41612 – Monday #303 best workout day of the week! 182 Walked to 69, ankle’s better, but not gonna run on it. Sus-training over night. **380 deadlift, personal best!! I was amazed, b/c a year or two ago I failed at this weight. I have gotten stronger, 5 lbs stronger, but I may go for 390-400 in a few weeks. Officially re-started bench pressing again. I told myself I wouldn’t until I could press the 100 lb dumbbells, then realized I may need to bench to get to the centuries. I’m benching as if I were doing it for the first time. I didn’t even start at the customary 135. Deadlifts – str8 legged reps 3-6 with wraps (no grip after the first round) 245, 275, 305 Power lifts, lifting with full body, bent knees 7 wraps, singles: 335, 365, 380!! WOW!! Cross Fit: military press & db toss 3 rounds 60 secs each. (of course I didn’t make the whole 60, but I’m getting closer, it’s only been 2 weeks.) Bench Press 95, 115, 135 slow and steady 3 x 10. (I wonder if I can remember the techniques I used from back in the day.) Bent flies: 40s 3x8 Pull ups, Smith: normal, wide, close (5-10 reps) Of course I was beat down by the time I got to do those. HR was 24-28 BPM lower than the first time out. Improvement. Did one set of HS pu’s at Temple, then easy guts&butts and relax the rest of the night.
41712 – Tuesday (#304) 182: Kept some hydration during rest, kept steady wt too. Looks like 182 is the bottom, let some muscle grow the next 48 hours. Temple double shot today. Hoping I can rock some leg presses tomorrow. 48 hrs after deadlifts maybe some chest/tri-work. Good Zombie Session – I need more practice.
41812 – Wednesday (#305) – Lite sus-training upper back, reverse swan dives (not so much diving but holding)
Wake 181, it’s the fluid not the sleep. Morning fluid elimination = about 2.5 lbs, but I usually put it right back at breakfast. Aqua Box was fun… Alyssa and Laura best friends. I want to remember those two.
TEMPLE LEGS – That’s what I call it now.. week 2
Leg Press 500 lb warm up 2 sets of 10
…………700 lb 2 x 6 – 8 (Legs feeling strong and powerful)
…………800 lb 2 x 4 (Could probably have done more reps, didn’t want to burn out)
…………850 (I actually did a couple of sets of 850, just wanted a smaller transition I guess.
…………*900 lbs (Personal Best)
2 sets 2 reps just to make it real. I think I can warm up with 600 or 700 lbs next time. I hope I can keep this up. I’ve set my goal at 1200, no time limit. I am hoping this leg work will help with overall running endurance.
Seated Calf raises: Progressive 4 sets 8-12.
Single Seated Leg extensions w/ plates: progress to 60 lbs each side, extra set of left leg. Seated angled calf extension machine, more like a flex.. maybe 190?? It’s a cable machine.
Adductor 3x10 I should do more of these. Seated leg curls 4 sets, progressive.
41912: Day 306!! 182 Thursday Measurement Day – This will be an involved post: Recap: The whole purpose of this Ruggedness Campaign was to focus on losing belly/trunk fat and measuring the results. I decided it was important to start measuring rather than just eyeballing the mirror and the scale.
Measurements come every sixty days. Also I decided to measure in centimeters because I find it easier and more exact than fractions of inches (FYI 2.5 cm = 1 in.). The goal was to get these numbers into the 80s, but I realized that wasn’t exactly practical. I measured four parts of the torso, “top” was around the solar plexus; “middle” was right around the lower part of the ribs; “bottom” goes right across the belly button and “under” is basically the waistline. The following numbers represent today’s measurement, the difference (+/-) in the last 60 days, and the year to date difference.
----------Today-------60 days----YTD----(# inches)
Top……..98.5……..+1.5……..+5.5……(+2 ins.)
Middle….88.0……..+0.5……..-5.5……(-2 ins.)
Bottom…91.0……..-2.0………-7.0……(-3 ins.)
Under…..95.5……..+1.5……...-2.0……(-1 in.)
(I made a color chart, which I may have scanned and posted, or will do at some point.)
Analysis
Top: I realized after the first 60 days that measuring around the solar plexus included the back and my back was expanding, thus I had to reset this goal… I’m approaching 100 cms or 40 inches. I should probably start measuring around my chest.
Middle: The middle was up ½ cm which is really insignificant and could be a measuring variation. Basically there’s been no significant change in the last 60 days; however the 5.5 cm YTD change when viewed with the 5.5 cm increase YTD in top circumference makes for an impressive physique and explains why some of my shirts are tighter.
Bottom: basically the spare tire. In the last 300 days I’ve shed 7 cm or almost 3 inches off the belly flab. This is a stunning victory as far as I’m concerned because experts concur that this is the toughest area to lose fat, particularly when one is over 35… I (re)started my fitness lifestyle at 35… do the math cuz I’m not tellin’ (anymore). So If you think belly fat is impossible to lose, I’m proving otherwise. I have to say that for the past 45 days or so I’ve been taking a thermogenic twice a day, although I haven’t lost any more cms in the past 60 days than I’ve lost the previous 60 days. I’m going to give this stuff another 45 days. I’ve also continued eating differently, kept up with the group fitness classes, but haven’t been able to run due to Achilles tendinitis.
Under: Actually showed a gain of 1.5cm which could be measuring, but could be an actual gain. Assuming it is a gain, I’m wondering if the gain may be elsewhere, such as the lower back or somewhere on the sides. Considering I’ve been doing a LOT of leg training, usually twice a week in addition to the GX stuff. Best case scenario is muscles that I don’t know about or haven’t considered (the upper butt perhaps?) are growing and causing expansion. It’s hard to conceive that the waistline would increase in fat as the rest of the body decreases in it. Checking the mirror, the scale, the fit of my clothes and the measurements confirms the Ruggedness Strategy is working. Just a note; during any given year I exercise 3 to 4 times a week and since 2007 I’ve been teaching group fitness classes anywhere from 2 to 7 times a week. This is the first year that I’ve documented both exercise and non-exercise days on a daily basis.
42012 (Friday) #307 181: Sore from the week’s workouts impressive but still feel I’m lacking. Gotta keep moving. My scale gives the best (most accurate?) reading when I’m fully hydrated. 13% Body Fat last night at, 184.5 lbs I think. (160 lbs at 0% body fat. 10% Body fat would put me at 176.5 lbs. Which has been pretty close to my goal for several years.)
Lift Therapy Friday:
The standard routine for the past two weeks has been:
Legs, Endurance Intervals CF style (Military presses + dumbbell swings) (up to) 60 seconds each, 3 rounds (haven’t accomplished the full time yet.) Then bench presses & vanity work, tri-bi-tri.: Squats: 3x10-16 prog 145, 205, 225 CF stuff…. Bench Press 115, 135, 145 3 x 10 – 8 Tri-bi-Tri.. (2 triceps sets w/ 1 biceps set in between)
42112 Saturday: (#308) Some push ups and handstands to start today. And that was just about it.
