Becoming an Athlete

Holy cow!  I'm actually down to a rock solid 214 lbs, and can run 5 miles for the first time since in 15 years.  My deadlift has suffered but my squat strength continues to climb.  Sadly, I've reached a point of dimishing returns on my whole-body or even half-body routines.  I'm now squarely in the realm of split routines. Here's the thing.  I HATE bodybuilding.  I hate going for a pump.  I much prefer seeing the pounds increase on big basic movements, and combining dissimilar lifts in gut-wrenching fat-burning strength circuits.  But now, my recovery ability has improved to the point that I just need a bit more volume in any given muscle group to see cosmetic or even strength changes.  So split it is.   Back to the best framework I know for rapid size & strength gains: 8 Days A Week This is my favorite split routine.  Its basically two 4-day cycle:  3-on, 1-off Cycle 1: Day 1: Chest (strength), Shoulders (size), Tra...

One of the benefits of  being a single parent with no significant other is that it is easy too be maniacly focused on your goals.  I'm down to a solid 215, can lift for hours, run for miles, and swim a mile all in the same day. The two training modes that still crush me, in the moment and days afterwards, are kettlebells and parkour (i.e. gymnastics meets obstacles course). I strongly believe the kettlebell sessions and running are responsible for the fat loss.  And the parkour work has made me so much more agile, flexible, and 'dynamic'.  Olympic lifts are so much more natural.  Plyos are easier and more explosive. The basic framework has been this: Mon AM:  easy jog (2min jog / 1 min walk) Mon PM: push + pull (mostly 5x5.  minimal accessory work and done for 1 set of Rest Pause) Tue AM: walk Tue PM: Legs (lots of unilateral volume, then front squat 5x5, then back squat 3 x 30) Wed AM: easy jog (2min jog / 1 min walk) Wed PM: 1 hr parkour fo...

I set my sights low and blew it out of the water.  That may not sound like a huge accomplishment, but there is something to be said for "challenging but realistic" goal setting. My training sessions were brief and I gradually ratched up the intensity, both by increased weights, and decreased rest periods.  I added running half way in and am now adapted to doing both activities twice a week with Parkour on Wednesdays. Next phase is my own abbreviated beast mode.  I don't have time for 4-5 days in the gym.  I do have time to kill it in the gym on Mondays and Fridays.  Tuesday and Thursday remains running.  Wednesday remains parkour / bodyweight / kettlebell conditioning.  Saturday remains adventure day: hiking, biking, competitions, whatever. I'll start publishing the details of my sessions again, as they will actually be noteworthy.

I've been incredibly consistent and even started running 2 - 3 times a week.  I'm getting stronger, dropping fat, and seeing my endurance go up.  This is the last week of my reboot phase.  Next week I take it into a higher gear.  Basic schedule remains unchanged: Monday: whole body strength training Tuesday: running Wednesday: Parkour and kettlebells Thursday: running Friday: whole body strength training Saturday: running Sunday: off

jump rope:  10 x 1min on / 1min off Kettlebell military press:  80lb x 3,2,1,4,3,2,1 Complex with 50lb kettlebell:  5 rounds of a. Snatch x 5 per arm b. high pull x 5 per arm c. 1-arm swing x 5 per arm d. two arm swing x 10 Finisher: a. 50lb 2-arm Swing:  Countdown b. 50lb Goblet squat: Countdown c. Pushup: countdown Jump rope:  2 x 2min on / 1min off

Yup, I may not be as bloggerific as I once was, but I've been training consistently the last 2 weeks.  The general flow has been this: Monday: brief whole body workout, starting with a mini-metcon focusing on Abs, Biceps, and movement drill (e.g. burpees), then basic strength work, then super-setting lots of squats and pushups. Tuesday:  Running Wednesday:  Parkour gym, so lots of handstands, jumping, agility drills, swinging, tumbling, then killing myself for an hour with one or two kettlebells Thursday: Running Friday: brief whole body workout, starting with a mini-metcon focusing on Abs, Biceps, and movement drill (e.g. burpees), then basic strength work, then super-setting lots of squats and pushups. Saturday:  Whatever challenge I can come up with.  Last weekend I went for a 6 mile hike carrying a 68 pound backpack.  This weekend, who knows.

So I've been dating a lovely woman for a couple of months, and it has certainly taken time away from the gym.  Its a great relationship and we truly enjoy each other's company and each other's kids.  But it is taking me some mental adjusting to become OK with not training 5-6 days a week any time I feel like it.  Being single makes one incredibly selfish, because you only have to answer to yourself. This has caused me to reevaluate my training and find new ways to reach balance in my life.  One areas that was taking a hit was sleep quality and duration.  I'm dialing it back in and find that as I get closer to 8 hrs a night, my body fat levels and injuries go down. On the flip side of that, since I've been sleep deprived, I've lost muscle, gained fat, hurt my back twice, experience knee pain in the knee that had surgery, and sweat a lot more during less intense work. So to get things back on track I've started working on efficiency and time management. ...