Bench after beating

Nov14
by Duf on November 14, 2016 at 6:31 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

I worked myself into the ground on Friday trimming all the trees on my property.  I went into to today’s benching session still feeling side effects from the very hard labor.  I was surprised to still get 225 pounds off my chest without my buddy touching the bar.  On Sunday I kept my weekend running streak alive, putting in over four miles on the nearby track.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

Barbell bench press – 135lbs x 10, 185lbs x 5, 225lbs x 1, 225lbs x 1, 185lbs x 8, 185lbs x 6, 185lbs x 5, 135lbs x 10 (dead stop), 135lbs x 10

Pec dec – 130lbs x 10, 170lbs x 8. 190lbs x 6

Dumbbell pull overs – 60lbs x 10, 60lbs x 10

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Seven decades before a century

Nov10
by Duf on November 10, 2016 at 6:20 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

hanging-knee-raises[1]Since today was the last of my gym week I did an unconventional combo.  I started off with 20 pull ups followed by 50 push ups.  I then did a century circuit consisting of 40 deep air squats, 30 push ups, 20 hanging knee raises, and 10 pull ups.  Doing the century after the opening pull ups and push ups made it a gasp fest, taking much longer than normal.

I finished up with some shoulder work.  I am not really worried about having a short gym week since tomorrow I am planning to trim all of the trees on my property which is an all day back breaking endeavor which will burn calories by the hundreds.

 

 

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

20 pull ups

50 push ups

40 deep body squats

30 push ups

20 hanging knee raises

10 pull ups

Seated Cybex plate loaded shoulder press – 200lbs x 8

Behind the back standing barbell shoulder shrug – 225lbs x 10

Seated Cybex plate loaded shoulder press – 250lbs x 5

Behind the back standing barbell shoulder shrug – 275lbs x 8

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Writing on the wall, pulls back the curtain

Nov08
by Duf on November 8, 2016 at 6:27 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts, Endurance activities

So things at Retro have not been looking all that rosy since they reopened approximately a year ago.  The adjacent retail space that was supposed to offer additional fitness services and classes is STILL not completed.  It originally was pegged to be opened in November, of 2015.  Upkeep on the place has been increasingly poor.  Cobwebs, complete with spiders have occupied corners of the gym for weeks and the equipment is poorly maintained with loose screws, missing parts, cracked seating surfaces, and bent bars being less an exception but the norm.  Of the 14 treadmills in the building, six of them are out of order, yes six.  Of the remaining eight, only half of them have all of their parts and a functioning tv.

Now normally the way to get this addressed is to complain to the franchise, in this case Retro Fitness which will in turn apply pressure to the local management/ownership to get the shit fixed.  However in this case I really don’t want to because I am afraid the gym is teetering on the verge of collapsing once again.  The inconvenience of not having a decent facility to work out at nearby out weighs the inconvenience of having to work around the poorly maintained equipment.

Today at the gym I got in my first run/ride brick in a couple months at least.  I recently have been loosely supporting the Movember movement where men are encouraged to grow facial hair to raise awareness regarding prostate cancer.  At this point the goatee on my face has been there about a week longer than I normally tolerate.  Having a clump of hair around your mouth is not a great thing for endurance training as it is just another thing to collect sweat.  Facial hair also pulls back the curtain to my true age as almost all the hair on my chin comes in gray at this point.  When I am clean shaven it is much easier to fudge my age as the hair on top of my head is still only sparsely populated by the silver invaders.

Today’s Workout

Run/ride brick

20 minute run – 2.07 miles

10 minute stationary bike ride – 3.11 miles

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No spot

Nov07
by Duf on November 7, 2016 at 6:18 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

benchMy bench press buddy was back this week.  Having him around ironically helped me get 225lbs without him touching the bar for a spot even though it was very close.  Having that safety net around definitely helps me push into the very edge of my power reserves.

I got another 4.25 mile run in on Sunday.  Although the actual act of running never feels fun, getting at least one run in per week for the last several months is a hat hanger for me at this point.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

Barbell bench press – 135lbs x 10, 185lbs x 5, 225lbs x 1, 225lbs x 1, 185lbs x 8, 185lbs x 7, 185lbs x 5, 135lbs x 10 (dead stops), 135lbs x 14

Dumbbell pull overs – 55lbs x 10, 75lbs x 8

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Between the feet

Nov04
by Duf on November 4, 2016 at 5:25 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

00741Today at the gym I did some weighted knee raises, a movement I had not attempted in a very long time.  It’s a somewhat awkward movement as you try to both pinch your feet together and angle them upward to keep the dumbbell in place.   I worked my way up to a 25 pounder between the feet and that was plenty.

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

20 pull ups

50 push ups

P-bar knee raises x 20

Standing one arm oblique raises – 45lbs x 15

P-bar knee raises – 10lbs x 10

Standing one arm oblique raises – 45lbs x 15

P-bar knee raises – 15lbs x 10

Standing one arm oblique raises – 45lbs x 15

P-bar knee raises – 20lbs x 10

Standing straight arm oblique rotation x 20

P-bar knee raises – 25lbs x 8

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