October - December 2006

[John]

San Francisco Workout

Had a chance to workout with the CrossFit folk in San Francisco today: Very much appreciated bit of exercise during our two-week holiday in the USA.

All pressing exercises hurt the shoulder like hell severely limiting what I could do. Rowing still ok (500m @ 1:32.4)

[John]

Time to get back into it again after the break. Trialling wizzy squizzy new gym (Les Mills Hutt City) Warm up:

• Hammer curls: 12 x 10kg
• Dead hang pullus: 12 x BW
• Seated DB presses: 10kg stopped at 7 reps (shoulder pain)

Then:

• Full back squats: 60kg, 80kg, 100kg (man they're exhausting after that break)
• Hack squats: 40kg, 80kg, 120kg, 160kg
• 45° leg presses: 120kg, 160kg, 200kg, 240kg, 280kg, 320kg, 340kg

[John]

• Row 1000m at a 1:50 pace. Time 3:37.7
• Back squats: 12 x 60kg, 10 x 80kg, 6 x 100kg, 5 x 100kg
• Pullups - wide o'hand grip: BW -> 30kg
• Flyes on various machines

Squats suck after not doing them for a few weeks.

[John]

• Pullups - wide o'hand grip: BW, 20.7kg, 30.7kg, 35.7kg, 40kg (failed to get chip above bar)
• Pullups - neutral grip: 35kg, 30kg
• Row at 14 spm: 5:00 1200m
• Row 500m for time: 1:29.8

This is third day in a row of weighted pullups. Time to give them a rest!

[John]

Just a 30min session to try some deadlifts again after all that time away from them! Jenkins gym:

• Deadlifts: 100kg -> 160kg
• Leg extension machine: -> 200lb + 15kg plate

[John]

• Back squats: 12 x 60kg, 10 x 80kg, 8 x 100kg, 2 x 110kg, 5 x 100kg
• BB bench press: 12 x 40kg, 10 x 45kg, 8 x 50kg, 6 x 60kg, 12 x 40kg
• Incline DB flyes (superset) 12 x 6kg
• Preacher EZ curls: 12 x 16kg, 10 x 26kg, 8 x 36kg, 3 x 41kg
• Hammer curls (superset) 12 x 10kg (slow)
• Triceps pressdowns (rope) 12 x 40kg, 10 x 50kg, 8 x 60kg, 6 x 70kg, 8 x 50kg
• DB kickbacks (superset): 12 x 8kg

Want to work on the squats, getting back up to 120-130kg. Taking the BP very gingerly, testing shoulder. Same with preachers and hammers. Flyes and kickbacks could have been heavier.

[John]

Inspired by the thought of maximum effort (ME) front squats - the CrossFit WoD: Front squats: 3-3-3-3-3-3-3 for ME:

• Front squats: 50kg, 60kg, 70kg, 75kg, 80kg (x2), 75kg, 75kg

The second 80kg rep brought weight onto my toes so I decided not to go for a third rep.

Continuing to be frustrated at not being able to do even a modest BP because of shoulder, I tried doing some presses with the Smith machine while lying on a Swiss ball:

• Smith presses on ball: -> 10 x 60kg + bar

Bit shakey on the ball, but shoulder felt fine! Cool. I'll try these again!

[John]

Flew up to Auckland this morning for NZ Indoor Rowing National Champs in Takapuna this weekend.
No weights all week ... well ... only a little bit, but training times on the erg haven't been too shit-hot ... been running a bit of a temperature during the week.Best times during the week:

• 1000m = 3:26.0 (Sunday 22 Oct)
• 500m = 1:30.2 (Wednesday 25 Oct)

Met Graeme Hepworth from Petone in the street. He's a sprint freak in the 300m and 100m events. Holds NZ records.

Had an extended free trial membership to Les Mills so went to the Takapuna gym this afternoon for a workout. Did a 1:31.1 500m but the corner where the ergs were was pretty warm and I felt a bit drained. Did a few weights, had the usual fish & chips for tea then went back to the hotel for an early night.

Bit disappointed I couldn't make a sub 1:30 leading up to the champs. I'm teamed with Al Hallberg from Waikanae to do a 500m pairs and we have to get under that time to pick up the NZ record in 43-54 yr age group.

[John]

I'm most definitely not a morning person. However my 1000m event was held after the 2000m races so it was round midday when my heat came around. Rowed 3:26.2 which was OK as I wanted to hold back for the 500m pairs later on.

Racing software has changed since last year. You get a 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... RACE! countdown now, so you can probably shave up to 0.2s off the times you'd get with the random-delay method of starting.

