Lose That Sixth Grader

Well, four days since my last Turbulence Training style workout. That’s not good. I didn’t do a whole heck of a lot of walking in the interim either. I didn’t do yoga or tai chi. Slack. So much for winning the Transformation Contest.

I did the following workout today, 20090328.

Y-Squat 3×10 reps
Close-grip Pushup 3×8 reps
Cross Crawl 3×10 repsper side
Stability Ball Hip Extension 3×12 reps
Stability Ball Jackknife 3×10 reps
Mountain Climber 3×10 reps per side
Wall Squat Hold 3×60 secs
Beginner Inverted Row 3×12 reps
Elevated Pushup 3×8 reps per side

I followed this with 25 minutes on the stationary bike. Five minute warmup, 15 minutes at a fast pace, 5 minute cool down. I feel good. I know I will be sore.The jackknives followed by the mountain climbers really have my abs “talking” to me. I’m getting better with my pushups. One more week of this program and then on to Phase 2.

Well. Another crazy workout. This was workout B of the Turbulence Training 6 Month Bodyweight Workout Phase 1. This is my third time through this workout. I did three circuits, with the same numbers of reps as before. Again, I’m happy to report that my daughter worked out with me.

The major difference is that in each of my sets of chinups I did 3 complete chinups w/ no assistance followed by 5 assisted chinups. On my last set I did 5 negatives instead of assisted. I think this is pretty good seeing how I weigh 250 pounds.

Also, I did the off-set pushups instead of elevated pushups like I messed up on last week. I did the 1st four exercises outside then came in for the remainder of the exercises. I was dripping wet when I completed all three circuits.

After the strength portion of the workout I did intervals on the stationary bike the same as last week. This really got me sweating. My hair was wet, sweat was dripping into my glasses, running down my face into my mouth. I was breathing super heavy and my legs were burning. But I kept on pushing.

I felt really good after this workout. I am working right now, 0115 EDT, as I write this. So I could easily have talked myself into skipping this workout or pushing it back another day. I’m glad I didn’t even though it seems like I can feel every muscle in my body particularly in my thighs, back and abs. I’m going to be sore tomorrow that’s for sure.

By the way, I didn’t fast as I said I would on Sunday. But I did start a fast yesterday ( well it is nearly 0130 on 20090325 now) after lunch. I’ll complete it mid-afternoon today. as far as my steps for the day, I’m at 11307 without factoring in any conversion of cycling to steps. That’s a good total!

Actually, I’m really bummed out. Far more than my earlier post may have implied. I just made myself go for a walk. I didn’t note the time before I left, so I’m not sure how long I walked. I did glance at my pedometer and so I know I walked over 3K steps. That brings me up to 11310 for the day so far.

I felt fat, stiff and just out of sorts the entire walk. I tried to concentrate on breathing, looking at the sky, trees and birds. I listened to the birds singing. It’s a pleasant 67°F and sunny. But my mood just would not elevate. I have been working out so hard and steadily harder over the last 3 almost 4 months. And to sabotage myself with my eating is almost more than I can bear.

And guess what. My wife and daughter went grocery shopping. They came home with cookies among all the other groceries. A while before I made myself get out and walk, there were the iced oatmeal cookies open on the kitchen table. I couldn’t pass them up even though I was already feeling bad about my weight gain and food choices. The only good news is that I limited myself to two. The challenge will be to not eat anymore.

Iced Oatmeal Cookies = Danger!!

So, back to the drawing board. There is no better time to start than now. I did not let my feeling of disappointment defeat me I took a walk. I can put myself on the road to a caloric deficit right now by starting an Eat Stop Eat fast now. It’s not about how many times you fall, it’s about how many times you get up after falling.

I guess I’ll get myself another glass of ice water and go watch some basketball. Maybe I’ll be able to garner a little inspiration from that. Also, I just put in a reservation for the book Mindless Eating at the local library. I read it a while back, but I did not record the strategies it contains for reengineering your eating habits. I’ve got to do that and start using those stratagies because obviously what I’ve been doing for the last few weeks has not worked.

Well. Not good progress. I feel more fit but the pictures aren’t showing much change in my physique. Plus, I weighed myself this morning and I was back at 250. That’s heading in the wrong direction. Here are my measurements.

Age: 42
Height: 5′9″
Weight: 250
Neck: 16.5″
Fore arms: 12.5″
Upper arms:  16.5″ flexed
Chest: 49″
Waist: 46.5″
Hips: 46″
Thighs: 27″
Calves: 16″

I’m really disappointed. I was making such great progress just 5.5 weeks ago. Now it seems progress on the weight reduction front has not only halted but reversed. I’ve been consistent with working out except when I got sick. My downfall is eating. I’m just not eating clean. I failed to complete a single 24 hour fast this past week, let alone the two fasts I said I would do. I’m eating late at night, eating the wrong foods and too much food.

I really don’t understand what is holding me back. I know and have written about not being able to out train a poor diet. I’ve seen it before in my life. Yet here I am again seemingly, perhaps unconsciously trying to do just that. It makes no sense.

