[April 14 to May 30] Armstrong Pullup PVP

[Ba'sini'on]

Although I could just work my way up to female pft standards, I'm going for the gold

Male standards and beyond! Going to show those poolee boys how it's done!

Found a really awesome park with bars, monkey bars, and a bunch of other fun stuff. Going to give it a go tomorrow.

[Quickdraw]

Although I could just work my way up to female pft standards, I'm going for the gold

Male standards and beyond! Going to show those poolee boys how it's done!

Found a really awesome park with bars, monkey bars, and a bunch of other fun stuff. Going to give it a go tomorrow.

Get some!

[ShadowLion]

Although I could just work my way up to female pft standards, I'm going for the gold

Male standards and beyond! Going to show those poolee boys how it's done!

Found a really awesome park with bars, monkey bars, and a bunch of other fun stuff. Going to give it a go tomorrow.

 

You go get 'em, girl - you're inspiring me to lift my sights, too!

[ShadowLion]

Day One of Beginner's Armstrong program

Pushups: 8/8/7 girlie pushups

Pullups: Pyramid - 1, 2, 3, 4 and 1 Max set of 3 assisted with one leg on chair

Grip Hangs - 3 x 5 - 7 secs each

No rows

Did all in one session, no time for several hour gap between pushups and pullups

[Quickdraw]

Forgot my weight pack yesterday, did Day 3 with TS7 slick (unweighted).

 

Today, did Day 4 with TS4 at +10#, got all 9 sets.

[ShadowLion]

Day 2, Beginner - Stretching/mobility work done. This seems to be keeping soreness to a minimum.

 

Wanted to jump ahead today, as I felt like I could have done the next session of pushups and pullups, but I didn't. Pacing myself and doing the program as written. I ended up dropping Crossfit last challenge because of injury caused by letting my competitive streak overtake good common sense. My muscles could handle it, but not the old joints and connective tissue.

 

Any suggestions for warmups for Armstrong from the more experienced folks?

[Thom Stépan]

My day 3 of the beginner's programme;

3x7 push ups

rows 8x6 training sets.

5 burpees.

Quickdraw, I plan to use my research as a guide for goal setting. I will be putting up my summary and future goals on my battle log soon. I consider these long term goals (2+years). Achievable but a solid reach from where I am today.

[Endor]

I've bowed out for the time being, unfortunately my forearm has got worse and I can't manage more than a single pullup and it leaves me in pain for a couple hours after. Strange because I equalled a PR on cleans this morning with wrist wraps on and it hasn't caused me any issues.

 

Anyway I'm seeing the physio on Tuesday so I'll have a better idea what my action plan should be after that. I suspect just rest but we'll see.

 

I'll restart later in the challenge if I'm able.

[ShadowLion]

@ endor - Hope you get good news at physio and your arm feels better soon!

Day 3, Beginner

Did the pull ups early in day because that was only time would have access to my bar - 5/5/4/2/2 assisted with feet on a box, 90 sec rest

Evening did pushups - One minute plank, 6/6/7 knee pushups (lower than last time - maybe because I did plank first?), 3 x 5 rows with 20# kettle bell. No curls as only had access to the KB and I didn't know if I could/should curl that.

[ShadowLion]

Beginner

Day Four - Stretching/mobility done

 

Day Five:

Pushups - 8/8/7 knee

Pullups - 4 x 4 assisted, feet on chair

Max grip hangs - 15/12/12

Rows -  3 x 5 20# kettle bell, could go more/heavier, but tender rt forearm right below elbow (a leftover from last challenge's Crossfit adventure). It's getting better each day, but didn't seem smart to push it any harder than I am.

Finished off with 3 x 10 20# KB swings looking out at this view. A litttle bit of lovely northern Arizona high country.

 

 

My last three workouts were here, at about 6,000 feet of elevation more than I am used to. Alas, the holiday is over.

[Ba'sini'on]

Pullups were going pretty good till I finally came to a conclusion on an issue. My pullups suck, but my form really is bad. I do a sort of kicking motion, and my chin my be over the bar, but to me it's barely. I want to be stone sill and my arms doing the work, and my chin to be clear over the bar.

