Mar 2024 Training Log

01 Mar 2024

💎PU: 25, 25, 25

Deadhang: 1:22,  1:15,  0:50

Slo.L-Pulls: 1 ×7

Slo.L-Pulls.[7.5kg]: 1 ×3

Dips: 15, 15, 15, 15

02 Mar 2024

🐲🚩: 12, 10

1 Arm PushUp tryout

Elbow Dipz: 12, 10, 12 (warmup)

@Gym: Arms Day

{RopeDown} + [EzCurl.Narrow+Wide]

{22× 32kg} + [20+08 x 20kg]

{20× 36kg} + [20+08 x 20kg]

{15× 41kg} + [15+08 x 20kg]

Tri-EZ☠️Crusher: [Narrow+Wide]

[20+8] x 20kg,  

[15+5] x 30kg,  

[15+6] x 30kg

DB.BicepCurl (semi dropsets)

12/s x 12.5kg 

12>>08/s x 15>>10kg

07>>03>>05/s  x 15>>12.5>>10.0kg

Tri-DB.OverHeadPress

18×20kg,  15×25kg,   15×25kg. 

 

Superset Finisher

Pulls●Dips:  [07●15] × 5

Total 35 PullUps, 75 Dips

03 Mar 2024

LsitChinUps:7, 7, 7 (warmup)

Gym (Back)

Deadlift

40kg x 15 (warmup)

(myorepping, 20 sec interval)

60kg x 08, 06, 04, 05, 05, 05, 04

Lats Pulldown (V-handle)

45kg x 10    54kg x 10

64kg x 09    68kg x 07

drop-- 77kg x 05 >> 64kg x 04 >> 5kg x 04

Seated.Cable.Row

45kg x 10,   54kg x 10,   64kg x 08

Incl.Bench.DB.Row (slow)

10kg x 15,  12.5kg x 10,  10kg x 10

PullUps: 9, 9, 8, 7

04 Mar 2024

🐲🚩: 12, 12

Stretch +1hr

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

05 Mar 2024

Run: 6.01km, 6:13, avg❤️135,  max❤️152

Run: 4.01km, 6:52, avg❤️141,  max❤️150

💎PU: 10, 10, 20, 20, 20

06 Mar 2024

Slo.L-Pulls: 1,  1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 3

07 Mar 2024

Run: 6.01km, 6:37, avg❤️132,  max❤️146

PullUps/Dips: 8/15,  7/15   RAIN!

08 Mar 2024

🐲🚩: 12,12,12

LsCu: 7

LsCU: 7, 7, 6,7, 6

RT🌏:  Dips●PullUps●💎PU

            15●07●10  ×5

09 Mar 2024

Dips: 15, 5, 35, 20, 28

DeficitPU: 20, 25, 25, 24,

Slo.Lsit.Pulls: 4

L.sit.TopHold.Pulls: 6 (legs drop...)

PullUps: 7, 7, 7, 7

10 Mar 2024  Germany 

Run: 8km, 6:09/km, ❤️152, 182

(HR reading not reliable and distance is a little shorter on watch by .5km)

11 Mar 2024 Netherlands

Railing Dips: 20, 15, 15

💎PU: 25, 20

HotelGym

PullUp:10, 7, 7, 7, 7

LsitPullup: 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

🐲🚩: 7, 10, 8, 5  (slippery floor)

LsitChinUp: 7, 4, 5, 5

MachinePreach

10kg 5  ×5

15kg 7  ×3

TricepPulldown

15kg ×15

25kg ×10

30kg ×09

30kg ×09

12 Mar 2024 Germany 

PikePU:10, 10, 10

AirSquat: 35, 35, 50, 50

🦐Squat: 5/🦵  x4

Gym-Chest

DBPress

12kg x 15,   22kg x 12,   26kg x 08

28kg x 08,   30kg x 06

 

PullOvers 10kg x10, 15kg x 10, 15kg x10

RTW- 15Dips-7PullUps-12PU

last set PullUp 6+1 (1 after PushUp were done)

