Tim's Journeyman Log

[Glex]

At some stage I am going to have to measure how many I do, how far I'm going, etc so that I know that I'm getting fitter and quicker.

You'll know. The mirror won't lie, and you'll definitely feel it becoming easier the more you do it. That said, I'm still interested in the actual numbers

When you do your hill sprints, do you walk back to the bottom or jog or...what?

 

[Tunen]

That said, I'm still interested in the actual numbers

Hope your hand gets better soon champ

 

[tim290280]

FF: Thanks. Its going to be a messed up next few weeks anyway, so don't want to do anything to damage the hand. And yes six and a half minutes feels like a half hour of running.

Natureboy: Thanks. I don't tend to get a huge pump out of them, probably due to a crap fitness level.....

Glex: I tend to walk down, and also try to catch my breath the longer it goes on. Although you never really catch your breath. Hence the need to measure the number of times up the hill. The hill itself is probably 15-20m on about a 45-50 degree angle.

Tunen: Thanks, I'm hoping it will be able to start active use/rehab again next week, then back to normal in 2-3. Though this might mean no more weightlifting for a couple of weeks. Yeh I know hard to measure progress without measuring things. Guess I only really do these to maintain some sembalance of cardio fitness.

 

[tim290280]

Well the hand is shitty, and isn't getting better in a hurry, so it's likely to be tendon or ligament damage (4 weeks). Upon this discovery I decided to do a full body day and see what exercises I could do. Turns out that as long as I'm not grabbing the bar (I.e. use a hook grip, or rest it in the palm) I can lift.

Now I'm not keen on this, especially in benching, as it really invites the bar to slip and fall. But its either rely on the safety bars or not train for 4-6 weeks.

So yesterday I did my first day of a traditional split. It looks like this:
Day 1 Chest and tris
Day 2 Quads and calves
Day 3 rest
Day 4 Back and bis
Day 5 Hammys and delts
I've decided to use slightly higher reps, so as to allow better adjustment to the holding of the bar. So most of the previous 5 rep sets are now 8. This is really hard on squats, as I don't usually go over 6 reps.

First thing I notice with the first day is the pump. Full body just doesn't get the lactic acid pump, especially not localised. The second was that straight sets really blow, but give a great pump. Finally that a good workout is done in about half an hour...... I barely raised a sweat.

 

[onebigeric]

Welcome to the traditional splits Tim I'm sorry to hear about your hand though. I had a brief scare with something of a similar nature in the past; I hope you heal up well.

 

[Glex]

I tend to walk down, and also try to catch my breath the longer it goes on. Although you never really catch your breath. Hence the need to measure the number of times up the hill. The hill itself is probably 15-20m on about a 45-50 degree angle.

On a longer and not as steep hill it might make sense to jog it down (helps you recover faster), but running down such a steep angle isn't fun or good for your knees. If you know a longer way down that wasn't so steep you might want to try it...it's weird

Heal up that hand and good luck on your new split

 

[tim290280]

Eric: I was trying to work out the other day how long it was since I'd done split training. Its at least 5 years, maybe as many as 7! Its definitely easier on certain days.

Glex: The slope is probably the reason I don't jog down, that and laziness. 25-30 degree slopes would be better for that. I actually need to stop doing quite so harsh a hill, or no hills. Its messing up my running style.

Last night I did quads and calves. The 90kgx8 for 3 sets (plus a few warmups) was hard. After about 5 reps (my usual) I found it hard to keep the bar from starting to roll off the shoulder. I can't really hold the bar in place, as that really hurts my hand, so I cut all the sets short. I'll up the weight, but I don't know if that will fix anything, just work my legs more.

I then did my exhaust BW things. I started with striding lunges, then realised I really needed some weight (I think I'll have to get about 60-70kg), which then made my knee click..... Hmmmm. So I then finished with BW rock bottom pause squats. These killed my thighs very quickly, odd considering that the lunges didn't.

 

[Line]

First, sorry to hear about the hand, that's a really tough break and it's a shame it happened to someone who's training is as health/fitness oriented as anyone else's here. I'm also sorry to hear you've reverted to a traditional split

It still sounds like you were able to get an effective leg workout in and I could see how the BW rock bottom pauses might've warn you out seeing how it was already your third exercise and, I'm not sure about, but many times fatigue just hits me out of nowhere.

 

[Glex]

Glex: The slope is probably the reason I don't jog down, that and laziness. 25-30 degree slopes would be better for that. I actually need to stop doing quite so harsh a hill, or no hills. Its messing up my running style.

As it should. Running on a slope like that is really extreme. But, as long as you're keeping your legs moving and pumping your arms it shouldn't be bad form...just different.

We used to have a hill like that when I did football waaaay back in the day (American football, none of that other crazy shit), and they would make us sprint up and do bear crawls and stuff. It was very tiring for such a short distance.

That really sucks that your hand injury is hurting your other exercises

 

[tim290280]

Line, Eric, Glex: Thanks for the support on the hand thing. Its not a bad injury, but it is an injury that could easily get worse. Though the good thing is that I can still do stuff, just clearly not with the same level of intensity.

Line: Fatigue is not something I'm used to being so localised. I'm used to the completely out of energy thing, and the can't do another exercise thing, so maybe just not expecting fatigue from such a "light" workout.

Glex: We had a similar hill at our footy oval too! They used to do them at the end of the training session........ murderous bastards!

I think because the hill is much more quad dominant, you don't get the right hip and hammy involvement and stride length is messed up. It's not serious for someone who runs regularly, nor someone whom has had plenty of running experience. Though I'm someone who had to relearn to walk just over 1.5yrs ago, so this can mess me up.

