Never-ending Quest to be Leaner, Stronger and Faster.

[GG300]

Nice work on the weight loss -- you should have a reprieve from temptation after the superbowl... baseball doesn't start until Spring .

Well lets see, we have Super Bowl, March Madness, St Patrick's Day and an annual weekend trip to Madison. If I can manage to only party like a celebrity fresh out of rehab I should be able to stay on course. Then of course we have the Brewers Home Opener on April 4. That is one interesting mine field I will be navigating. And to top it off Gail enjoys partying just a wee bit more than I. This is going to take a lot of will power.

Jeff the high pulls are just from arm length not from the floor.

[GG300]

Tuesday January 22 5:00 AM Scheduled Core Training and Intervals

Running Intervals 20 Minutes of 1:30@3.8 mph/:30@7.4 -7.8 mph plus 5 Minute Cool down 291 Cals 1.94 miles

Compound Set with 2 minutes rest between

Swiss Ball Planks 3 sets for 60 Seconds
Side Plank Left 3 Sets for 45 Seconds
Side Plank Right 3 Sets for 45 Seconds

Straight Sets with 90 seconds rest

Situps on a Decline Board with a combination punch 3 Sets of 15

Super Set with 90 seconds rest

Standing Cable Russian Twists Right 1 set of 15 @ 50# 2 Sets of 15 @ 55#
Standing Cable Russian Twists Left 1 set of 15 @ 50# 2 Sets of 15 @ 55#

I was running a little late this morning due to the 5" of snow to clean off my truck and Gail's car. Wasn't feeling it on the drive in but once I got there I was in the spirit. I added 5 seconds to the 6 runs in the middle of my interval which helped with the distance and calorie count. I haven't done the planks as a group set in a while and I forgot how FUN that can be. I also resurected the sit up with a punch from one of my old programs and found the last set to be equally as FUN. Finished with some rotational work and hit the showers.

[GG300]

I was looking back in my logs to find some of my old core work and check on some EDT pairings and I saw that I was actually running in crap like this last year. I guess I'll give it a couple of more weeks and start hitting the road again. I can hardly contain all my excitement.

[UpNorth]

Originally Posted by GG300

I was looking back in my logs to find some of my old core work and check on some EDT pairings and I saw that I was actually running in crap like this last year. I guess I'll give it a couple of more weeks and start hitting the road again. I can hardly contain all my excitement.

Now what kind of an attitude is that! It may have been bitter cold and icy but it was good times, right?

[GG300]

Now what kind of an attitude is that! It may have been bitter cold and icy but it was good times, right?

A sane one, but I actually did enjoy the comical side of some of those runs as well as the solitude.

[GG300]

Wednesday January 23 5:00 AM Scheduled Upper Body Session with my Trainer.

Straight set with 90 seconds rest Trainer assisted reps

Bench Press 8@165# 4@225#1@225# 1@245#2@245# 1@285# 2@235#1@235#

Super sets with 2 minutes rest

Cable Flys 3 sets of 12 @ 55#
Banded Bench with Green Band 3 sets of 6 @ 135#

Standing Arnold Press 3 sets of 12 @ 30#
DB Side Raises 3 sets of 12 @ 17.5#

Incline Skullcrusherss with Hammer Grip Bar 3 sets of 12 @ 70#
Overhead Cable Curls from a Lunge position 12@90# 12@100# 12@100#

Rear Delt Machine 10@145# 12@130#

Well after a lighter week last time this week he really pushed me. I just missed getting the 285 up clean on the bench but I stalled about 4" from my chest, got a slight assist and then drove it home. Maybe next week. The rest of the workout went quick with the super sets but not painless. As I was leaving He suggested that I start to get in some extra arm work once a week as the beach season is coming up. I responded with my standard comment "Asshat". I'll add some this weekend.

[GG300]

Thursday January 24 4:45 AM Scheduled Lower Body Session and Intervals.

