Log - Mon., 5/31/10

Weight:

I'm not sure, but it's not as low as I thought.  The other day, I weighed myself again at 220.6 - great!  Then I noticed the scale seemed to be pressed too tight up against something in the basement, and I wondered if it was affecting the reading.  It was.  I weighed in at 223.8 lbs.  So, I'm roughly 224 lbs. at the moment, I'd guess.  An improvement, no doubt, but not as much as I'd thought and hoped.

Workout:

weights

all 1:30 rest

deadlift, 215 - 3x15
front squat, 85 - 3x15
walking lunge, BW - 3x15

boxing
heavy bag, 6x2:00 rounds
speed bag work

Comments:

The deadlifts are really working out perfectly for me - I'm always terrified I'm going to drop the last five reps of the last set.  If I wore straps, I'd be able to do more weight for sure, but I'm getting a good workout, and this is excellent for my grip (all pronated, not mixed), so I'll keep doing what I'm doing.

Log - Sat., 5/29/10

Workout:

running

3.57 miles in 31:39.  This was supposed to be an easy run.  It was - and it was only about :16 off my best time for this course.  I'm getting faster...

Comments:

This was after a brutal 36 hours.  We traveled a lot with the kids, so they were rebelious and difficult.  The weather was beautiful but hot, everyone was overtired, no one slept well.  My wife - wisely - sent me out on a run after the kids were in bed, since the gym with the heavy bag was closed.  I'm glad she did.

Log - Fri., 5/28/10

Workout:

weights

all 1:30 rest

bench, 155 - 15, 15, 12
BB row, 95 - 3x15*
DB press, 30 - 15, 15, 10
lat. pulldown, 90 - 15, 15, 12
tri. pushdown, 60 - 15, 15, 12
BB curl, 60 - 15, 15, 10
lat. raise, 12 - 3x15

* = I'm doing these very strict and with a supine grip.  They're brutal when done that way. 

Log - Thurs., 5/27/10

Weight: 220.0 lbs.

Yesterday, I was 220.8 lbs.  I thought that must be a fluke.  Apparently, it was not.

Workout:

weights

all 1:30 rest

squat, 165 - 3x12
RDL, 165 - 3x15
lunge, BW - 3x15

boxing

heavy bag, 6x2:00 heavy bag
speed bag work

Log - Tues., 5/25/10

Workout:

weights

all 1:30 rest

press, 70 - 15, 15, 12
lat. pulldown, * - 3x15
DB incline press, 45 - 15, 15, 14
DB row, 45 - 12, 12, 12
tri pushdown, * - 15, 15, 12
BB curl, 60 - 15, 15, 12
lat. raise, 12 - 3x15

* = used an unusual machine, so weights were off.

Log - Mon., 5/24/10

Workout:

weights

all 1:30 rest

deadlift, 205 - 3x15
front squat, 85 - 3x12
lunge, BW - 3x15
SL curl, 45 - 3x15
calf raise, 95 - 3x15

boxing

heavy bag, 4x2:00
speed bag work

Comments:

That deadlift only really got challenging for my grip.  I'll be interest to keep pushing the weight there to see what happens, but it's a great grip endurance workout.  I'm noticing with all my workouts that my later lifts are starting to struggle, which I think is good - it means I'm learning how to go really hard on the key exercise for the day, leaving not as much for the others.  That's fine by me.

Boxing with the new gloves is a totally different experience.  This was my second heavy-bag session with them, and they already feel broken in.  I shifted to two-minute rounds for awhile so that I can go harder and not let me technique break down.  I've gotten a little wild in the last minute of some rounds, and suffered a few minor tweaks as a result.  I'll stick to 2:00 until my technique solidifies.

Log - Sat., 5/21/10

Workout:

weights

all 1:30 rest

bench, 155 - 15, 15, 11
BB row, 115 - 15, 15, 10
DB press, 35x - 15, 12, 8
lat. pulldown, 90 - 15, 15, 13
triceps pushdown, 60 - 15, 13, 7
BB curl, 60 - 15, 15, 10
lat. raise, 10 - 15, 15, 15

Comments:

Wow, did I ever run out of gas.

