ExRx.net

5/2/08

Did an hour of kickboxing practice:

3 x 3 minutes jumping rope (double leg, single leg, a few double-unders)
4 x 3 minutes shadowboxing (including sprawls)
3 x 3 minute rounds heavybag punches/kicks/knees

Final round on the bag was 4 minutes. After 3 minutes ended I did one minute on non-stop combinations, mostly one-twos and hooks and a few kicks.

Stretched and rode home.


Then I rode 6 miles to an appointment, about 3-4 miles to another appointment, and then 6 miles home.

Tomorrow is hiking up a mountain, and then Sunday I'll do my squat workout because Monday is a national holiday and the gym is closed so there is a special session on Sunday night.

5/3/08

Went hiking up a 900+ meter mountain today. Made it to the top of one peak and then another in a couple of hours of steady hiking.

Coming down, though, I hurt my right knee. I may have sprained the ligament on the outside of the knee. I had no ice, and no choice but to limp down steep tracks in pain.

I was planning to squat tomorrow night but I'm not sure I can. It doesn't actually hurt when I squat (I tried a few), but it's a bad idea to risk it if it doesn't clear up and Bulgarian Split Squats (all the weight on a hurt knee) are out.

I'm icing it now, and put on an anti-inflammatory patch a doctor gave me last time I sprained this knee. If the knee doesn't clear up, I'm going to switch around my workout so I do upper body tomorrow instead of full-body, and save squatting (and jumping) for another day.

I've got posture issues and uneven hips, so I think the constant banging of that knee on the descent caused this. I need to find a good chiro and find out what I can do to get straightened up. That's not covered by insurance and I've no assurance I'll find one who'll give me useful advice on day-to-day adjustments I need to make. Grr!

5/4/08

Mobility Drills

Warmups:

Standing Press 5 x 10kg, 5 x 20kg, 5 x 40kg.

5 rounds of max reps Standing Press x 45kg, Kipping Chinups.
5 minutes rest between rounds, no rest between presses and chinups:

Round 1: 6 x 45kg, 11 x bw
Round 2: 5 x 45kg, 9 x bw
Round 3: 5 x 45kg, 9 x bw
Round 4: 4 x 45kg, 9 x bw
Round 5: 4 x 45kg, 9 x bw

5 minute rest and then:

Plank x 60 seconds
Side Plank (L) x 60 seconds (terrifically hard)
Side Plant (R) x 60 seconds (easy)

5 minute rest (held heavy bag for my friend doing a series of punch/kick ladders) and then:

Lying "Y"s 10 x (2.5kg*2)
Standing Ls 10 x (2.5kg*2)
Standing External Rotations 10 x (2.5kg*2)
Alternating DB raises (all the way to vertical from the knees): 10 x 2.5kg

Then I watched some of my buddies sparring, with much jealousy, finished my protein-and-water mix and went home.

5/5/08

Just some light walking and biking today, it's a day off. My knee hurts a little but my hip feels very good.

***

Here are some progress pictures. Apologies for the graininess, I had to timer it and it's hard to get a place to sit the camera where it can see my feet and head together so I was a little far back. I have a knee warmer on my hurt right knee because underneath it are anti-inflammatory patches and they'd come off if I unrolled it, but the leg size is the same on both sides.

193cm (6' 4")
84kg (185 pounds)

Front relaxed:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... 08001s.jpg

Back relaxed:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... 08002s.jpg

Side relaxed:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... 08003s.jpg

Guns, Front!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... 08004s.jpg

Guns, Back!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... 08005s.jpg

Guns Closeup, Back!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... 8005ss.jpg

Legs, Front:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... 08006s.jpg

I really need to fill out, I'm nothing but ribs and deltoids. My posture is still a concern, the right hip is still cocked a bit and my right shoulder dips as a result of the inevitable bend in the spine.

And yes, I'm ghost white, I know. My arms are a bit darker but yeah, I'm no beach model. Lucky for me ultra white skin is attractive where I live because I burn badly and quickly.

