unconventional schmunconventional

This has been one strange year.  Started the year off crappy with sickness.  Though that sickness kickstarted this fitness year, and it started off strong.


Things lasted for a short term, and I kept at it, though illness kept creeping up on me this year.  Not one to be kicked down and let lay there, I did something about it.  Once I got the medical out of the way, back in the gym I was, and starting off slow, but making progress, and I am once again excited about my workouts, and have been working out again for about 4 weeks straight.  


Since being back full time, I've had people come up to me complimenting me on the changes I've made and how "jacked" or "ripped" I look, and have asked how much weight I've put on.  Believe it or not I've lost about 25 pounds since Jan 1, and it's stayed off.  The key, at least for me, is keeping my workouts short (about 45-60 minutes), keeping the heart rate up during that time, and performing unconventional exercises to help with every day real world strength.


When I started lifting eons ago (20+ years), all the training you saw and read about was body building style lifting, 4-5 exercises per body part, with 4-5 sets per exercise, which means you would spend up to 60 minutes working Chest.  


Now with all the craze that's gone into crossfit, classes, and real world conditioning, the game has changed, and so should your workout.  I've had people come up to me this past month to ask how I've gotten in such good shape, and I tell them what I do.  There have been a handful of people who look at me with passion in their eyes because they too have realized the same thing I did, it's about working your body to get into shape, not working 1 particular muscle group.  One will burn more calories the more muscle groups they work.


I also have people ask me what exercises they can do for body part "xyz", and have gone on to mention that bodypart "xyz" hasn't improved with the same workout they have been performing, where in the beginning this same workout gave them results.  The answer, repetition, the body has gotten used to the same old workout, therefore it has developed the "OFFICE SPACE" mentality, do just enough to get by.  It's time you shock the body into making improvements.  These same people do the exact same exercises when they are in the gym, or they work out the same body part 3-4 days a week and wonder why they are not seeing any progress.  One more thing the body needs to adapt and improve, REST, you need to give your body and muscles a chance to rest up and rebuild themselves.


As for the WoD, I need to rebuild my fantastic "bag o' tricks" and pull from them again, but as for today, I know I will workout/lift for about 45 minutes, and then I'm going to shoot for 15-20 minutes of cardio, I'm feeling pretty good so far, so I'm sure the gym time will be a good one.

Slack in the Back

This past week of working out has been hit or miss, mostly miss because of my sacroiliac, which is pissing me off.  I want to get back into the gym, so I can strengthen that area and reduce injury.  So slow and easy is the way to do it.

Yesterday's workout was not what I drew, since I forgot my kettlebell at home.  ooops... Instead I performed staggered grip pulldowns (one had palm facing me and one facing away), supersetted with plate front raises.  After about 5-6 sets (lost count), I then moved on to pushups and planks.  After which I did 30 minutes of cardio, alternating between 2 pieces of cardio equipment(tread hiker and step mill) every 5 minutes, which made the 30 minutes fly by, but was also pretty tough.

Can I go off on a rant here.  When you are occupying an area performing an exercise, why the friggen hell do idiots decide to invade what little space you allotted yourself, to perform their exercise?  Let me give you an example:

To perform the planks/pushups, I went to a corner of the gym, grabbed a mat to put down on the rug so I don't get rugburns on my elbows, and proceeded to perform my pushups/planks.  After 2 sets, these 2 "romantically involved" fugly women came over, grabbed an exercise ball and placed it 8 inches from the location where I was performing pushups.  I tend to mind my own business in the gym, UNTIL, some asshat™ steals a machine, or takes over an area, at that point I get very frustrated and usually start to swear under my breath so they can hear me.  Never mind that I also work at this gym, I couldn't give 2 shakes of a rats ass, you're interrupting MY time and that is precious.  So, after my grumblings of "WTF?", they did not move.  I had to ASK them to kindly MOVE THEIR FRIGGEN WORKOUT so I could have room, because after every set of their "exercise ball assisted crunches", they moved the balls closer to me.  Mind you, they started at about 8 inches away.  If you are not sure about gym etiquette, LEARN IT, and give people room to workout, you are NOT more important than anyone else, and don't even get me started on the mega asshats™ who talk on their cell phone while occupying a machine or doing cardio, who the crap do you think you are and really, are you that important?  If you answered yes to that, GTF out of my gym.

ok, got that off my chest.  I feel better.