I will focus on eating better this week. There are only 20 days left in the 4th Transformation contest. I will weigh 240 pounds or less on 11 April 2009!

One of the great things about doing body-weight exercises at home is the opportunity to work out outside when the weather is nice like today. It is 56°F and sunny today in Greenville, SC. My daughter and I put on some sweats, I know you northern folks are laughing at that but anything less that than sixty is cool for us southerners, and took our workout outside.

We did the Turbulence Training 6 Month Bodyweight Phase 1 Workout A, follow the link for the details. We both did three circuits. Her knee started hurting some on the second circuit so she stopped going so deep on the squats.

I sucked at planks and side planks today. My arms and shoulders were more tired than my abs. I hadn’t even done any arm work before the first set of planks. Maybe my arms were still tired from the Thursday’s workout. But my abs are really tight and sore now. They were already sore from the stability ball roll-outs and jack-knives early in the week. They are blitzed now.

I did 12 reps of rows the first set. I actually forgot how many I was supposed to do. I must admit that I cranked through the last 2 or 3 w/ poor form just to make that number. I really concentrated on my form in the last two sets.

Nothing else was super hard. I mean don’t get me wrong. I was blowing and huffing and puffing! Squats really get your cardiovascular system working. Especially if you breathe really deeply while doing them. Oh, let me be honest, I’m hating the jumping jacks! They should be easy, but I guess because I’m still so heavy – over 240 – they are not as easy as I remember them being when I was kid in gym class.

After the strength portion I did my intervals on our stationary bike. It’s an old fashioned fan type with handles that you pump as you pedal. I did a five minute warm up then 2 minutes at 8/10 intensity four times. In between those high intensity session I did active rest at 3/10 intensity for 2 minutes – 3 active rest sessions. I ended the session with a 5 minute cool down.

Training this intensly takes mental toughness. After the first time through a TT-style workout you know just how tough they are going to be, unless you’ve chose a level that is too easy for you. Thereafter it takes a certain level of grit and determination to keep working out like this because you know just how hard it’s going to be. You’ll want to quit. I just keep my goal in mind. I also challenge myself by asking What Would Serena Do? And when it’s really getting hard I begin to think about all the athletes that I respect for their prowess. I know they worked out just as hard and probably harder. I tell myself if they could do it, I can too. I even say what would Craig Ballantyne do? Then I push on through. So, what are you going to do?

I was dripping wet after my Turbulence Training circuits. Workout C seemed to be the easiest of the three workouts last week but I wouldn’t bet on that today after doing 3 full circuits. Oh, I did elevated push-ups ( Place one hand on a 4-inch step or box and lower your body as far as possible. I couldn’t find a good video) instead of off-set push-ups a couple of days ago in workout B by mistake. So I did the off-set pushups today.

Y-Squat 3×10 reps
Close-grip Pushup 3×8 reps
Cross Crawl 3×10 repsper side
Stability Ball Hip Extension 3×12 reps
Stability Ball Jackknife 3×10 reps
Mountain Climber 3×10 reps per side
Wall Squat Hold 3×60 secs
Beginner Inverted Row 3×12 reps
Off-set Pushup 3×8 reps per side

I did my high intensity cardio. I think I did better today than last workout C day. If I thought I was wet after the circuit training after the 5 minute warm up, 15 minutes high intensity sections I was completely soaked. I even kept sweating during the 5 minute cool down. I’m only now beginning to dry off.

I didn’t complete the fast I started Tuesday night, so I’m starting it again tonight. In fact I started it at 6PM. I’ll eat again at dinner tomorrow. And guess what? My daughter worked out with me again!

I didn’t post my yesterday. I only walked. I got in 11375 steps. Not too shabby.

This is one tough Turbulence Training work out. My 15 year old daughter joined today after a long lay off. She had been sick and before that she just kinda’ dropped out. She did 2 circuits while I did three. the total time was about 56 minutes for me including 21 minutes on the bike.

Step-up 3×12 per leg
Siff Squat 3×20
Off-set Pushups 3×8 per side
Split Squat w/ Front Foot Elevated 3×10 per leg
Plank Arms on Stability Ball 3×20 seconds
Reverse Lunge 3×10 per leg
Assisted Chin-up 3×8
Stability Ball Roll-out 3×10
Stick-up 3×12
Bird Dog 3×5 per side

I am staying back from the step to engage my glutes and hamstrings more on step ups. I need to work on my depth in the Siff Squat and Pushups. I could stand to get deeper on both Split Squats and Reverse Lunges. I need to push harder on the Chin-ups. The roll outs really, really worked my abs. Stick ups look and sound easy but after the pushups and chinups I could really feel them. The bird dogs also look easy but coming at the end of this circuit if you focus on them and don’t just go through the motions they are tough, too.

I followed this with Interval workout B: 5 minute warm up; 60 secs @ 8.5/10 followed by active rest of 90 secs @ 3/10 repeated for a total 5 work intervals and 4 active rest intervals; 5 minute cool down. So far today I’m at 14988 steps.

