Pierini's December 2005 Workouts

Thursday, December 1, 2005

Starting to feel like a pit bull stuck in a cage from a couple of days of not training. So I called my buddy who teaches a karate class at a Class A health club in the downtown area which is near where I live and near where I have been working this week. So I worked out with his dojo. Good workout, concentrating on basic techniques and kata. He taught the first part of the class and I taught the second part. For my part, I cranked up the anaerobic intensity of what we did to selfishly meet my needs. Everyone seemed to enjoy the workout based on the feedback. And my needs were met.

Nutrition - 2,505 calories, 347 grams of carbohydrates, 106 grams of protein, and 79 grams of fat (55%c, 17%p, and 28%f).

Enjoy the rest of your day and your weekend.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

Friday, December 2, 2005

100% rest.

Nutrition - 3,310 calories, 463 grams of carbohydrates, 137 grams of protein, and 100 grams of fat (56%c, 17%p, and 27%f).

Saturday, December 3, 2005

Saturday morning dojo workout, limited to about a 15 minute warm-up as students were tested and I was an evaluator. 15 minute warm-up was calesthetics and stretching.

Nutrition - 2,353 calories, 308 grams of carbohydrates, 119 grams of protein, and 77 grams of fat (51%c, 20%p, and 29%f).

Sunday, December 4, 2005

Active rest. On the family room floor in front of the warm, wood pellet stove and even watching a little NFL: stretching my hams/quads/glutes/calves/etc. and approximately 200 crunches in 3 sessions.

Nutrition - 2,962 calories, 320 grams of carbohydrates, 172 grams of protein and 109 grams of fat (44%c, 23%p, and 33%f).

OK, a lot of resting but it all came to an end as Monday morning I got my butt to the gym at 6:00 a.m. and had a good workout. I'm going to do the 6:00 a.m. workout 3 days a week just like the good old days. I had a good workout and will post in tomorrow after my nutrition is tallied.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

Monday, December 5, 2005

Arrived at the gym at 6:00 a.m.

Pullup/chinup medley
#1 = standard grip pullups x 15 - #2 = standard grip chinups x 10 - #3 = close grip pullups x 6 - #4 = close grip chinups x 6 - #5 = wide grip pullups x 6 - #6 = wide grip chinups x 7

2 minute rest between sets. Total reps = 50.

Handstand pushups (HSPU) against the wall of course

It's been a while since I've done these and I really want to improve in this department. My new training strategy today was to perform 10 sets of 1 rep full-range with moderate rest between sets. Basically, avoid any failure with any set and always be fresh, unlike my past HSPU training efforts. Then I'll advance to 2 reps per set, again for a total of 10 sets. We'll see where this leads me.

So today I did 9 sets of 1 rep. On the final set I did 2 reps and tried a 3rd rep. Going down for the 3rd rep was no problem but I just couldn't fully extend it out. So I'll call my 10th set a 2.5 rep.

Superset

#1 = plyometric power-over pushups (over 5 kg. medicine ball) x 5, then immediately #2 = v-ups x 10, then immediately #3 = prone flutter kicks x 15, then rest approximately 90 seconds. Completed 5 supersets.

Running

Treadmill running workout at 1% incline. Ran 3 miles in 21:41 (7:14/mile pace). Average heart rate was 156 bpm (approx. 84% of max) and highest heart rate was 174 bpm (approx. 94% of max). Then walk cool-down for a total distance of 3.61 miles in exactly 30 minutes.

Later

Went to a continuing education seminar at a hotel. There was an outside fitness area with rings. So at 10:00 a.m. I did a set of pullups x 12 on the rings. I had planned on repeating this every 2 hours since the rings were right outside the classroom. When I went back at 12:00, I noticed that the bar to which the rings were fastened wasn't strongly secured to the wooden posts (danger) so I abandoned the rest of my bonus ring pullup workout.

Before bedtime, I dropped to the floor and banged out 100 standard crunches (hands behind head, knees bent and feet flat on floor).

It sure feels good to hit the gym at 6:00 a.m. in the morning. I'll plan to do the same on Wednesday. We'll see how it goes.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

[tim_mcf]

Nice 3 mile run.

Tuesday, December 6, 2005

Tuesday evening dojo workout.

Nutrition - 3,283 calories, 392 grams of carbohydrates, 217 grams of protein, and 103 grams of fat (46%c, 26%p, and 28%f).