Al was in great form but even so, we only just slipped under the NZ record with 1:29.8 in our 500m pairs race. According to the computer I rowed 494m, Al rowed 508. So my pace was around 1:30.9, Al's around 1:28.4. Pretty pissed I didn't contribute more than I would liked to have done.

[John]

Had a 20-min early morning row at Les Mills Takapuna to get the heart pumping as my 500m individual race was first event this morning. Rowed about 10:30am. At last got under the 1:30 with a 1:29.5 and didn't feel too bad. Even so, almost 1½ sec outside PB.

Decided to join a 4 x 500m relay - final event of the day. Great fun. Had about 30 seconds' practice at changing then we were on! Went without a hitch. Two young speedy guys from Tauranga Boys' College and Al and I representing the older generation. Time 5:53.5.

[John]

Afer work BFL-style 20-minute HIIT workout (4733m, 303Cal):

• 2min x 2:45/500m
• 1min x 2:30/500m, 2:15/500m, 2:00/500m, 1:50/500m
• 1min x 2:30/500m, 2:15/500m, 2:00/500m, 1:50/500m
• 1min x 2:30/500m, 2:15/500m, 2:00/500m, 1:50/500m
• 1min x 2:30/500m, 2:15/500m, 2:00/500m, 1:51.5/500m
• 1min x 1:54.9/500m
• 1min x 2:45/500m

18th and 19th minute paces slower than target.

[John]

BFL-style lower body workout

• Back squats: 12x60kg, 10x80kg, 8x90kg, 6x100kg, 12x90kg
• Leg extensions machine: 12x103kg superset
• Leg curls machine: 12x40kg, 10x54kg, 8x75kg, 6x96kg, 12x82kg
• DB lunges: 12x20kg superset
• Smith: Calf raises: 12,120kg, 10x160kg, 8x200kg, 6x220kg, 12x180kg
• Horiz calf machine: 12x 155kg superset
• Abs: various

[John]

300m for time: 50.1s

BFL-style 20-minute HIIT workout (4649m, 298Cal):

• 2min x 2:45/500m
• 1min x 2:30/500m, 2:15/500m, 2:00/500m, 1:50/500m
• 1min x 2:30/500m, 2:15/500m, 2:00/500m, 1:50/500m
• 1min x 2:30/500m, 2:15/500m, 2:00/500m, 1:50/500m
• 1min x 2:30/500m, 2:15/500m, 2:00/500m, 1:50/500m
• 1min x 2:00/500m
• 1min x 2:45/500m

1000m moderate pace 500m warm down

[John]

BFL-style upper body workout:

• Smith flat bench press: 12x20kg, 10x40kg, 8x60kg, 4x70kg, 12x50kg
• Pec flye machine: 12x68kg superset
• W/grip palms away pullups: 12x0kg, 8x10kg -> abandoned.
• Seated row machine: 10x82kg superset
• Lateral DB raises: 12x3kg, 10x5kg, 8x8kg, 6x10kg, 12x9kg
• Smith upright rows: 12x12kg superset
• Rope tri pressdowns: 12x20kg, 10x30kg, 8x35kg, 6x37.5kg, 10x32.5kg
• Kickbacks: 12x9kg superset

Upper body workouts are crap. Ya certainly are restricted if you can't use ya shoulder.

Ran out of time ... will finish ubw tomorrow.

[John]

Before breakfast BFL-style 20-minute HIIT rowing workout (4607m, 291Cal):

• 2min x 2:45/500m
• 1min x 2:30/500m, 2:15/500m, 2:00/500m, 1:50/500m
• 1min x 2:30/500m, 2:15/500m, 2:00/500m, 1:50/500m
• 1min x 2:30/500m, 2:15/500m, 2:00/500m, 1:50/500m
• 1min x 2:30/500m, 2:15/500m, 2:00/500m, 1:50/500m
• 1min x 2:05.5/500m
• 1min x 2:45/500m

Les Mills Hutt:

• Preacher curls: 12x26kg, 10x26kg, 8x36kg, 6x41kg, 12x36kg
• Hammer curls: 12x10kg superset
• Rope tri pressdowns: 10x35kg, 7x42kg5, 4x45kg (poor form), 8x35kg
• BB shrugs: 12x100kg, 8x120kg, 10x100kg
• Rear delt machine: 12x28kg5, 10x40kg, 8x54kg, 6x68kg, 12x61kg
• Front DB raises: 12x5kg slow, superset

Had to concentrate on holding humerus in place during shoulder exercises.