The Best Laid Plans

Although I kind of knew it would happen my plan to lift in the morning and row in the afternoon lasted all of one day and it was only the plan. I didn't actually row in the afternoon. On to plan B.

SATURDAY’S WORKOUT

Row 500 meters

DROM

Front rack step ups 3 x 5 @ 55 to a 20” box

Pull ups 5/5/5

HLR 3 X 5

Push ups 3 x 10

I started working on Dragon Flags today and they are hard. It will be quite an accomplishment for an old guy like me.

Fanatics

"I was on the side of righteousness and, like any fundamentalist, I could only stay there by avoiding information."
Lierre Keith
I read that quote and thought how appropriate for the CF community. Continually denying any information that runs contrary to their beliefs. Continually reducing their exposure to the outside world of health and fitness research, research that proves them wrong.
Here is a link to a great article by Rob Miller who was one of the first professional athletes courted by crossfit to back up their model.

FRIDAY’S WORKOUT

Row 500 meters

DROM

Press 5 @ 45/5 @ 55/1+ @ 110 (got 2)

Swings 3 x 15 @ 35

The above 2 were done as a circuit

Weighted pull ups 3 x 1 @ 25

Floor Wipers 3 x 10 @ 135

The above 2 were done as a circuit

Dips 3 x 5 @ 80lb assist

I decided that I would try and do 2 a day workouts, saving the rowing for the afternoon. It will be an attempt to recover more and see if that has an effect on the row times.

Failing Eyesight Will Make You Strong

I went looking for a 55 lb dumb bell today. I found one took it back to the bench and did my 3 sets of five with it. As I was putting it back I got a closer look at it, it was 65 lbs. 10 lbs more than I had planned to lift today.
There was entirely too much pulling in the workout so I will be revising for next week to balance that out.
I am going to include Goblet Squats and Turkish Get Ups in the warm up from now on just to make sure I get them in.

WEDNESDAY’S WORKOUT

Row 500 meters

DROM

Push ups 3 x 10

Turkish get up 4 R/4 L

Goblet squat 2 x 5

Done in the following order 

I did 10 push ups, 4 TGU R and 5 Goblet squats

then 10 push ups 4 TGU L and 5 Goblet squats 

and then 10 push ups

Dead lift 5 @ 125/5 @ 165/1+ @ 305 (got 3)

DB row 3 x 5 @ 65

The above were done as a circuit with as much rest as I needed

Pull ups 3 x 5

Ab wheel 3 x 12

The above were done as a circuit with about 2 minutes rest

Filling Holes

I added a few Turkish Get Ups into the warm up today. I think I am going to keep that in. The movement really highlights imbalance between my right and left side. So in the interest of becoming a truly balanced individual I will continue on..

TUESDAY’S WORKOUT

Row 500 meters

DROM

Bench 5 @ 100/5 @ 115/1+ @ 165 (got 3)

Goblet Squats 3 x 5 @ 30

Pull ups 5/5/5

Good morning 3 x 5 @ 45

The above 3 were done as a circuit and I did regular pull ups, close neutral grip pull ups

and commando pull ups

Dips 3 x 5 @ 80lbs assist

I slept good last night and that was reflected in the workout.

All In

Bad sleep = bad workout. No big revelation but I am getting tired of not being able to sleep well.

MONDAY’S WORKOUT

Row 500 meters

DROM

Front Squat 5 @ 45/5 @ 55/1+ @ 110 (got 3)

DB Press  3 x 5 @ 30

Pull ups 5/5/5

Turkish Get Up 3 ea side with 12.5lbs. working on form

Push ups 3 x 10

Row 5 x 1:00 on/2:00 off

289/294/295/293/293

avg pace 1:42.4  avg SR 30

Am I Doomed

Pull ups like back squats before them are illusive. Not an excuse but I am not built for them so I will have to work harder than a 5'6" 135 pound gymnast type.

SATURDAY’S WORKOUT

Row 500 meters

DROM

Step ups with bar in front rack 3 x 5 @ 45 to a 20” box

Hanging 1 arm holds 3 x 10 seconds ea.

HLR 3 X 5

Push ups 3 x 8

Row 2 x 10:00 with 1:00 RI

1) avg pace 2:12.1/ 2270 meters

2) avg pace 2:11.1/2287 meters

The row was supposed to be 4 x 10:00 but it was called at 2, this week, because my forearm cramped up. Maybe next week nothing will hurt and I can do the 4 x 10:00

The World Has Vanished

Is it possible that the world has better things to do than read my blog. If the figures on the stats page are any indication than they do. Other than the U.S. the numbers have dropped. Oh well they will come back when they realize the importance of this blog in the grand scheme of things.

