Training
Ran 3.0 miles in 26.5 minutes - 8.5 minutes/mile. PB!
Thoughts
Schooled my previous time by a minute and a half per mile. Not bad for my day off.
You dropped 1.5 minutes / mile???? Wow!
Drex Gets Focused: An Essay on Shenanigans
- Thread starter [Focus]
- Start date
You dropped 1.5 minutes / mile???? Wow!
Yeah, during a two week break from running. On <20g of carb per day.
Don't ask me to explain it.
I'm guessing it's the shoes, and I really improved my gait a lot today, with the help of Drex and FF's suggestions. I put a lot of focus on springing off the ground, instead of just plodding, and opened up my stride a bit.. not too far, but enough to make it real "fluid". Felt like a gazelle. I also concentrated on distributing the load evenly between my legs. Previously I had been heavily overusing my right leg, I think. Pretty excited to see what I can do in actual running shoes, and when I'm not devoid of carbs and in a massive deficit. XD
Awesome on the run Focus! Just wait until you are eating a healthy balanced diet!
7/23/08
6:53 AM
Biked 9.32 miles, 33:39, 16.62 mph, Avg HR 108, Max HR 136.
5:07 PM
Ran 5.02 miles, 37:24, 7:27 min/mile, Avg HR 160, Max HR 173.
6:38 PM
Biked 9.3 miles, 32:14, 17.31 mph, Avg HR 131, Max HR 149.
I pushed it harder than normal on the run. I haven't pushed hard on a run since the problem with my legs. I want to see how my legs respond to this before the race this weekend. If all goes well I will be pushing hard again on Saturday. If no ill effects, then I should be able to put the leg issue behind me and be pretty sure it wasn't training related.
I am running a 5 mile race on Saturday down home. Just a training race, nothing important. I had been planning on just running it at about a 8 min/mile pace, but I am feeling pretty good so as long as I feel good on Saturday, I plan to push it a bit.
Diet for today:
7/23/08
6:53 AM
Biked 9.32 miles, 33:39, 16.62 mph, Avg HR 108, Max HR 136.
5:07 PM
Ran 5.02 miles, 37:24, 7:27 min/mile, Avg HR 160, Max HR 173.
6:38 PM
Biked 9.3 miles, 32:14, 17.31 mph, Avg HR 131, Max HR 149.
I pushed it harder than normal on the run. I haven't pushed hard on a run since the problem with my legs. I want to see how my legs respond to this before the race this weekend. If all goes well I will be pushing hard again on Saturday. If no ill effects, then I should be able to put the leg issue behind me and be pretty sure it wasn't training related.
I am running a 5 mile race on Saturday down home. Just a training race, nothing important. I had been planning on just running it at about a 8 min/mile pace, but I am feeling pretty good so as long as I feel good on Saturday, I plan to push it a bit.
Diet for today:
Are you doing anything to work on your grip? There are several exercises you can do to work on grip strength. I would try to avoid using straps as much as possible. Do whatever you can without straps and when you just can't grip it anymore, then strap up to finish out the sets.
Good luck with the leg, and the run.
I totally get you on the pushing but not too hard thing, haha. I really had a lot of fun with that this afternoon. It's all so new and exciting to me. Do you still feel that way?
Yup yup. That's pretty much the plan. And there's a lot of indirect grip work, and some direct (wrist roller type stuff). I know my grip is the limiting factor on a lot of exercises, so it's getting worked hard every time. It's gotten much, much stronger. I used to have trouble making a tight fist, no joke. Now I can actually exert force in my palm region.
I just know I'm wasting time on the RDLs because I can't hold on to anywhere near as much weight as I can easily move. I'm quite sure the rest of the stuff (there's pulling and holding of heavy stuff on pretty much every day, upper or lower) will get my forearms where they need to be. The RDLs will get strapped, so I can move some reasonable weight. My rationale is that it's not really very feasible to only use the straps when absolutely necessary, as the previous sets will have been essentially wasted. Rather, I will restrict the use of them to one exercise only (out of 10'ish or so that require grip strength). And when my grippage catches up (I will check every other week or every month or so), I will of course ditch the straps.