I'll put up shots of my surgical cuts next time. The cuts are healing very cleanly, already it just looks like one extra fold under my left eye.

Constructive comments on my posture, muscularity, weight, photo quality, etc. are all fine, post them in the commentary thread.

5/6/08

Bike ride today to meet some friends.

Here are some pre/post surgery pics.

Eye, pre surgery, 12 hours after the injury:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... o271ss.jpg

Eye, post surgery (1 month after surgery)
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... er038s.jpg

Hip cut, post-surgery:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... er037s.jpg


As you can see, the constant bandaging has left its mark but the cuts are pretty clean! My eye only looks like it's got an extra fold under it, not a jagged scar. I was warned it could scar badly, but it's been fine. I've been treating the cuts with vitamin eye and keeping them bandaged 24/7.

5/7/08

Warmup: Mobility Drills, foot drills, followed by the usual barbell complex for 3 x 20 kg, 1 minute rest.

4 minutes rest (talking to an injured buddy who came in to visit).

Rests between sets 1 minute unless noted otherwise.
* denotes superset.

1) Back Squat - 10 x 10kg, 5 x 20kg, 5 x 30kg, 5 x 40kg, 5 x 50kg 2 minutes rest, 5 x 60kg 5 minutes rest, 5 x 70kg 3 minutes, 5 x 50kg
2) L-Chinup - 10, 7, 6 - 90 seconds rest.
3) Bulgarian Split Squat - 5 x (2*2.5kg), 2 x 8 x (2*7kg), 10 x (2*7kg)
*4) BB Shrug - 3 x 10 x 100kg
*5) Rear Delt Fly - 3 x 12 x (2*7kg), 90 seconds rest.
6) Gripper - 26, 20, 17 reps @ 45kg.
7) Weighted Decline Situps - 4 x 10 x 7kg

2 minutes rest, then:

Barbell complex 1 x 10kg
Power Snatch from below the knee - continuously for 1 minute @ 10kg.

***

Notes:

Back Squat - 5 x 70kg was really hard but a new PR, and my form was wobbly but not bad. I did a back-off set of 5 x 50kg because I wanted to do as many reps as the week before and to make sure my final reps were good ones. Next week I go for a 3-rep max, so I'll do sets of 3 reps.

BB Shrugs - dizzy again, but much less than before. I think it's because my legs are still tired from the split squats. I have to rack pull the initial rep, too, which so I may incorporate rack pulls into my deadlift rotation since the stands are at a perfect height for it!

Rear Delt Flyes - done with arms nearly straight.

Gripper - Decided to ditch the static holds for this workout and just do max reps. I need a heavier gripper, I want to move up to 50kg but the next weight gripper I found is 75kg.

Weighted Decline Situps - went with a 7kg dumbbell, not sure how I'll get past 7kg since the larger plates are too hard to hold. Maybe I'll just shorten the rest periods.

After the workout I was beat...then after the complex and snatches I was a rubbery mess. I immediately went outside and down the rest of my protein/glutamine mix, 5g of BCAAs, and then ate an orange. Peeling the orange was hell because my arms were shaking. Good workout!

5/9/08

Went to the gym in the afternoon and lifted. Short on sleep and tired but I still had a good workout.

Warmed up with mobility drills.
Rest 1 minute between sets, 90 seconds between exercises, unless otherwise noted.
* denotes superset

1) Broad Jump - 6 x 3, 1 min rest, longest jump 227cm.
2) Bench Press - 10 x 10kg, 5 x 20kg, 5 x 30kg, 5 x 40kg, 90 seconds rest, 5 x 50kg, 5 x 60kg, 3 minutes rest, 5 x 65kg, 5 minutes rest, 5 x 67.5kg.
3) DB Swings (2h) - 10 x 10kg, 3 x 10 x 25kg, 90 seconds rest.
4) DB Bench Press - 21 x (2*17.5kg), 18 x (2*17.5kg), 3 minutes rest.
*5) DB Rows - 12 x 30kg, 10 x 30kg, 9 x 30kg.
*6) Band Pull-Aparts - 3 x 12, 90 seconds rest between supersets.
7) Ab/Back Circuit - V-Ups, Leg Raises, Bicycle Crunches, Back Extensions - 3 circuits of 15 reps, 90 seconds rest.

