22/feb Felt a tweak in my lower back this morning so I stuck to light stretching/core rotations this afternoon. Took the dogs on our usual run,3m,no intervals.Pleasant evening,still just about light at 6pm and finished with some taiji and ba duan jin.
23/feb Just light core work again this afternoon.Head,shoulder,waist,knee and ankle rotations,wall and floor stretching,low squats. Then taiji ;some silk reeling, lao joia sections 1,2,3, ba duan jin 5 mins shadowboxing,moving around bag Went swimming with my youngest daughter,lower back feeling more relaxed, nothing serious,just did a few lengths and mucked about. (Letting my mind wander I pondered the similarities between swimming and taiji; circular movements,co-ordinated/regulated breathing,smoothness and economy of motion etc) I've used a xmas amazon voucher and ordered starting strength by mark rippetoe,recommended by FOD.Had a look online and liked the clear concise direction and reasoned approach which hopefully,with the seasoned advice from other regulars here(for which I'm grateful !),will help me optimise my lifting routine. I would like to strengthen muscles around lumbar/lower back and am going to concentrate on squats with more sets of fewer reps at lower load then slowly build it up. Also had a look at the dan john book which looks great but can only afford one at the moment so that'll have to sit on my reading list for now. 25 min walk at dusk for the dogs
Not bad for a Non Educated Delinquent Glad the lower back is better - always scary when one begins to feel things slipping in there.
Nice one, the starting strength book is pretty good for describing the main lifts, several accessory lifts, and a method of putting them together in to a programme - all pretty useful stuff!
24/feb Late finish tonight so just a 20 min walk in the dark for dogs 8xpull ups(palms out) 5 min skip(1min run on spot,1 min khan khan ,1 min side straddle 1min base jump,30 secs high knees,30 secs sprint) 30xpressups(fingers) 3x10 leg raises(up together,down separate etc) plank 1.5 min bar; back squats 3x5 20 oh press 5x3 20 upright rowing 3x5 20 front squat 5x3 20 bicep curl 3x5 16 pair db's standing flies 3x5 6 chest flies 3x5 6 single db; oh press 2x10 6 1x5 6 floor press 3x10 6 oh ext,dble handed 1x10 8 3x5 8 single arm row 1x50 8 5min skip (1 min run on spot,cross hands x 3 turns,1 min alternate high knee 1 min telemark,1 min khan khan,30secs high knee,30 secs sprint) 12xpull ups(palms in) 3x10 diamond press ups, 3x10 leg raises(as before) plank 1.5 min
25/feb Run with dogs(dry and clear,starry evening) 1m 30x push ups(fingers) 3x10 leg raises plank 1.5min 1m 30x push ups(wrists) 3x10 leg raises plank 1.5min 1m (no end sprint-too dark to be safe from injury!) Quick bite to eat,then straight off to taiji.
26/feb Still taking things easy while the tension in my lower back eases.Got 'starting strength' in the post today; I'm dropping the bar exercises for now until I've had a chance to read up on everything I've been doing wrong ! Also will be dropping the weights slightly for a slower more relaxed(but defined) routine. Run with dogs 1m 30xpressups(fingers) 3x10 leg raises side plank 45secs each side plank 1.5 min 1m 8xpull ups(palms out) 5mins skip(1min base jump,1min khan khan,1min side straddle, 1 min run on spot,30secs high knees,30secs sprint) Pair db's; standing flies 3x5 4 chest flies 3x5 4 bicep curls 2x10 4 2x5 4 Single db; oh press 3x10 6 single arm row 1x50 6 oh ext.dble hand 3x10 6 12xpull ups(palms in) 5 mins shadowbox(last minute straight blasts) Neck,shoulder,waist,knee,ankle rotations,arm swings,squats,floor leg stretches Ba duan jin
10st 12lb at the moment,aiming for a few pounds less but I eat pretty much what I like(within reason and no booze in the week ! ). Not quite sure if they count as pull ups if I'm not fully extending my arms between each rep-does that make it a chin up? Either way I do one set palms facing out (more difficult) and one set palms facing in.
Nice going Hate to break it to you, though, but you'd probably get more (effort/improvement, fewer reps) out of going from a dead hang, up to sternum to the bar, with a good squeeze at the top and hang at the bottom... As it's the full range of motion it should be the same, repeatable event each time, meaning you can properly judge progress (more full reps = stronger/better strength endurance) If these are too much, then you can use a bit of a jump to get your chest to the bar, squeeze and hold at the top, then slowly control on the way down (I call them negatives)... So if you set a goal of 10 in a set, can do 6 full and on the 7th you don't get to the bar, I'd do 4 negatives and record it as "6+4", then try for 7+3 next time, 8+2 etc etc
As I suspected ! My trouble is that the only place to fix a bar in my shed is across the rafters which won't allow a lift much above my chin and at a dead hang my toes are just scraping the floor.Guess I can fully extend my arms for the drop and just go as high as I can without bumping my head ! (and add the squeeze and hang). Cheers mate ,let you know how I get on...
