not post on Saturday. I am bad. I shall chastise myself later. In private. On Saturday I did the following:
500 meter row
DROM
Row 3K - 14:01.5
and a series of exercises for my shoulders and that was it.

Today's Work Out:
Stairs 5 minutes @ level 6
DROM
5 manmakers with 25 lb. DB
9 (6+3) pull ups, 10 sit ups, 9 dips, 10 wall squats, 10 pushups
The above warmup is going to be the same each day so I will probably not re type it. I will just say something like; Standard W/U.

Deadlift - 5 @ 120/5 @ 150/5 @ 185/5 @ 230/3 @ 260/1+ @ 290 (got 5)
Press - 5 @ 45/5 @ 55/5 @ 65/5 @ 85/3 @ 95/1+ @ 105 (got 3)
Pull up speed day 10 x 3 on :45 sec. with 110 lbs of assist.
Good Mornings 3 x 5 with 70 lbs

Did I mention how hard manmakers are? Maybe they will make me a man.

Friday, September 9, 2011

The Inner Puss.

I am somewhat obsessive about racking weights and straightening things up. This morning I had just left the squat rack and this big guy that seemed okay asked if I was done. I said I was. He then set about his shrugs, finished his sets and started to walk away. He was about my height (6'5"), shaved head, tats all up and down and outweighed me by about 20 lbs. I was feeling a tad irritable so I choked back the inner puss that was telling me to just leave it and tapped him on the shoulder and asked, as politely as I could manage, if he could rack his weights. The punk whined like a baby and said. "Everybody else just leaves them." I told him that if everyone else just put them away it would be a lot cleaner. He pulled the plates off and threw them on the floor and said. "Is that better." I was done with him so I didn't say anything and he stormed off. The more I do that stuff the easier it gets.
Today's Work Out
Stairs - 4 minutes @ Level 6
DROM
Body weight warm up
Squat - 5 @ 60/5 @ 75/5 @ 90/3 @ 105/3 @ 120/3+ @ 135 (got 5)
3 rounds of: 7 overhead lunges with 35lbs/7 weighted sit ups with 35 lbs and 7 weighted back extensions with 25lbs.
5 manmakers with 25lbs dumb bells.

Manmakers are hard and so I should do more of them. Seems like they would make burpees easier. I'll let you know about that.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Are you Ready?

Guy Fawkes wants to know if you are ready. There are those among you who will know what this refers to and those who won't. To the ones who don't just keep your eyes open and WTF does this have to do with working out (almost said the F word) then I would have had to put one of those little notices up that says BEWARE! NAUGHTY LANGUAGE AHEAD. Enough questions.
Today"s Work Out
Stairs 4 minutes at level 6
DROM
Body weight. Everything was alright but I had to break the pull ups up (can I say that up up?)
Bench - 5 @ 70/5 @ 85/5 @ 100/3 @ 120/3 @ 135/3+ @ 155 (got 5)
Leg Press 3 x 8 with sled + 90
Weighted dips - 3 +30/2 +35/1 +40
V-up - 3 x 7
Back Extension - 3 x 7
Decided to move the squat to Friday as yesterday's row left me really depleted.
Today's Folk Wisdom
Go out and apologize to someone that you have wronged or mistreated and try not to feel all warm and fuzzy and self-righteous about it, that's the hard part.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Ouch!

Went to a time interval protocol today on the rower. ;45 seconds on 1 minute 30 seconds off. I believe that is a 1:2. They are a lot harder. A specific distance seems more controllable where an; on for :45 get as far as you can idea is a little intimidating. I have been thinking about a link I want to put in here but every time I sit down to post I forget what it is. I almost wrote poast instead of post. I kind of like poast better. It sounds like an animal of some sort. A fat one.
TODAYS WORKOUT:
Stair Thing 4 minutes at Level 6 (I guess its called the StairMaster, but I am not going to call it that because that is a stupid name)
DROM
Body weight w/u pull ups etc.
Burgener W/U
Snatch practice 8 x 2 with 65
Weighted step ups - 3 x 6 with 75 pounds to a 20" box
Row :45 on/1:30 off X 10
The total meters for each round was: 228/214/221/222/221/222/223/222/221/214
Fairly consistent except for #2 and #10, pace averaged 1:41.9 That needs to come down.
Reverse Hyper - 3 x 7
I skipped the weighted dips today because the rows wiped me out. I will put them back in tomorrow.
If I think of that link I might just randomly put it up.
See you next Poast.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Anohter Monday in Paradise

