R2R Session 17 - 12614 - 20814

Session XVII – begins! It hasn’t been a “bad” winter, not really bad. There’s been snow and events have been cancelled, but we haven’t been devastated. What am I headed to here? Change of diet, close to vegetarian, lots of beans and egg white omelets; veggie burgers the occasional salmon and chicken or turkey when I’m out, or pork on a pizza. The burpees streak has been going since December 2, of ’13. Sometimes I only do 10, I haven’t done 100 in a single day yet. It’s still a goal. My overall goal is to do them every day and eventually get to doing 100 [or more] a day and not flinching when I do 50 straight. I have yet to add pushups due to the shoulder.

Shift change started last session and my sleeping still hasn’t adjusted. I did estimate 30 days. I’ve added weights back into the program despite saying I wouldn’t lift until October 1^st of this year, but in true Animal Farm tradition I’ve altered my “rule” to not lifting heavy weights. After doing squat-curl-presses at home, ostensibly practicing for the fitness classes, my shoulder actually felt better. To my delight, when I got back to Temple there were 15 lb dumbbells in the group fitness room. Machismo dictates I use the maximum amount of weight available while I am instructing the class. [That’s just partially a joke.]

I’ve monetized my weight loss at a rate of $10.00 a pound towards some new compression fit thermal shirts, possibly Under Armor brand. Starting weight is 191, goal weight is 175 - $160 should get me 3 shirts. Measuring day comes in the first part of this session, so time to make another chart. Not feeling very confident, I must confess, maybe the expected shock will motivate me; hopefully an unexpected surprise won’t make me complacent.

Despite the shift change I have been maintaining my diet. Salads for lunch that I make at home, although I do use the Wawa dressing. Breakfast at home, usually a bean concoction with lentils and mozzarella cheese, still tastes good to me, but not much fruit and not much juicing. I seem to have gotten out of that habit for a while. No protein shakes but I’ve recently restarted the creatine-beta alanine pre workout drinks. Warmer weather is coming. I feel my body will be prepared to go to the next level when spring arrives.

No pictures for quite a while. Nothing special to show, but I should snap a few, especially when I don’t feel I’m looking very successful. These “slump” times are a part of my history as well and should be documented.

12614 [Sunday #222] – wake 192.5: Brunch at Kite & Key, small portions.

Good Home Work

Burpees (gloves) 6 x 12 = 72

Squat press 6 x 12 = 72 [10 lbs.]

Shoulder laterals 6 x 12 = 72  [10 lbs.] had to adjust ROM

Band Shrugs – 20+25+30 = 75

Bench band press 8*+10*+10+12+16!+16=72

*shoulder hurts !hurting less

Bench dips 3 x 12 = 36

Triceps extensions [bands] – 6*+10!+12+12+12=52 [notch #2]

12714 [Monday #223] – wake 192.5 (-$15.00) YMCA 3 miles, 2 running/jogging. Getting there slower than before. Can feel it in the middle of my chest, no stitches though. Spin this eve & burpees at some point. Got to work stronger. Pre-work, supps & drink (Cr+BA). Post work stingle.

10 burpees before spin.

Full spin class, moderate participation on my part. Not bad recovery.

12814 [Tuesday #224] – eyes opened @ 3am but chilled a while and finally got out of bed at 4. Wake 188.5. It’s a big drop and puts $25.00 in my wt loss account. Because I didn’t eat dinner last night, or maybe due to running yesterday morning and spin last night.

Early morning workout 3 rounds of

Wallball squats

Incline bench-band press

Close grip pushups (IG)

Tri-extensions (bands)

I’m trying not to allow my subconscious to get bogged down in the age issue, but it’s tough. Sometimes, particularly when I’m running or doing burpees I feel it in my chest. HR remains good however and recovery is quick. It could be fighting off a cold because I don’t get “full blown’ sick, I have to take note of minor changes in the body. Got a cold sore inside the mouth which gave me another hint.

Regardless of the next birthday looming and the recovering shoulder, I am not allowing age to become an excuse. I think I’ve come up with a pretty good home workout routine for cardio, resistance and strength training. Hopefully I will stick with it until I can get back outside.

I think using the weights/bands is helping my shoulder recover.

Cardio Sculpt was good, got my daily burpees in [10] and a couple of sets of squat-presses and some cardio. Maybe 40% participation from me.

