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.