Overcast and raining this AM. Like the mid west in monsoon season. I love it. Drove in today. the workout was:
Stair thing 4 minutes at level 6
DROM
8 pull ups, 10 sit ups, 8 dips, 10 wall squats (toes, knees and nose on the wall) 10 push ups
Deadlift - 5 @ 120/5 @ 150/5 @ 185/3 @ 215/3 @ 245/5 @ 275
Press - 5 @ 45/5 @ 55/5 @65/3 @ 80/3 @ 90/5 @ 100
weighted chins - 3 with 25lbs/2 with 30lbs/1 with 35lbs
Good Mornings - 3 x 5 @45
Hanging Straight Leg Raise - 3 x 7
Upped the pull ups and dips this week. That's working out well.
Row workout tomorrow and I am thinking about going to timed intervals and upping the time each week instead of upping the distance each week. I'll keep you posted.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Oops.

I missed Friday. Like you didn't know that. I was talking to a friend at the gym this morning. He is somewhere around 65 years old. There were some young upstarts dead lifting 405 the other day and he knew them so he watched and right toward the end he went in for a set. Got the weight up 5 times. "Had to show those boys that the old guy still has juice." He said. I was impressed.
Friday's Work Out:
Rode my bike to the gym.
Stair thing 3 minutes at level 6
DROM
Wide stance box squats to a 20" box. 3 x 5 with 45, 55, 65
Bottom to bottom squats 3 x 5 with 45, 50, 55
Bent row 3x5 with 45, 55, 65
Reverse Hyper 3 x 7
Dip speed day 10 x 3 on 1 minute with 110 lbs. of assistance
Row 4 x 500 with 2 minutes rest 100 easy, 100 hard
1:55.1, 1:55.9, 2:00.5, 2:17.5
Kept all the hard sprints at below 1:30 but fell apart on the slow part toward the end.

Saturday's Work Out
rode bike to gym
Stair thing 3 minutes at level 6 (this machine must have a name, maybe Lou)
DROM
Burgener Warm Up Clean version I am still looking for a video of the clean version
Clean and Jerk 8 x 1 with the bar.
Row 2500 meters 10:42.9 average stroke rate 25, average pace 2:08.6

The squats on Friday are just practice I need work coming out of the bottom and as soon as I get some bands I am going to start with speed work. Next week I will post a video link about that.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

What ho it's Thursday

Here it is. I said I would see you on Friday and it's Thursday. What's up with that. Perhaps I lied or maybe I didn't think I would post on Thursday and changed my mind. In any event I am going to try to post a link to the Burgener Warm Up that I mentioned in an earlier post. And now I will publish this post and see if it worked.
I'll see you on Friday and I mean it this time. Unless this doesn't work.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Big Strong Guys

This morning at the gym I saw 4 guys do 405 deadlifts for reps. One of them was 18 and weighed 150 soaking wet. That is getting into some serious weight for amateur lifters. Impressive and demoralizing. Guess I just have to get stronger.
Today's Workout:
Standard W/U except I did the stair thing for 3 minutes. That's harder than I remember it being.
Squat
5 @ 60
5 @ 75
5 @ 90
5 @ 100
5 @ 115
5+ @ 130 (got 6)
Bench Press
5 @ 70
5 @ 85
5 @ 100
5 @ 110
5 @ 130
5+ @ 145 (got 6)
Leg Press 3 x 7 with the sled + 90 lbs.
Pull Up speed day 10 x 3 on 1 minute with 110 lbs of assistance
V-up 3 x 6
Back extension 3 x 6
I got there early today and that was good because, including stretching, I was there for 2.5 hours.
A little twinge in my right shoulder and chest on the bench. Nothing major and continuing didn't seem to make it worse.
Back pain is diminishing I just need to continue rolling it out a couple of times each day.
There is no further info today. See you on Friday.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Unstoppable Force.