13 Mar 2024 Germany 

BBoardPU: 20

💎PU: 20, 15, 15, 15, 15

14 Mar 2024 Spain 

Superset

30PU - 35AirSquat  ×4

PikePU: 10, 10, 10, 10

🐲🚩: 8, 10, 10, 10, 10

DBPreacherCurl: (5,7,8,9kg) × 10

15 Mar 2024 Spain 

PullUps: 10, 8, 6, 6, 8, 8

Run: 5.94km

LsCU: 5, 5, 5

16 Mar 2024 Spain

PullUps: 8, 8, 8, 8, 8.... 8

Superset: Pullup/LsChinUp

8/5,  8/5,  7/5

Breakfast

AirSquat: 35, 35, 35, 35

🔫Squat: 30 total

StepJump: 10 ×4

BackRow: 10, 10, 08, 10

LsChinUp: 5, 5, 5, 5

Mar 2024 France

PullUps: 4, 

PushUp: 20, 20, 20, 20, 20

Run: 8.01km, road/gravel

18 Mar 2024 France

Morning...

PullUps: 10, 10, 10, 10 

💎PushUp: 20, 20, 20

Biz Meeting, ODIN

LUNCH

Evening...

LsPullUp: 3, 6, 5, 4, 5, 3, 3, 2 [mod.f!ghtPP]

💎PU: 20, 20, 20, 20, 20

AirSquats: 35, 35, 50, 50, 50, 50

19 Mar 2024  France

Full day @ Boiron

Pullups: 10, 10, 10, 10 [6:20min],  

LsPullUp: 3, 2, 4, 4

LsCU: 6, 6, 6, 7,  5

💎PU: 20, 20, 15

20 Mar 2024 Norway

Flight: Marseille-Brussel-Norway

LsPullUp: 1, 2

PullUps: 7, 7, 7, 7, 7

21 Mar 2024  Norway

🐲🚩//AirSquat : 10//20 ×3,  8//20 ×1

Incl.DBPress: 

22kg x 10    26kg × 08

28kg × 08    30kg × 05

Incl.Alt.DBPress

12kg x 10/s   14kg × 08/s

18kg × 06/s   ...fail at 7th,  +10💎PU

DBFlyes

6, 6, 8 &10kg  × 10/ set

💎PU: 15 × 5

PullUps: 7

22 Mar 2024

SBD: 10, 10

RTW: 15Dips-07Pull-12PU  ×5

🐲🚩: 10, 10, 10

23 Mar 2024

Gym-Arms [Lite]

PullUp: 1, 7, 7, 7

Flight back- 14:40

24 Mar 2024

6.01km, 5:55/km, ❤️HR140, Max❤️HR158

LsCU: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

PullUps: 5, 1

25 Mar 2024

BREAK

26 Mar 2024

JMU: 3

PullUps: 10, 10, 10, 10

Dips: 20, 20

LsCU: 5, 5

27 Mar 2024

BgSpl.Squats: 40

🐲🚩: 12, 12, 12

Run: 6.01, 6:10/km, avg❤️HR: 134

28 Mar 2024

BREAK

29 Mar 2024

Elbow Dips: 5, 8, 10

Gym (Back)

Lats Pulldown (LongBar)

50kg × 15   54kg × 12

64kg × 09   68kg × 07

77kg × 03. (Fk up set with ½-gloves )

77kg × 03

68kg × 07 > 59kg × 06 > 50kg × 04

Seated.Cable.Row - 2× singlehandles

Harder. Need more stability control)

41kg x 10    41kg x 10

50kg x 10    59kg x 09

Drop.. 64kg x 05 >> 54kg × 05

Dumbbell Row

10.0kg x 10

17.5kg x 10

22.5kg x 10

LsCU: 6, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

PullUps: 7, 5, 6, 6, 6

30 Mar 2024

BREAK

31 Mar 2024

AirSquats: 70, 70, 70

🐲🚩: 10, 10, 10, 12

Dips: 11, 15, 15

PullUps: 8, 8, 8, 8

 

 

2024 Feb Training Reflections

Survived the 15 Days Lunar New Year festivities and good-glut onslaught!

