I have minimal accountability when it comes to health and lifting. It isn’t working; it hasn’t worked in years. I need more accountability. So here it is: my very first online training log. Perhaps I’ll find what I need here. I abuse food like no one I know. Amusingly, in a sarcastic way of course, i also know more about training and nutrition than just about anyone i know. I’m tired of being a hypocrite.
Well, the time has come, yet again, to begin the process of losing weight. I’d like it to be the final significant weight loss endeavor. I’m up to about 235, up from 198 only three months ago. My eating became progressively more out of control as the time elapsed. I trained DC style during the time and made notable improvements in hypertrophy and strength. Unfortunately, I’ve become unacceptably fat and reconditioned.
I just started the 10,000 kettle bell swing workouts. I’ve done two with only a40 pound dumb bell. It’s pretty killer, i feel quite weak and out of shape with only the 40 pounder. I used over head presses in the first work out and pull UPS in the second, my body weight is providing approximately a five rep max.
I’m eliminating many of the junk foods from my house. I can’t have them around, i have no self control.
Detailed workouts to follow.
Thanks to any who provide support. I appreciate your help.
I was recently reminded of the quote “if you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backward.” This quote definitely applies to me when it comes to health. I don’t know maintenance, I only know progression or regression, I can either meet goals or procrastinate and not reach goals. Sure, I understand what it means to maintain in the intellectual sense, but for someone like me, a person who uses food for things other than nutrition, I don’t live maintenance.
10k Kb workouts one and two:
450 swings with 40#DB and 105# X 35 behind the neck presses, seated, slow eccentrics (more comfortable), paused on traps. Completed in 53 minutes, gym closed, dropped final set of 50 swings.
40# X 510 swings and bw X 31 pullups. Completed in 58 minutes. First few sets of pullups used full stretch at bottom of rep, experienced some discomfort with the range of motion and eliminated the bottom stretch for about 25 of the reps.
Hoping to make the gym tonight to do swings with reverse grip bench presses. Also considering front squats with deep breathing in the hole.
Got home from work too late to hit the gym. Used a 45# plate at home for swings. Unpleasant for fingers, but the work needs to get done when there’s time for the work to be done.
45# x 500 swings, completed in 54 minutes.
Back to the gym tomorrow, looking to do reverse grip bench presses with swings, provided i can use a bench for a whole hour…
Starting weight may have been closer to 230#, based on today’s weight just under 230#, but it’s all speculation. Starting measurements, taken today :
Waist 42.5" (measured at belly bottom, not happy)
Chest 50"
Thigh 27.5"
Biceps 16 7/8"
Neck 16 1/8"
I can only hope that bringing my performance and measurements to the light will serve as motivation to keep working. Maybe I’ll take monthly measurements for quality control.
So i couldn’t occupy a bench for an hour. Opted to repeat behind the neck seated presses.
40# x 500 swings (feeling more secure than day one)
105# x 39 presses
Workout completed in 56 minutes. Longer than last time but included the final set of 50 swings. Also, more reps were completed per minute so density increased. I want to see that time come down though, it is the goal.
Swings with pullups or chinups, probably Thursday night. Leaning toward pullups again, but variety might be nice.
In terms of nutrition, i haven’t replaced the junk or beer now that it’s gone, so eating is much cleaner. I’m expecting a lot of bloat to come off this week.
[quote]AmyT wrote:
Hi! I am in the same boat as you regarding the overeating. Good to see someone else struggling with the same problem
What is this 10,000 Kettle Bell swings thing?[/quote]
Hi AmyT, thanks for writing. It is definitely too easy to make terrible food choices.
Here’s a link The 10,000 Swing Kettlebell Workout if you’re interested in the 10k kb swing workout. Basic overview: it’s a series of twenty workouts, each workout involves 500 swings using ladder sets interspersed with a basic strength movement. It’s meant to improve conditioning and increase strength simultaneously. It’s not terribly pleasant but is effective.
There’s also a thread in the article discussion forum if you’re interested in what people are saying about it.
10k Kb swing workout 5 today. Completed in fifty minutes, fastest time so far, also increased pull up reps.
Morning bw = 228 (nice to see some downward movement)
40# db X 500 swings
Bw X 36 pullups
Happy to see the progress already. Swings feeling better today, starting to feel Abs working in vertical plank position. Good connection with Abs and then the feeling of a med ball slam on the way down.
Tweaked left hamstring, I think I was trying to keep my legs too straight, almost knees locked during that particular set. Was able to work through it…hopefully it won’t be angry with me…
Completed in 47.5 minutes (new fastest time, slowest time was 56 minutes)
40# X 500 swings
228# X 39 chins
Happy with progress. I was able to be more aggressive through the sets of 50. I need to keep reminding myself not to be a wuss. The increased intensity through the long sets definitely taxes my grip more, got a decent forearm pump, but I need to push harder through the later part of the workout, sometimes I relax too much and don’t aggressively pull the DB back down.
