May 31- 175 lb. Early morning training: heavyhands step cardio with 3 lb. dumbbells. 20 minutes. Rested a few minutes, then practiced a few kata. In the afternoon, came back for kettlebell training: long cycle clean and jerk, 2x16k- warm up: 1m @ 8rpm. Work set: 10m @ 8rpm = 80 reps. Rested a while, then snatch, 12k: 6m @ 20 rpm, 1 hand switch = 60/60 reps. Light dumbbell work: curl, French press, lateral raise- 30 reps each with a pair of 8 lb. dumbbells. Since I've added high rep dumbbell isolation lifts, my shoulders and elbows feel great. The seem to balance out the ballistic lifting very well.
May 30- did not weigh. About 90 minutes of yardwork: mowing, mucking out the goats, carrying stuff. Low level cardio. Dumbbell training with 12 lb. dumbbells. 2x20 curl, French press, lateral raise, fly, reverse fly.
May 29- 174 lb. Early morning session: easy 10 minutes of step cardio with a 6 lb. medicine ball. Dumbbell routine: 20 reps each of curl, French press, lateral raise, flyes, reverse flyes, shrugs, calf raise with 2x12 lb. Came back around 10:30 and did long cycle: 2x24k: 1m @ 4rpm, 1m @ 5 rpm; 2x20k: 1m @ 6rpm. Playing with heavier weights to see how my elbow likes it. No complaints on these short sets. Work set: 2x12k: 7m @ 12 rpm = 84 reps. Kept good form throughout, and stopped before technique started breaking down. Grip, conditioning, and shoulders were good for the whole set, legs were working hard. I'm adding more step cardio, so I hope to build leg endurance. Finished with 2m of skipping rope.
May 28- 175 lb. Feel a little sore all over. Early morning (6:45) training: Heavyhands with 2.5 lb. weights. Kept it simple: step ups on a 12 inch step, alternating feet, and double ski poling with the arms. Got in the groove and kept going for 20 minutes. I was pouring sweat, but felt like I could keep going and going. Later, some barbell work. Deadlift: 20 reps with 135- easy. Floor press: 20 reps with 135- hard. Finished with flies with 12 lb. dumbbells: 2x20. I like the stretch I get from these in my chest and shoulders.
May 27- 176 lb. Long cycle clean and jerk, 2x16k: 6m @ 10rpm = 60 reps. This is a PR for this pace. In the past I've done 10 rpm sprints up to 5m, but these were close to max effort. This was not a max, but a decent challenge- maybe 70% effort. Conditioning, grip, and shoulders held up fine, elbow felt good. Legs were beginning to slow down at the end. Rested 4m, then did the usual dumbbell training routine of isolation lifts with 12 lb. dumbbells.
May 26- did not weigh. Moved mom today. Drove a moving truck for 3 hours, then loaded it for 7.5 hours. Drove 3 hours home, then unloaded for 2 hours. Lots of carrying, lifting, walking in the heat. A very physically demanding day.
May 25- did not weigh. Did about five hours of hauling books and shelves to the new office. Training: dumbbell routine with 12 lb. dumbbells: 20 reps each of flyes (2 sets of 20), curls, French presses, reverse flyes, lateral raises, military presses, calf extensions, shrugs, wrist curls, reverse wrist curls.
May 23- 176 lb. Outside on my feet all morning. Dumbell rehab/prehab/armor building: 20 reps each with a pair of 12 lb. dumbbells: curl, French press, lateral raise, fly, reverse fly, military press. Since I've been doing these isolation exercises with light dumbbells, a lot of my aches and pains have subsided. Maybe a little visible hypertrophy as well. Cardio: an easy/moderate 20 minute run.
May 22- did not weigh. Long day of work, then training. One arm long cycle: 16k. 20m @ 10 rpm = 200 reps. This is a PR for me. I've done 90 reps in 10 minutes with two 16k bells, but I've never done 100 reps with either arm in one set. Dumbbell flyes, 12 lb.: 2 sets of 20.
May 21- 174.5 lb. No serious weight training. 20 reps of curls, French presses, flyes, and lateral raises with 12 lb. dumbbells.
May 20- did not weigh. No weight training, but mowed yard for about 70 minutes, then a few hours of light yard and farm work.
May 19- 175.5 lb. A.M.: Dumbbell routine with 8 lb. dumbbells: curls, French presses, lateral raises, pec flyes, reverse flyes, shrugs, front raises, step ups, calf raises. 20 reps each. P.M.: 20 rep squats, 140 pounds.
May 18- 175.5 lb. Ate at two church meals yesterday, so went overboard. I'll reign it in early this week. Training today: long cycle clean and jerk, 2x12k. Warm up: 1m @ 10 rpm. Work set: 10m @ 10rpm = 100 reps. Felt strong throughout set, and could have kept going- not close to a max. Felt like a steam engine! I really like these long, light sets combined with easy dumbbell, barbell, and cardio training.
May 17- 174.5 lb. Did some dumbbell and barbell training. With a pair of 8 lb. dumbbells, 20 reps each of: curl, French press, lateral raise, military press, fly (two sets of 20), pullover, reverse fly, wrist curl, reverse wrist curl, step up on a knee-high bench (20 per leg), calf raise. Floor press: 2 sets of 15 with 140 lb. barbell. I have not done light, high rep "bodybuilding style" isolation exercises since before I found kettlebells in 2006. Since I've been doing these easy dumbbell exercises, a lot of little tweaks, aches, and pains have gone away. I don't think that curling 8 lb. dumbbells is making me stronger, but it's making me feel better, and that's reason enough to do it.
May 16- 174 lb. No training today.
May 15- 174 lb. Dumbbell routine for general strength endurance.
