Monday

Renegade Rows

That feeling you get after a workout when you are a little woozy, your whole body feels heavy, and you're not really sure if you should walk. That's the one. That's how we were when we finished this workout.

We wanted to come back to the Renegade Rows, that seemed so simple and turned out to be quite difficult. It really is a multiple-area exercise: chest-back-abs. But since it doesn't work legs much, this allowed me to bring in something I've really wanted to add: box jumps. We want to make sure we can still move around and jumping is definitely something that builds 'functional' skills.

We settled on 5 circuits. We definitely paid for it.

For the first time in a while, sometime during the fourth circuit when I probably looked like I wasn't going to make it, Rich said, "This was your damn idea."
"Yeah, it was."

Monday's Fresh Hell
Jumping Jacks x 10
Renegade Rows x 10 @ 8# (pushup + dumbbell row 5/5)
Myotatic Crunch x 20 (Bosu Ball)
Box Jump x 10 @ 12"
Plank x 30 secs
 - 1 minute rest
Jumping Jacks x 10
Renegade Rows x 10 @ 8#
Myotatic Crunch x 20 (Bosu Ball)
Box Jump x 10 @ 12"
Plank x 30 secs
- 1 minute rest
Jumping Jacks x 10
Renegade Rows x 10 @ 8#
Myotatic Crunch x 20
Box Jump x 10 @ 12"
Plank x 30 secs
- 1 minute rest
Jumping Jacks x 10
Renegade Rows x 10 @ 8#
Myotatic Crunch x 20
Box Jump x 10 @ 12"
Plank x 30 secs
- 1 minute rest
Jumping Jacks x 10
Renegade Rows x 10 @ 8#
Myotatic Crunch x 20
Box Jump x 10 @ 12"
Plank x 30 secs

This one beat us down solidly. We sat for quite a while before we tried to leave.



Thursday

Wouldn't Be Much of a Workout

An excellent, exhausting workout.

- Taking the Friday off, so we added in our run, & did 5 x 220 yds for the first time.
- Burpees because we hate them, and the Mike Rowe video.
- Finally got my anniversary present: a 1 pood (35-pound) kettlebell, so we worked it in.
- Two different ab exercises: the crunch for the top and the twist for the bottom.
- No breaks during each circuit, and only about a minute between circuits.
- Five circuits, so twenty-five total sets, in right at 30 minutes.

I noticed a warning on the treadmill panel that said to stop exercising if you experienced pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or nausea.  If we stopped whenever we felt these, there wouldn't be much of a workout, would there?

Thursday
Run x 220 yds @ 7.5 mph (treadmill)
Burpees x 5
Toe Touch/Leg Raise x 10
Two-arm Kettlebell Swings x 5 @ 35#
Russian Twist x 10 @ 18# med ball

Run x 220 yds @ 7.5 mph
Burpees x 5
Toe Touch/Leg Raise x 10
Two-arm Kettlebell Swings x 5 @ 35#
Russian Twist x 10 @ 18# med ball

Run x 220 yds @ 7.5 mph
Burpees x 5
Toe Touch/Leg Raise x 10
Two-arm Kettlebell Swings x 5 @ 35#
Russian Twist x 10 @ 18# med ball

Run x 220 yds @ 7.5 mph
Burpees x 5
Toe Touch/Leg Raise x 10
Two-arm Kettlebell Swings x 5 @ 35#
Russian Twist x 10 @ 18# med ball

Run x 220 yds @ 7.5 mph
Burpees x 5
Toe Touch/Leg Raise x 10
Two-arm Kettlebell Swings x 5 @ 35#
Russian Twist x 10 @ 18# med ball

 Took us a while to be able to drive home.

Wednesday

Morning Run

The continuing saga of completing running a mile run.

Tuesday Morning (on vacation, no less)
Walked 220 yards
Ran 660 yards (below 10-minute pace)
Walked 440 yards
Ran 660 yards (below 10-minute pace)
Walked 220 yards

It is ridiculous that we can workout reasonably hard for 40+ year-old, 270-lbs. and survive fine, but that running is still something that I have difficulty doing.

Nonetheless, I could tell that I am adapting during this run.
There is a hurdle in there that I thing I am clearing.

I will run a mile by the end of June. If not much sooner.  

Monday

Monday Morning

Off from work this week, so we got our workout in this morning.

- We did three exercises that we have not done recently, two of them with a squat component, and the 'cat vomit' ab contraction (which left us hurting last time).
- We used a declining rep pattern 16-12-8-4.