12914 [Wednesday #225] – This is a story of scheduling sleep. Nodded before 9pm yesterday and woke just before 1am… maybe a nap before work. Jet lag Frank called it. I can be awake for 16 hours. Yesterday 3am to 9pm was closer to 18. Today will be..? Who knows? Might be a good time for a shower – better yet a soak. I need to get stronger in the GX Sessions. That will happen.

Wake 190.5 – extra sleep b/c I didn’t get enough. Skipped morning exercises & measuring day. Aqua @ Temple. I was very up for it. Never got around to measuring today. Did 10 exhausted burpees just for the streak and went to be at 9. No actual dinner.

13014 [Thursday #226] – wake 3am [hunger headache??] – 188.5  29/50 and measured.

Top – 100 cm [+1]

Mid – 93 cm [same]

Bot – 97 cm [+1]

Und – 99 cm [+1]

My torso is growing everywhere except the middle. Is this a good thing? Does 1 centimeter even matter? I’ve gotten wider all over except the middle. Yikes!! I’m supposed to be going the other way. Body is telling me to eat better. Listen. I’ve got plenty of time til work.

13114 [Friday #227] – wake 188.5 – Can’t remember how this day went. Slept late, 10 burpees and some other stuff. Hung out at Body Rock.

FEBRUARY 2014

20114 [Saturday #228] wake.. what no weight???

Burpees w/ 10 lbs wts: 10+5 = 15 total. Run in place, worked up a nice easy sweat. Dancing & drinking at 700 club.

20214 [Sunday #229] – Run & box etc, band work. Lite exercise, curls (10 lbs). Burpees streak ended today. Forgot to do them. Super Bowl at Mom’s.

20314 [Monday #230] – wake 191.5: Got to bed by 11pm woke around 3 am, up strong @ 4:20am with the alarm. Run in place, 100 burpees (first time, in multiple sets. See below) Maybe not do every day but go for at least 100 when I do them. Easing back into the weights. Using 10s for exercises.

THE WORK:

Burpees: 20+20+3x10+2x15 = 100

100 crunches

100 knee lifts

Max curls 4 x 50 tot (plus more) w/ 10 lbs.

6++++ No count bands.

Incline band press, including 10s.

20414 [Tuesday #231] – wake 189.5 E! – worked out this am, worled on double burpees… I trained a bit last night too. Omelet for breakfast. Dbl burps 2x5, run, mt climbers, boxing, 20 mins.

GX was awesome, much more energy than last week. More people too.

20514 [Wednesday #232] – wake 188 27/51. The trick is, don’t eat before bed. Wake up exercises, boxing, kicking, etc. not feeling the need to do daily burpees, but maybe. Glorious day.

20614 [Thursday #233] – wake 188 34/49 – morning workout 20 mins, including criss-cross, jack & squats, burpees, run in place, box & kick.

Another purge day. Don’t think I logged the last one. Home run. ACV in the am – maybe that’s the cause. YGX this eve. BE PUMPED!!

Had a purge day. YGX was good, low participation on my part and I left w/ enough energy to buy food. Did some pre-workout work with bands.

20714 [Friday #234] – wake 189.5 – ACV and morning exercise. Tea & beans, etc and to work. To hang tonight or work out?? Chillin at work, home disco nap and out w/ Fram. 2 Beers & salmon, Revolution House.

20814 [Saturday #235] – wake 192 – on the roller coaster, need to train at home tonight!! Exercise psychology workshop @ Temple.

Workout night at home w/ light weights, 12 lbs and band work.

End of session 17

R&R Session XIV: 121513 - 122813

SESSION XIV – 121513 – 122813 

We’re going darn near to new year.

121513 [Sunday #180]  - Measuring Day Wake 190.5

[Chart]

This session's torso measurements show my torso
becoming more cylindrical. Solar plexus are waist are even?
That's new and somewhat upsetting. UGH!

Top…………98cm – Last time – 99cm

Middle…….93cm – Last time – 92cm [this is actually a .5 difference]

Bottom…….96cm – Last Time – 96cm [no change]

Under………98cm – Last Time – 97cm [solar plexus & waistline are equal for the first time. Not sure whether this is good or not. Kind of gives me an hour glass figure.]

(Pix today)

No radical changes but wrong direction. I don’t want this trend continuing. Smaller top is probably due to no pull ups and injured shoulder. Mid is only .5 difference due to rounding, but could also be a measuring variance. Watch, but don’t worry.

Weight is plus 2.5 lbs but negligible. Visual looks leaner and tighter. Measurements aren’t extreme enough to get excited or worried over considering time of year and shoulder recovery. I have about 45 days off from Temple and 14 days off from the Y – so I can blast it out or sit it out. I promised a new routine for Temple ’14. Then day work starts so that could mean a radical change.