February being a shorter month is always tough catching up to the staples of my "Daily Salad" of basic exercise. Yes this is a Leap Year so its only 2 days down from January... BUT

"The In-Laws Are in Town"

That made all the difference this time as I am shuttling to bring them out. This really eats into workout time on some days. Make sense to do more spread out exercising through out the day. Also decided even if I can't shake off another few kilos, will just run more and whip enough on abs to make things more defined.

Yes yes...it seems no matter what I did, weight wise seems to be  stuck at ~77kg in the morning by now. However everything just got bigger... thought it was my own imagination in front of the mirror but the same old tee shirts are telling me it's for real! 

Not looking forward to Mar with a fortnight worth of traveling that spans 12 flights plus driving for  ~28000km!

Weights, Calisthenics or both? (I)

My personal preference?... You guess it, I definitely prefer calisthenics. 

But always one to believe in taking the useful parts out of other disciplines to complement/ supplement my principal goals. My approach has changed over time. Started out almost 100% with just bodyweight exercises but last year has gone back to the gym and re-started with more running at the same time.

 

Weights 

Doing a benchpress, deadlift, barbell squat or bicep curl immediately makes most people equate these with bodybuilding or powerlifting. But the way I see it is to help in my overall strength training.

 

Pre-exhausting with dumbbell press to get the pushups and dips to failure without excessive reps above.

When short on time... combos like these are the most effective and productive.

 

Otherwise... to hit failure with bodyweight it would have taken maybe 5 sets of 30 diamond pushups and followed by 3-4 more sets of 20-25 dips.

The point is I'm not push/ pulling or lift to keep breaking PRs but will still rep it out with a vengeance for the intensity needed in most workout sessions. 

 

Superset of Dips+PullUps? Sure I do that all the time. But just as effective would be Dips+BicepCurls..

In both of these, one exercise works the triceps and the other the biceps...

 

"But you can always just do weighted calisthenics right?"

 

Sure. However there are a limited number of effective calisthenics moves where one can add resistance effectively and safely. I have seen too much stupidity with "creative weighted calisthenics"...

One important thing is always to train safe and stay away from unnecessary risk and injuries.

Oh.. and I may get some flak mentioning the importance of cardio... because some swears by just resistance training and believes cardio work is pointless. 

My philosophy of a total functional fitness package is to be able to run, jump, lift, pull, push + having stability and balance...

...which reminds me that's really what I did in the army 30+ years ago. Yes, if it comes to real functional fitness for a purpose... there is no denying that's what I got from the military years ago. Pound for pound there is nothing like hauling your ass with 40-50kg of gears and trudge 20km after jumping out of an airplane...

Today, life has gone back full circle to my younger days -- tuning my workouts in a similar manner but towards long term health and fitness goals.

And something I have been incessantly talking about... Proprioception and stability training. Nothing is more important with aging and able to balance. Building muscle mass alone (which is definitely important to fight sarcopenia) but getting all bulky and waddling like Big Bird of Sesames Street, isn't what I envision my future to be.

 

quote from good ol' Bruce...

Load, intensity and volume vs injuries and sustainability considerations

As the title suggest, its been a subject that got me putting on my thinking cap in the past year. There are 2 sides of the camp... in weight-centric groups there will be many from young to old that swears by going heavy to load up the plates. While some others will always champion lighter or speaks volume on bodyweight training. 

After some reflecting- I find it boil down to identifying "WHAT I WANT" vs imagining what I will be. Adding on factors like age, present build and any lingering injuries to the bigger equation:

• An overall functional fitness package that comprises of good strength, stability, agility (which would require flexibility, sense of balance) and a decent cardio level to finish up the package.
•  
  
• Not looking into big massive build (aka bodybuilding)
• 
  
• Looking for strength and strength-endurance 
•  
• All the things above to survive into old age independently without being a burden to others
  

Yes that sounds a lot like another new category of fitness training-- The Hybrid Athlete. However as I thought further, it's really no different to my army days... Log PT, unarmed combat, running, forced marches and so on...

In essence, yes, what I want in everything now was taken for granted when I could easily do all of them when younger.

When it comes to strength and strength endurance, its not looking to benchpress 300lbs or deadlifting 500lb day after day. Rather...