@bubs: kind of like this: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tActxtAWdk8&feature=youtube_gdata_player"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tActxtAWdk8&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/ame] Although I allow my elbows to fully extend at the bottom, and hold myself at the top position for a service or so while squeezing my shoulder blades together (my own cue is 'bog chest') Unfortunately it means I can only get 5-7 even when fresh! @ned: provided you can get your chin over the bar without cranking your head back (to reach your chin to the bar) you should be fine. Also, I think more about pulling my elbows to the floor, rather than myself to the bar...
27/feb 4xProper pull ups (with dead hang,had to slightly bend my legs to avoid touching the floor) 5 mins skipping,freestyle 10xchin ups(without full arm extension,palms in) pair db's; chest flies 3x5 4 bicep curls 3x10 4 standing flies 5x3 4 hammer curls 3x5 4 single db(each arm in turn) oh press 1x10 6 3x5 6 single arm row 1x50 6 oh ext.dble handed 3x10 6 floor press 1x10 6 3x5 6 30xpush ups(fingers) 3x10 leg raises plank 1.5 min pull ups x4 3x10 deep squats,paused at btm 6xchin ups(palms out) 20 min walk for dogs then off to kf class.
Run with dogs(cloudy,dark,light drizzle) 1m 30xpress ups(fingers) 3x10 leg raises 30xsquats plank 1.5min 25xstarjumps 1m 30xpress ups(wrists) 3x10 leg raises 30xsquats plank 1.5min 25xstarjumps 1m,sprint(not much against driving headwind/rain !) Going to resume with the bar routine tomorrow,everything feeling good now,after cutting myself some slack for a week. I've been reading starting strength and found I've been doing some things right(foot placement,depth of squat)and others wrong(thumbs under bar,wrist not in line with forearm)-no surprise there ! Could mean that I was overloading the bar so I'll stick to comfortable weights for now while I continue my self-education. Thing I've picked up from reading other logs is the importance of efficient training,in terms of energy and time spent, which is my next challenge.
01/march Run with dogs;clear bright evening sky,still and quiet,perfect for running,felt light on my feet 1m 3x10 leg raises 30x squats plank 1.5min 25x star jumps(little dog likes these-barking and trying to join in ! ) 30x press ups(fingers) 1m 3x10 leg raises 30x squats plank 1.5min 25x star jumps 30x press ups(wrists) 1m,sprint last 50 ba duan jin 5x pull ups bar; oh press 3x5 20 bk squat 3x5 20 upright rows 3x5 20 ft squat 3x5 20 bicep curl 3x5 20 10x chin ups(palms out) pair db's; standing flies 5x3 4 chest flies 3x5 4 hammer curls 3x5 4 bicep curls 3x10 4 single db; oh press 3x10 6 single arm row 1x50 6 oh ext,dble handed 3x10 6 floor press 3x10 6 5 mins on bag ,have topped it up with some sand, did some conditioning;backfists,ridgehand,singles and together,straight blast sunfists
You're doing 50 single arm rows ( at 6 kilos ) is there a reason for that number at that weight ( i.e., why not 25 rows at 12 kilos?) BTW - you're getting some serious activity on you log!
What Belltoller said about the activity level! Also, I'd be tempted to drop the DB stuff for now and replace it with more chin/pull ups and more bar work. Be careful with upright bar rows, especially if you have a narrow grip (number 2 in this, although I don't agree with the whole list - BTN press is ok if you have the shoulder ROM...) http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/five_exercises_you_should_stop_doing_forever Do bent over rows instead: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz1ep9Oaq3s&feature=youtube_gdata_player"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz1ep9Oaq3s&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/ame] You might also consider adding Romanian Deadlifts too, this would mean you have: push ups (horizontal push) Pull ups (vertical pull) OH press (vertical push) Back squat (squat) Pendlay rows (horizontal pull) Front squat (moar squat! This is good) Romanian Deadlifts (hip hinge) Run (gait) Now, if you do some one armed or one legged (or both at the same time!) planks you have 'twist' (well, resistance to twist) Those would cover a lot of the 'primal movements', although I've left off lunge - lunges, split squats and rear foot elevated split squats are all good too if you have the time! Good work mate!
Thanks guys,I appreciate the advice and that you keep an eye on my routine. @belltoller; I'm a creature of habit, the only reason it's 50 is that was about my limit when I first started messing about with freeweights(a long time ago-I only recently dug the bar out of the attic.)My approach so far has been to only lift whats comfortable while I get myself a bit more clued up ! @harryf; Thought I'd stick to squats until I "ve got a bit further in starting strength,(next chapter is deadlifts).I like the idea of dropping some db stuff(which I can cover with bar i.e oh press ? )and doing more pull ups/dips etc. Plank variations also sound good -have to hand it to you for your depth of knowledge across this whole range of areas of training,glad I can help improve my routine through your previous hard work.and experience .
Thanks that's very flattering, but I'm only repeating what I've gathered from others (on MAP, utoobz, in person and books (Starting Strength being one!)) - what can I say, I'm a sharer! Good idea with following the instruction in SS, I like Rip's description of how to deadlift, it seems to work pretty well for me