Calibrations

Today is a rest day but I've been wondering what the actual weight of my chains are and how much resistance the bands offer. Here's what I found.

Bands doubled pulled to top of deadlift.
Orange Bands - 0lbs at bottom, 100lbs at lock out (2'8").
Grey Bands - 0lbs at bottom, 180lbs at lock out (2'8").
Black Bands - I didn't stretch them. I'll try another day, I'm guessing around 265 - 300lbs (it's a lot).

Chains - I weighed them on my bathroom scales which are fairly accurate. I got different readings each time. 110lbs (55lbs / chain) is a conservative estimate.

With that said my deadlifts the other day were 495lbs at lock out. Very good for a raw 2 sets double.

Tomorrow is the first day of the new year. I'll start this new year with band squats. Orange bands onto a 14.5" box wearing Inzer Z suit bottoms. 10 sets, 2 reps, 245lbs (maybe more). I can hardly wait.

Snowdaddy

Speed Deadlifts + Bands

Sledding today with the kids made me think I might not be at 100% for tonight's work out. Funny how those rough days turn into great work out.

Warm Up - 11 minutes Stationary Bike (would have been 15 minutes but I had to poop).

Band Speed Deadlifts (light bands) - 135lbs/4 reps, 225lbs/4 reps, 8 sets/2 reps/315lbs, 2 sets/2 reps/315lbs (medium bands).
Floor Press - 4 sets/8 reps/135lbs, 4 sets/8 reps/185lbs, 2 sets/6 reps/225lbs.

Heavy Grips (per hand) - 100/12 reps, 150/8 reps, 200/1 rep, 300/1 rep, 250/1 rep, 200/1 rep, 150/8 reps.

A great work out!!! Don't you hate when a poop interferes with a work out. closing the Heavy Grip 300 is a huge accomplishment for me. Next time I need to get it on video. Deadlifts felt great and I had really good explosive power with the floor presses. With some left in the tank I went to the Heavy Grips. Hurrah!!! Tomorrow is the last day of 2010, so today was my last work out of 2010. What can I say, it's been a great year!!!

Snowdaddy

Heavy Bench + Chains Video

Here's the video of training on December 27th.

Heavy Bench + Chain

Snowdaddy

Heavy Bench Press + Chains

As the title says tonight was heavy bench with chains. A great work out.

Warm Up - 5 minutes Stationary Bike.
Bench Press - 135lbs/12 reps, 185lbs/6 reps, 245lbs/6 reps, 275lbs/3 reps.
Heavy Bench Press + Chains - 245lbs + 110lbs chain/2, 1, 1, 1 rep.
Bench Over Rows - 135lbs/12 reps, 4 sets/12 reps/185lbs.

With the chain lock out was about 355lbs which is 20 lbs over my raw PB. The bent over rows wicked every last bit of energy I had left. A great work out. Tomorrow I'll be taking it easy. Maybe I'll go for a walk if the weather permits.

Snowdaddy

Speed Squats

Nothing fancy, just get under 50 to 60% 1RM and blast em' up as fast as possible. While keeping good form of course.

Warm Up - 5 minutes Stationary Bike
Squat - bar/6 reps, 135lbs/6 reps.
Stretching.

Speed Squats - 10 sets/2 reps/245lbs.

I video taped most of the squats to see how my form was. Only 3 sets were done wearing a belt. I wanted to see if there was much of a difference with and with out. Depth was spot on, just a bit bellow parallel. I'm sitting back most of the time. My speed down and up is pretty good. Next time should seem easier so I'll go up a bit in weight next time.

Snowdaddy

Christmas Eve Deadlifts

Another great reason to love my garage gym. Christmas Eve work out. Tonight was Deadlift. I made a video I'll post it next time.

Deadlifts - 135lbs/6 reps, 225lbs/6 reps, 315lbs/3 reps, 405lbs/3 reps, 505lbs/1 rep,
Speed Deadlifts - 8 sets/2 reps/315lbs.

Push Ups - 4 sets/12 reps.

