Becoming an Athlete

I can't speak highly enough about this training plan.  Taking Jim Wendler's advice of starting from light (50% 1RM in my case), means I've yet to miss target reps for any sets.  I'm still making consistent progress.  The only area that is taking a hit are chin-ups.  They are starting to aggravate my elbow, so I'm going to switch to neutral grip pullups for my volume / endurance work.  On to my Monday night workout results: jump rope: 3 x 2min/1min.  Getting easy.  Need to add a 4th round Russian twist:  12 x 12/12, 12/12.  Will progress to 15 per side then increase load to 15lbs. skipped biceps and triceps as my elbow was still tweaked. Horizontal strength: a. bench press:  180 x 5; 190 x 5; 200 x 12 b. bent row: 150 x 5; 160 x 5; 170 x 8 Vertical endurance:  Skipped 4th set because of elbow weirdness a. OHP: 100 x 10, 10, 10 b. chin-up:  BW x 6, 7, 4 (elbow hurting) Squat:  about 5 warm-up sets, then 225 x 5; 235 x...

My wife and I hiked 10-11 miles in Georgetown, TX on Saturday.  An evening of pizza and wine brought back to life. :) I went to my friend's house on Sunday night to work some boxing skills and drills.  I'm always amazed out how quickly I get rusty, but how I sharpen up even quicker, from round to round.

Another great workout.  Back on track and feeling good. T-bell swings are the ultimate destroy / rebuild tool.  Everyone is asking me if I'm dieting.  :) treadmill:  0.62 miles in 10 mins, 3.5 degree icnline 1-arm overhead situp*:  10 x 10/10, 10/10 Bicep tri-set: one set per arm today ionstead of 2.  pressed for time a. zottman curl: 22.5 x 10/10 b. concentration curl: 22.5 x 10/10 c. x-body hammer curl:  22.5 x 10 Tricep tri-set: one set per arm today ionstead of 2.  pressed for time a. x-body dumbbell extension:  22.5 x 10/10 b. reverse grip pressdown:  20 x 10/10 c. neutral grip pressdown: 20 x 10/10 Vertical strength: a. Pullup:  BW x 5; +10 x 5; +20 x 5 b. OHP: 135 x 5; 140 x 5; 145 x 6 Horizontal endurance: a. 1-arm row: 70 x 10/10, 10/10, 10/10 b. pushup: BW x 15, 15, 15 FBGM: 115 x 10; 120 x 10; 125 x 10 T-bell swing:  73 x 15, 13, 12, 10

Thursday night I took my daughter to the pool.  We took it easy and did 20 laps together.  That girl has been a water bug from the day she was born.  It was really cool to exercise with her.  Swimming is about the only form of exercise she likes, so I plan to take her as often as she wants to go.

This was my best workout yet!  I made one subtle change to keep raising my emphasis on athleticism as my old strength levels come back. Jump rope:  3 x 2min / 1min  :)  Good and sweaty foam rolling - emphasis on IT band and triceps, but done all over Wood chopper: 110 x 10/10, 10/10  -  felt easy! Arm strength:  going to increase reps next time instead of weight, as my elbow tendons are getting sore a. barbell curl: 75 x 8, 8, 8 b. skull crusher: 75 x 8, 8, 8 Horizontal strength:  GREAT numbers today a. bench press:  175 x 5; 185 x 5; 195 x 10 b. bent row: 145 x 5; 155 x 5; 165 x 8 Vertical size: Chins kinda weak today.  Oh well a. OHP: 100 x 10, 10, 10, 8 b. Chin-up:  BW x 6, 6, 6, 4 Front squat: 185 x 5; 195 x 5; 205 x 9 - I used a heapin helpin of Tiger Balm on my knees before I started.  As I did my warm-up sets, my knees caught fire and felt AMAZING! TRX-assisted pistol squat ladders: 1-2-3; 1-2-3; 1-2-3; 1-2-3; 1...

I went to our HOA park, and started with a 1/4 mile walk.  After that, I did some spine rolls on the ground, followed by lots of miscellaneous stretching.  After I was warmed up I did 5 rounds of the following: 1/4 mile jog down dog / cat stretch bridges windshield wipers front split / side split rotations spine rolls I kept it really light.  Just trying to feel loose and light like when I was fighting.