When the unstoppable force of my desire to blog daily encounters the immovable object of my abject laziness there is conflict. As with many things in my life I have the desire just not the attendant discipline for follow through. Just one of the many things I need to be working on.
A note on one size fits all training. My research has led me to the conclusion that in order to excel at a given task one must train for that task. As I have stated I am working towards qualifying for the world indoor rowing championships. To excel at this I must train the energy systems that are used. There is no truth, I am finding out, that if you train one system, say the anaerobic, and ignore the aerobic that you will be able to compete successfully in a competition that demands more of the latter. So with that in mind I am going to invest in a heart rate monitor and start training at specific percentages of my max heart rate. I am going to, in a word (or two), become specific.
Today's Workout:
Standard W/U
Burgener W/U (snatch)
8 x 2 snatch with the bar. Keeping these light until I feel the form is solid.
Row 10 x 150 meters. Kept them all between :27 and :31 with the pace between 1:39 and 1:45
Weighted dips 3 x 1 with 45 pounds
Reverse Hyper 3 x 5
A nagging pain kept me up most of the night so this workout was not stellar. Some nonsense in my hip.
stretching and rolling seem to help as does movement.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Back to Work

Okay so I missed Saturday. Here it is:
Row 500
6 pull ups, 10 sit ups, 6 dips, 10 squats, 10 push ups
DROM
Burgener Warm Up (Snatch)
Split Snatch 3 x 3 with just the bar
Burgener Warm up (Clean)
Clean and Jerk 3 x 3 with just the bar
Row 2K easy 8:32
And now on to Monday:
Same Warm up except I added 1 to the pull ups and dips (7 each)
Deadlift
5 @ 120
5 @ 150
5 @ 185
5 @ 200
5 @ 230
5+ @ 260 (got 6)
Press
5 @ 45
5 @ 55
5 @ 65
5 @ 70
5 @ 85
5+ @ 95 (got 6)
Weighted Chins 3 x 1 with 40lbs.
Good Mornings 3 x 5 with the bar
Hanging Straight Leg Raises 3 x 6
I am going going to start working on Olympic lifts on Tuesday and Saturday just to get those up to speed.
Rest Interval on the work sets for this week is 2 min., 2:30, and 3 min.
That will change from week to week as the weights get heavier.
I will post a video of the Burgener warm up as soon as I can figure out how to do that.
Mahala

Friday, August 26, 2011

Squatification

A PR on squat today got 165. 5 months and I only added 5 pounds. At this rate I will be nearly 60 before I get my body weight up. I know what I have to do and no further research is necessary. I just have to work on my bloody squats.
Today's Workout
Row 500 meters
DROM
6 pull ups, 10 sit ups, 6 dips, 10 squats, 10 push ups
3 x 10 leg press with just the sled for flexibility
3 x 5 good mornings with just the bar for form
Back Squat Test for Max
3 @ 75
3 @ 90
3 @ 110
1 @ 145
1 @ 155
1 @ 165
Just have to work hard. So, squats 2 times a week once as part of the weight program and once for box squats and speed work.
I will conquer this thing...or die trying.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

How Lazy am I?

