2014's insanity, p90x or whatever you are doing thread

Damn dude that sucks that your bike got stolen. People suck.
I remember when I got my bike, the Trek dealer told me to put it on my homeowners insurance just in case it got lifted. I should probably go ahead and do that.

Today I finished Body Beast (actually Friday, but today is the final rest day). I'm up 8.6 lbs in 12 weeks. My goal was to gain 15 lbs, which was probably too ambitious. However I got to about 11 lbs up and then got hammered with a nasty stomach virus. It knocked me on my ass for 2 days and I couldn't get my diet back on track for almost a week. Ah well that's life.

Tomorrow my wife and I start P90X3 together, along with about a dozen other people who joined up in my challenge group. The 30-minute workouts have people really excited about this one. I did the fit test for it yesterday, and while my numbers were good I expected them to be a bit better. As good as Body Beast is for gaining muscle, it does seem to have a negative effect on muscular endurance and overall athleticism. Now it's time to train these "new" muscles to move better. There are times when it feels like I'm draggin' a trailer when I'm teaching my INSANITY classes at Gold's :) I'm sure this will get better since my workouts now target performance more and hypertrophy less.

Here's to a kick-ass 2014!

Have to say, those farmer walks will make a man out of ya!

"padre31 wrote:

Well talk about bummers, my bike finally got stolen and will have to be replaced.

Anyhow, I think for 2014 I'm going to attempt to bulk up a bit.

I've been steadily losing weight for 3 yrs now and have hit my nature plateau of around 190ish, so if that is my baseline I think the move is to go for more strength and flexibility.

Lots of U bar pushups
Farmer carries are going to be added to the arsenal
and more arm work

Lots of guys really enjoy blasting reps on their biceps, I never really did as athleticism matter more so it was mostly legs/core/delts, this yr it will be biceps and triceps going for 18 inch arms or so.

I have short arms so on me they are about as Gorilla as I'd like to get

ATM have 16 inch arms

That's what I like to hear. It's funny how we have both been keeping at it this long and we took similar journeys (in terms of doing weight loss and then going to lifting). Since I started lifting I feel so much better and honestly my body is looking noticeably better. I still weight around 185, but since coming back from christmas break I literally had 15+ classmates out of 82 come up to me and remark about how much weight I had lost. Ironically, over Christmas break I had gained weight, but I think weight lifting makes your body a lot more esthetic and can make it look like you lost weight even though you haven't.

If you are interested here is what I have been doing:

Day A:
Squats (1 warm up set, 4x5, then a burn out)
Dumbbell Bench Press (1 warm up set, 4x5, then a burn out @ warm up weight)
Pull ups (3 sets to failure; I just do as many as I can do. If I get 3 sets of 8+ reps I drop the assistance the next time I am in the gym)
Pull Down Bar (3 sets to failure)
Bicep Curls (3x10)
Preacher Curls (3 sets to failure)

Day B:
Squats (1 warm up set, 4x5, then a burn out)
Over Head Press (1 warm up set, 4x5, then a burn out @ warm up weight)
Deadlift (1 warm up set, 4x5)
Front Dumbbell Raises (3x10)
Lateral Dumbbell Raises (3x10)

Alternate back and forth between A and B, with a day off in between and you should see great results.

Over did the farmer walk, went a qtr mile rd trip with 60 pd dumbells and geeked my trap up a bit

It's winter here, snowing atm, so it'll be push up bar pushups.

Do agree a bit UCF, I know I'm 15 pds lighter this yr then the exact same time last yr, with far far less bike commuting, just walking and not eating quite so much, even my Abs are starting to show up a bit, it's a good feeling

Now for something a bit different:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzrKVPhgfXs

I could laugh at Crossfit videos all day! Good lord.

I've been working out at home. Cold's, Flu's, the northeast is a pandemic, and my little stinky, poorly ventilated gym is a cesspool for germs. With 3 little kids, I'm not exposing myself to that in the heart of winter. Plus, I'm tired of waiting for equipment, the extra time, the hassle.

