Pierini's January 2005 Training Log

Hello everyone. I'm relatively new here and have made maybe 10 posts but reading other's comments for around 1 month. I've been posting my daily workouts on another website but will start posting here beginning in January 2005. There are some excellent comments here and I look forward to joining the crowd on a more regular basis.

Background info - 49 year old middle-age man who will hit the big 50 in February 2005. I weigh 178 lbs. with a target weight of 175 lbs. I estimate my current bodyfat to be 13-15% with a goal of 12%. I do not lift weights any longer. For the last 6 months I have trained exclusively with bodyweight movements (lots of pull-ups, push-ups, dips, bodyweight squats, military sit-ups, dynamic visualization resistance, and dynamic strength resistance (the Charles Atlas type of stuff). I run about 5 fun-runs a year during the summer months ranging from 5k to 12k and maintain a baseline running workout for the remainder of the year. I run these at about a 7:15/mile per hour pace although my recent fastest 5k was at a 6:53/mile pace. I train 3 days per week in a Japanese style of karate developed by Takayuki Kubota called gosoku-ryu.

I work out 5-6 days per week to maintain my fitness goals as my occupation is sedentary and I have no special genes.

2005 Measurable Fitness Goals:

(1) Score 250 points on the Marine Physical Fitness Test which I plan to self-administer to myself on my 50th birthday. I have taken this test once recently and scored 233 points.

(2) Run a 5k fun-run in a time equal to a 6:39/mile pace by October 2005.

(3) Run a 10k fun-run in a time equal to a 6:59/mile pace by November 2005.

(4) Perform 20 standard grip pull-ups by 2/19/05 (the big 50 day).

(5) Perform a 20 minute "Chelsea" workout (superset of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 full-range bodyweight squats) and complete 18 supersets. My current best is 14 supersets in 20 minutes which I did about 1 week ago. "Chelsea" is the name given to this superset workout by crossfit.com.

Well that's enough about me. I'll start posting January 1, 2005 and intend to be a regular.

Happy New Years!

[CF-OC_gal]

Your goals and workout style sound unique for this forum. I for one, will be interested in watching your progress.

Welcome and thanks for sharing your workouts with us.

[abarlament]

Good luck with your goals. I'm in ROTC and one of my goals is to always perform better on my APFTs.

Thursday, December 30, 2004

Arrived at the gym at 6:30 a.m.

Superset of 30 back hyperextensions followed by 30 military sit-ups. Performed 5 supersets in 15 minutes.

Performed the following workout of supersets of bodyweight standard grip pull-ups followed by bodyweight dips for the first time. Tough and time-consuming. I wanted to quit a few times. Some elbow pain until the joints got warmed up and oiled. The Monday workout of pull-ups and dips with 35 lbs. gave me a bout of elbow tendonitis. Once I got warmed up, the elbow pain subsided.

Performed 25 supersets in 56:30 of the following:

1) 6 supersets of 6 pull-ups and 12 dips
2) 5 supersets of 5 pull-ups and 10 dips
3) 4 supersets of 4 pull-ups and 8 dips
4) 3 supersets of 3 pull-ups and 6 dips
5) 2 supersets of 2 pull-ups and 4 dips
6) 1 superset of 1 pull-up and 2 dips

This equals 91 pull-ups and 182 dips, but since I wanted to get in 100 pull-ups, I completed the following additional 4 supersets:

7) 1 superset of 5 pull-ups and 7 dips
8) 1 superset of 4 pull-ups and 6 dips
9) 1 superset of 5 pull-ups and 6 dips
10) 1 superset of 4 pull-ups and 6 dips

Total workout was 109 pull-ups and 207 dips

Treadmill 3 mile run with 1% grade in 23:34 or 7:52/mile pace.

Too pooped so skipped my standard stretching my quads/hams/glutes/etc.

Will skip Thursday night dojo workout.

This may be my last workout for 2004.

I will work out on New Years Day. Traditional 8:30 a.m. dojo workout followed by a shot glass of whiskey and a toast to good health and fortune, then followed by breakfast.

If I don't post tomorrow, please accept by best wishes for everyone's good health and fortune in 2005. God Bless you.

_________________
"You're only as good as your last workout. You are what you just ate." Middle-age man words of wisdom.

December 31, 2004 - no workout - rest from previous day's workout.

January 1, 2005 - 8:30 a.m. annual dojo workout - a fast-paced, 1 hour, anaerobic workout. That's it for today.

Sunday is a day of rest for me.

