Thursday - Dec. 31

Dynamic Warm-up
Jump Rope - 2minutes
Agility Ladder
Multi-directional hurdle jumps to sprint x 8

Bodyweight only
 - Squat - 4 x 20
 - Lunge - 4 x 20 (r/l)
 - Fire Hydrants - 2 x 100 (r/l)

Seated Calf Raise
 - 5 x 70, 115, 140, 150, 150, 150#

Wasn't feeling the best today so keeping it light.  Felt good to sweat a little.

Wednesday - Dec. 30

Swim
 - 200yds warm-up
 - 300yds drills
 - 15 x 100yds. on 7 breathes rest between
 - each 100yds. between 2:20-2:25
 - increased pace on last 4 sets to 2:15
 - 7 breathes equaled 10-13sec.
 - finished with breaststroke 100yds.
 - was told I have a 'dead spot' in my stroke.  I need to increase my arm turnover which will also help to keep my legs from sinking.

Later in the evening.......

KB Snatch
 - 10 minutes, switch arms every minute
 - 20kg
 - 20 rpm

Tuesday - Dec. 29

Dynamic warm-up
Jump Rope - 2 minutes
Agility Ladder

Fr. Squat
 -10 @ 75kg
Back Squat
 - 20 @ 105kg
Lunge (r/l)
 - 2 x 15 @ 40kg
Deadlift
 - 3 x 15 @ 105kg

Holy flash pump in the quads.  2 weeks off squats has been felt.

Later in the afternoon.....

Light Bounding
 - 3 x 10
Side-to-Side Hops - 10" hurdle
 - 2 x 20 (r/l)
Seated Calf Raise
 - 6 @ 70, 115, 140, 140, 140, 140#
45 degree Back Extension
 - 3 x 15
Fire Hydrants
 - 3 x 50 (r/l)

Monday - Dec. 28

Pullups - 2, 4, 6, 8, 10
 - regular
 - reverse
 - close
 - wide
 - neutral

Pushups
 x 20, 30, 40, 50, 50, 40, 30, 20
Situps
 x 40, 60, 80, 100, 100, 80, 60, 40
Dips
 x 15, 20, 25, 30, 30, 25, 20, 15

Later in the afternoon......

Arm Haulers
 - 2 x 75
Neck Exercises
 - 2 x 40

KB Snatch
 - single arm switch
 - 10 minutes
 - 12kg
 - 24 rpm
 - no HR monitor today, squeezed the set in between clients.  Very smooth with very little forearm pump.

Saturday - Dec 26

Cleveland Rock Gym

 - started with a half dozen top roped routes and then went to bouldering.

 - 3.5 hours later the fingers were raw and not wanting to work anymore.

 - continuing to be happy with my balance and confidence on the wall.  It is amazing how I have changed from shaky and hesitant to solid and not afraid of a fall.

Thursday - Dec. 24

Erg
 - 40 minutes
 - drag #5
 - 10,118m
 - 1:58.6 ave500m
 - 148 aveHR
 - 165 maxHR

First time going 40 minutes on the erg.  Started with keeping the heart rate Zone1, but then decided to keep my pace sub/2:00.  Now time to sit and eat for 2 days with the family.

Wednesday - Dec. 23

CycleOps Bike trainer
 - 20 minutes warm-up
 - distance 5.93
 - ave cadence 81
 - ~aveHR 125

Intervals - CycleOps
 - 5 x 3 minutes on 1:00 rest
1)  end in low Zone3 (+higher cadence) - 155 maxHR
 - distance 1.27, ave cadence 87
2) end in mid Zone3 (+lower cadence) - 158 maxHR
 - distance 1.32, ave cadence 77
3) end in high Zone3 (+higher cadence) - 162 maxHR
 - distance 1.32, ave cadence 89
4) end in low Zone4 (+lower cadence) -167 maxHR
 - distance 1.31, ave cadence 74
5) build to Zone4 in 45sec and hold (+normal cadence) - 163 maxHR
 - distance 1.39, ave cadence 85

15 minutes
 - Zone1/2
 - distance 3.63
 - ave cadence 68
 - ~aveHR 130

Intervals - CycleOps
 - 5 x 3 minutes on 1:00 rest
1)  end in low Zone3 (+higher cadence) - 152 maxHR
 - distance 1.10, ave cadence 92
2) end in mid Zone3 (+lower cadence) - 155 maxHR
 - distance 1.16, ave cadence 77
3) end in high Zone3 (+higher cadence) - 159 maxHR
 - distance 1.17, ave cadence 89
4) end in low Zone4 (+lower cadence) -163 maxHR
 - distance 1.32, ave cadence 70
5) build to Zone4 in 45sec and hold (+normal cadence) - 169 maxHR
 - distance 1.36, ave cadence 84

Cooldown
 - 20 minutes
 - distance 5.14
 - ave cadence 76
 - ~aveHR 130

Total time on the bike: 1 hour 33 minutes

Much better day staying in my heart rate and cadence zones.  RPE is also continuing to decrease during the intervals and ride.

