How Close are you?

I took this idea from beast skills to get better at one armed pull ups. You take a weight attach it to a rope and hang it over the pull up bar. Then you grab the bar with one hand and then rope with the other. If you are a pussy when you pull up with your one hand you will pull the weight up with the other hand and you won't finish your pull up. I currently did a pull up with 10 lbs on the rope. I got it with my left arm on the bar and I only got half way with my right arm on the bar and left on the rope. I am thinking of getting a pulley because I think the friction is playing into the actual weight I am using with my off hand. Try it out!

I wrote Planche not Blanche

Trying to get the planche. I am using the ever helfpful Dragondoor site to obtian this marvelous feat. I currently suck horribly. I can hold the tuck planche for about 30 seconds. I will keep you updated. My front lever however, is a bit stronger than my planche. I think it is because my shoulders are pretty weak. Anyhow if you want to be planchen' it like a pro this dragondoor article is really helpful.

Huge Sack

I apologize for the lapse in workout posts. I have been working out though. Vigorously. I have been using the rings very often and now I have a huge sack. A huge canvas sack of gravel that is great for making insano forearms such as mine. You can do most of the workouts that you would with a kettlebell but with a huge sack. I have also been doing lots of sprints leaps and bounds. Also I discovered that trying one armed pullups and muscle ups and other difficult explosive exercises aren't good to do all the time (if you are a pussy like me) so I cut back such workouts until I am more jacked (which I may never be, because I am an inconsistent bastard).

Like these chicks... I'm into pullups!

I am doing the one hundred pull ups per hour workout.  I have also added to this extravagent event by doing 100 inverted pushups within that same hour.  I go 10 pulls wait 3 minutes 10 Pushes wait 3 minutes until the end.  While not entirely hard, I definitely feel like I did something the next day.   Give it a whirl!

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

So it rained today. And it was colder. I didn't run. But I did do some one legged squats and calf raises, push ups and sit ups, and some biceps curls. The sun will come out tomorrow . . . . its only a day away . . . 

Spring

I've found that the sun gives me an incredible amount of energy. I've accomplished so much in the past three days since the sun has melted the snow and the days are growing longer. I even ran today. Not too far but I did it. It killed my lungs but it felt good. Hopefully this will be a regular occurrence now that the sun has returned.

Squeezin' it!

I started running.  Yesterday 3.5 mi.  Today I went 2 then did 4-70yard sprints then 2 more miles.  Yesterday, I worked out at garage strength.  Doin some dips, ring flys, inclined dumbell bench and a burpee tabata.  Frustrated with my meager rope climbing performances I decided to get nuts today.  I realized I was doing 14 pulls on the way up.  I feel like that is pretty significant and should warrant some recovery time.  So today I went for volume.  I did 5 rope climbs (14 pulls to my peak)  I just took plenty of rest between sets.  I think the high volume of grabbing the rope will pay off.  Then I did 4 x 10 pull ups with a towel to continue my grip strength obliteration.  Then I did rafter rows with the towel.  Hopefully my forearms feel like butt tomorrow.

I'm gonna be jacked soon

Kick Ups (into hand stand)
10 Left Leg 1st - 10 Right Leg 1st

Flip, Lift, Slam, Punch ( heavy bag )
6 warm up - 3 x 10 (30 sec rest between sets)

Pinch Grip
Deux @ 40 lbs
4 x 5 sec x 3 sets

Dips
3 x 20

Lateral Bag Jump
Tabata

Pinch Grip
Slim @ 40 lbs
4 x 5 x 3

Inverted Pushups
4x8

Leg Raises
2x10 (w/ 7 1/2 lbs on ankles)

Knee Raises
2x20 (w/ weights as well)

Heavy Bag Pushups
3 x 20

Pushups

I ran.  Tried to do muscle ups (a pull-up above the bar to where you press yourself up).  However, I suck.  Played soccer for two hours the one day.  That was rough.  

A friend of mine who doesn't exercise had been doing pushups since this past summer and did 55 in a row.  I was pretty impressed considering he usually couldnt do more than 20.  So I thought I would give it a whirl.  My expectations were low since I had only recently started using my shoulder.  I figured I'd pull off 45.  Oh no good friends.  60 in a row.  Astounding.  I might have to destroy my shoulder more often.  

This bastard does 50 pushups a minute for 200 minutes!  Thats 10000 pushups for you mathematically declined.

Boots

So yesterday I worked on felting boots and I found that it was an incredible upper body workout. I got too tired so I had to start using my feet and I jumped on the wool for awhile. Maybe one day I'll work out for real. 

Say What!?

Worked out with Greg.  Yeah No shit.  I also bought heavier ankle weights and rocked the abs and pull ups etc.

