Zebano's Training Journal

[zebano]

Update below

Hey all,

I was at one point 5'10" 235lbs. I cut the crap from my diet, started cycling and played some tennis and got down to 180lbs. I no longer have the drive I did in college to be environmentally friendly and bicycle even in the snow and I now have two kids so I am packing the pounds back on.

I am striving once again to improve my diet (no pop, I will eat veggies at every meal except breakfast - oatmeal + banana and no junk food snacks).

I received a wind trainer for Christmas and so far it's been great. I just put the bike on the trainer, pop in a movie and ride for 45 minutes. My immediate goal is to get to a point where I can sustain a high intensity workout for 1 hour 4-5 days a week. Once I reach that point, I intend to add in 2 days of intervals /week for further training.

My Goals:
1. Get back to < 180 lbs, ideally 165. I will settle for the short term goal of 180 which I was at while playing tennis two years ago.
2. Be ready to hit the tennis courts when the snow clears and the nets go up.
3. Be ready to hit the bike paths and rides early and perhaps even take my daughter along on some rides (the Burlhe is heavy) without resorting to chugging along slowly at 12mph.


My worries are twofold:
1. I am going to burnout before I even hit the road.
2. This doesn't work my upper body at all, and my core only minimally.


What can I supplement this workout with (without going to the gym - YMCA is right next to work, but single membership is $42.50 / month) to address the problems listed above??

Thanks
Z



Update 1/16/2008
Well the cycling has been going well. I've ridden 5 days each of the past three weeks gradually increasing my time on the bike (realizing that I had the trainer set for maximum resistance helped).

My evening workout
Cycle for 10 minutes to warm up
Cycles 20 minutes at a high intensity (No HRM, but I can tell I'm working hard)
2 sets each of 30 crunches and 15 pushups
Stretch
15 minutes high intensity cycling.
5 minute cooldown



My current set of goals
1. No Pop at all
2. eat a banana with breakfast (easy as I already did this most days)
3. Eat vegetables with dinner (I used to eat lots of fruit but rarely any veggies - no dip, but organic peanut butter on celery is ok).
4. floss (not related to this forum, but my dentist has been harping on me and it's an easy fix)
5. Exercise 5 days / week
6. Track goals success/failure in a spreadsheet.


I have 30 minutes in the morning where I usually watch the news and munch on breakfast. These past three days I've also started jumping rope or riding lightly as well as doing crunches, pushups and pullups at this time. I've purchased some dumbbells to supplement this but I need some help.
1. What are good exercises to work all areas, or my body and who should I split them up by day?
2. Links to sites that explain/show proper form would be most welcome.

Thanks
Z


Update 2/22

Well I haven't been 100% successful. There was one week at the beginning of January with no exercise, and the following week I traveled for business. I ran/cycled in the weight room at the hotel 2x/day for 30 minutes + each time, but I do love fresh seafood (massively overate).

The good news:
-I've exercised every day except Sat/Sun these past two weeks.
-I am eating my fruits and vegetables with every meal and now as snacks where I used to by candy.
-I recently added a dumbbell complex to my morning routine on M W F (2x20lb dumbbells: 7x Romanian deadlifts, 7x bent over rows, 7x front squats, 7x overhead presses, 7x back squats, 7x lunges on each side with no break in between exercises; 30 second rest between sets, I can't do a fourth set yet). Holy crap am I sore (and it's not much weight).
-I have been cycling 4 nights/week (M T Th F) for 30 minutes.
-my jump-ropping skill is getting better. I did 335 skips this morning before my first failure.
-Only two 8 oz glasses of pop in the past three weeks.
-Juice consumption is down to 6oz of OJ in the morning.

The bad news:
-I feel like I am still overeating. I have trouble ignoring my wife's desert!
-I am so anxious to go play tennis that I keep checking various tennis related forums every morning to get my fix.


I will weigh myself tomorrow morning to be consistent with previous weigh-ins. I started Jan 1 at 195 lbs

2/28/2008
I weighed in at 184 on 2/26 (down from 195 on Jan 1)!