Warmup
Ran 220yds @ 7.5mph on Treadmill

Workout
(with no breaks, except alternating on the middle two)
Dumbbell Clean and Press x 8/8 @ 40#
Machine Dips x 16 @ -140#
Sumo Deadlift High Pull x 16 @ 45#
'Cat Vomit' Ab Contraction x 8 @ 10 secs

Dumbbell Clean and Press x 6/6 @ 40#
Machine Dips x 12 @ -140#
Sumo Deadlift High Pull x 12 @ 45#
'Cat Vomit' Ab Contraction x 6 @ 10 secs

Dumbbell Clean and Press x 4/4 @ 40#
Machine Dips x 8 @ -140#
Sumo Deadlift High Pull x 8 @ 45#
'Cat Vomit' Ab Contraction x 4 @ 10 secs

Dumbbell Clean and Press x 2/2 @ 40#
Machine Dips x 4 @ -140#
Sumo Deadlift High Pull x 4 @ 45#
'Cat Vomit' Ab Contraction x 2 @ 10 secs

Legs & middle of chest burned during, and my calves & abs are sore now, but overall this one turned out easier than I expected. We are still improving, so I've got to raise my workout expectations - again.





Sunday

Four Basic Exercises

These exercises will get you started.

Air Squat


 

Hand Release Pushups


 

Seated Row with Resistance Band


 

Myotatic Crunch

Friday

Twenty Minutes of Tabata (aka Hell)

We had a tough workout on Monday and a good run on Wednesday and wanted to finish the week strong. However, we needed a quick one today, so we went Tabata.

I chose the four exercises that I think of as the core of the modern workout - kettlebell swings, planks, burpees, and myotatic crunches.

Warmup: Treadmill run for 220 yds @ 7.5 mph

Each set was 20 seconds
- we "rested" for 10 seconds while moving between stations.
Each Tabata period was 2 circuits - 8 sets.
We rested for 1 minute in between each period.
We did four total Tabata periods - 32 total sets.

Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
-- (Crossfit - Overhead)
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs
and again
Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs

1-minute Break

Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs
Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs

1-minute Break

Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs
Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs

1-minute Break

Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs
Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs

You know it's bad when planks are the rest in this workout.
After 20 minutes we were wiped out.

Rich always says this is like mat drills during off-season workouts for football, and they really are. Maybe those old coaches knew something after all.

The Perfect Posterior: Kettlebell Swings and Cheap Alternatives from Tim Ferriss

Wednesday

Closer

Ran on the track today.

Walked 220 yds
Ran 540 yds
Walked 340 yds
Ran 540 yds
Walked 440 yds

I hate running, with a passion. We'll work up to 2 880's. And then shorten the walk between.
Eventually a mile. Damn it.

Monday

Back to Basics (well, sort of)

After Crossfit and Core/Abs last week I decided to go Traditional this week, but with a twist. We went from straight strength at the beginning of the circuit to depleted arms and ab cramps at the end.

Warmup
Ran 220 yds @ 7.5 mph
Cable Row x 25 @ 50#

Monday's Circuit
Deadlift x 3 @ 225# (we love to see all big plates)
Machine Pullups x 5 @ -140#
Squats x 15
Pushups (Hand-Release) x 20
Swiss Ball Crunch x 30

Deadlift x 3 @ 225#
Machine Pullups x 5 @ -140#
Squats x 15
Pushups (Hand-Release) x 20
Swiss Ball Crunch x 30

Deadlift x 3 @ 225#
Machine Pullups x 5 @ -140#
Squats x 15
Pushups (Hand-Release) x 20
Swiss Ball Crunch x 30

The heavy deadlift was a bit surreal - and felt good. The pullups were a close thing - on track there. The squats were almost a rest. The pushups are so much harder than regular ones - must be experienced. Upped the number on the crunches and the residual soreness from Thursday made it work just fine - and crampy.

We agreed that all those years doing bench press and back squats would have been better used doing deadlifts and pushups. We felt exhausted and pumped up at the same time. A good day.

Friday

Can't Be That Hard

I wanted to do some core/ab exercises today after the blowout full-body meltdown of Monday.

I picked some exercises that I've seen several places and gave them a shot.

All the exercises forced us to stabilize our core and the whole thing turned out much harder than we expected - which is just what we needed.

Friday
Warmup: 220yd run @ 7.5 mph

Feet-up Pushups x 10
Cat Vomit x 5 for 10 secs (exhale and ab contraction on all fours)
High Plank Rows x 5/5 @ 8# (top of pushup, alternating one-arm rows)
Plank x 40 secs
High Plank Warrior x 5/5 (top of pushup, twist one arm back and up to vertical, alternate)
Swiss Ball Crunch x 20

Feet-up Pushups x 10
Cat Vomit x 5 for 10 secs
High Plank Rows x 5/5 @ 8#
Plank x 40 secs
High Plank Warrior x 5/5
Swiss Ball Crunch x 20

Feet-up Pushups x 10
Cat Vomit x 5 for 10 secs
High Plank Rows x 5/5 @ 8#
Plank x 40 secs
High Plank Warrior x 5/5
Swiss Ball Crunch x 20

Feet-up Pushups x 10
Cat Vomit x 5 for 10 secs
High Plank Rows x 5/5 @ 8#
Plank x 40 secs
High Plank Warrior x 5/5
Swiss Ball Crunch x 20

We barely moved the whole time. By the end: my abs were aching, I was dripping sweat, and I was wiped out. Much harder than it looked.



