Keeping My Head Down, Doing My Thing

2021.11.9

88,1 kg

Morning — Round 1, Week 2, Day 2: Leg/core ladders

Warm-up

7,5-minute timer per exercise

Alternating back lunges with 1- to 3-sec pause at bottom
1.6 + . . . + 7.6 + timer expired (28 each side). Shortened pause at bottom (which was longer than prescribed) to increase reps.

Alternating 1-legged RDLs
1 + . . . + 10 + timer expired (55 each side). Cut rest periods short.

Toyotas with 1- to 3-sec pause at bottom
1.6 + . . . + 8.6 + 7.6 + . . . + 5.6 + timer expired (54). Gradual improvement in ROM. Fewer reps because of longer pause at bottom.

Hyperextensions with arms at sides, 3-sec hold at top
1.6 + . . . + 9.6 + 8.6 + timer expired (53). Added a set over last time.

5 minutes of thoracic stretching

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 14: Pronated grip: 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 4 (26)

5 minutes of thoracic stretching

This went better than yesterday. Amazing what a difference the right amount of extra carbs can make at lunch.

2 Likes

2021.11.10

88,1 kg

Morning

Programmed rest day.

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 15: Supinated grip: 7 + 6 + 5 + 5 + 4 (27)

5 minutes of thoracic stretching

This went well (supinated grip is so much easier anyway).

I’m travelling on business for the next 5 days, so back on Tuesday.

3 Likes

2021.11.16

–,– kg

Morning

Travelling.

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 16: Supinated grip: 7 + 6 + 6 + 5 + 4 (28)

5 minutes of thoracic stretching

After such a long break, there will be DOMS tomorrow . . . But it was nice, for a change, to finish something without feeling destroyed at the end.

4 Likes

2021.11.17

88,3 kg

Morning — Round 1, Week 2, Day 3: Push/pull ladders

Warm-up

7,5-minute timer per exercise

Push-ups
1 + 2 + . . . + 6 + 5 + . . . + 1 + . . . + 4 + 3 + . . . + 1 + . . . + 3 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 2f + 1 + timer expired (64) — improved on last time

Let-me-ups (inverted bodyweight rows)
1 + . . . + 5 + 4 + . . . 1 + . . . + 3 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 + timer expired
(49) — one fewer than last time

Military press (with hands raised on second step)
1 + . . . + 7 + 6 + . . . 1 + 2 + 3 + timer expired (54) — 3 fewer than last time

Let-me-ins (towel rows)
1 + . . . + 12 + timer expired (78) — same as last time

5 minutes of thoracic stretching

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 17: Neutral grip: 7 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 (29)

5 minutes of thoracic stretching

Would whoever last turned up gravity please turn it back down again after use? It’s demoralising for beginners like me. Please, and thank you!

4 Likes

This genuinely made me LOL.

Keep up the good work!

1 Like

Glad to see you still crushing it in here mate. I’ve got nothing specific to add, as I’ve had to catch up on so much all at once.

1 Like

LOL! Some days are like that, right? :slight_smile:

1 Like

Thanks so much for the encouragement! Even nothing specific means a lot. Thank you for the support!

1 Like

2021.11.18

88,0 kg

Morning — Round 1, Week 2, Day 4: Leg/core ladders

Warm-up

7,5-minute timer per exercise

Alternating side lunges with 1- to 3-sec pause at bottom
1.6 + . . . + 8.6 + timer expired during last set; finished anyway (36 each side). Cut rest periods short.

Alternating 1-legged RDLs
1 + . . . + 10 + timer expired (55 each side). Cut rest periods short.

Toyotas with 1- to 3-sec pause at bottom
1.6 + . . . + 11.6 + timer expired during last set; finished anyway (66). Significant improvement over last time.

Russian Twists
1 + . . . + 7 + 6 + . . . + 1 + 2 + . . . 5 + 4 + . . . + 1 + 2 + 3 + timer expired (78). Significant improvement over last time.

5 minutes of thoracic stretching. The start is always difficult after contracting abs, but makes for a good relaxation exercise.

Afternoon: PLP

Day 18: Programmed rest day

It seems ridiculous to take a rest day after such a long gap, but the DOMS in lats and shoulders . . . Back at it tomorrow.

4 Likes

2021.11.19

89,6 kg

Morning: Programmed rest day

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 19: Neutral grip: 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 (30)

5 minutes of thoracic stretching

Today was basically the reverse of yesterday: programmed rest for the morning workout.

Doing these with an incipient migraine is never a good idea. Except for the last two sets, I extended the rest periods between sets to allow the pain to come down to tolerable levels, and then I took some medication after the second set, which took a while to kick in.

