Row 5K

Time today was 20:08, PR vs. last time of 20:17.

50 situps, 50 bicycles.

Rowed using fast/slow intervals of 250m-500m each.

Pushed hard, feel good.

Starting Strength, Starting Over

After a week away being ill, I came back and decided to go back to week one of the program. I'd only completed two weeks and then missed one, so it makes little sense to try to pick up in week three. So...I'm back.

Week A

Day 1
Squat 3x5 Working sets
Bench press 3x5 Working sets
Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure, unweighted
Dips: 3 sets

I fasted for half the day...up until 1:30 today. I wanted to push it further, but decided I need to get my nutrition a bit more in line.

Sick week

I'll start back up next week. Hopefully I won't lose too much momentum.

Outside 5k Neighborhood

I ran a 5k for the first time in a while. I tried running the entire thing using the POSE method. My time was 24:07, which wasn't bad for running in a way I'm not used to. My foot is killing me, and my calves are sore as hell from the POSE running.

Lessons. 1. Don't run when your foot is bothering you. Heal. 2. Work on POSE in shorter intervals at first. Running a 5k in what is essentially the first time I'm doing it is not wise.

Strength Day

Week B

Day 3
Squat 3x5 Working sets
Press 3x5 working sets
Pull-ups: 3 sets to failure, unweighted, dead hang, 6-5-5

Added four sets of negatives, started in up position, held there as long as possible, slowly dropped to dead hang. Hand position 1. Pull position 2&3. Opposite grip with each hand 4. Chin position.

I need to start cooking again. Eating has been okay, but not as clean and nutritious as it could be.

Metcon day

Saw this one on the CF site and did it today. It was scaled to something a bit more realistic:

For time:
Overhead walking lunges, 45 lb bar, 50 feet
21 Burpees

Five rounds

I scaled it to:
Overhead walking lunges, 18 lb bar, 50 feet
21 Burpees
Overhead walking lunges, 18 lb bar, 50 feet
15 Burpees
Overhead walking lunges, 18 lb bar, 50 feet
9 Burpees
Overhead walking lunges, 18 lb bar, 50 feet
9 Burpees
Overhead walking lunges, 18 lb bar, 50 feet
9 Burpees

Time was 13:16

When I finished, I walked for ten minutes on the treadmill on a 15% incline. I moved around within the 3.5-4mph range.

Lessons:
1. Overhead squats/lunges are a weak point for me. It's probably a core strength issue. I need to work on them on a regular basis to build up that lower back/core strength.
2. Crossfit style metcon requires a greater degree of cardiovascular fitness than jogging. It is the equivalent of running sprints, but with a strength element added in. The good thing about not being able to run is that I've been forced to learn this lesson. I need to make sure i worl this style of metcon at least three times a week.

Today was supposed to have been a fasting day. I made it until 2pm, so instead of the normal 21-22 hour fast, I shut it down at 17 hours. Too little sleep, too hard a workout. Needed food.

Moving along

Week B

Day 2
Front squats 3x5, working sets
Bench press 3x5 working sets
Power clean 5x3 working sets
Dips: 3 sets, unweighted

I also did three sets of dumbbell curls. I find it helps to stretch the biceps after a lot of back work.

Power cleans were tough, mainly because I'm trying to perfect my form. I need to work on driving the weight from the hips/legs and getting under the bar. I was bending my arms too much, trying to pull the weight up. I need coaching in this area. Front squats were easy, bench was fairly easy. I need to have patience. I'll hit a wall soon enough.

I can really feel that I'm gaining strength in my lower back and posterior chain. What I'm doing is working!

Tuesday cardio

Row 5k. PR at 20:17....but it was my first 5k at rowing!

150 situps

Start of second week

Week B

Day 1
Squat 3x5 Working sets
Press 3x5 working sets
Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure, unweighted, dead hang, 7-5-5

I barely feel like I even had a workout today, even though I did everything as prescribed and added five pounds to last weeks weights.

This just seems like I'm starting too light, and I'm worried I'm going to go backwards. I need to have faith, especially since I'll be trying to do more CF style metcon on non-strength days. That will be a lot more taxing than just running three times a week, though I will do some running. Soon enough, I'll be pushing my limits. Right now, I'm trying to work about 60 seconds between sets. As I reach limits, I'll add to rest time so I can still hit the target number of reps.

If this doesn't work as intended, I can always roll out a different program.

I'm fasting today. I'm hungry. Pennance for the weekend, I guess.

No weekend workouts

I thought about a metcon workout, but decided to rest. I didn't want to run, and the foot is still screwed up...though getting a bit better. Last week was a hard workout week, so I gave myself a bit of rest.

Eating was all over the map. Too long in between meals, too much shit. Bad. I need to self correct these weekends.

