Kettlebell VO2 Max

Took 2 days off and caught up on some rest. Since the focus of this workout is to push my cardio vascular limit , I kept a good pace with little rest in between sets but it took me an hour and a half instead of my targeted hour. The last time I did this workout it took me 50 minutes for only 3 sets.

Warm Up:

• 50 Jumping Jacks (http://youtu.be/dmYwZH_BNd0)
• 40 Body Weight Squats (http://youtu.be/QKKZ9AGYTi4)
• 30 Crunches (http://youtu.be/1V4RXxLHNCY)
• 20 Pushups (http://youtu.be/Eh00_rniF8E)
• 10 Burpees (http://youtu.be/O7_TBHno0Os)

• Swing & Catch Goblet Squat - (http://youtu.be/YuY2cecIq2E) - I do 1 arm with 10 reps each arm
• 1 Arm Clean & Push Press (http://youtu.be/Q3ucR0I_bP4) - 10 each
• Windmill (http://youtu.be/yKik0YFE370) - 10 each
• Turkish Get Up ((http://youtu.be/NeJLk-PsIsg) - 5 each
• 1 Leg Deadlift & Row (http://youtu.be/ByRt5R6n6LU) - 10 each

Notes & Results:

• Time: 50 minutes
• Weight: 191 - I can’t make too much out of any one weigh in but this is a huge drop. We shall see if I keep this weight loss.

**All weights in kg**

• Swing & Catch Goblet Squat - Sets: 10, 12, 16, 18, 18
• Clean & Press - Sets: 10, 12, 16, 18, 16
• Windmill - 10, 12, 16, 16, 16
• Turkish Get Up - Sets: 10, 12, 12, 12, 12
• Deadlift & Row - Sets: 12, 16, 18, 18, 18
• 10 Burpees at the end of each circuit. 50 total outside of warm up

Eliminated an Isolation Exercise - Arms & Shoulders Day

Going along with my strength training evolution, I eliminated the Dumbbell Lateral Raise and Extension in exchange for a Barbell Upright Row. IT works more muscles with heavier weight. I stuck with the EZ Bar Curls and Overhead Triceps Extension since, of the isolation exercises that I do, these seem to be effective and I don’t have a better alternative.  

Warm Up:

• 50 Jumping Jacks (http://youtu.be/dmYwZH_BNd0)
• 40 Body Weight Squats (http://youtu.be/QKKZ9AGYTi4)
• 30 Crunches (http://youtu.be/1V4RXxLHNCY)
• 20 Pushups (http://youtu.be/Eh00_rniF8E)
• 10 Burpees (http://youtu.be/O7_TBHno0Os)

Arms & Shoulders Routine - 1st set is ½ weight for 10 reps to warm up and focus on form then 5 sets of 5 reps each at max weight.

• Barbell Upright Row (http://youtu.be/amCU-ziHITM)
• Barbell Shoulder Press (http://youtu.be/8gVEdhS5AEs)
• Standing EZ Bar Curl (http://youtu.be/QI_6gfzp6_U)
• Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension (http://youtu.be/v3U2H16EzNw)

Notes / Results:

• Time: 55 minutes
• Weight: 194
• Barbell Upright Row
• Sets: 10@45, 10@55, 65, 75, 3@85
• This is the first time for me doing this exercise and, upon watching the video again, I brought the bar to my chin but did not keep my elbows high. Need to correct this form next time.
• Barbell Push Press
• Previous high: 2@100
• Sets: 65, 75, 85, 4@95, 3@95
• Standing EZ Bar Curl
• Previous high: 85 Goal: 85 **assuming EZ Bar is 15 pounds and not 25
• Sets: 65, 2@75/5@70, 70, 1@75/1@70/1@65. 65
• Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension
• Previous high: 45 Goal: 50
• Sets: 35, 40, 3@45, 2@45/3@40, 40
• Finisher on Monkey Bars
• Across twice
• 3 pull ups
• 4 chin ups

Real Strength Training Applied - Leg Day

I have been doing a lot more reading on strength training and Olympic lifting. While what they recommend does not fit into my training goals I am picking up a lot of good direction as to how to improve what I am doing. Specifically, power lifters recommend not doing isolation exercises but instead focusing on Olympic style lifts that have more bang for the buck. I am coming over to their way of thinking more and more and conducted a review of my training program to replace what I can consider low return on investment exercises with some of the core exercises. Today, I was supposed to do Goblet Squats and Side Lunges. I replaced them with regular Squats and Deadlifts.