Despite a terrible night’s sleep, strength and energy were surprisingly good.

4 Likes

2021.11.20

89,1 kg

Morning — Round 2, Week 1, Day 1: Push/pull ladders

Warm-up

7,5-minute timer per exercise

Push-ups
1 + 2 + . . . + 6 + 5 + . . . + 1 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 + timer expired (50) — no comment

Let-me-ups (inverted bodyweight rows)
1 + . . . + 6 + 5 + . . . 1 + 2 + 2f + 2 + 1 + 2 + 2f + 2 + 1 + 2 + timer expired (52) — actually improved slightly on last time

Military press (with hands raised on second step)
1 + . . . + 8 + 7 + . . . 1 + timer expired (64) — improved significantly on last time

Let-me-ins (towel rows)
1 + . . . + 12 + timer expired (78)

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 20: Pronated grip: 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 5 (31)

Today was not a struggle but a fight. It was a fight to get started. It was a fight for each set. It was a fight for each rep.

The morning’s push-ups sparked another migraine, so I took some medication during the rest between sets. Not ideal because I do the morning workout fasted.

The afternoon’s PLP was tough. Once again, I had to extend the rest between sets, to let the pain and the nausea subside. I honestly thought about throwing in the towel after the first set, but then talked myself out of it because I’d have to repeat the set of 8 on another day, and the first set is always the hardest.

Despite a good night’s sleep, strength and energy were both low today.

I want to add that I’m grateful to @SvenG for encouraging me to log not just the workouts but how I feel about them. What kept me going today was knowing that there are also days when I feel good — and I’m more aware of that now only because I log it.

5 Likes

Thank you for the kind words, my friend.

1 Like

2021.11.21

90,3 kg

Morning — Round 2, Week 1, Day 2: Leg/core ladders

Warm-up

7,5-minute timer per exercise

Alternating back lunges with 1- to 3-sec pause at bottom
1.6 + . . . + 7.6 + timer expired (28 each side)

Alternating 1-legged RDLs
1 + . . . + 10 + timer expired (55 each side). Cut rest periods short.

Toyotas with 1- to 3-sec pause at bottom
1.6 + . . . + 10.6 + 9.6 + timer expired (64). Improved over last time.

Hyperextensions with arms at sides, 3-sec hold at top
1.6 + . . . + 9.6 + 8.6 + timer expired (53). Forgot this wasn’t upper body only, so added legs as of the 7th set.

5 minutes of thoracic stretching

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 21: Pronated grip: 8 + 7 + 6 + 6 + 5 (32)

Another day, another (or perhaps the same?) migraine . . . but I caught it early (during this morning’s warm-up) so it didn’t affect me as much as it would have otherwise.

Energy levels good today but grip strength started failing on the pull-ups as fatigue set in. Made it reasonably through to the end, though.

The thoracic stretching is really paying off. Mobility is much improved, and it’s increasingly easier to keep reasonably good posture, despite my sedentary job.

3 Likes

2021.11.22

90,4 kg

Morning

This was actually a programmed rest day, but I’ve been wanting to add some easy conditioning to the mix. For this purpose, I thought I’d resurrect an old workout I was doing in October.

It makes for a good gateway drug to Burpees (will I get there eventually?), but it’s far less knackering, and so it’s good for unfit beginners like me.

Warm-up

As many cycles as possible in 20 minutes with no rest:

10 alternating back lunges
8 Let-me-ins (towel rows)
6 Push-ups

Did 10 rounds, just as the timer expired. Wanted an 11th, so I did it anyway. Good, steady pace, good strength, good energy.

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 22: Supinated grip: 8 + 7 + 7 + 6 + 5 (33)

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

I’m travelling for more medical appointments tomorrow, so back on Wednesday.

EDIT: Fixed the grip on PLP, just so I don’t confuse myself later.

3 Likes

2021.11.24

88,2 kg

Morning — Round 2, Week 2, Day 3: Push/pull ladders

Warm-up

7,5-minute timer per exercise

Push-ups
1 + 2 + . . . + 6 + 5 + . . . + 1 + . . . + 3 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + timer expired (47) — abysmal compared to last time: Triceps were just knackered for some reason and soon put their ears back and stubbornly refused to budge.

Let-me-ups (inverted bodyweight rows)
1 + . . . + 6 + 5 + . . . + 1 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 + timer expired
(52) — three more than last time

Military press (with hands raised on second step)
1 + . . . + 7 + 6 + . . . + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + timer expired (58) — four more than last time

Let-me-ins (towel rows)
1 + . . . + 12 + timer expired (78) — same as last time

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 23: Supinated grip: 8 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 (34)

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

First day without a migraine in a while, so yay!