Very good strength workout today

Today I had squats, Bench press, Pullups, and dips. Whatever issues I had on Monday with the squats were gone. I felt good, my form was in good shape, hip drive was excellent. The rest of the workout went very well. My legs feel really good today too. I wish I could say the same thing about my foot.

I need to start cooking a bit more regularly. I feel like my food choices have been the lesser of evils, rather than good choices. The damned tortilla chips I ate last night didn't help either.

Getting back to basics

It seems I've gone out on a strange tangent here on the blog. When I originally created it, it was so I could track and tag my workouts in a way that would allow me to more easily track my progress. I keep a paper workout log too, but that doesn't lend itself to, for instance, finding your last or best Michael time. It is more for tracking progress from workout to workout.

I've had blogs before, and have developed friendships along the way. Blogs can sew people all around the world together into communities of common interests and encouragement. It was one of the things that attracted me to the tracker site. Of course, for a variety of reasons that I've already written about, I'm not really interested in that one anymore.

Being part of a community requires time and effort. In all honesty, I spend time writing a bunch of stuff that is viewed regularly by about maybe five people. The way you get more readers and build a community is to branch out, read and touch other people. I don't really have the time or interest in doing all that, so I stick to a small handful of people that I read on a regular basis. So I find myself writing to the same few people every day. Out of those people, several belong to a CF affiliate, so they already HAVE that community.

Okay...so what's my point?

I'm getting back to basics here. I'll be using the blog to write about my performance, diet, and mental state as it relates to my health and fitness goals. I'm thinking about taking the blog private as well, but I'm a bit concerned about doing that. While we are all accountable to ourselves, it does help to have some other eyeballs on you as well. As stupid as it sounds, I don't like having to write the words

I missed my workout

or

I ate like crap

for others to see. I don't know. I'll have to think about it.

Strength day today. I'm psyched.

Stupid machine photo Number 5

Okay. One more for today. I know I rode the bike today. I've done it on occasion, and it's fine here and there. But just look at these people. They look like zombies! There is NO WAY you push yourself to the limit like that. NO WAY. If I'm dragging my sorry ass to the gym, I'm going to make it count.

Stupid machine photo Number 4

I wasn't going to do this today...but what the hell.

Look at this one. Love it. Just like Rip suggests, huh?

I have only found one thing a smith machine to be good for other than hanging a towel....a lying pull up row. It looks like the second picture. Of course, you can do that without the Smith machine...so...there you go.

Working rest day

I really wanted to perform one of the Hero WODs today, and had settled in my mind that I would go with Michael. Despite legs that are as stiff and sore as they have been in ages, I got onto the treadmill for a brisk walk to try to loosen up. The walk turned into a jog, and after five minutes I knew I should stop. If it was the legs, I would have...perhaps foolishly...pushed on. What stopped me was this damned foot pain. I've had this before, and there is only one thing that makes it go away. I need to stop running for a bit. I've tried working through it, and it only gets worse.

The rowers were both being used, so I jumped onto a lifecycle for 25 minutes of interval training. It's not as demanding as running or many of the WODS, so it was kind of a working rest day. Yeah, yeah. Once in a while, I like doing the bike. I'll have to figure out a non-running metcon workout for Saturday.

Fasting day today...though I'm thinking maybe I should eat something. I've hit it pretty hard this week. I'll see.

Today...take a moment to remember...

The Rising
Bruce Springsteen

Can't see nothin' in front of me
Can't see nothin' coming up behind
I make my way through this darkness
I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me
Lost track of how far I've gone
How far I've gone, how high I've climbed
On my back's a sixty pound stone
On my shoulder a half mile line

Come on up for the rising
Com on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight

Left the house this morning
Bells ringing filled the air
Wearin' the cross of my calling
On wheels of fire I come rollin' down here

Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight

Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li

Spirits above and behind me
Faces gone, black eyes burnin' bright
May their precious blood forever bind me
Lord as I stand before your fiery light

Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li

I see you Mary in the garden
In the garden of a thousand sighs
There's holy pictures of our children
Dancin' in a sky filled with light
May I feel your arms around me
May I feel your blood mix with mine
A dream of life comes to me
Like a catfish dancin' on the end of the line

Sky of blackness and sorrow ( a dream of life)
Sky of love, sky of tears (a dream of life)
Sky of glory and sadness ( a dream of life)
Sky of mercy, sky of fear ( a dream of life)
Sky of memory and shadow ( a dream of life)
Your burnin' wind fills my arms tonight
Sky of longing and emptiness (a dream of life)
Sky of fullness, sky of blessed life ( a dream of life)

Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight

Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li

I'm loving my sore legs

and don't forget that whole posterior chain too. Holy crap. It feels good! I actually took aspirin before bed last night, which I virtually never do.

Today's workout was a strength routine consisting of front squats, overhead presses, and deadlifts.

