Tuesday, 8th January

08 January 2008

Strength Training

Weights

Lower Body Workout

Cat Pose

Warmup

0 kg x 20

Ok.

Vertical Woodchop with Dumbbell

Warmup

21/2 kg x 20

Ok.

Reverse Woodchop with Dumbbell

Warmup

21/2 kg x 20

Ok.

Dru Twist with Dumbbell

Warmup

21/2 kg x 20

Ok.

Sagital Plane Leg Swings

Warmup

0 kg x 20

Ok.

Frontal Plane Leg Swings

Warmup

0 kg x 20

Ok.

Zercher Squat with Barbell

The body weight squats in Tim’s workout were just too easy. I needed a squat variation, and it had to satisfy a number of criteria.

It must to be able to progress to a reasonable amount of weight. I’m not looking for anything too massive, but a pair of 5 kg dumbbells doesn’t cut the mustard. I start my back squat warm up sets with a 45 kg bar, so that means it will have to be barbell based.

It needs to be quick to load and unload the bar when starting and ending a set, since it’s supposed to be done back-to-back with another exercise. That rules out both front and back squats, as they’re too fiddly picking the bar up and getting it balanced.

It must have a safety bail-out. Yes, I’ll be doing these in the rack, but I want to be able to get rid of the bar quickly if Sue gets in trouble.

Enter the Zercher Squat. It’s a little-known modification of the front squat by Ed Zercher, where the bar is cradled at chest height by the arms rather than carried on the front of the shoulders. It meets all my requirements.

Work Set

20 [+20] kg x 15

Ok.

Super set (no resting) with…

Hover on Toes

Work Set

0 kg x 30 secs

Ok.

Zercher Squat with Barbell

Work Set

20 kg x 15

Ok.

Hover on Toes

Work Set

0 kg x 30 secs

Ok.

Zercher Squat with Barbell

Work Set

20 kg x 15

Ok.

Hover on Toes

Work Set

0 kg x 30 secs

Ok.

30 second rest.

Alternating Forward Lunges with Dumbbells

Work Set

5 [+5] kg x 15

Ok.

Super set (no resting) with…

Bench Dips

Work Set

0 kg x 15

Ok.

Alternating Forward Lunges with Dumbbells

Work Set

5 kg x 15

Ok.

Bench Dips

Work Set

0 kg x 15

Ok.

Alternating Forward Lunges with Dumbbells

Work Set

5 kg x 15

Ok.

Bench Dips

Work Set

0 kg x 15

Ok.

30 second rest.

Snatch with Dumbbell

Work Set

71/2 [+21/2] kg x 15

Ok.

Super set (no resting) with…

Pronated Reverse Fly

Work Set

0 kg x 6

x 0 [-6]

A stab of pain from the left shoulder. Decided the better part of valour was to find another exercise.

Bent-Over Row with Barbell

This isn’t an exercise I would normally do as with a heavy weight it can put the lower back at risk, but with only a light weight I felt it would be safe.

Work Set

20 [+20] kg x 15

Ok.

Snatch with Dumbbell

Work Set

71/2 kg x 15

Ok.

Bent-Over Row with Barbell

Work Set

20 kg x 15

Ok.

Snatch with Dumbbell

Work Set

71/2 kg x 15

Ok.

Bent-Over Row with Barbell

Work Set		20 kg x 15		Ok.
Start:				11:35 am
Finish:				12:05 pm
Time:		25 mins		30 mins

Trying to do my workout, while simultaneously coaching Sue through hers, was an interesting experience.

Flexibility Exercises

Yoga Exercises

Poses

This is my shoulder friendly replacement for Tim’s energizer routine. It’s a vinyasa cobbled together from pieces of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) and the “other” version—the version I don’t do—of Chandra Namaskar (Moon Salutation), with a few extra bits and pieces thrown in along the way. Here’s how it corresponds to Tim’s Energizer:

Tadasana (mountain) is the standing position with arms overhead.

Uttanasana is the forward folded position.

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down Dog) is the halfway position through the inch worm where your backside is in the air. The arms are in a slightly different position which my shoulder is happy doing.

Khumbaka is the plank position in the inch worm.

Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian) is the hip flexor stretch, Hanumanasana (Half Warrior) increases the stretch by raising the hands overhead..