I am in the process of redo'ing my "bag o' tricks", since I am down to 3 cards, 2 of which are leg exercises.  I am going to be revamping that bag this week, so this weeks workouts are going to be random things.

WoD 2010/02/16:
Lower back
kettlebells (if I can remember them while at lunch)

Up and AT'em

Long delay an no posts.  I haven't worked out for almost a week, or should I say weak.  My sacroiliac is feeling a bit better and I will see Dr. Cracky once again today.  I took it easy over the weekend, just relaxed that area of my body, and stretched it out.

Nothing bit new to post today, except that fact that I am looking forward to getting back into the gym and getting back on track to be in fighting shape.

WoD 2010/02/15:

• Kettlebell swings
• Pushups
• Planks

Though, that all depends on how my  sacroiliac is doing by days end, and today's workout could change to a easy lifting with cardio.  I swear, sitting in a chair for 8 hours a day is NOT helping this matter any, my body wasn't meant to sit all day long.

Feel the Pain

Last night was crappy, the weather was COLD, with a capital BRRRR, it's friggen cold, and rainy/sleety.  I went to see Dr. Cracky and he cracked my back, which made it feel a bit better, and he advised taking a day off the gym, so I did.

I woke up this AM and my sacroilliac is causing me incredible amounts of pain this AM, I had to have my beautiful wife tie my shoes because I could not bend over.  As I dropped her off at work, I swung by Dr. Cracky's office and he was closed due to the snow, hopefully he will open this afternoon because sitting, standing, and moving are hard to do.

I would love to get this fixed so I can get back in the gym.

WoD 2010/02/10:

• 1 hour spin class
• abs/stretching

Today's WoD is weather permitting of course.

Pot Calling the Kettle...bell

Greeting Fit Fans,  Yesterdays workout was pretty decent, though I think I either over worked my lower back, or mucked up my sacroiliac...again.  With that thinking, I have decided to rethink my workout philosophy.  Granted, I will still draw from a bag, as that is doing me good, but I am going to rethink what goes into the bag, so I don't end up working the same muscle group multiple days in a row.  And it's a good time to do this, since the bag has only 1 more workout left in it (3-4 cards), after today's workout.

Moving  forward, I am going to work out 3-4 days a week, every other day, and the other days do cardio exclusively, starting today.

And without further ado,

WoD 2010/02/09:

• Kettlebell work
• Side Planks

Since I will be doing a kettlebell workout, today's workout should be a very intense 30-40 minutes (if I can make it that long), of doing nothing but kettlebell exercises (1 and 2 arm swings, cleans, deadlifts, windmills, etc), and then doing the planks in between the kettlebell sets.

A Clean way to start

Sorry for the late update, forgot to draw the cards this AM, hence the afternoon update.

This weekend was pretty good, took the day off the gym on Sunday, instead shoveled snow and painted.  w00t.  With Monday comes a brand new workout day, consisting of lifting and cardio, as usual.

WoD 2010/02/08:

• Barbell Cleans
• Plate Front Raises
• 1 Arm Dumbbell Chest Press
• Lat Pulldowns
• --30 minutes of cardio.  going to try the step mill today.  wish me luck. 

Yes I know, alot of lats and shoulders have been in this bag.  I will say that next go-around, I will be putting different things in there as well to challenge me physically.

fit and furious

Today was a good day, great day actually, snow falling and a hard workout with  very few people in the gym.  Feeling pretty exhausted right now, but in a good way.  considering taking Sunday off completely to let my body recoup.

WoD 2010/02/06:

• Close grip bench press
• Dips
• Push ups
• 1 hour spin class

Very hard spin class, and everyone loved it and gave it their all.