Log - Thurs., 5/20/10

Workout:

boxing

heavy bag work, 6 x 3:00 rounds
some speed bag work

Comments:

Today I got my new Lonsdale bag gloves, and I must say, it was a totally different experience.  These are real, fully-enclosed boxing gloves, as opposed to my unusual Everlast gloves which gave me so much trouble.  Frankly, the Everlast gloves are much cooler, and are somewhat more comfortable because making a fist is effortless, but compared to the Lonsdales, they offer no protection.  I soon felt like I could swing all day with the Lonsdales.  I even threw better hooks and crosses as I had more confidence in protection.  It felt good.  Really, really good.

Log - Mon., 5/17/10

I am on a family-imposed training break for the next three days, and I'm already getting itchy about it.  My wife is in Charleston, South Carolina, teaching a conference, so it's just me and the kids.  That means no leaving to go to the gym, going for a run, etc.  If I'm lucky, I'll get in some pushups and situps, maybe some medicine ball work, and maybe some rope jumping.  But it'll be miinimal until Thursday, when I'll get back to the gym with a passion.

Log - Sat., 5/15/10

Workout:

running

3.57 miles in 31:23 (8.8 min/mile pace).

Comments:

This felt fantastic.  I feel as if my barefoot form is really clicking now.  I decided to try to make this is a hard run, but the longer I went, the easier it felt to hold this pace, which is faster than I've done in a long time on this course.  I felt as if I could have gone even faster.

Log - Fri., 5/14/10

Workout:

weights

all 1:30 rest

bench, 155 - 15, 15, 10
BB row, 115 - 13, 12, 12
DB press, 35s - 15, 15, 12
lat. pulldown, 80 - 3x15
triceps pushdown, 60 - 3x13
BB curl, 60 - 15, 15, 12
lat. raise, 10s - 3x15

Comments:

I'm loving the pump from these 3x15 workouts, and I can feel my conditioning improving.  However, I'm already itching for some heavier weights.  I'll finish at least two more weeks of this, maybe six more, before heading to some heavy weight again.  I've enjoyed 5/3/1, but am thinking of giving TTM a try when I get there - the squat volume might be good for me.

Log - Thurs., 5/13/10 (cont.)

Evening workout:

running

2 miles in 15:55!  That's my fastest two miles in years - at least since college.  And I know, with the certainty that only comes at the end of the run, that I could have gone faster.

Log - Thurs., 5/13/10

Weight:  222.6 lbs.

Now that's moving in the right direction.

Workout:

weights

all 1:30 rest

squat, 145 - 3x15
RDL, 145 - 3x15
lunge, BW - 3x15

Comments:

It's remarkable how much easier this session was after getting 3x12 on the squats last week.  My body is adapting quickly to a 3x15 plan.  My joints are feeling great - they're not bearing a heavy load - while my muscles still ache.  Perfect for now.  One issue I'm noticing on the squat is it really felt as if my right leg was working harder than my left, as if I was shifting my weight that direction during both the squats and the RDLs.  I need to watch that closely.

I cut out the SL curls and the calf raises today as I had an early-morning meeting ... that was canceled as soon as I got to the office.

(Also, last night I jumped rope for 15:00.)

Goal Reevaluation

I'm currently in the process of reevaluating my goals because, frankly, I'm not very motivated by them.

 

First, the running goal probably needs to go.  I've been running again ever since the weather turned nice, and loving it.  About two weeks ago, I went on a business trip to Maine, and really enjoyed an eight-miler along the coast.  But therein lies the problem.  While I was tired after the eight-miler, and a little sore the rest of the day, I know I could have easily run a half that day.  Finishing that distance simply holds no challenge for me.

 

Moreover, I don't [i]want[/i] to run a half, that day or any other (although with enough coast-hugging trail, I might have reconsidered in Maine – that was beautiful).  So why is that my goal, if it does not motivate me?

 

Second, my lifting goals are out of whack.  They're out of whack because I know I can do one (I routinely bench more than 225 for reps), and I can probably do another, or am very close (my calculated 1RM for deadlifting is more than 50 pounds more than my 405 goal).  They're also out of whack because I really don't take 1RMs any more, nor do I have a desire to train that way.  I enjoy my 5/3/1 and other strength work immensely, but even that tends to be geared more toward getting stronger through rep maxes, not really training for that one max-effort rep. 

 

So, I'm reevaluating.  There will still be a running goal, but it will more likely be a series of goals based on 5K times.  I used to love racing 5Ks, I still love the distance, and I have definitely lost a lot of my speed.  That's a performance-based goal that will be both challenging and motivating.  It'll also take fewer hours to pursue than if I pursued a time goal for a half, and time is something I have less and less of between lifting, running, work, and family.