Afterwards I was wrecked so I just rode home.

Notes:

Broad Jump - I'm finally up to "average" from "poor" and raised my maximum jump from 208cm to 227cm.
http://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/longjump.htm

Bench Press - I bridged on the last rep of 67.5kg, but I got it without a severe bridge. I realized today I bench what I squat. Ugh.

DB Bench Press - My goal was 2 x 20 reps, but 21 and 18 is pretty good...I'm thinking of upping to weight next week to 2 x 20kg DBs.

Band Pull-Aparts - These get harder the harder I row, I like that, because I only have the one band to use.

Misc Notes: I need a new bike or I need a new chain and new gear system, which will cost as much as a new bike. I wore the gears down to nubs so it keeps tossing the chain.

5/10/08

Some flexibility testings and then:

Plank: 90 seconds
Side Plank: 60 seconds per side
Back Plank: 30 seconds

1 minute rest between planks.

Back plank is the hardest for me, really feel it in my anterior deltoids for some reason.

Nominally a rest day, so I'll do some cardio (bike ride) and maybe go to the gym for light solo training.

(Editing Later)
At the gym I worked kick form with a friend who needed checking, did some partner mount escapes, some partner leg drills, and a "shrimp race" - wall-to-wall racing doing mount escape drills. Then I did shadowboxing and did some technique work.

Technique work (all 1 minute rest beween sets and exercises)

Power Snatch 5 x 20kg
Snatch Grip DL 5 x 1 x 50kg (form check)
Snatch Grip DL 3 x 3 x 50kg (form check during reps)

I'm thinking of either doing Snatch Grip DLs for my next ME lower body exercise cycle, or doing a mix (week 1 SGDL, week 2 conventional DL, week 3 rack pulls, week 4 deload).

Finally, did some pinch-grip static holds with 2 x 10kg subcompact car tires left at my apartment by...someone. Wide enough that it's hard to grip for a long time, heavy enough to matter, soft enough I can pinch hard without pain.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... an001s.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... an002s.jpg

26 seconds (both hands), 1 min rest
18 seconds (left), 30 seconds (right), 1 min rest
17 seconds (left), 26 seconds (right).

I'll see if I can find some cheap bungee cords to strap two together, and some rope...maybe I can use the third tire I have as a sled for drags or "tug-of-war" work. I'll need rope and I can fill the "bowl" of the tire with stuff to weight it more. Not sure where I can drag it...streets are busy and small near my house, my neighborhood kids are curious about my weird exercises. The tires are too small for sledgehammer drills, sadly.

5/11/08

Rest Day. Went to a spa and basically just relaxed.

5/12/08

Warmup: Mobility Drills.

We had a new kid come to the gym today, a high school transfer student from abroad. He wanted to train, so his host mom asked me to teach him. So I taught kickboxing for about 1 1/4 hours after my warmup.

I was tired but I was determined to squat anyway.

1 minute rests between sets and exercises unless otherwise noted.
* denotes a superset.