You would think that a short blog post each day is not that hard. If I get out of the habit for even a few days I have to struggle to get back into it for at least a week. When I was in grade school a nun used to scream, "I chew your food for you and you're too lazy to swallow it!" Not much has changed.
Yesterday 23 August
run 400
DROM
6 pull ups, 10 sit ups, 10 squats, 6 dips, 10 push ups
Deadlift Test for max
3 @ 140
3 @ 175
3 @ 210
1 @ 315
1 @ 330
2 tries at 345 and missed both
330 went up pretty easily so I probably could have got 340. Just got a little ambitious.
Row 10 x 100 with 1 minute rest
:19.5, :21, :18.6, :17.9, :18.4, :18.1, :18.3, :17.6, :17.6, :17.2
Back Extension 3 x 7

Today 24 August
Row 500
DROM
6/10/6/10/10 Ring Push Ups
Ring Roll Out 3 x 5
Bench Test for Max
3 @ 75
3 @ 95
3 @ 115
1 @ 170
1 @ 180
1 @ 190
missed 1 at 200 Maybe should have gone 195 but 190 is a PR anyway.
Weighted sit ups with 35 pounds 3 x 7
step up with 95 pounds 3 x 6
So now we"re caught up tomorrow I am not working out but maybe I will post some sort of philosophical ramble....or maybe not.

Monday, August 22, 2011

The Best Laid Plans...

Hey sports fans. I'm back. Been out of town working for a week. I always leave with the best of intentions. I pack my rings, my mat, a set of dumb bells, a jump rope and the addresses of gyms in the area I am traveling to. I fully intend to work out but it never seems to go that way. I end up spending all my time in the hotel watching TV and hanging out at a Starbucks that I haven't been to. Oh well.
This week I am testing for max on my lifts and starting some ring work. Today was:
Row 500 meters
DROM
6 pull ups, 10 sit ups, 6 dips, 10 squats and 10 ring push ups
5 times muscle up transition practice
10 ring roll outs
Press - test for max
3 @ 45
3 @ 50
3 @ 55
3 @ 60
1 @ 100
1 @ 110
1 @ 115
1 @ 120 (miss)
1 @ 120 (made it for a new PR)
Over Head lunge 3 x 5 ea leg with 45 lbs.
reverse hyper 3 x 6
I had thought about starting a frequency method pull up deal today but only got 2 sets.
So that's it. I'm back and ready to go.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Maybe, just Maybe.

It is Monday AM. Yesterday I went to a wedding I ate more than I was used to and later in the day than I usually eat, I drank more than I was used to, did not get to bed until after 1 AM and I did not sleep well. I decided, last night, that I probably would not have a good workout today so I am taking the day off. Maybe I have learned.
Here is a link to The Mobility Wod a great resource for movement oriented flexibility.
I will be out of town from Tuesday to Friday and will begin posting again on Saturday.
see you then.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

W.T.F.

...and I mean it too. This is a hypothetical question. Why do I have to relearn basic lessons over and over? No need to answer. I know the answer. Yesterday's lesson was: If I don't sleep well, eat badly and am stressed out I will not have a good workout.
Yesterday:
W/U
500 meter row
5 pull ups, 10 sit ups, 5 dips, 10 squats, 10 push ups
DROM

AND THEN:
What was supposed to be a 2K row time trial. This was to function as a point of comparison for future time trials to see how I have improved.
What a train wreck. I fell apart at about 400 meters, considered quitting at 800 meters went ahead and finished in a blazing 8 minutes and 54 seconds. Nearly 1 and 1/2 minutes off my best to date of 7:26.
So did I learn my lesson? Probably not. I will make this mistake again. I am a stubborn sort and have to be reminded and prodded many times before I will finally internalize the message. I have suggested the use of a 2 x 4 applied to my head as a possible means of getting me to understand and take heed. Just write what you want me to learn on the board and wail away.
See ya Monday.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Why So Serious?

I was looking over a blog by a guy that I used to work out with. He is constantly on the search for information about nutrition and performance. In and of itself not a bad thing but what struck me is that it appears he is, as a crossfitter, amazed to find in the mainstream literature the things that answer his questions. I have noticed this about c.f. ers. They seem shocked and almost disappointed to find out that real science exists and answers questions they may have. They live in a kind of bubble that won't allow them to look outside that bubble. When they do they find that not only are they not all that special but that by a lot of standards they are mediocre at best.
Today's Workout:
Row 500 meters
5 pull ups, 10 sit ups, 5 dips, 10 squats and 10 pushups.
(the pull ups are deadhang and I got them all chest to bar today)
DROM
Front squat
5 @ 55
5 @ 70
5 @ 80
Split jerk practice
3 x 2 @ 45
Row Uphill
5 x 100 meters with 2 minutes rest
The rows were not nearly as hard as I remember them being. I went with a 12" box and the damper set at 10.
They were all around 19 seconds not significantly slower than the 100s flat. Next week I will go with a taller box. This seems to help with explosiveness out of the gate but its just an experiment so we'll see what happens.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Pick a Sport, any Sport

