Beyond the Limits

[Victoria]

Bill, way to get back into it!!!

I noticed you did push-up holds? How hard are they?

I always put my protein scoop into the shaker AFTER adding the liquid. It always seems to shake up fine for me...no lumps...except for the chocolate sometimes. But, I like lumps...especially in Cream of Wheat, white rice, and spaghetti....all of which I rarely eat anymore anyway .

[RacerBill]

Thanks, Victoria!

Pushup holds are as hard as you make them. Start at the top position like you're going to do a pushup. Hold that for say, ten seconds. Lower yourself to the middle position and hold for ten more. Then go to the bottom position and hold yourself just off the floor for ten more. That's one set. If you can push yourself back up to the top position without passing out or collapsing in agony, add more time to the holds the next time.

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by RacerBill

Fascinating analysis, Dr Freud.

I've tried all sorts of whey - ON, Iron Tek, Biochem, a few others I can't remember. I put a scoop in a Tupperware glass and take it with me. If I add water and shake it up, I always end up with some lumps. If I use a spoon to stir it, sometimes that helps, sometimes it doesn't. Best method I've managed to find is add a little water at first, stir it with a spoon to make a smooth paste, then add enough water to make a full serving, then shake it up. It helps but it's not foolproof.

FWIW, chocolate seems to have more lump problems than vanilla. But I hate plain vanilla whey unless it's with oatmeal or some such.

Maybe it's a water temperature thing? Maybe I lack strength and can only shake with the force of an 8-year-old girl? I've angered the whey gods?

Guess I'll post a question in the supplement forum. I just figured everyone gets lumps.

The only time I've had lumps is when my shaker bottle isn't dry. I put the powder in and it sits there for an hour or so. Then, I add water and get a few lumps. Only because of the long period in the damp bottle.

I'm using Cytosport Complete Whey at the moment. I almost exclusively use vanilla, but the chocolate didn't lump up.

Most of the dozen that I tried were vanilla, so that could be my secret.

[lance02]

Sounds like you are doing well -- especially after the challenge ended. In any rate, nice job at sticking with it, being honest with yourself, and keeping at it after the challenge.

[Victoria]

Originally Posted by RacerBill

If you can push yourself back up to the top position without passing out or collapsing in agony...

If.....

I'll have to try this when I feel exceptionally strong!!!

[RacerBill]

Back again... I really didn't want to get up this morning. I stayed up WAY too late reading the new Harry Potter (I'm still only halfway through it) and just didn't feel like getting up and working out. I finally imagined trying to explain to you all (especially Mahler, for some reason) why I didn't go to the gym and it sounded pathetic. So I got up, ate, and hit the gym about a half-hour later than usual. No particular program, just played around a bit.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Warmup with mobility and core as usual.

Deadlifts: 135 x 5, 155 x 5, 155 x 5
Felt good. Form felt like it was on. I didn't feel any "pull" in my lower back at all, even at the very end. Unfortunately, I discovered someone -- some kids, I'd guess -- had overloaded the bar that was usually in the squat rack and now it's permanently curved. Someone else had taken one of the other bars and put it in the lowest position, for bicep curls, no doubt. I used that one and put it back on the bench press when I was done.

DB lunge stance row: 25 x 10, 25 x 10 (each side)

Lat pull, overhand: 160 x 10, 160 x 10

DB incline press, 20 x 10, 25 x 10

By that point, it was 8:30 and I wanted to get out of there. Time to stretch and get cleaned up.

[Lost Dog]

You can overload a bar?

[RacerBill]

Time to update again!

It's been a busy week and work has been crazy. Poor excuse, I know. But today I got to burn up a vacation day. So I slept in until 6:15 and went to the gym after breakfast.

I need to get back to my fat loss regimen. I met up with Nick (Ninja) and Steve (Steve-O-68) this week and I felt like a tub o' lard next to these guys.

Here begins NROL FL2, with some modifications.

August 18, 2007

Same mobility and core routine.

Kept the weights light since this was the first workout and I wanted to make sure I got the form right.

