Right now, I’m just aiming to be functional and strong again. Basically, I’m old and busted. If I can get most of my parts working properly, I’ll be reasonably happy. I’ll see how it goes and then reasses in January and set some goals for next year.
4.5 mile run.
Felt fine, energy levels good. Sciatica there but not unbearable. Bit concerned about the right knee - it’s absolutely fine when I run but I can feel it in the gym on exercises where I need to bend my knees somewhat. That leg is wonky so the knee doesn’t track over the foot - the foot is rotated outward (or the knee inward, maybe). Makes it hard to get proper form on things.
Now I’m not working I find I’m sleeping longer and longer and find it harder to get going in the morning. This is not a good habit to get into. I’m waking up after 7am now…which is early enough for some people but I was more of a 5am/5.30am wake up sort of person before. If I get another job where I need to work out beforehand, then obviously this has to change.
Im finding my kids motivated me to get to the gym…it was my alone time. Now that the house is quiet in the mornings, it’s hard to leave it 
Baby steps, like you said.
I feel absolutely the same about DL. So many freaking things to remember at all once! ARGGHH!
Lol! I think we’re all ‘old and busted’ in some form or another. Goals sound good Cal! You’re pretty much there as it is.
Hit the gym again for more pulling. Worked up to 80kg for a couple of singles. I’ve noticed that my back is more likely to twinge as I lower the weight so I’ve started to let it drop, more.
Keeping my shoulders behind the bar is key. I think that’s where I’ve always been going wrong in the past - letting my weight come too far forward and then having to pull with my back rather than push up with my legs.
Tried benching as well, but my shoulder doesn’t feel right, so I don’t think I’ll persist with this for the time being. It’ll calm down in time I’m sure.
9.5 mile run: 1 hr 43.
Three minutes slower than last time but the exact same time as the previous time I ran that route. Not too bad as it’s the first time I’ve run that far since my cold, and I also didn’t eat much in the way of carbs yesterday so felt less energetic than I had the previous time.
It was a bit of a slog by the end, actually - my sciatica was being a bitch, my right big toe was starting to blister and I could feel my lower back from where I’d deadlifted on Friday. But I got it done.
10K next Sunday, so it’s all good practise.
Need to foam roll later.
It sounds like you are making progress on the cold-recovery and the deadlifting form. Dropping the weight is kind of fun isn’t it!
Gym was a bit fail today - I’m not that surprised really, given the long run yesterday, the fact I didn’t eat much, and had a horrible night’s sleep.
I did some overhead pressing supersetted with squats. Went up to 30kg. I’ve lost some pressing strength (I think I got up to 10 reps with this before my holiday, but today I did 6). The squatting is, hmm, well. I find it more a case that I get out of breath and have to stop instead of muscle failure, heh. Obviously, the ability to run 10 miles does not translate into the ability to squat up and down, even with a mediocre weight like 30kg.
My lower back didn’t feel great after, either, but I’m not sure if that was down to the squatting or the stretching I did (or the deadlifting from last week). A lot of my muscles were tight from the run.
Did a few rowing exercises, one set each (10 x 26kg on the DB rows, so not bad) but I felt pretty tired and beat and very very hungry so called it a day. I also interrupted myself to advise a guy who’d just hurt his shoulder. Hopefully he’ll take in at least some of what I said.
[quote]Cal Jones wrote:
Obviously, the ability to run 10 miles does not translate into the ability to squat up and down, even with a mediocre weight like 30kg.
[/quote]
I find that there’s absolutely no substitute for the squat. In order to get strong/stay strong in squat, I must squat. The minute I stop, even if I do other stuff (bike, run, leg press, etc.), I lose ground. I feel your pain on trying to regain strength. It can be a bit frustrating.
Yeah, it’s the same with chins/pull-ups.
I’m currently a bit heavier than normal and my shoulder’s been a bitch so I can’t do 'em right now (well, I can do one, but I don’t think it’s sensible to do them until I’m lighter and my shoulder’s calmed down). It’s annoying when you make progress, then lose it.
