Lothig - here we go again!

[Lothig]

Starting Stats(Same as ending stats from last challenge):

 

Measurements:

Bicep - 33.2 cm

Neck - 38 cm

Waist - 94.3 cm

Thigh - 57 cm

Butt - 97 cm

Forearm - 27.5 cm

 

Weight(Fasting) - 192.8lbs

 

BF%(accu-measure(13)15.7%

 

Photos:

 

     Photo from 2013-03-15                                                                                   Photo from 2013-07-15

                             

 

Main Quest:

Muscle Up (Rings).  Do one yo!

 

Sub Quests

1) Pull-ups

Work toward 20 rep max effort sets.  Still really looking to rep out on pull ups ( and chins) I can currently do 10-11 or so on a max effort set.  I tweaked my shoulder in the last week of the last challenge, followed by tweaking something in the abs that I'm still getting over so I may not even be able to do 10-11 on monday.  I'm going to be working tabatas and ladders for this. (+2 STA, +2 STR)

 

2) Dips

Work toward 20 rep max effort sets.  This goal could read just like that last one, looking to rep out on these too, need to focus on super low dips.  My current max effort set is about 10 dips.  I will also be using tabatas and ladders to increase reps here. (+2 STA, +2 STR)

 

3) Transition Work, and false grip work

I will be using http://gymnasticswod.com/content/muscle-transition-progression-pt1 and http://gymnasticswod.com/content/false-grip-progressions-pt1 here to work toward muscle ups.  Hoping to be able to get a good false grip, and be able to start training pull-ups with them. Transitions will be a lot more about learning the movements and trying it with low rings. (+3 Dex)

 

Life Quest:

Clean up and improve basement / garage workout area.  It's gotten pretty insane with all my junk and I'm actually planning on building / acquiring more junk.  Organize basement, clean up garage, make the wife happy.  I'll post pics in a couple days of this so there can be some accountability for my foolishness.( +1 Wis) 

 

Diet/Fitness Side Quest:

 

Execute(scaled if necessary due to fitness or equipment) a crossfit.com or gymnasticswod.com wod 3 days a week.(+1 STA, +1 STR, +1 Dex)

[Nuala]

Nice progress pics! And happy to see you again! Let's have a blast for this challenge (and de-clutter your garage )

[Lothig]

Mon 7-29 am(CF.com wod scaled)

For Time: [

15 Pull-ups (8,3,3,1)

15 Dips (5,5,3,2)

Walking lunges for 90ft.[est 30 WL] (30)

5 Handstand Push-ups (2,2,1)

] 7:09

 

Mobility:

For Squats ( 2 min each leg / position ( 8 min total) ):

Extended Squatting from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gwgm3s2EQ0

Soleus Stretch from http://www.mobilitywod.com/2011/01/episode-141-professional-ballet-dancer-calves-and-ankles/ [ Thanks yuen! ] 

 

 

 

 

In Summary, my pull-ups and dips have suffered while waiting for my pulled muscle to heal, so I'll have to actually work up to the numbers stated in the challenge. 

[Lothig]

Nice progress pics! And happy to see you again! Let's have a blast for this challenge (and de-clutter your garage )

Thanks!

[Lothig]

7/29 pm

 

Ladders, alternating Ring Dips and Bar (Pronated) Pull-ups, no breaks

1,2,3,4,(2 Dips, 3 Pulls), 60 sec rest, 2

 

False Grip work:

1ish(crazy weak after ladders) False grip bar pullup

 

 

Abdominal injury is feeling just fine, hopefully my arms, back and chest will get going again soon, I really didn't think that a 12 day break would be so detrimental. 

[Nuala]

I'm quite afraid to take some "holidays" because I feel like I lose all my strength very quickly... Could you believe I could do 42 pushups in a row before? Now I fell back at 10-12 because I stopped training them. I know it can come back quickly if I train seriously but it was a huge blow for me when I noticed that. 

[Lothig]

I'm quite afraid to take some "holidays" because I feel like I lose all my strength very quickly... Could you believe I could do 42 pushups in a row before? Now I fell back at 10-12 because I stopped training them. I know it can come back quickly if I train seriously but it was a huge blow for me when I noticed that. 

I haven't really even tried push-ups yet, it didn't feel great to do them so I didn't do them for a few days either.  Mostly not trying to aggravate the injury.   I'm hoping my numbers haven't gone down that far.

