2023 Jan Training Reflections

The biggest battle is still with the Ego. Had to mumbled the daily reminder "Form Over Reps" under my breath as the reps start adding up in each exercise.

Then there is the change in goals and targets this year-- start practicing on handstands and frog/ crow pose. Skills training splits.. Strength training is still needed of course.

 

Muscle-ups training will have to wait till the new pullup stand is here next month. In any case I reckon all of these is really gonna need some strong shoulders work first.

 

After a few practices, I decided starting planche will just have to wait even longer until I can do all the rest.

In addition core will have to be buildup further especially on anything with L-sits involved. Be it doing it with dips, pull or chin ups...

 

Basic "Daily" Fundamentals remain:

• Pullups
• L-sitChinUps
• Diamond Pushups
• Dips
  
• DragonFlags
• AirSquats

 No change. But in addition

• PikePushUps - for all the shoulder strengthening in above mentioned moves
  

 "Isn't it monotonous doing the same old things everyday?" 

 

Certainly. I just toss it up. In any case doing at least 3-4 of these is the minimum. On days when I'm running late a typical workout would be like today

01 Feb

Morning (5min)... in office

AIRsquats: 35,35

🐲Flag: 5

Evening (~20mins)

Pullups: 16,12,10,7

AirSquats: 35,35,35

💎PU: 25,25,20

PikePU: 10,10,10

 

Other times it will be more, or together with some body part training using weights.

The other thing kickoff in Jan is flexibility training. With the kind of workload and schedules this year, will have to make an effort to "mix-and-match" all the different training for effective/ optimal progress...

The PikePushUP is really one exercise that help to curb the ego. Just try doing it fast and see if your face will not be eating the floor.... or maybe its the other way around :)

Got through the initial discomfort or pushing the shoulder forward while maintaining balance... now its all on to getting it done in super strict form. 

Need to sit down over the weekend and start formulating my programs and progression planning for 2023...

Jan 2023 Training Log

01 Jan 2023

Experiment 001/23- debunking carbo loading myth and calisthenics leg training as efficiency instead of regular cycling. http://rant-o-gram.blogspot.com/2023/01/expt-00123-no-carbo-ride.html?m=1

Ride: 126-128km 

Pullups: 10

02 Jan 2023

Break

Pullups: 22

 

03 Jan 2023

Not a good day with all the news on the first day back to work. BUT THE SHOW MUST GO ON...

Pullups: 10, (8,8,8)... all Hi pulls

DPU: 30,30,25,20

DF: 7,5,5,5

Superset: (5L-sitChinUps + 40sec HB Hang) x2

HollowBody Hold- ~20-30 sec x 5

04 Jan 2023

Another non stop workday ... Just maintenance this evening

Pullups: 4,6,10,10 - Hi-Pulls

DPU: 30,25,20,20

NormalPU: 20,20,21

AirSquats: 35,35,35

 

05 Jan 2022

Break

 

06 Jan 2023

Maintenance session after another overloaded day 

Pullups: 10,10,10,11

Dips: 20,15,20,15

AirSquats: 35,35,35,35

DPU: 25, 20, 20

 

07 Jan 2023

Run: 6.32km

Pullups: 10,10,10

 

08 Jan 2023

Feeling lethargic...

Fitness Park 1.. for M. Up training and

Pullups: 10

Dflag: 7,7,7,3

L-sitChinUps: 5,5,5,4

Pike and Archer PU

Feeling kinda pissed on way back.. went to Fitness Park 2 continue...

Dflag: 7,3

Pullups: 10,8

Air Squats: 35,40,35,35

Pike PU

💎PU: 30,25,25

09 Jan 2023

Stretch. Frog Pose training

Pike PushUps

Pullups: 8,10,8,6,9

10 Jan 2023

Wall HS tryout. Stretch combo--helps loosen tendons faster.. 

Straight legged front stretch followed by sole to sole tuck-in, 3 combo sets back to back.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CnO916cv4-W/

 

PullUps: 9,9

 

PikePU: 4 x 8 

- need to improve form on the legs and then start moving hands and legs closer for more upright position. 

11 Jan 2023

Wall HS 5x30 sec hold

PikePU: 4x8 (better control today)

PullUps: 12,10,8,8

ComboStretch - progression to half palm beyond toes but still too tensed. Need to breathe!