Well I wasn’t going to train today but the numbnuts digging up the road outside managed to drill through the electric cable, leaving my house electricity free for five hours.
I was halfway through throwing my kettlebell around to the joyful strains of Rammstein, as well…so I figured I might as well just go to the gym.
Did some squats. Went up to 40kg but my right knee didn’t like it so I stopped there. I’m going to have to watch that knee. I’ve had trouble with it before so I’m not overly concerned but as I’m running a 10K on Sunday I don’t want to make it angrier.
Did a few lightish rack RDLs (bar, then 40kg) which were fine. Loaded up 60kg and put the bar on the floor. Can definitely feel that left glute (thanks, piriformis syndrome!) and my lower back started to make warning sounds once I was at 80kg. I did two sets of two with that weight and they were OK. On the third set, my body just said, don’t push it, Jones, so I left it there.
Then dumbell rows, 3 x 5 x 28kg (around 61lbs)
Went to the other room and did lat pulldowns, 2 x 8 x 40kg. I can pull more than that and for more reps but the left shoulder felt uncomfortable. (The right one is the one that hates benching…apparently the left doesn’t like pulling. Now what?!!)
Finished with some hypers and then did quite a bit of stretching (stretched between sets as well). I’m a frigging disaster, really.
Got home. Electricity still out. Gah! So went for a long walk, about 90 minutes round Tooting Common. Electric was still out when I got back but came on within 30 minutes. Christ you really can’t do anything without the leccy. Read, maybe. But can’t even have a cuppa. Gawd. I suppose it’s OK if there’s a bunch of you and you can sit and play Monopoly or something by candlelight, but when you’re on your own it’s pretty bloody boring.
I lol when i think about your back making warning sounds.
glad you got out and moving, surprised you didnt throw the kettlebell at the working guys who cut off your electricity!
Good job taking the oppertunity to train when life screws you a bit.
Heh, trust me, I was tempted to throw my KB at them but my withering glance did as much damage, minus the lawsuit.
Yesterday: nothing. Sat on arse. All day. Well, to be fair it was a rest day.
Today: 5K run. Nice and sunny, so no excuse to stay indoors. Thing is I knew my tank was empty when I got up -I’ve been low-carbing the past few days (lots of omelettes, some tuna and beef mince, plus the odd cup of tea with milk) so I feel OK but my legs felt like deflated balloons when I went out. I ran anyway. I didn’t time it - I expect it was slow. It was just a chance to breathe, sweat and move my legs in preparation for Sunday’s 10K (I will be consuming some carbs before then).
I am planning on doing weights tomorrow.
You are a one-person science experiment teaching me about the benefits of carbs. Good on you for getting out and moving despite it all.
And I NEVER knew that mince meant hamburger meat. Always happy to learn something new.
Mince = ground beef. Of course, just because we like annoying Americans with our funny language, mince, or minced meat, is not the same as mincemeat. Mincemeat is a concoction of dried fruit, booze, spices and suet which goes into mince pies that we eat at Christmas. Why the name? In ye olden times, it did have meat in it. Mincemeat - Wikipedia
Some of us Americans find the funny language quite charming.
[quote]kimbakimba wrote:
Some of us Americans find the funny language quite charming.[/quote]
x2
Great. My plan was to hit the gym today, take a day off tomorrow and do my 10K on Sunday. But I’ve woken up feeling not right. My body’s fighting something, I can tell.
Were it any other weekend I might say, bugger it, I’ll take my chances at the gym, but I’m going to suck down plenty of vit C and Rhodiola, take a couple of days’ breather and see if I’m OK for Sunday. Given I have my instructor exam on Monday too, I don’t need to be ill again.
I’m hoping I’m not going through a repeat of 2007 where I got sick every month for about 8 months and broke my immune system. I’ve just got over my first cold in two and a half years… it’s possible my immune system is a little weak right now. Well hopefully I can kick this thing in the arse, whatever it is.