I am limited tho. I have a pretty nice machine unit, and only a few dumbbells. So I cannot train with my old volume and intensity so I needed to change gears. Now instead of 4 times a week, high intensity and heavy, I train 11 times a week, much more isolated. Workout are only 20-35 minutes. An example would be:
Monday AM: inner back and traps (focusing on rhomboids and back thickness)
Narrow grip palms in pulldowns
close grip cable rows
dumbell deadlifts super set with dumbbell shrugs
machine rows
Monday PM:Hamstrings and calves
Stiff legged dumbell deadlift
single leg curls
dumbbell between feet leg curls
Standing calf raises with dumbbells held as additional resistance
toes straight, in, out

Results have been good thus far. It's not ideal, but I am training things more thoroughly, and feel like I'm spending less time overall training because I can get to the weights immediately, and not for very long. I hope to add a lot of additional equipment in time.

Everyone stop working out??

"Sethdaddy8 wrote:

Everyone stop working out??

Heck no, did get my bike stolen, so no bike commuting, still hitting the push up bars and when weather allows it, shrugs. bi's/trap work..weather has been awful and working out outside is just not very pratical.

30 degrees and drizzle at farmer walks at 6 am makes a great story, reality is, it kinda sucks.

Have kept on walking miles a day, and 3 x week walk with a neighborette who is a work out fanatic..2-3 hours everyday of cardio or insanity or both..4 miles or so, or an hour and a half or so..up and down the mtn side..she is basically 107 pds worth of lungs and thighs

"Sethdaddy8 wrote:

Everyone stop working out??

Heh no not at all. I have 3 weeks left of P90X3 (LOVE the 30 minute routines). I'm still teaching 50-minute INSANITY classes 3 times a week (I got certified Oct. 2013). Swimming on Monday and Wednesday evening in prep for my triathlon next month.

I have all sorts of events signed up this year. A triathlon in April, easy lil' 5k in June, Duathlon in July, for September I have a 1/2 Marathon, Spartan Race, and Tough Mudder. In November I have a 10k accross the Bay Bridge, and Marathon in Philly.

When I'm done this round of P90X3, I'm going to do it again, but this time on the MASS schedule (more weights, less cardio). I'll augment the weight training with runs on days I don't teach Insanity and cycling on Saturdays and Sundays.

It's going to be an active year :)

"Sethdaddy8 wrote:

Everyone stop working out??

No....you?

"Sethdaddy8 wrote:

I could laugh at Crossfit videos all day! Good lord.

I've been working out at home. Cold's, Flu's, the northeast is a pandemic, and my little stinky, poorly ventilated gym is a cesspool for germs. With 3 little kids, I'm not exposing myself to that in the heart of winter. Plus, I'm tired of waiting for equipment, the extra time, the hassle.

I am limited tho. I have a pretty nice machine unit, and only a few dumbbells. So I cannot train with my old volume and intensity so I needed to change gears. Now instead of 4 times a week, high intensity and heavy, I train 11 times a week, much more isolated. Workout are only 20-35 minutes. An example would be:
Monday AM: inner back and traps (focusing on rhomboids and back thickness)
Narrow grip palms in pulldowns
close grip cable rows
dumbell deadlifts super set with dumbbell shrugs
machine rows
Monday PM:Hamstrings and calves
Stiff legged dumbell deadlift
single leg curls
dumbbell between feet leg curls
Standing calf raises with dumbbells held as additional resistance
toes straight, in, out

Results have been good thus far. It's not ideal, but I am training things more thoroughly, and feel like I'm spending less time overall training because I can get to the weights immediately, and not for very long. I hope to add a lot of additional equipment in time.

Why is that? There are stupid people who work out using every method of workout out. Not sure I get the hate on CrossFit....I am saying you can put the best on any method up against anybody these guys would be right there with them.....

"finyank13 wrote:

No....you?

I painted my gym, so I took about a week off to let the smell/fumes dissipate.

