So every two to three days I am doing to following workout on the rings:
1 minute of Reverse Crunches
1 minute of Supermans (for lack of a better term) - Basically a reverse crunch but start standing up while you hold the rings out in front of your body, instead of crouched and by the head. The goal is to get as horizontal as possible and still be able to retract your body weight back to your feet.
1 minute Rowing
1 minute Basic Hold / or L-Sit
1 minute Pull-ups / or push-ups.
My ambitious and perhaps overly courageous wife joined me for part of the work out last night.
We scaled the difficulty level for her abilities but she did really well.
Since it is a completely new type of muscle training for her I have no doubt that she will be sore.
Thoughts: I am noticing some more muscle definition becoming evident through my back and shoulders, as well as some stronger tissue in the Pec's.
Lesson: Deut. 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
My wife is such a great example of courageous for me. She may not want or like doing the hard things, being under scrutiny, or not knowing the outcome. But still she faces her fears and plunges ahead in the faith of her Lord Jesus Christ.
Thank you for being such a great example of strength and courage for me Babe!
God has blessed me so mightily through you.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Objective Analysis of Self
I have been looking in the mirror a lot recently and trying to determine what I need to work on as apart of my physical conditioning.
I always used to think that I had really weak upper body strength.
But upon further contemplation, I have a very strong back and even decent triceps.
However my Pec's and Biceps are disproportionately smaller than my general frame.
In addition, I do have a bit of a gut and some small love handles.
1). It is now 10 years after I was in the Prime of my Fitness.
2). A large majority of the past 10 years I have been working behind a desk.
Well if I actually tighten down my core, there is some evidence of an underlying 6 pack, although not incredibly chiseled or defined. The lack of definition comes from a fairly thin layer of fat. What this tells me is that the muscles in my abdomen have gotten soft and weak, thus the major contributing factor to my belly is loose muscles.
I find this encouraging. Yes I do have some weight I could lose, but I seriously doubt it could be more than 15 pounds. What I need to focus on is training my core muscles back into decent strength and shape, and while doing that I should also start losing some of the additional baggage.
Lesson: I really need to work against this physical weakness, but more so my fleshly weakness.
Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
I always used to think that I had really weak upper body strength.
But upon further contemplation, I have a very strong back and even decent triceps.
However my Pec's and Biceps are disproportionately smaller than my general frame.
In addition, I do have a bit of a gut and some small love handles.
1). It is now 10 years after I was in the Prime of my Fitness.
2). A large majority of the past 10 years I have been working behind a desk.
Well if I actually tighten down my core, there is some evidence of an underlying 6 pack, although not incredibly chiseled or defined. The lack of definition comes from a fairly thin layer of fat. What this tells me is that the muscles in my abdomen have gotten soft and weak, thus the major contributing factor to my belly is loose muscles.
I find this encouraging. Yes I do have some weight I could lose, but I seriously doubt it could be more than 15 pounds. What I need to focus on is training my core muscles back into decent strength and shape, and while doing that I should also start losing some of the additional baggage.
Lesson: I really need to work against this physical weakness, but more so my fleshly weakness.
Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The 10 Minute Workout
The formula:
Pick any 5 exercises to perform on the rings.
Perform the first exercise for 1 minute,
Then rest 1 minute
Perform the second exercise for 1 minute,
Continue until all five exercises are completed.
This is a short and intense workout and using the rings adds a significant amount of difficulty!
My workout:
Push-ups - pretty self-explanatory
Basic hold - Basically maintaining the up position after a dip
Rowing - With the rings at dip height, sit on the ground and take hold, then straighten out your body horizontal to the ground. Now pull up to the rings.
Reverse crunches - With the rings 2-3 feet from the floor. Kneel on the ground and hold the rings on each side of your head. Now extend you body horizontally while holding your self off the ground and then contract back to your kneel.
Bench Dips - I am not strong enough to perform Ring Dips yet, but I can barely do some Bench Ring Dips. Basically a dip put your feet are out in an L-Sit position and resting on the ground or stool.
Thoughts:
I reached muscle failure several times on most of these exercises.
But the one that continues to tell me that it was a good work out was the Reverse Crunches.
2 days later my abs are still sore. The brutal thing about the reverse crunches is that you are getting a true amount of body weight resistance opposed to letting part of your body rest on the ground.
Optimally, I would have kept track of each of my reps. I will make sure to do that next time.
That way I can determine if I have made any progress.
Lesson: Our spiritual walks are similar. We know our baseline and what the Lord delivered us from, and we know what growth we have had in Him and where we still need more work. I think it would do me good to remember the history of my walk and all of the things the Lord has done in my life, more often. I think it would help make me more thankful and appreciative.
1 Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Pick any 5 exercises to perform on the rings.
Perform the first exercise for 1 minute,
Then rest 1 minute
Perform the second exercise for 1 minute,
Continue until all five exercises are completed.
This is a short and intense workout and using the rings adds a significant amount of difficulty!
