Pushing Tin - Paekakboyz Training Log
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Bang. Awesome workout tonight - did new tricep, ab and back exercises today and man did it burn. Really enjoying the mix of bodyweight, swiss ball and cable exercises. Learnt a lot about training abs (or my current 2.5 pack). Advice I got was to start with lower, then side and finally upper abs... Bartman have you been told about training the different abs in particular order etc?<br />
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The new tricep one is primo as well. Using the cable machine with the rope grip you bring your hands down to pretty much touch your outside thighs (so the rope makes a triangle shape), then you rotate your wrists down and out. The actual motion sort of pulls the ends of the rope a bit behind you around hip level. The range of motion is only about 3-4cm max but by christ does it burn. You can feel it zinging right at the top of your tricep.<br />
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Last week we covered some leg exercises as well but my knees had been a bit sore lately. Instead of running it was some bad form when doing my sumo squats. Technique/bodyshape led me to kind of swing the bar out to clear my knees when putting the bar down and that put too much pressure just above my kneecaps. Talked with my PT about strengthening my legs so that I'll be able to run (hard) again. Also have a trip to Hawaii in Nov so plenty of motivation to get stuck in. -
off for a session at the gym after work tonight - amping to push a bit of tin!! Going to see if I can add another set to the ab workout, single set of each just about killed me last time!
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mint session tonight - increased sets on cable twist (abs) which was good, but painful! rest of the workout went well. After a set of slow bench (reeeeeeal slow, like a 10 count to bring it down) I tried a couple of 'normal' speed reps which were bloody easy. Had stuggled to figure out if I was improving as I've dropped from 85kg down to 60kg for the slow reps. Haven't had a crack at a higher weight but that might be on the cards!
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gym last night. Wondering if I need to aim at a certain number of reps for bench rather than going till fatigue... I move onto a series of swissball chest exercises straight after and last night I was shattered on the second set. Seeing improvement in wide grip pullups which is cool, those body weight based exercises are bloody hard (esp if you are still a decent weight! 95Kg) but extremely satisfying. I do two sets till failure then finish with 2 sets on the lat pulldown machine. Still carrying some excess blubber which won't be helping my power to weight but increasing cardio should assist with that problem. Pretty much have no day-to-day pain in my knee now so looking forward to starting running again. Going to take it really easy this time as I don't want the injury to flare up again.
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[quote name='Paekakboyz']mint session tonight - increased sets on cable twist (abs) which was good, but painful! rest of the workout went well. After a set of slow bench (reeeeeeal slow, like a 10 count to bring it down) I tried a couple of 'normal' speed reps which were bloody easy. Had stuggled to figure out if I was improving as [B]I've dropped from 85kg[/B] down to 60kg for the slow reps. Haven't had a crack at a higher weight but that might be on the cards![/QUOTE]<br />
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What a great improvement dude considering you started on 60 odd this year, good shit ! <br />
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Agree that slow reps are good to change things up a bit. 60kg may as well be a ton if you do it slow enough. -
Did swiss ball chest exercise before the bench tonight. Def finished stronger on the ball. Bench was horrid (Slooooooooow) but in a good way! figured that as I'm doing sets on the Bench till failure I might as well do it second. Will see me making progress faster I reckon.<br />
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Wide grip pull ups are slowly getting better, reps of 5 then 3.5 has been my best effort so far - then I move on to lat pull downs. Like this order as you can really feel your lats and shoulders from the pullups, it makes it easier to get in the right range of motion on the pulldowns. <br />
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Have been a bit slack on cardio lately and need to find a running placeholder. I was casting an eye in the direction of the rowing section of the fern... might have a crack at it this week. Thinking that a 2-3 cross trainer and rowing sessions a week will be sweet. Haven't begun my legs training at the gym yet. I got most of my exercises sorted with the PT last time but banged my knee so thats made me hold off. I'm hopeful that improving leg strength will support my knee better and get me back out running. -
decent crack on the crosstrainer tonight. Was a bit sore from weights on tuesday but the cardio session seemed to work out the kinks. Heading to the gym thurs with a workmate. He's just joined the same gym so he's keen to work out together. He's a big unit, ex number 8 and pretty strong right now I'd say! mighty tempting to go back to traditional bench and work up to a hundy. A nice burst of motivation leading into winter! I think I might be quite happy to jump on the crosstrainer rather than running when its cold, blowing and pissing down.
