Bod’s feeling good, chest is feeling tight but not sore from Monday. Triceps are toast though. Heh 
Warmup: 12min elliptical
Assisted Pullup: 108×12/10/7
Assisted Chin: 108×6
Assisted PGrip: 108×6
Low Cable Row: 90×8/8/8/8
Hi Cable Row: 90×8/6/6
Bent Knee Raise: 15/12/10
Spin: 30 min
Stretch
SSS: 20 min
Calories: -820
Today marks the beginning of the strength phase of my three month training plan. After a month of low intensity, aerobic foundation training, I’m excited to move some iron for a change. (Not as much iron as my ego like, but ya gotta start somewhere.)
I’ll go detail the plan in a later post, but it’s basically a month of low-intensity aerobic work, followed by a month of strength training, with a month to specialize, focus on weak areas and taper for the event.
For those that think weightlifting doesn’t count as aerobic exercise, just check the HR graph – almost all of the energy spent in this workout was generated aerobically, not just when spinning.
Warmup: 12min elliptical
Assisted Dips: 108×15, 90×10/10/10
Incline Press: 50×8/8/8/8 (pingy shoulder)
DB Pullover: 30×10/6/6
Cable Cross: 30×10/10/10
Spin: 55min
Stretch
Calories: -1040
Weak! Shoulder issues
Weight: 211
10:15 am
Assisted pull-up & dip Supersets: 5
Bent-knee raises: 3×15
Plank: 2x1min
Steam/Hottub: 5 min
Total calories: -400
Low energy day so just hit chest and back to balance out the cycling a bit
My lower back has been pretty stiff lately – in addition to adjusting to new training loads, I whacked it on one of those wall-mounted hooks that hold the sprayers at the car wash last week (ouch), so today I decided to change it up and ride the recumbant for an hour.
Book in hand, I sat down and pedaled for an hour, finding it surprisingly easy to keep my HR low and in my aerobic zone (note the flat HR graph above). I sometimes struggle with this, as my natural wont is to go-go-go and it usually takes a concerted mental effort on the bike to keep it low and slow… EZ PZ on the recumbant.
If you haven’t tried one before, I recommend it. It also makes it easier to read a book while riding, which helps the indoor training time pass more quickly…
Weight: 209.2
2:00pm
Recumbant: 1 hour
Total calories: -563
Many of us resolve to get in better shape, eat healthier, take better care of our bodies every New Year’s Eve. These resolutions often have strong beginnings (ever notice how much busier gyms are the first week in January?) but will often fade after a week or two. Life gets busy, people get sore, tired, or lose motivation to train.
I would bet that most people who resolve to get in better shape for 2010 haven’t been working out much in 2009 – working out isn’t a habit for them. While there’s no hard and fast rule on how long It takes to break a habit, plan on it taking about three weeks. Time to break the habit of NOT working out and create a new, more positive habit OF working out.
Three weeks to change your life for the better – who can’t do that? You CAN do it. Commit to it, make it a priority, and see how your life changes for the better: Better mental outlook, better sleep patterns, better body composition (less fat/more muscle), better self-image and thus more confidence. In short, a better, more enjoyable life.
Here’s a simple solution that will help you make it through the habit transition time, make your workouts more enjoyable, and make the time pass more quickly – group workouts. Here’s why groups are a great way to get (and keep) you going:
- Group workouts have a set time so you know you’re supposed to be there. By registering for them, you have an implied social obligation to show up.
- You can make new friends or go with existing ones. Either way, you’ll know people who are going to be there. Just about everything is more fun with friends.
- Time flies when you’re playing. Whether it’s a spinning class, aerobics, zumba, dance, yoga or a host of other options, you won’t notice the time go by as much when you’re in the company of others.
- Everyone is there for the same reason. Whether you’re just starting out or training for a specific event, each and every person in the class is only there to improve themselves.
- Competition and social pressure. While you may not naturally be endowed with that ‘competitive spirit’, by being in the same room with a bunch of people trying to do the same thing you are doing can often fire an unexpected, perhaps primal, urge to outdo them. Maybe less so if they are total strangers (hence the suggestion to make new friends) but nonetheless we are all human beings with an innate survival instinct. Take advantage of your biology!
Time and time again research has shown that the true “magic pill” for human beings is exercise. As humans have moved into the Information Age, we have so much available to us, at our very fingertips, that we no longer need to be active to survive. But we need to be active to thrive, our bodies need exercise to function properly.
It IS that simple. Overweight? Don’t take some pharmaPill, make better food choices and get active. Back hurting? Don’t rely on drugs, strengthen your abs and back through exercise. Want to add distance to your golf game? Don’t get a new driver, get a gym membership. I know that I can drive the ball 20 yards further when I’m working out regularly.