Official Dolphins team color, by Glidden. It's a shame Glidden sucks as a paint. 2 coats, in this day and age...

"padre31 wrote:

Over did the farmer walk, went a qtr mile rd trip with 60 pd dumbells and geeked my trap up a bit

It's winter here, snowing atm, so it'll be push up bar pushups.

Do agree a bit UCF, I know I'm 15 pds lighter this yr then the exact same time last yr, with far far less bike commuting, just walking and not eating quite so much, even my Abs are starting to show up a bit, it's a good feeling

Now for something a bit different:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzrKVPhgfXs

You should try it before knocking it....

"finyank13 wrote:

Why is that?

Because a lot of these gurus aren't educated properly to teach very serious moves. And thus, there's a whole crop of Crossfitters creating the gym fail video market. But I like it. Soccer moms with those crossfit bumpers loaded on the bar...it looks like 315lbs when it's actually 70... Falling on them face first while they squat and someone is fortunate enough to get the whole thing on their iPhone. Love it.

Crossfit is not the best way to develop strength or muscle. And it is not the best way to improve cardiovasculary. And I think it is downright hazardous, thrusting ridiculous moves and lifts on novices. BUT, if a person loves it, and it is the means to their improved health, then right on. But the guru-ish, cult-like stigma also turns me off. It's like Amway for fitness.

"Sethdaddy8 wrote:

Because a lot of these gurus aren't educated properly to teach very serious moves. And thus, there's a whole crop of Crossfitters creating the gym fail video market. But I like it. Soccer moms with those crossfit bumpers loaded on the bar...it looks like 315lbs when it's actually 70... Falling on them face first while they squat and someone is fortunate enough to get the whole thing on their iPhone. Love it.

Crossfit is not the best way to develop strength or muscle. And it is not the best way to improve cardiovasculary. And I think it is downright hazardous, thrusting ridiculous moves and lifts on novices. BUT, if a person loves it, and it is the means to their improved health, then right on. But the guru-ish, cult-like stigma also turns me off. It's like Amway for fitness.

90% of crossfit is ****ty form. I really dislike it.

I'm switching to a high rep, lower weight routine in April when I start training for a cycling event in July... Anyone have suggestions for total reps for exercises? I was thinking like 60-65 reps in 3 sets (obviously adjust accordingly) but I am not very experienced with high rep routines.

"Sethdaddy8 wrote:

Because a lot of these gurus aren't educated properly to teach very serious moves. And thus, there's a whole crop of Crossfitters creating the gym fail video market. But I like it. Soccer moms with those crossfit bumpers loaded on the bar...it looks like 315lbs when it's actually 70... Falling on them face first while they squat and someone is fortunate enough to get the whole thing on their iPhone. Love it.

Crossfit is not the best way to develop strength or muscle. And it is not the best way to improve cardiovasculary. And I think it is downright hazardous, thrusting ridiculous moves and lifts on novices. BUT, if a person loves it, and it is the means to their improved health, then right on. But the guru-ish, cult-like stigma also turns me off. It's like Amway for fitness.

Sterotypes of people who never do it....

A great misconception of it is they are looking to build massive amounts of muscle, it isnt true, people who do CF are looking to be proportionally fit, you will never see massively huge muscle bound people doing it, you actually have to have range of motion to perform these tasks...go look at Rich Froning, and think about the guy and power snatch close to 300 hundred pounds....it is mindblogging....as far as cardio everybody knows lifting weights burns more fat than cardio does, but I like to also run because I am trying to just get better at running....

The majority of people who do it aren't soccer moms, at least not the the few of those type of gyms I been too......sure there are those people who do it wrong, usually the non-athletes who never played sports....these oly moves everybody did in high school....these aren't foreign concepts right? I have told the owners of these gym how I hate the concept of competing during a workout, fastest times, and most reps...these I will agree lead to injures because they most certainly break form...I am always the slowest, and have the least amount of reps, but my form is pristine and have never been injured and my strength has gone up more than I ever did any other workout, at 38 years old I am squatting over 300 pounds metal plates at 5-7 180, something I would have never dreamed of doing before....if there are mistakes the owners point out the flaws quick and I correct them if I do have them...

