A Clinical Study of One

Training
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I can’t abide cold so I fail on that count. Where can I get an injection? (OK I’m joking, but if it was on offer and I could afford it, I would).

Regarding rowing, long haul rowing is not something I want to do. You can’t grab a drink or scratch an itchy nose once you’ve started. And it’s boring. Rowing sprints, on the other hand, or going as fast as you can for 500 or 1000m is a lungbuster for sure. Works bloody well for me, when I can face the pain of it.

Also, perhaps it’s not so much the cardio as getting outdoors and into fresh air that helps you. I find slogging away on a stepper or cross trainer pretty soul destroying, but running outdoors is invigorating. Unfortunately, due to injury, I can’t do that right now. I tried swimming but the chlorine made me sneeze and the other people in the pool pissed me off. So I’m doing very little cardio right now, sadly.

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[quote]arachne12 wrote:

[quote]Patch2 wrote:
My brother sent me this, I thought as a fellow super geek you’d find it interesting.

[/quote]
Omfg. I think i love you!

[/quote]

meeee toooooo I’m not a triathalete but I’ll go ahead and assume this applies to me too.
Yanno, how I always assume things apply to me when I want them to.

Great work keeping up the clinical study. At this point we may be ready to publish soon!

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Sometimes I feel like first world problems cat…
Cal, sunshine is definitely good for me (and everyone) but I do much of my cardio indoors and the results are undeniable.
Hallowed, I’m looking for a book deal on Amazon. I’ll take suggestions on a title. “Honeybadger Kicks Depression in the Ass” maybe?

Squat day
All I did was squat ATG.
1x5 at 45, 65
1x1 at 85, 95, 105, 115, 125 < that’s a 1 RM for ass-to-grassery. I just didn’t feel like being barely legal today. :slight_smile:
1x3 at 95
1x4 at 85
1x10 at 70

I also did 13 minutes on the stationary bike at level 4 for 2.5 miles and it was not hard. 33 minutes of cardio today.

Go out a bite off a piece of this great big world and make it your own, darlings!

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[quote]arachne12 wrote:
I read the Wendler article this morning and decided to record my thoughts on 5/3/1. I’ve tried 5/3/1 twice without measureable success for my 1 RM main lifts. I concluded I need two things (for me, right now) 1. more volume on the main lifts and 2. more practice at the heavy singles.
[/quote]
As you know, this has been my criticism of the program. However, 531 for Powerlifting addresses this. Have you read that version?

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Snap, no, I haven’t! I’ll check that out because I like several aspects of it. How you?

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[quote]kpsnap wrote:

[quote]arachne12 wrote:
I read the Wendler article this morning and decided to record my thoughts on 5/3/1. I’ve tried 5/3/1 twice without measureable success for my 1 RM main lifts. I concluded I need two things (for me, right now) 1. more volume on the main lifts and 2. more practice at the heavy singles.
[/quote]
As you know, this has been my criticism of the program. However, 531 for Powerlifting addresses this. Have you read that version?
[/quote]

and I don’t know jacksquat… but my bench has been completely stalled for my last three cycles (and I’m a BEGINER at BB Bench). It was suggested to me to add cluser set after my Max (so essentially this is heavy singles after rep out on max 1+ set) and it makes perfect sense to me and I think it will help.

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[quote]Cal Jones wrote:
Regarding rowing, long haul rowing is not something I want to do. You can’t grab a drink or scratch an itchy nose once you’ve started. And it’s boring. Rowing sprints, on the other hand, or going as fast as you can for 500 or 1000m is a lungbuster for sure. Works bloody well for me, when I can face the pain of it.[/quote]

I’ve found the same thing applies to me. Quick bursts using leg drive and my whole self are fun. Endurance is only fun on rare times when I hit flow.

Yes, I train for fun. Each moment doesn’t have to be fun, but the overarching theme must be fun.

