Pierini's February 2006 Workouts

Wednesday, February 1, 2006

Arrived at the gym at 6:45 a.m.

1) Warm-up of DVR military press - 1 x 10 at moderate tension.

2) HSPU: 7-4-4-4-4 = 23 reps which is +2 from last week's workout. The first set of 7 reps is a PR for me. Rest of 2 minutes between sets, except no rest on last set.

3) DVR military press - 1 x 10 at maximum tension, then immediately

4) Handstand hold - approximately 25 seconds. There's not much left after the DVR military press.

5) Atlas II pushups - 1 x 35, then immediately

6) Double punch DVR - 1 x 10 at maximum tension.

7) Full range pectoral contraction DVR - 5 x 5 at maximum tension with rest of 60 seconds between sets. Rest 2-3 minutes. Why are these so tough?

8) McSweeney wrist twist DVR - 5 x 5 at maximum tension with rest of 60 seconds between sets. Rest 2-3 minutes. Real challenge to perform these at maximum tension while trying to maintain a "poker face" as I look at myself in the mirror.

9) Ab/core superset: v-ups then immediately prone flutter kicks with rest of 60 seconds between sets. Set #1 = 15 v-ups and 30 prone flutter kicks, and sets #2 through #5 = 10 v-ups and 20 prone flutter kicks.

10) Elliptical trainer: resistance at level 10 and incline at level 10 for 5 minutes to elevate the HR and "oil the knee".

11) Treadmill at 1% incline: 3-mile run in 20:44 (6:55/mile pace). Average HR of 158 bpm (85% of max) and highest HR of 172 bpm (93% of max). Training zone was 155-165 bpm and my time in zone was 11:34 (55% of run time). Then, walking at 4.0 mph for a total of 3.62 miles in 30 minutes.

12) Stretching: on the floor to stretch my hams/quads/glutes/calves/etc.

Today was a great workout. I'm starting to like the M-W-F approach with rest days of T-Th and it sure is making for some good performance and runs. I guess slowly but surely I'm seeing the benefit of rest and recovery so maybe I'll stick with this for awhile.

Have a great day!

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

Thursday, February 2, 2006

100% rest.

Friday, February 3, 2006

Arrived at the gym at 6:25 a.m.

Pullup/chinup medley

I performed 3 sets of 6 different types of pullups/chinups. I rested 1 minute between sets and 2 minutes between pullup/chinup types.

#1 = standard grip pullups: 10-8-6 = 24 reps
#2 = standard grip chinups: 8-5-5 = 18 reps
#3 = close grip pullups: 5-4-5 = 14 reps
#4 = close grip chinups: 6-6-4 = 16 reps
#5 = wide grip pullups: 5-5-4 = 14 reps
#6 = wide grip chinups: 6-5-4 = 15 reps

Total of 101 reps in 26:20.

DVR/power cal superset #1

1) Full-range pectoral contraction DVR
2) Military press DVR
3) Standard pullup DVR

All DVRs at maximum tension for 3 sets of 5 reps. Between DVR sets I performed 30 BW squats. Before starting the next DVR I performed 50 military situps. At the end I performed another 30 BW squats for a total of 300 BW squats.

DVR/power cal superset #2

1) Double punch DVR
2) Atlas bicep flex & press DVR
3) McSweeney wrist twist DVR

All DVRs at maximum tension for 3 sets of 5 reps. Between DVR sets I performed 30 walking lunges. Before starting the next DVR I performed 50 military situps. At the end I performed another 30 walking lunges for a total of 300 walking lunges.

Total time to complete superset #1 and superset #2 was 61:53. I wore my HR monitor. Average HR was 132 bpm (71% of max) and highest HR was 149 bpm (81% of max). Planned training zone was 125-165 bpm and I spent 46:57 (76%) in this planned training zone.

I completed 300 military situps, 300 BW squats, and 300 walking lunges.

I stretched a few minutes afterwards, but my focus was to shower, shave and get to work so I could eat. Tomorrow is my Saturday morning dojo workout and my guess is that my legs will be a little sore.

This was a good workout. Enjoy your day and your weekend and Super Bowl Sunday.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

Saturday, February 4, 2006

Saturday morning dojo workout.

Then stopped by the gym on the way to work for a shower, but before the shower I spent a few minutes to work off the soreness from Friday's workout. Here is what I did:

1) Standard grip pullups - 1 x 15

2) Back hyperextensions - 1 x 50

3) Dips - 1 x 20

4) Military situps - 1 x 75

5) Elliptical trainer - resistance at level 5 and incline at level 5 for 5 minutes really concentrating on stride speed, hoping to work out the leg soreness from Friday's blitz of BW squats and walking lunges.