So I'll be doing the Beginner Armstrong program to build my muscles up more.

As my horse trainer told me, "Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice gives perfect results." I won't be getting anywhere with a bad form, and "cheating" with kicking. And just continuing a bad form isn't good for my pullup goals. So back to basics

[ravnos]

Now that I'm not sick? I'm totally in.

[Thom Stépan]

Yaay, I have a pull up bar to work with. I got a couple of deliveries for work [casual delivery driver] so funnelled some of the cash to get a door pull up bar [the Guy Leech one from Big W]. Set it up today and tested it, nervously. I can now happily say it can deal with 118kgs.

 

So for week two of the beginner's programme

Push Ups - 3x4. Had a strange stabbing pain in the right shoulder, so wasn't pushing hard. Can't afford injuries.

Pyramid - 1,2 +2 negative pull ups. Not many but actual negatives, woohoo. I was actually aiming for the set of three, but on the second I dropped rather quickly so that ended that. Arms hurty after them.

Rows - 4x7 with my 30kg tent. 

Grip Hangs - 31, 18, 15 seconds.

Burpess - 1x6. No shoulder pain when I did them tonight. 

 

With the Grip hangs some of my crew wanted a go as well. They all did two reps. Their results because I am a proud Dad and want to brag;

Miss 5 - 27, 15

Miss 7 - 38, 49

Miss 9 - 20, 19

Master 11 1min 3sec, 1min 12sec

 

Way to show up the old man kids.

 

Master 11 is 30kg [66lb] and as skinny as a rake, usually he struggles with strength, but is a fair runner [4-800m]. He also got a 4.1 on the Beep Test [shuttle run. yo yo]. Little blighter. Even master 3 had a hang with Dad holding on. 

 

So I now have my alternate pull up exercise sorted. Now to work this baby.

[ShadowLion]

@ Lycan Thom

Those kids have got me beat, too! My last few grip hangs were pretty pitiful.

 

Monday - Rest Day

 

Tuesday

3 x 10 Pushups, Knee and with about 3 - 5 mins between sets

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/6/5/4/3/2/1 Pullups, chair assist with n x 10 sec rest, with n = number of pullups in last set

I still had a little bit left after the second 6, so decided to see if I could ladder it. I could, but was too whupped to do grip hangs or rows afterwards.

 

I'm so stoked about the increase in pushups! The last time I worked up to "guy" pushups, it took me 11 knee pushups in a row to get to one full pushup. That was 12 years ago and I weighed about 45 pounds less. With a little adjusting for time and increased load, I'm figuring that at somewhere around 15, I'll be able to get my first one this time. That will be a major milestone! Then I'm going after big game - I want to work back up to what I used to be able to do, when Lt. Laurel could drop to the engine bay floor and pump out 25 in a row!

 

I don't know what a pullup equivalent would be. We didn't do them, amazingly enough. Somewhere I've got a log with my lat pulldowns, bench presses, and rows numbers, though. It will turn up. I do know the current tests require Hotshots to do a minimum of five, smoke jumpers to do seven, and some agencies (BLM) have higher numbers for their smoke jumpers, usually in the neighborhood of 11 or 13. So you know what I will be shooting for over the next few challenges, as my weight goes down and my strength goes up. (Note: Not going to try and become a smoke jumper! Just trying to hit those numbers as a way to prove to myself - and others - that I am ready to tackle the rigors of EMS and the fire service again. I'm old and female, so I need to over-achieve to have a prayer of getting on an engine crew...next year?)

 

And a woot for this last week - I dropped two pounds between this PVP and the No Soda PVP. My goals are high, but they are attainable with dedication and work!

[ShadowLion]

Damn DOMS. Means I'm making progress, though. Right?

[Quickdraw]

I've been having a very difficult time getting online during this challenge, BUT today I leveled up to Training Set 5 at +10# in the pack. Very likely I'll hit TS6 next week. My standard, with this weighted work, is to add 5# each time I confirm (9 sets on Day 4) TS6 up until I hit 35#.

[ShadowLion]

Progress...