Wednesday

I Still Hate Running

Wednesday - ran the straights and walked the curves for five laps, resulting in:
10 x 100 yard sprints

Tuesday - continued the process of building up to running a mile:
walked 220 yds, ran 440, walked 440, ran 440, walked 220.

Monday

Simply Exhausted

I cribbed today's workout from an Australian Crossfit Gym - youtube.

It was one of the toughest we have done. Ever.
I'm hurting in places that I can't quite explain.

It's a partner workout, so we alternated at each station.

Monday's Version
Machine Pullups x 15
Thruster x 15 @ 65# (Front squat into a push press)
Burpee x 15
Two-Arm Kettlebell Swing x 15 @ 15#

Machine Pullups x 12
Thruster x 12 @ 65#
Burpee x 12
Two-Arm Kettlebell Swing x 12 @ 15#

Machine Pullups x 9
Thruster x 9 @ 65#
Burpee x 9
Two-Arm Kettlebell Swing x 9 @ 15#

As is often the case, it doesn't seem like much written down.
Nonetheless, it is one of the most exhausting workouts we've done.

The Thruster


We both nearly vomited during the last set of Burpees.
So that was just about right.

Thursday

Bacon AND Shrimp!

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp
1 pound Med-Large Shelled Shrimp
6-8 slices of Thick-Cut Bacon
1 Avocado
1 Lime
1 Sweet Vidalia Onion
Toothpicks, clipped in half

1) Preheat Oven to 450
2) Cut bacon slices into pieces that will almost wrap around one piece of shrimp
3) Wrap bacon around each piece of shrimp and pin through bacon and shrimp with 1/2 toothpick
4) Put pieces on large baking sheet and place in oven.
5) Cook for 7 minutes. Turn pieces. Cook 7 more minutes.
6) Turn pieces back over and finish under broiler, watching for bacon to go crisp.
7) Remove and rest 3 minutes.

I served them with slices of avocado, which were covered in the lime juice, Vidalia Onion, and Parmesan cheese all on the side.

Outstanding.

Swinging and Cleaning

No chest today - still feeling it from Monday.
But we wanted to push ourselves.
Posterior Chain, Abs, Legs and Shoulders, then More Abs.

Thursday's Workout:
Single-Arm Kettlebell Swings x 10/10 @ 10#
Bosu Ball Crunches x 20
Dumbell Clean and Press x 5/5 @ 40#
Plank x 30 secs

Single-Arm Kettlebell Swings x 10/10 @ 10#
Bosu Ball Crunches x 20
Dumbell Clean and Press x 5/5 @ 40#
Plank x 30 secs

Single-Arm Kettlebell Swings x 10/10 @ 10#
Bosu Ball Crunches x 20
Dumbell Clean and Press x 5/5 @ 40#
Plank x 30 secs

Single-Arm Kettlebell Swings x 10/10 @ 10#
Bosu Ball Crunches x 20
Dumbell Clean and Press x 5/5 @ 40#
Plank x 30 secs

Single-Arm Kettlebell Swings x 10/10 @ 10#
Bosu Ball Crunches x 20
Dumbell Clean and Press x 5/5 @ 40#
Plank x 30 secs

We hit this right on in terms of intensity and difficulty.

100 total swings, 100 crunches, 50 clean & presses, and planks. I hate planks.

100 yards is a nice distance

A simple plan for Wednesday:

Do a mile+ on our track, running the sides (100 yds) and walking the curves (120 yds).

So, we ran 9 x 100 yds.

Despite the squats on Monday and the jog on Tuesday, this felt better than the last time. My legs actually felt better after running than before. Well, except for the calf tightness that kicked in on the very first one. But the hamstrings were fine!


Wednesday

Kryptonite

I Hate "Jogging". So, of course, I've started the process of running a 10-minute mile. Not a lot, for most people who exercise, but I hate running and have to develop some toughness on this front. I'm cribbing from Couch to 5k.

Tuesday:
Walked 2 minutes
Jogged 2 minutes at 10-min/mile pace
Walked 2 minutes
Jogged 2 minutes at 10-min/mile pace
Walked 2 minutes

This seems ridiculously easy to me, but this is my kryptonite. I'm going to work to make this one happen

Tuesday

Twenty Minutes on Monday

Late start - meetings.
So from 4:40 until 5:00 - "The Cindy" from Crossfit.

Twenty Minutes of as many circuits as possible:
Air Squats x 15
Machine Pullups x 5 (-150)
Hand-Release Pushups x 10

We made it through seven times plus in twenty minutes.
(I realized afterward that we used -170 for pullups last time. Oh well.)

So, I got in 120 Air Squats, 37 pullups, and 70 pushups in 20 minutes.

Arms were almost immobile.
Sore today all over.
As good a short workout as we have found.