I can go on YT and find these stupid fails videos again from every single method...as much as CF is a new trend, even though it started in 2000, it is also a trend to hate on it....as much you see the people with their iphones in CF (which is odd because they dont allow cellphones during the workout) you see people in every gym with phones snapping pictures of themselves and yapping away...it comes with the "rah rah look at me I workout" age....

"GridIronKing34 wrote:

90% of crossfit is ****ty form. I really dislike it.

I'm switching to a high rep, lower weight routine in April when I start training for a cycling event in July... Anyone have suggestions for total reps for exercises? I was thinking like 60-65 reps in 3 sets (obviously adjust accordingly) but I am not very experienced with high rep routines.

Have you done it? It is olympic lifting, how is oly lifting bull**** form?? Makes no sense....

"GridIronKing34 wrote:

90% of crossfit is ****ty form. I really dislike it.

I'm switching to a high rep, lower weight routine in April when I start training for a cycling event in July... Anyone have suggestions for total reps for exercises? I was thinking like 60-65 reps in 3 sets (obviously adjust accordingly) but I am not very experienced with high rep routines.

The whole point to weightlifting is to tear down muscle fibers, and then let them heal. The most effective rep range to do that in, is 6 to 12 reps for most muscle groups. Sets of 12-20 reps with short rest periods would be my advice to mix in some lactic acid tolerance, but not much more with reps. The best way to train for a cycling event would be to get on that bike. I don't think sitting and knocking out 60+ reps will do much for you past the initial week or two. Not to mention that it's difficult to maintain a mind and muscle connection for a set that long.

"finyank13 wrote:

Have you done it? It is olympic lifting, how is oly lifting bull**** form?? Makes no sense....

A lot people I know who do it have terrible form, I'm not trying to say everyone is that way... You have that with pretty much everything but of the people I know, it's more vocal amongst the Crossfit community. Sorry if I offended you.

"GridIronKing34 wrote:

A lot people I know who do it have terrible form, I'm not trying to say everyone is that way... You have that with pretty much everything but of the people I know, it's more vocal amongst the Crossfit community. Sorry if I offended you.

So it is people who have the bad form not the method....good thing about people doing wrong methods are they can be corrected....

I am not offended either just correcting misconceptions thats all...

"Sethdaddy8 wrote:

The whole point to weightlifting is to tear down muscle fibers, and then let them heal. The most effective rep range to do that in, is 6 to 12 reps for most muscle groups. Sets of 12-20 reps with short rest periods would be my advice to mix in some lactic acid tolerance, but not much more with reps. The best way to train for a cycling event would be to get on that bike. I don't think sitting and knocking out 60+ reps will do much for you past the initial week or two. Not to mention that it's difficult to maintain a mind and muscle connection for a set that long.

I intend to do long distance cycling training 4 days a week and still lift 3 days a week (not on the same day). The lifting isn't for cycling training, I am just trying to maintain most of my strength while training for that cycling event.

Obviously breaking down your muscles and letting them heal is the point of lifting but there are a variety of roads to take to get there.

"finyank13 wrote:

Sterotypes of people who never do it....

A great misconception of it is they are looking to build massive amounts of muscle, it isnt true, people who do CF are looking to be proportionally fit, you will never see massively huge muscle bound people doing it, you actually have to have range of motion to perform these tasks...go look at Rich Froning, and think about the guy and power snatch close to 300 hundred pounds....it is mindblogging....as far as cardio everybody knows lifting weights burns more fat than cardio does, but I like to also run because I am trying to just get better at running....

