All of it - even the running. I don’t know what happened but my body started objecting to running this year. I know my running surfaces suck but that was never an issue before. I think my joints are just tired of supporting 230 lbs when I run and jump.
I was wondering more whether body weight payed a part rather than height. Is it easier to be 80kg (176) and squat 200kg (440) than it is to be 125kg (275) and squat 313kg (689) ???
A high total seems to favour being a behemoth. Relative measurements in the DL and squat seem to favour a lower (but not low) bodyweight. Not sure about the press or bench. Haven’t paid close attention.
All of these are on the assumption that I can keep to a reasonable weight. Staying under 200lbs makes it achievable, if I went much over 200lbs it becomes unachievable in a year. And I would be indisputably fat.
I think I’m not going to hit a 2.5 bodyweight squat by next year. But there is the option of a pull, maybe even a trap bar pull and that’s very achievable.
That’s not much above the aim for this year though. Wherever I come out this year, I don’t think I’ll have too far to travel there, and a year to do it in.
I’m probably closer to the squat. I hate cardio
Yes. This is part of my thinking, all of these goals will be unachievable for me as a fat slob. Especially the pull, press, pull ups, jumps and run. So, all of them.
I’ve always been told that being bigger helps squat and bench but hurts deadlift (in general). I don’t think I’m at the level where that should make much impact though, at the minute I’m weak because I’m weak. Once I start getting competitive numbers, I get to start caring about this stuff.
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I also hate cardio (with a passion, I haven’t done any in weeks when I really should for my job) but this is achievability not enjoyability we’re talking about. Cardio improves very quickly, running a 7 minute mile is 8.5mph, I think that you’d achieve that within 6 months without affecting your normal training, it’s only 7 minutes worth of effort… 7 disgusting, horrible minutes.
Also like you say you’re in touching distance of the strength goals, which firstly is decent well done, you’re stronger than me on relative terms, now I have more goals to chase! Secondly that means you have more time next year to focus on the athletic stuff, nail the running early (probably doable it 1-3 months depending where you’re starting from) in the year and the rest will follow I’m sure.
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I’ve hit the running goal previously, and the lower body and pull ups goals before too. Maybe the explosiveness tests, because who checks this stuff regularly?
But yeah, I’m confident I can achieve all of the above because I have done, whether I can do it within the timescales I’m not sure.
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Well it’s also one thing to these things over the course of a period of time, and another to be able to do them all within a day or two.
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Yeah, I certainly wouldn’t have been able to do the conditioning and strength goals together. Maybe the running and pull ups, not sure.
Conditioning definitely improves more quickly than strength or hypertrophy. For a non-obese male, a 7 minute mile should be pretty easy to achieve.
What do you make of the lower body power tests?
Erm, I don’t know. I have no real idea of where I stand or how to train for them beyond “do something explosive every session”. If I’m honest, I’m not going to be too fussed if I do that and miss the goal, as long as i don’t completely abandon the explosiveness.
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Reminds me of…about 7 or 8 years back. I went from a place where I did zero running for like 2 decades, and suddenly decided I wanted to run a sub 7 minute mile. I am pretty sure it took me less than 4 weeks. If you are willing to embrace the suck, cardio gains come extremely fast.
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Yup. They get lost just as fast too. Just seems to be physical qualities work.
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Again, I have no real picture of how difficult a 7 minute mile is. I have no recent experience running, and none while measuring in miles so at the minute that comes into the same category as the jumps, except that I will actually care about the outcome.
Yep, lost just as fast. But gained back again just as fast again!
Which is why cardio goals are dumb and unrewarding.
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I like distance based ones rather than time. I suppose A time limit is good just so you’re not strolling for 50 miles over the span of several days, but running half marathons has been rewarding.
Training for them sucks. But the actual running of them feels like accomplishing something.
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Imagine 1 minute of “hey, this ain’t so hard!” followed by 6 minutes of “omg this is the worst thing ever and it will never end”. I mean, if you are in actual shape it is probably much better.
But jumping is far more interesting and useful, do those.
I used to use 5kms as my “benchmark WOD” for cardio. Seemed to work ok for me before. I certainly achieved some passable times in far less than a year, and starting from heavier.
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I intend to do both. That’s part of the program. I see the tests at the end as more or less participation awards, if I do the program as intended, I’ll pass them.
There’s a program? See I just skip straight ahead to the tests.
I can’t tell if you’re joking, if you’re having a senior moment or if I haven’t quite explained myself properly.