 

12 Jan 2023

Pullups: 10

 

13 Jan 2023

Stretching

 

14 Jan 2023

Pullups: (4+4+10+8+7)+(6)+10+9+7, 29-30 of first 5 sets HollowBody(HB) Pull with 5kg weighted vest, 6th set weighted but normal pull ups. Remainder, usual body wt pulls, no HB

PikePushups: 5 x 12  last few days of stretching helped in able to keep legs straightened by now and up from previous 8 to12 reps per set today

inclinedPikePushUps:  3 x 20

💎PU: 2 x 25

inclined💎PU: 2 x 10

15 Jan 2023

Lazy day

Pullups: 17in1

Realized the possible reason of plateauing at 15 reps for last few months. Likely due to the uneven pulling I noticed in Dec...leading to one side reaching fatigue/ failure faster and overall inhibits the next rep. Focus hard to go even when pulling up today. But was also doing it with a little more over-grip than usual since going back to thumb under bar in Oct/Nov.

 

16 Jan 2023

Stretching

PullUps: 16,10,9,6

Bicep EZ wide: 5sets

Bicep DB Curls: 7sets superset with

AirSquats: 35x4 

 

17 Jan 2023

PullUps: 12,12,12,9

 

18 Jan 2023

Pushups:  25, 25

WallHandStand: 5x30sec hold - tried HSPU... 2 pathetic attempts..FAIL!

DBP: 20x35lb, 15x44lb 2x12x53lb

8x62lb, 6x62lb...to... 15💎PU

💎PU: 25,25,25

DIPS: 12,12,9... to failure

PullUps: 10,10

19 Jan 2023

PullUps: 10,10,10,8,7

 

20 Jan 2023

Morning 10min "Waker-Upper" 

DF: 7, 7  AirSquats: 35, 35    Pullups: 5

 

21 Jan 2023

"REUNION DINNER MENU"

Pullups: 12,8,6,7,8,8

🐉Flag: 7,7,7

L-sitChin: 7,7,7,7

AirSquats: 35,35,35,35

PikePushUps: 12,12 

Pullups session kinda meh @ "slippery-bar" today... 

Note: next time switch all to ring pulls when there.

 

Final set of PikePushUps before a full keto Reunion Dinner
 

22 Jan 2023

Break

 

23 Jan 2023 

Pullups: 12,(15,12,11),11 - 61,  a 38in3 day

💎PU: 35,20,25,40,25

AirSquats (35,35,35,35,35)

ClubbellSquats: 15,15 

1 superset of 40 💎PU, 15 ClubbellSquats (20kg) and 15x4 Jumping Jack

 https://www.instagram.com/p/CnweRZIPQ5C/

 

24 Jan 2023

BicepPushUps: 10 (slow reps)

PullUps: 10,10,10,10

L-sitChinUps: 7,7,7

Bicep ~9-10 sets of DB Curls, inclu. warmup set

6sets on EZ Curl--3n,3w grip -- All slow -ve (7 count per rep)

 

25 Jan 2023

Triceps Day: TricepPD x5 sets, TricepEZOH.curls 3x narrow 3x wide, TriDB-OH.Curls

Pullups: 12,12,10,11 = 45

💎PU: 12,12,12

26 Jan 2023

Run: 10.11km 

DFlag: 7,7,7

L-sitChinUps: 7,7,7

... felt cramp-ish-- call it a day

27 Jan 2023

Back late, car IU spoiled :)

Pullups: 15,10,8,7

 

28 Jan 2023

PullUps: 10,10

💎PU: 30,25,30,20

AirSquats: 35,35,35,35

Stretch

 

29 Jan 2023

Pullups: 15,12,10

L-sitChinUps: 5,5,7,7

30 Jan 2023

🐸Pose Training: 30min

🐸 progression

2x6-7 sec hold,  1x11 sec hold

PikePushUps: 10,10,10,10,10

L-sitChinUp: 7,7,7,6

🐲Flag: 7,7,10,6

AirSquat: 35,35,35,35

🏐🏀2theWall Dips: 15,15,15,15

 

31 Jan 2023

Break - Stretching 30 mins

PullUps: 14,12,10

🐲Flag: 8,8,8

 

Expt 001/23 - "no" carbo ride

 

Ending the 125km New Year Day Ride with some pullups past midnite on the 2nd Jan

A "zero carb" day lasted 115km before caving in to a couple of roti plaster at Changi Point, 11:30pm

Got a text last week from my bubbly friend, Giles, aka The PCN King for a 125km ride on New Year's Day. Quickly answered to a yes, forgetting I haven't been riding in over a YEAR!.. Yea, there were a few scraggly short rides in 2022, nothing worth mentioning. The lapse on pedal time like running was due to the strength training taking up most days since Apr...

