Week 19, Day 1

Squat

148/5, 173/4, 198/3, 228/2, 258/1, 263/1, 278/1, 258/5


Ladder

Bodyweight Squat   5  10  15  20  25  20  15  10  5
Situps                       5  10  15  20  25  20  15  10  5
Chinups                    2  4     6   8    10   8    6   4   2
Pushups                    5  10  15  20  25  20  15  10 5

Sets are performed as follows:

5 bodyweight squats, 5 situps, 2 chinups, 5 pushups, short rest;
10 bodyweight squats, 10 situps, 4 chinups, 10 pushups, short rest;
15 bodyweight squats, 15 situps, 6 chinups, 15 pushups, short rest;
etc.

The first three sets were solid. The sets starting with 20, 25, 20, and 15 were pretty difficult. I had to take some short breaks to get through all of the reps, but I did it. Just when I was glad the 100 rep sets were over with, here come the ladders to destroy me!

As I expected, I struggled mostly with the situps, as abs have always been my weakest area.

This "ladder phase" lasts 6 weeks and lifting is only done twice per week. The rest of the week is dedicated to conditioning. I will continue to play basketball, run 1.5 miles, and sprint 300 meters.

300 meter sprints & Week 18, Day 3

300 meter sprints

3 attempts; rested a few minutes in between each:

a) 50 seconds
b) 56 seconds
c) 59 seconds

I was spent after the second attempt and am surprised how much such a short distance for a few attempts took out of me. I would like to get my time in a first attempt to about 45-47 seconds consistently.

From the track, I drove straight to the gym to do the weight lifting scheduled for today.

Bench Press

137/5, 147/4, 177/3, 187/2, 217/1, 227/1, 237/1

Triceps

Single Pulley Rope Pulldowns: 45/20, 45/20, 45/15 into 40/5, 30/20, 30/20

Upper Back

Shrugs: 98/50 into Upright Rows: 30/50

Curls

Standing straight bar: 35/100 (50,20,10,10,10)

This marks the end of the 100 rep sets. Will start the next phase of LRB tomorrow.

1.5 Mile

11:48!! Best track time yet!

Week 18, Day 2

Squat

147/5, 172/4, 198/3, 227/2, 258/1, 263/1, 273/1

* All sets moved quickly.

Lat Pulldown Machine

80/100 (straight through; good way to end the 100 rep sets with this exercise!)

Bulgarian Split Squats-Smith Machine

bar/50 each leg (sets of 15,10,10,10,5 for each leg; very minimal rest in between)
 

Week 18, Day 1

DB Shoulder Press

60/15,12

Seated Rear Delt Machine

50/100 (66 straight through, very short breaks thereafter)

Triceps

Pushups: 20,10
Single Pulley Pushdown:  45/15,20,20,20

* The set of 45/15 was performed right after I did the set of 10 pushups.

Biceps

DB Curls: 10/100 (straight through)

300 meter sprint & 1.5 mile

300 meter sprint

1:00 flat; first time I ever did a 300m in my life. Not fast at all, but a starting point.

1.5 mile

12:35; did it immediately after the sprint. Cost me 32 seconds compared to my last attempt.

Not happy, but not utterly crushed, either, as this was the first time I did these back to back.

Week 17, Day 3

Pause Squat

Warm Up- Regular Squat: 45/10, 135/10
Pause Squat: 225/3

Deadlift

186/5, 225/4, 265/3, 305/2, 325/1, 335/1, 346/1

Iso Lateral Seated Row Machine

62/100 (did all 100 straight through without any problem- easy set)

Conditioning

~ 1 hour of basketball


 

1.5 mile

12:03

Another 15 seconds chopped off! Wanted to collapse.

Onward and upward......

Week 17, Day 2

Bench Press

132/5, 142/4, 172/3, 182/2, 202/1, 222/1, 232/1

Triceps

Pushups: 20, 20, 20, 10
Single Pulley Pushdowns: 40/20, 45/20

The set of 10 pushups was immediately followed by the set of 40/20.

I wanted to see if I could get 5 sets of 20 pushups. As evidenced, I failed halfway through set 4.

Upper Back

Upright Rows: 30/50, immediately followed by Shrugs: 95/50

Biceps

Standing DB Curls: 10's/100 (82 straight, a couple of slight pauses thereafter)


1.5 mile scheduled for tomorrow morning. It was pouring rain not too long ago. Hope it's not a washout. :/

Week 17, Day 1

Squat

147/5, 172/4, 198/3, 227/2, 237/1, 258/1, 268/1

Lat Pulldown Machine

80/100 (72 straight; extremely short breaks thereafter)

Bulgarian Split Squats- Smith Machine

bar/50 each leg

 

1.5 mile

Prior to today, I ran in basketball sneakers. I was told by my sister, who ran track in high school, that running sneakers really do make a difference. I picked up a pair the other day and ran with them for the first time today.

