May 2023 Training Log

01 May 2023
Run: 9.36km
Pullups: 6,6,6,6,6,6,6 

02 May 2023
Shoulder: 15min stretch/mobility 
Pullups: 10,10,10,7 (<8min), 7,6, 4,4
LsitChinUps: 5,5,5,5,5
HammerCurls: 6 sets (18-27lb) x12 

03 May 2023
Shoulder: 15min stretch/mobility
Rings Practice: 25min
💎PU: 25, 20, 20
Combo: 5 x 5🦐Squat/🦵+ 5HBPullUps
Airsquat: 35, 35, 35

04 May 2023
LsitChinUps: 7,7,7
PullUps: 10,9,5,6,6,6
PikePushup: 12,10,10,10
1 hr Yin Yoga
PullUps: 7,7,7
2 x 5🦐Squat/🦵

05 May 2023
Run: 10.01km

06 May 2023
1 REP MAX Test Day
Deadlift @ 140kg
BenchPress @ 95kg

 07 May 2023
Run:10.6km

08 May 2023
Deadhang: 1:27,  1:02, 0:53,  0:54,  0:46
45 min Stretching/ Yin Yoga
DIPS: 15, 15, 20, 15, 15, 15, 20 (20-30 sec rest)
Superset: 5 x( 5 HBPullup + 15 💎PU), (45sec rest)
...immediate to
DB HammerCurls 12 x 3 x 27lb/s
straight to...
LsitChinUps:  5 (to polish off)

09 May 2023
Supposedly Break day
Deadhang: 1:24,  1:04,  0:55, 
HBPullups: 7,7,7,7,7,7,7  (7mins)
Airsquats 35,35,35

10 May 2023
Triceps (light)

11 May 2023
Run: 7.46km   
-- 2.4km/11:48min,  (4:53/km)
Pullup: 5 (5kg), 5,5,5 (10kg),  5,5,5,5,5 (BW) = 45

all slow and protracted reps (hollowbody)

12 May 2023
Break
Just mucking around learning/ tryout
Dragon-Pistol Squat combo

13 May 2023
HOTTEST DAY- 37⁰C  on record🔆🔆
Shoulder stretch/ mobility ex 30min
Deadhang:  1:26,  1:08,  0:55,  0:54,  1:14
Pullups: 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5 (10kg),   5,5,5,5,5,8 (BW) = 73
all slow and contracted reps (chest pushed out)
🐲🚩: 7,8,8,8
Monitor shoulder aches/ pain in the morning

14 May 2023 
20 min shoulder stretch/mobility
Superset: 5 x (8LsCU + 7LtoDips)
5 x 7🦐Squat/🦵
2 x 5🔫Squat/🦵
Run: 6.06km   
💎PushUps: 25 x 4

15 May 2023
Shoulder Stretch/Mobility
Light Bicep/Tricep session

16 May 2023
Pullup (10kg): [7,5,5,5,4  (7:35min)], 4,3,3,5,5
Pullup (HB): 7,8,7,7
G.Squat (27lb): 35,35,35,35

17 May 2023
LsCU: 10, 9, 7, 6, (6:49min)
LsPU: 3, 5, 5, 5
Run: 3.16km (5:48/km, 10.32km/h)

18 May 2023
Pullup (10kg): 7,7,5,5,5,5,4, (15mins), +5,
Deadhang: 0:59
DIPS: 20,20,20,220
💎PU: 25,25,25,25

19 May 2023
Blood Donation
BREAK

20 May 2023
McRitchie Hike ~13km
Ran up all slopes
60 Airsquats
60 💎PU

 21 May 2023
Run: 6.01km (6:32/km, 9.16km/h)
Pullup (10kg): 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5 (9:50min)
💎PU: 30,30,30
LsCU: 7,7,7

22 May 2023
🐲🚩: 10,10,10,10
Combo: 4 x (8 LsCu + 15 Dips)
Combo: 3 x (15 RPD20kg + 10 EzCurl25kg)
Hammer Curls 15 x 18lb x 3

23 May 2023Stretch Day
Straight.Line.Squat 5 x 5set
Cossack Squat 10 x 5set
Sole2Sole
Forward Stretch
Pullups: 10 x 4
🦐Squat: 10/🦵 × 3