FRIDAY’S WORKOUT

Row 5 minutes

DROM

Press 5 @ 45/5 @ 55/3+ @ 105

Goblet Squats 3 x 5 @ 27.5

Floor Wipers 3 x 7 @ 135

The above 3 exercises were done as a circuit with 2:30 - 3:00 RI

Pull ups 3 x 10 @ 95lb assist

Dips 3 x 5 @ 95lb assist

Decided to do assisted pull ups today to get used to doing higher numbers.

Row 10 x 100 meters with a 1:30 RI

:18.9/:19.2/:18.5/:18.8/:18.7/:18.1/:18/:19.1/:19/:17.8

Avg pace 1:33 

Avg SR 39

Structural Fatigue and Injury

Before leaving this morning I pondered the wisdom of pairing dead lifts with step ups. It occurred to me that it was probably not a good match as fatiguing hip extension in the dead lift and then further fatiguing it in the step ups would probably compromise both exercises.There is an exercise model, though, that seems to pride itself on combinations of that sort. Trashing a structural component and then following it with an exercise that depends on that structural component for support is a recipe for injury. Claro?

WEDNESDAY’S WORKOUT

Row 5 minutes

DROM

Dead lift 5 @ 125/5 @ 165/3+ @ 290 (got 5)

DB row 3 x 5 @ 50

Push ups 3 x 8

The above 3 were done as a circuit with approximately 2:30 RI

Ab wheel 3 x 10

Row 3 x 2K

1) 8:32.7/AP 2:08.1?SR 24

2) 8:22.3/AP 2:05.5/SR 24

3) 8:17.7/AP 2:04.4/SR 25

Overall Avg Pace 2:06 and SR 24

On the last one of these I tried a little pacing/race strategy. I did the first 250 at 1:55 to 2:00 pace, the next 250 at 2:00 to 2:05 pace/ the middle 1K at 2:05 to 2:10 and then 250 at 2:00 to 2:05 pace, 150 at 1:55 to 2:00 and the last 100 at 1:45 to 1:50

I liked the way that felt and with a few refinements it might make a good race day strategy.

Chatty Day at Black Rock

The gym was more like a cocktail party than a gym today. It would appear that my social interactions revolve entirely around 24 hour fitness. I work by myself so my only chance to chat is at the gym. As a result my 45 minute workout today took nearly 2.5 hrs. Oh well.

TUESDAY’S WORKOUT

Row 5 minutes

DROM

Bench 5 @ 100/5 @ 115/3+ @ 155 (got 5)

G Squats 3 x 5 @ 27.5

Pull ups 7/3/3

Back ext 3 x 11

Dips 3 x 7 @ 95lbs assist

...and that is all for today.

The Cows Are Okay.

Several weeks ago sacred fitness cows were falling like flies. This week, however, sanity has returned and the cows are being resuscitated.
This video took the CF world by storm. This morning, on the Starting Strength site I found this very long, very nerdy article. 
The sad thing is that while everyone in the CF community will see the icing video very few of them will see the article from Starting Strength.
The happy thing is, if you have been wanting an ice bath now might be the time to check with your local CF gym to see if they have one for sale cheap. Now if only there were a way to convince them that bars, squat racks, rowers and kettlebells are bad for you I could finish outfitting my home gym.
Last week, Saturday, I only rowed, doing 3 x 10:00 with a 1:00 RI the avg pace was 2:15.9 and the avg SR was 23.

MONDAY’S WORKOUT

Row 5 minutes

DROM

Push ups 3 x 8

Front Squat 5 @ 45/5 @ 55/3+ @ 105 (got 5)

DB Press  3 x 5 @ 27.5

Slant sit ups 3 x 11

Pull ups 7/3/3

Row 7 x 1:00 on/2:00 off

294/287/288/289/290/287/287

Avg pace 1:43.8 way ahead of last week

Avg SR 29

One or Two Things

There are things that need to be said unfortunately the general population will not say these things because they are afraid of confrontation. I, on the other hand, am not. So here it is.
Thing # 1: Someone has set up a bench behind the Concept 2 rower and is doing roll outs.
Me: Do you have $10.00?
Person doing rollouts: Yeah.
Me: Then go to Sports Connection, buy an ab wheel and quit fucking up a $900.00 piece of equipment.

Thing # 2:
A big guy has just loaded every 45 pound plate in the room on the leg press so he can do tiny little knee bends. He has finished and is walking away from the machine.
Me: Hey. Is your Mom coming down?
Big guy: Do you know my mom?
Me: No, but if she isn't coming down to clean up after you maybe you should rack those weights.

Thing # 3:
Someone is camping out on the squat rack doing curls with the 45 pound bar.
Me: Do you know what that is called?
Someone: You mean the bar?
Me: No, I mean that other bit.
Someone: The squat rack?
Me: That's right the squat rack. Not the curl rack.