Much better day.  The gym was overly crowded, so I did a lot of standing around and waiting.  I was a bit weaker than I expected, but all in all, not bad.  I attribute this to my meal schedule being WAY off today. treadmill:  0.59 miles in 10 mins at 3.5 degree incline leg raise off bench:  BW x 18, 20, 20 Bicep superset: a. Alternating dumbbell curl:  30s x 10 each b. EZ bar curl:  70 x 8 Tricep superset: a. Rope grip pushdown: 50 x 10, 10 b. Dips:  BW x 8, 5 Vertical strength: a. Pullup:  BW x 3, 4, 4, 5, 5 b. OHP: 135 x 5, 5, 5; 140 x 5, 7 Horizontal endurance: a. 1-arm db row:  70 x 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10 b. pushup:  BW x 10, 10, 10, 10 deadlift:  235 x 5; 255 x 5; 275 x 12 1-arm KB swing:  35lb  - 30 total per arm.  alternated every 10 reps KB Snatch: 35lb - 20 per arm. alternated every 10 reps

Little sleep Tuesday night.  Long day of work on Wednesday.  I got to the gym at 9:00 PM, but just didn't feel up to it.  I scrapped the whole thing and decided to do it again on Friday morning.

I was going to run, but I took my fat lazy dog with me, so it turned into a 20 minute walk instead of 40 minutes of intervals.  The good news is that left me with enough time for some archery at home.  I'm doing pretty good up to 25 yards.

Still chugging along, adding weight and/or reps.  Dropping fat and building muscle.  What more can I ask for ???  :) Jump rope:  4 x 1min / 30 sec Russian twist:  12 x 10, 10 Close grip dumbbell press:  55 x 8, 8, 8 Barbell preacher curl: 70 x 8, 8, 8 Horizontal strength a. bench press:  170 x 5; 175 x 5; 180 x 12 b. bent row:    150 x 5;   155 x 5;  160 x 5 Vertical size: a. overhead press:  100 x 10, 10, 10, 10 b. chin-up:  BW x 7, 6, 6, 6 Squat: 215 x 5; 225 x 5; 235 x 12 Squat jumps:  15, 12, 12, 11 I crushed it on squats and paid the price on squat jumps.  My legs were wobbly and on fire.  My legs feel like jello.

My wife and I went swimming for 2.5 hrs on Saturday.  I did quite a few laps, but I never keep count.  My favorite thing is doing laps underwater on a single breath.  I can make down and about half way back in our 25 meter pool, underwater on a single breath. Today, Sunday, we went to my niece's birthday party at a skating rink.  I took my rollerblades and skated enough to break a sweat and make my knees nice and sore.

Another great training session.  I had my bodyfat tested today and I'm posted good results: weight:  220lbs even body fat%:  16.5% lean mass: 183.7 lbs We'll see where I'm at next week.  On to the training notes: treadmill:  0.58miles in 10mins at 3.5 degree incline hand to ball plank:  2 x 12 per arm Unilateral Bicep triset*: a. Zottman curl:  20 x 10/10, 10/10 b. Concentration curl: 20 x 10/10, 10/10 c. Cross-bosy hammer curl:  25 x 10/10, 4/4 Unilateral tricep tri-set*: a. Cross-body lying extension:  20 x 10/10, 10/10 b. Reverse grip pressdown: 20 x 10/10, 10/10 c. Rope grip pressdown:  20 x 10/10, 10/10 Vertical strength: a. pullup:  BW x 5; +10lb x 5; +15lb x 5 b. OHP: 125 x 5; 130 x 5; 135 x 10 Horizontal size: a. 1-arm dumbbell row: 65 x 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10 b. pushup:  15, 15, 15, 15 Flatback Goodmorning (FBGM): 105 x 10; 110 x 10; 115 x 10 T-bell swings:  73lb t-bell x 50 total (10, 10, 10,...

I know I was going to talk about mobility drills next in this series, but I decided that mobility drills are best understood through video, so that will have to wait for a bit.  Trying to describe the spiderman crawl, leg-under bridge, revolving square etc. would just be tedious and confusing.  :)  So, on to endurance drills.  I'm not a gadget guy, but there is one cheap piece of equipment that has become indispensable over the years - My Everlast round timer. There are other interval timers out there, gym-boss being the most prolific and sophisticated.  I've also heard you can get free interval apps for your smart phone, too.  I may try that soon, but my timer has been with me for about a eight years now, and it just feels right. Low Intensity Intervals Many articles talk about the benefit of sprints or high intensity intervals, and that is fine for competitive athletes.  They do indeed work well, but not everyone is ready for those.  Th...

