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28 September 2009

What happened?

May 2008, last post. Now September 2009. What's happened:

Summer 2008, so-so strength work. Weight increase to about 175.
Fall 2008, increased work, but no improvement in getting lean. Bernadette floats the idea of a "triathlon," and I laugh.
Winter 2008: holiday eating.

Winter 2009: Bernadette floats "triathlon" again. Laughter.
February 2009: Bernadette floats "triathlon," and we start tomorrow, Feb 1.
Sprint 2009: We train for a sprint triathlon all winter. It starts very slowly, running is painful and poor; bicycling is clumsy on old bikes, swimming is new again.

As spring approaches, we start to improve. We get new bikes. We do our first "brick" in late April of 1 hour ride and 3 mile run: we can do this. It's a surprise and a revelation.

May 31: first sprint triathlon is a great experience.
Summer training through June, July, August. June run my best, July run my worst.

August 30, 2009: Tobay TRI: excellent. Best run, ever. Good biking after lots of training with power.

September 27, 2009: Cow harbor 10k - a great run. 8:15 pace. Longest run, ever.

October 3: next triathlon, Sprint in Montauk. Then - Italy biking.

Ok, caught up.

29 May 2008

Intensity

Simply must increase the intensity of these workouts. While I have been consistent, my intensity is not increasing, and if you're not increasing the intensity then you're flatlining.

My plan to do that is to create goals that anticipate more workload (reps, sets, and weight), more rapidity, and denser workouts (putting more work into a given space of time).

Today:
Romanian Deadlift: 135x12, 185x8, 235x5, 255x 5,4,5.
Kettlebell rack lunges: 40k x 10/10, 10/10, 10/10
Heavy windmills: 40kilo 10/10, 10/10, 10/10
Machine flies: 75x14, 87x12, 100x8, 112x6
One arm cable rows: 80x10, 10, 10
Curls: 35x6/6, 40 x 5/5, 5/5
Tricep press: 30x 10/10, 35 x 8/8, 8/8
stretch

14 February 2008

Last chance workout

I'm out of town for a while and will be away from the rack, so I dug in today:

Squats: 135x10, 185x10, 205x5, 225x5
Deadlifts: 185x5, 235x5, 285x2, 1, 1, 1
Dumbell MP (each hand): 50x5, 45x5, 60x1, 3, 3, 50x5, 60x3, 40x10
Windmills: 30x10, 10, 10
Sidebends: 45lb bar offset: 10, 10, 10
Machine rows: 150 x 8, 8, 8
Crunches on the ball: 12, 16, 16

12 February 2008

Update - up a notch

It's been a while since an update. Everything has been going up a notch. Adding a personal training is invaluable. Even if you are already very knowledgeable about form, regimens, and how to add strength, having someone remind you that you are not really at your limit yet makes a huge difference.

You can do more.

So, I've been doing:
More overhead work: OH squats, OH lunges, snatches, jump squats, heavy squats.

On the weekend we are working on rockclimbing - all new, but demanding for functional strength and a good strength/weight ratio.

Today:
Run the rack DB military press: 50x3, 45x6, 40x8, 35x10, 30x10, 50x3, 50x3
OH reverse lunges: 75 x 10, 10, 10, 10
OH squats: 75 x 5, 10, 10
BW dips: 12, 12, 12, 12
BW pullups 6, 6, 6, 6
Oblique lifts - 10, 10, 10 (OLY bar)

09 January 2008

Working to a goal

Christian recommended a number of exercises "around" the deadlift to ultimately improve the deadlift. This is like what I understand to be the Westside training dynamic. At any rate, I'm off:

Squats: 135 x 10; 185x 8, 8; 205 x 5, 5
Pullups: 8, 8, 8, 6
Dumbell bench, alternating: 50x 16, 18, 20, 20
Rack pull DLs: 135x12; 225x 5, 7; 275 x 4, 2
Dumbell Military press from rack position (Arnold press): 45x 16, 12, 10
Deficit Deadlift (3" platform) 135 x 8, 8, 8 to increase RoM

08 January 2008

Bernadette: Back on track

Bernadette's been down with bronchitis, so we missed freaky friday and a week of workouts. Today she rallied -- though she still has bronchitis:

No log today, but a smorgasbord: squats, jumps, good mornings, one-legged bent over rows, planks, scissor kicks, walking lunges with 10lbs, isometrics, lifts, and stretching, curls with a band. Good for her; back on track.

She doesn't read this blog, but if she did, she'd find out what I have in store for her freaky friday:

Back squats
Inverse push ups (pulls)
Heavy KB swings
reverse flies
clean and press KB

;)

07 January 2008

Recovery

My recovery workout is in preparation for next Saturday, where I have to do better with my conditioning. Today:

1a. DL: 185 x 10; 205 x 8, 10, 10
1b. Bent Press: 35 x 10, 10, 10
2a. MP Dumbell Press: 35x 16 (8 each side, alternating), 16, 16
2b. Bent over row (barbell): 135 x 5, 6, 6, 6
3. Side Press: 25 x 10; 35 x 10, 10

Stretch, situps. out.