4/29 I finally did some road work. I ran for just a little over 4 miles. Time wasn't that great, took me close to 40 minutes. I think this had more to do with not pacing myself properly. Afterwards, I hit the gym for some good ol' jump rope intermittent with some light core and leg work.
No pain no gain, man. And I'm definitely feeling it today. Mainly jus shin splints and odd parts of the quadriceps that don't get much lovin' My boss at one of my jobs is 46. He did the Ohio Tough Mudder a few weeks back. Not only did he finish, but he placed high enough to compete in nationals. He'll be competing in the pump'n'run in September, so I need to be ready for him.
This morning's workout was upper body. I've really been having a lot of fun exploring the use of these "gauntlet" sets with different exercises. Hammer strength triceps dips - 3 sets Bench press - one of these "gauntlet" sets Jump Rope superset with lat pulldowns - 3 sets Hammer Strength high rows - 3 sets Ahren's Press - a "gauntlet" - this was murder to the anterior deltoids Dumbbell Curls - another "gauntlet" set - the pumps this bigs to the biceps and bracialis are a masochistic delight. Jump Rope superset with crunches - 3 sets Ended with a guantlet set of side lateral raises.
Not really what you'd expect. He's about 6'1", medium build. I might be thrown off by the business attire. White-collar work clothes seem to be designed specifically for the fat and out of shape.
5/1 Legs Morning session: Walking Lunges - 3 sets Jump rope superset with cable crunches - 3 sets Reverse back extensions - 3 sets Squats - 3 sets Kettle Bell Swings with "the hoss" - 3 sets Afternoon Session: Jump Rope superset with aztec pushups - ~ 15 minutes Walking lunges - 2 sets Cable crunches - 2 sets 5/2 Upper Body Bench Press - "gauntlet" set with 205lbs Lat Pulldown - "gauntlet" set for shits'n'giggles. Shoulder Press - 2 sets Cable Crunches superset with front planks - 3 sets (no rest!) Jump rope superset with upright rows - 4 sets Triceps rope pushdowns - "gauntlet" set
5/3 Legs Walking Lunges superset with Aztec pushups - 3 sets Jump Rope superset with Safety Squats - 3 sets Deadlifts - 3 sets Jump rope superset with crunches - 3 sets Low Pulley glute/hip kickbacks - 3 sets Kettlebell Swings with "the hoss" (back at the apartment). I slept in and missed the chance for working out in the morning. I came in later in the evening, after the evening rush cleared out and got to work. 5/4 Upper Body Bench Press with bands - 3 sets - The bands are supposed to add 60-90lbs to the load as they stretch out. I decided to make use of them to work on my lock-outs today. T-bar Rows - 4 sets Jump Rope superset with crunches - 3 sets Straight arm pulldowns - 3 sets Hammerstrength dips superset with side lateral raises - 2 sets Dumbbell curls - 3 sets Jump rope for a few minutes to finish the workout. Hockey is later tonight. Always a good start to the weekend.
Great stuff! Im thinking about buying some bands in the near future although I havn't yet used them before, how do they feel to you?
The bands feel kinda weird the first set. It's harder to stabilize the with them, since the operate via Hooke's law (e.g. it pulls hard towards the high side of the bar), so it feels a bit more "wobbly" when you first lift off the rack. I suppose not a bad thing because it forced me to keep the bar steady as I un-racked. I had originally got them for travel (to have some sort of resistance that could easily fit in a suitcase) because I was out of town for work during (almost) the entire month of March, but I've since been trying play around with their use in the gym. I've tried them with squats in the past, but it is really difficult to anchor them with the racks at my gym and still get a decent pull. What ended up happening was the band would be totally loose at the bottom of the lift and shift, ultimately leading to a number of different issues that I felt might hurt myself.
5/5/2012 Saturday's workouts came in 2 parts. I started with the CX class, but left to stop in at work for a little while. After work, I rollerbladed for about 4 miles. 5/6/2012 Today's workout started as a track workout followed by a 2 run through the park. (~ 2 mi). The track workout was the usual run a lap and do some sort of drill, but it ended a little earlier than I had anticipated. Someone decided to make going to the track a "family event"; it gets a little frustrating when there's little kids running around and a stroller sitting idly in the middle of the track. I don't need to put up with that crap; hire a babysitter. I did 4 laps, but only 3 drills: spiderman crawls and two sets of bleachers (up 2 down 1's). I suppose it was probably a good thing I ended things early, that run really took a lot out of me.
Interesting. DB's might be a good place for bands. When I was in college, we used to wedge the smaller dumbbells (10's-20's) inside the 100's, by turning them perpendicular to the handle. You'd need a spotter to help you get the weight up without dropping them, but the lighter weights held pretty nicely.
5/7 Upper body AM workout was upper body. I forgot to record my workout and honestly don't remember what I did. I did stuff though. With heavy things. Many conversions of kinetic energy to potential energy. PM workout I went to a class for core exercises. I will be running in a race on Saturday but wanted to keep up with doing it because the workouts are surprisingly difficult. 5/8 Lower Body Felt like crap today. Maybe that class was a bit much for Monday. I started to feel better later in the day and hit up the gym in the evening, after the crowds died down. Walking Lunges - 3 sets Squats - 3 sets Jump Rope superset with cable crunches - 2 sets low pulley kickbacks - 2 sets Kettlebell swings with 'the hoss' - 3 sets
5/9 AM Upper Body Bench Press - 'gauntlet' with 225lbs Jump rope superset with lat pulldowns - 5 sets biceps curls - 'gauntlet' with 35's Arnold Press - 'gauntlet' with 45's Jump rope superset with cable crunches - 2 sets Hammer Strength Triceps dips - 3 sets PM Workout Jump rope superset with aztec pushups for about 15 minutes Jump rope superset with cable crunches - 3 sets Bicep curls - 'gauntlet' with 40's Good workouts. I was totally digging on these gauntlet sets for biceps today. They remind me of the oldschool 7-21's Arnold Schwarzeneggar used to do.