Tuesday - Dec. 22

KB Snatch
 - 10 minutes, switch arms every minute
 - 20kg
 - 20 rpm
 - 141 aveHR
 - 155 maxHR

Pullups - 2, 4, 6, 8, 10
 - regular
 - reverse
 - close
 - wide
 - neutral

Arm Haulers
 - 2 x 75

Neck Exercises
 - 2 x 35

Ab SuperSet
 - Flutter Kicks x 150
 - Leg Levers x 150
 - Situp x 150

2.5" Crusher
 - 3 x 10 (r/l) @ 105#

Seated Calf Raise
 6 x 70, 115, 140, 150, 155#

Monday - Dec. 21

Pushups
 x 20, 30, 40, 50, 50, 40, 30, 20
Situps
 x 40, 60, 80, 100, 100, 80, 60, 40
Dips
 x 15, 20, 25, 30, 30, 25, 20, 15

Later in the afternoon.....

KB Snatch
 - single arm switch
 - 10 minutes
 - 12kg
 - 22 rpm
 - HR monitor malfunctioning again.  Saving money to go beyond the $40-50 model.  Already ordered a new strap that will sync with my bike monitor and give some wattage readouts.

Saturday - Dec. 19

Cleveland Rock Gym

We climbed for 4 hours. Hands, toes, back and shoulders can feel it.  Great day, did some boulder routes first go that I thought I'd struggle with more for there rated level.  Likewise on the top roped routes of Mod-/Mod/Mod+.  Lots of mileage gained

Friday - Dec. 18

KB Snatch
 - single arm switch
 - 10 minutes
 - 12kg
 - 20 rpm
 - aveHR 104
 - maxHR 124
 - more forearm pump than I would have liked but very manageable.  Plan is to increase to 22rpm next week and 24rpm the week after before moving up to the 14kg bell.

Thursday - Dec. 17

Road Bike CycleOps Trainer
 - 20 minutes warm-up
 - distance 5.23
 - ave cadence 78
 - ave HR 130

Intervals - CycleOps
 - 5 x 3 minutes on 1:00 rest
1)  end in mid  Zone3 (+normal cadence) - 156 maxHR
 - distance 1.27, ave cadence 86
2) end in upper Zone3 (+high cadence) - 160 maxHR
 - distance 1.29, ave cadence 86
3) end in low Zone4 (+low cadence) - 166 maxHR
 - distance 1.31, ave cadence 82
4) end in upper Zone4 (+high cadence) -171 maxHR
 - distance 1.31, ave cadence 88
5) build to Zone5a in 45sec and hold (+normal cadence) - 176 maxHR
 - distance 1.41, ave cadence 83

Bike trainer cooldown
 - 21 minutes
 - distance 4.74
 - ave cadence 68
 - ave HR 128

Cadence control was not very good today but I was much better with my heart rate zones which was my goal.  Additionally, I was able to complete all five intervals in the correct heart rate zones.  Lactate burn in the legs did not 'feel' as bad today and was able to push through.  I was breathing like a freight train on sets 3 through 5.  Excited to see how well this training transfers when outside on the road.  Time will tell.

Wednesday - Dec. 16

Swim
 - 100yds warm-up
 - 300yds drills
 - 15 x 100yds. on 7 breathes rest between
 - each 100yds. between 2:08-2:15
 - 7 breathes equaled 10-13sec.
 - finished with breaststroke 100yds.

Definitely a more challenging day.  I did not feel as balanced in the water right from the start.  Overall, good yardage and times.  I think my expectations got in the way today.  Need to settle into the training and let the yardage/splits come to me otherwise I'll start to struggle.

Tuesday - Dec. 15

KB Snatch
 - 10 minutes, switch arms every minute
 - 20kg
 - 20 rpm
 - 132 aveHR
 - 145 maxHR

Fr. Squat
 -10 @ 75kg
Back Squat
 - 20 @ 105kg
Lunge (r/l)
 - 2 x 15 @ 40kg
Deadlift
 - 3 x 15 @ 105kg
Light Bounding
 - 3 x 10
Side-to-Side Hops - 10" hurdle
 - 2 x 20 (r/l)
Seated Calf Raise
 - 6 @ 70, 115, 140, 140, 140, 140#
45 degree Back Extension
 - 3 x 15
Fire Hydrants
 - 3 x 50 (r/l)

Erg
 - drag #5
 - 30 minutes
 - 7109m
 - 2:06.6 ave500m
 - aveHR 133
 - maxHR 137

Legs didn't feel the greatest today but didn't have any problems.

