Pierini's July 2005 Workouts

Cherry pickers are:

A 4-count exercise,

Count #1 - Standing with feet shoulder-width apart and hands on hips. Bend forward and down and touch the floor with your hands in front of your feet.

Count #2 - Touch the floor with your hands between your feet.

Count #3 - Touch the floor with your hands behind your feet.

Count #4 - Return to the starting position, feet shoulder-width apart and hands on hip.

That is one rep.

I like cherry pickers to warm-up the hams and lower back since most of my workouts are early in the morning. Since I am no longer an 18-year old stud-muffin, I find that I need to wake up my core in the morning before I start putting the pedal to the metal in my workouts. A young guy like you probably doesn't need this "wake-up".

[gcs118]

Ooooh yeah now I remember. Hopefully this time I don't forget.

[ajarvis]

Originally Posted by pierini

gcs118 - Thanks for the tip. This week I am concentrating on a bodyweight exercise challenge on another website so I will wait until next week and have someone place some plates on my back as you suggested. Have a great day!

Amanda - Galloway advocates a run/walk/run protocol as an injury-free way to build up for long runs. I may give it a try, although my current running training is based on lower weekly mileage and more interval training. We'll see if it works. I am getting to the point where my knees can't take high mileage so I've got to count on intensity to get the job done.

I actually know quite a few people that run using the run/walk/run method. I spoke with someone who ran a marathon in just under 3 1/2 hrs using it. So not bad, it's just something I've got to wrap my head around. I haven't been able to convince myself to do the walk run!

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Arrived at the gym at 6:15 a.m.

Superset #1

standard grip pull-ups x 6, then Atlas push-ups x 15, and finally walking lunges x 25 x 10 supersets.

Superset #2

standard grip chin-ups x 8, then dips x 10, and finally walking lunges x 25 = 112 points x 3 supersets.

Tiger Moves

2 sets of 8 reps with moderate tension for all 7 Tiger Moves.

Other

Liederman chest press - 10 reps of moderate tension followed by a 60-second isometric contraction.

Atlas bicep flex and press - 10 reps of moderate tension followed by a 60-second isometric contraction.

Decided to call it an a.m. day as I need to save something for tonight's dojo workout or I'll be in trouble.

Tonight at 6:15 p.m. - dojo workout.

My hams are sore so I'll be taking several stretch breaks throughout the day at work. Got to loosen them up for tonight.

Have a great day!

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

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

Superset #1

Completed 10 supersets of the following:

1) standard grip pull-ups x 5
2) dips x 10
3) bodyweight squats x 15
4) standard grip chin-ups x 5
5) Furey push-ups x 10
6) walking lunges x 15
7) DVR ab CR-2 x 10

Superset #2

Completed 4 supersets of the following:

1) Pull-ups x 5 (each set varied - 1st set was close-grip pull-ups - 2nd set was close-grip chin-ups - 3rd set was wide-grip pull-ups - 4th set was wide grip chin-ups)
2) Atlas II push-ups x 10
3) Walking lunges x 25

Running

On the treadmill - 1% grade - 1 mile cool-down in 9:29. Had plans to do more but OH WELL! I am a participant in a personal challenge contest on another website and this in influencing the workouts that I am doing, leaving me a little spent for the running. I hope to join the Fleet Feet running group for a 5-mile training run tomorrow afternoon around 5:30 p.m. It's suppose to be 103 degrees so I'll have to make sure I'm well hydrated. I do well in the heat. If I was an animal, I'd probably be a camel.

Stretching

Hams and calves. My legs and glutes are very sore from the walking lunges. I guess I should do then more often. I believe they are good for strengthening the muscles that come into play in various karate stances.

Next week will be a piece of cake with the contest being done. Then I can focus on my running.

Have a great day!

Thursday, July 14, 2005

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

Standard grip pull-ups

8 sets of 10 reps, then 9 sets of 5 reps = 125 reps

Later at the office

20 sets of 25 reps of Atlas push-ups = 500 reps

At 5:30 p.m. in 105 degree heat!