Parivrtti Ashwa Sanchalanasana is the rotated version of the hip flexor stretch.

Salabhasana (Locust) and Vimanasana (Chariot) are the back hyperextension.

Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff) is the low hover position with a different, shoulder friendly hand position.

Khumbaka is the plank.

Utkatasana (Fierce) is the the y-squat, except the hands are side by side overhead.

Energizer

• Pranamasana (Prayer)
• Utkatasana (Fierce)
• Tadasana (Mountain)
• Uttanasana
• Urdhva Uttanasana
• Anjaneyasana (Lunge)
• Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian)
• Ashwa Hanumanasana (Lord Hanuman / Half Warrior)
• Parivrtti Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Revolved Equestrian)
• Anjaneyasana (Lunge)
• Khumbaka (Plank)
• Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff)
• Salabhasana (Locust)
• Vimanasana (Chariot)
• Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog)
• Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)
• Khumbaka (Plank)
• Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff)
• Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog)
• Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)
• Anjaneyasana (Lunge)
• Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian)
• Ashwa Hanumanasana (Lord Hanuman)
• Parivrtti Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Revolved Equestrian)
• Anjaneyasana (Lunge)
• Urdhva Uttanasana
• Uttanasana
• Tadasana (Mountain)
• Utkatasana (Fierce)
• Tadasana (Mountain)
• Utkatasana (Fierce)
• Tadasana (Mountain)
• Utkatasana (Fierce)
• Tadasana (Mountain)
• Pranamasana (Prayer)

I don’t usually do vinyasa in my own practice, but this seems to work in terms of producing the same benefits as Tim’s energizer, without the consequences for my shoulder. It took a bit of playing with to get the sequence right, and I haven’t got the breathing flow nailed yet, but we’ll see how it plays out.

Duration:

20 minutes

Spiritual Practices

Meditation

Breath Counting

Duration:

10 mins

A much better session than last time, actually managed to get through the meditation without losing count.

Chant Discipline

Ganesh Mantra

Day 8 (of 40)

Diet

7:45 am		Water		500 ml
8:00 am		Breakfast
		Oats		64 g		242 cal
		Dried fruit salad		20 g		51 cal
		Nibble mix		20 g		89 cal
		Calories				382 cal
		Rating				Good
10:30 am		Brunch
		Banana yoghurt		364 g		364 cal
		Pepitas		16 g		88 cal
		Calories				452 cal
		Rating				Good
11:00 am		Water		500 ml
12:10 pm		Water		500 ml
1:45 pm		Lunch
		Grilled red cod		264 g		216 cal
		Salad		296 g		50 cal
		Calories				266 cal
		Rating				Good
3:15 pm		Tea
		Pear		166 g		69 cal
		Nuts and Seeds		40 g		242 cal
		Dried fruit salad		30 g		76 cal
		Nibble mix		30 g		134 cal
		Calories				521 cal
		Rating				Good
5:10 pm		Water		500 ml
7:15 pm		Dinner
		Grilled chicken		208 g		247 cal
		Kumara and silverbeet colcannon		150 g		130 cal
		Sweet potato mustard mash		150 g		150 cal
		Lentil dhal		150 g		166 cal
		Calories				693 cal
		Rating				Good
8:45 pm		Water		500 ml
11:00 pm		Supper
		Corn thins		12 g		46 cal
		Sardines		92 g		144 cal
		Nectarines		188 g		82 cal
		Calories				272 cal
		Rating				Fair
11:45 pm		Water		500 ml

I added some oat bran to the breakfast oats, which produced a slightly rougher texture. I pulled the largest pieces of the dried fruit out of the mix and put them in the pot, so the nuts and seeds weren’t cooked. I added a pinch of cinamon and clove to the pot. Each of these changes made an improvement.

Again, portion control let me down. Tea and dinner both ran away from me, forcing my hand on the choices for supper.

Total Calories:		2587 kCal
P/C/F Split:		26% / 42% / 32%
Protein:		170 g.
Carbohydrates:		282 g.
Sugars:		130 g.
Fat:		91 g.
Saturated Fat:		24 g.
Fibre:		55 g.
Water:		3000 ml.

Gratitude

• Midnight Oil.
• Exercising with Sue—even though she whinges and moans about it.
• Kumara.
• A big improvement in my concentration during meditation.
• My swiss ball.