If I may be so bold the genius of my program is that it allows you to slot in time for sport training. I choose rowing but you can put anything you want in on your sport training days. The sport days are Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. So get to it and put in the time on running, biking, swimming, kayaking, curling and get better at it.
Today's workout is:
W/U
Row 500 meters
dynamic range of motion
5 pull ups, 10 sit ups, 5 dips, 10 squats, 10 push ups
Backsquat (my backsquat is pretty pathetic right now but its getting better)
5 @ 75
5 @ 90
5 @ 110
Bench Press
5 @ 75
5 @ 95
5 @ 115
Weighted Dips 3 x max with 45 pounds added
Weighted back extension 3 x 5 with 35 pounds added
I always do 15 to 30 minutes of mobility work, foam rolling and stretching after the workout.
I will cover Dynamic Range of Motion and some of the mobility work in a future post.
Have fun.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Sport of the Year

My sport of choice for this year is indoor rowing. I am going to try to qualify for the world indoor rowing championships in Boston in February. To that end I started my rowing program today. It consists of sprints on Tuesday, rowing uphill, put the back of the rower on a box and set the damper to 10, on Friday and a long row on Saturday. I'll keep you posted. Today's workout is:
W/U
500 meter row
Dynamic Range of Motion
5 pull ups, 10 sit ups, 5 dips, 10 squats, 10 push ups
3 sets of 7 weighted sit ups with 35 pounds
Row Workout
10 x 100 meters with 2 minutes rest
The intervals were kept at about a 1:30 pace
My goal is to get close to a 6:30 2K by the time of the tryouts.
Lets see what happens shall we.
see ya tomorrow

Monday, August 8, 2011

In at the end.

It's the end of a 4 week cycle. I have been off for nearly two weeks due to travel for work. The workout is:
W/U
Row 500 meters
5 pull ups, 10 sit ups, 5 dips, 10 squats, 10 push ups
Dynamic Range of Motion

Deadlift
5 @ 140
5 @ 175
5 @ 210

Press
5 @ 50
5 @ 60
5 @ 75

Weighted Pull ups 3 x 2 plus 40 lbs.

Reverse Hyper 3 x 5 (24 and 20" plyo boxes stacked)

And that's it.
I really like programming my own workouts. The crossfit prescription allowed for no deviance and it was nigh onto impossible to find an affiliate owner who would allow you to do your own programming.
Just a note on nutrition. I eat clean: fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs and nuts with some coconut water and protein powder thrown in. That's all you really need to do. No reason to obsess about this. See you tomorrow.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Depths of Decrepitude

I am 56 years old. Not scary old but getting there. In 2008, after a 15 year layoff, I decided to start working out. I was beginning the descent into decrepitude and couldn't take the idea. What got me back was crossfit. I found out about it from a trainer at a local gym and became obsessed. Most people that get into crossfit buy the package and become obsessed. That lasts anywhere from 6 months to several years. After that they start seeing holes in the process and drift away or, as in my case, they take the love of a solid old school training program, inspired by crossfit, and move into a more systematic pursuit of strength and conditioning. The purpose of this blog is to chronicle my journey and to give anyone who cares to try the tools they need to begin a pursuit of their own. A few helpful places that will get you moving in the right direction are; Catalyst Athletics for good exercise demos and solid olympic lifting programs. My strength training of choice right now is Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 with pullups, dips, pushups, rowing and running thrown in for conditioning and assistance. I will be posting a workout each day for anyone who wants to follow along.
I am stronger now than I have ever been and plan to continue this trend. So welcome aboard and lets workout.