Feeling Abs more consistently through the range of motion, but most notably at the top and bottom, this is associated with the lower back being relieved of compensating…
Got stuck doing this at home on account of a snow storm and the gym closing very early. I had to use the 45# plate again, it was ok. Had to adjust to a wide stance in order to accommodate the width of the plate and the fact that i gripped it at its widest point.
Completed in 47:20 minutes.
45# plate x 500 swings
Bw 228 x 39 pullups (down into full stretch for almost all reps)
Fastest time by ten seconds, but the swings were 5# heavier, so a decent increase.
Highest heart rate approximately 180. Heart rate taken after each set of 50.
Completed in 47:02, a small improvement, but an improvement nonetheless. I did have to stretch the hip flexors during the forth round which slowed me down slightly, but that’s ok.
Worked hard again, saw heart rates of about 180 on completion of the shorter rounds.
40# DB X 500 swings
Behind the neck paused presses 105# X 39 presses
Enjoying the swings to an extent, I’m looking forward to testing my deadlift after this program. I had good connection from my feet, hips, through my scapula.
Completed in 43:33 minutes. Good time for me, and with a lower heart rate than the previous workout.
40# db x 500 swings
Bw 226 chins x 39 (weight down 2 pounds since last weigh in, about 6 pounds overall)
I need to lock down my lats harder throughout each rep. I have a tendency to get lazy at times. Maybe I’m being a wimp again trying to avoid the burning discomfort d during those 50 rep sets.
I was happy with the way i used my mid back to pull back when reversing from the bottom of reps.
Felt pretty beat up following this workout, but will go to gym tomorrow night if feeling at least decent. Swings with reverse grip bench presses tomorrow.
Since I’m half way through this program I thought it might be a little appropriate to take mid term measurements. Hopefully I did them the same.
Bw up to 228 this morning, not a result of over eating
Waist: no change 42.5
Chest: increase to 50.25, up from 50
Thigh: no change 27.5
Biceps: increase to 16 15/16 (maybe no actual change)
Neck: no change 16 1/8
Not much going on. Weight down a bit from start, no decreases in measurements. We’ll see what happens with the second half of the program.
Completed in 42:22 minutes, new fastest time, with heart rate essentially the same as yesterday.
40# db swings x 500
185# reverse grip bench presses, paused, some paused with breaths x 42 (most reps felt pretty good, a few felt especially fast, they held up well so i added the extra reps at the end of the workout)
Less of a wimp today, but i need to turn the reps around more quickly going from the top down, a little too relaxed on the long sets.
Completed in 36:42 minutes, new fastest time. About 20 minutes faster than my slowest time, which is pretty awesome.
40# db x 500 swings
Bw 225 x 39 pullups. The pullups were more challenging than usual, despite being a bit lighter. I’m guessing it’s because of the increased speed, less recovery between sets.
Very pleased with this workout. Looking forward to even faster times. I attribute the increasing speed to an increasingly efficient swing technique, they just keep feeling easier. heart rate has been about the same over the past several workouts. Swing technique feels more unified, getting good rom, sternum high through out rom, starting to really throw the db back down when reversing direction from the top.
Waist line has decreased at least half an inch. I’ll retake all measurements after workout twenty.
Thanks to this conditioning workout I’m feeling more energetic, sleeping better, taking stairs faster, running faster with less effort, even my knees crack less when crouching down…thanks to Dan John.
Completing in just under 38 minutes, a little longer than the previous workout.
40# DB X 500 swings
105# btn presses, paused on traps X 39
Shoulder discomfort in left shoulder through top of rom. Pushed through the workout by omitting the lockout which significantly reduced the discomfort. I plan to avoid this exercise for a while and work shoulder dislocates. Will attempt them one more time after the 20th workout to checkfor improvement.
My hands are taking a beating. My grip is weak to begin with. My hands will be happy when this is done. This is probably related to the fact that I’m using a DB instead of a Kb. My gym has rubber dbs that are wider than plate dbs.
Swings and chins tonight, hopingto speed things up.
Got home too late to go to the gym. I read Dan John’s new article today and decided to try one of his suggested combos.
Combo 2
Swings with pushups
45# plate swings x sets of 20
10 rounds, pushups beginning with a set of ten, then nine, working down to a final set of one.
I managed to complete this in about 9:30 minutes. It’s definitely a test of the will, while strength is not an issue, a pounding heart and a negative little voice saying to take extra rest test the will. Heart rate easily hit 180 and stayed there for a while…there’s just so little time to rest.
This is a good workout for the home, simple to progress when desired, many variations possible.
Bw back up to 227.4 this morning. I eat an extra meal on training days.
Good workout, happy with the improving times from workout to workout. Heart rate still topping out around 180, maybe a little less. The pullups are becoming the limiting factor now that the workouts are moving so much faster. My grip feels weak during pullups, probably because my grip is just weak, and they grind a bit, but i get through them. I’ll have to address pullup strength so this can be better the next time around.
Looking forward to tonight’s workout. Considering Dan John’s 18 week protocol after this. I’d like to continue to work like an athlete. I’ll probably go back to dc later this year.