Hit 12:18.

Sneakers felt great and I knocked 15 seconds off of my time from three days ago.

Week 16, Day 3

Seated DB Shoulder Press

50/20,17

Seated Rear Delt Machine

50/100 (started taking very short breaks after 62 reps; this set was faster than the last time I did this exercise)

Triceps

Pushups: 20
Pushdown machine (single pulley): 45/20,20; 40/20,20

EZ Bar Curls

30/100 (did all 100 reps straight through; best set yet)

Conditioning

5 on 5 basketball: ~40 minutes

Outlook for the week (weather permitting)

Tuesday: 1.5 mile run (supposed to rain, though. Ugh)
Wednesday: basketball- hopefully 2-2.5 hours worth
Thursday: Week 17, Day 1
Friday: Week 17, Day 2
Saturday: 1.5 mile run
Sunday: off
Monday: Week 17, Day 3

1.5 mile conditioning

In previous posts, I have discussed training my 1.5 mile run.

On the treadmill, I was able to do the 1.5 in 10:46.

Last weekend, I tried it out on the track. Unfortunately, my time was 12:40. I was disappointed, but I was not surprised that my speed suffered. The body naturally slows down on the track as it gets tired. This is not the case on a treadmill, as the speed the belt is set on forces you to maintain that speed until you lower it.

After last week, I decided that I will only train the 1.5 on the track going forward.

I went there this morning and was able to do it in 12:33.

Yes, it is only 7 seconds better than last time, but it is still better. My goal in this is to be able to get to the 11 minute mark on the track. I would think that I am capable of doing this, as my body did physically do this distance in 10:46 on the treadmill. I just need to find it inside of me.

* On a side note, I weighed myself this morning: 209. That is the lowest I have weighed in maybe 15 years. My strength seems pretty good, so I suppose that's not a bad thing. Shrug.

Week 16, Day 2

Pause Squat

Warm Up- Regular Squat: 132/10
Pause Squat: 193/3,3,3

Deadlift

153/5, 192/4, 223/3, 263/2, 302/1, 322/1, 332/1

Hammer Strength Seated Iso-Lateral Row

62/100 (did this pretty much straight through)

Week 16, Day 1

Warmed up with a set of 24 push ups

Bench Press

132/5, 142/4, 167/3, 187/2, 192/1, 207/1, 217/1

Upright Rows

* Haven't done this exercise in over 5 years, so I had no idea on what weight to start with to go for a set of 100. So, I decided to use a bare olympic bar.

47/51,51

These were two separate sets of 51 reps each. Obviously, the bare olympic bar was too much weight to start with for a set of 100. Next time I try it, I will have to use one of the preloaded smaller bars that folks use to do curls.

EZ Bar Curls

30/100 (best set yet)

Triceps- Close Grip Decline Bench Press

107/20,20,20,20,16

* Ran out of gas during the 5th set, which I did with very little rest following the 4th set. 

Week 15, Day 3

Squat

137/5, 158/4, 183/3, 203/2, 238/1, 243/1, 253/1

Lat Pulldown Machine

80/100 (did the first 60 straight, then did sets of 10 with short pauses)

Bulgarian Split Squats- Smith Machine

bar/50 each leg (15 straight, short pause, 10, short pause, sets of 7-8 to finish for each leg)

Week 15, Day 2

DB Shoulder Press

50/20,16

T Bar Row Machine

25 + unknown starting weight of machine/100 (short breaks throughout)

Triceps Pushdown (Double Pulley)

100/20,20,20,14
90/20

EZ Bar Curls

30/100


I also did about 25-30 pull ups last night while waiting for the basketball court to open. (sets of 5-6, don't remember how many sets I did, but it was at least 5)

Week 15, Day 1

Pause Squat

190/5,5

Deadlift

170/5, 210/4, 240/3, 275/2, 300/1, 305/1, 320/1

Barbell Shrugs

95/100 (slight pauses after the first 50 reps)

Conditioning

Treadmill- incline walking at 5%; ran 1 mile (.75 mile at 9MPH, .25 mile at 7MPH); played two games of 2 on 2 basketball. (couldn't give a lot of effort in basketball, as my legs were dead)

My plan is to play basketball for 2 hours tomorrow, which is a normal Wednesday.

I will do Week 15, Day 2 on Thursday, but will not be able to get back to the gym until Monday after that. (going on a weekend trip)

Week 14, Day 3

Bench Press

117/5, 137/4, 157/3, 167/2, 177/1, 197/1, 207/1

Hammer Strength Seated Iso-Lateral Row

62/100

Triceps

Decline Close Grip Bench Press

107/20,20,20,20,20

Biceps

Standing EZ Bar

30/100