I had a minor setback last Friday: I managed to hurt my right knee while doing lunges. I stopped all exercise and iced until yesterday when I got to see my doctor. He put me through some stretches and examined the knee. He thinks I just start to fast and assigned me to work on T-exercises with my legs (to strengthen the quads) with gradually increasing ankle weights. I also moved my bike seat up 1 cm.

This morning I did 25 minutes cycling, followed by 5 minutes all out jump rope, then one run through my dumbbell complex sans 1 set of squats, and with only 3 reps of weightless lunges. I finished up by doing my assigned T-exercises and then my daily set of exercises and finally stretching. The knee felt fine and continued to do so while climbing the stairs at work this morning (where I most noticed it).

I'm back on track, and will be progressing quite a bit slower this time: I think I'll dump the complex in favor of just doing the exercises individually until I have built up more strength. I also am cutting out weighted lunges until my T-exercises are done.

The most promising thing was that after 5 days off, I did more pushups/crunches/dips/pullups than I'd been doing previously (I do them every day)


Update 3/31
Long time no blog, I've been fighting a few injuries and I finally feel healthy enough to do more than 3 days of cardio this week.

Ran yesterday for 33 minutes (3 min warmup) and was in the zone though I had a stitch for the last 8 minutes. Ran down the Marion trail to the park. Felt very good. Need to run a 5k and break 20 min (personal best is 20:01).

Today 6AM started lifting trying the stronglifts program + some extra lower body/core work for tennis (hanging leg lifts and lunges)...

Stronglifts recomends
Workout A
Squat 5x5
Bench Press 5x5
Barbell Row 5x5
Dips 3xF

Workout B
Squat 5x5
Overhead Press 5x5
Deadlift 1x5
Pull-ups/Chin-ups 3xF


Today I screwed up and swapped bench with overhead press.
Weights are in lbs.
Squat 3x5x165, 145, 145 - started too heavy
Overhead Press 3x5x35 lbs
Dumbell Row 3x5x35lbs
Dips 3xF 10,10,3
Hanging leg lifts 1xF = 15
Lunges 1x7 on each side 70lbs

I ate breakfast first and I weighed 181 lbs afterwards with clothes on so while I haven't lost, I haven't gained weight during my eating binge either. I still need to buy a caliper or find a place to get my body fat % tested.

Wednesday my goal is to simply get all sets in.

I also biked 20 minutes after lifting and swam 1000m over lunch. I'm beat.

4/1
Ouch, the day after lifting hurts. I cut down my morning run to only 15 minutes then lots of stretching. I must have looked like an arthritic old man finishing a marathon out there.

4/2/2008
Got back to the gym at 6AM this morning and did the workout B. My only holdup was taht there was a shortage of bars so I ended up using dumbbells instead.

Squat 4x5 140, 150, 160, 170 lbs
Overhead Press 3x5 x 2 35llb dumbbells
Deadlift 1x5x50lbs - this was really easy. Anyone know why they only recommend 1 set?
Pull-ups/Chin-ups 3xF - 2, 1, 0 - ouch.
Lunges 2x5 each leg with 2 35 lb dumbbells.
Hanging leg lifts 1xF - 15 (hanging is the hard part).
Crunches - 50
Oblique crunches - 25

I jogged for 5 minutes to warm up and walked 5 minutes to cool down. This took about 25 minutes total. I still need to get a few more sets in on everything.

I'll swim over lunch today and hopefully have more energy than on Monday.



I just realized that I've been estimating the bar at 40lbs and it's actually 44.1. Minor quibble but it means I'm lifting slightly more than I thought.

4/8/2008

Lots to report.
4/4 - No lifting due to heavy racket sports
Lunch 1 hour of Racquetball! I am still thinking to much when calculating weird trajectories, but I'm much better than last week.

After work Tennis w/ Tom. 4-6; 2-6;
First off, my cardio was excellent, both leg and lung power remaining at the end. There were a few long intense rallies that had me puffing, but my conditioning is better than it has ever been.
The good:
The new racket didn't affect my serve power like I thought it did.
Volleys were amazing and my placement
power on forehand were awesome
The bad:
Serve placement was off, but I avoided double faulting.
I was very tentative with my backhand and the racket wasn't forgiving
I didn't like the string job. It provided little spin and was too stiff.