My workout:
Push-ups - pretty self-explanatory
Basic hold - Basically maintaining the up position after a dip
Rowing - With the rings at dip height, sit on the ground and take hold, then straighten out your body horizontal to the ground. Now pull up to the rings.
Reverse crunches - With the rings 2-3 feet from the floor. Kneel on the ground and hold the rings on each side of your head. Now extend you body horizontally while holding your self off the ground and then contract back to your kneel.
Bench Dips - I am not strong enough to perform Ring Dips yet, but I can barely do some Bench Ring Dips. Basically a dip put your feet are out in an L-Sit position and resting on the ground or stool.
Thoughts:
I reached muscle failure several times on most of these exercises.
But the one that continues to tell me that it was a good work out was the Reverse Crunches.
2 days later my abs are still sore. The brutal thing about the reverse crunches is that you are getting a true amount of body weight resistance opposed to letting part of your body rest on the ground.
Optimally, I would have kept track of each of my reps. I will make sure to do that next time.
That way I can determine if I have made any progress.
Lesson: Our spiritual walks are similar. We know our baseline and what the Lord delivered us from, and we know what growth we have had in Him and where we still need more work. I think it would do me good to remember the history of my walk and all of the things the Lord has done in my life, more often. I think it would help make me more thankful and appreciative.
1 Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
The Torture Device
First a shout-out to Joseph Timberlake, a high school alumni who is my second follower on my humble little blog.
I finally got around to getting a picture of the great gift, my wife got me for Father's day. (Thanks for be willing to take the picture Babe!)
Gymnastic Rings!
I apologize for the blurriness. It is completely due to my lack of strength and stability.
Just attempting to hold yourself up on these is brutal. But they are an incredibly flexible workout tool. They can be raised for pull-ups, lowered for push-ups, put in the middle for rowing, dips, or attempted L-sits (as pictured). Becoming very good at using rings is going to take a long time and a lot of training.
I have always enjoyed body weight exercises. The fact that I don't need to have a lot of equipment, or have to go somewhere to work out is a big plus. The only body weight work out I have never been able to do in my home has been pull-ups. And now I have a place to do them, and so much more. I am so thankful and blessed.
Thoughts on my work-outs:
Between the rings and the variety of push-ups that I have been doing, I am noticing that my shoulders are the sore and aching parts of my body more than anything. And it is not isolated to a specific muscle group, but the Deltoid connection to the Pec's, Lat's, Bi's, Tri's, and Trap's. I am sure that building these connections / muscle relationships in the body are the foundation for specific muscle strengthening.
Lesson of the Day:
1 Cor. 12:12-31 - By having a strong walk with the Lord, I will be able to fill the role He has for me in the body and not be a point of weakness that would hinder, stumble, or otherwise harm other members of the body.
I finally got around to getting a picture of the great gift, my wife got me for Father's day. (Thanks for be willing to take the picture Babe!)
Gymnastic Rings!
I apologize for the blurriness. It is completely due to my lack of strength and stability.
Just attempting to hold yourself up on these is brutal. But they are an incredibly flexible workout tool. They can be raised for pull-ups, lowered for push-ups, put in the middle for rowing, dips, or attempted L-sits (as pictured). Becoming very good at using rings is going to take a long time and a lot of training.
I have always enjoyed body weight exercises. The fact that I don't need to have a lot of equipment, or have to go somewhere to work out is a big plus. The only body weight work out I have never been able to do in my home has been pull-ups. And now I have a place to do them, and so much more. I am so thankful and blessed.
Thoughts on my work-outs:
Between the rings and the variety of push-ups that I have been doing, I am noticing that my shoulders are the sore and aching parts of my body more than anything. And it is not isolated to a specific muscle group, but the Deltoid connection to the Pec's, Lat's, Bi's, Tri's, and Trap's. I am sure that building these connections / muscle relationships in the body are the foundation for specific muscle strengthening.
Lesson of the Day:
1 Cor. 12:12-31 - By having a strong walk with the Lord, I will be able to fill the role He has for me in the body and not be a point of weakness that would hinder, stumble, or otherwise harm other members of the body.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Push-ups, Push-ups, and more Push-ups
So I apologize for being lazy in my workout chronicling.
I wanted my next post to be about my new torture device, but since I haven't taken the time to take a picture I might as well move on. Hopeful this weekend I will get the picture and put it up.
So I have been doing the (easy) APK warm-up for my almost daily exercise for a while now.
Basically it consists of:
45 squats, 30 push-ups, 30 sit-ups, 15 pull-ups
Some stretching, some agility foot work,
9 Burpees, and 1'30" of crawling, lunging around on hands and feet like some crazed creature out of a bad vampire chick flick.
However, I have also been starting to do additional sets of varied push-ups. Which I think are fun and incredibly challenging.