My workouts are so good the Russians are trying to steal them.

I went ape with the heavy bag today. Some new exercises (to me at least) were
Flip it, Lift it, Slam it, Pound it
Also heavy bag press (great wrist strengthener, perfect for perfecting handstands)
Tabata Bag hops
Pushup hop over the bag.

Greatest Ab Workout Ever

I've discovered a new way to get ripped abs. All you have to do is get really sick and cough non-stop for three days. I feel like I did 10,000 crunches. And it was all involuntary so there was no motivation needed.

167.5 lbs

Thats how much pressure it takes to close the 1.5 CoC. The 2.0 is 195. I did some Arnolds today and pull ups and DB bench and kick ups (into handstands) and then felt unmotivated to continue. I am however pumped about my grip strength. I have been thinking of making one of these. Its like heavy sword training but cheaper and cooler. Plus you'll get forearms like this badass!

CRUSH!

Guess who closed the Captains of Crush 1.5...... ME! Right handed. BLAP! The left hand isn't quite there yet. I also exercised some other muscles today, but who cares.

The rope is kicking my ass!

Yesterday I rocked the dips, military press, explosive pushups with one arm up on Slim and then explode across to the other arm. Lots of core stuff. Kept my ankle weights on the whole time.
Today I went for a nice 2.5 mile jog and then blasted out 6 100s. Then I sucked on my rope climb then did rock ring pull ups for 4 x 8 decreasing in crimping length. Then went for some rafter rows with the towel and pussed out after the first set and went to just the rafters (4x8) Then some dumbell curls. Oh yesterday I tested pinch grip and used 45 with woody for 3 x 3seconds and 35 with Deux for 3 x 3 seconds.

Time Trials

March 1st I am starting my time Trials. I am gonna time myself in the 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 and 5k. My focus for running will be in the 2 mile range. The lower sprints will be timed periodically for the hell of it. My goal is to go sub 2:00 in the 800 sub 4:40 in the 1600, sub 10:00 in the 3200 and sub 17:00 in the 5k. Time to start running!

Today I did some dips and offset pushups with the cinderblock and some military press. Loads of new ab exercises that I can't explain.

Whos got Pull-ups!?

I think the shoulder is healed, which means I can do pull-ups now.  On friday I did 4 sets of ten and the other day I went for a run in Philadilznik and stopped at the park and tried to do another round of 4 x 10 but couldnt get the last set ( only 5 )  I think my rest period was lots shorter than it was at home plus I had just finished a somewhat tiring run.  That was also the first run I have gone on for awhile.  It was just so nice out I couldn't pass it up.  

Eww

FYI : Tofu should not be used in a smoothie. Its gross and it just tastes like tofu. Not recommended.

Move Fatty Move

I don't know where it came from, but today I got motivated. 

20 min. Kick(my ass)boxing video

situps

3x15 pelvic thrusts on ball

3x10 abs on ball

3x10 one legged squats

3x15 one legged calf raises

stretch

make and eat a berry tofu smoothie

Ankle Weights

Like Paris Hilton on house arrest, I am going to wear ankle weights for all my workouts now. I used em today for ab stuff and tabata jumps. It was brutal! Woot!

Dead Lift

Did some dead lift today. Woot! I got wimpy ass hamstrings.

Also hit up the on demand today. Found me some good cardio. I did the Biggest Loser Cardio-Max!

It was fun and actually pretty tough. I realize that there is no way that this could be a continuing show because this workout was fairly hard and the tubbies that were on there would definitely be skinny in a month. Also the guy leading looked totally annoying. I avoided this ridiculous banter by turning the volume off and blasting Sevendust.

Tried out the shoulder today. Tried some handstands. Not ready for that yet.

Lazy

Seeking motivation.

Ham String

Pinch Grippin like a God. I found out I have less mobility in my right thumb. Making it harder for me to pinch grip with that hand.
Deux @ 30 lbs 3 x 15sec
Woody @ 40lbs 3 x 15 sec

Front leg levers 2 x 15, High Knees 2 x 15

Lateral Raises Tabata
Multiple types of squats with 32.5 dumbells. Looking for a good new exercise.
Ham Jammers Started out two legs for 2 x 15 then switched to one leg for a set of 8
Tabata Jumping

For demonstration purposes check out this lady I found doin these. So do this but with only one leg on the ball at a time. The other leg stays tucked up and when you do a set switch legs. Its a KILLA!