My legs were sore as hell from the last two days, but I dutifully showed up and pounded out this workout. I probably could have gone heavier than I did, but I'm not going to worry about it. I'll be adding weight every week, so I'll never get too comfortable that I'm going light.

I don't know what i'm going to do tomorrow. Maybe a run. We'll see.

Stupid machine photo Number 3

Need I say more? If you're going to bother working biceps as an assistance exercise, use a heavy barbell or heavy dumbbells and stand the hell up. I've seen even worse machines than this. I just can't find pictures of them. Maybe I should bring a camera into the gym!

I was debating with myself

as to what my workout should be today. I was thinking about running the 3k posted yesterday, but the foot is still bugging me. Besides, I think I've been doing too much running and not enough of the metcon stuff. Then I remembered reading about someone doing their version of the Filthy Fifties recently....and I thought...yeah. That's the one. I'd last completed this one back in January of this year with a time of 48:50. The only other time I'd done it, I shut it down during the burpees.

I have to admit...a big part of me was trying to talk myself out of this one. You know what? That is EXACTLY why I NEEDED to do it. I'm not dreading my workouts any near enough. As strange as that sounds, I think anyone familiar with Crossfit workouts gets it. So...I walked to the gym, got changed, took a few deep breaths, and away I went.


For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders

I dragged my 6'3", 209 pound body to a total time, (PR) of 43:17, which is 5:33 better than my last time in January. I substituted a 14 pound medicine ball for the wall ball, and did tuck jumps for the double unders. (I did the same back in January, so it's apples to apples). I was sure I was going to obliterate my previous time, but I literally ran into a wall during the burpees. Normally, I'd run through sets of twenty five before gasping for breath. I did some tens and a fifteen, but I was really struggling. My body wanted to quit, but my mind wouldn't allow it. I plowed through, and as I lay there recovering, I chuckled as I heard Enrique Iglesias singing "you can take my breath away" on the gym's sound system, thinking I'd stumbled into the new Crossfit jingle!

Stupid machine photo Number 2

Here's another favorite of mine. The leg extension machine. Why not put unnatural stress on your knee joint performing an exercise that has no real world usefulness?

Feel the quads burn, baby. Put down your magazine long enough to shake your head and laugh at those psychos doing squats and deadlifts. That crap is so hard. It's much nicer sitting on your ass swinging your legs back and forth! What a workout!

Stupid machine photo Number 1

Just for fun, I'm going to occasionaly post a picture of a ridiculous piece of equipment that resides on the floor of the gym I go to. This is a really good one.

Why would anyone want to perform a rowing exercise on something like this? For one, if you use really heavy weight, your chest is getting crushed by your own weight plus the weight you have loaded up on the machine. Your lower back does nothing at all....which means it isn't getting any stronger. Why would you want to do that? This is perfect example of silly isolation machines at most gyms. Most gym goers have no need for isolation movements.

I'll write that again.

Most gym goers have no need for isolation movements.

I'd even say that beginning bodybuilders should focus on compound movements first....for quite some time. Until you have put on a significant amount of muscle mass, you will be wasting your time with isolation movements.

Day one of program

I may have to make a few small adjustments to the routine I posted this morning. While I understand the importance of warmup, the reps/sets/weights of the warmup seem almost useless to me. I'll need to adjust accordingly.

That being said, I need to have faith that this program is going to allow me to gain strength in a somewhat linear fashion. I did fewer heavy sets and reps than I have been doing. Hopefully, that is what will allow me to raise the weight week after week. If I burn myself up getting to working sets, I may not be able to do that. We'll see. how it goes.

I need to watch my squat form. I feel like my knees are coming a bit too far forward. I need to focus on hip drive. I'm a bit concerned that my posterior chain is too tight to maintain proper form while I increase the weight. I'll need to watch this closely.

I'm a bit spent today. It is a fasting day. This is the first one in weeks that has me feeling like this. Of course, my eating was garbage yesterday, and featured a bit too much sugar. I'll have to make note of how I feel the next time I do that. Not that I'm planning it or anything!

Workout plan starting today

I have finally put together a plan for my strength training. Although Ripptoe suggests raising the weight every workout, I'll do it every week. I think that makes more sense for me. When I hit a wall, I'll back off the weight and bring it up again a week at a time. I'm confident I will have quite a bit of progress following this routine.

The workouts will go like this:

Week A

Day 1
Squat 3x5
Bench press 3x5
Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure, unweighted
Dips: 3 sets

Day 2
Front squats 3x5
Press 3x5
Deadlift 1x5

Day 3
Squat 3x5
Bench press 3x5
Pull-ups: 3 sets to failure, unweighted
Dips: 3 sets

Week B

Day 1
Squat 3x5
Press 3x5
Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure, unweighted

Day 2
Front squats 3x5
Bench press 3x5
Power clean 5x3
Dips: 3 sets

Day 3
Squat 3x5
Press 3x5
Pull-ups: 3 sets to failure, unweighted

Warmup for each exercise:
Bar only 2x5
40% workout weight 1x5
60% working weight 1x3
80% working weight 1x2
Working sets as above

Chins/Pullups are all unweighted until 15 reps per set are exceeded.