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

Wednesday, December 7, 2005

At home early morning quickie workout at 6:50 a.m.

#1 = standard pushups on knuckles x 50

#2 = chinnies x 100

#3 = cherry pickers x 100

#4 = bodyweight squats x 100

Later at home at 5:50 p.m.

#1 = v-ups x 20 + handstand pushup (HSPU) x 1

#2 = prone alternating superman back extensions x 40 + HSPU x 1

#3 = Russian twists x 40 + HSPU x 1

#4 = prone flutter kicks x 40 + HSPU x 1

#5 = ankle wiggles x 40 + HSPU x 1

#6 = straight-legs spread crunches x 50 + HSPU x 1

#7 = reverse crunches x 25 + HSPU x 1

#8 = straight-leg raises to vertical then leg crossovers x 25 + HSPU x 1

#9 = steam engines x 75 + HSPU x 1

#10= plank x 2 minutes + HSPU x 1.5

Overall not a bad workout day given that I don't normally do well training at home.

Nutrition - 2,703 calories, 331 grams of carbohydrates, 196 grams of protein, and 66 grams of fat (49%c, 29%p, and 22%f).

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

[tim_mcf]

Do you have a link that shows cherry pickers?

In about a week my family is going to Missouri for 2 weeks to see my in-laws at Christmas. I'm planning on doing some kind of bodyweight stuff to keep me sharp over the break, and more ideas always help.

Thursday, December 8, 2005

Tuesday evening dojo workout.

Nutrition - 2,991 calories, 344 grams of carbohydrates, 184 grams of protein, and 96 grams of fat (46%c, 25%p, and 29%f).

Enjoy your weekend.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

P.S. Tim, here is a description of cherry pickers. It is a 4-count calesthetic:

#1 = hands on hips and feet shoulder width apart, bend down and forward and touch the floor in front of you. That is step #1.

#2 = now touch the floor between your legs. That is step #2.

#3 = now touch the floor behind your legs as far as you can touch. That is step #3.

#4 = now return to the starting position. That is step #4.

I normally count 1-2-3-x where x is the rep that I am completing. Also, if I do these early in the morning and my hammies have not awaken, I'll have a bend in my knees. As I get going, then I will gradually move towards straight legs.

This exercise is an excellent warm-up exercise for me and it really loosens up my hammies and stretches my glutes and lower back which tend to get tight from the running I do.

Have a great day!

[Klinger]

Man do you know how to torture your abs. They must be like steel plates by now.

[maverick]

Yeah, I think they're breaking boards over his mid-section at his dojo workouts.

Friday, December 9, 2005

100% rest.

Nutrition - 3,335 calories, 355 grams of carbohydrates, 167 grams of protein, and 127 grams of fat (46%c, 20%p, and 34%f).

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Missed Saturday morning dojo workout, toyed with the idea of doing something around 3:00 p.m. but didn't, then actually did something brief at 6:00 p.m. as follows:

PowerFlex book

Kangeroo Flex II - a single set of 75 reps with each leg (25 reps for each of the 3 positions for each leg). First time for me. I like it. These are basically #1 = high front leg swings much like a martial arts warm-up x 25 reps, then #2 = an outward and up then inward front leg swing x 25 reps, and finally #3 = an inward and up then outward front leg swing x 25 reps.

Dynamic Visualized Resistance (DVR) Workout

DVR Atlas bicep flex and press - 10 reps at maximum tension

DVR military press - 20 reps at moderate plus tension - this is a tension that after 20 reps I could have managed 2 additional reps at maximum tension.

DVR pullups - 20 reps at moderate plus tension - again this is a tension that after 20 reps I could have managed 2 additional reps at maximum tension.

DVR Atlas bicep flex and press - 10 reps at maximum tension.

Then, an evening walk of approximately 2 miles visiting art galleries that are opened in the evening on the second Saturday of the month.

Nutrition - I logged but didn't calculate nutrition values. Gave myself a break. Best estimate is that I ate approximately 3,200 calories.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

Sunday, December 12, 2005

Rare Sunday-while-home workout, starting at 1:08 p.m. and lasting for approximately 70 minutes.

Today's predictable pattern was a superset of 2 handstand pushups (HSPU), followed by an ab/core exercise, and concluded with a yoga pose as follows (all yoga poses were 1 minute or more focusing on slow and controlled breathing):

#1 = HSPU X 2, then v-ups x 20, then cobra pose.