Running Intervals 20 Minutes of 1:30@3.8 mph/:30@7.4 -7.8 mph plus 5 Minute Cool down 295 Cals 1.96 miles

Squats 8@225# 4@275# 2@305# 1@245#

I added 5 seconds to the last 8 running times to keep on pushing. Then onto a few sets of squats until I was finishing the 2nd rep at 305#. I felt the left side of my lower back tighten up slightly. I decided to drop the weight down to 245# and get in 2 more sets of 8. My back decided that was not going to happen so I finished off with some lower back stretches and 5 minutes of foam rolling which seemed to loosen it up. Then I got in some whirpool time to assist further. When I got up from the whirlpool I realized it was more than a tweak. Not quite sure what i did but I did it balls out.

[GG300]

Friday January 25 5:20 AM Scheduled Core Work and Intervals

The back is still causing me considerable discomfort so I scrapped the normal interval session and did a progression of Hill walking on the treadmill. I could only walk at 3.6 mph and used one minute intervals increasing the incline every minute by a half degree and back to the start every 10 minutes. 25 minutes of hills and a 5 minute cool down 290 Cals 1.67 Miles. That was about it other than 10 minutes in the whirlpool. The back seems somewhat better now, we will see how it progresses throughout the day. Regardless I have some moving I need to get finished but other than that I think I will rest the back until next Monday.

On the good news front even though I had some mild dietary indiscretions on Saturday I dropped another 1.6# which brings me down to 221.4#. That adds another .1# to the weight I am banking for my Super Bowl Trip next weekend for a total of 2.1# ahead of my goal. Hopefully I will add another 1# to that next week and that should get me through 3 days of alcohol and food that would curl the hair of most people on this forum.

[GG300]

Saturday January 26 6:30 AM

Hill Intervals @ 3.8 mph Treadmill program on 10 setting of 20. 25 Minutes Intervals 5 Min Cool Down 295 Cals 1.95 Miles

Sunday January 27 6:30 AM

Hill Intervals @ 3.8 mph Treadmill program on 10 setting of 20. 30 Minutes Intervals 5 Min Cool Down 325 Cals 2.06 Miles

Just stuck to cardio this weekend to give the back a rest. I tried the canned program from the treadmill and it is pretty close to mine and I don't have to keep changing the settings. This sis a truly mind numbing workout. We are supposed to get a warming trend this week so I think I am going to try to get in a few outdoor runs in the afternoon.

[GG300]

Monday January 28

Straight sets with 90 seconds rest

Bench Press 12@135# 8@165# 6@175# 4@185# 3@200#

Alternating DB Shoulder Press 3 sets of 10 @ 35#

Assisted Wide Grip Pull Ups 2 Sets of 12 @ 70# 10@70#

The back is starting to feel better so I thought I would go through some of the upper body basics to see what I could and could not do. Everything went well but I will still be laying off squats and deads for the next week or so. I think I can still do goblet squats, lunges and step ups, so that will be my base for lower body for the next few weeks.

[GG300]

Tuesday January 29 4:30 AM Scheduled Intervals and Core Work

Running Hillclimb Intervals Level 3, 20 Minutes 1:30 @3.8/:30 @ 7.3 - 7.6, 10 Minutes Walking Hillclimb Intervals Level 10, 5 Minute Cool Down 362 Cals 2.51 Miles

Super Sets with 2 minutes rest

Situps on a Decline Board with a combination punch 3 Sets of 15
Standing Cable Russian Twists Right 3 Sets of 15 @ 60#
Standing Cable Russian Twists Left 3 Set of 15 @ 60#

Swiss Ball Planks 3 Sets for 60 Seconds
Side Plank Left 3 Sets for 45 Seconds
Side Plank Right 3 Sets for 45 Seconds

Leg Raises on a Slant Board 3 Sets of 8
Standing Cable Crunch 3 Sets of 12@ 170#

Tried something new with the cardio by using a Level 3 Hill Program on the Treadmill but doing running Intervals instead of walking for the first 20 minutes then I added some extra time walking at the higher inclines to try to compensate for the damage to come this weekend. Core work went well with the back even the leg raises.