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Great read, your thread Paekak.<br />
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a few weeks ago I started a program that on one of the days finished with unbelieveably slow barbell bicep curls. Basically I was stuffed, body fatigued, and then bust out some slow ones. Can't believe a vein is actually rearing itself on the arm when doing it and thereafter.....<img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/invision/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /><br />
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Just interested in what your goal is with your cardio sessions? -
cheers mate, it's been a really good way to stay motivated, particularly while I've been training on my own.<br />
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Have really seen some improvement in strength and definition since I started the slower reps on bench and the new tricep exercises. Not quite veining out yet on the biceps (still carrying too much fat ha ha) I don't think it'll be that far away.<br />
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Cardio sessions are all about fitness at the moment - as I can't run like I want too I've had to find other means to keep fit. On the crosstrainer I'd aim to keep my rpm above a certain level and have 1 minute bursts of flat tack effort. I used to use rowing machines when training back in my uni days and enjoyed it. Keen to add that back in so I have some variety with cardio. <br />
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When I was running I'd go about 3 times a week and mix it up between a longer slower run (7-8km) or a shorter (4-5km) faster run. That meant I could work on both fitness and fat burning. I really want to retain as much running fitness as possible but am making sure I wait until my knee is strengthened before I start again. It's really hard actually, I miss running something chronic but with my advancing age taking the time to get the body right is more important ha ha<br />
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ACT how do you set goals for cardio? separate tactics for fitness versus fat burning? -
another decent workout tonight. My mate from work found it hard going but he hadn't been doing weights for a while. Dialled him back a bit on reps and weight but he'll be feeling it in a couple of days! Will be good once he's up to speed and we can start pushing each other.<br />
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Cardio tomorrow and either weights or a row on sunday. -
yeah it'll be interesting to see how he feels when he gets in today! Going to start the leg workout next week so that will bring in a bit more variety (and pain).
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Excellent gym session tonight. Had a few days rest (6 or so) and noticed some gains tonight. Chopped most of what we were doing. Managed 7, then 5 wide grip pull ups so I was stoked! As a guy with a stocky build even when I've been strong my power:weight meant I've always found them hard. I want to be able to rip out two sets of 10 so thats a mid term goal of mine.<br />
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Stoked with my ab programme - I still need to tweak my eating plan a bit more to really get full advantage. Haven't felt that strong in the core ever! I'm sure there is an ab or two under my shrinking puku.<br />
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Still hovering around 95kg. My programme focuses on strength and toning rather than bulk so I reckon low 90's will be my target goal. In the interim its all about watching your body shape change. Man I wish I'd taken a couple of pics. -
got a bit of momentum up this week - another session tonight with my friend from work. He's definitely starting to improve his form/strength. He follows up with a cardio session as well while I bugger off home! but he is working his way down from 125 odd kg though! <br />
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Was a bit gutted that pullups weren't so good tonight. Only 5 and 4. Guess some of those tougher body weight exercises do need a bit of recovery time - only having a day off between workouts probably wasn't enough. Planning a run this weekend. Knee has been feeling really good - quite hopeful that all I had wrong was tendonitis rather than ligament damage or something, I think I might still be poked if that was the case!!!<br />
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Will start to work on legs next week. Have confidence now that I won't do any additional damage to my knee - in the long run it will actually help avoid new injuries etc. I just need to be a bit smarter with my running plan and recovery. -
yeah I still might actually. While it is shrinking there is still a little bit of love left on my belly and handles!! Off to the gym after work tonight - going to up the weight on the swiss ball exercises so expecting pain followed by satisfaction!!
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mint session tonight. Increase in weight went well - was dead by the time we got to bench but stoked with the effort overall. Also noticing a big increase in core strength, not that anything is actually showing tho!! Planning on starting the leg workout next week so another month or so and I'll give running another crack - ahhh almost the depths of winter, what a splendid time to start running again - genius!!
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gym sesh tonight. Am chopping out the tricep reps at the moment - always amazes me how much you improve in other exercises when your triceps are strong. A far bigger contributor than the measely bicep! Have started doing sets till failure for triceps rather than a target number. Just focus on good form and go till ya flake out.