Front Squat: 65 lbs x 12, 85 x 12, 85 x 12

Wide Grip Row: 80 lbs x 12, 90 x 12, 90 x 12

(I'm rowing more than I'm squatting. That's just not right... I'll take the squats higher next time)

Hip extension: 12 reps x 3

Scapular plane lateral raise: 10 lbs x 12, 10 x 12, 12 x 12
(sub for push press)

Dynamic Lunge: 15+15 x 12 (can't keep that up...), 10+10 x 12, 10+10 x 12
(These felt weird. Not sure my form's right. Per Lisa I think I'll sub reverse lunges next time)

Upper body Russian Twist: 12 reps x 3


This was tiring! I hadn't done three sets of leg work in a long time.

Had an amusing show during my workout. One of the trainers (male) had a (female) client and it was obvious to me she signed up for training so she could flirt with him; she had NO interest in working out. She whined about every exercise and said she didn't want to do it and it was too hard, and she had ignored his advice and skipped breakfast this morning. Then she'd turn toward him with a saucy little grin and said, "Oh, you're so mean to me!"

I tell ya, if Pukie the Clown had got me, it wouldn't have been from the workout...

[RacerBill]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

You can overload a bar?

Sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you, Roland.

I guess if you put so much weight on a bar that it permanently bends, you've overloaded it. I certainly don't think anyone in my gym actually MOVED enough weight to bend the bar (beyond picking up the plates and putting them on the racked bar).

And if that was just a facetious comment, ignore my blathering...

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by RacerBill

Sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you, Roland.

I guess if you put so much weight on a bar that it permanently bends, you've overloaded it. I certainly don't think anyone in my gym actually MOVED enough weight to bend the bar (beyond picking up the plates and putting them on the racked bar).

And if that was just a facetious comment, ignore my blathering...

No, it just makes me think it's a really crappy bar or something mysterious happened.

If it's fully loaded, but on supports, the pressure points are so far out toward the ends that there should be no real leverage to bend the bar. Strange...

For instance, if I do rack pulls with 405, the bar doesn't even flex. If I do sumo deadlifts with 365, the bar does bend (cheap bar, but it was cool to have the teenagers in awe!). The difference is that the rack pulls put my hands at wider than shoulder width, while sumo deadlifts put my hands near the center, about 16 inches apart.

[RacerBill]

August 18, 2007

AKA "The mad Scotsman kicked my ass."

Wore my new Chucks at the gym today!

Warmup, mobility and core as usual

A1) Lateral DB deadlift: 40 lbs x 12 x 3
(Sub for snatch grip DL. I can definitely take the weight up with the lower reps.)

A2) T-Pushup: BW, 12 x 3

B2) Bulgarian split squat: 10+10 x 12, 10 (one side) x 12 x 2
(Gawd, these were hard, especially after yesterday's workout. Dropped the weight and went to one-sided to challenge stability)

B2) Underhand grip lat pull: 140 x 12, 160 x 12, 180 x 12
(Had some problems figuring out the right weight...)

C1) RDL + Bent Over Row: 45 (bar) x 12 x 3

C2) Lower body Russian Twist: 6 x 3
(These were bloody near impossible after the core work I did at the beginning. I couldn't remember how to count the reps so I ended up doing half (I counted right and left as one rep. I should have known better, but hey, I had already fried my abs earlier...)

[lance02]

Bulgarian split squats are just one nasty exercise. I think anything Alwyn writes has these in -- it's evil!

[Egham]

Nice workout Bill! Did you notice any differences with the Chucks?

[Mahler]

Don't call him "The Mad Scotsman." You will only make him "madder."

Anyone who can crank out sets of Bulgarian Split Squats is okay in my book.

Good workout.

[SpacecityPaula]

Chucks rock to lift in. Que color eres tu Chucks???

[Victoria]

Originally Posted by RacerBill

B2) Bulgarian split squat: 10+10 x 12, 10 (one side) x 12 x 2
(Gawd, these were hard, especially after yesterday's workout. Dropped the weight and went to one-sided to challenge stability)

Aren't they already one-sided?

[Steve-O-68]

Hey Bill,
I was at the gym Sunday night, and I mentioned to my buddy that we oughta get together at the gym some time. Does your gym let stragglers in? Mine does... for a penny or two. Let me know what you think.

And, FWIW, both you and Nick were looking pretty lean. There weren't any tubs o'lard in our little group.