Alternate weeks A and B

I'm still trying to decide what I'll do on the non-lifting days. I'd like to do some of the CF workouts, but I need to make sure I give myself enough rest. For now, I'll probably do a combination of running, sprinting, rowing, and some of the CF metcon workouts on non lifting days. I will take at least one, and possibly two days a week off. By carefully watching my progress, I'll adjust my behavoir as needed.

Anybody want to pay me?

I popped over to the BFL tracker site this morning for a look see. I used to frequent the site, but no longer. Within 20 seconds, I realized exactly why I left it.

If only I had a dollar for every woman that complained they were going to get muscle bound by lifting a few weights, I'd be stinking rich. Really. Then there are the men that have worked out for eight weeks and decided that there's something wrong that they don't look like Arnold in his prime, so they start loading up on every hokie supplement they can find.

Ladies...you don't look like this by lifting a few pounds. You get like that by injecting yourself with steroids, eating an insane amount of food, and lifting a lot of weights...and only if you're lucky.

Men...you don't all look like this, which is seemingly how you all see yourselves. The odds are, you will NEVER look like this, and really...do you want to? That doesn't mean you aren't making progress. Building muscle is hard work, and it takes time. Period.


C'mon. Somebody. Just one dollar every time somebody writes this stuff. I'll be set for life! Okay. Glad I got that off my not massive and steroid laden but not too scrawny chest.

Strength workout today, similar to Monday. Bench press, overhead press, pullups and chins, dips. I feel good.

What the hill was I doing?

That was a fun workout. I spend a lot of effort trying to run faster, but I seldom try to run steeper. I think doing some hill training will help run longer and faster. Today, I did this:

2 min 6 mph 4% grade
1 min 7 mph 4% grade
1 min 7 mph 1% grade
1 min 7 mph 5% grade
1 min 7 mph 1% grade
1 min 7 mph 6% grade
1 min 7 mph 1% grade
1 min 7 mph 7.5% grade
1 min 7 mph 1% grade
1 min 7 mph 7.5% grade
1 min 7 mph 1% grade
1 min 7 mph 7.5% grade
1 min 7 mph 1% grade
1 min 7 mph 7.5% grade
1 min 7 mph 1% grade
1 min 7 mph 7.5% grade
1 min 7 mph 1% grade
1 min 7 mph 7.5% grade
1 min 7 mph 1% grade
1 min 11 mph 1% grade
2 min 6 mph 1% grade
1 min 4 mph 15% grade
1 min 6 mph 15% grade
cooldown 2 min 4 mph 1% grade

Then I did some hanging leg raises and situps.

Good workout.

I need to go steeper next time, and maybe a bit faster next time.

My feet hurt

They've been hurting for days. Hurt like someone took a ball peen hammer to the bottom of them. What's up with that?

So...I'll be running at lunchtime today. Going to do some hills on the treadmill. Time to turn it up a notch.

Fasting again today.

I came damned close

to skipping my workout today. My head just wasn't in it. I forced myself to go. Squats, deadlifts, step up lunges. Once the blood started pumping, I was glad I went. Not a lot more to say today, nor the time to say it.

These are the ones that count...showing up when you'd rather not. Chalk one up for the good guys.

A grumble and a smile

I started today's workout intending to run a 5k at about a 7:15 pace. After starting, I decided to settle on a 7:30 pace, which had me right there at the edge of too fast/just fast enough. I ended up stopping at the 1.5 mile mark, because the arch of my left foot was hurting. It's been hurting since I ran one day last week, and I aggravated it a bit again on Sunday. I need to make sure I only run in the proper shoes. When I use the wrong ones, my feet end up hurting.

Anyway, I switched to a 2k row, and finished it in 8:03. Once again, I had trouble with the straps. I stopped twice to reattach them, and the third time I just let it go. I think I could have ended up with at least a 7:30 if they didn't screw me up again. Next time I row, I want to make sure the straps are connected in a way that won't allow them to slip. Or I'll bring duct tape. Or something.

I'm fasting again today. I'll not discuss the eating that went on this weekend, other than to say it would NOT qualify as low carb. At all.

Now...that feels better

I got a strength training workout in this morning featuring bench press, overhead press, pullups, dips, cleans and deadlifts. After having a headache and sluggishness for three days, I feel better already. I guess my body was trying to tell me something.

Short on time. Have a good holiday all...if you live somewhere that it is a holiday!