From here, I need to work on skills and continue strength training while maintaining endurance.

Monday 4/7
No lifting as the weather was nasty and the bus doesn't run early enough.
swam at lunch
100 back
300 breast
400 free
700 kick (ouch)
4x25 sprints w/ 1 min recovery (long but my heartrate was > 200)


4/8
Lifted stronglifts A - got all my reps in, although barbells weren't always available so I substituted dumbells.
Squats 5x5x165 - I really focused on form. If I focus on using my heels instead of the balls of my feet, I squat properly.
Bench 5x5x 2 35lbs dumbells
Rows 5x5x 2 35lbs dumbells
Dips 3xF (5,5,4) these really hurt after the rows

and my own additions for tennis
Hanging leg lifts
2xF = 20, 15 (my grip was the problem, not the exercise)
Lunges 2x7x 2 35 lbs dumbells on each side.

1 hour basketball at lunch. I can run now, but I cannot shoot.

4/9
Major soreness from the basketball yesterday but I swam anyway.
1000m total
300 kick
100 pull buoy
200 free
200 breast
100 back

I gotta learn how to fly that just looks so cool.

4/10
Another round of basketball. I actually went on a hot streak and scored 5 of my teams 10 points in the second game. Some guys were just really flat-footed and I was able to drive between them for easy buckets.

4/11
Stronglifts B day
Squats 5x5x175 these were very hard in the fourth and fifth sets, but an hour later I feel great. I think I'm adapting to all the squats I'm doing.
Overhead Press 5x5x70 - The fifth set my form started deteriorating this was hard.
Deadlift 1x5x85lbs still easy but I could feel it this time.
Pullups 3xF - 2/1/0 so I put 50 lbs on the lat pulldown and did 15 of those.
Hanging Leg Lifts 1x20
Lunges 1x7x70lbs both sides.
50 crunches
20 oblique crunches each side.

racketball at lunch!


4/13
Went running in the AM and the shin splints reared their ugly heads! ugg I probably spent 10/40 minutes walking when I had the fitness to run just because they're so damn painful.

4/14
Lifted Group A
I got everything on the bar today and left off the lunges, hanging leg raises and crunches in order to get a swim in.
Squat 5x5x195lbs this is getting very difficult to do 5 sets
Bench 5x5x95lbs
Rows 5x5x95lbs
dips 3xF - 5,1,0 I was hurting at the end.

However about 5 minutes light walking and I was ready for some HIIT swimming
Warmup
100m free
300m kick
10x 25m free sprints, 25m resting stroke + 15 sec recovery
stretch and back to work.

 

[crt1530]

1. The rule of thumb for people starting and getting back into endurance training is to find a reasonable starting point and then to never increase total weekly time or distance by more than 10% from week to week. I'd hold off on adding interval training until you are feeling comfortable with your conditioning from the regular sessions.

2. Buy a pair of these. You can do pushups, pull-ups, dips, muscle-ups, l-sits, hanging leg raise and all kinds of other exercises for your upper body and core. You can hang them from some eye bolts screwed into the ceiling or take them outside and hang them on a tree branch.

 

[GenHoth]

$70? Seriously? Good lord those are expensive

 

[zebano]

Originally posted by: crt1530
1. The rule of thumb for people starting and getting back into endurance training is to find a reasonable starting point and then to never increase total weekly time or distance by more than 10% from week to week. I'd hold off on adding interval training until you are feeling comfortable with your conditioning from the regular sessions.

2. Buy a pair of these. You can do pushups, pull-ups, dips, muscle-ups, l-sits, hanging leg raise and all kinds of other exercises for your upper body and core. You can hang them from some eye bolts screwed into the ceiling or take them outside and hang them on a tree branch.