1) Back Squat - 10 x 10kg, 3 x 30kg, 3 x 40kg, 3 x 50kg, 3 x 60kg, 3 x 70kg, 3 minutes rest, 3 x 80kg, 5 minutes rest, failed x 85kg, 3 minutes rest, 5 x 60kg
2) L-Chinup - 10, 8, 6, 90 second rests.
3) DB Bulgarian Split Squat - 5 x (2*2.5kg), 9 x (2*7kg), 9 x (2*7kg), 10 x (2*7kg), 90 second rests.
3 minute rest.
*4) BB Shrug - 9 x 102.5kg, 9 x 102.5kg, 10 x 102.5kg.
*5) Rear Delt Flyes - 3 x 12 x (2*7kg), 90 second rests between supersets.
6) Gripper - 29 x 45kg, 21 x 45kg, 16 x 45kg.
7) Weighted Decline Situps - 4 x 10 x 7.5kg

I was so wrecked after this I couldn't even walk straight, nevermind stretch. Just scarfed an orange and some BCAA powder and the rest of my whey protein drink and went home. Almost crashed the bike twice from being too tired.

Notes:

Back Squats - 3 x 80kg is a new PR, my previous 1RM was 1 x 80kg. I tried 85kg but I unracked the bar, lowered down and just kept going the last few inches. Had to unload the bar to get it back up on the pins for a deload set, hence the 3 minute rest. I'll tell you, after 2 weeks of 5 reps, 3 reps feels like cheating! Such a big drop in reps, I felt fresh after my first 3 x 60kg and 3 x 70kg flew up in good from. 85kg was pushing it too much but I was already in record territory so I felt I should give it a go.

Woo! Next week is deload, I don't have to squat heavy again for at least another cycle. It's like a vacation...but I like the feeling of low-bar squatting with a wide stance. I just will benefit from a change.

Bulgarian Split Squats - terribly hard today, but I managed more reps. Wanted 3 x 10-12 but I couldn't...hips were too tired after squats and kicking practice.

BB Shrug - again, dizzy. 3 minutes rest wasn't enough, these rocked me. The second set ended when I got so dizzy I couldn't see properly. Lucky the rack is under the bar the whole time. Not sure what to do here...rest more? Not do shrugs after single leg work? Rest with my legs up in the air?

Gripper - need a heavier gripper. Banging out max reps after 20 or so is tedious. The next heaviest gripper I found is 75kg, though, and I can't close it once. Need my CoC #1 gripper from the US, it's only 140# (65kg or so...) or a 50kg gripper if anyone makes one.

Weighted Decline Situps - next time I do these, I'll start lighter and put the plate behind my head so the resistance sits further out instead of raising the plate weight.


Oh and fitday put me at just under 4000 calories and almost 300g of protein for the day. Boo-yah. And I thought I was undereating...
I know it's a bit off, though, it's got some funky assumptions about how much margarine (margarine?) and salt I use to cook. I don't use any, so maybe I'll base it on raw foods instead from now on.

5/13/08

Just biking today. 6 mile round trip to work, 12 mile round trip to an appointment.

Second trip took 25 minutes one way, 60 minutes back - I was going face-in to very strong winds so I was barely at a walking speed. Hard work. The badly-worn bike gears didn't help.

5/14/08

Woke up early and I don't know if I'll have time later to train so I wanted to get something in quick.


AM workout:
Plank: 90 seconds, rest 1 min.
Side Plank (Left): 60 seconds, rest 1 min.
Side Plank (Right): 60 seconds

5 minutes rest.

Half-Tabata of Pushups, 20s/10s, "sold out."*
16-10-6-5 reps.

1 min rest
Squat w/3kg Med Ball locked out forward x 25

1 min rest
Overhead 3kg Med Ball hold x 30 seconds.

* "Sold out" means I went full bore, I didn't try to pace for overall results but rather push as hard as possible.


***

More later if possible. KPj gave me some stretches and exercises to do so I can learn the Pistol one legged squat and I want to get started immediately.

PM Workout:

Warmup in my apartment and then:

Single Leg Arched Back Good Mornings (w/plastic bar) - 3 x 10 per leg[/b], 1 minute rest (difficult to keep balance, only counted good reps done under control)
1 minute rest
Step-Down (from a chair) - 3 x 10 per leg[/b], 1 minute rest

Rode to the gym, more warmups, took 5g of BCAA and then:

Push Press - 5 x 10kg, 5 x 30kg, 5 x 40kg, 5 x 45kg, 5 x 50kg, 5 x 55kg. 2 minute rest.