This morning started out badly, but by the end actually went reasonably well. For this afternoon’s PLP, strength and energy were surprisingly good.

I know I am making progress; it’s just so slow and incremental at the moment that it often feels like nothing is happening at all. But these things happen in slow waves (for me, at least, or so it seems), so it’s just a step-by-step thing, and all I have to do is keep taking each step.

5 Likes

2021.11.25

89,9 kg

Morning — Round 2, Week 2, Day 4: Leg/core ladders

Warm-up

7,5-minute timer per exercise

Alternating side lunges with 1- to 3-sec pause at bottom
1.6 + . . . + 8.6 + timer expired (36 each side). Cut rest periods short.

Alternating 1-legged RDLs
1 + . . . + 10 + timer expired (55 each side). Cut rest periods short.

Toyotas with 1- to 3-sec pause at bottom
1.6 + . . . + 10.6 + timer expired (55) — one set fewer than last time

Russian Twists
1 + . . . + 8 + 7 + . . . + 1 + 2 + . . . 4 + timer expired (73) — higher up the ladder this time, but fewer reps overall

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

Afternoon: PLP

Day 24: Programmed rest day.

Because I’m travelling through the weekend and on Monday on business, I was going to start today with climbing the mountain again at Day 13 in the rep scheme. But my left shoulder is playing up for some reason, so I’ve decided to give it the day off. I’m just moving it around and trying to be nice to it so it doesn’t hate me too much tomorrow.

4 Likes

2021.11.26

88,5 kg

Morning: Easy conditioning

Warm-up

As many cycles as possible in 20 minutes with no rest:

10 alternating back lunges
8 Let-me-ins (towel rows)
6 Push-ups

Did 10 rounds.

The towel rows were getting a little easy, so I changed the point of leverage a bit and did them with palms facing up. This had the desired effect of raising my heart rate enough so that I was drenched by the end. I think I’ll keep these modifications.

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 13: Pronated grip: 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 (25)

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

This was more difficult than it should have been, but I got it done.

Travelling for the next 3 days, so back on Tuesday, weather permitting.

4 Likes

2021.11.30

89,9 kg

Morning: Easy conditioning

Warm-up

As many cycles as possible in 20 minutes with no rest:

10 alternating back lunges
8 Let-me-ins (towel rows)
6 Push-ups

Did 10 rounds.

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

I was short of time this morning, so I substituted the easy conditioning for my normal workout. Regular programming resumes tomorrow.

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 14: Pronated grip: 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 4 (26)

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

Good strength and energy today.

5 Likes

2021.12.1

89,4 kg

Morning — Round 3, Week 1, Day 1: Push/pull ladders

Warm-up

7,5-minute timer per exercise

Push-ups
1 + 2 + . . . + 6 + 5 + . . . + 1 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 3 + timer expired (49) — Argh!

Let-me-ups (inverted bodyweight rows)
1 + . . . + 6 + 5 + . . . 1 + 2 + 2f + 2 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 2 + timer expired (53) — one more than last time. I’ll take it.

Military press (with hands raised on first step)
1 + . . . + 5 + 4 + . . . 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 9 x 1 +timer expired (39) — significantly increased difficulty this time

Let-me-ins (towel rows)
1 + . . . + 12 + timer expired (78) — longer lever this time with increased difficulty

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

Despite the (for me) soul-crushing push-ups to start with, this actually went quite well.

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 15: Supinated grip: 7 + 6 + 5 + 5 + 4 (27)

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

Good strength and energy again today.

3 Likes

2021.12.2

88,7 kg

Morning — Round 3, Week 1, Day 2: Leg/core ladders

Warm-up

7,5-minute timer per exercise

Alternating back lunges with 1- to 3-sec pause at bottom
1.6 + . . . + 7.6 + timer expired (28 each side) — cut rest periods slightly short

Alternating 1-legged RDLs
1 + . . . + 10 + timer expired (55 each side) — cut rest periods short

Toyotas with 1- to 3-sec pause at bottom
1.6 + . . . + 11.6 + timer expired (66) — improved over last time; timer expired during last set, but finished it anyway

Hyperextensions with arms at sides, 3-sec hold at top
1.6 + . . . + 10.6 + timer expired (55) — improved over last time

5 minutes of thoracic stretching

Good strength and energy this morning. For most of the exercises, the time limit now limits the sets and reps.

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 16: Supinated grip: 7 + 6 + 6 + 5 + 4 (28)

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

Good strength and energy again this afternoon.

3 Likes