Monday - Dec. 14

Pyramid
 - 1 to 10, 10 to 1
 - Pullups x1
 - Pushups x3
 - Crunch x5
 - Dips x2

Neck
 x 35

CycleOps Bike trainer
 - 60 minutes
 - 17.30 miles
 - ave cadence 71
 - forgot to put my HR monitor on but kept the ride to a conversational pace

Friday - Dec. 11

KB Snatch
 - 10 minutes, switch arms every minute
 - 20kg
 - 20 rpm
 - 135 aveHR
 - 146 maxHR

Erg
 - 30 minutes
 - drag #5
 - 7274m
 - 2:03.7 ave500m
 - 134 aveHR
 - 142 maxHR

2 hour break for clients......

CycleOps Bike Trainer
 - 60 minutes
 - ave cadence 76
 - distance 18.55
 - aveHR 132
 - maxHR 155
 - again HR spike was during a period sitting erect in the saddle

Thursday - Dec. 10

Pushups
 - 3 x 20
Pullups
 - 3 x 8
Dips
 - 3 x 15
Crunches
 - 3 x 25


Road Bike CycleOps Trainer
 - 20 minutes warm-up
 - distance 5.88
 - aveHR 125
 - ave cadence 73

Intervals - CycleOps
 - 5 x 3 minutes on 1:00 rest
1)  low Zone3 (+normal cadence) - 151 maxHR
 - distance 1.26, ave cadence 80
2) middle Zone3 (+high cadence) - 157 maxHR
 - distance 1.39, ave cadence 87
3) high Zone3 (+low cadence) - 165 maxHR
 - distance 1.27, ave cadence 70
4) low Zone4 (+high cadence) -171 maxHR
 - distance 1.39, ave cadence 82
5) Zone4 (+normal cadence) - 165 maxHR
 - distance 1.27, ave cadence 74

Cadence qualifiers are added in with the programming from Joe Friel, 'Going Long', his book on Ironman distance training.  This whole interval set-up is his.  I wasn't able to push myself into Zone 4 on the last interval, legs and mind was just getting through.  All work intervals were done in aero position, rest was on the hoods.

Bike trainer cooldown
 - 21 minutes
 - distance 5.27
 - aveHR 128
 - ave cadence 72

During the cooldown period I noticed that if I sat up in the saddle my heart rate would increase 15 bpm.  It would then quickly decrease again when I went back down to the hoods and then onto the aerobars.

The intervals have pushed the limit of my very basic heart rate monitor and I've had to use interns to right down statistics as I ride to make up for the lack of additional functions, but it works.

Tomorrow will be a mashup of steady state Zone 1 training for as long a duration as I can work in between client at lunch.

Wednesday - Dec. 9

De-Loading the weights and bodyweight exercises this week.  Cardio maintains.

Agility Ladder

Fr. Squat
 -2x5 @ 70kg
Back Squat
 - 2x10 @ 100kg
Lunge (r/l)
 - 2 x 8 @ 40kg
Deadlift
 - 10 @ 100kg
Seated Calf Raise
 - 6 @ 70, 115, 140, 140, 140#
Fire Hydrants
 - 2 x 50 (r/l)

Swim
 - 15 x 100yds. on 8 breathes rest between
 - Now that I have finished my 6 week beginners swim program I'll be starting the Total Immersion 12 week Ironman swim program.
 - each 100yds. between 2:08-2:12
 - 8 breathes equaled 14-18sec.
 - finished with 50 yds. laying on my back breast stroke kicking cool-down

Tuesday - Dec. 8

Erg
 - 10 minutes Warm-up
 - drag #5
 - 2529m
 - 1:58.6 ave500m
 - 129 aveHR
 - 151 maxHR

Erg intervals
 - drag #5
 - 6 x 500m with 1:45 rest between
 - descending 500m times: 1:38.8, 1:38.4, 1:37.0, 1:36.3, 1:35.4, 1:32.2
 - maxHR each: 162, 167, 169, 172, 174, 179
 - Total aveHR 142

Erg
 - 10 minutes
 - drag #5
 - 2396m
 - 2:05.2 ave500m
 - 138 aveHR
 - 149 maxHR

Well that was interesting.  Goal achieved on sub-1:40 500m splits on 1:45 rest in descending fashion.  The interesting bit is that my heart rate was ~5 bpm less this week on all sets and my RPE was also less for the entire series.  Training must be working.

Later in the afternoon....

Tried some bouldering.  Fingers and forearms are still tired from Gripmas.  Only 5 routes done.