Sure we have all done the standard push-up but what about:
1). The one handed push-up. ( I am terrible at these but can occasionally squeeze one out on my right side)
2). The Dive Bomber push-up. ( A combination Push-up and Yoga. You start in a spread stance with your butt in the air in a upside down 'V" formation. Then bend your arms lowering your head to the ground and then straighten out your body, keeping your head close to the floor, and then Push-up and arch your back as you finish straightening out. Then reverse the process for 1 rep.)
3). Planche push-up. (Instead of putting your hands in the normal push-up position, start with them by your hips. Now push-up. These are incredibly challenging due to the amount of weight being levered over you arms.)
What I have found interesting about these workouts is that they require utilizing the core and abdomen muscles to lock and control the body as the arms attempt to perform work. If the Core is weak then the arms will fail. - Lesson of the day? I think so!
Lesson: The Lord must be central, Core to my life. It is only when I am strong in him (but more so - HE is Strong in me), that my true strength (which is really his) can be shown. The first thought that comes to mind is how our hearts exemplify what is core to our bodies, and emotions.
Acts 13:22 "..., I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." - KJV
I wanted my next post to be about my new torture device, but since I haven't taken the time to take a picture I might as well move on. Hopeful this weekend I will get the picture and put it up.
So I have been doing the (easy) APK warm-up for my almost daily exercise for a while now.
Basically it consists of:
45 squats, 30 push-ups, 30 sit-ups, 15 pull-ups
Some stretching, some agility foot work,
9 Burpees, and 1'30" of crawling, lunging around on hands and feet like some crazed creature out of a bad vampire chick flick.
However, I have also been starting to do additional sets of varied push-ups. Which I think are fun and incredibly challenging.
Sure we have all done the standard push-up but what about:
1). The one handed push-up. ( I am terrible at these but can occasionally squeeze one out on my right side)
2). The Dive Bomber push-up. ( A combination Push-up and Yoga. You start in a spread stance with your butt in the air in a upside down 'V" formation. Then bend your arms lowering your head to the ground and then straighten out your body, keeping your head close to the floor, and then Push-up and arch your back as you finish straightening out. Then reverse the process for 1 rep.)
3). Planche push-up. (Instead of putting your hands in the normal push-up position, start with them by your hips. Now push-up. These are incredibly challenging due to the amount of weight being levered over you arms.)
What I have found interesting about these workouts is that they require utilizing the core and abdomen muscles to lock and control the body as the arms attempt to perform work. If the Core is weak then the arms will fail. - Lesson of the day? I think so!
Lesson: The Lord must be central, Core to my life. It is only when I am strong in him (but more so - HE is Strong in me), that my true strength (which is really his) can be shown. The first thought that comes to mind is how our hearts exemplify what is core to our bodies, and emotions.
Acts 13:22 "..., I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." - KJV
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The APK Warm-up Workouts
The warm-up is helping get my body ready to exercise.
I am moving faster and for longer periods of time in the quadrapedal movement.
Push-ups, and sit-ups are coming a bit easier.
I put down a cheap tape ladder on the garage floor. One of the best parts was watching my 4 year old jump, run, and wiggle his way though it.
And my wife ordered a pair of gymnastic rings for me, as a Father's Day gift.
This means I will have a place in the house I can do pull-ups and other strength building workouts.
I am very excited and am looking forward to this.
I think I will try my hand at some more strength training WOD's when they come around.
I am moving faster and for longer periods of time in the quadrapedal movement.
Push-ups, and sit-ups are coming a bit easier.
I put down a cheap tape ladder on the garage floor. One of the best parts was watching my 4 year old jump, run, and wiggle his way though it.
And my wife ordered a pair of gymnastic rings for me, as a Father's Day gift.
This means I will have a place in the house I can do pull-ups and other strength building workouts.
I am very excited and am looking forward to this.
I think I will try my hand at some more strength training WOD's when they come around.
Sprint, Push-ups, Squats
After the strength building workout I previously posted I did the following Conditioning workout:
APK Warm-Up
Workout: 3 rounds, each for time, 1:00 rest between each round:
200m Sprint
10 push-ups
20 squats
This showed me that my body is nowhere near ready for burst conditioning yet. However, I did complete two whole rounds and the 200 meter sprint.
My time on the first round was: 1:17
The second round took twice as long: 2:34.
My body was not recovering very quickly at all, so I am sure that is one of the areas where I will first notice improvement. In order to prevent any overexertion / strains / or injuries I will be sticking to the warm-up for my daily exercise, with an occasional venture into the WOD.
APK Warm-Up
Workout: 3 rounds, each for time, 1:00 rest between each round:
200m Sprint
10 push-ups
20 squats
This showed me that my body is nowhere near ready for burst conditioning yet. However, I did complete two whole rounds and the 200 meter sprint.
My time on the first round was: 1:17
The second round took twice as long: 2:34.
My body was not recovering very quickly at all, so I am sure that is one of the areas where I will first notice improvement. In order to prevent any overexertion / strains / or injuries I will be sticking to the warm-up for my daily exercise, with an occasional venture into the WOD.
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