Dammit, I forgot to update again!! 5/10 AM Legs Walking Lunges - 1 set to warm up Deadlifts - 5 sets Jump rope superset with crunches - 4 sets Kettlebell swings - 3 sets PM - More Legs!!! Jump Rope superset with aztec pushups for 15 minutes Jump rope superset with cable crunches - 3 sets 2 Sets of walking lunges Squats - 3 sets This PM workout was amazing, but a horrible idea because it completely sucked the life out of me for Friday. 5/11 PM Upper Body No AM workout because I slept in - could not move! No hockey because there is some stupid 'ice show' at the rink and they have the ice reserved for the entire weekend for props and other fruity ice-show crap. I suppose this was to my advantage as I had a race to run early the next morning, and totally would have stayed up later to play hockey otherwise. Bench Press - 'gauntlet' with 205lbs Jump rope superset with Lat Pulldown - 4 sets Hammer Strength Iso-Rows - 4 sets Arnold Press superset with dumbbell curls - 3 sets Jump rope superset with side lateral raises - 3 sets Jump rope superset with cable crunches - 4 sets Triceps rope - 'gauntlet' set Jump rope for 5 minutes as a cooldown 5/12 AM Workout Saturday was the race. This was my first time competing in a 5k race. I placed 6th overall, with a time of 23:04... it was a small venue. That's a fairly mediocre pace for a competative runner, which I don't consider myself as one. It was nicely done, though, and had a very positive/encouraging environment, which I liked. Everyone was cheered on as they crossed the finish line, including the guy who finished dead last. I like that. PM Workout I hit up the local track for a track workout. My girlfriend has been trying to get in better shape, and I decided to impose a reward yourself for working hard mentality with her. So we did a lightened version of one of my track workouts before going out to dinner. 5/13 Rollerbladed 4 miles with my Dad. It's my mission to keep him in shape for next hockey season. Later, I went to the gym. Jump rope superset with aztec pushups for about a half hour (that's a workout in and of itself) Jump rope superset with cable crunches - 3 sets 10 minutes on the elliptical.
5/14 Upper Body Bench Press - 'gauntlet' with 205lbs Lab Pulldowns - 3 sets T-bar Rows - 3 sets Hammer Strength Triceps Dips - 3 sets Ahren's Press superset with Dumbbell Curls - 3 sets Jump Rope superset with cable crunches - 4 sets Jumpe Rope superset with pullups (bodyweight) - 3 sets 5/15 Legs Walking Lunges - 2 sets Squats - 5 sets Jump Rope superset with crunches - 3 sets Reverse back extensions - 3 sets Deadlifts - 3 sets Jump rope for 5 minutes to cool down.
Alright, 5 days worth of updates. 5/16 AM - Upper Body Hammer Strength Dips Machine - 3 sets Dumbbell Shoulder Press superset with Biceps curls - 3 sets Jump rope superset with cable crunches - 3 sets T-bar rows - a 'gauntlet' set with 2 plates Bench press - a 'gauntlet' set with 185lbs PM Jump rope and Aztec's 5/17 AM Legs Walking Lunges - 1 set Front Squat - 3 sets Jump rope superset with leg extensions - 3 sets Jump ropes superset with crunches - 3 sets low pulley kickbacks - 3 sets kettlebell swings with 'the hoss' - 5 sets PM Jump Rope and Aztec's 5/18 AM - Upper Body Bench Press - 'gauntlet' set with 225lbs followed followed by a widow-maker with 185lbs. Jump rope superset with lat pulldowns- 4 sets Dumbbell shoulder press superset with dumbbell curls - 2 sets Tripces rope pushdowns superset with cable crunches - 3 sets T-bar rows - 3 sets jump rope superset with aztec's for 10 minutes PM - Ice Hockey 5/19 Helped some friends move out of their 3rd story apartments and into another 3rd story apartment. Not a lot of people showed up to help. Took over 5 hours! Then I jumped rope and did calisthenics for 45 minutes. Exhausting day. Felt good. 5/20 Rollerbladed ~4 mi Went to the track for a mini track workout Ran a lap and did a bleachers drill 1 - ascent: up 2 down 1's descent: jump up as high as you can, land soft on the next step, stand up and repeat. 2 - ascent: up 2's descent: jump up as high as you can, land soft on the next step, stand up and repeat. 3 - ascent: stutter-step (it's a footspeed drill) : jump up as high as you can, land soft on the next step, stand up and repeat. 4 - ascent: straight sprint descent: jump up as high as you can, land soft on the next step, stand up and repeat.
Need to cut down on some of these mega-posts. Nobody wants to read 'em and i dread typing 'em. 5/21/2012 AM - Upper Body Bench press - gauntlet with 205lbs jump rope superset with lat pulldowns - 3 sets hammer strength dips - 3 sets Side laterals superset with jump rope - 4 sets Low pulley rows - 3 sets Jump rope superset with crunches - 2 sets bicep curls - 4 sets PM Attended the CX Class. Then I went to work brush up on my lacrosse skills. Looking into signing up for a summer men's league, but definitely a little out of practice. 5/22/2012 Legs Squats - 3 sets Walking lunges - 2 sets Jump rope superset with cable crunches - 3 sets Dumbbell deadlifts - 3 sets Jump Rope ~ 5 minutes Kettlebell Swings with 'the hoss' - 2 sets