Do you listen to podcasts? Scientific American has a good one. They just covered the brown fat thing.

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Hallowed, leg drive!
Patch, I’ll look into the podcast. I’ve got a google newsfeed for SciAm. :smiley:
Are you guys saying cardio is NOT supposed to be tedious??!

Cardio
I finished yesterday with a slow 20 min + 5 minute cool down on the treadmill at 4.5 mph 1.7 miles and started my day with 17 min on the stationary bike at level 4 2.75 miles. I felt good this morning.

Body notes
I did my measurements today and I’m pleased to see the quad (above the knee) measuring 17, so I think the increase from 16" is real. Biceps refusing to budge, because of my chinup hiatus. I bet neutral grip pullups don’t hit them as well as weighted chins, but “it’ll have to do for now”, says my elbow.

Lifting
Today is military day, shoulder and arms. I’m going to do the activation exercises y’all recommended and switch to cable work from dumbell for the shoulders. Need. big. shoulders.
/edit
Military
1x4 45, 55
1x1 65 75 I hoped for two but this was a full body effort.
1x3 65 One more than last week
1x6 55 one more than last week
1x11 45 same as last week

Accessories
(Oops remembered to do shoulder savers…)
Followed by a bunch of shenanigans on the cable machine for shoulders. I clearly need to do more reading because I was basically just jerking the D-handle around in random directions like an idiot.
Neutral grip pullups 7, 5 then 1 with a 10 lbs dumbbell. Elbow cried ‘caution’. I desisted.
Light bench 1x10 60
Cable overhead extension 1x8 20, 30, 30 I like
Reverse curls with steel bar 3x8
Bar wrist curls 1x8 steel bar db 5s and 8s

Happy lifting beautifuls!

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I am thoroughly impressed with a MP rep at 75#. Wow! Nice job.

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For my 5/3/1 I just work up to a heavy triple on my 3x3 week and some heavy singles on my 5/3/1 week.

That is my future plan anyway, haha. I’ve only be back at this routine for one cycle, but I think the added powerlifty aspect to it will help me mentally be able to lift more and whatnot.

I haven’t read the PL version of it either so I am interested to know what’s different. I should order it.

I wish I had the mental capacity to do cardio even HALF of what you do. I get so bored. My mind typically entertains me fairly well, but it becomes lifeless on cardio machines, ha.

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Thanks Kimba, I’m pleased with it! I’m committed to shoulders this year so I’ll get two next week.

Spock, you may have missed that I fucking hate cardio. I am a 20 second effort kind of girl from my sparring training. I spent two years avoiding cardio after I got my blackbelt and slipped further and further into a funk, all while lifting heavy. I don’t enjoy cardio, I take it like medicine!

Cardio
I couldn’t bear to jog on the treadmill today so I cranked up the incline and walked. 15 min + 3 cool down. I still sweateded. I’m meeting a friend at Lifetime tomorrow at 6 am. Yay!

Over and out lovely women. :*

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checkin in to say hi!

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waves at betty hi!

Lifetime fitness at 6 am was packed. I used the stairmill for like the second time in my life - 20 minutes.

Spent some time helping out my bud with the machines and then headed over to deadlift. Between my head spinning from 1000 machines and the hexagonal plates, I barely got a handful of reps done up to 165. The bad news turned to good news because my afternoon workout at teh work gym could be fully focused on accessories which I’ve been pretty wimpy on lately. I consoled myself that you don’t have to deadlift every week to increase your deadlift.

Accessories
One-leg seated hamstring curls 5x5 at 50
Good mornings 5x5 at 55 (no bending of the knees, thankyouverymuch)
Pull throughs (cable) 5x5 140
Back extensions 1x10
Then I pedaled the stationary bike for 17 minutes at level 5 for 3.1 miles

Ran into my sensei at Starbucks and I shared with him what I have learned about cardio and depression.
He told me they’re starting up an MMA program at my dojang Monday. I’m deciding right now whether to commit to it. Having recently shaken this derpresion I’m not sure if it’s good or bad to take that on.