[Lothig]

7/30 am

Toes to bar progression(ab pain, didn't finish,  1 partial rep)

Plank - 60s, 60s

Side Plank(with top leg lifts during hold) - (30s, 30s), (30s, 30s)

 

Ankle Mobility:

Soleus stretch 2 min per leg

Extended Squatting 4 min total

[Lothig]

7-31 am

Gymnasticswod.com

 

Ring Rows - 10,9,8.7,6,5,4,3,2,1

V-outs - 1,2,3,4 (Pain from abdominal injuiry, so stopped)

Dips - 5,4,3,2,1

 

Ankle Mobility:

Soleus Stretch 1:30 per leg

[SeeingRed]

Awesome goals! I wanted to be able to do a muscle up last challenge but got injured and I am still recovering. Good luck on your goals. I am really looking forward to seeing you get that muscle up.

[Lothig]

Awesome goals! I wanted to be able to do a muscle up last challenge but got injured and I am still recovering. Good luck on your goals. I am really looking forward to seeing you get that muscle up.

Thanks, I don't think I'm anywhere near there I'm trying to get lower ROM on dips and higher ROM on pull-ups.  These are of course the areas where you are lacking leverage and require far more strength.  I have a feeling I'll still be doing this next(and at least the one after) challenge.

[Lothig]

7/31 pm

Tabata Alternating( pull-ups, ring dips )

 

Pull-ups 6, 4, 3, 1

Dips 5, 5, 3, 2

[Lothig]

Ok, here are the(hopefully) before pictures of my basement and garage.

 

Basement:

 

Garage:

?

 

 

 

So Plan of attack(This particular goal isn't super smart, it's really Unspecific, Measurable, Unattainable, Relavent,  Time bound, so UMUR Goal? Anyway this may take multiple sprints to complete:

 

1) Sort and clean out(read throw away stuff) from basement

2) In garage put remaining finsh layers on kitchen island(when it stops raining for more than 5 minutes) and relocate to kitchen(not pictured).

3) Build, or buy some type of shelving for Basement storage

4) Look into re-configuring workout area if necessary for better space utilization

5) Clean up garage, maybe building work bench

6) Post after pics.

 

 

If I can get to step 2.5 or start on 3 this challenge I'll be happy and call this one good, though it may turn into an epic and be a story on my next challenge.

 

 

[Lothig]

8/1 pm

Ladders(alternating)

Pull-ups 1, 2, 3, 4, 2, 2

Ring Dips 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2

[Lothig]

8/2 am

"tabata something else" from crossfit.com

Tabata(20 seconds activity, 10 seconds rest, for 8 rounds(I did 4 rounds instead of 8 for scaling))  sets of

 

Pull-ups 6, 5, 3, 1

Push-ups 15, 7, 4, 3

Sit-ups 9, 9, 9, 6

Squats 18, 15, 12, 15

[Yuen]

Hi Lothig,

 

I really like your challenge goals (how can anyone not like pull ups and dips and preparative muscle up work??). I also hope that stretching your soleus improves your squatting form. If you current squat is similar to Nuala's then I'm sure it will

 

Your progress pictures are pretty awesome in terms of the improvement of your body (you are also damn good with a camera... such a clear picture in the July shot....).

 

I do have one question for you though - I noticed you did sit ups in your last work out. Have you considered replacing sit ups (or perhaps complementing your sit ups) with some oblique work?

 

For example - side plank raises

 

The reason I'm asking is, I think from looking at your photos that by increasing the resting tone of your obliques it will be quite flattering to your figure if you stick with the exercises for a couple of weeks.

 

Just to make sure we are on the right page, I'm talking about these muscles:

So the external obliques, internal obliques and transversus abdominis (all 3 of them are usually just lumped together as obliques - which is fine from a functional type perspective).

 

Of course working those muscles isn't going to spot reduce the fat around the area - I'm sure you realise that diet is the way to go for fat reduction. However by increasing the tone of the muscles I think it will be quite flattering to your overall profile.

 

No homo.

 

If time is an issue, and you can't do both sit ups AND side plank raises, then you can modify the exercise from the way it is shown in the video, so that your top foot is placed on the ground in front of you. See picture:

You can then tilt your torso so your stomach is facing slightly downwards and then do the same exercise.

 

This will work transfer some of the work from your obliques to your rectus abdominis (your '6-pack' muscle). That way you still get some of the benefit of a sit up (which was probably working your hip flexors a lot anyway).

 

You can fine tune the ratio between obliques and rectus by altering the angle at which you either point to the side or point downwards.

 

Anyways... just food for thought. 

 

Hope I didn't overstep any boundaries by suggesting that.

 

Good luck in your challenge!