BIG REMINDER: Don’t overdo it! Listen to your body! Ease into working out. If you’ve been inactive for a while, try starting out with a 30 minute walk every other day. Feel ok? Do it every day. Not willing to go every day? Up your walk time to an hour. If you’re hitting the weights, take it easy for a few weeks – your body needs to adapt and adjust to the new workload you’re putting upon it. You won’t feel like going back if you’re so sore you can’t move. Make it a habit, a regular part of your life. It’s not a sprint for instant results, think of it as a lifelong marathon – slow and steady wins the race.
It will probably take some sacrificing on your part – be mentally ready to give something up. If you’re not willing to give up after work happy hours, have kids, or often have to work late, consider getting up an hour earlier to get your workout in before the demands of the day kick in. (If you’re efficient, you only have to get up 35-40 minutes earlier to get in a 30 minute walk!)
Always remember to embrace your victories! For some, just making it to the gym or a group class should be considered a win. For others, just finishing the class is a win. See how far you can go this year and amaze yourself at the changes you can accomplish!!
Have a happy, healthy and fit and fun 2010!!
FitBob
Weight: 204.4
9:45am
DIdn’t train yesterday due to family/holiday stuff. Took advantage of the extra recovery day to go heavy today.
Warmup: elliptical, 11min
Deadlifts: 135×10, 225×4/6/6, 135×10
Smith Squats: 135×8, 226×6, 315×6 (half), 135×12
Barbell Shrug: 135×10/10/10/10
Spinning: 36min – was going to stop at :30, but kept going to hit -1000 cals =)
Stretch: ~8min
Steam: 5min
Total calories: -1080
Total weight: 6300 deads + 5940 squats + 6750 shrugs = 18990 pounds
Forearms limited deads/shrugs weight until switched to mixed grip, need to get straps
Weight: 203.6
10:00am
Woke up with DOMS in lats and tris. Definitely feeling the effects of the negative chins yesterday… hello growth!
Warmup: elliptical, 11m/-100 cals
45deg. Incline DB Press: 30×12, 45×6/6, 35×9
45 deg. Incline DB Bent Arm Flye: 30×8/6/8/4 (const. tension)
Cable Crossover Low: 40×12, 50×10/8/8
Hanging back stretches: 4x30sec
Crunches: 25/25/25 (legs up)
Stretch
5 min steam
10 min hot tub soak
Total cals: -530
Good session, the boy kicked butt on pushups – 5 sets of 10, his PB. Good workout partner!
Weight: 204.0
9:45am
Warmup: elliptical, 11m/-110 cals
Parallel Grip Chins: 6/5/4 (negatives)
Wide Grip Front Pulldowns: 80×12, 120×6, 110×6, 100×9
Close Grip Low Cable Row: 120×6, 110×8/8/6+2
Low Cable Curl: 50×12, 100×3, 80×8/6 (constant tension)
Wide Grip Barbell Curl: 45×10/10/10 (constant tension)
Dumbell Hammer Curl: 20×6/6/6 (negatives)
DB Twisty Curl: 10×8 (flush/isolate)
Spinning: 21min with 10min backwards pedalling
Stretch
Steam: 10min superhot
Total cals: -790
Destroyed back and bis, great mind-muscle connection, really felt the fibers strain/stretch/rip. Finished shower with 30sec supercold hand rinse
Weight: 204
10:20am
Warmup: elliptical, 11m/-110cal
BB Upright Row: 45×15, 65×12/10/8, 45×15
BB Shrug: 135×12/10/10/10 (weak grip strength)
DB Front Raise: 10×10/10/10/10 (squeeze/focus on contraction)
Tricep Rope Pulldowns: 50×8/6/6
superset w/
1-arm Reverse Pulldowns: 30×10/6/6
Close Grip Cable Pressdowns: 40×15, 80×12/12/11
Bent Leg Ab Raise: 20/15/14
6# bar Twists: 50
Spin: 20m, easy/flush
Stretch
Steam: 5m superhot
-900 cals
Good workout, great pump! Still feel shoulders/arms stretching the skin an hour later. Back & Bis tomorrow!
Weight: 202.8
9:30am
Up at 6:30, had a protein shake, extra scoop of Superpump 250 at 9ish. Hit legs pretty hard, got a bit light-headed at one point, likely due to low glucose levels – no carbs this morning, didn’t eat enough last night.
Slow lifts today: 1 second lift + 3 second negatives
Also had low BP/HR throughout workout – monitor to see if just a one-off event, or possibly overtraining.
Warmup: elliptical, 10min/-100cal
Cybex Leg Press Machine: 90×15, 210×10, 310×8/6, 150×15
Cybex Leg Extension: 50×10, 110×10/10/9
Cybex Seated Leg Curl: 70×12, 110×8/7/6
Cybex Seated Calf Raise: 210×10, 390×4, 310×6 (light headed)
Spin/flush: 30min
Stretched legs
5min steam
Total cals: -730