The second adjustment that I made to my workouts was less of a concentration on time in between sets for strength training and more of a concentration on lifting heavy weights properly. This, in practice, made me run out of time (I limit gym workout time to 60 minutes) before I got to the 4th exercise set that I was supposed to do. I have no regrets since I believe that I got a lot out of my squats, deadlifts and step ups. I plan to keep the timing discipline in my kettle bell and running VO2 max days.

Lastly, my squat weight is ridiculously low but I am building up from the beginning with proper form. For my first set I started with just the bar and slowly moved up in weight set by set. To date I have always thought that I should continue to progress according to how I felt and what I was able to lift. My thinking has changed and I plan on following Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength advice and from now on will define what I will lift in advance of the workout. So, I know the max weight that I will reach on my 5th set and back out he weights on previous sets in order to get there. Today I did 7 sets in order to reach a max that was unimpressive. Next time I will take that max weight of 105, add 10 pounds so that I lift that on my 5th set and tell myself that my sets will be 75, 85, 95, 105, 115 after I warm up with the bar. The following week I will start at 85 and reach my max at 125.  

Warm Up:

• 50 Jumping Jacks (http://youtu.be/dmYwZH_BNd0)
• 40 Body Weight Squats (http://youtu.be/QKKZ9AGYTi4)
• 30 Crunches (http://youtu.be/1V4RXxLHNCY)
• 20 Pushups (http://youtu.be/Eh00_rniF8E)
• 10 Burpees (http://youtu.be/O7_TBHno0Os)

Leg Routine - Do 1 set at ½ weight for ten reps to warm up and focus on form, then 5 sets of 5 reps each at max weight.

• Barbell Squats (http://youtu.be/b_uAOqA-pxY)
• Barbell Deadlift (http://youtu.be/nFw69zIssgQ)
• Step Ups (http://youtu.be/Jyb_oHDHJZo)

Notes / Results:

• Time: 60 minutes.
• Weight: 194. Broke through the 195 plateau.

• Squats - Sets: 45, 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105
• Deadlift - Sets: 205, 215, 225, 235, 245
• Step Ups
• Previous high: 55 Goal: was 50, need to get to 60
• Sets: 45, 50, 55, 55, 55

Chest & Back - Checking my ego at the door

Increasing the focus on form and range of motion. More full repping and less half repping. Going down in weight in order to do things correctly. Unfortunately nobody in the gym ever looks at someone else and admires their form. They only look at the weight you are lifting. In order for me to do things correctly I must check my ego at the door.

Warm Up:

• 50 Jumping Jacks (http://youtu.be/dmYwZH_BNd0)
• 40 Body Weight Squats (http://youtu.be/QKKZ9AGYTi4)
• 30 Crunches (http://youtu.be/1V4RXxLHNCY)
• 20 Pushups (http://youtu.be/Eh00_rniF8E)
• 10 Burpees (http://youtu.be/O7_TBHno0Os)

Chest/Back Routine - 1st do a warm up set at ½ weight for 10 reps, then 5 sets of 5 reps each at full weight..