24 May 2023
Pullups: 16

25 May 2023
Pullups: 10

26 May 2023

Pushups: 30

27 May 2023
Run: 2.81Km
Superset 1 (first 6)
Pullup 10,8,5,5,7,5,5,2 (to failure)
LsitNeutralPulls: 3,5,7,3,5,2 (to failure)
-------------------------
Superset2
AirSquat: 35, 35, 35
💎PU: 20, 20, 25, +25
--------------------------
🐲🚩: 7, 10, 
RUN: 2.43km
[END].. walking over to shower..
+40 Straight Leg Dips
+13 Pullups
+25 💎PU
--------------------------
Home. Park the car, feeling "shortchanged". Walk across to fitness park
+40 Pullup (10 × 4 neck-over-bar)

28 May 2023 

Wokeup without the usual  pain in elbows & L.shoulder

ParkDay with Nic

Pullups: 2, 10, 10

RTW (7x)

PullUps: 5,5,5,5,5,5,5

Dips: 5,5,5,5,10, 5,5 (L2Dips)

PushUps: 10,10,10,10,10,10,10

🐲🚩: 10, 10,

AirSquat: 25

3 x 5🦐Squat/🦵
1 x 5🔫Squat/🦵
LSCU: 5,5,5,5

 

29 May 2023
Run: 6.03km
(Pullup/ LsitChinUp): (8/7) x 4
🐲🚩: 7, 7, 7, 7

Doesn't seem like much but yes the weekend took its toll

30 May 2023
🐲🚩: 7, 7, 7, 7, 7

LsCU: 7, 7, 7

Run: 6.02km

Abs fking sore.. can't even dip after run

31 May 2023
🐲🚩: 8,8,8,8
LsCU: 7,7,7

DIPS: 20,20,20

AirSquat: 35,35,35

💎PU: 30, 25, 25

Run: 6.01km 

2023 May Training Reflections

Almost mid May, usually penning monthly reflection thoughts comes at the tail-end of the month. But with a fair bit this time, so before I forget...

Like Apr-- continued with lower reps with more sets on pulls to hit usual daily numbers to reduce physical stress and focus more on joints recovery (elbows and left shoulder). 

Started switching to weighted pullups 3 days ago and daily shoulder warmup is an essential daily affair by now. Micro-dosing it throughout the day when getting up from the chair to stretch.

The left shoulder inflammation is much reduced, mobility/ flexibility has improved. Still not optimal of course. However the frequent "shoulder dislocation" and dead-hang exercises have certainly proven effective and useful.

 

"Shoulder Dislocation" Move

Finally, on 13 May, managed to pull off a somewhat "passable" shoulder dislocation with that same initial broomstick from 2 months ago. 

Recalling the agony and angst of not able to move the darn stick past my ears, it was a moment of exhilaration.

Had to start off with resistance bands. Even then, it was still almost impossible to rotate back and forth with ease during the first couple of weeks.. Arms were stretched out almost straight, as if crucified. The thoughts running through my mind each time was 

"Will I ever be able to do this with a rigid stick, ever?" 

The dark cloud of doubt grows loud in the brain with each attempt . Had to shut out the thoughts and simply continue with the physical motions each day.

Then I remembered something written down in my training notes...

Below is the second/ third take of the day. Still far from perfect, of course.

Weighted Pullups

With all the shoulder and elbow issues-- why  am I still going "intense" with upper body training utilizing these joints? For serious injuries-- yes total rest/ break, away from any strenuous activities is non negotiable. e.g with a broken leg bone, you don't go running while in a cast. It's called suicide.

But things like strain injuries-- One need to keep strengthening and working on the areas to aid recovery. 

Sensibly, of course.

Hence that leads up to my current regime. Instead of doing the first 40s Pullups in 4 sets under 8 min, followed by another few more sets, these numbers are now spread out in sets of 5 and giving the stopwatch a break. Same number of reps but a different approach.

Stopping the watch, allows for more rest to recharge the ATP in the cells more fully in between. Better form includes proper timing needed per rep which normally means the movement has to be slowed down and eliminate any effort from momentum. All of these are key not just for recovery strengthening but also re-wiring the brain and body from past bad habits in doing pullups.

Having monitored for ~ 2 months and saw the gradual (but not full) recovery in the shoulders, I mentally evaluated that it's possible to ram up things a little by now

One way is to go back to the "all-out" max out reps per set like before. However, that doesn't seem to be a very good idea. I reckon what helps improve the condition so far is staying away from explosive movements isn't a muscle fatigue issue but is very taxing to the joints.