[GG300]

Wednesday January 30 5:00 AM Scheduled Upper Body Session with Trainer

Striagt Sets with 2 minutes rest. Trainer Assisted Reps

Bench 8@170# 5@230# 2/1@250# 1@295# 1@295# 3@235#

Cable Flys 12@55# 12@60# 12@60#

Tri Set with 2 minutes rest

Individual Cable UH Lat Pulls 12@100# 12@110# 12@110#
OH Straight Arm Cable Raises through Legs 12@30# 12@35# 12@35#
Rear Delt Machine 12@115# 12@120# 12@120#

Super Set with 2 minutes rest

Skullcrushers with Hammer Grip Bar 12@70# 12@70# 12@70#
Bench Dips with Feet and Arms on Bench 5@BW 7@BW 6@BW

Straight Set with 1 minute rest

Cable Curls 12@75# 12@85# 12@95#

The benches went great today as we raised the starter sets 5# and I was able to get in all my reps at 230 with no assist and an extra rep at 250 with no assist, both sets up one rep even though the weight was increased. Then my trainer decided to jump the weight from 285# (which I heven't quite got up on my own yet) to 295#. The first attempt was very weak as I didn't control the eweight very well and I even had it drifting towards my throat but I finished somewhat better. So we (HE) decided we should give it another go, this time I was more prepared and focused and gave it a great push. A couple of more weeks like this and 285# is mine. The next set was a little light and then he must have decided it was time to inflict some pain. The tri set was good but I think I should have gone a little heavier on the first 2 lifts but the Skulls followed by Dips, that hurt or at least it will Thursday. All in All a good day with the xception of the temp outside at a -4. without windchill that was a 44 degree drop in less than 24 Hours.

[GG300]

Thursday January 31 Scheduled Running Intervals and Lower Body Work (Last Chance Workout for January and Weigh Day)

Running Intervals 10 Minutes x(1:30@3.8/:30@7.4-7.8)1 Incl, 10 Minutes x(1:30@3.8/:30@7.4-7.8)1.5 Incl, 10 Minutes x(1:30@3.8/:30@7.1-7.5)2 Incl and a 5 Minute cool down for a total of 35 minutes, 2.7 miles and 410 Calories

Straight sets with 90 seconds rest

Goblet Squats 3 sets of 12 @ 65#

Static Lunges with DB's 3 sets of 10 (ea Leg) @30#

DB Step Ups 2 sets of 10 (ea Leg) @ 25#

Ball Squat 90 Degree Holds with DB's 3 sets of 30 seconds @25

Tried something new with the intervals again and it sure got me sweating. I stuck to all lower body work that does not affect my lower back and it worked fine and seemed to be a good workout. The Ball squat holds at the end of the workout were a little more difficult then I had remembered.

[GG300]

On the fitness front I did manage to hit goal by not missing any scheduled workouts and even getting in some additional work considering the moving of Gail's stuff to my place. I also hit a couple of PR's in the bench and deadlift but managed to tweak my back on a rather moderate attempt at squats . Next few weeks I will lay off the heavy squats and deads and work in some strength exercise for the lower back. Hopefully with some pointers from my trainer I can try for a new PR in the squats by months end.

Diet and weight loss also went pretty well. I ate clean for all but two cheat days and managed to drop at least 10# (will weigh in for exact Friday). Hopefully all will go as well next month. I will be off program eating wise for Feb 1-3 which will kill my cheats for the moth but hopefully that will not throw off my weight loss schedule for the month. I will post progress pictures on Tuesday but I don't see much of a change even though I am 25% of the way to my goal of 40#.

[UpNorth]

Thats some nice work Gregg! Ten pounds in a month is awesome, especially considering the holidays and playoffs figure in there. Take care of that back!

[mel]

Man look at all that progress you just summed up, both in weight loss and lifting gains! Congrats on that.

mel

[BamaDave]

Gregg, that's a lot of hard work for January! I'm watching for that 300# bench press.