MT eval agrees with leaner impression.

A lot of training time today.

200 punches [warn up, just gloves]

100 Punches [all upper body work with gloves and ankle wts on the arms, unless otherwise noted.]

200 upper cuts

50 shoulder shrugs [usually between punching rounds]

40+20=60 ski arm moves.

Cross punches, 3 sets [50+100+120=270] For some reason these were strong.

Torso blasters 100+150 = 250

Downward punches 100

Trunk twists –

Shoulder laterals 5 sets, 105 total.

Hooks 2 x 50 = 100

Part Two – Later this same day

Front Kicks [ankle wts on legs] 50+60=110

Barbends – under grip 50 in 3 sets.

Toy soldiers gloves + ank wts on legs  10+12=22 total – working on these, strength & balance. Worth it… mastery!!

Bow squats – 20

Chair pistols 10 each, with ank wts – didn’t lose much. It’s been a while too.

50 power bar bends (elbows wide working the upper back)

10 burpees, just to keep the streak alive.

Walk to the market and back… maybe 20 minutes total.

Upper back is feeling worked.  Last spin class tomorrow til January 6^th, 2014.

121613 [Monday #181] AM – work, back to training at the gig.

Bow Squats 25+25  50

Heavy barbends – no need to count. This wasn’t really a full workout.

Wake 190.5 E: woke well. Had to air out the house, heat? Anyway, 15 semi-strong burpees. Dropped two – regular. Wondering if all these months of body weight training is the cause of the weight gain. It’s been slow and steady and while it’s only 2.5 lbs my torso measurements have stayed constant. (a .2 – 2cm change isn’t alarming). My visual evaluations as well as MT’s tactile evals suggest positive results.

Spin at the Y today. Last one til next year, I think. Need to get back to Eat Sweat at home, but have to have the exhaust issue resolved first.

15 burpees before spin gives me 30 for today. Good spin class. Better recovery.

Going back to eating stir fry veggies, ‘shrooms, etc. Add eggs back into the mix and switch b/w eggs and whites. Salmon at home – eat meat when I’m out. I’m going to be a flexible vegetarian, and who knows, I may go full vegge if it works out. Not going to try and force it though.

121713 [Tuesday #182] – Wake 190.5 35/48:

Various home work, inc Burpees, upper body work with gloves and ankle wts & leg work. Got a set of (2 actually) 50 half pushups – started feeling it in the chest and not so much the shoulder.

Here’s the WORK:

Wacky December weight chats. Bad news, weight's
moving up. I want a turn around.

15 burpees [later 10 more]  25 total

100 punches gl+anks

50 half pushups, then 50+25  125 total  (PB)

70 front kicks (anks)

10 deep squats (ank wts on arms and legs)

100 cross punches gl+anks.

Lower Body 2x anks –

The beach Hard!!

Kicks

2 x 50 standing leg curls 100 total (This looks like an aerobic warm up move)

121813 [Wednesday #183] – wake 190.5 22/55: what changed to get me off the error message? Sunny day. It’s still chilly.

Note: heat is off but still have the exhaust feel near the west wall. Neighbor’s suspect. Getting a furnace clean, scheduled.

Dropped two w/in a couple hours of waking. This has been te norm, good.

Been at 190.5 for 7 days. Longest streak ever. Maintenance? Physique & weight steady Maybe I should measure shoulders, chest/back and butt. It’s been a significant while.

RETURN to Eat Sweat!

Run in place – 200 – 300 – 300  [I count the steps… yes, for real]

Box……………….100 – 200 – 200

Burpees…………15 – 15 – 10 – 40 total

Mt Climbers – 50 – 50 – 20* Ran out of steam.

Jump ski……. 50 – 50 – 20*

Front kick – 50 – 60 – 50

Power squats – 20 – 25 – 30 = 75

*This is where I broke. It was scheduled for 4 rounds. Got 3

30 jacks and 40 half pushups later.  It was pretty good even though I didn’t make my goal.

121913 [Thursday #184] wake 190 dropped 1.5 lbs w/ elim. First time in a while that it made a difference.

Y90GX – was good. Got through drills okay, 3 rounds 7 exercises about 5 mins each. Still standing after. Counting 20 burpees  (2 sets of 10).

Bean, lentils w/ cheese mix for breakfast. Could be the source of endurance energy?