The majority of people who do it aren't soccer moms, at least not the the few of those type of gyms I been too......sure there are those people who do it wrong, usually the non-athletes who never played sports....these oly moves everybody did in high school....these aren't foreign concepts right? I have told the owners of these gym how I hate the concept of competing during a workout, fastest times, and most reps...these I will agree lead to injures because they most certainly break form...I am always the slowest, and have the least amount of reps, but my form is pristine and have never been injured and my strength has gone up more than I ever did any other workout, at 38 years old I am squatting over 300 pounds metal plates at 5-7 180, something I would have never dreamed of doing before....if there are mistakes the owners point out the flaws quick and I correct them if I do have them...

I can go on YT and find these stupid fails videos again from every single method...as much as CF is a new trend, even though it started in 2000, it is also a trend to hate on it....as much you see the people with their iphones in CF (which is odd because they dont allow cellphones during the workout) you see people in every gym with phones snapping pictures of themselves and yapping away...it comes with the "rah rah look at me I workout" age....

You have good points. The fact that it is a "thing" will bring opinions. Its cultish stigma will bring that too. I have watched the crossfit games, and seen those top guys. I do think the weights are padded and lighter then they claim to be. This is just by watching those athletes' form, their movement, and the equipment itself. Maybe I'm right, maybe not. It's just what I think so who cares.

And those ridiculous pull-ups are not helping the cause. Nothing positive can be gained from them. Who cares how many times you can get ur chin to the bar. You may as well use a stool if that's the point.

I have a few people on my Facebook, now moms, and I've seen them get guru'd out on crossfit...but at least their fat asses are doing something.

I have seen a lot of it, as it's over exposed. People get addicted to it and post videos of themselves and I think it's weird. I'm not sure what gets into their heads about it being a competition. But I'm sure there are a lot of people, like yourself, making the most out of it...getting the best out of it. And that's good.

"Sethdaddy8 wrote:

The whole point to weightlifting is to tear down muscle fibers, and then let them heal. The most effective rep range to do that in, is 6 to 12 reps for most muscle groups. Sets of 12-20 reps with short rest periods would be my advice to mix in some lactic acid tolerance, but not much more with reps. The best way to train for a cycling event would be to get on that bike. I don't think sitting and knocking out 60+ reps will do much for you past the initial week or two. Not to mention that it's difficult to maintain a mind and muscle connection for a set that long.

You would be surprised at how much upper body strength/endurance cycling requires, when going uphill your upper body is helping to force the peddles to turn out rpms. Really requires lat and shoulder strength/endurance to maintain speed.

"Sethdaddy8 wrote:

You have good points. The fact that it is a "thing" will bring opinions. Its cultish stigma will bring that too. I have watched the crossfit games, and seen those top guys. I do think the weights are padded and lighter then they claim to be. This is just by watching those athletes' form, their movement, and the equipment itself. Maybe I'm right, maybe not. It's just what I think so who cares.

And those ridiculous pull-ups are not helping the cause. Nothing positive can be gained from them. Who cares how many times you can get ur chin to the bar. You may as well use a stool if that's the point.

I have a few people on my Facebook, now moms, and I've seen them get guru'd out on crossfit...but at least their fat asses are doing something.

I have seen a lot of it, as it's over exposed. People get addicted to it and post videos of themselves and I think it's weird. I'm not sure what gets into their heads about it being a competition. But I'm sure there are a lot of people, like yourself, making the most out of it...getting the best out of it. And that's good.

The bumpers arent padded, I weighed them....yes I am that anal...the 45's are bigger but I know what you mean the colored bumpers are the same size as say the 25's...they are weird I agree...

I agree on the guru part of it, people are nuts....and come on Seth those bull**** kipping PU's are garbage we all now that but those who can do those train with weight strict/negative/straight strict PU's that isn't like the only thing they can do...but again kipping are a garbage competition thing which I hate...

I honestly think somebody like you would be really good at it....soooooooooooooooooo bring the kids, move up here and lets do this....

I would hate it. I gass and huff and puff when I do plain old squats. That **** will kill me!

Don't worry, when my wife kicks me to the curb..,guess where I'm going for Xmas eve!!!