My left hip feels stiff. I’ve been eating super clean. Research seems to indicate you should get at least 150 if not 300 minutes per week of moderate cardio exercise in chunks of 10 minutes minimum. Some sources suggest 60 minutes a day. Fus Ro Dah!

Hey! Powerful woman! Has anyone told you today that you are a superhero? YOU ARE!!

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nice work on the millies :slight_smile:

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I just heard an interview of Dr. Andrew Weil, it was all about depression and non pharma ways to deal with it. He really pushed working out and fish oil. Have you heard of him?

MMA? It might be worth checking out a class or two, but I’ve found it’s personally not my thing. They do tend to do a lot of conditioning, so you may like that instead of other cardio.

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Haha patch, that’s awesome!! My sensei indicated 10 minutes of conditioning at the end of the 45 minute class. You have to admit MMA peeps are some of the most athletic looking around. I wouldn’t mind doing some grappling.
Thanks main!

Lifetime Fitness again this morning at 6. Turns out I might have to keep going there because it’s a big hive of networking for my career. I guess I’ll get used to it. Did half my workout there and some more at the work gymhovel.

I was late so
Cardio 10 minutes stairmill at 45 spm

Bench
1x5 45, 55, 65
1x6 75
1x3 85
1x10 70
1x5 78.75 (mis-loaded bar with a 1.25 on one side goddammit)

Accessories
Assisted wide grip pullup 4x5 with various assists
Lat cable pulldown 1x5 150
Face pulls 1x5 140 these are a disaster. They may work better at Lifetime from a lower cable stack.
Light military 1x9 45

I still feel unsatisfied and time is growing short for my bench deadline. I think I’ll double up on today’s training and head back to the gym late morning.

Peace, Love, and Soul, darlings!

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Are you being serious calling the Lifetime Fitness a networking opportunity? I have a hard time envisioning that one.

Thanks for the Peace Love and Soul wishes. Right back atcha!

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Kimba, yeah it turns out a bunch of coworkers, customers, and other colleagues workout there at 5:30 every morning. Who knew?

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Greetings people!

Finished out Thursday’s bench day with another 1x4 at 85, and 1x12 at 65 lbs.

Ended the week with a total of 168 minutes of ss cardio, not including random physical activity such as shoveling snow, walking up stairs, having sex, etc. Clearly that’s sufficient cardio to ward off depression because those feelings are gonegonegone or at least hibernating. Unfortunately I bought a bottle of red wine last night and drank the entire thing and today I feel icky. Why I did that I don’t know, but at least it’s gone.

No lifting Friday because of the big snowstorm, but I was able to get out on Sunday, so squats.

Squat day was a big mess. I felt all over the place on depth and tightness. Le sigh.

Back squats, ATG 1x3 45, 65 1x1 85, 95 failed at 115! 115! I should be able to squat that in my sleep. 1x4 105
Back squats, legal depth 1x1 115 115 failed by going too deep.
Back squats to a box, legal depth 1x4 85 1x10 75

Accessories
One leg extensions (machine) 2x5 65
Barbell Lunges 4x5 70
Good girls/bad girls 3x8 each 100

Cardio
Treadmill 20+5 min cool down 1.74 miles at 4.4 mph
Stationary bike 13 min level 6 2.48 miles

Every single part of my body from knees to waist is sore today, yay! I took front and back pictures of myself in a bikini. I’m not sure what I’m going for, but I figured it might be interesting to see if I can make any changes in my thighs, lats, and arms.

Today is press day, and tomorrow I’m going to try to max out my deadlift. I’ll have video!

Have a day as beautiful as you are!

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I always found HIIT not tedious for cardio… more fun less boring. But also pretty tiring and haven’t had the balls to add it back into my program yet. Once I get my cardio fitness to a decent state I will look at it again.