122013 [Friday #185] – wake 190  31/50 –

A whole lot of punching with the gloves and ankle weights [6.5 lbs each] and 12 burpees. Bean, lentils and cheese soup again. Still like it. This is my protein soup. It seems to suit me.

122113 [Saturday #186] – solstice wake 191.5   35/48

Wake up Work

Many punches no weight

Rapid punches 200 no weight

Crazy different feeling.

40 fast squats +30 + 20 bow squats   90 total

100 rapid w/ gloves + 60 w/ gl & wr

This is the 6.5 boxing - gloves & 5 lbs each ankle
weights. 121513

Barbends wide 55

20 fast(er) front kicks + 30 more

New rule: Do everything faster. Warm up at moderate speed, work to peak speed, blow out the lungs, work down to slow & strong and cool down slow and easy. Got 2 sets of 30 second planks too. Can I push it up? I must.

122213 [Sunday #187] – 191.5 E

Rapid punching with gloves: 2x ankle wts each leg. 20 burpees (Details later). Body is looking tight. Hope I can capture the subtle details with the camera. Shea butter for the shoulder, etc. Stazja’s in town. Sushi with the llama.

Put the iron gym pull up bar up and doing pulls and chins on the pass-by.

122313 [Monday #188] – 193.5 ?? Only slept 4 hours – but was up strong on the rainy day. Shopping and lunch with Stazja & Naz (special guest appearance.)

EAT SWEAT!

                        Moderate                    Fast                 Sprint              Slow

Run - ……………300                            200                  100                  300

Punch             200                              200                  100                  200

Burpees          15                                10*                    6*                  12

Mt. Climbers   40                               30*                  50*                  20*

Jump Ski        50                               50*                  50                    60

Kicks               70                               70                    100                  100

P-squats         30                                20                    25                    35

*As usual breaking down during drills. It will be true progress when I can get through a few drills powerfully!!

43 burpees   100 power squats

Felt really good afterwards.

122413 [Tuesday #189] – wake 191.5  35/48: Good night’s sleep. Get up, vitamins and “Heavy’ work.

Squats – 50+50+10* = 110

Fast punch warm ups – 100

100 upper cuts, 50 hooks.

ankle weight work.

100 punches:

70+70 military punches (140 tot)

Shoulder laterals 30+30 – 60 total.

Crosses 100. (Of course there’s more than this.) shrugs, shoulder raises, etc.

50 half pushups + 30 second plank.

20+15 burpees – for the streak. 35 total

Xmas eve with the family.

122513 [Wednesday #190]  wake – 193 Christmas eve merriment. 75 burpees today in 4 sets. [20+20+20+15] personal best.

122613 [Thursday #191] – wake 191.5

Chilled around the house, punching workout w/ all weights on arms. Realized I can do full kneeling push ups!! 20 straight burpees, 1 set for now, but it was strong!! 50 mt. climbers. (do more of these on off days – need to get upper back & stabilizers stronger.) Maybe more later. In all day. Bowling night.

122713 [Friday #192] – wake 191.5:  Chores, but may have time to train later. Question is, which workout. I’m thinking Eat Sweat.

Got up the El steps fairly easily and strong considering I haven’t done it in a while. Over all in better condition, although I’m slightly heavier, I think I am leaner – more efficient.

Time stamps -                        6:45                12;45               18:23               30:07

Run                             300                  200                  100                  500

Punch                         200                  100                  120                  400

Burpees                      15                     10*                   6*                    10 (slow)

Mt Climb                    20                    30                    20                    20 (step)

Jump ski                     50                    60                    70                    50

Kick                             60                    70                    50                    50

P-Squats                     30                    20                    10                    10

41 burpees  70 squats

Not my best show, but a damn good sweat. Hangin out. Dine and dance. (North & Johnny B’s)

122813 [Saturday #193]  - wake 191.5  Work tonight. It was a nice run, 9those days off I mean).

2 sets of 30 kneeling pushups.

121513 - Final back eval of the year. Note the
difference on the left side. That's the shoulder
injury. The back is compensating. 

DJ brunch and hungry too. Cool brunch.

Resumed pushups when I got back 30+30+20=80 [140 total]

Boxing work – all weights.

40 squats; 20 stazja-squats; 10 xave-squats (squats with my kids on my back)

70 total squats.

20 burpees before dinner.

Drinks with the Fram (Talula’s Garden) and work tonight. Pass-by pull ups, not really enough to count. Guess I’ll start next week/month/year… End of session.