 

On the lifting front, I may focus on one and only one lift for the rest of the year – my squat.  Oh, sure, I'll push hard on the rest, but my squat is the one lift that, to me, is embarrassingly low. 

 

I haven't thought this all the way out yet – I only started thinking about it during a 5.5-mile run this weekend – but I think I need to shift to something that is more motivating.

Log - Tues., 5/11/10

Workout:

weights

all 1:30 rest

press, 65 - 3x15
lat. pulldown, 70 - 3x15
DB incline press, 40s - 3x15
one-arm row, 40s - 3x15
tri. pushdown, 60 - 3x12
BB curl, 55 - 3x15
lat. raise, 10s - 3x15

Comments:

I lowered the weight on the press and the lat. pulldowns to really focus on form and technique, which was much harder but worth it.  I was really feeling sloppy on the press, and really want to focus on engaging my lats in the pulldowns.  Mission accomplished.

Also, I almost forgot - 15 minutes of jumping rope last night.

Log - Mon., 5/10/10

Workout:

weights

(all 1:30 rest)

deadlift, 195 - 3x15
front squat, 75 - 3x15
walking lunge, BW - 3x15
SL curl, 45 - 3x15
calf raise, 85 - 3x15

Comments:

The lifting session felt great.  I skipped the cardio (usually heavy bag work) to let my hands heal a bit.  I just ordered some better heavy bag gloves, which should help immensely, but I'll bet I don't get them for a week.  I also needed to get to work earlier, so there was that.

I'm reconsidering my goals of specific lifts and running a half marathon this fall.  I really am not feeling motivated by it, and I think that my problem is that the goals aren't really challenging.  I am sure I can hit all the lifting goals except for the squat already.  As for the running, my 8-miler a few weeks ago - slow but quite easy - reinforced what I already believed; I could run a half today if I wanted to.  So, what's the point?

I'm thinking of reevaluating, then.  I want both lifting and running goals, but am thinking of shifting my running to a 5k goal for time - like lifting a certain amount, that seems like a performance goal that should challenge me well, while not requiring a ton of extra time (which I don't have).  (By that last, I mean that focusing on time for the half would require a lot of long, slow sessions, a lot of speed work, etc.  With lifting and work and family and ..., it just doesn't seem feasible, nor is it something I really want.  The 5K, though, is more exciting to me.)  We'll see.

Log - Sun., 5/9/10

Workout:

running

Approx. 5.5 miles in about 55 minutes, nice and easy.

Log - Fri., 5/7/10

Workout:

weights

all 1:30 rest
squat, 145 - 3x12
RDL, 135 - 3x15
lunge, BW - 3x15
SL curl, 40 - 3x15
calf raise, 75 - 3x15

boxing

3 rounds, heavy bag

Comments:

I was disappointed in the squats today.  I was in very early for me lately, and I think that affected things.  If I were more alert, I think I had 3x15 there.  But my focus was not full yet.

Log - Wed., 5/5/10

Workout:

jumping rope

15:00

Log - Tues., 5/4/10

Weight:  227.0 lbs.

Workout:

weights

(all 1:30 rest)

press, 75 - 15, 15, 8
lat. pulldown - 70x15, 80x15, 90x15
DB incline press - 35x15, 40x15, 40x15
DB one-arm row, 35 - 3x15
triceps pushdown - 40x15, 50x15, 50x15
BB curl, 50 - 3x15
shoulder triad - 10x12, 5x15

Log - Mon., 5/3/10

Evening workout:

boxing

5 rounds.

Log - Mon., 5/3/10

Weight:

226.4 lbs.

Workout:

weights

(all 1:30 rest)

deadlift, 185 - 3x15
front squat, 75 - 3x15
walking lunge, BW - 3x15
SL curl, 40 - 3x15
calf raise, 75 - 3x15

boxing

heavy bag, 3 rounds - taking it easier to try to let my knuckles heal a bit.

Comments:

This was first full 3x15 leg workout.  The weights will need some adjusting, primarily on the key lift for today (the deadlift), but all in all, it was a killer workout.  My legs felt dead when I began the boxing work, but eventually loosened up a little.  All in all, this was a great, sweat-inducing workout.

Log - Sun., 5/2/10

Workout:

running

3.5 miles, about 32:00.  Felt good.  Quick but not too hard, really.