[quote]DSSG wrote:
Possibly, birdy. Less neurally efficient lifters need more time to get familiar with an exercise again to get an accurate max. The more I have gotten familiar with the maximum effort method the less amount of time I need to get familiar with an exercise. For the upper body I cycle ME weekly and progress, around the same frequency for the lower also. [/quote]
Yes possibly, but at the end of the day Im lifting mainly for “maintenance”. I was considering increasing my max by 5 kg for the bench press and overhead press, but I think I will do as i have been told and increase it by 2.5 kg for the next phase. Getting strong is a marathon and not a sprint.
Im also looking into adding back squats back into my program. Probably add it to the military press day.
Time: 1:10:39
Distance: 31.81 km
Average speed: 27.0 km/hr
Maximum speed: 48.3 km/hr
Total climb: 127 m
Nice morning for a ride. i didn’t go all out, but just at a steady rate to get me used to been in the saddle. Last 5 km was an easy roll through the town. Want to get faster on the bike, and the only way this will happen if I spend more time on the bike. Will be trying to ride about 4 times a week, 2 times with the group and 2 times solo.
PM
I plan to go the beach for a quick dip. Will spend some time treading water and doing some “hamstring kicks” in the water. Will try to do some foam rolling and Agile 8 before I leave for the beach.
theBird,
Are you into caffeine or pre workout stimulants? Just wondered if sipping one of these type of drinks would help you with energy on the bike rides.
[quote]strangemeadow wrote:
theBird,
Are you into caffeine or pre workout stimulants? Just wondered if sipping one of these type of drinks would help you with energy on the bike rides.[/quote]
In another life they call me; theBarista. Im a coffee addict. I have a machine and grinder at home. I always have a short machiatto before any morning sessions. I know in the US you guys don’t drink decent coffee with starbucks etc. Did you know in Australia starbucks went broke, because nobody wanted to drink their mud-tasting coffee. We are lucky in Australia to have many Italian migrants who have opened cafes and have raised out expectations regarding the quality of coffee.
Todays ride was a good one. I kept up with the pace-line longer than I usually do and I managed 3 rotations, which is about the 26 km mark. Getting to the halfway mark was easier than usual. I changed my “bike nutrition” to 1 coffee, 2 bananas and one peanut butter protein ball before the ride, and a box of raisins at about half way.
Time: 1:02:00
Distance: 33.73 km
Average speed: 32.6 km/hr
Maximum speed: 43.2 km/hr
Total climb: 154 m
PM
recovery
Visited the local beach. Spent about 25 minutes in the water; treading water, running on a spot, star-jumps and all types of mobility/stretching. Felt good. I might make recovery in the ocean a staple in my training.
[quote]strangemeadow wrote:
theBird,
Are you into caffeine or pre workout stimulants? Just wondered if sipping one of these type of drinks would help you with energy on the bike rides.[/quote]
In another life they call me; theBarista. Im a coffee addict. I have a machine and grinder at home. I always have a short machiatto before any morning sessions. I know in the US you guys don’t drink decent coffee with starbucks etc. Did you know in Australia starbucks went broke, because nobody wanted to drink their mud-tasting coffee. We are lucky in Australia to have many Italian migrants who have opened cafes and have raised out expectations regarding the quality of coffee.
tweet[/quote]
Their coffee is shit. We do have some good places, but they are always off the beaten path and not easy to get to…so that makes them that much more exclusive and trendy.
Bird, I know your back is a bit iffy, but try some zercher squats instead of back squats push that exercise a lot and your glutes will get much stronger if they are functioning. It is a fantastic exercise and it is easy on the back.
I had strained my lower back a long while back, and they were one of the few exercises that didn’t make me want to yell out in pain. In fact I am going to be adding them back in now that my upper/middle back is fully healed up now and I want to push my shitty squat up.
[quote]DSSG wrote:
Bird, I know your back is a bit iffy, but try some zercher squats instead of back squats push that exercise a lot and your glutes will get much stronger if they are functioning. It is a fantastic exercise and it is easy on the back.
[/quote]
Thanks DSSG.
I might have to look into that. I am planning on slowly re-introducing leg work into the gym. Saying that I need to keep it low volume.
Headed to the field where I practiced skill work. Juggled, passed the ball against the wall and practiced some moves. While practicing some moves I felt my left groin twinge again, this time a bit more than usual. This groin issue is starting to worry me. Will this be the end of theBird???
I then ran laps for a continuous 20 minutes. Running laps didnt bother the groin. Finished off with some stretches and groin re-rehab.
PM
recovery in the ocean
Agile 8, foam roll and glute activation drills.
Spent 20 minutes in the ocean again. Did some “aqua running”, star jumps, stretching and the “crane kick”(see video). Groin felt fine in the water. Im really liking this form of recovery.
notes:
A little concerned about my niggling groin injury. I thought it was getting better, but its not really. The pain is about a 3/10, so it isnt really stopping me from doing anything, but is just there and annoying. Going to see my GFs osteopath on Monday and maybe he will have some ideas. Fingers crossed that this hurdle is only a small one. Need to keep up with my mobility and glute work.