Strength functionality personally to me would be things like the ability to complete 4-5x on a monkey bar continuously without a break or doing 1 pullup going from one rung to the next on the monkey bar.

Strength-Stability: I prize the ability to get up on one leg from a full deep squat more than a barbell bell squat hoisting 300-400lb on my shoulder. Although I wouldn't mind able to do the latter :)

With those thoughts formulated around the start of 2023- I began to change up the way to train. Started doing a lot of things I would otherwise not be doing today.

Imp0rtantly, have also learned to slow down and train properly. Today is the start of another phase in my pullup training. Working towards that "perfect" L-sit PullUps which started about 15 months ago from the first crooked-legged L-sit ChinUps and arms with half-assed extension.

Max today was 2 of these in good form... but I have learned to be patient and certain that in time the reps will work themselves up any given set.

 More importantly, what's gleaned from this past year doing things slow and deliberate in an attempt to improve form has an added bonus. It fixes or at least helps the recovery in many kind of strain injuries. This is "real-time" analysis having to live with a lot of stupid strain-injuries sustained which are really difficult to totally rid with daily workouts ongoing.

I hope this and "meditative" deadhang will bring a further improvement in enhancing the recovery of shoulder related strains/ issues.

2024 Jan Training Reflections

Kick starting the first complete month of the new year... nothing really new. Been training as usual. All about consistency. No New Year resolutions, never needed entertaining such thoughts all my life. If there is something to be done, you don't have to wait until a new year to start...

Finally gotten something else in the middle of Jan. First Jumping Muscle Up. Been doing straight bar dips after work for months after parking the car in the evening by using Pullovers to get up. So this was a pretty exciting change. Also learned to have more awareness of the transition with the jump momentum to get up.

Achieve: Jumping MuscleUp at 1.8m Bar, -- slightly above my height.

More weight sessions at the gym too. But Daily Salad of basic exercises didn't fall away this time. Manage to hit the monthly quota again. Except for PushUps but then again Dec numbers were a little more than usual.. Stopped just shy of 800 counts for Jan. Given all the rest, not really missing much.

Running is kind of hard to gauge though. Very slight increase in average heart rate but lots of time, weather was pretty hot too. Plus I been using the less than stellar Saucony PwrRun over my preferred Xtep. Might need another pair of shoes soon.

Last few days of the month was thinking of getting back more with skills training... Headstand, Crow/ Frog, Straddles and maybe Elbow Levers... will KIV for Feb.

Feb 2024 Training Log

01 Feb 2024

🐲🚩: 10,  10, 10, 8+2

Close.Deep.Squat: 10 × 2

Alt.Raised.Ecc.🔫.Squat: 10/ side

🦐Sq: 5/🦵 × 5

Kick n Stretch

🔫Sq: R5, L2

02 Feb 2024

PullUps: 10,10

🐲🚩: 12, 10

JMU- failed

Stretch

LsitPullUp: 3, 3, 3

Dips: 15

🦧bar

PullUps: 5

03 Feb 2024

No-Breakfast-Impromptu Workout @ 08:30am...

PullUps: 2, 7, 10, 10, 10, 5

SideGripPulls: 1, 1 , 1, 2 

LsitChinUp: 6, 6, 6, 6

SideGripPulls: 5

LsitChinUp:6, 

Total Pulls: 84

Wake up, suppose to  stretch and follow by  afternoon at gym, but...

04 Feb 2024

"The Cage" [DoubleSupersets] ×3

• [Pull] DipBarRow ×10
• [Push] RaisedPikePu ×10
• [Pull] DipBarNeutral.L-Sit½PullUps ×10
• [Push] Dips ×10

DipBarRow: 10, 10

NeutralPullUps: 8

Run: 12.12km,  6:25min/km,  avg❤️137

LsitChinUp: 5, 5, 5

💎PushUp: 25, 25

05 Feb 2024

Run: 3.06 + 1.08km

PullUp: 5 x 8

Stretch

06 Feb 2024

PullUps: 10 × 4

Headstand

Frog Pose

07 Feb 2024

H.Leg.Raise x10

🚩🐲: 12, 10, 10

1JMU-StrBarDip: 15, 15, 10, 5, 5, 5

Run: 6.01km, 6:12, ❤️137

Alt.NPullUp-[LsCU]:  8-[5] × 3

 