Or, alternatively, I suppose I could do hyperextensions (which I'm making great progress with) both lower days (which is perfectly acceptable, I went out of my way to choose RDLs), and hit my grip with the isolation twice a week instead of just the once. Hmmm. I kinda like that idea... Your thoughts? ^_^
I totally get you on the pushing but not too hard thing, haha. I really had a lot of fun with that this afternoon. It's all so new and exciting to me. Do you still feel that way?
Yup yup. That's pretty much the plan. And there's a lot of indirect grip work, and some direct (wrist roller type stuff). I know my grip is the limiting factor on a lot of exercises, so it's getting worked hard every time. It's gotten much, much stronger. I used to have trouble making a tight fist, no joke. Now I can actually exert force in my palm region.
I just know I'm wasting time on the RDLs because I can't hold on to anywhere near as much weight as I can easily move. I'm quite sure the rest of the stuff (there's pulling and holding of heavy stuff on pretty much every day, upper or lower) will get my forearms where they need to be. The RDLs will get strapped, so I can move some reasonable weight. My rationale is that it's not really very feasible to only use the straps when absolutely necessary, as the previous sets will have been essentially wasted. Rather, I will restrict the use of them to one exercise only (out of 10'ish or so that require grip strength). And when my grippage catches up (I will check every other week or every month or so), I will of course ditch the straps.
Or, alternatively, I suppose I could do hyperextensions (which I'm making great progress with) both lower days (which is perfectly acceptable, I went out of my way to choose RDLs), and hit my grip with the isolation twice a week instead of just the once. Hmmm. I kinda like that idea... Your thoughts? ^_^
In regards to grip strength, I am of the mindset that when doing RDLs, lat pulldowns, shrugs, rows, etc. it's OK to use straps...those aren't forearm exercises...they're for back and shoulders. So why limit your back/shoulder strength just cause our forearms give out.
But that's just my opinion. I think in the long run, straps are better if they help you get stronger. You can do direct forearm/grip work on its own,
But that's just my opinion. I think in the long run, straps are better if they help you get stronger. You can do direct forearm/grip work on its own,
Thanks jaim. It's so nice to have someone support my meathead tendencies.
Curious as to what Drex and others think. Remember that it's only the one exercise. I can hold on to enough weight for everything else just fine. Thought that wasn't true of the shrugs, but I prettied up the form a bit and managed to make them considerably more difficult.
Thanks jaim. It's so nice to have someone support my meathead tendencies.
Curious as to what Drex and others think. Remember that it's only the one exercise. I can hold on to enough weight for everything else just fine. Thought that wasn't true of the shrugs, but I prettied up the form a bit and managed to make them considerably more difficult.
Well, I lift with a friend. He started about a month after I got into it, but has been lifting with me since. We both ran into issues with grip on the deadlift. His solution was to just use straps for the deadlift. I put the straps on my wrist and did as many deadlifts as I could until I couldn't grip the bar, then quickly wrapped the bar and finished out the set. I did some grip work on the side and my grip caught up to where I can now grip the bar through my deadlift sets. My friend, at this point, has to rely 100% on the straps to do deadlifts.
My opinion is to do whatever you can without straps. Use the straps only when it's absolutely neccesary. If you can hold the weight for the shrugs, you should be able to hold it for a couple reps of the deadlift.
From the previous post, I would stick to the deadlifts and certainly not abandon them. As far as running, not new and exciting, but I enjoy it. It feels really good to push hard and come in with a good time, but it just feels good to run and to finish as well. My first two months of running never felt very good and I was only doing it to get in shape. After a couple months it became more enjoyable and has continued that trend since.
Hmmm, okay, Drex, you've convinced me. I like this wearing of the straps but not using them until I can't hold on to the weight anymore. Maybe do 3 sets of my normal, then finish out with a couple of sets with straps. Best of both worlds?
Don't think I could do exactly what you suggest, as it takes me quite a while to get them on properly. Maybe if I got hooks instead of straps...
Anyway, thanks much.
Also, what you said about running is probably a lot more true, haha. I'm just excessively high on life right now. Also, drugs. (Legal! lol) Actually, I guess you could say I feel that way about exercise in general. It's the activity that's enjoyable, it's the afterglow.
Don't think I could do exactly what you suggest, as it takes me quite a while to get them on properly. Maybe if I got hooks instead of straps...
Anyway, thanks much.