Number 3 is a bit of a stretch but it does annoy me. Feel free to borrow any of these and use them at the appropriate moment. It is great fun and could possibly get you in a fight but that is the price you pay for saying things that need to be said.

FRIDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Press  5 @ 45/5 @ 55/5 @ 95
Step ups 3 x 5ea to a 20" box with two 35 lb. dumb bells
As per the new schedule the above 2 were done as a circuit

Weighted Pull ups 1 @ 30/1 @ 32.5/1 @ 35 the last one I held at the top for 10sec. and then lowered slowly.
Floor wipers 3 x 5 @ 135
Dips 3 x 5 with 95 lbs assistance
I am going to do the dips on the assist machine for the next few weeks just to get back into the movement.

What's He Doing Here?

Just when you thought Thursday's were safe, I show up. Wanted to talk about balance and flexibility. I have probably been over this but audience attrition demands that I cover it again.
Balance, to me, is not standing on one foot on top of one of those blue half round rubber things. Balance is symmetry, it is having everything on one side working as well as everything on the other side. This is true of range of motion, joint mobility and strength.
If you have  extremely tight hamstrings on one side and  not so tight hamstrings on the other side than you maintain that imbalance by stretching both sides the same. This bears remembering each time you get to stretchin' 'n' mobilizin'.
Here is a link to a really great e-book on Self Myofascial Release. It would be merely great but it is also free so that bumps it up to the really great category.
Here is a piece on balance by Gray Cook.
So keep balance in mind when programming your workouts and selecting your exercises and stretching and mobilizing.

Cloudy and Warm

Kind of like living in the tropics only not as intense. The gym was humid and reeked of humans today. That inspired by the lingering of yesterday's foul mood. Here is another gem from Wendler. I do like that man.

WEDNESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM

Dead lift  5 @ 125/5 @ 165/5 @ 265
Bulgarian split squat 3 x 5
The above 2 done as a circuit

Pull ups 6/4/3
Ab wheel 3 x 10
Push ups 3 x 7
The above 3 done as a circuit

Row 2 x 2,000 meters with a 2:00 Rest
1) 8:24  avg pace 2:06  SR 25
2) 8:50.2 avg pace 2:12.2 SR 25

I like this new schedule. It gets the work done and it is faster. I may tweak it a little in the coming weeks but for now it is okay.

Wrong Side Of The Bed

Woke up in a foul mood today and that will color the rest of my day. "No colors anymore I want them to turn black."

TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM

Bench press 5 @ 100/5 @ 115/5 @ 135
Goblet squats 3 x 5 @ 25
The above 2 were done as a circuit with a 1:30 RI

Pull ups 6/4/3
Back ext. 3 x 10
Dips 3 x 1
The above were done as a circuit with a 1:30 RI

Dip strength has apparently left the building.

Coming To Grips

I am finally at a point where I can let go of the back squat. I was obsessed with it for a long time but after a fair amount of research I have determined that it will not serve my needs as well as a front squat. The program is going to be changing now so I can start working in more rowing workouts. There is a great series on squats at strengthcoach.com . I think I have posted that before but it is well worth a second read.
It is very much worth your time to examine what you are doing in the gym and cut out the fluff. If you don't need to be doing an exercise than just don't do it.
Bruce Lee said. "In building a statue, a sculptor doesn't keep adding clay to his subject. Actually, he keeps chiseling away at the inessentials until the truth of his creation is revealed without obstructions...It is not daily increase but daily decrease; hack away the unessential."

MONDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Front squat 5 @ 65/5 @ 70/5 @ 75
DB press 3 x 5 @ 25 (DB's)
The above were done a circuit with a 1:30 RI

Pull ups 6/4/3
Slant sit ups 3 x 10
Push ups 3 x 5
The above were done a a circuit with a 1:30 RI

Row 5 x 1:00 on/2:00 off
avg pace 1:46.1/avg SR 27
1) 284/1:46.1/32
2) 281/1:46.7/28
3) 282/1:46.3/27
4) 281/1:46.7/26
5 )286 /1:44.8/26                                      

More Fiddling About

Just kind of mucked around today. It was fun.

SATURDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Goblet squats 3 x 10 @ 25
Push ups 3 x 10
Back ext. 3 x 10
Swings 3 x 15 @ 35
I did the above as a circuit with a 1:30 RI

And I'm Back

From Thursday of last week to Tuesday of this week I drove over a thousand miles and worked about 70 hours and I am just plumb wored out. In light of that I am just going to screw around in the gym for the rest of this week.

FRIDAY'S WORKOUT
Elliptical 5 minutes
DROM
Single leg squats 3 x 5
Pull ups 3 x 5
Slant sit ups 3 x 10
Russian swings 3 x 15 @ 35
Stretch and out.