Ran with the Thursday evening group at Fleet Feet - used my heart rate monitor to make sure my heart rate did not go above a safe 163 beats per minute. Got some water at a park at about the 3 mile point. Ran 5 miles in 44:25. This is slower than last week, but the run was a safe one, I didn't stroke out and I'm still here.

Friday, July 15, 2005

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

Kept today's post open thinking that I might do more. WRONG!

Today when I get off of work, I'm going swimming. So this is what I did this morning.

Superset

I completed 10 supersets of the following:

1) standard grip chin-ups x 10

2) dips x 15

3) walking lunges x 30

4) PYTP crunches x 10 - a different angle/foot position for each set. Each rep was slow and controlled with a 2 second contraction at the top of the crunch.

Tomorrow is my Saturday morning dojo workout plus whatever I'll do for the last day of this fun challenge contest I have been participating in on another website. I'll be glad when its over so I can get back to running/heavyhands and some other stuff I normally do that I haven't this week.

Have a great weekend!

Saturday, July 16, 2005

Saturday morning dojo workout

Atlas push-ups - 20 sets of 25 reps throughtout the day = 500 reps.

Atlas bicep flex and press (BI-10) 90 second aerobic isometric.

Helping my wife dig holes to plant roses in 104 degree heat

Swimming at the public pool with about 500 14 year old kids. Went off the low dive about 25 times perfecting my dive. Maybe I'll try out for the 2008 Olympic diving team!

Late nite midtown Sacramento walk from 10:00 pm to 11:00 pm - hot - hot - hot - midtown was alive - too hot to be indoors - alot of younger people live in midtown and young people stay up later. Tonight I joined the crowd.

Around midnight, I hit the bed like a drunk sailor who just got sucker punched in a bar room brawl!

Monday, July 18, 2005

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

1) Military sit-ups x 50

2) Back hyperextensions - super slow in a superman hands position x 10

3) Various types of ab crunches using a 3kg medicine ball, incline sit-up board and balance ball.

4) Heavyhands on the treadmill - 0% grade - 5 lb. dumbells - 4 miles per hour - completed 1 mile in 15 minutes.

5) Stretching hams/quads/glutes/etc.

A little tired this morning so I quit early.

Back at the gym at 2:15 p.m.

The gym is only 1/4 mile from my office so got back to complete the running planned that I failed to do in the a.m.

Treadmill running at 1% grade

1) Warm-up of 1 mile

2) 400 meter repeats @ 6:00/mile pace with 200 meter walk jog/recovery x 4 repeats.

3) 200 meter repeats @ 6:00/mile pace with 200 meter walk/jog recovery x 4 repeats.

4) 800 meters @ 6:53/mile pace x 1.

Completed 4 miles in 31:47. Then walk cool-down for a total of 4.25 miles in 35:48.

Now I feel better that I got my running in.

[Klinger]

Kudos for getting the gumption up to head back to the gym. It always feels better knowing you got in the workout no matter the circumstances, doesn't it?

Very nice running. I doubt many would have the juice left to run a sub-7 mile after 3 miles of interval work. Sheesh.

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

6:15 p.m. dojo workout.


Wednesday, July 20, 2005

Arrived at the gym at 6:30 a.m. Very sleepy-head this morning. Went to bed at 11:30 p.m. and woke up at 5:00 a.m. I need more sleep!

1) Middle-incline military sit-ups x 25

2) Standard grip pull-ups x 15

3) Back hyperextensions x 25

4) Standard push-ups on knuckles x 35

5) Crunches - feet crossed and raised high and close to chest x 20

6) Standard grip chin-ups x 15

7) Cherry pickers x 25

8) Dips x 20

9) Elbows in stirrups hung from pull-up bar - double high knee lifts - knees to chest x 10

10) Atlas push-ups x 35

Having a heck of a time waking up - yawning excessively.

11) Recumbant bicycle at level 5 for 10 minutes to wake up and "oil" my knees.

12) Treadmill running workout - 1% grade - 1 mile in 8:44 to slowly elevate the heart rate. Stopped and stretched briefly. Then ran a 1 mile timed trial in 6:10. Walk cool-down for a total treadmill time of 20 minutes covering 2.37 miles. Guess what? This got the blood moving, woke me up and got rid of the yawning!