Monday - Dec. 7

CycleOps Bike trainer
 - 60 minutes
 - ave cadence 79
 - distance 20.1
 - aveHR 138
 - maxHR 162

Way easier to elevate heart rate on the bike trainer than it is on the recumbent bike.  Perceived exhaustion was about the same, but my thighs seem to 'feel it' more on the recumbent bike.  Regardless, I need to control my heart rate better to go the ironman distance.  Of other note, this was the best comfort I've felt on the aero bars.

Saturday - Dec. 5

Gripmas Grip Sport Competition

ISG gripper thing

 - best close was 297.740

 - was quiet surprised I came in 2nd and did so well. Without training grippers this strength typically decreases, but not today.

Two Hands Pinch

 - 54mm width

 - 235.52 which is very close to my personal best of (240-2?).

 - again pleasantly surprised

Double Overhand Axle DL

 - 442.36

 - right in line with my standard non-training numbers. Top lift is 485# in training.

 - felt the deadlifts as this is the heaviest weight I've lifted in many months.

Medley

 - I achieved 36 of 50 points in the 4 minute time limit

 - lots of big feats and I did everything I thought I would do a some a was happy to still do (45s pinch, 5-10s)

Overall a great day with great people.  I finished the day playing with some thick DB lifts and playing on Chris' campus board.

On the campus board I achieved a climb of 1-2-3-4-5 on the small rungs and then went 1-5 with both arms on the large rungs, even managing 1-5.5 with the right arm. Lots of other combinations also done.  Grip was very fatigued on the drive home, but was wise to stop playing when I did to not overdo it.

Friday - Dec. 4

KB Snatch
 - 10 minutes, switch arms every minute
 - 20kg
 - 20 rpm
 - 134 aveHR
 - 144 maxHR

Erg
 - 30 minutes
 - drag #5
 - 7527m
 - 1:59.6 ave500m
 - 141 aveHR
 - 149 maxHR

Recumbent Bike
 - 30 minutes
 - level 8/20
 - distance 7.20
 - aveHR 123
 - maxHR 131

Thursday - Dec. 3

Pullups
 - regular 2x7
 - reverse 2x7
 - close 2x7
 - wide 2x7
 - neutral 2x7

Pushups
 - regular 2x30
 - close 2x20
 - wide 2x30
 - hindu 2x30  (done as 10-10-10 each set)

Dips 2x25
Arm haulers 3x50
8-count Burpee 2x20

Max Pushup in 2 minutes: 67
Max Situp in 2 minutes: 61
Max pullups: 12 (right elbow/biceps/triceps sore)

Neck exercises x50

Ab Super Set x 2
 - situp x60
 - 4-way crunch x50
 - Leg lever x 60
 - Flutter kicks x150
 - half situp x100

Later in the afternoon....

Recumbent Bike
 - 30 minutes
 - level 8/20
 - distance 7.75
 - aveHR 129
 - maxHR 141

Wednesday - Dec. 2

Agility Rings

Fr. Squat
 -15 @ 70kg
Back Squat
 - 20 @ 80, 100kg
Lunge (r/l)
 - 3 x 15 @ 40kg
Deadlift
 - 3 x 15 @ 100kg
Light Bounding
 - 2 x 10
Side-to-Side Hops - 10" hurdle
 - 2 x 20 (r/l)
Seated Calf Raise
 - 6 @ 70, 115, 140, 140, 140#
Fire Hydrants
 - 3 x 50 (r/l)

Swim
 - 500m in 11:10
• 2 x 100 yards freestyle
(rest :30 between 100sets)
• 4 x 25 yards windsprints resting :30 between lengths
(swim each length taking only one breathe)
• 4 x 50 yards crawl resting :15 between laps
• 4 x 25 yards windsprints resting :30 between lengths
(swim each length without taking only one breathe)
• 4 x 50 yards crawl resting :15 between laps
 - 50 yds. back breaststoke kicking relaxation
 - 100 yds. breaststroke
 - 100 freestyle warmdown

Later in the afternoon....

Sandbag Get-Up
 - 70# x 6, 6 (r/l)

Tuesday - Dec. 1

Erg
 - 10 minutes Warm-up
 - drag #5
 - 2615m
 - 1:54.7 ave500m
 - 145 aveHR
 - 161 maxHR

Erg intervals
 - drag #5
 - 6 x 500m with 1:45 rest between
 - descending 500m times: 1:41.6, 1:38.7, 1:37.4, 1:36.2, 1:35.5, 1:32.5
 - maxHR each: 167, 173, 175, 177, 179, 184
 - Total aveHR 149

Erg
 - 10 minutes
 - drag #5
 - 2318m
 - 2:09.4 ave500m
 - 141 aveHR
 - 148 maxHR

Intervals were a challenge today but was very happy with my pacing.  The last 2 were a test.  Next weeks goals is for all to be under 1:40 and descending.