The Git's Coronary Bypass Bypass

Cod liver oil. Its hard to believe that the little stretching and medicine ball work that I did the other day did such a number on me but I reckon that be the cause.

Not having the muscle lock-ups today but very stiff and sore.

 

05.01.15

Spent the entire day in bed with fever, chills, upset stomach.

Great beginning to the new year...

 

Oh bless you .

I've made you some middle class cure-all potion.

 

Sorry to hear that mate,hope you're up and about giving that bag hell again soon :fight1: !

 

Well, whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. So you should be damn near Superman by the time you kick this. :weightlifter:

Get well, Brother.

 

Thanks much, fellows!

 

06.01.15

After sleeping 10 - 12 hours, I was abruptly awakened by an unimaginably horrific noise - a ship-to-shore signaler blasted a few feet away from me. My wife being out of town, it was my duty to get our youngest off to school and in my fever/delirium, my son was unable to rouse me and decided to use the foghorn as a last-ditch desperate measure.

It worked. Images of the Titanic barreling down on some jagged iceberg lasted with me the entire day.

Felt better but still stomach pangs and had, as LemonSloth so eloquently put it, nasty belches that tasted of yesterday's vomit and the dodgy curry from a fortnight ago.

Still recovering from pulled/strained leg muscles from the last session near a week ago, I decided to refrain from going to class and wind up hobbled again. Hopefully I can make Thursday's session.


Nothing but light resistance band stretches today: hamstring, calves, inner thigh/adductor, I.T. band, quadriceps and hip flexors.

 

08.01.15

Still fairly stiff - another light session today. Stretching with the bands as before.

I then started off with basic squats and feeling good afterwards, squats with dumbells (no press from shoulder). Alternated each set of squats with pushups and weighted squats with crunches - had a suprisingly difficult time with the crunches. Having strong abs was always one of my stronger points...beginning to worry the low testosterone is eroding my core strength. Make note to call doc for further testing...



Squats....................................10 (3 sets)

Squats (11.4kg dumbells).........10 (3 sets)

Pushups..................................10 (3 sets)

Crunches.................................10, 8, 8 (3 sets)

Bagwork (70lb).............3min 30 sec (rest) 2 Sets

The focus on bagwork was simply to keep moving around the bag and try to be mindful of the mechanics of my feet and movements with the bag - one of my problem areas. Shots were on the lighter side for the most part as I wanted to be able to do a second set of each without compromising footwork, which is always the first to go when I'm winded.
​

• jab to head, cross to body
• jab to body, cross to body
• straight right to body, left hook to head
• straight left to body, right hook, left hook
• jab to head, cross to head, left bodyshot, right bodyshot, left uppercut, right uppercut (warn't really bothering with setting up bodyhooks properly here, though I should, this is boxcercise today)

Stretches with Bands

Same as I began - a bit more slowly, a bit more relaxed.

​

Hopefully, I can progress enough to be able to get back into boxing class by Tuesday - I've already missed a full two sessions now.

 

Have you tried sticking short, light isometric tensions at the end of your stretches? The increase in strength might help guard you against possible further hammie nastiness.

 

When I popped my hamstring last year and it healed up - I began doing those regularly to prevent another snap. Unfortunately, lately I've left off. I'll start incorporating those again. I understand one shouldn't do the same muscle group under two days apart.

 

10.01.15

First session:

50lb of Pennington Bird Seed (durn't settle at the bottom) up and down the flight (12) stairs to our basement - fireman's carry 5 flights, 1min rest; left shoulder carry - staircase lunges up, 3 flights, 1min rest; right should carry - staircase lunges up, 3 flights, 1 min rest; curl carry 4 flights

TBC

 

10.01.15

Session II

Chin ups from Dead Hang utilising Harry's slow negatives techniques

2 full chin ups, grab the extended jump box - jump up to the bar, pull to chest height, hold 3 seconds, lower to dead hang over 5 seconds ( that gets wobbly after a couple ), rinse and repeat for 5 more, though by the time I'm doing my 5th and 6th negative, I'm coming down a bit quicker than 5 seconds

Went back down a couple of hours later and repeated the process, still two full dead hang pull ups, the slow negatives were actually a bit less wobbly and more controllable, to my surprise.

Speed bag - really enjoy this and have gotten fairly good on it ( thanks to coaching from one of my sons ) though there's a bit of timing problems with the right at times. ~ 5 minutes

TBC - this is one of those cobbled together days. Is there anything else? I've learnt that when I bother to plan out a progressive routine, either some family issue comes up, something breaks that need immediate repair or I get sick.


​

 

10.01.15

Session III

dumbells (11.4 kg).........................Reps..........Sets

• lateral raises.............................5 (1st set) 3 (2 sets)
• push press (remember to breath)...12(1st) 10 (2 sets)
• front raise (my neck sure feels these) 12 (1st) 10 (2 sets)
• hammer curls.............................17............3 sets
• triceps kick back.........................23 (each arm)...3 sets

dumbells (15.9 kg).........................Reps..........Sets

• bench press..............................15 (1st) 10 (2 sets)

Jump box

• Front jump alternating with lateral jump...3 min 30sec rest 3 sets

Question for you ... are the dumbell bench presses a waste of time? For that matter, do any of you see any of the routines above that need to be dropped for something better/more productive?









​

 

Nope. Simon hit it on the head far better than I can on this one. At the end of the day, if it works for you and you're happy to do them, then go for it. Lifting is lifting (almost) regardless of what kit you're lifting with IMO and you're safer with dumbbells than a barbell.

Plus, there's a fair few times lately I've watched guys who get great presses with a barbell who can't press the same weight with dumbbells. Which always tickles me.

Weighted walks .

Nah, I jest.

Actually your routine seems pretty good to me on the whole. I know some folks don't like tricep kickbacks but they do get the job done.

If anything, I'd be tempted to throw in a set of Kroc rows for maximum perversion at the end of the set . But that's just me.

 

Oh, I like your approach, Simon!

 

Simon and Sloth both nailed it: if it works, keeping doing it!

I've heard that bench with dumb bells is actually better than the bar because it forces you to use your shoulders and triceps more to stabilize the weight. The bar concentrates more on the chest muscles with a little help from the triceps.

As martial artists, we train for functional strength so any exercise that engages multiple muscle groups is probably more desirable than spot a single one.

 

You can also eat a Mars bar with your free hand.

Dumbbells for the win!

PS
Belltoller, what TV show is your avatar from?

 

Deep fried Mars bar while lifting...hmmm...now that's shooting the horse one is riding into town on, lol. Nahhh...I've enough health problems as it is.

That's Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys - a Canadian show.

Quite a character, him; but lately he's been getting me into trouble here with some of his nefarious activities.