DB.Curls: 

2x18lb  x 10

2x 27lb x 10

08 Feb 2024

LsCU: 8, 8, 6

WideNeutralPulls: 10 × 4

Dips: 15 × 8

09 Feb 2024

Elbow Dips:10,10, 10

Gym (Back)

Lats Pulldown (LongBar)

45kg x 15

54kg x 15

64kg x 08

64kg x 08

68kg x 08

68kg x 08  drop to 59kg x 04

77kg x 02 (poor form)

Seated.Cable.Row

54kg x 10

54kg x 10

59kg x 08 (fail at 9th) 

64kg x 05 >> 50kg × 05

Dumbbell Row

20kg x 12

20kg x 12

25kg x 10

LsCU: 6, 6, 6

10kg PullOver: 10x 10, 10, 10

PullUps: 10, 10, 8, 8, 8, 8

25kgDips 9,10

10 Feb 2024

PullUps: 9

🐲🚩: 10, 10, 10, 5, 10, 10

CrowPose & BendArmStraddle: 30mins

Run: 6.01km,  6:08/km,  avg.❤️133

11 Feb 2024

Stretch

PullUps: 12, 10, 10, 10

Run: 6.01km,  6:14/km,  ❤️127

Run: 1.61km,  6:22/km,  ❤️136

LsCU: 5, 5, 5

Superset x 3

RopePulldown-EZBicepCurl

12 Feb 2024

PullUps: 10, 10, 10

Headstand

ElbowLevel

SkinTheCat

13 Feb 2024

BBoard/Proprio

Airsquat: 50 × 3

💎PU: 15, 20, 20, 20, 

RingToBar Dips: 5+2, 5+5

PullUps: 10, 10, 10

Run: 6.01km,  6:30/km,  avg ❤️130

14 Feb 2024

Warmup

PullUps: 10 x 3

Pullovers: 10kg, 10kg, 15kg  x10 each

 

Gym (Chest)  

 (orange=almost fail), (red=failure pt)

 

Flat.BenchPress (myoreps testing.08)

(@20 sec interval
MYOREP-01@ 50kg: 15, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9

MYOREP-02@ 65kg: 12, 6, 5, 5, 5, 5

 

DBPress (incline15⁰)

25.0kg x 12    27.5kg x 09

30.0kg x 07    32.5kg x 05

25.0kg × 08

Round The World x5

(1min rest  between sets )

Set1: 15 Dip,  7 Pullup,  12 Std.PU

Set2: 15 Dip,  7 Pullup,  12 Std.PU

Set3: 15 Dip,  7 Pullup,  12 Std.PU

Set4: 15 Dip,  7  Pullup,  12 Std.PU

Set5: 15 Dip,  7 Pullup,   08 + 04 Std.PU

15 Feb 2024

Break Day

JMU-10Str.Bar.Dip.×5

LsCU: 7, 5, 5

Feeling fatigued from past 2 weeks and yesterday full chest session. Few JMU fails inbetween (maybe forget to focus hitting chest to bar during jump?). But overall shoulder control seems more stable by now in the Str Bar Dips...

16 Feb 2024

Run01: 2.91km, 6:52m/km, 

❤️avg112 max❤️125

Run02: 3.01km, 6:46m/km, 

❤️avg123 max❤️130

Run03: 3.01km, 6:51m/km, 

❤️avg122 max❤️131

PullUps: 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7

Super heavy CNY lunch. Hard to run. Decided to break it up into 3 x 3km sets and train slowest average ❤️HR and slowest max ❤️HR  with 2min rest in between each run.

 

17 Feb 2024

Pullups: 5

Ring Dips: 5

New Triset tryout

SEEPDips-NCGPulls-WidePulls

5, 5, 1 (wide sidegrip pull)

5, 5, 1 (wide sidegrip pull)

5, 5, 3 ( normal wide pull)

 

18 Feb 2024

Before Lunch...