Starting my 2nd round of these training routines.  everything is still headed in the right direction, but the 16 mile hike on Saturday, followed by deadlifts and swings on Monday made for some difficult squats today. jump rope:  3 x 1min work / 30sec rest Wood chopper:  100 x 12/12, 12/12 Arm strength: a. barbell curl: 70 x 8, 8, 8 b. skull crusher: 70 x 8, 8, 8 Horizontal strength: a. bench press: 165 x 6; 170 x 5; 175 x 12 b. bent row: 145 x 5; 150 x 5; 155 x 8 Vertical size a. OHP: 95 x 10, 10, 10, 10 b. chinup: BW x 6, 6, 5, 6 Front squat: 175 x 5; 185 x 5; 195 x 8 Safety-bar squat: 175 x 10, 10, 8, 4 I'll progress the weights on Front squats when I do them again on Friday  20 JUL, but I'll leave the weight at 175 for safety-bar squats.

Man, another great session!  I'm a believer in starting light and building up some momentum.  It is an incredible feeling to have your weights planned in advance, and show up, get your mind focused, and then just crush your weights. Treadmill:  0.55 miles 10 mins - 3.5mph at 3.5 degree incline leg raise off bench:  BW x 15, 15, 15 Bicep superset: a. alternating dumbbell curl: 27.5 x 10, 10 b. EZ-bar curl:  65 x 6, 8 Tricep superset: a. bench dips: BW x 10, 10 b. rope grip pressdown: 50 x 8, 8 Vertical strength: a. Pullup: BW x 5, 5, 5 b. Overhead press: 120 x 5; 125 x 5; 130 x 8 Horizontal size: a. Archer grip 1-arm db row: 65 x 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10 b. pushup: BW x 12, 12, 12, 12 Deadlift: 225 x 5; 245 x 5; 265 x 10 T-bell swing:  73lb x 40 total (10, 10, 10, 10) I had been using neutral grip pullups because that is where I am strongest, but I'm much stronger through my lats and arms now, so I'm sticking with traditional pullups from here ...

Today was incredible.  My wife and I hiked 16 miles in 6 hours.  We parked near Deep Eddy swimming pool in Austin, then took the MoPac bridge to the Ladybird Lake hike & bike trail.  We took that trail to Zilker Park, and headed righ to the Barton Creek Greenbelt.  We took every detour we could find, picking our way through trails that had fallen into disuse and were overrun with weeds, and walking through the dry creek bed.  We ended just a little shy of Twin Falls. On the way back, I got a little turned around and we added an extra 3 - 4 miles to our return trip.  "My bad, honey!" I haven't been this tired since I don't know when.  A little pizza from Home Slice and 2 glasses of wine with Season 2 of the Sopranos made for an excellent recovery evening.  :) Oh, and my wife made AMAZING bannana bread.  Time for bed.

To quote George Pappard as John "Hannibal" Smith, I love it when a plan comes together!  Everything is going the right direction.  I can still feel the hernia surgery when I hit abs, but in a good way.  I feel the weakness that is slowly and progressively being taxed and becoming stronger. jump rope:  4 x 1min work / 1min rest russian twist:  10lb x 10each, 10each Upper arm strength superset a. barbell preacher curl: 65 x 8, 8, 8, 8 b. close grip dumbbell press: 45s x 8, 8, 8, 8 Horizontal strength: a. bent row: 140 x 5; 145 x 5; 150 x 10 b. bench press: 160 x 5; 165 x 5; 170 x 15 :-) Vertical size a. Chin-up:  BW x 5, 6, 5, 5 b. Overhead press: 90 x 10, 10, 10, 10 Squat: 205 x 5; 215 x 5; 225 x 10 Squat jumps: 50 total (8,8,8,8,8,5,5) Squat jumps gas me!  I perform them continuously, and drop as low as possible.  envision a human pogo stick!  Maximal time airborne - minimal time on the ground.