Saddled up on 30 Dec for a 55km ride to Changi and back... Surprisingly, was able to keep up to my old average pace under the same usual condition at this "test" stretch on my dodgy gravel bike ...still on chunky 40c tires. 

Was thinking during the ride how much of the daily squatting regime since October has contributed to keeping up now as while pushing against the dreaded 5pm headwind at Coastal Road. Cardio was certainly taxing at my 85-88 rpm cadence. Yet my quads had really been taking it in stride. Finish off and got home without feeling bushed as I was expecting it to be!

Mull over the next two days right up to the time of yesterday's 125km ride.... 

"Am I fat-adapted by now?"

No, fat adapted is not about getting FAT!-- it's whether a diet of low carbo has worked where main source of energy utilization has been switched out from carbohydrates to that of using fats and proteins directly instead.

Not having gone full keto (based on the amount of calories from fat as recommended with most keto-diet plan) but reckon so long as carb is low-- therefore protein and fats would be high. Logically speaking.

Last month episode with Covid was a little of a setback with overall training.  At least nutrition wise it's been mostly on track... Lucky to have gotten off only with less than a kilo lighter.

 

The day's meal before the ride was morning oatmeal porridge with a ton of eggs as usual and black coffee. Yes yes, oatmeal is carbo but since its mostly fiber-- net carb is low as usual. Followed by lunch of Japanese food-- wagyu teppanyaki and some starters... Left the bowl of rice that came with the set largely untouched.

Not the healthiest of food-- just too lazy to cook on New Year's Day...

 

Just as a backup-- had 1/2 a box of durian... ~250gm? This was probably the heaviest carb part of the day but fats and protein would be high too. 

According to nutritional data it would be 66 grams of carb. After Deducting ~10 gram of fiber, that would put it at ~ 55gm of carbs. So yes, quite a bit of carb there, ~220 calories...

 

Parking @ Dinner Place. Sembawang

20+km into the ride-- we stopped for dinner. I ordered a large egg dish for all + 2 extra sunny side for myself. Together with vegs and a Thai style chicken-- again skipped any rice or noodle. 

This lasted all the way till after LCK towards Jalan Bahar.... for a pitstop at the Shell Station. Top up water and had a bottle of 100PlusActive.

Spin all the way to Shenton Way-- I had a remaining bottle of 100Plus... Still no food-- and not exactly hungry.

From there was just long one spin to and through ECP to Coastal and finally Changi Village. Guess I could still just go without food and take a 5 minute breather. But settled for the roti plaster @ 11:30pm .

 

Ok -- Experiment 001 of 2023 wasn't exactly a controlled study but I certainly ate a lot less carb for a ride with such distance and I guess the amount of salt and mineral was pretty sufficient for the day. Even going into a midnite headwind onslaught at Coastal on the final part of the ride-- I haven't had the slightest inkling of any cramp in the legs.

Post ride, very unscientific conclusions: ~20-25% caloric intake from carbohydrates with the rest from fats and protein is probably whats sufficient even on high calorie output days like this. This would run counter to our typical modern diet that is bias towards carbohydrate, recommended anywhere from 40-65%.

Seriously that kind of energy from carbs is just BS. But it does takes a while with gradual change to a higher fat and protein diet for the energy utilization transition to take place properly. In any case, my decision to change to an even lower carbohydrate intake diet was not even about losing weight. 

Rather, it was quite the opposite, albeit for an increase in muscle mass while losing fat at the same time. The change for such form of "conversion and weight management is slow. But yes, its been working as seen in the previous article about 2022 transformation.

All in all? Not too bad, woke up this morning back to a sub 72kg weight. Dread to think of the calisthenics session later. It was hard getting to bed last nite with a higher than usual heart rate, probably from the 6 hrs of exertion and that last midnite meal at CV.

126.4-128km -- depending on which device it was based on (ride tracked on my bike speedometer, watch and Strava all at once). Just glad no LP1 @ Tuas was included. Stupid place to ride to imo.