Shoulder Mobility Drills

StandingDBPress:

2 × 27lb/s ×10   ,    2 × 35lb/s ×10

1 × 44lb/s ×07   ,   1 × 44lb/s ×08

FrontDBRaise

09lb/s ×15, 18lb/s ×10

Before Dinner...

💎PU: 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20

After Dinner...

LsCU: 5, 5

PullUps (wide): 8, 8, 8

19 Feb 2024

 

JumpingMuscleUp to 10 StraightBarDip:   ×5

LsitChinUps: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

 

EasyLegsDayP003

Cossack Squat 10 x 5 (normal)

Cossack+18lb Dumbbell Squat: 10 x 2

Cossack (with Pole over shoulder) Squat: 10 x 3 

(keep body upright and pole horizontal to ground)

 

5🦐Squat/🦵  ×5

 

AirSquat: 50, 50 (finisher)

 

20 Feb 2024

🐲🚩:10, 10, 10.   +10, 10

PullUps: 7, 10, 10 

Raised PikePU: 10, 10

JMU-10.Str.Bar.Dip. x2

1min Max PushUp: 34, 44

Run: 6.0km,  6:23/km

avg❤️HR135,  max❤️HR144

PullUps: 8, 8, 8, 8, 8

Dips: 10, 10, 10

21 Feb 2024

PullUps: 7,7,7

Short Rest Fast Full ROM

1min MaxPushUp:45

PushUp: 25, 25, 25 

 

22 Feb 2024

LsitChinUp: 7, 7, 7, 7, 3, 1

JMU-to-10.StrBarDips: 4

PullOver-to-10.StrBarDip: 1

WeightedPullUps[+10kg]: 7,8,8,7,6

PullUps: 7, 7, 6, 1

Super crappy energy level day

4 barely passable Jumping 

MuscleUp  in 9-10 tries WTF! 

End last one for the straight 

bar dips with a PullOver

Absolutely 💩 form on 

weighted pulls today.

Cannot feel the Post Action 

Potentiation on the normal 

pulls afterwards!

23 Feb  

🚩🐲:10, 10, 10

Airsquat:50, 50, 50, 50, 50

LsCU: 5, 5, 5, 5

💎PU: 25, 25, 25

Superset

25💎PU-5LsCU  ×2

24 Feb 2024

ParkDay

🐲🚩: 10

FLOATING 🐲🚩: 5, 3, 5

PullUps:10,10

Str.Bar.Dip:10

LsCU:5, 5, 5, 5, 5

PullUp:10,7

Elbow Lever Training

Skin The Cat

LsCU+PullUps: 5+4

 

25 Feb 2024

morning...

Slo-LsitPullUps: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1

Deadhang ×2:  1:27min, 1:15min

evening...

Light Chest Day @ Home

💎PU: 25, 25, 25

DBPress:

44lb ×18,  53lb ×15,  

62lb ×12, 💎incl.PU: 15,  Dip: 1 + 1

70lb x08, 💎incl.PU: 15,  Dip: 2 + 1

70lb x06

Dips[+0kg]: 15

Dips[+20kg]: 10,  8+2

Run: 4.01km, 5:51/km,  avg❤️HR:138

Test new shoes... AsicsGelNimbus

PullUps: 8, 8, 8, 8

26 Feb 2024

Leg Raise: 7 × 5

Slo-LsitPullUps: 1 × 10

LsCU: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6+1+1

🐲🚩: 5, 10, 10

PullUps: 7, 7, 7

 

27 Feb 2024

Break Day

LsCU: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 7, 7, 5

 

28 Feb 2024

🐲🚩: 14, 14, 10

Run: 6.01km,  6:09m/km, 

avg❤️HR132,  max❤️HR148

Slo-LsitPullUps: 1 × 8

PullUps: 8, 8, 8, (8 +15 Dips)

29 Feb 2024

🐲🚩: 10, 10

JMU-to-10.StrBarDips: ×6

CossackSquat: 20 ×3

Pole-CossackSquat: 20 ×3

🦐Squat:  5/🦵 ×6

🔫Squat:  5/🦵 ×3

AirSquat: 50,