A very solid work out. All sets were done raw. I wore my belt for 505lbs only. I'm sure tomorrow I'll be craving to bend the bar. I'll see, maybe (probably).

Snowdaddy

Cardio and Core

Great news this morning!!! My wife, who is also in the Military, passed her PT test. I'm so motivated by this that I have to hit the SANCTUM for a work out.

Warm Up - light stretching.

Stationary Bike - 20 minutes (230 cal, 10km).
Ab Sling - 24 reps (12 front, 12 side).
Swiss Ball Sit Up - 25 reps.
Broom Handle Twists - 30 reps.

Stationary Bike - 5 minutes (50 cal, 2.5km).
Ab Sling - 26 reps (12 front, 12 side, 2 front).
Swiss Ball Sit Up - 25 reps.
Broom Handle Twists - 30 reps.

Stationary Bike - 5 minutes (50 cal, 2.5km).
Ab Sling - 30 reps (12 front, 12 side, 6 front).
Swiss Ball Sit Up - 30 reps.
Broom Handle Twists - 30 reps.

Stretching.

My lower abs feel really tight. It's a familiar feeling but one I haven't felt in several years. Tomorrow is a well earned day of rest then back at it on Thursday with speed deadlifts.

Snowdaddy

PS, here's a video from yesterday's work out.

BAND BENCH PRESS

Band Bench Press

Late work out again. My days this time of year are quite busy. Here's how things went.

Warm Up - 5 minutes Stationary Bike.

Bench Press - 135lbs/16 reps, 195lbs/6 reps.
Band Bench Press (light bands) - 8 sets/3 reps/195lbs + bands.

Pull Ups - 4 sets/8 reps/BW band assisted.

My busy day turned into a busy evening. The phone never stopped. Since the wife was out and I was left alone at home there was no one to take the calls for me. I did get the work out complete and talk with my Father and Sister and the process. Now it's late, time for bed.

Snowdaddy

New Program

Here is my new program. I wanted to encorperate Bands and Chains into my training. I think this is going to work alright. If there are any critics out there feel free to comment. Next work out is "band bench". Maybe today.

Snowdaddy

Squats

Ye Ha!!! I'm finally on Christmas leave. Monday my wife is going out for most of the day so I'm with my kids, most of the day. I'm not sure if I'd get time to work out. So, I hit the SANCTUM tonight. I'm glad I did.

Squats - bar/8 reps, 135lbs/6 reps, 135lbs +110lbs chain/6 reps, 225lbs/6 reps, 225lbs +110lbs chain/3 reps, 225lbs +110lbs chain/3 reps, 225lbs +110lbs chain/4 reps, 245lbs +110lbs chain/4 reps, 245lbs +110lbs chain/4 reps.

Ab Sling - 4 sets/24 reps (12 straight, 12 alt sides).

Stretching.

Crazy work out!!! Completely raw, no belt. Now it's 2200hrsL and I've got to think about bed soon. Tomorrow will be fun with the kids, Tuesday I'll get onto the bench.

Snowdaddy

Deadlifts

Chilly morning, warm fire, Deadlifts in the SANCTUM. It's been a while since I deadlifted so I just took it slow and steady.

Warm Up - 10 minutes stationary bike.

Deadlifts - 135lbs/6 reps, 225lbs/6 reps, 315lbs/6 reps, 5 sets/1 rep/405lbs.
Ab Sling - 3 sets/12 reps straight, 12 reps sides.

Cardio - 10 minutes stationary bike higher effort.

I worked on speed pulling 405lbs. I didn't wear a belt. The core work is getting better and better.

Snowdaddy

Reverse Bench

My left shoulder is bugging me a bit. Standard bench press bothered me a bit so I tried reverse grip bench. Seemed to work just fine.

Warm Up - 5 minutes stationary bike.

*repeat the following 3 times.
Reverse Grip Bench Press - 2 sets/12 reps/135lbs.
Swiss Ball Sit Ups - 20, 25, 30 reps.
Dumbbell Side Laterals - 12 reps per side/25lbs.

Flat Bench Press - 12 reps/225lbs.
Swiss Ba Sit Ups - 35 reps.
Flat Bench Press - 12 reps/225lbs.

