Never recovered from the Century

Aug24
by Duf on August 24, 2017 at 5:23 pm
Posted In: Circuit training/pyramids, Daily Workouts, Failure

So I started off shoulder/back day with a Century circuit (40 bodyweight squats, 30 push ups, 20 hanging knee raises, 10 push ups)  I had not done one in awhile and it certainly showed.  Even with my trying to just go at a steady consistent pace and not busting it I still felt gassed by the end.  It didn’t help that the AC at Planet Fitness apparently had a problem, it felt warm and humid inside.

Anyway, this 3-4 minute circuit affected the rest of my workout, I never recovered.  My strength and endurance was limited across the board.  I would expect there to be a short term recovery period but for it to last the entire workout was disappointing and a testament to how little I do circuit training anymore.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

Century circuit – 40 BW squats, 30 push ups, 20 hanging knee raise, 10 pull ups)

Wall handstand x 60 sec

Lat pull down – 130lbs x 10

Seated Cybex shoulder press – 200lbs x 10

Lat pull down – 170lbs x 10

Seated Cybex shoulder press – 220lbs x 8

Lat pull down – 210lbs x 6

Seated Cybex shoulder press – 240lbs x 5

Front lat pull down – 175 x 8

Standing low to high cable pull – 20lbs x 8 (both arms)

Front lat pull down – 175 x 8

Standing low to high cable pull – 20lbs x 8 (both arms)

Front lat pull down – 190 x 8

Standing low to high cable pull – 20lbs x 8 (both arms)

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5 Less

Aug22
by Duf on August 22, 2017 at 6:19 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

I managed to get on a Smith machine today to do some “squatting” and “deadlifts”.  Both of those words are in quotes because I know that doing these movements on a Smith is less effective than doing them with a conventional barbell. However since Planet Fitness, at least our location, has outlawed barbells, it’s the best I can do.

I was excited when yesterday I thought I pushed 260 pounds off me on chest day doing decline chest press on the same smith machine.  I had two 45’s, one 25, and one 10 pounder on each side of the bar.  I calculated that out to be a smith adjusted 260 pound 1RM which I was excited about.  Today my excitement got tempered a bit when I read a label on the machine that said the bare bar only weights 15 pounds because of the counterweight set up.  I thought it weighed 20 pounds all this time.  So anyway, any smith machine numbers you have seen for the last six months, subtract five pounds….

I tried to go heavy on my dealift today, maxing out with three 45’s, a 25 and a 10 for an adjusted pull of 355 pounds.  It felt tough but I was able to keep an overhand grip to do it.  My goal is to eventually be able to do a four plate pull but I will likely need a mixed grip to hold it.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

15 pull ups

Smith squats – 105lbs x 10, 155lbs x 8, 195lbs x 3

Smith deadlift – 195lbs x 10, 285lbs x 5, 335lbs x3, 355lbs x 1

Seated leg extension – 110lbs x 10, 150lbs x 10

Seated leg curl – 100lbs x 10, 140lbs x 8

One legged calf raise x 10 x 2

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Not abandoned

Aug18
by Duf on August 18, 2017 at 5:25 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

Those of you that regularly follow this blog may almost think it has been abandoned due to the lack of consistent activity.  I can assure you, it has not.  I have however been quite busy and recently returned from a little more than a one week road trip to the northeast.  You can read about the ups and downs of that journey on my main blog.

This week was my first one back to my regular gym schedule.  It’s amazing how just missing a single week carries a steep soreness price tag.  I did lower body on Tuesday and am still in all sorts of soreness hell, now going on day 4.  Planet Fitness has been annoying as ever.  This week for some reason it has been more crowded than usual, adding to what is already an unpleasant gym experience where I try to find my happy place sandwiched between the millenials and old people that make up the majority of the gym membership.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

20 pull ups

50 push ups

P-bar knee raises x 20

Standing oblique rotations x 20

P-bar knee raises x 20

Standing oblique rotations x 20

P-bar knee raises x 20

Standing oblique rotations x 20

Hammer strength ab crunch – 90lbs x 8 x 8 x 8

Side plank x 60 seconds (both sides)

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I’ll take a PB however I can get it

Aug01
by Duf on August 1, 2017 at 5:22 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts, Old Age

So today I again added to my personal best at smith machine decline bench press.  I scratched out a rep with another 10 pounds on the bar which translates to roughly 260 pounds of real world weight.  I am not sure where the sudden surge of strength came from although my body weight is still a few pounds over what I would prefer.  Maybe I did actually add some muscle instead of fat but at this age it’s unlikely.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

15 pull ups

Decline smith machine chest press – 110lbs x 12, 160lbs x 10, 200lbs x 5, 220lbs x 1, 260lbs x 1, 240lbs x 3, 220lbs x 4, 200lbs x 10, 160lbs x 15

Pec dec – 110lbs x 10, 120lbs x 10, 130lbs x 10

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No I didn’t fall off the wagon

Jul28
by Duf on July 28, 2017 at 5:19 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts, Injuries

If you think blog entries here are representative of my workout schedule you would unfortunately be mislead.  I am still getting to the gym pretty much every weekday but time constraints because of other responsibilities has precluded me from being able to record stuff consistently.  I’m still hitting the gym as hard as I can while trying to walk the fine line between intensity and injury.  The line seems to get smaller and smaller each year I am on the planet,.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

20 pull ups

50 push ups

Hanging knee raises x 20

Standing oblique rotations x 20

Hanging knee raises x 20

Standing oblique rotations x 20

Hanging knee raises x 20

Standing oblique rotations x 20

Seated straight arm weighted ab crunch – 110lbs x 10, 130lbs x 8, 150lbs x 5

10 pull ups

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