I'm at the office now for my first of many Saturday's during my busy tax season. Enjoy your weekend. Sunday is a day of rest. I'll plan next week's workouts. Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, a day of fast for me so I'll need to workout around that. Darn! I love food so it's going to be rough.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

Sunday, February 5, 2006

100% complete rest. Got in a good early afternoon nap. Still sporting some DOMS in my quads from Friday's crazy man workout. Felt good to rest.

Monday, February 6, 2006

Arrived at the gym at 6:45 a.m.

1) Standard grip pullups: #1 = BW x 5 and #2 through #6 = BW + 45 lbs. 5-3-4-4-3. Rest of 2 minutes between sets. Total of 24 reps.

2) Superset: standard grip pullup x 12(max), then DVR pullups x 10 at maximum tension, then standard grip pullup x 1 (hold at top for 15 seconds, negative descend for 15 seconds, then hang at the bottom for 15 seconds - wow! this was tough for me today).

3) Atlas bicep flex & press DVR x 10 maximum.

4) Military situps: 75 then rest 1 minute, then 5 x 10 reps with 10 seconds rest between sets. Total of 125 reps.

5) Elliptical trainer: resistance at level 10 and incline at level 10 for 5 minutes to elevate my HR and "oil my knee".

6) Treadmill run at 1% incline: 3-miles in 20:30 (6:50/mile pace). This is only 3 seconds slower than my best 3-mile treadmill run which I did last year about this time.

Mile times were as follows: Mile #1 = 7:22 (7:22 cumulative) - Mile #2 = 6:38 (14:00 cumulative) - Mile #3 = 6:30 (20:30 cumulative).

Average HR was 159 bpm (86% of max) and highest HR was 183 bpm (99% of max). Wow! the highest HR caught me by surprise, it must have occurred right at the end as the highest that I observed was around 174 bpm. Training zone today was 150-165 bpm and I spent 10:22 or 48% of the run in the zone.

7) Standing stretching of my hams/quads/glutes/calves.

Today was a good workout. I'm satisfied with my effort. Have a great day!

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

[Klinger]

Awesome run. The endorphin rusn at the end must have been crazy.

Hi Klinger, you are right about that. Today's run trained my mind as much as it did my body.

Tuesday, February 7, 2006

100% complete rest. Tuesday and Thursday are turning into 100% complete rest days. With my busy work season, that's smart. I'm feeling fresher for my Monday, Wednesday and Friday workouts as a result.

Wednesday, February 8, 2006

Arrived at the gym at 6:25 a.m.

1) Superset: handstand pushups, then standard grip pullups, then v-ups. #1 = 5-10-15 - #2 = 5-10-15 - #3 = 4-8-12 - #4 = 4-8-12 - #5 = 3-6-9.

Totals: HSPU = 21 - standard grip pullups = 42 - v-ups = 63. Rest of 2 minutes between supersets. This was a tough superset, probably should allow 3 minutes rest between supersets for better rep performance.

2) DVR pullups x 10 at hard tension (didn't have maximum tension strength today after doing the superset workout), then standard grip pullup 60 second negative rep (hold 20 seconds at top, slow 20 second descend, and hold 20 seconds at the bottom).

3) DVR military press x 10 at hard tension (again, didn't have maximum tension strength today after doing the superset workout), then 23 second handstand pushup negative rep (hold 10 seconds at the top, slow 10 second descend, and hold 3 seconds at the bottom - failed at bottom).

4) Atlas II pushups x 20, then full range pectoral contraction DVR 3 x 5 reps (rest 60 seconds between sets), then Atlas II pushups 2 x 10 reps (rest 10 seconds between sets).

5) Elliptical trainer: resistance at level 10 and incline at level 10 for 5 minutes to elevate the HR and "oil the knee".

6) Treadmill at 1% incline: warmup of 800 meters. 400 meter repeats at 10.0 mph (6:00/mile pace) with 200 meter recovery (6.0 mph for 100 meters and 8.0 mph for another 100 meters). Completed 4 repeats. 2 miles in 14:07. Planned on doing 8 repeats but I had a weaker mind today so went to Plan B for the remainder of the workout. 200 meter repeats at 11.0 mph (5:27/mile pace) with 200 meter recovery at 6.0 mph. Completed 4 repeats.

