This morning I ran with Lindsay and Yvonne. We only went 2.4 miles, but I was satisfied. It was hot outside and today was supposed to be a strength day anyhow.
Speaking of which, I did a strength workout. It was 15 minutes of Escalating Density Training (EDT), alternating between Standard Width Pushups and Standard Width Pullups.
Standard Width Pushups: 84 reps
Standard Width Pullups: 42 reps
I believe both of these numbers are less than previous attempts, but I feel fine with it as long as I can get into a routine. After all, my goals right now are to establish a regular exercise routine and maintain a diet that excludes all grains.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Vacation Disruption
This workout actually took place May 17th, 2012, prior to leaving for California for Mekrae's graduation. I just returned home yesterday. As you can imagine, my diet has taken a beating over the last week and a half. Although I did run with Lindsay 3 times while on vacation, the runs were shorter overall.
I would like to bring my diet back under control and try to get into a regular workout routine.
Anyhow, the workout was as follows:
Wall Handstands (2 x 25s)
Tuck L-Sit on Parallel Bars (3 x 17s/15s/12s)
Bar Pullups (3 x 8/4/7)
Ring Pushups (3 x 10/10/7)
Parallel Bar Dips (3 x 6/6/4)
I would like to bring my diet back under control and try to get into a regular workout routine.
Anyhow, the workout was as follows:
Wall Handstands (2 x 25s)
Tuck L-Sit on Parallel Bars (3 x 17s/15s/12s)
Bar Pullups (3 x 8/4/7)
Ring Pushups (3 x 10/10/7)
Parallel Bar Dips (3 x 6/6/4)
Friday, April 27, 2012
First Attempt at Wall Handstands
Today's workout began with Eischen's Yoga for Beginners. I noticed that my muscles were slightly shaky. I have a feeling this is because I was maintaining stricter form.
I then began my first attempt at gymnastics skills training. Today's skills included Wall Handstands (Wall HS), Tuck L-Sit, Bar Pullups, Regular Pushups, and Parallel Bar Dips (PB Dips). I am using the gymnastics progressions outlined in Steven Low's book "Overcoming Gravity". This is an excellent and thorough reference for gymnastic and bodyweight strength training.
For the Wall HS, I kicked up to position with my back to the wall. I maintained the position for 2 sets of 40 seconds (2 x 40s). I was able to maintain broken intervals of unsupported HS for 2 to 4 seconds at a time.
Summary:
Wall HS (2 x 40s)
Tuck L-Sit (3 x 12s)
Bar Pullups (3 x 10,7,5)
Regular Pushups (3 x 23,13,10)
PB Dips (3 x 5)
For the fitness training portion of the workout, I did a monkey bar gym workout. It consisted of AMAP rounds in 20 minutes of the following:
20 D-Ball Slams (24 lb D-Ball)
20 Sitouts
20 Box Jumps (5 gal Homer Bucket)
100 reps Jump Rope
My results are as follows:
2 sets + 20 D-Ball Slams + 6 Sitouts
The MBG workout was intense. I had to take a 5 min break (clock still running) in the middle of the workout due to chest pain and achy jaw.
Overall, I felt like the workout ran a bit long. I think I will only be able to work a couple of gymnastics skills a time at each workout. I will choose my weakest progressions to work on from week to week. Next workout, I plan to work Wall HS, Tuck L-Sit, Ring Dip Support Holds, and Rings Feldge Skills. That might still be a lot, but I need to determine what my weaknesses are before I can concentrate my efforts on them.
I then began my first attempt at gymnastics skills training. Today's skills included Wall Handstands (Wall HS), Tuck L-Sit, Bar Pullups, Regular Pushups, and Parallel Bar Dips (PB Dips). I am using the gymnastics progressions outlined in Steven Low's book "Overcoming Gravity". This is an excellent and thorough reference for gymnastic and bodyweight strength training.
For the Wall HS, I kicked up to position with my back to the wall. I maintained the position for 2 sets of 40 seconds (2 x 40s). I was able to maintain broken intervals of unsupported HS for 2 to 4 seconds at a time.
Summary:
Wall HS (2 x 40s)
Tuck L-Sit (3 x 12s)
Bar Pullups (3 x 10,7,5)
Regular Pushups (3 x 23,13,10)
PB Dips (3 x 5)
For the fitness training portion of the workout, I did a monkey bar gym workout. It consisted of AMAP rounds in 20 minutes of the following:
20 D-Ball Slams (24 lb D-Ball)
20 Sitouts
20 Box Jumps (5 gal Homer Bucket)
100 reps Jump Rope
My results are as follows:
2 sets + 20 D-Ball Slams + 6 Sitouts
The MBG workout was intense. I had to take a 5 min break (clock still running) in the middle of the workout due to chest pain and achy jaw.
Overall, I felt like the workout ran a bit long. I think I will only be able to work a couple of gymnastics skills a time at each workout. I will choose my weakest progressions to work on from week to week. Next workout, I plan to work Wall HS, Tuck L-Sit, Ring Dip Support Holds, and Rings Feldge Skills. That might still be a lot, but I need to determine what my weaknesses are before I can concentrate my efforts on them.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
First Day of Monkey Bar Gym
Today Tom and Craig came over for a modified Monkey Bar Gym workout. We started with the Eischen's Yoga for Beginners DVD as the warm-up. I felt better than the first time I followed the beginner yoga routine. The poses were easier to hold and I felt my form was B+.
We then progressed straight into strength-building. We did 4 sets of as many as possible (4 x AMAP) of Slide Thru's using the gymnastics rings and the power-wheel. The gymnastics rings were adjusted to exactly 12" off the ground.