Also, what you said about running is probably a lot more true, haha. I'm just excessively high on life right now. Also, drugs. (Legal! lol) Actually, I guess you could say I feel that way about exercise in general. It's the activity that's enjoyable, it's the afterglow.
when you "spring" or launch, keep the forward mindset. forward and smooth. keep aware of your ground pound, and let the heel just slide you into your next stride.
p.s. a gait is something you want to eliminate, not improve....
oh, and I was looking at my navel this morning and it occured to me that .............. hehehehe
Sweat Daily
FF
p.s. a gait is something you want to eliminate, not improve....
oh, and I was looking at my navel this morning and it occured to me that .............. hehehehe
Sweat Daily
FF
Hum, okay. And my feet should stay at or behind where my body is, or does that matter? Because I noticed I was springing as you say, and the flow was very smooth, but my stride was longer than I read it should be somewhere, I think. Had my knee not been griefing me, I could have been moving quite a bit faster without too much effort. It felt a lot easier moving properly than it did moving with less "lift" (which my intuition had told me would be a more efficient motion?? wtf). I really wasn't expecting that.
p.s. a gait is something you want to eliminate, not improve....
I'm sorry I don't know the words, okay, mr. fancy man. Why don't you throw yourself a party for being so special.
looooooooooool ilu :yelrotflmao:
07/24/08
Training
A1 BB Bench 85x15x2, 85x11x2
B1 Lat Pulldown 75x15, 75x12x3
B2 Facepull 55x15, 55x12x3
C1 DB Military Press 40x12x2, 45x12x2
D1 DB Shrug 160x10x3
D2 BB Curl 40x10x3
E1 Wrist Roller 17.5x2x3
Thoughts
Woah.
I don't know if it's all of it, or some of it, or what, but something I just started taking is working. Everything on the board is a personal best, and completely destroyed last week's workout.
Accidentally did too many reps on the first set of the B group, haha. But apparently, it wasn't a problem.
Limiting factor on the bench was very, very obviously my right forearm. It was working hard while everything else was hardly working. So, I've come to a decision:
Straps on all sets of the RDLs (That's one exercise, on one day - Tues), and direct grip work twice a week. My forearms were completely destroyed today. I could barely hold my empty plastic shaker cup on the way home, no jokes. It weighs something like 4 ounces, and is maybe 2 inches in diameter. XD This will mean making sure my forearms are progressing as fast as possible, but also let me move some real weight on my RDLs. I will monitor and stop using straps when my grip catches up. And it will. I was shocked I was able to hold on to those 80 lb dumbbells today!
Also, since it seems 1:30:45 is working just fine for the E, I'm taking 2 days off from it (sat and sunday), and if all is still (BETTER THAN!) well, going up to 1:15:30, and then 1:10:15 the next week. C and A absolute values are static at 250 and 325. Remember kids, be responsible!
Training
A1 BB Bench 85x15x2, 85x11x2
B1 Lat Pulldown 75x15, 75x12x3
B2 Facepull 55x15, 55x12x3
C1 DB Military Press 40x12x2, 45x12x2
D1 DB Shrug 160x10x3
D2 BB Curl 40x10x3
E1 Wrist Roller 17.5x2x3
Thoughts
Woah.
I don't know if it's all of it, or some of it, or what, but something I just started taking is working. Everything on the board is a personal best, and completely destroyed last week's workout.
Accidentally did too many reps on the first set of the B group, haha. But apparently, it wasn't a problem.
Limiting factor on the bench was very, very obviously my right forearm. It was working hard while everything else was hardly working. So, I've come to a decision:
Straps on all sets of the RDLs (That's one exercise, on one day - Tues), and direct grip work twice a week. My forearms were completely destroyed today. I could barely hold my empty plastic shaker cup on the way home, no jokes. It weighs something like 4 ounces, and is maybe 2 inches in diameter. XD This will mean making sure my forearms are progressing as fast as possible, but also let me move some real weight on my RDLs. I will monitor and stop using straps when my grip catches up. And it will. I was shocked I was able to hold on to those 80 lb dumbbells today!
Also, since it seems 1:30:45 is working just fine for the E, I'm taking 2 days off from it (sat and sunday), and if all is still (BETTER THAN!) well, going up to 1:15:30, and then 1:10:15 the next week. C and A absolute values are static at 250 and 325. Remember kids, be responsible!