• Bench Press (http://youtu.be/rT7DgCr-3pg)
• Lateral Pull Downs (http://youtu.be/vIUlk9zwFgM)
• Dumbbell Flys (http://youtu.be/eozdVDA78K0)
• Barbell Row (http://youtu.be/7stpwE5nZj8)

Notes / Results:

• Weight: 195
• Time: 60 minutes
• Bench Press:
• Sets: 135, 140, 4@145, 3@145, 135
• Lateral Pull Downs:
• Previous high: 4@190 Goal: 210
• Sets: 150, 170, 3@190, 2@190/1@170, 3@190/1@170
• Dumbbell Flys:
• Previous high: 45 Goal: 50
• Sets: 35, 35, 3@40, 35, 3@40
• Barbell Row:
• Sets: 95, 105, 115, 125, 130
• Did the Monkey Bars 5x as a finisher

VO2 Max / HIIT / Fartlek on a Sunday Morning at the Football Field

Today I finally was able to use the SpeedSac or running sled that I got for Christmas. I used it for a lower body high intensity training although I need to tighten this up to make it harder. Ideas will be in the notes below. 

Workout:

• Walk with 30 Pound SpeedSac to a local football field. Time: 20 minutes.

• Run around the track 2x
• 40 yard dash w/o SpeedSac
• 10 Burpees
• 40 yards lunges (back to starting position)

• Run around the track 2x
• 40 yard dash with 10 pound SpeedSac
• 10 Burpees
• 40 yards lunges with 10 pound SpeedSac (back to starting position)

• Run around the track 2x
• 40 yard dash with 20 pound SpeedSac
• 10 Burpees
• 40 yards lunges with 20 pound SpeedSac (back to starting position)

• Run around the track 2x
• 40 yard dash with 30 pound SpeedSac
• 10 Burpees
• 40 yards lunges with 30 pound SpeedSac (back to starting position)

• Run around the track 2x
• 50 yard dash with 30 pound SpeedSac
• 10 Burpees
• 50 yards lunges with 30 pound SpeedSac (back to starting position)

• Run around the track 2x

• Walk home with 30 pound SpeedSac. Time: 20 minutes

Notes:

• Time working out with SpeedSac: 60 minutes.
• Time was not planned. It worked out perfectly but I ended my workout when soccer games were starting and I was starting to get in other people's way. I could have continued but felt that I had done enough for a first time with this workout.

Can increase intensity in these ways:

1. Run around the track once instead of twice
2. Increase length of sprints & lunges
3. Do it with a weight vest (planned for April)
4. Do it more times

One thing that I did purposely and don't plan on changing was starting without weight and gradually moving up. It is good to use that as a warm up. I will never be a professional athlete but I have also never been injured. 

Kettlebell VO2 Max Day

This is my first workout since last Friday due to my trip to Vail for work. While in Vail I got some good snowboarding days in at high altitude so not all was lost. Good pace today and I did give it my all. THe focus really narrowed to high reps at low weights for aerobic gains. At the same time I increased my weight from a low base on each circuit and feel that I really did hit my max for 20 reps per set.

Warm Up:

• 50 Jumping Jacks (http://youtu.be/dmYwZH_BNd0)
• 40 Body Weight Squats (http://youtu.be/QKKZ9AGYTi4)
• 30 Crunches (http://youtu.be/1V4RXxLHNCY)
• 20 Pushups (http://youtu.be/Eh00_rniF8E)
• 10 Burpees (http://youtu.be/O7_TBHno0Os)

• Alternating Swing Clean & Press (http://youtu.be/Q3ucR0I_bP4) - 10 each
• Balance Row (http://youtu.be/3cw6E4AIKjU) - 10 each side
• Lunge & Press (http://youtu.be/eCl0sHxzY9E) - 10 each side
• Single Leg Kettlebell Deadlifts (http://youtu.be/ByRt5R6n6LU) - 10 each side
• Goblet Squat (http://youtu.be/VUa8T6yo_Yg) x 20

10 Burpees at the end of each circuit.

Notes / Results:

• Time: 60 minutes.
• Weight: 195. No complaints after being off diet away at a conference.

** All weight in kg**  

• Swing Clean & Press - Sets - 10, 12, 16, 18, 18
• Balance Row - Sets: 10, 12, 16, 18, 24
• Lunge & Press - Sets: 10, 12, 16, 16, 12 (left side I had to finish at 12 after starting at 16)
• Single Leg Deadlift - Sets: 10, 12, 16, 18, 24
• Squats - Sets: 10, 12, 16 18, 18