All exercising stresses out the joints regardless of whether it is injured. The key here is to stress it enough to promote growth but not overly exacerbating the present injured/ strain condition

It's like dancing thing-- 3 steps forward 2 steps back! Or that's how I see it in layman terms.

By now even with slow controlled reps-- I know how much is too much. The body will tell you the next morning. Getting really good with differentiating normal muscular aches from aches/ pains arising from further damages to injured areas.

Previous weighted pullups were done with weight vest. Decided for consistency, will now start with dangling plates from a belt. Target: 8 sets of 5 reps with 10kg. 

Day 1 started with 5 x 5kg and another 5 x 10kg x 3 sets

Other things, I'm dabbling with in May

Saw a friend doing this and didn't even know what it is called... I thought of it as just some fancy move at first until I figured that it is actually quite useful and fit in with my current mindset of "functional-fitness". 

That is a combination of strength, strength endurance, mobility, flexibility and balancing. Things all needed with aging and performing daily task with a certain level of finesse to stay healthy. Lacking in any aspect would compromise the ability of the others in one form or another.

It is, in my opinion, a further progression in the lower limbs works from all those one-legged exercises I've been doing since early Apr. Which was in turn was built up from daily Airsquats since last Oct.

Ultimate aim is to move the hanging leg until it crosses the supporting leg and come out in front and its called a Dragon Squat. I'm just adding the Pistol here in this combo. Probably, the logical course of action would be to go back to training these 2 moves separately before combining them again in a few months time.

 

Screen capture of what the finishing part of a Dragon Squat should look like.

Cardio?  Yes, still continuing with those since re-starting more run last month. Did my usual Quarterly "NO-Training" 2.4km on 11 May. 52 seconds faster than the last round. Looks like the extra mileage recently is working. Or maybe its a combination of more runs, CoQ10 supplement and those new running shoes? :)

One Rep Max Day

A deviation from the norm. Got out of the house and headed towards Woodlands this morning. Only upon reaching did I realize it was my friend's private man-cave gym setup. From his facebook post, I thought it was some commercial entity and was asking if he could sign me in for a day pass to test out myOne-RMs :)

Some weeks back I was thinking to test out my 1 Rep Max trinity of Deadlift, Bench Press and Squats to gauge current strength level now after 13 months of almost entirely body-weight strength training, saved for 2 adjustable dumbells and few scraggly plates + an EX bar at home.

Thinking back... it has been ~ 27 years since having stepped out of a gym doing weight training for the last time...

The mood this morningwas a little apprehensive. While my old PB numbers for benching and squats are still in the head, I have absolutely no clue about dead-lifts though. It wasn't something that I ever did much back then in the 80s-90s.

Starting out at 80kg after few warmup sets

Took some refresher tips from my friend just to recap and focus on the things to be doing today (or as much as possibly can) on the correct form. But certainly that couldn't be whipped up in such a short time.

 

Cleared the deadlift at 140kg (309lb). Next step up with another 2.5kg plate added per side was a no go. I don't think it was my best attempt/ effort but it is what it is. Morevover, probably too much time and strength had already gone by when I started to go real heavy.

Benchpress was pretty easy, effort wise at 80kg. 90kg was still quite doable and thus hoping to ramp up to 100kg next... but nope. That wasn't happening.. 

 Acquiesced after the failed second attempt. My friend too has been stuck not getting to a 100. So I asked him how about we both try 95kg! That just sparked something and we quickly changed out the plates. And YES! Both of us cleared that.

 

Looking at the videos after reaching home, I saw all my mistakes. All those years away from the gym has certainly reduced all the muscle memories even for doing proper bench press. 

For the deadlifts, it certainly wasn't being done correctly and attributed being able to clear the 140kg boils down to my cores. Obvious from the clips and recalling the sensation from earlier-- I really wasn't driving down hard enough with the legs and was rounding my back. Position/ stance wasn't optimal either. Apart from quads, I should have engaged glutes/ hams and calves more before lifting.

While overall what's done today isn't too shabby and the key thing as mentioned was simply to gauge what body-weight training has resulted by now. However I reckon now its time to also re-evaluate the necessity of getting back to a gym. Or at least adding more weights at home to enhance strength training. 

It's not about which is being superior but how to optimize a program where doing both complements each other

1RM Squats? Nah... already been 2.5 hours by the time I cleared that final 95kg bench press. Have to come back for that test of strength another day.  

But "moral of the story" today, as always, I would say, we are our own agent of change.

 Start Moving, Keep Moving, Don't Stop Moving.