Maybe I didn't make it clear, but the intervals are a long term thing. I've done 45 minutes at a fairly up-tempo pace the past three days, but other than how I feel I can't judge how much work I've done since I have no HRM and my speedometer is connected to the front tire (which is stationary). Working up will be a slow thing but I really have 1-1.5 hours tops per night and I just want to make sure I maximize my time.

$70?? holy cow those must be great rings.

 

[crt1530]

$70 is a pittance for such a versatile piece of equipment. The fiberglass rings you see gymnasts using in the olympics cost $800 with no rigging or suspension system.

 

[Bleeding Jawa]

http://www.concept2.com/us/pro...wers/d_home.asp?bhcp=1

About the best total-body cardio workout you can get.

This is the same machine that most crew people would use for practicing. It is top-notch, and $850 is relatively cheap for a high-end piece of equipment. Replacement parts are cheap and easy to get. And if you don't like it or stop using it, the resale value is REALLY outstanding. I've seen rowers that are a few years old selling for 95% or more of original price.

There are occaisionally deals to be found on used models, but they go fast.

 

[zebano]

See update & questions in original post.

1. What are good exercises to work all areas (dumbbells are my only equipment), or my body and how should I split them up by day?
2. Links to sites that explain/show proper form would be most welcome.

 

[MixMasterTang]

Originally posted by: zebano
See update & questions in original post.

1. What are good exercises to work all areas (dumbbells are my only equipment), or my body and how should I split them up by day?
2. Links to sites that explain/show proper form would be most welcome.

I've been using dumbbell exercises from this site. They have little animated examples (not the just, but gives you a basic idea) and a written description of proper form. Only a few of them really require a weight bench so most can be done without it.

 

[zebano]

Thanks MixMaster, that's helpful.

 

[spamsk8r]

Those rings actually are extremely versatile and useful, if you have somewhere to hang them from. I want to buy some myself, but I live in an apartment so I can't really hang them anywhere (the nice thing, though, is my gym has them. CrossFit FTW).

 

[zebano]

Saw the weight loss can be done! thread and decided to update this as a journal (see OP).

 

[TreeHouse]

Give a shot at racquetball if you have a court handy. It's a hell of a workout and 2 hours of that twice a week will be excellent cardio and an amazing flexibiliy exercise.

 

[zebano]

Originally posted by: TreeHouse
Give a shot at racquetball if you have a court handy. It's a hell of a workout and 2 hours of that twice a week will be excellent cardio and an amazing flexibiliy exercise.

I love all racket sports and play them when possible. However the local YMCA is the only place with courts and it costs $50/month to belong =(

tennis > pingpong > racketball > badmitton.

 

[gramboh]

Does your employer have a fitness subsidy? You should lobby them to start a program if they don't. My employer will reimburse up to 50% of $2000 (aka $1000) for money spent on gym membership, fitness equipment (can include skis, tennis racquet etc) or anything related. It's a taxable benefit, but I'll still see around $700 from it this year, it's a great idea since it encourages people to be active which leads to more healthy employees = less sickness and more productivity.

Anyways, good luck, I think with your excitement from tennis you will not be burning out, but will be burning tons of fat on the court soon.

 

[zebano]

No, they don't have a subsidy. I've lobbied them and the local HR lady belongs to the YMCA and has tried herself with little luck (we get 5% off YMCA memberships).

 

[zebano]

Started weightlifting today. See update in OP.

 

[gramboh]

Glad to see you started lifting, did you enjoy day 1? Just so you know, all the exercises are ideally performed with an olympic barbell (same as you used for squats) as this allows you to use more weight than dumbbells in each hand. Stronglifts also recommends 5 sets of 5 reps (Rippetoe Starting Strength is 3x5's). You might not want to do the lunges after 5 sets of heavy squats, but always do what works for you! Good luck.

 

[zebano]

Originally posted by: gramboh
Glad to see you started lifting, did you enjoy day 1? Just so you know, all the exercises are ideally performed with an olympic barbell (same as you used for squats) as this allows you to use more weight than dumbbells in each hand. Stronglifts also recommends 5 sets of 5 reps (Rippetoe Starting Strength is 3x5's). You might not want to do the lunges after 5 sets of heavy squats, but always do what works for you! Good luck.