#2 = HSPU x 2, then superman alternating back extensions x 50, then head-to-knee (hurdler) pose.

#3 = HSPU x 2, then Russian twists x 50, then upward-facing down dog pose.

#4 = HSPU x 2, then prone flutter kicks x 50, then seated forward bend pose.

#5 = HSPU x 2, then ankle wiggles x 50, then bow pose.

#6 = HSPU x 2, then crunches (hands behind head, legs straight and at 45 degree angle) x 75, then wide-angle forward bend pose.

#7 = HSPU x 2, then PowerFlex Dolphin Flex I (straight-leg raises to vertical) x 50, then Warrior I pose.

#8 = HSPU x 2, then PowerFlex Shark Flex I (straight-leg raises to vertical, then leg crossovers) x 25, then full boat pose.

#9 = HSPU x 2, then steam engines x 100, then extended triangle pose.

#10= HSPU x 2.5 (failed coming up on 3rd rep), then plank x 2 minutes, then revolved triangle pose.

I planned on taking a run after this but after 10 of these supersets I decided that I had done enough and there's always, hopefully, tomorrow.

I always feel great after a yoga session. Why don't I do it more often?

Nutrition - 3,087 calories, 326 grams of carbohydrates, 175 grams of protein, and 120 grams of fat (42%c, 23%p, and 35%f).

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

Monday, December 12, 2005

Went to a continuing education seminar at a downtown location exactly 1 mile from my home so decided to have a "car fast" today and engage in lots of brisk walking - follow my own fitness prescription about the benefits of brisk walking. I started with an early morning quickie workout, then began my walkfest. Here is what I did today:

7:00 a.m. in the family room in front of the wood pellet stove
PowerFlex - Cheetax Flex I (basically alternating touch touches - right hand touches floor in front of left toe then alternate with the other side while legs are straight and slightly wider that shoulder width apart) - a single set of 100 reps. Very good spine and hamstring early morning wake up call.

Dynamic visualized resistance (DVR) pullups x 20

DVR military press x 20

Both DVR exercises were at a tension so that after 20 reps I was 2 short of failure.

Brisk walking day workout

8:00 a.m. - 1 mile walk to hotel where seminar was held.

10:00 a.m. - 2 mile walk to bank and back during an extended break I took.

11:45 a.m. - 1 mile walk home to eat lunch.

12:50 p.m. - 1 mile back to hotel after lunch.

3:45 p.m. - 1 mile walk home.

Total of 6 miles of brisk walking at an average pace of 14 minutes/mile.

Nutriton - 3,404 calories, 389 grams of carbohydrates, 179 grams of protein, and 128 grams of fat (45%c, 21%p, and 34%f).

I've been eating alot of food lately. My bodyweight has been stable at 181 lbs.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Tuesday evening dojo workout.

Nutrition - 2,975 calories, 325 grams of carbohydrates, 173 grams of protein, and 111 grams of fat (43%c, 23%p, and 34%f).

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

Wednesday, December 15, 2005

7:00 a.m. DVR mini-workout at home

DVR full-range pectoral contraction
DVR Atlas bicep flex and press
DVR military press
DVR pullups

I did the following for each of the above DVRs: 10 reps at light tension to wake up the muscles, 8 reps at moderate tension, and 6 reps at maximum tension. I rested approximately 30 seconds between tensions.

Then I performed a 6-minute continuous ab routine consisting of 3 sets of standing ab vacuums (maximum vacuum) for 1 minute followed by standing ab contractions (maximum contraction with also maximum contraction of obliques/glutes/quads/hams/calves) for 1 minute. During this 6-minute continuous routine, I really concentrated on controlled breathing with smooth inhalations and exhalations.

3:30 p.m.

Later in the day I went to the park with my son for a run. He's 25 years old. It was his first day running after coming off a foot injury. He was a great high school runner (ran a 9:38 2-miler as a junior) and I have him to thank for the inspiration that got me into running at the level that I now train.

Well this was an easy run. He ran 2 miles and I ran 3 miles. Mile #1 was at a 9:30/mile pace, mile #2 was at an 8:30/mile pace, and mile #3 was at an 8:06/mile pace. My time for 3 miles was 26:06.

Nutrition

3,156 calories, 387 grams of carbohydrates, 124 grams of protein, and 123 grams of fat (49%c, 16%p, and 35%f).

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.