Tom's results: 4.0/4.0/4.0/2.5
Colby's results: 5.5/4.5/3.5/4.5
Craig's results: 4.0/5.0/3.5/4.0
Tom's total: 14.5
Colby's total: 18.0
Craig's total: 16.5
We ended the workout there. We also discussed the idea of beginning a 60-day INSANITY challenge. Tom and Craig will begin the challenge on April 30th and Colby will join in on May 2nd.
I am also considering how I plan to structure my workouts in the future. As of right now, I would like to start every day with 15 to 30 minutes of Eischen's yoga. Then, 3 times per week, I will follow it with 30 minutes of gymnastics skills training and 30 minutes of general fitness training via the monkey bar gym's Workout of the Day (WOD), P90X, INSANITY, or some other equivalent routine. I will end each day with guided meditation. I have not yet found a guided meditation routine that I like, so this is still in development.
Twice a week, I would like to do long runs after my morning yoga. Also, once or twice a week I would like to do an extended yoga routine (GAIAM Yoga DVDs with Rodney Yee) or an extended stretch routine (P90X Stretch-X).
Speaking of stretch, I think I really need to work on my flexibility in order to improve my gymnastics poses. Perhaps I will incorporate a short stretching routine as a cool-down. I recently heard that Gold Medal Bodies released a DVD called focused flexibility. I should look into that.
Anyhow, a sample week would look like this:
Morning - Mon/Wed/Fri
15 min eischen's yoga
30 min gymnastics skills training
30 min general fitness training
15 min stretching
Morning - Tues/Sat
15 min eischen's yoga
60 min long run
15 min stretching
Morning - Thurs/Sun
60 min extended yoga or stretch
Evening - Every Day
30 min guided meditation
I am intentional being vague about my "general fitness training". Basically I can chose any full-body workout or create my own. It should vary from workout to workout or change at least every 8 weeks without repeating any workout more than once a week. The workout should vary its focus between the 8 measures of physical fitness: (1) muscular strength, (2) muscular endurance, (3) speed, (4) balance, (5) power, (6) cardiovascular endurance, (7) coordination, and (8) flexibility. Obviously, less emphasis will fall on balance, coordination, and flexibility since these are developed at other points in the workout.
We then progressed straight into strength-building. We did 4 sets of as many as possible (4 x AMAP) of Slide Thru's using the gymnastics rings and the power-wheel. The gymnastics rings were adjusted to exactly 12" off the ground.
Tom's results: 4.0/4.0/4.0/2.5
Colby's results: 5.5/4.5/3.5/4.5
Craig's results: 4.0/5.0/3.5/4.0
Tom's total: 14.5
Colby's total: 18.0
Craig's total: 16.5
We ended the workout there. We also discussed the idea of beginning a 60-day INSANITY challenge. Tom and Craig will begin the challenge on April 30th and Colby will join in on May 2nd.
I am also considering how I plan to structure my workouts in the future. As of right now, I would like to start every day with 15 to 30 minutes of Eischen's yoga. Then, 3 times per week, I will follow it with 30 minutes of gymnastics skills training and 30 minutes of general fitness training via the monkey bar gym's Workout of the Day (WOD), P90X, INSANITY, or some other equivalent routine. I will end each day with guided meditation. I have not yet found a guided meditation routine that I like, so this is still in development.
Twice a week, I would like to do long runs after my morning yoga. Also, once or twice a week I would like to do an extended yoga routine (GAIAM Yoga DVDs with Rodney Yee) or an extended stretch routine (P90X Stretch-X).
Speaking of stretch, I think I really need to work on my flexibility in order to improve my gymnastics poses. Perhaps I will incorporate a short stretching routine as a cool-down. I recently heard that Gold Medal Bodies released a DVD called focused flexibility. I should look into that.
Anyhow, a sample week would look like this:
Morning - Mon/Wed/Fri
15 min eischen's yoga
30 min gymnastics skills training
30 min general fitness training
15 min stretching
Morning - Tues/Sat
15 min eischen's yoga
60 min long run
15 min stretching
Morning - Thurs/Sun
60 min extended yoga or stretch
Evening - Every Day
30 min guided meditation
I am intentional being vague about my "general fitness training". Basically I can chose any full-body workout or create my own. It should vary from workout to workout or change at least every 8 weeks without repeating any workout more than once a week. The workout should vary its focus between the 8 measures of physical fitness: (1) muscular strength, (2) muscular endurance, (3) speed, (4) balance, (5) power, (6) cardiovascular endurance, (7) coordination, and (8) flexibility. Obviously, less emphasis will fall on balance, coordination, and flexibility since these are developed at other points in the workout.
Monday, April 23, 2012
The Road to a Paleo Diet - Step 1
My weight loss has plateaued, therefore, I would like to take my diet more seriously. While I have advocated the merits of the Paleo Diet to my friends and family, I have not followed the diet very strictly. Today, that will change. My plan is a "staged withdrawl".
The first step is to cut out all grains, bread, pasta, and processed sugars. While I am confident I can handle the the loss of bread and pasta, I know sugars will put up a fight. My name is Colby and I am a sugar addict. (Hi Colby....)
I can deal with this for the time being with artificial sugars. I know, I know--artificial sugars are horrible for me. Baby steps, right? I will look into stevia as an alternative to splenda. At some point in the future, I will eliminate these as well.
Anyhow, I plan to strictly follow this modification for 2 weeks. At that point, I will add another modification--perhaps the elimination of dairy.
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