Pierini's April 2007 Training

Sunday, April 1, 2007
Complete rest day, but I did walk to and from late-afternoon Sunday Mass and a little more for a total of about 3 miles walking today.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

[gymgirl]

Happy April Pierini. I look forward to following another month of your pedal to the metal training.

Thanks gymgirl and happy April to you to. But today I've been pedal to the metal trying to keep up with the music song thread you created. I predict we'll have 1,000 posts before long!

[gymgirl]

Originally Posted by pierini

Thanks gymgirl and happy April to you to. But today I've been pedal to the metal trying to keep up with the music song thread you created. I predict we'll have 1,000 posts before long!

lol, see it's addicting isn't it?

[William S.]

Pedal to the metal is right guys. Keep up the good work, pierini.

Best in training,
Will

[minime]

hey pierini! happy april! I think this may be the month you break your pullup plateau!

Monday, April 2, 2007
Arrived at the gym at 5:50 a.m.

Elliptical trainer - resistance and incline both at level 10 for a 5 minute warmup, completing 855 strides (315 less than my PR of 1,170 strides which I repeated last Friday).

Standard grip pullups - BW+45 lbs. - 8-8-8 (felt really good about this).

Bar dips - BW+60 lbs. - 6-6-5 (an off day).

Running - on the treadmill at 1% incline - 400 meters warmup at 7.5 mph, then a planned 3-mile timed trial but I whimped out and quit after 2 miles which I completed in 13:25. My average HR was 159 bpm (86% of max) and my highest HR was 169 bpm (91% of max). I could have done the 3 miles but it would have been a lesson of my stubborness that I can do it even when I don't feel like it and I've had that lesson many times already. I'm working a mega-day today and I need to conserve energy.

Stretching - on the floor to stretch my hams, quads, glutes, calves, etc.

Have a great day!

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

p.s. hi minime and thanks. If I do, it will happen naturally. I'm not focusing on it this month, just work and getting my bags packed for my trip.

[minime]

great workout pierini! Must have felt great to get all three sets of eight reps at 45lbs!

Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Arrived at the gym at 5:40 a.m.

Running - treadmill at 1% incline at 7.5 mph for a 5 minute warm-up, completing .63 mile or 1,000 meters. All of the elliptical trainers were occupied so I had to go to Plan B for my wakeup/warmup.

Core warmup - getting ready for my planned power clean & push press workout after a 2 week absence due to my lower back injury, or so I thought. #1 = ab plank hold x 2:00 and #2 = 4-count cherry pickers x 25 slow.

Power clean & push press - warmup with 45 lb. bar - #1 = deadlifts x 10 - #2 = hang cleans x 10 and #3 = push presses x 10. Then loaded the bar to 135 lbs. for a planned 5x5 workout, the same as I did 2 weeks ago. Bent down to grab the bar and felt something in my lower back so I made an immediate "business decision" that I wouldn't be doing this workout. I actually had to have someone help me lift the bar off the floor and put it back on the rack. Bummer!! So I guess I need more rehab time, how long I don't know but we will see.

Bench press - totally frustrated and not wanting to do pullups/dips/pushups or the normal BW stuff I do, I decided to visit the bench and do some bench press work. I haven't done a bench press workout in over 3 years, the last time being right before I went 100% BW training. I've avoided the bench as the last time my shoulders hurt was when I was doing bench presses. This is what I did today: #1 = 135x10 - #2 = 175x5 - #3 = 195x3 - #4 = 205x1 - #5 = 215x1 - #6 = 225x0 (fail) - #7 = 135x25 (burn, baby, burn!) and #8 = 45x100 (more burn, baby, burn!). This all felt good. I think I'll stick to my pushups and weighted dips but maybe I'll sneak something like this is every now and then. I'm sure with a little training I can get my bench press max single rep up but that's what I said about deadlifts and power clean and push presses and look what it's done for me!

That was it. Something is better than nothing. Have a great day!

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

[minime]

great benching peirini! That is impressive : benching your bodyweight and then some having not done it in 3 years.

[gymgirl]

ouch. i wonder what the deal is with your back. what a bummer but way to pick it back up and move on to the bench! Those are some great numbers and very impressive that you put those weights up after not benching for 3 years! Good job. Have you been icing your back? If you can't foam roll you could try sitting on a tennis ball at work. That's what I have to do when my IT band or glutes are tight.

Take Care of yourself and don't work too hard.

[seraphyne1]

clean and presses, that is really a great exercise. If you could only do 1 exercise (and have the equipment of course) than this is the one.

Hi gymgirl, I don't know what is up with my back as I thought I was 99.9% recovered and actually felt good this morning during my warmup. I am not icing, I'm bad in that department, and I'm busy working all day and when I get home I just want to flop on the bed and go to sleep. I'm a middle-age man and I just need more time.

Hi seraphyne, I agree and I hope to get back doing them really soon. My last workout before I got injured was 5x5 at 135 lbs. and that felt good.

[trainerty]

Feel for ya there:

Power cleans are an extremely dynamic movement....pretty advanced biomechanically. I'm glad you chose the safer route. Happy healing....might I suggest you train the pelvic/hip flexors/extensors and rotators (all those usual stablizing muscles) while you rehab.

Also, how good is your ankle dorsiflexion?

Speedy recovery to you

Thanks Ty, I'll take your wise counsel. My ankles have pretty good range of motion, I've seen better in people who practice ballet, but not bad for a middle-age man. Out of curiosity, why do you ask?