New blog

My new blog, http://workoutwithexcuses.blogspot.com Its main theme will be general strength and fitness for the average middle-age person like myself.

Cheers.

23 January 2011

Front levers (bar):
one-legged, max x 3

Back levers (bar)
Max x 2 (very weak, but both legs out and horizontal)

Bulgarian dips on rings:
9 x 2 sets

Horizontal rows (rings):
10 x 2 sets

Weighted pistols:
12 kg racked - 3R/3L

L-hold on rings:
10 seconds x 2

And that's the plan for the next several months: mostly bodyweight training. Every time I pick up a weight I feel it next day in my lumbar back. Alas, some of us cannot become heavy squatters/pullers etc.

My training with BW goes way back to my young years when I did gymnastics. Never at serious level - I started it late - but I could do a summersault, handstand, flac, and some other cool things on the bar and rings. I used gymnastic drills for strength training and was really fit and looked good too. The more I think about it the more I realize that every one of use has predisposition to certain activities. Some are good runners (like my wife), some are built to lift heavy things. Some of us, on the other hand, are better at gymnastics.

And that's what I am going to do next, gymnastic drills. Planks, levers, handstand work, L-holds, rings etc. They are good enough to satisfy my expectations of strength. I will continue doing weighted chins and pistols, just not crazy weighted. Nothing loading the spine to any meaningful extent. I will do some training with kettlebells, however they will not be my priority for the next year. I need to deload and heal my spine, so no serious weight bearing exercises for now.

Another goal for the year - and I started working on it - losing body fat. I am quite lean as it is, but want to get my BF in under 10% area (it is 17-18% now). I am dieting like crazy - low carb/high protein and have already become quite anti-social: eating out with me is not fun at all. My barbecue is working full time, I expect neighbours complaining of smoke very soon.

In view of all this the title of the blog no longer satisfies its content. I decided to stop posting here. I will leave this blog dormant. After all, over the years I have posted a lot of useful info and lots of controversy, and it will be available to those who are interested. For my current training I will start a new blog and will soon post the link for those who would like to follow my musings.

Thanks for those following my writings over the last couple of years. Farewell and all the best to all brother ketleballers.

20 January 2011

Stressed out, can't sleep, woke up at 5 am. Instead of lying in bed and listening to the storm of worrying thoughts decided to try a light workout. I never worked out so early in my life, so curious to see what it's like. Half a protein bar pre-workout, for what it's worth.

Front squats:
bar x 5
40 kg x 10 x 3 sets

Bent over rows:
40 kg x 10
50 kg x 10 x 2 sets

Working out definitely helps de-stressing. Off to work now.

19 January 2011

Very, VERY stressful day. Thankfully, it's all over by now. I made T-bone steak for dinner on the Big Green Egg, a little bit of Glenfidich and now decided to do some training.

Chin-ups:
16 kg x 8
12 kg x 6 (failed)
BW x 8 (failed)

Farmers walks:
24 kg x 1 min x 2
Killed the forearms

Short and sweet. I am in HIT phase now. If anything it is very time saving. Will see about the results. I suspect with my level of strength anything I do will lead to improvement.

16 January 2011

8 km walk with the dog along the beach. Swim in the crazy surf later.

Chinups;
6 x 10 sets

15 January 2011

Before breakfast:

Pushups - 5 sets of 10.

Later.

16 kg snatch:
change on the minute, 15 reps/min
10 minutes - 150 reps

Good cardio workout.

12 January 2010

Deadlift - touch and go:
50kg x 16

Chin-ups:
16kg x 8
BW x 9

Dips:
16kg x 10
BW x 11

There are couple of reasons for touch and go deadlift. First, usual training training ADD. I haven't done them before and decided to try. Second, lowering the weight seems to force better technique on me, which is sort of good for my back.

I am thinking about a program for the year ahead. I want to get stronger, yet don't want to abandon kettlebells and GS. Yet I don't have much free time. So it should be something like jerks once a week, deadlift once a week and couple of good compound exercises like chinups, dips and handstand pushups. This should keep me fit enough. I still have to work out the set/rep scheme. Suggestions and links to good programs that combine the elements of GS and weight lifting are welcome.

6 January 2011

Happy New Year everyone! Holidays are over, and now it's time to fix the damage done by inactivity and binging on sweets.

I haven't been disciplined enough to enter my workouts which - I must mention for fairness sake - have been rather sporadic. Anyway, first official workout of the year is here.

Chinups. Rest strictly 1 minute:
6 x 5 sets + 2 reps

Dips:
16 kg x 10, rest then 10 reps BW

One Arm Overhead Squat 20 kg:
7R/7L

Renegade Rows:
5L/5R

Roman Sit-ups:
8 reps