shugyo journal: 6/07 thru 8/07

That's right, I am in the midst of a shugyo.  Below are my daily training notes where available.  I am posting these because I tend to misplace exercise journals of the "spiral notebook" type, and I want a more permanent record.  Feel free to have a look.

Wed 6/20/07, weights.

  1. Seated chest press on freemotion pully machine.  5 sets of 5 (5×5), 80lb each side.  Pully system made this too easy.
  2. Hammerstrength MTS High Press (incline bench press).  5×5, 65lb each side.
  3. Roman Chair (lower back). 3×10, 25lb held at chest.
  4. Nautilus Nitro straight overhead press.  3×10, 100lb. Used the wider grip.
  5. Lifefitness isolated biceps curl.  3×10, 85lb.

Thurs 6/21/07, weights

  1. Lifefitness seated leg press.  5×5, 210lb.
  2. Nautilus Nitro lat pulldown.  5×5, 185lb.
  3. Standing calf raise.  3×10, 105lb.
  4. Lifefitness hip adduction.  3×10, 105lb.
  5. (Hip abduction - did not record weight)
  6. Dumbbell lying triceps extension.  3×10, 12lb.  Failed at 7 on 3rd set - probably fatigue from Wed workout.

Fri 6/22/07, weights and kung fu.

  1. Nautilus "Nitro" incline bench.  5×5, 120lb.  Close grip.
  2. Lifefitness lateral raise (deltoids).  5×5, 95lb.
  3. Star Trac shoulder press.  3×10, 90 lb.  Failed at 8 o set 2, but made it through 10 on set 3.
  4. Hammer Strength MTS decline press.  3×10, 35lb each arm.
  5. Kung fu: I Kun Tao.  1x slow, 2x fast.  Stretches, slow kicks.

Sat 6/23/07, weights.  This was the "free personal training session" provided by the gym.

  1. Dumbbell press.  3×12, 30lb each.
  2. Dumbbell fly.  3×12, 20lb each.
  3. Incline dumbbell press.  3×12, 30lb each.
  4. Incline press on machines.  3×12, 30lb each side.
  5. Assisted pullup.  3X12, total weight of 20lb.
  6. Dumbbell bent over row.  3×12, 45lb each.
  7. Seated row on machine.  3×12, unknown weight.

Sunday, 6/24/07, gongfu, hard qigong. Resting from weights.

  1. Shuriken throw, left hand. Used common Japanese throwing style. 3 hours throwing 6p and 10p nails (heads removed) into wood from 10 to 20 feet.
  2. Punches, lead left/right combo. 100x into living pine tree. Wore gardening gloves to prevent excessive abrasion.
  3. Circle walking around pine tree, striking with chop/ridge-hand combo, low and high. 100x.
  4. Simultaneous kick/strike. Reverse heel to shin with lead palm strike. 10x each side.
  5. Circle walking, 1-2 tiger claw combination to pine tree.

Monday 6/25/07, weights.

  1. Ab machines, 3×12. 100lb, 90lb, bodyweight + 20lb (or less - one of the ab machines makes you lift your body weight along with the dead weight, but there might be leverage involved there too).
  2. Rotational ab machine. 2×12 each side, weight unknown.
  3. Sideways Roman chair. 1×12, 5 lb each side. Later I will replace this with a better exercise.

Tuesday, 6/26/07, weights etc.

  1. Aerobic bike, auto resistance in "fat burn" mode, target heart 120. 5.5 mi.
  2. Forearm curl. 3×12, 30 lb each side.
  3. Reverse forearm curl. 3×12, 20 lb, 15 lb, 15 lb (each side).
  4. Seated calf raise. 5×5, 135 lb.

Wednesday, 6/27/07, weights etc.

  1. Exercise bike, "fat burn," 10 minutes.
  2. Lifefitness isolated bicep curl. 3×12, 95 lb. Failed at 9 last set.
  3. Dumbbell triceps extensio. 3×12, 20 lb ea, 15 lb ea, 15 lb ea.
  4. Quadriceps machine. 3×12, 180 lb. Failed at 10 last set.
  5. Hamstrings machine. 3×12, 110 lb.

Thursday, 6/28/07, weights etc.

  1. Treadmill, "Alpine pass," max speed 5.2, max incline 15. 10 minutes, 25 seconds.
  2. StarTrac incline bench. 5×5, 150 lb. This machine is always too light.
  3. Machine vertical chest press. 3×8, 95 lb.
  4. Dumbbell bent over row. 5×5, 45, 50, 60, 60, 60 lb each side. Slow with good form; last set was not perfect, so I may use 55lb next time.
  5. Machine fly. 2×8 145 lb.
  6. Machine reverse fly. 2×8, 145 lb.

…. Ok you get the idea. As I am writing this, it is October, and I have not had time to enter my exercise journal through August. Now, alas, I am in the midst of a 'business shugyo' which will last until I get burned out making money. I did well with the exercise regimen though - so well that I beat The Goodly Mr. Plotkin at arm wrestling (only with left arm to left arm). FYI, Mr. Plotkin benches 325, and has in his life benched 550, and has shorter arms than me. I was pretty happy with the result. When I start the next major exercise routine, I will post!