I've started shooting archery again, and joined a forum to learn as much as I can.  In doing so, I've broadened the audience to this here little fitness blog.  :-) This post is a simple thing on what every can do, regardless of their sport, to get fitter, quickly and simply.  Normally I write in short-hand, but today I'll use my big boy words. Priorities: I've talked about this before.  Unless you are a specialized athlete and at an elite level, you should always have these four priorities: Stability Mobility Endurance Strength Getting them out of order, or spending too much time on one and ignoring another is a sure fire way to get injuries at worst, or never realize your full potential at best. Stability Personal trainers and infomercials talk about core strength.  And it means different things, depending on who you talk to or what is for sale.  To my way of thinking, stability is the root quality we need to train.  The ability to supp...

Happy 4th of July!  God bless America.  Die Pinko Commie Bastards!  Oops.  Scratch that last one.  Anyway, I had a great day of session Jump rope: 3 x 1min jump / 30sec rest Hand-to-ball Plank*: 2 x 10/10, 10/10 Bicep tri-set** a. Cross-body hammer curl: 20 x 10/10, 10/10 b. Concentration curl: 20 x 10/10, 8/8 c. 1-arm Zottman curl: 20 x 10/10; 15 x 6/6 Tricep tri-set** a. Cross-body lying extension: 20 x 10/10, 10/10 b. Reverse grip cable push-down: 20 x 10/10, 10/10 c.Neutral grip cable pushdown: 20 x 10/10, 10/10 Vertical strength a. Neutral grip pullup: BW x 4, 5, 5 b. Barbell OHP: 115 x 5; 120 x 5; 125 x 9 Horizontal size: a. Archer grip 1-arm dumbbell row***: 60 x 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10 b. Pushup:  BW x 10, 10, 10, 10 Flat-back goodmorning: 95 x 10; 100 x 10; 105 x 10 T-bell swing:  73 x 35 total (12, 6, 8, 9) I ended the session with a 2 rotations between hot tub, pool, sauna, pool * Hand-to-ball Plank: This is a basic plank fr...

1st day out.  Felt great 5 minutes on stationary cycle.  Got my knees good and warm Wood chopper:  100 x 10/10, 10/10 Arm strength a. Barbell curl: 65 x 8, 8, 8 b. Skull crusher: 65 x 8, 8, 8 Horizontal strength: a. Bent row: 135 x 5; 140 x 5; 145 x 10 b. Bench press: 155 x 5; 160 x 6; 165 x 13 Vertical size: a. Chin-ups: BW x 5, 4, 4, 4 b. Barbell OHP: 85 x 10, 10, 10, 10 Front squat: 165 x 5; 175 x 5; 185 x 10 Safety-bar squat: 165 x 10, 10, 10, 10

I just can't do this bodybuilding thing for long, even when I'm following the much loved 5-3-1 template.  I just don't feel like body part splits get me enough systemic work.  Sure, I get local fatigue and some soreness, but it seems my athleticism (speed, mobility, stamina) takes a hit while developing more muscle. So I'm back to what I love - whole body training, with a twist. I'm following the classic A-B-A, B-A-B framework, but applying what I've learned about linear progression (i.e. periodization), with just enough variety to ensure balanced progress for the long term. Instead of 2 training sessions, I have 4:  A1, B1, A2, and B2. A1 and A2 workouts follow this format: cardio warm-up rotational abs bicep/tricep strength super-set Horizontal strength push/pull super-set: heavy, linear progression Vertical size push/pull super-set: lighter load, higher volume Squat strength: heavy, linear progression Squat assistance work: lighter load, high...

5 mins on treadmill @ 4mph Dips: +35 x 3, 3, 4, 4, 5 Incline bench press: 135 x 10, 10, 10, 7 bent row: 165 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 1-arm db row: 75 x 10/10, 10/10, 10/10 rope grip pushdown: 60 x 10; 40 x 21s EZ-bar rvs curl: 65 x 10; 50 x 21s

I did a 6 work sets of DLs, and a 15 total reps of T-bell swings (73lbs).

1A. OHP: 135 x 5; 145 x 5, 5, 5 1B. Chin-up:  BW x 4, 5, 5, 5 2A. 1-arm db OHP: 55 x 10/10, 10/10, 10/10 2B. Pullup ladders:  1-2-3-4; 1-2-3; 1-2-3; 1-2-3