My core is really tight right now. I'm also really pleased with doing 35 reps. Off to work shortly.

Snowdaddy

Squat Shoes

Today was my first work out with my new squat shoes. They definitely are different. It will take some time to get used to wearing them. I shouldn't sound negative, they're different in a good way.

Walk - 1 minute.
Jogging - 5 minutes.
Walk - 4 minutes.
Stationary Bike - 5 minutes.

Squats - bar/12 reps, 135lbs/8 reps, 225lbs/6 reps, Inzer Z suit bottoms 6 sets/2 reps/315lbs.
Ab Sling - 3 sets/15 reps.

Not too bad a work out. Now that I'm back in the rack I feel stronger than starting out in the past. Not much else to say today. I had a terrible night sleep last night so I may go for a nap before work this afternoon.

Snowdaddy

Benching in the SANCTUM

A few slices of pizza, put the kids to bed, then out to the SANCTUM for some bench press fun.

Warm Up - 10 minutes Stationary Bike.
Warm Up Bench Press - Bar + light bands/12 reps, 135lbs + light bands/12 reps.

*repeat the following 3 times
Stationary Bike - 5 minutes.
Bench Press - 135lbs + light bands +110lbs chain/6 reps.
Push Ups - BW/10 reps.

Chilly night, -6 degC. I put on a fire and the SANCTUM was warm and cozy. All the bench sets were manageable off my chest but much, much harder to lock out. It was fun none-the -less. I'm glad I'm keeping up the cardio. This week end will be off, next week I'm on nights. M days will be free to hit the weights.

Snowdaddy

Squats

FINALLY!!! I'm back into the rack with a bar on my back! Damn! Doing squats today felt great! I felt a bit weak driving out of the hole but I made up for it with explosive lock outs. Every rep finished with the bar flying up off my shoulders. I'm sure I've got quite a red mark across my upper back from the bar.

Squats - bar/8 reps, 135lbs/8 reps, 225lbs/6 reps, 315lbs/2 reps, 315lbs/4 reps, 315lbs/3 reps, 315lbs/4 reps, 365lbs/1 rep.

Bent Over Dumbbell Rows - 65lbs/12 reps, 90lbs/10 reps, 90lbs/10 reps.

I got a package today from PLGearOnline. I received a Toro bench belt and two Titan t-shirts. I'm still waiting for my squat shoes. Christmas came early this year.

Snowdaddy

I Passed Again!!!

Another year, another passed PT test. Ye Ha for me!!! Here's the results.

• Level 5 20m suttle run (5 minutes).
• 20 push ups.
• 20 sit ups.
• Grip strength 73lbs right hand, 75lbs left hand.

I'm pleased with how training has been going and how I've been feeling lately. I'll try to incorperate regular jogging into my weight training. I've also been looking into plyometrics and I think I'll give it a try as well. I have a pre competition squat program that I'll be following in the near future. It alows me to use both bands and chains. Very cool!!!

Snowdaddy

Last Training Day Before PT Test

I wasn't going to do anything today but guilt got to me. Not a very demanding work out but I was able to stretch and get my heart rate up.

Stationary Bike - 10 minutes.
Bent Over Dumbbell Rows - 85lbs/10 reps per side.
Stretching.
Stationary Bike - 10 minutes.
Bent Over Dumbbell Rows - 85lbs/10 reps per side.
Stretching.

I feel really good and ready to run. 20 meter suttle run VO2 max test. I've got to get to level 5.

Snowdaddy

Stationary Bike in the SANCTUM

Worked late last night and my wife was nice enough to let me sleep in. I wanted to work out yesterday but it just wasn't in the cards. This morning was manditory.

*repeat the following 3 times*
Stationary Bike - 10 minutes.
Swiss Ball Sit Ups - 20, 25, 30 reps.
Flat Bench Press - 135lbs/25 reps, 135lbs/30 reps, 225lbs/14 +6 reps.

Of course there was some stretching through out the work out. Monday is my PT test. I'll pass.

Snowdaddy