January 2005 targets:

(1) complete 1,000 pull-ups
(2) complete 1,000 dips
(3) complete 2,000 push-ups
(4) complete 2,000 full-range bodyweight squats
(5) complete 2,000 military sit-ups

All pull-ups, push-ups and dips are bodyweight. I will do some pull-ups/dips with 25 lbs. and 35 lbs. added.

Have a great workout everyone!

[SurfinAmy]

Good God You ROCK!!!!!
I think that is so awesome, I'm sure you blow away guys half your age! This is great motivation, I really like the martial arts type stuff you're doing, I'm interested in that.

I was wondering on those supersets, do you have some rest in between???

This is gonna be a cool journal to follow...glad you came to DF

-Amy

Hello Amy, Thanks for the warm welcome.

My workout of 12/30/04 had as a goal to start a new superset every 2 minutes. As you can see from my time, I had to take some rest for some of the supersets. Also, the distance from the pull-up bar and the dip bar was about 10 seconds so I guess that is also rest.

In general, I will post rest times between sets as one of my training methods is to reduce rest times for the same workout as a method of measuring my muscular endurance growth.

Monday, January 3, 2005

Arrived at the gym at 6:30 a.m. Noticed the treadmill/cardio section of the gym was packed. All the treadmills/ellipticals in motion reminded me of the 5:00 p.m. freeway rush. Let's see how long the Pillsbury dough boys/girls can keep it up. For good I hope.

1) Supersets of back hyperextensions followed by military sit-ups with no rest between supersets: 60-60, 40-40, 30-30, 20-20. Total of 150 back hyperextensions and 150 military sit-ups.

2) Tiger Moves - 1 x 10 for each move - light tension as part of a warm-up with a 5 second Iso-hold on the last rep. (Note: the Tiger Moves are a series of dynamic visualization resistance movements developed by the late martial artist John McSweeney.)

3) Standard grip pull-up: test of 1 set max. Performed 17 reps which is a new PR for me, a long time coming. I'm satisfied with this but realize that the net gains are coming real slow. February 19th, goal of 20 reps, is not that far away.

Then performed standard grip pull-ups rest 60 seconds then standard grip chin-ups rest 60 seconds and repeat as follows: 5p-5c-5p-5c-4p-4c-3p-3c = 34 reps.

Total pull-ups/chin-ups for day = 51 reps.

Then performed 1/3 range standard grip pull-ups as follows: 20 reps assisted at top range, 20 reps assisted at middle range, and 20 reps unassisted at the bottom range. For my counts, these do not count towards the daily totals.

4) Standard push-ups on knuckles: 46 reps. Then Atlas II push-ups 5 x 11 reps = 55 reps. Started new set every 60 seconds. Total push-ups for day = 101 reps.

5) Treadmill run at 1% grade. Total run of 3 miles in 23:01. Noted the following mile split times and heart rates at the split:

Mile 1 - 8:34, cumulative 8:34, HR = 156
Mile 2 - 7:31, cumulative 16:05, HR = 166
Mile 3 - 6:56, cumulative 23:01, HR = 171

6) Not to repeat the lesson learned from the 12/30/04 workout in which I skipped stretching after the run and was stiff the next day, I plopped by rear-end down on the floor and stretched my hams/quads/glutes/etc. as I usually do.

Well, I'm off to a good start today, noticed others are too. I'm sure that will also be the case with others who have yet to post.

Tomorrow I have jury duty so my workout will be at home rather than at the gym. Probably will have a late post. Plan is to make it a day of high volume military sit-ups, push-ups, and full-range bodyweight squats.

Train hard and train smart!

Tuesday, January 4, 2005

Woke up at 5:20 a.m. and started a.m. workout at 5:30 a.m. Workout was at home since I had jury duty and did not go to the gym. Starting a workout after being up for only 10 minutes was an interesting experience. I still had sleep on my face.

Superset of 20 standard push-ups on knuckles followed by 30 military sit-ups followed by 40 Great Gama squats. Completed 5 sets in 24:03. Had bigger plans but "oh well".

Shoulder workout consisting of 1 set of the following: 4 different dynamic visualized resistance (DVR) exercises, 4 different dynamic self-resistance (DSR) exercises and 3 different Isometic contractions. Each set of the DVR and DSR were for 10 reps with moderate intensity and a 5 second Iso contraction on the last rep. The 3 different Isometic contractions were for a 10 second hold with maximum contraction.

Done at 6:20 a.m. time to get ready for jury duty.

Was excused from jury duty so walked to my car around 9:45 a.m. and walked past a park that had a children's playground. No mothers with their little children at the playground and I noticed some rings so performed 5 sets of 10 reps of ring pull-ups with a 3 minute rest between sets.