May 14- 173.5 lb. Dumbbell rehab: 20 reps each of curl, French press, military press, lateral raise, flyes, reverse flyes with a pair of 8 lb. dumbbells. 20 extra curls, French presses, military presses, and lateral raises on left side. Kettlebell swings: 24k: 4 sets of 50 reps. Each set was one hand only- 50L, 50R, 50L, 50R. Several minutes rest between sets. Loaded and unloaded 12 bales of hay, some general easy work around the farm. Came back in the afternoon and did some barbell work. Squat: 1x20 with 135. Bench press, 2x10 with 135.
May 13- 174.5 lb. Long cycle clean and jerk, 2x12k. Warm up: 1m @ 10rpm. Work set: 10m @ 10rpm = 100 reps. This was my first ever triple-digit set in 10m, and it was tough. Not a max effort, but close. Grip and arms were fine, but quads were burning by the end, and cardio was suffering. Pulse was over 200 at end of set. Rested a while, then floor press: 135 lb.- 1 set of 10 reps. Unloaded and carried some hay bales and 50 lb. sacks of feed.
May 12- 174.5 lb. Creeping back up now that I'm not restricting calories as much. Training today: dumbbell rehab/prehab routine: 20 reps of a complex of curl, press, French press. 20 reps flyes, lateral raises, standing flyes, reverse flyes, all with 8 lb. dumbbells- nice and easy. Ran to the pharmacy and back. Total run: 16m. Stopped about 2m to go inside. Pulse at end of run was 170 bpm. I felt I could have kept running at this pace for much longer. New 12k kettlebell arrived today. I'll probably do a set of double long cycle tomorrow. This elbow tendonitis is going to force me to go back and master the lighter weights for high reps, which I should have done years ago.
May 11- 174 lb. Floor press, 135 lb.- 2x15. Dumbbell rehab/prehab routine: 20 reps each of curl, French press, lateral raise, flyes, reverse flyes, and squats with a pair of 8 lb. dumbbells.
May 10- 173 lb. Gave blood yesterday. Training today: single clean and jerk, 12k: 20m @ 12 rpm, 1 hand switch. 120/120. Pulse at end of set was 180, but I don't think it was that high during my set. This set really pushed my conditioning, but my grip, legs, and shoulders held out fine. I really don't think I can go faster than 12 rpm and get legal reps. I only have one 12k, since I made my other 12k into a 49k kettlebell a while back. I've ordered another 12k so I can push my numbers up on doubles work without stressing my elbow. Elbow felt great throughout this session and afterward.
Rested 12 minutes, then did some easy rehab/prehab work with a pair of 8 lb. dumbbells: 20 reps each of curls, French press, lateral raises, reverse flyes, and flyes.
May 9- 172.5 lb. Lowest in three years. My caliper measures 14.8% body fat. If this is accurate, I have 25.5 pounds of fat and 147 pounds of lean mass. I'm not sure what to make of this. On March 13 I recorded the same bodyfat percentage at a weight of 178.5, and calculated 26.5 pounds of fat and 152 pounds of lean mass. If this is accurate, I've lost a pound of fat and 5 pounds of muscle. I don't think so. I'm visibly leaner than I was then, and have added some muscle (not a lot, but enough to tell) on my legs, shoulders, and chest. I must be using the caliper wrong. I tried the Jackson-Pollock method on myself, and came up with 18% bodyfat (31 pounds fat, 141.5 pounds lean mass). I'm not sure I did this one right either. I'm definitely making progress, but I don't think I can be certain what my body comp is at this point.
May 8- 174 lb. Elbow rehab exercises. Floor press, 135 lb.: 2x12. Squat, 135 lb.: 1x20. Stiff-leg deadlift, 135 lb.: 1x20. Went and push-mowed mom's yard. It's a big hill, and it's like pushing a prowler uphill. Mowed for 47 minutes, then rested for 40 minutes, then mowed for 30 more minutes.
May 7- 174.5 lb. Holding steady so far, inching down toward 170. Did a little long cycle clean and jerk, 2x16k: 5:15 @ 8rpm = 42 reps. Wanted to get past the 5m mark, but did not want to aggravate my elbow. Elbow felt fine throughout the set. Iced it down afterward. Came back later and did some one arm long cycle clean and jerk, 12k: 20m @ 10rpm with 1 hand switch = 100/100. Rested 5m, then did jerks, 2x16k: 3m @ 8rpm = 24. This session I was lifting at 8rpm or faster for 23 out of 28 minutes. I'm at a good point in my conditioning. I felt like I could keep going and going. I stopped because I wanted to keep it between 50% and 70%, and not bother my elbow. Felt great afterward, like I could run, or squat, or press. A good park bench session. I'm also keeping my weight down. I weighed 176 after my session at about 3:30 in the afternoon.
May 6 174.5. First time under 175 since I don't know when, and down 10 pounds in three months. Went to bed hungry last night, but woke up feeling fine today. On my feet all day, but no training.
May 5- 177 lb. Did not fast today, but severely limited caloric consumption. Eating has gotten out of control, so time to reign it in. Ate a little protein throughout the day, but not enough to satisfy hunger. Elbow rehab exercises.
May 4- 176.5 lb. Feel strong today, so working on some strength endurance training. Floor press, 135 lb.: 2x20. Squat, 135 lb.: 1x20. Stiff-leg deadlift, 135 lb.: 1x20. Elbow rehab exercises.
May 3- 177 lb. Long cycle clean and jerk, 12k. 20 minutes @ 10rpm with 1 hand switch = 100/100. 2x16k: 1m @ 10rpm. Stopped before my elbow could start hurting.
May 1- 178 lb. Elbow feels much better. Did some light long cycle with a 12k bell. 20m @ 8rpm with one hand switch. 80/80 reps. Felt very easy, like I could have gone all day.