Rip-a-Nip

Ball on Back Squats - 4 x 10 (See the ball videos at right)
The thing about this workout is that you can put your legs farther away from the wall which hits the quads much harder when you stand up. Because you come up like this / Instead of like this |.
Next Two tabatas

1 Alternate Jumps and Bicycles (the lay on your back and work your abs kind)
2 Alternate Lunge Jumps and Hot feet.

A side note on Nipples. So I grabbed a shirt off my pile. It was the tech-shirt I got from the mud run in New Jersey. Sweet! Thats what I thought till I realized the screen printing on the front was reeking havoc on my nipples through the thin, synthetic garment. Before I knew it my nipples were aching like a mother's after a day of nursing septuplets. Before my new razor blade chest accessories cut wholes in this shirt I swapped out for a cotton shirt and saved myself some pain.

I will now be wearing protection:

Jack Bauer hinders workout

So I was getting ripped. Mostly legs since my arm had gone back a little after dips. I think It'll be another week till I use it.

Tabata: Lunge Jump Switches (best name I could come up with)
Squat Arm raises - 4 x 15
Straight leg raises - 4 x 12
Forearm Sledge workout upped the reps to 12
Okay this is where it gets fun. I helped My brother move his furniture so he could get new hardwood flooring because apparently recession, economic downturns and large loans mean nothing to this @$$clown. And since his TV etc where stored in his kitchen he came over to watch the season premier of 24. Well, I found out that he could stand on my pullup bar (detached from the wall) to help me do Hamstring explosions during commercials. But apparently me working out really hinders his ability to mentally digest the last 10 minutes of 24. So I had to switch to an exercise I saw on those You tube videos to the left. You put your shoulder blades on the ground put your heels on top of the ball and then keep your pelvis high and curl the ball in with yoru hammies. The key is really keeping your hips up. I did 3 x 15 after a commercial segment of Hamstring explosions.

Then I did the same pinch grip workout I did last time.

I also learned that while white russians are delicious, they are a horrible post-workout drink.

Laura,
You are missing funny pictures. So this one is for you.

Bloody Thumbs

1 leg squats 4x10

1 leg calf raises 1x20

stand on stability ball about 5 minutes

pelvic thrusts on ball 4x20

oblique crunches on ball 4x20

body twists w/10 lb ball 2x25

bicep curls 3x10 (10lbs)

saw wood to make ladle and cut thumb . . . 

I hope I have enough fingers left to finish it.

Sledge Hammer Exercises

One legged squats with 27.5 lb dumbells 4 x 5
Tabata - Jumps
Hamstring Explosions
Ab stuff with weight
Sweating
Forearm sledgehammer workout. 2 x10 in all directions.

I'd like to congratulate Laura on Posting our 80th post of the blog. What a Milestone.

Actually I did this forearm workout seen above. Grab the sideview mirror of a moving tractor trailer and try to stop it.

My New Ball

Attempted one legged squats - 3x10 (right leg ok, left leg felt like burning. I stopped. I have no insurance)

One legged calf raises - 3x20

Hand pumping the stability ball

Pelvic thrusts? on stability ball 3x20

Crunches on stability ball 3x20

Stood on stability ball and did some squats (while holding wall)

Stood on stability ball for about 5 minutes (not holding wall)

10 squats on stability ball - look Ma no hands!!!!!

Stability ball squeeze 3x10 (for inner thigh)

I'm wondering if my stability ball is easier to stand on than others or if I'm just that amazing. I'll let myself believe that I'm just that good.

Introductions

Let me welcome my pinch grip friends.

The 2 x 12 in my right hand with the 4 - 10lb weights is Woody.  Woody has two brothers.  They are conjoined twins called Deux.  They look exactly like Woody except they are conjoined (like a 4 x 12).  If you've been reading this blog then you know that the fella on the left is Slim (friend of Cindy & Blocky).  

I use slim when I wanna do exercises and work my pinch grip.  When I wanna just focus on my pinch grip I use Woody and Deux.  Today I held Deux with 30 lbs for 3 sets of 10 seconds (each hand) and then I put 40 on Woody for the same.  In between sets I worked my extensors (opening my hand) with a thick rubberband I got off a head of Broccoli.

Stay tuned for Iron Mind to get Crazy, I'm thinking about using my arm next week.  

Other updates:  Hahn's kickin it at Garage Strength.  Brooks is .... I have no idea.  And Laura is gonna carve Tim and I up some practice swords so we can beat the shit out of each other.

Bonus Tip: Make your own Woody and Deux.  Get some Rope and at least a 2 x 8.  Drill a big hole in it.  Pass arope through it and put to loop knots on the end (Figure eight or Overhand on a bight works great).  Put a carabiner through it.    Not get another piece of roop and put two loops on the ends.  Load the free rope with weight and clip it in.  BING! Done.  To make Deux, cut two 2 x 8s or bigger and screw them together.  Then follow the rest of the woody steps.