[quote]DSSG wrote:
Bird, I know your back is a bit iffy, but try some zercher squats instead of back squats push that exercise a lot and your glutes will get much stronger if they are functioning. It is a fantastic exercise and it is easy on the back.
[/quote]
Thanks DSSG.
I might have to look into that. I am planning on slowly re-introducing leg work into the gym. Saying that I need to keep it low volume.
tweet[/quote]
Just make sure to either have the pain tolerance of a silver back gorilla, use a fat bar, or wrap a towel around the bar.
Another windy morning in the “windy city”. I woke up feeling good, but for whatever reason I struggled to keep up with the peloton this morning. With the strong winds the riders were trying to break records with the tail winds in the first half of the ride, and then kept on going strong into the head wind after the half way point, which is where I got dropped. I struggle against the wind due to my bigger frame, and due to the fact I weigh about 10-15kg more than the average rider. Regardless, I need to improve… time to make this personal!
Time: 1:06:39
Distance: 33.74 km
Average speed: 30.4 km/hr
Maximum speed: 43.7 km/hr
Total climb: 96m
PM
recovery
I spent 25 minutes in the ocean after work. Did some “aqua aerobics” and some mobility work. There is something in the ocean that makes me feel like a million dollars.
[quote]strangemeadow wrote:
The “ocean recovery sessions” sound amazing. I wish I had that option. The buoyancy and salt have got to be great. Enjoy.[/quote]
Yer its great. Im going to try make it a staple in my training, even in Winter… maybe.
5/3/1- Week three
Bench press
70 kg x 5
80 kg x 3
90 kg x 1 (+4)
I did about 4 sets of 5 reps of pull-ups b/w working sets. I then supersetted 10 reps of dips with 12 reps of back hyperextensions, x 3. a few sets of face-pulls and I was out of there…
Headed to the field where I kicked the ball against the wall for about 20 minutes and practiced some dribbling. My lower back was feeling toasty so i decided to skip the running today.
PM
recovery
After work i will go tot eh ocean again for some aqua aerorobic and mobility work. Hopefully it will help with my back.
notes:
-Im loving the back hyperextensions, but it seems to be triggering off my lower back. I think I will continue with them and maybe work through the problem. Next week is “deload week”.
-Will have a over-due rest day tomorrow. Heading back to the city for 3 days to see the family and gf.
[quote]strangemeadow wrote:
The “ocean recovery sessions” sound amazing. I wish I had that option. The buoyancy and salt have got to be great. Enjoy.[/quote]
Yer its great. Im going to try make it a staple in my training, even in Winter… maybe.
tweet[/quote]
Why do you say Yer?? Is that like an Aussie way of saying Yes or Yeah. Simply curious…
notes:
-Im loving the back hyperextensions, but it seems to be triggering off my lower back. I think I will continue with them and maybe work through the problem. Next week is “deload week”.
-Will have a over-due rest day tomorrow. Heading back to the city for 3 days to see the family and gf.
tweet
[/quote]
I don’t like back extensions. In my mind it’s like doing hamstring curls. Your hamstring is supposed to work with your foot on the ground, so all of the hamstring is activated, not just the top half. Same thing with back extensions.
Maybe I’m wrong…But it seems kinda “isolation” which I wouldn’t think is a good idea for you, with your injury.
Not trying to be contrary here, just trying to help.
[quote]stefan128 wrote:
Why do you say Yer?? Is that like an Aussie way of saying Yes or Yeah. Simply curious…[/quote]
Yer, it’s just slang.
[quote]DSSG wrote:
What’s with the (+4) for your bench? I am not very familiar with the weeks of 5/3/1 they’re the minimum reps and you go for extra?[/quote]
On the last set of 531 you are meant to go for maximum number of reps, but not to failure. So the 4 represents the extra reps I got after getting the minimum required reps.
[quote]strangemeadow wrote:
I don’t like back extensions. In my mind it’s like doing hamstring curls. Your hamstring is supposed to work with your foot on the ground, so all of the hamstring is activated, not just the top half. Same thing with back extensions.
Maybe I’m wrong…But it seems kinda “isolation” which I wouldn’t think is a good idea for you, with your injury.
Not trying to be contrary here, just trying to help.[/quote]
The back is feeling much better today. Still annoying though, I’m thinking it’s not worth the risk of putting my back out, even if it only puts me out for 2-3 days, it’s still annoying!
With the machine I use, my heels are pushing hard into the machine and I can even feel a stretch in my calves while I do hyperextensions. I had previously tried RDLs( bar only), and that aggregated my lower back as well.
Now I’m thinking maybe I should just concentrate on side and front planking, supermans, bird dogs and of course my flexibility/mobility, before I consider RDLs and hyper extensions again.