 

Also... subscribed

[Lothig]

Hi Lothig,

 

I really like your challenge goals (how can anyone not like pull ups and dips and preparative muscle up work??). I also hope that stretching your soleus improves your squatting form. If you current squat is similar to Nuala's then I'm sure it will

 

Your progress pictures are pretty awesome in terms of the improvement of your body (you are also damn good with a camera... such a clear picture in the July shot....).

 

I do have one question for you though - I noticed you did sit ups in your last work out. Have you considered replacing sit ups (or perhaps complementing your sit ups) with some oblique work?

 

For example - side plank raises

 

The reason I'm asking is, I think from looking at your photos that by increasing the resting tone of your obliques it will be quite flattering to your figure if you stick with the exercises for a couple of weeks.

 

Just to make sure we are on the right page, I'm talking about these muscles:

So the external obliques, internal obliques and transversus abdominis (all 3 of them are usually just lumped together as obliques - which is fine from a functional type perspective).

 

Of course working those muscles isn't going to spot reduce the fat around the area - I'm sure you realise that diet is the way to go for fat reduction. However by increasing the tone of the muscles I think it will be quite flattering to your overall profile.

 

No homo.

 

If time is an issue, and you can't do both sit ups AND side plank raises, then you can modify the exercise from the way it is shown in the video, so that your top foot is placed on the ground in front of you. See picture:

You can then tilt your torso so your stomach is facing slightly downwards and then do the same exercise.

 

This will work transfer some of the work from your obliques to your rectus abdominis (your '6-pack' muscle). That way you still get some of the benefit of a sit up (which was probably working your hip flexors a lot anyway).

 

You can fine tune the ratio between obliques and rectus by altering the angle at which you either point to the side or point downwards.

 

Anyways... just food for thought. 

 

Hope I didn't overstep any boundaries by suggesting that.

 

Good luck in your challenge!

 

Also... subscribed

 

Thanks.

 

I actually did some side planks(for like the first time ever) this week, and I think it really did hit some new muscles.  Previously I had done Russian Twists for obliques instead but without much actual effort into progress there.  About the abdominal fat, yeah I know diet is the only thing, I think finally in the last 30-40 days I've finally started to lose some from the "Love Handles" area, which I'm really happy about.

 

I'll try out the side plank raises, that seems more difficult than just the side planks.  I've also been nursing an injury in my 2nd from the top on the left side rectus abdominis, not sure if there is a more specific name. It's severely limiting most things.  I took basically 2 full weeks off and it stopped hurting except when trying to do any kind of leg raise or L sit(so I haven't been doing those) and that was my main ab workout anyway I guess.  Sounds like this would be better for still working the abs but not the hurt ones.

 

 

Thanks!

[Lothig]

8/5 am

gymnasticswod

2(scaled from 3) rounds of

15 Side leg Swings on Right

15 Side leg Swings on Left

2 minutes of Middle Split(just doing frog splits keeping upright, my legs don't go out near far enough for middle split yet)

 

 

Also I did couple rounds of side plank raises( 5 per side for 2 sets)

 

and 2 rounds of MiniChallege

10 Inverted Rows

5 X Push-up

 

 

 

Also I got some Basement work done this weekend, I managed to put varnish on the kitchen island so that will soon relocate, and I was able to select a lot of things for the trash heap from the basement.

[Lothig]

So I've got a cold today I think.  So I'm going to skip the workout.  If I'm feeling better later I may try to do something light.

[Nuala]

Pictures of your garage and cave made me gasp, especially because I'm leaning more and more toward minimalism now  Decluttering all that will be a real workout for sure! 

 

I hope your cold is over now and that your body and mind enjoyed the rest

[Lothig]

Thanks, the cold is maybe a little bit better but still bad.    

[Nuala]

Hopefully, your cold is better now! It should be or I would start to be worried.

[Lothig]

I'm finally starting to feel better. Still not great though.  I think I'm going to try to hit up some flexibility stuff later today.  Last night I was able to do 5 push-ups and 2 pull-ups without being completely out of breath, but still not ready for anything crazy yet.

 

 

Also not coughing very often today so, I'm thinking that's a good sign.

[Lothig]

Feeling a little better this week, I did a tiny workout yesterday and a slighly larger one today.  If everything goes ok I'll hit it harder on Friday

 

8/20:

6 pull-ups

10 push-ups

5 Ring Dips

 

8/21:

20 Squats

3 pullups

10 Ring Rows

15 Push-ups

30 sec(per side) Side Planks

 

Some light stretching and working on my low squat.

[Elastigirl]

Glad you are feeling better. Good workout