5 minute rest:

Chinup Ladder 1-10, 10-1, done one set on the minute every minute, took about 20 minutes. First 1-8 all kipping, 9-10 sets kipping last two jumping negatives, 10-5 jumping negatives, 4 kipping + jumping, 3-1 dead hang. As soon as I finished I jumped and did a 20-second slow negative.

Finished my workout drink (whey protein, Muscle Milk, glutamine, creatine) and went home.

***

Add: "Learn to do an unsupported pistol with each leg" to my goals.

Really want to work on my single-leg exercises and improve my balance. Also, my Push Press was still weak, a mix of relatively poor technique compared to my solid Standing Press and weak explosion from the hip. I end up using too little leg and too much triceps.

5/15/08

Just some stretches today.

I'm very sore (hips, especially) and I attribute that to the single-leg practice KPj suggested for me. My lats are in screaming DOMS too. I've clearly let my chinups/pullups slide so I need to work them more.

5/16/08

Woke up and did some static stretching - IT band and hips.

Midafternoon I went to the gym and lifted:

1) Broad Jump - 7 x 3, best set was 4th set, Max 235 cm
2) Bench Press - 10 x 20kg, 3 x 30kg, 3 x 40kg, 3 x 50kg, 3 x 60kg, 3 minutes rest, 3 x 65 kg, 3 minutes rest, 3 x 70kg, 3 minutes rest, 1 x 72.5kg, 3 minutes rest, backdown 5 x 60kg
3) DB Swings (2h) - 10 x 10kg, 3 x 10 x 27.5kg, 90 seconds rest
4) DB Bench Press - 17 x (2*20kg), 3 minutes rest, 13 x (2*20kg)
*5) One-Arm DB Rows - 12 x 30kg, 2 x 10 x 30kg[/b].
*6) Band Pull-Apart - 3 x 12, 90 seconds rest between supersets.
7) Ab/Back Circuit - V-Ups, Leg Raises, Bicycles, Back Extensions - 3 circuits of 20 reps per exercise, 90 seconds rest.

Afterwards I had 5g of BCAA and the rest of my whey protein shake (took 5 BCAA before too).

Rode home and rested.

Evening I rode a 12 mile round trip to a 2-hour class. Got home just in time to miss a crushing downpour.

I'll repeat my morning stretches, plus quadriceps stretches, before bed.

***

Broad Jump - my technique is improving, so is my power. I still maxed out on the 4th set, same as the past two weeks. Not taxing but a great warmup and a good gauge of progress, plus good training. 235cm is "above average" according to the site I've been checking. Only 6 cm more for "very good," the next bracket. Next cycle I'll do a different jump and come back to broad jumps.

Bench Press - I'm disappointed I didn't get 3 x 72.5kg, I felt I didn't press as well today as I had before. My form felt pretty good, I was tight and got good push from my feet and my elbows were at the right angles. But I was expecting a new PR and didn't get it.

DB Swings - These were hard but I managed to get all my goal reps...barely. I don't think I could have done an 11th rep on the last set if I had to. My hands hurt, though, from gripper hard hand-over-hand. I've never tried a kettlebell but I'd love a good kettlebell handle where I can grip next to each other instead of overlaps.

Rows - the chinups caught up to me, my best effort only got me +1 rep.

Overall I think it was a pretty good cycle. Next week is a deload. Still deciding if I just want to do 2x10-rep sets and drop the weight on the accessories or if I should deload differently. Maybe I'll fit a "test day" in there, again, not sure yet.

5/17/08

Rest day. Did my hip/glute/IT band stretches, some bike riding, and assembled my new sled:

http://exrx.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4738
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/ ... an003s.jpg

Did a few short drags, forwards and backwards, with those two tired plus my 3kg med ball in the "bowl" to see how it would stay. Works fine. I'll do more drags tomorrow with more weight.