Daily totals: 100 push-ups - 150 military sit-ups - 200 Great Gama squats - 50 pull-ups.

Later on today at 6:00 p.m. - Evening dojo workout.

Overall, an easier workout day, saving up to hit it hard tomorrow morning at the gym, business as usual.

Have a good day!

Wednesday, January 5, 2004

Arrived at the gym at 6:20 a.m.

Warm-up
Atlas full-range sit-ups - 1 x 50 = 50 reps
High reach followed by straight-leg toe touches - 1 x 50 = 50 reps
Tiger Move dynamic visualized resistance exercises - 2 movements, 10 reps with light intensity and a 5-second Isometic contraction on the last rep.

Pyramid Bodyweight Pull-up Workout
Rest of 6 seconds x the number of reps just completed. I have been trying to reduce this rest formula, initially 10 seconds x the number of reps completed to the currrent 6 seconds. A different way of making a standard workout different. Time allotment of 25 minutes.

Standard grip pull-ups: 1-2-3-4-5-6-5-4-3-2-1
Standard grip chin-ups: 1-2-3-4-5-6-5-4-3-2-1
Close grip pull-ups: 1-2-3-2-1
Close grip chin-ups: 1-2-3-2-1
Wide grip pull-ups: 1-2-3-2-1
Wide grip chin-ups: 1-2-3-2-1
Commando pull-ups: 2-4

Total pull-ups in 25 minute allotment: 114 reps

Bodyweight Dip Workout
Workout was to start a new set every 60 seconds (or less) with a time allotment of 25 minutes.

8 sets of 8 reps
7 sets of 6 reps
6 sets of 6 reps
5 sets of 5 reps

Total dips in 25 minute allotment: 174 reps

Other Notes
15 minute BS session with the guy at the front desk affected my workout. I call this my mouth cardio workout. Nothing like being flexible.

Skipped planned running workout due to time. Plus I needed a rest from last night's dojo workout. Minor right-hand injury from the dojo workout. Sensing that this could impact by pull-up regimen, I immediately began to ice it when I got home (I'm not good at icing when I should). Well, I think it paid off as it didn't affect my grip for today's pull-up workouts. Still have a little right elbow tendonitis. Work will start to get really busy so it will be interesting how I will modify my workout and still meet my fitness goals.

Have a great day everyone!

Thursday, January 6, 2005

Got a great night's sleep last night and slept a little later this morning. Body really tired from Tuesday's double and yesterday's workout, so no gym this morning. Did the following at home, starting at 6:00 a.m. and ending at 6:30 a.m.

Whole-body stretching and warm-up exercises - 16 different movements - 5 rep each.

Chest - 3 different dynamic visualized resistance exercises - 10 reps each with moderate intensity.

Shoulders - 3 different dynamic visualized resistance exercises - 10 reps each with moderate intensity.

Back - dynamic visualized resistance pull-ups - 1 set of 20 reps with moderate intensity. 3 different isometric contraction exercises with a 10 second muscular contraction/hold for each exercise.

Note: All dynamic visualized resistance and isometric exercises are from the book "Pushing Yourself to Power" by John E. Peterson.

We'll see if there will be anything else for the remainder of today. If there is, I'll edit this post. But I believe my body is telling me to rest today.

Believe that tomorrow morning I'm going to do do the tough superset workout called "Chelsea" on the crossfit.com website. It is a 20 minute workout of supersets consisting of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups and 15 full-range bodyweight squats, trying to see how many supersets can be completed in 20 minutes. It is tough.

Have a great day, train hard, train smart, and if your body is telling you to rest, DO IT!

[abarlament]

Good luck with Chelsea. Do you ever hit the weights?

I quit weights in June 2004. Never was a strong man, maybe 205 lbs. bench press at 180 lbs. bodyweight most recently (225 lbs. at 170 lb. bodyweight when I was 21 years old).

I have had greater fitness gains with bodyweight only workouts, injury free. Unlike you young guys, my goal is not to be the bulkiest, strongest guy in the house. I'm more after the sinewy look with the fitness that will allow me to be the last guy standing.

[CF-OC_gal]

Originally Posted by pierini

Unlike you young guys, my goal is not to be the bulkiest, strongest guy in the house. I'm more after the sinewy look with the fitness that will allow me to be the last guy standing.

LOL - I have my own version of this that goes something like... there is a fine line for fit older women between looking too lean and muscular and looking healthy. It's all about bodyfat levels. I'm aiming to keep the soft and fit look and avoid the shrunken head/boobless, washboard look. I see no reason why I should aim to change my dress size. It's worked out fine for the last 30 years.

Feel free to quote me: "real women wear dresses".