Who’s on top?

Yum. Curry is always amazing the second day, and Mark and I decided to go to Kebab Mahal last night for a bit of a feast. That has nothing to do with my training, but I’ve just finished eating and feeling pretty satisfied.

I’ve been back and squash this week with good success. I had my final two league matches to play (Wednesday and Friday) and, even though I haven’t played in two weeks (knee) I managed to win them both 3-0. I felt good. A bit stiff at times, but good. I think I’ve probably lost a step or two of pace, but I can get that back over the next couple of weeks. Running will help as well.

Today was a weights day, before heading out to the Dialogues concert tonight:

Weight:
6KG Dumbells

Sets:
5 X 20 Reps

Totals:

100 X Side Lats
100 X Curls
100 X Tricep Push
100 X Bent-Over Rolls
100 X Calf Raise
100 X Shoulder Press
100 X Front Raisers
100 X Hammer Curls
100 X Tricep Raise
100 X Side Bends

1000 X Ab Crunches

Yep. 1000 Abs. That got tiring. I admit.

- j

I have to make this brief as I need to get ready to go to the Tattoo tonight. I came home early from work so I could fit in a weights workout.

Weight:
6KG Dumbells

Sets:
2 X 15 Reps
3 X 20 Reps

Totals:
90 X Side Lats
90 X Curls
90 X Tricep Push
90 X Bent-Over Rolls
90 X Calf Raise
90 X Shoulder Press
90 X Front Raisers

90 X Hammer Curls
90 X Tricep Raise
90 X Side Bends

900 X Ab Crunches

Yep. 900 abs. Ouch.

Gotta run. Gotta cry.

-j

It’s Saturday, and I was supposed to go for a swim. I didn’t. That sort of makes me angry, as it was really down to laziness and a desire to avoid a pool full of retards.

Whenever I get lazy in my training, I punish myself a bit. It’s a nice way of reminding myself to stick with the plan, because when you pussy out, pain and tiredness gets multiplied by an angry and vengeful Jordan. Something like that.

Anyway, on to today. Since I decided to pussy out on the swim, I figured it was a good opportunity to see if I could push the weights on a bit. I’ve been doing a lot of them and I’m feeling good about it. Rather than  stick with the same, I decided to play about with the reps a bit and see how I got on. It went pretty well.

The numbers are actually pretty cool when you actually add them up.

Each set involved this series:

Side Lats
Ab Crunches
Curls
Ab Crunches
Tricep Push
Ab Crunches
Bent-Over Rolls
Ab Crunches
Calf Raise
Crunches
Shoulder Press
Crunches
Front Raisers
Crunches
Hammer Curls
Crunches
Tricep Raise
Crunches
Side Bends
Ab Crunches

The Weight: 6KG Dumbbells

Set 1: 10 Reps
Set 2, 3, 4: 15 Reps
Set 5: 20 Reps

The fifth set was pretty brutal. Doing 20 front raisers is not easy at all, particularly after 20 Shoulder Presses.

When you add that all up, you get some neat numbers:

Weights: 75 Reps each (10 Different weight sets means 750 reps in total)
Abs: 750 Crunches (that’s actually a lot of stomach crunches, isn’t it?)

Pretty cool.

- j

What a week.

(and yes, I’m sort of past the ‘Jordan is a fucking retard’ stage of thinking and fully back on board with the ‘Jordan is a genius’ mentality. Kind of)

So I guess I’ve already talked about my lack of running. My last run was Sunday Aug 8 (10K) and I’ve been hobbling ever since. It sucks. On lots of levels.

First off it sucks because we were trying to do a half-marathon this month and we’re now putting it off until next month. That fucks me off something chronic.

Secondly it sucks because I’ve gotten quite into my running, and I felt like I was starting to achieve something. I know I can do 15-20Km now. I just have to push myself to get up to the next level.

The plus side of all of this:

• I get it. I’m 32. That’s not going to stop me, but it is going to make me pay more attention to my body and stop pretending I’m 18 years old. Just because I still act like I’m 12 doesn’t mean I’m that flexible anymore. And I need to stretch.
• I haven’t stopped training. I’ve adjusted. The drive is still there. Can’t run? Fine. I’ll do weights. I’ll swim. Can’t play squash? Well, actually, that just sucks.
• I’ve done a lot of weights the last few weeks and it’s starting to really pay off. I feel strong. I feel confident I can push myself up another level.
• I’ve found a great physio that I’m happy with. (Edinburgh Physiotherapy Centre)
• I’ve decided to train for a Triathalon next year. Fuck it. Why not? It’s a nice goal to make for next year, and it’s easier than the South Pole, right?

So it’s been a week. I managed quite a bit of good training. And a visit to the physio for some pain (dear god that can hurt). I’ve also turned my hand to swimming (triathalon eh?) and I’ve found another skill I need to master. I’m not bad. I’m just not good. And I want to be good. I want to win.

So this week in training I’ve learned a lot. All of it useful. Some of it painful. All of it working towards the South Pole. All of it.

My week:

Monday & Tuesday
Weights! Hurrah!

Sets:5
Reps: 10
Weight: 2 X 6KG Dumbells

Side Lats
10 X Ab Crunches
Curls
10 X Ab Crunches
Tricep Push
10 X Ab Crunches
Bent-Over Rolls
10 X Ab Crunches
Calf Raise
10 X Ab Crunches
Shoulder Press
10 X Ab Crunches
Front Raisers
10 X Ab Crunches
Hammer Curls
10 X Ab Crunches
Tricep Raise
10 X Ab Crunches
Side Bends
10 X Ab Crunches

On the second set I do press-ups instead of abs. That fucking hurts. Then I do a smaller set with heavier weights:

Section 2:

4 X 10 Reps
Weight: 11KG

Curls
Shoulder Press
Bent Over Rolls

Wednesday
Swimming! Who knew swimming was such a tough CV workout? Jesus. But it’s a process. I’m going to try to go 3 times a week as a non-impact way of working out.