Thanks jaim. It's so nice to have someone support my meathead tendencies.
MEATHEADS ftw!!!
Also, since it seems 1:30:45 is working just fine for the E, I'm taking 2 days off from it (sat and sunday), and if all is still (BETTER THAN!) well, going up to 1:15:30, and then 1:10:15 the next week. C and A absolute values are static at 250 and 325. Remember kids, be responsible!
I know this refers to the ECA stack (which I am on too - Except I'm on yohimbine instead of aspritin), but what does the 1:15:30 thing mean?
P.S. We lift the same #s
We should be training partners!MEATHEADS ftw!!!
Aw yeah.
Oh, sorry. I get caught up in my own little systems sometimes. It refers to the ratio of E:C:A. So, in simpler terms, what I'm saying is that I'm currently taking 8mg of ephedrine with 250 mg of caffeine and 325 mg of aspirin (would be 360, but they come in 325 and who the hell can be bothered to dice it up, seriously) together 3x/day, but will raise my ephedrine intake to 16mg per dose next week (after cycling off for two days), and then up to the full 24mg the week after that (after cycling again). At which point the ratio will be 24:250:325, or roughly 1:10:15 (actually a little short on aspirin, and a little long on caffeine).
Just being careful, though I'm dead certain (get it lol) I will not experience any negative side effects. I'm immune to negative side effects.
P.S. We lift the same #s
I already have a she-hulk, but, uh, she's leaving in the fall, so send in an application.
'Cause, y'know, one little girl griefing my numbers isn't enough. :11doh:
Phate, you're just jealous of my smoove way with the ladies. Chicks dig it when you let them win. Or something. I, uh, gotta go drink a shake now.
7/24/08
5:07 PM
Ran 5.08 miles outside, 40:15, 7:55 min/mile, Avg HR 144, Max HR 159.
6:00 PM
3 games of volleyball, went 1-2.
9:35 PM
Swam 750 meters, 35 mins.
Mapped out a 5 mile route to the volleyball court. The court is at a lower elvevation, so even though it was hilly, I had more downhill than uphill.
Food:
5:07 PM
Ran 5.08 miles outside, 40:15, 7:55 min/mile, Avg HR 144, Max HR 159.
6:00 PM
3 games of volleyball, went 1-2.
9:35 PM
Swam 750 meters, 35 mins.
Mapped out a 5 mile route to the volleyball court. The court is at a lower elvevation, so even though it was hilly, I had more downhill than uphill.
Food:
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Right on.
I did the same thing with my transit to the gym and back. Only makes sense if you gotta go the distance anyway. Plus there's something very... real about putting the exercise to use. Also, I suppose someone should comment on the fact that you casually ran 5 miles of hills at 7:55mm while nursing an injury.
Drex, you casually ran 5 miles of hills at 7:55mm while nursing an injury
(Focus, consider it mentioned
)Aw yeah.
Just being careful, though I'm dead certain (get it lol) I will not experience any negative side effects. I'm immune to negative side effects.
Ever thought about using Y?
LOLMy resume for the position of Focus' training partner is in my journal (ie. Check out my workouts and deem me worthy or not
)Drex, you casually ran 5 miles of hills at 7:55mm while nursing an injury
(Focus, consider it mentioned
u so gud to me bb<3
To be honest, I don't really see any reason to. I don't require any appetite suppression. My will is like a fortress.
Why are you taking it?Also I'm pretty scared of what would happen to me if my sex drive increased. It's already 9x normal, according to the stats. ****, I might turn into a real life version of Tom. XD
Oh, and I forgot to say that afaik, yohimbine doesn't work on the prostaglandins the way aspirin does. So it's not really very beneficial in the stack, the way I see it. Just more of the same. I dunno, if it works for you.. I'm just saying, it's not much of a synergist afaict. I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
And, uh, just for the record, I weighed in at 180.0 lbs this morning. I will be solidly in the 170s on Saturday. Adult low! Gonna be dead sexay for the wedding. (Not mine, lol.) I went back and checked my numbers, and I am stronger now than I was at 280 lbs.
And, uh, just for the record, I weighed in at 180.0 lbs this morning. I will be solidly in the 170s on Saturday. Adult low! Gonna be dead sexay for the wedding. (Not mine, lol.) I went back and checked my numbers, and I am stronger now than I was at 280 lbs.