 

[FOOTBALL FAN]

sorry to hear that your hands not healing up quickly, good luck with your old split

 

[tim290280]

FF: Cheers dude! Yes splits do seem to suck.

Well last night it was time to do back. I had no idea what weight to use on BB rows, as I haven't done them in so long. I can't use my dumbbells, nor my thick handled DB as that is just asking for more hand trouble. So BB rows it was.

I started off with a supinated hook grip, that seemed to work so I added my bench weight to do (as you should be able to BB row what you BB bench theoretically). That theory was thrown out, as I couldn't safely complete the reps with the hook grip. Plus it felt like I was doing it with too much traps anyway. So I backed it off 10kg and continued.

So after BB rows I did some chinups. Someone posted a video of themselves doing chinups in which they were kicking around all over the place to complete reps. I just like to say I do them the proper way without all the swinging and kicking. Got 12, 8, 8 as a second exercise before my arms and back were bloated and done. Then onto some incline curls.

Have to say that next week I'll reverse the roles. I think I'll get more out of weighted chins (as I've found my reps top out, yet I can do the same reps with more weight) and lighter rows. Have to seriously look at doing some work on my arms, as last night there was 1-1.5cm difference between the two. Don't know if that was just an uneven pump or whether the size gap has grown.

 

[Natureboypkr]

good old timmy boy, trying to get that wide back

 

[onebigeric]

Cerebral training as always Tim; good on ya for it Working with an injury like yours is tough, and most people would just call it off entirely instead of thinking things through and working around it. Thank you for your example, and I hope the dang hand heals sooner rather than later

 

[Glex]

Though I'm someone who had to relearn to walk just over 1.5yrs ago, so this can mess me up.

Forgot about that When I do hills like that I usually stay up on the toes and shorten the strides to work my calves. You just can't keep the full stride (which works all your leg muscles more evenly) on such a steep hill.

Rows look good for all your improvisation

1 centimeter difference, eh? How can anyone love you like that
Is it noticeable? Seems like a small amount, though I don't know a lot about judging physique.

 

[Line]

I wouldn't expect your form to be anything less than controlled with something like chins. How's your hand holding up while doing them though?

 

[tim290280]

good old timmy boy, trying to get that wide back

I've got that quote from Lenda Murray in the Flex Magazine workouts in my head now "Come on Boyer (Coe), Big Back!". Except for the fact that I have a back more akin to Lenda's than Boyer or Shaun Ray.

Eric: Thanks dude. Alot of people do stupid stuff when injured, or they do nothing. I'm trying to document the proper way..... I hope.

Glex: I'm still not a huge BB row fan though. I get enough trap work from deads and the weightlifting moves, so back work really has to be more lower traps and lats. BB rows tend to turn into a upper trap workout just due to the angles. It'll work better with the change around.

The arm difference isn't visually noticeable, but this size difference was something I was supposed to be addressing, and yet its getting worse. I have a feeling it was a bum measure though, so I'll do it again some time soon.

Line: The hand doesn't seem to mind the chins as long as I'm not wrapping my thumbs around the bar. As long as it is a thumbless hook grip it hasn't bothered me. This seems to be the case with all exercises. I've narrowed the injury down to one of the thumb adductors. It has been strained from too much stretching in a pressing grasp (my overhead weightlifting catches). So pressure on the thumb and pinching grips are what is painfull. This has gotten slightly better, but a few more weeks yet.

I did hammys and delts yesterday morning. Started with the SLDL and found the first set easy, and then found the thumbless grip hard to maintain for the entire set for the last two sets. Might have to use a mixed hook grip rather than a pronated grip next week, especially as I'll bump it up 5kg to 3 sets of 100kgx8.

While I was "resting" between sets I did side laterals. By "resting" I mean the irony of how easy split training feels in comparison to what I have been doing. I suppose I could cut the set breaks down to 30sec from 90sec...... Or I could just keep doing stuff in between. The side laterals are interesting, I don't do them much as:
1) A lot of shoulder people have cited lateral raises as bad for the shoulder.
2) I feel they work the trap more than the delt.

Next I did hammy curls and posterior delts. I was actually suprised with how much weight I could use on the curl as a second exercise. Need more on that one too! Might finally be getting some good strength in the hammys. I seem to have some better shape in them. Right after they are looking like Tom Prince's I'll be happy! Seriously though I'd like a similar sort of balance between quad and hammy as bi and tri.

Should mention that I'm not likely to train this week as we are moving house. I'll be setting up with new digs to train in. Apparently they want to pack one day pick everything up and load it onto a truck the next and then deliver it on the third day....... Stupid movers (no offense Line!).

 

[Line]

IShould mention that I'm not likely to train this week as we are moving house. I'll be setting up with new digs to train in. Apparently they want to pack one day pick everything up and load it onto a truck the next and then deliver it on the third day....... Stupid movers (no offense Line!).

Yeah, sadly sometimes that's standard depending on how much junk you have (no offense, Tim!) and how far you're moving. Hope all goes well with the move (I hear some movers are quite the irresponsible, promiscuous alcoholics ) and I'm looking forward to seeing some periodic updates when you do get the chance.

 

[Glex]

Well, the move should give you some time to rest up the thumb at least. Just don't try to Olympic lift your weights into the back of the moving truck.

 

[FOOTBALL FAN]

I do removals sometimes we load up one day and drive and unload the next depending on how far we have to travel, sounds like you had a good session hamstring curls sound good