I’m proud of myself because once again I didn’t want to work out. I almost talked myself out of working out. I did talk myself out of starting anEat Stop Eat fast this evening. I’ll have to get with it tomorrow so I can keep my promise to myself of fasting twice a week.

Today was a day for light exercise. I walked for thirty minutes and then did about thirty minutes of yoga. I did the same program I did just before I got sick a couple of weeks ago. The walk was good. I walked fast. I’m up to 9339 steps for the day. Yesterday without taking any intentional walks I got 7465.

The yoga was good, too. I was a little perturbed w/ youtube. The first video I tried kept stalling. So I used it last. I guess I need to actually buy the videos. I think I’ll try the public library first though.

So, back to the transformation. It’s been weeks since I posted any pictures or measurements to chart my progress towards winning the 4th Transformation contest. So here we go.

Age: 42
Height: 5′9″
Weight: 247
Neck: 17″
Fore arms: 12.5″
Upper arms:  16.5″ flexed
Chest: 49″
Waist: 47.5″
Hips: 46″
Thighs: 27″
Calves: 16″

I’m a little disappointed with the weight. I guess I shouldn’t be since I missed two whole weeks of working out. At least I didn’t gain! My target weight was 235 by 11 April 2009. That’s a 30 pound reduction from my heaviest weight ever. I would really like to get down to 203 by then. That’s 17 pounds in four weeks. Do you guys think I can do it?

So, not nearly as big a change as I had hoped. But I’m not discouraged. I just need to tighten up my diet, keep working out Turbulence Training style and make sure to follow an Eat Stop Eat fast twice a week. Onwards and downwards

I really didn’t want to work out today. But the shirt I was wearing has the following slogan on the back:

“Discipline, Attitude, Backbone – Not available in stores.” – Furman Sports Medicine

I got that shirt during the rehab after my knee surgery last fall. I bet my therapist would be proud to see how hard I’m working out now. I was in terrible shape when I started physical therapy. It was rather depressing, a real ego check, to be working out with such light weights and be in such poor condition while surrounded by so many physically beautiful and gifted college athletes of both sexes.

I also remember Craig Ballantyne tweeting “No Excuses!” He was on the road and worked out at his hotel. I had a bunch of excuses lined up. I did work from 2230 last night until about 0230 this morning. I got to sleep around 0330. The alarm went off at 0500. I slept fitfully from then until 0800. I haven’t eaten much today. I didn’t get to take a nap.

But I took the no excuses credo to heart. I thought about the Syracuse University and University of Connecticut players playing six over time periodsThursday night. I thought about the SU players playing another OT game last night and having to play again tonight. They didn’t quit and make excuses, so I didn’t either.

I did 3 circuits of 6 Month Bodyweight Plan Phase1 Workout A. I’m not going to reproduce it here. Follow the link. Suffice to say I did all the required reps except for planks. I just can’t hold that plank for 40 secs to save my life! I’m getting better though.

Immediately after the strength portion of my workout I did intervals on the stations bike. This consisted of a five minute warmup: 1 min @ 3/10 intensity, 2 mins @ 4/10 intensity, 2 mins @ 5/10 intensity. The four 2 min intervals @ 8/10 intensity with three 2 min active rest periods of 3/10 intensity in between the sprints. This was followed with a cool down of 5 mins @ 3/10 intensity.

The whole workout took fifty-two minutes! I know I’ll be sleeping good tonight! I love Turbulence Training. You should pick up your own copy and give it a try. Believe me it is challenging but oh so rewarding.

Either this Turbulence Training workout was easier or I’m starting to regain my pre-illness fitness level. Or perhaps it was a bit of both. It looks like Workout C is designed to be a little easier than workout A or workout B.

I did 2 circuits, exercise after exercise with no rest between them other than getting from place to place to do the exercise. I rested about 90 seconds between circuits as it took that long to get inside from doing my rows and elevated pushups back to the room where I did the other seven exercises.

Y-Squat 10 reps
Close-grip Pushup 8 reps
Cross Crawl 10 reps
Stability Ball Hip Extension 12 reps
Stability Ball Jackknife 10 reps
Mountain Climber 10 reps
Wall Squat Hold 60 secs
Beginner Inverted Row 2×10,12 reps
Elevated Pushup 2×8 reps per side

I wimped out and did the first set of Close-grip Pushups kneeling. I let my mind fool me into thinking I couldn’t do regular close-grips. Second time around I did them regular, full body extension on hands and toes only.

On the inverted rows I forgot how many reps were called for in the first set and stopped at 10. I did the full 12 in the second set. The elevated pushups were hard. I used a higher step than previously.

High Intensity Cardio on stationary bike consisted of 5 minute warm up, 15 minutes at 6 of 10 intensity, 5 minute cool down. I don’t think I pushed hard enough on this. Now that I’m done I rated my intensity as a 6, it may have even been a 5. I need a more modern bike with some way to measure rpms, speed, or something. That would make it a little easier to judge intensity level.

I think I’m ready for the full three circuits on my next exercise day which will be Saturday. Also, I’m already at 14098 steps for the day.