On Wednesday I did 16 Laps. I was fine. I need to do more and I need to improve my technique and stamina.

Thursday (that’s tonight, right?)
Weights again.

Sets:5
Reps: 10
Weight: 2 X 6KG Dumbells

Side Lats
10 X Ab Crunches
Curls
10 X Ab Crunches
Tricep Push
10 X Ab Crunches
Bent-Over Rolls
10 X Ab Crunches
Calf Raise
10 X Ab Crunches
Shoulder Press
10 X Ab Crunches
Front Raisers
10 X Ab Crunches
Hammer Curls
10 X Ab Crunches
Tricep Raise
10 X Ab Crunches
Side Bends
10 X Ab Crunches

On the second set I did press-ups instead of abs. (once again, ouch)

I’m planning on swiming tomorrow and doing a small run on Saturday adhering to exactly what my physio has said. That will make my sister happy with me.

Sunday I’m planning on swimming in the ocean. Why? What the hell else do I have to do? I can’t play squash.

So yeah. That’s my week in training.

- j

I’m not sure how much has changed.

That’s a confused way of saying that I’ve finally taken the plunge (ha!) an started swimming. If I am going to do that pesky Triathalon next year I’m going to have to get used to swimming, right?

My knee is getting a lot better. I’ve been doing my stretched every day (promise) and I’ve spent the week doing nothing that could aggravate it. No running. No squash. no fun.

So this has been a week of weights. Four days of weights & crunches. It feels good.

I’ve also added in some swimming (as of today). It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Fun, mind you. I did 10 laps this morning before I headed off to work. I think I’ll try and go a couple of mornings each week. It’s a good CV workout.

- This week i’ll be concentrating on getting back to my squash and running.

I’ll do a better job when my knee is back.

-j

Off to the physio today to work on the knee. I hope it gets sorted soon as I’m getting a bit fed up of not running! I’m going to attempt to swim instead so that I can give my legs a break, but I guarantee I won’t like it as much as being outside.

(now that’s a thought. I have a wetsuit. I could swim in the sea)

Last night I went for weights again. Same sort of workout. I’ll change it up tonight, but I was actually enjoying the weights.

Tonight’s workout:

Section1:

5 X 10 Reps
Weight: 6KG Dumbells

Side Lats
10 X Ab Crunches
Curls
10 X Ab Crunches
Tricep Push
10 X Ab Crunches
Bent-Over Rolls
10 X Ab Crunches
Calf Raise
10 X Ab Crunches
Shoulder Press
10 X Ab Crunches
Front Raisers
10 X Ab Crunches
Hammer Curls
10 X Ab Crunches
Tricep Raise
10 X Ab Crunches
Side Bends
10 X Ab Crunches

On the second set I did press-ups instead of abs.

Section 2:

4 X 10 Reps
Weight: 11KG

Curls
Shoulder Press

Tonight will be a boxing night I think, unless the physio gives me shit.

-j

I’m an idiot. No really. It’s OK. I get it. I am.

It’s been a tough couple of weeks for my training regime. A combination of illness and injury has seen me fall well short of my mark. And I have to be honest, it’s pissing me off. Its also the reason why I fucked my knee. I was impatient. I was stupid. I was anxious to get back out and work.

Cut to last Monday. I went for a nice 5 mile run. All was going well. The birds were chirping. The children laughing.

So I decided to up the pace a little.

Fatal mistake. Everything felt fine until that evening, where I was suffering serious bother around my knee. I couldn’t sleep (not unusual). Like a dumb-ass I was also suffering badly from a cold. coughing up a lot of crap. So really I was in the ideal position to go for a workout.

Tuesday comes. Rather than sensibly canceling the squash league matches for that evening (and the following day) I bought a knee brace and, hacking and coughing (and limping!) I won both matches. Fuck yes.
As it turns out. Fuck no. That was dumb. I’m making it worse.

Saturday comes and my knee is not a happy chappy. I call it at the friendly neighbourhood physio and he explains that it’s a very simple problem that can be fixed with the right running shoes and some deep tissue massage (and a lot of new stretching).

Crucially I’m allowed to run. It’s not a big deal, he says, just make it an easy pace and a small distance.

So what do I do the next day? (armed with shiny new shoes)

I run a 10K.

And I’m fucked again.

I’ve learned my lesson. I’m taking it easy. I see the physio on Wednesday and he’ll rip me apart. I deserve it.

Tonight I concentrated all my rage and bile into a weights workout in two sections:

Section1:

5 X 10 Reps
Weight: 6KG Dumbells

Side Lats
10 X Ab Crunches
Curls
10 X Ab Crunches
Tricep Push
10 X Ab Crunches
Bent-Over Rolls
10 X Ab Crunches
Calf Raise
10 X Ab Crunches
Shoulder Press
10 X Ab Crunches
Front Raisers
10 X Ab Crunches
Hammer Curls
10 X Ab Crunches
Tricep Raise
10 X Ab Crunches
Side Bends
10 X Ab Crunches

On the second set I did press-ups instead of abs.

Section 2:

4 X 10 Reps
Weight: 9KG

Curls
Shoulder Press
Bent Over Rolls

So that’s tonight. I’ll probably do the same tomorrow night. I deserve some pain for being a fucking moron.

So how are you?

-j