Total of 3 miles in 21:19 (7:06/mile pace). Then walked at 4.0 mph to cool down for a total of 3.59 miles in 30 minutes.

Shut off my HR monitor after 2 miles as I thought I was going to call it quits so my readings today are for 2 miles. Average HR of 151 bpm (82% of max) and highest HR was 170 bpm (92% of max).

7) On the floor to stretch my hams/quads/glutes/calves/etc.

The superset workout was tough and I think it had an impact on the rest of my workout. I think I needed a slower recovery speed for the running interval work and I would have been able to complete the planned 8 repeats of 400 meters. But I'm satisfied with my effort today.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

[.V.]

That looks like a lot of work for today. Is today your fasting day? Is it for 24 hours or just daylight to dark?

Hi Andy and thanks for stopping by.

I had it wrong based on some incorrect info given to me by someone else that I didn't verify. Ash Wednesday is actually March 1st. As a Catholic, it is a required fast day, except that we are permitted to have one small meal that day.

Have a great day!

[.V.]

I thought that was what it was for...I just wondered why you were getting such an early start. Small suggestion - do your workouts on tuesday and let that wednesday be your day off.

I think when Jesus was fasting - he didn't run, do handstand pushups, hit the treadmill or anything like that. Nothing wrong with a fast, it can be a good thing sometimes, not only for religious reasons, just for cleansing and letting the digestive system have a break...but don't hurt your body to do it.

You do tend to push pretty hard with your kind of workouts.

[tim_mcf]

LOL...blasphemous but funny mental images of Jesus doing handstand pushups in the desert and Satan whispering in his ear, "Bow to me and I'll give you great upper body strength without all this work."

Sorry, I hope that doesn't offend you, but durn that's funny.

I'm OK with that Tim, no problem.

Lot's of people get tempted by the "fitness devil". They go around thinking that they can get healthy and fit by taking some magic pills, following some "phony baloney diet" or buying and using some easy to use exercise gadget that allows you to exercise while you sit on your butt watching TV.

I prefer to carry my fitness cross, do the hard work and enjoy the "fitness heaven" of my hard efforts.

Have a great day!

[.V.]

Interesting way to think of it guys. I've never quite though about things that way...but the "fitness devil" is definitely something to keep in mind.

[maverick]

Ready for another challenge? I know you are still chipping away at those HSPUs, but you gotta try dragon flags. These would be a great addition to your core workouts.

Thursday, February 9, 2006

Arrived at the gym at 6:10 a.m.

1) Pullup/chinup medley - #1 = standard grip pullups x 14 - #2 = standard grip chinups x 11 - #3 = close grip pullups x 5 - #4 = close grip chinups x 7 - #5 = wide grip pullups x 6 - #6 = wide grip chinups x 7 with 2 minutes rest between sets. Total of 50 reps.

2) Pushup medley - #1 = standard pushups on knuckles x 40 - #2 = Atlas II pushups x 15 - #3 = Atlas pushups x 15 - #4 = Tiger bend pushups (dands) x 10 - #5 = handstand pushup x 1 with 2 minutes rest between sets. Total of 76 reps. My pushup endurance is currently off. I have not been putting alot of effort into pushup volume lately and it is showing.

3) Elliptical trainer - set the resistance at level 5 and the incline at level 5 and increased both resistance and incline by 1 every 2 minutes for a total of 16 minutes. Then I did a Tabata protocol for the last 4 minutes setting the resistance and incline at 20 (the max). Total of 20 minutes this morning on the elliptical trainer. Average HR of 112 bpm (61% of max) and highest HR of 151 bpm (82% of max). More of a gentleman's cardio workout this morning. I was a little tired and I'm saving my rocket fuel for tomorrow's workout.

4) Stretching - on the floor to stretch my hams/quads/glutes/calves/etc.

Well I've decided I'm going to be flexible about training on Tuesday and Thursday. I'm starting to work longer hours and yesterday I noticed some upper back tension. I remember last year that I seemed to tolerate long work days better when I trained daily. So it may be the "something is better than nothing" workouts on Tuesday and Thursday. I'll play it by ear. Have a great day!

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

p.s. Mav, I checked out dragon flys after your post last week. They are tough. Right now I focused on preparing for the Marine PT test which I will self-administer to myself in about 10 days. Then I'll be ready for something new. I'm sure I'll have to "train into" doing them properly. Thanks for the suggestion.