I know they suggest 5 sets but I wanted to work into it. I used dumbbells for the overhead press which I'll change next time.

I finished this morning off with 20 minutes on the exercise bike and some stretching and really had a good "burn" (exhausted feeling) all morning at work. I went back to the Y for swimming as I had been doing MWF and had little energy so I grabbed a kickboard and kicked for 600 yards and only swam 400. I ate then ate a huge lunch. Tomorrow will be very very light cardio at best (probably bike to/from work slowly).

 

[zebano]

I updated the OP with workout from today but I have a few questions:

1. Why does stronglifts recommend only 1 set of 5 reps for deadlifts?
2. What is the point of 5 sets for most exercises? If you aggressively increased the weight couldn't you do that in 2 or three? i.e. for my squats go 70%, 90%, 100% and have nothing left?

 

[zebano]

Holy crap I know I mentioned this two posts ago, but I get seriously hungry after lifting.

Today:
5AM Bowl of oatmeal + blueberries + small glass OJ
6AM Lift
7AM spinach tortilla w/ 2 eggs scrambled + cheese (I forgot to bring salsa to work)
8AM apple
10AM Orange
1130 Swim 1km (no kickboards this time, I'll get back to my mile and intervals next week, this week is acclimation)
1230 Half a rack of BBQ ribs left over from Texas Roadhouse.
1245 Still freaking hungry.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Lemme address the issues in order. Stronglifts only suggests 1 set of 5 of deadlifts because squats and the other exercises work the back a fair amount. They want you to strengthen your back, but not injure it. Squats usually kill my back when I'm keen on form and I have trouble doing deadlifts afterwards.

Next - why are you hungry? Looking at your diet, it seems like most of your calories are coming from carbs. Carbs are known to make people hungry. Try tossing some nuts in the mix after a workout. Eat like 0.5 cup of peanuts or something and see how that effects you. Fats slow digestion and therefore make you less hungry. I promise you, the fats will work wonders on hunger management.

 

[gramboh]

Originally posted by: zebano
I updated the OP with workout from today but I have a few questions:

1. Why does stronglifts recommend only 1 set of 5 reps for deadlifts?
2. What is the point of 5 sets for most exercises? If you aggressively increased the weight couldn't you do that in 2 or three? i.e. for my squats go 70%, 90%, 100% and have nothing left?

I've just started Stronglifts (on week 2) but I believe the reason for 5x5 is volume. Sure you could go to a heavier 5 rep max doing 2 or 3 sets, but then you only have 10-15 total reps. The goal of the program is building strength/muscle not just 1 rep max improvment. I think the 25 rep is a targeted volume to build strength. FWIW Rippetoe recommends 3x5, but I prefer the 'feeling' of 5x5 especially while still working on form. With deads, I thought one set was too little, but what I am doing now is increasing the weight so the set is really a killer (trying to find the max I can do for 5 reps with strict form with my back). If you are pushing hard on the squats, by the time you get to deads you will be happy with one set, and you still have pull-ups/chin-ups after.

 

[zebano]

Thanks for the replies guys.

1. Fitday reports 50% of my calories today are from fat. After giving it 25 minutes the ribs seem to have done the trick.
2. Deadlifts - I assume these are Romainian deadlifts as opposed to straight leg deads? That's how I've been doing them anyway. 1 set did not feel like enough today but I had no energy for the pullups.

 

[zebano]

Played basketball yesterday and am I ever sore today. Adding a new sport always seems to kick the body hard.

I got to the pool at 6:15 and was swimming my laps, but I was so sore that I was really slow and just chugging through it. I'm glad they weren't busy because if I had to share a lane I would have been embarrassed by how often I got lapped.

 

[gramboh]

New sports are always good to use muscles in ways your body aren't used to, and more importantly they are fun.

Re: your earlier post, not sure what you are referencing regarding the deadlifts, but as a novice you should be doing 'normal' deadlifts not Romanian or straight-leg which are both different. See stronglifts.com's deadlift article.