 

3 Max Pushups - 12/11/10 knee-pushups

5 Sets Max Pullups - 7/7/7/6/6 chair-assisted pullups

Plank - 1:15

Biceps Curls - 3 x 6 x 10# Could have done a lot more reps on left or gone to 15#, but stuck with lower weight and reps because of lingering tenderness in right forearm/elbow

[Thom Stépan]

Great work ShadowLion, I am cautious when it comes to potential injuries as well.

 

Now my Week 2 day 2 and 3 updates. 

 

Wednesday 

Push Ups 3x6 my form is getting better with these even if the number is lower than my pb.

Negative Pull Ups 5x2 these are hard

Plank 1min 04sec yes cracked the minute mark

Bicep Curl 5kg 4x10

I forgot to do my burpees. 

 

Now for today [Friday]

Push ups 3x6

Negative Pull Ups 4x1 training sets. 

Grip Hangs 15, 8, 14 

Row 4x9

Burpees 7, I just keep adding one more rep to the previous session here. 

 

I love having that pull up bar, my arms are really feeling the different muscles being used. I might have to do a few rounds of the pre Armstrong programme before I get the strength to do pull ups but I don't care. I will eventually get those suckers under my belt.

[ShadowLion]

Thanks, Lycan Thom. I hope that lesson has finally sunk in for me. It takes too long to recover at this stage of the game to risk it!

[ShadowLion]

Did my stretch day yesterday and this was supposed to be my Day Three of Beginner's workout, but I spent the whole morning at a World Tai Chi day event. After close to an hour and a half straight of Chi Gong and forms, I was beat. Switching it to tomorrow...

[ShadowLion]

Week Two, Day Five:

Pushups - 1 full and 2 slow negatives/10 knee/10 knee

Pullups - 5 x 7 assisted, one foot on chair, preceded by three assisted flex hangs of 10 sec hold and 10 sec descent each, focusing on back muscles doing most of the work

Bent Over Rows - 3 x 6 x 25# kettle bell

[ShadowLion]

Rest days yesterday and today. And I need it! The assisted flex hang/slow negative really worked my back more. I'm feeling it - oh, yeah!

[Thom Stépan]

Today I managed

3x7 push ups

5x max Negative pull ups 3, 3, 3, 1, 2

Max plank 1min 8sec I love how this is getting longer each week

4x15 bicep curl 5kg

 

I am hoping for the full nine training sets of 1 on Friday so that next week my training sets can increase to two. 

[ShadowLion]

Today I managed

3x7 push ups

5x max Negative pull ups 3, 3, 3, 1, 2

Max plank 1min 8sec I love how this is getting longer each week

4x15 bicep curl 5kg

 

I am hoping for the full nine training sets of 1 on Friday so that next week my training sets can increase to two. 

 

Way to go on the plank, Thom! And everything else!

 

My Week Three, Day 1 Beginner

Pushups - Couldn't bang out the full pushup first this morning. Weak and hungry, which woke me up to the fact that I haven't getting enough cals or protein the last few days - duh. Started remedying that today. Did three negatives/12 knee/10 knee.

Pullups - Laddered up to 5 assisted, and then one more set of 5 assisted. Less than my 7 of last week, but I made some changes to my setup and my elbow was sore heading into the workout. Used a neutral grip tonight and switched from the usual chair to a step stool that I could position more directly under the bar. I have a weird step up into the laundry room that was causing me to position the chair too far forward and created a slight arc in my trajectory, which was taking some of the work off my back and putting it on my arms. Not a very good idea... This new setup REALLY works my back more and was somewhat easier on my forearm and elbow than the old way.

Cut the rows and grip hangs for tonight. Arm/elbow pretty sore after many lessons and much loading/unloading of instruments today. This was my 12 hour day for the week. Will get a good break to recuperate with just a 4 hour day tomorrow. This is why I was trying to do T, TH, SA workouts, but this last weekend kind of threw that out of whack. I really needed the two days of rest, though - the last workout of Week 2 did very good sore things for my back.

[Thom Stépan]

You are doing awesome Shadowlion. I don't know which of us is making the better progress, but I do know we are both winning the beginner's group. 

Not seen the others post much lately. So looks like we are the champions my friend.