13) Stretching - calves/hams.

Have a great day!

Thursday, July 21, 2005

5:45 p.m.

5-mile training run with the group that meets every Thursday at the local Fleet Feet store. Ran 5 mile in 38:21 (7:40/mile pace).

Had the treat of being the first one in, thanks to a young, short woman who was my rabbit. She didn't have a runner's body but man could she run. She was low to the ground and her leg turnover was amazingly fast and constant. She had me sucking air and took my heart rate to new highs that I never experienced before. I guess my maximum heart rate is not the 174 beats per minute I thought, as I spent quite a bit of time in the 188-193 zone. Well I finally passed her at the last 50 meters of the run, thanks to my speed workouts.

I sure slept good Thursday night, went to bed around 11:00 p.m. and slept until 7:30 a.m. so I didn't go the gym Friday morning as planned. I'll do so later on and post it, probably, Monday morning.

This was a good week of running training and I feel pleased about that.

Have a great weekend everyone. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

Friday, July 22, 2005

Arrived at the gym at 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon. After Thursday evening's 5-mile run, I decided to sleep in and skip my normal early a.m. workout. I had a quick workout as follows:

1) Middle-incline military sit-ups x 25

2) Standard grip pull-ups x 12

3) Dands (Furey push-ups) x 25

4) Back hyperexensions x 25

5) Walking lunges x 50 - 25 forward walking and 25 backward walking

6) Ab crunches x 10 with a 2-count contraction at the top of each crunch, followed by Tiger Move at maximum intensity x 5 with a 30-second isometric contraction on the 5th rep. Repeated for a total of 4 sets. Each of the 4 sets consisted of a different ab crunch leg position and a different Tiger Move. Completed Tiger Moves 1, 2 and 3. The 4th set consisted of the Atlas bicep flex and press DVR, again 5 reps at maximum intensity concluded with a 30 second isometric contraction.

Saturday, July 23, 2005

Skipped my Saturday morning dojo workout as I was a sponsor for a 61-year old who was receiving the sacrament of baptism. He is a widower, with no children, has oral cancer, and my wife and I have been helping him.

Did some cross-training in the afternoon and took a wonderful 2-hour nap.

Sunday, July 24, 2005

Due to the beneficial results of Saturday's cross-training, I took a 3-hour late afternoon nap.

Monday, July 26, 2005

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

The 5-hours of weekend naps had an amazing impact on me. I woke up feeling really lazy. I had to check to see that I had a pulse. Therefore, I needed to proceed slowly with today's workout which consisted of the following:

1) Lifecycle recumbant bicyle on level 6 - 10 minutes to get the heart beating.

2) Standard pull-ups x 10, standard push-ups on knuckles x 25, and middle-incline military sit-ups x 20.

3) Standard grip chin-ups x 10, bar dips x 15, and back hyperextensions x 25.

4) Close grip pull-ups x 8, Atlas push-ups x 25, and Pezzi ball ab crunches x 25.

5) Close-grip chin-ups x 10, Atlas II push-ups x 15, and cherry pickers x 25.

6) Wide-grip pull-ups x 8, wide position push-ups (fingers at 45 degree angle) x 25, and high-incline military sit-ups x 10.

7) Wide-grip chin-ups x 10, dands (Furey push-ups) x 20, and straight-leg raises from pull-up bar (elbows in stirrups) x 10.

8) Treadmill running workout - 1% grade. Warm-up of 1,600 meters. Then, 1,200 meters @ 6:53/mile pace with 400 meter walk/jog recovery x 2 sets. Then, 400 meters @ 6:00/mile pace with 200 meter walk/jog recovery x 4 sets. Then run to complete 5 miles in 39:52. Then walk cool-down for a total treadmill time of 45 minutes, completing 5.34 miles.

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

My log is up-to-date. Have a great day everyone!

[Klinger]

Man, what a workout. You really don't get cheated when you hit the gym, do you?

You know, I struggled with the entire workout because I felt real sluggish. Then the running workout started and I felt really energized. I think I needed to circulate the blood throughout my body as it had been sitting idle over the weekend.